University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


HOCKED 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


•-• 


THE 


LONDON  MEMCAL  DICTIONARY; 


INCLUDING,  UNDER  DISTINCT  HEADS, 


VIZ. 

ANATOMY,    PHYSIOLOGY,    AND   PATHOLOGY, 

THE  PRACTICE  OF 

PHYSIC  AND  SURGERY, 
THE&APETITICS,  AND  MATEUIJl  MED1C&-, 

WITH  WHATEVER  RELATES  TO  MEDICINE  IN 

NATURAL  PHILOSOPHY,  CHEMISTRY, 

AND 


BY  BARTHOLOMEW  PARR,  M.D. 

FELLOW   OF    THE    ROYAL    SOCIETIES    OF   LONDON   AND   EDINBURGH,   AND   SENIOR   PHYSICIAN    OP   THE 

DEVON    AND    EXETER    HOSPITAL. 

Creditor,  ex  medio  quia  res  arcessit,  habere 
Sudoris  minimum  ;  sed  habet  tanto 

Plus  oneris,  quanto  veniz  minus.  HOK. 

Lexican  contexat,  nam  Cztera  quid  moror,  omnes 
Poenarum  species,  hie  labor  unus  habet 


VOL.  I. 

PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  MITCHELL,  AMES,  AND  WHITE- 
William  Brown,  Printer. 

1819. 


-  K- 


TO  TH£  RIGHT  HONOURABLE  ji 

SIR  JOSEPH  BANKS,  BART. 

KNIGHT  OF  THE  BATH, 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY. 


SIR; 


YOUR  kind  permission  of  addressing  these  volumes  to  you,  as 
it  affords  me  an  opportunity  of  acknowledging  the  many  obligations  you  have 
conferred,  I  received  w  ith  the  greatest  satisfaction.  A.  work,  nearly  approaching 
in  its  object  that  department  of  science  in  which  you  are  so  eminent ;  which 
rests  on  the  observation  of  Nature  in  all  her  varied  forms  as  her  securest  foun- 
dation;  in  fact,  THE  NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  BODY  AND  MIND,  failllOt,  I  tTUSt, 

to  YOU  be  unacceptable.  Should  it  appear  to  be  executed  in  a  manner  worthy 
the  approbation  of  yourself  and  the  public,  my  highest  ambition  will  be  grati- 
fied. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  SIR, 

Your  very  obliged  and  faithful 
Humble  servant. 

BARTHOLOMEW  PAKR. 

Exeter,  Abrcmier,  1808. 


•^o^r* 

U.-iJ* 


PREFACE. 


a  dictionary  be  sometimes  the  refuge  of  indolence,  it  is  an  useful  resource  ic  circum- 
stances of  emergency.  It  offers  a  collection  of  opinions,  at  one  view,  and  within  moderate 
limits,  suggests  hints  from  sources  beyond  the  reach  of  common  acquirements,  beyond  the 
extent  of  a  common  library,  and  leads  the  inquiring  mind  into  paths  of  which  he  might  not 
have  suspected  the  existence,  or  been  unable  to  pursue  the  intricacies.  If  these  be  the 
general  advantages  of  a  dictionary,  this  form  is  peculiarly  applicable  to  a  science  where 
emergencies  frequently  occur,  where  the  time  for  reflection  is  short,  and  the  practitioner, 
from  anxiety  and  distress,  unfitted  for  cool  consideration.  A  man  of  sensibility  is,  in  such 
circumstances,  obliged  to  conceal  his  pangs  under  the  appearance  of  composure,  and  to 
cover  doubt  and  hesitation  by  a  seeming  calmness  and  confident  decision.  His  situation, 
also,  is  often  little  adapted  for  deriving  assistance  from  numerous  authors,  in  different  lan- 
guages; nor  is  his  mind  always  so  carefully  regulated  by  education  as  to  pursue  a  chain  of 
reasoning  strictly  inductive,  or  to  detect  error,  under  the  semblance  of  plausible  improvement. 
To  bring  before  him,  therefore,  the  opinions  of  distant  eras  and  countries,  to  offer  what  the 
ablest  professors  have  thought,  to  describe  how  they  have  acted,  must  be  a  valuable  acquisi- 
tion to  one  class,  while,  lo  the  intelligent  and  experienced,  it  may  be  no  useless  remem- 
brancer— an  index  to  those  sources  of  information  which  may  be  more  minutely,  and, 
therefore,  more  advantageously  followed.  It  is  not  the  least  of  the  advantages  of  the  following 
pages,  that  they  detect  many  reputed  discoveries  of  modern  times,  in  the  neglected  authors 
of  former  periods;  and  the  sanguine  admirer  of  what  is  new  may  learn,  from  the  reception 
which  any  proposal  has  formerly  experienced,  to  appreciate  with  greater  accuracy  its  value. 

To  attain  these  objects  has  been  the  anxious  wish  of  the  author;  and,  with  these  in  view, 
he  can  scarcely  have  entirely  failed.  This  work  is  not  the  design  of  a  moment:  projected 
in  the  eagerness  of  youth,  it  is  completed  in  the  maturity  of  experience;  constantly  kept  in 
his  sight:  a  deposit  of  the  accumulated  stores  of  reading  and  observation. 


vi  TREFACE. 

To  excel  former  works,  under  this  title.,  at  least  such  as  had  appeared  when  the  plan  was 
first  laid,  seemed  no  very  difficult  task.  They  chidlty  consisted  of  definitions  and  short 
explanations,  or  were  diffuse  collections,  from  different  authors,  in  the  same  form,  frequently 
in  the  same  words.  He  who  consulted  the  latter  work  might  well  exclaim,  inopem  me  copia 
fecit;  while  those  who  applied  to  the  former  caught  the  shadow,  instead  of  the  substance — 
learnt  the  etymology  of  a  title,  when  they  wanted  a  remedy  for  the  disease. 

The  lexicon  of  EROTIAN  (perhaps  HERODIAN),  the  Voces  Graecae  of  JULIUS  POLLUX, 
the  lexicon  of  HERODOTUS  LYCIUS,  and  others,  published  by  HENRY  STEPHENS,  with  the 
CEconomia  of  Ftesius,  appended  to  his  edition  of  Hippocrates,  are  scarcely  more  than  eluci- 
dations of  the  terms  used  in  the  ancient  authors.  DE  GORRIS  (Gorrreus)  was  more  full  in 
his  explanations,  and  more  extensive  in  his  views.  The  Definitiones  Medicas,  first  published 
in  1564,  afterwards,  by  his  grandson,  in  1622,  contain  a  satisfactory  view  of  medicine,  as  it 
was  left  by  the  ancients,  and  no  imperfect  account  of  the  medicinal  plants  described  by 
Theophrastus  and  Dioscorides.  BLANCHARD  seems  chiefly  to  have  copied  Gorra3us,  and 
scarcely  advances  beyond  the  definitions  of  his  predecessor.  CASTELLUS  is  equally  unsatis- 
factory; but  the  edition  of  Bruno,  published  at  Geneva,  in  large  quarto,  and  the  still  more 
extensive  one  which  appeared  at  Naples,  in  1761,  are  valuable,  though  unequal  collections. 
The  former  contains  the  Arabic,  the  Hebrew,  the  Greek,  French,  and  Italian  appellations, 
added  by  Bruno,  under  the  title  of  Mantissa  Tetraglotta,  and  the  latter  many  of  the  modern 
improvements. 

Our  own  countrymen  received,  early  in  the  last  century,  the  assistance  of  QJJINCY,  who 
has  -transcribed  and' abridged  the  definitions  of  his  predecessors,  adding  the  principal  doc-- 
trines  of  the  mechanical  philosophy,  and  their  application  to  medicine.  Indeed  the  latter 
seems  to  have  been  his  chief  object;  and,  when  Newton  had,  with  the  assistance  of  mathe- 
matics, expanded  our  view,  and  found  the  solar  system  subservient  to  one  principle,  gravity, 
it  was  supposed  that  the  same  success  would  follow  their  introduction  into  every  science;  and 
nothing  but  demonstration  was  talked  of  and  expected.  This  work  has  been  lately  published, 
with  numerous  improvements,  by  Dr.  Hooper;  but  within  limits  which  necessarily  preclude 
any  very  extensive  disquisitions. 

About  the  middle  of  this  century,  DR.  JAMES  offered  a  vast  work  of  this  kind  to  the 
public,  in  three  ponderous  folios.  The  erudition  which  he  displays  is  extensive,  and  his 
explanations  are  often  satisfactory.  He  has  collected  all  the.  learning  of  his  predecessors, 
preserved  their  controversies,  and  added  whatever  a  diligent  attention  to  the  works  of  the 
ancient  physicians  could  contribute  to  the  former  stock.  In  the  more  strictly  practical  part 
of  his  dictionary,  he  has  collected,  with  the  same  care,  and  has  copied,  not  always  with 
sufficient  discrimination,  the  opinions  of  different  practical  authors.  The  diffuseness  of  his 


PREFACE. 


Vi: 


language  contributes,  however,  to  lessen  the  advantages  which  such  a  work  ought  to  possess, 
as  a  ready  resource  in  cases  of  difficulty ;  nor,  in  the  mass  of  contending  opinions,  is  it  always 
easy  to  collect  those  comprehensive  views,  which  will  at  once  lead  to  a  decisive  and  discrimi- 
nated practice. 

Some  later  dictionaries  in  our  language  are,  in  general,  slight  glossaries,  with  slender 
claims,  which  may  be  fairly  allowed.  One  other  work,  of  a  more  respectable  bulk,  and 
more  plausible  pretensions,  we  may  be,  perhaps,  expected  to  notice;  but  any  observations 
which  we  might  offer  would  appear  to  be  dictated  rather  by  the  spirit  of  rivalship  than  of 
sound  criticism.  We  wish  not  to  disturb  the  opinions  of  those  who  approve  it. 

There  are  numerous  collections  from  authors,  sometimes  of  reference  only,  but  more 
often  copies  of  detached  passages,  arranged,  in  many  instances,  alphabetically,  which,  though 
not  properly  dictionaries,  demand  some  attention.  While  the  works  which  have  been  styled 
definitions  and  glossaries  preclude  disquisitions,  these  reject  mere  verbal  explanations.  They 
approach  nearly  to  our  prototypes,  particularly  the  dictionary  of  Dr.  James;  but  are  differ- 
ent in  their  pretensions,  as  well  as  in  their  execution,  and  of  unequal  value. 

I 

MORONUS  first  published  his  Directorium  Medico-practicum,  at  Leyden,  in  1650,  pro- 
fessing to  give  a  list  of  the  opinions  of  the  most  eminent  physicians,  who  had  written  either 
in  the  form  of  consultations,  epistles,  replies,  observations,  or  histories  on  different  diseases. 
This  Directory  was  published  in  octavo,  and,  thirteen  years  afterwards,  >a  more  enlarged 
edition,  by  Sebastian  Scheffer,  in  quarto,  appeared.  Without  impeaching  the  accuracy  of 
Moronus,  we  jnay  remark,  that  his  work  is  very  unsatisfactory,  from  the  general  objects  of 
his  references.  Under  each  disease  we  find  a  list  of  authors^  without  the  slightest  hint  in 
whose  volumes  we  are  to  seek  the  pathology  or  cure,  by  whom  the  remedies  are  discrimi- 
nated and  adapted  with  the  most  scientific  care,  or  where  the  greatest  number  of  idle  fancies 
obscure  the  merit  of  attentive  observation. 

The  SYLVA  MEDICA  of  J.  G.  Walther  is  far  more  valuable.  His  references  are  copious 
and  distinct;  his  synonyms,  including  the  barbarous  and  obsolete  appellations,  numerous;  his 
chemical  compositions,  in  which,  however,  he  could  not  soar  beyond  the  state  of  the  science 
at  that  time,  detailed  with  accuracy.  His  work  was  published  at  Bautzen,  in  Germany,  1679, 
in  quarto,  illustrated  by  an  index  of  authors  and  diseases.  Had  Walther  fulfilled  the  promises 
of  his  title,  the  Sylva  would  have  been  highly  useful;  but  his  omissions  are  numerous,  and 
his  references  so  general,  that  they  are  often  of  little  real  value.  A  similar  work  was  pub- 
lished at  Frankfort,  previously  to  the  former  publication,  by  M.  MARTIANUS  LIPENIUS,  in 
folio,  1759,  with  a  copious  index,  which  we  have  been  unable  to  procure. 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


Walther  was  followed  by  MANGETUS,  a  most  voluminous  collector,  who  published  his 
BIBLIOTHECA  MEDico-PBACTicA  at  Geneva,  in  1698,  &c.  in  four  thick  folio  volumes;  and, 
twenty-six  years  afterwards,  the  BIBLIOTHECA  CHIRURGICA,  in  volumes  equally  numerous 
and  bulky.  Each  collection  is  a  tedious  cento,  from  different  authors,  without  a  scientific 
arrangement,  almost  without  any  apparent  design.  From  many  vast  collections,  the  observa- 
tions are  selected,  without  a  reference  to  the  volume,  and  the  editions  are  seldom  so  carefully 
distinguished  as  to  ascertain  the  real  merit  of  the  passage  transcribed.  Yet  Mangetus  was 
not  merely  a  tasteless  compiler,  but  a  man  of  sound  judgment  and  accurate  discrimination, 
as  he  has  evinced  by  his  critical  remarks  in  his  BIBLIOTHECA  SCRIPTORUM  MEDICORUM. 

BONETUS  was  a  collector  almost  equally  indiscriminate,  and  his  POLYALTHES,  a  posthu- 
mous work,  was  published  at  Geneva,  in  1691.  The  title  is  derived  from  the  name  of  a 
supposed  daughter  of  JEsculapius,  who  appears  to  have  received  it  from  her  extensive 
powers  of  healing.  This  work,  however,  scarcely  belongs  to  the  present  subject,  since  it 
consists  of  a  close,  but  extensive  commentary  on  the  syntagma  of  J.  JOHNSON,  the  IDEA 
MEDICINE  UNIVERSE.  A  former  work,  entitled  MERCURIUS  COMPILATITIUS,  denominated 
from  the  statues  of  Hermes,  placed  in  the  highways,  to  point  out  the  road,  was  more  pro- 
fessedly a  compilation,  in  an  alphabetical  order,  but  without  a  nice  selection  of  authorities. 
In  the  following  year,  the  same  author's  MEDICINA  SEPTENTRIONALIS  COLLATITIA  appeared, 
containing  the  discoveries  of  the  Germans,  the  English,  and  the  Danes,  chiefly  from  their 
transactions,  in  an  order  not  alphabetical. 

The  ENCYCLOPEDIA  of  DOL^EUS  are  similar  collections,  arranged  according  to  the  sub- 
jects: the  Encyclopedia  Chirurgica  was  an  early  work,  published  in  1659;  the- Encyclopedia 
Medica  only  in  1691. 

This  inundation  of  compilations,  at  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  appears  to  have 
exhausted  the  spirits  and  the  industry  of  collectors,  since  several  years  elapsed  before  a 
.  similar  attempt  was  published.  The  first  work  of  this  kind  seems  to  have  been  the  SYNOPSIS 
of  DR.  ALLEN,  a  physician  at  Bridgewater,  in  octavo,  which,  though  not  in  alphabetical 
order,  contained  the  opinions  of  different  physicians  on  the  principal  diseases,  and  it  was  one 
of  the  first  English  publications  in  which  the  opinions  of  Boerhaave  were  popularly  detailed. 
A  tKird  volume  appeared,  in  English,  in  1756. 

/ 

The  LEXICON  PHYSIC O-CHEMICUM  REALE  of  G.  H.  BEHR  was  published  in  1738,  in 
quarto,  and  followed  by  a  smaller  work,  entitled  BIBLIOTHECA  MEDICA,  by  CHRISTOPHER 
WILLIAM  KESTNER.  Neither  of  these  have  we  been  able  to  procure. 

A  French  work,  PLANQUE'S  BIBLIOTHEQUE  CHOISIE  DE  MEDECINE,  appeared  at  Paris,  in 


PREFACE.  ix 

1738,  and  eight  successive  volumes  were  published,  at  different  periods.  It  contains,  how- 
ever, extracts  only  from  the  periodical  works  of  France,  and  other  countries,  but  chiefly  from 
the  former,  with  little  selection  or  discrimination.  It  is,  in  every  respect,  a  trifling  collection. 

The  most  important  publication,  in  this  form,  is  the  BIBLIOTHECA  CHIRURGICA  of 
JEROME  DE  VIGILIIS  VON  CREUTZENFELD,  in  two  volumes  quarto,  published  at  Vienna  in 
1781.  This  is  an  excellent  collection,  and  more  valuable,  since  the  Bibliotheca  Chirurgica 
of  Haller  is,  in  so  many  respects,  imperfect  and  erroneous. 

The  last  compilation  of  this  kind  is  the  most  valuable,  the  IMTIA  BIBLIOTHECX  PRAC- 
TICE, by  PLOUQUET,  published  at  Tubingen,  in  eight  volumes,  small  quarto,  to  which  two 
supplementary  volumes  were  afterwards  added.  It  includes  a  catalogue  of  the  best  authors, 
under  the  different  diseases,  each  arranged  alphabetically,  distinguishing  those  who  have 
treated  generally  on  the  complaint — the  causes  and  remedies  assigned  and  recommended. 
The  references  are  particular,  accurate,  and  numerous;  perhaps  more  numerous  than  select. 
The  author  has  collected  from  every  source,  and  seems  to  possess  a  most  accommodating 
belief  in  all  the  tales  of  wonder,  from  Schenkius,  the  authors  of  the  Ephemerides  Naturag 
Curiosorum,  and  those  whose  narratives  rather  excite  contempt  than  confidence.  The 
remedies,  too,  are  frequently  the  most  trifling  and  ridiculous.  But,  on  the  whole,  this  collec- 
tion is  full,  correct,  and  instructive. 

A  Dictionary  of  Medicine  was,  some  time  since,  published  by  Dr.  Motherby,  and  con- 
tinued, in  successive  editions,  by  him  and  Dr.  Wallis,  When  a  new  work  of  this  kind  was 
required  by  the  public,  it  was  supposed  that  it  was  requisite  only  to  add  the  modern  improve- 
ments to  the  ancient  structure:  nor  was  it  suspected  that  what  had  received  the  sanction  of 
the  public,  in  five  successive  editions,  could  be  wholly  contemptible.  It  was,  however,  soon 
discovered  that  the  substance  was  no  less  erroneous,  than  the  form  was  unpleasing;  that,  to 
render  it  instructive,  without  ^offending  the  reader  of  taste  and  education,  required  more 
attentive  care  than  was  necessary  for  a  simple  revisal.  The  discovery  was  not,  however, 
made  before  a  part  of  the  first  volume  had  been  printed,  which  has  occasioned  some  of  die 
unconnected  sentences  of  the  former  work,  and  some  of  the  disgraceful  references,  to 
remain.  When  the  defects  appeared,  in  their  fullest  view,  the  whole  was  examined  with  a 
severer  scrutiny,  and  the  subjects  investigated  in  the  original  authors;  nor  was  a  single 
opinion  allowed  to  remain,  which  had  not  the  support  of  authority  or  experience.  The  work 
is,  consequently,  to  be  considered  as  original,  and  the  names  of  Motherby  and  Wallis  are 
consigned  to  the  oblivion,  from  which  they  had,  for  a  time,  escaped,  though  their  labours 
have  been  lately  copied,  often  servilely,  in  publications  professedly  original. 

If  the  necessary  extent  of  a  work  of  this  nature  be  considered,  it  will  be  at  once  obvious 
VOL.  i.  6 


x  PREFACE. 

that  the  bulk  should  not  be  unreasonable,  and  it  has  been  consequently  limited  to  two  quartos 
The  requisite  additions  were  supposed  sufficient  to  supply  the  rejected  parts  of  the  folio. 
But  absurdity  mocks  calculation,  and  numerous  observations  and  disquisitions,  at  first  studi- 
ously retrenched,  might,  we  found,  have  been  retained,  since  much  space  was  gained  by  the 
smallness  of  the  type,  and  the  size  of  the  page;  more,  by  avoiding  controversies,  employing  a 
concise,  comprehensive  style,  increased  vigilance  in  detecting  absurdity  and  error.  Though 
the  utmost  care  was  exerted  to  avoid  its  necessity,  an  Appendix  thus  became  expedient;  and, 
when  once  admitted,  every  means  of  increasing  its  utility  was  adopted.  The  words  sup- 
pressed were  few;  but  it  soon  appeared  that  numerous  additions  and  corrections  might  be  useful. 
In  a  long  period,  destined  to  the  study  and  practice  of  a  profession,  under  circumstances 
which  brought  every  new  production  before  his  eyes,  and  called  for  his  decision,  the  author 
thought  that  the  principal  questions  were  decided  in  his  mind,  and  had  little  doubt  of  render- 
ing his  work  consistent.  After  the  lapse  of  several  years,  however,  subjects  must  assume  a 
different,  hue;  and  the  medical  questions  are  too  numerous  for  constant  recurrence.  When, 
therefore,  the  subjects  were  again  reviewed,  some  facts  appeared  in  a  different  light,  and  it 
was  by  no  means  proper  that  truth  should  be  sacrificed  to  consistency.  The  change  of 
opinion  was,  however,  pointed  out  in  the  concluding  article;  and,  by  the  assistance  of  the 
Appendix,  the  references  were  not  only  better  compacted,  but  the  inconvenience  from  these 
variations  was  avoided.  The  minuter  errors,  which  inadvertently  crept  in,  before  the  imper- 
fections of  Dr.  Motherby  were  fully  discovered,  are  by  this  means  also  corrected,  and  the 
whole  work  is  rendered  more  regular  and  consistent.  It  is  not,  therefore,  an  appendix,  but 
amendments,  that  might  make  a  part  of  another  edition.  The  author  becomes  a  critic  on 
himself,  and,  he  thinks,  has  sometimes  proved  a  severe  one.  For  this  reason,  he  has  changed 
the  title  of  the  additional  part,  and  styled  it,  "Second  Thoughts,"  CUR.-E  POSTERIOR&S. 

A  new  work  of  this  kind,  from  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  era,  was  required. 
Since  the  last  publication  of  any  tolerable  compendium  of  medicine,  no  inconsiderable  pro- 
gress had  been  made  in  every  branch.  Every  quarter  of  the^globe,  and  the  new  continent, 
if  Australasia  merits  this  name,  have  been  visited,  with  anxious  care,  by  the  eager  votaries  of 
natural  knowledge;  and  the  highest  Andes  have  not  escaped  the  researches  of  Humbolt  and 
his  coadjutors.  From  these  investigations  medicine  and  natural  history  have  gained  consi- 
derable advantages;  and  if  new  remedies  have  not  added  to  the  length  of  lists  already 
crowded,  we  have  ascertained,  in  many  instances,  the  true  botanical  relations  of  those  for- 
merly known;  and,  from  the  improvement  of  the  natural  system,  in  the  hands  of  Ventenat, 
the  successor  and  pupil  of  Jussieu,  the  first  of  the  French  botanists,  we  can,  in  many 
instances,  supply  what  accidents,  or  the  chances  of  war,  may  for  a  time  deny. 

Chemistry,  during  this  interval,  has  become  a  new  science,  and  the  refinement  of  its 
analysis  has  been  applied  to  the  most  important  purposes  of  medicine.  We  now  know,  with 


PREFACE. 


XI 


the  most  minute  accuracy,  the  nature  of  the  blood,  and  the  greater  number  of  animal  fluids: 
we  know,  too,  that  the  circulating  mass  is  scarcely  changed  by  diseases,  once  supposed  to 
reside  cxclusivelv  in  it.  The  natural  and  morbid  states  of  the  secreted  fluids  are  also,  bv 

•*         • 

the  application  of  this  science,  more  easily  understood,  and  we  are  thus  taught  to  disregard 
many  imaginary- sources  of  terror. 

The  difference  between  the  animal  and  vegetable  mixed,  and  again,  between  vegetables 
and  minerals,  is  now,  also,  more  clearly  defined:  the  limits  of  each  are  ascertained;  and. 
though,  in  the  progress  of  our  knowledge,  we  find  nature,  as  usual,  passing,  by  almost  undis- 
tinguishable  shades,  from  one  to  the  other,  we  can  assert,  with  some  confidence,  from  whal 
points  they  diverge,  and  where  they  coincide.  If  we  find  the  fibrin  in  bran,  and  the  prussic 
acid  in  bitter  almonds,  we  cannot,  for  a  moment,  mistake  them  for  animal  substances:  if  we 
discover  the  phosphoric  acid  in  the  human  body,  and  the  kali  in  the  leucite,  we  shall  not  mis- 
take one  for  a  mineral,  nor  the  other  for  a  vegetable. 

In  the  analysis  of  the  vegetable  substances  used  in  medicine,  and  in  ascertaining  the  real 
chemical  nature  of  mineral  preparations,  whose  utility  has  been  established  by  the  most 
extensive  experience,  the  same  science  has  lately  become  most  beneficial  to  mankind.  These 
acquisitions  have  improved  and  simplified  our  pharmacopoeias;  nor  are  our  formulae  now 
crowded  with  heterogeneous,  discordant  ingredients,  our  mineral  waters  loaded  with  imaginary 
and  incongruous  impregnations,  or  disgraced  by  contradictory  powers.  We  approach  the  era 
when  the  vegetable  principles  will  be  still  more  clearly  understood,  when  the  gum  and  the 
resin  will  not  be  the  ultimate  results  of  our  analysis;  but  we  shall,  probably,  be  able  to  offer 
only  the  rudiments  of  such  investigations,  under  the  additions  to  the  article  CORTEX  PERU- 

VIANUS. 

Improvements  in  ANATOMY  have  been  less  splendid.  Indeed,  whatever  the  minutest 
accuracy  could  ascertain,  in  the  investigation  of  the  structure  of  the  human  body,  was  appa- 
rently found  in  the  works  of  Winslow.  Haller,  Morgagui,  Monro,  and  Hunter.  Nature  is, 
however,  inexhaustible:  and  the  ample  harvest  of  former  anatomists  left  valuable  gleanings 
for  Camper,  Walther,  Scarpa.  Sandifort.  Comparetti,  Soemering,  and  Loder.  Comparative 
anatomy  has  been,  in  the  later  periods,  cultivated,  with  equal  success,  by  Spalanzani,  Cuvier, 
and  Blurnenbach. 

If  the  improvements  which  have  been  made  in  the  explanation  of  the  various  functions 
of  the  human  body  are  examined,  the  branch  of  medicine  entitled  PHYSIOLOGY,  we  shall  not 
have  much  reason  to  congratulate  ourselves  on  extraordinary  success.  The  minuter  opera- 
tions of  nature  are  carried  on  in  the  first  "elements"  of  our  system:  the  sacred  shrine  of 
the  goddess  is  inaccessible.  The  agents  are  also  the  living  organs,  and  we  can  scarcely 

62 


xii  PREFACE. 

ascertain  in  what  life  ultimately  consists;  the  operations  of  the  body  are  affected  by  the  mind, 
and  we  know  neither  the  nature  of  the  latter,  nor  the  medium  of  the  connection.  The  prin- 
cipal improvements,  therefore,  in  this  branch  will  consist  in  simplifying  our  views,  in  general- 
izing our  facts,  and,  by  strict  induction,  clearing  the  subject  from  erroneous  theories.  In  a 
few  instances,  some  advances  have  been  made;  but,  while  life  itself  is  mysterious,  the  laws 
by  which  its  operations  are  regulated  will  remain  in  equal  obscurity. 

PATHOLOGY  will  partake  of  the  imperfections  of  physiology;  but  it  fortunately  happens  that 
although  the  theory  may  fail,  the  means  of  relief  are  within  our  reach.  In  this  branch  of 
medicine  also  our  objects  are  more  simple  and  discriminated.  It  has  been  the  fashion  to  ridi- 
cule nosology;  but,  since  the  publication  of  Dr.  Cullen's  system,  greater  progress  has  been 
made  in  accurately  distinguishing  diseases  than  in  the  five  hundred  preceding  years.  The 
various  kinds  of  asthma,  cutaneous  diseases,  fevers,  particularly  those  of  the  puerperal 
state,  with  many  other  complaints,  confounded  even  in  the  best  authors,  are  now  clearly  dis- 
tinguished. It  is  singular,  that  concussions  of  the  brain  have  been  very  imperfectly  discri- 
minated from  the  effects  of  fracture,  of  depression,  and  of  extravasation,  in  works  of  esta- 
blished reputation. 

The  PRACTICE  OF  MEDICINE  has  received  equal  improvement  in  the  simplicity  of  its  views, 
and  the  distinctness  with  which  the  circumstances  of  diseases  are  discriminated.  It  no  longer 
consists  of  a  farrago  of  medicines,  accumulated  merely  because  each  has  been  recommended, 
nor  of  general  formulae,  without  an  object;  but  the  views  of  the  practitioner  are  directed  by 
the  changes  often  suggested  by  indications,  and  these  are  produced  by  the  simplest  means.  Our 
medicines  also,  as  their  properties  are  more  distinctly  known,  are  selected  with  juster  skill, 
with  more  pointed  precision,  and  we  trust  that  something  has  been  added  in  this  work  to  the 
distinction  of  their  more  peculiarly  appropriated  virtues.  New  medicines  glitter  for  a  time, 
like  meteors;  and  the  power  of  every  new  remedy  is,  during  the  prevalence  of  the  fashion,  un- 
doubted. The  scepticism  of  advanced  life  distrusts  the  fallacious  glare,  calmly  inquires,  and 
cautiously  tries,  before  it  decides.  Conscious  of  the  various  sources  of  error,  the  resolution 
is  at  last  adopted  with  doubt  and  hesitation.  Yet  no  one  is  wholly  free  from  the  temptation 
of  novelty:  each  is  apt  to  trust  with  confidence  to  his  own  plans;  and,  in  the  hands  of  a  dis- 
coverer, we  always  find  a  medicine  infallible. 

SURGERY  is  still  more  improved  by  the  general  discrimination  and  boldness  of  modern 
practitioners,  and  by  the  happy  daring  of  distinguished  characters  in  this  department.  If  it 
has  been  our  lot  sometimes  to  detract  from  the  civic  wreath,  by  sullying  the  gloss  of  novelty,  we 
mean  not  to  lessen  their  fame.  In  them  it  may  have  been  the  first  suggestions  of  bold  decision, 
tempered  by  judgment,  by  experience,  and  a  confidence  in  their  own  powers;  nor  should  the 


1'REFACE.  xiii 

occurrence  of  the  same  ideas  in  a  forgotten  author  lessen  the  credit  which  such  improvements 
claim.  While  surgery  is  thus  more  distinct  in  its  views,  and  more  decisive  in  its  conduct,  it 
has  equally  succeeded  in  shortening  the  sufferings  of  the  patient,  by  hastening  the  cure. 
The  operations  of  surgery  are  now  performed  with  equal  intrepidity  and  skill. 

In  the  pursuit,  however,  of  novelty,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  our  ancestors  were  neither 
blind  zealots  nor  deliberate  homicides.  They  must  not  be  blamed  because  they  were  unable 
to  anticipate  the  discoveries  of  future  eras;  and  their  merit  must  rather  be  appreciated  by  the 
situations  in  which  they  were  placed,  or  the  means  in  their  power.  They  observed  diseases 
individually,  but  spoke  of  them  collectively:  they  did  not  always  distinguish  accidental  from 
pathognomonic  symptoms:  and,  from  the  farrago  of  medicines  which  they  employed,  it  was 
difficult  often  to  determine  whence  the  advantages  arose.  Yet  their  attention  and  fidelity  de- 
serve our  regard:  their  judgment  often  claims  our  respect,  and  their  sagacity  our  praise;  nor 
will  the  practitioner  recur  to  even  their  loosest  narratives  without  interest  and  advantage.  In 
the  conduct  of  this  work  we  have  often  repaired  to  the  original  authors,  and  been  sometimes 
amply  repaid.  Boasted  discoveries  have  been  detected  in  their  germ,  and  infallible  remedies 
in  the  forgotten  pharmacopoeias  of  the  middle  ages. 

A  dictionary,  though  it  apparently  consist  of  scattered  limbs,  often  incongruous,  should, 
however,  be  rendered  as  much  as  possible  a  whole:  one  spirit  should  pervade  it;  and  system 
should  collect  its  diverging  rays  into  a  focus.  Systems,  indeed,  are  often  employed  to  distort  facts 
for  their  support,  or  to  conceal  those  which  should  oppose  them;  and  the  numerous  idle  theo- 
ries which,  like  passing  spectres,  have  glared  and  vanished,  at  once,  rendered  the  word  suspi- 
cious. To  be  aware  of  each  abuse  is  the  best  means  of  avoiding  it;  but  by  the  term  system  we 
rather  mean  the  reduction  of  facts  to  general  principles,  which  may  connect  and  unite  them, 
should  the  principle  itself  be  erroneous.  Thus,  if  in  every  instance  we  find  spasm  and  con- 
vulsions connected  with  debilitating  causes,  it  is  no  injury  to  science  to  consider  them  as  arising 
from  debility:  and  they  evidently  consist  in  irregular  action.  Debility,  thus  connected  with 
irregular  action,  is  a  bond  of  union  of  the  most  extensive  influence,  and  brings  into  one  view 
observations  widely  scattered.  Should  the  principle  be  erroneous,  it  will  be  at  once  discovered, 
when  brought  to  the  test  of  observation  and  experience:  and  if  these  oppose  it  we  shall  be 
soon  led  to  sounder  views.  It  cannot  be  injurious  but  from  suggesting  inert  practice,  useless 
innovations,  or  dangerous  refinements.  Such  generalizations,  in  the  hands  of  Bacon,  Newton, 
and  Herschell,  have  been  highly  beneficial  to  science;  nor  can  these  weapons  be  wholly  in- 
effectual, if  wielded  by  inferior  powers.  In  the  present  circumstances,  no  facts  have  been  dis- 
torted to  support  a  theory:  where  the  principle  can  only  be  carried  to  a  certain  extent;  where, 
in  some  of  its  bearings,  the  security  fails;  and  where  facts  are  apparently  discordant,  the  reader 
is  at  once  apprised. 


xiv  PREFACE. 

The  advantages  of  such  connected  views  must  be  obvious.  In  the  scattered  practical  ob- 
servations, opinions  have  differed  as  widely  as  the  statures  and  complexions  of  the  authors. 
Each  can  only  be  with  justice  appreciated  on  its  own  foundation;  and  the  motley  character,  a 
work  compiled  with  little  discrimination,  must  soon  render  it  disgusting.  If,  in  the  course  of  the 
inquiry,  any  general  connection,  any  link,  which  will  connect  the  apparently  discordant  facts 
to  one  principle,  be  discovered;  if  this  link  be  furnished,  as  has  often  happened,  by  the  author's 
own  limitation  of  his  plan  or  remedy,  these  facts  will  at  once  combine  with  the  others,  and 
form  a  dependant  part  of  the  whole.  It  will  thus  be  more  easily  retained,  and  contribute 
to  illustrate  the  collateral  subjects. 

Were  a  work  of  this  kind  a  mere  compilation,  even  the  same  article  would  not  be  con- 
sistent; for  it  is  not  easy  to  find  the  author  from  whom  the  pathology,  and  the  whole  of  the 
practice,  could  be  properly  taken.  Should  the  talents  of  each  be  equally  exerted  in  every 
part,  new  views  and  new  plans  must  in  many  instances  have  arisen.  If,  then,  the  plagiarist 
cannot  find  the  whole  in  any  work,  he  must  constantly  submit,  like  many  of  our  predecessors, 
to  inconsistencies.  He  may  detail  the  pathology  with  ability;  but  his  practice  will  be  at  vari- 
ance. He  may  explain  the  structure  of  a  part;  but  it  will  have  little  connection  with  the  eluci- 
dation of  its  functions.  Were  the  practice  of  Burserius,  for  instance,  appended  to  the  pathology 
of  Cullen,  without  those  explanations  which  the  different  views  and  designs  of  each  author 
would  suggest,  the  reader  might  suspect  that  two  distant  parts  of  a  work  had  by  accident 
joined;  or,  if  the  theory  of  Darwin  were  followed  by  the  solemn  indications  and  the  judicious 
pratical  remarks  of  Van  Svvieten,  they  would  appear  the  "  aegri  somnia,"  and  might  justly  be 
styled  "vanae  species." 


IN  THE  CONDUCT  OF  THIS  WORK  it  has  been  the  great  object  to  collect  information  the 
most  extensively  useful  within  the  shortest  compass:  a  concise  and  comprehensive  language 
has  been,  consequently,  adopted.  In  detailing  the  sentiments  of  other  authors,  their  opinions, 
rather  than  their  words,  have  been  preserved;  we  thus  not  only  avoid  the  tautology  and  diffuse- 
ness  too  common  among  the  greater  number  of  medical  writers,  but  connect  the  subject  with 
other  parts  of  the  work,  and  point  out  its  influence  on  other  branches  of  the  science.  A  fertile 
source  of  prolixity,  in  medical  publications,  is  the  detail  of  cases,  which,  though  sometimes 
useful  in  illustrating  the  author's  doctrine,  more  frequently  shows  its  weakness.  As  these 
cases  are  crowded  with  circumstances,  often  uninteresting,  the  general  result,  and  those  por- 
tions of  the  narrative  which  limit  or  influence  the  consequences,  are  alone  preserved.  Con- 
troversies have  been,  for  the  same  reason,  avoided.  Of  these  it  is  sufficient  to  point  out  the 
existence,  and  the  works  in  which  they  may  be  most  advantageously  examined;  and  if  a  little 
dogmatism  in  decision  sometimes  appears,  this  tone  has  not  been  adopted  without  the  most  at- 
tentive consideration  of  the  different  and  opposite  arguments. 


PREFACE.  .  xv 

As  the  form  is  that  of  a  dictionary,  and  the  object  to  afford  a  ready  resource  in  emer- 
gencies, each  article  is  designed  to  be  in  itself  satisfactory,  that,  in  the  moment  of  necessity, 
it  may  not  be  requisite  to  turn  over  two  quartos.  For  this  reason,  in  each  will  be  found  an 
abridged  view  of  the  subject,  with  an  immediate  reference  to  those  pages  where  it  is  treated 
more  satisfactorily.  The  references  are,  indeed,  the  bond  of  union  between  the  distinct 
portions  of  the  work,  and  the  connection  has,  by  their  means,  been  kept  up  with  peculiar 
care.  Though  sometimes  numerous,  they  are  select,  and,  we  trust,  satisfactory. 

ANATOMY  is  the  foundation  of  the  whole  science,  and  the  structure  of  the  different  organs 
is  essential  in  the  explanation  of  their  functions;  while,  in  the  practice  of  surgery,  the  mi- 
nutest investigation  of  the  course  of  the  arteries,  and  the  exact  situation  of  the  more  im- 
portant organs,  can  alone  insure  success.  In  a  work  of  this  kind,  however,  extreme 
minuteness  is  unnecessary;  for  dissection  alone  can  convey  those  accurate  and  vivid  ideas 
which  must  direct  the  surgeon's  hand.  The  descriptions  are  chiefly  designed  to  convey 
general  instruction,  or,  in  the  more  important  parts,  to  assist  the  recollection  of  what  dissec- 
tion had,  at  an  earlier  period,  taught.  The  great  difficulty  was,  therefore,  to  steer  between 
accounts,  uselessly  vague,  or  unnecessarily  minute;  nor  is  it  to  be  expected  that  every  reader 

will  concur  with  the  author  in  his  determinations  in  these  respects. 

* 

In  PHYSIOLOGY  the  latest  opinions  have  been  detailed,  and  these  have  been  carefully  con- 
nected with  former  theories,  sometimes  showing  that  modern  philosophers  have  not  always 
those  considerable  claims  to  originality  which  have  been  so  liberally  allowed.  PATHOLOGY. 
in  modern  medical  publications,  is  almost  a  new  science:  but  the  facts  which  illustrate  the 
natural  history  of  the  human  body,  in  a  morbid  state,  connected  with  the  appearances  on 
dissection,  have  been  collected  with  great  diligence,  often  from  the  almost  forgotten  pages  of 
Morgagni,  or  the  neglected  ones  of  Bonetus;  assisted  by  numerous  instructive  narratives 
from  the  different  collections  of  "  Essays,''  "  Observations  and  Inquiries,"  and  "  Transac- 
tions," in  our  ow:n  language.  This  part  of  our  labour  teaches  one  melancholy  lesson,  that 
many  diseases  are  beyond  the  reach  of  human  art,  whether  the  changes  be  considered  as 
causes  or  effects.  But  it  also  represses  overweening  confidence,  prevents  disappointment 
and,  by  a  sagacious  prognostic,  secures  the  credit  of  the  science  and  the  practitioner.  The 
general  pathology  is  that  of  Gaubius,  with  the  judicious  retrenchments  and  additions  of  Cullen. 
farther  improved  by  the  new  discoveries  of  the  chemical  nature  of  the  animal  fluids;  for,  no 
work  has  been  copied  through  the  whole  article,  except  where  the  quotation  is  distinguished, 
in  the  usual  way,  by  inverted  commas,  or  where  the  general  substance  is  acknowledged. 

The  PRACTICE  OF  MEDICINE  has  been  detailed  with  unusual  care.  The  plans  of  the  most 
approved  and  scientific  authors  have  been  carefully  considered,  and,  whatever  science  or 
empiricism  has  at  different  eras  suggested,  is  carefully  noticed,  with  those  distinctions  which 


xvi  PREFACE. 


may  render  the  discovery  more  useful  and  effectual.  To  accumulate  every  medicine  which 
has  been  recommended,  in  the  manner  of  Lieutaud,  would  not  be  difficult;  but  to  discrimi- 
nate the  circumstances,  in  which  alone  each  plan  will  be  effectual,  is  not  equally  easy,  though 
such  discrimination  can  only  render  the  directions  valuable  or  salutary.  A  real  dogmatic 
practice,  viz.  pursuing  indications,  arising  from  the  knowledge  of  a  proximate  cause,  would 
gratify  the  pride  of  science,  and  be  most  advantageous  to  the  patient.  The  expectation  is, 
however,  vain;  for  in  very  few  instances  can  an  immediate  cause  be  established.  Though 
this,  however,  be  beyond  our  attainment,  we  can,  in  many  cases,  ascertain  general  principles, 
which  will  assist  our  practice.  Whatever  be  the  cause  of  fever,  for  instance,  the  balance  of 
the  circulation  is  evidently  disturbed;  and  to  restore  the  equilibrium  contributes  very  essen- 
tially to  the  cure.  It  has  been  a  great  object,  through  the  whole  work,  to  ascertain  such 
principles;  but  they  often  fail,  and  the  physician  must  then  pursue,  under  proper  regulations, 
the  juvantia  and  Itedentia  which  observation  has  ascertained.  When  the  medicine  is  deter- 
mined, the  form  is  easily  adjusted;  but,  except  in  a  very  few  instances,  what  are  styled 
formulae  are  omitted.  These  are  the  refuge  of  ignorance,  indolence,  or  quackery.  Every 
one  can  transcribe  what  is  printed,  and  every  old  woman  will  eagerly  affix  a  name  to  a 
disease:  few  will  venture,  from  a  class  of  medicines,  to  select  the  particular  remedy  or  the 
dose.  If  it  were  possible  always  to  discriminate  the  circumstances  in  which  the  different 
plans  are  advisable,  formula  might  be  added;  but,  to  those  who  can  distinguish,  they  are 
useless,  and  to  others  furnish  a  weapon,  which  may  be  fatal,  rather  than  salutary.  The 
alternative  is  too  dangerous;  and,  while  the  disposition  to  quackery  pervades  every  individual, 
from  the  highest  ranks  to  the  meanest,  while  those  who  claim  distinction,  in  other  sciences, 
arrogate  it  in  this  also,  what  may  prove  mischievous  must  be  concealed. 

SURGERY  has  many  advantages,  when  compared  with  the  practice  of  medicine.  The 
objects  are  often  before  the  eyes  of  the  surgeon;  the  changes  daily  conspicuous,  and  show 
not  only  the  state  of  the  organ,  but  often  of  the  constitution.  If  the  object  be  beyond  his 
sight,  the  touch  will  assist;  and,  in  the  most  doubtful  cases,  the  inductions  are  fewer,  the 
conclusion  more  certain.  When  an  operation  is  to  be  performed,  as  the  situation  of  every 
part  is  known,  he  is  ready,  in  every  emergency;  and,  having  obtained,  by  experience,  a  steady 
command  of  his  hand,  his  eye,  and  his  mind,  he  can  meet  every  difficulty  unruffled.  Yet,  as 
in  anatomy,  description  cannot  go  far.  The  eye  must  witness  the  conduct  of  some  more 
experienced  practitioner;  and  operations  on  the  dead  subject  must  assist  in  giving  a  steadiness 
and  a  command  of  minute  muscular  exertion.  As  practical  surgery  is  viewed  in  different 
lights,  the  directions  may  appear  too  general  or  too  minute;  but,  where  description  could 
best  avail,  it  has  been  most  full  and  particular. 

There  is  one  step  between  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  the  particular  remedies,  too 
cursorily  passed  over  by  the  authors  on  the  materia  medica,  viz.  the  THERAPEUTICS,  or  those 


PREFACE. 


XVII 


general  doctrines  respecting  medicines  nearly  related,  which  may  facilitate  our  judgment  in 
the  selection.  As  a  subdivision  of  the  theoretical  course  in  universities,  it  has  not  generally 
obtained  a  sufficient  share  of  attention;  in  Dr.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica  it  has  had  an  unusual 
portion:  but  it  is  there  subservient  to  his  own  system,  and  not  so  general  in  its  views  as  the  im- 
portance of  the  subject  demands.  It  may  be  added  also,  that  the  extensive  associations,  usually 
styled  classes  of  medicine,  are  too  indiscriminate  to  direct  the  practice.  Subordinate  groups  are 
necessary,  and  these,  in  imitation  of  Dr.  Duncan,  have  been  added;  but  the  orders  are  in  a 
great  measure  new,  and  are  carefully  connected,  on  one  hand,  with  the  particular  remedies, 
and,  on  the  other,  with  the  indications  of  cure. 

The  MEANS  EMPLOYED  FOR  THE  CURE  OF  DISEASES  are  either  natufal  or  chemical.  By 
the  former  are  meant  those  productions  of  nature  which  require  no  preparation,  or  only  the 
separation  of  the  more  active  from  the  more  inert  portions;  chiefly  the  vegetable  or  animal  sub- 
stances, since  there  are  few  mineral  productions  which  do  not  require  some  process  to  adapt 
them  for  use.  The  vegetable  kingdom  offers  numerous  remedies,  of  very  unequal  value,  un- 
certain origin,  or  variously  mixed  and  adulterated.  To  attain  the  desired  purpose,  or  to  avoid 
injury,  it  is  first  necessary  to  ascertain  the  real  plant  from  which  the  medicinal  portion  is  pro- 
cured; a  circumstance  not  easy,  in  a  kingdom  supposed  to  consist  of  more  than  60,000  species. 
The  investigations,  however,  of  Linnaeus  himself,  of  his  pupils  Bergius.  Murray,  and  Thunberg, 
have  greatly  facilitated  the  task:  and  the  lacunae  have  been,  in  a  great  measure,  filled  up  by 
the  labours  of  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  Mutis,  Loueiro,  Des  Fontaines,  Bruce,  La  Marck  Cavanilles. 
and  Roxburgh.  Few  now  remain,  whose  parent  plant  has  not  been  accurately  and  scientifi- 
cally distinguished.  To  refer,  then,  to  the  Linnasan  system,  especially  in  its  most  improved 
form,  lately  published  by  Wildenow,  is  sufficient  to  identify  the  plant.  As,  however,  the  sys- 
tem from  the  pen  of  Wildenow  is  uncommon,  and  not  yet  complete,  a  reference  to  the  Species 
Plantarum.  a  work  in  every  hand,  has  been  preferred,  and  Wildenow,  or  later  observers,  have 
only  been  referred  to,  when  it  did  not  appear  in  the  earlier  work  of  Linnaeus  himself.  No 
modern  naturalist  of  credit  has  escaped  attention  in  this  department.  The  system  of  Lin- 
naeus is  not  only  useful,  in  identifying  the  plant,  but  on  account  of  its  numerous  references,  to 
each  observer  who  has  treated  of  it:  among  the  rest,  to  Caspar  Bauhine.  This  author  is 
the  link  between  ancient  and  modern  naturalists;  and,  under  the  appellation  which  he  assigns 
to  each  plant,  we  may  discover  its  name  in  the  works,  not  only  of  the  ancient  physicians, 
but  of  the  ancient  botanists,  at  least  so  far  as  the  identity  of  the  plant  can  be  ascertained.  It 
has  been  usual  to  transcribe  the  specific  character;  but,  without  the  generic,  it  would  be  of 
little  value,  and  to  add,  also,  the  synonyms  of  C.  Bauhine  would  make  every  trifling  article 
disproportionally  long;  so  that  the  species  plantarum  is  only  noticed.  As  the  botanical  rela- 
tions of  plants  are  supposed  to  be  connected  with  theif  medical  powers,  the  natural  orders 
have  been  particularly  attended  to. 

VOL.  I.  C 


xviii  PREFACE. 

Prejudice,  superstition,  and  fancy,  have  greatly  extended  the  list  of  vegetable  remedies; 
but,  in  a  work  of  this  kind,  though  every  absurdity  has  not  a  claim  to  considerable  attention, 
yet  the  most  ridiculous  medicines  only  should  be  wholly  omitted.  There  are,  therefore,  very- 
few  which  have  not  shared  some  notice.  In  enumerating  their  virtues,  it  was  difficult  to 
avoid  the  exaggerated  commendations  of  some  authors,  or  the  sceptical,  contemptuous  tone 
of  others.  In  many  instances,  therefore,  the  praises  of  the  former  have  been  adopted,  with 
marks  of  hesitation,  doubt,  or  disbelief,  sufficiently  pointed;  and  those  who  have  not  tra- 
velled over  the  dreary  waste  of  forgotten  authors,  would  be  surprised  at  the  number  of  sup- 
posed properties  omitted. 

The  animal  substances  are  few,  and  their  sources  sufficiently  known.  It  is  sufficient, 
therefore,  to  have  referred,  in  general,  to  the  Systema  Naturse,  and,  in  the  lower  orders  of 
animated  nature,  to  Sonnini's  Continuation  of  Buffon's  Natural  History,  or  the  minuter 
French  naturalists,  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Institute,  the  Annals  of  the  National  Museum,  and 
the  numerous  tribe  of  monographists.  Natural  history  has,  indeed,  of  late,  approached  more 
nearly  the  confines  of  medicine.  The  latter  is  strictly  the  history  of  the  human  body  and 
mind,  in  their  natural  and  morbid  state,  and  comparative  anatomy,  with  its  physiology,  is  the 
link  which  unites  man  to  the  lower  orders,  whose  structure  and  whose  functions  are  often 
beyond  the  reach  of  our  investigation.  The  deficiencies  are  those  of  our  knowledge;  for, 
when  this  is  extended,  the  chain  is  less  broken,  the  connections  more  obvious.  The  natural 
history  of  the  lower  orders  has,  however,  been  little  cultivated  in  this  kingdom.  It  is  singular 
that  an  animal,  so  extensively  useful  as  the  leech,  has  never  been  scientifically  described  in 
our  language,  except  in  these  pages,  and  the  hydatis,  so  common  a  source  of  disease,  is  by 
no  means  generally  known  to  be  an  animal 

To  identify  the  few  mineral  bodies  which  are  used  without  preparation,  we  have  referred 
to  the  system  of  the  judicious  and  accurate  Hauy,  which  well  merits  an  English  dress;  but 
the  greater  number,  which  form  a  valuable  part  of  the  materia  medica,  require  a  careful,  and 
often  an  operose,  preparation.  Medicine,  in  these  cases,  calls  in  CHEMISTRY  to  her  aid;  nor 
is  the  assistance  confined  to  the  mineral  kingdom.  It  has  been  hinted  that,  in  vegetable 
"bodies,  different  means  are  employed  to  separate  the  more  active  from  the  inerter  portions, 
often  to  change  the  form,  or  to  concentrate  their  virtues.  This  art  has  been  employed  from 
the  time  of  Galen,  and  has  been  styled  Galenical,  in  opposition  to  chemical,  PHARMACY;  which 
treats  of  the  necessary  operations  in  preparing  medicines,  more  strictly  chemical.  On  the 
latter  subject  we  greatly  want  a  system  co-extensive  with  the  present  state  of  chemical  know- 
ledge. Dr.  Duncan's  New  Dispensatory  is  a  most  valuable  work  in  this  line;  but  as  its 
subjects  are  so  numerous,  he  is  often  compelled  to  be  more  concise  than  we  could  wish.  The 
lacunae,  in  this  part  of  the  subject,  have  therefore  been  filled  up  from  the  works  of  the  latest 
and  best  chemists,  particularly  from  that  valuable  collection,  the  Annales  de  Chimie. 


PREFACE.  xix 

The  utility  of  chemistry,  however,  is  not  confined  to  the  preparation  of  remedies.  Its 
light  has  illuminated  the  most  obscure  recesses  of  the  medical  science.  The  nature  of  the 
animal  fluids,  in  a  state  of  health  and  disease,  has  been  illustrated  by  the  more  refined 
analysis  of  modern  chemistry,  and,  by  its  assistance  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  we  guard 
against  those  mixtures  which  might  weaken  or  destroy  the  virtues  of  the  different  ingredients 
in  a  fonnula.  It  may  appear  that  this  part  of  our  subject  has  been  expanded  to  an  extent, 
which  the  real  connection  of  chemistry  with  medicine  will  scarcely  justify,  and  that  chemical 
disquisitions  occasionally  trench  on  medical  ones.  In  the  progress  of  the  work,  in  the 
moment  of  writing,  the  connection,  however,  became  daily  more  striking;  and  as  this,  we 
trust,  is  not  the  ephemera  of  a  day,  it  was  necessary  to  give  the  younger  reader  every  advan- 
tage of  which  he  might,  at  a  future  period,  avail  himself.  Till  near  the  conclusion  of  these 
pages,  there  was,  however,  no  chemical  system  to  which  we  could  refer.  Dr.  Thomson's 
Chemistry,  a  very  valuable  work,  embraced  a  most  extensive  outline,  and  Dr.  Aikin's  Che- 
mical Dictionary  had  not  appeared.  Neither,  however,  was  applicable  to  medical  inquiries, 
and  it  was  necessary,  not  only  to  explain  the  chemical  relations,  but  to  apply  them,  so  far  as 
they  would  admit,  to  the  principal  object 

When  we  spoke  with  disrespect  of  the  mechanical  physicians,  it  was  not  with  a  design  of 
depreciating  the  utility  of  NATURAL  PHILOSOPHY;  Though  we  do  not  calculate,  with  Borelli. 
the  momentum  of  muscular  action;  with  Sanctorius  and  Keil,  the  proportion  of  the  surface 
of  the  lungs  to  that  of  the  whole  body;  with  Bellini,  the  acceleration  or  retardation  of  the 
motions  of  fluids,  circulating  through  vessels  passing  off"  at  different  angles:  yet  this  science 
will  be  found  highly  useful.  The  human  body,  though  an  animated  machine,  is  constructed 
on  the  justest  and  most  nicely  balanced  mechanical  principles:  of  these  the  surgeon,  in 
reducing  luxations  and  fractures,  will  require  a  minute  knowledge.  The  eye  is  a  most 
curious  optical,  the  ear  an  exquisite  acoustic,  machine;  and  the  human  voice,  both  in  com- 
pass, variety,  and  clearness  of  tone,  excels  every  musical  instrument.  At  present,  indeed, 
our  attention  is  chiefly  directed  to  the  evolution  and  communication  of  heat,  to  the  effects  of 
the  electrical  and  Galvanic  fluids,  if  they  really  differ,  and  their  very  striking  relations  to  that 
principle  with  whose  mobility  our  life  is  most  intimately  connected.  Indeed  the  relation  of 
Galvanism  to  the  minuter  component  parts  of  bodies  has  rendered  it  an  agent  of  peculiar 
power,  in  the  hands  of  the  analytical  inquirer;  and  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Davy  for  one  of 
the  most  important  steps,  in  this  branch  of  science,  which  has  added  lustre  to  any  era.  Yet 
all  these  are  accessary  sciences,  and  only  of  value,  in  the  present  work,  so  far  as  they  assist 
the  explanation  of  diseases,  or  direct  the  practice  of  medicine.  We  do  not  offer  these 
volumes  as  a  dictionary  of  physics,  or  of  natural  history,  although  they  contain  a  larger  share 
of  each  than  is  to  be  found  in  many  works,  which  have  been  distinguished  by  this  title.  We 
do  not  offer  it  as  a  continuation  of  Dr.  Motherby's  Dictionary,  which,  with  all  its  faults,  has 
been  unmercifully  pillaged,  without  acknowledgment. 

c2 


xx  PREFACE. 

To  have  retained  so  many  useless  synonyms  may,  perhaps,  require  an  apology.  In  fact, 
they  were  found  in  the  pages  of  the  work  last  mentioned,  and  had  been  introduced  before 
its  glaring  defects  showed  that  it  was  an  unfaithful  guide.  Many  could  not  be  traced  to  an 
adequate  authority;  but  it  would  have  been  improper  to  have  rejected  what  others  might. 
perhaps,  find  useful,  and  for  which  there  might  have  been  authorities,  though  we  had  not 
discovered  them.  Numerous,  however,  as  they  seem,  more  have  been  rejected  than  retained. 

The  references  may  appear,  also,  unreasonably  numerous,  and  almost  ostentatiously  con- 
lined  to  foreign  authors.  The  medical  writings  of  our  own  country  have  not,  however,  been 
neglected;  but  these  are,  in  general,  within  the  reach  of  every  practitioner:  these  only  are 
pillaged,  in  every  modern  dictionary,  while  of  many  authors  of  credit  the  names  are  often 
unknown.  We  have  too  fastidiously  arrogated  exclusive  merit  to  ourselves,  and  it  appeared 
proper  to  point  out  the  valuable  observations  of  Senac,  of  Q,uarin,  of  Stoll,  De  Haen,  Colin, 
Sarcone,  &c.  as  well  as  of  many  Swedish  and  Danish  physicians.  Even  Morgagni,  as  we 
have  said,  has  been,  of  late,  neglected.  To  lessen  the  extent,  the  Roman  numbers  relate 
to  the  larger  portions  of  the  work  referred  to  —  the  Arabic  numerals  to  the  lesser. 


In  the  CUR^  POSTERIORES  many  additions  have  been  made,  some  of  which,  in  the  pro- 
gress, had  escaped  attention,  and  others  were  designedly  omitted,  lest  they  might  render  the 
volumes~too  bulky.  Various  observations  had  also  occurred  in  different  publications  and  dif- 
ferent collections  since  the  articles  were  printed,  and  it  was  the  author's  ambition  to  render 
the  work  complete  to  the  moment  of  publication.  Somewhat  may  still  have  escaped  him; 
but]  those  who  feel  inclined  to  censure  omissions,  should  look  with  candour  on  what  has  been 
done.  The  additions  are  referred  to  some  convenient  portion  of  the  article;  but  they  do  not 
relate  exclusively  to  that  part,  and  are  generally  to  be  considered  as  a  commentary  on  the 
whole,  to  avoid  breaking  them  into  too  many  detached  parts. 

To  point  out  what  is  new,  in  these  volumes,  would  be  a  tedious  task:  almost  every  article, 
at  least  every  article  of  importance,  may  be  styled  original,  scarcely  in  any  instance  copied 
from  former  authors,  and  usually  connected  with  the  collateral  subjects.  As  already  observed, 
it  was  designed  to  render  the  work  one  consistent  whole,  and  the  general  principles  will  be 
found  to  pervade  every  portion;  nor  are  the  doctrines  which  limited  the  distinction  of  CON- 
eussio,  forgotten  under  the  article  ULCUS. 

Of  the  PLATES  we  shall  add  only  a  short  account.  The  subjects  have  been  chosen  with 
great  care;  but  the  objects  of  the  choice  we  must  now  explain.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say 
why  the  different  VIEWS  OF  THE  SKELETON  have  been  selected:  these  have  always  formed  a 
portion  of  similar  representations;  and,  as  the  basis  of  the  whole,  are  highly  necessary.  The 
LIGAMENTS  have  been  imperfectly  represented,  in  every  English  publication,  and  the  value  of 


PREFACE. 


xxi 


the  present  work  is  greatly  enhanced  by  the  elegant  and  accurate  views  of  these  connecting 
substances,  from  the  superb  volume  of  Caldani. 

VIEWS  OF  THE  MUSCLES  have  usually  followed;  but  would  have  required  many  plates, 
without  an  adequate  advantage.  In  the  general  practice  of  physic  and  surgery  little  could 
be  gained  by  such  representations,  and  we  have  already  remarked,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
teach  the  minutiae  of  anatomy  by  verbal  instruction  or  engraved  copies.  If  the  osteology  is 
well  understood,  descriptions  will  convey  ideas  sufficiently  accurate  for  general  purposes. 

The  course  of  the  larger  ARTERIES  is  of  more  importance,  and  these  have  been  repre- 
sented, with  care,  from  the  works  of  Haller,  not  separately,  but  as  related  to  the  adjoining 
parts;  and  they  recur  in  different  plates,  which  contain  the  lymphatics  and  the  vicera.  The 
volumes  of  Mr.  Hewson,  and  Mr.  Cruickshanks,  and  the  elegant  engravings  of  Mascagni, 
have  supplied  the  LYMPHATICS;  Loder,  Haller,  and  Sandifort,  the  INTERNAL  VISCERA.  As  the 
situation  of  these  is  often  of  considerable  importance,  in  ascertaining  the  seat  of  a  complaint, 
they  have  been  represented  in  every  view,  and  with  great  care,  as  the  English  works  have 
been  unusually  deficient  in  this  part. 

The  separate  portions  have  been  also  supplied  from  the  best  anatomists.  The  elegant 
plates  of  Soemering  have  furnished  REPRESENTATIONS  OF  THE  EYE;  Mr.  C.  Bell's  Anatomy 
those  of  the  EAR.  We  could  not  find  a  more  accurate  view  of  the  STOMACH  than  in  Cowper; 
and  on  again  examining  it,  we  perceive  the  constriction,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Home,  as  divid- 
ing the  cardiac  from  the  pyloric  portions.  Mr.  Cooper  has  also  supplied  a  good  representa- 
tion of  the  UNIMPREGNATED  UTERUS,  and  its  appendages;  while,  for  the  GRAVID  UTERUS,  and 
the  natural  situation  of  the  FOZTUS  IN  UTERO,  we  have  been  indebted  to  the  classical  work  of 
Dr.  W.  Hunter.  Some  other  detached  parts  of  less  importance  are  represented  in  the  plates 
of  the  arteries  and  the  lymphatics. 

A  VIEW  OF  THE  BRAIN  has  been  supplied  by  Loder;  and,  when  we  reflected  that,  in  very 
few  circumstances,  the  course  of  the  different  nerves,  in  then-  progress,  was  of  importance, 
and  that,  in  these,  the  minute  accuracy,  acquired  only  by  dissection,  was  requisite,  we  avoided 
enhancing  the  price  of  our  work,  by  plates  not  generally  useful.  The  SURGICAL  INSTRU- 
MENTS represented  are  those  most  commonly  employed,  in  the  more  improved  practice  of 
the  art. 


A  NEW 


MEDICAL  DICTIONARY. 


ABA 

A  The  letter  a,  with  aline  above  it, thus,  a,  is  used 
_:TL«  in  medical  prescriptions  for  ana,  of  each  /some- 
times it  is  written  thus,  aa ;  e.  gr.  R,  Mel.  sacchar.  et 
man.  a  vel  ua,  gj.  i.  e.  Take  of  honey,  sugar,  and  man- 
na, of  each  one  ounce. 

A,  in  composition,  implies  a  negative,  as  in  A'CHY- 
LUS — from  *  priv.  and  £"**?>  chylus — deficient  in 
chyle. 

A'AVORA,  a  species  of  palm  found  in  Africa,  and 
the  American  Islands.  The  nucleus  of  the  fruit  resem- 
bles an  almond ;  it  is  mild  and  nutritious,  and  is  used 
by  the  natives  as  an  astringent,  particularly  in  cases  of 
diarrhoea.  The  parenchyma  which  surrounds  the  ker- 
nel is  eaten  by  cows  and  other  animals :  by  maceration 
it  affords  an  oil  which  is  used  as  a  condiment,  and  to 
burn.  The' plant  is  figured  in  La  Marck's  Illustrations 
of  Natural  History,  PI.  896,  but  has  not  been  arranged 
in  the  botanical  systems.  It  has  been  transplanted  to 
Guiana,  and  often  confounded  with  the  cocoa-nut  tree. 

A'BACTUS,  (driven  away.)  It  is  applied  to  abor- 
tions, procured  by  medicine. 

A 'B  AC  US,  (from  a  Hebrew  word  ABAK,  dusf.~)  A 
table  used  for  preparations;  so  named,  because  ma- 
thematicians used  to  draw  their  figures  on  tables 
sprinkled  with  dust.  It  generally  means  an  instrument 
very  anciently  employed  to  facilitate  arithmetical  ope- 
rations. 

A'BACUS  MAJOR.  A  trough  used  in  the  mines, 
wherein  the  ore  is  washed. 

ABALIEXA'TUS,  corrupted.  Celsus.  In  English, 
we  use  only  the  word  alienated,  which  is  applied  to  in- 
juries of  the  mental  powers. 

A'BAXET.     See  BAXDAGE. 

A'BAXGA.     See  ADY. 

ABAPT'ISTOX,  or  ABAPTI'STA,  (from*  priv. 
and  |8«5rT/£«<,  immergo,  to  sink  under.~)  The  perforat- 
ing part  and  shoulder  of  the  instrument  called  a  TRE- 
PAX,  to  prevent  its  sinking  suddenly  upon  the  mem- 
branes of  the  brain,  when  the  operator  perforates  the 
skull :  the  present  practice  renders  this  precaution  need- 

VOL.  I. 


ABD 

less,  by  having  substituted  a  much  more  manageable 
instrument.  See  TREPAXUM. 

ABAR'TAMEX.     See  PLUMBUM. 

ABARTICUL'ATIO,  (from  ab,  and  articulus,  a 
jointi")  See  DIARTHROSIS. 

A'BAS.  Dr.  Tin-ton  has  made  A'bas  a  synonime 
with  Taenia,  or  Tape-worm  ;  a  mistake,  we  presume, 
for  Tinea,  the  Moth-worm.  See  Castelli  Lexicon  Mc- 
dicum.  See  TIXEA — ACHOR — EPILEPSIA. 

ABA'SIR.  See  SPODIUM  ARABUM. 

ABBA'ISSEUR,  a  term  given  byWinslow  to  one 
of  the  muscles  of  the  eye,  depressor  oculi  of  Albinus. 

ABD'OMEX",  the  BELLY,  from  abdo,  to  hide  ;  as  its 
contents  lie  hid  in  it.  The  last  syllable  is  only  a  ter- 
mination ;  as  from  lego,  legumen.  It  is  also  called  Imus 
Venter,  jtl-uus.  Gaster.  fatocflia.  F^sius  calls  it 
Dertron  ;  JVedys  ;  and  the  viscera  contained  within, 
Nedya. 

The  body  is  generally  divided  into  three  cavities, 
called,  by  anatomists,  venters  :  viz.  the  head,  or  ufifier 
venter  ;  the  breast,  or  middle  venter  ;  and  the  abdomen, 
or  lower  venter. 

The  belly  is  divided,  on  its  outer  surface,  into  four 
regions,  called  the  efiigastric,  the  umbilical,  the  hyfio- 
gastric,  and  the  lumbar.  See  EPIGASTRIUM,  UMBILI- 
CALIS  REGIO,  HYPOGASTRIUM,  and  LUMBARIS  REGIO. 
These  are  all  contained  betwixt  the  circumference 
of  the  false  ribs,  and  the  bottom  of  the  ossa  innomi- 
nata. 

The  belly  is  separated  from  the  breast  externally,  by 
the  extremities  of  the  ribs,  and  internally  by  the  dia- 
phragm ;  and  it  is  terminated  below  by  the  musculi  le- 
vatores  ani. 

The  bottom  of  the  belly,  named  AeiVrra,  on  its  fore 
part,  is  called  the  pudenda ;  and  on  its  back  part,  the 
buttocks,  and  anus ;  and  underneath,  betwixt  the  anus 
and  the  pubes,  the  perinaeum  ;  indeed,  the  name  of  pe- 
rinaeum  is  given  to  the  whole  space  from  the  os  coccy- 
gis  :  that  part  which  lies  between  the  anus  and  pubes  is 
distinguished,  according  to  Dr.  Hunter,  by  the  term 

B 


D 


A  B  13 


fore  perinaeum,  and  that  from  the  coccyx  to  the  anus 
the  hind  or  back  pcrinaeum. 

The  cavity  of  the  belly,  formed  by  the  above-named 
parts,  all  which  are  covered  with  the  membrana  adiposa 
and  the  skin,  is  lined  on  the  inside  by  the  peritonaeum. 
This  cavity  contains  the  stomach,  intestines,  mesen- 
tery, mesocolon,  liver,  gall-bladder,  spleen,  pancreas, 
glands  of  the  mesentery,  vasa  lactea,  receptaculum  c"hy- 
li,  kidneys,  renal  glands,  ureters,  bladder,  and  the  inter- 
nal parts  of  generation. 

Though  we  have  employed  common  language,  in 
the  expression  of  the  cavity  of  the  belly,  in  reality 
there  is  no  cavity.  The  peritonaeum  may  be  com- 
pared to  a  flaccid  bladder,  behind  and  on  the  outside 
of  which  the  intestines  and  other  supposed  contents 
are  placed.  This  membrane  is  then  folded  around 
them,  and  the  two  sides  of  the  bladder,  after  enfolding 
the  intestines,  are  brought  together,  forming  the  mesen- 
tery :  within  these  folds  of  the  mesentery  the  lacteals 
pass  towards  the  blood  vessels.  The  peritonaeum  is 
therefore  contiguous  on  its  internal  surfaces,  or  only 
separated  by  a  vapour  called*  an  halitus,  which,  after 
death,  condenses  into  a  watery  fluid  ;  this  fluid  in  drop- 
sies is  greatly  augmented,  and  is  said  by  the  more  cor- 
rect authors  to  be  contained  in  the  cavity  of  the  fierito- 
naum. 

The  principal  arteriesof  the  belly  are,  the  efiigastric, 
which  are  the  lowest  portion  of  the  internal  mammary 
artery,  the  inferior  aorta,  the  celiac,  the  ufifier  mesen- 
teric, the  hamorrhoidal  artery,  the  renal,  called  ernul- 
gent,  the  sfiermatic  artery,  the  lower  mesenteric  artery, 
the  lumbar,  the  iliac,  the  lower  epigastric  arteries,  and 
thefiudicn. 

The  principal  nerves  of  the  belly  are,  the  stomachic, 
formed  by  the  extremity  of  the  eighth  pair ;  the  lower 
portion  of  the  great  sympathetic  nerves,  the  two  semi- 
lunar  or  plexiform  ganglions,  the  hepatic,  splenic,  re- 
nal, upper  and  lower  mesenteric  plexus,  the  nerves  of 
the  loins  and  sacrum,  also  the  origin  of  the  crural  and 
sciatic  nerves. 

The  appendix  ensiformis,  the  lower  pointed  extre- 
mity of  the  sternum,  the  cartilaginous  portions  of  the 
last  pair  of  true  ribs,  those  of  the  first  four  pairs  of  false 
ribs,  all  the  fifth  pair,  the  five  lumbar  .vertebrae,  the  ossa 
innominata,  the  os  sacrum,  the  os  coccygis,  form  the 
bony  sides  of  the  cavity  of  the  belly. 

The  diaphragm,  the  muscles  called,  particularly, 
musculi  abdominis,  the  quadrati  lumborum,  the  psoae, 
the  iliaci,  the  muscles  of  the  coccyx,  and  of  the  intesti- 
num  rectum,  form  the  greatest  part  of  the  circumfer- 
ence of  this  cavity.  As  auxiliary  parts,  some  portions 
of  the  sacro  lumbares,  longissimi  dorsi,  Sec.  might  be 
added.  ' 

The  muscles  belonging  to  the  belly  are  five  pair ; 
•  viz.  the  obliqui  externi,  the  obliqui  interni,  the  trans- 
yersales,  the  recti,  and  the  fiyramidales.  Their  action 
is  necessary  to  expiration,  as  they  pull  down  the  thorax, 
and  they  are  very  useful  in  efforts  to  speak  loud  :  they 
assist  also  in  the  expulsion  of  the  faeces  and  urine.  Some 
people,  who  find  a  difficulty  in  going  to  stool,  or  have 
a  suppression  of  urine,  are  said  to  relieve  themselves 
by  pressing  the  abdomen  with  their  hand  :  the  expul- 
sion of  the  foetus  also  is  greatly  assisted  by  the  abdomi- 
nal muscles.  Mr.  Pott  was  of  this  opinion.  He  said, 
that  he  had  seen  a  child,  which  lived  nearly  three  weeks, 


though  it  had  no  abdominal  muscles ;  that  this  child 
could  not  either  propel  or  expel  the  faeces  nor  urine 
perfectly,  without  artificial  aid.  Mr.  Haighton  also 
found  that  the  most  violent  stimuli,  when  applied  to  the 
stomach  either  externally  or  internally,  were  in  his  ex- 
periments insufficient  to  produce  an  evacuation  of  its 
contents,  without  the  concurring  efforts  of  the  dia- 
phragm, and  muscles  of  the  abdomen. 

There  is  a  sinus  on  each  side  of  the  cartilage  xiphoi- 
des,  between  the  transversalis  and  recti  muscles,  into 
which,  on  the  left  side,  the  stomach  is  sometimes  pu^h- 
ed  by  violent  vomiting;  a  disease  called  GASTROCEI.K. 
This  tumor  is  in  the  upper  part  of  the  linea  alba.  The 
disorder  is  attended  with  excessive  pain,  which  is  great- 
er when  the  person  is  up,  and  gradually  goes  off'  when 
he  lies  in  a  horizontal  posture,  a  circumstance  which 
distinguishes  the  disease.  There  is  a  continual  vomit- 
ing ;  every  thing  taken  in  is  immediately  rejected  ;  and 
hence  succeeds  an  atrophy.  All  hernias  of  the  linea 
alba  require  the  same  management;  but  this  of  the 
stomach  demands  particular  attention.  They  are  easi- 
ly reduced,  and  should  be  kept  up  by  a  truss  :  if  the  rup- 
ture does  not  recede,  the  stricture  must  be  enlarged 
and  reduced  in  the  same  manner  as  in  other  ruptures. 
Happily  this  case  is  very  rare ;  when  it  occurs,  little 
more  can  be  done  than  to  alleviate  general  symptoms  : 
if  it  cannot  be  returned  by  the  hand,  any  operation  will 
be  a  doubtful  aid,  as  inflammation  soon  comes  on,  and 
the  admission  of  air  into  the  cavity  of  the  abdomen  im- 
mediately increases  it. 

Pain  and  other  disorders  of  the  belly  sometimes  hap- 
pen from  keeping  it  too  cool.  The  circulation  of  the 
blood  from  the  viscera  in  the  belly,  by  the  vena  ports; 
to  the  liver,  and  afterwards  in  the  liver,  is  greatly  pro- 
moted by  the  alternate  compression,  which  the  contents 
of  the  belly  receive  from  its  muscles  and  the  dia- 
phragm :  and  it  is  of  service  in  dissecting  living  ani- 
mals, that,  when  the  viscera  of  the  belly 'are  exposed  to 
the  air,  this  circulation  of  the  blood  'towards  the  liver, 
by  the  portae,  is  much  impeded,  or  totally  stopped. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  in  proportion  as  the  action  of  the 
muscles  of  the  belly  is  impaired,  and  the  cavity  laid 
open,  this  circulation,  so  necessary  to  the  animal  eco- 
nomy, must  be  obstructed. 

The  muscles  of  the  belly  and  peritonaeum  are  subject 
to  inflammations,  which  have  been  mistaken  for  inflam- 
mation in  the  liver  or  the  intestines :  to  distinguish 
them,  see  HEPATITIS;  INFLAMMATIO  MUSCULORUM  AB- 
DOMINIS, et  PERITONITIS. 

The  rheumatism  sometimes  affects  the  muscles  of 
the  belly,  which  has  been  mistaken  for  a  colic,  or  for  an 
inflammation  of  some  of  the  viscera  within  :  in  this  case, 
however,  the  usual  symptoms  of  inflamed  viscera  are 
absent,  and  the  medicines  which  are  useful  in  the  colic 
are  without  effect  in  this  complaint. 

For  the  management  of  wounds  in  the  belly,  see  the 
article  VULNUS. 

ABDO'MINAL  Ring.  An  opening  in  the  abdo- 
men, formed  by  the  tendinous  fibres  of  the  external  ob- 
lique near  the  os  pubis,  through  which  the  round  liga- 
ments of  the  uterus,  and  the  spermatic  vessels  in  the 
other  sex,  pass.  Through  this  ring  portions  of  the  in- 
testine sometimes  come  down,  forming  ruptures.  See 
HERNIA. 

ABDUCE'NTES  NERVI,  part  of  the  sixth  pair ;  so 


ABD 


A 


called  because  they  are  lost  on  the  abductores 
oculi. 

ABDU'CTIO,(from  ab  and  duco,  to  rfrcrc,)  a  species 
of  fracture,  when  a  bone  near  the  joint  is  so  divided 
transversely,  that  the  extremities  recede  from  each 
other.  Caelius  Aurelianus  uses  this  word  for  a  strain. 
Abductio  properly  signifies  leading  from  or  drawing 
away,  and  it  is  from  the  action  of  the  muscles  that  the 
divided  ends  of  fractured  bones  recede.  Abrupt™  is 
used  in  the  same  sense,  as  are  also  Afioclasmd,  and 
Afiagma. 

ABDU'CTOR,(from  abducere,  to  draivfrom.)  Those 
muscles  are  called  abductors  which  draw  backwards 
the  moveable  parts  into  which  they  are  inserted ;  of 
which  there  are  several  in  the  human  body,  viz. 

1.  ABDUCTOR  AURIS,  called  also  trice/is  auris,  and 
retrahens  auriculam,  bicaudalis  muscularis,  intricatua 
musculus,  detractor  auri*  ;  a  muscle  of  the  external  ear, 
called  by  Winslow  the  posterior  musculus  auris.     It  is 
called  trice/is,  because  it  has  sometimes  three  begin- 
nings.    It  is  composed  of  a  few  fleshy  fibres,  which 
arise  from  the  superior  and  fore  part  of  the  apophysis 
mastoideus,  and  descend  obliquely  to  their  insertion, 
in  the  middle  of  the  concha  auriculae.     It  covers  the 
posterior  ligament.   Dr.  Hunter  thinks  the  ear  has  only- 
two  muscles  belonging  to  its  external  parts  that  the 
retrahens  auriculam  arises  from  the  mammillary  pro- 
cess of  the  temporal  bone,   and  is  inserted    into  the 
lower  external  part  of  the  ear,  to  pull  it  backward. 

2.  ABDUCTOR     DIGITI     MINIMI     MANUS.         Riolan 
calls  it  hyfiothenar.  It  rises  from  the  os  pisiforme  of  the 
carpus,  runs  upward  on  the  inside  of  the  hand,  and  is 
inserted  into  the  external  side  of  the  little  finger,  or  its 
first  joint.  It  helps  to  separate  the  little  finger  from  the 
rest,  and  also  to  bend  it.  It  is  thejiexor  fiarvus  minimi 
digiti  of  Albinus. 

3.  ABDUCTOR  DIGITI  MINIMI  PEDIS.     It  rises  fleshy 
and  tendinous  from  the  semicircular  edge  of  a  cavity 
on  the  outside  of  the  inferior  protuberance  of  the  os 
calcis ;  it  has  another  tendinous  beginning  from  the  os 
cuboides,  and  a  third  from  the  upper  part  of  the  os 
metatarsi  minimi  digiti.     It  is  inserted  into  the  upper 
part  of  the  first  bone  of  the  little  toe  externally  and 
laterally.     It  draws  the  little  toe  outwards  from  that 
next  to  it. 

4.  ABDUCTOR  INDICIS.     It  arises  fleshy  by  two  heads 
from  the  metacarpal  bone  of  the  fore  finger,  and  the 
first  bone  of  the  thumb,  and  is  inserted  by   its  tendon 
into  the  basis,  or  first  joint  of  the  fore-finger,  laterally 
next  the  thumb.     It  brings  the  fore-finger  from  the 
middle-finger,  and  near  to  the  thumb.     Cowper  calls 
it  adductor  fiollicis.     Douglas  says,  its  use  is  to  bring 
the  index  towards  the  thumb ;  whence,  in  respect  of 
this,  it  may  be  styled  adductor  ;  and,  in  respect  of  that, 
abductnr. 

5.  ABDUCTOR  OCCULI,  called  also  indignatorius,  or 
the  scornful  muscle  ;  musculus  exterior  ;  also,  abducent, 
iracund.ua,  and  rectua  externus.     It  rises  tendinous  and 
fleshy  from  the  foramen  lacerum,  without  the  orbit. 
It  is  inserted  by  a  thin  tendon  into  the  sclerotis,  on 
that  side  next  the  nose.     It  moves  the  eye  towards  the 
little  angle. 

6.  ABDUCTOR    POLLICIS  MANUS,   called   also   thenar 
by  Riolan ;  and  abductor  brevis  pollicis  manus,  by  Al- 
binus.    It  rises  by  a  broad,  tendinous,  and  fleshy  be- 


ginning, from  the  inner  part  of  the  Iraversa  ligament 
of  the  carpus,  and  from  one  of  its  bones  which  articu- 
lates with  the  thumb,  and  is  inserted  tendinous  into 
the  second  joint  of  the  thumb.  It  draws  the  thumb 
from  the  fingers. 

7.  ABDUCTOR  POLLICIS  PEDIS,  called  also  thenar. 
It  rises  fleshy  from  the  inside  of  the  os  calcis,  and  ten- 
dinous from  the  os  naviculare,  and  forms  a  strong  ten- 
don, which  is  inserted  at  the  inner  part  of  the  first  bone 
of  the  great  toe,  upon  its  sesamoid  bone.  It  pulls  the 
great  toe  from  the  rest.  It  often  has  a  tendinous 
origin  from  the  edge  of  the  os  cymbiforme,  receiving 
near  this  bone  some  tendinous  filaments  from  the  ti- 
bialis  anticus.  These  two  muscles,  No.  6,  7,  are  called 
Thenar,  because  they  make  part  of  the  Thenar. 

ABELICE'A,  (from  «  priv.  and  fii>.ef,  a  dart  ; 
i.  e.  without  thorns.)  See  BRASILIUM  LIGNUM. 

ABELMO'SCHUS.(A-bel-mosch,ARAB.orGranwm 
Moschi  Rumfih.  hirsuta  Margr.  Brazil,  Moschus  Ara- 
bum.  Also,  Alcea  Indica,  Aicea,  Abrette.}  The  seed 
of  a  plant  which  has  the  flavour  of  musk,  called  the 
MUSK  MALLOW.  The  plant  is  the  HIBISCUS  ABEL- 
MOSCHUS  Lin.  Sp.  PL  980,  indigenous  in  .£gypi, 
and  many  parts  of  both  the  Indies.  The  seeds  are 
flat,  kidney-shaped,  the  size  of  a  pin-head,  grey 
or  brownish  without,  and  white  within.  They  arc 
very  fragrant,  and  their  scent  is  like  a  mixture  of 
amber  and  of  musk  ;  to  the  taste  they  are  of  a  slight- 
ish  aromatic  bitter.  The  Arabs  mix  them  with  their 
coffee ;  though  their  chief  use  is  as  a  perfume ;  but, 
from  their  peculiar  flavour,  as  well  as  other  sensible 
qualities,  they  seem  to  merit  more  attention  than  has 
hitherto  been  paid  to  them  as  a  medicinal  substance. 
The  best  comes  from  Martinico.  Those  which  ap- 
pear new,  plump,  dry,  and  well  scented,  are  pre- 
ferable. 

ABERRA'TIO,  (from  aberro,  to  •wander.')  In  me- 
dical writings  it  expresses  Nature's  deviating  from  her 
usual  -progress.  A  Lusus  JVatura.  See  also  LUXATIO. 

ABE'SAMUM,  DIRT  or  CLAY. 

ABE'SSI.     See  REBIS. 

ABEVACU'ATIO,  or  ABVACUATIO,  (from  ab 
dim,  and  e-vacuo,  to  fiour  out,)  a  partial  or  incomplete 
evacuation  of  the  faulty  humours,  whether  by  nature 
or  art,  called  Afiocenos,  partial  fluxes,  as  watery  eye, 
gonorrhoea,  Sec. 

A'BHEL,.  one  of  the  appellations  of  savine.     Q.  V. 

A'BIES,  (probably  from  *»•/•«,  a  wild  pear,  the  fruit 
of  which  the  cones  of  the  fir  resemble.)  FIR,  called 
also  Elate  Theleia. 

The  fir-tree  is  an  evergreen,  and  coniferous,  with 
numerous,  narrow,  stiff  leaves,  standing  solitary,  or 
unconnected  at  their  bases  with  one  another. 

Six  species  afford  materials  for  medical  use.  Lin- 
naeus includes  the  abies  in  the  genus  offlinug. 

1.  ABIES,  Pinus  syl-veatris  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1418. 

2.  ABIES,  the    YEW-LEAVED  or  SILVER   FIR.     Pinus 
'albaLm.  Sp.  PI.  1418. 

These  two  species  are  natives  of  the  northern  re- 
gions ;  the  second  grows  on  dry  mountainous  places ; 
the  first  in  lower  and  moister  grounds.  Norway,  Swit- 
zerland, and  some  parts  of  Germany,  afford  great  quan- 
tities of  them.  They  are  indigenous  in  some  parts  of 
Britain ;  but  are  chiefly  to  be  met  with  in  plantations. 
The  branches,  and  the  fruit  gathered  in  autumn,  abound 

B  2 


Alii 


A  BL 


Avith  resinous  matter,  and  yield,  on  distillation,  an 
essential  oil,  and  a  liquor  impregnated  with  a  peculiar 
acid,  called  ACIDUM  ABIETIS  ;  and,  when  added  to 
water,  is  thought  to  communicate  to  it  both  the  flavour 
and  other  properties  of  tar-water.  This  acid  resembles 
the  acetous,  differing  only  by  the  addition  of  the  tur-- 
pentine  which  comes  over  with  it ;  and  the  famous 
tar-water  was  not  very  different  :  it  contained  only  a 
larger  portion  of  the  essential  oil.  This  acid  and  the 
tar-water  have  produced  good  effects  in  some  obstinate 
coughs,  particularly  in  that  chronic  catarrh  which  is 
benefited  by  warm  diuretics.  Decoctions  of  the  wood 
and  tops  promote  perspiration  and  urine ;  are  some- 
times useful  in  rheumatic  cases ;  and  been  considered 
as  serviceable  in  healing  internal  ulcerations,  particu- 
larly of  the  urinary  passages.  They  are  injurious  if 
any  fever  attends  ;  but  may  be  useful  where  the  cir- 
culation of.  the  fluids  is  too  languid. 

3.  ABIES      CANADE'NSIS,    vel    ViRGiNiA'NAr     the 
CANADA  or  VIRGINIAN  FIR  ;  jiinus  Canadensis  of  Lin- 
naeus, Sp.  PI.  1421. 

4.  ABIES     BALSAME'A,     BALM     OF     GILEAD     FIR; 
so  called  from  the  fragrance  of  the  leaves  when  rub- 
bed.    PINUS    PINES    Lin.     1418.     PINUS    LAHIX    Lin. 
1420.     It  is  the  fiinus  dalsamea  of  Linnseus,  1421. 

All  the  parts  of  these  trees  contain  a  bitterish,  pun- 
gent, essential  oil,  which  by  exposure  to  the  air  be- 
comes a  resin  :  turpentines  are  obtained  by  making  in- 
cisions in  their  trunks  at  a  proper  season.  For  the 
different  kinds  of  turpentines,  see  TEREBINTHINA. 

The  common  red  fir  affords  the  .greatest  quantity  of 
turpentine  ;  and  from  the  turpentine  is  obtained  white 
resin,  see  RESINA  ;  tar,  see  Pix  LIQUIDA  ;  pitch, 
see  Pix  NIGRA  ;  and  Burgundy  pitch,  see  Pix  BUR- 


i.UNDICA. 


The  silver  fir  produces  the  Strasburg  turpentine ;  it 
is  far  more  grateful  than  the  common  sort,  and  called 
liquid  resin,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  dry  resin,  which 
resembles  frankincense. 

From  the  Canada  fir  is  obtained  a  still  finer  and 
more  grateful  turpentine,  called  Sals.  Canadense  ;  it  is 
discharged,  during  the  summer  heats,  through  incisions 
made  in  the  trees,  transparent,  and  almost  colourless. 
It  is  a  good  substitute  for  the  bals.  capivi.  See 
CAIMVI  BALSAMUM. 

The  balm  of  Gilead  fir  emits  from  its  cones  in  large 
quantities  a  turpentine  with  a  fragrance  resembling  the 
balm  of  Gilead.  Spirit  of  wine  exmicts  a  resin  both 
from  the  cones  and  the  leaves  of  a  similar  quality. 
Sec  BALSAMUM. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine,  digested  on  fir,  extracts  all 
its  active  parts,  with  some  of  its  mucilage.  The  cones 
of  all  the  sorts  yield  the  most  agreeable  tincture. 

•Water  dissolves  a  portion  of  the  oil  by  the  assistance 
of  the  gum  combined  with  it.  The  wood  and  the  cones 
are  taken  at  the  latter  end  of  Autumn,  for  their  oil ; 
and  in  distillation  with  water  a  large  quantity  of  essen- 
tial oil  arises.  The  oil  drawn  from  the  wood  is  nearly 
similar  to  the  oil  of  turpentine.  That  obtained  from 
the  fresh  cones  is  superior  in  subtility  and  fragrance  to 
i'.ll  the  oils  of  turpentine  usually  met  with.  NEUMANN. 

The  tops  and  the  cones  of  the  fir-tree  are  mode- 
rately warm,  promote  perspiration,  and  increase  the 
discharge  by  urine.  Four  ounces  of  the  fresh  tops  are 
put  to  a  gallon  of  diet-drink.  Fermented  with  beer, 


they  impart  to  it  a  very  salutary  warmth,  highly  useful 
in  cutaneous  complaints,  scurvy,  £cc. 

A  spirit  distilled  from  the  young  leaves  is  a  suc- 
cedaneum-for  the  aq1.  Hungarica. 

The  Ess.  Abietis  Pharmacoji.  August,  is  the  balsam 
of  the  fir-tree,  joined  with  scurvy-grass  :  the  fir-cones, 
while  young,  tender,  and  of  a  red  colour,  are  bruised 
and  digested  two  days  in  four  times  their  quantity  of 
spirit  of  scurvy-grass,  then  the  tincture  is  pressed  out. 

The  tops  and  leaves  of  the  silver  fir  are  used  in  mak- 
ing BRUNSWICK  MUM. 

A'BIES  CEMBRA,Lin.  1419,  affords  the  balsam  of 
Libanus,  or  the  Carfiathian  balsam. 

A'BIES  MUNGHOS  SCOPOLI,  an  alpine  tree  of  Hun- 
gary ,which  produces  the  oleum  tem/ilinum,  or  Krumholzt 
'oil. 

ABIETA'NUM    OLEUM.       See    TEREBINTHIXA 

ARGENTORATENSIS. 

A'BIGA  HERBA,  c/iamte/iytis,  or  ground-pine.  It 
is  probably  so  called  from  abig-o,  to  exfiel,  as  it  is  said  to 
promote  delivery.  Blancard  thinks  its  name  is  derived 
from  its  leaves  resembling  those  of  the  abies. 

ABLACTA'TIO,  (from  *  priv.  and  lacto,  to  suckle.] 
ABLACTATION,  or  WEANING  a  child  from  the  breast. 
Also  called  Afiogalactismus.  When  the  mother  wants 
health,  or  strength ;  is  affected  with  any  constitutional 
disease,  or  the  milk  is  in  small  quantity  ;  has  too  small 
nipples,  or  ill-formed  ones ;  when  the  infant  will  not 
take  the  breast ; — it  is  adviseable  to  wean  the  child ; 
indeed,  often  absolutely  necessary.  It  can  never  be 
useful  to  continue  the  breast  more  than  eight  or  nine 
months ;  but-  generally,  if  a  child  is  favoured  with  a 
good  supply  by  sucking,  during  its  first  three  or  four 
months,  and  is  healthy,  it  will  rarely  be  the  worse  for 
weaning  at  a  more  early  period.  If  it  feeds  well  with 
the  spoon,  and  is  free  from  disorders  in  its  bowels,  a 
tendency  to  convulsions,  &c.  weaning  may  be  attempted 
at  any  time.  But,  if  the  •  child  refuses  to  feed  ;  or, 
though  the  diet  be  changed  to  gravy  and  beef  tea,  the 
bowels  should  be  disordered,  another  nurse  should  be 
sought  for,  and  weaning  must  be  deferred  until  more 
favourable  circumstances  attend.  In  general,  the  sooner 
a  child  is  weaned,  the  more  easily  it  parts  with  the 
breast.  Prudence  directs  to  accustom  a  child  to  early 
feeding  with  the  spoon,  and  to  continue  it  until  the 
breast  may  be  wholly  omitted.  In  general,  children 
should  be  fed  during  the  first  months  three  or  four 
times  a  day  ;  and,  if  not  suckled  in  the  night,  once  at 
least,  if  not  twice,  during  that  period.  Suckling  in 
the  night  should,  if  possible,  be  avoided  ;  for  the  mo- 
ther, especially  in  the  higher  ranks  of  life,  wants  some 
hours  of  respite.  If  the  child  is  early  brought  to  regu- 
lar hours  of  feeding,  it  will  soon  give  little  trouble. 

The  food  should  be  simple  and  light ;  without  wine, 
or  spices.  Well  fermented  bread,  baked  hard,  and  re- 
duced to  powder,  will  make  a  proper  food,  when  boiled 
smooth  in  water.  Should  the  stomach  be  flatulent,  a 
few -caraway  seeds  may  be  added.  If  this  food  turn 
sour,  beef  or  mutton  tea  (prepared  by  infusion  only) 
may  be  occasionally  substituted,  or  a  little  beef  gravy 
may  be  given.  A  child  will  in  feeding  always  first  en- 
deavour to  drink.  He  may  be  allowed  to  do  so  with 
moderation.  A  little  time  should  be  suffered  to  elapse, 
and  the  soaked  bread  should  then  be  offered.  If  re- 
fused, he  may  drink  again,  but  in  less  quantity  ;  and 


ABO 


ABO 


should  he  still  refuse  the  bread,  it  is  a  sign  that  he  does 
not  require  any  solid  food.  In  feeding,  he  should  be 
in  a  sitting  posture,  or,  if  recumbent,  should  be  oc- 
casionally raised,  gently  moved,  and  amused.  After 
feeding,  he  will  soon  sleep ;  but  a  child  should  never 
be  awakened,  unless  the  sleep  be  uneasy  or  morbidly 
continued. — Moss,  CADOGAN,  and  ARMSTRONG.  See 
TEETHING. 

ABLE'PSIA,  ABLEPSY,  («  priv.  and  £>**•*,  video.) 
Blindness,  want  of  sight,  rashness,  indiscretion. 

ABLU  EXTIA  MEDICAMEXTA,  (fromcWuo,  to 
•wash  off.)  Medicines  suited  to  wash  off  from  the  ex- 
ternal or  internal  surfaces  of  the  body  any  matters  im- 
properly adhering  to  them. 

ABLU'TIO,  (from  abluo,  to  wash  away,}  ABLC- 
TIOX.  A  washing  or  cleansing  either  of  the  body  or 
intestines.  In  chemistry,  it  signifies  the  purifying  of 
a  body  by  repeated  effusions  of  a  proper  liquor :  this 
is  done  various  ways,  by  cohobation,  circulation,  kc. 
See  COHOBATIO. 

ABO'MASUM,  (from  oi,  dim.  and  omasum,  the  sto- 
mach of  a  beast.)  •  The  name  of  the  fourth  stomach  of 
a  beast  that  chews  the  cud.  The  first  is  called  -venter,  or 
rather  ventriculus,  the  word  used  for  it  in  Aristotle  being 
X«iA<a;  the  second  reticulum,  or  cecryphalos  ;  the  third 
omasum,  or  omasu»  ;  the  fourth  enystron,  the  same  as 
abomasum,  which  completes  the  digestion,  according 
to  CORRAL'S.  ARISTOTLE  says  it  is  the  second  ven- 
tricle, or  thick  part  of  the  stomach  of  ruminating  ani- 
mals, in  which  the  food  is  concocted. 

ABO'RTUS,  ABO'RSUS,  ABO'RTIO  ;  (from  ab, 
defect,  and  or/or,  to  arise.)  Aboriri  quasi  intempestive 
oriri.  ABORTION-  or  MISCARRIAGE.  The  birth  of  a 
child  before  its  due  time ;  or,  the  destroying  a  child 
in  the  womb  :  termed  also  convulsio  uteri,  deperditio, 
diafihthora,  ectrosis,  exambloma,  examblosis,  amb/osis, 
apopallesis,  apopalsis,  afiofihthora. 

Miscarriages  happen  at  any  period  of  pregnancy,  and 
from  innumerable  causes  ;  most  frequently  in  the  third 
and  beginning  of  the  fourth  month  :  but  those  which 
happen  in  the  sixth,  or  later,  are  more  difficult  and 
dangerous. 

Women  who  are  very  fat,  who  have  miscarried  be- 
fore, and  who  easily  or  without  any  particular  incon- 
venience, during  the  time  of  miscarriage,  or  soon  after, 
part  with  their  burden,  are  most  subject  to  this  accident. 

The  causes  are  various;  -violent  emotions,  frights, poi- 
sons, violent  purges,  immoderate  exercise,  particularly 
in  riding  or  dancing,  an  obstinate  diarrhea,  the  small- 
pox, and  other  acute  diseases  ;  loo  much  blood,  great  loss 
of  blood,  and  not  unfrequently  an  incautious  use  of  the 
lancet.  See  Dr.  Wallis's  Essay  on  Injudicious  Bleed- 
ing in  Pregnancy.  Habitual  miscarriages  happening  at 
stated  periods,  without  manifest  cause,  are  very  com- 
mon among  women  of  fashion,  from  the  more  general 
causes  of  weakness,  viz.  indolence,  silting  u/i  late  at 
'light,  fear,  griff,  kc.  In  general,  the  causes  may  be 
reduced  to  what  immediately  affects  the  child,  the  pla- 
centa, the  membranes,  or  the  mother.  Thus,  the  death 
of  the  child  ;  membranes  too  weak ;  the  funis  too  short; 
the  placenta  separated  or  diseased,  are  causes  of  abortion. 

As  to  the  mother,  besides  the  causes  above  enumerat- 
ed, the  two  following  are  very  common  ones.  The 
first  is  too  great  a  stricture  of  the  uterus  ;  in  which  case 
it  is  not  capable  of  a  dilatation  sufficient  to  make  room 


for  the  foetus  as  it  increases  in  bulk :  this  is  known  by 
violent  pains,  a  great  tension  and  hardness  of  the  belly. 
Bleeding,  and  whatever  relaxes,  are  indicated  in  this 
case.  The  second  is  a  relaxation  of  the  uterus,  which 
renders  it  unable  to  support  the  inosculations  of  the 
vessels  of  the  placenta  into  itself,  after  the  foetus  and 
placenta,  &c.  are  grown  to  a  certain  weight;  and  of 
all  others,  this  is  the  most  frequent.  In  these  two  cases, 
the  miscarriage  always  happens  about  a  stated  time  of 
the  woman's  pregnancy. 

An  approaching  miscarriage,  or  the  death  of  the  child, 
is  to  be  apprehended  by  the  breasts  growing  suddenly 
Jiabby  ;  a  painful  weight  in  the  loins,  which  reaches  to 
the  thighs  ;  pains  about  the  navel,  head,  and  eyes  ;  cold- 
ness in  the  extremities  :  token  -violent  means  have  been 
used  to  expel  the  fetus,  convulsions  occasionally  come 
on  ;  pains  in  the  belly,  like  a  cholic,  and  sometimes  morf 
like  labour  pains  ;shrverings;  fain  ting;  and  after  the  time 
of  quickening,  the  motion  of  thef£tus  is  more  languid* 
and  less  frequent  than  usual :  as  the  miscarriage  draws 
nearer,  the  pains  of  the  loins  increase,  extending  to  the 
hips  ;  the  orifice  of  the  womb  begins  to  be  dilated  ;  a 
watery  discharge  is  perceived,  which  becomes  bloody  ;  at 
length  blood,  pure  or  clotted,  comes  away.  The  most 
certain  sign  is  THE  DISCHARGE  OF  A  FLESH-CO- 
LOURED FLAKY  SUBSTANCE,  "WHICH  COMES  AWAY 

WITH  THE  WATERS  ;  this  is  the  tunica  decidua,  or 
spongy  chorion  ;  and  when  it  peels  off  from  the  womb, 
and  appears  with  the  waters,  a  miscarriage  is  unavoid- 
able. 

Healthy  women,  who  have  naturally  a  loose  belly, 
a  moist  uterus,  and  have  brought  Jbrth  large  infants 
with  easy  labour,  who  are  lean,  but  not  very  sanguine, 
bear  miscarriages  more  easily ;  but  in  general,  they  are 
ever  to  be  considered  as  more  dangerous  than  natural 
labours ;  for  more  violence  is  necessary  to  discharge 
the  imperfect  foetus  than  when  it  has  arrived  at  its  full 
maturity  ;  the  placenta  is  also  more  firmly  attached  dur- 
ing the  growth  of  the  foetus  than  when  it  is  full  grown ; 
and  besides  the  danger  of  a  fatal  haemorrhage  from 
the  adhesion  of  the  placenta,  the  os  tincae  does  not  so 
easily  dilate  before  the  full  period  of  gestation.  If  a 
part  of  the  placenta  is  separated  before  the  burden  is 
delivered,  the  uterus  cannot  contract  sufficiently  to 
close  the  bleeding  vessels.  These  haemorrhages  are 
extremely  dangerous,  and  often  fatal. 

In  constitutions  subject  to  this  misfortune,  be  care- 
ful to  avoid  whatever  has  been  formerly  suspected  to 
cause  it,  and  also  guard  against  every  known  cause  that 
may  possibly  endanger  the  patient.  In  the  first  months 
keep  the  belly  gently  open  with  laxatives ;  and  avoid 
all  exertions,  even  the  most  moderate.  If  violent  pains 
come  on,  at  the  third  month,  in  a  robust  habit,  some 
blood  may  be  taken;  and  if  symptoms  of  plethora 
should  be  strong,  this  may  be  done,  though  nervous 
weakness  may  be  otherwise  evident. 

If  pains  come  on  after  bleeding,  tinct.  opii  camphor- 
ata,  or  tinct.  opii  cum  infus.  cinchonae,  is  necessary. 

In  very  relaxed  habits,  the  bark  is  useful ;  but  in 
general,  the  tincture  of  opium,  or  the  pulvis  opiatus 
with  nitre,  are  the  best  remedies.  The  bowels  must 
however  be  kept  open  with  castor  oil  or  moderate  doses 
of  salts ;  and  shoyld  a  tenesmus  keep  up  local  irrita- 
tion, it  may  be  quieted  by  an  opiate  or  a  starch  clyster 
with  from  80  to  100  drops  of  the  tinctur.  opii.  Rest. 


ABO 


6 


ABO 


with  opiates,  cool  drinks,  gentle  laxatives,  and  mode- 
rate but  not  violent  astringents,  are  the  best  remedies. 
Should  miscarriage  be  connected  with  any  other  gene- 
ral disease,  this  must  be  the  chief  object  of  attention. 

As  precautions  to  prevent  miscarriages  during  preg- 
nancy are  not  so  efficacious  as  those  used  betwixt  a  mis- 
carriage and  the  next  impregnation,  the  advantage  of 
this  interval  should  be  embraced,  the  particular  disor- 
ders should  be  attended  to  and  removed,  and  the  ge- 
neral vigour  restored  so  far  as  possible :  to  this  end 
cold-bathing  will  greatly  contribute,  if  it  is  used  near 
bed-time,  or  after  the  dinner  is  well  digested.  The 
chalybeate  waters  are  excellent  in  this  case;  they 
should  be  drank  at  the  spring,  early  in  the  morning,  to 
the  quantity  of  three  or  four  half  pints ;  their  use 
must  be  continued  two  or  three  months,  and  exercise 
within  the  strength  should  be  used  at  the  same  time. 

Lime-ivater  has  been  supposed  to  be  singularly  useful 
both  in  curing  a  disposition  to,  and  preventing  threat- 
ened miscarriages,  in  those  who  have  often  miscarried 
before.  If  in  these  cases  the  water  was  made  fresh  when 
used,  and  drank  before  the  heat  excited  by  the  ebulli- 
tion on  quenching  the  lime  was  gone  off,  the  efficacy 
has  been  thought  to  be  the  greater.  This  plari,  how- 
ever, wants  the  sanction  of  extensive  experience. 

Convulsions  and  Pleadings  coming  on  pregnant  wo- 
men demand  immediate  help  from  art,  to  extricate  the 
foetus  from  the  womb  ;  and  though  properly  belong- 
ing to  the  article  of  midwifery,  yet  very  naturally  fall 
under  this  of  Abortion.  These  cases  admit  of  no  delay. 
Labour  must  be  brought  on,  and  the  child  turned,  if 
necessary. 

A  cure  is  uncertain  when  convulsions  come  on  in 
time  of  labour,  except  you  can  deliver  the  child  ;  and 
as  in  sortie  cases  delivery  is  impracticable,  on  account 
of  the  length  of  the  neck  of  the  womb,  if  the  woman 
cannot  be  relieved  by  medicines,  death  must  inevitably 
be  the  consequence.  If  then  the  convulsions  come  on 
in  the  beginning  of  labour,  bleed  freely,  and  repeat 
the  operation  according  to  the  strength  of  the  woman 
and  the  violence  of  the  disease.  Empty  the  bowels 
with  a  clyster;  if  time  admits,  'apply  a  blister  on  the 
nape  of  the  neck  and  on  the  extremities.  If  the  fits  go 
soon  off,  if  in  the  intervals  the  senses  are  entire,  and 
there  is  no  fever,  wait  the  event ;  but  if  there  is  vomit- 
ing, the  pulse  be  low,  the  patient  comatose,  the  child 
must  be  taken  off.  If  the  patient  is  convulsed  three, 
four,  or  five  hours  together,  foams  at  the  mouth,  and 
the  pulse  is  disordered,  delivery  must  be  hastened. 

If  convulsions  come  on  after  the  labour  is  in  some 
measure  advanced,  they  will  have  the  same  effect  as 
labour-pains,  and  the  child  will  be  delivered  by  them. 
If  they  have  not  this  effect,  if  the  head  of  the  child  is 
low  enough  for  the  forceps,  these  may  be  employed. 
If  not,  by  giving  opiates  largely  by  the  mouth,  or  by 
clyster,  dashing  cold  water  in  the  face,  according  to 
the  plan  of  Denman,  or  giving  the  fox-glove,  as  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Hamilton,  the  convulsions  may  be 
checked  till  weakness  occasions  the  dilatation  of  the  os 
tincae. 

After  labour  comes  on,  the  convulsions  lessen,  and 
during  every  pain  cease  ;  which  shows  that  the  irrita- 
tion is  on  some  of  the  nerves  above  the  os  internum. 
They  rarely  continue  after  delivery,  and  a  large  opiate, 
with  a  mild  nourishing  diet,  is  only  requisite.  They 


sometimes  come  on  after  delivery ;  either  from  the 
irritation  of  after-pains  or  some  other  cause.  In  these 
cases,  the  bowels  must  te  emptied  by  a  clyster,  and 
opium  given  freely  either  by  the  rectum  or  the  mouth. 
Convulsions,  after  delivery,  are  seldom  fatal :  before 
delivery,  about  six  or  seven  in  ten  will  elude  'the  most 
active  and  best  concerted  measures. 

FloodingsJ\  Floodings  happening  to  pregnant  wo- 
men are  very  different  in  their  effects,  so  are  as  differ- 
ently to  be  regarded.  Pregnant  women  have  the  menses 
sometimes  to  the  last ;  but  they  are  pale,  thin,  and  do 
no  harm.  Those  floodings  which  do  not  require  de- 
livery come  on  gradually,  but  generally  with  the  usual 
pains  of  menstruation :  they  are  not  continual ;  and, 
with  due  care,  they  cease.  Those  which  cause  mis- 
carriage or  death,  appear  suddenly,  and  in  large  quan- 
tities ;  they  flow  with  slight  occasional  intermissions  - 
only.  In  the  first  case,  the  os  tinea:  is  not  affected ; 
in  the  latter  it  opens. 

In  the  early  months,  the  causes  are,  violent  shocks, 
sudden  or  great  frights,  8cc. ;  but  in  the  latter  months, 
the  separation  of  the  placenta,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
is  always  the  cause :  the  uterine  arteries  pour  their 
'  blood  into  the  cellular  part  of  the  placenta ;  hence, 
when  any  of  these  cells  are  torn,  all  the  blood  carried 
by  them  must  be  discharged  by  the  os  internum.  The 
placenta  adhering  to  the  os  internum  may  be  the  cause 
of  flooding ;  in  which  case  the  discharge  increases  as 
the  os  internum  dilates. 

The  signs  of  an*  approaching  flooding  are,  restless 
fiains  like  labour,  fiain  in  the  eye-balls,  troublesome 
dreams:  if  the  flooding  is  internal,  the  os  tinea  will  be 
stofified  ivith  clotted  blood,  the  belly  "will  swell,  the  pulse 
fail  andjlutter,  and  faintness,  ivith  giddiness,  come  on. 
Floodings  are  more  or  less  dangerous,  according  as 
pregnancy  is  advanced,  because  the  diameters  of  the 
vessels  are  proportionably  enlarged.  Flooding  pre- 
ceding delivery  is,  for  the  most  part,  followed  with  a 
dead  child :  and,  generally,  a  flooding  in  the  first 
months  is  followed  by  a  miscarriage. 

If  the  flooding  threatens  speedy  danger,  attempt  no- 
thing till  the  patient's  friends  are  apprised  of  it,  and  in- 
sist on  your  endeavours.  It  is  seldom  that  any  manual 
assistance  is  given  in  the  first  five  months,  for  till  this 
time  the  os  tincae  is  but  little  altered,  and  indeed  the 
pregnancy  is  often  somewhat  uncertain  ;  but  afterwards 
the  os  tincae  Opens,  so  that  the  foetus  can  be  brought 
away  by  force.  In  the  latter  months,  if  a  flooding 
comes  on,  if  at  the  same  time  the  pulse  is  tolerably 
firm,  the  colour  remains,  the  loss  of  blood  not  very 
considerable,  and  if  no  pains  which  will  assist  delivery 
come  on,  we  must  wait  their  effects ,r  If  the  discharge 
abates  on  the  rupture  of  the  membranes,  pains  come 
on,  and  all  seems  well,  a  little  patience  is  only  neces- 
sary ;  but,  if  the  flooding  continues,  if  the  pulse  is  low 
and  unequal,  if  the  strength  fails,  the  face  grows  pale, 
fainting  and  cold  sweats  come  on,  the  delivery  must  be 
hastened  as  fast  as  can  be  done  with  safety. 

If  death  is  not  so  near,  take  as  much  time  as  symp- 
toms will  permit :  if  the  flooding  is  just  come  on,  the 
strength  and  spirits  not  yet  failing,  the  os  tincae  will  be 
softened  by  the  continued  discharge  ;  it  will  more  easily 
dilate,  and  the  birth  will  be  less  difficult.  A  little  de- 
lay will  be  consequently  advantageous. 

If  the  violence  of  the  symfitoms  demand  immediate  Af//f, 


ABO 


ABO 


proceed  without  waiting  for  pains,  for  they  seldom  re- 
turn after  the  flooding  is  so  violent  as  to  cause  fainting 
or  convulsions  ;  nor  must  we  wait  for  a  considerable  di- 
latation of  the  os  tincae,  which  without  pains  is  not  to 
be  expected:  indeed  the  pains  are  the  less  necessary,  as 
the  haemorrhage  assists  in  relaxing  it. 

If  flooding  happens  during  the  first  six  months,  bleed 
according  to  the  state  of  the  pulse,  keep  the  patient  still 
in  bed;  and  though  she  is  faint,  cold,  or  low,  give  no 
warm  cordials,  for  they  increase  the  discharge  in  pro- 
portion as  they  raise  the  spirits.  If  a  vomiting  attends, 
the  neutral  mixture,  and  such  light  food  as  passes  soon 
into  the  circulation,  such  as  broths,  salep,  milk,  kc. 
may  be  given  in  very  small  quantities,  lest  vomiting 
should  be  excited ;  but  let  the  supplies  be  frequent. 
Relieve  costiveness  by  clysters  that  are  barely  laxative. 
If  anxiety  and  wakefulness  are  distressing,  let  opiates 
be  repeated,  at  due  distances,  in  small  doses.  The  bark 
joined  with  opiates,  and  sometimes  with  nitre,  is  very 
effectual.  The  pulv.  stypt.  Ph.  Ed.  above  named,  is  also 
not  to  be  omitted  ;  and  cloths  dipped  in  cold  water  may 
be  applied  to  the  region  of  the  uterus. 

If  this  disaster  happens  in  the  seventh  or  eighth  month, 
the  danger  is  far  greater  than  in  the  former  months ;  for 
the  diameter  of  the  vessels  is  enlarged,  and  the  neck  of 
the  uterus  is  rigid ;  so  that  if  the  flooding  is  violent,  the 
woman  may  be  lost  before  the  best  helps  can  be  of  any 
use.  In  this  case,  as  in  the  former  months,  it  is  the 
best  not  to  attempt  delivery  till  a  laxity  of  the  parts  is 
come  on ;  for  were  we  to  attempt  it  in  their  rigid  state, 
we  should  increase  the  flooding,  tire  ourselves,  and  ex- 
haust the  woman,  and  this  without  being  able  to  deliver 
her. 

The  most  dangerous  time  is  the  last  month  of  preg- 
nancy, for  then  the  diameters  of  the  vessels  are  at  their 
greatest  dimensions.  If  in  this  case  the  blood  runs  off 
in  a  full  stream,  introduce  the  hand,  break  the  mem- 
branes, and,  taking  the  advantage  of  the  waters,  turn 
the  child,  and  bring  it  footling.  If  at  this  period  a 
flooding  happens,  or  in  the  time  of  labour,  and  the  pa- 
tient loses  not  a  great  quantity  in  a  short  space  of  time, 
she  may  bear  it,  and  in  the  course  of  labour-pains  it 
will  stop,  and  the  labour  go  on  well.  If  the  woman  is 
plethoric,  and  not  much  weakened  by  the  discharge, 
if  the  child  presents  fair,  break  the  membranes  to  re- 
strain it,  and  allow  time  for  the  labour  to  come  on  after- 
wards. 

If,  during  labour,  a  flooding  is  caused  by  a  laceration 
r.f  the  placenta  in  delivering  the  first  of  twins,  immedi- 
ately introduce  the  hand,  turn  the  remaining  child,  and 
bring  it  away  by  the  feet ;  then  the  uterus  will  contract, 
and  the  diameters  of  the  vessels  will  be  lessened :  but  if 
the  flooding  precedes  the  delivery  of  a  twin,  and  then 
abates,  let  the  other  remain  a  little,  and  recruit  the  wo- 
man with  caudle  or  jelly ;  for  in  twin  cases  the  belly  is 
vastly  distended,  and  the  vessels  are  very  much  dilated 
and  full,  and  a  sudden  emptying  of  them  may  cause  a 
syncope,  or  even  death. 

The  placenta  is  not  only  sometimes  loose,  but  also 
is  sometimes  fixed  over  the  os  tincae,  in  which  case  de- 
livery must  be  effected  with  all  convenient  speed.  To 
deliver  with  safety  whenj.hus  circumstanced,  introduce 
one  finger  into  the  os  tincae  ;  then  two,  and  gradually 
the  rest,  until  the  whole  hand  is  introduced ;  dilate  the 
parts  by  degrees;  then,  if  the 'membranes  first  offer, 


break  them,  and  get  the  feet  of  the  child,  by  which 
bring  it  away,  and  deliver  the  rest  at  discretion.  But 
if  the  placenta  presents  at  the  os  uteri;  1st,  you  will 
know  by  the  touch  ;  for,  on  introducing  the  finger,  nei- 
ther the  membrane  nor  the  naked  head  is  perceived ; 
on  the  contrary,  thick  and  soft  flesh  is  felvdistinguish- 
ed  from  that  of  a  child  by  being  softer,  and  also  without 
form.  2dly,  This  case  is  always  joined  with  a  flux  of 
blood,  to  the  danger  of  both  the  mother  and  the  child ; 
therefore  the  birth  must  be  hastened  without  waiting 
for  pains  ;  a  finger  must  be  introduced  into  the  os  tincae, 
and  the  placenta  removed  until  the  membranes  can  be 
reached  ;  which  done,  tear  them  to  come  at  the  feet  of 
the  child  :  if  you  cannot  push  the  placenta  from  the  os 
tincae,  force  your  finger  through  its  middle,  and  make 
way  by  dilating  your  fingers  for, the  membranes  to  de- 
scend ;  this  done,  break  them,  and,  by  the  running  off 
of  the  waters,  the  uterus  will  contract,  and  gradually 
lessen  the  flooding  :  if,  on  the  waters  being  discharged, 
the  head  presents,  endeavour  to  remove  the  placenta, 
so  as  to  give  way  to  the  head,  then  the  pains  may  bring 
forth  the  child ;  but  if  it  is  in  a  preternatural  posture, 
bring  it  away  by  the  feet. 

If  the  flooding  hafifiens  from  a  blow,  and  there  is  a 
great  discharge  in  a  little  lime,  delivery  must  be  hasten- 
ed as  speedily  as  possible  ;  and  if  the  haemorrhage  abates 
not  on  the  child  being  brought  away,  the  placenta  must 
be  hastened  too.  Remember,  that  during  delivery  an 
assistant  should  gently  press  the  belly  of  the  woman, 
and  continue  the  pressure  a  little  while  after  the  pla- 
centa is  delivered;  the  woman  must  be  supported  by 
frequent  small  quantities  of  caudle. 

The  floodings  which  happen  after  delivery  are  some- 
times very  dangerous ;  this  kind  is  generally  owing  to 
the  womb  being  suddenly  emptied,  and  so  not  having 
time  to  contract  the  diameters  of  the  vessels,  they  re- 
main open,  and  the  blood  by  its  own  specific  gravity 
pours  out.  The  chief  intention  here  is  to  contract  the 
uterus :  to  which  end  the  properest  means  is  the  appli- 
cation of  cloths  dipt  in  vinegar,  or  vinegar  and  water: 
these  should  be  laid  on  the  back  and  region  of  the 
womb.  Also  stupes  impregnated  with  a  mixture  of 
cold  water  and  vinegar,  or  cold  water  alone,  and  passed 
up  the  vagina  to  the  os  tincae,  have  been  recommended. 
A  hand  may  be  placed  on  the  belly,  to  press  the  ute- 
rus towards  the  pubes.  But  the  greatest  specific  in  this 
case  is  an  opiate  :  it  should  be  given  in  large  doses  ;for 
if  the  woman  can  be  once  composed,  if  it  be  but  for  afeto 
minutes,  the  flooding -will  almost  certainly  cease;  and 
when  it  once  ceases,  it  rarely  returns. 

To  deliver  a  woman  without  pains,  or  to  force  la- 
bour, the  subsequent  directions  should  be  pursued  . 
her  on  her  back,  with  her  heels  upon  the  bed,  hsujng 
assistants  to  keep  her  steady.  The  operator  may  be 
in  any  position  that  he  finds  most  convenient ;  in  the 
course  of  one  labour  he  will  generally  find  occasion  to 
sit,  stand,  and  kneel ;  the  elbow  of  the  introduced  arm 
should  be  supported  by  the  knee,  to  give  additional 
strength,  and  to  prevent  the  arm  from  being- wearied. 
The  hand  of  the  operator  being  well  smeared  with  hog's 
lard,  or  unsalted  butter,  he  must  gradually  dilate  the 
external  parts  by  introducing  the  fingers  one  after  an- 
other, moving  them  in  a  rotary  manner ;  then  begin  to 
dilate  the  os  internum,  proceeding  gently  and  gradu- 
ally, resting  at  intervals  both  for  his  own  and  tht 


ABR 


8 


ABS 


man's  ease  :  when  the  hand  has  passed  into  the  uterus, 
he  must  break  the  membranes,  but  permit  not  the 
waters  to  run  off  before  he  has  found  the  feet,  and  the 
child  is  properly  turned ;  the  feet  secured,  proceed  as 
in  delivering  by  the  feet.  When  the  child  is  delivered, 
if  the  placenta  adheres,  but  the  flooding  is  not  so  vio- 
lent as  to  render  the  bringing  it  away  immediately  ne- 
cessary, opiates  are  the  most  likely  means  of  promoting 
the  separation  and  exclusion  of  it,  by  relaxing  the  parts 
concerned,  and  removing  the  stricture  which  always 
accompanies  the  pain :  give  the  tinct.  opii"  gutt.  xxx. 
vcl  opii  gr.  ij. 

Though  many  later  authors  have  written  well  on 
aboriia.n,  aud  some  moderns  have  added  many  improve- 
ments, yet  Hippocrates  deserves  to  be  read  on  this  sub- 
ject. 

See  Dr.  Leake's  Medical  Instructions,  edit.  6.  and 
also  his  Practical  Observations.  Denman's  Aphorisms 
on  Uterine  Haemorrhages.  Smith's  Letters  to  Married 
Women.  On  the  Management  of  Children,  &c.  by 
William  Moss,  Surgeon.  ,  On  Uterine  Haemorrhages, 
by  M.  Leroux,  Surgeon.  London  Med.  Journal, 
i.  59. 

ABORTIVE  MEDICINES.  Medicines  designed 
to  procure  abortion ;  with  which  were  we  acquainted, 
we  should  be  cautious  of  describing.  This  effect  is, 
however,  difficult  to  be  produced ;  and  the  most  deci- 
sive plans  have  been  only  effectual  by  the  destruction 
of  the  woman.  Such  medicines  have  been  styled  Ec- 
bolico.  and  Amblotica. 

A'BRETTE.     See  ABELM,OSCHUS. 

ABRO'MA,  (from  «  neg.  and  $pai*.a,,  food,  i.  e.  not 
.fit  to  be  eaten .)  A  tree  of  New  South  Wales,  which 
yields  a  gum. 

ABRO'TANUM,  SOUTHERNWOOD.  A.  Mas  Caspar 
Bauliine  Artemisia  Abrotanum  L.  Sfi.  PI.  1185. — Abr. 
Fasmina  C.  Bauh.  Santolina  Chama  Cyfiarissus  L.  \  179, 
Fol. 

The  leaves  of  these  plants  are  slightly  tonic  and  diu- 
retic. One  species,  the  "  Rupestris,"  is  said  by  Haller 
to  be  warm  and  stimulant,  and  employed  by  the  Alpine 
shepherdesse's  as  an  emmenagogue.  The  female  south- 
ernwood is  supposed  to  be  also  an  anthelmintic  and  an 
antispasmodic.  Both  are,  however,  confined  to  exter- 
nal use,  but  arc  not  very  commonly  employed.  They 
are  chiefly  used  as  antiseptics,  and  the  female  is,  as  usu- 
al, the  weaker  species.  Their  appropriate  menstruum 
is  alcohol ;  and,  in  substance,  they  may  be  given  from 
a  drachm  to  any  quantity  the  stomach  can  bear :  in  de- 
coction, the  proportion  may  be  regulated  by  the  taste, 
as  the  power  is  inconsiderable.  Six  pounds  of  the  fresh 
tops  afford  about  a  drachm  of  essential  oil,  of  a  bright 
yellow  colour,  and  of  an  odour  resembling  that  of  the 
plant. 

ABROTONI'TES,  (from  «ffoT«v«v,  .touthernivood,) 
a  wine  impregnated  with  abrotanum.  About  one  hun- 
dred ounces  of  one,  to  seven  gallons  of  the  other,  are 
put  together ;  and  after  standing  a  few  days,  the  wine  is 
lit  for  use. 

A'BRUM.     See  SUCCINUM. 

A'BRUS.  This  seems  to  be  the  Glycine  Abrus  of 
Linnaeus,  Sp.  PI.  1025,  though  removed  in  some  of  the 
later  systems  to  a  separate  genus.  It  is  a  plant  of  both 
the  Indies;  and  resembling  the  liquorice  in  its  botani- 
cal relations  and  qualities,  has  obtained  this  name,  par- 


ticularly in  Jamaica.    This  is  the  plant,  whose  perforat- 
ed seeds  arc  employed  in  forming  necklaces. 

ABSCE'DE  and  ABSCEDE'NTIA,(from  abscedo. 
to  depart  from.)  Decayed  parts  of  the  body,  which, 
in  a  morbid  statej  are  separated,  absceded,  from  the 
sound. 

ABSCE'SSIO,    ~)  an  ABSCESS;  (from  abscedo,  to  de- 

ABSCE'SSUS,  5  fiart ;)  or  from  abs  and  cedo,  to 
retire.)  A  cavity  containing  pus,  or  a  collection  of 
matter  in  a  part.  So  called,  because  the  parts  which 
were  joined  are  now  separated ;  one  part  recedes  from 
another,  to  make  way  for  the  collected  matter.  Termed 
also  Dlapyema ;  dubletus,  an  Arabic  term ;  and  exi- 
tura. 

AirtxTTyp.!*.  and  o.Trt'rTct.Tis,  vised  by  Hippocrates,  are 
translated  by  Celsus,  abscessus,  and  sometimes  -vomica. 
Paulus  ^Egineta  seems  to  limit  the  signification  of  abs- 
cessus  to  suppuration,  by  defining  a^oi-riifta  to  be  an 
abscess,  or  a  corruption  of  the  fleshy  parts,  muscles, 
veins,  and  arteries. 

The  words  ctfiiyTx/^xt  and  ap/o-T^j,  which  signify  to 
recede  or  retire,  are  used  by  Hippocrates  with  great  la- 
titude. He  means  by  them  any*critical  removal  of  of- 
fending humours,  however  discharged  ;  also  the  change 
of  one  disease  into  another,  as  a  quincy  into  a  perip- 
neumony,  8cc.  See  APOSTASIS.  But  the  present  prac- 
tice seems  universally  to  consider  an  -abscess  as  that 
tumour  which  follows  an  inflammation,  tor  almost  eve- 
ry abscess  is  the  consequence  of  inflammation. 

The  proper  seat  of  abscesses  is  the  cellular  mem- 
brane. 

The  source  of  the  purulent  matter  in  abscesses  is  not 
yet  determined.  It  has  been  supposed,  with  some  ap- 
pearance of  reason,  to  be  derived  from  a  solution  of  the 
solid  parts  in  the  exuding  serum ;  and  experiments, 
made  by  digesting  animal  substances  in  serum,  have 
been  adduced  as  supporting  this  opinion.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  has  been  contended,  particularly  by  De  Haen, 
that  purulent  matter  may  be  formed  without  suppu- 
ration, without  a  destruction  of  the  solid  parts,  or  pre- 
vious inflammation ;  and  it  is  certain  that  membranes 
will,  at  times,  assume  a  purulent  appearance,  where 
little  or  no  previous  inflammation  has  taken  place  :  in 
such  cases,  the  appearance  of  pvis  has  been  attributed 
to  a  change  in  the  state  of  the  extreme  vessels,  by 
which  they  have  become  secretory  organs  separating  a 
peculiar  fluid.  It  is  also  certain,  that  purulent  matter 
may  be  distinguished,  chemically,  from  other  fluids  of 
the  body  ;  and  microscopical  observations  show  it  to  be 
composed  of  spheroidal  particles",  swimming  in  a  fluid. 
It  is,  however,  evident,  that  pus  is  in  very  few  instan- 
ces, if  ever,  produced  without  destruction  of  the  solid 
parts,  which  are  lost  in  the  fluid  discharged ;  and  that 
new  granulations  of  flesh  are  formed  under  its  protec- 
tion. If  it  destroys  the  animal  substance,  it  contributes 
to  its  reproduction  :  it  regenerates  instead  of  corroding. 
In  this  place,  however,  we  speak  of  mild  purulent  mat- 
ter;  in  the  language  of  surgery,  laudable  pus  ;  the  for- 
mation of  which  we  shall  afterwards  attempt  to  explain. 
See  INFLAMMATION,  MALIGNANT  ULCER,  CANCER,  and 
HECTIC. 

The  inflammatory  heat  continuing  to  increase,  in  op- 
position to  the  usual  means,  a  suppuration  will  certainly 
follow.  If  the  patient  feels  fregue  nt  sh  iverings,  a  forma- 
tion of  pus  is  probably  commenced.  This  shiveringis  pro- 


ABS 


ABS 


duced  by  tlie  absorption  of  some  of  the  pus,  or  its 
thinner  parts  ;  but  when  the  matter  is  enclosed  in  a 
t'.yst.  or  surrounded  by  an  inflamed  surface,  this  absorp- 
tion rarely  or  never  happens.  Whatever  be  the  source 
of  the  pus,  as  it  must  be  derived  from  the  vessels, 
their  tension  is  removed,  the  many  blood-vessels  which 
before  were  compressed  are  freed,  the  blood  circulates 
freely,  the  heat  abates,  and  the  part  is  less  red,  but 
gradually  becomes  more  soft. 

In  the  progress  of  an  abscess  on  the  external  parts, 
the  tumour  increases,  as  well  as  its  heat,  pain,  and 
redness  ;  a  pulsation  i-_  perceivable  in  the  tumour,  and 
an  evening  hectic  comes  on.  The  pain  and  tension 
then  cease,  the  hardness  of  the  part  at  length  yields  to 
the  touch,  and  the  skin  bursting,  gives  a  vent  to  the 
contained  matter. 

An  abices*  should  be  carefully  distinguished  from  a 
hernia,  an  aneurism,  and  from  a  i-aricout  tumour. 

A  hernia,  as  will  appear  hereafter  from  its  seat, 
its  effects,  and  the  absence  of  pulsation,  cannot  easily  be 
mistaken  for  an  abscess  :  and  a  varicous  vein,  as  it  is 
neither  attended  with  heat,  with  pulsation,  nor  fever, 
can  scarcely  ever  lead  the  practitioner  into  error.  An 
aneurism  may  be  supposed  to  be  an  abscess;  or,  on 
She  other  hand,  an  abscess  may  be  mistaken  for  an 
aneurism,  as  each  may  be  attended  with  inflammation 
or  pulsation.  The  practitioner,  however,-  who  finds  a 
painful  tumour  beating  strongly,  if  in  the  course  of  a 
large  artery,  will  carefully  attend  to  the  previous 
symptoms.  Has  much  fever  preceded  ?  has  no  violent 
.strain  occasioned  it  ?  can  the  finger  be  passed  between 
the  tumour  and  the  artery  ?  It  is  then  an  abscess.  Has 
the  tumour  increased  slowly,  without  fever ,  come  on 
from  strong  exertion  ;  and  does  the  pulsation,  on  press- 
ing between  it  and  the  artery,  appear  more  evident  ? 
It  is  then  aneurism  :  but  to  this  subject  we  shall  re- 
turn. See  ANEURISM. 

If,  during  the  treatment  of  an  abscess,  the  patient 
is  sleepless  and  feverish  ;  if  he  breathes  with  difficulty 
and  loathes  his  food  ;  if  the  pus  when  discharged,  is  ill- 
coloured,  fetid,  and  sanious ;  if  blood  or  spongy  flesh 
appears  in  the  cavity  of  the  ulcer;  if  faintings  come  on 
during  or  after  the  times  of  dressing ;  the  prognostic 
is  unfavourable :  on  the  contrary,  if  these  symptoms  are 
absent,  or  but  in  a  moderate  degree,  a  favourable  issue 
may  be  expected.  By  improper  treatment  an  abscess  is 
easily  converted  into  a,mortification.  Deep-seated  ab- 
scesses are  sometimes  difficultly  discovered  by  the 
touch ;  but  as  no  considerable  suppuration  can  happen 
in  the  body  without  being  soon  after  accompanied  with 
•a  hectic  fever,  the  slightest  appearance  of  this  fever  at 
once  determines  the  case. 

Abscesses  from  their  seat  and  their  consequences 
are  often  highly  dangerous ;  and  it  is  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  prevent  or  discuss  them.  The  abscess, 
for  instance,  in  the  psoas  muscle,  is  generally  fatal.  We 
can,  however,  seldom  succeed  in  the  attempt  to  discuss 
them.  The  psoas  abscess  has,  indeed,  in  the  opinion  of 
many  practitioners,  been  prevented  by  active  bleeding ; 
yet,  in  the  early  stages,  it  is  with  great  difficulty  dis- 
criminated ;  and  to  use  so  violent  a  remedy" for  every 
slight  strain  would  beJiighly  improper.  Active  emetics 
have  also  contributed  to  dissipate  the  congested  fluids  of 
inflamed  parts,  and  these  have  at  times  removed  the 
inflammation  of  the  testicle ;  but  neither  remedy  can 

VOL.  i. 


be  employed  with  the  necessary  violence  in  internal  in- 
flammations. If  we  bleed  too  copiously  in  pneumonia, 
we  check  the  expectoration,  and  the  patient  dies  :  if  we 
give  emetics  in  hepatitis,  we  aggravate  inflammation,  or 
burst  an  abscess,  if  any  has  formed. 

^  hen  suppuration  is  to  be   promoted,  endeavour, 

1st.  To  convert  into  pus  the  congested  fluids. 

2dly.  To  assist  the  discharge  of  the  matter  when  it  is 
duly  digested. 

3dly.  To  heal  up  the  opening,  or  ULCER;  for  thus 
the  abscess  is  denominated  when  the  matter  is  dis- 
charged. 

In  order  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  first  intention. 
in  strong  habits,  avoid  every  stimulant,  apply  warm  and 
moist  applications,  which  will  long  retain  their  heat 
and  not  grow  hard.  The  bread  and  milk  poultice,  oc- 
casionally with  the  roots  of  the  white  lily,  united  with 
a  little  oil,  or  the  meal  of  lintseed  made  into  a  poultice, 
which  contains  already  an  oily  matter,  are  only  nece>- 
sary.  Even  leeches,  which  lessen  inflammation,  Mill  oc- 
casionally relieve  the  vessels,  and  increase  the  salutary 
effusion.  If  the  abscess  is  deep,  or  the  suppuration 
does  not  rapidly  increase,  a  little  of  the  digestive  oint- 
ment may  be  added  to  the  poultice,  a  stimulating  fo- 
mentation may  be  employed,  or  a  gum  plaster  laid  on 
the  part. 

While  externals  are  applied,  the  state  of  the  con- 
stitution is  not  to  be  neglected;  too  much  heat  en- 
dangers a  mortification,  and  with  too  little  every  at- 
tempt will  be  abortive.  If  the  heat  runs  high,  reduce 
it  nearly  to  a  state  of  health  by  bleeding  and  a  cooling 
regimen.  If  costiveness  incommodes,  gentle  laxatives 
or  a  clyster  may  be  used.  If  a  defective  heat  re- 
tards the  suppuration,  wanning  medicines,  and  a  cor- 
dial diet,  are  required. 

for  a  due  fulfilling  the  second  intention,  the  whole  of 
the  rumour,  or  nearly  so,  must  be  converted  into  pus, 
before  a  discharge  can  be  admitted  ;  otherwise  all  that 
remains  unsuppurated  will  digest  slowly  and  with  diffi- 
culty. To  this,  however,  there  are  some  exceptions  : — 
the  abscesses  which  are  critical  in  malignant  fevers 
must  be  opened  soon :  nature  cannot  finish  the  ope- 
ration ;  she  must  be  relieved,  and  the  discharge  after- 
wards regulated  or  corrected.  Again,  if  a  due  dis- 
charge is  not  obtained  as  soon  as  the  pus  is  perfected,  it 
putrifies,  and  forms  an  unfavourable  opening ;  or  it  will 
be  absorbed,  and  cause  a  fatal  hectic  fever.  The  time 
of  opening  is  generally  to  be  known  by  the  promi- 
nence observed  being  very  thin,  the  matter  fluctuating 
on  the  lightest  pressure,  and  an  abatement  of  the  fiain, 
heat,  and  pulsation  in  the  part. 

Abscesses  are  opened  either  with  a  knife,  lancet,  or 
the  caustic  ;  but  in  general  the  first  is  to  be  preferred, 
for  it  is  less  painful  than  the  caustic.  The  opening 
may  be  as  far  as  the  skin  is  discoloured ;  or  a  circular 
piece  may  be  taken  out  if  the"  discoloration  spreads. 
The  opening  must  be,  if  possible,  in  a  depending  part ; 
or  as  near  to  it  as  nature  points.  When  the  bad  quality 
of  an  abscess  is  likely  to  retard  its  future  incarnation, 
an  opening  made  by  a  caustic  best  prevents  the  lips  of 
the  wound  from  growing  callous.  Venereal  buboes, 
and  some  indolent  or  scrofulous  tumours,  if  not  in  the 
face  or  neck,  are  soonest  healed  after  opening  with  a 
caustic  ;  and  such  of  these  as  neither  will  give  way  to 
suppurating  nor  discutient  medicines  are  effectually  de- 

c 


A  US 


10 


A  BS 


stroycd  by  caustics,  and  the  eschar  soon  is  cicatrised. 
See  the  article  ESCHAROTICA. 

Many  advise  not  to  open  critical  abscesses  before 
they  are  digested.  Sharpe  says,  that  "  very  little  of  the 
morbid  matter  is  deposited  in  them  before  they  are  fully 
ripe,  therefore  till  then  they  should  not  be  opened." 
It  is  certain  that,  by  a  premature  discharge,  the  ulcer 
becomes  foul,  and  heals  with  difficulty. 

When  the  knife  is  used,  if  a  nerve,  vein,  or  artery,  is 
in  danger,  let  a  director  guide  the  incision,  which  is  best 
begun  on  the  lower  side,  for  then  the  matter  is  dis- 
charged most  freely,  and  the  operator  least  incommod-. 
ed  by  it.  If  possible,  its  course  should  be  according  to 
that  of  the  fibres  of  the  subjacent  parts  :  thus,  if  the  skin 
is  very  near  a  nerve,  the  use  of  the  part  will  not  be  in- 
jured by  cutting  it  across. 

In  some  cases,  particularlyjn  abscesses  of  the  breast, 
the  abdomen,  and  in  very  large  abscesses  of  other  parts, 
where  the  discharge  of  the  matter  at  once  would  be  in- 
jurious from  the  debility  it  would  occasion,  or  where 
i  he  admission  of  air  would  be  dangerous,  a  seton  is 
passed,  from  above,  below  ;  (see  SETON).  The  matter 
is  then  discharged  slowly,  the  access  of  air  prevented, 
and  the  irritation  occasioned  by  the  motion  of  the  cotton 
contributes  to  the  diminution  of  the  sac,  in  consequence 
of  the  inflammation  excited,  which  produces  adhesion. 
The  length  of  the  upper  part  of  the  cotton  should  be 
considerable,  that  it  may  be  drawn  down,  and  the 
purulent  part  be  occasionally  cut  off:  When  the  matter 
of  a  psoas- abscess  passing  along  the  fibres  of  the  muscles 
appears  at  the  surface  near  the  groin,  or,  penetrating 
through  them,  at  the  back,  the  matter  has  been  eva- 
cuated slowly  by  using  a  small  trocar,  which  admits 
but  of  a  little,  if  any,  air.  When  the  wound  closes,  the 
perforation  is  repeated.  We  have  not,  however,  found 
this  plan  very  efficacious. 

.  .is  to  the  third  intention,  it  may  be  observed,  in  ge- 
neral, that,  when  the  opening  and  discharge  arc  made, 
the  case  is  considered  as  a  common  wound,  and  the 
treatment  is  as  directed  in  the  article  VULNUS.  The 
first  dressing  may  be  dry  lint,  covered  with  pledgets  of 
soft  tow.  Afterwards,  if  the  part  is  tender,  and  the 
matter  good,  when  the  applications  are  removed,  be 
content  without  wiping  it  very  clean,  as  it  is  thus 
irritated.  Pledgets  that  are  spread  with  ointments 
need  not  be  warmed,  except  the  patient  complains  of 
their  coldness,  and  then  hold  them  to  the  fire,  but  not 
so  long  as  that  their  surfaces  melt.  Observe  a  proper 
posture,  which  will  favour  the  discharge.  Repeat  the 
dressings  once  or  twice  a  day,  as  the  quantity  or  the 
quality  of  the  discharge  requires ;  the  seldomer  they 
need  a  repetition,  the  sooner  will  the  cure  be  per- 
fected ;  and  as  the  air  offends  not,  except  by  long  ex- 
posure to  it,  all  hurry  is  unnecessary.  Bell  on  Ulcers, 
edit.  iii.  p.  54.  93.  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery,  vol.  ii. 
-19.  62. 

1.  ABSCE'SSUS  ABDO'MINIS.     An  abscess  of  the  Belly. 
See  INFLAMMATIO.  MUSC.  ABDOM.  N°  10. 

2.  ABSCESSUS  ANI.    An  abscess  of  the  Anus.    A  large 
quantity  of  fat  fills  up  the  cavity  on  each  side  of  the 
;mus,  and  is  the  seat  of  this  disorder.     The  causes  are 
various  ;  as  contusions,  wounds,  inflammations,  difficult 
labour,  hard  riding,  a  dysentery,  the  -venereal  disease, 
Sec.     Abscesses  sometimes  are  suddenly  formed  in  this 
part;  at  others  they  advance  very  slowly.     Inthejirst 


case  the  appearances  are  in  the  beginning  no  other  than 
those  of  a  common  boil ;  but  the  symptoms  soon  in- 
crease, quickly  proceeding  to  a  more  formidable  state. 
In  the  latter,  though  the  suppuration  makes  but  little 
progress,  the  pain  and  tumour  sufficiently  determine  the 
nature  of  the  complaint.  The  pus,  whether  it  makes 
its  way  through  the  skin  or  through  the  intestines,  is 
frequently  sotedious  in  its  passage,  that  the  adjacent  fat 
is  more  or  less  corroded,  and  sinuses  are  formed  of  dif- 
ferent shapes  and  sizes.  Sometimes  the  maturation  is 
extended  on  every  side,  rendering  the  cure  both  difficult 
and  uncertain.  When  abscesses  in  this  part  are  left  to 
themselves,  they  rarely  fail  to  degenerate  into  fistulas, 
and  occasion  troublesome  callosities. 

As  soon  as  the  tumour  is  formed,  endeavour  with  all 
possible  speed  to  bring  on  suppuration  ;  and,  when  this 
is  in  some  degree  advanced,  procure  a  speedy  discharge. 
To  this  end,  let  the  patient  stand  on  the  ground  with 
his  feet  asunder,  and  lean  over  a  table  upon  his  belly ; 
then  the  operator,  introducing  a  finger  into  the  anus, 
will  perceive  the  matter  in  a  fluctuating  state ;  in  which 
case,  without  waiting  for  the  external  signs  of  suppu- 
ration, he  will  make  an  opening  into  it  with  a  knife : 
by  pressing  the  finger  in  the  anus  on  the  abscess,  and 
another  on  the  external  part,  a  judgment  may  be  formed 
where  to  make  the  puncture ;  for,  by  the  finger  in  the 
rectum,  the  pus  maybe  pressed  externally,  so  as  to 
be  perceived  by  the  finger  there.  When  the  opening 
is  made,  endeavour  to  enlarge  the  wound  as  you  with- 
draw the  knife;  and,  for  the  better  application  of  pro- 
per dressings  to  the  bottom,  another  incision  may  be 
made  transversely.  If  the  rectum  is  laid  bare,  an  in- 
cision must  be  made  in  it  also,  as  far  as  the  accident 
extends,  in  order  to  its  reunion  with  the  adjacent  parts, 
for  the  regeneration  of  flesh  is  obtained  with  great 
difficulty  on  the  surface  of  this  intestine.  When  the 
matter  surrounds  the  anus,  the  cure  is  hardly  to  be  per- 
formed without  cutting  off  all  that  is  bare.  See  an  ex- 
traordinary instance  of  this  kind  in  the  Med.  Mus. 
vol.  iii.  p.  251.  257. 

A  proper  opening  being  made,  the  dressings,  &c.  are 
as  in  abscesses  in  general.  Though  Aetius  observes, 
that  when  this  disorder  extends  round  the  anus,  while 
the  wound  is  filling  up,  a  constriction  of  the  circumja- 
cent parts,  and  an  obstruction  of  the  passage  of  the  anus 
occur;  to  prevent  it  he  advises  introducing  a  canula 
there,  and  continuing  it  till  the  cure  is  finished.  But 
how  far  a  good  habit  of  body,  with  other  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, may  encourage  our  hope  of  success  this 
way,  the  practitioner  can  only  judge  by  the  circum- 
stances, and  his  own  experience.  When  the  cause  is 
venereal,  these  tumours  suppurate  slowly  ;  and  without 
a  gentle  mercurial  ptyalism  a  cure  is  hardly  to  be  ef- 
fected. See  FISTULA.  See  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery, 
vol.  ii.  201. 

3.  ABSCESSUS  ARTHRI'TICUS.     See  ABSCESSUS  INTES- 
TINORUM,  N°  17. 

4.  ABSCESSUS  AURIS.     An   abscess  in  the  Ear.     The 
symptoms  attending  an  abscess  in  this  part  have  nothing 
peculiar,  ^except  that  the  pain  is  very  exquisite. — See 
OTAGLIA. 

5.  ABSCESSUS  AXI'LLA.     An  abscess  in  the  Arm-fiit. 
Abscesses  are   often  formed  by  injuries  in  the  arm, 
hand,  or  fingers;  and  sometimes  by  a  fever.     When 
the  fever  is  of  a  malignant  kind,   these  tumours  sup- 


ABS 


11 


ABS 


purate  but  slowly  ;   and  when  ripe,  an  opening  should  - 
l>e  made  with  the  caustic ;  or,  if  great  debility  prevails, 
it  must  be  opened  more,  early  with  the  knife.     This 
disorder  when  it  terminates  the  plague  is  usually  called  a 
bubo,  <].  v.     'See  also  ABSCESSUS  IX'GUIXIS,  No.  16. 

6.  ABSCESSUS  CA'LCIS.  An  abscess  of  the  Heel. 
The  common  causes  of  an  abscess  may  produce  it,"but  . 
generally  it  is  from  scrofula.  If  there  is  a  caries, 
the  best  method  is  to  pass  an  actual  cautery  through  a 
canula.  Wiseman  says  it  saves  much  time,  and  that 
thus  the  caries  seldom  separates  in  the  form  of  a  scale, 
but  moulders  away  insensibly  with  the  matter. 

r.  AUSCESSUS  CA'PITIS.  An  abscess  on  the  Head. 
Wounds  on  the  head  generally  are  the  most  speedily 
healed  ;  when  an  abscess  is. brought  to  the  state  of  a 
wound,  the  same  advantages  attend  it,  and  the  common 
methods  suffice  for  the  cure.  When  abscesses  are 
seated  on  the  sutures,  they  may  be  troublesome  by  in- 
flaming the  dura  mater  which  passes  through  them, 
and  is  continued  to  the  pericranium.  Every  whereon 
the  scalp,  a  caustic  is  the  best  method  of  opening  ab- 
sresses,  especially  if  the  long  confinement  of  the  matter 
hath  rendered  the  skull  carious,  for  it  makes  some  way 
for  the  raspatory,  which  is  always  used,  except  on  the 
sutures  :  exfoliation  here  is  very  slow,  therefore  rasping 
is  used,  and  then  incarnation  can  immediately  pro- 
ceed. Abscesses  over  the  forehead  are  best  opened  by 
incision;  but  care  should  be  taken  that  tile  direction  of 
the  muscular  fibres  may  be  followed,  for  a  transverse 
wound  may  cause  the  eye-lids  to  fall  over  the  eye. 
Abscesses  on  the  head  are  sometimes  owing  to  a  dis- 
eased bone  from  a  venereal  affection,  and  are  then 
most  troublesome,  since  in  these  small  vessels  the  action 
of  mercury  is  for  a  long  time  weak  and  almost  im- 
perceptible. 

8.  ABSCESSUS  CE'REBRI.     An   abscess  in  the  Brain. 
Instances  of  this  kind  have  occurred ;    and  if  the  tre- 
pan is  used  early   enough,  the  case  ends  well ;    but 
it  seldom  happens  that  the  situation  of  the  abscess  can 
be  determined  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  enable  us 
to  employ  that  instrument,  except  it  is  in  consequence 
of  external  violence.     Abscesses,  from  internal  causes, 
are  generally  seated  in  the  external  parts  of  the.  brain. 

9.  ABSCESSUS     CO'LLI.      An    abscess    of   the    .\'eck. 
This  part  is  affected  with  tumours  of  every  kind,  but 
generally  the    scrofulous  and  encysted  occupy  it.  Ab- 
scesses here  are  apt  to  become   fistulous ;    but  by  a 
proper  compress  and  bandage  this  consequence  is  often 
prevented.     An  opening  in  this  part  is  best  made  with 
a  lancet ;  but  if  the  jugular  vein  is  near,  some  care 
is  required  not  to  wound  it. 

10.  ABSCESSUS    DIAPHRA'GMAIIS.       An    abscess    of 
rfie  Diafihraffm.     See  P.VRAPHREXITIS. 

11.  ABSCESSUS        DIGITO'RUM        MA'XUUM,        et 
PE'DVM.       Abscesses  of  the  fingers  and   Toes.       See 
PAROXYCHIA.  .  "N 

12.  ABSCESSUS  DO'RSI  et  LUMBO'RUM.     An  abscess^ 
the  Back  and  Loins.  For  a  particular  account  of  t; 

complaint,  see  PSOAS,  seu  LUMBORUM  ABSCESSUS,  et 

'     \RTHROPUOSIS. 

13.  ABSCESSUS    GINGIVA'RUM.     An    abscess    of  the 
Gums,  also  called_Parti/j»,  a  Gum  Boil.  These  tumours 
are  very  painful,  the  inflammation  is  often  more  diffused 
than  in  other  parts,  and  more  or  less  attended  with 
a  swelling  in  the  cheek,  or  perhaps  the  whole  face. 


The  toodi-ache,  the  general  causes  of  i:, 
carious  tooth,  &cc.  induce  this  complaint.  Mr.  John 
Hunter  observes,  that  gum-boils  seldom  arise  from  any- 
other  cause  than  inflammation  in  the  cavity  of  a  tooth, 
the  effect  of  which  extends  all  over  the  face,  but  more 
particularly  to  the  gums;  that  sometimes  this  complaint 
originates  from  a  disease  in  the  socket  of  the  tooth  ;  or 
in  the  jaw,  without  any  connection  with  the  tooth. 
Through  bad  management,  or  neglect,  they  are  apt 
to  degenerate  into  fistulous  ulcers.  During  the  in- 
flammation, to  assuage  the  pain,  let  the  patient  hold 
any  warm  fluid  constantly  in  his  mouth,  spitting  it  out, 
and  taking  fresh  quantities,  as  may  be  needful  to  keep 
up  an  equal  degree  of  heat  for  a  considerable  tune.  If 
the  suppuration  cannot  be  avoided,  let  figs  be  split  and 
held  in  the  mouth  upon  the  boil,  and  white  bread 
poultices,  wrapped  in  thin  linen  cloths,  applied  ex- 
ternally upon  the  cheek  of  the  affected  side ;  and  as 
speedily  as  is  convenient  let  the  abscess  be  opened,  for 
the  contained  matter  soon  corrodes  the  adjacent  parts, 
and  affects  the  bone.  After  the  discharge,  the  poultice 
may  be  continued  a  little  longer,  and  the  mouth  washed 
three  or  four  times  a  day  with  warm  wine  and  honey 
of  roses.  If  a  bad  tooth  is  the  cause,  it  must  be  ex- 
tracted before  any  attempts  are  made  by  medicines,  or, 
at  least,  as  soon  as  the  discharge  of  the  abscess  will 
permit.  If  the  ulcer  degenerates  into  a  fistula,  inject 
wann  wine  and  honey  of  roses  into  it;  and  if  it  is 
suspected  that  the  bone  is  carious,  add  to  this  injection 
a  little  of  the'  tinct.  myrrh,  or  of  the  vin.  aloes.  If 
these  methods  fail,  proceed  as  for  the  exfoliation  of  a 
carious  bone.  On  this  subject,  see  Mr.  John  Hunter's 
Xatural  History  of  the  Human  Teeth,  part  ii.  Bell's 
Surgery,  iv.  203. 

14.  ABSCESSUS    GLA'XDUI~E    LACHRTMA'LIS.        Ab- 
scess in  the  Lachrymal  Glands.  The  supposed  causes  of 
these  abscesses  seem  not  to  have  any  such  effect.     To 
prevent  their  usual  termination,  an  opening  must  be 
made  into   them,  for  the  performance  of  which  Mr. 
Sharpe  hath  given  very  ample  instructions  in  his  Trea- 
tise of  the  Operations  of  Surgery.     See  also  Ware  on 
the  Fistula  Lachrymalis,  and  Wallis's  Xosologia   Me- 
thodica  Oculorum. 

15.  ABSCESSUS  HE'PATIS.      An  abscess  of  the  Liver. 
A  suppuration  is  prognosticated  if  an  inflammation  con- 
tinues in  the  liver  several  days  ;  if  the  pain  remits,  and 
is  followed  by  a  pulsation  in  the  same  place,  and  if 
shiverings  come  on,  with  a  countenance  of  a  yellowish 
colour ;    soon  after  which  a   tumour    and  a  sense  of 
weight  are   perceived  in  the  region  of  the  liver  :     a 
hectic  fever  follows,  with  thirst,  and  ah  extreme  feeble- 
ness.    Aretseus  observes,  that  a  pain  generally  extends 
to  the  throat,  and  to  the  extremity  of  the  shoulder,  and 
a  dry,  but  not  very  frequent,  cough  afflicts  the  patient. 
He  further  remarks,  that  this  disorder  is  sometimes 
mistaken  for  a  tumour  of  the  peritonaeum  ;  but  that 
the  latter  is  more  irregular,  and  is  not  circumscribed 
by  the  limits  of  the  hypochondrium. 

The  consequences  of  an  abscess  in  this  viscus  are  : 
1st,  The  liver  is  corroded  and  consumed.     In  this 

case,    after  a  tedious  icterical  wasting,  a  slow  fever, 

great  anxiety,  a  sanious  and  foetid  diarrhce.a,  Sec.  the 

patient  dies. 

2dly,  The  abscess  breaks  inwardly,  and  discharges  a 

sanious  pus  into  the  belly :  thus  the  rest  of  the  viscera 
C   2 


A  BS 


12 


ABS 


are  affected,  a  consumption  of  the  whole  body  hastily 
advances,  and  an  ascites,  Sec.  usher  in  death. 

Sdly,  The  pus  sometimes  passes  by  the  biliary  ducts 
into  the  intestines,  and,  regurgitating  into  the  sto- 
mach, causes  dark,  offensive  vomitings  ;  or  passing 
downwards,  produces  a  violent  diarrhoea.  Acid  and 
acescent  substances  may  palliate  for  a  time,  but  the 
end  is  always  fatal. 

4thly,  The  tumour  may  adhere  to  the  peritonaeum, 
and  form  an  external  abscess,  evident  both  to  the 
sight,  and  touch.  Here  alone  is  any  hofie  to  perfect 
a  cure  :  a  caustic  may  be  applied  and  left  to  suppurate  ; 
or,  if  the  pulsation  be  evident,  an  opening  may  be  made 
with  the  knife.  !£  the  pus  is  well  conditioned,  and  the 
symptoms  soon  subside,  the  patient  will  recover  ;  but, 
otherwise,  this  case  is  also  fatal  in  its  end. 

5thly,  Aretaeus  informs  us,  that  if  the  tumour  does 
not  suppurate,  the  excrements  have  an  offensive  and 
putrid  odour ;  the  food  passes  crude  and  undigested, 
because  of  the  weakness  of  the  stomach  and  of  the  in- 
testines ;  for  the  liver,  sq  disordered,  sends  forth  bile 
too  defective  to  assist  the  digestion;  whence  some  ave 
afflicted  with  a  sharp  corroding  heat,  are  daily  worse, 
and  death  is  soon  their  delivery.  Some  recover  from 
both  the  dysentery  and  the  abscess,  but  a  dropsy  termi- 
nates the  scene.  If,  however,  these  symptoms  remit, 
and  the  pus  in  the  stools  becomes  white  and  of  a  good 
consistence,  and  the  patient  can  again  digest  his  food, 
we  may  still  hope.  As  the  best  crisis,  he  notes  that  by 
urine,  for  thus  the  least  offence  is  given.  See  Bell's 
Surgery,  v.  387.  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii.  185. 
London  Med.  Journal,  vii.  22. 

16.  ABSCESSUS  IN'GUINIS.     An  abscess  in  the  Groin, 
is  sometimes  occasioned  by  injuries  done  to  the  parts 
below,  as  in  the  knees,  legs,  or  toes  ;  a  pestilential  fever 
may  be  the  cause,  in  which  an  abscess  in  the  groin  is 
uften  critical,  but  the  venereal  disease  is  the  most  fre- 
quent.    See  BUBO.     If  opened  with  a  knife,  be  careful 
not  to  wound  the  inguinal  artery.     In  venereal  cases 
a  caustic  is  preferable,  as  it  dissolves  part  of  the  in- 
duration which  too  often  remains  after  the  greatest  part 
is  suppurated,  and  assists  in  digesting  the  remainder, 
if  abscesses  in  the  groin,  or  in  the  arm -pit,  are  from  the 
crisis  of  a  fever,  the  caustic  should  be  employed,  and 
i he  discharge  kept  up,  till  all  danger  from  the  fever  is 
over.     In  glandular  parts  all  that  is  hardened  should  be 
perfectly   dissolved ;    for  instances   have    occurred  of 
rancers  proceeding  from  the  remaining  indurations. 

17.  ABSCESSUS  IXTESTINO'RUM.     An   abscess  in  the 
Intestines.     When  an  abscess  in  the  intestines  is  dis- 
charged, the  case  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  a  dysen- 
tery ;  indeed,  if  the  ulceration  continues  long,  its  treat- 
ment will  be  the  same  as  iifthe  dysentery,  though  at 
first  the  methods  are  far  from  similar.     Before  an  ab- 
scess is  formed  in  these  parts,  there  is  always  a  throb- 
bing pain  felt  near  the  part  affected.     At  the  beginning 
of  the  suppuration  there  are  unequal  shiverings,  which 
increase  and  remit ;  and  a  fever,  with  exacerbation  of 
the  symptoms  in  the  evening.     When  this  accident  fol- 
lows an  inflammation  in  the  bowels,  it  begins  in  about 
four  days  after  the  attack  of  the  inflammation,  at  which 
time  a  shivering  comes  on,  which  extends  through 
the  whole  body  ;  and  an  obtuse  pain,  with  a  sense  of 
weight,  is  perceived   in  the  part  affected.     After  the 
pus  is  formed,  the  symptoms  abate,  and  the  pain  nearly 


ceases,  till  the  time  of  breaking  approaches,  and  then 
the  pain  is  renewed ;  but  it  is  of  a  different  kind,  not 
pulsatory  and  shooting,  but  tensive,  with  a  sense  of 
weight.  Sometimes  the  belly  is  violently  constipated; 
and,  after  the  discharge,  a  quantity  of  aqueous  pus  is 
thrown  out  by  stool.  Sec  Aetius  Tetrabib.  iii.  serm.  i. 
cap.  42.  In  about  fourteen  days  the  pus  makes  its  way 
into  the  cavity  of  the  belly,  and  produces  inconveniences 
similar  to  those  arising  from  a  discharge  of  the  like 
kind  from  the  liver :  or,  passing  into  the  intestines,  it 
runs  off  by  stool.  In  this  case,  entire  membranes  are 
discharged,  and  a  consumption  often  follows. 

If,  on  the  first  attack,  the  means  recommended  against 
an  inflammation  of  the  intestines  fail,  little  more  is  to 
be  done  than  to  supply  the  patient  with  emollient  and 
gently  detergent  broths,  to  support  his  strength  by 
bark,  and  sheath  the  suppurated  parts  by  a  mixture 
of  wax  and  soap.  Opiates  should  be  given,  to  relieve 
pain,  and,  by  lessening  the  action  of  the  intestines,  to 
allow  the  pus  to  thicken,  under  which  new  granulations 
may  form.  If,  by  the  continuance  of  the  excretions, 
the  dysenteric  state  is  produced,  the  same  means  are 
to  be  employed  as  in  a  dysentery. 

Musgrave,  in  treating  of  the  irregular  gout,  observes, 
that  sometimes  a  gouty  dysentery  degenerates  into  an 
abscess  in  the  bowels  ;  hence  properly  called  ARTHIUTI- 
cus.  Celsus  indeed  observes,  that  large  abscesses  in 
these  parts  are  sometimes  the  consequence  of  fevers  and 
pains,  especially  of  pains  in  the  belly.  If  the  purulent 
discharges  are  excessive,  moderate  them  with  small 
doses  of  the  tinct.  opii ;  in  case  of  faintness,  a  glass  or 
two  of  wine  may  now  and  then  be  allowed ;  avoid  all 
acids,  acrids,  and  high  cordials,  and  let  the  diet  chiefly 
consist  of  jellies,  agglutinating  broths,  Sac. :  at  last, 
when  all  appearances  of  purulency  have  vanished,  the 
myrrh,  or  the  bals.  Peruv.  in  a  decoction  of  bark,  may 
be  used,  both  to  restore  and  to  prevent  a  relapse.  War- 
ner on  the  Gout. 

18.  ABSCESSUS    PERITO'N^I.     There   are   some   in- 
stances  of  apparent   inflammation   of  the    intestines, 
where  the  peritonaeum  is  only  affected.     The  disease 
we  shall  particularly  notice  under  this  title,  when  we 
shall  add  the  methods  of  distinguishing  it,   and   the 
remedies  adapted  for  it :  at  present  we  shall  only  re- 
mark, that  abscess  is  its  common  termination ;  and,  as 
the  whole  membrane  is  affected,  even  when  the  ex- 
istence of  the  disease  is  certain,   the  cure  is  hopeless. 
The  patient  often  lives  for  a  long  time,  but  sinks,  at 
last,   in   an  incurable  hectic.     See  PEIUTONITIS.     An 
abscess  rarely  occurs  in  the  muscular  parts  of  the  ab- 
domen, without  an  affection  of  the  peritonaeum.  Should 
it  happen,  it  must  be  rapidly  brought  forward,  though 
there  is  little  hazard  of  its  penetrating  inwards. 

19.  ABSCESSUS  ISCHIA'TICUS.    An  abscess  in  the  ffi/i, 
a  species  of  Arthrojmosis.     When  an  abscess  forms  it- 
self in  the  socket,  or  the  head  of  the  thigh-bone,  there  are 
usually  a  great  swelling  and  lameness  in  the  hip,  and>n 
time  matter  collects  in  this  cavity.     Instances  have  also 
occurred  in  which  it  hath  passed  through  the  bottom  of 
the  acetabulum  into  the  belly;  and  in  these  cases,  when 
the  patient  went  to  stool,  the  matter,  by  straining,  was 
forceij  back,  and   through  the   external  wound.     Mr. 
Pott  observes,  that  this  disease  originates   in  the  hip- 
joint  ;  yet,  in  this  case,  the  leg  of  the  affected  side  is 
shorter  than  the  other,  the  pain  begins  where  the  disease 


ABS 


13 


ABS 


originates,  i.  e.  about  the  great  trochanter.  "  It  is 
(he  says)  a  distemper  of  the  joints  and  ligaments  that 
surround  it."  He  further  adds,  that,  "  if  we  see  scro- 
fulous affections  of  any  kind,  in  the  beginning,  if 
there  is  any  remedy  in  art,  I  believe  it  to  be  issues ; 
therefore,  in  scrofulous  hips,  apply  a  large  caustic 
on  the  part,  large  enough  to  admit  of  five  or  six  peas, 
and  keep  up  the  discharge  as  long  as  it  appears  to  be 
necessary."  Alas  1  though  this  method,  if  early  used, 
is  much  to  be  depended  on,  like  many  other  valuable 
means,  it  is  usually  applied  too  late.  It  Is  distinguished 
from  a  relaxation  of  the  hip-joint  by  a  painful  tumour, 
hectic  fever,  Sec.  Issues  may  be  useful  in  both ;  but 
the  Bath  waters,  recommended  in  cases  of  relaxation, 
would  be  fatal  in  cases  of  abscess. 

20.  ABSCESSUS  LUMBO'RUM.     See  Psoas,  seu  Lum- 
borum  Abscessus.  - 

21.  ABSCESSUS   MA'XUVM.     Abscesses  on  the  Hands. 
For  the  most  part  they  are  strumous ;  when  not,  the 
common  methods  suffice  for  their  removal. 

22.  ABSCESSUS  PRO'PE   MAXI'LI.AS.     Abscesses  about 
the  Jaws.    Besides  the  common  causes,  a  carious  tooth, 
the  tooth-ache,  an  injury  done  to  the  socket  of  the  jaw 
in  extracting  a  tooth,  £cc.  may  produce  an   abscess  in 
these  parts.     Abscesses  under  the  chin  are  frequently- 
found  in  children,  but  they  easily  give  way  to  the  com- 
mon methods.     The  conglobate  glands  under  the  jaws 
are  very  subject  to  suppuration,  and  are  often  mistaken 
for  strumous  swellings,  but  they  differ  greatly  from 

*lhem.  The  strumous  kind  are  contained  in  a  cyst, 
which  requires  to  be  destroyed  by  escharotics  after  the 
matter  is  discharged ;  but  these  are  managed  and  cured 
with  ease  by  the  ordinary  methods  of  digestion. 

23.  ABSCESSUS  MEDIASTI'XI.     An  abscess  of  the  Me- 
diastinum.    In   such   situations  there   is  but  little   to 
be  done  for  the  relief  of  the  patient :  however,  it  is 
observed  by  several  practitioners,  that  in  the  venereal 
disease  this  disorder  is  peculiar  and  frequent.     The  use 
of  the  trepan  has  been  recommended  to  give  an  opening 
to  the  matter,  through  an  aperture  in  the  sternum.    The 
attempt  would,  however,  be  rash  and  injudicious.     The 
presence  of  matter,  in  the  mediastinum,  is.  always  un- 
certain, and  its  situation  more  so.     The  admission  of 
air  also  into  this  cavity  must  be  highly  dangerous  :  yet 
it  has  been  attempted  with  apparent  success  by  Mr. 
Blair  (London  Medical  Review,  vol.  iv).     A  paper  on 
this  case  occurs  in  the  xvth  volume  of  the  same  work. 
The  cavity  of  the  chest  has  certainly  been  opened  with 
advantage   to   discharge  water,   pus,  and  wind.     See 
Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii.  183. 

ABSCESSUS  MESENTE'RII.  An  abscess  of  the  A/ir- 
sentery.  Suppurations  in  this  part  are  not  suspected, 
because  neither  heat  nor  pain  is  to  be  perceived  in 
it;  but  these  symptoms,  though  common,  yet  are  not 
essential  to  inflammation  and  suppuration,  as  they  de- 
pend on  the  sensibility  of  the  parts.  It  may  be  ob- 
served, that  pus  is  no  where  more  readily  formed  than 
in  parts  where  the  texture  is  loose;  and  abscesses  in 
the  mesentery  are  far  from  being  rare,  and  are  generally 
to  be  discovered  by  a  continual  hectic  fever,  an  op- 
pressive uneasiness  in  the  belly,  a  discharge  of  a'sanious 
matter  by  stool,  and  sometimes  pain  and  heat  in  the 
intestines.  The  sanious  matter  is  also  not'unfrequently 
absorbed  by  the  lacteals,  mixed  with  the  blood,  and  con- 
veyed to  the  glands  of  the  trachea,  the  kidneys,  kc. 


Hence  large  imposthumes  of  the  mesentery  are  often 
accompanied  with  discharges  of  purulent  urine,  or  a 
spitting  of  purulent  matter,  though  at  the  same  time  no 
injury  hath  happened  either  to  the  lungs  or  to  the 
kidneys.  If  the  abscess  is  seated  in  a  place  less  fit  for 
the  excretion  of  its  contents,  very  troublesome  pains, 
resembling  a  colic,  are  produced :  if  the  matter  is 
discharged  into  a  cavity  of  the  belly,  it  soon  produces 
a  gangrene.  Horstius,  Bartholine,  and  Tulpius,  give- 
instances  of  the  pus  being  emptied  into  the  cavity  of 
the  intestines,  and  discharged  by  stool ;  but,  notwith- 
standing all  these  circumstances,  for  the  most  part 
the  diagnostics  are  very  obscure  ;  nay,  these  abscesses 
have  been  unsuspected,  and  dissection  after  death  hath 
alone  discovered  them.  If  these  tumours  are  suspected, 
they  must  be  distinguished  both  from  an  inflammation 
and  a  scirrhus.  In  general,  the  prognostic  is  doubt- 
ful ;  for  if  the  abscess  breaks,  and  discharges  a  putrid 
matter  into  the  belly,  sudden  death  follows :  if  after  the 
rupture  the  ulcer  is  not  speedily  cured,  it  induces  a 
gangrene,  a  dropsy,  or  a  consumption.  If  this  complaint 
is  manifest,  and  the  tumour  can  be  perceived,  emol- 
lients may  be  applied  externally,  and  internally  may 
be  administered  aperient  and  gentle  purgative  medi- 
cines, and  remedies  used  in  obstructions  of  the  liver  and 
spleen,  &cc.  These  suppurations  are  generally  in  the 
glands  of  the  mesentery,  and  are  thea  symptoms  of 
scrofula.  These  glands  are  often  found  after  death 
in  a  scirrhous  state,  and  thus  are  frequently  the  com- 
panions of  a  cancer  here,  or  in  some  other  glandular 
part.  Riverius  speaks  largely  and  well  on  this  sub- 
ject. See  his  Prax.  Med.  lib.  xiii. 

25.  ABSCESSUS  XA'RIUM.     An  abscess  in  the  .Vostril. 
Ozana.     This,  from  the  pain  it  occasions,  is  exceed- 
ingly troublesome.     If  in  the  inflammatory  state  it  can 
be  removed  by  bleeding,  purging,  blistering  the  back, 
inc.  much  trouble  to  the  patient  will  be  saved;  if,  in 
spite  of  all,  suppuration  advances,  emollient  injections 
may  be  thrown  up  the  affected  nostril,  and  a  warm 
cataplasm  laid  upon  the  nose.    Wiseman  observes,  that 
the  matter,  when  digested,  is  very  tough.     See  Bell's 
Surgery,  iv.  76.     Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  i. 
255.     White's  Surgery,  265. 

26.  ABSCESSUS  XI'MPH.E.     An  abscess  fn  the  .V 
fiha.     See  AL.E. 

27.  ABSCESSUS    O'CULI.       An    abscess    in    the    Eye. 
From  the  small-pox  most  frequently,  though  from  other 
causes  this  accident  sometimes  happens.     When  the 
seat  is  in  the  transparent  part  of  the  cornea,  it  is  dis- 
covered by  the  peculiar  whiteness  of  its  appearance. 
When  it  is  in  the  opaque  part  of  the  cornea,  the  eye  is 
swelled,  but  more  particularly  so  where  the  abscess  is 
seated.     If  its  seat  is  deljfer,  the  first  evidence  of  its 
existence  is  generally  the  extravasation  of  its  contents  in 
the  aqueous  humour.     Those  on  the  transparent  cornea 
are  generally  cured  by  cautiously  opening  them  with 
the  point  of  a  lancet,  carefully  avoiding  the  pellicles 
of  this  coat  which  lay  beneath.     In  the  other  two  kinds 
there  is  great  danger  of  losing    the    sight,  for  they 
discharge  themselves  into  the  anterior  chamber  of  the 
eye ;  though  sometimes  a  cure  is  effected  without  any 
remaining  inconvenience.     When  the  matter  of  these 
diffuses  itself  so  as  to  spread  over  all  the  pupil  of  the 
eye,  then  is  formed  the  hypopyon  ;  if  only  a  part  of  the 
pupil  is  covered,  the  matter  forming  itself  into  a  speck 


AB  S 


14 


ABS 


like  those  at  the  bottom  of  our  nails,  is  called  an  onyx. 
I  leister,  in  his  Surgery,  gives  a  different  account  of  the 
hypopyon  and  the  onyx.  In  the  cure  of  the  chemosis, 
first  use  remedies  to  resolve  the  inflammation  ;  if  these 
fail,  proceed  as  follows.  While  the  contents  of  the  ab- 
scess are  not  yet  dispersed,  but  extend  into  the  hole  of 
the  pupil,  place  the  patient  fronting  a  good  light,  with 
his  head  laid  on  the  back  of  an  easy  chair,  then  make 
an  incision  into  the  transparent  part  of  the  cornea, 
under  the  hole  of  the  pupil,  taking  care  that  the  point  of 
the  lancet  does  not  touch  the  iris,  which  lies  behind  the 
pus ;  make  the  aperture  long  enough  to  give  a  free 
vent,  then  gently  inject  a  little  warm  water  therein. 
Afterwards  apply  a  compress,  wetted  in  a  collyrium  of 
rose-water,  well  mixed  with  a  little  of  the  white  of  an 
egg  :  keep  the  compress  constantly  moist  with  this  fluid 
by  sprinkling  it  from  time  to  time,  and  drop  some  of  it 
three  or  four  times  in  the  day  in  the  orifice  on  the  cor- 
nea. Some  days  after  the  first  discharge,  a  fresh  col- 
lection of  pus  sometimes  presents  itself,  which  is  dis- 
charged by  introducing  a  fine  stillet  into  the  incision. 
See  on  these  subjects  Wallis's  Nosologia  Methodica 
Oculorum. 

27.  ABSCESSUS  OSS'IUM.     An   abscess  qf  the  Bones. 
Observations  in  practice  prove,  that  not  only  in  the  cel- 
lular parts  near  the  joints,  but  also  in  the  middle  cavities 
of  the   large  bones,   inflammations  have   degenerated 
into  abscesses.     The  observation  of  Ruysch,  in  which 
he  says,  "  that  he  found,  in  the  middle  cavities  of  the 
large  bones,  round  bony  pipes,  separate  from  the  rest 
of  the  bones  in  which  he  saw  them,"  may  be  referred 
to  this  article.     See  ABSCESSUS  PERIO'STEI.  35. 

28.  ABSCESSUS  PA'LPEISR^E.     An  abscess  in  the  JEye- 
tid,  when  externally  situated,  requires  no  peculiar  ma- 
nagement different  from  abscesses  in  general,  except 
that  in  opening  it,  when  situated  near  the  cilia,  great 
care  is  required  not  to  enter  the  lancet  any  deeper  than 
is  barely  necessary  to  evacuate  the  abscess'-;  if  the  edge 
of  the  eye-lid  is  cut,  an  incurable  wateriness  is  endan- 
gered.    The  direction  of  the  incision  is  safest  in  the 
course  of  the  orbicular  muscle.     An  abscess  situated  on 
the  inside  of  the  eye-lids  may  be  opened  with  a  lancet, 
and  then  washed  with  brine,  or  other  proper  collyria. 

29.  ABSCESSUS  PANCHKA'TIS.    An  abscess  of  the  Pan- 
creas.    This  complaint  is  the  most  common  in  scor- 
butic habits.     Riolan  says,  that  its  presence  is  properly 
guessed  at  by  a  sense  of  weight  in  the  region  of  the 
stomach,  no  hardness  nor  tumour  being  manifest  in  the 
hypochondria,  particularly  if  there  are  other  marks  of 
latent  obstructions  in  the  abdominal  viscera;  a  difficul- 
ty of  breathing  from  the  compression  of  the  diaphragm 
also  occurs ;  and  sometimes  by  pressing  near  the  side 
of  the  stomach  a  tumour  is^erceptible,  and  then  the 
pressure  causes  pain.      Though  the  diagnostics  are  ge- 
nerally very  obscure  or  uncertain,  yet  it  may  be  observed 
that  a  hectic  fever,  long  -watchings,  short  sleeps  followed 
by  a  sense  of  weariness,  fainting,  and  cold  sweats,  are 
certain  attendants  of  this  disease  :  Yet  the  same  symp- 
toms attend  abscesses,  and  even  infractions  of  the  other 
viscera ;  and   no  peculiar  plan  of  treatment  is  applica- 
ble to   the   abscess  of  the  pancreas.     See   Riverius's 
Prax.  Med.  lib.  xiii.  cap.  4.   . 

30.  ABSCESSUS  PAHO'TIDIS.     An  abscess  of  the  Pa- 
•rijtid  Glands,  also  called  Parotis.     The  parotid  glands 
suppurate  with  difficulty ;  the  less  so  when  the  general 


habit  is  disordered,  when  a  venereal,  scorbutic,  pestilen- 
tial, or  other  affection  attends.  They  are  apt  to  become 
tistulous  ;  though,  when  they  arise  in  children,  unat- 
tended by  any  other  disease,  there  is  no  danger  of  ill 
consequences ;  and  in  such  circumstances  the  best 
remedies  are  purgatives,  mixed  with  small  doses  of 
calomel,  frequently  repeated.  In  more  advanced  life, 
Trillian  lays  it  down  as  a  rule,  that  the  cure  must  be- 
gin with  bleeding  :  and  Celsus,  with  great  judgment, 
proposes,  that,  "  when  the  parotis  is  unattended  with 
any  other  disorder,  the  cure  may  begin  with  repellents 
and  discutients;  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  any  other 
complaint  hath  preceded  or  attends,  suppuration  must 
be  immediately  promoted."  The  management  under 
suppuration  is  the  same  as  in  other  similar  cases, 
viz.  the  BUBO,  q.  .v.  and  Klrkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii 
142.  In  some  instances,  it  begins  without  any  fever, 
like  a  swelling"  of  a  conglobate  gland.  It  enlarges  con- 
siderably, suppurates  in  one  minute  point;  and  the 
whole  soon  becomes  a  ragged  foul  ulcer.  A  hectic, 
with  considerable  emaciation,  terminates  the  complaint. 
We  are  seldom  aware  of  its  nature  soon  enough  to  em- 
ploy medicine  :  and  from  its  event  this  has  been  styled 
a  malignant  parotid.  ( 

31.  ABSCESSUS  PEC'TORIS  et  MA'MMJE.  An  abscess 
of  the  Breast.  For  the  former,  sec  VOMICA.  The 
latter  is  an  external  disorder,  which  happens,  for  the 
most  part,  to  women.  Bruises  sometimes  are  the  cause ; 
but,  generally,  a  too  active  separation  of  the  milk, 
or  taking  cold  while  the  woman  continues  to  suckle. 
Inflammation  of  the  lungs  and  pleura  often  produce 
abscesses  in  the  breast,  externally,  and  upon  the  ribs, 
which,  in  bad  constitutions,  prove  fistulous,  and  render 
the  bones  underneath  carious.  A  frequent  cause  is 
from  not  letting  the  child  suck  until  two  or  three  days 
after  its  birth.  An  early  application  of  the  child  to  the 
breast,  or  otherwise  emptying  the  breasts  before  they 
are  turgid  with  the  milk,  would  in  general  prevent  this 
complaint.  Another  cause  is  the  use  of  astringents,  to 
repel  the  milk.  When  an  abscess  arises  from  the  milk, 
it  is  called  sfiarganosis.  If  these  abscesses  burst  at 
the  top,  sinous  ulcers  are  sometimes  the  consequence ; 
and  this  happens,  too,  from  laxity  in  the  habit,  and 
a  debility  in  the  constitution.  When  inflammatory 
tumours  happen  in  the  breasts  of  pregnant  women,  or 
of  those  who  are  nurses,  we  ought  to  be  very  cautious 
in  the  use  of  repellents ;  in  sanguine  habits,  bleeding 
and  opening  medicines  are  necessary,  with  a  cooling 
regimen.  If  such  tumours  do  not  very  easily  and 
speedily  give  way,  suppuration  should  be  promoted, 
for  this  is  the  best  way  of  preventing  its  increase,  but 
the  supposed  bad  consequences  have  no  real  foundation, 
for  a  cancer  is  never  the  consequence  of  a  milk-sore. 
The  common  white  bread  poultice,  for  neatness  and 
efficacy,  equals,  if  not  excels,  all  other  applications,  as 
a  suppurant  in  these  cases  ;  it  should  be  applied,  and 
renewed  as  frequently  as  is  necessary  for  keeping  up  an 
equal  warmth,  which  will  be  every  two  or  three  hours, 
and  continued  till  the  abscess  breaks  of  itself;  and  then 
we  have  only  to  enlarge  the  opening  a  little,  if  it  be  too 
small,  or  alter  its  direction  if  not  sufficiently  low .  A 
small  opening  is  generally  preferable  to  a  large  one,  as 
it  heals  both  sooner  and  more  kindly ;  some  advise  to 
make  an  opening  during  the  state  of  inflammation, 
because  of  the  pain  which  attends  these  tumours ;  but 


ABS 


15 


ABS 


by  these  premature  discharges  fresh  collections  will  be 
formed,  and  thus  may  the  whole  breast  be  wasted. 
An  abscess  here  should  be,  opened  by  incision,  never 
by  a  caustic  :  only  if  the  lancet  passes  near  the  nipple, 
if  possible,  it  should  be  directed  semicircularly,  both  to 
avoid  cutting  it,  or  the  areola,  for  thus  the  beauty  of 
the  part  is  best  preserved,  and  future  suckling  not  pre- 
vented. It  sometimes  happens  that,  in  order  to  heal  a 
present  abscess,  or  to  prevent  the  formation  of  new 
ones,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  wean  the  child,  and 
gradually  divert  the  milk  from  the  breasts.  See  Bell's 
Surgery,  v.  396.  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii.  160 — 
175.  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  i.  73,  Sec.  White's 
Surgery,  441. 

32.  ABSCESSUS    PE'DUM.      jibscesses   in    the    Feet. 
Of  all  the  sorts  that  affect  these  parts,  the  strumous, 
which  are  most  common,  are  the  worst,  for  in  these 
instances  the  bones  are  usually  affected ;  but  abscesses 
of  every  kind  are  bad,  as  they  are  apt  to  form  sinuous 
ulcers,  and  produce  caries  in  the  bones.     The  applica- 
tions and  general  management  are  here  as  in  other  cases. 

33.  ABSCESSUS    PERICA'RDII.     An    abscess    of   the 
Pericardium.     Little  has  been  said  by  authors  concern- 
ing this   subject,  any    further  than   dissections  have 
proved  that  such  a  disease  exists,  and  that  it  has  some- 
times   come  on    independent  of   any    symptoms    in- 
dicative of  pneumonic  affections,  with  which  the  state 
preceding  suppura'tion  is  often  joined.     If  these  have 
preceded,  the  usual  methods  of  checking  inflammation 
must  be  attempted. 

34.  ABSCESSUS    PERIX.B'I.     An    abscess    in   the  Pe- 
rineum.    An  abscess,  if  suspected  to  be  forming  in  this 
part,  should  be  prevented,  because  of  its  troublesome 
effects;  it  retards,  or  totally  prevents,  the  discharge  of 
urine.  In  other  circumstances  it  may  penetrate  into  the 
bladder,  or  rectum,  and  produce  a  troublesome  or  in- 
curable fistulous  opening.     It  may  happen  from  any 
cause,  but  the  most  common  origin  is  a  venereal  affec- 
tion ;  and  we  have  seen  it  from  a  misplaced  gouty  in- 
flammation.    It  requires  no  peculiar  treatment,  except 
particular  care  to  keep  the  abscess  clean;  and  as  the 
part  is  seldom  susceptible  of  very  active  inflammation, 
the  applications  should  be  warm  and  antiseptic.     The 
original  cause  will  require  minute  attention  according 
to  its  nature.     See  a  singular  case  in  Le  Dran's  Ob- 
servations.    See  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii.  253.  and 
Pott's  Works. 

35.  ABSCESSUS  PERIO'STEI.     An  abscess  of  the  Pe- 
riosteum.   This  case  is  known  by  evident  inflammation, 
swelling;  and  pulsation  in  the  part,  and  irregular  shiver- 
ings.     As  the  suppuration  approaches  and  proceeds,  all 
the  symptoms  are  augmented;  but  the  principal  sign  is  the 
•rregular  horripilation.     Sometimes  the  diagnostics  are 
obscure,  because  the    quantity    of  matter    collected, 
though  productive  of  violent  symptoms,  is  too  small  to 
raise  a  sensible   tumour,  and  in  such   cases  the  pain 
does  not  remit,  though   the  pus  is  formed;  besides, 
the  matter  gradually  increasing  in  quantity,  unless  it 
corrodes  the  periosteum,  passes  between  it  and  the  sub- 
jacent bone,  and  thus,  by  gradually  separating  them, 
keeps  up  a  most  violent  pain.  An  accident  of  this  kind 
soon  lays  the  bone  bare,  and  corrupts  by  destroying  the 
vessels  which  nourish  it.     If  the  pus  corrodes'  the  pe- 
riosteum, and  spreads  through  the  softer  parts,  it  pro- 
duces fistulous  ulcers.     When  this  disorder  is  manifest, 


a  speedy  discharge  is  to  be  aimed  at,  and  the  bone  must 
be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  skull  when  de- 
nuded. First  make  an  incision  through  the  teguments 
only;  for  when  the  periosteum  is  corroded,  the  matter 
generally  soon  makes  a  way  betwixt  the  muscles,  in 
which  case  it  is  a  guide  to  the  operator  in  piercing  to 
the  bone,  which,  when  laid  bare,  the  remaining  pro- 
cedure will  be  as  in  deep  abscesses,  and  when  the  skull 
is  deprived  of  its  pericranium. 

36.  ABSCESSUS  PLE'UR.*.     An  abscess  of  the  Pleura. 
When  this  is  suspected,  an  opening  must  be  made  into 
it  as  early  as  possible,  lest  it  burst  into  the  cavity  of  the 
breast,  and  form  an  empyema.     As  it  seldom  happens, 
however,  that   the    pleura   is  affected,   without  some 
previous  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  and  as  the  lungs 
more  readily  suppurate  than  the  denser  membrane,  we 
scarcely,  in   any  instance,  find  this  abscess  unmixed. 
When  it  does  occur,  and  shows  its  real  seat,  by  a  slight 
external  tumour,  it  may  he-opened  with  a  small  trocar, 
or  more  safely  by  a  caustic,  fixing  the  caustic  rather  be- 
low the  part  where  the  tumour  is  most  full.     In  this 
way,  if  the  strength  be  supported,  we  have  more  than 
once   preserved   the  patient's  life,  though  the  lungs 
were  affected.     When  the  case  is  more  clear,  as  where 
it  happens   from  an  accident,  and  the  pleura  is  alone 
affected,  a  blister  (rendered  perpetual)  or  a  seton,  will 
only  be  necessary;  and  these  will  effectually  prevent 
its  opening  into  the  cavity  of  the   breast.     See   many 
satisfactory  remarks  on  this  subject  in  Sharpe's  Criti- 
cal Enquiry,  and  in  Le  Dran's  Observations  and  Ope- 
rations. 

37.  ABSCESSUS  PUDE'NDJE.     An  abscess   of  the  Pu- 
denda.    See  ALJE. 

38.  ABSCESSUS    PUI.MO'NUM.      An   abscess     of    the 
Lungs.  See  above  ABSCESSUS  PLEURAE,  etVo.\ncA. 

39.  ABSCESSUS  RE'NIS.     An  abscess  in  the   Kidney. 
When  an  inflammation  in  the  kidney  suppurates,  it  is 
known  by  the  following  signs ;  viz.  a  remission  of  the 
pain,  which  is  succeeded  by  a  pulsation,  a  frequently  re- 
turning horror,  a  weight  and  stupor  in  the  part,  -with  a 
heat  and  tension  ;  the  urine  is  purulent  and  fetid  some- 
times,  and,  at  others,  a  ivhitish  pus  is  discharged  ivith 
it,  in  which  is  nothing  offensive.     If  this   suppuration 
continues    some,   time,  the  whole   kidney  being  con- 
sumed, it  forms  a  kind  of  bag  of  no  use ;  and  in  this 
case,  a  tabes  renalis  is  frequently  present ;  but  if  a  small 
quantity  of  the  inflammatory  matter  remains  coagulated 
in  the  minute  folliculse  of  the  urine,  it  forms  a  basis 
to  which  the  sabulous  matter,  which  continually  is  pass- 
ing by  it,  will  adhere,  and  gradually  form  a  stone,  and 
which,  also,   by  the  same  means  will  be  augmented. 
When  the  abscess  is  burst,  the  urine  becomes  puru- 
lent: and  though  in  these  cases  the  discharge  ceases, 
the  kidney  shrinks  into  a  withered  state,  and  all  com- 
plaints are  ended  at  some  certain  period;  yet,  to  hasten 
this  relief,  diluting   and  gently   diuretic    liquors  may 
be  used,  gentle  laxatives  and  balsamics  also,  and  proba- 
bly the  bark  may  much  conduce  to  expediting  a  cure. 
An  abscess  of  the  kidney  is,  however,  more  frequently 
of  a  chronic  nature,  without  previous   observable  in- 
flammation, as  the  part  is  not  acutely  "sensible,  and  the 
seat  of  pain  in  deep  parts  not  to  be  referred  with  ac- 
curacy  to  one  spot.     Stone  in  the  kidneys,   from   a 
nucleus  of  pus,  is  in  these  cases  very  uncommon,  and 
indeed  rare  in  every  other. 


ABS 


16 


ABS 


40.  ADSCESSUS  sixus   MAXII.LA'HIS.     An  abscess  in 
/he  Maxillary  Sinus,  called  the  Antrum  Highmorianwn. 
Drake  mentions  this  as  a  species  of  ozxna.  It  is  known 
by  a  pain  which  is  deep  seated  in  the  noffe,  eyes,  and 
cheek,  and  a  tumour  on  the  outer  and  upper  part  of  the 
latter;  a  discharge  of  offensive  matter  from  the  nostril 
of  the  affected  side,  especially  on  inclining  the  head  to 
the  side  that  is  sound;  sometimes  the  breath  is  rendered 
very  disagreeable  by  the  caries  produced  in  the  teeth  by 
this  disorder.     Mr.  John  Hunter  observes,  in  his  Na- 
tural History  of  the  Human  Teeth,  part  ii.  that,  "  The 
pain  in  this  disease  is  at  first  taken  for  the  tooth-ache; 
however,  in  these  cases,  the  nose  is  more  affected  than 
is  observed  in  a  tooth-ache.     The  eye  is  also  affected ; 
and  it  is  very  common  for  people  with  such  a  disease 
to  have  a  severe  pain  in  the  forehead,  where  the  frontal 
sinuses  are  placed;  but  still  these  symptoms  are  not 
sufficient  to  distinguish  the  disease.  Time  must  disclose 
the  true  cause  of  the  pain,  for  it  will  commonly  con- 
tinue longer  than   that  which  aris«s   from  a  diseased 
tooth,  and  will  become  more   and  more  severe ;  after 
which,  a  redness  will  be  observed  on  the  fore  part  of 
the  cheek,  somewhat  higher  than  the  roots  of  the  teeth, 
and  a  hardness  in  the  same  place,  which  will  be  con- 
siderably circumscribed ;  this  hardness  may  be  felt  rather 
highly  situated  on  the  inside  of  the  lip."     The  method 
of  cure  by  drawing  one  of  the  denies  molares  from  the 
affected  side  was  first  proposed  and  practised  by  Drake, 
and    his  improvement  hath  been  continued  with  the 
happiest  success.     Draw  the  last  tooth  but  one;  and,  if 
rotten,  draw  the  next  on  each  side  of  it,  then  through 
their  sockets  make  a  perforation  into  the  antrum  with 
a  large  awl;  the  matter  being  discharged,  the  cure  may 
be  finished  by  Injecting  a  mixture  of  aq.  calcis,  tinct. 
myrrh,  and  mel  rosae,  twice  a  day  into  the  cavity,  and 
retaining  it  with  a  tent.     See  Clooch's  Cases  and  Re- 
marks, in  which  an  extraordinary  instance  is  related, 
with  the  subsequent  ingenious  and  successful  manage- 
ment.    Mr.'  John  Hunter  proposes  to  effect  the  cure 
as   follows:    1st,    if  the    disease  is   known   before  the 
destruction  of    the  fore  part  of   the  bone,    make  an 
opening  through  the  partition  between  the  antrum  and 
the  nose;  or,  2dly,  by  drawing  a  tooth,  as  above:  the 
latter  method  he  prefers. '    Bell's     Surgery,    i\.  209. 
Kirkland's  Mcd.  Surgery,  ii.  150. 

41.  AIISCESSUS     sriiiiTuo'sus.       See     ANEURIS- 

II  A. 

42.  ABSCESSUS  SPLE'NIS.     An  abscess  of  the  Sfileen. 
This  viscus  is  rarely  the  seat  of  abscess ;  but  when  it 
is,  and  the  suppuration  is  completed,  for  the  most  part 
it  is  easily  perceived  by  the  pressure  of  a  finger;  when 
this  tumour  is  ready  to  break,  the  nausea  and  anxiety  are 
very  great.  Sometimes,  indeed,  an  abscess  is  formed  on 

'this  part,  and  escapes  all  observation,  on  account  of  its 
exciting  no  uneasy  symptoms.  Lommius  says,  in  his 
Medical  Observations,  that "  an  abscess  in  the  spleen 
is  attended  with  nearly  the  same  signs  as  the  same  com- 
plaint in  the  liver :"  and  Aretseus  observes,  that  a  drop- 
sical kind  of  swelling  attends  the  patient,  his  skin  is  of 
a  blackish  and  greenish  colour,  he  is  restless,  breathes 
with  difficulty,  his  belly  is  tumid  with  vapours,  and 
there  is  a  sort  of  cough, by  which  little  is  discharged." 
When  this  kind  of  abscess  bursts,  there  is  no  pure  di- 
gested pus,  but  an  ash-coloured,  or  a  brown  or  livid 
matter;  and  if  it  is  deep,  a  blackish  sort  of  humour, 


with  some  of  the  juice  of  the  tabid  spleen,  is  evacuated. 
If  the  faeces  are  watery,  and  become  more  so,  the  disor- 
der ends  well ;  but  if  the  ulcer  continues  long,  a  loss 
of  appetite  comes  on  with  a  general  bad  habit  of  body, 
livid  coloured  and  foul  ulcers  break  out,  particularly  on 
the  legs,  and,  in  short,  a  stop  is  put  to  affliction  only  by 
death's  approach.  Endeavoursto  prevent  suppuration 
should  not  be  neglected  as  soon  as  the  complaint  is 
perceived ;  if  those  fail,  cataplasms  of  the  briony  root 
are  preferred,  as  the  most  effectual  digestive.-  See 
Oribas.  De  •  Morb.  Curat.  lib.  iii.  cap.  43.  Paulut- 
jEgineta,  lib.  iv.  cap.  18.  Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vii. 
for  the  Indian  method  of  cure. 

43.  ABSCESSUS     TEMPORA'LIS    MU'SCULI.      An    ab- 
scess of  the  temporal  Muscle.     The  violent  pain  oc- 
casioned by  an  inflammation  and  suppuration  in  this 
part  is  from  the  confinement  of  the  matter  under  the 
tendinous  sheath  which  covers  it.     If  not  evacuated,  it 
passes  under  the  zygomatic  process  on  the  outside  of  tin- 
denies  molares,   and  from  a  tumour  there  it  may  be 
discharged.     Dr.  Hunter  observes  that.when  the  pain 
hath  been    violent,  and  the  fever  thus    excited    con- 
siderable, he  hath  with  advantage  made  an  incision  along 
the  muscles ;  and  he  advises,  when   an  inflammation 
is  considerable,  that  we  open  the  part  without  delay,  for 
we  never  can  perceive  any  fluctualion  Ihere,  as  the  fasciu 
is  so  tight.   See  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery,  ii.  133. 

44.  ABSCESSUS  TE'STIUM.     Abscess  of  the  Testicles. 
See  HERNIA  HUMORALIS. 

45.  ABSCESSUS   TONSILLA'RUM.     An  abscess   of  tht 
Tonsils.     Abscesses  in  this  part  endanger  suffocalion. 
If  bleeding,  purging,  or  blistering  behind  the  ears  do 
not  succeed,  and  a  suppuralion  should  take  place,  in- 
cisions may  be  made  with  a  lancet  into  the  body  of  the 
tumour.     Thus,  by  discharging  some  of  the  blood  and 
humours  before  they  are  formed  into  pus,  the  dangerous 
degree  of  swelling  is  prevented.     It  is  never  prudent 
to  leave  the  matter  till  it  is  formed  into  perfect  pus; 
-but,  at  the  latest,  the  puncture  should  be  made  as  SOOB 

as  the  appearance  of  digested  matter  can  be  perceived. 
It  happens  sometimes,  that  when  the  patienl  is  on  the 
point  of  suffocation,  a  sudden  spontaneous  discharge 
gives  instant  relief;  as  soon  as  the  tonsils  have  emptied 
themselves,  they  contract,  and  by  the  assistance  of  a 
gargle,  made  with  the  decoct,  cort.  Peruvian!  et  mel 
rosae,  a  cure  is  completed  in  a  few  days. 

46.  ABSCESSUS  U'TERI.     An    abscess  in  the    Womb. 
When  Ihe  inflammation  begins  to  suppurate,  bladders 
of  warm  water  should  be  applied  over  the  part;  and 
sitting  frequenlly  over  the  steams  of  warm  water  should 
be  advised.     Oribasius  observes,  that  these  abscesses 
sometimes  discharge  Ihemselves  into  the  cavity  of  the 
uterus,  at  others  into  the   inteslinum  rectum,  or  into 
the  bladder.     Forestus  says,  that  if  the  discharge  is 
into  the  cavity  of  the  womb,  and-is  whitish,  the  patient 
may  recover;  but  if  the   abscess  continues  long,  the 
discharge    becomes    greenish   or    dark-coloured,  and 
offensive  with  lancinating  pains,  the  greatest  danger  is 
to  be  apprehended. 

47.  ABSCESSUS    VE'SICJE    URINA'HI^E.      An    abscess 
in  the  Urinary  Bladder.    An  inflammation  in  the  blad- 
der is  sometimes  followed  by  an  abscess.     When  this 
happens,  it  is  known  by  an  exacerbation  of  the  symp- 
toms, and  a  sense  of  weight  in  the  parts  about   the 
perinaeum  and   pubes.     Emollient  fluids,  mixed  with 


ABS 


ABS 


warm  milk,  may  be  injected  into  the  bladder  very  fre- 
quently, to  hasten  the  suppuration,  and  to  solicit  the 
discharge  into  its  cavity.  Besides  injections,  warm 
emollient  clysters,  with  powdered  opium  in  substance, 
should  be  given  and  often  repeated ;  with  gentle  laxa- 
tives either  of  castor  oil  or  soap  interposed.  Warm 
poultices  may  be  applied  to  the  perinaeum  or  pubes, 
according  to  the  seat  of  the  pain.  When  the  pus  is 
formed,  the  bladder  may  be  frequently  washed  accord- 
ing to  the  plan  recommended  by  Jesse  Foot.  If  the 
pus  is  not  soon  evacuated,  it  acquires  an  acrimony,  and 
con-odes  the  adjacent  parts,  produces  fistulas,  and  other 
inconveniences.  If  the  injections  fail,  there  is  no  re- 
source but  that  of  an  operation  ;  and,  though  rarely 
required,  two  examples  of  it  are  recorded  in  Boneti 
Sejpulch.  lib.  iii. 

An  ulcer  of  the  bladder  or  of  the  kidneys  is,  how- 
ever, an  uncommon  complaint.  We  sometimes  find  an 
apparently  purulent  deposition  in  the  urine,  which  con- 
sists of  a  light  mucus  only,  from  a  disease  to  be  af- 
terwards noticed,  Catarrhus  Vesicae.  Previous  pain- 
ful affections  of  the  bladder,  with  fever,  and  an  offen- 
sive smell,  chiefly  point  out  the  existence  of  the  ab- 
scess. Without  these,  the  disease  is  probably  only 
a  catarrh.  la  a  long  and  extensive  practice,  we  have 
seen  only  two  cases  of  inflammation  of  the  bladder  from 
an  internal  cause,  neither  of  which  had  the  slightest 
tendency  to  suppuration. 

Authors  to  be  consulted  on  abscesses  are  Hippocrates, 
Aretaeus,  Celsus,  Paulus  -Egineta,  Oribasius,  Aetius, 
Actuarius,  Hildanus,  kc. ;  and  among  those  of  later 
date,  Boerhaave,  Wiseman,  Turner,  Heister,  Sharpe, 
Dease,  and  Bell. 

ABSCIS'SIO,  an  ABSCISSION,  or  cutting  away  one 
part  from  another,  (from  c6,  and  scindo,  to  cut}  ; 
called  also  APOCOPE. 

This  word  is  used  in  many  senses,  but  mostly  to  ex- 
press the  cutting  away  an  unsound  part,  and  that  a  soft 
one;  for  the  cutting  away  of  bones  is  called  am- 
putation ;  though,  wjien  small  fragments  only  are  to 
be  separated,  the  word  abucissirj  is  sometimes  used. 
This  word  also  expresses  the  sudden  termination  of  a 
disease  in  death,  before  it  arrives  at  its  decline.  Celsus, 
to  express  a  loss  of  voice,  frequently  uses  the  term 
abscissa  -VOJT. 

ABSCO'XSIO,  (from  abscondo,  to  hide}.  A  sinus, 
or  cavity  of  a  bone,  which  receives  and  conceals  the 
•;ead  of  another  bone. 

ABSIXTHI'TES,   (from    absinthium,   loormToood'). 
A  wine  impregnated  with  wormwood.     This  has  been 
Considered  as  a  wholesome  drink,  preventing  indiges- 
tion, obviating  the  effects  of  drunkenness,  and  a  pre- 
•  e  of  venery.     Others  have  accused  it  of  affecting 
the  head.     It  is,  however,  little  more  than  a  pleasing 
a  of  the  wormwood,     q.  v. 

ABSINTHIUM.     WORMWOOD. 
.' :-,$i6»,  unpleasant*  (from  a.neg.  and  -^ivlici,  /ilea- 
.     But  authors  vary  much  in  the  account  of  the 
c'.ymology  of  this  word.     However,  the  English   name 
is  originally  an  Anglo-Saxon  one.    "  It  is  one  amongst 
xhe  most  famous  of  the  bitter  plants,  (says  Dr.  Cullen,) 
and  has  been  used  with  much  commendation  for  every 
purpose   of  bitters;  the  leaves  of  the  absinffnum    vul- 
trare  are  the  b 


VOL.  I. 


Botanists  enumerate  no  less  than  thirty-two  diflerem 
species. 

The  sorts  in  use  are  as  follow : 

1.  ABSINTHIUM  VULGA'RE,  Absynthiurn  Caspar  Bau- 
hine.     ARTEMISIA  ABSINTHIUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PL  1 188.    Na- 
tural order,  composite  discoideae.     Menstruum,  water 
and  rectified  spirit.     Mat.  Med.  386. 

COMMON  WORMWOOD.     Leaves — dose  9i  to  Ji. 

2.  ABSINTHIUM    ROMA'XUM,   absinthium  minus.  ,Ii 
is    the    ARTEMISIA    PONTICA,  Lin.    Sp.    PI.    1187.     A. 
Ponticum  tenuifolium  incanum,  C.  B. 

ROMAN-  WORMWOOD.  A  native  of  Hungary  ami 
Thrace. 

3.  ABSINTHIUM   MA'RITIMUM,  Artemisia,  Maritima. 
Lin.  1 186;  A.  Seriphium  Belgieum,  C.  B. 

SEA  WORMWOOD. 

This  is  also  called  Roman  wormwood,  but  very  im- 
properly. It  grows  in  our  salt  marshes,  and  on  the  sea 
coasts,  is  a  strong  bitter,  and  was  formerly  much  used 
in  medicated  ales  and  wines,  as  a  stomachic  and  cor- 
roborant. 

All  the  species  have  nearly  the  same  properties. 
The  absinthium  maritim.  is  less  unpleasant  than  the  ab- 
sinlhium  vulg.  ;  even  its  essential  oil  is  more  agreeablf 
than  the  oil  distilled  from  the  other.  This  species  is  not 
so  antiseptic  as  the  common  sort,  but  it  is  a  better  sto- 
machic; and  in  this  it  differs.but  little  from  the  Roman. 
The  absinthium  Romanum  is  less  disagreeable  than 
either  the  common  .or  the  sea  wormwood,  and  is  the 
most  eligible  of  the  three  as  a  stomachic  and  corrobo- 
rant; it  agrees  with  the  abrotanum  foemin.  and  with  the 
flores  chamaemel.  better  than  with  the  absinthium  com. 
being  less  stimulating;  the  absinthium  maritimum  i* 
often  substituted  for  it. 

The  common  wormwood  hath  a  strong  smell,  and  is 
intensely  bitter  to  the  taste.  These  qualities  are  most 
remarkable  in  the  leaves,  which  lose  part  of  their  ill 
smell  by  drying.  The  flowers  are  nearly  as  bitter  as 
the  leaves,  but  less  nauseous;  the  roots  are  warm  and 
aromatic,  without  the  bitterness  of  the  other  parts  of  the 
plant. 

The  whole  plant  powerfully  resists  putrefaction,  and 
is  a  principal  ingredient  in  antiseptic  fomentations.  It 
is  a  warm  stomachic ;  its  extract,  made  with  water,  is 
a  very  agreeable  and  simple  bitter,  and  is  the  best  mode 
of  giving  this  medicine.  Taken  in  vinegar,  it  is  said 
to  remove  the  oppression  occasioned  by  eating  mush- 
rooms, and  to  be  an  antidote  against  the  poison  of  hem- 
lock. 

The  herb  gives  out  all  its  virtues  by  maceration, 
either  to  water,  or  to  spirit ;  but  the  watery  infusion 
without  heat  is  the  most  grateful.  Bergius  considers 
this  plant  as  an  antiputrescent,  antacid,  anthelmintic, 
resolvent,  tonic,  and  stomachic.  It  is,  however,  only 
a  grateful  stomachic,  slightly  tonic,  and  in  an  inconsi- 
derable degree  diuretic.  Its  chief  use  is  in  dyspepsia, 
gouty  debility  of  the  stomach ;  and,  like  all  other  bit- 
ters, it  has  been  of  service  in  calculous  complaints.  It 
is  an  ingredient  in  the  duke  of  Portland's  powder  for  the 
gout,  and  suspected,  from  thence,  to  have  a  narcotic 
power. 

•  The  preparations  of  wormwood  are  deservedly  re- 
jected from  the  British  and  Irish  pharmacopoeias,  and 
indeed  t!  o  peculiar  management. 

D 


ABS 


18 


VBS 


essential  oil  is  recommended  by  Hoffman  as  an  antispas- 
inbdic  and  anodyne,  and  by  Boerhaave  in  tertians  ;  but 
modern  Dispensatories  reject  the  preparation,  and  mo- 
dern practice  supplies  more  effectual  remedies.  The 
•  name  of  the  salt  of  wormwood  remains,  and  some  have 
thought  that  saline  draughts,  made  with  it,  sat  more 
easily  on  the  stomach  ;  but  the  salt  itself  is  no  where  to 
be  found. 

ABSI'NTHIUM  SANTON.  INDIC.     See  SANTO- 


ABSORBENTS.  ABSORBENT  MEDICINES,  (from  ab- 
sorbed, to  suck  nfi).  This  was  formerly  an  important 
class  of  medicines,  at  present  it  is  reduced  below  its 
proper  level  ;  and  it  will  be  useful  to  appreciate  the  real 
value  and  object  of  absorbents. 

In  a  general  sense  these  medicines  are  such  as  will 
absorb  acrimony  ;  in  a  more  limited  one  they  are  styled 
Antacids,  Antalkalines,  and  sometimes  Antacrids.  The 
simplest  view  that  we  can  take  of  their  operation,  is  in 
the  application  of  dry  flour  to  the  skin,  in  cases  of  ery- 
sipelas :  flour,  in  this  case,  truly  absorbs  the  acrid 
matter  flowing  under  the  cuticle,  and  occasionally  pass- 
ing through  it,  thus  extending  the  inflammation.  Its 
action  is  consequently  mechanical  ;  and  dry  flour  absorb- 
ing the  blood  in  slight  haemorrhages,  and  forming  an 
artificial  thrombus,  a  support  to  a  wounded  artery,  is 
equally  a  mechanical  effect.  We  can  proceed  further  : 
when  the  mucilage  of  gum  arable,  an  unleavened  bis- 
cuit, or  a  similar  substance,  prevents  heartburn,  each 
acts  by  absorbing  the  acrid  matter  which  before  came 
in  contact  with  the  upper  orifice  of  the  stomach.  In  a 
way,  not  very  different,  demulcents  sheath  the  inflamed 
or  abraded  surfaces  of  the  alimentary  canal,  bladder,  or 
epiglottis.  See  DEMULCENTS. 

Their  action  has,  however,  been  extended  further  ; 
and  acids,  alkalines,  or  other  acricls,  have  been  com- 
bated by  absorbents  acting  as  chemical  bodies.  The 
former  are  neutralized  by  alkalis,  calcareous  and  mag- 
nesian  earths  ;  the  latter  by  acids  of  every  kind  :  the 
acrids,  if  their  nature  is  known,  by  their  appropriate 
antagonists.  Ancient  physicians  have  fancifully  adopted 
different  earths  to  different  acids.  We  now.  employ 
but  two  kinds,  magnesia  and"  calcareous  earths  :  the 
former,  with  an  acid,  is  slightly  laxative;  the  latter, 
when  neutralized,  probably  an  astringent.  Chalk  or 
lime  wai.er  are  the  two  forms,  in  which  this  last  earth 
is  employed  ;  for  crabs'  claws,  crabs'  eyes,  egg  and 
oyster  shells,  coral,  and  burnt  hartshorn,  have  no  other 
power  than  chalk,  and  are  less  active  as  absorbents.  Of 
late,  bitters  have  been  employed  with  the  -same  view; 
and  they  seem  to  succeed,  though  they  probably  pre- 
vent the  formation  cf  acid  by  strengthening  the  tone  of 
the  stomach,  rather  than  correct  it  when  formed.  Yet 
we  cannot  deny  some  antacid  power  to  bitters. 
»  Alkalies  act  more  powerfully  as  absorbents  of  acids, 
and  they  arc  now  employed  either  in  the  common  form 
of  carbonates  ;  in  their  pure  state  ;  or  joined  with  oil 
in  the  form  of  soap.  The  pure  alkali  is  now  generally 
preferred. 

Alkslis  in  the  stomach  are  opposed  by  acids,  and  the 
mineral  acids,  as  they  are  also  tonic,  are  preferred. 
There  are  few  instances  where  this  state  of  the  stomach 
occurs.  In  the  advanced  periods  of  putrid  fevers,  when 
the  bile  regurgitates  ;  or,  when  absorbed,  in  jaundice,  it 


again  mixes  with  every  secreted  fluid;  and  in  scurvy 
we  usually  find  acids  necessary.  In  the  first  case,  mi- 
neral acids  are  preferable  ;  in  the  last  two,  the  vegeta- 
ble. Of  the  mineral  acids  we  see  no  ground  for  pre- 
ference ;  the  oxygenated  muriatic  acid  has  not  been 
employed  freely ;  and  oxygen,  in  the  stomach,  is  cer- 
tainly not  salutary. 

Of  other,  acricls  we  have  no  evidence;  when  poison- 
ous effluvia,  particularly  in  cases  where  the  infection, 
of  putrid  fever  has  been  received,  and  a  bad  taste  has 
been  perceived  in  the  mouth,  the  evacuation  of  the  sto- 
mach is  the  only  certain  remedy.  Viscid  phlegm  some- 
times loads  the  stomach,  and  medicines  have  been  em- 
ployed to  "  incide"  and  dissolve  it.  We  know,  how- 
ever, no  medicine  that  has  any  such  power;  and  from  its 
weight  it  cannot  be  very  successfully  carried  downwind, 
.since  the  orifice  of  the  pylorus  is  above  the  greater  curva- 
ture of  the  stomach.  The  only  remedy  is  to  evacuate  it 
occasionally  by  emetics ;  and,  by  strengthening  the  sto- 
mach, to  prevent,  at  least  to  retard,  its  accumulation. 

A  more  difficult  part  of  the  subject  remains.  Acids 
have  been  supposed  to  contaminate  the  blood  and  pro- 
duce numerous  diseases ;  for  which  alkalis  and  absor- 
bents have  been  employed.  Acids,  however,  except  in 
children,  do  not  extend  to  the  alimentary  canal ;  and 
we  take  this  early  opportunity  of  declaring,  that  there- 
is  not  the  slightest  evidence  of  acid  or  any  injurious 
substance  in  the  vital  fluid.  In  no  instance,  not  even 
in  the  venereal  disease,  will  the  blood  convey  infection; 
and  though  what  is  discovered  in  the  excreted  fluids 
must  exist  in  the  blood,  yet  it  is  there  involved,  con- 
cealed, and  soon  separated.  In  short,  we  cannot  cor- 
rect acrimony  in  the  blood ;  for  the  same  power  that 
involves  it,  equally  involves  the  medicines  intended  to 
oppose  it ;  each  may  again  appear  in  the  secretions. 

In  many  diseases  we  perceive  an  acid  thrown  off 
as  an  offensive  and  injurious  substance.  Berthollet 
found  it  in  the  perspiration  of  gouty  persons.  It  is  more 
obvious  in  gouty  chalk  stones,  and  in  the  calculus* 
vesicse.  This  acid  probably  arises  from  the  stomach  ; 
for,  by  the  use  of  absorbents  and  fitters,  the  diseases 
are  mitigated.  They  correct  the  forms  of  the  disease 
in  the  first  passages;  and  we  think  that  they  offer  an 
instance  of  their  power  after  having  passed  through 
the  circulatory  system,  when  they  are  again  evolved  in 
the  glands.  See  ANTACIDS,  ANTALKALINES,  and  Li- 

THONTRIPTICS. 

ABSOHBE'NTIA  VA'SA,  ADSORBENT  VESSELS.  These 
are  vessels  which  take  up  any  fluid  from  the  surface 
or  any  cavity  of  the  body,  and  carry  it  into  the  blood. 
They  are  denominated,  according  to  the  liquids  they 
convey,  LACTEALS  and  LYMPHATICS;  the  former  con- 
veying the  chyle,  a  milky  liquid,  from  the  intestines ; 
the  latter  lymph,  or  a  thin  pellucid  liquor,  from  the 
places  from  whence  they  take  their  origin ;  or  any 
fluids  that  are  extravasated,  and  convey  them  into 
the  circulating  blood :  venal  ramifications  form  no 
part  of  the  absorbent  system.  See  LACTEA  VASA,  and 
LYMPH*  DUCTUS.  The  following  kinds  of  absorption 
take  place  in  our  bodies,  -viz.  the  nutritious  particles 
are  absorbed  from  the  intestines  by  the  lactcals,  which 
are  the  same  absorbents  as  are  in  every  other  part;  se- 
condly, by  bibulous  orifices  over  the  external  parts  of 
our  bodies ;  thirdly,  by  the  same  kind  on  the  internal 


ABS 


19 


ABS 


surfaces  of  all.  cavities,  as   is  evident   from    an  ascites 
being  carried  off  by  this  absorption. 

After  rubbing  the  hand  well,  it  hath  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  imbibed  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  warm 
water ;  at  the  same  rate,  then,  the  whole  body  would 
have  received  six  or  seven  pounds.  As  Dr.  Hunter 
hath  observed,  this  matter  is  demonstrated  beyond  a 
doubt  by  the  following  experiment  made  on  a  living 
dog:  an  opening  was  made  into  the  cavity  of  his  belly, 
and  three  quarts  of  warm  water  were  injected  and 
secured;  in  about  six  hours  after  he  was  examined, 
and  not  above  four  ounces  of  the  water  were  remaining 
there.  DC  Haen,  who  drowned  dogs  in  coloured  fluids, 
could  find  no  fluid  in  the  lungs,  though  the  colour  which 
it  had  conveyed  was  left. 

The  power  of  the  external  vessels  to  absorb  fluids 
has,  however,  been  denied  by  several  modern  authors, 
and  positive  experiments  adduced  where  the  result  was 
very  different,  no  diminution  of  the  water  having  been 
found.  It  was  supposed  by  the  elder  Monro  (we 
ought  now  to  say  theirs?  Monro,)  that  the  power  of 
absorption  lessened  with  our  strength.  Though  this 
may  be,  the  fact  is  more  certain  that  it  increases  with 
the  wants  of  the  system.  Dr.  Simson,  of  St.  Andrew's, 
adduces  a  strong  instance  of  a  rapid  decrease  of  the 
water  in  which  the  legs  were  bathed  in  a  phrenitic 
case  :  and  sailors,  who  in  distress  put  on  shires  wetted 
with  salt  water,  find  their  thirst  greatly  lessened.  In 
many  cases,  however,  no  absorption  from  the  skin 
does  take  place.  There  is  another  power  in  the  ab- 
sorbent vessels  which  seems  not  to  have  been  suffi- 
ciently attended  to ;  viz.  a  selection  of  the  substances 
they  absorb.  In  general,  they  do  not  absorb  gases,  nor 
effluvia  of  any  kind.  Fluids  of  a  narcotic  nature,  and 
almost  all  poisonous  fluids,  except  the  venereal  poison, 
may  be  applied  to  a  sound  skin  with  little  danger : 
yet  we  have  good  authority  (that  of  Dr.  Alexander) 
lor  supposing  that  bark  and  nitre  may  be  occasionally 
absorbed ;  and  we  think  that  we  have  seen  in  a  putrid 
sore  throat,  where  the  power  of  swallowing  was  lost,  a 
bath  .made  of  a  strong  decoction  of  bark  highly  sa- 
lutary. The  effects  of  nourishing  clysters  are  well 
known. 

Further  satisfaction  on  this  subject  may  be  received 
iYom  what  is  said  on  the  power  of  the  external  ab- 
sorption of  the  human  body  by  Dr.  "\Vilkinson,  in  the 
Medical  Museum,  vol.  ii.  p.  117,  kc.  And  with  re- 
spect to  absorption  in  the  internal  parts,  see  Dr.  Ilun- 
A-I-'S  Medical  Commentaries  ;  with  the  Observations  by 
Dr.  Garner,  in  the  Mcd.  Mus.  vol.  ii.  p.  -29,  kc. 

ABSO'RPTIO,  ABSORPTION.  See  the  different 
kinds  under  ABSORBENTIA  VASA. 

Though  we  are  convinced  by  the  most  undoubted 
evidence  that  fluids  are  absorbed,  we  have  little  know- 
ledge of  the  power  by  which  this  is  effected.  The  ab- 
sorption of  capillary  tubes  is  the  only  analogous  fact, 
which  very  imperfectly  assists  us  in  the  explanation. 
The  power,  however,  by  whatever  means  it  is  exer- 
cised, is  very  general :  it  takes  place  in  every  part  of 
the  body,  and  is  not  influenced  by  the  weight  of  the 
atmosphere  or  any  other  evident  cause :  it  takes  place 
under  the  earth,  for  plants  absnrb  their  nutriment  in 
the  same  way.  The  foetus  in  utero  is  nourished  by 
absorption,  nor  is  it  clear  that  the  blood  from  the  ar- 
teries is  not  conveyed  to  the  veins  by  a  similar  process. 


If  the  power  of  attraction  of  the  sides  of  a  vessel  of  a 
minute  diameter  is  greater  than  the  attraction  between 
its  particles,  the  latter  will  arrange  themselves  round 
its  internal  surface,  leaving  a  space  in  the  middle  which 
the  subjacent  fluids  will  fill.  In  other  words,  the  fluid 
will  rise  in  the  vessel.  Yet  the  extent  of  this  power  is 
limited  :  if  in  the  absorbent  it  extends  beyond  the 
first  valve,  the  problem  is  solved;  for  every  pressure 
will  urge  the  fluid  onward  since  the  valve  imped* 
return.  In  this  view  we  dare  not  deny  that  the  red  veins 
sometimes  absorb,  since  it  is  probable  that  they  do  not 
form  continuous  vessels  with  the  arteries ;  that  their 
extremities  are  open  in  cavities ;  that  these  are  minute, 
and  abundantly  provided  with  valves.  This  idea  is,, 
however,  on  the  whole,  improbable ;  since,  as  the  ab- 
sorbent vessels  are  so  generally  diffused  in  the  whole 
body,  and  probably  through  the  whole  of  animated 
nature,  it  would  appear  that  no  other  organ  is  designed 
to  supply  their  place. 

If  the  opinion  of  capillary,  attraction,  as  just  now  ex- 
plained, be  well  founded,  it  must  follow  that  liquids 
only  can  be  absorbed :  yet  we  find  solid  bones  taken 
up  and  conveyed  into  the  circulating  mass.  It  is  in- 
deed probable  that  these  are  dissolved ;  but  it  will  be 
obvious,  that,  if  reduced  to  such  a  minuteness  as  to 
be  suspended  in  a  fluid ;  in  other  words,  if  their  sur- 
faces be  increased  in  a  ratio  more  than  equivalent  to 
their  densities,  the  effects  will  not  greatly  differ.  We 
know  that  in  this  way  flint  passes  through  the  minute 
vessels  of  some  plants,  particularly  some  of  the  arun- 
dinaceae,  and  is  deposited  on  the  epidermis,  or  in  the 
cavities. 

ABSTERGE'XTIA,  (from  abstergeo,  to  ™ijie  off,) 

ABSTERGENTS,    Or    CLEANSING     MEDICINES.         Medicines, 

which  not  only  by  their  fluidity  wash  off  adhering 
matters,  but  such  also  as  are  supposed  to  do  it  by  their 
power  of  resolving,  and  loosening  their  cohesion : 
hence  they  were  considered,  particularly  in  the  Boer- 
haavian  school,  of  a  saponaceous  nature,  capable  of  dis- 
solving concretions  formed  of  earth  and  oil,  kc.,  which 
water,  simply  as  an  abluent,  cannot  effect.  Dr.  Cullen 
thinks  the  term  too  general}  because  this  power  of  re- 
solving viscid  substances,  when  used  with  respect  to  the 
internal  parts,  has  generally  restedupon  a  false  suppo- 
sition. They  are  also  called  DETERGENTIA.  See  DE- 

TERGENS. 

ABSTERSI'VUS,  ABSTERSIVE,  cleansing,  wiping 
away  ;  of  the  same  import  with  DETERSORIUS. 

ABSTINE'NTIA,  (from  abstineo,  to  abstain").  In 
a  limited  sense,  this  regulation  implies  moderation  and 
temperance ;  and  numerous  are  the  instances  in  which 
the  happiest  effects  have  resulted  from  them.  The  ab- 
stinence enjoined  by  the  tenets  of  different  sects  have 
been  probably,  in  part,  political  institutions  for  the  pre- 
servation of  health.  In  monasteries,  v  here  active  ex- 
ercise is  precluded,  it  is  necessary,  and  in  other  situa- 
tions often  prudent.  During  sleep,  we  remain  many 
hours  without  food  ;  and  animals  that  remain  torpid  for 
several  months  require  no  nourishment.  Sedentary  per- 
sons should  therefore  be  particularly  cautious  in  the 
quantity  and  nature  of  the  aliment  they  take  in.  Then- 
food  should  be  of  a  limited  quantity,  and  of  a  laxative 
nature ;  but  not  too  much  confined  to  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  as  they  are  subject  to  flatulencies.  Man,  how- 
was  made  for  variety ;  and  the  principle  which 
D  2 


ACA 


20 


ACA 


corrects  th«  deviations  from  health,  styled  the  vis  me- 
dicatrix  naturae,  loses  its  power  from  want  of  exer- 
tion; as  the  arm,  constantly  supported  in  a  sling,  would 
hecome  paralytic.  Even  abstinence  should  not  there- 
fore be  constantly  practised;  and  though  it  should  not 
alternate  with  excess,  greater  freedom  may  be  occa- 
sionally allowed.  The  stomach,  however,  at  times,  re- 
quires rest,  and  it  should  be  often  many  hours  empty. 
Weak  stomachs  by  this  means  recover  strength,  and 
are  enabled  to  assimilate  or  discharge  their  crudities. 
Thus  those  who  feel  the  immediate  bad  effects  of  excess 
seldom  ultimately  suffer :  he  who  boasts  of  "  never  be- 
ing sick  or  sorry"  after  it,  finds  at  an  early  period  that 
his  constitution  required  some  intervals  of  repose.  The 
practice  recommended  of  eating  little  and  often  is 
highly  injurious? except  in  particular  diseases;  for  food 
must  be  retained  in  the  stomach  to  be  digested,  and, 
unless  it  is  in  some  measure  filled,  the  contents  soon 
pass  off.  Many  instances  of  long-continued  abstinence 
•are  recorded,  but  generally  in  persons  whose  state  re- 
sembled that  of  torpid  animals  :  there  is  one  instance  of 
a  man  who  employed  abstinence  to  cure  a  painful  dis- 
ease, and  he  succeeded ;  but  he  felt  little  desire  of  food, 
and.  as  he  had  passed  through  the  most  difficult  part  of 
the  attempt,  obstinately  refused  all  nourishment. 

ABSTRAC1TTIUS,  vel  ABSTRACTI'VUS, 
(from  abs,  and  tralio,  to  draw  away,}  ABSTRACTITIOUS. 
Thus  the  native  sfiirits  of  aromatic  vegetables  were  call- 
ed, to  distinguish  them  from  sfiirits  produced  by  fermen- 
tation, and  are  from  preference  drawn  from  those  plants 
which  abound  with  much  volatile  salt,  as  abstractitious 
spirit  of  scurvy-grass  is  better  than  that  prepared  by  fer- 
mentation. 

A'BSUS.    The  EGYPTIAN  LOTUS.     See  Rail  Hist. 
ABU'TILON,   (from  the    Arabic    word   BUTILON, 
yellow}.     An  Arabic  name  for  the  YELLOW  MALLOW. 
See  ALTHAEA  THEOPHRASTI,  8cc. 

ABYS'SUS,  ABYS,  (*  priv.  and  fivTres,  vel  /3&0»«, 
gurges  firofundus,  a  dee/i  whirlpool  or  gulf}.  It  was 
a  mystic  term  of  the  followers  of  PARACELSUS. 

ACA'CIA,  (from  «««£«,  'to  sharpen}.  The  EGYP- 
TIAN THORN,  or  BINDING  BEAN-TREE. 

Several  species  are  enumerated  by  botanists;  but 
the  two  sorts  used  in  medicine  are, 

1.  Acacia  Vera;  called,  by  Caspar  Bauhine,  acacia 
tbliis  scorpioidis  leguminosa: ;  and,  by  others,  acacia 
veravel,  spina  Egyptiaca.  It  is  the  mimosa  Nilotica. 
Sp.  PI.  L.  1506. 

The  TRUE  ACACIA,  or  EGYPTIAN  THORN,  pro- 
duces the  true  gum  arable.  See  GUMMI  ARABICUM. 
It  is  remarkable  that  the  leaves  and  flowers  of  the  black 
.thorn  are  purgative,  though  the  juice  from  the  other 
part  is  astringent. 

The  acacia  used  in  medicine,  and  brought  from 
Egypt,  is  a  mild,  subastringent,  gummy  substance. 
We  receive  it  in  roundish  pieces,  wrapped  up  in  blad- 
ders ;  and  it  is  of  a  blackish  brown  colour  outwardly,  but 
of  a  tan  colour  inwardly ;  of  a  hardish  consistence,  but 
not  quite  dry.  Lemery  says,  that  "  it  is  made  by  ex- 
pression out  of  the  fruit  of  the  Egyptian  thorn,  either 
ripe  or  unripe :  from  the  ripe  fruit  there  is  a  black 
juice,  from  the  unripe  a  red  or  yellow  one,  and  of  a 
sweet  scent ;  and  that  this  last  is  what  is  intended  by 
Dioscorides."  It  hath  no  smell :  applied  to  the  tongue 
it  soon  softens ;  is  of  a  moderately  rough  but  an  agree,- 


able  taste,  which  is  followed  by  a  sweetishness :  it, 
totally  dissolves  in  water;  so  that  any  fraudulent  ad- 
dition may  be  discovered :  rectified  spirit  dissolves  but 
a  small  proportion,  though  vegetable  astringents  gene- 
rally give  out  their  virtue  to  spirit  of  wine  as  well  as 
to  water. 

The  Egyptian  ACACIA  is  now  seldom  used  as  a  me- 
dicine, but  is  superseded  by  the  TERRA  JAPONICA,  the 
production  of  a  similar  plant  belonging  to  the  same 
genus,  whose  appellation,  KATE  or  KATAA,  is  not  very 
different  from  that  of  the  substance  we  are  now  con- 
sidering. It  was  used  in  all  cases  of  laxity  and  exces- 
sive discharges ;  indeed  in  every  disease  where  astrin- 
gents are  indicated. 

2.  ACA'CIA  GERMA'NICA,  called  also  Prunus  Syi- 
•vestris,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  681.  It  is  the  PRUNUS  SPIXOSA  ; 
or  PRUNUS  SYLVESTRIS  spiNOSA,  foliis  lanceojatis  pe- 
dunculis  solitariis,  of  LINNAEUS.  GERMAN  ACACIA,  or 
the  GERMAN  BLACK-THORN,  or  SLOE-TREE. 

The  German  acacia  is  the  inspissated  juice  of  the 
German  wild  sloes;  it  is  of  the  same  nature  as  the  true 
sort ;  but  in  England  the  inspissated  juice  of  unripe 
sloes  of  our  own  growth  is  the  general  substitute  :  it  is 
harder,  heavier,  darker  coloured,  being  almost  black, 
and  sharper  tasted  than  the  true  sort.  Dose  3ss. 

ACA'CIA   AL'TERA  TRI'FOLIA,  see    CYTISIS 
SPINOSUS  ;  for  that  called  gloriosa,  see   BONDUCH   IN- 
DORUM  ;  acacia  gummi,  see  GUMMI  ARABICUM. 
ACA'CIA  INDICA.     See  TAMARINDUS. 
ACA'CIA  MALABARICA  GLOBOSA.     See  INTSIA. 
ACA'CIA  ORBIS  AMERICANI.     See  POINCIANA. 
ACA'CIA     ZEYLONICA.       See     CAMPECHENSE     LIG-- 
NUM. 

ACA'JA,  also  called  prunus  Brasiliensis.  It  is  a 
large  tree  growing  in  Brasil.  It  produces  clusters  of 
yellowish  white  flowers,  which  are  followed  by  yellow 
plums,  with' a  large  stone  in  them.  The  leaves  are  acid 
and  astringent,  and  are  an  agreeable  sauce  with  meat; 
the  wood  is  light  as  cork,  and  of  a  red  colour ;  the  buds 
and  tops  arc  used  as  pickles.  Raii  Hist. 

ACAJA'IBA,    or    ACAIA'IBA.     Arbor   pomifera    et 
prunifera  Indica.     It  is  also  called  cajum,  cassu,  catee, 
cajou,  acajou,  and  kapa  mata.     Sp.  PI.  548. 
The  CAJOU  or  CASSU-TREE. 

There  is  but  one  species  yet  known,  and  this  is 
the  ACAJOU,  or  CASHEW-NUT,  so  common  in  Ame- 
rica, and  in  the  West  Indian  islands.  It  produces  its 
fruit  in  August  and  September ;  except  in  Brasil,  where 
it  is  a  native,  and  there  it  flowers  in  these  months,  and 
bears  its  fruit  in  December,  which,  when  roasted,  is 
as  agreeable  as  an  almond.  If  you  bite  the  whole  fruit 
when  raw,  it  excoriates  the  mouth  ;  therefore  it  must  be 
first  cut  open,  dipped  in  water,  and  sprinkled  with  salt. 
The  acrid  oil  in  the  shell  destroys  tetters,  ring- 
worms, chiques,  Sec.  The  painters  use  it  "to  make 
their  black  colouring  durable. 

The  tree,  when  wounded,  yields  a  gum,  which  re- 
sembles the  gum  arabic.     Raii  Hist. 
ACA'JOU.     See  ACAJAIBA. 

ACALE'PHE,  a  NETTLE,  (from  a.,  negative,  %,<tto, 
agreeable,  and  a.Q*>,  a  touch},  because  the  touch,  as  it 
hurts,  is  not  agreeable.  See  URTICA. 

There  is  also  a  fish  and  sea-fowl  thus  named. 

ACA'NOR,  a  chemical  furnace. 

ACA'NTHA,    (from    «*-<•,  a  point,}    any    sort    of 


AC  A 


21 


ACE 


thorn;  anything  prickly,  or  with  sharp  points;  also  the 
ihin  or  spine  of  the  tibia ;  and  sometimes  the  spina  dot-si. 

ACAXTHA'BOLUS,  (from  «x*»0*,  a  thorn,  and 
,8«A>.«,  to  cast,  or  cast  out).  It  is  an  instrument,  de- 
scribed by  Paulus  ^Egineta,  for  taking  out  thorns  when 
stuck  into  the  flesh.  It  resembles  the  instrument 
styled  Volsella,  for  extracting  bones  from  the  .(Eso- 
phagus, and  any  foreign  matter  from  wounds.  Celsus, 
viii.  30. 

ACAXTHA'CEOUS,  (from  «*«»«*-,  a  thorn,)  ACAX- 
THACEOUS,  a  botanic  term  applied  to  the  plants  of 
the  thistle  kind,  which  are  prjckly  ;  also  to  any  other 
prickly  or  pointed  substance. 

ACAXTHA'LEUCE,  (from  «**»«*,  a  thorn,  and 
Ar-vxs;,  r.vhitej.  WHITE-THORN. 

ACA'NTHALRUCA.     See  ECHIXOPUS. 

ACA'NTIIE.  The  name  of  the  artichoke  in  an- 
cient authors. 

ACA'NTHI'CE,  axmtixr,,  supposed  to  be  the  pro- 
duct of  the  carline  thistle. 

ACA'XTHI'XA  MAS'TICHE.     See  CARDUUS  PI- 

NEA. 

ACA'XTHIXUM  (gum).     See  GUM  ARABIC. 

ACAXTHIXUM  LIGXU.M,  Brasil  wood. 

ACA'NTHIOX,  the  HEDGE-HOG.     See  ECHINUS. 

ACA'XTHUS,  (from  <«<•»«*,  a  thorn).  A.  Mollis, 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  891.  Branca-ursina  of  the  shops. 

BEAR'S  BREECH,  or  BRAXK  URSINE.  Nat.  Order 
Personal te.  It  is  a  native  of  the  southern  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, cultivated  in  our  gardens,  flowers  in  June  and 
July,  and  is  perennial. 

The  roots  are  very  mucilaginous,  and  the  leaves  are 
so  in  a  lesser  degree.  This  mucilage  is  demulcent, 
and  a  good  substitute  for  the  marsh-mallow.  See  PLICA 
POLOXICA. 

The  herb-women  too  often  sell  the  leaves  of  helle- 
boraster,  or  bear's-foot,  and  of  sphondylium,  or  cow's- 
parsnep,  for  the  bear's  breech. 

ACAPA'TLI.  See  PIPER  LOXGUM.  De  Laet. 
Ind.  Occid.  231. 

ACA'PXOX.  See  ORIGANUM  AXGLICUM.  (From 
«.  neg.  and  mf^-icf,  smoke) .  Applied  also  to  honey  ta- 
ken from  the  hive  without  smoke. 

ACA'RUS,  (from  «.*.*•$ r.s,  small).  A  small  insect 
which  is  said  to  breed  in  wax  ;  also  an  insect  in  the 
skin  like  a  louse.  Vide  PHTHIRIASIS. 

A'CAROX,  (from  a.*.a.fK,  small,)  SMALL  MYRTLE. 
See  MYRTUS  BRABAXTICA. 

ACA'RTUM.     See  PLUMBUM,  N°  4. 

ACA'TALIS,  (from  <*•  neg.  and  %a.tia,  to  want,) 
from  the  abundance  of  its  seed  :  the  juniper  is  so 
named.  See  JUXIPERUS. 

ACATA'POSIS,  (from  *,non,  and  *.<n*.-xiiu,  deglu- 
.  See  DEGLUTITIO. 

ACATA'STAT^E,  (from  *,  neg.  andx*^^.*,,  to  de- 
ermine).  Fevers  anomalous  in  their  appearance,  and 
irregular  in  their  paroxyms. 

ACATH'ARSIA,  (from  *,  non,  and  r.*faipa,  to 
;.urge).  The  impurity  in  a  diseased  body  "not  yet 
purged  off. 

ACAUTLIS,  7  of  «,    negative,    and  X*Z,A»?,    caulis, 

ACAU'LOS,5  a  stall:  or  stem,  without  stem  or 
stalk.  A  plant  is  said  to  be  acaulis  which  has  no  stem, 
but  whose  flower  rests  On  the  ground,  as  in  the  carline 
thistle. 


ACCELERATO'RES  URI'X^E,  ACCELERATORS  or 
THE  URIXE,  (from  accelero,  to  hasten'}.  Called  also  uri- 
ne stimulatores.  '  They  hasten  the'  ejection  of  the  urinr- 
and  semen. 

The  acceleratores  urine  arise  fleshy  from  the  sphinc- 
ter ami  and  superior  part  of  the  urethra,  and  tendinous 
from  the  ischium.  They  are  inserted  into  the  corpus 
cavernosum,  from  near  their  beginning  to  a  little  below 
their  union.  Douglas. 

Dr.  Hunter  observes,  that  the  acceleratores  urine 
are  fixed  to  and  surround  the  bulbous  part  of  the 
urethra,  meeting  in  a  middle  line  or  tendon  at  its  ex- 
ternal posterior  part.  They  are  blended,  at  the  end  of 
the  bulbous  part  of  the  urethra,  writh  the  other  muscles 
of  the  part ;  when  these  muscles  are  put  into  action, 
they  contract  upon  the  urethra,  thereby  making  it  nar- 
rower, and  expelling  the  last  drops  of  urine.  The 
semen  also  meets  with  a  fresh  impulse  from  these 
muscles  contracting  upon  it,  when  it  is  in  the  bulbous 
part  of  the  urethra  ;  and  this  seems  the  chief  reason 
of  its  being  larger  in  one  part  than  another,  that  the 
semen  and  urine  may  meet  with  a  reservoir  in  their 
passage,  where  they  found  a  fresh  contracting  force  or 
power  to  forward  their  expulsion. 

ACCE'SSIO,  (from  accedo,  to  approach,)  ACCES- 
siox.  The  beginning  of  the  paroxysm  of  an  intermit- 
tent fever,  Sec. 

ACCESSO'RIUS,  (from  accedo,  to  approach  to- 
wards,) ACCESSORY.  So  thQ  eighth  pair  of  nerves  is 
named.  Willis  hath  given  the  same  appellation  to  some 
branches  from  the  eighth  pair  of  nerves.  They  arise 
by  several  filaments  from  both  sides  of  the  medulla 
spinalis  of  tfye  neck.  Having  advanced  to  the  first  ver- 
tebra, each  is  fixed  to  the  back  side  of  the  ganglion  of 
the  neruus  suboccipitalis,  or  tenth  pair;  then  again  run 
upwards  into  the  cranium  by  the  great  occipital  hole, 
communicate  with  the  ninth  and  tenth,  return  out  of 
the  cranium,  and  in  their  passage  join  the  eighth  pair  ; 
afterwards  turning  backward,  and  perforating  the  mus- 
culus  sterno-mastoideus,  terminate  in  the  trapezius, 
having  first  sent  some  branches  to  the  rhomboides. 

ACCESSO'RIUS,  (musculus).  Vide  FLEXOR  DI- 
GITORUM  ACCESSORIUS,  and  LOXGUS  PEDIS. 

ACCESSO'RIUS-SACRO-LUMBA'RIS.velLUM- 
BA'LIS.  See  SACHO  LUMBARIS. 

AC'CIPITER,  (from  accijtio,  to  take,)  THE  HAWK. 
In  chirurgical  language,  it  is  the  name  of  a  bandage 
which  was  put  over  the  nose  ;  and  it  was  so  called  be- 
cause it  resembled  the  claw  of  the  hawk. 

ACCIPITRIXA,  (from  accipiier,  the  hawk,)  HERB 
IIAWKWEED.  Because  hawks  were  said  to  scratch  it, 
and  apply  the  juice  to  their  eyes  to  prevent  blindness. 
The  flix  weed  has  also  the  same  appellation.  See  IIi- 
ERACIUM  and  SOPHIA. 

ACCLI'VIS,  (from  ad,  and  cli-cis,  an  ascent).     See 

OflLiqUUS    ASCENDEXS     ABDOMIXIS. 

ACCOUCHEMEXT,  (Fr.  lying  in,  delivery,}  and 
hence  the  practitioners  have  been  styled  ACCOU- 
CHEURS. 

AC'CRETIO,   (from  ad,  and  cresco,   to  grow  to,) 

ACCRETION',     GROWTH,     and     XUTRIT1OX.         See      Nl'TRI-  - 

CATIO  ;  also  a  growing  together,  as  the  fingers  or  toe, 
to  one  another. 

ACE'PHALOS,  (from  *,  negative,  and  a.:?*?.*,  a 
i_"flrf,J  applied  to  m-j^sters  born  -  ;  t-ads,  in- 


A  C  E 


22 


ACE 


stances  of  which. occur  in  Schcnkius  Parants,  Wolfius, 
Mauriceau,  &c.  These  are  collected  by  Wcpfer,  and 
modern  collections  contain  similar  instances. 

A'CER,  the  MAPLE-TREE,  (from  acer,)  because  of 
the  sharpness  of  its  juice. 

The  great  maple-tree,  falsely  called  SYCAMOHF,  is 
the  pseudo  platanus.  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  1495.  It  is  also 
called filatanux  tru.yi. 

The  maple  is  a  large  tree,  common  in  England,  but 
a  native  of  Austria  and  Switzerland. 

It  is  not  much  in  use  as  a  medicine,  though  its 
juice,  if  drunk  whilst  fresh,  is  said  to  be  a  good  anti- 
scorbutic. 

All  its  parts  contain  a  saccharine  fluid  ;  and  if  the 
root,  trunk,  or  branches,  are  wounded  in  the  spring,  a 
large  quantity  of  liquor  is  discharged,  which,  when  in- 
spissated, yields  a  brown  sort  of  sugar,  and  a  syrup  like 
the  molasses.  Large,  quantities  of  this  sugar  are  ob- 
tained from  the  trees  in  New  England  and  Canada,  and 
is  much  used  in  France,  where  it  is  commonly  known 
by  the  name  of  saccharum  Canadens-e,  and  saccharum 
accrmim,  MAPLE-SUGAH.  It  has  been  supposed  that  all 
Europe  might  be  supplied  from  the  maples  of  America, 
but  the  sugar  is  coarse  and  ill-tasted. 

A'CERATOS,  (from  *,  «&»,  and  xifxa>  to  mix). 
Hippocrates  applies  this  term  to  the  unmixed,  uucor- 
rupted  humours  of  the  body. 

A'CER  VIRGINIANUM,  odoratum.  LiquiD  AM- 
BER. See  LIQUID  AMBER. 

ACE'RBITAS,  (from  acer,sharfi,)  ACERBITY,  SOUR- 
NESS. 

ACE'RBUS,  SOUR,  HARSH;  or  a  sourness  with  as- 
tringency  ;  also  bitter. 

ACE'RIDES,  AKvpths,  (from  «,  negative,  and  xr.pes, 
wax) .  Plasters  made  without  wax. 

ACERO'SUS,  (from  «x"f»v»  chaff).  It  is  used  to 
signify  that  sort  of  brown  bread  which  is  made  with- 
out first  separating  the  bran  ;  and  in  botany  it  is  ap- 
plied to  a  leaf  which  is  surrounded  at  the  base  by  branny 
scales. 

A'CESCENT,  substances  which  i;cadily  run  into  the 
acid  fermentation  ;  sometimes  applied  to  fluids  in  which 
this  fermentation  has  commenced. 

ACES'TIDES,  (from  O.X.YI,  a.  point).  The  names  of 
the  chimneys  of  the  furnaces  where  brass  was  made. 
The^  were  narrow  at  the  top  to  receive  the  fumes  of 
the  melting  metal,  and  to  collect  them,  that  the  cadmia 
might  be  produced  more  abundantly.  Also  the  roof  of 
the  furnaces  in  which  copper  is  fused  :  they  are  closed 
so  as  to  detain  the  corpuscles  which  fly  off. 

ACE'STIS.     See  BORAX. 

ACE'STORIS,  (axts-Topif,  from  «XE«JW.«(;,  to  cure).  It 
strictly  signifies  a  FEMALI,  PHYSICIAN,  and  is  used 
for  MIDWIFE.  Hence  curable  diseases  are  called 
\CEST;E. 

ACE'STRIDES.     MIDWIVES. 

ACETA'BULUM,  (XOT&AJ),  xoTtAtjJwv,  e|to«0os,)  is 
a  large  cavity  in  a  bone,  to  receive  the  convex  head 
of  another,  for  the  advantage  of  a  circular  motion. 
Tht,  large  cavity  in  the  os  coxendix  is  thus  named, 
which  receives  the  head  of  the  os  femoris.  This  cavity- 
is  called  the  cup,  from  its  likeness  to  an  ancient  vessel 
in  which  vinegar  was  brought  to  the  table,  and  thence 
named  acetabula,  from  acetum,  vinegar,  and  tabula,  a 
table.  This  derivation  seems  very  probable,  as  of  i>£«po», 


which  is  the  same  measure  as  the  ancients  called  ace- 
tabulum,  seems  to  be  derived  from  o|i/s,  -vinegar.  Thr 
actiabiilum,  which  receives  the  head  of  the  thigh-bone, 
called  also  costyle,  is  formed  by  the  juncture  of  the  os 
ilium,  ischium,  and  os  pubis  ;  the  edge  of  this  cavity 
is  called  supercilium,  and  is  very  prominent  on  the  up- 
per part ;  the  cavity  is  deeper  on  the  upper  and  back 
part  than  on  the  lower  and  fore  part.  In  the  natural 
state,  this  cavity  is  increased  by  an  additional  elastic 
circle,  which  is  united  to  its  edge  ;  it  yields  easily  both 
ways  to  any  pressure,  but  recovers  itself  when  the 
force  is  removed., 

Acetabulum  also  signifies  a  sort  of  glandular  sub- 
stance found  in  the  placenta  of  some  animals.  See 

COTYLEDONES. 

The  ancient  measure  thus  named  was  about  the  one- 
eighth  of  a  pint. 

ACETABULUM,  see  CRASSULA. 

ACETA'BULUM  MAR.  MIN.     See  ANDROCASE. 

ACETA'R,  (from  acetum,vinegar,)  a  salladof  c; 
vegetables,  to  be  eaten  with  vinegar,  oil,  and  salt. 

ACETARIA,  PICKLES.  The  unripe  melons,  young 
cucumbers,  the  seeds  of  the  nasturtium,  are  preserved 
with  vinegar  and  rendered  warmer  with  garlic  and  shal- 
lot, under  this  name.  The  East-India  mango  is  a  plum 
highly  flavoured  with  garlic  ;  and,,  in  imitation  of  this 
flavour,  cabbage  shred  in  slips,  broccoli  heads,  onions, 
Sec.  with  garlic,  and  Cayenne  pepper,  are  sold  under 
the  title  of  Pickalella.  See  CONDIMENTS. 

ACETA'RIUM  SCORBU'TICUM.  A  kind  of 
pickle,  in  which  Dr.  Bates  advises  scorbutic  patients 
to  dip  their  victuals  before  they  eat  it.  It  is  thus 
made  :  $,.  Fol.  cochlear.  marin.  %  iij.  sacchar  alb.  5  vj. 
sal  cochlear.  3  i.  bene  contund.  simul.  et  adde  suce. 
aurant.  §  vj. 

ACETO'SA.     See  ACETOSELLA. 

ACETO'SELLA,  so  called  from  the  acidity  of  its 
leaves.  The  plants  of  this  acid  nature  employed  in 
medicine  belong  to  the  genus  oxalis  L.  and  are  the  O. 
Acetosella  Sp.  PI.  620,  O.  Cornuculata  623  ;  O.  Cernua 
Wildcnow,  vol.  ii.  p.  717.  This  genus  of  plants,  by 
the  labours  of  Jacquin  and  Thunberg,  is  considerably 
augmented  ;  and  the  last  edition  of  Linnaeus,  by  Wil- 
dcnow, contains  83  species,  the  greater  number  of 
which  are  subacid,  containing,  in  modern  chemical 
language,  super-oxalate  of  potash,  viz.  the  alkali  more 
than  saturated  with  the  oxalic  acid.  Some  of  these 
species  are  more  acid  than  others  :  the  common  wood 
sorrel  is  the  least  so.  Some  species  of  the  rumcx  have 
had  the  same  appellation,  (Rumex  Acetosa  L.  Sp.  PI. 
481,)  as  the  leaf  stalks  are  sour  ;  and  the  same  acidity 
occurs  in  the  leaf  stalks  of  the  rheum  compactum,  a 
plant  nearly  allied  to  the  docks.  The  juice  of  sorrel  is 
sometimes  used  as  an  agreeable  refrigerating  drink 
in  fevers,  and  sometimes  the  leaves  are  boiled  in  milk, 
to  form  a  pleasant  whey.  Externally,  they  are  thought 
to  promote  suppuration,  particularly  in  indolent  scro- 
fulous humours.  The  seeds  are  slightly  astringent ;  and 
indeed  we  seldom  find  astringency  in  any  part  of  va 
plant,  but  we  discover  acidity  in  some  other.  The  ex- 
pressed juice  is  now  never  used,  and  the  conserve  is  re- 
jected from  the  dispensatories  :  it  is  pleasing  as  a  con- 
serve, but  nearly  inert  as  a  medicine.  The  salt  of 
lemons,  as  it  is  called,  is  only  the  salt  of  wood  sorrel, 
and  sometimes  supposed  to  be  cream  of  tartar,  with 


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ACE 


a  little  sulphuric  acid.  It  is  chiefly  used  for  taking 
out  the  stains  of  ink  from  linen ;  and,  were  the  muriatic 
acid  added,  the  salt  would  be.  scarcely  inferior  in  this 
power. 

A  great  part  of  the  acid  of  sorrel  may  be  obtained  in 
the  form  of  a  concrete  salt,  which  is  more  acid  than  that 
of  tartar,  more  easily  soluble  in  water,  and  less,  if  at  all, 
purgative ;  the  wood  sorrel  yields  near  one-hundredth 
part  of  the  weight  of  the  fresh  leaves. 

Different  methods  have  been  proposed  to  separate 
the  mucilage  of  the  expressed  juices,  which  is  the 
great  impediment  to  their  crystallization.  The  method 
of  Stahl,  and  the  elder  chemists,  consisted  in  repeated 
affusions  of  alcohol.  The  process  of  Scheele  is  now 
generally  adopted :  it  consists  in  combining  the  acid 
with  calcareous  earth,  which  forms  a  neutral  nearly  in- 
soluble in  water :  this  neutral  may  then  be  repeatedly- 
washed,  and  the  vegetable  acid  recovered  by  the  addi- 
tion of  the  sulphuric.  This  was  the  process  recom- 
mended for  the  salt  of  lemons,  and  is  the  method  by 
which  Mr.  CoxwelFs  concrete  salt  is  prepared.  But  he 
wisely,  we  have  been  told,  directs  the  chalk  to  be  com- 
bined with  the  acid  in  the  country ;  and  it  is  imported 
in  the  form  of  the  earthy  salt;  so  that  the  fruit  is  not 
liable  to  injury  by  packing,  and  the  inconveniencies  of 
a  sea  voyage. 

ACETUM,  VINEGAR.  This  is  the  second  state  in 
which  the  saccharine  juices  of  vegetables  appear  in 
consequence  of  a  spontaneous  fermentation,  in  a  heat  of 
about  80°  of  Fahrenheit.  In  the  first  it  becomes  a  wine  ; 
but  a  saccharine  substance  seems  to  be  the  principle, 
from  which  spirit  is  mostly  formed,  and  mucilage  that 
of  vinegar.  In  the  general  subjects  of  fermentation 
they  are  united,  and  the  acetous  follows  the  vinous  state. 
Should  gluten  predominate  in  the  mixture,  ammonia  is 
soon  discoverable,  and  the  liquor  turns  putrid.  In  the 
acetous  fermentation,  much  air  is  absorbed,  which  is 
apparently  oxygen.  See  FERMENTATION. 

Acetous  acid  may  be  formed  in  other  ways,  inde- 
pendent of  fermentation.  It  is  separated  from  many 
vegetable  substances"  by  distillation.  Water  and  car- 
bonic acid  gas  are  at  the  same  time  raised,  and  char- 
coal deposited.  The  action  of  nitric  acid  on  many  ve- 
getable substances,  particularly  gum  and  farina,  also 
produces  it  with  the  same  residuum  of  charcoal,  and 
exhalation  of  carbonic  acid  gas  and  water.  This  acid 
also  appears  in  some  changes  where  putrefaction  is  ap- 
parently going  on ;  as  in  the  animal  economy,  where 
the  urea  is  separated  from  the  urine.  Acetated  lead 
produced  from  this  acid,  and  the  metal,  forms  a  curious 
subject  of  speculation.  By  means  of  the  lead  it  appears 
to  regain  its  original  state  of  a  saccharine  matter ;  for 
this  substance  may  be  fermented,  again  produce  a  vinous 
spirit,  and  ultimately  again  vinegar.  See  Neumann's 
Chemistry. 

Vegetable  liquors,  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of 
their  saccharine  parts,  ferment  into  a  weaker  or  stronger 
kind  of  wine  ;  a  second  fermentation  forms  vinegar. 

When  malt  liquor  becomes  acid,  it  is  called  alticar, 
ALI.EGAR.  "It  is  not  so  proper  either  for  medical  use, 
or  preserving  pickles,  as  the  wine  vinegar;  for  it  abounds 
too  much  with  mucilage,  which  is  productive  of  many 
disadvantages;  yet  this  is  the  only  vinegar  that  we  pro- 
cure in  England. 

If  vinegar  be  distilled  with  a  heat  not  exceeding  that  of 


boiling  water,  it  yields  first  a  phlegmatic  liquor  (which 
is  a  spirit  slightly  vinous) ;  then  a  slightly  acid  one, 
which  is  succeeded  by  stronger  acids,  till  the  matter  re- 
maining becomes  thick  as  honey ;  if  now  it  is  urged 
with  a  greater  heat,  an  cmpyreumatic  oil  ascends,  and 
a  penetrating  acid  spirit,  tainted  with  the  ill  smell  and 
yellow  colour  of  the  oil ;  and  at  last  there  remains  a 
black  coal,  which,  when  burnt  into  white  ashes,  yields  a 
considerable  proportion  of  fixed  alkaline  salt. 

By  distillation,  vinegar  is  separated  from  its  muci- 
lage, tartar,  &c.  Its  specific  gravity  is  then  reduced 
from  1.0135  or  1.0251  (for  it  generally  varies)  to  1.0005. 
By  boiling  a  few  minutes,  it  keeps  a  long  time  with 
little  change. 

The  stronger  and  more  spiritous  the  wine,  the 
stronger  is  the  vinegar  into  which  it  is  converted. 
Geoffrey  says,  that  vinegars  made  of  the  German  and 
French  wines  saturate  from  one-fortieth  to  one-twelfth 
of  their  weight  of  fixed  alkaline  salt. 

Vinegar  is  mixed  with  the  mineral  acids  by  some 
fraudulent  dealers,  and  the  vitriolic,  as  the  cheapest, 
is  most  commonly  employed.  The  slightest  portion 
may  be  detected,  by  adding  a  solution  of  muriated 
barytes,  or  a  larger,  by  a  saturated  solution  of  chalk. 
In  either  case,  a  white  sediment  is  deposited.  Lead 
is  sometimes  accidentally  present,  and  may  be  disco- 
vered by  the  liquor  probatorius.  See  LIQUOR  PROBA- 
TOJUUS. 

The  fermentation  which  changes  wine  into  vinegar 
gives  the  latter  several  properties  extremely  different 
from  those  of  the  former,  which  are  well  known.  Vi- 
negar is  ultimately  decomposed  by  nitric  acid,  or  by 
fire,  when  combined  with  fixed  alkali  to  repress  its  vo- 
latility-~  It  is  then  found  to  consist  of  carbone,  hydro- 
•  gen,  and  oxygen,  but  the  proportions  are  not  known.  It 
is  concentrated  by  freezing ;  but  the  purest  acetous  acid 
freezes  at  about  22°  of  Fahrenheit,  and  by  distilling  it 
when  combined  with  powdered  charcoal.  For  its  affi- 
nities, see  ELECTIVE  ATTRACTIONS. 

Vinegar  dissolves  animal  earths,  if  not  very  much 
mixed  with  gelatinous  matter;  the  earth  of  alum,  and 
calcareous  earths;  it  oxidates  several  metallic  substances, 
as  zinc,  iron,  copper,  nickel,  tin,  and  lead.  It  combines 
with  earths,  alkalis,  and  metallic  oxides ;  it  dissolves  the 
•vegetable  inspissated  juices,  and  extracts  the  -virtues  of 
many  plants  ;  to  many  of  which  it  seems  to  impart  ad- 
ditional power,  particularly  to  the  onion  tribe.  In  in- 
flammatory and  putrid  diseases,  in  many  instances,  its 
efficacy  is  considerable  :  in  ardent  fevers  it  is  an  useful 
antiphlogistic  and  sudorific  :  in  putrid  disorders  it  is  a 
preservative  and  restorer,  fainting,  lethargic,  and  hys- 
teric paroxysms  are  much  relieved  by  it,  if  applied  to 
the  nose  and  mouth ;  even  in  many  instances  more  than 
by  volatile  alkaline  spirits,  or  fetid  gums.  In  the  mili- 
ary  fe-uer  it  is  a  powerful  assistant.  The  vegetable  acid 
has  a  peculiar  power  in  restoring  sweetness  to  putrid 
bile  ;  and  that  obtained  from  the  fresh  vegetable  fruits 
is  more  useful  than  the  mineral  acids.  Besides,  when 
a  putrid  colluvies  is  lodged  in  the  first  passage,  this  acid 
gently  tends  to  solicit  its  discharge  by  stool ;  an  advan- 
tage not  to  be  expected  from  the  mineral  tribe. 

EXTERNALLY  APPLIED,  vinegar  is  a  powerful  resolvent 
and  relaxant.  When  applied  to  any  sensible  membrane, 
it  acts  as  an  astringent ;  and,  more  or  less  diluted  with 
water,  is  an  excellent  gargle  for  an  inflamed  throat. 


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24 


ACH 


and  for  an  injection  to  moderate  the  fluor  albus.     See 
ACIDA. 

It  has  been  lately  recommended  in  burns,  whether 
there  is  a  loss  of  substance  or  not.  The  burnt  part  is  to 
\>e  bathed  in  vinegar,  till  the  pain  ceases ;  then  a  com- 
mon poultice  with  finely  powdered  chalk  strewed  on  it 
is  to  be  applied.  This  poultice  at  first  must  be  changed 
every  four  hours,  and  afterwards  two  or  three  times  a 
day.  When  there  is  no  loss  of  substance,  the  vesicles 
arc  filled  with  a  coagulated  fluid,  under  which  the  skin- 
soon  heals.  As  a  cooling  application  in  bruises,  its  use 
is  well  known ;  and  it  is  frequently  applied  in  its  cold 
state  to  the  nose  in  cases  of  haemorrhage.  In  msenorr- 
hagia,  particularly  the  profluvia  after  parturition,  ap- 
plied cold  to  the  loins  and  abdomen,  it  is  very  service- 
able. Chilblains  are  also  often  relieved,  corns  and  galls 
softened  by  it. 

An  imprudent  use  of  vinegar  is  not  without  consider- 
able inconveniences;  large  and  frequent  doses  produce 
leanness  and  an  atrophy;  when  taken  to  excess,  to  re- 
duce a  corpulent  habit,  tubercles  in  the  lungs  and  a  con- 
sumption have  been  the  consequence  :  young  children, 
old  people,  those  whose  circulation  is  languid,  vital  heat 
defective,  and  digestion"  weak,  should  perhaps  be  spar- 
ing in  its  use. 

The  dose,  according  to  the  different  circumstances  of 
the  case  requiring  it,  and  the  constitution  of  the  patient, 
may  be  from  5  ss.  to  3  iij. 

See  the  Dictionary  of  Chemistry,  translated  from  the 
French  of  M.  Macquer,  edit.  2,  article  VINEGAR.  Cul- 
len's  Mat.  Med.  ChaptaPs  Chemistry,  vol.  iii.  268. 
Thompson's  Chemistry,  2d  edit.  Parkinson's  Chemi- 
cal Pocket-book. 

ACE'TUM  DISTILLA'TUM,  scu  Sp.  Aceti.  DIS- 
TILLED VINEGAII.  ACETOUS  ACID. 

Distil  wine  vinegar  with  a  gentle  heat  as  long  as  the 
drops  fall  free  from  an  empyreuma. 

The  first  pint  that  is  drawn  off  is  a  weak  vinous  spi- 
rit, and  should  be  taken  away,  another  receiver  being 
placed  for  the  acid.  Malt  vinegar,  however  strong,  is 
improper  for  distilling,  because  it  so  readily  receives  an 
empyreumatic  taste  from  the  mucilage  which  it  con- 
tains ;  a  circumstance  to  which  the  best  wine  vinegar  is 
subject,  if  more  than  about  two-thirds  is  drawn  over.  If 
given,  in  the  quantity  of  two  or  three  ounces  in  a  day 
for  some  time  after  bleeding,  and  purging  where  neces- 
sary, it  has  been  recommended  in  maniacal  cases.  When 
vinegar  is  concentrated,  it  creates  an  appetite ;  hence 
AcetumEsurinum.— LYTHARGYRITIS.  See  PLUM- 
BUM, N°  2.— PROPHYLA'CTICUM  (see  PROPHY- 
LACE)  is  thus  made.  §>  fl°r-  lavend.  ct  rorism.  fol. 
rutae,  absinth,  salvix,  menth,  aa.  m.  i.  aceti  vini  cong.  i. 
infund.  in  B.  A.  per  8  dies.  IJ>  hujus  tinct.  ffj  i.  canxph. 
5  iij.  m. — Aceliim  proph.  ajso  called  the  VINEGAR  OF 
THE  FOUR  THIEVES;  for,  during  the  plague  of  Mar- 
seilles, four  persons,  by  the  use  of  it,  attended  many  of 
the  sick  unhurt;  under  the  colour  of  their  service,  they 
robbed  the  sick  and  the  dead :  one  of  them  being  ap- 
prehended, saved  himself  from  the  gallows  by  discover- 
ing this  remedy. 

In  the  foreign  pharmacopeias  there  are  many  prepa- 
rj.tions  in  which  vinegar  is  the  menstruum  ;  and  luxury 
has  introduced  many  as  sauces,  or  to  add  a  flavour  or 
poignancy  to  sallads.  With  these  last  we  have  no  busi- 
ncss,andneed  only  remark, that  when  the  object  is  to  give 


an  additional  warmth  or  stimulus,  they  are  not  misap- 
plied. Vinegar  of  horse-radish  and  elder  (Plcnck  Phar- 
mac.  chirurg.)  are  chiefly  useful  as  cosmetics.  Vinegar 
of  rue  (idem)  is  supposed  to  be  highly  antiseptic  ;  but 
the  most  useful  acetum  is  the  camphorated.  A  drachm 
of  camphor  is  dissolved  in  ten  ounces  of  good  vinegar 
(id.) ;  and  a  preparation  not  very  dissimilar  is  recom- 
mended in  mania  by  Mr.  Pargeter.  Numerous  prepa- 
rations under  the  title  of  aceta  prophylactica,  occur  in 
the  foreign  dispensatories,  which  consist  only  of  differ- 
ent aromatics  infused  in  vinegar,  differing  from  the  fan- 
cies of  the  prescribe!1,  but  scarcely  varying  in  the  in- 
tention or  effects. 

Vinegar,  we  have  said,  may  be  concentrated  by  cold, 
and  by  distillation  from  powdered  charcoal.  What  is 
called  the  ACETIC  ACID  is  vinegar,  not  only  more  con- 
centrated, but  somewhat  different  in  its  properties.  1 1 
certainly  possesses  a  larger  proportion  of  oxygen,  as 
will  be  evident  from  its  preparation,  which  consists  in 
distilling  vinegar  from  its  combination  with  metallic 
oxyds,  chiefly  from  copper;  and  that  this  method  not 
only  enables  it  to  rise  without  the  usual  proportion  of 
water,  but  imparts  oxygen,  is  evident  from  the  same 
effect  being  produced  by  adding  sulphuric  acid  to  the 
union  of  vinegar  with  soda,  when  a  part  of  the  mineral 
acid  is  decomposed.  The  acetic  acid  is  peculiarly 
volatile  and  pungent,  the  most  carefully  ground  glass 
stoppers  being  unable  to  confine  its  fumes.  Glass  and 
gold  can  alone  retain  it  without  being  injured.  Its 
specific  gravity  is  1.0626.  The  salts  produced  by  this 
acid  are  called  acetats,  while  those  made  with  the 
common  acid  are  styled  acetites.  Though  these  salts 
differ  somewhat  in  their  properties,  we  have  no  evi- 
dence of  their  differing  in  their  medical  virtues.  See. 
Fourcroy  Connoissances,  v.  viii.  Annales  de  Chymie, 
xxvii.  299. 

ACHA'HI.       See   AQUA   ALUMINOSA    under    ALU- 

1CBN. 

ACHANACA,  an  Indian  plant  much  used  by  the. 
natives  as  a  remedy  for  venereal  complaints :  its  genus 
is  unknown. 

ACHE,  a  pain:  in  old  authors  the  name  of  the 
afiium  fialustre  :  the  smallage. 

ACHIA,  ACHIAR,  ACHAR,  the  buds  of  the  bam- 
boo tree  pickled  with  spices  and  other  ingredients,  im- 
ported from  India  to  Holland  in  earthen  vessels :  they 
partake  of  the  virtues  and  inconveniences  of  PICKLES. 
See  CONDIMENTS  and  ACETARIA. 

ACHI'COLUM.  Thefornijc,  or  sudatorium,  SUDA- 
TORY,  of  the  ancient  baths,  which  was  a  hot  room  to 
sweat  in,  called  also  architholus. 

ACHILLE'A.  The  ac/nlleas  take  their  name  from 
ACHILLES,  because  with  this  he  is  said  to  have  cured 
Telephus.  Linnaeus  uses  the  word  achillea  as  the  ge- 
neric term  for  yarrow,  milfoil,  or  sneezcwort.  For  an 
account  of  the  different  species  see  AGERATUM.  The 
name  also  of  the  red  gum,  now  called  dragon's  blood. 

ACHIL'LIS  TENDO,  see  TENDO  ACHILLIS. 

ACHIMENUS.  A  genus  of  plants  formed  by  Vahl 
among  the  didynamiae  angiospermae,  in  the  family  of 
the  personatae.  It  consists  of  a  single  species  only, 
figured  in  Rheed's  Malabar,  ix.  tab.  87,  growing  in 
Cochin  China,  called  by  Louveiro  dlcera.  It  resembles 
wood  sorrel  in  taste,  and  is  eaten  in  sallads  as  well  as 
dressed. 


A  C  II 


25 


A  C  11 


ACHIO'TL.  The  red  grains  of  achiotl  made  into 
lozenges. 

ACHIOTL:  also  the  -bixa  oviedi,  daburi.  A  son 
of  orleana,  growing  in  New  Spain  and  Brasil,  from  the 
bijca  orellana  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  730.  The  tincture  from  the 
fruit  used  in  chocolate  is  thus  made :  take  the  grains 
v.-hen  ripe,  infuse  them  in  hot  water;  the  sediment  is 
made  into  cakes,  and  is  used  as  a  paint  for  the  face. 
Theroucoti,  which  the  Indians  call  achiotl  or  urucu,  the 
Dutch  orleane,  and  we  roucou,  is  a  meal  or  flour  of  a 
seed  from  the  Leeward  islands  and  the  isle  of  St.  Do- 
mingo :  these  seeds  are  of  a  vermillion  colour.  The 
roucou  is  made  in  these  islands,  as  we  make  starch. 
Choose  the  roucou  of  the  deepest  violet  colour,  and 
very  dry.  Its  chief  use  is  among  the  dyers.  See  OR- 
LEANA. 

A'CIILYS.  A  DIMNESS  of  sight,  (from  <*%,>.?<>, 
darkness  or  cloudiness).  It  also  signifies  a  small  scar  or 
mark  over  the  pupil,  of  a  light  blue  colour.  It  is 
usually  synonymous  with  caligo  cornee,  or  blindness 
from  opacity  of  the  cornea.  See  Cullen's  Nosology. 
Il  is  the  Leucoma  nc/ihelium  of  SAUVAGES,  and  is  de- 
scribed as  a  speck  of  the  cornea,  somewhat  pellucid, 
which  occasions  objects  to  appear  as  if  seen  through 
smoke,  or  a  cloud.  By  inspection  obliquely  it  is  disco- 
vered to  be  different  from  the  opacity  of  the  aqueous 
humour,  accompanying  some  diseases  of  the  eye.  This 
disease  consists  in  an  obstruction  of  -the  lymphatic  ar- 
teries of  the  cornea,  and  is  often  the  consequence  of 
more  active  inflammation.  Any  powder,  mild  and  so- 
luble, thrown  into  the  eye ;  a  drop  or  two  of  emetic 
wine,  or  of  tincture  of  opium,  will  remove  it ;  but  in 
children  it  vanishes  spontaneously. 

A  very  complicated  ointment  is  recommended  by 
Mr.  Bell  for  this  complaint,  and  for  diseases  of  the  eye- 
lids, copied  from  Pellier.  .  We  shall  not  transcribe  it, 
since,  from  frequent  experience,  we  have  found  equal 
parts  of  un'guentum  mercuriale  and  saturninum  as  ef- 
fectual. In  fact,  it  is  only  a  combination  of  mercury, 
zinc,  and  lead,  though  operose  and  inelegant;  the  bal- 
sam. Peruv.  adding  nothing  to  its  efficacy.  The  oint- 
ment of  M.  de  Gravers  has  no  lead,  but  the  zinc  sup- 
plies its  place,  and  the  efficacy  is  increased  by  the  ad- 
dition of  one-fifth  of  the  compound  tincture  of  benzoin. 
>ee  ALBUGO  OCULORUM,  and  also  Wallis's  Xosologia 
Methodica  Oculorum. 

A'CHXE.  a-x."*:.     CHAFF   or  the  FROTH  OF  THE  SEA. 

I  lippocrates  expresses  by  it  a  whitish  mucilage  observ- 

c  J  in  the  eyes  of  patients  who  have  fevers  :  also  a  white 

us  in   the  fauces  thrown  up  from  the  lungs.     Be- 

•.hcse  it  signifies  LIXT.     See  CAKBASUS. 

ACHOAVAX.  A  kind  of  chamomile  mentioned 
y  Prosper  Alpinus:  its  species  is  not  known.  V.  CHA- 
ILE.  Avicenna  seems  to  have  meant  by  it  the 
•narum. 

A'CHOLOS,  (from  *,  neg.  and  •/,»>.*,  bile,}  applied 
to  animals  supposed  to  be  without  bile. 

A'CHOR,  *x,*>s,  qu.  a-Kfaf,  (from  *;&»»,  bran  ; 
so  called  from  the  branny  scales  thrown  off).  Lac- 
:umen  :  abas^  acsres,  cerion  ;  faiius.  The  crusta  lactea 
of  authors,  and  in  England  the  SCALD  HEAD.  Trallian 
says,  that  it  is  a  sore  on  the  outside  of  the  head,  full 
of  little  perforations,  which  discharge  a  humour  like 
ichor.  He  adds,  that  the  cerion  resembles  an  achor  ; 
but  that  the  mouths  of  the  perforations  are  larger,  re- 

VOL.    I. 


sembling  the  ceils  of  a  honey-comb,  whence  the  name  ; 
the  matter  is  also  nearly  of  the  consistence  of  thii! 
honey.  When  these  diseases  spread,  the  serum  which 
oozes  out  dries,  and  forms  a  scab.  It  is,  however, 
in  general,  only  an  obstruction  in  die  circulation  of 
the  bulbs  of  the  hair,  and  sometimes  of  the  sebaceous 
glands. 

Dr.  Willan,  in  his  description  of  different  kinds 
of  pustules,  defines  the  achor,  a  pustule  of  intermediate 
size  between  the  phlyzacium  and  psydacium,  which 
contains  a  straw-coloured  fluid,  having  the  appearance, 
and  nearly  the  consistence,  of  strained  honey.  It  ap- 
pears most  frequently  about  the  head,  and  is  succeeded 
by  a  dull  white  or  yellowish  scab.  Pustules  of  this 
kind,  when  so  large  as  nearly  to  equal  the  size  of  phly- 
zacia,  are  termed  ceria,  or  favi,  being  succeeded  by  a 
yellow,  semi-transparent,  and  sometimes  cellular  scab, 
like  a  honey-comb. 

The  achor  differs  from  the  favus  and  tinea  only  in 
the  degree  of  virulence.  It  is  called  favus  when  the 
perforations  are  large;  and  tinea  when  they  are  like 
those  which  are  made  by  moths  in  cloth :  but  gene- 
rally by  tinea  is  understood  a  dry  scab  on  the  hairy 
scalp  of  children,  with  thick  scales  and  an  offensive 
smell ;  when  this  disorder  affects  the  face,  it  is  called 
crusta  lactea,  or  MILK-SCAB.  Mr.  Bell,  in  his  Trea- 
tise on  Ulcers,  says,  that  the  tinea  cafiilis  and  crunta 
lactea  may  both  be  reduced  to  the  same  species  of 
herpes,  viz.  the  her/ies  liu*tulQsu8,(\\\\\c\\  see,)  they  being 
naturally  the  same,  differing  only  in  situation ;  the 
tinea  is  on  the  hair  scalp,  and  the  crusta  lactea  on  the 
face.  Dr.  Cullen  improperly  places  this  disease  under 
ULCUS  ;  as  a  synonyme ;  where  also  he  places  the 
CRUSTA  LACTEA;  but  the  whole  class  locales  is  very 
carelessly  arranged.  When  it  happens  to  children,  if 
in  other  respects  they  are  healthy,  the  best  treatment, 
besides  keeping  the  belly  moderately  lax,  is  cleanliness 
and  a  moderate  diet ;  an  issue  may  be  made  and  con- 
tinued till  the  disorder  is  cleared  and  the  strength  of  the 
constitution  established ;  the  hair  must  be  kept  short, 
and  the  head  washed  with  soap-suds.  Some  instances 
of  this  soil  are  very  difficult  of  cure,  and  attended  with 
violent  itching,  a  pale  countenance,  &c. ;  but  still  the 
same  method  generally  succeeds  in  all  the  species  and 
degrees  of  virulence.  Small  doses  of  calomel  may  be 
given  as  an  alterative  rather  than  as  a  laxative,  and  the 
vinum  antimon.  in  such  doses,  at  proper  intervals,  as  the 
stomach  will  easily  retain.  Though  in  general  it  is  a 
local  disease,  yet  the  constitution  is  sometimes  in  fault, 
and  internal  remedies  should  not  be  neglected.  When 
hastily  and  imprudently  repelled,  also,  disagreeable  con- 
sequences have  ensued. 

Externally,  washing  with  soap,  particularly  the  black 
soft  soap,  and  occasionally  using  the  ung.  e  pice,  will 
succeed ;  but,  in  the  more  inveterate  cases,  the  un- 
guentum  ad  scabiem  of  Banyer's  Pharmacopoeia  Pau- 
perum,  (quod  vide,)  lowered  with  an  equal  part  of 
axyngia,  is  necessary.  Should  this  fail,  the  or.ly  remedy 
is  to  pull  out  each  hair,  by  tweezers,  or  to  put  on  a 
pitch  cap,  which  when  taken  off  draws  them  out  at 
once — a  cruel  practice,  but  sometimes  indispensable. 
A  wash,  consisting  of  a  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate, 
in  the  proportion  of  ten  grains  to  a  pint  of  water,  has 
sometimes  succeeded.  The  unguentum  picis  cum  sul- 
phure  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  Guy's  Hospital  is  often 


A  C  I 


26 


AC  1 


advantageous  ;  but  the  head  must  be  constantly  close 
shaved,  and  an  oil-skin  cap  worn,  which,  alone,  will 
sometimes  cure  the  complaint.  This  ointment  is  com- 
posed of  half  a  pound  of  tar,  half  an  ounce  of  wax,  and 
two  ounces  of  flour  of. sulphur.  More  lately,  shaving 
the  head,  and  keeping  up  a  steady  pressure  by  means 
of  slips  of  sticking  plaster,  have  appeared  more  effectual 
than  the  oil-skin  cap. 

Among  the  ancients,  Aetius,  jEgineta,  Trallian, 
Oribasius,  Galen,  &c.  treat  professedly  on  these  dis- 
orders :  amongst  the  later  authors,  Heister  and  Turner 
may  be  consulted,  with  the  still  later  writers,  as  Bell, 
in  his  Surgery,  and  his  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  p.  376 ; 
Moss  on  the  Management  of  Children,  Sec. ;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  69. 

•  A'CHY,  (XKV^>  a  species  of  cassia  growing  in  Arabia, 
.called  also  £apvtTr.<;. 

ACIA,  a  method  of  healing  wounds  among  the 
ancients,  which  is  now  not  easily  understood.  It  is 
most  probably  derived  from  acu,  and  may  be  only  the 
twisted  suture. 

ACI'CULARIS,(from  acicula,apinorneedle,)  ACI- 
CULAR,  shaped  like  a  small  needle.  The  trivial  name 
for  a  species  of  scirpus. 

ACIDA.  ACIDS,  (from  acesco,  to  sharpen).  Acids 
form  a  species  of  salts,  exciting  upon  the  organ  of 
taste  the  sensation  called  sour  ;  which  maybe  regarded 
as  synonymous  with  acid.  Every  substance  is  called 
acid  which  gives  the  impression  above  specified  to  the 
taste,  will  change  certain  blue  vegetable  colours  into  red., 
as  the-juice  of  turnsole,  syrup  of  violets,  Sec.  and  will, 
•usually,  effervesce  with  alkalies  ;  we  say  usually,  because 
this  property  is  not  general ;  for  the  carbonic  acid, 
and  almost  all  weak  acids,  cannot  be  distinguished  by 
this  property ;  and  the  purest  alkali,  or  what  is  called 
caustic  or  deaerated,  combines  with  acids  without 
effervescence.  By  a  variety  of  experiments  in  modern 
chemistry,  acids  are  found  to  consist  of  different  sub- 
stances :  to  the  name  of  one  they  give  the  term  oxygen  ; 
and  to  the  other  radical ;  the  former  considered  to  be 
the  acidifying  principle,  the  latter  the  acidifiable  base. 
They  further  prove,  that  the  oxygenous  principle,  in 
all  the  variety  of  acids,  is  universally  the  same ;  and 
that  acids  themselves  only  vary  on  account  of  the  dif- 
ferent radicals  with  which  that  principle  is  combined. 
Chemists  have  also  altered  the  terms,  in  order  to  ex- 
press the  degrees  of  power  acids  possess ;  the  weaker 
they  express  by  the  termination  ous,  the  stronger '  by 
/c,  added  to  the  base  or  radical;  as  sulphurous,  sul- 
phuric; carbonous,  carbonic,  &c. ;  except  the  muriatic 
and  nitrous  acid;  for  the  lower  order  of  the  former, 
they  say  muriatic  ;  for  the  higher,  oxygenated  muriatic  ; 
taking  the  appellation  from  the  acid,  and  not  from  the 
base. 

ACTDS  are  animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral.  The  ve- 
getable are  the  native,  as  the  juice  of  lemons,  See.;  or 
the  product  of  fermentation,  as  vinegar  and  tartar. 
The  mineral  are  those  of  sulphur  or  vitriol,  nitre,  and 
common  salt.  The  animal  acid  is  obtained  from  ants, 
and  some  other  insects,  in  considerable  quantities ;  it  is 
also  contained  in  human  fat,  and  in  the  suet  of  animals 
that  ruminate ;  and  an  acetous  fermentation  is  some- 
times excited  in  some  of  the  animal  secretory  organs, 
forming  a  kind  of  animal  vinegar  ;  in  this  way  the  urea 
»f  the  urine  is  produced.  Se«  ADEPS. 


A  vague,  volatile,  and  liquid  acid  is  in  all  parts  of 
the  earth :  uniting  with  various  substances,  it  forms 
different  fossils.  Except  in  the  essential  salts  of  vege- 
tables or  in  tartar,  acids  are  rarely  found  in  a  solid 
form. 

There  is  great  analogy  betwixt  acid  and  cold.  The 
spirit  of  nitre  increases  the  cold  of  ice.  Acid  and  cold 
alike  preserve  from  putrefaction,  by  increasing  the  co- 
hesion of  the  component  parts  of  the  respective  bodies. 
Strong  acids,  and  excessive  cold,  it  is  true,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  flesh  of  living  animals,  mortify  them ;  but 
this  mortification  differs  greatly  in  its  nature  from  that 
produced  by  fire,  and  by  alkaline.,  salts.  South  winds 
favour,  but  north  winds  check,  the  progress  of  putrid 
disorders. 

Acids  differ  in  their  specific  gravity  when  compared 
with  water. 

The  acid  of  vitriol,  as  18  to  10 

Nitre  14  to  10,  some  say  15  to  rO 

Sea  salt          12  to  10 
Vegetables    10  plus  to  10. 

This  difference  shews  that  some  acids  are  more  tena- 
cious of  water  than  others.  If  the  weaker  acids  are 
used,  you  must  pour  on  more  of  them  to  the  same 
quantity  of  alkaline  salt  to  saturate  it ;  yet  the  salt  will 
have  only  attracted  the  same  weight  of  acid  from  each. 

Acids  differ  in  their  colour  :  for  the  vitriolic  is  quite 
pale ;  the  nitrous  a  dark  yellow,  frequently  fuming, 
and  sometimes  of  an  orange  red ;  the  marine  a  pale 
golden  colour.  If  bottles  containing  these  three  acids 
are  stopped  with  cork,  the  cork  is  soon  tinged,  by  the 
vitriolic  acid,  with  a  black  colour  ;  by  the  nitrous,  with 
a  yelloiv  ;  and  by  the  marine,  with  a  whitish  one.  The 
vitriolic  acid  emits  no  visible  vapours  in  the  heat  of  the 
atmosphere,  but  imbibes  moisture  from  it  ;  the  nitrous 
and  muriatic  emit  copious  corrosive  fumes  ;  the  nitrous, 
yellowish  red  ;  and  the  muriatic,  ivhite  fumes. 

For  the  virtues  of  the  vegetable  acid,  see  ACETUM. 

The  mineral  acids,  when  intimately  joined  with  vi- 

"nous  spirits,  produce  effect  so  similar  to  those  of  the 

vegetable  class,  that  their  properties,  as  medicines,  are 

almost  the  same.     In   other  respects,  the  effects  of  all 

the  kinds  of  acids  are  similar. 

Acids  gently  irritate  and  contract  our  fibres  when 
taken  in  a  dilute  state,  and  thus  corroborate ;  they 
resist  a  putrid  tendency,  and  powerfully  oppose  pu- 
trescence when  actually  existing :  by  the  irritation 
they  promote  various  secretions;  they  excite  an  ap- 
petite, and  aid  digestion  ;  their  efficacy  in  fevers  of 
every  kind  is  not  exceeded  by  any  thing  in  use,  nor 
equalled  for  their  general  safety,  where  causes  so 
widely  opposite  produce  such  similar  complaints :  in 
some  instances  of  coughs  and  asthmas,  in  conse- 
quence of  irritation,  their  efficacy  is  singular :  if  the 
vegetable  acid  is  made  use  of,  the  breathing  is  never 
disordered  by  it,  though  in  some  instances  the  mineral 
acids  may  offend.  In  dysenteries,  and  in  diarrhoeas, 
produced  by  unripe  fruits,  the  fossil  acids  allay  the 
fermentation  in  the  bowels ;  and  when  a  putrid  col- 
luvies  in  the  primae  vise  is  the  cause,  they  will  be  a 
proper  remedy.  By  their  sedative  quality,  haemorrhages 
are  restrained ;  and  as  bitters  are  neutralised  by  vege- 
table acids,  so  the  excess  and  acrimony  of  the  bile  are 
allayed  by  their  use. 

Acids,  astringents,  and  bitters,  have  a  great  affinity 


AC1 


•'    27 


AC1 


with  each  other.  By  a  mixture  with  each  other  they 
lose  their  properties.  Vegetable  ackls  lessen  the  astric- 
tive  power  of  galls  on  leather,  kc.  The  mineral  acids 
have  a  contrary  effect.  Bitters,  both  animal  and  ve- 
getable, are  neutralised  by  vegetable  acids,  less  per- 
fectly by  those  from  the  mineral  kingdom.  See  La- 
voisier and  Chaptal's  Elements  of  Chemistry. 
Dictionary  of  Chem.  Neumann's  Chem.  Works.  Per- 
ciral's  Med.  Essays. 

Vegetable  acids  correct  the  deleterious  effect  of 
most,  if  not  all,  narcotic  plants ;  but  injure  the  phleg- 
matic habit,  where  the  circulation  is  languid,  the  bile 
defective,  or  the  digestion  naturally  weak. 

ACIDITAS,  (from  acesco,  to  sharfien^)  ACIDITY, 
also  acor.  Diseases  from  this  cause  are  frequent. 

The  seat  of  acidity  in  our  bodies,  as  a  disease,  is  prin- 
cipally the  stomach  and  the  small  intestines.  An  acid 
acrimony  is  never  sensibly  prevalent  in  the  blood ; 
though  it  sometimes  appears  in  the  urine. 

An  acid  acrimony  may  arise  either  from  too  great 
laxity  and  debility  of  the  organs  of  digestion,  or  from 
an  excess  of  acescent  food.  When  the  digestion  is 
imperfect,  an  acidity  is  the  consequence,  though  no 
such  process  as  fermentation  has  preceded.  The  food 
of  children  is  for  the  most  part  of  the  vegetable  kind, 
and  readily  turns  sour  in  the  stomach,  if  the  body  be 
any  way  disordered  ;  hence  most  of  their  disorders  are 
accompanied  with  the  evident  signs  of  acidity,  as 
green  stools,  gripes,  &c.  -Many  assert  a  prevailing  acid 
to  be  the  cause  of  all  diseases  in  children ;  but  acidity 
in  their  stomach  is  more  often  an  effect  than  a  cause  of 
their  complaints.  It  is  not  acidity,  but  its  excess  that 
injures. 

The  redundant  acid  in  the  primae  viae  is  known  by 
the  sourness  of  the  eructations,  the  frequent  cardial- 
gia,  in  the  stomach,./7a^H/p«ce,  and  sfiasms  in  the  in- 
testines;  the  belly  is  costive,  and  the  nourishment  is 
unduly  supplied,  a  paleness  becomes  general  in  the 
skin,  an  itching  comes  on,  pustules  appear,  and  a  train 
of  nervous  symptoms  soon  succeeds.  Indeed,  in  all 
diseases  peculiar  to  children,  there  are,  for  the  most 
part,  symptoms  of  an  excess  of  irritation :  the  pulse 
sometimes  beats  one  hundr@4,-or  one  hundred  and 
twenty  in  a  minute,  the  stomach  is  disordered,  the  ves- 
sels of  the  skin  are  contracted,  and  epileptic  or  con- 
vulsive symptoms  appear. 

Infants  are  frequently  swept  off  by  this  disorder. 
Among  adults,  the  weakly  and  sedentary  are  the  only 
subjects  of  it,  except  among  the  poor,  whose  scanty 
supplies  reduce  them  to  this  unhappy  state. 

The  cure,  when  adults  are  the  subjects,  consists 
of  a  diet  fitted  to  oppose  this  faulty  habit;  animal  food 
and  vegetables  of  the  aromatic  kind  :  these,  with  mo- 
derate exercise  at  proper  intervals,  will  often  succeed 
with  warm  tonics.  Absorbent  medicines  may  palliate 
symptoms  in  the  stomach  and  intestines,  but  the  lima- 
tura  ferri.  will  most  conduce  to  an  effectual  and  lasting 
cure.  Children  should  be  exercised  more,  and  fed 
less  than  is  usual.  Antimonial  emetics,  repeated  at 
"intervals  of  two  or  three  days,  until  the  more  dis- 
agreeable symptoms  abate,  are  highly  useful.  Small 
doses  of  p.  rhei,  with  magnes.  alb.  so  as  to  keep 
the  belly  soluble,  is  better  than  more  active  purging ; 
and  small  doses  should  be  given  frequently.  In- 
rteed,  in  scm.e  cases,  small  doses  of  fixed  or  volatile 


alkali,  particularly  aqua  ammonias,  have  been  highly- 
beneficial,  and  warm  stimulant  plasters,  applied  to  the 
umbilical  region,  have  added  to  these  advantages. 
Acidity  is  not  peculiar  to  children,  nor  does  it  always 
depend  on  the  nature  of  the  food.  It  is  a  mark  of  a 
disordered  digestion  from  many  different  causes.  Cur- 
dled milk,  ejected,  is  supposed  to  be  a  decisive  proof  of 
an  acid  stomach.  This,  however,  is  by  no  means  the 
case  :  for  the  stomach  of  an  infant  will  curdle  milk, 
when  it  will  not,  to  the  nicest  test,  discover  the  slight- 
est particle  of  acid.  A  gouty  habit,  and  the  pregnant 
state,  will  always  bring  it  on;  and,  in  many  constitu- 
tions, food  of  every  kind  will  soon  become  acid,  for 
reasons  that  we  cannot  understand.  All  that  can  be 
known  is,  that  the  principles  of  the  vegetable  acid,  for 
of  this  nature  is  the  morbid  acid  of  the  stomach,  arc 
found  in  food  of  every  kind,  and  that,  when  their  union 
is  destroyed  in  the  first  periods  of  digestion,  a  new  com- 
pound takes  place.  Perhaps  this  always  occurs,  and 
the  acid  is  again  enveloped  or  forms  a  part  of  an- 
other compound,  by  a  subsequent  operation.  Cal- 
careous and  magnesian  earths,  therefore,  only  pal- 
liate the  complaint :  the  cure  depends  on  strength- 
ening the  stomach.  As  palliatives,  in  the  chronic- 
cases  of  acidity,  lime-water  is  one  of  the  best.  In- 
the  pregnant  state,  aq.  ammonias  purse  is  preferable. 

See  Van   Swieten's  Commentaries  on  Boerhaave's 
Aphorisms.     Medicamentorum  Formulae,  Dris.  Hugh, 
Smith.     London  Practice   of  Physic,    edit.  6.      Ann- 
strong  on  Diseases  fatal  to  Infants.     Moss  on  the  Ma 
nagement  of  Children,  kc. 

ACI'DUL.E,  (from  acidus,  sour).  MINERAL  WA- 
TERS that  contain  a  brisk  spirit,  when  unaccompa- 
nied  with  heat,  are  thus  named  :  but  if  they  are  hot 
also,  they  are  called  therms.  In  Paracelsus,  fontali- 
acetosum  is  of  the  same  import. 

As  to  the  antiquity  of  their  use,  see  Galen,  Coslius 
Aurelianus,  Pliny,  Sec.  who  speak  also  of  their  virtues. 
Hoffman  and  many  authors  highly  extol  them, 
whilst  others  observe  that  a  pure  water,  on  account  of 
its  simplicity,  such  as  that  from  Malvern  and  Toplitz 
springs,  is  to  be  preferred  both  for  drinking  and  for 
bathing;  and  that  these  may  be  well  supplied  by  dis- 
tilled rain,  or  any  other  water  that  is  soft  and  pure. 
Objectors  allege,  that  the  medicinal  qualities  in  these 
waters  only  quicken  their  operation  as  water,  but  con- 
tribute nothing  further,  and  that  solutions  of  the  same 
materials  are  of  equal  efficacy:  to  which  the  best  reply 
has  been,  that  the  mineral  contents  are  often  vola- 
tile, and  more  subtile  than  art  can  produce  ;  and  that, 
when  the  powers  of  nature  are  expiring,  experience 
proves  their  efficacy  by  their  success  as  a  last  resource. 
From  the  qualities  of  their  contents  their  use  is 
easily  determined.  See  AQUX  MEDICI.VALES. 

Bleeding,  or  purging,  or  both,  are  frequently  pre- 
scribed before  the  use  of  mineVal  waters;  but,  except 
a  plethora  attends,  they  are  unnecessary. ;  As  these 
waters  are  designed  to  act,  so  rest  or  exercise  must  be 
advised:  rest  and  a  cool  situation  favour  their  diuretic 
tendency ;  exercise  and  a  warm  air  determine  them  to 
the  skin;  with  temperance  and  moderation  in  the  re- 
gimen, these  are  the  principal  directions  on  which  suc- 
cess depends. 

Their  brisk  sparkling  property  is  owing  to  the  quan- 
tity of  uncombined  carbonic  acid  gas  which  the v  possess; 

E  2 


A  C  M 


28 


AGO 


and  indeed  to  this,  perhaps,  is  owing  their  chief  use  as 
medicine.  To  increase  this  gas  when  defective,  or  to 
communicate  it  where  it  is  totally  wanting,  see  Dr. 
Priestley's  directions  for  impregnating  water  with  fixt  air. 

ACIDULOUS,  SUBACID. 

ACIDUM  PINGUE,  a  fancied  add  which  Meyer 
substituted  to  explain  the  causticity  of  lime,  which  Black 
attributed  to  the  loss  of  its  fixed  air  or  carbonic  acid. 

A'CIDUM  FORMICA.  Formic  acid.  See  FOR- 
MICA. 

ACIDUM  ARSE'NICUM.  ARSENIC  ACID.  This 
is  produced  by  distilling  six  parts  of  nitrous  acid,  from 
one  of  the  calx  of  arsenic. 

ACIDUM  JETHE'REUM.     ~"| 

ACIDUM  ALUMINO'SUM.  I        ,    .  ,  ..  .  ,. 

.  ,  Acidum  vitriohcum,  vel 

ACIDUM    CATHOLICON.      >  ii.- 

,  sulphuris. 

ACIDUM  PRIMIGKXIUM.  I 

ACIDUM  SULPHI/REUM.  J 

ACIDUM  MURIA'TICUM.  Olim  Spiritus  Salis  Glau- 
beri.  See  MARI'NUM  SAL. 

ACIDUM  XITROSUM.     See  NITHUM,  N°  5. 

ACIDUM  VITRIO'LICUM.  Olim  Oleum  Vitrioli;  called 
also  Stagma,  Sec  SULPHUR  and  VITRI'OLUM  VIRIDE, 
and  also  A'CIDA. 

ACIDUM  VITRIO'LI  VINO'SUM,  i.  e.  jE'ther  vitriolicus. 
See'  JE'THER. 

ACIES,  (from  «*i,  a  point).  STEEL.  See  CHA- 
LYBS. 

ACINAFO'RMIS,  (from  axitttx.^,  a  scymitar,  and 
forma,  shape,)  applied  to  leaves,  one  of  whose  edges  is 
sharp  and  convex,  and  the  other  straight  and  thick,  like 
a  Persian  scymitar. 

ACINE'SIA,  (from  a  non,  and  KIVSU,  to  move}.  A 
privation  of  motion. 

A'CINI,  (from  axy,  a  point}.  The  distinct  com- 
ponent parts  of  the  fruit  of  the  mulberry,  blackberry, 
and  raspberry. 

ACINIFO'RMIS.  I  The  coat  of  the  eye,  called 

ACINO'SATU'NICA.iuvea,  or  posterior  lamina 
of  the  iris;  because  the  ancients,  who  dissected  brutes, 
observed  that  in  them  it  was  usually  the  colour  of  an 
unripe  grape.  See  UVEA. 

ACINOS,  (from  ««»,  a  point;)  so  called  because 
its  branches  are  prickly.  See  BASILICUM. 

ACINUS.  Properly  a  grape,  but  is  applied  to  other 
fruits  or  berries  that  grow  in  clusters,  as  elder  berries, 
privet,  ivy,  &c.  These  are  distinguished  from  baccse, 
or  berries  that  grow  single,  as  those  of  the  laurel.  But 
acinus  is  also  used  for  the  stone  of  the  grape  ;  hence 
U'VM  EXACINA'T^,  grapes  that  have  their  stones  taken 
out. 

The  glands  which  grow  together  in  clusters  are 
railed  by  some  acini  glandulosi. 

A'CINUS.     See  STAPHYI.OMA. 

ACIPENSER,Lin.  The  sturgeon.  The  species  in- 
troduced into  the  Materia  Alimentaria  and  Medica  are 
the  A.  sinrio,  huso,  and  ruthenus,  Lin.  The  rocs  are 
salted  and  dried,  and  the  flesh  pickled.  These,  which 
may  rather  be  styled  condiments  than  aliments,  will  be 
considered  in  their  proper  places.  Isinglass  is  pre- 
wired from  the  roes  of  each  species,  but  that  from  the 
A.  huso  is  preferred.  See  ALIMENTS,  CONDIMENTS, 
and  ISINGLASS. 

-  ACMA'STICA,  (from  **/*<*>,  to  flourish).  See 
SYNOCHUS. 


ACMASTICOS,  (xx.^x^a,  vig-co,)  a  species  of  fever 
described  by  Actuarius,  as  follows  : 

"  Fevers  from  putrefaction  are  continual  or  inter- 
mittent:, of  the  former  some  arc  called  isotoni,  or  ac- 
mastici,  which,  during  the  whole  course,  are  at  the 
same  pitch;  others  are  called  e/iacmastici,or  anabases  ; 
these  proceed  and  increase  to  their  time  of  solution ;  a 
third  sort  called  paracmastici,  which  diminish  by  de- 
grees till  they  cease."  See  FEVER. 

A'CME,  (from  «««,>»,  a  Jioint).  THE  HEIGHT  OF 
A  DISEASE.  That  state  of  a  thing  in  which  it  is  at  its 
utmost  perfection-.  It  is  also  a  term  in  gymnastics,  ex- 
pressing the  highest  pitch  of  exercise. 

ACME'LLA,  a  plant  growing  in  Ceylon,  the  verbc- 
sina  acmella  Lin.  1271;  but  a  similar  plant,  the  sigcs- 
beckia  orientalis,  has  been  employed.  It  is  commend- 
ed in  nephritic  disorders  by  Linnaeus,  but  is  rarely 
used. 

A'CMO.     See  CORALLIUM  UUBRUM. 

ACNE,  (from  am,  chaff).  A  small  purple  or 
hard  tubercle  on  the  face  is  thus  called,  covered  with  a 
branny  scale. 

ACNE'STIS  (from « negative,  and xvaui,  to  scratch}. 
That  part  of  the  spine  which  reaches  from  betwixt 
the  shoulder  blades  to  •  the  loins.  This  name  seems 
only  applicable  to  quadrupeds,  because  they  cannot 
reach  it  to  scratch. 

There  is  a  herb  to  which  this  name  is  given,  but 
the  real  plant  has  not  been  determined. 

ACO'E,  (axeva,  audio}.     See  AUDITUS. 

ACOITUS,  HONEY,  (from  «  non,  and  xmli,  sedi- 
ment}. See  MEL.  Pliny  speaks  of  it  by  this  name,  be- 
cause it  has  no  sediment. 

A'CON,  an  instrument  used  in  the  ancient  exer- 
cises ;  like  the  discus,  or  quoit. 

AGO'NDYLUS,  (fromapriv.  and  xovfrvtos,  a  joint}. 
Applied  to  a  flower  whose  stalk  is  not  divided  by  joints. 

ACONE,  (ax-ovr,,  a  hone,}  MORTAR,  or  rather  a  hard 
stone,  on  which  to  levigate;  more  generally,  a  WHET- 
STONE. 

ACO'NION,  (from  ccovvx,  a  hone,}  an  ancient  Greek 
name  of  a  medicine  prepared  by  levigation;  probably 
a  collyrium,  or  some  form  of  powders  for  the  eyes. 

ACONIT1FOLIA,  (from  aconitum,  wolf's-bane,  and 
folium,  a  leaf}.  See  ANAPODOPHYLLON. 

ACONI'TON,  (from  «  neg.  and  x«v/«,  lime  or  plan- 
ter}. Not  plastered.  This  word  is  applied  to  vessels 
not  lined  within. 

ACONI'TUM;  also  called  Camarum,  Canicida,  Cy- 
nococtanum.  Various  derivations  are  given  by  etymolo- 
gists; as,  1st,  O.KOV>I,  a  whetstone  or  rock,  because  it 
grows  on  bare  rocks.  -2dly,  «  negative,  and  xov/s,  dttst, 
because  it  grows  without  earth.  3dly,  ctauv,  a*>i,  dart, 
because  they  poison  darts  therewith.  4thly,  «xov/o£«,c*/, 
to  accelerate,  for  it  hastens  death. 

WOLF'S-BANE. 

The  MONK'S-HOOD,  or  COMMON  WOLF'S-BANE, 
of  which  Dr.  Storck  speaks  so  much  in  favour,  is  the 
ACONITUM  NAPELLUS  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  751,  Wilden,  G. 
1062,  Sp.  9.  N.  Ord.  multisiliquse.  It  is  cultivated  in 
our  gardens  as  an  ornament ;  but  is  spontaneously  pro- 
duced in  Germany,  and  some  other  northern  parts  of 
Europe.  Some  authors  have  supposed  that  Storck  em- 
ployed the  A.  camarum:  in  fact,  however,  he  used 
the  A.  neomontanum,  and  mistook  it  for  the  A.  na- 


ACO 


ACR 


pellus.  The  different  species  have  been  mistaken  for 
each  other,  but  all  seem  to  possess  the  same  proper- 
ties. 

The  expressed  juice  of  the  fresh  herb  was  made  into 
an  extract  by  a  gentle  evaporation,  then  for  internal  use 
the  following  powder  was  directed : 

Q,  extract,  aconit.  gr.  ij. 

Sacchar.  alb. — J  ij  m.  f.  pulv.  subtil. 

In  several  instances,  this  was  given  from  gr.  vj.  to 
5  ss.  three  times  a  day,  with  the  happiest  success.  Its 
chief  sensible  effect  was  its  exciting  a  copious  perspira- 
tion. 

The  cases  in  which  Dr.  Storck  succeeded  by  the  use 
of  the  above  powder  were,  an  inveterate  gonorrhea,  ob- 
stinate /tains  after  intermittent  fevers,  tofihi  and  nodes, 
scirrhous  tumours,  indurations  of  the  fiarotid  glands, 
•ifiina  ventosa,  itcht  amaurosis,  gouty  and  rheumatic 
fiains,  convulsive  disorders,  and  an  anchylosis.  Some 
have  given  it  in  tincture,  made  by  adding  one  part  of 
the  dried  leaf  to  six  of  spirits  of  wine ;  the  dose,  4O 
drops.  But  it  has  often  been  given  from  one  grain, 
gradually  increased  to  ten,  for  a  dose  :  indeed  Stoll  and 
some  others  carried  it  much  further. 

A  person  who  had  eaten  a  small  quantity  of  monk's- 
hood  was  presently  attacked  with  a  sensation  of  tin- 
gling heat  in  the  tongue  and  jaws,  and  the  teeth  seem- 
ed as  if  they  were  loose,  and  the  face  as  if  it  was  swell- 
ed. This  tingling  sensation  gradually  spread  all  over 
the  whole  body,  particularly  to  the  extremities;  the  knees 
and  ankles  lost  their  strength,  and  frequent  twitching 
of  the  tendons  came  on;  soon  after  a  sensible  check  to 
the  circulation  of  the  blood  through  the  limbs  was  felt; 
at  length  a  giddiness  supervened ;  then  a  mist  seemed 
to  collect  itself  before  the  eyes  ;  in  the  ears  was  a  hum- 
ming noise,  the  senses  failed ;  the  eyes  and  teeth  were 
fixed,  the  nose  contracted,  breathing  short,  and  cold 
sweats  were  perceived  on  the  hands,  feet,  and  fore  head. 
All  these  symptoms  followed  in  less  than  two  hours 
from  the  time  of  eating  the  sallad,  in  which  the  monk's- 
hood  unfortunately  was  mixed.  His  friends  forced 
down  into  his  stomach  a  quantity  of  oil  and  water,  and 
afterwards  carduus  tea,  by  which  he  vomited ;  these 
were  repeated  so  as  to  encourage  a  thorough  discharge 
from  the  stomach,  and,  in  the  intervals,  a  few  spoonfuls 
of  a  stimulating  cordial  were  given :  and  thus  he  soon 
recovered. 

Some  writers  say,  that  the  napellus  is  not  poisonous 
in  Sweden,  Poland,  &c. ;  but  it  should  be  noted,  that 
the  napellus,  which  is  not  poisonous,  is  the  aconitum 
!'jcict?num  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  750.  See  Wilmer's  Observa- 
tions on  the  Poisonous  Vegetables  of  Great  Britain. 
Storck,  de  Aconito,  and  the  Article  VENENUM. 

A'COPA.  ACOPON,  (*  non,  and  «*•»{,  labour).  At 
first  this  word  signified  the  quality  of  the  medicines  to 
relieve  pain,  stiffness,  and  other  ill  effects  of  excessive 
w.eariness ;  but,  afterwards,  it  implied  soft,  easy  medi- 
cines, prepared  with  little  difficulty.  It  is  also  the  name 
of  the  trifolium  fialudosum. 

A'COR,  (from  aceo,  to  be  sharft).  SOURNESS,  ACRI- 
MONY, particularly  an  acid  acrimony  in  the  stomach. 
See  ACIDITAS. 

ACO'RDINA.     INDIAN  TUTTY. 

A'CORES.     See  ACHOR. 

A'CORI,  (RAD).  The  GREATER  GALANGAL  ROOT, 
•from  *  neg.  and  *«•*,  the  finf.il  cf: .•;.-  tyes.)  because 


this  root  was  thought  injurious  to  the  eyes.  See  GA- 
LANGA. 

ACO'RIA,  (from  «  neg.  and  x*tia,  to  sctiate).  IN- 
SATIABILITY. Sometimes  it  signifies  a  good  appetite,  or 
digestion. 

ACORI'TES  VIXUM,  a  wine  made  of  the  acorus 
and  liquorice  roots,  each  eight  ounces ;  of  wine,  six  gal- 
lons ;  infused  cold  for  six  months. 

ACORN,  the  seed  of  the  oak  used  as  an  astringent. 
See  OAK. 

A'CORUS,  CALAMUS  VE'RUS.     See  CALAMUS 

AROMATICVS. 

A'CORUS  ADULTERINUS.        See  IRIS  PALUSTRIS. 

A'CORUS    ASIATICUS.     See    CALAMUS    AROMATICUS^ 

AsiAT. 

A'COS,  (<t*f«4t*;,  sano).     A  REMEDY. 

ACO'SMIA.  IRREGULARITY,  or  disturbed  state  of 
things,  particularly  of  the  critical  days  of  fevers,  as  tcer/tec 
meant  their  regulat  order;  called  also  madises,  ma- 
drotes.  Bald  people  are  called  acosmoi,  because  they 
•had  lost  their  greatest~ornament.  Blanchard  says  it  is 
an  ill  state  of  health,  joined  with  a  loss  of  colour  in 
the  face. 

ACOTYLE'DON.  Applied  to  seeds  when  they  are 
without  cotyledons. 

ACO'USTICA,  medicines  against  deafness  (from 
euuvet,  to  hear).  But  no  internal  medicines  of  this  kind 
are  known. 

ACRA'I.     See  SATYRIASIS,  and  FUROR  UTERINUS. 

ACRAI'PALA,  a  Greek  word  for  medicines  against 
a  surfeit  or  drunkenness,  from  «  non,  and  r.fa.nra.Xr., 
crafiula. 

ACRA'SIA,  INTEMPERANCE,  (from  «  negative,  and 
xtfxnvni,  to  mix).  This  word,  implying  wine  un- 
mixed with  water,  signified  excess  in  eating,  drinking, 
venery,  Etc.  By  Hippocrates,  and  some  others,  it  sig- 
nifies imbecility.  By  physicians,  it  means  the  predo- 
minancy of  one  quality  above  another,  either  with  re- 
gard to  artificial  mixtures,  or  the  humours  of  the  body. 

ACRA'TIA,  (from  «e  negative,  and  KIXT&,  strength}. 
See  IMBECILLITAS. 

ACRATI'SMA,  a  BREAKFAST.  The  derivation  of 
this  word  is  the  same  as  that  of  acrasia,  because  the 
wine  used  on  this  occasion  was  not  mixed  with  water. 
A  breakfast  among  the  old  Greeks  consisted  of  a  morsel 
of  bread  steeped  in  wine. 

ACRATOME'LI,  vfrom  **;*7«»  unmixed  tcine,  and 
f«A(,  honey).  See  MULSUM. 

A'CRE,  (**«««,  extreme).     See  NASUS. 

A'CREA,  also  ACROTE'RIA,  (from  «*f«s,  ex- 
treme,) the  EXTREMITIES,  \.  e.  the  legs,  arms,  nose,  and 
ears.  Coldness  in  the  extremities,  not  easily  removed, 
is  a  bad  presage  in  fevers. 

A'CRID.E,  (from  acer,  sfiarfi).     ACRID  MEDICINES. 

Acrids  are  substances  of  a  penetrating  pungency  : 
applied  to  the  skin,  they  inflame  it  ;  chewed,  they  firo- 
mote  a  discharge  of  the  saliva  ;  and  snuffed  up  the  nose, 
they  firovoke  sneezing. 

The  first  class,-  as  mustard,  horse-radish,  scurvy- 
grass,  kc.  give  out  their  properties  by  distillation.  The 
2d,  viz.  the  greater  celandine,  pyrethrum,  &c.  by  in- 
fusion. The  3d,  neither  by  infusion  nor  distillation,  as 
happens  with  the  arum,  dracunculus. 

The  general  effects  of  acrid  medicines  are  to  stimu- 
late the  solids.  In  leucoplilegmatic  habits,  they  are 


AC  II 


30 


ACT 


powerful  expectorants,  deobstruents^  diuretics,  and  em- 
menagogues  ;  and,  if  the  patient  is  kept  warm,  they  are 
good  diaphoretics. 

In  constitutions  disposed  to  inflammation,  or  where 
there  is  already  a  degree  of  irritation,  where  the  juices 
are  too  thin  and  acrid,  or  the  viscera  not  sound,  these 
medicines  aggravate  the  disorder. 

The  trouble  which  acrid  medicines  give  to  the  sto- 
mach, is  that  on  which  their  virtue  frequently  depends. 

ACRIFO'LIUM,  (from  acris,  sharp,  and  folium,  a 
leaf).  Any  prickly-leaved  plant. 

ACRIMO'NIA,  ACRIMONY,  (from  acer,  sharji). 
This  term  is  applicable  to  any  substances  that  produce 
particular  sensations  from  the  actions  of  that  stimulus 
which  they  possess,  and  which  we  express  by  the  differ- 
ent terms,  sharpness,  eagerness,  tartness,  acid,  alkali, 
Sec. ;  but  it  is  more  strictly  applicable  to  some  states  of 
the  humours  in  the  human  body,  as  acrimony  of  the 
bile,  and  other  fluids,  which  are,  by  the  laws  of  the 
animal  economy,  constantly  thrown  out  of  the  ma- 
chine; for,  except  when  in  a  morbid  state,  the  fluids  are 
free  from  all  acrimony.  Acrimony  is  often  accused  as 
\i  cause  of  various  diseases,  without  a  distinct  idea  of  its 
nature,  or  indeed  a  sufficient  evidence  of  its  existence. 
Modern  pathologists  are  more  moderate  ;  yet  we  hear  of. 
gouty  and  scrofulous  humours,  of  cancerous  and  other 
acrimonies  which  affect  the  skin.  Nothing  is  more  evi- 
dent, than  that  the  two  former  are  diseases  of  the  solids, 
and  that  the  depositions  are  the  effects,  not  the  cause, 
of  the  disease.  In  the  two  latter,  acrimony  may  be 
suspected.  A  cancer  often  naturally  heals,  and  soon 
affects  other  parts  :  repelled  from  the  glands",  it  falls  on 
the  joints,  the  head,  and  other  organs.  The  cutaneous 
diseases  of  children  shew  marks  of  acrimony,  since, 
when  they  take  place,  they  improve  the  general  health  ; 
and  issues,  in  such  cases,  often  inflame  violently.  When 
bile  is  absorbed  in  jaundice,  there  is  an  itching  on  the 
skin ;  and  in  those  who  have  injured  their  stomachs 
by  spirituous  liquors,  eruptions  arc  often  extensive  and 
inveterate. 

A'CRIS,  (ax.pif'J.  The  top  of  a  mountain;  also  the 
sharp  extremities  of  fractured  bones.  It  is  also  a  LO- 
CUST, i.  e.  the  insect  so  called,  and  which  the  Africans, 
and  some  others,  commonly  eat. 

ACRIS'SIA,  ACRI'TUS,  («  non,  and  x.pf»a,judico). 
It  is  when  a  distemper  is  in  so  uncertain  and  fluctuating 
a  condition,  that  it  is  difficult  to  pass  a  right  judgment 
on  it.  Blanchard. 

ACRI  VIOLA,  (acer,  sharfi,  and  viola,  a  violet  J.  See 
NASTURTIUM  INDICUM. 

ACROBYSTIA,  (from  ttx.po$,  extreme,  and  flva,  to 
cover).  See  ACROPOSTHIA. 

ACROCHORDON,  (from  «*/)«{,  extreme,  and  #o/>^>7, 
a  string).  A  name  given  to  a  sort  of  warts,  from  their 
hanging  by  a  string  or  neck.  Wiseman  calls  them 
pensile  warts.  See  VERRUCA.  Celsus  observes,  that 
if  they  are  cut  out,  they  leave  no  root,  so  do  not  grow 
again. 

ACROLE'NION,  (ecy.pov,  the  extremity,  and  «A£V», 
the  cubit) .  Sec  OLECRANON. 

ACRO'MION,  )   (from  ««/>«;,  extreme, and  »,«.©-,  the 

ACRO'MIUM,5  shoulder).     Sec  SCAPULA,  2. 

ACROMPHA'LION,  (from  «.*.?<>$,  extreme,  or  the 
'•//;,  and  o^£*A«s,  navel).  The  tip  of  th&  navel,  or  the 
middle  of  the  navel. 


A'CRON,  in  general,  means  the  top  or  summit; 
hence,  in  a  medical  sense,  it  is  the  best  of  its  kind.  In 
botany,  it  is  the  top  or  flower  of  thistles. 

ACRO'PATHOS,  (from  a.*.^,  extreme,  and  w«d»$,  a 
disease).  It  literally  signifies  a  disease  at  the  height; 
or,  a  disease  which  affects  any  superior  part  of  the 
body.  Hippocrates  applies  it  to  the  internal  orifice  of 
the  uterus,  when  affected ;  to  occult  cancers,  and  to 
cancers  on  the  surface  of  the  body,  to  distinguish  them 
from  internal  ones. 

A'CROPIS,  (from  *x.f^,  extreme,  and  «%/•<,  the  voice,) 
when  the  voice  cannot  be  exerted.  An  inarticulation 
of  the  voice,  from  an  imperfection  in  the  end  of  the 
tongue.  It  is  once  used  adjectively  in  the  spurious 
works  of  Hippocrates,  but  no  where  determined  in  its 
signification  and  orthography. 

ACRO'PSILON,  (from  a.*.t<&>,  the  extremity,  and 
^<Ao«,  naked) .  The  extremity  of  the  glans  when  naked. 

ACRO'SAPES,  (from  «xf»s,  extreme,  and  e-tiira,  «/ 
fiutrify) .  Galen  means  by  this  term,  easy  of  digestion. 
This  mode  of  speaking  originates  from  a  dogma  of  phy- 
sicians, that  digestion  was  performed  by  a  certain  de- 
gree of  putrescency ;  for  often  names  originate  from  a 
false  principle,  and  are  retained  by  authors  who  do  not 
acquiesce  in  that  principle. 

ACRO'SPELOS,  (from  «*p»s,  extreme,  and  iri^, 
black).  A  name  of  the  WILD  OAT-GRASS,  or  BROMUS 
STERILIS.  See  ^EGYLOPS. 

ACROTE'RIA.     See  ACREA. 

ACROTERIA'SMUS.  The  amputation  of  an  ex- 
tremity. (From  aKfaltfttt,  extremities,  and  this  from 
axg&',  summits). 

ACROTHVMIA,        C(from    <tx.p^,    extreme,    and 

ACRO  THY'MION,  £  .Jn/w.«?,  thyme,  from  being  the 
colour  of  thyme).  See  N.svus.  A  sort  of  wart  de- 
scribed by  Celsus  as  hard,  rough,  with  a  narrow  basis, 
and  broad  top;  the  top  is  of  the  colour  of  thyme, 
it  easily  splits,  and  bleeds.  This  tumour  is  called 
thy  mus. 

ACT.  MED.  An  abbreviation  of  T-homce  Bartho- 
lini  Acta  Medica  et  Philosophica  Hafniensia. 

ACT.  PHILOS.  and  TRANSACT.  PHILOS.  The 
Philosophical  Transactions. 

ACT.  REG.  SC.  The  Histories  and  Memoirs  of  the 
Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris. 

ACT.  S.  R.  Acta  Societatis  Regiae,  or  Philosophi- 
cal Transactions,  London,  4to. 

ACTjEA.  Herb  CHRISTOPHER.  A  poisonous  plant, 
which  has  been  formerly  used  externally  as  a  repel- 
lent, and  internally  by  the  ancients  in  female  diseases. 
It  is  not  now  employed.  The  A.  spicata,  Lin.  is  the 
species  that  has  been  preferred,  which  belongs  to  the 
multisiliquae  and  ranunculaciae  of  Jussieu. 

A'CTE,  (eturti,  from  «•/«,  to  break,}  ELDER,  so  called 
from  its  being  easy  to  break.  See  SAMBUCUS. 

A'CTINE,(from  unlit,  a  ray  ;  from  its  radiated  rami- 
fications). See  BUNIAS. 

A'CTIO,  (from  «y«,  to  act,)  vel  FUNCTIO ;  also 
FACULTAS. 

The  actions  or  functions  of  the  body  are  divided  into 
the  vital,  natural,  and  animal. 

The  VITAL  FUNCTIONS,  or  ACTIONS,  are  those  which 
are  absolutely  necessary  to  life,  as  the  actions  of  the 
heart,  lungs,  and  arteries.  On  the  action  and  reaction 
of  the  solids  and  fluids  upon  each  other,  depend  the 


ACU 


31 


AD  A 


vital  functions.  The  pulse  and  respiration  are  the  ex- 
ternal signs  of  life.  Vital  diseases  are  all  those  which 
hinder  the  influx  of  the  venal  blood  into  the  cavities  of 
the  heart,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  arterial  blood  from 
them. 

The  NATURAL  FUNCTIONS  are  those  which  are  instru- 
mental in  repairing  the  several  losses  which  the  body 
sustains  ; .  for  life  is  destructive  of  itself :  its  very  offices 
occasion  a  perpetual  waste.  The  manducation,  the 
deglutition,  and  digestion  of  food,  the  separation  and 
distribution  of  the  chyle,  and  excrementitious  parts,  &c. 
comprise  natural  functions,  as  by  these  our, aliment  is 
converted  into  our  nature.  They  are  necessary  to  the 
continuance  of  our  bodies. 

The  ANIMAL  FUNCTIONS  are  those  which  we  perform 
at  will,  as  muscular  motion,  and  all  th.e  voluntary  ac- 
tions of  the  body  ;  they  are  those  which  constitute  the 
sense  of  touch,  taste,  smell,  sight,  hearing,  perception, 
reasoning,  imagination,  memory,  judgment,  and  other 
affections  of  the  mind.  Without  these  a  man  may  live, 
hut  not  so  comfortably  as  with  them. 

The  SEXUAL  ACTIONS  are  those  of  the  organs  of  ge- 
neration of  either  sex. 

PRIVATE  ACTIOXS  are  such  as  regard  particular 
parts. 

PUBLIC  ACTIONS  are  those  which  are  performed  for 
the  sake  of  the  whole  body  ;  such  is  the  action  of  the 
stomach  in  digesting  the  aliment,  Sec.  These  are  called 
functions. 

But  each  part  hath  an  action  peculiar  to  itself.  Thus 
the  offices  performed  by  the  muscles,  vessels,  glands, 
and  viscera,  are  called  their  respective  action.  See  Pro- 
fessor Whytt's  Treatise  on  Vital  Motions. 

ACTON,  a  town  near  London,  where  is  a  well  that 
affords  a  purging  water  ;  from  a  gallon  of  which  Dr. 
Rutty  got  340  grains,  or  five  drams,  two  scruples,  of 
sediment  by  evaporation  :  of  this,  five  drams  and  twen- 
ty-one grains  were  vitriolated  magnesia,  or  vitriolated 
lime,  called  formerly  nitrum  calcarium,  which  took  for- 
ty-eight times  its  own  weight  of  water  to  dissolve  it ; 
and  nineteen  grains  of  aluminous  earth.  This  is  es- 
teemed one  of  the  strongest  purging  waters  near  London. 
It  is  drunk  from  one  to  three  pints  in  a  morning.  Mon- 
ro's  Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Chemistry.  See 

AqV-E    CATHARTIC.fi    AMAR.E. 

ACTUA'LIS,  ACTUAL,  (from  *"/«,  to  act).  This 
-Aord  is  applied  to  any  thing  which  acts  by  an  imme- 
diate power  inherent  in  itself  :  it  is  the  reverse  of  PO- 
TENTIAL  ;  thus,  a  red-hot  iron  or  fire  is  called  an  actual 
cautery,  in  contradistinction  to  cauteries,  or  caustics, 
"hat  have  the  power  of  producing  the  same  effect  upon 
the  animal  solids  as  actual  fire  :  these  last  are  called 
.  irtualor  potential  cauteries.  Boiling  water  is  actually 
not ;  brandy,  producing  heat  in  the  body,  is  potentially 
hot,  though  of  itself  cold. 

This  is  the  medicinal  sense  of  the  word  ;  in  logic  and 
metaphysics  it  is  used  otherwise. 

ACTUA'TIO,  ACTUATION,  (from  <**/*>,  to  act}. 
That  change  wrought  on  a  medicine,  or  any  thing  taken 
into  the  body,  by  the  vital  heat,  which  is  necessary  to 
make  it  act,  and  have  its  effect. 

ACUI'TIO,  (from  acuo,  to  quicken}.  This  is  ap- 
plied often  to  medicines  which  are  added  to  others 
weaker  than  themselves,  in  order  to  increase  th*ir  me- 


dicinal action  ;  as  vegetable  acid  may  be  sharpened  by 
the  addition  of  mineral  acid,  or  mild  purgatives  may 
•be  quickened  by  the  addition  of  small  doses  of  those 
which  are  more  powerful. 

ACU'LEI,  (dim  of  acus,  a  point,")  the  prickles  and 
thorns  on  vegetables. 

A'CULOX,  or  ACULOS,  the  fruit  or  acorn  of  the 
ilex,  or  scarlet  oak,  (from  «  non,  and  xvxJav,  to  roll 
round)  :  this  is  called  aculon  therefore,  because  its  fruit 
is  not  involved  in  a  cup  or  sheath,  like  the  others. 

ACUPUNCTU'RA,(from  acus,  a  needle,  znApungo, 
to  prick,)  ACUPUNCTURE.  Bleeding  performed  by  mak- 
ing many  small  punctures  with  a  silver  needle  on  the 
part  affected.  This  method  is  practised  in  Siam,  Japan, 
and  other  oriental  nations,  on  all  parts  of  the  body  ; 
and  employed  in  head  aches,  lethargies,  convulsions, 
colics,  Sec.  See  Phil.  Trans.  Xo.  148.  In  some  parts 
of  America  this  practice  is  also  in  use,  according  to 
the  accounts  given  in  Dampier's  Voyages,  though  as 
an  ornament  rather  than  a  remedy. 

A'CUS,  (from  acuo,  to  sharpen,}  a  NEEDLE.  This 
instrument  is  necessary  in  confining  the  lips  of  wounds, 
taking  up  and  tying  blood-vessels,  Sec.  They  are  of 
various  fonns,  according  to  the  use  for  which  they  are 
designed  :  it  is  of  considerable  importance  that  they 
should  be  sharp  and  made  of  good  metal  that  is  well 
tempered.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i. 

A'CUS  PASTORIS.     See'ScANDix. 

A'cus  MOSCHA'TA.     See  GERANIUM  MOSCHATUM. 

ACU'STICUS,  (from  <**«tw,  to  hear,  belonging  to 
hearing).  It  is  applied  to  the  auditory  nerve,  and  to 
medicines  or  instruments  used  to  assist,  preserve,  or 
recover  hearing. 

ACUTENA'CULUM,(from  acus,  needle,  and  teneo, 
to  hold).  Heister  calls  the  portaiguille  by  this  name  ; 
it  is  a  handle  for  a  needle,  to  make  it  penetrate  easily 
when  stitching  a  wound.  Bell's  Surgery,  i.  16. 

ACU'TUS,  (from  acuo,  to  sharpen).  In  botany,  it 
is  applied  to  a  leaf  ending  in  an  acute  angle,  but  not 
so  taperingly  as  the  acuminated  leaf. 

ACU'TUS  MO'RBUS.  An  acute  disease  proceeds 
quickly  to  its  termination,  and  always  is  attended  with 
danger.  Though  there  are  diseases  without  danger, 
of  a  short  duration,  so  are  distinct  from  the  acute, 
as  an  ephemeris,  kc.  In  general,  this  tenn  is  ap- 
plied to  fevers  ;  for  apoplexy  is  never  styled  an  acute 
disease,  though  its  duration  is  short.  . leu te  diseases 
are  the  opposite  to  chronic,  which  are  slow  in  their 
progress,  and  not  immediately  dangerous.  Wallis's 
Sydenham,  1. 

AC Y'l SIS,  (from  a.  non,  and  xva,  to  conceive).  In 
VogePs  Nosology  it  is  a  defect  of  conception,  or  bar- 
renness in  women.  ACUTUS  has  a  similar  meaning. 

ACY'RUS,  (from  anon,  and  r-vpts,  authority).  A 
term  for  the  herb  German  Leopard's  bane,  so  named 
from  the  little  note  it  used  to  be  thought  of  in  medicine  ; 
though  lately  highly  recommended  as  tonic  antiseptic, 
and  considered  in  Germany,  as  a  valuable  remedy  in 
putrid  fevers.  See  ARNICA  MONTANA. 

'ADAMI'TA,  (from  adamas,  a  diamond,)  is  properly 
the  stone  in  the  bladder ;  adamitum,  the  lithiasis,  or 
disease  called  the  stone.  See  CALCULUS. 

A'DAMUS.  The  philosopher's  stone.  The  alche- 
mists say  that  it  ib  an  animal,  and  that  it  has,  carried 


ADD 


32 


its  invisible  EVE  in  its  body  from  the  moment  they 
were  first  united  by  the  Creator.  It  is  also  called  Aquila, 
Ph'dosophorum  Lapis,  Basaliscus,  Bcnedictus,  Boritis, 
Gryjihus  ;  by  way  of  eminence,  'Antidotus.  This  stone, 
the  greatest  object  of  alchemy,  is  a  long  sought  for  pre- 
paration ;  which,  taken  found,  is  to  transmute  or  exalt 
impurer  metals,  as  tin,  lead,  and  copper,  into  gold  and 
silver.  Authors  who  have  written  on  this  stone  call 
sulphur  the  marilus,  or  husband  ;  and  mercury,  the 
uxor,  or  wife. 

ADAMI  POMUM,  the  convex  part  of  the  thyroid 
cartilage  of  the  larynx. 

ADANSO'NIA,  from  Adanson,  the  name  of  the 
person  who  first  described  the  ^Ethiopian  sour  gourd. 
See  BAOBAB. 

ADARCE,  (from  «  neg.  and  S'efx.a,  to  see).  A  salt- 
ish concretion,  found  about  the  reeds  and  grass  in 
marshy  grounds  in  Galatia,  which  prevents  the  herbs 
vipon  which  it  forms  from  being  seen  ;  it  is  also  called 
calomo/ianus,or  calomothnua.  Itis  lax  and  porous,  like 
bastard  sponge.  It  is  used  to  clear  the  skin  in  lepro- 
sies, tetters,  freckles,  &c'  Dr.  Plott  gives  an  account 
of  this  production  in  his  Natural  History  of  Oxfordshire. 

ADARTICULA'TIO,  (from  ad,  and  articulua,  a 
joint}.  See  DIARTHROSIS. 

ADCHER,  the  name  given  by  Avicenna  and  Sera- 
pion  to  the  schtenanchus,  or  camel's  hay,  q.  v. 

ADCORPORATIO,  (from  ad,  and  corpora,  to  in- 
corporate). ADCORPORATIOX,  or  uniting  in  one 
body. 

ADDEPHAGIA,  or  ADEPHAGIA,  (from  «^», 
abundantly,  and  0«y£<»,  to  eat).  INSATIABILITY,  a  vo- 
HACIOUS  APPETITE.  It  is  the  Bulimia  Helluonum.  See 
BOUI.IMUS. 

ADDITAME'NTUM,  (from  addo,toadd,}  the  same 
as  epiphysis.  A  small  bone  joined  to  a  larger,  by  means 
of  a  cartilage  ;  any  additional  substance  ;  also  a  suture. 
The  large  epiphysis  of  the  ulna  is  called  additamentum 
necatum. 

ADDITAME'NTUM  CO'LI.      See  APPENDICULA 

VERMIFORMIB. 

ADDU'CENS,  (from  adduco,  to  draw  forward). 
Vide  ADDUCTOR  OCULI. 

ADDU'CENS  HUMERI.  See  PECTORALIS  MA- 
JOR. 

ADDU'CTOR,  A  LEADER  TO,  (from  addiicere,  to 
move  or  bring  towards).  A  name  of  several  muscles. 

1.x  ADDU'CTOR  AD  MI'NIMUM  DI'GITUM.  Itrisesfrom 
the  unciform  process  of  the  carpus  towards  the  an- 
nular ligament,  and  is  inserted  into  the  whole  length 
of  the  inside  of  the  mctacarpal  bone  of  the  little 
finger. 

2.  ADDU'CTOR  "AU'RIS.     It  is  a  common  muscle,  be- 
ing a  part  which  Spigelius  calls  quadratus  buccas  de- 
trahens ;  from  its  insertion  is  a  fleshy  fibrous  elongation 
implanted  into  the  root  of  the  ear. 

3.  ADDU'CTOR    DI'GITI  MI'NIMI    PEDIS,   called  also 
trans-versalis  pfdis  placentini.     It  rises  from  the  fourth 
metatarsal  bone,  and  going  over  the  knobs  of  the  toes, 
runs  to  the  external  sesamoid  bone.     Douglas  says,  it 
brings  the  third  and  fourth. lesser  toes  nearer  the  other 
two,  and  the  great  one. 

4.  ADDU'CTOR  FE'MORIS  PRI'MUS,   vel  LO'NGUS.     It 
rises   from  the   os  pubis,  next  the  pectinseus,   above 


the  gracilis  ;  which  turning  into  a  compact  fleshy  belly, 
it  begins  to  be  inserted  tendinous  about  the  middle  oi 
the  linea  aspera,  being  continued  down  upon  the  same 
five  or  six  inches,  sending  out  a  tendon  which  joins  in 
with  that  of  the  fourth  head. 

5.  ADDU'CTOR    FE'MORIS    SECU'NDUS,  vel    BRE'VIS. 
It  arises  from  the  os  pubis,  immediately  under  the  gra- 
cilis, by  a  broad  tendinous,  but  chiefly  fleshy,  beginning, 
and  is  inserted  into  the  linea  aspera,  from  a  little  below 
the  lesser  trochanter,  to  the  first   insertion  of  the  last 
described  muscle. 

6.  ADDU'CTOR    FE'MORIS    TE'RTIUS,    vel    MA'GNUS. 
It  arises  lower  down  than  the  former,  from  the  outer 
edge  of  the  os  pubis  and  ischium,   and,  running  ob- 
liquely towards  the  trochanter  minor,  is  inserted  near 
the  glutaeus  maximus.     This  and  the  next  muscle  are 
described  as  one   muscle,  by  Albinus   and   Winslow, 
under  the  names  of  ABDU'CTOR  MAGNUS  FE'MORIS,  and 
le  troisieme  muscle  du  triceps.     It  is  also  called  triplex 
mnsculus. 

7.  ADDU'CTOR  FE'MORIS  QUAHTUS.     It  arises   from 
the  protuberance  of  the  ischium,  and  the  adjoining  in- 
terior part  of  that  bone,  by  a  tendinous  or  fleshy  origin. 
It  is  inserted  by  a  round  and  a  long  tendon   into  the 
upper  and  rough  part  of  the  inner  and  lower  appendix 
of  the  os  femoris, being  affixed  to  that  bone  a  little  above 
the  condyle,  as  also  to  some  part  of  the  linea  aspera. 
The  above  four  muscles  of  the  thigh  are  described  by 
Dr.  Hunter,  Sec.  as  one,  and  under  the  name  of  TRI'- 
CEI'S,  which  see.     Their  use  is  to  adduce,  or  move,  the 
thigh  inwards,  according  to  their  different  directions, 
and  bring  them  to  each  other. 

8.  ADDU'CTOR  OCULI,  also  called  adducens  and  rec- 
tus  internus.     It  rises  tendinous  and  fleshy  from  the 
edge  of  the  hole  in  the  sphenoid  bone  that  transmits  the 
optic  nerve,  and  is  inserted  by  a  thin  tendon  into  the 
tunica  sclerotica,  where  it  respects  the  great  canthus. 
It  brings  the  eye  towards  the  nose.     Some  call  it  bibito- 
rius,  as  it  directs  the  eye  towards  the  glass  in  drink- 
ing. 

9.  ADDU'CTOR  PO'LLICIS  MANUS   AD  IJ/DICEM.     Rio- 
Ian  calls  it  antithenar.     It  rises  from  the  fore  part  of 
the  metacarpal  bone  of  the  fore  finger,  joins  with  the 
anterior  portion  of  the  flexor  secundi  internodiipollicis, 
and  is  inserted  with  it  into  the  sesamoid  bone.     See 
ABDU'CTOR  INDICIS,  N°  4. 

10.  ADDU'CTOR  PO'LLICIS  PEDIS.     It  rises  by  a  long 
thin  disgregated  tendon  from  the  os  calcis,  under  the 
tendinous  part  of  the  massa  carnea,  from  the  os  cu- 
boides,  the  os  cuneiforme  medium,  and  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  os  metatarsi  of  the  second  toe  ;  it  is  soon 
dilated  into  a  pretty  large  belly,  and  is  inserted  in  the 
external  os  sesamoides  of  the  great  toe.     Douglas  says 
it  brings  the  great  toe  near  its  next. 

ADE'CTOS,  (from  «  neg.  and  <5Wv«,  to  bite).  An 
epithet  given  to  medicines  that  relieve  from  the  biting 
sense  of  pain,  by  removing  the  uneasiness  caused  by 
stimulants  ;  whence  Celsus  calls  them  lenia. 

ADELPHIA,  ADELPHIXIS.  Analogy  and  rela- 
tion, applied  by  Hippocrates  to  diseases. 

ADEMON1A,  ~)  (of  a  neg.  and   S'a.i^av,  a  genius, 

ADjEMONIA,)  or  divinity,  or  fortune}.  Hip- 
pocrates uses  this  word  for  the  uneasiness,  restlessness, 
or  anxiety,  felt  in  acute  diseases,  and  some  hysteric  fits. 


33 


ADE 


A'DEX,  A  GLAXD.  See  GLAXDULA.  Sometimes  it 
signifies  the  same  as  bubo.  Blanchard. 

ADENDE'NTES,  (from  aden,  a  gland,  and  edo,  to 
eat).  Ulcers  which  eat  and  dfttroy  the  glands.  See 
PHAGJEDF.NA. 

ADE'NES  CAXADE'XSES.     See  BATTATAS  CA- 

NAHKXSIS. 

ADENIA.  A  genus  of  Hexandria  monogynia.  One 
of  its  species,  viz.  the  A.  venenata,  an  Arabian  tree,  is 
poisonous;  and  the  capparis  spinosa  is  supposed  to  be 
an  antidote  to  it.  Forskhal. 

ADENOI'DES,  (from  *^»,  a  gland,  and  it^,  a 
farm).  GLAXDIFORM,  or  like  a  gland.  This  word  also 
is  used  for  the  flrostafie,  q.  v. 

ADEXO'SUSABSCE'SSUS.  A  hard  tubercle, re- 
sembling a  gland,  difficult  to  be  resolved. 

A'D EPS,  FAT,  called  also  fiinguedo,  aocungia,  bitty- 
rum,  arvina,  arabus,  &c.  Fat  is  a  condensed  oily  juice, 
contained  in  that  part  of  the  cellular  membrane  called 
membrana  adifiosa.  When  superfluous,  and  found  in 
the  upper  eye-lids  of  children,  it  was  called  axirnach. 
In  the  young  foetus  is  scarcely  any  fat;  the  omentum 
seems  only  to  contain  a  jelly  ;  but  in  the  more  advanced 
stage,  fat  begins  to  appear.  When  the  child  is  born, 
and  during  a  few  years  after,  it  hath  much  fat  imme- 
diately beneath  the  skin ;  in  men  the  fat  is  most  abund- 
antly spread  on  the  glutci  muscles  :  it  is  separated  from 
the  blood  by  a  glandular  secretion. 

There  is  also  a  fatty  substance,  butter,  obtained  from 
the  milk  of  animals,  by  agitating  its  oleaginous  part, 
separated  by  standing,  in  an  instrument  called  a  churn  : 
called  also  alumbair. 

•  From  the  most  accurate  analysis  of  Crell,  it  ap- 
pears that  fat  is  a  kind  of  oil,  or  butter  rendered  con- 
crete by  an  acid.  This,  the  sebacic  acid,  exists  ready 
formed  in  suet,  two  pounds  affording  somewhat  more 
than  seven  ounces.  By  adding  alkalis  to  animal  fat,  a 
soap  is  formed;  which  is  decomposed  by  alum.  We 
thus  obtain  the  sebate  of  potash,  which  is  decomposed 
by  the  sulphuric  acid.  When  chemically  examined,  it 
is  found  to  resemble  very  nearly  the  acetous  acid.  Six 
parts  of  fat  contain  nearly  five  of  carbon,  and  one  of  hy- 
drogen, with  some  of  the  acid,  not  decomposed ;  nor 
does  it  yield  so  much  oxygen  and  nitrogen  as  the  fleshy 
parts.  The  accumulation  of  fat  is  a  process  not  com- 
pletely uirlerstood;  nor  are  its  uses  known.  It  con- 
tains, as  we  have  seen,  the  acetous  acid ;  and,  on  the 
whole,  seems  a  morbid  secretion  when  in  a  large  quan- 
tity, since  it  predisposes  to  many  diseases,  and  is  itself  a 
disease.  We  should  suspect  that  it  was  designed  to  in- 
viscate  a  proportion  of  the  acetous  acid  when  in  excess; 
since  it  is  favoured  by  indolence  and  inactivity,  when 
we  find  acids  morbidly  accumulated  in  different  secreted 
fluids,  as  in  the  urinary  and  arthritic  calculi.  It  has 
been  supposed  to  be  the  accumulation  of  a  stock  of  nu- 
triment, to  supply  accidental  and  temporary  deficiencies, 
or  to  cover  morbid  acrimony  in  the  fluids.  It  must  be 
allowed,  that,  from  want  of  food,  the  fat  wastes  and  is 
absorbed ;  but  we  are  yet  to  learn,  that  fat  persons  can 
bear  famine  better  and  longer  than  lean  ones.  At  the 
v.-.me  time,  it  is  observed  that  the  fat  is  not  so  much 
wasted  in  those  who  are  worn  down  by  the  gradual 
decay  of  a  hectic;  who,  from  a  scirrhous  oesophagus,  or 
a  cancer  of  the  throat,  die  from  inanition,  as  in  dropsies, 
v>-here  the  appetite  continues  with  little  diminution.  It 

VOL.  i. 


has  also  not  been  ascertained  that  it  imparts  any  lieu" 
to  the  body,  or  the  viscera,  which  the  omentum  covers. 

Berthollet  discovered,  in  animal  substances,  what  he 
considered  as  a  peculiar  acid,  and  he  called  it  the  zooxu 
ACID.  It  had  the  smell  of  broiled  flesh,  was  liquid  in  a 
temperate  heat,  more  volatile  than  boiling  water;  form- 
ed soluble  salts  with  barytes,  strontian,  lime,  and  alkalis  ; 
precipitated  the  nitrat  of  lead  and  the  acetite  of  mer- 
cury; deposited  charcoal,  and  was,  in  time,  decom- 
posed. Subsequent  inquiry  has,  however,  shewn  that 
this  is  not  a  new  acid,  but  the  acetous  acid,  containing 
some  animal  matter  in  solution.  It  is  of  more  impor- 
tance, since  it  shews  the  acetous  acid  in  a  new  com- 
pound in  the  animal  machine. 

Fat  differs  from  suet  principally  in  the  great  quantity 
of  water  it  contains,  which,  being  slowly  evaporated,  is 
converted  into  a  sebaceous  substance.  Steatorns,  which 
sometimes  are  found  in  the  membrana  adiposa,  are  of  a 
very  different  nature. 

The  human  fat  does  not  become  fluid  when  Fahren- 
heit's thermometer  rises  to  the  ninetieth  degree  ;  but 
when  it  begins  to  putrify,  it  easily,  and  with  a  small  de- 
gree of  warmth,  runs  into  oil. 

In  cetateous  fishes  the  fat  is  thin  as  oil ;  in  animals 
that  live  on  herbage  only  the  fat  is  harder,  and  yet 
harder  in  those  that  chew  the  cud. 

The  Arabians  used  a  great  variety  of  fats  in  medi- 
cine ;  but  to  relax  the  parts  to  which  they  are  applied, 
and  to  stop  perspiration,  are  their  chief  virtues.  In 
the  present  practice,  three  kinds  are  employed,  and 
these  only  on  account  of  their  different  consistence ; 
they  are  the  fat  ot  vipers,  hog's  lard,  and  mutton  suet. 
The  fat  of  geese  is  now  wholly  rejected.  Their  use  is 
chiefly  external.  As  to  viper's  fat,  it  is  well  supplied 
by  the  oil  of  olives  ;  for  it  does  not  appear  that  animal 
fats,  and  insipid,  flavourless  vegetable  oils,  of  similar 
consistence,  differ  in  their  effects  when  used  exter- 
nally :  in  other  instances,  there  seems  to  be  a  greater 
similarity  between  animal  and  vegetable  fats,  or  insipid 
oils,  than  between  any  other  similar  animal  and  vege- 
table substances,  such  as  gums  and  animal  jellies  :  ani- 
mal fats,  in  their  resolution  by  fire,  yield  neither  the 
peculiar  stench,  nor  much,  if  any,  of  the  volatile  alka- 
line salt,  which  substances  completely  animalised  af- 
ford. Mutton  suet  is  sometimes  taken  internally  a.s.a 
mild  nutrient;  occasionally,  as  a  demulcent  in  diarr- 
hoeas, when  the  mucus  of  the  intestines  is  abraded;  but 
it  seems  to  possess  no  very  considerable  power  in  either 
respect. 

Animal  fats  are  not  soluble  in  rectified  sp.  vin.  nor  in 
water.  When  scented  with  essential  oils,  the  latter  may 
be  totally  extracted  by  digestion  in  rectified  spirit,  and, 
in  a  less  degree,  by  water.  Fats  may  thus  also  be  freed 
from  their  ill  smell  ;  and  those  that  are  becoine  rancid 
may  be  made  sweet. 

Animal  fats  preserve  steel  from  rust  better  than  ve- 
getable ones ;  mutton  suet  prevents  brass  from  grow- 
ing ill  coloured,  longer  than  any  other  fat;  and  if  a  little 
camphor  and  white  lead  are  added,  these  ends  are  still 
better  answered. 

The  fat  of  vipers  being  separatecV  from  their  intes- 
tines, may  be  melted  before  a  gentle  fire,  and  run 
through  a  thin  linen  cloth. 

See  Haller's  Physiology,  on  the  cellular  membrane. 

ADE'PTA  PHILOSOTHIA.     ADEPT  PHILOSOPHY. 
F 


ADI 


ADO 


It  is  that  philosophy,  whose  end  is  the  transmutation 
of  metals,  and  an  universal  remedy.  The  professors 
of  this  philosophy  are  called  ADEPTI,  adepts.  Paracelsus 
calls  that  medicina  adefita,  which  treats  of  the  diseases 
that  are  contracted  by  celestial  operations,  or  communi- 
cated from  heaven. 

ADHATO'DA.  The  MALABAR  NUT.  Referred  by 
Lin.  to  the  genus  justicia;  not  employed  in  modern 
practice,  and  seemingly  useless. 

ADHE'SIO,  (from  ad,  and  hxreo,  to  cleave  to,}  AD- 
HESION. In  medicine,  a  term  used  for  two  parts  stick- 
ing together,  which  are  naturally  separate. 

If  any  of  those  parts  in  the  thorax  or  belly  that  lie  in 
contact  inflame,  they  commonly  grow  together.  The 
lungs  very  frequently  adhere  to  the  pleura. 

On  this  subject  see  Dr.  Flemyng's  treatise  on  adhe- 
sions, or  accretions  of  the  lungs ;  or  an  abstract  from  it 
in  the  Med.  Mus.  vol.  i.  To  this  head  must  be  referred 
the  modern  improved  method  of  healing  wounds  as  is 
said,  "  by  the  first  intention  :"  the  lips  are  brought  to- 
gether, and  thus  adhere.  See  VULNUS. 

ADIA'NTHUM,  ADIA'NTUM,  (from  «,  non,  and 
S'ta.iva,  to  grow  tuet,}  so  named  because  the  leaves  are 
not  easily  made  wet.  MAIDEN-HAIR.  Also  called 
fiolytrichon  and  polytrychum,  (from  K-ehvg,  much,  and 
§ft\,  hair,)  expressive  of  a  capillary  herb. 

Two  species  are  only  employed,  -viz.  A.  cafiillus  Vene- 
ris,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1558,  and  A.  Jiedatum,  1557.  From 
the  latter,  the  French  prepare  their  sirop  de  capillaire, 
which  they  flavour  with  orange-flower  water  :  a  propor- 
tion of  honey,  it  is  said,  is  usually  added.  It  acts  chiefly 
as  a  demulcent,  sheathing  the  inflamed  and  irritable 
epiglottis. 

ADIAPHOROUS,  a  spirit  distilled  from  tartar; 
said,  by  Mr.  Boyle,  to  be  neither  acid,  vinous,  nor 
urinous.  , 

ADIAPNEU'STIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  JWvfw,  to 
fiersfiire}.  IMPEDED  PERSPIRATION;  which  was  con- 
sidered by  the  ancients  as  the  primary  cause  of  fevers, 
from  what  they  termed  vafiorosa  ft  fuliginosa  efflu-via, 
not  being  permitted  to  pass  through  the  cutaneous 
pores. 

ADIAPTO'TOS,(from«,neg.  and  S'txTriTrla,  to  stum- 
ble or  slide}.  The  word  signifies  firm;  but  in  medi- 
cine it  is  the  name  of  a  remedy  against  the  colic,  of 
stone-parsley,  henbane-seed,  white  pepper,  &.c.  formed 
into  an  electuary. 

ADIARRHCE'A,  (from  «,  neg.  and  hitppca,  perfluo, 
tojloiv  out  or  through}.  It  signifies  a  total  suppression 
of  the  necessary  evacuations  from  the  bowels. 

ADIBAT.     See  ARGENT.  VIVUM. 

A'DICE,  (odiKta,  to  hurt}.     See  URTICA. 

A'DIPIS  SUI'LL^,  PR.EPARA'TIO,  olim 
AXU'NGI^E  PORCI'NjE  CURATIO.  See  ADEPS. 

ADIPOCIRE.  The  modern  appellation  of  SPER- 
MACETI, q.  v. 

ADIPO'S.E  ARTE'RLE,  et  VEN^E.  They  are 
branches  from  the  phrenitic  arteries,  which  are  spread 
on  the  fat  that  covers  the  kidneys,  from  which  the 
blood  is  returned  by  the  veins.  See  CAPSULARES 

ARTEHIjE. 

ADIPO'SA  MEMBRA'NA.     See  CELLULOSA  MEM- 

BRANA. 

ADI'PSIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  fri^a.,  thirst}.  WANT 
OF  THIRST.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  as  a  genus  of  dis- 


ease, in  the  locales  dysorexia.     But  he  thinks  it  is  ge- 
nerally, if  not  always,  symptomatic. 
"  ADI'PSON,  A^ov.jTrom  «,  neg.  and  £^«,  thirst}. 
See  OXYMEL  and  PTISANA. 

Medicines  were  thus  named  that  allayed  thirst,  if 
used  for  that  purpose;  and  may  be  applied  to  such  as 
do  not  provoke  thirst. 

The  Greeks  called  liquorice-juice  by  this  name.  See 
GLYCYRRHIZA. 

ADI'PSOS,  (from  «.,  priv.  and  W*,  thirst}.  The 
EGYPTIAN  PALM-TREE  is  thus  named  by  the  Greeks. 
Its  fruit,  before  it  is  ripe,  is  called  myrobalans.  Theo- 
phrastus  calls  this  tree  paha*®^,  i.  e.  mast,  from  its 
fruit ;  but  it  is  called  adifison,  because  its  fruit,  before 
it  is  ripe,  quenches  thirst. 

ADJUTO'RIUM,  (from  adjuvo,  to  assist}.  See 
HUMERUS,  or  upper  part  of  the  arm,  clearly  described 
by  Albucasis.  "  Adjutorium  is  that  bone  which  lies 
between  the  cubit  and  head  of  the  scapula."  It  is  also 
an  external  medicine  used  to  assist  internal  ones. 

ADLE,  applied  to  an  egg,  means  one  not  fecundated, 
or  one  putrid  from  long  keeping  :  the  former  contains 
generally  an  unformed  mola. 

ADNA'TA,  AGNA'TA,  TUNICA,  (from  adnascor, 
to  grow  to}.  The  outer  coat  of  the  eye;  called  also 
circumcalualis,  circumossalis,  albuginea,  ejiipephycos.  It 
is  that  which  makes  the  WHITE  OF  THE  EYE,  called  al- 
so exclofiion,  and  is  thus  formed  :  five  of  the  muscles 
which  move  the  eye  take  their  origin  from  the  bottom 
of  the  orbit,  and  the  sixth  arises  from  the  edge  of  it ; 
they  are  all  inserted  by  a  tendinous  expansion  into  the 
anterior  part  of  the  tunica  sclerotica ;  and  this  expan- 
sion gives  the  whiteness  peculiar  to  the  fore  part  of  the 
eye.  It  lies  between  the  sclerotica  and  conjunctiva.  It 
is -extremely  sensible,  and  abounds  with  blood-vessels, 
which  are  very  visible  in  inflammations.  It  covers  so 
much  of  the  eye  as  is  called  the  white ;  and,  being  re- 
flected all  round,  it  lines  the  two  eye-lids,  and  thus  hin- 
ders any  thing  from  falling  into  the  orbit.  Where  it 
covers  the  eye-lids,  it  is  vascular  and  papillous.  In 
passing  over  the  orbit,  it  does  not  end  at  the  cornea, 
but  becomes  transparent  there,  and  is  of  different  tex- 
tures in  different  parts  where  it  is  spread.  The  sclero- 
tica appears  under  it. 

When  a  foreign  body  gets  between  the  eye  and  the 
eye-lid,  it  is  hooked  in  the  villi :  the  best  way-to  extricate 
it  is,  to  invert  the  eye-lid,  and  to  introduce  a  firobe  arm- 
ed ivith  lint  and  dipped  in  oil. 

The  inverted  eye-lid  prdceeds  from  this  coat. 
Though  it  is  exactly  commensurate  to  the  orbit  in 
health,  yet,  in  morbid  habits,  when  it  is  inflamed,  it  is 
thickened  and  puffed  out.  If  it  does  not  yield  to  ge- 
neral remedies,  as  bleeding,  purging,  &c.  it  must  be 
punctured ;  and  if  this  also  fails,  the  redundant  part 
must  be  cut  off". 

ADNA'TA,  also  signifies  such  parts  of  animal  or 
vegetable  bodies  as  are  inseparable,  as  the  hair,  wool, 
fruits,  horns ;  or  else  accidental,  as  fungus,  misletoe, 
and  excrescences. 

ADONIS.  A.  -verna,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  771,  and  A. 
Ajiennina,  L.  772.  Plants  whose  roots  are  employed; 
according  to  Pallas,  asemmcnagogues.  The  practice  of 
this  country  does  not  acknowledge  their  virtues,  or  re- 
cord them. 

ADOPTER.     A  chemical  vessel  with  two  necks  in- 


AD  \ 


35 


tcrposed  between  a  retort  and  receiver.  They  differ 
from  aludels  in  being  long  and  open  at  each  end ;  and 
in  their  position,  which  is  usually  oblique. 

A  DOR,  a  sort  of  corn,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  »•?•„  a 
f/iear,)  so  named  from  its  being  without  the  beard  or 
spear;  also  called  ffielta  and  zea,  SPELT  CORN.  Dios- 
corides  mentions  two  kinds,  the  monococcous  alid 
dicoccous,  that  is,  such  as  has  only  one  grain  or  two  in  a 
husk. 

A 'DOS,  (from  «&«,  satiety).  Water  in  which  red- 
hot  iron  is  extinguished;  because  it  is  thereby  quench- 
ed or  satiated. 

ADRAGA'XTH.     See  GUMMI  TRAG.VCASTHA. 

ADRARHI'ZA,  (from  «fy>«,  thick,  and  fi£*,  a 
root.)  See  ARISTOLOCHIA. 

ADROBO'LOX,  (from  *$?•*,  large,  and  /3»As;,  a 
globe,  hole,  or  mass).  The  Indian  bdellium,  which  is 
coarser  than  the  Arabian,  being  impure,  black,  and  in 
large  lumps. 

ADRO  TEROX,  (from  icJ>»?, plentiful ).  A  prolific 
grain.  See  ALICA. 

ADSCE'NDEXS,  (from  adscendo,  to  ascend).  Ap- 
plied to  a  stalk,  growing  first  in  an  horizontal  direc- 
tion, and  then  curving  upwards.  In  anatomy,  it  refers 
to  the  direction  of  the  vessels,  as  the  ascending  aorta. 
.  ADSTRI'CTIO,  (from  ad,  sndstringo,  to  bind  toge- 
ther,) ADSTRICTION.  It  either  expresses  the  styptic 
quality  of  medicines,  or  the  retention  of  the  natural 
evacuations,  by  the  rigidity  of  the  respective  apertures. 
It  most  commonly  refers  to  the  state  of  the  bowels. 
See  CONSTIPATIO. 

ADSTRIXGE'XTIA,  (from  adstringo,  to  bind  u/ij 

ASTRINGENTS.        See  AsTRINGENTIA. 

ADU'XATOS,  (from  *,priv.  and  oi*i.*.Mje;,<o  be  able). 
See  ADYNAMIA. 

ADU'STA.  ADUST,  burnt,  scorched,  or  parched, 
(from  aduro,  to  bur~n,^fc.).  This  term  is  applied  to  the 
fluids  of  the  body  when  acrid,  and  particularly  when 
the  acrimony  is  supposed  to  have  arisen  from  great 
heat.  Those  constitutions  are  bilious  only,  and  the 
term  is  chiefly  employed,  when  the  bile  from  stagna- 
tion has  become  brown  or  black. 

ADUSTIOX.  See  CAUTERY  end  MOXA.  It  is 
sometimes  applied  to  violent  inflammations  of  the 
brain,  and  cooling  applications  are  used  externally. 

A'DV,  vel  PALM  A  A'DY,(from  «?v,  orvfv,  sweet). 
A  palm-tree  in  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  which  affords 
plenty  of  juice,  that  ferments  into  wine.  The  en- 
tire fruit  is  called  by  the  Portuguese  caryoces  and 
rariasse;  by  the  natives  abanga.  The  fruit  externally 
is  like  a  lemon,  and  contains  a  stone,  the  kernel  of 
which,  if  heated  in  hot  water,  gives  out  an  oil  of  a  saf- 
fron colour;  it  concretes  in  the  cold,  and  is  used  as 
butter :  of  these  kernels  the  inhabitants  give  three  or 
four  as  a  restorative,  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

ADYXA 'MIA,  (from  *,  neg.  and  Pvixuif,  strength, 
force,)  languor,  weakness,  impotence  from  sickness  or 
disease:  adunatos,  leifiofi&ychia.  Also  drowsiness,  or 
sleepiness,  lassitude,  defect  of  vital  powers.  In  Dr. 
Cullen's  Nosology,  this  word  distinguishes  an  order  in 
his  class  neuroses :  he  defines  it  to  be  diseases  consisting 
in  a  weakness  or  loss  of  motion,  in  either  the  vital  or 
natural  functions.  These  diseases  are  by  others  called 
defcettvi. 


ADY'XAMOX,  (from  the  same).  A  FACTITIOUS 
WIXE.  It  is  made  of  two  parts  of  must  and  one  of 
water,  which  are  boiled  together  till  as  much  is  con- 
sumed as  there  was  added  of  water. 

.EDOI'A,  or  AIDOIA,  (from  *<!»;,  modesty).  See 
PUDENDA. 

.EDOSO'PHIA,  (from  *«?-«,  pudenda,  and  4>Qm, 
strefiitum  edo).  In  Sauvages,  and  Sagar,  it  is  defined 
to  be  a  flatus  passing  from  the  uterus,  or  from  the 
urinary  bladder,  through  the  vagina  or  the  urethra; 
hence  it  is  formed  into  two  species,  .EDOSOPHIA 
UHE'THR^E  et  UTERI'NA.  This  flatus  is  sometimes 
very  fetid,  which  circumstance  cannot  always  be  ac- 
counted for.  It  sometimes  happens  when  women  are 
in  labour,  and  hath  been  taken  for  a  sign  that  the  child 
is  dead,  but  this  cannot  be  depended  on ;  an  intolerable 
stench  sometimes  attends,  when  the  child  is  living.  See 
Sauvages'  XosologiaMethodica,  vol.  ii.  p.  417. 

jEGAGRO'PILA,  (from  aiycvypts,  the  mountain- 
goat,  and  *-<A»s,  fiila  vel  globulus,}  THE  ROCK-GOAT. 
See  CAPRA  ALPINA. 

JEGETRINON,(«jyf «/<£-,  a.fiofilar}.     An  ointment 
so  called,  because  the  fruit  of  the  poplar,  or  its  catkins. 
'  are  an  ingredient  in  it;  not  now  employed. 
.EGEI'ROS.     See  POPULUS. 

./E'GIAS,  (from  <ti|,  a  goat).  A  white  speck  on  the 
pupil  of  the  eye,  which  occasions  a  dimness  of  sight ; 
so  named,  because  it  was  supposed  that  goats  were  sub- 
ject to  it. 

JiGI'DES,  «iy(J«,  (from  «i{,  a  goat).  Small  white 
cicatrices  of  the  eyes,  or  small  white  concretions  on  the 
pupil ;  called  also  aglia.  They  do  not  differ  from  the 
white  specks  called  ALBUGO. 

-EGIDIOX,  (from  <t*J,  a  goat).  The  name  of  a 
collyrium,  or  ointment,  for  inflammations  and  de- 
fluxions  of  the  eyes  ;  so  named  because  goats  are  sup- 
posed to  be'subject  to  defects  in  the  eyes;  called  also 
fgofirosofihon. 

jE'GILOPS.     SeeJEGYLOPS. 

.E'GLEUS.  The  appellation,  in  Galen,  of  the  white 
chamaeleon  thistle,  which  was  esculent;  to  distinguish- 
it  from  the  Erebennus,  the  black  poisonous  kind. 

^EGOPODIUM.  GOAT-WEED.  .4.podagrana,~Lw. 
It  is  sedative,  and  formerly  applied  to  mitigate  pains  of 
gout,  and  to  relieve  piles,  but  not  now  employed.  In 
its  earlier  state  it  is  tender  and  esculent. 

-EGO 'CERAS, (from  *<{,  a  goat,  and  «£f««,  a  horn,) 
so  called  from  its  pods  resembling  the  horns  of  a  goat. 
See  FiNUM  GR^ECUM. 

-ECO'LETHROX,  from  («<{,  a  goat,  and  oAffy>?, 
destruction,)  a  plant  so  named  from  its  being  thought 
poisonous  to  goats.  Tournefort  says  it  is  the  chanue- 
rododendron.  See  Mem.  de  1'Acad.  Roy.  des  Sciences, 
1704.  jizalea  pontica,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1669. 

jEGO'XYCHOX,  GROMWELL.  So  called  from 
"'!»  a  Soati  an<i  ""I  a  h°0fi  because  of  the  hardness  of 
the  seed,  resembling  the  hoof  of  a  goat.  See  LITHOS- 
PERMUM. 

-EGOPROSO'PHOX,  (from  «<|,  a  goat,  and  *?«- 
c-tiirti,  a  face).  See  -Eoiniox. 

..E'GYLOPS  or  -EGILOPS.  A  disease  in. the  inward 
corner  of  the  eye,  (so  called  from  *i|,  a  goat,  and  «>•£, 
an  eye,  or  goat's-eye,)  because  goats  are  supposed  to  be 
subject  to  this  disease. 

F-2 


36 


Paulus  vEgineta  callsit  anchylosis  before  it  bursts,  and 
ffgylo/is  after ;  but  these  are  only  different  states  of  the 
fistula  lachrymalis.  Dr.  Wallis  thinks  that  the  distinc- 
tion should  be  preserved. — See  his  Nosologia  Methodica 
Oculorum.  Article,  Efiifiliora  a  Rhyade. 

Sometimes  it  is  with,  and  at  others  without,  inflam- 
mation. If  it  is  attended  with  erosion,  it  terminates, 
though  seldom,  in  a  cancer.  In  opening  this  abscess, 
we  should  be  careful  not  to  cut  the  edge  of  the  eye-lid, 
for  an  incurable  wateriness  will  be  occasioned. 

When  it  is  strumous,  it  proceeds  from  congestion, 
and  the  tubercle  is  round  without  discolouring  the  skin. 
If-  it  is  caused  by  inflammation,  pain  and  redness  ap- 
pear over  the  eye.  Sometimes  it  begins  with  a  weep- 
ing, and  is  not  suspected  until  a  redness  appears  in  the 
eye ;  and  then,  by  a  gentle  pressure  on  the  part,  a  mat- 
ter is  discharged,  a  part  of  which  resembles  the  white 
of  an  egg.  If  this  matter  makes  its  way  into  the  nose, 
it  acquires  a  fetid  smell. 

As  to  the  cure,  if  the  case  is  recent,  we  should  begin 
with  a  cautious  use  of.  bleeding  and  purging ;  or  if 
these  are  contra-indicated,  the  alteratives  most  esteemed 
in  scrofulous  disorders  should  be  used.  The  tumour 
may  be  resolved  by  anodyne  and  discutient  applications ; 
but  if  there  is  a  tendency  to  a  suppuration  it  should  be 
hastened,  and  the  discharge  of  the  pus  procured,  with 
all  convenient  speed,  lest  the  bone  underneath  should 
be  affected :  the  abscess  must  be  cleansed  and  healed, 
with  the  tinct.  of  myrrh  and  aloes  mixed  with  mel  rosae. 
If  the  matter  had  passed  also  under  the  cilium,  a  pow- 
erful desiccative,  such  as  strong  lime-water,  assisted  by 
a  co/npress,  should  be  used. 

'  If  the  periosteum  under  the  tumour  be  laid  bare,  an 
exfoliation  must  be  hastened  by  a  caustic,  and  a  passage 
opened  into  the  nose,  after  which  dry  lint  alone  is 
sufficient.  Too  constricting  medicines  may  produce  a 
vhyas,  see  RHYAS  :  too  digestive  applications  may  give 
rise  to  an  encanthis.  See  FISTULA  LACHRYMALIS. 
See  also  Galen,  Aetius,  Celsus,  Paulus  JEgineta,  Actua- 
rius,  Sennertus,  Wiseman,  Heister,  Pott,  Bell,  Kirk- 
land,  Ware. 

.E'GYLOPS,  or  jE'GILOPS.  Bromus  Arvensis,'L'm. 

Sp.       PI.       113.          TllC       GREAT      WILD      OAT      GRASS       Or 

DRANK.  It  grows  in  hedges  and  the  sides  of  fields  in 
May.  By  culture  it  becomes  a  species  of  corn.  In  the 
northern  parts  of  America  it  is  improved  to  great  advan- 
tage ;  and  in  the  low  wet  boggy  grounds  in  Great  Bri- 
tain it  would  be  profitable,  as  it  thrives  best  in  water. 
It  grows  like  oats,  but  in  quality  resembles  rice.  A  de- 
coction of  the  roots  is  said  to  kill  worms. 

^EGY'PTIA  ANTIDO'TUS,  the  EGYPTIAN  AN- 
TIDOTE. The  name  of  several  compositions. 

MOSCHA'TA.     See  ABELMOSCHVS. 

— — — —  U'LCERA,  also  called  SYRIAN  ULCERS. 
Aretseus  describes  an  ulcer  of  the  tonsils  and  fauces  by 
these  names ;  they  are  attended  with  a  burning  pain ; 
the  matter  discharged  from  them  infects  the  whole 
frame,  and  the  patient  is  rendered  miserable  by  its  of- 
fensive smell. 

^LGYPTIA'CA.     See  PAPYRUS. 

jEGYPTIA'CUM  BALSAMUM.  BALS.  GILEAD. 
See  BALSAMUM. 

UNG.,  called   also    mel  sEgyfitia- 

It  was  attributed  to  Mesue,  but  its  place  is  sup- 


plied by  the  oxymel  aeruginis  in  the  last  London  phar- 
macopoeia :  it  is  a  detergent,  and  slightly  caustic.  An- 
other kind,  described  by  Hildanus,  consists  of  mithri- 
date,  camphor,  and  treacle.  Another  kind,  composed 
of  lily  roots  and  aromatics,  was  used  as  a  cosmetic,  and 
styled  cicinum.  They  resemble  each  other  only  in  their 
colour,  from  which  they  are  styled  ^Egyptiaca. 

jEGY'PTIUM  OLEUM.  See  CATAPUTIA;  also 
the  name  of  a  topic  used  by  the  ancients  in  uterine 
disorders. 

ALBUM.     See  CRINOMYRON. 

CROCE'UM  UNG.  Both  these  are  de- 
scribed by  Aetius. 

PHA'RMACUM  AD  AU'RES.  The  name 

of  one  of  Aetius's  compositions. 

jEGY'PTIUS  PE'SSUS.  A  pessary  described  by 
Paulus  ^Egineta :  it  is  made  of  honey,  turpentine,  saf- 
fron, oil,  verdigris,  8tc. 

jEICHRY'SON,  (from  a.it,  always,  and  xfvn?, 
gold ;  because  the  herb  is  always  of  a  shining  yellow). 
See  SEDUM. 

jElGLU'CES,  (from  an,  always,  andy/«xi>«,  sweet). 
A  sweet  sort  of  wine  is  thus  named.  When  the  fer- 
mentation has  begun,  the  vessel  is  placed  under  water, 
and  there  kept  all  the  winter,  that  it  may  be  cool,  and 
not  be  completely  turned  into  wine. 

jEITHA'LIS,  (from  a,ei,  always,  and  £«AA#,  to  be 
green).  See  SEDUM. 

-iEIZOON,  (from  «n,  always,  and  £»<?,  life).  See 
SEDUM. 

A'EL.     See  ALLA. 

jELU'ROPO,  SYR.  DE,  (from  attovpeg,  a  cat,  and 
STOWS,  /ies,)  so  called  from  the  resemblance  of  its  leaves 
and  flowers  to  a  cat's  foot.  See  GNAPHAL'I-UM  MON- 

TANUM. 

^EMBI'LL^ii,  (from  «</**,  blood  -,  because  the  seeds 
are  of  p.  deep  red  colour).  See  LACCA. 

jENE'A.  An  epithet  given  to  the  instrument  called 
a  catheter,  from  brass,  the  matter  of  which  it  was  for- 
merly made. 

jE'ON,  a,tai,  the  whole  age  of  a  man.  But  Hippo- 
crates uses  it  to  signify  the  remains  of  a  man's  life.  Sec 
also  MEDULLA  SPINALIS. 

vEO'NION,  (from  aiavtof,  eternal ;  because  the  se- 
dum  rnajus  is  an  evergreen).  See  SEDUM. 

-fiLO'RA,  (from  aiapia,  to  lift  ufi,)  to  suspend  on 
high.  GESTATIO,  a  species  of  exercise  used  by  the  an- 
cients, and  of  which  Aetius  gives  the  following  account : 

GESTATION,  while  it  exercises  the  body  and  limbs, 
still  they  seem  to  be  at  rest.  Of  the  motion  there  are 
several  kinds. 

1st,  Swinging  in  a  hammock,  which,  at  the  decline 
of  a  fever,  is  beneficial. 

2dly,  Being  carried  in  a  litter,  in  which  the  patient 
either  sits  or  lies  alone.  It  is  useful  when  the  gout, 
stone,  and  such  other  disorders  attend,  that  do  not  ad- 
mit of  violent  motions. 

3dly,  Riding  in  a 'chariot,  which  is  of  service  in 
most  chronical  disorders, especially  before  the  stronger 
exercise  can  be  admitted. 

4thly,  Sailing  in  a  boat  or  a  ship.  This  produces 
various  effects,  according  to  the  different  agitation  of 
the  waters,  and  in  many  tedious  chronical  disorders 
proves  efficacious  beyond  what  is  observed  from  the 


37 


A  E  R 


most  skilful  administration  of  drugs.  These  are  in- 
stances of  passive  exercise,  and  are  useful,  particularly 
when  active  exercise  would  be  improper  or  impractica- 
ble. Asclepiades  was  the  first  who  brought  passive 
exercise  into  practice,  which  was  used  after  severe  ill- 
ness, in  order  to  conquer  debility,  and  invigorate  the 
system  by  gentle  means. 

The  use  of  exercise  in  preserving  or  restoring  health 
is  too  well  known  to  require  either  arguments  to  en- 
force it,  or  regulations  to  conduct  it.  The  exercises 
here  enumerated,  we  have  said,  are  passive  only  ;  and 
it  is  not  easy  to  explain  in  what  manner  these  can  be 
useful.  It  may  be  remarked  that  all'  are  attended  with 
renovation  of  the  air,  which  surrounds  the  body  ;  all 
require  some  little  exertion  to  preserve  or  restore  the 
equilibrium.  Dr.  Cullen,  taking  the  idea  from  the 
motion  of  a  vessel  containing  a  fluid,  and  observing 
tfiat  the  momentum  imparted  to  the  latter  continued 
when  the  motion  of  the  former  was  suddenly  stopped, 
supposed  that  the  motion  of  the  fluids  in  the  blood  ves- 
sels continued  in  the  same  way,  stimulated  the  vessels, 
and  thus  promoted  the  circulation.  The  idea  was  in- 
genious ;  but,  as  the  blood  vessels  are  constantly  full, 
we  suspect  that  the  analogy  cannot  be  transferred ;  and 
the  whole  advantages  of  exercise  must  probably  be  at- 
tributed to  the  renovation  of  the  surrounding  air,  and 
the  exertion  necessary  to  preserve  the  equilibrium.  ^The 
kinds  of  exercise  here  mentioned,  are  progressive  in 
these  respects  ;  and  of  course  adapted  to  different  states 
of  debility.  Swinging  is  a  more  active  exercise  ;  riding 
and  walking  progressively  more  so,  and  consequently 
adapted  to  the  less  delicate  and  infirm. 

Other  circumstances  must,  however,  influence  the 
choice  of  our  modes  of  exercise.  Sailing  has  been 
thought  best  adapted  to  hectic  cases.  The  effluvia  of 
the  pitch, ^n  the  ship,  may  have  some  effect,  but  these 
could  be  obtained  on  shore  ;  and,  when  this  has  been 
tried,  no  particular  benefit  has  resulted.  The  sea  air- 
is  certainly  not  peculiarly  salutary  in  such  cases  ; 
though,  if  the  idea  of  Dr.  Rush  be  admitted,  that  the 
mixture  of  sea  and  land  air  is  rather  injurious  than  use- 
ful, it  will  account  for  the  disadvantages  sometimes  ex- 
perienced from  a  residence  near  a  harbour.  The  bene- 
fits, therefore,  probably  result  from  the  exercise,  which 
is  constant ;  the  general  tendency  of  the  circulation  to 
the  surface  thus  excited,  assisted,  perhaps,  by  the  nau- 
sea. The  tendency  to  the  surface  is  evinced  by  the 
constipation  of  the  bowels,  and  the  rare  occurrence  of 
catarrhal  affections  on  shipboard. 

Riding  on  horseback  has  been  equally  commended 
in  hectic  cases  by  Sydenham,  though  not  confirmed  by 
more  recent  experience.  This  remedy  is  certainly  bet- 
ter adapted  to  the  more  languid  circulation,  in  the 
chylopoietic  viscera  ;  to  obstructions  of  the  liver  ;  bad 
digestion  ;  and  want  of  appetite.  The  succussions 
which  the  viscera  experience  by  the  motion  in  the 
horse,  must  undoubtedly  assist  the  circulation,  when 
languid  from  indulgence  and  plethora,,  or  when  ob- 
structed from  indolence,  or  the  immoderate  use  of  wine 
and  spirits. 

-  Swinging,  another  remedy  for  phthisis,  should  have 
been  mentioned  after  sailing.  It  has  certainly  been  of 
sen-ice  :  the  constant  renewal  of  fresh  cool  air,  for  air 
constantly  renewed  in  this  climate  must  produce  cold, 
checks  a  too  high  temperature,  and  lowers  the  pulse, 


while  the   exercise  determines  the  circulation  to  the 
surface. 

For  preserving  health,  however,  walking  is  the  best 
exercise  :  in  all  the  other  species,  the  extremities  are 
not  sufficiently  warmed,  while,  by  walking,  the  deter- 
mination of  the  blood  to  the  surface  is  general,  every 
muscle  has  its  share  of  exertion,  and  the  viscera  expe- 
rience sufficient  agitation  to  preserve  their  circulation 
undiminished  in  force,  though  perhaps  not  sufficient  to 
restore  it,  if  the  organs  are  previously  diseased. 

A'ER,  Axp,  AIR,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  AOR, 
light,)  called  also  gas  ventosum.  From  a  variety  oi' 
experiments,  atmospheric  air  is  proved  to  consist  of  a 
mixture  of  about  seventy -two  parts  of  azotic  gas,  to 
twenty-eight  of  oxygen,  or  vital  air.  Lavoisier  says, 
of  about  twenty-seven  parts  of  vital  air,  and  seventy- 
three  azotic.  But  the  proportion  of  these  two  gases 
is  subject  to  variation  in  the  mixture  which  forms 
the  atmosphere  ;  depending  upon  local  causes.  From 
the  decomposition  of  the  atmospheric  air,  these  two 
gases  are  obtained  ;  and  sometimes  in  their  simple 
state,  sometimes  in  a  proportion  different  from  what 
they  hold  when  forming  atmospheric  air,  are  used 
for  medicinal  purposes.  The  oxygen,  or  vital  air, 
may  be  considered  as  a  stimulant,  and  invigorator  of 
the  system  ;  whilst  the  azotic  gas  is  a  sedative,  and 
hurtful  to  the  constitution,  by  destroying  its  irritability. 
Before  the  present  sera  of  chemistry,  it  was  the  only 
gaseous  substance  known  ;  and,  indeed,  almost  all  that 
has  been  formerly  written  on  the  air  relates  only  to  its 
physical  properties.  The  chief  of  which  are  :  First, 
That  it  is  a  fluid  of  extreme  rarefaction,  obedient  to 
the  smallest  motion  :  the  slightest  agitation  deranges 
its  equilibrium,  which  is  continually  endeavouring  to 
restore  itself.  Though  very  fluid,  it  passes  through 
those  orifices  with  difficult)-,  through  which  grosser 
fluids  can  p~ass  with  ease.  Secondly,  It  is  invisible  ; 
it  refracts,  but  does  not  reflect  the  rays  of  light :  it  is 
inodorous,  through  the  vehicle  of  odoriferous  particles  : 
it  is  insipid  ;  and  its  physical  qualities,  chiefly,  affect 
us  variously.  Thirdly,  The  weight  of  the  air  is  not 
perceived  but  in  large  quantities  ;  nor  is  the  compara- 
tive weight  easily,  if  at  all,  to  be  ascertained,  as  no 
two  portions  are  ever  of  the  same  weight  at  different 
heights  in  the  atmosphere.  However,  from  long  and 
repeated  observations,  the  greatest  gravity  of  the  air  in 
Europe  is  found  to  be  equal,  in  equilibrio,  with  thirty 
inches  and  half  of  quicksilver  in  the  barometer,  and 
the  least  raises  it  only  to  twenty-seven  and  half.  The 
weight  of  the  common  air  about  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  at  the  time  of  the  middle  weight  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, and  in  every  temperate  season,  is  to  that  of 
water  as  one  to  850.  Fourthly,  The  elasticity  of  the 
air  is  one  of  the  properties  upon  which  natural  philoso- 
phers have  made  the  greatest  number  of  experiments, 
and.it  has  ever  been  applied  with  considerable  advan- 
tage in  the  arts.  Fifthly,  Air  is  necessary  to  animal 
existence.  This  is  evident  from  the  experiments  made 
with  the  air-pump  ;  though  not  without  some  excep- 
tions, for  toads,  vipers,  eels,  insects  of  all  kinds,^and 
fish,  live  for  a  time  in  the  exhausted  receiver.  They 
cannot  indeed  live  without  oxygen,  but  they  expend  it 
slowly,  and  separate  it  more  perfectly  from  the  injurious 
part  of  the  atmosphere.  Sixthly,  The  particles  of  air 
are  said  to  be  too  small  for  any  microscope  to  discover, 


A  E  R 


38 


A  E  R 


and  yet  they  arc  supposed  to  be  larger  than  those  of  fire, 
water,  oil,  and  many  other  fluids,  since  fire  pervades 
glass  ;  oil,  water,  Sec.  will  pass  through  many  compact 
substances,  whilst  air  is  resisted  by  strong  paper.  This 
argument  is,  however,  fallacious.  Seventhly,  Air  is  a 
vehicle  of  sound,  of  the  objects  of  taste,  of  effluvia  to 
the  nose,  as  is  evident  from  observations  made  on  the 
tops  of  high  mountains,  where  our  senses  become  duller 
than  when  we  are  nearer  the  plains.  Eighthly,  It  is  a 
part  in  the  composition  of  all  bodies.  Ninthly,  It  can- 
not be  rendered  of  itself  solid  by  any  known  means. 
Tenthly,  By  contact  and  cohesion  in  the  parts  of  bo- 
dies it  becomes  solid  and  unelastic  ;  but  when  sepa- 
rated by  heat,  fermentation,  &c.  its  elasticity  returns. 
Heat  rarifies,  and  cold  condenses  it. 

The  physical  qualities  of  the  air  have  occasioned  nu- 
merous disquisitions.  But  extensive  inquiries,  the 
comparison  of  the  tables  of  mortality,  experience  long 
'  continued,  have  allowed  us  to  draw  few  conclusions 
which  will  bear  the  test  of  careful  examination.  In 
spring,  we  iind  inflammatory  complaints  ;  in  autumn, 
bilious  diseases  :  in  every  season,  fevers,  in  the  com- 
mencement inllammatory,  in  the  conclusion  more  or 
less  putrid.  To  be  more  particular.  Continued  cold 
produces  that  tension  of  the  fibres,  that  strong  and 
steady  action,  which  we  style  inflammatory  diathesis  : 
high  situations,  with  a  pure  bracing  atmosphere,  pro- 
duce similar  effects.  These  are  partly  owing  to  an 
excess  of  oxygen,  as  we  shall  presently  notice  ;  but,  in 
a  great  measure,  to  moderate,  continued  cold.  A 
previous  moist,  temperate  winter,  which  predisposes 
to  scrofulous  complaints,  will,  at  this  period,  pro- 
duce the  most  fatal  consequences  in  hectic  cases.  The 
fever  will  increase,  the  ulceration  proceed  with  rapi- 
dity, and  the  heat  of  the  ensuing  summer  close  the 
scene.  Those,  however,  who  are  moderately  healthy 
and  not  peculiarly  robust,  will  find  a  winter,  of  no  ex- 
treme cold,  healthy  ;  and  the  opening  spring,  expand- 
ing the  fibres,  will  give  a  genial  glow  and  new  life  to 
every  organ.  Summer,  of  course,  may  produce  its 
own  diseases  ;  but,  if  we  peruse  the  history  of  epi- 
demics,we  shall,  with  difficulty,  trace  any  particular  bad 
effects  of  the  heat,  till  the  evenings  begin  to  cool,  the 
fruit  to  be  plenty,  and  the  bile  to  become  a  conspicuous 
cause  of  disease,  from  its  accumulation  and  excessive 
discharges.  Winter  agajn  recurs,  and  Dr.  Heberdcn 
has  endeavoured  to  shew,  from  the  bills  of  mortality, 
that  it  is  a  fatal  season.  It  may  be  so  in  general  :  old 
people  resist  cold  with  difficulty,  and  the  catarrhus 
suftbcativus,  asthma,  and  similar  complaints,  are  often 
fatal  at  this  period.  In  our  experience,  however,  it  is 
not  the  cold,  but  the  early  warmth  of  spring  succeed- 
ing cold,  which  is  most  injurious  :  the  constitution, 
braced  by  cold,  cannot  bear  the  subsequent  relaxation. 
A  long  damp  summer  has  had  similar  effects. 

Philosophers  have  taught  us  how  much  pressure  we 
bear  from  the  atmosphere  ;  and  of  course,  from  the 
diminution  of  that  pressure,  we  shall  feel  the  want  of 
tension  or  tone  which  results  from  the  removal  of  any 
support.  Thus,  when  the  air  is  lighter  we  find  a  lan- 
guor come  on  ;  when  heavier,  our  spirits  are  more 
brisk  and  lively.  The  whole  is  not  however  owing  to 
the  absolute  weight  of  the  air,  but,  in  part,  to  its  elas- 
ticity ;  or  rather  our  feelings  of  health  and  activity  are 
in  the  compound  ratio  of  both.  Thus,  at  the  height 


of  from  1200  to  2000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
the  pressure  is  greatly  diminished  ;  but  we  feel  in- 
creased activity,  as  we  are  in  general  above  the  region 
of  clouds,  and  the  air  is  more  elastic  ;  and  the  lan- 
guor felt  in  very  high  situations  is  not  uniform  or  con- 
stant ;  so  that  it  cannot  depend  on  a  constant  cause. 
During  rain,  the  mercury  in  the  barometer  is  not  de- 
pressed half  an  inch,  yet  we  feel  more  languor  than  on 
the  top  of  mountains,  where  it  has  probably  fallen  from 
five  to  ten  inches. 

In  other  respects  the  physical  properties  of  the  air 
seem  to  have  little  influence  :  the  warmest  and  longest 
summers  are  often  healthy  :  the  coldest  winters,  with 
the  exception  of  accidental  inflammatory  complaints, 
are  the  same  :  the  warmest  weather,  with  the  dampest 
fogs,  have  been  followed  by  no  peculiar  epidemic.  It 
is  what  Hippocrates  long  since  called  the  n>  fatev,  some- 
thing divine  or  inexplicable,  that  produces  fevers  and 
similar  diseases  ;  but,  before  we  notice  the  "  divinity 
that  stirs  within  us,"  we  must  add  a  few  remarks  on 
situation,  as  connected  with  the  physical  properties  of 
the  air. 

A  dry  elevated  spot,  on  a  gravelly  soil,  is  said  to  be 
most  wholesome,  especially  if  sheltered  from  the  east 
wind.  Elevation  is  however  relative  ;  light  clouds  float 
in  the  atmosphere,  about  1600  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  s,ea  ;  and  the  healthiest  spot  is  said  to  be  some  way 
above  this  elevation.  This  appears,  however,  to  be 
fanciful  ;  and  it  has  not  been  proved  that  atmospheric 
moisture  alone  is  injurious.  la  dry  gravelly  elevated 
spots,  experience  has  fixed  the  most  salutary  residence 
for  consumptive  cases  ;  yet,  in  these,  oxygen  seems  to 
abound,  which  is  peculiarly  injurious  in  such  com- 
plaints ;  and  air  of  a  lower  quality,  as  it  has  been 
styled,  is  seemingly  as  good  ;  in  the  opinion  of  some, 
preferable.  In  asthmatic  cases  elevated  sp^ts  are  ma- 
nifestly injurious.  In  fact,  theorists  may  declaim,  but 
facts  give  the  lie  to  the  most  plausible  declamations. 
A  change  is  often  necessary ;  and  from  the  effects  of 
that  change,  the  conduct  proper  for  each  individual 
must  be  ascertained. 

It  is  observed  by  some  authors,  that  vaults,  corn- 
magazines,  apple-garrets,  &c.  should  open  to  the 
north  ;  for  that  point  is  invariably  proper  :  but  the 
south  and  west  are  constantly  improper.  The  most 
healthy  exposure,  if  a  house  is  to  be  built,  is  said  to  be 
found  by  cutting  one  of  the  trees  that  grow  there  trans- 
versely with  a  saw,  observing  the  rings  :  the  side  of 
the  tree  on  which  the  distances  between  each  ring  art; 
widest  is  the  most  healthy  exposure,  and  the  windows 
of  the  house,  all  other  circumstances  being  the  same, 
should  ever  face  that  way. 

We  have  mentioned  the  effects  of  the  east  wind  in 
general,  and  we  shall  now  notice  them  more  particu- 
larly, though  it  cannot  be  yet  determined  whether 
they  belong  to  the  chemical  or  physical  properties  of 
the  air.  The  atmosphere,  while  the  east  winds  prevail, 
is  lurid  ;  and,  even  when  clear,  the  sun  has  not  its 
brilliant  hue.  The  strength  is  not  equal  to  the  usual  • 
exertions  ;  the  respiration  is  not  free  ;  the  spirits  not 
lively.  Asthmatics  and  hypochondriacs  feel  it  severely  ; 
yet  it  is  often  dry,  and,  when  it  rains  during  a  south- 
east wind,  its  fall  is  frequently  periodical,  extending 
only  to  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours  ;  while  the  clouds 
constantly  display  a  promise  of  fair  weather  :  there  is 


A  E  U 


39 


A  E  R 


seemingly  a  perpetual  contest  between  the  causes  of 
rain  and  their  antagonists,  whatever  they  may  be. 

As  we  have  now  instruments  by  which  the  quality 
of  the  air  may  be  measured,  it  might  be  presumed, 
that  these  would  inform  us  of  the  cause  of  this  singular 
state  of  the  atmosphere.  The  east  wind  is  not  peculiar 
to  any  situation,  so  that  it  is  not  injurious  from  passing 
over  a  baleful  desert,  or  a  successive  series,of  marshes  ; 
nor  does  the  eudiometer  show  any  particular  ingredient 
which  may  impair  health  or  induce  disease.  We  have 
not  mentioned  this  instrument  in  our  disquisitions  re- 
specting air,  as  it  chiefly  informs  us  of  its  chemical 
qualities.  As  we  now  approach  this  subject,  we  may 
remark  that,  in  all  its  forms,  the  assistance  it  affords 
is  inconsiderable  to  the.  medical  chemist.  In  crowded 
cities,  and  the  most  apparently  healthy  situations,  re- 
mote from  "  the  busy  hum  of  men,"  its  results  are 
nearly  the  same.  Chemists  must  decide  whether  this 
similarity  in  the  appearances  is  owing  to  the  imper- 
fection of  the  instrument,  or  whether  the  injurious 
qualities  of  the  air  are  not  cognizable  by  it.  We  have 
now  mentioned  this  instrument  to  excuse  our  future 
silence  respecting  it.  Its  forms,  however,  we  shall 
afterwards  describe,  as  future  enquirers  may  be  more 
successful.  See  EUDIOMETER. 

We  have  said  that  air  consists  of  oxygen  and  azote 
in  a  gaseous  state.  To  this,  when  we  speak  more  cri- 
tically, we  must  add  carbonic  acid  gas.  It  has  been 
disputed,  whether  the  principal  ingredients  are  che- 
mically combined,  or  only  mixed  mechanically.  Nei- 
ther is  true.  We  cannot  indeed  mix  oxygenous  and 
azotic  gas,  so  as  to  form  a  gaseous  fluid  like  our  atmo- 
sphere ;  yet  they  are  not  chemically  united,  so  as  to 
form  a  tertium  quid ;  nor  even  in  die  more  general 
sense  of  the  word,  so  as  to  produce  a  substance  par- 
taking of  their  united  properties ;  as,  when  we  mix 
spirit  with  water,  or  dissolve  sugar  in  any  fluid,  it 
seems  that  the  particles  are  united  in  their  nascent 
state,  and  adhere  together  rather  than  form  a  compound. 
It  appears  at  first  sight  singular,  that  the  oxygen  which 
supports  life  should  be  in  so  small  a  proportion ;  but 
the  singularity  will  soon  vanish  when  we  reflect,  that 
oxygen  alone  would  be  as  fatal  in  the  lungs  as  arsenic 
in  the  stomach.  It  is,  literally,  like  fire  which  warms; 
but  in  excess,  will  burn.  This  we  chiefly  mention  to 
explain  the  inconveniencies  arising  -  in  hectic  and  in 
asthmatic  cases,  from  air  too  pure ;  in  the  latter  it  sti- 
mulates the  weak  lungs  too  violently ;  in  the  former  it 
adds  to  the  tone  and  the  irritability  of  the  vascular  sys- 
tem, already  too  great.  The  mountaineer  and  farmer, 
who  breathe  air  highly  oxygenated,  are  strong,  robust, 
and  active,  but  scarcely  ever  fat.  Oxygen  makes  no 
part  of  this  animal  fluid;  and  hydrogen  and  carbone,  of 
which  it  chiefly  consists,  do  not  abound  in  these  regions. 
Hydrogen,  indeed,  has  been  discovered  by  Saussure  on 
the  highest  mountains ;  but  its  levity  carries  it  beyond 
human  habitations ;  it  is  an  extraneous  body,  found  in 
air,  but  not  a  component  part  of  it.  As  its  elasticity 
is  inconsiderable,  it  certainly  contributes  to  the  languor 
experienced  in  highly  elevated  situations. 

The  aerial  pathology  has  not  yet  been  successfully 
cultivated.  Man  can  live  and  enjoy  health  from  the 
heat  of  twenty -eight  to  one  hundred  and  eight  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit.  He  can  exist  in  a  constant  fog,  where 
the  hygrometer  proceeds  beyond  the  extreme  of  hu- 


midity ;  and,  in  air  which  supports  the  mercury  only 
at  twenty-two  or  twenty-three  inches,  he  is  robust  and 
active.  The  sudden  changes  are  indeed  injurious  ;  but 
the  injuries  are  often  transitory  and  inconsiderable ;  or, 
if  severe,  producing  only  temporary  and  acute  diseases. 
But  that  our  observations  respecting  the  effects  of  thr 
different  airs  may  be  more  distinct,  it  is  necessary  to 
enlarge  a  little  on  the  chemical  properties  of  the  differ- 
ent gases. 

Besides  the  common,  or  atmospherical  air,  there  art- 
various  other  sorts,  distinguished  by  their  respective 
characteristics  :  1st.  AIR,  FIXED  or  FIXABLE.  By  Van 
Helmont,  it  was  called  gas  sylvestre,  from  being  pro- 
duced in  vast  quantities  from  the  burning  of  charcoal ; 
from  its  apparent  acid  properties,  aerial  acid,  creta- 
ceous acid,  and  carbonic  acid  ;  anAJijced  air,  as  readily 
losing  its  elasticity,  and  fixing  itself  in  many  bodies.  It 
is  an  invisible  and  permanently  elastic  fluid,  superior 
in  gravity  to  the  common  atmospheric  air,  and  most 
other  aerial  fluids.  It  consists  of  twenty -eight  parts  of 
carbone,  and  seventy-two  of  oxygen,  with  some  caloric, 
forming  about  one  sixty -sixth  of  the  common  atmo- 
sphere, though,  from  its  gravity,  generally  falling  tu 
the  bottom.  It  is  unfit  for  respiration ;  easily  dis- 
solved in  voter  ;  exceedingly  destructive  to  animal  life, 
and  produced  in  great  quantities  naturally  from  com- 
bustible bodies  and  many  chemical  firocesses.  It  is  found 
at  the  bottom  of  pits  ;  it  rises  from  fermenting  liquors  ; 
it  is  one  and  a  half  heavier  than  pure  common  air ; 
water  imbibes  more  than  its  own  bulk  of  it;  flame 
is  extinguished,  and  animals  are  destroyed,  by  its  in- 
fluence :  when  the  fixable  air  is  separated  from  chalk 
and  other  calcareous  substances,  they  become  caustic, 
or,  as  they  are  now  styled,  pure :  it  is  antiseptic,  pow- 
erfully preventing  and  recovering  from  putrefaction, 
whence  lime-kilns,  which  discharge  great  quantities  of 
this  air,  would  be  useful  in  the  neighbourhood  of  popu- 
lous towns  ;  in  clysters  it  hath  been  very  advantageously 
administered  against  putrid  disorders,  and,  mixed  with 
the  drink,  has  been  thought  to  conduce  to  the  relief  of 
patients  labouring  under  putrid  fevers.  In  the  form  of 
yeast  it  has  also  been  administered  with  good  effect  in 
these  disorders :  but  though  it  may  be  introduced  into 
the  stomach  and  intestines  with  advantage,  if  breathed 
into  the  lungs,  it  is  mortal.  To  fixable  air  the  chief 
property  of  some  mineral  waters  is  attributed :  the 
Pyrmont  and  Seltzer  water  owe  their  brisk  acidulous 
taste  and  sparkling  appearance  to  it ;  and  it  dissolves 
iron  in  a  small  proportion,  when  it  is  mixed  with  wa- 
ter. Fixable  air  hath  been  found  useful  in  cancerous, 
consumptive,  scorbutic,  and  other  disorders,  where  an 
antiseptic  medicine  might  be  expected  to  afford  relief. 
It  has  not  only  been  considered  as  antiputrescent,  but 
also  lithootriptic.  When  the  stomach  is  disordered, 
carbonic  acid  air  often  gives  a  temporary  and  an  useful 
stimulus.  It  is  administered  united  with  water  by 
swallowing  kali,  or  soda,  in  an  effervescing  state,  or  the 
one  immediately  after  the  other,  that  the  effervescence 
may  take  place  in  the  stomach. 

AIR,  VITAL;  called  also  defihlogisticated,  em/iyreal 
air,  and  oxygenous  gas.  From  a  variety  of  experiments, 
modern  philosophers  have  proved,  that  in  respiration  a 
por:i9n  of  air  is  lost ;  that  the  first  effect  produced, 
is  the 'blood  assuming  a  vermillion  colour,  by  com- 
bining with  pure  air.  The  second  is  to  establish  a 


AER 


40 


A  Ell 


veal  focus  of  heat  in  the  lungs,  maintained  and  kept  up 
by  the  air  of  respiration.  See  HEAT,  VITAL  ;  and  RES- 
1'IRATION. 

AIR,  INFLAMMABLE.  It  is  the  lightest  of  all  the 
aeriform  fluids  :  in  general  about  twelve  times  lighter 
than  atmospheric  air.  All  animal  and  vegetable  sub- 
stances, which  can  be  burned  in  the  open  air,  char- 
coal excepted,  will  afford  inflammable  air,  if  heated  in 
close  vessels  :  though  this  is  usually  mixed  with  air  of 
other  kinds,  with  water,  and  with  oleaginous  matters. 
Charcoal,  and  several  metals,  afford  inflammable  air  by 
heat,  if  water  be  present.  Some  metallic  substances, 
during  their  solution  in  acids,  afford,  or  extricate  in- 
flammable air,  which  is  of  the  purest  kind.  The  com- 
mon process  for  obtaining  it  is  by  dissolving  iron  filings 
or  shavings  in  diluted  vitriolic  acid.  It  occupies  the 
upper  parts  of  subterraneous  caverns ;  and  has  been 
. 'ihiinonly  found  in  mines  and  coal-pits,  where  it  is 
called  FIRE  DAMP,  because  it  is  liable  to  take  fire, 
and  explode  like  gunpowder.  When  not  combined 
with  oxygen  it  extinguishes  fire;  kills  animals  as  rea- 
dily as  tixable  air;  takes  fire  by  the  contact  of  the 
electric  spark,  provided  vital  air  be  present,  or  any 
combustible  body  already  in  a  state  of  jgnition,  and 
burning  with  a  brilliant  flame.  If  about  two  parts,  by 
measure,  of  inflammable  air,  and  one  of  vital  air,  are 
mixed  together,  and  set  on  fire  in  a  vessel  strongly 
closed,  which  may  be  done  by  the  electric -spark,  the 
air,  if  pure,  will  almost  totally  disappear,  and  the  pro- 
duct be  water,  and  an  acid.  It  holds  about '  half  its 
weight  of  water  in  solution,  which  imparts  to  it  a  dis- 
agreeable odour ;  is  absorbed  by  vegetables,  and  be- 
comes a  component  part  of  their  oils  and  resins. 

The  SULPHUREOUS,  the  MURIATIC,  and  some  other 
ACIDS  assume  the  form  of  AIR  :  but  as  they  are  neither 
found  in  the  atmosphere,  nor  applied  to  medical  pur- 
poses, they  form  no  part  of  the  present  subject. 

NITROUS  AIR,  or  NITROGENOUS  GAS,  or  AZOTIC  GAS, 
forms  an  object  of  considerable  importance  in  chemis- 
try and  medicine.  It  is  fatal,  when  alone,  to  animal 
life;  though,  in  combination,  highly  advantageous  to 
it.  This  gas,  we  have  seen,  forms  a  large  proportion 
of  atmospheric  air ;  and  the  gaseous  nitrous  oxide  pro- 
duces effects  in  respiration"  highly  animating  and  sti- 
mulant. It  is  also  the  distinguishing  ingredient  of 
animal  substances  ;  the  principle  of  aaimalisation. 

NITROGEN  GAS,  or  the  mephitic  air  of  former  au- 
thors, is  very  extensively  diffused.  Its  specific  gravity 
is  inconsiderable,  for  it  is  lighter  than  atmospheric  air, 
in  the  proportion  of  985  to  1000.  Nitrogen,  with  ca- 
loric, forms  this  gas ;  and,  with  different  proportions 
of  oxygen,  the  nitrous  acid  in  its  various  forms.  With 
the  full  proportion  of  oxygen,  it  forms  the  nitric  acid, 
the  aqua  fortis  of  the  shops :  with  a  less  proportion  it 
becomes  nitrous  acid;  with  still  less  nitrous  gas;  and 
with  a  very  small  quantity  the  nitrous  oxide.  Nitro- 
genous gas  is  neither  acid  nor  soluble  in  water ;  and 
the  nitrous  gas  is  employed  as  a  test  of  the  purity  of 
air  in  the  eudiometer,  q.  v.  If  the  air  contains  oxygen, 
it  thus  changes  the _gas  into  nitrous  acid;  and  a  larger 
proportion  of  the  acid  is  formed  when  the  oxygen  is 
more  abundant ;  while  with  impure  air  no  change  is 
produced.  In  medicine  it  has  scarcely  been  employed  : 
it  is  said  to  be  antiseptic,  and  to  kill  worms,  but  expe- 
rience has  neglected  to  register  its  effects,  or  has  dis- 
regarded it. 


The  nitrous  oxide  is  heavier  than  air,  and  soluble  in 
double  its  quantity  of  water.  The  taste  it  imparts  is 
sweet,  and  the  odour  agreeable,  though  slight.  Com- 
bustible bodies,  at  a  high  temperature,  decompose  this 
oxide ;  and  it  unites  with  alkalis,  though  not  with 
acids.  In  fact,  if  an  acid,  it  is  the  lowest  in  the  scale, 
and  to  dispute  whether  it  be  so,  is  to  contend  with  air. 
Its  effects  on  respiration  are  singular.  It  is  said  to 
animate  the  person  who  breathes  it  to  a  degree  little 
inferior  to  phrensy  :  the  sensations  produced  are  highly 
pleasurable,  and  no  languor  follows.  Though  much 
must  be  allowed  to  the  enthusiasm  of  a  discoverer,  and 
to  the  experience  of  effects  wholly  new  and  unexpect- 
ed, yet  very  pleasing  sensations  have  been  undoubtedly 
felt  on  its  being  inhaled.  To  what  these  are  owing  has 
not  been  ascertained.  A  slight  reflection  will  shew,  that 
though  life  is  really  sustained  by  oxygen,  yet  this  air 
is  not  proper  for  breathing  for  any  continued  period. 
The  pleasure  excited  by  fresh  air  does  not  arise  from, 
the  oxygen,  for  it  is  not  increased,  or  at  least  to  an 
inconsiderable  extent,  in  proportion  to  the  quantity 
contained  in  the  air  breathed.  Why  azote,  that  is  alone 
fatal  to  life,  should  be  the  necessary  ingredient,  is  not 
clear.  The  great  principle  of  distinction  of  animal 
substances,  chemically  considered,  is  indeed  azote : 
this  principle,  so  copious  in  these,  is  found  in  a  small 
proportion,  and  only  in  particular  parts,  of  the  vegeta- 
ble kingdom  ;  and  it  is  the  great  problem  in  the  func- 
tion of  animalisation,  to  discover  the  sources  of  the 
azote.  May  it  not  then  be  the.  air,  and  may  not  the 
animal  system  feel  a  peculiar  pleasure  in  the  supply  of 
this  principle,  which  must  neutralise,  or  assimilate,  the 
vegetable  food  ?  It  is  not  an  improbable  supposition, 
but  it  has  escaped  us,  if  it  has  been  noticed  by  any  for- 
mer physiologist. 

Air,  in  so  many  various  ways  injured,  viz.  by  breath- 
ing, by  burning  bodies,  &c.  is  restored  by  many  means  ; 
a  few  of  which  only  have  been  discovered.  Plants  ab- 
sorb carbonic  acid  gas,  and  restore,  in  their  turn,  a 
pure  air ;  and  thus,  combining  with  azote,  may,  imper- 
ceptibly to  our  senses,  renovate  the  atmosphere.  We 
may  thus  account  for  the  different  result  of  the  expe- 
riments of  philosophers,  some  of  whom  have  disco- 
vered that  plants  exhale  pure  air,  while  others  deny  it. 
Inflammable  air  seeks  the  upper  regions  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, and  is  destroyed  in  the  meteoric  explosions, 
when  too  copious ;  while  the  portion  arrested  in  its 
progress  contributes,  as  we  have  said,  to  the  produc- 
tion of  the  oils  and  resins  of  vegetables. 

Thus  nature  very  completely  restores  the  various 
changes  in  the  constitution  of  our  atmosphere,  which 
the  different  processes  constantly  going  on  may,  in  her 
regular  course,  have  occasioned.  Yet  the  air  is  ac- 
cused as  the  cause  of  numerous  diseases ;  and  it  reallv 
is  so.  Sudden  cold  checking  the  perspiration  will  ap- 
parently produce  almost  every  form  of  the  pyrexise. 
Partial  cold  will  produce  rheumatisms ;  damp  air,  ca- 
tarrhs ;  and  in  old  people  those  defluxions  which  are 
called  humoral  asthmas,  and  catarrh!  suffocativi.  The 
continued  heat  of  summer  occasions  bilious  disorders ; 
and  the  cold  of  winter  a  return  of  the  more  active  in- 
flammations. The  air  is,  however,  chiefly  a  vehicle  of 
injurious  effluvia;  some  of  which  only  can  be  ascer- 
tained. Marsh  miasmata,  as  they  are  styled  by  patho- 
logists,  are  the  cause  of  numerous  intermittent  and  re- 
mittent fevers,  as  well  as  those  apparently  of  a  more 


111 


41 


III 


continued  form.  It  has  been  ascertained,  that  a  clayey 
soil,  when  moistened,  will  attract  the  oxygen  of  the  air, 
and  leave  its  azotic  part  not  sufficiently  guarded  to  sup- 
port the  vis  vitaj  ;  and  it  is  found  that  districts  become 
unhealthy  chiefly  when  the  earth  begins  to  appear,  in 
consequence  of  a  diminution  of  the  water.  It  is  singu- 
lar, that  Linnaeus,  with  a  view  to  prove  the  cause  of  in- 
termittents  to  be  an  argillaceous  earth,  has  traced  very- 
minutely  the  prevalence  of  intermittents  in  clayey  coun- 
tries; a  circumstance  which  may  be  explained  from  the 
views  just  assigned.  To  this  diminution  of  the  oxygen 
must  be  added  a  larger  and  unusual  proportion  of  in- 
flammable air  from  the  parts  of  marshes  still  covered 
by  water.  To  these  conjoined  causes  many  epidemics 
are  owing  :  and  when  the  changes  in  the  physical  pro- 
perties of  the  air  appear  to  produce  fevers,  they  act  only 
as  exciting  causes  of  these  miasmata,  in  a  manner  to 
be  afterwards  explained.  Sec  INFECTION  and  EPIDE- 
MICS. 

It  is  not  found  that  an  unusual  proportion  of  fixed  air 
is  injurious  :  it  falls  to  the  lowest  strata  of  the  atmo- 
sphere ;  and,  whatever  be  the  quantity,  it  is  apparently 
absorbed.  The  very  extensive  diffusion  of  catarrhs  and 
other  epidemics,  of  small  pox,  measles,  &cc.  is  from 
causes  combined  with  the  air,  and  no  part  of  die  at- 
mosphere. The  contagion  of  putrid  fevers,  viz.  the 
contagion  conveyed  by  the  patient,  or  by  the  medium 
of  the  attendant's  clothes,  are  substances  combined  with 
the  air  which  the  nicest  instruments  have  not  yet  been 
able  to  detect,  though  much  may  be  expected  from  the 
persevering  ardour  of  modern  experimental  philoso- 
phers. 

Hoffman,  in  his  Med.  Rat.  Syst.  artic.  De  Acre,  and 
Boerhaave  on  Air,  have  collected  all  that  is  valuable 
from  their  predecessors  and  contemporaries. 

Male's  Statical  Experiments.  ChaptaFs  and  Thom- 
son's Chemistry.  Huxham  on  Air  and  Epidemic  Dis- 
eases. Shaw's  Abridgment  of  Boyle's  Works,  in  the 
article  Air.  Parkinson's  Medical  Pocket  Book.  Dob- 
son  on  Fixed  Air.  Chaptal's  Elements  of  Chemistry  ; 
also  Lavoisier,  Fourcroy,  and  Nicholson. 

jE'RA,  (from  eapa,  tollo,>to  take  away}.  So  called, 
because  it  is  necessary  to  remove  it.  See  LOLIUM. 

AERATED  WATER.     See  Aqu-E  MIXEHALES  and 


MIXERALES  AHTIFICIALES. 

JERE'OLUM,  a  weight  of  about  twenty  grains. 

AERIFICA'TIO,  (from  aer,  air,  and  Jio,  to  become}. 
It  is  the  producing  of  air  from  other  bodies,  or  rather 
converting  them  into  air. 

jE'RIS  FLOS,  (from  <e«,  co/;/jer,)  FLOWERS  OF  COP- 
PER; anthos,  fihrasium  viride,  &c.  Copper  reduced  to 
small  grains,  by  pouring  cold  water  on  it  when  in  a  state 
effusion.  The  cold  water  is  poured  on  the  copper  as 
it  runs  out  of  the  furnace  into  the  receiver. 

FLAKES  OF  COPPER,  fly  off  in  ham- 


mering the  metal  when  heated.  The  best  are  of  a  deep 
yellow  colour,  and  rust  if  sprinkled  with  vinegar. 
These,  from  the  Cyprian  copper  works,  are  called 
helitis. 

-  vel  VE'NERIS  TINCTURA.  R  JLrug.  aeris  J  j. 
aquae  ammon.  et  sp.  vin.  R.  aa  |  ss.  m.  et  stent  simul, 
donee  aqua  colorem  saphirinum  acquisiverit.  This 
tincture  is  an  admirable  preparation  to  make  an  injec- 
tion for  a  gonorrhoea,  if  care  be  taken  duly  to  dilute  it, 

VOL.  I. 


and  skill  enough  is  possessed  to  know  when  the  infec- 
tion is  only  in  the  urethra  :  to  an  ounce  of  pure  water, 
add  one  drop  of  the  above  tincture.  Astringent  injec- 
tions are,  however,  especially  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
complaint,  dangerous. 

Dr.  W.  Saunders  observes,  in  his  Lectures  on  the 
Mat.  Med.  that  all  solutions  of  metals  are  sedative,  or 
ease  pain,  provided  that  the  solution  is  not  too  strong. 

VKXERIS  VOLATILIS  TIXCTURA  :  R.  Limaturse  cupri, 
3  j.  aquae  ammon.  3  xij- m-  This  solution  hath  been 
given  internally  to  the  quantity  of  four  or  five  drops  at  a 
dose,  as  a  diuretic.  Boerhaave  directs  to  be  given 
three  drops,  in  a  morning  fasting,  with  a  glass  of  mead, 
and  this  dose  to  be  daily  doubled  until  the  dose  is 
twenty -four  drops,  to  be  co.uiiiued  for  some  days :  thus 
he  succeeded  sometimes  in  curing  dropsies,  though  in 
other  instances  it  failed.  When  effectual,  it  produced 
very  copious  discharges  of  uriiie.  This  tincture  is  a 
good  substitute  for  the  cuprum  ammoniacum  of  the 
Edinburgh  Dispensatory. 

Metallic  astringents  are  more  active  than  alum,  more 
powerful,  more  easily  and  more  quickly  dissolved  in 
the  stomach;  are  more  diffusive  and  extensive  in  thtir 
influence  on  the  habit,  and  to  be  preferred  when  speedy 
effects  are  to  be  obtained.  Of  all  the  metals,  copper  is 
the  most  astringent,  and  most  soluble  in  the  stomach ; 
but  the  dose  is  difficultly  ascertained,  because  of  the 
uncertainty  of  acid  in  the  stomach,  so  that  it  is  rarely 
used.  Dr.  Saunders  observes,  that  an  over  dose  of  the 
aerugo  aeris  is  active,  stimulant,  and  astringent,  and  so 
quickly  proves  emetic  as  to  be  thrown  up  before  it 
hurts  ;  that  an  under  dose  excites  a  nausea.  This  is  of 
course  most  advantageous  ;  but  the  tine.  Veneris  vol.  if 
given  so  as  to  purge  and  vomit,  by  its  sudden  action 
produces  very  good  effects. 

Dr.  G.  Fordyce  advises  us  to  avoid  cupreous  prepa- 
rations, when  the  intention  is  to  strengthen ;  but  when 
it  is  designed  to  lessen  irritability,  he  observes,  they  are 
extremely  useful,  particularly  in  hysteric  cases  attended 
with  plethora,  and  in  epileptic  spasms.  In  several  in- 
stances of  intermittents,  and  of  mortifications,  the  pre- 
parations of  copper,  such  as  were  in  a  saline  state,  as 
the  cuprum  ammoniacale,  the  cuprum  vitriolatum,  and 
the  tinct.  Veneris  vol.  were  equally  efficacious  with  the 
bark ;  in  this  last  case,  the  cuprum  vitriolatum  to  gr. 
ss.  for  a  dose  has  been  very  successful. 

The  copper,  combined  with  the  volatile  alkali,  either 
in  the  tinctures  above  described  or  in  the  cuprum  am- 
moniacale, is  undoubtedly  an  excellent  remedy  in  epi- 
lepsies, and  seems  to  act  by  lessening  irritability.  This 
is  perhaps  the  principle  by  which  also  iron,  zinc,  and 
arsenic,  produce  their  effect ;  but  of  these,  iron  seems 
to  approach  more  nearly  to  what  we  with  greater  strict- 
ness call  an  astringent,  q.  v.  Combined  with  zinc,  the 
zincum  ustum,  or  vitriol  of  zinc,  the  copper  is  often 
more  effectual.  Of  intermittents,  the  copper  and  zinc 
are  best  adapted  to  the  partial  cases  of  the  disease,  as 
the  hemicrania,  kc. ;  the  arsenic  to  the  more  general 
forms. 

Dr.  Brown,  in  his  Natural  History  of  Jamaica,  pre- 
fers preparations  of  copper  in  those  dropsies  which  pro- 
ceed from  a  general  languor  of  the  solid,  system,  in 
which  case  they  prove  very  useful  as  diuretics  aiul 
strengtheners.  He  prefers  the  tine.  Veneris  vol.  to  al\ 

G 


JERU 


42 


other  preparations  of  this  metal.  In  hot  climates, 
where  the  body  is  much  relaxed,  the  vitriol  of  copper 
is,  he  thinks,  the  best  detergent  of  foul  ulcers. 

See  Neumann's  Chem.  Works.  Diet,  of  Chem. 
edit.  ii. 

JLRI 'TIS,  (from  «!>f,  the  air,')  so  named  from  being 
of  a  sky-blue  colour.  SCC^ANAGALLIS. 

AEROLO'GIA,  (from  «u/>,  and  Asyos,  sermo}.  That 
part  of  medicine  which  treats  of  air,  explains  its  proper- 
ties and  use  in  the  animal  economy,  and  its  efficacy  in 
preserving  and  restoring  health. 

AEROME'LI,  (from  *>>?,  air,  and  f&tki,  honey"),  HO- 
NEY DEW.  See  MEL  and  MANNA. 

AEROPHO'BI,  (from  *«?,  air,  and  Q&ia,  to  be 
afraid}.  According  to  Coelius  Aurelianus,  somephre- 
nitic  patients  are  afraid  of  a  lucid  and  others  of  an  ob- 
scure air,  and  these  he  calls  aerojihobi.  So  that, 

AEROPHO'BIA,  (from  «»p,  and  $«?«*,  timor,  fear,) 
is  a  symptom  of  the  phrenitis.  It  is  a  fear  of  light,  a  kii^d 
of  insanity,  in  which  the  patient  dreads  the  air  or  light. 

AERO'SIS,  (from  emp,  air).  An  imaginary  resolu- 
tion of  the  blood  into  vapour,  supposed  necessary  to  the 
support  of  the  vital  spirits,  and  to  be  brought  about  by 
the  ventilation  of  the  air  during  inspiration,  in  the  man- 
ner that  the  flame  of  fuel  is  kindled  by  blowing  it. 

jERO'SUS  LAPIS,  (from  as,  co/ifier).  So  Pliny  calls 
the  cadmia,  because  of  its  sky  colour,  resembling  the 
salts  of  copper,  which  is  supposed  to  be  Gal  en's  cadmia 
lafiidosa.  See  CADMIA. 

jERUGINO'SUS,  (from  ten/go,  verdigrige).  JEru- 
ginous,  of  the  colour  of  verdigrise,  or  green.  This 
word  is  often  applied  to  what  is  discharged  by  vomit- 
ing of  this  colour,  and  to  the  bile. 

jERU'GO,  (from  <es,  cofifier).  The  rust  of  any  metal, 
but  particularly  of  copper,  called  VERDIGRISE  :  it  is  also 
named  azagor,  almizadir.  See  ./Es. 

The  natural  aerugo  is  a  greenish  marcasite,  like  the 
drops  of  iron  ;  it  is  found  in  copper  mines,  but  contains 
only  a  small  proportion  of  the  metal.  HUNGARIAN 
MOUNTAIN  or  SEA  VERDIGRISE  is  found  in  the  mountains 
of  Moravia,  in  the  form  of  sand. 

RA'SILIS.  Hang  a  copper  plate  over  the  strong- 
est vinegar,  so  as  not  to  touch  it,  and  after  ten  days 
scrape  off  the  rust,  which  is  thus  called. 

SCOLE'CIA.     Of  the  two  sorts,  viz.  the  fossil  and 

the  factitious,  the  fossil  is  the  best ;  but  either  is  of  no 
further  use  than  the  blue  vitriol. 

jERU'GO  jE/RIS  ;  called  also  viride  eris,  cufiri  rii- 
f'iffo,  calcit/ws,  Hisfianicum  viride,  VERDIGRISE.  It  is 
copper,  corroded  by  a  fermented  vegetable  acid  into  a 
bluish  green  substance.  The  copper  is  made  into  very 
thin  plates,  which  are  suspended  over  the  vapours  aris- 
ing from  wine,  during  its  acetous  fermentation  :  or  the 
husks  and  stalks  of  grapes  are  dried,  and,  when  bruised, 
are  dipped  in  wine  and  made  into  balls.  When  they 
have  acquired  the  acetous  acid  they  are  broken  with 
the  hand,  and  stratified  with  these  copper  plates,  and 
left  until  the  verdigrise  is  produced.  The  best,  as  well 
as  the  greatest  quantity,  is  made  at  Montpellier,  where 
there  is  one  sort  in  powder  and  another  in  lumps.  The 
whole  process,  as  now  practised  in  Montpellier,  may 
be  seen  in  the  Cyclopedia  under  VERDIGREASE.  The 
sort  which  we  receive  from  France  is  generally  mixed 
•vrith  the  stalks  of  grapes,  which  may  be  separated  by 


pulverisation,  as  they  are  more  difficultly  powdered 
than  the  verdigrise  itself.     It  is  purified  by  dissolving- 
in  six  or  seven  times  its  weight  of  distilled  vinegar,  de- 
canting and  evaporating  the  solution.     If  good,  it  is 
dry,  of  a  beautiful  deep  green,  with  a  few  white  spots ; 
and  when  rubbed  on  the  hand  with  a  little  saliva  or 
water  it  forms  a  smooth  paste,  free  from  grittiness.     It 
is  adulterated  by  mixing  pumice  stone,  marble,  vitriol, 
&c.     The  first  two  are  discovered  by  rubbing  the  sus- 
pected verdigrise  betwixt  the  thumb  and  the  finger, 
previously  wetted,  by  which  the  p umice  stone  and  mar- 
ble become  white :    the  latter  is  discovered  by  burning 
a  little  on  a  tile,  by  which  the  vitriol  is  turned  into  a 
red  substance.     In  spirit  of  wine,  and  in  water,  this 
concrete  is  partially  soluble:  in  vinegar  it  is  wholly  so. 
If  a  saturated  solution  of  it  in  vinegar  is  set  to  exhale  in 
a  warm  place,  the  greatest  part  of  the  verdigrise  may; 
be  recovered  in  a  crystalline  form  ;  and  if  these  crystals 
are  distilled  in  a  retort,  the  acetous  acid  ascends  from 
them  in  a  highly  concentrated  state,  forming  the  acetic 
acid,  and  the  crystals  are  then  called  distilled  or  cal- 
cined verdigrise,  or  the  VITRIOL  OF  VENUS  :  if  set  in  a 
damp  place  to  dissolve,  it  is  called  the  LIQUOR  OF  VE- 
NUS, s  Verdigrise  is  used  by   dyers,  skinners,  hatters, 
painters,  8cc.  as  well  as  in  medicine  :  in  miniature  paint- 
ing the  distilled  sort  is  the  best.    Its  use,  as  an  external 
medicine,  is  to  deterge  foul  ulcers,  as  in  the  ung.  basil, 
viride  and  the  mel  xruginis.     If  it  is  made  into  a  paste 
with  saliva,  or  any  thing  not  oily  or  unctuous,  it  will 
dissolve  hard  calli.    In  phagedenic  ulcers,  and  the  most 
unpromising  sores,  with   ichor,  fungus,  &c.  copper  is 
useful.     Foul  chancres,  that  yield  not  to  mercury  in- 
wardly, have  been  removed  by  a  solution  of  the  cuprum 
vitriolatum.     Internally  taken,  a  vomiting  is  instantly 
provoked  by  a  grain  or  two  of  verdigrise,  or  vitriol  of 
copper,  so  for  its  speedy  effect  it  may  be  used  to  dis- 
charge any  poisonous  matter  received  into  the  stomach. 
Large  portions,  as  four  drams  or  more,    have    been 
swallowed  without  any  other  inconvenience  than  the 
present  vomiting ;  yet,  in  smaller  quantities,  besides 
the  vomiting,  it  excites  a  pain  in  the  stomach  and  grip- 
ing in  the  bowels,  tenesmus,  ulcerations,  bloody  stools, 
difficult  breathing,  and  contractions  of  the  limbs,  which 
often  terminate  in  death.     Hence  great  care  should  be 
taken  of  copper  or  brass  vessels,  in  which  acids  or  fats 
are  boiled,  lest  the  verdigrise  should  be   productive  of 
disease.     Though  acids,  Sec.  while  boiling,  do  not  cor- 
rode the  metal,  this   is  soon  effected  when  the  boiling 
heat  is  abated.     In  case  of  verdigrise  being  swallowed, 
oil  and  warm  water,  or  large  quantities  of  milk  and 
water,  both  by  the  mouth  and  by  the  anus,  in  order  to 
wash  away  the  whole  of  this  offensive  matter,  must  be 
given  ;  a  discharge  by  vomiting  with  all  possible  speed 
must  be  excited ;  and,  after  due  evacuations,  an  ano- 
dyne may  be  given :  if  there  is  great  pain,  cordials, 
with  a  milk  diet,  will  be  useful.     Pills  made  of  aerugo, 
we  are  informed  by  Gmelin,  have  been  given  as  a  re- 
medy in  cancers. 

Verdigrise  cannot  be  reduced  to  powder  but  by  levi- 
gation. 

jES,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  AES,  fire,  O.IG-H,  from. 
at6a,  to  6 urn,)  called  also  cu/irum,  %xhx.es,  Venus,  COP- 
PER. It  is" found  in  many  countries,  but  chiefly  in  Swe- 
den, Hungary,  and  Germany. 


43 


.I;TA 


The  chemical  character  for  copper  is  $  . 

Its  gravity  is  to  silver  as  eight  to  ten;  to  gold,  as 
eight  to  nineteen ;  and  to  water,  as  eight  to  one  :  more 
strictly,  it  is  from  7.780  to  8.584.  A  wire  TV  of  an  inch 
will  support  about  300  weight. 

It  is  considerably,  but  not  entirely,  fixed  in  the  fire ; 
changing  first  to  a  blue,  then  to  a  yellow,  and  then  to  a 
violet  colour. 

It  is  malleable,  and  ductile  into  a  fine  wire. 

It  is  elastic  and  sonorous. 

It  melts  not  before  ignition,  or  a  strong  white  heat, 
but  calcines  by  a  weaker  red  heat  into  a  red  powder ; 
and  when  in  contact  with  the  coals  gives  a  greenish 
blue  colour  to  the  flame. 

By  heat,  if  the  air  has  free  access,  it  forms  an  imper- 
fect blackish  red  oxide ;  with  greater  heat,  a  brown 
glass.  When  cooled  slowly,  it  is  said  to  crystallise  in 
quadrilateral  pyramids. 

The  sulphuret  of  copper  is  a  very  fusible  mass  :  the 
phosphoret  a  grey  and  brilliant  substance.  It  unites 
with  the  sulphuric  acid  when  concentrated  only  with  die 
assistance  of  heat,  forming  oblong  rhomboidal  crystals, 
which  contain  0.32  of  the  metal,  and  0.33  of  acid. 

Lime  and  magnesia  precipitate  the  copper  of  a  bluish 
white.  Ammonia  has  a  similar  effect ;  but  if  in  the 
slightest  excess  the  precipitate  is  revdissolved,  forming 
the  cuprum  ammoniacum,  the  re-dissolved  copper 
forms  the  aqua  coelestis  of  the  pharmaceutists. 

Copper  is  dissolved  in  diluted  nitric  acid,  and  forms 
crystals  in  long  parallelograms  or  rhomboids.  The 
muriatic  acid  only  dissolves  it  when  boiling  and  con- 
centrated. The  crystals  are  acid,  of  a  green  colour,  and 
the  precipitate  is  not  very  readily  dissolved  by  ammonia. 
The  green  colour  indicates,  according  to  Guyton,  a 
greater  degree  of  oxygenation  than  the  blue.  The  blue 
colour,  we  are  told  by  Gren,  when  dissolved  in  ammo- 
niac, does  not  take  place  unless  air  be  admitted.  Some 
authors  have  informed  us,  that  fixed  alkalis  and  neutral 
salts  act  on  copper  best  also  when  exposed  to  the  air 
and  in  the  cold.  Rancid  fats  and  oils  equally  dis- 
solve it. 

Dissolved  by  fixed  alkalis,  it  is  green ;  by  the  vola- 
tile, it  is  blue.  Dr.  Lewis  observes,  that  if  the  j-^-g  part 
of  a  grain  of  copper  be  dissolved  in  a  pint  of  water,  a 
blue  colour  will  be  produced  by  adding  a  volatile  alkali 
to  it. 

So  great  is  its  divisibility,  that  one  grain  dissolved  in 
aqua  ammoniac  will  tincture  385,200  limes  its  weight  of 
water. 

A  small  quantity  of  arsenic  gives  to  copper  a  great 
degree  of  hardness  and  whiteness :  thus  pins  may  be 
made  white  and  brittle  by  it.  The  hydrargyrus  muriatus 
also  whitens  it ;  but  pins  are  usually  whitened  with  a 
solution  of  tin.  If  a  piece  of  bright  iron  be  immersed 
in  the  acid  solution  of  copper,  the  acid  quits  the  copper 
to  attack  the  iron ;  and  the  copper,  in  its  separation 
from  the  menstruum,  adheres  to  the  iron,  which  soon 
appears  covered  with  a  metallic  cuprous  coat.  On  these 
principles  very  minute  quantities  of  copper  dissolved 
in  liquors  may  be  readily  discovered.  The  affinities  of 
copper  to  other  metals  form  no  part  of  our  subject  at 
this  time :  we  shall  only  add,  that  copper  and  tin  make 
a  good  bell-metal,  useful  in  microscopes  and  reflecting 
telescopes ;  copper  and  zinc,  princes  metal ;  copper 
with  bronze  and  zinc,  the  white  tonbac;  with  zinc, 


by  fusion,  the  similor  or  Manheim  gold ;  or  by  .cemen- 
tation with  lapis  calaminaris,  brass. 

For  an  account  of  the  different  ores  of  copper,  see 
Mineralogie  de  Hauy,  vol.  iii.  520,  Sec. 

If  copper  is  swallowed  in  its  pure  state,  it  is  inoffen- 
sive. Some  practitioners  observe  that  copper,  when- 
dissolved,  is  strongly  styptic  ;  so  far  from  causing  exul- 
ceration  of  the  intestines,  that  it  heals  them  :  it  vomits 
by  its  nauseous  stimulus,  which  will  continue  for  se- 
veral days. 

.£SECA'VUM,  (the  etymology  of  this  word  is  un- 
certain,) BRASS,  made  by  the  union  of  copper,  and  ca- 
lamine  stone,  which  is  owing  merely  to  the  zinc  con- 
tained in  the  calamine  :  this  is  called  auric/talcum,  azoth. 
The  alchemists  found  it  out  by  attempting  to  turn  cop- 
per into  gold.  Brass  is  not  so  readily  dissolved  as  copper. 
The  vapours  of  the  zinc,  which  join  with  the  copper 
in  making  brass,  increase  the  weight  of  the  copper 
sometimes  to  near  one-half  more  than  its  original 
weight. 

The  following  preparations  are  made  from  this  metal : 

jES  COROXA'RIUM.  See  JLS. 
.  JLS  U'STUM,  BURST  COPPER.  -  Thin  plates  of 
copper  are  laid  stratum  super  stratum  in  a  crucible, 
with  sulphur  and  sea-salt ;  then  they  are  placed  over  a 
hot  charcoal  fire,  and  there  continued  till  all  the  sulphur 
is  consumed,  or  until  the  plates  can  be  reduced  to  a 
powder.  If  good,  it  is  of  an  iron-grey  on  the  outside, 
of  a  reddish  grey  within ;  and  if  two  pieces  are  rubbed 
together,  a  vermilion  red  is  produced  :  it  must  also  be 
brittle  and  glittering  when  broken.  It  was  formerly 
used  for  destroying  fungous  flesh,  and  drying  up  fis- 
tulous  ulcers.  With  some  aromatics,  it  has  been  given 
internally  in  epilepsies,  and  is  recommended  in  diseases 
of  the  eyes. 

If  the  burnt  copper  is  made  red-hot,  and  quenched 
in  the  ol.  lini  nine  times,  then  powdered,  it  takes  the 
name  of  SAFFROX  OF  COPPER. 

JiSCHYXO'MEXE  (from  *r%vit>ftMt,  I  am  asham- 
ed) SPIXOSA;  so  called  because  it  shrinks,  as  if 
ashamed,  at  the  touch.  See  CAACO. 

-fi'SCULUS   HIPPOCA'STAXUM.     See   HIPPO- 

CASTAXUM. 

.£STA'TES, (from  estus,  summer,)  FRECKLES  in  the 
face.  See  EPHELIDES. 

-ESTA'PHARA,  (from  estut,  heat,  and  fif*,  to 
tear}.  See  INCIXERATIO. 

JESTUA'RIUM,  (from  xstuo,  to  be  hot,J  a  vapour 
bath;  sometimes  STOVES  or  machines  for  conveying 
heat  to  rooms.  See  CALDARIUM. 

.ESTUA'TIO,  (from  sstus,  heat).  The  boiling  up, 
or  rather  the  fermenting,  of  liquors  when  mixed. 

JE'STUS  VOL  A  'TICUS,  (from  £slug,heat,  and  volo, 
tojly).  Synonymous  with/iA/og-o*w,  according  to  Vogel. 
A  sudden  but  transitory  heat  in  the  face. 

.£TAS,  (from  a  Chaldean  term,  ETTA,  time,-~ 
ITU,  age,}  OXE  LIFE;  an  HUNDRED  YEARS;  also  a 
CERTAIX  STAGE  OF  LICE.  An  age  in  history,  or  as 
relating  to  the  life  of  man,  is  not,  however,  so  exten- 
sive. It  has  usually  been  considered  as  the  space  of 
thirty  years  only  ;  and  Nestor,  who  is  said  to  have  lived 
three  ages,  has  been  only  accounted  ninety  years  old. 
The  ancients  reckoned  six  stages  of  life ;  viz.  PUEHI- 
TIA,  childhood,  which  is  the  fifth  year  of  our  age; 
ADOLESCENTIA,  youth,  reckoned  to  the  eighteenth,  and 
G  2 


MTii 


E  T  H 


properly  so  called  to  the  twenty -fifth  year ;  JUVENTUS, 
reckoned  from  the  twenty-fifth  to  the  thirty -fifth ;  vi- 
RILIS  JETAS,  manhood,  from  the  thirty-fifth  to  the 
fiftieth ;  SENECTUS,  old  age,  from  fifty  to  sixty  ;  DE- 
OREPITA  ^ETAS,  decrcpid  age,  which  ends  in  death. 
Blanchard. 

In  a  more  strictly  medical  view,  the  ages  are,  how- 
ever, differently  divided  ;  and  the  constitution  changes 
according  to  a  septenary  period.  At  the  age  of  seven, 
it  seems  to  have  attained  its  first  stage.  The  form  be- 
gins to  appear ;  the  character  of  the  mind  to  be  distin- 
guishable. At  fourteen,  the  period  of  puberty  com- 
mences ;  and  at  twenty -one,  such  is  the  established  state 
of  mind  and  body,  that  the  law  rescues  the  man  from 
pupillage.  Little  change  occurs  at  twenty-eight ;  but 
at  thirty-five  the  acme  of  strength  and  intelligence  is,  by 
general  consent,  obtained.  The  two  next  periods  in- 
clude the  stages  of  firm  and  robust  health  ;  and  few  begin 
to  decline  even  at  forty -nine.  At  fifty-six  age  begins  to 
steal  on,  and  the  sixty-third  year  is  supposed  to  be  a 
period  of  peculiar  danger.  The  threescore  years  and 
ten  are  consummated  at  the  next  period,  and  all  beyond 
is  declining  health  and  vigour. 

Every  age  hath  its  diseases ;  and  Hippocrates  ob- 
serves, that  those  of  youth,  continuing  after  puberty, 
are  difficult  to  cure.  In  infancy  and  old  age,  many  ob- 
ject to  the  use  of  medicine;  but,  as  in  both  these  stages 
there  is  great  infirmity,  so  there  is  a  great  scope  both 
for  the  practice  and  the  improvement  of  the  medical 
art ;  neglect  bespeaks  an  equal  ignorance  and  inhu- 
manity :  some  disorders  may  be  radically  cured,  and  all 
may  be  palliated.  Infancy  may  be  aided  in  its  advances, 
and  the  infirmities  of  age  may  be  retarded. 

.ETHER,  in  philosophy,  is  a  subtile  fluid,  supposed 
by  sir  Issac  Newton  to  fill  all  space,  and  to  be  the 
cause  of  gravitation  and  numerous  other  phenomena, 
inexplicable  on  other  grounds.  Sir  Isaac,  however, 
only  suggested  it  as  a  probable  cause  of  these  pheno- 
mena, or  in  other  words  observed,  that,  if  there  were 
such  a  fluid  with  given  properties,  it  may  be  the  cause 
of  the  appearances  mentioned.  Such,  however,  was 
the  character  of  this  eminent  philosopher,  that  his  sup- 
positions have  been  ranked  with  the  demonstrations  of 
other  authors. 

We  shall  only  observe  at  present,  that  those  who 
examine  most  minutely  the  operations  of  nature  will  be 
the  least  ready  to  reject  this  idea.  A  medium  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  grosser  ones  which  are  subject  to  our 
senses  appears  necessary  to'explain  the  phenomena  of 
sound,  light,  gravitation,  electricity,  Galvanism,  &c. 
.Let  it  have  the  properties  assigned  to  it,  or  any  other, 
some  very  subtile  medium  probably  exists.  That  this 
aether  is  the  nervous  fluid,  as  some  authors  have  con- 
tended, can  neither  be  admitted  nor  denied.  The  whole, 
at  present,  is  gratuitous.  No  facts  have  even  proved 
its  existence :  it  is  the  tortoise  which,  in  our  present 
views,  must  be  put  under  the  elephant ;  but  we  seem 
fast  approaching  to  some  further  knowledge  of  these  in- 
visible fluids,  and  in  the  progress  of  this  work  may  make 
some  further  steps  in  the  enquiry. 
See  NERVES,  and  NERVOUS  FLUID. 
jE'THER,  vel  E'THER,  in  chemistry,  (from  a,i6a, 
Hrdeo,  xfilendto,  bright  and  n/ilendid,}  is  called  liyuor 
xtiicreus  -vitriolicux,  nitrosus,  muriaticus,  according  to 
the  acid  from  which  it  is  formed,  combined  with  al- 


cohol.  The  idea  of  Macquer,  who  considered  xthc >•  as  a 
spirit  of  wine,  dephlegmated,  or  deprived  of  water,  has 
little  foundation ;  for  the  distillation  of  spirit  of  wine 
from  the  driest  alkali  docs  not  resemble  tether. 

Various  are  the  processes  by  which  AETHER  is  made. 
The  following  seems  to  be  the  best.  Put  a  certain  quan- 
tity of  alcohol  into  a  receiver,  and  very  gradually  add 
an  equal  quantity  of  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  shak- 
ing them  together,  and  waiting  till  the  first  addition  is 
incorporated  before  any  more  is  put  in ;  for,  if  they 
are  poured  together  too  rapidly,  the  succeeding  heat 
and  ebullition  will  dissipate  a  part  of  the  mixture,  break 
the  vessel,  and  endanger  the  operator.  After  having 
mixed  the  whole  in  this  gradual  mode,  the  retort  must 
be  placed  on  a  warm  sand-bath,  a  receiver  adapted, 
and  the  mixture  heated  to  ebullition,  keeping  the  retort 
cool  with  ice  or  the  coldest  water.  Alcohol  first  passes 
over  ;  soon  after  which,  streams  of  fluid  appear  in  the- 
neck  of  the  retort  and  within  the  receiver,  which  denote 
the  rising  of  the  aether.  Its  smell  is  agreeable  :  vapours 
of  sulphureous  acid  succeed  the  aether ;  and  the  receiver 
must  be  taken  away  the  moment  they  appear.  If  the 
distillation  be  continued,  sulphureous  aether  is  obtained  ; 
and  the  oil,  which  is  called  aethereal  oil,  or  oil  of  wine, 
and  that  which  remains  in  the  retort,  is  a  mixture  of 
undecomposed  acid,  sulphur,  and  a  matter  resembling 
bitumen. 

The  chemical  nature  of  aether  is  still  little  known. 
Fourcroy  and  Vauquelin  think  that  in  the  process  the 
alcohol  is  decomposed,  and  its  ingredients  form  a  new 
compound ;  but  aether  contains  a  larger  proportion  of 
hydrogen  and  oxygen,  and  a  less  proportion  of  carbpne. 
Yet  in  various  experiments  with  aether  charcoal  is  de- 
posited more  copiously  than  from  spirit  of  wine.  Dabit, 
on  the  contrary,  contends,  that  aether  is  only  an  oxyge- 
nated sulphurous  acid.  He  has,  however,  failed  in  his 
proofs.  Other  chemists  have,  with  greater  reason, 
thought  that  the  acid  is  decomposed,  and  that  its  oxygen 
unites  with  the  .hydrogen  and  carbone  of  the  alcohol. 
Were  this  the  place  for  chemical  discussions,  we  could 
shew,  that,  though  the  latter  opinion  is  nearer  the  truth 
than  the  former  ones,  yet  that  it  is  far  from  correct. 
When  the  aether  is  mixed  with  sulphureous  vapours,  it 
must  be  rectified  by  a  gentle  heat ;  some  alkali  being 
first  added,  to  combine  with  the  acid ;  or,  what  succeeds 
better,  some  black  oxide  of  manganese. 

This  fluid,  besides  its  appellation  of  tether,  is  by  some 
named  acidum  -uitrioli  vinosum  ;  by  others,  sfiiritus 
ethereus  ;  and  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  Edinburgens.  it 
is  entitled  spt.  vini  asthereus ;  and  as  it  may  be  obtain- 
ed by  means  of  the  different  acids,  so  from  the  acid 
employed  an  appropriate  epithet  has  been  added.  It 
should  be  noted,  that  ethers  produced  by  the  differ- 
ent mineral  acids  possess  different  properties.  The  col- 
lege of  Physicians  of  London,  in  order  to  form  the 
LIQUOR  ANO'DYNUS  MINERA'LIS  HOFFMA'NNI,  order 
spiritus  aetheris  vitriolicus  tb  ij.  et  oleum  vini  ~  iij.  by 
weight.  Chaptal  says  the  composition  is  spirit  of 
wine  and  aether,  of  each  two  ounces,  and  twelve  drops 
of  the  aethereal  oil.  This  is  nearly  also  the  compo- 
sition of  TICKEL'S  ETHER.  See  LIQUOR  ANODYNUS 
HOFFMANNI. 

Various  modes  of  preparing  this  fluid  may  be  seen  in 
the  different  writers,  particularly  London  and  Edin- 
burgh Pharmacopoeias-. 


45 


JETH 


Some  of  the  properties  of  this  liquid  are  as  follow  : 

It  is  the  most  light,  -volatile,  and  inflammable,  of  all 
known  liquids;  with  oxygenated  fluids,  it  explodes. 
Its  specific  gravity  is  0.758. 

It  swims  on  the  highest  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  as 
oil  does  upon  water.  In  consequence  of  its  volatility, 
it  produces  a  high  degree  of  cold  in  evaporating :  boils 
at  98°  ;  and  in  vacuo,  at  20°  ;  and  freezes  at  46.°.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  powerful  solvents  known  in  chemistry. 
It  will  not  mix  with  acids,  alkalis,  nor  vinous  spirits  ; 
but  mixes  with  ten  times  its  weight  of  water,  by  agita- 
tion ;  and  is  an  effectual  solvent  of  oils,  balsams,  resins, 
gum  resins,  wax,  8cc. 

Equal  parts  of  alcohol  or  aether  with  sulphuric  acid, 
distilled  or  passed  through  ignited  tubes  of  clay,  pro- 
duce what  is  called  a  carbonated,  oily,  hydrogenous 
gas.  This,  mixed  with  oxygenated  muriatic  gas,  forms 
oil.  It  is  from  this  property  styled  by  the  Dutch  che- 
mists, who  discovered  it,  olefant  gas.  If  the  tube  is  of 
glass,  carbone  is  deposited,  and  no  such  gas  appears. 
If  two  parts  of  sea-salt,  one  of  manganese,  three  of  al- 
cohol, and  one  of  sulphuric  acid,  be  distilled,  a  dulcified 
oxymuriatic  acid  first  comes  over,  and  then  an  oil  called 
oil  of  salt. 

It  extracts  gold,  wherever  it  is,  from  any  one  or  all 
of  the  baser  metals  ;  and  thus  gold  is  better  and  sooner 
purified  than  by  any  other  means. 

JLther  is  first  described  in  the  Dispensatory  of  Valerius 
Cordus,  published  in  1540:  the  public  attention  to  it 
was,  however,  first  excited  by  a  publication  in  the  Phi- 
losophical Transactions,  A.  D.  1730,  by  a  German, 
who  calls  himself  Frobenius.  The  late  Dr.  Ward  was 
the  first  who  is  known  to  have  used  it  in  England  ;  with 
tthe r  he  instantly  relieved  the  headach,  and  other  pains 
in  the  external  parts  ;  but  for  the  first  publication  on  its 
internal  use,  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Turner,  surgeon, 
in  Liverpool,  by  whom  it  was  prepared  for  a  very  ex- 
tensive sale.  He  mixed  two  drams  of  fthT  with  six  or 
eight  ounces  of  water,  and  gave  from  one  to  four  large 
spoonfuls  at  a  time,  repeating  the  dose  as  required.  Its 
general  effects  internally  are  anodyne  a"nd  antispasmodic. 
Others  give  five  or  six  drops  for  a  dose,  first  dropping  it 
on  sugar;  but  five  times  the  dose  is  not  too  great.  In 
obstinate  headachs,  vertigos,  convulsions,  hysteria, 
rheumatism,  flatulent  and  other  disorders  of  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels,  asthmas,  hiccough,  kc.  by  its  ap- 
plication externally,  or  administration  internally,  or 
both,  the  most  desirable  effects  have  followed.  When 
it  is  applied  externally,  procure  a  bit  of  linen  rag,  of 
such  a  dimension  as  to  be  conveniently  covered  with 
the  palm  of  the  hand :  moisten  the  rag  with  the  <cther, 
and  press  it  close  to  the  part  affected ;  in  two  or  three 
minutes  the  rag  will  be  found  dry,  and  may  be  taken 
away :  the  application  must  be  frequently  repeated. 
Fred.  Hoffman,  indeed,  employed  it,  in  the  form  of 
his  mineral  liquor,  as  a  sedative  and  antispasmodic. 

The  aether  prepared  by  Mr.  Tickel,  of  Bath,  is  re- 
commended chiefly  in  hydrothorax,  but  none  of  the 
aethers  are  remarkably  diuretic ;  and,  from  what  we 
have  seen,  this  medicine  apparently  acts  only  as  an 
anodyne  and  an  antispasmodic.  In  complaints  where 
a  remedy  of  this  nature  is  required,  Hoffman  is  extra- 
vagant in  the  praises  of  his  mineral  liquor;  and,  in 
later  times,  Mr.  Glutton's  febrifuge  spirit  is  little  more 


than  an  aether  acidulated,  and  disguised  by  some  of  the 
warmer  vegetables. 

./Ether  is  either  administered  on  sugar  or  mixed  with 
water,  by  means  of  an  almond  or  mucilage.  It  is  how- 
ever given  with  least  loss  in  the  former  way,  or  dropped 
into  any  fluid  in  a  vial,  which  must  be  immediately 
corked  and  inverted. 

As  to  the  tests  of  the  goodness  of  tether,  Mr.  Turner 
informs  us,  "  that  the  most  perfect  sort  is  obtained  by 
the  assistance  of  the  vitriolic  acid ;  that  it  is  colourless, 
and  strikes  the  nose  very  strongly  with  the  sulphureous 
smell ;  a  drop  let  fall  on  the  hand  instantly  vanishes, 
without  leaving  any  moisture  behind  ;  five  or  six  drops 
dropped  together  upon  a  table  will  disappear  in  a  few 
seconds,  and  leaves  only  the  appearance  of  a  large  oily 
ring  behind."  The  best  fther  requires  the  greatest 
quantity  of  water  to  be  mixed  with  it ;  if,  therefore, 
to  six  tea  spoonfuls  of  water,  in  a  small  phial,  you  add 
one  of  the  fther  to  be  examined,  cork  it  up,  and  shake 
them  well  together;  and  if,  upon  standing  a  little  while, 
some  of  the  ether  appears  at  the  top,  in  the  form  of  oil, 
sufficient  to  cover  the  surface  of  the  mixture,  it  is 
good,  provided  also  that  it  answers  the  other  methods 
of  trial ;  but  if  none  appears,  or  not  enough  to  cover  the 
face  of  the  mixture,  it  was  either  adulterated  or  not 
well  rectified :  if  to  this  mixture  of  ether  and  water 
you  add  a  little  salt  of  tartar,  and  any  fermentation 
ensues,  the  titter  was  not  well  rectified.  To  obtain  a 
powerful  medicine,  it  is  necessary  that  it  be  free  from 
all  adherence  of  the  sulphureous  acid,  for  in  proportion 
to  the  acid,  its  virtues  are  greatly  impaired. 

See  Malouin's  Chimie  Medicinale,  torn.  ii.  p.  451. 
Dictionary  of  Chemistry,  edit.  ii.  Dr.  Frobenius's  ac- 
counts of  JEther,  inserted  in  the  Philosophical  Transac- 
tions for  1733  and  1741.  Pharm.  Col.  Edinb.  The  Lond. 
Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  ii.  p.  176 — 186.  An  Account  of 
the  extraordinary  Medicinal  Fluid  called  Mther,  by  M. 
Turner,  surgeon,  in  Liverpool.  Abridgment  of  the  Phi- 
losophical Transactions,  vol.  viii.  p.  744.  Cyclopediaj 
edit.  A.  D.  1788.  Beaume's  Dissertation  on  JEther. 
This  last  is  the  most  complete  work  on  this  subject. 
Cullen's  Mat.  Medica.  Chaptal,  Lavoisier,  Fourcroy, 
Thomson,  Annales  de  Chimie,  vols.  21,  23,  24,  and  29, 
34,  43.  Journal  de  Physique,  45  and  46.  Parkinson's 
Chemical  Pocket  Book. 

-fiTHE'REA  HE'RBA.     See  ERYXGIUM. 

jETHE'REAL  OIL,  an  animal  or  vegetable  oil, 
highly  rectified. 

jE'THIOPIS,  (from  »itt>,  to  burn,  and  n-^,  the  face  ; 
so  called  because  it  is  abundant  in  ^Ethiopia,  and  very 
hot  climates,)  ETHIOPIAN  CLARY.  Sah'ia  JEthiofiis. 
Linn.  Its  leaves  are  like  those  of  mullein,  hairy  and 
thick  ;  the  stalk  is  quadrangular,  like  that  of  balm  ;  the 
seeds  are  two  in  a  cell.  A  decoction  of  its  roots  is 
commended  in  pleurisies  and  rheumatisms ;  but  is  an 
inert  insignificant  remedy.  Raii  Hist. 

jETHIO'PIC.E.  This  epithet  is  applied  to  many 
medicines  from  their  black  colour,  like  the  skin  of  an 
./Ethiopian. 

PILUL.     R.   Merc.  pur.  cum  mu- 

cilag.  e  gum.  Arab,  extinct.  J  vi.  sulph.  ant.  precip. 
res.  guaiac.  et  mellis  aa  J  ss.  f.  mas.  et  divid.  in  pilul. 
No.  ccxl.  quarum  detur  i.  ad  iv.  mane  nocteque. 
These  are  in  every  respect  equal  to  Dr.  Plummer's  in 


T  it 


AFF 


point  of  usefulness,  but  not  so  apt  to  run  off  by  a  stool ; 
see  PLUMMERI  PILUL^E. 

jE'THIOPS  ANTIMONIA'LIS,  ANTIMONIALJETHI- 
OPS.  Dr.  Cockburn,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  Gonorr- 
hoea, directs  us  to  melt  equal  parts  of  antimony  and 
sea  salt  in  a  crucible,  and  separate  the  scoriae,  then  to 
rub  equal  parts  of  the  regulus  made  in  this  manner 
and  mercury  together,  till  they  are  incorporated.  He 
extols  it  in  cutaneous  diseases,  glandujar  obstructions, 
and  many  other  chronical  diseases  :  a  few  grains  are 
given  at  first,  and  the  quantity  is  increased  as  the  pa- 
tient can  bear  it.  Malouin,  in  his  Chemistry,  gives 
various  processes  for  uniting  antimony  with  mercury, 
some  of  which  are  more  speedy,  and  others  more  per- 
fect in  forming  this  combination ;  but  all  the  prepara- 
tions where  the  crude  antimony  is  employed  are  inert, 
in  consequence  of  the  sulphur  it  contains.  The  Pillulse 
jEthiopicae,  taken  from  a  former  edition  of  the  Edin- 
burgh Dispensatory,  are  now  omitted  in  the  Pharma- 
copoeia of  both  colleges. 

— — — ^^—  MARTIA'LIS,  MARTIAL  JETHIOPS.  Put  filings 
Of  steel  into  an  unglazed  earthen  vessel,  with  water 
enough  to  rise  four  inches  above  th'e  filings  ;  the  whole 
is  to  be  stirred  every  day,  and  more  water  supplied  as 
that  in  the  vessel  exhales,  so  that  the  filings  remain 
always  covered  ;  continue  this  process  till  they  are  re- 
duced to  a  powder  of  an  inky  blackness.  This  medi- 
cine seems  never  to  have  attained  the  notice  of  phy- 
sicians, though  it  may  probaby  be  an  useful  one.  The 
iron  is  evidently  oxygenated  by  the  decomposition  of 
the  water,  and  it  may  be  recollected,  that  in  Griffith's 
medicine  it  experiences  a  similar  change. 

MINERA'LIS.    Now  called  Hydrargyrus  cum 

Sulphure,  Lond.  Ph.  1788.  jEthiops,  so  called  from 
its  colour.  ETHIOPS  MINERAL  is  prepared  by  uniting 
equal  parts  of  sulphur  and  mercury,  with  or  without 
heat. 

As  sulphur  so  eminently  abates  the  power  of  all  the 
more  active  metals,  this  medicine  is  thought  by  many 
to  be  no  further  useful  than  as  it  is  of  efficacy  in  the 
stomach  and  bowels ;  others  assert,  that  it  enters  the 
circulation,  and  is  productive  of  very  salutary  effects. 
It  is  indeed  possible,  that  a  portion  of  the  mercury  may 
be  separated  from  the  sulphur,  during  the  passage  of 
the  oetkiojis  through  the  body.  The  dose  is  from  gr.  v. 
to  3  ss.  It  is  equally  useful  with  the  cinnab.  antimonii 
for  fumigating  venereal  ulcers  :  and,  like  the  cinnabar, 
it  is  hard  to  say  that  it  is  useful  in  any  other  way.  In 
the  present  form  with  a  double  proportion  of  mercury 
it  may  be  more  active. 

VEGETA'BILIS.     VEGETABLE  ^ETHIOPS.     By 

burning  the  sea-wrack  in  the  open  air,  it  is  reduced 
into  a  black  powder,  and  is  then  called  vegetable  athiofis. 
The  soap-boilers  call  this  kelp.  The  best  is  from  Scot- 
land. From  9  i.  to  9  ij.  is  given  twice  a  day  to  remove 
scrofulous  swellings. 

JOVIALIS,  is  mentioned  by  Gmelin  as  use- 
ful in  destroying  taenije.  It  consists  of  equal  parts  of 
tin,  mercury,  and  sulphur ;  but  is  probably  a  medicine 
of  little  value,  as  tin  acts  mechanically. 

— — —  ANTIPTHYSICUS,   ANTIRHEUMATICUS,    DIURE- 

TICUS,  and  PURGANS,  are  denominated  from  their  colour, 
and  consist  of  mercury,  with  the  Peruvian  balsam ; 
with  gum  guaiacum  ;  with  juniper  gum ;  and  with 


manna  or  jalap.  These  combinations  are  wholly  un- 
known in  this  country,  and  perhaps  scarcely  deserve  to 
be  known. 

A'LBUS.     See  MERCURIUS  ALKALIZATUS. 

— — — —  MERCUHII  PER  SB,  is  a  simple  oxyde  of 
mercury,  prepared  by  trituration,  with  or  without  mu- 
cilage. It  has  been  given  in  venereal  affections,  in  in- 
flammations of  the  liver,  and  intermittents  ;  and  seems 
to  have  been  at  one  time  a  favourite  with  the  German 
physicians. 

jETHO'LICES,  (from  ccita,  to  inflame  or  burn}. 
Superficial  pustules  in  the  sltin  raised  by  heat. 

JETHU'SA  ME'UM.     See  MEUM. 

jETIOLO'GIA,  AETIOLOGY,  (from  «IT/«,  a  cause, 
A«y«5,  a  discourse  on}.  A  treatise  on  the  causes  of  dis- 
eases, and  their  symptoms. 

^E'TOIPHLE'BES,  EAGLE  VEINS,  (from  atrtf,  an 
eagle,  <pfoi)/, -vena}.  According  to  Ruffus  Ephesius, 
the  veins  that  pass  through  the  temples  to  the  head 
were  thus  called. 

./ETO'LION,  (from  aero?,  an  eagle,  so  called  because 
the  grain  is  the  colour  of  eagle's  feathers).  See  CNI- 

DIA  GRANA. 

.(ETO'NYCHUM,  (from  ttertf,  an  eagle,  and  •»»!,  a 
claw  or  nail}.  The  claw  of  an  eagle.  See  LITHOSPER- 
MUM. 

AFFE'CTIO,  AN  AFFECTION,  (from  afficio,  to  affect}. 
This  is  expressed  in  Greek  by  3-*So«,  hence  Jiathema, 
fiassio,  and  is  synonymous  with  disease. 

AFFE'CTIO    HYPOCHO'NDRIjE.      See    HYPO- 

CHONDRIACUS  MORBUS. 

A'FFIDRA,  (from  atfu^xa,  to  fiersfiire).  A  name 
for  ceruss,  because  it  was  thought  to  possess  the  power 
of  promoting  perspiration.  See  CERUSSA,  N°  1,  under 
PLUMBUM. 

AFFI'NITAS,  AFFINITY,  (from  affinis,  connected}. 
Attractio,  CHEMICAL  AFFINITY,  also  called  ELECTIVE 
ATTRACTION,  may  be  defined  the  superior  attraction 
evinced  by  all  bodies  for  some  particular  substance ; 
an  attraction  so  great,  that  the  component  parts  of  a 
body  are  separated  to  enable  the  ingredients  to  form  a 
new  union. 

Attraction  is  of  different  kinds  in  nature,  though  pro- 
bably they  all  depend  ultimately  on  the  same  princi- 
ples:  they  are,  1.  The  attraction  of  gravitation.  2.  The 
magnetic  attraption.  3.  The  attraction  of  electricity. 
4.  The  attraction  of  cohesion  or  of  aggregation.  5. 
Chemical  attraction,  which  is  that  tendency  which  bo- 
dies have,  however  different,  to  unite  together,  and  to 
remain  in  union :  e.  gr.  an  acid  unites  with  a  metal, 
an  earth,  or  an  alkaline  salt,  and  with  either  of  these 
the  acid  forms  one  body  ;  which  body  does  not  consist 
of  a  combination  of  the  properties  of  the  acid  and  the 
metal,  &c. ;  but  these  losing  their  original  properties 
on  their  union,  a  new  body,  different  from  either,  is 
formed.  6.  Elective  attraction,  or  affinity,  as  already 
explained. 

Chemical  attraction  does  not  usually  take  place  but 
when  the  respective  bodies,  or  one  of  them,  are  in  a 
fluid  state.  Before  chemical  attraction  can  take  place 
betwixt  two  or  more  bodies,  it  is  necessary  to  destroy 
their  attraction  of  aggregation  or  cohesion ;  this  is 
effected  by  dissolving  them.  The  component  parts  of 
bodies  cannot  come  into  the  necessary  contact  with  each 


A  FF 


47 


A  F  F 


other  until  the  integrant  parts  of  the  bodies,  which  are 
to  act  and  be  acted  on,  are  separated  by  a  solution  of 
them.  Dry  bodies,  however  finely  powdered,  some- 
times unite  chemically  ;  and  sometimes  elective  attrac- 
tions take  place  when  both  the  bodies  are  in  a  dry 
powder.  Attraction  of  aggregation  requires  only  the 
application  of  surfaces  ;  but  chemical  attraction  usually 
requires  fluidity. 

The  power  in  bodies  on  which  their  various  transposi- 
tions and  combinations  depend,  and  which  is  called 
their  affinity,  is  a  term  like  the  Newtonian  attraction, 
designed  to  express  not  the  cause  but  the  effect. 
When  an  acid  spontaneously  quits  a  metal  to  unite 
with  an  alkali,  it  is  said  that  it  hath  a  greater  affinity 
to  the  alkali  than  to  the  metal  ;  this  is  only  to  say,  in 
other  words,  that  it  will  unite  with  the  alkali  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  metal. 

The  doctrine  of  the  affinities  of  bodies  is  of  very 
extensive  use  in  chemical  pharmacy  ;  for  as  several 
processes  are  founded  on  it,  so  if  an  error  happens, 
and  the  medicine  proves  unfit  for  its  intended  use,  it 
may  be  rendered  applicable  to  other  purposes,  by  such 
transpositions  of  their  component  parts  as  are  point- 
ed out  by  the  knowledge  of  their  affinitiet.  Combi- 
nations and  separations  that  are  chemical  depend  on 
elective  attraction. 

Tables  of  elective  attraction  include  every  chemical 
fact  of  importance  ;  as  the  whole  science  consists  only 
of  the  union  of  bodies,  and  the  separation  of  the  com- 
ponent parts  of  such  as  are  not  simple.  The  whole 
doctrine  would  however  be  misplaced  in  a  work  of  this 
kind  ;  yet,  as  the  subject  is  so  closely  connected  with 
chemical  pharmacy,  we  must  add  the  outlines.  Che- 
mical affinity  or  attraction  was  first  spoken  of  by 
Barchusen,  from  whom  Boerhaave  adopted  this  or 
similar  language.  Geoffroy  however  first  collected  all 
the  known  facts  of  this  kind  in  the  form  of  a  table,  in 
the  year  1718.  The  term  elective  attraction — perhaps 
not  strictly  proper,  as  implying  a  choice,  yet  not  ill  ap- 
plied, as  chemical  attractions  are  not  indiscriminate—- 
was, we  believe,  first  introduced  by  Dr.  Cullen,  who 
made  some  important  advances  in  giving  chemistry  a 
scientific  form.  He  was  followed  by  Dr.  Black,  and 
afterwards  by  Bergman.  Yet  Geoffrey's  table  was  pub- 
lished, with  improvements  by  Grosse,  in  1730  ;  Gel- 
lert,  in  1750  ;  Andiger,  in  1756  ;  Marchen,  in  1762  ; 
De  Pouchy,  in  1773  ;  Machy,  Erxleben,  Viegel,  and 
Bergman,  in  1775.  Rouelle's,  Limbourg's,  and  Sage's 
tables  appeared  between  1760  and  1775  ;  but  the  dates 
we  cannot  now  ascertain.  Bergman's  tables  are  usually 
preferred,  though  that  annexed  to  the  translation  of 
Gren's  chemistry  we  think  superior.  We  shall  how- 
ever give  that  of  Bergman,  omitting  the  affinities  of 
platina,  and  with  some  of  the  modern  improvements  ; 
as  that  of  Gren  is  so  minutely  exact,  as  to  confuse,  in 
some  degree,  the  less  experienced  chemist ;  and  unne- 
cessarily so  for  our  present  purpose.  Those  who  would 
engage  in  this  subject  at  greater  length  will  find  excel- 
lent assistance  in  the  new  French  Encyclopedia,  or  in 
the  Annales  de  Chimie,  vols.  36,  37,  38  and  39,  where 
M.  Berthollet  has  given  some  excellent  papers  on  the 
laws  of  affinity.  M.  Morveau  has  also  published  Prin- 
ripesTheoriques  and  Pratiques  des  Affinitesou  Attrac- 
tions Chimiques. 

The  papers  have  been  translated  in  some  of  the 


earlier  volumes  of  the  Philosophical  Magazine,  and  the 
later  work  on  this  subject  has  been  lately  translated  in 
two  volumes  8vo.  We  may  just  add,  that  the  symboli- 
cal characters  of  chemical  substances,  used  in  the  earlier 
tables,  are  now  generally  disused,  as  they  are  so  nume- 
rous as  to  be  with  difficulty  learnt  or  recollected. 

It  is  no  part  of  our  present  object  to  follow  minutely 
the  disquisitions  of  Morveau.  It  is  sufficient  for  our 
purpose  to  point  out,  by  the  tables,  the  comparative 
force  of  attraction  of  a  given  substance  for  the  various 
other  chemical  bodies.  It  has  however  been  a  deside- 
ratum to  ascertain  the  precise  numerical  degree  of  at- 
traction of  these  different  bodies  ;  and  Mr.  Kirwan 
has  laboured  with  great  success  in  this  field.  We  need 
only  refer  to  his  labours  in  the  Philosophical  Transac- 
tions for  1780  and  1781,  as  well  as  the  fourth  and  sub- 
sequent volumes  of  the  Irish  Transactions.  M.  M. 
Wenzel,  Achard,  Morveau,  and  Berthollet,  preceded 
him  'with  unequal  success. 

To  understand  the  following  table,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  remark,  that  the  substance  at  the  top  in  capital 
letters  has  the  greatest  affinity  with  that  immediately 
under  it,  and  a  less,  in  succession,  with  those  which 
follow.  Of  consequence,  the  substance  most  remote 
from  the  uppermost  will  be  separated  from  an  union 
with  it  by  one  nearer  it  in  the  series.  Where  the  spaces 
are  different  it  shews  an  unusual  difference  in  the  powers. 


1.  CALORIC.     In   Water. 

Sulphuric  A. 

Oxygen 
.Ether 

Manganese  Ox.  white 
Hydrogen 

Alcohol 

Ammonia 

Volatile  Oils 

Water 

Alcohol 

Vol.  Oils 

Water 

Glass 

Q.  Silver 

In  fire. 

Bases  of  all  Gases 

Carbon 

Zinc 

'ron 

2.  OXYGEN.     In    Waters 

iydrogen 

Basis  of  Muriatic  and  va- 

Metal-Manganese 
Cobalt 

rious  other  Acids. 

Nickel 

Carbon 

^ead 

Phosphorus 
Sulphur 

Tin 
3hosphorus 

Light  ? 

"7  lT\f* 

Copper 
3ismuth 

^>1X1L. 

Copper 
Lead 

\ntimony 
Q.  Silver  at  600° 
\rsenic 

Iron 

Silver 
Platina 
Q.  Silver 

Sugar 
Sulphur 
Caloric 
InlH 

Gold 

JO1U 

Silver 

Nitrous  Gas 

Dlatina 

Muriatic  Acid 

Q.  Silver  at  above  1000" 

Nitrous  A. 

Manganese  Oxidated  white 

AFF 


43 


A  F  F 


3.  SULPHUR.     In    Water. 

TVater 

ormic 

8.  STROXTIA.     la  Water. 

Icohol 

actic 

Oxygen 

Molybd.  Oxide  and  Acid 

ther? 

enzoic 
\cctous  Acids 
?ixed  Alkali 

ulphuric 
Dxalic 

Oxide  of  Lead 

'T*' 

In  Fire. 

ulphur 

"artarous 

i  in 

Oxide  of  Lead 

'luor 

Silver 
Q.  Silver 

Manganese 

Fitric 

Arsenic 

ron 

Muriatic 

Antimony 

7.  BAHYTES.     In    Water. 

uccinic 

Iron 
Fixed  Alkalis 

opper 
'in 
^ead 

ulphuric 

'hosphorit 
Acetous 

Barytes 

Oxalic 

Arsenic 

Strontia 

»i 

Lime 

ilver 

inlfl  ? 

uccinic 

loracic 

Magnesia 
Phosphorus, 

i  (Mil    . 

Antimony 
Cobalt 

luoric 

'hosphoric 

Carbonic 
Other  Acids  : 

Fat  Oil 
Volatile  Alkali 

Nickel 
lismuth 

^acteo-saccharine 
Molybdic 

?ixed  Alkalis 

Hydrogen  Gas  ? 

Q.  Silver  ? 
Arsenic  ? 

Nitric 

Water 
Fat  Oil 

Carbon 

Muriatic 

Sulphur 

In  Fire. 

Suberic 

Fixed  Alkali 

5.  SILICA.     In  Water. 

Citric 
Tartarous 

In  Fire. 

Oxygen 

Arsenic  Acids 

*Jot  ascertained 

Iron                   • 
Copper 

Fluor  Alkali 

?ormic 

Tin 

rixed  Alkali 

jactic 

Lead 

Jarytes  ? 

Jenzoic 

Silver 

Strontia  ? 

Acetous 

Cobalt  ? 

9.  LIMB.     In  Water. 

Nickel  ? 

Joracic 

Bismuth 

6.  ALUMINE.     In   Water. 

Sulphureous 

Oxalic 

Antimony 
Q.  Silver 

Sulphuric 

Citrous 
Carbonic 

Sulphuric 
Tartaric 

Arsenic 

Nitric 

3russic  Acids 

Succinic 

Uranite  ? 
Molybdena 
Sylvanite,  or  Tellurium 

Muriatic 
?luoric 

?ixed  Alkali  ? 
IJme  ? 
Water 

Phosphoric 
Lacteo-saccharine 

Arsenic 

"\          1  *  A 

Fat  Oil 

Nitric 

Oxalic 

Sulphur 

Muriatic 

^ 

Suberic 

Sxibcvic 

4.    SALINE   SULPHURETS. 

Tartarous 
'hosphoric 

In  Fire. 

Sebacic 

In  Water. 

Acetous  and  other  Acids 

Phosphoric 

Fluoric 

Oxygen 

Alkalis 

Boracic 
Arsenic 

Arsenic 
Formic 

Oxide  of  Gold 

Barytes 

Sulphuric 

Lactic 

Silver 

Strontia  ? 

Succinic 

Citric 

Q.  Silver 

Fluoric 

Benzoic 

Arsenic 

Nitric 

Acetous 

Antimony 

•     In  Fire. 

Muriatic 

Boracic 

Bismuth 
Copper 

Phosphoric 

Sebacic 
Formic 

Sulphureous 
Nitrous 

Tin       , 

Boracic 

Lactic 

Carbonic 

Lead 

Arsenic 

Benzoic 

Prussic  Acid 

Oxide  of  Nickel 
Cobalt 

Sulphuric 
Nitric 

Acetous  Acids 

Barytes  ? 

Manganese 

Muriatic 

Fixed  Alkali 

Water 

Iron 

Fluoric 

Fat  Oil 

Other  Oxides 

Sebacic 

Sulphur 

Sulphur 

Carbon 

Succinic 

'Oxide  of  Lead 

Phosphorus 

AFP 


49 


AFF 


In  Fire. 

Lactic 

Lime 

16.  SULPHI-REOU  s  Acii. 

Benzoic 

Magnesia 

In  Water. 

Phosphoric 

Acetous  Acids 

Alumine 

Boracic 

Silica 

Barytes 

Arsenic 
Sulphuric 

Fixed  Alkali 
Sulphur 

Sulphur 

Strontia 

Succinic 

Dxide  of  Lead 

Lime 

Fluoric 

Potash 

I'lC 

U\\'  .  ^>.>n 

Muriatic 

.     \>  ATER. 

Soda 

Suberic 

11.     12.13.     VEGETABLE, 

Potash 

Magnesia 

Sebacic 

FOSSIL,   and    VOLATILE 

Soda 

Ammonia 

Formic 

ALKALIS. 

Ammonia 

Alumine 

Lactic 
Benzoic 

In  Water. 

Alcohol 

Fargonia 

Acetous  Acids     - 

Sulphuric 

Carbonate  of  Ammonia 

Metallic  Oxides 

Fixed  Alkali 

X-. 

./Ether 

Water 

Sulphur 

N  Uric 

Alcohol 

Oxide  of  Lead 

Sebacic 

Sulphuric  A. 

Muriatic 

Sulphate  of  Potash 

Suberic 

Sulphate  of  Alumine 

17.    18.    19.    20.    21.     NI- 

10.  MAGNESIA.     In 
Water. 

•"luoric 
'hosphoric 
Oxalic 

Sulphate  of  Iron 
Oxy-muriate  of  Q.  Silver 
Other  compounds,  not   de- 
composed by    Sulphuric 

TROUS,      NITRIC,     MU- 
RIATIC,   OXY-MURIATIC. 

NlTRO-MURIATIC  AciDS. 

In  Water. 

Taftaric 

Acid 

Oxalic 

\rsenic 

Silica 

Potash 

Succinic 

Phosphoric 

.  •    • 

hOtflft 

Sulphuric 
Fluoric 

Citric 
'ormic 
^actic 

15.  SULPHURIC  ACID. 

Jarytes 

Sebacic 

Jenzoic 

In  Water. 

Strontia 

Arsenic 

\cetous     and    Lacteo-sac- 

-ime 

Lacteo-saccharine 
Succinic 

charine  Acids 

B  arytes 

tlagnesia 

\  1  1  1'OIl  1 

ioracic 

Strontia 

Ammonia 

JL^  1  ti  UU3 

Muriatic 

ulphureous 

Potash 

\lumine 

Suberic 

N'hrous  Acids 

^oda 

Tartaric 

Carbonic  A. 

Metallic  Oxides 

Citric? 

'russic  A. 

Lme 

Formic 

Vater 

Magnesia 

Water 

Lactic 

\mmonia 

\lcohol 

Benzoic 

Fat  Oil 

Alumine 

Acetous 

Sulphur 

In  Fire. 

Boracic 

Metallic  Oxides 

argonia? 

Sulphureous 

Metallic  Oxides 

iarytes 

Carbonic 

In  Fire. 

Strontia 

Prussic  Acids 

'otash 

Water 

Sulphur 

'hosphoric 
ioracic 

\lcohol 

Soda 
Magnesia 

interne 

In  Fire. 

Metallic  Oxides 

In  Fire. 

ulphuric 

, 

\mmonia 

uccinic 

'otash 

\lumine 

Phosphoric 

"luoric 

Soda 

Boracic 

Vitric 

J  arytes 

Arsenic 

iuriatic 

Strontia 

Sulphuric 
Succinic 

ebacic 
•"ormic 

Jine 
Magnesia 

22.  FLUORIC  ACID. 
In  Water. 

Fluoric 

.actic 

argonia 

Nitric 

icnzoic 

Metallic  Oxides 

^imc 

Muriatic 

\cetous  Acids 

Sebacic 

\mmonia 

J  arytes 

Formic 

arytes 

\lumine 

Strontia 

VOL.  I.                                                                                                                                                                                    H 

A  F  F 


50 


A  F  F 


Magnesia 

Jarytes 

Magnesia 

->oda 

Potash 

Slrontia 

'otash 

trontia 

Soda 

Magnesia 

Soda 

immonia 

Ammonia 

'otash 

\mmonia 

^ime 

Alumine 

Soda 

Alumine 

Magnesia 

Metal  lie  Oxides 

Ammonia 

Metallic  Oxides 

Alumine 

\lumine 

Metallic  Oxides 

Silica 

Metallic  Oxides 

Vatcr 

Water 

Water 

\lcohol 

Water 

Alcohol 

Alcohol 

Mcohol 

In  Fire. 

In  Fire. 

T      ft"  •  ' 

^ 

. 

Jarytes 

!l        U  C  .• 

Lime 
Barytes 

26.  CITRIC  ACID. 
In  Water. 

Strontia 
^ime 

Jarytes 
5  trontia 

Strontia 

Magnesia 

'otash 

Magnesia 

^ime 

'otash 

Soda 

Potash 
Soda 
Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 

Jarytes 
Strontia 

Magnesia 
'otash 

Soda 
Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 
Alumine 

^imc 
Magnesia 
Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 

Alumine 

Soda 

Alumine 

Ammonia 

• 

Alumine 

29.     LACTEO-SACCHA- 

23.    BORACIC  ACID. 

Metallic  Oxides 

RINE  ACID. 

33.     34.     SEBACIC    AND 

In  Water. 

In  Water. 

PHOSPHORIC  ACIDS. 

Water 

In  Water. 

Lime 

Alcohol 

L,ime 

Barytes 

Barytes 

Lime 

Strontia 

Magnesia 

Barytes 

Magnesia 

Potash 

J 

Strontia 

Potash 

27.     BENZOIC    ACID. 

iioda 

Magnesia 

Soda 

In  Water. 

Ammonia 

Potash 

Ammonia 
Alumine 

White  Oxide  of  Arsenic 
Potash 

Alumine 

Soda 
Ammonia 

Soda 

Metallic  Oxides 

Alumine 

Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 
Barytes 

Water 

Metallic  Oxides 

Water 

Lime 

Alcohol 

Water 

Alcohol 

Magnesia 
Alumine.          Tromsdorff. 

In  Fire. 

Alcohol 

In  Fire. 

\ 

In  Fire. 

In  Fire. 

Lime 

Lime 
Barytes 
Strontia 
Magnesia 
Potash 
Soda 

Lime 
Barytes 
Strontia 
Magnesia 
Potash 

Barytes 
Strontia 
Magnesia 
Potash 
Soda 
Metallic  Oxides 

Lime 
Barytes 
Strontia 
Magnesia 
Potash 
,  Soda 

Metallic  Oxides 
Ammonia 

Soda 
Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 
Alumine 

Metallic  Oxides 
Ammonia 

Alumine     . 

Ammonia 

Alumine 

Alumine 

30.     31.     32.      ACETOUS 

24.    25.       OXALIC  and 

LACTIC,      AN'D      FORMIC 

TAHTACEOUS    ACIDS. 

28.  SUCCINIC  ACID. 

ACIDS.    In  Water. 

35.  PRUSSIC  ACID. 

In  Water. 

In  Water. 

Barytes 

Barytes 

•  Lime 

Lime 

Potash 

Alkalis 

AFF 


51 


A  F  F 


Baryu--. 

Fixed  Alkalis 

43.  OXIDE  OF  URAXITE. 

46.  OXIDE  OF  NICKEL. 

Strontia 

Absorb.  Earths 

In  Water. 

Lir»e                        Henry. 

Metallic  Oxides 

Sulphuric 

Nitro-muriatic 

Oxalic  Acid 

Muriatic 

Muriatic 

36.  CARBONIC  ACID. 

40.  TUXGSTEXIC  ACID. 

Nitric 
Phosphoric 

Sulphuric 
Tartareous 

In  It'ater. 

Acetous 

Nitric 

Lime 

Gallic 

Sebacic 

Barytes 
Strontia 

Barytes 
Magnesia 

Prussic 
Carbonic  Acids 

Phosphoric 
Fluoric 

Lime 

Alkalis 

Sulphur 

Lacteo-saccharine 

Fixed  Alkalis 

Alumine              Elluyarts. 

Succinic 

Magnesia 

Water 

Citric 

¥7                " 

Ammonia 

Formic 
Acetous 

Alumine 

41.  OXIDE  OF  ARSENIC. 

- 

Arsenic 

Metallic  Oxydes 

In  Water. 

44.  OXIDE  OF  STLVAXITE,  or 

TELLURIUM. 

Lactic  Acids 

Water 

Muriatic  Acid 

In  Water. 

Arsenic 

Alcohol 

Oxalic 

Boracic 

Nitrous 

Sulphuric 

Nitro-muriatic 

Prussic 

37.  ARSENIC  ACID. 
In  Water. 

Nitric 
Sebacic 
Tartaric 

Sulphuric  Acid 

Sulphur 
Alkalis 

Carbonic 
Volatile  Alkali 

Lime 

Phosphoric 
Fluoric 

Q.  Silver 

NICKEL.—  In  fire. 

Barytes 

Lacteo-saccharine 

W'otof 

Strontia 

Succinic 

ater 

Iron 

Magnesia 

Citric 

Cobalt 

Potash 

Formic 

S\~LVAJ«TTE.  —  In  Fire, 

Arsenic 

Soda 

Arsenic 

Copper 

Ammonia 

Lactic 
Acetous 

Q.  Silver 

Gold 

T"" 

Alumine 

Prussic  Acids 

Sulphur 

Tin 

Antimony 

Metallic  Oxides 

Ammonia 

Platina 

Water 

Fat  Oil 

Bismuth 

Alcohol 

Lead 

Water 

45.  OXIDE  OF  MANGANESE. 

Silver 

In  Fire. 
Lime 

ARSENIC.  —  In  Fire. 

In  Water. 

Zinc 
Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

Barytes 

Nickel 

Oxalic 

Sulphur 

Strontia 

Cobalt 

Tartaric 

Magnesia 
Potash 

Copper 

T 

Citric 

r*i 

Iron 

t  luoric 

Soda 
Metallic  Oxides 

Silver 
Tin 

Phosphoric  Acids 
Nitrous 

47.  OXIDE  OF  COBALT. 

Lead 

Sulphuric 

In  Water. 

Ammonia 

Gold 

Muriatic 

Alumine 

Platina 

Sebacic 

Oxalic  Acid 

Zinc 

Arsenic 

38.  CHROMIC  ACID. 
In  Water. 

Antimony 
Sulphuret  of  Alkali 
Sulphur 

Acetous 
Other  Acids 

Muriatic  A. 

Sulphuric  A. 
Tartareous 

Nitric 

Fixed  Alkali 
Oxide  of  Lead 

•i..  OXIDE  or  TITAXITE. 
In  Water. 

MANGANESE.  —  In  Fire. 

Sebaoic 
Phosphoric 

Oxide  of  Copper 

Copper 

Sulphuric 
Xitrous  and  Muriatic  Acids! 

Iron 
Gold 

Fluoric 
Lacteo-saccharbie 

39.  MOLYBDEXIC  ACID, 

Prussic  Alkali 
Oxy-muriatic 

Silver 
Tin 
Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

Succinic 
Citric 
Formic 

Sulphur 

Nitro-muriatic 

H2 


AFF 


52 


AFF 


Lactic 

49.  OXIDE  OF  ANTIMONY. 

Fluoric 

Silver 

Acetous 

In  Water. 

Arsenic 

Tin 

Arsenic 

Formic 

Antimony 

Boracic 

Sebacic 

Lactic 

Platina 

Prussic 

Muriatic 

Acetous 

Bismuth 

Carbonic 
Volatile  Alkali 

Oxalic 

Sulphuric 
Pyromucous 

Boracic 
Prussic 

Carbonic  Acids 

Lead 
Q.  Silver 
Alkaline  Sulphuret 

COBALT.  —  In  Fire. 

Nitric 
Tartaric 

Volatile  Alkali 

Sulphur 

Iron 

Lacteo-saccharine 
Phosphoric 

ZINC.  —  In  Fire. 

52.  OXIDE  OF  TIN. 

Nickel 

Citric 

In  Water. 

Arsenic 

Succinic 

Copper 

Copper 

Fluoric 

Antimony 

Pyromucous 

Gola 

Arsenic 

Tin 

Sebacic 

Platina 

Formic 

Q.  Silver 

Tartarous 

Tin 

Lactic 

Silver 

IVIuriatic 

Antimony 
Zinc 

Acetous 
Boracic 

Gojd 
Cobalt 

Sulphuric 
Oxalic 

Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

Prussic 

Arsenic 

.A  rsenic 

Sulphur 

Carbonic  Acids 

Platina 
Bismuth 

Phosphoric 
Nitric 

Sulphur 

Lead 

VT;  „!  ^i 

Succinic 

JNlCKel 

Fluoric 

48.  OXIDE  OF  BISMUTH. 

Iron 

Saccharo-lactic 
Citric 

ANTIMONY. 

Oxalic  A. 

In  Fire. 

Formic 

Lactic 

Arsenic 

51.  OXIDE  OF  IRON. 

Acetous 

Tartaric 
Phosphoric 
Sulphuric 

Ton 
Copper 
Tin 

In  Water. 
Oxalic 

Boracic 
Prussic  Acids 

Sebacic 
Muriatic 
Nitric 

Fluoric 

L,ead 
Nickel 
Silver 
3ismuth 

Tartarous 
Gallic 
Camphoric 
Sulphuric 

Fixed  Alkali 
Volatile  Alkali 

TIN.  —  In  Fire. 

Lacteo-  saccharine 

Zinc 

Lacteo-saccharine 

Succinic 

Gold 

Vluriatic 

Zinc 

Citric 
Formic 

Dlatina 
Juick  Silver 

Pyromucous 
Citric 

Q.  Silver 
Antimony- 

Acetous 

Arsenic 

Sebacic 

Copper 

Prussic 
Carbonic 

Cobalt                              • 
Alkaline  Sulphuret 

^hosphoric 
Vrsctiic 

Gold 
Silver 

Volatile  Alkali 

Sulphur 

•"luoric 

-ead 

Succinic 

ron 

Citric 

Manganese 

BISMUTH.'  —  In  Fire. 

''ormic 

Nickel 

r\  r>  +•  1  r* 

Arsenic 

Lead 

50.  OXIDE  OF  ZINC. 

"1  '    i.  1  (  . 

'latina 

Silver 

In  Water. 

Acetous 

Jismuth 

Gold 

Joracic 

Cobalt 

Quick  Silver 
Antimony 

Oxalic 
Sulphuric 

'russic 
Carbonic  Acids 

Alkaline  Sulphurets 
bulphur 

Tin 

'yromucous 

Copper 

Vluriatic  • 

T  K  d  v  ^^**  JYI    T^ii*? 

1  HVJ-V  ,^^^^,/t     -ill  C  i 

Plaiina 

Saccharine  Lactic 

Nickel 

Citric 

Nickel 

53.  OXIDE  OF  LEAD. 

Iron 

ebacic 

Cobalt 

In  Water. 

Zinc 

'artareous 

Arsenic 

Alkaline  Sulphuret 

'hosphoric 

Manganese 

'yromucous 

Citric 

Copper 

ulphuric 

Sulphur 

uccinic 

Gold 

ebacic 

AFF 


53 


A  F  F 


Lacteo-saccharine 

Boracic 

Copper 

Arsenic 

Oxalic 

Prussic 

Antimony 

Fluoric 

Arsenic 
Tartarous 

Carbonic  Acids 
Fixed  Alkali 

Arsenic 

Tartaric 
Phosphoric 

Phosphoric 

Muriatic 
Molvbdic 

Volatile  Alkali 
Double  Salts 
Fat  Oil 

Iron 
Sulphuret  of  Alkali 
Sulphur 

Sebacic 
Prussic  Acids 

Suberic 

Fixed  Alkalis 

Zoonic 

COPPER.  —  In  Fire. 

N  itric 

Volatile  Alkalis 

Pyromucous 
Fluoric 

Gold 

Silver 

56.    OXIDE  OF  SILVER. 
In  Water. 

GOLD.  —  In  Firr. 

Citric 

Arsenic 

Formic 

Iron 

Muriatic 

Q.  Silver 

Acetous 

Manganese 

Sebacic 

Copper 

Lactic 

Zinc 

Oxalic 

Silver 

T       . 

Boracic 

¥^t*i  ice  ip 

Antimony 
Platina 

Sulphuric 

Lead 
Bismuth 

A     1   11331L 

Carbonic  Acids 

Tin 

Lacteo-saccharine 

Tin 

Fixed  Alkali 
Fat  Oil 

Lead 
Nickel 
Bismuth 

Phosphoric 
Nitric 

Antimony 
Iron 
Platina 

LEAD.—  In  Fire. 

Gold 
Silver 
Copper 

Cobalt 
Q.  Silver 
Alkaline  Sulphuret 

Sulphur 

Arsenic 
Fluoric 
Tartaric 
Citric 
Formic 
Acetous 

Zinc 
Nickel 
Arsenic 
Cobalt 
Manganese 

Q.  Silver 
Bismuth 

Lactic 
Succinic 

Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

Tin 

*           * 

Prussic 

Antimony 

Carbonic  Acids 

Platina 

Arsenic 

55.  OXIDE  OF  Q.  SILVER. 

Volatile  Alkali 

58.  ALCortoi.. 

Zinc 

In  Water. 

Nickel 

SILVER.  —  In  Fire. 

Water 

Iron 

Sebacic 

.Ether 

Alkaline  Sulphuret 

Muriatic 

Lead 

Volatile  Oils 

Sulphur 

Dxalic 
Succinic 

Copper 
Q.  Silver 

Volatile  Alkali 

Fixed  Alkali 

Phosphoric 

Bismuth 

T" 

Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

\rsenic 

1  in 

Sulphur 

Sulphuric 
Lacteo-saccharine 

Gold 
Antimony 

Muriates 

54.  OXIDE  OF  COPPER. 
In  Water. 

Tartar 

Citric 

tron 
Manganese 

J'.n, 

Phosphoric  Alkali 

\ 

Vitric 

CiSDK 

~'luor 

Arsenic 

Vi^L-ol 

Pyromucous 
Oxalic 

Acetous 
Boracic 

A  1CKC1 

Platina 

59.  J£THER. 

Tartaric 

Prussic 
Carbonic  Acids 

Sulphuret  of  Alkali 

\lcohol 
Volatile  Oils 

Muriatic 

Sulphuric 

ater 

Saccharo-lactic 

Q.  SILVER.  —  In  Fire. 

Sulphur 

Sebacic 

Gold 

Dhosphorus 

Arsenic 
Phosphoric 

Silver 

5".  OXIDE  OF  GOLD. 
In  Water. 

Caoutchouc 

Succinic 

Platina 

Fluoric 

Lead 

wEther 

Citric 

Tin 

M  uriatic 

60.  VOLATILE  Ou.. 

Formic 

Nitro-muriatic 

Acetous 

Zinc 

Nitric 

.Ether 

Lactic 

Bismuth 

Sulphuric 

Alcohol 

AFF 


54 


A  F  F 


Fixed  Oil 
Fixed  Alkali 

Sulphur 
Phosphorus 


61.  FIXKD  OILS. 

Lime 

Barytes 

Potash 

Soda 

Magnesia 

Ammonia 

Oxide  of  Mercury 
Oilier  Oxides 
Alumine 
Sulphur 
Phosphorus 


62.  PYHOMUCOUS  ACID. 

Potash 
Soda 

Barytes 


Lime 

Magnesia 
Ammonia 
Alumina 
Jargonia 
Oxides  of  Metals 


WdAT  OCCCKS 


63.  PYHOI.IGNKOUS  ACID. 

Lime 

Barytes 

Potash 

Soda 

Magnesia 

Ammonia 

Metallic  Oxides 

Alumina 


64.   JARGONIA. 

Vegetable  Acids 
Sulphuric 
Muriatic 
Nitric  Acids 


The  affinities  of  oxygen,  as  ascertained  by  later  ob- 
servations, appear  to  be  nearly  in  this  order  : — 

OxYGEN-«-Charcoal,  titanium,  manganese,  zinc,  iron, 
tin,  uranium, molybdenum,  tungstein,  cobalt,  antimony, 
hydrogen,  phosphorus,  sulphur,  nickel,  arsenic,  nitro- 
gen, chrome,  bismuth,  lead,  copper,  tellurium,  platina, 
mercury,  silver,  nitrous  gas,  gold,  muriatic  acid. 

TABLES  OF  DOUBLE  ELECTIVE  AFFINITIES,  OR  AT- 
TRACTIONS. 


1.   WHAT  occi'ns  IN  MIXTURES  BY 


C  Tin.  mixed  with 
JSi)ver, 


7      CIron,  mixed  with 

i  •£  i  Lead. 

5 '%  Cbulpliur,  with 

C  s  <  Lead. 

^'3  C  Sulphur,  w  ith 

\  "*  c^t'&nlus  of  antimony. 


\\,    AV'HAT  OCCURS   IX   MlXTUHES  OF  WATER T   SUBSTANCES. 

SMii 

si  €  I 


•  Aciili, 

iii 
Cal 

,  Me 


chit,  -J        f 

mixed  with  1  Volatile  alkali, 

Ucareons  earth<i,      V  <.       mixed  with 

or  j  Fixed  air. 

etallic  substances,  J        L 

^J         C  Mercury,  silver, 
Vitriolic  or  marine  /  or 

acid,  with  S.  •<  Lead,  with 

Alkalis  or  earths,  /  Nitrons,  or  acetous 

J  •S  (.     acid. 

D 
H 

^  Volfttile  alkali. 
1  Acids, 


c  Lea.1, 
)  Nitrous    marine, 
}  or 

^  Acetous  acid, 
*-  Silver. 

)  \  itriolic,    nitrous. 
»  or 

•  Acetous  acid, 


Nitrous,     marine, 

and 

Acetous  acids. 
Calcareous  earths, 


Vitriolic  acids 
Alkalis,  earths,  or 
M.  S. 

Marine  acids. 
Alkaline  salis,  earths. 
or 

M.S. 
Fixed  nir, 

and 

Fixed  alkal=. 
Volatile  a'kaii, 

magnesia,   earth    of 

alum. 
Vitriolic  acid. 


DlSTIItATIoy,    On  Sl'BLl.MATIONS,     1  \  II    HK- 

HEAT. 


.  s 

4 
*i 


Volnt.U-nhVdi, 

mixt'tl  with 
Avid. 
Volatile  nlkili, 

with 

Vitriolic  acid, 
Volatile  alkali, 
Nitrous,   minim1, 
or 

Vitr'olit 


-)       <;  F;x''d  air, 
i-       -j      mixed  willi 

*-  Calcareous  earths. 
>        '^  Nil  runs,    marine,    or 
*"  "5   >      Hcetous  acid,  with 
->  'i  f  Fixed  alkali. 

"Acetous  acid, 
'  alkali, 


Al>sorl>enf  earth). 


Kr-f  "his  of  antimony,    J       C  Marine  acid, 
Sulphur,  5     tHukkiavrr. 


_^ 


See  .Dictionary  of  Chemistry,  .translated  from  the 
French ;  Black's  Lectures ;  Chaptal,  I'ourcroy,  and 
Thomson's  Chemistry ;  Morveau's  Papers  in  the  An- 
nales  de  Chimie;  Kirwan;  Phil,  and  Irish  Trans.; 
besides  those  above  quoted,  may  be  consulted  on  this 
subject. 

AFFINITY,  COMPOUND,  implies  the  union  of  different 
bodies  in  one  homogeneous  mass.  Thus,  alum,  vitrio- 
lated  tartar,  a  small  proportion  of  alcohol  and  water, 
form  a  transparent  fluid. 

COMPOUND,  ELECTIVE,  we  thus  distinguish 

what  is  called  double  elective  attraction,  since,  in  many 
cases,  there  are  more  than  four  substances,  if,  for  in- 
stance, nitric  acid  be  added  to  the  sulphat  of  ammonia, 
no  decomposition  takes  place ;  but  let  nitrat  of  potash 
be  added,  and  two  new  bodies  are  formed  ;  that  is,  the 
potash  attracts  the  sulphuric  acid,  while  the  nitric  acid 
solicits  the  ammonia.  This  was  familiarly  explained 
by  Dr.  Black  in  the  following  manner  : 


Pot-ash 


Nitric  acid 


Sulphuric  acid 


Ammonia 


Suppose  the  two  lines,  two  rulers,  moving  freely  on 
the  centre,  if  the  affinity  between  the  potash  and  sul- 
phuric acid  be  equal  to  62,  that  between  nitric  acid 
and  ammonia  equal  to  f!8,  the  sum  of  these  affinities 
will  be  superior  to  the  affinities-  supposed  to  keep  the 
sulphuric  -acid  and  ammonia — the  potash  and  nitric, 
acid  together,  in  the  proportion  of  their  sums,  viz. 
100  to  96.  Bergman  and  Elliott  have  given  different 
diagrams,  which  we  need  not  copy.  Bcrthollet  has 
shewn  that  these  representations  are  not  chemically 
exact ;  but  this  would  lead  us  into  the  intricacies  of 
another  science. 

INTERMEDIATE,  means  the  union  of  bo- 
dies by  an  intermede.  The  usual  instance  of  water 
uniting  with  oil  by  the  medium  of  mucilage,  is  incor- 
rect; for  this  is  not  an -union,  but  an  intimate  mixture 
of  particles  unaltered.  Azote  will  not  unite  with  fixed 


A  G  A 


D  3 


AG  A 


alkalis,  but  when  combined  with  other  bodies  in  the 
form  of  nitric  acid,  the  union  is  ready  and  perma- 
nent. 

AFFINITY,  QUIESCENT  and  DWELLEXT.  These  terms 
are  employed  by  Mr.  Kirwan ;  the  former  to  express 
.  the  force  exerted  to  preserve  the  old  combination  ;  the 
latter  that  which  tends  to  destroy  it.  In  the  former 
example,  the  quiescent  affinity  between  the  ingredients 
of  the  sulphat  of  ammonia  and  the  nitrat  of  potash, 
respectively,  was  equal  only  to  96;  that  of  the  other 
two  bodies,  respectively,  equal  to  100. 

RECIPROCAL,  forms  a  singular  phenome- 
non in  chemisiry.  A  body  consisffig  of  two  princi- 
ples may  be  separated  by  another,  which,  with  one  of 
the  principles  of  the  first,  forms  a  new  compound  ; 
but  the  separated  principle,  after  some  time,  will  effect 
a  separation  of  the  new  union. 

A'FFIOX,  (ASSUX,)  an  Arabian  name  of  opium  ^ 
also  of  an  electuary,  in  which  opium  is  a  part  of  the 
composition.  See  OPIUM. 

AFFLATUS, or  ADFLATUS,(from  ad,  and/o,  to 
bio-®) .  When  a  vapour  or  air  strikes  any  other  body 
with  a  certain  degree  of  violence,  or,  as  the  country- 
people  call  it,  a  BLAST,  it  affects  the  body  suddenly  with 
a  disease  ;  it  is  a  species  of  erysipelas. 

AFFLI'CTIO,  (from  affligo,  to  afflict).  See  PAS- 
SIONS. 

AFFO'DILUS.     See  ASPHODELUS  LUTEUS. 

Al'FRODI'XA,  or  AFFHODI'TE,  (from  a$»<n,  f>jam,) 
so  named  because  Venus  is  said  to  have  sprung  from 
the  foam  of  the  sea.  See  VEXUS. 

AFFU'SIO,  (from  adandfundo,  to  flour  on J.  Pour- 
ing a  liquor  upon  something;  it  means  occasionally  the 
same  as  suffusio.  *  See  CATARACTA. 

AFTO.  A  kind  of  erysimum,  or  hedge  mustard, 
from  the  coast  of  Guinea.  When  powdered  it  is  used 
as  snuff"  by  the  Africans  to  cure  the  head-ach. 

AGALA'CTIA,  (from  «,  negative,  and  y«A»,  milk,)- 
a  defect  of  milk  in  child-bed  ;  hence  ayaAaxT®-,  an 
epithet  given  by  Hippocrates  to  a  lying-in  woman  that 
hath  no  milk. 

AGA'LLOCHUM,  an  Arabian  term.  AGALLU- 
GE\— «v*AA»^«»,  lignum  Indicum — aloe  aro;natica. 
The  AROMATIC  ALOE.  The  accounts  given  of  this 
wood  are  so  different  from  each  other,  as  well  as  from 
the  specimens  of  it  that  are  met  with  in  our  shops,  that 
the  real  wood  is  probably  unknown.  Other  woods,  as 
the  asfialatham,  aquilt  lignum,  and  calambour,  which 
are  said  to  be  of  the  same  nature,  are  substituted  for  it. 
Whatever  this  article  is  in  reality,  it  is  also  expressed 
by  different  writers  by  the  following  names,  viz.-  aloe 
liffn,  xyloaloe,  sinkoo,  calambac,  atyd,  haud,  agalugi, 
head,  &c.  The  Arabians  call  it  ceber,  or  sebar,  and 
sometimes  alcebar.  The  Portuguese,  Pao-agula. 

There  are  two  species  of  plants  which  afford  a  wood 
which  is  thus  entitled.  The  ji.  verum,  which  is  the 
ejccfcaria  agallocha  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  U5I,  and  the  aloexy- 
!um  verum  of  LoueVo.  This  also  has  been  styled  A. 
verum.  See  Transactions  of  the  Lisbon  Academy,  vol.  i. 

It  is  brought  from  China,  and  the  interior  parts  of  the 
East  Indies,  in  small  pieces.  It  is  described  as  being 
compact,  ponderous,  of  a  yellow  or  rusty  brown  colour, 
with  black  or  purplish  veins,  sometimes  purple,  wkh 
ash-coloured  veins,  and  not  unfrequently  as  being  of  a 
blackish  colour.  Such  as  is  brought  into  Europe 


has  a  bitterish,  resinous  taste,  and  a  light  aromatic 
smell.  Set  on  fire,  it  seems  to  melt  like  wax, emitting, 
while  it  burns,  an  agreeable  fragrance  ;  the  degree  of 
this  fragrance  gives  the  proof  of  its  goodness.  That  part 
which  is  betwixt  the  heart,  and  that  part  which  is  next 
the  bark,  are  called  calumbac. 

One  ounce  of  this  wood  yields  to  spirits  of  wine  three 
drams  of  a  resinous  extract ;  and  to  water  two  drams. 
If  distilled  with  water,  it  yields  an  highly  cordial  oil,  in 
the  proportion  of  half  an  ounce  from  one  hundred  and 
sixty  ounces.  Miller.  Dale. 

Later  authors,  who  professedly  speak  of  the  aloexy- 
lum,  a  word  expressing  the  wood  of  aloes,  describe  it 
as  a  milky  wood,  very  poisonous  ;  adding,  that  the  pith 
is  intensely  bitter.  It  is  said  to  be  highly  acrid  and  in- 
ebriating, fatal  to  worms,  and  useful  in  palsy  ;  or,  in  a 
smaller  dose,  in  cholera.  The  common  dose  is  a  scru- 
ple. A  resin  and  an  essential  oil  are  prepared  from  it. 
Sonnerat  has  lately  sent  to  Lamarck  a  branch  of  the 
true  wood,  accompanied  with  a  drawing  of  the  flower, 
"which  shews  that  it  is  not  of  the  genus  above  mentioned, 
though  figured  by  Rumphius  under  the  appellation  of 
.i.  secundarium.  Yet  a  plant  of  Amboyna  may  yield  a 
similar  resin  with  one  of  Cochinchina.  Loueiro  is, 
however,  confident  that  the  agallochum  sold  in  India 
comes  from  the  aloeiylum  verum.  Another  kind  of 
wood  under  this  name  comes  from  Mexico,  and  is  dis- 
tinguished by  its  agreeable  smell.  The  species  is  not 
known. 

AGA'LLUGI,  AGALLUGEX.  See  AGA'LLO- 
CHUM. 

AGARICOI'DES,  (from  *y«»(x«»,  and  nhf,  form,) 
a  sort  of  fungus,  like  agaric. 

AGA'RICUS  AURI'CUL.E  FO'RMA.  See  Au- 
RICUI..E  JUD.E. 

AGA'RICUS,  AGARIC,  supposed  from  Agaria,  a 
town  in  Asia.  Many  species  of  fungi  have  this  term, 
all  of  which  are  acrid  and  poisonous. 

MUSCAIU'US,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1645.  The  RED- 
DISH MUSHROOMS,  also  called  BUG  AGARIC.  This  is 
one  of  the  poisonous  vegetables  that  are  indigenous 
in  Great  Britain.  The  pillar  stalk  is  white,  thick,  and 
hollow ;  thicker  towards  the  top  ;  egg-shaped  at  its 
base  ;  surrounded  at  its  middle  with  a  pendulous  mem- 
brane, and  furnished  with  a  cap  which  is  sometimes 
six  inches  or  more  in  diameter ;  almost  flat  ;  either 
white,  red,  or  crimson  colour  ;  and  sometimes  beset 
with  angular,  downy,  uiiite,  or  red  warts.  The  "gills 
are  white,  flat,  and  inversely  spear-shaped ;  the  greater 
number  extend  from  the  rim  of  the  cap  to  the  stalk, 
the  rest  only  half  way.  When  this  mushroom  is  de- 
caying, the  gills  become  brownish.  It  is  found  in  pas- 
tures and  woods. 

If  the  juice  of  this  mushroom  is  rubbed  where  bugs 
retreat  in  the  day,  it  will  destroy  them.  If  infused  in 
milk,  it  is  destructive  to  flies  the  instant  they  sip  it. 
Haller  relates,  that  six  persons  of  Lithuania  perished  at 
one  time  by  eating  this  kind  of  mushroom  ;  and  that 
others  have  been  driven  mad  by  it.  Two  or  three  may 
be  taken  without  danger  ;  but  more  will  occasion  de- 
lirium. See  Whhering's  Botanical  Arrangements. 
Wilmer's  Observations  on  Poisonous  Vegetables. 
Lightfoot's  Flora  Scotia,  vol.  ii.  p.  1010. 

Yet,  like  all  the  agarics,  it  has  the  character  of  being 
cathartic  and  sudorific.  In  fact,  nature  exerts  herself  to 


A  G  A 


56 


AGG 


off  the  poisonous  matter,  and  thus  occasions 
these  discharges.  It  has,  however,  been  given  inter- 
nally in  cases  of  epilepsy  and  palsy  from  a  repulsion  of 
eruptions.  The  dose  is  from  ten  to  thirty  grains  in 
\  incgar,  the  usual  antidote  to  poisonous  vegetables.  If 
any  one  should  be  found  so  rash  to  employ  it,  we  may 
adil  that  the  part  only  just  above  the  ground  is  to  be 
selected.  This  is  cleaned,  dried,  powdered,  and  kept 
in  a  well-closed  vial.  It  entered  as  an  ingredient  in  the 
well  known  formula  of  the  theriaca,  when  it  was  con- 
sidcred  as  a  cordial. 

AGARICUS  PIPERA'TUS,  Lin.  1741.  PEPPER  MUSH- 
ROOM ;  also  called  PEPPER  AGARIC.  The  stalk  is 
about  two  inches  high.  The  hat  is  convex  when 
young  :  as  it  expands,  it  becomes  nearly  Hat ;  its  co- 
lour is  a  dirty  white,  with  a  mixture  of  grey ;  it  con- 
tains a  milky  juice.  The  disk  is  constantly  bent  in- 
wards :  when  the  fungus  is  decaying,  the  hat  becomes 
in  its  centre,  and  is  sometimes  seen  funnel-shaped. 
The  lamella:  arc  close,  numerous,  and  of  a  pale  flesh 
colour. 

It  is  very  common  in  woods,  near  the  roots  of  trees. 
When  freely  taken,  fatal  consequences  are  said  by 
several  writers  to  have  resulted.  When  this  vegetable 
luis  lost  ils  acrid  juice  by  drying,  its  caustic  quality 
still  remains.  In  distillation  it  gives  out  ammonia. 

In  case  of  injury  from  any  of  the  mushroom  tribe, 
see  AMASTIA.  See  also  Wilmer's  Observations  on  Poi- 
sonous Vegetables. 

QUE'HCUS,  AGARIC  of  -the  OAK,  called  fun- 

ffiis  ig-niarius.  Boletus  igniarius, Lin.  1645.  FEMALE 
AGARIC,  and,  from  its  readiness  to  catch  fire,  TOUCH- 
WOOD. 

It  grows  in  the  form  of  a  horse's  hoof ;  externally  it 
is  of  a  dusky  ash-colour,  and  internally  of  a  dusky  red  ; 
it  is  soft  and  tough.  The  best  is  said  to  grow  on  the 
larger  branches  of  oak  trees  ;  but  that  which  is  found 
on  other  trees  is  often  as  good. 

It  consists  of  four  parts,  which  present  themselves 
successively.  1st.  The  outward  rind,  which  may  be 
thrown  away.  2d.  The  part  immediately  under  this 
rind,  which  is  the  best  of  all,  and  is  used  to  restrain 
haemorrhages  from  wounds,  and  after  amputations  ;  it 
should  be  beat  well  with  a  hammer  until  it  is  soft  and 
pliable,  then  slices  of  it  of  a  proper  size  are  to  be  ap- 
plied upon  the  open  blood  vessel,  whose  discharge  it 
restrains,  not  from  its  restringency,  but  its  texture  and 
adhesive  quality  :  on  the  first»application  it  adheres 
pretty  strongly  ,but  about  the  end  of  two  days  it  begins 
to  separate  and  soon  falls  off.  3d.  A  part  which  ad- 
heres to  the  second,  and  which  is  an  inferior  sort,  may 
be  used  in  less  important  cases.  The  4th,  or  last  part, 
may  be  powdered,  and  then  used  for  the  same  purposes 
as  the  second  and  third  sorts.  The  best  time  for  tak- 
ing the  fungous  substance  from  the  trees  is  autumn, 
when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  after  great  heats. 

As  a  styptic,  this  fungus  does  not  appear  to  possess 
any  advantages  greater  than  what  may  be  expected 
from  dry  lint,  as  its  success  hath  not  been  manifested 
but  when  the  circulation  was  so  languid  that  lint  would 
not  have  failed  to  have  answered  as  well.  This  agaric 
grows  on  different  trees,  chiefly  on  the  ash. 

See  Warner's  Cases  in  Surgery,  p.  133,  8cc.  Neale's 
Observations  on  the  Use  of  Agaric. 

MINEKALIS,  called  lac  lunie,  lac  montium. 


and  medulla  la/iklum.  It  is  collected  in  the  clefts  of  the 
secondary  mountains,  and,  when  dry  and  powdered,  is 
StjledfossiLfarina.  It  has  been  employed  In  some  in- 
stances as  a  desiccative  ;  but  is  little  known  to  the  prac- 
titioners of  this  country.  It  is  often  mixed  with  clay, 
and  is  sometimes  a  pure  clay.  The  santajiora,  however, 
of  Sienna,  of  which  bricks  that  swim  in  water  are 
formed,  contains  a  much  larger  proportion  of  flint  and 
magixesia  than  of  clay. 

AGA'SYLIS,  (fromay#of«*(,  to  be  wonderful}.  Di- 
osc-oricles  says,  that  this  is  the  tree  from  whence  the  am- 
moniacum  is  produced,  so  named  from  its  surprising 
good  properties,  ^fcee  AMMONIACUM. 

AGATHO'NIS  ANTIDO'TUS  HEPA'TICA. 
Agathon's  antidote  for  the  liver. 

&.  Gentian.  3  vi.  R.  Enul.  C.  Fol.  Abs.  et  Fol.  Nard. 
Ind.  ai  3  i-  m. 

AGENE'SIA,  («,  non,  andytyee-is,  generatio).  See 
"ANAPHRODISIA,  and  DYSPERMATISMUS. 

A'GER  NATU'RjE.     See  UTERUS. 

AGE'RATUM,  («,  non,  and  yi^*«,  senectus,)  be- 
cause its  flowers  preserve  their  beauty  a  long  time.  It 
is  also  named  balsamlta  minor  ;  coslus  hortorum  minor  ; 

SWEET  MAUDLIN,  Or  MAUDLIN  TANSEY.      It  is  tllC  ACHILLEA 

AGEKATUM  of  Linnaeus.  Sp.  PI.  1264. 

The  other  species  of  achillca  are  the  A.  litrata  Lin. 
1267,  the  true  genepi  of  the  shops;  the  A.  millefolium 
Lin.  1267  ;  A.  moschata  ( odorata,~Lin.  1268);  A.fitar- 
tnica,  Lin.  1266.  These  agree  in  a  pleasing  smell,  and 
a  bitterish  taste,  resembling  the  costmary  and  tansey. 
Their  virtues,  though  inconsiderable,  are  best  extracted 
by  water.  To  this,  however,  the  ptarmica  is  an  ex- 
ception ;  for  the  smell  of  the  flowers  is  nauseous ;  the 
taste  of  the  root  acrid  and  pungent.  The  former  spe- 
cies are  used  in  stomach  complaints  ;  the  last  as  an 
errhine  and  a  sialagogue,  to  relieve  the  tooth-ach,  and 
as  a  remedy  for  palsy. 

AGE'RATUS  LA'PIS,  (ageratus,  common).  A 
stone  used  by  coblers  to  polish  women's  shoes.  It  is 
ridiculously  said  to  discuss,  and  to  be  gently  astringent. 
If  it  possesses  any  such  virtues,  it  probably  contains 
iron,  a  supposition  countenanced  by  its  being  used  in 
dyeing. 

A'GE  VI'TA.  The  name  of  an  antidote,  rather 
supposed  to  becMedjugis  -vita,  long,  or  continual  life. 
It  is  a  medicated  wine,  made  with  galangal  root,  long 
and  white  pepper,  sage,  ginger,  cinnamon,  saffron,  and 
cloves,  boiled  in  wine. 

AGGLOMERA'TIO,  (from  ad  and  glomero,  to  roll 
together) .  The  rolling  or  mixing  together  two  or  more 
substances  into  one  mass. 

AGGLUTINA'TIO,  (from  ad  and  glutino,  to  solder 
together,}  AGGLUTINATION.  Reunion,  sticking  together  : 
so  healers  are  agglutinants. 

PILORUM.  Reducing  the  hair 

of  the  eye-lids  that  grow  inward,  to  their  natural  order, 
by  any  glutinous  matter  on  a  probe. 

AGGLUTI'NANTS.  A  class-of  medicines  .which 
united  wounds,  or  were  supposed  to  have  this  effect. 
They  consisted  of  substances  which  contained  gluten, 
and  were  thought  capable  of  supplying  that  portion  of 
the  blood  whose  effects  on  wounds  were  sufficiently 
obvious.  They  are  now  known  to  be  useless.  If 
any  such  internal  medicine  exists,  it  is  gum  arable,  in 
a.  very  large  dose  taken  daily  for  a  considerable  timer 


AGIS 


57 


AGR 


Tiie  other  agglutinants  are  merely  nutritious,  except 
the  olibanum,  which  acts  in  humoral  asthmas  on  a  dif- 
ferent principle. 

AGGREG'AT*  GLANDULjE,(from  aggrego,  to 
assemble  together}.  Small  glands,  supposed  to  be  lodged 
in  the  cellular  coat  of  the  intestines  next  to  the  villous;  but 
as  they  do  not  appear  in  an  uninjected  gut,  many  anatom- 
ists suspect  them  only  to  be  little  bits  of  separated  \vax. 

AGGREGATUM,(from  the  same,)  an AGGREGATK. 
A  body  resulting  from  the  union  of  many  others 
\vhich  are  smaller,  of  which  the  whole  sum  is  the  ag- 
gregate. 

AGGREGATE'S,  (from  the  same).  In  botany  it  is 
p.n  epithet  applied  to  those  parts  of  plants,  which  are  so 
united  that  they  cannot  be  separated  without  injury  to 
the  economy  of  the  whole. 

AGHEUSTIA,)  («,non.and  •/ivo/utt,  gusto).    DE- 

AGEUS'TIA,  5  FECT,  or  LOSS  of  TASTE,  called 
.  also  ,4fiogeusia,  Afiogeusis.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  as  a 
genus  of  disease,  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dysccst- 
hesiiz.  The  causes  are  fever,  or  palsy,  whence  he 
forms  two  species:  the  first  he  calls  ORGANIC,  arising 
from  some  affection  in  the  membrane  of  the  tongue,  by 
which  relishing  things,  or  those  which  have  some  taste, 
are  prevented  from  coming  in  contact  with  the  nerves ; 
the  second  ATONIC,  arising  from  a  weakness  of  the 
nerves,  without  any  affection  of  the  tongue.  Sauvages 
thinks  the  cause  of  this  disease  to  be  either  in  the 
brain,  in  the  tongue  itself,  or  in  the  passage  of  the  lin- 
gual nerves.  "  He  forms  two  species :  first,  FEBRILIS, 
where  a  suppression  of  taste  accompanies  fevers,  from 
the  rough  tongue;  delirium,  or  coma:  second,  PARA- 
LYTIC A,  when  it  accompanies  a  paralysis  of  the  tongue 
or  some  comatous  disorder. — Nosologia  Methodica, 
voLi.rsi. 

AGIAHA'LID.     See  LYCIUM. 

A'GIS.     See  FEMUR. 

AGITATION.  Exercise  is  sometimes  useful,  by 
agitating  the  whole  system  ;  and  violent  agitation  is  re- 
commended by  Bartholine  in  fits  of  tooth-ach  and  deaf- 
ness. Agitation  of  mind  from  any  cause  has  certainly 
relieved  nervous  complaints,  and  prevented  the  access 
of  fevers  or  of  spasmodic  attacks. 

AGLACTA'TIO,(«,  non,  and  '/*>.«,  lac).  DEFECT 
OF  MILK. 

A'GLIA.  (from  «yA«,  shining).      See  -HoiDES. 

A'GLITHES,  (from  a'/ivofutt,  to  be  offensive).  The 
(iivision  or  segments  of  a  head  of  garlick,  which  we  call 
its  cloves. 

AGLUTI TIO,  (from  *,  priv.  and  yAt/£»,  to  swallow). 
A  difficulty  of,  or  impediment  to,  swallowing.  See 
OEGLUTITIO. 

A'GME,  (from  *y*>,  to  break).     See  FRACTURA. 

A'GN  AC  AT.  A  tree  which  grows  about  the  isthmus 
of  Darien  ;  it  resembles  a  pear-tree,  both  as  to  its  gene- 
ral appearance  and  its  fruit,  the  pulp  of  which  is  said  to 
be  highly  aphrodisiac.  Raii  Hist. 

AGNA'TA.     See  ADNATA. 

A  GNIL.     See  INDICI-M. 

AGNI'NA  MEMBRA  NA,  (from  <*>»<«,  a  lamb, 
and  membrana, a  membrane,)  velPELLI'CULA.  Aetius 
calls  one  of  the  membranes  which  involves  the  foetus  by 
this  name,  which  he  derives  from  its  tenderness.  This 
name  is  adopted  by  Drelincourt  and  Bartholine.  See 
AMNION. 

VOL.  i. 


AGXOI'A,  (from  «,  neg.  and  •/wm.v,  to  know).  It 
is  when  a  patient  in  a  fever  forgets  his  acquaintance. 
When  it  is  joined  with  rigor,  it  is  a  dangerous  symp- 
tom. 

A'GNL'S  CA'STUS,  (from  agnus,  a  lamb,  and  the 
Hebrew  term  KADASH,  chasre).  It  is  called  agnu*, 
from  the  down  on  its  surface,  which  resembles  that 
upon  a  lamb's  skin ;  and  castus,  because  the  chaste  ma- 
trons at  the  feast  of  Ceres  strewed  them  upon  their 
bee's  and  lay  upon  them.  The  CHASTE  TREE,  -vittx 
agnus  castus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  890.  The  qualities  of  this 
seed  do  not  support  its  name  or  use.  The  smell  is 
fretid,  the  taste  warm.  It  is  not  now  used  in  medi- 
cine. 

A 'GNUS  SCY'THICUS.  The  SCYTHIAN  LAMB,  called  also 
in  the  Scythian  language,  barametz,  i.  e.  lamb,  or  ban- 
met  z,  or  baronetz.  This  sort  of  plant  is  said  to  be  found 
in  Tartary,  Russia,  Sec.  and  is  described  as  growing  in 
the  resemblance  of  a  lamb.  In  fact,  however,  it  is  the 
root  of  a  fern,  covered  with  a  whitish  down,  which  the 
Tartars  trim  so  as  to  represent  a  lamb,  and  sell  it  for  a 
vegetating  para'site  animal.  It  would  be  endless  to  re- 
count the  ridiculous  stories  told  of  this  animal  plant; 
nor  is  it  a  part  of  our  subject.  The  fern  is  the  Jioly- 
fiodrum  baron-.etz  of  Loueiro ;  the  dictisoma  cu/cita  of 
Heritier.  Sertum  Anglic.  PI.  43. 

AGOM'PHIASIS,  (from  *,  neg.  and  y»u/p»t,  com- 
pact,) orGOM'PHIASIS.  A  distemper  of  the  teeth;  it 
is  when  they  are  loose  in  their  sockets  and  pained. 

A'GONE,  (from  «.,  priv.  and  y»»««,  offspring).  HEN- 
BANE ;  so  named  because  it  is  supposed  to  occasion 
barrenness.  See  HTOSCIAMUS  NIGER. 

AGO'NIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  yo»«{,  an  offspring). 
See  STERILITAS. 

AGO'NIA,  (from  «y«>,  a  combat  or  struggle).  AGO- 
NY, as  when  there  is  a  struggle  between  life  and  death. 
To  avoid  this  painful  struggle,  which  has  agitated  the 
minds  of  the  wisest  and  best  of  men,  different  plans 
have  been  suggested.  But  death  is  the  last  scen.e  which 
we  must  all  act;  and,  to  the  mind . possessing  an  awful 
sense  of  the  power  and  goodness  of  the  Almighty,  there 
is  but  a  shade  of  difference  between  our  voluntarily 
shortening  our  lives  for  a  few  hours  or  minutes,  and  the 
abridging  half  an  age.  Also  fear  and  sadness  of  mind, 
with  agitation. 

AGONrSTICUM,(from«y*»<*«i',  to  strive).  Galen, 
in  speaking  of  Marasmus,  uses  this  word  to  signify  wa- 
ter extremely  cold,  which  he  directs  to  be  given  in  large 
quantities  in  erysipelatous  fevers,  that  it  may  overpower 
the  excessive  heat  of  the  blood. 

A'GONOS,  (from  *,  neg.  and  '/»»•«,  an  offspring,  o: 
y»»>),  barren). 

Hippocrates  calls  those  women  so  who  have  not 
children,  though  they  might  have,  if  the  impediment 
was  removed.  In  botany  it  means  not  bearing  seed  or 
fruit. 

AGO'STUS,  from  «•/«,  to  bring  or  lead).  That 
part  of  the  arm  from  the  elbow  to  the  fingers.  See  also 
PALM A. 

A  GRE'DULA .     A  species  of  FROG. 

AGRE'STA,  VERJUICE,  (from  *•/««(,  wild).  The 
juice  of  unripe  grapes,  or  the  sour  grape  itself,  called 
omphax,  or  the  juice  of  the  sour  apple.  See  MAI-  - 

HORTENSIS. 

ACRES  TEN.     ACID  STONE  TARTAR. 
I 


A  GR 


58 


AG  Y 


AGRESTIS,  WILD,  (from  *y?w>  wild).  It  is  ap- 
plied to  vegetables  that  grow  without  cultivation  (see 
MALUS  SYLVESTRIS)  ;  to  wild,  as  distinguished  from 
tame,  animals ;  and  to  express  an  ungovernable  malig- 
nity in  a  disease. 

A'GRIA,  HOLLY,  (from  the  same).  Also  a  ma- 
lignant pustule,  of  which  there  are  two  sorts;  one  is 
small,  and  casts  a  roughness  or  redness  over  the 
skin,  slightly  corroding  it,  smooth  about  its  centre, 
spreads  slowly,  and  is  of  a  round  figure  ;  this  sort  is  cur- 
ed by  rubbing  it  with  the  saliva  before  breakfast:  the 
second  sort  ulcerates,  with  a  violent  redness  and  cor- 
rosion, so  as  to  make  their  hair  fall  off;  it  is  of  an  un- 
equal form,  and  becomes  leprous  ;  its  cure  is  the  appli- 
cation of  pellitory  of  the  wall  in  the  manner  of  a  poul- 
tice. 

AGRIA'MPELOS,  (from  ay/us?,  to  ltd,  and  *f«re;i«s, 
a  vine).  The  WILD  VINE.  Bryonia  alba.  See  also 
BRYONIA  NIGHA. 

A'GRIC.  The  abbreviation  by  which  is  meant  Geor- 
gius  Agricola  cle  Re  Metallica,  Natura  Fossilium,  Sec. 
Basilian,  1657,  folio. 

AGRICULTU'RA,  (from  offer,  afield,  and  cultura, 
Ullage) .  Agriculture  is  the  art  of  cultivating  the  ground ; 
tillage,  husbandry,  as  distinct  from  pasturage.  But  it 
is  not  connected  with  medicine,  except  in  the  instance 
of  benefit  supposed  to  be  received  from  vapours  which 
arise  while  ground  is  fresh  or  newly  turned  up,  parti- 
cularly the  light  gravelly  soils. 

On  this  subject  much  satisfaction  may  be  derived 
from  the  Georgical  Essays  by  A.  Hunter,  M.  D.,  second 
edition,  in  five  volumes.  Fordyce's  Elements  of  Agri- 
culture and  Vegetation. 

AGRIELjE'A,(from«yp«>s,  wz'W,andfA*/*,a»  olive). 
See  OLEASTER. 

AGRIFO'LIUM,  (from  «*i«,  a  prickle,  and  (f^Asn,  a 
leaf).  See  AquiFOLiuM. 

AGRIMO'NIA,  (from  «•//>»?,  a  field,  and  ftsvs?, 
alone).  So  named  from  being  the  chief  of  all  wild 
herbs.  COMMON  AGRIMONY,  called  also  eujiatorium 
Grecorum,  vel  -verum,  and  hociamsanum.  A.  eupatoria 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  643. 

The  leaves  have  a  slight  bitterish  aromatic  taste,  the 
flowers  are  small,  stronger,  and  more  agreeable ;  they 
give  out  their  virtues  to  water  and  to  spirit  of  wine. 

It  is  best  used  while  fresh ;  and  the  tops,  before  the 
flowers  are  formed,  possess  the  greatest  virtue.  A  con- 
serve is  the  best  form  of  preparation ;  though  the  dry 
powder  has  been  recommended :  an  infusion  in  water  or 
whey  is  good,  though  now  disused. 

It  is  mildly  corroborant,  and  recommended  in  hu- 
moral asthmas.  It  may  be  of  some  service  in  a  relaxed 
.  state  of  the  bronchial  glands.  It  is  used  by  Canadians  in 
burnifig fevers,  and  recommended  by  Hill  in  jaundice; 
Mid  by  others  in  visceral  obstructions.  Alston  advises 
it  in  cutaneous  eruptions  ;  and  it  has  been  considered  as 
useful  in  haemorrhages.  On  the  whole,  it  is  only  a  weak, 
inefficacious,  astringent. 

The  dose  is  3  i-  or  more.  The  common  hemp,  and 
Dutch  agrimony,  are  called  EUPATORIUM  ;  hemp  agri- 
mony, B'IDENS. 

AGRIMONOFDES,  from  ay  ft  tun* ,  and  H&S,  like,) 
pimpinella  fol.  agrim.  nonnullis.  It  grows  on  the  moun- 
tains of  Italy ;  it  is  of  the  same  nature  as  agrimony.  A. 
,4grimonoides  Lin.  643. 


AGRIOCA'RDAMUM,    (from    «ypi«s,    wild,   ana 
nasturtium).     Sec  LEPIDIUM    folio   grami- 


and. 


neo. 

AGRIOCA'STANUM,     (from    «y/>«>«,    mild, 
nets-raver,  the  chestnut).     See  BULBOCASTANUM. 

AGRIOCI'NARA,  (from  ayptos,  wild,  and  xivxfa., 
artichoke).  See  CINARA  SYLVF.STUIS. 

AGRIOCOCCIME'LA,  (from  «-/»<««,  wild,  y-ev-w, 
a  berry,  and /U,«AE«,  an  apjile-tree) .  See  PRUNUS  SYJ.- 

VESTRIS. 

AGRIOME'LA,  (from  aypus,  wild,  and  patex,  ajijile- 
iree).  See  MALUS  SYLVESTRIS. 

A'GRION,  ayfiof,  wild).  ~)       „        p 

AGRIOPHY'LLON,  (*ypw,  and   I 

.       j.  i  UANUM. 

,  leaf).  J 

AGRIORI'GANUM,  («y/>io;,  and  apiyavw,  marjo- 
ram). See  ORIGANUM  ANGLICUM. 

AGRIOSELI'NUM,  («y/>«>«,  and  o-.Oiiw,  parsley). 
See  HIPPOSELINUM. 

AGRIPA'LMA  GALLIS,  («yp<«5,  and  !r«A,«.«,  palm- 
tree).  See  CARDIAC  A. 

AGRI'PP/li.  Children  born  with  the  feet  foremost  are 
so  called  from  Agrippa,  who  was  named  ab  negro  fiartu, 
from  his  difficult  birth.  These  births,  though  reckoned 
preternatural,  are  often  more  safe  and  easy  than  the 
natural.  See  PR*SENTATIO.  It  is  the  name  also  of 
an  ointment  described  by  Nicolaus. 

AGRIUM.  An  impure  fossil  alkali :  the  purer  sort 
was  called  halmyrhaga. 

AGROM.  A  disease  of  the  tongue  not  uncommon 
in  India ;  in  which  it  becomes  extremely  rough  and 
chapped.  They  relieve  it  by  drinking  a  chalybeate 
fluid,  or  the  juice  of  a  large  species  of  mint;  or  chewing 
the  black-seeded  basilica. 

AGRO'STIS.     See  BRYONIA  ALBA. 

AGRU'MINA,  quasi  agriomina,  (from  «y^<o;,  wild,) 

ONIONS,  LEEKS.        See  CEPA,  aild  PoRUUM. 

AGRY'PNIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  iivus,  nleeji*).  See 
PERVIGILIUM. 

AGRY'PNOCOMA,  (ttypvw^,  without  sleep,  and 
xw^a,  lethargus).  See  COMA  VIGIL. 

AGUA'RA  QUI'YA.  See  SOLANUM  HORTENSE. 

AGUE.     See  INTERMITTENT. 

AGUE  DROPS.  This  is  a  medicine  sold  for  the 
cure  of  agues,  which  is  evidently  a  solution  of  arsenic 
in  water.  The  solution  is  saturated,  and  the  dose  is 
equal  to  about  the  twentieth  part  of  a  grain.  It  is  a 
powerful  and  useful  medicine,  and,  in  proper  hands,  not 
injurious. 

AGUE  CAKE.  A  tumour  in  the  region  of  the 
spleen  which  often  follows  agues,  and  was  once  said  to 
be  owing  to  the  use  of  the  bark.  It  is,  however,  now 
very  rare ;  and  much  more  so  since  the  bark  has  been 
generally  employed. 

A'GUL,  an  Arabic  word — (AGUL,  a  circle).  The 
Syrian  thorn  was  so  called,  because  of  its  pliancy,  from 
whence  they  msfde  bands  of  it.  For  its  other  proper- 
ties, see  ALHAGI. 

AGUTIGUEPOO'BI  BRASIL,  (an  Indian  term). 
See  SAGITTARIA  ALEXIPHARMACA. 

AGY'RTjE,  (from  ayapis,  a  crowd  of  people,  or 
from  ayupa,  to  gather  tog-ether).  QUACKS,  MOUNTE- 
BANKS, or  people  who  go  from  place  to  place  to  sell 
medicines,  were  called  circulatores,  circumforanei,  and 
pharmacopolx  j  the  last  of  which,  though  proper  to  ajiy 


Al  X 


59 


A  LA 


seller  of  medicine,  yet  was  strictly  applied  to  mounte- 
banks. 

AIIALOTH.     The  Hebrew  name  of  lign.  aloes. 

AHAME  LLA,  and  AHMELLA.     See  ACMELLA. 

A'HIUS.     SALT  STONE. 

AHO'VAI  THEVETICLU'SH,or  AIICAI,  HAOU- 
VAY.  The  name  of  a  fruit  in  Brasil,  the  size  of  a  ches- 
nut,  white,  and  shaped  like  the  water  caltrops ;  it  is 
poisonous.  The  tree  is  as-  large  as  a. pear-tree,  the 
bark  white  and  full  of  juice,  the  leaves  are  always 
green,  the  flower  consists  of  one  leaf,  formed  like  a 
funnel,  divided  at  the  edge ;  a  nistil  arises  from  the 
cup,  which  is  the  fruit.  Incisions  in  the  bark  emit  a 
milky  liquor  that  smells  like  garlic.  It  is  the  cerbera 
ahcuai  of  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  303.  The  smell  is  very  offen- 
sive, and  the  nut  a  violent  poison.  The  shells  are, 
however,  employed  by  the  Brasilians  as  ornaments. 
Father  Labat  calls  it  the  rattle-snake  nut;  as,  when 
applied  in  the  form  of  a  cataplasm,  it  is  said  to  cure  the 
bites  of  that  serpent.  It  is,  however,  suspected  that 
the  good  father  has  mistaken  the  tree ;  since  his  de- 
scription does  not  agree  with  the  plants  raised  in  the 
botanic  garden  at  Paris. 

AHU'SAL.     The  SULPHER  OF  ARSENIC. 

AI'ES.     See  B  ATT  ATA  s. 

AI  GRE  DI  CE  DRE.     See  CITREUM. 

AI'LMAD.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

AIPI'MA  CO'XERA.  1  (Indian  words)-    See  CAS- 

AIPIPOCA  j 

AIR.     See  AER. 

AI'RA,  (*/<•»,  to  take  away ;)  so  named,  because  it 
ought  to  be  removed.  See  LOLIUM. 

AISTHETE'RIUM,  (from  xn-fxttiuti,  to  perceive). 
See  SENSORIUM  COMMUNE. 

AJUGA.  The  bugula.  of  Jussieu.  The  plant  used 
in  medicine  is  the.^f.  refitans  Lin.  Sp.  PI.,  the  common 
bugle ;  consolida  media  of  medical  authors.  It  is  a 
slight  astringent,  and  has  been  styled  a  vulnerary.  To 
this  genus,  Dr.  Smith  has  annexed  the  tucrium  chamae^ 
pitys, the  ground  pine.  Sec  CHAM.EPITYS. 

AIX  LA  CHAPELLE,  is  a  large  imperial  city,  si- 
tuated in  the  duchy  of  Juliers,  on  the  confines  of  Flan- 
ders, seven  leagues  from  Spa;  it  contains  many  springs 
of  hot  sulphureous  waters,  which  supply  a  number  of 
baths.  On  the  vaults  above  the  springs  and  aqueducts 
of  these  waters  is  found  every  year,  when  they  are 
opened,  a  quantity  of  fine  white-coloured  flowers  of  sul- 
phur, which  has  been  sublimed  from  the  waters.  The 
heat  of  the  waters  of  the  hottest  spring,  Dr.  Lucas  says, 
raises  the  quicksilver  in  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  to 
136;  Mons.  Monet  to  146;  and  the  heat  of  the  foun- 
tain, where  they  commonly  drink,  to  112,  according  to 
Dr.  Lucas.  Sir  T.  Bergman  obtained  from  a  Swedish 
kanne  27  grains  of  lime  saturated  with  aerial  acid,  29 
grains  of  sea  salt,  and  70  grains  of  mineral  alkali. 
These  waters  are  powerfully  diaphoretic,  and  diuretic; 
and,  if  taken  in  quantity,  prove  purgative.  Of  the 
three  hot  European  waters  of  note  ;  viz.  that  of  Aix  la 
Chapelle,  Bourbon,  and  Bath,  the  first  abounds  more 
eminently  with  sulphur,  and  is  the  hottest,  the  most 
nauseous,  and  purgative.  The  Bath  waters  possess  the 
least  of  these  qualities.  In  all  cases  it  is  the  best  to 
begin  with  small  quantities,  and  low  degrees  of  heat, 
and  gradually  increase  them,  agreeable  to  the  effects 


and  constitution  of  the  patient.  In  cases  of  dyspepsia, 
and  foulness  of  the  primse  vise,  they  are  said  to  be  effi- 
cacious :  in  rheumatism,  scurvy,  scrofula,  cutaneous 
diseases ;  in  hysteria,  and  hypochrondriasis ;  melancholy, 
stone,  and  gravel;  in  paralytic  complaints,  and  in  many 
other  cases,  they  should  be  considered  as  invigorators 
of  the  system,  deobstruent,  and  evacuant.  They  are 
improper  in  all  hectic  cases,  putrid  disorders,  where  the 
blood  is  in  a  dissolved  state,  or  the  constitution  much 
broken  down.  The  times  of  drinking  these  waters  are 
from  the  beginning  of  May  to  the  middle  of  June ;  or 
from  the  middle  of  August  to  the  latter  end  of  Septem- 
ber. See  AQU.E  MINERALF.S.  See  Monro's  Medical 
and  Pharmaceutical  Chemistry,  vol.  ii.  Dr.  Williams 
on  the  Waters  of  Aix  la  Chapelle,  &.c. 

AIZO'OX,  («(,  always,  and  £««,  vivo,  to  live).  See 
ALOIDES.  It  is  also  a  name  for  sedum. 

AJA'V A,  (Indian).  So  the  Portuguese  call  a  seed 
which  is  brought  from  Malabar,  and  is  celebrated  in  the 
East  Indies  as  a  remedy  in  the  colic.  When  the  gout 
affects  the  stomach,  these  seeds  are  very  effectual  in 
dispelling  the  wind,  and  procuring  speedy  relief  from 
this  painful  disorder;  they  sometimes  relieve  by  pro- 
curing stools.  The  descriptions  of  travellers  are  not 
so  minute  as  to  enable  us  to  refer  it  to  its  place  in  the 
Systema  Naturae.  Dr.  Percival  takes  notice  of  these 
seeds  in  his  Essays  Med.  and  Exp.  vol.  ii. 

AJUBATI  PITA  BRASILIE'XSIUM.  A  shrub 
bearing  fruit  like  an  almond  ;  but  it  is  black,  and  con- 
tains much  oil. 

A'JUGA,  (*  priv.  and  £v/n,a  yoke).  See  CHAM.I- 
PITYS. 

A'JUGA.     REPTANS.     See  BUGULA. 
AKMEL'LA.     See  ACMEL'LA. 

AL.  The  Arabian  article  which  signifies  the;  it  is 
applied  to  a  word  by  way  of  eminence,  as  the  Greek  « 
is.  The  Easterns  express  the  superlative  by  adding 
God  thereto,  as,  the  mountains  of  God,  for  very  high, 
or  the  highest,  mountains ;  AL  may  therefore  relate  to 
the  word  Alia",  God;  and  alchemy  may  be  the  chemis- 
try of  God,  or  the  perfection  of  chemical  science.  See 
ALCHEMIA. 

A 'LA,  AN-  ARM-PIT,  also  A  WING,  (Hebrew  term 
AHLA,  a  leaf).  It  is  often  employed  in  the  descriptive 
language  of  every  science,  for  any  thin  expanded  pro- 
jections. In  BOTAXY,  it  is  the  two  side-petals  in 
a  papilionaceous  corolla :  also  membranes  affixed  to 
the  seeds.  It  used  to  b'e  applied  to  the  angle  formed  by 
a  branch  with  the  stem,  or  by  a  leaf  with  the  branch ; 
but  this  is  now  named  axilla  or  axil,  from  its  similarity 
to  the  arm-pit.  In  ANATOMY. 

ALA  AU'RIS,  or  Pinna  Auris,  is  the  upper  part  of 
the  external  ear.  - 

A'L^  XA'SI,  or  Finn*  Aacr,  the  cartilages  which  are 
joined  to  the  extremities  of  the  bones  of  the  nose,  and 
which  form  its  lower  moveable  part.  The  name  also 
of  the  heleninm  or  elecampane. 

ALABA'XDICUS,  >  LAPIS,  so  called  from  AL.V- 
ALABA'XDIXUS,  5  BAXDA,  the  place  from  whence 
it  is  taken.  A  blackish  stone  intermixed  with  sallow 
spots.  It  is  pellucid,  and  looks  as  if  it  was  divided 
by  fissures  into  segments.  Aetius  says,  that  the  pow- 
der of  this  stone  makes  grey  hairs  black.  Probably 
black-lead. 

ALA  BARI.     See  PLUMBUM. 
I  2 


ALB 


GO 


ALB 


ALABA'STRON  ;  an  ointment.  Myrepsus  gives 
the  formula,  and  says  that  it  is  the  same  as  that  with 
which  Mary  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus  Christ.  ALA- 
BASTRUM  also  means  a  solid  kind  of  white  gypsum,  of 
which  utensils  were  formerly  made;  probably  from 
Alabastrum,  a  town  in  Egypt,  where  it  was  plentifully 
produced. 

A'LACAB.     See  AMMOXIACUS  SAL. 

A'L/ti,  INTE'RN^E,  ?       CLITOKIDES.       See     NYM- 

•— — —  MINO'RES,          3  fllx- 

•  M.VG'N*  os'sis  SPHENOI'DIS.  The  t\vo  tem- 

poral apophyses  of  the  os  sphenoides. 

FA'RVJS.  os'sis  SPHENOIDIS.  The  two  thin, 

sharp,  transverse  apophyses  of  the  os  sphenoides,  which 
form  the  superior  orbitary  fissures. 

A'LAFI  ? 

A'LAFOR,andA'LAFORT,5 

ALAI'A  PHTHI'SIS,  (from  ***«,  blind} .  A  wast- 
ing from  a  flux  of  humours  from  the  head. 

ALAMA'MDINA,  supposed  to  be  the  alabandicus 
lapis. 

ALA'MBIC.     See  AHGENTUM  VIVUM. 

A'LAMAD.'    ANTIMONY.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

ALA'NA  TE'RRA,  (from  <*A«w{,  oily,  and  terra, 
earth,)  ENGLISH  OKER;  called  also  ALHA'NNA.  It 
is  esteemed  drying  and  astringent ;  its  principal  use  is 
to  mix  with  salts  in  distillation,  in  order  to  keep  them 
from  melting.  It  is  probably  the  Samian  stone,  and  the 
Terra  Tripolitana. 

ALA'NDAHAL,  (an  Arabic  term — AHLAN,  bitter). 
See  COLOCVNTHIS. 

ALANFU'TA,  (an  Arabic  word,  from  the  same  de- 
rivation). A  vein  betwixt  the  chin  and  upper  lip,  for- 
merly opened  to  cure  a  foetid  breath. 

A'LA  POU'LI.     See  BILIMBI. 

ALAQUE'CA,  (Indian).  A  stone  found  in  little 
polished  fragments  in  the  East  Indies,  used  externally 
to  stop  bleeding. . 

ALA'RE  EXTE'RNUM,  (from  alaris,  winged,  and 
r.vUrnum,  outward*).  See  PTERYGOIDES  EXTERN-US. 

ALA'RIS  VE'NA,  (from  ala,  the  arm-pit).  The 
inner  of  the  three  veins  in  the  bend  of  the  arm,  because 
it  comes  immediately  from  the  arm-pit :  this  is  attended 
with  an 'artery,  and  the  median  with  a  nerve;  but  the 
outer  one,  as  P.  ^Egineta  long  since  observed,  is  safe  for 
bleeding. 

ALARIS,  in  botany.  The  term  means  growing  out 
of  the  angles  formed  by  the  branches  of  the  stem. 

ALA'SET.     AMMOXIACUS  SAL. 

A'LATAN.       LlTHAHGYRUM. 

ALA'TAR.     BURNT  BRASS.     See'jEs  USTUM. 

ALATERNOI'DES,  (iilaternun 
likenes*,)  AFRICA'NA. 

ALATE'RNUS. 

A-LA'TI, (from  alatus,  ivinged).  Those  who  have 
prominent  scapulse  are  so  called,  and  are  subject  to  con- 
sumptions ;  since,  from  the  pressure  of  the  muscles  in 
consequence  of  this  disadvantageous  attachment,  the 
sides  of  the  sternum  are  compressed. 

———  pjto'cEssus,  or  ALA'RES.  The  wing-like  pro- 
cesses of  the  os  sphenoides. 

ALAU'RAT.     See  NITRUM. 

A'LBA  SI'MPLEX.    See  OCIMASTRUM. 

ALBADA'RA  (from  ALBADAR,  an  Arabian  word). 
See  SESAMOIDEA. 


SeeCAS- 


**•"**!      SeeC 

f  SINE. 


ALBAGIA'ZI.     See  SACRUM  os. 

ALBAME'NTUM,  (from  albus,  white).  See  ALBU- 
MEN ovi. 

ALBA'NUM.     SALT  OF  URINE. 

ALBA'RA,  (from  AI.BAHRAH,  a  Chaldaean  word). 
A  species  of  the  white  leprosy,  see  ALPHIUS.  It  also 
signifies  the  white  poplar.  Elborus  nigra  is  the  le/iru 
Gracorum.  Avicenna  calls  the  lepra  icthyosis  by  this 
name. 

ALBA'TIO,  ALBIFICA'TIO,(from  albeo,w/iiten- 
inSi)  called  blanching  of  metal. 

ALBE'DO,  (from  ALBIS,)  WHITENESS.  In  urine  is 
observed  four  sorts  of  whiteness,  viz.  the  crystalline, 
the  snowy,  the  limy,  and  the  limpid. 

A'LBERAS.  White  pustules  upon  the  face.  See 
ALBORA.  It  is  also  a  name  given  to  staves-acre,  because 
its  juice  is  said  to  remove  these  pustules.  See  STAPHIS 

AGRIA. 

ALBE'STON.     QUICK-LIME.     See  CALX. 

AXBETAD.  See  GALBANUM. 

A'LBI.       SUBLIMATE.       See     MERC.     CORROSIVIS 

ALB. 

•ALBICA'NTIA,  CORPORA,  (from  albeo).  Willis's 
glands.  See  CEREBRUM. 

A'LBIMEC.  ORPIMEXT.  See  AUHIPIGMEX- 
TUM. 

ALBI'NUM,-  (from  the  whiteness  of  its  blossom). 
See  GNAPHALIUM. 

A'LBIN  INS.  The  abbreviation  for  Albin  Eleazer, 
a  natural  history  of  insects.  London,  1720,  4to. 

A'BIR,     Pitch  from  the  bark  of  the  yew-tree. 

A'LBOR  URINAL.     See  UHINA. 

A'LBOR  (XVI.  WHITE  OF  AN  EGG.  See  ALBU- 
MEN ovi. 

A'LBORA.  A  sort  of  itch,  or  rather  leprosy.  Para- 
celsus says,  it  is  a  complication  ofthemorphew,  serpigo, 
and  leprosy.  When  cicatrices  appear  in  the  face  like 
the  serpigo,  and  then  turn  to  small  blisters  of  the  nature 
of  morphew,  it  is  the  a/bora.  It  terminates  without  ul- 
c,cration,  but  by  fetid  evacuations  in  the  mouth  and  nos- 
trils: it  is  also  seated  in  the  root  of  the  tongue.  Inter- 
nal medicines,  as  well  as  corrosive  ones,  are  forbidden. 

ALBO'RCA.  MERCURY.  See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

A'LBOT.    See  CRUCIBULUM. 

A'LBOTAT,     CERUSS.     See  PLUMBUM. 

A'LBOTIM,  or  ALBO'TAI.     See  TEREBINTHINA. 

A'LBOTIS.     See  TERMINTHUS. 

ALBUGI'NEA,  vel  TENDINO'SA  TUNICA. The 
inner  proper  coat  of  the  testicle,  named  from  its  white 
and  transparent  colour.  It  is  a  strong,  thick,  white 
membrane,  smooth  on  the  outward  surface,  rough  and 
uneven  on  the  inner :  into  the  upper  part  of  this  mem- 
brane are  inserted  the  blood  vessels,  nerves,  and  lym- 
phatics, which  send  branches  into,  and  receive  them 
from  the  testicle. 

This  coat  being  distended,  is  the  cause  of  that  pain 
which  attends  an  inflammation  of  the  testes. 

Albuginea  is  also  the  name  of  the  adnata,  q.  v. 

ALBUGINO'SUS  HU'MOR.     See  OCULUS. 

ALBU'GO  CORA'LLII.  A  name  of  the  magistery 
of  coral,  which  it  hath  obtained  from  its  whiteness. 

ALBU'GO  OCULORUM.  WHITE  SPECK  ON  THE 
EYES.  The  Greeks  generally  named  it  leucoma :  the 
Latins  and  ancient  authors,  nubes,  pterygium,  pannus 

s;  Dr.Wallis 


ALB 


61 


ALB 


the  albuginous,  or  fiear/y  corntal  s/ieck.  The  French 
name  it  tache  blanche,  if  it  shines;  the  Latins,  marga- 
rita;  the  Greeks,  *•*»«*»«.*•  s-i?;  the  French,  firrle  ;  Dr. 
Cullcn,  caligo  cornet.  See  ACHLYS. 

All  cicatrices  appear  white  in  the  black  part  of  the 
eye,  and  astringents  thicken  them. 

It  is  sometimes  called  nubecula,  when  superficial; 
and  albugo,  when  deep  :  when  the  speck  appears  of  a 
shining  white,  and  without  pain,  it  is  called  by  some  a 
cicatrix;  when  of  an  opake  whiteness,  an  albugo  :  seat- 
ed superficially,  it  hath  been  termed  a  speck  ;  and  more 
deeply,  a  dragon;  when  it  projects  a  little,  it  is  called 
a  pearl. 

The  disease  consists  in  a  chronic  inflammation  of 
the  eye,  from  erosion,  measles,  small-pox,  wounds, 
burns,  kc. 

When  deep,  the  cure  is  difficult;  when  the  conse- 
quence of  a  wound  or  ulcer,  it  is  rarely  cured ;  when 
the  natural  shape  of  ^the  eye  is  altered,  the  prognostic 
is  unfavourable.  The  albugo  which  follows  an  inflam- 
mation generally  disappears  spontaneously. 

The  aqua  cupri  ammon.  alone  sometimes  succeeds  in 
the  cure ;  and  in  general  saturnine  and  mildly  astringent 
or  stimulant  applications  are  useful.  When  the  film  is 
very  tough,  and  the  eye  not  inflamed,  common  glass 
finely  levigated  may  be  blown  upon  it  through  a  quill, 
and  repeated  once  in  a  day  or  two.  Dr.  Kirkland  thinks, 
that,  in  general,  nature,  assisted  by  strengthening  the 
eye  with  cold  water,  will  affect  the  cure.  A  single 
drop  t>f  laudanum,  dropped  into  the  eye  night  and 
morning,  will  often  cure  it.  Boerhaave  prescribed 
the  repeated  use  of  calomel  and  cathartics  to  dissolve 
the  lymph,  and  free  the  cornea  from  leucoma.  See 
U.VGUIS.  See  Kirkland's  Inquiry,  vol.  i.  p.  492.  Bell's 
Surgery,  iii.  356.  Wallis's  Nosology  of  the  Eyes,  p. 
!34.  White's  Surgery,  228. 

A'LBUM  BALSAHUM,  (from  ALBAM,  a  Chaldsean 
'.erm).  See  CAPIVI  BALSAMUM.  A  balsam  also  so  call- 
ed is  thus  made  :  R.  Aquae  lythargyri  acetad  ad  con- 
sist, mellis  evaporat.  et  ol.  rosar.  aap.  aeq.  in. 

A'LBUM  CANIS,  ~)  THE  WHITE  DVXG  OF  DOGS; 
.  GR.E'CUM,)  also  called  sflodium  Greco- 

rum,  nihil  album — gryseum,  cynoco/irus.  It  is  slightly 


stimulant  and  discutient,  and  was  formerly  applied  to 
the  outside  of  the  throat  in  quinsies,  being  first  mixed 
with  honey. 

A'LBUM  HISPANIC,  et  HISPAXICUM.  SPA- 
NISH WHITE.  It  is  also  called  bianco  jilrxandrina.  It 
is  made  from  tin  and  bismuth,  in  the  same  manner  that 
ceruss  is  made  from  lead,  and  is  a  cosmetic. 

ALBUM  JUS.  WHITE  BROTH.  Boil  whiting,  had- 
dock, cod,  or  any  similar  fish,  in  water,  with  a  little  oil; 
a  small  quantity  of  aniseed  and  leeks.  When  the  fish 
:s  parboiled,  add  a  little  salt. 

A'LBUM  NIGRUM.     MOVSE-DUXG. 

A'LBUM  OLUS.  LAMB'S  LETTUCE,  or  CORN  SAL- 
T_AD.  See  LACTVCA  AGXI.VA. 

ALBU'MEN  OVI,  WHITE  OF^EGG;  called  also  dl- 
bumor  and  albor  ovi,  ovi  albus  liquor,  ori candidum,  al- 
bamentum,  clareta,  &e. 

The  white  of  an  egg  is  a  pellucid  viscous  liquor, 
thinner  towards  each  end,  and  thicker  in  the  middle. 
That  part  which  is  more  dense  and  close  than  the  rest 
is  called  ealla'.ura. 


The  industry  of  later  physiologists  has  discovered 
three  different  kinds  of  albumen  in  each  egg,  of  differ- 
ent densities.  The  external  is  the  most  liquid ;  the 
second  is  less  so,  and  the  third  still  less  fluid.  It  is  to 
this  third  portion  that  the  shape  of  the  albumen  is  con- 
fined; the  others  surround  the  yolk:  this  consists  of 
two  segments  of  spheres  of  unequal  diameters,  applied 
to  the  sides  of  the  yolk,  and  connected  with  it  by  a  some- 
what denser  albuminous  process,  near  each  extremity  ; 
though  not,  as  has  been  represented,  at  the  poles. 
These  albuminous  processes  are  styled  chalazs.  Each 
of  the  portions  of  this  internal  albumen  is  penetrated 
by  a  convoluted  cord :  that,  on  one  side,  is  membran- 
ous ;  the  other,  vascular.  The  former  is  contiguous 
to  the  pellicle  of  the  yolk;  the  ratter,  analogous  to  the 
umbilical  cord  in  the  mammalia,  forms  the  communi- 
cation between  the  albumen  and  the  yolk. 

The  albumen  of  the  egg,  in  its  early  period,  is  less 
homogeneous  than  at  a  later ;  since,  in  boiling,  it  con- 
cretes into  a  curdly  fluid.  Some  water  escapes  from 
it,  and  is  collected  in  a  pellicule,  on  the  top  ;  and  it  is 
probable,  though  by  no  means  certain,  that  some  oxy- 
genous gas  is  absorbed.  It  is  said  to  be  destined  for  the 
nourishment  of  the  chicken ;  but,  in  the  process  of  in- 
cubation, it  is  not  materially  diminished  in  quantity, 
and  we  know  that  the  yolk  is  the  real  nutritious  sub- 
stance, and  is  taken  into  the  body  of  the  chicken  at  the 
end  of  the  period  of  incubation.  A  milder  nourishment 
may  probably  be  required  in  the  early  stages :  nor  is  it 
very  improbable  that  the  three  kinds  of  albumen  may 
be  designed  as  nourishment  for  the  chicken  at  its  differ- 
ent ages,  and  the  waste  repaired  by  the  absorption  of 
-humidity.  If  this  is  prevented,  the  progress  of  the 
embryo  is  checked,  and  the  egg  continues  in  its  first 
state. 

The  albumen  is  peculiarly  mild,  resembling  the 
serum  of  the  blood,  which  is  a  watery  fluid,  with  an 
admixture  of  the  gluten ;  a  portion  of  which  appears  to 
be  chemically  combined,  and  the  larger  part  mechani- 
cally mixed.  It  is  soluble  in  hot  or  cold  water,  coagu- 
lated by  heat  of  165°  of  Fahrenheit;  by  acids,  and  by 
alcohol.  When  diluted  by  ten  times  its  weight  of  water, 
heat  does  not  coagulate  it ;  but  acids  and  alcohol  con- 
tinue to  produce  this  effect  until  it  is  more  largely 
diluted.  In  the  coagulation,  the  bulk  is  not  increased; 
and  the  coagulum  neither  absorbs  nor  emits  air.  The 
cause  of  the  coagulation  is  probably  the  addition  of 
caloric ;  but  to  ascertain  this  idea,  which  is  originally 
Scheele's,  the  capacity  of  the  albumen  in  each  state  for 
heat  should  be  ascertained. 

Albumen  naturally  contains  a  proportion  of  soda  and 
a  little  sulphur.  In  water  of  80°,  it  soon  becomes  pu- 
trid, and  exudes  through  the  broader  end  of  the  shell. 
Alkalis  and  alkaline  earths  dissolve  it ;  disengaging 
some  ammonia,  .in  consequence  of  its  decomposition. 
A  solution  of  tanin  precipitates  albumen  in  the  form  of 
a  yellow  precipitate,  of  the  consistence  of  pitch  ;  and, 
however  minute  the  proportion  of  albumen  combined 
with  water  may  be,  it  is  discoverable  by  means  of  tanin. 
When  dissolved  by  alkalis,  and  precipitated  by  acids, 
its  qualities  are  altered.  When  coagulated,  water  no 
longer  dissolves  it,  but  mineral  acids  have  this  power, 
and  tanin  only  will  precipitate  it :  alkalis  have  no 
effect.  In  its  analysis,  it  resembles  the  gluten  of  the 


ALB 


(52 


ALK 


blood,  but  contains  a  less  proportion  of  azote  than  the 
fibrin :  the  other  ingredients  are  carbone  and  hydro- 
gen. See  BLOOD  and  TANIN. 

The  yolk  of  the  egg  differs  in  appearance,  rather  than 
its  nature,  from  the  albumen.  It  has  a  portion  of  the 
gluten,  and  contains  a  resinous,  or  rather  an  oily  fluid. 
By  heat,  the  oil  is  entangled  in  the  coagulable  sub- 
stance; but  a  portion  may  be  expressed,  and  is  employ- 
ed as  an  antiphlogistic  remedy  against  sun-burns.  The 
colouring  material  is  not  known.  Fourcroy  supposes  it 
to  be  iron  ;  but  it  is  more  probably  sulphur,  as  a  putrid 
egg  exhales  a  strong  hepatic  gas.  The  shell  of  the  egg 
consists  chiefly  of  carbonat,  and  phosphat  of  lime,  with 
gelatinous  matter.  The  membrane  that  lines  it,  though 
apparently  dense,  suffers  some  fluids  to  escape,  and 
some  gases  probably  to  be  absorbed,  since  acrid  and  de- 
leterious vapours  destroy  the  chick.  This  membrane  is  a 
part  of  the  albumen,  and,  of  course,  a  part  of  the  em- 
bryo, since  its  vessels  may  be  injected  from  those  of  the 
chick. 

Eggs  are  chiefly  employed  as  nourishing  substances. 
In  the  arts,  the  albumen  forms,  with  quick  lime,  a  strong 
cement  for  china ;  and,  diluted  with  water,  it  has  been 
used  to  lessen  the  rigidity  of  the  tendons  ;  in  pharmacy 
the  yolk  is  employed  as  an  intermcde,  to  mix  or  sus- 
pend oils,  balsams,  and  resins  in  water.  The  oil  of  the 
yolk  we  have  already  mentioned. 

As  a  nutritious  substance  the  yolk  is  the  most  distin- 
guished. It  is  not  certain  that  the  albumen  abounds  in 
nourishment.  It  is  very  bland  when  fresh,  and  highly- 
deleterious  when  in  the  slightest  degree  putrid.  Even 
in  its  best  state  it  disagrees  with  many  stomachs; 
producing  eructation,  sickness,  and  sometimes  ery- 
sipelatous  eruptions.  «  The  yolk  is  very  nourishing ; 
but,  when  firmly  coagulated  by  boiling,  it  is  slow  of 
digestion.  It  was  some  years  since  in  high  reputation 
as  an  alimerit  for  weak  stomachs.  A  fashionable  phy- 
sician ordered  it,  in  one  instance,  and  every  one  took  it. 
The  consequence  might  be  easily  supposed;  but  the 
practice  continued  while  the  physician  was  fashionable. 
In  jaundice  and  liver  complaints,  a  fresh  unboiled  egg 
has  been  recommended  every  morning,  and  it  is  said 
with  success:  we  know  not  for  what  reason,  except 
that  it  is  yellow.  In  general,  it  is  useful  in  weak  sto- 
machs, as  it  contains  much  nutriment  within  a  small 
compass  ;  and,  though  the  hard  egg  is  slow  of  diges- 
tion, we  have  not  found  it  increase  hectic  exacerbations. 
We  shall  see  that  slotv  and  difficult  of  digestion  are  not 
synonymous.  Nature  seems  anxious  to  retain  the  food 
in  the  stomach ;  and  the  best  digestives  are  those  which 
retard  the  process.  Too  rapid  a  digestion  is,  in  many 
views,  productive  of  inconvenience.  See  DIGESTION. 

The  eggs  of  different  birds  do  not  differ  essentially : 
those  of  geese  and  ducks  are  said  to  be  the  most  gross 
and  alkalescent :  those  of  pea-hens  and  gallinas  the  least 
so.  The  latter  have  certainly  less  flavour. 

ALBU'MOR.     See  ALBUMEN  ovi. 

ALBU'RNUM,  (from  albus,  white ) .  The  softer  and 
paler  part  of  wood  next  the  bark  :  artificers  call  it  the 
sap,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  heart,  which  is  deeper 
coloured,  and  harder.  See  SANTALUM  ALBUM. 

A'LBUS  LI'QUOR.     See  ALBUMEN  ovi. 

A'LBUS  ROMA'NUS  PU'LVIS.     See  MAGNESIA 


ALBA. 


ALBUS,  besides  its  well  known  signification  to  ex- 
press while,  is  also  the  name  of  a  fish.  See  CAPITO 

LACCUSTK1S. 

A'LCAHEST,  or  A'LKAHEST.  The  UNIVERSAL 
MENSTRUUM,  or  DISSOLVENT.  A  name  first  used  by 
Paracelsus,  and  derived  from  the  German  words  AL  and 
GEST,  i.  e.  all  spirit.  Van  Helmont  borrowed  the  word, 
and  applied  it  to  his  invention,  which  he  called  the  uni- 
versal dissolvent. 

ALCAHEST  is  also  a  name  of  the  liquor  of  flints,  and 
of  all  fixed  salts  volatilised. 

A'LCALI,  or  A'LKALI,  (of  al  and  fall,  i.  c.  the 
essence  or  the  whole  of  kali,  the  plant  from  which  it  was 
originally  prepared,  though  now  derived  from  plants 
of  every  kind).  Alkaline  salt  is  called  aloft,  alafor, 
alafort,  and  calcadis.  As  alkalis  effervesce  with  acids, 
all  volatile  or  fixed  salts,  and  all  terrestrious  matters 
which  ferment  with  acids,  are  called  alkalis. 

Alkalis  are  mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal,  which 
three  were  particularly  distinguished  by  the  term,  adding 
to"  it  the  peculiar  epithet ;  but  the  College  of  Physicians 
of  London  have  now  distinguished  them  by  three  dif- 
ferent appellations;  calling  them  NATRON,  KALI,  and 
AMMONIA  ;  but  they  are  either  earthy  or  saline.- 

The  former  terms  are  now  indeed  found  to  be  pecu- 
liarly improper;  since  the  kali  is  discovered  in  some 
minerals,  even  in  some  granites,  and  the  ammonia  is 
obtained  not  only  from  plants,  but  seeds.  The  soda  or 
natron  occurs  both  in  vegetables  and  animals.  Besides 
these,  there  are  several  earths,  which,  in  their  more 
general  properties,  resemble  alkalis ;  particularly  lime, 
magnesia,  barytes,  and  strontian. 

Earthy  alkalis  are  those  substances  which  of  them- 
selves scarcely  dissolve  in  pure  water;  but  if  added  to 
acids,  form  a  neutral.  Of  this  sort  are  chalk,  limestone, 
crabs'-eyes,  oyster-shells,  egg-shells,  Sec.  Thus,  if  pure 
water  is  acidulated  with  oil  of  vitriol,  it  effervesces,  if 
you  scrape  chalk  into  it ;  and  during  the  effervescence, 
the  water  hath  a  brisk  taste  ;  when  enough  of  chalk  is 
added,  the  acidity  is  lost. 

Their  taste  is  in  general  acrid  and  urinous ;  they 
change  the  blue  colours  of  vegetables  to-  a  green,  de- 
stroy the  taste  and  other  properties  of  acids,  and  dis- 
solve with  peculiar  facility  in  water.  As  the  volatile 
alkali  is  known  to  be  a  compound  of  azote  and  hydro- 
gen, it  is  probable  that  the  fixed  kinds  are  formed  of 
similar  ingredients.  Thus  hydrogen,  with  lime,  may 
form  pot-ash;  with  magnesia, soda.  Some  experiments 
supposed  to  prove  these  combinations,  have  been  found 
fallacious ;  yet  the  principle  is  highly  probable. 

The  saline  alkalis  are  fixed  and  volatile.  The  latter 
of  which  differs  from  the  former  only  in  volatility  and 
its  consequence ;  the  volatile  alkali  rises  sooner  than 
the  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 

Tachenius  is  said  to  have  first  made  the  fixed  vegeta- 
ble alkali :  he  established  the  general  use,  but  it  was 
known  long  before  his  time.  A  fixed  alkali  is  the  basis 
of  sea  salt. 

1  VEGETABILE.  This  was  formerly  pre- 
pared from  wormwood,  and  named  SAL  ABSINTIUI  ; 
but  the  College  of  Physicians  have  supplied  its  place 
with  the  KALI  PREPARATUM,  which  is  made  in  the 
usual  method  of  dissolving,  filtering  and  crystallising 
the  salts  of  vegetable.  The^amc  salt  may  be  prepared 


ALK 


63 


ALK 


from  tartap,  burnt  till  it  becomes  of  an  ash  colour :  and, 
indeed,  of  all  the  substances  from  which  a  fixed  alkaline 
salt  is  obtained,  tartar  yields  the  largest  quantity,  and 
with  the  least  trouble.  The  college  has  ordered  the 
solution  of  potash  to  be  set  apart  a  whole  night  for  the 
neutral  salts,  which  are  part  of  the  composition,  to  crys- 
tallise, but  that  is  not  sufficient ;  for,  in  order  to  have 
the  alkali  in  its  purest  state  freed  from  those  salts, 
which  is  their  intent,  the  solution  will  require  to  be  ex- 
posed to  crystallisation  three  times,  at  least :  otherwise 
it  will  retain  too  great  a  share  of  vitriolated  tartar.  O6- 
sen'ations  on  the  Pharmacofieia  Collegii  Regalis,  CTY. 
London,  1788. 

The  quantity  of  pure  potash  usually  employed  in 
commerce,  is  estimated  by  Vauquelin  according  to  the 
following  table : 

Potuh.  Sul  of  Pot.  Muri.  erP.  A.  Iraol.  C«r.  A.C.  &  W 

Russian  potashes    rr:          65  5         56 

American  ditto        857         154  20  2          119 

Pearl  ashes  754  80  4  6          308 

Potashes  of  Treves  "20         105  44  119 

Dantzic  ashes          603         152  14          79          304 

PotashesofVosges444          148          510          34          304 

A'LCALI  MINERA'LE.  This  MINERAL  FIXED  ALKA- 
LINE SALT  may  be  procured  from  sea  salt,  and  from  the 
waters  of  many  springs,  either  by  distillation  of  the  acid, 
or  the  superior  affinity  of  the  vegetable  fixed  alkali. 
This  alkali  differs  from  that  of  vegetables,  by  being 
milder,  and  less  acrid  to_the  taste  ;  melting  more  easily 
in  the  fire;  requiring  more  water  to  dissolve  it;  in  its 
concreting  into  crystalline  masses  on  evaporation  after 
solution  in  water ;  not  becoming  liquid  by  exposure  to 
the  air;  and  in  being  a  less  powerful  solvent  of  the 
stone  in  the  bladder.  Asa  less  deliquescent  salt,  it  is 
best  adapted  to  form  pills.  The  crystals  are  prismatic, 
resembling  those  of  the  natron  vitriolatum.  With  this 
mineral  alkali  the  Spanish  soap  is  made.  This  salt, 
joined  with  the  vitriolic  acid,  forms  the  NATRON  VITRIO- 
LATI-M  ;  with  the  nitrous,  NITRVM  CUBICUM;  with  the 
muriatic,  SEA'  SALT;  and  with  vegetable  acid,  the  NA- 
TRON TARTARISATUM.  The  Egyptian  soda  was  usually 
reckoned  the  strongest;  but  it  is  usually  mixed  with 
sea  salt,  with  sand  and  a  kind  of  steatite ;  then  the 
Spanish  (barilla).  After  this  came  the  trona  from  Tri- 
poli, and  then  that  prepared  from  different  species  of 
kelp.  We  have  now,  however,  an  ample  supply  from 
another  source.  In  preparing  the  oxygenated  muriatic 
for  the  purposes  of  bleaching,  the  muriate  of  soda  is  de- 
composed by  the  sulphuric  acid.  The  sulphate  of  soda 
is  afterwards  decomposed  in  different  ways  ;  for  which 
see  Accum's  Chemistry. 

VE'GETABILE.      The  VEGETABLE  ALKALI,  or 

POTASH,  and  the  MINERAL  ALKALI,  or  SODA,  possess  the 
general  properties  of  alkalis ;  and  most  inflammable 
substances  are  acted  upon  by  them.  They  melt  in  a 
moderate  heat ;  and  in  a  stronger  they  are  volatilised  : 
in  the  dry  way  they  dissolve  earths  and  the  calces  of 
metals. 

Fixed  alkaline  salt  is  obtainable  from  sea  salt  and 
nitre,  and  from"  all  vegetables,  except  perhaps  some  of 
the  volatile  acrid  kind,  which  impress  the  nose  sharply 
with  their  scent,  such  as  mustard  seed,  garlic,  kc. ; 
these  contain  parts  that  are  volatile,  and  become  vola- 
tile salu  The  fixed  salt  of  some  plants  vary  greatly 
from  one  anot!  rengfh,  Sec.  J  taken  in  the  state 

wherein  they  are  first  extracted  from  the  ashes :  they 


sometimes  contain  some  neutral  salt  of  the  vitriolic  or 
of  the  muriatic  kind,  which  are  discovered  by  shaking 
them  in  a  vial,  with  equal  part  of  spirit  of  wine,  the  fluid 
with  neutral  salt  becomes  milky.  Sometimes  a  bitter 
crystalline  hard  salt,  that  is  neither  acid  nor  alkaline,  but 
a  mixture  of  earthy  and  alkal  ine  neutrals,  is  found  among 
the  fixed  alkaline  salt;  readily  separated  by  means  of  cold 
water,  in  which  it  will  notdissolve.  This  hard  salt  is  never 
met  with  in  making  the  salt  of  tartar,  but  in  potash  it  is 
often  found.  The  salts  of  the  leaves,  and'other  herbaceous 
parts  of  plants,  are  more  difficultly  brought  to  a  state  of 
purity  than  those  of  the  more  woody  and  compact  por- 
tions, a  portion  of  the  oil  being  so  tenaciously  retained  : 
some  endeavour  to  retain  this  oil  in  the  salt,  by  burning 
the  vegetables  in  a  smothering  heat  until  they  are  re- 
duced to  ashes.  They  do  this  to  render  the  salt  more 
mild,  or  to  combine  the  virtues  of  the  oil;  but  the  mi- 
neral alkali  is  sufficiently  free  from  acrimony  to.  sit  easy 
on  the  most  irritable  stomach,  when  administered  in  the 
usual  modes ;  and  the  empyreumatic  oil,  retained,  will 
occasionally,  it  is  supposed,  excite  nausea.  To  this, 
however,  there  are  objections.  Some  practitioners  have 
thought  that  saline  draughts  made  from  the  alkali,  which 
still  retained  a  portion  of  the  oil  of  wormwood,  sat  more 
easily  on  the  stomach  :  we  are  confident  that  the  taste 
was  more  pleasing.  In  other  instances,  the  advantages 
are  less  equivocal :  we  allude  to  the  ashes  of  broom  and 
tobacco,  which  certainly  possess  a  stronger  diuretic 
power  from  the  oil  adhering  to  the  salts. 

In  estimating  the  strength  of  alkali  it  has  been  usual 
to  add  the  muriatic  acid,  and  for  each  dram  saturated, 
so  many  one-sixteenths  of  pure  alkali  were  allowed. 
Alkalis,  when  pure,  from  whatever  plants  obtained,  are 
entirely  the  same.  What  was,  however,  formerly  styled 
pure  alkali,  is  not  so  in  the  modern  acceptation  of  the 
term.  Mild  alkalis  are  carbonated.;  that  is,  neutral- 
ised by  carbonic  acid.  When  exposed  to  heat,  or  com- 
bined with  quick  lime,  which  has  a  greater  affinity  for  . 
the  carbonic  acid  than  alkali,  they-  become  what  has 
been  styled  caustic  :  in  reality  they  are  pure;  and,  when 
a  mild  alkali  is  united  with  a  stronger  acid,  the  separa- 
tion of  the  carbonic  acid,  in  the  form  of  gas,  occasions 
the  effervescence.  As  a  medicine,  if  largely  diluted 
with  water,  and  taken  in  bed  or  a  warm  room,  vegetable 
fixed  alkali  promotes  perspiration  ;  but  its  tenders 
more  directly  to  become  diuretic,  and  this  is  promoted 
by  the  patient  resting  in  a  cool  situation.  In  this 
it  appears  sometimes  slightly  laxative ;  and  is  useful  to 
the  studious,  in  whose  stomachs  acids  usually  abound.- 
It  destroys  acidity  in  the  primae  viae,  converting  them 
into  a  mild  aperient  salt,  and  thus  removes  a  cause  of 
many  chronical  diseases.  It  loosens  the  texture  of  cal- 
careous concretions  by  strongly  attracting  their  air ;  and 
when  pure,  this  power  is  increased.  In  those  flatulent 
disorders  which  arise  from  a  defective  bile,  it  affords 
great  relief. 

The  dose  may  be  from  gr.  ij.  to  9  j.  twice  a  day,  but 
always  plentifully  diluted;  the  dose  of  9  j.  should  be 
mixed  with  at  least  3  x.  of  water.  Considerable  doses 
may  be  long  continued,  as  is  evident  in  those  who  take 
the  aqua  kali  puri  to  remove  calculous  complaints ;  but 
the  tone  of  the  stomach,  am'  the  powers  of  digestion, 
are  sometimes  destroyed  by  large  doses  and  long  use. 
It  was  supposed  that  alkalis  thinned  the  blood;  and 
numerous  arc  the  diseases  attributed  by  the  humoral " 
pathologists  to  alkaline  acrimony.  •  It  has  indeed  been 


ALK 


64 


ALK 


suspected  in  scurvy,  but  seems  to  take  place  only  in  a 
small  degree ;  and  the  alkali  is  the  volatile  in  the  form 
of  an  ammoniacal  neutral.  Fixed  alkalis  have  been 
generally  found  diuretic ;  and  perhaps  in  a  greater  de- 
gree when  not  neutralised  in  the  stomach,  or  when  de- 
fended from  its  acid  by  bitters.  On  the  contrary,  they 
are  laxative  only  when  they  meet  with  such  an  acid  as 
the  stomach  affords.  The  absence  of  an  acid  also  seems 
necessary  to  their  operation,  as,  lithontriptics. 

The  fixed  alkalis  have  lately  been  recommended  in 
cutaneous  complaints,  and  have  been  employed  with 
some  success.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  they  chiefly 
act  by  correcting  an  acidity  in  the  stomach,  which  oc- 
casions them  ;  or  by  the  discharge  of  urine  which  they 
excite.  It  is  singular  that  acids  have  a  similar  power ; 
nor  does  the  distinction  of  the  species  adapted  to  each 
appear  in  any  medical  author.  In  general,  the  acids 
seem  best  adapted  to  the  cases  where  the  eruptions 
Occur  in  worn-out  constitutions,  and  are  of  the  tettery 
kind  :  the  alkalis  in  the  drier,  scurfy  eruptions.  Vet 
even  this  distinction  will  not  hold  in  every  instance  ; 
nor  indeed  in  our  hands  have  the  alkalis  been  emi- 
nently successful. 

The  fixed  alkali  has  been- sometimes  thought  useful 
in  adding  to  the  power  of  different  menstrua,  or  in  cor- 
recting the  drastic  acrimony  of  some  resinous  purga- 
tives. With  bitters,  it  has  been  supposed  to  be  a  fe- 
brifuge ;  and  with  camomile  flowers,  it  has  been  in  high 
esteem  us  a  remedy  for  intcrmittents.  It  seems  to  pro- 
duce some  chemical  change  on  bitters,"  as  it  reddens 
the  infusions  of  bark  and  of  rJuibarb  :  and  in  many 
cases  of  dyspepsia  appears  an  useful  addition  to  as- 
tringents or  tonics. 

Externally,  it  is  used  in  the  form  of  a  lotion  in 
rachitit  cases,  as  a  stimulus  in  indolent  ulcers,  and 
in  some  cutaneous  eruptions.  The  solution  soon  abates 
the  pain  arising  from  the  stings  of  bees  and  wasps,  and 
has  been  applied  in  burns.  With  sulphur,  under  the 
title  of  hepar  sulphuris,  it  is  also  often  useful.  See 

KALI    SULPHURATUM. 

The  fixed  alkalis  have  obtained  a  variety  of  appella- 
tions, partly  from  fancy,  but  more  frequently  from  the/ 
ignorance  of  chemists;    who,  having   obtained    these 
salts  from   different  sources,   supposed  that  they  had 
discovered  a  new  substance. 

The  fixed  vegetable  alkali  has  been  styled  Cineres 
Russici  and  clai'ellati,fiot  blanch,  and  pearl-ashes,  alka- 
hest glauberi  marcoft,cendres  gra-vellees,  ,?a!  tartari,  sal 
absynthii  nitrumfxum,  cassob  and  lafiis  infernalis.  It 
has  been  more  lately  styled  by  Dr.  Black,  lixtva  ;  by 
the  French  chemists,  fiotassa  ,•  by  the  London  College, 
kali  ;  by  others,  oleum  tartari  and  lixi-va  tartari. 

The  fixed  mineral  alkali  has  been  styled  by  Dr.  Black, 
irona,from  a  district  of  Tripoli  where  it  abounds  ;  soda, 
by  the  French  chemists  and  the  Edinburgh  college,  &c. 
Anatron,  also  called  nataron,  anachron,  soude  blanche, 
nitrum  antiyuorum,  litron,  aphronitum,  baurach,  sal 
alkalinus  salts  marini,  barilla,  soda,  salitron,  bariglia  ; 
unatron,  anatrum. 

ALCALI  VOLATILE.  AMMONIA,  called  also  Asa- 
non.  VOLATILE  ALKALINE  salt  is  either  in  a  dry  or 
liquid  form  ;  when  dry,  it  is  called  salt ;  when  liquid, 
water  ;  the  salt  is  obtained  by  sublimation,  the  water 
by  distillation. 

The  volatile  alkaline  salt  hath  been  chiefly  obtained 
from  the  horns  of  deer,  by  distilling  them  in  large  iron 


pots,  with  a  fire  gradually  increased  to  a  strong  red  heat; 
but  a  similar  salt,  liquor,  and  oil,  may  be  extracted  from 
all  animal  substances  except  fat,  from  blood  dried  by  a 
gentle  heat,  from  urine  first  evaporated  to  the  consist- 
ence of  honey,  and  subjected  to  putrefaction.  Urine, 
distilled  with  the  addition  of  quick  lime,  yields  an  ex- 
tremely pungent  spirit.  Ivory,  and  the  bones  of  ani- 
mals, are  used  for  this  purpose  ;  bones  are,  indeed, 
preferable  to  hartshorn  ;  as  the  salt  and  spirit  of  bones 
require  less  rectification,  are  less  disgustful  to  the 
stomach;  and  the  spirit  retains  its  limpid  appearance 
longer  than  that  from  horns  :  when  bones  are  used, 
their  fat  must  .be  extracted  first  by  long  boiling.  Wood- 
soot  affords  a  salt  liquor  and  oil,  not  differing  from  thos< 
of  hartshorn,  except  as  it  is  less  easy  to  rectify.  From 
crude  sal  ammoniac,  mixed  with  any  fixed  alkaline  sub- 
stance, the  volatile  alkaline  salt  of  the  sal  ammoniac  is 
obtained,  and  with  very  little  trouble  rendered  perfectly 
pure  ;  the  spirit  of  sal  ammoniac  is  free  from  the  in- 
conveniences which  attend  those  spirits  obtained  from 
horns,  ivory,  bones,  &c. 

LI'QUOR,   olim    SPIRITUS,    SAL,    et    O'LEUM    couxi. 

CERVf. 

The  liquor,  salt,  and  oil  of  hartshorn. 

These  preparations  are  brought  to  us  by  the  practical 
chemists  in  a  state  sufficiently  pure  for  common  pur- 
poses, and  the  process  will  be  found  in  the  commonest 
chemical  author. 

As  the  fixed  alkalis,  from  whatever  plants  they  are 
prepared,  do  not  essentially  differ  when  pure,  so  the 
volatile  is  the  same  from  every  source.  The  crude  sal 
ammoniac,  as  it  is  styled  the  muriated  ammonia,  is 
prepared  in  large  quantities  in  Egypt  from  camel's 
dung,  and  other  animal  excrementitious  fluids.  This 
affords  the  ammonia  usually  employed,  and  it  is  pre- 
ferred, in  general,  as  a  medicine.  That  from  the  harts- 
horn has  always  a  little  of  the  animal  oil  ;  which,  though 
better  adapted  as  a  smelling  salt  in  some  hysteric  affec- 
tions, is  less  agreeable  to  the  stomach. 

The  volatile  alkaline  salt  is  very  penetrating  and 
pungent  to  the  smell  and  taste,  and  is  the  only  concrete 
sah  that  in  its  pure  state  emits  sensible  effluvia  ;  it  dis- 
solves oils,  resins,  fats,  Sec.  more  slowly  than  the  fixed 
alkalis,  on  account  perhaps  of  its  not  being  susceptible 
of  any  considerable  heat  by  which  its  solvent  power 
might  be  promoted.  In  the  bodies  of  animals  it  ope- 
rates more  powerfully  than  the  fixed  alkaline  salt,  and  is 
more  disposed  to  pass  off  by  the  pores  of  the  skin,  and 
acts  more  remarkably  on  the  nervous  system.  It  is 
peculiarly  useful  in  lethargies,  apoplexies,  hysteric  and 
hypochondriac  disorders,  languors,  head-ach,  flatulen- 
cies, and  other  symptoms  attending  these  complaints  ; 
in  languors  and  faintings  this  salt  often  gives  immediate 
relief  ;  in  low  fevers  it  is  an  useful  remedy  ;  it  relieves 
rheumatic  pains,  particularly  joined  with  blisters,  and 
purges. 

The  fanciful  idea  of  its  promoting  putrefaction  has 
prevented  its  being  employed  .in  putrid  fevers  ;  but 
when  a  quick,  active  stimulus  is  required,  no  medicine  is 
preferable  ;  and  the  very  small  quantity  given  can  have 
no  bad  effect  on  the  whole  mass,  even  were  its  septic 
power  less  equivocal.  When  united  with  the  vegetable 
acid  in  the  aqua  ammoniac  acetatse,  it  is  eminently 
useful,  if  given  in  a  sufficient  dose,  which  is  at  least 
half  an  ounce,  or  six  drams. 

Externally  it  is  used  as  a  stimulant,  in  the  form  r,f 


A  LC 


65 


A  L  C 


the  volatile  liniment,  united  with  oil.  or  in  that  of  a 
soap,  styled  in  common  language  opodeldoc. 

•  dose  of  volatile  alkaline  salts  may  be  from  gr.  ij. 
to  9  ss.  given  in  a  draught  or  in  a  bolus  ;  in  the  latter 
form,  to  prevent  the  pungency  of  the  salt  from  affecting 
the  tr.rout,  it  may  be  proper  to  mix  it  \vith  a  solution  of 
gum  tragacanlh,  or  some  other  mucilaginous  substance. 
See  AMMONIA. 

Sp.  SAL.  AMMOX.  DULC.  —  now  called  SPIRITUS  AM- 
MOXI.E. 

DULCIFIED,  or  SWEET  SPIRIT  OF  SAL  AMMOXIAC.  — 
SPIRIT  OF  AMMONIA. 

Take  of  a  fixed  alkaline  salt  5  vi.  of  crude  sal  ammo- 
niac 5  iv.  °f  proof  spirit  tb  iij.  and  mix  ;  with  a  gentle 
heat  draw  off  ffo  i.  ss.  ;  the  dose  is  from  fifteen  drops  to 
a  dram  or  more. 

The  volatile  alkalis,  not  caustic,  do  not  unite  with 
vinous  spirits  by  simple  mixture  ;  yet  a  solution  of  them 
in  sp.  vin.R.  is  obtainable  by  distillation.  This  prepara- 
tion is  deservedly  in  great  esteem  both  as  a  menstruum 
and  a  medicine  ;  it  is  a  solution  of  alkaline  salt  in  spirit 
of  wine,  for  though  proof  spirit  is  used,  its  water  does 
not  rise  ;  it  only  serves  to  facilitate  the  action  of  the 
pure  spirit  upon  the  ammoniac  salt  ;  it  might,  perhaps, 
for  some  purposes,  such  as  making  the  sp.  ammon. 
comp.  kc.  be  more  adviseable  to  make  a  dulcified  spirit 
with  the  pure  liquor  of  ammonia,  for  it  may  be  mixed 
at  once  with  rectified  spirit  of  wine  in  any  proportion, 
without  the  hazard  of  separating  the  volatile  alkali  ;  and 
readily  form  an  extemporaneous  dulcified  spirit  of  sal 
ammoniac  : 

Take  the  spirit  of  sal  ammoniac  prepared  with  quick- 
lime, rectified  spirit  of  wine,  of  each  a  pound. 

SPI'RITUS  VOLA'TILIS  CAU'STICUS,  vcl 

SPIRIT.      SAL.      AMMOX.     CUM     CALCE.     V1V.     PPT.        Xow 


AQUA    AMMO'XIX    PUR-£. 

This  spirit,  prepared  with  quick-lime,  is  thought 
to  be  too  pungent  and  acrid  for  internal  use;  but  in 
the  dilute  state  of  administering  this  medicine,  it  is 
as  safe  as  that  prepared  with  an  alkaline  salt.  It  is  an 
cxccllentmenstruumfor  some  vegetable  substances;  and 
v.  hen  saturated  with  such  ingredients,  is  so  sheathed 
as  to  be  as  safe  as  the  other.  If  this  spirit  is  not  pure, 
a  slight  proportion  of  it  will  make  lime-water  turbid. 

The  aqua  ammoniae  purs  appears  in  many  cases  pre- 
ferable to  that  prepared  with  an  alkaline  salt.  It  is  bet- 
ter suited  for  the  sp.  ammon.,  compositus,  and  sp.  am- 
monias foetid,  as  being  perfectly  miscible  with  the  sp. 
vini  reel,  in  any  proportion,  without  any  separation  of 
its  volatile  alkaline  part,  and  as  being  a  more  powerful 
menstruum  for  some  oils,  difficultof  solution.  The  EAU 
DE  LUCE,  for  example,  is  made  with  the  aqua  ammoniae 
purse,  et  ol.  succin.  rect.  ;  but  the  oil  must  be  rectified 
until  it  hath  lost  its  smell,  and  is  become  limpid,  and 
then  the  process  will  be  the  following: 

R.  Ol.  succin.  rect.  ut  supra  gtt.  xxxvi.  alcohol,  vini 
5  ss.  bene  misceantur,  et  adde  pauiatim  aqux  ammo- 
niae  purse,  5  .vi.  This  appears  milky;  but  if  required 
limpid,  it  may  be  made  so  by  distillation  ;  or  if  it  is  only 
designed  for  smelling,  it  may  be  tinged  of  a  fine  blue 
colour,  with  a  drop  or  two  of  a  solution  of  copper. 
Sec  Malouin's  Chimie  Medicinale. 

The  College  of  London  give  the  following  prescrip- 
tion for  making  the  EAU  DE  LUCE,  under  the  title  of 
•SPIRITUS  AMMONIA  SUCCJ>ATVS  ;  Succ:>:c:td  sjiiri:  t-f 

vol.  i. 


nui.  Take  one  ounce  of  aKo'aul ;  \Vaicici  \ 
ammonia  four  ounces ;  rectified  oil  of  amber  one 
scruple  ;  soap  ten  grains  :  digest  the  soap  and  oil  01" 
amber  in  alcohol,  until  they  are  dissolved  ;  then  ac'. 
water  of  pure  ammonia,  and  mix  them  well  by  shak- 
ing : — it  is  chiefly  used  externally.  There  is  a  great 
nicety  in  this  preparation,  known  only  to  those  who 
prepare  it,  and  which  chemists  have  not  attained  ;  but 
this  accuracy  does  not  affect  its  medical  virtues.  The 
chief  imperfection  is,  that  the  ingredients  separate,  but 
they  will  unite  again  by  agitation. 

Divers  mixtures  of  volatile  and  vinous  spirits,  fla- 
voured with  aromatic  and  other  oils,  or  tinctured  with 
different  ingredients,  according  to  the  intention  of  the 
prescribers,  have  been,  and  yet  may  be,  used  with  great 
advantage.  Of  this  kind  are  the  following  : 

SPS.  AMsio'xii  COMPOSITUS,  instead  of  the  sps.  vo- 
latilis  aromaticus. 

R.  Ol.  nucis  moschatae  et  ol.  limon.  essent.  aaj  ii.  sp. 
ammon.  ffcij.  m.  Distil  these  with  a  gentleheat.  This 
is  from  the  Pharmacop.  Collegii  Lond.  1738. 

By  this  method  a  volatile  oily  spirit  may  be  pre- 
pared occasionally,  and  at  pleasure  adapted  to  particular 
purposes,  by  choosing  an  essential  oil  proper  for  the  in- 
tention ;  thus  in  hysteric  cases,  inhere  the  uterine  excre- 
tions are  deficient,  a  sp.  ammon.  comp.  may  be  made 
with  the  oils  of  rue,  savin,  penny-royal,  asafcetida,  Sec. 
For  -weakness  of  the  stomach,  the  oil  of  mint  may  be 
taken ; — -far  a  cephalic,  the  oils  of  marjoram,  lavender, 
and  rosemary  ;  against  fainting  and  coldness,  the  oil  of 
cinnamon;— to  remove  flatulencies,  the  oil  of  aniseeds 
and  sweet  fennel.  The  spirits  thus  made  by  simple 
mixture,  or  by  dropping  essential  oils  into  sp.  ammon. 
with  which  they  easily  mix,  are  nowise  inferior  iu 
medical  efficacy  to  those  prepared  by  distillation,  though 
the  tinge  which  they  receive  from  the  oil  may  render 
them  to  the  sight  less  pleasing. 

-The  small  quantity,  however,  of  any  medicine  which 
can  be  thus  conveyed  into  the  system,  can  have  no  very- 
powerful  effect  ;  while,  as  a  warm  stimulant,  it  greatly 
assists  the  power  of  other  medicines.  The  aminoniateci 
alcohol  conveys  very  rapidly  the  effects  of  aromatics,  as 
in  the  spiritus  ammoniae  C.  of  the  London  Dispensatory  ; 
the  alcohol  ammoniatum  aromaticum  of  the  Edinlftirgh  ; 
or  the  spiritus  alkali  volatilis  of  the  Dublin.  The  com- 
pound tincture  of  castor,  the  volatile  tincture  of 
guaiacum,  and  the  ammoniated  tincture  of  valerian, 
are,  in  their  respective  Uses,  excellent  medicines.  The 
ammoniated  tincture  of  bark  is  less  useful;  as  from  bark 
we  do  not  want  an  immediate  effect,  and  the  quantity 
of  this  medicine  introduced  is  inconsiderable.  The 
objection  does  not  apply  to  the  volatile  tincture  of  guai- 
acum, as  the  menstruum,  in  this  instance,  directs  and 
increases  the  power  of  the  medicine. 

SOME  VEGETABLES  are  considered  of  an  alkalescent 
nature,  as  they  do  not' become  acid  by  putrefaction;  and 


from  them  no  vi 


ermenta- 


no  vinous  spirit  can  be  procured  by  f< 
tion  ;  to  this  class  belong  most  of  the  acrid  aromatics ; 
some  of  which  are  the  alliaria,  aliium,  arum,  asparagus, 
brassica, capsicum,  cardiaca,  centaurium  min.  cochlea- 
ria,  cepa,  nasturtium  aquat.  et  hort.  porrum,  raphanus 
com.  etrusticanus  ;  ruta,  sinapis,  &c. 

The  signs  of  ALKALINE  ACRIMONY  in  the  blood,  viz. 
thirst  and  desire  of  sour  drinks,  loss  of  appetite,  and 
aversion  to  alkalescent  food,  nidorous  eructations,  putrid 


ALC 


ALC 


ulcers  cm  the  lips,  tongue,  and  other  parts  in  the  mouth, 
bitterness  in  the  mouth,  sickness  in  the  stomach,  and 
a  frequent  diarrhoea,  a  sense  of  heat,  lassitude,  and 
general  uneasiness,  a  dissolution  of  the  texture  of  the 
blood,  the  urine  high-coloured  and  red,  in  fact  only  show 
that  it  exists  in  the  stomach. 

ALKALINE  GAS.  This  is  only  volatile  alkali  in  the 
form  of  air,  and  has  never  yet  been  applied  to  medical 
uses. 

ALKALINE  EARTHS.  Many  of  the  earths  are  absorb- 
ents ;  but  some  approach  so  nearly  to  an  alkaline  nature, 
that  they  have  obtained  this  appellation  more  pointedly. 
These  are  magnesia,  lime,  barytes,  and  strontia  :  all  but 
the  last  are  used  in  medicine  ;  the  barytes,  in  compo- 
sition only,  with  the  muriatic  acid. 

ALKALI  in  botany.     See  SALICORNIA. 

ALKALI'NA,  INFUSIO. 

R.  Kali  J  ss.  croc.  Anglic.  5  ss.  rad.  liquorit.  rec. 
§  ij.  aq.  font,  bullientis  Ife  iij.  infund.  per  horas  vi.  vel 
vii.  ct  cola.  Vel, 

R.  Fol.  absinth,  vulg.  sice,  f  ss.  kali  pp.  9  ij.  infund. 
in  aq.  font,  bullient.  |  xij.  colaturse  ;  adde  aq.  juniperi 

|ij- 

These  are  useful  methods  of  administering  the  fixed 
alkaline  salt  ;  small  doses  may  be  given  warm  every 
three  or  four  hours,  interposing  occasionally  a  purgative, 
when  such  medicines  are  required.  If  intermitting  fe- 
vers return,  this  method,  for  a  few  days,  is  an  excellent 
preparation  for  the  bark. 

ALKALISA'TIO,  ALCALISATION.  The  impregnat- 
ing any  thing  with  alkaline  salt. 

ALKALI'NUS  SAL,    SA'LIS  MA'RIN^E.      See 

\XATUOK. 

ALCA'NCALI.     See  ANGELOCALOS. 

ALCA'NNA,  (Indian  word).  See  ICHTHYOCOLLA, 
ANCHVSA,  and  LIGUSTB.UM  INDICUM. 

ALCA'RNI,  (an  Arabic  term).  A  name  of  a  con- 
fcct  made  by  Messue. 

A'LCARA.     See  CUCURBITA. 

A'LCE,  (from  «/«»,  strength).  The  ELK.  It  is  a 
large  animal  of  the  deer  kind,  met  with  in  Muscovy, 
Germany,  and  very  cold  countries.  The  hoof  of  the 
hind  foot  on  the  left  side  hath  been  celebrated  against 
epilepsies,  from  a  ridiculous  opinion  that  the  elk  is  him- 
self subject  to  disorders  of  this  kind,  and  prevents  or 
removes  them  by  scratching  his  eav  with  his  hoof. 

ALCE'A,  (from  <*AKIJ,  strength,)  so  called,  on  ac- 
count of  its  force  in  expelling  poisons. 

ALCE'A  VULGARIS  MAJOR.  See  DORONICUM  GER- 
MANICUM. 

ALCE'A  ;  VERVAIN  MALLOW.  See  MALVA  VERBE- 
NA CEA. 

ALCE'A  INDICA.  " 

ALCE'A  JEGYPTIACA,  VILLOSA.  ' 

A'LCEBAR.     See  AGALLOCHUM. 

A'LCEBRIS  VIVUM  ;  i.  e.  SULPHUR  VIVUM. 

ALCE'UO.  A  bird  called  the  KING'S  FISHER.  It 
is  also  called  is/iida,  halcyon,  alcyon,_fluviatilis,  piscator 
regis.  It  is  said  to  make  its  nest  in  the  sea,  and  then  it 
is  a  sign  of  fair  weather,  whence  the  word  halcyon  days 
— calm  and  peaceable  times. 

A'LCHABRIC.     See  ALKIBRIC. 

A'LCHACHIL.     See  ROSMARINUS. 

A'LCHARITH.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

A'LCHEMIA,    A'LCHIMIA,    or    A'LCHYMIA, 


See  ABELMOSCHUS. 


A'LKIMA,  ALCHEMY.  That  branch  of  chemistry  which 
relates  to  the  transmutation  of  metals  into  gold  ;  the 
forming  a  panacea,  or  universal  remedy  ;  an  alkahest, 
or  universal  menstruum  ;  an  universal  ferment  ;  and 
many  other  absurdities.  The  pursuits  of  the  alchemists 
obtained  more  attention,  as  they  offered  two  of  the  most 
powerful  attractions — riches  and  immortality.  With 
the  former  we  have  no  concern  ;  but  it  is  necessary  to 
remark,  that  the  fifteenth  century  was  the  era  when 
these  fancies  began  to  influence  medicine.  To  the  al- 
chemists we  are  indebted  for  our  mercurial  and  antimo- 
nial  preparations  ;  and  their  pretensions — in  some 
measure  their  success — produced  a  considerable  revo- 
lution in  medicine,  by  undermining  the  authority  of 
Galen,  till  that  time  supreme.  Basil  Valentine  seems 
to  have  been  the  earliest  of  these  authors ;  and  his  Cur- 
rus  Triumphalis  Antimonii,  though  abounding  in  en- 
thusiastic reveries,  displays  reflection  and  knowledge. 
Paracelsus  was  an  ignorant  boasting  enthusiast  ;  but 
Van  Helmont,  though  of  the  same  sect,  appears  to  have 
been  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  acute  observation. 
In  pursuit  of  their  fancies,  they  discovered  many  che- 
mical changes  produced  by  the  mixture  of  bodies;  and, 
among  other  sciences,  medicine  received  considerable 
improvement  from  their  misdirected  labours. 

A'LCHERON,  LA'PIS,  (so  called  from  the  Arabic- 
term  ALCHERAN,  a  horn  ;  because  it  was  found  of  a 
horny  consistence).  The  stone  in  the  gall-bladder  of  a 
bull,  or  ox,  called  bezoar  bovinus. 

A'LCHIBRIC.     A'LCHIBERT.     See  ALKIBHIC. 

ALCHIMI'LLA,  (so  called,  because  it  was  celebrat- 
ed by  the  alchemists) ;  called  also  branca,  and  iies-leo- 
nis  ;  siellaria  ;  LADY'S  MANTLE,  and  LION'S  FOOT.  Ru- 
landus  calls  it  diafiencia. 

The  leaves  are  gently  astringent,  the  root  is  of  the 
same  quality ;  but  this  plant  is  not  in  any  repute  as  a 
medicine. 

ALCHIMI'LLA    SUPINA    GRAMIN    FOL.         See    KNA- 
WEL. 

A'LCHI'TRON,  OIL  OF  JUNIPER  ;  see  JUNIPERUS. 
Also  the  name  of  a  dentifrice  of  Messue. 

ALCHO'LLEA,  (Indian  term).  A  sort  of  animal 
food  made  of  beef  or  other  flesh,  pickled  and  dried,  then 
boiled  and  potted  for  keeping.  It  is  used  by  the  wes- 
tern Moors.  See  Philos.  Trans. 

A'LCHUTE.     See  MORUM. 

.A'LCHYMY.  A  composition  of  copper,  with  a 
small  quantity  of  arsenic,  resembling  silver. 

ALCIBIA'DION,  so  called  because  Alcibius  first 
used  it  against  the  bite  of  a  serpent.  See  ANCHU- 
SA. 

A'LCIMAD.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

A'LCOB.     See  AMMONIAC.   SAL. 

ALCO'CALUM.     See  CINARA. 

A'LCOFOL.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

A'LCOHOL,  or  A'LCHAHOL  ;  A'L-KA-HOL.  It 
is  an  Arabian  word,  signifying  an  impalpable  powder, 
which  the  Eastern  women  used  to  tinge  the  hair  and  the 
edges  of  their  eye-lids.  As  this  powder,  -viz.  an  ore  of 
lead,  was  impalpable,  the  same  name  was  given  to  other 
subtile  powders,  and  to  spirit  of  wine  exalted  to  its 
highest  purity  and  perfection.  See  VINUM  ADUS- 

TUM. 

A'LCOHOL  MA'RTIS.  It  is  the  filings  of  iron  rusted 
by  adding  urine  to  them.  When  the  whole  is  per- 


A  L  K 


ALE 


fectly  rusted,  pure  spring  water  is  repeatedly  added, 
until  all  that  is  urinous  is  washed  away,  and  the  re- 
maining powder  is  the  alcohol  martin.  Musgrave  em- 
ployed it  with  the  theriaca  in  misplaced  gout,  to  bring 
it  to  the  joints. 

A'LCOL,  (ALCAL,  Arab.).     See  ACETLM. 

A'LCOLA,  (ALCALA,  filth,  Heb.).  APHTHA,  which 
see.  Paracelsus  gives  this  appellation  to  the  tartar 
or  -excrement  of  urine,  whether  it  appears  as  sand,  or 
mucilage. 

ALCOHOLIZATION.  The  rectification  of  alco- 
hol ;  and,  according  to  Starkey,  the  union  of  alcohol 
with  fixed  alkalis,  which  forms  a  neutral,  and  the  al- 
kali is  volatilised. 

ALCOLI'TA.     See  URIXA. 

ALCOLI'SMUS,  (from  alcohol}.  Reducing  any 
thing  to  powder  by  corrosion. 

ALCO'XE.     See  ,£SECAVUM. 

A'LCOR.     See  jEs  VSTUM. 

AL'CTE.  It  is  the  name  of  a  plant  mentioned  by 
Hippocrates  ;  Foesius  thinks  it  is  the  Elder.  See  ACTE. 

ALCU'BRITH.     See  SULPHUR. 

A'LCYOX  FLUVIATILIS.     See  ALCEDO. 

ALCYO  XIUM.  BASTARD  SPONGE.  It  is  the  froth 
of  the  sea  hardened  by  the  sun,  of  different  shapes  and 
colours.  It  is  so  named,  from  the  bird  ALCYOX,  which 
builds  on  the  sea,  and  whose  nest  it  is  said  to  resemble. 
It  is  difficult  to  say  what  the  Gre'eks  called  by  this 
name.  Dioscorides  names  five  sorts  ;  viz. 

1.  ALCYO'XIUM  DI/RUM.     HARD  BASTARD  SPOXGE. 

FARRA'GO;  called   also  farrago  australis,  alcyo- 
nium,  i<etsicaria  marina  nigra. 

.3.  ALCYO'XIUM  VERMICULA'TUM,  or  VERMICULA'TE. 
VEHMICULATE  BASTARD  SPOXGE. 

4.  ALCYO'XIUM  SUPPOSUM.     Lemery  calls  this  alcyo- 
nium  molle.     THREADY  BASTARD  SPOXGE. 

5.  ALCYO 'XIVM  TUBERO'SUM.    Lemery  calls  this  al- 
.'um  foraminosum.     TUBEROSE  BASTARD  SPOXGE. 

There  are  many  other  species ;  they  are  calcined 
with  a  little  salt  as  dentrifices,  and  are  used  to  remove 
spots  on  the  skin. 

ALDABA  RAM.     See  ALBADARA. 

ALDIX,  ET  ALDIX.  HORT.  FARX,  i.  e.  Exact. 
Descriptio  rariorum  quarandum  Plantarum  Horti  Far- 
nesiani  Tobiae  Aldini.  Rome,  1625,  fol. 

ALDROV.  MUS.  MET.  i.  e.  Ulyssis  Aldrovandi 
Musaeum  Metallicum  Bononiae,  1648,  fol. 

ALDROV.  DE  QUAD.  BISUL.  i.  e.  Aldroi-andus  De 
Quadrupedibus  bisulcis. 

ALDROV.  DE  QUAD.  DIG.  i.  e.  Aldroi-andus  De  Qua- 
drupedibus  digitalis. 

ALDROV.  DEXDR.  i.  e.  Aldroi'andi  Dendrologia,  Bo- 
non.  1668. 

ALDROV.  EXAXG.  i.  e.  Aldro~vandus  De  Animalibus 
exanguibus,  Bonon.  1642. 

ALE,  foe/,  Dan. ;  ai/e,  Fr. ;  from  alo,  to  nourish). 
The  ancient  Saxons  called  it  ael.  The  Germans  first 
invented  and  brought  it  into  use. 

Ale  is  distinguished  from  BEER,  by  being  fresh  or 
new,  while  beer  is  kept  until  the  remaining  saccharine 
matter  is  more  completely  changed  to  a  vinous  spirit 
by  a  slow  fermentation. 

Beer,  called  by  the  Latins,  CEREVISIA,  from  Ceres, 
because  corn  is  its  principal  ingredient ;  also  LIQUOR 


CERERIS  ;    VIXLM    HORDEACEUM,    barlev-  IXU.M 

REGIOXUM  SKPTEXTRIOXA'LIUM;  sometimes  b ira. 

•Ale  produces  colics,  and  is  occasionally,  when  no; 
well  fermented,  acescent;  but  does  not  produce  calca- 
reous diseases,  as  has  been  asserted.  Those  who  drink 
ale  are  stronger  than  those  who  drink  wine  ;  and  thost- 
who  do  not  drink  strong  liquors  are  said  not  to  be  able 
to  labour  so  well  as  those  who  do ;  but  this  does  not  ap- 
pear to  be  invariably  true.  Ale-drinkers  are  fat,  occa- 
sionally gouty,  but,  on  the  whole,  healthy.  Cordials 
may  fit  the  person  for  extraordinary  exertions,  but 
should  not  be  commonly  used.  Ale,  ho\vever,  must 
not  be  considered  as  one  of  these.  When  well  ferment- 
ed it  is  an  wholesome  beverage,  and  seems  only  to  dis- 
agree with  those  subject  to  asthma,  or  any  disorder  of 
the  respiratory  or  occasionally  the  digestive  organs. 
See  DRIXKS,  BEER,  PORTER. 

If  malt  liquor,  of  any  degree  of  strength,  is  become 
flat  and  acid,  as  it  is  used,  it  should  be  drawn  out  of  the 
cask  into  a  jug,  in  which  as  many  drams  of  powdered 
chalk  should  be  put  as  pints  of  liquor;  thus  an  effer- 
vescence will  be  raised,  a  sprightly,  though  not  very 
agreeable,  taste  will  be  restored  to  the  liquor,  and  its 
acidity  will  be  destroyed. 

Ale  being  in  some  countries  cheaper  than  wine,  hath 
occasioned  it  to  be  medicated  for  the  same  purposes ; 
and  there  are  two  ways  of  impregnating  malt  liquors 
with  medicinal  substances ;  first,  by  macerating  the  in- 
gredients in  the  ale  after  it  is  duly  fermented  ;  secondly, 
by  adding  them  to  the  liquor  while  it  is  fermenting, 
that  by  the  power  of  fermentation  the  medicinal  virtues 
may  more  fully  be  extracted ;  of  nutmeg,  for  instance, 
one  dram  powdered  will  flavour  a  large  vat  of  ferment- 
ing ale,  but  when  the  fermentation  ceases,  it  flavours 
but  a  very  small  quantity.  Branches  of  the  spruce  fir, 
fermented  with  beer,  render  it  wholesome,  antiscorbu- 
tic, and  useful  in  cutaneous  diseases.  It  is  the  plea- 
santest  form  of  turpentine  ;  and  many  who  have  begun 
it  as  a  medicine,  have  continued  it  as  a  luxury. 

The  following  is  an  agreeable  bitter,  and  far  prefera- 
ble to  any  of  the  purls. 

CEREVI'SIA  AMA'RA.     BITTER  STOMACHIC  ALE. 

B.  Rad.  gent.  cort.  limon.  rec.  aa  |iv.  piper,  long. 
§i.  terevis.  Cong.  i.  infund.  sine  calore. 

CEREVI'SIA  AXTISCORBU'TICA.    ANTISCORBUTIC  ALE. 

R.  Fol.  cochl.  hort.  rec.  m.  viij.  ras.  guaiac.  Jj.  sen), 
coriand.  ^ij.  fol.  senn.  §ss.  infund.  in  cerevis.  recent, 
durant.  fcrmentat.  Of  these  medicated  ales  fb  ss.  may 
be  taken  night  and  morning. 

Various  other  impregnations  of  ale  have  been  used 
as  diet  drinks  or  medicines.  We  find  in  the  old  dispen- 
satories, ale  against  the  gout;  for  the  eyes;  for  the 
head,  kc.  Vulgar  practice  still  retains  an  infusion  in 
ale  of  some  virtue  ;  viz.  of  the  broom  ashes,  which  con- 
tain an  alkali,  with  the  diuretic  oil  of  the  broom.  Syrup 
of  ale  consists  of  the  ale  inspissated  before  it  is  atte- 
nuated by  fermentation,  and  is  little  more  than  a  muci- 
laginous infusion  of  malt,  employed  as  a  demulcent,  in 
the  diseases  for  which  this-class  of  medicines  is  used. 
Gill  ale  is  an  infusion  of  ground  ivy,  and  supposed  to 
heal  internal  wounds,  and  to  relieve  diseases  of  the 
breast.  Dr.  Butler's  purging  ale  is  indeed  purgative, 
from  containing  senna ;  but  has  numerous  other  ingre- 
dients, which  tend  to  no  one  purpose  unless  it  be  slight* 

K  2 


ALE 


68 


ALG 


Iy  expectorant.  Ale  berry  is  a  sudorific,  and  consists  of 
ale  boiled  with  bread  and  mace. 

ALE'CARITH.   See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

ALEFA'NTES,  i.  e.  Fi.os  SAI.IS.    FLOWER  of  SALT. 

ALE'IMMA,  (from  «*n0«,  to  anoint),  A  greasy 
ointment,  or  a  liniment,  without  wax,  to  give  it  a  con- 
sistence. 

ALK'ION.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  as  an  epithet 
for  water. 

ALE'IPHA,  (tthiiQu,  to  anoint).  Any  medicated 
oil,  impregnated  chiefly  with  the  juices  of  vegetables. 

ALE'LAION,  (from  <**$,  salt,  and  £A«/0v,  oleum). 
It  is  oil  beat  up  with  salt  to  apply  to  tumours.  Galen 
frequently  used  it. 

ALE'MBACI.     BURNT  LEAD. 

ALE'MBIC.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

ALE'MBICUS.  Avicenna  considers  this  as  an  Ara- 
bic term  ;  but  others  suppose  it  half  Arabic  and  half 
Greek,  from  the  Arabic  particle'  al,  and  «jtc£/£,  which 
is  again  derived  from  afiSaivu,  for  atitSxiva,  to  ascend. 
Seneca  calls  it  in  the  Latin  language  miliarium.  Alem- 
bic and  Moor's-head.  It  is  also  named  capella,  capitu- 
lum  ;  it  is  a  copper  cap  of  a  still  tinned  in  the  inside, 
made  like  a  head,  in  which  the  pipe  passing  through 
a  tub  of  cold  water,  is  fixed  to  receive  the  vapour  from 
the  heated  cucurbit  or  body,  to  convey  it  to  the  re- 
ceiver. Before  retorts  were  used  so  commonly,  the 
matter  distilled  was  put  into  a  vessel  called  a  body,  with 
a  head  placed  on  it  to  receive  the  vapour,  whence  it 
was  conveyed  by  a  canal,  called  the  rostrum,  or  beak, 
to  the  receiver;  this  head  is  properly  the  alembic,  and 
is  called  alembicus  rostratus,  i.  e.  the  beaked  alembic, 
to  distinguish  it  from  alembicus  ccecus,  or  blind  alembic, 
which  is  without  a  canal,  as  it  is  to  receive  dry  sub- 
stances that  are  sublimed,  into  it.  The  body  of  the 
alembic  was  placed  over  a  fire  in  hot  pump-water,  hot 
salt-water,  or  hot  sand.  Alembics  are  preferable  to 
stills,  by  requiring  less  fuel,  and  not  so  readily  impart- 
ing empyreuma.  In  quickness,  and  the  attention  ne- 
cessary to  regulate  the  heat,  they  are  less  convenient. 

ALE'MBROTH.  A  Chaldee  word,  importing  the 
Key  of  Art;  some  explain  it  by  sal  mercurii,  or  sal 
philosophorum  et  artis  :  others  say  it  is  named  elem- 
brot  et  sal  fusionis,  or  saljiocionis.  Alembroth  desicca- 
tum  is  said  to  be  the  sal  tartari  ;  hence  this  word  seems 
to  signify  alkaline  salt,  which  opens  the  bodies  of  me- 
tals by  destroying  their  sulphurs,  and  promoting  their 
separation  from  the  ores.  From  analogy,  it  is  sup- 
posed to  have  the  same  effect  in  conquering  obstruc- 
tions and  attenuating  viscid  fluids  in  the  human  body. 
A  peculiar  earth,  probably  containing  a  fixed  alkali, 
found  in  the  island  of  Cyprus,  has  also  this  appella- 
tion ;  and  a  solution  of  the  corrosive  sublimate,  to 
which  the  muriat  of  ammonia  has  been  added,  that 
greatly  assists  the  solubility  of  the  mercurial  salt,  is 
"•called  sal  alembroth. 

ALE'MZADAR. 

VALE'MZADAD. 

ALEOPHANGI'NJE  PILU'LJE;  these  are  thepil. 
aromaticae  of  Messue.  Joined  with  the  hellebore  they 
have  been  called  pil.  aleophang.  capitales  et  stomachics. 

A'LEOS,  (from  a.*.ea.,  heat).  Taken  as  an  adjective 
it  signifies  heaped,  crowded,  condensed,  continued  ;  as  a 
substantive,  heat  or  warmth. 

ALEPE'NSIS.     See  MANNA, 


c 
See 


A'LES,  (from  ate,  salt).  The  name  of  a  compound 
salt. 

A'LESCH.     See  ALUM'EN  PLUMOSUM,  N°  2. 

ALEU'RON,  MEAL,  (from  a.Xe<a,  to  grind).  Strictly 
it  is  the  meal  of  wheat,  though  commonly  applied  to 
other  sorts.  See  ALPHITA. 

ALEXA'NDRIA.     See  LAURUS  ALEXANDRIA. 

ALEXA'NDRI  ANTIDO'TUS  AU'REA.  ALEX- 
ANDER'S GOLDEN  ANTIDOTE.  Myrepsus .  gives  us  the 
prescription ;  it  is  composed  of  animal,  vegetable,  and 
mineral  substances,  and  contains  about  seventy  ingre- 
dients. 

ALEXA'NDRI  REGIS  COLLYRIUM  SICCUM.  King  Alex- 
ander's dry  medicine  for  the  eyes.  It  was  made  of 
safiron,'Celtic  nard,  and  canal  coal. 

ALEXANDRI'NA.     See  LAURUS  ALEXANDHINA. 

ALEXA'NDRIUM  EMPL.  VI'RIDE.  A  plaster 
described  by  Celsus,  made  with  wax,  plumose  alum,  8cc. 

ALEXA'NTHUS.     See  ^.RIS  FLOS. 

ALEXICA'CA,  (from  «AE|«,  to  drive  aivay,  and 
x.!ix.w,  e-vil).  See  ANTIDOTU-S  and  AMULETA. 

.ALEXIPHA'RMICA.  ALEXIPHARMICS,  (from 
et^e^a,  to  repel,  or  drive-  aivay,  and  §a.pv.a,x.ei,  poison,) 
called  also  antipharmica,  and  caco  alexeteria.  Medicines 
to  preserve  the  body  against  the  power  of  poisons,  or 
to  correct  or  expel  those  taken  into  the  machine ;  the. 

Words  ALEXETERIA,    THERIACA,    alld  ANTIDOTA,  haV6  tilt 

same  import ;  hence  warm  stimulants  and  diaphoretics 
may  be  considered  of  this  class  ;  and  perhaps  the  whole 
power  of  the  alexipharmics  will  be  chiefly  of  service 
by  acting  in  one  of  these  modes.  Their  celebrity 
among  the  ancients  arose  from  the  frequent  apprehen- 
sions of  poison  ;  and,  in  the  middle  ages,  the  nature  of 
the  apprehended  poison  only  was  altered,  and  the  pre- 
ventive was  employed  against  contagious  fevers.  The 
term  has  been  also  applied  to  Amulets.  See  AMULETA. 

ALEXIPYRE'TICUM,  ALEXIPYRETOS,  or 
ALEXIPYRETUM,  (from  «AE|A»,  to  drive  away,  and 
•srvfirtis,  a  fever).  A  remedy  for  a  fever,  or  •&vf,Jire. 

ALEXITE'RIA,  ALEXITERIALS,  (from  »>.i\ia,  and 
Tr,pta,  a  preservative  from  contagion).  Hippocrates 
used  the  word  alcxiteria  to  express  help  or  remedies. 
Strictly  speaking,  alexiterials  were  opposed  to  poisons 
inflicted  from  causes  external  to  the  body.  See  ALEXI- 

PHARMIOA. 

A'quA  LA'CTIS  ALEXITE'RIA.  Alexiterial  milk-wa- 
ter. 

Aq.  ALEXITE'RIA  SPIRITUO'SA  ;  called  also  epidemica 
aqua,  plague-water.  Each  is  now  rejected  from  mo- 
dern pharmacopoeias. 

ALFA'CTA.     See  DISTILLATIO. 

ALFA'DIDAM.  The  scoria  of  gold,  iron,  or  cop- 
per; also  burnt  copper.  See  jEs  USTUM. 

ALFA'TIDA,  burnt  copper,  or  the  scales  flying  off 
from  copper.  See  JEs  USTUM. 

ALFA'TIDE.     See  AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

ALFA'SARA,  or  ALPHESARA.  Arabic  terms 
for  the  vine.  The  name  of  a  confect  described  by 
Messue;  from  the  Arabic  particle  al,  and  fesera,  or 
phiscra,  the  root  of  the  vitis  alba. 

A'LFIDAS.     See  PLUMBUM. 

A'LFOL.     See  AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

A'LFUSA.     TUTTY.     See  TUTIA. 

ALGA.  A  weed  growing  upon  the  sea  shore,  and  in 
cold  situations  ;  called  also  ulva,fucus  marinus,  bryon 


ALG 


69 


A  LI 


tftalassium,  GRASS-WRACK,  WRAKE,  SEA-WEED  or  GRASS, 
and  SEA-MOSS. 

There  are  three  kinds  distinguished  by  La  Marck: 
the  first,  filamentous,  gelatinous,  and  membranous; 
the  second,  with  more  decided  appearances  of  fructifica- 
tion; the  third,  with  those  parts  more  obvious,  and  open- 
ing to  scatter  the  farina  or  deposit  seeds.  Some  of 
the  species  are  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  kelp  on 
the  coast  of  Scotland  ;  but  in  medicine  their  powers  are, 
perhaps,  principally  owing  to  the  sea  salt  they  contain, 
and  little  choice  is  necessary.  The  bladder  oar-weed, 
fucus  Tfsiculosus,  has  been  preferred,  but  with  little 
reason.  On  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean  sea  a  spe- 
cies of  alga  is  gathered  and  dried  to  feed  oxen. 

The  seeds  of  the  alga  are  more  perfect  than  those  of 
the  fuci,  for  its  vessels  gape  when  perfect,  and  the 
seeds  fall  out.  Stack-house  Nereis  Britannica,  Major 
Velley  on  Marine  Plants ;  Turner  on  Fuci,  Linnaean 
Transactions,  vol.  iii. 

ALGA  MARI'NA  LATIFO'LIA  VULGATISSIMA,  the  COM- 
MON SEA-WRACK,  SCC  KALI. 

A'LG.£,  (from  alga,  sea-weed).  It  is  a  term  botani- 
cally  applied  to  a  tribe  of  plants  which  have  their  roots, 
leaves,  and  caudex,  in  one,  and  comprehends  sea-weeds, 
and  some  other  aquatic  plants. 

A'LGALl.  See  XITRUM. 
-  A'LGALY,  (ELGALA,  hollow,  Arab).     AN   HOLLOW 

LEADEN  PROBE,  Or  CATHETER.  See  CATHETER,  and 
SOOITD. 

A'LGAMET.     COALS. 

A'LGARAB.     See  ./EGYLOPS. 

A'LGAROT,ALGAROTHI,ALGEROTH,(PuL- 

vis).  So  called  from  VICTORIUS  ALGAROTH,  a  phy- 
sician of  Verona,  and  its  inventor.  It  is  the  same  with 
the  mercurius  vita  ;  and  is  only  the  antimonial  part  of 
the  butter  of  antimony,  separated  from  some  of  its  acid 
by  washing  it  in  water.  It  is  tasteless,  but  violently 
emetic,  in  doses  of  two  or  three  grains  ;  and  is  prepared 
with  antimony  and  sublimate,  or  by  mixing  water  with 
the  butter  of  antimony,  which  precipitates  a  white 
powder,  kc.  This  is  the  preparation  preferred  by  many 
chemists  for  making  the  emetic  tartar. 

ALGA'IA.     CIVET.     SeeZiBETHu.M. 

ALGE'DO,  («Ay»f,  pain).  SUPPRESSED  GONOR- 
RHEA ;  when  it  has  stopped,  or  been  checked  suddenly 
after  it  has  appeared,  and  is  attended  with  pain. 

When  it  thus  stops,  a  pain  is  continued  to  the  blad- 
der by  the  urethra ;  to  the  anus  by  the  accelerator)-  mus- 
cles of  the  penis ;  and  to  the  testicles  by  the  vasa  defer- 
entia,  and  vesiculae  seminales.  These  last  do  not  al- 
wayMswell,but  the  urine  is  partially  suppressed. 

In  this  case,  calomel  repeated,  so  as  to  purge,  often 
brings  back  the  running,  and  then  all  difficulty  from 
this  symptom  ceases.  If  the  pain  is  great,  and  a  san- 
guinary plethora  requires  it,  after  bleeding,  may  be 
given  of  calomel  prepared  ten  grains,  opium  one  grain, 
made  into  a  bolus  with  conserve  of  roses.  This  should 
be  taken  at  night,  and  followed  in  the  morning  by  the 
infusion  of  senna  with  tamarinds. 

In  these  and  other  disagreeable  symptoms,  such  as 
ophthalmies,  deafness,  swelled  testicles,  Sec.  from  the 
suppression  of  the  virulent  gonorrhoea,  where  the  com- 
mon methods  fail  of  reproducing  the  discharge,  it  has 
been  recommended  to  introduce  a  bougie  into  the  ure- 
thra, smeared  with  the  virus  of  an  infected  patient : 


Dr.  Sv.  eciiaur  says,  "  The  method  proposed  has 
been  tried  many  years  ago  in  one  of  the  first  military 
hospitals  in  Europe,  with  constant  success,  and  has 
since  been  confirmed  by  Dr.  Lange,  in  his  Treatise  on 
Ophthalmia.  See  his  Practical  Observations  on  Vene- 
real Complaints,  p.  53. 

ALGE'.MA,  or  ALGEMATO'DES,(from  *Ay£«,  to 
be  in  pain).  UNEASINESS,  PAIN.  Hippocrates  often 
uses  the  word  «A-/r«.*,  to  signify  the  disease  whence  the 
pain  proceeds.  James's  Med.  Diet.  See  DOLOR. 

ALGERIA,  or  ALGE'RIE.     LIME.     See  CALX. 

A'LGIDA,  (from  algeo,  to  be  cold).  .  Numbed,  wi- 
thered, chilled. 

A'LGOR,  (from  the  same).  A  sudden  chillness  af- 
fecting the  body,  or  any  detached  portion  of  it. 

A'LGOSAREL.  The  Arabian  term  for  the  daucus 
iajtvestri*. 

'  ALHAGI,  (Arab.).  The  plant  thorny  SYRIAN 
BROOM  ;  called  also  agul  et  almagi  Arabibus  genista^ 
Spartium  s/iinositm,  spinosum  Syriacum.  Hedysarum 
al/iagi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1051. 

It  is  commonly  met  with  in  Persia  and  Mesopotamia, 
where  the  inhabitants  gather  from  it  a  sort  of  manna, 
in  grains  about  the  size  of  coriander  seeds.  The  Ara- 
bians call  this  manna, tereniabin, or  trangcbin.  Rail.  Hist. 
The  leaves  of  the  alhagi  are  hot  and  pungent,  the 
flowers  purgative. 

There  is  another  species  called  alhagi  maurorum. 

ALHA'NDALA,  (ALHANDAL,  Arab.).  An  Arabian 
name  for  the  colocynth.  See  COLOCYNTHIS. 

THOCH.  ALHANDAL.  The  troches  of  alhandal  is  a 
composition  as  old  as  Messue,  but  is  now  not  used. 

ALHA'XXA.     See  ALANA  TERRA. 

ALHASEF,  (ALASAF,./?/:/*,  Arab).  A  sort  of  pus- 
tule,'called  HYDROA. 

A'LIA  SQUILLA,  (from  *A«««,  belonging  to  the  sea, 
and  o-x/AAae,  a  shrimp).  The  PRAWN. 

A'LICA,(from  a/o,  to  nourish).  A  sort  of  food  ad- 
mired by  the  ancients ;  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether  it 
is  a  grain  or  preparation  from  some  seed  :  many  writers 
speak  of  it  as  a  sort  of  wheat;  but  upon  the  whole  it 
seems  to  be  a  kind  of  meal  made  into  frumenty,  to  be 
eaten  with  milk,  kc.  Salmasius  says,  that  alica  is  one 
sort  of  the  chondros  of  the  Greeks,  which  was  grain 
broken  into  large  fragments,  or  rather  only  freed  from 
the  husks,  but  not  ground  in  a  mill ;  called  also  aphe- 
retnc,  adroteron,  farinarium. 

A'LICES,  (from  «A<£»,  to  sprinkle).  Little  red 
spots  in  the  skin,  which  precede  the  eruption  of  pus- 
tules in  the  small-pox. 

ALICO'RXU,  (from  the  Hebrew  terms  a/*,  lifted  ufl, 
and  karan,  a  horn).  SeeUxicoRNV. 

ALIEXATIO  ME'XTIS, (from a^rno,  to  estrange}. 
See  DELIRIUM. 

ALIE'XUM,  (from  the  same).  In  a  medical  sense 
it  is  any  thing  foreign  and  troublesome  to  the  body. 
Sometimes  it  means  corrupted. 

ALIFO'RMIS,  PROCESSUS.  See  PTERYGOIDES  PRO- 
C-ESSUS.  (From  a/a,  a  wing,  and  forma,  the  shape). 

ALIFO'RMIS  MUSCULI.     See  PTERYGOID^EI. 

AL  GULL'S.     See  CONFECTIO. 

A'LILAT,  or  aAir?*,  an  Arabian  name  for  Lucina, 
or  the  goddess  which  the  Greeks  supposed  to  preside 
over  child-birth. 

A'LIMA,  (from  *AI.««J,  belonging  to  (he  sea).     A 


AL1 


•o 


AL  I 


sort  of  sand  from  which  lead  and  other  metals  are  ob- 
tained. 

ALIME'NTA,  ALIMENT;  or  FOOD  BOTH  SOLID 
AND  LIQUID:  (from  n/o,  to  nourish).  It  is  such  mat- 
ter as  is  convertible  by  the  actions  of  the  body  into  an 
alkalescent  gluten,  of  which  all  our  solids  and  fluids  are 
formed,  and  by  which  their  waste  is  repaired.  Next 
to  air,  food  is  the  most  necessary  thing  for  the  pre- 
servation of  ourbodies  ;  and  as,  on  its  choice, our  health 
greatly  depends,  it  is  of  importance  to  understand,  in 
general,  the  properties  of  our  aliments,  so  as  to  judge 
not  only  the  kind  of  food  proper  in  different  situations 
to  support  life,  but  to  restore  health  when  impaired ; 
and,  in  particular  deviations  from  health,  what  is  the 
best  adapted  to  restore  us. 

Our  blood  and  juices  naturally  incline  to  a  putrid  acri- 
monious quality  :  fresh  chyle,  duly  received,  prevents 
this  destructive  tendency,  and  preserves  in  them  that 
mild  albuminous  state  thatis  alone  consistentwith  health. 

The  subject  of  aliment,  if  pursued  at  length,  would 
require  a  volume.  It  must  be  considered  here  more 
shortly;  but  we  shall  offer  an  outline,  which  may  be 
easily  filled  up.  The  structure  of  the  human  stomach 
shews  that  man  was  not  intended  to  be  granivorous,  or 
exclusively  herbivorous ;  the  length  of  the  intestines,  on 
the  other  hand,  proves  that  he  was  not  wholly  designed 
to  be  carnivorous.  In  all  situations  where  the  dictates 
of  nature  have  been  complied  with,  mankind  have  con- 
sequently mixed  both  foods,  and  the  proportions  have 
been  such  as  fancy  or  necessity  may  have  suggested ; 
saaccomodating  is  the  animal  economy,  that  it  adapts 
itself  to  every  kind  of  diet,  and  the  axiom  is  universally 
true,  sanis  omnia  sana. 

It  will  be  at  once  obvious,  that  the  food,  taken  in,  is 
by  no  means  in  the  state  which  nature  requires  to  form 
our  mass  of  blood.  It  must  undergo  some  change;  a 
process  which,  in  its  successive  stages,  is  called  DIGES- 
TION and  ASSIMILATION,  q.  v.  These  subjects  we 
mustnot  anticipate ;  but  may  now  remark,  that  aliment  is 
only  admitted  into  the  system  in  the  form  of  a  bland  oily 
fluid,  named  chyle.  This,  though  resembling  milk,  yet 
essentially  differs  from  it,  since  milk  is  not  absorbed 
until  it  has  been  coagulated  and  experienced  some  che- 
mical changes.  The  great  divisions  of  our  aliments  are 
vegetable  and  animal:  these,  as  usual,  are  in  their  con- 
fines scarcely  distinguishable,  and  the  mushroom  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom  is  of  a  more  animalised  nature  than 
even  the  milk  of  the  most  carnivorous  animal,  the  dog. 
Of  vegetable  substances,  the  prevailing  principle  is  car- 
bone;  of  animal,  azote.  The  changes  which  the  first 
undergo  are,  therefore,  the  most  considerable,  and  their 
assimilation  requires  the  longest  time.  We  have  al- 
ready observed,  that  difficult  and  slow  of  digestion  are  not 
synonymous ;  and  this  is  particularly  exemplified  in  the 
digestion  of  vegetable  substances,  which  excite  little 
commotion  in  the  system,  though  they  are  long  retained 
in  the  primae  vise  ;  and  the  criterion  we  shall  employ  of 
difficult  digestion,  will  be  the  exacerbation  of  hectic  fia- 
roxysms.  In  hectics,  the  arterial  system  is  peculiarly 
irritable,  and  the  slightest  exertion  of  the  digestive 
organs  accelerates  the  circulation. 

The  nutritious  parts  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  are 
mucilage,  starch,  or  sugar.  In  the  lowest  degree  of  nu- 
triment are  the  ESCULENT  PLANTS,  such  as  the  bete,  the 
;spinach,and  the  lamb's  lettuce.  The  cabbage  and  wa- 


ter-cresses, scarcely  ranking  higher  in  nutritious  powers- 
have  some  effect  from  their  peculiar  acrimony.  Among 
the  vegetables  of  weak  nutritious  powers  must  be  reck- 
oned the  marine  algae,  which,  perhaps,  except  in  one 
instance,  owe  their  chief  advantages  to  the  stimulus  of 
the  salt.  The  fueus  esculentus  palmatus  and  digitatus 
arc  used;  the  second  is  the  dulse  of  Scotland.  The 
ulva  umbilicalis  affords  the  laver,  and  the  u.  latissima 
(Iceland  sea-grass)  is  saccharine.  The  Iceland  liver- 
wort, lichen  Islandicus,  we  shall  speak  of  as  a  medicine. 
The  siliyuosa  of  Linnaeus  follow,  including  the  endive,  the 
lettuce,  the  celery,  the  artichoke,  and  asparagus.  Many 
of  these  are  highly  acrimonious, butdeprived  of  theirpe- 
culiar  principle  by  confinement  from  light,  styled  etio- 
lation, or  bleaching.  The  early  buds  of  the  asparagus 
are  only  employed,  in  which  the  peculiar  acrimony  is  not 
unfolded. 

We  should  next  arrange  the  ROOTS  :  of  these 
the  radish  and  the  turnip  are  the  least  nutritious,  and 
the  umbillefere  of  Linnaeus  follow  :  they  include  the  car- 
rot, the  parsnip,  and  the  skirret  (sesarum).  The  se- 
miflosculosx  are  more  nourishing;  the  orchis,  which 
produces  the  salep  and  the  potatoe,  with  some  others, 
are  of  this  class:  those  which  rank  with  them,  the  onion, 
the  leek,  the  garlic,  including  its  species,  the  chalot 
and  roccambole,  are  not,  with  us,  employed  as  aliments, 
but  must  rather  be  considered  in  the  rank  of  condi- 
ments. The  leguminous  seeds,  chiefly  of  the  pa]iilw- 
nacca  of  Linnaeus,  are  next  in  order :  they  unite  with 
the  herbaceous  matter  a  large  proportion  of  mucilage ; 
we  shall  enumerate  them  in  the  order  of  their  nutritious 
powers,  viz.  kidney-beans,  pease,  beans,  lentils,  and 
cicer  seeds  (cicerarietinum,  Lin.)  As  nutrients,  the  gums 
have  also  held  a  place.  We  know  not  their  comparative 
value;  but  shall  not  be  greatly  in  an  error  if  we  add 
here  the  only  substance  of  this  kind,  of  which  there 
has  been  any  trial,  viz.  the  gum  arable,  the  production 
of  a  species  of  mimosa.  This,  from  the  testimony  of  Has- 
selquist,  has  been  found  nutritious ;  and  of  a  similar 
quality,  perhaps,  the  gum  tragacanth  and  the  cherry- 
tree  gum  may  be  found. 

In  this  climate  some  of  the  fruits  are  less  nourishing 
than  a  few  of  the  roots  we  have  mentioned ;  but  in 
warmer  climates  they  are  more  so,  and  it  was  at  least 
improper  to  separate  them.  The  cucurbitacea  of  Lin- 
naeus, including  cucumbers,  melons,  pumpkins,  &c.  are 
in  the  lowest  rank :  they  are  followed  by  the  senti- 
cosa,  in  which  class  currants,  strawberries,  raspberries, 
gooseberries,  and  grapes,  are  arranged :  the  hesfieridea 
(oranges),  pomace*  (apples  and  pears),  drupacete 
(apricots,  peaches,  plums,  and  cherries),  follow^with 
little  distinction,  but  nearly  in  the  order  assigned.  The 
dry  fruits  of  warmer  climates,  raisins,  dates,  and  figs, 
are  more  nourishing. 

We  next  arrive  at  the  SEEDS,  which  are  nutritious, 
from  their  amylaceous  principle,  viz.  the  cerealia.  Of 
these  we  may  mention  rice,  wheat,  barley,  oats,  rye, 
Indian  corn,  millet,  buck  wheat,  Guinea  corn  or  sergo 
(holchus  aorgum,  Lin. ),  flote  fescue  grass  (manna  seeds), 
and  the  Jotus  of  Africa,  mentioned  by  Park.  The  FARI- 
NACEOUS roots  of  warm  climates  are  more  nourishing, 
viz.  the  sweet  potato,  the  Jerusalem  artichoke;  the 
various  yams,  viz.  dioscorea  sativa,  tryphilla,  and  bulbi- 
fera,  the  toyos  and  black  cocao  (arum  colocausia  and 
sagittifolium),  the  farina  of  the  sweet  and  of  the  bitter 


A  L  I 


i 


ALL 


cassada  (iatropha  manitot  and  ianiphaj.  and  the  starch 
of  the  arrow  root  (maranta  arundinacea).  The  farina  of 
the  sweet  cassada  is  the  tapioca.  We  have  placed  the 
cerealia  nearly  in  the  order  of  their  nutritious  powers, 
for  perfect  accuracy  is  unnecessary  ;  but  we  must  now 
add,  what  is  of  more  importance  in  a  dietetic  view,  the 
order  in  which  their  saccharine  principle  is  most  readily 
evolved,  and,  of  course,  that  in  which  they  appear  most 
acescent,  viz.  oats,  barley,  wheat,  millet  seed,  rye,  In- 
dian corn,  and  buck  wheat :  the  order  of  the  others  has 
not  been  ascertained. 

After  the  arrow  root  we  must  mention  the  farina- 
ceous fruits,  and  the  farinaceous  medulla  :  we  know  not 
that  as  nourishment  they  merit  any  distinction.  Of  the 
former  kind  we  find  the  bread-fruit  tree  of  the  South- 
Sea  islands  (arlocar/ius  incisa  Lin.),  the  bread  nut  (bro- 
simumalicastrum  Lin.),  the  sweet  chesnut,  the  plantain 
tree  and  banana  fruit  (musa  fiaradisiaca  if  safiientum 
Lin.):  of  the  latter  the  sago,  the  medulla  of  the  sag-us 
farinifera  of  Gaertner;  the  cabbage-tree  palm  (areca 
oleraceaj,  and  the  meal  bark  (cycas  coffra  Lin.). 

When  with  the  farina  a  mixture  of  oil  is  discovered, 
the  nutritious  powers  are  more  conspicuous ;  but  the 
oil  is  sometimes  so  closely  involved  with  the  farina,  as 
in  the  almond,  the  cashew  nut,  the  filbert  and  walnut, 
that  the  stomach,  except  in  its  strongest  state,  is  unable 
to  separate  it ;  while  in  the  chocolate  nut  (theobroma  ca- 
cao J,  the  cacao  nut  (cocos  nuciferaj,a.nd  particularly  in 
the  butter  cacao  nut  (cocos  butyracea),  it  is  so  loosely- 
combined  as  often  to  produce  inconvenience.  We  must 
not,  however,  confound  the  butter  cacao  nut  with  the 
butter-nut  oil  described  by  Mungo  Park ;  though,  when 
expressed,  it  is  the  oleum  calafifii,  the  cow-nut  butter. 
The  tree  noticed  by  Park  is  probably  a  species  of  the 
bassia  Lin.  The  fat  oils,  viz.  the  oils  combined  with 
mucilage,  may  be  still  more  nutritious,  but  they  are  not 
very  digestible,  and  our  experience  with  them  is  con- 
sequently limited. 

The  SACCHARINE  SUBSTANCES  &s  nutriments  are  highly 
estimated,  and  perhaps  their  power  is  increased  when 
joined  with  farina.  We  thus,  therefore,  place  in  the 
first  rank,  as  least  nutritious,  refined  sugar ;  it  may  be 
followed  by  coarser  sugar,  honey,  maple  sugar,  beet-root 
sugar,  and  sugar  of  malt. 

In  this  variety  of  vegetable  bodies  we  must  fix  our 
eyes  on  the  leading  constituent  parts.  These,  in  a  che- 
mical view,  we  shall  find  to  be  mucilage  and  sugar,  for 
starch  differs  only  from  mucilage,  in  containing  a  less 
proportion  of  caloric.  Mucilage  contains  oxygen,  hy- 
drogen, carbone,  and  azote  ;  sugar  no  azote,  and  a  larger 
proportion  of  oxygen.  We  are  yet  too  little  acquainted 
with  the  influence  of  the  chemical  principles  on  the  pro- 
cess of  digestion,  to  be  enabled  to  say  how  far  one  or  the 
other  of  these  principles  may  render  a  substance  eligible 
as  a  nutrient  from  an  examination  of  its  analysis.  We 
can  perceive  that  oxygen  is  a  necessary  part  of  our  sys- 
tem, as  it  gives  a  more  brilliant  hue  to  the  red  blood, 
and  as  our  most  recrementitious  fluids  are  azotic.  On 
the  other  hand,  azote  is  necessary  to  animalise  the  ve- 
getable portion  of  our  food,  and  then  becomes  injurious. 
We  can  go  no  further  in  this  path.  From  experience 
we  find  the  herbaceous  substances  cold  in  the  stomach, 
and  affording  so  little  support  as  to  render  the  constitu- 
tion unfit  for  great  exertions,  without  at  least  some 
condiment,  if  not  stronger  nutriment.  The  cerealia 
give  a  better  support,  for  reasons  that  we  shall  soon 


perceive :  the  farinaceous  roots  still  more ;  but  these 
also  require  assistance  for  their  more  perfect  digestion  : 
the  oils  and  sugars,  as  we  learn  from  Dr.  Stark's  expe- 
riments, will  support  die  body  for  a  time  in  tolerable 
health.  The  Irishman  lives  on  potatoes,  but  he  adds 
the  stimulus  of  whiskey ;  the  Spaniard  and  the  French- 
man on  bread,  but  with  the  assistance  of  olives  and 
garlic.  The  infusion  of  oat-meal  in  Scotland,  or 
the  oat-cakes,  require  the  warmth  and  animal  impreg- 
nations of  milk,  if  not  of  malt  spirit;  and  the  moss 
of  Iceland  would  be  an  insalubrious  food  without  the 
dried  fish. 

Yet  in  corn,  in  potatoes,  in  parsnips,  and  numerous 
other  vegetable  substances,"  particularly  the  grains,  a 
principle,  resembling  that  in  animals,  is  found.  It  is 
styled  the  gluten,  and  resides  in  the  skin  of  corn,  and  is 
more  intimately  mixed  in  the  potato.  In  fact,  the  root 
of  the  latter  consists  of  follicles  containing  farina,  and  the 
coats  of  these  seem  to  contain  gluten.  The  prevailing 
principle  of  gluten  is  azote,  and,  in  each  experiment,  its 
chemical  nature  is  animal.  MUSHROOMS,  which  unite 
in  a  chemical  and  a  dietetic  view  the  vegetable  and 
animal  kingdoms,  abound  in  gluten,  and  produce,  on 
distillation,  ammonia.  We  have,  however,  no  experience 
of  these  as  an  article  of  diet;  they  are  seldom  employ- 
ed but  as  a  condiment.  The  various  kinds  used  are  the 
common  mushroom  (agaricus  camfiestris  Lin.),  truffle 
(lycofierdon  tuber  Lin.),  orange  agaric  (agaricus  deli- 
ciosus  Lin.),  coral  clavaria  (cl.  coraloides},  the  agricus 
mucheron,  and  the  fihallus  mitra  Lin. 

We  approach  still  nearer  the  animal  kingdom  in  the 
various  MILKS.  These  consist  of  an  animal  oil ;  of  a  co- 
agj^lable  part,  which  is  gluten  ;  and  sugar.  Milk,  on 
standing,  absorbs  oxygen,  which  promotes  the  separa- 
tion of  cream,  and  suffers  an  halitus  to  escape,  which 
has  not  been  examined,  but  which  is  certainly  not  an 
aqueous  fluid  only.  The  cream,  with  the  oil,  contains 
some  gluten  and  sugar,  and  the  latter  are  left  in  the 
butter-milk,  after  the  operation  of  churning.  This  sub- 
ject will  be  detailed  more  at  length  under  the  article 
MILK  :  the  outline  was  only  necessary  to  explain  the 
dietetic  properties  of  different  milks.  In  diet,  the  milk  of 
ruminant  animals  is  chiefly  employed,  viz.  cows',  goats', 
and  ewes'  milk:  this  is  the  order  of  the  nutritious  pro- 
perties, beginning,  as  usual,  with  the  least  nourishing. 
Cows'  milk  contains  also  the  least,  and  ewes'  milk  the 
largest,  proportion  of  cheese.  Of  the  non-ruminant 
animals  we  employ  women's  milk,  asses',  and  mares'  : 
they  nearly  resemble  each  other ;  but  women's  milk  is 
the  lightest,  and  perhaps  contains  most  sugar.  Later 
experiments  seem  to  have  shewn  that  it  does  not  co- 
agulate with  vegetable  acids.  The  coagulable  part  of 
milk,  with  more  or  less  of  the  oil  pressed  into  the  form 
of  cheese,  will  be  afterwards  considered. 

The  ANIMAL  FOOD  which  digests  in  the  stomach  with 
the  least  irritation,  though  i)ot  the  most  quickly,  is  the 
•white  meat  of  all  animals,  and  the  meat  of  the  younger 
ones.  White  and  young  meats  abound  in  jelly,  which 
forms  also  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  membranes, 
tendons,  and  cartilages.  Jelly,  though  soluble  in  water, 
is  not  affected  by  alcohol ;  and,  while  it  resembles  albu- 
men, yet  differs  greatly  from  it.  Jelly  contains  a  larger 
proportion  of  earth  than  albumen,  and  the  further  an 
animal  is  advanced  in  life,  so  much  more  are  its  fluids 
loaded  with  earth.  Jelly  also  contains  an  alkaline  phlegm 
of  an  animal  nature  which  readily  putrifies,  with  a 


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larger  proportion  of  carbone,  the  predominant  principle 
of  vegetable  substances.  To  these  it  adds  hydrogen  and 
azote  ;  the  last  of  which  abounds  more  in  the  coagulable 
lymph  of  the  blopd,  and  still  more  in  the  fibrin.  See 
BLOOD. 

BIUDS  have  been  considered  as  of  more  easy  digestion 
than  mammalia.  This  however  is  not  unexceptionably 
true.  Even  in  the  gallinaceous  tribe  there  are  some. 
exceptions;  but  it  may  be  admitted  in  general,  that  the 
young  of  the  feathered  race  are  easily  digestible.  The 
parts  of  the  bird  most  so  are  those  most  used ;  as  the 
wings  of  the  wilder  kind,  and  the  legs  of  the  tame 
ones.  Birds  also  differ  in  their  digestibility,  as  they 
are  more  or  less  alkalescent,  or  more  or  less  oily.  Alka- 
lescence is  a  term  introduced  into  disetetics,  on  a  prin- 
ciple neither  correct  in  a  chemical  nor  a  physiological 
view ;  yet  it  may  be  admitted  as  a  naturalised  fo- 
reigner, without  examining  its  pretensions.  Wild  ani- 
mals are  styled  alkalescent;  as  woodcocks,  snipes, 
moor-fowl,  &c.  ambng  birds;  hares,  red-deer,  &c. 
among  the  mammalia.  These  are  perhaps  justly  con- 
sidered as  more  easily  and  quickly  digestible  than  the 
tamer  animals  of  a  similar  kind  :  when  they  have  been 
some  time  pursued,  they  become  aliments  still  more 
easily  assimilated.  It'  is  said,  we  know  not  with  what 
truth,  that  bulls  baited  become  wholesome  food ;  and 
that  an  act  of  parliament  exists,  which  directs,  that  no 
bull  should  be  killed  without  being  thus  previously 
irritated  and  tormented. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  oily  birds,  the  anseres  for 
instance,  are  gross  and  indigestible,  though  only  when 
full  grown.  We  dare  not  say,  that  in  earlier  periods 
they  are  very  easily  subdued  by  the  stomach,  though, 
on  the  whole,  they  are  then  a  mild,  and  generally  harm- 
less, nutriment. 

QUADRUPEDS  differ  in  their  digestibility  from  various 
circumstances.  In  general,  the  fiecora  afford  mild  nu- 
triment, though  food  is  taken  from  the  other  orders  also  ; 
but  the  particular  animals  we  shall  afterwards  separately 
enumerate.  The  size  of  the  animal,  independent  of  its 
age,  appears  of  consequence,  as  of  the  larger  animals 
the  fibres  are  coarse  and  more  indigestible.  The 
mode  of  life,  and  the  exercise,  are  of  importance  in 
this  view.  An  animal  living  according  to  its  own 
nature  is  a  more  nourishing,  though  not  always  a  more 
delicious  food,  than  one  crammed  or  pampered.  A 
grass  lamb  is  more  digestible  and  nourishing  than 
house  lamb ;  a  black  turkey,  that  roosts  on  trees  and 
feeds  on  chesnuts  and  acorns,  superior  to  that  fattened 
in  the  coop.  The  ground  on  which  they  feed,  the 
food  they  eat,  and  the  air  they  breathe,  necessarily 
alter  their  nutritious,  and  consequently  their  digestible, 
powers.  We  know  the  fatal  disease,  the  rot  in  sheep, 
which  arises. from  the  air,  probably  from  hydrogenous 
gas,  since  sheep  will  catch  the  infection  in  a  single 
night;  and  we  can  easily  conceive,  that,  in  a  slighter 
degree,  the  same  disease,  though  less  obvious,  may  in- 
jure their  nutritious  powers.  Sheep,  fed  on  turnips, 
are  less  nutritious  than  those  which  have  grazed  on  the 
finer  turf  of  more  elevated  districts.  The  cow,  fed  on 
oil-cakes,  gives  an  ill-tasted  milk,  while  its  flesh  is 
coarse  and  indigestible. 

A  circumstance  influencing  the  digestibility  of  ani- 
mal food,  not  generally  noticed,  is  what  the  graziers 
call  the  proving  state.  When  an  animal  is  improving 
in  condition,  the  meat  is  tender  and  easily  digestible : 


when  its  condition  is  growing  worse,  though  equally 
fat,  and  in  appearance  promising,  it  is  tough  and  not 
easily  assimilated.  This  peculiarity  proceeds  further ; 
and,  in  proportion  to  the  rapidity  of  the  improvement, 
the  meat  is  preferable  in  flavour  and  solubility.  Thus 
an  ox,  worked  to  the  lowest  degree  of  emaciation,  af- 
fords, when  quickly  fattened,  the  best  beef.  This,  we 
have  said,  is  independent  of  the  fatness.  Fat  meat, 
however,  is  more  nourishing,  though  in  weak  stomachs 
not  so  easily  digestible.  Savages  are  fond  only  of  the 
fattest  meats,  and  they  style  lean  cattle  bread  meat :  we 
have  heard  a  similar  expression  among  the  rustics  in 
our  own  remote  provinces,  so  universal  is  the  opinion 
derived  from  experience.  The  marrow  of  meat,  though 
resembling  the  fat,  is  not  equally  difficult  of  digestion : 
by  some  authors  it  is  arranged,  we  suspect  with  reason, 
among  the  most  digestible  substances. 

Another  circumstance  which  influences  the  solubi- 
lity of  meats  is  castration.  The  flesh  of  the  ox  is  more 
digestible  than  that  of  the  bull ;  of  the  wether  than  of 
tiic  ram;  of  the  capon  and  the  pullard  rather  than  the 
cock  or  the  hen.  In  reality  the  meat  approaches  that  of 
the  female,  though  more  firm,  and  probably  of  a  higher 
flavour.  If  to  this  there  is  any  exception,  it  is  in  the 
capon,  whose  flesh  is  more  moist  and  soluble  than  that 
of  the  hen.  The  preservation  makes  some  difference 
in  this  respect.  Animal  food,  kept  till  putrefaction  afi- 
flroac/ies,  is  more  soluble  than  at  an  earlier  period.  We 
have  said  "  approaches,"  for,  when  in  the  slightest 
degree  arrived,  it  generally  excites  nausea,  unless  the 
stomach  be  stimulated,  and  the  further  progress  of  pu- 
trefaction prevented  by  the  warmest  condiments.  Meat 
preserved  by  freezing,  and  gradually  thawed,  is  in  the 
state  of  that  well  kept.  By  salt  and  smoke  it  is  har- 
dened, and  rendered  more  indigestible ;  by  sugar  we 
think  it  is  preserved  in  nearly  as  soluble  a  state  as  by 
cold.  The  mode  of  cookery  also  affects  the  solubility 
of  animal  food.  Boiling  renders  it  more  digestible  than 
roasting;  and  this  than  baking  or  frying.  Various 
fancies  have  prevailed  on  this  subject,  and  different 
modes  have  been  recommended  according  to  the  in- 
clinations of  different  authors ;  for  physicians  usually 
advise  what  they  themselves  like.  In  general,  however, 
in  roasting,  baking,  and  frying,  the  oily  parts  are  ren- 
dered empyreumatic  ;  and  a  substance  of  this  kind  is 
very  indigestible.  If,  of  roasted  meat,  the  inside  parts 
are  only  taken,  the  difference  is  not  considerable  ;  but 
in  baking  and  frying,  the  gravy  is  retained,  and  a 
change  similar  to  the  empyreuma  of  oily  substances 
takes  place.  This  is  known  from  the  preference 
given  to  the  superior  flavour  of  meat,  dressed  in  these 
manners. 

The  AMPHIBIA  form  a  link  between  animal  substances 
and  fish.  The  turtle,  the  delight  of  the  epicure,  is  an 
example  of  this  class ;  but  the  species  we  shall  after- 
wards mention  at  length.  The  conger  eel,  in  its  flesh, 
approaches  also  animal  substances. 

The  rank  which  FISH  in  general  ought  to  bear  in  the 
scale  of  digestibility,  has  not  yet  been  settled.  Sea- 
fish  bear,  we  suspect,  the  same  relation  to  river-fish, 
that  wild  animals  do  to  tame  ones ;  and  the  fish  of  stag- 
nant ponds  are  less  digestible  than  those  of  running 
water.  The  meat  of  the  same  fish  differs  according  to 
the  period  of  spawning :  fish  are  in  perfection  not  at 
the  moment  of  this  crisis,  but  when  the  melt  or  pea 
begins  to  enlarge.  They  differ  also  according  to  the 


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time  they  have  been  killed,  and  from  the  operation  of 
crimping.  These  subjects  must  be  resumed  when  we 
speak  of  the  different  kinds  of  fish,  as  it  would  not  be 
easy  to  give  a  general  rule. 

Of  the  INSECTS  but  one  species  (the  locust)  has  been 
eaten,  except  those  of  the  sea.  Of  the  locust  we  have 
no  experience ;  but  the  white  kind,  not  unlike  crabs,  is 
seemingly  a  mild  nourishing  food.  In  the  east  they  are 
boiled  or  roasted,  and,  like  crabs,  become  then  of  a  red 
colour.  They  were  eaten,  as  we  are  informed  by  Dio- 
dorus.  by  the  Ethiopians  :  and  Dampier  tells  us,  that 
the  custom  still  continues.  Of  the  sea  insects,  crabs, 
lobsters,  Sec.  appear  to  be  mildly  nutritious ;  in  many 
constitutions  more  so  than  animal  food. 

Of  the  terrestrial  VERMES  we  take  but  one  species, 
the  snail,  and  this  in  England  rather  as  a  medicine 
than  as  food.  The  marine  vermes,  the  oyster,  Sec.  rank 
among  foods  easily  digestible,  and  may  be  considered, 
Tjhen  72tt  roasted,  as  the  most  digestible  of  animal  nu- 
triment. 

We  cannot  leave  these  more  general  doctrines  re- 
specting aliment  without  noticing  some  fancies  respect- 
ing the  nutritious  powers  of  mineral  substances.  The 
pangolin  has  undoubtedly  been  dug  out  of  a  sand  hill, 
where  it  seemingly  could  have  no  access  to  vegetable 
or  animal  nutriment:  yet  we  know  not  but  that  it  might 
have  laid  in  a  stock  of  food,  as  some  animals  that  have 
their  returning  periods  of  torpor  require  no  nourish- 
ment for  a  long  period  :  nor  can  we  say  that  it  finds  no 
vermes  in  the  sand.  Some  tribes  of  Indians  have  also, 
it  is  said,  in  periods  of  scarcity,  devoured  a  species  of 
steatite.  That  the  greasy  appearance  of  some  steatites 
may  have  induced  them  to  consider  such  mineral  sub- 
stances as  nutritious,  is  not  surprising;  but  that  they 
have  proved  so  is  doubtful.  Much  of  the  pain  of 
hunger  arises  from  emptiness,  and  this  may  be  in  part 
avoided  by  any  substance ;  and  it  is  equally  avoided 
by  external  pressure  on  the  stomach,  a  practice  not 
uncommon  among  savages,  when  food  cannot  be  pro- 
<  ured. 

As  we  have  now  stated  the  more  general  facts  re- 
specting aliment,  we  shall  resume  the  consideration  of 
the  different  classes,  not  only  to  point  out  the  different 
species  employed,  but  to  remark  some  peculiarities 
which  will  influence  our  conclusions  in  the  choice  of 
different  articles  of  food. 

V\  e  began  with  the  BIRDS,  as  many  of  these  afford 
lighter  nutriment  than  the  flesh  of  quadrupeds.  We 
shall  follow  in  some  measure  the  classes  and  orders  of 
the  historian  of  nature,  though  we  must  invert  their  or- 
der. Birds,  in  a  dietetic  view,  may  be  divided  into  the 
more  or  less  digestible.  The  extremes  are  well  marked, 
vi'r.  the  gallinae  and  the  accipitres  of  Linnaeus.  Expe- 
rience has  decided  that  chicken  are  the  most  easily  as- 
similated of  the  feathered  race  ;  and  though  some  doubts 
may  perhaps  be  suggested,  from  a  comparison  of  some 
of  these  w  ith  other  species,  yet,  on  the  whole,  as  a  ge- 
neral position  it  may  be  admitted.  Of  the  getting, some 
species  of  even'  genus  are  occasionally  eaten,  and  per- 
haps every  one  will  afford  a  moderately  mild  food. 
Even  the  ostrich,  when  young,  is  a  delicacy.  The 
most  common  species,  which  adorn  the  tables,  belong 
to  the  genus  fihanianus  Lin.  the  domestic  fowls  ;  the 
melcagris,  the  turkeys  ;  /-.avo,  the  pea-hen  ;  oti»,  or  the 
buzzards  ;  and  the  tetrao,  including  the  partridges,  black 

VOL.  i.     . 


cocks,  Sec.  .  The  quail  belongs  to  this  geiuib.  '1 
are  all  graminivorous.  The  rails,  particularly  the  rallus 
grex,  connects  them  with  the  grallae  on  one  hand;  the 
pigeons  and  larks  with  the  passeres  on  the  other.  The 
grallae  afford  a  more  sapid  food,  and  we  suspect  often  a 
more  digestible  aliment.  The  rails  we  have  already 
mentioned ;  but  the  edible  species  of  scolopax  (the 
woodcocks  and  snipes)  are  more  commonly  known  and 
esteemed.  The  genus  tringa,  including  the  sand-pipers, 
and  the  knots,  may  be  next  arranged  ;  and  the  chara- 
drius,  the  plover,  is  scarcely  inferior.  Some  of  the 
other  genera  are  seldom  eaten ;  and  the  herons  and  cur- 
lews, though  not  rejected,  are  not,  on  account  of  their 
fishy  flavour,  to  be  recommended  when  the  digestion  is 
weak. 

The  columbine  race  resembles,  rather  in  appearance 
than  in  qualities,  the  gallinae.  The  young  pigeon  is, 
however,  easily  digestible  ;  but  the  older  birds  are  dry 
and  insoluble.  We  have  had  reason  to  believe,  thai 
none  of  the  columbae,when  they  exceed  half  their  usual 
size,  are  easy,  of  digestion  ;  and,  when  full  grown,  the) 
have  often  created  uneasiness  in  the  stomach.  The 
alaudx  Lin.  are  often  eaten,  and  the  flesh  of  the  a.  ar- 
vensis  is  safe  to  be  of  a  delicious  flavour  in  the  southern 
climates  ;  though  accused,  perhaps  without  reason,  of 
being  injurious  in  calculous  complaints.  The  greater 
number  of  the  passeres  are  too  small  to  enable  us  to 
determine  their  relative  digestibility,  as  they  cannot 
wholly  form  a  meal,  even  for  an  invalid.  We  have  rea- 
son to  think  them  in  general  easily  digestible. 

The  anseres  usually  afford  a  gross  indigestible  food, 
unless  in  the  earliest  periods  of  their  existence.  The 
genus  anas  offers  the  greater  number  of  the  edible  spe- 
cies. All  species  of  the  anas  have  been  occasionally 
eaten ;  but  the  wild  kinds  are  often  lean,  hard,  and 
fishy ;  the  tamer  ones,  which  have  been  fed  on  grain, 
are  sapid ;  and,  when  young,  easily  digested.  The  teal 
is  the  most  delicate  of  the  wild  kind,  and  the  young 
duck  of  the  tame  anseres.  Of  the  auks,  some  of  the 
younger  kinds,  when  cured  by  smoke,  are  eaten  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  northern  regions ;  and  the  egg  of  the 
arctic  auk  is  said  to  be  delicious.  The  penguins  also 
have  been  eaten  from  necessity,  and  their  eggs  com- 
mended ;  but  we  find  only  among  common  foods  the 
fielicanus  bassanus,  the  solan  goose  from  the  Bass 
island.  Some  of  the  shags,  also,  which  belong  to  this 
genus,  have  been  occasionally  employed  as  food.  Of 
the  gulls,  one  species  is  mentioned  by  Sauer,  as  deli- 
cious, and  not  unlike  the  turkey. 

Of  the  jiice,  some  of  the  macaws  have  been  eaten ; 
but  the  flesh  is  hard,  dry,  and  indigestible  :  those,  how- 
ever, which  feed  on  vegetable  substances,  must  be  ex- 
cepted.  The  fmittacus  fiertinajc,  for  instance,  the  yel- 
low-faced parroquet,  and  the  (i.  jaguilma  and  cyanoly- 
«eo«,  two  species  observed  by  Molina,  in  Chili,  have 
been  used  as  food ;  the  last  are  said  to  be  delicious. 
The  buceros  hydrocoraxof  the  Molucca  Islands,  which 
feeds  on  nutmegs,  has  been  considered  as  a  delicate 
high  flavoured  food.  One  species  of  the  wattle  bird,  the 
glacofiis  cinerea  Lin.  is  mentioned  by  Dr.  Foster  as 
edible ;  and  many  persons  are  fond  of  the  young  of  the 
corvut  frugilegus,  the  rook  :  yet  their  colour  and  fla- 
vour must  be  rendered  less  disgusting,  by  previously 
soaking  them  in  milk.  It  is  indeed  doubtful  whether 
this  species  of  corvus  really  feeds  on  corn ;  the  more 


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probably  devour  the  larvae  of  insects,  raised  by  the 
plough;  but  some  other  species  certainly  feed  on  grain, 
though  we  find  only  the  chough  or  Alpine  crow,  r. 
jnjrrt:<jcora.K  Lin.  reckoned  among  the  foods.  Among 
the  rollers,  the  European  species,  coracias  garrula  Lin. 
is  only  eaten ;  but  of  the  oriolits  many  species  have 
been  employed  as  food.  As  the  greater  number  feed 
»n  grain,  we  may  find  the  edible  species  numerous. 
Among  the  other  picae,  we  perceive  only  the  golden 
woodpecker,  the  picus  auratus  Lin.  and  a  species  of 
u/ccdo,  a.  galbula,  recommended  as  eatable.  The  acci- 
pitres  have  never  been  employed  as  aliment;  but  some 
of  the  shrikes,  which  feed  on  grain,  and  resemble  the 
pica:  in  their  manners,  may  perhaps  afford  wholesome 
nourishment. 

The  AMPHIBIA  approach,  in  their  digestible  nature, 
the  younger  animals  of  the  mammalia  and  aves ;  yet 
the  more  luscious  and  fatty  parts  render  them  some- 
limes  gross,  and  not  easily  assimilated.  The  muscular 
flesh  of  the  turtle  and  tortoise  is  not  unlike  veal ;  their 
tendons,  ligaments,  and  fat,  are  more  indigestible.  Dif- 
ferent species  of  the  testudo  are  employed  as  food ; 
among  which  the  green  turtle,  and  the  ferocious  tor- 
toise of  America,  are  the. most  delicate  ;  and  the  t.  ca- 
retta  the  driest  and  worst  flavoured.  The  land  tortoise 
is  neither  a  very  delicate  nor  easily  digestible  food, 
though  it  has  not  been  employed  in  its  best  state.  Of 
the  lizards,  the  crocod^Je  is  said  to  be  >  eaten  by  the 
Moors,  but  we  know  not  the  nature  of  its  meat:  its 
eggs  are  well  flavoured  and  digestible.  The  eggs  of 
the  guana,  the  /.  iguana,  are  said  to  have  no  yolk,  and 
not  to  be  coagulated  by  heat.  The  meat  is  digestible, 
and,  in  the  opinion  of  some  authors,  preferable  to  fowl. 
The  viper  has  been  reckoned  an  easily  assimilated  and 
a  nourishing  food  :  its  broth  has  been  consequently 
employed  as  a  restorative  after  fevers.  It  is  probably 
an  easily  digestible  substance,  or  it  would  not  so  long 
have  maintained  its  credit ;  and  it  may  now  be  lost 
rather  from  varying  fashions  than  any  inconvenience 
resulting  from  it.  The  buffalo  snake,  boa  constrictor, 
is  enumerated  among  the  edible  amphibia;  but  its  pe- 
culiar nature  is  not  mentioned.  It  probably  does  not 
greatly  differ  from  the  viper.  The  frog  is  well  known 
to  be  a  light,  digestible  food,  and  greatly  to  resemble 
delicate  veal.  The  green  lizard,  laccrta  agilis,  is  not 
greatly  different.  We  may  here  mention  a  gelatinous 
-esculent  substance,  which,  though  the  work  of  a  bird, 
is  probably  derived  from  some  of  the  lower  orders  of 
animated  nature ;  we  mean  the  nest  of  the  hirundo  es- 
culenta.  It  is  found  in  the  East  India  islands,  particu- 
larly in  the  caverns  near  the  sea,  and  is  gelatinous,  in- 
deed peculiarly  rich  and  luscious;  nor  have  we' heard 
that  it  creates  uneasiness  or  indigestion. 

The  sea  insects  may  be  next  arranged,  as  they  seem 
to  be  easily  digestible,  and  occasion  less  uneasiness  than 
even  the  lighter  kinds  of  fish.  They  have  been  accused 
of  exciting  febrile  heat  and  efflorescence  on  the  skin  ; 
but  these  are  probably  accidental  effects  from  the  food 
they  take  in.  We  have  found  them,  in  general,  light 
and  nourishing.  The  only  sea  insects  eaten  are  the 
species  of  cancer :  yet  the  lobsters,  craw  fish,  prawns, 
and  shrimps,  should  be  separated  from  the  crabs,  pro- 
bably in  a  scientific,  certainly  in  a  dietetic,  view.  The 
crab  affords  a  very  digestible  food ;  the  others  are  less 
easy  in  ihe  stomach.  Next  to  the  erab  are  the  shrimp, 


the  white  shrimp,  and  the  prawn,  the  c.  crangon,  squitla, 
and  serratus.  The  lobster  is  richer  as  a  food  (C.  gam- 
marus)  ;  and  the  craw  Jis/i  still  more  rich. 

The  marine  -vermes  are  also  albuminous  and  gluti- 
nous. They  are  easy  of  digestion  only  in  their  raw 
state ;  for  when  heated  the  albumen  is  coagulated,  and 
not  easily  assimilated.  The  oyster  and  the  cockle  are 
the  most  easy.  The  muscle,  mytilus  edulis,  is  next  in 
the  order  :  this  animal  is  suspicious,  from  the  accidents 
which  have  followed  its  use.  These  are  not  well  un- 
derstood, and  may  arise  from  the  habit  of  the  person 
affected  ;  for,  in  some  constitutions,  even  the  white  of 
an  egg  boiled  will  occasion  sickness  and  efflorescence  : 
but  it  is  more  probable  that  the  muscle  occasionally 
feeds  on  a  deleterious  insect,  which  is  the  real  poison. 
It  is,  on  this  account,  probably  safer  to  avoid  it.  The 
queen  is  more  rich,  and  the  scallop,  ostrea  chama,  too 
luscious  for  weak  stomachs.  The  borer,  pholas  dacty- 
lus,  the  limpet,  the  sea  apple,  echinus  esculentus,  and 
two  species  of  sepia,  the  cuttle  and  stocking  fish,  are 
seldom  employed  as  food,  and  resemble,  in  their  na- 
ture, the  cockle,  though  more  dry  and  coriaceous ;  at 
some  seasons  indigestible.  Of  the  terrestrial  vermes, 
we  eat  only  the  snail,  as  a  mild  nutriment :  several  spe- 
cies have  been  eaten  in  hectic  cases,  with  little  appa- 
rent advantage  or  inconvenience. 

In  a  dietetic  view,  FISH  are  of  two  kinds,  which  we 
may  denominate  from  the  most  common  instances — the 
whiting  and  the  turbot  kind.  The  flakes  of  the  former 
are  firm  and  dry  ;  those  of  the  latter  more  luscious  and 
fat,  or  more  tender  and  watery.  We  cannot  pursue 
this  distinction  through  the  whole  tribe  of  esculent  fish, 
but  shall  thus  arrange  the  more  common  kinds ;  adding 
the  others,  whose  qualities  are  less  known,  in  a  more 
indiscriminate  list. 

Of  the  first  kind,  then,  the  genus  gadus  affords  the 
most  prominent  instance.  It  contains  the  cod,  the  ling, 
the  whiting,  the  haddock,  the  sea  burbot,  the  pollack, 
the  rawlin  pollack  or  coal  fish,  the  dorsk,  g.  cellarius, 
and -the  bibb,  g.  luscus.  The  meat  of  these  species  is 
firm,  solid,  and  easily  digestible ;  nor  is  there,  in  the 
whole  list,  any  striking  exception.  The  flakes  are 
white,  firm,  and  conchoidal.  The  genus  mullus  affords 
a  species  of  a  similar  nature,  though  not  equally  firm. 
Of  these,  the  firmest  is  the  surmullet,  m.  barbatus, 
or  red  mullet ;  called  the  woodcock  of  the  sea, 
both  from  its  superior  flavour  and  from  the  custom 
of  using  the  trail  as  sauce.  This  fish  is  easily  bruised, 
and  soon  spoiled  :  so  that  it  is  little  known  in  this  me- 
tropolis. The  genus  clupea,  containing  the  herring, 
sprat,  anchovy,  and  pilchard,  are  more  oily,  and  less 
easily  digested.  The  scombri,  whose  most  common 
species  is  the  mackarel,are  still  stronger,  but  of  a  more 
delicate  flavour.  The  genus  trig-la  affords  the  piper, 
the  gurnard,  which  is  occasionally  gray,  but  generally 
red,  atid  the  sea  lantern.  These  are  apparently  less  , 
gross,  but  we  do  not  find  that  they  afford  an  easily,  di- 
gestible nutriment.  The  zeus  faber,  St.  Peter's  fish, 
or  the  John  dorey,  (jean  dore,  from  its  shade  of  gold 
mixed  with  green,)  belongs  to  the  whiting  tribe ;  and 
its  connexion,  from  the  firm,  flaky  flesh,  with  the  whit- 
ings, prevented  our  dividing  them  into  the  flat  and 
rounded  fish. 

There  is  a  class  which,  from  the  firm  solidity  of  the 
flesh,  approach  the  whiting  tribe,  though  often  hard 


ALI 


AL1 


and  indigestible;  viz.  the  CARTILAGINOUS  FISH.  The 
genus  accifn-nser  (sturgeon')  affords  the  common  stur- 
geon, the  isinglass  and  caviare  sturgeon,  and  the 
tuke.  Tht-y  are,  like  the  piper,  firm,  but  not  easily  di- 
gestible. The  various  skates  are  not  very  dissimilar; 
and  of  this  genus,  raia,  we  find  five  edible  species.  We 
have  alluded  to  the  practice  of  crimping;  and,  as  the 
skates  are  usually  subjected  to  this  operation,  we  shall 
now  explain  it.  While  the  irritability  of  the  muscles 
remains,  the  fish  is  cut  across  in  a  direction  perpendicu- 
lar to  the  fibres  :  these  portions  consequently  contract, 
and  the  fish  is  more  firm.  It  is  chiefly  employed  in  the 
skate,  because  the  fibres  easily  separate  longitudinally  ; 
and,  from  their  want  of  firmness,  much  of  the  flavour  is 
lost.  The  same  operation  is  sometimes  performed  on 
the  whiting  and  salmon ;  but  this  is  only  useful  when 
these  fish  are  long  kept.  They  are  firm  when  taken 
out  of  the  water;  but  the  fat  separating  diminishes  the 
connexion  of  the  longitudinal  fibres,  and  renders  the 
ur  less  pleasing.  The  Icmjircy  is  one  of  the  carti- 
laginous fish  which  belongs  to  this  class.  It  is  high 
Savoured,  but  gross  and  indigestible.  Three  species 
are  eaten,  but  the  sea  lamprey  is  preferred,  The./?*/;- 
fovl,  lophius  piscatorius,  derives  its  name  from  the  re- 
semblance of  its  flesh  to  that  of  chicken ;  and  die  lunij'i 
Jixh,  cyclopterus  lumpus,  is  not  very  different.  The 
conger  eel,  when  divested  of  -its  rankncss  by  soaking 
and  salt,  approaches  animal  substances,  and  particularly 
hard,  ill-fed  veal.  The  shark,  of  which  many  species 
eaten,  is  still  more  dry,  hard,  and  disgusting. 

The  turbot  tribe  are  much  more  alluring;  but  they 
ure  confined  to  one  single  genus,  the  fileuronectes.  The 
softest  and  most  digestible  is  the  plaise ;  then  follow 
the  flounders,  the  dabs,  the  sole,  the  holibut,  the  brill, 
and  the  turbot,  nearly  in  the  order  of  their  digestibility. 
The  holibut,  indeed,  is  dry  and  woolly;  the  brill  is 
often  similar ;  yet,  when  fresh,  they  appear  sweet  to 
the  taste,  and  seem  to  be  easily  assimilated.  We  firtd 
some  other  edible  species,  of  which  we  have  no  experi- 
ence, viz.  two  species  of  s/iarus,  the  gilt  and  laxative 
fish;  two  of  labrus,  the  sea  pullet  and^sea  peacock; 
the  sea  fiike,  esox  bellona ;  the  trachinius  draco  (the 
weaver),  mentioned  with  high  encomia  by  Duhamel ; 
•and  the  mugil  cefihalus,  whose  ova  make  the  Italian 
botargo.  The  caviare  sturgeon  furnishes  a  similar  sub- 
stance from  its  roe  ;  but  it  is  hard,  dry,  and  indigestible. 

We  have,  in  compliance  with  the  arrangement  of 
some  respectable  authors,  separated  the  river  from  the 
^>ea  fish  :  we  think,  however,  without  reason ;  for  seve- 
ral river  fish  are  truly  inhabitants  of  the  sea,  and  are 
<  aught  in  rivers  while  reaching  a  secure  asylum  to  de- 
posit their  spawn,  or  while  returning  to  the  sea.  The 
young  ones  are  also  occasionally  caught  in  their  way  to 
their  natural  habitation,  the  ocean;  and,  we  suspect, 
have  been  sometimes  considered  as  distinct  species. 
River  fish  have  been  considered  as  more  easy  of  diges- 
tion than  those  of  the  sea.  If  we  advert  to  the  distinc- 
tion just  noticed,  we  should  form  a  very  different  opi- 
We  have  hinted  that  the  river  fish  are  onlv  the 


nion. 


degenerate  offspring  of  those  of  the  sea;  and,  were 
this  a  place  for  such  discussions,  we  could  render  this 
opinion  highly  probable.  We  have  seen  the  herring  in 
some  inland  lakes  of  Asia;  but  in  a  state  that  we  could 
scarcely  recognise  it,  except  by  its  determined  specific 
rharacters.  The  trout  of  the  sea  is  greatly  superior  to 


that  of  rivers,  and  the  salmon  from  the  ocean  is  a  fish 
of  much  higher  flavour  than  when  it  has  reside;!  some 
time  in  fresher  water.  To  this  there"  is  only  a  single  ob- 
jection ;  the  char,  from  the  lakes  of  Westmoreland,  is 
a  fish  of  considerable  flavour,  and  equals  or  excels  the 
ether  species  of  salmo,  to  which  it  belongs. 

The  chief  genera  of  what  are  styled  river  fish  are 
the  salmo  and  cyfirinus,  though  the  last  is  only  strictly 
such.  From  the  genus  salmo  we  select  the  salmon, 
the  salmon  trout,  the  trout,  the  char,  the  salmarine, 
the  redling,  the  grayling,  the  huch,  the  salvelin,  the 
smelt,  the  white  fish,  and  the  oxyrinchus.  We  have 
placed  them  nearly  in  the  scale  of  general  estimation; 
but  tastes  differ,  and  these  we  cannot  dispute  :  except- 
ing the  salmon,  they  are  of  sufficiently  easy  digestion  ; 
but  this  fish,  from  its  richness,  if  kept  more  than  a  day, 
disagrees  with  weak  stomachs ;  and  the  fat,  rising  to 
the  surface,  occasions  sickness  and  disagreeable  eruc- 
tations. From  the  genus  cyprinus  we  receive  the  carp, 
the  tench,  the  roach,  the  dace,  the  gudgeon,  with 
many  similar  fish  of  little  estimation,  which,  in  gene- 
ral, owe  their  attractions  to  the  cook,  as,  without  the 
most  poignant  sauce,  they  are  dry  and  insipid.  The 
ficrca  (perch)  affords  several  species,  not  more  attrac- 
tive. The  wolf  fish,  and  the  ruffe,  p.  labrax  and  cernua, 
are  two  of  these,  little  valued.  The  /like,  the  devour- 
ing monster  of  the  river  or  pond,  scarcely  admits  of  a 
better  character ;  and  the  stickleback,  ga&terosseus  acu- 
leatus,  and  the  shad-fish,  silurus  glamis,  the  giant  of 
-the  rivers,  are  chiefly  sought  after  when  sea  fish  are  not 
to  be  procured. 

There  are  two  river  fish  which  deserve  a  higher 
rank,  the  river  burbot  (gadus  lota),  and  the  eel.  Of 
the  former,  the  liver,  like  the  trail  of  the  surmullet,  is 
a  peculiar  delicacy ;  and  the  latter  is  a  fish  often  very 
rich  and  highly  flavoured ;  nor  have  we  found  it  an  in- 
convenient food,  even  in  weak  stomachs.  The  eel, 
however,  is  veryk  strictly  a  fresh  water  fish  ;  and  its  ova 
preserve  the  principle  of  life  so  long,  that,  in  India,  the 
tanks,  after  having  been  dry  many  months,  when  again 
filled,  are  said  soon  to  swarm  with  eels.  Some  small 
fish,  as  the  tand  eels,  the  minnows,  the  groundlings, 
and  weather  fish  (cobitis  barbatula  &  fossilis),  scarcely 
deserve  notice  as  articles  of  diet.  These  resemble  the 
turbot  in  the  structure  of  their  flesh,  while  the  other 
species  approach  the  firmer  flakes  of  the  whiting  tribe. 

The  animals  which  connect  the  inhabitants  of  the 
sea  with  those  of  the  land  are  the  CETACEOUS  TRIBE, 
differing  from  fish  in  their  structure,  though  adapted 
for  the  same  element  in  other  respects.  We  find  among 
the  edible  cetacea  the  balsna  myslicetus  and  fihyseter  ; 
the  nord  caper,  and  the  fin-fish.  The  flesh  of  the  whale 
is  in  general  hard  and  coriaceous ;  near  the  tail  it  is 
more  succulent.  The  Russians,  in  the  Fox  Islands, 
who  eat  it,  ascribe  to  this  aliment  a  deleterious  effect, 
producing  an  offensive  perspiration,  and  irritating  the 
urethra  so  as  to  produce  a  disease  resembling  gonor- 
rhoea. The  Japanese,  on  the  contrary,  prefer  it  as  a 
strengthening  aliment,  and  chiefly  eat  it  when  engaged 
in  any  laborious  occupations.  The  Greenlanders  eat 
the  skin  and  the  fins  of  the  nord  caper,  and,  in  the  early 
periods  of  the  whale  fishery,  the  Basque  sailors  com- 
monly lived  on  the  meat  of  these  animals.  Captain 
Colnet  tells  us,  that  the  heart  of  a  young  whale 
considered  by  his  crew  as  a  peculiarly  delicate 

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A  LI 


76 


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The  muscular  fibres  must  be  obviously  hard  and  dense, 
since,  v.'hen  the  whale  is  not  fat,  or  after  the  fluid  oil 
lias  escaped,  the  ilesh  sinks  in  the  sea  like  a  heavy- 
stone.  The  monodon  monaceros,  and  two  species  of 
doljihin,  d.  phocoena  and  delphis,  have  been  occasion- 
ally eaten,  but  are  hard  and  indigestible. 

Other  animals  that  occasionally  inhabit  the  ocean 
are  sometimes  eaten.  The  irichacus  manatus  is  men- 
tioned as  a  highly  flavoured  food,  particularly  the 
northern  variety.  The  fat  is  employed  as  butter.  The 
ilesh  of  the  t.  dugong,  the  Indian  walrus-,  resembles,  it 
is  said,  that  of  the  ox.  The  lips  and  snout,  boiled  to  a 
jelly,  are  considered  as  a  delicacy  by  the  Tshutski. 
The  meat  of  the  phocx  is  also  said  to  be  wholesome 
and  pleasant.  The  /;.  ursina  and  -vitulina  (sea  bear  and 
sea  calf)  are  preferred  ;  though  the  sea  lion,  p.  leonina, 
is  occasionally  eaten.  The  meat  of  the  sea  calf  is  said 
to  be  fat  and  watery,  and  to  soon  cloy.  The  flesh  of 
the  sea  lion  is  dry  and  fishy.  The  flesh  of  the  ursine 
seal  is  blue,  but  when  the  animal  is  young  it  is  well 
tasted.  The  mustela  lutris,  the  sea  otter,  is  mentioned 
among  the  animal  foods ;  but  we  know  not  its  quality, 
or  the  authority  on  which  its  alimentary  properties  are 
founded.  The  animal,  when  young,  we  are  told  by 
Sauer,  is  as  delicate  as  a  sucking  pig,  and  resembles  it. 
It  may  perhaps  be  proper,  in  this  place,  to  notice  the 
animals  which  live  very  commonly  in  water,  viz.  the 
beaver  and  the  filter  or  fish  otter,  the  castor  Jibra,  and 
mustela  lutra  Lin.  The  flesh  of  these  animals,  however, 
furnishes  our  food  so  rarely,  that  our  experience  of  it 
must  be  limited.  The  flesh  of  the  beaver  has  been 
thought  to  resemble  beef.  It  is  hard  and  difficult  of 
digestion,  and  the  smell  is  offensive.  The  tail  is,  how- 
ever, an  exception;  as  it  is  tender  and  more  delicate. 
The  native  Canadians  often  eat  it,  and  in  Lorraine  it  is 
iiaid  to  have  been  no  uncommon  food.  When  well 
seasoned,  it  is  supposed  to  resemble  lampreys. .  The 
flesh  of  the  otter  smells  and  tastes  of  fish ;  it  is  dry  and 
coriaceous ;  eaten  only  by  the  monks  when  fish  cannot 
be  procured.  In  this  scarcity  they  sometimes  even 
employ  the  grossest  fishy  wild  fowl. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  QUADRUPEDS,  the  class  from 
which  the  greater  portion  of  our  food  is  taken.  In  a 
dietetic  view,  ttic/iecora,  with  ungulated  feet,  are  the 
most  easy  of  digestion,  and  perhaps  the  most  nutri- 
tious ;  and  it  is  a  rule,  apparently  general,  that  the  fur- 
ther the  claws  are  extended,  till  they  become  palmated, 
the  less  digestible  and  wholesome  is  the  food  which 
the  animal  affords.  We  have  said  that  the  flesh  of  wild 
animals  is  more  digestible  than  that  of  tame  ones.  The 
genus  cervus  claims  the  pre-eminence;  and  perhaps 
not  a  single  species  exists  which  is  not,  in  some  coun- 
try, a  delicacy,  if  well  fed  :  many,  in  the  more  emaciated 
state  of  a  wild  animal,  are  highly  esteemed.  The  various 
species  of  the  sheefi  follow :  nor  need  we  stop  to  enu- 
merate the  warm  commendation  of  the  tails  of  the 
African  sheep,  or  the  delicate  flavour  of  the  Siberian. 
In  general,  the  small  wild  kind  are  preferable  :  the 
larger  and  fatter  varieties  are  rank  and  less  digestible. 
The  modern  improvers,  who  have  covered  the  muscles 
with  immense  loads  of  fat,  have  not  rendered  the  flesh 
of  a  superior  flavour,  or  more  ready  solubility.  The 
goat,  so  nearly  allied  to  the  sheep,  should  be  next  men- 
tioned, though  probably  not  the  next  in  the  view  of  its 
Digestibility.  ,  Our  praises  must  be  limited  to  the  ani- 


mal in  its  earlier  periods,  when  most  of  the  species 
afford  a  delicate  nutriment.  When  older,  the  flesh  is 
rank,  hard,  and  dry.  The  antelofies  are  not  equally 
excellent ;  and  indeed  many  of  the  species  have  not  been  • 
employed  as  food.  The  a.  rupicapra,  gnu  and  sylvatica, 
are  particularly  commended.  Some  of  the  other  species, 
particularly  the  a.  sagea,  are  scarcely  eatable :  many 
are  rank,  and  have  the  offensive  smell  of  musk. 

The  genus  camelus  affords  species  so  nearly  resem- 
bling the  sheep,  that  it  should  certainly  be  placed  at  no 
great  distance.  We  allude  to  the  sheep  of  Peru  and 
Chili,  which  wander  over  the  immense  chains  of  the 
Andes.  The  lama  of  Buffbn,  the  c.  glama,  c.  arcuca- 
nus,  vicugna,  and  paco,  afford  a  meat  of  high  flavour, 
and  very,  digestible.  The  flesh  of  the  c.  huanucus, 
discovered  by  Molina  in  Chili,  is  more  hard  and  inso- 
luble ;  though,  when  young,  highly  esteemed.  The  , 
camel  and  dromedary  (c.  bactriamis  et  dromedarius  ) 
have  always  been  highly  esteemed  in  the  East,  as  food. 
The  Arabians  consider  the  latter,  usually  called  the 
camel,  as  the  greatest  delicacy.  The  rank  odour  of 
the  musks  (moschus  Lin.)  has  prevented  many  of  th<; 
species  from  being  employed  as  diet ;  and  we  find  only 
the  m.  moschiferus,  the  Thibet  musk,  spoken  of  with 
approbation.  The  meat  of  the  younger  animals  is  of  a 
delicate  flavour.  Of  the  ox  we  need  scarcely  speak ; 
and  of  its  various  species, 'many  of  which  are  varieties 
only,  the  common  ox  is  almost  exclusively  eaten.  The. 
flesh  of  the  b.  moschatus  is  strongly  perfumed;  that  of 
the  b.  gruniens  hard  and  indigestible,  unless  in  its  ear- 
lier period  of  life.  Of  the  Cape  ox  (6.  cq/er),  the  flesh 
is  coarse,  but  juicy,  and  of  a  wild  taste. 

The  genus  equus  is  of  a  similar  nature.  Policy  for- 
bids the  horse  to  become  an  article  of  food  ;  yet,  among 
the  Tartar  hordes,  the  horse  and  the  mule  also  are 
articles  of  diet ;  probably  in  their  younger  state.  The 
Mongul  and  Tungusian  Tartars  admire  the  flesh  of  the 
equus  hemionus,  which  ranges  in  a  wild  state,  between 
the  borders  of  Thibet  and  China.  Even  the  ass,  in  its 
younger  period,  is,  we  believe,  occasionally  eaten.  The 
zebra  has  never  been  an  article  of  diet. 

The  hififiojiotamus  connects  the  horse  and  the  hog. 
Both  its  species,  the  one  resembling  the  horse,  /;.  am- 
fihibius,  the  other  more  nearly  approaching  the  sow, 
are  eaten;  the  first  by  the  Africans,  particularly  the 
Ethiopians  ;  the  second  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  shores 
of  the  vast  river  of  the  Amazons,  where  the  animal 
abounds.  Either  would  scarcely  suit  an  European  pa- 
late, as  the  flesh  is  dry  and  coriaceous. 

The  feet  of  the  hog  are  more  minutely  divided,  and, 
as  an  aliment,  it  is  gross,  often  indigestible.  It  has 
been  considered  as  peculiarly  aphrodisiac,  though  with- 
out sufficient  foundation.  Linnaeus  once  supposed  it 
particularly  injurious  in  occasioning  a  relapse  of  inter- 
mittent fevers,  for  this  was  the  meaning  of  an  obscure 
phrase  in  the  system  of  nature,  cinconse  criticis  obest. 
The  suspicion  however  seems  void  of  any  foundation,, 
and  in  the  later  editions  it  is,  we  see,  omitted.  The  Chi- 
nese variety  is  the  most  delicate  in  flavour,  but  each  is 
gross,  and  in  weak  stomachs  occasions  inconvenience. 

The  Guinea  pig  has,  within  our  own  knowledge, 
formed  an  article  of  diet,  but  was  not  highly  relished. 
The  s.  tajassa,  the  Pecary,  or  Mexican  hog,  is  said  to 
be  alimentary,  if  eaten  immediately  after  the  animal  is 
killed.  It  is  a  more  cleanly  animal,  and  feeds,  at  least  in 


ALI 


/  i 


ALI 


part,  on  grain  and  fruit ;  partly  indeed  on  vep tiles  and  ser- 
pents. The  Ethiopian  hog  has,  we  believe,  been  never 
*aten  :  the  s.  baby  rugsa,  the  Indian  hog,  which  nearly 
equals  a  stag  in  size,  is  said  to  afford  a  good  food. 

The  feet  are  still  more  divided  in  the  GLIRES  ;  and 
thev  afford  in  few  instances  either  a  wholesome  or 
a  delicate  nutriment.  The  hare  forms  the  chief  ex- 
ception ;  which  is  easily  digestible,  and  when  young  a 
delicate  and  light  food.  The  rabbit  merits  similar  com- 
mendations ;  and  authors  have  styled  it  a  soluble  meat. 
But  on  this  point  we  have  our  doubts  ;  and  should  it 
•  •ver  be  so,  the  animal  must  be  young.  The  flesh  of 
\lpine  hare,  as  well  as  of  the  Russian  rabbit,  is  less 
delicate  ;  but  that  of  the  small  hare  of  Chili  is  said  to 
be  of  a  superior  flavour.  There  are  some  other  species, 
of  which  we  have  received  no  information.  The  genus 
iiyatrijc  must  be  next  mentioned.  It  resembles  the  hog  ; 
•and  the  crested  as  well  as  the  Brazilian  porcupine  arc 
said  to  afford  a  salutary  nutriment.  The  /;.  dtrnaia  and 
viacrocoura  seem  never  to  have  been  used  as  food. 
The  species  of  cavia  resemble,  in  qualities  and  flavour, 
the  rabbit.  The  r.  acuschy  and  agini,  with  its  varie- 
ties, are  most  commended.  The  c.  cafiybara  is  of  a 
less  delicate  kind.  The  genus  hyrajc  is  nearly  connect- 
ed with  the  cavis,  but  neither  of  the  species  have  sup- 
plied any  nation  with  aliment. 

The  beaver,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  connects 
die  caviae  with  the  mures  ;  and  the  mus  coyfius  greatly 
resembles  it  ;  but  we  cannot  find  that  it  has  been  ever 
eaten.  The  other  species  of  mus  are  so  disgusting  in 
their  appearance  and  manners,  that  they  have  been 
eaten  only  from  necessity.  We  have  seen  more  than 
one  person  who  has  declared,  that  young  mice  and  rats 
are  little  inferior  to  rabbits  ;  but  we  doubt  their  having 
employed  them  as  food,  and  perhaps 

Rats  and  mice,  and  such  small  deer, 
Have  been  Tom's  food  for  seven  long  year, 
may  be  considered  as  a  poetical  hyperbole  to  enhance 
the  supposed  misery  of  poor  Tom's  situation.     Some 
of  the  species  have  been  certainly  eaten  from  necessity, 
and  Pallas  has  told  us  that  the  Yakuti  employ  a  few  of 
these  as  food. 

The  arctomys,  allied  to  the  rats,  is  undoubtedly  edi- 
ble ;  and  some  of  the  species  are  peculiarly  delicate.  In 
Switzerland,  and  in  the  North  of  Asia  by  the  Yakuti, 
the  marmotte,  a.  marmota,  is  esteemed  a  tender  highly 
flavoured  food.  The  bobak  of  Poland  is  little  inferior. 
The  a.  citillus  is  inferior  as  an  aliment.  Of  the  other 
species  we  have  no  experience,  nor  can  we  find  any  ac- 
count. Many  of  the  squirrels  are  eaten,  and  some  of 
them  have  been  reckoned  a  delicate  food,  particularly 
that  which  in  the  arctic  regions  is  styled  belka  :  those, 
which  are  separated  by  Linnxus,  and  united  under  the 
genus  myojcus,  have,  we  believe,  been  never  eaten.  The 
genus  difius,  which  includes  the  kangaroo,  affords,  be- 
sides the  largest  quadruped  of  New  Holland,  many 
edible  species.  They  afford,  particularly  when  young, 
.a  tender  and  easily  digestible  aliment. 

Among  the  bruta,  we  find  some  species  of  arma- 
dillo used  as  food  ;  and  the  flesh  of  the  rhinoceros  is 
said  to  be  eaten  by  the  Moors  and  Hottentots  :  it  must 
be  however  in  the  earlier  periods.  We  recollect  hear- 
ing that  the  trunk  of  the  elephant  is  delicate  nourish- 
ment, but  we  cannot  discover  our  authority. 

Among  the  ferae,  the  lion  is  pre-eminent.  Bruce 
speaks  of  it  as  food  ;  and  it  is  said  that  Shaw  mentioned 


its  having  been  eaten,  but  was  fearful  of  publishing 
what  would  be  thought  incredible.  It  is  now  ascertain- 
ed, that  the  flesh  of  the  1km  forms  occasionally  the  food 
of  the  Africans.  The  cat  is  said,  by  Gesner,  to  be 
eaten  in  Switzerland  ;  and  Nobleville,  in  his  continua- 
tion of  Geoffrey,  remarks,  that  many  people  think  cats 
as  great  a  delicacy  as  rabbits.  If  we  may  credit  Lc 
Sage,  they  are  sometimes  substituted  for  rabbits  in 
Spain.  IJog-s  are,  we  know,  eaten  in  the  islands  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  but  apparently  in  no  other  country. 
The  young  of  the  bear  are  said  to  be  tender  and  deli- 
cate ;  and  the  badger,  a  species  of  the  same  genus, 
when  young  and  well  fed,  is  said  to  be  excellent,  and 
is  eaten  at  the  best  tables  in  Italy  and  Germany. 

One  order  only  remains,  the  primates  ;  and,  unfor- 
tunately, man  has,  in  some  instances,  fed  on  man. 
The  savage  devours  his  enemies  from  revenge  :  the 
half-famished  wretch  clings  to  life,  by  eating  a  devoted 
victim  of  his  own  kind.  In  the  South  Sea  Islands 
man  once  was  employed  as  food  ;  and  in  New  Zealand 
probably  it  is  still  a  banquet  in  great  estimation.  We 
apprehend  human  flesh  resembles,  in  taste  as  in  look, 
that  of  the  hog  ;  nor  is  it  said  to  be  unpleasing  or  indi- 
gestible. We  need  not  enlarge  on  this  subject  ;  to  fill 
the  picture,  it  should  furnish  one  object  ;  to  avoid  dis- 
gust, it  should  be  immediately  removed. 

We  add  the  following  list  of  alimentary  substances 
from  Dr.  Darwin's  Zoonomia,  in  the  order  of  their  nu- 
tritious powers,  beginning  with  the  most  nutritive,  and 
proceeding  to  those  less  so  : 

I.   Cervus  elafihus,  the  stag. 

C.  dama,  the  fallow-deer. 

C.  cafireolus,  the  roebuck. 

Bos  taurus,  the  ox. 

Caftra  ovis,  the  sheep 

Lefius  timidus,  the  hare. 

jinas  anser,  the  goose. 

.4.  tone/las,  the  duck. 

Scvlo/iax  rusticola,  the  woodcock. 

H.  gallinago,  the  snipe. 

Tetrao  rufescens,  red  game. 

T.  tetrijc,  black  game. 

Ostrea  edu/is,  oysters. 

Cancer  gammarus,  lobster. 

C.  fiagurus,  crab. 

C.  syuil/a,  prawn. 

C.  astacus,  cray-fish. 

fungi  esculenti,  mushrooms. 

JMurfna  anguiila,  eel. 

Cyfirinus  tinea,  tench. 

C.  barbus,  barbel. 

Sal/no  efierlanus,  smelt. 

Pleuronectes  rhombus  (  maximua),  turbot. 

P.  solea,  sole. 

Tfstudo  mydos,  turtle. 

Caro  agnina,  lamb. 

-  -v  it  u  I  in  n,  veal. 

-  Jiorcelli,  sucking-pig. 
Meleagris  gallofia-vo,  turkey. 
Tetrao  fterdrijc,  partridge. 
Phasianus  colchichus,  pheasant. 

gallus,  fowl. 


lucius,  pike. 
Perca  Jiuviatilis,  perch. 
Salmofariij,  trout. 
S.  thymalus,  grayling. 


ALK 


78 


ALL 


Cyfirinus  gobia,  gudgeon. 

II.  Triticum,  liordeum,  ai>ena,  fiisum,  solatium  tube- 
rosum,  rafia,  daucus  carota,  brassica  olcracca,  b.  brocoli, 
asfidragus,  cynara,  scolymus,  sfiinacia,  beta,  poma,pyra, 
I'runa,  mala  armeniaca,  fiersicaet  aurantia,fraga,u~vie, 
me/ones,  cucumerss,  Jicus  'ticcattf,  uvx  passe,  sacc/ia- 
rum  mel,  &c. 

III.  .'l'iuafontana,rivalis,  carbonas  calcis. 

IV".  Aer  atmosphericus,  gaz  ojcenium,  azotum,  aci- 
dnm,  carbo?iicum. 

V.  Balnea,  enemata  nutrientia,  tfansfusio  sanguinis. 

VI.  Cnndimrnta. 

On  this  arrangement  we  shall  make  no  remarks.  It 
is  the  offspring  of  fancy  rather  than  observation ;  and  an 
obvious  distinction  is  neglected,  viz.  that  between  the 
degree  of  nutrition  and  the  facility  of  digestion.  Some 
of  the  generic  names  differ  from  ours,  which  are  those 
of  Gmelin's  edition  of  the  Systema  Naturse. 

A  LIMENT ARY  CANAL.  The  whole  tract  of  in- 
testines, including  the  stomach. 

ALIMENTARY  DUCT.     See  THORACIC  DUCT. 

ALIMOS.     Common  liquorice. 

A'LIMUM.     See  ARUM. 

ALINDE'SIS,  or  «A(vJo$,  (from  «A/y^j»«,  -volvo).  A 
bodily  exercise,  which  seems  to  be  roll  ing  on  the  ground, 
or  rather  in  the  dust,  after  being  anointed  with  oil. 
Hippocrates  says,  that  it  hath  nearly  the  same  effects  as 
wrestling. 

ALI'NTHISAR.     See  HYPOSTAPHYLE. 

ALIO'CAB.     See  AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

ALIP^E'NOS,  ?  (from  «,  neg  and  hnrxiveii,  to  grow 

ALIPANTOS,5  fat).  Any  external  dry  remedies 
t]iat  have  no  fat  in  them. 

ALIPA'SMA,  (from  ttXuQu,  to  anoint).  A-powder 
which,  when  mixed  with  oil,  is  rubbed  on  the  body  to 
prevent  sweating. 

ALIPE,  oeAnrj).  Remedies  for  wounds  in  the  cheek  to 
prevent  inflammation.  Galen. 

A'LIPILI,(froma/flTW7n^/7o*,  evellentes.)  Servants 
so  called  from  their  pulling  off  hairs  from  the  arm-pits 
with  tweezers,  from  persons  in  the  baths. 

ALIPOW,  a  species  of  turbith  found  near  Mount 
Ceti,  in  Languedoc.  It  is  a  powerful  purgative,  used 
instead  of  senna,  but  much  more  active. 

ALI'PTjE,  (from  ateiipa,  to  anoint).  Servants  of 
the  baths,  whose  office  was  to  anoint  the  persons  after 
bathing. 

ALISANDERS.     See  SMYRNIUM. 

ALI'SMA  MATHI'OLI.     See  DORIA. 

ALI'SMA,  (from  «A«,  the  sea,  the  name  of  many 
aquatic  plants)  ;  called  Neuron.  A  name  of  Doria's 
wound-wort,  and  of  the  German  leopard's-bane.  See 
DORIA  NARBONENSIUM,  and  ARNICA  MONTANA. 

ALI'STELES,  (from  u*s,salt).  See  AMMONIACUS 
SAL. 

A'LITH.     See  ASAFKTIDA. 

ALITURA,  (from  alo,  to   nourish).     See  NUTRI- 

C'ATIO. 

ALKAFI'AL.     ANTIMONY.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 
A'LKAHEST  GLAUBERI,  i.e.  SALES  ALKALINI. 
See  ALCALI. 

A'LKALE.     The  FAT  of  a  HEN. 
A'LKALI   FIXUM,  SAL.  i.e.  KALI.     See  ALCAH. 
A'LKALI  VEGETABILE    FIXUM  CAUSTICUM.     See  K.A- 

ALKA'LIA.     See  VAS. 


A'LKARA,  or  ALCARA,  (AI.KAHAGII,  Arab).     Sec 

CuCURBITA. 

ALKA'SA,  (ALKASAH,  <?  CM//,  Arab).  }  Sec      CRUCI- 
ALKAZO'AL.  5    BULUM. 

A'LKAUT.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 
ALKEKE'NGI,    (ALKAKANGI,     Arab).       WINTEK- 
CHERRY  ;   also  called  halicacabum,  solanum  vesicarium, 


vesicaria 

The  species  used  in  medicine  is  the  f/iysalis  alkr 
kengi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  262. 

It  grows  wild  in  France,  Germany,  and  Italy,  and 
thrives  well  in  our  gardens.  The  fruit  ripens  in  Octo- 
ber, and  continues  to  December,  when  the  plant  dies  to 
the  ground. 

These  cherries  have  an  acidulous  and  not  unpleasant 
taste,  with  a  bitterishness  ;  but  their  covering  is  very 
bitter. 

They  are  diuretic,  but  neither  heat  nor  irrifate  ;  five. 
or  six  cherries,  or  an  ounce  of  their  juice,  is  a  dose  ; 
and  if  given  in  the  strangury  from  6antharides,  i> 
speedy  relief  is  said  to  be  obtained.  Hoffman  recom- 
mends them  in  haemoptysis,  and  some  authors  have 
thought  them  useful  in  dropsy.  *ij.  of  the  berries  in- 
fused in  a  pint  of  water,  are  extolled  in  the  jaundice  ; 
but  they  are  rarely  called  for  in  the  Eng-lish  practice. 
The  plant  itself  is  of  apoisonous  class,  and  consequently 
suspicious  ;  yet,  as  they  seem  to  combine  an  ano- 
dyne with  an  astringent  quality,  they  may  deserve  H 
trial. 

ALKE'RMES,  (ALKARMAH,  Arab).     See  CHERMKS 

ALKE'RVA.     See  CATAPUTIA. 

A'LKES.     BURNT  BRASS.     See  ^Es  USTUM. 

A'LKETRAN.     See  CEDRIA. 

ALKI'BRIC,  A'LCHI'BRIC,  A'LCHIBERT, 
A'GIBIC,  A'LKIBIC,  A'LCHABRIC,  A'LKIBRIE. 
According  to  some,  the  sulphur  vivum  is  meant  by 
these  words  ;  but  others  say  they  signify  an  incombustir 
ble  sulphur. 

A!LKIN.     See  CLAVELLATI  CINERES. 

A'LKIR.     SMOKE  of  COAL. 

A'LKITRAM.     See  Fix  LIQUIDA. 

A'LKOSOR.     See  CAMPHOR. 

A'LKI  PLU'MBI.  It  seems  to  be  the  cerussa  ace- 
tata.  See  PLUMBUM. 

ALL—  HEAL.     See  HERACLEUM  and  STACHYS. 

ALL-SPICE.     See  MYRTUS. 

A'LLABOR.     LEDA.     See  PLUMBUM. 

ALLANTOIDES,ALLA'NTOIS.  The  membrane, 
which  forms  part  of  the  secundines,  (from  «AA«5,  a  sau- 
sage, or  hog's  pudding,  because  in  some  brutes  it  is  long 
and  thick,  and  *;£>$,  likeness).  It  is  also  called  alan- 
toidesfarciminalis,  the  URINARY  MEMBRANE  ;  but  its  ex- 
istence in  the  human  species  is  generally  denied.  If 
any  anatomists  have  ever  demonstrated,  not  one  of 
them  has  given  a  distinct  figure  of  it  ;  all  the  engrav- 
ings designed  to  represent  it  are  too  incorrect  to  afford 
us  a  distinct  idea.  'Dr.  Hunter,  in  his  lectures,  abso- 
lutely denies  the  existence  of  this  membrane,  except 
in  brutes. 

Dr.  Hales  in  the  Phil.  Trans.  Abr.  vol.  iv.  andMons. 
Littre  in  the  Mem.  Acad.  de  Sciences,  1701. 

ALLARI'NOCH.     See  PLUMBUM. 
ALLELU'IA,  (HALLELUJAH  \  firaise  the  Lord.  Heb. 
•wood-sorrel,  so  named  from  its   many  virtues).     See 

ACETOSA. 

ALLEGER,  ALE  AIGRE,  VINEGAR  made  of  ale.  I,t 


ALL 


ALL 


is  almost  the  only  vinegar  now  employed  in  this  conn- 
try. 

A'LLEXCE.     SeeSiANxtM. 

A'LLIAR  -itl'RIS.  A  term  used  in  preparing  the 
philosopher's  stone,  to  signify  philosophical  copper, 
winch  is  also  called  water  of  quicksilver,  white  copper, 
and  many  other  names. 

ALLIA'RIA,  (from  allium  garlic;  so  named  from 
the  likeness  of  its  smell  and  taste  to  garlic).  SAUCE 
ALOXE,  or  JACK  BY  THE  HEDGE;  also  called  Jies  nuir.i- 
jiug,  and  hes/ieris  "allium.  It  is  the  erynimtim  alliariu 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  922. 

The  leaves  are  somewhat  acrid,  and  of  a  garlic  smell; 
^>n  drying  they  lose  much  of  their  scent,  and  also  of 
their  taste.  Its  medical  virtues  are  similar  to  those  of 
the  onion  tribe,  but  the  plant  is  not  much  in  use. 
Their  great  acrimony  renders  them  occasionally  stimu- 
lant, and  they  are  probably,  as  has  been  said,  diuretic 
and  errhine.  Externally  they  have  been  supposed  use- 
ful in  putrid  ulcers. 

A'LLJCAR.     SeeAcETUM. 

ALLI'COL.     See  PETROLEUM. 

ALLIGATU'RA,(fromad,and  ligo,  to  bind).  Scri- 
bonius  Largus  uses  this  word  for  a  ligature  or  bandage. 
See  FASCIA. 

ALLIO'TICUM,  (from  aAAioai,  to  alter,  or  vary). 
Galen.  An  alterative  medicine,  consisting  of  various 
antiscorbutics. 

ALLIUM,  (either  from  oleo,  to  smell,  because  it 
stinks,  or  from  <*Af«,  to  avoid,  &s  being  unpleasant  to 
most  people).  COMMON  GARLIC.  Called  also,  from 
its  antiputrescent  property,  theriaca  rusticorum.  It  is 
the  allium  sativum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  425.  Nat.  Ord.  JLiliacetc. 

It  grows  wild  in  Italy,  Sicily,  and  other  warm  coun- 
tries; but  in  England  it  is  raised  in  gardens  from  seed: 
it  flowers  in  July. 

The  roots  only  are  used  in  medicine  ;  their  virtues 
consist  of  a  very  acrid  putrescent  volatile  oil,  combined 
with  a  large  proportion  of  mucilage,  the  principal  ef- 
fect of  which  is  to  warm  and  stimulate  the  solids,  to 
promote  a  discharge  from  the  bronchial  glands  and-the 
kidneys;  perhaps  in  a  slight  degree  to  resist  putrefac- 
tion. Applied  to  the  skin  they  excite  inflammation; 
and  sometimes  raise  blisters:  they  are  used  as  a  stimu- 
lating epithem  to  the  soles  of  the  feet,  in  the  low  stage 
of  acute  fevers,  for  raising  the  pulse  and  relieving  the 
head.  Sydenham  says,  that  garlic  excels  all  other  ap- 
plications for  occasioning  a  derivation  from  the  head  in 
fevers  of  any  kind ;  and  he  adds,  that  the  efficacy  of 
garlic  is  more  speedy  than  that  of  cantharides,  without 
a  dissolution  of  the  juices  as  when  the  common  blis- 
tering plaster  is  applied.  This,  however,  we  now  know 
to  be  hypothetical  merely.  Garlic  beat  up  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  soft  bread  is  occasionally  applied  to 
the  feet,  but  is  found  of  little  service,  except  in  chil- 
dren, who  cannot  swallow  any  medicine.  It  certainly 
is  absorbed,  as  it  affects  the  breath,  and  consequently 
may  be  useful  as  an  expectorant. 

Sometimes  the  garlic  cataplasm  causes  much  pain,  but 
this  would  not  happen  if  it  was  removed  as  soon  as  an 
inflammation  appeared,  and  immediately  after  another 
cataplasm  of  bread  and  milk  to  supply  its  place. 

The  cloves  of  fresh  garlic  are  bruised,  and  applied 
to  the  wrists  as  a  cure  of  agues ;  and  to  the  bend  of  the 
arm  to  cure  the  tooth-ach  :  held  in  the  hand  they  are 
said  to  relieve  hiccough ;  beat  with  common  oil  into  a 


poultice,  they  resolve  sluggish  humours;  and  if  laid  on 
the  navels  of  children,  they  are  supposed  to  destroy 
worms  in  the  intestines. 

If  garlic  is  taken  inwardly,  its  action  manifests  it- 
self through  the  whole  habit,  the  breath,  urine,  and  the 
matter  of  perspiration  are  scented  with  it.  It  assists  di- 
gestion, and  is  certainly  heating  and  inflammatory  to 
the  whole  system.  Its  diaphoretic  and  diuretic  powers 
have  been  useful  in  dropsy:  it  is  a  remedy  for  the 
scurvy ;  and  in  pituitous,  and  even  in  spasmodic  asth- 
mas that  require  expectoration.  It  has  been  said  to  be 
efficacious  even-in  subduing  the  plague,  and  its  stimulant 
powers  have  been  employed  for  preventing  the  recur- 
rence of  intermitting  fevers.  Bergius  says,  quartans  have 
been  cured  b'y  it,  and  he  begins  by  giving  one  bulb,  or 
clove,  morning  and  evening,  adding  every  day  one  more 
till  four  or  five  cloves  be  taken  at  a  dose.  If  the  fever 
then  vanishes,  the  dose  is  to  be  diminished,  and  it  will 
be  sufficient  to  take  one  or  even  two  cloves  twice  a-day, 
for  some  weeks.  This  author  also  recommends  it  in 
deafness,  and  Dr.  Cullen  is  inclined  to  believe  it  may  be 
beneficial,  as  he  has  found  the  juice  of  onions  in  such 
cases  very  useful.  A  clove  or  small  bulb  of  this  root 
wrapt  in  gause  or  muslin,  and  introduced  into  the 
meatus  auditorius,  is  the  mode  of  applying  it  in  these 
cases.  Some  authors  have  considered  it  as  a  lithontriptic. 
Where  people  cannot  take  the  garlic  in  substance,  the 
best  forms  are  either  the  syrup  or  oxymel.  See  Cul- 
len's  Materia  Medica.  If  cows  happen  to  eat  the  leaves 
of  garlic,  their  milk  will  be  strongly  impregnated  with 
its  flavour. 

In  cold  phlegmatic  habits  it  is  particularly  useful,  by 
its  corroborant,  expectorant,  and  diuretic  effects.  In 
the  asthmas  of  such  constitutions  it  is  more  eminenfly 
useful,  and  in  these  chiefly  it  has  been  supposed  to  pos- 
sess a  lithontriptic  power. 

Hoffman  says,  that  if  the  cloves  of  fresh  garlic  are 
boiled  in  milk,  they  are  one  of  the  best  anthelmintics  ; 
but  garlic  should  be  taken  in  the  form  of  a  pill  or  a 
bolus,  fresh  made.  The  syrup  and  oxymel  of  garlic- 
have  been  thrown  out  of  the  British  pharmacopoeias. 
Swallowing  the  clove  of  garlic  entire,  or  cut  into  pieces, 
after  having  been  dipped  in  oil,  is  considered  as  a  very 
effectual  mode  of  administration. 

In  hot  bilious  constitutions  garlic  is  improper;  for  it 
produces  flatulence,  head-ach,  thirst,  heat,  and  other 
inflammatory  symptoms  :  a  free  use  of  it  soon  promotes, 
the  piles  in  habits  disposed  to  this  complaint. 

In  drying  it  loses  nine-fifteenths  of  its  weight,  but 
fresh  or  dry  it  equally  gives  out  its  virtues  to  boiling 
water,  vinegar,  or  brandy,  though  it  has  been  suspected 
that  its  powers  are  somewhat  weakened  by  drying;  and 
an  infusion  in  the  latter  is  highly  useful  to  relieve  or 
prevent  uneasiness  in  the  stomach  and  bowels  from 
gout. 

The  oil,  or  active  principle,  is  small  in  quantity,  yel- 
lowish and  ropy;  but  the  juice  may  be  inspissated  into 
an  extract  by  a  gentle  heat. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine,  digested  on  dry  garlic  roots, 
extract  their  virtues  more  readily,  and  more  perfectly, 
than  either  water  or  vinegar.  For  those  called 

ALLIUM  ALPI'XUM,     ~) 

ALLIUM  AOIXUM,         >  See  OPHIOSCOKODON. 

ALLIUM  MO.VTA'NUM,  J 

ALLIUM  LATIFO'LIUM 

ALLIUM  CE'PA.     See  CEPA. 


ALN 


80 


ALO 


ALI.IVM  GALLICCM.     See  PORTULACA. 

A  I.LI  I'M  LATIFOLIUM  LILIFLORUM.        See  Moi.Y. 

ALI.IUM  ULTKICUM.     See  ANTISCORODON. 

ALLOBRO'GICUM  VINUM.  A  sort  of  austere 
wine,  produced  in  Savoy  and  Dauphiny. 

ALLO'CHOOS,  (from  aM/>c,  another,  and  heya,  to 
speak).  One  who  talks  deliriously. 

ALLO'GNOON,  (from  «AAo;,  another,  and  Avom,  to 
know).-  To  be  delirious,  or  to  conceive  of  things  dif- 
ferent from  what  they  really  are. 

ALLOGOTRO'PHIA,)  (from    «/<•/«?,    dls/iroflor- 

ALOGOTRO'PHIA,  $  tionate,  and  -rpt<p«,  alo,  to 
,'ionrish).  A  disproportionate  nutrition,  when  one  part 
of  the  body  is  nourished  disproportionately  to  another. 
Blancafd. 

ALLO'PHASIS,  (from  «AA««,  another,  and  <p»a,  to 
xiieak).  A  delirium,  or  to  speak  of  things  different 
from  what  they  are.  Hippocrates  often  expresses  light 
headed,  by  the  word  «AAo0«5-«vTE5. 

ALLOTRIOPHA'GIA,  (from  «AA.7f /«5,  alienus,  and 
pfvynt,  cornmedere).  See  PICA. 

A'LMA,  (AGLMA,  pure,  Heb. :  «/,«.*,  water).  See 
AQUA.  Also  the  first  motion  of  a  foetus  to  free  itself 
from  its  confinement. 

A'LMAGRz\.  A  name  for  a  kind  of  ochre  used  as 
an  astringent.  See  ETHEL. 

ALMAKA'NDA.  ^  c      T 

A'LMAKIST.        \  See  LITHARGYRUM. 

ALMA'NDA  CATHARTICA,  Lin.  PI.  Suppl. 
Murray's  Syst.  Vegetabilum,p.  209.  A  plant  growing  on 
the  shores  of  Cayenne  and  Surinam,  used  by  the  inha- 
bitants as  a  remedy  for  the  colic ;  Supposed  to  be  ca- 
thartic. 

ALMA'RAGO.     See  CORALLIUM. 

ALMA^RCAB.  (ALMARCAB,  mixed,  Arab.).  LI- 
THARGE OF  SILVER. 

ALMARCA'RIDA.     See  LITHARGYRUM. 

ALMA'RGAN.     (Arab.).     See  CORALLIUM. 

ALMARKASI'TA.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

ALMAR'TACK.     POWDER  OF  LITHARGE. 

ALMELILE'TU.  A  word  used  by  Avicenna  to 
express  a  preternatural  heat  less  than  that  of  a  fever, 
and  which  may  continue  after  recovery. 

ALME'NE.     See  SAL  GEMMJE. 

AMI'SA.     MUSK.     See  MOSCHUS. 

ALMISA'DAR,  or  ALMIS'ADIR,  or  ALMIZ'A- 
DAR,  or  ALMIZ'ADIR.  See  AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

ALMISA'RUB.     EARTH.     See  TERRA. 

ALMIZ'ADIR.     See  ^RUGO. 

ALNABA'TI.  In  Avicenna  and  Serapion,  means 
the  siliqua  dulcis,  a  gentle  laxative. 

A'LNEC.     TIN.     See  STANNUM. 

A'LNERIC.     Sec  SULPHUR  VIVUM. 

A'LNUS.  (Alno.  Ital.).  The  ALDER  TREE.  Betula 
alnus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1394! 

A'LNUS     ROTUNDI,    FOLIA      GLUTIXOSA    VIRIDIS,    C.    B. 

The  COMMON  ALDER  TREE,  called  amendanus. 

The  BLACK  ALDER  is  the  Rhamnus  frangula  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  280;  called  also  Avnus. 

All  the  parts  of  this  tree  are  astringent  and  bitter, 
the  bark  is  more  astringent;  a  decoction  of  it  hath  cured 
agues,  and  is  often  used  to  repel  inflammatory  tumours 
in  the  throat. 

The  BLACK  or  BERRY-BEARING,  ALDER,  is  a 
shrub  found  in  the  moist  woods.  The  inner  yellow 
bark  of  the  trunk^or  root  has  a  bitter  and  styptic  taste  : 


given  to  5  'j-  vomits,  purges,  and  gripes  ;  but  joined- 
with  aromatics  it  operates  more  agreeably  ;  though  an 
infusion,  or  decoction  of  it  in  water,  inspissated  to  an 
extract,  acts  yet  more  mildly.  It  is  said  also  to  be  di- 
uretic and  anthelmintic  ;  externally,  useful  in  itch  and 
in  variccs  of  the  anus.  The  berries  of  this  species  of 
alder  are  purgative;  they  are  not  in  use  under  their 
own  name,  but  are  often  substituted  for  buckthorn  ber- 
ries. The  berries  of  the  black  alder,  however,  have  a< 
black  skin,  a  blue  juice,  and  two  seeds  in  each  ;  whih- 
the  buckthorn  berries  have  a  green  juice,  and  com- 
monly four  seeds.  The  error  is  not,  however,  of  much 
consequence:  the  plants  belong  to  the  same  genus,  and 
the  berries  do  not  differ  greatly. 

ALOE,  (AHLAH,  growing  near  the  sea — «A«J))  ;  calf* 
ed  also  Fcl  JVatura  ;  a  plant  which  affords  the  purging 
gum  of  the  same  name  ;  all  the  species  have  thick  suc- 
culent leaves  like  those  of  the  house-leek,  but  much 
larger,  and  run  two  or  three  feet  high.  The  best  is  said 
to  grow  in  India,  but  all  Asia  produces  excellent  plants  ; 
and  in  most  warm  climes  they  are  found,  as  in  the  West 
Indies,  See. 

ALOES  GUMMI,  GUM  ALOES.  This  is  the  in- 
spissated gum  of  the  whole  plant  described  above.  It 
is  reported  that  Alexander,  landing  on  the  island  of 
Succotora,  or  Zocotria,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Red  Sea, 
in  one  of  his  expeditions,  took  notice  of  the  aloe  plant, 
and  from  that  it  was  brought  into  use,  and  called  Suc- 
cotorina. 

Of  the  gum  we  have  three  kinds  in  the  shops. 

1.  A'LOE  SUCCOTO'RINA,  vel  ZOCOTORINA.     Succo- 

TORIXE    ALOE. 

It  is  imported  from  the  island  Succotora,  in  the  In- 
dian Ocean,  wrapped  in  skins  ;  it  is  obtained  from  the 
aloe  sfiicata,  according  to  Thunberg.  This  species  is 
not  in  the  edition  of  the  species  published  by  Linnaeus, 
but  occurs  in  the  Supplement,  p.  205,  and  is  the  second 
species  of  the  659  genus  of  Wildenow's  edition.  Its 
natural  order  is  the  Liliaceie.  The  gum  is  bright  on 
its  surface,  and  of  a  reddish  colour,  with  a  purple  cast ; 
but  when  powdered  it  is  of  a  golden  hue:  it  is  hard  and 
friable  in  very  cold  weather,  but  in  summer  it  softens 
very  easily  betwixt  the  fingers.  It  is  extremely  bitter, 
and  also  accompanied" with  an  aromatic  flavour,  but  not 
so  much  as  to  cover  its  disagreeable  taste.  Its  scent  is 
rather  agreeable,  being  somewhat  similar  to  that  of 
myrrh.  It  is  said  to  be  the  juice  exuding  from  an  in- 
cision of  the  leaves. 

2.  ALOE  HEPATICA,   vel   ALOE    BARBADENSIS.      The 
COMMON,  BARBADOES,  or  HEPATIC  ALOES,  called  kada- 
naku,  and  catevala,  is  from  the  aloe  jierfoiiata  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  458.     The  best  is  brought  from  Barbadoes  in  large 
gourd-shells  ;  an  inferior  sort  in  pots,  and  the  worst  in 
casks.     It  is  darker  coloured   than   the  Succotorine  ; 
drier,  and  more  compact,  though   sometimes  that   in 
casks  is  soft  and   clammy  ;  to  the  taste  it  is  intensely- 
bitter -and  nauseous,  being  almost  totally  without  that 
aroma  which  is  observed  in  the  Succotorine  ;    to  the 
smell  it  is  strong  and  disagreeable. 

3.  A'LOE  CABALI'NA,  vel  ALOE  GUINEE'NSIS, 
HORSE  ALOES.  It  is  not  easy  to  believe,  as  is  gene- 
rally reported,  that  this  is  only  the  more  impure  part 
of  the  Barbadoes  aloe,  or  rather  the  residuum  after  the 
hepatic  aloes  have  been  expressed,  because  the  differ- 
ence does  not  consist  in  the  purity,  but  in  the  quality. 
It  is  very  distinguishable  from  both  the  others  by  its, 


A  LO 


81 


A  LO 


strong  rank  smell ;  in  other  respects  it  so  agrees  v.-itli 
the  Barbadoes  species,  as  to  be  often  sold  for  it.  Some- 
times its  purity  and  clearness  are  such,  that  it  cannot 
be  distinguished  from  the  Succotorine  aloe ;  but  either 
its  offensive  smell,  or  its  want  of  the  aromatic  flavour, 
betrays  it.  This  aloe  is  not  admitted  into  the  matcria 
medica;  but  employed  by  veterinary  surgeons. 

The  general  nature  of  these  three  kinds  is  nearly  the 
same;  their  particular  difference  only  consists  in  the 
different  proportions  of  gum  to  their  resin,  and  in  the 
flavours  they  possess,  which  render  them  more  or  less 
pleasant  for  internal  use. 

Aloes  consist  of  a  small  portion  of  resin,  and  a  large 
one  of  gummy  matter.  Twelve  ounces  of  the  Barba- 
does aloes  yield  nearly  four  ounces  of  resin,  and  eight 
of  a  gummy  extract.  The  same  quantity  of  the  Succo- 
torine yields  three  ounces  of  resin,  and  nearly  nine  of 
gummy  extract. 

The  aloes  may  be  purified  by  solution"  in  water,  and 
an  evaporation  so  immediately  after,  that  the  resin  may 
not  have  time  to  settle.  When  it  settles,  it  may  be  se- 
parated by  spirit  of  wine. 

The  resin  of  aloes  hath  but  very  little  scent ;  that 
from  the  Succotorine  hath  very  little  taste,  from  the 
Barbadoes  a  slight  bitter,  and  from  the  caballine  some- 
what more  of  the  aloetic  flavour. 

The  gummy  extracts  are  less  disagreeable  than  the 
crude  aloes;  that  of  the  Barbadoes  smells  rather  stronger 
than  that  of  the  Succotorine,  but  in  taste  is  less  ungrate- 
ful ;  that  of  the  Succotorine  has  very  little  smell,  and  is 
scarcely  unpleasant  to  the  taste  ;  that  of  the  caballine 
aloes  hath  a  rank  smell,  but  its  taste  is  not  worse  than 
that  of  the  Succotorine. 

In  the  resinous  part  consists  the  healing  qualities, 
hence  for  external  uses  the  Barbadoes  is  the  best;  inter- 
nally, however  prepared,  the  resin  hath  very  little  ca- 
thartic power.  In  the  gummy  extract  resides  the  pur- 
gative, and  all  the  other  qualities.  The  gum  of  the 
Succotorine  aloes  is  more  irritating  and  active  than  that 
of  Barbadoes  :  its  effects  are  uncertain ;  but  it  does  not 
seem  to  leave  a  costive  habit.  In  small  doses,  twice  a 
day,  it  occasions  a  considerable  irritation  about  the  anus, 
and  sometimes  a  discharge  from  the  hacmorrhoidal  ves- 
sels. These  small  doses  cleanse  the  first  passages,  warm 
the  habit,  and  promote  the  secretions.  In  phlegmatic, 
sedentary,  and  cachectic  habits,  and  oppressions  in  the 
stomach  from  irregularity,"  it  is  useful ;  and,  in  common 
with  bitters  and  purgatives,  has  been  considered  as  an 
antkflmintic,  but  it  is  so  only  in  cases*  of  ascarides.  In 
ull  diseases  of  the  nervous  tribe,  aloes  is  useful,  and  is 
supposed  to  assist  digestion.  In  jaundice  it  has  been 
thought  a  succedaneum  for  the  bile,  and  its  title  of  fel 
naturte  has  been  the  cause  or  effect  of  this  opinion. 

Aloes  is  injurious  where  inflammation  or  irritation 
exists  in  the  bowels  or  neighbouring  parts ;  in  preg- 
nancy, and  in  habits  disposed  to  piles ;  from  three  to 
live  grains  are  a  sufficient  dose. 

Alkaline  salts  lessen  the  purgative  quality  of  aloes  ; 
and  long  boiling  quite  destroys  it. 

By  means  of  heat,  the  crude  aloes  may  be  wholly  dis- 
solved in  water;  but  the  resin  is  deposited  when  cold. 
A  mixture  of  pure  water  two  parts,  and  proof  spirit  one 
part,  perfectly  dissolves  it  without  heat;  though  recti- 
fied spirit  of  wine  dissolves  it  most  speedily.  If  water 
or  w^ne  be  the  menstruum,  the  aloes  becomes  tenacious', 

VOL.  I. 


and  dissolves  slo'wly ;  in  this  case,  white  sand  should  be 
previously  mixed  with  the  powdered  aloes. 

Cloves  cover  the  offensiveness  of  aloes  the  most  per- 
fectly, but  are  too  stimulating.  The  canella  alba,  or  the 
cassia  caryophyllata,  is  preferable. 

The  pharmaceutical  forms  of  aloes  are  various. 
•was  for  ages  fashionable  to  combine  'them  with  myrrh 
and  saffron;  a  form  still  in  use  in  the   pills  styled  Rr 
fus's.     These   additions  were   supposed,  though 
little  reason,  to  correct  their  acrimony  ;  but  the  formula 
answers  even'  purpose  desired  in  a  mild  eccoprotic,  and 
consequently  still  retains  its  credit.     There  is  little  rea- 
son for  supposing  the  myrrh  and  saffron  useful,  ex 
for'the  more  minute  division,  and  soap  answers  this  pur- 
pose, at  least  as  well.  In  the  common  aloetic  pill,  callct! 
from  Dr.  Anderson,  aloes  is  corrected  only  by  the  car- 
damom seeds. 

With  alkaline  salts,  aloes  loses  its  bitterness,  prcbabh 
its  efficacy  ;  and  when  the  gummy  extract  is  prepared 
by  long  boiling,  exposed  to  the  air,  it  becomes  inert : 
as  from  the  absorption  of  oxygen  its  extractive  matte" 
is  changed  to  a  reein.    The  resin  of  aloes,  as  has  bee*: 
said,  is  very  weakly,  if  at  all,  purgative.  For  the  reasons 
assigned,   the  volatile  aloetic  tincture,  viz.  aloes  dis- 
solved in  the  volatile  alkali,  is  a  very  inefficient  prepa- 
ration; and  the  vitriolic  elixir  proprictatis,  which  cor 
sists  of  aloes  dissolved  in  vitriolic  aether,  is  perhaps  littli 
superior.     VanHelmont's  vinum  aloeticum  alkalinun:. 
appears  to  be  a  preparation  of  greater  efficacy.  It  cor. 
sists  of  aloes  dissolved  in  mountain  wine,  with  th<. 
dition  of  kali  and  crude  sal  ammoniac.     It  is  not  how- 
ever now  employed ;  and  seems  to  have  obtained  a  great 
partof  its  credit  from  the  attachment  of  the  Boerha.. 
school  to  alkaline  tinctures,  which  they  considered  e  -, 
saponaceous.     In  stomach  complaints,  however,  it  pro- 
mises to  be  of  service.     In  our  college  we  find  the  pill 
of  Rufus ;  pil.  ex  aloe  cum  myrrha  :  a  similar1  tincture, 
styled  the  compound  tincture  of  aloes ;    and  the  aloes 
dissolved  in  a  weak  spirit,  the  common  tinct.  aloes. 
This  medicine  is  also  joined  with  more  active  p- 
tives,  as  the  scammony  and  colocynth,  with  guaiacum. 
asafcetida,  and  iron,  to  answer  the  various  purposes  c!' 
a  more  powerful  cathartic,  a  more  effectual  stomachic, 
antihysteric,  and  emmenagogue.     Any  other  purgative 
joined  with  aloes,  neither  increases  its  powers  nor  les- 
sens any  inconvenience  it  may  produce.     See  Cullen's 
Materia  Medica,  Murray's  Apparatus,  and  Woodvillc's 
Medical  Botany. 

ALOE  rosata;  violata;  violata  tartarea;  insuccata ; 
insuccata  tartarea.  These  are  old  forms,  in  which  the 
aloes  is  repeatedly  dissolved  in  the  juice  of  roses  and 
violets,  and  as  often  exsiccated  by  evaporation.  When 
dissolved  in  the  juices  of  roses,  violets,  borage,  and  bu- 
gloss,  it  is  styled  '  insuccate  ;'  when  with  the  addition 
of  one-third  of  its  weight  of  cream  of  tartar,  it  has  the 
appropriate  epithet  of '  tartarea.' 

For  other  preparations,  whose  principal  ingredient  is 
aloes,  as 

ALOETICUS  PULVIS.     See  HIERA  PICRA. 

ALOETICUS  PULVIS  CUM  MYRRHA.  See  AROMATIC.^ 
PILULE ;  for  which  it  is  a  substitute. 

ALOES  VINUM.     See  SACRA  TINCTURA. 

ALOES     PILULE     CUM      MYRRHA.          See     PILULE. 

RUFI. 

EXTRA CTUM  COLOCYXTHIDIS  CUM  ALOE,  AUT  COMPO. 
M 


ALS 


SITUM.  See  CATHARTICUM  EXTRAC-TUM.  Of  this  kind 
are  supposed  to  be  the  famed  Scot's  and  Hooper's  fe- 
male pills. 

A'LOE  PUH'GANS.     See  ALOE. 

A'LOK  AROMATICA  I.IGN.     See  AGALLOCHUM. 

A'LOE  BHASILIENSIS.     See  CARAGUATA. 

A'LOE  PALUSTHIS.     See  ALOIDES. 

ALOEDARIA,  ALOEPHANGINA,  and  ALO- 
ETICS.  Compound  purging  medicines ;  so  called  from 
having  aloes  as  one  ingredient.  The  aloephangina  con- 
tains aromatics. 

ALO'MBA.?     „      „ 

\LO'OC       \  PLUMBUM. 

ALO'PECES,  (from  ct^avi^,  the  fox,}  so  are  the 
PSO.E  muscles  called,  because  in  a  fox  they  are  particu- 
terly  strong.  Lat.  Vulfies.  See  PSO^E. 

ALOPE'CIA,  BALDNESS,  the  FALLING  OFF  OF  THE 
HAIR,  (from  «A<w7r£|,  a  fox,}  because  the  fox  is  subject 
to  a  distemper  that  resembles  it.  Athrix,  De/iilis,  P/ia- 
lacrotis  ;  when  particularly  on  the  sinciput,  Calvities, 
and  Calvitium  ;  which  Galen  thinks  is  owing  to  a  de- 
fect of  moisture.  When  the  bald  part  is  smooth  and 
winding,  like  the  track  of  a  serpent,  it  is  called  ofi/iiasis: 
but  the  general  name  of  all  the  different  appearances  of 
bald  places  is  AREA  ;  and  the  hair  is  said  to  fall  off 
areatim,  by  shedding  ;  whence  in  general  this  disease 
is  called  area. 

Celsus  says,  that  the  alopecia  comes  at  any  age,  but 
the  ophiasis  only  affects  infants.  In  childhood,  it  often 
succeeds  the  tinea,  achores,  and  favi.  / 

The  cause  is  a  disease  of  tjie  roots  of  the  hair.  Ga- 
len says,  that  eating  mushrooms  may  occasion  these 
disorders  ;  and  that  malignant  or  contagious  diseases 
of  various  kinds  may  produce  the  same  effect. 

The  alofiecia  spreads  itself  on  the  beard,  as  well  as 
on  the  hairy  scalp,  and  is  irregularly  formed.  The 
'jjihiaftis  usually  begins  at  the  back  part  of  the  head, 
and  creeps  about  the  breadth  of  two  fingers,  till  it  hath 
extended  its  two  extremities  to  both  the  ears,  and  some- 
iimes  to  the  forehead.  It  seems  to  be  more  malignant 
than  the  alopecia,  since  the  cuticle  is  also  corroded  so 
I  ar  as  the  roots  reach;  the  skin  also  changes  its  colour, 
and  is  pale,  or  darker  coloured,  and,  if  pricked,  a  se- 
rous blood  issues  out. 

In  the  tinea  the  excoriations  and  exulcerations  are 
deeper,  and  often  the  hair  does  not  grow  again. 

In  infants  these  disorders  commonly  go  off  as  age 
advances ;  but  in  adults,  the  cure,  especially  of  the 
ofiliiasis,  is  very  difficult.  In  proportion  as  a  redness 
appears  readily  on  rubbing  the  part,  the  cure  may  be 
expected  to  be  easy.  If  a  leprosy  is  the  cause,  the  case 
is  more  difficult  of  cure.  The  most  favourable  is  when 
hairs  begin  to  push  out  on  the  edges  of  the  areas. 

If  any  other  disease  attends,  its  removal  will  often 
cure  the  alopecia.  If  -the  disease  is  formed,  the  head 
must  be  shaved,  then  washed  with  lye  in  which  are  in- 
fused the  abrotanum  and  other  warm  stimulants :  the 
part  must  then  be  rubbed  until  the  skin  grows  red,  and 
gentle  stimulants  should  be  continued.  See  CELSUS, 
SENNEHTUS. 

AL'OSA,  (from  aAiim.v,to  take,  because  it  is  a  raven- 
ous fish).  SHAD.  Clupea  alosa  Lin.  TRITTA,  of  an- 
cient authors. 

A  sea  fish  ,the  size  of  a  salmon,  with  large  scales, 
"but  thin  and  easily  taken  off.  This  fish  is  in  season 


but  if   pickled   it    keeps  well  all  the" 


See  ARGENT.  VIVUM 


in   the    spring, 
year. 

A 'LOS  AT. 

ALO'SOHOC.  _ 

ALOSAN'THI,  (from  «A;,  the  sea,  and  #»&>$,  a 
Jlotvfr}.  FLOWERS  OF  SALT. 

ALPHENIC,  (ALPHANVC,  tender,  Arab.);  an  Ara- 
bian word  for  sugar-candy,  or  barley-sugar.  So  called 
from  its  frangibility.  See  SACCHARUM. 

A'LPHI'TA,  the  plural  of  «/.£ur«»,(from  aAipos,  white}. 
The  meal  of  barley  that  has  been  hulled  and  parched. 
Hippocrates  uses  /this  word  for  meal  in  general.  Galen 
says,  that  KOI^X,  is  coarse;  «.>.tvpa,  fine;  and  ahpifra., 
middling  sort  of  meal. 

ALPHI'TIDON,  (from  0.^1™,  meal}.  It  is  when 
a  bone  wa-s  broken  into  small  fragments  like  alphita,  i.  e. 
bran  ;  also  called  caryedon  ;  and  catagma,  when  like  a 
broken  nut. 

A'LPHI'TON.  Greek.  A  HASTY-PUDDING  ;  in 
Latin,  fiolenta  ;  it  is  made  of  barley  meal,  moistened 
with  water,  wine,  See.  commonly  used  by  the  soldiers. 

A'LPHUS,  aAp®-,  (from  «p«jv*>,  to  change,}  M.  A. 
Severinus  calls  it  Saras. 

This  disorder  is  a  species  of  that  sort  of  white  lepro- 
sy called  vitiligo,  and  which  is  divided  into  the  aljihus, 
melas,  and  leuce,  called  also  albara;  in  the  aljihus  the 
skin  is  white  and  roughish  in  spots  ;  sometimes  the 
patches  are  broad,  bearing  the  same  analogy  to  the 
leuce  as  the  scabies  to  the  lepra;  the  first  is  superficial, 
chiefly  affecting  the  skin;  the  second  sinks  deeper  into 
the  flesh  :  but  these  disorders  only  differ  in  their  de- 
grees of  inveteracy.  See  LEPRA. 

Oribasius  commends  lime  water  as  a  lotion  in  all  the 
species;  and  says,  that  the  aljihus  requires  a  thin  lime 
water,  the  scabies  a  thicker  or  stronger,  and  the  lepra 
the  strongest.  Aetius  commends,  as  equally  proper 
for  the  white  or  the  black  alfihus,  the  following  lini- 
ment : 

R.  Fol.  ficus,  sulphuris  vivi  et  alumin  rup.  aa.  seq.  p. 
acet.  acerrim.  q.  s.  f.  linim.  cum  qua  inung.  partes  af- 
fects. 

In  all  kinds  of  cutaneous  complaints,  the  itch  ex- 
cepted,  internal  medicines  are  necessary,  and  generally 
mercurial  alteratives.  Their  operation  may  be  assisted 
by  the  warm  bath,  and  decoctidns  of  elm  bark  or  me- 
zereon.  This  subject  will,  however,  be  treated  at 
length,  under  the  article  of  CUTANEOUS  COMPLAINTS  ; 
q.  v. 

See  Celsus.  Actuarius  Method.  Medend.  Oribasius  de 
Morb.  Cutan.  Curat.  Aetius's  Tetrab.  iv.  Genn.  cap. 
i.  132.  Willan  on  Diseases  of  the  Skin. 

A'LPHINI,  Bals.      BALM  OF  GILEAD.     See    BAL- 

SAMUM. 

ALPIN.  jEGYPT.  The  abbreviation  for  Prosperus 
.•'lljiinus  de  Plantis  ^Egypt. 

ALP.  EXOT.  The  abbreviation  for  Prosperus 
Alfiinus  de  Plantis  Exoticis. 

ALP.  PL.  jEG.  The  same  author  de  Plantis  ^Egypti. 

ALSADAF,  the  UNGUIS  ODORATUS  ;  and  the  MUREX, 
of  the  shell  of  which  it  was  supposed  to  be  a  part. 

ALSCHNEFU,  a  term  for  WORMWOOD. 

ALSIMBEL  and  SIMBALA,  the  SPIKENARD  of 
India,  from  the  number  of  its  ears  or  "  spikes." 

A'LSINE,  (from  «Aevj5,  a  grove,  because  it  delights 
in  shade).  It  is  also  called  morsus  galtina,  centunculu.i; 


A  L  T 


A  L  I 


mEtighsh,  CHICKWEED  and  MOUSE-EAR  ;  ceraztiam  i-ul- 
tratum  Lin.  6.7;  called  in  English  from  its  leaves  re- 
sembling the  ears  of  mice. 

It  is  cooling,  but  scarcely  ever  employed  as  a  medi- 
cine. It  is  used  to  promote  an  appetite  in  linnets  and 
Canary  birds.  The  name  also  of  a  species  of  saxifraga, 
or  the  whitlow  grass.  See  PAROXYCHIA. 

ALSIRACO'STUM.  ;  AI.SIRAKA,  evacuation.  Arab). 
The  nam6  of  a  compound  purging  medicine  in  Messue  ; 
c?Jled  also  siracostum. 

ALSURE'NGIUM.     See  HERMODACTYLUS. 

\LT.     The  abbreviation  for  ALTER  and  ALTDORF. 

A'LTAFOR.     See  CAMPHORA. 

ALTERA'XTIA,  (from  alter<f,to  change}.  ALTER- 
ATIVES. Medicines  of  this  kind  claimed  formerly  a 
considerable  share  of  the  physician's  attention,  when 
acrimony  was  -the  most  common  reputed  cause  of  dis- 
eases. This  subject  will  be  considered  at  length  under 
the  title  of  PATHOLOGY.  It  is  sufficient  at  present  to 
remark,  that  many  of  the  supposed  acrimonies  have  no 
existence,  and  the  class  of  alteratives  is  consequently 
limited.  We  have,  however,  still  the  inspissants  and 
attenuants,  which,  though  they  do  not  permanently  af- 
fect the  state  of  blood,  yet  change  that  of  the  excretory 
fluids;  and  so  far,  in  a  remote  view,  may  be  styled  al- 
terants. These  are  to  be  considered  under  their  proper 
heads.  Alteratives,  in  the  present  more  scientific  views 
of  pathology  and  therapeutics,  are  those  medicines  sup- 
posed to  correct  the  acrimony  which  appears  in  erup- 
tions on  the  skin,  formerly  called  the  scorbutic  acri- 
mony. These  are  almost  exclusively-  mercurials,  as- 
sisted by  the  medicines  just  spoken  of  under  the  article 
ALPHAS.  They  do  not  act  by  any  chemical  affinity  on 
the  mass  of  fluids,  but  by  their  power  of  gradually  in- 
creasing the  secretion  from  the  skin  ;  for  we  shall  show, 
that  cutaneous  complaints  are  seldom  owing  to  any  in- 
creased acrimony,  but  sometimes  to  an  obstructed  cuta- 
neous discharge  ;  and,  at  others,  to  the  excessive  rapid- 
ity of  this  evacuation.  The  only  instance  of  a  real 
change  in  the  circulating  fluids,  is  in  sea  scurvy,  and  in 
high  putrid  fevers.  The  latter  admit  not  of  alteratives  ; 
and  in  the  sea  scurvy,  the  only  useful  medicine  of  this 
kind  is  a  vegetable  diet. 

.1lterativ.es  have  been  given  with  other  views,  and 
seem  occasionally  to  have  some  effect.  We  allude  to 
the  use  of  sea  water  in  scrofula,  to  burnt  sponge  and 
mercurials  in  the  same  disease.  In  scrofula,  there  is 
evidently  a  want  of  irritability ;  and  we  may  suspect  a 
want  also  of  a  due  proportion  of  neutral  salts,  which 
give  fluidity  to  gluten,  when  dissolved  in  the  serosity, 
forming  the  serum.  This  defect  may  occasion  the  stag- 
nation of  fluids  in  the  conglobate  glands,  and  we  should 
be  more  confident  in  this  explanation,  were  the  contents 
of  these  glands  gluten.  The  saline  remedies,  above 
mentioned,  are  undoubtedly  useful,  and  probably  act  as 
attenuants;  the  mercurials  are  alterants  by  increasing 
the  action  of  the  vessels,  deficient  from  the  want  of 
irritability.  Emmenagogues  and  tonics  are  sometimes 
also  considered  as  alterants,  but  with  little  accuracy. 
In  fact,  if  there  is  any  real  medicine  of  this  kind,  it  is 
mercury  used  in  venereal  complaints ;  to  which  we 
cannot  deny  some  alterative  power.  It  is  proper,  how- 
ever, in  this  early  part  of  our  work,  to  declare  our 
opinion,  that  it  chiefly  acts  by  exciting  and  supporting 
the  evacuation  from  the  skin. 


ALTERCAXGEXOX.     ALTERCUM.     Seellv. 

OSCJAMUS  NIGER. 

ALTERXUS,  AT.TF.RXATE.  Used  in  medicine  when 
two  different  remedies  are  employed  in  turn. 

A'LTEY   PLU'MBl.     Most  probably  the  CERUSSA 

ACETATA. 

ALTHjE'A,  (from  <t\ttu,  to  heal,)  called  also  bis- 
malva,  hibiscus,  ma/vavfscus,  bolus  Judaica,  anadendro- 
matacfie,  anadendron,  aristaltheca  ;  in  English,  MARSH- 
MALLOW.  It  is  the  althta  ojpcinali»  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
966,  and  Wildenow,  G.  1 289,  Sp.  1.  Natural  Order, 
Columnacete. 

All  the  parts  of  this  plant  abound  with  a  mucilagi- 
nous matter,  with  little  odour  or  taste.  The  dry  roots, 
if  boiled  in  water,  give  out  near  half  their  -weight  of 
gummy  matter,  which,  in  evaporating,  forms  a  flavour- 
less yellowish  mucilage ;  the  leaves  afford  nearly  one- 
fourth,  the  flowers  and  seeds  still  less. 

All  its  virtues  depend  on  its  mucilage,  and  conse- 
quently ,  its  demulcent  and  emollient  qualities,  where 
the  membranes  become  abraded,  or  the  mucus  thin  and 
acrid:  it  moderates  tickling  coughs,  gives  relief  in 
hoarseness,  erosions  of  the  stomach  and  intestines,  dy- 
sentery, difficulty  and  heat  of  urine,  and  nephritic  com- 
plaints :  two  or  three  ounces  of  the  fresh  roots,  or  one 
ounce  of  the  dry,  may  be  boiled  in  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  water  to  a  quart,  to  which  one  ounce  of  gum  arabic 
may  be  added,  and  one  dram  of  nitre :  a  little  of  the 
juice  of  liquorice  renders  it  more  palatable,  From  long 
boiling,  it  acquires  a  bitterish  taste ;  and  when  ordered 
in  a  decoction  of  the  woods,  it  must  be  put  in  some 
time  after  the  other  ingredients. 

The  London  College  has  introduced  a  syrup  of  at- 
thea  ;  and  more  refined  practice  a  very  pleasing  and 
more  efficacious  form — a  paste  made  from  its  powder, 
viz.  pate  de  guimauve. 

The  custom  of  sitting  over  an  infusion  of  marshmal- 
low  leaves  for  curing  the  piles,  is  useless,  for  nothing  of 
the  mucilage  arises  with  the  watery  vapours. 

Externally  it  is  employed  in  emollient  poultices ;  and 
in  the  foreign  Pharmacopoeias  it  is  an  ingredient  in, 
and  gives  a  name  to,  an  ointment. 

The  great  comfrey  root  is  preferable  in  all  the  cases 
wherein  the  althea  is  used. 

ALTHA  XACA,  or  ALTHAXACHA.    See  AURI- 

PIGMEXTLM. 

ALTHEBE'GIUM.  An  Arabian  name  fora  swelling 
observed  in  cachectic  and  leucophlegmatic  habits,  and 
such  as  is  seen  under  the  eye-lids  of  those  who  sleep 
too  much. 

ALTHIT.      (HALTHITH,     Arab).        See    LASERPI- 

TIU.M. 

A'LTIMAR.     BURNT  COPPER.     See  J£.s  USTUM. 

ALTI'XGAT.  RUST  OF  COPPER,  or  FLOWERS  OF 
COPPER.  See  .£RIS  FLOS. 

ALTIXURA'UM.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

A'LUACH,  or  A'LUECH.     See  STANNUM. 

A'LUD.     (ALHUD,  Arab)."    See  AGALLOCHUM. 

ALUD'EL.  (Arab,  -vessel}.  A  CHEMICAL  SUB- 
LIMING VESSEL;  called  also  Cementerium.  'Many  are 
to  be  employed  at  once  ;  the  matter  to  be  sublimed  is 
put  into  a  body  or  pot,  the  upper  part  is  fitted  into  the 
aludel,  and  this  aludel  into  another,  Sec. :  to  the  top 
aludel  a  head  or  alembic  is  fixed  to  receive  the  sublim- 
ed matter. 

Tvl   : 


ALU 


84 


ALU 


A'LUM,  (iVom  aAv««ft5«/,  to  wander  ;  from  its  creep- 
ing roots).  Sec  CONSOLIDA. 

ALU'MBAIR.     BUTTER.     Sec  ADEPS. 

ALU'MBOTI.  CALOINED  LEAD.  See  MINIUM, 
under  PLUMBUM. 

ALU'MKN  (ALUM,  Arab.).  ,The  Greeks  called  it 
cTiin-niiiia,  ./{suns,  a~ub,  Ascb  ;  and  when  extremely  hard, 
as  iron.  Elanula.  It  is  an  earthy  salt,  consisting,  in  a 
great  measure,  of  the  vitriolic  acid  and  a  pure  clay, 
changing  the  purple  juices  of  vegetables  into  a  red  co- 
lour ;  and  extracted  from  substances  usually  called  alum 
ores,  which  either  ure,  or  probably  were,  originally 
composed  of  clay  and  sulphur. 

The  present  practice  employs  only  the  last  two  of  the 
following  species ;  but  all  the  four  have  been  in  use. 

1.  ALU'MEN      PLUMO'SUM     OFFICINA'RUM.       EARTH 
FLAX'. 

It  is  entirely  rejected  from  medicine,  being  more  dan-1 
gerous  than  useful.  See  AMIANTHUS. 

2.  ALU'MEN  PLUMO'SUM  VE'RUM,  also  called  scissile, 
jamenum,  filitntcum,    tric/iites.      The    PLUMOSE,    FEA- 
THERED, Or  JIAIRY  ALUM. 

It  sometimes  shoots  upon  the  surface  of  those  mine- 
rals that  afford  the  factitious  a/Mm,  and  is  also  found  on 
other  bodies  in  the  form  of  fibrous  efflorescences.  It 
seems  to  be  the  native  alum  of  the  ancients ;  and  is 
formed  by  the  evaporation  of  water  that  hath  passed 
over  beds  of  alum  stone. 

3.  ALU'MEN   COMMUNE,    COMMON  ALUM  ;  also    called 
alumen  crystallinum,  rufieum,factitium.  FACTITIOUS  or 
HOCK  ALUM;  ENGLISH  ALUM. 

4.  ALU'MEN   ROMA'NUM,   ROMAN  ALUM  ;  also   called 
alumen  rubrum,  rutilum,  rochi  Gallis.     ROCK,  RED,  or 
ROCH  ALUM,  by  the  French. 

These  two  latter  agree  in  their  general  qualities. 
The  greatest  quantities  of  them  are  artificially  produced 
from  different  minerals,  such  as  a  blue  slate,  which  is 
found  about  Scarborough  in  Yorkshire,  Preston  in  Lan- 
cashire ;  and  a  whitish  stone  at  Tolfa  near  Rome  :  these 
stones  are  calcined  and  exposed  to  the  air.  They  thus 
absorb  oxygen  and  become  an  acid  salt;  for  in  all  alum 
the  acid  is  in  excess,  which  occasions  its  changing  the 
blue  colour  of  vegetables  to  a  red.  In  the  alum  of  com- 
merce, or  rather  in  the  form  offered  to  us  as  a  medicine, 
there  is  a  proportion  of  potash  or  ammonia.  Each  of 
these  is  supplied  in  its  preparation ;  the  latter  from 
urine ;  and  the  former,  at  least,  is  essential  to  its  cry- 
stallisation, but  the  excess  of  either,  above  the  other, 
does  not  seem  to  injure  its  medicinal  properties.  It  gene- 
rally contains,  according  to  Vauquelin,  49  parts  in  100 
of  sulphate  of  alumine  ;  7  of  sulphate  of  potash  ;  and  44 
of  water.  This  proportion  of  water  occasions  by  heat 
thp  watery  fusion  ;  but,  in  a  higher  temperature,  the  wa- 
ter, and  at  last  the  acid,  escape.  Its  crystals  are  regular 
octaedrons,  representing  an  indented  column,  whose 
sides  are  equilateral  triangles.  It  is  soluble  in  about 
16  times  its  weight  of  cold  water,  in  a  temperate  heat, 
and  in  about  3-fourths,  at  the  boiling  point.  Its  specific 
gravity  is  1.71.  As  the  acid  is  in  excess,  its  proper 
name  is  sufier  sulphas  alumina  et  fiotassa.  When 
more  completely  saturated  with  the  aluminous  earth,  it 
crystallises  in  cubes,  and  is  called  cubic  alum ;  but  it 
then  loses  its  medicinal  powers. 

The  English  or  common  alum  is  colourless,  and 
commonly  in  large  masses,  into  which  it  is  cast  by 


melting  the  crystals  after  the  alum  is  perfectly  made, 
and  then  pouring  the  fused  matter  into  vessels,  whose, 
cavities  give  the  forms  it  appears  in.  The  Roman  aluii 
is  of  a  reddish  colour,  and  in  small  crystallised  masses  ; 
but  its  chief  difference  from  the  English  is  in  its  being 
less  styptic,  and  less  nauseous.  The  name  of  roch,  or 
rock  alum,  is  applied  to  our  alum,  on  account  of  the 
hardness  and  size  of  the  masses ;  but  foreigners  apply 
it  to  the  Roman,  on  account  of  the  hard  stone,  or  rock, 
from  which  it  is  extracted. 

Alum  hath  a  peculiarly  sharp,  rough,  astringent 
taste  ;  it  melts  over  a  gentle  fire,  sending  up  in  a  va- 
pour nearly  one-third  of  its  weight,  and  becomes  a  light, 
white,  spongy  substance,  called  ALUMEN  USTUM, 
BURNT  ALUM  ;  it  is  the  only  salt  that,  with  other  ani- 
mal ingredients,  or  vegetable  matters,  will  make  the 
black  pyrophorus,  which  is  owing  almost  exclusively  to 
its  potash.  With  an  infusion  of  galls  it  becomes  turbid 
and  whitish.  Upon  adding  a  fixed  alkaline  salt  to  a  dis- 
solution of  alum,  its  earth  is  precipitated,  and  its  acid 
uniting  with  the  alkali  forms  a  tartarum  vitriolatum, 
sulphas  potassse. 

It  is  used  by  dyers  to  strike,  fix,  clear,  and  brighten 
their  colours  :  it  serves  as  the  mordant  to  all  colours  ; 
and  by  dipping  paper  in  it,  ink  is  prevented  from 'spread- 
ing :  vintners  fine  their  liquors  with  alum ;  fishermen 
use  it  to  dry  codfish  ;  it  preserves  animal  substances 
from  putrefaction,  and  wood  from  burning ;  it  is  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  leather;  by  calico  printers,  en- 
gravers, and  soap-boilers ;  and  bakers  mix  it  with  flour 
to  make  their  bread  white  and  compact. 

Medicinally,  it  is  employed  as  a  powerful  astringent; 
as  such  it  is  prescribed  to  preserve  the  gums,  to  restrain 
uterine  haemorrhages,  and  check  the  fluor  albus ;  but 
though  in  these  diseases  it  is  highly  commended,  it  is 
rarely,  and  with  great  caution,  to  be  admitted  in  dysen- 
teries, particularly  in  the  beginning.  Though  cele- 
brated as  an  astringent  in  some  cases,  it  is  no  less  ex- 
tolled in  the  colic  and  other  painful  disorders  of  the 
bowels,  attended  with  obstinate  constipation.  See 
Percival's  Essays,  vol.  ii.  The  doses  in  these  cases  are 
from  five  to  twenty  grains,  and  may  be  repeated  every 
four,  eight,  or  twelve  hours ;  and  when  duly  persisted 
in,  prove  gently  laxative,  mitigate  the  pain,  abate  flatu- 
lence, restore  the  appetite,  and  strengthen  the  organs 
of  digestion.  Alum  is  powerfully  tonic,  and  is  supposed 
to  contribute  to  the  relief  of  pain  in  the  intestines,  by 
blunting  the  morbid  sensibility  of  their  nerves.  In 
robust  habits,  after  clue  bleeding  and  purging,  it  cures 
agues;  and  Dr.  Cullen  thinks  it  ought  to  be  employed 
with  other  astringents  in  diarrhoeas.  In  active  haemor- 
rhages it  is  not  useful,  though  a  powerful  medicine  in 
those  which  are  passive.  It  should  be  given  in  small 
doses,  and  gradually  increased.  It  has  been  tried  in 
the  diabetes  without  success :  joined  with  nutmeg  it 
has  been  more  successful  in  intermittents,  given  in  a 
large  dose,  an  hour,  or  a  little  longer,  before  the  ap- 
proach of  the  paroxysm.  In  gargles,  in  relaxations  of 
the  uvula,  divested  of  acute  inflammation,  it  has  been 
used  advantageously ;  as  well  as  in  every  state  of  the 
cynanche  tonsilaris.  It  is  also  preferable  to  white  vi- 
triol, or  acetated  cerusse,  in  the  ophthalmia  membrana- 
rum ;  from  two  to  five  grains  are  dissolved  in  an  ounce 
of  water,  for  this  purpose.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

The  Roman  alum  is  counterfeited  with  common  alum 


85 


A  31  A 


coloured  ;  but  break  it,  and  the  counterfeit  will  be  found 
pale  within,  while  the  truejs  of  a  deeper  red. 

Its  pharmaceutical  preparations  are  well  known.  The 
aqua  aluminosa  contains  a  drachm  of  the  salt  to  six 
ounces  of  water.  In  the  compound  alum  water,  as  much 
vitriolated  zinc  is  added  :  in  many  hospitals,  however, 
the  proportions  are  greatly  increased.  The  alum  curd 
consists  of  the  white  of  two  or  three  eggs  shaken  with  a 
little  alum,  recommended  for  chronic  inflammation  of 
the  eyes  ;  and  alum  whey  is  made  by  adding  two 
drachms  of  alum  to  a  pint  of  cow's  milk.  The  purifi- 
cation of  alum  by  chalk,  as  directed  by  the  London  Col- 
lege, seems  to  injure  its  virtues.  See  STYPTICUS  HEL- 
VETII  PULYIS. 

In  extemporaneous  prescription,  the  greatest  cau- 
tion is  requisite.  Almost  all  the  salts  destroy  the  union 
of  its  ingredients,  but  fortunately  selenite  is  not  of  that 
number;  so  that  hard  water  may  be  employed  in  its  so- 
lution. Yet  carbonat,  nitrat,  and  muriat  of  lime,  will 
decompose  it.  Mild  ammonia  and  magnesia  with  its 
various  neutrals,  and  all  sltlts  whose  bases  are  barytes, 
potash,  soda,  and  perhaps  strontian,  will  have  the  same 
effect.  It  is  decomposed  also  by  the  gallic  acid;  pro- 
bably by  tanin;  certainly  by  the  gummy  resin  kino; 
by  various  colouring  matters  ;  by  different  animal  and 
vegetable  substances.  A  similar  effect  is  produced  by 
eau  tie  luce,  by  the  different  mercurial  salts,  and  by 
the  sugar  of  lead. 

ALU'MEX  CA'TIXUM.     A  name  of  potash.     See  CLA- 

VELLATI    CINERES. 

ALU'MEX  GLACIALE.     When  transparent  like  ice. 

ALU'MEX  PLUMOSUM.?  c        . 
A      ,  >  See  ALUMEX. 

ALU  MEX    USTUM.  3 

ALUMINO'S^E,  Aq.  Waters  impregnated  with 
the  particles  of  alum.  What  gives  efficacy  to  these 
waters  is  said  to  be  an  acid  aluminous  mineral  salt,  dis- 
solving a  slight  mixture  of  iron,  and  united  with  other 
materials.  They  are  supposed  to  be  deobstruent,  and 
beneficial  to  hypochondriac  and  cachectic  patients  ;  and 
not  astringent,  as  the  idea  of  their  being  solely  impreg- 
nated with  alum  would  induce  us  to  conclude. 

ALU'XSEL.     A  DROP.     See  GUTTA. 

A'LUS. 

A 'LUS  GA'LLICA. 

AL'USAR.     See'MAxxA. 

ALYEA'RIUM,  (from  alveare,  a  bee-hive).  The 
bottom  of  the  concha  or  hollow  of  the  external  ear  ;  it 
terminates  in  the  meatus  auditorius.  It  is  in  this  cavi- 
ty where  the  ear-wax  is  principally  lodged. 

ALVEOL'ARIS  PROCE'SSUS.  So  called  from 
the  likeness  to  an  honey  comb.  See  MAXILLARIA  su- 

PERIORA    OSSA. 

ALYE'OLI,(adim.of  alveus,a  channel,)  called  also 
botrion,  or  bothrion  ;  frena,  mortariolum.  The  sock- 
ets in  the  jaws  in  which  the  teeth  are  set ;  they  are 
lined  with  a  very  sensible  membrane,  which  also  incloses 
the  roots  of  the  teeth.  There  are  usually  sixteen  of 
these  alveoli,  or  sockets,  in  each  jaw. 

A'LVEUS,  a  channel.  Medicinally,  it  is  applied  to 
many  tubes  or  canals  through  which  some  fluid  flows, 
particularly  to  ducts  which  convey  the  chyle  from  its 
receptacle  to  thesubclavian  vein. 

ALVIDU'CA,  (from  alvus,  the  belly,  and  duco,  to 
draw).  Medicines  which  purge.  See  PURGA.VTIA. 


c      f. 

See  LOXSOLIDA. 


A'LVl'FLU'XUS,  (from  alvus,  andj!uo,tcji< 
See  DURRHCEA. 

A'LVUS,  (from  alveus,  a  channel).  The  BELLY. 
Celsus  uses  this  word  for  the  belly,  relative  to  the  in- 
testinal discharge,  as  Hippocrates  and  others  use  the 
words  K«(Ai«,  or  *»<A<IT.  See  also  ABDOMEN. 

A  LYCE,  (from  «AV*>,  to  be  anxious).  See  ALYS- 
MOS. 

ALY'PIA,  ALYTIAS,  A'LYPUM,  (from  *  neg. 
and  >.v~r,  pain).  The  HERB  TERRIBLE.  It  is  also 
called  WHITE  TURBITH.  Fruttx  terribilu,  emfietrum, 
thymfl<ea,z.\\&globulariafrutico8a.  Globularia  alyfium 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  139.  Not  used  at  present  in  medi- 
cine. 

AL\  'SMOS,  A 'LYCE,  (from  «AV«,  to  be  uneasy,  01- 
•anxious).  ANXIETAS,  ANXIETY.  Hippocrates  uses 
it  to  express  that  restless  uneasiness  that  is  attendant  on 
acute  diseases.  Duretus  .distinguishes  between  the 

«Av{/«.»;  ec>cfure;  and    the    a&urfiaf    ixvTiar.f.      The    first   is 

caused  by  an  oppression  of  the  vital  powers  ;  the  latter 
by  sickness  in  the  stomach;  but  of  this  last  alysmct, 
called  also  diafiorema  and  afioria,  there  are  reckoned 
four  sorts. 

The  1st  and  2d  of  which  are  without,  the  3d  and 
4th  » ith  fever ;  and  occasioned,  1st,  By  something  un- 
easy in  the  stomach,  producing  an  irregular  contraction 
of  the  heart,  and  a  difficult  passage  of  the  blood  through 
the  lungs.  Uneasiness  of  the  stomach  by  sympathy, 
as  from  a  stone  in  the  kidneys,  Sec.  produces  this  dis- . 
order. 

2d,  By  vapours  or  spasms  in  the  stomach,  or 
other  viscera  ;  as  in  the  cholera  morbus,  hysteria. 

3d,  From  a  difficulty  in  the  passage  of  the  blood 
through  the  lungs,  which  may  be  from  a  spasmodic 
stricture  in  the  smaller  vessels,  in  which  case  the  blood 
is  confined  to  the  larger.  In  inflammatory  fevers,  this 
symptom  is  attended  with  a  low  pulse,  oppression  in  the 
breast,  and  difficult  breathing. 

4th,  From  a  stricture  of  the  vena  ports,  which  pre- 
vents a  free  circulation  of  the  blood  in  the  lower  beHy. 
In  this  case  there  is  great  weight  and  oppression  of  the 
hypochondria. 

ALYS'SUM,  M.VDWORT,  (from  *,for  ami,  and  >.vrrx, 
that  madness  which  the  mad  dog  occasions  by  his  bite'. 
It  is  the  marrubium  alysson  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  815,  and 
been  considered  as  a  diaphoretic. 

ALYS'SUM  GALEXI.     The  MARRUBIUM. 

ALYS'SUM  PLINII.     The  MOLLUGO. 

ALYs'sUy  VERTIC1LLATUM.  See  MARRUBIUM  VER- 
TICILLATl 

ALZE'MAFOR.     See  CINXABAHIS. 

ALZI'LAT.  The  name  of  a  weight  of  three 
grains. 

ALZO'FAR.  BURNT  COPPER.  See  .r.us  US- 
TUM. 

ALZUM,  ALDUM,  and  ALRUM.  The  name  of 
the  tree  that  produces  guin  bdellium  in  some  ancient 
authors. 

A'MA,  A'ME,  or  A'MES,  (Syriac).  A  sort  of 
small  cake.  Aretaeus  uses  this  word  to  compare  the 
quantity  of  hellebore  for  a  dose. 

AMA'LGAMA,  (from  KUJI,  simul,  and  y*««/»,  nn- 
bere,  vel  u.*^*rrni,  mollire}.  Its  chemical  character  fc 


A  MA 


86 


AMA 


A.  A.  A.     In  chemistry  it  is  a  soft  paste,  produced  by 
mixing  mercury  with  a  metal. 

All  metals  may  be  amalgamated  with  mercury,  ex- 
cept iron  ;  but  gold  amalgamates  the  most  readily  ; 
then  silver,  lead,  and  tin  in  order ;  copper  with  diffi- 
culty. 

With  amalgamated  gold,  silver  and  other  metals  are, 
•,;ilt ;  but  this  subject  does  not  belong  to  medicine. 

A'MALT.     The  abbreviation  for  amalthaum. 

AMAME'LIS,  (from  «.«.<«  and  ttyfcct,  an  aftfile).  The 
amamelis  of  Hippocrates  is  supposed  to  be  the  same 
with  the  epimelis  of  Dioscorides,  which  is  the  small  bas- 
tard medlar. 

There  is  another  medlar  in  Italy,  called  the  ejiimetis, 
also  setanium.  See  MESPILUS. 

AMANI'TA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  jtt«v<«,  madness). 
The  eatable  mushroom,  not  poisonous.  Their  tribe  is 
therefore  called  Aminita,  Fungi,  and  Tubera.  The 
fungous  productions  called  MUSHROOMS,  TRUFFLES, 
Sec. 

Among  the  ancients  these  are  noticed  only  by  Oriba- 
sius,  Paulus  jEgineta,  and  N.  Myrepsus. 

Among  the  moderns,  they  have  only  within  about 
fifty  years  claimed  particular  attention,  and  it  was  long 
doubted  whether  they  were  really  vegetables,  or  only 
the  nidus  of  numerous  animalcules.  It  is  needless,  on 
a  point  not  connected  with  medicine,  to  enlarge  by  ad- 
ducing the  history  of  opinions  on  this  subject.  M.  Bul- 
liard  has,  at  last,  proved  them  to  be  really  organised 
bodies  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  That  they  are  pro- 
pagated by  seed  is  highly  probable  ;  but  what  Bulliard 
seems  to  have  mistaken  for  the  seed,  Gsertaer  and  Mir- 
bel  have  shown,  with  some  success,  to  be  buds.  Par- 
mentier  joins  in  the  same  opinion.  What  has  been  de- 
scribed as  the  male  and  female  organs  are  consequently 
parts  whose  uses  have  not  yet  been  discovered.  Mush- 
rooms, however,  resemble  plants  in  this  respect,  that 
their  nutrition  is  derived  from  fluids  drawn  in  by  ves- 
sels ;  and  the  more  solid  kinds,  resembling  cork,  show 
the  annual  deposition  of  concentric  coats  :  in  those  still 
more  solid,  the  resemblance  to  plants  is  stronger  ; 
while,  in  the  transitory  productions  of  short  duration, 
the  fluids,  instead  of  being  conveyed  by  vessels,  seem 
to  pass  through  a  cellular  substance  by  capillary  attrac- 
tion. From  analysis  they  appear,  as  we  have  said,  of 
an  animal  nature  ;  and,  under  water,  give  out  hydroge- 
nous, azotic,  and  carbonic  acid  gas  ;  by  distillation,  am- 
monia. 

Parmentier  considers  mushrooms  only  as  condiments. 
He  thinks  them  incapable  of  being  assimilated,  and 
without  any  nutritious  particles.  In  this,  however,  he 
is  evidently  mistaken;  since  tanin precipitates  an  albu- 
minous substance  from  the  water  in  which  some  of  the 
species  have  been  infused.  A  few  only  of  the  mush- 
rooms are  eatable  :  some  are  insipid,  and  some  poison- 
ous. Of  the  eatable  ones,  however,  the  flavour  is  deli- 
cious ;  and,  as  it  is  volatile,  mushrooms  are  employed 
in  Piedmont  to  give  a  flavour  to  some  liquors.  The 
poison  of  the  injurious  kinds  is  of  a  sedative  nature,  re- 
sembling, as  we  shall  find,  in  its  effects,  hemlock. 
Some  authors  have  therefore  advised  substituting  a  si- 
milar flavour  from  other  vegetable  substances.  We 
know  that  an  Indian  bean,  a  species  of  dolichos,  will, 
in  a  great  degree,  supply  it  as  in  the  soy.  The  bottoms 


of  artichokes  resemble  it   very  nearly ;  and,  by  some 
management,  even  celery  is  not  very  unlike. 

The  only  sorts  in  general  use  are  the  MUSHROOM,  thf 
TRUFFLE,  and  the  MORILLE. 

The  true  mushrooms,  •  agaricus  camfiestris  Lin.  art- 
known  by  their  external  whiteness,  and  by  being  of  a 
pale  red  within  when  young,  and  of  a  deeper  red,  or 
dark,  when  older ;  they  are,  at  their  first  appearance,  of 
a  round  figure,  and  not  much  larger  than  a  small  rait; 
after  they  have  a  little  unfolded  their  membranes,  they 
appear  red,  full,  and  close  ;  on  the  top  is  a  disagreeable 
softness,  equal  and  white  ;  the  matter  within  is  very 
white,  with  short  and  thick  stalks.  They  grow  in  fer- 
tile ground,  and  should  be  gathered  for  eating  as  soon 
after  springing  up  as  possible,  for  they  then  contain  an 
oily  and  a  saline  part ;  and  if  they  stay  long  before  they 
are  gathered,  their  saltsbecome  more  active  and  hurtful. 

Another  species  of  agaric,  which  now  begins  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  luxurious,  is  the  a.  arcades  of  Bol- 
ton  ;  that  kind  which  produces  the  circular  appearances 
infields,  styled  fairy  rings.  Its  substance  is  tough,  and 
consequently  it  is  used  only  to  make  catchup,  or  in 
powder.  It  greatly  resembles  another  species,  the 
muceron  of  the  French,  employed  in  ragouts.  There 
are  several  other  species  of  agaric  used,  particularly  a 
large  one  found  in  Cornwall,  near  the  coast,*  but  we  need 
not  enlarge  further  on  the  subject. 

The  TRUFFLE  belongs  to  that  family  of  fungi  whose 
seeds  are  internal.  The  tubi  >•  cibarium  of  Bulliard  is, 
we  believe,  the  only  species  generally  eaten;  though 
the  musk,  the  white,  the  American  truffle,  and  some 
others,  specifically  distinct,  are  mentioned  among  deli- 
cacies. It  is  firm  and  fleshy,  and  its  surface  covered 
with  prismatic  tubercles  ;  when  at  its  full  growth 
blackish,  with  white  veins.  It  is  buried  about  four  or 
five  inches  deep  in  the  earth,  and  discovered  by  hogs, 
or  dogs  trained  for  the  purpose,  as  these  animals  are 
very  fond  of  this  fungus.  De  Bosch,  who  has  written 
at  some  length  on  the  truffles  of  Piedmont,  informs  us, 
that  numerous  tipulse  may  be  found  over  the  place 
where  truffles  abound ;  and  the  larvae  of  little  flies,  with 
red  eyes,  which  likewise  feed  on  truffles,  lead  to  the 
spot.  With  respect  to  truffles,  Bulliard  gives  up  his 
seminal  system,  and  calls  them  viviparous  ;  as  he  finds 
the  young  fungus  .attached  to  the  parent  by  a  cord  re- 
sembling the  umbilical.  As  a  food,  truffles  are  stimu- 
lant and  difficult  of  digestion.  M.  Bouillon  la  Grange 
has  engaged  at  great  length  in  their  analysis  ;  of  which 
we  find  an  abstract  in  some  late  volumes  of  the  Critical 
Review.  It  differs  little  from  the  chemical  analysis  of 
other  fungi;  but  we  may  remark,  that  truffles  contain 
magnesia  and  some  portion  of  albuminous  matter. 
From  the  truffle  the  most  odoriferous  and  pleasing  li- 
queur is  prepared. 

The  MORILLE  is  a  mushroom  whose  stalk  is  hollow, 
and  whose  head  is  irregularly  indented  and  wrinkled. 
It  belongs  to  the  family  whose  seeds  are  on  the  superior 
part  of  the  mushroom,  or,  more  strictly,  which  adhere 
to  the  surface  of  the  cavities  of  the  hat.  It  is  of  the 
genus  phallus,  and  two  sections  have  been  distinguish- 
ed ;  of  which  the  fi.  esculentus  and  imfiudicux  are  ex- 
amples. Ventenat,  however,  has  shewn  that  this  dis- 
tinction is  not  strictly  accurate,  (Mem.  de  1'Institut, 
vol.  i.).  Yet  on  the  whole,  in  a  general  review,  it  may 


A  M  A 

be  adopted.  The  morille,  in  its  early  slaves,  is  of  a 
greyish  brown,  but  becomes  afterwards  black.  In  the 
first  period  it  is  preferred  on  account  of  its  odour  and 
flavour ;  for  at  last  it  becomes  insipid.  It  should  be 
cut  off*,  not  torn  up,  because  the  water,  which  risi-s  in 
the  cellular  substance,  conveys  some  earth  with  it ; 
a!>d,  it"  collected  while  the  dew  is  on  the  ground,  it  soon 
becomes  mouldy.  _  When  strung  on  cord,  they  will 
keep  in  a  good  state  a  long  time,  but  should  be  mois- 
tened with  warm  water  before  they  are  used.  Some 
other  species  of  phallus  are  esculent ;  but  it  is  useless 
:ilargeon  them.  If  we  recollect  rightly,  13  species 
are  described  by  Yentenat  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Insti- 
tute, and  three  other  American  species  have  been  since 
added. 

To  various  causes  are  attributed  the  disagreeable 
effects  which  some  persons  experience  after  eating 
them.  The  deleterious  effects  of  these  vegetables  have 
been  attributed  to  little  worms,  to  their  being  too  old, 
too  long  kept,  &c.  We  cannot  deny  the  effect  of  the 
worms ;  but  as  they  are  seldom,  if  ever,  observed  in  the 
esculent  kind,  it  is  not  probable  that  any  injury  can 
arise  from  them.  The  other  causes  are  certainly  inad- 
missible ;  since  mushrooms  are  generally  eaten  at  every 
period  of  their  growth  with  impunity.  We  suspect  that- 
the  mischief  rather  arises  from  mistaking  the  species, 
which,  from  the  similarity  of  the  poisonous  to  the  es- 
culent kinds,  is  easy.  Bosch,  however,  informs  us,  that 
steeping  the  mushroom  in  water,  or,  what  is  prefer- 
able, vinegar,  for  a  short  time,  will  take  away  every 
probable  inconvenience.  The  poison  of  the  deleterious 
kinds,  which  differ  in  their  chemical  analysis  from  the 
others  only  in  being  more  watery,  is  not  of  a  volatile 
nature,  and  does  not  rise  in  distillation.  Mushrooms 
raised  from  seed  in  hot-beds  are  never,  we  believe,  poi- 
sonous. They  are  said  to  contain  a  larger  proportion 
of  oil;  but  they  are  less  sapid,  and  more  firm  in  their 
substance.  It  is  the  agaricus  esculentus,  or  camfiestris 
of  Linnseus,  the  amanita  esculenta  of  La  Marck,  that  sub- 
mits most  readily  to  this  artificial  mode  of  propagation. 
V\  hen  offended  by  eating  them,  some  of  the  follow- 
ing symptoms  are  produced ;  a  qualmishness  first  af- 
fects the  patient,  which  increases  to  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  sickness,  swelling  of  the  stomach  or  of  the  belly, 
restlessness,  giddiness,  a  palpitation  of  the  heart,  heart- 
burn, colic,  hiccough,  diarrhoea,  accompanied  with  a 
tenesmus,  flushing  heat  in  the  skin,  with  more  or  less 
of  redness  there,  and  swelling  in  the  face,  and  some- 
times a  sensation  all  over  the  body,  which  resembles 
what  is  felt  from  a  general  swelling;  the  patient  stares 
in  an  unusual  manner,  all  objects  appear  different  from 
what  they  did  before;  a  difficulty  of  breathing  comes 
on,  and  the  mind  is  strangely-  confused  ;  delirium, 
trembling,  watching,  fainting,  cold  sweats,  apoplexies, 
and  convulsions,  have  followed  the  eating  of  this  sort 
of  fungus. 

For  the  relief  of  persons  under  these  circumstances, 
as  speedily  as  possible,  from  gr.  x.  to  9  i.  of  white  vi- 
triol, dissolved  in  a  draught  of  warm  water,  should  be 
given;  and  if  the  sickness  is  still  urgent,  the  same 
quantity  repeated  two  or  three  times,  that  the  stomach 
he  well  emptied.  After  this  a  large  spoonful  of 
vinegar  in  a  glass  of  water  should  be  frequently  taken. 
The  poison  is  not  of  the  acrid  kind,  so  that  fat  broths 
and  oily  medicines  are  useless.  After  evacuations  up- 


S7  A  3t  A 

wards,  a  passage  downwards  by  purgatives  or  clysters 
must  be  procured.  After  due  evacuations  of  each  kind, 
and  besides  the  vinegar,  cyder  and  perry,  that  are  brisk 
and  sparkling,  may  be  now  and  then  given.  If  any  pa- 
ralytic symptoms  appear,  sinapisms  or  blisters  are  ne- 
cessary. 

AMA'RA.  (MAR'AR,  to  grow  bitter.  Heb.)  BIT- 
TERS. Bitterness  is  a  simple  perception  which  cannot 
be  defined,  but  must  be  referred  to  experience.  What 
is  the  nature  of  the  substances  possessed  of  it,  in  a  che- 
mical view,  we  cannot  determine,  and  consequently 
cannot  explain. 

The  bitter  is  so  often  united  with  the  astringent,  the 
tonic,  or  the  aromatic  principle,  that  it  has  not  been 
usual,  in  therapeutical  authors, to  distinguish  the  effects 
of  the  pure  bitter.  In  this  place,  it  must  be  considered 
as  unconnected  with  either;  and  examples  of  a  truly 
fiure  bitter  we  may  find  in  the  camomile  flowers,  the 
quassia,  the  gentian,  and  the  columba.  These,  it  is 
said,  are  tonic :  we  can  scarcely  think  so.  They  are 
antiseptic,  and  most  probably  antacid;  and  from  these 
qualities  they  correct  the  morbid  state  of  the  fluids  in 
the  stomach,  thus  giving  strength  by  destroying  the 
causes  of  weakness.  The  bile  of  animals  appears  to  be 
a  pure  bitter;  yet  it  is  probably  not  so,  since  it  occa- 
sions in  the  stomach  sickness  and  faintness. 

Dr.  Cullen  seems  to  suspect  that  bitters  are  narcotic  ; 
but  his  chief  argument  arises  from  their  effects  in  gout, 
when,  in  the  form  of  the  duke  of  Portland's  powder, 
they  have  been  long  continued.  Various  collateral  cir- 
cumstances have,  however,  convinced  us  that  bitters 
should  not  be  long  continued  without  some  intermission. 
Bitters  have  been  used  as  resolvents;  a  term  not 
strictly  defined,  but  intended  to  convey  the  idea  of  theh- 
resolving  obstructions  of  the  liver  or  other  viscera. 
When  joined  with  fixed  alkalis  or  neutral  salts,  they 
seem  to  have  this  effect ;  and,  in  this  union,  they  arc- 
also  febrifuge.  They  formed  the  mild  febrifuge  of 
Boerhaave,  who,  with  little  chemical  accuracy,  styled 
them  saponaceous-  In  this  form,  at  least,  pure  bitters 
are  not  injurious  .-to  the  robust  or  inflammatory  habits ; 
and  w«  suspect  that  without  the  union  of  the  salts  they 
would  not  be  hurtful  in  such  constitutions  ;  yet  they  arc 
seldom,  if  ever,  indicated  in  persons  of  this  description, 
and  the  disquisition  would  tend  to  no  useful  purpose. 
Bitters,  we  have  said,  are  stomachic;  they  are  also 
slightly  laxative  ;  but  we  have  never  found  them,  as 
some  authors  have  alleged,  diaphoretic. 

There  is  another  class  of  bitters  unconnected  with 
those  above  mentioned ;  viz.  the  narcotic.  Of  thi^ 
kind  we  have  examples  in  the  hop,  the  cocculus  Indi- 
cus,  the  lactuca  virosa,  opium,  perhaps  the  bitter  of  the 
myrrh,  and  of  the  Iceland  liverwort.  These  are  never 
employed,  except  in  very  small  doses,  for  the  purposes 
before  mentioned.  They  will  be  more  fully  considered 
under  their  proper  heads.  We  mention  "them  in  this 
place  merely  to  connect  the  subjects,  and  to  suggest  a 
suspicion  that  these  two  kinds  are  very  nearly  related ; 
to  enforce  also  a  due  attention  to  the  supposed  narco- 
tic power  of  common  bitters.  W7ith  this  perhaps  their 
anthelmintic  power  may  be  connected  ;  but  though  the 
greater  number  of  anthelmintics-  are  bitter,  yet  it  is  in 
a  very  slight  degret,  if  at  all,  a  property  of  bitters  in 
general.  An  additional  proof  of  the  connexion  of  the 
narcotic  with  other  bitters,  is  their  febrifuge  power. 


V  M  A 


88 


A  M  A 


See  GEXTIAXA. 


The  laba  St.  Ignalii,  a  bitter  of  the  narcotic  class,  is 
highly  celebrated  for  the  cure  of  intermittents ;  and  a 
considerable  febrifuge  power  seems  to  reside  in  the 
••,realer  number. 

Bitters  yield  their  virtues  both  to  watery  and  spiritu- 
ous menstrua :  they  yield  very  little  of  their  taste  by 
distillation,  either  to  water  or  spirit;  nay,  the  bitterness 
is  so  tenaciously  detained,  as  to  be  improved  in  many 
extracts.  Cold  water  extracts  the  pure  bitter  without 
any  mixture  of  unpleasant  roughness.  Even  the  cold 
infusion  of  the  cardilus  benedictus  is  pleasant. 

AMA'RA  DU'LCIS.     See  SOLANUM  LIGNOSUM. 
YMA'RA  INDICA.     Sec  MEMORDICA. 

AMA'RA,  Tinct.  ? 

\MA'RUM  SIMPLEX,  Infus-5 

AMARA'CUS,  (from  «,  non,  and  pttpxiva,  to  decay, 
because  it  keeps  its  virtues  a  long  time,)  SAMPSU- 
CHUS.  See  MAJORAXA  MAJORI  FOLIO. 

AMARA'NTHUS,  (from  the  same).  LUT^E'US. 
GOLDILOCKS.  See  ELICHRYSUM. 

AMARE'LLA,  (from  amara,  bitter).  See  POLYGALA. 
\  name  also  of  Gentian. 

AMA'RUS,  DU'LCIS  ORIENTA'LIS.     See  COSTUS. 

AMA'WUS  SAL.     See  CATHARTICUS  SAL. 

AMATO'RIA  FEBRIS,  (from  am*,  to  love).  Sec 
CHLOROSIS.  In  Vogel's  Nosology,  amatoria  is  defined 
to  be  a  fever  of  a  few  hours'  continuance,  beginning 
with  a  great  degree  of  coldness,  and  arising  from  ex- 
pectation of  marriage. 

AMATO'RIA  VEN'I'FI'CIA,  (from  amo,  and  vcnijicium, 
witchcraft").  See  PHILTROX. 

AMATO'RIUS.  The  obliijuus  superior,  or  troch- 
Icaris,  and  the  obliquvs  inferior  ocu/i,  are  thus  named, 
as  ogling  is  performed  by  these  muscles. 

AMATZQUI'TL,  (Indian)":  vel  UNEDO  PAPY- 
RACEA.  Arbutus  unedo  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  566. 

The  wood  is  of  a  light  texture,  the  leaves  resemble 
those  of  the  lemon  tree,  but  are  hairy  and  more  pointed  ; 
the  fruits  are  large  as  Politic  nuts,  divided  into  white 
grains  of  the  same  shape  and  nature  with  those  of  a  fig. 
It  is  met  with  in  warm  countries  only.  A  decoction  of 
the  bark  of  its  root  is  commended  in  fevers. 

AMAUROSIS,  (from  a/nxvpoa,  obscure').  It  is  a  DE- 
CAY or  LOSS  OF  SIGHT,  when  no  fault  is  observed  in  the 
eye,  except  that  the  pupil  is  somewhat  enlarged  and 
motionless.  This  disorder  is  styled  a  gutta  sercna  ; 
cataracta  nigra  ;  offuscatio;  aecitas  minor;  mydria&is. 
Some  call  it  AMBLYOP(EIA  ;  q.  v. 

M.  de  St.  Yves  distinguishes  this  disease  into  the  per- 
ject  and  imperfect  kinds.  The  perfect  consists  in  total 
blindness ;  in  the  imperfect,  there  is  at  least  a  power  of 
distinguishing  light  from  darkness.  There  is  a  species 
which  comes  on  instantaneously,  continues  for  some 
hours,  or  days,  returning  often  periodically  in  hysteria, 
&c.  In  another  species,  the  pupil  is  always  contracted, 
whether  the  unaffected  eye  is  open  Or  shut.  In  infants, 
the  pupil  is  sometimes,  though  seldom,  of  its  natural 
size,  but  no  movement  is  observed  in  it,  however  ex- 
posed to  the  light.  The  nyctyalops  is  supposed  to  be 
a  species  of  this  complaint. 

The  causes  are,  a  palsy  in  the  retina,  a  tumour,  or  a 
plethora  in  the  adjacent  vessels ;  a  translation  of  cither 
a  venereal  or  other  poison.  Suppressed  periodical 
evacuations,  vapours,  hysteric  and  other  nervous  symp- 
toms, sedative  poisons,  external  injuries,  or  'whatever 


intercepts  the  nervous  influence  in  the  eye,  may  pro- 
duce this  disease.  In  the  middle  of  the  optic  nerve 
runs  that  branch  of  the  carotid  artery  which  enters 
into  the  eye;  this  artery,  when  distended,  may  press 
the  nerve  ;  render  it  paralytic,  and  cause  the  periodical 
species. 

Dr.  Cullcn  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
locales  and  order  dysasthesia^  and  enumerates  the  spe- 
cies from  the  following  causes,  viz..  compression,  debi- 
lity and  its  causes,  spasm,  and  the  applications  or  the 
swallowing  of  poisons.  The  application  of  the  bela- 
donna  produces  this  disease. 

On  dissection,  the  optic  nerve  is  sometimes  found 
flaccid,  and  by  far  too  small ;  in  others  it  is  compressed 
by  extravasated  blood,  by  a  tumour,  or  by  a  turgescency 
of  the  artery  which  passes  through  it. 

The  phlegmatic,  cachectic,  aged,  those  with  weak 
nerves,  or  that  have  been  subjected  to  severities  or  ex- 
cesses, and  persons  labouring  under  irregular  or  sup- 
pressed periodical  discharges,  are  the  principal  subjects 
of  this  disorder. 

The  signs  that  indicate  the  presence  of  amaurosis 
are  generally  the  blackness  of  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  its 
size  being  larger  or  less  than  usual,  and  its  not  contract- 
ing nor  dilating  when  exposed  to  a  great  degree  of  light. 
Its  approach  is  generally  attended  with  pain  in  the  head  ; 
and  as  the  pain  decreases  this  disorder  increases,  though 
sometimes  an  absolute  blindness  comes  on  without  any 
previous  complaint.  When  it  comes  on  without  pain, 
and  one  eye  only  is  diseased,  no  defect  is  discovered 
until  the  sound  eye  is  closed  ;  then  the  pupil  of  the  dis- 
eased eye  dilates,  though  exposed  to  a  strong  light ;  and 
when  the  other  eye  is  opened  it  contracts  to  its  natural 
size  again.  When  it  gradually  comes  on  also,  little 
specks  appear  on  an  object,  or  small  flies  seem  to  float 
before  the  eye,  in  the  language  of  pathologists,  muscx 
•volitantes.  In  infants  the  pupil  is  sometimes  of  a  natu- 
ral size,  though  it  hath  no  movement;  and  thus  they 
continue  during  many  months,  before  they  can  see. 
When  pregnancy,  suppressed  periodical  discharges, 
nervous  disorders,  or  vapours,  are  the  cause,  a  head- 
ach,  vertigo,  drowsiness,  noise  in  the  ears,  &c.  often 
usher  in  this  disorder :  in  these  cases  it  frequently  re- 
turns, but  soon  spontaneously  passes  away. 

The  prognostics  are  generally  unfavourable :  if  this 
blindness  succeeds  a  fever,  comes  on  in  the  aged  or  very 
infirm,  a  cure  is  not  to  be  expected  ;  if  one  eye  fails,  the- 
other  soon  follows;  but  if  the  case  is  slight,  the  habit 
of  body  robust,  if  it  happens  after  the  measles  or  the 
s'mall-pox,  or  about  the  age  of  puberty,  it  is  sometimes 
cured. 

The  treatment  of  amaurosis  is  not  often  successful. 
It  is  easy  to  draw  indications  from  the  causes;  but  when 
it  proceeds  from  plethora,  sanguine  or  serous,  bleeding 
or  purgatives  have  equally  failed.  In  this  exquisitely 
tender  organ,  palsy  is  apparently  induced  before  the 
evacuations  can  relieve  the  oppression.  Of  internal 
remedies,  valerian,  castor,  and  the  whole  tribe  of  anti- 
spasmodics,have  been  most  successful ;  but  these  should 
probably  be  confined  to  cases  where  it  is  connected 
with  hysteria,  and  in  these  the  disease  often  sponta- 
neously disappears.  The  internal  use  of  mercury  has 
been  recommended,  but  we  have  never  found  it  effica- 
cious. Active  emetics  have  often  succeeded,  apparently 
from  the  general  shock  given  to  the  system:"  and  we 


8& 


A  MB 


know  not  from  what  cause  the  vitriolatcd  mercury 
(turbith  mineral)  seems  most  salutary.  If  the  resolution 
or  the  constitution  can  bear  these  severe  shocks  twice 
a  week,  amaurosis  may  frequently  be  removed.  Setons 
and  blisters  to  the  neck  do 'no  service ;  but  when  the 
blisters  have  been  applied  to  the  temples  they  seem  to 
have  been  occasionally  useful.  Sternutatories  have 
been  employed,  but,  in  our  hands,  with  little  success. 
The  best  is  the  turbith  mineral,  with  about  ten  times 
the  quantity  of  any  mild  powder.  Electrical  sparks 
drawn  from  the  eye  twice  a  day  have  proved  highly  be- 
neficial ;  and  the  Galvanic  influence,  if  rescued  from 
the  hands  of  quacks,  promises  considerable  relief. 

See  Heister's  Surgery,  Hoffman's  Med.  Rat.  Syst. 
St.  Yves  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Eyes.  Mead's  Cau- 
tions and  Precepts.  London  Med.  Journal,  ii.  10. 
Wallis's  Sauvages'  Nosology  of  the  Eyes,  p.  151,  Sec. 

AMAUROSIS  a  SY'XCHYSI.      ?  c       ,-, 
.  ,  ,,   ,  >  See  CALIGO  PUPILL.Z. 

AMAUROSIS  a  MY  osi.  ) 

AMAZO'XUM  PASTI'LLUS,  usually  given  to 
chlorolic  maids.  The  AMAZOXS'  TROCH.  These 
troches  were  formerly  prepared  of  the  seeds  of  smallage 
and  anise,  the  tops  of  worm-wood,  of  myrrh,  pepper, 
kc. 

A'MBA.     (Indian).     See  MA.VGA. 

AMBAI'BA.  (Indian).  It  is  a  tall  tree  growing 
in  Brasil,  with  but  few  branches  at  the  top  ;  the  trunk 
is  hollow  its  whole  length,  except  that  its  cavity  is  divid- 
ed by  a  transverse  membrane  at  every  two  or  three 
inches  distance,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  a  small  hole. 
The  root  is  very  hard,  even  so  as,  by  a  gentle  friction, 
to  afford  fire  enough  to  burn  cotton.  The  buds  afford 
a  juice  that  is  cooling,  if  mixed  with  gruel.  This  the 
Indians  call  tapioca.  See  Rail  Hist.  Plant.  It  is  the 
cecrcifiia  fidtata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1449.  A  tree  which  pro- 
duces a  milky  juice  similar  to  the  caoutchouc. 

A'MBALAM,  an  Indian  tree;  also  called  manga. 
It  resembles  very  nearly  the  cat-abolam.  The  root, 
used  as  a  pessary,  is  said  to  promote  the  menses  ;  the 
bark  and  the  juices  are  used  in  dysenteries ;  and  a  de- 
roction  of  the  wood  is  commended  in  gonorrhoea.  See 
Rail  Hist.  Plant.  It  is  the  mangifera  Indica  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  290,  the  tree  which  produces  the  mango. 

A'MBAR.     See  AMBHA. 

A'MBARUM.  (AEARA,  Arabic).  AMBERGRISE.  See 
AMBRA  CIXERACEA. 

AMBARVA'LLIS,  FLOS,  (from  the  Latin  word 
ambire~).  See  POLYGALA. 

\.\ji  i  (from  «,«.»>;,  a  LIP,  EDGE,  or  BORDER). 

An  instrument  used  in  dislocations  of  the  humerus, 
called  Hippocrates'  ambe,  from  his  having  noticed  it. 
Galen  explains  the  word  ambe  by  a.Qpyui'r.f  ix-aHts-rac-it, 
an  eminence  lite  a  border  ;  and  says,  that  the  whole  ma- 
chine takes  that  name  because  its  extremity  runs  out 
with  an  edge,  like  the  lip  or  brim  of  a  pot,  towards  the 
interior  cavity. 

When  the  head  of  the  humerus  rests  in  the  axilla, 
this  instrument  is  sometimes  of  service,  but  in  no  other 
case :  and  even  here  it  is  rarely  used;  for  when  gentle 
methods  fail,  violence  seldom  succeeds. 

A'MBEGU.     See  MYROBALAXI  EMBLICI. 

A'MBIA  MO'NARD.     A  yellow  liquid  petroleum, 

YOL.  f. 


smelling  like  tacamahaca.     It  flor 

near  the  Indian  Sea ;  and  is  used  for  the  cure  of  itch. 

AMBIDE'XTER.  AMPHIDEXIOS.  (From  «^.. 
both,  and  ^£|<«,  the  right  hand).  A  man  equally  active 
with  both  hands. 

AMBLO'SIS,  (from  «.*£>.»»,  to  cause  abortion^.  Sec 
ABORTUS. 

AMBLO'TICA,  (from  the  same).  Medicines  which 
occasion  abortion. 

AMBLYO  CMOS,  AMBLYOSMOS, (from *»', 
dull).     DIMNESS  OF  SIGHT. 

Hippocrates  observes,  that  dimness  of  sight  and  cor- 
ruscatioris  of  light  are  among  the  symptoms  of  an  ap- 
proaching haemorrhage,  in  continual  fevers  and  genuine 
tertians.  Galen  improperly  explains  this  word  by 
abortus. 

AMBLYO'PIA,  (from  *."£>.<.;,  dull,  and  «•£,  the  eye} . 
Visus  debilis.  This  is  a  debility  of  sight,  absolute  01 
relative,  without  any  apparent  opacity  of  the  cornea  o- 
interior  part  of  the  eye.  See  AMAUROSIS. 

Hippocrates  means  by  this  word,  in  his  Aph.  xxx: 
sect.  3.  the  dimness  of  sight  to  which  old  people  art- 
subject. 

Paulus  and  Actuarius  use  it  to  express  a  gut  fa  serena, 
and  the  latter  considers  it  as  arising  from  a  defect  of  the 
nervous  influence.  De  Meth.  Med.  lib.  ii.  cap.  7. 

The  ambtyofiia  comprehends,  1st,  Myoflia,  or  short- 
sightedness :  2dly,  Presbytia,  or  seeing-  only  at  agrear 
distance:  3dly  and  4thly,  Amblyofiia  tenebrarum  and 
luminit.  It  is  the  dysofiia  of  Cullen  ;  and  the  amblyoftia 
of  some  writers  is  the  amaurosis  of  Cullen.  The  re- 
medy for  this  complaint  is  not  easily  assigned.-  The. 
eyes  of  the  myopes  and  presbytae  are  said  to  be  defec- 
tive in  their  form,  either  too  convex  or  too  flat ;  so  tha. 
the  pencil  of  rays  terminates  before  or  beyond  the  re- 
tina, and  distinct  vision  is  of  course  impossible.  The 
latter  is  more  generally  true  than  the  former;  for  it 
must  be  obvious,  that  a  deeper  orbit,  and  consequently 
a  more  distant  retina,  or  a  stronger  refracting  power  of 
the  lens,  may  equally  produce  short-sightedness.  In 
either  case,  there  is  no  remedy  but  using-glasses,  about 
one  number  less  than  that  which  renders  the  vision 
perfectly  distinct,  or  using  the  eyes  to  examine  distant 
objects.  Age  however  alone  brings  relief,  and  this  at 
no  long  period  before  blindness  ensues  ;  yet  it  is  more 
common  for  short-sightedness  to  continue  to  extreme 
old  age,  than  for  the  short-sighted  to  be  blind. 

The  presbytae  can  scarcely,  in  any  instance,  procure 
strong  or  perfect  sight.  The  weakness  of  vision  may 
be  relieved  by  cold  bathing;  cold  applications  to  the 
eye;  frequent  ablutions  with  water,  to  which  about 
I -4th  or  1  -6th  of  good  brandy  has  been  added,  by  draw- 
ing sparks,  or  by  Galvanism.  The  amblyopia  tenebra- 
rum arises  from  imperfect  perception,  and  may  be  re- 
lieved, if  relieved,  by  the  same  means.  The  opposite 
complaint,  on  the  contrary,  the  seeing  only  by  night, 
arises  from  too  great  sensibility,  which  renders  com- 
mon light  excessive  in  its  powers ;  and  the  disease  is 
truly  "  tenebrse  per  tantum  lumen  obortae."  Age  may 
lessen  it,  but  medicines  will  have  little  effect.  -~  See 
Wallis's  Sauvages'  Nosology  of  the  Eyes,  p.  151,  Sec. 
AMBLYO'PIA,  HYDRO  PHTHA'LMICA,  i.  e.  CALIGO 
HUMORUM.  See  CALIGO.  It  sometimes  means  also 
AMAUROSIS. 

X 


AM 


AMB 


A'MBON,  (from  apvaiva,  to  ascend).  The  edge 
of  the  sockets  in  which  the  heads  of  the  large  bones 
are  lodged. 

A'MBRA.     See  SUCCINUM. 

A'MBRA  ARA'BIBUS.        ?  From  cineraceud,  the  colour 

A'MBRA  CINERA'CEA.      5       of  ashes. 

A'MBRA  GRI'SEA,  (from  gris,  grey).  Also  named 
succinum-griseum,succinum-cinereum,  ambarum,ambra 
arabibiiS)  and  in  English  AMBERGRISE. 

Much  of  it  is  met  with  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  on 
.the  African  coast;  pieces  of  a  considerable  weight 
have  been  found  in  the  northern  seas.  Sometimes  it 
is  seen  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  at  others  ad- 
hering to  rocks  ;  not  unfrequently  discovered  in  the 
stomachs  of  fish,  or  thrown  on  the  shore  ;  but  it  is  found 
most  plentifully  about  the  island  of  Madagascar  and  the 
Molucca  Islands :  yet  that  brought  to  England  comes 
from  the  Bahama  Islands,  and  from  Providence,  where 
it  is  found  on  the  coast.  According  to  an  account  in 
the 'Philosophical  Transactions,  No.  385,  and  387,  this 
drug  is  only  the  produce  of  the  male  spermaceti  whale  : 
it  is  there  said  to  consist  of  balls,  from  three  to  twelve 
inches  diameter,  lying  loose  in  a  large  oval  bag  three 
or  four  feet  deep  or  wide,  nearly  in  the  form  of  an  ox's 
bladder,  with  a  pipe  running  into  and  through  the  penis, 
four  or  five  feet  below  the  navel,  and  three  or  four  feet 
above  the  anus.  This  bag  is  almost  full  of  a  deep 
orange-coloured  liquor,  not  quite  so  thick  as  oil,  of  the 
same  scent  as  the  ambergrise  which  swims  in  it.  These 
balls  of  ambergrise  seem  to  be  in  laminae,  like  onions; 
and,  in  the  fluid,  pieces  of  the  laminae  are  found. 
There  are  two,  three,  Or  four  balls  in  a  bag.  Where 
one  whale  hath  these  balls,  three  or  four  have  only  the 
-  liquor  in  the  bag.  Whether  these  bags  are  peculiar  to 
the  male,  or  the  aged  fish,  has  not  been  determined. 
But  the  whole  account  is  probably  hypothetical.  Ac- 
curate observers  have  constantly  told  us  that  the  am- 
bergrise is  mixed  with  bones  of  cuttle-fish  and  other 
animal  debris.  It  cannot  then  have  been  formed  in  a 
bag,  from  whence  there  is  no  very  ample  excretory 
duct,  since  the  masses  found  are  of  a  large  size;  nor 
can  it  have  been  produced  in  a  bag  to  which  the  food 
has  not  access,  since  ambergrise  is  mixed  with  bones 
and  other  remains  of  the  aliment.  In  fact,  the  accounts 
above  referred  to  are  collected  from  the  observations  of 
whalemen,  who  seem  to  have  mistaken  either  the 
urinary  concretions  for  ambergrise,  or  some  secretory 
lollicle,  containing  a  substance  similar  to  musk  or  cas- 
lor.  It  is  certain  that  the  nature  of  the  concrete  was 
mistaken,  since  ambergrise  very  seldom  appears  to  be 
composed  of  concentric  coats.  Neumann,  Geoffrey, 
Cartheuser,  and  Macquer,  think  it  a  bitumen ;  but  a 
paper  was  some  years  since  presented  to  the  Royal  So- 
ciety, by  Dr.  Swediaur,  which  asserts  it  to  be  an  animal 
production,  and  the  indurated  faeces  of  the  spermaceti 
whale.  Messue  calls  it  the  spawn  of  the  whale-fish. 
This  opinion  also  is  not  very  probable.  It  is  not  a 
•feculent  substance,  for  it  neither  contains  ammonia 
nor  an  ammoniacal  salt;  and  we  are  informed  by 
Geoffroy,  that  it  is  sometimes  mixed  with  the  beaks  of 
birds,  with  honey-combs,  even  with  their  cells  filled 
with  honey  :  nor  is  it  a  natural  production  of  the  fish, 
since  the  whales  in  which  it  is  found  are  poor  and  sick- 
ly, and  do  not  evacuate  their  faeces  when  hooked.  It 


is  still  probable,  therefore,  that  it  is  not  an  animal  pro- 
duction. We  know  that  animals  of  very  different  kinds 
are  extremely  fond  of  it ;  and  not  only  the  cetaceous 
tribe,  but  fish,  crabs,  birds,  and  quadrupeds,  seek  it 
with  avidity.  It  is  not  however  digestible,  though  it  ap- 
parently contains  some  nutritious  particles,  and  is  void- 
ed with  little  change.  The  excrements  of  some  birds 
are  collected  with  peculiar  care  on  account  of  their 
fragrance,  owing  to  their  having  eaten  ambergrise.  If 
however  it  was  a  fossil,  we  should  probably  have  found 
it  in  its  fossil  state  :  a  single  instance  of  this  occurs  in 
the  volumes  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  among  the 
memoirs  of  foreign  philosophers,  but  it  has  been  con- 
tradicted ;  nor  is  the  opinion  of  Buffon,  adopted  by 
Sonnini,  that  it  consists  of  animal  substances,  aggluti- 
nated at  the  bottom  of  the  sea  by  a  liquid  bitumen, 
more  probable.  Dioscorides,  and  some  other  ancient 
naturalists,  thought  it  a  vegetable  substance,  and  Aublet 
considers  it  as  the  same  with  the  rezin  de  coumier; 
and  the  younger  Linnseus  as  the  production  of  the 
amyris  ambrosiaca  Lin.  PI.  Supplem.  216.  Sp.  PI.  ed. 
Wildenow,  335.  vol.  ii.  If  it  must  be  an  animal  sub- 
stance, it  is  probably  derived  from  the  food  of  the  whale. 
Many  of  the  molluscas  and  cuttle-fish,  on  which  whal'es 
feed,  have  the  smell  of  ambergrise,  particularly  the 
sefia  tuberculata  of  Montfort,  and  the  s.  rugosa  of 
Bosc.  The  human  excrementitious  iluids  often  smell 
of  ambergrise.  The  human  excrement,  in  some  of 
Homberg's  experiments,  was  made  to  exhale  this 
odour;  and  a  towel  employed  to  wash  the  hands,  if 
shut  up  closely,  is  not  very  distant  from  it  in  smell. 

Pure  ambergrise,  in  its  tenacity,  softness,  and  easily 
yielding,  resembles  wax  :  it  swims  in  rectified  spirit  of 
wine ;  grows  soft  in  a  very  gentle  heat ;  is  opake, 
rugged,  of  a  greyish  ash  colour,  mingled  with  yellow 
and  white  or  greenish  spots  ;  it  hath  no  particular  taste^ 
though  softish,  oily,  and  somewhat  aromatic  ;  it  adheres 
to  the  teeth  ;  when  bitten  affords  but  little  smell,  except 
it  is  heated,  and  then  it  is  very  fragrant;  set  on  fire,  its 
odour  is  like  that  of  burning  amber ;  with  a  small  de- 
gree of  heat  it  melts  into  an  oil,  without  froth,  and  in  a 
great  heat  it  is  volatile.  It  may  be  broken  into  scaly 
fragments,  but  cannot  easily  be  powdered. 

The  genuine  is  speckled  with  green  or  black  spots : 
the  less  it  is  variegated,  the  worse  :  the  worst  sorts  ap- 
proach to  a  deep  black.  Its  purity  is  ascertained  by 
penetrating  it  with  a  hot  needle,  when  its  peculiar  odour 
will  be  exhaled. 

It  is  soluble  in  boiling  spirit  of  wine  :  from  which,  if 
the  saturated  solution  be  set  in  a  very  cold  place,  a  part 
of  the  ambergrise  concretes  into  a  whitish  unctuous 
substance.  Distilled,  it  yields  an  aqueous  phlegm,  a 
brown  acidulous  spirit,  a  deep-coloured  oil,  a  thicker 
balsam,  and  sometimes  a  little  concrete  salt.  The  spirit, 
oil,  halsam,  and  salt,  are  similar  to  those  obtained  from 
amber,  except  that  the  oil  is  more  agreeable  to  the  smell. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine  takes  up  near  l-12th  of  its 
weight  of  ambergrise.  According  to  Neumann,  if  the 
spirit  is  impregnated  with  a  little  essential  oil,  the  am- 
bergrise will  dissolve  more  readily  in  it.  A  deeper  co- 
loured, but  not  stronger,  tincture  is  made  with  alcohol. 
Dulcified  acids  and  alkaline  spirits  have  no  effect  upon 
it ;  water  and  expressed  oils  have  as  little. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  agreeable  perfumes :  it  height- 


1MB 


si 


AMB 


ens  the  natural  odour  of  other  bodies;  but  the  great 
secret  to  this  end  is,  to  add  it  so  sparingly,  that  while  it 
improves  the  smell  of  that  to  which  it  is  added  its  own 
may  not  be  discovered.  It  has  been  given  as  a  cordial, 
aphrodisiac  and  antispasmodic,  but  is  neglected  by- 
modem  practice.  The  preparations  belong  to  the  trade 
of  the  perfumer.  The  usual  dose  was  from  twelve 
grains  to  a  scruple.  Hoffman  informs  us.  that  a  highly- 
rectified  spirifof  roses,  drawn  off  repeatedly  from  a 
fixed  alkali,  is  its  best-menstruum. 

A  counterfeit  as  well  as  adulterated  sort  is  too  often 
to  be  met  with  ;  the  first  generally  consists  of  musk, 
civet,  storax,  labdanum,  and  aloes  wood,  mixed  to- 
gether ;  the  latter  of  a  large  quantity  of  bullock's  blood, 
duly  flavoured  with  musk  and  civet.  See  Neumann's 
Chem.  Works,  and  Lewis's  Mat.  Medica. 

A*MBRAM.     See  SUCCIXUM. 

AMBRE'TTE.  The  French  nameof  ABELMOSCHUS, 
which  see. 

AMBRO'SIA,  (from  *,  /irh\  and  £»*>"«,  food ; 
superior  to  mortal  aliment).  The  name  of  a  sweet 
shrub,  anciently  used  for  making  garlands.  Ambrosia 
maritima  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1401. 

The  modern  ambrosia  is  the  botrys,  q.  v.  The  an- 
cients seem  to  have  given  this  name  to  various  plants, 
as  the  lily,  the  greater  house-leek,  &cc.  Gerrard.  In 
chemistry,  it  implies  a  highly  rectified  tincture  ;  and  it 
is  applied  as  a  title  of  peculiar  reverence  to  some  ancient 
antidotes. 

AMBULA'TIO,  (from  amffulo,  to  wait,}  WALKING. 
See  -EoRA. 

AMBULA'TIVA,  (from  the  same).     See  HERPES. 

\  MBULO,(from  «JK.?«AA«»,  to  cast  forth).  The  name 
of  a  disease  called  &\sofuriosus,Jlatulentu8,  Jlatus  fu- 
riosus.  It  is  a  distention  or  inflammation  attended  with 
pain,  and  variously  periodical.  See  D.  D.  Joh.  Michael. 
Prax.  Clin.  Special.  Cas.  19. 

AMBU'STA,  (from  amburo,  to  burn).  BURXS, 'or 
•SCALDS  ;  called  also  causis,  ambustio^  ambustura.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  this  case  as^i  variety  of  the  phlogosis 
erythema. 

A  burn  is  from  solid  substances;  a  scald  from  any  hot 
fluid,  or  solid  when  in  a  fluid  state.  Their  danger  is 
according  to  the  degree,  the  part  injured,  the  pecu- 
liarity of  the  constitution,  and  consequent  symptoms. 
Wounds  from  burns  are  more  liable  to  form  a  cicatrix 
than  from  other  causes. 

Burns  differ  in  degree  only.  The  slighter  kinds  re- 
semble inflammation ;  those  where  much  substance  is 
destroyed,  mortification. 

In  the  slighter  kinds,  medicines  that  neither  heat  nor 
cool  in  a  great  degree  are  to  be  preferred.  Cold  water 
may  be  used,  by  means  of  linen  rags  dipped  into  it,  and 
the  application  repeated  as  often  as  they  become  either 
dry  or  warm.  In  the  same  manner  brandy  and  rectified 
spirit  of  wine  may  be  applied,  repeating  the  dressings 
until  the  pain  abates,  and  then  the  camphorated  spirit 
of  wine  is  to  be  preferred. 

Vinous  and  volatile  spirits,  if  applied  before  the 
blisters  rise,  generally  prevent  them,  "&nd  always  mo- 
derate the  inflammation ;  but  if  the  injury  is  on  a 
membranous  or  tendinous  part,  it  is  best  to  mix  oil 
with  the  spirit,  otherwise  it  will  too  much  contract  it. 

To  the  same  purpose  as  the  above,  and  in  want  of 


them,  any  of  the  following  may  be  used  : — '1  i 
of  eggs  beat  thin;  vinegur,  in  a  quart  of  which  out- 
handful  of  common  salt  is  dissolved  ;  the  pickle  from 
olives  ;  the  brine  from  cabbage  :  oil  of  turpentine  ;  am 
cooling  oil  or  liniment;  vinegar;  lintseed  or  olive  oil : 
apples  or  potatoes  scraped,  and  applied  as  a  cataplasm. 
If  the  blisters  are  considerable  they  may  be  punctured 
and  dressed  with  any  cooling  ointment ;  and  if  diges- 
tion is  necessary,  a  proportion  of  ung.  resinae  flavae  be 
added.  Should  fever  follow,  the  appropriate  remedies 
must  be  employed. 

In  the  severer  kinds,  if  a  crust  is  formed,  the  cure  is 
effected  by  emollients  and  suppurants,  as  in  the  case  of 
gun-shot  wounds.  See  SCLOPETOPLAGA. 

If  the  accident  hath  happened  in  the  face,  or,  in  fe- 
males, in  the  neck,  whatever  can  tend  to  increase  the 
cicatrix  must  be  avoided :  emollients  folded  in  linen 
cloths  are  the  best  applications;  an  emollient  fomenta- 
tion, with  about  two  ounces  of  the  camphorated  spirit 
to  a  pint,  may  be  used  at  the  renewal  of  the  other  dress- 
ings, during  the  first  three  or  four  days,  or  until  the 
crust  is  separated ;  after  which  the  procedure  will  be  as 
in  8tny  common  wound. 

If  the  crust  remain  firm  above  three  days,  make  in- 
cisions through  it,  to  discharge  the  matter  underneath. 
To  prevent  a  cicatrix,  as  the  skin  forms,  let  it  be  often 
exposed  to  the  stream  of  hot  water,  and  apply  a  cerate 
of  wax  and  the  oil  of  eggs. 

Where  alh  is  destroyed  even  to  the  bone,  Heister 
says,  that  the  only  method  is  amputation ;  but  the  me- 
thods here  recommended  will  often  succeed,  and  save 
the  limb. 

A  violent  head-ach  in  one,  and  pain  in  the  limbs  of 
another  person,  were  removed  by  the  parts  affected 
being  accidentally  burnt,  and  that  only  slightly.  Hom- 
berg  thinks  that  burning  with  moxa,  and  with  caute- 
ries, cure  by  quickening  the  motion  of  the  humours, 
by  thinning  them,  and  by  destroying  the  ends  of  the 
vessels,  by  which  the  fluids  flow  less  that  way.  On 
the  whole  burns  can  only  be  judiciously  treated  by  con- 
sidering them  as  high  inflammations,  of  the  erythema- 
tous  kind,  and  the  treatment  must  accord,  by  evacuants 
if  necessary,  and  by  bark ;  attending  in  each  to  the 
material  benefit  arising  from  removing  pain  by  proper 
opiates,  without  which  but  little  advantage  will  be 
gained,  whatever  other  means  are  used.  For  BURXS, 
or  SCALDS,  the  following  preparations  are  esteemed  as 
highly  useful. 

LixiMExri'M  OLEOSUM— oily  liniment.  R.  Olei  oli- 
varum  f  i.  ss.  aquae  calcis  ^  iij.  This  5s_more  particularly 
adapted  to  burns,  especially  where  the  skin  is  scorched, 
or  destroyed,  from  its  softening  qualities :  repeated 
affusion  of,  or  continual  immersion  in,  cold  water, more 
conveniently  relieves  scalds. 

CREMOR  LITHAHGYRI  ACETATI.     See  PLUMBUM. 

LOTIO     L1THARGTRI     ACETATI     CAMPHORATI Catll/lflO- 

rated  lotion  of  acetated  litharge.  -R.  Sp.  camphorati 
3  ij.  aq.  lithargyri.  acetati  3  i-  gradatim  commisceantur 
et  paulatim  adde  aq.  distillatae  ft  i.  In  topical  inflam- 
mations, having  a  tendency  to  become  erysipelatous, 
this  possesses  much  efficacy. 

LOTIO     SPIRITUOSA — sfiirituous  lotion.   R.   Spt.   vini 
rectificat.  §  iv.  aq.  calcis  lb  ss.     This  acts  as  a  sedative, 
and  alleviates  the  pain  of  the  parts  inflamed. 
N  2 


A  M  E 


A  M  M 


Mr.  Cockburn  recommends  a  plan,  which  we  have 
found  very  successful.  The  part  burnt  is  to  be  bathed 
with  vinegar,  till  the  pain  is  no  longer  felt;  and  this  ap- 
plication is  not  contraindicated  by  even  a  loss  of  sub- 
stance. Afterwards,  a  common  poultice,  covered  with 
finely  powdered  chalk,  is  to  be  applied,  and  repeated  at 
first  every  four  hours,  and  after  a  day  or  two  every  six 
or  eight  hours.  In  a  few  days  the  cure  is  completed. 
The  effect  of  this  plan  is  the  coagulation  of  the  fluid  in 
the  blisters,  and  their  immediate  healing. 

Mr.  Kentish,  of  Newcastle,  recommends  the  use  of 
the  aqua  ammonite,  oil  of  turpentine,  or  alcohol,  as 
the  first  applications  ;  and  afterw  ards  a  dressing  of  the 
unguentum  resinae  flavse,  softened  with  oil  of  turpen- 
tine, with  a  cordial  diet  and  the  use  of  opiates,  from 
which  he  lias  been  very  successful  in  his  practice  in 
some  extremely  desperate  cases ;  and  in  cases  of  cos- 
tiveness  he  has  recourse  to  calomel  to  keep  the  body 
moderately  open. 

He  has  given  to  the  public  several  cases,  with  the 
modes  of  treatment  he  made  use  of;  and  as  they  must 
vary  according  to  particular  circumstances  occurring, 
and  differences  of  the  constitutions  in  individuate  to 
whom  such  accidents  have ,  happened,  we  refer  the 
reader  to  the  perusal  of  his  work,  as  the  nature  of  our 
publication  will  not  permit  us  to  descend  too  minutely 
unto  such  particulars  as  may  be  necessary  to  be  known 
by  the  practitioner. 

Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  357.  Pearson's  Elements  of  Sur- 
gery, parti.  159.  White's  Surgery,  24.  Kentish  on  Burns. 

AMBU'STIO,  AMBUSTION,  (from  amburo,  burning, 
or  scalding).  See  AMBUSTIO  and  CALCINATIO. 

AMBU'TUA.     (Indian).     See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

AME'A,  a  plant  used  on  the  coast  of  Africa  in  bleed- 
ings of  the  nose ;  its  powder  is  used  as  snuff. 

AMEND A'NUS.     See  ALNUS. 

AME'LI,  a  tree  growing  on  the  coast  of  Malabar, 
described  by  Reed  too  imperfectly  to  be  classed  in  sys- 
tems. A  decoction  of  its  leaves  is  useful  in  colics,  and 
its  roots  infused  in  oil  are  said  to  be  good  resolvents. 

AME'LPODI.     See  BELLUTTA  TSJAMPACAM. 

AME'NE.     See  GEMM.E  SAL. 

AMENORRHCE'A  ,(from  «,  neg.  fuiv,  mens,  and  ft  a, 

,fludj,      A  DEFECT  Or  WANT  OF  THE  MENSES,  Or  MONTHLY 

Ttux.     See  MENSES  DEFICIENTES. 

AMENE'NOS, (from  «,  negative, and  IMIOI;,  strength). 
WEAK,  FEEBLE.  In  this  sense  Hippocrates  often  uses 
this  word. 

AME'NTIA,  (from  tt;  privat.  and  mens,  the  mind). 
MADNESS,  IDIOTIC  INSANITY  ;  also  anoia,  fatuitas, 

obli-vio  j      FOOLISHNESS,        IDIOTISM,      &C.  Some      US6 

amnesia  as  a  synonime.  Dr.  Cullen  defines  it  to  be  the 
weakness  of  the  mind  in  judging,  from  either  not  per- 
ceiving or  not  remembering  the  relations  of  things. 
He  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class  neuroses, 
and  the  order  vesanix.  His  species  are,  1.  Amentia 
congenita,  NATURAL  STUPIDITY,  i.  e.  from  the  birth. 
2.  Amentia  senilis,  DOTAGE,  or  CHILDISHNESS,  from 
the  infirmities  of  age.  3.  Amentia  acquisita,  when 
from  accidental  injuries  a  person  becomes  stupid  or 
foolish.  In  the  last  of  these  only  can  we  afford  any 
relief;  and  this  species  arises  from  the  powers  of  the 
constitution  being  greatly  debilitated  by  preceding 
complaints,  where  the  nervous  system  has  been  long  and 
severely  affected,  and  the  mind  equally  debilitated :> 


cheerful  company,  gentle  exercise  in  a  pure  clear  air, 
a  generous  mode  of  living,  properly  regulated,  and  cor-' 
dial  medicines,  if  necessary,  bid  the  fairest   for  per- 
forming a  cure.     See  MANIA,   MOROSIS,   and  MELAN- 
CHOLIA. 

AMENTUM,  a  LOOP  or  BOND,  (from  «J«.JA«,  a  thong). 
It  is  also  a  name  for  SCISSILE  ALUM.  See  ALUMKN 
PLUMOSUM. 

AME'RI.     (Indian.)     See  INDICUM. 

AMERICA'NUM,  BALS.  See  PERUV.  BALSA- 
MUM. 

AMERICA.'NUM  TUBERO'SUM.  AMERICAN  POTATO, 
having  a  tuberous  root.  •  See  BATTATAS  CANA- 
DENSIS. 

AMETHY'STA  PHA'RMACA,  (from  «,  neg.  and 
ftiiv,  wine).  Medicines  which  either  prevent  or  re- 
move the  inebriating  effects  of  wine. 

AMIA'NTHUS,?  (from  *,  priv.  and  tux,**,  to  fiol- 

AMIA'NTUS,  5  lute,}  so  called  from  its  white  or 
silvery  gloss,  which  is  not  easily  defiled.  Also  called  • 
asbestus,  asbcstinum,  cinum  fossile,  asbestinum  -uruum, 
Indicum,  corfiasium,  caristum,  and  Cijfiricum  ;  alumen 
officinarum,  Sfiarta  fiolia,  salamandra,  EARTH  FLAX  and 
SALAMANDER'S  WOOL. 

It  is  a  magnesian  earth  composed  of  small  silvery 
filaments  ;  met  with  in  many  of  the  islands  of  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  and  in  Italy.  It  is  worked  either  into 
linen  or  paper,  both  which  resist  the  most  violent  flame, 
and  are  cleaned  by  calcining.  It  is  dug  up  also  in  the 
island  of  Anglesey,  and  in  Oxfordshire. 

AMI'CULUM..  A  covering  for  the  pubes.  It  is 
also  used  in  the  same  sense  as  the  wordAMNios. 

A'MIDUM.     See  AMYLUM. 

.     AMINjE'A.  A  gum  so  called  from  AwiN^A,a  place 
where  it  is  produced.     See  ANIME. 

AMIN^'UM  VINUM.  WINE  of  AMIN*A  ;  called 
afterwards  Falcrnum,  in  Italy,  It  is  a  strong  kind  of 
wine. 

AMIN^E'UM  ACETUM.  Vinegar  of  Aminaean  wine,  or 
any  very  strong  wine  vinegar. 

AMISA'DU.     See  AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

A'MMA,  (from  *•*!»>,  to  bind).    See  BRACHERIUM. 

AMMAN.  CHAR.  PLANT.  The  abbreviation  for 
Ammani,  Characteres  Plantarum. 

A'MMI,  (from  «,«./«,  an  urinal ;  because  it  provokes 
urine.  Sison  ammi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  363,)  or  A'MMI 
VE'RUM ;  called  also  AMMI  CRETICUM,  ammi  par- 
vum  foliis  foeniculi,  ammi  semine  tenuissimo  et 
odora.tissimo,cu!ninum  &thiof>icitm,feniculum  annuum 
origani  odore,  ROYAL  CUMMIN,  and  TRUE  BISHOP'S 
WEED.  AMMI  veterum  is  the  lagxcia  cuminoides  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  294. 

The  seeds  of  these  plants  only  are  used  in  medicine. 
The  common  sort  is  a  native  in  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe ;  and  the  seeds  of  this  species  are  larger,.paler, 
and  very  different  in  flavour,  as  well  as  in  medical 
power,  from  the  true,  which  is  a  native  of  Egypt ;  and 
the  seeds  are  of  a  reddish  brown  colour,  small,  and  flat 
on  one  side,  convex  and  furrowed  on*the  other.  We 
very  rarely  meet  with  them  ;  thfe  seeds  of  the  amomum, 
and  of  parsley,  being  often  sold  for  them. 

The  seeds  of  the  true  bishop  weed  are  an  agreeable 
carminative,  of  a  moderately  warm  taste,  resembling 
origanum  in  their  smell.  By  distillation  with  water, 
they  yield  much  oil  of  a  yellowish  colour,  and  contain- 


A  M  M 


A 


ing  their  whole  flavour ;  spirit  of  •• 
their  odour.     These  seetb   have  been  recommended 
as  emmenagogues  and  diuretics,  but  are  only  moderate- 
ly warm  stomachics. 
"  A'MMION.     See  CIXNABARIS. 

AMMOCHO'SIA,  (from  au.u«$,  sand,  and  #£*,  to 
j.rjiir).  A  remedy  for  drying  the  body,  by  covering  it 
with  hot  sand,  or  salt,  which  is  preferable. 

AMMO  -VIA  MURIA'TA.    See  AMMON^ACUS  SAL. 

AMMO'NIA  PHJEPARA'TAJ  oiiin  SAL  VOLA'TILIS  SALIS 
AMMOXIA'CT. 

AMMO'NIA  AQUA,  olim  SPS.  SALIS  AMMOXIACI. 

AMMO'MA  AQUA  PU'RJE,  olim  SPS.  VOLA'TILIS 
CAU'STICUS.  See  A'LCALI  VOLATILE.  There  are 
several  preparations  wherein  ammonia  is  considered  the 
principal  ingredient,  and  upon  which,  in  many  cases, 
practitioners  fix  their  chief  dependence. 

LIXIME'NTUM  AMMO'NI^;  volant?  liniment.— 
K.  Olei  olivar.  \  i.  ss.  aq.  ammon.  ^  ss.  m. — if  re- 
quired stronger,  loz.  of  ammonia  is  added  to  2  oz.  of 
the  oil.  This  is  an  excellent,  though  not  very  power- 
ful, application  in  rheumatic  affections  and  sore  throats. 

LIXIME'NTUM  AMMO'MJE  OPIA'TUM;  o/'.iated  liniment 
cf  ammonite.  R.  Aquae  ammon.  purse  ^  ij.  opii  puri- 
ficati,  5  i.  ss.  sp.  vini  tenuioris  tb  i.  digerantur  simil 
donee  opiudfctminino  solvatur. — In  rigid  and  painful 
swellings  of  the  joints,  this  is  considered  as  possessed 
of  much  efficacy. 

LINIME'XTUM  PETRO'LEI  BARBADE'XSIS  AMMOXI'ATUM, 
ammoniated  liniment  of  Barbadoes  tar.  R.  Petrolei 
Barbadensis  5  i.  ss.  aquae  ammonias  purae  |  ss.  m.  In 
diseases  of  the  hip,  and  other  joints,  this  remedy  is 
Strongly  recommended  by  Dr.  Kirkland. 

LINIME'XTUM  CA'MPHOR-E  AMMOXI'ATUM,  ammoniated 
liniment  of  camfihor.  R.  Aq.  ammon.  purae  ^  iij.  olei 
olivarum  ^i.  camphorae  3ij-  In  oleo  solvatur  cam- 
phora,  deinde  adjiciatur  gradatim .  aquae  ammoniae 
pura.  This  is  employed  by  some  practitioners  in  deep 
seated  inflammations,  or  to  parts  that  suppurate  imper- 
fectly, in  order  to  quicken  Uieir  action. 

LO'TIO  AMMO'NIJE  ACETA'T/E,  lotion  cf  acetated 
ammonia.  R.  Aquae  ammoniae  acetatae.  spt.  vini  rectifi- 
cati,  aq.  distiilat  al.  p.  ae.  m.  This  is  used  in  external 
inflammations,  and  applied  in  the  same  cases  as  the 
lotio  ammoniae  muriatae.  See  AMMOXIACUS  S\L. 

AMMOXI'ACI  EMPLA'STRUM  cum  HYD- 
RA'RGYRO,  olim  Emfilastrum.  Ex  AMMOXI'ACO  cum 
MERCURIO.  P.  L.  1788.  R.  Ammoniac!  colat.  p. 
}fc  i.  hydrargyri  purificati  p.  ^  iij.  olei  sulphurati  p.  51. 
vel  quod  satis  fit.  Rub  the  quicksilver  with  the  sul- 
phurated oil,  until  the  globules  disappear,  then  add 
gradually  the  ammoniacum  in  a  liquid  state,  and  mix. 
Five  ounces  of  this  plaster  contain  an  ounce  of  quick- 
silver; and  it  is  applied  to  indurated  glandular  tu- 
mours, in  order  to  disperse  or  bring  them  to  suppura- 
tion. 

AMMONTACUM.  GUM.  Called  also  armoniacum, 
but  improperly;  hammoniaci  lachryma,  assac,  azac: 
and  in  English,  GUM  AMMONIAC. 

It  is  a  concrete  gummi-resinous  juice,  produced  in 
the  East  Indies,  and  brought  in  masses  from  Ammonia, 
consisting  of  little  lumps,  which  inwardly  are  very 
white,  but  outwardly  yellowish  or  brownish;  its  whitest 
parts  become  yellow  on  being  exposed  to  the  air.  From 


v  hat  plant  it  is  obtained  we  know  not ;  but,  according 
to  Dioscorides,  it  is  from  a  shrub  called  ARGASYLLIS. 
It  has  been  supposed  with  great  .probability  to  be  an 
exudation  from  a  species  of  ferula;  another  species  of 
which  produces  asafetida.  It  hath  a  strong  smell, 
somewhat  like  that  of  galbanum,  but  not  so  disagree- 
able; a  nauseous  sweetish  taste  mixed  with  a  bitter- 
ness. • 

Such  pieces  as  are  white,  clear,  dry,  and  large,  should 
be  preferred  for  internal  use. 

Thrown  on  live  coals,  it  burns  away  in  flames ;  it  is 
soluble  both  in  water  and  vinegar  into  a  kind  of  milk ; 
but  the  resinous  part,  which  is  nearly  one  half  of  the 
whole,  subsides  on  standing:  spirit  of  wine  dissolves, 
near  one  half  of  it,  taking  up  all  its  active  parts. 

Dr.  Dedier  says,  that  lb  i.  of  this  gum,  afforded  by 
distillation  of  phlegm  3  vi.  volatile  spirit  5ij.  a  volatile 
fetid  oil  g  vi.  But  other  skilful  chemists  have  failed  to 
obtain  any  oil  from  it  by  this  process.  Water  is^  very 
slightly  impregnated  with  it  by  distillation. 

This  drug  has  been  esteemed  a  deobstruent,  and  an 
useful  medicine  in  hysteric  complaints ;  but  modern 
practice  confines  its  internal  use  to  its  expectorant 
powers  in  asthma,  and  difficult  breathing:  it  gently 
moves  the  belly,  and  externally  applied  with  squills,  i't 
has  been  recommended  for  resolving  indurated  tu- 
mours. See  „  AMMOXIACI  EMPLASTRUM  cum  HY- 

DRARGYRO. 

The  dose  may  be  from  gr.  x.  to  5  ss.  three  times  a 
day,  dissolved  in  water,  when  it  is  called  lac  ammoniaci  ; 
or  in  pills,  which  is  the  most  agreeable  form. 

It  is  adulterated  with  common  resin,  and  the  method 
of  purifying  it  is,  by  softening  it  in  a  bladder,  which  is 
immersed  hi  boiling  water;  and  straining  it  while  fluid  : 
but  for  inward  use,  the  best  is  the  largest  and  most  un- 
adulterated pieces. 

AMMONI'ACUS,  SAL;  AMMONIA  MURI- 
ATA ;  called  also  cyreniacus  sal,  AMMONIAC  SALT 
and  ARMOXIAC,  but  improperly ;  likewise  alem- 
zadar,  alemzadad,  adarige,  ayuila,  alfol,  alacab,  alaza- 
let,  alcob,  alfatide,  aliocab,  alisteles,  almisadar,  anota- 
e/fr,  hasacium,  musadi. 

Many  writers  speak  of  the  natural  and  artificial. 
The  natural  sbrt,  spoken  of  by  the  ancients,  accord- 
ing to  Dioscorides,  is  only  the  sal  gem,  and  is  reckoned 
by  them  among  the  alimentary  salts;  but  others  say- 
that  it  was  made  from  the  urine  of  camels,  and  was  de- 
posited in  the  sands  near  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Ammon. 
We  have  no  evidence  of  native  sal  ammoniac  of  this 
sort  being  found.  Tournefort  observes,  that  out  of  the 
simple  native  salts  other  compounded  salts  are  naturally 
produced,  viz.  the  essential  salts,  which  naturally  are 
concreted  from  the  juices  of  plants,  among  which  are 
native  ammoniacal  salts. 

The  artificial  is  the  only  sort  known  and  used  in  the 
shops.  It  is  a  neutral,  composed  of  a  volatile  alkaline 
salt  and  the  acid  of  sea-salt;  hence  the  term  ammonia 
muriata. 

Sal  ammoniac  is  brought  to  us  generally  in  round 
cakes,  convex  on  one  side,  and  concave  on  the  other, 
from  the  shape  of  the  vessels  into  which  they  are  sub- 
limed. When  these  cakes  are  broken,  the  salt  appears 
of  a  needled  texture,  or  composed  of  stria;,  running 
transversely  and  parallel  to  one  another :  the  internal 


A  M  M 


94 


A  MM 


A'CIDUM  MURIA'TI- 
CUM 

TINCT.  FE'RRI  MU- 
RIA'TI 


HYDRA'RGYRUS 
MURIATUS. 


part  is  generally  pure,  and  of  an  almost,  transparent 
whiteness ;  the  outside,  for  the  most  part,  is  foul,  and 
of  a  yellowish  green  or  black  hue. 

In  England,  this  salt  is  obtained  from  burnt  cows' 
dung ;  it  is  obtainable  from  every  species  of  soot  by 
sublimation  or  solution.  At  Newcastle,  it  is  made  from 
the  bittern,  which  remains  after  making  common  salt, 
and  old  urine  ;  from  one  hundrectopound  weight  of  the 
bitter  cathartic  salt,  and  three  hogsheads  of  urine,  fifty- 
six  pounds  of  sal  ammoniac  are  obtained.  In  Egypt  it  is 
made  from  the  burnt  dung  of  quadrupeds  that  feed 
exclusively  on  vegetables.  This  dung  is  collected 
only  in  the  first  four  months  in  the  year,  when  the 
cattle  feed  on  spring  grass,  which  is  a  sort  of  clover : 
at  other  seasons,  and  when  the  cattle  eat  other  sort  of 
food,  it  is  unfit  for  this  purpose.  As  to  the  camel,  its 
excrements  arc  not  preferable  to  those  of  any  other 
cattle  which  feed  on  grass,  nor  is  their  urine  ever  used. 
Mr.  Hasselquist  says,  that  the  salt-workers  in  Egypt 
pretend,  that  the  excrements  from  men,  goats,  and 
sheep,  are  preferable  to  all  others ;  and  he  further 
tells  us,  that  March  and  April  are  the  only  times  in 
which  they  make  this  salt.  See  the  account  in  his 
voyages. 

It  may  also  be  produced  from 

"Sal.  C.  C. 
Ammonia,  pp. 
Sal.fuliginis. 
Sp.      Ammon.      composi- 

tus. 
»with<  Sps.  Ammoniae  comp.  feti- 

clus. 

Liquor  C.  C. 
Aq.  Ammonia. 
^Ammonia  acetata. 

Consequently  the  tine,  ferri  muriati,  and  the  hydrar- 
gyrus  muriatus,  will  be  decomposed  by  either  of  the 
preparations  in  the  second  column. 

The  ammoniac  salt  is  soluble  in  water  and  in  spirit  of 
wine,  and  in  the  air  alone.  It  renders  water  extreme- 
ly cold  during  solution ;  and  when  dissolved  and  mixed 
with  a  vitriolic  acid  effervesces  violently,  producing  a 
sense  of  cold.  Its  crystals  resemble  feathers,  or  long 
shining  spicula. 

Mixed  with  a  fixed  alkaline  salt,  and  then  sublimed, 
it  affords  a  dry  volatile  salt ;  but  mixed  with  quick- 
lime, its  volatile  parts  are  only  to  be  obtained  in  a  liquid 
form.  When  unmixed,  it  may  be  sublimed  with  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  heat,  without  the  least  change  in  its 
nature  or  properties ;  but  if  the  fire  is  hastily  raised  dur- 
ing its  sublimation,  it  volatilises  many  kinds  of  bodies 
mixed  with  it. 

On  account  of  its  sea-salt,  it  turns  diluted  nitrous  acid 
into  aqua  regia,  but  does  not  curdle  milk,  nor  alter  the 
colour  of  an  infusion  of  roses. 

Rubbed  with  quick-lime,  or  with  a  fixed  alkaline 
salt,  it  emits  an  urinous  smell,  though  dry.  If  a  little 
hydrarg.  mur.  be  added  to  its  solution  in  lime  water,  the 
mixture  becomes  of  a  yellow  colour. 

In  soldering,  tinning,  and  casting  shot,  the  crude  salt 
is  much  used.  It  becomes  volatile  in  a  heat  somewhat 
greater  than  that  of  boiling  water. 

Boerhaave  says,  thatitpreserves  all  animal  substances 
from  putrefaction ;  that  its  brine  penetrates  deeply ; 


that  it  is  one  of  the  most  efficacious,  aperient,  attenuant, 
and  resolvent  medicines,  a  good  sternutatory,  diapho- 
retic, sudorific,  and  diuretic. 

When  used  externally  as  a  discutient,  or  detersive,  it 
is  mixed  with  some  proper  fomentation,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  3  vi.  or  §  i  to  ft  ij.  of  the  liquid. 

It  is  more  pungent  to  the  taste  than  common  salt, 
but  is  less  antiseptic;  it  is  a  more  powerful  sudorific, 
and  a  less  active  purgative.  In  large  doses,  as  Jij-  it- 
opens  the  belly,  and  in  yet  larger  it  proves  emetic ;  it 
is  a  good  febrifuge,  and  peculiarly  assistant  to  the  bark. 
In  many  instances,  where  the  bark  and  emetics  failed 
in  agues,  the  crude  salt  given  to  9  i.  every  four  hours, 
with  an  infusion  of  camomile  flowers,  for  some 
days,  then  every  six,  and  at  least  every  eight  hours, 
hath  succeeded :  it  is  used  both  as  an  antiseptic  and  a 
repellent  in  gargles ;  when  the  throat  is  inflamed, 
it  powerfully  dissolves  viscid  mucus  in  the  mouth  and 
fauces.  In  violent  hypochondriac  cases  it  hath  been  of 
singular  efficacy,  by  a  daily  use  of  it  in  doses  just  within 
what  are  required  to  render  the  bowels  lax,  or  perhaps 
in  such  as  produce  a  slight  looseness ;  after  taking  it  six, 
eight,  and  twelve  months,  the  cold  bath  hath  com- 
pleted the  cure.  From  5  i.  to  3  ij-  dissolved  in  g  viij.  of 
any  simple  water,  is  a  good  substitute  for  the  common 
saline  mixture,  and  may  be  given,  as  t<0quantity  and 
time,  in  the  same  manner.  Dr.  Cullen,  however,  doubts 
of  these  powers.  He  does  not  admit  of  its  attenuating 
or  dissolving  the  fluids;  but,  like  other  saline  matters, 
in  passing  by  the  excretories  it  may  be  suited  to  pro- 
mote their  discharge.  With  the  Peruvian  bark,  it  may 
be  of  some  use  as  a  diaphoretic  ;  but  he  doubts  that  in 
obviating  the  consequences  apprehended  from  the  use 
of  the  bark  it  can  be  of  any  service:  nor  does  he  allow 
that,  externally  applied,  it  has  the  power  of  discussing 
tumours,  otherwise  than  by  giving  a  moderate  stimu- 
lus to  the  vessels  on  the  surface  ;  not  by  entering  the 
pores,  and  by  that  means  attenuating  the  viscid  fluids. 
MateriaMedica,  vol.  ii. 

Truth,  as  usual,  perhaps  lies  between.  Like  other  neu- 
trals, it  seems  to  assist  the  febrifuge  power  of  the  bark, 
andprevent  the  latter  producing  the  stricture  on  the  sur- 
face, which  sometimes  occasions  great  inconvenience. 
Yet  we  have  not  been  aware  that  it  is  more  useful  than  any 
other  neutral.  It  does  not  act  as  a  laxative,  but  in  a  dose 
that  is  not  agreeable  to  the  stomach,  and  that  few  will 
persist  in.  As  a  gargle  and  a  discutient,  however,  it 
may  act;  we  have  found  it  highly  useful.  Mr.  Jus- 
tamond  strongly  recommends  the  following  in  the  cure 
of  the  milk  abscess.  R.  Ammoniae  muriatae  ^  i.  sps.  ro- 
ris  marini  Rj  i.  in.  Linen  rags  should  bed  ipped  into  this, 
and  kept  continually  moist  on  the  part  affected.  Am- 
moniae muriatae  5  ss.  aceti.  sps.  vinosi  rectificati,  aa  tbi. 
m.  is  also  an  useful  application. 

The  impurities  of  this  salt  will  not  dissolve  in  com- 
mon water;  and  the  purification  is  consequently  ef- 
fected by  the  solution  and  filtration.  The  very  last 
crystals  seldom  betray  any  mixture  of  any  other  salt. 

Preparations  of  this  drug  are  the  ammonia  prepared. 

FLOS  SA'LIS  AMMONI'ACI,  which  is  only  the  salt  sub- 
limed ;  and  hath  been  called  ayuila  albafihilosofihoruM, 
and  aquila  Ganymedis. 

AMMONI'ACI  VEGETABILIS,  Sal.    See  S.P. 
under  ALCALI. 


A  MO 


95 


AMP 


AMMO  XI.£  ACETA'TJS  LIXIME'NTUM 
AMMONIA. 

AMMOXITRUM^fromaw***,  «anrf,and  tiren,  ni- 
tre J.  In  our  glass-houses  called  FRIT.  See  FRITTA. 

AMMO'NII  COLLY'RIUM,  (from  *w««,  sand). 
A  collyrium  which  removes  sand  or  gravel  from  the 
eyes  ;  called  also  hygidion.  It  is  a  mere  farrago. 

AMXE'SIA,  or  AMNE'STIA,  *<O>;S-T«*,  (from  «, 
priv.  and  fi'irtf,  memoriaj.  FORGETFULNESS.  See 
AMEN»-IA. 

A  MXIOX,  or  A  MXIOS,  (from  ««.««,  a  lamb,  or 
'amb's  skin).  Martinus  thinks  it  hath  its  name  in  allu- 
»ion  to  ttfttiei,  a  vessel,  used  for  the  reception  of  blood 
insacrifice.  It  is  also  called  armatura,ag$ina  membrana, 
and  fiellicula,  charta  -uirginea,  g-alea,  indusium,  amicu- 
liim.  THE  INTERNAL  MEMBRANE  WHICH  SURROUNDS 
THE  FCETUS.  It  is  a  fine,  thin,  transparent  membrane, 
soft,  but  tough,  smooth  on  its  inside,  but  rough  on  the 
outer.  Dr.  Hunter  says,  that  it  runs  over  the  internal 
surface  of  the  placenta,  and  that  this  membrane,  which 
seems  not  vascular  in  the  human  subject,  makes  the  ex- 
ternal covering  of  the  navel  string,  to  which  it  is  most 
firmly  united  ;  and  that  viewed  in  a  microscope,  it  ap- 
pears to  have  blood  vessels,  but  they  are  lymphatics. 
It  is  found  in  all  animals,  both  viviparous  and  oviparous. 
The  fluid  contained  in  the  amnios  is  of  a  dilute  white 
colour,  transparent  by  filtration,  with  a  faint  smell :  it 
contains  an  albumen  similar  to  that  of  the  blood,  muri- 
ated  soda,  and  an  uncombined  alkali,  with  a  small  pro- 
portion of  animal  matter.  In  the  liquor  amnii  of  the 
cow  there  seems  to  be  a  peculiar  acid,  styled  the  amni- 
otic  acid.  Annales  de  Chimie,  xxiii.  269. 

AMOGA'BRIEL.     See  CINXABARIS. 

AMO'MI.     See  PIPER  JAMASCEXSE. 

AMO'MUM,  (from  HUMAN,  Arabic,  a  pigeon,) 
\vhose  foot  it  was  thought  to  resemble.  STONE  PARS- 
LET. 

Botanists  enumerate  three  species,  viz.  the  true,  the 
bastard,  and  as  a  third  sort,  the  tree  nightshade  is  in- 
cluded. 

The  amomum  verum  is  also  called  amomum  racemo- 
sum,  caro/ii,  elettari  firitnum,  Hort.  Malab.  TRUE 

AMOMUM,  Or  TRUE    STONE    PARSLEY. 

The  seed  is  the  only  part  that  is  considered  as  medi- 
cinal, but  it  is  not  known  whether  the  true  amomum  of 
the  ancients  exists  or  not  ;  the  most  probable  account 
is  that  of  P.  G.  Gamelli,  in  the  Philos.  Trans,  which  is, 
that  the  !ug:ts,  called  by  some  birao,  and  by  others 
carofii,  is  the  genuine  amomum  of  Dioscorides.  See 
Dr.  James's  Diet,  article  AMOMVM. 

Many  confound  the  amomum  with  great  cardamom. — 
It  is  a  native  of  China.  The  college  of  Edinburgh 
supply  the  place  of  the  amomum  verum  with  the  caryo- 
phylli  aromatici.  The  college  of  London  have  reject- 
ed it. 

The  amomum  ~culgare  is  the  sison  amomum  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  362,  also  called  sinon,  amomum  Germanicum,  si- 
•um  aromaticum,  BASTARD  STONE  PARSLEY. 

Its  seeds,  the  only  part  used  in  medicine,  are  ripe  in 
August;  have  a  light  agreeable  smell,  a  warm,  bitter- 
ish, aromatic  taste  ;  and  are  esteemed  as  carminative 
and  diuretic.  They  are  not  so  hot  and  pungent  as,  by 
the  best  accounts,  the  true  amomum  seeds  are,  nor  is 
their  flavour  of  the  same  kind. 

All  the-ir  virtue  rises  with  water  in  distillation  ;  but 


by  boiling  in  an  open  vessel,  it  is  soon  lost  in  the  airj 
they  yield  their  virtue  aUo  to  spirit  of  wine. 

The  third  sort  resembles  the  common  nightshade. 

See  Dale  and  Miller.  It  is  also  a  name  of  the  cassia 
caryo/ihutlata,  and  fiificr  Jamaicensis. 

AMO'MUM  CARDAMOMUM.     See  CARDAMOMUM. 

AMO'MUM  SCAPO  XUDO.     See  ZEDOARIA. 

AMO'MUM  GRANUM  PARADISI.  See  CARDAMOMUM 
MAJUS. 

AMOXGA'BRIEL,  or  AMOGA'BRIEL.  See  CIN- 
XABARIS. 

A  MOR,  LOVE,  (from  HAMAH,  Hebrew,  to  burn  ; 
or  AM,  a  mother  ;  because  love  is  the  natural  passion  of 
mothers  to  their  children).  Though  not  itself  a  dis- 
ease, it  produces  diseases. 

The  symptoms  produced  by  love  are  as  follow : 
the  eye-lids  often  twinkle,  the  eyes  are  hollow,  and  yet 
appear  as  if  full  with  pleasure ;  the  pulse  is  not  peculiar 
to  the  passion,  but  the  same  with  that  which  attends  so- 
licitude and  care  ;  when  the  object  of  this  affection  is 
thought  of,  particularly  if  the  idea  is  sudden,  the  spirits 
are  confused,  the  pulse  changes,  and  its  force  and  cele- 
rity are  very  variable :  in  some  instances  the  person  is  sad 
and  watchful ;  in  others,  not  conscious  of  his  state,  he 
pines  away,  is  slothful,  and  regardless  of  food  ;  though, 
the  wiser,  when  they  find  themselves  in  love,  seek 
pleasant  company  and  active  entertainments. 

As  the  force  of  love  prevails,  sighs  grow  deeper,  a  tre- 
mor affects  the  heart  and  pulse,  the  countenance  is  al- 
ternately pale  and  red,  the  voice  is  suppressed  in  the 
fauces,  the  eyes  grow  dim,  cold  sweats  break  out,  sleep 
absents  itself,  at  least  until  the  morning,  the  secretions 
become  disturbed,  and  a  loss  of  appetite,  a  hectic  fever, 
melancholy,  or  perhaps  madness,  if  not  death,  consti- 
tute the  sad  catastrophe. 

jEginet.  lib.  iii.  cap.  17.  Oribas.  Synop.  lib.  vii.  cap. 
9.  or  a  treatise  professedly  written  on  love,  as  it  is  a  dis- 
temper, by  James  Ferrard,  Oxford,  printed  164O. 

AMO'RIS  PO'MA;  also  called  lycofiersicon,  sola- 
num  fiomiferum,  mala  aurea  ;  LOVE  APPLE.  Solanum 
lycofiersicum,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  265.  It  is  a  species  of  so- 
lanum  about  the  size  of  a  cherry,  green  at  the  first, 
and  of  a  yellowish  red  colour ;  the  flowers  resemble 
those  of  nightshade  ;  the  fruit  is  fleshy  and  soft ;  it 
contains  many  flat  whitish  seeds  in  a  juicy  pulp.  The 
plant  flowers  in  July,  and  the  fruit  ripens  in  Sep- 
tember. 

Their  quality  is  cooling.  In  Italy  they  are  eaten 
with  oil  and  vinegar. 

See  Miller  Bot.  Off. 

AMORGE,  (-from  nutf?"'  to  flrtss  out).  See 
AMURCA. 

AMO'STEUS.     See  OSTEOCOLLA. 

AMO'TES.     See  BATTATAS  HISPANICA. 

AMPE'LIOX,    (from    u.p.Tet>w,    a     vine^.       Yixk 

LEAVES,     Or     THE     TENDRILS      OF      VINES.          HippOCratCS 

commends  them  for  making  pessaries  to  promote  the 
menses. 

AMPELI'TIS,  (from  the  same).  CANNEL  COAL. 
Named  also  terra  or  laftis  amfielites,fiharmacitii,  obsidi- 
anus  lafiis,  carbos. 

This  species  of  coal  is  a  bituminous  earth,  black  as 
jet,  and  so  hard  that  it  takes  a  .good  polish,  and  is  made 
into  boxes,  basins,  and  various  other  utensils.  It  con- 
tains much  sulphur  and  salt,  is  divided  into  sca.es  and 


AM1J 


A  M  P 


easily  powdered  ;  when  old,  that  is,  when  long  kept 
after  taking  it  out  of  the  mines,  it  falls  into  powder,  and 
then  yields  a  quantity  of  saltpetre. 

It  burns  more  bright  than  any  other  kind  of  coal : 
powdered  and  strewed  upon  vine  trees  it  destroys  the 
worms  that  injure  them,  hence  its  name :  it  is  rarely 
used  in  medicine,  but  is  commended  as  being  more  dry- 
ing than  terra  Samia,  or  than  many  of  the  earths  that 
have  been  employed  with  credit  in  medicine. 

AMPELOCA'RPUS,  (from  a.<m*i><;,  a  vine,  and 
»*f?r«5,  fruit,)  so  called,  because  its  seeds  resemble 
the  young  fruit  of  the  vine.  See  APARIXE. 

A'MPELOS.     See  BRYONIA. 

AMPHARI'STEROS,  (from  .*,«?«,  both,  and  *fte- 
71  ft;,  the  left  hand).  It  is  the  reverse  of  ambidexter,, 
'that  is,  not  having  a  proper  use  of  either  hand.  Figu- 
ratively it  signiflfrs  unlucky  or  unfortunate. 

AMPHEMERI'NOS,  AMPHEMERINA.  It  is 
the  continued  fever  of  Linnaeus  and  Vogel,  (from  *p#t, 
a  Greek  preposition,  signifying  a  re-volution,  and  tifiiftt, 
a  day,)  a  quotidian  intermittent.  See  QUOTIDIANA 
FEBRIS. 

It  is  by  some  considered  a  remittent  fever,  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  febris  quotidiana,  which  is  an  inter- 
mittent, and  is  defined  a  kind  of  remittent  fever,  whose 
paroxysms  return  every  day  of  a  similar  nature,  though 
it  is  rarely  observed  to  be  regular.  Sauvages  enume- 
rates no  less  than  twenty-four  species. — See  Sauvages, 
vol.  ii.  p.  322. 

AMPHIARTHRO'SIS,  (from  **<?>*>,  both,_  and  «/>- 
{pans,  an  articulation).  A  mixed  sort  of  articulation, 
partaking  of  the  diarthrosis  and  the  synarthrosis ;  it 
resembles  the  first  in  being  moTeable,  and  the  latter 
in  its  connection.  The  species  which  compose  it 
have  not  a  particular  cartilage  belonging  to  each  of 
them,  as  in  the  diarthrosis,  but  they  are  both  united 
to  a  common  cartilage,  which,  being  more  or  less 
pliable,  allows  them  certain  degrees  of  flexibility, 
though  they  cannot  slide  upon  each  other;  such  is 
the  connection  of  the  first  rib  with  the  sternum,  and  of 
the  bodies  of  the  vertebrae  with  each  other.  See  AR- 
TIOULATIO. 

AMPHI'BIUS,.  AMPHIBIOUS,  (from  ct/*.<pu,  and  /3/«s, 
life}.  Animals  are  thus  called  that  are  capable  of  living 
as  well  by  land,  or  in  the  air,  as  by  water. 

Though  it  is  not  our  design  to  "treat  of  subjects  which 
belong  to  natural  history,  yet,  respecting  this  class, 
there  are  various  facts  applicable  to  the  human  body  in 
u  sound  or  a  diseased  state.  The  term  is  confined  to 
animals  with  a  single  heart,  whose  respiration  is  in  a 
great  degree  voluntary.  There  is  probably  no  amphi- 
bious animal,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word  ;  for  no 
animal  has,  at  the  same  time,  lungs  and  gills.  The 
siren,  which  induced  Linnaeus  to  form  a  new  order 
from  this  circumstance,  is  probably  an  imperfect  ani- 
mal in  its  progressive  state.  That  lately  described  by 
Schreber,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  seems, 
from  the  arguments  adduced  in  the  Critical  Review,  to 
be  equally  so.  Frogs,  which  in  their  early  state  breathe 
by  gills,  lose  them  when  more  perfect;  and,  if  carefully 
watched,  they  may  be  found,  at  some  period,  in  posses- 
sion of  both  organs.  The  molluscse,  and  shell  fish, 
breathe  by  gills;  but  it  is  pretended  that  some  species 
can  breathe  air  as  well  as  water  by  those  organs.  If  so, 


these  are  truly  amphibious.  The  crustaceous  animals, 
particularly  the  crub,  can  apparently  breathe  both  air 
and  water;  but  this  power  is  limited  in  its  duration.  In 
short,  animals  arc  destined  to  live  wholly  on  land  or 
wholly  in  water.  The  real  amphibia  are  very  few,  and 
among  those  whose  habits  are  little  known.  Other  ani- 
mals differ  in  the  duration  of  the  period  when  they  can 
leave  the  element  most  congenial  to  them,  but  in  either 
it  is  short. 

The  lungs  of  the  amphibia  differ  in  their  structure 
from  those  of  more  perfect  animals ;  but  we  have  yet  to 
learn  how  they  are  better  adapted  to  a  longer  residence 
in  water  than  those  of  the  mammalia  and  aves.  The 
heart,  we  have  said,  is  single:  it  is  certainly  so  in  every 
physiological  view,  and  the  blood  is  not  necessarily  con- 
veyed through  the  lungs,  as  in  the  other  classes.  It 
either  attracts  oxygen  more  rapidly,  while  it  is  exposed 
to  air,  or  combines  more  difficultly  with  carbone.  As 
the  cartilaginous  fish  are  now  removed  to  the  pisces,  we 
find  only  two  orders  of  amphibia — those  with  feet,  and 
those  without;  the  reptiles  and  the  serpents. 

The  bones  of  the  amphibia  are  less  firm  than  those  of 
other  animals,  and  they  approach,  in  their  mode  of  re- 
producing lost  parts,  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The 
principle  of  life  is  not  confined  to  one  organ,  but  exists  in 
a  less  degree  in  different  parts,  as  in  the  buds  of  vegeta- 
bles. Thus  they  are  more  tenacious  of  life,  and  can 
endure  longer  abstinence  than  other  animals.  As  their 
eggs  are  not  so  much  exposed  to  shocks  or  the  action 
of  hard  bodies,  they  have  not,  in  general,  such  solid 
coverings  as  the  eggs  of  the  aves.  All  the  amphibia 
are  perhaps  oviparous :  those  which  appear  viviparous, 
arc  apparently  hatched  within  the  body,  and  excluded 
from  the  egg  and  the  mother  about  the  same  time. 

Dr.  Parsons  divides  the  amphibia  into  such  as  chiefly 
live  on  land,  and  dive  only  occasionally,  or  those  who 
rise  to  the  air  only  at  times  to  breathe.  The  former 
have,  in  many  instances,  the  foramen  ovale  closed.  It 
is  so  in  the  otter.  Men  used  from  the  earliest  period 
to  diving,  can  exist  a  long  time  under  water,  and  it  has 
been  supposed  that  the  foramen  ovale  is  open.  It  has, 
however,  never  been  found  so  ;  and  of  those  where  the 
blood  does  not  pass  through  the  lungs,  the  complexion 
is  of  a  blue  colour.  The  stories  of  the  Calabrian,  and 
the  young  Sicilian  named  f.nh  Colas,  have  been  appar- 
ently much  exaggerated. 

AMPHIBLESTROI'DES,  (from  a^SWr^v,  a  net, 
and  £/^«5,  forma).  The  RETINA,  or  NET-LIKE  COAT 
OF  THE  EYE;  also  the  same  as  RETIFOHMIS,  which 
see;  and  VERRICULARIS  TUNICA. 

AMPHIBRA'NCHIA,  (from  «/*pi,  about,  and  fy*y- 
%icc,  the  fauces).  The  fauces  or  parts  about  the  tonsils, 

AMPHICAU'STIS,  (from  tc/u.<pi,  about,  and  «t/crf«, 
a  ditch J.  A  sort  of  wild  barley;  so  called  because 
it  grows  about  ditches.  See  also  PUDENDUM  MULI- 
EBRE. 

AMPHI'DEON,  or  AMPHIDJE'UM,  (from  */*?,, 
on  both  sides,  and  frmw,  to  divide) .  The  mouth  of  the 
womb,  which  opens  both  ways.  See  Os  INTERNUM. 

AMPHIDE'XIOS.     See  AMBIDEXTER. 

AMPHIDIARTHRO'SIS,  (from  a/tupu,  both,  and 
Siaptfaa-ii;,  articulated).  So  Winslow  calls  the  articu- 
lation of  the  lower  jaw,  which  is  partly  by  a  ginglymus. 
and  partly  by  an  arthrodia. 


AM 


A  31 


AMPHIMERI'NA  HUXGARIC  A,  ;;:om  **$,, 
about,  and  itant,  a  day,)  called  also  morbus  Hungari- 
cus ;  cefihalbnoea ;  febris  Hungarica,  ranfrensis,  and 
carceris ;  languor  fianonicus :  is  said  to  be  a  kind  of 
tertian  remittent  fever.  Sauvages  calls  it  asthenia  fia- 
nonica,  and  doubts  whether  or  no  it  differs  from  tufthus. 
It  affects  chiefly  soldiers  in  camp;  and  is  sometimes 
epidemic,  gradually  destroying  the  functions  of  the  ma- 
chine, and  in  the  end  proving  fatal. 

AMPHIMERI'.VA  CATARRHA'LIS.  See  CATARRHA'LIS 
XE'BRIS  AMPHEMEIU'XA. 

AMPHIMF.RI'XA  TUSSICULO'SA.     See  CATA'RRHUS. 
AMPHIMERI'XA  AXGIXO'SA.     See   SCARLATI'XA  AXGI- 
XO'SA. 

AMPHIME'TRIOX,  (from  a«4>i,  about,  and  wp*, 
rhe  womb).  The  parts  about  the  womb. 

A'MPHIPLEX,  (from  *.«.$/,  about,  and  ir*.!*]*,  to- 
connect).  According  to  Rufus  Ephesius  it  is  the  part 
situated  betwixt  the  scrotum,  anus,  and  internal  part  of 
the  thighs. 

AMPHIPNEU'MA,  (from  *pf  <,  about,  or  around, 
t.nJ  ~iiv^ut,  breath).  See  DYSPX<EA. 

AMPHISB-E'XA,  (from  atup',  either  way,  and  /2*<- 
'a,  to  go).  Galen  says,  it  is  an  animal  with  two  heads. 
Actius  describes  it  as  a  venomous  serpent,  which 
moves  with  either  end  forward,  from  which  circum- 
stance it  hath  its  name ;  and  says,  the  bite  is  like  the 
sting  of  a  bee,  as  to  its  effects,  though  somewhat  more 
violent,  but  it  is  cured  in  the  same  manner.  The  ser- 
pent which  bears  this  name  in  modern  systems,  has  no 
resemblance  to  that  described  by  the  ancients,  and  is 
not  venomous. 

AMPHISMI'LA,  (from  <t<^£t,  on  each  side,  and 
ru.i>f.,  an  incision  knife).  A  dissecting  knife  with  an 
edge  on  each  side. 

AMPHl'TAXE,  (from  *u4»,  and  nttxtt,  extended). 
See  TIXCAL. 

AMPHODO'XTA.  (from  ««.?;,  on  both  tides,  and 
e<5«,  a  tooth).  By  this  word,  Hippocrates  expresseth 
animals  that  have  teeth  in  both  jaws. 

A'MPHORA.  A  Roman  measure  for  liquids,(from 
xufiffet-f,  by  a. syncope  «,«*oc-i?;  it  is  called  so  from 
the  two  handles  for  carriage;  ttu.au,  on  both  sides,  and 
(Set*  to  bear).  Its  contents  are  seven  gallons  and  one 
pint  English. 

AMPO'TIS,  (from  «»*s-<»«,  to  regurgitate).  The 
iiF.cxssor  EBB  OF  THE  TIDE.  Hippocrates  used  this 
word  to  express  the  recess  of  the  humours  from  the 
circumference  to  the  centre  of  the  body. 

AMPU'LLA,  (from  <t>a««AA«,  :o  ir.dl  out).  In 
.-  hc-niistry  all  bellied  vessels  are  called  amfiuUf,  as 

•HKADS,  .  nr  RECF.1VEHS,  CUCURBITS. 

AMPULLA  SCEXS,  (from  amp u: h 'a ).  The  alvus 
is  the  most  tumid  parts  of  Pecquet's  duct : 
;n  modern  language,  the  receptaculum  chyli. 

AMPUTA'TIO,  AMPUTATIOX,  (from  amfiuto,  to  cut 
'3")-  It  is  the  cutting  off  a.  limb.  £ctome,  excisio, 
•;.nd  •  .  are  used  in  the  same  sense.  £xcisio 

-iiiay  indeed  be  applied  to  the  operation  where  one  part 
is  cut  out  of  another,  as  some  encysted  tumours. 

Hippocrates  says,  when  speaking  of  a  mortification, 
:hat  what  is  putrified  must  be  cut  off,  but  does  not  men- 
tion the  taking  off  limbs.  Celsus  is  the  first  who  cle- 
-..cribes  this  operation.  Till  the  sixteenth  century,  we 
have  no  account  of  any  method  to  prevent  the  hserncrr- 


hagt  appeus  in  this  sort  of  operation,  exct  i>- 

Celsus's,  of  making  a  ligature  about  the  vessels.  Pare 
tells  us,  that,  previous  to  making  this  incision,  a  liga- 
ture, with  a  thin  fillet,  must  be  made  above  where  the 
amputation  is  to  be  performed,  which,  he  says,  first. 
keeps  up  the  skin  and  muscles  in  a  raised  posture;  se- 
condly, prevents  an  haemorrhage;  and,  thirdly,  lessens 
the  sense  of  feeling.  He  is  the  first  who  clearly  speaks 
of  preventing  the  haemorrhage,  when  these  operations 
are  performed.  In  1674,  Mr.  Morel,  a  French  sur- 
geon, introduced  the  tourniquet,  as  it  is  now  used  :  but 
the  first  mention  of  this  instrument  is  in  the  Currus 
Triumphalis  e  Terebintho,  published  in  London  by  an 
English  surgeon  in  1679.  About  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Messrs.  Verduin  and  Sabourin,  one  a 
Dutchman,  the  other  of  Geneva,  left  a  label  of  the 
flesh  and  skin  to  wrap  over  the  stump,  and  called  it 
'  1 'operation  de  1'amputation  a  lambeau  ;'  but  they  proba- 
bly learnt  it  from  an  Englishman,  who  published  this 
practice  in  1679  ;  see  CURRUS  TRIUMPHALIS  E  TEREBIX- 
THO.  Paulus  ^Egineta  used  the  actual  cautery;  but 
Ambrose  Pare  secured  the  vessels  by  drawing  them  a 
little  out  with  the  forceps,  then  making  a  ligature  round 
them,  as  is  often  mentioned  by  Celsus,  though  neglect- 
ed by  so  many  of  his  successors.  In  the  present 
(eighteenth)  century,  improvements  are  both  many  and 
important  in  this  branch  of  surgery  ;  the  erooked  needle, 
and  most  other  parts  of  the  apparatus,  being  now  in- 
troduced or  improved. 

CASES  REQUIRING  THE  LlMB  TO  BE  TAKEN  OFF. 

Mr.  Bilguer,  an  eminent  practitioner  in  the  armies 
of  the  king  of  Prussia,  during  his  late  wars,  reduces 
them  to  six,  as  follow  : 

1 .  A  mortification,  which  spreads  until  it  reaches  the 
bone. 

2.  A  limb  so  hurt,  that  a  mortification  is  highly  pro- 
bable. 

3.  A    violent   contusion  of  the   flesh,  which   at  the 
same  time  hath  shattered  the  bones. 

4.  Wounds  of  the  larger  blood  vessels  of  the  limb, 
when  recourse  is  had  to  amputation,  as  the  only  method 
of  stopping  the  haemorrhage;  or  through  an  apprehen- 
sion that  the  limbs  should  perish  for  want  of  nourish- 
ment. 

5.  An  incurable  caries  of  the  bones. 

6.  A   cancer   or   humour  in    danger  of  becoming 
such. 

Perhaps  Mr.  Bilguer  may  have  restrained  this  opera- 
tion rather  too  much  ;  but  his  ingenuity  renders  his  in- 
structions deserving  of  attention. 

In  cases  from  mortification,  Mr.  Sharpe  hath  we!) 
established  the  propriety  of  waiting  until  it  ceases,  and 
granulations  of  new  flesh  show  a  better  state  of  the  con- 
stitution. He  observes  that  gun-shot  wounds  are  best, 
if  the  necessary  amputation  is  immediately  performed: 
and  that  the  disorders  of  the  joints,  ulcers  of  long  stand- 
ing, and  all  scrofulous  tumours,  generally  return  o:. 
other  parts  after  amputation. 

Mr.  Pott  observes,  that  in  the  instances  generally  de- 
manding amputation,  if  the  rule  is  adhered  to,  a  limb 
will  now  and  then  be  taken  off  that  possibly  might 
have  been  restored ;  but  the  number  is  so  small,  in 
proportion  to  those  who,  under  the  same  apparent  cir- 
tumstances.  would  end  fatally,  that  it  can  make  no 

O 


AMP 


98 


AMP 


difference  in  the  general  treatment.  Selection  of  one 
case  from  another  is  what  constitutes  judgment  in  sur- 
gery ;  and  happy  is  the  man  who,  amidst  the  following 
demands  for  amputation,  singles  out  the  circumstances 
in  which  he  will  succeed,  and  save  the  threatened  part. 
In  general,  then,  amputation  is  necessary — 

1.  In  some  compound  fractures.     See  FRACTURA. 

2.  A  wound  in  the  principal  artery  of  a  limb;  in 
some  aneurisms ;  a  large  wound  with  loss  of  substance, 
from  arteries  not  contained  within   the  cavity  of  the 
body,  as  those  of  the  thigh,   leg,  or  arm.     It  is  true, 
every  instance  of  a  wounded  humeral  or  crural  artery 
does  not  demand  this  operation ;  but  if  the  wound  is 
such,  that  the  collateral  branches  in  their  neighbourhood 
are  prevented  from  carrying  on  the  circulation,  a  speedy 
amputation  will  be  necessary.     See  ARTERIA  ;  FEMO- 

RALIS  ARTERIA  ;  PoPLITEA  ARTERIA  ;  TlBIALIS  ARTERIA  J 
HUMERALIS  ARTERIA,  &C. 

3.  When  joints   are  \vounded,  violently   injured,  or 
otherwise  diseased.     When  the  heads  of  bones  are  dis- 
eased, or  their  ligaments   lacerated,   in  most  instances 
amputation  is  necessary.     See  VULNUS,  SCLOPETOPLA- 
GA,  SPINA  VENTOSA,  &c. 

4.  A  caries  of  the  whole  substance  of  a  bone,  or  of 
the  bones  which  compose  a  limb.     See  CARIES. 

5.  Some  mortifications.     See  MORTIFICATIO. 

6.  Many  instances  of  gun-shot  wounds.     See  SCLO- 

PETOPLAGA. 

7.  Cancers.     See  CANCER.     Extensive  foul  ulcers, 
and  some  deep-seated  encysted  tumours. 

8.  Swellings  of  the  bones  or  deformed  limbs. 

9.  A  disease  resembling  the  oedema  described  by 
Jiichter. 

Large  bones  should  not  be  amputated  in  the  joint,  on 
account  of  the  extreme  thinness  of  the  flesh  in  those 
parts,  which  cannot  easily  be  brought  to  cover  the 
bone,  whence  many  inconveniences  may  arise;  but  if 
•..here  is  a  probability  of  succeeding  in  this  respect,  the 
objection  vanishes. 

If  amputation  is  determined  on,  the  following  should 
Vic  in  readiness : 

1.  A  tourniquet. 

2.  A   smooth  fillet,  an  inch  broad,  and  half  an  ell 
long. 

:>.  The  amputating  knife. 
4.  A  catlin. 

.'>.  Saws  of  different  sizes,  particularly  a  small  one 
made  of  a  watch  spring  for  splinters. 

6.  A   forceps— a   small  pair  of  scissors   with  long 
handles. 

7.  Crooked  needles,  armed  with  wax  thread. 

8.  Lint  and  tow, made  into  compresses  ready  for  use; 
iapes  and  adhesive  plaster  in  slips. 

Calomel  mixed  with  starch,  and  strewed  on  a  pledget 
of  lint,  is  perhaps  the  best  application  ^o  the  stump  of 
:tn  amputated  limb. 

9.  A  retractor. 

10.  A  roller  of  five  ells  in  length;  the  many-tailed 
bandage,  or  a  woollen  cap. 

11.  Pledgets  of  sponge. 

12.  Cordials  to  raise  the  patient's  spirits,  and  proper 
attendants. 

Previous  to  amputation,  a  large  dose  of  the  tincture 
of  opium  is  sometimes  given  to  lessen  pain ;  and  we 
have  sometimes  ordered,  with  advantage,  the  tourniquet 


to  be  placed  and  screwed  moderately  tight  for  an  hour 
previous  to  the  operation. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  ARM. 

In  most  amputations,  the  operation  should  be  a 
finger's  breadth,  or  more,  above  the  sphacelated,  or 
otherwise  injured  part. 

Apply  the  tourniquet  so,  as  that  it  may  press  upon 
the  chief  artery  of  the  limb  to  be  taken  off.  When  the 
arm  is  the  part  to  be  amputated,  some  recommend  a 
pressure  on  the  artery  as  it  passes  over  the  first  rib. 

Then  let  an  assistant  draw  the  skin  back,  while  the 
operator  binds  the  fillet  round  where  the  incision  is  to 
be  made.  This  fillet  both  guides  the  knife,  and  keeps 
the  flesh  tight,  so  that  it  more  easily  yields  to  the  knife  ; 
or  more  exactly  to  make  the  circular  incision,  a  slip  or 
two  of  plaster  may  be  preferred  to  the  fillet  for  direct- 
ing the  knife ;  two  slips  may  be  laid,  the  one  upon  the 
other;  and  if  another  slip  is  placed  about  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  higher,  its  effect  will  greatly  assist  those  of 
the  lower. — On  the  exact  cutting  the  skin,  muscles,  See. 
the  speedy  cure  of  the  stump  very  much  depends. 

Having  proceeded  thus  far,  give  the  patient  a  cordial, 
and  cheer  him. 

Two  assistants  holding  the  limb  in  a  straight  line,  an 
incision  must  be  made  quite  round  through  the  skin 
and  fat  to  the  flesh ;  then  take  away  the  fillet  or  slips  of 
plaster ;  and  the  assistant,  who  holds  the  upper  part  of 
the  limb,  must  draw  the  skin  as  far  back  as  he  can ; 
after  which,  as  near  the  edge  of  the  retracted  skin  as 
'possible  the  flesh  must  be  divided,  at  twice,  to  the 
bone ;  and  if  there  are  two  bones,  divide  the  flesh  be- 
tween them  with  the  point  of  the  same  knife.  That 
the  bone  may  be  sawed  off  as  near  to  die  edge  as  pos- 
sible, it  is  necessary  to  cut  the  skin,  8cc.  to  the  mus- 
cles first,  that  you  may  draw  it  back,  and  cut  the  flesh 
as  far  under  the  skin  as  possible,  in  order  to  having  the 
skin  to  reach  over  the  flesh  and  the  bone  of  the  stump 
as  soon  as  it  is  dressed.  To  assist  this  intention  of 
bringing  the  skin  over  the  end  of  the  stump,  the  retrac- 
tor is  contrived,  which  must  be  put  on  after  the  incision 
is  made  through  the  muscles,  to  draw  them  up,  as 
forcibly  as  the  patient  can  easily  bear :  thus  the  bone 
can  be  sawed  off'  more  closely  to  the  edge  of  the  flesh, 
and  with  less  danger  of  tearing  it  with  the  teeth  of  the 
saw.  When  there  are  two  bones,  as  in  the  fore-arm, 
after  having  cut  through  the  muscles,  and  divided  the 
interosseous  ligament,  some  recommend,  instead  of  the 
retractor,  to  pass  a  compress  between  the  bones,  and 
therewith  to  drawback  the  divided  parts,  until  the  bones 
are  sawed  through. 

When  there  are  two  bones,  apply  the  saw  in  such  a 
manner  that  both  may  drop  together,  to  prevent  making 
splinters,  and  also  to  avoid  the  painful  jar  which  the  pa- 
tient feels  when  this  is  neglected.  While  the  saw  is 
working,  the  assistant  who  holds  the  lower  part  of  the 
limb  should  gently  depress  it,  that  the  saw  may  havi- 
room  to  pass  ;  and  the  operator  should  make  his  strokes 
with  it  as  long  as  possible. 

If,  after  amputation,  the  larger  arteries  are  not  easily 
seen,  the  tourniquet  may  be  slackened,  and  by  the  dis- 
charge of  blood  they  will  be  discovered  ;  then  with  the 
curved  needles  secure  them,  as  directed  in  wounds  of 
the  arteries.  When  the  tcnaculum  can  be  used  f<r- 


AMP 


99 


AMP 


drawing  out  the  artery,  it  will  always  be  the  best  me- 
thod ;  and,  having  so  done,  tie  -the  end  of  the  artery 
with  a  narrow  flat  tape.  If  an  ossified  artery  is  cut 
through,  a  cautery,  either  actual  or  potential,  must  be 
applied.  In  the  fore-arm,  compresses  generally  suffice 
for  checking  the  haemorrhage. 

When  the  arteries  are  secured,  bring  the  skin  over 
the  end  of  the  bone  as  far  as  possible ;  then  apply  a 
pledget  of  soft  lint,  and  over  it  another  of  soft  tow,  or 
more  if  required ;  over  these  lay  a  pledget  of  tow 
spread  with  the  common  cerate,  and  then  with  two  long 
slips  of  sticking  plaster,  placed  across  each  other,  con- 
fine the  whole  by  fixing  the  ends  of  these  slips  along 
the  sides  of  the  stump ;  after  this  finish  the  dressing, 
by  turning  a  worsted  night-cap  over  the  whole.  It  is 
properly  observed  by  some  surgeons,  that  dry  lint,  as 
an  extraneous  body,  in  which  light  it  should  be  consi- 
dered, and  as  which  it  always  acts,  when  clotted  with 
blood,  occasions  pain,  swelling,  and  inflammation, 
therefore  should  be  laid  aside,  and  in  its  place  a  large 
quantity  of  flour  should  be  strewed  over  the  whole 
stump.  This  forms  a  natural  cataplasm  with  the  blood 
and  serum.  Over  this  apply  dry  lint,  or  what  other 
dressings  you  like,  which  may  all  be  removed  the  next 
day,  if  necessary,  without  pain  to  the  patient,  or  trouble 
to  his  assistants. 

The  custom  of  finishing  by  a  roller  from  below  up- 
ward, or  indeed  any  way  applied,  is  now  omitted  by  the 
ablest  surgeons,  as  its  pressure  causes  inflammation, 
pain,  and  sanies,  instead  of  a  well  digested  matter. 

In  the  2d  vol.  of  the  London  Medical  Obs.  and  Inq. 
Mr.  Kirkland  proposes  the  use  of  sponge  for  a  part  of 
the  dressing,  as  soon  as  digestion  is  begun  in  the  stump, 
after  an  arnfi utation.  He  observes,  that 'the  greatest 
danger  after  this  operation,  is  from  an  absorption  of  the 
matter  from  the  wound  after  the  inflammation  is  gone 
off,  particularly  if  the  digestion  proceeds  not  very 
kindly ;  and  to  prevent  this  inconvenience,  as  soon  as 
the  state  of  digestion  is  well  advanced,  he  directs  a  thin 
layer  of  fine  lint  to  be  applied  to  the  stump,  and,  imme- 
diately upon  that,  some  thin  pieces  of  fine  sponge, 
which  have  just  then  been  made  wet,  but  are  squeezed 
as  dry  as  can  be  by  the  grasp  of  the  hand.  The  thinner 
matter  of  the  discharge  from  the  wound  being  absorbed 
by  the  sponge,  the  fever,  diarrhoea,  and  other  symptoms 
which  it  occasions  when  taken  up  into  the  circulation, 
are  prevented ;  and  where,  from  the  thinness  and  acri- 
mony of  the  discharge,  sponge  pledgets  are  necessary, 
he  orders  antiseptic  diuretics  to  be  administered  inter- 
nally, and,  if  needful,  the  bark. 

When  the  dressing  is  finished,  the  patient  should  be 
laid  in  bed,  and  an  assistant  should  gently  and  con- 
stantly hold  his  hand  on  the  stump  during  some  hours, 
not  only  to  guard  against  a  haemorrhage,  but  also  by 
the  gentle  pressure  to  make  the  dressings  adhere  more 
firmly. 

The  tourniquet  may  be  gradually  raised  to  admit  the 
circulation  of  the  part  more  freely ;  and  if  no  danger 
seems  to  threaten,  it  may  be  removed  the  next  day. 

As  soon  as  the  patient  is  in  bed,  some  blood,  to  pre- 
vent a  fever,  may  be  taken  in  plethoric  habits. 

On  the  third  or  fourth  day  remove  the  dressings,  and 
proceed  as  in  a  common  wound.  If  any  part  of  the  lint 
adheres,  leave  it  to  separate  by  digestion. 

The  ani/iutation  of  the  arm,  and  of  the  fore-arm,  are 


the  same,  except  that  in  the  fore -arm  the  bracliial  ar- 
tery, dividing  into  branches,  sometimes  demands  the 
use  of  the  needle,  more  than  when  the  operation  is  in 
the  arm.  In  general,  when  the  arm  is  amputated  above 
the  elbow,  the  same  procedure  will  be  necessary  as  is 
directed  for  the  amputation  of  the  thigh  just  above  th< 
knee. 

See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  125.      White's  Surgery. 
200,201,202. 

The  AMPUTATION-  of  the  ARM  a!  its  JOINT  Kith  thr 
SCAPULA. 

Mr.  Morand^the  elder,  first  took  off  the  arm  at  the 
shoulder,  and  Mr.  Bromfield  performed  it  with  su-- 
in  London.  Here  the  tourniquet  cannot  be  applied  ; 
but  Dr.  Hunter  observes,  that,  when  we  consider  the 
situation  of  the  blood  vessels  as  they  pass  over  the  first 
rib  to  the  arm,  it  evidently  appears,  that  by  turning  the 
shoulder  outwards,  and  making  a  proper  pressure  with 
compresses,  we  can  check  the  circulation  in  ampu- 
tating the  humerus,  at  its  articulation  with  the  scapula, 
which  is  the  most  intimidating  circumstance  in  the 
operation. 

The  patient's  arm  being  held  horizontally,  make  an 
incision  through  to  the  flesh,  from  the  upper  part  of  the 
shoulder,  across  the  pectoral  muscles,  down  to  the  arm- 
pit ;  and,  to  save  as  much  skin  as  you  can,  begin  it 
about  two  inches  below  the  joint,  then  turning  the  knife 
with  its  edge  upwards,  divide  that  muscle,  and  part  of 
the  deltoid.  The  great  artery  and  vein  are  thus  ex - 
posed,  and  should  immediately  be  secured  by  ligatures, 
at  least  two  fingers'  breadth  below  the  axilla.  For  this 
purpose,  carry  the  arm  a  little  backward ;  then  divide 
these  vessels  at  a  considerable  distance  below  the  liga- 
tures, and  pursue  the  circular  incision  through  the 
joint,  cutting  first  into  that  part  of  the  bursal  ligament 
which  is  nearest  to  the  axilla;  for, by  beginning  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  shoulder,  the  projection  of  the  pro- 
cessus  acromion,  and  processus  coracoides,  will,  very 
much  embarrass  the  operation.  Having  discovered  the 
true  situation  of  the  acromion,  draw  back  the  skin,  and 
in  dividing  the  flesh  introduce  the  knife  two  or  three 
fingers'  breadth  under  it,  for  much  of  the  deltoid  muscle 
is  thus  saved,  which  will  fill  up  the  wound,  and  expe- 
dite its  healing.  Then  raise  the  arm,  that  the  head  of 
the  biceps  muscle  may  be  more  easily  found  and  di- 
vided ;  divide  the  ligament  on  the  upper  part,  next  on 
the  sides,  after  which,  the  head  being  lifted  out  of  the 
socket,  cut  away  all  that  detains  it,  taking  care  not  to 
divide  the  artery  above  the  ligatures.  The  remaining 
flesh  at  the  arm-pit  should  be  nearly  of  a  triangular 
figure,  the  broad  part  being  next  to  the  axilla.  Apply 
the  remaining  flesh  immediately  to  the  socket  of  the 
scapula,  and  lay  over  them  dry  lint  and  pledgets,  which 
may  be  secured  by  a  plaster  of  the  shape  of  a  Maltese 
cross.  To  prevent  the  force  of  the  artery,  lay  a  bolster 
in  the  arm-pit,  to  press  upon  it ;  secure  the  whole  with 
the  bandage  called  the  spica  descendens. 

See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  4\7. 

AMPUTATION-  of  the  BREAST. 

The  patient  being  placed  on  a  high  chair,  hold  her 
arm  horizontally  backward,  and  a  very  little  downward  ; 
thus  the  pectoral  muscle  is  more  expanded,  and  the  dis- 
ordered part  more  easily  separated  from  it;  then  make 

O  2 


AMP 


100 


AMP 


a  circular  mcision  through  the  tegumenis,  and  dissect- 
out  the  morbid  part.  The  compress  arid  bandage  are 
generally  sufficient  to  prevent  haemorrhages,  the  needle 
being  seldom  required  ;  though  the  branches  of  the 
mammary  arteries,  especially  one  larger  than  the  rest 
from  towards  the  arm-pits,  near  the  edge  of  the  pecto- 
ral muscle,  will  be  sometimes  troublesome.  The  ma- 
nagement in  other  respects  is  the  same  as  in  wounds  in 
general. 

If,  in  the  course  of  the  cure,  a  fever  comes  on,  with 
pains  about  the  praecordia,  and  a  difficulty  of  breathing, 
death  is  the  consequence.  Proper  and  timely  bleeding 
may  prevent  these  symptoms.  Bell,  vol.  ii.  434. 

•AMPUTATION  of  the  FINGERS  and  TOES. 

Sometimes  a  finger  or  toe  that  is  nearly  cut  through 
with  a  sharp  instrument,  if  brought  together  while 
warm,  will  unite ;  at  least  it  is  better  to  make  the  at- 
tempt. When  cut  obliquely,  their  re-union  may  be 
more  certainly  expected. 

The  fingers  and  toes  are  best  amputated  in  their  arti- 
culations ;  a  straight  knife  must  be  used,  and  the  inci- 
sion of  the  skin  should  be  made  not  exactly  upon  the 
joint,  but  a  little  towards  the  extremity  of  the  finger  or 
toe,  that  more  of  it  may  be  preserved  for  the  easier 
healing  afterwards  :  it  will  also  facilitate  the  separation 
of  the  joint,  when  the  finger  is  cut  from  the  metacarpal 
bone,  to  make  two  small  longitudinal  incisions  on  each 
side  of  it  first.  When  the  lower  joints  are  separated, 
the  first  incisions  should  be  from  a  little  above,  to  a 
little  below  the  joint  on  each  side,  and  so  deep  as  to  di- 
vide the  ligaments.  The  skin  grows  over  the  cartilage 
very  readily.  If  the  cartilage  is  removed  by  the  knife's 
point,  or  by  any  accident,  the  skin  heals  better,  and 
unites  speedily  to  the  bone ;  but  this  is  not  necessary. 
If  the  patient  is  plethoric,  let  the  blood  run  from  the 
amputated  joint,  and  no  haemorrhage  will  happen  there- 
after. It  is  never  necessary  to  take  up  an  artery. 

In  case  of  supernumerary  fingers  or  toes,  if  trouble- 
some, cut  them  off:  sometimes  there  is  no  bone  where 
they  are  to  be  cut  off;  in  this  case  a  knife  may  be  used  : 
but  if  there  is  any  bone,  a  strong  pair  of  scissors  may  be 
used,  for  in  infants  these  bones  are  not  hard. 

See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  411.  White's  Sur- 
gery, 199. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  HAND. 

Heister  thinks  it  best  to  amputate  the  hand  with  a 
knife  only,  at  the  joint  of  the  wrist ;  but  the  usual  me- 
thod is  to  cut  through  the  bones  above  the  wrist :  in 
which  case,  see  AMPUTATION  of  the  ARM. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  METACARPAL  and  METATARSAL 
BONES. 

If  any  of  these  bones  are  carious,  only  so  much  as  is 
disordered  may  be  separated  ;  a  small  spring  saw  is  the 
most  proper  to  divide  the  bones.  After  these  opera- 
i  ions,  the  parts  heal  soon,  and  a  part  of  a  hand  or  foot 
may  still  be  useful. 

In  these  cases  carry  your  knife  first,  along  the  side  of 
the  bone  that  is  to  be  removed,  and  as  close  to  it  as  you 
t;an,  at  the  same  time  making  the  wound  as  smooth  as 
possible.  If  one  of  the  middle  bones  is  to  be  removed, 
we  must  of  course  make  two  incisions,  one  on  each 
side  :  having  done  this,  divide  the  integuments  from  the 


bone  above  and  below  transversely,  then  scrape  oil  the 
periosteum,  and  saw  through  the  bone  with  the  saw 
called  the  metacarpal  saw.  Hold  the  saw  very  steady, 
and  make  long  strokes  when  using  it.  If  two  bones  are 
to  be  removed,  we  should  proceed  as  above  in  general ; 
also  remember  to  divide  the  integuments,  Etc.  trans- 
versely between  the  two  bones,  as  is  done  between  the 
tibia  and  fibula,  or  between  the  radius  and  ulna,  in  am- 
putations of  those  parts.  As  in  amputations  of  the 
fingers  and  toes,  so  in  this  case,  the  tourniquet  is  nof 
required. 

White's  Surgery,  300. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  LEG. 

If  the  leg  is  to  be  amputated,  though  the  injury  is 
ever  so  near  the  ankle,  as  a  long  stump  is  thought  more, 
inconvenient  than  a  short  one,  it  is  preferred  to  ampu- 
tate about  four  or  five  fingers'  breadth  below  the  tube- 
rosity  of  the  tibia ;  if  it  is  cut  higher,  the  aponeurotic 
expansion  of  the  flexor  muscle  will  be  hurt ;  besides, 
the  stump  would  be  too  short  for  an  easy  support  on  the 
wooden  leg ;  and  an  artery  which  runs  into  the  thick- 
ness of  the  tibia  to  be  distributed  to  the  marrow,  would 
be  unnecessarily  wounded. 

As  the  gastrocnemei  muscles  draw  back  the  skir> 
more  strongly  than  it  is  drawn  elsewhere,  it  is  proper, 
in  order  to  keep  the  skin  equal  after  the  operation,  to 
cut  so  that  the  wound  on  the  calf  of  the  leg  is  further 
from  the  middle  of  the  ham,  than  the  wound  in  the  fore 
part  is  from  the  middle  of  the  patella. 

In  amputating  the  upper  limb  and  the  breast,  a  chair 
is  the  properest  to  place  the  patient  on ;  but  for  the 
lower  limbs,  a  table  about  two  feet  and  a  half  high  is  to 
be  preferred. 

The  tourniquet  must  be  placed  three  or  four  inches 
above  the  patella,  and  so  as  to  press  more  particularly ' 
on  the  artery  in  the  ham.  The  slips  of  plaster  directed 
in  the  amputation  for  guiding  the  knife,  must  be  placed 
four  or  five  fingers'  breadth  below  the  patella  ;  and  the 
operator  must  stand  on  the  inside  of  the  leg,  because  the 
fibula  will  then  be  sawed  at  the  same  time  with  the 
tibia  :  but  if,  on  the  contrary,  the  saw  is  laid  on  the  in- 
side of  the  leg,  the  tibia  will  be  first  divided,  and  the 
fibula,  being  too  weak  to  bear  the  force  of  the  saw,  will 
be  apt  to  splinter,  so  not  only  render  the  operation  te- 
dious, but  also  the  cure  more  difficult  afterwards. 

Though  the  practice  of  making  a  short  stump  hath  so 
generally  obtained,  Mr.  White  prefers  amputating  be- 
twixt the  calf  of  the  leg  and  the  ankle,  in  cases  that  will 
admit  of  saving  so  much  of  the  leg ;  he  gives  instances 
of  his  practice  this  way,  and  assures  us,  that  the  motion 
of  the  long  stump  is  more  easy  than  that  of  the  short 
one. 

After  the  separation  of  the  limb,  the  dressing  and 
general  treatment  will  be  the  same  as  in  amputation  of 
the  arm.  See  Medical  Obs.  and  Inq.  iv.  168.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vi.  374.  White's  Surgery,  204. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  PENIS. 

If  a  cancer,  or  a  sphacelus,  in  consequence  of  a  scip- 
rhous  gland,  should  appear  in  the  penis,  then  every  part 
to  which  the  contagion  had  reached  is  speedily  to  be 
extirpated,  lest  the  taint  be  diffused  further. 

Some  cut  off  the  penis  with  a  knife;  see  Le  DranV 


A  31  }* 


101 


A  M  P 


Operations :  but  the  following  method  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred. 

Pass  a  small  tube  of  lead,  or  of  silver,  into  the  ure- 
thra, a  little  further  than  the  affected  part;  then  with  a 
silken  thread  make  a  ligature  upon  the  sound  part  near 
to  that  which  is  diseased ;  make  this  ligature  tighter  every 
!LIV  until  the  latter  falls  off.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  i.  538. 

AMPUTATION  of  the  THIGH. 

In  this  operation  on  the  lower  part  of  the  thigh,  the 
first  incision  is  to  be  made  a  little  more  than  two  inches 
above  the  patella. 

The  tourniquet  must  press  upon  the  crural  artery,  on 
the  upper  and  inner  part  of  the  thigh,  where  the  head 
of  the  vastus  internus  muscle  and  the  triceps  meet. 

In  amputating  above  the  knee,  we  are  advised  to  cut 
down  to  the  bone  at  once ;  but  as  there  is  a  great  thick- 
ness of  the  skin  and  flesh,  it  is  almost  impossible.  How- 
ever, in  cutting,  we  should  remember  that  the  stump 
should  be  of  a  conical  form.  In  this  case  it  is  of  no  con- 
sequence on  which  side  of  the  bone  the  operator  stands. 
It  frequently  happens  in  amputating  the  thigh,  that  the 
flexor  muscles  contract  more  than  the  extensors  ;  so 
that  the  patient's  knee  should  be  kept  slightly  bent 
while  cutting  through  the  latter,  and  extended  during 
the  incision  of  the  former.  This  will  produce  a  more 
convenient  stump,  without  adding  to  the  patient's  pain. 
Perhaps  it  may  be  still  better,  according  to  Richter,  to 
divide  the  extensors  higher,  and  the  flexors  lower;  or, 
which  amounts  to  the  same,  in  the  relative  positions 
just  mentioned.  Mr.  Allanson  recommends  scooping 
Out  the  flesh  in  the  form  of  a  truncated  cone,  but  this 
greatly  increases  the  pain  without  any  adequate  advan- 
tage ;  nor,  according  to  Richter  and  Mursinna,  is  it 
easily  or  usefully  practised.  However  the  operation  is 
performed,  the  skin  that  is  preserved  is  brought  toge- 
ther as  nearly  as  its  size  will  permit,  and,  as  much  as 
possible,  joined  by  the  adhesive  inflammation. 

When  amputation  is  performed  on  this  limb,  the 
muscles,  not  being  attached  to  the  body  of  the  bone, 
frequently  retract;  this  never  happens  in  the  arm,  and 
may  be  remedied  by  placing  the  patient  on  his  side, 
and  keeping  the  muscles  in  as  relaxed  a  state  as  possi- 
ble. The  method  of  amputating  with  flaps  was  first  in- 
vented to  remedy  this  inconvenience,  which  hath  occa- 
sioned the  contrivance  of  a  new  mode  of  amputating,  by 
Mr.  Allanson,  of  Liverpool.  He  first  makes  an  incision 
through  the  skin,  then  dissects  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
it  from  the  muscles  to  cover  the  stump ;  divides  the 
muscles  down  to  the  bone,  where  he  finishes  the  dissec- 
tion, and  then  saws  through  the  bone  at  the  same  place, 
in  the  usual  manner.  He  afterwards  takes  up  the  ves- 
sels with  the  tenaculum,  brings  the  skin  over  the 
stump,  leaves  the  ligature  hanging  out  at  the  external 
orifice,  and  applies  no  kind  of  dressings  except  some- 
thing to  cover  it  superficially. 

After  the  operation,  the  roller  that  is  to  keep  down 
the  skin  should  go  round  the  waist,  und  descend  down 
the  thigh  to  the  stump  :  thus  abscesses  are  prevented, 
which  otherwise  would  form  themselves  on  the  upper 
part  of  the  thigh.  It  has  been  recommended  in  am/iu- 
tativns  of  this  limb,  to  dissect  away  the  cellular  sub- 
stance, as  this  has  been  thought  to  produce  aU  the  sup- 


puration and  discharge :  it  hath  been  tried,  indeed,  and 
with  seeming  success  :  but  others  omit  this  part  of  the 
operation,  and  think  the  cellular«membrane  is  a  conve- 
nient cushion  for  the  stump  to  rest  on. 

Another  circumstance  deserving  attention  is,  after 
the  operation,  to  press  the  crural  artery  the  whole 
length  of  the  thigh  by  a  long  bolster. 

The  operation  has  been  sometimes  performed  with  a 
double  flap ;  that  is,  a  portion  of  the  skin  is  preserved 
from  above  and  below.  This  mode  of  performing  it 
has  not  yet  become  general ;  yet  our  experience  hither- 
to is  in  its  favour.  One  inconvenience  attending  the 
operation  with  one  or  two  flaps  is,  the  haemorrhage 
sometimes  ensuing,  which  has  induced  Mr.  Halloran  to 
propose  our  not  attempting  the  union  till  the  suppura- 
tion has  come  on,  both  in  the  stump  and  the  internal 
surface  of  the  flap.  They  are  then  applied  to  eacL 
other  with  more  advantage. 

If  the  operation  is  made  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
thigh,  the  danger  is  very  great ;  the  discharge  from  the 
wound  when  it  digests  being  so  copious,  that  the  pa- 
tient's strength  soon  sinks,  and  death  is  a  speedy  conse- 
quence. If  amputation  in  the  upper  part  of  the  thigh 
be  necessary,  it  would  be  best  performed  in  the  articu- 
lation ;  for  then  the  crural  artery  would  be  better  se- 
cured, and  many  other  inconveniences  avoided  which 
attend  in  the  usual  method ;  but  in  the  most  desperate 
circumstances,  taking  off  the  thigh  at  the  articulation 
is  not  yet  encouraged.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  338. 
White's  Surgery,  201. 

This  Herculean  operation  has  been  practised  with,  at 
least,  promise  of  success,  by  Mr.  Kerr  of  Northampton. 
(Duncan's  Med.  Com.  vi.  33") ;  yet  we  suspect  tht 
danger  must  be  very  imminent  to  lead  to  a  similar  trial. 

The  boldness  of  modern  surgeons  has,  however,  gone 
one  step  further.  Mr.  Park  has  proposed,  in  cases  where 
an  accident,  or  a  swelling  of  the  joint  of  the  knee  or  the 
elbow,  rendered  amputation  necessary,  to  saw  through 
the  bones  near  the  joint,  on  either  side  of  the  articula- 
tion, and  unite  the  disjointed  ends  by  a  callus,  as  a  sthT 
joint  was  preferable  to  the  loss  of  a  limb.  He  admits, 
that  it  may  be  of  less  use  in  scrofulous  swellings  than 
in  cases  of  fracture  near  the  joint.  We  have,  however, 
no  instance  of  a  follower  of  this  intrepid  example ; 
though  we  think  the  attempt  much  more  justifiable  than 
some  others  which  we  shall  have  occasion  to  record. 

A  German  surgeon,  M.  Wrabetz,  proposes  ampu- 
tating without  the  knife.  A  cord  is  to  be  macerated  in 
a  strong  vesicating  ointment ;  and,  after  retracting  the 
skin,  to  be  tightened  round  the  limb.  The  crevice 
which  it  makes  is  to  be  filled  with  an  astringent  and 
antiseptic  powder,  and  the  patient  supported  with  tonics 
and  cordials.  The  cord  must  be  kept  constantly  tight 
till  it  reaches  the  bone,  which  we  suppose  must  be  then 
sawn  off,  though  this  is  not  mentioned. 

See  Sharpe's  Operation  of  Surgery,  c.h.  xxxvii. 
Sharpe's  Critical  Enquiry,  ch.  vii.  Heister's  Surgery. 
'  Le  Dran's  Operations.  Bilguer's  Dissertation  on  Am- 
putations. A  Complete  Treatise  on  the  Gangrene  and 
Sphacelus,  with  a  new  Method  of  Amputation,  by  Mr. 
O'Halloran.  Allanson's  Practical  Observations  on  Am- 
putation. Mynors's  Practical  Thoughts  on  Amputa- 
tions, &c.  London  Med.  Journal,  vol.  i.  231.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  3O1.  White's  Surgery,  190. 


A  M  U 


102 


AMY 


AMPUTATU'RA,  (from  amfiuto,  to  cut  off).  A 
wound  from  the  entire  separation  of  a  part  from  the 
body. 

AMU'CTICA,  (from  ctfivc-c-a,  to  -vellicate) .-  Reme- 
dies that  by  vellicating  and  stimulating  the  bronchia: 
raise  a  cough,  and  so  contribute  to  the  discharge  of 
what  is  in  the  lungs.  They  are  given  to  relieve  disor- 
ders of  the 'voice,  and  the  aspera  arteria ;  and  are  also 
called  arteriaca. 

AMULE'TA,  (from  ap/ua,  a  band,  because  it  was 
tied  round  the  person's  neck ;  or  from  ce.fj.viu,  to  de- 
fend). AMULETS. 

Amulets  and  charms  are  so  nearly  allied,  as  to  be  con-, 
sidercd  in  the  same  light.  In  each,  superstition,  the 
common  disease  of  weak  minds,  is  indulged. 

Sometimes  words,  siriS'iS'xi,  or  carmina,  were  written 
and  carried  by  the  patient  on  some  part  of  his  body,  or 
in  some  of  his  garments.  These  were  called  AMULETA, 
from  amovere,  to  remove,  and  PRO'EBIA,  or  PRO'EBRA, 
from  firohibere,  to  defend.  The  Greeks  call  them  APO- 
TROP{E'A,  PHYLACTE'RIA,  AMYTE'RIA,  ALEXITE'RIA,  and 
ALEXIPHA'RMACA,  because  they  imagined  that  these  re- 
medies could  defend  them,  not  only  against  such  dis- 
eases as  proceed  from  natural  causes,  but  also  against 
the  power  of  other  enchantments. 

These  amulets  were  formed  of  any  materials  which 
fancy  suggested. 

Screnus  Samonicus  invented  the  ABRACADA'BRA  for 
the  cure  of  the  fever  called  hemitritaea.  The  Jews 
attributed  the  same  virtue  to  the  word  ARA'CALAN.  The 
Arabians  were  anxious  to  see  if  the  stars  favoured  them, 
and  call  it  TALI'SMA,  i.  e.  IMAGE. 

Amulets  tied  about  patients  for  the  removal  of  dis- 
ease were  called  PERIA'PTA,  and  PERIA'MMATA,  from 
Ttpi,  circum,  and  «:r7»,  necto.  Blanchard  says  that  they 
are  medicines  which,  being  tied  about  the  neck,  are 
believed  to  expel  diseases,  especially  the  plague.  The 
royal  touch  was  ridiculously  said  to  cure  the  king's 
evil. 

Charms  seem  to  have  imposed  a  belief,  that  those 
who  were  exercising  them  were  particularly  favoured 
by  some  superior  being.  This  gave  the  world  a  vener- 
able idea  of  the  practitioner;  and  as  the  mind  affects 
the  body,  the  persuasion  of  the  patient  might  some- 
times contribute  to  a  cure. 

Yet  it  has  happened  that  this  supposed  amulet  may 
have  some  virtue.  We  mean  not  to  allude  to  quills  of 
quicksilver  and  'arsenic  worn  about  the  neck,  the  eel- 
skin  tied  about  the  legs  to  prevent  cramp,  or  the 
stones  worn  against  haemorrhages ;  but  the  essence 
vessels  hung  round  the  neck,  the  x.a.fS~i < c/^v^nx.a,  of  the 
Greeks,  if  filled  with  any  very  volatile  aroma,  may 
have  been  useful  in  guarding  against  contagion.  Even 
the  camphor,  if  not  too  closely  confined,  may  have 
some  effect ;  and  we  remember  being  told  by  a  former 
recorder  of  London,  that  he  found  it  imparted  some 
warmth.  The  aromatic  vinegar  and  the  attar  of  roses 
diffuse/ a  very  sensible  perfume,  however  closely  shut 
up  ;  and  M.  Morveau's  antipestilential  box,  which  con- 
tain ingredients  that,  on  the  access  of  the  atmosphere, 
act  on  each  other,  producing  a  copious  exhalation  of 
pure  air,  though  as  an  external  appendage  it  may 
rank  with  amulets,  must  have  a  certain  and  powerful 
effect. 

AMU'RCA  (from  Kpif/o,  to  press  out).     AMORGE 


and  nvsMA  are  probably  the  same.  It  is  the  sediment 
from  olive  oil,  found  after  the  newly  pressed  oil  hath 
deposited  its  gross  contents. 

A'MYCHE,  (from  a.^ua-a-a,  to  scratch).  A  superfi- 
cial exulceration,  or  scarification  of  the  skin. 

AMY'CTICA.  STIMULATING,  VELLICATING.  See 
AMUCTICA. 

AMY'GDALjE,  («jU»yJVA0'»j  almond,)  ALMONDS. 
The  fruit  of  the  AMYGDALUS,  ALMOND  TREE.  A  com- 
munis'und  nana  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  677. 

AMY'GDAL-S  AMA'RJE.    BITTER  ALMONDS. 

AMY'GDALJE  DU'LCES.  SWEET  ALMONDS. 

The  leaves  and  flowers  of  the  almond  tree  resemble 
those  of  the  peach  tree,  a  species  of  the  same  genus, 
a.  jiersica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  676.  It  is  a  native  of  Africa, 
and  flowers  earlier  in  the  spring  than  most  other  trees, 
though  its  fruit  is  not  quite  ripe  until  autumn. 

Of  the  fruit  we  have  two  sorts,  the  sweet  and  the 
bitter;  which  are  varieties,  only  changing  these  quali- 
ties with  the  soil.  It  is  the  amygdahts  communis  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  677.  The  almonds  from  Barbary,  where  the 
tree  is  indigenous,  are  bitter,  while  those  cultivated  in 
Europe  are  sweet. 

The  bitter  matter  resides  in  the  mucilage,  and  dis- 
solves with  a  little  heat  in  water  and  in  spirit  of  wine  : 
a  part  arises  with  both  in  distillation ;  but  spirit  seems 
to  extract,  and  water  to  elevate,  the  greatest  quantity. 
A  simple  water  may  be  distilled  from  them  after  the 
oil  is  pressed  out,  possessing  the  same  qualities  as  that 
drawn  from  cherry  stones.  It  is  not,  however,  at  pre- 
sent employed.  The  flavour,  when  required,  is  obtain- 
ed from  peach  or  laurel  leaves. 

The  distilled  water  of  bitter  almonds  is  strongly  im- 
pregnated with  the  noxious  matter  which  gives  them 
their  bitterness  and  flavour.  It  seems  by  some  late  ex- 
periments to  consist  of  the  Prussic  acid,  and  may  prove 
a  poison,  as  is  the  case  with  the  common  laurel,  to 
which  it  appears  extremely  analogous.  Four  or  five 
bitter  almonds  are  commended  as  anthelmintic,  taken 
in  a  morning  fasting :  they  are  said  to  be  diuretic,  but 
occasion  sickness  and  vomiting ;  to  dogs,  foxes,  fowls, 
storks,  horses,  especially  while  very  young,  to  pigeons, 
cats,  and  some  other  animals,  they  are  poisonous. 

The  sweet  kind  should  be  chosen  free  from  ranci- 
dity ;  and,  if  in  the  shells,  from  all  appearance  of  in- 
sects, a  species  of  which  penetrates  them,  and  destroys 
the  kernel.  They  digest  with  difficulty,  and  afford  very 
little  nourishment,  unless  extremely  well  comminuted. 
As  a  medicine  they  obtund  acrimony  in  the  primae  vise, 
are  softening,  and  relaxant.  They  are  a  good  interme- 
dium for  uniting  with  water  several  substances,  which 
of  themselves  are  not  miscible  with  it :  camphor,  and 
many  resinous  substances,  triturated  with  almonds, 
easily  dissolve  into  a  milky  liquor.  For  this  purpose 
the  almonds  must  be  freed  from  their  skin,  but  it  should 
not  be  by  infusing  them  in  hot  water,  as  this  separates 
the  oil.  A  longer  infusion  in  cold  water  is  preferable. 
Six  or  eight  sweet  almonds  peeled  som"times  cure  the 
heart-burn ;  and  one  or  two  almonds  at  most  will  mix 
five  or  six  grains  of  camphor  or  resin. 

Sweet  almonds  are  usually  blanched,  i.  e.  freed  from 
their  skin,  by  steeping  them  in  hot  water  until  it  easily 
slips  off':  then  triturated  with  water,  their  oil  unites 
therewith,  by  the  mutation  of  their  mucilaginous  and 
farinaceous  matter,  into  an  emulsion  or  milky  liquor. 


A 


A  N  A 


The  pure  oil  of  almonds,  triturated  with  a  thick  rau- 
ilage  of  gum  arable,  forms  a  more  permanent  emul- 
:  ion  than  the  milk  of  almonds  of  the  dispensatories  ; 
from  which  the  oil  does  not  separate  either  on  standing 
two  or  three  days,  or  on  the  addition  of  a  moderate 
quantity  of  acid.  One  part  of  gum,- made  into  muci- 
lage, is  enough  for  four  parts  of  oil.  The  white  of  egg, 
or  syrup,  with  a  little  spirituous  water,  will  form  an 
emulsion,  but  less  perfect  than  the  gum. 

R.  Gum  arab.  pulv.  3  ss-  aq-  distillatae  5  i-  f-  mu- 
cilago  per  trituram,  et  adde  ol.  amygd.  5  i-  ss.  sacch. 
alb.  5  ss.  postea  paulatim  adde  aq.  distillatae  ft  i.  f. 
tmuis.  If  to  this  emulsion  half  an  ounce  of  gum  arabic 
be  added,  it  is  called  ARABIC  EMULSION;  if  half  an 
ounce  of  chalk,  it  is  named  the  ABSORBENT  EMULSION; 
if  half  a  drachm  of  camphor,  it  is  called  the  CAMPHOR- 
ATED EMULSION. 

The  emulsions  partake  of  the  quality  of  the  oil,  and 
are  prescribed  with  the  same  intentions,  particularly- 
relieving  heat  of  urine  and  the  strangury,  whether 
from  spontaneous  acrimony,  or  irritating  food  or  medi- 
cines. 

These  emulsions,  on  standing,  throw  up  a  cream,  and 
the  whey  beneath  turns  sour.  Acids  joined  to  them 
form  curd  and  whey,  as  in  milk. 

The  milky  solution  of  almonds  in  water,  though  con- 
taining oil,  may  be  given  in  acute  and  inflammatory 
fevers,  without  danger  of  the  ill  effects  which  the  oil 
by  itself  may  produce,  since  emulsions  do  not  become 
rancid,  or  acrid  by  heat ;  and  in  most  cases  the  aces- 
cency  is  rather  an  advantage  in  the  emulsion. 

The  expressed  oil  of  almonds  is  obtained  from 'the 
sweet  or  the  bitter  sorts  equally.  The  oil  of  bitter  al- 
monds was  called  metofiium,  because  the  Egyptians  used 
to  make  an  oil  in  which  bitter  almonds  and  galbanum 
were  ingredients ;  and  they  named  their  compound,  oil 
of  metopium,  from  the  plant  that  affords  the  galbanum  : 
others  give  the  same  name  to  the  simple  expressed  oil 
'.if  this  fruit. 

By  bruising  and  pressing  the  almonds,  they  afford 
nearly  one  half  of  their  weight  in  oil  :  by  boiling  them 
in  water,  part  of  their  oil  separates,  and  is  collected  on 
the  surface;  but  that  obtained  by  pressure,  without 
heat,  is  the  most  agreeable. 

As  a  medicine,  this  oil  is  useful  externally;  like  that 
of  the  olives  and  linseed,  it  is  used  to  soften  and  relax 
the  skin ;  internally,  to  sheathe  acrimonious  bile,  orother 
fluids,  to  relieve  a  tickling  cough,  hoarseness,  costive- 
ness,  or  nephritic  pains.  Oils  are  given  in  the  form  of 
emulsion,  the  proportion  of  two  ounces  to  half  a  pint  of 
water,  and  sweetened  with  half  an  ounce  of  some  agree- 
able syrup.  Draughts  of  manna  and  oil  of  almonds,  at 
the  same  time  using  the  common  emulsion  as  the  usual 
drink,  are  of  service  in  the  gravel,  and  in  dysuries.  The 
tenesmus,  to  which  some  pregnant  women  are  subject, 
and  which  endangers  abortion,  is  most  speedily  relieved 
by  clysters  of  it,  with  a  few  drops  of  laudanum.  The- 
besius  thought  that  he  found  good  effects  from  almonds 
in  hydrophobia,  and  Bergius  speaks  of  the  emulsion  of 
bitter  almonds  curing  obstinate  intermittents  after  the 
bark  had  proved  unsuccessful. 

AMY'GDALJE,  and  AMYGDALIA.     See  TONSILL.E. 

AMYGDALATUM.     The  emulsion  of  almonds. 

AMYGDALOFDES,  (from  0fwy&fe*,  almond,  and 
t ifts,  forma,)  also  COMETES.  Thus  Oribasius  calls 


the  species  of  uthynialus,  which'is  named  tithymaius 
masticus. 

It  is  a  name  for  the  white  species  of  the  gum  ben- 
zoin, and  of  a  stone  resembling  the  kernel  of  an  almond 
in  figure,  which  is  the  petrified  spine  of  the  echinus  ma- 
rinus,  or  sea  urchin.  It  is  also  a  name  for  the  gobius  or 
gudgeon. 

AMYGOALO-PE'RSPCUM,  (from  *w**>*,,  and 
~T;!-IX*I,  the  fieach).  The  ALMOND  PE^CH. 

AMYGDA'LVS  SI'MILIS,  GUATIMALE'XSIS. 
See  CACAO. 

AMY'LA.     Any  sort  of  chemical  faecula. 

A'MYLI  TROCHI'SCI.     See  BECHI 

AMYLUM.    AMY'LEOX.    AMY  LIOX.  (From 
«,  neg.  and  ^AJJ,  a  mill,  because  it  is  made  of  corn  with- 
out  a  mill,  or  without  grinding).     It  is  the  faecula  o,^ 
wheat,    and    with    us    called    STARCH  ;    named    also 
amidum. 

It  is  the  purest  farina  of  the  wheat,  but  deprived  of 
its  gluten  ;  and  made  also  from  potatoes.  It  was  invent- 
ed in  the  isle  of  Chios,  and  is  valued  according  to  its 
lightness,  newness,  and  smoothness. 

Starch  is  often  very  useful  as  a  mild  glutinous  astrin- 
gent, and,  mixed  with  milk,  an  excellent  aliment  in 
fluxes  and  catarrhs  ;  5  i-  of  starch  dissolved  and  boiled 
in  5  iij.  of  water,  with  a  little  sugar,  forms  an  elegant 
jelly,  of  which  a  table  spoonful  may  be  taken  every 
hour.  If  dissolved  in  thin  gruel,  it  is  lenient,  incrassat- 
ing,  and  of  service  against  sharp  defluxions,  hoarseness, 
a  dry  cough,  spitting  of  blood,  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  in- 
ternal ulcers,  heat  of  urine,  gonorrhoea,  kc. 

In  diarrhoeas  and  dysenteries,  when  the  stools  are 
bloody,  and  the  intestines  relaxed,  the  following  far  ex- 
cels astringents,  or  any  other  kind  of  clysters  : 

R.  Gelatin  ex.  amylo.  ^  iv.  extract,  thebaic  gr.  iij. 

Sp.  vini.  Gallic,  opt.  §  fi  vel.  ^i.  m.  enem.  pro  re 
nata  injiciendum. 

In  spasmodic  affections  of  the  neck  of  the  bladder, 
and  in  that  distressing  sense  of  weight  and  uneasiness, 
when,  in  gonorrhoea,  the  prostate  gland  is  affected,  the 
former  clyster  of  starch,  with  opium,  is  an  useful  re- 
medy, omitting  the  spirit. 

A'MYOX,  (from  *,  priv.  and  f*.»j,  a  muscle).  A  limb 
so  emaciated  that  the  muscles  scarcely  appear. 

AMY'RIS  OPOBA  LSAMUM,  and  its  variety.  Bal- 
samea  Gileadensis  Wildenow,  334,  vol.  ii. 

AMY'RIS  GILEADE'NSIS.     See  BALSAMUM, 

AMY'RIS  ELEMI'FERA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  Ed.  Wildenow,  495. 
See  ELEMI. 

AMY'RISZEYLO'NICA,  (gum.  elemi  orientalis,)  Wilde- 
now, 334. 

AMY'RIS  AMBROS'IACA,  (see  AMBERGRISE,)  Wild.  335. 
This  species  yields  an  odoriferous  balsam  from  its 
wounded  trunk  or  branches,  a  dram  of  which  is  taken 
in  red  wine,  it  is  said,  with  advantage  in  the  dysentery. 
The  a.  balsamifera  Wilden.  is  full  of  aromatic  par- 
ticles, and  the  berries  have  the  taste  of  balsam  cofiaibe. 
It  is  a  tree  found  in  the  island  of  Jamaica. 

AMYTHA'OXIS,  Empl.  Amythaon's  plaster. 

R.  Gum  ammon.  cer.  flav.  gum  bdel.  aa3vuJ-  tereb. 
rad.  irid.  illyr.  gum.  galb.  aa.  5  xx.  m. 

A'XA,  signifies  of  each.  Thus  take  of  aloes,  frank- 
incense, myrrh,  a  or  aa  (thar  is,  of  each)  3  i. 

AXA'BASES.  (fromiMcCMw,  to  ascend).  See  At- 
MASTICOS. 


ANA 


101 


ANA 


ANAB'ATICA,  (from  the  same,)  applied  to  con- 
tinual fever,  when  it  increases  in  malignity.  See  SY- 
NOCHUS. 

ANA'BOLE,  (from  «»«e«AAw,  to  Cast  uii).  The  dis- 
charging any  thing  by  vomit. 

ANABROCHI'SMOS,  (from  *»*,  sursum,  and 
/V*X'<>  a  noose).  An  operation  performed  on  the  hair 
of  the  eye-lids,  when  they  are  offensive  to  the  eye. 

ANABRO'SIS,  (from  a.'ia£patrx.u,  to  devour).  A  cor- 
rosion of  the  solid  parts  by  sharp  humours,  or  any  me- 
dicine. The  same  as  diabrosis;  it  occasions  a  discharge 
of  blood,  and  often  happens  in  the  lungs. 

ANACA'MPSEROS,(from«v«^«^5r7*»,  to  bring  back; 
and  tpvf,  lo-ue).  An  herb,  supposed  to  have  the  power 
of  reconciling  lovers  or  friends  if  it  was  but  touched. 
.See  CRASSULV. 

ANACA'RDIOS  ANTIDO'TUS  THEODORE'- 
TUS.  The  Antidote  of  Anacardium.  A  divine  gift. 

It  is  a  confect  made  up  of  many  warm  ingredients, 
but  without  opium. 

ANACA'RDIUM,  ANACA'RDUS,  (from  **^<«, 
the  heart).  A  tree  in  the  East  Indies,  whose  fruit  re- 
sembles the  heart  of  a  bird.  Anacardium  orientate,  the 
MALACCA  BEAN  TREE.  Avicenna  germinans  Lin.  891. 

It  is  said  that  the  Indians  use  the  caustic  oil  of  the 
nuts  of  this  tree  to  stain  their  chintz  and  calicoes,  which 
sets  the  colours  so  as  not  to  wash  out. 

The  kernel,  like  that  of  the  cashew  nut,  is  mild  and 
agreeable  to  the  taste ;  yields,  by  expression,  an  oil  like 
that  from  almonds,  and  is  equally  good  as  a  medi- 
cine. 

The  anacardium  occidentale'Lm.  is  used  only  as  a  dye 
or1  stain. 

A  confect  was  formerly  made  of  the  kernels,  called 
by  Messue  cowfectio  sapientium;  and  by  others,  confectio 
anacardii. 

ANACATHA'RSIS.  .EXPECTORATION.  (From 
tLvaKadixipe/Axi,  to  purge  upwards).  Under  this  title  the 
effects  of  emetics,  masticatories,  sternutatories,  £cc.  are 
included. 

ANACATHA'RTICA.  Medicines  producing  ana- 
catharsis. 

ANACHRE'MPSIS,  (from  «•*.,  upwards,  and  %fi- 
ffHtrop.x.1,  to  hawk).  The  hawking  up  any  thing  from 
the  lungs. 

ANA'CHRON.     See  ANATRON. 

ANA'CLISIS,  (from  «>««Aiy<ti,  to  recline).  Hippo- 
crates uses  this  word  to  express  the  reclining  posture  of 
the  sick.  It  also  means  a  couch  or  sick-bed. 

ANACL'ISMOS,  (from  the  same).  That  part  of  a 
chair  on  which  the  back  of  a  sick  person  leans. 

ANACCELIA'SMUS,(from  «v«t,  and  r.oihia,  venter). 
A  remedy  used  by  Diocles,  which  seems  to  have  been 
gentle  purging,  with  a  view  to  relieve  the  lungs. 

ANA-COLUPA  An  Indian  plant  mentioned  in  the 
llortus  Malabaricus,  whose  genus  is  not  determined. 
Its  juice  is  said  to  be  useful  in  epilepsies,  and  to  cure 
the  bite  of  the  naia. 

ANACOLLE'MA,  (from  a>»x.e>i»u,  to  agglutinate ).- 
It  is  the  same  nsfrontale,  only  that  it  is  always  made  of 
agglutinants  or  drying  powders.  Junker  describes  an 
anacollema  frontale  for  stopping  bleeding  of  the  nose. 
See  CATAPLASMA. 

ANACOMFDE,  (from  aixxofufr,  to  repair,)  to  re- 
cover a  person  after  sickness. 

ANACTO'RIUM.     See  GLADIOLUS. 


ANACY'CLEI,  (from  x.vx\ev,  to  wander  about). 
Circulatores,  mountebanks.  See  AGYRT.S. 

ANACYRIO'SIS,  (from  «v«,  and  <a^»s,  authority). 
Hippocrates,  in  his  treatise  on  decency,  advises  physi- 
cians to  keep  up  their  authority,  and  the  dignity  of  theiv 
profession,  which  he  expresseth  by  this  word. 

ANADENDROMA'LACHE,  (from  «»«&.fy..,  n 
tree,  and  fix.>M%>i,  the  mallow).  See  ALTHAEA. 

ANADIPLO 'SIS,  (from  «**JW/<>»,  reduplico).  A 
frequent  reduplication  of  fevers.  Blancard. 

ANADO'SIS,  (from  «»*Ww«;,  to  distribute).  A 
distribution  of  the  fluids,  and  consequently  apart  of  nu- 
trition. See  DISTRIBUTIO. 

ANADRO'ME,  (from  *va,  upwards,  and  Spi^u,  to 
run}.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  to  signify  pains  from 
the  lower  to  the  upper  parts  of  the  body. 

AN.tSTHE'SIA,  ANAISTH/E'SIA,  (from  «,  non, 
and  «iF0ij5-<5,  sensio,)  also  anodynia.  INSENSIBILITY,  or 

LOSS   OF    FEELING  BY  THE    TOUCH.        A     resolution  of   the 

nerves  occasioning  a  loss  of  feeling ;  generally  a  symp- 
tom of  palsy  :  the  same  as  stupor.  It  is  in  the  locales* 
dysesthesiz,  of  Cullen. 

ANAGALLIS,  (from  «v«,  and  y*A«,  milk,  because 
it  has  the  property  of  coagulating  milk,)  called  also  cor- 
choron,  pimpernella,  bibinella,  and  aritis. 

The  anagallis  of  the  Greeks  is  the  macia  of  the  Latins. 
The  species  used  in  medicine  is  the  anagallis  arvensis 
Lin.  Sp.Pl.  211. 

The  expressed  juice,  inspissated  to  an  extract,  is  pun- 
gent, saline,  and  austere,  and  any  other  preparation  seems 
useless  :  it  is  resolvent  and  detergent,  and  has  been 
given  in  hydrophobia. 

ANAGALLIS  A  QUA 'TIC  A.  See  BECABUNGA.  This  is 
an  European  plant  of  the  same  species,  and  to  be  col- 
lected before  the  flowers  expand.  Its  taste  is  acrid  and 
nauseous,  and  it  has  been  us'ed  in  powder,  in  a  dose  of 
twenty  grains,  three  or  four  times  a  day,  in  epilepsy  and 
melancholy.  Stoll  recommends  from  5  i-  to  5  ij-  of  the 
extract,  in  jaundice.  If  given  in  infusion,  3  ij-  of  the 
leaves  are  added  to  a  pint  of  water. 

ANAGARGALI'CTION,  ?     (*»*,    and  v*?v»fs»i, 

ANAGARGARI'STON,    $    the  throat).  SeeGAR- 

GARISMA. 

ANAGLY'PHE,  (from  u.iu.*/\v(pu,~to  engrave).  See 
CALAMUS  SCRIPTORIUS. 

ANAGY'RIS,  (from  Ana'gyris,  a  city  in  Attica,) 
NON  FffiTiDA.  See  CYTISVS  ALPINUS. — Fetida  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  534.  The  smell  is  rank,  and  the  taste  bitter.  It  is 
used  as  a  cathartic  and  emmenagogue. 

ANAISTHJE'SIA.'?  c       . 

ANAISTHE'SIS.   \  'See  A*-*S™,A. 

ANA'LCES,  from  «,  ncg  and  «AK>J,  strength). 
WEAK,  EFFEMINATE.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  as 
an  epithet  for  the  Asiatic  nations. 

ANAL'DES,  (from  «,  neg.  and  abS'ia,  to  increase}. 
NOT  INCREASING.  Hippocrates  applies  this  word  to 
fruits  growing  about  the  river  Phasis. 

ANALE'NTIA.  A  species  of  epilepsy  mentioned 
by  Paracelsus.  A  corruption  of  the  word  analrfmia. 

ANALE'PSIA.     Johannes  Anglicus  and  Riverius 
give  this  name  to  the  species  of  epilepsy   which  pro- 
ceeds from  a  disorder  of  the  stomach.     It  is  sometimes  ' 
synonymous  with  epilepsy  in  general.     See  EPILKPSIA. 

ANALE'PSIS,  (from  «v«/«f*B«mi,  to  recover  and  re- 
gain vigour  after  sickness).  Hence, 

ANALE'PTICA.  ANALEPTICS.  Such  remedies 


A  N  A 


105 


A  X  A 


as  exhilarate  the  spirits,  and  restore  flesh  and  strength. 
See  CARDI'CA  and  RESTAVRA'NTI  \. 

Dr.  Cullen  says,  they  are  medicines  suited  to  restore 
the  force  of  the  body  when  lost,  and  are  sometimes 
stimulants  ;  but  more  commonly  nutrients.  The  term 
he  considers  as  attended  with  ambiguity,  and  Ihinks 
that  it  should  be  rejected. 

Besides  the  nutritious  quality  of  restoratives,  they  are 
supposed  to  have  a  fragrant,  subtile,  oleous  principle, 
which  immediately  affects  the  nerves,  warms  and  sti- 
mulates the  whole  system.  Xo  such  principle,  how- 
ever, exists;  at  least  no  snch  has  been  discovered. 

In  diseases,  the  speediest  way  to  restore  strength  is 
to  remove  the  causes  of  debility ;  but  this  is  not  to  be 
done  by  medicines,  which  increase  only  the  vital  heat;  for 
in  convulsions  and  fevers  the  motions  are  very  strong, 
and  yet  the  natural  strength  is  languid.  True  strength, 
however,  depends  rather  upon  proper  aliments,  turned 
into  wholesome  blood ;  the  only  source  of  firmness  and 
vigour. 

Cordial  flowers  and  herbs,  musk,  ambergrise,  oil  of 
cinnamon  made  into  olea  sacchara,  chocolate,  shell-fish, 
kc.  are  the  supposed  analefitics ;  but  they  are  only- 
such  as  stimulating  nutrients. 

ANALGE'SIA,  (from  a,  neg.  and  *Ay»s,  fain}. 
INDOLENCE,  or  absence  of  pain  or  grief.  A  state  of 
ease. 

ANALO'GIA,  (from  *»*,  fier±  by,  and  A»y»s,  ratio, 
reason}.  ANALOGY.  It  is  the  mode  of  reasoning  of 
things  not  perfectly  known,  by  comparison  with  others 
which  are  better  understood,  and  drawing  conclusions 
from  their  similitude.  See  BOTANICAL  ANALOGY. 

AXA'LTHES,  (from  «,  neg.  and  <tMsn,  to  cure}. 
IXCVHABLE. 

ANA'LTOS,  (from  a,  neg.  and  «A«,  salt}.  UN- 
SALTED. 

AXA'LYSIS,  (from  avct>.ta>,  to  resolve}.  In  chemis- 
try it  is  the  term  used  for  decompounding  any  mixed 
body,  and  reducing  it  into  its  constituent  parts.  The 
chemists  make  use  of  two  modes  of  analysis :  1 .  by  fire; 
2.  by  menstrua.  Indeed  the  modes  of  decompounding 
bodies  are  all  founded  on  the  difference  of  the  proper- 
ties belonging  to  the  various  principles  of  the  body  to 
be  analysed.  Suppose,  for  instance,  a  body  to  be  com- 
posed of  several  principles,  possessed  of  different  degrees 
T)f  volatility,  the  volatile  parts  will  rise  in  proportion  to 
the  degrees  of  volatility  which  they  possess  on  the  ap- 
plication of  heat;  and  if  any  are  fixed,  they  will  remain 
in  the  retort  or  crucible.  This  is  called  ANALYSIS  BY 
FIRE.  But  when  a  body  is  compounded  of  several  sub- 
stances, one  of  which,  for  instance,  is  soluble  only  in 
spirits  of  wine,  a  second  in  water,  and  a  third  in  aether, 
these  substances  may  be  very  easily  separated  from  each 
other,  by  submitting  successively  the  compound  to  the 
action  of  these  menstrua.  This  is  called  the  ANALYSIS 
BY  MENSTRUA.  See,  on  thissubject,  Macquer's  Che- 
mical Dictionary ;  Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Academy  of 
Sciences,  for  the  years  1719,  1720,  1721  ;  Elements 
and  Principles  of  Chemistry,  by  Lavoisier,  Fourcroy, 
Chaptal,  and  Thomson. 

In  anatomy,  the  dissection  of  the  human  body  is  call- 
ed ANALYSIS. 

ANAMNE'STICA,  (from  «»*,  and  u.tcuf±xt,  record- 
er, to  remember }.    Medicines  supposed,  to  improve  the 

VOL.  I. 


memory,  or  restore   it  when  lost.     \Ve  need  not  ad<;. 
that  the  power  of  such  medicines  is  imaginary. 

ANAMXE'STICA  SIGNA.  COMMEMORATIVE  SIGNS; 
signs  which  discover  the  preceding  state  of  the  body  : 
as  demonstrative  signs  shew  the  present  state;  and 
prognostics  shew  the  future  state. 

AXA'XAS.  The  Brasilians  call  it  ycyanna.  The 
PINE  APPLE.  The  bromelia  ananas  Lin.  Sp.  PL  408 ; 
called  also  carduus  Brasilianus. 

Mons.  Le  Cour,  of  Leyden,  waS  the  first  who  raised 
this  fruit  in  Europe :  they  were  brought  from  the 
Indies  to  the  West,  and  from  thence  into  Europe.  !•• 
resembles  the  cone  or  fruit  of  a  pine  tree,  and  from 
thence  takes  its  name ;  the  richness  and  the  flavour  ot" 
the  fruit  are  well  known.  It  is,  however,  cold,  waten  . 
and  indigestible.  See  ALIMENT. 

AXA'XAS,  WILD.     See   K.ARATAS.     JBromelia  kar . 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  408. 

AXA'XDROI,  (from  *,  non,  and  a.ir.f,  vir).  Hip- 
pocrates applies  this  word  to  women  who  have' DOT er 
known  men. 

ANA'PALIX,  (from  «»*,  and  w<*A/»,  rurnus}.  On 
the  contrary  side;  as  if  nature  endeavoured  to  free  her- 
self from  some  disease,  by  her  exertions  on  the  side  op- 
posite to  that  wherein  the  affection  arose.  It  is  opposed 
to  CATI'XIS,  which  see. 

AXAPHALAXTI'ASIS,  (from  <t»*^*AatT^,  a  bale 
person}.  Baldness  of  the  eye-brows. 

ANAPHOXE'SIS,  (from  <*»*,  and  tw,  ro.r).  A 
species  of  exercise  which  consisted  in  vociferation. 

It  is  supposed  to  increase  the  natural  heat,  improve 
the  appetite  and  digestion,  and  to  be  useful  to  the  phleg- 
matic and  cachectic.  Singing  is  a  gentler  exercise. 
See  Hieron  Mercurialis  De  Arte  Gymnastica. 

ANA'PHORA,  (from  aix?ecn,  to  bring  u/i,  or 
wards}.   Hippocrates  uses  it  for  thanks  due  to  an  obli- 
gation.    Any  discharge  from  the  mouth. 

AXAPHO'RICOI,  (from  the  same).  Those  who 
spit  blood;  or,  according  to  Actuarius,  those  who  spit 
with  difficulty. 

AXA'PHRA,  (from  a  neg.  and  *?£<><;,  froth).  Hip- 
pocrates uses  it  as  an  epithet  for  stools  that  are  not 
frothy. 

AXAPHRODI'SIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  *^«J«e-<«, 
venery,}  called  also  agenesia ;  atechnia.  IMPOTENCE 

WITH      RESPECT      TO      VENEREAL      COMMERCE.  Ill      the 

locales,  dysorexit,  of  Cullen. 

This  disease  arises  from  a  deficiency  of  semen,  or  a 
weakness  of  the  muscular  powers  necessary  to  its  effec- 
tual discharge.  In  some  instances,  the  semen  itself 
seems  defective  in  its  essential  qualities.  Sauvages 
has  given  us  five  species,  which  Dr.  Cullen  thus  divides. 
The  true  sfiecies  are  the  paralytic  and  gonorrhoea! ;  the 
ff'urious  sfiecies,  where  impediments  occur  to  prevent 
the  act,  from  piles,  or  some  fault  in  the  urethra;  what 
is  called  false  or./?cr/Y/Gz/«,supposed  to  arise  from  magic. 
See  Sauvages,  vol.  i.  770. 

The  cure  of  this  disease  depends  upon  the  removal  of 
its  separate  causes.  Sauvages  gives  us  an  account  of  a 
man  being  cured  by  immersing  the  penis  often  in  the 
day  in  a  strong  decoction  of  mustard  seed.  If  it  is  oc- 
casioned by  weakness  or  a  simple  gonorrhcea,  such  aids 
are  to  be  called  in  as  are  calculated  to  invigorate  the 
system ;  tonics  and  corroborants  are  to  be  made  use  of, 


ANA 


106 


ANA 


particularly  cold  bathing,  avoiding  high  seasoned  foods 
and  cordial  -stimulants.  No  error  is  more  common  or 
more  pernicious  than  indulging  highly  nourishing  food 
in  such  instances;  for  there  is  no  more  frequent  cause 
of  debility  than  over  distended  vessels.  If  from  the 
piles,  or  faults  in  the  urethra,  these  complaints  must  be 
combated  by  the  appropriate  remedies. 

ANAPHROME'LI,  (from  «  neg.  «(Z>/>»«,  froth,  and 
H*«A(,  honey).  It  is  honey  so  despumated  that  it  will 
not  froth. 

ANAPLA'SIS,  (from  «.vx.ir*.a.rtra;torestore  to  the  ori- 
ginal form).  Hippocrates  uses  this'word  for  the  accu- 
rately replacing  and  restoring  a  fractured  bone,  and  for  a 
restoration  of  flesh.  It  is  synonymous  with  DIAPLASIS. 
ANAPLERO'SIS,  and  ANEPLERO'TICS,  (from 
avax/jjfofti,  to  Jill  up).  The  restitution  of  any  wasted 
part.  INCARNA'NTIA,  incarnatives,  are  called  anaple- 
rdtica.  The  same  with  PROSTHESIS. 

ANAPLE'LTSIS,(from  «»«?rA£<»>,  to  wash  out).  When 
faulty  humours  rot  the  bone  so  that  it  falls  out  of  its 
joint,  as  happens  sometimes  in  the  jaw,  this  term  is  em- 
ployed by  Hippocrates.  In  Vogel  it  implies  the  scaling 
or  separation  of  the  carious  parts  of  a  bone. 

ANAPNEU'SIS,  (from  *v«!r»e»,  to  respire).  RES- 
PIRATION, PERSPIRATION.  Aretaeus  uses  it  to  express 
a  truce  from  pain. 

ANAPODOPHYL'LON,  (of  anas,  a  duck,  TT»V<,  a 
foot,  and  pvMav,  a  leaf).  DUCK'S  FOOT;  so  called 
from  its  resemblance;  or  fiomum  Maiale,  MAY  APPLE: 
called  also  podophyllumpeltatum,  aconiti  folia,  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  723.  The  Americans  call  it  BLACK  SNAKE  ROOT. 
It  bears  the  hardest  winter  in  an  open  ground,  and  is 
increased  by  parting  the  root  in  August. 

ANAPSY'XIS,  (from  «v<n£>i»x«,  to  make  cold).  RE- 
FRIGERATION, i.  e.  cooling. 

ANARAPHE,  (from  «v«,  and  f«,<p>i,  suture).  It  is 
the  suture  and  retraction  of  the  upper  eye-lid,  when  re- 
laxed, (suturablepharicasuspensis,  collectioetbre-viatio, 
auperioris  palpebrte).  It  is  employed  not  only  in  relaxa- 
tion of  the  palpebra,  but  where  the  hairs  are  thick  and 
long. 

ANARISITEJSIS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  ttftc-rw,  a  din- 
ner).  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  for  the  substraction 
of  a  dinner  from  a  patient. 

ANARRHl'NUM,  (from  «»*,  and  f'i«,  a  nose).  See 
ANTIRRHINUM. 

ANARRHCE'A,  (from  «v«,  upward,  and  ftu,  to  flow) 
\  flux  of  humours  from  below  upwards. 

ANA'HTHROI,  (from  «.,  neg.  and  «pfyov,  a  joint,) 
fatness  so  considerable  as  to  obliterate  the  joints. 
A'NAS.  The  DUCK.  See  A'NSER. 
ANASA'RCA,  (from  «v«,  through,  ando-«p|,  flesh,) 
<,-;-A\c<\.v\SQcatanarca,episarcidiam,intercus.  Pituitaalba, 
hyposarca,  hyposarcidii-s,  •veternum  hydcros,  Galeni 
/ihlegmatia,  phlegmatitia.  A  species  of  DROPSY  from  a 
serous  humour  between  the  skin  and  flesh;  or  rather 
a  general  accumulation,  of  lymph  in  the  cellular  sys- 
tem. It  occurs  in  the  class  cachcxie  and  order  intu- 
rnrscfiitiix  of  Cullen,  and  he  enumerates  the  following 
species,  viz.. 

1.  ANASA'RCA  SEROSA,  from  serum,  retained  on  ac- 
count of  the  suppression  of  some  accustomary  evacua- 
tions ;  or  from  an  increase  of  serum  from  too  much 
water  thrown  into  the  habit,  from  too  large  a  propor- 
tion of  neutral  salts. 


2.  ANASA'RCA    OPPILATA,   when  the  veins   are  con- 
siderably pressed,  which   happens   to  many  pregnant 
women,  Sec. 

3.  ANASA'RCA   EXAXTHEMATICA,  after   eruptive    dis- 
orders, and  particularly  after  the  erysipelas. 

4.  ANASA'RCA   ANEMIA,  when  the  blood  is   rendered 
extremely  poor  from  considerable  losses  of  it. 

5.  AXA'SA'RCA  DEBILIUM,  in  weak  constitutions. 

An  oedema,  in  any  part,  hath   the  same  appearance ' 
as  the  anasarca,  but  it  is  partial ;  a  leucophlegmatia  is 
general ;  and  an  anasarca  is  the  worst  state  of  the  leu- 
cophlegmatia. 

Its  seat  is  the  cellular  membrane ;  if  only  one  limb,  or 
a  particular  part,  hath  its  cellular  membrane  filled,  it  is 
called  an  CEDEMATOUS  SWELLING. 

It  is  known  by  the  sight  and  the  touch  ;  the  skin  of 
the  part  is  considerably  swelled,  its  colour  is  paler,  and 
.upon  pressing  it  deeply  with  a  finger  the  impression 
remains  some  time  :  if  the  belly  is  affected,  the  navel 
appears  to  be  sunk  in,  and  in  a  morning  the  eye-lids,  or 
the  whole  face,  appear  fuller  than  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  day. 

The  occasional  causes  are,  scirrhous  glands,  ca- 
chexy, suppression  of  periodical  evacuations,  and  every 
cause  that  will  impoverish  the  blood  and  debilitate  the 
system.  The  more  immediate  causes  are,  a  defect  of 
red  globules  in  the  blood,  an  increased  action  of  the 
exhalant  arteries,  or  a  want  of  power  in  the  absorbent 
vessels  into  the  cellular  membrane. 

Persons  recovering  from  lingering  diseases  are  very 
subject  to  this  complaint,  particularly  if  they  replenish 
their  weak  vessels  too  fast  by  full  diet.  Exposure  to 
cold  and  damp  air,  particularly  in  the  night,  from  the 
check  it  gives  to  the  natural  discharge  by  the  skin,  late 
hours,  too  tight  ligatures  on  the  legs,  scirrhosities  and 
obstructions  in  the  liver  or  other  viscera,  dispose  to  and 
produce  either  general  or  partial  anasarca.  For  the 
cure  of  this  complaint  see  DROPSY. 

Scarifications  with  a  knife  are  much  commended 
when  the  legs  and  thighs  are  turgid  with  extravasatcd 
serum;  and,  indeed,  the  water  is  speedily  discharged 
this  way;  but  the  lips  of  the  wound  will  close  in  two 
days,  so  as  to  admit  of  no  discharge;  and  from  a  defect 
of  heat  in  the  constitution,  the  part  is  apt  to  mortify. 
To  obviate  these  difficulties,  Dr.  Fothergill  advises  this 
operation  to  be  performed  with  the  common scarificator 
used  in  cupping,  and  the  instrument  to  be  placed  so  as 
to  make  the  wounds  transversely  :  if  the  skin  is  thick, 
the  lancet  may  be  so  set  as  to  make  deeper,  and  conse- 
quently wider,  incisions  :  thus  a  large  quantity  of  water 
will  often  drain  from  the  legs  or  thighs  without  risk  of 
inflammation,  or  deterring  the  patient  from  a  repetition, 
if  necessary.  The  punctures  must  be  made  in  the  most 
depending  part  of  the  leg ;  and  their  number  and  re- 
petition depend  on  the  circumstances  of  each  in- 
dividual case.  The  application  of  glasses,  either  before 
or  after  scarifying,  is  unnecessary;  but  the  instrument 
must  be  gently  pressed  upon  the  skin,  until  a  surface 
is  formed  sufficiently  flat  to  admit  the  lancets  in  the 
scarificator  to  act  equally.  In  all  cases  where  the  skin 
is  so  stretched  as  to  threaten  inflammation,  rupture,  or 
a  gangrene,  and  when  the  breath  is  greatly  impeded, 
these  openings  should  be  made  without  delay.  Blisters 
are  often  employed  in  the  same  circumstances  instead  of 
scarifications,  and  are  equally  useful.  In  some  respects 


10; 


iliey  are  of  superior  utility,  as  the  discharge  can  be  con- 
tinued for  a  longer  period,  and  the  increased  surface 
admits  of  the  evacuation  of  a  larger  quantity  of  fluid. 
An  oblong  blister  maybe  applied  just  above  the  inner 
ancle,  and  continued  till  a  thick  white  or  purulent  dis- 
charge is  produced.  After  this  period  but  little  water  ap- 
pears, and  the  sore  should  be  healed.  If  necessary  to  be 
longer  continued,  blisters  may  be  employed  on  the  out- 
side ; 'and,  when  these  have  acted  sufficiently,  we  may  re- 
turn to  the  former  surface,  which  will  be  now  healed. 
Apprehensions  have  been  entertained  of  gangrene  fol- 
lowing the  application  of  blisters  in  this  way.  No  such 
inconvenience  has,  however,  occurred  to  us  in  a  long 
practice;  and  should  a  little  black  spot  appear,  a  warm 
antiseptic  fomentation,  and  sprinkling  the  spot  with 
the  powder  of  myrrh  or  of  oak  bark,  has  always  sepa- 
rated it.  We  must  add,  that  not  only  in  this,  but  even- 
species  of  dropsy  attempted  to  be  cured  by  internal 
means,  however  they  may  be  relieved  by  different 
evacuations,  unless  the  urinary  organs  continue  their 
evacuating  power,  the  cure  will  never  be  lasting.  See 
Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  iv.  p.  120,  122.  Dr. 
Leake's  Medical  Instructions,  edit.  v.  Cullen's  First 
Lines,  vol.  iv.  edit.  iv.  Le  Dran's  Operations,  edit.  ii. 
p.  1 13 — 1 16.  The  London  Practice  of  Physic,  edit.  v. 
Bell's  Surgery,  v.  499.  Wallis's  Sydenham  on  the 
Dropsy. 

AX  ASP  A 'SIS,  (from  *»<*,  and  <rra«,  to  dram).  A 
contraction  of  the  stomach.  Hippocrates. 

ANA  SSUTOS,  (from  «>»,  upwards,  and  «•»»,  to 
move).  Hippocrates,  when  speaking  of  the  suffoca- 
tion observed  in  hysteric  fits,  and  the  air  rushing  out 
with  violence  upwards,  employs  this  epithet. 

AN'ASTA'LTICA,  (from'  «F«rT£AA»,  to  contract). 
See  ASTRIXGE'XTIA. 

ANA  STASIS,  (from  a>*e-rr,fu,to  cause  to  rise).  A. 
rising  up  to  go  to  stool ;  also  a  migration  of  humours,  and 
a  rising  up  of  recovery  from  sickness.  Hippocrates. 

ANASTOICHEIO'SIS,  (from  «•*,  and  <rra(Xf«»,  a 
principle  or  dement).  A  resolution  of  a  body  into  the 
elements  of  which  it  was  composed :  a  colliquation  or 
dissolution  of  the  solids  or  fluids  of  the  body. 

ANASTOMO'SIS,  (from  tttxe-reuea,  or  <*»<*,  per,  and 
c-Tttut,  a  mouth;  also  aocanastomosis,  inosculatio). 
Anatomists  use  the  word  to  express  the  inosculation  of 
the  arteries  and  veins,  or  their  running  into  one  another. 
The  menses,  discharged,  are  said  to  be  discharged  by 
anastomosis,  i.  e.  by  the  opening  the  mouths  of  the 
vessels  into  the  uterus. 

If  the  blood  transudes  through  the  sides  of  the  vessels, 
the  discharge  is  said  to  be  fier  dia/iedesin,  transudation. 

If  the  vessels  are  corroded  by  acrid  humours,  the 
discharge  is  fitr  diabrosis,  erosion. 

ANASTOMO'TICA,(from  the  same  .  Medicines 
suited  to  open  the  mouths  of  the  extreme  blood  vessels; 
sometimes  of  the  same  import  with  a/ierientia. 

A  NAT.     The  abbreviation  of  dnatomica. 

ANA'TES,  (from  nates,  the  buttocks).  A  disease 
of  the  anus. 

ANA'THRON.  A  salt  which  vegetates  on  rocks  in 
the  form  of  white  stony  moss.  It  is  the  FOSSIL  ALKALI. 

ANATHYMl'ASIS,  (from  St^i*«,  to  fumigate). 
See  EVAPORATIO. 

ANA  TICA    PROPO'RTIO,  (from    ana,   equal). 

PROPORTION. 


ANATO  MlA,aia"«.«o!,(froin  <*>*,  through, 
to  cut,  or  from  metre  fan,  to  dissect). 

jlnaiomy  is  the  art  of  dissecting  the  human  body  in 
order  to  demonstrate  the  shape,  structure,  connexion, 
and  situation  of  the  parts;  this,  though  it  does  not  teach 
the  remedies  of  a  disease,  leads  us  to  understand  the 
situation  of  the  diseased  part,  and  the  influence  of  the 
disease  on  the  functions.  In  short,  whatever  perfec- 
tion the  art  of  healing  might  have  arisen  to  by  the  aid 
of  practical  experiments  and  observation,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  its  greatest  lights  were  received  from  ana- 
tomy and  physiology.  To  know  the  peculiar  structure 
of  each  part,  its  use,  what  functions  it  performs,  what 
connexion  it  hath  with  other  parts,  and  influence  on 
them,  whether  near  or  remote,  are  advantages  too  ob- 
vious to  be  denied. 

The  sympathy  of  the  nerves  leads  us  to  distinguish 
many  diseases,  the  seat  of  which  is  in  one  part  of  the- 
body,  whilst  a  very  distant  one  is  the  part  complained  of. 
The  intercostal  branch,  and  the  eighth  pair  of  nerves, 
run  almost  all  over  the  body. 

Hippocrates,  though  he  only  once  had  the  opportu- 
nity of  viewing  a  human  skeleton,  yet  used  every  me- 
thod in  his  power  to  inform  himself  in  this  branch  of 
his  art,  and  hath  left  behind  a  tolerably  good  descrip- 
tion of  the  human  bones. 

After  Hippocrates,  succeeded  Alcmaeonof  Crotona, 
Aristotle,  Herophilus,  Erasistratus,  Aretaeus,  Praxago- 
ras,  Galen,  Oribasius,  Xemesius,  Mundinus,  Alexan- 
der Achilinus,  Guido  de  Cauliaco,  Jacobus  Berengarius 
Carpensis,  Nicolaus  Massa,  Andreas  Vesalius,  Jacobus 
Sylvius,  Michaelis  Servetus,  Realdus  Columbus,  Am- 
brosius  Paraeus,  Bartholomaeus  Eustachius,  Volcherus 
Goiter,  Andreas  Caesalpinus,  Hieronymus  Fabricius  ab 
Aquapendente,  William  Harvey,  Theophilus  Bonetus, 
William  Cooper,  James  Douglas,  Clopton  Havers,  Mar- 
ccllus  Malpighius,Nathaniel  Highmore,Anthony  Xuck, 
Pecquet,  Monro,  sen.  Morgagni,  Needham,  Nicholls, 
Ruysch,  Steno,  Winslow,  Cheselden,  the  two  Hunters, 
the  second  Monro,  and  many  others,  who,  as  physi- 
cians, surgeons,  or  both,  did  honour  to  their  profession. 

The  first  anatomical  publication  in  the  English  lan- 
guage was,  The  Englishman's  Treasure,  or  the  true 
Anatomy  of  Man's  Body,  by  Thomas  Vicary,  Surgeon 
in  London.  It  was  printed  and  reprinted  three  or  four 
times  between  the  years  1548  and  1633. 

It  is  the  advice  of  the  greatest  anatomists,  that  au- 
thors on  this  subject  should  not  be  read  before  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  parts  is,  in  some  degree,  obtained 
by  seeing  bodies  dissected ;  previous  to  dissection, books 
rather  retard  than  facilitate  the  progress.  When,  by 
seeing  all  the  parts  demonstrated  and  their  uses  ex- 
plained, the  student  hath  a  clear  idea  of  them,  reading 
will  be  necessary,  both  to  fix  the  impression  on  the 
mind,  and  to  inform  him  of  different  opinions  and  dis- 
puted points,  which  he  will  now  be  in  some  degree  able 
to  appreciate  and  determine. 

Those  whose  circumstances  do  not  favour  their  at- 
tendance on  dissection,  may  acquire  a  good  general 
knowledge  of  the  anatomy  of  a  human  body  from  Che- 
selden's  work,  which  is  stiU  an  excellent  introduc- 
tion; and  Bell's  Anatomy,  in  three  volumes  octavo, 
Window's  Anatomy  seems  best  calculated  for  the  at- 
tention of  those  who  have  already  been  familiar  with 
dissections,  and  the  demonstrations  given  by  able  r.u:;- 

P  2 


ANA 


108 


ANA 


tomists;  but  one  of  the  most  useful  works  for  students 
is  a  System  of  Anatomy  and  Physiology,  published  at 
Edinburgh,  1791. 

The  Anatomical  Tables  of  Albinus,  Eustachius, 
Jenty,  and  Cooper,  should  be  attended  to.  Bell's  plates 
of  the  bones  and  muscles  are  indifferently  executed : 
those  of  the  vessels  and  nerves  in  a  superior  manner. 

Several  parts  of  the  human  body,  particularly  the  in- 
ternal, arc  excellently  delineated  in  Haller's  Icones ;  and 
the  brain  very  minutely  and  elegantly  engraved  in  Viq. 
d'Azyr's  works.  The  plates  of  the  lymphatics  in  Hew- 
son's  little  tract,  and  of  the  lacteals  in  Mr.  Sheldon's 
work,  are  particularly  correct,  and  many  plates  of  the 
latter  exquisitely  finished.  The  gravid  uterus  has  been 
illustrated  with  some  admirable  plates  from  Dr.  Hunter 
and  Dr.  Denman;  and  the  parts  concerned  in  the  dis- 
ease of  hernia  illustrated  in  some  very  distinct  master- 
"ly  engravings  by  Mr.  A.  Cooper.  Mr.  Cheselderi's 
Anatomy  of  the  Bones  is  the  most  correct  work  in  oste- 
ology, and  Albinus'  in  myology.  Eustachius'  Tables 
contain  chiefly  these  subjects,  but  some  of  the  internal 
parts  are  added,  and  sufficiently  explained  by" Albinus; 
for  the  copper-plates  of  Eustachius  were  discovered 
without'  his  own  explanations.  The  gradual  develop- 
ment of  the  parts  of  the  human  body,  from  the  period 
whenthey  can  be  first  discovered,  is  delineated  with  equal 
delicacy  and  elegance  by  Hunter  and  Soemering. 

ANATOMY,  COMPARATIVE.  This  subject  has  of  late 
only  obtained  its  share  of  attention;  and  the  little  ap- 
plication that  it  admits  of  in  the  practice  of  medicine, 
prevents  us  from  enlarging  on  it.  Where  the  parts  of 
animals  illustrate  the  functions  of  the  human  economy, 
we  shall  describe  them  in  their  places.  Those  who 
wish  to  pursue  the  subject  will  not  yet  find  very  am- 
ple assistance.  The  first  Dr.  Monro  (for  he  confess- 
edly merits  this  epithet  in  every  view)  left  a  little  tract 
on  cont/iarativc  anatomy,  which,  in  the  limited  circle  to 
which  he  confined  himself,  is  very  satisfactory.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century  Blasius  published  his  Ana- 
tome  Animalium ;  Mr.  Collins' two  folio  volumes  on 
this  subject,  with  numerous  plates  by  Faithorn :  the 
descriptive  part  is,  however,  vague  and  imperfect;  the 
plates  are  clear  and  distinct.  At  this  time  M.  Cuvier 
is  preparing  a  large,  and  what  will  be  a  most  valua- 
ble, work  on  comjiarati-ue  anatomy,  with  numerous 
very  elegant  plates.  He  has  permitted  one  of  his  pupils 
to  publish  his  Lectures,  of  which  two  octavo  volumes 
only  have  appeared,  and  these  have  been  translated  into 
English.'  Two  other  volumes  were  announced  as  in  the 
press  long  since;  but  they  have  not  yet  been  published. 
Dr.  Harwood,  of  Cambridge,  published  some  years 
since  a  small  part  of  a  magnificent  work  on  comparative 
anatomy.  It  comprehends  chiefly  the  organs  of  the 
throat,  including,  if  we  recollect  rightly,  the  larynx; 
und  Kircher,  in  his  Musurgia,  has  delineated  this  or- 
gan in  all  the  variety  of  birds.  The  detached  papers  on 
the  same  subject, in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  and 
the  Memoirs  of  the  French  Academy,  we  cannot  enu- 
merate. A  part  of  the  latter  may  be  found  in  Buffon's 
Natural  History;  and  many  facts  of  importance  in  a 
French  continuation  of  Geoffrey's  work  on  the  Materia 
Medica,  by  Nobleville,  containing  the  animal  kingdom. 
In  the  anatomy  of  insects  no  modern  author  can  rival 
Reaumur  in  attention  and  ingenuity,  or  Swammerdam 
ip  the  patient  industry  and  minute  dexterity  displayed 


in  the  Biblia  Naturae.  We  must  add,  that  the  anatomy 
of  fish  has  not  been  so  carefully  and  accurately  de- 
scribed as  by  the  elder  of  the  present  Monros.  The 
anatomy  of  the  cow  has  been  described  by  Vitet,  and 
that  of  the  horse  in  numerous  modern  veterinary  pub- 
lications. 

ANATOMY,  MORBID.  Dissectio'ns  arc  of  the  ut- 
most consequence,  in  connecting  the  morbid  changes 
with  the  symptoms  that  have  preceded.  Unfortunately, 
we  can  more  often  trace  the  effects  of  disease  than  its 
cause;  and  to  add  to  the  difficulty  of  drawing  from  dis- 
sections any  useful  consequences,  in  a  very  few  instances 
only  have  we  received  an  accurate  account  of  the  pre- 
vious symptoms.  Morgagni's  work,  De  Sedibus  et  Causis 
Morborum,  is  a  most  ample  and  valuable  collection  of  dis- 
sections; but,  unfortunately,  the  symptoms  of  the  disease 
are  often  imperfectly  detailed ;  and  the  cases  taken  from 
the  communications  of  his  friend,  Valsalva,  are  much 
less  satisfactory  than  his  own:  this  work  has  been 
translated  by  Dr.  Alexander;  and  we  have  received  a 
valuable  abstract  of  the  first  part  from  Dr.  Hamilton  of 
Edinburgh.  Bonetus,  an  indefatigable  collector,  pre- 
ceded him  in  this  path;  and  his  Sepulcretum  Anatomi- 
cum,  amidst  many  vague  and  useless  narratives,  con- 
tains facts  of  value  and  importance.  A  selection  from 
this  almost  forgotten  author  would  still  be  valuable. 
The  collection  of  Lieutaud,  viz.  Historia  Anatomico 
Medica,  would  be  more  useful,  had  the  previous  symp- 
toms been  more  carefully  detailed.  At  present,  many 
of  the  facts  are  numerous  and  important.  The  first 
volumes  of  the  collection  vof  Ruysch's  works,  contain 
many  singular  effects  of  disease,  with  excellent  plates; 
and  Haller's  little  volume  of  Pathology  is  curious 
in  the  same  view.  Dr.  Baillie's  late  fasciculi  of 
morbid  anatomy  are  very  important  and  valuable,  as 
they  are  illustrated  with  plates,  executed  with  equal 
accuracy  and  elegance:  and  the  medical  collection,  in 
our  own  language,  contain  many  well  detailed  cases, 
with  the  dissections.  These  volumes  are  now  become 
so  numerous,  that  a  descriptive  index  to  the  whole 
number  would  be  valuable. 

Anatomy  is  sometimes  used  in  the  sense  of  analysis, 
as  we  find  in  anatomia  sjiagyrica:  sometimes  figura- 
tively for  an  exact  search  and  examination. 

ANA'TON.     See  ANATRON. 

ANATRE'SIS,(from  «»«,  and  nrpza,  to  perforate) . 
Galen  uses  this  word  to  express  trepanning. 

ANA'TRIPSIS,  (from  «v*,and  rpip£,  linear).  Frkr 
tion :  sometimes  called  trifisis. 

ANA'TRIS.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

ANA'TRON,  NATRON,  (Arab).  A  lake  of  Egypt, 
where  it  was  produced.  The  MINERAL  FIXED  ALKALI- 
See  ALKALI. 

On  the  Peak  of  Teneriffe  the  inhabitants  call  it  SA- 
LITRON,  which  is  their  name  for  salt  petre  also. 

Anatron  is  a  name  of  the  spume  or  gall  of  glass, 
which  bubbles  on  the  surface  while  in  the  furnace ; 
of  the  terra  Saracenica,  of  which  arc  three  kinds,  the 
red,  black,  and  azure;  and  of  a  white  stony  excres- 
cence, found  on  rocks  somewhat  in  the  form  of 
moss. 

ANA'TROPE,  (from  a.v«.Tfnra,  to  subvert).  A  sub- 
version or  relaxation  of  the  stomach,  with  loss  of  appe- 
tite and  nausea.  Vogel  defines  itj  a  want  of  appetite 
with  nause*. 


ANC 


109 


ANC 


ANA'TUM.     See  OYORUM  TESTA. 

ANAU'DIA.  2      See  CATALEPSIS. 

ANAU'DOS-i  ( From  «,neg.  and  «.»}*,  speech).  Ga- 
len confines  it  to  one  who  hath  lost  the  use  of  speech, 
but  retains  his  voice:  aphonia  signifies  the  loss  of 
voice. 

ANAVINGA.  The  genus  to  which  this  plant  be- 
longs was  established  by  Wildenow,  under  the  name 
caacaria,  Wild.  v.  ii.  Sp.  PI.  629.  It  is  the  a.  ovata  of 
Reed,  and  La  Marck ;  employed  as  a  sudorific. 

AXA'XYRIS,  (from  «»*|t-^«,  e/te  sole  of  a  shoe,)  as 
the  herb  so  called  has  its  leaf  shaped  in  that  form.  See 
LAPATHUM  VULGARE. 

A 'NEAR.     See  AMBRA. 

A'NCEPS,  (from  am,  on  both  sides,  and  ca/iut,  the 
head).  It  implies  hesitation  respecting  the  nature  of 
a  disease,  or  the  effects  of  a  medicine. 

A'NCHA,  ANKA.  An  Arabic  word,  to  press  upon; 
as  the  thigh,  which  is  the  support  of  the  body.  See 
FEMUR. 

A'NCHE,  OS.     See  FEMORIS,  os. 

A'NCHILOPS,  or  A'NCHYLOPS,  (from  *.;<;/,  near, 
and  <ui^,  the  eye).  See  ^EGYLOPS. 

ANCHO'AS.  The  Mexican  name  for  the  male 
ginger. 

ANCHORA'LIS,  PROCE'SSUS,  (from  *y*t^*,  an 
anchor).  See  PHOCESSUS  CORACOIDES. 

ANCHU'SA,  ALCANNA.  ALKANET  ROOT.  An- 
chusa  cfficinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  191  ;  a  mucilaginous  plant 
of  weak  powers. 

ANCHU'SA  TINCTORIA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  192.  The  roots 
are  of  a  deep  purplish  colour  outwardly;  and  they 
give  out  a  deep  red  colour  to  oil,  wax,  unctuous  sub- 
stances, spirit  of  wine,  and  spirit  of  turpentine,  -j^th 
part  of  the  bark  of  this  root  colours  ^fths  of  any  of  the 
above  matters ;  by  a  gentle  heat  they  most  perfectly  ex- 
tract its  colour.  It  is  now  only  used  for  colouring  oils, 
ointments,  and  plasters ;  formerly  it  was  considered  to 
possess  astringent  powers,  and  recommended  in  many 
disorders. 

A'NCHYLE.  See  ANCHYLOSIS.  A  contraction  of 
a  joint ;  or  the  back  part  of  the  knee. 

ANCHYLOMERI'SMA.  In  Sagar's  Nosology  it 
signifies  a  concretion  or  growing  together  of  the  soft 
parts. 

ANCHYLO'SIS,  (from  *y*t>A<.{,  crooked).  A  STIFF 
JOINT,  a  species  of  which  is  called  orthocolon.  It  is  a 
bpecies  of  contractura  in  Cullen's  Nosology.  When 
the  bones  are  immoveable,  and  the  joint  in  a  bent  posi- 
tion, it  is  called  ancyle  :  but  if  the  limb  be  straight,  and 
cannot  be  bent,  orthocolon.  Petit  divides  this  case  into 
the  true  and  false ;  in  the  true  the  bones  are  united  ;  in 
the  false,  from  the  contraction  of  the  tendons,  the  limb 
is  rendered  immovable,  without  the  joint  being  in- 
jured. 

The  bones  are  covered  at  their  ends,  where  they  form 
joints,  with  cartilages,  to  facilitate  their  motion,  and  to 
prevent  any  further  production  of  bone ;  and  if  these 
cartilages  should  be  eroded,  a  bony  excrescence  will 
follow,  and  produce  this  disorder :  it  is  sometimes, 
however,  the  cure  of  worse  misfortunes. 

The  general  causes  are,  a  caries,  abscesses  in  the 
joints,  ossification  of  the  ligaments,  scrofula,  and  rickets, 
contraction  of  the  tendons. 


When  the  bones  are  united,  the  cure  is  impossible ; 
and,  whatever  else  may  be  the  cause,  very  uncertain, 
on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  reaching  the  seat  of  the 
disease  ;  often  from  the  difficulty  of  knowing  the  part 
of  the  joint  principally  affected. 

The  most  simple  case  of  this  kind  is  that  from  a  long 
confinement  of  the  limb  to  one  position ;  an  inflamma- 
tory affection  of  the  ligaments,  from  external  injuries, 
is  generally  difficult;  rheumatic  and  arthritic  matter 
falling  on  the  joint  hardly  ever  to  be  removed ;  but  the 
worst  case  is  that  from  a  white  swelling,  a  scrofulous 
disease. 

If  the  cause  is  a  rigidity  of  the  tendons,  emollient 
topics  are  the  proper  means  of  relief.  Dr.  Lobb,  from 
observing  the  glovers  soften  hard  leather  with  a  mixture 
of  the  white  of  egg  and  water,  proposed  it  in  some  in- 
stances of  this  kind,  it  is  said,  with  the  best  success. 

Others  commend  mucilaginous  oils,  of  which  the 
neat's  foot  oil  is  the  best. 

If  an  inflammatory  state  of  the  ligaments  is  the  cause, 
astringent  and  stimulant  applications,  and  not  emol- 
lients, are  the  best.  Blisters,  the  most  powerful  reme- 
dy of  this  sort,  have  in  many  instances  succeeded  in  this-- 
case  while  it  was  in  a  recent  state ;  but  many  blisters 
must  be  often  applied  ip  succession. 

In  more  inveterate  cases  a  few  cures  have  been  ef- 
fected by  the  pump.  Warm  or  cold  water,  falling  from 
a  considerable  height  upon  the  part,  hath,  by  repetition, 
been  successful.  The  warm  bath  hath  had  the  like 
happy  effects  by  continuing  in  it  an  hour  or  more,  and 
repeating  the  application  for  several  weeks  successively. 
After  the  bath  or  the  pumping,  emollients  may  be 
applied. 

When  the  joints  themselves  are  not  diseased,  pump- 
ing and  friction  are  perhaps  the  best  remedies,  gradually 
exercising  the  joint  by  a  motion,  which  extends  the 
muscles  without  giving  great  pain.  When  some  mo- 
bility is  obtained,  the  extension  of  the  muscles  may  be 
preserved  by  any  instrument,  which  keeps  them  in  the 
state  procured  by  the  action  of  the  remedies.  Mr. 
Bell  has  recommended  an  useful  machine  for  preserv- 
ing this  extension  in  the  knee  joint ;  and  MM.  Koelcr 
and  Trampel  have  described  others,  in  no  respect  of 
superior  efficacy. 

Of  the  applications,  some  have  preferred  the  more 
stimulating  and  astringent,  as  the  fat  of  ducks,  the  brine 
of  herrings  with  vinegar,  vitriol,  or  alum ;  arum  root 
often  joined  with  the  cicuta ;  the  sabine  ointment  ap- 
plied to  blistered  parts ;  oil  of  marjoram,  turpentine,  &c. 
Others  recommend  the  more  relaxing  oils,  the  althaea 
ointment,  with  warm  applications  of  water  and  vapour. 
The  gum  ammoniac  with  vinegar  of  squills  is  supposed 
to  have  a  good  effect,  on  a  principle  not  easily  explained. 
In  general,  where  there  is  a  deficiency  of  the  synovia  of 
the  joint,  the  stimulating  applications  are  the  best; 
where  the  fault  is  in  the  rigidity  of  the  tendons,  thQ 
relaxing  ones. 

In  scrofulous  cases,  all  means  hitherto  usea  have 
failed ;  however,  as  palliatives,  when  the  tumour  bursts 
into  ulcers,  the  aqua  lithargyri  composita,  and  similar 
preparations,  are  considerably  beneficial. 

See  Petit  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Bones.  Heister's 
Surgery.  Mem.  de  1'Acad.  Royale  des  Sciences,  years 
17:21  and  1728.  Aikin's  Obs.  on  the  Preparations  of 


ANC 


no 


ANC 


Lead.  Bell's  Surgery,  vi.  283.  White's  Surgery,  431. 
Boyer  on  the  Bones. 

ANCHYNO'PES.     See  LOLIUM. 

ANCHYROI'DES,  (from  «y*t//>a,  an  anchor,  "and 
tifros,  forma).  A  process  of  the  scapula,  not  unlike  the 
beak  of  an  anchor.  See  CORACOIDES. 

A'NCI,  also  GALIANCON  (from  y«A>>,  a  weasel,  and 
a,"/Kai,  an  elbow)  ANGUS,  WEASEL-ELBOWED.  When 
the  head  of  the  humerus  is  in  the  arm-pit,  such  patients 
are  also  called  mustelanei.  The  disorder  which  this 
name  expresses,  is  a  luxation  of  the  humerus  in  the 
uterus  ;  or  in  infancy,  when  an  abscess  thrusts  out  the 
head  of  the  bone.  Those  who  have  the  foot  similarly 
distorted  are  called  vari  and  volgi. 

A'NCINAR.     See  BORAX. 

A'NCON,  (from  ttyx-et^ofiMi,  to  embrace,}  because 
the  bones  meeting,  and  being  there  united,  fold  one 
into  another.  See  OLECHANON. 

ANCONjE'US,  (from  *yxa>»,  the  elbow,}  MUSCU- 
LUS  :  called  also  cubitdlis  m&sculus.  It  rises  by  a  round 
short  tendon  from  the  outer  condyle  of  the  os  humeri 
backwards ;  it  soon  grows  fleshy,  and  is  inserted  into 
the  ulna  about  three  inches  below  its  head,  serving  to 
extend  the  fore-arm.  This  muscle  is  reckoned  by  some 
as  a  part  of  the  brachixus  externun  ;  from  which  in  dis- 
section it  cannot  be  separated  without  violence. 

A'NCORA.     See  CALX. 

ANCORA'LIS.     See  CORACOIDES  PROCESSUS. 

ANCO'SA.     See  LAECA. 

A'NCTER,  ANCTERIA'SMOS,  (from  «?%*>,  to 
blind).  The  Greek  term  for  the  fibula,  or  button,  by 
which  the  lips  of  wounds  are  held  together,  which  ope- 
ration Galen  calls  a.'/x.ltipia.trfu><;,  ancteriasmus.  Infibu- 
latio,  an  operation  which  consisted  in  passing  a  fibula 
through  the  prepuce  of  stage  players  and  buffoons. 

ANCU'BITUS.  That  affection  of  the  eyes  in  which 
they  seem  to  contain  sand.  It  is  also  called  fietrificatio.. 

ANCUNULENT^.  Filthy  women  are  so  called 
during  the  time  of  menstruation.  Ancunulentavs,  com- 
posed of  am,  from  appi,  about,  and  x.ovta.u,  to  pollute. 
From  the  Greek  xov<;  comes  the  Latin  cenum,  mud  or 
Jilth,  whence  are  derived  cunire&nd  inyuinare,  to  defile. 

ANCYLOBLE'PHARON,  (from  *y*<M<>s,  bent,  and 
/3AE<pa/>ov,  an  eye-lid).  A  disease  of  the  eye  which  closes 
the  eye-lids. 

Sometimes  the  eye-lids  grow  together,  and  also  to 
the  tunica  albuginea  of  the  eye,  from  carelessness  when 
there  is  an  ulcer  in  these  parts.  Both  these  cases  were 
called  ancyloblefiharon  by  the  Greeks. 

This  disorder  derives  its  origin  from  glutinous  dis- 
charges, such  as  attend  most  ophthalmies ;  chiefly  in 
ulcerated  eye-lids,  and  is  prevented  by  warm  milk,  and 
absorbent  or  abstringent  powders.  \f  the  coalition  is  a 
perfect  concretion  of  the  palpebrae  with  each  other,  or 
with  the  eye,  there  is  sometimes  a  small  aperture, 
which  is  generally  in  the  great  angle  of  the  eye ;  if 
there  ^hould  not  be  any,  a  perforation  must  be  made  in 
either  angle,  a  probe  with  a  groove  then  introduced, 
and  with  a  fine  edged  knife  let  the  parts  be  separated. 
If  the  eye-lids  adhere  to  the  globe,  they  must  be  care- 
fully divided  from  each  other;  being  more  sparing  of 
the  eye-lid  in  the  operation  than  sclerotica.  If  the  ad- 
hesion is  only  to  the  conjunctiva,  blindness  is  not  the 
consequence ;  if  on  the  cornea,  the  sight  is  generally 


lost.  This  may  be  supposed  to  happen  when  the  disease 
has  arisen  from  a  cause  that  affects  the  whole  eye,  as 
a  violent  burn,  hot  lime,  or  any  other  acrid  fluid  in  the 
eye.  In  this  case  the  cornea  adheres  to  the  eye-lid, 
and  tne  ball  of  the  eye  feels  collapsed ;  a  strong  light 
cannot  be  perceived  through  the  lid,  and  the  motion  of  • 
the  ball  of  the  eye  cannot  be  distinguished.  This  kind 
of  adhesion  is  sometimes  called  symblepharon,  and  it  is 
often  firm  and  fleshy.  If  the  adhesion  is  not  to  the 
cornea,  it  may  be  separated  by  the  knife ;  but  the 
greatest  caution  is  necessary  not  to  injure  the  sight.  No 
directions  can  assist  the  operator,  who  must  be  left  to 
his  own  judgment  and  dexterity.  If  the  adhesions  are  ' 
chiefly  membranous,  a  blunt  knife  only  will  easily  sepa- 
rate them,  with  little  danger.  Hildanus  attempted  the 
separation  by  passing  a  silk,  with  the  assistance  of  z, 
probe,  into  the  eye  at  the  external  canthus,  and  out  of 
it  at  the  internal ;  the  ends  were  joined,  and  a  small  bit 
of  lead  suspended,  whose  weight  gradually,  and  with 
little  inconvenience,  separated  the  agglutinated  parts. 
This  method  however  is  chiefly  useful  in  the  slighter 
cases,  and  would  have  little  effect  when  the  adhesions 
were  general  to  the  ball  of  the  eye.  The  re-union  is 
better  prevented  by  injection,  or  lint  placed  between  the 
eye-lid  and  ball  of  the  eye,  after  dipping  it  in  some  mild 
liniment,  than  by  a  plate  of  lead,  as  recommended  by 
Sauvages ;  as  that  might,  from  its  hardness,  bring  on 
inflammation. 

When  the  eye-lids  adhere  slightly,  and  the  complaint 
has  not  been  of  long  duration,  they  may  be  separated, 
according  to  Mr.  Bell,  by  the  end  of  a  blunt  probe  in- 
sinuated behind  them,  so  as  to  tear  them  asunder;  but 
when  they  adhere  firmly,  or  to  the  eye-ball,  he  advises 
slow  dissection  of  every  adhering  fibre,  and  then  the 
eye  only  to  be  covered  with  a  piece  of  soft  lint  spread 
over  with  Goulard's  cerate,  or  any  other  cooling  emol- 
lient ointment ;  and  after  the  first  dressing,  a  small  por- 
tion of  the  same  to  be  daily  insinuated  between  the  eye- 
lids. Perhaps,  in  preference  to  all  others,  one  part  of 
mercurial  ointment,  with  four  parts  of  axunge,  may  be 
introduced  twice  a  day  :  the  parts  may  be  bathed  twice 
a  day,  also,  with  a  weak  solution  of  the  zincum  vitriola- 
tum  purificatum,  or  cerussa  acetata.  When  the  whole 
eye-lid  is  closed,  a  slight  opening  may  be  made  at  either 
canthus  to  introduce  the  probe  and  divide  the  eye-lid 
through  its  whole  course,  and  the  divided  edges  should 
be  dressed  with  Goulard's  cerate,  or  any  other  cooling 
application.  The  eyes  should  not  be  kept  long  shut ; 
and,  even  after  the  first  nap,  they  should  be  opened 
and  the  dressing  renewed.  See  Wallis's  Nosologia 
Methodica  Oculorum,  p.  51.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii. 
p.  297.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  i.  p.  271.  edit.  4. 

ANCYLOGLO'SSUM,  (from  «yx.uA««,  crooked,  and 
y^aa-a-ae.,  the  tongue).  A  contraction  of  the  ligaments 
of  the  tonge  :  TONGUE-TIED.  Vogel  defines  it  to  be  an 
adhesion  of  the  tongue  to  the  adjacent  parts,  so  as  to 
hinder  sucking,  swallowing,  and  speaking. 

Some  have  this  imperfection  from  their  birth,  others 
from  some  disease.  In  the  first  case,  the  membrane 
which  supports  the  tongue  is  too  short  or  too  hard ;  in 
the  latter,  an  ulcer  under  the  tongue,  healing  and  form- 
ing a  cicatrix,  will  occasion  it;  these  speak  with  some 
difficulty,  and  are  called  by  the  Greeks  ^wyiA«Ao;.  See 
MOGILATIA. 


AND 


ill 


AND 


The  ancyloglossi  by  nature  are  late  before  they  speak, 
but  when  they  begin  they  soon  speak  properly  ;  these 
we  call  tongue-tied,  and  the  membrane  which  confines 
the  tongue  may  be  cut  with  scissors,  being  careful  not 
to  extend  the  points  of  the  scissors  so  far  as  the  fraenu- 
luin.  When  the  child's  tongue  is  tied,  he  does  not  suck 
freely,  he  loses  the  nipple  very  frequently,  and  whilst 
sucking  he  makes  a  chucking  kind  of  a  noise.  The 
instances  rarely  occur  which  require  any  kind  of  assist- 
ance ;  for  if  the  child  can  thrust  the  tip  of  its  tongue  to 
the  outer  edge  of  its  lip,  this  disease  does  not  exist ; 
and  if  the  tongue  ;s  not  greatly  restrained,  the  fraenulum 
will  stretch  by  the  child's  sucking  and  crying.  Besides, 
without  an  absolute  necessity,  which  scarcely  ever  ex- 
ists, an  operation  should  not  be  admitted ;  for  without 
great  circumspection,  by  cutting  the  frasnulum,  the 
nerves  passing  there  may  be  also  cut,  and  a  loss  of 
speech  be  the  consequence. 

Sometimes  the  tongue  is  bound  down  with  a  fleshy 
substance,  which  should  never  be  cut  through,  because 
a  dangerous  haemorrhage  might  follow,  without  any 
attending  advantage.  It  is  advisable  only  to  direct  the 
nurse,  now  and  then,  to  stretch  it  gently  by  a  light 
pressure  on  it  with  her  finger.  When,  in  consequence 
of  delivering  a  child  by  the  feet,  a  swelling  is  observed 
under  the  tongue,  nothing  is  required,  for  the  tumour 
will  soon  subside. 

See  Hildanus  in  Cent.  iii.  Obs.  28,  where  he  gives 
an  accurate  account  of  the  nature,  cure,  and  bad  effects 
that  may  follow  on  improper  methods  being  used  for 
the  cure  of  this  disorder.  He  never  cuts  more  of  the 
fraenum  than  appears  ligamentous,  and  then  orders  it  to 
be  gently  rubbed  two  or  three  times  a  day  with  honey 
of  roses.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p.  336.  If  the  tongue 
is  too  loose,  by  the  fraenum  being  too  long,  or  not  car- 
ried sufficiently  near  the  apex,  no  remedy  can  be  em- 
ployed. The  only  inconvenience  arises  from  the  child, 
in  attempting  to  suck  on  waking,  inverting  the  tongue, 
the  point  of  which  suffocates  him.  This  must  be  cau- 
tiously guarded  against,  or  the  tongue  bandage  of  Petit 
may  be  employed. 

ANCHYLOME'LE,  (from  a-/xfA»«,  crocked,  and 
M*-i,  a  probe],  A  crooked  probe,  or  a  probe  with  a 
hook. 

AXCYLO'TOMUS,  (from  a.*/*.v>»,  a  hook,  and  T£A*»«, 
(o  cut).  Any  crooked  knife  used  in  Surgery. 

ANCYROI'DES,  a  process  of  the  scapula,  so  called 
from  a.'/xvf(t,  uncus,  a  beak  or  hook,  and  e/J««,  form. 
See  CORACOIDES  PROCESSES. 

A'NDA,  probably  the  same  with  ANDIRA,  q.  v. 

ANDE'NA.  Steel  which  melts  in  the  fire,  and  may 
be  cast  into  any  form. 

ANDHU'RA.     See  AXDIRA  ACU. 

ANDI'RA,  called  also  angelyn  et  arbor  nucifera.  It 
does  not  occur  in  the  system  of  Linnaeus. 

It  is  a  tree  which  grows  in  Brasil,  whose  wood  is 
proper  for  building.  The  fruit  is  a  yellow  kernel ;  it  is 
bitter,  astringent,  and,  if  taken  inwardly,  it  destroys 
worms ;  9  L  of  it  in  powder  is  a  dose. 

ANDRA'CHNE,  (from  *»ip ,  a  marc,  and  <*£»>:,  frcth,) 
so  called  because  it  was  supposed  to  increase  the  semi- 
nal fluids.  See  PORTULACA. 

AXDRANOTOMIA,  (from  *np,  a  man,  and  Ttju»«, 
>o  cut).  The  dissection  of  a  male  subject. 

A'NDRAPHAX,orANDRAPHA'XIS,(from*^«?, 


qtiic  kly,  and  uvj-a,  to  increase,)  so  called  from  its  quick 
growth.  See  ATRIPLEX  FCETIDA. 

A'NDRIA,  (from  uiip,  a  man).  See  HERMAPHRO- 
DITUS. 

A'NDRIUS,  MANLY,  (from  atttp,  a  man,—  strong'').  It 
is  metaphorically  applied  to  strong  wine,  or  wine  from 
the  island  of  Andros. 

ANDROGENI'A,  (from  *»i>p,  a  man,  and  "/£»**>,  to 
generate).  A  succession  of  males. 

AXDRO'GYNE,?  (from  **>>p,  a  man,    and    yi/»D,  a 

ANDRO'GYNI,  $   ivoman).  EFFEMINATE  MEN,  and 

HERMAPHRODITES.        See  GVNANTHROPUS. 

AXDRO'MACHI  THERI'ACA.  This  medicine 
of  Andromachus  hath  above  sixty  ingredients  in  it.  It 
is  needless  to  repeat  the  universal  good  ascribed  to  this 
composition  by  its  author;  or  its  high  reputation  in 
consequence  of  its  being  considered  as  an  antidote  to 
all  poisons.  See  ALEXIPHARMICA. 

So  many  drugs  were  crowded  into  one  medicine, 
that  a  concurrence  of  similar  ingredients  might  be 
more  effectual  ;  but,  according  to  Pliny,  it  was  only  to 
make  people  more  confident  in  their  favour.  An  idea 
indeed  seems  to  have  prevailed  in  the  middle  ages,  that 
numerous  ingredients  rendered  a  formula  better  adapt- 
ed to  a  variety  of  diseases.  From  the  number  of  poison- 
ous plants  sometimes  used  in  such  remedies,  it  seems 
to  have  been  also  an  object  to  accustom  the  constitu- 
tion to  their  effects,  so  that,  at  other  times,  they  may  be 
harmless. 

The  treacle  of  Andromachus  is  called  VENICE  TREA- 
CLE, because  great  quantities  of  it  were  made  there,  and 
conveyed  to  other  countries.  It  is  now  disused. 

ANDRO'NION  ;  i.  e.  ANDRONIS  PASTILLI,  the 
troche*  of  Andron.  They  are  made  with  alum,  balaus- 
tines,  Sec. 

ANDROPHAGE,  (from  eatif,  a  man,  and  p*-/nr,  to 
eat).  Man-eaters,  cannibals.  A  few  nations  of  this 
savage  disposition  still  exist  ;  and  the  inhabitants  of 
New  Zealand,  our  antipodes,  are  certainly  such. 

ANDROPO'GON  NA'RDUS.     See  NARDUS  ITA- 


LICA. 

AXDROPO'GON    SCH^NA'XTHUS. 


See    JUNCUS    ODO- 


RATUS. 

ANDROS  A.'CTL,tubulanaaceta6ulum,  and  also  called 
umbilicus  marin.  cochlea  ctslata,  acetabulum  marinum 
minus,  fungus  fietr<e  us  marinus,  cotyledon  marina,  and 
SEA  NAVEL-WORT.  It  is  a  sub-marine  production,  found 
on  the  rocks  and  shells  of  fishes  about  the  coasts  of  the 
Mediterranean.  It  consists  of  numerous,  slender,  short 
filaments,  more  or  less  bent  or  arched,  of  a  whitish  or  gray 
colour,  hard  and  brittle,bearing  each  upon  the  top  a  stria- 
ted concave  body,  nearly  of  the  figure  of  an  inverted  cone. 

In  powder  it  is  given  as  a  vermifuge  and  diuretic.  It 
does  not  differ  from  coralline.  In  the  flame  of  a  can- 
dle, when  dry,  it  yields  a  dazzling  brightness,  and  the 
coralline  does  the  same. 

ANDROSACES,  SUMMER  NAVEL-WORT. 

A  plant  on  the  sea  coasts  of  Syria.  It  is  called  an- 
drosace,  (from  a-iip,  man,  and  XKHS,  a  cure.) 

Two  drams  of  this  herb,  or  of  its  seed,  taken  in 
wine,  powerfully  promote  urine.  The  species  is  un- 
certain. 

AXDROS^'MUM,  or  AXDROSi'MOM.  ffy/ie- 
ricum,  androsamum,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1  102.  Also  called 
Siciliana,  clymenum  Italorum,  ascyrus,  ascyos,  hyjieri- 


ANE 


112 


ANE 


cum,  ciciliana,  dionysias.  In  English  it  is  named  TUT- 
SAN, or  ALL-HEAL,  PARK-LEAVES,  and  ST.  PETER'S  WORT. 
It  grows  in  hedges  and  thickets.  Two  drams  are  mo- 
derately purgative,  but  it  is  rarely  used. 

The  nzmeandroscemumis  from  *nif , a  wow,  and  «<,«.*, 
blood,  for  it  makes  the  fingers  red  if  they  rub  it.  Tut- 
san is  a  corruption  of  the  French  words,  tout-sain, 
which  signifies  all-heal. 

ANDRO'TOME.     See  ANDRANATOMIA. 

ANDRUM,  an  endemic  disease  on  the  coast  of 
Malabar.  It  is  called  in  the  language  of  the  country 
the  popular  water  rupture,  and  is  in  reality  HYDRO- 
CELE,  q.  v.  The  disease  is  supposed  to  arise  from  the 
brackish  water,  and  is  preceded  by  an  erysipelas  of  the 
scrotum.  It  is  prevented  by  putting  at  the  bottom  of 
the  wells  some  pure  sand,  through  which  the  water  fil- 
ters, and  is  rendered  more  pure.  The  partial  remedy 
,of  tapping  is  the  only  one  employed,  and  this  is  fre- 
quently repeated. 

ANDSJUD.EN.     See  ASAFETIDA. 

ANE'BION,  (from  a.ix&a.na,  to  ascend,')  so  called 
from  its  quick  growth.  See  ANCHUSA. 

ANECPY'ETUS,  (from  *,  neg.  and  e**vel*f,  suppu- 
rated,) not  admitting  of  suppuration. 

ANEILE'MA,  or  ANEILE'SIS,  (from  anitoa,  to 
roll  ufi,  or  involve).  An  involution  of  the  bowels  from 
flatulence  or  gripes. 

ANE'MIAv(from  xvefMf,  wind').  The  name  of  a  dis- 
order which  Hippocrates  mentions,  but  does  not  de- 
scribe ;  probably  flatulence. 

ANEMO'NE,(from  *ntu*ttwfnd,')  so  called  because 
it  will  not  open  its  flowers  till  blown  upon  by  the  wind. 
WIND  FLOWER,  or  CORN  ROSE.  Called  also  phenion. 
A.  hepatica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  758.  The  root  of  the  scarlet 
anemonies  is  detersive  if  bruised  while  fresh,  and  ap- 
plied to  ulcers,  and  on  the  skin  it  raises  blisters.  The 
herb  hath  been  used  in  collyriums  and  errhines.  See 
HEPATIOA  NOBILIS. 

ANEMO'NE    PULSATILLA.       See    PULSATILLA    NIGRI- 

C'ANS. 

ANEMONO'IDES,  (from  an  pun,  the  wind  flower, 
and  t/iJo?,  forma,")  also  called  memorosa,  ranunculus, 
phragmitis  albus  vernus.  The  WOOD  ANEMONE  ;  resem- 
bling in  virtues  the  garden  anemone. 

ANENCE'PHALOS,(from  *,neg.  and  £yx.f<pctto<,  the 
'Brain).  Born  without  brains  ;  metaphorically  foolish. 

A'NEOS,  (from  *,  non,  and  *ua,  clamo,  to  bawl  out). 
Loss  of  voice  and  reason. 

ANEPITHY'MIA,  (from  *,  non,  and  eiritvpta,  de- 
sire). Loss  OF  APPETITE.  See  ANOREXIA. 

A'NE'RIC.  ?    c      c 

A'NE'RIT  s  SULPHUR  VIVUM. 

A'NE'SUM.     See  ANISUM. 

ANETHO'XYLA,  the  woody  root  of  dill.  . 

ANE'THUM,  ~)  (from  aiu,  after,  and  3-tu,  to  run,)  so 

A'NET,  5  called  because  its  roots  run  out  a 

great  way.  DILL,  or  ANET.  It  is  the  anethum  gra- 
•veolcns  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 

The  herb,  flower,  and  seeds,  are  medicinal,  but  the 
seeds  only  are  used  in  the  shops.  They  are  carmina- 
tive and  antispasmodic  :  J  i.  to  a  dose  is  reckoned  spe- 
cific in  hiccoughs.  In  some  symptoms  of  indigestion, 
arising  from  a  relaxation  of  the  stomach,  they  are  said 
to  be  serviceable,  and  more  efficacious  than  the  other 
seeds,  by  promoting  a  secretion  of  milk.  They  give 


over  all  their  virtue  by  distillation  to  water,  but  not  by' 
digestion  or  infusion.  With  the  distilled  water  there 
arises  a  considerable  portion  of  oil,  which,  as  a  carmi- 
native against  hiccough,  from  two  to  four  drops  are 
given  for  a  dose.  Rectified  spirit  of  wine  obtains  all  the 
virtue  by  digestion,  but  takes  very  little  over  with  it  by 
distillation.  The  medicine,  and  its  simple  water,  are 
alike  deservedly  neglected. 

ANE'THUM  FCENI'CULUM,  FRU'CTIBUS 
OVA'LIS.  See  FCENICULUM  VULGARE. 

ANE'TICA,  (from  a,tir,^i,   to  remit).       See  ANO'- 

DYNA. 

ANEURI'SMA,  (from  ttnvpmu,  to  dilate  much,) 
called  also  litematocele  arteriosum,  abscessus  spirituosus, 
emborysma.  See  ABSCESS. 

The  aneurism  is  a  tumour  arising  from  the  dilatation 
or  rupture  of  the  coats  of  an  artery.  Arteries  only  are 
the  seat  of  this  disorder ;  and  any  artery,  in  any  part  of 
the  body,  may  be  thus  affected,  as  any  vein  may  be  the 
seat  of  a  varix.  It  is  defined  a  soft  pulsating  tumour 
upon  an  artery. 

Dr.  Hunter  divides  aneurisms  into  four  kinds;  viz. 
the  true,  the  false,  the  mixed,  and  the  varicose. 

First,  OF  THE  TRUE  ANEURISM- 

The  true  aneurism  is  formed  by  a  dilatation  of  the 
artery.  It  may  happen  in  any  part  of  the  body,  but 
most  frequently  is  found  in  the  curvature  of  the  aorta, 
which  is  subject  to  this  disorder  from  the  extraordinary 
impUlse  of  the  blood ;  from  the  curvature  it  runs  up- 
wards along  the  carotids,  or  the  subclavians,  generally 
increasing,  till  by  its  great  distention  it  is  ruptured,  and 
the  patient  dies. 

The  degrees  of  the  dilatation  of  the  aorta,  in  cases  of 
this  kind,  are  various  ;  in  some  the  curvature  of  this 
artery  hath  been  so  enlarged  as  nearly  to  fill  the  upper 
part  of  the  breast.  It  is  singular,  that  the  part  of  the 
vessel  which  is  the  weakest,  and  where  the  disease  be- 
gins, is  apt  to  be  stretched  more  in  proportion  than 
other  arteries  ;  and  to  form  particular  cells,  where  they 
meet  with  firm  resistance,  more  than  where  their  sup- 
port is  soft  and  yielding. 

The  sac  formed  by  the  distention  of  the  artery  is  not 
a  distention  of  a  particular  coat,  but  of  the  whole  sub- 
stance of  the  vessel ;  but  the  thickness  of  the  coats  of 
these  sacs  continues  only  to  a  certain  period ;  for  when 
the  vessels  of  the  coats  can  no  longer  yield,  the  circula- 
tion grows  languid,  the  sac  becomes  thinner  at  its  apex, 
and  soon  after  bursts.  As  the  aneurismal  tumour  also 
increases  in  size,  it  meets  with  resistance  from  the 
neighbouring  parts ;  and  as  the  coats  will  be  more  or 
less  affected,  according  to  the  degree  of  the  resistance, 
in  some  places  they  will  be  simply  distended,  in  others 
absolutely  destroyed.  Where  the  aneurism  presses 
against  the  diaphragm,  it  will  be  thinner  than  where  it 
suffers  no  pressure  ;  it  is  still  thinner  where  it  presses 
against  the  tendinous  part  of  this  muscle  ;  and  where  it 
presses  the  spine,  it  is  the  soonest  destroyed.  A  proof 
that  all  pressure  must  be  avoided  in  such  cases. 

The  blood  that  fills  these  tumours  is  always  fluid,  by 
being  constantly  renewed  ;  but,  notwithstanding  this 
blood  is  fluid,  its  passage  in  the  tumour  is  retarded ; 
and  this  remissncss  in  its  motion,  which  is  more  or  less 
considerable  according  to  the  size  of  the  aneurism,  oc- 
casions some  of  the  fibrin  of  the  blood  to  separate  from 


VX  E 


11. 


A  X  K 


.  cd  part ;  and  adhering  to  the  internal  coat  of  the 
aneurism,  it  there  forms  fibrous  strata,  which  may 
easily  be  taken  for  real  membranes  by  those  not  accus- 
tomed to  observe  them.  These  fibrous  strata  cannot 
be  dispersed  by  any  means,  either  external  or  internal ; 
and  pressure  cannot  be  used,  because  it  will  destroy  the 
coats  of  the  artery. 

Secondly,  THE    FALSE   ANEURISM,  called  Ecchymorna 
.irteriosum, 

Is  formed  by  a  rupture  or  wound  in  the  coat  of  the 
artery,  and  is  of  two  kinds,  viz.  the  diffused  and  .the 
circumscribed. 

The  DIFFUSED  is  that  in  which  the  extravasated 
blood  runs  through  the  cellular  membrane,  in  the  in- 
terstices of  firmer  parts:  this  generally  makes  a  rapid 
progress,  may  extend  itself  to  a  great  distance,  and  hath 
little  or  no  pulsation  except  very  near  the  aperture  of 
the  artery ;  but  these  circumstances  will  somewhat 
vary,  according  to  the  size  of  the  opened  artery  and  the 
strength  of  the  circulation.  This  species  of  false 
aneurism  is  analogous  to  the  emphysema,  and  is  the 
highest  species  of  ccchymosis. 

The  CIRCUMSCRIBED  TUMOUR  beats,  and  sinks  under 
pressure,  like  the  true  aneurism;  and  indeed  cannot  be 
distinguished  from  it  except  by  the  knowledge  of  its 
cause,  or  by  a  careful  dissection  of  the  part :  it  appears 
soon  after  the  accident  which  gave  rise  to  it,  and  is 
.  commonly  slow  and  gradual  in  its  progress.  It  happens 
vi  hen  the  orifice  in  the  artery  is  very  small,  so  that  the 
blood  flows  but  slowly,  and  finds  the  adjacent  mem- 
branes so  firmly  united  as  to  keep  it  within  a  certain 
channel.  It  consists  of  one  bag  with  a  smooth  inside, 
and  communicates  by  an  aperture  with  the  cavity  of  the 
artery.  This  species  of  aneurism  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
common  among  those  that  happen  in  the  arm  after 
bleeding,  especially  when  a  considerable  pressure  hath 
been  made  immediately  after  the  accident. 

Thirdly,  THE  MIXED  ANEURISM, 

Is  formed  partly  by  a  wound  or  rupture  in  the  artery, 
and  partly  by  a  dilatation.  It  cannot  easily  be  distin- 
guished from  the  circumscribed  species  of  the  false 
aneurism;  and  will  ofien  so  emulate  the  true  one,  as 
not  to  be  distinguished  from  it  but  by  a  careful  dis- 
section. 

Fourthly,  THE  VARICOSE  ANEURISM,  OR  THE  ANEUHIS- 
MAL  VARIX, 

urs  v  hen  there  is  an  anastomosis,  or  an  immediate 
n  between  the  artery  and  the  vein  of  the 
part  where  the  patient  hath  been  bled,  in  consequence 
of  the  artery  being  wounded  through  the  vein,  so  that 
blood  passes  immediately  from  the  trunk  of  the  artery 
into  that  of  the  vein,  and  so  back  to  the  heart. 

This  species  differs  from  the  common  spurious  antu- 
in  one  circumstance  only,  viz.  the  wound  remaining 
<>pen  in  the  side  of  the  vein  as  well  as  in  the  side  of  the 
artery.  But  this  circumstance  will  occasion  a  great 
difference  in  the  symptoms,  the  tendency  of  the  com- 
plaint, and  in  the  proper  method  of  treating  it. 

Mr.    Bell,   in  his    System  of   Surgery,  divides  the 
aneurism  into  two  species,  viz.  the  encysted,  and  the 
diffused.     The  encysted  includes  all  those  in^ 
•  hich,  the  coats   of  th- 


blood  is  confined  in  its  proper  coat :  of  this  kind  he 
reckons  the  -cariczsc  aneurism.  The  diffused  includes 
all  those  in  which,  from  an  aperture  in  the  artery,  the 
blood  is  spread  in  the  cellular  membrane  out  of  its  pro- 
per course. 

The  causes  of  aneurisms  are  various.  A  natural 
weakness  in  a  part  of  an  artery  is  the  immediate  cause 
of  the  true  aneurism.  The  internal  causes  are,  a  fulness 
of  the  arteries  concurring  with  some  violent  motion  or 
concussion ;  an  internal  tumour  pressing  on  some  part 
of  an  artery  ;  or  violent  action,  sudden  anger,  vomiting, 
kc.  which  propel  the  blood  too  forcibly  to  some  parti- 
cular part.  By  stretching  the  artery,  a  true,  or  by 
bursting  it,  a  false  aneurism,  or  the  mixed  one,  will  be 
thus  formed :  convulsions,  and  other  violent  spasmodic 
symptoms,  with  other  concurring  causes,  may  be  rank- 
ed in  the  number  of  internal  causes.  In  some  instances 
the  coats  of  the  artery  are  unusually  and  irregularly 
weak.  We  then  find  aneurisms  through  the  whole 
arterial  system ;  and  the  predisposition  to  this  complaint 
is  styled  diathesis  aneurismatica.  Externally,  strains, 
blows,  and  punctures,  are  the  most  frequent  causes : 
pressure  used  on  a  true  aneurism,  by  bursting  the  coats 
of  the  artery,  produces  a  false  one ;  suspending  the 
breath,  as  in  lifting  great  burthens,  wrestling,  Sec.  may 
occasion  either. 

It  hath  been  said  that  a  polypus,  existing  internally, 
sometimes  occasions  an  aneurism;  but  Dr.  Hunter  ob- 
serves, that  it  rarely  or  never  happens  that  a  polypus  is 
formed  till  the  last  moments  of  life,  when  the  heart's 
power  having  nearly  ceased,  the  whole  blood  cannot  be 
propelled  from  the  heart ;  which,  when  found  after  death, 
has  been  supposed  to  have  pre-existed,  and  to  have  been 
the  cause  of  what  it  was  only  the  effect. 

There  is  no   certain  criterion   by    which  to  ascertain 
the  existence  of  internal  aneurisms  before  they  approach 
to  the  surface  of  the  body;  whatever  symptoms  they 
occasion  before  they  form  a  tumour  externally,  as  they 
may  be  produced  by  other  causes,  are  but  equivocal 
signs.   1'hejiathognomonic  sign  of  all  the  species  of  c. 
rism  is,  a  perceptible  pulsation  in  some  part  of  the  tu- 
mour, more   or  less  manifest,   as  the  artery   is   seated 
superficially  or  deep ;  yet  we  shall  find,  that  any  u 
tumour  receiving  pulsation  from   an  adjoining  arterv 
will  sometimes  resemble  it;  and  when  the  effused  I 
is  in  large  quantity,  it  will  obscure  the  pulsation.     Tin- 
true  aneurUm  is  generally  of  an  oblong  figure,  and  hath 
a  strong  pulsation  in  it;. it  subsides  on  depression  :  if  i' 
is  an  aneurism  of  the  aorta,  a  strong  pulsation  is  per- 
ceived against  the  sternum  and  ribs  on  every  systole  of 
the  heart;  and  when   it   extends  above   the  sternum, 
there  is  a  tumour,  with  pulsation.     These  tumours 
without  pain  or  discoloration  in  the  skin,  except  on  the 
point  of  bursting;  they  subside  by  pressure  while   the 
blood  is  fluid,  but  when  it  is  coagulated  they  yield  in 
a  very  slight  degree;  if  the  sac  has  a  narrow  basis,  the 
blood  re-enters  the  artery  with.a  hissing  noise  when  thi 
tumour  is  pressed.     Sometimes  there  is  a  redness  from 
the  expansion  of  the   parts  beyond  their  capacity,  or  a 
dark   colour    from   the  putrefaction  of  the   blood,   in 
which  case  a  fever  and  fainting  also  occur.     The  com- 
mon  appearances  of  an  aneurimn  from  the  wound  of  a 
lancet  are  a  discharge  of  blood  through  the  orifice  of  the 
skin,  by  jerks,  instead  ot"  an  uniform  stream ;  and  on 
i'toppintr  the  he    blood  spreads 

Q 


ANE 


114 


ANE 


muscles  of  the  shoulder  and  arm,  constituting  the  dif-- 
fused  aneurism:  in  this  case  the  arm  becomes  livid 
from  the  ccchymosis,  and  the  blood  coagulating,  ob- 
scures any  sensible  pulsation. 

In  the  false  kinds  of  aneurism,  the  cyst  is  probably 
formed  of  a  portion  of  the  aponeurosis  that  runs  over 
the  vessel,  which,  from  extravasated  blood  underneath, 
is  thickened  and  expanded:  that  this  membrane  is  the 
cyst,  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  our  so  readily  discover- 
ing the  puncture  in  the  artery  upon  opening  the  tumour; 
or  it  may  be  formed  of  the  cellular  membrane,  which 
admits  both  of  thickening  and  expansion. 

In  the  varicose  aneurism,  the  vein  that  was  punctured 
will  become  varicous,  and  will  have  a  pulsatile  jarring 
motion,  on  account  of  the  stream  from  the  artery ;  there 
will  be  a  hissing  noise,  which  will  be  found  to  corre- 
spond with  the  pulse  ;  and  the  blood  in  the  tumour  will 
be  almost  entirely  fluid,  because  it  is  kept  in  constant 
motion :  it  is  soon  formed  to  its  largest  size,  and  so  re- 
mains, if  not  disturbed  by  imprudent  management :  no 
considerable  inconveniences  arise  from  it.  This  sort  of 
aneurism  may  be  further  known  by  placing  a  finger  over 
the  orifice  in  the  artery,  where  the  stream  of  blood  pro- 
pelled into  the  vein  at  every  pulsation  is  felt :  by  apply- 
ing the  ear  to  the  tumefied  vein,  a  tremulous  motion  and 
noise  are  perceived;  by  pressing  the  corresponding 
artery,  this  motion  and  noise  cease ;  and  on  the  removal 
of  this  pressure,  the  motions,  &c.  return;  the  artery 
becomes  larger  in  the  arm  and  smaller  in  the  wrist; 
the  vein  being  emptied  by  pressure,  instantly  fills  again 
on  taking  the  pressure  off;  the  pulse  at  the  wrist  grows 
weaker  as  the  artery  above  enlarges. 

The  beginning  aneurism  in  the  aorta  should  be  dis- 
tinguished from  a  palpitation  of  the  heart;  from  hyste- 
rics, in  which  symptoms  of  suffocation  sometimes  at- 
tend; from  fever  with  fainting,  both  which  are  some- 
times the  consequence  of  false  aneurism;  from  varices 
of  the  veins  and  their  effects ;  from  an  emphysema ;  from 
an  ecchymosis ;  from  encysted  swellings  in  the  neck,  in 
which  is  often  perceived  a  strong  pulsation  from  the 
stroke  of  the  adjacent  artery  ;  and  from  tumour  formed 
'.\\  consequence  of  ruptured  veins. 

The  aneurism  of  the  aorta  may  prove  fatal  by  injuring 
the  general  health,  as  it  continues  to  increase  in  its 
.size  ;  it  may  be  supported  during  many  years,  but  no 
cure  can  be  attempted,  nor  other  palliatives  used  than 
what  consist  in  composure  of  mind  and  quietude  of  the 
body.  All  aneurisms  arc  incurable  that  lie  too  low  for 
the  operation ;  and,  if  unadvisedly  opened,  the  patient's 
: :, in  immediate  danger;  for  bandages, which  are  the 
only  palliatives  in  such  cases,  are  but  uncertain  aids. 
The  diffused  aneurism  is  not  only  subject  to  hsemorr- 
liages,  but  also  to  mortification. 

The  method  of  cure  is  the  same  in  the  true,  the  false, 
and  the  mixed  aneurisms  :  the  varicous  needs  but  little, 
if  any  assistance:  if  it  is  enlarged  by  exercise  and  be- 
<-omes  painful,  indulge  a  little  rest,  and  moderate  the 
i'u lure  labour;  perhaps  bathing  the  part  with  a  little 
spirit  may  afford  some  relief,  but  bandages  and  all  other 
pressure  must  be  avoided. 

To  palliate,   when  the  operation  is  impracticable, 

bleed  as  often  as  is  required  to  keep  the  force  of  the 

circulation  moderate ;  let  the  diet  be  temperate,  and 

the  exercise  very   gentle;  keep   the  bowels  constantly 

•     i.Tessure  is  used,  it  must  be  such  as  only 


lessens  the  force  of  the  blood,  but  does  not  resist  it ; 
flannel  bandages,  or  knit  stockings,  &c.  are  the  most 
proper  for  this  purpose.  But  all  pressure  should  be 
avoided  when  the  aorta  is  the  scat  of  the  aneurism, 
however  the  tumour  may  appear  externally  :  it  is  true 
that,  if  the  integuments  give  way,  and  the  coagulum 
formed  on  the  inside  of  the  tumour  hath  lost  its  support, 
the  assistance  of  a  bandage  is  immediately  necessary, 
as  it  is  the  only  means  to  prevent  a  fatal  haemorrhage ; 
in  this  dilemma,  if  the  substitutes  to  the  integuments 
are  judiciously  applied,  and  accompanied  with  such 
topical  medicines  as  resist  both  suppuration  and  putre- 
faction, the  life  of  the  patient  may  be  preserved  for  some 
time.  In  one  instance,  recorded  in  some  of  the  Medical 
Observations,  where  several  aneurisms  occurred  in  the: 
lower  extremities,  the  blood  lost  by  the  bursting  of  one 
cured  the  rest.  This  circumstance  might  lead  us  to 
try  active  bleeding  in  true  aneurisms. 

When  the  operation  can  be  admitted,  it  is  advisable 
first  to  attempt  the  cure  by  compression,  because  i: 
sometimes  proves  effectual ;  is  always  a  good  prepara- 
tory step  to  the  operation,  by  its  enlarging  the  collateral 
anastomosing  branches,  and  disposing  the  part  to  have  a 
more  free  circulation  after  the  division  of  the  artery : 
but  when  the  tumour  is  large,  the  palliative  method 
should  not  be  long  continued,  because  it  injures  the 
neighbouring  parts,  and  will  occasion  more  inflamma- 
tion and  sloughing  when  the  operation  is  performed. 

The  pressure,  whether  before  or  after  the  operation, 
should  be  confined  as  much  as  possible  to  the  affected 
part,  that  the  passage  of  the  blood  through  the  anasto- 
mosing vessels  may  be  free ;  by  which  we  may  prevent 
the  mortification  that-  sometimes  ensues  from  a  want  of 
a  free  circulation. 

Some  few  instances  of  small  aneurisms,  and  punctures 
of  the  artery  from  bleeding,  have  succeeded  by  the  use 
of  a  bandage,  but  they  almost  all  require  the  operation 
at  last,  which  is  performed  nearly  in  the  same  manner 
in  every  part;  but  larger  aneurisms  cannot  receive  any 
advantage  from  the  pressure  ;  therefore,  when  used  long 
enough  as  a  preparative  to  the  operation,  the  latter 
should  not  be  delayed.  Plenck's  apparatus  is  well 
adapted  to  close  the  wound  instead  of  the  common 
bandage  ;'  and  the  German  surgeons  have  introduced 
several  refinements  in  the  management,  which  art- 
perhaps  unnecessary.  Yet  where  the  aneurism  has- 
been  cured  by  compression,  it  is  more  probable  that  the 
canal  of  the  artery  is  obliterated,  than  that  the  wound  is 
so  firmly  healed  as  to  resist  the  arterial  current. 

If,  however,  the  cure  be  attempted  in  this  way,  the 
pledget  should  be  very  carefully  laid  on  the  wounded 
artery,  so  as  to  close  the  wound  accurately  without 
pressing  on  the  veins  or  any  anastomosing  artery  ;  the 
limb  should  be  kept  at  rest,  blood  taken  from  the  other 
arm,  and  every  part  of  the  antiphlogistic  plan  rigorously 
adopted.  When  it  is  probable  that  the  wound  of  the 
artery  is  firm,  the  bandage  and  pledget  should  be  re- 
moved ;  and  gently  loosening  the  tourniquet,  we  should 
observe  whether  any  tumour  appears  on  the  part.  If 
there  should  not,  a  more  moderate  pressure  must  be 
still  for  a  time  continued. 

In  the  event  of  having  wounded  an  artery,  M.  The- 
den  advises  us  to  let  the  blood  flow  for  a  time,  and 
while  the  proper  bandages  are  preparing,  to  keep  a 
strong  general  pressure  on  the  cavity  of  the  eib-jw.  A 


ANE 


115 


AN  K 


spiral  bandage  must  then  be  applied,  inclosing  a  cylin- 
drical compress  along  the  artery.  The  whole  must  be 
wetted  with  his  own  aqua  traumatiea,  q.  v. ;  but  as 
wetting  contracts  the  linen,  die  bandage  should  not  at 
first  be  drawn  too  tight.  In  three  or  four  days  the 
bandages  grow  slack,  and  they  must  be  again  applied, 
and  every  precaution  taken  against  any  of  the  folds 
slipping. 

Mr.  Bell  observes,  that  in  diffused  or  false  aneurisms, 
pressure  cannot  be  applied  to  the  artery  alone,  without 
at  the  same  time  affecting  the  refluent  veins ;  and  as 
this  circumstance,  by  producing  an  increased  resist- 
ance to  the  arterial  pulsations,  must  undoubtedly  force 
an  additional  quantity  of  blood  to  the  orifice  in  the  ar- 
tery, there  is  reason  to  suppose  it  hath  been  productive 
of  mischief.  But  though  pressure  ought  never  to  be 
attempted  in  any  period  of  the  diffused  aneurism,  yet 
in  some  stages  of  the  other  species  it  may  be  often  em- 
ployed with  advantage.  In  their  early  stages,  while 
the  blood  can  be  yet  pressed  entirely  out  of  the  sac  into 
the  artery,  by  the  use  of  a  bandage  of  soft  and  some- 
what elastic  materials,  properly  fitted  to  the  part,  much 
may  be  done  in  preventing  any  considerable  increase 
of  the  swelling:  indeed,  by  this  continued  support, 
complete  cures  have  been  at  last  obtained.  Yet,  though 
pressure  to  a  certain  degree  hath  sometimes  proved 
useful,  it  ought  never  to  be  carried  to  a  great  length  : 
tight  bandages,  in  these  cases,  always  counteract  the 
intention.  The  greatest  length  to  which  pressure  ought 
to  go,  should  be  to  serve  only  as  an  easy  support  to  the 
parts  affected.  With  compression,  other  means  should 
at  the  same  time  be  used ;  such  as  low  diet,  occasional 
bleeding,  a  lax  state  of  the  bowels,  freedom  from  strong 
exercise,  Sec. 

THE  OPERATION  FOR  THE  ANEURISM  ix  THE  HUMERAL 
ARTEKY. 

Having  taken  away  some  blood,  and  promoted  such 
other  discharges  as  seem  needful,  apply  the  tourniquet 
near  the  shoulder,  tighten  it  so  that  the  pulse  cannot 
easily  be  perceived  ;  lay  the  arm  in  a  convenient  situa- 
tion ;  then  make  an  incision  on  the  inside  of  the  biceps 
muscle,  above  and  below  the  elbow,  a  considerable 
length,  which,  being  in  the  course  of  the  artery,  will 
discover  it  as  soon  as  the  coagulated  blood  is  removed. 
Be  careful  not  to  cut  the  larger  veins,  nor  the  bag ; 
the  same  attention  is  necessary7  in  cutting  the  apo- 
neurosis  of  the  biceps ;  for  this  aponeurosis,  the 
capsula,  the  bag,  and  the  skin,  are  all  united  by  the 
pressure. 

If  the  orifice  does  not  readily  appear,  let  the  tourni- 
quet be  loosened,  and  the  effusion  of  blood  will  direct 
you  to  it ;  then  carry  a  crooked  needle  armed  under  it, 
lie  the  vessel  just  above  the  orifice,  and  when  you  have 
secured  the  upper  part,  slacken  the  tourniquet  a  little ; 
•or 'if  on  slackening  it  there  is  any  haemorrhage  from 
;\\e  inferior  parts  of  the  artery,  it  plainly  appears  that 
•he  collateral  branches  are  open,  and  that  there  is  a  free 
'•irculation.  The  first  ligature  secured,  make  a  second 
a  little  below  the  orifice,  and  leave  the  intermediate 
-pace  of  the  artery  to  slough  away  without  divid- 
ing it. 

Avoid  taking  up  the  nerve  with  the  ligature  if  you 
conveniently  can ;  the  readiest  method  to  do  this  is, 


as  it  lies  on  the  inside,  at  a  liltlc  distance  froiu 
artery,  to  relax  that  vessel  by  bending  the  arm  mo- 
derately, and  to  raise  the  artery  from  its  bed  by  a  probt- 
introduced  into  its  orifice,  or  by  pinching  it  up  with  the 
finger  and  the  thumb  :  the  nerve  is  easily  distinguished 
from  the  artery  by  feeling;  and  thus  the  artery  maybe 
drawn  from  the  nerve.  If  the  nerve  should  be  taken 
up,  and  a  portion  of  the  adjacent  flesh  being  taken  up 
with  it,  no  inconvenience  need  be  feared. 

After  the  operation,  the  limb  is  generally  some  i: 
time  without  pulsation,  which,  if  it  does  not  recover  in 
twenty-four  hours,  amputation  is  not  to  be  deferred. 
This  operation  is  indeed  often  necessary;  but  v 
spirituous  applications,  and  dry  he.at  from  warm  sand 
and  ashes  should  be  first  tried,  and  continued  so  long  as 
the  operation  can  be  safely  deferred. 

In  the  London  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  ii.  page  56". 
is  an  instance  of  an  aneurism  in  the  arm  being  c 
by  the  operation ;  but,  instead  of  the  ligatures,  a  steel 
pin  was  passed  through  the  lips  of  the  orifice  in  the  ar- 
tery, and  secured  by  twisting  thread  about  it,  as  in  th< 
hare-lip ;  after  a  few  days  the  pin  came  away  with  the 
dressings. 

Under  some  particular  circumstances,  taking  up  the 
femoral  artery  in  popliteal  aneurisms  may  be  perform- 
ed with  success,  and  the  leg  preserved,  where  the  mis- 
fortune occurs  from  falls,  bruises,  or  punctures,  in 
sound,  healthy  constitutions ;  but  if  the  aneurism  arises 
gradually  in  habits  where  there  is  reason  to  suspect  a 
diseased  state  of  the  arteries,  amputating  the  limb  is 
certainly  the  least  dangerous  mode,  and  should  be  pre- 
ferred. 

The  advantages  of  Mr.  Hunter's  operation  for  the 
popliteal  aneurism,  viz.  tying  the  artery  far  above  thr 
aneurismal  sac,  are  owing  to  the  wound  being  small ; 
for  the  true  aneurismal  sac  is  untouched,  and  disapr. 
from  absorption ;  as  well  as  from  the  greater  proba- 
bility of  the  artery  in  a  distant  part  being  sound.  Mi . 
Lambert's  method  of  stitching  the  wound  of  the  ar- 
tery by  the  hare-lip  suture  (Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  il. 
p.  360),  and  M.  Descham's  (Medecine  Eclairee  par  les 
Sciences,  iii.  67),  have  been  seldom  followed,  or  gene- 
rally approved. 

See  instances  of  aneurisms  of  the  femoral  artery  be- 
ing cured  in  the  Ldnd.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  iii.  p. 
106.  And  in  the  Edinb.  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  ii. 
p.  176.  Also  in  Warner's  Cases  of  Surgery. 

See  Aetius  Tetrabib.  7.  serm.  iii.  cap.  10.  P.  JEgi- 
neta,  lib.  vi.  cap.  37.  Marcus  Aur.  Severinus  de  Efficaci 
Medicina.  Morgagni  de  Sedibus  et  Causis  Morborum. 
Mem.  de  1'Acad.  Roy.  an  1712,  1733.  Philos.  Trans. 
Abr.  vol.  iii.  viii.  De  Haen  de  Aneurismatib.  Rat. 
Medendi.  Mem.  de  1'Acad.  Roy.  de  Chirurgie.  Scrip- 
tores  de  Aneurismatibus  cura  Lauth.  Monro*s  Re- 
marks on  the  Formation  of  Aneurism*,  in  the  Edinb. 
Med.  Ess.  vol.  ii.  and  iv.  Le  Dran's  Operations  in 
Surgery.  Sharpe's  Operations  of  Surgery.  Dr.  Hun- 
ter's, and  others',  Observations  on  Aneurisms,  in  the 
Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  i.  ii.  iii.  and  iv.  Lond. 
Med.  Journal,  vol.  vii.  Transactions  for  promoting 
Medical  and  Chirurgical  Knowledge,  vol.  i.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  i.  White's  Surgery,  p.  115;  and  Home 
on  the  same  subject. 

AXEURI'SMA  TR^CORDIO'RUM.  Called  also  car- 
diog-mus,  cardionchus ;  aneurism  in  the  heart,  or  in 


A  N  G 


116 


G 


the  aorta  near  the  heart,  which  occasions  pain  in  the 
praecordia. 

ANFRACTUO'SUS,  (from  an,  and  frango,  to 
break).  ANFRACTUOUS.  Full  of  windings:  called 
(infractuosities. 

ANG.  ET  ANGUIL.  The  abbreviation  of  Sim- 
plici  del  excellcnte  m.  luigi  Anguillara.  Venet.  1561, 
Hvo. 

ANGEIOTO'MIA,  (from  «"/.rji»y,  a  vessel,  andrf.iMw, 
in  cut) .  An  opening  of  the  vessels,  as  in  arteriotomy 
and  phlebotomy.  It  also  signifies  a  particular  dissec- 
tion of  the  vessels  for  anatomical  purposes. 

ANGEIOTOMI'STA.  An  AXGEIOTOMIST.  A  per- 
son skilled  in  the  course  of  the  blood  vessels,  or  who 
•  an  dissect  them  readily. 

ANGELICA    ARCHANGE'LICA.     So   called? 

ANGE'LICA  SATI'VA.  [from  its  angelic  virtues. 5 

(.'ailed  also  imfieratoria  saliva,  fiectoraria  herba.  It  is 
ihe  angelica  archangelica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  360.  It  is  found 
by  the  sides  of  rivulets,  on  the  mountains  of  Lapland, 
and  is  cultivated  in  gardens  all  over  Europe ;  the  best 
is  said  to  be  produced  in  Bohemia  and  Spain  :  but  Lin- 
naeus thinks  that  the  best  is  that  which  grows  on  the 
mountains  in  northern  countries.  The  roots  are  in  the 
greatest  perfection  in  the  second  spring ;  .they  should 
be  well  dried  and  kept  in  a  dry  place,  and  frequently 
-aired,  or  they  grov,7  mouldy,  and  are  the  prey  of  worms. 
The  whole  plant  is  used ;  and  hath  been  so  much 
esteemed  as  to  have  obtained  the  name  of  PRINCEPS 
ALEXIPHARMICORUM.  Some  physicians  think  that  the 
English  angelica  differs  from  the  Spanish  only  in  the 
latter  having  been  long  kept,  by  which  the  disagreeable 
flavour  of  the  fresh  root  is  lost.  Though  all  the  parts 
of  this  plant  possess  the  same  virtues  in  a  great  de- 
gree, yet  the  root  is  the  strongest.  It  resembles  zedoary 
as  a  medicine,  but  is  milder,  and  a  good  carminative. 
Externally  applied,  it  discusses  inflammatory  tumours 
in  cold  habits.  By  some  authors  it  has  teen  highly 
praised  as  a  carminative,  a  stomachic,  sudorific,  and 
fmmenagogue ;  and  considered  as  a  specific  against 
some  poisons  and  malignant  fevers  :  in  present  practice 
it  is  seldom  employed.  In  Lapland  it  is  employed  in 
coughs,  and  hoarseness.  The  stalks  arc  roasted  in  hot 
ashes,  and  the  flowers  boiled  in  milk  till  they  form  a 
soft  extract. 

The  seeds  come  nearest  to  the  roots  in  medical  vir- 
tue, but  scarcely  retain  either  their  vegetative  or  me- 
dicinal power  until  the  following  spring.  The  leaves 
lose  nearly  all  their  virtue  in  drying.  A  strong  water 
is  obtained  from  either  the  leaves  or  seeds  by  distilla- 
tion ;  but  spirit  of  wine  best  extracts  the  oil  in  which 
the  virtues  of  the  dried  roots  reside. 

The  stalks  and  the  roots  are  candied  by  the  confec- 
tioners; and- the  stalks  were  formerly  blanched  and 
eaten  as  celery.  In  Norway  the  roots  are  sometimes 
made  into  bread. 

All  the  species  of  angelica  have  similar  virtues, 
chiefly  differing  in  the  degree,  but  the  a.  archangelica 
is  the  best.  The  wild  sort,  in  use,  is  the  angelica  syl- 
'vestris  Lin.  Sp.  361.  See  LEVISTICUM. 

ANOE'I.ICA  PRATENSIS  APII  FOLIO.  See  OREOSELI- 
KUM.  Also  a  name  of  the  saxifraga  anglica. 

ANGE'LICA  GRANA,  a  name  of  Dr.  Anderson's  pills. 
ANGE'LICUS  PU'LVIS.  See  MERCURIUS  VIT^E. 
ANGELOCA'LOS.  The  true  name  of  the  twenty  - 


fourth  appellation  of  Myrepsus,  and  not,  as   is   com- 
monly writ,  alcancali. 

A'NGELYN.     See  ANDIRA. 

A'NGI.  BUBOES  in  the  GROIN,  (from  angor;  an- 
guish ).  See  BUBO. 

ANGIGLO'SSI,  (from  nyy.v^r,,  a  hook,  and  yAwo-s-a, 
the  tongue).  STAMMERERS. 

ANGI'NA,  (from  *yxai  to  strangle,)  also  called 
cynanche,  kynanche,  lycanche.  QUINSY;  thus  named, 
from  an  abbreviation  of  the  F'rench  word  squinancie. 

It  is  an  inflammation  in  the  parts  of  the  throat  sub- 
servient to  respiration,  speech,  and  deglutition ;  it  is 
called  a  STRANGULATION  OF  THE  FAUCES  ;  more  pro- 
perly, an  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE-  INTERNAL  FAUCES. 

Aretaeus  supposes  that  it  is  named  cynanche,  from 
dogs  being  subject  to  it;  or  else,  because  in  this  spe- 
cies of  quinsy  it  has  been  said  the  tongue  is  inflamed 
and  so  swelled,  th^t  it  hangs  out  beyond  the  teeth  like 
a  dog's.  Coelius  Aurelianus  says,  that  the  voice  of 
the  patient  in  the  quinsy  resembles  that  of  a  dog,  or 
a  wolf;  hence  called  lycanche :  or,  perhaps,  the  word 
cynanche  is  derived  from  x.vw,  canis,  and  <*y%*>,  ztran- 
gulo  ;  because  a  set  of  symptoms  affect  the  patient  in 
a  species  of  quinsy,  not  unlike  the  appearances  ob- 
servable in  hanging  dogs. 

If  the  disorder  is  epidemic,  it  is  so  usually  between 
the  spring  and  summer,  and  after  long  continuance  of 
cold  and  rainy  weather. 

The  true  quinsy^  the  cynanche  tonsillaris  of  Cullen, 
is  an  acute  inflammatory  disorder.  The  bastard  quinsy 
is  a  milder  catarrhal  one  ;  and  its  fever  chronical,  of  the 
catarrhal  kind. 

The  Greeks  give  different  names  to  the-true  quinsy, 
according  to  the  respective  parts  on  which  this  disorder 
falls :  the  Latins,  considering  the  disorder  as  one, 
wherever  its  violence  might  have  more  peculiarly  been 
manifest,  included  them  all  under  the  name  angina  ; 
as  we  under  that  of  qitinsy.  The  curious  may  see  the 
various  appellations  given  to  the  different  circumstances 
of  this  disorder  in  the  writings  of  Aretaeus,  Coslius 
Aurelianus,  Hildanus,  and  Alexander  Trallian. 

The  cynanche  of  Dr.  Cullen  is  placed  in  the  class 
pyrfxix,  and  order  fihlegmasia :  and  defined  a  fever, 
sometimes  of  the  typhoid  kind;  redness  and  pain  of 
the  fauces ;  deglutition  and  breathing  difficult,  with  a 
•  sense  of  straitness  in  the  throat.  This  genus  contains 
five  species : 

1.  CYNANCHE  TOXSILLAHIS,  when   the   inflammation 
begins  in  the  tonsils,  and  affects  only  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  fauces  with  redness  and  tumour,  having 
an  inflammatory  fever  attending. 

2.  CYNANCHE    MALIGXA,   also    u'.cerosa  gangnenosa, 
and  ulcerosa  when,  it  affects  the   tonsils   and  mucous 
membrane  of  the  fauces,  with   tumour,  redness,  and 
mucous  sloughs  of  a  white   or  ash  colour,  spreading 
and  covering  ulcers ;  attended  with  a   typhoid  fever, 
and  eruptions. 

3.  CYNANCHE  TH.ACHEALIS,  when  it  is  attended  with 
difficult  respiration,   shrill   inspiration,    hoarse  voice, 
harsh   sounding   cough,  scarcely  any  tumefaction  ap- 
pearing in  the  fauces,  little  or  no   difficulty  of  swal- 
lowing,  and   the   fever   inflammatory.      This    among 
the   Scotch    is   called   the    CROUP.      See    SUFFOCATIO 


STRIDULA. 

4.    CYXANCHE 


PHARYNG^A         (ESOPHAGEA,          when 


AN  G 


117 


ANG 


nit-re  appears  a  redness,  particularly  at  the  lower  part 
of  the  fauces,  and  swallowing  Becomes  extremely  diffi- 
cult and  painful;  the  respiration  sufficiently  free,  and 
the  fever  inflammatory. 

5.  CYXASCHE  PAROTID.E.V,  when  the  external  pa- 
rotid and  maxillary  glands  are  tumefied,  respiration 
and  deglutition  slightly  affected,  and  the  fever  a  mild 
inflammatory  one.  This  species  is  called  the  MUMPS 
amongst  the  English;  in  Scotland,  the  BRAXKS;  with 
the  French,  OURLES.  There  is  also  a  species  of  quin- 
sy to  which  children  are  subject,  called  PCEDAX- 
CHOXE. 

The  seat  of  the  cynanche  tonsillaris  is  properly  in  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  upper  part  of  the  throat,  and 
all  the  surrounding  parts  of  the  muscles  which  move 
the  jaws.  The  young,  the  sanguine,  and  those  of  an 
inflammatory  diathesis,  are  most  disposed  to  the  true 
quinsy;  and  a  disposition  to  it  is  often  acquired  by  a 
few  repetitions.  The  causes  are  the  same  as  are  pro- 
ductive of  inflammation  in  general;  particular  consti- 
tutions and  former  habits  determine  the  inflammation 
tp  particular  parts. 

If  all  or  most  of  these  parts  are  inflamed,  the  case  is 
desperate;  for  the  return  of  the  blood  through  the 
compressed  jugulars  being  intercepted,  the  fauces,  lips, 
tongue,  and  face  swell ;  the  tongue  is  inflamed,  and 
hangs  from  the  mouth;  the  eyes  are  red,  prominent, 
and  ghastly ;  the  brain  is  filled  with  blood ;  and  delirium, 
yawning,  stertor,  strangulation  on  lying  down,  with,  a 
manifest  redness,  tumour,  pain,  and  pulsation  in  the 
breast  and  neck,  supervene. 

The  proper  symptom  of  a  quinsy  is,  the  difficulty  of 
swallowing  solids  or  fluids;  for  if  a  large  tumour  af- 
fects the  top  of  the  oesophagus,  and  contracts  it,  li- 
quids, but  not  solids,  may  pass  through  it;  but  if  the 
tumour  be  seated  in  the  top  of  the  larynx,  where  it  is 
covered  with  the  epiglottis,  solid  substances,  by  pressing 
the  tumid  epiglottis,  find  a  way  to  the  oesophagus; 
while'  liquids,  not  pressing  with  equal  force,  slide 
through  the  gaping  space,  by  the  tumour,  into  the  as- 
peria  arteria,  and  cause  great  uneasiness. 

The  complaint  is  generally  obvious  to  the  senses,  and 
can  but  in  few  instances  be  mistaken.  Shivering,  and 
other  symptoms  of  inflammatory  fever,  often  precede; 
but  very  frequently  the  difficulty  of  swallowing  is  the 
first  inconvenience  felt.  The  florid  redness  round  the 
fauces,  and  on  every  part  of  the  throat,  at  once  points 
out  the  disease;  and  this,  with  a  flow  of  saliva,  often 
constitutes  the  whole.  When  however  more  violent, 
the  upper  part  of  the  larynx,  the  muscles  of  the  neck, 
and  the  oesophagus  itself,  in  a  great  portion  of  its  track, 
suffer.  The  soreness  externally  is  very  acute;  the 
breathing  difficult,  with  a  wheezing  noise;  the  pain 
violent,  extending  to  the  ear;  and  deglutition, from  the 
swelling,  almost  wholly  obstructed.  The  different 
parts  affected  are  known  from  the  inconvenience  at- 
tending the  performance  of  their  different  functions; 
but  we  need  not  distinguish  them,  as  the  practice  will 
not  differ. 

It  is  not,  we  have  said,  difficult  to  distinguish  the 
inflammatory  sore  throat,  when  we  reflect  that  it  con- 
sists in  a  difficulty  of  swallowing,  with  fever,  and  a 
forid  redness  of  the  fauces.  Scirrhi,  spasms,  tumours, 
and  venereal  swellings,  can  never  be  mistaken  for  this 
disease;  for  though  there  is  often  an  attending  redness, 
yet  it  is  not  of  the  florid  kind,  nor  is  inflammatory 


•fever  present.  The  inflammation  sometimes  affects 
the  muscles  of  the  larynx,  and  is  in  some  cases  dan- 
gerous; yet  the  easy  access  that  may  be  obtained  to 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  diseased  parts,  gives  us  a 
power  of  relieving  quickly.  The  greatest  danger  arises 
from  gangrene,  and  suffocation  from  the  swelling  of 
the  parts,  particularly  the  tonsils.  In  common  sore 
throat,  however,  gangrene  is  a  very  unusual  conse- 
quence ;  and  we  have  more  often  seen  an  inflammatory 
cynanche  arise  from  the  active  stimulants  employed  in 
the  malignant  species,  than  gangrene  from  the  present 
disease.  When  the  tonsils  suppurate,  the  previous 
swelling  often  threatens  suffocation;  and  it  has  been 
thought  necessary  to  open  a  passage  for  the  access  of 
the  air  to  the  lungs  through  the  rings  of  the  trachea; 
see  BROXCHOTOMY.  We  have  seen  this  more  than 
once  employed  with  success,  but  it  has  never  appeared 
necessary  in  our  practice.  Active  gargles  to  hasten  the 
maturation,  bathing  the  feet  often  in  warm  water,  or 
inhaling  warm  vapours  from  the  mouth  of  a  funnel, 
sometimes  with  the  addition  of  camphor,  have  gene- 
rally ripened  the  abscess  without  danger.  If  the  symp- 
toms are  more  urgent,  the  swelled  tonsil  may  be  punc- 
tured with  the  point  of  a  scalpel. 

The  treatment  of  inflammatory  angina  is  not  very 
difficult.  When  it  is  ascertained  to  be  the  true  cy- 
nanche tonsillaris — and  for  the  distinction  of  the  great- 
est importance  we  must  refer  to  a  following  article 
where  we  treat  of  the  malignant  kind — every  part  of  the 
antiphlogistic  regimen  should  be  employed  in  all  its 
rigour.  Diluting  liquors,  abstinence  from  animal  food, 
and  even  animal  broths,  and  cooling  purgatives,  are 
highly  proper.  Gargles  should  be  almost  incessantly- 
employed,  and  a  great  error  prevails  in  using  gargles 
occasionally  only.  Two  or  three  times  a  day  will  in- 
deed be  sufficiently  often;  but  they  should  never  be 
employed  for  a  less  period  than  from  an  hour  to  an 
hour  and  a  half.  The  syringe  is  chiefly  useful  in  chil- 
dren, and  in  the  malignant  kind.  Bleeding  is  seldom 
necessary,  except  when  the  swelling  of  the  fauces  is  ra- 
pid and  considerable,  in  healthy  strong  constitutions: 
it  should  then  be  actively  employed,  and  not  less  than 
sixteen  or  eighteen  ounces  taken  at  once,  and  repeated 
after  eight  or  ten  hours.  Such  an  emergency  will, 
however,  seldom  occur:  it  has  not  at  least  occurred  to 
us  in  a  practice  of  above  thirty  years.  Topical  bleeding 
with  leeches  is  sometimes  employed,  but  seldom  neces- 
sary ;  and  this  remedy  is  inconvenient,  as  it  is  difficult 
to  stop  the  blood,  when  there  is  no  bone  against  which 
a  pressure  can  be  made.  Asa  purgative  the  salts  per- 
haps with  senna  are  preferable. 

Vomiting  early  is  often  highly  beneficial;  and  even 
in  a  more  advanced  state,  if  it  can  be  practised  without 
much  pain,  it  is  particularly  advantageous,  from  the  dis- 
charge it  procures  from  the  affected -glands.  We  have 
heard  of  its  being  employed  to  burst  an  abscess  formed 
on  the  tonsils;  but  it  is,  undoubtedly,  at  this  period, 
precarious,  if  not  highly  dangerous. 

Blistering  is  a  remedy  of  peculiar  importance.  The 
plaster  has  been  applied  to  the  back  or  to  the  throat. 
Where  the  muscles  of  the  trachea  are  greatly  affected, 
the  latter  may  be  proper;  and  the  former  is,  in  no  in- 
stance, improper  The  most  useful  application  of  blis- 
ters is,  however,  from  behind  the  ear,  extending  under 
the  lower  jaw  to  the  trachea.  The  ammonia,  either  in 
its  mild  or  pure  state,  joined  with  oil,  and  mustard  cata- 


118 


ANG 


plasms  have,  at  times,  supplied  the  place  of  blisters; 
and,  when  the  external  fauces  have  been  very  sore,  a 
common  poultice  is  an  useful  application.  We  have 
not  found  the  addition  of  camphor  either  to  the  lini- 
ments or  poultices  useful. 

The  kinds  of  gargle  have  occasioned  some  little  dis- 
cussion. In  the  early  stages  they  have  been  emollient 
and  discutient;  in  the  latter  astringent  and  antiseptic. 
A  pint  of  barley  water,  with  two  drams  of  crude  sal  am- 
moniac, is  a  gargle  of  the  former  kind.  We  have  not 
found  a  cold  gargle  of  water  with  a  portion  of  brandy 
recommended ;  and  it  has  never  before  occurred  to  us, 
but  we  think  it  merits  a  trial.  Acids  have  been  repro- 
bated in  the  early  stages:  but  the  disadvantages  enu- 
merated are  those  of  the  mineral  acids.  The  acetous 
is,  at  any  period,  useful;  and  the  sharper  it  can  be 
borne,  without  pain,  the  more  useful.  This  kind  of  , 
gargle  generally  consists  of  an  infusion  of  baum  or 
•sage,  with  a  portion  of  honey,  sharpened  with  vinegar 
to  such  a  degree  as  the  inflamed  fauces  can  bear.  The 
raspberry  vinegar  however,  alone,  swallowed  slowly, 
is  perhaps  equally  efficacious  with  any  gargle;  and,  as 
it  is  pleasant,  it  will  be  more  steadily  pursued  than  a 
less  agreeable  medicine.  In  the  same  way,  a  small  bit 
of  crude  sal  ammoniac,  or  of  salt  prunella,  held  in  the 
mouth  till  it  gradually  dissolves,  has  been  highly  use- 
ful. Figs,  as  they  are  supposed  to  have  a  peculiar 
efficacy  in  ripening  abscesses,  have  been  often  used  in 
decoctions  employed  for  gargles.  The  addition  of 
squills  to  the  gargle,  as  recommended  by  Dr.  Fordyce, 
is  seldom  of  peculiar  service. 

The  mineral  acids  and  astringent  gargles  are  scarcely 
in  any  instance  required  in  inflammatory  angina, 
though  recommended  in  the  more  advanced  stages. 
They  are  of  great  service  in  those  inflammations  which 
arise  from  relaxation;  and  when  angina  often  recurs, 
the  inflammation  is  of  a  less  active  kind.  Decoctions 
of  the  oak  bark  with  the  vitriolic  or  muriatic  acid,  are 
more  effectual  than  any  form  of  the  Peruvian  bark. 
The  myrrh  we  have  never  found  necessary  or  useful. 

Gangrene,  we  have  said,  scarcely  ever  follows  in- 
flammation of  the  throat;  and  scirrhi  of  the  tonsils, 
though  mentioned  as  a  consequence,  are  certainly  rare. 
The  tonsils  we  have  seen  often  scirrhous,  but  never 
cancerous;  and  they  have  remained  in  the  scirrhous 
state  through  a  long  life. 

See  Aretseus,  Ccelius  Aurelianus,  Hildanus,  Trallia- 
nus,  Hoffman,  Boerhaave,  Le  Dran's  Operations,  Wal- 
lis's  Sydenham,  and  Fordyce's  Elements,  part.  ii.  Cul- 
len's  First  Lines,  i.  279.  edit.  4. 

ANGI'NA  AQU'OSA  <EDEMATO'SA.  Boerhaavii  Aphor. 
791.  This  is  a  species  of  dropsy,  arranged  by  Dr. 
Cullen  under  ANASARCA,  the  second  species,  which 
arises  from  obstruction,  occasioned  by  compression  of 
the  veins;  see  ANASARCA  OPPILATA.  It  is  called  LOWE- 
HIANA,  being  produced  upon  a  dog  by  Lower's  tying  up 
the  jugular  veins,  which  brought  on  the  angina  aquosa 
that  occasioned  suffocation;  see  Sauvages'-  Nos.  Meth. 
vol.  i.  p.  678. 

ANGI'NA  GANGHJE'NOSA,  called  also  garotlllo,  angina 
•maligna,  e/iidemica  gangrxnosa,  ulcerosa,  ulcusculosa, 
suffocati-ua,  ERYSIPELATOU'S,  ULCERATED,  MALIGNANT, 
or  PUTRID  SORE  THROAT;  cynanche  maligna  of  Dr. 
Cullen. 

This  is  a  disease  of  great  danger  and  importance.  It 
is  probably  not  a  new  one;  but  its  nature  and  proper 


treatment  were  seemingly  obscured  by  the  too  com- 
mon term  of  pestilential,  and  the  farrago- of  remedies 
adapted  to  a  name.  The  history  is  very  accurately 
detailed  in  Dr.  Cullen's  Synopsis,  where  a  chronolo- 
gical list  of  the  authors  who  have  treated  of  it  is  in- 
serted. 

It  attacks  like  a  slight  inflammatory  sore  throat, 
though  sometimes  only  a  languor  insidiously  creeps 
on,  with  a  little  difficulty  of  swallowing;  and,  in  the 
worst  cases,  even  this  is  absent.  The  strength,  how- 
ever, rapidly  sinks,  the  features  fall,  a  ghastly  pale- 
ness comes  on,  and  death  quickly  follows.  In  slighter 
kinds,  the  course  is  not  very  different  from  that  of  the 
inflammatory  species,  though  seemingly  slight,  with  al- 
ternate chills  and  heats,  pain  in  the  head,  &c.  till  the 
debility  appears,  when  every  other  bad  symptom  imme- 
diately follows.  Every  sore  throat,  should,  therefore, 
be  carefully  examined. 

In  the  most  active  inflammations  of  the  throat, 
white  specks  will  sometimes  appear  on  the  velum  pen- 
dulum or  tonsils.  If  the  inflammation  is  florid,  the 
constitution  robust,  and  the  pulse  firm,  these  spots 
may  be  disregarded.  On  the  contrary,  in  some  in- 
stances of  the  most  malignant  kind,  no  sloughs  can  be 
observed.  The  distinction  must  be  taken  from  the  co- 
lour of  the  inflammation.  In  the  true  malignant  sore 
throat,  the  colour  approaches  rather  to  the  crimson  and 
the  pink  than  the  red;  and  sometimes  a  shade  of  brown, 
not  far  distant  from  the  cinnamon,  is  mixed.  The 
pain  in  swallowing  is  slight  in  proportion  to  the  degree 
of  inflammation;  languor,  listlessness,  and  indiffer- 
ence, are  very  conspicuous;  and  the  features  display 
the  same  want  of  fulness  and  tone :  the  eyes  are  red 
and  watery.  At  this  time  the  pulse  will  be  sometimes 
apparently  strong,  but  a  slight  attention  shows  that  the 
strength  of  the  stroke  is  apparent  only  :  it  throbs  with  a 
kind  of  convulsive  weakness,  rather  than  beats  with  a 
steady  firmness.  The  tongue  grows  brown,  the  breath 
offensive,  and  delirium,  at  night,  comes  on  :  by  day,  a 
wandering  is  only  observable.  When  there  are  sloughs 
on  the  throat,  the  edges  are  of  a  dark  pink  red;  they 
are  observed  to  cover,  and  sometimes  they  conceal  a  con- 
siderable loss  of  substance;  they  enlarge,  become 
deeper,  and  the  edges  black.  An  ichor,  or  a  thin  acrid 
matter,  is  discharged  from  the  nose  or  ears ;  the  stools 
are  thin  and  highly  offensive.  The  fever  is  said  to  re- 
mit in  the  morning,  but  the  remission  is  inconsiderable, 
and  will  never  assist  in  the  distinction,  though  it  will 
sometimes  lead  to  an  insidious  security. 

Sometimes,  from  the  beginning,  exanthemata  ap- 
pear; and  the  putrid  sore  throat  is  frequently,  if  not 
constantly,  an  attendant  on  scarlatina :  these  soon  as- 
sume a  darker  hue,  and  appear  livid.  The  breath  in  the 
earlier  periods  is  not  affected,  but  a  wheezing  noise  su- 
pervenes if  neglected;  and  this,  in  the  worst  kinds,  is 
succeeded  by  the  shrill  barking  sound  which  has  occa- 
sioned the  Spaniards  to  give  it  the  name  of  GAROTILLO. 
It  evidently  arises  from  the  erysipelatous  inflamma- 
tion extending  to  the  larynx,  and  is  generally  a  fatal 
symptom.  The  eruptions  have  been  described  as  fa- 
vourable and  critical :  we  have  generally  found  them 
accidental,  and  only  of  use  as  an  index  of  amendment, 
or  of  the  disease  increasing  in  violence  and  malignancy. 
In  a  disease  which  runs  its  course  generally  in  lesrthan 
five,  always  in  seven  days,  no  prognostic  is  to  be 
depended  on  but  a  more  florid  appearance  in  the- 


ANG  1 

throat,  and  a  more  healthy  aspect  of  the  edges  of  the 
sores.  ' 

The  disease  is  epidemic,  and  attacks  the  active  and 
robust  as  well  as  the  infirm.  We  have  not  found  the 
number  of  its  victims  greatly  disproportioned  in  any 
period  of  life,  in  any  situation  or  time  of  year.  It  is  cer- 
tainly infectious,  though  the  infection  is  not  active,  or 
its  influence  very  extended. 

All  evacuations  are  highly  injurious;  and  an  emetic, 
with  which  we  are  often  directed  to  begin,  sometimes 
operates  with  such  violence  as  to  debilitate  greatly.  If 
a  stool  or  two  be  necessary,  a  clvster,  or  a  very  mild, 
quickly  operating  laxative,  is  alone  admissible.  '  After 
this  the  bark  is  to  be  given  in  active  doses,  with  aroma- 
tics.  Half  a  dram  of  the  bark,  with  ten  grains  of 
aromatic  species,  should  be  exhibited  every  two  hours. 
If  it  seems  to  produce  strictures  on  the  skin,  and  rigor, 
five  or  six  grains  of  camphor,  and  three  or  four  of  true 
James's  powder,  (guarded  by  a  little  opium,)  should  be 
added  to  each  dose.  These  may  be  washed  down  with 
a  strong  decoction  of  bark,  sharply  acidulated  with  either 
of  the  mineral  acids.  We  may,  however,  remark,  that 
in  this  disease  the  bark  seldom  disagrees. 

The  action  of  these  remedies  is  greatly  assisted  by 
diet  and  gargles.  Port  wine  should  be  given  freely  :  i't 
should  indeed  enter  into  even-  part  of  the  food,  and  be 
drunk  alone,  cold.  Even  sleep  is  less  necessary  than 
bark  and  port  wine ;  and  should  it  continue  above'  three 
hours,  the  patient  must  be  awakened,  for  the  loss  of 
time  cannot  be  regained.  The  quantity  of  the  medi- 
cine and  the  wine  must  be  regulated  by  the  effect.  If 
we  gain  nothing  in  the  first  thirty-six  hours,  we  may 
depend  on  a  fatal  event:  if  we  lose  ground  in  twenty- 
four,  our  hopes  will  be  inconsiderable.  We  have 
known  women  unaccustomed  to  wine  drink  two  bottles 
within  twenty-four  hours,  for  more  than  a  fortnight. 
The  gargles  should  be  of  a  strong  decoction  of  bark, 
very  sharply  acidulated  with  mineral  acids  or  with 
the  strongest  Cayenne  vinegar,  or  some  Cayenne  in 
substance  should  be  added ;  and  they  should  be  fre- 
quently used,  or,  as  the  patient  is  languid,  injected 
with  a  syringe.  Pepper-corns  constantly  bitten,  and 
the  saliva  swallowed,  we  have  often  found  highly 
useful. 

These  are  the  appearances,  and  such  the  practice  in 
the  more  violent  attacks  of  the  complaint ;  and  we  have 
never  seen  an  instance  of  it,"  when  taken  early  and 
treated  in  this  manner,  in  a  constitution  moderately 
strong,  proving  fatal.  The  same  plan,  less  actively  pur- 
sued, is  adapted  to  the  milder  kinds.  But  even  the 
mildest  should  not  be  treated  with  indifference. 

In  the  worst  cases,  a  palsy  of  the  muscles  of  the 
throat  has  come  on,  and  nothing  could  be  swallowed. 
We  must  then  inject  nourishing  clysters  and  port  wine, 
alternately,  every  three  or  four  hours,  with  a  little 
opium:  use  a  semicupium  of  a  strong  decoction  of 
bark;  and  let  \vine  and  jellies  be  kept  in  the  mouth  ss 
long  and  as  frequently  as  possible.  This  plan  has  suc- 
ceeded, in  more  than  one  case,  in  our  hands;  and  in  one 
of  these  the  patient  swallowed  nothing  for  six  days. 

We  have  not  mentioned,  among  the  remedies,  blis- 
ters, for  authors  are  much  divided  respecting  their  ef- 
i'ects ;  and  many  idle  theoretical  discussions  have  been 
indulged  on  the  subject.  They  certainly  have  never 
been  injurious,  but  we  dare  not  say  that  they  have  ever 


A  S  G 

been  adv.  ,.     On  a  candid  and  dispassionate  re- 

view of  what  we  have  seen,  we  can  scarcely  recom- 
mend them.  The  myrrh,  also,  we  have  not  men- 
tioned internally,  or  in  gargle,  because  we  think  it 
too  weak  a  minister  to  be  trusted  in  emergencies,  and 
it  is  unnecessary  in  slighter  cases.  Yeast,  efferves- 
cing mixtures,  and  clysters,  have  not  been  sufficient- 
ly tried  in  circumstances  so  desperate;  and,  as  the 
other  remedies  seldom  fail,  these  are  at  least  unneces- 
sary. 

See  Aretaeus  de  Causis  et  Signis  Morborum,  lib.  i. 
cap.  9.  Dr.  Fothergill's  Treatise  on  the  Putrid  Sore 
Throat.  Dr.  Huxham.  Le  Cat,  Johnson,  and  Cho- 
mel  on  this  disease.  Xorthcote's  Treatise  on  the  Ul- 
cerated Sore  Throat.  Dr.  Percival's  Essays.  Dr. 
Fordyce's  Elements,  part.  ii.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  i. 
284.  edit.  4. 

ANGI'XA  TRACHEALIS.  In  compliance  with  Dr. 
Johnson,  and  consonantly  with  our  observations  in  a 
former  article,  we  mention  this  species  as  a  separate 
one,  and  distinct  from  that  sometimes  comprehended 
under  this  title  by  other  authors.  The  CROUP  we  shall 
next  consider  under  the  appellation  of  angina  stridutc, 
and  confine  the  present  term  to  the  malignant  angina, 
extending  to  the  trachea,  or  to  that  species  of  the  dis- 
ease in  which  the  larynx  and  trachea  are  originally  at- 
tacked. To  this  complaint  authors  have  not,  perhaps, 
paid  due  attention :  it  is  indeed  seldom  an  original 
disease ;  yet,  within  our  own  observation,  it  has  ap- 
peared to  be  so.  It  is  truly  an  erysipelatous  inflamma- 
tion, in  contradistinction  to  the  phlegmonic ;  nor  does 
it  materially  differ  in  its  treatment  from  putrid  pneu- 
monia, or  angina  maligna.  We  reed  not,  in  such  in- 
stances, dread  the  power  of  the  bark  in  inducing  dysp- 
noea, but  employ  it  freely  with  cordials.  The  only 
question  is,  whether  blisters  are  more  admissible  or 
more  effectual  ?  From  our  own  experience  we  cannot 
encourage  their  application ;  but  they  certainly  do  no 
harm. 

AXGI'XA  STRIDULA.  This  is  the  cynanc/ie  tra- 
cfiealis  of  Cullen;  a  disease  that,  for  its  singularity  and 
fatality,  has  fixed  the  attention  of  pathologists  and  prac- 
titioners.  We  wish  we  could  solve  the  difficulties,  or 
direct  a  more  scientific  or  successful  method  of  cure 
than  has  hitherto  been  adopted. 

The  cynanche  was  the  boast  cf  Dr.  Cullen.  as  a  n. 
ral  well  established   genus,  under   which   the  spe 
were  scientifically  arranged.     The  subject  of  nosolo£»y 
we   must,  at  a  future  period,   consider;  but  we  : 
now  add,  that  self-complacency  had  never  so  baseless  a 
foundation.     The  species  agree  in  no  one  principle 
affections  of  the  parts  connected  with  the  neck.     Is  it  n 
group  of  complaints  in  which  the  breath  is  affected? 
No:   in  th  nous  sore   throat,  and  the  mumps, 

the  breathing  is  free. — The  swallowing?  This  is  not 
affected  in  the  malignant  angina  or  the  croup. — In- 
flammation? Scarcely  any  inflammation  occurs  in  the 
mumps.  Yet  we  mean  not  to  undervalue  nosology,  or 
its  great  advocate.  We  think  highly  of  both;  and 
if  there  ever  was  a  man  to  whom  medicine  was  pe- 
culiarly indebted  as  a  science,  who,  by  enlarged  and 
comprehensive  views,  has  added  to  its  value,  its  utility, 
and  importance,  THAT  MAX  WAS  Da.  CVLLEX.  Our 
pages  will  be  an  ample  commentary  on  this  text ;  but  our 
•'urn  is  not  the  rash,  hasty  efi'usion  of  a  yc,ung  theo- 


A  N  G 


120 


ANG 


rist,  but  of  a  person  who  has  for  a  long  series  of  years 
brought  his  opinions  to  the  test  of  practice.  Near  fif- 
teen years  have  passed  since  his  death,  and  no  friendly 
hand  has  scattered  flowers  over  his  tomb,  appreciated 
his  genius,  his  talents,  and  his  virtues.  We  have  some 
reason  to  accuse  his  family  of  insensibility,  or  his  pupils 
of  ingratitude,  did  we  not  know  that  attempts  had  been 
made,  in  vain,  to  procure  the  honourable  office  of  his 
biographer.  But  this  is  from  our  present  purpose. 

The  ANGINA  STRIDULA,  (from  stridere,  to  make  a 
noise,)  is  called  also  angina,  membran'acea,  internet, fier- 
niciosa, /toly/iosa,  catarr/ius  suffocatiiius,  and  niorbus 
strangula forms.  It  is  chiefly  a  disease  of  children,  and 
is  distinguished  by  a  difficult  inspiration  sounding  as 
through  a  brass  tube,  harsh  cough,  with  seldom  any  tu- 
mour in  the  throat,  and  no  difficulty  in  swallowing. 
This  definition  differs  from  that  of  Dr.  Cullen,  who  is  a 
little  warped  by  his  adherence  to  system.  A  cold  and 
a  short  cough  precedes  for  some  days,  when  the  harsh 
breathing  comes  on,  with  little  or  no  fever;  sometimes 
suddenly,  at  others  more  gradually,  increasing  by  de- 
grees, till  suffocation  closes  the  scene.  The  other 
functions  are  scarcely  disturbed.  The  pulse,  at  first  a 
little  harsh,  or  slightly  quickened,  in  the  progress  be- 
comes very  rapid  and  low.  The  face,  at  first  flushed, 
is  in  the  latter  stages  livid,  though  sometimes  full. 
The  stomach  and  bowels  are  not  apparently  affected. 
The  cough  is  dry,  flaky  substances  are  spit  up,  and 
the  patient  struggles  with  an  attempt  to  discharge  some- 
ihing  solid  from  the  trachea.  The  internal  fauces  are, 
in  a  very  few  cases,  swelled  and  red.  It  is  sometimes 
epidemic;  seems  more  frequent  in  low,  marshy  situa- 
tions than  in  more  elevated  spots;  and  peculiar  to 
children,  at  least  scarcely  ever  attacking  those  above 
twelve  years  of  age. 

The  disease  consists  in  a  membranous  substance,  lin- 
ing not  only  the  trachea  above  its  divarication,  but  also 
its  minutest  branches,  though  the  larger  parts  of  the 
tube  are  first  affected.  It  has  been  considered  as  a 
spasmodic  disease  by  some,  as  it  attacks  suddenly,  and 
is  relieved  by  the  warm  bath  and  asafoetida;  and  as  in- 
flammatory by  others,  who  rest,  with  equal  security,  on 
the  cough  preceding,  and  the  utility  of  bleeding.  In 
the  early  period  it  is  undoubtedly  inflammatory,  but 
this  stage  is  short  and  transitory ;  the  exudation  soon 
commences,  and  the  remedies  for  inflammation  lose 
iheir  efficacy.  It  may  be  perhaps  asked,  in  what,  then, 
does  the  disease  in  its  progress  consist  ?  Certainly  not 
n  spasm,  but  in  this  peculiar  exudation,  of  which  we 
have  scarcely  any  other  example  :  and  the  more  gene- 
,ral  ideas  of  spasm  and  inflammation  have,  we  fear,  mis- 
k-cl  practitioners  in  the  treatment  of  the  disease.  The 
exudations,  which  are  usually  the  consequence  of  in- 
flammation, agglutinate  contiguous  parts,  not  in  the 
.form  of  a  membrane,  but  of  cellular  texture.  It  is 
thus  in  tire  lungs  when  united  to  the  pleura,  and  in 
every  instance  of  adhesive  inflammation.  A  preterna- 
tural quantity  of  mucus  hardens  in  masses,  but  not  in 
membranes ;  for  the  mucus  of  the  bronchial  glands  in 
catarrhs  and  asthmas,  never  assumes  a  membranous 
form.  In  fact,  the  inflammatory  effusion  consists  of 
the  gluten  of  the  blood  diluted  with  the  serosity  :  the 
rroupy  membrane  is  a  peculiar  secretion.  The  labours 
of  physiologists  have  discovered  lately  a  new  ingredient 
in  the  blood,  which  they  have  called  fibrin;  which 


concretes  in  a  fibrous  substance,  sometimes  membran- 
ous, and  has  even  been  suspected  of  possessing  a  por- 
tion of  irritability.  It  is  undoubtedly  this  substance 
which  is  effused;  but  why  inflammation,  at  this  parti- 
cular period,  should  occasion  the  exudation  of  fibrin 
rather  than  of  gluten;  why  this  should  occur  at  an  age 
when  fibrin  is  not  peculiarly  abundant ;  and  why  a 
portion  of  the  blood,  which  contains  the  largest  shareof 
azote,  should  be  separated  at  a  time  of  life  when  this 
principle  is  in  a  small  proportion;  are  difficulties  that 
we  cannot  surmount.  The  chemistry  of  the  animal 
fluids  is  in  its  infancy.  We  know  not  the  effects  of  the 
"  play  of  affinities"  in  the  fluid  parts  of  the  system  ; 
and,  by  some  unexpected  combinations,  azote  may  be 
separated  in  constitutions  that  appear  to  contain  the 
smallest  share  of  it.  Thus  we  cannot  detect  sulphur  in 
the  animal  system  ;  yet  we  find  it  separated  in  the  in- 
testinal canal,  and  making  a  large  proportion  of  the 
fluids  of  some  malignant  ulcers  and  cancers.  The 
whole  is  at  present  involved  in  obscurity. 

To  detail  the  progress  of  a  disease  which  generally 
goes  on  from  bad  to  worse,  or  to  estimate  the  period 
when  nature  can  no  longer  bear  up  against  the  accu- 
mulations that  obstruct  respiration,  would  be  useless : 
the  distinction  it  is  of  more  consequence  to  consider. 
The  peculiar  breathing  is  not  the  criterion  of  the  com- 
plaint, for  it  occurs  often  in  children  without  any  bad 
consequence,  and  in  persons  of  every  age.  Experience 
can  see  a  distinction  in  the  appearances  which  lan- 
guage cannot  convey;  but,  in  general,  it  may  be  con- 
sidered as  true,  that  the  clangous  inspiration  if  not  re- 
lieved within  twenty-four  hours,  or,  if  relieved,  recur- 
ring within  twelve,  is  of  the  croupy  kind,  especially  in 
children  under  four  years.  The  asthma  of  infants  has 
undoubtedly  been  mistaken  for  croup ;  but  in  those 
we  think  the  respiration  is  attended  with  some  rattling 
noise,  while  in  croup  it  is  clear  and  shrill.  See 
ASTHMA  SPASMODICCM.  Many  cures  have  been  re- 
ported of  croup,  which  were  certainly  cases  of  this  kind  ; 
lor  those  who  have  been  able  to  distinguish  the  dis- 
ease, have  repeatedly  failed  with  the  same  remedies.  It 
is  not  infectious,  but  it  seems  to  prevail  in  particular 
situations ;  and  in  families  it  has  affected  all  the  chil- 
dren about  a  certain  age. 

We  have  said  that  it  is  for  a  short  period  inflamma- 
tory, and  this  we  judge  from  the  effects  of  active,  de- 
cisive bleeding.  If  there  be  any  truth  in  medical  ob- 
servation, a  large  bleeding,  immediately  on  the  attack, 
has  cured  the  disease.  At  a  future  period  scarcely  any 
thing  has  succeeded,  though  a  few  victims  have  been 
rescued. 

Emetics,  topical  bleeding  with  leeches,  blisters,  and 
purgatives,  have  been  repeatedly  tried,  scarcely  in  any 
instance  with  success.  We  had  long  since  determined 
to  neglect  these  and  to  pursue  an  opposite  method,  viz. 
by  a  cordial  and  sudorific  plan  to  endeavour  to  direct 
the  morbid  fluids  to  the  surface,  led  by  some  relief  ap- 
parently obtained  by  a  quack  medicine,  which  certainly- 
had  no  other  powers.  This  method  would  have  been 
attempted,  had  not  bold  empiricism  introduced  another, 
viz.  large  and  repeated  doses  of  calomel.  Even  to  very 
young  children  five  or  six  grains  are  given  every  two 
or  three  hours,  till  a  discharge  of  a  green  bilious  matter 
comes  on  ;  and  the  relief,  it  is  said,  soon  follows.  We 
have  some  confidence  in  the  reports  we  have  received 


ANG 


121 


ANG 


of  the  success  of  this  medicine,  though  in  our  hands  it 
has  failed  ;  and  the  rapidity  with  which  mercurials  of  all 
kinds  break  down  the  denser  parts  of  the  blood,  renders 
it,  in  our  opinion,  a  remedy  of  great  apparent  utility. 
The  thin  green  bilious  discharge  seems  an  evidence  of 
this  effect.  Strong  mercurial  frictions  might  perhaps 
be  at  the  same  time  employed. 

A.NGl'XA  ERTSIPELATOSA,  MUCOSA,  F.!»IDEMICA,  AXGI- 
XOSA,  EXAVTHEMATICA.  McCOUS  ^Ul.VSV.  See  ScAR- 
LAT1XA  AXGIXOSA. 

ANGI'SA  PAHOTIDJEA.  The  cynanch?  fiarotidta  of 
Cullen  ;  catarrhus  betlinsulanus,  ourles,  and  orcillons,  of 
other  authors.  After  a  slight  inflammatory  fever,  the 
parotid  and  maxillary  glands  swell  sometimes  rapidly, 
and  to  a  considerable  size ;  but  they  seldom  suppurate, 
and  the  disease  requires  no  particular  remedy.  The 
fever  is  decisive  in  its  attack,  and  appears  of  a  specific 
nature.  What  leads  more  strongly  to  this  opinion  is, 
that  the  swelling  sometimes  ceases  suddenly,  and  is 
transferred  to  the  testes  in  the  male,  and  to  the  mammae 
in  females.  We  have,  however,  seen  it  twice  pretty 
generally  epidemic  among  children,  without  observing 
either  metastasis.  Twice  in  adults  we  have  seen  an 
instance  of  the  former,  and  the  swelling  yielded  to  the 
common  remedies.  In  the  neck,  it  has  been  usual  to 
keep  the  part  warm  ;  to  give  nitre  and  purgatives,  and 
to  rub  in  mercurial  ointment.  Nothing  is,  however, 
necessary ;  and  those  who  have  been  most  neglected, 
have  been  soonest  restored  to  health.  Keeping  the 
swelled  neck  warm  is  always  improper ;  nor  does  there 
seem  the  slightest  reason  to  suspect  a  translation  to  the 
brain.  Gooche's  Cases  and  Remarks,  p.  74 — 76,  and 
Appendix,  p.  13.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  edit.  4,  vol.  i. 
p.  303. 

ANGI'SA  FHARYXG.EA.  This  species  is  particularly 
rare.  It  is  described  by  Etler,  De  Cognoscendi»  et  Cu- 
randis  Mor6is  ;  and  a  case  of  it  occurs  in  the  third  vo- 
lume of  the  Medical  Commentaries.  The  pain  is  felt 
behind  the  sternum,  in  swallowing  only,  and  the  breath 
is  not  affected.  The  cure  is  easy,  and  consists  in  swal- 
lowing slowly  nitrous  and  mucilaginous  medicines. 
The  complaint  is  uncommon  and  trifling. 

ANGI'XA  SPASMODIC.*.     See  ASTHMA. 

AXGI'XA  PECTORIS.  For  the  first  account  of  this 
disease,  the  world  is  indebted  to  Dr.  Wm.  Heberden 
of  London. 

The  patient  is  seized  whilst  walking,  and  more  par- 
ticularly if  he  walks  soon  after  eating,  with  a  painful 
sensation  in  his  breast,  extending  to  his  arms ;  at  first 
no  further  than  the  insertion  of  the  deltoid  muscle,  but 
in  succession  to  the  elbows,  wrists,  and  fingers'  ends ; 
the  moment  he  stands  still,  this  uneasiness  vanishes  : 
but,  after  this  complaint  hath  continued  some  months, 
it  does  not  cease  so  suddenly  after  resting;  it  will  now 
come  on  even  while  the  person  is  in  bed,  obliging  him 
to  rise  every  night  for  several  months  together.  In 
some  inveterate  cases  it  hath  been  brought  on  by  very 
trivial  accidents,  such  as  coughing,  going  to  stool,  by 
swallowing,  speaking,  or  from  any  slight  disturbance 
of  mind.  Sometimes,  though  rarely,  it  attacks  while  the 
patient  stands  or  sits  still.  In  some  persons  it  is  the 
worst  in  winter,  in  others  during  the  summer  season. 
When  a  fit  approaches  whilst  the  patient  is  walking, 
its  duration  is  short ;  but  if  it  comes  on  in  the  night, 
it  will  continue  an  hour  or  more.  Sometimes,  though 

VOL.  I. 


rarely,  there  are  several  days  before  any  remission  is 
manifest ;  and,  during  this  time,  the  danger  is  immi- 
nent. The  pulse  is,  at  least  sometimes,  not  disturbed 
with  the  pain,  consequently  the  heart  is  not  affected 
by  it. 

Persons  of  fifty  years  of  age  and  upwards,  of  gouty 
habits,  with  short  necks,  and  who  are  inclined  to  be 
corpulent,  are  the  most  subject  to  this  disease  ;  it  is, 
though  rarely,  met  with  in  those  who  are  younger. 

The  fatal  event  is  generally  sudden  :  yet  some  con- 
tinue affected  with  it  for  twenty  years  ;  and  in  some  it 
almost  spontaneously  disappears. 

The  seat  seems  to  be  in  or  about  the  sternum,  but 
.always  more  to  its  left  side  than  to  any  other  part;  and- 
the  pain  is  more  common  in  the  left  arm. 

The  cause  is  most  probably  a  spasm,  or  convulsion, 
as  appears  from  its  sudden  attack  and  speedy  departure, 
the  long  intervals  of  ease,  the  relief  afforded  by  wine 
and  spirituous  cordials,  its  generally  bearing  the  motion 
of  a  horse  or  carriage  well,  and  its  coming  on  in  the 
night  after  the  first  sleep  ;  at  which  time  asthmas,  the 
nightmare,  convulsions,  and  other  disorders  attributed 
to  the  disturbed  functions  of  the  nerves,  are  peculiarly 
apt  to  return,  or  to  be  aggravated. 

Dr.  Parry  has  lately  endeavoured  to  show,  that  the 
disease  arises  from  an  ossification  of  the  coronary  ar- 
teries of  the  heart ;  but,  in  general,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  it  attends  persons  of  advanced  life,  where  such  os- 
sifications are  not  uncorifcnon  ;  and  that  we  can  per- 
ceive no  connexion  between  the  effect  and  the  cause. 
If  the  functions  of  the  coronaries  were  impaired,  we 
may  expect  only  a  mortification,  or  a  was  ing  of  that 
organ.  In  his  dissections  also,  it  has  been  observed, 
that,  in  the  only  case  where  ossifications  were  found, 
the  disease  was  obscurely  marked;  while  the  others, 
more  certainly  cases  of  angina  pectoris,  offered  no  such 
appearance.  In  general,  ossifications  have  been  found 
near  the  valves,  and  in  almost  every  portion  of  the 
heart  or  larger  vessels ;  yet  these  are  evidently  effects 
only. 

With  regard  to  the  cure,  evacuations  have  been  tried, 
but  to  no  purpose ;  though  wine  and  other  cordials, 
taken  at  bed- time,  will  prevent  or  weaken  the  night  fits, 
yet  nothing  does  this  so  effectually  as  opium ;  ten,  fif- 
teen, or  twenty  drops  of  the  tincture  of  opium  taken  at 
bed-time,  will  enable  those  patients  to  keep  their  bed 
until  the  morning,  who  have  been  forced  to  rise  and  sit 
up  two  or  three  hours  every  night  for  many  months. 
A  blister  applied  to  the  sternum,  and  kept  open  with 
nervous  medicines,  particularly  the  bark  and  valerian  ; 
and  sometimes  the  preparations  'of  copper  seem  to  be 
most  effectual ;  and,  unless  the  disease  be  supposed 
to  have  vanished  spontaneously,  have  cured  it.  Dr. 
Macbride  advises  issues  in  the  thighs,  with  small  doses 
of  calomel ;  but  this  plan  has  either  not  been  tried,  or 
been  unsuccessful.  This  quantity  of  opium,  or  more, 
may  safely  be  continued  as  long  as  it  is  required.  Dr. 
Bergius,  a  Swedish  physician,  says,  that  this  disorder  is 
a  kind  of  spasmodic  asthma,  and  that  it  is  relieved  by  a 
solution  of  gum.  ammon.  3  ss.  in  aq.  puleg.  vel  hyssop, 
ft  ss.  two  spoonfuls  to  be  taken  two  or  three  times  a 
day.  See  the  Lond.  Med.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  59.  iii.  1.37. 
Medical  Obs.  and  Inq.  v.  233.  252.  London  Med. 
Journal,  v.  162.  Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society  of 
London,  238.  306. 

R 


ANG 


122 


ANH 


ANGIOLO'GIA,  ANGEILOGIA,  (from  «yy«/«, 
•aas,  and  Aoyo;,  sermo}.  ANGIOLOGY.  It  treats  of  the 
glands,  lacteals,  lymphceducts,  nerves,  arteries,  veins, 
and  other  vessels ;  including  their  structure  and  dis- 
tribution. 

ANGO'LAM.  It  belongs  to  a  new  genus,  not  yet 
to  be  found  in  the  systems,  the  alangium.  It  belongs 
to  the  natural  order  myrtoides,  and  is  a  polypetalous 
flower  of  the  decandria  monogynia  class  and  order.  A 
large  tree  growing  in  Malabar.  It  runs  up  to  the  height 
of  one  hundred  feet,  and  is  twelve  feet  thick.  It  is  an 
evergreen ;  its  fruit  resembles  a  cherry,  and  is  most 
delicious. 

The  expressed  juice  of  the  root  cures  the  bites 
of  serpents,  discharges  the  water  of  dropsical  swell- 
ings, and  kills  worms.  Raii  Hist.  Plant.  The  spe- 
cies is  that  with  ten  petals  ;  another  with  six  petals  is 
.less  valued:  its  fruit  is  healing ;  but  the  leaves  infused 
in  oil  are  applied  to  wounds,  and  the  root  is  purga- 
tive. 

ANGO'NE,  (from  «»/£«,  to  strangle').  A  NERVOUS 
SORT  OF  QUINSY.  Vogel  defines  it  to  be  an  acute  stop- 
ping up  of  the  fauces,  without  inflammation.  The  con- 
vulsive quinsy,  and  hysteric  suffocation,  are  enumerated 
among  its  species. 

A'NGOR,  (from  ango,  to  trouble).  A  concentration 
of  the  natural  heat  of  the  body,  causing  a  palpitation  of 
the  heart  and  anxiety.  In  the  beginning  of  a.  fever  it  is 
a  bad  prognostic.  • 

A'NGOS,  a  VESSEL  ;  a  receptacle  of  humours.  See 
VAS. 

ANGSA'NA,  vel  ANSAVA,  (Indian,)  called  also 
draco  arbor. 

It  grows  in  the  East  Indies.  The  liquor  which  distils 
from  a  wound. made  in  this  tree  is  used  as  a  medicine, 
when  it  is  condensed  into  a  gummy  consistence.  It  is 
of  a  red  colour,  astringent,  and  is  sold  for  dragon's  blood. 
Raii  Hist.  Plant.  Dale.  It  has  not  yet  been  reduced 
to  its  place  in  the  vegetable  system. 

A'NGU.     See  CASSADA. 

ANGUI'LLA,  (from  ev,  and  •^ona.t,  to  involve,  be- 
cause it  rolls  itself  in  the  mud).  The  EEL. 

Eels  that  are  met  with  in  rivers,  or  other  clear  run- 
ning waters,  are  the  best ;  the  liver  and  the  gall  are 
extremely  acrid.  Boerhaave  says,  that  no  fish  has  a 
more  acrid  gall ;  and  that  with  a  mixture  of  the  galls  of 
the  eel  and  -the  pike,  made  into  pills,  he  hath  cured  many 
rickety  children  with  hard  and  swelled  bellies. 

The  TORPEDO,  or  TORPORIFIC  EEL,  found  in  Guiana, 
in  South  America,  if  caught  by  a  hook,  violently  shocks 
the  person  who  holds  the  line ;  and  the  shock  is  com- 
municated in  a  circle  like  the  electrical.  Hence  it  is 
called  the  ELECTRIC  EEL.  No  shock  is  perceived  by 
holding  the  hand  in  the  water  near  the  fish  when  it  is 
neither  displeased  nor  touched  ;  but  if  it  is  angry,  it  can 
give  a  shock  to  a  person  at  five  or  six  inches  distance. 
This  shock  is  produced-  by  an  emission  of  electric  or 
Galvanic  energy,  which  the  fish  discharges  at  pleasure. 
On  the  death  of  the  animal  no  such  property  remains, 
and  then  the  Indians  eat  it. 

A'NGUIS.  Serfie/is  anguin,  anguis  coluber  natrix 
torquata,  the  SNAKE. 

Our  snakes  in  England,  and  those  in  other  cold  coun- 
tries, the  viper  excepted,  do  not  injure  us  with  their 
bites.  Their  fat  is  as  good  as  that  of  the  viper. 


ANGUI'UM  SENE'CT^.  The  exnvix,  or  skins  of 
serpents  that  are  cast  in  spring;  the  slough  or  cast  skin 
of  a  snake  is  as  good.  A  decoction  of  it  boiled  in  wine 
is  said  to  cure  deafness,  pain  in  the  ears,  &c. 

ANGULA'RIS  ARTE'RIA,  (from  angulus,  an  an- 
gle}. See  MAXILLARI.S:  ARTERI.C. 

ANGULA'RIS   MUSCULUS.      See  LEVATOR  SCAPULAE  et- 

PATIENTIiE. 

A'NGULI  O'CULI,(from  angulus,  an  angle}.  See 
CANTHI. 

A'NGULUS  ACU'TUS  TI'BLE.  The  spine  of 
the  tibia,  or  the  shin. 

ANGU'RIA,  (from  «yy«s,  a  -vessel,)  so  called  because 
it  resembles  a  cup.  See  CITRULLUS. 

ANGUSTA'TIO,  >  (from  angustus,  strait}.    ANXI- 

ANGU'STIA,  5  ETY>  restlessness  in  distempers. 
They  also  signify  a  narrowness  of  the  vessels. 

ANGUSTIFO'LIA  PLANTA'GO,  (from  angus- 
tum,  narrow,  and  folium,  a  leaf}.  See  PLANTAGO 

MINOR. 

ANGUSTU'R^E  CORTEX,  ANGUSTURA  BARK. 
This  bark,  at  first  imported  in  the  year  1788,  was  sup- 
posed to  be  the  production  of  a  tree  on  the  coast  of 
Africa ;  but  it  is  now  found  to  come  from  the  Spanish 
main.  Mr.  Bruce  pronounced  it  to  be  the  bark  of  a 
tree  called  ivooginos,  by  which  he  was  cured  of  the 
dysentery  in  Abyssinia ;  and  having  brought  over  some 
seeds,  and  planted  them  in  Kew  gardens,  their  product 
he  calls  BRUCEA  ANTIDYSENTERICA,  vel  FERRUGINEA  ; 
but,  in  the  Medical  Commentaries  of  Edinburgh, 
1790,  they  are,  on  comparison,  proved  to  be  very  dif- 
ferent. This  bark  is  imported  in  pieces  of  six  inches 
long,  and  one  inch  and  a  half  in  breadth.  The  epider- 
mis is  whitish,  the  substance  compact,  and  the  colour, 
when  powdered,  not  unlike  that  of  rhubarb.  It  is  a 
powerful  bitter,  joined  with  an  aroma,  not  much  more 
pungent  than  cascarilla,  having  a  portion  of  pure  oil, 
which  approaches  in  its  nature  to  camphor.  It  seems 
also  to  possess  a  narcotic  principle  ;  and  has  been  con- 
sidered more  powerful  than  the  Peruvian  bark,  both  as 
a  tonic  and  antiseptic  :  the  virtues  reside  more  in  its 
gummy  than  resinous  extract ;  but  both  are  extracted 
by  warm  water,  together  with  the  oily  portion.  The 
diseases  in  which  this  medicine  has  been  employed  are 
those  in  which  the  Peruvian  bark  'has  been  useful.  In 
intermittents  it  is  generally  inferior  in  efficacy ;  in  low 
fevers,  and  those  of  the  putrid  kind,  it  has  seemed  su- 
perior. In  head-achs,  attended  with  fever,  but  aris- 
ing from  the  stomach  ;  in  dysentery,  and  dyspepsia;  it 
has  been  of  great  service.  From  various  experiments, 
the  Angustura  bark  seems  to  claim  the  highest  rank 
as  an  antiseptic.  An  extract  is  made  in  the  following 
manner  : 

Take  four  ounces  of  the  Angustura  bark,  put  it  into 
a  flannel  bag  of  a  conical  shape,  pour  upon  this  boiling 
wat.er,  and  repeat  it  till  the  filtering  liquor  has  but  little 
taste  or  colour.  Let  the  infusion  be  evaporated  by  a 
gentle  heat,  and  thirteen  drams  and  twenty  grains  of 
extract,  of  the  full  flavour  of  the  bark,  containing  two 
drams  of  resinous  matter,  will  remain.  See  Brande's 
Experiments  and  Observations  on  Angustura  Bark. 

ANHA'LDINUM.  An  epithet  of  a  corrosive,  de- 
scribed by  Hartman. 

ANH  ALTI'N  A  REMEDI  A,(from  anhelo,  to  breathe 
with,  difficulty}.  Medicines  which  facilitate  respiration. 


v  :s  i 


123 


V  N  1 


AMI  ALT!  XA  A  QUA.  A.VHALT  WATER  of  the 
Brandenburg  Dispensatory.  Sp.  vini  rect.  is  distilled 
from  turpentine,  and  twelve  pr  thirteen  other  ingre- 
dients of  the  aromatic  kind  added ;  but  a  more  elegant 
spirit  of  a  similar  nature  may  be  obtained  by  mixing  a 
proper  quantity  of  the  essential  oils  of  rosemary,  laven- 
der, or  sage,  with  the  common  oil  of  turpentine,  and 
then  distilling  them  from  spirit  of  wine.  This  water 
is  an  excellent  cordial. 

AXHELA'TIO,  A  XHELO,  AXHELI'TUS,(from 
anfielo,  to  breathe  short,}  PAXTIXG.  A  shortness  of 
breath  after  strong  exercise.  In  fevers,  dropsies,  asth- 
mas, pleurisies,  Sec.  there  is  always  an  anhelitus.  To 
express  this  Hippocrates  often  uses  the  word  fincuma  ; 
but  the  same  term  amongst  the  chemists  signifies 
SMOKE,  and  also  HORSE  DUXG;  this  last  is  called,  when 
hot,  cancinfiericon. 

AXHI'MA.  (Indian).  An  aquatic  bird  of  prey  in 
Brasil,  larger  than  a  swan.  Its  horn  is  esteemed  an  an- 
tidote against  poison. 

ANHUI'BA.     (Indian).     See  SASSAFRAS. 

AXICE'TOX,  (from  *,  firi-vat.  and  »<***,  to  con- 
quer,) INVINCIBLE.  An  epithet  for  a  plaster  ascribed 
to  Crito ;  an  infallible  remedy  for  the  acores. 

AXICE'TUM.     See  A.VISUM. 

AXI'DROS,     1   f,  ,  .* 

AXIDROSIS,  I  £om  .,  neg.  and  itf~,  to  .mat). 

AXIDROTI,    j  Without  sweat 

A'XIL.     See  IXDICUM. 

A'NLMA  MUXDI,  (from  *>ffu>?,  -wind,  s/iiritj.  The 
SOUL  OF  THE  woLRD.  The  ubiquitarian  principle  of 
Plato,  like  Des  Cartes'  aether,  pervading  and  influencing 


all  parts  and  places,  and  the  archaeus  of  Van  Helmont 
and  Paracelsus.  In  the  works  of  the  elder  chemists  and 
pharmaceutists,  it  means  a  concentration  of  the  virtues 
of  bodies,  by  any  means  that  can  be  supp'osed  to  deve- 
lop their  powers,  as  solution,  distillation,  Sec.  Thus 
we  have  animajasfiidis,  aloes,  and  rhubarbari. 

A'XIMA  PULMOXUM.  A  name  given  to  saffron  on  ac- 
count of  its  supposed  use  in  asthmas.  See  CROCUS. 

A '.VIM  A  HEPATIS.     The  name  of  SAL  MARTIS. 

A'XIMA    ORTICULORUM.     A    term    for    HEHMODAC- 

TYLLS,    ScC. 

A'XIM.E.  The  VESICLES  OF  HERRIXGS;  are  thus 
called  because  they  are  light  and  full  of  wind.  They 
are  supposed  to  be  diuretic. 

A'XIMAL,  (from  anima,  life}.  All  bodies  endowed 
with  life,  and  with  a  power  of  spontaneous  motion  ne- 
cessary to  support  life,  are  called  animals.  Animals  are 
thus  distinguished  in  general  from  vegetables.  But 
perhaps  a  more  correct  and  scientific  definition  is  the " 
following : — An  animal  is  an  organized  body,  sensible, 
capable  of  voluntary  motion,  provided  with  a  central 
organ  of  digestion.  They  are  all  capable  of  reproduc- 
ing their  like :  some,  by  the  union  of  the  two  sexes, 
produce  small  living  creatures,  and  are  called  -vruifia- 
rous  ;  others  lay  eggs,  which  require  a  due  temperature 
to  produce  young,  styled  oviparous ;  some  multiply 
without  conjunction  of  sexes,  hermafihrodites  ;  and 
others  are  reproduced  when  cut  in  pieces,  like  the  roots 
of  plants,  animal  filants.f 

After  man,  all  other  animals  have  been  divided  into 
eight  classes,  in  the  following  manner : 


DAUBEXTOX'S  DIVISIOX  and  CHARACTERS  of  the  Eight  Classes  of  ANIMALS. 


Having  a  head. 

The  most  part  having  no 
head. 

With  "nostrils. 

Without  nostrils. 

With  ears. 

Without  ears. 

Two  ventricles  in  the 
heart. 

One  ventricle  in  the  heart. 

The  heart  variously  form- 
ed, or  unknown. 

Warm  blood. 

Blood  nearly  cold. 

A  whitish  fluid  instead  of 
blood. 

Inspiring  and  expiring 
air  frequently. 

Inspiring  and  expiring  air  at  long 
intervals  by  lungs. 

Admitting 
the    air    by 
gills. 

Admitting 
the    air    by 
spiracula. 

Xo  apparent 
entrance   or 
aperture    to 
admit  air. 

Viviparous. 

Oviparous. 

With 

teats. 

Without  teats. 

1st  Ord. 

Quadru- 
peds. 

2d  Ord. 
Cetaceous 
Animals. 

3d  Ord. 
Birds. 

4th  Ord. 
Oviparous 
Quadrupds. 

5th  Ord. 
Serpents. 

6th  Ord. 

Fishes. 

7th  Ord. 
Insects. 

8th  Ord. 
Worms. 

Four  feet 
and  hairy 
skin. 

Fins  and  no 
hair. 

Feathered. 

Four  feet 
and  no 
hair. 

Scaly  with- 
out  feet  or 
fins. 

Scaly  with 
fins. 

Having 
atitennae. 

Having 
neither  feet 
nor  scales. 

R2 


ANI 


124 


ANI 


We  shall  add  the  Arrangement  of  CU  VIER,  which  is  in  general  preferred  : 


Animals  with  vertebrae.. 


[Blood  hot:  heart  with  two  ventricles. 
rBlood  cold :  heart  with  one  ventricle. 


Animals  without  ver- 
tebra? . 


With  blood  vessels. 


{ 


Without  blood  vessels. 


Viviparous  with  mammae. 

Oviparous  without  mammae. 

Lungs  sometimes  with  gil]s. 

Gills  without  lungs. 
A  simple  spinal  marrow  without  articulated  limbs. 
A  knotty  spinal  marrow  without  articulated  limbs. 

with  articulated  limbs. 

A  knotty  spinal  marrow  with  articulated  limbs. 
No  spinal  marrow  ;  no  articulated  limbs. 


Mammalia. 

Aves. 

Repiiles. 

Fish. 

Mollusca:. 

Vermes. 

Crustaceac. 

Insects. 

Zoophytes. 


We  may  subjoin  for  its  curiosity,  perhaps  from  its  scientific  accuracy,  that  of  M.  VIREY ;  premising  only,  that 
he  understands,  by  the  great  sympathic  or  intercostal,  a  nervous  system,  not  immediately  and  directly  issuing; 
from  a  brain,  but,  like  the  intercostal  in  the  human  body,  composed  of  nerves  from  different  sources. 

(  With  hot  blood 
W  ith  two  nervous  systems,  the    i 

cerebral  and  sympathic  :  J  wkh  coM  blood 


With  a  nervous  system  surrovmd- 
Animals.   -^      ing  the  oesophagus,  the  sym- 
pathic : 

'  With  nervous  molecules ;   zoo- 
phytes. 


Animal  substances  differ  from  vegetable  in  their  che- 
mical nature  and  changes  they  spontaneously  undergo. 
Though  not  peculiar  to  the  animal  system,  yet  azote 
and  phosphoric  acid  are  their  most  distinguishing  in- 
gredients. Tl^  acid  gives  the  distinguishing  appear- 
ances to  the  earth  which  forms  their  basis,  and  the  azote 
is  the  chief  principle  of  the  volatile  alkali,  formed  during 
their  spontaneous  decomposition  by  putrefaction.  Vo- 
latile alkali  is  contained  in  animal  substances  when  en- 
tire, particularly  in  the  blood,  where  it  exists  in  an  am- 
moniacal  salt;  but  its  proximate  principles,  azote  and 
hydrogen,  are  more  frequently  found,  and  the  alkali  is 
formed  during  the  decomposition.  The  same  princi- 
ples are  found,  also,  in  the  gluten  of  farinaceous  seeds,  in 
mushrooms,  and  many  other  vegetable  substances,  par- 
ticularly in  the  whole  family  of  the  cruciferae  ;  and  a  vo- 
latile alkali  is  separated  frpm  vegetables  in  various  che- 
mical processes.  Hydrogen,  its  other  principle,  is  more 
generally  diffused  through  -the  vegetable  and  mineral 
kingdoms,  and  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  an  animal 
substance.  Carbone,  oxygen,  and  lime,  the  other  ani- 
mal radicals,  are  found  in  almost  every  substance. 

There  seems  to  be  no  peculiar  animal  acid.  The 
zoonic  and  sebacic  are  probably  the  acetous :  the  acid 
of  ants  and  of  silk,  the  formic  and  bombic,  are  acetous. 
The  Prussic  acid  is  still  little  known ;  and  if  any  merit 
die  appellation  of  animal  acids,  they  are  the  phosphoric 
and  the  uric  :  of  which  the  latter  is  only  peculiar  to  the 
animal  kingdom,  and  perhaps  may  at  last  appear  to  be 
the  oxalic  disguised  by  azote,  as  Proust  supposes  the 
bombic  acid  to  be.  The  other  animal  productions  arc 
fibrin,  albumen,  gelatine,  mucilage,  oils,  sugar,  resins, 
sulphur,  and  iron  occasionally,  perhaps  accidentally, 
occurring.  Gelatine  and  mucilage  connect  animal  with 
vegetable  substances,  as  they  admit  of  the  acetous  fer- 


With  a  heart 

Without  a  heart 

Solitary 

United 


C  Molluscac. 
I  Shell-fish. 
C  Insects. 


Echinodermes. 
Hydri  and  infusory  animals. 
Corals  and  ceratophytes. 
Madrepores  and  sponges, 


mentation.  With  oxygen,  mucilages  form  resins,  of 
which  there  are  few  examples  in  the  animal  system, 
and  the  proportions  are  small.  If  we  recollect  rightly, 
the  bile,  the  cerumen  of  the  ear,  and  the  urine,  are  the 
only  instances  in  the  human  body. 

The  oils  and  fats  of  animals,  like  the  gross  oil  of  ve- 
getables, are  soluble  either  in  water  or  in  spirit  of  wine, 
by  the  intervention  of  a  third  body  only,  as  mucilage  or 
gum.  The  oils  of  animals  differ  from  those  of  vegeta- 
bles.— 1.  The  finer  animal  oils  are  not,  like  the  vegeta- 
ble, procured  by  a  moist,  but  almost  always  by  a  dry 
distillation,  that  is,  by  combustion ;  and  hence  all  ani- 
mal oils  have  an  empyreumatic  .smell.  2.  Though  an 
acid  is  found  in  the  fat  of  animals,  yet  in  the  distilled 
oils  of  animal  matter  a  volatile  alkaline  property  is 
found ;  but  in  those  of  vegetables  there  is  always  an 
acid.  The  volatile  alkaline  salts,  therefore,  contained 
in  the  oils  of  animals,  render  them  more  penetrating 
and  stimulating  than  the  distilled  oils  of  vegetables. 
One  drop  of  the  ol.  c.  c.  intimately  mixed  with  the  sp. 
vini.  rectif;  3ij- is  powerfully  stimulant  and  sudorific. 
Independent  of  the  oil  collected  in  the  cells  of  the  adipose 
membrane,  or  that  obtained  by  distillation,  the  decom- 
position of  animal  substances,  by  means  of  the  nitrous 
acid,  procures  it  in  considerable  purity. 

The  odorous  matter  of  some  animal  substances,  as 
musk,  castor,  Sec.  is,  like  the  essential  oils  or  resins  of 
vegetables,  soluble  in  sp.  vini  rectificati,  and  volatile 
in  the  heat  of  boiling  water. 

The  gelatinous  principle  of  animals,  like  the  gum  of 
vegetables,  dissolves  in  water,  but  not  in  spirit  or  in 
oil.  Like  the  gums,  also,  it  renders  oils  and  fats  mis- 
cible  with  water.  However,  many  animal  juices 
differ  greatly  even  in  these  general  properties  from 
the  corresponding  ones  of  vegetables.  Thus  animal 


AMI 


125 


A  M  1 


serum,  which  appears  similar  to  vegetable  gummy 
juices,  and  mingles.with  cold  or  warm  water,  concretes 
by  heat  into  a  solid  mass :  the  heat  necessary  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  of  Fahrenheit. 

Animal  substances  become  putrid  much  sooner  than 
vegetable  ones,  and  when  corrupted  are  much  more  of- 
fensive. See  PUTREDO. 

Animal  matter,  burnt  in  the  open  air,  is  resolved, 
like  vegetables,  into  soot  and  ashes,  but  with  this  dif- 
ference, that  no  fixed  alkaline  salt  can  be  obtained  from 
the  ashes,  and  no  acid  vapour  accompanies  the  smoke. 
Exposed  to  the  fire  in  close  vessels,  after  the  watery 
moisture,  a  volatile  alkaline. salt  is  obtained,  together 
with  an  empyreumatic  oil  that  is  more  fetid  than  that 
from  vegetables. 

AMMAL  BEZOA'HDICUM  OCCIDEXTA'LE.  THE  LESSER 
AMERICAN  DEER. 

ANIMAL  BEZOA'RDICUM  ORIENTA'LE.  THE  BEZOAR 
GOAT. 

ANIMAL  MOSCHI'FERUJT.  THE  MUSK  ANIMAL.  See 
MO'SCHUS. 

ANIMAL  ZIBE'THICUM.     See  ZIBE'THUM. 

AMMAL  KINGDOM.  It  is  not  our  object  to  ascertain 
with  precision  the  limits  of  this  kingdom  of  nature,  or 
to  mark  the  various  shades  of  distinction  between  ani- 
mals and  vegetables.  It  occurs  in  this  place  chiefly  to 
notice  the  various  medicines  which  it  affords. 

The  mammalia  chiefly  furnish  aliment;. yet  artificial 
teeth  are  formed  from  those  of  the  'trichecus  manatus: 
castor  and  civet  from  the  viverra  zibet  ha  and  castor  fi- 
ber;  musk  from  the  moschus  moschifcrus.  The  various 
species  of  cervus  afford  a  nutrient  jelly  from  their 
horns,  and  formerly  the  volatile  alkali  was  also  prepared 
from  them,  though  now  supplied  by  bones.  The  milk 
of  the  cow,  the  goat,  the  mare,  and  ewe,  are  well  known ; 
and  the  suet  of  the  sheep,  and  the  lard  of  the  hog,  need 
scarcely  to  be  noticed.  The  morbid  concretions,  the 
bezoars,  are  not  at  present  employed;  the  elk's  hoof 
is  disregarded;  the  bile  of  the  ox  and  sheep  seldom 
prescribed;  and  the  gastric  juices  chiefly  used  as  an 
external  application. 

The/inyseter  macroce/ifialus,  from  the  cetaceous  tribe, 
furnishes  the  sfie rmaceti,  now  styled  adipocire;  and  the 
different  species^of  sturgeon,  from  their  air  bladders, 
the  isinglass.  The  oil  which  spontaneously  separates 
from  the  liver  of  the  pike  (esox  Indus)  is  used  in  ob- 
fuscation  of  the  eyes;  the  oil  from  the  liver  of  the  cod- 
fish in  rheumatism. 

Among  the  amfihibia,  the  rana  esculenta  is  nutri- 
tious; and  the  rana  bufo,  it  is  said,  has  been  used  in 
cancers,  by  sucking  the  venom.  Several  of  the  lizards 
are  supposed  to  possess  medicinal  powers.  The  /.  agi- 
lis  has  been  used  as  a  remedy  for  cancers;  the  /.  scin- 
cus  as  an  aphrodisiac;  and  the  flesh  of- the  I.  iguana, 
like  that  of  some  of  the  whales,  has  been  suspected  of 
exciting  to  action  the  latent  venereal  poison. 

Of  insects  we  shall  on  a  future  occasion  treat  more  at 
length.  See  INSECTA.  The  venues  intestina  furnish 
the  lumbricus~teiTestris  and  the  leeches;  of  the  mollusc  ft 
we  employ  only  the  sepia  officinalis,  and  the  limax  maxi- 
mus  terrestris ;  of  the  testacea,  the  ostrea  edulis  and 
maxima,  and  the  helix  pomatia  ;.  of  the  lyihofi/iites  the 
madrepore,  the  coralline,  the  corals,  and  the  sponges. 

ANIMA'LCULE.  A  diminutive  of  the  word  ani- 
mal; that  is,  they  are  such  little  creatures  as  require  to 


be  viewed  through  glasses  to  discern  them  distinctly. 
Rain,  snow,  and  dew,  contain  them  in  great  numbers. 
In  boiled  water  they  sometimes  revive. 

The  animalculae  in  a  fluid  are  generally  collected  in  a 
mass;  if  disturbed,  they  separate,  as  fish  in  a  pond,  and 
continue  for  a  time  distant  from  each  other.  They  fol- 
low the  fluid  to  the  last  drop,  and  then  seem  to  struggle 
and  die ;  after  their  apparent  death,  on  adding  water, 
they  revive.  When  seemingly  dead,  they  are  very 
flat;  but  soon  recover  their  plumpness  when  revived. 
They  are  destroyed  by  the  slightest  atom  of  oil  of  vi- 
triol ;  of  solutions  of  common  salt,  salt  of  tartar,  and 
sugar:  urine  and  blood  arc  equally  fatal. 

In  short,  animal  life  abounds  so  copiously,  that 
wherever  a  nidus  occurs,  its  peculiar  animals  are  found ; 
but  in  this  place  we  must  consider  them  only  as  con- 
nected with  medicine.  The  animalcules  discovered  by 
Lewenhoeck  in  male  semen,  encouraged  physiologists 
to  suppose  that  they  had  unravelled  the  mysterious 
subject  of  GENERATION.  More  mature  reflection  and 
repeated  observation  have,  however,  dissipated  the 
phantom,  as  we  shall  see  under  that  article.  Animal- 
cules have  also  been  considered  as  the  causes  of  various 
diseases.  Linnaeus's  Dissertation  on  the  fifth  volume 
of  the  Amosnitates  Academicae,  entitled  Exanthemata 
Viva,  contains  almost  all  the  facts  dispersed  in  various 
authors  on  this  subject;  and  Langius  has  with  equal 
anxiety  reduced  almost  every  disease  to  this  cause.  The 
complaints  enumerated  by  Linnaeus  as  owing  to  animal- 
cules are,  itch,  dysentery,  hooping-cough,  small-pox, 
measles,  plague,  and  syphilis.  With  respect  to  dysen- 
tery the  argument  is  curious :  in  dysenteric  stools,  ani- 
malcules were  found,  and  these  animalcules  were  only 
killed  by  an  infusion  of  rhubarb.  Unfortunately,  rhu- 
barb will  not  cure  dysentery.  At  present  it  is  doubted 
whether  even  the  itch  is  owing  to  animalcules. 

A  later  idea  of  a  disease  from  animals  is  that  of  Mr. 
Adams,  who  derives  cancer  from  a  species  of  tenia. 
His  arguments  are  at  least  specious,  and  they  will  be 
considered  in  their  proper  place.  See  T.SNIA  and 
CANCER. 

See  Philos.  Trans.  Abr.  vol.  iii.  Dr.  Hook's  Micro- 
graphia. 

ANIMA'LE  DIPPE'LII,  O'LEUM.  DIPPEL'S  ANI- 
MAL OIL. 

This  is  a  common  animal  oil  highly  rectified:  the 
number  of  rectifications  required  is  in  proportion  to  the 
former  state  of  the  oil :  seldom  less  than  six  are  neces- 
sary. It  must  be  closely  kept  from  the  access  of  the  air. 

Animal  oils  thus  rectified  are  thin,  limpid,  and  of  a 
subtile,  penetrating,  not  disagreeable  smell  and  taste. 
They  are  anlispasmodic,  sedative,  and  diaphoretic,  in 
doses,  from  five  to  thirty  drops.  Hoffman  speaks  highly 
in  their  favour,  observing,  that  one  dose  excites  sweat, 
and  supports  it  for  twenty-four  hours  without  languor  or 
debility;  and  that  if  twenty  or  more  drops  are  given  on 
an  empty  stomach,  six  hours  before  the  accession  of  an 
intermittent  fever,  they  frequently  remove  the  disorder : 
in  chronical  epilepsies  and  other  convulsive  symptoms, 
especially  if  given  before  the  usual  time  of  the  attack, 
and  preceded  by  proper  evacuations,  tht,y  are  effectual. 

They  lose  much  of  their  quality  by  keeping. 

All  empyreumatic  oils  dissolve  '•-:  sp.  vini  r^ct. ;  and 
the  more  they  are  rectified,  the  ca:,li  r  -s  hi  ir  solution, 
a  circumstance  in  which  they  uirter  from  essential  oils, 


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whiqh,  by  repeated  distillations,  become  more  difficult 
to  dissolve. 

ANIMA'LIS  FACU'LTAS.  See  FAOULTAS  and 
ACTIO. 

ANIMA'LIS  MO'TUS.     ANIMAL   MOTION. 

This  is  the  same  with  muscular  motion,  and  is  di- 
vided into  two  species  sufficiently  known,  voluntary 
and  involuntary.  See  Museums. 

ANIMA'LIS  SPIKITUS.     ANIMAL   SPIRITS.     See  CALI- 

DUM    INNATUM. 

ANIMA'TIO,(from  animo,  to  give  life,  to  animate). 
ANIMATION.  The  particular  effect  produced  by  the 
vis  vitae  in  all  animated  bodies,  by  which  life  is  begun 
and  supported. 

A'NIME,  so  called  from  its  refreshing  odour.  The 
Portuguese  corrupted. the  word  animne  into  anime. 

The  GUM  ANIME  is  also  called  RESINA  ANIME,  and 
eourbaril  rezina,  aminaa,  animum.  By  Piso  the  tree 
from  whence  it  is  obtained  is  called  jetaiba,  by  the  In- 
dians eourbaril.  Hymenaa  eourbaril  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  537. 

The  gum  anime  is  a  transparent,  yellowish  white, 
resinous  gum,  obtained  from  a  large  tree  in  Brasil,  New 
Spain,  and  the  East.  The  latter  Dioscorides  calls  by 
the  names  myrrha  and  minita ;  but  in  our  shops  we 
have  no  other  than  the  American  kind.  The  small 
tears  are  the  purest.  It  hath  but  little  taste,  though  to 
the  smell  it  is  very  agreeable.  It  easily  breaks  between 
the  teeth ;  but  if  chewed  for  some  time,  it  softens  and 
becomes  adhesive.  If  it  is  laid  on  a  red-hot  iron  it  im- 
mediately melts,  inflames,  and  burns  quickly  away,  leav- 
ing only  very  little  white  ashes. 

It  dissolves  in  sp.  vini  R.  but  is  very  little  affected  by 
water,  except  in  distillation,  when  a  part  of  its  flavour 
and  a  small  quantity  of  oil  rise.  The  Brasilians  are 
said  to  use  it  in  fumigations  for  pains  and  achs  from 
cold;  for  palsy  and  contractions.  With  us  it  is  esteem- 
ed diuretic.  The  dose  is  >)  i.  The  gum  copal  is  often 
sold  for  it. 

ANIMELLjE.  The  glandules  under  the  ears,  and 
under  the  lower  jaw,  called  lacticinia. 

ANIMI,  et  ANIMJS  DELIQUIUM.      See  LIPO- 

THYMIA. 

ANIMI'FERA    A'RBOR    BRASILIA'NA.      See 

COURBARIL. 

ANIMUM.     See  ANIME. 

A'NIMUS,  (from  a»£jwo;,  wind  or  spirit).  The  MIND. 
The  body  and  the  mind  reciprocally  affect  each  other; 
whatever  invigorates  the  body,  renders  the  faculties  of 
the  soul  proportionably  active  and  strong:  what  de- 
presses the  strength  lessens  the  spirit,  the  resolution, 
and  the  more  active  intellectual  faculties. 

The  circulation  of  the  blood  not  only  unites  the  soul 
.with  the  body,  but  also  governs  and  directs  its  opera- 
tions; with  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  the  animal  and* 
vital  functions  continue:  they  vary,  and  cease  to  be,  ac- 
cording as  the  circulation  varies  or  ceases.  To  preserve, 
then,  the  faculties  of  each,  we  must  attend  to  the  health 
of  both. 

The  regulation  of  the  mind  is  consequently  a  subject 
of  the  highest  importance,  and  must  be  considered  at 
some  length;  both  as  it  affects  individuals  adapted  for 
different  employments,  as  necessary  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  health,  and  as  a  means  of  alleviating  disease,  and 
assisting  the  powers  of  medicine.  The  medicina  mentis 
has  not,  perhaps,  obtained  a  sufficient  share  of  attention; 


and  the  few  dissertations  by  Hoffman,   Boerhaave,  and 
Gaubius,  have  scarcely  elucidated  so  intricate  a  subject, 

It  has  been  long  since  observed,  that  the  most  furious 
and  courageous  animals  possessed  strong  fibres,  a  rich 
glutinous  blood,  and  solids  remarkably  firm .  The  bones 
of  the  lion  are  said  to  be  capable  of  striking  fire  with 
steel.  These  corresponding  states  of  mind  and  body- 
are  supported  by  large  supplies  of  animal  food ;  and  we 
animate  the  spirit  of  cocks  fed  for  combat,  of  horses  for 
speed,  and  of  pugilists,  by  food  of  a  nourishing  power 
beyond  the  usual  standard,  which  will  afford  strength, 
without  overfilling  the  vessels. 

A  more  calm  and  steady  exertion  of  mind,  a  collect- 
ed coolness,  and  an  accurate  discrimination  of  circum- 
stances, in  general  similar,  are  connected  with  a  very 
different  state  of  body.  The  fever,  excited  by  high 
diet,  will  not  fit  a  person  for  duties  of  this  kind.  The 
sleep  must  be  calm  and  undisturbed;  the  stomach  not 
oppressed  with  crudities ;  the  vessels  not  overfilled ;  the 
secretions  neither  obstructed  nor  preternaturally  pro- 
pelled. It  is  the  state  in  which  the  student  will  best 
succeed;  it  is  that  to  which  the  gamester,  with  unre- 
mitted  attention,  brings  his  constitution;  and  it  is_that 
perhaps  most  consistent  .with  the  best  state  of  the  intel- 
lectual faculties.  Yet  a  habit  of  study  cannot  be  long 
indulged  with  perfect  impunity.  This  regular  co-opera- 
tion of  body  and  mind  is  disturbed  by  the  late  hours 
which  sometimes  study  demands ;  by  the  inactivity 
which  persevering  attention  occasions.  To  the  regular, 
calm  performance  of  the  functions  succeeds  from 
these  causes  a  mind  agitated  and  irritable;  a  stomach 
loaded  with  flatulence;  bowels  oppressed  by  accumula- 
tions. The  powers  of  the  mind  are  heightened  to  un- 
usual quickness,  and  the  body  seems  to  want  the  activi- 
ty thus  diverted  to  other  purposes.  Yet  the  mind  is  a 
considerable  gainer  by  the  exchange.  Fancy  is  -more 
alive;  analogies,  remote  and  in  general  unperceived, 
become  obvious ;  the  imagination  active,  embodies  airy 
nothings,  and  gives  form,  shape,  and  semblance,  with 
hues  more  vivid  than  nature  would  own.  The  body, 
however,  sinks  under  the  exertion;  and  the  irritable, 
sleepless,  jaundiced,  student,  is  the  prey  to  the  natural 
ills  in  consequence  of  his  own  irregularities,  and  to 
those  which  his  imagination,  thus  exalted,  portrays  ; 
happy  to  lose  them  in  insensibility,  or  to  exhibit  an  ex- 
ample how  low  human  intellect  can  sink,  as  well  as  to 
what  a  height  it  can  soar. 

Indolence,  combined  with  free  luxurious  living,  gives 
another  turn  to  the  intellectual  faculties.  The  vessels 
overloaded,  produce  languor,  an  incapacity  for  exertion, 
and  at  last  a  real,  unconquerable  debility.  In  this  state, 
too,  the  mind  equally  suffers.  Listlessness,  inactivity, 
and  lethargy,  come  on;  the  mind  and  body,  equally  tor- 
pid, sink  together,  and  no  cause  of  debility  produces  ef- 
fects so  difficultly  subdued.  Abstinence,  even  conducted 
with  caution^  occasions  fainting;  exercise  is  attended  with 
the  most  distressing  fatigue;  and  the  abridgment  of  the 
long  protracted  slumbers  induces  even  a  worse  languor 
than  it  was  intended  to  relieve.  An  entire  loss  of 
sleep  and  of  appetite,  as  well  as  of  memory,  and  some- 
times of  reason,  are  the  consequences. 

Great  exertions  of  mind  and  body  are  not  attended 
with  effects  so  fatal.  If  united,  they  seem  scarcely  in- 
jurious. Exertions  of  body  alone,  if  regular  occasional 
sleep  is  allowed,  do  little  harm ;  and  exertions  of  mind, 


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though  strong  and  long  continued,  with  moderate  at- 
tention to  hours  of  relaxation  and  rest,  are  not  very  in- 
jurious. The  sailor  and  the  mathematician  are,  perhaps, 
the  persons  who  afford  the  strongest  examples  of  each, 
and  both  have  been  remarkable  for  longevity. 

The  indulgence  of  passions,  in  every  instance,  un- 
dermines the  constitution.  The  present  subject  con- 
lines  us  to  mental  passions.  Anger,  in  excess,  is  a  short 
madness,  and  unfits  every  man  for  careful  enquiry 
and  examination.  Fear  deprives  us  of  our  resources, 
and  grief  depresses  every  bodily  function.  Even  joy, 
by  extreme  animation,  has  been  fatal ;  and  love,  ab- 
sorbing every  other  feeling,  has,  even  when  successful, 
been  little  less  injurious.  In  short,  every  passion  should 
be  kept  in  due  subordination,  and  regulated  by  reason 
and  judgment. 

We  are  thus  brought  to  the  next  part  of  our  enquiry — 
the  regulation  of  the  mind,  as  necessary  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  health.  The  Almighty,  when  he  gave  us  pas- 
sions, bestowed  also  reason  and  judgment.  By  the  due 
subordination  of  the  former  to  the  latter  we  obtain  the 
chief  good,  mens  sana  in  corfiore  sa.no.  Yet  it  is  with 
passions  as  with  other  causes  of  disease  ;  they  are  hurt- 
ful only  in  excess.  They  are  given  to  vary  the  dull 
uniformity  which,  without  them,  would  ensue ;  to  agi- 
tate the  stagnant  lake,  which  might  otherwise  become 
putrid  and  injurious.  Our  hopes,  our  fears,  our  joys, 
and  sorrows,  become  useful  stimuli  to  the  intellectual 
system,  as  wine,  and  sometimes  high  foods,  to  the  ma- 
terial. The  torpid  misanthrope,  and  the  most  strictly 
temperate  men,  are  seldom  healthy  or  long  lived.  The 
principle  within  us,  which  regulates  our  systems,  which 
corrects  our  deviations,  and  urges  us  to  the  supply  of  our 
wants,  languishes  for  want  of  action,  as  the  muscle  no 
longer  exercised  loses,  its  power.  In  short,  our  frame 
is  adapted  for  action  :  let  the  causes  of  activity  cease, 
and  we  can  no  longer  exist.  Let  not  this  be  considered 
as  the  language  of  Brunoniasm,  or  the  apology  for  ex- 
cess. We  disapprove  ofeach :  but  a  man  may«vary  his 
habits  without  becoming  a  glutton  or  a  drunkard ;  and 
may  speak  the  language  of  common  observation,  with- 
out being  wedded  to  a  sect. 

The  regulation  of  the  mind  is  of  great  importance  in 
a  studious  man.  The  hour  of  sleep  should  not  ap- 
proach, while  the  mind  is  irritated  by  study.  A  calm 
serenity  should  be  allowed  to  steal  on,  by  light  conversa- 
tion, or  by  works  which  engage  the  attention,  with- 
out mental  exertion,  before  the  time  of  retiring,  and 
that  time  should  not  be  protracted  beyond  eleven.  Dur- 
ing the  times  of  study,  the  mind  should  never  be  forced 
to  labour.  It  is  sometimes  less  fitted  than  at  others ;  and 
it  often  happens  that  the  period  of  the  best  health  is  not 
that  of  successful  study.  The  mind  is  then  seemingly 
too  much  alive  for  confinement  to  a  single  subject,  and 
will  bend  with  greater  ease  when  a  little  bodily  fatigue 
has  checked  its  too  soaring  flights.  The  studies  also 
should  be  varied :  few  men  studied  more  than  Lord 
Kaimes ;  yet  few  preserved  the  mental  powers  so  little 
weakened  to  extreme  old  age.  This  he  owed  to  the 
variety  of  his  studies,  and  to  mixing  them  with  the  af- 
fairs of.  common  life.  A  student  was  supposed  to  be 
above  these;  but  he  will  gain  little  in  the  estima- 
tion of  those  "  whose  praise  is  fame ;"  he  will  gain 
little  in  mental  or  corporeal  vigour  for  being  so.  Per- 
haps astudent  should  be  abstemious  :  this  is,  indeed,  ne- 


cessary, unless  he  combines  bodily  exercise  with  study; 
but  he  should  certainly  avoid  studying  soon  after  his 
meals,  however  slight  they  may  be. 

An  important  regulation  of  mind,  particularly  to  the 
student,  is  the  power  of  turning  to  a  different  subject, 
from  that  which  engages  his  attention,  without  confu- 
sion or  difficulty.  This  power  few  possess,  but  it  is 
not  difficult  of  attainment.  It  chiefly  consists  in  having 
clear  ideas  on  every  subject,  and  declining  any,  until 
reflection  has  given  that  clearness,  which  enables  us  to 
see  at  once  the  whole  of  it  with  its  various  bearings. 
When  this  is  attained,  it  is  only  necessary  to  avoid  hurry. 
If  a  new  subject  is  started,  a  few  minutes'  delay  will  pre- 
vent confusion ;  and,  before  custom  has  made  a  change 
common,  the  time  allowed  for  the  mind  to  resign  one, 
and  resume  the  other,  should  be  enlarged.  By  habit,  as 
usual,  great  facility  in  the  process  will  be  acquired,  and 
it  will  seem  intuitive.  A  very  convenient  power  which 
may  perhaps  also  be  easily  acquired  is,  that  of  employ- 
ing the  mind  at  once  on  two  subjects  of  unequal  im- 
portance ;  to  talk,  for  instance,  on  common  topics  in 
general  company,  while  the  mind  pursues  some  abstruse 
and  intricate  reasoning  in  its  own  recesses.  This,  we 
believe,  is  attained  only  by  exercise  and  experience. 

The  regulation  of  the  mind  is  of  great  importance  in 
alleviating  disease,  and  assisting  the  power  of  medicine. 
The  effects  of  diseases  purely  corporeal,  on  the  mind, 
are  singular.  In  hectics,  for  instance,  confidence  of 
returning  health  constantly  prevails,  notwithstanding 
the  hasty  approaches  of  debility  in  every  form.  In 
syphilis,  where  there  is  no  real  danger,  the  mind  is  in 
as  great  a  degree  depressed,  with  an  equal  confidence 
of  not  surviving.  In  some  fevers,  the  depression  is  so 
great,  and  the  certainty  of  dying  so  strongly  fixed,  that 
the  patient  looks  on  the  person  as  his  worst  enemy 
who  foretels  a  different  event.  We  might  pursue  this 
connection  between  the  mind  and  body  in  a  great  va- 
riety of  diseases.  We  mention  them  as  instances  only, 
to  render  the  directions  for  the  management  more  easy. 
Of  the  confident  state  of  mind  little  need  be  said ;  yet 
this  confidence  must  be  sometimes  lessened,  when  the 
arrangement  of  worldly  affairs  is  necessary.  When  the 
mind  is  unreasonably  depressed,  ridicule  and  argument 
are  equally  cruel  and  misapplied.  To  reason  with  a 
madman  is  ridiculous ;  and  the  mind  is  partially  derang- 
ed, which  admits  such  unreasonable  fears.  The  best 
method  is  to  admit  the  danger,  but  to  magnify  the  power 
of  medicine  ;  and,  if  any  instance  of  recovery  can  be 
found  in  similar  circumstances,  ostentatiously  to  point 
it  out.  Mental  impressions,  except  in  very  particular 
complaints,  are  by  no  means  very  permanent.  They 
will  in  time  lose  their  power;  but,  unfortunately,  in 
many  instances  this  power  is  retained  till  the  constitu- 
tion has  received  irretrievable  injury. 

The  operation  of-medicines  is  sometimes  assisted  in 
chronic  cases  by  exciting  hope,  and  placing  the  com- 
pletion of  the  expectations  at  a  distance.  If,  by  the 
relief  of  a  troublesome  symptom,  one  step  can  be  gain- 
ed, it  will  give  a  confidence  which  will  materially  assist 
the  future  progress. 

Cheerful  conversation,  where  the  strength  will  permit, 
is  of  great  importance  in  amusing  the  mind.  The  com- 
plaints, however,  should  not  form  the  subject,  nor  should 
it  be  unkindly  disregarded.  When  it  unavoidably  re- 
curs, the  conversation  should  be  dexterously  shifted  ; 


AN  I 


128 


ANN 


not,  as  if  that  topic  was  forbidden,  but  as  if  it  was  not 
of  importance,  or  because  something  more  interesting 
offered.  In  general,  patients  should  have  sufficient 
power  over  their  minds  to  prevent  irritation  from  little 
inconveniences  or  disappointments,  that  must  occasion- 
ally happen  from  the  failure  of  their  medicines.  The 
calm,  well-regulated  mind  possesses  considerable  ad- 
vantages over  the  hasty,  the  fretful,  and  impatient. 
The  one  will  recover  in  the  most  apparently  desperate 
circumstances ;  the  other  will  yield  to  diseases,  scarcely 
in  themselves  dangerous. 

ANI'NGA'IBA,  (Indian,)  Brasil.  arbor  aquatica. 
The  genus  has  not  been  ascertained.  It  seems  to  be- 
long to  the  families  of  the  balisiers  and  aroids. 

The  bulbous  roots  of  the  aquatic  species  are  used  for 
fomentations  against  inflations  of  the  hypochondria.  Of 
that  species  which  is  found  in  the  woods,  the  leaves  are 
bruised  and  applied  as  a  general  remedy  for  healing 
ulcers.  Raii  Hist.  PI. 

ANISA'TUM,  (from  anirti,  aniseseed).  A  wine  in 
which  anisesecds  are  infused. 

'  ANISCA'LPTOR,(fromorcws,  the  breech,  zndscalpo, 
to  scratch ).     See  LATISSIMUS  DORSI. 

ANI'SUM,  A'NESUM,  ANICE'TUM,  A'NISE. 
It  is  the  fiimfiinella  anisum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  379.  Anisum 
lierbariorum,  COMMON  ANISE. 

The  common  anise  is  a  native  of  Egypt,  Crete,  and 
Syria :  cultivated  in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe,  and 
grows  in  our  gardens  in  England ;  but  it  does  not  anive 
at  any  great  degree  of  perfection  with  us.  The  seeds 
only  are  used  in  medicine:  those  which  are  produced  in 
Spain  are  smaller  than  those  collected  in  other  coun- 
tries, and  are  generally  the  most  esteemed. 

Aniseseeds  have  an  agreeable  aromatic  odour,  and  to 
the  taste  they  are  gratefully  warm,  with  a  degree  of 
sweetness  ;  they  are  much  used  in  flatulent  complaints, 
and  a  scruple  of  the  powder  has  been  given  for  a  dose, 
and  in  spasms  of  the  bowels:  they  are  also  moderately 
anodyne,  diaphoretic,  diuretic,  and  discutient ;  an  in- 
fusion of  them  in  water  moderates  thejthirst  in  a  dropsy, 
and  abates  the  diarrhoea;  the  fume  received  through  the 
nostrils  is  said  to  abate  head-ach;  they  promote  an  ap- 
petite, and  check  convulsive  coughs,  when  a  flatus  and 
coldness  in  the  stomach  are  the  causes.  They  are  sup- 
posed to  increase  the  milk  in  nurses.  Geoffrey  says 
the  odour  is  perceptible  in  that  fluid.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

Those  who  are  offended  with  the  seeds  may  employ 
the  tincture,  for  the  spirit  in  some  measure  covers  their 
flavour. 

Water  and  spirit  of  wine  both  completely  extract  the 
virtues  of  aniseseeds;  but  in  distillation  very  little  of  the 
seeds  are  carried  over  with  the  spirit ;  however,  after 
its  evaporation,  a  powerful  and  agreeable  extract  re- 
mains. 

Angelica  seeds  are  added  to  improve  the  flavour  of 
those  of  the  anise,  in  the  compound  water  of  aniseseeds. 
This  water  is  apt  to  be  milky  if  drawn  so  low  as  direct- 
ed in  the  dispensatory:  it  has  been  considered  an  elegant 
cordial  stomachic  medicine ;  a  glass  of  it  assists  diges- 
tion after  full  meals,  and  when  vegetables  have  been  too 
freely  eaten. 

Along  with  the  -wate,r  in  -distillation,  their  essential 
oil,  called  by  Van  Helmont  intestinorum  solamen,  arises 
to  the  quantity  of  §  i.  from  jfc  iii. ;  it  possesses  the 
taste,  smell,  and  all  the  virtues  of  the  seeds  in  the 


highest  perfection:  it  congeals  when  the  air  is  not  sen- 
sibly cold  into  a  butyraceous  consistence:  so  that  the 
water  in  the  refrigeratory  should  rather  be  warm,  par- 
ticularly towards  the  end  of  the  process.  The  dose  is 
from  ten  to  thirty  drops. 

This  oil  is  also  obtained  from  aniseseeds  by  expression; 
it  is  of  a  greenish  colour,  grateful  to  the  taste,  and  strong 
of  the  seeds,  of  which,  if  sixteen  ounces  are  lightly 
moistened  by  exposure  to  the  steam  of  boiling  water, 
about  an  ounce  of  oil  may  be  obtained  from  them. 
This  oil  is  gross,  insipid,  and  inodorous,  similar  to  the 
common  expressed  ones,  with  a  part  of  the  essential  oil 
of  the  seed,  on  which  its  flavour- depends.  If  this  ex- 
pressed oil  is  digested  in  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  the 
essential  oil  is  extracted  from  it ;  or  if  it  is  distilled  in 
water,  the  essential  oil  rises  and  leavesHhe  other  behind. 
The  gross  oil  seems  to  reside  in  the  kernel  of  the  seed^ 
the  essential  in  the  cortical  part. 

ANI'SUM  I'NDICUM,  Stellatum;  Sincnse;  Phillifiense; 
Badian  Semen;  F&niculum  Sinense;  Cardamomum 
Siberiense;  Zingi.  INDIAN  or  STELLATED  ^NISE.  It  is 
the  produce  of  a  small  tree  which  grows  in  Tartary, 
China,  and  the  Philippine  islands.  The  husks  contain 
the  chief  of  the  flavour,  which  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
common  aniseseed,  but  not  so  fiery:  if  they  are  digested 
in  spirit  of  wine,  they  yield  a  most  acrid  resinous  extract. 
The  seeds  afford  much  essential  oil  by  distillation  in 
water,  which  is  thinner,  more  limpid,  and  more  fragrant 
than  that  from  the  common  sort. 

The  seeds  of  this  species  of  aniseseed  art  not  yet 
common  in  the  shops,  though  they  are  deserving  of  a 
preference  to  those  in  use.  To  the  virtues  of  the  com- 
mon aniseseeds  they  are  supposed  to  add  an  expectorant 
power,  and  to  be  useful  in  atonic  diseases  of  the  Kings. 
Added  to  tea  they  make  it  more  grateful  and  less  in- 
jurious. The  dose  of  the  powder  is  5  ss.  In  infusion 
5  i.  is  added  to  a  pint  of  water. 

ANI'SUM  FRUCTICO'SUM  GALBANI'FKKUM; — .Ifricanum 
fructicescens,  Jolio,  et  cattle  ~vA-e  cterfttco  tinctis.  See 
GALBANUM. 

ANNETE'STES.  So  Paracelsus  calls  the  Galenists, 
because  he  thought  them  ignorant  of  the  causes  and 
principles  of  things. 

ANNO'RA.     See  OVOUUM  TEST.S  et  CALX. 

ANNOTA'TIO,  (from  annoto,  to  mark).  The  very- 
beginning  of  a  febrile  paroxysm,  called  also  the  attack 
of  the  paroxysm.  There  is  another  annotatio  or  eflisma- 
sia,  proper  to  hectic  fevers  soon  after  eating:  in  this 
there  is  no  previous  shivering. 

ANNUE'NTES  MUSCULI,  (from  annuo,  to  nod,) 
so  called,  because  they  perform  the  office  of  nodding  or 
bending  the  head  downwards.  See  RECTUS  INTERNUS 
MINOR. 

ANNULA'RIS  CARTILAGO;  is  thus  named  from 
its  shape,  annulus,  a  ring.  See  CRICOIDES. 

ANNULA'RIS  DIGITUS.  The  ring-finger,  or  that  next 
to  the  little  one. 

ANNULA'RIS  VENA.  The  vein  betwixt  the  ring  and 
little  finger. 

ANNULA'RES  LIGAMENTS,  the  name  of  those  liga- 
ments which  confine  the  tendons  of  the  carpus  and 
tansus. 

ANNULA'HIS  MUSCLE.     Sphincter  ani. 

ANNULA'RIS  PROCESS.  A  protuberance  of  the  me- 
dulla oblongata. 


A  X  O 


A  XO 


\\MTEMPORA  COXSTA'XTIA,  vel  IX- 
COXSTA  XTIA.  CONSISTENT  SEASONS,  such  as  keep 
their  usual  temperature.  Or  INCONSISTENT  SEASONS, 
when  the  weather  is  unsettled. 

A  XXUS  A  MADIX.     LONG  LIFE. 

A'XO,  *»»,  UPWARDS.  ANOTHEN.  The  superior 
parts.  Emetics  are  thus  called,  as  purging  medicines 
are  called  Kara,  dtrjn-i-ards. 

AXOCATHA'RTICA,  (from  *»»  tip-wards,  and 
r.*8*.it*,tiurgo).  Medicines  which  purge  upwards,  as 
emetics. 

AXOCHEI'LOX,  (from  «»»,  and  %HA&;  a  liji). 
The  UPPER  LIP. 

AXOCCE'LIA.     See'CiELiA. 

AXO'CHUS,  (from  *iif%tii,  to  retain}.  A  stoppage 
of  the  intestinal  discharge. 

AXO'DMOX,  (from  «,  neg.  and  eou-r.,  a  smell}. 
WITHOUT  SMELL.  It  stands  opposed  to  fetid. 

AXO'DUS.  A  word  used  by  chemists  for  what  is 
separated  from  the  nourishment  by  the  kidneys.  The 
Greek  word  arenas,  anodus,  (from  «,  neg.  and  «^«,  a 
tt.'jth,)  signifies  toothless. 

AXO'DYXA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  <?oW,  fiain). 

ANODYNES  are  medicines  which  ease  pain  and  procure 
sleep.  They  are  usually  divided  into  three  sorts,  viz. 

1.  PAREGORICA.  naeir/ocEw,  mitigo,  called  also  anetica. 
PAREGORICS,  or  such  as  assuage  pain. 

2.  HYPNOTICA,  HYPNOP.EOS.    HYPNOTICS,   or  such  as 
relieve  by  procuring  sleep  ;  vTritg,  somnus. 

3.  XARCOTICA.     XAKCOTIC,  or  such  as  ease  the  pa- 
tient by  stupifying  him  ;   »«p«»,  stufiefacio. 

These  divisions  are  not  however  correct,  as  there  is 
no  distinction  between  paregorics  and  hypnotics,  except 
in  degree ;  nor  is  there  any  evidence  of  the  stupefa- 
cients  acting  differently  from  the  latter:  it  would,  at 
least,  be  a  difficult  task  to  ascertain  where  the  one  order 
begins,  and  the  other  ends.  We  would  suggest  a  more 
natural  and  convenient  division,  viz.  narcotics  and  in- 
irritants ;  the  first  to  be  again  divided  into  opiates  and 
stupefacients ;  the  second  into  medicines  which  excite 
new  motions,  or  those  which  remove  sources  of  irrita- 
tion. We  thus  include  anodynes  of  every  kind. 

Though  we  cannot  accurately  discriminate  between 
the  opiates  and  stupefacients  in  their  respective  lists, 
where  they  approach  near  to  each  other,  we  can  distin- 
guish them  in  their  extremes ;  and  may  instance,  as 
examples,  opium  and  hemlock.  The  opium,  we  know, 
is  taken  from  the  poppy ;  but  its  natural  order,  the 
rhitades,  affords  no  other  medicine.  The  umbellate 
contain  the  hemlock  and  the  dropwort;  and  the  solanacetc 
plants  of  the  strongest  carcotic  powers,  solanum,  digi- 
talis, hyoscyamus,  datura,  and  many  others.  From 
other  classes  of  plants  we  find  the  wolf's  bane,  (aconi- 
rum  na/iellus,}  flammula  Jovis,  lactuca  virosa,  lauroce- 
rasus,  Cfrunus  laurvcervt/is,)  camphire,  lauriis  cam- 
jihfira.*)'  agaricus  muscarius,  coculus  Indicus,  lolium 
temulentum,  (I.  sfiicis  ari&tatis,}  and  the  Indian  hemp, 
cannabis  satrva.  Chemistry  gives  us  the  oil  of  wine, 
nitrous  sther,  wine,  and  ardent  spirits.  All  these  seem 
to  act  in  a  way  somewhat  similar ;  viz.  on  the  nervous 
•system  through  the  medium  of  the  stomach,  and  perhaps 
differ  only  in  degree  ;  for  the  hemlock  and  the  henbane, 
in  moderate  doses,  seem  to  produce  easy  and  quiet  rest. 

What  change  is  produced  in  the  nervous  system  by 

VOL.  I. 


these  medicines,  or  the  opposite  class-  of  stimulants, 
we  cannot  in  this  place  determine,  because  it  would 
anticipate  the  subject.  We  may  however  observe,  that 
in  animals  styled  cerebral  by  Virey,  (see  ANIMAL,)  the 
whole  nervous  system  communicates  with  the  head, 
and  that  the  stomach  is  the  organ  by  whose  nerves  the 
head  is  most  readily  affected.  A  small  sedative  power, 
applied  to  a  nerve,  has  little  influence  beyond  the  nerve 
itself,  and  the  organ  to  which  it  is  sent;  but  the  same 
degree  of  activity  exerted  on  the  stomach,  produces 
effects  more  extensive,  which  are  soon  communicated 
to  the  brain  and  the  whole  system.  Of  the  change  in 
the  nerves  from  these  medicines  we  know  little.  It  is 
highly  probable,  that  an  active  fluid,  analogous  to  the 
electrical  or  Galvanic,  gives  them  their  peculiar 
power;  that  its  activity  is  confined  to  the  nervous 
fibril,  which,  in  its  minuter  ramifications,  is  accompa- 
nied by  a  non-conducting  sheath  or  coat.  At  the  ex- 
tremities only  is  the  nervous  fibril  free  from  this  impe- 
diment, and  in  the  stomach  are  these  extremities  chiefly 
accessible.  The  power,  then,  whatever  it  be,  in  seda- 
tive substances,  which  occasions  this  diminished  action, 
most  powerfully  affects  those  nerves,  and  is  from  their 
constitution  immediately  communicated  to  the  brain, 
diminishing  or  destroying  its  functions. 

The  system  of  Dr.  Brown  has  occasioned  a  consider- 
able change  in  the  language  of  pathology  and  thera- 
peutics, by  the  distinction  which  he  introduced  be- 
tween direct  and  indirect  stimulants.  In  this  place  it 
is  sufficient  to  hint  at  the  difference  of  language,  be- 
cause it  is  apparently  supported  by  stimulant  po\ 
which,  in  the  greater  number  of  anodynes,  are  at  first 
obvious.  It  has  been  supposed  by  sounder  physiolo- 
gists, and  more  accurate  observers,  that  these  sub- 
stances contain  a  stimulant  with  the  sedative  power,  and 
that  the  former  is  more  quickly  exerted  than  the  latter. 
This  idea  is  not  h«wever  very  probable,  both  from  the 
great  dissimilarity  of  the  two  principles,  and  that  the 
previous  stimulant  effects  are  disproportioned  to  the 
sedative,  while  many  sedatives  seem  to  produce  no 
previous  stimulus.  Both  in  the  arterial  and  nervous 
systems  we  have  found  great  reason  to  suspect,  that 
irregular  action  has  been  mistaken  for  increased  ac- 
tion ;  and  from  the  effects  of  sedatives,  we  very  ge- 
nerally see  irregular  action  only.  This  principle  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  develop  in  explaining  many 
parts  of  the  animal  economy.  In  the  question  before  us 
we  may  instance  the  most  common  sedative,  when  in 
excess,  because  it  is  preceded  by  the  most  violent  sti- 
mulating effects — we  mean  ardent  spirits.  While  every 
artery  in  the  body  seems  to  act  with  increased  energy ; 
while  the  more  violent  passions  are  animated  to  phren- 
sy,  the  voluntary  muscles  are  c'ertainly  weakened  dur- 
ing its  action.  The  other  intellectual  functions  are  no 
longer  exercised.  The  mind  and  body,  even  in  the 
moments  of  fury,  lose  in  many  respects  their  power. 
If  we  are  rightly  informed  of  the  effects  of  the  Indian 
intoxicating-powers,  even  in  the  moments  of  phrensy, 
partial  debility  is  apparent,  and,  in  the  action  of 
opium,  we  find  very  quickly  irregular  wanderings  ot 
the  mind,  though  sometimes  accompanied  with  a 
quicker  or  somewhat  fuller  pulse;  and,  in  general,  it 
will  be  very  difficult  to  discover  in  this  latter  medicine 
a  real  stimulating  power.  When  we  consider  its  us'e 

S 


O 


130 


A  N  O 


in  inflammatory  diseases,  we  shall  show  that  it  is  sel- 
dom dangerous  from  its  stimulus.  The  foxglove,  and 
some  others  of  the  solanacett,  seem  to  have  no  stimu- 
lating effect:  they  are  purely  sedative,  and  act  as  such 
on  the  arterial  and  nervous  system;  but  it  is  doubtful 
whether  they  are  truly  anodyne  or  hypnotic. 

A  tendency  to  sleep  is  "constantly  produced  in  situa- 
iio;is  where  we  cannot  readily  trace  the  cause;  viz. 
after  a  full  meal.  Whether,  in  the  process  of  digestion, 
some  gas  of  a  sedative  nature  is  evolved;  or  whether, 
as  former  physiologists  have  supposed,  the  pressure  of 
the  stomach  on  the  descending  vessels  occasions  a 
greater  flow  of  blood  to  the  head,  is  uncertain.  Each 
cause  may  have  some  influence.  For  this  reason  it  is 
needless  to  observe,  that  anodynes  should  not  be  given 
after  a  full  meal :  they  are  at  least  unnecessary  ;  yet 
custom  has  long  established  the  innocence,  if  not  the 
utility,  of  the  fumes  of  tobacco  in  such  circumstances. 

The  inirritants,  the  second  class  of  sedatives,  are  as 
various  as  the  causes  of  irritation  they  are  designed  to 
remove.  Extraordinary  action,  in  any  part,  is  relieved 
by  blisters  and  friction;  and,  in  some  instances,  well 
managed  conversation,  by  inspiring  hope,  confidence, 
or  cheerfulness,  will  produce  sleep.  Mental  irritation 
is  also  soothed  by  exciting  a  less  distressing  series  of 
thoughts;  by  melodious  strains;  by  light  narratives; 
by  repeating  verses  or  numbers;  by  watching,  in  ima- 
gination, corn  waving  in  the  wind  ;  or  roving,  in  fancy, 
through  well  known  streets  and  roads.  All  these  pro- 
duce new  motions,  and  less  active  ones,  so  that  natural 
sleep  soon  follows.  The  regular  movement  of  a  coach, 
and,  not  to  speak  indecorously,  the  drawling  voice  of  a 
dull  preacher,  will  have  the  same  effect. 

We  remove  irritation  of  the  nerves  by  the  use  of  the 
pediluvium ;  but  for  this  purpose  it  should  be  long  con- 
tinued, and  the  water  not  very  warm;  at  about  98°  of 
Fahrenheit  it  may  be  continued  for  more  than  half  an 
hour.  Irritation  of  the  stomach  may  be  removed  by 
drinking  cold  or  warm  water.  The  irritation  of  too 
pure  an  air  may  bfc  avoided  by  sleeping  in  a  lower  or 
more  marshy  situation,  abounding  more  with  hydro- 
gen: thus  asthmatics  sleep  better  in  a  less  elevated  spot; 
and  hectic  patients  have  certainly  slept  sounder  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  a  stable.  Vapours  of  nitrous  aether,- 
and  of  hops,  scarcely  belong  to  this  head;  but  perhaps 
their  powers  have  been  greatly  exaggerated.  Cold  has 
been  considered  as  a  cause  of  sleep  :  it  is  certainly  a 
cause  of  death,  beginning  with  torpor ;  but  slight  de- 
grees of  cold  are  highly  inimical  to  rest.  Nitre,  which 
cools  the  system  and  checks  inordinate  circulation, 
seems  sometimes  to  occasion  sleep  by  this  operation  ; 
and  camphor,  in  a  way  less  obvious,  seems,  in  febrile 
cases,  to  act  as  an  hypnotic. 

A  great  inconvenience  resulting  from  opiates  is  a 
languor  and  dizziness  on  the  following  morning,  similar 
to  what  results  from  taking  ardent  spirits  or  wine  in  ex- 
cess. In  some  cases  the  cicuta  seems^to  act~as  an 
anodyne,  without  the  same  consequences;  and  a  pre- 
paration of  opium  by  a  surgeon  of  Lancaster,  appears 
to  affect  the  head  very  slightly  after  its  operation.  This 
is  partly  owing  to  its  being  a  watery,  rather  than  a  spi- 
rituous, solution;  and  a  tincture  from  wine  or  weak 
spirit  is  scarcely  inferior.  The  correctors  of  opium  we 
must  consider  under  that  article.  See  OPIUM. 


ANO'DYXA.  INDOLENCE,  or  absence  from  pain. 
Synonymous  with  Amentlicniu.. 

ANO'DYNUM.  Also  ANTIPODA'GRICUM, 
BAI.S.  The  ANODYNF.  BALSAM. 

Bates's  anodyne  balsam  consists  of  iinim.  sapon. 
Jk  i.  tinct.  theb.  §  iv.  m.  Bateman's  drops  are  made 
in  the  same  way,  only  with  a  weaker  spirit,  and  tinctur- 
ed wifh  anisesceds. 

BALS.  AXODYX.  GUIDOXIS,  contains  tacamahacae  pul- 
vcris  terebinthinse  Venet.  5.3.  p.  aeq. 

A  retort  is  filled  to  nearly  two-thirds  of  its  capacity, 
and  the  oil  distilled  with  a  fire  gradually  increased  : 
The  red  oil  swims  on  the  water,  and  must  be  separated, 
but  differs  little  from  other  empyreumatic  oils.  If  two 
parts  of  opium  and  eight  of  soap  are  digested  in  48 
parts  of  spirit  of  wine,  adding  to  the  strained  liquor 
four  parts  of  camphor  and  one  part  of  qil  of  rosemary, 
an  excellent  anodyne  balsam  will  be  obtained. 

ANO'DYNUM  MINERA'LE.  See  NITRUM,  and  NITRUM 
STIBIATUM. 

ANO'DYNUS  FOTUS.  ANODYNE  FOMENTA- 
TION. 

R.  Capit.  papav.  contus.  %  ij.  Flor.  sambuc.  et  flor. 
chamom.  ai  3  i.  coq.  in  aq.  font,  ad  \fo  ij.  et  colantur, 
adde  acet.  accerrim.  J  vi.  aq.  ammonise  3  i.  m.  - 

ANCE'A,  ANOI'A,  (from  «,  neg.  and  vaoj,  tht 
mind).  STUPIDITY.  See  AMENTIA. 

ANOMA'LA,  ANOMALOUS,  (from  «  neg.  and  o.ttaAo;, 
equator  smooth').  UNEQUAL,  IRREGULAR. 

ANOMCE'OS,  (*,  non,  and  «,«.»/<>;,  like).  Dissimi- 
lar or  heterogene.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  for  vis- 
cid or  unnatural  humours.' 

ANOMPHALOS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  e/j.px*&,  a  na- 
vel}. Without  a  navel. 

ANO'NIS,  (from  «,  priv.  and  c^^i,  to  assist,}  so 
called,  because  it  hinders  the  plough  ;  called  also  ononis^ 
rcsta,  or  aresta  bovis^  remora  aratri,  PETTY-WHIN,  CAM- 
MOCK,  and  REST  HARROW.  Gnonis  sfiinosa  of  Linnaeus, 
Sp.  PI.  1006. 

The  cortical  parts  of  the  roots  have  a  faint  smell, 

and  a  sweetish  bitter  taste.     In  a  dose  of  ^  i.  they  arc 
....  <j  j 

diuretic  and  aperient. 

ANO'NYMOS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  avo^K.*,  a  name). 
NAMELESS. 

It  was  formerly  a  name  of  the  cricoid  cartilage;  and 
many  exotic  trees  and  shrubs  are  ranked  now  under 
this  name. 

ANO'NYMOS  AMERICA'NA.  A  sort  of  wild  madder. 
See  RuniA  SYL,VATICA  LJEVIS. 

A'NORA.     See  OVORUM  TESTAE  et  CALX. 

ANO'RCHIDES,(from  «,  neg.  and  e/>£<s,  a  testicle). 
Such  as  are  born  without  testicles. 

ANORE'XIA,  ANOREXY,  (from  «,  neg.  and  «/>£|i«, 
afifietite):  also  afiosiiia,  anitia.  A  WANT  OF  APPE- 
TITE, WITHOUT  LOATHING  OF  FOOD.  The  Greeks  call 
such  as  take  no  food,  or  have  no  appetite,  anorecti  and 
asiti;  but  those  who  have  an  aversion  to  food,  they  call 


This  disorder,  when  original,  is  caused  by  bad  diet, 
and  excess  in  eating  or  drinking.  In  old  age  it  may 
proceed  from  weakness.  But  it  is  more  frequently  a 
symptom  of  some  other  disorder,  particularly  of  fevers, 
and  the  cure  depends  on  the  removal  of  the  original 
one.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the 


ATS  8 


151 


AN  T 


class  loc(ilrt>,a.nd  order  dysorexitc.  lie  seems  to  think  it 
always  symptomatic  ;  yet  points  out  two  species,  viz. 

1.  ASOUEX'IA   HI-MOHALIS,   when    the    stomach    is 
offended  with  mucous,  bilious,  or  other  humours. 

2.  ANOKF.X'IA    ATOXIC-A,    when    the  fibres    of    the 
stomach  have  lost  their  tone.     He  uses  this  word  ano- 
rexia as  synonymous  with  dy afiefi via. 

In  the  first  species  an  emetic  is  highly  necessary,  and 
must  be  occasionally  repeated,  lengthening  if  possible 
the  intervals ;  and  during  the  interval,  warm  tonics  and 
aromatic s  should  be  employed.  From  the  emetics  a  large 
quantity  of  very  viscid  mucus  is  sometimes  thrown  up ; 
and  it  has  been  an  object  to  dissolve  this  substance,but  no 
solvent  has  yet  been  found.  We  have  tried  lime  water, 
pure  kali,  and  ammonia,  with  little  success.  It  must  be 
occasionally  discharged,  and  its  accumulation  prevented 
by  aromatics  and  tonics.  The  whole  tribe  of  astringents 
and  stomachics  have  been  employed,  but  scarcely  any 
one  merits  a  preference.  Bile  in  the  stomach  produces 
anorexia  and  nausea,  with  a  putrid  taste,  sensible  on  the 
back  part  of  the  tongue  :  this  also  must  be  discharged; 
but  it  may  be  corrected  with  lemon  juice,  though,  in 
weak  stomachs,  a  considerable  commotion  follows. 

If  excess  in  drinking  is  the  cause,  besides  temperance 
and  a  light  but  cordial  nourishing  diet,  with  daily  ex- 
ercise, the  dilute  acid  of  vitriol  with  the  bark,  and, 
v.hen  circumstances  admit,  the  waters  of  Bath,  Buxton, 
Llandrinclod,  Pyrmont,  and  other  chalybeates,  will  be 
serviceable. 

li"  acids  prevail  in  the  primae  vise,  vegetables  should 
be  avoided,  and  the  diet  be  chiefly  of  the  animal  kind. 
The  drink  may  thenbe  Seltzer  water,  or  any  of  the  cha- 
lybeate kind;  magnesia,  warmed  with  the  oil  of  carui, 
is  useful ;  or  any  of  the  wanner  bitters  with  the  pure 
kalL 

If  there  are  a  nausea  and  aversion  to  food,  the  same 
remedies  in  general  succeed  as  in  a  simple  loss  of  appe- 
tite ;  the  difference  of  the  cases  consisting  only  in  the 
degree.  Hoffman  particularly  commends  mint  and  its 
preparations.  See  APEPSIA. 

ANO'SIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and»o«{, a  disease).  The 
absence  of  a  disease. 

AXO'SMIA,  (*,  non.  and  tf^r.,  odour}.  A  dimi- 
nution or  loss  of  smelling.  This  function  may  be  de- 
stroyed in  various  ways,  from  a  di  yness  of  the  pituitary 
membrane;  its  too  great  mucosily,  as  in  a  coryza;  its 
infarction,  as  in  ozaena ;  and  from  an  obstruction  of  the 
nostrils,  as  in  a  polypus.  According  to  Dr.  Cullen  the 
species  may  be  reduced  to, 

1.  AYCO'SMIA  ORGAXICA,  when  there  is  some  evi- 
dent fault  in  the  membrane  that  lines  the  nostrils,  as  a 
catarrh,  a  polypus,  a  venereal  infection,  Sec. 

AXO'SMIA  ATOXICA,  when  the  membrane  of 
the  nostrils  has  no  perceptible  imperfection,  as  in  pa- 
ralysis. In  these  different  instances,  an  attention  to 
the  cause  will  lead  to  the  means  for  relief. 

ANOTA'SIER.     See  AMMOXIACUS  SAL. 

AXO'TIIEN.     See  Axo. 

A'N PATER.     See  SULPHUR. 

A'XSER.  (Syriac  word,  AUZA.)  The  GOOSE.  See 
ALIMENT. 

The  fat  of  geese  is  penetrating  and  discutient beyond 
that  of  any  other  animal. 

A'NSJUDEN.     See 


AXTA'CIDA,(from  O.ITI, against,  and  acida,  acids). 
ANTACIDS.  Such  remedies  as  resist  or  destroy  acids. 
See  ALTER  A  NTS. 

The  best  antacid  is  pure  kali;  but  it  is  not  suffi- 
cient that  we  destroy  the  p'rcsent  acidity  in  the  stomach : 
its  digestive  power  must  be  increased  in  such  a  degree 
as  to  prevent  future  disturbance  from  this  cause ;  for 
which  purpose,  see  ANOREXIA,  and  APEPSIA. 

ANTAGONI'STA,  (from  can, against,  and  ct'/atil^a, 
to  strive ).  One  acting  in  opposition  to  another. 

This  word  is  applied  to  muscles  which  counteract 
each  other. 

AXTA'LE.     See  ANTAUUM. 

ANTA'LGICUS,.  (from  ean,  against,  and  «Ay«s, 
pain).  Such  remedies  as  ease  pain. 

ANTALIUM,  (from  etira,  before,  and  «A«,  the  sea,) 
also  called  antale,  and  lubulus  marinus.  It  is  a  shell  like 
a  pipe,  of  the  thickness  of  a  small  quill,  and  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  in  length ;  it  is  hollow,  and  hath  hol- 
low lines  running  from  one  end  to  the  other:  its  colour 
is  white,  or  a  greenish  white.  A  kind  of  worm  is  the 
natural  inhabitant  of  this  shell,  and  its  medical  uses  are 
the  same  with  th*e  shells  of  oysters,  &c. 

ANTALKALI'NA,  (from  O.ITI,  against,  and  «AX*AI, 
alkali).  Such  medicines  as  resist  or  destroy  acids.  See 
ALTERANTS  and  ANOREXIA.  Bile  is  the  most  com- 
mon alkaline  acrimony  found  in  the  stomach. 

AXTAPIIRODISl'ACOS,  AXTTAPHRODI'TI- 
CA,  (from  «e»ri,  against,  and  Atppehrr,,  Vinua).  Anti- 
venereal,  or  such  means  as  extinguish  amorous  desires. 
Such  are  violent  fatigue,  especially  if  combined  with  low 
diet,  whatever  draws  the  attention  from  venereal  sub- 
jects, active  stimulant  diuretics,  and  sometimes,  ap- 
parently, nitre  and  camphor. 

AXTAPODO'SIES,  (from  aiT*™M*>^o  recipro- 
cate). Returns  of  the  paroxysms  of  feveTC. 

ANTARTHRI'TICUM,  '  AXTI-ARTHRITI- 
GUM,  (from  *»TI,  against,  and  ampins,  the  gout). 
Medicines  against  the  gout. 

AXTASTHMA'TICA,  ANTI-ASTHMATIC, (from  *>T,, 
against,  and  a<rlfta,  an  asthma).  Remedies  against 
an  asthma. 

AXTATRO'PHON,(from  *»T/,  against,and<trf»fi,x, 
a  con&umfition).  Medicines  against  consumptions. 

AXTECE'DENS  CAUSA,  (from  antecedo,  to  go 
before).  See  PHOEGVMEXE. 

ANTECEDE'XTIA  SIGXA,  ANTECEDENT  SIGXS. 
Such  signs  as  precede  the  disease. 

AXTELA'BIA,  (ante,  before,  and  lablum,  a  li/i). 
The  extremities  of  the  lips. 

AXTEEIX,  or  AXTIIIELIX,  (from  *tri,  opposite, 
and  tA;|,  the  helix).  It  is  that  part  of  tire  ear  which  is 
opposite  to,  the  helix. 

AXTEMBALLO'MEXOS,  AXTIBALLO'ME- 
X A, (from  *»ri,  instead  of,  and  trteaMu,  to  contribute}. 
SUBSTITUTED.  Called  also  succcdanea,  succeda- 
neous. 

ANTE'MBASIS,  (from  <M-TI,  mutually,  and  «pff«i»«, 
to  enter).  A  mutual  insertion  or  ingress,  applied  by 
Galen  to  the  bones. 

ANTEME'TICA,  (from  atri,  against,  and  ff«T,*««, 
•vomiting}.  Remedies  against  vomiting.  These  are  all 
neutral  salts,  particularly  the  citras  potassse  (the  saline 
draught) ;  and  its  power  in  this  respect  is  increased  if 

S2 


ANT 


132 


ANT 


given  in  an  effervescing  state  ;  opiates,  and,  in  cases  of 
debility,  a  glass  of  wine,  or  even  brandy. 

ANTENDE'IXIS,  (from  avn,  against,  and«iJW»»jiu, 
to  indicate).  Contra-indicatio.  A  CONTRA-INDICATION. 
When  one  symptom  requires  a  remedy  which  an- 
other symptom  forbids.  Prohibens  is  used  in  the  same 
sense. 

ANTENEA'SMUS,  (from  *vr/,  against,  and  rn- 
vxc-W,  implacable,)  ANTENEA'SINUM.  The  same 
with  ent/iusiasmus.  A  particular  kind  of  madness:  in 
it  the  patient  is  furiously  irritated,  and  "endeavours  to 
lay  violent  hands  on  himself.  These  people  are  apt  to 
be  seized  with  sudden  convulsive  starlings  of  the  hands 
and  feet;  and  therefore  the  disease  is  thought  to  coin- 
cide with  the  chorea  sancti  viti  in  some  degree. 

ANTEPHLVLTICS,  (from  «vr,,  ag-ainst,  ;  and  £?<- 
«ATJJS,  the  night-mare).  A  name  for  the  remedies  adapt- 
ed to  the  cure  of  this  disorder. 

ANTEPILE'PTICA,  (from  *vr,,  against,  and  w- 
AJJ-^IS,  the  r/iileftsy).  See  EPILEPSY. 

A'NTERA.     See  ANTHERA. 

ANTE'RIOR  MALLEOLUS,  (from  ante,  before, 
and  dim.  of  matlua,  a  mallet).  Sce*Musc.  EXTERN. 
AURIS. 

ANTERIO'RES  NA'SI,  Muse.     See  PYRAMIDALIS 

NASI. 

A'NTERIT,  MERCURY.     See  ARGENT.  VIVUM. 

ANTHE'A,  (from  «v0»;,  a  Jloiver,~)  in  the  plural  sig- 
nifies REDNESS,  like  the  top  of  a  carbuncle. 

ANTHE'LIX.     See  AURICULA  and  ANTELIX. 

ANTHE'LMIA,  (from  O.ITI,  against  and  eA^tivj,  a 
worm,)  the  annual  WORM-GRASS  of  JAMAICA.  Sjti- 
gelia  anthclmia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  213.  The  perennial  worm- 
grass  of  Maryland  is  the  Indian  pink.  It  is  the 


Marylandica.  though  formerly  referred  to  the  genus 
I'jnicera,  wiW  the  trivial  name  of  Marylandica. 

It  is  found  in  different  parts  of  Jamaica,  and  of  the 
other  windward  islands. 

Half  a  dram  of  this  latter  herb  may  be  infused  five  or 
six  hours  in  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  boiling  water  ;  one 
half  of  the  strained  liquor  may  be  given  to  a  child  of  twelve 
years  old,  and  the  other  half  the  next  morning  :  if  no 
inconvenience  is  manifest  from  this  dose,  the  infusion 
may  be  made  still  stronger. 

For  adults  who  are  not  remarkably  feeble,  §  iii.  of 
this  herb  may  be  boiled  in  a  pint  and  half  of  water 
to  ft,  i.  and  the  doses  may  be  from  two  to  six  common 
spoonfuls,  according  to  its  effects  on  the  patient. 

In  moBt  persons  it  procures  sleep  ;  in  many,  after 
taking  a  full  dose,  the  eyes  are  observed  to  sparkle, 
and  also  to  be  distended  after  the  sleep  is  over.  If 
there  was  a  fever  from  worms,  the  pulse  becomes  more 
regular,  and  the  heat  moderate;  and,  by  the  use  of 
cathartics,  worms  are  discharged.  This  medicine  must 
be  continued  as  long  as  the  worms  arc  observed  to  pass 
away  with  the  stools.  If  its  effect  is  such  as  to  produce 
a  painful  distention  of  the  eyes,  it  must  be  omitted. 
An  emetic  should  generally  precede  its  use  :  in  large 
doses  it  sometimes  proves  emetic  and  cathartic,  pro- 
duces vertigo,  dimness  of  sight,  and  convulsions  of  the 
eyes.  It  should  therefore  be  cautiously  administered, 
with  the  intervention  of  a  purge  of  calomel  and  rhu- 
barb. In  general,  however,  in  this  climate  it  is  very 
probably  from  being  too  long  kept. 


ANTHELMI'NTICA,  (from  «vr<,  against,  and 
tA,«.<v;,  aivorm).  Vermifuges  and  antiscolica  arc  words 
of  the  same  import. 

These  are  medicines  which  either  destroy  or  expel 
worms  situated  in  any  part  of  the  prim^e  vise.  They 
were  formerly  divided  into  those  which  destroy,  and 
those  which  expel  worms  :  modern  authors  have  formed 
four  species,  because  there  may  be  cases  where  the  ex- 
hibition of  either  may  be  improper,  as  the  particular 
state  of  the  stomach  and  intestines  may  be  unable  to 
bear  their  action. 

C  Quicksilver  and  its  preparations. 
1.  VENENOSA,        <  Powder  of  tin. 

(_  Sulphur. 

{Scammony. 
Jalap. 
Aloes. 
Gamboge. . 

3.  LUBRICANTIA,    $  ™  °f  f™*' 

£  Linseed  oil. 
(  Savine. 

4.  TOXICA.  •<  Worm-seed. 

(_  Tuscany  infusion,  and  powder. 

This  more  complicated  arrangement  appears  however,, 
to  be  an  unnecessary  refinement.  Were  we  to  refine  in 
turn,  we  should  divide  them  into  external  and  internal ; 
referring  to  the  latter  the  remedies  for  itch,  the  mode 
of  extracting  the  vena  medinensis,  and  animals,  by  punc- 
ture. At  present,  however,  we  must  confine  ourselves 
to  the  internal  anthelmintics;  and  we  find  it  only  ne- 
cessary to  distinguish  the  medicines  that  destroy  worms, 
into  those  that  act  mechanically,  or  those  which,  poison. 

Worms  are  most  common  in  children,  and  more  fre- 
quent in  the  human  body  than  in  animals.  We  remarked,  • 
in  treating  of  animals,  that  all  nature  swarmed  with  life, 
and  that  a  nidus  was  only  requisite  to  produce,  in  each 
instance,  species  peculiarly  its  own.  Mucus  is  much 
more  prevalent  in  the  bowels  of  children,  for  reasons 
that  cannot  be  assigned,  than  in  those  of  adults,  and 
worms  are  consequently  more  often  found;  nor  are  the 
proofs  of  the  abundance  of  mucus  equivocal,  for  chil- 
dren bear  the  most  active  laxatives  with  ease :  they  bear 
doses  of  cathartics  which  to  strong  adults  would  be  highly 
dangerous.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  children  are 
so  often  infested  with  worms ;  and  this,  too,  is  the  reason 
why  worms  are  so  often  unjustly  accused  of  producing 
their  complaints.  No  medicine  is  half  so  fatal  to  worms, 
as  fever;  for  fever,  excited  by  surgical  operations,  where 
the  general  system  was  not  previously  affected,  will  ge- 
nerally occasion  worms  to  be  discharged.  It  is  certain, 
indeed,  that  in  relaxed  habits,  mucus  of  the  intestines  is 
more  particularly  copious,  and  consequently  tonics  oc- 
casionally prove  anthelmintics;  but  they  act  so  remotely 
that  they  do  not  deserve  this  title,  nor  would  they  have 
obtained  it  but  that  some  of  the  narcotic  bitters  are,  at 
the  same  time,  bitter  and  poisonous  to  these  animals. 
This  is  particularly  observable  in  the  tansy,  the  fetid 
hellebore,  and  the  fern  roots. 

The  mechanical  anthelmintics  are,  the  powder  and 
filings  of  tin,  the  setae  of  the  dolichos  pruriens,  amal- 
gams of  tin  and  quicksilver,  crude  quicksilver,  and  au- 
rum  musivum.  Numerous  are  the  nauseous  fetids 
employed  to  kill  worms;  and  from  the  inefficacy  of  the 
greater  number,  we  suspect  that  they  have  been  sup- 


A  X  T 


133 


A  N  T 


posed  equally  disagreeable  to  worms  and  our  own  pa- 
lates. Among  the  more  noted  anthelmintics,  is  the 
cabbage  tree  bark  ( Geoffrxa \  inermus);  savine;  rue; 
worm  seed  (artemesia  sanronica);  male  fern  root; 
southernwood ;  tobacco  ;  the  husk  and  extract  of  wal- 
nuts ;  the  root  of  the  yellow  helmet  flower  (aconilum 
anthora);  lavender  cotton  (abrotanum  famine);  bas- 
tard  ipecacuanha  (ascleftias  curassavica) ;  several  spe- 
cies of  annona  and  jatropa ;  the  pride  of  India  bark 
(meliaazedurach)  ;  helleboraster  ( helleboris  ftetidus), 
kc.  Each  of  these  medicines  has  had  its  advocates  and 
opponents,  and  it  is  at  last  acknowledged,  that  few  re- 
medies of  this  class  can  be  depended  on.  The  last, 
however,  the  bearsfoot,  is  often  effectual ;  and,  in  the 
taenia,  the  male  fern  root  is  almost  certain.  That  it  acts 
as  a  poison  there  is  great  reason  to  believe,  since  the 
portions  discharged,  that  before  the  exhibition  of  the 
medicine  had  life,  are  afterwards  voided  dead.  The 
tobacco  is  chiefly  anthelmintic  in  clysters,  in  cases  of 
ascarides ;  and,  when  these  worms  abound,  the  asafoe- 
tida  has  in  the  same  way  succeeded.  Other  remedies 
seem  to  act  as  poisons  in  a  different  manner.  Olive 
and  castor  oil  certainly  destroy  worms.  Even  the  lower 
classes  of  animals  require  air,  and,  though  they  are  en- 
abled to  extract  oxygen  more  perfectly  from  impure 
air,  and  to  live  longer  without  that  which  is  pure,  yet 
they  require  it  to  be  renewed.  Oils  may  deprive  worms 
of  their  natural  food,  or  may  obstruct  those  pores  through 
which  they  may  receive  supplies  either  of  air  or  nour- 
ishment. Alkaline  and  earthy  neutrals  are  of  uncertain 
action.  Salt  and  water  perhaps  evacuate  only  ;  but  in 
the  muriat  of  barytes  we  may  suspect  a  poisonous  qua- 
lity. Sulphurated  gas,  or  waters  impregnated  with  sul- 
phurated hydrogen  gas,  have  been  recommended  to  im- 
pregnate the  fluids  so  as  to  destroy  hydatids.  The  Har- 
rowgate  water  possesses  similar  impregnations,  and  may 
be  equally  useful ;  but  we  have  never  employed  it,  or 
heard  from  adequate  authority  of  its  success.  Mercu- 
rials, except  as  evacuants,  are  of  doubtful  efficacy ;  but 
the  corrosive  sublimate  has  been  recommended  in  taenia. 
The  choice  of  anthelmintics  for  different  kinds  of 
worms,  is  a  subject  that  requires  some  attention.  In 
the  lumbrici,  all  the  poisonous  bitters  are  preferable ; 
but  the  fetid  hellebore  is  the  most  certain  and  effectual. 
The  best  mode  of  exhibiting  it  is  in  powder.  It  is  an 
evergreen,  but  has  each  year,  as  usual,  new  leaves.  An 
equal  number  of  the  new  and  old  are  carefully  dried  and 
powdered ;  and  from  two  to  six  grains  of  the  powder 
may  be  given,  according  to  the  age  or  constitution, 
twice  a  day,  interposing  an  active  laxative  about  twice 
a  week.  In  taenia,  the  male  fern  root,  salt  water,  sul- 
phat  of  barytes,  and  the  mechanical  anthelmintics,  ex- 
cept the  setae  of  the  dolichos,  which  is  rather  adapted 
to  the  lumbrici,  are  chiefly  useful.  The  raspings  of  a 
pewter  plate  with  a  rough  file  we  have  found  the  best 
form  of  powdered  tin ;  but  the  male  fern,  followed  by 
the  drastic  powers  of  calomel  and  gamboge,  according 
to  the  receipt  of  Madame  Bouffler,  seldom  fails.  In  , 
ascarides  we  must  depend  chiefly  on  those  medicines 
which  act  only  when  they  arrive  at  the  rectum,  or  those 
whose  action  is  very  powerful,  viz.  aloes  and  calomel. 
Infusions  of  tobacco,  solutions  of  asafoetida,  and  of  olive 
oil,  injected  into  the  rectum,  are  very  effectual  :  but 
these  animals  are  seldom  eradicated.  We  have  observed 


that  they  are  generally  accompanied  with  pain  and  af- 
fections of  the  stomach,  and  have  doubted  whether, 
though  they  appear  exclusively  in  the  rectum,  their 
origin  is  not  in  the  superior  part  of  the  canal.  If  this 
be  true,  tonics  should  probably  be  combined. 

The  choice  of  these  medicines,  as  acl-pted  to  ]x 
cular  constitutions,  furnishes  little  subject  of  reiv. 
In  general  the  more  active  drastics  should  be  avoided  in 
the  weaker  habits  ;  and  ve  have  suspected  that  some  of 
the  poisonous  anthelmintics  are  not  exhibited  without 
danger.     The  muriat  of  barytes  and  the  male  fern  root 
have,  we  think,  been  sometimes  injurious.     The  fetid 
hellebore,  though  apparently  the  most  suspicious  me- 
dicine, from  frequent  trials  we  can  pronounce  free  from 
any  effects  inimical  to  the  general  health. 

AXTHE'MIS,  (from  milts,  a  flwer').  WILD  CAMO- 
MILE. See  CHAM.SMELUM  VULGARE. 

AXTHE'MIS  COTULA  and  XOBILIS.  See  CHAM-EMELCM 
FCETIDA,  and  FLOHE  PLEXO. 

AXTHE'MIS  PYRETHHUM.     See   PYRF.THRUM.     Galen 
says  the  anthemis  is  the  same  as  euanthemon. 
•    A 'XTHERA,  (from  «rf»j,  a  Jloiver}.      Also  antera. 
A   compound  medicine   used  by  the   ancients,  called 
from  its  florid  red  colour.     Various  compositions  had 
thfe  name.     Anthers,   indeed,   were  prepared  for  any 
particular  part  of  the  body,  in  the  form  of  pov 
or  electuaries,    and    were  used  as  collyriums,   denti- 
frices, &c. 

ANTHE'REA.     See  ANTHORA. 

ANTHE'REON,(from  «ifos,  a  flower}.  Called  also 
Geneion.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  to  express  ihe  chin, 
and  all  that  part  of  the  face  where  the  beard  grows. 

ANTHE'RICOS,  (from  the  same).  According  to 
Dioscorides,  it  is  the  flower  of  the  asphodel.;  others  say 
it  is  the  stalk  only.  See  ASPHODELUS. 

AXTHE'RICUM.     See  ASPHODELUS  LUTEUS. 

A'NTHINES,  (from  «>#»s,  a  Jlwer\  A  name  of 
some  medicated  oils  and  wines,  named  from  their  red 
colour. 

AXTHOPHY'LLUS,  (from  «.Ce«,  a  Jlorjer,  and 
0tiAA»»,  a  leaf).  The  AROMATIC  CLOVE,  when  ripe.  See 
CARYOPHILLI  AROMATICI. 

AXTHORA,  ANTITHORA,  (from  can,  against, 
and  .9«p«,  monk's-hood,}  so  called  because  it  is  said  to 
counteract  the  effects  of  the  thora.  ,4ntherea,  aconi- 
tum  salutiferum,  WHOLESOME  and  YELLOW  HELMET 

FLOWER,    WHOLESOME  WOLp's   BAXE,    MONK'S  HOOD,  O-CO- 

nitum  anthora  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  751. 

This  plant  is  distinguished  from  the  poisonous  aco- 
nites, by  the  leaves  not  being  glossy,  by  their  being  cut 
entirely  down  to  the  foot  stalk,  and  by  the  segments 
being  very  narrow,  and  of  nearly  the  same  width  from 
end  to  end.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Alps  and  Pyrenees, 
from  whence  we  have  the  dried  roots,  which  are  of  an 
irregular  roundish  shape,  a  little  oblong,  brown  on  the 
outside,  white  within,  hard  to  break,  but  not  tough ;  to 
the  taste  it  is  acrid  and  bitter,  to  the  "Smell  it  is  faint; 
if  chewed,  it  a  little  constringes  the  fauces,  and  a  nau- 
seous sweetness  is  perceived.  In  doses  of  5  i-  it  is  ca- 
thartic and  anthelmintic. 

AXTHOS,  «>0«5.  (from  «v«,  upwards,  and  3ta,  to 
run,  because  in  its  growth  it  runs  upwards,)  a  FLOWER. 
Hippocrates  means  by  this  word,  "Jtbwcr*  in  general ; 
and  if  Galen  is  right  in  his  comment,  includes  the  seeds 


A  N  T 


134 


ANT 


with  the  flowers.  It  is  also  used  for  trris  flos  ;  but 
when  used  alone,  signifies  the  flowers  of  rosemary,  and 
is  sometimes,  but  improperly,  taken  for  the  plant.  See 
vEius  FLOS,  and  KOIUSMARINUS. 

ANTHO'SMIAS,  (from  «»&>«,  a  flower,  and  er/wt, 
smell}.  A  name  applied  to  sweet  scented  wine. 

A'NTHOUS,  (from  «»0o?,  a  flower}.  Properly  rose- 
mary ;  but,  transferred  to  metals,  it  signifies  the  fifth 
essence,  or  elixir  of  gold. 

ANTHRA'CIA,  ANTHRACOSIA,  (from  «»(W|, 
or  A'NTHRAX).  A  BURNING  COAL.  A  hard,  painful, 
burning  swelling,  which  attends  the  plague.  See  CAR- 
P.UNCULUS. 

ANTHRACO'SIS  O'CULI,«»<V«i  A  scaly  corro- 
sive ulcer  of  the  eye,  attended  wilh  a  defluxion. 

A'NTHRAX.      See   CINNABAHIS,   and    CARBUNCU- 

LUS. 

ANTHRI'SCUS,  (from  *vfy«r*«,  flowers}.  See 
CAUCAI.IS. 

ANTHROPE'A,  (from  mtfav®',  a  man}.     See  Cu- 

TIS. 

ANTHROPOLO'GIA,  (from  *itfax-tf,  a  man,  and 
A$y@>-,  a  discourse}.  The  science  of  anatomy. 

ANTHROPOMO'RPHOS,  (from  avtp*,™,,  a  man, 
and  nopPv,  shape}.  See  MANDRAGOBA. 

ANTHROPOSO'PHIA,  (from  avfyw*-©*,  a  man,  and 
e-«0f«,  wisdom  or  knowledge}.  The  knowledge  of  the 
nature  of  man. 

A'NTHUMON,  among  the  ancient  physicians,  the 
name  of  the  epithymon  or  dodder  growing  on  thyme. 

ANTHYPNO'TICA,  (from  «vr/,  against,  and  vn-t*;, 
sleep}.  Medicines  against  sleepiness.  These  have  been 
usually  tlie  correctors  of  opium ;  among  the  chief  of 
which,  vinegar,  without  sufficient  reason,  has  been  ac- 
counted. Coffee  is  certainly,  in  many  constitutions,  a 
preventer  of  sleep  ;  and  tea  also  in  a  less  number. 
Many  others  do  not  occur  in  the  lists  of  the  materia 
meclica  ;  and  we  need  scarcely  add  the  well  known  ob- 
servations of  attention  long  fixed  on  abstract  sciences, 
or  agreeably  amused  by  interesting  details,  indolence, 
inactivity,  or  a  mind  harassed  by  anxiety  and  appre- 
hension, as  means  of  preventing  sleep. 

ANTHYPOCHONDRI'ACA,  (from  «»n,  against,- 
and  uTra%t>v$fta.,  the  hypochondria}.  Medicines  against 
the  disorders  of  the  hypochondria. 

ANTHYPOCHONDRI'ACUM,  ANTHYST,E'- 
RICUM,  SAL.  It  is  the  residuum  remaining  after  the 
distillation  of  the  water,  and  sublimation  of  the  sal 
ammon.  which  consists  of  the  marine  acid  and  the  fixed 
alkaline  salt,  or  the  alkaline  earth,  according  as  one  or 
the  other  was  used  in  the  process.  The  same  term  is 
applied  to  this  salt  When  refined. 

ANTHYSTE'RICA,  (from  am,  against,  and  us-ripa, 
the  uterus}.  Medicines  against  hysteric  affections. 

ANTI,  (*vT(,  contra,  against}.  This  Greek  preposi- 
tion is  generally  used  in  a  compound  term.  See  the 
preceding  articles. 

ANTI'ADES.  See  TONSIL.  It  sometimes  signifies 
the  tonsils,  when  inflamed.  From  annta,  to  be  opposite; 
because  they  answer  one  another. 

ANTIA'GRI,  (from  avitafrts,  the  tonsils,  and  a-'/px,  a 
firey}.  Tumours  of  the  tonsils. 

ANTIBALLO'MENA.          See     ANTEMBALLOME- 

NOS. 


ANTICACHE'CTICA,  (from  mrt,  against,  and 
Ka%i%(a,  a  cachexy).  Medicines  against  a  cachexy. 

ANTICA'DMIA.  A  third  kind  of  fossil  cadmia, 
also  called  pseudocadmia.  Anti  is  here  joined  to  ex- 
press its  being  substituted  for  the  true  cadmia. 

A'NTICAR.     See  BOJIAX. 

AM'ICA'RDIUM.  The  hollow  at  the  bottom  of 
the  breast.  (From  ctin,  against,  and  x.cep$*ia,  the  upper 
orifice  and  the  pit  of  the  stomach}.  Called  also  scrobicu- 
lus  cordis. 

ANTICATARRHA'LIS,  (from  am,  against,  and 
x.»T!tfpos,  a  catarrh}.  A  remedy  against  a  catarrh.  Sec 
CATARRH. 

ANTICAUSO'TICUS,(from  «m,  against, M^K^V- 
c-»5,a  burning- fe-uer}.  Remedies  against  burning  fevers. 

A'NTICHEIR,  (from  «m,  against,  and  %,up,  the 
hand}.  The  thumb  of  a  person's  hand.  Sec  POLLEX. 

ANTI'CIPANS,  (from  anticipo,  to  anticipate}.  The 
Greeks  express  this  by  imto-x-lixos :  it  is  applied  to  dis- 
eases, each  of  whose  fits  begins  somewhat  sooner  than 
the  preceding.  If  the  catamenia  arrive  before  their 
ordinary  period,  they  are  said  to  anticipate. 

ANTICNE'MION,  (from  «VT/,  over-against,  and 
xjj/tJiv,  the  calf  of  the  leg}.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word 
to  express  that  part  of  the  tibia  which  is  bare  of 
flesh. 

ANTICO'LICA,  (from  «VTI,  against,  and  XOAIKJJ,  the 
colic}.  Remedies  against  the  colic.  See  COLIC. 

ANTICONTO'SIS,  (from  am,  against,  and  £»vro;, 
a  staff  or  pole}.  In  Hippocrates  it  signifies  the  sup- 
porting a  person  with  a  staffer  crutch. 

ANTICUS,  before  applied  to  the  situation  of  differ- 
ent muscles,  and  used  as  an  epithet. 

.ANTIDI'NICA,  (from  ettn,  against,  and  hto;,  cir- 
cumgyration}. Medicines  against  a  vertigo.  See  VER- 
TIGO. 

ANTIDOTA'RIUM,  (from  *vT,JWa5,  an  antidote}. 
See  DISPENSATORIUM. 

ANTIDO'TOS  EX  DUO'BUS  CENTAU'R^E 
GENE'RIBUS.  See  CHAMEDRYS. 

ANTIDO'TUS,  or  ANTIDOTUM.  The  Chaldee 
word  for  which  is  beluzaar,  also  called  alexicaca.  An 
antidote,  (from  eevn,  against,  and  S'tS'u^i,  to  give}.  See 
ALEXIPHARMICA,  and  ADAMUS.  Sometimes  it  is  a  ge- 
neral name  for  medicines ;  occasionally  for  compound 
ones. 

ANTIDYSENTE'RICA,  (from  *m,  against,  and 
S~vFiiripi»,  a  flux}.  Medicines  against  a  dysentery.  See 
DYSENTERY. 

ANTIFEBRI'LE,  (from  avn,  against,  and  febris,  a 
fever}.  Remedies  against  a  fever.  See  FEVER. 

ANTI'GONI  COLLY'RIUM  NI'GRUM.  The 
black  collyrium  of  Antigonus.  It  is  made  of  cadmia, 
antimony,  pepper,  verdigrise,  gum  arabic,  and  rain 
water. 

ANTIHE'CTICA,  (from  «vn,  against,  and  tx-rixef, 
a  hectic  fever}.  Remedies  against  a  hectic  fever. 

ANTIHE'CTICUM  POTE'RII.  A  medicine  in- 
vented by  Poterius,  also  named  antimonium  diaphoreti- 
cum  Joviale;  formerly  extolled  as  effectual  in  hectic 
fevers  ;  but  from  long  experience  disregarded,  as  of  no 
consequence.  It  is  an  oxide  of  tin,  and  chaly boated 
rcgulus  of  antimony,  in  consequence  of  their^  deflagra- 
tion with  nitre.  The  neutral  salt  is  separated  by  wash- 


A  X  T 


135 


AXt 


ing.     For  its  mode  of  preparation,  see  Lewis's  Dispen- 
satory Improved.     Ed.  8vo.  Edinb.  1786. 

ANTIHE'LIX.     See  AURICULA  and  AXTELIX. 

AXT  I-ICTERIC  SPIRIT,in  pharmacy.  As  biliary 
calculi,  out  of  the  body,  are  dissolved  by  an  union  of 
spirit  of  turpentine  and  spirit  of  wine,  the  union  of  these 
fluids  has  been  attempted  by  distillation.  Half  an  ounce 
of  spirit  of  turpentine  has  been  distilled  with  half  a  pint 
of  spirit  of  wine ;  and  the  fluid  drawn  off,  separated 
from  the  uncombined  oil.  One  other  circumstance  is 
necessary,  viz.  a  method  of  Injecting  this  spirit  into  the 
gall-bladder!! 

AXTILE'PSIS,  (from  a.itt\x,u.-.a.iat  to  lay  hold  of). 
Hippocrates  applies  this  term  to, the  method  of  securing 
bandages  from  slipping.  Afifirehensio  and  affrehenso- 
rium  are  used  in  the  same  sense. 

AXTILO'BIUM,  (from  *»T<,  against,  and  A»e»«,  the 
bottom  'jf  the  tar).  See  AURICULA. 

AXTILOI'MICA,  (from  tan,  against,  and  A»'f«>«, 
the  filague).  Remedies  against  the  plague. 

AXTI'LOPUS.  Called  also  gazella  jifricana,  ca/ira- 
streftsiceros,  streftsiciceros,  the  ANTELOPE. 

It  is  of  the  genus  cer-uus.  The  hoofs  and  horns  have 
been  used  in  medicines  against  hysterics  and  epilepsy  ; 
but  are  now  neglected. 

AXTIL\  'S.SUS,  (from  am,  against,  and  Atr-jf,  the 
madness  caused  by  a  bite  of  a  mad  dog). 

It  is  the  name  of  any  medicine  for  the  cure  of  this 
sort  of  madness.  The  pulvis  antilyssus  is  composed  of 
equal  parts  of  the  lichen  cinereus  terrestris  and  pepper. 
Hill's  medicine  is  composed  of  5  ss.  of  alum,  5  ss.  of 
chalk,  3  iij-  of  bole  armoniac,  5  i-  of  root  of  helenium, 
and  six  drops  of  oil  of  aniseseed. 

AXTIMO  XI ALES  PI'LUL.E.  Dr.  Ward.  WARD'S 
AXTIMOXI  VL  PILL.  Pills  consisting  of  well  levigated 
glass  of  antimony:  one  pill,  containing  about  a  grain  of 
the  antimony,  is  a  full  dose. 

Mr.  Glutton,  the  chemist,  says  that  they  contain  a 
portion  of  arsenic. 

AXTIMO  XIALIS    PU'LVIS.      The  AXTIMONIAL 

POWDER. 

Take  of  antimony  coarsely  powdered,  hartshorn 
shavings,  of  each  two  pounds  ;  mix  and  put  them  into 
a  broad  red-hot  iron  pot,  stirring  constantly  till  the  mass 
acquires  a  grey  colour.  Powder  the  matter  when  cold, 
and  put  it  into  a  coated  crucible ;  lute  it  to  another  cru- 
cible inverted,  which  has  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom  ; 
augment  the  fire  by  degrees  to  redness,  and  keep  it  so 
for  two  hours  ;  lastly,  reduce  the  matter,  when  cold,  to 
a  very  fine  powder:  this  is  said  to  be  a  preparation  simi- 
lar to,  and  equally  efficacious  with,  that  of  Dr.  James. 
It  is  inserted  in  the  new  Pharmacopoeia,  and  is  certainly- 
preferable  to  the  tartarized  antimony  joined  with  the 
testaceous  powder  which  used  to  be  substituted  for  that 
of  James.  This  powder  is  a  calx,  intimately  blended 
with  the  residuum  or  absorbent  earth  of  the  hartshorn. 
It  is,  however,  unequal  in -its  effects,  probably  from  the 
degree  of  heat ;  and  is  more  apt  to  affect  the  bowels 
than  the  James'  powder.  From  three  to  six  grains  are 
a  dose;  if  joined  with  a  quarter  of  a  grain  of  opium,  it 
acts  as  a  diaphoretic,  and  is  considered  as  alterative. 
In  inflammatory  fever  of  the  rheumatic  kind,  by  repeat- 
ing the  dose  even-  six  or  eight  hours,  it  has  frequently 
proved  beneficial. 

ANTIMO'XIUM,  ANTIMONY.     Called  also  stibium. 


alcimad,  alcatel,  stimmi,  filatyofihtnalmon,  larbasoti, 
satanus  devorans,  luftus  fihilosofihorum,  aurum  lefio- 
rosum,  ens  firimum  solare,  alamad,  madail,  duenech, 
afrob,  alcofolo,  cosmet,  calrnet,  gynacium. 

Antimony  is  sometimes  found  in  a  particular  ore, 
but  most  frequently  mixed  with  other  metals.  Basil 
Valentine,  a  German  monk,  gave  it,  as  tradition  re- 
lates, to  some  hogs,  which,  after  purging,  it  greatly 
fattened ;  thinking  in  like  manner  to  feed  his  brother 
monks,  all  died  by  the  experiment ;  hence  the  name 
ANTIMONY,  ANTI-MONK,  (««T/,  againtt  and  fta'if,  monk). 
It  is  called  satanus  devorans,  and  luftus  fthitosofl/iorum, 
from  its  power  of  devouring  or  destroying,  as  it  were, 
all  metals,  when  in  fusion  with  it.  It'is  a  semi-metal, 
of  a  whitish  or  silver  colour. 

Mines  of  antimony  occur  in  Hungary,  Transylvania, 
Germany,  France,  and  in  England.  The  French  anti- 
mony contains  about  equal  parts  of  regulus  and  sul- 
phur; but  the  best  is  from  Hungary.  The  English  is 
often  mixed  with  lead  or  tin,  from  which  it  must  be 
separated:  that  which  is  spotted  with  red  is  supposed 
by  Dr.  Alston  to  contain  some  arsenic,  and  should  be 
rejected. 

The  antimony  is  generally  found  mixed  with  hard 
stones  or  spar,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  eliquation. 
Some  ores  are  mixed  with  arsenic  or  with  cobalt;  some 
are  dug  up  composed  of  fine  shining  lines  like  needles, 
sometimes  disposed  in  regular  ranks,  at  others  without 
any  observable  order;  this  is  termed  male  antimony; — 
some  are  disposed  in  thin  broad  plates  or  laminx,  and 
called  female  antimony  by  Pliny;  and,  from  their  dif- 
ferent mixtures  and  appearances,  other  names  are  given 
to  them.  See  TRAITE'  DE  MINERALOGIE  DE  HAUY, 
iv.  252. 

The  mineral,  broken  into  pieces,  is  put  into  earthen 
pots,  whose  bottoms  are  perforated  with  small  holes, 
and  a  moderate  fire  is  applied  round  them  ;  as  the  anti- 
mony melts,  it  runs  through  the  holes  in  the  bottom  of 
the  pots, and  is  received  into  inverted  conical  moulds  that 
are  placed  underneath  ;  in  these  moulds  the  lighter  sco- 
riae rise  to  the  surface,  while  the  purer  and  more  pon- 
derous metal  falls  to  the  bottom  ;  the  broad  part  of  the 
loaves  is  consequently  less  pure  than  the  smaller  end. 
The  antimony  thus  separated  from  its  ore  is  called  crude, 
and  is  a  combination  of  the  metal  with  sulphur. 

The  goodness  of  crude  antimony  is  discovered  by  its 
weight,  from  the  loaves  not  being  spongy,  from  the 
largeness  of  the  striae,  and  from  its  totally  evaporating 
on  a  strong  fire. 

Its  general  appearance  is  that  of  a  ponderous  brittle 
mineral,  or  semi-metal,  composed  of  long  shining  streaks 
hike  needles,  mixed  with  a  dark  leaden  coloured  sub- 
stance. It  hath  no  particular  taste  or  smell,  and  is 
brought  to  the  shops  in  the  form  of  conical  loaves.  Its 
specific  gravity  is  6.860,  and  it  melts  at  779°  of  Fahren- 
heit. 

Antimony,  like  most  of  the  best  medicines,  found  its 
way  as  an  internal  one  in  the  medical  practice  with 
great  difficulty;  the  ancients,  if  their  stimmi  was 
really  antimony,  considered  it  as  a  poison,  and 
only  fit  for  external  uses.  Basil  Valentine,  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  1676,  first  brought  it  into  credit 
as  an  internal  medicine,  publishing  a  work  called  Cur- 
rus  triumphalis  Antimonii;  but  it  soon  lost  its  repute, 
until  Paracelsus  raised  its  character  again,  after  which  it 


A  N  T 


136 


ANT 


was  received  and  rejected  several  times,  until,  by  the 
labours  of  Crato  of  Kraftsheim,  Lintilius,  Le  Febure, 
and,  above  all,  Hoffman,  it  acquired  an  established  place 
in  regular  practice;  and  is  now  justly  ranked  with  the 
most  valuable  part  of  the  materia  meclica. 

In  the  state  of  •crude  antimony,  notwithstanding  its 
boasted  efficacy  in  rheumatic,  cancerous,  and  other 
cases,  it  appears,  from  repeated  trials,  to  be  an  inert 
substance  with  regard  to  the  human  body:  it  is,  how- 
ever, ordered  by  some  physicians  to  be  taken  from  one 
scruple  to  a  dram,  two  or  three  times  a  day,  in  cuta- 
neous and  leprous  disorders,  in  its  levigated  state.  Its 
preparations  are,  in  general,  used  both  as  alteratives  and 
evacuants,  and  hardly  any  article  in  the  materia  medica 
will  admit  of  so  extensive  a  use  in  acute  and  chronical 
diseases.  In  fevers  of  the  inflammatory  kind,  and  in- 
flammations, antimonials  are  alike  the  proper  remedy; 
a,ul  in  chronical  diseases  they  may  be  often  depended  on. 
They  promote  all  the  secretions  and  excretions,  par- 
ticularly those  of  the  skin,  intestines,  urinary  passages, 
and  bronchial  glands,  by  gently  irritating  the  whole 
vascular  system.  If  given  in  small  doses,  gradually  in- 
creased, yet  in  the  proportion  which  excites  no  sensible 
discharge,  they  are  highly  efficacious. 

As  auxiliary  to  other  medicines  on  which  the  cure 
more  directly  depends,  their  efficacy  is  considerable. 
They  quicken  their  action  and  increase  their  powers, 
particularly  those  by  which  any  evacuation  is  to  be  pro- 
moted; with  such  medicines,  their  operation  is  also 
more  easy:  as  an  expectorant,  some  of  its  preparations 
excel;  but  the  discharge  from  the  bronchial  glands  has 
been  mistaken  for  a  salivary  excretion. 

The  preparations  of  this  drug  are  numerous,  and  vary 
in  their  strength  according  to  the  quantity  of  nitre  em- 
ployed in  the  deflagration,  or  the  discharge  of  the  sul- 
phur;  but,  except  that  which  is  called  the  muriated  an- 
timony, they  only  differ  from  each  other  in  their  de- 
grees of  activity.  Two  private  prescriptions,  which 
are  deservedly  celebrated,  may  be  also  mentioned,  viz. 
the  febrifuge  powder  of  Dr.  James,  and  that  of  Edin- 
burgh ;  the  latter  of  which  is  recommended  to  us  on 
the  best  authority,  as  possessed  of  those  very  desiderata, 
the  want  of  which  was  the  cause  of  other  preparations 
being  complained  of.  It  is  called  antimonial  salt,  and 
seems  to  be  a  preparation  similar  to  that  of  tartarized 
antimony,  though  kept  a  secret  by  those  who  prepare 
it.  If  is  soluble  in  water — invariably  of  the  same 
strength — and  a  grain  or  two  under  or  over  the  dose  is 
not  attended  with  any  inconveniences.  It  is  probably 
prepared  with  the  mercurius  vitse,  instead  of  antimo- 
nium  vitrificatum  ;  thus  forming  an  antimonium  tartari- 
satum.  Sec  TARTAR  EMETICUM. 

The  labours  of  the  alchemist  have  tortured  antimony 
in  various  ways,  as  it  was  one  of  the  metals  by  which 
he  hoped  to  gain  his  imaginary  riches.  The  pharma- 
ceutist has  not  been  less  diligent  at  a  later  era;  but  our 
account  of  its  chemical  properties  must  chiefly  or  en- 
tirely respect  its  medicinal  use. 

Antimony,  in  its  crude  state,  is  combined  with  sul- 
phur ;  and,  as  a  medicine,  we  have  said,  nearly  inert. 
When  completely  oxidated,  as  in  the  former  preparation 
of  the,  diaphoretic  antimony,  it  is  equally  useless.  Its 
active  form  is  that  in  which  the  sulphur  is  partly  separat- 
ed, or  where  the  metal  is  combined  with  an  acid.  As 
every  scientific  examination  of  the  comparative  activity 


of  the  different  saline  preparations  shows  that  their  ef- 
fects are  nearly  in  the  proportion  of  their  solubility,  it  is 
probable  that  the  different  calces  also  are  active  only  as 
they  arc  soluble  in  the  fluids,  perhaps  the  acid  of  the 
stomach.  All  the  oxides  are  in  different  degrees  solu- 
ble, and  all  arc  volatile.  The  carbonic  acid  alone  has 
never  formed  an  union  with  antimony. 

The  sulphur  of  the  antimony  is  usually  separated  by 
deflagrating  it  with  nitre  or  crude  tartar,  and  the  oxide 
is  more  or  less  active  as  the  proportion  of  these  addi- 
tions is  less  or  greater.  The  different  preparations  are 
generally  denominated  from  the  proportion  of  hydro- 
genated  sulphuret,  mixed  with  the  metal.  An  alkali 
added  to  crude  antimony  forms  a  sulphuret,  which  dis- 
solves the  metal,  and  is  called  liver  of  antimony.  If 
equal  parts  of  crude  antimony  and  nitre  be  deflagrated, 
a  different  combination  of  the  metal,  its  alkali,  and  sul- 
phur, are  obtained,  styled  saffron  of  antimony.  If  sul- 
phur of  antimony,  with  three  parts  of  nitre,  be  -defla- 
grated, the  metallic  mass,  mixed  with  the  salts,  is 
called  the  solvent  of  Routrou.  When  washed,  it  is  the 
inert  calx,  mentioned  under  the  appellation  of  diafiho- 
retic  antimony.  The  water  employed  in  washing  it, 
holds  a  little  of  the  antimony,  which,  when  separated 
by  an  acid,  is  called  cerussa  antimonii,  or  the  materia 
fierlata  of  Kerkringius.  When  some  of  the  sulphur  re- 
mains, by  diminishing  the  proportion  of  nitre  or  tartar, 
the  preparation  is  called  the  medicinal  regiilus  of  anti- 
mony. The  metal  and  its  oxides  are  equally  volatile, 
and  sublime  in  flowers,  styled  nix  antimonii,  which  as  a 
medicine  is  useless  and  neglected.  Antimony  exposed  to 
great  heat,  excluding  the  air,  becomes  a  glass,  and  the 
more  readily  the  less  it  has  been  previously  calcined. 
The'regulus  itself  has  been  cast  into  pills,  and  in  the 
form  of  cups.  The  pills  are  styled  perjietual;  for  they 
produce  a  cathartic  effect,  and  may  be  repeatedly  em- 
ployed without  diminution :  the  cup  imparts  an  emetic 
power  to  wine,  without  any  loss  of  its  substance  or  vir- 
tue by  the  employment  of  many  years.  Each  is,  how- 
ever, uncertain,  and  often  violent  in  its  operations;  and 
physicians  have  neglected  both.' 

The  vitriolic  acid,  if  strong  and  hot,  acts  violently  on 
antimony,  and  reduces  it  to  a  white  inert  oxide  ;  the 
fluid  above  containing  a  solution  of  sulphat  of  anti- 
mony. The  nitrous  acid  does  not  dissolve  the  metal, 
but  is  itself  in  part  decomposed  by  it.  We  find  a  white 
oxide  at  the  bottom,  and  a  nitrat  of  antimony  above. 
Water  precipitates  a  part  of  the  nitrat,  but  the  remain- 
ing oxide  is  separated  by  an  alkali,  and,becomes  a  deli- 
quescent salt. 

The  muriatic  acid  scarcely  acts  on  the  antimony ;  but 
if  the  latter  is  oxidated  by  the  nitrous  acid,  the  solution 
is  copious.  Thcmuriatof  antimony  is  decompounded 
also  by  an  alkali.  The  usual  way,  however,  of  com- 
bining antimony  with  the  muriatic  acid  is,  by  oxidating 
the  metal,  or  the  acid,  by  a  highly  oxidated  metallic 
salt,  the  corrosive  sublimate.  The  metal  thus  united 
to  the  muriatic  acid  is  highly  soluble  in  water,  and 
extremely  corrosive.  It  sublimes  in  an  oily  form,  and 
is  called  butter  of  antimony.  It  is  called  antimonial 
caustic,  and.  in  the  late  Pharmacopoeias,  antimonium 
muriatum.  When  a  large  proportion  of  water  is  added, 
the  oxide,  containing  a  small  portion  of  the  acid,  is 
precipitated,  called,  from  an  Italian  physician,  the 
jioivder  of  Algarotti;  by  some,  mercurius  vita,  though  it ' 


A  X  T 


T 


does  not  contain  the  smallest  portion  of  mercury.  The 
vegetable  acids  act  on  the  metal  more  readily  when 
oxidated ;  but  this  subject  must  be  afterwards  consi- 
dered. 

We  are  now  enabled  to  examine  the  different  pre- 
parations of  antimony,  and  shall  follow  Dr.  Black's  ar- 
rangement. He  considers  the  preparations  of  antimony 
retaining  a  portion  of  its  sulphur,  for  of  the  pure  regu- 
lus  we  shall  take  little  further  notice,  as  produced  by 
simple  triture;  by  the  effects  of  heat  and  fire;  by  alka- 
lis, nitre,  and  acids. 

By  triture  alone,  thefire/iared  antimony  of  the  shops  is 
obtained.  It  is  almost  an  inert  mass ;  but  we  find  Kun- 
kell  and  some  other  authors  recommending  it  in  rheu- 
matism ;  and  we  recollect  its  being  used  in  the  drastic 
electuary  of  Dover  for  dropsies,  and  as  an  anthelmintic. 
It  forms  the  tablettes  of  Kunkell ;  and  certainly  some- 
times produces  nausea,  when  suspended  in  a  bag,  in 
the  preparation  of  the  Lisbon  diet  drink,  in  which  the 
prepared  antimony  should  be  always  employed. 

By  the  effects  of  heat  and  fire  we  obtain  the  vitrum 
antimonii,  the  antimonium  -vitrificatum  Phar.  Loud. 
The  sulphur  is  in  a  great  measure  separated  by  gentle 
heat ;  but  the  operation  is  difficult,  from  the  volatility 
of  the  metal.  It  has  been  advised  to  add  common  salt 
of  charcoal  dust  to  diminish  the  fluidity  and  prevent 
sublimation ;  but  the  salt  is  sometimes  decomposed, 
and  renders  the  medicine  dangerously  active.  The 
proper  state  of  the  oxide  is  that  of  a  grey  or  ash  colour, 
form  ing  the  darkish  brown  oxide  of  Thenard;  whose 
valuable  experiments  on  antimony  communicated  to 
the  National  Institute,  but  of  which  an  abstract  only, 
by  M.  Morveau,  has  been  published  (Annales  de  Chi- 
mie,  xxxii.  257),  we  shall  often  refer  to.  In  this  state 
it  contains  0.16  of  oxygen  ;  but  in  the  glass,  eight  parts 
of  the  oxide  of  antimony  are  combined  with  one  of  the 
prepared  antimony.  The  vitrum  antimonii  is  a  more 
Important  preparation,  since  it  has  been  chosen  for  the 
antimonial  oxide,  from  which  the  emetic  tartar  is 
usually  prepared.  This  has  always  seemed  to  us  one 
of  the  most  certain  states  in  which  the  oxide  of  anti- 
mony can  be  obtained,  since  a  determined  proportion  of 
sulphur  is  necessary  to  its  vitrification;  and  M.  Vau- 
quelin  seems  to  be  of  the  same  opinion  if  the  silicious 
earth  which  it  acquires  from  the  crucible,  or  from 
some  parts  of  the  remaining  matrix,  be  separated. 

The  violent  action  of  the  glass  of  antimony  is  sup- 
posed to  be  mitigated  by  combining  it  with  wax  in  the 
-ci'.rum  antimonii  ceratum.  This  form,  first  recommend- 
ed in  the  Edinburgh  Medical  Essays  as  a  remedy  for 
dysentery,  is  now  neglected  ;  since  we  gain  nothing  but 
what  is  more  securely  effected  by  other  preparations  of 
antimony.  Eight  parts  of  the  glass  are  mixed  with  one 
of  wax,  and  roasted  over  a  gentle  fire  for  a  quarter  of 
an  hour.  The  wax  seems  to  be  in  a  great  degree  de- 
composed, for  about  one-ninth  of  the  whole  weight  is 
lost. 

An  oxide  of  antimony  with  phosphat  of  lime  occurs 
in  the  fiulvis  antimonialis  of  the  London  Dispensatory, 
the  fiul-vis  stibialug  of  the  Dublin,  and  the  ojcidum  an- 
timonii cum  fihosfihatt  calcis  of  the  Edinburgh.  It  is 
introduced  as  a  substitute  for  Dr.  James'  powder,  and 
is  certainly  similar  in  its  nature  and  effects.  See  Avn- 

MOXIALIS  PULVIS. 
VOL.  I. 


The  preparation  we  have  there  described  is  very 
near  to  the  specification  of  Dr.  James;  yet,  at  the 
time  of  its  introduction,  physicians  confidently  believed 
that  a  portion  of  calomel  was  secretly  added.  It  unfortu- 
nately happens  that  we  seldom  find  this  preparation  ex- 
actly the  same  in  two  different  processes,  from  some 
uncertainty  probably  in  the  heat  which  we  cannot  de- 
tect; and  it  certainly  is  more  disposed  to  act  on  the 
stomach  and  intestines,  and  less  on  the  skin,  than  the 
powder  of  Dr.  James.  It  differs  also  from  this 
powder,  in  leaving  almost  double  of  an  insoluble 
residuum.  The  preparation  itself  is  truly  an  oxide, 
and  contains  no  portion  of  phosphoric  acid ;  and 
this  oxide  is  combined  with  the  phosphat  of  lime, 
though  not  very  intimately:  whether  this  earthy  salt 
involves  the  more  acrid  oxide,  like  the  wax,  or  what 
other  effect  it  produces,  we  are  yet  ignorant,  but  the 
preparation  is  truly  valuable.  In  water  it  is  wholly  in- 
soluble ;  but  it  may  be  suspended  in  a  mucilaginous 
draught,  and  given  advantageously  in  that  form,  with  a 
little  care,  to  avoid  deposition.  With  a  small  propor- 
tion of  opium,  it  has  been  already  observed,  we  ob- 
tain very  exactly  the  effects  of  James's  powder. 

M.  Chenevix  has  recommended  a  preparation  of  this 
nature,  apparently  more  certain  in  its  effects.  Equal 
weights  of  muriat  of  antimony  and  phosphat  of  lime  are 
dissolved  in  the  smallest  quantity  of  muriatic  acid,  and 
the  solution  poured  gradually  into  water  alkalised  with 
ammonia.  Some  trials  have  been  made  with  this  pre- 
paration, but  not  sufficiently  numerous  to  enable  us  to 
appreciate  its  real  merits.  It  is  certainly  much  milder 
than  the  pulvis  antimonialis;  more  so  than  the  James' 
powder.  See  Philos.  Trans,  for  1801.  p.  379. 

The  first  medicine  prepared  by  the  action  of  alkalis 
on  antimony  that  we  shall  mention  is,  the  former  regu- 
lus  antimonii  medicinalis,  the  mildest  htfiar  antimonii. 
One  part  of  fixed  alkali,  and  five  of  crude  antimony,  are 
melted  together,  with  some  common  salt  to  promote 
their  fusion  ;  the  result  is  a  dark  reddish  brown  insi- 
pid powder,not  soluble  in  water;  now  rejected  from  the 
British  and  Irish  Dispensatories.  If  the  proportions  of 
alkali  are  increased,  the  substance  becomes  gradually 
more  soluble;  and  when  the  proportion  is  two  parts  of 
alkali  to  one  of  antimony,  the  salt  is  even  deliquescent. 
The  combination  of  the  alkali  and  sulphur  in  the  anti- 
mony forms  a  hepar,  so  called  from  the  colour ;  and  we 
•  thus  obtain  the  different  celebrated  livers  of  antimony. 

The  sulfihur  stibiatum  fuscum  of  the  Dublin  Dispen- 
satory, the  kermes  mineral,  is  the  second  degree  of  oxi- 
dation of  antimony,  according  to  Thenard.  It  is  an  hy- 
drosulphurated  oxide  containing  sulphur,  and,  like 
glass  of  antimony,  contains  0.16  of  oxygen.  It  does 
not  greatly  differ  from  the  golden  sulphur  except  in  the 
proportion  of  oxygen,  and  contains  72.760  of  brown 
oxide  of  antimony.  The  principle  of  the  composition 
is  now  sufficiently  obvious ;  and  we  may  only  add,  that 
the  proportion  of  alkali  differs.  It  was  formerly  two 
parts  to  one  :  in  the  Dublin  formula,  the  alkali  is  equal 
to  the  antimony.  The  oxide  is  precipitated,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  kermes  mineral  being  only  soluble  in  the 
sulphurated  hydroguretof  potash, at  212°.  As  this  heat 
lessens,  the  hydrosulphuretted  oxide  separates.  In  the 
different  pharmacopoeias  the  proportions  differ ;  and, 
with  fresh  additions  of  sulphur  and  alkali,  the  whole  of 

T 


ANT 


138 


A  N  T 


tlie  antimony  may  be  perhaps  converted  to  kermes. 
Fourcroy  has  given  a  new,  and  perhaps  improved,  form 
in  the  humid  way.  He  boils  six  parts  of  pure  potash 
'  of  commerce"  in  twenty  parts  of  water,  and,  to  the 
boiling  solution,  adds  about  the  twentieth  part  of  the 
weight  of  the  alkali,  of  prepared  antimony.  After  boil- 
ing seven  or  eight  minutes,  the  solution  is  filtered 
while  hot,  and  the  kermes  suffered  to  precipitate. 
Gren  and  Hermstadt  vary  the  proportions ;  but  these 
differences  relate  only  to  commercial  savings. 

The  kermes  mineral  has  been  highly  esteemed  on  the 
continent  in  pneumonia ;  and  is,  in  reality,  a  valuable 
preparation,  since  it  is  not  so  liable  to  become  cathartic, 
or  excite  vomiting,  as  the  other  preparations  of  anti- 
mony. In  pneumonia  it  is  certainly  a  medicine  of  pe- 
culiar utility;  and  we  strongly  suspect,  that,  in  other  fe- 
brile diseases,  it  would  be  more  advantageous  than  even 
the  pulvis  antimonialis.  Why  is  it  not  tried  ?  The 
question  may  be  retorted  on  ourselves,  and  we  have  no 
adequate  excuse  to  offer. 

The  sulphur  auratum  antimonii  is  not  very  different; 
and  if  the  kermes  mineral  is  often  exposed  to  the  air,  it 
acquires  so  much  oxygen  as  not  to  be  a  superior  medi- 
cine. It  is  of  an  orange  colour,  prepared  nearly  as  the 
former,  taking  care  only  to  check  the  deoxygenation  a 
little  sooner.  It  contains  about  0.18  of  oxygen:  the 
orange  oxide  of  antimony  is,  in  this  preparation,  68.3 
in  100  parts.  Four  pounds  of  the  aqua  kali  are  diluted 
with  three  pounds  of  water,  to  which  two  pounds  of 
prepared  antimony  are  added.  These  are  boiled  for 
three  hours,  strained  while  warm,  and  the  superfluous 
alkali  precipitated  by  the  sulphuric  acid,  which  must  be 
afterwards  well  washed.  In  the  dry  way,  five  parts  of 
potash  are  melted,  with  two  parts  of  prepared  anti- 
mony, and  three  of  sulphur.  The  whole  must  be 
quickly  melted,  cooled,  powdered,  and  dissolved  in 
water.  The  sulphur  auratum  is  precipitated,  as  before, 
•with  diluted  sulphuric  acid.  The  principle  of  both  pre- 
parations is  the  power  of  the  hydrogenatedsulphuretof 
potash  to  dissolve  the  orange  oxide,  which  by  the  acid 
is  precipitated.  The  whole  must  be  at  once  precipitat- 
ed ;  for  if  done  gradually,  as  was  formerly  the  custom, 
the  first  portions  were  chiefly  sulphur,  and  the  third  only 
was  preserved  for  use.  M.  Proust,  in  the  fifty-fifth  vo- 
lume of  the  Journal  de  Physique,  has  paid  some  atten- 
tion to  this  subject;  but  the  details  are  too  minutely 
chemical  for  our  consideration.  He  seems  to  have  fully 
shewn  the  principle  formerly  alluded  to,  that  the  oxides, 
both  at  their  minimum  and  maximum,  are  incapable  of 
any  combination  with  sulphur.  For  this  reason,  the  oxides 
in  an  active  state  are  only  combined  with  this  body, 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  sulphur,  in  every  in- 
stance, is  useless,  though  it  is  certainly  neither  injuri- 
ous nor  inconvenient.  This  preparation  is  not  often  em- 
ployed in  medicine,  though  scarcely  inferior  to  the 
kermes  mineral.  It  was  once  fashionable. 

By  the  action  of  nitre  on  antimony  we  obtain  the  cro- 
cus antimonii.  This  is  a  sulphurated  oxide  also,  and 
obtained  by  deflagrating  equal  parts  of  nitre  and  anti- 
mony; to  which,  as  we  have  said,  the  London  and  Dub- 
lin colleges  add  a  small  proportion  of  sea  salt.  This 
sulphurated  oxide,  like  the  preceding,  contains,  accord- 
ing to  Thenard,  about  10.18  of  oxygen.  In  the  shops 
the  proportion  of  nitre  is  sometimes  curtailed,  and  the 


medicine  is  useless.  In  its  best  state,  the  crocus  o? 
antimony  acts  unequally  and  violently,  and  is  only  used 
in  veterinary  practice. 

With  a  less  proportion  of  nitre  this  preparation  is 
called  also  regulus  antimonii  medicinalis,  and  it  is  some- 
times styled  croons  metallorum.  Macquer  andLemery 
choose  to  call  it  liver  of  antimony.  With  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  nitre,  viz.  two  parts  of  the  latter  to  one  of 
the  metal,  a  milder  preparation  is  obtained,  viz.  the 
emeticum  mitius  of  Boerhaave.  With  three  partsof  nitre 
we  obtain  the  antimonium  diafihoreticum  lotum  of  Meu- 
der,  antimonium  calcinatum^or  the  antimonium  diafihore- 
ticum,  and  the  calx  antimonii  nitrata  when  unwashed. 
All  these  preparations  are  inert,  and  now  little  employ- 
ed. The  antimonium  ustum  cum  nitro  consists  of  anti- 
mony roasted  to  a  calx,  and  then  exposed  for  an  hour  to 
a  red  heat  with  nitre.  The  remainder  was  edulcorated 
with  water,  and  it  was  erroneously  supposed  to  be  the 
same  with  James'  powder.  As  a  substitute  for  it  this 
preparation  was  inserted  in  some  of  the  former  editions 
of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory. 

With  acids  the  most  active  preparations  of  antimony 
are  obtained.  With  the  vitriolic  acid  the  Dispensatories  of 
the  united  kingdoms  have  admitted  no  formula.  A  vitriol- 
ated  antimony  was  employed  by  Dr.  Klaunig  of  Breslaw, 
which  Wertholf  used  with  advantage  in  fevers,  and 
adds,  that  it  proved  emetic,  cathartic,  and  diaphoretic. 
We  have  no  reason,  however,  to  think  it  superior  in 
efficacy  to  the  other  preparations.  The  antimony  is 
repeatedly  distilled  from  the  muriatic  acid ;  and  the 
sulphat,  thus  formed,  is  sublimed.  The  sublimed  sub- 
stance is  then  powdered,  and  alcohol  burnt  on  it.  Wil- 
son's antimonium  catharticum  is  supposed  to  be  of  the 
same  nature. 

With  the  nitric  acid  we  have  no  antimonial  prepara- 
tion. The  bezoardicum  minerals  is,  indeed,  prepared 
with  nitrous  acid  from  butter  of  antimony;  but  the 
acid  is  decomposed,  and  no  traces  of  it  femain.  The 
result  is  still  butter  of  antimony ;  though  the  metal  is 
more  oxygenated,  and  the  preparation  much  milder. 

The  muriats  of  antimony  are  very  important  prepara- 
tions. The  antimonium  muriatum  of  the  London,  the 
murias  antimonii  of  the  Edinburgh,  and  the  stibiummu- 
riatum  causticum  of  the  Dublin,  Dispensatory,  are  pre- 
pared in  the  same  way.  The  crocus  antimonii,  with 
an  equal  weight  of  sulphuric  acid,  is  added  to  double 
the  weight  of  muriat  of  soda :  the  salt  and  the  oxide 
must  be  mixed,  and  the  acid  slowly  added.  The  whole 
is  then  to  be  distilled  in  a  sand  bath,  and  the  sublimed 
matter  suffered  to  deliquesce  in  the  air.  The  liquid  part 
is  the  muriat,  or  butter,  of  antimony.  In  this  case  the 
sulphuric  acid  decomposes  the  sea  salt,  whose  acid 
unites  to  the  oxide.  InThenard's  scale  this  preparation 
contains  one-twentieth  of  oxygen.  As  the  sulphur  ad- 
hering to  the  crocus  antimonii  renders  the  operation 
dangerous,  Gottling's  process  is  preferable.  To  four 
ounces  of  glass  of  antimony  and  sixteen  of  sea  salt,  he 
adds  twelve  ounces  of  sulphuric  acid,  diluted  with  eight 
of  water.  The  butter  of  antimony  is  drawn  off  in  a  re- 
tort. This  preparation  is  chiefly  used  as  a  caustic;  yet 
we  have  been  informed  that  it  has  been  employed  in 
very  small  closes  internally :  we  know  not  with  what 
success.  The  powder  of  algarotti  we  have  already  men- 
tioned as  its  precipitate ;  and  tho  Dublin  college  lias 


A  X  T 


139 


AXt 


introduced  a.  calx  stibiifire/iarata,  in  which  the  oxide  is 
precipitated  by  an  alkali.  This  last  preparation  con- 
tains 0.20  of  oxygen. 

The  emetic  tartar  Is  the  next  preparation  that  occurs, 
and  it  is  one  of  such  convenient  exhibition  and  extensive 
use,  that  all  the  art  of  the  pharmaceutist,  all  the  re- 
sources of  modern  chemistry,  have  been  exhausted  in 
rendering  it  more  steady  in  its  operation,  more  perfect, 
and  more  useful  in  its  administration.  We  learn  from 
Dr.  Fordyce,  that  we  are  indebted  for  this  preparation 
to  Dr.  Cullen.  If  true,  we  cannot  sufficiently  admire 
the  sagacity  and  judgment  that  prompted  him  in  the 
choice,  nor  be  sufficiently  grateful  for  a  present  of  such 
value.  In  children,  in  maniacs,  and  many  cases  where 
no  medicine  could  be  given,  this  may  be  disguised;  in 
all  cases  where  active  antimonials  are  wanted,  this  pre- 
paration may  be  easily  and  successfully  administered. 
In  almost  every  febrile  complaint  it  is  highly  useful ;  and 
joined  in  a  small  proportion  to  resinous  purgatives,  it 
mitigates  their  acrimony,  and  renders  them  useful  in 
smaller  doses.  Its  advantages,  however,  will  often  re- 
cur, and  we  need  not  anticipate  them  in  this  place.  The 
chemical  details  must  now  engage  our  attention. 

The  tartar  emetic  is  emphatically  called  in  French 
Vemetique,  in  the  new  chemical  nomenclature;  it  is  call- 
ed antimonium  tartarisatum  by  the  London  college ;  tar- 
tris  antimoniiby  the  Edinburgh ;  and  tartarum  stibiatum 
by  the  Dublin.  The  first  two  employ  the  crocus  anti- 
nionii,  and  add  three  parts  of  this  to  four  parts  of  the 
crystals  of  tartar,  and  thirty-two  parts  of  water.  The 
last  orders  two  ounces  of  the  precipitated  calx  of  an- 
timony, with  four  ounces  of  crystals  of  tartar  finely- 
powdered,  and  five  pounds  of  water.  In  fact,  the  anti- 
monium tartarisatum  is  a  triple  salt ;  for  the  crystals  of 
tartar  contain  potash,  and  this  union  is  essential  to  the 
medicine.  The  London  appellation  hits  this  union  very 
happily;  while  the  Edinburgh  college,  resigning  the 
advantage  of  trivial  names,  which  are  as  useful  in  phar- 
macy as  in  botany,  renders  every  title  a  definition.  The 
different  oxides  of  antimony  have  all  had  their  patrons  ; 
but  the  crocus  is  not  in  general  prepared  with  sufficient 
accuracy  for  this  purpose.  The  precipitated  oxide  of 
the  Dublin  Pharmacopoeia,  the  pulvis  algarotti  of  phar- 
maceutists, or  the  glass  of  antimony,  may  with  more 
propriety  be  employed.  It  is  only  sufficient  that  the. 
calx  contain  0.20  of  oxygen :  we  have  before  given  some 
reasons  for  preferring  the  glass. 

Like  all  the  preparations  of  antimony,  emetic  tartar 
is  active  in  proportion  to  its  solubility;  and  the  scale  of 
solubility  extends  from  three  times  its  weight  in  boiling 
water,  and  fifteen  at  60°,  to  forty  and  eighty  in  the  same 
circumstances.  In  the  former  case  the  salt  was  peculiarly 
pure.  Were  we  to  follow  every  refinement  adopted  at 
different  times  by  different  chemists  in  preparing  the 
emetic  tartar,  we  might  fill  a  volume.  The  quantity 
of  water  need  not  be  more  than  will  dissolve  the  tar- 
trite  of  antimony  when  formed,  and  the  time  of  boil- 
ing no  longer  than  is  necessary  to  the  combination. 
Some  time  longer  than  that  required  for  the  solution  of 
the  crystals  of  tartar  is  requisite,  though  not  a  consider- 
able period,  or  longer  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The 
excellence  of  the  preparation  consists  in  the  size,  the 
shape,  and  the  length  of  the  crystals  with  which  the 
solubility  of  the  salt  is  connected.  The  proper  form 
of  its  crystals  is  that  of  triangular  pyramids,  or  ui 


octoedrons  more  elongated  than  those  of  alum.  In 
general  they  are  too  short,  and,  if  carefully  examined, 
have  a  portion  of  uncombincd  oxide  adhering  to  them. 
The  impediments  to  a  proper  and  regular  crystalliza- 
tion are,  first,  the  silica,  discovered  by  Vauquelin;  and 
he  tells  us,  that  if  the  salt  be  evaporated  to  dryness, 
this  is  separated  in  an  insoluble  state:  the  salt  may 
then  be  crystallized  without  further  impediment  from 
it.  Another  cause  of  imperfect  crystallization  is  a  por- 
tion of  uncombined  tartrite  of  potash.  For  this  reason 
the  Dublin  college  order  the  fluid  to  be  filtered,  and  the 
remaining  salts  to  be  thrown  away ;  but  the  end  may  be  as 
well  obtained  by  increasing  the  proportion  of  the  oxide. 
Thenard  very  properly  advises  two  crystallizations;  and 
this,  we  think,  should  always  be  done.  His  object  is 
to  separate  the  tartrite  of  lime,  which  crystallizes  in 
silky  needles.  According  to  this  author,  the  emetic 
tartar  consists  of  thirty-eight  parts  of  oxide  of  antimony  ; 
thirty -four  of  tartarous  acid;  sixteen  of  potash;  and 
twelve  of  water,  including  loss.  We  observe  a  German 
chemist,  in  Tromsdorf 's  Journal,  directs  the  solution, 
previous  to  crystallization,  to  be  exposed  for  fifteen  days 
to  a  strong  light,  which  seems  only  to  facilitate  the 
formation  of  the  crystals. 

The  antimonial  wines  of  the  Dispensatories  are  now 
only  solutions  of  tartarized  antimony  in  wine,  or  in  a  small 
proportion  of  water  added  to  wine.  These  forms  are 
convenient  for  division,  and  require  no  comment.  The 
antimonial  wine  of  the  former  edition  of  the  London 
Dispensatory  was  an  unequal  medicine,  as  the  glass  of 
antimony  infused  iu  wine  could  be  only  dissolved  by 
its  tartar,  which,  in  different  wines,  is  in  unequal  pro- 
portions. Oxalates  and  acetites  of  antimony  have  been 
prepared;  but  their  medical  qualities  are  little  known, 
or,  if  known,  do  not  apparently  diifer  from  those  of 
emetic  tartar.  The  fluoric  and  boracic  acids  act  on  the 
oxides  of  antimony ;  but  they  have  not  yet  been  noticed 
by  the  medical  chemist. 

The  decomposition  of  the  antimonial  salts,  particularly 
the  tartrites,  is  not  so  easy  as  some  chemists  have  sup- 
posed. From  a  superficial  view  it  would  appear  that 
all  acids  and  alkalis  would  occasion  a  separation  of  their 
component  parts.  Authors,  however,  who  have  been 
full  in  their  cautions  on  this  subject,  have  not  re- 
flected that  the  emetic  tartac  is  a  triple  salt,  and  that 
a  minute  portion  of  acid  will  affect  only  the  tartrite  of 
potash,  while  the  antimonial  neutral  will  not  be  altered 
in  its  medical  properties,  though,  in  a  chemical  view, 
the  salt  is  not  the  same.  The  mineral  acids  will,  in- 
deed, decompose  the  neutral  and  the  metallic  salt, 
and  some  alkalis  will  certainly  affect  the  latter.  This 
must  be  particularly  attended  to  if  the  preparations  of 
foreign  pharmacopoeias  are  employed,  as  in  many  of 
their  tinctures  an  alkaline  salt  is  added.  In  the  decoc- 
tions of  our  pharmacopoeias  it  was  sometimes  an  in- 
gredient; but,  we  believe,  the  decoction  of  bardana 
was  the  last  instance,  and  it  is  now  disused.  The  pe- 
culiar powers  of  the  emetic  tartar  are  greatly  weakened 
by  bitters,  and  particularly  the  bark.  A  modern  author 
of  credit,  Tromsdorf,  remarks,  that  a  scruple  of  emetic 
tartar,  with  an  ounce  of  Peruvian  bark  in  decoction,  is 
not  usually  emetic. 

Here,  perhaps,  we  might  stop;  but  various  prepara- 
tions, and  various  titles  of  well  known  preparations,  are 
to  be  found  in  authors,  of  which  a  medical  dictionary 

T2 


ANT 


140 


A  N  T 


should  give  some  account.  We  have  compacted  what 
is  useful  in  a  continued  narrative,  but  shall  now  in- 
sert a  table  of  the  preparations  of  antimony,  in  which 
they  arc  arranged  from  the  nature  of  the  product,  for 
which  we  are  indebted  to  Dr.  Duncan ;  and  then  add 
some  of  the  preparations  of  foreign  authors,  which 
have  been  at  Least  highly  commended,  though  not 
usually  employed  in  these  kingdoms,  in  the  order  of 
the  table. 

Antimony  has  been  exhibited : 

I.  In  its  metallic  state. 

a.  Antimonium:  regulus  antimonii. 

b.  Alloyed. 

1.  With  iron:  regulus  antimonii  martialis. 

2.  With  tin:  regulus  antimonii  jovialis. 

3.  With  tin  and  copper:  regulus  metallorum. 

c.  Combined  with  sulphur. 

1.  Sulphurerum  antimon.      Ed.    Antimonium 
Lond.  Stibium,  Dublin. 

2.  Regulus  antimon.  medicinalis  (Maet.).  Fe- 
brifugum  Craanii. 

d.  Combined  with   sulphuret  of  potash. — Hepar 
antimonii. 

II.  Oxidised. 

a.  In  a  smaller  degree. 

1.  Calx  antimonii  per  se  cinis  antimonii. 

2.  Flo  res  antimonii  argentini. 

3.  Pulvis  algarotti. 

4.  Vitrum  antimonii — combined  with  wax,  vi- 
trum  antimonii  ceratum. 

b.  Combined  with  a  little  sulphur,  cro.cus  antimonii: 
crocus  metallorum. 

c.  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  sulphur 


auratum  antimonu. 


d. 


mineral. 


e. 


mi. 


S 


—  hydroguretted  sulphur,  kermes 

-  muriatic  acid,  butyrum  antimo- 

-  tartarous  acid  and  potash,  tarta- 
rus   emeticus:  dissolved   in   wine,  vinum  anti- 
inoniale. 

.  phosphoric  acid  and  phosphat  of 

lime,  James's  powder. 
h.  Oxidised  in  a  greater  degree,  antimonium  cal- 
cinatum,  London. 

In  following  this  table  we  must  first  remark,  that,  be- 
sides the  alloys  of  iron,  tin,  or  tin  and  copper,  we  find 
a  regulus  gaiurninus  in  Stahl;  r.  -uenereus  in  Lemery; 
an  alloy  of  the  regulus  martialis  with  copper  in  Stahl, 
under  the  fanciful  name  of  rete-vulcani;  regulus  lunar  is, 
and  Solaris,  in  Lemery,  viz.  antimony  united  with  silver 
and  gold.  The  regulus  metallorum  is  usually  styled  the 
rlectrum  majus;  thereg\ilui>)ov'm\is,electrummirius.  We 
need  scarcely  add,  that  all  these  preparations  are  useless. 

Tbefebrifuge  ofCraanen  excited  general  attentionon 
the  continent;  and  it  has  particularly  engaged  the  at- 
tention of  Stahl,  of  Hoffman,  of  Dicterich,  and  Vogel. 
It  was  supposed  to  be  a  specific  in  intermittents;  to  be 
of  service  in  gout,  in  dropsy,  and  malignant  fevers.  In 
the  long  list  of  its  qualities,  however,  which  we  have 
carefully  perused,  we  perceive  nothing  but  what  other 
antimonials  will  perform ;  and,  if  useful  in  low  fevers, 
the  advantage  must  have  arisen  from  the  bark  with 
which  it  was  sometimes  joined.  It  was  prepared  in  a 
variety  of  ways:  and  the  great  object  seems  to  have 


been  its  red  colour,  from  which  it  was  called  rubiniu 
iintimonii,  an^magnesia  o/ialina. 

The  calx,  or  cinis  antimonii,  is  called  by  Griinling 
terra  sancta  rulandi.  When  not  greatly  calcined,  it  is 
grey,  and,  as  Boerhaave  tells  us,  violently  emetic. 
When  more  calcined,  it  is,  as  usual,  inert.  The  pow- 
ers of  antimony  have  engaged,  in  a  great  degree,  the 
attention  of  former  chemists.  The  -various  coloured 
\/io<:vcrs  of  Lemery  were  produced  by  the  unequal  action 
of  the  fire  on  different  parts  of  the  metal,  and  were  found 
to  be  violently  emetic.  The  redjloiversvfere  sublimed 
with  sal  ammoniac,  and  the  salt  separated  by  washing. 
This  preparation  formed  the  basis  of  the  linclura  anti- 
monii sicca  of  Garman,  and  was  of  no  great  activity. 
The  flowers,  prepared  by  means  of  common  salt,  sug- 
gested the  caution  formerly  mentioned.  They  were 
virulent  in  their  operation;  probably  from  some  admix- 
ture of  butter  of  antimony.  We  shall  mention  under 
this  head  only  one  other  preparation,  thejlos  stidii  hel- 
montianus.  In  this  preparation  the  antimony  was  oxi- 
dated by  aqua  regia,  and  sublimed  with  sal  ammoniac: 
it  vomited  violently;  but,  when  washed,  was  milder. 
It  was  the  emeticus  mitior  of  Boerhaave. 

The  suljihur  auratum  antimonii  and  the  kermes  miner- 
al, however,  are  the  preparations  which  on  the  continent 
have  obtained  such  extensive  fame,  and  which  foreign 
chemists  have  so  strenuously  laboured  to  improve.  In- 
deed the  former  censure  relating  to  the  neglect  of  the 
kermes  mineral  in  fevers,  more  generally  must  be  con- 
fined to  the  English  physicians.  It  was,  we  perceive, 
for  many  years  the  favourite  febrifuge  of  the  continent. 
The  sulphur  auratum  antimonii  is  precipitated  by  quick- 
silver, dissolved  in  aquafortis,  and  thus  forms  the  mercu- 
rial sulfihur  of  antimony  of  Poerner,  which  he  supposes 
highly  useful  in  cutaneous  complaints.  Hoffman  pre- 
cipitates it  by  gold,  dissolved  in  aqua  regia,  thus  prepar- 
ing the  suljihur  antimonii  ttolare;  and  recommends  it  asa 
sudorific  in  venereal  complaints.  The  sulphur  auratum 
liquidum  is  a  more  modern,  though  operose,  preparation. 
The  sulphur  auratum  is  dissolved  in  a  caustic  lixivium, 
and  a  soap  prepared  by  adding  oil  of  almonds  or  of  pop- 
pies; and  this  is  afterwards  dissolved  in  astrong  tincture 
of  antimony.  When  it  is  recollected  that  the  ancient 
physicians  were  so  much  attached  to  saponaceous  reme- 
dies, it  is  not  surprising  that  their  prejudices  and  expe- 
rience thus  coinciding  in  a  preparation  should  become 
a  favourite.  It  was,  in  their  opinion,  aperient  and  de- 
obstruent;  sudorific  and  alterant;  useful  in  dropsy, 
cancer,  chronic  exanthemata,  and  gout. 

The  butter  of  antimony,  chiefly  used  as  an  external 
preparation,  has  been  tortured  in  a  variety  of  ways.  It 
has  been  prepared  with  luna  cornea  instead  of  corro- 
sive sublimate,  and  is  then  the  oleum  glaciate  lunare  of 
Lemery  :  with  the  martial;  instead  of  the  crude,  regulus, 
it  is  the  martial  butter  of  antimony;  and  attempered  by 
twice  its  weight  of  sulphuric  acid,  is  styled  tiyuor  fielle- 
grini.  Sala's  sfriritus  meltis,  antimonio  abstractus,  is  only 
the  butter  of  antimony  in  a  milder  form.  The  oleum 
antimonii  comfiosititm  of  Basil  Valentine  differs  from  the 
butter  of  antimony  in  the  mode  of  preparation  only, 
and  the  mixture  of  quicklime;  which,  as  it  does  not 
rise  in  distillation,  probably  adds  nothing  to  the  pun- 
gency or  efficacy  of  the  application.  The  balsam  of  an- 
timony, and  the  liquor  vulnerarius  of  Basil  Valentine,  do 
not  belong  to  this  head:  we  mention  them  here  only 


A  X  T 


141 


A  N  T 


HS  external  applications.  The  glass  of  antimony  in 
these  preparations  is  united  with  distilled  vinegar,  eva- 
porated to  dryness,  and  mixed  with  the  white  of  an  egg. 
In  this  state  it  deliquesces,  and  then  beconjes  the  liquor 
vulnerarius. 

The  union  of  antimony  with  the  vegetable  acids 
forms,  however,  the  most  extensive  list  of  preparations. 
The  magisttrium  antimonii  idiafihoreticum  consists  of 
the  glass  of  antimony  powdered  and  dissolved  in  distilled 
vinegar.  If  then  joined  with  red  coral,  mother-of- 
pearl,  and  hartshorn  calcined,  '  seasoned'  with  the  oils 
of  cinnamon  and  cloves,  it  forms  the  bezoardicum  anti- 
moniale  of  Angelus  Sala.  We  may  just  slop  to  remark 
in  this  place,  that  we  find  the  union  of  hartshorn  with 
antimony  not  uncommon  among  the  earliest  chemists, 
particularly  in  Angelus  Sala,  Schroeder,  and  in  Hoff- 
man's notes  on  Poterius,  where  he  almost  teaches  the 
modern  preparation  of  James's  powder,  and  from  whom 
Dr.  James  evidently  caught  the  idea  of  his  prepara- 
tion. 

In  the  acetum  emeticum  of  Lemery  the  antimony  is 
united  to  vinegar  ;  and  he  remarks,  that  it  is  more  ef- 
fectual if  prepared  with  crude  than  with  distilled  vine- 
gar. The  linctura  ex-  croco  metallorum  of  Bicker  is  the 
crocus  dissolved  in  vinegar,  and  inspissated  to  the  con- 
sistence of  honey.  In  different  ways,  the  union  of  vi- 
negar with  the  oxides  of  antimony  has  furnished  the 
Tinum  emeticum  of  Lemery  ;  the  aqua  benedicta  rulan- 
di;  claretum  purgatorium  ;  vinum  Hippocraticum  anti- 
moniale ;  syrupus  -vomitorius  ;  and  the  oxysaccharum 
•vomiti-vum  of  Schroeder;  the  tinctura  antimonii  acida 
of  Rosentengel;  the  tinctura  and  elixir  antimonii  of 
Basil  Vale'ntine;  the  -vinum  antimoniale  of  Huxham ; 
and  the  essentia  emetica  of  other  authors.  The  panacea 
unrversalis,  fianacea  antimonialis  emetica,  or  tartarus 
emeticus  solubi/is,  of  Lemery,  deserves  a  more  particu- 
lar notice.  It  is  a  neutral,  composed  of  muriated  and 
tartarised  kali,  with  four  parts  of  butter  of  antimony, 
eight  of  crystals  of  tartar,  forty-eight  of  water,  and  five 
of  salt  of  tartar.  It  is  suffered  to  deliquesce  in  the  air, 
and  the  nauseating  dose  is  from  six  to  twenty  drops. 
Bergman's  tartarus  tartarisatus  emeticus  differs  only 
from  the  emetic  tartar,  in  employing  the  tartarised  kali 
instead  of  crystals  of  tartar.  We  may  just  mention  the 
tinctura  antimonii  tartarisata  of  Mayer;  the  tinctura  an- 
timonii hefiatica  salina,  tinctura  antimonii  of  other  au- 
thors. It  consists  of  wine  digested  with  two  parts  of 
hep'ar  antimonii;  but,  though  highly  commended,  it 
seems  to  possess  no  very  striking  or  peculiar  proper- 
ties. 

Some  preparations  remain  which  contain  scarcely  any 
or  no  antimony  except  in  their  titles,  or  the  antimony  in 
an  inactive  state.  The  antimonium  diaphoreticum,  when 
powdered  and  washed  in  a  linen  bag,  gives  the  cream 
of  diaphoretic  antimony.  The  pulvis  albus  antimonii  of 
Basil  Valentine  is  prepared  by  deflagrating  the  regulus 
three  times  with  an  equal  weight  of  nitre,  and  washing 
it  after  each  deflagration.  Spirit  of  wine  is  to  be  eight 
times  added,  and  again  separated  by  distillation.  After 
a  process  so  operose,  the  preparation  is  useless.  J/u- 
gistefium  of  diaphoretic  antimony',  materia  perlata,  sul- 
phur Jixatum  stibii,  sulphur  antimonii  Jixatum,  cerussa 
antimonii,  cerussa  antimonii  diuphoretica,  diaphoreticum 
regulinum,  and  antimonium  diaphoreticum,  are  appella- 
tions of  a  similar  inert  calx.  The  certtssa  antimonii  so- 


laris,  diaphoreticum  minerale  solare,  stomac/iicum  pote- 
rii,  are  pompous  jiames  for  the  highly  oxidised  and  use- 
less calx  made  from  the  solar  regulus,  and  employed  to 
attract  the  particles  of  quicksilver,  which,  after  a  long 
mercurial  course,  were  supposed  to  be  fixed  in  the  fluids. 
A  similar  cerusse  was  prepared  from  the  lunar  regulus. 
The  antimonium  diaphoreticum  joviale  (antihecticum 
poteriij  is  a  white  calx,  prepared  from  the  jovial  regulus, 
deflagrated  with  three  parts  of  nitre.  It  is  neglected  as  a 
remedy ;  arid  if  it  retain  any  powers,  they  are  certainly 
nyt  adapted  to  the  complaint  in  its  common  form.  We 
have  used  it  without  apparent  injury;  and  in  cases  where 
the  bronchial  vessels  were  greatly  relaxed  we  thought  it 
useful  as  a  tonic.  The  antimonium  diaphoreticum  mar- 
tiale  is  thepulvis  anticachecticus  of  Ludovici ;  the  stoma- 
cichum  of  Poterius;  the/zu/t>i«  •vitalisof  Hall;  and  use- 
less as  an  antimonial :  but  it  contains  some  iron  in  an 
active  state,  though  the  martial  regulus  is  deflagrated 
with  three  parts  of  nitre.  The  mercurius  -uitt  correc- 
tus  of  Sylvius,  bezoardicum  minerale,  is  prepared  from 
the  mercurius  vitae,  deflagrated  with  three  parts  "of  nitre, 
and  consequently  inert.  The  calx  antimonii  sine  sul- 
phure  consists  chiefly  of  lime  water,  to  which  0.1 1  of 
calx  of  antimony,  and  0.02  of  calx  of  iron,  are  added. 
The  flores  antimonii  nitrosi  are  only  the  inert  white 
oxide  sublimed.  The  cinnabar  of  antimony  differs  in 
no  respect  from  common  cinnabar. 

We  shall  add  a  list  of  other  preparations  in  which 
antimony  has  been  employed,  and  to  which  it  has  given 
a  name ;  but  they  contain  only  a  small  portion,  if  any, 
of  the  metal,  and  certainly  owe  no  part  of  their  virtue 
to  it.  These  are,  1.  Lilium  paracelsi,  called  by  Stahl 
tinctura  antimonii  acris  et  alkalinus,  tinctura  antimonii 
spuria  of  Cartheuser.  2.  T.  antimonii  rubra  of  Roger 
Bacon.  3.  T.  -vitri  antimonii  of  Lemery,  and  his  71  an- 
timonii diaphoretici.  4.  T.  ex  rtgulo  antimonii  marliali ; 
the  antidotos pantagogos  of  Schroeder.  5.  T.  antimonii 
Brixii.  6.  T.  antimonii  nigri  (mineralis  amara)  of  Ur- 
biger.  7.  T.  Antimonii  saponata  Schulzii.  8.  T.  anti- 
monii Thedenii.  9.  Oleum  -vitri  antimonii,  quinta  essen- 
tia antimonii I  of  Basil  Valentine.  10.  Antimonii  febrifu- 
gum,  magisterium  antimonii,  arcanum,  elixir,  balsamum, 
oleum  sulpnuris,  et  clyssus,  antimonii,  of  the  same  au- 
thor. \\.Acetumphilosophorumexantimonio.  \1.Aqua 
stimmi  tartarea  of  Schroeder.  13.  Spiritus  antimonii 
compositus  of  the  same  author;  Sfl.bezoardicus  Bussii; 
Sp.  -vitrioli  philosophicus  of  Lemery.  14.  Sp.  salis 
antimoniaci  of  Basil  Valentine.  15.  Sal  verym,  and 
Jlores  antimonii  of  the  same;  and,  16.  the  chevalier's 
potyder. 

This  enumeration  is  nearly  complete.  Some  of  the 
most  insignificant  and  ridiculous  forms  only  are  omitted. 

AXTIMO'XII  SULPH.  REG.  succ.     See  A.XTIMOXIUM. 

AXTIMO'SII  SPI'RITUS.     See  CLYSSUS. 

AXTIMO'XII  RUBICU'XDA  MAGXE'SIA.  See  MAGXESIA 
OPALIXA. 

AXTIMOXIA'LE  CAU'STICUM.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

AXTIMO'XII  ESSE'XTIA.     See  AXTIMOXI'ALE  VIXUM. 

AXTIMO'XII  OLEUM.  AXTIMO'XIUM  MURIATICUM.  See 
ANTIMONIUM. 

AXTIMO'XIUM  DIAPHORE'TICUM  JOVIA'LE.  See  AXTI- 
HE'CT.CUM  POTE'RII. 

AXTIMO'XIUM  TARTARISA'TUM.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

AXTIMOH1S;  (.from  »»/«,  against,  and  /*•?««,  death 
or  disease}.  A  medicine  to  prolong  life.  Also  the 


ANT 


142 


ANT 


name  of  an  antidote  which  Myrepsus  improperly  calls 
diatamaron. 

ANTINEPHRI'TICA,  (from  «m,  and  vepptns,  a 
pain  in  the  kidneys).  Remedies  against  disorders  of 
the  kidneys.  See  NEPHRITIS. 

ANTIPARALY'TICA,  (from  *m,  against,  and 
•x-upxtofif,  the  palsy).  Medicines  against  the  palsy.  See 
PARALYSIS. 

ANTI'PATHES.  A  BLACK  CORAL.  See  CORALLI- 
UM  NIGRUM. 

ANTIPATHEI'A,  (from  »tn,  against,  and  -untto^ 
an  affection).  ANTIPATHY.  An  aversion  to  particular 
objects.  It  is  doubtful  whether  there  is  any  real  foun- 
dation for  feelings  of  this  kind ;  yet,  when  we  reflect 
that  some  animals,  as  toads  or  serpents,  are  generally 
objects  of  antipathy,  we  cannot  wholly  attribute  the 
aversion  to  fancy,  though  we  cannot  explain  it.  Form, 
colour,  but,  above  all,  disproportion,  excite  it. 

ANTIPERI'STASIS,  (from  «vn,  and  wtpifufti,  to 
surround}.  A  compressing  on  all  sides  as  the  air 
presses. 

ANTIPHA'RMICUM,  (from  «»T»,  against,  and 
pap/tax.™,  fioison).  An  ANTIDOTE,  or  PRESERVATIVE 
against  poison.  See  ALEXIPHARMICA. 

ANTIPHLOGI'STICA,  (from  am,  against,  and 
<ptey£,  to  burn).  ANTIPHLOGISTICS.  Medicines  or  re- 
medies suited  to  resist,  diminish,  or  cure  inflammation, 
or  an  inflammatory  diathesis  of  the  constitution.  Un- 
der this  head  may  be  classed  all  watery  diluents,  cool- 
ing saline  diaphoretics,  and  diuretics,  particularly  nitre; 
antimonials  in  small  doses  ;  and  BLEEDING,  general  and 
topical.  See  PHLEBOTO'MIA,  CUCURBI'TULA,  and  HIRU'- 
DINES.  Besides,  living  on  watery,  cooling  vegetables, 
drinking  copiously  of  simple  watery  liquids,  and  abstain- 
ing totally  from  all  animal  food  and  stimulating  diet, 
may  be  classed  not  amongst  the  weakest  of  the  mate- 
rials proper  for  promoting  the  desired  intent,  under 
circumstances  where  antiphlogistics  are  required. 

ANTIPHTHI'SICA,  (from  «m,  against,  and  ph<rif, 
a  consumption).  Remedies  against  a  consumption. 
See  PHTHISIS. 

ANTIPHTHI'SICA  TI'NCTURA  ;  i.  e.  TIITCT.  SATURNINA. 
See  PLUMBUM,  N°  5> 

ANTI'PHTHORA,  (from  mn,  against,  and  ?6i>pa, 
corruption}.  A  species  of  wolf's-bane,  which  resists 
corruption. 

ANTIPHY'SICA,  (from  etin,  against,  and  $>vra,u, 
to  blow}.  Remedies  against  wind.  See  CARMINANTIA. 

ANTIPHY'SON,  («VT<,  against,  and  <pvtr,f,  nature,} 
so  called,  because  the  loadstone  acts  against  the  com- 
mon appearances  of  nature.  See  MACNES 

ANTIPLEURI'TICUM,  (from  «.n,  against,  and 
TrtevpiTtf,  a  pleurisy).  A  remedy  against  the  pleurisy. 
See  PLEURITIS. 

ANTIPODA'GRICA,  (from  «m,  against,  and 
irofci-ypct,  the  gout).  Medicines  which  relieve  or  re- 
move the  gout.  See  ARTHRITIS. 

ANTIPODA'GRICUM,    BA'LSAMUM.      See    ANO- 

DYNUM  BALSAMUM. 

ANTIPOPLE'CTICA.     See  APOPLECTICA. 

ANTIPRA'XIA,  (from  «»r<,  against,  and  irpoto-Fa, 
to  work).  A  contrariety  of  functions  and  tempera- 
ments in  different  parts,  used  by  the  ancients  to  ex- 
press the  variety  of  concurring,  and  often  contrary, 
symptoms. 


ANTIPYRE'TICON,  ANTIPYRE'TON,  (from 
ettn,  against  and  zrvpir®^,  a  fever}.  A  remedy  against 
a  fever;  called  also  antifnjreuticon. 

ANTIQUARTANA'RIUM,  or  ANTIQUA'R- 
TIUM,  (from  «m,  against,  and  quartanum,  a  quartan 
fever}.  A  medicine  against  a  quartan. 

ANTIRRHI'NUM,  (from  am,  against,  and  pit,  the 
•nose,)  also  called  cajiut  vituli,  bucranion,  os  leonis, 
anarrhinum,  lychnis,  sylvestris,  atochium,  SNAP-DRAGON, 
and  CALF'S  SNOUT. 

A  decoction  is  said  to  be  used  in  the  jaundice,  but  is 
chiefly  used  as  a  charm. 

ANTIRRHI'NUM  LINA'RIA.     See  LINARIA. 

ANTISCO'LICA,  (from  «vn,  against,  and  o-KwAtf,  a 
worm).  See  ANTHELMINTICA. 

ANTISCORBU'TICA,  (from  *vr/,  against,  and 
scorbutus,  the  scurvy).  Medicines  against  the  scurvy; 
q.  v. 

ANTISCORBUTICUS,  CORTEX.  See  WINTERA- 
NUS,  CORTEX. 

ANTISE'PTICA,  ANTISEPTICS,  (from  «VT<,  against, 
and  <ryj7rriH.a.,  se/itics  or  fiutrifiers}.  What  resists  or  cor- 
rects putrefaction.  Complete  putrefaction  cannot  be 
an  object  of  practice,  because  it  cannot  take  place  in 
any  considerable  portion  of  the  body  without  extinguish- 
ing life:  it  is,  therefore,  a  tendency  to  it  in  any  consi- 
derable degree,  which,  producing  various  morbid  disor- 
ders, requires  the  utmost  aid  of  the  medical  art.  As 
this  tendency  may  be  brought  on  by  excess  of  heat  and 
motion,  as  well  as  receiving  any  ferment  into  the  vas- 
cular system;  as,  when  once  fixed,  and  exerting  its  de- 
leterious action^  it  induces  great  languor  and  debility 
in  the  moving  powers ;  we  perceive  why  our  antiseptic 
class  of  medicines  exhibits  such  apparently  contradictory 
views ;  for  we  find  both  volatile  and  neutral  salts  in  the 
same  arrangement:  the  former  considered  as  highly 
heating,  and  strongly  stimulant  of  the  moving  powers  ; 
the  other,  cooling  the  system,  and  mitigating  vascular 
action.  Hence,  then,  it  is  apparent  that  they  are  only 
applicable  in  different  states  of  putrescent  action,  or  in 
different  constitutions  affected  with  putrescency.  It  is 
the  same  with  acids  and  alkalis ;  for  these  both  are 
enumerated  under  antiseptics.  They  have  been  pro- 
perly divided  into  five  heads :— 1st.  Such  as  are  cool- 
ing ;  acids,  and  neutral  salts.  2d.  Stimulant;  wine, 
alcohol,  oil  of  turpentine,  spices,  salt  of  amber,  alum, 
terra  Japonica.  3d.  Tonic;  Peruvian  bark,  worm- 
wood, camomile.  4th.  jintispasmodic ;  camphor,  asa- 
fcctida,  musk.  5th.  Dietetic,  commonly  styled  anti- 
scorbutic. These  furnish  examples  of  the  particular 
divisions ;  and,  from  their  nature,  we  shall  readily  know 
in  what  particular  states  each  is  applicable:  where 
there  is  peculiar  sensibility  in  the  stomach,  the  TONIC 
are  to  be  avoided ;  the  REFRIGERANT,  where  a  debility 
of  the  vital  powers  is  manifest;  the  STIMULANT,  when 
there  is  too  great  a  degree  of  irritability,  the  circulation 
too  highly  accelerated,  with  a  strong  disposition  to  pro- 
fuse bleeding;  the  SEDATIVE  ANTISPASMODICS,  when 
there  is  too  languid  a  circulation,  a  lethargic  disposi- 
tion, or  a  considerable  degree  of  torpor  in  the  system. 

See  Macbride's  Essay  on  the  respective  Powers  of 
Antiseptics,  Remarks  on  Mr.  Alexander's  Essays  on 
Putrid  Diseases.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica.  Wallis 
on  Health  and  Disease. 

ANTISPA'SIS,  (from  <*»T<,  against,  and  <rirtta,  t» 


AN  T 


143 


A  N  T 


draw}.  A  REVULSION".  The  turning  the  course  of  the 
humours  whilst  they  are  actually  in  motion.  The  doc- 
trine of  revulsion  is  the  invention  of  Hippocrates. 

ANTISPASMO'DICA-,  (from  ««-.-,  against,  and 
s~T»Fft»f,  a  convulsion).  This  class  of  medicines  must 
be  ranked  among  the  more  irregular  and  anomalous 
groups,  as  the  individuals  are  adapted  to  a  set  of  symp- 
toms arising  from  a  variety  of  causes,  and  not  to  a  par- 
ticular end  or  object.  The  causes  of  spasm  differ 
essentially,  and  the  remedies  must  equally  differ. 
Spasm  is  obviously  irregular  action ;  and,  from  what 
we  have  already  hinted,  irregular  action  is  commonly 
the  effect  of  weakness.  See  ANODYNES.  In  this  view 
untispasmodics  must  be  tonics  and  stimulants.  This, 
however,  though  an  obvious,  is  a  partial,  result  of  the 
premises.  When  action  is  irregular,  we  may  equally 
restore  the  equilibrium  by  stimulants  and  by  sedatives  ; 
more  often  by  the  powerful  effect  of  sedatives,  which, 
by  stopping  all  action,  enable  us  to  commence  it  more 
regularly.  Thus  in  ileus,  where  strong  spasm,  and  in 
consequence  inverted  motion,  take  place,  we  succeed 
better  by  stopping  all  muscular  exertion,  and  again 
commencing  the  stimulus  from  above  downwards,  than 
by  forcing  the  peristaltic  motion  in  an  opposite  direc- 
tion to  that  which  has  morbidly  taken  place.  If,  then, 
we  were  to  fix  on  any  general  determinate  action  of 
antispasmodics,  we  would  say  that  they  were  seda- 
tives. Experience,  however,  corrects  such  hasty  theo- 
retical conclusions;  and  we  shall  find  that  they  are 
sometimes  stimulant,  more  frequently  tonic,  but  most 
often  sedative.  Yet  there  is  a  class  highly  useful,  re- 
ferring to  neither,  the  fetids,  which  we  need  not  enlarge 
on  at  this  moment,  but  shall  treat  of  them  in  turn,  un- 
der the  appellation  of  anomalous. 

The  stimulant  antispasmodics  are  not  numerous. 
The  chief  are  electricity  and  Galvanism.  It  is  an  un- 
avoidable inconvenience  in  a  dictionary,  that  we  must 
anticipate  what  is  afterwards  to  be  fully  explained,  and 
the  only  remedy  is,  to  give  shortly  the  result  of  reason- 
ing which  is  at  a  future  period  to  be  more  carefully 
pursued.  We  shall  find  that  the  electrical  fluid,  and 
the  Galvanic,  (if  not  the  same  with  that  which  gives 
activity  to  the  nerves,  certainly  nearly  allied  to  it,) 
excite  the  powers  of  life  by  their  passage  through  the 
nerves.  These,  then,  are  stimulant  antispasmodics; 
for  they  correct  the  irregular  action  of  muscular  fibres 
with  considerable  success.  Volatile  alkali  acts,  in 
many  instances,  very  powerfully  as  an  antispasmo- 
dic.  J£ther  and  ardent  spirits  are  more  equivocal; 
yet,  as  their  action  is  immediate,  we  would  refer 
them  to  the  same  head.  Some  other  remedies  are 
equally  doubtful :  we  allude  to  quicksilver  and  iron. 
A  very  extensive  view  of  the  action  of  metals  inclines 
us  to  consider  the  whole  class  as  tonics ;  yet  mercury 
certainly  keeps  up  a  steady  increased  action  of  the  san- 
guiferous  system,  and  iron,  though  less  pointedly,  is 
of  a  similar  nature.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  explain 
all  the  powers  of  these  metals  on  this  principle  ;  and, 
therefore,  must  arrange  them  in  this  order  of  antispas- 
modics. 

The  tonic  antispasmodics  are  very  numerous.  Of 
this  kind  are  the  whole  metallic  tribe  with  the  excep- 
tions just  mentioned,  viz.  arsenic,  zinc,  copper,  and 
silver.  Bark,  of  course,  belongs  to  this  order  ;  and  the 
viscus  quercinus,  the  balsamum  Peruvianuin,  and  cold 


bathing,  will  not  be  refused  a  place  in  the  same  ar- 
rangement. The  sedatives  are  also  numerous  and 
powerful.  Bleeding  ranks  the  highest,  and  opium  fol- 
lows. No  other  remedies  can  claim  an  equal  credit ; 
but  warm  bathing,  fear,  and  other  depressing  passions, 
camphor,  the  flores  cardamines,  and,  perhaps,  hydro- 
genous gas,  have  no  inconsiderable  claims  to  our  atten- 
tion in  the  same  way.  Blisters,  as  explained  under  the 
article  of  ANODYNES,  are  sedative,  by  lessening  the  irri- 
tation of  the  sanguiferous  system. 

The  anomalous  antispasmodics  include  the  fetids. 
These,  from  their  effects,  we  suspect  to  be  sedatives. 
When  breathed,  the  want  of  elasticity  in  carbonic  acid 
and  hydrogenous  airs  gives  the  sensation  of  suffocation  ; 
and  many  of  these  show,  in  other  instances,  sedative 
effects,  particularly  the  asafcetida ;  the  sweet  oil  of  wine, 
the  most  active  part  of  Hoffman's  anodyne  and  TickelFs 
aether;  the  fetid  herbs  (including  the  rue,  savine,  atri- 
plex  olida,  and  aristolochia),  petroleum  ;  ambergrise ; 
the  fumes  of  burnt  feathers ;  musk,  and  civet. 

Since  we  have  considered  blisters  as  taking  off  inter- 
nal irritation,  we  might  also,  in  a  more  general  view, 
consider  bleeding  as  a  cause  of  derivation  from  a  part 
unusually  loaded,  and  perhaps  irritated.  Yet  we  chose 
to  consider  it  separately,  since  we  would  connect  this 
with  a  very  different  class  of  remedies,  viz.  those  which 
act  by  arresting  the  attention,  and,  of  course,  breaking 
the  habit.  Spasmodic  diseases  soon  become  habitual ; 
and  when  the  cause  is  removed,  the  paroxysms  recur 
from  habit  only.  Bleeding,  either  from  association  or 
the  terror  of  the  operation,  acts  in  this  way ;  and  Dr. 
Whytt  has  remarked,  that  a  person,  usually  relieved  by 
bleeding,  has  experienced  the  same  relief  on  punctur- 
ing the  vein.  Keeping  the  attention  alive  has  had  a 
similar  power ;  and  it  is  remarked,  that  during  a  siege 
a  town  has  been  peculiarly  free  from  nervous  com- 
plaints. Sudden  terror  has  been  equally  effectual ;  and 
we  thus  account  for  the  effects  of  numerous  supersti- 
tious remedies  formerly  recommended. 

In  another  view,  emollients  and  demulcents  are  anti- 
spasmodic  ;  for  when  the  more  sensible  mucous  mem- 
branes are  inflamed,  and  the  more  fluid  mucus  rapidly 
carried  off,  they  are  morbidly  irritable ;  and  from  the 
common  stimuli,  irregular  action  is  often  excited. 
Causes  of  this  kind  sometimes  produce  spasmodic 
colics,  and  what  are  styled  nervous  coughs. 

In  the  choice  of  these  we  employ  the  sedatives  and 
fetids  to  shorten  the  fit;  the  stimulants  and  tonics  to 
prevent  returns.  The  stimulants,  when  employed  in 
this  way,  are  exhibited  in  more  constant  and  less  active 
forms,  and  then,  probably,  approach  the  nature  of 
tonics. 

AXTISPA'STICOX,  (from  atrt,  against,  and  rr*.a, 
to  draty) .  A  general  epithet  for  any  medicine  that  acts 
by  way  of  revulsion. 

'ARTISTE  RNOX,  (from  «.TI,  o/iflosite  to,  and 
rtftti,  the  sternum,  or  breast).  The  back  is  so  called 
because  it  is  opposite  to  the  breast  bone.  See  DOR- 
SUM. 

AXTI'TASIS,  (from  a»n,  against,  mdre/i*,  to  ex- 
tend). A  coxrm-EXTENsioN  :  an  opposite  location  of 
parts,  as  of  the  liver  and  spleen. 

\NTITHEXAR,  (from  ««•/,  against,  and  .?£«»,  the 
ftalm -jf  the  hand).  See  ABDUCTOR  ^POLLICIS  >- 


ANT 


144 


ANU 


Dr.  Hunter  applies  this  name  to  a  muscle  of  the 
foot,  and  says  it  arises  from  the  os  cuneiforme,  and  is 
inserted  in  the  external  sesamoid  bone. 

ANTI'THORA.     See  ANTHORA. 

ANTITRA'GICUS,  ANTITRA'GUS,  (from  «VTI, 
against,  and  T/iseyo?,  the  thick  part  of  the  anthelix). 
See  AURICULA. 

ANTITY'PUS,  (from  *VTI,  and  TV*™,  percutio). 
See  RENISUS. 

ANTIVENE'REA,  (from  <*»»•/,  against,  and  vene- 
reus,  venereal}.  Medicines  against  the  lues  venerea. 

ANTIVENEREA'LIS,  ARUA  PRESERVATI'VA.  It  is 
a  solution  of  caustic  alkali,  or  corrosive  sublimate,  in 
water,  to  be  injected  up  the  urethra  in  men,  and  the 
vagina  in  women,  and  to  wash  the  parts  with  after  coi- 
tion ;  but  care  must  be  taken  that  the  solution  should 
not  be  too  strong  lest  it  should  occasion  excoriation  and 
inflammation.  It  will  be  sufficient  if  it  be  of  such  a 
strength  only  as  will  give  a  slight  sensation  of  pun- 
gency on  the  tongue,  or  inside  of  the  lips. 

It  has  been  suspected,  that  checking  the  discharge  of 
gonorrhoea  may  induce  hernia  humoralis,  or  syphilis. 
We  cannot  deny  that  these  have  been  sometimes  the 
consequence ;  yet  if  the  disease  be  taken  in  its  early- 
stages,  we  have  not  found  such  consequences.  We 
know  that  a  caustic  applied  very  early  to  a  chancre  will 
check  all  further  infection ;  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
the  discharge  of  mucus,  excited  by  the  preservative 
water,  may  not  be  equally  effectual. 

ANTIZEU'MIC,  (from  »in,  against,  and  &/*,••!,  fer- 
ment). Preventers  of  fermentation  in  general. 

ANTONIAN,  a  mineral  water  of  Germany,  con- 
taining carbonated  soda,  common  salt,  and  calcareous 
earth ;  the  latter  seemingly  dissolved  by  an  excess  of 
carbonic  acid  gas. 

ANTO'NII  SANC'TI  I'GNIS.  ST,  ANTHONY'S 
FIRE  ;  so  called,  because  St.  Anthony  was  supposed  to 
cure  it  miraculously ;  but  in  the  Roman  missal,  St. 
Anthony  is  employed  as  being  the  preserver  from  all 
sorts  of  fires.  See  ERYSIPELAS. 

ANTONOMA'STICA.     See  COCHLEA  C^ELATA. 

ANTOPHY'LLON,  or  ANTOPHY'LLUS,  (*m, 
opposite,  and  4>iMAo»,  a  leaf,)  so  called  because  its 
leaves  stand  opposite  one  another.  The  MALE  CARYO- 
PHYLLUS,  or  the  large  full-grown  ones.  See  CARYO- 

PHILLI  AROMATICI. 

A'NTRUM  BUCCINO'SUM.     See  COCHLEA. 

A'NTRUM  GEN.S,  ANTRUM  HIGHMORIA'NUM  MA'GNUM, 
called  also  sinus  maxillaris,  and  antrum  maxillae  supe- 
rioris.  MAXILLARY  SINUS.  Highmore  boasts  of  the 
discovery ;  but  Casserius  takes  notice  of  this  part  be- 
fore him,  under  the  first  name. 

A'NTRUM  PYLORI,  the  great  concavity  of  the  stomach 
approaching  the  pylorus. 

All  the  body  of  the  upper  jaw  bone  is  hollow,  and  its 
cavity  forms  this  antrum ;  each  hath  a  winding  passage 
into  the  nostril,  called  ductus  ad  nasum,  on  the  side  on 
which  it  lies ;  this  cavity  and  the  sockets  of  the  teeth 
are  often  divided  by  the  interposition  of  only  a  very 
thin  bony  plate.  The  membrane  which  lines  this  cavity 
is  sometimes  inflamed,  and  matter  forming  in  it  is  dis- 
charged by  drawing  one  of  the  denies  molares.  See 
ABSCESSUS  SINUS  MAXILLARIS. 

ANTY'LION.  The  name  of  an  astringent  used  by 
P.  .figineta;  so  called  from  Antyllus  the  inventor. 


A'NUCAR.     See  BORAX. 

ANUS,  called  also  archos,  culus,  hedra,  podex  cyr- 
seon,  cyssaros ;  and  in  Hippocrates,  cathedra ;  some 
name  it  perin.  It  is  the  lowest  part  of  the  intestinum 
rectum,  commonly  called  the  FUNDAMENT.  The  extre- 
mity of  the  rectum  contracts  into  a  narrow  orifice,  the 
sides  of  which  are  disposed  in  close  circular  folds.  This 
is  called  SPHINCTER  ANI,  which  see.  It  hath  several 
muscles  belonging  to  it,  some  of  which  surround  it  as 
sphincters  ;  the  rest  are  broad,  and  fleshy  planes  insert- 
ed in  it,  and  which,  being  inserted  likewise  into  othei 
parts,  sustain  it  in  its  natural  situation,  and  restore  it 
when  disturbed  by  the  force  necessary  for  excluding  the 
faeces  :  the  latter  muscles  are  termed  levatores  ani.  Two 
ligaments  belong  to  the  anus,  viz.  the  ligamentum  cu- 
taneum  ossis  coccygis,  and  the  ligamentum  pubis  in- 
terosseum.  See  LIGAMENTUM.  The  nerves  of  the  anus 
and  its  muscles  are  from  the  ganglions  of  the  plexus 
hypogastricus,  the  inferior  cord  of  both  the  sympathetic! 
maximi,  and  the  common  arch  of  the  extremities  of  both 
cords.  The  margin  or  edge  of  the  anus  is  a  continuation 
of  the  skin  and  epidermis,  with  the  internal  coat  of  the 
intestinum  rectum.  This  part  is  extremely  vascular ; 
and  a  troublesome  haemorrhage,  when  the  operation  is 
performed  for  the  fistula  in  this  part,  often  ensues. 

The  anus  is  subject  to  many  disorders,  and  they  are 
generally  somewhat  difficult  of  cure,  because  of  the  ir- 
ritability of  the  part,  which  subjects  it  to  receive  fresh 
injury  from  many  accidents.  Aetius  observes,  that  as- 
tringents which  are  acrid,  the  sensibility  of  the  amis 
cannot  bear ;  and  that  astringents  which  are  not  acrid, 
such  as  metals,  should  be  applied.  On  the  diseases  of 
this  part,  see  Aetius,  Celsus,  P.  jEgineta,  Turner,  Heis- 
ter,  and  Wiseman.  See  also  RECTUM.  Discharges  of 
wind  from  the  anus  are  called  crepitus. 

EXCRESCENCES  ABOUT  THE  ANUS. 

Various  excrescences  are  found  about  the  verge  of 
the  anus  ;  many  of  these,  produced  merely  by  relaxation 
and  safely  removcable,  are  unattended  with  pain,  or  any 
disagreeable  discharge,  and  are  single  or  distinct,  what- 
ever their  number  be.  In  removing  them,  the  ligature, 
to  avoid  a  troublesome  haemorrhage,  is  preferable. 

When  they  discharge  a  bloody  fluid  matter  and  are 
painful,  they  are  also  generally  in  clusters,  or  not  dis- 
tinct ;  and  for  the  most  part  disposed  to  be,  if  not  already 
become,  cancerous.  Mr.  Pott  observes,  that  in  can- 
cerous cases  of  this  kind  there  is  rarely  a  single  ex- 
crescence, but  the  gut  is  for  the  most  part  surrounded 
with  them ;  and  if  a  finger  is  passed  into  the  intestine, 
those  tumours  produce  the  idea  of  pushing  the  finger 
into  a  rotten  pomegranate.  Beyond  palliation,  no  re- 
lief can  be  afforded. 

The  ANUS  IMPERFORATED. 

Sometimes  children  are  born  with  a  membrane  across 
the  anus,  which  obstructs  the  discharge  of  the  excre- 
ments. If  the  situation  of  the  anus  cannot  be  disco- 
vered in  consequence  of  the  thickness  of  the.  super- 
fluous substance  which  closes  it  up,  a  cure  cannot  be 
expected  ;  for  much,  if  not  the  whole  rectum,  is  closed 
up  or  wanting.  If  the  case  admits  of  a  cure,  the  situa- 
tion of  the  anus  will  be  seen  by  a  prominence,  or  by  a 
little  hollow. 

This  accident  is  generally  spoken  of  as  if  always  cir- 


A  N  U 


145 


AP  A 


cumslanccd  alike.  Mr.  Pott  very  judiciously  divides  it 
into  four  classes.  1st.  Where  there  is  no  mark  or  ves- 
tige of  an  units  perceptible:  in  this  case  the  rectum  is  as 
it  ought  to  be  until  it  arrives  at  the  bulb  of  the  urethra  ; 
from  this  there  is  no  intestine,  and  no  anus  externally. 
If  the  rectum  reaches  too  near  the  part  v.-here  the  anus 
should  be,  the  impulse  of  the  faeces  against  the  skin  will 
discover  where  a  perforation  may  be  made  ;  but  if  no 
such  impulse  is  to  be  felt,  when  the  child  coughs  or 
cries,  relief  cannot  be  afforded.  Cd.  Where  there  is  a 
circle  or  mark  in  the  skin  which  points  out  where  the 
anus  should  be:  in  this  instance  the  difficulty  is  not 
considerable.  However,  it  may  be  proper  to  add,  that 
the  perforating  instrument  should  be  introduced  in  the 
direction  of  the  os  sacrum ;  if  it  passes  forward,  the 
bladder,  or  the  uterus,  or  both,  may  be  injured ;  if  it 
is  to  be  introduced  far  up,  to  divide  a  membranous  ob- 
struction in  the  rectum,  in  cutting  it  should  be  moved 
not  upward,  but  from  side  to  side ;  thus  you  avoid 
wounding  the  prostate  gland,  or  the  vesiculve  seminales, 
and  perhaps  the  neck  of  the  bladder.  3d.  Where  there 
is  a  well  formed  anus,  and  perforated,  but  no  commu- 
nication with  the  intestinal  tube,  from  the  rectum  being 
imperforated,  if  the  child  is  not  duly  attended  to,  it 
dies  in  great  agonies.  If  an  infant  hath  had  no  stools 
during  the  first  or  second  day  after  its  birth,  a  finger 
should  be  dipped  in  oil,  and  thrust  up  the  rectum,  to 
discover  whether  any  obstruction  is  there.  4th.  Where 
there  is  neither  an  us  nor  rectum,  but  the  intestinal  canal 
terminates  in  the  colon,  no  relief  is  to  be  expected. 
Another  equally  unfortunate  kind  is  when  a  sort  of  rec- 
tum is  rolled  up  like  a  bit  of  catgut.  Here  all  attempts 
to  assist  are  vain ;  for  though  a  discharge  should  be  ob- 
tained, as  the  intestine  is  deficient,  evacuations  could 
not  be  continued. 

The  means  of  relief,  in  the  first  three  of  the  above 
classes,  are  the  same.  In  either  of  them  the  opera- 
tion should  be  performed  without  delay  or  regard  to 
any  objections;  for,  otherwise,  death  will  inevitably 
follow.  The  best  instrument  is  a  large  trocar,  such  as 
is  employed  for  tapping  in  the  ascites.  The  point  of 
the  trocar  must  be  kept  within  the  canula  until  it  is 
fixed  against  the  obstructing  part;  then  pushed  forward ; 
and,  if  you  succeed,  the  meconium  will  instantly  be 
discharged:  this  discharge  may  be  left  to  itself  for 
three  or  four  hours,  or  until  the  belly  is  well  emptied. 
Afterwards  pass  a  finger  up  the  rectum,  to  discover 
whether  there  is  any  stricture.  If  a  stricture  is  met 
with,  introduce  a  probe  pointed  knife  on  the  back- of 
your  finger,  and  divide  it  on  each  side.  To  finish  the 
cure,  let  a  small  candle  be  introduced  up  the  gut  every 
two  or  three  hours,  or  kept  there  until  the  anus  is  quite 
pervious,  and  no  more  aid  appears  to  be  required.  In  two 
or  three  weeks  the  stools  will  pass  properly,  and  all  in- 
convenience will  generally  be  ended.  See  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  ii.  p.  275.  Edinb.  Med.  Comment,  vol.  iv.  p. 
164.  White's  Surgery,  p.  379. 

A'xus  ARTIFICIAL.  This  artificial  aperture  is  ge- 
nerally at  the  ring  of  the  abdominal  muscles,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  hernia.  It  has  occasioned  many  discus- 
sions in  the  works  of  the  later  German  surgeons,  par- 
ticularly Richter  and  Loeffer ;  but  the  management  can- 
not be  easily  described.  Its  formation  must,  when  an 
union  of  the  two  ends  of  the  divided  intestine  cannot 
be  effected,  be  left  to  nature;  and  the  little  conveniences 

VOL.    I. 


to  be  added,  must  depend  on  contrivance,  rather  than 
medical  skill. 

A'.vu~s,  a  contraction  of  annulus,  a  ring. 

A'xus.     See  CEREBRUM. 

A'xi  ABSCE'SSUS.     See  ABSCESSUS. 

AM  IXFLAMMA'TIO.     See  PROCTALGIA. 

AXTITYPUS,  (from  am,  against,  and  TV**,  duc- 
tile ).  A  hard  substance  which  resists  pressure;  as  a 
node.  See  RENISUS. 

AXXIE'TAS,  (fromango,  to  torment}.  See  ALYS- 
MOS. 

ANYPEU'THYXA,  (from  *,  neg.  and  *tvti»<;, 
hurtful).  In  medicine  this  signifies  events  that  cannot 
be  charged  on  the  physician,  who  is  not,  of  course,  ac- 
countable for  them. 

AO'RTA,  (<*>!?,  air,  and  refta,  to  hold).  The 
term  aorta  was  used  by  the  ancients,  who  supposed 
that  only  air  was  contained  in  it.  The  name  of  the 
great  artery  proceeding  from  the  left  ventricle  of  the 
heart,  of  which  all  other  arteries,  except  the  pulmo- 
nary, are  the*  branches :  called  also  crassa  arteria; 
magna  arteria.  From  the  heart  it  extends  itself,  by 
various  branches,  to  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  body. 
Each  of  the.  divisions  and  subdivisions  of  the  aorta  re- 
ceives a  different  name,  e.  gr.  the  aorta  gives  rise  to  the 
carotid  and  the  subclavian  arteries,  the  branches  of  these 
again  receive  other  names.  These  branches  are  i:i 
pairs,  except  the  coeliaca,  the  two  mesentericae,  some 
of  the  oesophageae,  the  bronchialis,  and  sometimes  the 
sacrae. 

The  beginning  of  the  aorta  is  furnished  with  semi- 
lunar  valves,  as  the  pulmonary  artery ;  and  the  same 
triangular  bodies  close  up  the  little  space  left  by  the 
valves.  It  is  larger  in  women  than  in  men.  It  is  called 
the  ascending  aorta  from  the  heart,  so  far  as  it  goes 
upwards ;  and  descending,  from  its  curvature  down- 
wards, to  the  os  sacrum,  where  it  terminates  in  the 
iliacs.  The  descending  aorta  is  divided  into  the  supe- 
rior, which  reaches  from  the  curvature  to  the  diaphragm ; 
and  the  inferior,  which  extends  thence  to  the  bifurca- 
tion, where  the  iliacs  begin. 

The  aorta  goes  from  the  basis  of  the  heart,  nearly 
opposite  to  the  fourth  vertebra  of  the  back,  and  ascends 
obliquely,  with  respect  to  die  body,  from  the  left  to  the 
right  side,  and  from  before  backwards;  then  bends  ob- 
liquely from  the  right  to  the  left  side,  and  from  before 
backwards,  reaching  as  high  as  the  second  vertebra  of 
the  back,  from  whence  it  runs  down  again  in  the  same 
direction,  forming  an  oblique  arch.  From  this  it  de- 
scends in  a  direct  course  along  the  anterior  part  of  the 
vertebrae,  all  the  way  to  the  os  sacrum,  lying  a  little 
towards  the  left  hand,  and  there  terminates  in  its  two 
subordinate  branches  in  the  iliacae. 

The  aorta  ascendent  is  principally  distributed  to  the 
thorax,  head,  and  upper  extremities:  the  superior  por- 
tion of  the  aorta  descendens  furnishes  the  rest  of  the 
thorax:  the  inferior  portion  furnishes  the  abdomen  and 
the  lower  extremities. 

The  aorta  is  subject  to  many  disorders,  as  inflamma- 
tion, ulcers,  polypuses,  aneurisms,  ossification,  Sec. 

APA'GMA,  (from  <«ro,  and  "•'/",  to  draw  from). 
See  ABDUCTIO. 

APALACHI'NE  GALLIS,  (from' *******>,  to  re- 
pel, because  it  is  supposed  to  repel  infection).  S_ee 
CASSINE. 

U 


APE 


146 


APE 


APA'LLAGE,  (from  a.va.M^y.trra,  to  change).  Hip- 
pocrates means  by  it  such  a  change  as  implies  deliver- 
ance from  a  disease. 

APANCHO'MENOI,  (from  a.™,  and  ay.*;*,  to 
strangle).  STRANGLED,  or  SUFFOCATED. 

APANTHI'SMUS,  (from  ax-«*6*>,  to  grata  thin) .  A 
scarcely  perceptible  line  in  painting,  to  which  Galen 
resembles  the  small  capillary  veins. 

APANTHRO'PIA,  (of  «™,  from,  and  a.fyajr©-,  a 
man).  An  aversion  to  company,  or  love  of  solitude  ; 
generally  a  symptom  of  melancholy. 

APARACHY'TUM  VINUM,  (from  *,  neg.  and 
•ntpatxa,  to  pour  ufion).  Wine  not  mixed  with  sea 
water. 

APAREGORE'TOS,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  v*fv^»fiu, 
to  comfort,  mitigate).  What  affords  no  comfort  or  re- 
lief. 

APARI'NE,  (from  /<vu,  a  file;  because  its  bark  is 
rough,  and  rasps  like  a  file).  Called  also  fihilanthrojius, 
amjirlocarjms,  omjihalocarftus,  ixus,  as/iarine,  asfierula, 
GOOSE-GRASS,  and  CLEAVER'S  BEES.  CLEAVERS,  GOOSE- 
SIIAHE.  HAYRIFF.  It  is  the  galium  a/iarinc  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  157. 

This  plant  has  been  tried  in  scrofula,  but  without 
success ;  and  in  some  cancerous  cases,  the  juice  given 
internally,  and  the  herb  applied  in  a  cataplasm  externally, 
has  been  supposed  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  the  pain. 
An  extract  made  of  its  juice  is  possessed  of  a  pungent 
saline  bitterness.  The  fresh  juice,  in  doses  of  two  or 
ihrce  ounces,  is  slightly  diuretic.  It  is  best  if  gathered 
when  half  grown.  The  whole  plant  is  however  inert, 
«nd  scarcely  ever  employed. 

APARI'NE  LATIFOLIA.     See  ASPERULA. 

APARTHRO'SIS,(from*7r«,  ab,  and«/)fyo»,  a  joint). 
Sec  AHTICUI.ATIO. 

A'PATHES,  (from  «,  neg.  and  wa,^,  an  affection,or 
/tassion).  Those  who  seem  to  be  void  of  human  pas- 
sions, instanced  in  Diogenes  the  Cynic,  and  Timon. 

APATHI'A,  (from  «,  neg.  and  Tcar^u,  to  suffer). 
APATHY  expresses  the  quality  of  not  feeling,  a  freedom 
from  the  impulses  of  passion  and  mental  perturbation. 

APECHE'M  A,  (from  »«•»,  and  >)£«?,  a  sound,  afiocho- 
jihema).  Properly  a  repercussion  of  sound  ;  but  in  me- 
dical sense  it  signifies  a  COXTRA-FISSURE,  or  FRAC- 
TURE. 

APEIROI',  (from  a,  neg.  andzr£//>«,  an  experiment). 
UNEXPERIENCED,  UNACCUSTOMED. 

APE'LLA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  fiellis,  skin).  Short- 
ness of  the  prepuce.  Galen  gives  this  name  to  all  whose 
prepuce,  either  through  disease,  section,  or  otherwise, 
will  not  cover  the  glands. 

A'PEN,  (Indian).  A  sort  of  bread  made  with  the 
juice  of  the  ambalam  tree  and  rice  in  India. 

APE'NSALUS.  A  vessel  with  a  narrow  neck  to 
hold  oil. 

APE'PSIA,  (from  a,  neg.  and  srtirla,  to  digest;  also 
flyxjiejiisia).  INDIGESTION.  That  genus  of  disease 
which  Dr.  Cullen  names  dijs/ie/isia,  he  arranges  in  the 
class  neuroses, and  order  adynami£.  The  symptoms  are, 
a  want  of  appetite,  a  sickness,  sometimes  vomiting, 
sudden  and  transient  distentions  of  the  stomach,  eructa- 
tions, heartburn,  pain  in  the  region  of  the  stomach. 
These  symptoms,  or  the  greater  number  of  them,  are 
attended  most  commonly  with  costiveness,  without  any 
other  disorder  either  in  the  stomach  itself,  or  any  other 


part  of  the  body.  In  this  case,  when  what  ought  to  be 
digested  and  form  materials  for  good  chyle  becomes 
acid,  or  putrid,  a  variety  of  other  symptoms  occurs, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  materials  thus  morbidly 
changed.  But  indigestion  is  very  frequently  a  second- 
ary and  sympathetic  affection,  though  the  just  mention- 
ed symptoms  are  essential  to  this  disease,  as  idiopathic. 
All  these  may  arise  from  one  cause,  viz.  weakness,  or 
loss  of  tone  in  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  stomach:  and 
this  weakness  is  the  proximate  cause  of  the  disorder, 
when  an  original  one.  The  remote  causes  are  various, 
as  tumour,  in  the  stomach  itself;  or  some  disorder 
of  other  parts  communicated  to  the  stomach,  as  in 
the  gout;  in  these  cases  the  indigestion  is  sympto- 
matic. 

In  most  instances  of  indigestion,  as  an  original  dis- 
ease, the  weaker  action  of  the  muscular  fibres  of  the 
stomach  is  the  chief  cause ;  a  depravity  or  defect 
of  the  gastric  juice  has  been  supposed  to  occasion 
it;  but  even  here,  perhaps,  weakness  is  the  only  cause 
to  which  we  can  attend  usefully  in  practice.  To  succeed 
in  the  cure,  we  must  avoid  the  occasional  causes,  re- 
move such  symptoms  as  tend  to  aggravate  or  to  continue 
the  disease,  and  invigorate  the  tone  of  the  stomach. 
For  this  purpose  the  patient  must  be  informed  of  the  ne- 
cessary changes  in  his  conduct;  for  though  he  has  often 
pursued  such  a  practice  without  sensibly  suffering,  ex- 
cept he  conforms  to  a  contrary  one,  the  present  com- 
plaints will  not  be  removed.  Crudities,  acidity,  and 
costiveness,  must  be  obviated  at  least  in  their  excess, 
as  they  tend  both  to  aggravate  and  continue  indigestion. 
When  these  ends  are  accomplished,  the  restoration  of 
the  tone  of  the  stomach  alone  remains  for  perfecting 
relief. 

Abstemiousness  and  excess,  but  chiefly  the  latter,  are 
causes  of  indigestion.  An  over-distention  of  the  sto- 
mach may  in  some  measure  injure  its  proper  tone ;  and 
frequent  long  fasting,  render  it  feeble.  Hard  drinking, 
and  any  of  the  causes  of  an  anorexy,  also  injure  diges- 
tion. Fasting,  however,  must  be  long  continued,  and 
frequently  repeated,  to  have  any  bad  effect.  When  it 
produces  dyspepsia,  improper  food  has  been  occasion- 
ally taken. 

Anxiety  and  uneasiness  of  mind  are  often  remote 
causes  of  dyspepsia,  and  when  these  are  removed,  the 
effects  often  continue.  Intense  study,  not  properly  al- 
ternated with  cheerful  conversation  or  exercise,  has  the 
same  effect ;  but  no  remote  cause  is  more  frequent  or 
powerful  than  late  hours,  and  indulgence  in  spirituous 
liquors.  In  these  cases  the  management  of  diet  is  of 
considerable  importance;  and  they  form  one  of  the  very 
few  exceptions  to  the  general  rule  of  suffering  the  sto- 
mach to  be  occasionally  empty.  When  it  is  so  in  dys- 
pepsia, all  the  symptoms  are  aggravated  ;  and  persons 
labouring  under  this  complaint  should  frequently 
swallow  some  food.  A  bit  of  ship  biscuit,  as  bre;.cl  not 
subject  to  fermentation,  is  one  of  the  best  substances  to 
be  frequently  taken,  and  a  little  beef  tea  may  be  also 
occasionally  added.  The  food  should  in  general  be  of 
the  light  animal  kind,  and  the  more  flatulent  vegetables 
and  fruits  avoided.  The  drink  should  be  porter,  or 
strong,  not  sweet,  cyder ;  and  the  wine,  Madeira  or 
sherry.  If  these  cannot  be  obtained,  a  slight  addition 
of  good  brandy  to  cold  water,  without  sugar,  may  be 
allowed.  Tea  should  be  at  once  abandoned ;  and  an 


APE 


147 


A  P  11 


infusion  of  our  own  warmer  herbs,  as  pennyroyal,  pep- 
permint, or  rosemary,  substituted. 

In  SOIUL-  \vc<ik  stomachs  a  singular  aggravation  of  the 
symptoms  comes  on,  in  about  an  hour  or  two  after  a 
tolerably  full  meal,  attended  with  a  sense  of  sinking  or 
•weakness.  This  seems  to  be  owing  to  a  digestion  un- 
usually rapid,  and  consequently  imperfect.  In  such 
cases,  aliment  of  more  difficult  digestion,  as  eggs  boiled 
hard,  or  the  addition  of  condiments  which  retard  di- 
gestion, may  be  allowed  ;  but,  in  general,  a  bit  of  bis- 
cuit and  a  glass  of  wine  will  remove  the  sense  of  weak- 
ness, which  is  owing  to  the  sudden  emptying  of  the 
stomach  before  too  much  distended. 

Little  need  be  added  in  order  to  the  cure ;  for  the 
treatment  is  the  same  as  is  required  in  ANOREXIA, 
q.  v. 

The  COLUMBO  ROOT,  not  mentioned  in  the  article 
ANOREXIA,  is  particularly  useful  when  the  stomach  is 
languid,  the  appetite  defective,  digestion  with  difficulty 
carried  on,  or  when  a  nausea  with  flatulence  attends.  It 
may  be  given  in  substance  with  any  grateful  aromatic, 
or  infused  in  Madeira  wine,  now  and  then  interposing 
gentle  doses  of  the  tincture  of  rhubarb. 

A  mixture  of  mustard  seed  with  the  columbo  root  is 
of  considerable  utility  in  complaints  of  this  kind ;  par- 
ticularly where  acidity  and  flatulence  prevail  much  in 
the  primae  vise ;  and  the  aqua  kali  purje  always  assists 
its  action  :  a  warm  plaster,  with  the  addition  of  some 
opium,  worn  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  is  occasionally 
of  great  service. 

The  Bath  waters,  assisted  with  warm  nervous  medi- 
cines and  corroborants,  are  not  to  be  omitted  when  cir- 
cumstances admit  of  their  use. 

See  PercivaPs  Essays  in  the  Reflections  on  Exper.  4, 
5,  and  6.  Cullcn's  First  Lines,  v.  iii.  p.  217.  edit.  iv. 

APE'PTOX,  (a,  priv.  and  xmla,  t'j  digest],    CRUDE 

Or  IXDIGESTED. 

A'PER.  The  WILD  BOAR.  See  PORCUS,  and  ALI- 
MENT. 

APE'RIEXS  PALPEBRA  RUM  RECTUS.  See 
LEVATOR  PALPEBR^E  SUPEIUORIS. 

APERIE'XTIA,  APERIENTS,  (from  ajierio,  to  often). 
These  are  medicines  supposed  to  have  the  power  of 
opening  the  mouths  of  vessels,  and  clearing  vascular  or 
glandular  obstructions.  In  this  sense  they  are  synony- 
mous with  the  anastomatica,  deobstrueiites,  and  deo/i- 
fiilativa.  But  those  medicines  which  render  the  bowels 
gently  laxative  are  now  generally  called  aperients;  the 
removal  of  other  obstructions  is  more  confined  to  the 
term  dezbstruents.  . 

In  the  writings  of  the  ancient  physicians,  particularly 
:he  practitioners  of  the  Boerhaavian  school,  aperients 
were  considered  as  medicines  of  peculiar  importance, 
and  many  vegetable  substances  of  little  real  powers 
were  arranged  under  this  head,  and  supposed  to  act  in 
consequence  of  a  saponaceous  principle.  These  are  now 
disregarded  ;  yet  modern  practice  still  adheres  to  some 
of  these  in  jaundice  and  hepatic  obstructions,  though 
they  seem  to  have  little  effect,  except  as  gentle  laxatives. 

APERI'STATOX,  (from  *,  neg.  and  irifis-ttrif,  afflic- 
tion and  danger").  An  epithet  in  Galen  for  an  ulcer  that 
is  neither  troublesome  nor  dangerous. 

APERI'TTOS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  -srifiTle^  redun- 
dant^). Such  aliment  as  generates  but  little  excrement. 
The  opposite  quality  is  called  fierittomaticos. 


APE'RTUS.  vfrom  a/terio,  to  ojicn].  It  is  used  for 
exulceratus,  as  in  saying  an  open  cancer,  Sec.  in  which 
cases  the  tumour  is  ulcerated. 

A'PES,  (perhaps  from  a/iio,  necto,  to  join  together ; 
because,  connected  together  by  the  feet,  they  hang 
down  from  the  entrance  of  the  hive).  BEES  ;  called 
by  the  ancients  BUGOXES,  q.  v. 

If  they  are  dried  and  powdered,  they  are  somewhat 
diuretic ;  but  their  chief  use  is  for  the  preparing  of 
honey  and  wax. 

APEUTHY'SMEXOS,  (from  «r«,  and  tstvf,  strait], 
See  RECTUM  INTESTINUM. 

APH^E'REMA.     See  ALICA. 

APHjE'RESIS,  (from  *£>«</*«,  to  take  away].  To 
take  away  any  superfluous  part,  medicinally  or  chirur- 
gically. 

APHASSIO'MEXOS,  (from  *p*«-s-f«»,  to  handle]. 
To  reduce  any  thing  to  a  pulp  or  powder  by  rubbing  it 
between  the  fingers.  Hippocrates  often  applies  this 
word  to  the  touch  of  the  pudenda,  in  order  to  discover 
disorders  of  these  parts.  It  is  the  same  as  TACTUS. 

APHE'BRIOC.     SULPHUR. 

APHELICE'STEROS,  (of  «»•<.,  from,  and  r.>.,xtv. 
youth].  One  past  the  flower  of  age. 

APHEPSE'MA,  (from  «*•»,  and  i-^a,  to  boil].   .Sec 

CoCTIO. 

APHE'SIS,  (from  <tQir,iu,  to  remit].  Hippocrates 
generally  signifies  the  remission  or  solution  of  a  disease- 
by  this  word. 

APHILAXTHRO'PIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  <t>;>.«..- 
Opairttt,  the  love  of  mankind].  The  first  degree  of  me- 
lancholy, when  a  person  hates  society,  and  delights  in 
solitude. 

APHLEGMA'XTOX,  (from  *,  neg.  and  <p*tyrvt, 
Jihlegm].  VOID  OF  PHLEGM. 

APHO'N^E.     See  PEMPHIGODES. 

APHO'NI,  (from  «,  priv.  and  p««ij,  voice).  Those 
who  labour  under  a  coma.  Hippocrates. 

APHO 'XI A,  (from  the  same).  See  CATALEPSIS.  It 
is  also  a  name  for  the  palsy  of  the  tongue;  one  of  the 
species  of  partial  palsy.  See  PARALYSIS  ;  called  by 
some  anaudia,  see  AXAUDOS,  though  Galen  distin- 
guishes them.  • 

Dr.  Cullen  speaks  of  this  loss  of  voice  as  a  suppression 
of  the  full  sound,  which  happens  without  coma  or  syn- 
cope. He  ranks  this  genus  of  diseases  in  the  class  locales, 
and  order  dyscinesi/e,  and  observes  three  species,  viz. 

1.  APHO'NIA    GUTTURALIS  ;     when   the    glottis    and 
fauces  are  swelled. 

2.  APHO'NIA  TRACHEALIS,  when  the  trachea  is  com- 
pressed. 

3.  APHO'NIA  ATONICA,  when  the  nerves  of  the  larynx 
are  wounded.      He  also,  in  many  cases,  considers  it  as 
symptomatic. 

If  one  of  the  recurrent  nerves,  formed  by  the  par 
vagum  with  the  nervus  accessorius,  extending  to  the 
larynx,  is  cut,  the  person  is  capable  of  only  an  imper- 
fect pronunciation  ;  but  if  both  are  cut,  the  speech  and 
voice  are  lost.  The  loss  of  speech  happening  in  hyste- 
ric patients  is  also  called  aphonia;  but  more  properly 
that  loss  of  speech  is  thus  named  which  depends  on 
some  fault  of  the  tongue. 

As  the  motion  of  any  part  is  destroyed,  or  lessened  at 
least,  by  the  interception  of  nervous  influence,  and  as 
the  nerves  destined  for  the  motion  of  the  tongue  arise 
U2 


APH 


148 


APH 


principally  from  the  fifth  pair,  it  appears  that  the  seat 
of  this  disorder  is  in  these  nerves,  and  that  the  imme- 
diate cause  is  a  diminution  or  total  loss  of  nervous 
energy.  Hence,  a  palsy  of  the  tongue,  which  is  either 
antecedent  or  subsequent  to  hemiplectic  or  apoplectic 
disorders,  demands  our  utmost  attention. 
«  If  an  afihonia  appears  alone,  it  generally  shows  an 
approaching  hemrplegia  or  apoplexy  ;  but  if  it  succeeds 
these  disorders,  and  is  complicated  with  a  weak  memory, 
and  a  sluggishness  of  the  mental  powers,  it  threatens 
their  return.  That  aphony  usually  terminates  most 
successfully,  which  proceeds  from  a  stagnation  of  se- 
rous humours  compressing  the -branches  of  the  nerves 
v.  iiich  run  to  the  tongue  ;  but  it  is  equally  distressing 
and  obstinate. 

Other  causes  of  this  disorder  arc,  repelled  eruptions 
on  the  skin,  obstructed  periodical  evacuations  in  ple- 
i  boric  habits,  spasmodic  affections,  worms,  fear,  too 
free  a  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  whatever  destroys  the 
ligaments  from  the  aret^enoid  to  the  thyroid  cartilages. 

The  prognostics  vary  according  to  the  causes.  That 
species  which  is  owing  immediately  to  spasms  soon 
gives  way  in  the  removal  of  them.  If  a  palsy  of  the 
tong,ue  is  the  cause,  it  is  very  apt  to  return,  if  relieved  ; 
but  often  continues  incurable. 

In  directing  the  cure,  we  must  endeavour  first  to  re- 
move whatever  impedes  the  nervous  influence  on  the 
tongue ;  and  secondly,  to  strengthen  the  weak  parts. 
The  particular  causes  must  be  next  considered. 

If  worms  are  the  cause,  antispasmodics  give  temporary 
relief;  but  the  cure  depends  on  the  destruction  of  these 
vermin.  However,  they  seldom  occasion  the  disease. 

In  congestions  of  blood  about  the  head,  bleeding, 
general  and  topical,  with  blisters  constantly  kept  open, 
and  active  laxatives,  are  the  best  remedies. 

That  species  of  aphony  which  remains  after  the 
shock  of  an  hemiplcgia  or  apoplexy,  particularly  re- 
quires blisters  to  be  applied  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  or 
under  the  fauces  :  other  means  are  rarely  effectual. 

If  spasmodic  constrictions  about  the  fauces  and  tongue 
are  the  cause,  applications  of  opium  are  of  the  greatest 
service  :  anodyne  antispasmodics  may  be  laid  under  the 
tongue,  and  the  feet  bathed  in  warm  water ;  carmina- 
tive clysters  also  are  useful;  and  3  ij.  of  asafoetida  may  be 
dissolved  in  four  ounces  of  warm  water  for  this  purpose. 

When  a  palsy  of  the  tongue  produces  this  complaint, 
evacuations,  according  to  the  patient's  habit,  must  be 
made,  and  warm  nervous  medicines  externally  applied, 
and  internally  administered;  blisters  also  should  be 
placed  on  the  nape  of  the  neck  ;  and  the  patient  should 
be  constantly  chewing  bits  of  ginger,  or  biting  corns  of 
black  pepper.  Warm  tonics  are  also  highly  proper. 

In  case  of  repelled  cuticular  eruptions,  sudorifics 
should  be  given,  and  the  patient's  drink  should  be  warm. 
The  liquor  c.  c.  succinatus,  or  the  vin.  antimonii  may 
be  mixed  with  tinctura  benzoes  composita,  or  with  the 
balsamum  Peruv.  and  given,  at  proper  distances,  iiv  the 
patient's  drink,  or  on  a  lump  of  sugar.  In  general,  how- 
ever, the  eruptions  will  not  be  brought  back  by  these 
means,  and  the  disease  must  be  treated  as  nervous. 

Sometimes  the  serum  flows  so  rapidly  to  the  fauces 
and  adjacent  parts,  in  a  salivation,  as  to  deprive  the  pa- 
tient of  all  power  to  speak ;  in  this  case,  diaphoretics 
.H nd  laxatives,  with  a  forbearance  of  all  mercurials,  are 
the  speediest  remedies. 


APHO'RISMUS,  (from  otptpi^a,  to  separate,  or  «'/*• 
tmguith}.  A  short  sentence,  briefly  expressing  the 
properties  of  a  thing ;  or  which  serves  as  a  maxim,  or 
principle,  especially  in  philosophy  and  physic. 

APHO'RME,  (of  ociro,  from,  and  °pni,  a  motive'). 
Hippocrates  expresses  by  this  word  whatever  occasions 
a  disease.  It  is  used  metaphorically,  for  the  word  re- 
lates to  human  actions,  and  their  motives. 

APHRjE'NUS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  <ppeifu,  to  be  wise"). 
One  who  has  lost  the  use  of  his  reason. 

APHRO'DES,  (from  «,<pp&;  froth}.  SPUMOUS,  or 
FROTHY.  Hippocrates  applies  this  word  to  the  blood 
and  excrements. 

APHRODI'SIA,  APHRODISIA'SMUS,  (from 
Aff»$Ti,  Venus}.  VENEREAL  COMMERCE.  Some  ex- 
press by  this  word  the  age  of  puberty,  or  the  venereal 
age. 

APHRODISIA'STICON  CLI'DION,  (from  «(Z>^;, 
froth}.  A  TROCHE  ;  so  called  by  Galen,  because  it  was 
given  in  dysenteries  where  the  stools  where  frothy  ;  it 
was  used  against  spitting  of  blood  and  dysenteries  :  P. 
jEgineta  describes  it  as  made  of  balaustines,  rhubarb, 
opium,  and  other  astringents. 

APHRODI'SIUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  A^«&T?,  Ve- 
nus}. See  LUES  VENEREA. 

APHRODI'TARIUM.  A  dry  powder  which  con- 
sisted of  frankincense,  scales  of  copper  or  brass,  pome- 
granate, white  lead,  and  starch,  equal  parts,  according 
to  Paulus  of  ^Egina.  Galen  to  a  certain  collyrium  gave 
this  name.  Some  suppose  it  a  powder  used  for  hollow 
or  venereal  ulcers  ;  or  to  excite  lust. 

APHRO'GALA,  (from  afpoi,  froth,  and  y«A«,  milk}. 
It  is  also  called  capilacteum,  lac  spumosum;  iactisjlos. 
It  seems  to  be  milk  so  agitated,  that  the  whole  is  con- 
verted into  froth.  This  was  a  remedy  recommended 
by  Galen  against  habitual  heat  of  the  stomach.  It  has 
been  considered  as  similar  to  our  cream,  and  by  others 
as  a  SYLLABUB. 

APHROLI'TRUM.     See  APHROXITRUM. 

A'PHRON,(«,  priv.  and  <ppr,v,  mi?id).  From  its  in- 
toxicating and  narcotic  quality.  A  wild  POPPY.  Also 
the  name  of  a  cephalic  plaster  described  by  Aetius  in 
his  Tetrabib.  4.  serin,  iii.  cap.  13. 

APHRONI'TRUM,  (from  af>pos,  spume,  and  nrp»i, 
nitre,  also  aphrolitrum}.  SPUME  of  NITRE  ;  salts  formed 
of  the  vitriolic  acid  and  calcareous  earth.  It  is  a  name 
also  of  the  NATRON.  See  ANATRON. 

APHRO'SYNE,  (from  «<pgtut,  silly,)  FOLLY,  or  DOT- 
AGE. See  AMENTIA. 

A'PHTH^E,  (from  «,ic\u,  to  inflame}.  Called  also,  by 
Celsus,  ulcera  ser/ientia  oris,  SPREADING  ULCERS  IN  THE 
MOUTH  ;  and  in  England  pustula  oris,  TJIE  THRUSH  ; 
name'd  likewise  alcola,  lactucimina;  ve*icul<e  gi>ig-iva- 
rum;  acacos. 

Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
pyrexia,  and  order  exanthemata.  Gen.  35. 

This  disorder  appeal's  in  white  specks  upon  the  tongue, 
and  the  back  part  of  the  palate  in  children ;  these  specks 
gradually  spread  all  over  the  inside  of  the  mouth,  and 
from  thence  through  the  stomach  and  intestines ;  the 
size  of  these  specks  increases  as  the  violence  of  other 
symptoms  is  augmented ;  and  they  are  then  more  yel- 
low, or  of  other  more  unfavourable  colours. 

Dr.  Hunter  thinks  these  white  specks  inflamma- 
tory exudations,  and  not  ulcers;  which  seems  to  be 


APH 


149 


API 


.  imied  by  their  successively  falling  off,  and  being 
as  often  succeeded  by  thicker  ones.  Sometimes  no 
ether  symptoms  attend,  but  more  frequently  they  are 
accompanied  with  sour  belchings,  gripes,  diarrhoeas, 
fever,  or  soreness  of  the  mouth. 

Infants  are  the  most  frequent  subjects  of  this  disorder, 
and  those  fed  by  the  hand  are  more  often  affected  than 
those  that  have  the  breast.  In  adults,  they  are  often 
accompanied  with  miliary  eruptions. 

Celsus  observes  that  aphthae  are  most  dangerous  in  in- 
fants; and  Boerhaave,  that  in  adults  they  are  frequent 
in  acute  diseases,  and  are  then  attended  with  inflam- 
mation of  some  of  the  viscera.  The  more  they  spread, 
the  danger  is  the  greater. 

In  adults,  the  aphthae  in  the  mouth  are  distinguished 
from  the  ulcerations  in  the  angina  maligna,  by  the 
whiteness  of  the  sloughs,  by  the  edges  not  being  red 
and  inflamed,  and. by  there  not  being  a  shining  redness 
or  rather  pink  colour  over  the  fauces,  with  other  symp- 
toms that  usually  attend  this  species  of  angina. 

If  the  cure  is  not  soon  effected  in  children,  the  con- 
tents of  the  bowels  become  more  acrid,  and  produce 
vomitings,  sour  and  curdled  stools,  gripings,  convul- 
sions, and  often  death,  from  the  extension  of  the  erup- 
tions, and  mortification  their  frequent  attendant. 

The  stomach  and  bowels  must  be  first  cleared  with  as 
much  of  the  following  mixture  as  will  operate  both  up- 
ward and  downward. 

R.  Mannse  3"  ss.  aq.  purse  3  ij.  f.  solutio  colaturae 
adde  vin.  antim.  tartaris.  gutt.  xx.  m.  detur.  co'chl.  me- 
diocr.  pro  re  nata. 

The  best  topical  applications  are  as  follow  : 

R.  Boracis  opt.  subtilis.  pulv.  5  i-  niel  Britan.  3  i.  m. 
f.  linctus. 

In  severer  cases,  double  this  quantity  of  the  borax 
may  be  added  in  this  linctus.  Whichever  is  used, 
a  small  tea-spoonful  should  be  rubbed  well  about 
the  mouth,  once  in  an  ho'ur  or  two,  and  gradually 
swallowed.  GARGARISMA  ALCMINIS,  alam  gargle.  In 
two  pints  of  barley  water  dissolve  two  drams  of  alum, 
and  three  ounces  of  honey  of  roses.  GARGARISMA 
MYRRH.E,  myrrh  gargle.  To  six  ounces  of  lime  water 
add  one  ounce  and  a  half  of  honey  of  roses,  and  half 
an  ounce  of  tincture  of  myrrh.  MIXTUHA  MYRHH.E 
COMPOSITA,  compound  mixture  of  myrrh.  To  two 
drams  of  tincture  of  myrrh,  and  the  same  quantity  of 
honey  of  roses,  add  one  ounce  and  a  half  of  lime  wa- 
ter. All  these  are  very  proper  for  ulcerations  in  the 
mouth,  throat,  and  gums;  but  the  alum  gargle  is  also 
serviceable  in  relaxations  of  the  uvula  and  other  cases 
requiring  topical  astringents ;  and  the  myrrh  mixture 
is  considered  as  useful  for  scrofulous  sores,  where 
greasy  applications  are  inadmissible. 

If  after  the  removal  of  the  specks  the  mouth  is  very 
sore,  let  a  thin  solution  of  the  gum  tragac.  in  rose- 
water  be  frequently  held  in  it. 

As  a  purge  in  this  disorder,  the  ol.  ricini  is  strongly 
recommended;  and  at  the  intervals  of  purging,  much 
relief  is  obtained  by  giving  the  ipecacuanha  to  promote 
perspiration. 

That  severe  degree  of  the  thrush  which  is  so  frequent 
in  the  West  Indies  requires  the  application  of  perpetual 
blisters,  which  should  be  kept  open  with  the  ung.  can- 
tharidis,  and  in  this  case  much  relief  is  given  to  the 
patient  by  a  due  use  of  a  proper  detergent. 


R.  Boracis  opt.   subtil,   pulv.  J  iij.  mel  rosar.  3  ij. 
acidi  vitriolic!  diluti,  3  ij-  m.  f.  litus  ut  supra  utend. 

Dr.  Cullen  considers  this  complaint  as  associated  with 
a  synochus,  and  says  the  tongue  is  slightly  swelled  : 
and,  as  well  as  the  fauces,  is  of  a  purplish  colour;  the 
eschars  appearing  first  in  the  fauces,  and  at  the  margins 
of  the  tongue,  afterwards  seizing  the  whole  internal 
part  of  the  mouth,  are  white;  and,  if  abraded,  soon 
return  and  continue  an  uncertain  time.  There  is  only 
one  which  he  considered  idiopathic,  and  that  is  the 
APHTHA  ixFAXTf.M,  called  lactucimen  or  milk  thrush. 
The  rest  appear  to  be  symptomatic,  and  are  either  called 
febrile,  malignant,  syphilitic,  scorbutic;  and  are  attend- 
ant on  petechial  fevers.  Many  disputes  have  arisen, 
particularly  in  Germany,  whether  the  aphthae  are  in  any 
instance  idiopathic.  It  is  useless  to  enlarge  on  this 
almost  forgotten  subject,  since  the  disease  is  now  ad- 
mitted to  have  been  epidemic,  and  sometimes  infectious. 
We  have  more  than  once  known  it  to  be  both ;  and,  in 
such  cases,  mortification  was  no  very  unfrequent  ter- 
mination among  young  children.  The  best  method  of 
cure,,  after  the  evacuations,  was  a  warm  tonic  plan,  with 
wine ;  and,  at  last,  considerable  doses  of  bark  were  re- 
quired. A  gentle  perspiration  was  kept  up  by  such 
remedies  as  would,  at  the  same  time,  support  the  tone 
and  strength. 

The  black  thrush  is  rare,  and  always  a  putrid  symp- 
tom. 

Hippocrates  speaks  of  aphthae  of  the  pudenda  of 
pregnant  women,  and  of  aphthae  of  the  aspera  arte- 
ria. 

See  Celsus,  Aretaeus,  Oribasius,  Actuarius,  Hoffman, 
Med.  Rat.  Syst.  Boerhaave,  Blackrie's  Disquisition  on 
Solvents  of  the  Stone,  Canvane's  Diss.  on  the  Ol.  Palm. 
Christi,  Hillary  on  the  Disorders  of  Barbadoes,  Cul- 
len's  First  Lines,  edit.  iv.  vol.  ii.  p.  254. 

A'rHTH^    SERPENTES.       See    CANCRUM    ORIS. 

A'PHTHOSA,  APHTHOUS;"  belonging  to   aphthae. 

A'PHYA.     See  APUA. 

A'PIASTRUM,  (from  apis,  a  bee).     See  MELISSA. 

A'PINEL.  A  root  met  with  in  some  of  the  Ameri- 
can islands ;  it  is  the  aristolochia  anguicida  Lin.  Sp, 
PI.  1 362.  If,  with  a  rod,  a  piece  of  this  root  is  put  into 
the  mouth  of  a  serpent,  the  reptile,  it  is  said,  is  soon 
destroyed.  If  a  person  chew  it,  and  rub  his  hands  an£ 
feet  with  it,  the  serpents  shun  him  ;  nay,  if  he  take  the 
serpent,  it  cannot  hurt  him.  The  leaves  and  branches 
have  a  similar  power  in  a  less  degree.  See  Hist,  de 
1'Acad.  Roy.  an  1724.  Jacquin's  America. 

A'PIOS.     The  PEAR  TREE.     See  PYRUS. 

A'PITES,  or  A'PITES  VINUM,  (from  *JT^,  the 
fiear  free,)  called  also  afiiites.  The  WINE  OF  PEARS,  or 
PERRY.  Its  virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  cyder. 

A'PIUM.  It  has  different  derivations:  (from  afiex, 
the  to/i,  because  it  has  a  large  head;  from  aflis,  a  bee, 
because  they  use  it;  or  from  vines,  or  «5ri««,  mild). 
SMALLAGE.  Afiiumgra-veolens  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  379. 

The  fresh  roots  of  smallage,  when  produced  in  the 
native  watery  places,  partake  in  some  degree  of  the 
quality  of  hemlock;  have  an  unpleasant  smell,  and  bit- 
terish acrid  taste;  but  by  drying  they  lose  the  greatest 
part  of  their  ill  flavour,  and  become  sweetish ;  they  are 
aperient  and  diuretic,  but  the  seeds  are  to  be  preferred 
in  all  medical  purposes,  and  are  good  carminatives.  In 
distillation  these  seeds  yield  an  essential  oil,  and  they 


AP  O 


150 


APO 


give  out  their  virtue  to  spiritus  vim.  rect.  so  completely, 
•as,  on  evaporation,  to  leave  an  excellent  extract. 

The  cicuta  aquatica,  growing  naturally  in  the  same 
places,  may  be  mistaken  for  it;  but  the  leaves  of  this 
cicuta  are  deeply  divided  down  to  the  pedicle,  into  three 
long,  narrow,  sharp  pointed  segments;  but  those  of 
smallage  are  only  slightly  cut  into  three  roundish  obtuse 
ones. 

A  variety  of  this  species  is  called  ap  ium  dulce;  jialus- 
tre,  e  lease  I  in  u  in,  heleoselinum,  Jialudajiium,  and  ccleri 
Jtaloram.  liy  culture  this  plant  hath  been  improved, 
and  is  the  CELERI  of  our  gardens,  called  APIUM  SATIVUM  ; 
in  this  state  the  roots  have  an  agreeable  warm  sweetish 
taste,  without  any  of  the  ill  flavour  of  the  original 
smallage :  but  Ray  observes,  that,  if  neglected,  it  de- 
generates into  its  first  disagreeable  state.  However, 
as  by  culture  and  excluding  the  light,  an  operation 
styled  blanching,  or  etiolation,  this  plant  is  improved 
for  the  table,  it  is  rendered  less  powerful  as  a  medicine. 

The  MARSH  SMALLAGE  is  a  larger  sort,  growing  also 
in  watery  places,  of  the  same  nature  as  the  celeri. 

A'PIUM  HORTE'NSE,  called  also  ftetrosellnum  -vulg. 
ii/iium  selinurn,  COMMON  or  GARDEN  PARSLEY,  jijiium 
Jietrosclinum  or  a/iium  hortense  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  379.  It 
is  too  well  known  to  need  description.  The  roots  are 
diuretic,  and  are  employed  in  a  decoction,  which  should 
be  drunk  plentifully.  Distilled  with  water,  a  small 
portion  of  essential  oil  is  obtained;  spiritus  vini  rect. 
extracts  the  whole  of  their  virtues,  and  after  evaporation, 
leaves  a  good  extract.  The  leaves  are  warmer  than  the 
roots,  and  afford  more  essential  oil;  but  the  seeds  are 
the  best  part  of  the  plant:  they  are  warm,  carmina- 
tive, bitter,  and  diuretic.  Three  pounds  of  the  seeds 
yield  about  5  i.  of  essential  oil,  the  most  of  which  sinks 
in  water.  The  roots  are  said  to  be  aperient  and  diuretic, 
and  have  been  employed  in  apozems  to  relieve  ne- 
phritic pains  and  obstructions  of  urine.  The  bruised 
leaves  have  been  successfully  used  as  a  discutient  poul- 
tice to  many  tumours.  Though  commonly  eat  at  table, 
it  has  been  supposed  in  some  constitutions  to  occasion 
epileptic  fits,  or  at  least  aggravate  them  in  those  subject 
to  this  disease.  The  virtues  of  this  plant,  and  the  in- 
juries supposed  to  result  from  it,  are  alike  inconsider- 
able. 

»  A'PIUM  MACKDO'NIUM.  Petrtsum,  Petrosel.  Ma- 
ccdon.  duucus  JMacedon.  fiatrafiium.  MACEDONIAN 
PARSLEY.  Bubon  Macedonicum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  364.  We 
have  only  the  seeds  in  the  shops,  which  differ  from 
the  common  sort  in  being  dark  coloured,  and  covered 
with  a.  rough  hoariness :  their  virtues  are  similar  to, 
but  weaker  than,  the  common  sort. 

A'PIUM  MONTANUM.        See    OREOSELINUM. 

A'PIUM,  PALUSTRA.        See    SlUM    ANGUSTIFOLIUM. 

A'PIUM  PEREGRINUM.        See    SELINUM     MO3CTANUM. 

A'l'IUM  SYLVESTRE.        See  BuNIUM. 

A'PIUM  SYLVESTRE  LACTEO  SUCCO  TURGENS.  See 
OELSNITIUM. 

APLY'TOS,(from  <*,  neg.  and  zrAavai,  to  wash).  UN- 
WASHED. An  epithet  of  wool,  called  by  the  Latins 
I.ANA  SUCCIDA  ;  q.  v.  • 

APNCE'A,  (from  *,  non.  and  -sniia,  sjiiro).  A  defect 
of  respiration,  such  as  happens  in  a  cold,  &c. 

APOBA'MMA,  (from  airtSaTrla,  leniter  intingo). 
See  EMBAMMA. 

APOBRA'SMA,  (from  «T«ef  «£#,/)«•  estum  exsfiuo; 


a™,  and  /3j9«£a>,  fcrvco).     The  bran  of  wheat,  or  the 
froth  of  the  sea. 

APOCAPNISMUS,  (from  a™,  and  xajrve?,  smoke}. 
FUMIGATION. 

APOCA'RSAMUM,  a  poisonous  drug,  sometimes 
railed  carjiusuin;  and  its  wood,  which  is  also  poisonous, 
opocarnuinuin.  It  grows  in  Abyssinia,  and  resembles 
myrrh  so  much  as  to  be  occasionally,  inadvertently, 
mixed  with  it. 

APOCATA'STASIS,(from  a™Kx6i<rT>,pt,to restore). 
An  amendment!  a  cessation,  or  subsiding.  In  the  last 
sense  it  is  applied  to  the  urine,  and  sometimes  to  tu- 
mours. 

APOCATHA'RSIS,  (from  a™,  and  **t*tf»,  flvrfo). 
An  EXPURGATION.  A  discharge  downward  ;  but 
sometimes  employed  with  little  discrimination  to  vo- 
miting. 

APOCEACAU'LISMENON,  (from  «™,  and  *ea&, 
to  break,  and  xatMos,  a  stalk).  It  is  when  a  bone  is 
broken  after  the  manner  of  a-stalk,  near  the  joint. 

APO'CENOS,  (from  «*•«,  and  mvcvfuti,  e-vacuo). 
See  ABEVACUATIO. 

APOCENO'SES,  DISCHARGES.  Applied  by  Dr. 
Cullen  to  discharges  with  blood;  it  is  the  appellation  of 
the  fourth  order  of  the  class  locates,  and  implies  what 
are  styled  passive  haemorrhages,  in  opposition  to  hae- 
morrhages with  fever,  included  in  his  first  class,  the/zt/- 
rexia. . 

APOCERI'GMA,  (from  «5r«,  and  >a>pi*fr,  to  certi. 
fy).  A  DECLARATION;  such  declarations  as  are 
thought  proper  to  be  made  to  the  patient  respecting 
his  danger. 

APOCHRE'MMA,  (from  mrywurf*.  to  sfiit   vfi). 
The  SPUTUM,  or  excretion  from  the  bronchial  glands. 
APOCHRE'MPSIS,  (from  the  same).     Discharge 
of  sputum, 

APOCHYLI'SMA,  (from  *w»,  and  xv*i&,  to  ex- 
tract juice  fro m).  See  SAPA. 

APOCLA'SMA,  (from  »^o,  and  _*A*»,  to  break). 
See  ABDUCTIO. 

APOCLEI'SIS.  An  EXCLUSION,  (from  ajroxAf ita-fai, 
aiicrsari) .  But  Hippocrates  uses  the  word,  from  whence 
it  is  derived,  to  express  a  loathing  of  food. 

APO'COPE,  (of  *7re,from,  and  xo7TTa,to  cut).  See 
ABSCISSIO. 

APO'CRISIS,  (from  *vt>  and  Kfiva,  to  secrete  from). 
Sec  EfCRisis. 

APOCRU'STICON,  (from  uirtxftvu,  to  repel).  An 
epithet  for  a  remedy  of  a  repelling  and  astringent  qua- 
lity. 

APOCYE'SIS,  (from  «.7rox.v£u,fiario).  A  BIRTH,  or 
bringing  forth  of  a  child. 

APO'CYMA,  (from  tiro,  and  £fA«*,  a  wave).  The 
composition  of  wax  and  pitch  used  to  preserve  the 
ships'  bottoms ;  and,  after  a  long  continuance  in 
sea  water,  it  was  supposed  to  attain  some  peculiar 
virtue. 

APO 'CYNON,  (from  «T«,  andxtian,  a  dog,)  so  called, 
because  it  was  formerly  worn  round  the  neck  to  keep 
off  surly  dogs.  A  little  bone  in  the  left  side  of  a  frog, 
formerly  held  in  great  esteem. 

APO'CYNUM,  (from  **•«,  and  x.vut,a  dog-).  DOG'S 
BANE,  or  poison  for  dogs.  See  HIPPOMANES,  and  PERI- 
PLOCA. 

APOCYRTU'ME'NA,  (from  *™,  and  ^/>r>?,  gib- 


A  PO 


151 


AP  O 


Sou*} .     It  is  spoken  of  tumours  forming  into  a  kind  of 
cone,  when  suppurated  and  ready  to  discharge. 

APODACRY  'TIC A,  (from  **•»,  signifying  negative- 
ly, and  ?**fv,  a  tear).  They  are  medicines  which  first 
excite,  and  then  evacuate,  the  superfluous  moisture  of 
the  eyes.  Such  are  onions,  celadine,  hellebore,  &c. ' 

APODYTE'RIUM,  (from  «*-«<5w>ft*i,  to  unclothe — 
«5r»,  and  $v*,  to  put  off.)  A  private  room  before  the 
entrance  into  the  baths,  where  the  bathers  .undressed 
themselves;  or  the  chamber  where  patients  unclothe 
themselves,  previous  to  an  operation.  It  is  also  called 
conisterium  and  sfloliarium. 

APCE'UM  (from  <*,  neg.  and  ar;*^,  of  some  quali- 
ty.) Void  of  all  sensible  qualities,  possessing  neither 
^stringency,  acrimony,  nor  any  other  remarkable  fa- 
culty, as  water  amongst  moist  substances,  and  starch 
amongst  dry.  It  is  similar  to  substances,  according  to 
Galen,  more  nutritious  than  even  acrimonious  or  bitter 
ones. 

APOGALACTI'SMUS,  (from  ««•„,  and  ***•»?»£«, 
to  abound  tvith  milk).  See  ABLACTATIO. 

APOGEU'SIA,  APOGEU  SIS,  (from  «*••  and  yit,*, 
to. taste.)  See  AGHEUSTIA. 

APOLE'PSIS,  (from  a^«>.»i4?a»ejtt*/,  to  be  suppress- 
ed, retained,  &.C.);  also  dialepsis  intercefitio.  A  sup- 
pression or  retention  of  urine,  or  any  other  natural 
evacuation.  Hippocrates  means  by  the  term  dialepsis 
the  space  left  in  a  bandage  for  a  fracture,  in  which  the 
dressings  are  applied  to  wounds.  The  same  tenn  is 
applied  to  the  extinction  of  thereat,  and  is  sometimes 
used  for  catalepsy. 

APOLE'XIS,  (from  *ir«Ai:-/*>,  to  cease  or  end.)  A 
decaying  time  of  life,  and  opposed  to  the  flower  of  age. 

APOLIXO  SIS,  (from  *»•«,  and  A/M»,  Jlaoc).  See 
OMOLINON. 

APOLLINA'RIS,  (from  «*-eAAu,«u,  to  destroy).  See 
HYOSCJAMUS  NIGER. 

APO'LYSIS,  (from  csToAv»,  to  release):  A  solution, 
or  release.  Such  as  the  exclusion  of  a  child,  the  so- 
lution of  a  disease,  or  untying  of  a  bandage. 

APOMA'GMA,  (from  a.—6tixT~u,  absterg'o).  Any 
thing  used  to  wipe  away  sordes  or  filth  from  sores,  as  a 
handkerchief,  or  a  sponge,  Sec. 

APOMATHE'MA,  (from  **•«,  neg.  and  **»**»*,  to 
team).  Hippocrates  expresses  by  it  a  forgetfulness of 
all  that  hath  been  learnt. 

APOME'LI,  (from  airo,  and  <«A<,  honey).  A  sweet 
liquor  made  with  honey  combs,  diluted  and  boiled  with 
water.  Galen  says,  that  Hippocrates,  and  others,  called 
apomeli  by  the  names  of  ox-yglici,  and  oxyglicum,  and 
that  some  were  made  with  and  others  w  ithout  vinegar  : 
some  being  sweet,  and  others  sour  and  sweet.  It  is 
simple  oxymel. 

APOXEXCE'MEXOS,  (from  **•«»«*>,  to  be  negli- 
gent or  averse) .  An  adjective  importing  an  utter  aver- 
sion to  any  particular  thing. 

APOXEURO'SIS,  (of  mre,frcm,a.nArivfei,  a  nerve). 
The  word  icvftt,  from  whence  comes  the  term  nerve, 
used  in  its  more  extensive  sense,  means  tendons  and 
ligaments.  Hippocrates,  and  other  Greek  writers,  ap- 
ply it  in  this  way.  The  moderns  use  it  to  describe  a 
very  different  substance.  Sec  XEKVI.  Any  u-nchi.ous 
expansion.  The  tendon  of  a  muscle,  called  by  Hip- 
pocrates, Tt.'»«»,  u  tendon  or  cord. 

These  expansions  of  tendons,  called  a/ioneuroses,  or 


fasciae,  grow  thinner  till  they  are  lost  in  the  cellular  mem- 
brane. Instances  of  aponeuroses  are  frequently  met 
with  :  the  outward  muscles  of  the  thigh  are  bound  down 
by  one  of  these  expansions,  viz.  the  FASCIA  LATA,  q.  v. 
Dr.  Hunter  describes  this  aponeurosis  as  proceeding 
from  the  musculus  fasciae  latae,  called  membranosus 
musculus,  on  the  external  part  of  the  thigh,  and  from 
the  gluteus  maximus  on  the  posterior  part. 

The  fasciae  of  the  legs,  like  those  of  the  thighs,  cover 
the  muscles.  The  soles  of  the  feet  are  strong  fascia:, 
which  prevent  the  flexor  muscles  of  the  toes  from  being 
hurt,  when  we  tread.  The  fasciae  on  the  thighs  and 
legs  bind  down  the  muscles  while  in  action,  and  also 
increase  their  strength  by  compressing  them. 

When  matter  is  formed  immediately  under  any  of 
the  fasciae,  it  cannot  point  where  it  was  first  formed, 
but  runs  under  them  to  some  distance  to  gain  an  exit : 
to  prevent  inconveniences  from  this  cause,  as  soon  as 
matter  can  be  felt  under  a  fascia,  it  is  right  to  give  it 
vent  immediately,  and  not  to  wait  for  its  pointing,  as 
in  other  situations  ;  when  this  happens  under  the  tem- 
poral muscle,  great  difficulties  attend.  See  TEMPO  - 

KALIS-  MUSCULUS. 

APOPALLE'SIS,  APOPA'LSIS,  (from  **-«T*AA«, 
to  throw  off  in  a  hasty  manner).  An  expulsion  of  the 
foetus,  as  in  abortions.  See  ABORTUS. 

APOPHLEGMA'TICA,  APOPHLEGMATI- 
ZA'NTIA,  APOPHLEGMATIZO'XTA,  (of  «*-., 
from,  and  pAfy^ut,  fihlegm).  Medicines  suited  to  pro- 
mote a  discharge  of  mucus  or  phlegm  from  the  mouth 
and  nose.  If  from  the  mouth,  they  are  called  me-- 
lories  :  if  from  the  Schneiderian  membrane  of  the  nose, 
err/iines.  Pellitory  of  the  ivull,h&rse-radish,  Sec.  are  of 
the  former  kind ;  and  snuff,  with  whatever  occasions  an 
excretion  of  mucus,  or  serum  from  the  head  and  parts 
above  the  throat,  comes  under  the  latter  denomination. 
See  ERRHIN.E. 

APO'PHRADES,  (from  the  singular  *»»^««,  unfor- 
tunate). Those  days  in  which  an  acute  distemper 
comes  to  a  fatal  crisis,  or  on  which  there  is  no  crisis  at 
all,  when  expected. 

APOPHTHA'RMA,  (from  «a-<>,  and  o-fc/o*.,  to  cor- 
rupt). A  medicine  to  procure  abortion. 

APO'PHTHORA.  Ax  ABORTION.  (From  tt-roftufa, 
to  corrupt.)  See  ABORTUS. 

APOPHY'ADES.     The  ramification  of  the  veins. 

APO'PHYAS,  (of  a.™,  from,  and  pi>*>,  to  grois). 
An  APPENDIX,  Any  thing  that  proceeds^rom  another. 

APO'PHYSIS,  (from  eurotpw,  to  produce  ;  or  from 
<**•«,  and  a-f«,  to  grow).  Any  thing  attached  to,  or 
growing  from  another,  as  boughs  and  branches :  in 
ANATOMY  it  mostly  signifies  the  projection  of  a  bone. 
It  is  also  called  appendix, probole,  echphysis,processus, 
productio,  projectura,  and  protuberantia. 

APO'PHYSIS  MASTOIDEA,  or  MAXILLARIS.  A  process 
of  the  petrous  part  of  the  temporal  bone. 

APO'PHYSIS  ORA'CIUS.  The  apophysis  of  the  neck 
of  the  malleus  in  the  ear. 

APOPLE'CT.E,  and  APOPLE  CTIC-E,  (from  **•«, 
and  •X>.T~U,  to  strike).  A  name  of  the  internal  jugular 
veins,  called  from  their  appearing  full  and  turgid  in 
apoplexies.  See  JUGULARES  VE.V.S. 

APOPLE'CTIC  A.  Medicines  against  the  apoplexy, 
so  called  instead  of  antipoplectica.  Vogel  gives  this  appel- 
lation to  a  continued  fever  coming  on  upon  an  apoplexy. 


A  P  O 


152 


AP  O 


APOPLE'XIA,  (from  airoK^rtru,  to  strike  or  knock 
down,  or  smile  suddenly^.  The  APOPLEXY.  It  is  call- 
ed sideratio,attonitus,  stufior  jialjieria,  fialjiezia,  gutta; 
when  it  is  slight  it  is  called  Jiarafio/ilexia. 

Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
neuroses,  and  the  order  comata.  Gen.  42  ;  which  he  de- 
fines a  diminution  commonly  of  all  voluntary  motion, 
attended  with  sleep,  more  or  less  sound,  the  motion  of 
the  heart  and  arteries  still  continuing ;  to  which  may 
be  added  an  oppressed  respiration,  and  frequently  a 
snorting.  Sauvages  makes  fifteen  species.  JVoaolog. 
Method.  Vol.  II. /j.  815.  Dr.  Cullen  reduces  them  to 
nine;  Synofisis  Nosol.  Meth.  Vol.  II.  p.  183;  viz. 

1st.  APOPLE'XIA  SANGUINEA,  with  signs  of  an  uni- 
versal plethora,  and  chiefly  fulness  in  the  head.  The 
varieties  are  the  carus  a  frigore  and  sfiontaneus  ;  cata- 
fihora  coma. 

2d.  APOPLE'XIA  &EROSA,  which  happens  generally 
in  aged  and  leucophlegmatic  people  ;  carus  all  hydro- 
cefthalo. 

3d.  APOPLE'XIA    HYDIIOCEPHALICA  ;    see    HYDROCE- 

PHALOS. 

4th.  APOPLE'XIA  ATRAniLAniA,  observed  in  persons 
disposed  to  melancholy. 

5th.  APOPLE'XIA  TRAUMATICA;  when  the  head  is  hurt 
by  violent  external  force. 

6th.  APOPLE'XIA  VENENATA,  from  strong  sedatives, 
whether  externally  applied,  or  internally  taken.  Carus 
ab  insolation?)  carus  a  frigore,  &c. 

7th.  APOPLE'XIA  MENTALIS  ;  carus  a  pathemate,  from 
passions  of  the  mind. 

8th.  APOPLE'XIA  CATALEPTICA,  in  which  the  respira- 
tion is  not  stertorous  ;  and  though  the  limbs  maintain 
any  accidental  position,  yet  they  give  way  to  external 
force  applied  to  them. 

9th.  APOPLE'XIA  SXJFFOCATA,  which  happens  from 
any  external  suffocating  power;  as  in  cases  of  hanging 
and  drowning.  See  SUBMERSIO,  and  SUFFOCATIO. 

Dr.  Cullen  considers  the  carus,  catafihora,  coma, 
h&morrhagia  cerebrt,  catalepsis,  cerebri  affectio  sflasmo- 
dico-ecstatica,  and  the  ecstasis,  as  apoplexies ;  the  ty- 
fthomania,  and  lethargus,  as  symptomatic  apoplexies. 
There  is  often  also  a  symptomatic  apoplexy  from,  1.  In- 
termittent fever.  2.  Continued  fever.  3.  Inflamma- 
tion. 4.  Exanthema.  5.  Hysteria.  6.  Epilepsy.  7. 
Gout.  8.  Worms.  9.  Ischury.  10.  Scurvy.  There 
are  also  many  species  of  asphyxy  which  come  properly 
under  this  heaUl.  See  ASPHYXIA. 

To  the  definition  of  apoplexy,  he  adds,  that  the  abo- 
lition of  the  powers  of  sense  and  motion  is  in  some 
degree  only  ;  meaning,  that  under  the  title  of  apofilejcy 
are  comprehended  those  diseases  which,  as  differing 
from  it  chiefly  in  degree,  cannot,  with  a  view  either  to 
pathology  or  practice,  be  properly  distinguished  from 
it.  Such  are  the  diseases  named  above.  Lomnius 
observes,  that  this  disorder  is  generally  preceded  by 
sudden  and  acute  pains  in  the  head,  vertigo,  dimness  of 
sight,  grinding  the  teeth  during  sleep,  a  coldness  of  the 
whole  body,  especially  the  extremities  ;  then,  as  though 
thunder  struck,  the  patient  falls  down  sometimes  with 
shrieks;  immediately  after  .the  eyes  are  shut,  a  snorting 
comes  on,  the  difficulty  of  breathing  is  great,  endanger- 
ing suffocation ;  the  breast  ceases  to  heave,  just  as  if  it 
were  bound  in  cords ;  sense  and  voluntary  motion  are 
entirely  lost. 


The  following  species  of  apoplexy  should  be  carefully 
distinguished,  as  the  mode  of  treatment  greatly  differs. 

The  first  is  the  SANGUINEOUS  APOPLEXY,  in  which 
we  find  a  strong  full  pulse,  a  red  and  bloated  visage, 
the  patient's  neck  swelled,  an  oppressed  loud  respira- 
tion, with  a  little  hoarseness.  This  species  prevails 
amongst  the  robust,  who  have  much  blood,  loaded  with 
crassamentum.  The  second  is  the  SEROUS  APOPLEXY, 
in  which  the  symptoms  are,  in  general,  like  those  in 
the  former  species,  except  that  the  pulse  is  weaker,  the 
countenance  pale,  or  at  least  far  less  ruddy,  and  the 
breathing  less  oppressed.  The  third  is  the  SPASMODIC 
APOPLEXY;  the  same  signs  attend  this  as  are  usual  in 
the  second  species ;  only  it  is  sooner  removed,  and 
rarely  degenerates  into  a  palsy.  The  fourth  is  the 
SYMrroMATic,  such  as  from  flatus  in  the  stomach,  the 
gout,  Sec. 

Of  the  sanguinary  apoplexy,  the  predisposing  cause- 
is  a  plethora,  and  this  determined  to  the  head  by  some 
remote  cause,  induces  the  proximate  or  immediate 
cause,  a  compression  of  the  brain.  Indeed  the  imme- 
diate cause  may  be  brought  on  by  different  means ; 
which,  though  differing  in  their  nature,  ultimately  pro- 
duce similar  effects.  The  remote  causes  are,  surfeits, 
indigestion,  too  long  exposure  to  the  sun,  inordinate 
drinking,  particularly  about  the  age  of  sixty,  hysteric 
affections,  convulsions,  serous  collections  in  the  brain, 
libidinous  excess,  particularly 'in  old  men,  repulsion  of 
acrid  matter,  suppression  of  urine,  salivation  suddenly 
interrupted  by  cold  and  other  causes,  blows  and  wounds 
of  the  head,  poisons,  noxious  effluvia,  or  an  hereditary 
disposition.  If  the  causes  be  examined  respecting  their 
consequences,  it  will  appear  that  they  are  either  cal- 
culated to  increase  the  volume  of  blood,  or  occasion  :\ 
determination  to  the  brain,  or  produce  such  effects  there 
as  will  prevent  the  nerves  from  exercising  their  in- 
fluence: of  course  they  will  produce  apoplexy.  The 
predisposing  causes  are,  fulness  of  blood,  short  neck, 
indolence,  and  a  lax  fibre. 

Dr.  Cullen  thinks  that  the  firoximate  cause  is,  in  ge- 
neral, whatever  interrupts  the  motion  of  the  nervous 
power,  from  the  brain,  or  of  the  blood  to  it.  In  apo- 
plexies from  internal  causes,  he  thinks  the  motion  of 
the  nervous  power  is  interrupted  by  some  compression 
on  the  origin  of  the  nerves ;  and  this  compression  is 
occasioned  by  an  accumulation  of  blood  in  the  vessels 
of  the  head.  In  apoplexies  from  external  causes,  the 
motion  of  the  nervous  power  is  interrupted  by  directly 
destroying  its  mobility ;  as  when  mcphitic  air,  fumes 
from  charcoal,  &c.  are  admitted  to  the  nerves.  In 
reality,  a  compression  of  the  brain  from  a  fulness  of  the 
veins  or  arteries,  or  an  immobility  of  the  nervous  power, 
will  equally  produce  the  disease. 

From  an  attention  to  the  symptoms  of  an  apoplexy, 
and  the  appearances  observed  on  dissecting  those  to 
whom  it  had  proved  fatal,  the  brain  is  very  generally  its 
seat.  Wepfer,  in  his  histories  of  those  subjects,  ob- 
serves, that  the  vessels  in  their  brains  were  often  rup- 
tured, or  very  turgid  ;  at  other  times  the  ventricles  of 
the  brain  were  filled  with  a  watery  humour;  or  a  por- 
tion of  serum,  or  blood,  was  found  between  the  brain 
and  its  membranes. 

The  danger  seems  to  be  chiefly  proportioned  to  the 
difficulty  of  respiration ;— if  it  be  tolerably  easy,  and  the 
patient  can  swallow,  there  are  hopes ;  but  if  respiration 


A  P  O 


153 


AP  O 


be  very  difficult,  or  intermittent,  and  what  is  given  the 
patient  to  drink  returns  immediately  by  the  nose,  a 
recovery  is  hardly  to  be  effected.  Old  people,  worn 
eut  constitutions,  and  those  who  have  been  formerly 
attacked  with  apoplexy,  seldom"  recover  ;  but  in  mode- 
rately healthy  persons,  in  the  prime  of  life,  recovery  is 
not  uncommon. 

Those  who  have  been  attacked  with  any  kind  of  apo- 
plexy are  subject  to  relapses,  each  of  which  is  more 
dangerous  than  the  preceding.  Suppers,  hot  rooms, 
violent  exercise,  particularly  in  the  sun,  going  to  bed 
late,  long  sleep,  continuing  in  the  cold,  especially  if  the 
feet  are  subject  to  be  cold,  and  whatever  is  suspected  to 
dispose  to  this  disorder,  must  be  carefully  avoided. 

Were  the  distinction  of  the  kinds  of  apoplexy  for- 
merly noticed  as  easy  in  its  application  as  it  appears 
simple  and  comprehensive,  the  treatment  of  the  dis- 
ease might  be  clear  and  scientific.  There  is  not  a 
doubt  of  its  real  accuracy ;  but  in  an  organ  so  tender 
as  the  brain,  a  slight  compression  soon  destroys  the 
minute  and  complicated  functions  for  which  it  is  de- 
signed. We  thus  find,  and  the  facts  will  be  more  clear 
when  we  treat  of  the  lesser  degrees  of  apoplexy,  parti- 
cularly palsy,  that  the  practice  must  soon  become  gene- 
ral and  indiscriminate. 

In  sanguine  apoplexies,  in  the  young  or  robust,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  of  bleeding  copiously  ;  nor  in  such  cir- 
cumstances can  any  limit  be  offered  if  the  remedy  can 
be  early  applied,  except  a  melioration  of  the  symptoms. 
The  patient  should  be  kept  in  an  upright  position  in  free 
cold  air.  In  fact,  the  disease  in  this  state  is  an  haemorr- 
hage of  the  brain: -it  however  very  seldom  occurs  ex- 
cept from  blows  on  the  head. 

The  shades  between  this  and  the  serous  apoplexy 
vary  so  imperceptibly,  that,  respecting  bleeding,  much 
must  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  physician.  If  the 
patient  was  previously  of  a  full  habit ;  if  the  remote 
causes  have  been  such  as  very  certainly  to  propel  the 
blood  from  the  extremities  or  surface  to  the  head ;  bleed- 
ing may  be  admitted :  yet  we  should  hesitate  in  pro- 
portion to  the  age,  the  weakness,  or  the  previous  relax- 
ed state  of  the  patient.  Topical  bleeding  by  the  cup- 
ping glass,  or  by  leeches,  may  be  perhaps  allowed  ;  but 
in  doubtful  caseg  it  is  best  to  abstain.  Bleeding  in  these 
more  often  injures  than  relieves. 

The  use  of  emetics  in  apoplexy  has  lately  occasioned 
a  warm,  perhaps  a  disgraceful,  acrimonious  controversy, 
itnd  it  is  a  subject  of  no  little  difficulty.  During  the 
operation  of  vomiting,  the  vessels  of  the  head  are  un- 
doubtedly distended,  and  a  very  slight  reflection  would 
at  once  seemingly  show  that  it  must  be  injurious.  On 
the  other  hand,  nature  appears  in  such  circumstances 
anxious  to  excite  vomking ;  but  the  force  of  this  argu- 
ment is  lessened  by  the  reflection,  that  vomiting  equally 
follows  an  affection  of  the  head  from  external  violence. 
It  may  indeed  be  doubted,  whether,  in  every  haemorr- 
hage, vomiting  is  not  as  useful  by  deriving  to  the  sur- 
face, as  injurious  from  any  other  effect.  This  conse- 
quence of  vomiting  we  shall  more  fully  examine  in  our 
treatment  of  haemoptoe,  and  even  maenorrhagia.  We 
think  it  at  least  established,  that  no  partial  determina- 
tion from  the  action  of  vomiting  itself  is  so  injurious 
as  to  counterbalance  its  other  good  effects.  These  are 
the  heads  of  what  might  be  easily  expanded  into  an  am- 
ple disquisition  on  the  subject)  and,  in  thia  contention 

TOL.  ;. 


of  doubts  and  difficulties,  let  us  attend  to  experience. 
Vomiting,  in  apoplexy,  has  been  spontaneously  excited 
without  injury.  This  has  been  evinced  by  frequent  ob- 
servation, and  we  can  add,  that,  when  produced  artifi- 
cially, as  we  have  often  seen,  it  has  never  increased  the 
alarming  symptoms.  Totally  independent  of  theoreti- 
cal considerations,  we  consider  therefore  emetics  as 
useful.  Let  them  however  be  cautiously  administered, 
and  let  the  practitioner  be  decided  by  what  he  sees.  If 
emetics  are  however  to  be  exhibited,  we  must  avail 
ourselves  of  the  first  moment  of  the  patient  possessing 
the  power  to  swallow. 

The  next  step,  equally  necessary  in  apoplexies  of 
every  kind,  is  to  procure  a  passage  through  the  bowels. 
The  more  violent  resinous  cathartics  act  slowly ;  the 
others  require  to  be  given  in  doses,  which  are  with  dif- 
ficulty swallowed.  Ah  active  clyster  is,  therefore,  the 
first  method  of  emptying  the  bowels :  those  who  re- 
commend lenient  ones  certainly  never  saw  the  disease. 
The  remedy  most  easily  obtained  is  the  black  soft  soap, 
of  which  a  full  table  spoonful  may  be  dissolved  in  a  pint 
and  half  of  water.  A  handful  of  common  salt  may  be 
dissolved  in  the  same  quantity  of  water  if  the  soap  is  not 
at  hand ;  or  two  ounces  of  common  soap  may  be  com- 
bined with  a  pint  and  a  half  of  fluid.  Should  these  not 
succeed,  three  drams  of  the  pulp  of  colocynth  may  be 
boiled  in  a  quart  of  water  to  a  pint,  and  two  ounces  of 
common  salt,  with  as  much  oil,  added.  When  the  pa- 
tient can  swallow,  the  pulv.  jalapii  with  its  tincture,  and 
the  tincture  of  senna,  may  be  given  in  such  doses  as 
are  necessary,  or  the  patient  can  take. 

While  these  measures  are  operating,  a  blister  should 
be  applied  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  or  to  the  vertex,  if 
the  head  is  usually  shaved.  It  has  been  a  custom  to 
apply  with  these,  blisters  to  the  legs  and  sinapisms  to 
the  feet,  as  if  remedies  could  not  be  too  fast  accumu- 
lated. Such  practice  is  highly  injurious,  for  the  sti- 
mulus, before  the  evacuation  can  take  place,  increases 
the  disease.  When  the  apoplexy  proceeds  from  retro - 
cedent  gout,  sinapisms  to  the  feet  are  useless  or  dan- 
gerous :  for  nothing  more  certainly  prevents  a  return  of 
gout  to  the  joints,  than  inflammation  excited  on  the  in- 
teguments of  the  part 

When  these  medicines  have  produced  their  «ffects, 
the  practitioner  should  carefully  watch  their  influence 
on  the  disease.  The  patient  should  still  be  kept  in  free 
cool"air,  and  the  utmost  quiet  should  prevail  around. 
If  with  this  plan  the  complaints  increase,  it  must  be 
soon  fatal :  if  it  continues  stationary,  we  may  yet  hope : 
if  the  patient  is  relieved,  our  hopes  are  more  alive.  In 
general,  we  would  advise,*after  a  day  or  two,  the  open- 
ing of  another  drain ;  and,  at  all  events,  the  discharge 
from  the  bowels  should  be  kept  up  by  clysters  or  ca- 
thartics. Light  but  generous  food  should  be  taken  in 
small  quantities,  and  the  most  strif  t  tranquillity  pre- 
served. In  this  way  the  senses  gradually  revive,  and 
the  returning  sense  should  be  managed  with  address 
and  caution.  The  patient  should  not  be  acquainted 
with  the  nature  of  the  attack ;  it  should  be  considered  as 
a  transient  fainting ;  every  symptom  should  be  repre- 
sented as  trifling,  and  no  anxiety  should  appear  on  the 
countenances  of  those  around.  Every  thing  should 
seem  to  follow  the  course  the  patient  was  accustomed 
to. 

means  of  prevention  are  to  keep  up  a  drain  b- 
X 


A  P  O 


154 


AP  O 


a  blister,  an  issue,  or  a  seton  near  the  head,  to  keep 
the  bowels  free,  and  to  prevent  all  agitation,  or  every 
cause  of  irregular  action  of  the  sanguiferous  system. 
The  diet  should  be  light  and  easy,  but  nutritious  and 
generous,  except  in  the  mere  acute,  sanguine  apo- 
plexies; and  the  bark,  with  valerian,  we  have  some- 
times found  useful  in  the  more  irritable  or  the  more 
relaxed  habit. 

A  coup,  dejoleil,  of  which  we  have  some  slight  in- 
stances in  this  climate,  occasionally  assumes  the  appear- 
ance of  apoplexy,  but  it  never  bears  evacuations ;  and 
requires  tonics,  rest,  and  tranquillity.  If  this  kind 
even  arises  from  inflammation,  the  inflammatory  stage 
is  so  slight  and  transitory  that  there  is  no  time  for  the 
operation  of  medicines  adapted  to  it. 

Those  apoplexies  which  arise  from  the  diminished 
mobility  of  the  nervous  fluid  require  only  active  sti- 
mulants, free  air,  and  perhaps  air  of  greater  purity. 
There  is  little  room  for  choice  in  the  stimulants  we 
employ,  but  perhaps  the  Galvanic  fluid  will  be  found 
preferable.  It  follows  the  course  of  the  nerves,  and 
appears  the  best  exciter  of  their,  activity.  See  GAL- 
VANISM. 

The  consequences  of  apoplexy  are  sometimes  singu- 
lar; a  weakness  of  the  mental  powers  in  general  follows, 
with  a  degree  of  irritability  that  verges  on  the  fretfulness 
of  childhood.  The  patient  laughs  or  cries,  more  fre- 
quently the  latter,  without  any  adequate  cause,  and  is, 
amused  by  trifles  adapted  only  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
nursery.  A  singular  effect  is  a  forgetfulness  of  former 
acquired  ideas,  and  it  has  happened  that  for  years  the 
patient  has  not  been  able  to  count  five.  These  facts 
may  admit  in  future  of  some  application :  it  is  sufficient 
to  point  them  out  in  this  place. 

Dr.  Flemmyng  recommends  trepanning  as  a  power- 
ful assistant  in  the  cure  of  apoplexies,  by  taking  off  a 
degree  of  pressure  from  the  brain.  See  his  observations 
on  this  subject,  in  the  Med.  Mus.  vol.  ii.  page  300,  Sec. 
Some  of  the  ASPHIXIJE  are  considered  as  belonging  to 
this  disease.  See  ASPHYXIA. 

Ccelius  Aurclianus,  Lommii  Opusculum  Aurcum, 
\rctasus,  Philumenus,  Galen,  Paulus  jEgineta,  Baglivi, 
Bocrhaave,  Hoffman,  Stahl.  Tissot's  Practical  Obs. 
on  the  Apoplexy.  Wallis  on  Disease  and  Health. 
Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iii.  edit.  iv. 

APOPLE'XIA  CATALE'PTICA.     See  CATALEPSIS. 
APOPSY'CHIA,  (from  *™,  and  fyxv*  the  mind}. 
See  LIPOTHYMIA. 

APORE'XIS,  (from  «*•»,  and  etps-ya,  to  stretch  out). 
\  play  with  balls  in  the  gymnastic  exercises. 

APO'RIA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  -aofm,  a  duct).  REST- 
LESSNESS :  uneasiness  occasioned  by  obstructed  perspi- 
ration, or  any  stoppage  of  the  natural  secretions.  See 
ALYSMOS. 

APORRHCE'A,  (ofx-uppota,  defluxus,  from  **•«,  and 
5i»,  to  flow  from)-.  See  CONTAGIO.  It  means  also  the 
ialling  off  of  hair.  See  ALOPECIA. 

APOSCEPARNI'SMUS,  (from  <*»•»,  from,  and  m- 
•rctpie^a,  to  strike  with  a  hatchet).  A  species  of  frac- 
ture when  part  of  a  bone  is  chipped  off;  called  also  de- 
asciatio. 

APOSCHA'SIS,  APOSCHA'SMUS,  (from  **•<>, 
and  %*£f>,  to  scarify).  See  SCARIFICATIO. 

APOSI'TIA,  APO'SITOI,  (of  a™,  from,  and  <nref, 
food).  A  LOATHING  OF  FOOD.  Those  who  are  averse 
to  food.  See  ANOREXIA. 


APOSPA'SMA,  (from  «irerir«£,  I  tear  off.)  de- 
notes a  violent  irregular  fracture  of  a  tendon,  liga- 
ment, &c. 

APOSPHACE'LISIS,  (from  «*•«,  from,  and  eip*- 
xsA®",  a  sphacelus).  A  mortification  of  the  flesh  in 
wounds  or  fractures  caused  by  too  tight  bandage. 

APOSPHA'GMA,  (from  caro,  and  C-<Z>«AA«,  jugulo}. 
According  to  Galen's  interpretation  of  the  sense  in 
which  Hippocrates  used  the  term,  it  means  the  faeces 
ready  for  straining,  or  after  they  have  been  strained : 
and,  according  to  Pliny,  it  is  applicable  to  an  animal 
whose  blood,  when  its  throat  is  cut,  flows  into  a  vessel 
placed  underneath,  and  by  different  processes  is  formed 
into  food. 

APOSPONGI'SMUS,  (from  «*•«,  and  *iwyy<tf»,  to 
cleanse  ivith  a  sponge}.  It  is  the  using  of  a  sponge 
either  dry  or  moist  for  cleaning  the  skin,  alleviating 
pains  and  itching,  or  for  other  purposes. 

APOSTA'GMA,  APOSTAL'A'GMA,  (from  **•«- 
<rr«£«,  to  distil'}.  The  sweet  liquor  that  distils  from 
grapes  before  they  are  pressed. 

APO'STASIS,  (from  tvpurrvtu,  to  abscede).  It  is 
when  a  fragment  of  bone  comes  away  by  a  fracture. 
It  is  the  same  as  ABSCESSUS;  which  sec.  When  a 
distemper  passes  off  by  some  outlet,  Hippocrates  calls 
it  an  apostasis  by  excretion ;  when  the  morbific  matter 
by  its  own  weight  falls  and  settles  on  any  part,  an 
apostasis  by  settlement ;  and  when  one  disease  turns  to 
another,  an  apostasis  metastasis.  So  Pliny  calls  the 
apostema. 

APOSTA'XIS,  (from  a5roo-T«£«;,  to  distill  from,')  also 
staxis.  Hippocrates  use  the  word  to  express  a  small 
and  insufficient  distillation  of  blood  from  the  nose.  It 
means  any  distillation  or  defluxion  of  humours. 

APOSTE'MA,  (from  «p<s-T))(M,i,  to  disjoin;  or  from 
cfTft,  ab,  and  irrti/u,  sto,  to  stand).  See  ABSCESSUS. 

APOSTEMATI'AI.  Those  who,  from  an  inward 
abscess,  void  pus  downwards  are  thus  called  by  Are- 
tseus. 

APOSTOLO'RUM,  (from  <*5r«<rr«A«f,  an  apostle,) 
UNO.  The  APOSTLES'  OINTMENT;  because  it  is  made 
with  twelve  ingredients,  exclusive  of  the  oil  and  vine- 
gar ;  called  also  dodecafiharmacum. 

R.  Tereb.  Venet.  resinae  flavae  cerae.  flav.  gum.  am- 
mon.  aa  J  xiv.  rad.  aristol.  L.  gum^  oliban.  et  bdelli 
aa.  3  vi-  gum.  myrrh,  et  galban.  aa.  £  ss.  gum.  opopo- 
nac.  3  iii-  aeruginis  aeris.  3  "•  litharg.  3  ix.  ol.  olivar. 
fk  ii.  acet.  q.  s.  ad  gummi  solv. 

APO'STROPHE,  (from  asroo-rf  »(2a,  to  turn  away). 
Thus  P.  jEgineta  expresses  an  aversion  to  food. 

APO'SYRMA,  (from  airurvfa,  to  rub  off).  See 
ABRASIO. 

APOTHE'CA,  (from  aver  i  fa  ft  i,  to  lay  aside,  or  de- 
posit). A  shop  where  medicines  are  sold;  also  a  GAL- 
LYPOT:  whence  APOTHECARIUS,  a  preparerof  medicines; 
or,  according  to  the  present  customs,  the  most  frequent 
prescriber. 

APOTHEG'MA,  rather  APOPHTHE'GMA,  (from 
KTrofidyvufixi,  to  speak  eloquently}.  Sec  AXIOMA. 

APOTHERAPEI'A,  (from  ttvo,  and  Sipaireva,  to 
cure).  A  PERFECT  CURE;  also  a  particular  sort  of  ex- 
ercise used  for  health. 

APOTHERAPEU'TICA.     See  THERAPEUTICS. 

APOTHE'RMUM,  (from  ct-ro,  and  &/>/«».  heat).     It 
is  an  acrimonious  pickle,  with  mustard,  vinegar,  Sec. 
,     APO'THESIS,  (from  <*7r«T<0*j(c/,  to  reposit,  or  from 


APP 


155 


A  P  Y 


«<»••,  and  TittiM,  to  place)'.     The  reduction  of  a  di^lo- 
cated  bone. 

APOTHLI'MMA,  (from  *T«,  and  $*i£»,  to  flress 
from}.  The  dregs,  or  the  expressed  juice  of  a  plant. 

APO'TOCOS,  (from  **»,  and  T,XT»,  to  bring  forth). 
ABORTIVE. 

APOTROPCE'A  or  APOTROPAI'A,  (from  **«- 
TpsTu,  to  avert).  See  AMULETA. 

APOZE'MA,  (from  *:«£f<»,  to  boil).  A  DECOCTION. 
See  COCTIO. 

APO'ZYMOS,  (from  «*•«,  and  £i>«jj,  /o  ferment). 
FERMENTED. 

APPARATUS,  (from  a/t/iareo,  to  afiftear,  or  A<? 
ready  at  hand).  In  SURGERY  it  is  the  collection  and 
regular  disposition  o'f  all  the  instruments  necessary  for 
theexerciseof  the  art,orof  any  particular  operation.  The 
word  is  applied  also  to  CHEMISTRY,  and  to  any  art  or 
science  where  a  number  of  instruments  arc  necessary 
to  be  made  use  of,  either  for  explaining  or  performing 
any  process  by  way  of  elucidation  :  more  generally,  any 
arrangement  for  a  particular  purpose.  Murray's  Ma- 
teria  Medica  is  thus  called  '  dfifiaratus  Medicaminum.' 

APPARA'TUS,  the  greater  or  lesser.     See  LITHOTOMIA. 

APPEXDICULA  VERMIFO'RMIS,  or  CCECI, 
(from  a/ifiendo,  to  hang  from  ;  vermis,  a  worm  ;  and 
forma,  *hafie) .  On  one  side  of  the  bottom  of  the  cce- 
cum  lies  an  appendix  resembling  a  small  intestine, 
nearly  of  the  same  length  with  the  ccecum,  but  more 
slender.  It  is  so  called  from  its  resemblance  to  an  earth- 
worm, and  its  common  diameter  is  about  a  quarter  of  an 
inch.  By  one  extremity  it  opens  into  the  bottom  of 
the  coecum,  the  other  extremity  is  closed.  Its  structure 
is  like  that  of  the  intestines  in  general;  and  the  internal 
coat  is  folliculous  and  reticular,  like  that  of  the  duo- 
denum. Its  use  is  not  known;  it  is  also  called  cddi- 
tamentum  colt,  and  by  some  ecjihyas. 

APPEXDICULA'TUS,  (from  afifiendo,  to  hang 
from).  In  botany,  it  means  appended  to,  or  hanging 
at,  the  extremity.  In  medicine  it  means  any  thing  con- 
nected. 

APPE  XDIX,  (from  a/ifiendo,  to  hang  by  or  to  any 
thing).  See  EPIPHYSIS  and  APOPHYSIS.  In  general, 
parts  connected  with  others ;  as^  Fallopian  tubes  are 
appendices  of  the  uterus. 

APPE'XSIO,  (from  the  same).  The  suspension  of 
a  broken  arm  in  a  scarf. 

APPETE  XTIA,  APPETI'TUS,  (from  afifieto,  to 
desire).  APPETITE.  In  a  general  sense  it  is  an  in- 
clination towards  any  particular  object:  but  in  the  com- 
mon acceptation  it  is  a  desire  of  food  or  drink.  See 
HUNGER  and  THIRST. 

APPETI'TUS  CAXI'XUS, (from afifteto, and canis, 
a  dog).-  See  BOVLIMUS. 

APPETITUS  ERROSEI,  and  DEFICIENTES.  See  DYSO- 
HEXIA. 

APPLE.  See  MALUM  and  POMUM;  but  apple  is 
applied  to  some  English  names,  which  we  shall  add. 

APPLE,  BITTER,  the  fruit  of  the  COLOCYXTHIS,  q.  v. 

APPLE,  CUSTARD.     See  ANXOKA. 

APPLE,  MAD  and  LOVE.     See  SOLANUM. 

APPLE,  OAK.     An  excrescence  on  oak  trees;  q.  v. 

APPLE,  THORX.     See  DATURA. 

APPLU'DA,  (from  ad,  and  jilaudo,  to  beat  from). 
The  chaff  of  millet,  panicum,  and  sesamum. 


APPREHE'XSIO,  (ad,  and  /ire/iendo,  to  take 
of).     A  name  of  the  catalefisis,  also  antilefisis. 

APPREHENSO'RIUM.     See  ANTILEPSIS. 

APPROPRI A  TIO,  (from a/i/tro/irio,fo ajifiropr 
That  action  of  the  natural  heat  by  which  the  Paiids 
.  are  so  united  with  the  solids  of  our  bodies  as  to  enable 
them  to  perform  their  functions.  .Medicines  are  said  to 
be  appropriated  which  are  adapted  for  a  particular  pur- 
pose, or  directed  to  a  particular  part. 

APRO'NIA,  (from  «*•«,  and  -s-fai,  the  tofi  of  a  hill,) 
so  called,  because  it  grows  upon  mountains  and  wild 
places.  See  BRYOKIA  XIGRA. 

APPROXIMATIO,(from<7/i/!roj:j«o,  to  afijirc: 
A  superstitious  method  of  cure,  by  transplanting  a  disease- 
in  to  an  animal  or  vegetable  by  immediate  contact.  In 
surgery  it  is  applied  to  a  fractured  bone  of  the  skull 
forcing  its  way  under  the  sound  portion,  and  compress- 
ing the  dura  mater.  The  overlapping  of  the  skull  of 
the  foetus  from  pressure  during  delivery  is  distinguished 
by  the  same  term. 

APPRO 'XIS,  (from  *,  priv.  and  «?«£,  a  drop  of 
water).  An  herb,  so  called  by  Pythagoras,  which  is 
said  to  take  fire  at  a  distance,  like  the  naphtha,  from  its 
want  of  moisture. 

APSI'XTHATUM,  (from  *^<ito»,vorflM0o«*J .  A 
sort  of  drink  accommodated  to  the  stomach  made  of 
wormwood. 

APSY'CHIA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  ^v^i,  -the  mind^  . 
See  LIPOTHYMIA. 

APSY'CHTOS.  A  name  given  to  some  stonesywhich, 
when  heated,  are  said  never  to  cool  again.  Some  of 
the  denser  stones,  particularly  the  dark  lavas  and  gra- 
nites, certainly  retain  their  heat  a  long  time,  and  are 
consequently  applied,  when  warmed,  in  colic  pains,  and 
to  the  feet.  We  have  seen  them  hollowed,  so  as  to 
adapt  them  to  the  convexity  of  the  abdomen. 

APSYRTO'S.  A  name  sometimes  given  to  the  com- 
mon marubium  or  horehouruL 

APTY'STOS,  (from  «  neg.  and  -a-na,  to  spit).  A 
denomination  for  disorders  in  which  spitting,  though 
an  usual  symptom,  is  yet  wanting:  some  species  of 
asthma  and  pleurisy  are  thus  called  dry. 

A'PUA ;  called  also  afihya.  The  fish  called  A\- 
CHOVY.  They  are  taken  near  Genoa  and  Provence. 
When  pickled,  they  are  said  to  warm  the  stomach  and 
to  promote  an  appetite. 

APULO'TICA.     See  EPULOTICA. 

APUTA'SY.  A  tree  found  on  the  coast  of  Guinea, 
used  by  the  natives  as  an  antiscorbutic,  and  applied  to 
the  teeth  and  gums. 

APY'ETOS,  (from  <*.,  neg.  and  wn,fiusj.  An  epi- 
thet for  a  tumour  that  will  not  suppurate. 

APYRE'XIA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  =-»ff|(«,  a  fever). 
The  absence  of  fever  ;  generally  the  interval  of  an  in- 
termittent. 

APYRI'XA,  the  CURRANT  VINE. 

APYROME'LE,  (from  «,  non,  trvpzi,  nucleus,  and 
"-•'>.-',  sfiecillum).  A  probe  without  a  button;  amelotris; 
called  also  afiyronomele. 

A'PYRON,  (from  «,  neg.  and  mf,Jire).  A  name 
of  SULPHUR  VIVUM,  because  it  has  not  felt  the  fire; 
also  of  the  J£THIOPS  MIXERALIS,  which  see. 

APYRO'THIUM,  (from  the  same).     See  SULPHUR 

VIVUM. 

X2 


A  a  u 


156 


AQU 


A'QUA,  WATER;  called  also  alma.  This  word  is 
variously  derived;  some  say  it  is  quasi  a  qua  vivimus, 
because  by  it  we  exist,  others  quasi  aqua  from  the 
smoothness  of  its  surface ;  some,  from  <*#«,  for  vxp, 
sound,  from  the  noise  it  makes  in  running.  Natural 
philosophers  define  water  to  be  an  insipid,  fionderous, 
transparent,  colourless,  uninflammable,wA  highly  Jiuid 
body,  susceptible  of  the  different  states  of  aggregation 
from  solidity  to  that  of  elastic  vapour.  It  owes  its  fluidi- 
ty to  a  certain  degree  of  heat,  since  with  a  heat  two- 
thirds  less  than  that  of  our  blood  it  congeals;  and  with 
somewhat  more  than  twice  the  heat  of  our  blood  it 
boils,  beyond  which  it  cannot  be  made  hotter. 

Water  is  more  compressible  in  winter  than  in  sum- 
mer, contrary  to  most,  if  not  all  other  fluids;  it  is  also 
clastic.  See  Philos.  Trans,  vol.  iii.  p.  640. 

It  is  found  in  almost  every  natural  body;  and  nature 
unites  it  with  many  bodies  which  art  in  vain  attempts 
to  imitate.  It  exists  in  the  hardest  and  most  compact 
calcareous  stones,  and  forms  the  greater  part  of  the 
fluids,  and  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  solid  parts, 
of  animal  bodies.  It  is  contained  in  bodies  either  in  a 
state  of  simple  mixture  or  of  combination  ;  in  the  first 
case  it  renders  bodies  humid,  is  perceptible  to  the  eye, 
and  may  be  disengaged  with  the  greatest  facility  ;  in  the 
second  its  own  characters  disappear.  In  this  form  it 
exists  in^  crystals,  salts,  plants,  animals,  &c. :  water 
imparts  to  many  forms  of  bodies  hardness  and  trans- 
parency, particularly  to  salts  and  many  stony  crystals. 
Sonie  bodies  are  indebted  to  water  for  their  fixity  :  the 
acids,  for  instance,  are  supposed  to  acquire  fixity  only 
by  combining  with  water.  It  is  now  however  proved 
to  be  a  compound  body,  formed  by  the  union  of 
oxygen  and  hydrogen.  On  this  subject  our  readers 
may  consult  the  works  of  modern  chemists,  particularly 
Cavendish,  Lavoisier,  Fourcroy,  Thompson,  and  Chap- 
tal,  as  we  must  consider  it  only  in  a  dietetic  and  medical 
point  of  view. 

Water,  as  it  is  the  most  ancient,  so  it  is  the  best  and 
most  common  fluid  for  drink,  and  ought  to  be  esteemed 
the  most  commodious  for  the  preservation  of  life  and 
health;  for  not  only  all  kinds  of  animals,  but  the  great- 
est part  of  mankind,  preserve  life  by  drinking  water 
alone.  If  moderately  drunk  it  assists  digestion,  quenches 
thirst,  cools  the  habit,  dilutes  the  fluids,  opens  ob- 
structions, dissolves  viscidities,  corrects  acrimony,  pro- 
motes the  fluid  secretions,  and  is-an  universal  vehicle 
for  solid  food.  It  is  superior  to  all  other  liquids,  be- 
cause it  is  purer,  more  simple,  and  more  fluid  than 
other  drinks.  The  more  pure  the  water  the  better; 
and  that  is  certainly  the  best  which  falls  in  rain,  collect- 
ed from  high  situations  in  the  country,  then  boiled  a 
little,  and  afterwards  distilled,  the  half  which  comes 
over  first  only  to  be  used.  This,  from  its  purity,  is 
also  recommended  to  all  chemists  where  water  is  to  be 
employed;  but,  indeed,  such  as  nature  affords  is  a 
proper  drink  for  mankind,  if  there  is  no  impregnation 
to  the  taste  or  smell  of  a  person  of  common  sensibility. 
The  softer  and  purer  waters,  however,  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred for  use ;  though  the  harder  waters,  or  such  at 
are  impregnated  with  selenites,  or  rather  earthy  mat- 
ters, have  not  been  discovered  by  any  decisive  clear 
evidence  to  have  produced  the  bad  effects  ascribed  to 
them. 

In  the  pharmaceutical  use  of  water  we  must  however 


be  more  cautious.  Even  the  purest  rain  water 
found  by  Margraaf  to  contain  a  small  portion  of  a  mu- 
riated  salt,  and  in  large  cities  it  generally  contains 
some  vitriolated  salt.  Distilled  water  should  therefore 
be  particularly  employed  in  dissolving  the  pure  kali, 
the  pure  ammonia,  sal  acetosellae,  terra  ponderosa 
salita,  argentum  nitratum,  mercurius  nitratus,  mercu- 
rius  sublimatus  corrosivus,  and  acetatus,  tartarum 
emeticum,  hepar  sulphuris,  and  antimonii. 

Water  dissolves  salts ;  and  an  ounce  of  water  at  a, 
mean  temperature,  that  of  60  degrees  of  Fahrenheit, 
will  dissolve  of 

1.  ALKALIS.  oz.     dr.     gr. 

Dry  volatile  alkali  050 

Pure  salt  of  tartar  060 

Soda  depurata  O       5       0 

Lapis  causticus       -  •  060 

2.  NEUTRALS. 

Phosphorated  mineral  alkali      030 
Pure  nitre       -  0       1     30 

Rhomboidal  020 

Sal  ammoniac  020 

—  Glauber!  0       3     30 

Muriated  kali  020 

Natron  tartarisatum  0       30 

Kali  tartarisatum  030 

vitriolatum  0       0     24 

Borax    .  0       0  •  24 

3.  EAKTHY  SALTS. 

Crude  alum  Q       0     3(> 

Epsom  salt  050 

Terra  ponderosa  salita     -  0        1      10 

Calx  salita       -  '  100 

4.  METALLIC. 

Mercurius  acetatus  0       0     20 

•      sublimatus  cor- 
rosivus 0       o     30 

nitrosus  020 

tartarisatus     -          0     1 8     20 

Sal  martis       -  070 

Saccharum  saturni  04       O 

Salis  ammon.  floris  martiales     040 
Tartarus  emeticus  0       010 

Vitriolum  caeruleum  and  martis  0       2       0 

zinci  0       2     30 

Good  water  is  known  by  readily  mixing  with  soap 
without  curdling,  and  by  quickly  boiling  pease,  and 
pulse,  soft  and  tender ;  and  it  keeps  best  in  large  ves- 
sels, in  cold  places,  and  in  earthen  or  glass  jars. 

Muddy  water  may  be  cleared  by  adding  two  or  three 
grains  of  alum  to  each  pint,  and  thvis  the  water  is  not 
injured.  If  hard  it  may  be  rendered  soft  by  adding  a 
few  grains  of  the  salt  of  tartar  to  each  pint,  in  propor- 
tion to  its  hardness,  but  it  leaves  a  neutral  scarcely  less 
inconvenient. 

River  water  is  the  best  for  short  voyages;  but  the 
spring  water  is /longer  before  it  putrifies,  and  answers 
better  for  long  ones. 

Stagnant  waters;  water  in  which  is  much  melted  snow, 
ice,  or  dew  ;  water  from  mines;  such  as  rises  in  low  flat 
lands,  and  particularly  from  springs  which  contain 
an  unctuous  or  bituminous  matter  at  the  bottom ;  are 
bad  :  but  good  waters  are  obtained  from  springs  which 
are  on  high  lands  consisting  of  gravel ;  from  the  clouds, 
by  rain  falling  at  a  distance,  from  great  towns;  from 


AftU 


157 


AQ  i 


rivers  and  rivulets :  but  the  distilled  is  the  most  pure, 
and  a  regular  drinking  of  it  would  perhaps  in  some 
cases  be  as  beneficial  as  some  of  the  most  celebrated 
mineral  waters.  See  Dr.  F.Clifton's  Translation  of 
Hippocrates,  on  Air,  Water,  and  Situation.  Cullen's 
Materia  Medica.  Hoffman's  Systema  Rationale. 
Chaptal's  Chemistry. 

A'qfA  MU'LSA.     See  HYDROMELI. 

A'QUA  SULPHURA'TA.     See  GAS  SULPHURIS. 

A'quA  SA'LIS.     See  CIRCULATUM. 

AQU.E  MEDICIXA  LES,  vel  MIXERA'LES. 
MEDICINAL,  or  MINERAL  WATERS. 

Waters  which  contain  minerals  in  solution  are  distin- 
guished by  the  name  mineral  waters ;  but  as  there  is 
no  water  found  in  nature,  even  among  the  purest,  unim- 
pregnated  by  some  of  these  substances,  the  name  of 
mineral  waters  ought  to  be  confined  to  such  as  are  suffi- 
ciently impregnated  to  produce  a  sensible  effect  on  the 
animal  economy,  so  as  to  cure  or  prevent  the  disorders 
to  which  it  is  liable;  hence  the  term  MEDICINAL  is  more 
applicable.  They  participate  more  or  less  of  the 
matters  over  which  they  run  in  their  subterraneous 
passages,  and  from  some  prevailing  ingredient  they 
receive  their  names. 

The  substances  which  are  contained  in  waters  are 
either  held  by  SUSPENSION  or  SOLUTION;  by  the  first 
are  meant  clay,  *i7e.r,.£quartzose,  vitrifiable  earth,)  in 
a  state  of  division;  calcareous  earth;  and  magnesia.  By 
the  second,  air  of  different  kinds;  the  carbonic  acid; 
pure,  or  compound  alkalis;  lime,  magnesia,  the  sul- 
phates, muriates,  the  extractive  matters  of  plants,  he- 
patic gas,  &c.  Silex,  however,  is  often  contained  in 
waters,  apparently  dissolved  by  means  which  we  cannot 
understand  or  imitate.  Though  the  most  ancient,  the 
most  general,  and  the  most  simple  division  of  mineral 
waters  is  into  cold,  hot,  or  thermal  waters,  accordingly 
as  their  temperature  is  the  same  with,  or  exceeds  that 
of  common  water. 

Modern  chemists  of  allowed  abilities  have  arrang- 
ed all  mineral  waters  into  four  classes;  called  GASE- 
OUS, SALINE,  SULPHUREOUS,  and  FERRUGINOUS  WA- 
TERS. 

The  ACIDULOUS  are  the  most  common  and  best 
known 'of  the  gaseous  -waters,  and  are  those  in  which 
the  carbonic  ^acid  air  abounds ;  known  by  their 
sharp  penetrating  taste,  the  facility  with  which  they 
afford  bubbles  by  simple  agitation,  or  even  by  mere 
standing,  the  property  of  turning  the  tincture  of  turn- 
sole red,  arid  precipitating  lime  water  and  liver  of  sul- 
phur. These  are  divisible  into  two  orders,  cold  and 
hot ;  theyJrs*  comprehending  cold,  acidulous,  and  alka- 
line waters,  such  as  Seltzer,  St.  Myon,  Bard,  &c.; 
in  England,  Tilbury  and  Clifton.  The  second,  hot  or 
thermal,  acidulous,  alkaline  waters,  as  those  of  Mount 
d'Or. 

This  ingredient  in  mineral  waters  was  first  discover- 
ed in  the  Pyrmont  waters  by  Dr.  Brownrigg.  There 
are  few  waters  without  it;  but  unless  at  least  six 
inches  of  this  air  are  found  in  100  of  the  water,  it  is 
scarcely  medicinal.  The  Pyrmont  water  contains  from 
about  150  to  187  inches  in  100.  In  general,  water  at 
the  temperature  of  60°  can  take  little  more  than  its 
own  bulk,  unless  when  pure  alkalis,  with  which  it  can 
combine,  be  present.  It  is  incompatible  only  with  al- 
kaline air. 


Azote  was  first  discovered  in  the  Buxton  waters  by 
Dr.  Pearson,  and  it  has  been  suspected  in  the  Bathwa- 
ters.    Dr.   Garnet  found  it  in  those  of  Harrowgate; 
and  Mr.  Lambe  (Manchester  Mem.   vol.  v.)  in  those  of 
Lemington  Priors. 

Common  air  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Boyle  in  waters 
of  every  kind,  but  this  does  not  render  them  medicinal. 
Oxygen  air  was  first  discovered  in  water  by  Scheele, 
but  has  not  since  been  found  in  any  other  instance.  In- 
deed the  medicinal  waters,  whose  obvious  qualities 
force  them  on  our  notice,  can  scarcely  ever  contain 
oxygen,  since  it  cannot  unite  with  water  containing 
hepatic  air  or  ferruginous  salts.  We  know  not  that 
this  is  ever  medicinal,  for  oxygenous  air  in  the  stomach 
is  injurious.  Hydrogenous  air  seems  never  to  exist 
alone  in  water,  though  it  may  be  suspected  in  the  waters 
of  marshes  ;  but  it  is  a  solvent  of  sulphur,  and,  with  it. 
forms  a  common  ingredient  in  sulphureous  waters. 
When  combined  to  saturation  it  is  styled  by  Berthollet, 
the  sulphurated  hydrogen;  and,  when  united  to  a  ba- 
sis, hydrosulphuret.  When  the  sulphur  is  in  excess, 
it  is  hydrogenated  sulphur  of  Berthollet;  and,  with  a 
basis,  hydrogenated  sulphure;  more  conveniently,  the 
supersulphurated  hydrosulphuret.  Mr.  Kirwan  calls 
these  combinations,  respectively,  hepatic  air,  or  super- 
sulphurated  hydrogen,  hepatules,  and  hepars.  Of  the 
hepatic  air,  water  takes  up  about  two -thirds  or  three - 
fourths  of  its  bulk;  by  agitation,  or  heating  the  water, 
a  greater  quantity  is  absorbed.  Heavy  inflammable 
air,  or  carbonated  hydrogen,  exists  seemingly  in  some 
volcanic  waters,  but  has  not  been  ascertained  by  direct 
experiment.  Sulphureous,  or  vitriolic  air,  is  also  con- 
tained in  the  hot  waters  of  Italy  connected  with  volca- 
noes. It  is  apparently  the  excess  of  the  vitriolic  acid 
in  the  ferrugineous  waters,  and  has  been  usually  refer- 
red to  that  head. 

The  saline  waters  consist  of  a  numerous  group  of 
the  acid,  alkaline,  earthy,  and  neutral  saline  springs. 
As  we  have  just  seen  the  excess  of  vitriolic  acid  form- 
ing its  peculiar  air,  so  the  excess  of  the  acid  itself  is 
sometimes  found  in  the  vitriolated  and  aluminous  waters. 
The  muriatic  acid  has  not  yet  been  found  except  in  a 
state  of  combination,  unless  Dr.  Wethering's  suspicion 
of  its  existing  in  the  waters  of  Nevil  Holt  should  be 
realized ;  (Translation  of  Bergman's  Sciagraphia).  The 
boracic  acid  has,  as  we  shall  show,  been  found  in 
some  Italian  lakes  :  in  a  combined  state  we  have  always 
received  it  as  a  natural  production  from  the  lakes  of 
Persia  and  Thibet,  under  the  name  of  tinkal.  The 
nitrous  acid  exists  only  in  a  combined  state,  and  we  re- 
collect of  this  only  one  instance,  viz.  at  Bihor  in  Hun- 
gary. See  Annales  de  Chimie,  vol.  i.  p.  224. 

Of  the  alkalis,  the  natron  is  most  abundant  in  mine- 
ral waters,  and  it  is  found  in  an  aerated  state.  The 
quantity  of  this  salt  in  almost  every  region  of  the 
earth  is  considerable;  and  it  forms  a  striking  and  con- 
vincing proof,  that  the  waters  of  the  ocean  once  covered 
the  face  of  the  earth f  for  the  natron  is,  in  almost  every 
situation,  evidently  the  fixed  residuum  of  decomposed 
sea  salt.  In  the  natron  lakes  of  Egypt  it  is  accompa- 
nied with  the  sea  salt,  and  the  same  admixture  occurs 
in  many  mineral  waters.  Sea  water  has  not  been  usu- 
ally reckoned  among  mineral  waters;  it  is  however 
highly  deserving  of  this  distinction:  and  we  cannot 
avoid  noticing  in  this  place  a  curious  fact  lately 


AQU 


158 


tJ 


published,  which,  if  confirmed,  will  greatly  illustrate 
our  subject,  viz.  that  the  Galvanic  spark  passed  through 
water  produces  an  impregnation  of  sea  salt.  In  the 
progress  of  our  publication  we  shall  again  advert  to 
the  fact,  should  further  experiments  either  confirm  or 
oppose  it.  In  the  interval  between  writing  and  printing 
this  paragraph,  it  has  received  additional  confirmation. 

The  vegetable  alkali  is  rarely  found  in  mineral  waters ; 
yet  as  it  has  been  discovered  in  some  granites  we  may 
expect  to  meet  with  it.  The  solitary  instances  in  which 
it  has  yet  occurred,  scarcely  however  support  the.  ex- 
pectation. The  water  at  Doway  in  France  is  the 
only  uncontroveited  one  which  occurs  to  us;  for  Mon- 
net's  discovery  of  it  in  the  waters  of  Aix  la  Chapelle 
has  not  been  supported  by  subsequent  experiments. 
The  volatile  alkali,  which  we  should  with  less  reason 
expect  to  find,  has  been  discovered  by  Mr.  Cavendish 
in  the  waters  of  Rathbone  place  in  London,  and  by 
M.  Malouin  in  France.  If  the  kali  might  occur 
from  burnt  woods,  the  ammonia  would  not  be  a  less 
probable  impregnation  from  decayed  animal  sub- 
stances. 

Lime  is  a  very  common  ingredient,  seldom  however, 
if  ever,  uncombined.  Aerated  lime  frequently  occurs, 
and  the  air  in  these  instances  acts  as  a  solvent,  and  is 
not  combined  with  the  earth.  Bergman  supposes, 
that  about  100  cubic  inches  of  water,  saturated  with  its 
own  bulk  of  fixed  air  at  the  temperature  of  50°,  will 
dissolve  nearly  29  grains  of  aerated  lime;  and  about 
1504  parts  of  fully  aerated  water,  dissolve  about  one  of 
aerated  lime.  Mr.  Cavendish  however  found  that  this 
proportion  was  too  low,  and  that  a  quarter  of  a  grain  at 
least  might  be  added  (Phil.  Transactions,  foi»  1767); 
and  Berthollet  has  even  advanced  the  quantity  of  lime 
dissolved  in  water- to  nearly  3  to  1500.  This  ques- 
tion is  rather  a  chemical  than  a  medical  one,  and  we 
need  not  pursue  it  further. 

Magnesia,  as  an  ingredient  in  sea  water,  will  of 
course  appear  a  frequent  impregnation  of  mineral 
waters.  Magnesia,  fully  aerated,  is  soluble  in  900  parts 
of  water;  but  fully  aerated  water  takes  up  a  larger 
proportion  of  this  earth  at  the  period  of  its  precipitation 
by  a  mild  alkali.  Of  common  magnesia  about  -j^j  is  dis- 
solved in  aerated  water,  arid  by  management  a  larger 
proportion.  Even  pure  water,  we  are  told,  will  dissolve 
-j^-T  of  its  weight  of  the  common  earth.  It  is  remark- 
able, that  the  impregnation  of  water  with  vitriolated 
kali,  common  salt,  and  Epsom  salt,  will  render  it  a 
better  menstruum  of  magnesia. 

Argil  is  rather- suspended  than  dissolved  in  water; 
but  if  Westrumb  found  nine  grains  in  five  quarts  of 
Pyrmont  water,  it  must  have  been  really  dissolved. 
We  are  not  now  speaking  of  aluminous  waters,  but  of 
argillaceous  ones,  where  the  earth  is  suspended  by  fixed 
air:  with  its  assistance,  magnesia  is  very  much  more 
soluble  than  argil. 

Aerated  iron  is  very  common,  and  100  cubic  inches 
of  fixed  air  may  dissolve  four  of  iron.  If  in  the  waters 
of  Medevi,  analysed  by  Bergman  in  th,e  first  volume 
of  his  Opuscula,  four  grains  of  iron  arc  suspended  with 
only  six  cubic  inches  of  this  air,  we  may  suspect  the 
intervention  of  some  other  solvent. 

Of  all  the  impregnations  of  mineral  waters,  the  neutral 
salts  are  the  most  frequent:  they  occur  in  all  their  va- 
rieties, and  in  every  possible  combination.  The  sele- 


nite  is  a  very  common  impregnation;  and  in  Mon- 
ro's  system,  compiled  when  chemistry  had  scarcely 
assumed  a  scientific  form,  it  is  called  calcareous  glauber. 
The  Epsom  and  Glauber's  salts  are  more  rare,  but 
frequent.  Vitriolated  ammonia,  and  vitriol  of  iron,  are 
the  production  chiefly  of  volcanos.  The  latter  occurs 
in  the  waters  of  Mulino  near  Latera  (Lavoisier,  Mem. 
de  Paris,  1777);  in  those  of  Horsley  Green  (Garnet); 
and  in  Denmark  (Bergman,  vol.  i.  p. '176).  Vitriol  of 
copper  is  contained  only  in  waters  issuing  from  the 
copper  mines. 

We  have  mentioned  the  acid  of  nitre  seldom  occurring 
in  a  combined  state  ;  but  Margraaf  found  some  traces  of 
nitre  in  the  wells  of  Berlin,  and  Bergman  in  the  waters 
of  Nidda,  near  Altenclorf.  Nitrat  of  lime  and  magnesia 
occasionally  occur,  but  these  springs  are  not  medicinal. 

Of  the  muriats,  we  find  muriated  natron,  lime,  and 
magnesia,  in  many  mineral  springs.  Muriated  ammo- 
nia has  occurred  in  some  of  the  Italian  lakes,  and  in 
Siberia  (Herman,  vol.  ii.  p.  346).  Muriated  barytes  has 
been  found  in  water  by  Bergman  and  Schoeffer ;  mu- 
riated argil  by  Withering  (Translation  of  Bergman's 
Sciagraphia,  p.  31);  and  muriated  manganese  by  Berg- 
man; and,  in  our  own  country,  by  Mr.  Lambe  in  the 
water  of  Lemington  Priors. 

The  sulphureous  waters  owe  their  peculiar  properties 
to  the  union  of  alkalis  or  lime ;  but  Mr.  Kirwan  remarks 
that  the  sulphur  is  never  in  the  form  of  hepars,  since 
these  are  always  coloured,  or,  when  diluted,  become 
so  on  standing ;  then  ceasing  to  have  any  effect  on  ni- 
trated silver,  lead,  or  any  other  test.  Bituminated 
alkali  occurs  only  in  one  or  two  solitary,  perhaps 
doubtful  instances. 

Petroleum  was  found  floating  on  the  waters  of  Dri- 
burg,  and  in  some  of  those  of  Pyrmont,  by  Westrumb. 
Vegetable  and  animal  extractive  matters  are  accidental, 
and  never  medicinal  impregnations. 

The  ferruginous  waters  we  have  already  mention- 
ed: the  iron  is  held  by  the  sulphuric  and  the  car- 
bonic acid,  or  mechanically  suspended.  Of  the  first 
we  have  already  spoken:  the  carbonate  of  iron  oc- 
curs chiefly  in  the  acidulous  waters,  and  the  mechani- 
cal suspension  occurs  in  the  forge  waters  sometimes 
used  as  topical  astringents,  to  be  afterwards  noticed. 
The  medicinal  are,  in  some  measure,  ascertained  by 
the  sensible  qualities  of  waters.  To  the  sight,  pure 
water  is  clear,  like  crystal :  when  less  so,  some  hete- 
rogeneous matters  are  certainly  present.  Water  that 
has  run  through  a  gravelly  soil  is  generally  very  pure: 
that  which  has  passed  through  argillaceous  or  muddy 
land  much  less  so.  Though  good  water  is  without 
colour,  it  does  not  follow  that  every  colourless  water  is 
good.  An  obscure  muddiness  verging  to  yellow  or  red 
is  found  in  stagnant  waters,  and  may  arise  from  the  ex- 
tractive vegetable  matter  found  in  marshes,  or  from 
fatty  substances.  A  blue  colour  points  out  copper;  a 
.green,  vitriol  of  iron.  The  aerial  acid,  when  uncom- 
bined, becomes  obvious  by  the  bubbles  separated  on 
standing,  or  on  agitation.  The  purest  water,  however, 
when  standing  in  the  sun,  will  discharge  numerous 
air  bubbles. 

To  the  sense  of  smelling-,  good  water  is  free  from 
odour.  When  saturated  with  the  aerial  acid,  it  exhales- 
a  suffocating,  subtile  vapour.  Hepatic  waters  resem- 
ble in  smejl  a  stale  egg,  or  the  scourings  of  afoul  gun; 


A-QU 


159 


AQU 


those  impregnated  with  putrid  extractive  matter  are 
distinguished  by  their  fffitor. 

Waters  may  be  considered  ,as  pure,  in  proportion  to 
their  want  of  taste  :  even  in  the  purest,  however,  the 
experienced  water  drinker  will  discover  a  difference. 
The  aerial  acid  gives  an  agreeable  pungency.  Bitter- 
ness shows  an  impregnation  of  Glauber's  salt,  nitre, 
vitriolated,  nitrated,  or  muriated  magnesia,  nitrated  or 
muriated  lime.  Lime  and  selenite  are  distinguished 
by  a  slight  austerity ;  alum  by  a  little  stypticity ;  com- 
mon salt  by  its  saline  taste ;  alkali  by  its  urinous  fla- 
vour; copper  and  iron  by  tastes  peculiarly  their  own, 
and  sufficiently  known. 

The  quantity  of  foreign  matter  in  medicinal  waters 
is  ascertained  by  their  specific  gravity,  compared  with 
that  of  water  at  the  same  temperature.  The  compari- 
son should  be  made  with  distilled  water,  not  in  small 
quantities,  for  the  difference  is  not  easily  ascertained ; 
nor  in  large  ones,  as  the  greater  weights  are  not  mi- 
nutely exact.  Vessels  which  hold  a  quart  or  three 
pints  form  the  proper  mean.  .  The  specific  gravity  is, 
however,  only  a  test  of  the  quantity  of  matter  in  waters 
without  smell,  for  the  hepatic  waters  are  lighter  than 
'  distilled.  The  water  of  Limmer  and  Rensdorf  are  in- 
stances of  this  kind,  examined  by  Andria  and  Brock- 
man.  The  lightest  water  is  that^of  Envie,  near  Turin, 
eight  pounds  of  which  contain  about  half  a  grain  of 
lime :  the  heaviest,  that  of  the  Dead  Sea,  which,  ac- 
cording to  Lavoisier,  contains  44.4  per  cent,  of  common 
salt,  muriated  lime,  and  magnesia,  so  that  it  is  evident- 
ly a  salt  lake,  whose  fluid  contents  are  decreasing. 
These  extremes  are  1.0000  and  1.2403.  If  waters 
abound  with  aerial  acid,  their  specific  gravities  do  not 
give  the  proportion  of  solid  matter  with  any  accuracy 
at  a  temperature  above  50°.  A  convenient  rule,  suffi- 
ciently accurate,,  is  given  by  Mr.  Kirwan  to  ascertain 
the  solid  contents  by  the  specific  gravity,  which  we 
shall  transcribe.  It  consists  in  subtracting  1000  from 
the  given  specific  gravity  expressed  in  whole  numbers, 
and  multiplying  the  product  by  1.4.  This  gives  the 
weight  of  the  salts  in  their  most  desiccated  state,  but 
that  of  fixed  air  is  also  included.  The  fixed  air  should 
of  course  be  previously  separated,  and  the  water  of 
crystallisation  allowed  for.  We  shall  therefore  add  at 
the  end  a  very  convenient  table  from  Kirwan,  to  which 
we  shall  often  have  occasion  to  refer. 

Another  method  of  estimating  the  medicinal  from 
the  sensible  qualities  of  waters,  is,  an  examination  of 
their  temperature.  For  this  purpose,  it  will  be  of  use  to 
enquire  whether  the  temperature  is  the  same  at  all 
seasons,  whether  it  follows  the  variations  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, or  the  water  freezes  in  winter;  if  warm  waters 
deposit  any  sediment  in  cooling ;  of  what  this  sediment 
consists ;  and  whether  their  sensible  qualities  are  di- 
minished or  destroyed  after  the  deposition. 

The  situation  of  the  waters  must  not  be  neglected. 
The  character  and  elevation  of  the  neighbouring  coun- 
try ;  the  quantity  of  the  water,  and  the  occasional  varia- 
tions in  this  respect ;  its  current ;  the  number  of  its 
springs,  and  the  quantity  they  furnish ;  the  quantity 
and  nature  of  their  depositions ;  what  sublimations  are 
observable  in  their  channels ;  whether  they  flow  tran- 
quilly or  with  ebullition ;  what  vegetables  and  animals 
they  support ;  are  circumstances  of  real  importance  in 
ascertaining  the  nature  of  mineral  waters. 


It  cannot  form  a  part  of  our  present  object  to  engage 
in  details  of  the  various  methods  employed  in  the  ana- 
lysis of  mineral  waters ;  yet,  as  the  medical  practitioner 
is  sometimes  called  on  to  determine  on  the  propriety  of 
using  any  water  which  has  not  been  hitherto  analysed, 
a  few  short  rules  may  not  be  improper  or  misplaced ; 
they  are  not  designed  to  obtain  an  accurate  analysis,  but 
to  form  a  general  idea  of  the  nature  of  any  water  offer- 
ed to  observation.  The  description  of  the  sensible  pro- 
perties of  the  different  kinds  of  mineral  waters  will  lead 
to  a  general  knowledge  of  their  contents.  The  acidu- 
lous waters  will  tinge  the  juice  of  litmus  red,  but  the 
colour  will  disappear  by  exposure  to  the  air  :  they  will 
also  precipitate  lime  from  lime  water,  which  will  be 
again  dissolved  if  a  small  quantity  only  is  added,  or  if 
the  air  be  in  excess.  If  a  flaccid  bladder  be  tied  round 
the  mouth  of  a  bottle  containing  the  water,  and  heat 
applied,  the  quantity  of  uncombined  air  may  be  mea- 
sured by  the  quantity  in  the  bladder. 

The  hydrogenated  sulphur  will  tarnish  silver,  or, 
more  readily,  lead.  A  mark  made  on  paper  with  acetite 
of  lead  or  tartrite  of  bismuth  is  instantly  blackened, 
without  producing  any  Jurbidness.  A  sulphuret '  of 
either  fixed  alkali  will  indeed  produce  the  same  effect, 
but  a  decomposition  ensues.  When  the  sulphur  is 
combined  with  the  water  by  means  of  an  alkali,  it  may 
be  precipitated  by  the  sulphuric  or  muriatic  acid,  and 
weighed  ;  but  some  sulphur  will  still  remain  suspended. 
Either  the  sulphureous  acid,  or  the  strong  red  nitric 
acid,  will  precipitate  what  is  left.  Oxides  of  lead, 
quicksilver,  and  arsenic,  by  uniting  with  the  hydrogen 
of  the  gas  which  keeps  the  remaining  sulphur  suspend- 
ed, will  have  the  same  effect.  By  these  means  we  can 
also  separate  the  sulphur,  dissolved  by  means  of  hydro- 
genous gas  in  water. 

Alkalis,  when  uncombined  or  aerated  only,  are  dis- 
covered by  changing  the  colour  of  syrup  of  violets 
green.  To  ascertain  whether  this  change  is  owing  to 
the  fixed  or  volatile  alkali,  some  muriat  of  quicksilver 
must  be  added.  The  volatile  attracts  a  large  portion  of 
the  acid,  and  the  rest  is  precipitated  with  the  metal  in 
the  form  of  mercurius  dulcis. 

Acids  are  more  easily  discovered.  The  muriated 
barytes  is  decomposed  by  the  sulphuric  acid,  forming 
an  almost  insoluble  compound,  and  all  its  salts  are 
thus  at  once  discovered  :  an  almost  imperceptible  par- 
ticle of  either  forming  a.  precipitate.  The  muriatic 
acid  can  be  as  certainly  discovered  by  a  solution  of 
nitrated  silver  with  an  excess  of.  acid.  Having  ascer- 
tained the  nature  of  the  acid,  if  in  the  first  instance  an 
alkali  is  added,  the  lime,  if  the  water  contain  a  calca- 
reous earth,  is  deposited ;  or  argil,  or  magnesia,  if- 
these  be  its  ingredients.  If  the  precipitate  be  soluble 
in  distilled  vinegar,  it  is  not  argil ;  if,  when  dissolved, 
and  sulphuric  acid  be  added,  no  precipitation  ensues, 
it  is  not  calcareous,  and  consequently  must  be  magnesia. 
The  acid  of  sugar  will  at  once  show  the  existence  of 
calcareous  earth,  for  its  attraction  is  very  powerful  and 
the  compound  insoluble. 

If  aerial  acid  be  the  means  of  the  solution  of  the 
earth,  it  will  separate  in  boiling ;  but  more  certainly 
by  acetite  of  lead.  The  metal  is  precipitated,  and  the 
earth  suspended  by  the  acetous  acid.  As  the  lead  would 
also  be  precipitated  by  a  sulphat,  a  little  more  acid 
shculd  be  added,  which  will  redissolve  the  lead  if  an 


A  QU 


160 


A  QU 


earth  has  occasioned  the  separation.  The  nature  of 
the  saline' neutrals  can  only  be  with  certainty  ascertain- 
ed by  evaporation  and  the  form  of  their  crystals.  If 
nitre  be  contained  in  water,  after  a  considerable  evapo- 
ration, the  smell  of  the  acid  may  be  detected  on  the 
addition  of  some  sulphuric  acid. 

As  copper  can  be  discovered  by  the  taste,  we  need 
only  notice  the  means  o-"  distinguishing  iron  ;  though 
this  also  shows  Strong  marks  of  its  presence  by  the 
ochery  depositions  on  the  banks  of  its  streams  and  the 
astringency  of  its  taste.  A  ready  and  convenient  test 
is,  however,  the  calcareous  prussiat,  prepared  by  boil- 
ing lime  water  a  little  while  on  Prussian  blue :  it  must 
be  kept  in  well  stopped  phials  from  the  light.  The 
tincture  and  infusion  of  galls  are  equally  useful ;  but  a 
little  alkali  must  be  previously  added,  as  an  excess  of 
acid,  should  there  be  such,  will  prevent  the  change  of 
colour.  Mr.  Kinvan,  in  his  excellent  treatise  on  mi- 
'neral  waters,  has  added  a  list  of  '  associated,'  and  ano- 
ther of  '  incompatible'  salts,  chiefly,  he  remarks,  for 
the  assistance  of  geologists.  We  think  a  short  abstract 
of  this  part  of  his  work  will  be  equally  useful  to  the 
medical  chemist,  derated  lime  and  selenite  most  fre- 
quently accompany  each  other;  and  aerated  magnesia 
is  always  accompanied  with  aerated  lime,  but  not  vice 
versa,  derated  soda  is  generally  accompanied  with 
Glauber  and  common  salt,  but  not  -vice  -versa.  Efisom 
salt  is  commonly  accompanied  by  Glauber  or  selenite, 
or  both,  but  not  vice  versa.  Vitriol  of  alum  and  iron 
are  commonly  associated.  Common  salt,  unless  with 
soda,  is  always  attended  with  selenite ;  and  the  latter, 
very  generally  diffused-,  accompanies  all  salts  except 
soda  when  in  any  remarkable  proportion  Muriated 
magnesia  is  most  commonly  found  with  sea  salt,  but 
not  vice  versa,  often  with  Epsom  salt.  Muriated  lime 
is  almost  always  accompanied  with  common  salt.  Efi- 
som  and  common  salt  decompose  each  other  when  some 
degrees  below  the  freezing  point,  producing  Glauber 
and  muriated  magnesia ;  but  in  a  higher  temperature 
they  react  on  each  other. 

Many  salts  found  in  mineral  waters  are  incompatible, 
capable  of  decomposing  each  other ;  or,  if  simple,  of 
decomposing  some  of  the  compound  salts.  This  how- 
ever appears  to  be  prevented  by  the  large  proportion  of 
the  menstruum. 

Aerated  alkalis  are  incompatible  with  earthy  or 
metallic  salts;  uncombined  vitriolic  acid  with  earthy 
nitrats,  or  muriats,  or  aerated  earths ;  alkaline  sulphats 
with  earthy  nitrats  or  muriats ;  Glauber  with  sylvian  ; 
vitriolated  tartar  with  nitrated  soda ;  vitriolated  ammo- 
nia with  nitre  and  sylvian ;  Epsom  salt  with  nitrated  or 
muriated  lime ;  alum  with  nitrated  or  muriated  lime, 
or  magnesia ;  nitrated  lime  with  sylvian,  sal  ammoniac, 
muriated  barytes,  or  magnesia  ;  nitrated  magnesia  with 
sylvian  and  muriated  barytes;  muriated  magnesia  with 
nitrated  soda  and  lime. 

From  these  few  hints  the  nature  of  any  mineral  wa- 
ter may  be  ascertained  with  sufficient  accuracy,  and  we 
shall  now  proceed  with  some  account  of  the  impregna- 
tions of  mineral  waters,  and  their  medicinal  powers. 
In  this  place  it  is  unnecessary  to  be  minute  in  giving 
the  contents  of  each;  it  is  the  object  of  the  chemist, 
rather  than  the  physician.  In  a  medical  view  we  shall 
class  the  most  noted  mineral  waters  under  their  proper 
"lieads,  and  then  consider  the  virtues  of  each  class. 


I.  Waters  with  very  inconsiderable  or  no  impregnation. 
Cold.  Malvern ;  Holywell;  Plombiercs 
Warm.  Bristol;  Matlock  ;  Buxton. 

II.  Aerial,  acidulous,  sparkling. 

1.  United  with  alkali:  Seltzer;  Clifton  and  Til- 

bury in  England  ;  Carolina  in  Bohemia  ;  Mont 
d'Or  and  Bourbon  L'Archambault  in  France. 

2.  United  with  steel :  Tunb ridge,  Spa,  Pyrmont, 

Boussan,  and  Pougue  in  France. 

3.  Steel,  hot:  Bath. 

4.  Steel  and  salts :   Cheltenham  and 

Scarborough. 

5. Hot  :     Vichy. 

Carlsbad. 

III.  Saline,  simply  with  one  or  more  neutral  salts. 

Sea-water ;  Sedlitz  and  Seidschutz  in  Bohemia  : 
Epsom  ;  Balaruc  and  Bagnere  in  France. 

IV.  Sulphureous. 

1 .  Cold  :  Harrowgate  ;  Moffat. 

2.  Hot  :    Aix  ;    Borset ;    Bareges    and    Dax    iu 

France ;  Baden  in  Germany. 
V.  Bituminous  :  Driburg,  and  some  of  the  springs  ok.  • 

Pyrmont. 
VI.  Metallic. 

1.  Vitriolated  chalybeate :  Hartfel. 
It  forms  a  problem  of  no  little  difficulty  to  explain., 
why  waters  with  impregnations  so  slight  and  inconsi- 
derable should  ever  have  become  famous  as  medicinal. 
It  has  furnished  arguments  for  the  sceptic,  and  refined 
considerations  for  the  pathologist.  If  water  so  pure 
be  ever  useful,  might  we  not  attribute  the  whole  to  the 
element  alone  ?  and,  having  obtained  this  '  vantage 
ground,'  may  we  not  suppose  that  all  the  advantages  of 
mineral  waters  are  derived  from  dilution,  added  to 
changes  of  air  and  scene,  absence  from  the  distrac- 
tions of  business,  or  what  would  revive  the  recollec- 
tion of  distressing  scenes  or  events  ?  The  argument 
has  been  drawn  out  with  much  care,  decked  with  delu- 
sive colourings,  and  supported  by  facts,  which  might 
at  least  occasion  hesitation.  Those  who  have  indulged 
in  excess  of  every  kind,  in  indulgences  the  most  ex- 
hausting, would  certainly  be  benefited  by  a  water  diet, 
accompanied  with  regular  hours,  with  exercise  in  free 
air,  with  tranquillity  and  cheerful  conversation :  men, 
whose  midnight  hours  have  been  irritated  by  study  and 
anxiety,  would  find  the  surest  balm  in  calm  repose , 
those  who  have  never  sought  rest,  but  in  fevers  from 
wine,  and  '  rude  wasseling,'  must  feel  peculiar  com- 
fort in  the  calm  of  temperance  and  cheerfulness  :  men 
who  have  burnt  under  the  torrid  zone,  and  whose  fluids 
are  highly  animalized  by  scorching  heat,  will  find  the 
cooling  streams  soothing  and  salutary.  These  repre- 
sentations may  be  allowed,  yet  they  will  not  prove  all 
that  they  are  designed  to  show.  Crowds  of  hectic  pa- 
tients seek,  and  often  seek  in  vain,  relief  in  the  pure 
springs  of  Bristol;  yet,  had  they  not  been  advanta- 
geous, crowds  would  never  have  resorted  to  them. 
Pathology  steps  in  to  our  aid,  and  attempts  to  show 
that  medicines  in  a  form  highly  attenuated  may  pro- 
duce effects  to  which  in  a  grosser  state  they  were  un- 
equal; that  the  peculiar  appropriate  effects  of  every 
medicine  are  attained  only  in  a  suitable  dose ;  and  that, 
beyorid  this,  each  is  indiscriminately  stimulant.  To 
reasonings  of  this  kind,  on  either  side,  we  need  no  re- 
ply ;  but  we  must  have  recourse  to  experience,  which 


161 


AQL 


•ell-,  us.  in  language  not  to  be  misunderstood,  that 
waters  of  a  given  "class  are  highly  efficacious  in  their  ap- 
propriate diseases,  let  the  immediate  cause  be  what  it 
may.  If  we  were  to  give  our  own  opinion,  it  would  be 
limited  and  discriminated.  We  see  striking  effects  of 
acidulous,  of  sulphurated,  of  saline,  and  chalybeate 
waters;  but  for  this  reason,  must  we  deny  them  to 
the  purer  kinds  ?  We  know  that  the  effects  we  perceive 
i\ve  not  in  .proportion  to  the  doses  of  the  active  ingre- 
dient swallowed;  may  we  not  then  suppose,  that  ingre- 
dients apparently  less  active  may  have  effect  in  the 
same  form  ?  In  reality,  we  would  not  give  them  all 
the  merit  assigned,  or  deny  wholly  their  powers.  We 
believe  the  purest  waters  have  been  useful ;  and  are 
convinced  that  those  which  possess  the  more  active  in- 
gredients, have  been  highly  salutary. 

This  disquisition  we  have  been  led  into  from  the  first 
class  of  waters ;  and  we  may  now  add,  that  chemistry 
may  probably  detect  ingredients  not  yet  suspected  in 
some  of  these,  as  azotic  gas  appears  to  have  been  found 
in  those  of  Buxton;  and  perhaps  oxygen  may  occur 
in  others,  as  it  has  been  suspected  in  the  waters  of 
Plombieres.  The  second  class,  the  acidulous  waters, 
stimulate  the  stomach  and  improve  the  appetite.  They 
are  certainly  refrigerant  and  antiseptic:  refrigerants,  we 
shall  find  to  be  deobstruent,  and,  in  some  constitutions, 
diuretic.  Perhaps  the  acidulous  waters  are  adapted  to 
those  who  have  injured  the  stomach  by  excess  in  drink- 
ing: when  joined  -with  chalybeates,  this  advantage  is 
more  strikingly  conspicuous.  If  ever  these  waters  prove 
peculiarly  useful  as  deobstruents,  it  is  when  they  are 
united  with  neutral  salts:  but  to  follow  this  subject 
would  be  to  anticipate  what  more  naturally  occurs  under 
ihefiext  head. 

The  saline  waters  are  certainly  cathartic  and  diuretic: 
they  have  the  credit  of  being  alterants  and  deobstruents. 
Of  the  supposed  acrimonies  of  the  fluids  we  have  al- 
ready spoken,  (see  ALTERANTS,)  and  have  remarked, 
that  though  what  appears  in  excrementitious  fluids 
must  have  existed  in  the  blood,  yet  it  never  formally 
appears  in  that  fluid.  We  may  now  add,  that  such  is 
i he  connection  between  the  secretory  organs,  that  a 
derivation- from  one  of  these  will  prevent  a  deposition 
on  some  others.  Thus  the  discharge  of  the  more  fluid 
secretions  from  the  bowels  will  check  similar  ones  of 
the  saliva  and  of  the  skin  ;  and  to  cure,  or  certainly  to 
prevent,  the  recurrence  of  cutaneous  eruptions,  there  is 
no  more  certain  remedy  than  the  saline  mineral  waters, 
particularly  sea  water.  Obstructions  of  greater  conse- 
quence occur  in  the  chylopoietic  viscera  and  the  con- 
globate glands.  Dissection  shows  us  that  the  liver, 
the  pancreas,  and  other  organs  of  the  abdomen,  may  be 
obstructed,  enlarged,  become  scirrhous,  or  otherwise 
diseased.  For  these  complaints  the  saline  mineral 
waters  are  recommended  with  advantage.  To  explain 
their  effects  we  must  first  notice  the  general  principle 
previously  alluded  to,  that  the  chief  and  first  effect  of 
all  deobstruents  is  refrigerant  or  sedative.  WThen  ob- 
struction exists,  if  the  circulation  is  accelerated  and 
the  obstacle  is  not  conquered,  the  matter  must  be  more 
firmly  impacted ;  and  at  a  distance  from  the  source  of 
power,  the  action  of  the  vessels  must  be  comparatively- 
weak  and  inconsiderable.  To  this  we  know  but  of  one 
exception,  viz.  the  action  of  mercurials,  whose  stimu- 
lant power  is  chiefly  felt  in  the  extreme  vessels.  In- 

VOL.  ». 


dependent,  however,  of  the  refrigerant  effect  of  salim 
medicinal  waters,  they  generally  increase  the  discharge 
from  the  excretory  ducts  of  the  obstructed  part,  and  of 
course  relieve  the  over  distended  vessels;  not  -only  pre- 
venting further  impaction,  but  taking  away  the  impedi- 
ments to  the  action  of  arteries  already  obstructed. 

The  action  of  these  waters  on  obstructions  of  tht 
lymphatic  glands  we  have  also  already  glanced  at.  It 
was  the  language  of  Dr.  Cullen  that  saline  waters,  par- 
ticularly sea  water, '  washed  out'  the  lymphatic  system. 
We  know  not,  however,  by  what  channels  they  could 
reach  glands  whose  disease  consisted  in  refusing  a  pass- 
age to  every  absorbed  fluid ;  and  when  we  before  noticed 
this  effect,  and  was  willing  to  attribute  it  to  the  power 
which  salts  possess  of  rendering  the  gluten  more  fluid, 
we  were  obliged  to  allow  that  the  matter  of  scrofulous 
glands  was  not  gluten.  Saline  waters  are,  however, 
very  valuable  remedies  in  these  complaints ;  and  they 
seem  useful  by  increasing  the  action  of  the  lymphatic 
system,  which  is  probably  in  this  disease  defective.  Ob- 
structions of  the  mesenteric  glands  are  very  often  re- 
lieved by  saline  waters ;  and  from  what  we  have  observ- 
ed of  their  powers,  it  will  be  easy  to  see  on  what  prin- 
ciple their  good  effects  depend.  In  some  late  authors, 
the  physconia  abdominalis  is  mentioned  among  the  dis- 
eases to  which  these  waters  are  adapted.  The  com- 
plaint consists  in  hardened  tumours  in  the  abdomen, 
apparently  not  connected  with  glands  of  either  system  : 
and  if  the  remedy  is  useful,  we  must  confess  our  ignor- 
ance of  its  manner  of  acting. 

Some  of  these  saline  waters  are  recommended  in 
cases  where  we  hesitate  respecting  their  power,  or  the 
means,  if  their  efficacy  be  admitted,  by  which  they  re- 
lieve. We  allude  to  those  cases  of  exhausted  constitu- 
tions which  are  supposed  to  find  relief  from  Chelten- 
ham. It  is  said  that  the  chalybeate  impregnation 
obviates  the  debilitating  power  of  the  cathartic  salts.  In 
fact,  we  strongly  suspect  that  in  all  such  cases  an  ob- 
struction of  the  liver  has  occasioned  or  coincided  with 
the  other  complaints,  and  that  the  relief  obtained  has 
followed  from  the  effects  of  the  waters  formerly  men- 
tioned. It  is  contended,  however,  that  they  are  useful 
in  other  circumstances,  and  we  cannot  deny  that  they 
have  appeared  to  be  so ;  but  with  the  little  experience 
we  at  a  distance  can  possess,  it  would  be  the  height  of 
arrogance  to  contend  against  the  enlarged  field  of  ob- 
servation a  residence  on  the  spot  affords. 

Melancholy  and  dropsy,  two  diseases  for  which  the 
saline  waters  are  recommended,  need  not  detain  us :  in 
each  there  are  generally  obstructions  in  the  viscera,  and 
in  each  gentle  laxatives  are  useful. 

The  aerated  alkalinewaters  are  now  peculiarly  fashion- 
able, and  the  artificial  soda  water,  which  we  shall  men- 
tion in  another  article,  is  frequently  drunk :  it  is  re- 
commended as  a  stimulant,  a  tonic,  a  solvent,  and  a 
stomachic.  In  weak  digestions,  in  gouty  apepsia,  in 
stomachs  abounding  with  acid,  it  is  highly  commended, 
and  is  not  without  its  merit,  though  the  fiofiularis  aura 
seem  to  have  extolled  it  beyond  its  bearing.  In  nephri- 
tic and  calculous  complaints  it  is  recommended  as  a 
solvent ;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  its  power  is  obvious 
in  any  other  organ  except  the  stomach.  The  acid 
evolved  in  the  urea,  in  the  perspiration  and  calculi  of 
arthritic  patients,  is  apparently  generated  in  the  sto- 
mach, and  is  there  counteracted  by  antacids.  If,  how- 

Y 


A  QU 


162 


A-Qtr 


ever  the  alkali  can  be  conveyed  without  change  to  the 
bladder,  it  may  certainly  be  useful  as  a  solvent.  In  in- 
flammatory fevers  it  acts  as  a  cooling  laxative,  and  in 
some  cases  of  hectic  appears  beneficial ;  but,  as  a  re- 
medy in  putrid  fevers,  this  gas  is  too  trifling  as  an  anti- 
septic to  detain  us  a  moment. 

The  sulphureous  waters  are  very  powerful  and  active 
remedies ;  as  the  sulphur,  in  the  attenuated  form  which 
it  assumes  in  its  combination  with  inflammable  air,  is 
conveyed  to  the  smallest  vessels.  These  waters  have 
been  long  employed  in  diseases  of  the  ,skin ;  and,  as 
they  are  used  both  externally  and  internally,  they  pro- 
duce very  considerable  effects.  In  gouty  swellings  and 
diseased  joints  from  this  and  other  causes,  the  warm 
sulphureous  waters  are  highly  useful ;  in  the  chronic 
pains  from  gout,  rheumatism,  contractions,  or  indeed 
any  cause,  they  afford  considerable  relief.  They  are 
supposed  particularly  effectual  in  diseases  produced  by 
arsenic,  lead,  or  mercury:  but  we  suspect  that  this 
opinion  rather  arises  from  the  power  of  sulphur  on 
metals  out  of  the  body,  than  from  actual  observation. 
In  such  diseases,  the  metal  seems  to  be  soon  discharged 
•out  of  the  system,  and  the  effects  only  remain. 

Modern  refinement,  perhaps  modern  theory,  has  added 
another  group  of  complaints  to  those  which  are  likely  to 
be  benefited  by  sulphureous  waters,  viz.  the  diseases  aris- 
ing from  too  great  a  proportion  of  oxygen  in  the  system. 
1'athologists  have  not  traced  this  cause  very  extensively; 
but  it  has  been  supposed  to  occasion  the  diabetes  melli- 
tus,  and  in  hectics  the  florid  blood  seems  to  show  that 
the  fluids  are  highly  oxygenated.  In  the  former,  Dr. 
Rollo  advised  the  hepatised  ammonia  ;  and  other  authors 
have  thought  that  the  same  object  might  be  more  con- 
veniently attained  by  these  waters.  We  know  not  that 
they  have  been  employed  in  hectic,  but  air  of  a  lower 
quality  than  that  of  the  atmosphere  seems  occasionally 
\iseful ;  and  we  strongly  suspect  that  the  credit  of  the 
Bristol  waters  has  been  lessened,  since  it  has  been 
fashionable  to  reside  nearer  the  summit  of  the  hill. 

Of  the  bituminous  waters  we  have  had  little  expe- 
rience, and  need  not  enlarge.  We  perceive  in  some 
authors,  that  water  impregnated  with  what  is  called 
fossil  oil  occur  in  this  kingdom  and  in  different  parts 
of  the  continent.  In  our  own  country  the  waters  of 
Brosely,  Pitchford,  and  Wigan,  are  enumerated;  in 
France,  those  of  Gabian  and  Plombieres ;  in  Germany, 
that  of  Waldsborn.  In  fact,  the  accuracy  of  modern 
chemistry  has  not  yet  sufficiently  illustrated  the'  nature 
of  several  mineral  springs  ;  nor  are  the  medical  reports 
wholly  free  from  suspicion  of  superstitious,  prejudiced, 
or  interested  exaggeration.  We  have,  consequently,  pre- 
ferred giving  the  general  outlines  of  the  analysis,  with 
the  knowledge  to  be  drawn  from  the  sensible  qualities 
of  the  water  respecting  its  ingredients,  to  the  list  of 
m  ineral  waters,  with  which  we  had  purposed  to  con- 
clude the  present  article. 

The  metallic  impregnations  only  remain,  and  under 
this  head  we  purpose  to  speak  more  particularly  of  the 
Bath  waters.  These  springs  have  been  long  and  highly 
esteemed ;  but  the  chemist  has  been  disappointed  in 
finding  so  little  foundation  from  his  analysis  for  the 
character  they  have  for  so  many  centuries  enjoyed.  This 
water  consequently  furnishes  a  strong  argument  in  fa- 
vour of  those  who  consider  the  attenuated  form  of  the 
impregnation  as  the  chief  source  of  the  benefit  arising 
from  it.  Simple  warm  water  has  indeed  been  substi- 


tuted, and  many  arethe  virtues  attributed  to  it  in  assist- 
ing digestion.  Such  it  may  possess;  but  till  it  pro- 
duces all-the  varied  effects  of  the  Bath  waters,  we  shall 
have  little  confidence  in  the  refinement.  Every  physi- 
cian, who  wishes  to  distinguish  himself  at  Bath,  writes 
on  its  waters,  and  endeavours  to  add  to  the  stock;  yet 
we  are  still  little  acquainted  with  the  volatile  ingredient* 
which  occasionally  produce  giddiness,  and,  when  im- 
properly used,  fever.  It  is  not  very  unreasonable  to 
presume  that  it  is  inflammable  or  azotic  gas.  The  iron 
is  in  a  small  proportion ;  and  a  late  author,  who  has 
plumed  himself  on  the  discovery  of  silex  in  this  water, 
has  advanced  very  little  in  the  discovery  of  the  cause  of 
its  powerful  effects.  Bath  waters  are  certainly  warm 
and  tonic  :  in  the  arthritic  weakness  of  the  stomach 
they  are  highly  useful ;  in  palsy,  if  the  effects  of  the 
stimulating,  inebriating  principle  be  avoided,  they  are 
very  serviceable ;  in  topical  weaknesses  of  the  joints 
they  excel  almost  every  other  remedy.  In  the  relaxa- 
tion of  the  hip  joint,  we  perceive,  from  the  records  of 
the  Bath  hospital,  they  have  given  important  relief:  in 
chronic  obstructions  of  the  viscera  they  are  equally 
valuable. 

The  waters  impregnated  with  vitriolated  iron  only- 
are  .more"  simply  tonic  ;  and  the  forge  water,  where  the 
iron  seems  only  mechanically  mixed,  is  chiefly  useful  as 
a  topical  application. 

The  other  metallic  impregnations  of  water  are  cop- 
per, arsenic,  and  tin  :  of  the  two  latter  however  we 
have  no  proofs,  and  we  think  they  have  never  been  dis- 
covered. Copper  in  water  chiefly  occurs  near  mines ; 
but  we  perceive  in  Ireland  the  mineral  waters  at  Balle- 
niurtoch  and  Cronebaum  accounted  cupreous ;  and 
those  of  Altenburgh,  Cement,  Goslar,  Herengrunde, 
Neusol,  and  Schmelnitze,  in  Germany,  are  supposed  to 
be  of  a  similar  nature.  They  are  used  only  as  topical 
applications  to  old  ulcers,  and  sometimes  in  chronic 
ophthalmy. 

We  may  perhaps  be  accused  of  neglect,  for  not  more 
particularly  noticing  the  cretaceous  waters  and  the  sea 
water.  Of  the  former,.  Bristol  waters  are  a  striking 
and  an  almost  solitary  example ;  nor  are  we  ignorant  of 
different  effects  supposed  to  result  from  its  demulcent 
properties,  particularly  in  hectics  and  diseases  of  the 
bladder.  It  is  sufficient  to  mention  them  in  this  place 
for  the  use  of  those  who  have  more  credulity  on  these 
subjects  than  ourselves.  We  see  no  other  effects  from, 
these  waters  than  from  a  mild  pure  fluid,  which  is  cer- 
tainly useful,  though'  not  the  only  source  of  the  advan- 
tages which  mineral  waters  impart.  The  Bristol  springs 
have  been  thought  serviceable  in  diabetes:  a  fact  that 
requires  a  more  ample  consideration  of  the  disease  than 
can  be  admitted  in  this  place. 

Sea  water  has  been  supposed  to  possess  peculiar 
power;  but  if  more  eminently  useful  than  other  saline 
purgative  waters,  the  advantages  chiefly  result  from  its 
being  more  easily  procured  and  longer  continued.  Yet 
we  must  remark  that  common  salt  is  a  necessary  con- 
diment to  many  tribes  of  animals.  To  man  it  is  equally 
of  importance,  since  it  furnishes  the  most  common 
and  salutary  stimulus,  so  that  we  may  suppose  it  pecu- 
liarly advantageous  in  diseases.  In  fact,  we  find  it  so  ; 
and,  where  the  constitution  can  bear  its  action,  which 
is  not  always  mild,  it  is  highly  useful.  Physicians  have 
supposed  that  it  owes  some  of  its  advantages  to  the 
bittern,  the  oily  matter  which  it  contains.  This  cannot 


163 


be  denied,  though  it  is  not  probable.     Yet  when  we  re- 
flect that  the  salts  of  marine  plants  and  of  other  r.i 
productions  arcoften  particularly  useful  a- 
more  so  than  even  the  salt  itself,  we  must  not  deny  some 
peculiar  advantages  to  their  pabulum. 

The  administration  of  these  remedies  requires  but 
little  particular  attention  ;  the  doses  of  the  saline  waters 
must  be  regulated  by  their  effects.  They  should  be 
drunk  till  they  produce  a  slight  evacuation  from  the 
bowels ;  and,  of  course,  the  weaker  impregnations  are 
of  little  importance.  If  a  pint,  or  from  a  pint  to  a  pint 
and  half  daily,  does  not  produce  some  sensible  effect, 
the  quantity  of  fluid  will  be  more  injurious  as  a  load, 
than  useful  as  a  medicine.  The  chalybeate  waters,  if 
also  saline,  should  produce  some  sensible  effect  in  the 
same  way ;  and,  it  is  said,  that  the  tonic  power  of  the 
metal  prevents  their  debilitating  effects  as  cathartics. 
The  sulphureous  waters  have,  in  general,  their  appro- 
priate doses  regulated  by  their  other  impregnations. 
Those  wholly  chalybeate  must  never  be  drunk  in  large 
quantities  at  once,  or  without  some  preparation. .  The 
quantities  of  the  Bath  waters  necessary  for  different 
diseases  are  taught  OTI  the  spot :  it  is  a  sacred  science 
•which  the  uninitiated  must  not  aspire  to  know  :  juvat 
integros  accedere  fontes,  atque  haurire.  The  others  re- 
quire no  particular  advice,  except  not  to  distend  the  sto- 
mach so  far  as  to  produce  inconvenience.  This  caution 
is  peculiarly  necessary  in  the  use  of  the  acidulous  wa- 
ters. In  general,  it  is  better  to  begin  -with  small  quanti- 
ties, and  repeat  them  often.  If  sea  water  is  too  nauseous, 
or  excites  too  much  thirst,  a  portion  of  milk  added  to 
it  will  greatly  diminish  the  inconv  eniences. 

See  Kirwan  and  Sanders  on  Mineral  Waters,  Monro 
on  Mineral  Waters,  Falconer  on  Bath  Waters,  Mon- 
nett's  Hydrologia,  Annales  de  Chimie;  Fourcroy's 
Connoissances  Chimiques. 

A'qu.£  MIXERALES  ARTiFiciALES.  The  preparation 
of  artificial  mineral  waters  has  now  almost  become  a 
science.  Since  the  idea  is  in  a  great  measure  aban- 
doned, that  in  the  vast  laboratory  of  nature  they  can  be 
only  with  advantage  prepared,  many  have  attempted  to 
imitate  them  by  impregnating  common  water  with  their 
contents.  We  have  just  now  admitted  that  the  ingre- 
dients are  of  consequence  as  medicines,  but  have  at  the 
same  time  allowed  that  many  of  the  effects  are  owing 
to  a  change  of  scene,  of  air,  and  of  habits.  We  cannot 
therefore  expect  from  these  creatures  of  art  what  we 
find  from"the  natural  waters,  assisted  as  they  are  by  the 
other  advantages ;  at  the  same  time,  it  is  of  importance 
to  consider  the  progress  and  state  of  this  very  useful 
art,  which  will  supply  in  part  the  advantages  derived 
from  visiting  the  springs.  It  has  been  common  to  at- 
tribute the  invention  to  Dr.  Priestley.  In  fact,  we  are 
indebted  for  it  to  a  French  physician  of  Montpelier, 
who,  in  1755,  presented  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  an 
account  of  his  method  of  imitating  the  Seltzer  waters. 
Bergman,  in  1774,  followed  these  steps;  and,  in  his 
successive  dissertations,  published  in  1774,  1775, vand 
1778,  taught  us  to  prepare  the  waters  of  Seidchutz, 
Seltzer,  Spa,  and  Pyrmont ;  the  cold  and  warm  hepatic 
waters.  In  this  interval,  Dr.  Priestley  gave  us  the  form 
of  preparing  the  acidulous  waters ;  and  Mr.  Lane 
taught  us  that  water  thus  impregnated  was  a  men- 
struum of  iron.  In  1779,  M.  Duchanoy,  a  French 
chemist,  reduced  the  scattered  facts  to  a  systematic 


form,  but  added  little  to  them.  He  wffs  followed  L»> 
numerous  other  instructors,  till  M.  Paul  of  Geneva,  and 
M.  Schweppe  in  this  country,  have  rendered  the  art  an 
almost  perfect  imitation  of  nature.  Imitation !  it  is 
more,  for  all  the  noted  waters  are  prepared  v.-ith  an  ac- 
'  curacy  which  prevents  their  being  distinguished  from 
those  which  nature  offers  in  stronger  or  weaker  states, 
and  with  additions  adapted  to  the  disease.  M.  Paul,  it 
is  said,  has  sold  40,000  bottles  of  artificial  Seltzer  water 
in  one  year.  Of  M.  Schwcppe's  manufacture  we  have 
received  no  information,  so  that  our  account  of  this  lis%. 
must  be  collected  from  the  report  of  the  French  acade- 
micians appointed  to  examine  M.  Paul's  apparatus  and 
management.  The  general  doctrines  we  have  antici- 
pated in  the  article  of  MINERAL  WATERS,  and  the  im- 
pregnations are  those  which  the  most  accurate  analysis 
has  detected  in  the  natural  mineral  waters.  When  the 
acidulous  waters  are  prepared  by  the  separation  of  the 
carbonic  acid  gas  from  chalk  or  marble,  some  of  the 
vitriolic  acid  escapes  with  the  air,  and  gives  a  harshness 
not  found  in  the  natural  acidulous  waters.  M.  Paul 
prepares  it  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  separated  by  com- 
bustion, and  all  the  airs  are  united  to  water  by  com- 
pression. His  alkaline  water  is  prepared  with  potash, 
in  compliance  with  the  directions  of  Mr.  Home  and 
others,  who  have  recommended  it  in  calculous  cases. 
In  the  natural  waters,  however,  the  alkali  is  the  soda ; 
and  tfris  is  the  salt  in  the  Vichy  waters,  and  many  of 
those  of  Puy  de  Dome,  and  Mont  d'Or.  In  many  of 
his  aerial  waters,  the  quantity  of  air  is  greater  than 
in  the  natural  waters:  experience  must  determine 
whether  this  is  an  advantage,  for  we  know  that  we  lose 
the  peculiar  qualities  of  a  medicine  by  excess  in  the 
dose.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  unavoidable  loss 
in  keeping,  in  uncorking,  and  pouring  out  the  water,  is 
thus  compensated.  The  sulphureous  waters  contain 
half  their  bulk  of  pure  hydrogenated  gas,  with  ^,  or, 
in  the  stronger  kind,  one-fourth  of  the  sulphureous  hy- 
drogenated gas.  According  to  Bergman,  the  propor- 
tion of  the  latter  ingredient  is  larger.  An  alkali  with 
an  excess  of  carbone  has  been  lately  offered  to  sale,  to 
prepare  the  aerial  water  extemporaneously.  Air  ra- 
pidly escapes  in  solution  ;  but,  to  make  the  salt  effica- 
cious, it  should  be  dissolved  in  a  close  vessel,  or  drunk 
during  the  solution. 

The  oxygenated  water  is  a  new-  remedy,  yet  it  seems 
rather  pressed  into  the  water  than  united  with  it,  and 
very  readily  escapes.  It  should  certainly  be  drunk 
from  a  siphon,  furnished  with  an  accurately  ground 
stop  cock.  Of  this  remedy  we  have  no  experience ; 
yet,  in  the  Bibliotheque  Britannique,  a  work  of  charac- 
ter and  credit,  wre  find  many  facts  in  its  favour.  It 
seems  from  this  work  that  the  oxygenated  water  may 
supply  the  use  of  acids,  and  of  various  oxygenating  re- 
medies; but  we  would  recommend  its  being  used  with 
caution,  as  oxygen  in  the  stomach  appears  to  be  occa- 
sionally injurious.  The  oxygenated  water  has  no  taste, 
while  the  oxygenated  wine,  a  quack  medicine  recom- 
mended in  fevers,  is  slightly  acid,  and  certainly  consists 
only  of  wine  with  a  small  proportion  of  one  of  the  mine- 
ral acids. 

The  hydrogenated  and  hydrocarbonated  waters  con- 
tain, respectively,  half  their  bulk  of  air.  Of  these  little 
use  seems  to  have  been  made,  and  the  trials  hitherto 
have  spoken  little  in  their  favour.  • 

Y  2 


AQU 


164 


As  the  artificial  mineral  waters  are  becoming  fashion- 
able, we  shall  add  a  table  of  the  solubility  of  the  differ- 
ent gases  in  one  hundred  parts  of  water. 

Muriatic  acid 100 

Alkaline  air 34 

Sulphureous  acid  gas      ...         3.96 

Nitrous  oxide        0.27 

Carbonic  acid        0.17 

Nitric  oxide 0.16 

A'qu^E  THERMALES.  The  warm  mineral  waters  dis- 
tinguished by  this  title  we  have  in  general  noticed  in  a 
preceding  article ;  and  it  is  now  only  necessary  to  con- 
sider the  peculiar  advantages  derived  from  their  heat. 
Were  our  present  object  chemistry  in  general,  we 
might  examine  at  some  length  the  cause  of  this  heat, 
which  has  been  hastily  and  indiscriminately  said  to  be 
subterraneous  fire.  The  problem  was  thus  quickly  dis- 
missed ;  and  little  enquiry  into  the  probability  of  vol- 
canic fires  existing  in  the  spot  where  these  warm  waters 
were  found  was  thought  necessary,  and  less  investiga- 
tion into  the  cause  of  these  fires  continuing  to  burn  for 


ages  with  a  temperature  neither  increased  nor  dimin- 
ished. There  is  little  doubt  of  the  heat  being  derived 
from  decomposition,  and  in  general  of  martial  pyrites. 
These  contain  a  large  proportion  of  caloric  ;  are  found 
in  vast  extensive  beds ;  and,  when  decomposed,  may 
for  ages  continue  to  give  out  and  communicate  heat  of 
a  steady  temperature.  In  general,  they  add  greatly  to 
the  effects  of  the  sulphureous  waters,  and  often  to  the 
chalybeate.  For  external  use  they  are  in  general  pre- 
ferable ;  and  when  percussion  is  added  by  pumping  or 
pouring  the  water  from  a  height,  their  stimulant  and 
tonic  effects  are  greatly  increased.  In  these  ways  the 
waters  of  Bath  are  so  singularly  useful.  This  subject 
must,  however,  be  resumed,  when  we  consider  the  im- 
portance of  bathing  in  general ;  and  we  shall  then  add 
what  seems  to  render  the  Bath  waters  in  this  form  so 
frequently  of  peculiar  value  as  a  remedy.  The  heat  of 
thermal  waters  differs  from  92°  to  212  of  Fahrenheit. 
See  BALNEUM,  and  BATHING.  We  shall  add  the  table 
formerly  alluded  to. 


Of  the  Proportion  of  Ingredients  in  the  following  Saline  Compounds. 


100  parts  Carbonic. 

Basis. 

Acid. 

Water. 

State. 

1   •!•      ,t       • 

43, 
30, 
14,42 

ifi    - 

Crystallized. 
Dry. 
Fully  crystallized. 
Desiccated. 
Natural  or  ignited. 
Natural  or  ignited. 
Nat.  if  pure,  or  artificial  ignited. 
Crystallized. 
Dried  at  80°. 

• 

Common  Salt  of  Tartarin  or  Pearl  ash 

*i,         -     -     - 

10,  -           .-.••--. 

fi    -     -     . 

ov,              -     - 

fiit    -                       .     -          - 

fiQ    T 

^0 

05,    -      -     - 

50, 

34, 

95 

.io,    -     -      -      - 

AC 

**l   •                  ... 

\erated  Vol-alkali        

4O,     -       - 

In  the  ratio  of  6  of 
Salt  to  13  fixed  Air. 

SJL,    - 

Vitriolic. 

Dry. 

Etilly  crystallized. 
Desiccated  at  760°. 

Nat.  and  pure,  artificial  ignited. 
Nat.  and  pure,  artificial  ignited. 
Dried  at  66°. 
Dried  at  170°. 
Ignited. 
Incandescent. 
Fully  crystallized. 
Desiccated. 
Crystallized. 
Desiccated  at  700°. 

1R  J« 

<t3,4 

23,52 
<fi 

sH                                     ... 

Do       •     •-..-.-- 

**j    -     -            - 

14,24    -     -     -     . 

54,66 

"?1   1 

Vitriolated  Strontian         .... 

00,     -       .       -       -       - 

4^, 
46, 
50,39 
55,84 

oo 

Do.      -     -     -     

3*i   -     -     -     -     - 

35,23     -     -    -     -. 
38,81     -     -     -     - 

•">   -"-•----• 

Do      .--„.--- 

*i,  -  -     -  - 

oy, 
29,35 

Do          .... 

a,  .  -     -  . 

12,  ignited     -     - 
63,75     ..-.- 

17,66 
36,25 

51,of  Crystal+19,24  in  the  Earth 

Do.    ------•-.. 

Vitriols. 

28,  *of  $   =  12, 
Metal     -     -    - 
45,   ----- 
75,Calx=71  Metal 
40,Calx=30  Metal 
40,Calx=30  Metal 

26, 

41,93 

23,37 
31, 
^0,5 

38,+  8  of  Composition      -    - 

Crystallized. 
Calcined  to  Redness. 

Lead    .--..*-- 

Zinc     - 

•*»»    -       -              ...... 

39  

L 


165 


A.QU 


••'* 

100  Pans  »\~itrou8. 

Basis. 

Acid. 

.     Water. 

State. 

518.     -     - 

44          .      .      .      _      .      -      -      _    !•!  2  of  Pnmnrnition     ... 

Dried  at  70°. 
Dried  at  400°. 

Nitrated  Soda  -     -     -     -     • 

40,58      -     •- 

53.  Cl   
57  55         ....... 

6,21  of  Composition  ... 

'3 

Sr                                                 .      - 

20 

Crystallized. 
Crystallized. 
Well  dried,  that  is  in  Air. 
Crystallized. 

11        ...... 

Nitrated  Strontian      -     -   ,- 
Nitrated  Lime  

^K  91 

32  72  - 

OO,^1      -     - 
32,    ... 

99 

57,44  

Afi 

10,56  
22        -     .           ..... 

44,     - 

Jftiriatoc. 

, 

.  —  —  ~~     '     ~T    ' 

Muriated  Tartarin      -    -     - 

54,    -     -     • 
w 

•38,     '  

Dried  at  80°. 
Dried  at  80°. 
Crystallized. 
Sublimed.     - 
Crystallized. 
Desiccated. 
Crystallized. 
Desiccated. 
Red  hot. 
Sensibly  drv. 
Dried  at  130°. 
Crystallized. 
Desiccated. 

3O,     -      - 

v; 

4.9  75  - 

32,25  

Muriated  Barytes  -     -     -     - 

64 

20        ........ 

16,       ....... 

l7fi  "> 

7t>fl  -      -      - 

•  , 

1ft                                    .... 

42 

*u,    -     -     - 
go 

*?1                                     ... 

vy,     .     - 

$n 

8 

Muriated  Magnesia    -    .    - 

31,07     -    - 

34,59  
16  54        ...---- 

3434  

Muriated  Lead      .... 

81,  77  *  h 
83,  *  of  Ij 

1  7 

PA'VOR,  (from  fiaveo,  to  fear).     See  HYDRO- 
PHOBIA. 

A'qu.E  STILLATI'TI-E  SI'MPLICES.  The  SIMPLE  DIS- 
TILLED WATERS,  now  called  only  aqus ;  the  word  sim- 
plex is  omitted. 

Distilled  waters  are  only  water  impregnated  with  the 
essential  oil  of  the  subjects  distilled  with  them.  When 
more  oil  is  brought  over  than  the  water  can  take  up,  it 
swims  at  the  top,  or  sinks  to  the  bottom,  and  is  to  be 
separated  by  a  funnel.  Cohobating  may  answer  for  ob- 
taining more  essential  oil,  but  it  does  not  increase  the 
strength  of  the  water  first  distilled ;  and  -such  plants  as 
do  not  sufficiently  impregnate  the  water  at  the  first 
distilling  are  improper  subjects  for  this  operation :  other 
methods  are  to  be  used  to  obtain  their  virtues.  See 
D  i  STILL ATI o. 

Distilled  waters  are  extemporaneously  made  with  the 
oleo-sacchara,  oils  rendered  miscible  with  water  by  rub- 
bing them  with  sugar,  or  with  the  essential  salts.  See 
OLEO  SACCHARUM. 

When  simple  waters  are  used  alone,  or  as  the  prin- 
cipal medicine,  they  are  not  disagreeable ;  but  when 
used  only  as  vehicles  for  other  more  powerful  remedies, 
distilled  water  is  by  far  more  elegant ;  and  as  but  few 
of  the  simple  waters  are  of  sufficient  efficacy  to  be  used 
alone,  they  are  hardly  worth  the  trouble  of  making. 

A'QU^E  STILLATI'TI^E  SPIRITUO'S.E.  SPIRITUOUS  DIS- 
TILLED WATERS,  now  called  only  spiritus,  viz.  sfiiritus 
fiulegii,  &c. 

AH  the  virtues  of  distilled  waters  are  owing  to  the 
essential  oil  they  take  up.  Spirit  of  wine  differs  from 
water  in  keeping  all  the  oil  that  rises  with  it  perfectly 
dissolved  in  a  limpid  state:  but  yet  as  spirit  of  wine 
boils  in  about  one-fifth  less  heat  than  water,  it  is  an  im- 
proper vehicle  for  substances  that  require  the  heat  of 
boiling  water.  Thus,  in  distilling 'cinnamon  with- a 
proof  spirit,  the  spirit  rises  with  very  little  flavour  of 
the  cinnamon;  but  when  the  water  follows,  it  brings 
•with  it  the  oil  of  the  spice.  Various  essential  oils  are 
in  this  way  combined  with  spirit  of  wine,  and  sold  as 


secret-  preparations,  and  under  delusive  titles.  The 
essence  of  fiefifiermint  is  of  the  former  kind ;  and  the 
essence  of  mustard,  which  consists  almost  wholly  of  oil 
of  turpentine  distilled  with  spirit  of  wine,  is  an  in- 
stance of  the  latter. 

Distilled  spirituous  waters  are  of  the  strength  of  proof 
spirit,  and  formerly  were  called  compound  waters,  in 
contradistinction  to  those  that  consist  only  of  simple  or 
common  water.  The  most  agreeable  spirituous  waters 
are  made  by  using  a  pure  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  cover- 
ed  with  a  proper  quantity  of  pure  water. 

When  the  distilled  liquor  is  as  s'trong  as  rectified  spi- 
rit of  wine,  it  is  called  distilled  spirit.  See  CARMES. 
EAU  DE. 

The  distilled  waters  formerly  employed  were  very- 
numerous,  though  attended  with  no  real  advantage : 
we  still  retain  too  many.  The  water  of  dill,  that  of  cin- 
namon, fennel,  fiefifiermint,  spearmint,  alltfiice,  penny- 
royal, rose  leaves,  lemon  feel,  Seville  orange  peel,  and 
cassia,  still  overload  our  Dispensatories;  and  those  mark- 
ed with  italics  afford  a  very  ample  supply. 

The  spirits  of  modern  dispensatories  were  the  spirit- 
uous waters  of  the  former.  We  shall  shortly  mention 
them  in  this  place,  but  return  to  them  afterwards. 
Those  retained  by  the  London  college  are  the  spirits  of 
carraway,  of  cinnamon,  peppermint,  spearmint,  nutmeg, 
pimento,  lavender,  rosemary,  compound  spirit  of  anise- 
seed,  juniper,  and  horse-radish. 

Some  spirituous  waters  have  survived  the  rage  of  re- 
formation, and  still  retain  some  credit.  Aqu.\  EPI- 
DEMICA  consists  of  the  roots  of  imperatoria,  with  the 
seeds  of  angelica,  and  the  fiowem  of  elder,  distilled  from 
French  brandy.  HUNGARY  WATER  is  the  spirit  of  rose- 
inary.  AquA  ODOHIFERA,  honey  water,  is  prepared 
from  "honey,  coriander  seeds,  vanillos,  cloves,  nutmegs, 
lemon  peel,  storax,  and  benzoin,  distilled  from  spirit 
of  wine,  previously  adding  spirit  of  roses  and  orange 
flower  water.  The  AQUA  VULNERATA,  arquebusade 
water,  is  prepared  from  numerous  aromatics,  as  thyme, 
balm,  rosemary,  &c.  few  preparing  it  exactly  in  the 


u 


166 


AR  A 


same  way.  They  are  spirituous  and  stimulant;  used 
often  as  perfumes;  and  too  often,  \ve  fear,  as  medicinal 
drams. 

Modern  nomenclatures  give  also  the  name  of  waters 
to  solutions  of  salts,  saline  earths,  and  metallic  neutrals. 
Thus  we  have  agua  aluminis  comfiosita,  formerly  batca- 
•na,  consisting  of  two  drams  of  alum,  with  as  much  zinc, 
to  a  pint  of  water;  aqua  cu/iri  ammoniata,  which  is  a 
solution  of  a  dram  of  muriatcd  ammonia,  in  a  pint  of 
lime  water,  suffered  to  stand  in  a  copper  vessel  till  it 
assumes  a  blue  colour ;  aqua  lithargyri  composita,  which 
contains  a  dram  of  aqua  lithargyri,  with  as  much 
spirit  of  wine,  in  a  pint  of  distilled  water,  as  will  ren- 
der comrtion  water  turbid;  aqua  -inci  -uitriolati  cum 
camphora,  which  consists  of  a  quart  of  distilled  water, 
with  half  an  ounce  of  vitriolated  zinc,  and  as  much 
camphorated  spirit  of  wine,  but  the  camphor  is  pre- 
cipitated, and  its  smell  only  remains. 

The  other  solutions  styled  waters  are,  aqua  calcis,  aq. 
kali  purl  and  preparati,  aq.  ammonite,  ammonite  purte 
and  acetata,  and  aqua  phagedenica,  which  is  a  solution 
of  half  a  dram  of  corrosive  sublimate  in  a  pint  of  lime 
water. 

AQU^EDU'CUS,  FALLOPII,  AQU^EDU'CTUS, 
(from  aqua,  water,  and  duco-,  to  draw'}.  See  TUBA 

EUSTACHIANA. 

A'QUALA.     See  ARSENICUM,  and  SULPHUR. 

AQUALI'CULUS,  AQUALI'CUS,  (from  aqualis, 
a  water  pot).  That  part  of  the  belly  from  the  navel  to 
the  pubes,  being  considered  as  a  cistern  and  container 
of  the  excrements.  Sometimes  it  is  used  to  express 
the  stomach  or  the  intestines.  It  is  the  same  with  HY- 

POGASTHir.M. 

AQUA'RIUS.     See  FERHUM. 

AQUA'TUM,  (from  aqua,  water,}  vel  AQUE'UM, 
•WATERY,  DILUTED.  Also  the  chalaza  of  an  egg.  See 
CHALAZA. 

A'QUETTA,  a  name  of  the  famous  secret  Italian 
poison,  called  also  aqua  top/iania  andaywa  delta  tofana. 
Its  ingredients  may  be  easily  guessed  at  from  the  ac- 
counts which  have  been  transmitted  to  us,  but  we  think 
we  should  do  little  service  to  society  or  humanity  by  re- 
cording the  means  of  committing  such  secret  villanies. 

AQUIDU'CUS,  (from  aqua,  and  duco,  to  draw'). 
See  HYDRAGOGOS. 

AQUIl'O'LIUM,  (of  ««<<;,  a  prickle,  and  folium,  a 
leaf).  It  is  also  called  agrifolium,  ilex  aculeata  bac- 
cifera,  IIULVER  TREE,  HOLM,  or  COMMON  HOLLY.  Ilex 
ayuifolium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  181.  It  is  a  prickly  bush, 
commonly  known.  Its  bark  is  used  for  making  BIRD- 
I.IME,  which  is  also  made  of  misleto  and  several  other 
.vegetable  matters.  The  berries  of  the  hplly  are  warm, 
ten  or  twelve  of  them  discharge  wind  and  slime  by 
stool. 

AQUI'LA,  is  a  chemical  name  for  sal  ammoniac. 
Paracelsus  uses  this  word  for  mercurius  prjecipitatus; 
and  it  is  a  name  for  arsenic,  for  sulphur,  and  for  the 
philosopher's  stone. 

A'QUII.A  A'LBA,  a  name  of  calomel  and  sublimate, 
Sec. 

A'quiLA  A'LBA  PHILOSOPHO'RUM,  et  GANYME'DIS.  See 
AMMONIACI  SALIS  FLORES. 

A'quii.A  CQ-.I.ESTIS.  It  is  the  panacea,  or  cure  for  all 
diseases.  It  is  a  preparation  of  mercury. 


VE'NERIS.     A  preparation  made  with  verdi- 
grise  and  sublimed  sal  ammoniac. 

A'QUILA  hath  many  other  epithets  joined  with  it,  as  . 
rubra,  salutifera,  volans,  £cc. 

A'QUILvE,  (from  ayuila,  an  eagle}.  The  veins 
which  pass  through  the  temples  into  the  head,  which 
are  particularly  prominent  in  the  eagle. 

A'quiL^:  LIGNUM.  EAGLE  WOOD.  It  is  generally 
sold  for  the  agallochum.  It  is  that  part  which  is  next 
to  the  bark. 

AQUILO'NES,  (from  aquila,  an  eagle,  from  their 
rapid  motion  like  that  of  an  eagle).  North-east  winds. 
See  ETKSI^E. 

AQUO'SUS  IIU'MOR  O'CULI.  The  WATERY 
HUMOUR  of  the  EYE  is  a  limpid  water  that  fills  all  the 
space  between  the  cornea  of  the  eye,  and  the  anterior 
part  of  the  crystalline  humour.  This  space  is  divided 
into  the  anterior  and  posterior  chambers;  the  first  and 
larger  division  is  betwixt  the  cornea  and  the  iris.  The 
second  is  betwixt  the  iris  and  the  crystalline  humour. 
The  vessels  which  furnish  this  fluid  are  too  small  to  be 
described.  If  discharged  by  a  wound,  it  is  restored  in 
two  or  three  days.  In  old  age  it  is  not  so  limpid,  and 
this  is  one  cause  of  obscure  sight.  The  chief  uses  of 
it  seem  to  be  to  distend  the  cornea,  so  that  the  rays  of 
light  may  be  duly  refracted  in  passing  to  the  retina ;  and 
for  the  iris  to  float  loosely  in,  whereby  its  actions  may 
be  easily  performed.  It  has  been  supposed  to  be  much 
lighter  than  distilled  water;  but  M.  Chevenix  found 
its  specific  gravity  to  be  10053.  In  the  eyes  of  sheep- 
the  aqueous  humour  is  10090,  and  it  contains,  in  very- 
minute  proportions,  albumen,  gelatine,  and  muriat  of 
soda.  See  OC-ULUS. 

A'QUULA.  A  small  quantity  of  limpid  water.  The 
tfinruis  applied  to  the  pellucid  water  which  distends  the 
capsule  of  the  crystalline  lens,  and  the  lens  itself;  and 
to  a  disorder  of  the  eye  lids.  P.  jEgineta,  in  lib.  vi. 
cap.  xiv.  says,  that  it  is  a  pinguinous  substance  under  the 
skin  of  the  eye  lid,  also  called  hydatis.  It  is  the  hor- 
deolumfiydalidosu?nofSa.\rvages;  hy  da  tidous, or  WATERY 
STIAN.  In  children  it  is  sometimes  so  troublesome  as 
to  produce  much  uneasiness.  The  upper  eye  lid  appears 
watery,  and  cannot  be  elevated ;  the  eyes  are  very  ten- 
der, distilling  a  fluid,  especially  in  a  morning,  if  ex- 
posed to  the  light.  In  order  to  the  cure,  an  incision  is 
made  through  the  skin  of  the  eye  lid,  and  the  cyst  is  to 
be  dissected  out,  if  it  cannot  be  eradicated  by  gently 
pulling  it. 

Mr.  St.  Yves  takes  notice  of  a  complaint  on  the  edge 
of  the  eye  lids,  or  on  the  tunica  conjunctiva,  which  re- 
sembles the  bladders  that  appear  on  the  skin  after  a 
burn;  he  calls  these  also  hydatids.  The  method  of  cure 
which  he  proposes,  is  to  open  the  tumour  with  the  point 
of  a  lancet.  But  if  all  the  circumference  of  the  globe 
is  covered  with  water,  the  conjunctiva  will  be  inflamed ; 
-and  in  this  case  bleeding,  purging,  and  a  collyrium  of, 
aq.  calcis,  will  be  necessary.  See  Wallis's  Nos.  Meth. 
Oculor.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  264. 

A'RA  PA'RVA,  (from  aipa,  to  raise  up}.  A  LIT- 
TLE ALTAR.  A  neat  way  of  applying  a  bandage,  so  as 
to  resemble  the  corner  of  an  altar. 

ARA'BICUM,  GUMMI.     See  GUMMI  ARABICUM. 

A'RAC.  (Indian.)  This  is  an  Indian  spirituous  liquor, 
prepared  in  many  ways,  often  from  rice;  (see  OHYSA;) 


A  R  A 


167 


A  U  13 


sometimes  from  sugar  fermented  with  the  juice  of 
cacao  nuts;  frequently  from  toddy,  the  juice  which 
flows  from  the  cacao  nut  tree -by  incision.  The  Tun- 
gusi,  a  race  of  Tartars,  prepare  it  from  mare'b  milk.  In 
general,  arac  is  hot  and  heady,  occasioning  great  un- 
easiness in  the  head  and  stomach  :  in  other  respects  it 
resembles  ardent  spirits. 

We  find  also  that  it  has  been  prepared  from  the 
American  maple  juice.  ' 

A'RACALAN.     See  AMULETA. 

A'RACA  MI'RI.  (Indian).  A  shrub  growing  in 
Brasil.  It  bears  fruit  in  March  and  September,  which 
tastes  like  a  mixture  of  musk  and  strawberries ;  and 
when  candied  or  made  into  a  marmalade,  is  cooling  and 
moderately  astringent.  The  leaves  and  buds  have  the 
same  qualities,  and  the  root  is  diuretic  and  antidysen- 
teric.  Raii  Hist.  The  plant  has  not  been  systemati- 
cally ascertained. 

ARA'CHXE,  (from  arag,  Hebrew,  to  weave).  See 
ARAXEA. 

ARACHXOI'DES,  (from  *?*%»:,  a  spider,  and  £<&«, 
a  form).  See  ARANF.H,  and  Pi  A  MATER. 

A'RACOX.     See  ^SECAVUM,  under  j£s. 

A'RACUS  AROMATICUS.     See  VANILLA. 

A'RADOS,  (from  ctfa.hu,  to  be  turbulent}.  Hippo- 
crates means  by  it  the  perturbation  excited  in  the  sto- 
mach by  digestion.  It  also  signifies  any  perturbation 
in  the  body. 

ARJL'ON,  (from  *;«<««,  rare).  Thin,  rare,  slow. 
It  is  applied  to  breathing,  as  when  we  say  the  breathing 
is  not  frequent  nor  thick.  The  air  is  also  said  to  be 
rare,  when  not  too  much  condensed. 

AR.£O'TICA,  (from  *?xt»a,  to  rarify").  Things  or 
medicines  which  rarify. 

ARA'LDA.     See  DIGITALIS. 

ARA'LIA,  (from  are,  a  bank  in  the  tea;  so  called 
because  it  grows  upon  banks  near  the  sea).  BERRY- 
BEARING  ANGELICA,  Or  ANGELICA  TREE.  The  flowers 

consist  of  many  leaves,  which  expand  like  a  rose  and 
are  naked,  growing  on  the  top  of  an  ovary.  These 
flowers  are  succeeded  by  a  globular  fruit,  which  is 
•succulent  and  full  of  oblong  seeds.  It  is  the  aralia 
racemosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  393.  In  its  natural'order  it  has 
been  usually  arranged  among  the  umbeltifere,  but  Ven- 
tenat  has  separated  it,  and  formed  a  new  order  from 
this  genus,  the  araliacetc.  The  a.  undicaulis  grows  in 
Canada,  and  is  there  called  sarsafiarilla,  because  its 
roots  and  virtues  are  nearly  the  same.  See  Miller's 
Diet,  and  Philos.  Trans.  Ab.  vol.  v.  The  a.  octofihylla 
and  fialmeta  grow  in  China,  and  their  bark  is  supposed 
to  be  useful  in  dropsies. 

ARA'LIA  HU'MILIS.     See  GEX-SIV<%. 

ARA'NEA,  (from  *?**,  to  knit  together,)  called 
also  arac/ine  araneug,  the  CATCHER,  the  WOLF,  and 
SPIDER.  • 

Spiders  are  absurdly  said  to  abound  with  volatile  salt, 
in  consequence  of  which  they  are  sometimes  useful  in 
agues,  if  taken  inwardly.  A  scruple  of  the  spider's 
web,  it  has  been  said,  in  many  instances  hath  proved 
successful,  given  an  hour  before  the  fit  of  an  ague,  and 
an  hour  after  it.  They  may  perhaps  contain  an  acrid 
oil,  but  their  effect  in  agues  is  from  the  horror  excited : 
they  never  cured,  whin  the  nature  of  the  medicine  was 
concealed.  By  this  name  are  also  called  the  coat  and 
capsula  of  the  crystalline  humour  of  the  eyes,  named 


also  sjitculum  crystalloides  tunica.  It  is  furnished  with 
vessels  from  the  ciliary  processes,  and  from  an  artery 
which  enters  the  bottom  "of  the  retina  and  runs  through 
the  vitreous  humour. 

ARA'NEA  is  also  the  appellation  of  the  coat  of  the  vi- 
treous humour  of  the  eye,  from  resembling  a  spider's 
web ;  called  also  arachnoides,  a  name  added  to  it  by 
Herophilus,  according  to  Celsus.  It  is  now  called  r/- 
trea  tunica._  Dr.  Xicholls,  and  Albums,  on  injecting  it, 
say  that  the  vessels  run  on  it  like  rays  from  a  centre. 

ARAXEO'SA  URI'XA.  URINE,  in  which  is  some- 
thing like  spider  webs,  with  an  oiliness  on  the  top.  It 
indicates  a  colliquation. 

ARAXEO'SUS  PU'LSUS.  A  SPIDER  LIKE  PULSE. 
According  to  Galen,  a  small  pulse  that  moves  as  if 
shaken  by  -short  puffs  of  air. 

ARAXEUS.     See  ARAXEA;  also  ASTCHACHILOS. 

ARA'XGIA,  ARA'XTIA.     See  AURANTIA  HISPA- 

LENSIS. 

ARA'RA  FRU'CTUS  SECU'XDUS,  or  A'RARA 
FRU'CTUS  AMERICA 'NUS.  (Ararah,  Arab).  It  is 
a  tree  of  the  juniper  kind,  growing  in  Cayenne  ;  and 
when  bruised  is  applied  to  ulcers.  Raii  Hist.  Its  genus 
has  not  been  ascertained. 

ARA'SCOX.     See  FUROR  UTERIXVS. 

ARA'XOS.     See  FVLIGO. 

A'RBOR.  A  TREE;  defined  to  be  a  plant  of  the 
largest  growth,  whose  trunk  is  perennial  and  single, 
divided  into  many  large  branches,  which  are  again 
subdivided  into  small  twigs,  on  which  the  leaves, 
flowers,  and  fruit  are  produced.  A'RBOR  AQUA'TICA 
BRASILIE'XSIS,  see  ANINGA;  ARBOR  CAMPHORIFERA,  see 
LAURUS. 

A'RBOR  FARINI'FERA.     See  PA'LMA  JAPO'XICA. 

A'RBOR  FEBRI'FUGA  PERUVIA'XA.  See  CO'RTEX 
PERUVIA'NUS. 

A'RBOR  INCA'XA  siLiquis  TORO'SIS.     See  CA'JAN. 

A'RBOR  I'NDICA  FRU'CTU  COXOI'DE,  &c.  See  ANA- 
CA'RDIUM. 

A'RBOR  JUCADI'CE.  See  CA'SSIA  LI"GXEA  ;  CANE'LLA 
A'LBA. 

A'RBOR  LANI'GERA  SPINOSA.     See  BO'MBAX. 

A'RBOR  MALA'BARICA  LACTE'SCENS,  Sec.  See  Co- 
NE'SSI. 

A'RBOR  MEXICA'XA.     See  ORLEA'NA. 

A'RBOR  NUCI'FERA.     SeeAxDiVi. 

A'RBOR  ST.  THO'MJE.     See  MANDA'RA. 

A'RBOR  SPIXO'SA.     See  LY'CIUM. 

ARBOR  SPIXO'SA  I'NDICA,  Sec.     See  BO'NDUCH  IXDO'- 

RUM. 

A'RBOR  POMI'FERA,  and  PRUNIFE'RA  I'NDICA.  See 
ACAJAI'BA. 

A'RBOR  VINIFERA  COUTON  JUGLANDI  SIMILIS.  See 
COC'TON. 

ARBOR  DIAN.E.  Silver  precipitated  by  the  superior 
affinity  of  some  other  metal  in  an  arborescent  form. 
Lead  and  tinproduce  similar  appearances,  and  ares'ivicd 
ARBOR  FLLMBI,  and  ARBOR  STANNi ;  but  the  method  of 
forming  these  trees  has  no  relation  to  medigine. 

ARBORE'SCEXS,  ARBORESCENT,  (from  ardor,  a 
tree").  See  DENDROIDES. 

ARBUSCULA  CORA'LLII,orCORALLOI'DES, 
(a  dim.  of  art>Jr}.  See  CORALLODEXDROX. 

ARBI/SCULA  GU.MMIFERA  BRASILIENSIS.  See  CAAIO- 
PIA. 


ARC 


168 


ARC 


ARBU'STlVA,(from  arbor,  a  tree').  An  order  of 
plants  of  the  shrubby  kind. 

ARBU'TUS  PAPYRA'CEA,  called  also  fia/iyracea, 
fragaroides,  ferentis,  fragaria.  The  STRAWBERRY 
TREE.  The  fruit  of  this  tree,  called  unedo,  comarus,s.i\d 
mamacylon,  is  slightly  cooling  and  relaxing,  aperient, 
and  a  promoter  of  the  urinary  and  alvine  secretions  : 
mixed  with  watery  liquors  the  juice  forms  an  useful 
drink  in  fevers.  The  jellies  and  inspissated  juices  are 
less  flatulent  than  the  raw  fruit.  See  FRAGA. 

This  strawberry  is  like  a  quince  tree,  and  is  common 
in  the  south  of  Europe. 

ARBU'TUS  U'VA  U'RSI.     See  UVA  URSI. 

ARC-S/I,  BALS.  vel  LINIM.  vel  UNO.     See  ELEMI. 

ARCA'NNE.     See  OCHRA. 

ARCA'NUM,  (from  area,  a  chest*).  A  secret,  or  a 
medicine  whose  preparation  is  kept  from  the  world  to 
enhance  its  value. 

ARCA'NUM  CORALLI'NUM.     See  MERCURIUS  CORALLI- 


ARCA'NUM  DU'PLEX,  of  DUPLICA'TUM.  See  Ni- 
TRUM. 

ARCA'NUM  JOVIA'LE,  is  a  preparation  of  tin  and  quick- 
silver amalgamated  and  digested  in  spirit  of  nitre,  but 
now  disused. 

ARCA'NUM  MATERIA'LE.  Among  the  chemists  it  is  a 
specific  extract,  supposed  to  be  allied  to  the  matter  of 
our  bodies. 

ARCA'NUM  TA'RTARI.  TE'RRA  FOLIA'TA  TAHTARI. 
See  DIURETICUS  SAL. 

ARCEUTHOS,  (from  a?*,  evil,  and  xivta,  to  drive 
away).  So  called,  because  the  smell  of  its  leaves  keeps 
off" noxious  animals.  See  JUNIPERUS. 

ARCHE'US,  (from  »f%>i,  the  firincifial,  chief,  or  first 
mover).  The  supposed  primum  mobile  of  Helmont, 
which,  in  his  opinion,  superintended  the  animal  econo- 
my, and  preserved  it.  It  resembles  Plato's  anima  mundi. 
Hippocrates  uses  the  words  a^*i!>  <pv<rt<;,  to  signify  the 
former  healthy  state  before  the  attack  of  the  disease.  It 
is  also  a  term  coined  by  Paracelsus  ;  by  it  he  would  ex- 
press the  sole  active  principle  in  the  material  world. 

But  however  language  has  diversified  the  nature  and 
operation  of  this  principle,  the  existence  of  a  power  in 
the  animal  system,  to  correct  accidental  deviations  from 
health,  and  to  preserve  the  body  in  a  sound  state,  is  un- 
deniable. When  NATURE  is  said  to  act,  such  a  prin- 
ciple-must be  intended.  Van  Helmont,  who,  among 
numerous  fancies,  possessed  in  many  instances  a  sound 
judgment  and  extensive  knowledge,  placed  hisarchaeus 
in  the  stomach,  and  supposed  it  the  grand  regulator  of 
the  animal  machine.  Stahl  adopted  the  principle,  and 
extended  its  influence,  without  however  fixing  its  throne 
in  any  one  part.  The  aystem  of  Stahl  was  widely  dif- 
fused in  Germany,  and  for  a  long  time  obscured  the 
humbler,  but  scarcely  less  industrious,  labours  of  Hoff- 
man ;  and  to  Stahl,  Dr.  Cullen  has  been  more  indebted 
than  is  generally  supposed,  or  he  was  himself  willing 
to  acknowledge.  The  great  point  at  issue  between  the 
disciples  of  Van  Helmont  and  Stahl,  and  the  more 
modern  physiologists,  is  the  action  of  this  principle. 
Stahl  contended,  that  nature  acted  from  wide  exten- 
sive views,  consulting  with  consummate  wisdom  the 
good  of  the  machine  entrusted  to  her  care.  Dr.  Cullen, 
while  he  admitted  the  benefits  produced  by  the  ope- 
rations of  nature,  considered  her  action  as  the  necessary 


consequence  of  immutable  laws ;  and  denied  that  \v  e  in 
any  instance  possessed  a  power  of  acting,  directed  by 
means ;  chiefly  since  these  means  were  beyond  our 
knowledge ;  nor  were  we  in  many  instances  conscious 
even  of  the  end  or  object.  We  need  not  expand  this 
article  by  the  arguments  on  either  side.  In  the  works 
of  Stahl,  particularly  in  his  '  Thcoria  Medica  Vera,'  and 
in  the  theses,  published  by  his  pupils,  the  whole  doc- 
trine is  expanded  with  singular  ingenuity,  and  support- 
ed with  a  logical  precision,  of  which,  in  the  annals  of 
medicine,  there  is  no  example  or  imitation.  It  is  more 
clearly  explained  in  the  works  of  Junker ;  for  the  lan- 
guage and  the  laboured  precision  of  Stahl  place  him 
beyond  the  reach  of  many  readers.  As  the  principle  is 
acknowledged,  we  ought  to  look  to  physiologists  for  its 
explanation :  none  has,  however,  been  offered,  except 
that  hinted  at  above  by  Dr.  Cullen.  The  power  evi- 
dently does  not  reside  in  the  immaterial  principle,  but 
is  the  result  of  changes  more  purely  material ;  and  such 
is  the  constitution  of  the  animal  machine,  that,  by  being 
repeated,  it  obtains  greater  facility  of  action.  Nature, 
then,  often  urged  to  supply  deficiencies  and  correct  de- 
viations, acts  more  readily,  and  performs  her  office  more 
successfully.  In  a  future  part  of  this  work  we  shall  re- 
sume the  subject;  and  when  the  articles  to  which  we 
must  refer  are  before  the  reader,  we  may  make  some 
advances  in  the  explanation.  See  VIRES  KATUHJt. 

ARCHAN-GE'LICA.  See  ANGELICA,  and  LAMIUM 
ALBUM. 

A'RCHE,  ctpxy.  The  first  attack  of  a  disease ;  its 
first  stage  ;  or  that  time  of  the  disorder  in  which  the 
patient  first  takes  to  his  bed,  or  in  which  help  might  be 
effectual. 

ARCHE'GENUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  *f&,  the  6<- 
ginning,  and  y/»oft«(,"io  be).  Holding  the  first  rank  in 
diseases.  See  ACU'TUS  MO'RBUS. 

ARCHE'NDA.  Corrupted  from  the  Arabic  alkenda, 
the  ligustrum,  or  firhiet.  A  powder  prepared  of  the 
Egyptian  privet,  to  be  applied  to  the  feet  to  check  their 
fetid  odour. 

ARCHEZO'STIS,  (from  *px»,  extremity,  and  £*»- 
wa,  to  bind).  Because  its  tops  or  tendrils  are  apt  to 
bind  round  whatever  is  in  its  reach.  See  BRYONIA 
ALBA. 

ARCHIA'TER,  (from  */>£»,  chief,  and^«7p«s,  a  phy- 
aician).  The  principal  physician  at  a  court. 

ARCHI'MIA,  (from  ap%v,  chief,  and  %viua.,  chemis- 
try). The  art  of  changing  imperfect  into  perfect 
metals. 

ARCHI'THOLUS,  (from  «?*»,  and  .%*««,  a  chamber). 
See  ARCHICOLUM. 

A'RCHOS,  the  ANUS.  Also  the  INTESTINUM  REC- 
TUM. 

ARCHOPTO'MA,  (from  *rxt<,,  anus,  and  TITT]*/,  to 
fall  down).  A  bearing  down  of  the  rectum.  Vogel. 

A'RCION.     A'RCIUM.     See  BARDANA. 

A'RCOS.     See  J&s  USTUM. 

ARCTA'TA  PARS.  So  Scribonius  Largus  calls  a 
part  compressed  or  closed  by  a  fibula. 

ARCTA'TIO,  vel  ARCTI'TUDO,  (from  arcto,  to 
make  narrow).  It  is  when  the  intestines  are  constipated 
from  an  inflammation  or  spasm.  Also  a  preternatural 
straitness  of  the  pudendum  muliebre. 

A'RCTION,  (from  *px.lo<,  a  bear,)  so  called  from  its 
roughness.  See  BARDANA  ARCTICUM. 


ARD 


169 


D 


A'RCTICUM  LAPPA,  vel  A'RCTIUM  MA'JOR. 
See  BAHDASA  MAJOR. 

ARCTOSCO  RDOX,  (from  apt'e;,  a  bear,  and 
rxetfei,  garlic} .  BEAR  GARLIC. 

ARCTOSTAPHYLOS,  (from  *»».?«!,  a.  bear,  and 
c-7*£»A3,  a  berry,  because  wild  bears  feed  upon  them). 
SPANISH  WORTLES. 

ARCTURA,  (from  arcto,  to  straiten).  Inflamma- 
tion of  the  finger  or  the  toe  from  a  curvature  of  the 
nail.  Linnaeus. 

ARCUA  LIA,  vcl  XERVA'LIA  OSSA,  (from  ar- 
cus,  a  .bom,  and  nervus,  a  nerve,}  because  they  have 
the  form  of  a  bow,  and  afford  a  passage  for  the  nerves. 
The  SINCIPUT;  according  to  others  the  TEMPLE  BOXES. 

ARCUA'LIS  SUTURA.     See  COROXALIS  SUTURA. 

ARCUA'TIO.  A  gibbosity  of  the  fore  parts,  with 
a  curvation  of  the  bone  of  the  sternum,  of  the  tibia,  or 
dorsal  vertebrae. 

ARCU  A'TUS  MO'RBUS.  So  called,  (from  arcus, 
a  bow,)  either  because  the  colour  of  the  eyes  is  like  a 
rainbow,  or  because  of  the  rainbow  like  arch  which  is 
under  the  eye  lids  in  the  jaundice.  See  ICTERUS. 

A'RCUL.E,  (a  dim.  of  area,  a  chest).  The  orbits  of 
the  eyes. 

A'RDAS,  (from  «»«£t/»,  to  defile).     SORDES,  FILTH. 

A'RDENS  FE'BRIS.  The  ARDENT  FEVER,  (from 
ardeo,  to  burn).  It  is  also  called  febris  deurens,  cau- 
s'jdes,  and  choferica  ;  a  BURNING,  or  HIGHLY  ARDENT 
FEVER  :  by  the  Greeks  called  CAUSUS,  (from  K*IU,  uro, 
to  burn,)  because  it  was  attended  with  a  burning  heat. 
The  ancients  considered  the  extreme  heat  and  unex- 
tinguishable  thirst  as  characteristic  symptoms  of  the 
disease.  Hippocrates  succinctly  describes  it,  a  fever 
attended  with  extreme  heat,  strong  thirst,  a  rough 
and  black  tongue,  complexion  rather  yellowish,  and 
the  sputum  bilious.  It  is  also  elegantly  described  by 
Aretseus  and  Lommius.  Sauvages  arranges  it  under 
tritecofihya,  the  second  species;  and  Dr.  Cullen places  it 
among  his  examples  of  tertian  remittents.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  this  fever  the  heat  to  the  touch  is  fiery, 
though  unequal  in  different  places ;  internally  it  is  vio- 
lent, though  often  the  heat  in  the  extremities  is  much 
less  severe :  sometimes  indeed  they  are  cold.  The 
whole  surface  of  the  body,  nose,  mouth,  and  tongue, 
are  dry  ;  the  breathing  is  short  and  quick  ;  the  tongue 
dry,  yellow,  sometimes  black,  rough,  and  chapped ; 
the  thirst  is  inextinguishable,  and  often  goes  off  sudden- 
ly ;  there  is  a  loathing  of  all  solid  food,  nausea,  accom- 
panied often  with  a  gnawing  pain  at  the  stomach,  and 
heat  of  the  precordia;  vomiting,  great  anxiety,  rest- 
lessness, and  extreme  lassitude;  a  slight  cough  also  at- 
tends, with  a  hoarse  voice,  and,  occasionally,  delirium  ; 
to  which  succeed  coma  or  convulsions  :  \\\€  exacerba- 
tions are  not  always  on  regular  days.  This  fever,  as 
it  is  very  violent,  is  seldom  of  long  corfttnuance :  if 
from  the  beginning  the  symptoms  arc  favourable,  it 
generally  terminates  on  the  fourth  day  ;  seldom  exceeds 
the  seventh ;  and  either  a  vomiting,  diarrhoea,  sweat, 
or  nasal  haemorrhage,  proves  critical.  Young  subjects 
are  seized  oftener,  but  bear  it  with  more  ease  and  safety, 
than  older  persons.  The  remote  causes  are  debilitating 
ones  of  every  kind,  particularly  when  combined  with 
hot  weather;  and  the  biliary  system  seems  particularly 
affected;  but  the  more  immediate  cause  of  this  and  all 
other  remittent  fevers  is  marsh  effluvia.  It  is  some- 

VOL.  i. 


times  attended  with  an  inflammation  of  the  aorta  and 
vena  cava. 

CURE. — We  are  first  advised  to  bleed  freely  from  a 
large  orifice ;  and  if  the  patient  is  robust,  and  the  heat 
excessive,  to  support  him  on  his  feet  until  the  ope- 
ration is  ended,  that  he  may  faint,  if  possible ;  as  the 
heat  is  always  less  after  fainting  than  when  the  same 
quantity  of  blood  is  discharged  without  this  accident 
happening.  If  the  pulse  and  the  heat  do  not  contra- 
indicate  it,  the  bleeding  must  be  repeated  at  proper  in- 
tervals. 

Immediately  after  bleeding,  let  a  brisk  but  cooling 
purgative  be  administered.  Sydenham  observes,  thai 
purging  immediately  after  bleeding  cools  to  a  great  de- 
gree ;  and  that  the  method  of  curing  fevers  by  perspira- 
tion is  not  only  less  certain,  but  more  troublesome  and 
tedious,  nay,  that  it  prolongs  the  disease,- and  endangers 
the  patient.  By  this  observation,  however,  he  means 
that  such  inconveniences  arise  by  the  heating  sudorifics. 
then  employed,  previous  to  evacuations.  The  proper 
purges  are  the  saline,  quickened,  if  necessary,  by  an  in- 
fusion of  senna.  Glauber's  salt,  largely  diluted  in  water 
gruel,  with  a  small  proportion  of  emetic  tartar,  should 
be  frequently  drunk  till  it  operates  either  or  both  ways. 

During  the  intervals  of '  purging,  frequent  small 
draughts.of  acidulated,  subtepid,  liquors  should  be  taken, 
and  nitre,  kali  acetatum,  and  sal  ammon.  crud.  may  be 
properly  given :  and  if  to  each  dose  of  these  as  much 
antimonium  tatarisatum,  or  vin.  antim.  is  added  as  the 
stomach  will  easily  retain,  their  advantages  will  be  in- 
creased. Barley  and  oatmeal  gruels  are  the  properest 
kinds  of  aliment,  and  all  such  as  contribute  to  keep 
the  habit  cool,  and  dilute  the  fluids.  After  four  or  five- 
days,  if  Jio  assistance  has  been  obtained,  the  above 
method  is  improper ;  yet  if  the  heat  be  great  and  the 
pulse  strong,  a  moderate  bleeding  may  be  of  use.  A 
gentle  laxative  that  is  cooling  may  also  be  given  by  the 
mouth ;  and,  until  the  crisis,  let  gentle  diaphoretics 
and  light  broths  be  continued :  for  after  the  fifth  or 
sixth  day  of  an  ardent  fever,  there  is  generally  some 
difficulty  to  keep  up  the  vital  heat  to  that  degree  which 
is  necessary  to  health,  or  the  continuance  of  the  ne- 
cessary secretions. 

If  a  nausea  continues  after  the  emetic  is  worked  off, 
the  common  saline  draughts  may  be  given  at  proper  in- 
tervals. 

A  diarrhoea  may  be  critical,  So  should  be  attended  to 
with  care ;  and  until  the  patient's  strength  is  affected 
by  it,  nothing  is  required.  If  excessive,  the  cretaceous 
mixture,  with  the  tinctura  catechu,  or  the  pulv.  ipeca- 
cuanhae  c.  cum  opio,  will  restrain  it.  If  delirium  come 
on  early,  with  a  strong  pulse,  the  bleeding  must  be 
repeated  and  cooling  laxatives  continued :  if,  at  a  later 
period,  with  spasms,  and  a  low  pulse,'  warm  cordials 
must  be  given,  blisters  applied  to  the  neck,  and  sina- 
pisms to  the  feet.  Sydenham  asserts,  that  garlic  bruised 
and  applied  to  the  feet  quiets  the  delirium  more  ef- 
fectually and  speedier  than  blisters.  For  the  general 
management,  see  FEBRIS.  Hoffman's  Syst.  Rat.  Med... 
Boerhaav.  Aphorism.  §  738.  Sauvages'  Nosol.  Method. 
Cullen's  Pract,  of  Phys.  on  Remittents.  Lommii  Opus- 
culum  Aureum. 

ARDE'XTE'S  PA'PUL.E.     See  ECBRASMATA. 

ARDE'SIA  HIBE'RNICA.  See  HIBERNICUS  LA- 
PIS. 


ARG 


170 


ARG 


A'RDOR.  A  very  intense  acute  heat  raised  in  em- 
bodies. 

A'RDOR  URIN.S.     See  DYSURIA. 

A'RDOR  VENTRICULI.     See  CARDIALGIA. 

A'REA.     See  ALOPECIA. 

ARE'CA.  Ray  takes  the  bahei  coyollito  be  this  nut. 
Also  ca\\edfaufel,  ave/lana  Indiana  versicolor.  Caun- 
ffa.  The  INDIAN,  and  the  MALABAR  NUT. 

It  is  the  fruit  of  a  species  of  palm  tree  which  is  met 
with  in  the  East  Indies,  though  reckoned  among  the 
species  of  cacao-nuts.  The  whole  is  about  the  size  of 
a  pullet's  egg ;  under  the  outward  coat  is  a  succulent 
fruit,  which,  when  fresh,  the  Indians  masticate  with  the 
betel :  it  is  brown  on  the  outside,  shaped  like  a  nutmeg 
ut  one  end,  and  flat  at  the  other;  within,  white  and 
rnarbled  with  purplish  veins ;  rather  insipid  to  the 
taste.  Within  we  find  the  almond,  which  is  more 
commonly  employed :  it  is  astringent  and  harsh  like 
an  acorn  ;  but  the  lime  usually  added  takes  off  the  un- 
pleasant taste.  It  is  supposed  to  strengthen  the  sto- 
mach. The  taste  is  indeed  astringent,  but  in  fact 
it  is  merely,  like  snuff,  an  expedient  to  avoid  en- 
nui. Linnseus  called  this  palm  by  the  trivial  name  of 
catec/nt,  because  he  erroneously  supposed  it  to  yield 
this  drug. 

A'RECA  AME'HICANA,  oleracea  Lin.  This  is  the  cab- 
bage tree  ;  and  what  is  styled  the  cabbage  is  a  conical 
bud  in  the  middle  of  the  central  leaves,  consisting  of 
the  long  leaves  not  yet  expanded.  It  is  found  in  the 
former  species,  but  has  not  the  delicate  flavour  of  the 
present,  which  resembles  the  artichoke,  and  is  not  less 
wholesome  than  pleasant.  The  faecula  of  these  trees 
certainly  resembles  the  terra  Jajionica  in  appearance, 
and  approaches  it  in  properties. 

ARE'CA  I'NDICA.     See  Nux  MOSCHATA. 

AREMA'ROS.     See  CINNABARIS. 

ARE'NA.     SAND  or  GRAVEL  in  the  KIDNEYS. 

AHE'NA  LJTOHA'LIS,  ARE'NA  MA'RIS  MAHI'NA.  SEA 
SAND. 

It  is  heated  in  bags,  and  applied  to  parts  that  are 
pained.  Hydropic  people  are  also  sweated  by  being 
covered  with  hot  sand;  and  sailors  cured  of  the  scurvy 
by  burying  them  to  the  neck  in  the  sand  of  hot  coun- 
tries. See  BALNEUM. 

ARENA'MEN,  (from  arena,  sand,}  so  called,  be- 
cause it  is  procured  from  sandy  places.  See  BOLUS 
ARMENA.' 

ARENA'TIO,  or  SABURRA'TIO.  It  is  the  cast- 
ing of  hot  sand  on  the  bodies  of  patients. 

ARE'NTES,  (from  areo,  to  dry  uji.)  A  sort  of  cup- 
ping glasses  used  by  the  ancients. 

ARE'OLA,  (a  dim.  of  area,  a  -void  filace,)  called  also 
halo,  is  a  circle  which  surrounds  the  nipple  on  the 
breasts :  in  virgins,  it  is  little  and  red ;  in  pregnant 
women  it  is  larger  and  more  brown. 

ARE'STA  BO'VIS.     See  ANONIS. 

ARETjE'NOI'DES.     See  ARYT^NOIDES. 

ARE'US.  The  title  of  a  pessary  mentioned  by  P. 
A'.gineta. 

A'RFAR.     See  ARSENICUM  ALBUM. 

A'RGAL.     See  TARTARUM. 

ARGASYLLIS,  (from  «/>y*«,  a  serpent,  which  it  is 
said  to  resemble).  See  AMMONIACUM,  GUM. 

A'RGEMA,  or  A'RGEMON,  (from  «py«s,  white). 
See  ALBUGO  ecutoRUM.  Vogel  defines  it,  an  ulcer- 


ation  of  the  cornea.     It  appears  red  on  the  outside  of 
the  iris,  and  white  within  it. 

ARGEMO'NE  MEXICA'NA.     See  PAPAVER  SPI- 

NOSUM. 

ARGENTINE  FLOWERS.     See  ANTIMONY. 

ARGE'NTUM,  (from  */>yo«,  white,)  also  called  ar- 
g-yrus,  cames,  Diana,  brumazer,  LUNA,  SILVER.  Haiiy, 
vol.  iii.  p.  383. 

The  more  obvious  properties  of  silver  are  well  known. 
Its  specific  gravity  is  10.4743,  nor  can  it  be  calcined, 
or  raised  in  vapour  by  any  heat  hitherto  tried.  It 
yields  only  to  the  nitrous  acid  and  hepatic  preparations, 
whether  fluid  or  in  the  form  of  gas.  When  dissolved, 
its  salts  are  peculiarly  acrid ;  and  coloured,  or  in  some 
degree  reduced  by  light.  Silver  itself  is  so  little  affect-, 
ed  by  any  chemical  agents,  that  it  was  preferred  as  the 
material  of  vessels,  in  which  the  nicest  and  minutest 
chemical  experiments  were  usually  made ;  but  as  we 
have  now  learnt  to  render  platina  malleable,  the  latter 
is  preferred,  since  copper,  the  almost  necessary  alloy 
of  silver,  is  affected  by  many  bodies  which  do  not 
act  on  the  metal  itself.  Van  Swieten  tells  us,  that 
wine  kept  in  a  silver  vessel  in  this  way,  became  de- 
leterious. 

Nitrous  acid  or  aqua  fortis  is  almost  its  only  solvent ; 
and  we  thus  prepare  what  is  styled  the  lunar  caustic  for 
external  use.  Pure  silver  is  dissolved  in  four  times 
its  weight  of  diluted  nitrous  acid,  and  the  water  eva- 
porated. The  salt  is  melted  at  first  with  a  moderate 
fire,  till  the  ebullition  ceases,  then  with  a  stronger, 
till  the  matter  runs  like  oil,  in  which  state  it  is  cast 
in  moulds.  The  caustic  thus  formed  deliquesces  in 
the  air,  and  is  inflammable  ;  the  silver,  during  the  com- 
bustion, separating  in  a  pure  state.  For  its  mode  of 
application  see  CAUTERIA  under  ESCHAROTICA. 

The  nitrated  solution  of  silver,  previous  to  the  eva- 
poration, should  be  transparent.  It  has  been  used, 
under  the  appellation  of  aqua  graeca,  to  blacken  the 
hair;  but  must  be  greatly  diluted,  and  employed  with 
caution. 

The  lapis  infernalis,  under  the  name  of  nitrated  ' 
silver,  has  been  given  internally  by  Boyle  and  Boer- 
haave.  The  latter  thought  highly  of  its  virtues  in 
dropsy  when  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  nitre,  and 
has  told  us  that  it  occasioned  the  discharge  of  water  in 
large  quantities.  Modern  practice  has  recommended 
it  in  epilepsies,  and  angina  pectoris.  We  have  already 
had  occasion  to  remark  that  all  metals  are  apparently 
tonics  or  antispasmodics,  and  silver  is  probably  of  this 
number  From  its  acrimony  it  may  also  prove  ca- 
thartic, as  has  been  said,  but  our  own  experience  has 
been  too  inconsiderable  with  this  medicine  to  enable 
us  to  recommend  it  from  observation.  The  dose  should 
not  exceed  i  of  a  grain :  it  is  perhaps  best  to  begin 
with  |  or  •£•.' 

Angelus   Sala  recommended  for  similar  diseases  the 

CATHARTICUM    .  LUN^E,     MAGISTERIUM      HYDRAGOGUM,     Of 

DEJECTORIUM.  This  was  a  filtrated  solution  of  nitrated 
silver  crystallized.  Of  this  salt  he  gave  from  six  to 
eight  grains,  but  found-  it  so  rough  and  uncertain  that 
he  soon  disused  it.  Of  his  LUNA  POTABILIS,  recom- 
mended in  delirium,  he  has  given  no  formula :  but  his 
BEZOARDICUM  LUNARE  consisted  of  equal  parts  of  glass 
of  antimony  and  calx  of  silver.  Lemery's  TINCTURA 
was  made  with  the  impure  metal,  and  owed 


ARC 


171 


ARC 


iis  chief  virtue  to  the  copper  with  which  the  silver  was 
alloyed. 

ARGE'NTUM  VI'VUM;  called  also  hydrargyrus;  a 
term  now  used  by  the  college  of  London,  mercurius, 
liquor  metallicus,  metallumjluidum,  argcntum  fusum,  et 
mobile,  mercurius,  chemicorum,  vomica  liquoris  tcterni; 
aludit;  anatris;  alambic;  alborca  unterit;  dtedalus;  al- 
carith,  alecarit/i,  alkaut,  ebesmech;  fans  chtmit;  gery- 
on;  guma;  ignis;  alrnarkasita;  alohar;  alohoc;  mus- 
salis)  massariam;  mater  metallorum;  ziback;  alosat; 
altaris;  QUICKSILVER.  Haiiy,  vol.  iii.  p.  423. 

Its  chemical  character  is  $ ,  which  denotes  that  the 
inside  is  pure  gold,  but  the  outer  part  is  of  the  colour 
of  silver,  with  a  corrosive  underneath. 

Its  being  a  metal  has  been  disputed;  but  it  is  now 
found  that  at  about  40°  below  0  of  Fahrenheit  it  be- 
comes solid  and  malleable.  In  the  Venetian  territories 
are  the  greatest  quantity  of  mines  producing  quicksilver; 
the  East  Indies,  Spain,  and  Hungary,  afford  great 
quantities  of  it;  in  China,  Japan,  and  about  Montpelier 
in  France,  there  are  mines  in  which  it  is  found. 

It  is  found  in  the  earth  in  a  fluid  form,  sometimes  so 
pure  as  not  to  require  refining,  when  it  is  called  VIRGIN 
quiCKSiLVER ;  but  most  frequently  it  is  mixed  with 
other  substances.  The  most  general  state  in  which  it 
is  met  with  in  the  mines  is  in  sulphureous  ores  of  a  red 
colour,  called  cinnabar,  whose  colour  is  deeper  in  pro- 
portion to  its  richness. 

From  the  ore  it  is  separated  by  washing  in  water, 
grinding  with  vinegar  and  a  little  salt,  which  dissolves 
the  metalline  impurities ;  and  by  distillation,  either  alone 
or  with  the  addition  of  lime,  potash,  or  iron  filings. 

The  people  who  work  in  the  quicksilver  mines  soon 
die :  when  first  affected  they  are  seized  with  tremors, 
after  which  a  salivation  comes  on,  their  teeth  drop  out, 
and  pains  of  the  whole  body,  particularly  of  the  bones, 
seize  them. 

Hippocrates  does  not  seem  to  have  been  acquainted 
with  this  mineral;  Aristotle  and  Dioscorides  rank  it 
amongst  poisons;  Galen  says  that  it  is  corrosive  ;  Mes- 
sae,  the  Arabian,  was  the  first  who  used  it  medicinally, 
and  he  only  applied  it  in  the  form  of  an  ointment  in  cu- 
taneous distempers.  Avicenna  observes  that  it  maybe 
swallowed  crude,  and  that  it  passes  through  the  body. 
About  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century  it  was  intro- 
duced into  Europe  as  a  medicine,  but  not  esteemed  a 
safe  one  until  the  venereal  disease  was  found  to  yield  to 
its  efficacy.  The  first  internal  mercurial  medicine  which 
gained  real  credit  was  the  pilul.  Barbarossae,  which  was 
composed  of  quicksilver,  rhubarb,  and  musk.  The  term 
quack,  originally  quacksalber,  was  a  name  of  this  metal, 
and  applied  to  the  irregular  indiscriminate  use  of  it. 

It  is  the  heaviest  of  all  bodies  except  gold.  Mercury 
is  to  gold  nearly  as  3  to  4;  and  to  water  as  13.5681  to 
1 .0000. 

It  is  totally  volatile  in  the  fire  by  heat  not  much 
greater  than  that  of  boiling  water,  and  by  a  far  less  heat 
it  is  calcined  into  a  red  powder.  The  fumes  raised  by 
fire  are  scarcely  visible;  and  yet,  by  being  received 
into  cold  water,  may  be  reduced  to  the  state  of  pure 
quicksilver.  It  rises  also  in  vapour,  in  the  vacuum  of 
the  Toriccllian  tube. 

It  amalgamates  most  readily  with  gold,  and  in  sue- 


cession  with  lead,  silver,  and  tin;  scarcely  at  all  with 
iron  or  copper.  By  the  assistance  of  trituration,  or  of 
heat,  it  dissolves  all  metallic  bodies  except  iron. 

The  vitriolic  acidhuth  no  effect  upon  it  until  concen- 
trated by  heat;  the  nitrous  acid  acts  quickly  upon  it ; 
and  the  muriatic  scarcely  at  all  until  it  is  oxidated: 
fixed  salts,  vegetable  acids,  and  neutral  salts,  scarcely 
alter  it  in  any  way.  It  is  allowed  to  be  pure  when  a  little 
held  over  a  fire,  in  an  iron  ladle,  totally  evaporates. 

It  is  often  adulterated  with  lead ;  a  large  quantity  of 
which  may  be  incorporated  with  it  by  the  intervention 
of  bismuth  in  a  moderate  heat;  and  in  this  case  the 
lead  cannot  be  separated  by  pressure  through  leather. 
This  abuse  may  be  discovered  by  the  mercury  staining 
paper  blackish;  by  its  not  running  into  round  globules;" 
by  its  leaving  a  powdery  matter  or  a  coloured  spot  on 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel ;  and  by  its  producing  a  turbid 
milkiness  during  its  solution  in  aqua  fortis. 

As  a  medicine,  it  is  used  to  promote  the  secretions  in 
general,  particularly  the  saliva.  The  more  perfectly  it 
is  divided,  the  more  powerful  and  penetrating  is  its 
action,  which  is  chiefly  exerted  in  the  small  vessels. 
Whether  used  internally  or  externally  it  affects  all  the 
vessels  in  our  bodies,  and  may  be  so  managed  as  to  pro- 
mote excretions  through  all  the  emunctories.  If  not 
restrained,  it  is  determined  to  the  mouth,  and  causes 
inflammation,  tumours,  ulcerations,  and  constantly  an 
increased  discharge  of  saliva. 

Mercury,  like  antimony,  has  been  tortured  in  many 
different  ways,  but  the  result  of  the  chemists'  and  al- 
chemists' labours  has  been  fortunate.  We  have  obtain- 
ed by  their  means  a  considerable  variety  of  active  pre- 
parations, which  are  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the 
healing  art.  We  shall,  as  in  the  article  of  Antimony, 
first  examine  the  preparations  retained  by  the  colleges 
of  these  kingdoms,  and  then  notice  some  of  the  more 
important  formulae  formerly  recommended,  or  still 
valued.  The  mind  will  not  in  this  way  be  distracted 
by  a  multitude  of  objects,  and  what  the  enquirer  chiefly 
wants  he  will  readily  find. 

Mercury  is  employed 

I.  Purified  by  distillation. 

Hydrargyrum  purificatum  (Dublin.  London). 

II.  Slightly  oxidated 

«  By  precipitation  of  nitrated  mercury  by  means 
of  ammonia. 

Oxidum  hydrargyri  cinereum  (Ed.). 

Pulvis  hydrargyri  cinereus  (Dublin). 
fl  By  trituration. 

1 .  With  unctuous  substances. 
Unguentum  hydrargyri  (Ed.). 

fortius  (Lond.  Dublin" 

mitius,  ibid. 

Emplastrum  ammoniac!  cum  hydrargyro. 

lithargyri  cum  hydrargyro. 

hydrargyri  (Ed.). 

2.  With  saccharine  substances. 
Pilulae  hydrargyri  (Lond.  Dub.  Ed.). 

3.  With  aerated  lime. 

Pulvis  hydrargyri  cum  creta  (Lond.). 

III.  Considerably  oxidated 
t*  By  heat  and  air. 

Hydrargyrum  calcinatum  (Lond.  Dublin  . 


ARG 


172 


ARG 


/3  By  nitrous  acid. 

Oxiclium  hydrargyri  rubrum  per  oxidum  nitri- 

cum  (Edin.). 

Hydrargyrum  subnitratum  (Dublin). 
Hydrargyrus  nitratus  ruber  (Lond.). 
Unguentum  oxidi  hydrargyri  rubri  (Edin.). 
IV.  Oxidated  and  combined  with  acids. 

1.  More  slightly. 
«  With  the  nitrous  acid. 

Unguentum  hydrargyri  nitrati  (Lpnd.  Dub. 

Edin.). 
/3  With  sulphuric  acid. 

Subsulphas  hydrargyri  (Edin.). 
Hydrargyrum  subvitriolatum  (Dub.). 
Hydrargyrus  vitriolatus  (London). 
y  With  muriatic  acid. 

1.  Sublimation. 

Submurias  hydrargyri  (Edin.). 
Hydrargyrum    muriatum    mite    sublimatum 

(Dublin). 
Calomelas  (London). 

2.  By  precipitation.  ' 

Submurias   hydrargyri  praecipitatus  (Edin.). 

Hydrargyrum  muriatum  mite  praecipitatum 
(Dublin). 

Hydrargyrus  muriatus  mitis  (London). 
^  With  acetous  acid. 

Acetis  hydrargyri  (Edin.). 

Hydrargyrum  acetatum  (Lond.  Dub.). 
2.  More  completely. 
Muriats. 

Murias  hydrargyri  (Edin.). 

Hydrargyrum  muriatus  (London). 

Hydrargyrum  muriatum  corrosivum  (Dub.). 
With  ammonia. 

Calx-hydrargyri  alba  (London). 
V.,  Combined  with  sulphur. 

1.  By  trituration. 

Sulphuretum  hydrargyri  nigrum  (Edin.). 
Hydrargyrum  sulphuratum  nigrum  (London. 
Dublin). 

2.  By  sublimation. 

Hydrargyrum  sulphuratum  rubrum  (London. 
-  Dublin). 

Mercury  differs  from  antimony  in  one  important  re- 
spect, viz.  that  its  calces  are  not  inert  in  proportion  to 
their  degree  of  oxidation:  in  fact,  the  more  highly  oxi- 
dated metallic  salts  and  calces  are  among  its  more 
active  preparations.  In  the  first  stage  of  oxidation  we 
find  mercury  assume  a  grey  colour;  and  in  this  state, 
as  appears  by  the  table,  it  exists  in  plasters  and  oint- 
ments, and  formerly  existed  in  some  other  preparations 
now  chiefly  confined  to  pi'ivate  practice.  The  only  re- 
maining preparations  of  this  kind  arc,  the  fiulv is  hydrar- 
gyri cum  cretd,  and  the  fiiilulx  hydrargyri^  of  the  three 
colleges.  The  latter  differ  only  in  the  proportions;  for 
one  grain  of  mercury  is  contained  in  four  grains  of  the 
Edinburgh  pill,  three  in  that  of  London,  and  two  and 
a  half  in  the  Dublin  form.  It  has  occasioned  some 
anxiety  to  Jearn  in  these  preparations  the  source  of  the 
acid,  for  an  acid  was  thought  necessary.  We  now  find 
that  oxygen  is  chiefly  required;  yet  it  has  been  dis- 
covered that  electricity  has,  or  possibly  the  Galvanic 


fluid,  some  share,  since  the  preparation  differs  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  the  vessels  employed.  A  similar 
powder  is  the  result  of  agitating  pure  quicksilver  in 
water,  but  the  source  of  the  oxygen  is  there  suffi- 
ciently obvious. 

The  difficulty  of  obtaining  a  complete  extinction  of 
the  quicksilver  by  trituration,  induced  the  Edinburgh 
and  Dublin  colleges  to  precipitate  the  mercury  from  its 
solution  in  the  nitrous  acid  by  means  of  ammonia.  The 
oxidum  hydrargyri  cinereum,  and  f/ulvis  hydrargyri 
cinereus,  are  the  results  of  this  plan.  The  oxide  is, 
however,  not  pure,  for  it  contains  the  oxide  of  mercury 
with  ammonia  not  saturated  with  nitric  acid.  Fourcroy 
has  remarked,  that  a  part  of  this  salt  is  soluble  in  the 
acetous  acid;  and  the  remainder,  a  pure  subnitrate  of 
mercury  and  ammonia,  crystallizes  in  brilliant  polyhe- 
dral crystals,  extremely  styptic,  and  scarcely  soluble  in, 
water;  consisting  of  68.2  of  oxide,  16  of  ammonia, 
and  15.8  of  nitric  acid.  Though  this  be  different  from, 
the  grey  oxide,  yet  we  think  it  deserves  a  trial.  The 
black  oxide  may  be  prepared  also  by  triturating  the 
calomel  (in  modern  language  the  sublimed  submuriate 
of  mercury)  in  lime  water.  The  decomposition  is  said 
to  be  more  complete  if  the  precipitated  submuriate  is 
employed;  the  preparation  generally  known  by  the 
name  of  calomel  in  the  humid  way. 

A  pure  oxide  of  mercury  with  a  larger  proportion 
of  oxygen  occurs  in  the  hydrargyrum  calcinatum  of 
the  London  and  Dublin  Dispensatories.  The  process 
is  slow  and  tedious ;  but  the  preparation,  if  carefully 
levigated,  highly  useful.  Its  acrimony  must,  however, 
be  guarded  by  opium,  or  it  will  prove  emetic  and  pur- 
gative. In  a  long  practice,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  feel 
at  different  periods  a  predilection  for  different  prepara- 
tions of  mercury;  and,  perhaps,  at  this  time  we  may 
be  peculiarly  fond  of  the  present  prepai'ation.  It  seems, 
however,  to  perform  every  thing  which  the  most  cele- 
brated mercurials  have  effected,  and  not  to  be  more  in- 
convenient. Yet,  perhaps,  in  every  instance,  calomel 
will  do  as  much. 

Mercury,  oxidated  by  nitrous  acid,  has  been  much 
employed;  hydrargyrus  nitratus  ruber  of  the  London 
Dispensatory;  oxidum  hydrargyri  rubrum  fier  oxidum 
nitricum  of  the  Edinburgh;  and  hydrargyrum  subni- 
tratum of  the  Dublin:  yet  it  scarcely  differs  from  the 
mercurius  calcinatus,  except  in  the  convenience  and 
the  facility  of  the  preparation.  The  metal  is  first 
united  with  the  acic^;  then  the  latter  decomposed  and 
separated  by  heat.  In  general,  the  acid  exceeds  in  a 
small  proportion  the  weight  of  the  quicksilver;  but  the 
London  college  renders  the  proportions  equal,  adding  a 
little  muriatic  acid,  whjch  it  is  supposed  increases  the 
size  and  beauty  of  the  red  scales.  This  advantage  is, 
however,  equivocal ;  and  the  little  difference  in  the  pro- 
portion of  the  acid  of  scarcely  any  importance  except 
in  an  economical  view.  If  too  small,  the  continued 
heat  compensates  the  inconvenience.  The  ointment 
contains  one  part  of  the  oxide  to  eight  of  hogs'  lard. 

The  oxides  of  mercury,  combined  with  acids,  are 
-preparations  of  great  importance.  In  t\\eo\&unguentum 
citrinum.)  unguentum  hydrargyri  nitrati,  we  find  the 
only  instance  of  its  combination  with  the  nitrous  acid. 
With  the  vitriolic  acid  it  forms  the  hydrargyrum  vitrio- 


AEG 


173 


A  R 


latut  of  the  London,  and  the  subsulfiha*  hydrargyrijla- 
-L-US  of  the  Edinburgh.  The  very  singular  process  by 
which  this  medicine  is  prepared,,  M.  Fourrroy  has  very 
industriously  and  ingeniously  analysed.  \\  hen  the  a 
is  added  to  ihe  metal,  no  action  takes  place ;  but  when 
heat  is  applied,  a  part  of  the  acid  is  decomposed  and 
the  metal  oxidated,  uniting  with  the  remainder  of  the 
acid.  The  salt  thus  formed  is  white,  but  the  acid  is 
in  excess.  When  the  seperfluous  acid  is  separated,  this 
salt  crystallizes  in  fine  prismatic  needles ;  is  soluble  in 
about  five  hundred  parts  of  cold  water,  and  in  half  that 
proportion  of  warm,  without  decomposition.  A  little 
sulphuric  acid  increases  its  solubility.  In  this  state 
Fourcroy  found  that  it  contained  seventy-five  of  the 
metal,  twelve  of  the  acid,  eight  of  oxygen,  and  five  of 
water,  in  one  hundred  parts. 

In  the  processes  of  the  colleges,  the  saline  solution  is 
boiled  to  dryness,  so  that  more  of  the  acid  is  decom- 
posed, and  a  larger  proportion  of  sulphureous  acid  gas 
evolved.  If  then,  as  directed,  it  is  thrown  into  boil- 
ing water,  a  yellow  powder,  the  hydrargyrus  vitriolatus, 
is  formed.  '  What  is  effected  by  this  part  of  the  process 
M.  Fourcroy  discovered  by  examining  the  different  por- 
tions. The  water  contained  a  salt  with  more  than  its 
proportion  of  acid :  of  course,  the  powder  had  a  di- 
minished proportion,  and  the  affusion  of  the  hot  water 
dissolving  as  much  of  the  salt  as  it  could  take  up  with 
its  acid,  left  the  powder  deprived  of  it.  It  consisted,  on 
analysis,  of  seventy-six  parts  of  mercury,  and  eleven  of 
oxygen.  The  taste  is  acrid;  it  is  soluble  in  two  thousand 
parts  of  cold  water,  decomposed  by  the  nitrous  and  mu- 
riatic acids,  oxidizes  quicksilver,  and  is  converted  by 
trituration  with  it  into  a  black  powder.  Such  is  the 
outline  of  this  author's  labour;  and  chemistry  does  not 
furnish  an  analysis  at  once  so  accurate,  so  elegant,  and 
satisfactory. 

The  muriatic  acid  furnishes  preparations  of  the  great- 
est use  and  importance  in  medicine.  In  the  calomel  of 
theLondonPharmacop(Eia,the««6mMri"a«Aj/drarjryriof 
the  London,  and  the  hydrargyrum  muriatum  mite  sub- 
limatum  of  the  Dublin,  prepared  by  sublimation,  the 
metal  is  oxidated  more  slightly.  But  before  we  can 
notice  these  we  must  step  forward  in  the  table  to  the 
muriats,  and  the  three  different  titles  express  only  the 
combination  of  the  metal  with  the  muriatic  acid,  ge- 
nerally known  by  the  appellation  of  corrosive  sublimate. 
In  all  the  preparations  the  mercury  is  oxidated  by  sul- 
phuric acid,  and  then  combined  with  the  muriatic,  by 
subliming  it  with  a  mixture  of  common  salt.  The  taste 
is  peculiarly  acrid  and  styptic:  it  is  soluble  in  twenty 
parts  of  cold,  and  in  about  two  of  boiling  water;  in 
nearly  four  parts  of  alcohol  at  70°,  and  in  an  equal 
weight  of  alcohol  in  a  boiling  state.  It  is  unaltered  in 
the  air,  in  sublimation,  or  by  either  of  the  mineral  acids. 
Its  solubility  is  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  small  pro- 
portion of  crude  sal  ammoniac.  It  is  precipitated  by 
all  alkalis  and  earths ;  those  not  carbonated  form  a 
yellow  precipitate;  the  others  an  orange  yellow,  chang- 
ing to  a  brick  red.  It  consists  of  oxide  of  mercury  0.82, 
and  of  acid  0.1 8.  The  oxide  itself  containing  0.15  of 
oxygen. 

The  calomel,  and  the  synonymous  formulae  which 
precede,  are  prepared  from  this  muriat  of  mercury. 
The  principle  of  the  preparation  is  obvious,  when  it  is 
recollected  that  earths  and  metals,  unlike  alkalis,  may 


be  combined   with  different  portions  of  acid,  and  still 
be  in  appearance  neutral.     In  the  muriat  of  mercury 
there  is  no  apparent  excess  of  acid  ;  yet  nearly  an  equal 
proportion  of  the  metal  may  be  combined  with  it,  and 
partake  not  only  of  its  acid  but  its  oxygen.    About  nine 
ounces  of  the  metal  are  added  to  a  pound  of  the  muriat} 
and   united   by  trituration.     The   newly  added   metal 
shows    immediately  appearances   of  oxygenation,  but 
the  combination  is  effected  only  by  repeated  sublimation 
and  trituration.     The  London  college  orders  this  pro- 
cess to  be  repeated  four  times  ;  an  extraordinary  pre- 
caution! certainly  not  necessary.     Generally   twice   is 
sufficient ;  but  we  have  sometimes  found  the  union  not 
perfectly  complete,  and  a  third  sublimation  is  occasion- 
ally necessary.  From  Mr.  Chevenix's  experiments  also 
there  seems  to  be  an  unnecessary  waste  of  quicksilver, 
a  lessproportion,0.54,  for  instance,  appearing  sufficient. 
He  considers  the  excess,hovvever,a  necessary  precaution. 
The  utility  of  calomel,  which  may  be  perhaps  considered 
as  an  instar  omnium  with  respect  to  the  other  mercurial 
preparations,  for  it  is  in  every   instance  equally  useful 
with  any  other,  and  in  many   cases   greatly   superior, 
has  induced  chemists  to   attempt  with  great  diligence 
an  easier  and  more  certain  mode  of  preparing  it.     The 
great  object  is  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  very  long-and 
careful  trituration ;  for   the   calomel  forming  by  subli- 
mation a  very  hard   solid   mass,  consisting  of  a    con- 
fused aggegration  of  tetraedral  prisms,  terminated  by 
pyramids,  the  most  careful  attention  is  necessary  lest 
any  spiculae  should  remain.  Calomel  has,  consequently, 
been  prepared  in  the  humid  way  ;  first,  if  we  recollect 
rightly,  by  Scheele,  and  afterwards  more  accurately  by 
Gottling.    It  is  now  found  in  the  Dublin  and  Edinburgh 
Dispensatories  with  the  epithet /ir*rJ/!iYa/u;n,-  and  in 
that  of  London,  under  the  title  of  hydrargyrus  muriatus 
mitis.    The  principle  of  the  process  consists  in  forming 
a  nitrated  solution  of  mercury  with  an  excess  of  oxide, 
to  which  a  dilute  solution  of  common  salt  is  added.     It 
was  supposed  that  the  decomposition  of  the  nitrated 
mercury  immediately  took  place,  and  that  the  powder 
deposited  was  calomel.     Mr.  Chevenix,  however,  has 
given  us  some  reason  to  doubt  the  justness  of  this  con- 
clusion; and  as  water,  the  menstruum  of  the  salt,  will 
decompose  nitrated  quicksilver,  the  precipitate  is  pro- 
bably a  subnitrate  of  quicksilver,  together  with  the  sub- 
muriate.  He  consequently  proposes  adding  to  the  water 
a  little  muriatic  acid,  or  to  employ  a  nitrated  quicksilver 
without  heat.     To  either  proposal  no  reasonable  objec- 
tion can  be  made  ;  yet  it  has  been  suggested  by  good 
authority,  that  the  quicksilver  in  the  nitrated  salt  is  too 
highly  oxidated — for,  if  the  preparation   be  made  by 
boiling,  the  proportion  of  oxygen   is  greater — and  that 
the  solution  has  been  found  to  contain  muriated  quick- 
silver.    We  have  repeated  the  process  with  this  view- 
without  finding  the  same  result;  yet  we  think  it  should 
teach  us  to  render  our  solution  of  common  salt  more 
concentrated,  and   the  two  fluids  should  be  added  at 
once,  that  the  moment  a  particle  of  water  touches  the 
metallic  solution,  the  latter  should  be  met  also  by  a 
portion  of  the  common  salt.  '  In  the  usual"  preparations 
there  is  always  a  little  of  the  nitrated  mercury  ;  for  on 
rubbing  the  precipitates  with*  lime  water,  the  powder  is 
grey  and  not  black.  When  again  sublimed,  this  nitrated 
mercury  is  decomposed,  and   a  sublimation  is  conse- 
quently recommended.    We  find  in  our  minutes  a  pro- 


AttG 


174 


All  (i 


posal  of  again  repeating  the  addition  of  u  solution 
of  common  salt,  and  edulcorating  the  powder  by 
washing;  but  do  not  recollect  that  the  experiment  was 
tried. 

Hermstaedt  recommends  a  process  of  preparing  ca- 
lomel from  the  sulphat  of  mercury,  to  which  nearly 
the  original  quantity  of  mercury  is  to  be  united  by  tri- 
turation.  The  muriat  of  soda  is  then  added,  the  whole 
mass  sublimed,  the  triturationand  sublimation  a  second 
time  repeated.  This  preparation  has  not  been  che- 
mically examined,  and  we  do  not  know  its  peculiar  ad- 
vantages. On  the  whole,  perhaps,  the  old  method  of 
preparing  the  calomel  forms  the  most  certain  and  best 
preparation,  if  the  subordinate  agents  can  be  depended 
on  in  the  trituration ;  and  as  their  error  can  be  detect- 
ed by  a  nice  eye,  inconveniences  will  not  often  occur  : 
indeed,  in  the  shops  of  the  greater  number  of  apothe- 
caries no  such  are  found.  Calomel,  according  to  Mr. 
Chevenix,  contains  88.5  of  oxide  of  quicksilver,  and 
11.5  of  muriatic  acid:  the  oxide  amounts  to  0.107, 
while  the  muriate  contains  0.1 5  of  oxygen.  Fourcroy 
estimates  the  oxides  differently  :  he  makes  three  spe- 
cies, the  black,  the  red,  and  one  other  still  higher, 
not  to  be  obtained  separately;  the  black  and  red  con- 
taining, respectively,  0.04  and  0.08  of  oxygen.  These 
different  results  have  not  been  reconciled,  and  as  the 
disquisition  would  be  purely  chemical  we  shall  not  at-" 
tempt  it. 

Chemists  expected  to  form  milder  and  more  con- 
venient preparations  of  mercury  with  the  acetous  acid; 
and  the  reputation  of  Keyser's  pills,  which  were  found 
to  be  a  combination  of  this  kind,  seemed  to  confirm 
the  opinion.  In  the  preparations  of  the  three  colleges 
nitrate  of  mercury  is  first  formed  with  a  gentle  heat, 
which  neither  occasions  it  to  take  up  an  excess  of  acid, 
nor,  as  in  case  of  boiling,  to  absorb  and  oxidate  a  larger 
proportion  of  the  metal.  A  solution  of  acetated  pot- 
ash is  then  added,  and  the  acetite  of  mercury  crystal- 
lises, leaving  the  nitrate  of  potash,  formed,  in  the  pre- 
paration on  account  of  its  greater  solubility  in  the  fluid. 
It  dries  slowly,  and  should  be  compressed  in  bibulous 
paper.  We  have  not  found  it  to  possess  any  advantages 
above  the  other  mercurial  preparations. 

Combined  with  sulphur,  mercury  is  seldom  employed 
internally.  Of  the  medical  effects  of  the  JLthiops  mi- 
neral we  have  already  spoken;  but  we  must  now  con- 
sider shortly  the  chemical  relations  of  this  union,  to 
complete  the  chemical  history  of  the  metal  before 
us. 

The  black  sulphurated  quicksilver  is  not  merely  a 
combination  of  the  sulphur  and  the  metal,  as  authors 
have  supposed.  Quicksilver  never  assumes  the  form 
a  black  powder,  without  having  absorbed  some  portion 
of  oxygen.  Others  have  suspected  that  hydrogen  is 
also  united,  and  think  that  the  process  is  expedited  by 
adding  a  little  water,  whose  decomposition  supplies  both. 
It  is  dissolved  by  the  aqua  kali,  but  unaffected  by  ni- 
trous acid.  From  the  solution  of  kali  it  is  recovered 
unchanged  by  acids,  and  in  the  fire  it  suffers  no  altera- 
tion. When  hot  quicksilver  is  thrown  into  melted 
sulphur,  and  the  whole  stirred  till  cold,  the  same  pre- 
paration in  appearance  results:  the  union  is  not  how- 
ever so  complete  ;  it  is  not  soluble  in  the  solution  of 
kali,  and  is  changed  by  the  air.  Berthollet  supports 
the  idea  of  its  containing  hydrogen  by  this  remark,  that 


the  --Ethiops  mineral  may  be  prepared  by  agitating  inei  • 
cury  with  sulphurated,  hydrogenated  ammonia.  This- 
preparation  also  admits  of  change  from  the  air. 

The  hydrargyrum  sitlphuratumrubrum  is \b.e factiti- 
ous cinnabar,  a  medicine  formerly  used  as  a  tonic,  a 
stimulant,  and  a  deobstruent;  in  short,  for  every  object 
of  which  the  prescribe!-  had  no  distinct  idea.  It  is  now 
only  employed  as  a  fumigation  in  venereal  complaints. 
It  is  not  soluble  in  any  acid;  but  the  nitro-muriatic 
takes  up  the  metal  and  leaves  the  sulphur.  Alkalis, 
in  a  boiling  heat,  will  not  affect  it;  but,  when  melted, 
these  and  many  of  the  metals  decompose  it.  M.  Proust 
supposes,  that  the  quicksilver  which  it  contains  is  not 
oxidated,  but  that  it  is  in  the  proportion  of  85  to  100, 
and  that  the  remainder  is  sulphur. 

The  variety  of  other  preparations  of  mercury,  em- 
ployed by  physicians  and  surgeons  of  different  countries, 
at  different  periods,  would  fill  a  volume.  As  we  cannot 
enumerate  every  remedy  of  this  kind,  so  preparations 
often  celebrated  must  not  be  wholly  overlooked.  We 
shall  not  immediately  follow  the  same  order;  but  first 
divide  the  preparations  according  to  their  pharmaceutical 
forms,  viz.  ointments,  plasters,  pills,  syrups,  troches, 
drops. 

The  MERCURIAL  OINTMENTS  have  been  varied  in 
every  possible  way  according  to  the  objects  for  which 
they  were  designed.  Turpentine  was  formerly  the  ge- 
neral intermede  to  divide  the  crude  mercury,  and  the 
additions  were  adapted  to  the  disease  for  which  it  was 
employed.  In  the  various  ungucnta  ad  jicdiculos  we 
find  the  seeds  of  stavisacre,  extract  of  tobacco,  the 
roots  of  white  hellebore,  and  oleum  laurinum  added. 
In  Mynsicht's  formula,  the  quicksilver  is  divided  by  the 
saliva  of  a  person  fasting.  When  to  cure  the  itch,  sul- 
phur, alum,  and  white  hellebore,  are  united  with  the 
metal;  against  worms,  the  gall  of  an  ox,  and  oil  of 
bitter  almonds;  in  cutaneous  diseases,  by  Stahl,  pre- 
parations of  lead  and  a  portion  of  camphor;  and,  in 
the  ungucntum  ophthalmicum  of  Hecker,  nitrated  mer- 
cury is  united  with  camphor. 

The  MERCURIAL  PLASTERS  and  CERATES  have  not 
been  greatly  varied  from  those  directed  in  the  different 
British  Pharmacopoeias.  Plenck's  cerate  is  made  with 
mercury,  divided  by  mucilage,  as  in  his  other  prepara- 
tions. It  has  been  doubted,  whether  in  this  form  the 
mercury  is  absorbed.  Mercurial  plasters  have  often  no 
effect ;  but  after  their  application  we  sometimes  have 
found  pains  in  the  stomach  and  bowels,  which  are  re- 
lieved by  removing  the  plaster;  and,  in  one  or  two  in- 
stances, salivation  has  followed. 

The  MERCURIAL  PILLS  .  have  been  very  various. 
Barbarossa's  pills, named  from  the  celebrated  Algerine 
who  gave  the  process  to  Francis  I.  consisted  of  mer- 
cury, with  a  small  proportion  of  rhubarb  and  scam- 
mony,  formed  into  a  mass  with  lemon  juice.  Plenck's 
piiulix  ex  mescurio  gummoso,  consisted  each  of  a  grain 
of  mercury,  extinguished  by  starch  and  gum  arable, 
with  sometimes  a  small  proportion  of  rhubarb;  and, 
indeed,  some  of  the  forms  used  in  this  country  contain 
a  mixture  of  some  active  cathartics.  It  were  endless 
to  follow  all  the  varieties  directed  indifferent  Dispensa- 
tories, varying  only  by  the  mode  of  extinguishing  the 
quicksilver,  and  the  peculiar  additions.  The  magnetic 
pills  of  Ostius  are  prepared  with  the  mercurius  cal- 
cinatus,  with  a  large  proportion  of  some  vegetable  ex- 


A  KG 


175 


ARG 


tract,  which  has  not  been  accurately  ascertained-,  and 
Rcyser's  pills,  with  the  acetite  of  mercury.  These  last 
are  now  disused;  and,  whatever  was  once  their  credit, 
the  testimony  of  Murray,  Girtanner,  Quarin,  and  Co- 
lumbier,  seems  to  have  destroyed  it. 

Of  the  SYRUPS  Plenck's  mercurial  syrup  is  well  known. 
Bellet  asserts  that  his  syrup  contains  no  mineral  acid. 
Girtanner,  however,  and  Swediaur,  have  ascertained 
that  the  mercury  has  been  dissolved  in  the  nitrous  acid 
precipitated  by  the  vegetable  alkali,  then  dissolved  in 
vitriolic  aether,  and  sweetened.  The  precipitate  of 
which  it  is  formed  was  found  to  retain  no  inconsider- 
able proportion  of  the  acid.  Girtanner  also  informs  us, 
that  Velno's  syrup  does  not  differ  from  Belief's.  The 
rob  antisyphiliticum  of  L'Affecteur  is  nearly  similar;  but 
some  authors  contend  that  a  small  portion  of  corrosive 
sublimate  is  added. 

The  various  TROCHES,  particularly  the  anthelmintic 
rotule  and  tabelle  of  Morelli,  Zwelfer,  and  Le  Mort, 
as  well  as  the  rotulte  infantile*  laxativf  of  Schroeder, 
owe  their  virtue  to  calomel  and  some  active  cathartic. 
In  these  we  may  find  the  source  of  the  various  worm- 
cakes  and  lozenges,  celebrated  by  names  of  high  re- 
spectability in  this  country,  who  do  not,  however,  rank 
among  medical  authorities.  The  secret  remedy  of.\"icole 
is  formed  into  little  cakes,  and  supposed  to  contain  cor- 
rosive sublimate,  though  denied  by  the  author.  The 
trochisci  tonici  mercuriales  of  Bru,  are  formed  by  an 
operose  process  which  we  need  not  particularly  describe, 
as  the  medicine  is  no  longer  employed  :  they  consist  of 
a  mixture  of  turpeth  mineral  with  white  precipitate, 
and  are  made  into  lozenges  with  honey,  sugar,  and 
meal.  Each  lozenge  contains  about  two  grains  of 
mercury. 

The  DROPS  contain  mercury  so  much  concentrated 
as  to  be  given  in  very  small  doses.  Of  Ward's  drafts 
we  now  know  the  form.  They  consist  of  mercury  preci- 
pitated from  its  solution  in  aqua  fortis  by  the  volatile 
alkali,  and  again  dissolved  in  rose  water.  The  anti- 
venereal  tincture,  or  quintessence  of  Mollet,  contains  mer- 
cury united  with  the  muriafed  ammonia,  a  subject  on 
\\ihich  we  shall  soon  again  speak.  The  liquor  mercurii 
secretus  of  Gmelin  is  given  in  drops,  but  it  contains 
little  or  no  mercury.  Four  ounces  of  the  muriated  mer- 
cury are  dissolved  in  twelve  ounces  of  vinegar:  the 
fluid  is  drawn  off,  and  the  residuum  infused,  repeatedly, 
in  spirit  of  wine,  which  is  drawn  off  by  distillation 
after  being  for  many  clays  digested  in  a  gentle  heat. 
Libavius'  tincture  of  quicksilver  contains  as  little  of  the 
mercury.  Nitrated  quicksilver  is  digested  with  the 
brown  oil  of  vitriol,  which  is  repeatedly  drawn  off  till 
the  residuum  becomes  red.  From  this,  spirit  of  wine  is 
also  repeatedly  distilled  and  somewhat  inspissated. 

The  Thibet  remedy,  described  by  Mr.  Saunders  in  the 
79th  volume  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  merits 
also  some  notice.  It  consists  of  a  portion  of  alum, 
nitre,  vermilion,  and  quicksilver  sublimed,  and  appears 
to  be  a  nitrated  mercury  of  a  mild  operation. 

The  drops  of  General  La  Motte  are  of  a  beautiful  red 
colour,  and  supposed  to  be  preparations  of  red  preci- 
pitate or  cinnabar  in  an  acrid  fluid,  of  which  a  few  drops 
are  taken  in  tea.  The  elixir  antisyfthiliticum  of  Bouezde 
Sigogne  is,  in  the  opinion  of  Astruc,  similar  ;  and  the 
dose,  as  well  as  the  mode  of  exhibition,  the  same. 

We  shall  next  follow  the  less  common  preparations  of 


mercury  in  a  chemical  order.  In  speaking  of  the  sul- 
phurated preparations  of  mercury  we  need  not  enlarge 
on  the  jEthiops  mineral,  though  its  formula  has  been 
infinitely  varied,  and  numerous  discussions  on  its  vir- 
tues and  preparations  lie  before  us.  The  jEthiops  mi- 
neral forms  the  basis  of  the  pilule  JEthiopict  of  the 
Wirtemburg  Dispensatory,  in  which  this  preparation 
supplies  the  place  of  calomel,  in  a  formula  not  unlike 
Plummer's.  The  jEthiops  narcoticusof  Jacobi,  described 
in  the  Acta  Nature  Curiosorum,  is  more  curious.  Two 
ounces  of  quicksilver  are  dissolved  in  four  ounces  of 
smoking  nitrous  acid,  and  boiled  with  two  pounds  of 
a  caustic  lixivium,  two  ounces  of  potash,  and  four 
ounces  of  sulphur.  The  sediment  is  well  washed,  and 
is  the  pul-vis  narcoticus.  This  powder,  triturated  for 
three  days  with  the  jEthiops  mineral,  becomes,  it  is  said, 
an  active  antisyphilitic,  without  producing  salivation. 
Wavier' s  mercurial,  said  to  be  particularly  useful  in  scro- 
fulous and  cutaneous  complaints,  is  prepared  by  pre- 
cipitating mercury  dissolved  in  hepar  sulphuris  by  any 
chalybeate  neutral.  The  panacea  merc-urialis  nig-ra,  the 
panacea  of  Schroeder,  consists  of  mercury,  sulphur,  and 
sal  ammoniac,  united  by  sublimation.  It  differs  little 
from  cinnabar  except  in  its  darker  colour.  The  pa- 
nacea Anwaldina  is  chiefly  cinnabar,  with  some  saffron 
and  oyster  shells.  The  cinnabaris  cxrulea  of  Wallerius, 
mercurius  violaceus  Parisiensium  of  Triller,  and  the  me r- 
curius  -violaceus  diaphoreticua  of  Astruc,  differ  only  in 
colour  from  cinnabar ;  a  change  occasioned  by  a  com- 
bination of  sal  ammoniac.  The  mercurius  diaphoreticus 
of  Sir  Kenelm  Digby  is  prepared  by  subliming  a  pound 
of  mercury  with  four  ounces  of  sulphur  auratum  anti- 
monii. 

The  union  of  mercury  with  other  metals  has  been 
often  attempted,  and  the  compound  supposed  to  be 
highly  useful.  With  lead  it  has  been  employed  in  the 
iliac  passion ;  with  tin  against  worms ;  and  with  iron 
in  chronic  disorders.  Corrosive  sublimate  dissolved 
in  water,  mixed  with  a  solution  of  iron  in  vinegar,  we 
are  told  by  Navier,  is  void  of  acrimony,  and  useful  in 
many  chronic  diseases.  The  mercurius  dulcis  martiatus 
of  Hartmann,  is  a  similar  union  of  a  martial  calx  with 
mercury. 

The  mercurius  diaphoreticus  consists  of  the  calces  of 
mercury  and  antimony  with  a  calx  of  gold ;  for  gold 
has  been  always  considered  as  a  cordial  and  a  diaphore- 
tic. It  is  celebrated  even  by  Hoffman,  under  the  name 
of  the  solar  precipitate,  Hercules  bovii,  and  auri  vittt 
Closstei.  The  panacea  de  la  i-igne  contains  mercury  with 
gold  and  silver;  the  prtcipitatus  Solaris,  with  gold 
only;  and  many  similar  ridiculous  preparations  are 
described  by  Zwelfer,  Hercules  Saxonia,  Schroeder, 
Hartmann,  Jungken,  and  Lemery,  under  the  titles  mer- 
curius dulcis  Solaris,  manna  mercurii,  and  arcanum  co- 
rallinum.  The  mercurius  praccipitatus  viridis,  orlacerta 
viridis,  contains  copper  united  with  mercury. 

The  CALCES  of  MERCURY  next  claim  our  attention. 
Dr.  Priestley  informed  us,  that  mercury  triturated 
with  water  might  be  changed  into  a  black  powder; 
but  the  fact  was  published  by  Homberg  in  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Academy  of  Sciences  for  1700.  This  prepara- 
tion, if  it  may  be  so  called,  has  been  highly  celebrat- 
ed under  the  name  of  JEthiops  mineralis  per  se ; 
more  properly,  mercurius  o.vidatus  niger :  but  its  chief 
use  has  been  to  unite  with  the  vegetable  acid  in 


ARG 


176 


ARG 


making  Keyser's  pills;  and,  triturated  with  axunge, 
to  prepare  extemporaneously  the  mercurial  ointment. 
Thc/iulvis  vigonis  is  only  the  mercurius  calcinatus;  and 
Schroeder's  firacifiitatus  dulcis  is  prepared  by  calcining 
quicksilver  with  the  red  precipitate  which  has  been  de- 
flagrated with  spirit  of  wine.  The  red  precipitate  itself 
is  ,thc  preparation  which  distinguishes  Girtanner's  un- 
gucntum  rubrum ;  and  forms,  with  burnt  alum,  eu- 
phorbium,  dry  leaves  of  savine,  the  roots  of  iris,  and 
aristolochia  rotunda,  the  finlvis  cat/ieriticus,  for  carious 
bones,  of  Schroeder.  With  minium  and  ceruse  it  forms 
the  unguentum  fiiacentinum  of  the  hospital  at  Padua; 
and  with  tutty,  nitre,  and  camphor,  the  celebrated 
ointment  of  Mursinna  for  restoring  the  transpa- 
rency of  the  cornea.  The  /irtcci/iitalum-nobile  of  An- 
gelus Salajs  only  the  red  precipitate  with  a  small  por- 
tion of  the'muriatic  acid ;  since  it  is  prepared  by  cal- 
cining a  solution  of  a  calx  of  mercury  in  aqua  regia.  It 
is  highly  commended  by  its  author  if)  a  malignant  itch. 
The  arcanum  corallinum  and  mercurius  coral/inns  are 
preparations  of  Crollius,  described  in  Lewis's  Dis- 
pensatory ;  and  the  laudanum  mincrate  of  Hartmann 
is  the  former,  first  digested  with  vinegar,  which  is 
again  separated  by  distillation,  and  afterwards  with 
spirit  of  wine.  It  is  supposed  to  be  a  gentle  laxative, 
and  then  an  anodyne  and  sudorific.  The  rosa  vita  mi- 
ncralis  is  the  red  precipitate,  digested  four  times  with 
spirit  of  wine.  The  fianacea  inercurialis  rubra,  jirxci- 
pitatus  diajihoreticus  excellens,  turbith  minerale  rubrum 
Ziuclferi;fiitli>isJirinciJiis,a.nAmercuriusantivenereusof 
Hartmann,  are  similar  preparations,  in  which  the  red 
precipitate  is  rendered  milder  by  digesting  it  with  spirit 
of  wine.  In  the  two  last  it  is  previously  elutriated 
•with  water,  to  which  an  alkali  is  added  in  some  of  the 
latter  washings.  Various  similar  preparations  of  mer- 
cury are  found  in  chemical  authors ;  but  we  shall  only 
notice  Hahncmann's  mercurius  solubilus,  which,  in 
his  Chemical  Annals  for  1790,  he  mentions  with  the 
warmest  commendations,  as  producing  no  inconve- 
nience in  the  stomach  or  bowels,  being  soluble  in  vine- 
gar and  in  the  animal  fluids,  and  easily  absorbed  when 
applied  externally.  It  seems  to  'be  a  calx  of  mercury, 
precipitated  from  a  solution  of  the  metal  in  pure  aqua 
"ortis  by  the  caustic  spirit  of  sal  ammoniac.  This  pre- 
paration has  been  also  called  turbith  nigrum. 

The  greater  number  of  the  calces  of  mercury  have 
some  remaining  saline  matter,  and  this  is  particularly 
the  case  with  the  mercurius  pracijiitatus  albus,  the  calx 
hydrargyri  alba,  which  we  again  mention  to  introduce 
its  numerous  singular  synonims.  These  are  mercurius 
cosmeticus;  lac  mercurials;  calcinatum  majus  jioterii; 
fianacea  mercurii  albi;  catharticum  mercuriale ;  and, 
when  washed,  manna  mercurii.  It  is  chiefly  used  on 
the  continent  as  an  external  application,  and  is  highly 
commended  'in  the  itch.  Authors  of  credit  have,  how- 
ever, we  perceive,  given  it  internally,  and  speak  highly 
in  its  favour:  when  sublimed,  dissolved  in  water,  and 
again  sublimed,  it  is  styled  aquila  celestis. 

A  modern  preparation  of  mercury  similar  to  Hahne- 
mann's  mercurius  solubilis,  is  the  hydrargyrum  nitra- 
tum  cinereum  of  Swediaur ;  fiulvis  mercurii  cinereus  of 
Girtanner;  called,  fora  reason  that  we  cannot  develop, 
nicrcuriuH  cinereus  of  Black.  It  is  mercury,  precipitated 
from  its  solution  in  aqua  fortis  by  a  mild  volatile  alkali, 
and  is  of  a  lighter  colour  than  the  turbith  nigrum. 


I 


The  Jirxcijiitatuis  luteus  of  Hartmann  is  not  greatly  dif- 
ferent, as  it  is  precipitated  by  a  mild  fixed  alkali,  and 
acquires  its  yellow  colour  by  washing.  The  firxcifiita- 
tus  luteus  diafihoreticus  of  the  same  author  is  a  solu- 
tion of  the  corrosive  sublimate,  precipitated  by  the. 
same  alkali,  and  carefully  washed.  JMercurius  dejecto- 
rius,  or  they/ores  urgent!)  is  the  firecifiitatus  luteus  of 
Hartmann,  digested  in  the  acetous  acid,  and  then  wash- 
ed. The  prteci/iitatus  correctus  of  Schroeder  is  pre- 
pared by  dissolving^  the  white  precipitate  in  vinegar, 
and  again  separating  it  by  a  fixed  vegetable  alkali. 

The  improved  chemistry  has  introduced  some  new 
preparations  of jnercury.  The  first  that  occurs  to  us  is 
the  mercurius  jihosfihoratus,  sal  jihosfihoricum  mercu- 
ria/e,  and  jihosfihoras  mercurii)  with  some  similar  ap- 
pellations. It  is  a  white  salt,  unchanged  in  the  air,  and 
scarcely  soluble  in  water,  prepared  by  precipitating 
mercury  from  its  solution  in  aqua  fortis  by  the  phos- 
phoric acid.  This  preparation  is  slightly  mentioned  by 
Girtanner  and  Swediaur,  but  chiefly  introduced  by  a 
French  quack,  M.  Mittie,  followed  by  a  German,  3.  Fr. 
Schmidt.  It  is  highly  praised  in  the  worst  stages  of 
syphilis,  particularly  in  the  most  inveterate  kinds  when 
the  bones  are  affected,  and  is  given  with  aromatics  to 
prevent  its  exciting  nausea,  in  the  dose  of  half  a  grain, 
or  a  grain.  We  own  that  these  assertions  are  to  us 
suspicious :  we  know  that  the  use  of  phosphorus  is 
dangerous,  and  have  no  reason,  from  the  facts  adduced 
by  the  admirers  of  the  phosphorated  mercury,  to  sup- 
pose that  this  is  a  safe  or  manageable  preparation.  We 
can  add,  that  it  is  by  no  means  new  ;  for  we  observe  in 
Angelus  Sala  a  preparation  styled  fiulvis  rosa  -vita, 
copied  by  Hartmann,  who  calls  it  mercurius  incarnatus 
jirxcifiitatus,  in  which  the  nitrated  mercury  is  precipi- 
tated by  urine.  We  know  that  this  fluid  contains  the 
muriated  ammonia  and  the  oxalic  acid,  which  may 
alter  in  some  measure  the  nature  of  the  precipitate. 
It  is  certainly  milder,  since  these  authors  admit  that  it 
may  be  given  from  six  to  ten  grains,  and  is  then  a  ca- 
thartic. 

The  sal  sedativus  mercurialis  is  another  modern  pre- 
paration ;  not,  we  suspect,  of  superior  value,  since  its 
authors  wish  to  confine  it  to  external  use.  The  nitrated 
mercury  is  precipitated  by  a  solution  of  borax  ;  and  the 
salt,  which  is  at  first  yellow,  by  the  access  of  air  be- 
comes greenish.  It  is  scarcely  soluble  in  watery  fluids, 
and  when  sublimed  is  of  an  orange  colour.  Journal  dc 
Physique,  ix.  343.  x.  411. 

The  union  of  mercury  with  the  benzoic  acid  (mer- 
curius benzoinus)  was  first' mentioned,  we  believe,  by 
Tromsdorf  in  his  Chemical  Annals  for  1790.  The 
flowers  of  Benjamin,  dissolved  in  water,  are  employed 
to  precipitate  nitrated  mercury.  The  salt  is  of  a  brown 
colour;  but,  carefully  washed  and  dried,  is  white  and 
shining,  unchanged  in  the  air,  with  difficulty  dissolved 
in  water,  somewhat  more  readily  in  spirit  of  wine.  It 
is  with  some  regret  we  add,  that,  except  its  author, 
the  only  authority  we  can  find  for  its  having  been  ad- 
vantageously employed  is  the  suspicious  one  of  M. 
Mittie. 

The  MERCURIAL  SALTS  offer  some  facts  and  prepar- 
ations of  curiosity,  if  not  of  importance.  Lavoisier 
and  Cornette,  in  the  Memoirs  of  Medicine,  have  in- 
formed us  that  the  mild  alkalis  will  dissolve  the 
calces  of  mercury ;  and  Quercetanus  long  since  de- 


AM  O 


177 


(i 


scribed  the  preparation  of  a  sfiiritux  mprcurialis,  -which 
consisted  of  an  alkaline  solution  of  mercury ;  and  Rit- 
ter  speaks  with  commendation  of  an  essentia  mercurii, 
which  contained  the  metal,  joined  with  a  caustic  alkali. 
The  neutral  salts,  however,  have  a  greater  power,  and 
the  most  active  of  these  is  the  muriated  ammonia.  The 
•mercurial  tincture  of  Garaye  is  prepared  by  triturating 
the  dry  sal  ammoniac  with  mercury,  suffering  it  to  de- 
liquesce, then  again  drying,  and  repeatedly  triturating, 
deliquescing,  and  drying  it.  The  process  is  shortened 
by  triturating  the  brown  or  the  red  precipitate  with  the 
salt,  and  then  subliming  it. 

Monnet  and  Paecken  long  since  informed  us,  that 
mercury  triturated  with  cream  of  tartar  would  be  com- 
pletely united  with  it ;  and  if  some  syrup  was  added, 
the  union  would  be  so  complete,  that  the  addition  of 
powders  capable  of  absorbing  the  moisture  would  not 
affect  it.  Cream  of  tartar,  though  it  does  not  dissolve 
the  metal  in  its  shining  state,  will  dissolve  its  calces ; 
and  we  once  saw  salivation  induced,  by  digesting  in 
cold  water  --Ethiops  mineral,  sulphur,  and  cream  of  tar- 
tar, and  giving  the  solution.  If  a  little  borax  or  seda- 
tive salt  is  added,  the  union  will  be  more  complete. 
This  preparation,  called  mercurius,  and  sometimes 
.-Ethio/is  tartarisatus,  and  dissolved  in  water,  the  eau 
•vegetable  mercurielle,  is  considered  as  a  very  useful  me- 
dicine, but  it  seems  to  have  no  claim  to  any  extraordi- 
nary powers.  The  pure  acid  of  tartar,  as  we  are  in- 
formed by  Meyer  and  De  Morveau,  dissolves  the  mer- 
cury more  readily,  and  in  -a  larger  proportion. 

Rhenish  wine,  cyder,  verjuice,  and  vinegar,  have 
been  employed  as  solvents  of  mercury.  The  liqueur 
fondante  of  Diennert,  the  hydrargyrum  acetatum,  and 
the  terra  foliata  mercuria/is-of  D&Fourcy,  are  prepara- 
tions of  this  kind  ;  but  the  acid  dissolves  only  the  calces 
of  mercury,  and  the  preparations  differ  in  activity  ac- 
cording to  the  calx  employed. 

We  find,  in  the  works  of  foreign  surgeons,  very  caus- 
tic topical  remedies  resulting  from  the  union  of  mer- 
cury with  the  nitrous  acid.  Of  this  kind  are  the  liquor 
exfoliatus  Bellostii,  liquor  mercurii  vivi  of  Mynsicht, 
and  the  aqua  grisea  of  the  Wirtemburg  Pharmacopoeia. 
The  mercurius  nitrosus  of  Selle  forms  white  crystals, 
prepared  by  dissolving  mercury  in  the  nitrous  acid. 
These  are  dissolved  in  four  times  their  weight  of  water, 
and  two  drops  of  the  solution  are  given  morning  and 
evening.  »v 

The  muriated  mercury  is  the  foundation  of  the  dif- 
ferent mercurial  waters  employed  externally.  Hor- 
stius's  aqua  mercurials  firo  scabiosis  contains  equal 
pa.'ts  of  corrosive  sublimate  and  euphorbium,  with  a 
larger  proportion  of  arsenic  than  his  menstruum  will 
dissolve.  Grunlingius's  linimentum  ad  serfiiginem  con- 
sists of  sublimate  and  alum,  of  each  half  a  dram,  and  an 
ornce  of  gum  tragacanth,  dissolved  in  plantain  water. 
We  may  here  remark  that  alum  is  often  useful  in  itch, 
and  is  an  active  ingredient  in  many  of  the  secret  reme- 
dies which  profess  to  cure  it  in  a  very  short  time. 
Zw<  Ifer  adds  to  his  aqua  msrcurialis  a  portion  of  aloes 
for  venereal  ulcers  and  cutaneous  eruptions  ;  and  Jung- 
ken,  in  a  similar  -stater,  adds  ceruse,  alum,  nitre,  sal 
ammoniac,  \inegar  of  litharge,  &c.  A  preparation 
nearly  of  the  same  kind  occurs  in  the  Wirtemburg 
Pharmacopoeia,  which  was,  for  many  years,  the  standard 
pharmaceutical  work  of  Germany ;  but,  more  scientifi- 


cally  combined,  \rogler's  liquor  mundificans  contain^ 
the  sublimate,  with  dock  root,  brown  flowers,  the  leave-- 
of  juniper  and  savine,  and  the  root  of  the  acorus  cala- 
mus. The  most  singular  external  preparation  of  thi-- 
is  the  oil  of  mercury,  for  warts  and  corns,  of  Fausius ; 
an  equal  quantity  of  candied  sugar  and  of  sublimate, 
with  a  very  small  proportion  of  filings  of  iron,  are  ex- 
posed first  to  a  gentle  and  then  a  violent  heat  in  close 
vessels.  The  iron,  however,  in  part,  decomposes  the 
muriated  mercury. 

Such  are  the  most  curious  or  important  preparations 
of  mercury,  not  admitted  into  our  pharmacopeias ;  but 
we  cannot  conclude  this  account  of  external  mercurial 
applications,  without  guarding  the  more  inexperienced 
practitioner  from  too  free  and  indiscriminate  employ- 
ment of  them.  The  records  of -medicine  are  full  of  the 
most  dreadful  instances  of  death,  in  its  most  painful 
shape,  following  their  use  ;  and,  though  the  subject  led 
us  to  enumerate  and  explain  the  principles  of  their 
several  combinations,  we  have  carefully  avoided  those 
particulars  which  would  lead,  on  the  one  hand,  to  rash 
empiricism,  or  add  to  the  already  too  numerous  list  ol 
quack  medicines. 

As  a  medicine,  there  is  scarcely  an  indication  that 
mercury  cannot  supply.  There  is  no  more  certain  and 
active  emetic  than  the  mercurius  vitriolatus ;  a  more 
powerful  laxative  than  the  calomel ;  a  more  effectual 
and  steady  diaphoretic  and  stimulant  than  the  mercu- 
rius muriatus ;  a  more  certain  emmenagogue  than  ca- 
lomel ;  a  more  effective  errhine  than  the  turpeth  mi- 
neral ;  a  more  infallible  sialogogue  than  either  of  its 
preparations.  If  we  look  at  the  principle  by  which 
these  different  changes  are  effected,  we  shall  find  it  to 
be  a  steady  and  permanent  stimulus.  When  applied  to 
the  extremities  of  the  excretory  ducts,  it  excites  thi- 
action  of  the  various  glands  ;  when,  on  the  contrary,  it 
is  determined  from  the  mass  of  blood,  to  the  first 
branches  of  the  glandular  system,  it  is  equally  powerful . 
When  no  glandular  system  intervenes,  it  excites  the 
action  of  the  extreme  vessels  over  the  whole  body. 

We  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  remark,  that  all 
the  metals  possess  a  tonic  power.  We  shall  find  that 
in  this  class  of  medicines  there  are  many  which  seem 
to  act  chiefly  by  lessening  irritability  :  there  are  some 
that  produce  tonic  effects  by  their  stimulus  on  the  ar- 
terial system  :  others  that  more  imperceptibly  increase 
the  general  powers  of  the  whole  body.  In  the  second 
class  mercury  must  be  arranged,  and  iron  seems  to  unite 
the  second  and  third :  copper,  arsenic,  and  probably 
silver,  belong  exclusively  to  the  third. 

While,  then,  mercury  acts  as  a  general  stimulus,  it 
seems  to  unite  the  tonic  power  of  the  other  metals ; 
and,  from  these  considerations,  all  its  powers  may  be 
explained.  We  mean  not  to  prejudge  the  question  of 
its  anti-venereal  influence  :  when  we  consider  this  sub- 
ject we  shall  find  some  arguments  in  favour  of  its  spe- 
cific power.  Yet  we  may  now  remark,  that  the  effects 
just  mentioned  will  in  a  great  measure  explain  the 
changes  it  produces  ;  and,  though  a  specific  power  ap- 
pears probable,  it  is  scarcely  necessary.  We  shall  be- 
gin, however,  with  cutaneous  diseases,  as  these  are 
most  nearly  connected  with  the.principle  we  are  endea- 
vouring to  lay  down. 

We  took  an  early  opportunity  of  observing,  that  we 
can  seldom,  in  anv  instance,  demonstrate  any  taint  in 

A  a 


A  H  G 


178 


A  R  U 


'lie  general  mass ;  yet  we  added,  that  what  appears  in 
the  secreted  fluids  must  have  been  virtually,  and  per- 
haps formally,  contained  in  it.  The  powers  of  nature 
separate  these  impure  portions,  and  determine  them  to 
the  most  ready  and  extensive  outlets,  the  urine  and  the 
skin ;  generally  the  latter.  The  constitutions  most 
subject  to  chronic,  cutaneous  diseases,  are  distinguish- 
ed by  a  general  languor  in  the  circulation  :  those  sub- 
ject to  the  acute  kind,  by  an  irregular  determination  to 
the  surface.  The  former  are  our  present  subject;  and 
we  may  add,  that  the  obstructions  appear  on  the  skin, 
in  the  glandular  system,  or  in  the  parts  where,  from 
the  distance  from  the  heart,  its  action  has  less  power  in 
consequence  of  this  languor.  If  the  circulation  is 
properly  supported,  the  matter  is  carried  through  the 
extreme  vessels ;  if  irregularly  hurried,  the  depositions 
are  more  frequent  and  numerous.  This  position  we 
shall  have  frequent  opportunities  of  illustrating,  parti- 
cularly in  considering  the  eruptions  of  variola.  By  the 
-, lonely,  uniform,  increased  action,  excited  by  mercu- 
rials," the  vessels  obstructed  in  lepra  and  some  similar 
diseases,  regain  their  powers  and  throw  off  the  ac- 
cumulated masses  :  the  same  increased  action  prevents 
their  recurring.  Nor  is  this  merely  hypothetical ;  for 
one  of  the  first  effects  of  mercurials  in  these  cases  is  to 
increase  the  eruption ;  in  fact,  to  determine  more  co- 
piously to  the  skin  to  throw  off  the  offending  matter. 
One  difficulty  indeed  remains.  If  these  humours  pos- 
sessed an  assimilating  power,  the  cause  of  their  increase 
would  continue,  perhajis,  in  proportion  to  their  evacua- 
tion. The  general  causes  of  cutaneous  eruptions  are 
not,  however,  of  this  kind ;  and  the  subject  of  syphilitic 
eruptions  we  reserve.  When  mercury  has  removed  the 
more  common  species,  a  return  must  be  guarded  against. 
The  matter  seems  to  accumulate  in  spite  of  the  powers 
of  nature ;  and,  as  the  continuance  of  mercurials  would 
be  inconvenient,  less  active  medicines  prevent  a  disease 
which  they  would  not  cure ;  and  the  saline  or  sulphu- 
reous mineral  waters,  sea  water,  or  even  laxative  doses 
of  salts,  with  a  mild  diet,  will  succeed.  We  need  only 
add,  that,  though  mercurials  are  alone  sufficient,  the 
addition  of  antimonials  to  assist  their  determination  to 
the  skin  is  eminently  useful. 

This  enquiry,  though  it  has  detained  us,  will  facili- 
tate our  future  progress.  Scrofula  unites  the  cuta- 
neous complaints  with  the  common  obstructions  ;  and, 
in  this  case  also,  mercurials  joined  with,  or  followed, 
by  neutral  salts,  are  particularly  useful;  and  in  our 
account  of  the  effects  of  remedies,  see  SCROFULA, 
we  have  hinted  at  the  origin  of  the  disease  :  a  languor 
and  want  of  irritability  in  the  vessels.  In  gutta  serena, 
indolent  tumours  of  the  viscera,  particularly  of  the 
liver,  in  jaundice,  constipation,  and  many  obstructions, 
it  is  obvious  that  mercury  must  be  useful  on  the  same 
principle.  In  chronic  inflammations  of  the  liver,  its 
action  is  particularly  elucidated  by  a  singular  fact,  the 
disease  seldom  yielding  till  the  gums  are  affected  by 
the  mercurial ;  in  other  words,  till  the  irritability  of 
the  vascular  system  is  excited.  Its  use  in  old  quar- 
tans seems  owing  to  its  influence  on  infarctions  of  the 
viscera;  and  in  various  dropsies  independent  of  its 
evacuating  powers,  it  is  probably  salutary  by  the  same 
effects.  In  amenorrhoca  this  action  is  peculiarly 
striking,  since  it  is  useful  only  in  those  languid  inirri- 
table  habits  which  we  have  been  used  to  call  phlegma- 


tic and  cachectic.  In  ipelancholy,  the  viscera  arc  com- 
monly affected,  and  support  a  disease  which  other 
causes  originally  produced  ;  and  mercury  is  sometimes 
a  very  useful  remedy.  In  chronic  rheumatisms  the 
inactive  state  of  the  vessels  is  sufficiently  obvious,  and 
mercurials  are  singularly  useful. 

One  other  class  of  diseases  remains,  viz.jthe  spas- 
modic, as  trismus,  tetanus,  and  hydrophobia.  On  these 
subjects  we  can  scarcely  at  present  speak,  but  must 
refer  to  what  we  have  said  on  the  subject  of  '  irregular 
action,'  as  the  effect  of  debility.  The  whole  will  be 
illustrated  under  the  articles  CONVULSIONS  and  FE- 
VERS, q.  v.  But,  if  this  idea  be  for  a  time  admitted, 
the  utility  of  mercury  will  be  obvious,  and  experience 
has  already  established  the  fact.  If  useful  in  the  croup, 
it  is  on  the  same  principle ;  and  the  proof  is  the  same 
as  that  adduced  in  speaking  of  its  advantages  in  in- 
farcted  liver :  the  complaint  does  not  yield  till  we  find 
proofs  of  the  irritability  of  the  vascular  system  being 
restored. 

As  an  errhine  and  a  sialogogue,  (we  now  allude  to 
the  topical  application  of  calomel,)  it  seems  to  act  as  a 
local  stimulus  only.  As  a  sudorific  and  diuretic,  it 
seldom  acts  without  some  assisting  medicine  more  di- 
rectly pointing  to  the  different  organs,  and  seems  only 
to  support  the  general  action  while  the  peculiar  stimu- 
lus is  supplied  by  the  other  ingredient  of  the  formula. 
In  general,  its  action  in  every  disease  is  assisted  by  the 
medicines  more  peculiarly  appropriated  to  it. 

It  is  improper  in  weak  exhausted  patients,  and  in 
erysipelatous  ulcers,  cancers,  and  some  similar  com- 
plaints. Among  its  bad  effects  may  be  mentioned,  ex- 
cessive debility  and  irritability,  decayed  teeth,  weaken- 
ed stomach  and  intestines  ;  but,  above  all,  what  is  styled 
by  Mr.  Pearson,  erythismus.  It  is  a  state  of  debility, 
with  the  powers  of  circulation  exhausted,  perhaps,  by 
too  long  or  constant  exercise  ;  a  slight  exertion  proves 
fatal,  seemingly  from  a  defect  of  circulation  in  the 
brain. 

Of  the  choice  of  the  preparations  we  have  little  to 
add.  The  most  useful  errhine  and  emetic  is  the  mer- 
curius  vitriolatus  :  the  most  effectual  laxative,  calomel : 
the  most  serviceable  alterative,  muriat  of  mercury.  It 
is  this  preparation  that  gives  efficacy  to  the  popular 
alteratives  styled  vegetable ;  and  the  contrivers  hope  to 
elude  detection  by  the  density  and  the  colour  of  the 
preparation.  The  metal  may,  however,  be  discovered 
by  inspissating  a  large  quantity,  and  adding  ammonia. 
In  this  state  the  mercury  will,  by  rubbing,  whiten  bright 
copper :  in  the  minute  proportion  employed  it  eludes 
every  other  test. 

In  venereal  complaints,  the  mercurius  calcinatus  or 
calomel  are  the  most  effectual  preparations ;  but  per- 
haps the  mercurial  ointment,  rubbed  in  externally,  is 
still  better.  In  internal  visceral  obstructions ;  and  in 
external  indolent  tumours,  (scrofulous  ones  excepted,) 
the  ointment  is  the  best  remedy:  in  chronic  rheuma- 
tisms the  calomel  has  been  preferred  :  in  enlargements 
of  the  prostatse,  and  similar  indurations  internally,  the 
corrosive  sublimate. 

It  hath  been  swallowed  crude,  as  an  universal  re- 
medy. 

Dr.  Dover  and  Dr.  Cheney  commend  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing disorders : 

"  1.  Joined  with  the  gum  guaiacum  and  a  little  aloes, 


A  R  G 


179 


A  R  I 


it  hath  been  successfully  used  in  the  erysipelas,  gout, 
and  defoedations  of  the  skin. 

"2.  In  hysteric  complaints  its  advantages  arc  con- 
siderable, if  joined  with  the  bark,  valerian,  aloetic,  or 
the  gum  pills,  as  circumstances  may  require. 

"  3.  In  conjunction  with  preparations  of  iron,  it  suc- 
ceeds in  suppression  of  the  menses. 

"  4.  In  intermittents  it  avails  when  joined  with  the 
bark  and  iron. 

rt  5.  In  ophthalmies  it  hath  been  effectual  when  ac- 
companied v/ith  millepedes  and  laxatives. 

'^  6.  The  hydrargyrus  cum  creta,  joined  with  gum 
guaiacum  and  the  antimonial  wine,  does  wonders  in 
chronical  rheumatisms. 

"  7.  In  the  jaundice,  sciatica,  and  anasarcous  dropsy, 
the  hydrargyrus  cum  creta.  is  successful  to  admiration." 

Arid  to  these  of  Dr.  Cheney  may  be  added,  that  old 
foul  ulcers  are  sometimes  brought  to  digest  by  its  use. 

"  The  hard  bellies  of  children  are  relieved  by  it,  if  ac- 
companied with  such  other  medicaments  as  the  parti- 
cular case  may  require. 

"  By  boiling  two  or  three  ounces  of  quicksilver  in  four 
pints  of  water  to  two  pints,  and  using  the  clear  liquor 
for  common  drink,  it  destroys  worms. 

"  And  in  the  venereal  disease  it  is  by  many  considered 
as  a  specific. 

"  The  true  secret  of  curing  diseases  with  mercury  is 
to  cause  it  to  circulate  with  the  blood  as  long  as  possi- 
ble, without  producing  any  evacuation  at  all. 

"  A  long  use  of  quicksilver  weakens  the  habit,  and  so 
should  be  accompanied  with  mild  antimonials,  the 
bark,  or  sarsaparilla,  kc.  as  circumstances  seem  most  to 
require." 

Quicksilver  i=  divided  by  earthy  powders,  balsams, 
mucilages,  kc. ;  but  with  nothing  more  advantage- 
ously than  die  mucilage  of  gum  arabic.  Mr.  Plenck,  of 
Vienna,  directs  a  drachm  of  it  to  be  mixed  with  two 
drachms  of  gum  arabic  in  powder,  by  degrees  to  add  a 
little  water,  and  to  continue  the  trituration  of  them 
together  until  the  globules  totally  disappear.  This 
is  called  MERCURIAL  MUCILAGE  ;  to  which  half  an 
ounce  of  any  syrup,  and  half  a  pint  of  water  may  be 
added,  and  two  common  spoonfuls  of  the  mixture  may 
be  taken  every  night  and  morning  in  such  cases  as  re- 
quire its  use. 

Gum  arabic  is  supposed  to  powerfully  restrain  the 
mercury  from  running  off  by  the  salivary  glands;  and 
if  a  salivation  is  already  excited,  it  may  assist,  like  any 
other  mucilaginous  substance,  in  checking  it. 

Crude  quicksilver  in  general  is  of  equal  advantage 
with  any  of  its  preparations ;  yet,  in  particular  con- 
siitutions,  one  or  other  of  them  may  demand  a  pre- 

::cc. 
ARGE'NTUM    MO'BILE,  et    FUSUM.      See    ARGEXTUM 

VIVUM. 

ARGE'NTUM  M'TRATUM.     See  ARGEXTUM. 

ARGILLA,  one  of  the  earths,  the  basis  of  alum; 
and,  in  the  modern  nomenclature,  styled  ALUMINE. 
It  is  soft,  mild,  and  insoluble;  and  is  considered  as 
possessing  no  medicinal  powers ;  but  the  various 
earths,  the  TERR^E  SIGILLAT.S  of  older  authors,  so 
called  because  they  were  impressed  with  a  seal,  seem 
to  be  only  pure  clay,  and  owe  their  demulcent,  and 
apparently  astringent,  powers  to  this  earth  alone.  See 
BOLIS. 


ARGI'LLA    A'LBA,    ARGI'LLA    CAX'DIDA,   (from 

.     See  CIMOLIA  ALBA  TERRA. 
ARGISTATA,  (from  »py*$,  tahlte).     Incorporated 
with  wax. 

A'RGOL.     See  TARTARUM. 

A'RGUS.     The  name  of  a  sort  of  pheasant.     PHA- 

SIAXUS. 

ARGYRI'TIS,  (from  «PVJ^»?,  silver).  See  LYTHAR- 
GYRUM  and  LYTHARGYRUS  ARGEXTEUS. 

ARGYROPCEIA,  (from  apyvf»s,  silver,  and  -a-aiea, 
facio) .  The  art  of  making  silver  out  of  more  imper- 
fect metals. 

ARGY'RUS,  (from  *r/««>  white).  See  ARGEX- 
TUM. 

ARGYROLIBA'NUS,  the  WHITE  OLIBAXUM,  ?.r. 

ARGYROTROPHE'MA,  (from  *f/»«,  white,  and 
ncZr.uM,  food).  A  cooling  food  made  with  milk. 

ARHEUMATI'STOS,  (from  *,  neg.  and  «t/u*T,£- 
futi,  to  be  afflicted  with  rheums).  An  epithet  given  to 
the  external  parts,  particularly  the  joints,  while  free 
from  gouty  depositions. 

A'RI.     See  MOXOPIA. 

A'RIA,  (from  aftv,  to  knit  togetltcr,)  so  called,  be- 
cause its  branches  interweave  with  each  other.  The 
WHITE  BOAM,  or  WILD  SERVICE  TREE.  Called  also, 
chamemesffilus,  cratngus  aria  Lin.  Sp..  PI.  681.  It 
grows  in  woods  upon  rocky  mountains,  and  flowers  in 
April.  The  fruit  mitigates  coughs  and  promotes  ex- 
pectoration. Dale. 

A'RIA-BEPOU.     See  AZEDARACH. 

ARICY'MOX,  (from  *?i,  quickly,  and  z.vu,  to  im- 
pregnate,) also  EXAHICY'MOX,  (from  the  same,  adding 
the  e»).  These  are  terms  applied  to  a  fertile  woman, 
who  soon  conceives,  and  is  quickly  impregnated. 

A'RIDA  MEDIC AME'XT A, (from  area,  to  dry  uji). 
DRY  MEDICINES,  such  as  powders.' 

ARI'DITASCO'RPORIS,  (from  aridus,dry).  See 
MARASMUS. 

ARITJULLAM,  a  substance  used  in  the  East  Indies 
as  a  remedy  in  intermittent  fevers ;  seemingly  contain- 
ing ARSEXIC.  q.  v. 

ARl'DURA,(from  the.  same).  A  WASTING  or  LE\V- 
XESS  with  an  apparent  want  of  moisture,  as  in  hectic  or 
consumptive  habits ;  or  the  withering  of  a  particular 
part,  as  a  limb. 

ARI'LLA,(from  arum,  agrafie).     A  GRAPE  STOXF.. 

ARILLA'TUS,  (from  arillus,  the  outward  coat  of  a 
seed) .  In  botany  it  means  covered  with  an  arillus  or 
outward  coat  of  a  seed. 

ARIMA'SPES.     See  MOXOPIA. 

A'RIS.  The  name  of  an  instrument  used  by  the  an- 
cients, and  also  of  an  herb. 

ARISTALTH  Ji'A,  (from  afi5-r««,  good,  and  *A««/*, 
althtca).  See  ALTH.EA. 

ARISTIO  XIS  MACHIXAMEXTUM.  A  ma- 
chine for  restoring  luxations,  invented  by  Aristion. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A,  (from  *p<*T«s,  o'filimus,  and  ;>.«- 
X,ita.)jiurgamfn!a  fiost  ftartum  in  utero  relicta ) .  BIRTH- 
WORT.  It  is  so  called,  because  esteemed  for  promot- 
ing the  lochia  in  child-bed  women.  Also  called  adra 
riza. 

There  are  several  species  of  this  plant,  natives  of  the 
southern  parts  of  Europe,  whence  we  are  supplied  with 
the  dry  roots.     Most  of  them  bear  the  cold  of  this  cli- 
mate.    The  roots  of  all  the  kinds  are  acrid  and  bitter. 
\  a  2 


ARM 


180 


ARN 


and  their  smell  nauseous:  they  give  out  their  virtues 
both  to  water  and  to  spirit  ;  but  to  the  latter  most  per- 
fectly. They  hurt,  however,  the  appetite  and  produce 
a  languor  in  weakly  constitutions.  The  virtues  are 
nearly  similar,  except  the  a.  serpentaria  ;  though  Dr. 
Alston  of  Edinburgh  thinks  that  the  roots  of  the  creep- 
ing sort  are  the  best.  The  doses  are  from  gr.  v.  to 

3»- 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  TE'NUIS,  vel   CLEMATI'TIS.     CREEP- 

ING     BIRTH-WORT.          Also      Called      BUSHY-ROOTED       Or 

SLENDER  BIRTH  -WORT.  Aristolochid  clematitis  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1364. 

This  root  has  been  considered  as  a  powerful  dcob- 
struent,  particularly  of  the  uterine  system,  and  a  warm 
stimulant.  Dr.  Alston  thinks  it  equal  to  the  Virgi- 
nian snake  root  for  all  the  purposes  in  which  it  is  used. 
Dr.  Cullen  says  it  has  been  esteemed  for  its  emmena- 
gogue  virtues  ;  and  in  some  cases  of  retention  and 
chlorosis,  as  a  warm  and  stimulating  medicine,  he  has 
found  it  useful;  but  never  in  cases  of  suppression.  It 
has  been  long  commended  as  a  cure  for  the  gout, 
making  a  considerable  part  of  the  Portland  powder, 
and  has  often  been  employed  by  itself  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  that  powder,  to  be  taken  every  day  for  a  great 
length  of  time.  It  has  the  same  power  of  preventing 
fits  of  the  gout,  and  commonly  with  the  same  conse- 
quences. Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  LO'NGA,  et  ROTUNDA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1364.  ROUND  and  LONG  ROOTED  BIRTH-WORT;  called 
also  aristolochia  mascula. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  ANGUICI'DA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1362.  The 
taste  of  this  species  is  highly  nauseous,  and  is  employed 
against  the  bites  of  serpents  by  pouring  the  juice  into 
the  wound. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  ODORATISSI'MA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1362. 
The  smell  of  this  species  is  more  pleasing,  but  it 
scarcely  possesses  any  virtues. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  SERPENTA'RIA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1363.  See 
SERPENTARIA. 

ARISTOLOCHI'A  ROTU'NDA   CONCA'VA.     See  MOSCHA- 


,  to   dine}.     Also  firan- 


JELLINA. 

ARI'STON,  (from 
diiun,  DINNER. 

ARI'STON  MA'GNUM  et  PA'RVUM.  Avicenna  says 
they  are  remedies  against  a  phthisis,  when  attended 
with  a  fever. 

A'RLADA,  or  ARLADAR.     See  REALGAR. 

ARM,  the  part  of  the  upper  extremity  between  the 
shoulder  and  the  wrist. 

ARM  PRESENTATION  ;  in  labours  when  this  part  of  the 
child  comes  foremost.  In  this  case  it  is  very  generally 
necessary  to  turn  the  children.  See  LABOURS. 

A'RMALA.     See  RUTA. 

ARMA'LGOL.     See  CORALLIUM- 

ARMAKUM  UNGUENTUM,  an  ointment  em- 
ployed to  anoint  the  weapon  with  which  a  wound  was 
made.  A  mode,  according  to  the  doctrines  of  symfia- 
ihrtic  medicine,  which  would  cure  the  wound.  Dryden, 
in  his  alteration  of  the  Tempest,  has  gravely  introduced 
this  ridiculous  fancy  ;  but  Dryden  believed  also  in  as- 
trology. 

ARMATU'RA.     SeeAMNioN. 

A'RME,  (from  apu,  to  adopt).  A  coalition  of  wounds, 
also  the  joining  of  the  sutures  of  the  head. 

A'RMENA,  (from  armor,  to  be  furnished).    An  in- 


strument with  all  the  apparatus  for  any  work  in  which 
we  are  engaged. 

A'RMENI'ACA  MA'LA,  (brought  from  Armenia,) 
called  also  ftnecocia.  The  APRICOT  TREB.  Theo- 
phrastus  calls  it  flersta  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
peach;  it  was  afterwards  called  Jiersea-firacox.  The 
Latins  called  it  precoqua,  from  which  the  latter  Greeks 
formed  their  bericocca,  and  the  French  the  wood  abri- 
cots.  See  ALIMENT. 

This  fruit  is  rather  dietetic  than  medicinal :  of  the 
kernels  in  the  stones  is  made  ratafia ;  they  resemble 
bitter  almonds,  and  contain  probably  the  Prussic  acid. 

AR'MENUS  LAPIS;  also  called  lapis  Armenins, 
azutum  cxruleumfossilc.  The  ARMENIAN  STONE. 

It  is  a  copper  ore  of  a  pale  blue  colour.  It  operates* 
instantly  as  an  emetic  in  a  dose  of  four  grains,  and  is 
not  essentially  different  from  the  lapis  lazuli. 

ARMI'LLA,  a  BRACELET.  The  round  ligament  that 
confines  the  tendons  of  the  carpus. 

ARMONI'ACUM.     See  AMMONIACUM. 

ARMORA'CIA,  (Armorica,  the  place  from  whence 
it  was  brought).  WATER  RADISH.  See  SISYMBRIUM. 
Also  WILD  RADISH  and  HORSE  RADISH.  See  RAPHA- 

NUS   RUSTICAN. 

A'RNABO.     See  ZEDOARIA. 

ARNA'LDIA,  (from  «/>?,  a  lamb,  and  «A^>«,  for 
«Ay»;,  pain).  It  is  so  called  "because  lambs  are  sub- 
ject to  it.  A  malignant  slow  disease  of  the  chronical 
kind,  attended  with  an  alopecia ;  it  was  formerly  very 
common  in  England. 

A'RNICA  MONTA'NA,  (from  */>?,  a  lamb,)  so 
called  from  the  likeness  of  its  leaves  to  the  coat  of 
a  lamb.  GERMAN  LEOPARD'S  BANE  ;  called  also  do- 
ronicum,  alisma,  doronicum  filantaginis  folio,  caltha  al- 
jiina,  acyrus;  panacea  lafisorum.  It  is  the  arnica  mon- 
tana  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1245.  Nat.  ord.  Composite  discoidea 
Corymbyfera  of  Jussieu.  Roots  and  flowers.  This 
plant  grows  particularly  in  Germany,  and  flowers 
throughout  the  summer.  The  leaves  and  flowers  have  a ; 
sharp,  aromatic,  bitterish,  taste ;  and,  when  bruised, 
their  odour  provokes  sneezing.  Water  and  rectified 
spirit  extract  their  virtues  by  infusion,  and  retain  them, 
in  distillation.  The  roots  are  more  aromatic,  though 
their  active  matter  is  somewhat  less  volatile.  Ber- 
gius  considers  this  plant  as  emetic,  errhine,  diu- 
retic, diaphoretic,  and  emmenagogue.  From  its  sup- 
posed power  of  attenuating  the  blood,  it  has  been 
esteemed  peculiarly  efficacious  in  obviating  the  bad 
consequences  occasioned  by  falls  and  bruises,  and 
hence  acquired  the  title  of  PANACEA  LAPSORUM.  Dr. 
Colirr  has  written  a  work  on  this  subject,  De  Arnica, 
in  Febribus,  et  allis  Morbis  Putridis;  in  which  he 
highly  extols  its  febrifuge  and  antiseptic  virtue.  Dr. 
Bruckner  recommends  a  decoction  of  the  arnica  in  fe- 
vers attended  with  haemorrhages,  efflorescences,  &c. 
Lewis  and  Neuman  speak  highly  of  its  power.  In  fe- 
vers "of  the  putrid  and  intermittent  kind,  both  the 
flowers  made  into  an  electuary  and  their  watery  ex- 
tract have  been  successful.  In  putridity  and  debility, 
malignant  dysenteries,  rheumatism,  gangrene,  palsy, 
and  gutta  serena,  it  is  said  to  have  manifested  consider- 
able efficacy.  Nine  drachms  of  the  flowers  powdered  and 
mixed  with  a  proper  quantity  of  honey  into  an  elec- 
tuary, is  the  dose  to  be  taken  in  two  days.  Or  one 
ounce  of  the  flowers  infused  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of 


ARO 


181 


AR  R 


boiling  water  for  half  an  hour,  and  afterwards,  in  a 
vessel  closely  stopped,  boiled  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 
Of  this  decoction  two  ounces  were  taken  every  two 
hours.  Or,  two  ounces  of  the  root  in  powder  were  di- 
gested with  thirty  ounces  of  water  in  a  phial  closely 
stopped,  and  placed  deep  in  a  sand  bath,  for  twelve 
hours,  and  this  sweetened  with  syrup  of  marshmallows, 
of  which  two  or  three  ounces  were  taken  every  two  or 
three  hours.  The  root,  given  from  five  to  ten  grains, 
is  said  to  be  useful  in  diarrhoeas  and  dysenteries,  in 
gangrenes,  quartans,  and  typhi.  Externally  it  is  applied 
to  foul  ulcers  and  gangrenes.  It  is  much  extolled  in 
Germany,  though  not  much  used  in  England;  however, 
it  certainly  merits  attention.  The  flowers  of  the  inula 
dysenterica,  anthemis  tinctoria,  hypocaeris  radicata,  and 
other  flosculous  flowers,  greatly  resemble,  and  may  be 
mistaken  for  those  of  the  arnica. 

ARXOGLO'SSUM,  (from  <*/K,  a  lamb,  and  yA*>s-c-*, 
a  tongue,}  from  the  likeness  of  its  leaf  to  a  lamb's 
tongue.  See  PLAXTAGO  LATIFOLIA. 

ARXO'TTO,  (Spanish).     See  ORLEAXA. 

A'RNOTTS,  the  roots  of  a  plant,  frequently  turned 
up  in  plowing.  They  are  farinaceous,  and  resemble  a 
chesnut  when  roasted.  They  seem  to  be  the  roots  of  a 
species  of  bunium. 

A'ROHOT.     See  ARGEXTUM  VIVUM. 

ARO'MA,  (from  ap,  intensely,  and  «£»,  to  »mell). 
Any  thing  fragrant  or  odorous;  sometimes  it  is  taken 
for  myrrh.  The  aroma  of  plants  is  probably  an  essen- 
tial oil,  highly  volatile,  and  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
preserved  by  distillation.  The  exquisite  perfume  styled 
the  attar  (oil)  of  roses,  we  are  taught  how  to  prepare 
in  one  of  the  early  volumes  of  the  Asiatic  Researches : 
other  delicate  perfumes,  united  with  inodorous  oils,  are 
in  that  state  preserved  by  combining  them  with  alcohol 
by  a  very  gentle  heat.  The  ancient  chemists,  however, 
designated  by  this  title  the  peculiar  discriminated  odour 
which  belongs  to  each  individual,  and  perhaps  to  every 
body  in  the  universe;  and  they  applied  this  to  medicine 
by  endeavouring  to  extract  the  odour,  which  they  styled 
the  quintessence :  we  need  not  say  with  little  real  ad- 
vantage. 

ARO'MA  GERMAXICUM..    See  EXULA. 

ARO'MA  PHILOSOPHO'HUM.  See  CROCUS.  This  term 
also  implies  a  preparation  of  Paracelsus,  styled  AROPH, 
consisting  of  flowers  from  lapis  haematites  and  sal  am- 
moniac sublimed  together.  It  forms  a  medicine  recom- 
mended in  quartans,  and  in  the  plica  Polonica. 

AROMA'TICA,(from  *p«fu«,  an  odour"),  dramatics, 
or  sfiicy  drugs,  are  of  a  warm  pungent  taste,  with  more 
or  less  of  a  fragrant  smell;  some  are  purely  aromatic, 
as  cinnamon,  nutmegs,  &c.;  others  have  a  sweetness 
mixed  with  them,  as  in  the  angelica  root,  aniseseed,  &c. : 
some  have  an  astringency,  as  cinnamon;  others  a  mu- 
cilage, as  the  cassia  lignea,  Sec. ;  some  a  bitterness,  as 
orange|peel ;  and  others  are  also  bitter  and  astringent,  as 
the  bark. 

The  several  medicinal  virtues  of  these  mixed  aroma- 
tics  are  extracted  by  the  same  means  as  from  those 
which  are  less  compounded ;  thus  the  aromatic  part  of 
lemon  peel  rises  in  distillation  with  water,  whilst  the 
bitter  remains  behind  in  the  extract.  The  aromatic 
matters  contained  in  different  subjects  differ  much  in 


their  pharmaceutic  properties.  The  virtues  of  all  aro- 
matics  are  extracted  by  sp.  vini  rect. ;  water  extracts  a 
portion  from  some,  but  from  many  none. 

In  distillation  they  rise  with  water  more  perfectly 
than  with  spirit,  though  in  some  few  instances  the  aro- 
matic matter  wholly  rises  in  distillation,  both  with  spirit 
and  with  water,  as  that  of  lemon  peel,  whilst  pepper 
still  retains  part  of  its  aromatic  matter,  though  distilled 
with  water.  In  the  essential  oil  and  resinous  part  of 
aromatics  all  their  peculiar  qualities  residue.  The  more 
essential  oil  any  vegetable  affords,  the  weaker  the  oil  is, 
and  vice  versa. 

dramatics  warm  the  stomach,  and  by  degrees  the 
whole  body,  hence  are  useful  where  the  vital  heat  is 
below  the  standard  of  health  ;  they  promote  the  natural 
secretions,  they  resist  putrefaction,  and  are  almost  es- 
sential to  the  health  in  hot  climates,  where  they  are  so 
plentifully  produced. 

AROMA'TICA  AQUA.     See  PIPER  JAMAICE'XSE. 

AROMA 'TICA  xux.     See  Xux,  MOSCHATA. 

AROMA 'TICA  PUL'VIS.     See  AROMATIC^  SPECIES. 

AROMA'TICA  TI'XCTURA  COMPO'SITA.     See  CI.VXAMO- 


MUM. 

AROMA'TICA. 


COXFE'CTIO   AROMA'TICA.     See  Cox- 


FECTIO. 

AROMA'TICA  PI'LUL.E.  AROMATIC  PILLS. 
These  consisted  of  aromatics  with  guaiacum  and 
aloes.  In  small  doses,  of  fifteen  or  twenty  grains,  they 
warm  the  stomach,  by  degrees  the  whole  habit,  and  are 
also  gently  aperient.  They  were  formerly  called  diam- 
brtt  fiilule. 

The  College  of  Physicians  of  London  have  substi- 
tuted a  composition,  called  PULVIS  ALOETICUS  cum 
GUAIACO— aloetic  fiowder  -with  guaiacum.  In  this,  three 
parts  of  aloes  are  added  to  two  of  guaiacum  and  one  of 
aromatics. 

AROMA'TICA  SPECIES,  now  PULVIS  AROMATICUS.  The 
AROMATIC  POWDER  consists  of  cinnamon  two  ounces,  the 
lesser  cardamoms  freed  from  their  husks,  ginger,  and 
long  pepper,  of  each  one  ounce.  It  is  an  improvement 
of  the  diambre  sine  odoratis  sftecies. 

AROMA'TICUM  LI'GXUM.    See  CAXELLA  ALBA. 

AROMATICUM  ROSA'TUM.  ROSE  SPICE.  An  aromatic 
powder,  formerly  kept  in  the  shops,  in  which  roses  were 
a  part  of  the  composition. 

AROMA'TICUS,  CO'RTEX.     See  CAXELLA  ALBA. 

AROMATOPO'LA,  (from  <*/>«it*,  and  rvtea,  vendo,} 
a  druggist,  a  vender  of  drugs  and'spiceries. 

A'RON.     See  ARUM. 

A'ROPH.  See  CROCUS.  Also  a  name  which  Pa- 
racelsus gave  to  the  flowers  raised  by  sublimation  from 
lapis  haemal,  and  often.used  by  him  as  a  lithontrifuic. 

ARQUA'TUS  MO'RBUS.  The  same  as  ASCERA- 
TUS  MORBUS.  See  ICTERUS. 

ARQUEBUSA'DE,  (from  arquebuse,  a  hand  gun,} 
so  called  because  it  is  used  as  a  vulnerary  in  gun  shot 
wounds.  It  is  the  name  of  a  water  which  is  also  called 
aqua  vulneraria,  aqua  sclofietaria,  and  aqua  catafiulta- 
rum.  See  AQUA. 

A'RRAC.     (Indian.)     See  ORTSA,  and  PALMA  coc- 

CIFERA. 

A'RRACHE.     See  ATRIPLEX. 
A'RRAPHON,    (from   «,  priv.    and  [*?», 


ARS 


182 


ARS 


WITHOUT  SUTURE.     The  word  is  applied  to  the  crani- 
um when  apparently  without  sutures. 

ARRHCE'A,  (from  «,  priv.  and  ftw,  (onflow).  The 
stoppage  of  a  flux  :  and  by  Hippocrates  appropriated  to 
the  suppression  of  the  menses. 

ARRHO'STIA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  fanva,  to 
strengthen}.  INFIRMITY,  ILL  HEALTH. 

ARSAL'TOS.     See  BITUMEN. 

ARSA'TUM.     See  FUROR  UTERINUS. 

ARSE'NIAS  ARSE'NIATE.  ARSENICAL  SALT, 
formed  by  the  union  of  the  arsenical  acid  with  certain 
bases. 

ARSE'NICUM  A'LBUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term, 
ARSANEK;  or  from  ugrr.r  for  0,^1,  masculus  fortis,  be- 
cause of  its  strong  and  deadly  powers,)  called  crystal- 
liniim,  risagallum,  aquala,  arfar,  aquila,  zarnick,  ar- 
taneck,  WHITE  ARSENIC,  and  RAT'S  BANE. 

Arsenic  is  a  semi-metal  contained  in  almost  every 
ore,  particularly  those  of  tin,  bismuth",  the  white  py- 
rites, and  cobalt,  see  COBALTUM;  from  the  last  the 
greatest  quantity  is  obtained :  th.e  ore  of  the  cobalt  be- 
ing broken  in  pieces  is  placed  over  a  fire,  and  the  ar- 
senic sublimed  from  it;  which,  resting  on  the  sides  of 
long  chimneys  designed  for  its  reception,  is  swept  off 
into  proper  vessels  to  be  re-sublimed,  or  at  least  melt- 
ed, by  which  it  is  formed  into  the  shining  masses  which 
are  met  with  in  the  shops :  those  of  the  greatest  solidity 
and  brilliancy  should  be  preferred. 

To  England  it  is  chiefly  brought  from  the  mines  in 
Transylvania,  Saxony,  Hesse,  and  Bohemia.  Some 
small  quantities  are  sublimed  in  Cornwall  from  the  co- 
balt that  is  found  there.  Large  portions  of  sulphur 
render  it  inert.  It  is  soluble  in  eighty  parts  of  water  at 
60°,  and  in  15  at  212.  When  treated  with  nitrous  acid 
it  becomes  the  arsenical  acid,  which  is  reduced  imme- 
diately if  heated  in  a  glass  tube  with  any  fatty  or  carbo- 
naceous matter. 

The  pure  white  arsenic  hath  a  penetrating  corrosive 
taste,  sublimes  at  283°  of  Fahrenheit,  and  taken  into 
the  body  is  a  violent  poison;  it  produces  speedy  dry- 
ness  in  the  throat^and  inflammation,  dejection,  fainting, 
stupor,  delirium,  tremors,  convulsions,  palsy,  thirst, 
burning  in  the  stomach,  gripes,  vomiting,  cold  sweats, 
hiccoughing,  and  at  last  death.  Besides  the  effects 
which  it  hath  in  common  with  other  poisons,  it  quick- 
ly destroys  the  coats  of  the  stomach,  and  perforates 
the  intestines,  occasioning  a  swelling  and  sphacelation 
of  the  whole  body,  and  a  sudden  putrefaction  after 
death. 

When  the  quantity  taken  is  not  fatal,  it  occasions 
tremors,  palsies,  or  lingering  hectics.' 

Though  there  is  but  little  hope  after  this 'poison  is 
swallowed  in  any  considerable  quantity,  yet,  if  assist- 
ance is  to  be  had,  a  scruple  of  the  white  vitriol  will  ex- 
cite a  vomiting  very  quickly,  and  the  metal  may  be  eva- 
cuated, though  imperfectly,  from  HS  weight;  and  so 
deleterious  is  its  nature,  that  a  very  small  remaining 
portion  will  sdort  be  fatal.  It  is  proper,  therefore,  to 
inviscate  what  remains;  and,  for  this  purpose,  warm 
water,  with  a  large  proportion  of  sweet  oil,  or  milk  with 
sweet  oil,  should  be  given  to  support  the  vomiting: 
after  sufficient  vomiting,  mucilages  and  demulcents, 
particularly  gum  arabic,  in  large  quantities,  new  milk 


and  oil,  with  fat  broth,  should  be  continued  some  time, 
and  the  bowels  must  be  kept  lax. 

We  have  not  much  reason  to  triumph  in  our  success 
from  these  remedies.  The  arsenic  is  seldom  wholly 
discharged;  and  if  the  patient's  life  is  preserved,  he 
drags  on  a  miserable  existence,  weak,  emaciated,  and 
irritable.  For  these  reasons  counterpoisons  have  been 
industriously  sought;  and  when" it  was  found  that  sul- 
phur blunted  the  activity  of  metals,  particularly  of 
arsenic,  hepatic  alkalis  have  been  freely  exhibited, 
both  to  neutralize  the  acid  and  to  check  the  activity  of 
the  metal.  The  records  of  medicine  do  not,  however, 
allow  us  to  boast  of  the  success  of  this  refinement,  and 
we  shall  soon  investigate  the  reason. 

The  acids  of  lemons  and  apples  have  been  highly  re- 
commended by  a  modern  author  of  credit,  Sage,. but 
his  plans  have  been  followed  with  little  success.  Al- 
kalis, though  a  more  probable  remedy,  have  been  equally 
unsuccessful ;  but  perhaps  the  advice  of  Hahneman  may 
be  more  useful :  he  gives  two  quarts  of  warm  water,  in 
which  a  pound  of  common  soap  is  previously  dissolved, 
within  the  space  of  two  hours. 

We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  arsenic  taken  into 
the  stomach  ever  passes  into  the  mass  of  blood ;  all  the 
effects  are  those  exclusively  on  the  primas  viae.  Yet 
equally  fatal  effects  have  been  found  when  this  semi- 
metal  has  been  breathed  in  smelting-houses,  when 
sprinkled  on  wounds,  when  even  worn  as  an  amulet; 
and  for  its  baleful  influence  in  the  form  of  vapour,  we 
have  the  testimony  of  our  own  countrymen.  Fother- 
gill  Medical  Observations,  vol.  v.  and  Sherwin  Me- 
moirs of  the  Medical  Society,  vol.  ii. 

Fortunately  we  can  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  com- 
plaints induced  by  arsenic ;  for  when  the  contents  of  the 
stomach,  if  given  as  a  poison,  are  thrown  on  live  coals, 
a  garlic  smell  is  immediately  obvious.  On  polished 
copper,  if  heated  between  its  plates,  a  white  spot  is  im- 
pressed; or  in  close  vessels,  the  arsenic  itself  will  be 
found  sublimed  in  the  upper  parts. 

In  the  stomach,  however,  there  are  many  substances 
which  may  resemble  or  disguise  the  smell  of  garlic, 
especially  if  the  arsenic  be  in  small  quantities.  We  are 
therefore  advised  by  Hahneman  to  boil  the  contents  of 
the  stomach  of  the  person  supposed  to  be  destroyed  by 
this  poison  in  a  large  quantity  of  river  water ;  to  add  to 
one-third  of  the  filtered  liquor,  hot  and  limpid  lime  wa- 
ter; to  another  third,  water  saturated  with  hepatic  gas; 
and  to  the  remainder,  a  solution  of  copper  in  pure  aqua 
ammoniac.  Each  fluid  is  rendered  turbid  if  the  suspect- 
ed contents  contain  arsenic,  and  the  sediment  thrown 
on  live  coals  emits  the  odour  of  garlic.  The  sediment 
from  the  lime  water  is  again  dissolved  by  a-  recent 
solution  of  arsenic;  the  orange  coloured  sediment  from 
the  hepatic  gas  thrown  on  the  coals  takes  fire,  and 
the  smell  of  sulphur  is  observed  previous  to  that  of 
the  garlic;  while  the  yellow  green  sediment  of  the 
copper  is  soluble  in  pure  ammonia,  and  acids  of  every 
kind. 

In  reading  ancient  authors  on  the  yellow  and  red 
arsenics  it  should  be  observed,  that  their  arsenics  are  not 
the  same  as  ours.  Among  the  Greeks  two  kinds  were 
in  use,  viz.  the  yellow,  which  we  now  call  ORPIMENT, 
and  AURIPIGMENT;  and  the  red,  which  they  call  SAN- 


A  1} 


183 


A  K  S 


BARACA.  The  Arabians  had  also  two  kinds,  viz.  the 
ytUoiz,  which  they  call  SCAXDARACA  ;  and  the  red,  which 
they  call  REALGAR.  It  was  the  fossil  sulphurated  ar- 
senics that  the  ancients  used  medicinally,  and  only  those 
which  were  yellow  and  flaky,  like  talc,  and  which  alone 
they  call  ARSEXICOX.  The  white  arsenic  is  a  discover)- 
of  later  times.  The  auripigment  we  meet  with  is  of 
the  yellow  sort,  its  taste  is  not  very  acrimonious.  The 
best  mineral  orpiment  is  brought  from  Turkey :  it  is 
very  little,  if  at  all,  poisonous. 

Our  yellow  and  red  arsenics  are  artificial,  being  no 
other  than  the  white,  mixed  with  different  proportions 
of  sulphur.  The  white  is  the  strongest,  the  yellow 
weaker,  and  the  red  weakest.  See  AURIPIGMEXTI  M 
and  REALGAR. 

By  the  use  of  arsenic  in  these  forms,  the  ancient  phy- 
sicians were  not  aware  of  its  destructively  stimulant 
powers.  Yet  so  early  as  the  13th  century,  Theodore, 
a  Venetian  surgeon,  applied  it  to  scrofulous  tumours; 
and,  in  the  next  century,  Guido  used  it  as  a  caustic  to 
produce  an  eschar  in  scrofula;  and,  moistened  with 
vinegar,  it  was  applied  afterwards  not  only  to  scro- 
fulous tumours,  but  to  the  spinae  pedum  (corns).  It 
was  afterwards  used  as  an  application  to  cancers;  and, 
with  additions  of  the  most  singular  and  ridiculous  na- 
tuie,  of  qualities  the  most  opposite,  it  has  formed  the 
basis  of  many  remedies  for  cancer  and  scrofula.  Arum 
nitre,  salt  of  soot,  quick  lime,  opium,  aqua  fortis,  vine- 
gar, ceruse,  blue  vitriol,  the  ashes  of  burnt  (old)  shoes, 
pulp  of  carrots,  hemlock,  and  bark,  are  a  few  only  of 
the  remedies  united  with  arsenic,  either  to  correct  its 
acrimony  or  add  to  its  virtues.  Had  we  room  to  fol- 
low this  part  of  the  subject  minutely,  we  could  trace 
the  source  of  some  popular  remedies  in  authors  now 
seldom  read  or  known. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  when  the 
rage  for  finding  medicines  of  peculiar  activity  among 
'.he  poisons  was  prevalent,  arsenic  began  to  be  employ- 
ed. \\  e  have  not  been  able  to  trace  its  use  in  any 
work  earlier  than  that  of  Friccius,  published  at  Vienna 
in  1710;  yet  we  suspect  it  was  used  earlier,  since  we  are 
dissuaded  from  its  use  by  Sparling,  whose  dissertation 
on  arsenic  was  published  at  Wirtemberg,  in  1685. 
Since,  however,  the  time  of  Friccius,  though  Stahl, 
Wedel.  Boerhaave,  and  Storch,  have  violently  opposed 
its  use  ;  though  various  authors  have  found  it  dangerous, 
inefficacious,  or  hurtful,  the  practice  has  continued. 

It  seems  to  have  been  first  externally  recommended 
in  cancers,  generally  accompanied  with  opium ;  and  it 
i  ertainly  produces  at  times  a  salutary  change  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  sore.  We  have  had  reason  to  regret 
that  this  change  is  not  permanent.  Various  forms 
have  been  employed  for  the  external  use  of  arsenic. 
H:-.hneman  proposes  to  give  it  dissolved  only  in  water, 
and  this  probably  is  the  best  method1;  but  the  dose 
should  not  exceed  one-sixteenth  of  a  grain,  or  rather  at 
urst  it  may  be  one-eighteenth  or  one-twentieth,  for  dif- 
lerent  constitutions  are  variously  affected  with  this 
metal. 

Mr.  Justamond'i  a/ifllications  to  cancer,  originally 
derived  from  the  information  of  a  receipt  preserved  in 
the  Earl  of  Arundel's  family,  were  little  varied  :  they 
are  generally  combinations  of  arsenic  and  sulphur.  The 
Earl  of  Arundel's  receipt  directs  an  ounce  of  yellow 
arsenic,  with  half  that  quantity  of  Armenian  bole,  and 


sometimes  as  much  red  precipitate.  He  employed  also 
a  sulphuret  of  arsenic,  and  a  combination  of  this  sul- 
phuret  with  crude  antimony.  The  arsenical  preparation 
which  he  preferred  was  scraped  and  laid  on  the  middle 
of  the  sore,  while  the  edges  of  the  wound  were  moisten- 
ed with  a  combination  of  muriated  iron  and  sal  am- 
moniac. The  effects  were  to  correct  the  stench,  to 
meliorate  the  appearance  of  the  sore,  and  to  promote 
the  separation  of  the  entire  gland. 

Miss  Plunkenet's  receipt  is  said  ta  consist  of  the  leaves 
of  the  ranunculus  acris,  the  greater  crow  foot,  and  the 
flammula  vulgaris,  the  lesser  crow  foot,  a  species  also 
of  ranunculus:  an  ounce  of  each  is  to  be  bruised,  and 
added  to  a  drachm  of  arsenic  and  five  scruples  of  sulphur. 
The  .whole  is  to  be  beaten  into  a  paste,  formed  into 
balls  and  dried  in  the  sun.  When  used,  they  are  beaten 
up  with  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  and  applied  on  a  piece  of 
pig's  bladder.  The  use  of  the  ranunculus  is  to  destroy 
the  cuticle  on  which  the  arsenic  does  not  act. 

The  arsenicum  citrinum  is  one  of  the  most  active  pre- 
parations of  arsenic,  and  has  often  produced  fatal 
effects.  Ten  parts  of  arsenic  are  sublimed  with  one  of 
sulphur;  and  this  preparation  was  used  by  Friccius,  as 
well  as  white  arsenic,  in  intermittents.  To  this  article 
we  may  also  refer  the  preparation  recommended  by  Dr. 
Adair  in  the  Medical  Commentaries  for  the  yaws,  and 
other  obstinate  cutaneous  eruptions,  viz.  one-eighth  of 
a  grain  of  arsenic  triturated  with  sulphur. 

M.  Febure'e  remedy  consisted  of  ten  grains  of  arsenic 
dissolved  in  a  pint  of  water,  with  an  ounce  of  the  ex- 
tract of  cicuta,  three  ounces  of  Goulard's  extract,  and  a 
drachm  of  liquid  laudanum.  With  this  fluid  the  cancer 
is  to  be  washed  every  morning.  He  joined  arsenic  in- 
ternally, and  directs  two  grains  to  be  dissolved  in  a  pint 
of  water,  to  which  must  be  added  syrup  of  chicory,  with 
rhubarb,  half  an  ounce.  A  table  spoonful  is  to  be  given 
morning  and  night  with  half  a  drachm  of  syrup  of  pop- 
pies. It  may  be  remarked,  that  the  dose  of  the  arsenic 
in  this  preparation  is  one -twelfth  of  a  grain. 

The  aqua  arsenici  is  adeliquescing  solution  of  the  ar- 
senicumjijcum,  formed  by  deflagrating  the  metal  with 
nitre.  This  last  preparation  was  recommended  by 
Mtiller;  and,  disguised  with  the  wood  of  red  sanders 
and  the  terra  sigillata,  was  used  by  quacks  in  Germany* 
and  found  highly  deleterious.  The  solution  is  recom- 
mended by  Hartmann,  in  a  cancer  of  the  nose. 

The  liguor  arsenici  albi  is  formed  by  deflagrating  two 
parts  of  nitre,  as  much  arsenic,  and  sometimes  one  part 
of  sulphur.  This  also  has  been  recommended  in  can- 
cers ;  while  a  solution  of  arsenic  in  the  muriatic  acid, 
the  butyrum  arsenici,  is  only  employed  as  a  caustic. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  follow  the  use  of  orpiment,  the 
arsenic  of  the  Greeks,  the  Romans,  and  Arabians, 
through  the  numerous  authors  who  have  spoken  of  it. 
and  who  have  used  it  in  a  variety  of  diseases,  assisted  or 
directed  by  the  medicines  peculiarly  adapted  to  them. 
In  fact,  the  additional  remedies  were  successful,  for 
little  was  obtained  from  the  metal,  especially  if  loaded 
with  sulphur. 

Arsenic  is,  however,  a  valuable  internal  remedy  in  its 
appropriate  dose,  viz.  about  one-eighteenth  part  of  a 
grain.  We  have  often  mentioned  the  tonic  power  of 
;:ict  .Is,  and  amongst  these  have  instanced  arsenic.  W  e 
fine;  a  strong  proof  of  this  power  when  given  to  horses. 
From  ten  grains  to  half  a  dram  given  daily  will  bring 


ARS 


184 


ART 


a  horse  into  excellent  condition,  render  him  healthy  and 
active,  improve  his  appetite  and  the  gloss  of  his  coat. 
It  was  not,  however,  by  such  observations  that  quacks 
and  mountebanks  were  first  led  to  employ  it.  The  prac- 
tice was  earlier  than  the  commencement  of  the  last 
century,  for  it  is  mentioned  by  some  of  the  earliest  au- 
thors of  that  era.  It  was  not,  however,  exhibited  alone, 
but  with  a  variety  of  other  medicines  which  were  sup- 
posed to  correct  its  virulence.  Among  these  the  moun- 
tain crystal,  crystalline  quartz,  was  thought  most  ef- 
fectual in  destroying  its  virulence ;  but  pepper,  crabs' 
claws,  and  vinegar,  were  also  added.  Fourcroy  mentions 
its  being  repeatedly  boiled  with  crystals  of  tartar,  and 
afterwards  crystallized;  Dr.  Willan  and  Dr.  Fowler 
boil  it  with  salt  of  tartar,  Monro  with  pearl  ashes,  and 
Gmelin  with  antimonial  nitre.  The  salt  of  tartar,  sup- 
posed to  form  the  arsenicated  potash,  we  suspect  does 
not  unite  with  the  arsenical  acid ;  for  Gaels,  in  the 
Brussels  Memoirs,  vol.  iv.  found  it  equally  fatal  to 
rabbits,  cats,  and  dogs ;  nor  do  we  find  that  the  stomach 
will  bear  a  larger  dose  of  this  supposed  metallic  neutral, 
than  of  the  arsenic  uncombined.  Macquer  combines 
the  metallic  acid  more  effectually  with  potash,  by  melt- 
ing and  subliming  them  together. 

The  use  of  arsenic  as  an  internal  remedy  for  inter- 
mittents was  first  known,  in  consequence  of  the  cre- 
dit Edward's  ague  tincture  obtained  for  their  cure. 
This  was  said  to  be  a  saturated  solution  of  the  arsenic 
in  water ;  but  it  cannot  be  true,  as  the  dose  then  would 
be  little  less  than  an  eighth  of  a  grain  ;  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  less  than  what  is  usually  given.  We  used  Edward's 
ague  tincture,  in  1780,  in  some  obstinate  intermittents 
brought  from  Coxheath  camp,  with  complete»success  ; 
and  imitated  it  very  soon  afterwards  by  a  solution  of 
arsenic  in  common  water.  We  can  truly  add,  that  from 
very  long  and  frequent  experience  we  never  found  the 
slightest  reason  to  suspect  it  of  any  bad  effects.  We 
are  certain  that  neither  dropsy  nor  hectic  was  its  con- 
sequence. 

Dr.  Fowler  recommends  it  in  intermittent  pains  in  the 
head:  for  these  the  bark  is  often  an  insufficient  reme- 
dy. We  were  led  to  employ  it  from  finding  it  the 
basis  of  an  old  woman's  remedy,  but  have  not  had  suffi- 
cient experience  of  its  efficacy  to  speak  of  it  decisively. 
There  are  several  instances  in  the  Medical  Commenta- 
ries of  its  utility  in  epilepsy. 

The  plasters  which  have  arsenic  for  their  principal 
ingredient  are  numerous:  Angelus  Sala  has  given  a 
recipe  for  an  emplastrum  magneticum  in  fieste;  Crollius, 
an  emjilastrum  ex  magnete  arsenicali;  and  the  Wirtem- 
burg  college,  in  their  Pharmacopoeia  in  1763,  an  emplas- 
trum  magneticum  arsenicale.  These  were  chiefly  em- 
ployed to  bring  pestilential  buboes  to  suppuration ;  in 
obstinate  putrid  ulcers ;  as  a  remedy  for  cancers ;  in- 
carcerated hernite,  and  prolapsed  uterus;  or  to  cure 
obstinate  quartans  when  laid  on  the  region  of  the  spleen. 
In  these  instances  they  are  said  to  have  been  successful, 
butFeldman  has  recorded  some  fatal  consequences  from 
their  application. 

ARSE'NICUM    FLA'VUM.      ARSE'NICON.      CITIRINUM, 
.  vel  CROCEUM.     See  AURIPIGMENTUM. 

ARSE'NICUM    RU'BRUM    FACTI'TIUM.      See    REAL- 
GAR.    > 

White  arsenic,  sublimed  with  one-tenth  its  weight  of 
sulphur,  is  yellow;  and  with  one-fifth  it  is  red. 


Both  the  yellow  and  the  red  fossil  arsenics,  when  of  a 
smooth  texture,  are  called  ZARNICHS;  but  when  com- 
posed of  small  scales  or  leaves,  they  are  called  auripig- 
menta. 

A'RTABA,  An  Egyptian  measure  containing  about 
five  of  our  pecks. 

A'RTANECH,  or  A'RTANECK.    See  AUSENICUM 

ALBUM. 

ARTEMISI'A;  (from  Aplifiis,  Diana,  because  it  was 
used  in  the  secret  disorders  of  women,  over  which  she 
presided;)  called  also,  mater  herbarum,  absinthium  al- 
Jiinum,  berens  secum,  fiarthenicum,  cingulum  sancti  Jo- 
hannis,  herba  regia  toxitesia,  bubastccordium  ;  the 
HEART  of  BUBASTUS,  and  COMMON  MuowoRT,  named  by 
the  Gauls  bricumum.  The  species  used  by  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Edinburgh  college  is  the  artemisia  vulgaris, 
Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  1188.  Nat.  order  comjiositae  discoidex. 

The  artemisia  has  an  aromatic  smell,  and  a  bitterish 
taste.  It  hath  been  highly  spoken  of  by  Hippocrates 
and  Dioscorides  as  promoting  the  uterine  evacuations  ; 
and  on  this  account  called  charistolochia.  Galen  used  it 
in  form  of  fomentation,  and  it  has  been  supposed  to 
moderate  hysteric  spasms,  used  in  infusion  for  com- 
mon drink  and  in  baths.  The  flowers  and  tops  are  the 
strongest;  but  at  present  this  medicine  is  rejected  by 
the  London  college. 

It  is  a  name  of  the  BOTRYS,  and  ABROTANUM;  which 
see. 

ARTEMISI'A  PO'XTICA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1187.  AR- 
TEMISI'A MARITI'MA,  Lin.  Sp.  1186.  See  ABSYN-- 
THIUM. 

ARTEMISI'A  ABROTANUM,  Lin.  Sp.  1 185.  ARTEMISI'A 
CAMPESTRI'S,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1185.  ARTEMISI'A  DRACUN- 
CU'LUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 189.  ARTEMISI'A  GLACIALI'S,  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1 187.  .  These  species  possess  the  virtues  of  the 
ABHOTAMUM,  ,q.  v. 

ARTEMISI'A  CHINE'NSIS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1190.  See 
MOXA. 

ARTEMI'SIA  SANTO'NICA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1185.  See 
SANTONICUM. 

ARTEMI'SIA  RUPESTRIS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1186.  This 
species  does  not  greatly  differ  from  the  former,  but  has 
been  thought  useful  in  intermittents.  It  is  the  genipi 
herba  of  the  pharmaceutists,  q.  v. 

ARTEMO'NIUM,(from  A/>T£J*«V,  its  inventor).  The 
name  of  a  collyrium  described  by  Galen. 

ARTE'RIA,  uproot.  An  ARTERY,  (from  «»f,  air, 
and  riipta,  Co  keefi^)  because  the  ancients  supposed  that 
only  air  was  contained  in  the  arterial  system ;  but  by 
the  word  artery,  Hippocrates  meant  what  is  now  known 
by  the  name  of  aspera  arteria ;  nor  were  the  veins  dis- 
tinguished from  the  arteries  in  the  oldest  times:  for 
(pAsfs,  among  the  ancients,  was  applied  both  to  ar- 
teries and  veins;  and,  indeed,  some  of  our  more  mo- 
dern writers  use  the  term  -vena  when  speaking  of  the 
pulse. 

An  artery  is  a  strong  elastic  ramifying  tube,  arising 
from  the  heart.  The  arteries  are  properly  but  two ; 
they  rise  from  the  two  ventricles  of  the  heart;  one  of 
them  is  called  AORTA,  which  see :  the  other  is  named 
the  PULMONARY  ARTERY,  for  it  springs  from  the  right 
ventricle  of  the  heart,  and  is-  wholly  confined  to  the 
lungs.  See  PULMONES. 

The  figure  of  an  artery  somewhat  resembles  a  tree; 
the  smaller  ramifications  of  the  arteries  frequently  ana- 


A  R  T 


185 


\  U  T 


stomose  with  each  other,  as  may  be  observed  in  the  coats 
of  an  intestine  when  they  are  injected.  The  largest  ap- 
pearance of  this  kind  is  in  the  vertebral  arteries,  which 
unite  in  the  skull.  The  use  "of  the  anastomosis  is  to 
keep  up  an  equal  circulation,  and  to  prevent  the  bad 
effects  of  partial  obstruction. 

It  is  generally  said  that  the  arteries  are  of  three  kinds, 
viz.  the  sanguine,  which  circulate  red  blood;  the  se- 
rous, through  which  serum  only  is  naturally  conveyed  ; 
and  the  lymphatic,  whose  contents  are  lymph  :  it  is  also 
said,  that  if  the  blood  is  pushed  into  serous  vessels, 
it  is  there  obstructed,  and  produces  inflammation.  In 
reality,  however,  they  are  all  the  same  tube  continued, 
which  gradually  divides  into  branches,  and  these 
branches  grow  smaller  the  further  they  are  from  the 
heart.  Near  to  the  heart  the  thicker  blood  circulates; 
the  force  of  the  circulation  is  there  stronger;  and  far 
from  the  heart  the  circulation  lessens  in  its  vigour,  so 
the  thinner  fluids  are  only  conveyed  in  the  smaller 
branches.  But  if  by  exercise,  or  other  means,  the  heat 
of  our  bodies  is  increased,  the  circulation  is  pushed  for- 
ward, the  red  blood  and  other  orders  of  thinner  fluids 
can  proceed  to  where  still  thinner  fluids  only  circulated 
before ;  for  the  smaller  vessels  can  descend  to  the  ca- 
pacity required  by  a  more  active  circulation,  and  con- 
tract again  to  their  former  dimensions  when  the  dis- 
tending force  is  removed. 

Arteries  terminate  three  ways;  the  most  common  is 
into  veins.  Harvey  discovered,  or  demonstrated,  the 
circulation  of  the  blood  ;  but  Malpighius  first  observed, 
that  the  last  branches  of  an  artery,  running  into  minute 
divisions,  dispose  themselves  on  a  membrane  as  on  a  firm 
base,  and  there  open  into  one  another  by  the  mutual  in- 
tercourse of  small  canals ;  he  first  traced  out  these  canals, 
through  numerous  mazes  and  windings,  through  which 
they  convey-  the  blood ;  but  here  the  small  branches, 
disposed  with  great  nicety,  extend  over  equal  spaces, 
and  destitute  of  lateral  shoots,  as  being  no  longer  sub- 
divided, constitute  the  origins  of  the  veins  and  lymphae- 
ducts,  with  their  sinuses.  There  are,  however,  many 
reasons  to  believe  that  the  arteries  and  veins  do  not 
form  continuous  canals;  but  that  some  minute  follicles 
are  interposed.  When  the  action  of  the  minuter  arte- 
ries is  increased,  as  in  blushing,  the  veins  do  not  swell, 
and  the  pulsation  of  the  former  is  lost  before  the  vein 
commences;  nor,  in  any  injection,  is  the  wax  continued 
unbroken,  from  the  extremity  of  the  artery  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  vein. 

The  next  termination  of  arteries  is  into  little  cavities 
or  sinuses,  as  in  the  corpora  cavernosa  penis;  the  last 
is  into  excretory  ducts. 

The  arteries  generally  lie  deep,  and  always  run  on  the 
inflected  side  of  the-  limb,  as  in  the  axilla,  and  the  inner 
part  of  the  cubit:  this  situation  prevents  their  being 
cither  too  much  stretched  or  compressed  in  the  various 
motions  of  the  body. 

In  the  beginning  of  each  of  the  large  arteries  before 
mentioned,  there  are  three  valves,  which  appear  like 
purses,  and  prevent  the  return  of  the  blood  to  the  heart 
(see  COR);  the  other  parts  of  the  arteries  are  free  from 
valves. 

The  coats  of  the  arteries  are  three.  1 .  The  EXTER- 
NAL, containing  a  great  number  of  blood  vessels:  many 
nerves  run  through  it ;  it  is  elastic  ;  and  its  fibres  run 
in  every  direction. 

VOL.  I. 


J  The  MIDDLI;  is  composed  of  fibres  which  are  dis- 
posed circularly,  and  nearly  parallel  to  each  other. 

.'».  The  IXTEHXAL  is  a  thin  membrane,  whose  sur- 
face is  very  smooth,  to  give_  an  easy  passage  to  the 
blood. 

Notwithstanding  the  disputes  \\lik h  have  occurred 
among  anatomists  relative  to  the  substance  of  these 
coats,  it  is  pretty  well  understood  that  they  are  formed 
of  muscular  fibres  and  elastic  ligaments,  the  inner  being 
membranous  and  remarkably  strong;  and  that  the 
muscular  fibres  themselves  are  probably  possessed  of 
elasticity,  as  well  as  the  ligament.  The  muscular  fibres 
of  the  smaller  arteries  are  in  proportion  more  numerous 
than  of  the  larger;  since  in  Dr.  Hunter's  experiment 
of  bleeding  a  horse  to  death,  the  aorta  was  contracted 
only  one-twentieth  of  its  natural  area,  and  the  radial 
one-half.  The  experiment  is  not  indeed  conclusive, 
because  in  the  article  of  death,  the  blood  is  not  pro- 
pelled to  the  small  ramifications.  In  a  certain  degree, 
however,  the  fact  is  true ;  and  the  object  of  this  struc- 
ture is,  to  support  the  circulation  at  a  distance  from 
the  original  source  of  motion. 

The  cellular  membrane  is  improperly  numbered 
among  the  coats  of  the  arteries,  for  it  only  connects  Un- 
real ones. 

The  nearer  to  tiie  origin,  the  weaker  are  the  arterial 
coats  ;  whence  the  frequency  of  aneurisms  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  aorta. 

Arteries  are  sometimes  found  of  a  serpentine  form  ; 
but  they  are  not  so  in  a  natural  state  of  health,  except 
during  particular  actions,  and  then  they  recover  their 
original  state  as  soon  as  the  temporary  cause  is  removed. 
This  cause  is  the  dilatation:  the  coats  are  elastic,  there- 
fore, whatever  distends  them  must  at  the  same  time 
lengthen  them,  and  thereby  produce  serpentine  turns. 
This  frequently  happens  in  injecting  the  arteries  of  dead 
bodies :  in  the  viper  it  is  very  apparent  in  an  artery  which 
runs  along  the  outside  of  its  lungs  j^very  time  that  the 
heart  beats,  Uiis  artery  is  seen  in  a  serpentine  form.  The 
arteries  of  the  uterus  are  more  convoluted  in  the  last 
months  of  pregnancy  than  they  were  before  conception ; 
so  far  is  the  common  observation  from  being  true,  that 
the  uterine  arteries  have  naturally  a  serpentine  course 
to  admit  of  the  enlargement  of  that  organ  in  pregnancy, 
without  stretching  the  arteries. 

The  arteries  are  liable  to  ossification,  particularly  Uie 
iliac  and  crural ;  this  happens  where  an  amputation  is 
performed  :  a  caustic  is  necessary.  The  ossification  be- 
gins in  the  internal  membrane,  which  first  thickens, 
then  ossifies  in  distinct  centres  till  these,  enlarging,  unite, 
and  the  whole  becomes  bone.  This  disorder  afterwards 
extends  to  the  outer  coats,  and  a  mortification  is  gene- 
rally the  consequence.  See  MORTIFICATIO.  " 

The  particular  arteries  may  be  seen  under  their  re- 
spective names,  but  we  shall  here  describe  their  general 
course.  From  the  right  ventricle  of  the  heart  arises 
the  PULMONARY  ARTERY,  which  is  wholly  distributed  in 
the  lungs. 

The  AORTA  arises  from  the  left  ventricle  of  the  heart, 
and  immediately  sends  off  the  CORONARY  ARTERIES  into 
the  heart  and  its  auricles.  From  the  upper  part  of  the 
arch  of  the  aorta  rise  the  CAROTIDS,  which  supply  the 
head. 

Near  the  carotids  rise  the  SUBCLAVIA.V  ARTERIES, 
which  send  off  the  internal  MAMMARY,  the  UPPER 

B  b 


ART 


.186 


All  T 


DIAPHRAGMATIC,  and  others,  which  arc  dispersed  in 
the  breast:  when  the  subclavian  hath  passed  out  of  the 
thorax,  it  receives  the  name  of  the  AXILLARY  ARTERY; 
and  when  in  the  arm  the  HUMERAL,  and  in  the  fore  arm 
the  CUBITAL. 

The  upper  portion  of  the  aorta  descendens  sends  off 

the  BRONCHIALES,  fESOPHAGE^E,  INTEHCOSTALES,   &C. 

The  inferior  portion  of  the  aorta  sends  off  the  infe- 
rior, DIAPHRAGMATIC,  CO2LIAC,   MESENTERIC,  SPERMATIC, 

KMULGENTS,  Sec. ;  then  dividing  into  two,  forms  the  ILIAC 
ARTERY,  which  sends  off  branches  about  the  lower  part 
of  the  belly;  then  descending  into  the  thighs,  legs,  and 
feet,  form  the  CRURAL,  TIBIAL,  Sec. 

Wounds  of  the  large  blood  vessels  require  amputation 
too  frequently;  the  great  quantity  of  blood  which  would 
be  lost,  if  the  usual  methods  to  restrain  haemorrhages 
should  fail,  would  endanger,  if  not  destroy,  the  patient. 
After  a  ligature  is  formed,  the  circulation  may  be  duly 
carried  on  by  the  anastomosing  vessels  ;  if  it  should  not, 
the  operation  will  be  indispensable,  to  prevent  mortifi- 
cation. The  intercostal  artery,  when  wounded,  is  fatal. 
Wounds  of  the  arteries  in  the  hands  are  dangerous.  The 
POPLITEAL  ARTERY  in  the  ham,  if  injured,  absolutely  de- 
mands amputation,  unless  the  operation  recommended 
by  Mr.  Hunter,  in  case  of  the  popliteal  aneurism,  should 
succeed.  See  ANEURISM.  The  HUMERAL  ARTERY,  if 
injured  high  up,  requires  the  amputation  of  the  arm. 
Bell's  Surgery,  i.  97,  8cc.  White's  Surgery,  173. 
ARTE'RIA  A'SPERA.  See  ASPERA  ARTERIA. 
ARTE'HIA  VENO'SA.  The  pulmonary  artery  was  so 
called  by  the  ancients,  from  a  mistaken  notion  that  the 
veins  came  solely  from  the  right,  and  the  arteries  from 
the  left,  ventricle. 

ARTERI'ACA,  (from  arteria,  an  artery").  See 
AMUC'TICA. 

ARTERIO'SUS,  DU'CTUS,  a  passage  conveying  the 
blood  from  one  artery  to  another;  also  called  canalis, 
and  canalicnlus  arferiosus.  Thisj  in  the  foetus,  arises 
from  the  extremity  of  the  arteria  pulmonalis,  just  where 
it  is  going  to  give  off  the  two  branches,  and  opens  by  its 
other  end  into  the  beginning  of  the  descending  aorta, 
just  below  the  great  curvature.  In  the  adult  it  is  obli- 
terated ;  but  in  the  foetus  it  is  open,  and  conveys  the 
blood,  which  hath  no  passage,  or  a  very  slight  one, 
through  the  lungs  in  this  state,  from  the  pulmonary  ar- 
tery to  the  aorta. 

ARTERIOTO'MIA,  (from  a?r^,,t,  an  artery,  and 
nfiva,  to  cut).  It  is  the  opening  of  an  artery  for  the 
discharge  of  blood. 

Galen,  Antyllus,  Oribasius,  P.  jEgineta,  and  several 
others,  highly  extol  this  practice  in  invererate  headachs 
which  resist  all  other  means ;  and  as  a  remedy  against 
violent  inflammations  of  the  eyes,  the  epilepsy,  Sec. 
The  operation  is  generally  confined  to  the  head,  because 
of  the  bone  being  immediately  under,  and  giving  the 
advantage  of  a  proper  compress.  When  the  temporal 
artery  is  opened,  a  small  knife,  such  as  is  used  for  the 
listula  lachrymalis,  is  better  than  a  lancet,  and  the  in- 
cision must  be  so  as  to  divide  the  artery  transversely  ; 
then  the  inconvenience  of  an  aneurism  is  avoided.  Mo- 
dern authors  are  greatly  divided  respecting  the  utility  of 
urteriotomy.  It  certainly  takes  away  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  blood  at  once,  but  relieves  only  remotely 
the  internal  vessels ;  nor  is  it  certain  that  its  effects  are 
in  any  instance  more  considerable  than  those  of  bleeding 


from  the  arm,  if  the  blood  be  taken  from  a  large  orifice. 
An  inconvenience  arises  from  the  mode  of  the  operation, 
as  the  artery  is  cut  through,  and,  consequently,  the  other 
vessels  are  afterwards  filled  beyond  their  due  proportion. 
Dr.  Butter  attempted  to  remove  this  inconvenience  by 
opening  the  artery  longitudinally,  and  contriving  an  in- 
strument to  prevent  the  troublesome  suppurations  which 
are  often  the  consequence.  Yet  this  instrument  was 
only  effectual  by  compressing  and  obliterating  the  ar- 
tery, so  that  little  was  gained  by  the  attempt. 

Heister  condemns  arteriotovny,  especially  before  every 
other  method  hath  been  tried.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  i. 
146.  White's  Surgery,  178.  . 

ARTETI'SCIUS,  or  ARTETl'SCOS.  One  who 
suffers  the  loss  of  any  member,  or  who  hath  a  very  de- 
fective one. 

ARTHANI'TA,  (from  apres,  bread,  because  it  is  the 
food  of  swine,)  the  name  of  an  ointment  prepared  from 
cyclamen  ;  jianis  fiorcinus,  called  inMyrepsus,  casamum, 
sow  BREAD.  It  is  the  cyclamen  Enrojiaum  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
207. 

The  root  when  fresh  has  an  extremely  acrimonious 
biting  taste,  which  it  loses  almost  entirely  on  being 
dried ;  it  is  recommended  chiefly  in  cataplasms,  for 
scirrhous  and  scrofulous  tumours,  and  chilblains,  though 
internally  it  proves  cathartic  and  emmcnagogue.  It 
operates  slowly,  and  with  great  virulence,  inflaming  the 
fauces  and  intestines:  one  drachm  of  the  powder  purges, 
and  often  destroys  worms. 

ARTHE'TICA,  or  ARTHRE'TICA,(from  *feScv,a 
joint).  The  herb  GROUND  PINE  ;  useful  in  gout  and  all 
disorders  of  the  joints.  See  CHAM^EPITYS. 

ARTHOI'CL'M,  or  ARTOI'CUM,  or  PANNO'- 
NIUM,  (from  «^T©-,  bread).  A  red  oil  formerly  made 
by  digesting  several  roots  with  bread. 

ARTHRE'MBOLUS,  (from  ctptgoi,  a  joint,  and 
cp£ttX*.u,  to  imfiel).  An  instrument  for  reducing  luxat- 
ed bones. 

ARTIIRI'TICA,  belonging  to  the  gout. 

ARTHRI'TIS,  the  GOUT,  (from  «^ov,  a  joint,  be- 
cause it  is  commonly  confined  to  the  joint). 

Dr.  Cullen,  in  his  Nosology,  gives  it  the  name  of 
Jiodagra,  (from  -srovf,  pes,  the  foot,)  because  he  considers 
the  foot  as  the  seat  of  the  idiopathic  gout.  The  disease 
is  placed  in  his  twenty-fourth  genus  of  diseases  of  the 
class  of  febrile  com/daints,  in  the  order  of  fihlegiiiasice, 
and  he  divides  it  into  four  species. 

1.  PODAGRA  REGULARIS,  REGULAR  GOUT,  when  the  in- 
flammation appears  in  the  joints  to  a  due  degree,  and, 
after  continuing  a  while,  gradually  disappears,  and  the 
patient  recovers  his  usual,  or  a  more  improved  health. 

2.  PODAGRA  ATOXICA,  ATOXIC  GOUT,  when   there  is 
manifestly  the  gouty  diathesis ;  but  from  some  cause  it 
does   not  produce  the   inflammatory  affections  of  the 
joints,  but  digestion  is  disturbed,  and  the  general  health 
variously  afi'ected. 

3.  PODAGRA  RETROGRADA,  RETROGRADE  or  RECEDEXT 
GOUT,  when  inflammation  hath  as  usual   attacked  the 
joints,  but  not  either  in  its  usual  degree,  or  with  the 
usual  pain,  and  then  suddenly  abates,  with  an  equally 
sudden  affection  of  an  internal  part. 

4.  PODAGRA  ABERKANS,  MISPLACED   GOUT,  when  the 
gouty  diathesis  produces  inflammation  in  some  inter- 
nal part,  instead  of  the  joints  of  the  extremities.     It  is 
generally  and  concisely  defined  '  an  hereditary  disease,. 


A  R  T 


is; 


A  II  T 


arising  without  any  external  evident  cause,  but  pre- 
ceded for  the  most  part  by  an  unusual  affection  of  the 
stomach;  febrile  symptoms;  pain  in  the  joints, particu- 
larly of  the  great  toe,  but  certainly  in  those  of  the  feet 
and  hands  ;  returning  at  intervals,  and  often  alternating 
v,  ith  affections  of  the  stomach,  and  internal  parts."  The 
gout  is  called  nodosa,  knotted,  when  it  forms  small 
tumours  at  the  joints. 

The  ancierTts  called  all  kinds  of  pain,  when  seated  in 
the  joints  or  the  external  parts,  by  the  common  name 
of  art/iritis.  The  word  rheumatism  was  not  known 
amongst  them;  but,  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries,  some  celebrated  French  physicians  have  called 
the  pains  which  afflict  the  intermediate  spaces  be- 
tween the  joints  and  muscles  of  the  neck,  or  of  either 
arm,  or  of  the  anterior  or  posterior  part  of  the  thorax, 
the  shoulders,  scapulae,  thighs,  and  hands,  by  the  name 
of  rheumatism.  Those  they  style  arthritic  which  affect 
the  joints:  it  was  called  podagra  in  the  feet,  chiragra 
in  the  hands,  onagra  and  fiechyagra  in  the  elbow,  ge- 
nag-ra  in  the  knee,  dentagra  in  the  teeth,  cleuagra  in 
the  articulations  of  the  clavicles  with  the  sternum,  oma- 
gra  in  the  articulation  of  the  humerus  with  the  scapula, 
rachisagra  in  the  spine  of  the  back  ;  if  it  seizes  the  larger 
tendon,,  ter.'jiitagra.  Ccel.  Aurelianus,  lib.  v.  cap.  2. 
But  the  difference  betwixt  the  gout  and  the  rheumatism 
is  coiioiiJe'-ed  as  very  great,  both  in  their  cause,  seat, 
symptoms,  and  cure. 

The  gout  is  divided  into  REGULAR  and  IRREGULAR. 
The  first  chiefly  affects  the  membranes  and  ligaments 
of  the  joints,  particularly  the  small  joints  of  the  feet. 
The  last  afflicts  the  patient  variously,  and  seizes  the 
internal  parts,  chiefly  the  viscera,  the  lungs,  and  the 
head. 

The  first  approaches  of  the  gout  are  generally  sudden, 
and  happen  very  early  in  the  spring  or  in  the  beginning 
of  winter.  The  regular  fit  is  usually  preceded  by  indi- 
gestion, flatulency,  drowsiness,  headach  and  sickness ; 
a  weariness;  dejection  of  spirits;  pain  and  coldness  in 
the  limb,  with  a  sensation  as  if  wind  or  cold  water 
were  passingdown  the  thigh ;  swelled  veins,  and  frequent 
cramps.  The  appetite  is  sometimes  very  keen  a  little 
before  the  fit  approaches,  and  the  other  symptoms  some- 
times disappear ;  a  slight  pain  is  however  felt  in  passing 
the  urine.  Soon  after  midnight,  or  rather  about  two  or 
three  in  the  morning,  a  pain  attacks  the  great  toe,  or  some 
other  part  of  the  foot  or  ancle,  though  now  and  then  it 
is  fixed  in  the  calf  of  the  leg;  this  pain  is  accompanied 
with  a  sensation  as  if  cold  water  was  poured  on  the  part, 
and  soon  followed  by  a  shivering,  with  some  degree  of 
fever:  after  this  the  pain  increases,  and  fixing  in  the 
small  bones  of  the  foot,  the  patient  feels  a  torturing 
pain  for  about  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours,  which 
then  abates,  the  part  becomes  inflamed  and  swelled ; 
towards  the  morning  the-patient  falls  asleep,  a  perspira- 
tion conies  on,  which  terminates  the  fit.  But  what  is 
commonly  called  a  fit  of  the  gout  consists  of  several 
similar  attacks;  the  pain  frequently  shifting  from  one 
foot  to  another,  or  from  the  feet  to  the  hands;  and 
though  a  recovery  should  follow  the  first  remission, 
some  uneasiness  returns  even'  night,  and  goes  off  the 
following  morning.  The  first  fit  may  continue  two  or 
three  weeks ;  but  a  tenderness,  where  the  pain  was 
seated,  remains  much  longer.  The  patient  may  remain 
free  from  any  return  during  the  succeeding,  or  a  second 


year;  but  the  succeeding  fits  are  then  often  still  more 
painful ;  and  soon  after  this  the  returns  grow  more  and 
more  frequent,  increasing  until  the  strength  fails,  and 
sensation  is  diminished.  Though  the  patient  is  then 
seldom  free,  he  is  not  violently  afflicted.  At  this  period 
chalky  concretions  occur,  which,  accumulating,  destroy 
the  motion  of  the  joint :  when  large  they  burst  through 
the  skin,  forming  painful  and  troublesome  ulcers.  After 
this  event  the  constitution  has  often  remained  free  from 
gout  many  years;  and  we  have  often  seen,  about  the 
period  of  seventy  or  seventy-five,  a  very  violent  and  iu 
a  great  measure  an  irregular  fit  of  gout,  which  has  left 
the  patient  for  the  remainder  of  his  life  free  from  any 
further  attack,  in  tolerable  health. 

Much  has  been  said  by  different  authors  concerning 
the  cause  of  the  gout.  Boerhaave  considers  it  to  be 
a  vitiated  disposition  of  the  very  minute  vessels  and 
nerves  in  the  body,  from  their  too  great  straitness  and 
rigidity ;  and,  also,  of  the  liquid  which  nourishes  the 
nerves,  from  its  acrimony,  and  greater  tenacity.  Hoffman 
says  it  is  a  saline  tartarous  substance,  while  some  consider 
it  a  corrosive  bilious  salt,  others  as  an.  acid,  an  earth, 
an  alkali,  or  an  austere  styptic  principle.  In  general, 
it  is  thought  that  the  gout  depends  upon  a  certain  mor- 
bific matter  always  present  in  the  body;  and  that  this 
matter,  by  certain  causes,  thrown  upon  the  joints  and 
other  parts,  produces  the  several  phenomena  of  the 
disease.  Dr.  Kirkland  thinks  the  firedlsfios ing  cause  a 
largeness  of  the  lacteals  and  straitness  of  the  small 
vessels,  particularly  those  of  perspiration ;  and  the  im- 
mediate, the  acrimony  of  earthy  particles  undissolved. 

That  gout  is  caused  by  a  morbid  matter  of  some  kind 
is  a  consequence  apparently  so  clear  and  obvious,  that 
it  is  not  surprising  to  find  it  made   the  basis  of  every 
theory.     Indeed,  nothing  but  the  strong  mind  and  in- 
tuitive sagacity  of  Dr.  Cullen,  could  have  led  us  from 
this  beaten  track.  It  is  indeed  an  argument  against  the 
existence  of  morbid  matter,  that  authors  have  differed  so 
widely  respecting  its  nature ;  yet  we  have  depositions 
of  chalk  stones  in  the  joints,  and   the  observation  of 
Berthollet,  that  previous  to  the  fit  there  is  a  less  pro- 
portion   of  phosphoric    acid    in  the  urine.     If  how-- 
ever  the   chalk   stones  were  the   morbid  matter,  we 
should  see  the  deposition  most  copious  after  a  regular 
fit :  they  do  not  however  appear  until  the  constitution 
is  weakened,  and  the  fit  irregular  ;  and  the  retention  of 
the  phosphorated  salt  is  not  peculiar  to  gout,  but  gene- 
rally attends   irregular  fevers,  which  chiefly  -affect  the 
nerves,  as  we  have  often  seen.     Morbid  or  acrid  mat- 
ter in  the  blood  will  undoubtedly  produce   fever ;  but 
there  is  no  instance  where  this  effect  follows,  but  from 
some  previous  change  in  the  state  of  the  constitution, 
as  we  shall  in  a  future  article  show;  and,  in  the  instance 
of  hectics  only,  does  this  morbid  matter  produce  such 
regularly  formed  remittents.     Indeed,  whether  in  the 
access  or  the  decline,  the  degree  of  the  paroxysm  of 
gout  is  determined  soon  after  its  attack  ;  with  the  force 
of  its  invasion  it   continues  for  twelve  or  twenty -four 
hours.     The  kind  of  inflammation  also  is  peculiar ;  and 
it  is  surprising,  that  though  we  have  had  so  many  me- 
dical arthritics,  this  has  not  yet  been  pointed  out.     The 
pain  though  violent,  and  the  part  though  brightly  ruddy, 
feels  numbed,  heavy,  and  incapable  of  action.  If  the  pain 
could  be  for  a  moment  forgot,  the  foot  would  be  found 
to  feel  like  a  paralytic  one ;  and,  though  the  muscles 
Bb  2 


A  R  T 


188 


\  R  T 


which  raise  the  leg  are  not  affected,  they  drag  it  along 
with  great  difficulty. 

Again,  supposing  morbid  matter  a  cause  of  gout,  the 
most  violent  and  regular  fit  should  discharge  it  by  de- 
positions on  the  ligaments,  by  perspiration, or  by  urine; 
but  every  arthritic  knows,  that  at  the  moment  the  most 
regular  fit  has  ceased,  it  may  be  again  produced  by  a 
variety  of  causes,  and  run  the  same  course  as  before; 
nor  after  this  second  deposition  arc  many  constitutions 
secure.  Besides,  if  there  is  a  period  of  time  when  the 
arthritic  is  more  than  at  any  other  free,  it  is  the  day  or 
two  before  the  attack.  Where  then  is  the  matter? 

The  predisposing  and  the  exciting  causes  are  equally 
inconsistent  with  morbid  matter.  The  former  are  causes 
of  debility,  and  the  latter  cold  irregularities  of  diet, 
particularly  an  indulgence  in  acescents,  violent  vexa- 
tion, or  fits  of  passion-.  In  short,  however  probable 
i!ie  doctrine,  however  plausible  the  arguments,  the 
system  is  untenable. 

Dr.  Cullen,  in  his  Pathology  of  the  fiout,  says,  in 
some  persons  there  is  a  certain  vigorous  and  plethoric 
state  of  the  system,  which,  at  a  period  of  life,  is  liable 
to  a  loss  of  tone  in  the  extremities.  This  is -in  some 
measure  communicated  to  the  whole  system,  but  ap- 
pears more  especially  in  the  functions  of  the  stomach. 
When  the  loss  of  tone  occurs,  while  the  energy  of  the 
brain  retains  its  vigour,  ike-vis  medicatrix  naturx  is  ex- 
cited to  restore  the  tone  of  the  parts,  and  accomplishes 
it  by  exciting  an  inflammatory  affection  in  some  part  of 
the  extremities  :  when  this  has  subsisted  for  some  days, 
the  tone  of  the  extremities,  and  of  the  whole  system, 
is  restored,  and  the  patient  returns  to  his  ordinary  state 
of  health ;  and  it  is  owing  to  a  deviation  in  some  of 
these  principles  that  he  accounts  for  the  difference  in 
the  species.  Dr.  Cullen,  and  indeed  several  others,  con- 
sider the  gouty  matter  as  an  effect,  and  not  a  cause,  of 
the  disease. 

To  this  theory  there  may  be  numerous  objections ; 
yet  the  principle  is  clear,  that  gout  is  a  disease  of  the 
constitution;  that  it  is  produced  by  debilitating  causes; 
und  that  the  inflammation  excited  in  the  ligaments, 
seems  to  restore  the  tone.  In  an  impending  fit  of  gout, 
an  emetic,  with  aromaticsand  bark  given  freely,  has  sus- 
pended or  prevented  it.  The  kind  of  inflammation,  and 
the  means  by  which  this  change  is  effected,  we  cannot 
yet  understand.  The  boasted  i>i're*  medicatrices  natura 
will,  we  suspect,  be  ultimately  found  only  accumulated 
irritability  in  consequence  of  its  suspension;  and  we  must 
nt  last  refer  to  a  principle  already  stated,  which  we  shall" 
often  recur  to,  that  debility  occasions  irregular  action 
only.  Thus,  in  gout,  while  the  extrenle  vessels  are 
powerfully  excited,  the  muscular  system  is  apparently 
more  torpid ;  and  this  torpor  of  the  nerves  and  muscles 
of  the  extremities  is,  on  the  other  hand,  compen- 
sated by  increased  tone  of  the  stomach.  If  it  were 
the  object  of  this  work  to  build  systems,  this  might 
be  easily  expanded:  it  is  our  wish  rather  to  establish 
principles. 

As  the  gout  is  allowed  to  be  constitutional,  so  it  is 
undoubtedly  hereditary:  and  the  predisposition  isoften 
from  hence  so  strong,  that  avoiding  most  strictly  the  re- 
mote causes  will  not  prevent  it.  We  must,  however,  ad- 
mit, that  the  disease  is  most  often  the  effect  of  the  ac- 
. cumulated  consequences  of  the  remote  causes.  These 
are  excesses  of  every  kind ;  long  continued  anxiety. 


deep  study,  late  hours,  inactivity,  Sec.:  each  a  cause  of 
exhausted  irritability- 

The  distinction  of  gout  is  a  subject  of  considerable 
importance.  Its  relation  to  rheumatism  often  occasions 
much  difficulty ;  and,  though  we  consider  the  two 
diseases  as  perfectly  distinct,  yet  they  are  sometimes  so 
combined  and  blended,  as  to  prevent  our  seeing  which 
is  the  principal  complaint.  In  general^  rheumatism 
occurs  in  consequence  of  an  evident  cause,  as  cold  ;  the 
gout  without  any  such  cause.  Rheumatism  has  no  pre- 
ceding complaints;  gout  is  preceded  by  languor,  fla- 
tulency, and  indigestion;  rheumatism  is  the  disease  of 
the  strong  and  active;  gout  of  those  advanced  in  life; 
rheumatism  attacks  the  larger,  gout  the  smaller  joints : 
rheumatic  limbs,  though  swollen,  are  not  red  like  gouty  : 
and  rheumatism  is  not  attended  with  fever  so  decidedly 
remitting.  These  circumstances  will  contribute  to  the 
distinction  ;  but  the  cases  so  often  run  into  each  other, 
differ  by  shades  so  transient  and  minute,  that  the  greatest 
difficulty  is  found  in  the  distinction  of  particular  com- 
plaints. 

Another  disease  has  occasioned  us  some  little  trouble, 
viz.  a  gutta  rosea;  an  erysipelas  affecting  the  joints,  some- 
times attended  with  pain.  The  distinction,  though  not 
easy,  is  on  the  whole  sufficiently  clear.  Thcgutta  rosea, 
though  of  a  bright  red,  has  not  the  peculiar  colour,  nor 
the  shining  appearance,  of  gouty  inflammation  :  it  does 
not  exacerbate  with  the  regular  exacerbations  of  fever : 
it  is  not  preceded  by  languor,  which  is  removed  by  the 
"pain;  but  often  attended  through  its  whole  course 
with  the  particular  low  fever  which  attends  erysipe- 
las. The  pain  is  rather  in  the  skin  than  the  ligaments^ 
and  the  tumour  bears  pressure  without  greatly  increas- 
ing it. 

Some  irregular  pains  in  the  joints  have  been  styled 
gouty,  but  they  are  sometimes  found  in  gouty  habits 
without  partaking  in  the  nature  of  the  disorder.  The 
only  requisite  object  of  attention  is,  to  be  cautious  in 
the  use  of  cold  applications. 

The  prevention  of  gout  has  employed  the  attention  of 
the  ablest  physicians ;'  and  we  shall  first  consider  the 
mode  of  prevention  in  those  who  have  a  strong  predis- 
position to  the  disease,  as  well  as  in  those  who  have  ex- 
perienced one  or  two  gouty  paroxysms.  We  shall  after- 
wards consider  the  means  of  relieving  or  preventing  the 
fit  in  those  who  have  for  a  longer  time  experienced  the 
disease. 

If  a  person  is  strongly  predisposed  to  gout,  abstinence 
and  exercise  are  absolutely  necessary.  In  the  works  of 
an  old  experienced  physician,  a  mode  of  diet  is  directed, 
consisting  of  different  vegetables  in  each  month.  In 
fact,  a  milk  and  vegetable  diet  is  in  a  great  degree  ne- 
cessary, and  these  directions  imply  no  more.  The  exer- 
cise should  be  constant  and  steady,  not  to  fatigue,  but  to 
keep  all  the  secretions  in  their  due  course.  Walking  is 
the  only  proper  exercise;  and  if  to  this  be  joined  a  dry 
free  air,  frequent  washing  the  feet  in  cold  water,  and 
daily  friction  with  a  flannel  and  a  flesh  brush,  we  shall 
obtain  all  the  necessary  advantages.  Where  the  predis- 
position is  not  so  strong,  the  severity  of  these  rules  may 
be  relaxed :  a  little  animal  food  of  a  mild  nature  may 
be  allowed  once  a  day,  and  cyder  may  form  a  portion 
of  the  drink.  Above  all,  however,  temperance,  cheer- 
fulness, early  hours,  and  moderate  study,  only  are  re- 
quisite: the  mind  must  be  occasionally  employed  as 


V  1!  T 


189 


A  K  T 


well  as  the  body,  for  idleness  may  lead  to  excess,  to  un- 
easiness, and  its  train  of  consequences. 

If  tits  regular  and  painful  have  occurred,  the  general 
plan  must  be  the  same.  Such,  however,  is  the  ex- 
cruciating nature  of  this  frequent  disease,  that  men  have 
gladly  caught  at  every  confident  promise.  On  the  first 
appearance  of  a  fit  an  emetic  has  been  recommended, 
to  be  followed  by  large  doses  of  bark  (hiring  the  first 
remission.  This  it  is  said  has  succeeded,  and  it  seems  a 
probable  measure,  but  we  confess  that  we  have  had  no 
experience  of  it.  The  Duke  of  Portland's  powder  has 
certainly  prevented  the  return:  it  is  said,  however,  by 
the  first  authorities,  that  the  most  fatal  diseases,  as  apo- 
plexy, dropsy,  asthma,  and  infarcted  viscera,  have  been 
the  consequence.  Indeed  the  circumstance  of  the  re- 
medy, though  a  very  old  one,  having  never  maintained 
its  credit  for  any  long  continued  period,  is  a  strongjpre- 
sumptive  evidence  of  its  injurious  tendency. 

Another  remedy  employed  to  prevent  gout  is  a  warm 
cordial  eccoprotic.  Boerhaave's  gout  cordial  is  the  pro- 
totype of  all  the  secret  formulae  handed  about  with  much 
mystery  and  confident  pretensions.  It  consists  of  an 
ounce  of  rhubarb  and  two  drachms  of  senna,  with  a  drachm 
of  cardamoms,  and  as  much  coriander  seed  digested  in  a 
pint  of  brandy.  We  omit  the  raisins,  the  saffron,  and 
the  cochineal,  as  useless  additions.  It  has  been  our  for- 
tune to  see  this  often  tried  with  success,  it  is  said  :  in- 
deed the  gout  has  been  prevented,  but  in  every  instance 
apoplexy  has  terminated  the  scene  at  no  very  distant 
period.  Alkaline  aerated  water  and  slight  antimonials 
have  been  also  recommended  ;  but,  as  they  have  had  no 
effect  on  the  disease,  they  have  done  no  injury  to  the 
constitutions.  Costiveness  should  be  undoubtedly  avoid- 
ed, and  for  this  purpose  the/;//,  rufi.  with  a  few  grains 
of  the  fiulvis  antimonialis  given  occasionally,  or  every 
other  night,  in  constitutions  liable  to  costiveness,  has 
completely  succeeded  in  our  hands,  and  been  equally 
effectual  with  the  analeptic  pills  of  Dr.  James. 

When  the  fits  have  appeared,  other  methods  have  been 
resorted  to.  Dr.  Stevenson  recommended  blisters  to  the 
part,  and  spoke  highly  of  their  effects ;  but  he,  unfortu- 
nately, fell  himself  an  early  victim  to  the  gout.  Leeches 
have  been  recommended  by  others,  it  is  said,  with  ad- 
vantage. A  new  plan  has  been  lately  urged  with  some 
violence  by  Dr.  Kinglake  of  Taunton.  viz.  immersing 
the  affected  part  in  cold  water,  and  treating  the  disease 
as  a  common  inflammation.  It  is  not  easy  to  speak, 
flagrantt  bello,  without  giving  offence  to  one  party,  but 
v,  c  are  impelled  by  considerations  much  more  powerful 
than-a  desire  of  popular  applause.  We  need  therefore 
only  observe,  that  the  plan  is  wholly  inconsistent  with 
every  thing  we  have  seen  or  felt  of  the  disease;  and 
though  we  doubt  not  but  constitutions  have  been  found 
so  robust  as  to  prevent  any  injurious  consequences  from 
the  trial,  as  some  may  lie  in  damp  sheets,  or  take  the 
Portland  powder  with  impunity,  yet  to  the  generality  it 
would,  we  fear,  be  fatal. 

When  the  fit  of  gout  is  formed,  it  should  perhaps  be 
permitted,  if  regular,  to  pursue  its  course  without  in- 
terruption. It  has  been  usual  to  lay  it  in  soft  flannel 
to  '  keeji  it  out'  by  a  warm  regimen,  and  keep  the  bowels 
open  by  the  warmest  tinctures  :  the  true  gout  purga- 
tive, says  an  author  of  credit,  is  equal  parts  of  the  tinc- 
tura  sacra  and  senna.  The  whole  of  this  system  we 
suspect  to  be  erroneous.  The  pain  of  the  fit  is  a  remedy 


produced  by  nature ;  and  as  we  in  no  instance  under- 
stand, and  cannot  in  any  imitate,  it,  we  think  the  whole 
process  should  be  her  own.  We  can  throw  out  more 
gout  by  hot  cordials,  but  we  seem  not  to  render  the  sys- 
tem freer  ;  we  can  increase  pain,  but  we  do  not  by  this 
means  increase  the  tone  of  the  stomach.  It  seems  to 
us  more  rational,  neither  to  clothe  the  part  warmer  nor 
colder  than  usual ;  not  to  change  the  diet  or  the  drinks, 
unless  languor  or  faintness  makes  cordials  necessary. 
The  burning  heat  of  the  part  will  prevent  any  bad  effects 
from  a  common  degree  of  cold,  and  we  have  generally 
found'  the  swelling  go  on  sufficiently  and  effectually 
without  urging  or  repressing  it.  We  now  speak,  how- 
ever, of  a  regular  inflammatory  gout.  Many  discussions 
occur  in  authors  respecting  the  propriety  of  giving  opi- 
ates in  gout ;  our  decision  must  depend  on  their  general 
effects.  If  they  relieve  pain,  without  producing  languor, 
sick'ness,  or  faintness,  in  other  situations,  they  are  of  ser- 
vice in  gout;  and,  joined  with  antimonials  or  ipecacuanha, 
they  have  often,  we  think,  shortened  and  mitigated  the 
fit  without  apparent  injury.  It  is  recommended  not  to 
give  them  in  the  beginning  of  a  fit ;  indeed  at  that  time 
they  are  of  the  least  service.  We  see  no  room  for  choice 
among  the  different  preparations,  though  Dr.  Warner 
prefers  his  own  formula.  A  tincture  of  opium  in  Ma- 
deira wine  we  have  some  reason  to  think  an  useful 
form ;  and  the  Dover's  powder,  with  the  acetated  am- 
monia, we  have  known  highly  serviceable.  Gradually 
and  gently  moving  the  foot,  as  soon  as  motion  can  be 
borne  without  much  pain,  seems  to  prevent  stiffness  and 
weakness  in  the  joint;  'and  to  wipe  over  the  part  with 
lukewarm  water  when  the  pain  is  abated,  gradually  sub- 
stituting cold,  contributes  greatly  to  strengthen  it,  and 
remove  stiffness  and  the  more  troublesome  feelings.  It 
often  seems,  however,  to  bring  back  a  little  soreness. 
Purging  must  be  avoided  at  the  end  of  a  fit,  as  it  often 
brings  on  a  return  :  a  circumstance  not  easily  reconciled 
with  the  doctrine  of  morbid  matter. 

We  have  not  mentioned  some  of  the  less  common 
and  less  useful  remedies.  Bleeding  has  been  recom- 
mended in  strong  and  inflammatory  habits ;  but  it  is,  we 
believe,  always  injurious,  even  in  misplaced  gout.  The 
moxa,  the  woolly  part  of  the  leaves  of  the  Chinese  arte- 
misia,  has  been  formed  into  a  cone,  the  top  of  which  is 
set  on  fire,  and  gradually  consuming,  an  eschar  is  formed 
on  the  part,  which  in  a  few  days  suppurates.  It  is  com- 
monly used  in  the  East,  and  said  to  lessen  the  pain  with- 
out danger.  It  has  been  safely  employed  in  this  country ; 
and,  if  we  recollect  rightly,  Sir  William  Temple  speaks 
of  it  in  his  own  case  with  commendation  :  this  method  of 
relieving  the  fit  is  however  disused,  and  we  cannot  re- 
commend it  from  experience.  Emollient  poultices  and 
warm  bathing  have  been  employed  for  similar  purposes, 
but  they  are  certainly  injurious.  We  have  often  known 
a  pediluvium  too  warm  bring  back  a  paroxysm,  and 
even  wiping  the  foot  with  a  cloth  wetted  with  water  a 
little  warm,  has  brought  back  some  soreness.  Cam- 
phor, dissolved  in  aromatic  oils,  has  been  applied  to  the 
pained  part,  but  we  cannot  say  with  advantage.  Any  in- 
convenient symptoms  which  arise  during  the  fit,  should 
be  opposed  with  the  appropriate  remedies.  Sicknes  is 
removed  by  a  gentle  emetic ;  and  the  vomiting  should 
be  supported  by  mustard  whey,  the  seeds  of  the  cardus 
in  infusion,  or  camomile  tea  with  hartshorn.  The 
bowels  should  be  kept  regular  with  a  mild  aloetic  pill ; 


A  II  T 


190 


ART 


and  a  little  anxiety,  restlessness,  or  sighing,  is  relieved 
by  camphor  and  aether^  with  sometimes  a  slight  opiate. 
To  regain  the  strength  after  a  fit,  bark  has  been  recom- 
mended, but  we  are  told  that  ii  should  not  be  given  till 
the  urine  has  deposited  the  latcritious  sediment.  In 
the  intervals  of  regular  inflammatory  gout  it  is  unne- 
cessary ;  cold  bathing  and  Bath  waters,  though  admis- 
sible, are  equally  so. 

REPELLED  or  MISPLACED  GOUT  is  most  nearly  con- 
nected with  the  inflammatory,  and  we  now  speak  of 
those  internal  inflammations  decidedly  from  this  disease, 
whose  proper  seat  is  the  joints  of  the  extremities.  Gout 
is  thus  misplaced  in  consequence  of  debility  of  the  con- 
stitution, or  different  causes  which  have  contributed  to 
repel  it  from  the  extremities;  and  the  disease  scarcely 
difters  from  similar  inflammations  of  the  same  parts 
from  other  causes.  We  find  a  great  difficulty  in  giving 
general  directions  on  this  subject,  as  it  is  so  greatly  va- 
ried by  the  degree  of  the  complaint,  and  the  different  ha- 
bits of  patients  ;  and  might  perhaps  safely  rest  the  whole 
on  this  general  advice,  that  such  inflammations  should 
be  treated  according  to  the  usual  plans,  adverting  how- 
ever to  the  danger  of  producing  atonic  gout  by  excess 
of  evacuations,  particularly  OF  PURGING.  The  difficul- 
ty and  danger,  however,  of  these  attacks  render  some 
further  consideration  necessary. 

It  has  been  the  chief  object  of  practitioners  to  bring 
back  the  gout  to  the  extremities ;  and  for  this  purpose 
they  bathed  the  feet  in  warm  water,  wrapped  them  in 
the  most  stimulating  cataplasms,  and  even  applied  blis- 
ters ;  wondering  that  they  did  not  bring  back  gout  by 
means,  which,  had  it  been  in  the  extremities,  would  have 
driven  it  away.  They  have  at  the  same  time  given  the 
strongest  cordials  internally  to  excite  the  stomach,  and 
thus  produce  the  natural  reaction ;  and  have  seen  with 
admiration,  that,  while  they  have  been  intent  on  gout, 
their  patient  has  died  from  inflammation.  The  most 
common  species  of  misplaced  gout  are,  gout  in  the  head, 
lungs,  stomach,  intestines,  and  kidneys,  or  bladder. 
These  we  shall  consider  in  their  order. 

GOUTY  PHHENITIS  differs  in  no  respect  from  this 
disease,  arising  from  other  causes.  Topical  blistering 
is,  if  possible,  still  more  necessary,  and  purgatives  must 
be  employed  with  caution  and  reserve.  If  any  remedy 
is  peculiarly  applicable  in  this  case  it  is  the  camphor, 
and  a  small  proportion  of  nitre  may  be  cautiously  added. 
Towards  the  conclusion,  when  a  wandering  delirium 
alone  remains,  sether,  with  a  slight  opiate,  is  highly- 
useful. 

GOUTY  PERIPNEUMONY  in  young  strong  habits  some- 
times requires  bleeding ;  but  it  should  be  employed 
from  necessity  only,  and  the  blood  taken  in  no  greater 
quantity  than  is  necessary  to  remove  the  most  urgent 
symptoms.  Blisters,  as  usual,  are  peculiarly  advantage- 
ous ;  with  antimonials,  guarded  in  their  purgative  pow- 
ers by  opium.  In  this  case,  too,  camphor  has  been  of  the 
greatest  service  ;  and  the  squills,  with  the  gum  ammo- 
niac, may  be  given  freely  as  in  the  more  common  cases. 
A  bastard  peripneumony  is  very  often  gouty  :  the  spit- 
ting is  copious,  but  the  complaint  is  not  relieved  by  it, 
and  the  whole  tribe  of  expectorants  appears  to  be  useless. 
In  this  case  a  brisk  warm  purgative  will  occasionally 
bring  on  gout  in  the  extremities,  though  it  will  more 
often  fail,  and  in  such  instances  we  have  found  the  bark 
with  aromatics  the  best  remedy.  The  balsam  peruvis- 


num  in  large  doses  promises  to  be  successful,  but  we 
have  not  had  sufficient  experience  of  it,  as  the  bark  has 
so  generally  succeeded.  The  lac  ammoniac,  also,  with  a 
large  dose  of  salt  of  hartshorn,  or  perhaps  the  sal  succini, 
might  be  useful. 

GOUTY  GASTRITIS  is  sometimes  .peculiarly  painful 
and  troublesome,  but  fortunately  very  uncommon ;  and 
yields  easily  to*a  blister,  with  slight  opiates,  and  warm, 
mild,  diluting  liquors.  The  necessary  stools  must  bo 
procured  by  clysters. 

GOUTY  ENTERITIS  requires  minute  attention,  for 
purging  is  its  only  remedy.  It  might  appear  probable, 
that,  as  purging  contributes  to  bring  on  regular  fits,  its 
effects  might  be  salutary  in  this  way.  It  must,  however, 
be  recollected,  that  active  purging,  if  it  fails  in  this 
respect,  brings  on  atonic  gout;  and  this  coincidence 
would  render  the  disease  more  unmanageable.  Motions 
must,  however,  be  procured  ;  and  it  fortunately  happens 
that  after  the  application  of  a  blister,  this  is  no  very  dif- 
ficult task. 

GOUTY  NEPHRITIS  is  very  uncommon.  Dr.  Cullen 
seems  unwilling  to  admit  this  inflammation  as  in  any 
case  arising  from  gout.  The  question  is  of  very  little 
importance,  since,  if  we  avoid  the  more  active  antiphlo- 
gistic remedies,  the  cure  of  this  disease  is  by  no  means 
peculiar.  In  the  bladder,  gout  sometimes  produces  very 
peculiar  effects  :  an  inflammation  from  this  cause  occa- 
sions violent  pain,  an  obstinate  strangury,  and  with  the 
urine  discharged  there  is  a  considerable  quantity  of  a 
light  mucus,  resembling  purulent  matter.  It  is  a  species 
of  a  disease  which  we  shall  afterwards  notice  under  the 
appellation  of  a  catarrims  vesicae.  In  this  case  warm 
diluting  liquors,  with  the  most  stimulating  applications 
to  the  perinaeum,  are  absolutely  necessary ;  and  we  have 
even  been  obliged  to  apply  a  blister  to  this  part,  care- 
fully removing  it  early  to  prevent  absorption.  The. 
complaint,  however,  is  not  obstinate. 

ATONIC  GOUT  is  a  disease  peculiarly  obstinate  and 
distressing :  it  is  the  prelude  of  misplaced  gout,  and 
appears  often  in  the  interval  between  the  repulsion  of 
the  active  inflammation  in  the  feet,  and  the  attack  on  the 
viscera.  It  is  known  by  the  various  forms  of  debility 
and  irregular  action  in  gouty  habits.  Low  spirits,  "gid- 
diness, headach,  fainting,  melancholy,  wandering  de- 
lirium, palsy,  and  apop'lcxy,  are  occasioned  by  its  affect- 
ing the  head ;  bastard  peripneumony,  asthma,  and,  it  is 
said,  consumption,  when  it  attacks  the  lungs;  anorexia, 
dyspepsia,  eructations,  and  hiccough,  when  in  the  sto- 
mach ;  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  irregular  pains,  and  obsti- 
nate costiveness,  when  in  the  bowels ;  in  the  bladder, 
stone ;  in  the  intestinum  rectum,  piles,  terminating 
often  in  fistula.  In  all  these  complaints  we  are  directed 
to  bring  on  gout.  We  may  indeed  '  call  spirits  from 
the  vasty  dtep,'  but  they  will  not  obey.  The  direction 
is  easily  given, but  it  cannot  be  executed.  In  such  cases 
we  may  remove  the  present  complaints,  strengthen  the 
constitution,  lay  the  foundation  for  future  gout,  but  we 
can  do  no  more.  Bark  and  aromatic  cordials  are  in 
such  cases  proper ;  the  bowels  must  be  kept  free  by 
aloetic  pills,  occasionally  interposing  the  warmer  tinc- 
tures, encouraging  exercise  and  cheerfulness,  keeping 
the  stomach  in  a  proper  state  by  occasional  emetics  and 
a  moderately  warm  generous  diet,  changing  the  scene, 
and  diversifying  the  objects.  These  are  the  cases  chiefly 
benefited  by  mineral  waters,  where  all  these  means  are 


A  R  T 


191 


II  T 


combined,  and  those  of  Bath  are  unrivalled  for  ihcir 
powers  in  this  state  of  the  disease.  In  many  such  in- 
stances sea  bathing  may  be  allowed,  especially  when 
young  people,  either  from  the  violence  of  the  hereditary- 
disposition  to  gout,  or  their  own  early  imprudence,  have 
become  premature  martyrs  to  the  disease.  In  cases 
where  stone  is  combined,  the  Pyrmont  waters,  which 
contain  the  fixed  air  with  steel,  are  highly  useful ;  and 
the  aerated  alkaline  waters  are  often  found  serviceable. 
If  the  Cheltenham  waters  do  not  prove  too  purgative, 
they  may  be  also  useful.  Steel  itself  is  often  employed, 
and  probably  with  advantage  :  there  is  little  choice  in 
its  preparations  ;  but  if  the  stomach  is  much  disordered 
with  flatulence,  the  flores  martiales  with  the  gum  pill 
will  probably  be  most  useful,  washed  down  with  a  warm 
cordial. 

In  all  violent  attacks  of  the  head  and  stomach,  the 
warmest  cordials  must  be  immediately  employed,  and 
the  Irish  usquebaugh,  as  peculiarly  warm  and  active,  has 
been  a  favourite.  If  there  is  time  for  choice  and  pre- 
paration, the  aether  is  preferable,  or  the  union  of  the 
volatile  alkali  with  aromatics  in  the  spiritus  ammonia: 
compositus  ;  and  the  efficacy  of  these  remedies  is  in- 
creased by  the  addition  of  a  warm  opiate.  The  doses 
must  be  measured  only  by  the  exigency ;  and  the  quan- 
tity of  spirit  sometimes  swallowed  in  such  instances, 
not  only  with  impunity  but  advantage,  is  astonishing. 

In  the  other  complaints  from  gouty  atony,  a  more  re- 
gular and  steady  stimulus  is  required.  To  the  common 
cordials,  Cayenne  pepper  in  pills  has  been  added  ;~  and 
the  arum,  in  large  doses,  has  -  been  often  useful.  Tile 
serpentaria,  particularly  its  tincture,  we  have  often  seen 
employed  by  former  practitioners  with  advantage,  and 
have  perhaps  from  that  cause  contracted  a  predilection 
for  it.  No  medicine,  as  a  permanent  and  powerful  sti- 
mulus, seems  to  exceed  it  in  these  cases.  When  fistula, 
stone,  or  other  diseases,  come  on,  which  require  pecu- 
liar treatment,  the.relief  must  be  conducted  in  the  usual 
way. 

RETROCEDEXT  GOUT  is  in  reality  the  atonic,  but  it 
is  generally  distinguished  by  authors ;  and  we  notice  it 
just  to  mention,  that  on  the  sudden  recession  of  gout 
a  variety  of  nervous  medicines,  as  zther,  musk,  and 
castor,  have  been  employed.  Except  as  stimulants,  they 
seem  to  possess  no  peculiar  advantage;  and  perhaps,  as 
superseding  the  full  use  of  stimulating  medicines,  they 
may  be  injurious. 

The  warm  bath  has  been  employed  at  the  end  of  a 
fit,  to  restore  flexibility  to  the  joints ;  and  the  warm 
waters  of  Bath  are,  on  many  accounts,  preferable.  A 
muriatic  bath  has  been  lately  advised ;  that  is,  water 
slightly  impregnated  with  the  muriatic  acid;  and,  like 
all  novelties,  highly  commended.  When  we  speak  of 
warm  bathing,  we  shall  show  that  the  water  does  not 
penetrate  beyond  the  cuticle,  and  of  course  that  the 
ucid  cannot  reach  the  calcareous  depositions;  but  it  will 
be  obvious  to  any  one  who  observes  the  skin  of  gouty 
patients,  that  the  same  calcareous  phosphat  penetrates 
every  part  of  the  cuticle,  and  fills  its  ruga.  The  mu- 
riatic acid  will  dissolve  the  salt ;  and  this  effect,  with 
the  influence  of  the  heat  and  moisture,  will  restore  in  a 
great  degree  the  pliability  of  the  joint,  and  add  to  the 
romfort  of  the  arthritic.  Cold  bathing  also  in  die  in- 
tervals of  gout,  when  the  system  is  wholly  free,  is  an 


excellent  remedy  for  supporting  the  activity  and  energy 
of  the  consitution. 

There  are  various  other  complaints  that  alternate  with 
gout,  viz.  wandering  pains,  erysipelas,  inflammations  of 
the  eye,  pains  of  the  back,  resembling  nephritic  pains. 
These  must  be  treated  in  the  usual  way,  taking  care, 
when  the  cause  is  suspected,  not  to  lower  the  patient  by 
too  great  evacuation. 

This  disease  generally  attacks  men  of  robust  and 
large  bodies,  men  of  large  heads,  plethoric  habits,  and 
whose  skins  are  covered  with  a  thicker  rete  mucosum, 
which  gives  a  coarser  surface ;  particularly  if  the  earlier 
period  of  their  life  has  been  spent  in  indolence  and 
luxury,  or  if  their  minds  have  been  much  harassed  with 
vexation' and  painful  reflection.  It  seldom  attacks  per- 
sons employed  in  constant  bodily  labour,  or  those  who 
live  much  upon  vegetable  aliment;  and  it  is  less  fre- 
quent among  people  who  make  no  use  of  wine,  or  other 
fermented  liquors.  It  seldom  seizes  men  before  the  age 
of  thirty-five;  oftener  at  a  later  period.  Neither  chil- 
dren nor  youths  are  exempt  from  it;  and  the  females 
who  are  liable  to  it  are  those  of  the  more  robust  and 
full  habits;  though  it  seldom  attacks  that  sex,  or 
eunuchs,  unless  they  are  strong,  lead  indolent  lives,  and 
live  very  full. 

See  S'ydenham's  Works,  who  admirably  describes  the 
regular  gout,  with  notes  by  Dr.  Wallis :  Musgrave  on 
the  Gout;  he  excels  in  his  description  of  the  irregular 
gout.  See  Warner's  full  and  plain  Account  of  the 
Gout ;  he  includes  the  chief  of  what  his  predecessors 
have  written  on  this  subject.  Cullen's  First  Lines, 
vol.  ii.  edit.  4.  Kirkland's  Inquiry,  vol.  i.  D:. 
Cadogan's  Dissertation  on  the  Gout.  Hoffman  De 
Dolore  Podagrico.  Boerhaave  De  Podagra.  Dr.  Kirk- 
land  and  Cheyne  on  the  Gout. 

ARTHROCA'CE,  (from  *ftpn,  a  joint,  and  r««», 
malum).  An  ulcer  of  the  cavity  of  the  bone,  generally 
near  the  extremity,  with  caries.  See  SPINA  VEXTOSA. 
When  in  children  it  is  styled  fisdarthrocace. 

ARTHRO'DIA,  (from  afff»,  a  'joint,  and  fi*efi#> , 
to  receive;  or  from  afttta,  articulum  Jingo,  to  articu- 
late). See  DIARTHROSIS. 

ARTHRODY'NIA,  (from  *ftf<»,  a  joint,  and  «JW, 
fiainj.  See  RHETMATISMUS. 

A'RTHRON,  (from  ctfu,  to  ft  together}.  A  JOINT. 
See  ARTICVLVS. 

ARTHROPYO'SIS,  (from  <«*»o»,  artiatlus,  and 
•a-i'H,  fins}.  This  word  is  variously  used.  Dr.  Aitkin, 
in  his  Elements  of  Surgery,  calls  inflammation  of  a 
joint  fihlegmone  articuli.  By  this  name,  in  another  part 
of  the  same  work,  he  means  an  abscess  in  a  joint ;  and, 
in  a  third  place,  uses  it  as  synonymous  with  inflamma- 
tion in  the  loins,  particularly  in  the  cellular  membi-ane 
lying  under  the  pSoas  muscle. 

In  Dr.  Cullen's  System  it  is  a  genus  of  fiyrejcif,  of 
the  order  fihlegmasia ;  and  its  synonyms  are  the 
lumbago  fisoadica,  lumbago  a/iostematosa,  lumbago  ab 
art/trocace,ischias  ex  abscessu,a.n&  morbus  cojcarius.  In 
this  disease,  he  says,  there  are  pains  in  the  joint  or  the 
muscular  parts,  which  happen  often  after  bruises; 
they  are  deep,  dull,  of  long  continuance;  the  swelling 
is  either  slight,  or  but  little  diffused;  no  inflamma- 
tion ;  the  fever  at  first  is  gentle,  but  at  last  hectic  ; 
and  the  part  at  length  suppurates.  See  ABSC-ESSI-S  DORSI 


ART 


192 


ART 


et  LUMBORUM,  and  ISCHIATICUS,  under  ABSCESSUS; 
also  PSOAS.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  419.  Kirkland's 
Mecl.  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  427. 

ARTHRO'SIS,  (from  *f «/)»»,  articulo).  See  AR- 
'nCULATIO. 

A'RTIA.  According  to  some  it  is  the  same  as  arte- 
ria;  to  others,  as  the  asfiera  arteria. 

ARTICO'CA,  or  ARTICOCA'LUS,  (from  afrits, 
perfect,  and  x.ax«/«;,  the  cone  of  the  fiine  tree).  ARTI- 
CHOKE. So  called  from  its  likeness.  See  CIXARA. 

ARTICULA'RIS  MO'RBUS,  (from  articulus,  n 
joint}.  When  the  ancles  and  knees  swell  and  inflame 
from  gout,  it  is  thus  named. 

ARTICULA'RIS  VF.'NA.  Called  also  sub -burner  a  I  is. 
Under  the  head  of  the  os  humeri,  the  basilica  vena  sends 
oft'  this-branch.  It  passes  almost  transversely  round  the 
neck  of  that  bone  from  within  backwards,  and  from 
behind  outwards,  and  runs  upon  the  scapula,  where  it 
communicates  with  the  venae  scapulares  externae. 

ARTICULATIO,  (from  articulus,  a  joint}.  ARTI- 
CULATION; arthrosis;  coarcticulatio ;  aparthrosis;  jiro- 
sarthrotin;  aasarthrusis;  cam/ie;  junctura;  connnissura; 
is  the  joining  of  bones  together,  and  is  of  two  kinds,  viz. 
articulation  and  connection.  Articulation  is  of  two 
•kinds;  1st,  DIARTHRO'SIS.  2dly,  SYNARTHRO'SIS.  There 
is  a  species  composed  of  these  two,  which  some 
call  AMPHIARTHUO'SIS.  Sec  each  under  their  .sepa- 
rate terms.  CONNECTION  is  of  three  kinds.  See 
SYMPHYSIS. 

ARTI'CULUS,  (a  dim.  of  art  us).  A  JOINT;  also 
art/iron.  The  diseases  of  the  joints  are,  LUXATIO,  SUB- 
LUXATIO,  and  ANCHYLOSIS,  which  see.  The  insertion 
of  a  number  of  tendons  into  the  ligament  serves  not  only 
to  strengthen  it,  but,  by  their  action,  to  hinder  it 
from  being  pinched  in  the  motion  of  the  limb,  which 
is  a  mechanism  observed  in  every  joint  of  the  body. 
Wounds  in  the  joint  often  require  amputation.  See 

VULNUS. 

ARTI'CULUS  MORTIS.  The  last  pang  of  expiring  life. 
At  this  period  many  changes  occur,  which  have  been 
attributed  to  previous  disease  :  polypi  are  formed  in  the 
heart  and  larger  vessels ;  extravasation  in  different 
cavities  sometimes  takes  place ;  the  veins  are  emptied, 
and  the  larger  vessels  unusually  filled. 

ARTIFICIA'LE,(from  a?-.?,  art,  and/ao'o,  to  make). 
Whatever  is  made  or  prepared  either  of  the  native  cin- 
nabar itself,  or  from  the  vein  of  cinnabar;  or  any  thing 
made  or  substituted  by  art. 

ARTIFICIA'LIS  SAL.     See  MARINUS  SAL. 
ARTISCO'CUS  L^E'VIS.     See  CINARA. 
ARTI'SCUS,  (from   *?!&,   bread).      Troches  are 
thus  called  that  are  formed  like  a  loaf.     An  ingredient 
ii>  the  famed  theriaca  was  distinguished  by  this  name, 
us  it  consisted  of  viper's  flesh  made  into  a  troche  'by 
means  of  bread.     Viper's  powder  was  afterwards  sub- 
stituted. 

ARTIYPO'CHROS  COLOR,  (from  afl,.v*»,  and 
a^ftf,  pale).  A  palish  yellow  colour  which  attends  a 
disorder  of  the  spleen,  or  chlorosis. 

ARTIZO'A,  (from  aflt,  ahd  &,  life}.  SHORT- 
LIVED. 

ARTOCARPUS,  the  BREAD-FRUIT  TREE.  A.  incisa 
Lin.  filii  supplem.  p.  61.  Nat.  order  urticx.  NThe  leaves 
exude  a  milky  juice  when  broken :  the  fruit  about  the 


size  of  a  child's  head,  and  the  skin  reticulated.  The 
eatable  part  between  the  skin  and  the  core  is  white, 
farinaceous,  and  not  unlike  new  bread.  The  taste  is 
insipid,  with  a  slight  sweetness.  See  ALIMENT. 

ARTOCARPUS,  integrifolia,  sititodium  macrocar/ium. 
Thumbcrg's  Philosophical  Transactions,  Ixix.  This  is 
a  native  of  Malabar,  but  inferior  to  the  former,  as  more 
diflicult  of  digestion.  It  contains  a  great  number  of  nuts 
much  larger  than  almonds,  which  are  roasted  like  ches- 
nuts,  and  in  some  measure  resemble  them. 

ARTOMlv'LI,  (from  ufl®-,  bread,  and  jt«A<,  honey}. 
A  sort  of  cataplasm  prepared  of  bread  and  honey. 

ARTOPTI'CIUS  PANIS,  (from  aprof,  bread,  and 
t>7r]a,u,  to  toast).  TOASTED  BREAD. 

A'RTOS,  (from  «.(res,  bread).     See  PANIS. 
A'RTUS,(from  «ffy«v ;  perhaps  from  arto,  for  arcto. 
because  the  limbs  are  joined  one  to  another).     A  LIMB. 
A  JOINT. 

A'RTYMA,  (from  itfrva,  to  Jirejiare).  Sec  CONDI 
MKMUM. 

A'RUBUS  ARVINA,  BUTTER.  See  ADEPS. 
A'RUM.  It  is  derived  from  the  Arabic  term  JARON. 
a  dart,  which  it  exactly  represents.  Called  also  arun. 
macnlatum,  aron,jarus,  isaros,}ies  -vituli,  barba  aronis. 
ser/irntaria  min.  dracontia  minor,  alimum.  LORDS  and 
I.ADIKS,  CUCKOO  PINT,  WAKE  ROBIN.  Arum  muculatuin 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1370.  Nat.  order  fiifierita. 

The  root  •  is  irregularly  round,  tuberous,  about  an 
inch  thick,  sending  off  many  long  simple  fibres  ;  and 
in  the  medicinal  part  of  this  plant  it  is  brown  on  the- 
outside,  and  white  within.  It  is  acrid  and  pungent  to 
the  taste;  the  sensation  continuing  for  some  hours, 
but  it  may  soon  be  relieved  with  a  little  milk.  The 
firm,  hard  roots  should  be  chosen.  They  lose  their 
acrimony  by  drying,  and  by  heat  they  become  a  bland 
farinaceous  aliment;  but  a  syrup,  made  with  them 
would  probably  keep  as  well  as  the  syrup  made  of  gar- 
lic. They  afford  nothing  by  distillation  nor  infusion  ; 
yet  if  buried  in  fresh  sand,  and  kept  just  moist  only, 
their  virtue  is  preserved  unimpaired.  Bergius  consi- 
ders this  root  as  stimulant,  aperient,  and  diuretic ;  and 
indeed  the  more  ancient  writers  speak  highly  of  it,  both 
as  an  internal  and  external  remedy.  Bergius  considers 
it  as  useful  in  a  pituitous  colluvies,  loss  of  appetite, 
sympathetic  headach,  humoral  asthma,  and  inter- 
mittent fever.  Arum  is  certainly  a  very  powerful  and 
permanent  stimulus;  and  by  promoting  the  secretions 
may  be  advantageously  employed  in  cachectic,  chloro- 
tic,  paralytic,  and  rheumatic  affections,  and  in  vari-- 
ous  other  complaints  of  phlegmatic  and  torpid  constitu- 
tions ;  but  more  especially  in  a  weakened  relaxed  state 
of  the  stomach.  That  it  contributes  to  dissolve  the 
viscid  mucus,  we  have  no  reason  to  think,  though,  as 
an  active  stimulant,  it  may  prevent  its  accumulation. 
Its  greatest  utility  seems  to  be  in  palsies,  in  chronic 
rheumatisms,  and  in  atonic  gout,  where  a  permanent 
stimulus  is  wanted.  In  such  cases,  it  has  proved  a  re- 
medy of  particular  value.  The  conserve  of  arum, 
however,  with  thivee  parts  of  sugar  to  one  of  the  root, 
is  too  much  inviscated.  We  have  found  equal  parts 
sufficient  to  cover  the  acrimony  ;  and  sometimes  one 
almond  rubbed  down  with  each  five  grains  has  been  suf- 
ficient. The  dose  is  from  ten  grains  to  a  scruple. 
A'RUM  MOSCHA'TUM.  See  PIPER. 


A  11  \ 


193 


ASA 


A  'RUM  POLTPHT'LLUM,  DRACU'XCULUS.  See  DRACOX- 
TIUM. 

ARU'NDO,  (from  aresco,  to  grow  dry).    The  reed. 

AHU'XDO  FA'HCTA  I'XDI^E  ORIEXTA'LIS.  The  DRA- 
GON'S BLOOD  CAXE.  It  grows  in  the  East  Indies.  The 
juice  of  its  fruit  is  called  dragon's  blood,  in  drops. 

ARL-'XDO    I'MDICA.       See    SAGITTARIA    ALEXIPHAR- 


AHU'XDO  MAJOR  and  MIXOR.  Names  of  the  tibia  and 
fibula. 

ARU'NDO  SACCHARI'FERA,  and  VIVA  BRASILIEXSIBUS. 
See  SACCHARUM. 

ARU'NDO  SYRI'ACA.     See  CALAMUS  AROMATIC-US. 

ABU'XDO  PHHAGMITES,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  12Q,  has  been 
recommended  as  an  antisyphilitic. 

AHU'XDO   BAMBOS.      LOUREIRO.      COCHINCHIXEXS.    56. 

This  reed  is  used  for  many  medicinal  purposes,  though 
of  little  importance.  The  flint  found  in  its  cavities, 
styled  tabashir,  is  a  singular  curiosity,  to  which  we  may 
have  occasion,  for  purposes  more  strictly  medicinal,  to 
allude. 

ARVI'SIUM,  so  called  from  Arvisia,  the-  promon- 
tory of  the  isle  of  Chios,  where  it  was  made.  See 
MALVASIA. 

ARYT-E  NO-EPIGLO  TTICI.  These  are  small 
fleshy  fasciculi,  each  of  which  is  fixed  by  one  end  in 
the  head  of  one  of  the  arytaenoid  cartilages,  and  the 
other  in  the  nearest  edge  of  the  epiglottis. 

ARYTENOIDE'£  CARTILAGINES.     See  As- 

PERA  ARTERIA. 

ARYT.ENOITJES,  vel  ARETjENOI'DES,  (from 
UI-*TX:>X,  a  funnel,  and  nftf,  shafie).  Hence  from  the 
shape  it  takes  the  name.  The  arytfnoid,  or  EWER-LIKE 
CARTILAGE;  called  also  guttalis,  and  gutturiformis.  An 
epithet  of  two  cartilages,  which,  together  with  others, 
constitute  the  head  of  the  larynx. 

ARYT.ENOIDEI  MUSCUL.  MINOR,  vel  OB-. 
LIQUUS,  vel  TRAXSVERSA'LIS.  They  are  situated  on  the 
back  part  of  the  arytaenoid  cartilage.  They  are  very 
small  muscles  which  run  upon  the  surface  of  the  greater 
arytaenoid  muscles  :  they  arise  from  that  part  of  each 
of  the  cartilagines  arytaenoideae,  next  the  cricoides  on 
the  other  sides,  and^  terminating  in  that  part  of  the 
other  or  adjoining  the  arytaenoidal  cartilage  that  is  fur- 
thest from  the  cricoides  on  the  other  sides.  Their  use 
is  to  assist  the  arytaenoidei  majores  in  their  action, 
which  is  much  strengthened  by  the  manifest  decussa- 
tion  of  their  frbnes.  Douglas. 

ARYT.ENOI'DEI  MAJO'RES.  They  are  under  the  arytae- 
noidei minores.  They  have  an  insertion  into  the  annu- 
lar cartilage,  and  help  to  close  the  glottis.  They  arise 
fleshy  from  the  arytaenoid  cartilages  near  their  junction 
with  the  cYicoid  cartilages,  and  running  transversely  of 
an  equal  breadth,  with  straight  fibres,  they  are  inserted 
into  the  same  side  of  the  other  cartilage.  Their  use  is 
to  shut  the  rimula,  or  chink  called  glottis,  by  bringing 
these  two  cartilages  nearer  one  another. 

ARY'THMUS,  ENRY'THMUS,  (from  «,  neg.  and 
fail**,  a  modulation,  or  modification  of  time  and  sound 
in  music,  but  used  to  express  order  and  harmony  in 
general).  Galen  applies  it  to  the-pulse  not  modulating 
according  to  nature. 

Every  age  hath  its  natural  pulse,  which,  as  long  as 
it  keeps  in  its  due  RT'THMUS,  or  modulation  of  time 
and  force,  is  called  EU'RYTHMUS  ;  but  if  it  deviates, 

¥01.    I. 


it  is  a  pulsus  arythmus.  If  it  runs  into  a  modulation 
proper  to  the  next  age,  it  is  pulsus  PARARY'THMUS.  If 
it  changes  to  a  pulse  proper 'for  any  other  age,  it  is 
called  pulsus  HETERO-RY'THMUS.  If  it  passes  into  a 
modulation  not  proper  to  any  age,  it  is  then  a  pulsus 
ECHY'THMUS,  disorderly  or  irregular. 

AS,  was  a  weight  and  a  measure  amongst  the  Ro- 
mans, each  of  twelve  ounces.  See  CYATHUS. 

A'SA,  (from  the  Hebrew  word  asa,  to  heal,  or  per- 
haps lasar,  the  old  name  of  asafftida). 

A'SADU'LCIS,  A'SADU'LCIS  ODORA'TA.  See 
BEXZOIXUM. 

A'SAFCE'TIDA,  vel  A'SSAFCE'TIDA.*  Andsju- 
d<en.  The  STIKKIXG  HEALER.  Also  called  h ingitch,  lager, 
laser-fiitium,  silphium,  king,  cyrenaicus  svccus,  hinditch, 
DEVIL'S  DUXG.  It  is  the  fetid  concrete  juice  of  a  plant 
which  grows  hi  Persia,  and  other  parts  of  the  eastern 
countries.  Kempfer  says,  that  the  plant  resembles 
lovage,  and  that  it  is  the  root  which  yields  the  gummy 
juice.  See  Kempfer's  Amoenitates  Exoticae.  It  is  the 
juice  of  the  'ferula  asafstida  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  356. 
Wildenow  539,  Sp.  11.  Nat.  order  umbellatee.  Philoso- 
phical Transactions,  vol.  Ixxv.  The  plant,  however, 
greatly  differs  from  that  described  by  Kempfer.  This 
juice  is  whitish  at  first,  but  it  gradually  becomes 
browner  and  harder.  The  best  pieces  that  are  brought 
into  Europe  are  of  a  pale  and  yellow  red  colour,  varie- 
gated with  white  masses  or  tears.  This  gum  hath  a 
strong  fetid  smell,  like  that  of  garlic,  and  a  nauseous 
bitter  biting  taste,  which  it  loses  by  keeping.  Its  smell 
and  taste  reside  in  the  resinous  part,  which  is  ^  of  the 
whole ;  spirit  is  therefore  its  best  menstruum,  though 
water  extracts  the  greatest  part  of  it  by  the  aid  of  the 
gummy  matter,  consisting  of  f .  In  distillation  with 
water  the  impregnation  is  strong,  and  a  pale  coloured 
essential  oil  is  received ;  the  remaining  decoction  af- 
fords a  bitter  extract.  In  the  East,  as  by  the  ancients, 
it  was  used  as  a  condiment,  and  has  been  thought  an 
aphrodisiac. 

As  a  medicine  it  is  the  strongest,  of  all  the  deob- 
struent,  fetid,  warm  gums  ;  some  suppose  it  more  dia- 
phoretic and  expectorant  than  the  gum  ammoniacum, 
and  more  useful  as  a  carminative  and  an  emmenagogue 
than  any  other  of  the  fetid  gums.  When  it  disagrees, 
the  milder  gums  of  similar  efficacy  should  be  used  in 
its  stead.  The  next  to  it  is  the  gum  galbanum ;  which, 
if  too  strong,  must  give  way  to  the  gum  sagapenum,  or 
to  the  still  milder  gum  ammoniacum,  or  to  myrrh,  or 
to  the  wild  valerian  root,  which  is  still  milder.  In 
flatulencies,  and  all  the  symptoms  called  nervous,  it 
acts  as  an  anodyne  and  antispasmodic ;  though  some- 
times the  addition  of  opium  greatly  improves  its  effi- 
cacy. It  is  by  far  more  quick  in  its  effects  than  any 
other  of  the  fetid  gums ;  and  it  is  the  speediest  in  re- 
lieving the  anxieties  and  oppressions  of  the  precordia, 
which  frequently  attend  nervous  disorders,  and  nervous 
fevers :  but  in  such  cases  its  efficacy  is  also  increased 
by  joining  it  with  opium,  and  sometimes,  if  not  too 
nauseous,  with  valerian :  one  part  of  the  first  to  two 
parts  of  the  last  may  be  a  general  proportion.  Large 
doses  of  asafoetida,  with  a  blister  on  the  back,  have 
relieved  in  epilepsies,  and  in  palsies  that  succeed  epi- 
lepsies. In  the  nervous  asthma,  joined  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  the  gum  ammoniacum,  it  greatly  relieves  ; 
but  it  sometimes  fails,  an=J  then  the  bark  is  to  be  tried. 

Cc 


ASA 


194 


A  SB 


In  hysteric  complaints,  fetids  are  only  palliatives ;  in 
hysteric  suffocations,  a  plaster  of  asafostida  5  vi-  and 
caniphor  5  ss.  mixed,  by  far  excels  those  made  of  the 
gum  galbanum ;  for  camphor  softens  all  the  resins, 
and  renders  them  more  soluble.  In  hooping-cough 
it  has  been  highly  commended  j  and  may  probably  be 
very  useful,  for  its  expectorant  powers  are  considera- 
ble, and  it  is  an  excellent  antispasmodic.  In  croup  it 
has  been  also  employed.  When  it  cannot  be  given  by 
the  mouth,  it  may  be  safely  and  advantageously  admin- 
istered in  clysters,  from  a  scruple  to  the  youngest 
children,,  to  three  drachms  to  adults,  in  from  two  to 
four  ounces  of  water,  and  in  this  state  it  is  an  effectual 
destroyer  of  ascarides.  We  cannot  find  that  it  has  been 
in  any  other  respect  useful  as  an  anthelmintic.  Exter- 
nally it  has  been  reckoned  an  useful  application  in  bubo 
and  paronychia.  In  nervous  cases  it  acts  as  an  anodyne 
sometimes  where  opium  fails,  and  without  leaving  any 
lowness  on  the  spirits :  and  where  neither  succeeds 
separately,  they  often  answer  if  joined.  Cullen's  Mat. 
Med.  The  dose  of  the  powder  is  from  ten  to  thirty 
grains. 

The  officinal  preparations  are,  the  pil.  e1  gummi, 
consisting  of  two  parts  of  galbanum,  opoponax,  myrrh, 
and  sagapenum  (each),  and  one  part  of  asafoetida.  We 
have  found  however  the  asafoetida,  with  soap  and  a 
small  portion  of  aloes,  a  better  form.  Dissolved  in 
spirits,  it  is  more  usefui  and  quick  in  its  operations. 
Of  the  fixed  alkaline  salt,  a  pound  and  a  half  is  em- 
ployed in  disengaging  the  alkali  of  a  pound  of  sal  am- 
moniac, and  this  mixture  is  distilled  with  four  ounces 
of  asafcetida  from  three  quarts  of  proof  spirits.  This 
-  is  the  volatile,  fetid  spirit  of  the  dispensatories.  The 
tincture  consists  of  four  ounces  of  the  gum  to  a  quart 
of  spirit  of  wine. 

A'SAB.     See  BOROZAIL. 

A'SABA  HE'RMES,  (an  Arabic  term).  It  re- 
ceives its  name  from  Hermes,  its  inventor.  But  azaba 
meaning  tinctured  with  yellow,  as  well  as  a  finger,  it 
may  have  been  named  from  its  colour.  See  HERMO- 
UACTYLUS. 

A'SABON,  (asafihon,  Arab).     See  SAPQ. 

A'SAGAR.     See  ^RUGO  .ERIS. 

A'SAGEN.     See  SANGUIS  DRACONIS. 

A'SAGI  and  A'SAMAZ.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

A'SAMAR.     See  J£RUGO  JERIS. 

A'SONON.  PREPARED  SAL  AMMONIAC.  See  AL- 
KALI. 

ASA'PHATUM,  (from  «,  neg.  and  s-a<p»j$,  clear,} 
minute  eruptions,  hardly  visible.  A  species  of  ser- 
pigo,  or  impetigo,  seemingly  generated  in  the  pores 
like  worms.  When  the  skin  is  pressed,  they  come  out 
like  long  threads,  with  black  heads.  It  consists  in^i 
retention  of  the  sebaceous  substance,  and  forms  threads 
by  hardening  in  the  ducts. 

ASA'PHEIS,  (from  the  same).  Patients  who  do  not 
Utter  their  words  distinctly. 

A'SAPHIA,  ASAPHO'DES.  It  is  the  fiarafihonia 
fialatina  of  Cullen.  See  PARAPHONIA.  '  (It  is  derived 
from  the  same  roots).  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  to 
express  a  muffled  hesitating  tongue  that  hath  no  plain 
utterance ;  such  a  confused  voice  as  proceeds  from  an 
indisposition  of  the  organs  of  speech.  Sometimes  this 
word  signifies  a  dubious  kind  of  delirium  not  easy  to  be 
discovered. 


ASARABA'CCA.     See  ASARUM. 

ASA'RCON,  (from  «,  non.  and  o-«/>|,  caroj.     VOID 

of   FLESH. 

A'SARI  PU'LVIS  COMP.     See  ASARUM. 

ASARI'TES.  The  wine  of  asarum,  made  with 
must,  or  sweet  strong  wine,  jfo  vi.  and  asarum  three 
ounces. 

A'SARON,  A'SARUM,  (from  <*,  non.  and  o-aipu, 
to  adorn}.  So  called  because  it  was  not  admitted  into 
the  ancient  coronal  wreath  :  called  also  nardus  rustica, 
nardus  montana,  WILD  NARD,  and  COMMON  ASSAHA- 
BACCA.  The  species  in  use  is  the  asarum  Euro- 
iiaum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  633.  Nat.  order  sarmentacea : 
aristolochiis  of  Jussieu.  It  is  a  native  of  the  southern 
parts  of  Europe  and  the  warmer  climes,  and  raised  in 
our  gardens.  The  dried  roots  are  brought  from  the 
Levant,  but  those  of  our  own  growth  are  nearly  as 
good. 

The  roots  and  leaves  have  a  somewhat  strong  but  not 
unpleasant  smell,  somewhat  like  that  of  nard;  and  a 
nauseous,  bitter,  acrid  taste,  like  arum.  They  have  the 
same  effect  as  a  medicine ;  but  when  dry,  three  times 
the  quantity  should  be  given  that  is  required  of  the 
fresh  root :  from  thirty  to  sixty  grains  prove  emetic 
and  cathartic.  In  small  doses  this  herb  promotes  the 
menses,  is  diuretic,  and  sudorific.  Spirit  of  wine  ex- 
tracts all  its  virtues,  and  water  a  considerable  portion 
of  them.  Boiled  in  water'  its  virtues  are  destroyed, 
but  it  is  still  said  to  be  a  deobstruent. 

Its  operation  is  harsh,  and  its  use  in  practice  confined 
to  that  of  an  errhine ;  amongst  which  class  it  is  found 
the  most  useful  and  convenient.  A  grain  or  two  of  the 
powdered  root  snuffed  up  the  nose,  procures  a  consi- 
derable evacuation  for  a  long  time,  without  causing  the 
patient  to  sneeze ;  and,  on  this  account,  it  has  been 
found  useful  in  diseases  of  the  head,  particularly  in  the 
more  languid  and  phlegmatic  constitutions.  The  leaves, 
though  as  strong  as  the  roots  in  all  other  respects,  as 
an  errhine,  are  milder.  The  herb  snuffs  have  this  plant 
for  their  basis.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

An  ounce  of  juice  expressed  from  the  fresh  leaves 
operates  as  an  emetic  in  maniacs,  when  antimonials 
fail ;  and  it  is  said  to  be  useful  in  dropsy  and  intermit- 
tents. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  as  a  ster- 
nutatory :  PuLVIS  ASARI  COMPOSITUS.  COMPOUND  POW- 
DER of  ASSARABACCA.  It  consists  of  equal  parts  of  the 
dried  leaves  of  assarabacca,  marjoram,  Syrian  mastich, 
thyme,  and  dried  lavender  flowers. 

This  powder  was  called  pulv.  cephalicus. 

A'SARUM  VIRGINICUM,  callefl  also  serjientaria  nigra. 
BLACK  SNAKE  WEED. 

This  hath  leaves  like  those  of  fiistolochia,  and  are 
spotted  like  arthanita  or  sow  bread.  The  roots  are 
brought  from  Virginia,  mixed  with  the  radix  serpen- 
tum  Virginian,  and  are  used  as  being  the  same. 

ASA'SI,  a  tree  which  grows  on  the  coast  of  Guinea, 
the  infusion  of  whose  leaves  cures  the  tooth-ach.  Phil. 
Transactions,  N°  232. 

ASBE'STINUM.  ASBE'STOS,  or  ASBE'STUS. 
When  the  term  is  applied  to  the  amianthus  or  earth- 
flax,  it  is  derived  from  «,  non.  and  a-^niiv^i,  to  extin- 
guish, because  it  is  uninjured  by-fire ;  when  to  calx  viva, 
or  quick  lime,  it  is  on  account  of  its  unquenchable 
properties.  See  AMIANTHUS.  Also  aname  for  calx  viva. 


ASC 


195 


ASC 


ASCALO'XIA.  So  called  from  Ascalon,  a  city  of 
Judaea,  where  they  abound.  A  species  of  ONIONS. 

ASCALOXITI'DES.  ESCHALOTS,  BARREN  ONIONS, 
or  SCALLIONS. 

ASCARDAMY'CTES,  (from  *,  non,and  e-utf^vm, 
to  •wink').  One  who  keeps  his  eyes  long  fixed  and  im- 
mov  cable  without  twinkling. 

ASC  A 'RIDES,  (from  a.mu,  to  move  about').  So 
called  from  their  continual  troublesome  motion.  See 
VERMES. 

ASCE'XSUS  MORBI,  (from  ascento,  to  increase}.- 
The  ascent  or  increase  of  a  disease. 

A'SCETJL,  (from  ««•««,  to  move  about}.  WREST- 
LERS. 

A'SCIA.     See  DELIGATIO. 

ASCI'TES,  (from  •««*,  uter,  a  water  bottle').  So 
called  from  the  protuberance  of  the  belly  resembling 
that  of  a  bottle.  It  is  the  DROPSY  of  the  BELLY  ;  termed 
also  hydrocele  fieri  ton  £i.  When  water  is  accumulated 
in  the  cavity  of  the  belly  betwixt  the  peritonaeum  and 
the  viscera,  or  rather  in  the  duplicature  of  the  perito- 
naeum, it  constitutes  this  disease.  See  Kirkland's  Med. 
Surgery  for  an  instance  of  an  encysted  ascites,  vol.  ii. 
p.  105. 

Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
cachexie,  and  order  intumescenticc;  and  he  defines  it  a 
tensive,  slightly  elastic,  but  fluctuating,  intumescence 
of  the  abdomen,  of  which  he  enumerates  two  species. 

1st,  ASCITES  ABDOMINALIS,  abdominal  ascites:  when 
there  are  a  regular  and  equal  intumescence  of  the  abdo- 
men, and  a  perceptible  fluctuation ;  the  varieties  of 
which  arise  either  FROM  OBSTRUCTION  OF  THE  VISCERA, 

FROM  DEBILITY,  Or  THINNESS    OF    THE    BLOOD  J      Or    from 

the  nature  of  the  liquid  effused,  whether  jius,  urine, 
chyle,  or  oily  fluid. 

2d,  ASCITES  SACCATUS,  ENCYSTED  ASCITES;  when  the 
ovaries,  kc.  are  the  seat  of  the  disease,  wherein  the 
tumour  of  the  abdomen,  at  least  in  the  beginning,  is 
partial,  and  the  fluctuation  less  evident  than  in  the  for- 
mer species. 

Sauvages  forms  a  different  division,  and  by  no  means 
an  useless  one;  he  arranges  the  ascites  into — 1st,  The 
genus  abdominal,  of  which  he  forms  thirteen  varieties; 
£d,  Serous  not  abdominal,  of  which  are  six  varieties ; 
3d,  Abdominal  not  serous,  of  which  there  are  five;  4th, 
.^'either  serous  nor  abdominal,  of  which  he  forms  six 
varieties.  See  Xpsologia  Methodica,  vol.  ii.  p.  498. 

We,  however,  in  this  place  consider  such  species 
only  where  a  preternatural  accumulation  of  water  is  the 
cause,  from  which  no  age  or  sex  is  exempt,  though  it 
generally  occurs  in  old  men,  and  women  after  child 
bearing. 

The  causes  are  various;  viz.  jaundice,  great  evacu- 
ations of  blood  or  serum,  long  continued  intermittents, 
asthma,  a  rupture  of  some  lymphatic  vessel,  obstruc- 
tions in  any  of  the  viscera,  most  frequently  a  scirrhous 
liver,  repelled  eruptions,  atonic  gout,  polypi  of  the 
heart,  steatoms  of  the  omentum.  or  any  thing  that  ob- 
structs the  return  of  the  venous  blood,  large  quantities 
of  diluting  liquors,  or,  in  general,  whatever  tan  ussen 
the  quantity  of  crassamenturr.  in  the  blood,  ar.d  weaken 
the  system.  But  the  immediate  causes  arc  either  a 
rupture  of  the  lymphatics,  in  which  case  the  fluid  ap- 


pears whitish  when  tapping  is  performed,  increased  ex- 
halation, or  diminished  absorption. 

This  kind  of  drofisy  is  sometimes  very  rapid  in  its 
approach  and  advances,  then  continues  many  years 
without  making  any  progress ;  at  others  its  advances 
are  very  slow,  and  a  number  of  years  elapse  before  it 
manifests  itself  in  a  confirmed  state.  One  of  the  first 
signs  is  a  languor  and  an  aversion  to  motion,  with  pit- 
ting of  the  ankles  towards  the  evening,  and  a  shortness 
of  breath  ;  though  it  should  be  observed  that  the  pitting 
of  the  ankles  is  not  conclusive,  since  it  often  attends 
pregnant  women,  as  well  as  old  men  with  gross  habits, 
when  suddenly  freed  from  an  asthma  under  which  they 
have  laboured  many  years.  If,  after  the  swelling  of  the 
feet,  the  legs  and  thighs  swell  also,  the  case  is  plain, 
and  these  anasarcous  swellings  usually  precede  ascites. 
The  palms  of  the  hands  are  dry  and  hard;  perspiration, 
is  greatly  diminished ;  the  urine  is  less  and  less  in 
quantity,  appears  turbid,  high  coloured,  and  deposits  a 
large  quantity  of  a  lateritious  sediment;  the  belly  gra- 
dually swells;  and,  in  proportion,  the  breathing  be- 
comes short,  the  appetite  for  solid  food  fails,  and  thirst 
increases ;  a  slow  fever  sometimes  attends ;  the  face 
and  arms  are  emaciated;  a  paleness  at  first,  and  after- 
wards a  yellowish  colour,  is  seen  in  the  skin.  These 
symptoms  grow  worse,  and  a  dry  cough  comes  on ;  the 
belly  is  .greatly  distended;  and,  except  the  water  is 
contained  in  cysts,  or  hath  rendered  the  integuments 
too  tense,  it  may  be  felt  to  fluctuate  by  gently  tapping 
one  side  of  the  belly  with  one  hand,  while  the  other 
is  placed  on  the  opposite  side.  At  length  little  watery 
vesicles  arise  on  the  feet,  which  burst,  and  from  them  a 
quantity  of  water  is  discharged,  which  greatly  relieves 
for  a  time,  and  has  been  known  to  remove  the  complaint. 
A  mortification,  however,  frequently  comes  on  ;  or,  the 
strength  gradually  failing,  the  patient  sinks  from  weak- 
ness, or  is  suffocated  from  accumulation  of  water. 

If  a  scirrhus  in  any  of  the  viscera  is  the  cause,  a  cure 
is  scarcely  to  be  expected ;  since  the  swelling  presses 
on  the  lymphatics  and  retards  absorption.  If  an  ascites 
succeeds  other  diseases,  in  which  the  viscera  were  in- 
jured, if  the  thirst  is  great,  and  other  symptoms  violent, 
there  are  but  little  hopes  of  recovery.  An  haemorr- 
hage, or  an  erysipelas  coming  on,  with  an  increase  of 
the  fever,  is  highly  dangerous.  It  is  a  bad  sign  when 
diuretics  in  every  form,  and  of  every  different  kind, 
fail.  If  the  fluctuation,  when  the  hand  is  laid  on  one 
side  of  the  belly  and  struck  with  the  other  on  the  oppo- 
site side,  can  be  felt  only  partially,  tapping  will  afford  a 
temporary  relief;  though,  in  such  a  case,  we  cannot 
expect  to  empty  the  belly  totally ;  for  this  can  only  be 
the  case  when  the  fluctuation  is  felt  by  very  distinctly 
striking  on  any  point  of  the  belly.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  perspiration  increases,  or  the  discharge  of 
urine  becomes  plentiful,  these  afford  favourable  prog- 
nostics. Indeed,  without  the  urine  continues  to  flow 
with  tolerable  freedom,  or  is  compensated  by  other 
watery  evacuations,  there  remains  very  little  hope  of  a 
perfect  recovery. 

The  distinction  of  ascites  is  of  great  importance, 

especially  the  distinction  between  the  disease  and  the 

pregnant  state.      In  an  unmarried  person,  there  ;s  no 

disease  which  will  so  effectually  conceal  the  real  situa- 

C  c  2  " 


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tion  as  dropsy ;  and,  in  a  married  woman,  where  there 
is  no  pretence  or  wish  for  concealment,  dropsy  will 
sometimes  be  considered  as  the  caxise,  while  the  swell- 
ing arises  from  pregnancy,  or  is  combined  with  it. 
Dreadful  to  relate !  the  trocar  has,  more  than  once, 
within  our  own  observation,  happily  not  by  our  direc- 
tion, been  plunged  into  a  pregnant  uterus. 

When  the  unmarried  libertine  disguises  her  fault 
under  the  pretence  of  dropsy,  we  cannot  expect  to  gain 
any  information  from  enquiry  into  the  state  of  the 
menses ;  for  she  can  invent  circumstances,  as  well  as 
the  principal  fact.  We  must  draw  our  conclusion, 
therefore,  from  the  first  appearance,  the  progress,  and 
the  state  of  the  tumour.  If  a  person  of  a  phlegmatic, 
cachectic  habit,  finds  a  tumour  gradually  coming  on, 
without  beginning  at  the  bottom  of  the  abdomen,  and  a 
fluctuation  is  observable  in  this  tumour ;  if,  at  the  same 
time,  the  urine  is  scanty  and  the  legs  swell ;  we  may 
conclude  it  to  be  dropsy.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  tu- 
mour began  to  rise  above  the  symphysis  of  the  pubes  ; 
if  there  is  no  fluctuation1;  if  the  general  health  and  ap- 
petite be  good ;  we  may  suspect  pregnancy.  Yet,  in 
the  pregnant  state,  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
uterus  will  rise  on  one  side  rather  than  the  other;  and 
in  encysted  dropsies  the  swelling  is  not  general.  Such 
circumstances  occasion  much  doubt  and  uneasiness; 
for,  in  one  case,  the  physician's  character,  in  the  other, 
the  woman's,  is  at  stake.  In  such  situations  we  must 
rest  in  suspense,  carefully  watching  the  progress,  and 
attending  to  the  state  of  the  breasts,  and  other  symp- 
toms of  pregnancy.  When  the  swelling  has'  reached 
near  the  umbilicus,  the  round  circumscribed  tumour  of 
the  uterus  can  be  distinctly  felt,  and  can  rarely  be  mis- 
taken. We  have,  however,  a  recent  instance  before 
us,  to  show  that  mistake  is  not  impossible.  If  there  is 
still  any  room  for  hesitation,  we  should  wait  longer, 
nor  proceed  to  active  measures  till  the  tumour  has  con- 
tinued so  long  as  to  prevent  any  further  doubt  of  its 
nature. 

It  happens  also,  as  we  have  said,  that  married 
women  who  have  no  wish  for  concealment,  or  women 
of  decidedly  bad  characters  who  cannot  be  injured  by 
an  illegal  pregnancy,  have  sometimes  equivocal  com- 
plaints of  this  kind.  Such  doubtful  cases  chiefly  occur 
at  the  change  of  life,  when  the  cessation  of  the  courses 
gives  a  colourable  appearance  to  the  suspicions  of 
pregnancy.  In  this  case,  the  general  health,  and  the 
state  or  progress  of  the  tumour,  will  enable  us  to  de- 
cide ;  but  we  would  deprecate  any  hasty  decision  of  its 
being  dropsy,  and  any  violent  remedies,  till  a  sufficient 
period  has  elapsed  to  destroy  the  slightest  suspicion  of 
a  pregnant  state. 

There  is  one  other  disagreeable  situation  for  the 
practitioner;  we  mean,  when  dropsy  and  pregnancy 
are  combined.  If  a  married  or  an  abandoned  woman 
has  dropsy,  it  is  not  impossible  but  that  she  may  be 
also  with  child.  The  menstrual  discharge  will  some- 
times continue  during  the  whole  of  pregnancy;  and,  in 
such  circumstances,  all  suspicion  sleeps.  Yet  the  state 
of  the  breasts,  an  areola  round  the  nipple,  the  capricious 
appetite,  or  the  morning  sickness,  will  give  the  alarm. 
These  circumstances  should  be  always  attended  to,  and 
will  suggest  the  necessity  of  caution.  Every  caution, 
however,  has  failed ;  and,  in  one  instance,  within  our 


own  knowledge,  during  the  operation  of  a  drastic  pur- 
gative, a  premature  delivery  came  on,  though  every 
possible  attention  had  been  paid  to  the  diagnostic 
symptoms. 

Yet,  again,  a  married  couple  anxiously  wish  for  a 
child,  and  the  lady  begins  to  swell.  Woe  to  the  prac- 
titioner who  shall  announce  that  she  is  in  a  dropsy  1 
Whatever  the  circumstances  or  his  opinion  be,  he  must 
be  cautious  of  opposing  openly  the  wish;  he  must  watch 
with  care  till  the  continuation  of  the  complaint  will  as- 
sist the  discovery  of  the  unpleasing  truth ;  while,  by 
safe  but  sufficiently  active  medicines,  he  can  prevent 
the  dropsy,  should  it  be  so,  from  gaining  ground ;  and 
he  will  reflect  that  she  may  still  be  pregnant.  In  the 
worst  circumstances  of  general  health,  also,  a  woman  is 
sometimes  with  child ;  and,  when  dropsy  would  natu- 
rally occur,  it  is  not  an  unpardonable  error  to  consider 
any  tumour  in  the  abdomen  as  such.  The  physician, 
however,  in  every  case  of  supposed  ascites,  should  be 
guarded  with  the  most  unremitting  caution. 

Tumours  of  the  abdomen  may  sometimes  be  mis-_ 
taken  for  dropsy,  but  the  hardness  and  irregularity  will 
soon  discover  the  nature  of  the  complaint.  Wind,  either 
in  the  cavity  of  the  peritonaeum  or  in  the  intestines,  is 
distinguished  by  the  elasticity  of  the  tumour,  the  want  of 
fluctuation,  and,  in  the  last  instance,  by  its  variable  state, 
and  the  relief  felt  from  the  occasional  discharge  of  flatus. 

The  CURE  of  ASCITES  is  a  difficult  task;  and  indeed 
the  best  concerted  plans  generally  fail,  as  the  disease  is 
often  a  symptom  of  a  decayed  constitution,  of  the  vis 
vitje  no  longer  able  to  support  the  requisite  equilibrium 
of  discharges  and  absorptions.  When  dropsy  fallows 
frequently  occurring  paroxysms  of  asthma,  it  is  gene- 
rally found  to  arise  from  obstructions  to  the  returning 
blood,  in  consequence  of  ossifications  on  the  right  side 
of  the  heart:  where  shall  we  find  the  solvents  of  these 
bony  substances  ?  When  the  disease  proceeds  from  ob- 
structed liver,  we  must  reflect,  that  the  veins  from  al- 
most all  the  chylopoietic  viscera  center  there,  and  that 
the  whole  venous  system  of  the  abdomen  is  conse- 
quently obstructed:  where  shall  we  find  aperients  and 
deobstruents  of  sufficient  power  to  remove  the  ob- 
stacle ?  When,  from  long  continued  excess,  the  whole 
system  is  weakened,  where  shall  we  find  the  restorative 
to  renew  youth,  to  give  fresh  vigour,  and  new  powers 
to  the  whole  machine,  to  approach  the  art  of  conferring 
immortality  ?  Yet  medical  authors  draw  their  indica- 
tions, and  speak  with  confidence  of  their  remedies : 
the  inexperienced  student  believes,  and  is  disappointed; 
is  credulous,  and  soon  becomes  sceptical.  It  is  our 
business  to  guard  against  each  extreme ;  and  to  add, 
that,  though  the  cure  of  dropsy  is  difficult,  and  often 
hopeless,  yet  that  we  can  almost  always  alleviate,  and 
sometimes  cure. 

If  the  indications  to  diminish  exhalation  and  increase 
absorption  could  be  followed,  we  might  be  more  san- 
guine. The  most  frequent  part  of  our  duty,  however, 
is  to  increase  other  evacuations,  that  nature  may  supply 
the  defect, from  the  accumulated  fluid  of  the  cavities. 

If,  however,  we  would  diminish  exhalation,  we  should 
employ  cordials  and  tonics  to  support  the  action  of  the 
extreme  vessels  which  convey  the  blood  back  to  the 
heart.  In  this  way  we  may  suppose  mercurials  of  use; 
and,  it  has  certainly  happened,  that,  in  cases  where 


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there  was  no  suspicion  of  obstructed  liver,  calomel  and 
mercurial  frictions  have  been  of  great  service.  Where 
such  obstructions  do  occur,  the  use  of  mercurials  is  less 
equivocal.  The  .employment  of  warm  tonics  is  refer- 
able also  to  this  head ;  and  perhaps  the  oleum  terebin- 
thinse  and  the  mustard,  may  produce,  in  part,  their  ef- 
fect from  their  stimulus.  The  more  modern  French 
physicians  usually  combine  tonics  with  their  evacuants, 
perhaps  with  propriety,  except  in  cases  of  hydrothorax. 
Dr.  Magennis  has  published  in  our  own  language  an 
account  of  his  practice,  which  induces  us  to  mention 
his  name;  but  various  observations  occur  in  the  Me- 
moires  de  Medecine  of  the  same  tendency.  Dr.  Magen- 
nis gave  the  myrrh  and  ferrum  vitriolatum  with  the 
squills;  and  Cornette  and  others  give  with  the  eva- 
cuants, bark  and  cordials.  Bacher's  tonic  pills  are  re- 
ferable to  this  head.  The  basis  was  black  hellebore, 
whose  acrimony  he  attempted  to  correct  by  repeated 
affusions  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  afterwards  by  Rhenish 
wine.  The  latter  was  supplied  in  proportion  as  it  was 
imbibed  by  the  roots,  so  as  to  continue  covered,  nearly 
six  fingers  breadth  above  them,  for  forty -eight  hours. 
The  whole  was  then  boiled  for  half  an  hour,  and  the 
wine  pressed  out.  The  process  was  repeated,  and  the 
fluids  added,  inspissated  to  the  consistence  of  a  syrup. 
One  part  of  the  extract  is  then  mixed  with  two  parts  of 
boiling  water,  and  the  whole  again  inspissated.  This 
preparation  of  the  pills  is,  he  thinks  of  great  import- 
ance, as  the  substances  combined  to  form  a  mass  must 
be  both  inviscating  and  soluble  in  the  stomach.  For 
this  purpose  an  ounce  of  the  extract  is  united  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  an  inspissated  solution  of  myrrh, 
and  the  whole  made  into  a  mass  with  three  drachms  and  a 
scruple  of  powdered  carduus  benedictus.  "The  pills 
contain  a  grain  and  a  half  each  of  this  mass.  He  calls 
them  evacuant  and  tonic;  but  they  seem  to  act  chiefly 
as  evacuants.  In  his  hands,  and  in  those  of  Dr.  Daig- 
nan,  they  succeeded:  with  almost  every  other  practi- 
tioner they  have  failed;  and  are  now  little  used  in  this 
country,  though  they  maintain  their  credit  on  some 
parts  of  the  continent. 

In  fact,  therefore,  as  we  have  said,  our  chief  object  is 
to  increase  the  serous  evacuations,  in  order  to  assist 
absorption.  This  is  most  successfully  performed  by 
increasing  the  evacuations  from  the  mouth  and  salivary 
glands;  from  the  skin;  from  the  stomach;  from  the 
intestines,  and  the  kidneys. 

Some  few  solitary  instances  of  spontaneous  salivation 
proving  a  remedy  for  dropsy,  have  led  to  the  use  of 
mercury  for  this  purpose.  Yet  as  mercurial  salivation 
is  not  only  a  severe  remedy,  but  a  frequent  cause  of 
dropsy,  it  has  not  been  followed.  When  obstructed 
perspiration  is  a  cause,  sudorifics  have  been  employed ; 
yet  these  weaken  the  system,  in  general,  too  much,  if 
persisted  in  for  the  time  required  in  this  disease.  We 
have,  however,  before  us  a  man  who  laboured  under  a 
dropsy  twenty -five  years  since,  from  working  in  a  river: 
all  the  remedies  failed  till  he  took  Dover's  sudorific 
powder,  which  succeeded,  and  he  has  had  no  return. 
In  this  long  interval  it  is,  however,  a  solitary  case, 
though  the  same  plan  has  been  often  tried. 

Some  instances  also'  of  water  having  been  evacuated 
from  the  stomach,  have  led  to  the  use  of  emetics. 
These  are  indeed  remedies  of  importance  for  prosr.o^njf 
absorption,  independent  of  the  evacuation  they  pro- 


duce. In  the  general  cases  of  dropsy,  they  are  inad- 
missible from  the  debility  of  the  patient,  and  from  their 
preventing  a  proper  supply  of  nourishment  or  cordials. 
We  find  few  instances  of  'their  use,  and  fewer  of  their 
efficacy. 

The  discharge  from  the  intestines  we  consider  as  of 
the  greatest  service  in  dropsy ;  and,  indeed,  we  cannot 
say  that  the  cure  has  in  any  case  properly  succeeded 
where  this  discharge  has  not  accompanied  the  others. 
Sydenham  advised  purgatives  every  day,  unless  too 
great  weakness  prevented  their  use.  In  the  operation 
of  purgatives,  however,  this  distinction  must  be  made. 
If  accompanied  by  violent  colics,  and  an  inconsiderable 
or  a  disproportioned  discharge,  weakness  is  the  conse- 
quence, and  the  remedy  must  be  discontinued;  but  if 
they  operate  without  pain  and  inconvenience,  and  if  the 
stools  are  water)',  whatever  the  number  may  be,  weak- 
ness does  not  follow.  It  should  be  the  physician's  busi- 
ness, then,  to  attain  this  end  by  his  choice  of  the  medi- 
cine. The  saline  purgatives  are  the  most  obvious  ones ; 
but  in  general  the  quantity  necessary,  and  the  large 
proportion  of  fluid  to  convey  them,  prevent  their  exhi- 
bition. The  sal  diurericus,  the  salt  most  generally  em- 
ployed, has  been  perhaps  preferred  from  its  name,  and 
indeed  seldom  acts  without  assistance  as  a  purgative. 
The  cremor  tartari  is  more  common,  and  has  been 
highly  commended;  yet,  alone,  the  necessary  dose  is 
too  large,  and  we  have  been  induced  to  join  with  it  a 
proportion  of  jalap,  a  medicine  preferred  as,  in  small 
doses,  sufficiently  mild,  and  as  supposed  to  combine  • 
diuretic  powers.  Yet,  with  many  persons,  this  medicine 
must  be  still  further  quickened ;  and  a  convenient  addi- 
tion is  the  gutta  gamba. 

In  the  list  of  cathartics,  we  find  the  more  acrid  kinds 
distinguished  by  the  name  of./iydragog-ues,  expellers  of 
water.  This  is,  indeed,  the  characteristic  of  many  of 
the  resinous  purgatives;  so  that  what  we  have  said  of 
the  milder  kinds  is  rather  cautionary  than  strictly  ne- 
cessary. Of  those  hydragogues,  the  elaterium  (the  in- 
spissated juice  of  the  wild  cucumber),' the  colocynth, 
the  gutta  gamba,  are  the  chief;  and  next  in  order  are 
the  scammony,  the  jalap,  and  the  seneka.  A  formula 
of  Dr.  Dover  is  powerfully  hydragogue;  it  consists  of 
four  parts  of  scammony;  crude  antimony,  and  sulphu- 
rated steel,  of  each  one  part :  and  from  a  scruple  to  half 
a  drachm  is  a  powerful  dose.  Of  these,  the  elaterium 
and  the  colocynth  alone  appear  too  stimulant.  They 
have  seldom  succeeded  in  procuring  watery  stools  with- 
sut  greatly  irritating  and  weakening  the  patient.  Gutta 
gamba  succeeds  better;  but  this  beyond  a  grain  or  two 
produces  sickness,  languor,  and  faintness :  and  it  seems 
more  useful  in  rendering  other  purgatives  active  than 
given  alone.  Scammony  holds  its  rank  as  an  ingredient 
in  Dover's  formula,  and  is  not  often  employed  alone. 
The  seneka  is  highly  recommended  by  Dr.  Milman; 
but  he  proposes  only  half  an  ounce  or  six  drachms  of  the 
root  to  a  pint  of  the  decoction,  instead  of  an  ounce  for- 
merly directed  by  the  Edinburgh  college;  and  his  pro- 
portion is,  in  the  late  edition,  adopted.  It  is  an  active 
purgative,  and  said  also  to  be  diuretic.  The  jalap  is  the 
remedy  most  commonly  employed.  It  is  remarked  by- 
Lewis  that  the  watery  infusion  is  diuretic,  and  the  spi- 
rituou;,  tmcture  cathartic;  and  this  has  been  repeated 
by  evv-!-y  author,  without  having  tried  the  experiment. 
On  trial  we  have  found  no  such  effect  from  the  infu- 


A  SC 


198 


A  SC 


sion ;  and  the  tincture  of  jallap,  or  its  resin ;  has  ap- 
peared to  us  the  best  preparattioii.  Combined  with  soap, 
in  pills,  the  resin  has  not  appeared  too  virulent. 

One  observation  arises  on  an  examination  of  the 
effects  of  purgatives,  viz.  that  the  more  active  ones, 
which  excite  languor  and  nausea,  are  the  most  useful; 
apparently  the  relaxation  thus  produced,  assists  their 
purgative  power,  as  a  small  proportion  of  emetic  tartar 
greatly  increases  the  action  of  the  resinous  purgatives 
in  general.  The  diuretics  also,  which  arc  most  useful, 
possess  a  similar  effect;  and  the  squills  seldom  succeed 
in  increasing  the  discharge  of  urine  to  any  degree,  till 
raised  to  a  nauseating  dose.  Another  remark  which 
we  may  suggest  is,  that,  during  the  action  of  hydra- 
gogues,  the  secretion  by  the  kidneys  is  scarcely  in  any 
instance  increased;  yet  the  patient  recovers  strength, 
appetite,  and  spirits :  and  indeed  we  have  found,  in  the 
happiest  recoveries,  that  the  urinary  discharge  is  not 
increased,  till  the  load  of  water  is  in  a  great  degree  re- 
moved. A  similar  observation  will  recur  when  we 
speak  of  the  operation  of  the  paracentesis.  Amidst 
these  numerous  advantages,  it  is  with  some  surprise 
that  we  find  a  man  of  judgment  and  experience,  Dr. 
Fordyce,  so  adverse  to  cathartics;  and  we  suspect,  that 
a  little  prejudice  prevented  him  from  using  them  with 
so  much  freedom  as  would  show  their  utility.  When 
w'e  reflect  also,  that  one  of  the  most  frequent  causes  of 
dropsy,  obstructed  liver,  is  greatly  benefited  by  purga- 
tives, our  temptation  to  employ  them  will  be  increased. 

As  we  pretend  not  to  have  enumerated  all  the  purga- 
tives employed  at  different  times,  but  only  to  appreciate 
the  value  of  the  more  useful  ones,  so,  in  the  enumera- 
tion of  diuretics,  we  shall  follow  a  similar  plan.  Of 
these,  the  .principal  is  the  squill,  with  the  rest  of  the 
onion  tribe.  It  is,  alone,  a  host:  and  could  we  render 
it  a  purgative  as  often  as  we  find  it  injuriously  so,  viz. 
in  pneumonia,  we  should  perhaps  want  no  other  medi- 
cine for  all  curable  dropsies.  In  every  form,  dry  or 
fresh,  in  vinegar  or  tincture,  it  succeeds  in  the  greater 
number  of  cases ;  but  its  nauseous  taste  renders  pills 
the  most  convenient  mode  of  exhibiting  it;  and  the 
dry  powder,  which  retains  all  its  activity  an  a  moderate 
bulk,  best  adapted  for  the  purpose.  With  cream  of 
tartar,  and  a  small  portion  of  jalap,  it  is  highly  useful, 
as  combining  a  diuretic  and  purgative  effect;  and,  with 
the  resin  of  jalap  and  gutta  gamba,  in  pills,  Us  utility 
is  almost  unrivalled.  Of  the  other  vegetables  of  the 
onion  tribe  we  use  only  the  juice  of  leeks,  which, 
though  nauseous,  is  said  to  be  often  successful.  The 
colchicum  autumnale  is  apparently  the  next  in  power : 
we  have  sometimes  thought  superior,  for  it  has  suc- 
ceeded where  squills  seem  to  have  failed.  The  broom 
is  a  very  useful  diuretic  ;  and  the  broom  ashes,  as  com- 
bining the  alkaline  salt  with  the  essential  oil  of  the  ve- 
getable, have  been  highly  commended.  The  alkaline 
salts  themselves  are  useful  in  this  way,  though  of 
weaker  power.  The  broom  seeds  formed  the  secret  re- 
medy of  Lemery ;  but  these  are  acrid,  and  in  general 
unmanageable. 

The  other  diuretics  are,  the  lactuca  virosa,  the  juni- 
per berries,  the  taraxacum,  the  nicotiana,  and  the  fox 
glove.  The  first  rests  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Colin  of 
Vienna,  for  the  medicine  has  been  rarely  given  in  this 
country.  The  juniper  berries  are  well  known,  and  the 
diuretic  effects  of  gin  (from  Giunipero  in  Italian)  suffi- 


ciently understood.  The  taraxacum  is  still  more  pow- 
erful ;  and  the  tobacco,  especially  when  its  alkaline  salt 
is  employed,  appears,  from  Dr.  Fowler,  to  be  a  very 
active,  useful  medicine,  meriting  much  more  attention 
than  it  has  received.  The  fox  glove  requires  a  longer 
discussion.  It  is  arranged  in  a  poisonous  and  suspicious 
order  with  the  nicotiana,  Sec.;  and  in  many  instances  it 
seemingly  shows  a  deleterious  power.  In  dropsy,  death 
often  suddenly  seizes  the  patient ;  but  we  have  thought 
this  sudden  termination  still  more  frequent  when  the 
fox  glove  has  been  taken.  It  is,  however,  a  remedy  of 
considerable  power  and  utility.  The  weakness,  the 
nausea,  and  the  affection  of  the  head,  which  often"  fol- 
lows its  exhibition,  would  point  it  out  as  chiefly  useful 
to  the  strong  and  active.  On  the  contrary,  however, 
the  weak,  languid,  worn  out  constitution  is  chiefly  be- 
nefited by  the  fox  glove;  and  the  discharge  of  urine, 
which  it  occasionally  produces,  is  astonishing.  Every 
part  of  the  plant  is  equally  effectual;  but  the  leaves  are 
generally  employed,  and  the  dry  powder  is  the  most  use- 
ful and  certain  preparation.  We  fear,  however,  that 
the  injuries  resulting  from  it  have  greatly  overbalanced 
the  benefits. 

Diuretics  from  other  sources  have  been  numerous. 
From  the  animal  kingdom  we  have  received  the  can- 
tharides,  which,  with  some  physicians,  have  been  a  fa- 
vourite remedy.  We  own,  however,  that  in  our  hands 
they  have  not  produced  any  diuretic  effect,  nor  have  we 
recognized  their  activity  till  they  have  reached  the  neck 
of  the  bladder.  Some  other  species  of  the  meloe  have 
been  supposed  also  diuretic,  but  experience  has  not  de- 
cided on  their  virtues. 

The  chief  remedy  of  the  mineral  kingdom  is  nitrc» 
whose  powers  are  not  considerable;  and  chemistry 
has  furnished  us  with  the  sweet  spirit  of  nitre,  an  sethe- 
rial  fluid,  which  in  slight  cases  is  often  successful.  The 
turpentine  also,  formerly  mentioned,  is  a  preparation 
frequently  and  generally  useful  as  a  diuretic. 

Some  other  modes  of  relief  remain.  A  powerful  one 
is  friction;  and  friction,  with  olive  oil,  has  been_ em- 
ployed since  the  time  of  Celsus,  though  the  oil,  by 
general  consent,  is  considered  as  useful  only  to  prevent 
excoriation.  Perhaps  the  friction  with  camphorated  oil 
has  no  very  different  effect;  and  when  the  external  ap- 
plication of  mercurial  ointment  has  been  found  useful, 
friction  may  have  had  some  share  in  the  success.  Mus- 
tard and  horse  radish  have  been  ordered  without  any 
determinate  view,  and  have  been  attended  with  no  very 
striking  success.  The  mustard  seed  unbruised,  often 
swallowed  in  dropsical  and  paralytic  complaints,  acts 
only  as  a  gentle  laxative. 

Two  important  subjects  remain:  the  first  is  the  pro- 
priety of  indulging  diluted  liquors,  and  the  second  the 
operation  of  the  paracentesis.  For  nearly  two  hundred 
years  it  has  been  common  to  prohibit  the  use  of  fluids 
in  dropsy;  and  the  reason  probably  was,  that  as  an  ex- 
cess of  diluents  sometimes  brought  it  on,  so  they  might 
continue  or  increase  it.  We  recollect  a  case  in  the 
Medical  and  Physical  Essays  of  Edinburgh,  where  a 
salt  herring  was  ordered  without  any  liquid:  the  thirst 
was  burning  and  intolerable;  but  after  a  time  it  ceased, 
and  a  flow  of  urine  came  on.  In  such  a  violent  agita- 
tion, nature  might  have  exerted  her  powers  to  supply 
dilution;  and  the  absorption,  once  commenced,  might 
have  continued.  The  experiment  is,  however,  to» 


ASC 


199 


ASC 


violent  to  be  repeated;  and,  in  a  less  degree,  the  ab- 
staining from  drink  would  probably  be  useless.    In  fact, 
the  prohibition  is  of  a  modern  date :  it  was  not  the  prac- 
tice of  the  ancients;  it  is  not  of.  the  most  experienced 
physicians  of  the  present  day.     If  a  regular  course  of 
evacuants   is  pursued,  the  fluid  taken  in  will  not  at 
least  be   injurious :  it  may  be  beneficial ;  for  wateiy 
liquors  verging  to  the  kidneys  may.  excite  their  action, 
and  thus  contribute  to   the  absorption.     It  generally 
happens,  that,  during  a  course  of  purgatives  and  diure- 
tics in  dropsy,  occasionally  refusing  or  supplying  drinks, 
occasions  little  alteration  in  the  progress  of  the  com- 
plaint: if  there  is  any  change,  the  cure  is  accelerated; 
and  we  think  we  have  seen,  that  cathartics  and  diuretics 
have  not  had  their  proper  and  appropriate  effects  till 
diluent  drinks  have  been  allowed.     The  prejudices  of 
patients  have  sometimes   occasioned  their  rigorously 
abstaining  from  drink,  but  we  have  never  found  the 
cure  advance  more  rapidly.     Dr.  Milman  has  consider- 
ed the  subject  at  length',  and  is  of  this  opinion;  and 
we  formerly  examined  in  a  chronological  series  the 
opinions  of  the  ancient  physicians  on  this  subject,  and 
found  them  speaking  the  same  language ;  but  this  his- 
torical research  would  be  too  extensive  for  the  present 
work. 

The  operation  of  the  paracentesis  has  been  in  general 
too  long  delayed.  If  there  is  a  considerable  accumula- 
tion of  fluid  in  the  abdomen,  and  the  different  evacu- 
ants have  no  decided  or  powerful  effects,  it  should  be 
attempted  early.  When  the  load  is  removed,  medi- 
cines, which  were  unequal  to  the  discharge  of  so  large 
a  quantity,  may  prevent  its  again  accumulating;  and,  at 
all  events,  the  removing  the  pressure  from  the  kidneys 
appears  to  facilitate  the  action  of  their  vessels :  even  a 
spontaneous  discharge  of  urine  has  been  the  result; 
and  diuretics  certainly  answer  with  greater  certainty  and 
effect  after  the  former  burden  is  taken  off.  Dr.  Fother- 
gill  recommends  the  operation  so  soon  as  the  degree 
of  distention  removes  all  fear  of  wounding  the  intes- 
tines. Dr.  Hunter  leans  to  the  same  opinion  ;  and  Dr. 
Baker  urges  it  more  confidently. 

Yet,  in  directing  the  operation,  we  should  examine 
several  questions  with  great  care ;  and  the  neglect  of 
this  enquiry  has  contributed  to  its  disrepute.  The 
general  contents  of  dropsical  swellings  are  serum,  not 
essentially  different  from  the  serum  of  the  blood;  but 
•we  sometimes  find  it  lymph  from  a  rupture  of  a  lacteal ; 
sometimes  purulent  matter  from  a  supposed  previous 
inflammation ;  sometimes  the  peculiar  serosity  of  hyda- 
tids.  The  two  former  may  perhaps  be  distinguished  by 
a  want  of  freedom  in  the  fluctuation;  yet  this  criterion 
is  necessarily  uncertain;  and,  in  some  of  the  less  sen- 
sible viscera,  suppuration  proceeds  with  so  little  fever, 
that  we  have  no  reason  for  suspecting  the  existence  of 
purulent  matter.  Added  to  this,  it  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain that  this  peculiar  fluid  may  not  be  secreted  from  a 
surface  not  previously  inflamed.  DeHaen  was  of  this 
opinion;  and  we  have,  we  think,  seen  two  instances  of 
purulent  matter  in  the  abdomen,  apparently  secreted 
from  its  parietes  without  previous  fever.  When  the 
fluid  is  the  lymph  effused,  in  consequence  of  a  rupture 
of  a  lymphatic,  there  is  no  particular  danger  from  the 
operatiun;  but  should  the  accumulation  recur,  perhaps 
some  delay  may  be  necessary,  as  the  pressure  of  the  ef- 
fused fluid  may  contribute  to  prevent  further  effusion, 


and  heal  the  wound.  Where  the  fluid  is  purulent,  the 
worst  consequences  result  from  the  operation,  as  the 
access  of  air  soon  occasions  putrefaction;  and,  though 
some  present  relief  is  obtained,  we  have  seldom  seen 
such  patients  long  survive  the  operation.  It  would  be 
an  object  of  importance,  therefore,  to  be  able  to  ascer- 
tain its  existence;  but  there  are  no  discriminating 
symptoms,  except  the  fluctuation  and  the  apparent 
causes. 

When  the  accumulation  is  from  hydatids,  there  is  no 
peculiarity  in  the  symptoms,  and  indeed  no  danger 
from  the  operation.  These  may  be  suspected  in  drop- 
sies which  attack  the  young,  whose  viscera  are  sound ; 
and  these  are  cases  which  often  recur  for  a  time, 
then  the  disease  disappears  for  long  intervals,  perhaps 
wholly.  The  cause  is  ascertained  by  some  small  pieces 
of  apparent  membrane  passing  through  the  trocar.  See 
HYDATIDS. 

One  other  kind  of  dropsy,  the  encysted,  requires  pe- 
culiar attention  with  respect  to  the  propriety  of  per- 
forming the  operation.  It  is  distinguished  by  the  tu- 
mour appearing  first  locally ;  by  the  fluctuation  feeling 
"distinct  only  in  some  particular  directions,  or  parts  of 
the  abdomen;  and  in  the  early  stages,  by  some  irregu- 
lar hardness  on  deep  pressure.  These  accumulations  of 
water  generally  begin  in  the  ovaria,  and  we  suspect  are 
always  occasioned  by  hydatids.  We  know  not,  how- 
ever, that  if  the  sac  is  pierced  by  the  trocar  that  there 
is  any  peculiar  danger;  but  in  all  these  instances  the 
relief  is  temporary  only  t  a  dropsy  originating  in  the 
ovarium  is  seldom  cured.  After  the  operation,  the 
existence  of  a  cyst  is  ascertained  by  the  abdomen  not 
being  completely  emptied ;  for  some  water  is  always  at 
the  same  time  accumulated  in  the  abdomen ;  and  if 
the  instrument  has  penetrated  the  cyst,  the  other  water 
remains;  if  not,  the  cyst  is  still  unemptied.  In  either 
case  it  may  be  felt  on  pressing  the  abdomen.  In  pass- 
ing the  trocar,  if  there  is  a  cyst,  the  resistance  is  un- 
usual, and  the  pain  violent;  but  we  have  known  a  cyst 
penetrated,  in  repeated  operations,  without  danger.  See 
PARACENTESIS. 

When  the  duplicature  of  the  peritonaeum  is  the  seat 
of  the  ascites,  tapping  is  alone  the  remedy.  •  For  the 
relief  of  occasional  symptoms  see  HTDROPS.  See  Mil- 
man on  the  Dropsy.  Leake's  Medical  Instructions, 
edit  5.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv.  and  White's  Sur- 
gery, 304. 

ASCI'TES  UTESI'XUS.     See  HYDROPS  CTERI. 
ASCI'TICUS,  (from  ascites).     One  who  labours 
under  an  ascites. 

ASCLE'PIAS,  (from  Asclepius,  its  inventor;  called 
also  /lirundinaria,  contraycrva  Germanorum,  vincetoxi- 

CUtn).       TAME  POISON',  SILKEN  CICILY,  and  WHITE   SWAL- 
LOW WORT.     A.  vincetojcicum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  314. 

It  resembles  the  apocynum,  or  dog's  bane;  and  like 
it  yields  a  milky  juice. 

The  roots,  when  fresh  gathered,  smell  like  the  root 
of  valerian,  but  lose  their  odour  by  drying :  chewed, 
they  are  sweetish  at  the  first,  then  bitterish.  In  closes 
from  9  i.  to  3  i.  it  is  sudorific  and  diuretic.  In  these 
characters  it  hath  been  so  commonly  used  by  the  : 
mans  as  to  have  obtained  the  name  of  conirjyi.n-a  Ger- 
mcnorum. 

It  is  said  to  be  useful  as  an  emmenagogue;  and  has 
been  employed,  though  with  little  success,  in  dropsy: 


A  SB 


200 


ASP 


from  its  connection  with  many  poisonous  plants,  it  js, 
however,  suspicious,  and  to  be  used  with  caution. 

ASCLE'PIAS  ASTHMATICA,  Lin.  Supplem.  171.  Wil- 
denow,  Sp.  PI.  v.  i.  p.  1270.  This  is  a  plant  from  the 
island  of  Ceylon,  and  is  slightly  emetic  and  cathartic. 
Its  chief  use,  as  the  name  indicates,  is  in  pituitous 
asthmas,  and  is  given  in  decoction  or  syrup. 

ASCLE'PIOS,  (from  the  same).  The  name  of  a 
dried  smegina  described  by  P.  ^gineta;  of  a  troche  in 
the  writings  of  ^Etius;  and  a  collyrium  in  Galen;  call- 
ed ATHENIPHIUM,  from  its  author  Athenippus. 

ASCLI'TES.     See  ASCITES. 

ASCO'MA,  (from  O.VMS,  a  bottle).  The  eminence 
of  the  pubes  at  the  years  of  maturity. 

A'SCOS,  (from  <*p»t/T«?,  leather).  A  BOTTLE.  They 
were  formerly  made  of  leather,  and  Hippocrates  used 
to  apply  them,  when  filled  with  hot  water,  to  pained 
parts. 

ASCYROI'DES,  (from  amvfn,  and  eihs,  forma J. 
A  species  of  the  ascyrum. 

A'SCYROS,  A'SCYRUM,  A'SCYRUS  ;  probably  from 
'Sx.vfov,  the  city  Scyrum,  where  it  abounds.  See  ANDRO- 

SJEMUM. 

ASDE'NIGI.     See  HEMATITES. 

A'SE,  or  AS'SE,  (from  a.S'a,  nausea ).  Hippocrates 
by  these  words  means  a  loathing  of  food,  from  accumu- 
lations in  the  stomach. 

A'SEB.     See  ALUMEN. 

A'SEF.     See  HYDROA. 

A'SEGEN.     See  SANG.  HBACONIS. 

ASE'LLI;  also  called  millepedes,  polypedes,  cutio, 
eyamus;  multiped*;  cubaris;  centipedes:  SLATERS, 

HOG      LICE,      CHURCH      BUGS,      SOW      BUGS,       and      WOOD 
LICE. 

These  are  insects,  according  to  Linnaeus,  of  the 
class  aptera,  and  genus  oniscus.  It  comprehendeth 
fifteen  species.  One  species  is  the  wood  louse,  and 
the  -variety  employed  is  of  a  bluish  colour,  ivhich,  if 
touched,  rolls  itself  up  in  a  rounded  form.  They  are 
found  under  stones  and  logs  of  wood,  in  cold,  moist 
places;  and  the  pale  brown,  and  the  bluish  black  sorts 
are  indiscriminately  used.  Those  found  in  vaults  are 
said  to  contain  the  largest  proportion  of  salts,  and  most 
esteemed. 

The  London  college  directs  them  to  be  dried  by 
suspending  them  in  a  thin  canvas  bag,  placed  within 
a  covered  vessel,  and  over  the  steam  of  hot  proof  spi- 
rits, that,  being  killed  by  the  vapour,  they  may  become 
Friable. 

The  taste  of  these  insects  is  sharp  and  pungent,  and 
they  are  supposed  to  possess  an  alkaline  quality, "and  to 
be  diuretic. 

They  are  prescribed,  both  fresh  and  dry,  in  hepatic, 
and  other  visceral  obstructions;  in  pituitous  diseases 
of  the  chest,  and  suppression  of  urine ;  the  dose  in 
powder,  from  Q  i.  to  3  i-  >  in  an  expressed  vinous  in- 
fusion, §  ij.  repeatedly.  They  have  been  swallowed 
alive  in  great  numbers  daily;  and  though  reckoned 
diuretic,  the  effects  usually  attributed  to  them  are 
doubtful.  From  fifty  to  one  hundred  are  eaten  alive; 
or  infused  in  wine  and  pressed,  half  an  ounce  is  taken 
for  a  dose. 

ASE'LLUS.  The  COD  FISH;  it  is  called  also  ca- 
beliau,  morhua,  molva,  and  the  KEELING.  This  be- 
longs to  the  genus  gadus  Lin.  and  includes  the 


whiting,  the  haddock,  the  whiting  pout,  the  sea  pike, 
and  some  similar  fish.     See  ALIMENT. 

A'SEMOS,  from  «,  neg.  and  <ri>p.a,  a  sign).  An 
epithet  applied  to  events  that  fall  out  contrary  to  all 
appearance,  and  without  any  manifest  cause.  A-  crisis 
happening  beyond  hope. 

A 'SEPT  A,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  nyx-a,  to  purify).  Un- 
concocted  or  undigested. 

ASH.     See  FRAXINUS. 

ASH,  MOUNTAIN.     See  SORBUS. 

ASH,  POISONOUS.     See  RHUS. 

ASH,  BITTER.     See  QUASSIA. 

ASHES.  A  term  generally  applied  to  the  residueof 
combustion;  generally  limited  to  -vegetable  ashes,  though 
sometimes  applied  to  mineral  calces.  Vegetable  ashes 
differ  according  to  the  degree  of  heat  to  which  they 
have  been  exposed.  With  a  moderate  heat  they  con- 
tain much  charcoal;  but  with  a  stronger,  a  white 
light  earth,'  with  some  alkaline  salts,*  and  perhaps  a 
little  oil,  only  remain.  In  this  state  we  find  them 
in  commerce,  under  the  name  of  potashes,  pearlashes, 
&c. 

In  these  ashes  the  minuter  modern  chemistry  will 
discover  a  small  portion  of  magnesia,  a  little  iron,  and 
perhaps  some  phosphoric  salts,  with  a  small  quantity  of 
lime ;  but  these  have  little  reference  to  medicine.  They 
must  all  be  separated  before  the  ashes  can  be  employed 
as  a  remedy. 

ASHES,  ANIMAL.  These  are  more  refractory  than 
the  vegetable  ashes,,  as  containing  a  larger  portion  of 
phosphoric  salts,  but  the  only  substance  of  this  kind 
used  in  medicine  is  the  cornu  cervi  calcinatum,  which 
owes  all  its  virtue  to  a  little  remaining  mucilage.  The 
lixiviated  salts  of  bones  are  used  in  chemistry  to  form 
cupels  for  assaying  metals,  as  they  resist  vitrification 
from  the  calces  of  lead. 

ASIA'TICUM  BALS.  The  BALM  of  GILEAD.  See 
BAI.SAMUM. 

A'SIGI.     See  ./ERUGO  JERIS. 

.    ASI'MION.     An  ingredient  mentioned  by  Myrep- 
sus,  but  not  known. 

ASI'NGAR.     See  J£RUGO  ^ERIS. 

A'SINUS,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  «•<»«,  hurtful).  The 
ASS.  Its  milk  is  in  much  esteem  as  a  medicine.  See 
LAC. 

ASITI,  ASI'TIA,  (from  *,  non.  and  «•<««,  food). 
Those  are  so  called  who  take  no  food  for  want  of  an 
appetite.  See  ANOREXIA. 

A'SJOGAM,  (Indian).  A  tree  growing  in  Malabar 
and  the  East  Indies,  whose  juice  is  used  against  the 
colic-  Raii  Hist. 

A'SMIAR.     See  ./ERUGO  JERIS. 

ASPADIA'LIS,  Ischuria.  A  suppression  of  urine 
from  the  urethra  being  imperforated.  See  ISCHURIA. 

ASRA'LATHUM,  (from  «,  priv.  and  vitaa,  to  draw 
out,)  called  also  agallochum.  CALAMBAC  WOOD.  It 
is  brought  from  the  East  Indies;  it  is  of  a  bituminous 
and  fatty  kind,  or  resinous,  and  of  a  bitter  taste.  It  is 
sold  very  often  for  the  agallochum,  having  similar  vir- 
tues, and  is  probably  the  same.  See  AGALLOCHUM. 

ASPALATHUS,  (from  «,  priv.  and  vxaw,  to  draw 
out,  because  its  thorns  are  not  easily  drawn  out  when 
they  have  entered,)  called  also  Rhodium  lignum,  di/isa- 
con,  lignum  rose  odortt,  lign.  thuris,  erysisceptrumt 
Rhodina  radix,  Rhodium,  or  ROSE  WOOD.  Genista 


ASP 


201 


ASP 


Canarienais  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  997.     Xat.  order  fiafiiliona- 
cete. 

Hose  wood  is  the  root  or  the  wood  of  a  thorny  .shrub, 
brought  from  the  Canary  islands'in  long  crooked  pieces, 
externally  of  a  whitish  colour,  internally  of  a  deep  yel- 
low, with  a  reddish  cast.  The  heaviest  and  the  deepest 
coloured  is  the  best. 

\Vhen  rubbed  or  scraped,  it  smells  like  roses.  To 
spirit  of  wine  it  gives  out  all  its  virtue;  but  of  this 
tincture  nothing  rises  in  distillation  except  the  spirit, 
hardly  affected  with  the  smell  or  taste  of  the  wood ; 
water  also  extracts  its  virtues,  and  carries  them  with  it 
in  distillation;  resembling  the  smell  from  Jamask  roses. 
Fifty  pounds  weight  of  good  wood  afford  one  pound 
of  essential  oil,  which  is  used  as  a  perfume;  it  is 
weaker  than  the  oil  of  roses,  but  of  the  same  odour. 

An  agreeable  cordial  tincture  is  made  by  macerating 
|  iv.  of  this  wood  with  a  pint  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine : 
from  ten  drops  to  a  tea  spoonful  is  a  dose. 

ASPA'RAGI.  The  young  shoots,  or  first  tender 
sprouts  of  an  herb  from  the  ground,  before  any  leaves 
unfold  themselves. 

ASPA'RAGL'S,  SPARAGUS;  SPERAGE,  and  SPAR- 
HOW  GRASS,  .dsfiaragus  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  448. 

It  is  a  perennial  plant,  chiefly  used  as  aliment ;  in 
the  spring  a  number  of  shoots  appear,  the  tops  of 
which  are  named  turiones,  and  these  only  are  eaten. 
It  grows  wild  in  Cornwall  and  some  other  parts  of 
England. 

Though  confined  to  the  kitchen,  it  affords  very  little 
nourishment;  a  decoction  of  the  roots  is  diuretic,  but 
a  strong  infusion  of  them  is  preferred.  I{  imparts  a 
fetid  smell  to  the  urine,  which  is  corrected  by  an  acid. 

ASPASIA.  The  name  of  a  constrictive  medicine  for 
the  pudenda  muliebria,  consisting  of  wool  moistened 
with  an  infusion  of  galls. 

ASPER.  A  small  river  fish  found  in  the  Rhone. 
Perca  a&fitr  Lin.  It  is  so  named  from  the  roughness 
of  its  scales  and  jaws.  It  is-  good  food,  and  very  nu- 
tritious. 

The  oil  ofaijier  is  commonly  enquired  for  as  a  means 
of  catching  fish  with  ease  and  certainty.  It  is  pro- 
bably the  oil  .of  ospray  which  is  meant,  for  there  is  a 
fable,  that  this  bird,  as  it  flies,  drops  something  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  by  which  the  fish  is  allured. 
There  is,  however,  no  such  oil,  and  the  oil  of  box  is 
usually  sold  for  it. 

A  SPERA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  a*/ter,  rough,  and 
trachea  arteria,  from  Tfx%v<;,  rough,)  so  called  from 
the  inequality  .of  its  cartilages.  The  WINDPIPE.  It 
is  formed  of  the  LARTXX,  the  BRONCHIA,  and  the 
vr.sicuL.E  M ALPIGHIAN.E.  The  LARYNX  hath  five  car- 
tilages, forming  the  upper  part  of  the  aspera  arteria : 
the  Jirst  is  the  THYROIDEA  PELTATA,  or  CLYPEALIS  ; 
resembling  a  shield,  placed  just  under  the  basis  of 
the  os  hyoides,  of  a  quadrangular  figure,  and  stands 
in  the  anterior  part  of  the  neck,  where  the  pomum 
Adami  is  seen ;  the  lateral  portion  runs  back,  and 
ends  in  two  processes ;  one  of  which  runs  up,  the  other 
down,  and  are  connected  to  the  os  hyoides  :  the  second 
is  the  CRYCOID;  called  also  cymbolaris  cartilago;  it 
stands  beneath  the  preceding,  is  of  an  annular  figure; 
the  back  part  stands  between  the  two  processes  of  the 
ihyroid  cartilage,  to  which  it  is  articulated.  It  is  nar- 
VO.L.  i. 


row  before,  thick  behind,  and  serves  as  a  base  to  all 
the  other  cartilages  ;  being,  as  it  were,  let  into  the 
thyroides.  By  its  means  the  other  cartilages  are 
joined  to  the  trachea,  on  which  account  it  is  im- 
moveable.  The  third  and  fourth  are  the  two  ARYT.C- 
NOID  cartilages,  joined  to  the  superior  and  posterior 
parts  of  the  crycoid  by  peculiar  articulations,  that  the 
glottis  may-  the  more  readily  be  opened  and  contracted  ; 
each  of  these  has  a  protuberance  for  the  insertion  of 
the  muscles  which  stands  over  the  crycoid  cartilage, 
and  each  has  a  process  where  the  ligament  of  the  epi- 
glottis is  fixed  ;  they  are  small  at  their  base,  and  large 
at  their  upper  part.  The  ffih  is  the  EPIGLOTTIS, 
shaped  like  the  leaf  of  a  plant;  Winslow  says  that  of  the 
purslane.  It  is  joined  to  the  anterior  and  superior 
part  of  the  thyroid  cartilage,  over  which  it  appears 
erected  behind  the  root  of  the  tongue,  to  which  it  is 
connected  by  ligaments  fixed  to  the  cornua  of  the  os 
hyoides;  it  is  also  connected  with  the  arytaenoid-  carti- 
lages. It  covers  the  glottis  whilst  we  swallow,  to  pre- 
vent any  thing  getting  into  it.  These  form  the  begin- 
ning of  the  aspera  arteria,  which,  passing  down  from 
behind  the  tongue  into  the  lungs,  is  situated  before 
the  oesophagus,  and  surrounded,  laterally  and  before, 
by  the  thyroid  gland.  It  enters  the  cavity  of  the  thorax 
behind  the  upper  part  of  the  sternum,  where  it  is 
crossed  by  large  vessels  which  run  up  to  the  head.  At 
about  the  fourth  vertebra  of  the  back  it  divides  into  two 
branches  ;  that  which  goes  into  the  left  is  divided  into 
two;  these  branches  are  called  BRONCHKE,  and  are 
divided  again  into  numberless  other  ramifications, 
which  are  distributed  through  the  substance  of  the 
lungs,  and  which  consist  of  cartilaginous  segments  and 
contractile  membranes;  then  they  are  expanded  into 
oblong  vesicles,  after  having  lost  their  cartilaginous 
nature,  called  VESICULJE  MALPIGHIAXJE.  They  are  sup- 
posed to  terminate  in  vesicles  like  clusters,  which  ad- 
here to  the  small  bronchial  ramifications,  constituting 
the  chief  part  of  the  lungs.  The  use  of  the  bronchiae 
is  to  afford  a  passage  for  the  air  into  the  lungs,  and  a 
free  return  from  them,  with  such  superfluous  matter  as 
is  capable  of  combining  with  it.  The  aspera  arteria  is 
cartilaginous  forward,  and  membranous  behind. 

When  any  small  substance  falls  into  the  trachea,  it 
occasions  much  uneasiness  until  it  is  thrown  up.  To 
assist  its  discharge,  -£tius  commends  sternutatories  ; 
others,  expectorants  and  emetics;  but  the  cough,  which 
nature  excites,  is  the  only  effectual  mode  of  relief. 

ASPERA  TA.     See  ASPERUM. 

ASPERA'TUM  SPECI'LLUM,  (from  asfier,  rough, 
and  sfiecio,  to  ejramiye}.  See  BLEPHAROXYSTVM. 

ASPE'RGULA,  (from  atfier,  rough).  See  ASPE- 
HULA. 

ASPE'RSIO,  (from  asfiergo,  to  sprinkle).  SPRINK- 
LING. See  CATAPLASMA. 

ASPERU'GO,  ASPE'RULA  ;  called  also  asjiergula, 
afiarine  latifolia,  hefiatica  stellata,  matrisylva  Germa- 
nica,  rubeola  montana  odora;  WOODROW,  and  WOOD- 
ROOF.  jts/ierula  odorata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  150. 

It  is  a  low  umbelliferous  plant,  whose  taste  is  .a  little 
austere.  It  imparts  its  flavour  to  vinous  liquors,  and  is 
commended  as  a  cordial  and  deobstruent.  It  is  also  a 
a  name  for  ASPERINE  :  RUBIA  SYNAXCHICA. 


Dd 


A  8  P 


202 


ASS 


aspcr).  ROUGH.  An  epithet  applied  to  bodies  with 
uneven  surfaces.  Galen  observes,  that  every  rough 
body  is  uneven,  but  every  uneven  body  is  not  rough; 
and  that  roughness,  is  occasioned  by  too  great  dryness, 
or  from  acrimony. 

ASPHALTI'TIS.  A  name  of  the  first  vertebra  of 
the  loins.  See  CASTELLI  LEXICON'. 

ASPHA'LTOS,  ASPHA'LTUM,(from  AF?CI*TITIS, 
a  lake  in  Judca  where  it  is  produced).  See  BITUMEN.- 

ASPIIODE'LUS,  (from  c-;r«^V>io?,  ashes,  from  the 
ashes  of  the  dead,  because  the  herb  was  formerly  sown 
upon  the  graves  of  the  dead).  The  ASPHODEL. 

ASPHODE'LUS  A'LBUS.  A.  ramosus  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
444.  WHITE  ASPHODEL.  Also  called  hasta  regia, 
Bernhurdi  tcsticulus,  anthericum,  affodilus,  iphion,  eri- 
zamba,  KING'S  SPEAR,  and  YELLOW  ASPHODEL. 

The  asphodel  roots  resemble  an  acorn;  are  acrid, 
heating,  and  diuretic,  when  fresh,  and  mucilaginous 
when -dry. 

These  plants  are  natives  of  Italy,  France,  and  other 
•warm  parts  of  Europe.  The  fresh  roots  are  commend- 
ed in  the  form  of  a  cataplasm,  to  be  applied  to  scro- 
fulous swellings. 

ASPHY'XIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  e-^f/s,  a  pulse, 
from  c-pv^a,  to  leap,  or  beat,  like  an  artery).  It  is  so 
named,  because  the  pulse  is  not  perceptible  to  the 
louch ;  but  the  characteristic  signs  of  this  disease  are, 
the  symptoms  of  apparent  death,  for  the  most  part, 
suddenly  coming  on.  If  a  patient,  gradually  growing 
worse,  at  length  dies,  that  state  is  not  an  asphyxy,  for 
this  term  must  be  confined  to  a  disease  from  which  a 
patient  may  recover.  All  the  causes  of  death  which  do 
not  wholly  destroy  the  irritability  of  the  muscular  sys-  - 
tern,  may  be  considered  as  the  sources  of  asphyxia.  Syn- 
cope for  a  time  assumes  its  form,  though  the  charac- 
teristic appearances  of  death  are  seldom  observed  in  any 
great  degree.  See  LIPOTHYMIA,  APOPLEXIA,  SYNCOPE, 

SUBMERSIO,  SUSPENSIO,  and  CONGELATIO. 

It  is  however  necessary  to  remark,  that  those  who 
appear  to  die  suddenly  should  be  kept  till  they  begin  to 
grow  putrid  and  offensive ;  but  if  signs  of  an  aneurism 
being  burst,  or  of  an  apoplexy,  or  of  an  inveterate  vo- 
inica,  have  preceded  this  sudden  death,  we  can  certainly 
judge  whether  it  is  in  reality  death,  or  only  an  asphyxy. 
See  Lancisius,  Winslow,  and  Bruhier,  on  this  subject. 

A'SPIC.     See  LAVANDULA. 

ASPIDI'SCOS,  (from  *<riris,  a  buckler}.  By  meta- 
phor it  was  applied  to  the  sphincter  muscle  of  the  anus, 
as  we  are  informed  by  Coelius  Aurelianus,  which  was 
so  called  from  its  shape.  See  SPHINCTER  ANI. 

A'SPIS.  The  ASP.  A  venomous  kind  of  serpent, 
of  which  Galen  reckons  three  species.  Paulus  jfigine- 
ta,  in  lib.  v.  cap.  xviii.  says,  that  amputation  is 
the  only  remedy  when  a  limb  is  bit ;  and  cutting  away 
the  whole  of  the  wounded  flesh,  where  amputation  can- 
not be  performed. 

ASPLE'NIUM,{ from*, neg.  and  O-ZJ-AIJV,  the  spleen,) 
because  it  was  said  to  remove  disorders  of  the  spleen ; 
also  called  splenium  ceterach  ;  MILT -WASTE,  and  SPLEEN- 
WORT.  It  is  the  aspienium  ceterach  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1538. 
SPLEEN -WORT. 

The  leaves  are  similar  to  maiden-hair,  as  a  pectoral; 
they  are  diuretic ;  and  used  in  infusion,  are  supposed 
to  clear  away  sabulous  matter  from  the  urinary  passage. 


The  taste  is  somewhat  austere,  and  it  has  been  thought- 
useful  as  a  tonic  in  cachexies. 

ASPLE'NIUM  TRICHO'MANES,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1540.  See 
ADIAXTHUM  NIGRUM. 

ASPLE'XIVM  SCOLOPE'NDRIUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1538.  See 
LINGUA  CER.VINA. 

ASSABA,  a  shrub  found  on  the  coast  of  Guinea. 
Its  leaves  are  boiled  in  water  and  supposed  to  cure 
buboes. 

A'SSAC,  (Arabic  word  A'SSAK).  See  GUM  AMMO- 
NIACUM. 

A'SSALA.     See  Nux  MOSCHATA. 

ASSANE'GI.  The  powder  that  falls  off  from  the 
walls  of  salt  in  the  salt  mines. 

A'SSANUS.     A  weight  consisting  of  two  drachms. 

ASSARABA'CCA.     See  ASARUM. 

ASSARTHRO'SIS.     See  ARTICULATIO. 

ASSA'TIO,  ASSATION,  or  ROASTING,  (from  assure^ 
to  roast  ivithjire).  Frying,  toasting,  broiling. 

ASSATU'RA.  A  species  of  any  thing  just  removed 
from  the  fire  after  roasting. 

A'SSE.     SeeAsE. 

A'SSERAC.     SeeAssis. 

ASSERVA'TIO,  (from  asservo,  to  keep  carefully). 
See  CONSERVATIO. 

ASSI'DENS  SI'GNUM,  (from  assido,  to  attend). 
An  attendant  sign,  usually  accompanying  a  disease;, 
but  not,  as  the  pathognomonic, inseparable  from  it. 

ASSI'DUUS,  (from  assideo,  to  attend).     See  CON- 

TINUA  FEBRIS. 

ASSI'MILO,  to  ASSIMILATE,  (from  ad,  and  simi- 
lis,  to  make  like  to,)  as  when  what  we  eat  is  converted 
into  juices  similar  to  those  of  the  animal  body.  It  is 
also  used  in  another  sense,  when  the  morbid  matter  of 
any  disease  converts  the  whole  or  part  of  our  juices  to 
their  specific  nature;  our  juices  are  then  said  to  be  as- 
similated to  the  nature  of  those  morbid  materials.  See 
DIGESTION. 

A'SSIS.  A'SSERAC.  The  ^Egyptian  name  for 
BANG,  which  see,  and  also  CANNABIS. 

ASSISTE'NTES,(from  at/, and  sisio,  to  stand  near). 
A  name  for  the  prostate  glands,  because  they  lie  near 
the  bladder.  See  PARASTATJE. 

ASSI'TRA.     See  MANDARU. 

A'SSIUS  LAPIS  ;  called  also  asiiis  and  azius  lapis, 
ASSIAN  STONE.  These  stones  receive  their  name 
from  Ao-a-o?,  a  city  of  Troas,  in  the  Lesser  Asia,  where- 
they  are  found.  They  are  of  a  tophous,  soft,  friable, 
and  loose  substance,  with  a  powdery  matter  growing  on. 
them  like  meal,  such  as  is  seen  on  the  walls  of  mills  ^ 
it  is  called  the  FLOUR  OF  THE  ASSIAN  HOCK,  and  is 
seemingly  an  aluminous  efflorescence.  This  flour  con- 
sumes loose  spongy  flesh;  hence  called  sarcophagus 
carnivorous :  the  stone  possessed!  the  same  virtue  in  a 
less  degree. 

ASSO'DES,  ASO'DES,  (from  assare,toburn'}.  A  con- 
tinual fever,  with  a  moderate  heat  externally,  but  inward- 
ly much  greater,  insatiable  thirst ;  perpetual  tossing, 
nausea,  loathing  of  food,  watching,  and  raving.  It  is 
called  by  Sauvages  tritaophya  assodes  ;  and  is  also  ar- 
ranged by  Cutlen  under  tertian  remittents.  An  ac- 
count of  fevers  of  this  kind  may  be  found  in  Huxham 
de  Acre,  lib.  i.  p.  97.  Lancisius  de  Noxiis  Pa'-idum 
Effluviis;  and  Morgagni  Epist.  49.  11.  See  FEVER. 


A  8  T 


203 


A  8  T 


>SOS.     See  ALCMEX. 

ASSUMINA.  The  name  of  a  shrub  which  at  once 
destroys  the  vena  medinensis,  and  saves  the  trouble  of 
drawing  it  out.  It  is  found  anil  used  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea.  See  Phil.  Transactions,  N°  232. 

A  STACUS,  or  A'STACUS  MARI'XUS,  (from  *, 
neg.  and  c~ra£u,  to  distil,)  so  called  from  the  hardness 
and  dryness  of  its  shell.  The  LOBSTER  and  CRAB  hardly 
differ  in  any  quality  one  from  the  other.  They  seem 
to  contain  a  less  proportion  of  azote  than  the  flesh  of 
quadrupeds,  birds,  and  even  of  the  amphibia,  from  the 
small  quantity  of  volatile  alkali  obtainable  from  their 
substance.  Notwithstanding  which,  they  are  supposed 
to  neutralise  acidity  in  the  primae"  vine  more  perfectly 
than  any  other  animal  food  of  quadrupeds  and  birds. 
They  afford,"  as  we  have  said,  (see  ALIMENT,)  a  light 
easy  food  ;  but  a  small  portion  will  sometimes  occasion 
violent  colic,  and  nettle  rash,  as  occurs  from  eating 
muscles,  attributed  to  idiosyncrasy  of  particular  per- 
sons. perhaps  to  the  food  of  the  animal.  Their  flesh 
is  best  in  summer.  The  black  tips  of  the  claws 
of  the  sea  crab,  and  those  stony  concretions  in  the 
heads  of  the  astacus  fluvidtilis,  called  crabs'  eyes, 
form  some  of  the  absorbent  preparations  of  the 
shops.  See  CAXCER  FLUVIA'TILIS,  and  OCULI  CAX- 
CRORUM. 

A'STACUS  FLUVIA'TILIS.  The  CREVIS  or  CRAY-FISH. 
A  mild  insipid  food,  with  few  qualities  to  recommend  it, 
or  dissuade  from  its  use. 

A'STAPHIS.  From  «,  pleonasm,  and  crrapn,  UVA 
PASSA  ;  which  see. 

ASTA'RZOF.  The  name  of  an  ointment,  and  of  a 
mixture,  which  were  used  by  Paracelsus.  The  first 
consisted  of  litharge,  house  leek  juice,  Sec.  The  se- 
cond, of  camphor  and  rose  water. 

ASTCHA'CHILOS.  So  Paracelsus  names  a  malig- 
nant gangrenous  ulcer,  which  spreads  from  the  feet 
upwards.  Some  call  it  araneus. 

ASTER.  An  ancient  medicine  against  defluxions 
er  rheumatic  pains. 

A'STER,  (from  <t<rrr,p,  a  star,  from  the  likeness  of  its 
Sower).  STARWORT. 

A'STER.     Ojomm  MAXIMUM.     See  EXULA. 

A'STER    A'TTICUS.      HYOPHTHA'LMOS.      See    ERYX- 


A'STER  PALU'STRIS  PA'RVO  FLO'RE  GLOBO'SO.     SMALL 

TLEABAXE.        See  CoxYZA. 

ASTER  PERUA'NUS.  POTATOES.  See  BATTATAS  CAXA- 

DEXSIS. 

A'STER  THALA'SSICS,  is  named  Stella  marina.  SEA 
STAR.  A  certain  zoophyte  or  insect  of  the  family  of  the 
-.-ermes  echinodermes.  Hippocrates  hath  recommended 
it  with  brassica  and  sweet  scented  wine,  against  what  is 
called  the  ascent  of  the  uterus  and  hysteric  pains  ;  but 
it  is  wholly  useless. 

ASTE'RIAS,  (from  «er^,  a  star).  STAR  STOXF.. 
Telesia  asterias  of  Hauy.  Is  a  fossil  gem,  very  hard, 
resembling  half  a  globe,  extremely  full  of  black  radiated 
appearances,  resembling  stars  ;  from  whence  its  name. 
In  medicine  it  was  considered  as  a  charm  against  marks 
of  the  mother. 

ASTE'RIAS.     See  GEXTIAXA. 

ASTHEXI'A,  (from  <*,  non.  and  riff*;,  robur).  EX- 
TREME DEBILITY. 


ASTHEXI'A  ab  HYDROCF.'PHALO.  APOPLE'XIA  HYDRO- 
CEPHA'LICA.  See  APOPLEXIA. 

ASTHEXI'A  PAXOXICA.  See  AMPHIMERIXA  Hux- 
GAHICA. 

ASTHEXI'A.  General  weakness,  sometimes  from 
excessive  evacuations,  but  generally  connected  with 
visceral  obstructions.  In  these  cases 'it  is  attended  with 
fever.  If  without  fever,  bark  and  other  tonics  are 
useful. 

A'STHMA,  (from  *«,  or  «?.«",  ffiiro,  or  rather  «ajW, 
anhelo,  to  breathe  short).  This  is  an  impeded  and  very 
laborious  respiration,  joined  with  inexpressible  anxiety 
and  straitness  of  the  precordia,  preventing  a  free  circu- 
lation of  blood  through  the  lungs,  arising  from  various 
causes,  and  threatening  suffocation.  The  characteristic 
symptom  of  this  disease  is  a  chronical,  and  sometimes  a 
periodical,  difficulty  of  breathing ;  hence  it  differs  from 
ORTHOPXIEA,  which  is  acute ;  from  DYSPXIEA,  because 
that  is  continued. 

This  disease  has  generally  been  considered  to  be  of 
two  kinds  ;  the  humoral,  pituitous,  or  moist;  the  spas- 
modic, dry,  nervous,  or  convulsive.  Both  which  are 
properly  included  in  the  subsequent  definition.  '  A 
difficulty  of  breathing,  coming  on  at  intervals,  with  ;t 
sense  of  straitness  in  the  breast,  and  sibilating  respira- 
tion ;  at  the  beginning  of  the  paroxysm,  attended  with 
an  uneasy  cough,  or  no  cough  at  all ;  towards  the  con- 
clusion, a  free  cough,  often  attended  with  a  copious  ex- 
pectoration of  mucus.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of 
disease  in  the  class  Neuroses,  and  order  Spasmi,  divid- 
ing U  into  three  species. 

1st.  ASTHMA  SPOXTAXEUM;  to  which  belong  the 
orthopntca  spasmodica,  and  hysterica,  when  there  is  n<j 
manifest  cause,  or  any  other  disease  attending. 

2d.  ASTHMA  F.XAXTHKMATIC-UM,  when  it  arises  from 
the  retropulsion  of  some  acrid  humours  from  the  sur- 
face of  the  body. 

3d.  ASTHMA  PLETHORICUM,  when  it  is  the  con- 
sequence of  some  accustomed  sanguinary  evacuation 
suppressed,  or  a  spontaneous  plethora. — The  hypochon- 
driac, arthritic,  and  venereal  species,  are  symptomatic 
only. 

The  attack  of  the  convulsive  asthma  is  sudden,  and 
at  its  first  appearance  the  fit  is  short.  The  symptoms 
which  usually  precede  it  are  languor,  flatulency,  head- 
ach,  sickness,  pale  urine,  disturbed  sh:ep,  a  sense  of 
straitness  and  fulness  about  the  pic  of  the  stomach. 
In  some  cases  there  is  an  uncommon  stupor,  drowsiness, 
and  heaviness.  The  fit  is  frequently  observed  to  come 
on  about  one  or  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  or  at  any 
hour  after  the  first  sleep.  The  patient  wakes  suddenly, 
and  feels  a  great  tightness  and  constriction  around  the 
chest,  with  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  and  an  impedi- 
ment to  the  free  admission  of  air  into  the  lungs.  Both 
inspiration  and  expiration  are  slow,  laborious,  and  ac- 
companied with  constant  wheezing,  particularly  the 
latter.  Great  bodily  anxiety  always  attends  this  dis- 
order. As  the  lungs  cannot  be  sufficiently  dilated  with 
air,  the  passage  of  the  blood  through  the  pulmonary 
vessels  is  not  free.  Hence  the  face,  in  full  and  pletho- 
ric habits,  appears  red  and  bloated,  and  the  vessels  of 
the  eyes  are  unnaturally  turgid.  The  action  of  the  heart 
is  greatly  disturbed,  as  is  evident  by  the  weakness,  ir- 
regularity, and  increased  quickness  of  the  pulse.  Dur- 
D  d  2 


A  S  T 


204 


A  S  T 


ing  the  fit,  the  patient  has  generally  a  longing  instinc- 
tive desire  for  cool  fresh  air,  which  always  revives  him. 
A  small  close  room,  with  a  fire  in  it,  is  extremely  offen- 
sive, and  all  warm  things,  given  internally,  increase 
the  flatulency  in  the  stomach  and  bowels,  which  is  al- 
ways the  most  troublesome  after  a  full  meal.  When 
the  fit  has  continued  a  few  minutes,  half  an  hour,  or  an 
hour,  it  leaves  the  patient ;vhis  respiration  becomes 
free  and  natural,  his  pulse  slow  and  regular,  his  com- 
plexion puts  on  its  usual  appearance,  and  the  bodily 
anxiety  goes  off.  The  urine  is  generally  pale,  and  the 
skin  somewhat  dry  before  the  fit,  and  during  its  pro- 
gress ;  but  at  the  termination  of  it,  the  urine  for  a  day 
or  two  is  high  coloured,  and  deposits  a  sediment,  and 
the  skiri  feels  soft  and  moist.  This  is  the  description  of 
a  first  and  moderate  attack  of  the  disorder.  In  some 
cases  it  appears  in  a  more  violent  form,  even  at  its  com- 
mencement, and  continues  for  several  days  before  the 
fit  terminates.  Sometimes  the  patient  will  have  one  fit, 
and  then  remain  free  for  many  months.  At  other 
times  fits  come  on  for  several  nights  together,  the 
patient  appearing  almost  perfectly  well  during  the  day, 
with  his  appetite  and  pulse  natural.  When  the  asthma 
once  attacks,  it  seldom  or  never  fails  to  recur,  though 
the  intervals  between  the  fits  are  very  uncertain  ;  when 
rooted  in  the  constitution,  it  often  makes  its  attack  in 
the  spring  and  autumn.  In  many  cases  it  attacks  perio- 
dically once  in  ten  days  or  a  fortnight.  Sometimes  it 
occurs  regularly  at  the  full  and  change  of  the  moon. 
Floyer  mentions  a  case  where  the  fits  occurred  for 
seven  weeks  together,  and  the  patient  was  oblig*d  to 
sleep  in  a  chair;  and  from  the  strictest  observations  it 
is  found,  that  there  is  no  certainty  nor  regularity  ob- 
servable in  the  attacks  of  the  asthma.  The  reason  why 
the  fits  so  often  occur  first  in  the  night,  is  thought  to  be 
owing  to  the  heat  of  the  bed,  and  the  horizontal  posture 
in  which  the  patient  lies. 

Relapses  are  commonly  attended  with  an  increase  of 
the  symptoms,  and  the  vigour  of  the  constitution  is 
gradually  impaired,  till,  by  length  of  time,  general  or 
chronic  weakness  is  induced.  The  difficulty  of  breath- 
ing in  the  fit  arises  to  a  much  higher  degree  in  these 
relapses,  and  the  sensation  of  tightness  over  the  breast 
is  so  great  and  distressing,  that  the  patient  feels  as  if  he 
were  bound  with  cords.  His  anxiety  at  this  period  is 
inexpressible,  an,d  he  labours  in  respiration  as  if  every 
moment  would  be  his  last.  Severe  vomiting  frequent- 
ly occurs,  and  the  matter  discharged  is  slimy  and  frothy, 
or  of  a  greenish  or  yellow  colour.  The  hands  and  feet 
are  cold,  and  the  patient  is  subject  to  palpitations  and 
faintings.  Cool  fresh  air  becomes  absolutely  necessary. 
The  eyes  are  prominent,  the  face  is  sometimes  pale 
and  sometimes  high  coloured,  bloated,  or  livid;  the 
pulse  extremely  weak,  irregular,  and  even  intermitting; 
there  is  a  difficulty  of  swallowing,'  the  patient  can 
scarcely  speak,  cough,  or  expectorate  during  the  fit,  and 
the  stomach  and  bowels  are  violently  distended  with 
wind.  While  thus  labouring  for  breath,  he  is  obliged 
to  rise  from  his  bed,  he  cannot  bear  even  the  weight  of 
the  bed  rlothes  upon  him.  His  shoulders  are  constantly 
elevated,  to  give  the  muscles  of  the  chest  their  great- 
est power  of  action  in  raising  the  ribs  in  inspiration. 
At  this  time,  too,  the  patient,  though  before  costive, 
will  frequently  have  a  loose  stood.  When  the  violence 


of  the  fit  abates,  and  respiration  becomes  free,  the 
cough  returns,  and  the  patient  begins  to  expectorate 
phlegm,  which  is  sometimes  intermixed  with  blood. 
As  soon  as  an  easy  copious  expectoration  takes  place,  it 
affords  great  relief,  for  the  evacuation  is  made  im- 
mediately from  the  parts  affected,  from  the  vessels 
which  have  been  obstructed.  This  expectoration 
is  one  of  the  most  certain  signs  of  the  abatement 
of  the  complaint,  as  it  denotes  the  solution  of  the 
.contraction  of  the  bronchial  air  vessels ;  particularly 
if  a  moisture  and  softness  of  the  skin,  and  a  sedi- 
ment in  the  urine,  make  their  appearance.  The  blood 
which  is  spit  up  in  this  complaint  proceeds  generally 
from  a  rupture  or  dilatation  of  blood  vessels  in  the 
lungs.  In  some  cases,  indeed,  the  quantity  of  blood 
which  is  spit  up  is  in  full  habits  very  considerable,  and  at 
the  same  time  accompanied  with  an  abatement  of  the 
symptoms.  But  all  free  discharges  of  blood  from  the 
lungs,  though  they  afford  relief,  are  unfavourable  signs, 
as  they  denote  greater  violence  of  the  disease ;  during 
the  course  of  which,  the  very  efforts  of  nature  to  relieve 
are  in  themselves  so  alarming.  The  nose,  too,  will  some- 
times gush  out  with  blood  during  the.  severity  of  the  fit, 
from  the  obstruction  given  to  the  return  of  the  blood 
through  the  pulmonary  vessels  into  the  left  auricle  of  the 
heart.  Thus  in  a  short  time  the  fit  of  the  convulsive 
asthma  goes  off.  In  a  course  of  years  one  fit  succeeds 
another,  and  the  disorder  increases  in  the  violence  and 
duration  of  the  fits,  as  well  as  in  the  frequency  of  their 
returns.  The  expectoration  from  the  mucous  glands 
of  the  lungs,  which  still  continues  to  relieve  at  the  ter- 
mination of  the  fits,  becomes  itself  a  very  troublesome 
symptom.  These  glands  are  relaxed,  and  the  discharge 
of  mucus  greater  than  natural.  Hence  the  bronchial  or 
air  vessels  are  frequently  obstructed  with  phlegm,  and 
from  this  cause  the  freedom  of  respiration  is  disturbed: 
the  patient  breathes  with  unusual  difficulty,  although 
-his  convulsive  fits  be  absent.  When  he  first  wakes  in 
the  morning  he  has  generally  a  severe  fit  of  coughing, 
which  continues  till  he  has  discharged  the  phlegm 
that  provoked  the  cough,  by  preventing  the  free  admis- 
sion of  air  into  the  air  vessels.  Through  the  day,  at 
different  times,  the  cough  still  recurs,  but  with  less 
violence  ;  and  in  the  evening  it  is  often  very  teasing  and 
distressing,  especially  on  any  sudden  motion  of  the 
body,  or  in  cold,  damp,  foggy  weather,  which  obstructs 
the  exhalation  of  the  perspirable  matter  from  the  lungs. 
Thus  the  humoral  asthma  is  united  with  the  convulsive, 
and  both  together  exist  in  the  same  patient. 

The  HUMORAL  ASTHMA  is  a  disorder  of  the  mucous 
glands  of  the  lungs,  in  consequence  of  which  they  are 
relaxed,  and  the  discharge  of  mucus,  being  unnaturally 
copious,  obstructs  the  freedom  of  respiration.  This 
kind  of  asthma  is  more  constant ;  the  convulsive  more 
violent,  and  of  shorter  duration.  The  humoral  asthma 
is  more  severe  both  with  respect  to  the  cough  and  dif- 
ficulty of  breathing  in  winter;  but  in  summer,  when 
the  weather  is  warm,  and  perspiration  free,  it  often  dis- 
appears totally  between  the  intervals  of  the  fits  of  the 
convulsive  asthma.  The  convulsive  asthma,  too,  is  some- 
times severer  in  winter  than  in  summer,  especially  when 
combined  with  the  humoral,  or  with  a  catarrh.  But  it 
often  happens  that  the  warm  weather  affords  little  or  no 
relief;  nay,  even  in  many  cases  it  is  observed,  that  the 


AST 


205 


AST 


irritability  of  the  constitution  and  the  rarefaction  of  the 
blood  are  so  much  increased  by  the  warmth  of  the 
weather,  that  the  frequency  and  severity  of  the  fits 
are  greater  in  the  warm  and  sultry,  than  in  the  cold 
>ns  of  the  year.  In  this  case  the  humoral  asth- 
ma is  continued  on  during  the  summer  months  by 
the  convulsive  asthma,  as  a  symptom  of  the  natural 
and  critical  solution  of  the  fits.  After  the  convulsive 
asthmas  there  is  often  a  great  soreness  in  the  breast, 
partly  from  the  violent  muscular  exertion,  and  partly 
from  the  frequency  and  severity  of  the  cough.  Some- 
times, too,  there  are  shooting  pains  in  the  sides, 
which  are  extremely  painful  and  alarming  to  the  pa- 
tient; but  the  judicious  practitioner  will  easily  distin- 
guish them  from  internal  affections  of  the  breast,  by  the 
external  soreness,  and  the  acuteness  of  the  pain  in  con- 
sequence of  motion.  The  frequent  returns  of  fits  some- 
times cause  obstructions  in  the.  lungs,  which,  as  the  dis- 
section of  dead  bodies  clearly  ascertains,  appear  full  of 
knots  or  tubercles.  These  tubercles  are  most  liable  to 
occur  in  those  who  have  naturally  a  narrow  contracted 
chest,  in  which  the  lungs  have  not  a  free  and  easy  mo- 
tion ;  these  render  the  disorder  very  obstinate,  occa- 
sioning a  long  continuance  of  the  cough  after  the  asth- 
matic fit,  frequently  ending  in  small  inflammations  of 
the  lungs,  attended  with  internal  pains,  difficulty  of 
breathing,  and  hectic  fever.  We  have  already  observed, 
that  the  humoral  asthma  often  supervenes  on  the  con- 
vulsive. It  is  necessary  also  to  observe,  that  the  con- 
vulsive sometimes  attacks  those  who  have  long  been 
previously  afflicted  with  the  humoral  asthma.  Patients 
subject  to  catarrhs  and  winter  coughs,  during  which 
they  expectorate  a  considerable  quantity  of  thick  or 
frothy  phlegm,  are  sometimes  suddenly  seized  with 
violent  difficulty  of  breathing,  and  great  tightness  over 
the  breast,  so  as  to  dread  even  instant  suffocation.  This 
new  complaint,  after  having  tormented  them  for  some 
hours,  or  perhaps  a  day  or  two,  also  leaves  them  sud- 
denly, and  they  look  back  with  surprise  at  their  happy 
deliverance  from  so  formidable  and  unexpected  an  ene- 
my. Their  old  habitual  cough  and  asthma,  with  sore- 
ness and  stuffing  in  the  breast,  still  remain  ;  but  they 
bear  it  without  repining.  In  this  manner  they  conti- 
nue for  some  time,  till  the  convulsive  asthma  returns, 
perhaps,  with  additional  violence.  Thus,  the  convulsive 
asthma  becomes  habitual  to  the  patient,  and  he  has  the 
misfortune  to  find  himself  labouring  under  a  complica- 
tion of  two  diseases;  the  one  aggravating  the  other,  and 
both  growing  worse. 

The  convulsive  asthma  sometimes  attacks  persons  of 
a  thin  spare  habit,  whose  constitutions  have  been  great- 
ly emaciated  by  a  long  exposure  to  causes  of  general  or 
chronic  weakness.  In  some  cases  it  seizes  patients  who 
are  robust  and  full  of  blood,  particularly  if  they  have 
small  vessels  and  strait  chests.  At  other  times  it  occurs 
in  those  who  are  gross,  phlegmatic,  corpulent,  and  in 
such  habits  it  is  often  very  distressing.  In  general, 
the  indolent  and  luxurious  suffer  in  a  very  consi- 
derable degree,  and  the  disease  seems  to  be  convey- 
ed to  the  children.  It  is  frequently  connected  like- 
wise with  hysterical  and  hypochondriacal  complaints, 
in  irritable  and  relaxed  constitutions.  The  convulsive 
asthma,  recurring  for  many  years,  is  capable  of  re- 
ducing the  strongest  constitutions,  and  of  bringing  on 
the  symptoms  of  general  debility ;  but  if  it  attacks  a 


constitution  already  weakened  and  exhausted,  it  is  ob- 
vious that  it  will  necessarily  weak e'n  and  exhaust  it  more. 
The  stomach  and  bowels  are  more  particularly  liable 
to  be  affected  in  the  convulsive  asthma ;  they  are 'often 
seized  with  colic  pains,  distended  with  wind,  tormented 
with  burning  heats,  and  agitated  with  tremulous  mo- 
tions, which  give  a  sensation  to  the  patient  of  something 
moving  and  fluttering  within  him.  Floyer,  too,  has  ob- 
served, that  slight  fits  of  the  asthma  often  affect  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels,  not  the  lungs.  The  appetite  is  greatly 
impaired,  sleep  is  often  prevented,  or  it  is  disturbed  and 
unrefreshing.  The  menses  are  sometimes  obstructed, 
and  sometimes  they  are  brought  on  before  the  usual  pe- 
riod ;  and  when  plethora  prevails,  that  discharge  is  ac- 
companied with  relief.  The  patient  is  generally  costive, 
though  sometimes  he  will  have  loose  stools.  The  ex- 
tremities, particularly  the  arms,  shoulders,  and  upper 
parts  of  the  body,  are  often  affected  with  great  uneasi- 
ness. Symptoms  of  fever  are  not  essential  to  the  disease, 
though  they  frequently  occur,  especially  when  the  hu- 
moral asthma  or  a  catarrh  is  complicated  with  the  con- 
vulsive. A  hectic  fever,  with  a  colliquative  diarrhoea, 
faintings,  palpitations,  violent  vomitings,  coldnessof  the 
extremities,  swelled  legs,  and  other  dropsical  symp- 
toms, arising  from  weakness,  relaxation,  and  obstruction 
to  the  circulation  of  the  blood  through  the  lungs,  is 
common  in  the  last  stage  of  the  disease.  Asthma  may 
attack  at  any  age,  but  its  general  approach  is  after  the 
prime  of  life. 

From  the  preceding  account  of  the  symptoms  of  the 
convulsive  asthma,  it  will  appear  obvious  that  the  dis- 
tinction of  it  from  every  other  disease  cannot  be  difficult. 
The  sudden  attack  of  the  fits,  the  short  time  of  their 
duration,  the  violence  of  their  symptoms,  the  state  of 
ease  and  good  health  between  them  and  their  returning 
at  intervals,  will  sufficiently  characterise  the  complaint. 
The  convulsive  asthma  is  sometimes  combined  with  the 
humoral  asthma,  pleurisy,  peripneumony,  dropsy  of  the 
breast,  catarrhal  and  consumptive  disorders ;  but  the 
distinctions  will  require  an  accurate  study  of  the  respec- 
tive histories  of  the  different  complaints  which  bear  any 
resemblance  to  it.  In  many  instances  in  the  practice  of 
medicine,  words  can  never  convey  those  minute  distinc- 
tions which  are  very  obvious  to  the  eye  and  other  senses. 

When  this  disorder  is  recent,  and  produced  by  a  de- 
cided occasional  cause,  there  may  be  hopes  of  a  lasting 
recovery  ;  otherwise  it  is  rarely,  if  ever,  cured.  An 
eruption  of  the  menses,  or  of  the  haemorrhoids,  during 
a  paroxysm,  alleviates  it;  improper  management  causes 
an  asthma  more  readily  to  end  in  a  dropsy  ;  paroxysms 
of  convulsive  asthmas  greatly  endanger  the  life  at  every 
return,  yet  seldom  prove  fatal.  If  frequent  and  long  con- 
tinued, should  the  patient  escape  with  his  life,  a  dropsy 
is  the  result,  which  is  his  destruction.  If  a  slow  fever 
comes  on,  an  unequal  intermittent  pulse,  a  palsy  of  the 
arms,  a  continual  palpitation  of  the  heart,  a  preterna- 
tural small  discharge  by  urine,  or  a  syncope,  death  is  at 
hand ;  as  these  symptoms  show,  that  the  heart  or  its 
connected  vessels  are  organically  injured.  An  asthma 
affecting  old  people  usually  attends  them  to  the  grave. 

Dr.  Cullen  observes,  "  That  the  asthma  depends 
upon  a  particular  constitution  of  the  lungs:  that  the 
firox imatt  cause  is  a  preternatural,  and,  in  some  measure, 
a  spasmodic  constriction  of  the  muscular  fibres  of  the 
bronchiae,  which  not  only  prevents  the  dilatation  of  the 


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brouclrix  necessary  to  a  free  and  full  inspiration,  but 
gives  also  a  rigidity,  which  prevents  a  full  and  free  ex- 
piration. This  preternatural  constriction,"  he  adds, 
u  like  many  other  spasmodic  and  convulsive  affections, 
is  readily  excited  by  a  turgescence  of  the  blood,  and 
other  causes  of  any  unusual  fulness  and  distention  of 
the  vessels  of  the  lungs." 

When  this  spasm  is  removed,  the  patient,  after  the 
expectoration  of  a  little  phlegm,  feels  himself  almost 
restored  to  perfect  health  ;  for  the  cause  being  obviated, 
and  there  being  no  fixed  obstruction  in  the  lungs,  the 
symptoms  totally  disappear.  The  proximate  cause  of 
the-convulsive  asthma,  when  complicated  with  the  hu- 
moral, is  a  spasmodic  contraction  of  the  air  vessels  of 
the  lungs,  occasioned  by  an  increased  secretion  of  mu- 
cus, from  a  relaxation  of  the  mucous  glands. 

The  CHIEF  PREDISPOSING  CAUSES  of  the  convulsive 
asthma  are,  a  narrow  contracted  chest,  morbid  irrita- 
bility of  the  lungs,  and  pulmonary  obstructions  in  con- 
sequence of  tubercles,  either  scrofulous  or  formed  by 
repeated  catarrhs,  winter  coughs,  pleurisies,  and  perip- 
neumonies. 

The  OCCASIONAL  CAUSES  of  the  convulsive  asthma 
are,  cold,  moisture,  sudden  changes  of  weather,  dust, 
metallic  fumes,  smoke  and  other  particular  smells,  me- 
phitic  vapours,  evacuations,  great  fatigue,  neglect  of 
exercise,  shouting,  and  all  strong  exertions  of  the  voice, 
certain  disorders  in  the  constitution,  anger,  joy,  sur- 
prise, fear,  grief,  and  other  depressing  passions,  excess 
in  vencry,  and  intemperance  in  diet. 

When,  however,  we  compare  the  action  of  these  re- 
mote causes  with  the  spasm  supposed  to  occasion  the 
disease,  the  connection  is  not  very  clear ;  and,  indeed, 
while  anatomy  has  not  ascertained  the  existence  of  mus- 
cular fibres  in  the  bronchial  cells,  or  the  branches  of  the 
trachea  ultimately  terminating  in  them,  it  is  not  easy  to 
admit  this  cause.  There  are,  indeed,  some  reasons  for 
supposing  the  diaphragm  alone  affected,  since  respira- 
tion is  chiefly  carried  on  by  its  means,  and  the  convulsive 
asthma  is  intimately  connected  with  the  state  of  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels.  When  the  diaphragm  is  affected,  by 
consent  of  parts  usually  acting  together,  the  intercostal 
muscles  are  also  spasmodically  contracted.  This  idea  is 
in  some  degree  supported  by  the  symptoms  of  pleurisy, 
where  the  diaphragm  gives  little  assistance  in  respira- 
tion, as  the  ribs  cannot  be  raised  without  pain. 

It  cannot  have  escaped  the  attentive  observer,  that 
the  remote  causes  and  threatening  symptoms  of  con- 
vulsive asthma  and  gout,  are  not  very  dissimilar ;  the 
period  of  attack,  the  firm  health  in  the  intervals, 
and  the  subjects  most  liable  to  these  diseases,  are  still 
stronger  marks  of  the  connection  ;  but  our  pathology  is 
in  too  imperfect  a  state  to  explain  the  reason  why  a 
previous  debility  of  the  system,  followed  by  irregular 
action,  should,  in  one  case,  produce  inflammation  in  the 
extremities ;  and  in  the  other,  spasm  on  the  organs  of 
respiration.  We  indeed  see,  in  general,  that  those  sub- 
ject to  asthma  have  some  imperfect  conformation-  of 
the  chest,  or  some  obstruction  in  the  organs  which  it 
contains;  and  we  sec,  also,  that  an  accumulation  of 
mucus  in  the  bronchial  glands,  or  a  suppression  of  the 
usual  discharge,  will  often  bring  on  fits  of  true  con- 
vulsive asthma. 

A  late  author,  Dr.  Bree,  who  is  himself  an  asthmatic, 
has  endeavoured  to  bring  us  back  to  the  humoral  pa- 


thology, and  to  connect  more  intimately  the  convulsive 
and  humoral  asthma,  though  not  with  signal  success. 
His  chief  argument  consists  in  the  appearances  after 
death  :  but  we  have  already  remarked,  that  these  are 
effects  only ;  and  in  general  the  quantity  discharged  at 
the  termination  of  a  fit  is  so  inconsiderable,  the  relief  is 
so  often  obtained  previous  to  the  discharge,  and  the 
marks  of  accumulation  even  when  present  are  so  trifling, 
that  this  opinion  cannot  be  supported. 

The  hopes  of  relief  are  to  be  estimated  from  the 
violence  and  duration  of  the  symptoms,  the  age  of  the 
patient,  the  condition  of  his  constitution,  the  nature  of 
the  predisposition,  and  the  power  of  the  exciting 
causes.  If  the  symptoms  of  the  spasmodic  affection  in 
the  lungs  run  high;  if  the  disorder  be  of  long  standing, 
and,  when  once  excited,  continues  for  several  days;  if 
the  returns  of  it  be  frequent ;  if  the  lungs  be  greatly  ob- 
structed with  phlegm  •  at  the  termination  of  the  con- 
vulsive fits,  and  an  obstinate  cough  remains  during  the 
intervals,  with  a  laborious  respiration,  and  a  copious  ex- 
pectoration of  mucous  matter  ;  the  cure  is  difficult,  te- 
dious, and  uncertain.  Tubercles  and  obstruction  in  the 
lungs  are  symptoms  too  unfavourable  to  admit  of 
hope.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  disorder  be  recent;  if 
the  patient's  constitution  be  not  greatly  impaired ;  if 
there  be  no  natural  deformity  in  the  chest ;  if  respiration 
after  the  termination  of  the  fit  be  free,  and  the  cough, 
with  expectoration  of  phlegm,  not  violent  nor  obstinate 
in  its  duration ;  if  the  occupation  of  the  person  be  not  in- 
jurious to  the  lungs,  or,  if  so,  can  be  easily  relinquished  ; 
and  if  the  lungs  be  not  obstructed  with  tubercles,  either 
in  consequence  of  a  scrofulous  habit,  or  repeated  in- 
flammatory affections,  the  case  bears  a  favourable  aspect, 
and  may,  in  all  human  probability,  be  frequently  treated 
with  success.  When  infants  are  seized  with  the  asthma, 
it  often  ends  fatally,  especially  if  powerful  means  for  the 
removal  of  it  be  not  applied  at  its  commencement. 

The  CUKE  of  ASTHMA  must  differ  according  to  its  na- 
ture, and  the  periods  in  which  the  remedies  are  em- 
ployed. The  only  disease  properly  distinguished  by  this 
appellation  is  the  convulsive  asthma  ;  but  the  humoral 
asthma  is  so  often  connected  with  it,  at  least  as  an  ex- 
citing cause,  that  we  shall  consider  it  in  this  place. 

The  treatment  of  convulsive  asthma  must  differ,  when 
considered  with  a  view  of  removing  the  fit,  or  of  pre- 
venting its  recurrence.  It  was  formerly  a  constant  prac- 
tice, in  every  case  of  difficult  breathing,  to  bleed;  and 
bleeding  has  been  repeatedly  employed  to  mitigate  the 
urgent, symptoms  of  the  moment.  We  have  great  rea- 
son to  think  that  this  practice  has  been  highly  injurious; 
and  repeated  bleedings  in  repeated  fits  have  undoubt- 
edly hastened  the  common  termination  of  asthma,  the 
dropsy.  Yet  so  sudden  is  frequently  the  relief,  that 
patients  once  accustomed  to  it  are  displeased  if  so  ready 
a  remedy  is  omitted,  and  it  is  often  necessary  to  take  a 
small  quantity  of  blood  to  satisfy  their  minds  :  indeed 
it  frequently  happens  that  a  slight  bleeding  will  be 
equally  useful  with  a  large  one.  Such  is  the  connection 
established  jn  the  human  system  by  concomitant  effects, 
that  we  are  told  by  Dr.  Whytt,  that  a  nervous  paroxysm 
has  been  removed  by  the  momentary  puncture  of  the 
arm. 

Vomits  are  considered  by  Dr.  Akenside  as  highly 
useful  in  shortening  the  paroxysm,  and  he  recommends 
them  to  be  given  early,  indeed  almost  in  the  moment  of 


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the  attack.  We  own  that  \ve  have  followed  this  prac- 
tice with  some  hesitation,  yet  we  have  never  found  it 
inconvenient  or  dangerous.  Physicians  have  usually 
waited  till  some  expectoration- has  come  on,  but  the 
remedy  is  then  unnecessary.  Dr.  Akenside  gave  very- 
small  doses  of  ipecacuanha  only  ;  and  remarks,  that  it 
is  equally  useful  when  it  nauseates,  as  when  it  vomits. 
The  more  rapid  effects  of  the  white  vitriol  have  not, 
we  believe,  been  tried,  though  they  may  probably  unite 
a  tonic  power  with  the  usual  effects  of  vomiting. 

Blisters  require  too  long  a  period  for  their  operation 
to  be  of  great  service  during  the  fit ;  but,  when  the  pa- 
roxysm is  unusually  protracte'd,  they  may  be  of  service. 

The  chief  benefit  to  be  expected  during  the  attack 
is  from  the  volatile  arttispasmodics ;  and,  as  no  incon- 
venience is  likely  to  follow,  expectorants  have  been 
combined  with  them.  With  the  mioctura  cam/i/ioraCa, 
have  been  united  aether,  aqua  ammoniac,  tincturafcetida, 
lac  ammoniac,  and  even  opium.  The  quickest  and 
most  diffusive  stimulants  arc  undoubtedly  the  best ;  and 
these  mentioned  may  be  combined  in  any  proportion 
the  physician  may  prefer.  Opium  is  however  a  medi- 
cine of  equivocal  utility.  It  is  memioned  because  it  has 
been  recommended ;  but  in  our  hands  it  has  been  rather 
injurious  than  useful.  Mixing  the  opium  with  squills, 
or  any  active  expectorant,  or  with  gentle  laxatives,  to 
avoid  its  constipating  effects,  are  proper  precautions. 

Bathing  the  feet  in  warm  water  has  been  sometimes 
•useful;  and  in  the  very  violent  attacks,  cataplasms,  with 
garlic  applied  to  the  feet,  have  been  of  service.  When 
a  fit  of  true  convulsive  asthma  is  apparently  connected 
with  water  in  the  chest,  an  active  laxative  has  given 
great  relief.  In  such  cases,  ten  grains  of  jalap,  with  as 
much  calomel,  have  been  given  with  advantage. 

The  intervals  between  the  Jits  are  the  periods  when 
medicine  may  be  most  usefully  employed ;  for  though  we 
lessen  debility,  and  prevent  in  some  degree  any  organic 
derangement  by  shortening  and  mitigating  the  fit,  yet 
it  scarcely  ever  happens  that  a  paroxysm  proves  fatal. 

The  diet  should,  in  general,  be  light  and  digestible ; 
and  every  thing  acescent  and  flatulent  should  be  avoid- 
ed. As  life  advances  it  should  be  more  generous ;  and 
Madeira,  or  Port,  if  it  does  not  produce  acidity,  may 
be  taken  with  freedom,  regulated  by  former  habits. 
The  less  perfectly  fermented  ale  is  injurious,  but  porter 
is  an  excellent  liquor  with  the  meals ;  and,  if  not  too 
flatulent  or  too  strong,  agrees  well  with  asthmatics.  In 
some  cases  of  asthma  however  these  liquors  are  too 
stimulant;  and  water,  or  a  solution  of  cream  of  tartar 
in  water,  is  found  more  useful.  Though  acescents  are 
injurious,  the  acids  less  susceptible  of  further  change, 
as  vinegar,  or  the  pure  acid  of  tartar,  are  supposed  to 
be  very  beneficial.  Tea  should  be  avoided;  but  coffee 
is  supposed  to  be  highly  useful:  and  the  warmer  plants 
of  our  own  country,  as  peppermint,  rosemary,  and 
pennyroyal,  may  with  advantage  supersede  those  of 
foreign  growth.  Supper  should  always  be  light  of 
digestion,  and  not  flatulent  or  acescent.  The  ship  bis- 
cuits, with  porter,  or  brandy  and  water  not  sweetened, 
or  some  beef  tea,  will  fully  supply  this  meal. 

The  situation  of  asthmatic  patients  is  of  great  im- 
portance. In  general,  they  cannot  breathe  with  ease  in 
an  elevated  spot ;  and  too  great  a  proportion  of  oxygen 
in  the  air,  irritates  their  weak  and  susceptible  lungs.  In 
what  the  lower  quality  of  the  air  consistent  with  their 


case,  consists,  we  know  not.  It  has  been  suspected  to 
be  azote  or  hydrogen ;  but,  from  a  fact  mentioned  by 
Dr.  Percival,  that  the  asthmatics  who  have  been  disor- 
dered by  the  fumes  of  lead,  find  relief  from  working  in 
the  lime  kilns,  it  may  be  fixed  air,  which,  from  its 
greater  specific  gravity,  falls  into  the  lower  strata  of  the 
atmosphere.  Whatever  may  be  the  cause,  the  fact  is 
well  established.  Asthmatics  do  not  always  find  great 
advantage  from  a  warmer  climate.  Such  however  is  the 
variable  nature  of  this  disease,  that  some  cannot  breathe 
but  in  a  less  inclement  atmosphere  than  this  country 
affords. 

The  other  physical  qualities  of  the  air  are  probably 
of  importance.  A  due  degree  of  elasticity  is  apparently 
necessary ;  but  this,  too,  may  be  in  excess,  and  produce 
inconvenience.  An  easterly  wind  is  always  injurious ; 
but  to  what  all  the  disadvantages  of  this  peculiar  state 
of  the  air  may  be  attributed,  we  are  yet  ignorant. 

The  exercise  should  be  steady  and  regular.  Walking^ 
for  the  reasons  formerly  assigned,  is  the  most  salutary  ; 
and  sailing,  for  a  similar  reason,  has  been  found  very- 
advantageous.  If  exercise  on  horseback  or  in  a  carriage 
is  necessary,  the  feet  must  be  well  covered  to  keep  up 
an  equable,  steady  perspiration.  Moisture  should  be 
carefully  avoided;  and,  if  accidentally  wetted,  the  clothes 
should  be  immediately  changed.  The  cold  damp  air  of 
the  night  should  be  shunned  with  equal  anxiety.  Flan- 
nel should  be  usually  worn  next  the  skin  in  winter,  and 
a  moderately  thick  calico  in  summer. 

Vomits  frequently  repeated  have  been  found  of  consi- 
derable utility,  and  their  advantages  have  been  variously 
explained.  Those  who  consider  the  source  of  the  disease 
to  be  in  the  stomach,  think  the  frequent  evacuation  use- 
ful ;  while  others  consider  them  chiefly  as  expectorants, 
or  as  determining  very  powerfully  to  the  skin.  All, 
however,  confess  their  utility,  and  we  have  known  them 
given  every  other  morning  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time,  without  appearing  in  the  slightest  degree  to  in- 
jure the  stomach :  on  the  contrary,  they  seemed  to  re- 
store its  action.  The  emetic  has  generally  in  these  cases 
been  assisted  by  mustard  whey,  and  sometimes  by  the 
volatile  alkali  added  to  camomile  tea,  and  occasionally 
by  the  infusion  of  the  seeds  carduus  benedictua. 

The  steady  action  of  the  warmer  purgatives  is  also 
of  great  importance  in  this  disease.  The  connection  of 
asthmatic  paroxysms  with  flatulence  and  costiveness 
has  been  already  pointed  out;  and  obviating  these  has 
greatly  contributed  to  extend  the  intervals  of  ease.  The 
rhubarb  and  aloes  appear  to  be  the  most  useful ;  nor 
have  we  found  any  distinction  in  their  merits,  except 
that  the  former  seems  more  applicable  when  the  skin 
is  dark  and  yellow,  indicating  an  affection  of  the  liver; 
and  the  latter,  when  these  appearances  are  absent. 
Those  subject  to  piles  find  aloes  inconvenient ;  but  in 
asthma,  hacmorrhoidal  inflammations  are  said  to  be  ad- 
vantageous. We  know  no  subject  in  medicine  less  un- 
derstood than  the  nature  of  haemorrhoids,  and  their  con- 
nection with  the  general  health  ;  nor  can  we  promise  to 
elucidate,  though  we  shall  notice,  the  more  important 
facts  relative  to  it.  In  the  case  before  us,  if  the  asthma- 
tic feels  advantage  from  these  swellings,  or  the  dis- 
charges of  blood  which  sometimes  accompany  them, 
such  is  the  distressing  nature  of  this  complaint,  that  he 
may  assist  both  by  aloetic  purgatives  ;  yet  so  painful  and 
disagreeable  is  the  disease,  that  in  scarcely  any  other, 


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apoplexy  and  palsy  perhaps  exccpted,  would  the  change 
be  considered  as  advantageous.  Some  authors  have  pre- 
ferred the  saline  and  the  acid  purgatives.  In  the  earlier 
and  more  robust  periods  of  life  they  may  perhaps  be 
more  useful ;  but  asthma  is  seldom  the  disease  of  youth 
and  activi  y.  The  predisposition  is,  however,  in  some 
constitutions,  so  strong,  that  we  have  known  its  attacks 
commence  so  early  as  sixteen  years  of  age. 

There  is  another  circumstance  which  renders  the 
more  cooling  purgatives  sometimes  proper,  which  is  the 
alternation  of  mania  with  asthma.  We  have  seen  some 
cases  of  this  kind,  and  suspect  that  they  are  more  com- 
mon than  authors  have  supposed  ;  and  in  these,  unless 
the  maniacal  affection  be  of  the  melancholy  kind,  salts 
and  acid  purgatives  are  better  adapted  to  the  complaint. 

A  remedy  of  peculiar  importance  is  said  to  be  a  per- 
petual blister,  or  an  issue ;  and  we  think  that  we  have 
found  a  perpetual  blister  on  the  back,  or  on  the  breast, 
highly  useful  in  preventing  the  return  of  fits.,  Of  issues 
we  have  less  experience ;  nor  can  we  confirm  by  our 
observation  the  remark,  that  this  discharge  is  as  useful 
from  the  arm  or  thigh,  as  from  parts  nearer  the  chest. 
In  affections  of  the  chest,  it  has  not  been  uncommon 
to  employ  blisters  on  the  thighs  and  legs ;  or,  in  the 
more  chronic  complaints  of  these  organs,  issues.  This 
remaining  scion  of  the  old  doctrine  of  revulsion  is  now 
decaying,  yet  the  practice  has  been  very  lately  recom- 
mended by  physicians  of  eminence ;  and,  with  all  our 
theoretical  prejudices  alive,  we  cannot  help  adding,  that 
we  have  seen  these  applications  apparently  useful. 

Diuretics  have  been  sometimes  recommended;  but 
as  the  principal  remedy  of  this  kind  is  the  squill,  it  may 
be  of  service  as  an  expectorant.  If  the  nitre  and  sal 
ammoniac  be  ever  useful,  they  must  chiefly  act  by  pre- 
venting the  accumulations  of  those  salts,  which,  pre- 
vious to  a  paroxysm,  appear  to  be  retained  by  the  urine 
becoming  colourless. 

Expectorants  might  be  supposed  a  very  useful  class 
of  medicines;  yet,  if  the  view  we  have  taken  of  the 
disease  be  correct,  we  shall  find  it  not  occasioned  by 
any  accumulation  of  mucus,  and  we  shall  soon  perceive 
on  what  foundation  they  have  been  advantageous. 

The  great  object,  in  the  interval,  is  to  restore  the 
tone  of  the  system,  and  to  support  it.  With  occasional 
vomits,  the  steady  and  continued  use  of  eccoprotics, 
sea  bathing  has  been  found  highly  useful,  and  it  is 
strongly  recommended  by  Dr.  Ryan.  The  bark  has 
been  found  of  equal  service ;  and,  with  the  same  view, 
Dr.  Withers  has  recommended  the  flowers  of  zinc ; 
and  other  authors,  a  mild  alterative  course  of  mercu- 
rials. Perhaps  all  the  metallic  tonics  will  be  found  use- 
ful, except  perhaps  the  iron,  which  seems  to  combine 
too  great  a  share  of  inflammatory  stimulus.  This  idea 
may  appear  probably  too  hypothetical,  and  it  is  hinted 
only  to  suggest  a  little  caution  in  its  use. 

These  are  the  principal  remedies  of  convulsive  asth- 
ma; and  we  shall  next  consider  the  HUMORAL  ASTHMA, 
as  the  accumulation  in  the  bronchial  glands  acts  often 
as  an  exciting  cause  of  a  convulsive  fit,  and  in  the  old 
asthmatic,  they  are  often  united.  The  symptoms  are 
the  usual  ones  of  a  laborious  and  oppressive  breathing, 
but  accompanied  with  a  wheezing  noise  in  the  respira- 
tion, which  indicates  an  accumulation  of  mucus  in  the 
bronchise.  The  fit  also,  instead  of  lasting  a  few  hours, 
is  kept  up  many  days,  and  at  length  terminates  imper- 


fectly, leaving  the  patient  for  a  long  time  weak  and 
languid ;  and,  after  various  attacks,  usually  occasioning 
hydrothorax. 

In  this  form  of  the  disease  the  sputum  is  at  first 
frothy,  or  ot  a  gluey  consistence,  admitting  of  being 
drawn  out  in  threads ;  and  little  or  no  relief  is  obtained 
till  it  is  expectorated  in  rounder  masses,  is  of  a  yel- 
lowish white,  less  tenacious,  and  more  soft.  Bleeding 
is  here  also  employed  to  relieve  symptoms,  as  suffoca- 
tion is  more  frequent  than  in  the  true  asthma,  yet  its 
repetition  soon  produces  all  the  bad  effects  attributed 
to  it  in  the  convulsive  species ;  and  if'  the  necessary- 
quantity  is  at  all  exceeded,  the  weakness  occasioned 
will  render  it  difficult  to  bring  on  the  proper  expecto- 
ration. Vomits  are  more  useful,  and  the  squills  given 
in  such  doses  as  to  vomit  or  nauseate,  produce  the  best 
effects.  If  there  is  much  fever,  they  are  assisted  by 
antimonials,  particularly  the  kermes  mineral ;  if  little 
or  none,  by  the  volatile  alkali.  In  general,  except  in 
the  very  early  stage,  there  is  little  fever ;  and  the  quick- 
ness and  hardness  of  the  pulse  are  the  effects  of  the 
laborious  breathing. 

Blisters  arc  in  this  complaint  singularly  useful,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  of  the  propriety  of  applying  them 
very  near  the  back.  They  must  often  be  repeated,  and 
as  soon  as  one  has  begun  to  discharge,  another  may  be 
applied,  as  the  stimulus  of  the  cantharides  appears  to 
be  chiefly  useful.  Cataplasms  of  garlic  to  the  feet  have 
been  considered  as  very  valuable  assistants. 

Exjiectoranis  are  also  of  great  importance,  and  the 
chief  of  these  are  the  squill,  the  gum  ammoniac,  and 
the  volatile  alkali.  Equal  parts  of  the  oily  emulsion 
and  lac  ammoniac,  to  which  is  added  as  much  of  the 
tincture  of  squills  as  the  stomach  can  bear,  is  a  medi- 
cine of  peculiar  utility,  and  often  will  bring  on  expec- 
toration in  cases  apparently  desperate.  The  other  ex- 
pectorants are  not  of  equal  power ;  the  inula  will  some- 
times be  useful  when  continued,  and  is  adapted  rather 
for  the  intervals  than  the  urgent  emergency  of  a  pa- 
roxysm ;  and  the  asafoetida,  whose  powers  as  a  carmi- 
native and  antispasmodic  have  eclipsed  its  numerous 
other  virtues,  merits  considerable  commendation  in  the 
same  view.  Even  in  the  convulsive  kind  it  becomes  an 
excellent  vehicle  for  the  constant  laxative.  The  oliba- 
num,  in  many  of  its  effects  resembling  the  asafoetida, 
is  highly  useful,  and  seems  to  combine  a  tonic  with  its 
expectorant  power. 

Respecting  the  propriety  of  purges  in  the  humoral 
asthma,  authors  have  differed.  If  given  in  any  con- 
siderable dose,  they  induce  debility,  and  retard  the 
expectoration ;  but  we  have  generally  found,  that  to 
procure  about  two  motions  daily,  has  been  highly  salu- 
tary. These  must,  however,  be  produced  by  the  mildest 
laxatives. 

There  are  some  cases  where  humoral  asthma  is 
combined  with  hydrothorax,  or  indeed  where  the  lat- 
ter puts  on  the  appearances  of  the  former.  In  these 
circumstances  we  have  fortunately  an  active  medi- 
cine, adapted  to  both  diseases;  viz.  the  squills.  The 
distinction  is,  however,  necessary,  as  the  hydrotho- 
rax requires  more  active  laxatives.  In  this  disease,  the 
hydropic  diathesis  is  more  conspicuous.  The  urine 
is  scanty ;  the  breathing,  though  oppressed,  is  not  so 
violently  obstructed  as  in  asthma ;  the  dyspnoea  con- 
tinues with  less  change;  the  lips  are  lividj  and  the 


AST 


209 


A  S  T 


whole  face  more  dark  and  swollen.  The  sleep  is  in- 
terrupted by  sense  of  suffocation,  and -fain ting  recurs  on 
the  slightest  motion.  In  such  circumstances,  diuretics 
and  active  laxatives  are  the  only  remedies. 

Of  the  diuretics,  the  squill  is  the  most  powerful ;  but 
some  of  the  more  stimulating  kinds  are  frequently 
useful ;  and  great  advantages  are  often  obtained  by  the 
oil  of  juniper,  or  the  oil  of  turpentine.  These  seem 
also  to  act  as  expectorants;  and  the  balsam  Peru,  both 
as  an  expectorant,  a  stimulant,  and  a  tonic,  when  the 
more  violent  urgent  symptoms  have  disappeared,  is  an 
excellent  medicine.  In  the  intervals  of  this  disease 
there  is  no  room  for  the  bark,  as  it  is  too  astringent, 
except  where  the  asthma  is  of"  the  gouty  kind.  In 
other  species,  the  cascarilla,  -the  quassia,  the  cortex 
salicis  latifolias,  the  oak,  or  the  angustura  bark,  may  be 
given  as  a  tonic.  But,  above  all,  it  is  necessary  to  keep 
up  the  determination  to  the  surface,  to  avoid  cold  and 
damps  of  every  kind,  night  air,  and  every  cause  of  de- 
bility. 

The  asthma,  in  some  instances,  ends  in  a  partial 
palsy  ;  in  others,  in  some  species  of  dropsy  ;  sometimes, 
though  not  often,  the  patient  is  suddenly  suffocated. 
This  accident,  when  it  happens,  hath  for  its  cause  a 
polypus  in  the  lungs ;  and  instances  have  occurred  of 
its  ending  in  an  inflammation  of  those  organs. 

See  Aretaeus.  Dr.  Dover.  Sir  John  Floyer  on  the 
Asthma.  Cullen's  First  Lines^edit.  iv.  vol.  iii.  Withers 
on  the  Asthma.  Dr.  Ryan  on  the  History  and  Cure  of 
Asthma.  Hoffman  on  Convulsive  Asthma.  Bree  on 
Disordered  Respiration.  Akenside  in  the  London  Me- 
dical Transactions,  vol.  i. 

ASTHMA  SPASMODICUM  INFANTUM.  The  difficulty  of 
breathing,  which  so  often  attacks  during  the  period  of 
infancy,  is  a  disease  of  peculiar  danger,  and  its  different 
kinds  are  not  easily  discriminated.  The  suffocations 
from  cold  and  teething  are  generally  known  by  the 
fever  attending,  and  the  period  of  life,  as  well  as  the 
swelling  of  the  gums.  The  difficulty  of  distinction 
chiefly  lies  between  the  spasmodic  asthma,  and  cynan- 
che  stridula.  The  inconvenience  has  been  greater,  since, 
from  the  resemblance  of  the  symptoms,  remedies  have 
been  celebrated  as  successful  in  croup,  which  were  never 
used  in  the  disease ;  and  the  less  experienced  practitioner, 
trusting  to  them,  has  felt  the  severest  disappointment. 
The  distinction  indeed  is  not  easy,  nor  does  it  admit  of 
explanation.  The  peculiar  sound  of  the  croupy  breath- 
ing, which  is  known  only  from  experience,  decides  the 
question.  The  sound  of  the  asthmatic  breathing  is  less 
shrill,  and  generally  accompanied  with  some  wheezing. 

The  remedies  for  the  spasmodic  asthma  of  children 
require  the  utmost  activity  in  their  administration.  A 
blister  must  be  immediately  applied  to  the  breast  or 
back;  an  active  emetic  of  tartarised  antimony  quickly 
given,  in  a  dose  thet  will  secure  its  effects,  and  probably 
occasion  also  some  discharge  by  stool.  A  warm  bath  will 
often  prove  advantageous;  and  the asafoetida, given  with 
tinctura  opii  in  a  clyster,  after  some  motions  have  been 
procured,  either  by  the  emetic  tartar,  an  active  clyster, 
or  a  dose  of  calomel,  will  relieve  very  effectually  the 
spasm.  To  a  child  of  two  years  old,  two  scruples  of 
asafoetida  may  be  given  in  a  clyster,  dissolved  in  two 
ounces  of  warm  water,  with  thirty  or  forty  drops  of  the 
tincture  of  opium ;  and  this  may  be  repeated  in  four  or 
six  hours,  according  to  the  exigency  of  the  complaint. 

VOL.  I. 


Dr.  Millar,  in  the  spasmodic  asthma  of  children  and 
the  hooping  cough,  advises  the  asafcetida  internally ;  and 
adds,  that  children  are  soon  reconciled  to  the  taste,  and 
even  grow  fond  of  it.  This  may  be  true,  but  we  have- 
not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  with  such  admirers  of 
the  garlic  flavour.  Cataplasms  of  garlic,  however,  ap- 
plied to  the  feet,  have  been  often  advantageous. 

A'STITES  GLAXDULO'SI,(from«rf,  and  sto,  to 
stand  near}.      A  name  of  the  prostate  glands,  because 
they  are  situated  near  the  bladder.     See  PAR\ST\T*. 
*  ASTRA'GALO,      ASTRAGALOI'DES,      (from 
«c-7<<*y«A«;,  and  ti$t>$,  likeness').     See  OROBUS. 

ASTRA'GALUS,  (from  eafyayaAof,  a  cockal  or  die. 
So  called  because  it  is  shaped  like  the  die  used  in  an- 
cient games).  ANKLE  BONE.  Also  called  the  SLINO 
BONE  ;  balliste  os;  aristrios;  talus;  quatrio;  tetroros; 
cavicula;  cavilla;  diabebos;  fieza,  or  first  bone  of  the 
foot. 

It  is  the  upper  bone  of  the  foot,  the  tibia  rests  upon 
it;  its  upper  and  under  side  are  covered  with  cartilage, 
and  on  its  under  side  it  articulates  with  the  os  calcis ; 
the  fore  part  of  this  bone  is  cartilaginous,  and  there  it 
articulates  with  the  os  scaphoides.  Some  apply  the 
term  to  the  vertebrae  of  the  neck.  Hom«r,  in  his 
Odyssey,  uses  it  in  this  sense. 

ASTRA'GALUS  .EXCAPUS,  is  a  species  of  astragalus 
found  in  Hungary,  said  to  be  useful  in  syphilis.  Two 
ounces  of  the  dry  root  are  boiled  in  three  pints  of  watef 
to  a  quart,  which  is  to  be  taken  daily. 

ASTRA'GALUS.  Also  a  name  for  the  LIQUORICE 
VETCH.  See  OROBUS,  and  GLAUX  ^TULGARJS  LEGUMI- 
NOSA. 

ASTRA'GALUS  ACULEA'TUS,  ASTRA'GALUS  MASSILIE'N- 
sis^  ASTRA'GALUS  TRAGA'CANTHA  ALBUS.  See  GUMMI 

TRAGACAXTHA. 

ASTRA  XTIA  VULG.  et  NI'GEH,  (from  curltif,  a  star, 
so  called  from  the  star-like  shape  of  its  flowers).  See 
IMFERATORIA. 

A'STRAPE,  (from  «p7»*«7»,  corusc o).  LIGHTNING. 
Galen  reckons  it  among  the  remote  causes  of  an  epi- 
lepsy ;  and  it  is  doubtless  a  cause  of  disease  in  lesser 
degrees  of  its  influence,  as  well  as  of  death  in  greater. 
In  the  Phil.  Trans,  art.  xlii.  ann.  1766,  Dr.  Laurence 
gives  an  instance  of  a  singular  effect  of  lightning. 

ASTRI'CTA,  (from  astringo,  to  bind').  When  ap- 
plied to  the  belly  it  signifies  COSTIVENESS. 

ASTRIXGE'XTIA,  ASTRICTO-RIA.  ASTRIN- 
GENTS, (from,  astringo,  to  bind'}.  ADSTRINGENTIA  ; 
called  also  anastaltica;  constringent/a. 

The  solid  parts  of  the  human  machine,  from  various 
causes,  are  often  so  relaxed  that  they  are  unfit  to  per- 
form properly  their  different  functions.  It  seems  ne- 
cessary, therefore,  that  there  should  be  such  remedies 
as  can  correct  debility,  and  bring  back  our  solids  to 
their  former,  healthy  state.  Remedies  of  this  sort 
among  physicians  are  called  ASTRINGENTS.  That  many 
substances  have  the  power  of  condensing  and  strength- 
ening the  solid  parts  of  animal  bodies,,  is  proved  from 
that  well  known  art  of  tanning  and  preparing  leather 
by  oak  bark,  and  other  similar  bodies,  until  it  acquires 
a  remarkable  hardness  and  firmness;  chemistry  has 
lately  taught  us  that  this  change  is  produced  by  a  prin- 
ciple called  from  its  effects  tannin,  whose  immediate 
action  is  to  precipitate  the  gelatine.  The  application, 
however,  of  this  principle  to  the  human  machine  is  not 

Ee 


A  S  T 


210 


A  S  T 


easy.  Tannin  cannot  be  introduced  between  every  mi- 
nute fibre  of  which  the  human  body  consists,  nor  could 
it  precipitate  the  gelatine  without  its  consequences 
being  obvious,  perhaps  dangerous.  We  see  no  gela- 
tine in  the  mass  of  blood;  and  the  albumen,  which  does 
not  greatly  differ,  forms  that  portion  of  the  blood  which 
is  connected  with  the  strength  of  the  system ;  for  in 
proportion  to  the  density  of  the  crassamcntum,  which 
is  formed  from  the  albumen,  the  strength  is  estimated. 
As  the  beneficial  effects  of  astringents  are  first  felt  in 
the  stomach,  it  is  probable  that  the  tannin  acts  on  its 
fibres,  with  which  those  of  the  whole  nervous  arid 
muscular  systems  seem  to  sympathize,  unless  we  sup- 
pose that  it  produces  such  a  chemical  change  on  the 
chyle  as  to  obtain  a  more  dense  and  nutritious  blood. 
Tn  either  way  the  change  may  perhaps  be  explained, 
and  though  not  clearly  and  satisfactorily,  yet  as  per- 
fectly as  many  of  the  medical  effects  produced  in  our 
systems.  The  former  of  these  ideas  is  not  very  differ- 
ent from  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Cullen,  who  says, "  That 
by  the  corrugation  and  constriction  of  the  whole  mouth 
and  fauces,  from  a  small  portion  of  astringents  being 
applied  to  a  small  part  of  the  tongue,  astringents  act 
upon  the  sentient  nerves;  and  that,  taken  into  the  sto- 
mach, they  show  their  effects  in  other  parts  of  the  body 
so  quickly,  that  they  can  hardly  be  supposed  to  have 
passed  the  stomach  itself:  therefore,  their  sudden  ef- 
fects in  distant  parts  must  be  ascribed  to  an  astringent 
power  communicated  from  the  stomach  to  those  distant 
parts."  The  discovery  of  tannin  is,  however,  of  a  later 
date,  and  its  chemical  effects  seem  to  change  the  state 
of  the  question. 

These  considerations,  however,  assist  us  but  little  in 
explaining  all  the  effects  of  astringents.  -  While  th,ey 
render  the  simple  solids  more  dense,  they  add  also  to 
the  tone  of  the  system,  and  give  energy  and  activity  to 
the  vital.  Muscular  action  is,  at  least,  attended  with 
increased  density,  and  a  stronger  cohesion  of  the  mus- 
cular fibres ;  and  we  can  therefore  perceive  how  astrin- 
gents can  increase  their  energy.  But  the  tone  of  the 
nervous  system  is  apparently  connected  with  a  fluid 
confined  to  the  nervous  fibrils  ;  and  the  little  we  know 
of  its  nature  shows  no  very  striking  connexion  between 
increased  density  and  increased  nervous  power.  To 
avoid  this  difficulty,  it  has  been  supposed  that  astrin- 
gents unite  a  tonic  power ;  and,  as  we  certainly  pos- 
sess tonics  that  are  not  astringent,  so,  on  the  contrary, 
some  astringents  may  not  be  tonics,  or  the  latter  power 
may  be  combined  without  altering  the  sensible  quali- 
ties of  the  former.  The  flowers  of  zinc  and  arsenic  are 
certainly  tonics  without  astringency ;  and  catechu,  the 
most  powerful  astringent,  is  not  a  tonic.  It  is  not, 
therefore,  improbable,  that  the  two  qualities  may  be 
combined ;  yet  they  are  so  often  united  in  a  body,  that 
we  are  anxious  to  find  a  closer  connexion.  We  may 
reflect,  then,  that  though  the  astringents  can  have  no 
effect  on  any  fluid  in  the  nerves,  yet  it  seems  probable 
that  the  state  of  this  fluid,  or  power,  differs  according 
to  the  state  of  the  simple  solid,  and  to  that  of  the  nerves 
as  such.  In  a  warm  climate,  and  from  warm  confined 
air,  which  relaxes  the  simple  solid,  the  nervous  energy 
is  more  mobile,  but  less  strong.  From  cold,  and  in 
cold  climates,  the  contrary  takes  place ;  and,  in  gene- 
ral, astringency  and  relaxation  seem  respectively  to 
attend  tone  and  irritability.  Thus  it  happens  that 


astringents  lessen  irritability;  and  it  is  not  improbable 
that  the  whole  of  their  apparent  tonic  power  is  merely 
the  diminution  of  irritability,  by  the  condensation  of 
the  simple  solid  and  the  nervous  system,  so  far  as  it  is 
such. 

Astringents  are  of  very  different  kinds;  or  rather  me- 
dicines of  different  powers  produce  their  effects.  Those 
which  strictly  deserve  that  title,  make  the  impression 
of  astringency  or  acerbity  on  the  tongue,  for  the  latter 
is  the  effect  of  astringency  joined  with  acidity.  To 
these  only  the  explanations  we  have  already  entered 
into  apply.  The  principle  on  which  their  power  de- 
pends, we  have  said,  is  the  tannin,  in  itself  bitter,  but 
probably  uniting  in  the  vegetable  something  which  adds 
to  its  power.  The  property  of  striking  a  black  with 
chalybeates,  supposed  to  be  the  distinguishing  quality 
of  astringents,  is  now  found  to  be  characteristic  of  the 
gallic  acid,  which  sometimes  accompanies  the  tannin. 
The  catechu,  which  we  have  styled  the  strongest  astrin- 
gent, produces  no  change  of  colour  with  vitriolated  iron. 

The  natural  orders,  stellatte,senticos<s,  and  vaginalen 
oleracece,  afford  astringents  of  moderate  power ;  and 
among  the  cryfitogamie  we  may  mention  the  filix 
florida,  trichomanes,  equisetum,  and  muscus  pyxida- 
tus.  The  ash,  the  hsematoxylum  campechianum  (log- 
wood), the  pomegranate,  and  the  oak,  are  more  pow- 
erful :  and  the  contorte,  including  the  bark  and  the 
mahogany  tree,  perhaps  equally  so.  The  acerb  fruits, 
particularly  the  sloes,  are  active  astringents ;  but  the 
inspissated  juices,  the  acacia  and  catechu,  from  two 
species  of  mimosa,  and  the  kino,  are  the  most  certain 
astringents  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  dragon's 
blood  has  obtained  its  credit,  from  having  been  an  in- 
gredient in  an  active  formula  with  other  medicines  of 
this  class. 

The  mineral  kingdom  affords  powerful  astringents ; 
but  we  do  not  certainly  know  on  what  principle  this  de- 
pends. Yetj  as  we  find  among  minerals  combinations 
not  very  different  from  those  of  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
we  may  conclude  that  a  similar  principle  exists  in  them. 
This  idea  is  strengthened,  by  finding  that  alum  may,  in 
many  instances,  be  substituted  with  effect  for  some  of 
the  substances  already  enumerated.  Vinegar  and  vi- 
triolic acid  possess  an  astringent  power,  and  it  is  of 
course  found  in  their  salts :  thus,  the  acetites  of  lead, 
and  copper,  and  the  sulphats  of  clay  and  copper,  are 
employed  with  singularly  good  effects. 

External  astringents  are  styled  styptics,  and  we  can 
more  readily  understand  their  action  ;  but  some  of  these  " 
act  mechanically,  as  meal,  lint,  puff  ball,  and  spider's 
webs.  By  inviscating  the  blood  and  assisting  its  coa- 
gulation, they  form  a  thrombus,  which  fills  the  wound 
of  the  artery.  The  other  external  astringents  are  some 
of  the  substances  already  mentioned,  particularly  the 
earthy  and  metallic  salts ;  but  there  is  a  third  kind 
which  act  by  coagulating  the  blood  more  directly  : 
these  are  ardent  spirits. 

Astringents  are  employed  externally,  in   haemorr- 
hages, in  bruises,  strains,  and  inflammations.     In  the- 
three  last  the  vessels  are  distended  and  weakened,  and 
their  effects   are  sufficiently  obvious,  but  will  be  fully 
explained  under  the  article  INFLAMMATION,  q.  v. 

Internally,  they  are  used  also  for  checking  haemorr- 
hages, and  immoderate  evacuations  of  every  kind; 
but  the  haemorrhages  to  which  they  are  adapted  aj*e  the 


A  ST 


A  S  T 


passive,  for  when  the  action  of  the  vessels  is  strong,- 
and  blood  abounds,  by  lessening  the  area  of  the  canals, 
they  increase  the  disease.  Their  effect  is  probably 
prcduced  by  their  action  on  the  stomach,  with  which 
the  extreme  vessels  sympathise;  and  as  these  are 
more  irritable  than  the  larger  arteries,  the  astringent 
power  is  more  conspicuous  in  them.  In  general,  we 
have  said  that  they  lessen  irritability ;  and  they  seem 
in  many  instances  to  correct  acidity.  From  each  effect 
they  appear  to  be  useful  in  calculous  and  nephritic 
rases.  General  debility  is  obviated  rather  by  tonics 
than  by  astringents. 

There  is  no  great  choice  in  the  astringents  employed. 
In  moderate  complaints  it  may  not  be  necessary  to 
use  at  once  the  strongest ;  and,  in  general,  if  we  want  a 
rapid  change,  sedatives  and  inirritants,  particularly  cold, 
nitre,  and  opium,  are  preferable  to  astringents,  which 
always  operate  slowly.  The  acetite  of  lead  is  of  an 
equivocal  nature ;  but  we  have  been  unreasonably  ter- 
rified on  this  subject,  and  if  we  interpose  oily  laxatives, 
it  may  be  given  with  some  continuance  very  safely. 

Astringent  vegetables  yield  their  virtue  to  water, 
less  perfectly  to  spirit.  The  astringency  does  not  rise 
in  distillation,  nor  is  it  dissolved  by  oils. 

Medicines  which  imitate  astringents  in  their  effects 
have  been  arranged  in  this  class.  We  have  already 
alluded  to  sedatives  and  inirritants.  The  solanacea 
and  the  rhxaden,  including  the  fox  glove  and  the  pop- 
pies, have  been  for  this  reason  accounted  astringents. 
Abstinence  and  evacuations  have  been  considered  of 
the  same  kind. 

Demulcents  and  antacids  appear  more  decidedly  as- 
tringent, by  checking  discharges  from  the  bowels. 
The  various  boles,  for  ages  commended  and  employed, 
may  derive  some  virtue  from  the  iron  they  contain,  if 
iron  be  in  reality  an  astringent.  The  argillaceous  earth, 
of  which  they  chiefly  consist,  acts  as  a  demulcent  in 
sheathing  the  abraded  bowels.  The  gum  arabic,  as  its 
parent  plant,  the  mimosa  nilotica,  affords  the  acacia, 
may  perhaps  be  supposed  to  possess  a  real  astringency : 
it  is,  however,  only  a  demulcent,  and  the  calcined  harts- 
horn is  no  more. 

Chalk,  oyster  shells,  and  lime  water,  seem  to  act 
by  absorbing  redundant  acids,  which  may  prove  a 
source  of  irritation ;  and,  it  is  said,  the  earthly  salts  thus 
produced  are  astringent.  Of  this  quality  there  is  in- 
deed no  proof;  and  their  combinations  with  the  acetous 
acid  are  not  found  to  be  so,  though  of  this  kind  ig  the 
acid  which  abounds  in  the  stomach.  If  calcareous 
earth  be  so  useful  in  leucorrhoea  as  some  have  sup- 
posed, it  will  show  a  degree  of  astringency  at  least  in 
the  combinations  formed  within  the  body.  Strontian 
earth  is  an  active  absorbent,  and  has  been,  on  this  ac- 
count, also  recommended  as  an  astringent.  But  of  the 
virtues,  or  indeed  the  safety  of  this  medicine,  we  know 
nothing. 

See  Fordyce.  Gregory  Conspectus  Med.  Wallison 
Health  and  Disease.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

ASTRI'OLISM,  (from  *r~,r,i,  a   starj.     BLASTING, 

OF    PLANET  STRIKING. 

A'STRIOS.     See  ASTRAGALUS. 

ASTROBOLI'SMOS,  A'STROBLES,  (from  **r?», 
a  star,  and  /3<*AA*i,  to  strike  u/ion;  i.  e.  planet  struck). 
The  blasting  of  trees,  or  mortification  by  a  blast ;  but 
when  applied  to  the  human  body,  it  signifies  an  apo- 


plexy or  a  sphacelus.  The  first  term  is  brought  into 
our  lexicons,  but  is-  used  only  by  Theophrastus  in  his 
work  on  plants. 

ASTROCYNOLO'GIA,  (from  *5-r^,,  a  star,  Km*,a 
dog,  and  te'/Q*,  a  dissertation) .  The  name  of  a  trea- 
tise on  the  dog  dr. 

ASTROXO  MIA,  ASTRONOMY,  (from  arlp»t,a  star, 
and  iff**,  laiy).  It  is  the  science  which  teaches  the 
knowledge  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  showing  their  mag- 
nitudes, distances,  order,  and  motion.  Hippocrates 
says,  that  one  ignorant  of  astronomy  cannot  be  well 
qualified  for  a  physician.  Others,  since  his  days,  have 
greatly  extolled  the  utility  of  this  science  in  the  study 
and  practice  of  medicine;  some  styling  anatomy  the 
right  eye  of  physic,  and  astronomy  its  left:  for,  they 
say,  such  is  the  influence  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
especially  the  planets,  upon  terrestrial  bodies,  by  the 
intervention  of  the  ether  and  atmosphere,  that  they 
induce  very  sensible  changes  in  them;  but  admitting 
some  influence  in  the  planets,  it  is  in  a  degree  too 
trifling  to  affect  the  practice  of  medicine.  The  planets 
may  influence  our  atmosphere,  and  perhaps  in  some 
slight  degree  our  bodies ;  but  meteorology,  and  those 
branches  of  science  by  which  we  are  taught  the  nature 
and  properties  of  the  air,  seem  more  directly  proper  to 
medical  enquiries. 

It  is  pleaded,  that  the  aspects  of  the  stars  influence 
the  human  body,  because  in  the  vernal  equinox,  or 
the  summer  solstice,  the  force  of-  intermitting  fevers  is 
destroyed,  though  obstinate  in  all  other  seasons ;  and 
because  that  the  equinoxes  are  peculiarly  hurtful  to 
some  patients ;  but  these  'circumstances  are  better  ac- 
counted for  on  principles  less  remote  than  those  de- 
rived from  astronomy.  The  late  Dr.  Mead  was  a  great 
advocate  for  this  branch  of  science;  and  Dr.  Baifour 
has  more  lately  endeavoured  to  show  the  connection  of 
the  access  or  crisis  of  fevers  with  the  solar  and  lunar 
conjunctions.  This  connection  is  not  observable  in 
these  climates,  but  its  existence  cannot  be  wholly  denied 
in  the  tropical  regions. 

A'STRUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  term,  aes,Jire).  A 
STAR.  With  the  chemists  this  word  signifies  that  vir- 
tue and  power  which  result  from  the  preparation :  thus 
the  astrum  of  salt  is  its  resolution  into  a  fluid  state,  by 
which  it  can  exert  itself  more  powerfully.  Astrum  is 
a  name  given  to  many  medicines. 

A'SUAR.     See  MYROBALANI  INDIA. 

A'SUGAR.     See  J^RUGO  .£RIS. 

ASU'OLI.     See  FULIGO. 

A'TAC.    See  NITHUM. 

ATA'XIA.  ATAXY,  (from  a,  priv.  and  Txre-u,  to 
order J.  Some  particular  irregularity  or  disorder. 

ATA'XMIR.  An  Arabic  word  expressing  the  me- 
thod of  treating  an  eye,  when  preternatural  hairs  grow 
under  the  natural  ones. 

ATE'CHXIA,  a.Tt%nti,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  ri^ir.,  an 
art,  a  -want  of  art).  See  ANAPHRODISIA. 

A'TER  SU'CCUS.     See  ATRA  BILIS. 

A'TERAMNIA,(from  *,  priv.  and  nifu,  to  break 
in  fiieces).  This  word  occurs  in  Hippocrates  de 
Acre,  Locis,  et  Aquis,  and  is  expounded  by  Galen  as 
signifying  difficulty  of  concoction,  and  hard.  He  ob- 
serves, that  the  ancients  gave  this  appellation  to  bad 
waters,  and  that,  when  joined  with  other  words,  it 
hath  other  significations. 

Ee2 


A  T  L 


212 


AT  ft 


ATHAMA'NTIA    CRETE'NSIS.     See    DAUCUS 

CRETICUS. 

ATHANA'SIA,  (from  *,  neg.  and  &W«T«?,  death}. 
So  called  because  its  flowers  do  not  wither  easily.  The 
IMMORTAL  PLANT.  A  name  given  to  TANSEY,  because, 
when  stuffed  up  the  nose  of  a  dead  crfrpse,  it  is  said 
to  prevent  putrefaction :  see  TANACETUM.  It  means 
also  immortality.  The  name  of  an  antidote  of  Galen, 
and  another  of  Oribasius ;,  it  is  the  name  also  of  a 
collyrium  described  by  yEtius,  and  of  many  other  com- 
positions. 

ATHA'NOR,  ATHO'NOR,  (from  an  Arabic  word, 
athan).  Among  the  chemists  it  is  a  sort  of  digesting 
furnace,  contrived  to  maintain  its  heat  a  long  time,  con\- 
municating  with  its  chimney  by  a  lateral  canal,  as  the 
furnace  for  a  sand  bath.  It  is  carried  to  a  considerable 
height  above  the  part  where  this  canal  enters,  filled 
with  fuel  to  the  top,  and  closely  covered :  as  the  lower 
part  of  the  fuel  consumes,  it  is  supplied  by  what  is  above, 
which  falls  down  into  its  place:  thus  a  constant  and 
equal  heat  is  maintained  a  long  time  without  any  at- 
tendance. See  FORNAX. 

A'THENA.  A  plaster  in  much  repute  among  the 
ancients. 

ATHENATO'RIUM.  A  thick  glass  cover,  direct- 
ed in  the  Theatrum  Chimicum,  vol.  iii.  p.  33,  to  be 
luted  to  a  cucurbit,  when  the  alembic  is  taken  off  in  a 
particular  process. 

ATHENIO'NIS  CATAPO'TIUM.  The  name  of 
a  pill  in  Celsus's  writings. 

ATHENI'PPON.  The  name  of  a  collyrium,  also 
called  diasmyrnes;  and  of  many  other  collyria. 

ATHENI'PPIUM.     See  ASCLEPIOS. 

ATHE'RA,  and  A 'THAR  A,  (from  «.i»f,  corn).  A 
sort  of  food  made  with  wheat  flour,  like  the  pap-meat 
which  is  given  to  children.  Pliny  says  it  is  an  Egyptian 
invention. 

ATHERO'M  A,  (from  *«»/>*,  finite,  or  fiap ) .  It  is  a 
kind  of  tumour,  thus  named  from  the  consistence 
of  its  contents,  and  may  be  safely  extirpated.  See 

NjEVUS. 

ATHLE'TICUS,  ATHLETIC,  (from  ai^ia,  to  con- 
tend} .  A  robust  constitution  fit  for  wrestling. 

A'THRIX,  (from  «,  neg.  and  -9?i|,  hair).  See  ALO- 
PECIA. 

A'THROON,  A'THROUS,  (from  *ip»i&,  to  col- 
lect). In  medical  authors  it  imports  copious,  accumu- 
lated, or  sudden,  and  is  the  reverse  of  by  degrees : 
similar  to  confertus. 

ATHY'MIA,  (from  «,  neg.  and  9-v/x.of,  courage). 
PUSILLANIMITY.  In  medical  authors  it  usually  signifies 
that  dejectedness,  despondence,  anxiety,  and  despair, 
which  frequently  occur  in  the  course  of  distempers.  In 
some  authors  it  is  synonymous  with  melancholia. 

ATI'NCAR,  or  ATI'NKAR,  (from  atin  c/iama, 
Arab.),  See  BORAX. 

ATITA'RA.     Sec  PALMA  MINOR. 

A'TLAS,  (from  a.r^a.a,  to  sustain,  or  often.:,  to  car- 
ry). The  name  of  the  first  vertebra  of  the  neck;  so 
called  because  it  sustains  the  head,  as  Atlas  was  sup- 
posed to  sustain  the  earth.  It  is  a  bony  ring,  and  in  its 
back  part  it  receives  the  processus  dentatus  of  the  second 
vertebra;  it  hath  no  spinal  process  ;  its  transverse  pro- 
cesses are  very  thick;  instead  of  the  two  superior  ob- 
lique processes,  which  the  other  vertebrae  have,  there 


are  two  oblong  holes,  which  receive  the  condyles  of  the" 
os  occipitis,  and  the  inferior  oblique  processes  are 
horizontal  to  admit  of  rotation. 

ATMOSPHjE'RA,  (from  «7f«>s,  -vapour,  and  e-psipx, 
a  circle).  The  ATMOSPHERE.  See  AER. 

ATO'CHIA,  (from  «,  priv.  and  nxla,  fiario).  PRE- 
TERNATURAL LABOUR. 

ATO'CIUM,(from  the  same,  so  called  because  som& 
of  the  flowers  bear  no  seed).  See  ANTIRRHINUM. 

ATOLLI,  (Indian).  A  sort  of  PAP,  made  of  the 
meal  of  maize  and  water,  which  the  Indians  mix  with 
their  chocolate. 

A'TOMUS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  rc/^va,  to  cut  or  di- 
vide). An  ATOM.  It  is  a  particle  of  matter  exceedingly- 
small  ;  indeed  the  elementary  particles  of  which  bodies 
consist.  Asclepiades  taught  that  atoms  were  the  pri- 
mordia  of  all  things,  and  that  they  were  not  perceptible 
to  our  senses,  but  only  to  our.  understandings;  that 
they  had  no  qualities,  for  the  qualities  of  bodies  which 
they  compose,  depend  on  the  order,  figure,  and  number, 
of  many  atoms  joined  together;  and  this  last  circumstance 
he  proves  by  observing,  that  a  lump  of  silver  is  white,  but 
if  filed  down  it  is  black;  and  horns  of  goats  are  black 
when  whole,  but  white  if  filed  down.  Galen  says,  that 
Asclepiades,  adhering  to  the  sentiments  of  Democritus 
and  Epicurus  with  regard  to  the  principles  of  bodies,  had 
only  changed  the  former  names  of  things,  calling  atoms 
molecules,  and  a  vacuum,  pores.  Molecules  were,  how- 
ever, divisible,  but  atoms  not.  This  doctrine  has  been 
generally  admitted  as  sufficiently  probable,  though  in- 
capable of  demonstration,  and  with  greater  facility,  as' 
no  important  consequence  is  derived  from  it.  Kant 
has,  however,  endeavoured  to  subvert  it,  by  substituting 
what  he  calls  the  dynamic  philosophy,  changing  the 
word  atoms  to  flowers,  and  real  objects  to  their  effects. 
Mr.  Mitchell  and  Dr.  Priestley,  many  years  since,  en- 
deavoured to  produce  a  similar  change  in  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  philosophy,  by  transferring  the 
sensation  of  resistance  from  matter,  to  a  medium  sur- 
rounding it,  rather  than  to  the  ultimate  atoms  of  the 
corpuscularian  philosophers.  Kant's  system  is  very 
popular  in  Germany. 

ATO'NIA,  (from  «, neg.  and  -reiva,  to  stretch).  ATO- 
NY; defect  of  muscular  power.  RELAXATION,  or  DE- 
BILITY. This  word  was  much  in  use  among  the  me- 
thodic sect,  who  ascribed  the  causes  of  all  distempers  to 
jelaxation,  stricture,  or  a  mixture  of  both.  It  is  gene- 
rally synonymous  with  palsy,  and  applied  to  every  in- 
stance of  debility,  particularly  in  the' muscular  fibres. 

ATOYA'XACOTL,  AT  OYA'XACOTL  CHI- 
CHILTIC.  See  MACAXOCOTLIFERA. 

A'TRA  BI'LIS.  Jlter  succus;  bilis  alra;  BLACK 
BILE.  According  to  the  ancients  it  arises,  1st,  From 
the  grosser  parts  of  the  blood,  and  this  they  called  the 
melancholy  humour.  2dly,  From  yellow  bile  being 
highly  concocted.  Dr.  Percival  in  his  Essays  suggests, 
that  it  is  the  gall  rendered  acrid  by  stagnation  in  the 
gall  bladder,  and  viscid  by  the  absorption  of  its  fluid 
parts.  Bile  in  this  state  discharged  into  the  duodenum, 
occasions  universal  disturbance  until  it  is  evacuated; 
violent  vomiting,  or  purging,  or  both;  and  previ- 
ously the  pulse  is  quick,  the  head  achs,  a  delirium, 
a  hiccough,  intense  thirst,  inward  heat,  and  a  fetid 
breath,  come  on.  Some  describe  this  kind  of  bile  as 
being  acid,  harsh,  corroding,  and,  when  poured  on  the 


ATR 


213 


ATR 


ground,  bubbling  up  like  a  ferment.  Dr.  Percival  says, 
that,  by  the  use  of  the  infus.  sennae  limoniatum  warmed 
with  die  tinctura  columbae,  he  has  checked  the  vomit- 
ings occasioned  by  this  matter.  In  many  instances  this 
bile  resembles  blood,  and  has  been  considered  as  such. 
The  distinction  is  easy  when  the  matter  is  diluted,  as 
the  blood  has  a  reddish,  and  the  bile'a  yellowish  hue. 
See  MELJEMA  and  MORBUS  NIGER. 

ATRACHE'LUS,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  Tfoc^iiA^,  the 
neck).     SHORT  XECKED. 

ATRA'CTYLIS,  called  cnicua,  carduua  luteus,  car- 
duocnicus,  DISTAFF  THISTLE,  (from  *TC*KT»«,  a  sp.ind.le). 
It  is  a  plant  which  grows  in  Italy,  Greece,  and  other 
warm  countries.  Its  leaves  are  of  the  same  nature  as 
those  of  the  carduus  benedictus,  but  the  stalk  is  the  part 
that  is  chiefly  used.  The  women  keep  them  for  distaffs. 

ATRAGE'NE,  Jlammula  Jo-vis,  clematis  recta  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  "67,  and  TRAVELLER'S  JOY.  The  whole  plant 
is  of  a  caustic  quality,  and  laid  on  the  skin  quickly 
raises  a  blister.  It  has  been  used  as  a  diuretic  ;  and  the 
infusion  or  extract  has  been  given  in  the  worst  states 
of  syphilis.  Externdly  it  has  been  applied  to  syphi- 
litic sores  and  cancers.  The  infusion  has  been  used  in 
the  form  of  a  lotion.  From  two  to  three  drachms  of 
the  driad  leaves  are  infused  in  a  pint  of  water  ;  and  of 
the  extract  of  the  leaves,  from  one  to  three  grains  are 
a  dose.  Some  species  of  the  clematis  have  been  sepa- 
rated under  this  generic  name,  but  it  contains  none  of 
the  medicinal  kinds.  Dale. 

ATRAME'NTUM  SUTO'RIUM.  A  name  of  the 
GREEN  VITRIOL,  and  melantoria.  See  VITRIOLUM  vi- 
HIBE.  • 

ATRAPHA'XIS,  or  ATRAPHRA'XIS,(from  **t* 
7*  *fff«*f  *ti|£i»;  so  called  from  its  quick  growth).  See 
ATRIPLEX. 

ATRE'SIA,  (from  *,  neg.  and  -rfxa,  or  rpm,  to  per- 
forate). IMPERFORATION.  See  ATRETI. 

ATRETA'RUM  ISCHU'RIA,  (from 
rota,  to  fterforate).  A  SUPPRESSION  OF 
the  menses  being  retained  in  the  vagina. 

RIA  VESICALIS. 

ATRE'TI,  IMPERFORATE,  (from  «,  priv.  and 
to  fi  rf  orate)  .  Those  of  either  sex  are  thus  called,  when 
their  anus,  or  any  other  natural  aperture,  is  closed. 
.  A  'TRICES,  (from  «,  non,  and  3pi|,  hair).  Small 
tubercles  near  the  anus,  about  which  hairs  will  not 
grow  ;  and  which  recede  and  return,  especially  at  the 
first.  Valesius  de  Taranta  reckoned  them  among  con- 
dylomata  et  fici. 

A'TRICI.  Small  sinuses  in  the  intestinum  rectum, 
which  do  not  reach  so  far  as  to  perforate  into  its  cavity. 

ATRI'PLEX.  The  Greek  term  is  ATRAPHAXIS,  from 
whence  some  say  the  word  is  derived  ;  q.  v.  O'RACH, 
oro'RACHE;  also  called  atrijilex  alba  or  rubra  horten- 
«i«,  arrache,  atrafihraxis,  chrysolachanon  ;  WHITE,  RED, 

Or  GARDEN  ORACH.  , 

It  is  an  annual  plant  rising  from  seeds,  and  chiefly 
employed  in  the  kitchen. 

ATRI'PLEX  FZ'TIDA.  Called  also  garosmum,  andra- 
fihex,  -vul-varia,  chenofiodium  fttidum,  chenofi  odium. 
vulvarium,  atriftlex  olida,  blitum  ftetidum  ;  STINKING 
ORACH:  is  the  chenofiodium  -vulvaria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  321. 

It  hath  a  strong  disagreeable  smell,  somewhat  like 
that  of  salt  fish.  That  found  growing  amongst  old 


non,  and 
URINE,  from 
See  ISCHU- 


rubbish  is  weaker  than  that  in  moister  ground.  Wa- 
ter takes  up  all  its  virtue  by  infusion;  but  it  loses 
its  strength  by  keeping.  It  is  a  fetid  anti-hysteric,  an- 
tispasmodic,  and  acts  without  irritation.  It  can  only 
be  used  in  its  recent  state,  as  when  dry  it  loses  its  sen  - 
sible  qualities.  Therefore  the  best  form  is  a  conserve, 
of  which  two  orrthree  drachms  may  be  taken  in  a  day. 
Dr.  Cullen  wishes  it  was  more  often  employed,  Mat. 
Med. 

ATRI'PLEX.  MARITIMA,  and  PORTULA'CA.  See 
HALIMUS. 

ATRI'PLEX  ODO'RA  SUAVE'OLENS.     See  BOTRYS. 

ATRI'PLEX  SYLVE'STRIS,  WILD  ORACH.  See  CHEXO- 
PODIL-M,  AMBROSOIDES,  and  RUBRUM. 

A'TROPA,  BELLADONA,  (from  Alf»x-»<,  the  goddess 
of  destiny ).  See  SOLANVM  LETHALE. 

A'TROPA  MANDRAGORA.     See  MAJTDBAGORA. 

ATROPHI'A,  (from  <t,  and  rftfiu,  to  nourish ).  Con- 
tabescentia  ;  inutritio  ;  marasmus  ;  ariditas  corftoris  ; 
an  ATROPHY.  It  is  a  wasting,  with  loss  of  strength  ;  but 
without  hectic  fever.  Dr.  Cullen  remarks,  that  an  atro- 
phy perhaps  is  never  without  fever,  at  least  the  pulse  is 
quicker  than  usual ;  but  the  absence  of  the  true  hectic 
fever  distinguishes  this  disease  from  the  tabes.  It  is  also 
called  a  nervous  consumption.  Dr.  Cullen  places  atro- 
phy in  the  class  CACHEXLZ,  and  order  MARCORES.  He 
enumerates  four  species. 

1.  ATROPHIA    INANITORUM,   from   too    great  evacu- 
ations ;   tabes  nutricum,  sudatoria,  and  a  sangui-Jluxu. 

2.  ATROPHIA  FAMELICORVM,  from  deficient  nourish- 
ment. 

3.  ATROPHIA  CACOCHTMICA,  from  bad  nourishment, 
depraved  digestion,  or  acrimony  :  tabes  sy/ihilitica,  and 
ah  hydrofie. 

4.  ATROPHIA  DEBILIUM,  where  the  powers  of  diges- 
tion are"  weakened  or  destroyed.     The  atrophy  -of  chil- 
dren is  called  fiaidotroflhia,  and  the  tabes  dorsalis  be- 
longs to  the  fourth  species. 

An  atrophy,  from  whatever  it  may  proceed,  arises 
from  a  defective  exertion  of  the  assimilating  powers 
of  the  constitution,  an  impediment  to  the  application  of 
the  nourishment  obtained ;  by  which  even  the  functions 
of  the  machine,  ordained  for  the  support,  becomes  its 
destruction ;  or  from  a  preternatural  discharge  of  the 
healthy  fluids :  acrimony,  requiring  excessive  absorption 
for  its  attenuation  or  sheathing,  is  scarcely  an  object  of 
the  present  article,  as  it  is  most  commonly  connected 
with  hectic  fever. 

The  signs  in  the  beginning  are,  a  decrease  of  strength, 
loss  of  appetite  without  fever,  cough,  or  short  breath, 
though  in  the  progress,  when  atrophy  has  induced  great 
weakness,  there  is  some  degree  of  difficulty  in  the 
breathing;  the  urine  is  inconstant  in  its  colour,  though 
generally  high,  and  small  in  quantity ;  sometimes  it 
is  pale  and  profuse ;  in  time  the  blood  seems  to  grow 
hot  and  acrid  for  want  of  its  due  supplies,  a  febrile 
heat  increases,  as  well  as  a  cough,  and  difficulty  of 
breathing.  In  children  this  disease  frequently  hap- 
pens; and,  besides  the  above  mentioned  causes,  they 
are  subject  to  it  from  a  sudden  change  from  the  breast 
to  more  solid  food ;  in  which  case  their  legs  become 
pendulous,  the  habit  flaccid,  their  skin  corrugated,  and, 
in  many  instances,  their  appetite  for  food  is  almost 
insatiable.  As  a  weakness  in  their  chyjopoietic  organs 


ATT 


214 


AT  Y 


is  the  cause,  so,  on  dissecting  those  patients  after  death, 
their  mesenteric  glands  are  tumefied,  their  livers  much 
disordered,  their  intestines  filled  with  black  fetid  sordes, 
and  the  muscles  of  their  bellies  extenuated  almost  to  a 
membrane.  It  is,  however,  doubtful  whether  this  dis- 
ease is  not  rather  referable  to  scrofula.  See  TABES 

MESENTERICA. 

Atrophy  should  be  distinguished  from  leanness,  the 
rickets,  and  that  weakness  and  leanness  in  some  chil- 
dren, who  pine  only  for  want  of  a  due  supply  from  the 
breast 

The  cure  will  be  regulated  by  the  cause. 

If  this  disorder  depends  on  any  other,  as  on  a  diarrhoea, 
fluor  albus,  diabetes,  gonorrhoea,  or  haemorrhages,  the 
relief  will  depend  on  the  cure  of  the  original  disease. 

If  the  cause  is  indigestion,  with  a  viscid  obstruction  of 
the  mesentery,  which  is  the  case  in  children,  and  some- 
times in  old  people,  gentle  occasional  doses  of  rhubarb 
with  calomel,  or  sal  polychrest,  and  in  the  intervals, 
stomachics,  with  warm  tonics,  are  useful.  Irritating 
purges  weaken  the  patient  too  much.  Ferrugineous 
medicines,  and  the  bark,  contribute  to  the  cure ;  though 
in  this  complaint  the  best  plans  often  fail. 

The  scrofulous  and  cancerous  cases  only  admit  of 
palliation,  by  keeping  the  circulation  as  low  as  the  ge- 
neral health  will  admit.  A  thin  light  diet  is  the  most 
proper,  such  as  jellies  of  vegetable  and  animal  sub- 
stances, and  broths ;  supporting  the  strength  by  the 
bark,  and  dilute  vitriolic  acid. 

When  excessive  evacuations  have  been  the  cause,  the 
decoction  of  sarsaparilla,  salep,  chalybeate  waters,  tark, 
cold  bathing,  and  gentle  riding,  are  proper.  A  species 
is  mentioned  by  authors,  arising  from  a  compression  of 
the  thoracic  duct  by  a  tumour ;  but  this  is  evidently 
beyond  the  reach  of  medicine,  as  atrophy  from  a  rupture 
of  this  duct  would  be. 

A  venereal  taint  is  often  an  .unsuspected  cause ;  in 
which  case  mild  mercurials,  with  sarsaparilla,  and  a 
milk  diet,  are  the  cure.  See  Sauvages'  Nosologia  Me- 
thodica.  Hoffman,  Syst.  Rat.  Medicinae.  Morton. 
Willis. 

A'TTA,  (from  aria,  to  leap}.  Festus  says,  it  is 
one  who,  by  reason  of  the  tenderness  or  other  defect  in 
his  feet,  touches  the  ground  lightly  rather  than  treads 
on  it. 

A'TTAGEN,  ATTAGE'NA  PHRYGIA.  The 
name  of  an  Asiatic  partridge,  so  called  from  its  skipping 
motion ;  it  is  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  FRANCO- 
LIN.  The  Greeks  call  it  lagopus,  hare's  foot,  because 
its  feet  are  downy.  It  is  of  a  dusky  red  colour  on  its 
back,  and  seems  to  be  the  same  as  our  red  cock,  which 
Aldrovandus  calls  attagen.  Ray  names  it  francolino 
Italorum;  and  in  Gmelin's  Linnaeus,  it  is  a  variety  of 
the  tetrao  legofius.  Pliny  describes  it  under  the  name 
of  lagopus  altera,  and  with  us  it  is  called  the  RED  COCK, 
GOR  COCK,  MOOR  COCK,  or  RED  GAME.  They  are  most 
highly  flavoured  in  autumn,  are  not  remarkable  in  me- 
dicine, though  the  gizzard,  on  its  inside,  is  very  fra- 
"grant  just  after  the  bird  is  killed. 

ATTA'LICUS.  The  name  of  some  compound  me- 
dicine mentioned  by  Galen. 

ATTENTION,  is  a  voluntary,  though  sometimes 
an  involuntary  exertion  of  mind,  either  in  expectation, 
or  watching  the.progress  of  any  successive  events.  At- 


tention to  sounds  is  regulated  by  the  tension  of  the  men>  • 
brana  tympani;  and  attention  exerted  in  general,  has- 
sometimes  obviated  nervous  paroxysms,  or  lessened  the 
shock  of  a  smart  short  pain,  as  from  drawing  a  tooth. 
The  attention  required  in  some  skilful  games,  as  that  of 
chess,  has  even  drawn  the  mind  from  the  thought  of  a 
speedy  certain  death. 

ATTENUA'NTIA,  (from  attcnuo,  to  make  thin}. 
ATTENUATING  MEDICINES  act,  it  is  supposed,  by  di- 
minishing the  consistence  of  the  blood,  or  secreted 
fluids,  and  almost  exclusively  of  the  fluids.  Those 
which  operate  by  immediate  contact  are  few,  and  are 
water,  or  such  as  abound  with  water,  as  on  this  they  de- 
pend for  their  action  only.  Yet  water  alone  will  not  rea- 
dily mix  with  the  animal  fluids,  and  it  is  often  thrown 
out  by  the  kidneys  as  an  injurious  substance,  unless  joined 
with  farinacea  or  animal  juices,  so  as  to  be  submitted  to 
the  action  of  the  stomach.  Certainly,  water  is  not  alone 
an  attenuant.  It  may  be,  however,  doubted,  whether  the 
blood  is  in  any  instance  too  viscid  ;  the  buff  coat  in  blood 
is  owing  to  a  very  different  state.  If,  however,  the  glu- 
ten is  ever  morbidly  viscid,  the  neutral  salts  are  the  only 
proper  attenuants,  and  soap  as  containing  an  alkali  may 
be  such.  The  sweet  fruits  and  sugar  also  produce  some 
effect  in  attenuating  the  blood.  The  obstructions  from 
more  solid  substances  can  never  be  attenuated' by  any 
fluid  ;  and  the  only  successful  mode  of  treatment  is,  to 
excite  the  action  of  the  vessels.  Mercury  may  perhaps 
have  some  effect,  but  its  influence  in  attenuating  the 
fluids  arises-  wholly  from  its  increasing  the  action  of 
muscular  fibres  of  the  sanguiferous  system.  See  Hoff- 
man, vol.  i.  and  ii.  cap.  iv.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

A'TTICUM.  The  name  of  a  plaster  used  by  Hip- 
pocrates. When  applied  to  honey  or  wax  it  means 
Athenian  :  as  those,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Hymettus, 
were  the  best. 

ATTO'LLENS,  (from  attollo,  to  lift  uji).  It  is  an 
epithet  applied  to  some  muscles,  whose  office  it  is  to 
elevate  the  part  to  which  they  are  attached. 

ATTO'LLENS  AURICULAE  SUPE'RIOR  MU'SCULUS.  -  A 
muscle  which  rises  from  .the  corrugator  supercilii  by  a 
thin  fascia. 

ATTO'LLENS  OCULI,  i.  e.  Musculus  superior,  et  rec- 
tus  superior  oculi.  See  ELEVATOR  OCULI. 

ATTO'NITUS  MO'RBUS,  et  STUPOR,  (from. 
attonitus,  surprised,  because  the  person  attacked  falls 
downs  suddenly).  Names  of  the  APOPLEXY,  q.  v.  It 
is  also  given  to  that  species  of  palsy  which  succeeds  the 
apoplexy.  See  PARALYSIS. 

ATTRA'CTIO,  (from  attraho,  to  attract}.  See 
REPULSIO  and  AFFINITAS. 

ATTRACTI'VUM,  (from  the  same).  ATTRAC- 
TIVE. Paracelsus  pretends  to  have  had  an  attractive 
medicine  which  would  draw  away  the  diseases  of  the 
body ;  but  the  extravagances  of  this  whimsical  genius 
with  respect  to  it,  though  not  deserving  a  place  here, 
may  be  met  with  in  his  Archidox.  lib.  vii. 

ATTRACTI'VUS,  (from  the  same).  ATTRACTO- 
RIUS,  and  ATTRAHENS,  are  applied  to  remedies  that  have 
a  power  of  attracting  or  drawing. 

ATTRI'TA,  ATTRI'TO,  (from  attero,  to  rub  to- 
gether}. ATTRITION.  See  INTERTRIGO. 

A'TYPOS,  (from  «,  negative,  and  TIHT-OJ,  a  farm  or 
tenor}.  IRREGULAR.  It  is  applied  to  diseases  which 


AUD 


215 


AUD 


hare  no  regularity  in  their  periods;  and  to  a  deformity 
in  the  limbs. 

AUA'NTE,  AU'APSE,  (from  «-»<.*,  to  dry').  The 
DRY  DISEASE.  The  patient  cannot  bear  either  absti- 
nence or  eating.  Fasting  causes  a  rumbling  in  his 
belly,  and  gnawing  pain  in  his  stomach.  He  vomits  up 
various  matters,  and  after  vomiting  he  is  at  e.ase.  After 
eating,  there  are  eructations;  an  inflammatory  heat  and 
redness;  a  constant  feeling  as  if  a  painful  stool  was  to 
be  discharged,  yet  only  wind  is  evacuated;  a  head-ach; 
a  sense  of  pricking,  as  with  needles,  in  different  parts 
of  the  body;  the  legs  seem  heavy,  grow  feeble  and  ex- 
tenuated, and  he  becomes  weak:  (Hippocrates).  It  is 
not  easy  from  this  account  to  ascertain  the  real  com- 
plaint, unless  it  be  an  accumulation  of  sordes  in  the 
stomach  and  bowels.  In  confirmation  of  this  idea,  he 
prescribed  at  first  a  purge,  and  after  it  an  emetic;  he 
then  directs  abstinence  from  fat  food,  temperance,  bath- 
ing, unctions,  and  moderate  exercise. 

AU'CHMOS,  (from  «»«,  to  dry}.  The  Latins  call 
it  squalor.  It  is  hot,  dry,  sultry  weather. 

AUCUPA'LIS  or  AUCUPA'RIA,  (from  aucufior, 
to  endeavour  to  catch,}  so  called  because  birds  are 
taken  by  its  berries.  See  ORXUS,  and  SORBUS  SYLVES- 
TRIS. 

AUDA'CIA,  (from  audax,  bold).  In  a  medical 
sense  it  is  that  sort  of  boldness  which  we  meet  with  in 
delirium  or  madness. 

AUDITO'RIA  ARTERIA,  (from  audio,  to  hear}. 
The  internal  auditory  artery  goes  off  from  each  side  of 
the  artcria  basilaris  to  the  organ  of  hearing,  and  accom- 
panies the  auditory  nerve,  having  first  furnished  several 
small  twigs  to  the  membrana  arachnoides. 

AUDITO'RIUS  MEATUS,  (from  the  same).  The 
passage  that  conveys  the  air  to  the  auditory  nerve.  It 
leads  from  the  lower  anterior  part  of  the  concha  to  the 
tympanum,  and  is  partly  bony,  partly  cartilaginous;  all 
within  the  temporal  bone  is  the  bony  part,  it  is  the 
longest,  and  forms  the  bottom;  the  rest  is  cartilaginous, 
and  makes  the  external  opening  or  orifice  of  the  canal : 
these  two  parts  make  a  canal  of  about  three  fourths  of 
an  inch  long,  a  little  tortuous,  and  wider  in  some  parts 
than  in  others.  On  the  membranous  covering  of  the 
cartilaginous  part  we  observe  the  yellow  bodies,  sup- 
posed to  be  the  glandule  ceruminis.  The  bony  part  of 
the  meatus  is  nearly  horizontal  and  straight;  the  carti- 
laginous part  only  is  curved  and  winding,  which  should 
be  observed  when  a  syringe  is  used  to  inject  any  thing 
with  into  the  ear. 

AUDITO'RIUS  SERVUS.  The  AUDITORY  NERVE.  The 
seventh  pair  of  nerves  are  called  auditory  nerves;  so 
are  the  syrn/iathetici  mint/res.  This  seventh  pair  of 
nerves  run  into  the  os  petrosum,  and  are  there  divided 
into  the  portio  mollis,  which  is  spent  upon  the  labyrinth 
of  the  ear,  and  distributed  to_  the  meatus  auditorius  in- 
ternus,  passing  to  the  vestribulum  cochleae;  and  portio 
dura,  which  goes  out  by  the  aqueduct,  between  the 
mastoid  and  styloid  processus,  passes  through  the  pa- 
rotid, becomes  a  cutaneous  nerve,  and  communicates 
with  the  upper  maxillary.  On  these  nerves,  no  cover- 
ing from  the  dura  mater  can  be  traced. 

AUDI'TUS,  (from  audio,  to  hear).  The  sense  of 
HEARING,  also  called  acoe .  By  this  sense  we  perceive 
the  elastic  tremors  of  the  air;  and  to  facilitate  the  func- 
tion, the  organ  of  hearing  is  made  up  of  hard  bones, 


and  of  elastic  cartilages  and  membranes.  The  elastic 
air  only  receives  sonorous  tremors,  and  transfers  them, 
as  we  see  water  transfer  any  impulse  given  to  it  The 
sound  is  increased  in  air  that  is  condensed,  and  is  lost 
in  a  vessel  emptied  of  its  air.  The  body,  which  pro- 
duces sound,  ought  to  tremble  or  vibrate  in  the"  smallest 
of  its  particles.  From  such  a  tremor  the  contiguous 
air  is  beat  into  waves,  whereby  the  parts  of  the  air  that 
lie  outermost  are  compressed,  and  fly  back  again  as  soon 
as  their  elasticity  conquers  the  impulse.  The  air  con- 
sequently flies  again  towards  the  sonorous  body,  where 
it  is  now  more  loose  and  rarefied,  to  be  again  compressed 
by  the  impulsive  power;  and  in  the  same  manner  the 
anterior  and  outer  portion  of  air  surrounding  that  which 
is  impelled,  is  by  the  action  of  the  latter  compressed 
and  removed  further  from  the  trembling  body,  yet  so  as 
to  return  again  in  its  proper  time  by  the  force  of  elasti- 
city, driving  its  contents  to  the  tremulous  body  for  the 
exciting  a  new  wave.  These  impulsions  of  the  air  are 
required  to  succeed  each  other  with  a  certain  velocity; 
and  in  order  to  render  them  audible,  they  must  not  be 
fewer  than  thirty  in  a  second  of  time.  As  these  sono- 
rous waves  are  more  frequent  in  a  given  time,  so  much 
sharper  is  the  sound  heard,  and  the  more  strongly  does 
it  affect  us,  till  we  come  to  the  most  acute  of  audible, 
sounds,  which  have  7520  tremors  in  a  second.  Acute 
sounds  are  in  general  yielded  from  bodies  that  are  hard, 
brittle,  and  violently  shook  or  struck;  but  grave  sounds 
from  bodies  of  a  contrary  nature.  Sounds,  whether 
acute  or  grave,  are  carried  through  the  air  with  a  cele- 
rity equal  to  about  1038  Paris  feet  in  a  second;  but  a 
contrary  wind  retards  their  progress  about  one-twelfth 
of  their  velocity.  Sounds,  as  arising  from  elastic  tre- 
mors, are  reflected  from  hard  bodies  in  angles,  equal  to 
those  of  their  incidence  ;  but  the  same  sound  conveyed 
to  the  open  air,  and  dilating  through  an  immense  sphere, 
grows  proportionably  weaker ;  but  if  it  pass  through  a 
tube  in  a  cylindrical  shape,  it  is  increased;  therefore, 
the  sonorous  waves  of  the  elastic  air  being  driven  into 
the  cartilaginous  funnel  of  the  ear,  are  repelled  and  col- 
lected together  by  alternate  reflections  from  its  elastic 
sides  into  the  cavity  of  the  concha,  from  whence  it  pro- 
ceeds through  the  auditory  passage,  with  a  force  so 
much  stronger  as  the  surface  of  the  outer  ear  is  larger 
than  the  section  of  the  auditory  passage,  through  which 
the  same  force  is  continued  entire  forward,  and  in- 
creased by  new  reflections,  excited  from  the  percussion 
of  the  elastic  cartilages  and  hard  bones,  so  as  to  mix 
imperceptibly  with  the  primitive  sound.  At  the  bot- 
tom of  the  auditory  passage  is  the  MEMBRANE  OF  THE 

DRUM    OF    THE    EAR,    Called    MEMBRANA  TYMPAXIJ    SOmC- 

times  by  the  barbarous  terms  myringa,  myrinx.  It  is 
a  thin,  transparent,  flattish  pellicle,  the  edge  of  which 
is  round,  and  strongly  fixed  in  the  circular  groove  which 
divides  the  bony  meatus  of  the  external  ear  from  the 
tympanum  or  barrel :  this  membrane  consists  of  several 
plates,  one  of  which  is  dry,  rattling,  splendid,  and  pel- 
lucid. It  is  very  tense,  easily  put  into  a  tremulous 
motion ;  and  upon  it  the  sonorous  waves  or  modulations 
of  external  air  strike,  move  the  small  bones  fixed  to  it, 
and  it  proves  a  means  of  sound  being  readily  conveyed 
to  the  common  sensorium.  This  membrane  is  stretched 
over  a  cavity  in  the  os  petrosum,  called  the  TYMPANUM 
or  DRUM,  which  consists  of  several  cavities.  In  the 
tympanum,  which  is  of  an  irregular  oblong  figure,  are 


A  U  R 


216 


AUR 


the  bones  of  hearing,  lodged  in  its  hollow  part,  between 
the  pars  petrosa  and  squamosa  of  the  temporal  bones. 
The  cavities  of  the  tympanum  are,  the  opening  of  the 
mastoid  cells  ;  that  of  the  Eustachian  tube,  the  canalis 
semi  fletrosus,  half  bony  canal,  ihefenestra  avails,  and 
rotunda.  Within  the  tympanum  are  suspended  the 
bones  of  hearing  moveably;  the  first  of  which  is  the 
malleus,  or  hammer,  whose  handle  is  fixed  to  the  mem- 
brane of  the  drum ;  and  at  one  end  to  the  second  bone, 
called  the  incus,  or  anvil,  which  it  resembles  in  shape, 
to  which  it  conveys  the  tremors  impressed  upon  the 
membrane :  the  incus  rests  on  the  os  orbiculare,  a  small 
round  bone,  and  this  upon  the  stapes  or  stirrup ;  the 
stapes  and  the  air  of  the  tympanum  press  the  auditory 
nerve,  whence  the  sense  of  sound  is  conveyed  to  the 
common  sensory.  When,  by  the  force  of  external 
sounds,  the  membrane  of  the  drum  is  forced  too  much 
inward,  it  is  probably  supported  by  air  which  passes 
from  the  mouth  through  the  Eustachian  tube  into  the 
inner  ear.  The  importance  of  the  cochlea  of  the  ear, 
in  order  to  the  conveyance  of  the  sound,  is  very  consi- 
derable. For  a  more  minute  information,  consult  Hal- 
ler's  Physiology,  and  the  ingenious  observations  of  Dr. 
Shebbeare  on  this  subject,  in  his  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Physic,  and  the  article  SONUS. 

AUGME'NTUM,(from<zug-eo,  to  increase}.  AUX- 
ESIS,  (from  «u|«»»,  to  increase').  The  increase  of  a 
disease,  from  its  attack  to  its  height. 

AUGU'STA.  An  epithet  given  to  several  com- 
pound medicines. 

AULI'SCOS,  (from  «tiA»«,  a  fiifie}.  See  CATHETE- 
HUS,  and  FISTULA. 

AU'RA,  (from  a-tip,  air,  or  rather  from  the  Hebrew 
term  AOH,)  signifies  an  exhalation,  or  vapour,  which 
arises  from  mephitic  caves.  The  chemists  mean  by  it 
a  certain  fine  and  pure  spirit,  found  in  every  animal  and 
vegetable  body;  but  so  subtle  as  only  to  be  perceptible 
to  us  by  its  smell. 

AU'RA  EPILE'PTICA.  A  gradual  sensation,  like  air 
ascending  from  some  determined  part  of  the  extre- 
mities upwards,  occasioning  an  epileptic  attack.  In 
the  E/ihem.  JVat.  Cur.  An.  3.  Obs.  336;  and  in  a 
treatise  of  Galen  on  an  epileptic  boy,  there  are  evi- 
dent examples  of  an  epilepsy  per  consensum  ab  aura 
adscendente. 

AU'RA  VITA'LIS.     So  Helmont  calls  the  vital  heat. 

AURA'NTIA,  (ab  aureo  colore,  from  its  golden  co- 
lour). ENASCE'NTIA,  and  IMMATU'RA.  See  AURANTIA 

CURASSAVENTIA. 

AURA'NTIA  HISPALE'NSIS,  called  also  mala  aurantia 

fruclu  acido,  major  arantia  malus,  aurangia,  mala  au- 

rea,  chrysomelea,  nerantia,  martianum  fiomum  ;  fioma 

anarantia;  SEVILLE  CHANGE.     It  is  the  citrus  auran- 

tium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 100. 

The  China  and  Seville  orange  are  both  only  varieties 
of  the  same  species :  the  latter  is  only  found  in  our 
Pharmacopoeias ;  and  the  flowers,  leaves,  yellow  rind, 
and  juice,  are  made  use  of  for  different  medical  pur- 
poses. 

The  FLOWERS  of  this  tree  are  highly  odoriferous,  and 
are  used  as  a  perfume;  they  are  bitter  to  the  taste; 
they  give  their  taste  and  smell  both  to  water  and  to 
spirit,  but  most  perfectly  to  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
The  water  which  is  distilled  from  these  flowers  is  called 
ol.  na]ih<s.  In  distillation  they  yield  a  small  quantity 


of  essential  oil,  which  is  called  oleum  vel  esaentia  neroli; 
they  are  brought  from  Italy  and  France. 

The  LEAVES  have  a  bitterish  taste,  and  yield  by  dis- 
tillation an  essential  oil ;  indeed  by  rubbing  them  be- 
tween the  fingers  and  thumb  they  manifest  considerable 
fragrance.  Westaerhoef,  De  Haen,  and  several  Ger- 
man physicians,  have  spoken  highly  in  favour  both  of 
the  flowers  and  leaves,  but  particularly  of  the  latter,  and 
held  them  in  great  estimation  as  a  remedy  for  epilepsy 
and  other  convulsive  disorders;  but  from  later  experi- 
ence they  have  sunk  greatly  in  their  reputation.  The 
dose  of  the  leaves  in  powder  was  from  J  ss.  to  J  i. 
two  or  three  times  a  day,  and  in  decoction  propor- 
tionably  strong.  They  resemble  the  laurel  and  the  bit- 
ter almond,  and  may  owe  their  taste  also  to  the  prussic 
acid. 

The  YELLOW  RIND  of  the  fruit,  freed  from  the  white 
fungous  part,  is  warmer  than  the  peal  of  lemons,  of  a 
more  durable  flavour,  and  abounds  more  with  a  light 
fragrant  essential  oil,  which  exudes  upon  wounding  it. 
Infused  in  boiling  water  it  gives  out  nearly  all  its  smell 
and  taste;  'cold  water  extracts  the  bitter,  but  very  little 
of  the  flavour.  In  distillation  all  the  oil  rises  without 
the  bitter.  The  yellow  rind  gives  an  agreeable  flavour 
to  the  other  medicines,  and  has  deservedly  gained  the 
character  of  a  pleasant  warm  aromatic  bitter.  Its  ex- 
pressed oil  is  essence  of  bergamot. 

The  orange  peel  is  commonly  employed  as  a  sto- 
machic, promotes  appetite,  and  is  particularly'useful  in 
restoring  tone  to  the  stomach  when  it  has  been  impaired 
by  excess.  It  has  been  also  much  celebrated  in  cure  of 
intermittents,  and  in  those  of  a  most  obstinate  kind ;  and 
as  a  powerful  remedy  in  menorrhagia,  and  immoderate 
uterine  evacuations.  It  is,  however,  little  more  than  a 
light  bitter,  not  very  powerful  in  any  of  these  diseases. 
The  London  college  direct  a  syrup  and  tincture.  In 
the  former,  eight  ounces  of  the  peel  are  steeped  in  five 
pints  of  water;  and  in  the  latter,  three  ounces  of  the 
peel  are  digested  in  a  quart  of  proof  spirit. 

The  JUICE  OF  SEVILLE  ORANGES  is  a  grateful  acid, 
which,  by  allaying  heat,  quenching  thirst,  promoting 
various  excretions,  and  diminishing  the  action  of  the 
vascular  sanguiferous  system,  proves  extremely  useful 
in  both  ardent  and  putrid  fevers,  though  the  China 
orange  juice,  as  impregnated  with  a  larger  proportion 
of  sugar,  becomes  more  agreeable,  and  may  be  taken 
in  larger  quantity.  The  Seville  orange  juice  is  par- 
.ticularly  serviceable  as  an  antiscorbutic,  and  alone  will 
prevent  or  cure  scurvy  in  the  most  apparently  desperate 
circumstances.  In  dyspepsia,  putrid  bile  in  the  sto- 
mach, both  lemon  and  orange  juice  are  highly  useful. 
The  acid  of  the  Seville  orange  differs  in  some  of  its 
pharmaceutical  properties,  both  from  the  fermented 
acid  of  vinegar,  and  from  the  native  acid  salts  of  the 
leaves  or  plants  :  from  the  former  in  its  not  being  vola- 
tile, or  not  exhaling  upon  inspissating  the  juice,  nor  ris- 
ing in  distillation  with  the  heat  of  boiling  water;  from 
the  latter,  in  its  being  soluble  in  spirit  of  wine :  the  in- 
spissated juice  liquifies  in  air,  water,  or  spirit  of  wine; 
whence  it  is  easily  preserved  during  many  years,  either 
in  the  form  of  an  extract,  or  in  a  spirituous  solution. 

AURA'NTIA  CURASSAVE'NTIA.  AURE'NTIUM  CURAS- 
SA'VENSE.  CURASSOA,  or  CURASSAO,  APPLES,  or 
ORANGES.  They  seem  to  be  the  immature  oranges 
that  by  some  accident  have  been  checked  in  their 


AL  B 


AUR 


:  th.  They  are  a  grateful  aromatic  bitter,  of  a  fla- 
vour very  different  from  that  of  th'.  peel  from  the  ripe 
fruit,  and  without  any  acid ;  what  little  tartness  they 
have  when  fresh  is  lost  in  drying.  Spirit  of  wine  ex- 
tracts perfectly  all  their  virtue ;  water  imperfectly : 
infused  in  wine  or  brandy  they  afford  a  good  bitter  for 
the  stomach.  They  are  used  to  promote  the  discharge 
in  issues,  whence  their  name  of  ISSUE  PEAS,  and  to 
give  the  flavour  of  hops  to  beer. 

AVKAXTIA    SIVEXSIS,     called     also    aurantia    dulcis, 
S'mensia,   mala   aurantia    Chinensia,    CHIXA    or 


aWEET  OUAXGKS. 

The  rind  hath  a  faint  smell,  with  but  little  bitterness, 
and  is  never  used  in  medicine;  the  juice  hath  a  grate- 
ful subacid  sweetness,  in  general  of  the  same  qualities 
as  our  summer  fruits. 

AURA'TUS  GERMANO'RUM,  (from  aurum, 
gold}.  It  is  an  oleo-saccharum  with  the  oil  of  cinna- 
mon, called  AU'RUM  HORIZOXTA.'LE. 

AU'REA  ALEXANDRIA.  An  antidote  invented 
by  Alexander. 

'  AURELIA'XA  CAXADE'XSIS  IRO'QUjEIS,(ab 
aureo  cslore,  from  its  golden  colour ).  See  GEXSIXG. 

AU  REUS,  (from  the  same).  A  weight  equal  to  a 
drachm  and  a  half;  also  a  pompous  appellation  for 
many  compound  medicines.  Blancard  says  it  was  a 
weight  amongst  the  Arabians  of  a  drachm,  a  seventh 
part;  the  same  with  denarius. 

AURICHA'LUM,  a  corruption  of  ORICHALCUM. 
See 

AURICO'LLA,  (from  aurum,  gold,  and  r.oX^xo,  to 
glue  together).  A  substance  with  which  goldsmiths 
solder  gold.  See  TIXCAL. 

AURl'CULA  (from  auris,  the  ear).  The  EXTER- 
NAL PART  of  the  EAR;  which  is  divided  into  the  upper 
part  called  fiinna^  and  the  lower  soft  part  called  lobiis, 
or  lobulus.  The  pinna  is  divided  into  several  eminences 
and  cavities;  the  eminences  are  the  helix,  called  also 
cafire'jl'-iss;  anti-helix;  tragus,  called  also  anti-lobium; 
and  anti-tragus. 

The  helix  is  the  large  border  round  the  ear^  or  the 
'.-xterior  compass  of  the  ear ;  bo  Cidled  because  of  its 
tortuosity. 

The  anti-helix  is  the  large  oblong  eminence,  sur- 
rounded by  the  helix. 

The  tragus  is  the  like  anterior  protuberance,  oppo- 
4te  to  the  lobe,  below  the  fore  part  of  the  helix,  which 
.n  the  aged  is  often  covered  with  hairs. 

The  anti-tragus  is  the  posterior  protuberance  below 
•he  inferior  extremity  of  the  anti-helix.  The  name  of 
i  muscle  which  acts  only  upon  the  cartilage  of  the 
far. 

The  cavities  are  the  scafiha,  on  the  inside  of  the  he- 
•ix  ;  the  cai'ltaa  innominatu  or  fossa  na~vicularin,  at  the 
anterior  upper  part  of  the  anti-helix;  the  concha,  which 
is  situated  under  the  anti-helix,  divided  by  a  sejitum, 
which  is  a  continuation  of  the  helix ;  and  the  meatus 
auditorius  externus. 

The  auricula  is  composed  chiefly  of  cartilage,  which 
gives  and  preserves  its  shape.  It  hath  the  advantage 
of  being  variable,  for  there  are  certain  small  muscles 
called  helicalia  major  and  minor,  Cragicug,  and  anti- 
iragicun,  which  are  peculiar  to  the  ear;  they  act  only 
upon  the  cartilage,  and  contribute  to  direct  it  towards 

VOL.  i. 


-1;  or  by  giving  a  greater  tension,  to  increase  it> 
intensity. 

The  external  ear  is  fixed  to  the  cranium,  not  only  by 
the  cartilaginous  portion  of  the  meatus,  but  also  by  the 
ligaments,  viz.  the  anterior,  which  is  fixed  by  one  ex- 
tremity to  the  root  of  the  apophysis  zygomatica  of  the 
os  temporis,  close  to  the  corner  of  the  glenoid  cavity, 
and  by  the  other  extremity  to  the  anterior  and  superior 
part  of  the  cartilaginous  meatus.  The  posterior  liga- 
ment is  fixed  by  one  end  to  the  root  of  the  mastoid 
apophysis,  and  by  the  other  to  the  posterior  part  of  the 
convexity  of  the  concha,  so  that  it  is  opposite  to  the 
anterior  ligament.  There -is  also  a  kind  of  superior 
ligament  which  seems  to  be  only  a  continuation  of  the 
aponeurosis  of  the  frontal  and  occipital  muscles. 

The  lobe  seems  to  be  a  doubling  of  the  teguments  : 
it  is  only  skin  and  cellular  membrane.  For  a  particular 
account  of  the  vessels,  &c.  see  AURIS. 

AUHI'CULA  I'XFIMA.  The  LOBE  of  the  EAR.  Besides, 
it  is  the  specific  name  of  several  herbs,  from  their  sup- 
posed resemblance  to  ears. 

AURI'CULA  LE'PORIS.     See  BUPLEURUM. 

AURI'CUI.A  MURIS.     See  ALSIXE. 

AURI'CULA  URSI,  called  also  sanicula  Aljiina  lutra. 
YELLOW  BEAR'S  EARS,  oricola,  and  FRENCH  COWSLIPS. 
It  grows  plentifully  in  Switzerland,  Savoy,  and  many 
other  places ;  bears  thick,  large,  green  leaves ;  and  on 
the  tops  of  the  stalks  there  are  flowers  of  different  co- 
lours. In  Utrecht  this  flower  is  called  firimula  odorata. 
on  account  of  its  agreeable  smell.  The  juice  removo 
spots  on  the  face. 

AURI'CULA  CO'RDIS.  Two  muscular  bags  at 
the  basis  of  the  heart.  See  COR. 

AURI'CULA  JU'D.E,  called  also  fungus  sambuci,  fun- 
gus membranaceug,fieziza  auriculam  referent, agaricus 
auriculas  forma;  JEWS'  EARS.  Peziza  auricula  Lin. 
It  is  a  sort  of  fungus,  which  grows  on  elder  trees;  its 
internal  use  is^generally  thought  not  safe,  but  a  decoc- 
tion in  milk  has  been  a  much  esteemed  gargle  in  the 
quinsy. 

AURICULA'RIA,  (from  auricula,  the  ear).  See 
MEXTHA  PALUSTRIS  FOLIO  OBLOXGO. 

AURICULA'RIS.       See     EXTEXSOR     MIXIMI     DI- 

GITI. 

AUHICULA'RIS  DI'GITUS.  The  little  finger  is  called 
the  ear  finger,  because  with  it  we  are  most  apt  to  rub 
and  pick  the  inner  ear. 

AURICULA'RIS  ME'DICUS.     A  physician  for  the  ear. 

AURICULA'RIUS.  Belonging  to  the  ear,  also  an 
ear  doctor. 

AURICULA'RUM  SEPTUM.     See  COR. 

AURICULA'TUM,  vel  AURI'TUM  FO'LIUM, 
an  EARED  LEAF,  from  auricula,  a  little  ear;  twisted  into 
the  form  of  a  little  ear,  or  having  an  appendage  like  a 
little  ear :  or  they  are  heart  shaped,  but  have  the  cor- 
ners prominent  and  rounded,  but  with  an  additional 
smaller  lobe  near  the  base 

AURI'GA.  A  WAGOXNER.  A  sort  of  bandage  for 
the  sides,  described  by  Galen.  So  called  because  it  is 
made  like  the  traces  of  a  wagon-horse.  It  was  also  a 
name  given  by  the  ancients  to  a  lobe  of  the  liver.  They 
divided  the  liver  into  four  lobes;  the  first  was  called 
FOCUS,  from  a  ridiculous  belief  that  there  the  food  was 
concocted;  second,  MEXSA,  because  they  thought  tho 

Ff 


A  UK 


218 


AUIi 


aliments  of  the  limbs  were  placed  there;  the  third 
CULTER;  and  fourth  AURIGA,  as  conducive  to  the  distri- 
bution of  the  aliments. 

AURI'GO,  (ab  aureo  colore,  from  its  yellow  colour ), 
See  ICTERUS. 

AURIPIGME'NTUM,  (from  aurum,gold,  and /;/,§•- 
mentitm,  paint,)  also  called  arsenicum  croceu/n,  arseni- 
rumjlainim,  adarnech,  albimec  althanaca,  ethel;  ORPIN, 
ORPIMENT,  and  AURIPIGMEXT.  Galen  called  it  arseni- 
cum, and  Serapion  narueth. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  orpiment ;  the  gold  colour- 
ed ;  the  deep  red  mixed  with  yellow,  called  andarac, 
auripigmentum  rubriim;  and  the  greenish  and  yellowish, 
which  is  the  least  valuable.  The  best  is  a  yellow  shin- 
ing sulphureous  mineral,  consisting  of  little  flakes  or 
scales  like  talc.  If  powdered  orpiment  is  set  on  fire,  it 
will  flame,  and  yield  the  odour  of  common  brimstone ; 
if  a  plate  of  copper  is  held  over  these  fumes  at  their 
first  rising,  it  becomes  white  and  brittle ;  an  iron  plate 
is  also  turned  white  by  them  ;  and  it  is  soluble  in  oil. 
But,  as  is  the  case  with  crude  antimony,  its  sulphureous 
combination  is  such  as  to  render  the  arsenic  inert.  If 
it  is  kept  long  in  a  subliming  vessel  over  the  fire,  the 
whole  mass  is  raised,  and  concretes  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  vessel  into  a  red  pellucid  substance  like  a  ruby, 
leaving  only  a  very  small  portion  of  metallic  earth  at 
the  bottom. 

Some  use  it  for  fumigating  venereal  ulcers ;  Drs. 
Boerhaave,  Mead,  and  others,  commend  its  fumes  in 
asthmas;  mixed  with  quick  lime  it  hath  been  used  as  a 
depilatory.  The  painters  use  it  for  a  gold  colour,  with- 
out the  idea  of  its  being  poisonous ;  but  if  swallowed, 
its  effects  are  similar  to  those  of  the  hydrargyrus  mu- 
viatus. 

AURIPIGME'NTUM  RU'BRUM.     See  REALGAR. 

AU'RIS,  (from  aura,  air,  as  being  the  medium  of 
hearing).  The  EAR.  The  ear  is  usually  divided  into 
the  external  and  the  internal.  By  the  external  is  meant 
all  that  lies  without  the  external  orifice  of  the  meatus 
auditorius  in  the  os  temporis ;  see  AURICULA.  By 
the  internal,  all  that  lies  within  the  cavity  of  this  bone ; 
the  orifice  of  which  is  called  cyar.  For  MEATUS  AUDI- 
TORIUS, TYMPANUM,  and  LABYRINTH,  S6C  LiABYRINTHUS, 
&C. 

The  arteries  of  the  external  ear  come  anteriorly 
from  the  arteria  tcmporalis,  and  posteriorly  from  the 
occipitalis.  The  veins  are  branches  of  the  external 
jugulars.  The  portio  dura  of  the  auditory  nerve  having 
passed  out  of  the  cranium  through  the  foramen  stylo- 
mastoidaeum,  gives  off  a  branch,  which  runs  up  behind 
the  ear,  whence  it  sends  off  several  filaments  to  the 
meatus  and  fore  side  of  the  ear.  The  second  vertebral 
pair  send  also  a  branch  to  the  ear,  the  ramifications  of 
which  communicate  with  those  of  the  other  branch 
from  the  portio  dura. 

The  bones  of  hearing,  called  malleus,  incus,  orbicu- 
lare,  and  stapes,  are  placed  in  the  cavity  of  the  tympa- 
num, immediately  on  the  inside  of  the  membrana  tym- 
pani.  The  malleus  is  joined  by  its  handle  to  the  mem- 
brana tympani,  and  its  round  head  rests  on  the  incus, 
the  long  leg  of  which  rests  on  the  os  orbiculare,  which 
is  fixed  to  the  fore  part  of  the  stapes,  the  sole  of  which 
vests  on  the  hole  called  fenestra  ovalis. 

The  use  of  the  external  ear  is  to  collect  sounds,  and 


to  render  their  impression  on  the  other  organs  of  hear- 
ing most  perfect ;  this  is  evident  from  those  who  have 
their  ears  cut  off  being  obliged  to  use  a  horn,  or  some 
means  to  assist  them  in  hearing  :  all  animals,  as  deer, 
hares,  &.c.  whose  ears  have  much  motion,  always  direct 
them  so  as  to  meet  the  sound. 

How  hearing  is  effected,  see  AUDITUS  and  SO- 
NUS. 

On  the  ears,  see  Cassebomius,  Du  Verney,  Valsalva, 
Celsus,  and  Winslow's  Anatomy.  They  treat  either  of 
the  anatomy  or  the  disorders  of  the  ear. 

AU'RIS  MARINA.  AU'RMAR.  A  shell  fish  very  com- 
mon on  the  coast  of  Scotland,  Guernsey,  Normandy, 
See.  It  is  shaped  like  an  ear,  it  adheres  to  rocks, 
and  to  render  them  eatable  they  are  first  boiled,  then 
fried. 

AURISCA'LPUM,  from  aurem  scalpere,  an  ear 
picker. 

A'URIST,  an  EAR  DOCTOR. 

AU'RUM,(from  aor,  resplendence,  a  Hebrew  term). 
GOLD  ;  called  also  sol,  and  rex  metallorum,  deheb,  cor. 
The  filings  are  named  catma  ;  the  chemists  call  it  sol, 
because  they  thought  it  to  be  under  the  influence  of  the 
sun.  Its  character  is  a  circle  with  a  dot  in  the  middle, 
thus  O>  denoting  a  body  perfectly  inacrimonious, 
smooth,  and  equal. 

The  greatest  part  of  what  we  have  comes  from  Ame- 
rica, particularly  from  the  mines  of  Peru  ;  but  the  Asi- 
atic is  esteejned  the  finest.  Sometimes  it  is  found  pure 
and  unmixed  in  small  grains  or  in  large  lumps,  and  is 
then  called  VIRGIN  GOLD  ;  but  it  generally  rises  in  ores 
of  different  kinds :  its  chief  matrix  is  flint ;  and  all 
sand  contains  a  greater  or  less  quantity  of  it. 

Gold  is  somewhat  more  than  nineteen  times  heavier 
specifically  than  water.  The  Arabians  introduced  it 
into  medicine ;  Avicenna  esteemed  it  for  its  cordial 
quality,  and  a  comforter  of  the  nerves ;  but  as  in  every 
state  it  is  insoluble  by  any  of  the  animal  fluids,  it  can 
only  be  an  amulet  against  poverty. 

It  is  not  surprising,  however,  that  the  alchemists,  to 
whom  we  are  indebted  for  so  many  chemical  remedies, 
should  have  tortured  this  metal  for  the  service  of  the 
art  of  healing.  The  cordial  qualities  were  supposed  to 
assist  medicines  of  this  class ;  and  even  a  heated  mass 
of  gold,  extinguished  in  a  fluid  preparation,  gave  it  the 
name  of  solar.  The  pure  leaf  gold  has  been  employed 
with  some  success  to  exclude  the  access  of  air ;  and  in 
some  measure  to  prevent  the  pits  of  the  small  pox  ;  and 
as  a  defence  to  sore  nipples  from  the  saliva  of  a  child, 
particularly  when  affected  with  aphthae. 

The  aurum-fulminans  has  been  employed  as  a  medi- 
cine since  the  time  of  Crollius,  and  its  use  has  been 
lately  revived.  It  is  gold  precipitated  from  its  solution 
in  aqua-regia  (nitro  muriatic  acid)  by  a  volatile  alkali ; 
or,  if  the  sal  ammoniac  is  added  to  the  nitrous  acid  to 
form  the  aqua  regia,  the  fixed  alkali  will  answer  the 
same  purpose.  Whether  from  careless  washing,  or 
from  the  metal  itself,  the  worst  effects  have  followed 
its  exhibition ;  and  colics,  convulsions,  faintings,  and 
cold  sweats,  have  been  the  consequences.  In  smaller 
doses  it  is  said  to  be  an  useful  sudorific  in  the  worst 
fevers ;  and  Angelus  Sala  observes,  that  it  is  a  certain 
and  easy  laxative.  Lemery  has  supposed,  from  chemi- 
cal views,  that  it  may  be  of  service  in  diseases  arising 


A  I    T 


T 


from  a  too  copious  use  of  mercury;  and  modern  prac- 
tice, from  the  usual,  tonic  powers  of  metals,  has  employ- 
ed it,  apparently  with  success,  in  chorea. 

Some  other  preparations  of  gold  may  be  shortly  men- 
tioned, though  many  of  these  supposed  to  contain  it 
have  not  a  particle  of  the  metal  in  the  whole  composi- 
tion. The  aurum  fiotabile,  tinctura  solis,  with  many 
other  sounding  applications,  are  of  this  kind.  The  pre- 
paration is  either  concealed  or  described  with  a  suspi- 
cious reserva;  but  it  seems  to  be  only  an  ethereal  oil 
coloured  with  gold,  or  some  substance  resembling  its 
golden  hue.  The  aurum  -vile  of  Quercetanus  is  a  calx 
of  gold  dissolved  in  vinegar,  seemingly  by  the  medium 
of  spirit  of  wine.  The  magixterium  auri  is  the  aurum 
fulininans,  digested  repeatedly  with  the  spirit  of  baum, 
and  mixed  with  -^  of  ambergrise,  as  much  musk,  and 
-^  of  saffron.  This  preparation,  in  a  dose  of  from  three 
to  five  grains,  is  said  to  be  tonic,  antiseptic,  alexiphar- 
mic,  and  antispasmodic.  It  is  the  foundation  of  many 
other  preparations  which  are  exuberantly  extolled,  but 
which  modern  practice  rejects.  We  shall  notice  but 
one  other,  which  merits  some  notice,  as  it  is  honoured 
with  a  place  in  the  Wirtemberg  Dispensatory  ;  and  if 
any  preparation  of  gold  is  useful,  this  promises  to  be  so. 
It  is  styled  cornu  cervi  auratum;  and  consists  of  leaf- 
gold  very  carefully  rubbed  with  powdered  hartshorn, 
and  calcined  in  a  crucible  till  it  assumes  a  purplish  co- 
lour. It  is  used  in  malignant  fevers ;  in  measles  and 
small  pox  as  a  cordial ;  but  may  probably  be  an  useful 
tonic. 

AU'RUM  EI.E'MPIUM.     See  SUCCIXUM. 

AU'RUM  HORIZO'XTALE.  See  AURATUS  GERMAN-O- 
KI-M. 

AU'RUM  POTA'BILE.     See  LENTSIGCS. 

AU'RUM   LEPRO'SUM.        See  AxTIMOXl UM. 

AU'RUM  VEGETA'BILE.  A  name  given  to  SAFFROX. 
See  CROCUS. 

AURUS  BRASILIE'NSIS.     See  CALAMUS  AROM. 

AslATICUS. 

AU'STER,  (from  «»»,  to  burn).  The  SOUTH  WIND, 
which  is  warm,  moist,  and  productive  of  putrid  diseases. 
It  means  also  AUSTERE,  and  arises  from  the  union  of 
acid  with  astringent  particles,  such  as  in  unripe  fruits. 

AUSTROMA'NTIA,  (from  «wri»e,  the  wind,  and 
luttntt,  divination).  Pretending  to  tell  events  from  ob- 
servation of  the  winds. 

AUTA'LIS.     See  DEXT'ALIUM. 

AUTHE'MEROX,  ^from  a»r«<,  the  same,  and  r,u.<t*, 
a  day).  The  VERY  SAME  DAY.  A  medicine  is  thus 
railed  that  gives  relief  on  the  same  day  it  is  taken.  Ga- 
len describes  two  remedies  of  this  kind. 

AUTOPHO'SPHORVS,  from  «•/?•«,  itself,  and 
ZarZoftf, phosphorus:  real  phosphorus).  See  PHOSPHO- 
RUS. 

AUTO'PSIA,  AUTOPSY,  (from  «»?•«,  himself,  and 
u.a.1,  lo  see).  OCCULAR  EVIDENCE. 

AUTO'PYROS,  from  *t//o5,  itself,  and  ™f»s,  wheat). 
See  BREAD. 

AUTU'MXUS, (from  avgeo,auctum, because, Festus 
says,  at  this  time  the  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  the  labours 
of  men,  are  increased).  AUTUMN.  The  season  of  the 
year  between  summer  and  winter,  beginning  astrono- 
mically at  the  equinox,  and  ending  at  the  solstice  :  po- 
pularly it  comprises  August,  September,  and  October. 
Celsus  wisely  advises  people  to  begin  early  in  this 


season  to  wear  warmer  clothes,  for  the  irregularity  of 
the  weather  subjects  them  to  a  variety  of  diseases. 

AUXE'SIS.      See  AUGMENTUM. 

AUXILIA  RII  MUSC,('aifcrtf<KM,«f*fe*a*KeJ.  See 

PVRAMIDALIS  MUSCULUS. 

AU'XYRIS,  (a  corruption  of  Osuris).     See  ASYRIS. 

AVACCARI,  (Indian).  A  little  tree,  the  leaves, 
fruit,  and  flowers  of  which  resemble  the  myrtle ;  but 
it  is  more  astringent.  It  grows  on  mountains  in  the 
province  of  Malabar,  and  is  used  against  dysenteries  ; 
but  not  yet  described  so  clearly  that  its  systematic  ar- 
rangement can  be  ascertained. 

AVARA'MO,  (Indian).  The  name  of  a  siliquose 
tree  which  grows  in  Brasil.  Its  bark  is  externally  ot 
an  ash  colour,  and  internally  very  red ;  both  it  and  the 
leaves  are  astringent:  a  decoction  of  the  bark  hath 
been  supposed  to  dry  ulcers,  and  is  said  to  have  cured 
cancers.  Raii  Hist.  It  has  not  been  noticed  by  syste- 
matic authors. 

AYELLA'NA,  (from  Abtlla,  or  jtvella,  a  town  in 
Campania  where  they  grow,)  corylus  a-vellana  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1417.  The  HAZLE  NUT.  Miller  takes  notice  of  six 
sorts ;  viz.  the  hazle  nut,  the  small  manured  ditto,  the 
large  cob  nut,  the  Spanish  nut,  the  red  filbert,  and  the 
white  filbert. 

The  iuli,  or  katkins,  which  grow  on  the  trees  early 
in  the  spring,  and  the  shells,  are  restringent  or  binding. 
An  emulsion  made  of  the  kernels  of  nuts  or  filberts, 
and  mead,  is  commended  in  coughs.  Filberts  nourish 
more  than  nuts ;  but  the  oil  is  so  closely  united  with 
the  mucilage  that  they  are  very  indigestible ;  the 
roundest  kernels  are  most  esteemed.  They  all  afford 
a  considerable  quantity  of  an  agreeable  soft  oil  by  ex- 
pression. 

AVELLA'NA  CATHA'RTICA.  See  CATAPUTT\  MI- 
XOR. 

AVELLA'XA  MEXICAXA.     See  CACAO. 

AVELLA'XA  PURGA'TRIX.  See  CATAPUTIA  MIXOR  and 
BEX. 

AVELLA'NA  IXDIA'NA  VERSICO'LOH.      See  ARKCA. 

AYELLA'X.£rXDIC£GE'XUSOBLO  NGUM. 
An  inferior  species  of  NUTMEGS. 

A  YE'XA,  (from  aveo,to  covet,  because  cattle  are  very- 
fond  of  them).  .4.  saliva  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  118.  OATS.  The 
two  kinds,  the  black  and  white,  have  similar  virtues, 
but  the  black  ones  are  preferred  for  horses,  as  more 
nutritious;  they  are  less  so  than  rice  or  wheat,  yet 
afford  a  sufficient-nourishment  to  as  active  and  vigor- 
ous a  people  as  the  world  produces;  viz.  the  High- 
landers. Gruels  made  with  the  flower,  called  OAT 
MEAL,  digest  easily,  have  a  soft  mucilaginous  quality, 
by  which  they  obtund  acrimony,  and  are  used  for  com- 
mon drink  and  food  in  inflammatory  disorders,  coughs, 
hoarseness,  roughness  and  exulceration  of  the  fauces. 
A  subacid  jelly  made  with  oats  is  a  pleasant  summer 
food,  and  highly  useful  as  an  antiphlogistic  diet  in 
fevers.  It  is  called  soivins,  sometimes  frumenty. 

Water  gruel  answers  all  the  purposes  of  Hippocrates' 
ptisan  :  it  forms  externally,  with  vinegar  and  oil,  emol- 
lient poultices  for  sprains  and  bruises,  and  stimulant 
ones  with  the  grounds  of  strong  beer  for  tumours,  of 
a  gangrenous  tendency,  or  in  poor  emaciated  habits. 
For  that  named  GjuecA  and  STERILIS,  see  J£GY- 
LOPS. 

AYE'XQUA.     See  ADIANTHUM  CAXADEXSF. 
Ff3 


AX  I 


220 


A  z  r 


V VEEN'S.     See  CARYOPHYI.LATA. 

AVER'SIO,  (from  averto,  to  (urn  from).  The  di- 
verting of  a  flux  of  humours  from  one  part  to  another  ; 
a  nausea  or  inappetency  ;  the  recession  of  the  uterus 
from  its  proper  place. 

A'VES,  CY'PRIjft.     See  CANDELA  FUMAI.IS. 

AVICE'NNIA    TOMENTO'SA.      See    ANACAR- 

DIUM. 

AVIGATO  PEAR,  laurus  fiersea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  529. 
A  nutritious  tropical  fruit,  supposed  to  be  antidysente- 
ric.  The  sailors  eat  the  unripe  fruit  as  an  antiscor- 
butic. 

A'VIS  ME'DICA,  (from  avid,  Hebrew).  The  PEA- 
COCK. See  ALIMENT. 

AVOIRDUPOIS.  This,  in  the  French  language, 
signifies  to  have  weight;  because  the  pound  so  called 
contains  sixteen  ounces,  and  hath  more  weight  by  some 
ounces  than  that  which  is  called  Troy  weight,  which 
contains  twelve  ounces ;  more  probably  from  its  being 
employed  in  weighing  the  heavier  articles. 

AVO'RNUS.     See  ALXUS  NIGRA. 

AVRA'RIC.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

A'VRUM.     See  SUCCIXUM. 

A'XEA  COMMISSU'RA.      Sec  TROCHOIDES. 

AXE'DO.  The  name  of  a  spell  in  Marcellus  Empi- 
ricus,  to  render  a  person  impotent. 

AXI'LLA,  C Atzil,  Hebrew  ;  but  Scaliger  derives  it 
from  ago,  to  act,  and  from  thence  axis,  and  axilla).  The 
ARM  PIT,  called  also  mascale,  titillicum,  male.  When  an 
offensive  smell  is  perceived  from  the  arm  pit,  Diosco- 
rides  and  Atius  recommend  the  decoction  of  wild  arti- 
choke in  wine,  which,  by  bringing  off  much  fetid  urine, 
may  produce  a  cure.  See  also  ALA. 

AXILLARES  GLANDULE.  Conglobate  glands 
in  the  axilla,  through  which  the  absorbents  of  the  up- 
per extremity  pass. 

AXILLA'RIA  ARTE'RIA.  The  SUBCLAVIAN  AR- 
KEUY  having  left  the  thorax  immediately  above  the 
iirst  rib,  in  the  interstice  between  the  portions  of  the 
scalenus  muscle,  there  receives  the  name  axillary,  be- 
cause it  passes  vmder  the  axilla.  This  axillary  artery 
detaches  the  external  mammary  arteries  to  the  breast ; 
and  lies  behind,  on  the  inside  of  the  coraco  brachiaeus  : 
when  it  has  got  to  the  under  side  of  the  subscapularis, 
it  gives  off'  a  branch  to  that  muscle,  the  serratus  major 
unticus,  Sec.  The  axillary  artery  gives  oft'  the  inferior 
scapular,  which  passes  backwards,  chiefly  to  the  infra 
spinatus.  Just  below  the  head  of  the  humerus,  the 
axillary  throws  off  the  humeral  or  articular  artery, 
which,  passing  round  the  joint,  anastomoses  with  its 
fellow.  The  axillary  artery  commonly  runs  down  be- 
hind the  tendon  of  the  pectoralis  major,  then  passes 
over  the  coraco  brachiseus,  goes  down  on  the  inside 
more  and  more  forward,  just  covered  by  the  inner 
edge  of  the  biceps,  passes  under  the  aponeurosis  of  that 
muscle ;  and  a  little  below  the  bend  of  the  arm,  be- 
tween the  pronator  teres  and  supinator  radii  longus, 
divides  into  the  radial  and  ulnar  arteries. 

AXILLA'RIS  NE'RVUS.  The  AXILLARY  NERVE; 
also  called  the  ARTICULAR  NERVE,  arises  from  the  last 
two  cervical  pair ;  it  runs  in  the  hollow  of  the  axilla, 
behind  the  head  of  the  os  humeri,  between  the  muscu- 
his  teres,  major  and  minor,  and  turning  from  within 
outwards  and  backwards  round  the  neck  of  the  bone, 
nms  tp  the  deltoid  muscles. 


AXILLA'RIS'  VENA.  The  AXILLARY  VKIN,  is  the 
continuation  of  the  subclavian  from  its  passage 
out  of  the  thorax  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
axilla. 

A'XIS,  (from  05-0,  to  act).  That  round  which  any 
thing  revolves  or  is  supposed  to  revolve.  With  ANATO- 
MISTS it  is  the  name  of  the  second  vertebra,  and  ac- 
cording to  some  the  first  vertebra,  of  the  neck  ;  it  hath 
a  tooth  which  goes  into  the  first  vertebra,  and  this  tooth 
is  called  the  axis,  by  others  the  axle.  Bfencard  says  it 
is  the  third  vertebra  from  the  skull. 

A'XIS  ARTE'IUJE  CU-:LI'ACA;.  See  CCELIACA  AR- 
TERIA. 

AXU'NGIA,  from  its  use,  unguendi,  axcm.  HOG'S 
LARD.  See  ADEPS. 

AXU'NGIA  CASTO'REI.     See  CASTOR. 

AXU'NGIA  DE  MUMIA.     See  MEDULLA. 

AXU'NGIA  VITRI.  SANDIVER,  or  SALT  OF  GLASS  ;  it 
separates  from  glass  whilst  making;  it  is  acrid,  and  hath 
been  used  to  clean  the  teeth. 

AYAPA'NA.  A  plant  brought  to  the  Isle  of  France 
from  the  Brasils,  supposed  to  be  a  certain  remedy  for 
phthisis  and  the  bites  of  serpents ;  but,  as  Bory  in  his 
late  voyages  informs  us,  is  really  useless. 

AYBO'RZAT.     See  GALBANUM. 

AY'CAPHAR,   and    AY'COPHOS.      See  ^Es  us- 

TUM. 

A'ZAC,(from  asak,  Arabic).     See  AMMONIACUM. 
A'ZADAR    ACHE'NI    A'RBOR.      See    AZEDA- 

RACH. 

AZA'GOR.     See  J£RUGO. 

AZA'NIT-E  A'COPON.  The  name  of  an  acopon 
or  ointment,  in  P.  jEgineta. 

AZA'NIT.S:  CERA'TUM.  The  name  of  a  cerate  in 
Oribasius. 

A'ZAR.     Sec  ADROP. 
1  AZA'RNET.     See  AURIPIGMENTUM. 

A'ZED.  An  inferior  kind  of  camphor  among  the 
Arabians.  The  finest  was  called  alcansuri;  the  second 
abriagi.  The  first  was  the  natural  exudation  from  the 
tree ;  the  second  was  a  very  pure-  kind  carefully  sub- 
limed. Theazed  was  the  present  camphor  of  commerce. 

AZE'DARACH,  AZE'DRACHINI,  (Indian). 
Called  also  fiseudosycomorus,azadar,  tacheni  arbor,  ar- 
bor fraxini  folio  Jlore  cteruleo,  zizi/i/ia  Candida,  ana- 
bcfiou.  Acostfc  zodoaria  Candida.  Melia  azederach  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  550.  It  is  a  tall  tree  in  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
and  other  parts  of  the  East  Indies.  It  resembles  an  ash ; 
the  fruit  is  like  an  olive,  and  from  it  oil  is  expressed 
for  staining  cotton  :  the  pulp  of  the  fruit  is  said  to  be 
poisonous,  but  the  taste  is  not  disagreeable.  Another 
species  is  a  native  of  the  coast  of  Malabar;  the  m,  azede- 
racta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  550.  The  oil  expressed  from  its  fruit 
is  used  to  cure  bites  of  serpents,  and  to  restore  flexi- 
bility to  contracted  limbs.  The  leaves,  infused  in  juice 
of  lemons,  are  supposed  to  be  vulnerary  and  anthel- 
mintic.  Wildenow  has  described  two  other  species  of 
similar  virtues.  See  Raii  Hist. 

AZE'DEGRIN.     See  HEMATITES. 

A'ZEFF.     SCISSILE  ALUM.     See  ALUMEN. 

A'ZEG.     See  VITKIOLUM. 

AZEMA'FOR.     RED  LEAD.     See  PLUMBUM. 

AZEMA'SOR,  and  AZYMAR.  See  CINNABARIS. 

AZE'NSALI,     A  sort  of  moss  that  grows  on  rocks' 

A'ZIMAR.     BURNT  COPPRR.     See  j£s  USTUM. 


AZ  Y 


221 


V  L  \ 


A'ZOTUM,  AZO'TICUS  GAS,  (from  *,  non,  and 
vita).  AZOTE,  AZOTIC  GAS.  This  is  the  noxious 
part  of  the  atmospheric  air;  see  AER.  Formerly  call- 
ed phlogisticated  air;  and  atmospheric  mephitis.  It  has 
been  called  AZOTE  by  modern  chemists,  because  the 
chemical  properties  of  the  noxious  portion  of  atmo- 
spheric air  being  hitherto  little  known,  they  have 
thought  it  right  to  derive  the  name  of  its  base  from  the 
known  quality  of  killing  such  animals  as  breathe  in  it. 
It  is  a  tasteless,  inodorous  element,  existing  in  a  large 
proportion  in  the  atmosphere,  and  is  obtained  copiously 
from  the  fibrous  parts  of  animals  by  means  of  nitric 
acid.  Mixed  with  vital  air  or  oxygen,  in  the  proportion 
of  72  to  28,  it  forms  air  similar  to  atmospheric  air; 
combined  with  hydrogen,  it  constitutes  volatile  alkali; 
and  with  carbon,  the  gluten  of  animal  fibres  ;  it  is  the 
basis  of  the  nitrous  acid.  The  weight  of  this  gas,  at 
the  temperature  of  54,  50,  and  under  a  pressure  equal 
to  28  inches  of  the  barometer,  is  1  oz.  2  drachms  and 
48  gr.  to  the  cubical  foot,  or  0.444  of  a  grain  to  a  cu- 
bical inch;  and  to  common  air  it  is  as  942.6  to  1000. 
See  Lavoisier's  Elements  of  Chemistry.  According  to 
Kirwan,  it  is  as  985  to  1000.  We  have  much  reason 
to  suppose,  as  already  hinted,  that  a  larger  proportion 
of  azote  in  the  air  we  breathe  might  be  medicinally 
useful;  but  on  this  subject  there  are  many  doubts;  and 
until  it  can  be  separated  from  ignorance,  presumption, 
and  quackery,  such  doubts  must  remain. 

AZOTH,  is  a  name  for  BRASS.  It  sometimes  signi- 
fies the  quicksilver  of  any  metallic  body.  See  REBIS. 

A  ZRAGAR.     See  J£RUGO  ^RIS. 

A'ZUB.     See  ALUMEN. 

A'ZUR.     See  CORALLIUM  RVBRUM. 

A'ZURIUM.  A  chemical  preparation  described  by 
Albertus  Magnus.  It  consists  of  quicksilver  two  parts, 
sulphur  one-third,  sal  ammoniac  one-fourth,  mixed  in  a 
mortar,  and  set  in  a  vessel  over  the  fire  till  a  bluish 
•smoke  arises :  it  must  be  then  taken  from  the  fire,  the 
glass  broke,  and  the  contents  powdered. 

A'ZYGES,  (from  *,  neg.  and  £vy««,  a  yoke).  See 
SPH^XOIDES  os. 


AZ'YGOS  MORGA'GNII.     See  STAFHTLIM. 

AZ'YGOS,  vel  A'ZIGQS,  (from  «,  neg.  and  $/y.<, 
a  pair;  without  a  felloto).  The  musculus  azygos  of 
Morgagni  rises  tendinous  from  the  junction  of  the  ossa 
palati,  and  runs  down  the  palatum  molle  to  the  middle 
of  the  uvula,  serving  to  elevate  it. 

A  ZYGOS  PROCE'SSUS.     See  SPH.ZNOIDES  os. 

A'ZYGOS  VE'NA.  Vena  sine  pari.  A  vein  situated 
within  the  thorax  on  the  right  side,  having-  no  fellow 
on  the  left.  It  arises  posteriorly  from  the  vena  cava 
superior,  a  little  above  the  pericardium;  it  is  immedi- 
ately bent  backwards  over  the  origin  of  the  right  lobe 
of  the  lungs,  forming  an  arch  which  surrounds  the 
great  pulmonary  vessels  on  that  side,  as  the  arch  of  the 
aorta  does  on  those  on  the  left,  with  this  difference, 
that  the  curve  of  the  azygos  is  directly  backwards,  but 
the  other  is  oblique  :  from  thence  it  runs  down  by  the 
right  side  of  the  vertebrae  dorsi,  and  before  the  inter- 
costal arteries ;  and  passing  behind  or  below  the  dia- 
phragm, it  terminates  by  an  anastomosis,  sometimes 
with  the  vena  renalis,  at  others  with  the  neighbouring 
lumbar  vein,  sometimes  immediately  with  the  trunk  of 
the  vena  cava  inferior. 

The  vena  azygos  sends  out  branches  from  its  upper 
pan  to  the  aspera  arteria  and  bronchiae  by  the  name  of 
venas  bronchiales;  afterwards  it  sends  out  the  inter- 
costales  dejcine  superiores;  lower  down,  the  intercosta- 
Ifs  dextr£  infer/ores. 

Sometimes  there  is  an  azygos  on  the  left  side,  pro- 
ceeding from  the  arch  of  the  common  azygos:  it  is 
afterwards  distributed  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other 
on  the  right  side ;  but  this  disposition  is  very  variable. 

The  azygos  having  reached  the  last  rib,  sends  off  a 
large  branch,  which,  bending  outwards,  perforates  the 
muscles  of  the  belly,  is  ramified  betwixt  different 
planes,  and  communicates  with  the  branches  of  the 
intercostal  veins  which  run  there. 

A'ZYMOS,  (from  <*,  neg.  and  ^,viai,  ferment).  Ux- 
FERMEXTED  BREAD,  as  SEA  BISCUIT,  which,  Galen  ob- 
serves,  is  not  very  wholesome,  except  were  the  digestive 
powers  are  too  strong.  See  BREAD. 


222 


B. 


BAG 


B 


See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

BABUZICA'RIUS,  (from  jS«ff*£»,  to  sfieak  inar- 
ticulately; because  the  voice  is  apt  to  be  inarticulate 
and  confused  in  this  disorder).  See  INCUBUS. 

BA'CANON.     CABBAGE  or  RAPE  SEED. 

BA'CCA    MONSPELI'ENSIS.      See  BACCHARIS. 

BA'CCjE,  are  small  roundish  fruit  that  grows  scat- 
tering upon  trees  and  shrubs,  and  in  that  are  distin- 
guished from  acini,  which  are  berries  hanging  in  clusters. 

BACC^E  NORLANDIC.S,  the  berries  of  the  rubus  arc- 
ticus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  708.  Supposed  to  be  cooling  anti- 
septic, perhaps  antiscorbutic. 

BA'CCJE  BERNU'D^E.     See  SAPONARI.S  NUCUL.S. 

BA'CCAR,  BA'CCHARIS,  (from  bacchus,  wine,) 
from  its  fragrance  resembling  that  liquor.  Also  called 
bacca  Monsfieliensis,  conyza  tertia  Dioscorides,  eupato- 
rium.  Inuld  dysenterica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1237.  GREAT 

FLEA    BANE,    PLOUGHMAN'S    SPIKENARD.       It    is    a     SWBCt- 

scented  shrubby  plant,  used  for  making  garlands ;  and 
delights  in  rough  and  dry  grounds.  The  roots  smell 
like  cinnamon,  and  are  a  powerful  emmenagogue ;  the 
leaves  moderately  astringent. 

BA'CCHIA,  (from  bacchus,  wine,  because  it  gene- 
rally proceeds  from  hard  drinking  and  intemperance). 
See  GUTTA  ROSACEA. 

BA'CCHICA,  (from  Bacchus,  because  he  was  gene- 
rally crowned  with  it).  See  HEDERA  TERRESTRIS. 

BA'CCHUS.     The  fish  called  MULLET.     See  Mu- 

GILIS. 

BA'CCIFER,  (of  bacca,  a  berry,  and  fcro,  I  bear) . 
An  epithet  added  to  the  name  of  any  tree,  shrub,  or 
plant,  that  bears  berries. 

BACHE'RI    PILULE  TONICS.     See  ASCITES. 

BACI'LLI.     See  TROCHISCI. 

BACI'LLUM.     See  CANDELA  FUMALIS. 

BA'DIAGA.  .A  kind  of  sponge  usually  sold  in 
Russia,  the  powder  of  which  takes  away  the  livid 
marks  of  blows  and  bruises  within  a  few  hours.  It 
differs,  however, from  the  sponges  and  alcyoniums,  as  it  is 
full  of  small  hard  grains,  connected  by  friable  herbaceous 
fibres,  and  grows  under  the  water.  It  is  only  described 
by  Bauxbaum,  and  its  nature  is  not  properly  understood. 

BA'DIAN.  SEM.     See  ANISUM  INDICUM. 

BjE'OS.  In  Hippocrates  it  means  few;  but  in  P. 
-Egineta,  it  is  an  epithet  for  a  malagma. 

BAGNIGGE  WELLS  WATERS.  These  wells 
arc  situated  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  on  the  south- 


B  AL 

west  side  of  Islington;  the  water  is  clear,  and  ta->tc-. 
slightly  brackish,  like  a  weak  solution  of  Epsom  salt. 
From  a  gallon  of  this  water  evaporated,  Dr.  Bevis 
obtained  135  grains  of  insoluble  earth,  257  of  bitter 
purging  salt,  mixed  with  a  marine  salt,  from  whence 
they  derive  their  purging  quality.  Dr.  Monro  thinks  it 
probable  that  the  salt  of  this  water  is  mostly  an  Epsom 
salt,  with  a  good  deal  of  a  bittern;  because  it  runs 
easily  per  dcliquium,  and  is  very  difficult  to  crystallize. 
In  most  constitutions  three  half  pints  are  considered  a 
full  dose  for  purging. 

BA'GNIO.  (from  bagno,  Italian).  A  SWEATING 
HOUSE. 

BAGS.  Various  medicinal  substances  were  usually 
confined  in  thin  bags,  and  applied  to  the  part  affected. 
These  were  chiefly  cordials  applied  to  the  pit  of  the 
stomach  in  cleliquia;  anodynes  and  antispasmodics  to 
the  pit  of  the  stomach  in  hysteria  and  colic ;  and  seda- 
tives or  discutients  to  the  head  in  its  diseases.  Malt 
liquors  are  medicated  or  perfumed  by  substances  in 
bags;  and  clothes  scented  in  a  similar  way. 

BA'HEI  COYO'LLI.     See  ARECA. 

BA'HEL  SCHU'LLI.  An  Indian  tree  ;  also  called 
genista  sjrinosa  Indica  I'erticillataJJore  fiur/n<reo  c£ru- 
leo.  It  resembles  the  barleria  buxifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
887;  but  is  probably  no*t  the  same,  as  the  latter  is  repre- 
sented in  Rheed's  42d  table,  but  the  real  species  occurs 
in  the  45th.  It  is  of  the  family  of  the  canthoides,  and 
is  a  thorny  shrub,  of  which  there  is  one  species  growing 
in  sandy  ground,  another  in  watery.  A  decoction  of 
the  roots  is  diuretic;  the  leaves  boiled  and  sprinkled 
in  vinegar  have  the  same  effect.  Rail  Hist. 

BA'IAC.     See  PLUMBUM. 

BA'LA.     See  MUSA. 

BALjE'NA,  MAJOR  and  VULGARIS,  (from  /3«AAw,  to 
cast,  from  its  power  in  casting  up  water).  See  CETUS.. 

BAL^E'NA  MACROCE'PHALA.     See   CETE   ADMIRABILE. 

BALAMPU'LLI.     See  TAMARINDUS. 

BA'LANDA,  (from /3*A«/vo«,  a  nut}.     See  FAGUS. 

BALANI'NUM,  OL.  (from  jSaAa/vo?,  an  acorn).  OIL 
of  the  BEN  NUT. 

BALANOCA'STANUM,(from  /3«A«i>«;,  a  nut,wd 
xas-7*v«v,  a  chesnut).  See  BULBOCASTANUM. 

BALA'NOS,  (from  /3«AAa,  to  cast,  because  it  sheds 
its  fruit  upon  the  ground;  or  from  the  Hebrew  term, 
baton,  proceeding  from  the  oak).  See  QUERCUS, 
SUPPOSITORIUM,  PESSARIUM,  PENIS  GLANS  and  ADIP- 
sos.  Theophrastus  uses  it  sometimes  to  express 


B  AL 


223 


B  AL 


any  glandiferous  tree.  From  the  similitude  of  form, 
this  word  is  used  to  express  tufiftositories  and  pessa- 
ries. 

BALARUC,  WATERS  OF,  in  France,  are  warm, 
about  128°  of  Fahrenheit;  chiefly  saline  and  purgative, 
without  iron  or  sulphur. 

BALAU'STIA,  BALAU'STIUM,  (from  /3*A.-«s, 
•various,  and  »va,  to  dry  ;  so  called  from  the  variety  of 
its  colours  and  becoming  soon  dry  :  or  from  jSA»r~»»*i, 
to  germinate}.  Called  also  ma/us  fiunica  sylvestris  ; 
granatus  sylvestris,  fiunica  g-ranatum,  the  double  flow- 
ered wild  POMEGRANATE,  Or  the  BALAUSTIXE  TREE.  The 

fiunica  granatum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  676. 

Balaustium  is  properly  the  cup  of  the  flower  of  this 
tree.  The  balaustines  of  the  shops  are  large  rose  like 
flowers  of  a  deep  red  colour,  set  in  long,  bell  shaped, 
tough  cups.  The  plant  is  a  native  of  the  southern 
parts  of  Europe,  and  is  cultivated  in  our  gardens  for 
the  beauty  and  duration  of  its  flowers.  The  dry  flowers 
are  brought  from  abroad  into  England,  but  those  of 
our  own  growth  do  not  seem  to  be  inferior  to  the 
foreign. 

Those  flowers  are  mildly  astringent,  but  Tess  power- 
ful than  the  bark  of  the  fruit,  and  have  a  rough  bitterish 
taste.  They  give  out  their  virtue  to  water  and  to  rec- 
tified spirit  of  wine.  The  extracts  made  from  these  tinc- 
tures retain  all  their  astringency,  but  the  watery  infu- 
sion yields  most,'and  the  spirituous  a  somewhat  stronger 
extract. 

The  dose  of  these  flowers  may  be  from  one  scruple 
to  two  drachms,  and  to  this  quantity  mostof  the  vegetable 
astringents  may  be  given.  The  rind  of  the  fruit  is  con- 
sidered as  strongly  astringent,  and  has  been  particularly 
useful  in  gargles,  in  diarrhoea,  and  in  external  ap- 
plications. Sydenham,  against  prolapsed  rectum  and 
uterus,  prescribed  an  ounce  of  the  rind  bruised  with 
two  pints  of  the  decoction  of  oak  bark  and  half  a  pint 
of  red  wine,  as  a  fomentation;  and  Dr.  Mead  orders 
a  decoction  compounded  of  this  bark  with  cinnamon 
and  red  roses,  of  each  a  drachm ;  in  milk  strained  one 
pint,  and  the  same  quantity  of  water  to  be  gradually- 
added,  the  whole  reduced  to  one  pint,  and  sweetened 
with  sugar,  to  be  taken  daily  in  colliquative  diarrhoeas. 

BALBU'TIES,  (from  j9«Ao<»£a>,  to  stammer}.  A 
PEFECT  OF  SPEECH,  properly  that  sort  of  stammering, 
where  the  patient  sometimes  hesitates,  and  immediately 
after  speaks  precipitately;  the  fiselluimus  baldutiens  of 
Dr.  Cullen. 

BA'LCHUS.     See  BDELLIUM. 

BALDNESS.  See  ALOPECIA.  It  is  said  that 
women  and  eunuchs  are  scarcely  ever  bald ;  and  that 
in  the  parts  from  whence  the  hair  falls,  the  brain  retracts 
from  the  skull.  The  temples  first  lose  their  hair;  then 
the  vertex.  Bald  head  was  in  the  eastern  regions  a 
term  of  reproach;  probably  implying  early  excess,  to 
which  it  has  been  attributed. 

BALLON",  a  glass  receiver,  often  with  two  necks  to 
join  another  ballon. 

BALLA-MVCCA-PI'RA.     See  MOMORDICA. 

BALLI'ST-E,  Os.  The  astragalus,  becavise  the  an- 
cients used  to  cast  it  from  their  slings,  (from  jS*AA», 
to  catt}.  See  ASTRAGALUS. 

BALLOTE,  (from  SaXAa,  to  send  forth,  and  •«?, 
the  genitive  of  «t*,  the  ear,)  because  it  sends  forth 
flowers  like  ears.  Called  also  marrubittm  nigrum  fxti- 
ballota  nigra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  814,  and  BLACK 


STINKING  HOHEHOUXD.  It  grows  in  paths,  high- 
ways, and  hedges,  flowering  in  July.  A  strong  decoc- 
tion of  it,  freely  taken,  is  of  great  efficacy  against 
hysteric  affections. 

BALLS,  Martial.  A  mixture  of  two  parts  of  cream 
of  tartar  and  one  of  filings  of  iron  made  into  a  ball, 
which,  when  given,  is  infused  in  water  till  it  imparts 
some  colour  to  it. 

BALLS,  Mercurial.  An  amalgam  of  mercury  and  tin, 
boiled  in  water  to  purify  it  and  destroy  animalcules. 

BALNEUM,  (from  /3aAA«,  to  cast  away,  and  *»/«, 
grief).  This  word  properly  signifies  the  HOT  BATH 
only ;  and  under  this  head  we  shall  consider  only  the 
general  and  partial  warm  baths,  referring  for  cold 
bat/iing-  to  the  article  BATHING,  q.  v. 

In  Greece  and  Rome  the  baths  were  of  considerable 
importance  both  in  preserving  and  restoring  health ; 
nor  can  the  practical  regulations  of  the  ancient  physi- 
cians be  properly  understood,  without  a  description  of 
the  different  parts  of  their  apparatus.  It  was  reduced  to  a 
system;  and  its  effects  must  necessarily  be  more  power- 
ful than  the  simpler  mode  in  which  warm  bathing  is 
now  practised. 

The  baths  consisted  of  four  parts,  (Galen,  Methodus 
Medendi,  lib.  x.  cap.  10).  In  the  first,  the  person  was 
gradually  heated  in  hot  air  until  a  sweat  was  produced ; 
and  generally  at  this  time  anointed  and  rubbed.  The 
apartment  was  called  laconicum ;  the  operation  assa, 
and  ass£  sudationes.  When  the  baths  were  more  sim- 
ple, they  had  one  hot  room,  or  stove  only,  which  was 
round,  and  covered  with  an  hemispherical  roof,  (Vitru- 
vius,  v.  10).  Others  had  two  rooms,  the  teflidariumaud 
caldarium;  and  many  three,  which  were  placed  in  suc- 
cession. The  first  was  used  as  a  dressing  room,  afiody- 
terium,  when  there  were  more  than  one  stove. 

The  hot  rooms  were  heated  from  a  stove  underneath, 
by  means  of  flues  carried  round  within  the  walls.  From 
the  hot  bath,  which  was  adjoining  the  hottest  room,  the 
floors  declined,  that  the  water  thrown  over  thf  sidemight 
cover  each  room,  and  keep  the  air  full  of  warm  vapour. 

After  the  sudae  sudationes,  they  went  into  the  hot 
bath;  then  into  a  warm  one;  and  gradually  into  a 
cooler.  The  first  two  were  called  also  caldarium  and 
tefiidarium  ;  but  there  was  a  third  part  called  frigida- 
rium.  The  patient  commonly  sat  on  a  low  seat, 
called  the  solium,  with  the  legs,  and  sometimes  the 
thighs,  covered  with  water.  At  the  same  time  the  ser- 
vants poured  the  water  from  pitchers  or  urns  on  the 
heads.  -If  any  part  was  particularly  affected,.,  a  larger 
quantity  of  water  was  thrown  on  it.  This  mode  of 
using  the  bath  is  preserved  in  various  antiques  and  bas 
reliefs,  as  well  as  in  the  descriptions  of  Galen.  Some- 
times they  were  anointed  during  this  period,  and  return- 
ed again  to  the  bath.  After  bathing  in  the  cooler 
water  they  were  rubbed  with  cloths,  and  gradually- 
accustomed  themselves  to  meet  the  cooler  air  of  the 
atmosphere  by  a  short  stay  in  the  frigidarium.  The 
curious  reader  may  find  in  Galen  (Method.  Medendi, 
i.  4.  and  x.  10),  a  particular  description  of  the  manage- 
ment of  the  bath,  in  disorders  of  the  head,  and  in  hectic 


levers. 


The  term  frigidarium  implied  comparative  cold  only, 
for  the  stove  was  continued  under  this  part  of  the  bath 
also.  Vitruvius  espress'y  orders  three  cauldrons  to  be 
placed  in  the  furnace,  in  such  situations  that  the  water 
may  fall  from  the  frigidarium  into  the  tepidarium,  and 


B  AL 


224 


B  AL 


i'rom  the  latter  into  the  caldarium.  The  h'earth  also  was 
lowest  at  the  praefurnium,  and  gradually  ascended  under 
the  caldarium,  tepidarium,  and  frigidarium,  for  the  pur- 
pose ofkeepingthefuel  under  the  first,  and  that  its  effects 
might  extend  with  diminished  power  through  the  whole 
cavity.  Not  only  from  its  situation,  but  from  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  sweat  after  bathing  in  the  cooler  water, 
which  was  expected  (see  Galen  1.  c.),  it  may  be 
concluded  that  the  chill  of  the  water  was  taken  off 
in  the  frigidarium,  and  that  the  term,  as  we  have 
said,  was  comparative  only.  Avicenna,  the  implicit 
follower  of  Galen,  gives  a  particular  caution,  ne  ayua 
multum  sitfrigida  :  imo  ut  sit  tem/ierata,  (lib.  1.  canon, 
fen.  3.  doct.  2.  cap.  6).  In  the  baths,  built  rather 
for  pleasure  than  for  medicinal  purposes,  the  water  in 
the  frigidarium  seems  to  have  been  quite  cold;  and  it 
certainly  must  have  been  so  in  the  baths  described  by 
the  younger  Pliny,  lib.  v.  epist.  6. 

In  Baccius  de  Thermis,  and   Mercurialis  de  Arte  ' 
Gymnastica,  balnea  ficnsilia  are  mentioned;  and  physi- 
cians have  been  greatly  divided  respecting  the  mean- 
ing pf  a  term  which   would   seem  to  imply  that  some 
exercise  was  occasionally  employed    during   bathing. 
We  find  however  in  Vitruvius,  that  any  buildings  sup- 
ported by  pillars  were  called  edificia   susjiensa ;  and 
before  the  more  complicated  construction  just  described 
was  introduced,  in  the  time  of  Sergius  Grata,  the  co- 
temporary  of  Crassus  the  orator,  about  700  years  ab 
urbe  condita  (Valerius   Maximus  Memorabil.  ix.    1.), 
the  water  was  probably  heated  in-common  vessels  ;  and 
the  baths,  supported  by  these  pillars,    then   acquired 
the  name  of  balnea  pensilia.     There  is  a  remarkable 
passage  in  Pliny's  Natural  History  which  seems  to  sup- 
port this  idea.     He  is  speaking  of  the  rude  method  of 
exciting  sweating  previous  to  the  time  of  Asclepiades, 
by   clothes,  the  sun,  or  large  fires,  and  adds,  that   the 
baths  which  he  introduced   were  infinitely  luxurious, 
and  received  with  the  greatest  avidity  :  "  Imo  vero  toti 
Italiae  impej-atrici,  turn  primum  fiensilium  balnearum 
xisu,  in  infinitum  blandicnte."     Again,  "  Balneas  avi- 
dissima  hominum  cupiditate  instituit."     Seneca  sup- 
poses the  invention  to   have  been  first  known   in   his 
time,  but  he  unites  the  susjiensuras  balnearum  and  im- 
presses perparietes  ?w6os,(Senec.  epist.  xc.).  Vitruvius, 
also,  in  his  directions  for  the  hearth  of  the  stoves,  adds 
a  reason,"  Quo  facilius  flamma  pervagaretur  sub  ausfien  - 
sione."     It  is  singular   that   Baccius   and   Mercurialis 
should  have  supposed  that  these  balnea  pensilia  were 
suspended  by  ropes.     We  find  no  instance  in  the  an- 
cient physicians  of  the  management  of  exercise  during 
bathing,  and  the  words  of  Valerius  Maximus,  in  the  pass- 
age formerly  quoted,  are  almost  decisive.     "  Balnea 
/lennilia  Orata  primus  facere  instituit;  que  impensa  levi- 
bus  initiis  capta,  ad  suspcnsa  aquae  calidae  tantum  non 
tquora  penetravk."     What  ropes  could  support  such 
oceans  of  hot  water? 

The  whole  of  this  arrangement  appears  to  be  very 
judicious.  We  are  not  acquainted  with  the  degrees  of 
heat  employed,  as  the  ancients  had  no  instruments  to 
measure  it.  There  is  reason  however,  from  the  effects, 
to  think  it  considerable ;  and  when  people  are  used 
to  bathing,  the  extremes  of  heat  constitute  the  luxury. 
In  general,  the  bath  consisted  of  vapour  only,  since  the 
water  was  only  occasionally  and  partially  poured  on  ; 
and  we  know  that  the  degrees  of  heat  that  can  be 
borne  either  in  hot  air  or  in  vapour  are  very  consider- 


able. M.  Tillett's  experiment  on  the  heat  endured  by 
a  girl  in  a  hot  oven,  and  the  heat  which  Dr.  Fordyce 
and  his  companions  experienced  in  their  hot  rooms, 
were  almost  incredible.  See  HEAT. 

If,  then,  the  heat  of  the  baths.was  raised  to  so  great  a 
degree,  some  previous  preparation  was  necessary.  It 
is  thought  expedient  at  Bath,  by  previous  evacuations 
'to  prevent  the  bad  effects  of  a  high  temperature;  and 
this  the  Romans  obtained  in  their  laconicum,  where, 
by  previous  rubbing  and  warm  air,  the  sweat  would 
immediately  break  out  on  entering  the  bath.  Ascle- 
piades depended  on  the  discharge  by  the  skin  to  free 
the  vessels  from  obstructions  ;  and  his  followers,  Era- 
sistratus  and  Chrysippus,  would  not  admit  of  the  more 
general  evacuations,  since  that  from  the  skin  would 
not  only  supply  their  place,  but  be  in  other  respects 
more  beneficial. 

To  prepare  for  these  evacuations  the  assae  sudationes 
were  employed ;  in  the  language  of  Galen,  "to  pro- 
duce an  uniform  heat  to  expand  the  contracted  aper- 
tures of  the  smaller  passages,  to  relax  what  is  tense,  to 
melt  what  is  condensed."  The  patient  can  then  with 
advantage  bear  a  considerable  degree  of  heat;  but  in 
water  too  hot  the  smaller  vessels  are  contracted  rather 
than  relaxed,  and  the  excrcmentitious  fluids  retained 
rather  then  expelled,  (Galen  de  SanitaV  tuenda,  iii.  4). 
This  plainly  proves  what  we  have  already  stated,  that 
the  heat  of  their  common  baths  was  considerable ;  for  we 
could  not  without  some  preparation  endure  the  degrees 
of  heat  which  would  produce  these  effects;  and  the  baths 
of  that  time,  after  the  period  of  Pompey,  are  styled 
incendio  similia.  The  great  danger  apprehended  by 
the  Roman  physicians  of  the  bath  after  eating,  is  an 
additional  proof  that  the  temperature  was  high ;  and 
Seneca  mentioned  as  one  of  the  duties  of  the  ediles,  en- 
forcing cleanliness,  ft  utilem,  et  salutarem  ttmfiera- 
turain.  Perhaps  this  temperature  may  have  been  of 
service  in  stimulating  the  solids  and  giving  additional 
vigour,  since  the  athletx,  after  their  exercises,  were 
bathed  in  very  hot  water;  and  the  bath  waters  of  this 
country,  which  are  of  a  considerable  heat,  seem  of  ser- 
vice in  cases  of  relaxation,  independent  of  their  impreg- 
nations. But  we  must  not  anticipate  what  will  be  the 
subject  of  future  consideration. 

The  warm  bath  was  interposed  between  the  hot  and 
the  cool  to  prevent  a  too  sudden  change,  and,  in  Ga- 
len's language,  to  restore  a  due  symmetry  to  the  skin 
and  flesh.  The  utility  of  the  third  part  is  obvious,  to 
prevent  all  danger  from  the  cold  of  the  atmosphere. 
The  fever,  however,  excited  by  the  great  heat  still  kept 
up  the  perspiration,  which  was  not  wholly  checked 
after  leaving  the  frigidarium. 

The  stay  in  the  different  rooms  was  regulated  by  the 
physician  according  to  the  nature  of  the  disease.  Bac- 
cius has  preserved  a  list  of  the  complaints  for  which  the 
warm  bath  was  employed  (lib.  vii.  cap.  19.),  but  has 
not  explained  the  management  adapted  to  different 
constitutions  and  different  diseases.  When  the  object 
was  to  relax,  for  instance,  the  patient  was  detained 
for  some  time  in  the  moderately  warm  bath,  but  pass- 
ed very  quickly  through  the  sweating  rooms,  where 
he  was  anointed,  and  only  rinsed  himself  with  the  waters 
of  the  last  bath.  When  the  constitution  was  weak  and 
relaxed,  he  was  well  sweated  and  rubbed  in  the  first 
part,  and  had  a  larger  quantity  of  colder  water  poured 
on  him  in  the  third.  His  stay  in  the  second  part  was 


AL 


225 


AL 


very  short.  The  various  modifications  detailed  at 
length  in  Galen  and  others,  would  detain  us  too  long, 
and  be  uninteresting,  as  we  cannot  imitate  them. 

The  danger,  however,  of  coming  into  cool  air  from 
the  bath  is  in  a  great  degree  imaginary  ;  for  the  fever, 
or,  more  properly,  the  temperature,  thus  raised,  will 
check  the  bad  effects  of  a  considerable  degree  of  cold. 
The  Russians  and  the  Swedes  use  the  warm  vapour 
bath  raised  to  a  very  considerable  heat,  and  roll  imme- 
diately afterwards  in  snow.  This  impunity  may  per- 
haps be,  in  part,  derived  from  habit ;  bat  we  have  found 
little  inconvenience  arise  in  those  not  accustomed  to 
such  a  change,  when  the  heat  previously  excited  was 
considerable. 

It  will  be  obvious,  that  we  can  learn  nothing  from  the 
Greek  or  Roman  physicians  respecting  the  effects  of 
bathing  on  the  pulse,  or  the  degree  to  which  the  heat 
of  the  body  is  increased.  On  the  other  hand,  we  can- 
not in  our  simpler  operation  attain  all  the  effects  of  the 
balneum  which  they  produced.  We  must  now  attend 
to  the  more  modern  use  of  this  remedy,  and  its  power 
in  different  diseases. 

Warm  bathing  gives  a  softness  and  flexibility  to  the 
skin  and  muscles ;  and  from  some  rarefaction  of  the 
blood,  or  from  its  determination  to  the  surface,  in- 
creases the  bulk.  It  seems  to  increase  all  the  secre- 
tions, as  it  certainly  does  those  of  the  skin  ;  nor  after 
the  sweat  excited  by  bathing  is  the  perspiration  dimi- 
nished, though  the  increase-of  any  evacuation,  in  gene- 
ral, occasions  a  temporary  suppression  afterwards  :  the 
pulse  becomes  fuller  and  quicker  ;  the  face  flushed  ; 
the  respiration  laborious.  A  moderate  stay  in  the  bath 
increases  the  spirits  as  well  as  the  activity,  and  improves 
the  general  health:  continuing  in  too  long  induces 
languor  and  debility. 

We  do  not  recollect  any  direct  experiments  on  this 
subject  but  those  in  a  Thesis  by  Dr.  Parr,  which  have 
been  generally  copied  in  every  subsequent  publication. 
He  tried  the  effects  of  warm  bathing  at  96°,  98°,  100°, 
102°,  104°,  and  106°,  of  Fahrenheit.  At  96°  the  gene- 
ral effects  above  mentioned  were  observed ;  thu  pulse, 
if  at  first  slightly  quickened,  was  soon  natural ;  the  re- 
spiration, in  the  earliest  period  a  little  more  rapid,  soon 
became  free  and  easy,  and  but  little  change  was  pro- 
duced in  the  heat  of  the  body. 

At  98°  the  pulse  was  slightly  increased  in  quickness, 
and  did  not  subside ;  but  the  heat  appeared  to  remain 
stationary.  There  was  no  sweat,  though  a  free  copious 
perspiration  :  the  urine  was  not  increased ;  and,  after 
some  time,  the  pulse  became  slower  than  before  the 
bathing.  The  cuticle  was  observed  to  be  slightly  cor- 
rugated. 

At  100°  the  pulse  was  increased  from  60°  to  72°;  the 
respiration  much  affected;  the  face  red  and  swollen, 
and  a  copious  sweat  broke  out :  the  cuticle  appeared 
more  corrugated.  The  heat  was  raised  two  degrees  ; 
and,  after  about  ten  minutes,  faintness  came  on.  The 
perspiration  was  free  and  copious ;  and,  after  a  short 
time,  every  disagreeable  symptom  vanished ;  the  pulse 
sinking  a  little  below  its  natural  standard. 

At  102°  the  pulse  was  soon  raised  from  68°  to  100°, 
and,  in  ten  minutes,  the  sweat  on  the  face  was  copious, 
•the  vessels  turgid,  the  skin  not  corrugated,  and  the 
heat  of  the  body  raised  from  98°  to  102°. •  A  beating 
noise  was  heard  in  the  head;  and  in  half  an  hour,  gid- 

voi..  i. 


diness  came  on.  When  laid  between  blankets,  the 
sweat  was  copious  and  free,  the  pulse  soon  became  na- 
tural, and  the  quantity  of  urine  was  not  increased. 

At  104°  all  these  appearances  were  still  more  strik- 
ing and  more  rapid :  a  vertigo  coming  on,  at  the  end 
of  about  twenty  minutes,  put  a  stop  to  the  experiment. 
At  106°  the  effects  came  on  still  more  quickly  and 
more  violent.  The  faintness  and  sickness  supervened 
more  early ;  the  sweat  was  more  copious,  but  the  fre- 
quency of  the  pulse  did  not  subside  even  after  twenty- 
five  minutes.  From  these  experiments,  seemingly 
made  with  care  and  attention,  we  perceive  that  little  is 
to  be  dreaded  from  the  stimulating  effects  of  the  hot 
bath  under  about  102°;  and  that,  probably,  under  94° 
it  has  no  peculiar  or  appropriate  power.  As  the  li- 
mits of  the  cold  bath  we  shall  find  to  be  about  84°,  the 
temperature,  in  the  interval,  has  the  effects  of  neither. 
Above  102°  the  warm  bath  determines  powerfully  to 
all  the  extreme  vessels,  particularly  to  the  head  and 
breast ;  and  at  this  temperature  it  must  be  used  with 
caution  when  the  contents  of  either  are  disordered. 
The  balance  between  the  urine  and  the  skin  is  nearly 
even  at  about  98°.  Dr.  Cullen  supposed  the  effects  of 
the  warm  bath  to  arise  wholly  from  the  relaxation  of 
the  skin,  and,  of  course,  the  diminished  pressure  of  that 
peripherical  band  which  confines  the  fluids.  Though 
correct  to  a  certain  extent,  this  view  is  too  simple  to 
explain  all  the  benefit  derived  from  the  remedy.  It 
will  undoubtedly  account  for  the  determination  to  the 
skin,  and  joined  with  the  stimulus  of  the  heat,  to  the 
evacuations  occasioned  by  warm  bathing.  When  we 
reflect,  however,  that  the  subcutaneous  nerves,  as 
closely  connected  with  the  skin  as  the  vessels,  are  sub- 
ject to  this  relaxing  warmth,  we  must  suppose  some  of 
the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  this  source  also.  In 
higher  degrees,  the  stimulus  we  shall  find  to  be  very 
advantageous.  The  state  of  the  extreme  vessels  is  soon 
communicated  to  other  organs  ;  and  as  these  in  every 
part  of  the  body  sympathise  with  the  vessels  of  the 
surface,  a  considerable  relaxation  must  be  thus  ob- 
tained. In  a  certain  degree  their  increased  action  gives 
a  tone  to  the  nerves  ;  and  we  may  therefore  suppose 
that  their  relaxation  produces  an  opposite  state.  In  this 
way  the  effects  on  the  nerves  may  be  explained  with- 
out supposing  any  immediate  effect  of  the  bath  on  the 
nervous  system ;  and  we  thus  see  how  moderate  heat 
may  relax,  and  a  higher  temperature  give  a  tone  to  the 
nerves. 

Two  other  opinions  must  be  noticed.  One  of  these 
is  the  general  language  of  relaxing  contracted  ligaments, 
as  if  from  the  external  action  of  warm  water,  the  sub- 
jacent parts  were  macerated  like  the  skin.  There  is 
not  the  slightest  evidence  of  the  fluid  penetrating  be- 
yond the  surface  :  indeed  the  oily  fluid  below  the  skin 
must  prevent  it ;  and  from  what  has  been  said,  its'  im- 
mediate cpntact  will  appear  to  be  unnecessary  in  the 
explanation  of  the  effects  of  bathing. 

Dr.  Stevenson  has  attributed  all  the  effects  of  warm 
bathing  to  a  rarefaction  of  the  blood  ;  and  this  idea  is 
supported  by  all  the  appearances  of  external  fulness. 
The  language  is  echoed  in  every  medical  work  without 
careful  examination.  In  fact,  the  blood  is  one  of  the 
least  expansile  fluids  by  heat  which  has  ever  been  tried. 
Sauvages  inclosed  it  in  a  thermometrical  tube,  and 
found  that  at  212=  it  did  not  expand  ?fa  part.  Hallcr 


B  AL 


226 


HAL 


exposed  it  to  a  still  greater  heat  with  the  same  re- 
sult. Indeed  the  expansility  of  fluids  follows  no  given 
law.  ./Ether  and  quicksilver  are  nearly  equal  in  this 
respect ;  at  least,  as  we  were  informed  by  Dr.  Black, 
who  had  tried  the  experiment,  the  difference  was  very 
inconsiderable. 

In  the  cure  of  diseases,  therefore,  the  beneficial  ef- 
fects of  warm  bathing  are  to  be  expected  from  its  re- 
laxing power  ;  the  increase  of  the  circulation  in  the  ex- 
treme vessels;  with  the  perspiration  excited  and  its 
general  stimulus.  In  melancholy,  its  effects  as  a  re- 
laxant are  most  conspicuous  ;  and  in  some  spasmodic 
diseases  without  inflammation,  particularly  tetanus.,  it 
has  been  useful.  In  ileus  it  has  been  highly  com- 
mended ;  but  we  have  suspected  that  it  hastens  the 
progress  of  mortification,  and  are  convinced  that  its  free 
use  has  had  injurious  effects.  Dr.  Heberden,  however, 
in  the  Medical  Transactions,  mentions  the  case  of  a 
woman  who  went  into  the  bath  nine  times  in  one  day, 
while  labouring  under  an  ileus  in  consequence  of  a  her- 
nia. In  the  spasmodic  asthma  of  children  it  has  been 
employed  with  success.  In  the  crouji  also  it  has  been 
commended,  but  scarcely  any  benefit  has  been  derived 
from  its  employment. 

Modern  theory  'supposes  a  spasm  on  the  extreme 
vessels  to  prevail  in  case  of  fevers ;  and  warm  bathing 
must,  of  course,  be  a  remedy  of  importance.  We  are 
not  prepared  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  cause  of 
fevers,  but  may  remark,  that  the  circulation  during  the 
paroxysm  is  not  carried  on  in  the  smaller  branches  of 
the  sanguiferous  system.  In  intermittents  it  has  con- 
sequently prevented  the  return  of  a  fit;  and  in  con- 
tinued fevers,  it  is  often  highly  useful.  In  the  be- 
ginning of  continued  fevers  it  is,  however,  less  advan- 
tageous than  in  their  decline;  and  in  this  state  the  bath 
must  be  supplied  by  the  pediluvium,  or,  more  com- 
monly, by  warm  fomentations  to  the  legs  and  thighs. 
In  inflammatory  fever  it  is  less  useful;  yet  at  98°, 
where  the  action  of  the  heart  and  arteries  is  scarcely, 
if  at  all,  increased,  it  may  safely  be  employed ;  and 
Dr.  Whytt,  on  the  fourth  day  of  this  fever,  has  used  it 
with  advantage.  In  the  latter  period  of  typhus,  when 
the  low  delirium  occurs,  it  has  been  freely  employed, 
and  at  least  with  some  alleviation  of  the  symptoms,  if 
not  with  more  decisive  advantages ;  and  should  even 
inflammation  have  taken  place  in  the  brain,  as  it  is  of  a 
less  active  kind,  no  injury  is  likely  to  result.  Dr.  Whytt 
supposes  that  fomentations  are  less  useful  than  pedilu- 
via;  but  in  the  low  state  to  which  the  patient  is 
usually  reduced  before  the  bath  is  employed,  the  for- 
mer are  only  admissible.  It  will  be  remarked,  that  in 
vapour  greater  heat  can  be  borne  than  in  water;  and, 
consequently,  when  the  fomentation  is  properly  em- 
ployed, the  heat  of  the  flannels  is  seldom  less  than  120° 
of  Fahrenheit. 

Of  the  exanthemata,  the  only  disease  in  which  bath- 
ing has  been  employed,  is  the  small  pox.  In  Upper 
Hungary,  Fischer  has  described  it  as  the  domestic  re- 
medy for  this  disease ;  and,  in  an  epidemic  small  pox 
of  considerable  virulence,  by  imitating  this  practice,  he 
was  very  successful.  Dr.  Stack,  in  his  Thesis  published 
at  Leyden,  has  shown  that  variolous  fevers,  threatening 
a  copious  eruption,  were  mitigated  by  warm  bathing, 
and  the  disease  proceeded  mildly  and  safely.  When 
the  eruptions  are  repelled,  also,  it  has  been  very  useful. 


The  heat  of  the  bath  should  be  carefully  regulated,  and 
should  certainly  not  exceed  100°.  The  foundation  of 
this  practice  we  shall  afterwards  explain.  See  CUTA- 
NEOUS DISEASES. 

In  hemorrhages  and  phlegmasie  the  use  of  bathing 
is  equivocal;  yet,  with  caution,  it  has  been  employed  in 
the  latter  successfully. 

In  amenorrhaa  from  cold  it  has  been,  useful;  and 
such  is  the  popular  prejudice  in  favour  of  pediluvium, 
that  it  is  too  indiscriminately  used.  It  is  chiefly  adapt- 
ed to  the  strong  and  robust,  where  the  suppression  has 
been  owing  to  a  violent  occasional  cause.  In  the  pain 
from  stone  in  the  ureters,  or  the  gall  ducts,  from  its  re- 
laxing power,  it  is  a  valuable  remedy. 

From~its  power  of  determining  to  the  surface  it  is 
useful  where  any  acrimony  is  to  be  discharged,  or  any 
unequal  balance  of  the  circulation  is  to  be  removed. 
In  the  former  view  we  find  it  employed  in  cutaneous 
diseases  and  syphilis;  in  the  latter,  in  chronic  catarrh* 
and  diarrheas.  In  the  first  it  chiefly  assists  the  effects 
of  mercury,  and  in  the  latter  only  supplies  the  advan- 
tages of  a  milder  climate.  In  hydrophobia  it  has  been 
employed,  though  with  no  very  particular  success. 
The  ancient  physicians  used  it  in  their  complicated 
form,  but  concluded  with  immersing  the  patient  into 
the  piscina,  the  cold  bath. 

As  a  stimulus,  the  warm  bath  has  been  found  very 
useful ;  and  in  the  diseases  for  which  it  is  mos^  suc- 
cessfully employed  the  heat  must  be  raised  very  high, 
far  beyond  that  used  in  the  experiments  described.  To 
this  high  degree  of  heat  the  peculiar  virtues  of  the  Bath 
waters  are  to  be  attributed,  rather  than  to  their  im- 
pregnation. They  are  assisted  also  by  the  percussion 
in  pumping  on  an  affected  part ;  a  mode  of  application 
which  greatly  adds  also  to  the  tonic  power  of  the  cold 
bath. 

In  cases  of  hemiplegia  there  have  been  many  doubts 
respecting  the  use  of  the  warm  bath.  These  chiefly 
arise  from  the  disease  being  often  occasioned  by  effu- 
sion on  the  brain,  which  the  necessary  stimulus  might 
increase;  and  many  instances  have  been  adduced  of 
its  producing  in  such  cases  a  fatal  apoplexy.  Un- 
doubtedly, where  marks  of  a  determination  to  the  head 
are  strong ;  where  the  patient  has  not  passed  the  meri- 
dian of  life;  or  where  the  vessels  have  been  stimulated 
by  a  continued  excess  of  wine  and  spirituous  liquors; 
warm  bathing  is  a  precarious  remedy.  In  palsies  in 
general,  however,  it  may  perhaps  be  allowed  ;  and,  as 
we  have  said,  in  amaurosis  :  so  we  shall  find  in  haemi-- 
phlegia,  that  the  effusion  having  once  taken  place,  the 
disease  is  continued  in  consequence  of  the  injury  which 
the  nervous  system  has  received  from  the  compression. 
We  may  then  disregard  the  cause,  except  in  the 
younger  and  more  inflammatory  constitutions  just  de- 
scribed. It  should,  however,  be  managed  with  cau- 
tion :  a  drain  from  the  head  should  be  established  by 
a  perpetual  blister,  and  the  bowels  freely  emptied  pre- 
vious to  its  employment. 

There  is  little  management  required  in  the  use  of  the 
balneum  in  chronic  rheumatism.  It  is  a  disease  nearly 
allied  to  palsy,  as  the  vessels,  from  the  previous  disten- 
tion,  are  rendered  paralytic,  and  contract  spasmodically 
on  fluids,  probably  in  too  large  a  proportion.  The 
warm  bath  is  particularly  useful,  and  often  alone  will 
cure  the  disease.  In  that  species  of  it  confined  to  the 


B  AL 


227 


B  A  L 


hip  joint,  sciatica,  bathing  and  pumping  on  the  part  af- 
fected, are  very  valuable  remedies. 

In  the  hip  joint,  also,  the  relaxation  of  the  ligament 
often  occasions  or  endangers  dislocation.  It  is  the  mor- 
bus  cojcarius  of  De  Haen ;  the  arthrofiuosis  of  other 
authors.  If  it  has  not  yet  advanced  to  a  suppuration, 
the  Bath  waters  have  certainly  relieved  a  large  propor- 
tion of  those  who  have  applied  for  their  assistance  ;  nor 
need  we  despair  of  imitating  their  effects  by  employing 
an  equal  temperature,  and  pouring  it  from  a  height.  It 
would  not  require  any  great  ingenuity  to  contrive  a 
hand  pump  fixed  in  a  reservoir,  which  is  continually 
filling  from  cocks  conveying  boiling  and  cold  water. 
The  size  of  the  aperture,  or  the  number  of  cocks  con- 
veying cold  water,  might  easily  regulate  the  heat.  A 
common  garden  engine  might  be  readily  converted  to 
this  purpose. 

Contracted  limbs  are  greatly  benefited  by  warm 
pumping,  and  gradually  moving  the  limb  during  the 
relaxation  obtained.  Dr.  Blegborough,  in  these  local 
diseases,  has  contrived  a  receptacle  for  the  part  from 
which  the  air  is  exhausted  while  the  vapour  is  applied ; 
but  this  seems  unnecessary.  If  the  vapour  is  confined, 
all  the  benefit  will  be  obtained  without  previous  ex- 
haustion ;  or,  in  reality,  the  vapour  itself,  by  rarefying 
the  air,  will  exhaust  the  vessel  sufficiently. 

The  warm  bath,  if  the  temperature  is  too  high,  will 
certainly  be  injurious  to  the  plethoric,  or  those  disposed 
to  any  accumulations  in  particular  parts,  unless  they 
are  such  as  the  bath  may  dissipate.  In  the  weak,  the 
relaxed,  and  the  irritable,  it  is  hurtful;  and  hence  the 
indiscriminate  use  of  pediluvium  in  chlorosis  and  ame- 
norrhcea  has  been  highly  injurious.  In  both  views  it 
is  injurious  in  hectic  fevers,  and  in  scirrhosites  of  the 
liver.  Hoffman  thinks  it  hurtful  in  asthma;  and  it  will 
be  seemingly  so  from  its  effect  on  the  respiration.  Dr. 
\  alconer  differs  from  him  in  this  respect ;  and,  on  trial, 
in  convulsive  asthma,  it  has  not  seemed  particularly- 
injurious,  though  so  much  benefit  was  not  derived  from 
it  as  to  induce  a  repetition.  Those  subject  to  haemorr- 
hage should  be  cautious  in  its  use;  and,  in  general, 
danger  may  attend  its  employment  after  any  agitation 
of  mind  or  body,  which  greatly  quickens  the  circula- 
tion. The  Romans  used  it  in  the  time  of  the  emperors 
after  a  full  meal :  the  practice  is  reprobated  by  Juvenal 
and  Hoi-ace,  rather  as  a  luxurious  than  a  dangerous  in- 
dulgence. 

After  the  bathing,  sweating  between  flannels  is  ge- 
nerally enjoined ;  but  if  we  wish  to  employ  it  as  a  sti- 
mulus, a  copious  perspiration  should  not  be  too  freely 
indulged.  The  contracted  vessels  should  be  excited  to 
action,  but  their  powers  should  not  be  exhausted. 

FOMENTATIONS  and  EMBROCATIONS  are  partial  warm 
baths,  and  supposed  to  derive  some  virtue  from  their 
impregnations ;  but,  in  general,  the  heat  and  moisture, 
when  the  latter  are  used  warm,  are  the  most  beneficial 
agents. 

\\  arm  baths,  impregnated  with  different  medicinal 
substances,  are  said  to  derive,  from  these,  peculiar  ad- 
vantages. The  baths  at  Bath  and  at  Harrowgate,  we 
shall  on  a  future  occasion  notice ;  and  we  must  here 
speak  only  of  those  imitations  which  are  within  our 
reach.  We  know  of  no  instance  in  which  the  waters 
of  Bath  have  been  imitated  for  external  use.  Those  of 
Harrowgate  have  been  prepared  by  adding  sulphurated 


kali  to  water,  in  the  proportion  of  two  ounces  to  a  suffi- 
cient quantity'of  fluid  for  a  bath.  They  are  chiefly  used 
in  cutaneous  complaints,  but  we  have  had  no  experi- 
ence of  their  efficacy. 

An  impregnation  of  warm  water,  though  not  an  arti- 
ficial one,  is  employed  in  "warm  sea  water.  This  bath 
is  supposed  to  be  a  more  active  stimulant  than  common 
water,  and  to  be  more  useful,  not  only  in  palsy,  but 
from  the  absorption  of  its  salts  in  scrofulous  com- 
plaints. We  have  reason  to  think  that  its  powers  are 
considerable ;  and  it  may  be  used  at  a  low  temperature 
in  constitutions  that  cannot  bear  the  shock  of  cold  im- 
mersion, and  in  weak  habits  as  a  good  preparative  for 
sea  bathing.  The  greater  weight  and  pressure  of  salt 
water  have  been  supposed  to  render  it  more  useful  as  a 
bath,  than  fresh.  It  certainly  is  so ;  though,  during 
the  short  immersion,  we  cannot  easily  perceive  how 
any  advantage  can  arise  from  its  weight.  In  pumping, 
or  pouring  from  a  height,  the  momentum  is  certainly 
greater,  and  the  advantages  are  proportionally  in- 
creased. 

Near  smelting  huts,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  impreg- 
nate baths  with  the  scoriae  of  iron,  and  sometimes  with 
the  mixed  slag  of  copper,  cobalt,  Sec.  The  slags  and 
scoriae  are  immersed  in  water  while  hot,  or  heated 
again  for  the  purpose  ;  and  the  baths  thus  prepared  are 
supposed  to  be  peculiarly  useful  as  tonics.  With  a  si- 
milar view,  it  has  sometimes  been  a  practice  of  boiling 
alum  and  quick  lime  together  for  a  bath. 

Scheutzer  describes  the  pepper  water  of  the  Alps, 
which  was  formerly  highly  esteemed  as  a  bath.  It 
breaks  out  in  a  place  almost  inaccessible  with  great 
impetuosity  in  the  spring,  and  continues  till  near  Oc- 
tober. The  water,  however,  according  to  this  author, 
contains  no  particular  mineral. 

The  VAPOUR  BATH  conveys  heat  less  speedily  than 
water,  but  a  greater  heat  can  be  borne,  and  for  a  longer 
period.  This,  in  reality,  was  the  warm  bath  of  the 
Romans,  as  it  is  of  the  Swedes,  Russians,  and  the 
native  Americans ;  and  it  is  probably  more  efficacious 
both  as  a  relaxant  and  a  stimulant.  It  is  certain,  that 
water  in  a  vesicular  state  is  more  powerful  in  its  hygro- 
metical  affinity  than  when  fluid ;  and'Saussure,  when 
he  fixed  the  extreme  point  of  moisture  in  his  hygro- 
meters in  water,  found  that  the  index,  in  a  fog,  passed 
beyond  it.  This  was  our  meaning  when  we  remarked 
that  man  could  live  in  air  beyond  the  point  of  extreme 
humidity. 

A  bath  of  a  different  kind  is  that  of  warm  sand  or 
earth.  The  former  is  used  by  sailors  in  scurvy ;  the 
latter,  we  believe,  has  only  been  employed  by  quacks. 
We  remember  attending  some  experiments  of  this 
kind.  A  glowing  heat  was  felt  hi  the  parts  surrounded 
by  the  earth,  but  we  remarked  no  peculiar  change  in 
the  countenance  that  would  lead  us  to  suppose  it  a 
powerful  remedy,  and  certainly  no  disease  was  relieved 
by  it.  The  complaints  to  which  it  is  apparently  best 
adapted  are  cutaneous.  See  Edinb.  Med.  Comment. 
Decad.  2d  vol.  x.  p.  153;  also  among  the  ancients, 
Hippocrates,  Celsus,  Coelius  Aurelianus,  Aretaeus.  and 
Trallian ;  and  among  the  moderns,  Sir  John  Floyer, 
Dr.  Wain wright  on  -Bathing,  and  particularly  Hoff- 
man. 

BA'LNEUM  A,RE'N.E.     BALXEUM    SICCUM.     The  SAND 


BATH. 


B  AL 


228 


AL 


Over  the  mouth  of  a  common  wind  furnace  place  one 
end  of  an  iron  plate  with  a  ledge  round  it,  and  under 
this  plate  the  canal  must  run,  by  which  the  furnace 
communicates  with  its  chimney ;  the  plate  must  then 
be  filled  with  sancl  or  other  dry  matter  for  placing  the 
medicines  to  be  digested  in.  The  heat  from  the  fire 
will  be  different  in  different  parts  of  the  plate ;  and 
thus,  as  more  or  less  warmth  is  required,  different  situa- 
tions are  chosen. 

The  vessel  containing  the  matter  to  be  heated  hath 
its  bottom  and  sides  totally  covered  with  the  sand,  and 
there  it  is  continued  until  the  digestion  is  completed. 

Ashes  may  be  used  in  this  bath  when  a  less  heat  is 
wanted,  sand  for  a  greater,  and  iron  filing  for  the  great- 
est. See  FORNAX. 

BA'LNEUM  MARINE,  vel  MARIS.  The  SEA  WATER  BATH; 
which  admits  of  greater  heat  than  boiling  water,  though 
sometimes  it  implies  this  only.  In  this  bath,  water 
supplies  the  place  of  sancl ;  and  when  a  greater  heat 
than  that  of  boiling  water  is  not  required,  this  method 
of  digestion  is  preferable  to  that  by  the  sand  bath,  be- 
cause the  heat  cannot  exceed  at  any  time  that  which  is 
required.' 

BA'LNEUM  SI'CCUM.     See  BALNEUM  ARENAS. 

BA'LNEUM  VAPO'RIS.  A  VAPOUR  BATH.  This  is,  pro- 
perly, when  the  vessel  containing  the  matter  to  be  di- 
gested is  exposed  only  to  the  steam  that  arises  from 
boiling  water. 

BALSAMA'TIO,(from  balsamum,  balsam,')  because 
balsams  were  used  in  that  operation.  The  EMBALMING 

Of   DEAD  BODIES. 

BALSA'MEA,  (from  the  same).     See  ABIES. 
BALSAMEL-/E/ON,   (from    £«Ao-«j!«y,  balsam,    and 
thetiw,  oil').     See  BALSAMUM. 

BALSAME'LLA,  (from  the  same).     See  MOMOR- 

BICA. 

BALSAMIC 'LEUM.     See  BALSAMUM. 

BALSA'MICA,  (from  Ga*.n»JM\i,  balsam},  BALSA- 
MICS,  or  those  medicines  by  which  wounds  are  healed. 
The  term  includes  medicines  of  very  different  qualities, 
as  emollients,  detergents,  restoratives,  Etc.  But  all 
medicines  of  this  kind  are  supposed  to  be  soft,  yielding, 
and  adhesive.  Balsamics  are  generally  directed  for 
complaints  whose  seat  is  in  the  viscera;  and  as  they 
cannot  be  conveyed  there  but  by  the  common  road  of 
the  circulation,  it  follows  that  no  effects  can  be  expected 
from  them  but  by  their  long  continuance.  Hoffman 
calls  those  medicines  by  the  name  of  balsamics  which 
are  hot  and  acrid ;  and  unites  with  them  the  natural 
balsams,  and  gums,  by  which  the  vital  heat  is  increased. 
Dr.  Cullen  considers  almost  all  of  the  substances  called 
BALSAMS  to  have  the  form  and  consistence  of  turpen- 
tine, and  in  general  to  possess  similar  virtues ;  see 
TEUEBINTHINA.  Dr.  Fothergill  seems  to  be  of  the 
opinion  of  Hoffman,  and  cautions  against  their  use  in 
ulcers  cf  the  lungs.  Though  modern  chemists  are  not 
agreed  as  to  the  difference  between  balsams  and  resins, 
still  balsams  are  considered  to  be  fluid,  odorous,  in- 
flammable substances,  and  contain  a  concrete  acid, 
Avhich  may  be  obtained  by  sublimation  or  decoction. 
Balsams  probably  contain  the  largest  proportion  of  oil, 
and  resin  of  oxygen.  See  Med.  Observ.  vol.  iv.  p.  231 
— 18.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica.  Lewis's  Materia 
Mcdica. 


^  BALSAMI'FERA,  and  A'RBOR  I'NDICA,  (from 
£«AF«I«.OV,  and  Qipu,  fcro,   to   bear).     See    PERUVIANUM 

BALSAMUM. 

BALSAMI'FERA   A'RBOR   BRASILIE'NSIS.     See  CAPIVI 

BALSAMUM. 

BALSAMI'NA,the  balsam  apple,  (from  balsamum,") 
so  called  from  its  odour.  See  MOMORDICA. 

BALSAMI'NA  LUTE'A.     See  PEUSICAHIA  SILIQUOSA. 

BALSAMTTA  MINOR,  (from  balsamum).  See 
AGEHATUM. 

BA'LSAMUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  terms  baal  sa- 
mum,  the  jirince  ofoils^)  called  also  batsamum  genuinum 
antiyuorum,  bulsamelieon.,  Egyfitiacum  balsamum;  bals. 
Gileadense,  Asiaticum^  Judaicum,  i?  Mccchd  ct  Aljiini; 
oleum  balsa?ni,  xylobalsamum,  ofiabalsamum,  the  BALM 
OF  GILEAD  ;  a  resinous  juice,  obtained  from  an  ever- 
green tree,  or  shrub,  of  Arabia.  The  finest  is  of  a 
greenish  colour,  and  obtained  by  incision  of  the 
branches,  called  opobahamum.  The  second  is  called 
car/iobalsamum,  expressed  from  the  fruit,  which  is 
about  the  size  of  a  small  pea  with  a  short  pedicle,  of  a 
roundish  or  oval  figure,  pointed  at  the  top,  composed  of 
a  dark  brown  or  reddish  black  wrinkled  bark,  marked 
with  four  ribs  from  top  to  bottom,  and  a  whitish  or  yel- 
lowish medullary  substance.  This  fruit,  when  in  per- 
fection, is  said  to  have  a  pleasant,  warm,  bitterish  taste, 
and  a  fragrant  smell,  resembling  that  of  the  balsam  it- 
self; but  such  as  we  now  meet  with  in  the  shops  is  al- 
most without  smell  or  taste.  It  was  only  ordered  in  the 
Theriaca  Andromachi,  and  Mhhridate,  for  which,  by 
the  London  college,  cubebs  were  substituted  ;  though 
now  both  these  compositions  are  properly  rejected. 
The  third  sort  is  reddish,  called  acylobaluamum,  and  ob- 
tained from  a  decoction  of  the  branches,  (Bruce).  The 
plant  was  supposed  to  be  the  amyris  Gilcadensis  and 
oflobalsamum  Lin.  Wildenow,  vol.  ii.  p.  334.  Gledisch 
has  formed  a  new  genus  of  the  a.  o/iobalsamum,  which 
he  styles  balsainea  Meccanensis.  It  is  a  variety  of  the  a. 
ojiobalsamum,  which  is  scarcely  distinct  as  a  species 
from  the  a.  Gileadensis,  The  first  sort,  which  naturally 
exudes  from  the  plant,  is  scarcely  known  in  Europe. 
Prosper  Alpinus  says,  that  it  is  at  first  turbid  and  whit- 
ish, of  a  strong  pungent  smell  like  that  of  turpentine, 
but  much  sweeter  and  more  fragrant,  of  a  bitter  acrid 
astringent  taste;  on  being  kept  it  becomes  thin,  limpid, 
light,  greenish,  and  then  of  a  golden  yellow  ;  after  which 
it  is  thick  like  turpentine,  and  loses  much  of  its  fra- 
grance. Its  smell  resembles  that  of  citrons,  or  rather 
a  mixture  of  rosemary  and  sage  flowers. 

AJ1  the  balsams  agree  in  their  general  qualities,  dif- 
fering only  in  the  degrees  of  warmth,  fragrance,  pun- 
gency, and  gratefulness.  The  balm  of  Gilead  is  a  warm 
stimulant,  and  supposed  to  be  a  cordial  diuretic ;  but 
the  latter  quality  is  greatly  increased  by  the  addition  of 
a  fixed  alkaline  salt.  It  is  supposed  to  be  also  an  ex- 
pectorant, which  it  may  be  in  a  slight  degree ;  but  its 
chief  use  in  the  East  is  as  a  cosmetic.  See  Lady  Mary 
Wortlcy  Montague's  Letters. 

The  balm  of  Gilead  is  generally  used  in  medicine  as 
a  cordial;  and,  from  its  stimulus, is  supposed  to  restrain 
mucous  discharges  from  the  vagina  and  urethra.  In 
tabes  it  has  been  commended;  but,  like  the  turpen- 
tine, is  probably  too  stimulant. 

The  Canadian  balm  of  Gilead  fir  affords  a  balsam  that 


BAL 


229 


BAL 


is  often  imposed  for  the  genuine  sort.  If  the  true  bal- 
sam is  dropped  in  water  when  thin,  it  spreads  itself  on 
the  surface,  imparting  to  the  water  much  of  its  taste 
and  smell ;  and  the  grosser  part,  remaining  at  the  top, 
is  thick  enough  to  be  taken  up  with  a  needle;  this  is 
•;ned  a  mark  of  its  being  genuine.  If  pure  balsam 
,pped  on  a  woollen  cloth,  it  may  be  washed  off 
without  leaving  the  least  stain  or  mark,  but  the  adul- 
terated kinc.  sticks  to  the  place.  The  pure  coagulates 
with  milk,  but  the  adulterated  will  not.  The  dose  is 
f ron >  Ufa-en  to  !iuy  drops. 

BA'LSAMUM  TRAUMA 'TICUM.     See  BEXZOIXUM. 

BA'LSAMCM  GU'IDOXIS.     See  AXODYNUM  BALSAMUM. 

BA'LSAMUM  GEXUI'XUM  AXTI QUORUM.  See  BALSA- 
MUM. 

BA'LSAMUM  ARCXI.     See  ELEMI. 

BA'LSAMUM  ARTHRITICUM  is  the  acid  of  vitriol  sheath- 
ed with  olive  oil,  in  the  proportion  of  four  to  one. 

BALSAMUM  CAXADEXSE.  We  have  already  remarked, 
that  balsams,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  term,  are  tur- 
pentines of  different  odours  and  flavours,  as  combined 
with  different  essential  oils.  The  present  balsam  is  a 
striking  instance  of  this  resemblance,  as  it  differs  little 
from  the  turpentines,  and  is  produced  from  the  Jiinua 
bal&amea  and  Canadensis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1421. 

BALSAMUM  CARFATHICUM  is  produced  from  the  fiinus 
cembra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1419,  which  grows  on  the  Car- 
pathian mountains  in  the  Tyrol,  and  different  parts  of 
Germany.  It  is  called  balsamum  libani ;  and  the  oil 
distilled  from  it,  ol.  temfilinum,  and  by  the  Germans 
krummhclztl.  It  differs  little  from  the  turpentines. 

All  these  natural  balsams,  with  those  to  be  after- 
wards described,  agree  in  being  natural  compounds  of 
an  oily  arid  a  resinous  substance,  with  an  acid  principle. 
Their  first  use  seems  to  have  been  external ;  and  in 
wounds,  with  the  gluten  of  the  blood,  they  formed  acoa- 
gulum,  which  checked  the  bleeding,  and  preserved  the 
injured  part  from  the  air.  They  in  time  became  fa- 
vourite remedies  in  internal  bleedings,  but  their  irrita- 
tion is  found  to  be  injurious,  and  in  such  cases  balsams 
are  no  longer  trusted. 

BALSAMUM  COPAIBA  is  obtained  by  incision  of  the 
trunk  of  the  co/iaifera  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  557.  It  is 
colourless  when  first  obtained,  but  becomes  yellow  by 
time,  without  losing  its  transparency.  The  smell  is  fra- 
grant; the  taste  aromatic,  bitter,  and  somewhat  sharp, 
very  permanent  on  the  tongue.  It  affects  with  some 
acrimony  the  urinary  organs,  and  is  said  to  render  the 
urine  bitter.  It  unites  with  fixed  and  volatile  oils,  and 
with  spirit  of  wine.  By  distillation  in  water  we  sepa- 
rate the  oil  from  the  resin ;  and,  in  the  former,  the  taste 
and  smell  of  the  balsam  are  concentrated :  if  the  ope- 
ration is  carefully  performed,  about  one  half  of  the  bal- 
sam rises  into  the  receiver,  in  the  form  of  oil. 

It  is  given  in  all  the  diseases  of  the  urinary  organs 
•when  no  inflammation  is  present.  In  glee'ts  and  in 
leucorrhoea  it  is  often  employed  ;  in  gonorrhoea  it  was 
once  a  favourite  remedy,  but  is  now  disused.  In  dis- 
eases of  the  kidneys  it  is  still  employed,  though  less 
frequently  than  usual ;  and,  in  haemorrhoids  it  is  oc- 
casionally trusted.  The  dose  is  from  thirty,  to  sixty 
drops,  mixed  with  water  by  means  of  an  egg.  The 
balsam  copaibae  is  occasionally  adulterated  with  tur- 
pentine, but  its  virtue  is  not  greatly  impaired  by  the 
fraud. 


BALSAMUM  LOCATELLI.  This  preparation,  now  dis- 
used, consisted  of  two  parts  of  oil  with  one  of  wax,  co- 
loured with  dragon's  blood  or  red  sanders.  In  some 
formulae  balsam  of  Peru  was  added.  It  was  used  as  an 
expectorant. 

BALSAMUM  PERUVIAXUM,  from  its  country  Peru; 
BALSAM  of  PERU,  Putzochill,  Indian,  Mexican,  and 
American  balsam,  and  Carbareiba,  the  name  of  the  tree 
from  which,  according  to  Piso  and  Ray,  it  is  taken.  It 
is  the  myroxylon  fieruiferum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  Wildenow, 
vol.  ii.  p.  526.  Nat.  order  leguminosa.  The  native  bal- 
sam which  naturally  exudes  is  white  ;  but  this  we  never 
meet  with.  The  native  balsam  inspissated  is  the  white 
styrax,  or  the  dry  balsam  of  commerce.  It  is  of  a  red- 
dish colour,  less  hot  and  more  fragant  than  that  usually 
in  the  shops.  What  is  commonly  sold  is  the  black  or 
dark  red  balsam,  which  is.  a  decoction  of  the  branches 
inspissated.  Its  smell  is  highly  fragrant ;  its  taste  warm, 
bitterish,  and  acrid,  very  permanent  on  the  back  part 
of  the  tongue.  It  does  not  mix  with  water,  but  by 
long  agitation  imparts  to  it  a  fragrant  smell  and  some 
of  the  properties  of  the  balsam.  It  dissolves  readily  in 
spirit  of  wine,  and  is  decomposed  by  fixed  oils,"  which 
unite  with  the  essential  oil  and  acid,  leaving  a  resin.  It 
does  not  unite  with  other  balsams.  Distilled  with  water 
it  gives  about  one-sixteenth  of  a  reddish  essential  oil, 
with  difficulty  dissolved  in  water:  disiiiled per  se  this 
oil  is  empyreumatic ;  with  a  moderate,  cautiously  re- 
gulated heat,  a  small  proportion  of  benzoic  acid  may  be 
separated  from  it.  Baume  supposes  that  it  is 
terated  by  the  second  oil  which  arises  from  benzoin, 
digested  on  poplar  buds.  This  is  not  very  probable,  but 
no  very  injurious  fraud.  The  dose  is  from  five  to  twenty 
drops,  suspended  in.  water  by  the  mucilage  of  gum 
arable. 

Internally  it  is  a  warm  stimuWnt  and  tonic,  useful 
in  dyspepsia,  in  atonic  gout,  in  mucous  discharges, 
amenorrhoea,  and  humoral  asthmas.  Where  the  bron- 
chial glands  are  greatly  relaxed,  it  is  useful  even 
though  the  lungs  are  ulcerated,  given  in  small  doses. 
It  is  best  exhibited  in  pills  with  aloes  and  aromatics, 
when  used  as  a  corroborant,  and  in  a  saline  draught  in 
hectics. 

Externally  it  is  an  useful  application  to  relaxed  ulcers 
not  disposed  to  heal. 

BALSAMUM  RAKASIR^  resembles  the  Tolu  balsam,  and 
is  brought  from  India,  but  its  source  we  are  ignorant 
of,  and  some  have  supposed  it  to  be  a  composition.  In 
its  qualities  it  resembles  the  Tolu  balsam. 

BALSAMUM  SULPHURIS  is  a  very  fetid,  stimulating 
balsam,  prepared  by  uniting  sulphur  with  a  large  pro- 
portion, sometimes  eight  times  its  weight,  of  olive  oil. 
It  was  usually  given  in  hectic  cases,  but  now  no  longer 
employed.  When  there  has  been  a  considerable  re- 
laxation of  the  glands,  and  the  expectoration  stopped 
from  debility,  we  think  that  we  have  seen  it  of  ser- 
vice. It  is  sometimes  made  with  petroleum  instead 
of  olive  oil,  and  is  then  most  offensive,  and  probably  in- 
jurious. 

BALSAMUM  SULPHURIS  TEREBIXTHIXATVM  and  AXISA- 
TUM  are  made  by  digesting  the  sulphur  with  oil  of  tur- 
pentine, and  in  the  latter  adding  the  oil  of  aniseseed. 
They  are  now  confined  to  veterinary  medicine. 

BALSAMUM  TOLUTAXUM  is  obtained  by  incision. 
The  tree  is  a  native  of  Carthagena;  toluifera  bat- 


230 


BAR 


aamum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  549.  It  is  of  a  reddish  yellow, 
transparent  and  tenacious,  but  from  age  brittle.  The 
smell  is  fragrant,  the  taste  slightly  warm  and  aromatic. 
It  consists  of  oily,  with,  a  slight  proportion  of  resinous, 
particles,  united  with  a  large  one  of  benzoic  acid,  and 
is  from  hence  partly  soluble  in  watery  liquids,  though 
it  is  wholly  dissolved  in  spirit  of  wine.  The  watery 
solution  is  the  basis  of  the  old  syrupus  balsamicus,  now 
syrupus  tolutanus ;  and,  in  spirit,  it  forms  the  tinctura 
balsami  tolutani.  It  is  little  employed  in  medicine, 
though  it  is  at  least  a  safe,  if  not  an  effectual,  expecto- 
rant. In  gleets  it  is  sometimes  useful,  and  has  been 
applied  to  wounds  and  ulcers,  when  a  slight  stimulus 
was  required. 

BALSAMUM  VIT^E,  beaunie  de  vie,  consisted  of  a  great 
variety  of  the  warmest  and  most  grateful  essential  oils, 
with  balsam  of  Peru,  dissolved  in  highly  rectified  Spirit 
of  wine;  but  it  is  now  greatly  abridged  in  the  number 
of  ingredients,  and  little  used. 

BAMBA'LIO,  (from  /}a,pGa,iva,  to  stammer}.  A  man 
that  stammers  or  lisps. 

BA'MBAX.     See  BOMBAX. 

BA'MIA  MOSCHA'TA.     See  ABELMOSCH. 

BAMMA,  (from  ftccn-lu,  to  emerge).     See  EMBAMMA. 

BANA'NA,  BANANIE'RA,  (Indian).  Called  also 
ficoides,  or  ficus  Indica,  musafructu  cucurnerino  bre- 
•viori,  senoria,  fiaceira,  and  the  BANANA  or  PLANTAIN 
TREE.  It  is  the  musa  sajiientum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1477.  The 
parent  tree  of  all  the  American  bananas,  is  the  m.  bihai. 
Nat.  order  seitaminee.  It  grows  in  America ;  its  fruit 
is  diuretic,  heating,  and  highly  nutritious. 

BANDAGE.     See  DELIGATIO  and  FASCIA. 

BANDU'RA;  called  also  filanta  mirabilis  distilla- 
loria;  utricaria;  firiafius  vegetabilis ;  JVefienthes.  It 
is  the  Nejienthes  distillatoria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1354.  It  is  a 
plant  which  grows  in  the  thick  forests  of  the  island  of 
Ceylon,  where  its  long  fibres  supply  it  with  water,  and 
where  no  sun  comes  to  exhale  it.  Its  seeds  and  seed 
vessels  are  like  those  of  gentian  ;  but  it  is  most  remark- 
able for  a  foliacious  sheath  about  a  foot  long  and  as  thick 
as  a  man's  arm  ;  and  for  its  appendages  at  the  ends  of 
its  leaves,  which  turn  up,  and  contain  a  cooling  limpid 
liquor,  as  does  its  sheath,  which  is  half  full  and  potable. 
The  root  is  astringent ;  the  liquor  in  the  sheath  is  cool- 
ing ;  it  grows  not  far  from  Columbo,  in  moist  shady 
woods.  Rail  Hist.  ' 

BANGU'E,  (Indian).  Cannabis  Indica  Lin.  cans- 
Java,  called  by  the  ^Egyptians  assis ;  asserac  cannabis 
peregrina,  alt/iea  foliia  cannabinis,  kalengi-cansjava, 
tsyeru-cansjava. 

It  resembles  hemp  in  its  stalk,  the  rind  of  the  stalk, 
and  the  leaves  ;  but  its  medicinal  qualities  differ  very 
much.  The  seeds  and  leaves  are  heating  and  intoxi- 
cating. When  in  pain  the  Hindoos  mix  it  with  opium : 
when  their  object  is  mirth  and  intoxication,  with  musk, 
amber,  and  sugar.  It  grows  in  Indostan,  and  other 
parts  of  the  East  Indies. 

BA'NICA.     See  PASTINACA  SILVESTRIS. 

BANI'LIA,  BANILAS.     See  VANILLA. 
BANKSIA.    B.  Abyssinica  Bruce.    The  flowers  are 
chiefly  employed  for  ascarides  in  Abyssinia.     A  hand- 
ful is  infused  in  two  quarts  of  beer.     It  is  not  the  same 
plant  with  the  banksia  of  the  Supplementum  Planta- 
rum,  and  has  not  yet  found  a  place  in  botanical  systems. 
B  AO'BAB,  BAHOBAB.     It  is  the  adansonia  baho- 


bab  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  960,  of  the  natural  order  malvaceiz. 
The  tree  is  the  largest  production  of  the  whole  vegeta- 
ble kingdom.  The  trunk  is  not  above  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet  high,  but  from  sixty  to  eighty -five  feet  round.  The 
lowest  branches  extend  almost  horizontally  ;  and  as  they 
are  about  sixty  feet  in  length,  their  own  weight  bends 
their  extremities  to  the  ground,  and  thus  they  form  an 
hemispherical  mass  of  verdure  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty,  or  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  in  diameter.  The 
centre  root  penetrates  far  into  the  earth  ;  the  rest  spread 
near  the  surface. 

The  flowers  are  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  tree ; 
and  are  followed  by  an  oblong  fruit  pointed  at  both  ends, 
about  ten  inches  long,  five  or  six  broad,  covered  with  a 
kind  of  greenish  down,  under  which  is  a  rind,  hard, 
and  almost  black,  marked  with  rays  which  divide  it 
lengthways  into  sides.  This  fruit  hangs  to  the  tree  by 
a  pedicle  two  feet  long  and  an  inch  in  diameter.  It  con- 
tains a  whitish  spongy  juicy  substance  of  an  acid  taste, 
and  seeds  of  a  brown  colour  and  the  shape  of  a  kidney- 
bean,  which  are  called  goui.  The  pulp  that  surrounds 
these  seeds  is  powdered  when  dry,  and  brought  into 
Europe  from  the  Levant,  under  the  name  of  terra  sigil- 
lata  Lemnia.  It  grows  on  ths  west  coast  of  Africa, 
from  the  Niger  to  the  kingdom  of  Belin. 

The  kernel  of  the  fruit  contains  a  large  proportion  of 
alkali  when  burnt,  and  the  negroes  mix  it  with  palm 
oil  to  make  soap. 

The  bark  of  this  tree  is  called  lalo  ;  the  negroes  dry 
it  in  the  shade,  then  powder  and  keep  it  in  little  cotton 
bags,  and  put  two  or  three  pinches  into  their  food ;  it 
is  mucilaginous,  and  powerfully  prevents  too  violent 
perspiration. 

The  mucilage  obtained  from  this  bark  is  a  powerful 
remedy  against  the  epidemic  fevers  of  the  country  that 
produces  these  trees;  so  is  a  decoction  of  the  dried 
leaves.  The  fresh  fruit  is  as  useful  as  the  leaves  for  the 
same  purposes. 

BA'PTES,  a  fossil  medicinal  substance,  now  un- 
known ;  probably  a  bitumen. 

BA'PTICA  CO'CCA.     See  CHERMES. 

BA'RAMETZ,  and  BA'ROMETZ,  a  plant  some- 
what resembling  the  shape  of  a  lamb.  See  AGNUS 
SCYTHICUS. 

BA'RAS.     (Arabic).     See  ALPHUS. 

BA'RBA,  a  BEARD.  Some  vegetables  have  the  spe- 
cific term  of  barba  given  them,  as  their  ramifications 
are  bushy  like  a  beard ;  viz. 

BA'RBA  ARO'NIS.     See  ARUM. 

BA'RBA  CAPRINA.     See  SPIR.SA  ULMARIA. 

BA'RBA  HIRCI.     See  TRAGOPOGON, 

BA'RBA  Jovis.     See  SEDUM. 

BARBADO'ES    TAR.     See   PETROLEUM    BAHBA- 

DENSE. 

BARBADO'ES  CHE'RRY,  the  fruit  of  the  malfihigia 
glabra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  609,  resembling  the  inferior  of  our 
cherries. 

BARBAREA.  Herba  sanct&  Barbaras,  nasturtium 
hybernum,fiseudobunias,  eruca  lutea  latifolia,  sisymbri- 
um,  carfieritaria,  WINTER  CRESSES,  GARDEN  ROCKET, 
ROCKET  GENTLE,  erysimum  barbarea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  922. 
This  plant  resembles  the  mustard,  but  is  distinguish- 
ed by  the  smoothness  of  its  leaves  and  its  disagreeable 
smell.  It  resembles  in  quality  the  cresses,  and  is  a  na- 
tive of  S_witzerland,  but  cultivated  in  our  gardens;. 


BAR 


231 


B  A  R 


The  WILD  ROCKET,  called  eruca  silvestris,  smafiit  alba 
Lin.  It  grows  on  old  walls  and  amongst  rubbish.  Its 
qualities  are  "much  the  same  as  the  former,  but  its  taste 
is  somewhat  more  acrid  and  bitter. 

The  active  matter  of  the  leaves  is  extracted  by  ex- 
pression;  by  infusion  in  boiling  water;  and  by  diges- 
tion in  rectified  spirit.  By  distillation  in  water,  a  pun- 
gent yellow  oil  is  obtained ;  by  drying,  the  disagreeable 
smell  and  pungency  are  destroyed.  The  pungency  of 
the  seeds  is  less  volatile,  similar  to,  though  weaker  than 
those  of  mustard. 

BARBA'RIA,  BARBA'RICUM,  (from  barbarus, 
•oild;  because  it  was  brought  from  a  wild  country).  See 
RHABABBARUM. 

BARBAROS'SA  PIL.  BARBAROSSA'S  PILL.  It  was 
composed  of  quicksilver,  rhubarb,  diagridium,  musk, 
amber,  Sec.  and  was  the  first  internal  mercurial  medi- 
cine which  obtained  any  real  credit.  See  ARGEXTUM 
VIVUM. 

BA'RBARUM.  The  name  of  a  plaster  in  Scribonius 
Largus. 

BARB'OTA.  The  BARBVT.  A  small  river  fish, 
with  a  very  large  head.  It  is  generally  about  six  inches 
long :  it  lives  on  mud  and  slime ;  is  found  in  the  river 
which  runs  from  Tamworth,  in  Warwickshire.  The 
roe,  as  well  as  that  of  the  eel  pout,  operates  both  up- 
wards and  downwards. 

BAREGE  WATERS.  This  appellation  is  given  to 
four  springs  near  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees  on  the  side  of 
France.  Their  heat  is  from  73°  to  120°.  They  contain 
sulphurated  hydrogen,  united  to  a  small  proportion  of 
soda  and  some  sea  salt.  The  water  is  however  very 
pure,  scarcely  exceeding  in  specific  gravity  distilled 
water.  It  is  chiefly  useful  externally  from  its  heat,  and 
in  cutaneous  diseases  from  its  sulphureous  impregna- 
tion. It  is  supposed  to  be  useful  in  atony  of  the  sto- 
mach and  calculous  complaints.  See  BALNEUM. 

BARDA'XA.  BURDOCK.  Aretium,  betonica  Bri- 
tannico.  ByMyrepsus  called  ilafihis.  It  grows  on  high- 
way sides,  and  is  sufficiently  known  by  the  burs  which 
stick  to  the  clothes. 

BARDA'XA  MAJOR,  called  also  lafifia  major,  fiersonata 
aretium  Dioscoridis;  CLOTBUR,  or  GREAT  BURDOCK.  It 
is  the  aretium  lafifia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 143.  The  roots  have 
a  little  faint  smell,  but  a  sweetish  taste,  with  a  light 
austerity.  Boiled  in  water,  they  impart  a  brownish 
colour,  and  a  vapid  taste.  Extracts,  however  made, 
are  as  insipid  as  the  root.  They  are  chiefly  commend- 
ed as  diuretic,  diaphoretic,  and  antiscorbutic,  and  have 
been  successfully  employed  in  rheumatisms,  the  lues 
venerea,  scurvy,  gout,  pulmonic  complaints,  and  in  all 
cases  where  China  and  sarsaparilla  roots,  which  they 
resemble,  are  prescribed. 

The  leaves  are  bitter,  and  more  saline  than  the  roots, 
and  have  no  sweetness.  The  seeds  are  extremely  bitter, 
and  very  slightly  aromatic.  A  drachm  proves  diuretic  ; 
but  the  prickly  matter  on  their  surface  must  be  well 
removed  before  administering  them.  The  best  method 
of  using  this  plant  as  a  medicine  is  in  the  form  of  a  de- 
coction, in  which  two  ounces  of  the  roots  are  boiled  in 
three  pints  of  water  to  a  quart ;  to  this  two  drachms  of 
•vitriolated  kali  have  been  usually  added.  Of  this  decoc- 
tion a  pint  should  be  taken  every  day  in  scorbutic  and 
rheumatic  complaints;  and  when  intended  as  a  diuretic, 
in  a  shorter  period. 


BARDA  NA  MINOR,  called  also  lafifia  minor,  xanthium. 
cheradolethron ;  by  jEtius,  the  LESSER  BURDOCK,  or 
LOUSE  BUR.  Xanthium  strumarium  Lin.  Sp.  PL  1400. 
From  this  roughness  of  the  fruit  it  is  called  a  burdock, 
though  not  in  the  least  allied  to  that  plant.  It  grows 
in  rich  fat  soils,  and  is  found  on  some  commons.  Its 
juice  is  commended  against  scrofulous  disorders. 

BARDA'NA  ARCTICUM,  called  also  lafifia  major  mon- 
tana,  fiersonata  altera,  arction,  and  WOOLLY  HEADED 
BURDOCK.  Its  virtues  are  much  the  same  with  the 
other  species  of  burdocks,  and  it  is  a  variety  only  of  the 
a.  lafifia. 

BARI'GLIA,  BARI'LLA,  so  called  from  the  place 
where  it  is  produced.     See  ANATRON. 
BARLEY.     See  HORDEUM. 
BARLEY.  (Indian).  See  VERBASCUM  CEVADILLA. 
BARNET  WATER.     It  is  of  the  purging  kind,  of 
a  similar  quality  to  that  of  Epsom,  and  about  half  its 
strength. 

BARO'METRUM,  BAROMETER,  (of  frtt^  weight, 
and  tuTfot,  measure}.  An  instrument  to  determine  the 
weight  of  the  air,  or  observe  the  changes  of  weather; 
it  is  commonly  called  a  WEATHER  GLASS,  and  fre- 
quently the  Torricellian  tube,  from  Tomcelli -  its  in- 
ventor. 

The  bore  of  the  common  tubes  is  too  small.  The 
glass  tube  should  be  one  third,  or  at  least  one  fourth  of 
an  inch  in  diameter,  hermetically  sealed  at  one  end,  and 
open  at  the  other;  the  length  should  be  thirty-four 
inches :  the  mercury  with  which  it  is  filled  must  be 
pure.  Fill  the  tube  quite  full  with  this  mercury ;  and 
having  in  readiness  a  basin  with  a  flat  bottom,  and  about 
two  inches  high,  in  which  is  also  some  mercury,  invert 
the  tube,  and  put  it  in  the  basin,  still  holding  your 
finger  underneath  it  till  it  is  in  the  mercury  of  the 
basin,  then  place  it  in  a  frame.  On  taking  away  your 
finger,  the  mercury  in  the  tube  will  immediately  sub- 
side to  about  twenty -nine  or  thirty  inches,  according  to 
the  state  of  the  air,  it  being  very  rarely  lower  than 
twenty-eight,  or  higher  than  thirty  inches,  when  the 
air  is  heavy.  If  a  scale  of  four  inches  be  divided  into 
tenths,  and  placed  against  the  upper  end  of  the  tube, 
the  instrument  is  complete,  and  equal  to  every  change. 
The  mercury,  however,  still  contains  some  air  en- 
tangled with  it,  which  will  in  time  rise  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  tube,  and  not  only  by  its  pressure  prevent 
the  rising  of  the  mercury,  but  by  its  expansion,  from  a 
change  of  temperature,  produce  many  irregularities  in 
the  motion  of  the  quicksilver.  The  tube  may  be  pre- 
viously cleaned  by  a  wire,  to  the  end  of  which  a  bit  of 
leather  is  attached,  and  this  will  lessen  the  quantity 
of  entangled  air ;  but,  to  render  the  instrument  per- 
fect, the  mercury  must  be  boiled  in  the  tube.  We 
once  separated  in  this  manner  more  than  an  inch  of 
air. 

The  barometer  measures  the  weight  of  "the  air  with 
sufficient  exactness  for  the  general  purposes  of  life,  yet 
it  is  affected  with  many  irregularities,  that  no  exactness 
in  the  instrument  can  remedy,  and  no  theory  explain. 
Many  of  these  irregularities  can  be  however  explained, 
by  considering  the  mercury  as  suspended,  not  only  by 
the  weight  of  the  air,  but  in  part  by  its  elasticity.  The 
barometer  is,  in  reality,  a  MOXOMETER.  Moist  air  is 
very  inelastic,  the  mercury  of  course  falls ;  and  the 
human  body,  from  a  diminution  of  the  tone  which  pres- 


BAR 


232 


BAR 


sure  gives,  feels  a  languor.  Dry  air  produces  a  contrary 
effect;  and  Saussure  found,  that  water  evaporating, 
produced  a  gas  of  very  considerable  elasticity.  When 
high  winds  blow,  the  mercury  is  generally  low  ;  it  rises 
higher  in  cold  weather  than  in  warm ;  and  is  usually 
higher  in  the  morning  and  evening  than  at  mid  day  :  it 
generally  descends  lower  after  rain  than  it  was  before  it. 
On  advancing  up  high  mountains,  the  air  is  less  and 
less  dense,  and  usually  the  same  inconveniences  are 
felt  that  are  complained  of  when  the  air  is  moist.  But 
M.  De  Luc  and  his  companions  observed,  when  at  the 
summit  o,f  the  Buet,  3315  English  yards  above  the  level 
of  the  Mediterranean,  no  difference  in  the  effects  of  the 
diminished  density  of  the  air,  which  was  one  third  less 
than  that  of  the  plains  below  them.  In  this  place,  M. 
De  I  uc  observes,  '  how  much  naturalists  are  deceived 
in  attributing  the  alterations  that  many  persons  expe- 
rience, upon  the  falling  of  the  barometer,  to  a  difference 
either  in  the  weight  or  density  of  the  air.  For  if  these 
changes,  he  says,  could  so  sensibly  affect  our  organs, 
•what  would  become  of  those  chamois  hunters,  who  pass 
every  day  from  the  bottom  of  the  vallies  to  the  highest 
mountains?  These  people  perceive  no  inconvenience; 
even  asthmatic  people  find  little,  notwithstanding  the 
barometer  varies  in  these  several  places,  as  is  usually 
observed  in  ether  similar  ones."  If,  however,  our  feel- 
ings are  connected  not  only  with  the  actual  weight  but 
the  elasticity  oi  the  air,  these  difficulties  will  vanish; 
for  the  hijjAiy  elastic  gas  which  is  produced  by  evapor- 
ating water,  rises  to  the  upper  regions  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, and  compensates  for  the  want  of  density.  M. 
De  Luc's  reasoning,  however,  is  very  vague  and  incon- 
clusive. Those  accustomed  to  considerable  changes  of 
any  k'ind,  experience  but  little  inconvenience  from 
them  ;  and  other  travellers  have  really  found  considera- 
ble languor  on  these  very  elevated  spots. 

The  barometer  may  be  applied  to  several  uses,  as 
measuring  the  heights  of  mountains :  for  twelve  thousand 
and  forty  inches  of  air  being  equal  to  one  inch  of  mer- 
cury jiear  the  surface  of  the  earth,  twelve  hundred  and 
four  inches,  or  one  hundred  feet,  must  be  equal  to  one 
tenth  of  an  inch  of  mercury.  Consequently,  if  a  baro- 
meter be  carried  up  any  great  eminence,  the  mercury 
will  descend  one  tenth  of  an  inch  for  every  hundred 
feet  that  the  barometer  ascends.  This  we  do  not  mean 
as  a  correct  view  of  the  subject,  for  many  circumstances 
must  be  attended  to  in  the  actual  measurement  of 
heights,  particularly  the  temperature.  To  consider  all 
the  necessary  corrections  is  not  a  part  of  our  subject. 
See  De  Luc,  Saussure,  Trembley,  and  Sir  G.  Shitck- 
burgh's  papers  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions. 

But  the  great  use  of  the  barometer  is  to  predict  the 
future  state  of  the  weather  for  several  hours,  and  some- 
times days  preceding,  in  many  instances  to  a  degree  of 
probability.  1st,  The  rising  of  the  mercury  presages 
fair  weather,  and  its  falling,  wet.  3d,  In  very  hot  wea- 
ther, the  sudden  falling  of  the  mercury  foretels  thun- 
der. 3d,  In  winter,  its  rising  portends  frost ;  and  in  a 
continued  frost,  foretels  snow.  4th,  When  foul  wea- 
ther happens  soon  after  the  falling  of  the  mercury,  it 
•will  soon  again  change,  and  so  on  the  contrary.  5th, 
When  the  mercury  continues  to  rise  for  some  time  be- 
fore the  foul  weather  is  over,  expect  a  continuance  of 
fair  weather  to  follow.  6th,  In  fair  weather,  when  the 
mercury  continues  to  fall  before  rains  come,  then  ex- 


pect a  great  deal  of  it,  and  probably  high  winds.  7th, 
The  unsettled  motion  of  the  mercury  denotes  change- 
able weather. 

It  is  not  so  much  the  height  of  the  mercury  that  in- 
dicates the  weather,  as  its  motion  up  and  down;  there- 
fore, to  know  whether  the  mercury  is  actually  rising  or 
falling,  observe  whether  the  surface  of  the  mercury  be 
convex,  for  it  is  then  rising:  if  the  surface  be  concave, 
it  is  falling  :  if  the  surface  be  plain,  or  a  little  convex, 
it  may  be  considered  as  stationary. 

There  are  different  forms  of  this  instrument  which 
have  each  their  advantages  and  disadvantages  :  but  the 
common  sort  is  perhaps  better  than  any  other  if  care- 
fully constructed. 

BARO'NES.     Small  worms;  called  also  nefiones. 
BA'ROS.     (Greek).     GRAVITY.     Hippocrates  uses 
this -word  to  express  by  it  an  uneasy  weight  in  any  part. 
BA'ROS.     See  CAMH>HORA. 

BARTIIOLINIA'N.E   GLANDU'L,E,   (from  the 

discoverer  Bartholine).  See  SUBLINGUALES  GLANDULE. 

BARYOCO'CCALON,    (from   p*pvs,    grave,    and 

xcxx.»?\of,  ,a  nut;  so  called  because  it  gives  a  deep  sound). 

See  STRAMONIUM. 

BARYPHO'NIA,  (from  p*pvf,  dull,  and  paw,  the 
•voice).  A  difficulty  of  speaking. 

BARYPI'CRON,  (from •  p*pvs,  dull,  and  vixfoi,  bit- 
ter). See  ABSINTHIUM  VULCVARE. 

BARY'TES,  (from  p«.pv$,  heavy,)  called,  from  its 
weight,  also  terra  fionderosa,  PONDEROUS  EARTH. 

This  is  not  found  very  abundantly,  or  in  large  conti- 
nued masses,  but  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  mines,  or 
veins  of  metal.  Its  species  are  aerated  and  vitriolated 
ponderous  earth,  either  in  the  form  of  a  transparent 
spar,  or  an  opaque  earth,  of  a  white  grey,  or  fawn  co- 
lour; frequently  of  no  regular  figure,"  but  often/ in  the 
peculiar  form  of  a  number  of  small  convex  lenses,  set 
edgewise  in  the  ground.  We  are  indebted  to  the  cele- 
brated chemists,  Gahn,  Scheele,  and  Bergman,  for  our 
more  particular  knowledge  of  this  earth  ;  but  the  vitriol- 
ated barytes  was  mentioned  so  early  as  1700,  by  Legh, 
in  his  Natural  History  of  Lancashire,  Cheshire,  &c. 

As  this  has  seldom  been  found  pure,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain it  in  a  suitable  degree  of  purity,  we  are  favoured 
with  the  following  process  by  M.  I.  A.  Chaptal.  The 
sulphate  of  barytes,  or  the  vitriolated  ponderous  earth, 
which  is  its  most  usual  combination,  is  pulverised  and 
calcined  in  a  crucible,  with  an  eighth  part  of  powder1 
of  charcoal :  the  crucible  must  be  kept  ignited  during 
an  hour ;  after  which  the  calcined  matter  is  to  be 
thrown  into  water.  It  communicates  a  yellow  colour 
to  the  fluid,  and  at  the  same  time  a  strong  smell  of  he- 
patic gas  is  perceived ;  the  water  is  then  to  be  filtered, 
and  muriatic  acid  poured  in ;  a  considerable  precipitate 
fails  down,  which  must  be  separated  from  the  fluid  by 
filtration.  The  water  which  passes  through  the  filter 
holds  the  muriatic  barytes  in  solution.  The  carbonate 
of  potash,  or  mild  vegetable  alkali,  in  solution,  being 
then  added,  the  ponderous  earth  falls  down ;  and  the 
carbonic  acid  may  be  driven  off  by  calcination.  The 
pro'duct  saturated  with  the  muriatic  acid,  and  little  more 
of  the  acid  being  afterwards  added,  supplies  the  terra 
fionderosa  fnuriata,  or  salita,  which  is  considered  as  an 
evacuant,  deobsiruent,  and  tonic.  It  is  given  in  solution, 
and  half  a  drachm  is  dissolved  in  an  ounce  of  water. 
On  exhibition,  it  has  been  found  in  small  doses  to  in- 


A  s 


233 


AS 


crease  the  flow  of  urine,  promote  perspiration,  open 
the  bowels,  and  improve  the  appetite  and  general  health. 
It  has  been  considered  as  hfghly  useful  in  scrofulous 
cases,  chronic  cutaneous  complaints,  and  ulcerated  legs. 
In  some  cancers,  infarcted  mesenteric  glands,  scirrhous 
testicle,  buboes,  asthma,  and  ascarides,  it  is  said  to  be 
of  advantage.  Its  dose  is  from  six  to  ten  or  twenty- 
drops;  but  if  ever  it  occasion  vertigo,  nausea,  purging, 
or  pains  in  the  bowels,  the  dose  must  be  reduced,  or  the 
medicine  omitted.  Small  doses,  gradually  increased, 
may  be  given  twice  a  day,  so  long  as  they  create  no  in- 
conveniences. This  medicine  is  however  suspicious; 
and  the  vitriolated  barytcs  is  known  to  be  poisonous. 
As  the  muriatic  acid  is  but  weakly  retained,  many  sub- 
stances may  separate  it.  Even  fixed  air  will  decompose 
it;  and  in  its  exhibition  hard  water,  alkaline,  earthy,  and 
metallic  salts,  particularly  tartar  emetic,  should  be 
avoided.  Its  irritating  quality  is -so  great,  that  it  has 
produced  considerable  inconvenience  in  the  more  irri- 
table constitutions  and  in  spasmodic  complaints.  In 
scrofula,  in  some  cutaneous  diseases,  and  in  indurated 
scirrhous  tumours,  we  have  fo'und  it  successful;  and 
when  we  have  failed,  have  had  reason  to  attribute  the 
failure  to  the  imperfect  state  of  the  medicine.  Its  pu- 
rity  may  be  ascertained  by  a  little  Glauber  salt,  or  any 
vitriolated  neutral.  The  smallest  atom  will  occasion 
an  evidently  conspicuous  deposition.  Barytes  acts  on 
vegetable  and  animal  substances,  dissolving  muscular 
fibres,  and  forming  insoluble  soaps  with  oil.  For  a  fur- 
ther account  see  Med.  Commentaries,  vol.  iv.  and  vi. 
dec.  2;  Medical  Communic.  London,  vol.  ii.  Chap- 
tal's,  Gren's,  and  Thompson's  Chemistry. 

BASA'AL.  (Indian).  The  name  of  an  Indian  tree 
growing  about  Cochin.  It  flowers  and  bears  fruit  once 
every  year,  from  the  first  year  of  its  bearing  to  the  fif- 
teenth. A  decoction  of  its  leaves  with  ginger  in  water 
is  used  as  a  gargle  in  disorders  of  the  fauces.  The  ker- 
nels of  the  fruit  kill  worms.  Raii  Hist. 

BASAXI'TES.  A  close  grained  stone  resembling  a 
lava,  said  by  Pliny  to  contain  a  bloody  juice,  and  useful 
in  diseases  of  the  liver.  See  BASILICUM. 
•  BASILA'RE,  (from  /2*o-;Asi?,  aking}.  Thisisused 
as  a  term  of  superior  excellence  or  magnitude  when 
applied  to  bones.  See  CUNEIFORMS,  SPHENOIDES,  and 
SACHUM  os. 

BASILA'RIS  ARTE'RIA.  It  is  a  branch  of  the 
vertebral  artery  upon  the  apophysis  basiiaris  of  the  os 
occipitis.  The  two  vertebral  arteries  soon  unite  after 
they  have  entered  the  skull,  and  form  this  artery  about 
the  cuneiform  process  of  the  os  occipitis.  It  runs  for- 
ward under  the  great  transverse  protuberance  of  the 
medulla  oblongata,  to  which  it  gives  ramifications,  as 
well  as  to  the  neighbouring  parts  of  the  medulla.  Some- 
times it  divides  into  two  branches  near  the  apophysis  ba- 
nilaris,  which  communicate  with  the  posterior  branches 
of  the  two  internal  carotids,  and  are  lost  in  the  posterior 
lobe  of  the  brain. 

B ASILEI'ON.    An  epithet  for  a  collyrium  in  Jitius. 

BASILIA'RIS  APO'PHYSIS.  The  great  apophysis 
of  the  os  occipitis. 

BASI'LICA.     Black-seeded.     See  AGROM. 

BASI'LICA  VE'XA.  The  ancients  termed  the  basilic 
vein  of  the  right  arm  the  -vein  of  the  liver,  HEPATICA 
BRACHII  VENA:  and  that  of  the  left  arm,  the  vein  of 
the  spleen,  SPLENICA  VENA  ERACHII.  Sometimes  the 

VOL.  I. 


basilica  hath  a  double  origin,  by  a  branch  of  the  cont- 
munication  with  the  trunk  of  the  axillaris.  It  continues 
its  course  along  the  middle  of  the  os  humeri,  between, 
the  muscles  and  integuments;  and  having  reached  the 
inner  condyle,  and  sent  off  obliquely  in  the  fold  of  the 
arm  the  mediana  basilica,  it  runs  along  the  ulna,  be- 
tween the  integuments  and  muscles,  a  little  towards  the 
outside,  by  the  name  of  cubital™  externa;  and,  a  little 
below  it,  sends  off  another  branch,  which  runs  along  the 
inside  of  the  fore  arm  near  the  ulna :  this  branch  may 
be  called  cubitalis  interna.  See  CEPHAI.IC\  VEV\. 

BASI'LICUM  UNGU'EXTUM  FLA'VUM.  UN 
GU'ENTUM  RE'SIX.£  FLA'V^.     OINTMENT  of  YELLOW  KK- 
six,  consists  of  a  pint  of  olive  oil,  yellow  wax,  yellow  - 
resin,  of  each  a  pound.     To  the  wax  and  resin  melted 
over  a  gentle  fire  the  oil   is   added,  and  the   mixture- 
strained  while  hot. 

It  is  commonly  employed  as  a  digestive  on  wounds 
and  ulcers;  and  is  as  useful  as  the  linim.  Arcaei,  now 
called  unguent,  e  gummi  elemi.  If  required  to  be  a 
little  warmer,  a  few  drops  of  ol.  terebinthinas  com.  may 
be  added  when  used.  It  justly  supersedes  the  use  of 
every  similar  application. 

BASI'LICUM,  (from  /3*riA*>s»f,  royal,  so  called  from  its 
great  virtues).  BASIL;  called  also  acino*,  ocymum  -uul- 
gare,  herba  regia,  ocymum  medium,  citratum.  COMMON, 
or  CITRON  BASIL.  Ocymum  basilicum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  833. 

O'cymuni  caryofihyllatum,  6cymum  minimum,  (from 
tx.vf,  sivift,)  so  called  because  of  its  swift  growth. 
SMALL,  or  BUSH  BASIL,  with  uncut  leaves.  O.  b,  mint- 
mum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  833.  Nat.  order  labiate. 

Both  these  are  natives  of  the  eastern  countries,  and 
sown  annually  in  our  gardens  for  culinary  uses.  The 
seeds,  which  rarely  come  to  perfection  in  England,  are 
brought  from  the  south  of  France  and  Italy.  They 
flower  in  June  and  July,  and  produce  seed  in  August. 

Infusions  of  the  leaves  are  drunk  in  catarrhal  com- 
plaints, uterine  and  pulmonic  diseases.  They  are  suc- 
culent, slightly  aromatic,  have  a  mucilaginous  taste, 
and  strong  smell,  which  they  lose  partly  in  drying.  The 
first  sort  resembles  the  scent  of  lemons;  the  second 
that  of  cloves.  Distilled  in  water  they  yield  much  oil 
of  a  penetrating  fragrance,  similar,  but  superior  to  the 
oil  of  marjoram. 

Clino/iidium  majus,  (from  *A/»>!,  a  bed,  and  iras,  a 
foot,}  so  called  because  its  leaves  are  like  the  foot  of  a 
bed.  Called  also  clinof  odium  acinos  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  8^6, 
GREAT,  WILD,  and  STONE  BASIL;  a  species  of  thyme. 
It  grows  in  hedges;  is  supposed  to  be  an  astringent  and 
emmenagogue. 

BA'SILICUS  PU'LVIS,  (from  /3«<riA«.f,  royal,  a 
jting).  The  ROYAL  POWDER. 

This  term  has  been  applied  to  various  purging  pow- 
ders,' which  contain  cream  of  tartar  as  one  of  the  in- 
gredients. The  term  was  afterwards  changed  to  fiulvis 
laxans,  and  it  was  then  cream  of  tartar  with  an  equal 
part  of  senna.  A  small  proportion  of  scammony  is  now 
added, and  the  appellation  is  the  fiuh'is  e  senna  comjio- 
sitas.  It  is  an  useful  and  convenient  purgative,  though 
with  senna  alone  not  sufficiently  active.  The  following 
simple  purgatives  are  observed  to  be  both  more  agree- 
able and  more  useful. 

"  R.  Calomel,  pp.  5  ij.  pulv.  rhab.  f  ss.  jalap.  5  x-  nl- 
"  Or,  R.  Antimonii  tartarisati,  gr.  iv.  calom.  5  i-  g1'-  iv- 
jalap.  ^  ss.  er.  viij.  m. 

H  h 


BAT 


234 


B  A  T 


"  This  is  a  convenient  purge  for  gouty  and  rheuma- 
"  tic  people,  for  whom  it  is  best  made  into  pills,  and 
"  to  be  taken  at  bed  time.  It  is  also  one  of  the  best 
"  purges  for  gross  bodied  children,  who  are  subject  to 
"  breed  worms  and  have  large  bellies-;  for  though  the 
"  ingredients  are  efficacious,  its  operation  will  be  mild 
"  and  safe  enough.  It  clears  the  bowels  of  slime,  and 
"  discharges  those  humours  that  obstruct  the  mesen- 
"  teric  glands,  and  in  a  great  measure  the  lacteals  them- 
"  selves,  which  is  often  the  case  in  children;  and  is 
u  attended  with  a  hard  belly,  a  stinking  breath,  fre- 
"  quent  fevers,  and  a  decay  of  strength  in  the  lower 
u  parts.  Those  slight  intermittents,  which  such  chil- 
li  dren  are  subject  to,  will  much  sooner  be  cured  by  such 
'"'  a  purge  than  by  the  bark;  for  these  purges  reach, 
•'  and  carry  off  the  cause,  but  the  bark  pens  it  up;  and 
"  by  curing  one,  while  such  restriction  continues,  gives 
u  room  for  a  return  with  much  greater  aggravation.  The 
•'  dose  forchildren  is  from  ten  grains  to  fifteen;  for  adults 
"  from  fifteen  grains  to  two  scruples."  MOTHERBY. 

BASILI'DION.  A  cerate  described  by  Galen,  and 
used  for  the  itch. 

BA'SILIS.     A  collyrium  mentioned  by  Galen. 

BASIOGLO'SSUS,  (from  /3ac-<?,  the  foundation,  and 
-/Aasvv*,  the  tongue).  A  muscle  so  called  from  its  in- 
sertion. See  HYOGLOSSUS. 

BASIO-PHARYNG-E.'!,  (from  /3*c-/«,  foundation, 
and  <p*.pv/!-,  the  fauces).  A  muscle  so  called  from  its 
position.  See  HYOPHAUYNG.CUS. 

BA'SIS,  (from  jStciw,  I  dm  fixed).  The  support  of 
any  thing  upon  which  it  stands. 

The  broad  part  of  the  heart  is  called  its  basis,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  apex  or  point. 

In  pharmacy  by  basis  is  meant  that  ingredient  on 
which  the  most  stress  is  laid  for  answering  the  inten- 
tion of  any  compound  medicine. 

BASSI  CO'LICA.  The  name  of  a  medicine  in 
Scribonius  Largus,  compounded  of  aromatics  and  honey. 

BATEA'NEA  ALUMINO'SA  A'QUA,  (from  the 
inventor  Bates).  See  ALUMEN.' 

BATHING,  COLD  and  SEA. 

By  the  cold  bath  is  meant  that  application  of  cold 
water  which  produces  a  sense  of  coldness  called  a 
shock,  and  which  is  followed  by  the  increased  action  of 
the  extreme  vessels  styled  aglow.  One  extreme  of  the 
scale  we  well  know,  that  of  the  freezing  point;  the 
other  is  undetermined.  The  Buxton  water  of  82°  oc- 
casions a  slight  but  sensible  shock,  so  that  the  limits  are 
not  below  this  degree;  and  as  temperate  heat  is  placed 
at  62°,  we  shall  not  be  greatly  in  error  if  we  fix  the 
other  extreme  at  72°. 

The  first  effects  of  the-  cold  bath  are  well  known. 
The  whole  body  is  contracted;  the  bulbs  of  the  hair  are 
conspicuous;  and  the  skin,  resembling  that  of  a  newly 
plucked  goose,  has  been  styled  c\uis  anserina.  The 
debility  and  tremor  are  considerable  ;  a  sense  of  weight 
is  felt  in  the  head;  the  respiration  is  quick  and  labori- 
ous. These  appearances  are  followed  by  a  very  differ- 
ent series.  A  glow  soon  returns  to  the  surface;  the 
weight  in  the  head  is  almost  instantaneously  relieved, 
and  every  function  appears  to  be  carried  on  with  in- 
creased activity.  If  a  person  stays  for  a  longer  period 
in  the  cold  bath,  the  glow  will  be  slighter  and  soon 
disappear,  while  every  previous  symptom  of  debility 
will  return  and  continue. 


Few  experiments  have  been  made  on  the  effect  of  the 
pulse  after  cold  bathing.  Dr.  Stock  has,  in  the  trials  he 
made,  found  in  general  the  pulse  quicker  and  weaker 
after  immersion;  in  a  few  instances  only  slower.  The 
writer  of  this  article  has  found  similar  results;  but  the 
pulse,  felt  at  a  more  distant  period  than  that  mentioned 
by  Dr.  Stock,  has  been  usually  more  slow  and  full.  In 
a  'slight  feverish  complaint,  the  quickness  of  the  pulse 
was  greatly  mitigated.  Other  authors  have  found  the 
pulse  much  slower,  but  this  was  the  consequence  of 
partial  cold  only. 

If  the  immersions  are  at  due  intervals  repeated,  and 
the  stay  in  the  bath  be  not  improperly  continued,  the 
general  health  and  spirits  are  greatly  improved ;  the 
different  necessary  evacuations  properly  carried  on  and 
supported;  and  the  body  and  mind  appear  to  act  with 
increased  vigour. 

The  explanation  of  these  phenomena  is  not  diffi- 
cult. The  cold,  by  its  sedative  power,  represses  the 
circulation  in  the  extreme  vessels,  and  the  fluids  are 
accumulated  in  the  larger  arteries  and  veins.  Whether 
the  distention  excites  the  action  of  the  former  ;  whether 
in  consequence  of  repressed  irritability  it  is  afterwards 
restored  with  greater  vigour;  or  whether  the  vires 
medicatrices  re-act  to  conquer  debility ;  we  must  not 
now  enquire:  but  in  every  such  circumstance,  from 
one  of  these  causes,  the  circulation  is  again  restored 
with  additional  activity.  The  repetition  of  cold  bathing 
produces  tonic  effects,  which,  we  own,  that  we  are  in- 
clined to  attribute  to  the  frequent  exertion  of  this  re- 
acting power.  We  have  often  remarked  in  this  work 
that  the  constitution  gains  energy  by  the  exertion  of 
those  powers  which'preserve  life  and  correct  deviations, 
and  we  think  the  benefit,  thus  obtained,  is  a  proof  of 
that  position. 

According  to  the  management  of  this  remedy,  we- 
may  therefore  secure  very  different  and  opposite  effects. 
A  sudden  change  in  the  determination  of  the  blood  and 
nervous  power,  assisting  its  re-action,  will  produce  a 
very  different  effect  from  the  continued,  and  this  again 
from  the  repeated,  application:  a  distinction  necessary 
to  be  attended  to,  in  considering  the  different  diseases 
in  which  the  application  of  cold  water  has  been  con- 
sidered as  a  remedy. 

From  the  sudden  changes  in  the  determination  of  the 
blood  it  has  been  employed  in  many  diseases,  and 
particularly  to  prevent  or  remove  the  paroxysms  of  an 
intermittent.  In  the  attack  of  this  disease,  there  is  a 
similar  change  of  determination  to  that  which  has  been 
described  from  the  effects  of  the  cold  bath ;  and  it  is 
relieved  by  a  similar  exertion  of  the  constitution.  The 
cold  bath,  therefore,  may  be  supposed  to  excite  that-ex- 
ertion,  and  to  render  the  subsequent  relief  more  per- 
manent and  effectual ;  or,  if  the  determination  to  the 
skin  from  the  bathing  has  come  on,  the  fit  may  be 
wholly  prevented.  The  plan  certainly  has  succeeded, 
and  it  is  mentioned  by  Senac  to  have  been  useful  even 
after  the  cold  fit  has  appeared,  (De  Recondita  Febrium 
Natura,  p.  218). 

If  continued  fevers  are  only  intermittents,  whose 
paroxysms  run  into  each  other,  so  that  the  earlier  stages 
are  less  observable,  we  may  see  some  foundation  for  its 
use  in  these  also.  Remittents  are  confessedly  of  the 
same  nature  a$  intermittents;  and  in  the  Breslaw  fe- 
ver (the  trytaofihya  Wratislaviensis  of  Sauvages),  De 


15   V  T 


235 


li  A  T 


Hahn  used  the  application  of  cold  water  with  success. 
It  brought  on  a  glow  of  warmth;  and,  in  the  language 
of  an  ancient  physician,  inde  novi  motus  initium.  In 
some  other  cases  of  tyfihua  it  has  been  employed,  seem- 
ingly with  success:  but  in  some  late  trials,  at  a  period 
of  the  disease,  when  the  powers  of  nature  were  unable 
to  excite  these  new  motions,  it  was  unsuccessful  and 
even  dangerous.  Dr.  Currie's  practice  of  cold  ablu- 
tions we  shall  soon  consider. 

In  ileus,  the  practice  of  dashing  cold  water  against 
the  legs  and  thighs  of  a  patient  standing  on  a  cold  floor 
has  certainly  succeeded.  It  is  mentioned  by  Brassavolus, 
as  the  practice  of  Savanarola,  and  is  recommended  by 
Hoffman  (iv.  349).  The  latest  author  who  seems  to 
have  employed  it  successfully  is  Dr.  Stevenson  (Edin- 
burgh Medical  Essays,  vi.  895).  We  remember  having 
tried  it  with  little  advantage.  If  sudden  immersion  in 
cold  water  has  prevented  threatening  paroxysms  of  hy- 
steria and  epilepsy,  it  must  be  referred  to  altered  deter- 
mination. 

The  debility  occasioned  by  continuing  long  in  the 
cold  bath  has  occasioned  its  employment  in  many  in- 
stances, where  the  excitement  of  both  the  nervous  and 
sanguiferous  systems  was  morbidly  increased.  (See 
COLD.)  In  cases  of  phrer.zy  it  has.been  employed  with 
success;  but  the  most  striking  instance  of  this  kind  is 
in  Dr.  Willis's  work,  De  Anima  Brutorum,  p.  201. 
The  most  frequent  cases  in  which  its  advantages  have 
been  conspicuous,  occurred  from  phrenitic  patients  es- 
caping their  confinement,  and  running  spontaneously  to 
a  river  or  pond.  Applications  of  cold  water  to  the  head 
are  frequently  employed;  but  the  more  general  influ- 
ence of  cold  must  produce  a  more  powerful  effect. 
There  may  appear  to  be  some  danger  from  rupture  of 
the  over  distended  vessels  of  the  brain,  but  no  such  ac- 
cident seems  ever  to  hare  occurred. 

In  scarlatina  Dr.  Currie  has  lately  shown  the  ad- 
vantages of  cold  ablutions,  and  the  necessity  of  con- 
tinuing them  steadily  to  obviate  the  violent  heat  which 
attends  the  paroxysms  of  this  complaint;  and  he  has 
been  successfully  followed  with  equal  spirit  and  per- 
severance by  Dr.  Gregory.  As  the  object  is  to  abate 
heat,  it  is  only  used  in  this  complaint  when  the  heat 
is  very  violent,  and  continued  until  it  is  mitigated.  In 
small  fiojc,  accident  has  also  shewn  its  utility ;  and  in  the 
whimsical  compilation  of  Dr.  Baynard  there  are  nu- 
merous instances  of  this  kind.  It  has  in  this  complaint 
also  been  continued  till  the  extreme  heat  is  repressed, 
and,  on  returning  to  bed,  a  gentle  perspiration  has 
come  on;  some  of  the  pustules  have  filled,  and  the 
greater  number  in  the  skin  have  disappeared.  Since 
the  general  progress  of  vaccination  we  shall  probably 
have  little  occasion  for  this  remedy,  either  communi'- 
cated  by  air  or  water. 

In  hemorrhages,  cold-bathing,  or,  more  frequently, 
cold  applications,  have  been  employed  with  the  same 
views;  nor,  excepting  in  hemorrhoids  and  haemoptyses, 
has  it  been  neglected :  in  the  former,  as  a  supposed 
critical  discharge ;  and  in  the  latter,  from  apprehension 
of  accumulating  the  blood  in  the  lungs.  Cold  drinks 
have,  however,  in  haemoptyses  supplied  their  place; 
and  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  American  practice  of 
giving  a  solution  of  common  salt  may  not  derive  part  of 
its  advantages  from  the  cold  of  the  water,  which  common 
salt  however  will  not  increase.  The  utility  of  nitre  in  all 


haemorrhages,  is  certainly  increased  by  the  cold  it  imparts 
to  water  during  its  solution.  Hippocrates  remarks,  that 
the  cold  should  be  applied  '  non  sufira  ipsas  partes,  sed 
fire  a  ipsas,  unde  profiuit.'  The  haemorrhage  most  cer- 
tainly relieved  by  cold  is  maenorrhagia,  and  particularly 
that  of  pregnant  or  puerperal  women.  It  may  be  safely 
and  advantageously  carried  to  a  very  considerable  extent. 
In  more  general  fevers,  cold  in 'every  form  is  useful. 
In  those  of  our  own  climate,  cool  air  and  cool  drinks 
are  perhaps  sufficient.  In  those  of  warmer  regions, 
however,  the  cold  must  be  more  actively  exhibited.  It 
is  chiefly  confined  to  such  fevers  as  have  considerable 
internal  heat  without  topical  affections;  and  whether, 
with  Hippocrates,  we  give  water  £<  •^•j^ta.tn ;  with 
Lommius  and  Avicenna,  apply  cold  water  or  snow  to 
the  extremities;  with-Celsus,  apply  vine  leaves  dipped 
in  water  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach;  the  principle  is  the 
same.  Paulus  .Egineta  recommends  bathing;  and  in 
later  periods  it  has  been  employed  by  Dr.  Stevenson. 
But  the  most  striking  and  satisfactory  case  is  that  of  Sir 
J.  Chardin  in  the  Gombron  fever  of  the  remittent  kind, 
related  by  himself,  in  which  the  coldest  drinks  and  the 
application  of  cold  water  externally  were  of  the  greatest 
service.  The  Neapolitan  physicians,  following  the  an- 
cients, according  to  the  plans  detailed  by  Lommius,  give 
the  coldest  drinks ;  and  if  faint  sweats  come  on,  the  water 
is  if  possible  rendered  still  colder  with  snow  and  ice;  for 
Cyrillus  adds,  that  '  a  person  who  sweats  while  under 
this  course,  is  in  danger  of  losing  his  life  by  faintness.'  If 
cold  drinks  do  not  produce  this  effect,  '  the  patient  is 
uncovered,  exposed  to  cold  air,  and  continually  fanned; 
and  some  have  gone  so  far  as  to  sprinkle  snow  powdered 
on  the  skin.'  Thefllague  is  attended  with  great  internal 
heat,  and  cold  applications  have  been  found  useful.  Dr. 
Baynard  has  detailed  many  rambling  stories  of  this  kind, 
and  we  apprehend  that  they  have  been  of  service  in  our 
late  experience  of  this  disease  in  Egypt.  Dr.  Rush  used 
cold  applications  with  advantage  in  the  yellow  fever. 

In  mania,  cold  bathing  seems  to  have  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  Van  Helmont,  In  consequence  of  an  accident 
which  happened  to  a  carpenter  at  Antwerp,  and  he 
afterwards  employed  it  designedly.  The  patient  was 
immersed  so  long  as  was  necessary  to  repeat,  distinctly, 
the  psahn  '  Miserere;'  and,  though  he  would  be  often 
taken  up  apparently  lifeless,  Van  Helmont  adds  that 
he  might  be  recovered;  '  since  people  do  not  die  from 
being  under  water  so  soon  as  is  imagined.'  It  is  how- 
ever more  to  the  purpose  to  remark,  that  this  remedy 
is  spoken  of  with  respect  by  Boerhaave,  and  counte- 
nanced by  Van  Swieten. 

The  repeated  action  of  cold  bathing  affords  numerous 
opportunities  of  relieving  some  of  the  most  troublesome 
and  obstinate  diseases  to  which  the  human  frame  is  sub- 
ject. Every  complaint  arising  from  debility  in  its  varied 
forms  and  numerous  consequences  often  yields  to  this 
remedy,  when  every  other  has  proved  ineffectual.  Palsy ^ 
so  often  benefited  by  the  stimulus  of  the  warm  bath,  is 
greatly  relieved  by  the  tonic  power  of  the  cold ;  nor  is 
the  danger  of  its  being  improperly  applied  so  great. 
It  must  not  be  used  early  in  the  complaint  if  the  case  is 
hemiplegia,  nor  until  every  symptom  of  congestion  is 
removed.  The  partial  palsies  will  not  require  even  this 
precaution;  but  the  cold  is  more  useful  if  the  water  is 
poured  from  a  height,  or  thrown  from  a  pump,  on  the 
part  affected. 

H  h   2 


U  A  T 


236 


15  A  T 


Chronic  rheumatism,  we  have  said,  is  a  paralytic  af- 
fection of  over  distended  vessels,  and  cold  bathing  is 
a  singularly  useful  remedy.  Sir  John  Floyer  thinks  it 
more  beneficial  if  the  patient  is  afterwards  put  between 
blankets  to  sweat.  In  the  intervals  of  gout,  if  the  pa- 
tient is  perfectly  free  from  the  disease,  it  is  of  service 
in  restoring  flexibility  to  the  stiffened  limbs,  giving 
strength,  and  perhaps  protracting,  with  safety,  the  re- 
turn of  the  paroxysm.  In  stiffness  of  the  joints  from  old 
strains,  or  any  cause,  it  is  useful ;  and  the  sea  bathing 
has  been  supposed  particularly  so  in  white  swellings  of 
the  knee.  In  other  forms  of  scrofula,  bathing  and 
drinking  salt  water  alternately  are  very  serviceable. 

In  the  h emorrhages  "without  fever,  called  by  patho- 
logists  passive,  and  in  the  mucous  discharges  from  re- 
laxation, the  tonic  power  of  the  cold  bath  is  useful.  In 
those  little  fevers,  connected  with  debility  or  owing  to 
excess,  it  relieves;  though  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  be 
from  its  tonic  power,  or,  in  the  language  of  Petron,  from 
its  exciting  new  motions.  In  chlorosis,  though  it  does 
not  produce  any  very  rapid  benefit,  it  is  often  of  the 
greatest  service  to  the  general  health,  and  ultimately 
brings  on  the  expected  evacuation. 

When/jo/«07zs  or  infectious  miasmata  have  been  com- 
municated to  the  animal  body,  we  often  find  that  they 
lie  dormant,  till  some  exciting  and  generally  debilita- 
ting cause  gives  them  activity.  This  renders  cold 
bathing  of  use  during  the  progress  of  an  epidemic,  and 
it  is  a  valuable  part  of  the  prophylaxis.  Bathing  has 
been  supposed  also  to  prevent  hydrophobia;  but  as  few 
of  the  animals  supposed  to  be  mad  are  really  so,  and  of 
those  really  bitten  by  mad  animals,  few  are  infected,  the 
advantages  from  bathing  are  equivocal.  If  we  look 
into  the  old  authors,  we  shall  find  that  bathing  was  em- 
ployed with  considerable  severity,  and  with  every  cir- 
cumstance that  could  agitate  the  mind  and  fix  the  at- 
tention. Tulpius,  one  of  the  chief  advocates  for  the 
utility  of  this  remedy,  considers  the  mode  of  adminis- 
tration to  be  a  very  important  part  of  the  process;  and 
it  may  have  been  so,  for  modern  practitioners  have  not 
found  it  very  successful.  When  narcotic  poisons  have 
been  swallowed,  and  tremors,  &c.  have  been  produced, 
cold  bathing  has  been  very  beneficial.  Baccius  men- 
tions its  efficacy  against  the  poison  of  the  juice  of  the 
mandrake.  The  Indians  are  recovered  from  the  stupe- 
faction occasioned  by  the  datura,  by  moistening  the  soles 
of  their  feet  with  cold  water;  dogs  stupified  by  the  car- 
bonic acid  air  of  the  Grotto  del  Cani,  are  recovered 
by  being  thrown  into  the  neighbouring  lake;  and  sai- 
lors recover  their  intoxicated  comrades  by  a  dip  in  the 
sea. 

The  spasmodic  and  convulsive  diseases  are  relieved 
by  the  tonic  powers  of  the  cold  bath.  In  chorea,  though 
often  used,  it  is  less  successful,  for  reasons  hereafter 
assigned;  and  in  tetanus  there  is  seldom  time  for  the 
proper  action  of  this  remedy,  though  it  has  been  em- 
ployed with  advantage.  That  convulsive  diseases,  when 
not  produced  by  any  direct  irritation  on  a  nerve,  origi- 
nate in  debility,  we  trust  to  be  able  to  prove  in  another 
article.  See  CONVULSIONS. 

Sir  John  Floyer  has  remarked,  that  cold  bathing  is 
injurious  in  palsies  when  the  patient  is  plethoric  and 
feverish.  It  probably  is  so  whenever  any  partial  ple- 
thora or  local  obstructions  exist  in  any  of  the  more  im- 
portant viscera.  Jaundice  may  perhaps  be  an  exception 


to  this  opinion.  In  the  passage  of  a  stone  through  the 
gall  duct  it  seems  to  have  been  of  service;  but  it  was 
probably  in  cases  where  the  liver  was  otherwise  sound. 
In  some  of  the  western  islands,  a  patient  in  the  jaun- 
dice is  laid  on  his  belly,  and  a  pail  of  cold  water  unex- 
pectedly thrown  on  his  back,  (Smith's  Curiosities  of 
Common  Water).  It  is  injurious  also  when  the  stomach 
is  full,  or  when  the  patient  has  been  previously  weaken- 
ed. A  ruptured  blood  vessel,  or  an  incurable  obstruc- 
tion, may  be  the  result  of  the  former  error ;  and  in  the 
latter  case  the  constitution  may  not  have  sufficient  pow- 
er to  restore  the  determination  to  the  surface.  When 
the  body  is  heated  it  is  also  dangerous  to  bathe,  though 
the  young  and  strong  transgress  this  rule  witii  impunity. 
Bathing  IN  THE  SEA  is  on  the  whole  preferable,  as  the 
heat  is  more  uniform.  It  is,  we  think,  also,  perhaps 
from  the  agitation  of  the  water,  more  refreshing.  Other 
causes  of  preference  have  been  assigned:  one  is,  the 
greater  pressure  of  the  water  impregnated  with  salt; 
the  other,  the  stimulus  of  the  salt  left  on  the  skin. 
Each  may  have  some  effect,  and  the  latter  ground  of  pre- 
ference is  assuredly  more  certain  than  the  former.  We 
cannot  easily  conceive  how  the  momentary  increase  of 
pressure  can  have  any  considerable  effect,  except  by  the 
increase  of  momentum;  and  the  stay  in  the  sea  is  too 
short  to  expect  much  advantage  from  this  source.  The 
river  water,  heated  from  the  vicinity  of  the  shore,  is 
less  active  than  the  sea  water,  whose  heat  is  uniform  in 
summer,  and  more  so  in  winter;  and  the  sea  water, 
warmed  from  75°  to  82°,  may  be  an  useful  bath  for  in- 
valids preparatory  to  immersion  in  the  sea.  In  these 
baths  of  a  higher  temperature  the  patient  should  stay 
a  longer  time  than  in  the  sea  or  fresh  water.  It  is  an 
observation  of  Galen,  that  a  more  temperate  bath  is  not 
less  useful  than  a  cold  one,  if  the  stay  be  protracted 
in  it. 

The  shower  bath,  a  modern  invention,  in  which  the 
water  falls  through  numerous  apertures  on  the  body, 
is  a  remedy  much  less  pleasing,  but  probably  more  use- 
ful, than  the  sea  or  river  bath.  The  cold  is  greatly  in- 
creased from  the  momentum  ;  and,  as  the  water  is  usu-: 
ally  taken  from  wells,  its  heat  is  uniform,  about  51°  in 
this  climate,  the  mean  of  the  earth.  In  winter  the  river 
water  is  much  cooler,  but  generally  superior  in  heat  to 
the  air.  Bathing,  therefore,  through  the  winter  is  not 
a  practice  so  severe  as  may  be  supposed,  except  when 
it  is  necessary  to  break  the  ice.  Even  then,  however, 
the  water  below  is  higher  than  the  freezing  point,  as 
its  latent  heat  cannot  escape,  and  the  temperature  of  the 
air  is  often  far  below  it. 

The  tune  of  bathing  should  be  as  soon  in  the  spring 
as  settled  weather  can  be  obtained;  and,  from  the  long 
prevalence  of  easterly  winds  on  the  eastern  coasts,  the 
southern  seem  preferable  at  that  time.  The  most  ad- 
vantageous part  of  the  day  is  the  morning,  before  break- 
fast; but,  when  the  weather  is  not  warm,  and  the  patient 
is  much  debilitated,  it  may  be  proper  to  begin  in  the 
forenoon,  after  a  light  and  early  breakfast.  The  usual 
mode  of  immersion,  first  plunging  the  head,  is  un- 
doubtedly preferable;  but  if  the  whole  body  is  very 
soon  immersed,  this  precision  is  of  little  importance. 
The  stay  in  the  bath  is  of  more  consequence:  many 
come  out  after  the  first  immersion,  and  indeed  this  is 
the  most  common,  and  often  the  most  advantageous, 
method.  It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  the  glow 


BAT 


237 


BAT 


is  so  violent,  as  to  leave  in  the  subsequent  part  of  the 
day  a  chilliness ;  and  in  such  circumstances  we  have 
advised  a  second  dipping,  which,  repressing  the  too 
violent  determination  to  the  surface,  has  rendered  it 
more  equable  and  permanent.  If  any  debility  arises 
from  staying  too  long,  some  inarm  wine  and  water, 
isarm  tea,  or  any  similar  fluid,  drunk  frequently  while 
the  patient  is  laid  between  blankets,  will  relieve  it. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  where  the  fluids  are  too 
much  attenuated,  bathing  will  be  injurious.  We  have 
already  said  that  we  have  scarcely  any  evidence  of  this 
taking  place.  We  know  from  frequent  experience 
that  no  such  effect  is  produced  by  sea  water ;  and  if  any 
of  the  neutral  salt  were  absorbed  independent  of  the 
fluid,  it  might  produce  the  effect.  Seamen,  however, 
fishermen,  and  the  sea  bathers,  who  are  constantly  im- 
mersed in  salt  water,  never  experience  any  inconve- 
nience from  this  cause. 

One  other  form  of  cold  bath  has  been  employed,  viz. 
the  cold  air  bath.  This  Consists  only  in  exposing  the 
body  for  a  few  minutes  to  the  cold  air,  partly  secured  by 
a  loose  dressing  gown.  With  prudent  precautions  this 
practice  may  be  useful ;  and  even  salutary.  The  effects 
to  be  expected  must  depend  on  the  heat  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, and  the  temperature  of  the  body  when  exposed 
to  it.  Sponging  the  whole  body  with  cold  water  is  of  the 
greatest  consequence,  particularly  in  cases  of  chronic 
debility,  where  the  cold  bath  cannot  be  obtained,  or  is 
from  circumstances  inadmissible.  For  the  more  partial 
use  of  cold  applications,  see  Com. 

BA'THMIS,  (from  p*ua,fundatus  sum}.  A  seat, 
basis,  or  foundation. 

Hippocrates  and  Galen  use  it  to  express  a  cavity 
of  a  bone  which  receives  the  protuberance  of  another  at 
the  joints,  particularly  those  at  the  articulation  of  the 
humerus  and  ulna. 

BATHO'NLE  A'QU*.  Called  also  solis'agute,  badi- 
(jua  aqua.  BATH  WATERS. 

Dr.  Cheyne  accounts  for  the  heat  of  this  water  by  the 
following  experiment.  If  filings  of  iron  and-the  pow- 
der of  sulphur,  made  into  a  paste  with  water,  are 
put  into  a  cellar  under  a  cock  which  drops  water  gra- 
dually and  slowly,  it  will  ferment,  and  the  water 
running  from  it  will  be  of  the  same  heat  and  virtue 
with  those  of  Bath,  though  not  equally  pleasant.  Tour- 
tiefort  observes,  "  that  the  filings  of  iron  will  grow 
warm  by  steeping  in  common  water,  but  much  more  so 
in  sea  water ;  and  if  powdered  sulphur  is  added,  the  mix- 
ture will  burn." 

Most  hot  waters  seem  chiefly  to  consist  of  sulphur  and 
iron,  and  to  differ  only  as  the  sulphur  or  the  iron  predo- 
minates ;  where  the  sulphur  most  abounds,  they  are 
hotter,  more  nauseous,  and  purgative. 
According  to  the  Experiments  of  Dr.  Bryan  Higgins,  a 

Winchester  gallon  of  Bath  water  contains, 
Of  calcareous  earth,  combined  with  vitriolic    divt.  gr. 

acid,  in  the  form  of  selenite  0  319^ 

Of  calcareous  earih,  combined  with  accidulous 

gas      -  0      22/0 

Of  marine  salt  of  magnesia       -         -  0     22T9 

Of  sea  salt       -  -  1      UT^ 

Of  iron,  combined  with  acidulous  gas  -  0  0-fa 
Acidulous  gas,  besides  what  is  contained  in  the  above 
earth  andiron,  twelve  ounces  measure;  and  atmospheric 
air  two  ounces. 

The  four  principal  waters  in  England  that  possess  any 


remarkable  heat,  are  those  of  Bath,  Buxton,  Bristo!, 
and  Matlock.  The  first  of  which  raises  Fahrenheit's 
thermometer  from  about  one  hundred  and  eight  to  one 
hundred  and  nineteen  ;  the  second  to  about  eighty  ;  the 
third  to  seventy-six ;  and  the  last  to  sixty -six  or  sixty- 
eight. 

Dr.  Monro,   in  speaking  of  these  waters,  says  the 
highest  degree  of  heat  attributed  to  them  by 


Dr.  Howard,  Dr.  Ctarlton,  and  Dr.  Lucas,  is  from   the   pump  of 
the  king'i  luih,        113  1»  119  I 

hot  bath  115  116  119  \ 

|J 


eras*  bath 


108 


110 


1ft- 


of  Fahrenheil't  thcr- 
momeltr. 


And  .that,  on  evaporation,  a  gallon  has  been  found  to 
contain  of  iron  -£^  or  -£$  parts  of  a  grain ;  of  calcareous 
earth  22|  grains;  seleuites  31 J  grains;  Glauber's  salt 
25|  grains;  sea  salt  51^  grains;  which  were  mixed 
with  an  oily  matter,  but  not  more  so  than  is  common 
to  all  waters.  From  this  and  other  accounts  it  appears 
that  the  Bath  waters  are  acidulous  chalybeates,  in  which 
iron  and  earth  are  kept  suspended  by  means  of  aerial 
acid  ;  and  that  they  are  impregnated  with  a  small  portion 
of  selenites,  sea  salt,  and  miiriated  magnesia.  Indeed 
these  waters  were  for  a  long  time  esteemed  to  be  sul- 
phureous ;  but  certainly  they  have  not  a  title  to  that 
name  in  the  least :  they,  do  not  affect  the  colour  of  silver 
or  metallic  solutions,  or  produce  any  other  effect  of 
water  impregnated  with  sulphur. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  hydrogen  or  azotic  gas 
is  contained  in  these  waters  ;  and  there  was  some  pro- 
bability that  the  latter  was  an  active  ingredient  in  them, 
but  its  existence  has  never  been  properly  ascertained. 
Dr.  Gibbes  has  lately  added  to  their  impregnations  the  si- 
liceous earth.  But  we  are  still  unable  to  discover  in  their 
contents  any  ingredient  sufficiently  active  to  account  for 
their  effects,  and  must  resolve  the  question  in  the  pre- 
sent state  of  our  knowledge  to  the  minute  division  of 
the  substances  dissolved ;  perhaps  to  these  waters  con- 
taining the  proximate  principles  of  some  active  com- 
pound. They  operate  powerfully  by  urine,  and  pro- 
mote perspiration:  if  drunk  quickly,  and  in  large 
draughts,  they  sometimes  purge ;  but  if  taken  slowly, 
and  in  small  quantities,  they  have  an  opposite  effect. 
These  waters  are  adapted  to  weak  and  exhausted  con- 
stitutions, to  atonic  gout,  to  visceral  obstructions, 
nephritic  complaints,  and  dyspepsia.  Externally  they 
relieve  in  all  the  complaints  for  which  the  more  active 
stimulant  power  of  the  balneum  is  employed.  To  the 
young  and  plethoric  they  are  frequently  injurious ;  and 
unless  some  evacuations  are  premised,  often  at  first  dis- 
agree, occasioning  headach,  heat  in  the  hands,  drow- 
siness, and  giddiness.  The  seasons  for  drinking  Bath 
waters  do  not  greatly  differ.  In  hot  dry  summers  the 
waters  are  strongest,  but  the  spring  and  autumn  are  pre- 
ferred, from  fashion  probably  rather  than  reason. 

More  than  two  pints  in  a  day  can  never  be  required, 
which  may  be  drunk  at  three  or  four  times,  a  few  hours 
intervening  betwixt  each  portion  ;  and  in  such  chronical 
diseases  as  require  preparations  of  iron,  the  artificial 
ones  may  at  the  same  time  be  used.  See  Dr.  Cheyne's 
Account  of,  and  Dr.  Falconer's  Essay  on,  the  Bath 
Waters ;  Monro's  Treatise  on  Medical  and  Pharma- 
ceutical Chemistry. 

BA'THRON.  (Greek).  The  SEAT  OF  SUPPORT.  It 
is  also  the  scamnum  Hififiocratu,  an  instrument  in- 
vented for  the  extension  of  fractured  limbs.  Oribasius 
and  Scultetus  both  describe  it. 


BAT 


2S8 


BDE 


BATHYPI'CRON,  (from  £*6v,  exceedingly,  and 
t,  bitter).  See  ABSINTHIUM  VULGARE. 

BA'THYS.  A  sort  of  cheese  formerly  used  in  Rome. 

BA'TIA.     See  CORNUMUSA. 

BATI'CULA,  (a  dim.  of /3aTo$,  a  bramble,  from  its 
likeness).  See  CRITHMUM. 

BATI'NONMO'RON,(from/3*7«5,a  bramble).  See 
"RuBus  IDJEUS. 

BA'TIS,  (from  the  same).     See  CRITHMUM. 

BA'TOS,  the  BRAMBLE.     See  RUBUS  VULGARIS. 

BATRACHIOJDES,  (from  P*T(*X<K,  a  frog,  and 
t-iJoj,  likeness,  from  its  resemblance  to  a  ranunculus). 
See  GERANIUM. 

BA'TRACHIUM.     Sec  GERANIUM. 

BA'TRACIIOS,  (from  p*rSaK<&,  a  frog).  See 
RANULA. 

BATTA'RISMUS,  (from  B*T7«5,  a  Cyrenxan  prince 
who  stammered).  See  PSELLISMUS. 

BATTA'TAS,  (Indian).  Called  also  battata  Vlrgi- 
niana,  solatium  tuberosum  csculenlum,  kijifia  kelengu, 
jjiafias  \e\fiafijiux  .^mfriranus,  and  convolvulus  Indicus. 
The  COMMON  or  VIRGINIAN  POTATOE. 

They  were  first  brought  into  Europe  by  Sir  Francis 
Drake  in  1486,  when  he  returned  with  the  famous  ma- 
thematician Mr.  Thomas  Herriot,  who  was  sent  to  Vir- 
ginia by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  to  explore  the  productions 
of  the  country.  Herriot  gave  them  to  Gerard  the  botanist; 
who  first  planted  them  in  London,  and  sent  them  to 
Clusius  in  Holland,  who  also  planted  them  in  Bur- 
gundy ;  and  he  sent  them  to  Italy,  as  appears  from  the 
works  of  these  and  several  other  authors.  It  was  from 
this  introduction  into  Europe  that  so  many  writers  say 
they  were  natives  of  Virginia;  but  it  is  said  that  they 
will  not  grow  there  without  skilful  culture. 

Other  authors  have  given  a  different  account,  and  re- 
late that  the  first  cargo  was  shipped  at  Carolina  for  Ire- 
land, but  the  vessel  was  lost  near  Liverpool.  The  po- 
tatoes that  were  saved  were  first  planted  there.  Each 
may  be  true ;  and  the  former  may  refer  to  the  first 
knowledge  we  acquired  of  them,  the  latter  to  the  first 
importation. 

They  are  of  the  natural  order  of  solanace<s,  and  the 
roots  of  the  con-volvulus  batatas  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  220.  This 
is  not  the  only  instance  where  acrimony  is  inviscatcd  by 
farina,  or  prevented  from  being  evolved  by  keeping 
from  the  air.  Those  which  grow  near  the  surface  are 
said  to  be  poisonous.  These  roots  are  natives  of  both 
parts  of  the  continent  of  America  and  of  India. 

The  light  mealy  ones  are  the  best,  and,  by  proper 
management,  a  wholesome  nourishing  bread  is  made  of 
them,  called  by  the  Peruvians  chunno.  Their  use,  as  at 
present,  is  both  profitable  and  salutary.  More  brandy 
may  be  obtained  from  an  acre  of  potatoes,  than  from 
an  acre  of  barley.  They  also  afford  much  starch.  They 
contain  more  than  half  their  proportion  of  water,  which 
renders  them  of  easy  solution  and  digestion  in  the 
stomach,  and  they  are  less  liable  to  become  ascescent 
and  give  the  heartburn  than  the  fermented  cerealia.  A 
cataplasm  is  made  of  potatoes,  called  CATAPLASMA  so- 
r.ANi  TUBEROSI.  See  AMBUSTA  and  ALIMENT. 

The  varieties  of  potatoes  are  numerous,  and  may  yet 
be  increased  from  the  seed  contained  in  the  apples.  But 
the  usual  method  of  increase  is  from  the  tuberose  roots. 
These  are  cut  into  pieces,  each  containing  an  eye  simi- 
lar to  a  bud  on  a  branch,  with  so  much  of  the  medullary 


substance  connected  with  it  as  will  nourish  the  young 
plant  till  it  can  draw  by  the  roots. 

Potatoes  produced  from  sets,  after  a  number  of  years, 
are  found  to  decrease  in  bearing ;  for  which  reason  they 
should  be  brought  back  every  fourteen  years  to  their 
original.  It  is  after  this  period  that  those  produced 
from  the  seeds  themselves  decline. 

In  Sweden,  the  leaves  of  the  potatoe  plants  are  ma- 
nufactured for  smoking  instead  of  tobacco. 

See  on  this  article  many  remarks,  both  curious  and 
profitable,  in  Hunter's  Georgical  Essays,  Cullen's  Mat. 
Medica. 

BATTA'TAS  CANADENSIS,  also  called_/Zos  solix  fiarami- 
dalis,  heliotrojiium  Indicum,  adenes  Canadensis,  corona 
solis  parvojlore,  is"c.  helenium  Indicum  tuberosum, chry- 
santhemum latifolium  Brazil,  Americanum  tuberosum, 
aster  Peruanus  tuberosus,  Farnesianus  solis  Flos. 

HEL1ANTHUS  TUBEROSUsLin.  Sp.  PI.  1277.  JERUSALEM 
ARTICHOKES.  See  ALIMENT. 

BATTA'TAS  PEREGRI'NA,  cajled  also  cacamotic  Jla.no- 
quiloni.  The  CATHARTIC  POTATOE  ;  perhaps  a  species 
of  ifiomea,  nearly  allied  to  convolvulus  :  '  cacamotic'  is 
certainly  guamoclit,oneo{  the  species  ofiflomea.  Many 
worse  blunders  occur  in  the  synonyms  of  the  former 
editions.  They  grow  spontaneously  in  the  warmer 
parts  of  America.  Their  taste  is  very  agreeable ;  and  it' 
about  two  ounces  of  them  are  eaten  at  bed  time,  they 
gently  move  the  belly  the  next  morning.  As  all  the 
species  are  in  a  certain  degree  cathartic  in  some  of 
their  parts,  this  quality  is  less  surprising. 

BATTITU'RA,(from  batuo,  to  strike).  The  squam- 
ous  scales  of  metals  which  fly  off  whilst  under  the 
"hammer. 

BAU'DA.     A  vessel  for  distillation  is  thus  named. 

B.  P.  An  abbreviation  for  Casjiari  Bauhini  Pinax 
TheatriBotanici,  sive  Index  in  Theophrasti,D;oscoridis, 
Plinii,  et  Botanicorum,  quia  Seculo  scripserunt  Opera. 

B.  THEAT.  An  abbreviation  of  C.  Bauhini  Thea- 
trum  Botanicum. 

BA'URACH.  From  the  Arabic  term  bourach.  See 
BORAX,  ANATRON,  and  NITRUM. 

BAXA'NA.  (Indian).  A  tree  in  an  island  near  Or- 
muz,  the  smallest  quantity  of  whose  fruit  is  said  to  suf- 
focate the  person  who  tastes  it,  and  the  same  effect  to 
be  the  consequence  of  continuing  under  its  shade  ;  yet 
its  root,  leaves,  and  fruit,  are  antidotes  to  poison  in 
other  countries.  It  is  also  called  rabuocit,  Raii  Hist, 
but  not  sufficiently  described  to  be  referred  to  its  pro- 
per place  in  botanic  systems. 

BA'ZCHER.  A  Persian  word  for  antidote.  See 
BEZOAR. 

BDE'LLA,  (/e^AA*,  to  suck,)  BDE'LLERUM. 
HORSE  LEECH.  See  also  VARIX. 

BDE'LLIUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  bedallah,) 
called  also  madelion  bolclton,  balchus,z.nA  by  the  Arabians 
mokel,  is  a  gummy  resinous  juice,  produced  by  a  tree 
in  the  East  Indies,  of  which  we  have  no  satisfactory 
account.  It  is  brought  to  Europe  both  from  the  East 
Indies  and  Arabia  in  pieces  of  different  sizes  and  figures, 
externally  of  a  dark  reddish  brown,  somewhat  like 
myrrh  ;  internally  it  is  clear  and  not  unlike  glue.  To 
the  taste  it  is  slightly  bitterisli  and  pungent;  and  its 
odour  is  very  agreeable.  If  held  in  the  mouth  it  soon 
becomes  soft  and  tenacious,  sticking  to  the  teeth.  Laid 
on  a  red  hot  iron  it  readily  catches  flame,  and  burns 


EH 


239 


BEL 


with  a  crackling  noise  ;  and,  in  proportion  to  its'good- 
ness,  it  is  more  or  less  fragrant. 

Near  half  of  its  substance  dissolves  either  in  water  or 
in  spirit  of  wine  ;  but  the  tincture  made  with  spirit  is 
somewhat  stronger,  and  by  much  more  agreeable.  Vine- 
gar, or  verjuice,  dissolves  it  wholly. 

The  simple  gum  is  a  better  medicine  than  any  pre- 
paration from  it.  It  is  one  of  the  weakest  of  the  deob- 
struent  gums,  but  it  is  used  as  a  pectoral  and  an  em- 
menagogue.  Applied  externally,  it  is  stimulant  and 
promotes  suppuration. 

BEAN  IGXATI'US.     See  FABA  STI.  IGXATII. 

BEAN       MA'LACCA.        See      AXACARDIUM     ORIEN- 

TALE. 

BEAR'S  FOOT.     See  HELLEBORUS. 

BEAR'S  FOOT.     See  UVA  URSI. 

BECABU'NGA,  (from  bach-bungen,  "water  herb, 
German,  because  it  grows  in  rivers,)  called  also  ana- 
gallis  aquatica,  laver  Germanicum,  veronica  aquatica, 
teji&a:  WATER  PIMPERNEL,  and  BROOK  LIME.  The  -ve- 
ronica begabunga  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  16. 

It  possesses  in  an  inconsiderable  degree  the  virtues  of 
the  cochleariaand  nasturtium.  It  hath  not  the  volatility 
of  the  cochlearia,  nor  is  it  pungent  to  the  taste,  but  ra- 
ther saltish  and  bitterish  than  acrid.  It  should  be  eaten 
plentifully  as  food,  or  a  large  quantity  of  the  juice  taken, 
if  benefit  is  expected  from  it,  as  its  powers  are  very 
inconsiderable. 

BE'CHA,  (from  fir,%,  a  cough).  Any  medicine  de- 
signed to  relieve  a  cough,  and  of  the  same  import  as 
pectoral.  The  trochisci  bechici  albi  of  the  London  col- 
lege consists  of  starch  and  liquorice,  with  a  small  pro- 
portion of  Florentine  orris  made  into  lozenges,  with  the 
mucilage  of  gum  tragacanth.  It  is  a  soft  pleasant  de- 
mulcent. 

The  trochisci  bechici  nigri  consists  chiefly  of  the 
juice  of  liquorice  with  sugar  and  gum  tragacanth. 

BE'CHION,  BE'CHIUM,  (from  the   same).     See 

TUSSILAGO. 

BECUI'BA  NUX.  (Brasil).  It  is  as  large  as  a  nut- 
meg, of  a  brownish  colour,  with  an  oily  kernel  in  a 
woody  brittle  husk.  A  balsam  is  drawn  from  it,  which 
is  held  in  estimation  in  rheumatisms. 

BEDE'GUAR,  (from  the  Arabic  bedegua).  See 
CARDUUS  LACTEUS  SYRIACUS,  and  CYXOSBATOS. 

BEDEXGI'AN.  The  name  of  love  apples  in  Avi- 
cenna:  an  esculent  fruit  of  a  species  of  solanum. 

BE'GMA,  (from  p»%,  a  cough J.  Hippocrates  by  this 
word  means  a  cough  and  the  sputum  brought  up  with  it. 

BE'HEX  A'LBUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  behen,  a 
finger, )  called  also  jacea  orientalis  fiatula,  rafihanti- 
coides  lutea,  and  the  true  WHITE  BEN,  or  BEHEN  of  the 
ancients. 

BE'HEX  A'LBUM  VULG.  ;  called  also  lychnis  sylvestris, 
.annria,  fiafiaver  sfiumeum  vu/g.  muscifiula  firatennia, 
vesicaria,  SPATLIKG  POPPY,  BLADDER  CAMPION,  or  WHITE 
HEN." 

BE'HEN       RXJ'BRUM,       LIMO'NIUM,        or       LIMO'NIUM 

MAJUS. 

BE'HEN  SEA  LAVENDER,  or  RED  BE'HEN. 

Two  roots,  viz.  the  red  and  the  white  ben,  are  de- 
scribed by  the  ancients.  The  white  is  a  long,  slender, 
white  root,  of  an  aromatic  smell,  and  sharp  taste  ;  it  is 
hard,  but  does  not  keep  well.  It  comes  from  the  East, 
and  is  the  centaurea  be/ten  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1292.  The  red 


is  a  thicker  root,  also  brought  from  the  East,  and  is  the 
statice  limonium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  394.  It  is  cut  in  slices, and 
tastes  acrid ;  but  the  root  of  the  white  lychnis  is  used 
for  one,  and  the  root  of  the  sea  lavender  for  the  other. 
The  last  grows  in  salt  marshes  on  some  of  our  sea 
coasts.  It  hath  a  thick  root  that  runs  deep  in  the  earth, 
and  is  of  an  astringent  quality. 

BEIDE'LSAR,andBEIDELLO'PAR.  A  speciesof 
Asclepias,  perhaps  the  a.  gigantea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  312, 
used  in  Africa  as  a  remedy  for  fever  and  the  bites  of 
serpents.  The  caustic  juice  which  issues  from  the  roots, 
when  wounded,  is  used  by  the  negroes  to  destroy  ve- 
nereal and  similar  swellings.  It  resembles  the  apocy- 
num  and  anemone. 

BEJU'IO;  called  also  the  habilla  de  Carthagena, 
BEAN  OF  CARTHAGEXA,  perhaps  from  the  Hifi/iocratea 
-volubilis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  50.  It  is  a  kind  of  bean  in  South 
America,  and  is  famed  for  being  an  effectual  antidote 
against  the  poison  of  all  serpents,  if  a  small  quantity  is 
eaten  immediately.  This  bean  is  the  peculiar  product 
of  the  jurisdiction  of  Carthagena. 

BELA'E.  (Indian).  A  particular  kind  of  bark  of 
Madagascar,  which  was  first  presented  by  M.  Saillant 
to  the  college  of  physicians  at  Paris.  It  is  thin,  of  a 
yellowish  colour  externally,  reddish  within,  and  to  the 
taste  slightly  bitter  and  astringent.  It  is  said  to  be  of 
considerable  efficacy  in  diarrhoeas. 

BELEMNOI'DES,  (from  frtorua,  a  dart,  and  tit®-, 
shafie).  BELOIDES,  and  BELEXOIDES:  a  name  for 
the  firocessus  styloides,  and  of  the  process  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  ulna. 

BELE'SON.     See  BALSAMUM. 
BE'LI.     See  COVALAM. 

BELI'LIA.  (Indian).  Calledfrutej:  Indicus  baccifer. 
An  Indian  berry  bearing  shrub,  a  decoction  of  which 
is  cooling.  Rail  Hist.  The  musstsnda  frondosa  Lin  St> 
PI.  251. 

BELLADO'NNA,(from  belladonna,  handsome  lady, 
Italian).  It  is  so  called  because  the  ladies  of  Italy  use 
it  to  take  away  the  too  florid  colour  of  their  complexion. 
See  SOLANUM  LETHALE. 

BE'LLEGU,  BELLERE'GI,  BE'LNILEG,  BEL- 
LE'RIC^E.  See  MYROBALANI  BELLERICI. 

BELLIDIOI'DES,  (from  bellis,  the  daisy  ;  and  ;<&$. 
form).  See  BELLIS  MAJOR. 

BE'LLIS,  (a  hello  colore,from  itsfair  colour).  The 
DAISY. 

BE'LLIS  MINOR;  called  also  consolida  minima,  sym- 
fiythum  minimum,  bellis  sylvestris  minor,  BRUISEWORT, 
and  COMMON  DAISY."  Bellis  fterennis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1249. 
It  is  too  well  known  to  need  a  description.  Its  leaves 
and  flowers  loosen  the  belly,  are  commended  in  disorders 
that  arise  from  drinking  cold  liquor  while  the  body  was 
hot.  The  leaves  are  slightly  acrid,  the  roots  rather  more 
so.  They  have  a  subtle  penetrating  pungency,  that  is 
not  hot  or  fiery,  but  like  the  contrayerva.  The  root 
preserves  this  pungent  matter  when  dried,  and  an  ex- 
tract made  with  water,  or  with  spirit,  retains  the  greatest 
part  of  its  virtues.  It  is  said  to  be  an  excellent  an- 
tiscorbutic ;  but  with  all  these  fancied  virtues  itis  wholly- 
neglected. 

BELLIS  MAJOR,  conxolida  media  Lobelii,  bellidioides, 
leucanthemum  brltidis  facie,  buthalmum  majus  oculis 

bo-vis,      OX       EYE,     MAUDLIN     WORT,    Or      GREAT      OX    EYF. 

DAISY.  It  is  the  chrysanthemum  leucanthemum  Lin.  Sp, 


EN 


240 


BEN 


PI.  1251.  It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in  corn  fields 
and  in  dry  pasture  grounds;  and  flowers  in  May  and 
June. 

The  leaves  have  been  in  esteem  as  diuretic  and  anti- 
asthmatic. 

S    LUTKA      FOLIIS      PROFUNDIS.        See      CHRYSAN- 


THEMUM. 

BEI.LIS      MONTANA      FRUTESCENS      AC'IUS.  See      PY- 

HETHHUM. 

BELLO'CULUS,  quasi  BELI-OCULUS,  a  white 
gum  dedicated  to  Bel,  the  Assyrian  idol.  A  sort  of 
precious  stone  resembling  the  eye  ;  hence  supposed  to 
be  good  against  its  disorders. 

BE'LLON.     See  COLICA, 

BELLO'NIO  and  BELLO'NIS  ;  so  called  in  honour 
of  Petrus  Bcllonius.  See  CEDRUS  FOLIO  CYPRI. 

BE'LLONIUS  DE  AQUAT.  An  abbreviation  of 
Petrus  Bellonlus  de  Ayuatilibus. 

BK'LLOSTI  PI'LLULjE,  BELOST'S  PILLS.  R.  Hy- 
clrargyri  purificati,  §  iv-  in  syr.  e"  spin,  cervin.  §  i.  ex- 
tinct, resin,  jalappii  et  pulv.  colocynth.  a7i  ^  i.  f.  massa 
cujus  cap.  3  ss.  2''°  vel  3"'a  quaq.  nocte. 

BELLU'TTA  TSJA'MPACAM.  (Indian),  Called 
also  amel/io  and  ameljiodi.  The  name  of  a  large  tree  in 
Malabar.  The  root,  powdered  and  taken  with  ginger, 
promotes  sweat.  A  decoction  of  the  leaves  is  a  good 
expectorant,  and  it  is  said  to  be  of  service  against  the 
bites  of  serpents.  Raii  Hist. 

BELLY.  In  medical  language  means  the  state  of 
the  intestines  ;  as  a  bound  belly,  a  loose  belly. 

BELLY  of  a  MUSCLE.  The  larger  fleshy  part,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  smaller  or  tendinous  extremities. 

BELOE'RE.  (Indian).  An  Indian  evergreen  plant. 
The  seeds  purge  moderately,  but  the  leaves  roughly. 
Raii  Hist. 

BELOI'DES,  BELONOI'DES,  (from  /3fA»;,  a  dart, 
and  tidos,  forma).  See  BELEMNOIDES. 

BELT.  A  bandage  applied  round  the  body.  Mer- 
cury is  used  externally,  by  covering  the  internal  part 
with  its  calx  prepared  by  trituration ;  and  some  other 
medicines  have  been  employed  in  the  same  manner. 

BELU'GA  STONE.  A  morbid  concretion  from  the 
beluga  fish,  deljihinus  leucas  of  Pennant.  The  Asiatics 
near  the  Volga  suppose  it  useful  in  many  complaints, 
and  think  it  promotes  delivery. 

BELU'LCUM,  (from  /3sA«?,  an  arrciv,  or  dart,  and 
i^xoa,  to  draw  out).  An  instrument  for  extracting  darts 
or  arrows. 

BELUZA'AR.     See  AXTIDOTUM. 

BELZU'AR  MINERA'LE.     See  BEZOAR  FOSSILE. 

BEM  TA'MARA,  (from  the  Arabic  term,  behen- 
tamara).  The  EGYPTIAN  BEAN.  See  FABA  J£GYP- 
TIA. 

BEN,  (from  be/in,  Arabic,)  also  called  balanus  myrefi- 
sica,  glans  unguentaria,  nux  ben,  nux  unguentaria 
moris,  Coatlis.  The  OILY  ACORN,  OILY  NUT,  or  BEN  NUT, 
probably  from  the  guillandina  moringa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  546. 
Wahl  and  Wildenow  have  formed  a  new  genus  for  this 
species  with  the  appellation  of  liyfieranthera.  Loureiro 
styles  it  anonia  moranga. 

It  is  a  whitish  nut,  of  the  size  of  a  small  filbert, 
roundish,  triangular,  with  a  kernel  covered  with  a 
white  skin.  It  grows  spontaneously  in  the  East  Indies 
and  America;  and  is  brought  also  from  Arabia. 

These  kernels  have  a  nauseous  bitter,  oily  taste,  are 


purgative,  occasion  a  nausea  and  colic :  on  expression 
they  yield  one-fourth  of  their  weight  of  a  yellow  oil, 
called  oleum  myrefisicum;  balaninum  oleum,  almost  in- 
sipid and  flavourless ;  for  the  nauseous  bitter  remains 
behind.  This  oil  does  not  grow  rancid  by  long  keep- 
ing, as  is  common  with  expressed  oils,  on  account  of 
which  it  is  vised  as  the  basis  of  odoriferous  unguents 
and  perfumes,  and  would  be  highly  valuable  for  oint- 
ments were  it  easily  procured.  It  is  impregnated  with 
the  odour  of  jasmine,  and  other  flowers,  by  stratifying 
them  with  cotton  dipped  in  the  oil,  and  repeating  the 
process  with  fresh  flowers  until  the  oil  becomes  suffi- 
ciently odorous,  after  which  it  is  squeezed  out  from  the 
cotton  in  a  press.  This  is  also  a  name  of  the  bchen. 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  lignum  nefihriticum 
is  the  wood  of  the  tree  which  bears  these  nuts:  q.  v. 

There  is  another  species  of  ben  much  larger  than  the 
above.  Monardus  calls  it  ben  magnum,  seu  a-uellana. 
jntrgalrix,  the  GREAT  BEN  or  PURGING  FILBERT.  It 
purges  and  vomits  violently. 

BE'NATH.  The  Arabic  name  for  small  pustules 
which  arise  in  the  night  after  sweating. 

BENEDI'CTA  AQUA.  A  former  appellation  of 
the  aqua  calcis  simplex;  the  name  of  a  water  distilled 
from  serpyllum;  and  in  Schroeder  of  an  emetic. 

BENEDI'CTA  AQUA  COMPO'SITA;  i.  e.  Aq.  CALCIS. 
COMPOSITA.  See  CALX. 

BENEDI'CTA  HERBA.     The  HERB  BENNET.     See  CA- 

ROPHYLLATA. 

BENEDI'CTA  LAXATIVA.  A  compound  of  turbeth. 
scammony,  and  spurges,  with  some  warm  aromatics. 

BENEDI'CTUM  LIGNUM.     See  GUAIACUM. 

BENEDI'CTUM  O'LEUM.     See   LATERITIUM  OLEUM. 

BENEDI'CTUM  VINUM.  See  ANTIMONIALE  vi- 
NUM. 

BENEDI'CTUM  LAXATIVUM.  RHUBARB,  and  some- 
times the  LENITIVE  ELECTUARY. 

BENEDI'CTUS  LA'PIS.     See  ADAMUS. 

BENEDI'CTUS,  (from  benedico,  to  bless).  A  specific 
term  affixed  to  many  herbs  and  compositions,  on  ac- 
count of  their  good  qualities. 

BENGA'LLE  INDO'RUM.  From  Bengal,  its  na- 
tive place.  See  CASSUMUNAR. 

BENINGA'NIO.  A  fruit  which  grows  in  the  bay 
of  St.  Augustine  :  it  is  of  the  size  of  a  lemon,  red  with- 
out, and  grateful  to  the  stomach.  Raii  Hist. 

BENI'VI  ARBOR,  BENIVITERA,  BENJA- 
MIN, BE'NJUI,  BENZO'E,  BENZO'IFERA,  and  BEN- 
ZOIN. See  BENZO'INUM. 

BENZO'INUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  benzoah,) 
called  also  assa  dulcis,  assa  odorata,  liyuor  syrenaicus, 
or,cyreniacus  balzoinum,GVM  BENJAMIN.  It  is  a  concrete 
resinous  juice,  obtained  from  a  middle  sized  tree,  with 
leaves  like  the  bay  leaves,  but  not  ribbed,  and  falling  off 
in  winter,  bearing  flattish  nuts,  the  size  of  nutmegs, 
whose  fleshy  covering  is  externally  rough  and  hairy.  It  is 
a  native  of  the  East  Indies  and  of  North  America,  parti- 
cularly of  Virginia  and  Carolina;  but  only  brought  from 
the  East  Indies:  it  grows  in  open  ground  with  vigour  in 
England.  Mr.  Dryander  has  fully  ascertained  this  tree  to 
be  a  styrax;  hence  it  is  called  sty  rax-  benzoin  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
Wildenow,  vol.  ii.  623,  nat.  order  bicorncs.  It  is  the 
STYRAX  FOLIIS  oblongatis  acuminatis  subtus  tomentosis, 
racemis  com/iositis  longitudinc  foliorum  Dryander.  Phi- 
losophical Transactions,  vol.  77,  p.  308.  The  leaves 


B  E 


BE  R 


and  the  bark  smell  like  the  gum ;  and  to  rectified  spix 
rit  of  wine  they  give  out  a  resin  like  the  benjamin,  but 
no  resin  naturally  flows  from  it :  the  resin  is  obtained 
by  incisions  made  in  its  trunk,  about  the  origin  of  the 
first  branches ;  as  it  runs  out  it  is  white,  but  soon  be- 
comes yellowish,  reddish,  or  brownish.  It  is  brought 
into  Europe  in  brittle  masses,  composed  partly  of  white, 
and  partly  of  yellowish  or  light  brown  pieces.  The 
white  pieces  are  called  oenzoes  amygdaloides,  and  are 
reckoned  the  best;  they  are  hard,  solid,  shining,  trans- 
parent, and  possess  a  very  fragrant  smell :  this  gum 
resin  hath  but  little  taste,  impressing  the  palate  with  a 
slight  sweetishness;Kits  smell  is  very  fragrant  if  rubbed 
or  heated,  and  it  is  less  heating  than  most  of  the  other 
balsams.  Its  specific  gravity  is  1.092  ;  and  though 
enumerated  among  the  resins,  it  is  in  reality  a  balsam, 
uniting  an  oil  with  an  acid  :  100  parts  contain  9  of 
acid,  5£  of  acidulated  water,  60  of  thick  empyreumatic 
oil,  22  of  brittle  coal,  and  5%  of  carbonated  hydrogen 
and  carbonic  acid  gas.  If  the  oil  is  examined,  5  grains 
more  of  acid  may  be  discovered.  Brande  Ap.  Nichol- 
son's Journal. 

If  pure  it  totally  dissolves  in  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
By  digestion  it  imparts  to  water  much  of  its  fragrance 
and  pungency  :  the  filtered  liquor,  gently  exhaled, 
leaves  a  crystalline  matter  of  a  seemingly  saline  nature, 
amounting  to  an  eighth  part  of  the  whole. 

The  FLOWERS  o/"  BENJAMIN-,  which  is  the  gum  sub- 
limed, and  purified,  if  yellow,  by  repeating  the  opera- 
tion, partake  of  the  fragrance  of  the  resin  :  they  dissolve 
in  spirit  of  wine,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  heat,  in 
water;  from  which  they  are  prevented  from  separating, 
if  as  much  sugar  is  added  as  will  give  the  consistence 
of  syrup  to  the  water. 

The  essential  oil  of  benjamin  rises  after  the  flowers, 
mixed  with  a  little  acid,  and  tainted  with  a  slight  empy- 
reuma.  It  is  purified  by  re-distilling  it  from  water:  the 
tincture  is  made  by  digesting  four  ounces  of  benjamin 
with  a  pint  of  rectified  spirit;  the  compound  tincture, 
dignified  by  the  names  of  commander's  and  traumatic 
balsam,  drops  of  life  and  Persian  balsam,  by  digesting 
three  ounces  of  benjamin,  two  of  strained  storax,  one 
of  balsam  of  Tolu,  and  half  an  ounce  of  socotorine 
aloes  in  a  quart  of  rectified  spirit.  The  lac  virginalis 
consists  of  the  tincture  of  benjamin  in  water,  which 
becomes  milky,  and  the  gum  deposited  is  the  magistcry 
of  benzoin,  and  is  chiefly  the  resinous  without  the  saline 
part  of  the  gum.  In  the  original  receipt  of  the  com- 
mander's balsam,  called  also  Jesuit's  drops,  balsam  of 
Berne,  and  friar's  balsam,  the  ingredients  were  much 
more  numerous,  and  the  composition  seems  to  have 
been  warmer  and  more  fragrant. 

Of  GUM  BENJAMIN,  the  principal  use  is  in  perfumes, 
and  as  a  cosmetic.  It  resembles  in  virtues  and  fra- 
grance the  storax  and  balsam  Tolu,  and  may  be  useful 
in  asthmas  and  other  disorders  of  the  breast,  promot- 
ing expectoration  :  the  flowers  are  also  a  powerful 
errhine.  The  flowers  may  be  given  from  ten  to  fifteen 
grains,  and  the  tincture  in  doses  from  eighty  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  drops,  but  is  chiefly  used  to  clear 
the  skin  and  give  a  scent  to  wash  balls.  The  lac  vir- 
ginalis  must  be  used  when  a  roughness  or  blotches 
render  the  skin  unsightly  :  it  may  be  rubbed  on  gently 
every  day  with  a  soft  rag. 

The  flowers  of  benjamin  are  manifestly  a  saline  sub- 

VOL.  I. 


stance  of  the  acid  kind,  of  some  acrimony,  and  stimu- 
lant power.  They  have  been  recommended  as  a  pec-' 
toral ;  but  Dr.  Cullen  has  employed  them  in  some  asth- 
matic cases  without  effect:  half  a  drachm  appeared  to  be 
heating  and  hurtful.  This  is  the  benzoic  acid  of  the 
chemists,  which  claims  a  share  of  our  attention  from  its 
so  often  occurring  in  animal  substances,  though,  as  a 
medicine,  it  is  almost,  if  not  wholly,  useless.  About 
fourteen  drachms  of  concrete  acid  may  be  obtainedfrom 
a  pound  of  benzoin,  by  Scheele's  process,  which  is  pre- 
ferable to  any  other.  Its  specific  gravity  is  0.667.  It 
is  white ;  with  difficulty  reduced  to  powder ;  its  taste 
sharp  and  pungent,  subliming  by  heat,  but  not  volatile 
in  an  ordinary  temperature.  Cold  water  dissolves  ji^ 
part  of  its  weight,  and  boiling  water  ^.  Benzoat  of 
lime  is  found  in  the  calculi  of  herbivorous  animals,  and 
in  some  human  concretions.  The  benzoats  have  not, 
however,  been  employed  as  medicines.  From  Herms- 
staedt's  experiments,  Journal  de  Physique,  vol.  34,  it 
appears  to  contain  some  prussic  acid.  It  has  been 
reckoned  among  the  correctors  of  opium  ;  and,  to  pre- 
vent the  latter  checking  expectoration,  has  been  added 
to  the  old  elixir  paregoric,  though  without  any  particu- 
lar advantage.  It  is  also  an  ingredient  in  the  balsamum 
traumaticum  ;  and  in  fumigations  has  been  employed 
as  a  corrector  of  foul  air. 

BE'RBARIS,  BE'RBERIS,  (from  the  Arabic  term 
berberi,  wild).  Called  also  ojcyacant/ia  Galeni,  sftina 
acida,  cresfiinus,  cris/iinus ;  PIPERIDGE  or  PIPERAGE 
BUSH,  and  BARBERRY.  The  berberis  -vulgaris  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  471.  Nat.  order  trihilate. 

It  is  a  large  prickly  bush,  with  brittle  .branches,  co- 
vered with  an  ash  coloured  bark,  under  which  lies  an- 
other of  a  deep  yellow  colour.  Some  of  the  individuals 
have  no  seeds  in  their  berries  ;  and  sometimes  berries 
with  and  without  seeds  are  found  on  one  bush.  It 
grows  wild  on  chalky  hills,  flowers  in  May,  and  its  fruit 
ripens  in  September. 

The  fruit  is  a  mild  restringent  acid,  useful  in  hot  bi- 
lious disorders,  and  colliquative  putrescent  state  of  the 
fluids.  The  leaves  have  the  same  virtues  as  the  ber- 
ries, but  in  less  degree.  The  inner  yellow  bark  is 
austere  and  bitterish,  gently  purgative,  and  supposed 
to  be  useful  in  the  jaundice.  The  bark  of  the  root  is 
mildly  astringent.  These  barks  do  not  keep  long,  and 
are  best  used  by  infusing  one  ounce  of  bark  in  a  pint  of 
water. 

Simon  Paulli  recommends  an  essential  salt  of  bar- 
berries under  the  appellation  of  tartar  of  barberries.  Two 
ounces  of  lemon  juice  are  added  to  two  pints  of  the 
juice  of  barberries  :  they  are  digested,  the  liquor  eva- 
porated, and  the  salt  suffered  to  crystallize.  A.  jelly  of 
barberries  is  made  in  the  usual  way.  The  vicinity  of 
the  barberry  tree  has  been  accused  of  communicating 
the  fungusj  on  which  what  is  called  the  rust  depends, 
to  wheat ;  and  it  was  long  since  observed  that  the  ears 
of  corn  in  its  neighbourhood  were  barren. 
BERDIRA'MON.  See  BISTORTA. 
BERE'DRIAS.  The  name  of  an  ointment  mention- 
ed in  jEtius. 

BERENI'CE,    (from    the    city  of   Berenice,   from 
whence  it  was  brought).     See  SUCCINUM. 
BERE'NS  SE'CUM.     See  ARTEMISIA. 
BE'RGAMOTE,  or  BE'RGAMOT,  (French).     It 
is  a  species  of  citron,  produced  at  first  casually  by  an 

I  i 


HER 


242 


BE  T 


Italian's  grafting  a  citron  on  the  stock  of  a  bergamot 
pear  tree,  whence  the  fruit  produced  by  the  union  par- 
ticipated both  of  the  citron  tree  and  the  pear  tree,  and 
the  plant  is  a  variety  of  the  citrus  medico.  Lin.  The  fruit 
hath  a  fine  taste  and  smell,  and  its  essential  oil  is  in 
high  esteem  as  a  perfume. 

The  essence  of  bergamot  is  also  called  essentia  de  ce- 
dra.  It  is  extracted  from  the  yellow  rind  of  the  fruit 
by  first  cutting  it  in  small  pieces,  then  immediately 
squeezing  the  oil  into  a  glass  vessel.  This  fluid  is  an 
ethereal  oil. 

A  water  is  distilled  from  the  peel  by  adding  the  outer 
rind  of  three  bergamots  to  a  gallon  of  pure  proof  spirit, 
and  four  pints  of  pure  water :  a  gallon  may  be  drawn 
off  in  a  balneum  mariae,  and  as  much  of  the  best  white 
sugar  as  will  be  agreeable  must  be  added.  It  may  be 
prepared  also  by  di-stilling  off  three  pints  from  the  es- 
sence of  bergamot  three  drachms  and  a  half,  rectified 
spirit  of  wine  three  pints,  ammonia  prepared  a  drachm. 

BERIBE'RI,  BERIBE'RIA.  In  the  East  Indies,  the 
terms  mean,  in  a  medical  sense,  a  species  of  palsy,  in 
which,  according  to  Bontius,  patients  seem  to  imitate 
sheep  in  lifting  their  legs  when  they  walk.  This  palsy 
consists  in  a  partial  deprivation  of  the  motion  and  sen- 
sation of  the  hands  and  feet,  and  sometimes  of  the  body. 
Sauvages  defines  it  under  the  order  of  clonic  spasms: 
'  In  walking,  a  retraction  of  the  knee,  with  tremor;  a 
sense  of  crawling,  or  tingling,  and  hoarseness,  com- 
mon in  the  Indies.'  Linnaeus  describes  it  as  '  a  tre- 
mor of  the  parts,  contracture  of  the  knees,  i.  e.  con- 
tinual chronic  agitation  of  the  parts  without  a  sensation 
of  coldness,  stupor,  and  hoarseness.'  Sagar  adds  to  the 
definition  of  Sauvages,  '  painful  stupor  of  the  limbs.' 
lie  once  saw  some  sheep,  observing  a  wolf,  seized  with 
this  spasmodic  affection  ;  and  that  they,  whether 
standing  still  or  walking,  momentaneously  retracted 
their  knees,  which  immediately  returned  to  their  na- 
tural situation,  Dr.  Aitkin  makes  it  synonymous  with 
CONTRACTURE,  which  see.  The  cause  is  generally 
thought  to  be  exposure  to  the  cold  vapours  of  the  night 
too  soon  after  exercise.  • 

The  cause  of  this  disease  is  whatever  weakens  the 
moving  powers,  and  relaxes  the  ligaments.  Generally 
its  approach  is  gradual ;  but  sometimes  it  seizes  suddenly. 

The  symptoms  are,  an  universal  lassitude,  a  faulty 
motion  of  the  hands  and  feet,  and  the  same  throbbing 
litillation  is  felt  in  them  as  is  felt  in  the  fingers  and  toes 
in  a  cold  country  in  the  winter  season,  only  the  pain  is 
not  so  great :  sometimes  the  voice  is  so  obstructed  as  to 
render  articulation  difficult.  The  disease  is  not  mortal, 
except  by  seizing  the  muscles  of  the  breast,  so  as  to  ob- 
struct respiration  and  the  voice. 

In  THE  CURE,  moderate  exercise  and  frictions  are 
useful:  the  Indians  use  a  semicupium  made  of  water, 
in  which  is  boiled  an  aromatic  herb  called  lagondi,  or, 
in  want  of  it,  camomile  and  melilot.  The  affected  parts 
are  rubbed  well  with  a  mixture  of  the  oils  of  mace  and 
roses.  Bleeding  is  not  required  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
warm  nervous  strengthening  restoratives  are  to  be  used, 
with  an  occasional  gentle  purge.  Decoctions  of  sarsa- 
parilla  and  guaiacum  are  also  of  service.  See  Bontius 
De  Medicinu  Indorum. 

BERICO'CCA.  A  corruption  of  the  Tuscan  lan- 
guage from  PH^ECOCCA,  which  see;  and  also  ARMENIAOA 
MALA. 


BERMUDE'NSES,  BA'CC^l,  (from  Bermudas}. 
See  SAPONARI.S  NUCULJE. 

BE'RNAVI.  An  electuary  mentioned  by  Prosper 
Alpinus  in  his  work  De  Medicina.  jEgyptiorum.  It  is 
prepared  in  India  ;  its  composition  is  unknown ;  but 
very  extraordinary  effects  are  attributed  to  it. 

BERNHA'RDI  TESTI'CULUS.  See  ASPHODELU* 

LUTEUS. 

BERNHA'RDI  EREMI'TA.     See  CANCELLUS. 
BERRIO'NIS.       See    COLOPHONIA    and    JUNIPERI 

GUM. 

BERS.  A  sort  of  electuary  used  by  the  Egyptians 
to  promote  gaiety ;  it  contains  opium,  and  creates  a 
temporary  delirium. 

BE'RULA.     See  BECABUNGA. 

BE'RULA  GA'LLIOA.     See  SIUM  ANGUSTIFOLIUM. 

BERY'TION,  from  Berytus,  its  inventor.  The 
name  of  a  collyrium  described  by  Galen  as  good 
against  an  ophthalmia  ;  and  of  a  pastil  against  the  dy- 
sentery. 

BES.     See  CYATHUS. 

BE'SACHER.     See  FUNGUS  and  SPONGIA. 

BE'SASA.     See  RUTA. 

BESL.  FA'SCIC.  An  abbreviation  of  Basilii  Bee- 
leri  fasciculus  rariorum. 

BESL.  GAZOPHYL.  An  abbreviation  of  Gazofihylaciunt 
Rerum  JVaturalium  Michae'lits  Rufierti  Benleri. 

BESL.  HORT.  Ezs.  An  abbreviation  of  Besleri  Hor- 
tus  Kystetensis. 

BESO'NNA.  Rulandus  explains  it  by  muscciruin 
fungus.  Probably  he  means  a  s/ionge. 

BESSA'NNEN.  An  Arabian  term.  In  Avicenna 
it  is  a  redness  of  the  external  parts,  resembling  that 
which  precedes  the  leprosy  :  it  occupies  the  face  and 
extremities.  Dr.  James  thinks  it  is  what  we  call 
chilblains,  but  is  more  probably  erysipelas.  See  PER- 
NIO. 

BE'STO.     See  SAXIFRAGA. 

BE'TA.  So  called  from  the  river  Baetis  in  Spain, 
where  it  grows  naturally ;  or  from  the  Greek  letter 
/3,  lie/a,  which  when  turgid  with  seed  it  is  said  to  re- 
semble. BEET.  It  grows  on  some  of  the  sea  coasts 
of  England  and  Holland.  There  are  numerous  varie- 
ties of  the  beta  vulgaris  et  tnaritima  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  322, 
distinguished  rather  from  their  colour  than  their  pro- 
perties; and  a  wild  sort  called  by  Dioscorides  limonium. 
The  parent  of  all  is  probably  the  6.  muritima  Lin.  The 
mangel  wurtzel,  with  whose  wonderful  virtues  the 
world  was  some  years  since  so  much  amused, is  a  variety 
of  the  b.  cicla  Lin.  From  the  b.  -uulgaris  M.  Achard 
has  attempted  to  extract  sugar,  hitherto  with  little  suc- 
cess. By  a  miserable  pun,  both  have  been  said  to  be 
baits  for  popularity. 

Beets,  used,  as  food,  are  difficult  of  digestion,  and 
afford  but  little  nourishment.  If  freely  eaten  they  are 
laxative  and  emollient.  The  red  ones  give  out  their 
colour  to  spirit  of  wine ;  and  on  expression  the  colour 
accompanies  their  juice. 

The  juice  of  both  kinds  has  been  considered  as  a 
powerful  errhine,  occasioning  a  copious  discharge, 
without  sneezing ;  but  Dr.  Cullcn  observes,  in  the 
trials  he  made,  the  juice  snuffed  up  the  nose  gave  no 
large  or  durable  evacuation.  The  dried  red  beet  roots 
yield  one-twentieth  part  their  weight  of  sugar,  and  the 
dried  white  beet  roots  one-tenth. 


BEZ 


243 


BE  Z 


BETLA.  (Indian.)  Called  also  betre,  betele,  bethle, 
tiftelle,  BETLE,  and  bulatiaaela. 

It  is  a  scandent  plant,  growing  in  different  parts  of 
the  East  Indies,  bearing  a  fruit  which  resembles  a  liz- 
ard's tail ;  its  taste  is  agreeable ;  and  the  ancient  bo- 
tanists confound  its  leaf  with  the  malabathrum.  It  is, 
however,  a  species  of  piper,  viz.  p.  betele  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  40. 
Another  species  growing  in  Java  is  the/*,  scriboa  P.  41. 
Mixed  with  other  things,  as  fancy  directs,  the  Indians 
chew  it  almost  continually.  It  is  gratefully  cordial,  but 
seems  to  injure  their  teeth. 

BETO'NICA,  corrupted  from  vetonica,  perhaps 
from  Vetones,  a  people  of  Lusitania.  Called  also  -veto- 
nica  cordi,  cestrum,  drosiobetanon,  COMMON  or  WOODY 
BETOXY.  The  betonica  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  810.  Nat. 
order  -verticillate  or  labiates. 

The  leaves  and  tops  are  somewhat  disagreeably 
scented,  but  the  odour  soon  flies  off  from  the  dry  herb: 
to  the  taste  they  are  warm,  rough,  and  bitterish  ;  if 
powdered,  they  make  a  good  errhine. 

An  infusion  of  the  leaves  in  boiling  water  contains 
all  the  virtue  of  the  herb,  and  is  its  best  preparation. 
From  large  quantities  a  small  portion  of  essential  oil  is 
obtained  by  distillation.  The  roots  are  said  to  be  nau- 
seous and  emetic  ;  and,  as  a  medicine,'  very  similar  to 
the  helleborus  albus.  Scopoli  thinks  it  a  cephalic  and 
a  tonic.  It  is  an  ingredient  in  Rowley's  British  herb 
snuff. 

BETO'NICA  AQUA'TICA.  See  SCROPHULARIA  AQUA- 
TIC A. 

BETO'NICA  PAU'LI.     See  VERONICA. 
BETO'XICA    CORONA 'RIA.       See  CARYOPHILLUS    RU- 
BER. 

BE'TRE.     See  BETLA. 
BETTO'XICA.     See  BARDAXA  MAJOR. 
BE'TULA,  (from  batuo,to  beat,  because  rods  are 
made  of  its  twigs).    The  BIRCH  TREE.    The  betula  alba 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1393.  Nat.  order  amentacece. 

If  this  tree  is  wounded  in  the  spring  pretty  deeply 
into  its  trunk,  there  gradually  issues  a  large  quantity  of 
a  limpid  sweetish  juice.  It  is  best  when  drawn  from 
the  upper  part  of  the  tree  :  soon  after  the  leaves  have 
begun  to  appear,  the  juice  loses  its  sweetness.  This 
juice  hath  been  drunk  as  an  antiscorbutic ;  it  sensibly 
promotes  urine,  and,  freely  taken,  proves  laxative.  It 
has  been  used  in  diseases  of  the  skin,  and  against 
worms.  By  fermentation  it  becomes  a  vinous  liquor; 
and,  inspissated  to  the  consistence  of  a  syrup,  it  yields 
in  cool  places  a  brownish  concrete  like  manna. 

The  leaves  and  bark  are  antiseptic.     The  former  are 
applied  to  erysipelatous  inflammations,  and  the  latter  is 
burnt  to  correct  bad  air ;  and  for  this  purpose  it  is  the 
next  in  goodness  to  juniper.     The  oil  is  sweet,  but  not 
particularly  employed  :  that  of  the  epidermis  is  black. 
BEUTU'A.     See  PAREIKA  BRAVA. 
BEX,  (from  /3>j<r««,  to  cough).     See  Tussis. 
BEXU'GO.     The  root  of  the  clematis  Peruviana  of 
C.  B.;  one  drachm  of  which  is  enough  for  a  purge. 

BEXUGU'ILLO.  The  PERUVIAN  IPECACUANHA. 
See IPECACUANHA. 

BE'ZOAR,  so  called  because  it  is  found  in  the  sto- 
mach of  the  sort  of  goat  named  bezoar.  This  is  ori- 
ginally a  Persian  word,  viz.  BADZCHER,  or  LAZCHER,  or 
PHAHAZAR,  which  signifies  an  antidote.  Avcnzoar  is 


the  first  who  mentions  it  as  a  medicine,  or  who  give* 
its  history. 

Bezoar  stones  are  preternatural  or  morbid  concre- 
tions formed  in  the  bodies  of  many  animals ;  they  are 
composed  of  several  strata,  or  layers,  like  an  onion.  In 
the  Hist,  de  1'Acad.  an.  1703,  it  is  asserted,  that  all  be- 
zoar stones  are  bilious  concret'ions  of  the  respective 
animals  which  afford  them. 

Bezoars  may  be  divided  into  :  1.  The  true  oriental 
and  occidental.  2.  Animal  concretions  -which  resem- 
ble bezoar;  as  those  from  apes,  and  even  the  various 
species  of  pearls  and  crabs'  eyes.  3.  The  several  spe- 
cies of  fossil  bezoars.  4.  Those  -which  have  only  the 
shape,  without  the  virtues  of  bezoar,  as  the  calculi  in 
the  human  bladder,  kidneys,  and  gall  bladder;  or  in 
the  same  parts  of  oxen.  5.  The  aegragropila,  balls  of 
matted  hair,  and  bezoar  Gennanicum,  see  CAPRA  AL- 

PINA. 

BE'ZOAR  ORIENTA'LIS,  called  also  lafiis  bezoar,  hircn-- 
bezoarticus,  and  the  ORIENTAL  BEZOAR  STONE,  from 
the  East  Indies.  It  is  supposed  to  be  produced 
in  the  cavity  at  the  bottom  of  the  fourth  stomach 
of  a  species  of  goat  in  Persia  called  fiarau.  Antflofi? 
gazella  Lin.  though  not  peculiar  to  this  species,  as  it 
occurs  also  in  the  an'tilofte  cervicaftra  and  the  cafira 
egagrus  Lin.  It  is  only  found  in  the  old  ones,  and 
exclusively  in  those  which  feed  on  particular  moun- 
tains. 

This  stone,  finely  powdered  and  levigated  with  spirit 
of  wine,  was  formerly  made  into  balls,  which  were 
called  GASCOIGXE  BALLS,  from  Gascoign  their  inventor. 
What  are  at  present  sold  under  that  name  by  the  trad- 
ing chemists,  if  any  remain,  are  a  sophisticated  medi- 
cine without  bezoar. 

BE'ZOAR  OCCIDENTA'LIS,  called  also  lafiis  bezoar,  Pe- 
ruvianus,  the  AMERICAN  or  OCCIDENTAL  BEZOAR,  from 
the  West  Indies. 

It  is  found  in  the  stomach  of  an  animal  of  the  stag 
kind,  called  animate  bezoarticum  occidentale,  a  native  of 
Peru,  and  other  parts  in  the  Spanish  West  Indies ;  and 
in  the  stomach  of  the  yzard  of  the  Alps,  antilofie  rufii- 
cafira  and  cafira  ibex  Lin. 

BE'ZOAR  HYSTRI'CIS,  (from  orlpi%,  the  hedge  hog,  be- 
cause its  spots  resemble  the  bristles  of  an  hedge  hog,) 
fii/a  hystricis,  bezoar  fiord,  lafiis  fiorcinus,  fietro  del 
fiorco,  lafiis  Malacensis,\\\e  PORCUPINE  BEZOAR,  or  GALL 
STOXE.  It  is  found  in  the  gall  bladder  of  an  Indian 
porcupine,  particularly  in  the  province  of  Malacca,  of 
a  roundish  figure,  and  of  a  pale  or  purplish  colour,  or 
between  a  green  and  white  ;  it  is  soft,  smooth,  and  slip- 
pery to  the  touch  ;  to  the  taste  intensely  bitter,  and  the 
water  in  which  it  is  steeped  soon  becomes  bitter  also. 
It  does  not  appear  to  differ  from  the  biliary  concretions 
of  an  ox  or  any  other  animal.  It  is  carried  in  the  pocket 
as  an  amulet,  and  hired  in  Portugal  at  about  a  shilling 
a  day. 

BE'ZOAR  SI'MLE,  or  LA'PIS  SI'MIJE,  the  BEZOAR  of  the 
MONKEY.  Stones  of  this  kind  are  found  in  the  stomach 
of  certain  monkeys  in  Brasil  and  the  East  Indies, 
though  they  rarely  produce  them..  They  are  about 
the  size  of  hazel  nuts,  harder  than  the  oriental  bezoar, 
of  a  dark  green  colour,  almost  black.  The  scarcity 
renders  them  costly,  and  they  are  seldom  to  be  met 
with.  Bezoars  are  also  taken  from  the  stomachs  of 


BE/ 


244 


151  C 


crocodiles,  clogs,  mules,  and  the  camrlus  vicugna  Lin. 
All  the  true  bezoars,  when  rubbed,  exhale  a  perfume ; 
and,  when  cut  through,  are  found  to  contain  a  nucleus 
of  vegetable  matter,  successively  covered  by  laminse  ' 
of  an  ammoniacal  magnesian  phosphat,  mixed  with  a 
coloured  extractive  vegetable  matter,  and  animal  fluids 
of  a  bilious  kind.  These  give  the  green  colour  and 
the  smell  of  musk.  On  the  molares  of  ruminant  ani- 
mals there  is  a  brown  golden  coloured  coat,  like  that  on 
the  surface  of  their  bezoars.  Fourcroy  has  analysed 
the  oriental  bezoars  with  some  care,  (Annales  du  Mu- 
seuin  d'Histoire' Naturelle,  vol.  5.  p.  111).  He  con- 
siders them  as  an  animal  resin  different  from  every 
concretion.  They  are  softened  by  heat,  easily  pene- 
trated by  a  hot  needle,  exhaling  an  aromatic  and  musky 
odour ;  they  burn  and  inflame  with  a  thick  smoke, 
impart  a  colour  to  boiling  water,  and  wholly  dissolve 
in  alcohol,  which  they  colour.  They  are  dissolved 
by  caustic  alkalis,  differing  in  this  from  vegetable 
resins. 

The  false  bezoars  are  prepared  with  powdered  oyster 
shells  made  into  small  balls  with  gum  water,  and  per- 
fumed with  ambergris.  They  effervesce  with  acids, 
and,  when  cut,  have  no  concentric  laminae  ;  nor,  when 
broken, any  crystalline  stris ;  nor,  when  rubbed  on  paper 
previously  covered  with  chalk,  do  they  leave  an  olive 
coloured  mark.  The  Goa  and  Malacca  stones  are  of 
this  kind. 

BE'ZOAR  FO'SSILE.  FOSSILE  BEZOAR  is  a  small  hollow 
body  from  Italy,  found  in  sand  and  clay  pits,  of  a  purple 
colour,  with  a  rough  surface,  the  size  of  a  walnut,  and 
light.  When  broke,  it  is  found  to  consist  of  an  irony 
crust,  containing  in  its  hollow  a  fine  greenish  white 
earth  resembling  pale  bezoar.  The  earth  is  used,  and 
not  the  shells.  It  seems  to  be  of  the  nature  of  bole 
armoniac,  or  rather  calcareous ;  and  is  also  called  bezoar 
minerale,  terra  sicula  et  noceriana,  lapis  bezalian,  sicu- 
Itis  albus,  belzuar  minor.  SICILIANA,  MINERAL  BEZOAR, 
and  SICILIAN  EARTH. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  boasted  virtues  of  these  be- 
zoars, viz.  the  power  of  destroying  poisons  and  reani- 
mating the  vital  powers,  it  is  certain  that  they  are  ab- 
solutely indigestible  in  the  stomachs  of  the  animals  in 
which  they  are  found;  and  they  are  equally  so  in  the 
human,  except  when  accompanied  with  an  acid;  so 
that  no  more  can  be  expected  from  them  than  from  any 
of  the  testac'ea  that  are  soluble  in  acids ;  but  they  are 
inferior  to  them,  as  far  less  absorbent,  and  more  diffi- 
cultly acted  on  by  any  acid. 

BE'ZOAR  MICROCOSMICUM,  called  also  calculus  huma- 
nus,  the  calculus  of  the  human  bladder. 

It  is  various  in  its  degrees  of  hardness,  as  well  as  in 
its  size  and  figure.  It  has  been  used  in  the  place  of  the 
more  costly  sorts. 

BE'ZOAR  ANIMA'LE.  ANIMAL  BEZOAR.  Take  the 
whitest  calcined  hartshorn  levigated  to  the  greatest 
subtility,  pour  on  it,  drop  by  drop,  the  spirit  of  vitriol, 
to  form  it  into  a  paste  to  be  made  into  balls. 

A  powder  of  liver  and  heart  of  vipers  is  called  ani- 
mal bezoar. 

BE'ZOAR  BO'VINUS,  called  also  alcheron  lafiis.  The 
Portuguese  call  it  MESANG  DE  VACA.  It  is  a  stone  found 
in  the  gall  bladder  of  a  bull. 

BE'ZOAR  MI'NERAL.     See  BEZOAR  FOSSILS. 


BEZOAR'DICA  RA'DIX.     See  CONTRAYERVA. 

BEZOA'RDICUM  JOVIA'LE.  '  BEZOAH  with  TIN 
Ses  ANTIMONY. 

Tliis  differs  very  little  from  the  anti-hecticum  Pote- 
rii,  and  might  as  well  be  prepared  by  simple  deflagra- 
tion with  nitre,  since  it  is  a  mere  calx. 

BEZOAR'DICUS  PULVIS.     See  BEZOAR  ORIEN- 

TALIS. 

BEZOA'RTICUM,  BEZOAHTIC  ;  such  was  the  opi- 
nion of  the  ancients  respecting  the  virtues  of  bezoar, 
that  physicians  held  it  as  a  medicine  highly  efficacious 
in  a  vast  variety  of  cases,  particularly  as  a  counter 
poisoner  alexipharmic,  and  placed  a  very  great  depend- 
ence on  its  powers ;  therefore,  all  medicines  supposed 
to  possess  similar  virtues,  were  termed  bczoartica. 

BEZOA'RTICUM  MINERALE.  The  common  calx  of  an- 
timony generally  supplies  its  place,  for,  like  that  calx, 
it  is  absolutely  inert. 

BIA'NCA  ALEXANDRI'NA.      See  ALBUM  His- 

PANICUM. 

BIBITO'RIUS  MU'SCULUS,(from  bibo,  to  drink). 
See  ADDUCTOR  OCULI. 

BI'BULUS  LAPIS,  (from  bibo,  to  drink,  so  called 
from  its  drinking  or  absorbing  power).  See  Pu- 
MEX. 

BICAUDA'LIS  MUSCULA'RIS,  vel  INTRICA'- 
TUS  MU'SCULUS,(froin  bis,  twice,  &i\dcauda,a  tail, 
so  called  from  having  two  tails).  See  ABDUCTOR  AURIS, 
N°  1. 

BI'CEPS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  bis,  and  cafiut).     A 

DOUBLE  HEADED  MUSCLE. 

BI'CEPS  HU'MERI,  called  also  bice/is  interims  humeri: 
Dr.  Hunter  calls  it  biceps  flexor.  It  rises  by  two  heads; 
one  of  them,  which  is  a  slender  tendon,  from  the  up- 
permost part  of  the  glenoid  cavity ;  it  runs  across, 
within  the  cavity  of  the  joint,  under  the  ligament  of  the 
articulation,  passes  in  the  groove  between  the  two  tu- 
bercles, and,  going  down,  grows  fleshy.  T^le  second 
head  rises  from  the  extremity  of  the  coracoid  processi 
runs  down  the  axilla,  and  joins  the  first,  forming  a  ten- 
don, which  sinks  between  the  interstices  of  th'e  muscles, 
to  be  inserted  into  the  tubercle  on  the  inside  of  the  ra- 
dius. This  muscle,  besides  being  a  flexor,  acts  as  a 
rotator  of  the  radius,  when  the  hand  is  prone.  This 
muscle  sends  off  an  aponeurosis  towards  the  inside  of 
the  arm,  which  is  the  part  wounded  when  the  tendon  is 
said  to  be  pricked  by  bleeding.  This  aponeurosis  was 
first  noticed  by  Cowper. 

BI'CEPS  KXTE'XSOH.  This  muscle  rises  by  two  heads y 
the  longer,  taking  its  origin  from  near  the  neck  of  the 
os  humeri,  runs  between  the  teres  major  and  minor, 
down  the  back  part  of  the  arm,  and  joins  the  short  head 
which  rises  on  the  outside  of  the  deltoid,  and  is  inserted 
into  the  olecranum. 

BI'CEPS  FE'MORIS.  This  muscle  hath  two  heads  ;  the 
longer  rises  in  one  mass  with  the  semitendinosus,  but, 
having  advanced  a  little  way,  they  part :  they  arise  from 
the  protuberance  of  the  ischium  on  its  back  part ;  as 
the  biceps  advances  it  becomes  fleshy.  Between  the 
biceps  and  the  semitendinosus,  the  vessels  lie  in  the 
ham.  The  short  head  rises  from  the  lineal  aspera,  be- 
tween the  insertion  of  the  biceps  and  the  origin  of  the 
vastus  externus.  The  two  heads  join,  and  are  inserted 
into  the  superior  epiphysis,  or  outer  part  of  the  fibula. 


1L 


245 


BIL 


It  bends  the  tibia,  and  partly  rotates  the  leg  by  turning 
ihe  foot  outwards.  Cowper. 

BI'CHOS,  (from  bicho,  fiorf).  A  Portuguese  name 
for  the  worms  found  under  the  toes  in  the  Indies,  and 
which  are  destroyed  by  the  oil  of  the  cashew  nut. 

BICIOX,  (from  £/»»«,  a  fritchcr,  from  the  shape  of 
its  pod).  See  VICIA. 

BICO'RXE  OS,  (from  bis,  douSle,  and  cornu,  horn- 
ed}. See  HVOIDIS  os. 

BICO'RNIS,  (from  the  same).  A  muscle  is  so  called 
when  it  hath  two  terminations  ;  also  a  name  of  \he_flexor 
car/it  radialis,  and  of  the  extensor  carfii  radialis. 

BICU'SPIDES,  (from  bis,  twice,  and  cusfiis,  a 
point).  DOUBLE  POINTED.  See  MOLARES. 

BI'DEXS,  (from  bis,  twice,  and  dens,  a  tooth,)  so 
called  from  its  being  deeply  serrated  or  indented :  called 
also  verbesina,  cannabina  aguatica,  heftatorium  aaualUe, 
eufiatorium  jtrabum,  ceratocefihatus,  AGRIMONY,  and 
WATER  HEMP.  Bidens  trifiartita  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1165.  Xat. 
order  discoidea. 

The  leaves  have  a  light  agreeable  smell,  and  pungent 
bitter  taste ;  are  supposed  to  be  aperient,  corroborant, 
and  of  some  efficacy  in  icteric  complaints,  scurvy,  and 
cedematous  swellings  of  the  feet.  An  infusion  in  boil- 
ing water,  drunk  freely,  is  the  best  method  of  using 
them.  The  juice  of  the  fresh  herb  may  be  taken  in 
doses  from  one  to  two  ounces  :  larger  doses  operate  by 
vomit  and  stool,  and  the  root  p'urges  actively. 

BI'DENS    ZEYLA'NICA,    BI'DEXS   URTICA.     See   ACH- 

MELLA. 

BIE'XXIALIS,  (from  bis,  twice, and annus,  ayear). 
BIENNIAL.  Herbs  are  said  to  be  biennial  when  their 
roots  ^continue  two  years. 

BI'FIDUS,  (from  bis,  t°z-ice,  and  findo,  to  cleave). 
BIFID,  cloven;  called  also  dicreus. 

BIFO'LIUM,  (from  bis,  tmice,  and  folium,  a  leaf,} 
because  it  sends  up  two  leaves  upon  one  stalk :  also 
called  'jfihris,  ofihris  major,  orchis  bifolia,  didyme, 
ordinary  WOOD  BIFOL,  and  COMMON  TWAYBLADE. 
Ofitrys  ovala  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1340.  It  is  found  in  woods 
and  other  shady  places,  flowers  in  June,  and  rank- 
ed among  the  agglutinant  astringents.  Miller's  Bot. 
Off. 

BIGA'STER,  (from  bis,  twice,  and  '/XT'*.?,  belly}.  A 
name  given  to  muscles  that  have  two  bellies. 

BIGXO'XIA  CATA'LPA,  Lin.  The  leaves,  as 
Thunberg  informs  us,  are  applied  with  success  to  limbs 
affected  with  rheumatic  pains  by  the  Japanese. 

BILADEX.     SeeFERRUM.' 

BILIA'RIA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  bilis,  appertaining 
to  bile).  The  BILIARY  ARTERY.  When  the  hepatic  ar- 
tery hath  advanced  as  far  as  the  vesicula  fcllis  it  gives 
out  the  biliaria,  which  accompanies  the  two  cystic 
branches  in  the  gall  bladder,  and  then  is  lost  in  the 
great  lobe  of  the  liver.  See  HEPATICA  AHTERIA. 

BILI'MBI.  (Indian).  A  tree  of  about  eight  or  ten 
feet  high,  which  Bontius  calls  billing  bing;  and  by  the 
Europeans  it  is  named  mains  Indica,fructu  fienlagono. 
Avcrhoa  bilimbi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  613.  Xat.  order  terebin- 
thinaceas. 

It  is  cultivated  in  the  gardens  in  Malabar,  bears 
flowers  and  fruit  all  the  year.  The  juice  of  the  root  is 
cooling;  that  expressed  from  the  fruit  cures  the  itch, 
and  several  other  diseases,  if  applied  by  laying  on  linen 
cloths  that  have  been  dipped  in  it.  Inwardly  taken,  it 


abates  the  gripes  and  a  diarrhoea.  The  ripe  fruit  is 
eaten  as  a  delicacy,  the  unripe  made  into  a  pickle  for 
the  use  of  the  table. 

There  is  another  species  called  neli  fioli,  or  bilimbi 
altera  minor,  averhoa  acida  Lin.  The  male  species  of 
the  nebiflGiili  is  called  alafiouli.  Raii  Hist. 

BILIO'SA  FE'BRIS,  (from  bilis,  bile}.  The  BILIOUS 
FEVER;  called  also  the  MARSH,  REMITTENT,  AUTUMNAL 
REMITTING,  and  CAMP  FEVER.  Febris  Jlava,  febris  ma- 
ligna  Barbadensis,  icterodes. 

When  a  fever  is  accompanied  with  bilious  discharges 
by  vomit  or  stool,  whether  it  be  continual,  intermittent, 
or  remittent,  it  is  called  bilious.  It  is  the  second  spe- 
cies of  typhus  in  Dr.  Cullen's  Xosology,  named  icte- 
rodes, defined  a  typhus  with  yellowness  of  the  skin.  In 
his  First  Lines,  vol.  i.  he  observes  that  the  typhus  is  a 
genus  that  comprehends  several  species;  that  these, 
however,  are  not  well  ascertained  by  observation; 
many  of  the  different  cases  do  not  imply  any  specific 
difference,  and  seem  to  be  merely  varieties,  arising 
from  a  different  degree  of  power  in  the  cause,  from 
different  circumstances  of  the  climate  or  season  in 
which  they  happen,  or  from  different  circumstances  in 
the  constitution  of  the  persons  affected.  One  effect, 
arising  from  these  circumstances  in  the  constitution  of 
the  persons  affected,  is  an  unusual  quantity  of  bile  ap- 
pearing in  the  course  of  the  disease,  which  is  almost  a 
distinguishing  character  of  intermittent  fevers;  but  if 
it  should  appear  with  a  continued  fever,  it  could  only 
be  considered  in  such  a  case  as  a  coincidence  owing  to 
the  state  of  the  season,  producing  no  different  species 
or  fundamental  distinction,  but  merely  a  variety  of  the 
disease. 

In  Britain  it  generally  prevails  in  the  first  cold  that 
succeeds  hot  weather;  in  hot  countries  it  is  most  fre- 
quent in  damp  marshy  places,  and  after  great  rains  that 
are  followed  by  great  heats.  In  both  situations,  those 
who  are  exposed  to  damps,  and  to  the  night  air,  are 
most  subject  to  it. 

Besides  the  causes  in  general  of  fevers,  it  is  occa- 
sioned by  a  copious  secretion  of  the  bilious  fluid  poured 
into  the  duodenum  and  stomach,  whence  the  symptoms 
proper  to  this  fever  arise. 

Besides  the  usual  symptoms  of  fever,  there  are  an  ex- 
traordinary .  inquietude  and  anguish,  a  burning  heat, 
cardialgia,  nausea,  vomiting,  and  purging;  and,  in  con- 
sequence, a  copious  discharge  of  bile.  The  thirst  is 
excessive,  and  the  dejection  of  spirits  equally  so ;  the 
pulse  is  small  but  quick  ;  sometimes  it  remits  very  sen- 
sibly, at  others  the  remissions  are  more  obscure ;  and 
at  last  an  inflammation  of  the  bowels  comes  on.  If 
the  evacuations  are  cadaverous,  death  is  approaching ; 
and  an  involuntary  discharge  of  the  excrements  is 
usually  fatal. 

If  the  pulse  is  full  and  hard,  bleeding  may  be  ad- 
mitted in  the  beginning;  a  repetition  is  rarely,  if  ever, 
required ;  and  in  hot  countries  it  is  best  to  omit  this 
evacuation.  In  all  cases  a  grain  or  two  of  antimonium 
tartarisatum,  as  an  emetic,  is  necessary. 

If  saline  medicines  are  given,  the  citrated  potash  is 
the  most  proper ;  but  each  dose  should  be  administered 
in  the  act  of  effervescence. 

As  soon  as  an  intermission  is  perceived,  the  bark, 
which  is  the  chief  dependence,  must  be  given.  But  if 
the  disease  be  very  violent,  or  the  disease  occur  in  a 


BIL 


246 


BIL 


hot  climate,  the  bark  must  be  given  before  the  inter- 
mission, for  on  its  early  use  depends  the  cure;  a  drachm 
may  be  given  every  hour  in  wine  and  water,  or  what 
the  patient  uses  for  his  common  drink.  If  the  bark,  in 
substance,  is  not  agreeable,  a  cold  infusion  of  it  may  be 
substituted,  which  may  be  acidulated  with  the  acidum 
vitrioli  dilutum,  and  the  patient  may  take  it  as  freely 
and  frequently  as  his  stomach  will  bear.  If  it  excites 
stools  or  vomiting,  a  few  drops  of  the  tinct.  opii  will 
prevent  the  inconvenience. 

In  colder  climates  and  less  urgent  circumstances,  the 
pulv.  rad.  columbo,  gr.  xv.  ad  xx.  with  the  kali  vitriolat. 
3  i.  ad  9  ii.  given  every  four,  five,-  or  six  hours,  pro- 
duce both  speedy  and  beneficial  effects.  The  neutral 
salts,  Dr.  Percival  observes,  abate  the  febrile  heat,  allay 
thirst,  and  bring  on  a  gentle  salutary  diarrhoea;  whilst 
the  columbo  supports  the  patient's  strength,  obviates 
the  sickness,  and  checks  the  septic  ferment  in  the 
primae  vise.  Dr.  Haygarth  adds,  that  after  the  primae 
viae  are  cleared  from  their  bilious  contents,  the  columbo 
root  allays  the  nausea  so  constantly  attendant  on  this 
disorder:  and  that  in  this  fever,  though  the  remissions 
are  very  evident,  and  the  accession  marked  with  chills 
and  other  symptoms  of  an  intermittent,  yet  the  bark  is 
not  always  so  successful  in  this  climate  as  to  encourage 
its  use.  The  columbo,  he  observes,  answers  our  warm- 
est wishes,  by  correcting  the  bile,  restoring  the  proper 
tone  of  the  stomach,  and  of  the  whole  habit ;  it  also  pre- 
vents relapses,  to  which,  in  this  fever,  the  patient  is 
peculiarly  disposed. 

BILIO'SA  A'RDENS  FE'BRIS.  The  BURNING  BILIOUS, 
called  also  the  YELLOW,  FEVER,  the  West  Indian  fever. 
It  is  a  variety  of  the  typhus  iclerodes  of  Cullen,  and 
has  no  connection  with  the  biliosa  febris  just  noticed, 
except  in  the  bilious  discharges,  and  the  colour  of  the 
skin.  This,  as  just  observed,  is  a  typhus  of  a  very 
rapid  and  dangerous  kind,  as  nervous  debility,  torpor, 
and  mortification,  soon  come  on.  It  is  the  fever  which 
has  made  such  considerable  devastation  on  the  North 
American  continent,  and,  with  a  little  variety,  in  Spain 
and  Gibraltar.  It  has  proved  a  more  general  and  fatal 
epidemic  than  any  other,  the  plague  excepted,  to  which 
it  bears  no  inconsiderable  relation.  This  subject  we 
must  however  soon  again  return  to. 

It  attacks  with  a  transient  chilness  and  shivering, 
which  are  soon  succeeded  by  a  burning  heat  all  over  the 
body,  but  more  particularly  about  the  praecordia :  the 
pulse  is  high  and  quick,  but  not  hard ;  the  eyes  are 
heavy,  the  face  flushed,  a  violent  headach  comes  on, 
with  beating  in  the  temporal  arteries,  and  a  thick  labo- 
rious respiration ;  a  nausea  soon  follows,  and  what  is 
discharged  upwards  is  black  and  highly  bilious.  Anxiety 
is  very  great ;  a  shooting  pain  is  complained  of  in  the 
back  and  loins,  and  an  uneasy  lassitude  in  the  limbs. 
In  about  twelve  hours  after  the  first  invasion  of  this  dis- 
ease, the  tongue  is  very  dry,  rough,  and  discoloured ; 
thirst  is  excessive,  vomiting  incessant,  anxiety  increas- 
ed, a  soreness  is  felt  all  over  the  body,  and  a  delirium 
comes  on.  In  the  last  stage,  which  soon  arrives,  the 
patient  labours  under  a  coma,  manifests  a  great  oppres- 
sion about  the  prxcordia,  the  respiration  is  very  difficult, 
the  face  swollen  and  darkly  yellow,  and  at  length  the 
tendons  tremble  ;  cold  sweats  and  convulsions  usher  in 
death.  Blood  taken  the  first  day  is  florid  but  thin,  and 
the  crassamentum  scarcely  coheres :  on  the  second  or 


third  day  it  is  still  more  loose,  and  the  serum  is  more 
yellow.  When  the  patient  recovers,  the  crisis  usually 
happens  in  the  fourth  day  after  the  attack,  and  generally 
discovers  itself  by  a  brighter  suffusion  of  the  bile  all 
over  the  body.  The  yellow  tinge  sometimes  appears  in 
the  eyes  twelve  hours  after  the  symptoms  of  this  fever- 
come  on ;  the  sooner  it  appears  the  more  favourable  is 
said  to  be  the  prognostic.  This  however  is  not  correct, 
for  the  bilious  suffusion  is  only  salutary  when  the  disease 
is  protracted.  If  the  skin  continues  dry  and  rough  the 
patient  rarely  recovers,  however  good  his  pulse  may  be. 
Incessant  vomiting,  and  the  discharges  growing  darker 
coloured,  with  dark  spots  on  the  skin,  are  fatal  signs ; 
and  if  a  dry  skin  accompany  an  inflamed  redness  of  the 
eyes,  death  may  be  expected  in  a  few  hours. 

The  violence  and  fatality  of  this  disease  have  direct- 
ed very.powerfully  the  attention  of  physicians  to  its  na- 
ture, and  particularly  of  those  who  have  been  engaged 
in  the  conduct  of  such  epidemics.  As  it  obviously  oc- 
curred at  the  period  when  autumnal  remittents  were 
common  on  the  American  continent  and  in  the  southern 
parts  of  Europe,  it  was  highly  probable  that  this  was 
only  the  usually  returning  epidemic,  from  accidental 
circumstances  rendered  more  violent  and  fatal.  Yet 
when  its  nature  was  more  closely  examined,  this  idea 
was  entertained  with  greater  hesitation.  It  was  ob- 
viously bilious,  but  less  clearly  remittent;  its  rapid 
progress  did  not  keep  pace  with  that  of  the  true  bilious 
fever,  and  symptoms  of  peculiar  debility  came  on  in  a 
very  early  stage.  In  short,  it  was  highly  probable  that 
it  was  a  typhus,  attended  with  bilious  symptoms,  rather 
than  a  remittent  of  a  peculiarly  malignant  kind.  Some 
little  remission  may  be  observed  in  the  earliest  stage, 
but  it  is  transient,  and  perhaps  not  more  than  by  careful 
attention  may  generally  be  observed  in  typhus. 

When  the  violence  and  malignity  of  the  disease  were 
ascertained,  no  country  was  willing  to  claim  the  de- 
structive visitant.  It  was  supposed  to  be  an  importa- 
tion, and  probably  was  so.  At  Martinique  it  was  the 
fever  from  Siam  :  in  America,  from  Bulam.  The  dis- 
cussion would  be  too  long ;  but,  from  a  careful  exami- 
nation of  all  the  facts,  it  appears  probable  that  some 
contagion,  uniting  with  the  epidemic  tendency  of  the 
bilious  autumnal  remittent  of  the  country,  has  pro- 
duced the  destructive  monster.  The  observations  in 
Philadelphia  seem  to  trace  it  to  some  foreign  importa- 
tion. At  Martinico,  at  Grenada,  and  Jamaica,  there 
appears  always  to  have  been  a  concurring  cause.  Iris 
doubtful,  however,  whether  this  is  constantly  contagion. 
The  putrefaction  of  vegetable  and  animal  substances, 
which  in  any  situation  may  occasion  typhus,  in  concur- 
rence with  the  autumnal  remittent,  may  produce  the 
yellow  fever. 

These  views  will  discriminate  'it  from  the  causus, 
from  the  gaol  and  hospital,  as  well  as  from  the  common 
bilious  fever.  In  the  gaol  fever  there  are  little  accumu- 
lation and  discharge  of  bile  :  in  the  others,  little  of  the 
asthenic  and  putrefactive  state.  When  we  consider 
fever  more  generally,  we  shall  distinguish  these  states, 
and  point  out  in  what  cases  putrefaction  may  produce 
debility,  and  where  debility  occasions  putrefaction.  The 
yellow  fever  and  the  plague  are,  we  think,  referable  to 
the  latter ;  and- the  distinction  is  not  an  object  of  cu- 
riosity and  refinement  only,  for  it  assists  in  directing 
the  cure,  particularly  the  exhibition  of  the  Peruvian 


1L 


24; 


Bl  L 


bark.  Much  idle — it  is  an  improper  word — many  highly 
pernicious  disquisitions  have  been  indulged,  whether 
this  fever  is  contagious.  The  existence  of  a  doubt  shows 
that  it  may  not  be  highly  so.  Yet  it  has  in  so  many 
instances  been  communicated  from  an  infected  person, 
that  the  utmost  caution  is  requisite.  It  has  been  even 
doubted  whether  the  plague  is  contagious ;  but  those 
who  have  suggested  and  disseminated  the  doubts,  are 
answerable  for  the  lives  of  thousands,  and  in  some  in- 
stances have  paid  the  forfeit  with  their  own. 

On  dissection,  the  contents  of  the  brain  and  thorax 
were  uninjured ;  but  the  blood  is  fluid  like  that  of  per- 
sons who  have  been  destroyed  by  electricity.  The  sto- 
mach and  duodenum  were  generally  inflamed ;  some- 
times a  little  extravasation  ;  sometimes  pus  and  a  black 
fluid,  black,  generally  from  containing  flakes,  and 
evidently  a  depraved  secretion  of  bile,  were  observed. 
On  the  surface  of  the  other  viscera  some  distended 
veins  were  seen,  but  the  liver  was  generally  sound, 
.oes  and  mulattoes  escaped  better  than  the  white 
inhabitants,  and  those  were  less  frequently  and  violently 
affected  than  strangers.  In  America,  however,  the  in- 
habitants and  strangers  were  equally  susceptible  of  the 
disease. 

The  American  physicians  have  differed  greatly  in 
opinion,  whether  this  fever  was  an  inflammatory  or  a 
putrid  one.  The  difference  has,  we  fear,  led  each 
party  to  an  injurious  plah  of  treatment :  which,  as 
usual,  has  been  pursued  with  more  pertinacity,  because 
it  was  their  own  system.  We  see  in  this  disease,  as  we 
have  said,  an  asthenic  fever,  joined  with  biliary  accumu- 
lations ;  a  fever  hastening  rapidly  to  a  fatal  termination, 
while  we  do  not  possess  a  power  of  supporting  the 
strength  without  previously  exciting  proper  discharges; 
or  of  producing  the  necessary  evacuations  without  in- 
ducing a  fatal  debility.  The  great  debility,  the  anxiety, 
the  sighing,  the  distended  veins,  prove  the  existence  of 
a  highly  asthenic  state.  The  absence  of  internal  mor- 
tification shows,  that  if  the  disease  becomes  pun-id,  it 
is  when  long  protracted. 

In  the  cure,  Dr.  Rush,  adopting  the  idea  of  its  being 
inflammatory,  bled  largely  and  repeatedly  ;  he  adds  with 
sue  cess.  But  were  his  success  so  conspicuous,  his  bre- 
thren would  not  probably  have  so  strenuously  urged  an 
opposite  plan;  nor  would  the  relations  of  the  patients 
screamed  with  terror  when  the  bleeding  was  proposed. 
This  he  tells  us  has  often  happened.  Though  we  con- 
sider Dr.  Rush,  however,  as  the  slave  of  prejudice  and 
system,  we  believe  him  to  speak  what  he  thinks ;  and 
we  can  easily  suppose  that  early  bleeding  in  the  man- 
ner described  may  have  been  useful.  We  know  that 
Sydenham  bled  in  the  plague,  and  Dover  in  putrid 
fevers ;  we  know,  too,  that  other  practitioners  in  the 
Wist  Indies  have  bled  in  the  yellow  fever  with  ad- 
vantage. The  bleedings  must  however  be  large,  and 
confined  to  the  first  twenty-four,  or  at  most  thirty-six 
hours.  Dr.  Rush  at  first  extended  the  period  in  which 
this  remedy  might  be  proper,  but  in  the  following  epi- 
demics was  more  cautious.  It  is  not  necessary  to  as- 
sign a  reason  for  the  utility  of  bleeding,  though  we  can 
perceive  some  foundation  for  the  practice.  When  in 
asthenic  cases  the  blood  is  determined  to  the  larger  ves- 
sels, if  these  are  not  excited  to  action  by  the  distention, 
they  become  still  more  torpid.  Lessening  actively  the 


general  mass  relieves  the  over  distended  torpid  vessels 
in  a  greater  degree  than  the  loss  of  blood  weakens  the 
whole  system  :  their  action  commences,  and  the  salu- 
tary discharges  are  induced. 

To  fulfil  the  other  indications  may  appear  an  easy 
task ;  the  stomach  and  bowels  are  to  be  emptied,  the 
bark  and  wine  given,  and  the  whole  is  at  an  end.  Such 
is  the  easy  track  of  the  theorist.  In  practice,  however, 
we  find  the  stomach  so  highly  irritated  that  we  dare 
scarcely  add  to  the  irritation.  To  assist  the  vomiting 
with  mild,  diluent,  nutritious  fluids,  as  mutton  and 
chicken  broth ;  or,  if  the  urgings  are  violent  and  in- 
effectual, to  aid  them  with  a  small  dose  of  ipecacuanha, 
or  tartarised  antimony,  is  all  that  can  be  allowed.  We 
have  already  remarked,  that  all  neutral  salts  possess  an 
anti-emetic  power,  and  a  dilute  solution  of  these  with 
manna  and  tamarinds  may  be  drunk  frequently  to  eva- 
cuate the  bowels.  Some  physicians  have  added  a  small 
proportion  of  tartarised  antimony ;  and  this  medicine, 
in  the  dose  of  one-sixth  or  one-eighth  of  a  grain,  will 
sit  easily  on  the  stomach,  and  tend  rather  to  produce  a 
discharge  downward  than  to  vomit.  In  some  instances 
where  the  vomiting  and  diarrhoea  are  dangerously  vio- 
lent, a  slight  opiate  may  be  given  to  regulate  rather 
than  repress  them. 

When  a  sufficient  discharge  is  procured  where  ne- 
cessary, or  regulated  when  excessive,  warm  cordials 
may  be  safely  employed  to  support  the  strength ;  and 
wine  cautiously  given,  observing  its  effects,  and  from 
these  directing  its  repetition  or  omission.  The  dis- 
charge by  stool  must  be  kept  up  according  to  the  symp- 
toms and  the  nature  of  the  evacuations.  Respecting 
the  cordials  and  tonics  practitioners  have  differed :  the 
bark  irritates  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and  can  seldom, 
be  retained.  When  it  is  so  the  effects  have  not  often 
been  salutary.  The  contrayerva  and  serpentaria  have 
been  employed ;  but  the  disease  treated  by  Hillary  and 
Lining  seems  scarcely  to  have  been  the  violent  fever, 
which  has  so  lately  forced  itself  on  our  attention,  and 
animated  our  exertions.  The  columbo  root  may  be 
useful  in  correcting  putrid  bile,  but  it  has  a  very  incon- 
sioerable  effect  as  a  tonic.  The  quassia  is  by  far  more 
serviceable,  and  the  cascarilla  has  been  employed  with 
advantage. 

Practitioners  have  greatly  differed  respecting  the  pro- 
priety of  applying  blisters.  The  discharge  from  these  is 
thin,  acrid,  and  yellow ;  nor  have  they  been  seemingly 
of  any  utility.  Indeed  they  are  not  apparently  indicated 
in  any  stage  of  the  fever,  except  from  the  affection  of 
the  head,  which  is  rather  a  mark  of  debility  than  of 
fulness.  Theoretical  views  have  occasioned  the  dis- 
cussion rather  than  observation  of  their  effects ;  and 
their  power  of  attenuating  the  blood,  of  which  there  is 
not  the  slightest  evidence,  has  been  the  chief  subject 
of  dispute.  Acrid  cataplasms  to  the  feet  have  not  been 
more  useful;  and  the  warm  bath,  though  often  em- 
ployed, seems  to  have  done  little  service.  The  whole 
plan  of  cure  consists  in  evacuating  the  stomach  and 
bowels  with  the  least  irritation,  and  supporting  the  force 
of  the  circulation. 

Two  other  plans  have  engaged  the  attention  of  prac- 
titioners. The  followers  of  Brown,  with  the  rashness 
and  indiscriminate  violence  of  sectaries,  urge  their  tonic 
plan  of  cure,  and  give  at  once  the  wannest  stimulants. 


15IL 


248 


IL 


If  the  view  we  have  given  of  the  disease  be  correct,  we 
need  not  say  with  what  success  over  distended  vessels 
are  thus  excited  to  transitory  and  ineffectual  action.  In 
fact  they  have  been  very  unsuccessful. 

The  second  plan  is  that,  we  believe,  now  generally 
followed,  viz.  the  mercurial.  Calomel  unites  the  dif- 
ferent objects,  since  it  not  only  evacuates  the  alimen- 
tary canal,  but  effectually  stimulates  the  vessels  of  the 
biliary  system,  and  supports  the  action  of  the  smaller 
vessels.  When  the  bowels  are  so  irritable  as  not  to  bear 
its  being  given  internally,  frictions  of  mercurial  oint- 
ment will  supply  its  place.  This  practice  is  not  yet 
unquestionably  established,  but  it  is  rapidly  gaining 
ground,  and  promises  to  be  highly  useful.  The  mer- 
cury must  be  introduced  as  usual  into  the  system,  until 
some  sign  of  its  action  on  the  minuter  vessels  is  observed. 

The  late  fever  in  Spain  and  Gibraltar  showed  the 
same  marks  of  asthenic  venous  accumulation,  with  a 
similar  affection  of  the  biliary  system.  We  cannot 
perceive,  from  the  very  accurate  description  in  one  of 
the  last  volumes  of  Dr.  Duncan's  Annals,  that  it  had 
any  very  peculiar  or  discriminating  marks  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  yellow  fever  of  America.  Nor  have  we 
found  a  single  improvement  in  the  conduct  which  re- 
quires a  detail. 

See  Bisset  on  the  Bilious  Fever  of  the  West  Indies. 
London  Mcd.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  iv.  p.  156.  Blicke 
on  the  Bilious  Fever  of  Jamaica.  Sir  John  Pringle, 
Drs. 'Chalmers,  Lind,  Towne,  Warren,  Cleghorn,  and 
Rouppe.  Of  the  more  modern  authors  Dr.  Rush,  Dr. 
Chishohne,  Drs.  Mosely  and  Grant,  merit  the  most 
considerable  attention. 

BI'LIS.  In  Ainsworth  it  is  derived  from  pavtos, 
scil.  succus,  juice  ;  and  also  fe /,  bUe,  or  gall ;  and  we 
know  no  better  etymology. 

It  is  a  bitter  viscid  juice,  secreted  from  the  blood  in 
•the  liver,  and  collected  in  the  receptacle  known  by  the 
name  of  gall  bladder.  The  blood  collected  from  the  ad- 
jacent abdominal  viscera  is  thrown  into  the  vena  portae 
in  the  liver,  from  whence  it  is  secreted.  When  formed, 
it  is  carried  to  the  beginnings  of  the  biliary  ducts,  called 
/iorz,  or  more  properly  tu/xe  biliariie^  and  by  them  is  con- 
veyed into  the  ductus  hepaticus.  This  duct,  passing  on 
a  little  way,  enters  into  the  ductus  communis  chole- 
dochus,  whence  the  bile  is  partly  discharged  into  the 
duodenum,  partly  regurgitates  into  the  ductus  cysticus, 
and  falls  into  the  gall  bladder.  By  lodging-there  some 
time  its  thinner  parts  transude,  or  are  reabsorbed,  and 
the  rest  becomes  thicker  and  more  acrid ;  increases  in 
bitterness,  and  the  depth  of  its  colour. 

The  hepatic  bile  before  it  is  mixed  with  the  cystic  is 
subalkaline  and  rather  oily ;  it  continually  passes  into 
the  duodenum,  but  the  cystic  only  when  required. 

The  bile  is  formed  from  the  blood  in  the  secretory 
vessels  of  the  liver.  It  is  of  a  yellow  colour,  varying 
to  green  ;  has  a  bitter  taste,  with  something  like  sweet- 
ness ;  the  mucilage  which  it  contains  is  decomposed, 
not  coagulated  by  acids,  and  some  of  their  compounds ; 
the  acids  precipitating  only  a  part  which  is  resinous.  It 
is  soluble  in  alcohol,  but  incompletely.  It  has  a  peculiar 
smell  of  the  species  of  animal  in  which  it  is  produced, 
and  is  a  powerful  antiputrescent.  Dr.  Saunders,  from 
some  experiments,  draws  the  following  conclusions  re- 
specting the  elements  forming  the  bile,  and  says  it  con- 


sists, 1st,  Of  water  impregnated  with  the  odorous  prin- 
ciple. 2dly,  A  mucilaginous  substance,  resembling  the 
albumen  ovi.  3dly,  A  resinous  substance,  containing 
the  colouring  principle  and  bitter  taste.  4thly,  A  mild 
mineral  alkali.  With  respect  to  their  combination,  it 
seems  that  what  has  been  styled  the  saponaceous  matter 
consists  of  the  bitter  resin  in  union-with  the  alkali ;  this 
admits  of  a  ready  union  with  a  mucilage,  and  with  this 
again  the  aqueous  matter  very  easily  combines,  so  that 
the  whole  forms  an  apparently  homogeneous  mass.  The 
soap,  or  the  saponaceous  matter  of  the  bile,  is  equally 
soluble  in  water  and  alcohol. 

It  is  the  least  putrescent  of  any  fluid  in  the  body ; 
its  apparent  use  is  to  mix  the  chyle,  to  support  the  pe- 
ristaltic motion  of  the  intestines,  and  to  assist  in  com- 
pleting the  assimilation  of  the  food.  When  the  stomach 
is  full,  the  cystic  bile  is  more  copiously  discharged  into 
the  duodenum ;  when  it  is  empty,  the  hepatic  more 
freely  into  the  gall  bladder. 

The  odour  of  the  bile  is  nauseous,  though  when  eva- 
porated or  spontaneously  decomposed  resembling  that 
of  musk,  an  odour  which  at  times  the  perspirable  mat- 
ter, if  confined,  will  also  exhale.  Its  specific  gravity  to 
that  of  water  is  1.0246  to  1.0000.  It  is  perfectly  solu- 
ble in  water.  Acids  separate  the  soda  and  the  coagu- 
lated albumen ;  and  the  bitter  inflammable  matter, 
styled  the  resin,  is  left  in  the  filter.  The  sulphuric 
acid  gives  the  bile  a  deep  green  colour;  concentrated 
nitric,  a  brilliant  yellow;  ancl  the  muriatic,  a  beautiful 
clear  green;  oxygenated  muriatic  acid  destroys  the 
colour  of  the  bile,  and  coagulates  its  albumen,  which 
it  precipitates,  furnishing  the  albumen  seemingly  with 
oxygen. "  The  colourless  bile,  however,  still  contains  an 
oil,  though  changed  by  the  oxygen,  so  as  to  be  soluble 
in  water.  This  oil  is  precipitated  by  an  acid,  and  con- 
sequently the  fluid  still  seems  to  retain  a  portion  of  soda. 
Bile  contains  also  a  white  tn-yslalline  matter,  which 
sometimes  contributes  to  the  formation  of  biliary  calculi, 
but  it  differs  greatly  from  the  white  oil,  since  it  is  more 
soluble  in  alcohol,  and  not  precipitated  in  laminae.  The 
oil  also  is  as  fusible  as  fat,  but  the  laminae  require  a 
heat  exceeding  that  of  boiling  water. 

When  putrified  in  a  considerable  heat,  its  odour  is 
more  nauseous  ;  its  colour  changes;  white  mucilaginous 
flocks  are  precipitated;  and  it  becomes  more  fluid. 
When  putrefaction  was  further  advanced,  the  smell  be- 
came more  pleasant,  resembling  that  of  ambergris. 
From  inspissated  bile  kept  a  long  time  without  decom- 
position, the  musky  odour  may  be  obtained  by  distil- 
lation, combined  with  the  water.  The  coal  remaining 
after  distillation  contains  carbonat  of  soda,  phosphat  of 
lime,  and  a  small  proportion  of  oxid  of  iron.  Four- 
croy  adds  a  small  proportion  of  prussic  acid,  to  which 
probably  the  bile  owes  its  bitterness ;  but  this  part  of 
the  subject  we  shall  soon  again  notice.  The  sapona- 
ceous nature  of  the  bile  has  occasioned  many  dis- 
quisitions and  disputes.  It  is,  undoubtedly,  not  a  soap 
in  the  strict  chemical  sense  of  the  term,  though  ap- 
proaching a  saponaceous  nature;  but,  as  on  this  point 
no  physiological  question  hinges,  we  need  not  enlarge 
on  it. 

Various  authors  have  supposed  that  bile  exists  al- 
ready formed  in  the  blood.  Mr.  Higgins,  in  his  Com- 
parative View  of  the  Merits  of  the  Phlogistic  and  Anti- 


BIL 


249 


BIL 


phlogistic  systems,  describes  some  experiments  on  the 
blood,  in  which  a  yellow  matter  not  unlike  bile  was 
separated :  and  Fourcroy,  by  a  more  complicated  pro- 
cess, has  changed  the  blood  into  a  fluid  resembling  bile. 
Yet,  in  the  economy  of  the  animal  system,  in  all  its 
subordinate  gradations,  there  is  no  organ  more  constant 
than  the  liver,  no  apparatus  of  secretion  more  com- 
plicated than  that  for  preparing  bile.  In  the  human 
body,  the  blood  designed  forthis  purpose,  has  already  cir- 
culatcd,  without  being  again  exposed  to  the  atmospheric 
air,  so  that  it  isdeoxygenated;  but  the  fluid  itself  resists 
rather  than  promotes  putrefaction,  nor  do  we  find  it  on 
experiment  highly  azotic.  The  bile,  it  is  said,  neu- 
tralises acids;  and,  as  in  children  it  is  thin  and  wa- 
tery, authors  have  supposed  that  it  performs  its  office 
impel fectly,  and  that  forthis  reason  acids  abound  in 
their  stomachs.  Eile,- however,  never  passes  naturally 
into  the  stomach,  and  when  there  produces  consider- 
able inconvenience :  on  the  other  hand,  though  acid  may 
be  prevalent  in  the  stomach,  it  does  not  appear  beyond 
the  duodenum,  where  the  contents  of  the  stomach  meet 
with  the  bile.  One  of  its  use  is,  therefore,  very  proba- 
bly to  correct  acidity. 

Its  saponaceous  nature  was  said  to  assist  the  union  of 
thft  oil  and  water  in  the  formation  of  chyle;  but  this 
idea  is  effectually  destroyed  by  the  experiment  of  Dr. 
G.  l-'ordycc.  who  tied  the  ductus  choledochus  communis, 
and  still  found  the  lacteals  filled  with  a  chyfeus  fluid. 

The  ancients  supposed  the  liver  to  be  the  organ  by 
which  the  nourishment  was  prepared;  and  Fourcroy 
has  lately  endeavoured  to  revive  the  opinion,  supposing 
that  the  long  protracted  circulation  was  destined  to 
unite  more  intimately  the  molecules  of  the  blood  with 
the  new  nourishment,  with  the  air  taken  in  by  the  lungs, " 
and  that  formed  during  the  circulation.  When  we  re- 
flect on  the  general  importance  of  the  liver,  and  that  its 
place~cannot  be  supplied  by  any  other  organ;  when  the 
emaciation  which  follows  its  diseases,  and  the  immense 
size  to  which  inactivity  with  highly  nutritious  food  en- 
larges it,  this  idea  will  appear  to  have  greater  force. 
Yet  we  think  it  acts  only,  in  this  respect,  a  secondary 
part.  We  shall  find,  in  our  enquiries  into  the  process  of 
digestion,  a  very  great  change  produced  by  it  on  the 
foo^  taken  in ;  an  immense  distance  between,  for  in- 
stance, the  herbage  of  the  field  and  the  muscular  fibres 
of  the  sheep  and  ox :  we  shall,  of  course,  perceive  the 
necessity  of  a  powerful  agent  for  the  production  of  this 
change.  A  fiuid  highly  animalised,  is  necessary  to  join 
the  vegetable  matter  before  it  is  permitted  to  mix  with 
the  general  mass;  for  the  mildest  chyle  immediately 
injected  into  the  vessels  is  fatal:  and  this  mttter  must 
be  very  distant  from  a  putrescent  fluid,  since  this  pro- 
cess, already  going  on  in  the  sanguiferous  system,  re- 
quires a  check  rather  than  a  ferment.  It  is  then  a  fluid 
necessary  for  perfecting  the  assimilation  of  the  aliment, 
and  giving  to  the  chyle  some  principle  which  enables  it 
to  join  the  general  mass  with  impunity.  We  con- 
sequently see  it  formed  from  blood  which  has  under- 
gone a  languid  circulation,  but  not  from  those  parts 
where  i-  might  meet  with  a  putrid  fomes;  for  the  hae- 
morrhoidal  veins  do  not  form  a  portion  of  the  vena  por- 
tarum.  This  blood  is  said  by  some  authors  to  be  pe- 
culiarly fluid;  it  probably  contains  a  larger  portion  of 
soda,  with  hydrogen  and  carbone.  The  two  latter,  in 
consequence  of  the  languid  circulation  uniting  with 

VOL.    I. 


the  remaining  oxygen,  form  with  the  fibrin  of  the 
blood  the  oil,  which  is  rather  a  spermaceti  than  u 
truly  oleaginouB  fluid.  In  those  animals  whose  re- 
spiratory organs  are  small,  the  liver  is  unusually  large  ; 
and  we  find  birds,  whose  livers  are  naturally  small, 
when  pent  up  in  a  close  coop,  have  this  gland  con- 
siderably increased  in  bulk.  When  this  oil  abounds 
and  the  fluid  no  longer  holds  it  in  solution,  a  crystalli- 
zation takes  place,  and  biliary  calculi  are  formed,  of 
which  we  shall  afterwards  treat.  See  CALCULUS  BI- 

L1ARIS. 

It  is  observed,  in  general,  that  the  gall  of  small  ani- 
mals is  stronger  and  more  acrid  than  those  of  larger 
kinds ;  that  the  gall  of  carnivorous  animals  is  more  ac- 
tive than  those  of  herbivorous.  Instances  are  those  of 
the  hawk,  serpent,  eel,  and  pike,  but  in  general  all  their 
secreted  fluids  are  more  acrimonious. 

Physiologists  have  -warmly  contended,  whether  thr 
bile  was  derived  from  the  hepatic  artery  or  the  ven:i 
portae.  But,  as  the  former  artery  is  small,  as  its  rami- 
fications are  not  peculiar,  and  as  the  circulation  in  the 
latter  is  singularly  complicated,  and  has  no  apparent 
object  but  the  preparation  of  a  very  important  fluid,  it 
is  generally  supposed  that  the  hepatic  artery  only  nour- 
ishes the  viscus,  while  the  secretion  is  exclusively 
from  the  contents  of  the  vena  portae. 

The  changes  of  the  bile  from  disease  are  not  nu- 
merous, but  merit  particular  notice.  We  have  intro- 
duced the  appearances  which  putrefaction  really  oc- 
casions, to  show  that  this  state  of  the  bile  is  often  ac- 
cused, when  in  reality  it  docs  not  exist.  The  dark 
acrimonious  bile  is  often  a  depraved  secretion ;  and 
the  dark  flakes  in  bile  are  equally  produced  by  a  de- 
rangement in  the  functions  of  this  organ.  These  are 
generally  the  result  of  too  great  indulgence  in  spirituous 
liquors.  Bile  will  sometimes  assume  so  dark  a  hue  as 
to  be  mistaken  for  blood.  Dilution  destroys  the  error; 
for  the  diluted  fluid  has  a  yellow  tinge;  and  the  flakes, 
to  which  this  dark  colour  is  often  owing,  are  then  ob- 
vious. With  acids  the  bile  assumes  a  greenish  colour; 
and,  as  bile  when  in  the  circulating  system  is  soon 
carried  to  the  kidneys,  we  once  saw  it  convey  this 
green  hue  to  the  urine.  The  cause  was  evident,  since 
an  alkali  destroyed  it.  Another  disease  of  the  bile  is  an 
oiliness;  in  other  words,  the  adipocire  becomes  a  more 
perfect  oil,  which  the  soda  does  not  unite  to  the 
watery  part  of  the  fluid.  It  is  often  vomited  in  this 
state,  and  is  the  strongest  proof  of  a  considerable  in- 
jury experienced  in  the  process  of  digestion.  The  de- 
feet  of  bile  is  known  from  the  white  colourof  the  stools; 
but  more  certainly  from  the  appearance  of  bile  in  the 
urine  and  under  the  skin.  We  see  occasionally  the 
kidneys  torpid  from  a  paralysis  of  the  renal  vessels,  but 
we  recollect  no  instance  of  a  want  of  bile  from  the  same 
cause.  Fernelius,  in  his  Pathology,  speaks  of  a  defect 
of  bile  as  producing  different  diseases;  but  he  means, 
rather  an  obstruction,  and  that  kind  which  is  owing  to 
a  scirrhous  liver. 

In  fevers  the  bilious  discharges  are  often  copious 
and  troublesome;  and  the  liver  is  the  organ  generally 
affected  when  the  fluids  are  not  propelled  to  the  sur- 
face, since  its  vessels  chiefly  contain  the  blood  from  the 
venous  system.  Yet  copious  discharges  of  bile  are  pe- 
culiar to  remittents  and  intennittents,  though  in  con- 
tinued fevers  of  every  kind  the  liver  is  unusually  filled — 
K  k 


B1L 


250 


BIS 


in  medical  language  infarcted — and  peculiar  attention, 
to  the  discharge  of  its  contents  is  required. 

According  to  the  supposed  uses  of  the  bile  has  it 
been  employed  as  a  medicine.  It  is  a  saponaceous  ape- 
rient, a  stomachic,  a  laxative,  or  a  tonic,  if  the  opinion 
of  the  author  is  in  favour  of  either  system.  When  the 
bile  is  deficient,  it  has  been  supplied  with  that  of  the 
ox;  the  practitioner  forgetting  that  bile  in  the  stomach 
was  the  source  of  numerous  inconveniences,  particularly 
sickness,  faintness,  and  cold  sweats.  It  has,  however, 
been  fortunately  given  in  pills,  and  escaped  the  stomach 
without  greatly  disordering  it.  That  bile  is  a  stimulus 
to  the  action  of  the  intestines  is  more  probable;  yet  in 
jaundice  we  have  not  found  costivcness  peculiarly  pre- 
valent, and  it  seems  to  have  been  marked  as  a  symptom 
vather  from  theory  than  observation.  Inspissated  bile 
of  oxen  has  been  given  to  children  in  a  dose  of  one 
grain,  and  to  adults  in  three  or  four,  three  or  four 
times  a  day,  to  relieve  visceral  obstructions,  to  promote 
urine,  and  the  menses ;  or  half  a  drachm  has  been  ad- 
ministered in  clysters.  If  this  has  not  succeeded, 
Boerhaave  recommends  the  gall  of  the  eel  or  pike;  and 
remarks  that  the  hard  bellies  of  rickety  children  have 
been  relieved  by  these  remedies.  We  cannot  doubt  the 
utility  of  such  an  acrid  fluid  ;  but  the  small  proportion  of 
an  ox's  bile  above  recommended  can  have  very  little 
effect.  If  it  has  any,  we  cannot  think  that  it  would  be 
a  salutary  one.  In  jaundice  it  has  been  given  to  supply 
the  defect  of  bile;  but  modern  practice  disregards  it, 
and  we  cannot  speak  of  it  from  experience.  On  recur- 
ring to  those  authors  wjio  have  recommended  it,  we 
find  those  vague  and  general  praises  which  in  similar 
circumstances  we  have  had  so  much  reason  to  distrust. 

As  putrid,  acrimonious,  and  copious  discharges  of  bile 
from  the  intestines  are  so  often  accused  as  causes  of 
disease,  when  in  reality  they  are  only  effects  or  symp- 
toms, so  in  the  stomach  it  is  often  supposed  to  be  in- 
jurious, when  brought  by  the  medicines  intended  to 
discharge  it.  When  bile  is  suspected  of  producing  in- 
convenience in  the  stomach,  and  an  emetic  is  given  to 
discharge  it,  we  often  find  no  bile  evacuated,  but  the 
next  food  or  medicine  brings  it  up;  in  fact  the  fluid, 
which  the  emetic,  by  inverting  the  action  of  the  duo- 
denum, had  brought  into,  the  stomach. 

A  too  copious  secretion  of  bile  sometimes  occasions 
inconvenience,  and  in  this  case  the  alternation  of  laxa- 
tives and  opiates  removes  the  cause  of  complaint.  We 
have  thought  that  opiates  really  check  the  secretion  of 
bile  ;  but  as  any  stimulus  on  the  mouth  of  the  opening 
of  the  ductus  communis  will  increase  the  discharge, 
opium  may  act  only  by  diminishing  its  too  great  sensi- 
bility and  irritability.  We  may  just  add,  that,  in 
judging  of  the  pains  occasioned  by  accumulations  or 
obstructions  of  bile,  we  must  recollect  that  the  under 
edge  of  the  gall  bladder,  and  the  entrance  of  the  biliary 
duct,  are  nearly  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach;  the  pain  is 
felt  there  when  a  stone  enters  the  duct,  and  a  fulness 
is  perceived  in  that  part  when  there  is  an  accumulation 
of  bile.  The  course  of  the  duct  is  then  backward; 
and  when  the  stone  is  near  the  extremity  of  the  duct 
which  opens  into  the  duodenum,  the  pain  is  felt  on  the 
opposite  side  at  the  back. 

Haller's  Physiology,  in  the  chap,  on  the  Liver.  Per- 
cival's  Essays  Mtfd.  and  Exp.  Fordyce's  Elements  'of 
the  Practice  of  Physic, part.  i.  Macbride's  Experimental 


Essays.  The  Appendix  to  Sir  John  Pringle's  Diseases 
of  the  Army.  Maclurg  on  the  Human  Bile.  Coe  OR 
Biliary  Concretions.  Saunders  on  the  Structure,  Eco- 
nomy, &c.  of  the  Liver;  and  Fordyce  on  Digestion. 
Fourcroy  Systeme  de  Connoissances  Chimiques.  Cadet 
Experiences  Chimiques. 

BI'LIS  A'TRA.     See  ATRABILIS. 

BI'LLING-BING.     See  BILIMBI. 

BINA'RIUS,  (from  bimis,  double}.  Among  the 
Romans  it  is  the  number  two.  But  the  Spagiric  phi- 
losophers affix  other  ideas  to  it.  See  Theat.  Chim.  vol.  i. 

BINGA'LLE.     See  CASSUMUNAR. 

BINO'CULUS,  (from  binus,  double,  and  oculus,  the 
eye).  A  bandage  for  retaining  the  dressings  on  both 
eyes.  It  is  either  a  single  or  a  double  headed  roller, 
is  twelve  feet  long,  and  two  or  three  fingers  in  breadth. 
Its  application  will  be  easily  understood  by  referring  to 

MONOOULUS. 

BI'NSICA.  A  Rabbinical  term  signifying  mental 
sickness,  or  a  disordered  imagination.  By  the  addition 
of  MOBS  to  this  term,  it  is  a  BINSICAL  DEATH;  the  death 
which  follows  the  disorders  of  the  mind,  such  as  are 
produced  by  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog. 

BINTA'MBARU  ZEYLANE'NSIBUS.  (Indian). 
Con-volvulus  maritimus  Zeylanicus;  fies  caprtt  Lusita- 
ni<s;  the  con-volvulus  pes  capr<e  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  226.  A 
plant  growing  in  Malabar  and  Ceylon;  it  abounds  with 
an  acrid  milky  juice.  A  drachm  of  the  resin  of  the 
root  purges.  Rail  Hist. 

BIOLY'CHNIUM,(from  /3/««,  life,  and  *»£»/«»,  a  can- 
dle or  lamp).  The  LAMP  OF  LIFE.  Vital  heat,  vital 
flame,  or  natural  heat.  See  CALIDUM  INNATUM.  It  is 
also  the  name  of  a  secret  remedy  prepared  from  human 
blood  by  Beguinus. 

BI'OS.  (Greek).  Life  and  its  course.  But  some- 
times it  only  means  victuals. 

BIO'TE,  (from  /3<«5,  life).  LIFE.  In  an  affected 
sense  it  signifies  the  time  of  a  continuance  of  aliment  in 
the  body;  thus  wqak  food  hath  a  short  life  annexed. 

BIOTHA'NATI,  (from  /3<«,  -violent,  and  5*»«7o5, 
death).  A  term  applied  to  those  who  die  a  violent  and 
sudden  death;  it  is  sometimes  applied  to  suicides. 

BIPINE'LLA,  and  BIPEMULLA.    See  PLANTAGO 

MINOR,  and    PiMPINELLA. 

BI'PULA.     A  worm  mentioned  by  Aristotle. 

BI'RA.     See  ALLA. 

BIRA'O.     See  AMOMUM. 

BIRD'S  NEST.  The  nest  of  the  hit-undo  csculenta. 
See  ALIMENT. 

BIRE'THUS,  (from  /3<^>»s,  a  priest's  hood,  from  its 
resemblaflce).  See  CUCUPHA." 

BI'RSEN.  An  Arabian  or  Persian  word,  signifying 
an  inflammation  or  imposthume  in  the  breast. 

BIRTH.  A  term  in  midwifery.  It  is  styled  natural, 
when  the  head  presents;  'premature,  when  at  too  early 
a  period;  preternatural,  when  any  part  but  the  head 
presents;  and  laborious,  when  from  obstacles  or  weak- 
ness it  is  protracted.  See  LABOURS. 

BIRTH  WORT.     See  AHISTOLOCHIA. 

BISCO'CTUS,  (from  bis,  twice,  and  coyuo,  to  boil). 
TWICE  DRESSED.  This  word  is  chiefly  applied  to  bread 
twice  baked,  or  that  is  much  baked  ;  i.  e.  BISCUIT. 

BISCUIT,  SEA.  This  is  doubly  baked;  but  its  ex- 
cellence consists  in  its  not  being  fermented,  and  conse- 
quently not  easily  becoming  acid  in  the  stomach.  It 


BIS 


13  1  T 


-is  on  this- account  more  fit  for  children,  and  those 
troubled  with  acid  in  the  stomach.  These  biscuits  may 
be  long  kept;  and  the  rusks,  which  are  also  twice  baked, 
have  the  same  advantage,  but  are  not  equally  useful 
with  the  unleavened  biscuit  in  diseases.  See  BREAD. 

BISE'MATUM.     See  PLUMBUM. 

BISLI'XGUA,(from  bis,  twice  and  lingua,  a  tongue,) 
so  called  from  its  appearance  of  being  double  tongued, 
or  of  having  upon  each  leaf  a  less  leaf.  See  LAURUS 
ALEXAXDRIXA.  , 

BISMA'LVA.  Supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  the 
v.ord  vismalva,  quasi  -viscum  mah'a,  from  its  superior 
viscidity.  V  and  B  were  convertible  letters,  and  hence 
this  line  of  Scaliger: 

'  Felices  populi  quibus  inhere  est  bibere.' 
See  ALTHK.A. 

.  BISMU 'Til UM, (from  bismut,  German).  BISMUTH; 
also  called  wiainuthum,  marcasita,  Galena  inanis,  filum- 
6um  cinereum  Argricole,  blende  Germanis,  MARCASITE 
of  SILVER,  and  TIN  GLASS. 

It  seems  not  to  have  been  known  to  the  Arabians, 
for  their  marcasite  was  the  lapis  pyrites;  and  the  first 
traces  of  it  occur  in  Basil  Valentine.  It  is  a  brittle 
metal  of  a  silvery  whiteness;  of  the  specific  gravity 
9.8C  17,  melting  at  460°  of  heat,  smoking,  and  in  a  more 
intense  fire  rising  in  fumes.  If  calcined  in  close  ves- 
sels the  calx  is  in  part  volatile :  if  agitated  it  grows 
yellow,  next  red,  and  soon  becomes  a  glass,  vitrifying 
with  it  some  of  the  less  perfect  metals.  It  may  be 
easily  powdered.  The  nitrous  acid  dissolves  it,  from 
which  it  is  precipitated  in  the  form  of  a  bright  white 
powder  by  dilution  with  water.  The  marine  acid  does 
not  readily  affect  it,  and  the  vitriolic  scarcely  at  all.  It 
impregnates  the  vegetable  acid  with  a  nauseous  taste, 
and  from  all  the  acids  may  be  separated  by  water  alone 
in  the  form  of  a  milky  calx.  By  zinc  and  iron  it  may 
be  precipitated  in  a  metallic  form.  The  chief  of  it 
brought  into  England  is  from  Saxony.  Dr.  Alston  de- 
nies that  the  ores  of  bismuth  contain  any  arsenic;  it  is 
true  that  the  bismuth,  when  brought  to  us,  is  without 
such  particles. 

It  mixes  easily  with  several  metals,  but  destroys  their 
ductility.  It  promotes  the  fusion  of  other  metallic  bo- 
dies. Mixed  with  lead  and  tin  it  forms  a  compound 
that  melts  with  a  very  small  heat;  the  following  pro- 
portion is  so  fusible  that  it  hath  been  proposed  for  ana- 
tomical injections,  two  parts  of  lead,  three  of  tin,  and 
nve  of  bismuth.  If  bismuth  is  mixed  with  lead,  a  larger 
portion  of  the  latter  can  be  combined  with  quicksilver 
than  without  this  method;  and  the  quicksilver  cannot 
be  by  the  common  methods. 

The  magistery  of  bismuth  is  a  precipitation  of  the 
calx  from  nitrous  acid  by  means  of  water,  and  with  the~ 
addition  of  powdered  pearls.  It  is  styled  fiearl  white, 
and  chiefly  used  as  a  cosmetic.  Internally,  it  has  been 
said  to  occasion  great  anxiety.  Dr.  Odier  has,  however, 
recommended  it  in  hysteric  colics,  diarrhoeas,  and  all 
diseases  owing  to  too  great  irritability,  particularly  in 
the  violent  pains  arising  from  a  scirrhus  of  the  pylorus. 
Carminati  of  Pax  ia,  and  Bonnat  in  France,  have  also 
experienced  its  good  effects  in  similar  diseases.  Dr. 
Odier  found  it  serviceable  in  the  toothach.  The  dose 
is  one  or  two  grains  suspended  by  mucilage,  gradually 
increased  to  six,  and  by  Odier  to  twelve,  four  or  five 
times  in  a  day. 


The  SPANISH  WHITE  is  a  magistery  of  bit,uiuth,  made 
by  dissolving  it  in  spirit  of  nitre,  and  precipitating  it 
with  salt  and  water.  The  calx  further  calcined  has 
been  commended  by  Jacobi,  but  not  employed  by  any 
of  his  successors  for  more  than  a  hundred  vears. 
BISTA'CIUM.  See  PISTACIA. 

BISTO'RTA.  BISTORT:  quasi  bis  torta;  twice 
twisted,  or  wreathed.  So  called  from  the  contortion  of 
its  roots.  Called  also  the  GREATER  BISTORT,  or  SNAKE- 
WEED;  coludrina,  beadiramon.  It  is  the/iolig-onum  bis- 
torta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  516.  Nat.  order  oleracee. 

It  is  perennial,  a  native  of  Britain,  grows  wild  in  moist 
meadows  about  Battersea,  and  by  the  side  of  Bishop's 
Wood  near  Hampstead,  and  flowers  in  May  and  June. 

The  root  is  bent  vermicularly,  and  jointed  at  each 
bending.  It  is  commonly  about  the  thickness  of  a  fin- 
ger, surrounded  with  bushy  fibres,  of  a  blackish  brown 
colour  on  the  outside,  and  reddish  within.  It  is  distin- 
guished from  the  other  bistort  roots  by  being  less  bent; 
that  of  the  officinal  species  having  only  one  or  two 
bendings,  and  those  of  the  other  three  or  more. 

This  root  is  powerfully  astringent,  and  as  such  anti- 
septic. It  is  of  a  singular  efficacy  in  haemorrhage,  ob- 
stinate fluxes,  looseness  of  the  teeth,  spongy  gums,  and 
soreness  in  the  mouth.  It  is  said  to  be  refrigerant; 
but  this  is  from  its  being  antacid,  whence  all  astringents 
are  cooling.  The  dose  is  from  gr.  x.  to  J  i.  Water 
totally  dissolves  its  astringent  matter.  Extracts  made 
with  water,  or  with  spirit,  retain  all  the  styptic  quali- 
ties. All  the  parts  of  this  plant  possess  the  same  qua- 
lities as  the  root,  but  in  a  less  degree.  If  the  roots  are 
boiled  in  vinegar,  an  excellent  antiseptic  gargle  is  ob- 
tained. Dr.  Cullen  says  it  seems  to  be  one  of  the  strong- 
est of  our  vegetable  astringents,  and  justly  commended 
for  every  virtue  that  has  been  ascribed  to  any  other:  he 
has  frequently  employed  itin  intermittents,  and  has  given 
it  both  by  itself  and  with  gentian  to  the  quantity  of 
three  drachms  in  one  day.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

The  tormentil  root  is  so  similar  in  its  efficacy,  that  it 
may  always  be  substituted  forjt. 

BISTOU'RY.  In  surgery  is  a  small  knife,  either 
straight  or  crooked,  single  or  double  edged,  round  point- 
ed or  probe  pointed.  Its  form  must  be  regulated  by 
the  purpose  for  which  it  is  employed.  Sometimes  a 
director  or  a  grooved  canula  is  _employed,  along  which 
the  knife  passes;  and  at  others  the  instrument  is  con- 
cealed in  a  kind  of  sheath,  which  supplies  the  place  of 
a  director,  and  raised  at  the  moment  it  is  to  be  em- 
ployed. 

BISU'L.  An  abbreviation  of  BISULCIS,  (from  bis, 
twice,  and  sulcus,  a  furrow,)  cloven  footed. 

BITHIXOS.  The  name  of  a  plaster  described  bv 
Galen. 

BITHNIMA'LCA.  A  word  coined  by  Dola:us  to 
signify  a  peculiar  acting  principle  residing  in  the  sto- 
mach, and  presiding  over  the  functions  of  digestion  and 
chylification;  called  also  t$a*teranax. 

BITHY'NICI  TONSO'RIS  EMPLA'STRUM. 
The  BITHXIAN-  BARBER'S  PLA-STER  for  splenetic  people. 
See  jEtius  Tetrabib.  iii.  serm.  ii.  cap.  xxii. 

BI'TI.  (Indian.)  A  tall  evergreen  tree  in  Malabar, 
and  other  parts  of  the  East  Indies,  An  oil  is  prepared 
from  its  root  to  cure  the  alopec: 

BI'TTERN.  The  oily  fluid  left  after  the  crystalliza- 
tion of  salt,  styled  the  mother  water,  eau  mere,  sincr 


B  IT 


252 


RLE 


no  other  salt  will  crystallize  in  consequence  of  the  vis- 
cidity of  the  fluid,  arising  from  the  oily  matter,  occa- 
sioned by  the  decaying  fish  rnolluscae  and  alga.  It  con- 
sists chiefly  of  vitriolated  magnesia,  and  from  it  the 
Epsom  salt  is  now  prepared. 

BITTERS.     See  AMARA. 

BI'TTER  ALMONDS.     See  AMYGDYLA. 

BI'TTER  GOURD,  or  APPLE.     See  COLOCYNTHUS. 

BI'TTER  PURGING  SALT.  See  SAL  CATHARTICUM  AMA- 
RU M. 

BI'TTER  SWEET.     See  SOLAXUM. 

BITU'MEN,  7T(T7»,«.»,  (from  irirlat,  pitch;  or  a-ilvtix, 
from  arcri/s,  a  pine,  because  it  flows  from  the  pine  tree,) 
called  also  aafihultos^pissasphaltus,  asphaltum,  bitumen 
Judaicum,  carabi"  funerum,  gummi  funerum,  mumia, 

CARABE  OK   SoDON,  FOSSILE  PITCH,  and  JEWS*   PITCH. 

It  is  a  solid  mineral  substance,  of  a  dusky  colour  on 
the  outside,  and  a  deep  shining  black  within;  having 
but  little  taste  or  smell,  except  it  is  heated,  in  which 
case  it  emits  a  strong  pitchy  odour.  It  is  not  soluble 
in  oils,  nor  in  vinous  spirits;  it  melts  but  imperfectly 
in  the  fire..  On  burning  it  a  large  quantity  of  ashes  re- 
main. It  is  found  in  the  earth  in  many  parts  of  Egypt, 
and  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  Deed  Sea.  At  first 
it  is  soft,  but  grows  hard  by  keeping. 

Though  we  have  spoken  of  bitumen  as  a  single  sub- 
stance, we  are,  from  the  labours  of  Mr.  Hatchet  and 
Mr.  Kirwan  enabled  now  to  be  more  correct  and  dis- 
criminate. Bitumens  are  either  fluid  or  solid.  Of  the 
former  we  have  the  pure  naphtha  and  petroleum  :  of  the 
latter,  the  mineral  tar  and  pitch,  and  asphaltum.  The 
first  by  exposure  to  the  air  gradually  becomes  darker, 
till  from  naphtha  it  is  changed  to  a  true  asphaltum,  the 
substance  to  which  the  synonyms  at  the  head  of  the  ar- 
ticle apply.  The  amber  is  a  bituminous  substance  also, 
though  from  a  different  source. 

Bitumens,  like  oils,  are  composed  of  hydrogen,  car- 
bone,  and  azote,  modified  in  some  measure  by  oxygen. 
To  carry  on  the  analogy  with  the  substances  of  the  ve- 
getable kingdom  which  they  resemble,  we  may  suppose 
the  two  extremities  of  the  scale,  naphtha  and  asphaltum, 
to  be  the  ethereal  oils  and  resins.  It  is  indeed  highly  pro- 
bable that  all  bitumens  are  of  vegetable  origin  (Hatchet, 
.Phil.  Transactions,  for  1805,  part  ii.  and  Nicholson's 
Journal,  vol.  ii.).  J\'a/ih_t/ia,  the  purest  of  the  bitumens, 
is  lighter  than  water,  viz.  0.788:  the  smell  highly  pe- 
netrating, though  not  disagreeable,  like  oil  of  amber.  It 
resists  the  cold  of  Oof  Fahrenheit.  The  petroleum  is  less 
fluid,  transparent,  and  agreeable,  specific  gravity  0.878. 
Mineral  tar,  dark  coloured,  viscid,  and  of  an  unpleasing 
smell;  scarcely  if  at  all  heavier  than  water.  Mineral 
fiitch,  brittle  in  cold  weather,  dark  and  opaque;  gravity 
nearly  that  of  water.  sfs/ihaltum,\ery  brittle  and  shining, 
fusible  and  inflammable',  specific  gravity  often  1.165. 

These  seemingly  differ  only  in  their  proportion  of 
oxygen.  In  medicine,  the  first  kind  has  been  employed 
^»s  a  stimulant  and  an  antispasmodfc,  but  is  now  dis- 
used. It  is  employed  externally  only  in  chilblains  and 
paralytic  affections:  and  what  is  styled  British  oil  is 
drawn  from  stone  coal.  Naphtha  has  been  employed  in 
hectics,  but  is  too  stimulating,  and  produces  considerable 
inconvenience.  It  is  found  very  pure,  near  the  Caspian 
Sea,  at  Backu.  See' PETROLEUM  and  SUCCINUM. 

BITU'MEN  BAHBADENSE.     See  PISSJELKUM. 

BITU'MEN  LI^UIDUM.     See  PETROLEUM. 


BIVE'NTER.  Thus  muscles  are  named  that  have 
two  bellies,  from  bis  and  venter;  also  digastricus. 

BIVE'NTER  MU'SCULUS.  It  arises  from  the  processus 
mastoidaeus.  Its  tendon  frequently  joins  the  stylohyoi- 
dtxtus  and  the  membranous  ring  fixed  to  the  os  hyoidaeus, 
and  is  then  attached  to  the  inner  part  of  the  chin.  It 
depresses  the  jaw,  and  thus  opens  the  mouth.  It  is 
fleshy  at  lx>th  its  extremities,  and  tendinous  in  the  mid- 
dle. The  middle  tendon  passing  through  the  aponeu- 
rotic  ligament  as  the  lateral  part,  and  the  root  of  the 
cornua  of  the  os  hyoides,  is  what  renders  it  capable  of 
performing  its  office.  The  ancients  called  it  grajihoides. 

BIXA  OVIEDI.     See  ACHIOTL. 

BlXA   OREI.LANA.        See  ORLEANA. 

BLACCIjE.     See  MORBILLI. 

BLACK  VO'MIT.  The  discharge  from  the  sto- 
mach in  the  last  stage  of  the  yellow  fever.  See  BILE. 

BLA'DDER.     See  VESICA  URINARIA. 

BL^E'SITAS,  (from  6l<£sus~).  See  PSELLISMUS 
RINGENS. 

BLjE'SUS,  /ZA*«r®-,  (from  flXavTa,  to  injure}.  The 
same  as  valgus,  BANDY  LEGGED,  or  one  whose  legs  are 
bent  outward,  called  also  cyllos,  de-valg-atus  :  one  whose 
back  bone  is  bent  either  forward  or  backward;  also  a 
paralytic  person,  and  one  who  hath  an  impediment  in 
his  speech.  Blancard. 

BLA'NCA,  (from  blanc,  French,  white*).  See  PLUM- 
BUM. Also  the  name  of  a  purging  medicine  in  the 
Antidotarium  of  Nicolaus. 

BLANC  TA'RBE.     See  COBALTUM. 

BLA'NCNON.     See  FILIX. 

BLAS'A.  An  Indian  name  of  a  tree,  the  fruit  of 
which,  when  powdered,  is  given  to  destroy  worms. 
Raii  Hist. 

BLAST.  A  vulgar  term  for  inflammation;  quasi 
blasted,  burnt,  as  trees  from  the  influence  of  lightning. 

BLASTE'MA,  (from  /3A*c-T«vap,  to  germinate^.  Also 
called  gcrmcn.  A  BUD,  OFFSET,  or  SHOOT  of  a  plant: 
but  Hippocrates  expresses  by  it  a  cutaneous  eruption  or 
pimple. 

BLATTA,  (from  /3A«5r7*'>  to  hurt ;  so  called  from  its 
injuring  books  or  clothes,)  or  BLATTA  FCETIDA. 

The     SLOW-LEGGED     BEETLE,      Ol'     BOOK  WORM.          It      JS 

that  species  of  beetle  which  is  so  common  in  bake 
houses.  If  they  are  boiled  and  bruised  in  oil,  then 
dropped  into  the  ear,  they  are  said  to  relieve  pains  in 
that  part. 

BLATTA'RIA  LUTE'A,  (from  blatta ;  so  called 
because  it  engenders  that  reptile).  YELLOW  MOTH  MUL- 
LEIN. It  is  said  to  possess  the  same  virtues  as  the  ver- 
bascum,  but  merits  no  particular  notice. 

BLA'TTI,  sonneratia  acida  Lin.  Supplem.  252.  Wil- 
denow,  vol.  ii.  999.  The  seeds  are  surrounded  by  an 
acid  juice,  and  the  fruits  are  dressed  as  alimentary  sub- 
stances. The  leaves  are  applied  to  the  head  to  relieve 
vertigos,  and  their  juice  is  supposed  useful  in  aphthse. 

BLEE'DING.     See  PHLETOTOMIA. 

BLE'NDE.  A  German  name  for  BISMUTH.  See 
BISMUTHUM;  ZINCUM. 

BLE'NNA,  or  BLE'NA,  (Greek,  mucus').  A  thick 
phlegm  descending  from  the  brain  through  the  nostrils. 

BLE'NORRHAGI A,  and  BLE'NORRHCEA,  (from 
/8Aevv«;v ?»Hf2<£,  and  fia,  fluo].  A  newly  formed  genus 
of  disease,  to  supersede  the  probably  too  general  use 
of  catarrhus.  It  is  intended  to  include  the  mucous 


BLE 


253 


B  LI 


discharges,  but  it  should  have  been  confined  to  those 
from  the  genital  and  urinary  systems. 

We  shall  divide  them  into  discharges  from  venereal, 
from  miscellaneous  acrimony,  and  from  relaxation.  For 
the  first,  see  GONORRH<EA.  The  acrimony  we  have 
styled  miscellaneous,  may  be  any  internal  irritation,  the 
stimulus  of  cantharides,  or  some  other  poison ;  gouty 
irritation,  calculus,  and  cancer.  See  STRANGURY  and 
CANCER. 

The  blenorrhoea  is  attended  with  very  slight,  if  any, 
inflammation ;  though  this  may  be  occasionally  excited 
by  free  living,  riding  on  horseback,  excess  of  venery,  or 
either  of  the  former  acrimonies.  But,  except  from  the 
venereal  poison,  this  superadded  inflammation  is  tran- 
sitory. The  discharge  may  occur  from  any  part  of  the 
urinary  or  genital  organs.  See  GOKORRHCEA  BESIG.VA, 
LEUCORRHCF.A,  CATARRHVS  VESIC.E. 

BLE'PHARA  ;  quasi,  p**™^  <f*f»f,  as  being  the 
cover  or  defence  of  the  sight.  See  PALPEBR.*. 

BLEPHA'RIDES,(from  /3Af<p*f.»,  on  eye  lid).  The 
hairs  on  the  edges  of  the  eye  lids ;  also  that  part  of  the 
eye  lids  themselves  on  which  the  hairs  grow. 

'  BLEPHAROPTO'SIS,(from/3Af?«p«,/ia//»F6ra,  eye 
lid,  and  rlturif,  casus,  descent,}  called  also  /itotit.     A 

DISLOCATION,  Or    DISPLACING  OF     EITHER,    Or    BOTH    EYE 

LIDS,  by  elongation,  retraction,  turning  inwards  or  out- 
wards, with  different  symptoms  in  different  species.  But 
the  true  blepharoptosy,  or  preternatural  descent  of  the 
eye  lid,  arises  from  a  wound  of  the  frontal  muscles  of 
the  temple,  or  the  superior  levator  of  the  eye  lid,  or 
from  any  large  tumour  dragging  down  the  eye  lid ; 
from  inflammatory  or  cold  defluxions  elongating  the 
palpebra ;  from  mere  relaxations  of  the  eye  lids,  or  from 
a  palsy  of  the  palpebra,  which  is  sometimes  constant, 
sometimes  periodical.  See  PTOSIS. 

The  varieties  of  this  species  are  obvious.  With  re- 
:  to  the  first  it  must  be  remarked,  that  the  cheek 
of  the  same  side,  the  lower  jaw,  the  tongue,  eyes,  and 
other  parts,  are  affected.  The  second  and  third  varieties 
are  cured  by  conquering  the  primary  disease  to  which 
they  owe  their  origin  ;  to  the  fourth,  corroborating  spi- 
rituous fomentations  are  useful ;  to  the  fifth  anti-para- 
lytic remedies  administered  externally  and  internally.  If 
these  remedies  do  not  properly  succeed  in  the  two  last, 
a  cure  must  be  sought  for  from  a  surgical  operation, 
performed  on  the  prolapsed  palpebra,  or  on  the  skin  of 
the  forehead.  Internal  remedies  are  scarcely  useful ; 
but  such  as  will  draw  oft"  the  superabundant  serous 
fluids,  which  are  chiefly  purgative  and  diuretic  remedies, 
particularly  jalap,  and  sal  diureticus,  may  be  employed. 
Amongst  the  remedies  for  any  paralytic  affection,  elec- 
tricity may  be  mentioned  as  occasioning  the  increased 
action  of  any  particular  muscle.  In  that  variety  said  to 
proceed  from  relaxation,  the  use  of  alum  with  an  infusion 
of  oak  bark  is  recommended  for  an  external  application; 
but  if  it  does  not  succeed,  the  relaxed  skin  must  be  cut 
away,  and  the  edges  of  the  wounds  confined  together 
by  sutures,  and  healed  in  that  situation.  There  are  se- 
veral other  species  of  this  disease.  See  ECTHOPIUM, 
TRICHIA. 

BLEPHAROTIS,  (from  5/..<£*«»,  the  eye  lid).  IN- 
FLAMMATION of  the  EYE  LIDS.  See  OPHTHALMIA. 

BLEFHARO'XYSIS,  (from  frltSw  and  £«,  to 
tcra/ie  off).  See  OPHTHALMOXYSTRVM. 

BLEPHARO  XYSTQN,  the  RASP-LIKE  PROBE.     So 


Paulas  -Egineta,  in  lib  iii.  cap.  xxii.  calls  the  t/iecilfvm 
asjieratum,  from   B'teVato*,  an  eye  lid,  and  |£«,  to  scrafie 

BLESTRI'SMUS  (from  p*M*>,  to  throw  about}.  A 
restless  tossing  of  the  body,  as  in  a  phrensy. 

BLE'TA,  WHITE.  An  epithet  for  milky  urine,  pro- 
ceeding from  diseased  kidneys. 

BLETI,  STRUCK.  Those  who  were  suddenly  seized 
with  a  suffocation,  or  difficulty  of  breathing.  Hippo- 
crates applies  the  term  to  a  livid  spot  on  the  chest,  as  if 
the  person  had  been  struck.  It  sometimes  is  obsen-ed 
in  pleurisy. 

BLINDNESS.  This  very  comprehensive  term  in- 
cludes a  variety  of  very  different  diseases  ;  and  we  must 
here  consider  not  only  imperfect  or  depraved  vision,  but 
the  causes  of  the  total  loss  of  sight.  Imperfect  vision 
proceeds  from  many  sources.  We  have  noticed,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  work,  that  which  arises  from  the  rays 
of  light  converging  before  they  reach  the  retina,  or  be- 
yond it;  the  species  occasioned  by  diseases  of  the  lid^ 
and  obtuscations  or  ulcers  on  the  cornea;  those  which 
arise  from  opacity  of  the  lens,  and  from  a  palsy  of  the 
optic  nerve.  Little  therefore  remains  but  to  notice  par- 
tial transitory  obstructions,  or  imaginary  appearances. 
In  nervous  diseases  the  sight  is  sometimes  for  a  time 
lost ;  and  though  this  deprivation  occurs  without  danger, 
and  is  temporary  only,  yet  we  ought  to  reflect  that  it  is 
often  the  forerunner  of  a  fatal  apoplexy  or  a  palsy.  The 
muscae  volitantes,  as  they  are  called,  motes  floating 
before  the  eye,  and  for  a  time  obscuring  the  sight,  are 
equally  signs  of  an  approaching  cataract.  Yet,  after  a 
strong  light,  or  from  transitory  debility,  they  occur  with 
little  danger  or  permanence.  There  is  another  imper- 
fection of  vision  from  fulness  of  blood;  and  in  this 
case  the  sight  is  obscured  by  lines,  with  apparent  in- 
tersections. An  author,  whose  name  has  escaped  us, 
mentions  it  as  an  impression  on  the  retina,  from  the 
passage  of  the  blood  througburessels  not  usually  con- 
veying the  red  globules.  We  remember  the  disease 
occurring  in  a  man  who  could  represent  his  sensations 
by  a  pencil.  He  drew  the  figures  that  appeared  to  him. 
and  they  formed  an  exact  representation  of  the  circu- 
lation of  the  blood,  as  seen  through  a  miscroscopi-. 
Bleeding  and  low  diet  completely  removed  this  com- 
plaint. 

There  are  many  imaginary  appearances  in  the  eye*, 
not  only  from  fulness,  but  from  nervous  affections. 
Double  vision  is  not  uncommon  :  to  see  objects  inverted 
is  an  occurrence  not  indicative  of  any  considerable 
disease.  False  representations  are  generally  morbid  :  to 
see  angels  round  the  bed,  wild  beasts  with  open  mouths 
ready  to  devour,  flames  curling  round  and  scorching, 
are  the  effects  of  fever,  or  an  imagination  greatly  dis- 
turbed. The  organ  is  not  affected  ;  but  the  impression 
on  the  sensorium  is  not  consonant  to  that  on  the  nerv- 
ous extremities,  or  the  associated  idea  is  stronger  than 
that  from  the  impression. 

Blindness  is  seldom  complete.  Strong  lights  are 
often  perceived ;  the  forms  of  objects  not  uncommon!;. : 
but  the  colour,  the  shade,  and  the  minuter  forms,  are 
in  many  instances  imperceptible.  In  this  case  even 
sense  is  alive  to  supply  the  imperfection.  Spalanzani 
has  shown,  that  a  blinded  bat  can  avoid  objects  in  its 
way ;  and  we  know,  from  the  blind  people  who  can 
describe  their  feelings,  that  they  can  distinguish  a 


BL  1 


254 


crowded  from  an  empty  room ;  one  furnished  from  an- 
other unfurnished ;  windows  opening  to  the  country 
or  a  street ;  tall  from  short  persons ;  and  even  in  a 
theatre,  an  able  and  judicious  actor  from  a  pretender  to 
the  art.  The  feelings,  the  breathing,  the  hearing,  in 
short,  a  combination  of  all  the  senses,  almost  a  new 
sense,  contribute  to  their  information.  It  has  been  sup- 
posed that  the  blind  can  distinguish  colours  by  feeling, 
but  this  is  not  true.  We  remember  Dr.  Moyes  ob- 
serving, that  an  old  blind  man  was  brought  to  him 
who  professed  to  distinguish  colours.  He  had  been 
a  dyer ;  but  in  his  determinations  he  was  often  wrong, 
and  when  correct,  was  assisted  by  the  smell.  Dr. 
Reid,  in  his  '  Geometry  of  Visibles,'  endeavours  to 
show  what  ideas  a  blind  man  would  entertain  of  dif- 
ferent objects,  though  with  little  success.  People  blind 
from  infancy  have  been  restored  to  sight;  and  we 
might  suppose  that  from  their  observations  much  might 
be  collected.  We  have,  however,  only  two  well  au- 
thenticated instances  of  persons  restored  to  sight,  who 
never  remember  to  have  seen.  One,  the  case  so  often 
quoted  from  Mr.  Cheselden;  the  other,  more  lately, 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  by  Mr.  Ware.  They 
unfortunately  differ  in  many  respects  ;  but  we  must  be 
allowed  to  hint  our  suspicions,  that  Mr.  Ware's  patient 
must  have  remembered  seeing,  for  he  knew  a  cloth  on 
the  table  to  be  green.  This  indeed  he  might  have  heard, 
but  he  ascertained  the  distance  :  this  a  blind  man  could 
not  have  done.  Had  he  in  any  instance  been  able 
to  distinguish  objects  either  from  their  brilliancy  or 
their  shape,  this  faculty  might  have  been  acquired,  but 
in  no  other  way.  We  remember  seeing  an  account  of 
the  feelings  of  another  person  who  never  had  seen, 
restored  to  sight  by  the  extraction  of  a  cataract,  in  the 
papers  of  an  old  surgeon.  He  could  not  distinguish 
distances ;  and  when  carried  near  a  river,  was  eager  to 
walk  on  that  beautiful  plain.  The  various  resources  for 
the  amusement  of  blind  persons,  and  their  mode  of  as- 
sisting their  acquisition  of  the  different  abstract  sciences, 
are  scarcely  a  part  of  our  subject.  Perhaps  we  have 
already  strayed  from  it ;  but  literally,  in  our  situation, 
•nihil  humani  nobis  eat  alienum. 

BLISTERS.  The  operation  of  this  most  useful  re- 
medy has  occasioned  numerous  disquisitions  and  eager 
controversies.  It  is  fortunate  that  the  calm  attentive 
•  practitioner  has  steadily  pursued  his  path,  and  con- 
tributed to  relieve  or  save  his  patient,  without  being  in- 
fluenced by  the  surrounding  contests.  As  the  principal 
application  by.  which  we  excite  blisters  is  the  Spanish 
fly,  the  nature  of  this  insect  has  contributed  to  keep 
alive  the  controversy,  or  to  add  to  the  difficulties.  It 
will,  however,  make  no  part  of  our  enquiry,  and  we  must 
consequently  refer  to  that  article  for  some  account  of  its 
peculiar  qualities.  See  CANTHAHIDES.  , 

Blisters,  when  applied  to  the  skin,  first  produce  a 
tingling  heat,  a  redness,  and  afterwards  the  cuticle  is 
elevated,  and  a  portion  of  fluid  resembling  the  serum  of 
the  blood  is  inclosed,  as  in  a  bladder.  When  this  is 
evacuated,  a  redness  continues, .  the  serum  gradually 
thickens,  at  last  becomes  a  whitish  curdly  substance, 
under  which  the  new  skin  is  again  formed,  or  assumes 
a  truly  purulent  appearance,  and  the  blistered  part  con- 
tracts until  the  whole  wound  is  healed. 

From  this  very  simple  and  confined  operation,  it  is 
not,  a  priori,  probable  that  extensive  benefit  should  be 


produced.  The  first  effects  are  pain  and  irritation ;  and 
it  was  once  supposed  that  blisters  were  only  useful  by 
their  stimulant  power.  The  evacuation  followed  ;  and 
others  then  thought  that  from  this  source  only  they  were 
beneficial,  and  that  their  first  effects  were  injurious. 
They  were  then  antispasmodics  from  some  unknown 
influence ;  they  coagulated  or  thinned  the  blood  ac- 
cording to  the  fancy  of  the  pathologist ;  but  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  really  operate  is  still  uncertain,  not- 
withstanding the  labours  of  Tralles  in  his  closely  printed 
quarto,  entitled,  Usus  Vesicantium. 

The  first  effect  of  blisters  is  undoubtedly  stimulant ; 
yet  this  stimulus  is  local,  and  seldom  communicated  to 
the  whole  system.  In  irritable  skins,  however,  when 
the  pain  is  considerable,  when  restlessness  and  want  of 
sleep  are  the  consequence,  they  are  certainly  for  a  time 
injurious  from  their  stimulant  power,  but  in  general  they 
relieve  more  pain  than  they  give ;  they  lessen  previous  ir- 
ritation or  uneasiness,  and  dispose  to  sleep.  These  are 
their  effects  in  fevers  and  inflammations,  where  we  might 
chiefly  dread  their  stimulant  power.  It  may  be  asked 
if  they  are  never  used  as  stimulants  ?  Undoubtedly,  but 
chiefly  as  local  ones,  and  where  we  come  near,  the  af- 
fected nerve ;  and,  indeed,  from  the  moment  of  their 
application,  they  must  be  considered  as  such,  though 
the  external  stimulus,  relieving  the  internal,  renders  the 
former  an  object  of  little  comparative  importance.  The 
great  difficulty  arises  from  considering  the  benefits  de-- 
'rived  from  so  small  an  external  inflammation,  when 
the  internal,  which  it  relieves,  is  so  extensive  and  vio- 
lent. Various  have'been  the  modes  of  resolving  the 
question,  and  numerous  the  discussions  which  the  va- 
rious solutions  have  occasioned.  The  effects  are  un- 
doubtedly disproportioned  to  the  cause,  but  it  is  probable 
that  the  smallest  relief  given  to  the  internal  over  dis- 
tended vessels,  gives  nature  an  opportunity  of  exerting 
her  powers,  and  the  turgid  arteries  of  propelling  more 
effectually  their  contents.  We  shall  not  encumber  this 
comprehensive  account  with  the  various  theories  of  IN- 
FLAMMATION, or  the  different  explanations  of  DERIVA- 
TION, but  refer  to  these  articles,  q.  v. 

The  stimulus  of  a  blister  seems  also  of  service  in 
lessening  the  excessive  action  of  the  nervous  power. 
We  well  know  that  the  tone  and  the  sensibility  of  the 
nerves,  and  the  consequent  irritability  of  the  muscles 
which  they  supply,  are  intimately  connected  with  the 
state  of  the  circulation  in  their  extremities.  We  can 
easily  see,  therefore,  the  means  by  which  this  excessive 
action  may  be  mitigated.  In  some  peculiar  circum- 
stances, however,  we  have  thought  that  diseases  more 
purely  nervous  have  been  relieved  by  this  remedy,  and 
have  suspected  that  there  may  be  a  balance  between 
the  excitement  of  the  internal  and  external  nervous 
power,  as  there  more  evidently  is  of  the  circulation. 
We  need  not  enlarge  on  the  subject,  but  leave  this  hint 
to  suggest  future  enquiry.  We  may,  however,  add,  that 
if  blisters  ever  act  as  antispasmodics,  it  must  be  from 
this  or  a  similar  effect. 

The  discharge,  in  many  instances,  gives  a  greater  per- 
manence to  the  benefits  derived  from  blisters,  and  in 
some  cases  seems  to  be,  the  chief  source  of  their  ad- 
vantages, particularly  in  dropsies,  in  humoral  asthmas, 
the  more  decidedly  serous  apoplexies,  and  a  few  other 
diseases.  It  is  continued,  however,  with  some  difficulty, 
as  in  many  constitutions  the  blister  rapidly  heals,  what  - 


LI 


255 


B  L  I 


ever  be  %e  application.  The  sabine  ointment  now 
generally  supplies  the  place  qf  the  blister  ointment, 
which  is  inconvenient  by  its  effects  on  the  neck  of  the 
bladder. 

Though,  as  we  have  said,  the  inflammation  is  con- 
fined and  slight,  and  the  discharge  inconsiderable,  yet 
it  probably  has  more  effect  on  the  constitution  than  we 
might  suspect  from  the  absolute  quantity ;  for  in  many 
constitutions  the  continued  discharge  from  blisters 
produces  considerable  debility:  in  some  they  can 
scarcely  be  borne  for  even  the  period  of  two  or  three 
days.  We  might  attribute  this  to  the  quality  of  the 
discharge;  but  M.  Margueron,  who  has  analysed  it 
(Annalesde  Chimie,  vol.xiv.),  found  that  it  very  nearly 
resembled  the  serum  of  the  blood,  containing  only  a 
little  less  of  the  albuminous  portion.  It  is  seemingly 
darker  coloured  from  the  tinge  of  the  plaster,  whose 
peculiar  smell  it  retains.  He  found  it  the  same  when 
the  blister  was  applied  in  putrid  fevers,  as  when  the 
person  was  in  health. 

Blisters  have  on  many  constitutions  a  cordial  and  ex- 
hilarating effect,  generally  on  those  of  full  habits,  and 
probably  of  languid  circulation,  by  relieving  the  over 
distended  vessels.  A  gentleman,  once  highly  distinguish- 
ed at  the  bar,  and  of  brilliant  convivial  powers,  always 
applied  a  blister  when  he  wished  to  shine  in  either 
sphere,  and  the  effect  was  produced  as  soon  as  the 
warmth  in  the  part  began.  We  have  heard  also  many, 
who  even  felt  the  pain  of  blisters  acutely,  declare  that 
the  relief  of  the  languor  they  previously  experienced, 
counterbalanced  all  their  sufferings. 

In  our  enumeration  of  the  diseases  benefited  by  blis- 
ters, we  shall  be  guided  by  their  effects,  and  shall  con- 
sider them  as  altering  the  determination  of  the  fluids 
from  parts  overloaded  ;  influencing  the  determination 
of  the  nervous  power ;  as  stimulants,  eyacuants,  and 
cordials. 

In  fevers,  we  generally  find  the  equilibrium  of  the 
circulation  greatly  disturbed ;  and,  in  general,  the  two 
organs  which  chiefly  suffer  from  over  distention,  are 
the  brain  and  the  liver.  We  have  a  more  ready  access 
to  the  latter  by  more  easy  remedies.  The  distention  of 
the  vessels  of  the  brain  is  chiefly  relieved  by  blisters. 
In  some  inflammatory  fevers  the  load  in  the  head  is 
considerable;  and  in  cases  not  truly  phrenitic,  the  de- 
lirium is  of  that  wild  and  violent  kind  which  approaches 
very  nearly  to  phrensy.  When  bleeding  is  admissible, 
it  must  be  premised;  and,  in  other  cases,  the  stomach 
and  bowels  must  be  freely  emptied.  Blisters  will  then 
greatly  relieve,  but  they  should  be  applied  very  near 
the  head,  and  in  general  immediately  below  the  hair  on 
the  back  part  of  the  head.  Near  the  head  we  have 
still  the  temples,  as  well  as  the  parts  behind  the  ears, 
for  a  succession  of  blisters,  if  necessary  ;  since  the  first 
effects  of  this  remedy  are  those  most  beneficial,  and  it 
is  unnecessary  to  continue  the  discharge  from  one  part 
more  than  thirty-six  or  forty-eight  hours.  We  must 
still  however  look  forward  to  the  possibility  of  a 
continued  determination;  and  should  the  fever  not  ter- 
minate in  fourteen  or  sixteen  days,  shave  the  vertex, 
that  cold  applications  may  be  employed,  or  any  ac- 
cidental scratch  be  healed,  before  it  be  necessary  to 
apply  a  blister  to  that  part.  These  frequent  repetitions 
of  blisters  are  however  seldom  necessary. 


In  the  tyfihus  there  is  also  a  determination  to  the 
head,  though  less  violent,  and  with  inflammation  less 
active.  In  these  our  chief  reliance  is  on  blisters,  for 
bleeding  is  improper,  and  active  purging  sometimes  in- 
admissible. The  inexperienced  practitioner  has  been 
alarmed  by  the  debilitating  powers  of  this  remedy ;  but 
these  are  observed  in  very  few  constitutions,  nor  have 
we  ever  found  them  permanently  injurious  in  fevers  of 
this  kind.  In  the  worst  kind  of  asthenic  fevers  they 
are  less  proper ;  and  in  highly  putrid  fevers,  they  have 
been  considered  as  rather  injurious  than  useful. 

The  greatest  advantages  of  blisters  are  experienced 
in  inflammations,  \nfihrenitic  cases  their  administra- 
tion does  not  greatly  differ  from  that  we  have  described, 
when  speaking  of  inflammatory  fevers.  In  sore  throats 
we  have  mentioned  them  as  highly  useful,  and  they 
should  extend  from  behind  the  ear  under  the  lower  jaw 
to  the  trachea.  In  every  inflammation  of  the  face 
they  should  be  applied  in  the  same  way,  and  are  highly 
useful.  The  tic  doloureux,in  Dr.  FothergiU's  language, 
the  dolor  faciei  crucians,  is  an  exception  to  this  rule, 
and  indeed  can  scarcely  be  called  an  inflammation.  In 
inflammatory  affections  of  the  chest,  blisters  are  our  chief 
dependance;  and  in  every  disease  of  this  kind,  except 
perhaps  the  putrid  pneumonia,  they  are  of  service:  in 
this,  however,  they  are  certainly  not  injurious,  and,  as 
we  have  said,  they  are  not-  so  in  angina  maligna.  We 
spoke  with  less  confidence  of  their  effects  in  highly 
putrid  fevers,  as  these  have  not  very  often  occurred  to 
us.  In  inflammatory  coughs  they  are  useful ;  and  in 
many  of  these,  especially  if  not  attended  with  expec- 
toration, they  seem  to  be  more  beneficial  when  applied 
to  the  bone  of  the  neck,  than  to  any  part  of  the  chest. 
In  general,  however,  if  there  is  any  fixed  fiain  in  any 
part,  to  it  they  must  be  directed.  To  this  subject,  how- 
ever, we  must  return  in  the  articles  of  PXECMOXIA 
and  HECTIC  FEVERS.  In  croofi  we  have  said  they  are 
used,  but,  like  most  other  remedies,  with  little  advan- 
tage: and  in  hooping  cough  they  rather  guard  against 
any  inflammatory  accumulation  in  the  chest,  than 
shorten  or  materially  mitigate  the  disease. 

In  inflammations  of  the  abdomen  they  are  highly  use- 
ful, with  the  exception  only  of  those  of  the  bladder; 
but  even  in  the  latter,  when  the  inflammation  is  con- 
fined to  its  neck,  a  short  application  of  a  blister  to  the 
perinaeum  has  been  of  service.  In  all  local  fiains  of  the 
abdomen  blisters  will  relieve,  and  we  think  they  even 
facilitate  the  passage  of  a  gall-stone  through  the  duct. 
They  are  certainly  useful  in  preventing  inflammation  of 
that  part  from  the  distention.  In  gastrodynia,  what- 
ever be  the  cause,  they  seem  to  relieve. 

In  all  inflammations  of  the  joints  blisters  are  useful : 
even  the  paroxysms  of  gout  they  shorten  and  mitigate, 
though  we  have  had  reason  to  fear  with  disadvantage  to 
the  constitution.  -The  white  swelling  is  a  peculiar  dis- 
order, which  we  cannot  at  present  enlarge  on.  It  con- 
sists however  in  its  commencement  of  a  rigidity  of  the 
ligaments,  and  in  its  progress  of  deep  seated  in- 
flammation. In  the  early  state,  there  is  perhaps  no 
more  certain  remedy  than  blisters  repeatedly  applied: 
their  first  action  seems  to  be  the  most  useful.  Modern 
practitioners  have  substituted  the  stimulus  of  emetic  tar- 
tar in  these  and  some  other  swellings,  particularly  the 
bronchocele,  it  is  said  with  success.  In  our  hands. 


BLI 


256 


L  O 


however,  it  has  appeared  less  useful ;  and  the  peculiar 
deep  irritable  little  sores  which  it  occasions  soon  pre- 
vent the  use  of  this  and  every  other  external  ap- 
plication. 

In  the  exanthemata,  we  find  blisters  chiefly  useful  in 
nn/all pox  and  measles.  In  the  former,  when  the  head 
and  breast  are  greatly  loaded  previous  to  the  eruption, 
they  are  often  useful,  and  occasion  a  more  mild  and 
distinct  kind.  When  repelled,  also,  they  assist  in  their 
reproduction,  and  often  prevent  the  inconveniences 
which  arise  from  their  disappearance.  In  measles  they 
are  more  useful,  on  account  of  the  violent  catarrhs]  in- 
flammation which  often  becomes  pneumonic. 

Active  hemorrhages  are  greatly  relieved  by  blisters. 
The  sanguine  effusions  in  the  brain  producing  afiofilexies 
require  their  immediate  application,  without  waiting  for 
the  effect  of  evacuations.  Bleedings  from  the  nose  and 
the  lungs  are  equally  relieved  by  them.  It  has  not  been 
usual  to  apply  them  in  discharges  of  blood  from  the 
bowels,  chiefly  perhaps  because  these  are  seldom  of  the 
active  kind;  and  as  it  is  not  easy  to  ascertain  the  part, 
particularly  affected,  with  accuracy.  Discharges  of  blood 
from  the  kidneijs  and  bladder  also  are  not  relieved  by 
blisters.  In  diarrhaas  from  the  measles  they  are  sup- 
posed serviceable  ;  and  indeed  this  must  be  considered 
as  an  inflammatory  complaint.  In  dysentery  they  are 
said  to  relieve  pain,  but  are  seldom  employed. 

Blisters  are  employed  also  to  alter  the  determination 
of  the  nervous  power.  This  is  certainly  a  vague  in- 
dication; but  they  are  useful  in  spasmodic  pains  of  the 
intestines  when  there  is  no  inflammation;  they  relieve 
the  paroxysms  of  angina  pectoris,  of  spasmodic  asthma, 
as  well  as  epilepsies  not  connected  with  local  plethora 
and- extravasation;  they  remove  pains  in  the  stomach 
arising  wholly  from  the  irregular  action  of  that  organ  ; 
and  coughs  that  are  nervous  and  independent  of  inflam- 
mation. These  are  certainly  facts,  though  the  mode 
of  their  operation  may  be  doubted. 

Though  the  stimulus  of  blisters  be  transitory  and  lo- 
cal, yet  they  are  certainly  useful  as  stimulants.  On 
the  back  part  of  the  neck  they  stimulate  the  nerves  sent 
to  the  throat,  and  relieve  aphonia,  and  deglutition  im- 
peded from  palsy.  On  the  internal  humerus  they  re- 
lieve paralytic  affections  of  the  hands  and  fingers ;  on 
the  internal  part  of  the  thigh  they  are  equally  useful 
in  weakness  of  the  legs.  They  are  certainly  employed 
as  stimulants  in  palsy  and  apoplexy,  yet  their  power  as 
such  is  doubtful.  It  is  too  much  the  custom  to  accu- 
mulate stimulants  and  evacuants  in  these  emergencies 
till  we  know  not  to  what  the  relief  is  to  be  attributed, 
and  unfortunately  to  what  our  failure  is  owing,  for  the 
little  remaining  excitability  is  often  thus  destroyed.  A 
gentle  breath  will  re-illumine  the  flame,  which  aviolent 
wind  will  irrecoverably  extinguish.  In  asphyxy,  in 
cams,  in  catalepsy,  and  in  hysteric  affections,  which  for 
a  time  apparently  destroy  life,  they  have  been  employed 
as  stimulants;  yet  we  doubt  if  with  any  good  effect, 
except  in  the  species  simulates. 

As  evacuants  we  have  already  mentioned  the  good 
effects  of  blisters  in  anasarca,  in  humoral  asthma,  and 
in  serous  apoplexies;  nor  does  our  recollection  at  pre- 
sent supply  any  other  disease  to  which  from  this  power 
they  are  applied.  In  tumours,  and  collections  of  a 
doubtful  nature,  setons  and  issues  are  preferred.  Where 


the  fluid  to  be  discharged  lies  deeply  imbeddeff,  the  two 
last  arc  more  useful. 

We  have  mentioned  the  foundation  of  their  employ - 
-ment  as  cordials.  This  rests,  as  we  have  seen,  on  a 
loose  equivocal  foundation;  nor  do  we  find  them  used 
by  practitioners  with  this  view,  except  in  some  cases  of 
low  nervous  fever,  in  which  their  utility  may  perhaps 
be  explained  more  satisfactorily  by  their  power  of  alter- 
ing the  determination. 

The  inconveniences  arising  from  cantharides  have 
induced  physicians  to  employ  other  stimulants  with  a 
view  of  exciting  blisters.  The  flour  of  mustard,  gar- 
lic, arum  root,  emetic  tartar,  and  the  vitriolic  acid, 
have  been  used  for  this  purpose.  They  proc'  ice,  how- 
ever, a  very  inadequate  discharge,  and  we  shall  return 
to  them  under  the  title  of  RUBEFACIENTS.  The  only 
substance  which  may  probably  with  advantage  be  substi- 
tuted, is  the  inner  bark  of  the  daphne  mesereum  or  lau- 
reola.  The  small  branches  are  cut  into  portions  of  the 
required  length,  and  macerated  in  warm  water  or  vine- 
gar till  the  bark  can  be  loosened.  This  must  be  ap- 
plied to  the  part  previously  rubbed  with  vinegar. 

BLI'TUM.     See  MERCURIALS. 

BLITUM  FCE'TIDUM.     See  ATUIPLF.X  TFCF.TIDA. 

BLOOD.  This  is  the  fluid  contained  in  the  arteries, 
and  veins  of  the  human  body,  and  is  generally  red ; 
but  in  some  smaller  vessels  which  will  not  admit  the 
red  particles,  a  fluid  apparently  similar  in  every  other 
respect  is  contained,  which  should  also  retain  the 
name.  In  the  vessels  of  insects  also  a  white  fluid  cir- 
culates, which,  from  the  uniformity  of  nature,  we  may 
suppose  to  consist  of  similar  component  parts,  but  it  is 
not  styled  blood ;  and  such  insects  are  generally  deno- 
minated exsanguineous.  Though  we  sometimes  employ 
the  distinguishing  epithet  red  blood,  yet  this  alone  de- 
serves the  appellation,  and  to  this  we  shall  confine  our 
observations. 

From  the  period  when  philosophy  began  to  investi- 
gate, with  particular  attention,  the  nature  of  the  animal 
fluids,  the  blood  has  been  a  principal  object.  It  has 
been  tortured  with  all  the  violence  of  fire;  but  only 
since  chemistry  enabled  us  to  examine  satisfactorily 
the  component  parts  of  bodies,  has  its  real  nature  been 
understood.  The  experiments  of  MM.  Parmentier 
and  Deyeux  have  illustrated  the  properties  of  this  my-, 
sterious  fluid  more  satisfactorily  than  those  of  all  their 
predecessors. 

The  appearance  of  blood  is  well  known.  When, 
drawn  it  has  a  peculiar  faintish  smell,  which  adheres 
more  tenaciously  to  the  coagulum  than  the  serum.  Like 
the  aroma  of  vegetables  its  nature  is  little  known.  Its  spe- 
cific gravity  is  about  1090.  It  unites  with  cold,  but  is 
coagulated  by  boiling  water,  and  by  concentrated  acids 
both  vegetable  and  mineral,  which  change  it  to  a  dark 
brown.  Mild  alkalis,  neutrals,  and  lime  water,  render 
it  more  fluid,  and  of  a  brighter  colour.  Vitriolatecl  iron 
and  copper  coagulate  it.  Exposed  to  oxygen  gas  its  co- 
lour is  heightened,  but  the  brilliant  hue  soon  disap- 
pears, and  the  blood  becomes  black :  after  this  change 
the  oxygen  has  no  effect.  Exposed  to  unrcspirable  gas 
it  becomes  black.  Vasali  has  informed  vis  that  the 
electricity  of  the  circulating  blood  is  positive ;  that  of 
the  excrementitious  fluids  negative.  Blood  at  rest 
spontaneously  separates  into  two  parts,  a  red  coagulum, 


BLO 


-liov 


BLO 


-and  a  yellov.'ish  serum ;  unrespirablc  gas  impedes,  and 
oxygen  accelerates,  the  coagulation.  It  coagulates 
more  quickly  when  it  flows  slowly  ;  and  the  coagulation 
.is  long  protracted  when  thfe  air  is  excluded.  The  blood 
of  the  catamenia  seems  never  to  coagulate.  During 
the  coagulation  heat  is  extricated,  seemingly  from  the 
coagulated  part,  as  the  increased  temperature  is  not 
found  in  vhe  serum.  The  coagulation  is  prevented  by 
agitation  ;  and  when  suffered  to  cool  during  the  agita- 
tion, neither  alkalis  nor  acids  will  afterwards  coagulate 
it.  In  that  state,  alkalis  greatly  heighten  its  colour.  In 
a  day  or  two,  at  the  heat  of  50°  of  Fahrenheit,  it  be- 
comes putrid,  the  coagulum  softens,  and  soon  disap- 
pears, i  3  the  appearance  of  a  dark  coloured 
-serum,  wu/i  a  few  remains  of  coagula  only ;  and  the 
•  il  of  ammonia  is  obvious. 

Blood,  when  distilled,  affords  a  large  proportion  of 
hyd;  .h  carbonic  acid  gas  and  azote.  The  prus- 

sic  acid  aiso  comes  over,  with  insipid  phlegm,  empy- 
reumatic  oil,  and  an  ammoniacal  salt.  The  coal  affords 
carbonat  and  muriat  of  soda,  phosphat  of-lime,  and 
oxid  of  iron. 

When  by  less  violence  the  different  parts  into  which 
die  blood  spontaneously  separates  are  examined,  the 
•serum,  whose  specific  gravity  is  I.<"i287,  is  found  to  be 
coagulated  by  the  heat  of  160°,  into  a  tender  tremulous 
clot,  from  which  a  glutinous  fluid  may  be  squeezed, 
styled  the  serosity.  In  fact,  the  serum  appears  to  be  a 
watery  fluid  containing  albumen ;  and,  when  this  is 
coagulated,  the  remaining  water  is  squeezed  out,  with 
a  small  proportion  of  animal  mucilage  or  gelatine.  That 
gelatine  was  contained  in  the  blood  was  generally  doubt- 
ed till  ascertained  by  Fourcroy,  and  afterwards  by 
Parmentier  and  Deyeux.  It  is  confined,  however,  to 
the  serum.  Besides  these  substances,  the  serum  con- 
tains carbonat  and  muriat  of  soda,  phosphat  of  soda 
and  of  lime.  The  fixed  alkali  renders  the  albumen 
more  soluble,  and  is  apparently  combined  with  it,  as 
oil  .is  in  soap.  The  other  salts  are  dissolved  in  the 
aqueous  fluid. 

There  is  one  substance  discovered  in  the  serum,  ap- 
parently peculiar  to  it,  that  we  must  notice  particular- 
ly ;  we  mean  sulfihur.  We  shall  find  it  of  considerable 
importance  in  the  pathology  of  the  animal  fluids,  and  it 
is  a  principle  whose  source  and  existence  are  still  ob- 
scure. If  the  albumen,  perfectly  dry,  be  heated  in  a 
silver  vessel  to  a  high  temperature,  it  will  be  blacken- 
ed ;  or,  if  triturated  in  a  glass  mortar  with  a  fully  satu- 
rated solution  of  silver,  then  digested,  and  afterward* 
diluted  with  wate:-,  some  greyish  threads  will  be  depo- 
sited, from  which  sulphur,  in  the  usual  way,  may  be 
extracted.  Again,  if  fixed  alkali  be  boiled  with  the 
albumen  and  water,  by  adding  distilled  vinegar,  a  sub- 
stance, whose  smell  is  hepatic,  and  which  discolours 
silver,  will  be  deposited.  Sulphur  appears  too  in  the 
white  of  an  egg ;  it^s  found  in  the  substance  o£  the 
brain ;  but  whether  rormally  existing,  or  whether  pro- 
duced in  the  operation  from  its  proximate  principles, 
we  cannot  yet  discover.  We  must  rest,  however,  on  the 
fact,  that  sulphur,  in  one  of  these  ways,  exists  in  the 
animal  fluids.  When  in  a  larger  proportion,  or  more  co- 
piously evolved,  it  will  be  found  to  press  on  our  notice. 
The  existence  of  gelatine,  as  we  have  said,  has  been 
lately  ascertained.  On  coagulating  the  serum,  and  suf- 
fering it  to  remain  in  the  bath,  a  substance  collects- on 


its  surface,  which  was  found  by  every  chemical  test  to 
be  jelly.  Some  portion  of  jelly  is  also,  with  great  rea- 
son, supposed  to  remain  combined  with  a  part  of  the 
soda.  The  gelatine  is,  however,  confined  to  the  serum; 
and  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  it  varies  in 
proportion  or  consistence  in  any  known  difference  ot 
the  state  of  the  constitution. 

I"he  coo£Ti/H«  is  the  next  object  of  our  attention, 
and  it  is  in  every  view  a  very  important  one.  The  coa- 
gulation has  been  attributed  to  cold,"  to  rest,  and  to  the 
density  of  the  liquor,  but  it  is  the  effect  of  neither ;  and 
the  chief,  we  believe  the  only,  means  of  retarding  it,  is 
the  addition  of  neutral  salt's.  Various  authors  have 
mentioned  the  effects  of  Glauber's  salts  and  muriat  of 
soda ;  and  we  remember  finding  the  same  effects  result 
by  letting  the  blood  flow  into  a  solution  of  nitre  with- 
out the  slightest  agitation.  This  experiment  was  made 
under  the  direction,  and  under  the  eye,  of  Dr.  Cullen. 

The  coagulum  does  not  soon  lose  its  form  or  colour ; 
but  in  a  warm  temperat-.ire  is  quickly  deprived  of  both. 
If  removed  from  the  serum  and  placed  in  a  water  bath, 
its  consistence  is  increased,  and  serum  drops  from  it : 
if  put  in  warm  water,  the  fluid  assumes  a  milky  hue, 
and  a  scum  arises  on  the  top,  both  owing  to  the  serum 
either  dissolved  -or  coagulated.  In  short,  a  portion  of 
this  substance  accompanied  the  albumen  with  its  at- 
tendant soda.  The  albumen,  we  must  add,  was  found 
to  be  the  portion  most  affected  by  disease.  It  separated 
sooner,  and  was  less  firm,  but  in  no  determined  ratio  to 
the  violence  or  the  nature  of  the  complaint. 

We  have  observed,  that,  in  various  experiments, 
some  remaining  thready  substance,  some  unconquera- 
ble coagula,  remained.  In  fact,  dilution  will  prevent 
the  coagulation  of  the  albumen,  but  not  of  the  portion 
we  are  next  to  speak  of,  the  fibrin  of  the  blood.  It  is 
thus  styled  because  it  concretes  in  fibres,  and  is  found 
to  be  the  most  animalised  portion  of  the  vital  fluid  ;  that 
is,  it  contains  the  largest  proportion  of  azote,  and  is 
even  found  to  contract  on  the  Galvanic  stimulus.  In 
short,  when  it  has  assumed  the  solid  form,  it  resembles 
in  every  thing  but  in  colour  the  muscular  fibres ;  and  it 
is  a  singular  phenomenon  to  remark  this  intermediate 
step  between  a  fluid  and  a  solid,  between  matter  in  its 
common  form  and  an  organised  body.  This  subject 
we  must  in  future  consider. 

The  fibrin  is  separated  by  inclosing  the  coagulum  in 
a  bag,  by  agitating  and  rubbing  it  between  the  hands 
in  a  vessel  of  water;   thus  separating  all   the  soluble 
parts.     It  is  obtained  also  by  agitating  the  blood  with 
the  hands,  or  any  instrument,  when   first  drawn  from 
the  veins.     In  this  way  it  adheres  to  either  that  is  em- 
ployed.    Authors  have  supposed,  that  in  the  agitation 
of  the  circulation  the  fibrin  is  deposited,  and  forms  the 
muscular  fibres.     This,  however,  is  a  refinement  which 
will  not  bear  examination.     The  juxta  position  of  nu- 
tritious matter  is  carried  on  in  the  minutest  elements ; 
and,  as  in  crystallization,  we  see  only  the  effects  of  an 
infinite  number  of  added  molecules.    Besides,  we  shall 
find  reason  to  think  that  the  embryo  contains  every  or- 
ganic part  of  the  perfect  man;  and  that  the  difference 
consists  in  the  addition  of  matter  not  organised,  inter- 
posed between  the  truly  original  organs.     We  have  no 
instance  of  a  muscle  being  reproduced.    The  ends  are 
united  by  a  firm  ligamentous  substance,  and  the  motion 
of  an  injured  part  is  thus  preserved     But  to  return  r 

I.  I 


BLO 


258 


BLO 


The  coagulation  is  supposed  to  depend  on  the  life  of 
-the  blood,  an  opinion  which  we  shall  afterwards  consi- 
der, or,  in  other  words,  on  the  irritability  of  the  fibrin 
depending  on  its  life.  This  idea  of  Mr.  Hunter  is, 
however,  unnecessary  ;  for  the  aroma  of  the  blood  may 
have,  and  very  probably  has,  the  power  of  hindering  its 
coagulation  in  the  body ;  a  power,  however,  which  is 
occasionally  lost,  since  the  albuminous  and  fibrous  por- 
tions coagulate  in  many  diseases.  The  basis  of  the 
crassamentum,  which  is  the  fibrin,  appears  to  be  a  white 
solid  elastic  substance,  more  heavy  than  the  scrum.  It 
is  insoluble  in  water  and  alcohol ;  and  contains  a  larger 
proportion  of  azote  than  any  other  portion  of  our  fluids. 

The  colouring  matter  is  that  portion  of  the  blood 
which,  on  the  first  employment  of  microscopes,  excited 
the  attention  of  observers.  They  found  that  it  depend- 
ed on  red  particles ;  but  respecting  their  shape  philo- 
sophers differed.  Lewenhoeck  described  them  as  cir- 
cular ;  and  remarked,  that,  in  passing  into  a  vessel  of  a 
somewhat  less  diameter,  they  assumed  an  elliptical 
form  ;  and  that  when  brought  to  the  orifice  of  an  artery 
still  smaller,  they  passed  it,  leaving  the  transparent 
fluids  only  to  circulate  through  it.  Haller  does  not 
greatly  differ  from  this  account.  Mr.  Hewson,  proba- 
bly misled  by  an  optical  illusion,  considers  them  as  flat, 
having  a  vesicle  in  the  middle,  containing  a  solid  cen- 
tral particle.  We  have  no  reason  to  suppose  this  por- 
tion of  the  blood,  from  any  office  it  can  perform  in  the 
animal  economy,  would  require  a  structure  so  compli- 
cated and  almost  organised.  Dr.  Wells,  however,  in 
the  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1797,  from  a  diffi- 
culty of  explaining  some  of  the  chemical  affinities  of 
the  red  part  of  the  blood,  is  inclined  to  adopt  Mr. 
Hewson's  idea ;  and  the  microscopical  observations  of 
father  Torre  seem  to  support  it,  though  other  observers 
confirm  Lewenhoeck's  description. 

Mr.  Cavallo,  repeating  father  Torre's  observations 
•with  similar  lenses,  saw  the  same  appearances ;  but, 
following  in  his  reasoning  the  laws  of  optics,  drew  a 
different  conclusion.  On  the  whole,  he  finds  them 
spherical,  or  nearly  so,  consisting  of  double  spheres ; 
the  light  thrown  on  the  internal  having  seemingly  mis- 
led Mr.  Hewson.  Water,  he  found,  dissolved  them, 
though  it  loses  this  property  if  impregnated  with  com- 
mon salt  or  nitre,  or  by  the  addition  of  a  small  propor- 
tion of  vitriolic  acid.  Diluted  marine  acid  did  not  dis- 
solve them,  but  deprived  them  of  their  colour.  Vine- 
gar was  a  solvent,  though  inferior  to  water;  and  serum 
or  urine  would  dissolve  them  after  some  days.  When 
once  dried  or  dissolved,  they  never  recovered  their 
shape;  and  when  much  blood  had  been  lost,  these 
globules  were  not  soon  again  supplied.  The  red  co- 
lour of  the  blood  was  long  supposed  to  depend  on  iron  ; 
and  M.  Parmentier,  with  his  associate,  having  found 
that  iron,  oxygenated  by  any  means  to  a  certain  point, 
was  capable  of  being  dissolved  by  a  fixed  alkali,  and 
imparting  a  red  colour  to  a  fluid,  concluded  with  great 
reason  that  the  redness  of  the  blood  was  owing  to  this 
metal.  Two  'scruples  of  iron  were  found  in  a  pound 
of  blood ;  and,  if  twenty -five  pounds  of  this  fluid  be 
allowed  to  a  man  of  a  middle  age  and  size,  the  whole 
amount  of  the  iron  will  amount  to  nearly  three  ounces. 
The  quantity  of  red  bipod  is  probably  underrated ;  and, 
at  least,  one  half  must  be  added,  so  as  to  make  the  quan- 
ii<y  of  iron  more  than  four  ounces.  Dr.  Wells'  objec- 


tions to  the  colour  being  derived  from  iron,  in  the  vor- 
lume  just  mentioned,  are  strong  and  almost  convincing ; 
yet  the  arguments  taken  from  chemical  phenomena,  in 
fluids  less  complicated  than  those  of  the  blood,  cannot 
be  allowed  to  have  the  same  weight  as  they  would  have 
in  simpler  fluids.  They  are  too  long  either  for  an  ab- 
stract, or  for  our  consideration  in  this  place ;  but  when 
we  reflect  that  the  red  colour  is  confined  to  portions 
found  on  inspection  to  be  distinct,  that  we  cannot  exa- 
mine these  except  when  in  a  great  measure  broken 
down  and  mixed  with  fluids  of  very  different  qualities, 
we  should  be  very  cautious  of  deciding  on  their  nature, 
from  the  result  of  experiments  on  solutions  so  essen- 
tially different.  The  red  globules,  for  instance,  are  said 
not  to  be  oily  because  they  unite  with  water;  but  are 
we  certain  that  the  soda  they  contain  may  not  occasion 
their  solubility  ?  or,  on  the  other  hand,  who  can  say 
that  we  have  yet  ascertained  all  the  aerial  contents  oi" 
this  fluid,  or  the  effects  of  those  which  it  does  contain  ? 
We  mean  not  to  urge  either  idea;  but  these  sugges- 
tions are  sufficient  to  apologise  for  our  present  scepti- 
cism, and  for  our  considering  the  problem  as  yet  re- 
quiring further  investigation.  We  omitted  to  observe, 
that  Abilgaard  (Annales  de  Chimie,  N°  106)  found  a 
larger  proportion  of  carbone  in  the  venous  than  in  the 
arterial  blood,  and  that  the  carbone  of  the  arterial  was 
lighter  than  that  of  the  venous. 

As  the  immediate  causes  of  the  coagulation  of  the 
blood  were  so  obscure,  Mr.  John  Hunter  supposed  it  to 
possess  life,  and  styled  it,  with  Harvey,  the  '  primum 
vivens  et  ultimum  moriens.'  Since  his  era,  the  disco- 
very of  the  irritability  of  the  fibrin  has  been  adduced  as 
additional  evidence  of  this  opinion.  We  know,  how- 
ever, that  this  fluid  is  continually  changing,  and  that 
by  nutriment  primarily  derived  from  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  it  is  regularly  renewed.  We  may  then  ask, 
whether  these  fluids  possess  originally  the  living  prin- 
ciple ?  Do  the  carbone  and  hydrogen  which  form  the 
nutritious  vegetable  productions  possess  life  ?  Do  they 
assume  this  distinction  only  in  the  grass,  or  when  they 
form  a  part  of  the  system  of  the  sheep  or  ox  ?  In  short, 
if  they  do  not  possess  life  originally,  there  is  no  period 
in  which  they  can  obtain  this  distinction,  consistent 
with  our  present  knowledge,  unless  we  adopt  the  sys- 
tem of  the  Buffbnian  molecules  organiques.  Should 
this  opinion  be  again  assumed,  we  shall  find  it  difficult 
to  escape  from  the  idea  of  life  as  connected  jvith  or- 
ganisation ;  and  of  an  organised  fluid  we  have  no  ex- 
ample. One  of  Mr.  Hunter's  arguments  is  drawn  from 
the  white  and  the  yolk  of  the  egg,  which,  by  possessing 
a  principle  of  life,  do  not  putrify  during  incubation. 
No  profound  knowledge  is,  however,  required  at  this 
time  to  show,  that  in  this  instance  there  is  a  living  or- 
ganised body,  and  that  the  yolk  is  a  part  of  the  future 
chick ;  at  least  surroundecl  with  its  vessels,  and  drawn 
into  its  abdomen  as  its  first  nourishment.  Another 
argument  is,  the  production  of  vessels  iu  coagulated 
extravasated  blood.  But,  if  the  idea  was  correct,  we 
should  find  no  end  to  protuberances  of  this  kindj  and 
an  ecchymosis  must,  in  time,  equal  or  exceed  the  bulk 
of  the  man ;  for  as  the  blood  is  continually  adding  to 
the  mass,  and  fresh  vessels  produced  without  limita- 
tion, this  new  living  excrescence  may  equal  that  from 
which  it  was  primarily  drawn.  Indeed  the  determined 
form  of  every  part,  the  limits  set  to  extraordinary  devia- 


BLO 


259 


BLO 


lions  in  bulk  or  shape,  show  that  some  fixed  principle 
regulates  our  form  ;  and  the  various  facts  concur  in 
proving  the  opinion  lately  hinted,  which  will  be  after- 
wards more"  fully  explained,  that  the  additions  in  the 
progressive  stages,  from  infancy  to  age,  are  of  inorga- 
nised  matter  only,  and  that  the  primordial  stamina  are 
unaltered  .in  bulk  or  length. 

Some  other  arguments  adduced  by  this  celebrated 
physiologist  are,  that  persons  killed  by  lightning,  who 
have  died  in  consequence  of  violent  fatigue  or  by  blows 
on  the  stomach  ;  in  short,  in  every  instance  where  the 
irritability  of  the  vessels  is  destroyed,  the  blood  no 
longer  coagulates.  This,  however,  proves  only  that 
some  circumstances  will  destroy  the  irritability  of  both; 
and  we  know  an  agent  which  will  effect  this  completely, 
viz.  hydrogen  gas.  We  have  employed  the  term  irri- 
tability indiscriminately,  because  it  will  not  be  now  con- 
tended that  it  is  the  exclusive  property  of  animal  life. 
Another  argument  is,  that  vegetable  bitters,  mixed 
with  blood,  did  not  hinder  the  coagulation,  but  that  a 
solution  of  opium  prevented  it.  This  argument  is  pe- 
culiarly weak ;  for,  if  we  can  distinguish  any  appro- 
priate power  in  the  veg'etable  bitter,  it  is  that  of  de- 
stroying irritability.  The  effect  of  opium  in  preventing 
the  coagulation  of  the  blood  has  been  repeatedly  denied ; 
and  some  experiments  adduced  by  an  anonymous  au- 
thor, whose  accuracy  and~ judgment  are  so  generally 
conspicuous  as  to  demand  our  concurrence,  have  shown, 
that  infusions,  not  only  of  opium,  but  of  tobacco  and 
bella  donna,  have  not  prevented  the  coagulation.  In 
short,  though  this  system  is,  on  the  whole,  plausible,  it 
will  not  admit  of  a  fair  examination;  and,  indeed,  the 
reasoning  of  Mr.  Hunter  on  almost  every  point  of  phy- 
siology is  so  vague  and  inconclusive,  as  to  leave  some 
doubt  whether  he  has  not  in  this  walk  more  than  coun- 
terbalanced the  advantages  which  medical  science  has 
derived  from  his  dissections  and  experiments. 

Such  are  the  properties  of  the  blood  in  its  natural 
state.  In  diseases  it  admits  of  little  change,  though  the 
humoral  pathologists  copiously  declaim  on  its  viscidity 
und  tenuity,  its  alkaline  or  acid  acrimony.  Blood  drawn 
in  inflammatory  diseases,  is  at  first  streaked  with 
purplish  lines,  and  soon  a  yellow  viscid  coat  covers  the 
red  globules;  the  sides  of  which  often  rise  around,  giv- 
ing the  coagulum  the  form  of  a  cup.  This  coat,  styled 
from  its  colour  the  BVFF,  is  so  very  dense  as  to  justify, 
in  some  measure,  the  idea  of  the  disease  arising  from 
lentor.  Mr.  Hewson,  by  an  obvious,  though  a  new,  re- 
mark, taught  us,  that  blood,  in  these  circumstances, 
was  not  more  but  less  viscid  than  usual;  and  that  this 
crust  was  owing  to  the  slow  coagulation  of  the  blood, 
by  which  means  the  red  particles  subsided,  and  left  the 
albumen  and  fibrin  colourless.  In  confirmation  of  this 
opinion,  if  we  find  the  upper  strata  of  the  clot  more,  the 
lower  are  less  dense  than  in  the  natural  state.  It  is  sin- 
gular that  this  idea  had  not  more  early  occurred, and  we 
might  then  have  found  the  tenuity  of  the  circulating 
mass  accused,  for  in  the  blood  it  was  supposed  the 
causes  of  disease  must  be.  We  think  it  admits  of  little 
doubt  that  the  extraordinary  agitatiop,  and  of  course 
the  more  intimate  mixture,  of  its  component  parts,  oc- 
casion its  slow  coagulation,  and  the  bufly  coat.  It  does 
not,  however,  follow,  that  this  is  the  only  cause  of  the 
same  appearance.  Whatever  occasions  an  increased 


tenuity  of  the  blood  may  have  a  similar  effect.  \\  c 
thus  find  it  in  scorbutic  cases,  and  in  some  species  oi' 
typhus,  as  Dr.  Lind,  and  MM.  Pannentier  and  De- 
yeux  have  shown.  In  these  instances  the  tenuity  of 
the  blood  is  not  occasioned  by  agitation,  but,  in  the 
first,  by  a  probable  increase  of  the  proportion  of  neutral 
salts,  with  a  deficiency  of  oxygen;  and,  in  the  latter,  by 
a  diminution  of  the  proportion  of  fibrin  or  albumen:  a 
change,  however  it  may  be  explained,  which  is  the  con- 
stant consequence  of  debility. 

A  putrid  state  of  the  blood  is  frequently  spoken  of 
by  pathologists,  and  may  be  very  reasonably  expected 
in  the  most  putrid  fevers.  MM.  Parmentier  and  De- 
yeux  examined  repeatedly  that  drawn  from  patients  in 
fevers  of  the  worst  form.  It  did  not  yield  volatile  al- 
kali by  distillation,  nor  did  it  become  putrid  sooner  than 
blood  from  the  most  healthy  person.  Yet,  in  various 
diseases,  the  albumen  seemed  affected ;  its  union  with 
the  serum  was  less  complete,  and  its  concretion  less 
perfect  than-  in  health.  By  analysis,  the  buff  when  pre- 
sent was  similar  to  that  from  inflammatory  diseases,  and 
the  coagulum  below  was  tender  :  it  was  soluble  in  water ; 
the  solution  was  coagulated  by  heat,  alcohol,  and  con- 
centrated acids,  while  fixed  and  volatile  alkalis  rendered 
the  colour  more  vivid,  and  prevented  the  coagulation. 

In  hectics  the  red  globules  have  a  more  brilliant  red, 
and  the  blood  is  generally  buffy.  The  latter  can  be 
accounted  for  from  increased  action,  and  the  former  has 
been  lately  explained  from  the  more  rapid  respiration, 
and  consequently  from  the  blood  being  more  frequently 
exposed  to  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere.  It  is  not, 
however,  considered,  that,  in  the  greater  number  of 
hectics,  the  extent  of -the  surface  of  the  lungs  is  de- 
stroyed, in  a  greater  proportion  than  is  compensated 
by  the  repetition  of, breathing.  When  we  contrast  this 
appearance  with  the  pale  colour  of  chlorotic  blood,  we 
think  it  will  be  admitted  that  the  cause  lies  deeper,  and 
has  not  yet  been  discovered.  If  a  deficiency  or  redund- 
ance of  the  iron  be  allowed  to  occasion  the  diminished 
or  increased  colour,  we  must  still  examine  from  whence 
either  proceeds. 

It  was  once  proposed  to  relieve  diseases  of  the  blood 
by  a  bold  but  singular  experiment,  viz.  the  transfusion 
of  the  blood  of  a  young  healthy  animal  into  the  veins  of 
an  aged  or  diseased  person,  while  his  blood  was  at  the 
same  time  discharged  from  a  distant  orifice.  The  ex- 
periment was  simple,  and  consisted  of  inserting  each 
leg  of  a  syphon  into  the  aperture  of  an  artery  of  the 
animal,  and  the  vein  of  the  patient.  In  the  ardour 
which  usually  attends  a  new  invention,  it  was  supposed 
capable  of  prolonging  life  .to  an  indefinite  period ;  of 
correcting  not  only  diseased  states  of  the  fluids,  but 
even  of  correcting  the  disposition  and  temper.  By  a 
singular  fatality,  this  project  having  been  often  em- 
ployed, it  is  said  with  advantage,  certainly  without  in- 
jury, was  at  once  abandoned,  in  consequence  of  the 
death  of  a  person,  in  which  the  operation  could  not  be 
blamed.  We  can  now  see  how  little  was  to  be  ex- 
pected from  it,  unless  we  could  substitute  the  life  of  a 
calf  or  a  lamb  for  that  of  the  human  body :  but,  the 
most  zealous  follower  of  Mr.  Hunter  would  not  wil- 
lingly abridge  his  life  to  their  period  by  transfusion. 
Numerous  instances  of  the  effects  of  this  practice  oc- 
cur in  the  early  volumes  of  the  Philosophical  Trans- 
L12 


B  OE 


260 


OE 


actions;  and  the  outlines  are  given  with  great  preci- 
sion in  their  abridgment,  by  Dr:  Shaw  and  his  asso- 
c- kites. 

Another  method  of  relieving  diseases  supposed  to 
ivside  in  the  blood,  was  by  injection  of  medicinal  sub- 
stances into  the  vessels;  thus  the  medicine,  taking  the 
shorter  way,  was  supposed  to  be  more  speedy  and  cer- 
tain in  its  effects.  But,'  the  mildest  fluids  injected  into 
the  circulating  system,  were  soon  found  to  produce 
\  cry  disagreeable  symptoms,  and  the  plan  is  now  wholly 
abandoned. 

A  singular  mode  of  prolonging  life  was  suggested  by 
Lord  Bacon,  on  the  supposition  that  the  heat  of  the 
blood  exhausted  the  strength.  He  proposed  cooling  if 
by  nitre ;  and  thought  that  life  might  be  in  this  way  in- 
definitely prolonged.  The  experiment  was  never,  we 
believe,  tried  :  had  it  been  so,  little  spirit  of  prophecy  is 
required  to  foretell  the  event. 

See,  on  this  subject,  Hallcr's  Elementa  Physiologic, 
vol.  ii. ;  Plenck's  Hydrology;  Hewson's  Enquiries  into 
the  Properties  of  the  Blood,  (Philosophical  Transac- 
tions, vol.  Ix.)  afterwards  published  separately  ;  Four- 
croy's  Systeme  des  Connoissances  Chimiques ;  Wells' 
Observations  atul  Experiments  on  the  Colour  of  the 
Blood,  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1797;  Memoire 
de  MM.  Parmentler  and  Deyeux,  Journal  de  Physique, 
vol.  xliv.;  Cavallo  on  the  Medical  Properties  of  Facti- 
tious Airs,  1798. 

BLOOD,  discharges  of.     See  HAEMORRHAGES. 

BLOOD,  medicines  -to  check  the  discharges  of.  See 
STYPTICS. 

BLOOD,  dragon's.     See  SANGLIS  DRACONIS. 

BLOW.  The  meaning  of  the  term  in  general  is 
sufficiently  understood.  The  blind  blow  means  that 
attended  with  no  wound  or  ecchymosis.  , 

BLUSHING,  a  suffusion  of  the  cheeks,  from  a  sense 
of  shame  ov  sudden  surprise.  It  is  supposed  by  Dr. 
Whytt  to  arise  from  the  increased  action  of  the  smaller 
^arteries ;  and,  by  Dr.  Derham,  from  the  near  connexion 
of  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves  distributed  on  the  cheeks  with 
the  brain.  In  fact,  however,  though  the  suffusion  is' 
chiefly  observable  on  the  cheeks,  the  glow  is  felt  over 
the  whole  body.  To  the  distribution  of  the  fifth  pair 
of  nerves  on  the  lips,  Dr.  Willis  attributes  the  pleasure 
of  kissing. 

BO'A,  a  SERPENT,  the  etymology  of  whose  appella- 
tion is  unknown,  which  is  met  with  in  Calabria.  Also 
a  symptomatic  kind  of  miliary  fever,  in  which  the 
eruptions  are  of  the  size  of  millet  seeds,  watery,  with- 
out redness  or  pain,  called  sudamina,  caused  by  inor- 
dinate sweating;  called  also  liydroa.  See  PLYETIS. 

BOA'NT  HEMON,  (from  /3«i/«,  an  ox,  and  etilsfMt,  a 
flower,  so  called  from  its  likeness  to  the  ox's  eye).  See 

BUPHTHALMUM. 

BOBE'RRI.     See  BORRIBORRI. 

BOCHE'TUM.  A  secondary  decoction  of  lignum- 
vitse,  and  of  similar  woods. 

BO'CIA.     See  CUCURBITA. 

BO'CIUM.     See  BRONCHOCELE. 

BOD.  a  STAPEL.  An  abbreviation  of  Johannes 
Bodceus  a  Sta/iel,  in  Theophrasti  Historia  Planta- 
rum. 

BOERHAAVIAN  SYSTEM.  In  a  work  of  this 
kind,  it  would  have  been  desirable  to  have  given  a 


short  account  of  the  lives,  and  an  abstract  of  the  opi- 
nions, of  the  most  eminent  physicians.  It  was  for  a  Ions-; 
time  a  favourite  object  of  the  editors  to  have  thus  inter- 
leaved the  history  of  the  progress  of  medicine  ;  but  the 
extent  to  which  it  might  proceed,  forbade  the  attempt. 
While,  however,  a  short  history  of  MEDICINE  and  its 
different  branches  will  be  found  under  that  title,  many 
reasons  induced  them  to  offer,  in  separate  articles,  a 
short  account  of  the  most  distinguished  systems.  They 
need  not  conceal  that  the  strongest  of  these  was,  that 
the  early  occurrence  in  the  alphabet  of  the  more  impor- 
tant ones  would  enable  them  to  give  more  fully  the 
opinions  on  which  the  practical  remarks  in  this  work 
are  founded.  With  these  views,  we  shall  in  their  place 
mention  the  BOERHAAVIAN,  the  BRUNONIAN,  the  CUL- 
LENIAN,  and  the  STAHLIAN,  systems,  enlarging  chiefly 
on  the  second  and  third,  as  they  now  principally  influ- 
ence the  practice  of  medicine. 

Few  physicians  enjoyed,  for  so  long  a  period,  such 
unbounded,  such  unalloyed,  reputation  as  Boerhaave. 
He  was  represented,  for  we  are  old  enough  to  have 
conversed  with  his  favourite  pupils,  as  equally  amiable 
in  private  life,  and  respectable  in  science  :  he  first  gave 
chemistry  a  philosophical  systematic  form,  and  reduced 
medicine  to  a  science  at  least  plausible,  neat,  and  per- 
spicuous. At  his  era,  the  chemical  reveries  of  Van 
Hclmont  were  yielding  to  the  more  abstract  sciences  j 
and,  from  unreal  fancies,  the  change  to  the  necessity 
of  demonstration  was  so  rapid,  as  to  leave  scarcely 
the  vestige  of  an  intermediate  step.  Calm,  penetrat- 
ing, and  reflecting,  Boerhaave  could  distinguish  be- 
tween the  visionary  theorist  and  the  attentive  observer; 
and,  equally  judicious,  could  appreciate  the  merits  of 
each.  We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  he  expected 
to  be  the  founder  of  a  sect;  yet  he  proceeded  with 
the  caution  of  a  veteran,  and  culled  from  each  the 
flower  which  was  to  adorn  his  own  parterre.  Though 
Paracelsus  had  burnt  the  writings  of  Hippocrates  and 
Galen  in  solemn  state,  yet  they  were  not  forgotten; 
and  the  wise  observations  of  the  Grecian  sages  formed 
the  ground  work  of  his  system.  The  Galenic  doc- 
trine of  humours  he  assimilated  with  wonderful  ad- 
dress to  his  chemical  doctrines,  and  gave  them  a  spe- 
cific character,  founded  on  theiv  chemical  relations. 
The  mechanical  philosophy,  then  attracting  universal 
attention,  added  to  the  fabric :  the  vessels  were  cones 
or  cylinders ;  the  fluids,  consisting  of  various  particles, 
adapted  only  to  given  apertures,  were  at  times  forcibly 
impelled  and  impacted  in  vessels  to  which  they  were 
not  fitted,  and  consequently  produced  numerous  com- 
plaints. 

The  whole  of  this  doctrine  was  combined  with  so 
much  precision,  with  such  scientific  skill,  as  highly  to 
prepossess  even  the  experienced  observer.  Each  found 
his  own  opinions  placed  in  a  respectable  view,  illus- 
trated by  language  elegant  and  perspicuous,  and  sup- 
ported by  collateral  doctrines,  which,  in  another  situa- 
tion, he  would  have  rejected.  The  Galenist  could  not 
object  to  the  elegant  illustration  of  the  various  hu- 
mours ;  the  chemist  saw,  with  surprise,  that  the  works 
which  his  master  had  burnt,  illustrated  his  favourite 
system;  and  the  mechanical  philosopher,  probably, 
never  suspected  the  very  extensive  application  of  doc- 
trines which  he  had  cherished  exclusively  for  their  own 


O  I 


261 


BOL 


sake.  In  fact,  Boerhaave's  system  \Vas  a  selected  one ; 
and  he  has,  of  course,  been  sty4ed  an  Eclectic. 

We  have  engaged  in  this  short  comprehensive  view, 
partly  to  account  for  the  enthusiasm  with  which  this 
system  was  received;  for  it  must  not  be  concealed,  that, 
in  treating  of  the  properties  and  functions  of  a  living 
body,  he  "overlooked  the  principle  of  life,  and  the  laws 
of  a  living  organised  machine.  He  seems  to  have  seen 
his  error,  and  in  his  later  works  he  speaks,  but  still  in 
the  language  of  a  sectary,  of  the  '  inertia  liquidi  nervosi.' 
The  first  decisive  step  in  opposition  to  this  mechanical 
pathology  was  taken  by  his  own  nephew;  and  this  heresy 
is  followed,  apparently,  with  some  reluctance,  by  Gau- 
bius,  the  pupil  of  Boerhaave. 

Yet  though  we  have  spoken  thus  freely  of  his  doc- 
trines, we  mean  neither  to  depreciate  the  man  nor  his 
talents.  He  was  far  above  the  common  race  of  mor- 
tals ;  and,  with  Newton  almost  alone,  might  be  shown 
by  angels  as  imitating  their  superior  powers,  and  emu- 
lating their  brighter  intellectual  acquisitions.  When  in 
different  parts  of  this  work  also  we  speak  disrespectfully 
of  saponaceous  aperients,  of  attenuants,  and  the  other 
scions  of  the  humoral  pathology,  or  of  the  more  rigor- 
ous demonstration  of  qualities  and  powers  which  re- 
fuse the  trammels  of  mathematics,  we  must  still  profess 
an  admiration  of  the  talents  of  Boerhaave.  Those  who 
have  contemplated  the  state  of  medicine,  previous  to  his 
time,  will  see  order  rise  from  confusion,  precision  from 
vague  analogy  ;  in  a  word,  science  from  doubtful  un- 
connected facts. 

The  practitioners  of  the  Boerhaavian  school  have,  in 
general,  been  distinguished  for  patient  attention  and 
acute  observation.  They  have  not  perhaps  extended 
the  bounds  of  medicine,  but  been  contented  to  imitate 
their  master,  and  his  preceptors,  Hippocrates  and  his 
successors.  This  was  perhaps  an  error,  and  it  resulted 
from  the  unbounded  admiration  they  felt  for  Boerhaave. 
It  was  a  very  advantageous  trait  of  Dr,  Cullen's  -cha- 
racter, that  he  wished  to  raise  his  pupils  into  critics  on 
himself.  The  writer  of  this  article  can  add,  that  he  re- 
ceived the  most  cordial  assistance  from  the  latter  in  a 
work,  the  leading  principle  of  which  was  in  opposition 
to  one  of  Dr.  Cullen's  favourite  doctrines. 

BOETHE'MA,  (from  ,3»^«,  to  assist}.    See  REME- 

DIUM. 

BOETHEMA'TICA   SEMEI'A,  (from  the  same, 
and  <ri!iUK>»,  signum).  Auxiliary  signs  in  diseases,  such 
as  give  notice  of  a  cure  observable  in  them. 
»  BO'GIA  GUM.     See  ESULA  INDICA. 

BOICINTNGUA,  BOICININI'NGUA.  The  «AT- 
rLE  SNAKE,  and  Dominican,  ser/ientum.  Crotalus  horri- 
dus  Lin.  It  is  said,  that  this  serpent  cannot  approach  a 
piece  of  a  root  which  in  Virginia  is  known  by  the  name 

ofsEKECA,  RATTLE    SNAKE  ROOT;    but    the  blood    1'OOt    is 

the  most  frequent  remedy  against  their  bite,  which, 
when  bruised,  is  applied  to  the  wound,  and  a  decoction 
of  it  is  drunk. 

Troches  are  made  with  the  gall  of  rattle  snakes,  which 
are  caught  in  spring  mixed  with  chalk  or  meal ;  these 
are  called  trochisci  Connecticotiani,  from  the  Connec- 
ticut colony.  They" are  anodyne;  three  or  four  grains 
are  taken  after  great  fatigue,  but  may  be  given  to  four- 
teen grains  or  more. 

When  a  person  is  bit  by  a  rattle  snake,  purple  spots, 
and  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  soon  attend.  Many  me- 


dicines are  used  by  the  Americans  as  an  antidote  to  the 
poison  of  this  animal ;  (see  SENEGA).  Those  in  most 
esteem  have  a  quick,  warm,  pungent  taste,  though  mild 
and  volatile  on  the  tongue  ;  but  the  most  noted  remedy 
is  the  following,  which  was  discovered  by  a  negro. 
Take  of  the  roots  of  plantain  and  horehound,  in  sum- 
mer the  whole  herb,  a  sufficient  quantity ;  bruise  them 
and  squeeze  out  the  juice,  and  give  immediately  a  large 
spoonful.  If  the  patient  be  swelled,  pour  it  down  his 
throat.  If  it  does  not  relieve  in  one  hour  give  a  second 
spoonful,  which  never  fails.  If  the  roots  are  dried, 
moisten  them  with  a  little  water.  Modern  practice  has 
substituted  volatile  alkali  and  eau  de  luce. 

It  is  said  that  rattle  snakes  have  a  power  of  charming 
birds,  and  other  small  animals,  so  as  to  make  them  their 
easy  prey.  This  has  been  denied,  and  the  appearances 
with  greater  probability  referred  to  a  restless  anxiety 
for  the  safety  of  their  young. 

BOIL.     See  FURUNCULUS. 

BOITI'APO.  A  serpent  of  Brasil,  which  the  Por- 
tuguese call  cobus.  de  cifio.  Its  bite  is  venomous. 

BOJO'BI.  A  serpent  in  Brasil,  which  the  Portuguese 
call  cobre  -verde.  Its  bite  is' venomous.  The  cure  is  the 
root  of  the  caa-apia,  which  the  patient  is  to  swallow  in 
a  little  water. 

BOLBI'DION.  A  small  fish,  mentioned  by  Hippo- 
crates. 

BO'LBITON.     BOLYNTHON.     Cow's  DUNG. 

BCyLCHON.     See  BDELLIUM. 

BOLE'SIS.     See  COHALLILM. 

BOLE'SON.     See  BALSAMUM. 

BOLE'TUS,  (from  /3«A«s,  a  mass).  SPUNK.  A  genus 
of  the  fungi.  It  is  an  horizontal  fungus  ;  and  porous 
underneath.  The  BOLETUS  IGNIARIUS  is  commonly 
called  AGARIC  of  the  OAK. 

BOLE'TUS  CE'RVI.     See  AMANITA. 

BOLE'TUS  PI'NI  LA'RICIS.     See  AGARICUS. 

Since  the  article  on  agaricus  was  printed,  we  have 
received  a  very  laboured  and  interesting  analysis  of  the 
white  agaric,  and  agaric  of  the  oak,  from  M.  Bouillon 
La  Grange,  in  the  151st  number  of  the  Annales  de 
Chimie,  of  which  we  shall  here  give  a  short  abstract. 

He  found  the  -white  agaric  to  contain  an  uncombined 
acid.  Water  dissolved  a  small  quantity  of  extractive 
matter,  as  well  as  sulphates  of  potash  and  of  lime,  some 
muriat  of  potash,  and  an  animal  matter.  When  dis- 
tilled in  close  vessels,  acetat  and  carbonat  of  ammonia 
were  formed.  When  burnt,  he  discovered,  in  the  cin- 
ders, carbonats  of  potash  and  of  lime,  muriat  of  potash, 
sulphat  of  lime,  phosphat  of  lime,  and  some  iron. 

With  the  assistance  of  nitric  acid,  the  malic  and  oxa- 
lic acids  were  formed  with  a  spermaceti,  mixed  with 
resin ;  alcohol  extracted  a  large  proportion  of  acid  resin, 
which  was  the  benzole  acid.  Caustic  alkalis  separated 
a  considerable  quantity  of  ammonia. 

From  the  agaric  of  the  oak  water  took  up  an  extract- 
ive matter,  with  sulphat  of  lime,  and  muriat  of  potash. 
In  the  cinders,  when  burnt,  were  found  phosphats  of 
lime  and  magnesia,  with  some  iron. 

With  the  nitric  acid,  the  malic  and  oxalic  acids  were 
alone  discovered.  Alcohol  dissolved  only  a  small  pro- 
portion of  resin,  and  caustic  alkalis  disengaged  a  much 
less  proportion  of  animal  matter  than  from  the  white 
agaric.  • 

BOLI'SMUS.     See  BOULIMOS. 


13  OM 


262 


BON 


BO'LSTER.  A  soft  pillow,  to  be  laid  under  a  broken 
limb,  or  a  gouty  joint. 

BO'LUS,  (from  /9«A««,  a  mass,  from  the  Hebrew 
term  bala/i,  to  agglutinate).  A  BOLE  or  BOLUS.  Boluses 
differ  not  from  electuaries,  only  they  are  made  of  a 
firmer  consistence,  in  single  doses,  and  therefore  more 
proper  where  accuracy  is  required  in  the  administration, 
and  where  evaporation  would  injure  the  medicine.  The 
light  and  ponderous  powders  may  more  conveniently 
be  mixed  with  mucilage,  for  so  they  are  the  least  bulky. 
The  quantity  of  each  is  as  much  as  can  be  conveniently 
swallowed  at  once.  The  more  disagreeable  powders 
should  be  given  in  another  form,  and  the  more  bulky 
doses  mixed  in  draughts.  This  form  is,  however,  now 
little  employed,  and  the  powders  are  usually  mixed  in 
draughts.  Where  swallowing  is  difficult,  boluses  are 
often  improper.  Yet  we  once  saw  5ss.  of  valerian  or- 
dered in  a  bolus  for  a  man  in  an  apoplexy,  by  a  fashion- 
able physician.  , 

BOLUS,  BOLE.  Boles  are  argillaceous- earths,  which 
readily  fall  clown  into  a  loose  mass  in  water  ;  smooth, 
and  rather  unctuous  to  the  touch.  It  is  the  argilla  bolus 
of  mineralogists  ;  and,  like  other  reputed  argillaceous 
earths,  contains  the  largest  proportion  of  flint.  Boles 
were  once  highly  prized  ;  and  the  Armenian  and  Lem- 
nian  boles  were  dug  and  sealed  with  numerous  cere- 
monies. They  were  accounted  cordial,  alcxipharmic, 
and  sudorific  ;  and,  in  imitation  of  these,  other  argilla- 
ceous and  calcareous  earths  were  sold  under  the  title  of 
terra  xigillatce,  because  they  had,  like  the  two  former 
boles,  the  impression  of  a  seal.  They  are  all  now  ne- 
glected ;  yet,  were  we  to  interpose  against  authority, 
we  wodld  whisper  some  defence  of  the  former,  fiulvis  c 
bolo  cum  o/iio,  now  the  pulv.  e  creta  compositus  cum 
opio. 

BO'LUS  GA'LLICUS,  FRENCH  BOLE,  is  a  friable  earthy 
substance  of  the  argillaceous  kind,  intimately  blended 
with  a  slight  portion -of  ferrugineous  calx,  and  siliceous 
earth.  It  is  of  a  pale  red  colour,  variegated  with  irre- 
gular specks,  and  veins  of  a  whitish  yellow.  It  is  said 
to  imbibe  sharp  acrid  humours,  and  has  been  recom- 
mended in  alvine  fluxes  and  cardialgia,  in  doses  of  from 
ten  to  sixty  grains.  Pipe  clay,  coloured  with  red  chalk, 
is  its  very  innocent  substitute.  Its  sudorific  and  alexi- 
pharmic  powers  have  no  foundation. 

There  are  .various  other  species  that  are  not  allowed 
to  possess  any  medical  virtues.  The  London  college 
have  consequently  exchanged  two  compositions  under 
the  titles  of  fiulvis  e  bolo  comfiositus,  sine  opio  et  cum 
o/(/o,forthe  fiulvis  e  creta  comfiositus,  without  and  with 
opium.  In  the  former,  half  a  pound  of  prepared  chalk 
is  added  to  four  ounces  of  cinnamon,  three  ounces  of 
tormentil  root,  and  as  much  gum  arabic.  In  the  latter, 
eight  ounces  of  this  powder  are  mixed  with  a  drachm 
and  half  of  powdered  opium.  Thus,  about  two  scru- 
ples of  the  powder  contain  a  grain  of  opium. 
BOLY'NTHON.  See  BOLBITON. 
BO'MBATS,  (from  bombyjc).  Salt  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  bombic  acid  with  different  bases. 

BO'MBAX.  COTTON.  Called  also  xylon,  gossi- 
jihim,  cotoniitm,  moulelavou.  Bombax  ficntandrum  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  959.  There  are  three  sorts  of  cotton  trees  : 
one  creeps  on  the  earth  like  a  vine,  the  second  is  thick 
like  a  bushy  dwarf  tree,  the  third  is  tall  as  an  oak.  All 
the  three,  after  producing  beautiful  flowers,  are  loaded 


with  a  fruit  as  large  as  a  walnut,  whose  outward  coat  is 
black.  When  this  fruit  is  ripe,  it  opens  and  discovers 
the  cotton ;  the  seeds  are  separated  by  a  mill  from  the 
cotton.  This  tree  grows  in  many  places  in  the  Levant, 
East  and  West  Indies,  especially  in  the  Antilles.  The 
fruit  is  oval.  The  cotton  of  the  first  sort,  which  creeps 
on  the  ground,  is  the  best :  that  brought  from  the  East 
Indies  is  supposed  to  be  the  BYSSUS  of  the  ancients. 
That  produced  near  Smyrna  is  greater  in  quantity  than 
any  where  else.  They  sow  the  seeds,  which  are  like 
little  beans,  in  June  ;  gather  the  cotton  in  October ; 
and  the  soil  there  produces  three  crops  in  a  yeah. 

The  skin  of  the  seed  is  mucilaginous,  the  kernel  is 
sweet  like  an  almond,  and  of  virtues  similar  to  the  althea. 
If  cotton  is  applied  to  wounds,  it  excites  inflammation; 
and,  when  worn  next  the  skin  it  checks  perspiration. 
That  called  MOULELAVOU  is  also  denominated  arbor 
lanigcra  sfiinosa ;  gossi/iium  arboreum  caule  sfiinoso, 
bombax  ceiba  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  959.  A  tall  cotton  bearing 
tree,  of  the  bark  of  whose  root  an  emetic  is  prepared. 

BO'MBICUM  A'CIDUM.  BOMBIC  ACID.  Acid 
of  silk  worms.  Silk  worms  contain,  in  every  state,  an 
acid  liquor,  in  a  reservoir  placed  near  the  anus  ;  but  at 
the  more  advanced  periods  of  their  growth  it  is  mixed 
with  a  gummy  matter.  It  is  obtained  by  expressing 
their  juice  in  a  cloth,  and  precipitating  the  mucilage 
by  spirit  of  wine,  or  by  infusing  the  chrysalides  in  that 
liquor.  This  acid  is  very  penetrating,  of  a  yellow  amber 
colour ;  but  its  nature  and  combinations  are  yet  not 
well  known.  It  has  never  yet  been  employed  in  me- 
dicine. 

BO'MBUS,  (from  /3o/«£f<w,  to  sound  like  a  drum).  A 
RESOUNDING  NOISE,  from  flatulencies  rolling  in  different 
cavities.  If  a  sound  of  this  sort,  or  a  ringing,  is  perceiv- 
ed in  the  ears  in  acute  diseases,  it  is  a  dangerous  symp- 
tom. It  also  means  a  noise  in  the  bowels  from  flatus. 

BO'MBYX,  (from  /3sfo£f«,  to  resound).  So  called 
from  the  noise  it  makes  in  spinning  its  web.  The  SILK 
WORM.-  They  are  of  no  medical  use;  but  it  is  said  that 
if  their  bags  are  burnt  they  yield  a  larger  quantity  of 
volatile  salt  than  any  other  animal  substance,  and  con- 
sequently may  be  superior  to  burnt  sponge. 

BOMPO'URNICKEL.     See  COLIPHIUM. 

BON  ARBO'R.     See  COFFEA. 

BO'NA.     The  KIDNEY  BEAN.     See  PHASEOLUS. 

BO'NDUCH  INDORUM.  (Indian.)  Called  also 
bonduch  cinerea,  bonduch  pianta  Indiana,  ardor  sfiinosa 
Indica  muricatis  siliquis,  lobus  echinatus,  acacia  glo- 
riosa  marsus.  Guil/andind  bonduc  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  Wilde- 
now,  534.  MOLUCCA  NUTS,  and  BEZOAR  NUTS. 

The  plant  runs  up  to  five  or  six  feet  in  height ;  it  is  a 
native  of  both  the  Indies.  The  round  beans  only  are  of 
use,  which  are  of  an  ash  colour  on  the  outside,  and  white 
within.  They  are  warm,  bitter,  and  carminative. 

Ray  mentions  another  species,  which  he  calls  bon- 
duch, Indorum  siliqua  minime  spinosa. 

BON.  SEP.  An  abbreviation  of  Bonetus  Sejiul- 
chretum. 

BONE.  Its  Latin  term,  os,  is  supposed  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  Hebrew  word  ozam,  strength.  The  bones 
of  animals  constitute  their  firm,  solid  support;  and  their 
varied  articulations  give  the  animal  that  flexibility,  those 
mirmte  and  complicated  motions,  on  which  our  numer- 
ous functions  depend.  There  appears  to  be  no  bone 
in  the  human  body  that  does  not  possess  every  move- 


BOX 


263 


BON 


ment  required,  except  such  as  would  be  inconsistent 
with  its  more  general  and  useful  purposes.  The  solidity 
of  bones  depends  on  an  earthy -deposition,  in  a  manner 
to  be  afterwards  described;  a  deposition  which  some 
have  styled  a  secretion,  though  with  little  propriety,  as 
a  bony  substance  is  sometimes  deposited  by  ajl  the  ex- 
halant  arteries :  we  have  even  seen  ossifications  in  the 
corpora  cavernosa  penis.  The  bones  are  "said  by  minute 
anatomists  to  be  304  in  number. 

Bones  consist  of  fibres  crossing  each  other  in  differ- 
ent directions.  In  the  middle  of  the  long  bones  these 
fibres  are  closely  united,  so  as  to  form  an  almost  solid 
substance.  At  their  extremities  the  fibres  are  more 
distant,  forming  a  distinct  reticulated  texture.  As  the 
long  bones  are  solid,  so  they  are  hollow,  to  give  re- 
sistance in  a  greater  proportion  than  weight :  the  ex- 
tremities are  enlarged  in  bulk,  to  afford  a  more  advan- 
tageous attachment  to  the  muscles ;  but  their  cavities 
are  divided  into  cells,  and  in  these  there  is  no  part  free 
from  this  reticulated  substance.  In  this'way,  we  be- 
lieve, the  weight  of  a  given  length  at  the  extremity  or 
the  middle  is  not  very  different. 

The  substance  of  bones  is  now  known  to  be  a  calca- 
reous phosphat,  which  is  deposited  by  exhalant  arteries; 
and  this  substance  is  constantly  renovated,  while  an 
equal  portion  is  carried  off  by  absorption.  The  part 
absorbed  is  carried  off  by  urine ;  and  we  find  in  the 
disease  styled  mollities  ossium  the  urine  containing  a 
large  portion  of  this  calcareous  neutral.  Lime  is  found 
in  a  great  variety  of  our  aliment ;  but  the  acid  is  the 
production  of  the  animal  economy,  or  rather  perhaps  a 
modification  of  some  common  acid,  (probably  the  mu- 
riatic,) by  means  yet  unknown  to  us.  This  calcareous 
salt  is  deposited  in  fibres  in  the  long  bones,  and  these 
fibres  placed  longitudinally  are  in  the  middle  of  th.ese 
closely  compacted,  but  diverge  and  separate  towards 
the  joints,  leaving  a  space  connected  by  cross  threads 
of  bone  to  form  the  net  work.  We  find  by  proper 
preparation,  not  only  this  fibrous  but  a  laminated  struc- 
ture also ;  that  is,  the  fibres  are  disposed  even  in  the 
hardest  bones  in  strata,  connected  by  crossing  threads 
of  a  bony  matter.  The  flat  bones  have  no  cavities ; 
but,  when  they  rise  in  protuberances,  the  same  reticu- 
lated structure  is  observed  in  their  substance:  so  cau- 
tious, apparently,  is  nature  to  give  every  advantage  to 
the  muscular  power,  without  adding  inconveniently  to 
the  weight. 

The  form  which  bones  ultimately  assume,  is  in  a 
great  degree  owing  to  the  action  of  the  muscles  and  of 
the  arterial  system.  In  the  youngest  foetus  indeed  the 
general  shape  is  observable ;  but  the  extremities  are 
larger,  and  the  cavities  of  the  long  bones  strll  retain  the 
reticulated  bony  structure.  When  the  action  of  the  strong 
muscles  of  the  extremities  condense  the  bony  substance, 
these  last  cancelli  disappear  as  no  longer  useful ;  but  the 
tendons  which  possess  no  contractile  power,  cannot  have 
the  same  effect  on  the  ends  of  the  bones,  though  these 
are  in  some  measure  condensed  ;  for,  by  increasing  age, 
their  bulk  becomes  less,  and  their  density  greater.  In 
old  age  the  contrary  change  takes  place.  The  bones  in- 
deed retain  their  form,  but  the  proportion  of  the  cal- 
careous phosphat  is  lessened,  and  their  specific  gravity 
greatly  diminished. 

The  process  of  the  formation  of  bone  was  for  a  long 
lime  overlooked  or  mistaken ;  and  even  so  late  as  the 


era  of  Duhamel,  it  was  generally  thought  that  bouy 
layers  were  deposited  from  the  periosteum,  as  tht 
woody  layers  of  trees  are  from  their  bark.  Traces  in- 
deed of  more  philosophical  and  correct  views  appear  in 
earlier  authors,  but  they  were  disregarded  ;  and  it  was 
singular  that  it  should  not  have  occurred  to  Duhamel 
and  his  followers,  that,  if  their  system  were  true,  man 
must  yearly  increase  in  bulk  like  a  tree.  Another  error 
Jong  prevailed,  that  bone  was  only  a  hardened  cartilage. 
Were  this  the  case,  we  should  find  the  one  gradually 
changing  to  the  other :  they  are  united  indeed  by  bony 
protuberances  in  appearance,  shooting  into  the  carti- 
lage, but  it  is  at  once  obvious  where  bone  ends,  and 
cartilage  begins. 

In  the  foetus,  at  its  earlier  stages,  we  find  the  future 
bone  a  gelatinous  substance,  covered  with  a  membrane, 
the  future  periosteum.  It  gradually  becomes  firmer  and 
whiter ;  but  even  at  birth  the  bony  system  is  flexible, 
so  as  to  admit  of  considerable  motion  in  all  its  parts,  to 
adapt  itself  to  the  passage  in  birth.  For  a  time  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  the  extremities  of  the  bones  is 
cartilaginous,  which  has  occasioned  the  idea  just  men- 
tioned; but  when  the  change  is  carefully  observed,  new 
blood  vessels  are  perceived  to  penetrate  the  cartilage, 
and  the  osseous  matter  is  deposited  from  them  in  the 
body  of  the  latter,  which  enlarges  till  it  extends  to  the 
bone.  This  additional  portion  is  for  a  long  time  easily 
separable  from  the  rest  of  the  bone,  as  united  only  by 
a  layer  of  cartilage,  and  called  an  efii/i/iesis;  and  when 
the  union  is  more  complete,  this  additional  portion  is 
called  an  afiofihysis.  The  object  of  this  mechanism  is 
easily  explained.  Bones  are  formed  from  the  osseous 
matter  deposited  in  points,  which  are  either  added  to 
longitudinally,  or  in  rays,  as  from  a  centre.  Where 
great  strength  is  required,  the  former  structure  is  ob- 
servable ;  but  a  continuation  of  the  longitudinal  fibres 
would  weaken  the  bone,  and  a  different  direction  is  ne- 
cessary ;  besides,  as  from  bony  centres,  a  substance  is 
more  quickly  produced,  when  the  child  begins  to  walk, 
his  strength  will  thus  increase  with  a  rapidity  propor- 
tioned to  his  increase  of  bulk.  We  know  that  bones 
are  nourished  by  arteries,  since  in  young  animals  they 
are  reddened  by  an  injection  thrown  into  the  general 
arterial  system;  and  in  more  advanced  age,  are  coloured 
by  feeding  an  animal  with  madder.  The  experime;. 
often  tried  and  quoted  to  support  many  different  sys- 
tems, was  not  understood  till  lately  examined  by  1): 
Rutherford.  He  found  it  to  arise  from  an  affinity  be- 
tween the  colouring  matter  and  earth,  forming  what  the 
painters  call  a  lake.  If  to  a  solution  of  madder  in  dis- 
tilled water  with  muriat  of  lime  phosphat  of  soda  is 
added,  a  double  decomposition  takes  place  :  the  mu- 
riated  soda  continues  in  solution,  and  the  colouring  part 
of  the  madder  is  precipitated  in  union  with  the  phos- 
phat of  lime.  It  is  thus  attracted  in  the  blood  vessels 
by  the  calcareous  phosphat,  and  deposited  with  it. 

Bones,  if  they  have  arteries,  must  have  accompany- 
ing veins,  and  they  have  also  absorbents  ;  for  a  diseased 
bony  part  is  absorbed  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the  body: 
and  the  cavities  of  the  round  bones  bear  the  same  pro- 
portion to  the  whole  bulk  of  the  bone  in  the  fetus  and  the 
adult.  The  earth  when  out  of  the  circulation  has  no 
longer  any  peculiar  quality;  and  when  dissolved  by  spirit 
of  salt,  the  vessels  and  membranes  remain  unchanged, 
displaying  the  same  laminated  arrangement  as  the  bony 


BON 


•264 


BON 


•jsarts.  The  earth  of  bone  is  however  valued  as  a  ma- 
terial for  cupells  in  the  nice  assays  of  silver,  and  styled 
•virgin  earth;  but  its  properties  are  owing  to  a  portion  of 
the  phosphoric  acid.  The  circulation  in  the  bones  is 
peculiar.  The  vessels  run  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres 
in  the  long  bones  longitudinally,  occasionally  clipping 
perpendicularly  ;  in  the  flat  bones  they  are  radiated, 
diminishing  towards  the  centre.  The  bones  are  full  of 
pores  for  the  admission  of  vessels  :  in  the  middle  they 
are  large  and  few ;  at  the  extremities  smaller  and  more 
numerous.  In  every  long  bone,  there  is  about  the 
middle  a  hole  for  the  passage  of  an  artery  and  vein  :  the 
artery  passes  slantingly  through  the  bone,  branches  on 
the  internal  periosteum,  and  externally  again  through 
the  bone.  These  branches  freely  anastomose,  and  thus 
form  an  uninterrupted  circulation  between  the  internal 
and  external  parts.  In  the  flat  bones,  the  vessels  anas- 
tomose in  the  meditullium  ordiploe. 
,  In  their  external  form  bones  greatly  vary.  Besides 
the  epiphesis,  they  rise,  we  have  said,  in  various  pro- 
tuberances, named  processes,  and  they  arc  sometimes 
d«pressed  in  cavities.  These  if  deep,  with  large  brims, 
are  called  cotylcs;  if  shallow,  g'lencs  or  glerioid.  Ana- 
tomists have  employed  other  appropriate  terms.  Thus, 
flits  are  small  roundish  cavities ;  furrows,  long  narrow 
.  canals;  niches,  small  breaches;  sinuosities,  broad  super- 
ficial depressions  without  brims  ;  sinuses,  large  cavities 
within  the  bones,  opening  by  a  small  aperture;  fora- 
mina, holes  that  pierce  through  the  bone.  Bones  are 
usually  divided  into,  1st.  spherical,  which  arc  spongy, 
except  a  thin  plate  on  the  surface :  2dly,  cylindrical, 
which  are  compact  in  their  middle,  and  spongy  at  their 
extremities;  3dly,  the./?o;,  which  are  compact  on  both 
sides,  but  spongy  in  the  middle;  4thly,  the  irregular, 
which  when  thick  arc  like  the  round,  and  when  thin 
like  the  flat  bones.  It  will  be  sufficiently  obvious  that 
these  terms  are  not  mathematically  accurate. 

Bones,  we  have  said,  owe  their  solidity  to  phosphorated 
lime.  They  contain  also  gelatine,  and  the  proportion 
of  each  differs  in  different  animals,  and  at  different  pe- 
riods. The  bones  of  an  adult  contain  the  greatest  pro- 
portion of  earth;  those  of  a  foetus,  of  gelatine.  Fish 
bones,  from  Mr.  Accum's  experiments,  contain  one- 
sixth  part  more  of  phosphoric  acid  than  the  bones  of 
quadrupeds.  Carbonated  alkalis  decompose  the  phos- 
phat  of  lime  in  bones.  They  contain  also  a  small  pro- 
portion of  selenite,  carbonate  of  lime,  and,  according  to 
Proust,  of  mineral  alkali.  Mr.  Hatchett's  late  experi- 
ments in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  greatly  illus- 
trate the  chemical  analysis  of  bone,  horn,  zoophytes,  &c. 
but  as  less  applicable  to  human  bones,  they  fall  not  with- 
in our  immediate  province.  See  HAIR  and  HOUN. 

Bones  are  covered  with  a  strong,  firm,  fibrous  sub- 
stance, styled  periosteum,  which-is  acutely  sensible  when 
inflamed,  as  indeed  all  the  denser  membranes  are.  Its 
chief  use  is  to  defend  the  bone,  and  perhaps  to  prevent 
its  irregular  growth.  Bones  themselves  when  inflamed 
are  also  highly  sensible. 

The  internal  parts  of  bones  and  the  minutest  cells 
are  filled  with  marrow ;  a  fluid  fat  contained  in  mem- 
branes, forming,  in  the  language  of  some  authors,  the 
internal  periosteum.  The  marrow  does  not  differ  in  its 
analysis  from  suet  and  fat,  or  perhaps  it  has  not  been 
minutely  examined.  The  marrow  of  herbaceous  ani- 
,mals  hardens  when  cold ;  that  of  carnivorous  remains 


fluid;  and  in  young  animals  a  little  blood  is  occasionally 
deposited.  We  suspect  that  the  harder  fats  are  distin- 
guished by  their  containing  a  larger  proportion  of  oxy- 
gen, and  the  softer  by  a  greater  proportion 'of  hydro- 
gen or  carbon.  Marrow  is  contained  in  follicles  not 
communicating  with  each  other:  at  the  heads  of  the 
bones  these  follicles  are  supported  by  the  cancelli,  but  in 
the  middle  they  have  no  such  support,  though  the  mar- 
row is  still  confined  by  follicles,  which  lessen  its  weight 
on  the  lower  parts  of  the  bone,  where  the  cancelli  again 
lend  their  assistance.  The  bone  is  apparently  always 
full.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the  larger  arteries  which 
penetrate  the  middle  of  the  bone,  are  exclusively  ap- 
propriated to  the  nutrition  of  the  marrow.  The  facts 
however  lately  noticed  of  the  mutual  anastomoses  of 
the  internal  and  external  vessels,  oppose  this  opinion, 
which,  we  believe,  is  not  supported  by  any  well  authen- 
ticated observation.  The  use  of  the  marrow  is  not 
known:  it  is  a  part  of  the  adipose  system,  and  perhaps 
intended  for  occasional  support,  and  to  correct  the  acri- 
mony produced  by  inanition.  Animals  that  remain  tor- 
pid during  the  winter  repair  to  their  retreats  with  con- 
siderable coverings  of  fat,  and  leave  them  in  a  most  im- 
poverished state.  We  suspect  also  that  the  fat  may  be 
a  reservoir  of  oxygen;  for  when  this  principle  is  ex- 
hausted little  fat  remains.  In  the  last  stage  of  phthisis 
some  fat  is  found  in  the  adipose  membrane,  and  in  this 
disease  the  oxygen  is  not  deficient :  but  in  dropsy  it  is 
quite  exhausted;  and  in  this  complaint  the  retention  of 
the  excrementitious  urine  would  be  soon  injurious,  were 
not  its  acrimony  blunted  by  either  an  oleaginous  or  an 
oxygenated  fluid. 

The  products  of  bones  employed  in  medicine  are  the 
empyreumatic  oil,  styled  Dippel's  animal  oil,  highly 
rectified.  When  distilled  they  afford  ammonia ;  and 
from  these  the  spiritus  cornu  cervi  is  now  exclusively 
prepared.  Bones  calcined  in  open  vessels  are  styled 
cornu  cervi  calcinatum,  now  seldom  employed.  The 
oil  remaining  after  distillation  burnt  with  the  earth 
produces  lamp  black ;  the  finest  kinds  of  which  are 
furnished  by  the  more  compact  bones,  and  the  horns 
of  animals,  thence  called  ivory  black.  Bones  rasped 
and  macerated  in  hot  water,  or  exposed  to  consi- 
derable heats  in  Papin's  digester,  furnish  a  nutritious 
soup ;  and  in  a  more  condensed  state  a  valuable  glue. 
Six  pounds  of  dry  bone  shavings  produced  fifteen 
ounces  of  clear  glue  ;  and  fifty  pounds  of  ivory  shav- 
ings yielded  nine  pounds  and  a  half  of  transparent 
glue.  The  exact  proportion  of  gelatine  in  bones  has  not 
however  been  ascertained,  since  the  driest  glue  contains 
some  water.  These  preparations  were  made  by  boiling 
only  ;  but  the  soluble  parts  are  more  perfectly  extracted 
in  Papin's  digester,  though  the  fat  acquires  an  un- 
pleasing  empyreumatic  flavour.  Proust  informs  us, 
that  the  enlarged  extremities  of  the  bones,  boiled  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  in  water,  yield  one-fourth  of  their 
weight  in  fat,  and  the  haunch 'bones  one-eighth.  The 
hard  bones  must  be  powdered,  reduced  to  a  fine  paste 
by  trituration  with  water,  and  boiled  for  a  longer  time. 
See  Proust's  '  Memoir  for  Meliorating  the  Condition  of 
a  Soldier,' published  at  Madrid  1791;  an  abstract  of 
which  may  be  found  in  the  53d  volume  of  the  Journal 
de  Physique. 

The  diseases  of  the  bones,  independent  of  FRAC- 
TURES and  DISLOCATIONS,  are  WOUNDS,  NECROSIS, 


BO 


265 


15  O  K 


(-•ARIES,     EXOSTOSIS,    OSTKO    SARCOMA;     illcllK. 

lObA    and    P.£DA,RTHROCACE,  RICKI.TS,     FRAGILITY    of 

the  bones;  injury  from  RUPTURED  LIGAMENTS,  DKOPSY 
in,  and  WOUNDS  of,  the  JOINTS,  WHITE  SWELLING  'of 
the  joints,  ANCHYLOSIS,  DISTORTION,  MOLLITIES,  SCRO- 
FULA. 

Sec  Haver's  Osteolography,  Monro  on  the  Bones, 
Cheselden's  Osteology.  Memoires  de  Pelletier,  vol.  ii. 
Proust  (Journal  de  Physique,  1.  c.),  Hatchet,  Phil. 
Trans.  4799,  1800. 

15OXIFA  'CIA.  (from  bonum,  good,  zndfacio,  to  do,) 
from  its  utility  to  the  human  frame.  See  LAUKLS 
ALEXANDRIA  and  HIPPOGLQSSUM. 

BOXOXIE  XSIS  L'APIS.  The  BONONIAN  STONE. 
(Called  also  fihosjihorus  Bononiensis,  s/iongia  solis,  luci- 
dus  lafiis,  ilium ina  bilis  lafiis,  fihosfihorus  Kircheri ;  the 

LIGHT  CARRIER  and  BoXONIAN  PHOSPHORUS. 

It  is  a  small,  grey,  soft,  glossy,  fibrous,  sulphureous 
stone,  about  the  size  of  a  walnut.  When  broken,  a 
kind  of  crystal,  or  starry  talc,  is  found  in  it.  This  stone 
is  met  with  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bologna,  in  Italy; 
and,  when  duly  prepared,  makes  a  species  of  phosphorus. 

This  phosphorus  gradually  emits  light  for  six  or  eight 
hours  after  being  exposed  to  it.  As  a  medicine,  the 
stone  is  caustic  and  emetic ;  and  the  phosphorus  itself 
has  been  highly  injurious,  when  used  as  a  medicine. 

BOXT.  An  abbreviation  for  Jacsbius  Jiontius,  a 
writer  of  good  credit. 

BO'NUS  HEXRrCUS.     See  MERCURHLIS. 

BOO  XA.     See  PHASEOLUS. 

BORA'SSUS.  The  tender  medullary  substance 
which  grows  at  the  top  of  the  great  palm  tree. 

BO'RAX,  (from  the  Arabic  term  borac).  Called 
also  c/irys&colla,  cafiistrum  auri,  ancinar,  borajctrion, 
i.-nucar,  atincar,  tinea/,  amfihitane,  baurach,  nitrumfac- 
'.  ilium,  santerna,  and  nitrum  nati-vum.  BORAC  signifies 
nitre,  but  it  was  corrupted  into  borax,  and  applied  to 
the  chrysocolla.  It  is  not  much  unlike  alum,  and  if 
genuine,  hath  a  sweet  taste  at  the  first,  but  afterwards  an 
unctuous  one.  Its  pure  crystals  arc  hexaedral  prisms, 
terminated  by  three  sided  summits  finely  cut;  it  dis- 
solves with  difficulty  in  cold,  but  easily  in  boiling  water; 
requiring  of  the  former  more  than  twelve  times  its 
"eight.  It  is  soluble  in  alcohol,  swells  and  bubbles 
in  the  fire,  and  soon  becomes  a  glass,  which  dissolves 
again  in  water;  but  if  mixed  with  flint  or  sand,  it  be- 
comes a  durable  glass,  hard  enough  to  cut  common  glass. 
It  is  an  excellent  flux  for  metals,  and  for  their  ores; 
changes  the  colour  of  blue  flowers  to  green ;  precipitates 
earthy  and  metallic  bodies  dissolved  in  acids;  and  ren- 
ders vegetable  and  animal  oils  miscible  with  water.  A 
solution  of  borax  made  in  a  menstruum  of  vegetable 
acid,  when  inspissated  by  evaporation,  is  a  tenacious 
substance  that  will  not  crystallize,  but  will  dissolve  in 
the  air.  Borax  was  originally  brought  from  Thibet, 
where  it  was  found  on  the  shores  of  a  lake,  seemingly 
the  crater  of  an  old  volcano.  We  receive  it  inviscated 
in  a  greasy  substance,  and  in  an  impure  state,  then 
called  tinea  I.  It  has  been  since  found  more  pure  in 
the  mines  of  Ritinquipa  and  Escapa.and  still  more  pure 
in  China.  In  Europe  it  has  been  discovered  in  a  mi- 
neral lake  in  Tuscany.  It  is  purified  by  long  boiling 
and  repeated  crystallization;  but  when  most  pure, 
white,  and  transparent,  it  has  a  some  what  greasy  fracture. 
We  now  know  it  to  be  a  compound  salt,  with  an  ex- 
VOL.  i. 


of  ulkali;  containing  thirty-nine  parts  of  bo 
acid,  seventeen  of  soda,  and  forty-four  of  water.     It  is 
decomposed  by  barytes,  magnesia,  and  lime. 

Iis  acid,  the  sedative  salt,  is  of  a  white,  scaly,  glitter- 
ing appearance,  has  a  cooling  saline  taste,  and  reddens 
the  blue  vegetable  infusions.  A  pint  of  boiling  water 
dissolves  183  grains,  but  it  dissolves  more  easily  in  al- 
cohol. Its  solution  in  spirit  is  green,  and  burns  with 
a  green  flame.  If  dry,  it  is  fixed  in  the  fire. 

The  borax  of  the  shops  is  sometimes  adulterated  with 
alum  :  but  then  it  is  not  so  light  nor  clear,  nor  does  it 
swell  so  much  when  put  on  burning  coal. 

Borax  itself  is  used  for  soldering  gold,  whence  its 
name  chrysocolla.  It  is  also  a  solder  for  other  metals  ; 
and  a  powerful  flux  for  fusing  minerals  of  all  kinds.  It 
is  used  to  give  a  gloss  to  silks. 

As  a  medicine  it  seems  to  possess  inconsiderable  vir- 
tues, or  these  have  not  been  sufficiently  examined.  It 
has  been,  however,  styled  a  deobstruent,  diuretic,  and 
emmenagogue,  in  doses  of  half  adrachm,  or  two  scruples. 
A  mixture  of  it  with  honey — viz.  borax  one  drachm, 
honey  one  ounce — is  efficacious  in  removing  aphthous 
crusts  from  the  mouth  and  fauces,  but  a  solution  in  wa- 
ter is  considered  to  possess  superior  power.  Externally 
it  is  a  far  better  cosmetic  than  bismuth.  If  given  in 
powder  it  is_said  to  be  emetic,  but,  mixed  with  aromatics, 
this  quality  is  checked,  and  in  the  fluor  albus  it  is  sup- 
posed highly  useful. 

A  dose  of  borax  is  from  gr.  v.  to  3!  ss. 

BORBOXE'XSIS,or  BORBO'NICA.  A  patrony- 
mic epithet  for  the  Bourbon  water.  See  AQU.E  SUL- 
PHURED. 

BORBORO'DES,  (from  £*£»•*,  filth).    FECULENT, 

MUDDY,  DIRTY,  EARTHY. 

BORBORY'GMUS,  (from  /J.^0,  to  make  a 
noise) .  A  rumbling  noise,  excited  by  wind  in  the  bowels. 

BO'REAS.  The  NORTH  EAST  WIND.  The  northern 
winds  are  cold,  but,  unless  in  the  east,  not  unwholesome. 
They  resist  putrid  diseases,  but  often  occasion  those 
that  depend  on  an  inflammatory  state. 

BO'RI.     (Greek).     GREAT 'EATERS. 

BORI'DIA,  (from  far*,  food).  Salted  fish  eaten  raw. 
Oribasius. 

BORO'ZAIL.  The  ZAII.  of  the  Ethiopians.  It  is  a 
disease  epidemic  about  the  river  Senegal,  principally  in- 
festing the  pudenda,  but  different  from  the  lues  venerea. 
though  owing  to  immoderate  venery.  In  the  men  it  is 
called  asab,  in  the  women  ossa  batus. 

BORRA'GO,  vel  BORAGO,  formerly  written  Co- 
RAGO,  the  C  being  now  changed  into  B,  (from  cor,  the 
heart,  because  it  was  supposed  to  comfort  the  heart  and 
spirits).  BORRAGE.  Also  called  bughssum  verum, 
buglossum  latifolium,  borago  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  197. 
Xat.  order  asfierifolie  ;  boraginee  of  Jussieu. 

The  leaves  are  succulent ;  their  medical  qualities  are 
not  discernible  until  the  juice  is  separated  by  pressure, 
and  are  then  inconsiderable.  A  decoction  of  them  af- 
fords a  small  quantity  of  the  nitrous  and  muriatic  salts. 
The  leaves  are  ranked  among  coolers,  and  the  flower:- 
among  cordials.  See  also  BUGLOSSUM. 

A  syrup  is  prepared  from  the  leaves  in  France,  and 
used  in  pleurisies  and  inflammatory  fevers.  It  is  some- 
times put  into  negus,  forming  what  is  called  a  cold 
tankard. 

BO'RRI-BO'RRI,  BOBERRI.     ,  IndianX     See    Cnt- 
M  m 


B  O  T 


266 


BO  T 


It  is  also  a  name  in  the  East  Indies  of  an  oint- 
ment in  which  arc  the  roots  of  turmeric. 

BOS,  (from  /3oa,  to  bel/o-vj.  The  BULL,  cow,  ox, 
IIKIFEK,  or  any  other  of  the  neat  kind.  See  ALI- 
MENT. 

As  a  medicinal  article,  %ve  may  reckon  BEEF  TEA, 
which  is  thus  made :  Cut  a  pound  of  the  leanest  part 
of  a  buttock  of  beef  into  thin  slices,  add  to  it  two  pints 
of  boiling  water;  keep  the  water  just  below  the  boiling 
state,  and  let.it  infuse  for  near  an  hour,  having  previ- 
ously added  about  twenty  or  thirty  pepper  corns  and  a 
little  mac,e.  By  infusing  only,  it  retains  the  lightest 
parts  of  the  nutritious  lymph,  which  boiling  dissipates, 
and  seems  more  agreeable  to  stomachs  greatly  debili- 
tated. It  may  be  salted  when  drunk. 

BO'SA.  An  Egyptian  word  for  a  mass  which  is 
made  of  the  meal  of  darnel,  hemp  seed,  and  water.  It 
is  inebriating. 

BOSCAS,  (from  Porxa,  to  feed).  A  sort  of  dry  pitch, 
which  is  tenacious  like  bird  lime.  Also  the  mallard. 

BOS  INDIA'NA.     See  BUBALUS. 

BO'TANUM.     See  PLUMBUM. 

BO'TANY,  (from  the  Greek  word  farm-/,,  a  plant). 
In  its  strict  meaning  it  is  the  science  of  plants  ;  but  in 
such  a  very  extensive  view  it  cannot  be  treated  of  in 
this  place.  Botany  is  divided  into  the  classification  and 
nomenclature  of  plants ;  an  account  of  their  virtues  in 
medicine;  in  dietetics,  and  the  various  arts;  their  phy- 
siology, and  their  diseases.  Botany,  though  plants  must 
have  been  from  the  earliest  ages  observed  and  em- 
ployed, is  not  a  science  of  high  antiquity..  In  the  ruder 
periods,  a  few  culinary  and  medicinal  plants  were  pro- 
bably discovered ;  their  forms  were  pointed  out  by 
fathers  to  their  children,  and  their  virtues  were  equally 
handed  down  by  tradition.  Knowledge  of  this  kind  is 
soon  corrupted  or  lost.  If  a  name  be  given,  it  is  ap- 
plied by  another  to  a  plant  which  resembles  it,  whose 
virtues  may  be  different  or  contradictory ;  and  if  the 
family  emigrates,  the  experience  of  ages  is  lost,  should 
the  same  plant  not  be  discovered  in  their  new  habita- 
tions. Our  earliest  records,  the  sacred  writings,  speak 
of  few  plants,  though  of  several  vegetable  productions 
which  are  now  ascertained  with  sufficient  accuracy : 
but  we  cannot  judge  of  the  botanical  science  of  So- 
lomon, who  is  said  to  have  been  acquainted  with  all 
plants,  from  the  cedar  of  Lebanon  to  the  hyssop  that 
groweth  on  the  wall.  The  plants  mentioned  by  Homer 
are  not  numerous,  but  an  interesting  and  amusing  work 
might  be  still  written  on  those  which  occur  in  his  poems. 
Hippocrates,  our  great  object,  speaks  of  the  virtues  of 
about  two  hundred  and  thirty  plants,  which  were  de- 
scribed by  Cratsevas  his  cotemporary  :  but  the  first  great 
luminary  in  this  science  was  Theophrastus,  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  some  very  accurate  descriptions  of 
plants;  and  he  was  followed  by  Dioscorides,  who  de- 
scribe!, about  four  hundred  and  ten  species,  and  men- 
tions, by  name,  about  one  hundred  and  ninety  others. 

Even  in  that  state  botany  became  an  unwieldy  mass, 
from  its  bulk  and  want  of  arrangement.  The  descrip- 
tions of  Theophrastus  are  vague  and  imperfect ;  though, 
.as  the  scholar  of  Aristotle,  we  may  expect  to  find  in  him 
all  the  science  of  the  Stagirite,  whose  work  on  plants 
is  evidently  the  forgery  of  a  later  age.  His  arrangement 
is  taken  from  their  size  or  their  virtues,  and  little  cal- 
culated to  assist  the  tyro  in  the  investigation.  The  de- 


scriptions of  Dioscorides  and  Pliny  deserve  not  a  high.  • 
character ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  labours  of  tin. 
Bauhines,  whom  we  shall  afterwards  mention,  we  should 
have  attained  but  little  knowledge  from  the  accumulai  • 
ed  acquisitions  of  fifteen  centuries. 

Gesner,  who  flourished  about  the  middle  of  the  16th 
century,  was  the  first  author  who  saw  the  necessity  ot 
arrangement,  and  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
dividing  plants  into  classes,  orders,  genera,  and  species ; 
but  it  was  only  after  fifty  years  that  Caesalpinus  began 
the  attempt;  and  more  than  one  hundred1,  before  Mor- 
rison and  Ray  produced  the  outline  of  a  plan  which  ap- 
proached perfection. 

In  this  interval  some  works  appeared  which  are  more 
important,  as  more  nearly  connected  with  our  subject. 
Dr.  William  Turner,  the  father  of  English  botany,  since 
he  gave  names  to  many  English  plants,  published  hi-; 
Herbal,  with  the  plates  which  belonged  to  the  bota- 
nical work  of  Fuschius.  The  different  parts  appeared 
at  different  places,  from  the  year  1551,  the  date  of  the 
first,  to  1564,  that  of  the  last  part.  His  arrangement 
is,  however,  an  alphabetical  one  of  the  Latin  names. 
About  the  same  period,  viz.  from  1552  to  1583,  Do- 
doens  collected  his  works  into  one  system,  called  Stir- 
pium  Historiae  sex  Pemptades,  the'  foundation  of  Ge- 
rard's, and  every  subsequent  herbal  in  our  language.  In 
Gerard  we  perceive  the  first  traces  of  a  natural  arrange- 
ment; for  his  first  book  contains  the  grasses,  grain, 
rushes,  reeds,  flags,  and  bulbous  rooted  plants.  This 
author's  idea  of  the  union  arose,  however,  from  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  leaves.  His  second  and  third  parts  offer 
no  very  remarkable  traces  of  arrangement.  In  the 
third,  however,  he  has  grouped  the  heaths,  the  mosses, 
mushrooms,  and  sea  plants.  These  herbals  are  more  to 
our  purpose,  as  they  unite  botanical  descriptions  with 
medical  virtues ;  but  the  system  adopted  is  that  of  Ga- 
len, and  with  a  profusion  of  virtues  w-hich  each  plant . 
is  supposed  to  possess,  we  are  constantly  told  in  what 
degree  it  is  hot  or  cold. 

Before,  however,  we  approach  the  luminous  period  of 
classification,  we  must  notice  a  work,  whose  peculiar 
merit  and  utility,  in  a  medical  view,  have  been  greatly 
overlooked;  we  mean  the  Pinax  of  Casper  Bauhine. 
Of  the  elder  Bauhine  (John)  we  need  say  little,  but 
his  three  folio  volumes,  containing  a  general  history 
of  plants,  ore  a  work  of  great  labour  and  utility  ;  though, 
from  the  want  of  arrangement,  it  is  of  much  less  ad- 
vantage than  we  might  expect.  The  Pinax  of  the 
younger  Bauhine  contains  the  names  of  six  thousand 
plants,  to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  Hippocrates, 
Galen,  and  the  other  ancient  physicians ;  of  Theo- 
phrastus, Dioscorides,  and  the  elder  botanists.  In  this 
work  some  traces  of  arrangement  appear,  which  the 
following  quaint  verses  will  explain: 

Gramen  adest,  bitlbttsqiie,  olns  atque  umbella,  -uenenum  ; 
Atque  corona,  odor  etjlos  cst  vcscumque  iefumen; 
Carduus  in  spinis,/rutex  succcdit  et  arbor. 

In  this  order,  though  not  formally  pointed  out  by  the 
author,  the  plants  are  arranged,  and  several  of  these  fa- 
milies are  truly  natural.  The  species  are  collected  under 
natural  genera ;  and  as  trivial  names  were  not  then  in- 
vented, each  species  is  shortly  described.  The  syno- 
nyms of  the  different  preceding  physicians  and  bptanists 
follow  ;  and  to  make  the  use  of  this  Pinax  more  easy, 
every  name  with  the  reference  occurs  in  a  full  index. 


BO  T 


26] 


BO  T 


We  have  in  this  way,  at  one  view,  whatever  has  been 
said  of  every  plant  then  known;  and  to  make  this  con- 
necting link  between  ancient  and  modem  science  more 
completely  useful,  Linnaeus  has  added ^the  description 
of  Casper  Bauhine  to  each  of  his  species.  Thus,  then, 
when  we  refer  to  the  Linnaean  species,  we  unfold  to 
the  medical  reader  the  plant  of  which  Hippocrates  and 
Galen  spoke,  the  author  where  each  has  been  fully  de- 
scribed, with  all  its  real  and  supposed  virtues. 

Morison,  in  a  second  edition  of  the  Hortus  Regius 
Blesensis,  gave,  in  1669,  the  rudiments  of  a  method 
founded  on  the  fruit;  but  the  remembrance  of  this 
proposal  has  been  obliterated  by  the  splendour  of  Ray, 
who  published  his  Methodus  Plantarum  Nova,  in  tables. 
He  divided  the  vegetable  kingdom  into  trees,  shrubs, 
and  herbaceous  plants;  classing  with  the  latter  the  suf- 
frutices,  the  lesser  shrubs.  His  great  object  was  to 
connect  the  natural  families,  or  the  plants  united  by  a 
similarity  of  fructification  "and  general  habit;  but  his 
genera  were  more  loosely  and  imperfectly  grouped; 
and  in  this  first  imperfect  attempt  we  wanted  both  de- 
scriptions and  synonyms.  His  system  appeared  in  a 
more  accurate  and  complete  state  in  his  Synopsis  of 
British  Plants,  and  his  History  of  Plants.  Two  editions 
of  the  Synopsis  were,  we  believe,  published  during  his 
life.  The  most  complete  is  the  third,  published  in  two 
vols.  8vo,  1724,  near  twenty  years  after  his  death. 

It  belongs  to  the  general  history  of  botany  to  pursue 
The  various  modes  of  classification  proposed  and  adopted 
by  different  authors.  It  is  our  object  in  this  sketch, 
chiefly  to  point  out  the  progress  of  Medical  Botany,  and 
of  the  arrangement  of  plants  in  natural  families,  the 
means  as  we  think  of  improving  it.  Though  we  greatly 
admire  the  ingenuity  of  the  system  of  Tournefort, 
and,  with  all  their  imperfections,  find  considerable  merit 
in  those  of  Sauvages  and  Haller,  we  must  chiefly  con- 
fine ourselves  to  Linnaeus.  From  the  year  1735  to 
1737,  the  different  publications  which  announced  his 
system  appeared;  and  it  was  gradually  improved  to  the 
l?st  period  of  his  life.  It  is  styled  the  sexual  system, be- 
cause he  supposed  plants  distinguished  by  sexes,  the 
antherae  being  in  his  opinion  the  male,  and  the  pistils 
the  female  organs.  From  the  number,  situation,  and 
connection  of  the  former,  his  classes  are  chiefly  de- 
nominated and  distinguished;  from  the  number  of  the 
pistils  in  general,  the  orders.  It  is  confessedly  an  ar- 
tificial system,  but  many  of  the  families  of  plants  are 
preserved  undisturbed.  Whatever  are  its  imperfec- 
tions must  bs  now  overlooked,  since  in  the  present  vast 
extent  of  botanical  science,  this  system  only  is  com- 
mensurate with  it.  Various  attempts  have  been  made 
to  correct  and  improve  it.  Thunberg  attempted  to  ren- 
der it  more  simple  by  diminishing  the  number  of  classes ; 
and  Gmelin  has  added  to  them.  Botanists,  however, 
have  received  each  offered  improvement  with  caution; 
and,  as  Dr.  Smith  has  almost  scrupulously  adhered  to 
the  arrangement  of  the  Swede,  and  Wildenow  in  his 
new  edition  of  the  species  followed  it  without  altera- 
tion, there  is  little  probability  of  its  being  now  dis- 
turbed. 

A  natural  method,  however,  appeared  always  from  the 
confession  of  Linnaeus  himself,  the  first  and  last  object 
of  the  botanist;  and  in  his  Philosophia  Botar.ica,  a 
work  published  in  175],  often  highly  praised,  but 


scarcely  ever  in  proportion  to  its  merits,  he  introi! 
what  he  styles  '  Fragmenta  Method!  Natbralis,'  viz. 
fifty-seven  natural  orders  or  families  of  plants.  We 
mean  not  to  say  that  this  was  the  first  example  of  a  natu- 
ral method.  Morison's  and  Ray's  were  certainly  such; 
and  previous  to  these',  in  1626,  Laurenberg  published 
at  Rostock  his  Botanotheca,  in  which  he  distinguished 
ten  natural  families  of  plants  with  tolerable  accuracy. 
Ray's  four  classes,  taken  from  the  cotyledons,  branched 
out  into  twenty-nine  families,  the  greater  number  of 
which  were  natural  groups.  The  cryptogam  iae  and 
capillary  plants  we  of  course  exclude.  Besides  our 
countryman,  Royen  of  Leyden,  in  1740,  gave  an  ele- 
gant natural  arrangement;  Haller,  a  more  laboured 
and  a  less  useful  one;  and  Wachendorff  of  Utrecht,  a 
system  not  inelegant,  but  deformed  by  titles  peculiarly 
complicated  and  compounded.  At  a  later  period,  viz. 
in  1766,'Crantz  of  Vienna  published  his  Institutiones 
Rei  Herbariae;  in  which,  by  an  arrangement  neither 
neat  nor  convenient,  he  has,  however,  retained  many  of 
the  more  natural  groups  or  families-of  plants.  About 
the  same  time,  Adanson  formed  his  natural  classes  ;  but 
these  are  so  strictly  natural,  that  his  definitions  become 
descriptions,  tedious  and  useless  from  their  extent,  since 
he  includes  a  similarity  in  every  part.  Gaertner,  in  his 
arrangement  from  the  seeds,  without  pretensions  to  na- 
tural orders,  has  formed  numerous  natural  groups 
which  well  merit  the  attention  of  the  botanist.  Thfe 
most  successful  modern  attempts  are  those  of  Jussieu 
and  Murray;  the  former  more  strictly  botanical,  the 
other  subservient  to  his  excellent  work  on  the  Materia 
Mcdica  (Appai'atus  Medicaminum).  Anthony  dc  Ju.s- 
sieu  is  the  nephew  of  Bernard,  demonstrator  in  the 
royal  gardens  at  Paris,  to  whom  the  merit  of  the  first 
attempt  is  due.  It  was  from  Bernard  Jussieu  that  we 
received  the  first  systematic  work  of  this  kind  in  1789, 
viz.  Genera  Plantarum  sccundum  OrdinesNaturales  dis- 
posita;  and  from  him  Adanson,  who  was  his  pupil, 
probably  derived  his  ideas.  This  was  the  foundation 
of  the  last  and  best  natural  botanical  system  that  has 
appeared,  viz.  Tableau  du  Regne  Vegetrde  selon  la 
Methode  de  Jussieu,  par  E.  P.  Ventenat.  The  system 
of  Murray  we  shall  soon  notice. 

We  have  enlarged  on  this  part  of  the  science  of  botany, 
because  we  perceive  a  very  intimate  connection  between- 
the  natural  orders  and  the  medical  properties  of  plants  ; 
and  because  this  part  of  the  subject  has  not  yet  received 
the  attention  which  it  so  justly  merits  in  this  point  of 
view.  The  Linnaean  system  we  have  said  is  artificial; 
but  it  is  not  to  be  rejected  on  this  account.  With  its 
aid  we  can  at  any  time  distinguish  a  plant,  convey  an  ac- 
curate idea  of  its  general  form,  and  arrange  it  so  as  that 
future  observations  may  be  directed  to  their  proper  ob- 
ject; in  short,  for  the  purpose  of  discrimination,  and  the 
reference  of  synonyms,  it  is  highly  valuable.  As  an  ar- 
tificial method  also  it  is  always  complete,  so  far  as  our 
knowledge  extends.  There  are  no  lacunas  to  be  filled 
up,  there  are  no  links  to  be  supplied.  A  natural  me- 
thod cannot  possess  such  advantages.  In  reality,  the 
further  our  knowledge  extends,  the  more  imperfect  it 
becomes,  for  '  nature  makes  no  leaps ;'  and  the  lacunae, 
which,  in  the  present  state  of  science,  give  limits  to  the 
orders,  will,  when  supplied,  no  longer  enable  us  to  dis- 
criminate them.  In  a  general  view,  therefore,  the  clas- 
M  m  2 


BOX 


268 


13  O  T 


siiication  and  nomenclature  of  plants  may  be,  advan- 
geously  supplied  by  the  Linnsean  system;  the  union  of 
properties  and  virtues  by  the  natural  families. 

The  opinion  that  the  genera  of  the  same  natural  or- 
ders possessed  similar  medical  powers,  is  by  no  means 
new.  It  was  suggested  in  the  Philosophical  Transac- 
tions by  Mr.  Petiver,  and  is  enforced  by  Hoffman  in 
a  separate  dissertation.  In  1784,  a  slight  lively  work 
appeared  on  this  subject,  entitled  '  A  Short  Attempt  to 
Recommend  the  Study  of  Botanical  Analogy.'  The  au- 
thor's aim  seemed  not  to  be  deep  investigatio.n,  but  to 
catch  the  attention  by  a  few  prominent  facts,  for  the 
purpose  of  a  more  complete  examination  of  the  natural 
orders  by  himself  or  others.  No  publication  has,  how- 
ever, appeared  in  the  same  path,  nor  will  the  limits  of 
the  present  article  enable  us  to  give  more  than  an  out- 
line: we  hope,  however,  to  make  it  , tolerably  com- 
plete. 

^  Several  of  the  fragments  of  the  natural  orders  left 
us  by  Linnxus,  contain  no  medical  plant.  They  were 
published  by  the  author  without  a  comment;  and  we 
now  find  that  he  gave  only  at  two  very  distant  periods, 
lectures  on  this  subject,  viz.  in  1764,  to  Ferber  the  fu- 
ture mineralogist,  Fabricius  the  entomologist,  to  Zsega, 
to  Kuhn  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  chemist  Meyer; 
and  in  1771,  to  Gisckc,  Vahl,  the  celebrated  botanist, 
to  Edinger,  and  Tislcf.  From  Giseke  we  have  received 
un  account  of,  these  lectures,  published  at  Hamburgh 
in  1792;  a  communication  truly  valuable,  us  he  com- 
pared the  manuscript  of  Fabricius  with  his  own,  and 
marks  the  agreement  and  differences. 

The  idea  of  natural  orders  includes  the  want  of  con- 
nection into  classes  and  systems.  Linnaeus,  we  shall  find, 
had  undoubtedly  some  views  of  connecting  these  frag- 
ments, but  he  often  declared  that  he  would  not  relate, 
on  this  subject,  all  that  he  knew.  He  was  irritated  at 
the  injurious  treatment  different  parts  of  his  labours 
had  received,  and  particularly  the  Fragments,  so  that 
he  was  with  reluctance  led  to  lecture  on  the  subject. 
The  formation  of  natural  orders  is  a  task  of  consider- 
able labour,  and  we  cannot  better  explain  the  difficulty 
than  by  translating  the  conversation  between  Giseke 
und  Linnaeus:  it  is  in  many  respects  curious. 

"  Before,  however,  he  began  them  (the  lectures),  we 
often  disputed  on  the  subject.  I  had  thought  that  all 
the  species  of  columniferae,  for  instance,  should  have 
a  staminiferous  column,  and  that  those  without  it  should 
be  excluded  from  the  order ;  while  those  distinguished 
by  it,  agreeing  in  other  respects,  thus  formed  the  na- 
tural group.  I  thought  the  same  of  the  bicornes,  tri- 
coccae,  and  others.  Linnaeus  smiled,  and  told  me,  that 
we  must  not  always  determine  from  the  name ;  that 
there  were  plants  so  nearly  allied  to  the  columniferae, 
though  without  that  distinction,  which  could  not  be  se- 
parated. He  went  on,  and  convinced  me  that  there 
might  be  sometimes  a  single  mark,  which  was  found  in 
all  the  plants  of  that  order,  which  even  gave  it  the 
name,  but  did  not  sufficiently  distinguish  it  from  others. 
-  Thus  the  siliquosse  have  each  a  siliqua,  but  no  one  in 
>heir  senses  will  expect  to  find  every  siliquose  plant  in 
this  order:  the  hypecoum,  chelidonium,  cleome,  cap- 
paris,  fumaria,  and  epimedium,  arc  all  siliquose;  but 
how  different !  how  irreconcilable !  Hence,  he  added, 
thosf"  who,  on  account  of  the  siliqua,  unite  them  to  the 


cruciformes,  or,  in  consequence  of  this  distinction, 
unite  other  orders  with  it,  do  not  understand  my  orders. 
I  replied,  what  then  is  the  use  of  a  name,  if  the  mark 
pointed  out  by  the  appellation  does  not  suit  every  indi- 
vidual ?  It  is  of  little  consequence,  he  added,  what  the 
name  is,  so  that  it  has  some  connection  with  the  series 
of  plants,  and  it  is  ascertained  that  you  speak  of  a 
particular  group  which  you  have  united..  I  have  fol- 
lowed the  axiom  of  the  logicians,  a  fiotiori  denominari. 
Can  you  give  me  the  character  of  one  order?  G.  I  think 
I  can;  of  the  umbellatae,  for  instance. 

"  L.  What  is  the  character  of  the  umbellatae  ?  G. 
That  circumstance,  viz.  their  flowers  being  disposed  in 
an  umbella.  L.  Right:  but  are  there  not  plants  whose 
flowers  are  umbellated  that  do  not  belong  to  it?  G. 
I  recollect;  and  must  therefore  add  two  naked  seeds. 
L.  Then  the  echinophpra  . will  not  be  of  this  order, 
which  bears  its  seed  in  the  centre  of  the  peduncle,  yet 
it  is  umbellated:  and  to  what  order  would  you  refer 
the  eryngium?  G.  To  the  aggregatae.  L.  By  no 
means:  it  is  certainly  umbellated;  for  it  has  an  invo- 
lucrum,  five  stamina,  and  two  pistils :  what  then  is  its 
character?  G.  Such  plants  should  be  placed  at  the 
end  of  the  order,  to  connect  it  with  other  orders:  per- 
haps the  eryngium  would  unite  the  umbellatae  with  the 
aggregate.  L.  It  is  a  very  different  affair  from  giving 
the  characters  of  orders  to  point  out  transitions.  I  know 
the  orders^  and  their  connections,  but  these  I  will  not  ex- 
Jdain:  I  will  never  explain.  If,  however,  the  character 
is  a  mark  to  distinguish  the  object  from  every  other;  if 
the  orders  are  to  be  discriminated ;  if  the  agreement  of 
the  orders  forms  a  class;  and  the  connection  of  classes 
a  method;  we  cannot  have  a  natural  method  in  botany, 
for  we  must  first  complete  the  characters  of  the  orders: 
but  this  is  impossible.  Take  any  order  you  please,  and 
you  will  see  it  cannot  be  done. 

"  G.  The  contortse  have  a  very  distinct  character, 
viz.  the  contortion  of  the  corolla,  previous  to  its  ex- 
pansion. L.  The  malvaceae,  however,  have  the  same 
peculiarity  of  the  leaves,  though  wholly  different. 

"  G.  Perhaps,  then,  the  tricocas?  L.  Ah!  thecambo- 
gia  has  an  apple.  G.  And  the  hura  a  multivalve  capsule, 
the  hippomane  a  fruit ;  so  that  they  must  be  removed 
from  the  order.  L.  No,  they  cannot,  and  should  not  be 
removed:  the  connection  is  so  intimate,  and  the  other 
species  of  hippomanes,  except  the  h.  mancinella,  are 
really  tricoccx.  G.  I  wonder,  therefore,  that  you  did 
not  insert  the  tropeolus.  L.  (smiling),  I  wish  you  un- 
derstood affinities  !  In  that  case  I  should  have  opposed 
nature;  and  the  rhamnus  should  be  inserted  also.  G. 
Why  not;?  L.  The  celastrus  cannot  be  separated  from 
the'euonymus,  which  has  five  berries,  nor  this  from  the 
rhamnus.  G.  These  things  appear  to  me  very  obscure. 
L.  I  think  so.  There  was,  in  1771,  one  Fragaeus  at 
Petcrsburgh,  an  assiduous  man,  who  determined  to  find 
out  a  clavis  for  my  orders,  and,  after  labouring  for  ncarly 
three  years,  sentme  his  *  scheme.'  I  laughed  heartily,  and 
replied,  learn  first  what  is  a  natural  order,  and  I  showed 
him.  But  this  I  know,  if  I  publish  another  edition  of 
the  genera,  I  will  make  a  new  arrangement  of  the 
orders,  and  change  them  in  many  respects;  for  the  for- 
mer orders  of  the  list  are  more  nearly  connected  than 
the  latter.  I  would  also  arrange  the  rest,  so  as  to  di- 
vide them  into  groups,  equally  natural  with  the-  first 


U  T 


269 


liO  T 


and  second.  G.  Excluding,  however,  the  ferns,  and 
those  which  follow.  L.  Entirely;  for  these  would  make 
another  group. 

i.  "• 

•'  Monocotyledones.  Dicotyledones  k  Polycotyledones. 
Ord.  I — X  inclusive.  Ord.  XII— LIV  inclusive. 

in. 

Acotyledones. 
Ord.  LY— LYII. 

Of  the  Xlth  order  some  have  single,  others  double  coty- 
ledons; but  the  reason  of  the  subdivision  of  the  cotyle- 
dons I  will  not  add.  Perhaps  you,  or  some  one,  at  a 
distant  period  will  discover  it,  and  you  will  then  see  that 
I  was  already  acquainted  with  it.  But  you  must  labour 
hard  at  it  for  ten  years  at  least. 

"  G.  But  why,  I  pray  you,  will  you  not  now  give  the 
reason  ?  L.  Because  my  orders  were  unfavourably  re- 
ceived by  those  who  did  not  understand  them.  Of  the 
first  class  I  had  the  connection  in  my  mind;  and  in  the 
second  and  third,  I  know  that  some  are  more  nearly- 
related  than  others.  Where  it  was  in  my  power  I  have 
given  them  their  proper  situation.  Thus,  the  papilio- 
naceae  are  related  to  the  lomentaceae;  the  umbellatae  to 
the  hederaceae,  but  yet  distinct.  Others  may  have  a 
less  manifest  connection :  some  have  none.  I  should 
wish  to  know  with  what  orders  the  siliquosae  are  con- 
nected?" 

If  this  extract  appears  to  have  little  affinity  with  the 
great  object  of  the  work,  it  must  be  recollected  that  we 
shall  endeavour  to  point  out  the  connection  between  the 
natural  affinities  and  the  medical  powers  of  plants,  and 
that  it  is  of  course  necessary  to  show  in  what  these  na- 
tural affinities  consist.  These  doctrines  will  also  assist 
in  some  other  arrangements,  which  must  be  the  subjects 
of  our  consideration.  At  all  events,  little  has  been  said 
in  any  botanical  work  on  the  subject,  and  the  explana- 
tion is  wholly  new  to  the  English  reader;  consequently 
interesting.  We  may  remark,  that  M.  Giseke  has  pre- 
fixed what  he  styles  'A  Geographico-genealogical  Map 
of  the  Affinities  of  the  Orders.'  This  consists  of  cir- 
cles of  different  diameters,  each  of  which  has  the  title 
of  one  of  the  orders,  and  is  of  a  size  proportioned  to  the 
number  of  its  genera.  They  are  at  different  distances" 
according  to  the  affinity :  some  touch,  others  pass  be- 
yond the  circumference  of  its  neighbour  when  the  affi- 
nity is  considerable;  and,  at  the  point  where  they  touch 
or  encroach,  we  find  the  connecting  neighbouring  ge- 
nera. Let  us  just  mention  a  fact,  that  in  the  moment 
occurs  to  us  on  inspecting  the  map.  The  palmae  are 
nutritious,  and  in  different  parts  farinaceous:  the  order 
most  nearly  connected  with  these  is  the  tripelatoideae ; 
and  the  connecting  genus  is  the  butomus,  which  we 
have  very  lately  learnt  from  the  Russian  naturalists  is 
employed  by  the  Kalmucks  to  make  bread.  The  spe- 
cies is  the  b.  umbellatus.  Numerous  observations  of 
a  similar  kind  we  shall  have  occasion  to  add. 

The  first  of  the  Linnean  natural  orders  is  the  PAL- 
M.E.  These  are  sufficiently  distinct  in  their  form  and 
their  properties.  A  farinaceous  or  an  oily  substance 
abounds  in  all  the  species;  and  so  rich  is  the  palm  in 
supplying  all  the  wants  of  man  in  a  less  artificial  and 
refined  state  of  society,  that  where  these  trees  abound. 


scarcely  any  thing  else  is  wanting  for  food,  for  defence, 
or  for  convenience. 

The  second  order,  the  PJPERIT.E,  contain  but  few  ge- 
nera; but  all  are  pungent  or  aromatic.  The  pepper, 
the  arum,  the  calla,  the  acorus,  and  draconthim.  Of 
these  the  acorus  only  is  aromatic.  The  CALAMARIA 
are  the  rushes,  of  which  the  cares  arenaria,  and  two 
species  of  cyperus,  are  employed ;  and  agree  in  a  warm 
strengthening  quality,  which  adapts  them  for  humoral 
asthmas,  and  for  rheumatism.  The  c.  arenaria  is  called 
the  sarsaparilla  of  the  Germans.  It  rather,  however, 
resembles  the  guaiacum. 

The  GRAMI.VA,  which  include  the  various  kinds  of  the 
cerealia,  seem  to  contain  in  the  greater  number  of  spe- 
cies a  saccharine  and  farinaceous  matter  evolved  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the- plant.  The  former  is  often  found  in 
the  leaves,  though  more  generally  in  the  seeds,  always 
to  be  elicited  by  a  slight  preparation.  Instances  of  these 
properties  may  be  found  in  the  sugar  cane,  and  in  bar- 
ley; from  which,  by  heat  and  moisture,  malt  is  formed. 
These  are  connected,  by  botanical  analogy  and  medical 
properties,  with  the  rushes  on  one  hand,  and  the  olera- 
ceae  on  the  other.  One  species  of  lolium  is  the  only 
plant  of  this  order  supposed  to  be  injurious,  and  the 
only  one  of  the  order  used  in  medicine:  the  gramen 
caninum  was  employed  on  an  uncertain  foundation,  and 
is  now  neglected. 

The  TRIPETATOLOIDE.E,  which  follow,  are  related  to 
the  rushes  and  palms.  The  butomus,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, is  a  connecting  link,  but  the  species  have  no 
medical  virtue.  A  species  of  the  calamus,  viz.  c.  ro- 
tang,  is  said  to  produce  the  sanguis  draconis ;  but  this  is 
doubted,  and  the  medicine  itself  scarcely  possesses  any 
powers. 

The  EXSATJE  contain  only  the  crocus  and  the  iris,  em- 
ployed in  medicine;  and,  as  the  former  is  now  found  to 
be  useless,  we  cannot  compare  the  medical  powers  of 
the  two  genera.  In  the  roots  of  the  iris  there  is  an 
astringency  with  a  considerable  acrimony,  and  they 
have  been  employed  with  success  in  dropsy.  From  ge- 
neral affinity,  the  colchicum  should  perhaps  have  been 
inserted  in  this  order.  Botanical  refinement  alone  seems 
to  have  excluded  it. 

The  ORCHIDE.E  contain  the  orchis;  several  species  of 
which  are  at  different  times  employed  to  produce  the 
nutritious  farina,  the  salep.  The  only  other  genus  em- 
ployed is  the  epidendrium,  which  furnishes  the  vanilla. 
This  also  is  nutritious,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  Linnaeus, 
(Amaenit.  Academ.  vol.  vii.)  aphrodisiac. 

The  sciTAMiNEi  are  almost  exclusively  aromatic  and 
mucilaginous,  if  we  except  only  the  musa  and  canna; 
which,  as  nutritious  substances,  are  not  very  distant. 
This  order  contains  the  ginger,  the  cardamoms,  the 
costas,  galangals,  and  zedoary.  The  acorus  is  the  only 
European  plant,  though  not  a  medicinal  one.  The 
musa  is  not  properly  a  species  of  this  order. 

The  SPATHACE.E,  the  next  order,  are  not  very  strictly 
medical,  or  probably  natural.  Its  characteristic  is  a 
bulb,  Consisting  of  the  bases  of  the  leaves  of  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  consequently  tunicated;  but  a  gem 
consists^nly  of  the  rudiments  of  the  future  leaves.  In 
the  latter,  the  scales  become  leaves :  in  the  former,  the 
bases  of  .the  old  leaves  become  fleshy.  All  the  spathaceae 
are  acrid,  but  this  quality  is  vague;  and  we  think  Mur- 


O  T 


270 


BO  T 


ray,  among  some  useless  or  inconvenient  alterations, 
has  properly  united  the  garlic,  the  colchicum,  the  cro- 
cus, hellebore,  sabadillum,  the  squill,  and  several  simi- 
lar medicinal  plants,  under  a  new  order,  the  liliacete. 
Many  of  these  are  included  by  Linnaeus  under  the  fol- 
lowing order,  the  CORONARY;  a  term  by  no  means  de- 
scriptive, as  it  implies  only  a  group  of  beautiful  flowers, 
employed  in  making  garlands,  coronae.  The  chief  dif- 
ference between  these  and  the  spathaceae  consists  in  the 
spatha.  The  roots  of  some  of  these  plants  are  escu- 
lent, but  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  considerable  acri- 
mony sheathed  in  the  root  by  farina. 

The  eleventh  order,  the  SARMENTACE^E,  called  from 
their  having  weak  branches,  in  Latin  sarmenta,  is  not 
strictly  natural ;  and,  in  a  medical  view,  contains  plants 
of  somewhat  dissimilar  powers.  The  sarsaparilla,  the 
china,  the  rusous,  the  serpentaria,  and  other  species  of 
aristolochia,  agree  in  being  moderately  warm  and  dia- 
phoretic. Qne  species  of  alstromaeria,  the  a.  ligta,  has 
been  employed  for  similar  purposes;  yet  many  are  acrid 
and  poisonous,  of  which  our  materia  medica  contains 
only  the  asarum  and  the  cocculus  indicus.  The  aspara- 
gus and  cissampelos  (pareira  brava)  are  diuretic,  not 
•without  suspicions,  in  a  more  advanced  state,  of  delete- 
rious powers.  The  convallaria  sigillum  Solomonis, 
Murray  has  with  propriety  referred  to  his  liliaceae.  Its 
roots  in  Sweden  are  prepared  like  the  cassada,  and  eaten 
as  bread;  the  roots  of  the  calla  in  the  north  of  Europe, 
and  the  arum  colocasia  in  Egypt,  are  employed  in  the 
same  manner. 

The  OLERACE/E  contain  the  esculent  herbs  and  roots; 
as  the  spinach,  the  beet,  and  similar  plants.  Linnaeus, 
however,  has  added,  with  less  strictness,  some  other 
medical  groups,  the  docks,  the  laurels,  and  the  canella. 
The  first  deviation  is  in  the  hernaria,  which  is  slightly 
bitter;,  and  from  hence  he  is  led  to  the  docks,  which  are 
in  their  leaves  herbaceous;  and  to  the  laurels,  by  steps 
still  less  obvious  and  natural.  He  is,  however,  in  this 
indiscriminate  arrangement,  which  he  very  lamely  de- 
fends, followed  by  Murray. 

The  SUCCULENTS  are  a  strictly  natural  association. 
The  house  leek  is  an  example.  About  six  genera  of 
this  order  are  occasionally  used  in  medicine,  though  of 
weak  powers.  They  are  all  succulent  and  cooling. 
Succulent  plants  flourish  in  the  driest  soils;  and  when 
too  much  watered  they  die,  but  do  not  produce  a  proper 
vegetable  mould.  The  stapelia,  the  euphorbia,  and 
aloes,  do  not  belong  to  this  order. 

The  GRUINALES  are  an  association  of  congeneres, 
without  any  striking  general  character.  In  a  medical 
view  the  order  contains  chiefly  astringents,  as  the  ge- 
ranium, the  quassia,  and  the  simarouba.  The  vos  solis 
and  acetosella  are  acidulous;  but  it  is  not  uncommon 
to  find  an  acid  evolved  in  the  leaves  of  astringent  plants. 
This  is  discovered  in  the  docks,  and  their  congeneres, 
the  rhubarbs,  and  these  plants  are  in  other  parts  bitter. 
The  guaiacum  contains  in  its  bark  a  bitter  and  slightly 
astringent  principle. 

The  IXUVDAT^E,  which  live  in  water  only,  are  insipid, 
inodorous  and  not  medicinal.  The  CALYCIFLOR^E  con- 
tain no  medicinal  plant;  and  the  CALYCAXTHEAI.K  one 
only,  now  neglected,  the  lysimachia  purpurea.  It  is 
mucilaginous  and  astringent,  so  that  perhaps  some  other 
genera  of  this  order  may  merit  a  trial. 


The  BICORNES  contain  few  medical  plants,  of  no  very 
decided  character.  The  ledum  palustre,  rosmarinus 
sylvestris,  has  alone  any  odour.  The  uva  ursi,  and  the 
different  species  of  vaccinium,  whose  berries  are  chiefly 
employed,  but  whose  roots  are  bitter  and  astringent,  as 
well  as  the  pyrola,  show  the  general  nature  of  the  bi- 
cornes.  Linnaeus  is  inclined  to  add  the  styrax  and  ci- 
trus. Murray  admits  the  styrax,  with  the  alkanet,  the 
red  and  yellow  senders,  and  the  tamarisk,  with  views 
not  correctly  medicinal,  though  the  last  is  a  slight  as- 
tringent. 

Of  the  HESPERIDE*  we  have  no  explanation;  but  we 
observe  the  myrtus,  which  affords  the  cassia  caryophil- 
lata  and  the  pimenta,  and  the  caryophyllus  aromaticus. 
To  which  Murray  adds  the  melaleuca  leucandron,  the 
source  of  the  oleum  cajeput.  This  order  is  therefore 
medicinally  correct. 

The  ROTACE.fi  have  no  commentary  in  Giseke.  We 
perceive  them,  however,  to  contain  the  anagallis,  the 
nummularia,  the  gentian,  and  centaury,  which  are  all 
bitter  and  slightly  astringent.  Murray  adds  the  pri- 
mula veris,  the  cyclamen,  and  the  menyanthes  (trifo- 
lium  fibrinum),  which  are  slightly  bitter  and  somewhat 
fetid.  These  Linnaeus  includes  with  propriety  in  the 
following  order,  the  PRECIS,  all  of  which  are  without 
stalks. 

The  CARYOPHYI.LEI  occur  only  in  the  elder  manuscript 
of  Fabricius.  It  is  of  little  importance,  including  only 
the  pinks.  The  only  genera  used  in  medicine  are  the 
dianthus  and  saponaria,  "both  neglected.  The  last  de- 
rived a  temporary  credit  from  the  commendations  of 
Stahl  and  Boerhaave,  who  thought  to  have  found  a 
powerful  aperient  in  a  plant,  which  thus  contained  what 
they  considered  as  a  natural  soap. 

The  TRIHILAT*  contain  the  hippocastanum  and  nas- 
turtium Indicum  (tropoelum  majus),  to  which  Murray- 
has  added  the  barberry,  and  the  tribulus  aquaticus  (trapa 
natans).  The  bark  of  the  horse  chesnut  is  powerfully- 
astringent,  and  that  of  the  barberry  is  slightly  so.  The 
others  have  little  medicinal  power. 

The  CORYDALES  contains  only  the  fumaria,  a  plant 
that,  from  a  cooling  bitter  taste,  has  acquired  credit  in 
removing  visceral  obstructions.  The  fumaria  bulbosa, 
which,  in  former  pharmaceutical  authors  was  styled 
aristolochia  fabacea,  is  not  very  different.  This  genus 
connects  the  corydalcs  with  the  rhoeades. 

The  FUTAMiNE.fi  afford  only  one  medicinal  plant,  the 
caparis.  The  gems  styled  capers  are  known  among  the 
acetaria;  but  the  root  is  bitter  and  acrid,  though  not 
astringent. 

The  26th  order,  the  MULTISILHIUJE,  is,  in  every  me- 
dical and  botanical  view,  natural.  Itfurnishes  the  aqui- 
legia,  the  aconites,  the  delphinium,  including  the  calca- 
trippa  and  the  stavisagria,  the  nigella,  the  paeony,  the 
hellebores,  the  ranunculi,  the  anemones,  the  flammula 
jovis,  the  actsea,  the  thalictrum,  and  cimifuga,  with 
some  similar  plants.  These  are  all  anodynes,  or  rather 
narcotics,  with  different  mixtures  of  a'stimulant  kind. 

The  RHCF.ADES  contain  chiefly  the  poppy:  the  only 
other  medicinal  plant  is  the  chaelidonium,  which  unites 
considerable  acrimony  with  narcotic  powers,  and  whose 
real  merits  seem  to  have  been  little  understood. 

The  LURIDJE,  called  by  Murray  the  solanace<s,  con- 
tain all  the  narcotics,  and,  in  a  medical  view,  should 


OT 


271 


O  T 


have  followed  the  multisiliquae.  It  contains  all  the  ve- 
getable narcotic  poisons,  or  remedies ;  a  class  at  pre- 
sent too  extensive  for  enumeration,  but  which  any 
reader  can  supply. 

The  CAMPANACE.E  is  a  very  important  order.  The 
genus  convolvulus  furnishes  five  active  purgatives,  if 
•we  except  the  jalap,  now  suspected  to  be  the  root  of  a 
very  different  plant.  The  ipecacuanha  also  is  known 
not  to  be  a  species  of  viola.  The  lobelia  is  a  more  ge- 
neral stimulant  and  diaphoretic  ;  and  the  dentaiia,  if  its 
genus  is  not  mistaken,  a  simple  stimulant  only. 

The  30th  order,  CONTORTS,  is  an  important  one,  as 
it  contains  the  cinchona;  yet  we  find  few,  and  not  very 
active,  i.iedicines  associated  with  it.  The  vinca  per- 
vinca  is  undoubtedly  an  astringent,  and  employed  chiefly 
in  topical  haemorrhages  or  mucous  discharges  ;  and  the 
nerium  antidysentericum,  the  codagapala  of  the  hortus 
Malabaricus,  the  conessi  and  tilicherry  bark  of  modern 
authors,  is  also  a  topical  astringent.  The  asclepias 
vincitoxicum  agrees  with  neither;  and  there  is  little 
doubt  but  that  the  order  is  not  natural,  or  the  asclepias 
improperly  arranged.  Was  there  room  for  disquisitions 
purely  botannicai,  we  could,  we  think,  prove  the  former 
to  be  the  case. 

The  VEPRECULJE  are  without  a  comment,  and  furnish 
only  one  genus,  the  daphne,  which  supplies  us  with  the 
mezereum  and  thymelaea.  The  PAPILIOXACE^E  are  of 
greater  importance,  and  they  form  a  natural  group 
even  in  the  sexual  system :  they  are  the  leguminosae  of 
Ray,  the  papilionaceae  of  Tournefort,  and  the  irregular 
tetrapetalous  flowers  of  Rivirius.  In  short,  the  natural 
relations  are  so  obvious,  that  they  cannot,  even  by  the 
most  hasty  observer,  be  overlooked  or  mistaken.  They 
afford,  however,  little  subject  of  medical  disquisition, 
as  we  shall  show  by  enumerating  the  principal  genera 
employed  in  medicine.  These  are  the  lupines,  the 
brooms,  the  beans,  vetches,  tragacanth,  mellilot,  and 
fenugrec.  The  dolichos  may  have  some  medicinal 
properties,  but  the  setae  of  the  pod  are  only  employed 
as  a  mechanical  anthelmintic.  The  seeds  of  the  broom 
are  acrid. 

From  the  LOMENTACF..E  various  medicinal  plants  must 
now  be  expunged,  since  they  are  found  to  belong  to 
other  genera;  yet,  in  a  medical  view,  the  list  is  very 
miscellaneous.  We  find  the  cassia,  including  the  senna 
and  the  cassia  fistularis,  which  are  purgatives  ;  the  mi- 
mosa and  logwood,  which  contain  astringents ;  the  po- 
lygala,  of  which  the  seneka  is  a  species,  that  is  both 
emetic  and  cathartic.  The  tamarindus  and  myroxylon, 
the  supposed  source  of  the  balsam  um  Peruvianum, 
must  be  excluded.  We  have  already  said  that  the  fu- 
maria  has  been  added  by  Murray  ;  and,  to  a  class  so 
miscellaneous,  no  injury  can  be  offered. 

The  35th  order,  the  SEXTICOSJE,  are  astringent,  though 
in  a  slight  degree.  The  tormentilla  is  the  strongest. 
The  principal  medicines  derived  from  this  order  are  the 
saxifraga,  ulmaria,  the  roses,  the  brambles,  agrimony, 
and  some  others  of  weak  powers. 

The  POMACES  contain  the  different  fruits,  as  apples, 
pears,  medlars,  quinces,  cherries,  plums,  peaches, 
oranges,  currants,  kc.  The  spirxa,  which  produces 
no  eatable  fruit,  should  undoubtedly  be  excluded. 

The  COLVMNIFERS  are  the  mah  acae  of  later  authors. 
They  are  emollient,  and  contain  the  althaea,  the  mal- 
lows, and  the  cacao.  The  cotton  and  abelmoschus  be- 


long to  this  order ;  but,  whatever  be  their  merits  in 
other  respects,  \ve  have  no  evidence  of  their  mucilagi- 
nous powers.  Though  the  medical  plants  are  few,  the 
list  is,  on  the  whole,  extensive. 

The  TRICOCCS  are  a  strictly  natural  association,  and 
contain  plants  of  considerable  acrimony.  The  genus 
euphorbia-  affords  the  euphofbium,  catapotia,  with  the 
greater  and  less  esula:  the  cambogia  is  the  supposed 
source  of  the  gutta  gamba;  the  phyllanthus  affords 
the  emblic  myrobolans ;  and  the  different  species  of 
croton  produce  medicines  of  considerable  acrimony. 
The  cascarilla  is  the  bark  of  a  croton,  which,  in  its 
other  portions,  appears  acrid  and  poisonous.  The 
different  species  of  ricinus  afford  also  very  acrid  medi- 
cines, though  the  acrimony  is  sheathed  in  the  oil  pro- 
cured from  its  seeds.  Murray  adds  green  and  bohea 
teas ;  they  are  certainly  tricoccous,  biK  do  not  agree 
with  the  other  botanical  or  the  medical  properties  of 
the.  order. 

ThesrLiquos^  have  been  associated  by  almost  every 
botanist-from  the  time  of  Morison :  they  are  the  cruci- 
forines  of  Tournefort;  the  tetradynamiae  of  Linnaeus. 
They  are  very  generally  stimulant.  The  mustard,  the 
horse  radish,  the  garden  nasturtium,  with  a  long  tribe 
of  similar  plants,  belong  to  this  order.  They  are  sup- 
posed to  be  very  generally  diuretic ;  and  from  hence 
their  antiscorbutic  qualities  are  explained:  but  they 
possess  this  power  in  a  very  slight  degree  superior  to 
other  vegetables. 

The  PERsoxAT.te  form  a  natural  medical  association, 
but  their  powers  are  weak,  and  they  are  at  present  sel- 
dom employed.  The  veronica,  becabunga,  agnus  cas- 
tus,  linaria,  and  scrophularia,  are  of  this  order;  and  from 
these  the  virtues  of  the  whole  may  be  easily  under- 
stood. 

The  ASPERIFOLI^E  are  generally  mucilaginous  and 
cooling.  The  consolida,  the  borage,  pulmonaria,  bu- 
glossum,  cynoglossa,  with  similar  medicines,  belong  to 
it.  In  a  botanical  and  medical  view,  this  order  is  strictly 
natural :  it  was  first  formed  by  Caesalpinus,  and  retained 
by  Ray.  The  ancient  pharmaceutists  collected  their 
four  cordial  flowers  from  this  order,  but  the  virtue  was 
imaginary. 

The  VERTICILLAT^E  formed  an  order  also  in  Ray'.s 
system.  It  is  a  strictly  natural  one  in  a  botanical  and 
medical  view,  an4.chiefly  contains  the  lighter  European 
aromatics.  The  various  species  of  teucrium,  the  thyme, 
the  serpellum,  the  melissa,  the  lavender,  the  marjoram, 
the  mints,  the  sage,  the  rosemary,  Sec.  are  of  this  order; 
and  all  the  plants  generally  agree  in  the  same  powers. 

With  the  order  DUMOS.E  Linnaeus  was  not  satisfied. 
It  includes  the  larger  shrubs,  without  any  very  strict 
botanical  views,  and  we  find  little  union  in  their  medi- 
cal virtues.  It  contains  the  spina  cervina  (rhamnus 
catharticus),  the  elder,  and  the.,  tree  that  affords  the 
balsamum  copaibae.  How  distant  and  irreconcilable ! 
The  greater  number  are  highly  acrid,  and  many  are 
poisonous :  they  seem  to  have  some  connection  with 
the  tricoccse. 

From  the  SEPIARIJE  we  only  employ  the  jasmine  and 
the  olive ;  and,  from  their  virtues,  if  any,  those  of  the 
other  genera  will  be  sufficiently  obvious.  The  syringa 
is  of  this  order. 

The  45th  order,  the  UMBELLATE,  is  a  natural  one ; 
and  the  medicinal  plants  arranged  under  it  are  distin- 


BUT 


272 


EOT 


guished  by  some  acrimony,  which  at  times  rises  to 
aroma,  as  in  the  carui  and  coriander;  at  others,  betrays 
the  nauseous  smell  and  taste  of  the  fetid  gums;  and  in 
some  is  united  to  the  deleterious  smell  and  powers  of 
the  cicuta,  which  is  an  umbellated  plant. 

The  HEDERACEjfc  contain  the  ivy,  the  vine,  and  the 
gensing,  plants  united  by  no  medical,  and  no  very  strik- 
ing botanical  analogy.  The  STELLATJE  form  a  more 
natural  group ;  yet,  in  a  medical  view,  not  strikingly 
such.  It  contains  the  spigelia,  an  anthelmintic ;  the 
serpentum  lignum,  a  warm  sudorific;  the  madder,  the 
galium,  matrisylva,  and  mungos  (ophiorriza  mingos). 
The  coffee  very  nearly  resembles  the  plants  of  this 
.erder. 

The  AGGREGATE  contain  the  scabiosa  officinalis ; 
another  species,  morsus  diaboli;  and  the  viscum,  which 
are  astringents;  with  the  valerian,  of  very  different 
qualities.  This  order  was  established  by  Vaillant. 

The  COMPOSITE  is  a  very  miscellaneous  order,  and, 
in  reality,  consists  of  several  sufficiently  natural  asso- 
ciations. Its  distinguishing  mark  is  a  single  calyx, 
common  to  several  florets,  generally  monopetalous. 
The  groups  into  which  this  order  is  divided,  are  the 
cafiitatts,  semiflosculosce,  discoidea,  ofijiositifoiia:,  and 
nucamentacee.  The  cafiitatg  are  distinguished  by  a 
bitterness,  with  occasionally  a  warm  acrimony.  It  con- 
tains the  bardana,  the  carduus,  different  species  of  cen- 
taury,  the  onopordum,  the  cinara,  and  the  carthamus, 
with  some  similar  plants.  It  is  not  easy  to  fix  the 
limits  between  the  capitatae  and  semiflosculosae  :  the 
scolymus  unites  them,  for  it  has  the  habit  of  a  carduus; 
yet  all  the  florets  are  ligulated.  In  the  same  way  the 
perdicium,  a  new  genus,  unites  the  inula  of  the  group 
discoideae  with  the  hieracium,  which  is  one  of  the 
semiflosculosae.  This  second  group  contains  the  ole- 
raceae  which  possess  some  acrimony,  as  the  cichoreum, 
the  endive,  the  taraxacum,  the  lettuce,  the  scorzonera, 
and  the  tragapogon.  The  greater  number  are  lac- 
tescent, but  none  poisonous  except  the  lactuca  virosa, 
which,  however,  by  cultivation  becomes  mild  and  escu- 
lent. 

The  DISCOIDE.,%  are  styled  by  some  authors  radiates: 
many  of  these  are  slightly  bitter,  but  the  bitter  is  of  the 
narcotic  kind  ;  and  in  several  it  is  in  so  great  a  degree, 
particularly  in  the  arnica  and  doronicum,  as  to  require 
the  greatest  caution.  One  group  which  has  no  title, 
the  following,  the  ofi/iositifolite  and  the  nucamentace<e, 
do  not  greatly  differ  in  the  qualities  enumerated ;  and 
we  may  mention,  as  examples,  the  artemisia,  the  tansy, 
the  camomile  flowers,  the  inula,  the  achillaea,  and  the 
arnica.  Some  are  milder,  as  the  colt's  foot,  the  xan- 
thium,  the  matricaria,  &c.;  but  they  all  show  some 
acrimony  in  different  parts,  and  many  seem  to  have  an 
expectorant  power. 

The  AMENTACE^L  are  the  trees  distinguished  by  a 
particular  calyx,  styled  amentum.  If  distinguished  by 
any  medical  quality,  it  is  astringency.  The  willow, 
the  chesnut,  the  oak,  the  hazel  nut,  all  show  astringent 
powers ;  and  there  are  a  few  other  genera  somewhat 
similar,  though  less  distinguished  in  this  respect.  The 
pistacia  affords  the  Cyprian  turpentine,  which,  with  the 
usual  stimulus,  seems  to  unite  a  tonic  power.  The 
mastich,  used  to  preserve  the  teeth  and  gums,  belongs 
to  the  genus  pistacia  of  this  order. 

The  CONIFERS  we  have  partly  noticed  in  the  numer- 


ous species  of  pines  under  the  article  ABIES.  Thi- 
genera  pinus,  cupressus,  and  juniperus,  afford  the  prin- 
cipal medicinal  articles  under  this  truly  natural  order. 

The  COADCNAT^E  scarcely  offer  any  medicinal  plant, 
unless  the  ilicium  anisatum,  which  affords  the  anisum 
stellatum,  already  noticed,  be  considered  as  referable  to 
this  order. 

The  scAnniDi^E  afford  little  room  for  remark,  "as  the 
plants  referred  to  it  scarcely  agree  in  medical  virtues. 
\Ye  find  the  parietaria,  the  contrayerva,  the  fig,  the 
nettle,  the  mulberry,  the  elm,  the  hemp,  and  the  hop, 
of  different  and  almost  of  opposite  powers. 

The  FILICES,  MUSCI,  AI.GJE,  and  FUNGI,  only  remain. 
These  are  truly  natural  orders ;  but  of  the  plants,  con- 
sidered medicinally,  we  can  say  little.  The  ferns  are  in 
general  slightly  astringent.  The  polipodium,  filix  foe- 
mina,  and  mas.  are  of  this  kind ;  and  general  expe- 
rience, long  before  the  time  of  Madame  Noufler,  has 
established  the  utility  of  the  last  in  the  destruction  of 
the  taenia.  They  are  all  mucilaginous  ;  and  the  capil- 
lary plants,  species  of  the  asplenium  and  adiantum,  are 
also  accounted  expectorant. 

Of  the  MOSSES  we  know  little.  The  lycopodium 
clavatum  is  employed  externally ;  the  1.  selago  is  pecu- 
liarly acrid  and  violent  in  its  operation.  The  adianthum 
aureum  is  the  politrichum  commune  of  the  botanist, 
and  a  capillary  plant,  consequently  used  as  an  expec- 
torant. 

The  ALGJE  afford  the  lichen,  many  species  of  which 
are  employed.  These  are  in  general  bitter,  mucilagi- 
nous, and  supposed  to  be  pectoral ;  but  we  shall  speak 
at  length  of  the  species  most  used  under  the  title  of 
lichen  islandicus.  The  muscus  cumatilis  (lichen  aph- 
thosus)  is  peculiarly  acrid  and  purgative.  From  the 
latter  quality  it  has  been  considered  as  an  anthelmintic. 
Infused  in  milk,  it  is  given  in  Sweden  to  children  in  the 
aphthae.  The  other  algae  agree  in  no  common  property, 
if  we  except  the  ashes  of  the  fuci,  which,  containing 
the  natron  and  sea  salt,  are  used  with  success  in  scro- 
fula. Of  the  general  properties  of  the  fungi  we  have 
already  spoken.  Of  their  medical  powers  experience 
no  longer  permits  us  to  speak,  as  they  have  been  long 
disused. 

We  have  followed  this  long  discussion  with  anxious 
care,  for  the  reasons  already  assigned.  From  a  fair  en- 
quiry, we  think  it  will  appear  that  natural  associations 
of  medicinal  plants  in  general  possess  similar  virtues ; 
and  the  principle  is  confirmed  by  the  circumstance,  that 
the  less  strictly  natural  orders,  in  a  botanical  view,  con- 
tain plants  most  dissimilar  in  a  medical.  The  conclu- 
sion, then,  rigorously  follows,  that  by  cultivating  natural 
orders  we  greatly  improve  our  knowledge  of  the  medi- 
cinal power  of  plants.  It  is  this  reflection  that  has  led 
us  in  appearance  so  far  from  our  path ;  and,  after  hav- 
ing rejected  the  general  botanical  -details,  has  induced 
us  to  engage  at  some  length  in  the  present  disquisition. 
In  fact,  it  was  not  in  our  power  to  examine  medical  bo- 
tany in  its  most  extensive  range ;  we  have,  therefore, 
chosen  the  parts  which  seemed  to  admit  of  the  most 
useful  application.  We  have  chosen  it,  too,  though  fully 
convinced  ot  the  labour  it  required,  since  no  prototype 
existed ;  and,  though  the  natural  orders  are  now  gene- 
rally pointed  out,  the  subject  has  not  been  properly  fol- 
lowed in  detail. 

As  we  have  said,  that,  in  proportion  to  the  more  cor- 


15  O  T 


BO  i 


feet  fonnation  of  natural  orders,  medical  botany  might     times  under  the  ovary,  when  it  is  styled  A. 
be  further  improved,  the  later  attempts  in   this  line     in  the  cruciferae  and  labiate;  and  sometimes    on    thr 
would  appear  to  merit  some  investigation.    As  Murray     calyjr,  and  is  then  called  /u-rigynoua,  as  in  the  rosacese 
has  adopted  the  natural  orders  of  Linnaeus  with  some     and  leguminosae.     In  this  case  the  flower  is  rarely  mo- 
changes,  we  have  considered  his  system  in  a  parallel     nopetalous,  though  this  occasionally  occurs,  as  in  the 
\viththatoftheSwedishnaturalist.     In  these  changes     campanulaceae,  and  some  others.     Jussieu   has  added 
we  have  found  something  to  commend,  and  much  to     the  following  table,  to  express  the  importance  of  each 
blame.     It  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  has  not  left  any     part  of  the  fructifications  in  forming  natural  associa- 
disquisition  on  this  subject,  and  given  reasons  for  his     tions.     The  proportion  is  expressed  by  a  fraction,  of 
interpolations.     A  favoured  pupil   of  Linnaeus  might     which  12  is  the  common  denominator, 
have  communicated  many  valuable  observations  on  the                                /"Presence  or  absence,      ....       9 
connection  of  botany  with  medicine  in  this  mode  of                                  Situation  with  respect  to  the  ova- 
arrangement.  Calyx.   -     -       \       rium,      -- 10 

The  later  system  of  Jussieu,  published  in  its  most  j  Structure, 8 

perfect  form   by  Ventenat,   would  too  far  extend  the  Regularity  or  irregularity  of  its 

present  article  ;  yet  we  should  not  avoid  the  labour  if  it  border,    -----'---       g 

were  more  applicable  to  medicinal  investigation.     Jus-  ("Presence  or  absence,      -     -     -     -     -10 

sieu  has  adopted  what  is/ technically  styled  a  method;  Insertion,   --------     n 

that  is,  he  has  formed  classes  and  orders,  as  well  as  a     Flower.       -     <  Structure,        -------      \\ 

clavis  classium.     But  his  orders  are  extremely  numer-  Regularity  or  irregularity  of  its 

ous,  because  they  are  very  strictly  natural ;  so  that  little  i  l_     border,   -----'...       9 

can  be  predicated  of  each  order,  but  what  is  imme-  (  Insertion,    -------     -n 

diately  suggested  by  the  genus.     The  step,  however,     Stamina.     -      4  Number,  connection,  and  propor- 

which  he  has  thus  taken,  is  highly  judicious,  as  pre-  (_      tion, 7 

paratory  to  the  formation  of  more  extensive,  and  con-     Q       •  .      C  Free  or  adhering,  -----.     10 

sequently  more  useful,  orders ;  and,  as  we  found  that  £  Simple  or  complicated,       ...       9 

those  of  Linnaeus  contained  too  numerous,  and  conse-     gtvie  5  Present  or  absent, 6 

quently  discordant,  genera,  so  in  this  system  we  should  £  Simple  or  complicated,       -     -     -       6 

see  with  satisfaction  an  union  of  some  of  the  genera     Stigma.     -     -     In  every  view,      ---.-..       g 

most  nearly  related.     Were  we  to  resume  this  subject  C  Present'  or  absent, 9 

in  a  separate  work,  we  should  perhaps  be  rather  tempt-  Pericarpium.  <  Consistence,    -------       g 

ed  to  reform  the  associations  of  Linnaeus,   than  wholly  (_  Internal  structure,     -----       3 

adopt  those  of  Jussieu.    We  speak  only  with  a  view  to  TPresent  or  absent,     -----      \Q 

the  medicinal  power  of  vegetables.  Porkr,  ,  J  Position  with  respect  to  the  em- 

The  Swedish  naturalist  thought  highly  of  M.  Jus-  l<t      bryo,       -     -     - 9 

sieu's  botanical  talents,  and  of  his  natural  associations.  (^Nature, .       9 

We  have  seen,  in  the  litile  dialogue  quoted,  that  he  had  p    v.    .  5  Situation,   - 9 

in  his  view  a  method  which  he  would  not  explain ;  but  £  Direction,        -------        3 

he  has  given  hints  of  this  method,  and  it  appears  to  be  Plumula.     -     -  In  every  view, 4 

the  same  with  that  of  Jussieu.     As  this  must  be  the  „    ,.     .  C  Direction,        -------      JQ 

foundation  of  even-  improvement  of  natural  orders,  we  £  Situztion,   --------       9 

shall  enlarge  a  little  on  it.     Natural  orders  are  very  in-  „       .    ,  C  Form,    ----,--..      IQ 

timately  connected  with  the  cotyledons,  or  the  lobes,  as        °  DS'       £  Number,    -     -     -     J     -     ...     13 

in  the  bean,  into  which  the  seed  is  divided.     The  seeds         In  this  table  the  only  term  not  generally  known  is 

of  the  greater  number  of  plants,  as  we  have  seen,  con-  the  perispermura  :  it  is  not  a  new  appellation,  though 

tain  two  cotyledons;  many  contain  one  only,  and  the  seldom  employed.    It  is  that  part  of  ripe  seeds  distinct 

cryptogamiae  chiefly  contain  none.     From  the  time  of  from  the  coverings  and  the  embryo;  in  many  seeds  not 

Ray,  this  has  been  found  the  part  of  a  vegetable  most  unlike,  both  in  consistence  and  colour,  the  white  of  an 

steady  and  constant,  and  that  which   connects   plants  egg.     Grew  calls  it  the  albumen,  and  Malphigi,  the 

similar  in  form  and  in  virtues.     The  polycotyledones  secundinae  internae. 

are  only  like  double  flowers,  vegetable  monsters,  pro-         Jussieu's  system  is  divided  into  fifteen  classes.    The 

duced  by  an  excess  of  nourishment,  and  consist  in  a  first  is  the  acotyledonous,  the  cryptogamix  of  Linmeus, 

further   division   of    the   lobes    of   the   bicotyledones.  containing  an  order  of  hepaticae   added  to   the  usual 

Some  authors  contend,  as   Gaertner  and  others,  that  ones.     The   mont/cotylfdone»    are   divided    into   three 

real  polycotyledonous  plants  exist ;  but  this  makes  little  classes,  according  to  the  situation  of  the  pistils  before 

difference  in  the  arrangement,  as  there  are  but  few  explained.     The   first   of    these    contains    the    reeds, 

such,  and  not  strikingly  distinguished.  rushes,  and  grasses;   the  2d,  the  palms,  the  lilies,  and 

Another  part  of  Jussieu's  system  is  connected  with  irises,  &.c.;  and  the  3d,  the  scitaminese,  orchidez,  kc. 
the  insertion  of  the  corolla.  The  flower  is  subject  to  The  dicotyledones  are  divided  into  three  sections,  form- 
few  varieties,  but  it  is  not  so  constant  as  the  cotyledons,  ing  ten  classes,  viz.  the  apetali,  monopetali,  and  poly- 
Linnaeui  attended  only  to  two  distinctions,  viz.  the  su-  petali.  These  are  subdivided  according  to  the  attachr 
perior  and  inferior,  when  it  was  above  or  below  the  ment  of  the  stamina  or  corolla.  The  apetali,  whose 
ovarium,  or  seed  pod.  Jussieu  is  more  minute.  It  is  stamina  are  attached  to  the  pistil,  are  the  asaroids 
sometimes  inserted  on  the  ovary,  and  is  then  styled  only  ;  to  the  calyx,  the  laurels,  the  proteas,  the  daphnes. 
ffiyginous,  as  itvthe  rubiaceae  and  umbelliferae  ;  some-  Sec.';  under  the  pistil,  the  amaranthuscs,  planta-os,  Ecr 

VOL.  I. 


15  OT 


274 


OT 


The  mor.opetali,  whose  corolla  is  attached  under  the 
pistil,  contain  the  jessamines,  the  solana,  borragos, 
the  gentianas,  labiatse,  personatae,  &c. ;  when  attached 
to  the  calyx,  the  bicornes,  campanulacese,  Sec. ;  when 
attached  under  the  pistil,  with  the  antherae  reunited, 
they  contain  the  corymbiferae,  chicoraceae,  Sec. ;  with 
the  antherae  distinct,  the  dipsaceae,  rubiaceae,  and  cap- 
rifolacece.  The  polypetalous  plants,  whose  stamina 
are  attached  to  the  pistil,  contain  the  araliacex  and  um- 
bclliferaz  ;  when  attached  under  the  pistil,  the  tulips, 
ranunculuses,  barberries,  poppies,  cruciferae,  hespe- 
ridae,  malvaceae,  sarmentacese,  &c. ;  when  attached  to 
the  calyx,  the  ficoids,  the  succulents,  the  rosaceae,  the 
leguminosae,  Etc.  The  last  class  contains  the  irregular 
plants,  where  the  stamina  are  separated  from  the  pistil ; 
viz.  the  tithymalae,  the  cucurbitaceae,  urticeae,  amenta- 
ceae,  and  coniferae. 

In  these  fifteen  classes,  one  hundred  natural  orders 
are  arranged ;  containing  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  fifty-four  genera.  The  characters  of  the  genera 
arc  simple,  and  at  the  same  time  complete.  The  advan- 
tages of  an  increased  number  of  characters  arc  consider- 
able, and  it  is  not  one  of  the  least,  that  they  are  more 
simple,  more  easily  comprehended  and  recollected. 

The  perfection  of  a  natural  method,  is  the  philoso- 
pher's stone  of  the  botanist.  The  great  obstacle,  says 
Linnaeus,  is  the  number  of  plants  not  yet  known.  We 
have  expressed  a  very  opposite  opinion,  but  with  a  dif- 
ferent meaning.  Linnaeus  thought  the  method,  which 
did  not  contain  every  vegetable,  imperfect :  he  spoke 
of  the  groups,  and  the  completion  of  a  system,  as  com- 
prehending the  whole.  But,  as  the  shades  by  which 
nature  varies  her  productions  arc  minute  and  almost 
imperceptible,  were  every  vegetable  known,  we  should 
probably  find  discrimination  into  orders  difficult,  if  not 
impossible.  In  the  most  natural  orders,  the  distinction 
of  genera  is  far  from  an  easy  task. 

The  arrangement  of  natural  orders  has  occasioned 
some  difficulty.  From  the  varying  shades  by  which 
these  associations  change,  it  has  been  proposed  that 
they  should  follow  each  other  according  to  their  affi- 
nity. This  is,  however,  difficult,  and  perhaps  not  the 
moat  convenient  plan;  for  an  order  may;  agree  with 
another  in  some  respect,  and  with  a  very  distant  one  in 
others.  The  idea  suggested  by  Linnaeus,  and  executed, 
as  we  have  said,  by  Giseke,  is  more  convenient,  viz.  to 
lay  them  down  like  countries  in  a  map,  when  the  con- 
nection of  the  whole.vegetable  kingdom  will  be  obvious. 
As  botanists  now  do  not  confine  their  descriptions  to 
the  arbitrary  systematic  distinctions  only,  natural  sys- 
tems will  be  daily  more  complete,  and  medical  botany, 
iv e  trust,  be  proportionably  improved. 

Though  we  look,  however,  to  the  perfection  of  a  na- 
tural system  as  the  best  method  of  assisting  our  inves- 
tigation of  the  medical  properties  of  plants,  we  have 
expressed  our  approbation  of  an  artificial  one,  as  the 
most  ready  and  convenient  method  of  discovering  the 
place  of  a  vegetable  in  an  arrangement  of  plants;  and, 
of  course,  of  obtaining  a  ready  access  to  its  synonyms. 
For  these  reasons  we  have  identified  the  medicinal 
plants  by  a  reference  to  the  Linnaean  system  ;  and  it 
remains  to  give  some  explanation  of  the  principles  on 
which  the  northern  Pliny  proceeded  in  constructing  it. 

Linnaeus  was  very  early  persuaded  of  the  distinction 
of  sexes  in  plants,  a  question  now  no  longer  disputed; 


for  the  last  dart  of  Spalanzani  '  rung,  ineffectually 
tinkling  on  the  shield.'  The  male  organs  he  supposed 
to  be  the  stamina;  those  upright  filaments  which,  in  a 
tulip  or  a  lily,  stand  around  a  central  column,  bearing 
orange  coloured  bodies,  the  ant/icrts.  The  central  co- 
lumn is  considered  as  the  female  organ,  and  styled  the 
pistil,  and  its  summit  is  the  stigma.  In  the  Linnaean 
system  the  first  ten  classes  arc  distinguished  by  the 
number  of  trie  stamina,  and  styled  monandria,  dian- 
dria,  &c.  from  the  number  of  the  «v£^£{,  or  males.  No 
vegetable  contains  eleven  stamina,  so  that  the  eleventh 
class  is  distinguished  by  twelve  dodecandria.  The 
two  next  are  those  that  contain  twenty,  or  more  than 
twenty,  stamina,  icosandria  and  fiolyandria;  but  in  these 
greater  numbers  there  is  not  always  a  regularity,  so 
that  the  attachment  of  the  stamina  to  the  calyx  is  after- 
wards superadded.  The  unequal  length  of  the  stamina 
distinguishes  the  two  next  classes.  When  of  four,  two 
are  longer  than  the  others,  the  class  is  styled  didyna- 
w in,  the  superiority  of  two ;  when  of  six,  four  are 
longer,  tetradynaitiia,  the  superiority  of  four.  When 
the  filaments  of  the  stamina  are  united  into  one  body, 
the  class  is  styled  monadelfihia;  when  into  two,  diadtl- 
fi/iia;  when  into  many,  potyadelfihia,  the  brotherhood 
of  one,  two,  or  many ;  when  united  by  the  antherae,  the 
class  is  syngcnrxia.  When  the  stamina  are  attached  to 
the  pistil,  the  class  is  gynandria. 

The  sexual  organs  are  sometimes  found  on  different 
flowers  of  the  same  plant,  sometimes  on  different  plants. 
These  furnish  the  monacia  and  dixcia,  a  single  or  a 
double  house.  Sometimes  they  are  found  more  indis- 
criminately, mixed  with  flowers  which  contain  in  one 
the  organs  of  both  sexes  ;  and  the  class  is  then  styled 
jiolygamia,  many  marriages.  The  last  class  contains 
the  plants  which  have  no  visible  flowers,  the  flags,  the 
ferns,  the  mosses,  and  mushrooms ;  these  are  united 
under  the  class  cryfitogamia,  concealed  marriages. 

Of  these  classes  very  few  are  natural :  the  tetrady- 
namia  and  monadelphia  are  very  nearly  such.  The 
diadelphie  and  syngenesia  do  not  contain  many  dis- 
cordant plants. 

The  ORDERS  of  the  first  thirteen  classes  are  taken 
from  the  central  column,  which  is  not  always  a  single 
one;  and  are  styled  monogynia,  digynia,  &.c.  from  yvvr,, 
a  woman.  The  orders  of  the  didynamiae  are  distin- 
guished by  the  seed  being  naked  or  covered ;  of  the 
tetradynamiac,  from  the  seed  pod. 

The  classes  distinguished  by  the  connection  of  the 
stamina,  are  divided  into  orders  from  their  number : 
those  where  the  antherae  are  connected,  from  circum- 
stances somewhat  fanciful,  but  of  little  importance  to 
ex'plain.  The  orders  of  the  gynandrias,  monoeciae,  and 
diccciaE,  are  taken  from  the  number  and  connection  of 
the  antherae,  or  their  situation.  Those  of  the  polygamiae 
from  the  flowers  being  on  the  same,  or  on  different 
plants.  The  orders  of  the  cryptogamiae  are  the  natural 
families  formerly  mentioned  ;  and  to  these  Linnaeus 
adds  the  natural  family  of  the  palmse. 

Of  the  numerous  vegetables  thus  arranged,  but  few 
are  used  in  medicine;  and  it  has  been  for  ages  the  sub- 
ject of  declamation,  echoed  from  mouth  to  mouth 
with  little  change,  and  with  little  discrimination,  how 
improperly  we  employ  chemical  medicines  which 
the  stomach  cannot  assimilate,  instead  of  vegetables 
which  arc  subservient  to  its  power.  We  arc  not  yet 


B  O  T 


27 


BO  U 


prepared  to  discuss  this  question  ;  yet  we  have  already 
found 'that  the  vital  fluid  is  seldom  greatly  changed  in 
the  most  violent  diseases ;  and  In  many  no  change  has 
been  even  suspected.  The  great  sources  of  disease  are 
the  excess  and  diminution  of  motion,  or  irregular  ac- 
tion; producing  either  spasmodic  paroxysms,  or  a  de- 
rangement of  the  balance  of  the  circulation.  In  a  few 
instances  only  are  the  fluids  affected ;  and  in  the  greater 
number  of  these  the  fault  is  corrected  by  exciting  the 
Cation  of  the  moving  powers,  rather  than  amending  the 
supposed  deterioration.  Yet  we  mean  not  to  reject  or 
undervalue  vegetable  medicines :  in  many  instances 
are  our  great  support.  Nor  can  we  find,  in  the 
mineral  kingdom,  medicines  equal  to  ipecacuanha,  to 
rhubarb,  the  different  aromatics,  and,  perhaps,  the  bark. 
Were  we  to  pursue  the  list,  it  would  not,  however,  fill 
many  lines.  In  a  vignette  to  the  Mateiia  Mcdica  Con- 
tracta  of  Tessari,  though  we  believe  the  original  idea 
was  Hailcr's,  we  see  two  boys  holding  the  '  sieve  of 
truth.'  Opium,  castor,  and  bark,  only  fall  through ; 
the  rest  are  retained,  even  the  radix  senekse  ;  and  cin- 
nabar is  seen  apparently  forcing  a  passage. 

We  had  designed  to  add  a  table  of  the  medicinal 
plants  as  arranged  in  the  Linnaean  system  ;  but  it 
would  fill  some  pages  without  any  adequate  advantage; 
as  it  would  only  be  more  clearly  seen  what  discordant 
properties  are  thus  violently  brought  together,  and  how 
•it.  plants  very  similar  in  their  powers,  are  placed. 
This,  however,  from  what  we  have  already  stated,  is  no 
.;iient  against  the  Linnxan  arrangement.  The 
natural  and  artificial  systems  may  mutually  assist  and 
illustrate  each  other ;  and  each,  in  turn,  be  employed 
with  advantage. 

BOTA'NICON,  (.&>"*'*»  lierba}.  The  name  of  a 
plaster  described  by  P.  JEgineta,  and  made  of  herbs. 

BO'THOR.(  Arabic,)  hath  three  significations  among 
the  Arabians.  1.  Tumours  in  general;  2.  A  tumour 
with  a  solution  of  continuity;  and  3.  Small  tumours, 
which  is  the  most  correct  interpretation.  It  has  been 
supposed  to  signify  an  abscess  of  the  nostrils,  or  tran- 
sitory pimples  in  the  face.  The  Arabians  call  the 
*mall  fi<jx  and  measles  by  this  name. 

BCXTHRIOX,  vel  BOTRION,  (in  Greek,  jS«tf»i«r, 
a  little  fiit].  A  SMALL  PIT,  (from  /3«fyS-,  a  ditch}.  This 
word  is  used  to  express  a  small  clean  ulcer  of  the  cor- 
iiea,  equal  to  the  head  of  a  pin,  called  also  c<ehma.  I 
it  should  be  an  internal  lamina  of  the  cornea,  it  creates 
the  disease  called  gerontoxon,  and  a  staphyloma  suc- 
ceeds. See  Sauvages'  XosologiaMethodica.  Also  the 
alveoli,  or  sockets  of  the  teeth. 

BO'TIN.     See  TEREBIXTHIXA. 

BO'TOU,  BO'TOUA.     See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

BO'TRIA.  A  plant  found  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  Its 
berries  afe  eaten  as  food,  and  a  decoction  of  its  roots 
recommended  in  internal  inflammations  of  the  breast. 
It  resembles  the  pareira,  but  its  botanical  relations  are 
not  fully  known. 

BOTRITIS,  BOTRYITES.     BOTRITES,  (from  fi*- 
a  cluster,  properly  of  grapes).     See  CADMIA. 

BO'TRYS.  The  following  are  generally  considered 
as  species  of  botrys. 

BO'TRYS.  The  OAK  of  CAPPADOCIA  or  of  JERUSALEM  ; 
also  called  arlemisia,  ambrosia,  chenofiodium,  and  atri- 
ftlex  odora,  or  suavcolenus.  It  is  the  c/ienofiodiuTn  bo- 
?ry«Lin.  Sp.  Pi.  320. 


BO'TRYS   MEXICA'NA.     The  MEXICAN   TEA.     C 
also  botrys  ambrosioidei  Afe.riccna,  c/ienoflodium  Zlejci- 
canum,  bolri/s  Americana,  S/ianish  tea,  and  Cretin 
botrys.      Chenofiodium  ambrosoides  Lin..Sp.  PI.  320. 

These  plants  are  natives  of  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe;  they  are  sown  annually  in  our  gardens.  The 
leaves  and  flowery  heads  have  a  strong  but  no 
pleasant  scent,  are  aromatic  and  acrid  to  the  taste.  If 
they  are  much  handled,  an  unctuous  resinous  juice  ad- 
heres to  the  fingers. 

The  proper  menstruum  for  their  active  matter  is  rec- 
tified spirit  of  wine;  but  boiling  water  also  takes  u- 
greatest  part  of  their  virtue.     An  infusion  drunk  ; 
is   useful  in   palsy,  weakness,    coughs,  and    humoral 
asthmas.     The  seeds  are  said  to  be  carminative  and  an- 
thelmintic.  They  are  ranked  among  the  antispasraodics  : 
the  former  is  the  weakest. 

BO'TUS,  BO'TIA,  or  BO'TUS  BARBA'TUS.     It 
is  a  chemical  vessel,  called   a  cucurbit,  (see   CCCUR- 
BITA)  ;  also  a  vessel  placed  upon  a  vessel ;  a  vess' 
fusion,  or  a  desensorium  ;  a  chemical  furnace  in  which 
distillation  is  performed  by  descent ;  a  crucible. 

BOUBA'LIOS.  See  CUCUMIS  AGHESTIS,  and  PU- 
DENDUM MULIEBRE. 

BOU'BOX.  The  Greek  word  from  whence  BUBO 
is  taken,  (see  BUBO).  It  signifies  the  groin,  sometimes 
the  glands  in  the  groin  ;  and  a  tumour  of  the  glands  in 
the  neck,  arm  pits,  behind  the  ears,  or  of  any  external 
glandular  part. 

BOU'CERAS,  (from  /3s?,  an  ox,  and  Kipos,  a  horn}. 
So  called  from  the  figure  of  the  seed.  See  FEXU:; 
GR.ECU.M. 

BOUGI'E,  in  the  French  language,  means  a  - 
candle.  The  term  is  applied  to  a  body  of  a  similar 
shape,  introduced  into  the  urethra  for  removing  ob- 
structions. It  is  likewise  known  by  the  terms  catheter, 
candela  cerea,  vel  medicata.  A.  wax  candle  was  for- 
merly employed  ;  and  from  the  name,  it  seems  to  be  a 
French  invention.  It  was  described  previous  to  the- 
appearance  of  syphilis. 

In  Dr.  Swediaur's  Pharmacopoeia  Syphilitica,  bougies 
are  called  CATHETERES,  first  made  of  silver,  but  they 
are  better  formed  of  elastic  resin  of  various  sizes.  The 
second  he  styles  CATHETERES  CEREI,  of  elastic  resin, 
or  of  musical  chords,  made  from  the  intestines  of  sheep. 
The  third  are  CEHEI  MEDIC-ATI,  made  in  the  following 
manner : 

R.  Cerae  flavae  liquefactae  Ibi.  spermatis  ceti,  §iij- 
aquas  lythargyri  acetati,  Ph.  Lend.  nov.  5  ij- — f>  i:  these 
when  mixed  together  are  removed  from  the  fire,  and 
slips  of  linen  cloth  are  to  be  dipped  in  the  composition, 
to  be  rolled  into  the  form  of  a  wax  taper. 

The  fourth  are  the  CEREI  MEDICATI,  known  long  be- 
fore the  time  of  Le  Dran. 

The  great  object  to  be  attained  by  the  bougie  is  me- 
chanical pressure  equable  on  all  sides.  We  do  not 
now  expect  to  gain  any  advantage  by  introducing  mer- 
cury in  this  way  into  the  system,  or  to  cure  any  ulcera- 
tion.  The  preparation  is  therefore  simple  ;  and  the 
cloths  of  which  they  are  composed,  are  chiefly  im- 
pregnated with  wax  and  oil,  rendered  somewhat  firmer 
by  a  proportion  of  resin.  Some  saturnine  preparation 
is  generally  added,  as  the  urethra  is  in  an  irritable 
state,  and  the  mechanical  irritation  might  otherwise  in- 
crease it. 

N  n  2 


BO  U 


276 


BOU 


From  whatever  composition  the  bougies  are  made, 
they  must  be  of  different  sizes,  from  the  knitting  needle 
to  a  goose  cjuill.  The  common  ones  are  made  in  the 
following  manner.  Having  spread  any  quantity  of  linen 
rag  with  the  composition  that  is  chosen  for  the  pur- 
pose, cut  it  into  slips  from  six  to  ten  inches  long,  and 
from  half  an  inch  to  an  inch  broad ;  then  dexterously 
roll  them  on  a  glazed  tile  into  the  form  of  a  wax  candle. 
As  the  end  of  the  bougie  which  is  first  introduced  into 
the  urethra  should  be  somewhat  smaller  than  the  rest, 
th.e  slips  must  be  cut  a  little  tapering;  and  when  the 
bougies  are  rollecj  up,  thai  side  must  be  outward  on 
which  the  plaster  is  spread. 

Mons.  Dar'an,  and  some  others,  attributed  the  action 
of  their  bougies  to  the  composition  used  in  forming 
them.  Mr.  Sharpe  apprehended  that  their  efficacy 
was  chiefly  owing  U;  their  compression  on  the  affected 
part ;  and  Mr.  Aikyi  adds,  that  as  bougies  of  very  dif- 
ferent compositions  succeed  equally  well  in  curing  the 
saiu<-  disorders  in  the  urethra,  it  is  plain  that  they  do 
not  art  from  any  peculiar  qualities  in  their  composition, 
but  by  means  of  some  common  property,  probably  their 
mechanical  form. 

The  efficacy  of  mere  compression  iii  many  cases  of 
constriction  is  well  known,  from  the  use  of  sponge 
tents  for  dilating  parts  straitened  by  cicatrices.  If,  then, 
obstructions  in  the  urethra  arise,  from  a  constriction 
formed  by  cicatrised  ulcers,  or  a  projection  of  the 
spongy  substance  of  the  urethra  into  the  canal,  we  may 
easily  conceive  that  a  gentle  continued  compression 
will,  in  time,  overcome  the  disease.  We  may  also 
readily  account  for  the  inferior  efficacy  of  metallic, 
whalebone,  and  leather  bougies,  from  their  not  having 
the  property  of  swelling  with  moisture,  and  therefore 
not  making  an  equal  compression. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  the  mechanical  stimulus  of  a 
foreign  body  in  such  a  tender  part,  though  free  from 
disease,  must  produce  in  some  degree  a  discharge  of 
matter,  and  this  will  be  varied  according  to  the  chemi- 
cally stimulating  quality  of  the  composition,  and  the 
irritable  state  of  the  urethra  ;  but  it  seems  an  absurdity 
to  apply  an  uniform  cause  of  distention  to  the  whole 
length  of  a  canal,  with  a  view  of  producing  extraordi- 
nary effects  upon  a  particular  part,  by  means  of  some 
powerful  quality  in  the  ingredients.  That  part  of  the 
bougie  which  was  in  contact  with  the  diseased  part  is 
certainly  covered  with  matter;  but  this  circumstance  is 
owing  to  the  greater  irritation  of  the  urethra  there  than 
in  the  other  parts.  To  forming  bougies  of  very  active 
materials  there  certainly  exists  a  very  proper  objec- 
tion ;  because  the  healthy  as  well  as  the  diseased  parts 
are  exposed  to  their  action,  and  may  themselves  be- 
come diseased  by  the  application.  Surgeons,  therefore, 
have  confined  themselves  to  the  simple  kinds,  and  such 
as  act  chiefly  by  compression. 

Plenck  recommended  bougies  of  catgut,  which  may 
be  easily  introduced  even  into  an  urethra  greatly  con- 
tracted, as  the  size  is  small,  the  substance  is  firm,  and 
as  it  dilates  with  moisture.  They  are  not,  however, 
convenient;  they  dilate  below  the  stricture,  give  great 
pain  when  withdrawn,  and  do  not  dilate  sufficiently  on 
the  contracted  part. 

The  elastic  resin  has  been  employed  for  this  purpose 
with  great  success,  as  it  unites  firmness  and  flexibility, 
out  perhaps  it  does  not  swell  sufficiently.  The  resin 


is  moulded  on  catgut  in  a  way  kept  secret.     They  i;iv 
however,  in  many  cases  highly  serviceable,  though  their 
surface  soon  becomes  rough,  and  they  are  expensive. 

Mr.  Smyth,  apothecary,  of  Tavislock  street,  has  dis- 
covered a  metallic  composition  of  which  he  forms  bou- 
gies, which  are  allowed  to  possess  properties  that  tliese 
instruments  have  long  wanted,  in  order  to  make  them 
complete  and  efficacious  in  practice.  Bougies  formed 
of  this  metallic  substance  are  flexible,  have  a  highly 
polished  surface  of  a  silver  hue,  and  possess  a  sufficient 
degree  of  firmness  for  any  force  requisite  for  the  pass- 
ing them  in  cures  of  strictures  in  the  urethra.  Indeed 
the  short  time  which  they  have  been  employed  has 
convinced  practitioners  that  they  exceed  any  bougies 
which  have  yet  been  invented,  and  are  capable  of  suc- 
ceeding in  all  cases  where  the  use  of  such  an  instru- 
ment becomes  necessary.  They  are  made  either  solid 
or  hollow,  and  answer  extremejy  well  as  catheters  ;  for 
they  not  only  pass  into  the  bladder  with  ease,  but  may 
also  be  suffered  to  continue  there  for  any  convenient 
space  of  time,  and  hence  produce  the  most  essential 
benefit.  Catheters  are  also  made  of  the  same  composi- 
tion. They  certainly  do  not  swell  with  moisture,  but 
they  do  not  break  or  bend. 

See  Sharp's  Critical  Enquiry,  ch.  iv.  and  Aikin's  Ob- 
servations on  the  external  Use  of  Preparations  of  Lead. 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  201,  Sec.  and  White's  Sureerv, 
371. 

BOUI'.  (Chinese).  See  TH^A. 

BOU'LIMUS.  A  VORACIOUS  APPETITE;  (from 
/3s,  a  particle  which,  in  composition,  augments  the 
sense,  and  A<jt*«$,  hunger}.  Houlimos,  or  bulimus,  for 
which  word  Avicenna  uses  bolismus,  signifies  an  ox's 
appetite,  though  this  disease  is  more  frequently  called 
fumes  canina,  or  afipetitus  caninus ;  a  CANINE  APPE- 
TITE: it  is  also  called  /i/iaged<sna,  afajihagia,  bulimia, 
bufieina. 

Dr.  Cullen  names  this  genus  of  disease  bulimia. 
He  places  it  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dysorejcia  ; 
and  distinguishes  three  species.  1.  Bulimia  heluonum, 
in  which  there  is  no  other  disorder  of  the  stomach  than 
an  excessive  craving  of  food.  2.  Bulimia  syncopalis, 
in  which  there  is  a  frequent  desire  of  food,  and  the 
sense  of  hunger  is  preceded  by  swooning.  3.  Bulimia 
emetica,  also  cynorexia,  in  which  an  extraordinary  ap- 
petite for  food  is  followed  by  vomiting. 

In  some  it  may  be  a  natural  misfortune;  for  on  dis- 
section it  hath  been  found,  in  a  few  instances,  that  the 
right  orifice  of  the  stomach  was  too  large,  consequently 
the  aliment  was  too  soon  expelled  through  it.  Galen 
says  it  is  caused  by  an  intense  acid  in  the  stomach,  or 
other  acrimony  in  the  gastric  juice.  Others  attribute 
it  to  a  weakness  in  the  lower  orifice  of  the  stomach,  or 
to  worms. 

The  complaint  was  perhaps  more  common  formerly 
than  at  present,  since  the  ancient  authors  consider  it 
with  great  apparent  anxiety.  The  cause  of  hunger,  in 
general,  we  shall  find  to  be  an  emptiness  of  the  stomach, 
inducing  an  uneasy  contraction.  An  increase  of  this 
contraction  may  arise  from  a  rapid  digestion,  from  a 
weakness  of  the  stomach,-  or  perhaps  from  worms. 
The  food  is  retained  in  the  stomach  by  its  contraction, 
raising  the  larger  curvature  of  the  stomach  to  an  hori- 
zontal position,  and  thus  rendering  the  escape  of  the 
food  from  the  pylorus  difficult.  In  this  way,  weak- 


BO  \ 


277 


B  R  A 


ness  may  occasion  imperfect  digestion,  and,  of  course, 
insatiable  hunger;  but  this  cause  may  be  easily  ascer- 
tained by  the  licnteric  discharge.  Indeed,  we  believe 
it  seldom  occurs,  and  acids  scarcely  in  any  instance  pro- 
duce the  complaint.  From  worms  we  have,  we  think, 
seen  this  disease  :  but  we  own  that  this  cause  is  doubt- 
ful, for  a  plain  and  obvious  reason,  that  no  known  spe- 
cies of  worm  lives  on  a  chylous  fluid,  and  the  general 
effect  of  worms  is  irritation. 

Lommius  observes,  that  in  this  case  there  is  great 
hunger,  much  is  eaten,  which,  oppressing  the  stomach, 
is  again  thrown  up;  the  patient  is  thus  relieved,  but  the 
appetite  returns;  the  stomach  eased,  by  eating  is  again 
oppressed,  and  is  again  relieved,  as  that  of  a  dog  by  vo- 
miting. 

There  is  no  danger  if  food  is  supplied,  though  the 
patient  be  pregnant,  except  fainting  is  frequent.  Faint- 
ing, with  a  full  stomach,  is  a  dangerous  symptom;  and 
the  breath  failing  when  a  fainting  comes  on,  adds  to  the 
danger:  but  these  appearances  are  uncommon. 

If  an  acid  should  be  the  cause,  after  vomiting,  the 
testaceous  powders,  the  lixivium  of  tartar,  and  iron 
filings,  have  been  given. 

If  worms  are  suspected,  anthelmintics  must  be  pre- 
scribed ;  and  in  every  instance,,  food  of  a  less  nutritious 
kind  should  be  employed. 

When  the  cause  is  not  very  manifest,  moderate 
doses  of  opium  may  be  given  at  proper  intervals ;  but 
some  circumspection  is  required  in  administering  it. 
Besides  voniting,  purges  with  aloes  will  be  adviseable, 
wormwood,  and  such  other  medicaments  as  warm  and 
strengthen  the  stomach.  Galen  commends  frequent 
small  doses  of  brandy ;  and  Riverius  says,  that  amber- 
gris is  peculiarly  useful  if  five  or  six  grains  be  re- 
peated at  due  intervals;  and  coffee  we  have  found  of 
great  service. 

This  disorder  terminates  in  alientery,  dropsy,  atrophy, 
or  cachexy.  Boulimus,  it  is  said,  is  not  attended  with  a 
vomiting,  but  with  a  fainting ;  and  that  in  the  FAMES 
CANINA,  the  patient  vomits  up  his  greedy  meals,  or 
they  run  off  by  stool.  In  the  BULIMIA,  it  is  remarked, 
the  same  inclination  to  eat  exists  as  in  the  BOULIMUS, 
but  without  the  power ;  and  after  the  patient  does  eat, 
he  faints.  See  Galen,  Alexander  Trallian,  Paulus 
.Egineta,  and  Lommius. 

BOU'NIAS,  (from  £»t/«5,  a  bunch}.     See  BUMAS. 

BOU'RSE,  LA.     See  SUSPEXSOR. 

BOUTU'A.     See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

BQVILL^E,  (from  /3*«,  an  ox).  The  MEASLES: 
so  called  because  cattle  were  supposed  subject  to  it. 
Turton  says,  it  may  perhaps  rather  mean  the  cow  pox. 
See  MOBBILLI. 

BOVl'NA  AFFE'CTIO.  The  DISTEMPER  of  BLACK 
CATTLE.  A  disease  among  black  cattle,  caused  by  a 
worm  lodged  between  the  skin  and  the  flesh.  The 
Arabians  call  it  egritudo  bo-vina,  but  it  is  little  known 
in  Europe;  is  not  mentioned  by  the  ancient  Greeks, 
and  differs  essentially  from  the  disorder  produced  by  the 
dracuneuii. 

Avenzoar  gives  the  following  account  of  the  bovina 
affecii*.  '  Sometimes  a  worm  breeds  between  the  skin 
and  the  flesh;  and  if  this  worm  is  not  soon  killed,  the 
consequences  may  be  pernicious.  As  soon  as  it  is  per- 
ceived, burn  the  adjacent  part  with  a  hot  iron,  so  that 
heat  may  penetrate  to  the  worm,  in  a  degree  sufficient 


to  kill  it.  Then  dress,  as  is  usual  after  burns,  and 
purge  with  aloes.' 

Avenzoar  in  this  passage  speaks  of  this  disorder  as  in 
human  subjects.  But  Albucasis,  who  hath  two  chapters, 
one  on  the  dracuneuii,  another  on  the  bo-vina  affectio, 
says,  '  This  worm,  which  is  generated  between  the 
skin  and  flesh  of  black  cattle,  takes  its  course  over  the 
whole  body,  and  is  plainly  perceivable  in  its  motion 
from  one  part  to  another,  until  it  breaks  the  skin ;  and 
wherever  it  makes  a  breach,  there  it  finds  egress  ;'  evi- 
dently confounding  it  with  the  gordius.  Alzaravius 
says,  '  that  in  human  subjects  this  worm  passes  betwixt 
the  skin  and  the  flesh,  as  Albucasis  hath  represented 
it  in  brutes ;  and  that  it  is  generated  in  the  same  mat- 
ter as  lice.' 

The  real  bovina  affectio  is  described  in  a  dissertation, 
De  Bourn  CEstro,  by  Wallsinerius.  This  CESTRUM,  or 
VEXATIOUS  FLY,  pitches  on  the  back  of  black  cattle, 
and,  with  a  kind  of  sting  growing  to  its  hinder  part, 
perforates  them,  and  into  each  perforation  introduces  an 
egg,  which  some  time  after  grows  to  a  worm,  and  this 
to  a  fly,  which  in  due  season  is  like  its  parent.  When 
this  fly  pierces  the  skin,  it  causes  severe  pain  in  the 
oxen.  The  worm,  however,  which  is  deposited,  grows 
without  any  remarkable  injury  to  the  health  of  the  ani- 
mal; it  never  moves  from  its  place,  but  in  the  follow- 
ing spring  it  occasions  a  tumour,  out  of  which  it  finds 
its  way  when  summer  approaches,  and  becomes  a  fly. 
See  Le  Clerc  Hi$t.  Lumbric,  Linnaean  Transactions, 
vol.  iii.  p.  289. 

Under  this  article  may  be  placed  the  CHICOS,  or  CHI- 
CRES.  They  are  small  worms,  which,  in  the  wanner 
parts  of  America,  frequently  breed  in  the  muscular 
parts,  and  particularly  in  the  feet.  The  Indians  pick 
them  out,  and  then  apply  to  the  sore,  by  rubbing,  the 
ashes  of  wood. 

Hoffman  speaks  of  a  kind  oT  worms  to  which  the 
children  in  Misnia  are  subject.  He  says  that  these 
children  are  frequently  seized  with  a  tabes,  which  re- 
duces them  to  mere  skeletons.  The  cause  is  a  sort  of 
worms,  like  black  hairs,  lodged  under  the  skin.  These 
animals  are  usually  called  COMEDONES,  or  gluttons,  be- 
cause they  devour  the  nutritive  juices  in  their  distribu- 
tion. When  the  skin  is  rubbed  with  honey  in  any  warm 
place,  they  come  out,  but  cold  keeps  them  concealed 
within.  The  disease  is  apparently  eruptions,  from 
dirt,  neglect,  and  low  living.  See  CRINONES. 

Sennertus  speaks  of  a  sort  of  worms  called  seurenes, 
sireriegj  or  crinones.  He  tells  us,  that  a  species  of  pus- 
tules among  the  Germans,  which  rise  on  the  palms  of 
their  hands  and  the  soles  of  their  feet,  are  called  seuren, 
and  contain  little  worms  called  sirones  and  chirones: 
that  these  worms  are  discovered  by  the  itching  of  these 
parts. 

BOVI'STA.     See  LYCOPERDON. 

BO'XUS.     SeeViscus. 

BRA'BYLA,  (quasi  £O^«?«A<«,  i.  e.  -rut  /3«pa»  £«»*/- 
A»»7*,  because  they  are  laxative,  and  clear  the  intestines 
of  their  contents).  The  plums  which  are  called  HUN- 
GARIAN. They  are  large,  sweet,  and  of  a  black  co- 
lour. 

BRACHE'RIUM:  AM'MA.  A  surgeon's  bandage 
and  truss  for  a  hernia.  A  word  used  by  the  barbarous 
Latin  writers,  probably  from  brachiale,  a  bracelet.  It 
is  so  called  because  it  is  made  to  embrace  the  parts. 


15  R  A 


278 


BRA 


BRACHIJE/US  MU'SCULUS.  The  name  of  two 
muscles  of  the  &rm,(froltii  brac/iium,  an  arm). 

BRACHIJE'CS  INTE'RNUS  begins  where  the  deltoid 
muscle  ends,  covers  the  interior  and  anterior  surface  of 
the  os  humeri,  and  is  inserted  into  the  coronoid  process 
of  the  ulna,  serving  to  bend  it. 

BRACHIJE'US  EXTE'RNUS  seems  to  be  the  third  begin- 
ning of  the  gemellus;  its  origin  is  continued  from  above 
the  middle  of  its  insertion,  and  from  the  back  part  of 
the  os  humeri  to  the  cavity  which  receives  the  olecra- 
num  in  the  extension  of  the  cubit,  where,  joining  with 
the  tendinous  outside  of  the  gemellus,  it  is  inserted  into 
the  superior  and  external  part  of  the  ulna,  called  olecra- 
num.  See  ANCONJEUS.  Cowper. 

Douglas  says,  that  the  brach'uzus  externus  and  the 
gemellus  make  but  one  single  muscle  with  three  heads, 
to  which  he  gives  the  name  of  triceps  cubiti,  or  exten- 
sor cubili  niagnus  triplici  principio  natus. 

BRACHIA'LE.  The  word  means  a  bracelet;  but 
the  ancient  anatomical  writers  apply  this  term  to  the 
carpus,  the  part  on  which  the  bracelet  was  worn.  See 
CARPUS. 

BRACIIIA'LIS  ARTERIA.  The  BRACHIAL  AR- 
TERY. It  is  the  continuation  of  the  axillary  artery, 
which,  as  soon  as  it  has  passed  behind  the  tendon  of 
the  pectorulis  major,  receives  the  name  of  brachial.  It 
runs  down  on  the  inside  of  the  arm,  over  the  musculus 
coraco  brachialis  and  ancorueus  internus,  and  along  the 
inner  edge  of  the  biceps  behind  the  vena  basilica,  giving 
out  small  branches  as  it  passes. 

Between  the  axilla  and  the  middle  of  the  arm  it  is 
covered  only  by  the  skin  and  fat,  but  afterwards  it  is 
hid  under  the  biceps,  and  runs  obliquely  forward  as  it 
descends,  at  some  distance  from  the  internal  condyle  ; 
but  it  does  not  reach  the  middle  of  the  flexure  of  the 
arm.  Below  the  fold  of  the  arm  it  divides  into  the 
cubitalis  and  radialis.  • 

From  its  upper  and  inner  part  it  sends  off  a  particular 
branch,  which  runs  obliquely  downward  and  backward, 
over  the  Janconseus,  and  then  turns  forward  again  near 
the  external  .condyle,  where  it  communicates  with  a 
branch  of  the  radial  artery.  A  little  below  the  inser- 
tion of  the  teres  major  it  sends  off  another  branch, 
which  descends,  is  united  with  the  radial  artery,  and 
with  the  cubital. 

The  common  trunk  of  the  brachial  artery  having 
reached  the  flexure  of  the  arm,  runs,  together  with  a 
vein  and  nerve,  immediately  under  the  aponeurosis  of 
the  biceps,  and  passes  under  the  vena  mediana,  detach- 
ing branches  on  each  side  to  the  neighbouring  muscles. 

Sometimes,  though  very  rarely,  the  brachial  artery  is 
divided  from  its  origin  into  two  large  branches,  which 
run  down  on  the  arm,  and  afterwards  on  the  fore  arm, 
where  they  are  called  cubitalis  and  radialis.  Winslotr. 

BRACHIA'LIS  EXTERNUS  and  INTERNUS;  these  are  the 
BRACHIJEUS  EXTERNUS  and  INTERNUS. 

BRA'CHIO-CUBITA'LE  LIGAME'NTUM.  The 
expansion  of  the  lateral  ligament  (see  LATERALIA  LI- 
GAMKNTA),  which  is  fixed  in  the  inner  condyle  of  the 
os  humeri,  runs  over  the  capsule,  to  which  it  closely 
adheres,  and  is  inserted  like  radii  on  the  side  of  the 
great  sigmoid  cavity  of  the  ulna:  it  is  covered  on  the 
inside,  by  several  tendons,  which  adhere  closely  and 
seem  to  strengthen  it.  Winslow. 

BRACHIO-RADI'ALE  LIGAME'XTUM  is  the  expansion  of 


the  lateral  ligament  (see  LATERALIA  LIGAMENTA), 
which  runs  over  the  external  condyle  of  the  os  humeri- 
and  is  inserted  round  the  coronary  ligament,  and  from 
thence  all. the  way  down  to  the  neck  of  the  radius,  and 
also  in  the  neighbouring  parts  of  the  ulna.  Through 
all  this  passage  it  covers  the  capsular  ligament,  and  is 
covered  by  several  tendons  adhering  closely  to  both. 
Winslow. 

BRACHIUM,  (from  f}p*xvf,  short;  because  in  a  well 
proportioned  man  it  is  shorter '  from  the  shoulder  to 
the  hands  than  from  the  hips  to  the  feet.  Festus).  The 
ARM.  In  Hippocrates  it  signifies  what  is  now  called 
the  humerus.  From  the  shoulder  to  the  elbow,  is 
called  lacertus;  to  the  wrist,  cudittis,  or  the  fore  arm. 
By  the  arm  is  generally  meant  the  whole,  from  the- 
shoulder  to  the  wrist. 

BRACHU'NA.     See  SATYHIASIS,  and  FUROR  UTE- 

RINUS. 

BRACHYCHRO'NIUS>  (from  fy*xv<,  short,  and 
xpovos,  time).  An  epithet  of  a  disease  which  continues 
but  a  short  time. 

BRACHYPNCE'A,  (from  fif»%,v<,  short.,  and  vnu,  tn 
breathe).  BREATH  fetched  at  short  intervals. 

BRACHY'POT/E,  (from  fya%v<,  small  or  short,  and 
•x-ol'&j,  drink).  LITTLE  DRINKERS.  To  drink  but  little 
in  ardent  fevers  is  a  sign  of  insensibility,  and  conse- 
quently bad. 

BRA'CHYS,  (from  Pp*xvs,  short}.     Sec  BREVIS. 

BRACIUM.     See  JEs. 

BRADYPE'PSIA,  (from  ftp*}*;,  slow,  and  «•£*•?«,  di- 
gero).  WEAK  DIGESTION,  or  concoction  of  food.  Blan- 
card  says,  it  is  a  slow  digestion,  proceeding  from  a  de- 
praved disposition  of  the  acid  ferment  in  the  stomach. 
Its  causes  are  various,  but  there  is  little  reason  for  ad- 
mitting that  just  mentioned.  In  general  it  arises  from 
weakness.  See  DYSPEPSIA. 

BRA'GGAT.     See  HYDROMELI. 

BRAN.  The  husk  of  wheat  separated  by  sieves. 
It  contains  a  gluten  like  that  of  animal  substances,  and 
has  been  used  as  a  pectoral,  a  demulcent,  and  a  deter- 
gent. It  is  chiefly  useful  in  the  two  former  views  used 
in  decoction. 

BRA'NCA.  An  Italian  word  signifying/oof;  hence 
a  species  of  acanthus  is  called  BRANCA  URSINA,  bear's 
foot,  from  the  resemblance  of  its  leaves  to  the  foot  of  a 
bear. 

BRA'NCA    LEO'NIS,   or   PES    LEO'NIS.      See   ALCHI- 

MILLA. 

BRA'NCA  URSI'NA.     See  ACANTHUS.  '. 

BRA'NCA  URSI'NA  GERMA'NICA.     See  PASTINACA. 

BRA'NCHjE,  BRA'NCHI,  (from  ftix",  to  make 
moist').  Names  of  the  diseases  of  the  glandular  tumours 
of  the  fauces,  which  resemble  two  almonds;  accom- 
panied with  a  difficulty  of  spitting  and  troublesome, 
breathing. 

BRA'NCHUS,  (from  the  same).  A  DEFLUXION  of 
HUMOURS  upon  the  FAUCES..  It  is  a  species  of  catarrh, 
which  Ccelius  Aurelianus  calls  RAUCITAS. 

BRANDY.  It  is  a  spirit  distilled  from  wine,  or,  more 
often,  from  the  mock  after  the  wine  has  been  pressed 
out.  In  Spain  it  is  often  produced  from  the  plum; 
and  in  England  it  is  imitated  by  giving  to  any  spirit  a 
yellow  colour  by  burnt  sugar,  and  a  flavour  by  laurel 
leaves.  In  medical  powers  it  agrees  with  alcohol.  The 
various  methods  of  trying  the  strength  of  brandies  are 


13  K  A 


27y 


BRA 


fallacious,  and  the  hydrometer  in  its  most  improved 
state  is  the  only  certain  method  of  ascertaining  it.  See 
Annales  de  Chimie,  vol.  xxxvii. 

BRASI'LIA,  produced  in  Brasil.     See  BRASILIUM 

LIGNUM. 

BRASILIA  NA    A'RBOR    AQUA  TIC  A.       See 

INI  VGA. 

YSILIE'NSIS    A'RBOR     SILIQUOSA.    Sec. 

See  COUHBAIUL. 

BRASILJE'NSIS  RADIX.     See  IPECACUA'NHA  RADIX. 

BRA'SILIS  LIGN.  BRASILE'TTO.  LOGWOOD, 
;.!bO  RED  WOOD.  See  CAMPECHEN,  LIGNUM. 

BRASI'LIUM    LIGNUM.     BRASIL  WOOD;    called 

?.lso  fiieud'jsantaluin  rubrum,  Hirafiitarga  Brafriliengi- 

ibirafiitanga ;    Jbtlicea,  crista  fiavonis  coronillts 

folio;   Etythvxilum    Urasilianum,    Santalus   .Idulttri- 

;:us. 

This  wood  is  rarely  met  with  in  prescriptions;  it  is 
•sometimes  substituted  for  red  sanders,  with  which  it 
agrees  in  most  of  its  properties,  with  this  difference, 
that  the  red  sanders  does  not,  like  this  wood,  give  out 
its  colour  to  water.  It  is  of  a  deep  red  or  purple  co- 
lour; is  said  to  cool  and  strengthen;  but  is  chiefly  used 
by  the  dyers. 

'  From  the  Brasil  wood  of  Pernambuco  is  extracted, 
jy  means  of  acids,  a  CARMINE. 

BRA'SIUM,  (from  £p*rrv,  to  boil).  BARLEY,  or 
COMMON  MALT.  Called  also  byne  ;  by  Tacitus,yrz/men- 
tum  corru/itum.  From  it,  BEER,  ALE,  and  PORTER, 
which  go  under  the  general  term,  MALT  LIQUORS,  are 
made  (see  ALLA);  but  an  infusion  of  malt,  called  WORT, 
is  considered  as  powerfully  antiseptic,  and  has  been 
successfully  given  in  the  sea  scurvy.  It  is  prepared  in 
the  following  manner:  "  Take  of  dry  sound  malt,  fresh 
ground,  one  measure :  infuse  it  for  five,  or  six  hours,  in 
three  measures  of  boiling  water,  then  pour  off  the  clear 
liquor,"  and  let  the  patient  drink  two  or  three  pints 
every  day.  This  has  been  administered  as  a  preventive 
of  the  scurvy  with  some  apparent  efficacy;  and  it  has 
been  considered  as  an  alterative,  in  cases  of  inveterate 
ulcers  and  in  cutaneous  eruptions,  which  resist  the  ac- 
tion of  mercury.  It  may  be  of  service  where  a  perma- 
nent change  in  the  state  of  the  animal  fluids  is  required; 
and  from  its  beiiig  so  grateful,  it  is  preferable  to  the 
scorbutic  juices  given  for  this  purpose.  See  Macbride's 
Experimental  Essays,  Appendix  to  his  Introduction  to 
she  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physic. 

BRA'SMA,  (from  /Sf«c-i-*»,  to  boil).     See  PIPER  LOX- 

GL'M. 

BRA'SMOS,  (from   the   same).      See   FERMENTA- 
rio. 
BRASSADE'LLA,  or  BRASSA'TELLA.     See  OPHIO- 

GLOSSUM. 

BRA'SSICA,  (from  fifus-rH,  or  £?*£*,  to  devour.) 
CABBAGE;  called  also  crambe,  brassica  oleracea  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  932.  All  the  species  are  supposed  to  be  only 
varieties  of  the  smaller  kind,  which  grow  spontaneously 
on  our  sea  coasts.  The  white  and  green  cabbages  are 
called  caulo  ra/ium. 

Cabbages  are  supposed  to  have  a  stronger  tendency, 
to  putrefaction  than  most  other  vegetable  substances; 
chiefly  because  in  putrefying  they  exhale  an  offensive 
smell,  which  much  resembles  that  of  putrefying  ar.imal 
bodies;  it  may  therefore  seem  reasonable  to  believe 
that  they  are  easily  digested  in  our  stomachs,  and  also 


very  nutritious.  This,  however,  is  by  no  means  true. 
All  of  them,  says  Dr.  Cullen,  may  be  considered  as  a 
supplemental  provision  only,  and  are  seldom  chosen  by 
the  quantity  of  nourishment  they  afford,  but  by  the  ten- 
derness of  their  texture,  and  the  fulness  and  sweetness 
of  their  juice.  In  general  they  are  flatulent,  and  incon- 
venient in  weak  stomachs. 

Cabbages  are,  however,  far  from  being  unsalutary ; 
they  neither  induce, nor  promote  a  putrid  disposition  in 
the  human  body,  but,  on  the  contrary,  are  salubrious 
aliment  in  the  scurvy.  They  loosen  the  belly  when 
eaten  freely,  and  produce  much  flatulency;  but  by- 
boiling  they  lose  their  laxative  quality.  The  brassicte 
have  great  powers  as  antiscorbutics,  and  taken  in  largely 
as  aliments  have  proved  a  cure  for  the  scurvy. 

The  Germans  make  the  following  preparation  of  cab- 
bage, to  which  they  give  the  name  Sauer  Kraut.  SOUR 
KHOUT. 

Cut  the  cabbages  in  common  use  into  thin  slices, 
put  them  into  a  cask  that  is  previously  cleaned,  dried, 
and  lined  in  its  whole  inside  with  the  sour  paste  called 
leaven;  on  each  layer  of  the  sliced  cabbage  sprinkle  a~ 
small  handful  of  salt,  and  press  it  down :  when  as  much 
is  put  into  the  cask  as  it  will  contain  when  thus  forcibly 
pressed,  and  all  the  liquor  squeezed  out  of  the  cabbages 
is  poured  off,  cover  it  with  a  clean  cloth,  then  lay  on  it 
the  loose  cask  head,  and  over  it  any  heavy  weight,  that 
the  pressure  may  be  continued;  thus,  let  it  stand  in  a 
warm  room  until  it  ceases  to  ferment,  and  then  it  is  fit 
for  use.  When  used,  boil  a  proper  quantity  for  the 
present  meal  in  water  during  two  hours  orjnore;  then, 
pouring  off  the  liquor,  add  to  it  a  little  butter,  and  eat 
it  as  other  vegetable  substances. 

If  the  cask  is  closed  up  when  the  fermentation  of  the 
cabbage  is  finished,  this  preparation  will  be  preserved 
in  its  perfection  many  years,  and  would  be  a  convenient 
part  of  seamen's  diet,  as  a  preservative  from  the  scurvy. 

The  white  sort  is  the  most  putrescible  and  fetid; 
the  red  is  supposed  to  be  the  sweetest,  most  emollient, 
and  laxative:  there  is,  however,  little,  difference.  If  the 
stalks  of  the  red  kind  are  cut  longitudinally  in  autumn 
and  placed  in  a  cool  shade,  a  laxative  juice,  resembling 
honey  or  manna,  exudes  from  the  incisions. 

BRA'SSICA  SATIVA.  COLEWORT  or  CABBAGE,  named 
also  brassica  cafiitata  alba  vel  rubra;  b.  oleracea,  var.  ' 

BRA'SSICA  FLO'RIDA.  CAULIFLOWER,  called  also  bras- 
sica mulii/lora,  caulisjlorida;  b.  olerac.  var.  i. 

BRA'SSICA  CONGYLO'DES.  TURNIP  CABBAGE,  called 
also  brassica  caulora/ia,  ra/iocau/is,  brassica  coule  ra- 
fium  gerens  ;  b.  oleracea  var.  A. 

The  seeds  yield,  by  expression,  an  oil  which  is  use- 
ful for  lamps,  and  in  the  woollen  manufactory.  After 
the  oil  is  obtained,  the  remains  are  an  indifferent  food 
for  cattle.  In  their  recent  state,  however,  sheep,  and 
even  oxen,  are  fed  on  them  during  winter. 

BRA'SSICA  CAPITA 'TA  VIRE'SCENS  ITA'LICA  CRI'SPA. 
GREEN  BROCOLI. 

BRA'SSICA  RUGO'SA,  LONGIO'RIBUS  FOLIIS.  -BROWN- 
BROCOLI.  These  are  varieties  of  the  brassica  of  little 
importance,  chiefly  belonging  to  the  b.  oleracea  botritis  ; 
-car.  i. 

BRA'SSICA  XAPUS,  XAVEW,  or  COLE  ;  radfce  caulcsccnte 
fusiformi.  See  BUXIAS. 

BRA'SSICA  ERUCA.     See  ERU'> 


B  R  K 


280 


B  RE 


BRA'SSICA  ITA'LICA  TENE'RRIMA  GLOMERO'SA  FLO'RE 
A'LBO,  TADAUDE.  The  SAVOY  CABBAGE. 

BRA'SSICA  OLERACEA  ARVENSIS;  from  whose  seed  the 
oil  styled  CALSA  is  expressed.  B.  rafia  is  the  TURNIP. 
See  RAPA. 

BRA'SSICA  MARI'TIMA,  called  also  soldanella  maritima 
minor,  con-uHlvulus  marflimus  minor •,  innritimiis  nistras. 

SEA    BINDWEED,    SEA   COLEWORTS,    alld    SCOTCH    SCURVY 

GRASS.  The  convolvulus  soldalcnna  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  226. 
It  grows  wild  on  the  sea  coast  in  the  north  and  south  of 
England,  and  flowers  in  June.  The  leaves  arc  a  vio- 
lent cathartic;  and  this  quality  resides  in  the  milky 
juice  which  exudes  upon  wounding  them.  A  decoc- 
tion of  the  dried  leaves,  from  5  ss.  to  3  iij-  is  a  dose. 

BRA'SSICA  BRASIHANA.  Caspar  Bauhine.  Arum 
csculentum. 

BRASSIDE'LICA  ARS.  A  way  of  curing  wounds, 
mentioned  by  Paracelsus,  by  applying  the  herb  brassa- 
della  to  them.  See  OPHIOGLOSSUM. 

BRA'THU.     The  herb  SAVINE.     See  SABINA. 

BREAD.  This  <  staff'  of  life'  is  now  essential  to  our 
existence;  yet,  while  we  enjoy  it,  we  are  naturally  led 
to  consider  the  substitutes  once  employed,  when  it  was 
not  known.  Man,  we  have  said,  is  not  wholly  a  carni- 
vorous animal:  he  requires  a  proportion  of  vegetable 
nutriment;  and  this,  in  seasons  not  adapted  for  vegeta- 
tion, or  in  climates  when  the  short  summers  will  not 
admit  of  corn  ripening,  must  be  supplied  by  various 
other  vegetable  substances.  All  the  farinaceous  plants 
have  been  used  as  corn.  The  palms,  the  bread  fruit 
tree,  the  arum,  the  fern  root,  and  the  sweet  acorn, 
have  in  turn  supplied  different  nations  with  the  neces- 
sary vegetable  aliment.  Besides  these,  various  nations 
have  employed  the  SEEDS  of  the  sfiergula  ar-vensis  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  p.  630,  of  the  agiostemma  githago  (624),  and  the 
lychnis  segetum  of  Caspar  Bauhine ;  the  NUTS  of  the  hifi- 
/locastanum,  the  chestnut;  the  FJECULA  of  the  cassada 
(jatroftha  manihot  Lin.  1429),  Stachy's/za/w.s/r/s  (81 1), 
and  lichen  islandicus  (1611);  the  BARK  of  the  pinus  syl- 
•vestris  (1418);  the  ROOTS  of  the  solatium  tubcroxum 
(265),  white  bryony  (1438),  sfiirsafilifiendula  (702),  col- 
chicum  autmnnale  (485),  fumaria  bulbosa  (983,  ,3  and 
y),  gramen  refiens  (128),  and  scir/ius  marithnus  (74). 
Many  other  substances,  apparently  farinaceous,  are 
mentioned  by  Dr.  Willich  and  Dr.  Darwin.  But,  by 
general  consent,  in  civilized  countries,  where  the  sea- 
sons, by  the  most  artful  management,  can  ripen  the  dif- 
ferent cerealia,  these  have  been  preferred.  Even  in  the 
short  northern  summers,  where  the  sun  can  barely  bring 
forward  the  ears,  they  are  ripened  not  imperfectly  by 
frost.  When  vegetation  can  no  longer  supply  corn, 
even  dried  fish  are  powdered,  and  produce  a  substance 
not  liable  to  rancidity;  and  at  least  approaching  farina. 
In  some  countries,  particularly  in  Upper  Lusatia,  a 
white  earth  is  employed  for  this  purpose. 

The  importance  of  corn  was  so  strongly  felt,  that  the 
inventive  Greeks  appropriated  its  first  introduction  to  a 
goddess.  They  chose  for  its  patroness  the  mother  of 
the  gods;  but,  by  an  inconsiderate  anachronism,  asso- 
ciated with  her  a  person  of  a  much  later  era,  Triptole- 
mus.  The  fable,  in  fact,  meant  that  the  discovery  was 
a  very  early  one,  but  that  it  was  only  communicated  to 
the  Grecians  at  a  later  period.  Naturalists  have,  on 
their  side,  anxiously  investigated  the  native  country  of 
wheat,  but  with  little  success.  The  fairest  claim  is 


offered  by  Sicily,  as  the  Grecian  fable  would  suggest; 
but,  after  every  inquiry,  it  appears  that  native  wheat 
is  a  comparatively  small  corn,  containing  an  incon- 
siderable proportion  of  farina;  and  that  the  present 
seed  is  produced  from  a  plant  greatly  meliorated  by 
culture.  When  we  speak  of  the  native  country  of 
corn,  we  of  course  mean  that  country  frotn  whence  it 
was  anciently  derived.  We  have  now  discovered  it  in 
other  regions,  with  which  the  ancients  were  unac- 
quainted. 

Under  the  article  of  corn  we  shall  mention  the  dif- 
ferent seeds  employed  to  make  bread,  and  distinguish 
their  peculiar  properties.  We  shall  now  notice  only 
the  general  properties  of  the  farina  used  for  aliment, 
with  the  changes  produced  in  the  process  of  making 
bread.  Meal  separated  from  the  bran,  or  at  least  sepa- 
rated in  a  considerable  degree,  contains  a  mucilagi- 
nous and  a  saccharine  matter,  though  in  a  small  pro- 
portion. The  greatest  quantity  is  a  fsecula,  styled 
starch,  which  combines  with  cold  water  into  a  jelly,  pos- 
sessing all  the  properties  of  gelatine;  to  which  we  must 
add  gluten,  the  animal  portion  contained  in  the  husk, 
from  which  the  finest  flour  is  not'wholly  free,  but  which 
in  the  coarser  kind  is  copious.  The  gelatine,  there- 
fore, gives  bread  its  most  striking  characteristics,  and 
we  find  them  in  the  ship  biscuit,  which  consists  of 
flour  and  water  only,  and  is  a  tough,  hard,  insoluble  sub- 
stance. These  inconveniences  are  avoided  by  yeast  or 
leaven,  which,  in  the  common  bread,  gives  a  lightness, 
as  well  as  a  greater  degree  of  solubility  to  the  mass. 
The  changes  produced  by  the  leaven  have  been  vari- 
ously explained.  They  have  been  attributed  to  fermen- 
tation; but  this  has  been  denied,  because  in  no  part  of 
the  process  do  we  find  an  ardent  spirit.  We  may  take, 
however,  this  opportunity  oT  remarking,  that  our  not 
discovering  either  of  the  products  of  fermentation  is 
no  proof  against  its  existence.  We  scarcely,  in  any  in- 
stance, see  an  ardent  spirit  produced  in  the  process  of 
digestion;  yet  in  this,  fermentation  certainly  takes  place, 
with  its  usual  attendant,  assimilation.  In  ricks  of  hay 
we  find  no  ardent  spirit  at  any  period,  but  it  certainly 
has  existed;  since,  when  too  damp,  ricks  will  inflame, 
and  when  hay  is  in  its  best  state,  we  find  an  evident  smell 
of  acetous  aether,  which  shows  that  a  spirit  has  been 
formed.  The  ancient  leaven  proves,  that  this  process 
was  not  very  different  from  fermentation :  it  was  the 
remains  of  former  bread  in  a  sour  state.  The  modern 
leaven,  the  yeast  or  barm,  is  a  farinaceous  solution  in  a 
fermenting  state,  abounding  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  co- 
piously evolving,  in  fact,  the  vegetable  acid  in  the  form 
of  air,  with  an  excess  of  oxygen,  which  must  have  a 
similar  effect.  It  is,  however,  more  rapid  in  its  opera- 
tion, produces  the  change  much  sooner,  and,  as  it  is 
also  more  quickly  checked  by  the  heat  of  the  oven,  does 
not,  like  leaven,  occasion  the  sour  taste  in  the  bread. 
The  use  of  leaven  is  of  considerable  antiquity,  for  it 
was  known  beyond  the  era  of  our  most  ancient  and- 
sacred  records.  The  substitution  of  yeast  is  of  a  com- 
paratively late  date.  The  art  of  making  bread  was 
brought  to  Rome  from  Macedonia  about  the  year  580, 
from  the  building  of  the  city.  Before  that  time  the 
corn  was  mixed  with  boiling  water,  probably  like  the 
oatmeal  in  the  neighbouring  kingdom  of  Scotland. 
Such  at  least  is  Pliny's  account.  The  other  component 
parts  of  flour  vary  in  some  measure  the  properties  of  the 


BR  E 


Bit  I 


bread.  Thus,  from  the  mucilaginous  and  saccharine 
portion,  it  is  liable  to  become  sour,  and  from  the  gluten, 
musty.  The  former  is  the  more  common  fault  of  the 
finer  bread,  and  the  htterof  the  coarser.  The  latter  also 
ismore  difficult  of  digestion,  and  fit  only  for  the  stronger 
stomachs,  which  are  better  able-  to  resi>t  the  putrefac- 
tive tendency.  The  use  of  salt  in  bread  is  not  < 
explained.  It  may  be  supposed  to  act  as  a  condiment 
•were  it  in  a  larger  proportion,  but  it  is  generally  said 
to  promote  union  of  the  m-.  -.ter. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject,  we  shall  be  able  to 
understand  the  difference  between  the  household  bread 
and  the  ship  biscuit.  The  latter  is  not  leavened,  and 
consequently  not  so  readily  acescent;  but  it  is  harder  of 
digestion,  and,  alone,  not  adapted  to  weak  stomachs. 
For  these  it  must  be  comminuted  so  as  to  form  a  pulp, 
and  warmed  by  some  carminative  seeds,  or  united  with 
animal  food;  when  its  undigestible  nature  contributes  to 
retard  the  aliment,  and  render  its  assimilation  more 
perfect.  This  doctrine  will  be  elucidated  under  the 
article  of  CONDIMENTS. 

Various  are  the  forms  of  bread,  and  numerous  the 
additions  to  adapt  it  to  the  taste.of  the  luxurious.  Every 
saccharine  substance  renders  it  more  acescent,  every 
farinaceous  nut  more  difficult  of  digestion.  The  car- 
minative seeds,  of  which  the  principal  is  the  carui,  or, 
on  some  occasions,  as  in  the  gingerbread,  the  aniscseed, 
lessen  the  inconvenience,  but  render  it  less  suitable  for 
a  common  aliment.  The  drier  the  bread,  the  less  ready 
is  it  to  become  acescent :  hence,  new  bread  is  often 
inconvenient  in  the  stomach  ;  and  rusks,  which  consist 
of  bread  sliced  and  again  baked,  are  scarcely  less  use- 
ful than  sea  biscuits. 

Various  adulterations  of  bread  may  be  mentioned. 
Among  the  rest,  bone  ashes  and  bean  flour  are  the  prin- 
cipal, and  chiefly  used  to  whiten  bread  which  has  an 
over  proportion  of  bran.  Alum,  too,  has  been  em- 
ployed, but  its  operation  we  do  not  well  understand.  It 
is  said  to  coagulate  the  gelatine ;  and  perhaps  may  be 
useful  when  it  contains  too  large  a  proportion  of  hu- 
midity, or,  in  the  language  of  bakers,  when  the  corn  is 
melted.  Potatoe  bread,  or  at  least  the  method  of  mak- 
ing bread  with  a  proportion  of  these  roots,  is  an  art 
sufficiently  known.  Bread  of  this  kind  is  white,  light, 
and  wholesome :  it  keeps  without  injury  for  many 
days. 

Turnip  bread  is  made  from  the  expressed  mash  of 
boiled  turnips  with  an  equal  weight  of  meal ;  while 
the  farina-of  potatoes  may  be  made  into  bread  with  any 
proportion  of  meal,  or  even  alone.  The  turnip  bread 
lias  at  first  a  slight  taste  of  the  root,  which  goes  off  in 
a  few  days,  and  it  is  then  said  to  be  even  superior  to 
that  made  with  flour. 

_In  a  medical  view,  bread  has  been  tortured  to  obtain 
its  nutritious  qualities  in  a  liquid  form.  The  chief 
form  of  this  kind  is  the  bread  jelly,  viz.  bread  boiled 
till  the  water  has  extracted  a  sufficient  portion  of  the 
gelatine  to  become  a  jelly  when  cold.  Bread  also  is 
oticn  boiled  with  broth,  when  the  patient  can  swallow 
•  nothing  solid.  In  each  form  it  is  apparently  useful.  A 
brown  toast  infused  in  water  gives  it  no  unpleasant  fla- 
vour, and  it  sits  more  easily  on  the  stomach  than  water 
alone.  When  fresh,  and  sipped  only  in  small  quantities, 
it  often  relieves  vomiting ;  and  as  a  common  drink  in 
fevers,  is  peculiarly  grateful  and  advantageous.  Bread 

VOL.    I. 


distilled  produces  an  highly  acrimonious  empyreumatu 
oil,  mixed  with  an  acid.  Yet,  in  Germany,  a  simple 
water  distilled  from  it,  previously  adding  the  juice  of 
cray  fish,  rose  water,  nutmegs,  and  saffron,  is  used  as  a 
restorative  nutriment.  From  nutmegs,  cinnamon,  bread, 
and  rhenish,  a  spirituous  water  is  produced,  supposed 
to  be  useful  in  diseases  of  the  stomach.  Hoffman  re- 
commends a  spirit  from  bread  distilled  in  the  dry  way. 
When  the  oil  is  separated,  he  thinks  it  a  good  sudorific. 

BREAST.  In  general  means  the  chest.  For  its  most 
important  organ  see  MAMMA. 

BREATH.  The  air  expired.  In  many  persons  it  is 
fetid.  This  is  sometimes  constitutional,  but  more  often 
the  effects  of  rotten  teeth,  inattention  to  cleanliness,  or 
sometimes  the  sign  of  approaching  fever. 

BREE'DING.     See  PREGNANCY. 

BRE'GMA,  (from  fift^u,  to  moisten).  In  infant* 
these  bones  are  not  only  tender,  but  very  moist;  and 
sometimes  so  in  adults.  They  are  also  called  sinci/iut, 
/>ar/e/ar»a,and  medium  teste.  They  are  two  bones  on  thc- 
upper  part  of  the  head,  of  an  irregular  square  figure, 
nearly  of  the  same  thickness  all  over,  and  divided  into 
an  upper  and  lower  part  by  a  circular  line ;  on  the  up- 
per part  they  are  covered  only  by  the  integuments,  on 
the  lower  by  the  crotaphite  muscle ;  towards  the  pos- 
terior and  upper  part,  there  is  a  hole  through  which  the 
vessels  of  the  dura  mater  communicate  with  those  of 
the  scalp.  These  bones  have  a  large  extent,  but  are  the 
weakest  in  the  human  body.  The  trepan  may  be  ap- 
plied to  any  part  of  this  bone,  except  on  the  lateral 
of  the  posterior  lower  edge  of  it,  the  lateral  sinuses 
lying  under  them.  It  often  happens  that  tumours  are. 
formed  on  these  bones  in  infants,  which  contain  a  fluid, 
and  conceal  the  osseous  substance.  These  tumours 
should  be  left  to  nature,  and  their  contents  will  be  taken 
up  by  the  absorbent  system. 

BRE'LISIS.     See"CAHAXN\. 

BRETA  'NICA.  It  is  said  to  be  a  Frieslandic  word, 
and  means  that  it  should  be  put  between  the  teeth  to 
cure  the  hiccough ;  Bret  land  hie.  GREAT  WATEH 
DOCK.  See  BARDANA  MAJOR. 

BRE'VIA  VA'SA,  (from  being  short).  The  vena 
splenica  towards  its  termination  is  divided  into  several 
branches  that  go  to  the  spleen,  one  of  which  produces 
the  veins  which  receive  this  name. 

BRE'VIS,  vel  BRA'CHYS.     A  name  of  the  TERES 

MINOR. 

BREYN.  CENT.  An  abbreviation  of  Jacob!  Breynii, 
Exoticarum-aliarumque  minus  cognitarum  Plantarum 
Centuria  prima.  Gedani,  1678. 

BREYN.  HIST.  coce.  ^n  abbreviation  of  J.  P.  Breynii 
Historia  Naturalis  Cocci  Radicum  Tictorii.  Gedani, 
1731. 

BREYN.  PROD.  An  abbreviation  of  Jacobi  Breynii, 
Prodromus,  Fasciculi  Rarior.  Plant. 

BREYN.  SCHED.  An  abbreviation  of  Jacobi  Breynii 
Schediasma  de  Echinis. 

BRI'CUMUM.     See  ARTEMISIA. 

BRIXDO'XES.  (Indian).  A  fruit  in  the  East  In- 
dies. Vinegar  is  made  from  it,  and  it  is  also  a  material 
used  for  colouring ;  reddish  on  the  outside,  and  of 
a  blood  red  within.  The  MANGOUSTAX  of  the  Celebes, 
q.  v.  Rail  Hist. 

BRINE.  The  fluid  which  is  separated  from  meat 
that  has  been  salted,  containing  a  solution  of  the  salt, 

Oo 


BR  O 


282 


BR  O 


with  albuminous  and  other  animal  fluids.  It  is  used,  ex- 
ternally, as  a  stimulant  in  palsies,  and  cedematous  swell- 
ings of  the  legs ;  and  is  sometimes  poured  with  advan- 
tage into  the  ear  when  filled  with  viscid  cerumen,  or, 
when  the  action  of  the  ceruminous  glands  is  too  languid. 
BRISTOLIE'NSIS  A'QUA.  BRISTOL  WATER.  Of 
the  four  principal  warm  waters  naturally  produced  in 
England,  this  is  of  the  lowest  temperature.  See  BATHO- 

NIENSIS  AQUA. 

As  the  Bath  waters  are  proper  where  the  secretions 
are  defective,  so  the  Bristol  water  is  of  service  when  in 
excess.  The  Bath  water  warms ;  the  Bristol  cools.  Bath 
water  relieves  the  stomach  and  intestines;  the  Bristol 
the  lungs,  kidneys,  and  bladder.  It  issues  from  a  lime- 
stone rock. 

By  the  experiments  of  Dr.  Bryan  Higgins,  a  Win- 
chester gallon  of  this  water  contains, 

dwts.  gr. 

Of  calcareous  earth,  combined  with  vitriolic 

acid  in  the  form  of  selenite  0     8J 

Of  calcareous  earth,  combined  with  acidulous 

gas      -  0    12| 

Of  marine  salt  of  magnesia      -  0     5$ 

Of  sea  salt       -  0     6| 

Acidulous  gas,  besides  what  is  contained  in  the  cal- 
careous earth  above  mentioned,  eight  ounce  measures. 
Dr.  Carrick  found  a  little  difference  in  the  proportions, 
and  adds  to  the  ingredients_sulphat  of  soda. 

Little  can  be  therefore  expected  from  the  mineral 
.contents  of  this  water.  It  has,  however,  been  supposed 
useful  in  internal  haemorrhages,  immoderate  discharge 
of  the  menses,  old  diarrhoeas,  fluor  albus,  internal  in- 
flammations, spitting  of  blood,  dysentery,  purulent 
ulcers  of  the  viscera,  consumption,  dropsy,  scurvy  with 
heat,  stone,  gravel,  strangury,  habitual  gout,  atrophy, 
slow  fever,  scrofula,  gleets,  and  a  diabetes  ;  in  which 
last  it  is  esteemed  a  specific,  and  is  allowed  to  be  drunk 
as  freely  as  the  thirst  requires  it.  The  sensible  qua- 
lities of  this  water  render  any  particular  directions  for 
its  use  ridiculous. 

The  hotter  months  are  the  best  for  using  it.  In  gene- 
ral it  is  drunk  in  repeated  draughts  of  half  a  pint,  from 
JL  pint  to  two  quarts  a  day. 

The  Bristol  and  Matlock  waters  are  of  exactly  the 
same  qualities. 

See  Dr.  Maplet,  Dr.  Guidot,  and  Dr.  Wynter,  on  the 
Bristol  Waters.  It  was  Doctors  Mead  and  Lane  who 
established  the  reputation  of  Bristol  water  in  diseases  of 
the  kidneys  and  bladder.  The  latest  author  on  this 
subject  is  Dr.  Carrick. 

BRITA'NICA.  The  herh^alled  britanica  has  oc- 
casioned numerous  discussions,  and  it  was  supposed 
singular  that  it  should  not  be  known  in  Britain.  The 
mistake  respecting  the  meaning  of  the  term  occasioned 
the  difficulty.  (See  BRETANICA).  It  seems  to  have  been 
therumex  ar/uaticus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  479,  from  the  descrip- 
tions of  Pliny  and  Muntingius.  See  BARDANA,  and 
LAPATHUM  AQUATICUM. 

BRITTLENESS.     See  FRAGILITAS. 

BRI'ZA,  (from  Ppi^a,  to  lull  to  sleep;  because  bread 
made  of  it  causes  drowsiness).  SPELT  WHEAT. 

BRO'CHOS.  Castellus  thinks  it  must  mean  some 
chirurgical  instrument,  inasmuch  as  it  is  necessary 
to  some  operations,  on  the  authority  of  Galen  and 
Oribasius.  It  is  considered  also  as  expressive  of  some 


diseases,  particularly,  according  to  Galen,  of  a  depriva- 
tion of  voice.  Indeed,  in  surgery  it  is  a  noose,  and 
belongs  to  either  instruments  or  bandages,  for  it  is  the 
Greek  word  for  laytieus. 

BRO'CHTHUS.  The  THROAT,  (from  ^t^o,  to 
fiour).  See  GUTTUR.  Also  a  small  kind  of  drinking 
vessel. 

BRO'CHUS.  One  with  a  prominent  upper  lip,  or 
one  with  a  full  mouth  and  prominent  teeth. 

BRO'DIUM.  BROTH.  (See  Jus).  It  sometimes  means 
the  liquor  in  which  a  solid  medicine  is  preserved,  or 
with  which  it  is  diluted. 

BRO'MA.  FOOD,  (from  Ppenrxti,  to  eat,)  in  opposi- 
tion to  drink.  See  ALIMENT. 

BROM.  CHLOR.  GOTH.  An  abbreviation  of  Olai 
BromeliiChloris  Gothica,  seuCatalogus  Stirpium  circa 
Gothoburgum  nascentium. 

BROME'LIA.     See  ANANAS. 

BRO'MION,  [(from  j3f»p««,  the  oat).  A  plaster 
mentioned  by  P.  jEgineta :  and  so  called  because  it  was 
made  of  oaten  flour. 

BRO'MUS  STE'RILIS,  (from  fif*<r*.a,  to  eat). 
DANK  or  WILD  OATS.  See  J£GYLOPS. 

BRO'NCHIA,    (from    £/>»?%<>;,    the    throat).       See 

ASPEHA  ARTERIA,  and  BRONCHUS. 

BRONCHIA'LES  ARTE'RI^E.  They  sometimes 
go  from  the  fore  side  of  the  superior  descending  aorta, 
at  others  from  the  first  intercostal,  or  from  the  arteriae 
oesophagese.  Occasionally  they  arise  separately  from 
each  side  to  reach  each  lobe  of  the  lungs,  and  some- 
times by  a  small  common  trunk,  which  afterward  se- 
parates towards  the  right  and  left  hand,  at  the  bifurca- 
tion of  the  aspera  arteria,  and  the  branches  accompany 
the  ramifications  of  the  bronchia?. 

The  bronchial  artery  on  the  left  side  often  comes  from 
the  aorta,  while  the  other  arises  from  the  superior  inter- 
costal on  the  same  s.ide ;  which  variety  is  owing  to  the 
situation  of  the  aorta.  Sometimes  there  is  another  bron- 
chial artery,  which  goes  out  from  the  aorta  posteriorly, 
near  the  superior  intercostal,  above  the  bronchialis  an- 
terior. 

Communications  have  been  observed  between  the 
bronchial  artery  and  the  vena  azygos,  and  with  the  co- 
ronary artery  of  the  heart.  Ruysch  first  discovered 
these  vessels,  and  he  describes  both  the  bronchial  ar- 
teries and  veins  in  his  fourth  epistle. 

BRONCHIA'LES  GLA'NDUL^E.  At  the  angle  of  the  first 
ramification  of  the  trachea  arteria,  we  find  on  both  the 
fore  and  back  parts  certain  soft  roundish  glandular 
bodies  of  a  bluish  or  blackish  colour,  and  of  a  texture 
partly  like  that  of  the  thymus,  and  partly  like  that  of 
the  thyroid  gland.  There  are  many  similar  glands  at  the 
origin  of  each  ramification  of  the  bronchia.  Dr.  Hunter 
supposes  their  office  is  to  separate  a  mucus  to  lubricate 
the  lungs :  they  are  different  both  in  colour  and  struc- 
ture from  the  conglobate  and  lymphatic  glands. 

BRONCHI'ALISGLA'NDULA.  See  THYROIDS 

GLANDUI.A. 

BRONCHOCE'LE,  (from  fyr/w,  the  wind  fiifie, 
and  x>)A«),  tumour).  Also  called  bocium,botium.  It  hath 
various  names  in  different  writings ;  the  Swiss  call  it 
gotre;  some  have  called  it  hernia  gutturis,  gutter,  tumi- 
dunij  et  trachelofihyma,  gossum,  exechebronchos;  gon- 
grona,  hernia  bronchialis:  Heister  thought  it  should  be 
named  tracheocele.  Mr.  Prosser,  in  his  late  publication 


BR  O 


283 


BR  O 


on  this  disorder,  from  its  frequency  on  the  hilly  parts 
of  Derbyshire,  calls  it,  with  others,  the  DERBYSHIRE 
NECK  ;  and,  not  satisfied  respecting  the  similitude  of 
this  tumour  with  that  observed  on  the  neck  of  women 
on  the  Alps,  die  English  bronchocele.  As  various  causes 
give  rise  to  this  complaint,  he  endeavours  more  strictly 
to  distinguish  that  in  which  he  expects  success  in  his 
attempt  to  cure.  When  not  produced  by  accidents, 
such  as  loud  speaking,  crying,  blows,  he  calls  it  the  na- 
tural, the  spontaneous,  or  the  curable  bronchocele. 

The  seat  of  this  disease  is  the  thyroid  gland,  which 
Dr.  Hunter  hath  observed  lies  just  below  the  larynx, 
round  the  trachea.  The  tumour  appears  in  the  fore 
part  of  the  neck,  between  the  skin  and  the  wind  pipe. 
Women  are  the  most  frequent  subjects  of  it,  and  in 
them  it  usually  appears  early.  Dr.  Hunter  met  with 
one  case  ofjiiis  kind  in  a  young  surgeon  ;  but  it  rarely 
happens  in  males. 

Various  causes  are  assigned  by  different  writers.  On 
the  mountainous  parts  of  Genoa  and  Piedmont,  they 
attribute  these  tumours  to  drinking  water  cooled  with 
ice.  Dr.  Leake  thinks  it  very  probable  that  such 
glandular  swellings  as  happen  about  the  neck  and  face, 
may  be  owing  to  the  severity  of  the  cold  moist  air, 
especially  since  they  generally  appear  in  winter,  and 
rarely  in  the  warm  dry  climates  of  Italy  and  Portugal. 
This,  he  adds,  is  probable,  because  the  intense  degree 
of  cold  may  constringe  the  glandular  ducts,  and  lock 
up  that  fluid  which  ought  to  pass  freely  through  them. 
Some  writers  attribute  it  to  a  scrofulous  cause.  Mr. 
Prosser  inclines  to  think  that  it  is  a  dropsy  in  the 
gland,  and  similar  to  the  dropsy  in  the  ovaries.  He 
relates,  that  Dr.  Hunter  dissected  one  of  these  glands 
that  had  been  considerably  enlarged,  and  it  was  found 
to  be  distended  by  a  number  of  cysts  filled  with  water, 
which  must  have  been  hydatids.  Yet  most  writers 
agree  that  its  true  cause  and  nature  are  alike  unknown. 

The  bronchocelt,  Mr.  Prosser  observes,  is  a  tumour 
arising  on  the  fore  part  of  the  neck ;  it  generally  first 
appears  some  time  betwixt  the  age  of  eight  and  twelve 
years,  and  continues  gradually  to  increase  for  three, 
four,  or  five  years;  and  sometimes  the  last  half  year,  we 
are  told,  it  grows  more  than  for  a  year  or  two  before. 
It  generally  occupies  all  the  front  of  the  neck,  for  the 
•whole  thyroid  gland  is  enlarged;  but  it  does  not  rise 
near  so  high  as  the  ears,  as  in  the  cases  mentioned  by 
Wiseman  ;  and  it  is  rather  in  a  pendulous  form,  not  un- 
iike.  as  Albucasis  says,  the  flap  or  dewlap  of  a  turkey 
cock,  the  bottom  being  the  larger  part  of  the  tumour. 
In  figure,  it  varies  considerably  in  different  cases.  It 
is  soft,  or  rather  flabby  to  the  touch,  and  somewhat 
moveable  ;  but,  when  it  has  continued  some  years  after 
it.  has  ceased  to  increase,  it  becomes  more  firm  or  con- 
fined. By  the  situation  and  nature  of  the  complaint,  it 
generally  occasions  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  which  is 
increased  on  the  patient's  taking  cold,  or  attempting  to 
run.  In  some  the  tumour  is  so  large,  and  so  much  af- 
fects the  breathing,  as  to  occasion  a  loud  wheezing ;  but 
we  meet  with  many  exceptions  to  this  general  rule. 
When  large, patients  sometimes  suffer  but  little;  others 
suffer  much  from  an  inconsiderable  tumour.  In  gene- 
ral, however,  it  occasions  little  inconvenience.  Dr. 
Hunter  observed,  that  this  tumour  now  and  then  sup- 
purates. 

The  bronchocele   should    be  distinguished    from   a 


scirrhus,  from  an  aneurism,  and  from  those  swellings  in 
the  neck  that  arise  from  strains  or  ruptured  vessels. 
The  distinction,  however,  is  not  difficult. 

This  tumour  never  becomes  cancerous.  Mr.  Gooch 
says,  he  never  knew  this  tumour,  however  large,  to  en- 
danger life ;  but  he  observes  a  considerable  inconve- 
nience from  it  in  cases  of  quinsy  combined  with  it.  Mr. 
Sharpe  mentions,  that  the  only  cases  of  quinsy  requir- 
ing bronchotomy,  were  owing  to  the  presence  of  bron- 
choceles.  Dr.  Hunter  has  observed,  that  this  disorder 
appears  two  or  three  years  before  or  after  menstruating; 
and  that  it  sometimes  spontaneously  disappears,  if  the 
menstruation  approaches  kindly.  Mr.  Prosser  thinks 
that  this  change  in  the  constitution  scarcely  ever  affects 
the  tumour.  We  have  never  found  that  it  has  produced 
any  diminution  of  its  bulk. 

The  drain  of  an  issue,  or  of  a  perpetual  blister,  ap- 
plied on  some  other  occasions,  has  apparently  prevented 
the  growth  of  the  bronchocele,  though  the  effect  conti- 
nued only  during  the  drain.  It  cannot  be  extirpated, 
as  it  is  entangled  with  the  recurrent  nerves,  and  the  first 
branch  of  the  external  carotid  artery;  and  if  by  chance 
a  suppuration  is  formed,  an  ill  conditioned  ulcer,  diffi- 
cultly cured,  is  the  consequence.  Mr.  Prosser  hath 
succeeded,  in  many  instances,  in  discussing  it.  On  this 
plan,  the  late  famous  Coventry  practice  was  formed, 
which  Mr.  Wilmer  has  inserted  in  an  Appendix  to  his 
Cases  in  Surgery.  It  begins  with  an  emetic  the  day 
after  the  moon  is  at  the  full,  and,  the  day  after  that,  a 
purge  is  given ;  the  night  following,  and  seven  nights 
successively,  the  following  bolus  is  laid  under  the 
tongue  at  bed  time;  and,  in  the  days,  a  bitter  stomachic 
powder  given  at  noon.  On  the  eighth  day  the  purge 
is  to  be  repeated ;  and,  in  the  wane  of  the  succeeding 
moon,  the  whole  process  to  be  repeated,  except  the 
emetic.  The  tartar  emetic  ointment  rubbed  in  on  the 
tumour  is  supposed  to  assist  the  cure  ;  and,  indeed,  by- 
adding  this  application  to  the  Coventry  receipt,  we 
have  often  succeeded  in  greatly  reducing  bronchocele. 
Mr.  Xing  gives  the  burnt  sponge  in  the  dose  of  a 
scruple  three  times  a  day  ;  but,  if  his  recipe  be  correct, 
two  ounces  of  the  sponge  in  twenty-four  troches  must 
amount  to  two  scruples  in  each.  He  attributes  the  cure 
to  the  quantity,  which, vwe  think,  with  many  stomachs 
would  be  inconvenient.  THE  LOZENGE  TO  BE  LAID  ux- 
DER  THE  TONGUE  is  formed  of  calcined  sponge,  cork,  and 
fiumice  stone,  of  each  ten  grains,  syru/i  a  sufficient 
quantity. 

Mr.  Prosser  has  succeeded  by  the  use  of  his  medi- 
cines, though  the  patient  was  nearly  advanced  to  her 
twenty-fifth  year,  more  than  twelve  years  after  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  tumour  on  the  neck  :  after  the  twenty- 
fifth  year,  no  instance  of  success  hath  occurred.  He  or- 
ders one  of  die  following  powders  to  be  taken  early  in  the 
morning,  an  hour  or  two  before  breakfast,  and  at  five  or 
six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  every  day  for  a  fortnight  or 
three  weeks.  The  powder  may  be  taken  in  a  little  syrup, 
or  sugar  and  water,  or  any  thing  else,  so  that  none  may 
be  lost.  If  it  does  not  sit  well  on  an  empty  stomach,  it 
may  be  taken  betwixt  breakfast  and  dinner. 

U.  Cinnab.  ant.  op.  levigat.  milleped.  ppt.  et  ptilv 
aa  gr.  xv.     Spong.  calcinat.  9  i.  in. 

These  powders  should  be   taken  for  two  or  tnree 
weeks,  then  omitted  for  about  a  week  or  nine  days  ;  die 
same  course  must  be  then  repeated.   At  bed  time  < 
>O  e  : 


284 


BliU 


night,  during  the  second  course  of  the  powders,  three 
of  "the  following  pills  are  to  be  taken  : 

R.  Hydrargyr.  5  v-  terebinthinse  Strasburgensis  3  ij- 
extract!  colocynthidis  comp.  9  iv.  pulv.  rhabarbari  J  i. 

First  grind  the  quicksilver  with  the  turpentine  till  it 
appears  no  longer,  then  add  the  rest,  and  form  a  mass. 
If  the  turpentine  be  too  thick,  a  little  olive  oil  must  be 
added. 

These  medicines  do  not  require  confinement,  except 
they  are  taken  in  severe  weather,  and  then  only  to  the 
Jiouse;  nor  need  the  diet  be  much  regarded.  It  may  be 
sufficient  that  the  medicines  are  taken  in  a  temperate 
season,  or  rather  warm  weather,  and  the  patient  lives 
exactly  in  the  usual  way,  guarding  against  cold  during 
the  second  course  of  the  medicines.  The  patient,  if  a 
.servant,  should  avoid  standing,  especially  at  the  washing 
tub,  or  any  work  with  cold  water.  As  to  diet,  when  no 
alteration  hath  been  made  in  it,  the  success  has  been 
the  same  as  when  stated  regulations  were  regarded.  In 
this  discretion  may  occasionally  direct.  If  the  pills 
continue  to  purge,  after  taking  them  a  few  days,  it 
would  be  better  to  leave  out  the  extr.  coloc.  comp.  in 
their  preparation,  and  lessen  the  close  in  the  same  pro- 
portion. In  general  it  will  be  proper  for  the  patient  to 
be  purged  twice  or  thrice  with  manna  and  salts,  or  any 
gentle  cathartic,  before  the  powders  are  begun.  The 
medicines  are  here  proportioned  for  an  adult  of  a  good 
constitution  ;  therefore,  if  the  patient  is  younger,  or  of 
a  weakly  habit,  the  doses  mCist  be  managed  accordingly. 
As  to  external  applications,  they  may  be  hurtful,  but  do 
not  appear  likely  to' be  useful. 

The  patient  must  not  expect  to  find  benefit  in  a  little 
time;  perhaps  it  will  be  as  long  after  the  medicines  are 
all  taken,  as  the  time  they  are  in  taking,  before  much 
difference  will  be  perceived  in  the  tumour  of  the  neck. 
It  is  necessary  that  the  medicines  be  begun  at  a  proper 
time,  especially  the  second  course;  a  few  days  should 
always  be  dispensed  with  on  that  account. 

Amongst  the  earlier  writers,  Albucasis  is  the  first  who 
gives  any  useful  account  of  this  disorder.  See  it  trans- 
lated into  Friend's  Hist,  of  Physic,  and  into  James's 
Med.  Diet.  art.  Bronchocele.  Sec  also  Turner's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  i.  p.  164.  Wilmer's  Cases  and  Remarks  in 
Surgery,  in  the  Appendix.  An  Account  of  the  Method 
of  Cure  of  the  Bronchocele,  by  Thomas  Prosser,  edit. 
3.  Gooch,  in  his  Mcd.  Obs.  gives  an  instance  t>f  an 
aqueous  bronchocelc.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  514. 
White's  Surgery,  289.  Memoirs  of  the  Medical  So- 
ciety of  London, 217. 

BRO'NCHOS,(from  fifoy  %<><;,  wind fiifie).  A  suppres- 
sion of  the  voice  from  a  catarrh.  Also  a  catarrh,  when 
it  principally  affects  the  fauces.  See  C.VTARRHUS. 

BRONCHOTO'MIA,  (from  />/"*©",  the  wind  fiifie, 
and  Ttftva,  to  cut).  BUONCHOTOMY..  See  THACHEO- 
TOMIA. 

.BRONCHUS,  (from  /3fe#«,  to  fiour).  The  ancients 
believed  that  the  fluids  were  conveyed  by  the  bronchiae; 
whence  its  name.  According  to  Galen  it  is  the  an/iera 
arteria,  from  the  larynx  to  the  lungs ;  but,  bronchiae  or 
bronchi,  as  now  understood,  are  the  ramifications. 

BRO'NTE,  (quasi  ftfotrij,  from  Ppifta,  to  roar*). 
THUNDEH.  Was  it  from  hence  Lord  Nelson  derived 
his  title? 

BRU'MA.  Some  derive  it  from  B^ies,  Bacchus, 
hecause  at  that  time  the  feasts  of  Bacchus  were  cele- 


brated :  but,  more  probably,  quasi  breyima,  for  bre-vis- 
sima  dies.  WINTER.  But  particularly  when  the  days 
are  shortest. 

BRU'MASAR.  A  spagirical  term  for  silver.  See 
ARGENTUM. 

BRUNE'LLA.  COMMON  SELF  HEAL;  called  also 
prunella,  consolida  minor,  and  sy m/ifiylum  fietr&um.  It 
is  the  firunello.  -vulgaris  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  837.  Nat.  order 
labiates.  It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in  pasture  grounds, 
and  flowers  in  June  and  July.  In  taste  it  is  slightly 
austere  and  bitter,  and  much  used  in  fluxes,  haemorr- 
hages, and  in  gargarisms,  as  well  as  to  remove  aphthous 
exudations  in  the  mouth.  Miller's  Bot.  Off. 

BRUNNIE'RIGLANDU'LyK.BKUNNiER's  GLANDS. 
So  called  in  honour  of  their  discoverer.  They  are 
lodged  under  the  villous  coat  of  the  intestines,  closely 
adjoining  to  the  nervous ;  and  are  smaller  than  in  the 
large  ones.  They  are  also  called  Peyeri  glandule. 
PEYER'S  GLANDS. 

BRUNONIAN  SYSTEM.  We  have  already  ex- 
plained our  reasons  for  adopting  the  plan  of  giving  dis- 
tinct views  of  the  most  prevailing  medical  systems  in 
different  articles  (see  BOERHAAVIAN  SYSTEM),  and  shall 
pursue  the  present  meteor  from  its  first  spark  to  its 
.meridian  :  others  may  perhaps  record  its  decline  or  full. 
The  history  of  Dr.  Brown  would  not  be  of  importance  in 
this  place,  were  it  not  necessary  to  explain  some  parts 
of  his  doctrines.  Originally  a  teacher  of  Latin,  he  at- 
tended the  medical  classes  by  the  permission  of  the  dif- 
ferent professors;  and,  as  the  tutor  of  his  sons  in  that 
language,  was  first  connected  with  Dr.  Cullen,  to  whom 
he  became  an  useful  assistant,  and  of  whose  doctrine  he 
was  a  warm  admirer.  His  great  object  for  a  future 
maintenance  when  we  knew  him,  was  to  repeat  Dr.  Cul- 
len's  lectures  in  London  after  his  death.  Some  dis- 
agreement turned  him  to  a  virulent  antagonist,  and  from 
hence  arose  the  BRUNONIAN  DOCTRINE. 

We  mean  not  by  this  to  prejudge  or  disparage  the 
system  :  it  must  rest  on  its  own  merits :  but,  to  explain 
that  decided  opposition,  and  the  virulent  language  em- 
ployed when  speaking  of  the  Cullenian  doctrines.  We. 
suspect,  however,  that  it  may  explain  the  source  of 
some  of  his  own-opinions,  without  giving  him  the  credit 
of  a  very  brilliant  genius  ;  for,  in  possession  of  a  system 
with  the  arguments  in  its  support,  it  is  not  very  diffi- 
cult to  say  that  any  part  is  ' false,'  and  to  wrest  the  ar- 
guments to  the  opposite  opinion.  If,  however,  his  sys- 
tem be  well  founded,  it  proves  his  genius  to  be  pre- 
eminent, for  little  was  gained  by  study.  We  recollect 
but  one  author  quoted,  which  is  T filler ;  and,  from  the 
manner  of  the  quotation,  we  should  suspect  that  he  was 
not  ^intimately  acquainted  with  him.  The  opinions 
and  practice  of  different  authors  he  could  not  have  been 
ignorant  of,  from  the  lectures  he  attended ;  yet  it  is 
singular  that  his  practice  is  so  little  discriminated,  that 
he  seems  scarcely  to,  have  visited  the  sick  bed,  or  at- 
tended to  the  distinguishing  symptoms  which  influence 
the  practical  physician  in  the  minuter  variations  of  his 
conduct. 

Dr.  Brown,  however,  started  as  a  self  appointed  lec- 
turer, and  the  avowed  opponent  of  the  Cullenian  sys- 
tem. His  doctrine,  even  more  simple  than  that  of  the 
methodists,  admitted  only  of  the  strictum  and  laxum, 
the  sthenic  and  asthenic  states,  without  allowing  the 
union  of  both.  Simplicity  is  attractive  to  youth ;  it  is 


R  L 


285 


BIl  U 


falsely  called  '  the  seal  of  truth  ;'  and  to  escape  from 
professorial  dogmas,  added  to,  the  seduction.  It  is  at 
least  certain,  that  after  some  months  of  hesitation  Dr. 
Brown  was  greatly  followed,  and  his  doctrines  were 
echoed  in  the  'v Medical  Society,"  where  the  Cullenian 
system  had  gained  a  complete  victory  over  the  Boer- 
haavian;  and,  by  the  aid  of  the  numerous  pupils  of  that 
M  hool,  was  disseminated  through  Europe,  Asia,  and 
America.  It  was  eagerly  caught  at  on  all  sides ;  but,  by  a 
strange  perversion,  in  escaping  from  the  humoral  patho- 
'ogy.  many  professed  Brunonians  adopted  doctrines  es- 
sentially distinct  from  those  of  Brown,  supposing  that  if 
'hey  were  not  Boerhaavians,  they  were  of  his  sect. 

Dr.  Brown  seemed  to  consider  man,  not  as  a  being 
compounded  of  an  organised  system  to  which  the 
principle  of  life  was  superadded,  but  as  a  machine,  to 
which  a  certain  series  of  actions  and  effects  is  allotted 
by  means  of  an  excitability,  differing  in  degree,  but 
generally,  though  on  the  whole  imperceptibly  exhaust- 
ing. In  fact,  it  is  a  flame  kept  alive  by  excitements, 
such  as  heat,  food,  passions,  &cc.  which,  however,  de- 
stroy by  degrees  the  pabulum,  or,  in  his  language,  the 
excitability.  As  the  machine  is  merely  passive,  and  the 
flame  kept  up  by  blowing,  it  cannot  be  depressed  ex- 
cept by  an  intermission  of  the  blast.  It  may,  however, 
be  exhausted  by  blowing  too  violently  ;  or  the  pabulum, 
not  exhausted  by  the  constant  blast,  may  burn  with 
greater  fury  on  its  recommencement.  We  mean  mere- 
ly to  facilitate  the  reader's  conception  by  our  metaphor, 
not  to  render  the  subject  ludicrous. 

Life,  therefore,  is  a  '  forced  state  ;'  every  thing  sti- 
mulates ;  some  substances  too  violently,  others  not  suf- 
ficiently :  and  we  thus  have  two  kinds  of  debility,  in- 
direct and  direct.  In  the  former  case,  the  strongest 
stimuli  are  necessary;  in  the  second,  the  slightest  de- 
stroy in  consequence  of  too  great  irritability.  In  the  gaol 
fever,  for  instance,  we  must  give  the  strongest  stimu- 
lants :  to  the  man  long  pent  up  in  darkness,  with  scanty 
food,  the  light  must  be  moderate,  the  aliment  of  the 
mildest  kind,  and  stimuli  of  every  sort  most  sparingly 
administered;  as  the  flame,  long  repressed,  would  be 
roused  by  the  slightest  excitement. 

Such  is  the  basis  of  Dr.  Brown's  system ;  and  for 
one  part  of  it,  accumulated  excitability,  he  deserves  the 
greatest  credit.  It  is  a  law  of  the  animal  economy  so 
general,  that  the  attention  to  it  directs  the  practitioner 
in  various  ways ;  nor  should  he,  on  any  occasion,  lose 
sight  of  its  consequence,  that  too  frequent  and  violent 
excitements  are  destructive.  It  had  been  well  if  Dr. 
Brown  had  kept  it  more  often  in  view,  particularly  in 
his  arrangement  of  diseases.  There  is,  however,  an- 
other law  of  the  system  connected  with  this,  which  has 
been  less  adverted  to,  viz.  that  excitability,  long  re- 
pressed, is  with  difficulty,  if  at  all,  to  be  roused  by 
stimulants.  Constitutions  of  this  kind  are  ruined  from 
inactivity;  they  rust,  as  we  have  said,  on  their  hinges; 
and  the  Brunonian  will  not  refuse  this  addition  to  his 
system,  since  it  is  so  connected  with  his  principle,  that 
life  is  a  forced  state. 

-  principle,  however,  we  cannot  admit.  'Life  is 
superadded  to  organized  matter ;  for  organization  itself 
will  no  more  produce  it,  than  the  most  skilful  union  of 
wheels  will  produce  a  time  piece  without  its  spring. 
This  leads  to  a  fundamental  objection  to  the  Brunonian 
system;  that,  by  giving  man  in  the  beginning  a  de- 


termined proportion  of  excitability,  he  has  no  where 
provided  for  its  renewal,  when  exhausted.  It  accumu- 
lates from  want  of  exhaustion,  but  from  what  source  ? 
For,  let  only  an  atom  be  taken  from  a  mountain,  and 
in  no  way  restored,  the  mountain  must  in  that  pro- 
portion be  diminished,  and  cannot  regain  its  former 
bulk.  Boerhaave  arid  Cullen  felt  the  difficulty.  Boer- 
haave  supplied  it  by  secretion ;  Cullen,  more  indistinctly, 
made  it  the  consequence  of  collapse,  alluding  by  some 
remote  analogy  to  the  electrical  fluid.  Brown  cut  the 
knot,  and,  like  Jack  in  the  tale,  would  be  '  as  unlike  the 
rogue  Peter  as  possible;'  so  that  there  must  be  no  c<jl- 
la/ise.  Brown  himself  speaks  of  '  recruiting  _the  ex- 
citability ;  and  his  followers,  when  urged  by  the  difficul- 
ty, have  either  evaded  it,  or  explained  in  a  way  not  very- 
consistent  with  the  general  principle. 

Again  :  Dr.  Brown  speaks  of  indirect  and  direct  de- 
bility, of  the  two  states  of  exhausted  and  accumulated 
irritability.  The  gaol  fever  is  allowed  to  be  an  instance 
of  the  former,  and  the  person,  secluded  from-light  and 
air,  of  the  latter.  Yet,  did  Dr.  Brown  never  see  (we  be- 
lieve he  never  did)  in  the  gaol  fever,  inordinate  stimuli 
fatal  by  their  excess  ?  Did  he  never  see  phlegmonic  in- 
flammation sometimes  supervene?  To  the  angina  ma- 
ligna,  too,  a  very  similar  disease,  the  inflammatory  an- 
gina sometimes  succeeds  from  too  violent  and  long  con- 
tinued stimuli.  How,  however,  in  the  gaol  fever,  one 
of  his  own  instances,  is  the  excitability  exhausted  by 
excess  of  stimuli  ?  Every  previous  cause,  every  con- 
comitant circumstance,  has  a  tendency  totally  different. 
In  this  and  the  other  instance  of  indirect  debility,  we 
see  only  the  powers  of  life  gradually  exhausting,  in  a 
certain  degree  to  be  roused  with  augmented  violence  by 
stimuli;  but,  after  a  certain  period,  incapable  of  any 
excitement:  while  even  the  effects  of  stimuli,  though 
apparently  for  a  time  successful,  often  contribute  to  de- 
stroy the  remaining  portion  of  excitability.  The  dif- 
ference of  the  two  cases  consists  in  this  only,  that  the 
excitability  in  the  latter  is  only  accumulated  ;  but  in  the 
former,  by  the  debilitating  power  of  the  fever,  added 
to  that  from  the  confinement,  in  a  great  measure  de- 
stroyed, or  at  least  so  far  diminished  as  to  be  very  ge- 
nerally irrecoverable. 

A  striking  instance  of  accumulated  excitability  oc- 
curred in  that  singularly  intrepid  exertion  of  captain 
Bligh,  when  he  crossed  the  Pacific  in  a  small  boat,  with 
a  very  inconsiderable  stock  of  provisions.  On  reaching 
Timor,  one  of  his  crew  died  of  an  inflammatory  fever. 
Had  these  men  after  their  voyage  been  thrown  into  a 
loathsome  prison,  or  an  infected  hospital,  would  they 
have  escaped  ?  We  know  they  would  not,  fpr  similar 
instances  have  occurred  ;  yet  in  these  we  might  in  vaiti 
look  for  the  stimuli  by  which  the  excitability  had  been 
exhausted. 

A  consequence  of  this  doctrine  must  be,  that  every 
medicine  stimulates ;  and  the  difference  between  what 
are  styled  stimulants  and  sedatives  is,  that  the  latter  are 
not  sufficiently  stimulating.  This,  however,  must  soon 
become  a  verbal  controversy.  The  oxygen  of  the  at- 
mosphere stimulates  the  lungs,  and  hence  the  whole 
system;  but  if  the  oxygen  is  Deficient,  the  stimulus  is 
abstracted,  and  the  machine  no  longer  urged  on.  \  et 
this  is  not  the  only  stimulus;  if  we  'abstract  oxy 
we  may  supply  an  additional  stimulus  by  warmth  :  ab- 
strac;  I,  also,  and  the  passions  may  tupply  its 


R  U 


286 


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place.  Without  all  these  exciting  powers,  we  need  not 
despair;  we  have  brandy,  laudanum,  and  aether.  It  is 
sufficient  to  state  this  reasoning,  which,  on  Brunonian 
principles,  is  fair,  to  show  its  fallacy.  Azote  and  hy- 
drocarbonate,  when  breathed  without  dilution,  imme- 
diately kill.  Is  this  from  deficient  or  excessive  sti- 
mulus ?  If  from  the  former,  it  differs  in  no  degree  from 
a  sedative  :  if  from  excessive  stimulus  exhausting  ex- 
citability, we  can  only  say  that  the  existence  of  the  pre- 
vious stimulus  is  gratuitous ;  and  we  have  long  since 
learnt,  that,  quodverbo  dicitur,  verbo  negare  sat  est.  If 
no  stimulus  appears,  we  cannot  place  sufficient  confi- 
dence in  any  assertion  to  believe  that  it  exists. 

But  these  are  harmless  speculations.  When  we  find 
them  applied  to  practice,  humanity  shudders  at  the 
dangerous  tendency  of  many  of  these  doctrines.  If  we 
can  trust  reports,  their  application  has  been  very  exten- 
sively injurious.  As  the  trammels  of  a  system  are  every 
where  conspicuous,  so  diseases  are  supposed  to  be  either 
sthenic  or  asthenic.  Those  arranged  under  the  former 
class  &re.,peripneumonia,phrenitis, -variola, rubeola,  ery- 
sipelas, rheumatism,  cynanche  tonsillaris,catarrhus,  sy- 
nocha,  scarlatina, mania,  pervigilium,  and  obesitas.  The 
aslhenic  diseases  are,  macies,  inyuieludo,  eruptio  scabi- 
osa,  diabetes  lenior,  rachitis,  menstruorum  cessatio  sup- 
pressio  et  retentio,  m<snorrh<za,  epistaxis,  h<emorrhois, 
sitis  -uomitus  et  indigestio  cum  affinibua  alimentarii  ca- 
nalis  morbis,  fiueriles  affectus  scil.  vermes  et  tabes,  dy- 
senteria  et  cholera,  scorbutus,  hysteria  levior,  rheuma- 
talgia,  tussis  asthenica,  pertussis,  cystirrhaa,  podagra 
•validiorum  et  imbeciliorum,  asthma,  s/iasma,  anasarca, 
colicodynia,  dyspepsodynia,  hysteria  gra-uiorjhypochon- 
driasis,  hydrofis,  epilepsia,  paralysis,  apoplexia,  tris- 
mus,  tetanus,  inter  mitten  tes,  dysenteria  et  colica  gravior, 
synochus,  typhus  simplex,  cynanche gangrenosa, -variola 
conjluens,  typhus,  pestilens  et  pestis.  The  local  dis- 
eases follow,  among  which  we  see  with  some  surprise, 
the  internal  injlammations  of  the  abdomen,  abortion,  and 
difficult  births.  Deep  wounds,  suppuration,  pustula, 
anthrax,  bubo,  gangrene,  sphacelus,  scrofulous  tu- 
mours, and  scirrhus,  may  with  more  propriety  be  con- 
sidered as  local  diseases,  yet  these  often  require  gene- 
ral methods  of  treatment. 

The  cure  is  as  simple  as  the  arrangement.  Bleeding, 
low  diet,  and  purging,  cure  the  sthenic  diseases ;  sti- 
muli, of  different  kinds  and  degrees,  the  asthenic.  Is  it 
surprising  then  that  this  system  should  have  its  ad- 
mirers ?  The  labour  of  study  is  at  once  abridged.  The 
works  of  Galen  and  his  followers  may  be  again  burnt  in 
solemn  state ;  and  the  degree  of  strength  or  debility 
registered  on  a  scale,  may  be  at  once  attacked  by  the  ap- 
propriate weapon.  Sad  is  the  history  which  must  follow. 
The  victims  of  the  yellow  fever  in  the  West  Indies 
were  often  laid  low  after  full  doses  of  Madeira,  bark, 
and  laudanum.  We  have  seen  the  hectics  raised  into  a 
destructive  flame  by  similar  means  ;  and  the  typhus  fever 
aggravated  by  equally  undistinguishing  management. 

We  cannot  pursue  the  list  minutely,  but  shall  take 
an  instance  or  two  from  each  class.  Peripneumony  is 
a  sthenic  disease,  and  is  attacked,  as  usual,  by  bleeding 
and  purging.  If  this  plan  be  followed,  the  fever  is  mi- 
tigated, but  the  affection  of  the  breast  remains  the  same. 
For  this,  the  only  salutary  discharge  is  the  expectoration, 
which  should  be  conducted  with  care.  Of  this  dis- 
charge Dr.  Brown  takes  no  notice ;  and,  unfortunately, 


active  purging  will  not  only  supersede,  but  prevent  it  : 
and  we  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that  few  patients 
treated  in  this  way  would  survive.  We  might  notice 
also  scarlatina  and  erysipelas.  Either,  treated  by  active 
bleeding  and  purging,  would  soon  prove  fatal.  The 
treatment  proposed  for  the  latter  may  succeed  in  Scot- 
land, but  in  this  metropolis  would  at  once  sink  the 
patient  irrecoverably.  Once  more:  obesity  is  a  disease 
to  be  cured  by  bleeding  and  purging.  In  fact,  there  is 
no  state  of  the  system  in  which  these  evacuations  are 
borne  with  so  little  advantage.  The  truly  inflammatory 
habit  is  the  strong,  thin,  firm,  muscular  Highlander,  or 
the  English  mountaineer.  The  opposite  state  is  the 
irritable,  hysteric  female,  generally  plump,  but  weak, 
and  soon  sunk  by  discharges. 

In  the  second  class  we  see  the  asthenic  cough,  by 
which  Dr.  Brown  means  consumption  ;  and  apoplexy. 
In  each  case  we  must  use  active  stimulants.  In  the 
latter  we  have  said  they  must  soon  be  employed,  but 
not  without  previously  lessening  the  quantity  of  fluids 
in  the  head,  clearing  the  bowels  with  the  most  active 
laxatives,  and  establishing  some  drain  to  prevent  the 
secondary  accumulation.  Of  these  precautions  not  a 
word  is  said,  and  without  them  the  physician  will  not 
be  very  successful.  We  know  this,  for  we  have  wit- 
nessed the  events,  and  we  alluded  to  them  in  the  article 
of  APOPLEXY,  when  we  spoke  of  the  accumulation  of 
stimulants,  till  it  was  uncertain  to  what  the  relief,  or, 
more  often,  the  failure  was  owing. 

Of  the  fatal  consequence  of  the  stimulating  plan  in 
consumption,  we  have  unfortunately  had  too  many  in- 
stances. With  the  best  management  the  picture  is 
gloomy;  with  the  methods  proposed  it  is  deeply  darken- 
ed. If  there  is  any  more  striking  feature  than  another  in 
this  complaint,  it  is  increased  irritability  of  the  arterial 
system,  and  a  larger  proportion  of  oxygen  in  the  fluids, 
with  its  accompanying  irritation.  Every  meal  of  an 
animal  nature  increases  the  heat,  the  smallest  quantity 
of  wine  or  spirits  raises  it  to  a  greater  degree ;  and 
when  again  cooled,  the  patient  sinks  with  languor  and 
debility.  Yet  this  is  the  disease  treated  with  all  the 
warmth  of  Brunonian  stimulus  !  We  are  free  to  o\jji 
that  the  lowering  system  has  been  carried  too  far  ;  and 
that  while  we  were  guarding  against  fever,  we  neglect; 
ed  properly  supporting  the  strength.  The  whole  sub- 
ject we  shall  have  occasion  to  state  at  length,  with  the 
necessary  distinctions ;  but  the  plan  sanctioned  by  ex- 
perience will  be  found  far,  very  far  distant  from  the 
practice  recommended  by  Dr.  Brown.  Nor  is  the 
chan'ge  in  the  plan  to  be  attributed  to  him.  It  was  sug- 
gested by  experience,  before  the  splendor  of  his  corus- 
cations had  reached  this  country. 

Of  the  gout  we  shall  not  again  speak.  Undoubtedly 
the  system  may  be  brought  too  low ;  and  Dr.  Brown, 
we  suspect,  would  raise  his  arthritics  too  high.  He 
himself  suffered  severely  when  he  changed  his  free  plan 
of  living  to  a  more  abstemious  one ;  but  his  case  is  not 
to  be  brought  as  an  example,  till  his  plan  and  its  long 
continuance  are  more  particularly  known.  We  knew 
it;  and  in  these  more  rational  days,  till  we  find  similar 
plans  have  been  adopted  by  our  patients,  we  shall  not 
recommend  those  in  the  work'now  before  us,  his  own 
Latin  edition,  published  in  1784. 

Scurvy  also  is  to  be  treated  by  stimulants ;  and  these 
without  the  usual  remedies,  it  is  said  by  this  author, 


BR 


287 


BR  Y 


will  succeed.  Uniform  experience  has  decided  differ- 
ently; and  lemon  juice  without  stimulants  is,  even  at 
sea,  found  to  be  an  effectual  remedy.  In  the  hooping 
cough,  stimulants  are  also  essential  in  Dr.  Brown's 
opinion.  Change  of  air  is  nonsense  (fabula),  and  vo- 
miting, death.  It  is  somewhat  surprising,  that,  in  op- 
position to  this  dogma,  hooping  cough  is  seldom  fatal, 
though  these  useless  or  dangerous  remedies  are  em- 
ployed, and  with  those  recommended — but  we  have  not 
heard  of  any  one  who  has  so  far  sinned  against  common 
sense  as  to  employ  them. 

We  have  enlarged  on  this  system  and  its  application, 
because,  as  we  have  said,  it  is  seductive  from  its  sim- 
plicity, and  the  little  labour  required  either  in  its  study 
or  its  management.  We  have  not  dwelt  on  the  minute 
investigation  really  required  to  adapt  the  stimulus  to 
the  state  of  direct  or  indirect  debility  in  a  given  case ; 
for,  though  we  know  that  every  disease  varies  in  this 
respect,  yet  no  provision  is  made  for  it  in  the  system : 
the  name  and  ther  class  are  only  necessary.  We  ob- 
serve, indeed,  that  Dr.  Brown,  in  one  or  two  instances, 
orders  the  stimulus  to  be  somewhat  less  than  that  of 
the  disease;  but  he  no  where  points  out  the  symptoms 
which  discriminate  its  degree. 

It  is  not  wholly  the  neglect  of  distinguishing  the  de- 
gree of  debility,  either  indirect  or  direct,  and,  of  course, 
the  proportion  of  stimulus  to  be  employed,  that  renders 
the  application  of  this  system  difficult  or  dangerous,  but 
the  very  imperfect  distinction  of  diseases.  The  de- 
scriptions are  often  the  most  meagre  and  imperfect;  the 
diagnosis  is  seldom  attended  to.  These,  in  fact,  would 
require  what  the  author  never  possessed,  practical  know- 
ledge. The  distinction  also  of  different  circumstances 
of  a  disease,  which  would  require  very  different  and 
often  opposite  treatment,  is  neglected;  and  when  we 
find  in  the  same  class,  to  be  treated  with  the  same  reme- 
dies, menstruorum,suppressio,  and  maenorrhoea,we  shall 
begin  to  suspect  that  an  attachment  to  system  has  preclud- 
ed the  observation  of  the  operations  of  nature.  When  we 
see  in  the  opposite  classes,  pervigilium  and  inquietude, 
phrenitis  and  epistaxis,  colica  gravior  and  enteritis ;  in 
the  same  chapter  the  podagra  imbeciliorum  andvalidio- 
rum,  treated  in  the  same  manner,  we  cannot  greatly  re- 
ly on  the  judgment  or  practical  knowledge  of  the  author. 

We  had  supposed  the  Brunoniafl  system  hastening  to 
oblivion;  but,  in  the  last  edition  by -Dr.  William  Cullen 
Brown,  we  are  informed  that  it  is  generally  adopted; 
and  he  asks  triumphantly,  what  would  have  been  the 
event  had  this^ system  been  promulgated  from  a  pro- 
fessorial chair  ?  Perhaps  the  delusion  might  have  lasted 
longer,  but  the  pupil  will  at  last  become  a  practitioner, 
and  will  bring  his  master's  doctrine  to  the  test  of  ex- 
perience, nor  any  longer  foster  it  than  he  finds  it  suc- 
cessful. His  son  speaks  of  the  numerous  converts  to 
this  new  doctrine;  but  we  have  found  few  who,  though 
they  profess  themselves  the  disciples  of  Brown,  follow 
implicitly  his  system ;  and  we  have  had  numerous  op- 
portunities of  remarking,  that  those  who,  on  leaving  the 
banners  of  Boerhaave,  have  adopted  the  nervous  pa- 
thology, are  rather  Cullenians  than  Brunonians.  Dr. 
Darwin,  it  is  said,  was  a  Brunonian  before  Brown  was 
known  :  in  reality,  his  language  is  in  some  parts  nearly 
the  same,  but  his  practice,  though  peculiar,  most  re- 
mote; and,  if  the  analogy  is  pushed  further,  the  term 


should  at  least  be  altered,  and  the  system  styled  Dar- 
winian. 

BRU'NUS.     See  ERYSIPELAS. 

BRU'SCUS.     See  Ruscus. 

BRU'TA.  (Arabic).  That  virtue  of  the  celestial 
influence  manifested  by  the  brutes,  as  in  the  stork 
teaching  the  use  of  salt  in  clysters. 

BRU'TIA.  An  epithet  for  the  most  resinous  kind  of 
pitch,  therefore  used  to  make  the  oleum  fiissinum,  said 
by  Ray  to  be  the  same  as  the  pisselaeon  of  the  ancients ; 
for  that  was  called  by  them  oleum  fiicinum  ;  and  was, 
according  to  Galen,  a  medicine  made  of  oil  and  pitch. 
The  pix  Brutia  was  so  called  from  Brutia,  a  country  in 
the  extreme  parts  of  Italy,  and  made  from  the  ttsda, 

MOUNTAIN  PINE. 

BRUTI'NO.     See  TEREBINTHINA. 

BRU'TOBON.  The  name  of  an  ointment  used  by 
the  Greeks. 

BRUTU'A.     See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

BRUXANELI.  (Indian).  A  tall  tree  in  Malabar: 
its  bark  is  diuretic.  Raii  Hist. 

BRY'GMUS,  (from  &fv%a,  to  make  a  noise}.  A  pe- 
culiar kind  of  noise,  such  as  is  made  by  the  grating  of 
the  teeth,  or  their  gnashing. 

BRY'ON,  (from  fifva,  to  germinate}.  Called  sftlach- 
non  by  some :  a  kind  of  moss  found  on  cedars,  oak,  &c. 
It  is  astringent. 

BRY'ON  THALA'SSIUM.     See  ALGA. 

BRYO'NIA,  (from  Pfvu,  to  abound}.  So  called'from 
its  abundance.  It  is  a  name  for  the  WHITE  JALAP;  also 
BRIONY. 

BRYO'NIA  A'LBA.  WHITE  BRIONY;  called  also  vitis 
alba,  vel  sylvestris;  agrostis,  amfielos,  archeostris; 
echetrosis,  by  Hippocrates;  bryonia  atfiera;  cedrostis; 
chelidonium  ;  labrusca  ;  melothrum,  ofihrostafihylon  ; 
fisilothrum;  WILD  VINE.  This  species  is  chiefly  used. 
It  is  the  bryonia  alba  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1438. 

It  is  a  perennial  rough  plant,  grows  wild  in  hedges, 
and  climbs  up  bushes,  with  curled  tendrils :  the  leaves 
are  in  shape  somewhat  like  those  of  the  vine. 

These  roots  are  taken  up  in  spring,  and  afford  a  thin 
milky  juice,  which  hath  a  disagreeable  smell,  and  a 
nauseous,  biting,  bitter  taste  :  if  applied  to  the  skin,  it 
blisters.  If  the  root  be  dried,  or  its  milky  juice  in- 
spissated, they  lose  most  of  their  acrimony  and  nauseous 
smell. 

Externally,  this  root  is  powerfully  discutient.  Dr. 
Alston  observes,  that  in  swellings,  strains,  and  stiffness 
of  the  joints,  he  has  experienced  surprising  effects  from 
it ;  in  contusions,  a  decoction  of  it  with  the  addition  of 
wormwood,  does  great  service.  According  to  Bergius, 
it  is  a  purgative,  hydragogue,emmenagogue,  and  diure- 
tic; the  fresh  root  emetic :  it  has  chiefly  been  employ- 
ed in  'dro/isies,in  asthma,  mania,  and  efiilefisy.  In  small 
doses  it  is  said  to  be  diuretic,  resolvent,  and  deobstru- 
ent.  In  powder,  from  9  i.  to  a  drachm  it  is  strongly 
purgative.  The  juice,  which  issues  spontaneously,  in 
doses  of  ^  ss.  or  more,  has  similar,  though  more  gen- 
tle, effects;  but  the  watery  extract  acts  more  mildly 
than  the  powder,  and  with  greater  safety.  The  dose 
3  ss.  to  3  i-  Of  the  expressed  juice,  a  spoonful  acts 
violently  both  upwards  and  downwards;  but  cream  of 
tartar  is  said  to  take  off  its  virulence.  As  a  discutient, 
the  CATAPLA'SMA  BRYO'XI.?.  COMPOSITUM  is  much  re- 


BUB 


288 


BU 


commended.  Of  briony  root  three  ounces,  elder  flow- 
ers one  ounce,  are  boiled  till  they  become  tender;  to 
which  are  added  half  an  ounce  of  gum  ammoniac  dis- 
solved in  vinegar,  muriated  ammonia  two  drachms, 
camphorated  spirit  one  ounce. 

BUYOMA  NI'GRA.  BLACK  BRIONY;  called  also  tam- 
kus,  sigillum  beatte  Marie,  chiroiiia,  afironia,  gynecan- 
the;  BLACK  VINE,  and  the  CHIRONIAN  VINE.  This  plant 
climbs  without  tendrils,  the  leaves  are  smooth,  and, 
like  those  of  the  great  bind  weed,  it  bears  black  ber- 
ries; the  roots  and  leaves  are  commended  as  expecto- 
rant. Rail  Hist.  According  to  Gcrrard  it  is  called 
agriatnfleloS)  but  is  a  variety  of  the  b.  alba. 

BRYO'NIA  MECOACHA'NA  NIGIIA.  BRYO'NIA  PERU- 
VIA'NA.  See  JALAP  and  MECHOACANA  ALBA. 

BRY'THION.  (Greek).  A  malagma  so  called.  It 
is  described  by  P.  jEgineta. 

BRY'TIA,  (from  ppvvla,  to  devour  ).  The  solid  parts 
of  grapes  which  remain  after  the  must  is  expressed. 

BRY'TON.  B|»?«v,  (from  /3ft/«,  to  pour  out).  A 
kind  of  drink  made  of  barley  or  rice,  which  -Aristotle 
calls  fiinon.  It  is  said  that  those  who  are  drunk  with  it 
never  fall  but  on  their  backs. 

BU'BALUS,  (dim.  of  /3ss,  an  ox  )  .  Anlllope  bubalis 
Lin.  The  BUFFALO;  called  buffelus,  and  bos  Indiana, 
It  is  a^kind  of  ox.  This  name  it  hath  from  the  country 
in  Asia  from  whence  it  was  brought  into  Europe. 

BUBASTECO'RDIUM,  the  HEART  of  BUBASTUS, 
(from  Bubastus,  and  cor,  heart).  See  ARTEMISIA. 

BU'BO.  A  'BUBO,  (from  fiovSav,  the  groin).  Vogel 
-names  it  bubon  when  in  the  groin;  it  is  also  named 
cambuca,  cambuca  membrata,  codocele;  by  some  it  is 
called  fitgile,  and  adin.  It  is  a  tumid  gland  which  is 
inflamed,  'or  tends  to  suppuration:  but  it  is  generally 
understood  only  of  those  glands  which  are  in  the  arm 
pits  or  the  groin.  Galen  says,  in  his  first  book  De  Diff. 
Febr.  '  a  bubo  is  a  kind  of  inflammation.' 

Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
locales,  and  order  tumnres.  He  defines  it  to  be  the 
suppurating  tumour  of  a  conglobate  gland.  See  his 
Nosology,  edit.  3. 

Buboes  are  distinguished  into  MILD  and  MALIGNANT; 
the  miltf  is  that  without  manifest  disease;  the  malig- 
nant, when  excited  by  some  pestilential  or  infectious 
disease,  as  the  plague,  or  lues  venerca. 

The  chief  danger  is  from  the  bad  habit  of  body,  or 
some  attendant  disease  :  if  neither  of  these  accompanies 
the  buboes,  at  the  worst  they  are  troublesome,  painful, 
and  tedious. 

The  cure  of  the  mild  kind  will  easily  be  effected  by 
gentle  mercurials  externally  applied,  and  occasionally  a 
purge;  though,  if  a  suppuration  threaten,  it  is  best  to 
encourage  it,  and  proceed  as  in  a  common  abscess. 

A  PESTILENTIAL  BUBO  is  known  by  its  appearing 
at  the  time  of  a  pestilence,  and  being  attended  with  its 
symptoms;  though,  indeed,  the  bubo  is  sometimes  the 
first  symptom.  The"  appearance  of  a  bubo,  when  the 
plague  either  prevails  or  attacks  a  person,  is  generally 
a  happy  presage,  and  in  the  management  repellents 
must  not  be  used,  but  suppuration  encouraged;  and  as 
soon  as  a  tumour  appears,  apply  the  speediest  suppu- 
ratives,  and  second  them  by  the  use  of  cordial  antisep- 
tics inwardly.  Its  most  common  seat  is  the  arm  pit  or 
groin. 


See  PESTIS. 


A  VENEREAL  BUBO  very  generally  occurs  in  the  groin, 
though,  when  the  poison  has  been  received  in  the 
hands  or  fingers,  the  arm  pits  are  the  seat ;  they  tend 
very  slowly  to  a  suppuration,  and  are  with  difficulty 
healed  when  suppurated. 

In  the  beginning,  these. tumours  are  sore  if  touched; 
hard,  and  gradually  increasing,  they  become  painful ; 
if  they  tend  to  suppurate,  an  inflammation  appears. 

The  distinction  of  bubo  is  of  considerable  import- 
ance. We  shall  not  enlarge  on  pestilential  buboes, 
only  to  urge  the  necessity  of  examining,  during  the 
prevalence  of  any  epidemic  highly  asthenic  fever,  the 
groins  and  arm  pits.  The  severity  of  the  regulations  in 
former  eras  respecting  those  affected-with  the  plague, 
has  led  to  the  most  dangerous  concealments.  We 
shall  continue  to  speak  exclusively  of  the  venereal  bubo. 

Swellings  in  the  groin  may  arise  from  hernia,  from  a 
retention  of  the  testicle  at  the  ring  of  the  muscle,  from 
a  general  scrofulous  habit,  or  from  poison  absorbed 
from  any  part  of  the  lower  extremities.  Those  who  are 
accurately  acquainted  with  the  situation  of  the  lym- 
phatic glands,  which  receive  the  absorbent  vessels  from 
the  penis  and  from  the  lower  extremities,  for  their 
situation  is  different,  will  not  be  easily  deceived.  It  is 
not,  however,  usually  suspected,  that  the  latter  are  nearer 
to  the  root  of  the  penis  than  the  former.  Those  also 
well  acquainted  with  the  situation  of  the  ring  of  the 
muscles,  will  not  easily  mistake  a  hernia  for  a  bubo. 
But  error  is  more  easy  in  this,  than  in  the  former  case. 
If  therefore  the  tumour  be  hard,  if  it  does  not  recede 
on  lying  back,  if  it  has  not  receded  in  its  earlier  stages, 
if  it  does  not  force  down  on  coughing  or  sneezing,  and 
if  the  state  of  the  bowels  have  not  influenced  it,  the 
disease  is  either  a  bubo  or  a  scrofulous  swelling:  the 
latter,  however,  is  scarcely  ever  single.  A  chain  of  small 
obstructed  glands  occupies 'the  groin,  and  the  scrofu- 
lous diathesis  is,  in  other  respects,  obvious.  We  omit 
mentioning  the  previous  venereal  complaints;  for  these 
are  often  industriously  concealed,  or  it  may  happen  that 
a  bubo  is  the  first  symptom.  The  testicle,  when  de- 
tained, sticks  at  the  ring  of  the  muscle  ;.  but,  were  the 
situation  not  sufficient  to  discriminate  the  complaint, 
the  want  of  one  testicle  would  immediately  lead  to  a 
suspicion  and  a  full  examination. 

It  has  been  usual  to  consider  buboes  as  arising  from 
irritation  on  the  glans  penis  and  mouths'of  the  ab- 
sorbents, or  from  the  absorption  of  matter.  The  idea  is 
consoling  to  the  patient  that  the  swelling  is  not  venereal, 
but  we  fear  it  is  fallacious.  We  know  of  no  instance 
of  irritation  conveyed  from  the  opening  of  a  lymphatic 
to  a  gland,  except  by  poison.  No  one  'will  trust  his 
health  to  this  idea,  and  the  distinction  may  be  neglect-  < 
ed.  We  know  that  some  bviboes  yield  easily,  but  we 
should  -not,  on  that  account,  be  less  apprehensive  of  lues 
following.  A  secondary  bubo,  viz.  a  deposition  of  ve- 
nereal virus  from  the  habit  of  the  gland,  has  certainly 
no  existence.  The  virus  is  directed  to  very  different 
organs,  and  the  opinion  has  been  adopted  in  consequence 
of  the  deceit  of  patients,  who  are  unwilling  to  confess 
tke  probability  of  a  more  recent  infection. 

It  has  occasioned  some  dispute,  whether  a  bubo 
should  be  discussed,  or  brought  to  a  suppuration.  Two 
ideas  have  influenced  either  opinion  ;  one,  just  noticed, 
respecting  the  source  of  the  bubo  from  irritation;  the 


Bl 


289 


UB 


fetherj  that  the  virus  is  there  arrested,  and  if  suppura- 
tion can  be  produced,  may  be  evacuated  without  in- 
jury to  the  system.  If,  however,  we  examine  injected 
lymphatics,  we  shall  sometimes  find,  that  of  the  nu- 
merous vessels  directed  towards  a  gland,  some  will  not 
enter  its  substance,  but  pass  over,  or  one  side ;  nor  can 
we  be  certain  that,  previous  to  the  inflammation,  some 
portion  of  the  virus  may  not  have  been  carried  into  the 
blood.  To  trust,  therefore,  to  the  opinion,  that  the 
poison  can  thus  be  arrested  in  its  passage,  is  highly 
dangerous;  and  we  lose  a  strong  argument  in  favour  of 
promoting  suppuration.  It  is  then  reduced  to  a  question 
of  convenience ;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  of  the 
propriety  of  resolution,  since  in  each  view  a  mercurial 
course  is  indispensable. 

To  discuss  buboes  emetics  have  been  employed.  They 
undoubtedly  promote  absorption,  but  the  most  violent 
ones  are  requisite,  and  they  are  seldom  necessary.  Mer- 
curial frictions  on  the  part  have  been  recommended,  to 
extinguish,  it  is  supposed,  at  once  the  peculiar  virulence 
of  the  poison.  In  general,  however,  these  from  their 
irritation  may  produce  inflammation ;  and,  though  for 
the  ease  of  the  patient's  mind  some  part  of  the  oint- 
ment should  be  rubbed  on  the  bubo,  the  larger  portion 
should  be  employed  on  the  thigh,  the  groin,  and  peri- 
naeum.  We  reserve  the  discussion  of  the  specific  ac- 
tion of  mercury  at  present.  Cold  applications  freely  em- 
ployed have  been  useful ;  and  the  volatile  liniment,  rub- 
bed around  rather  than  on  the  tumour,  has  assisted  the 
resolution.  Leeches  have  been  applied  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood when  inflammation  has  begun ;  and  whatever 
plan  be  adopted,  the  patient  should  be  kept  on  a  low 
cooling  diet  and  at  rest,  while  frequent  laxatives  are  in- 
terposed. 

\\  hen  we  can  thus  succeed  in  discussing  buboes,  the 
remaining  treatment  will  be  that  of  syphilis.  If,  how- 
ever, we  fail,  and  suppuration  is  indispensable,  we  may 
be  apprehensive  of  fatal  effects  from  too  great  inflam- 
mation or  irritation.  In  this  case  the  most  cooling  me- 
dicines, with  opium  and  bark,  are  necessary.  In  ge- 
neral, the  irritation  proceeds,  ftari  fiassu,  with  the  in- 
flammation ;  and  the  cooling  plan  cannot  be  carried  far, 
before  the  latter  medicines  are  necessary.  As  the  dis- 
ease is  before  our  eyes,  we  can  distinguish  the  degree 
of  inflammation,  and  be  able  to  account  for  the  symp- 
toms we  perceive.  During  the  suppuration  of  a  bubo, 
it  is  the  most  judicious  practice  to  leave  off"  mercury. 

When,  however,  the  suppuration  proceeds  tardily,  a 
mercurial  course  will  accelerate  it;  and  in  such  circum- 
stances, wine  and  other  cordials  are  requisite.  In  these 
situations  we  can  often  discuss  buboes,  even  when  they 
appear  hastening  to  suppuration.  Poultices  of  the  man- 
dragora  and  mezereum  have  been  employed  for  this 
purpose. 

Disputes  have  also  arisen  respecting  the  opening  of  the 
buboes.  We  certainly  run  little  risk  in  suffering  them  to 
remain  till  they  are  soft,  and  the  fluctuation  of  matter 
is  evident;  but  we  would  then  advise  opening  them, 
and  employing  the  knife  rather  than  the  caustic.  The 
latter  is  preferable  when,  from  symptoms  of  irritation, 
a  discharge  is  necessary  before  the  abscess  be  quite  ripe. 

When  the  abscess  is  formed,  it  must  be  treated  ac- 
cording to  the  usual  methods,  stimulated,  and  the  con- 
stitution supported  by  bark  and  wine,  if  the  circula- 
tion be  languid  j  but  by  a  contrary  plan  if  irritable 

yot.  i. 


and  inflamed.  In  either  case  mercury  is  improper ; 
but,  in  intermediate  circumstances,  we  may  begin  our 
mercurial  course  with  little  hesitation. 

When  sinuses  are  threatened,  the  stagnation  of  mat- 
ter must  be  guarded  against:  if  formed,  they  must  be 
opened.  We  have  seen  the  opening  of  a  single  sim:> 
give  such  a  stimulus  to  the  neighbouring  parts,  that  the 
sore  has  soon  assumed  a  healthy,  instead  of  a  cancerous 
aspect,  without  any  other  application.  When  morti- 
fication threatens,  bark,  wine,  and  opium,  are  neces- 
sary ;  when  cancer,  hemlock.  Yet  we  suspect  that  real 
cancer  has  never  been  the  consequence  of  a  venereal 
bubo.  We  have  never  at  least  seen  it  in  a  long  prac- 
tice, nor  have  been  informed  of  such  an  event  by  a  com- 
petent witness.  See  LUES  VENEREA,  and  ABSCESSUS 
INGCIKIS. 

See  Heister's  Surgery.  Astruc  on  the  Venereal  Dis- 
ease, or  Chapman's  Abridgment  of  Astruc.  Bell's 
Surgery.  Wallis's  Sydenham,  vol.  i.  143.  While'.-, 
Surgery,  20.  Plenck  on  the  Lues  Venerea ;  Swe- 
diaur  and  Bell  on  the  Venereal  Disease ;  Hunter : 
Foot. 

BU'BOX,  (from  favGo,  the  groin]. 

BUBOXOCE'LE,  (from  /8se<»,  the  groin,  and  *.•/•,}.•:, 
a  tumour).  It  is  also  called  hernia  inguinalis^  or  RUP- 
TURE of  the  GROIN,  when  the  intestines  are  forced 
through  the  ring  of  the  external  oblique  muscle  of  the 
belly.  When  through  the  cavity  in  the  thigh,  beu 
the  musculus  fiectineus  and  sartorius,  it  is  called  hernia 
femoralis,  or  cruralis. 

The  cause  may  be  great  distention  of  the  bowels  from 
wind,  violent  exercise,  as  leaping,  or  lifting  burdens. 
A  relaxation  of  the  ring  qf  the  muscle  is  not  an  un- 
common cause,  and  on  this  account  the  disease  is  some- 
times hereditary.  In  lean  persons  the  ring  is  also  fre- 
quently relaxed,  and  in  fat  people'  the  weight  of  the 
parts  will  occasionally  bring  them  down. 

The  signs  are,  a  tumour  in  the  groin,  or  upper  part 
of  the  scrotum,  beginning  at  the  ring  of  the  abdominal 
muscle,,  and  extending  more  or  less  downward,  towards 
or  into  the  scrotum  in  men,  and  the  labia  pudendi  in 
women.  This  tumour  appears  different  to  the  touch, 
according  to  its  contents.  If  a  portion  of  the  ilium 
forms  the  tumour,  its  surface  is  smooth  and  elastic,  but 
much  more  so  if  the  patient  coughs  and  sneezes.  If 
only  a  piece  of  the  omentum  hath  slipped  down,  the 
tumour  is  more  flabby  when  felt,  its  surface  is  more 
unequal,  and  it  makes  less  resistance  to  the  finger.  If 
both  the  intestine  and  omentum  have  descended,  the 
diagnostics  will  be  less  distinct,  and  it  requires  gene- 
rally some  experience  to  assist  in  judging  of  whafrcan 
hardly  be  learnt  by  description. 

The  distinction  of  bubonocele  is  of  considerable  im- 
portance, and  the  greatest  injury  has  been  done  by  mis- 
taking it  for  bubo,  for  hernia  humoralis,  fo*r  cancer  of 
the  testicle,  and  hydrocele.  Of  the  symptoms  distin- 
guishing it  from  bubo  we  have  just  spoken.  Hernia 
humoralis,  or  a  swelled  testicle  from  venereal  irritation, 
is  distinguished  by  the  symptoms  of  its  attack  ;  for  the 
latter  is  preceded  by  a  hardness  of  the  epididymis, 
followed  by  a  hardness  and  acute  pain  of  the  bo'dy  of 
the  testicle  itself,  while  the  hernia  is  not  equally  pain- 
ful, till  external  inflammation,  and  other  symptoms  of 
affections  of  the  bowels,  sufficiently  point  out  its  nature. 
It  could  scarcely  be  supposed  that  a  cancerous  tumour 


BUB 


290 


BUB 


of  the  testicle  could  be  mistaken  for  hernia,  had  we  not 
seen  the  error  committed.  The  slow  progress  of  the 
swelling,  the  scirrhous  feel,  and  the  undisturbed  state 
of  the  bowels,  sufficiently  discriminate  the  two  diseases. 
The  dropsy  of  the  tunica  vaginalis  tcstis  is  most  often 
mistaken  for  hernia.  This,  however,  feels  more  smooth 
and  equable  ;  a  fluctuation  can  be  perceived,  a  transpa- 
rency, when  a  candle  is  placed  on  the  opposite  side,  is 
obvious :  and  if  we  can  observe  its  progress,  we  shall 
find  that  it  begins  at  the  bottom  of  the  scrotum,  gradu- 
ally rising  upwards,  and  the  spermatic  cord  is  gene- 
rally free;  while  in  hernia,  the  enlargement  is  felt  from 
above  downwards.  The  increase  of  the  tumour  on 
coughing  or  sneezing,  and  the  obstructed  state  of  the 
bowels  ;  above  all,  its  receding  or  lying  back ;  are  fully 
sufficient,  even  for  the  less  experienced  practitioner,  to 
discriminate  the  two  diseases. 

One  other  complaint  should  be  noticed  as  sometimes 
confounded  with  bubonocele,  viz.  the  varicocele,  par- 
ticularly the  varices  of  the  spermatic  cord.  These  are 
forced  down  in  coughing,  and  disappear  in  a  recumbent 
posture.  The  distinction  is  not  difficult.  When  emp- 
tied from  a  recumbent  posture,  if  a  finger  is  placed  on 
the  ring,  and  the  patient  raised,  the  tumour  will  re- 
appear should  it  be  from  varices,  but  not  if  it  is  a 
hernia. 

The  ring  of  the  muscle  so  often  mentioned,  is  an 
aperture  in  the  tendon  of  the  external  oblique,  formed 
by  the  splitting  of  its  fibres.  Through  this  passage  the 
testicles  in  the  foetus,  or  soon  after  birth,  descend ;  and 
the  spermatic  cord  is,  by  the  testicle,  drawn  down 
through  it.  No  process,  except  the  occasional  accu- 
mulation of  fat,  contributes  to  close  it,  and  through  this 
aperture  the  intestines  descend.  Though  authors  speak 
of  the  ring,  yet  there  are  two  ;  for  another  aperture  is 
formed  by  the  tendons  of  the  internal  oblique  and  trans- 
verse muscle  behind,  and  a  little  on  the  outside  of  the 
other  ring.  Though  we  have  said  nature  has  not  closed 
the  aperture,  yet  the  ring  is  drawn  close  by  the  action 
of  the  external  oblique  ;  and  this  action,  while  it  often 
prevents  rupture  when  it  has  occurred,  occasions  what 
is  called  strangulation.  The  term  is  perhaps  improper, 
as'the  tendon  is  not  capable  of  contracting.  In  reality, 
the  distention  of  the  bowels  occasions  the  contraction  of 
the  external  oblique,  which  draws  the  fibres  of  the 
tendon  closer;  while  the  distention  of  the  portion  of 
intestine  filled  with  air,  contributes  to  fill  more  com- 
pletely the  contracted  aperture.  The  internal  ring  is 
more  muscular,  and  may  be  spasmodically  contracted. 

The  symptoms  of  all  intestinal  hernix  are  those  of 
iliu*;  and  in  every  case  of  violent  colic,  the  prac- 
titioner should  always  examine  whether  some  hernial 
tumour  can  be  discovered.  The  pain  is  generally  most 
violent  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  as  the  omentum, 
which  accompanies  the  intestine  in  the  sac,  is  dragged 
clown  with  it.  The  pain  goes  on  increasing,  incessant 
vomiting  comes  on,  and  what  is  discharged  is  at  first 
watery,  then  bilious,  and  lastly,  feculent;  stools  are 
obstinately  retained,  and  mortification  closes  the  scene. 
Vomiting  and  hiccough  frequently  occur  in  herniae ; 
and  the  cause  will  be  obvious  when  the  connection  of 
the  omentum  with  the  stomach  is  considered.  The 
pulse  is  at  first  hard,  but  when  mortification  and  cold 
sweats  come  on,  it  is  softer  and  more  regular,  but  soon 
becomes  small,  frequent,  and  tremulous. 


When  a  hernia  comes  down,  if  the  patient  is  strong 
and  plethoric,  some  blood  may  be  taken,  and  a  clyster 
injected  ;  the  reduction  is  next  attempted. 

To  reduce  the  hernia  merely  by  the  hand,  without 
cutting  or  eroding  the  part,  is  called  TAXIS  ;  and  when 
it  is  thus  reduced  by  the  hand,  if  the  rupture  consisted 
of  a  portion  of  the  intestine  only,  it  generally  slips  up  at 
once.  The  posture  of  the  patient,if  laid  on  his  back,  with 
his  heels  brought  near  to  his  buttocks,  assists  the  return 
of  the  protruded  parts  :  if  a  piece  of  the  omentum  is  the 
contents,  its  return  is  not  so  speedy  ;  if  there  are  both 
omentum  and  intestine,  the  latter  ascends  first,  and  the 
former  feels  flabby,  but  soon  after  follows  also.  Some- 
times after  the  intestine  is  returned,  a  soft  knotty  sub- 
stance remains  unreduced,  and  resists  all  the  efforts  to 
reduction,  until  the  patient's  vessels  are  emptied  by 
bleeding,  repeated  purges,  and  a  low  diet ;  the  varicous 
feel  which  this  substance  hath,  seems  as  if  it  was  the 
mesentery  with  its  vessels  distended. 

In  infants  the  reduction  is  generally  easy,  and  as  they 
acquire  strength  they  are  less  subject  to  a  relapse.  In 
the  vigour  of  life  the  return  is  generally  more  difficult, 
and  the  neglect  or  bad  management  more  dangerous. 

It  often  happens  that  raising  the  buttocks  while  the 
body  is  depending,  will  alone  succeed.  Should  this 
not  be  the  case,  the  surgeon  should  grasp  the  tumour 
with  one  hand,  press  it  steadily  upwards  and  outwards, 
while  with  the  fingers  he  begins  to  reduce  the  last  pro- 
truded portion.  Should  he  succeed  in  part,  the  rest 
soon  follows,  and  the  patient  is  relieved.  If  he  fail, 
different  plans  have  been  advised. 

Of  the  remedies,  copious  bleeding  is  the  first,  and 
often  an  indispensable  one.  When  the  patient  faints, 
the  tumour  often  spontaneously  recedes.  Purgatives 
have  been  next  employed,  and  absurdly  given  by  the 
mouth ;  we  say  absurdly,  because,  by  increasing  the 
peristaltic  motion  above  the  tumour,  it  rather  adds  to  the 
disease.  It  has  been  usual  to  join  the  purgatives  with 
opium  to  relax  the  stricture,  while  the  purgative  con- 
tributed to  conquer  the  constipation.  In  such  cases, 
however,  the  purgatives  are  so  often  retarded  by  the 
opium,  as  to  lose  their  effect ;  and  should  this  com- 
bination succeed,  it  must  be  attributed  to  the  opium 
only.  Purgatives  injected  as  clysters  are  not  liable  to 
the  same  inconvenience ;  for  the  increase  of  the  peri- 
staltic motion  below  the  tumour,  has  a  tendency  to  draw 
back  the  intestine.  Soap,  particularly  the  black  soap, 
is  highly  useful  in  this  way  ;  and  purgatives  of  the  most 
active  nature,  and  of  every  kind,  have  been  employed. 
The  most  ready  and  advantageous  one,  however,  is  the 
infusion  of  tobacco  in  clyster.  From  half  a  drachm  to 
two  scruples  of  tobacco  may  be  infused  in  ten  or  twelve 
ounces  'of  boiling  water  for  ten  minutes,  and  injected 
as  a  clyster.  It  is  not  only  useful  as  a  laxative,  but 
produces  so  much  languor  and  fainting,  as  often  to 
occasion  the  gut  to  recede  without  other  assistance. 
The  digitalis  also  seems  chiefly  useful,  by  producing 
syncope. 

It  has  been  usual  to  apply  warmth  in  every  form  to 
the  hernial  sac,  with  a  view  probably  of  relaxing  the 
ring ;  but  it  was  not  considered  that  even  if  this  effect 
was  certain,  that  the  flatulent  contents  of  the  sac  would  be 
enlarged  in  a  greater  proportion,  and  even  the  substance 
of  the  intestine  itself.  We  believe  it  has  seldom  suc- 
ceeded ;  and  when  useful,  the  faintness  induced  by  its 


B  I    B 


291 


B  I   B 


continuance  has  been  the  chief  cause  of  the  relief.  The 
warm  bath  for  the  same  reasons  has  sometimes  suc- 
ceeded, but  much  oftener  failed;  and  we  think  that,  in 
many  cases,  it  has  accelerated  mortification.  The  con- 
trary method  is  now  more  advantageously  adopted;  ice 
and  snow  have  been  applied  with  success  to  the  hernial 
sac.  When  these  cannot  be  procured,  the  coldest  wa- 
ter, often  renewed,  has  been  of  service ;  and  water  cooled 
artificially  has  been  used.  The  most  ready  way  of  cool- 
ing water  is  to  suspend  it  in  a  wet  bladder  to  a  current 
of  air,  and  the  effect  will  be  increased  if  the  outside  of 
the  bladder  be  moistened  with  asther,  carefully  purified 
from  the  acid.  A  solution  of  nitre  with  sal  ammoniac 
will  be  equally  effectual,  in  the  proportion  of  eight 
parts  to  five;  and  with  management,  by  further  cooling 
water  first  artificially  cooled,  all  the  effects  of  ice  may 
be  procured  even  in  summer.  The  constant  applica- 
tion of  cold  has  thus  often  succeeded,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  most  valuable  improvements  of  modern  practice. 

All  will  in  many  cases  fail,  and  the  operation,  though 
dreadful,  and  often  fatal,  must  be  attempted.  Yet  there 
is  one  further  step  to  avoid  it,  viz.  to  dilate  or  divide 
the  ring,  to  prevent  strangulation,  and  suffer  the  tumour 
to  remain.  This  is  the  advice  of  Dr.  Monro,  and  we 
think  it  merits  more  attention  than  it  has  received. 
This  operation  is  not  formidable,  is  not  perhaps  highly 
dangerous;  and  should  it  be  performed  hastily  and  un- 
advisedly, does  not  prevent  reducing  the  rupture  at  a 
subsequent  period.  The  danger  and  the  severity  of  the 
operation  have  occasioned  its  being  too  long  delayed;  but 
though  it  succeeds  in  some  apparently  desperate  cases, 
it  fails  in  others  where  the  prospects  were  more  favour- 
able. The  external  appearances  of  mortification  are 
undoubtedly  among  the  symptoms  which  would  render 
it  unsuccessful,  since  mortification  takes  place  in  the 
intestine  before  it  is  communicated  to  the  integuments, 
and  is,  of  course,  more  violent  in  degree  in  the  former 
than  the  latter  part.  Feculent  or  putrid  vomitings  have 
been  considered  as  highly  unfavourable  to  success;  yet 
even  in  such  instances  the  patient's  life  has  been  saved. 
Mr.  fcooper  thinks  that  a  general  soreness  in  the  ab- 
domen is  the  chief  symptom  which  should  prevent  the 
attempt. 

In  Mr.  Home's  opinions,  the  symptoms  are  influenced 
by  the  state  of  the  gut.  If  no  inflammation  has  taken 
place  in  it,  the  consequences  of  obstruction  only  are  ob- 
servable. When  inflammation  takes  place,  there  is  a 
general  soreness,  with  constant  vomiting,  that  does  not 
relieve,  and  considerable  depression  of  spirits.  When 
the  stricture  produces  mortification,  all  the  unfavour- 
able symptoms  are  observed,  and  a  general  coldness 
comes  on.  The  last  symptom  is  decisive  against  at- 
tempting the  operation. 

To  proceed  in  the  operation,  the  pubes  and  groin 
should  be  shaved;  and,  in  order  to  have  as  much  empty 
space  as  possible  for  the  return  of  the  protruded  parts, 
the  patient  should  be  advised  to  empty  his  bladder  en- 
tirely. The  patient  being  then  laid  on  his  back,  on  a 
table  of  a  convenient  height,  with  his  legs  hanging  easy 
over  the  end  of  it,  with  a  straight  dissecting  knife  an 
incision  must  be  made  through  the  skin  and  membrana 
adiposa,  beginning  just  above  the  ring  of  the  abdominal 
muscle,  and  continuing  quite  down  to  the  inferior  part 
of  the  scrotum.  Upon  the  division  of  the  membrana 
adiposa,  some  small  tendinous  bands  appear  distinct 


from  each  other,  lying  close  upon  the  hernial  sac,  which 
is  next  to  be  divided  with  the  utmost  caution,  as  the  sac 
is  thinner  in  some  parts  than  in  others :  even  the  ex- 
ternal incision  of  the  teguments  ought  to  be  made  with 
great  care;  for  although,  in  by  much  the  greatest  pro- 
portion of  hernial  swellings,  the  sftermatic  vessels  lie  be- 
hind the  protruded  Jiarts,  yet  on  some  occasions  they  have 
been  found  on  the  anterior  fiart  of  the  tumour  ;  so  that, 
in  order  to  avoid  the  risk  of  wounding  them,  so  soon  as 
the  skin  is  divided,  the  remainder  of  the  operation  must 
be  done  in  the  most  cautious  manner,  care  being  taken 
to  avoid  every  large  blood  vessel  that  makes  its  appear- 
ance. The  incision  in  the  sac  is  best  made  about  an 
inch  and  a  half,  or  two  inches,  below  the  stricture,  and 
need  be  no  more  than  such  an  aperture  as  will  just  ad- 
mit the  extremity  of  the  probe.  If  the  probe  will  pass 
freely  up  and  down,  enlarge  the  opening  with  a  probe 
pointed  bistoury,  sufficient  to  introduce  your  finger  to 
divide  the  whole,  remembering  to  divide  it  first  down- 
wards, which  gives  more  room,  and  lessens  the  hazard 
of  the  intestines  being  wounded  by  the  knife,  which 
might  easily  happen  in  dividing  it  in  the  opposite 
direction.  The  fore  finger  is  the  best  of  all  directors, 
and  upon  that  finger  a  narrow  bladed  curved  knife,  with 
a  bold  probe  point,  will  be  the  only  instrument  necessary 
to  finish  the  operation.  With  this  knife  on  the  finger 
the  sac  should  be  divided,  first  downward  to  the  bottom 
of  the  scrotum,  then  upward  to  the  ring.  Upon  the 
first  division  of  the  hernial  sac  a  fluid  is  discharged, 
differing  in  quantity  and  colour  in  different  patients. 
The  sac  being  fairly  divided  up  to  the  ring,  the  intestine 
pushes  out,  and  seems  to  be  more  in  quantity  than  it 
did  while  in  confinement.  At  this  juncture,  if  the 
quantity  of  the  protruded  intestine  is  not  very  great,  try- 
to  reduce  it  by  first  pulling  down  a  little  more,  for  thus, 
its  bulk  being  lessened,  it  perhaps  may  pass  without 
dividing  the  ring;  if  this  does  not  succeed,  the  probe 
pointed  knife,  conducted  on  the  fore  finger,  will  imme- 
diately divide  the  upper  part  of  it,  and  set  all  free.  The 
sac  and  ring  divided,  the  contained  parts  come  into 
view,  and,  according  to  their  different  states,  will  be  va- 
riously managed.  If  SOUND,  immediately  reduce  them, 
remembering  that  the  parts  last  protruded  should  be 
first  returned.  Slight  adhesions  may  be  separated  with 
the  finger,  or  snipped  with  the  scissors.  If  the  parts 
are  so  adherent  as  not  to  be  capable  of  being  returned, 
remove  the  stricture  by  dividing  the  sac  and  ring,  and 
leave  the  prolapsed  parjf  in  the  scrotum  as  you  find 
them ;  but  this  case  seldom  happens.  If  the  contained 
parts  are  mortified,  death  will  be  the  issue;  but  if  the 
mortification  is  not  very  extensive,  return  them,  and 
trust  to  the  efforts  of  nature,  and  the  effects  of  medicine. 
If  the  intestine  is  mortified,  make  a  ligature  and  fix  it 
to  the  wound;  thus  the  fasces  will  pass' out  at  the  aper- 
ture, and  the  patient  may  live  many  years  after. 

Hernias  in  women  are  treated  as  in  men,  but  in  them 
the  disease  is  less  common,  as  the  aperture  is  much 
smaller,  not  requiring  the  passage  of  a  body  so  large  as 
the  testicle,  but  only  the  round  ligaments.  Women, 
however,  more  frequently  conceal  the  disease,  and  we 
must  be  more  attentive  to  the  cause  of  every  kind  of 
violent  colic.  One  inconvenience  arises  from  not  dis- 
tinguishing in  them  the  inguinal  and  femoral  hernia, 
since  the  tumour  in  each  species  is  not  very  distant,  and 
the  mode  of  reduction  is  different.  If  the  operator  fer-1 
PP  : 


uc 


292 


BUF 


with  his  finger  the  course  of  Poupart's  ligament,  and 
find  the  neck  of  the  tumour  above  its  edge,  the  hernia 
is  inguinal;  if  below,  femoral:  as,  in  the  male,  the  in- 
testine is  sometimes  not  protruded  beyond  the  external 
ring,  and  the  disease  may  remain  undiscovered. 

After  the  operation,  the  patient  must  be  laid  in  bed, 
with  his  body  somewhat  raised,  and  an  opiate  adminis- 
tered. A  clyster  should  be  soon  given,  and  immedi- 
ately after  its  operation,  a  mild  but  effectual  laxative, 
as  manna,  castor  oil,  or  the  pulv.  e  senna  c.  administered. 
The  wound,  dressed  in  the  common  way,  should  be  se- 
cured by  a  T  bandage.  The  consequent  bad  symptoms 
are  those  chiefly  of  irritation  from  air  admitted  into  the 
cavity  of  the  abdomen,  or  mortification.  Bark  and 
opium  are  the  chief  remedies,  and  must  be  administered 
in  proportion  to  the  violence  and  nature  of  the  complaint. 
The  bowels  must,  however,  be  kept  open  with  the  great- 
est attention. 

When  a  hernia  has  been  of  long  continuance,  adhe- 
sions between  the  gut  and  the  sac,  and  between  the 
contiguous  portions  of  the  gut,  take  place.  Greater 
caution  must  be  used  in  opening  the  sac  when  adhesions 
are  suspected;  and  those  between  the  gut  and  the  sac 
must  be  carefully  separated.  If  the  disunion  of  the 
others  be  not  easy,  the  intestine  should  be  returned 
without  its  being  effected.  When  the  separation  of  the 
gut  from  the  sac  is  found  difficult,  a  part  of  the  latter 
may  be  separated  and  returned  with  the  gut. 

The  omentum  often  causes  much  uneasiness.  If 
gangrenous,  the  diseased  portion  may  be  cut  off.  In  ge- 
neral the  vessels  are  small,  and  little  haemorrhage  oc- 
curs; but  this  is  sometimes  considerable,  and  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  tie  a  vessel,  or  even  two.  In  this  case  the 
ends  of  the  ligature  should  be  brought  beyond  the  wound, 
and  they  will  soon  separate.  The  method  of  separating 
the  mortified  portion  of  the  omentum  by  a  ligature,  is 
often  inconvenient  from  the  irritation  it  induces,  and 
no  injury  happens  from  dividing  it. 

When  a  portion  of  the  intestine  is  mortified,  it  has 
been  recommended  to  separate  it,  and  unite  the  sound 
portions  of  the  gut  by  ligatures,  or,  by  placing  them  in 
contact,  to  leave  the  union  to  nature.  This  plan  has 
been  suggested  by  nature-  occasionally  separating  a 
mortified  part  of  some  extent,  while  the  canal  was  not 
interrupted.  It  is  impossible  in  this  place  to  enlarge 
on  the  minute  details  which  such  an  operation  requires; 
and  the  reader  will  find  ample  information  in  Mr.  A. 
Cowper's  most  excellent  work  on  hernia. 

The  portion  of  gut  found  in  hernial  swellings  is  very 
various,  no  part  of  the  intestinal  canal  being  entirely 
exempted  from  falling  down.  Hitherto  the  ileum  has 
been  commonly  supposed  to  form  the  substance  of  the 
greatest  proportion  of  such  tumours:  later  and  more 
accurate  observation,  however,  renders  it  probable  that 
the  coecum,  appendix  vermiformis,  and  part  of  the  co- 
lon, are  more  frequently  contained  in  the  hernial  sacs 
than  any  other  portion  of  the  gut. 

Sec  Pott  on  Ruptures,  Le  Dran's  Operations  in  Sur- 
gery, Sharp's  Operations  of  Surgery.  Lond.  Med.  Obs. 
ft  Inq.  vol.  iv.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  White's  Surgery, 
318.  Cowper  on  Ruptures.  Monro  on  Herniae. 

BU'BON  GAL'BANUM.     See  GALBANUM. 

BU'BON    MACEDO'NICUM.       See  APIUM    MACEDONI- 


(HIM. 


BU'CCjE,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  bukkah}.     The 


CHEEKS.  Hippocrates  terms  them  cyclos ;  the  cheek 
is  also  called  gomjihale,  gela,  maxilla,  melon.  They 
are  the  sides  of  the  face;  and  reach  from  the  eyes 
and  temples  between  the  nose  and  ears.  The  upper 
prominent  parts  of  the  cheeks  are  called  MALA,  which 
see. 

BUCCACRA'TON,  (from  buccclta,  a  morsel,  and 
xpau,  to  mix').  Morsels  of  bread  sopped  in  wine,  which 
formerly  served  for  a  breakfast. 

Paracelsus  calls  by  the  name  of  bucella,  the  carne- 
ous  excrescence  of  a  polypus  in  the  nose,  because  he 
supposes  it  to  be  a  portion  of  flesh  parting  from  the 
bucca,  and  insinuating  itself  into  the  nose. 

BUCCA'LES  GLANDU'LJE,  (from  bucca,  the 
cheek}.  The  small  glandular  bodies  on  the  inside  of 
the  cheeks.  They  open  by  small  holes  or  orifices 
through  the  inner  membrane  of  the  mouth.  Winslow. 

BUCCEA,  BUCCELLA.     A  MORSEL. 

BUCCELATIO,  (from  buccellatua,  cut  into  small 
pieces').  A  method  of  stopping  the  blood  by  applying 
lint,  cut  into  small  square  pieces,  upon  the  vein  or  artery. 

BUCCELA'TON,  (from  buccella,  a  morsel.  Buc- 
cella  fiurgatoria,  and  buccellatus.  A  purging  medicine, 
made  up  in  the  form  of  a  loaf,  consisting  of  scammony, 
&c.  put  into  fermented  flour,  and  then  baked  in  an 
oven. 

BUCCE'LLA.      See    BOLUS,    BUCCACHATON,    and 

BUCCELATON. 

BUCCINA'TOR  MUSCULUS,  constrictor  muscu- 
lus.  The  TRUMPETER'S  MUSCLE,  (from  ^VKMCH,  a  trum- 
fief).  It  is  thus  named  because  of  its  use  in  forcing 
the  breath  to  sound  the  trumpet.  It  has  two  distinct 
beginnings  on  each  side,  one  tendinous  and  fleshy  from 
the  lower  jaw,  between  the  last  dens  molaris  and  the 
root  of  the  fore  part  of  the  processus  coronse ;  the  other 
is  fleshy  from  the  upper  jaw,  between  the  last  dens  mo- 
laris and  the  processus  pterigoides,  from  whose  extre- 
mity also  it  arises  tendinous,  being  continued  between 
these  two  origins  to  the  pterigo  pharyngaeus  .on  one 
side,  and  the  mylo  pharyngseus  on  the  other;  from 
thence  proceeding  with  straight  fibres,  and  adhering  to 
the  membrane  that  covers  the  inside  of  the  mouth,  but 
without  touching  the  gums  of  either  jaw.  It  is  inserted 
and  lost  in  the  angle  of  the  lip.  By  its  substance  on 
each  side  it  constitutes  the  cheeks,  and  throughHts 
middle  the  ductus  salivalis  superior  passes.  Its  use  is 
not  only  to  move  the  cheeks  with  the  lips,  but  also  to 
contract  the  cavity  of  the  mouth  by  bringing  them 
inwards,  and  so  thrust  the  meat  between  the  teeth  for 
its  better  comminution. 

BU'CCINUM,  (from  buccino,  the  trumfief).  So  called 
from  its  trumpet-like  shape.  The  WHELK.  Whelks  cal- 
cined have  the  same  effects  as  the  purple  fish,  but  are 
somewhat  more  caustic.  The  shells  filled  with  salt, 
then  burned  in  a  crude  earthen  pot,  make  a  good  denti- 
frice. It  is  a  sea  shell  fish,  of  which  there  are  many 
sorts,  but  the  shells  are  all  absorbents. 

BU'CCULA,  (a  dim.  of  bucca).  The  CHEEK.  The 
fleshy  part  under  the  chin. 

BU'CERAS,  or  BU'CEROS.     See  BOUCERAS. 

BUCRA'NION,  (from  frx$,  an  ox,  and  x/>*vi«v,  a 
head).  So  called  because  it  resembles  an  ox's  head. 
See  ANTIRRHINUM. 

BU'CTON.     Sec  HYMEN. 

BU'FFALO.     See  BUBALUS. 


BUL 


293 


U  N 


BU'FFELI.  A  ring  made  of  the  horn  of  a  buffalo, 
which  is  worn  on  the  ring  finger  to  cure  the  cramp. 

BU'FO,  (from  /=«,  an  ox,  and  p»»os,  death).  So 
.ailed  because  it  is  death  to  any  cattle  which  eat  them. 
The  TOAD  ;  also  called  rubeta,  rana  rubeta.  The  toad 
is  of  the  frog  kind,  and  of  the  number  of  those  animals 
which  have  only  one  ventricle  in  the  heart.  It  is  much 
like  the  frog,  but  its  belly  is  more  inflated,  and  skin 
more  full  of  tubercles ;  it  is  of  an  ash  Colour,  with 
brown,  blackish,  and  yellow  spots.  It  does  not  croak 
like  the  frog,  but  makes  an  indistinct  noise  that  is  ob- 
scure, and  like  the  word  g-eu,  or  rather  bu,  from  which 
some  suppose  it  is  called  bufo.  It  is  said  to  have  its 
name  rubeta  from  rubus,  because  it  is  often  found  under 
bramble  bushes. 

There  is  a  very  poisonous  species  in  America  called 
cururu  by  the  Brasilians,  and  cafio  by  the  Portuguese. 

The  common  toad  was  first  introduced  into  medicine 
from  a  cure  being  performed  on  an  hydropic  person,  to 
whom  powdered  toads  were  given  in  order  to  despatch 
him,  but  he  voided  a  large  quantity  of  urine  after  taking 
them,  and  soon  recovered  of  his  disorder.  Since  this, 
toads,  gently  dried  and  powdered,  have  been  used  as  a 
diuretic,  but  the  present  practice  rejects  them.  They 
have  also  been  applied  alive  to  cancers  to  suck  the 
virus,  a  method  of  extracting  it  said  to  be  fatal  to  the 
animal ;  the  plan  is,  however,  disused,  probably  from  its 
want  of  success. 

BUGA'NTIA.     CHILBLAIN.     See  PERNIO. 

BUGLO'SSUM,  (from  fins,  an  ox,  and  yA»e-e-a,  a 
tongue;  so  called  from  the  shape  and  roughness  of  its 
leaf).  BUGLOSS  ;  called  also  buglossum  angustifolium 
majus,  buglosaum  vulgare  majus,  buglossum  satrvum. 
GARDEN  BUGLOSS.  Anchusa  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
191. 

The  garden  bugloss  is  a  rough  plant,  resembling  bo- 
rage, and  differing  from  it  chiefly  in  the  leaves  being 
narrow,  less  prickly,  not  wrinkled,  and  of  a  bluish  green 
colour,  and  in  the  segments  of  the  flowers  being  obtuse. 
It  grows  wild  on  waste  grounds  in  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe,  is  cultivated  with  us  in  gardens,  flowers  from 
June  to  the  end  of  summer,  and  in  winter  it  dies  to  the 
ground,  but  the  roots -continue.  It  is  a  name  of  the 
borrago,  and  as  a  medicine  is  nearly  similar,  but  its  roots 
are  less  mucilaginous. 

BUGLO'SSUM   RADICE  RUBRA.        See  ANCHUSA. 

BUGO'NES,  (from  /3s«,  an  ox,  and  yutfuii,  to  be 
bred,  or  generated  of} .  An  epithet  for  bees,  because  the 
ancients  thought  them  to  be  bred  from  the  putrefaction 
of  an  ox.  See  APES. 

BU'GULA,  (a  dim.  of  buglossa;  and  said  to  be  so 
«alled  from  its  resemblance).  BUGLE.  Called  also  con- 
tolida  Media,  firunella  Germanis,  symfihitum  medium, 
and  MIDDLE  CONSOUND.  The  sort  used  in  medicine  is 
the  ajuga  refitans  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  785. 

It  is  a  low  plant,  with  round,  creeping,  and  upright 
square  stalks.  They  bear  loose  spikes  of  blue  flowers; 
the  leaves  are  somewhat  oval,  soft,  and  set  in  pairs 
about  the  joints  of  the  stalks.  It  is  perennial,  found 
wild  in  woods  and  moist  meadows,  and  flowers  in  May. 
It  is  mildly  astringent ;  the  root  is  the  most  so. 

BUL  AT  \VELA.     See  BETLA. 

BULBOCA'STANUM,  (from  /SoAc.'s,  a  bulb,  and 
XMa'iXttt,  a  chestnut, j  agriocavtanum,  nucula  terreztris, 
6alanocaslaneum,bul6ocastunum  majus  et  minus,  EARTH 


NUT,  HAWK.  NUT,  KIPPER  NUT,  and  FIG  NUT.     Bunium  bit* 

bocastanum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  349.  The  b.  Jlexuvsum.  of 
modern  authors  appears  to  be  specifically  distinct,  and 
similar  in  its  qualities. 

This  root  is  as  large  as  a  nutmeg,  hard,  tuberous, 
and  whitish.  It  grows  in  sandy  and  gravelly  places  ; 
flowers  in  May ;  is  eaten  either  raw  or  roasted.  It  is 
sweetish  to  the  taste,  nourishing,  and  supposed  to  be  of 
use  against  strangury  and  bloody  urine. 

BULBOCO'DIUM,  (from  £<>**»?,  bulbus,  bulbous, 
and  KM$ia,,  a  globe) .  So  called  from  its  round  bulbous 
root.  See  NARCISSUS  LUTEUS  SYLVESTRIS. 

BU'LBONACH.  (German).  Called  also  -viola  lu- 
naris,  lunaria  major,  leucoium  lunatum,  SATIN  and 
HONESTY.  Lunaria  redhiiva  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  911. 

The  root  is  knotted,  whence  the  name  bulbonach; 
the  seeds  are  large,  red,  and  acrid  to  the  taste.  It 
grows  spontaneously  in  Germany  and  Hungary,  is 
sown  in  gardens  in  England ;  and  is  said  to  be  a  warm 
diuretic.  Raii  Hist.  Modern  practice,  however,  re- 
jects it. 

BUL'BUS,  vel  BO'LBOS,  (from  p*,  a  particle  of 
excess,  and  A»«is,  from  /*,«.?*»*,  to  take,  because  it  is 
easily  taken  hold  of  from  its  roundness).  Blancard. 

BUL'BUS  ESCULE'NTUS,  such  bulbous  roots  as  are 
commonly  eaten. 

BUL'BUS  VOMITO'RIUS,  called  also  muscari,  ASH 
COLOURED  GRAPE  FLOWER,  muscari  obsoletiore  Jlore, 
hyacinthus  racemosus  moschatus,  sibcadi,  dificadi,  and 
MUSK  GRAPE  FLOWER.  Hyacinthus  muscari  Liu.  Sp. 
PI.  454. 

It  hath  a  leaf  as  flexible  as  leather ;  the  root  is  bulbous, 
covered  with  a  black  rind,  and  is  emetic  and  diuretic. 
It  grows  in  gardens  about  Constantinople,  and  in  other 
parts  of  Asia.  Raii  Hist. 

BU'LBUS  SYLVESTRIS.  See  NARCISSUS  LUTEUS  STL- 
VEST. 

BULI'MIA,  BULIMI'ASIS,  and  BU'LIMUS.  See 

BOULIMUS. 

BULI'THOS,  and  BULITHUM,  (from  fi*,  an  ox, 
and  Ai?»«,  a  stone).  A  stone  found  in  the  gall  bladder, 
kidneys,  or  urinary  bladder,  of  an  ox.  See  CAPRA  AL- 
PINA. 

BULLA.  A  BUBBLE  ;  a  VESICLE.  An  elevation  of  the 
cuticle  of  a  large  size,  irregularly  circumscribed,  and 
containing  a  transparent  watery  fluid.  Clear  vesicles 
arising  in  the  eye,  or  from  burns  or  scalds,  are  called 
BULL-E.  Vesicles,  with  a  dark  red,  or  livid  coloured 
base,  are  usually  denominated  PHLYCTEN.*. 

BULLION,  (from  the  French  billon) .  Gold  or  silver 
in  the  ore,  or  imperfectly  refined. 

BULLO  SA  FEBRIS,  (from  bulla,  a  bubble).  An 
epithet  applied  to  the  bullous  or  vesicular  fever,  from 
the  appearance  of  the  eruptions  attending  it.  See 
PEMPHIGUS. 

BUME'LIA,  (from  &a,  a  particle  of  increase,  and 
fit*ia,  the  ash).  See  FRAXINUS. 

BU'NA.     SeeCoFFEA. 

BUNIAS,  vel  BOU'XIAS,  (from  ^«.5,  a  hill,  be- 
cause it  delights  in  rugged  places,)  called  also  actine, 
nafius.  NAVEW.  It  is  a  plant  of  the  turnip  kind, 
with  oblong  roots,  growing  slender  from  the  top  to  the 
extremity.  Linn^us  supposes  the  wild  and  sweet  naveva 
to  be  varieties  only.  It  is  also  the  nafius  saliva,  nafius 

XAVEW    GENTLE RAPE,   FRENCH    NAVEW,    SWEET 


BUP 


294 


BUR 


NAVEW,  and  FRENCH  TURNIP.  Brassica  nafius  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  931.  Nat.  order  crucifere. 

It  is  cultivated  in  gardens  for  the  kitchen.  The  roots 
are  warmer  and  more  grateful  than  the  common  turnip, 
and  afford  a  juice  supposed  to  be  pectoral. 

The  seeds  of  both  sorts  are  warm  and  pungent,  ap- 
proaching to  the  virtues  of  mustard,  but  much  inferior 
in  their  efficacy.  Water  extracts  all  their  virtues. 
They  yield  by  expression  a  large  quantity  of  oil,  which 
is  sold  under  the  name  of  rape  oil :  the  wild  sort  is  cul- 
tivated for  this  purpose.  The  cake  remaining  after  the 
oil  is  expressed  retains  the  acrimony  of  the  seed. 

There  is  a  species  which  Galen  prefers  to  the  above ; 
is  called  fiseudo  bunium,  or  nafius  syl-vestris  cretica,  or 
CANDY  WILD  NAVEW  ;  a  variety  only.  Dale. 

BUNI'TES  VI'NUM,  (from  bunium,  wild  fiarsley) . 
WINE  of  BUNIUM.  It  was  formerly  made  of  bunium, 
two  drachms ;  and  must,  four  pints. 

BU'NIUM,  (from  pyvos,  a  little  hill;  so  called  from 
its  tuberosity).  WILD  PARSLEY  ;  also  called  daucus 
fietroselini,  or  coriandri  folio;  saxifraga  montana  mi- 
nor. Seseli  montanum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  375.  It  grows  in 
stony  places,  and  is  somewhat  warm  and  diuretic. 

BUPEI'NA,  (from  /3«,  a  particle  of  increase,  and 
iriiva,  hunger}.  See  BOULIMOS. 

BU'PHAGOS,  (from  /3s,  and  <p*Va,  to  eat).  The 
name  of  an  antidote  in  Marcellus  Empiricus,  which 
created  a  voracious  appetite. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM,  (from  /3*«,  an  ox,  and  »<z«*A^«?, 
oculus,  an  eye;  from  its  resemblance  to  an  ox's  eye). 
Ox  EYE,  or  ox  EYED,  named  boanthemon.  In  Myrepsus 
it  is  called  cresfiulum. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM  CO'TULA  Fo'no,also  cotulajloreluteo 
radiato,  is  the  camomile  like  ox  eye. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM  GERMA'NICUM,  called  also  bufithal- 
mum  tanaceti  minoris  folio,  cham&melum,  chrysanthe- 
mum, bufihalmum  -vulg.  COMMON  ox  EYE. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM  VE'RUM,  called  also  bufih.  fierigrinum, 
tenuifolium  folio  millefoliifere,  chrysanthemum  cotulce 
folio,  cotulaflore  luteo  radicato,  cachlan,  ox  EYE. 

These  are  all  species  of  the  anthemis  or  bupthalmum, 
resembling  the  camomile  flowers.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  distinguish  them,  as  the  flowers  of  the  common  daisy 
are  sold  for  them,  and  they  possess  no  real  medical 
virtues. 

These  plants  have  tender  stalks,  with  leaves  like  those 
of  fennel,  and  yellow  flowers  resembling  an  eye.  They 
grow  in  fields  near  towns.  All  the  species  are  com- 
mended in  the  jaundice,  perhaps  because  they  are  yel- 
low. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM  CRETICUM.     See  PYRETHRUM. 

BUPHTHA'LMUM  MA'JUS.     See  BELLIS  MAJOR. 

BUPHTH A'LMUS.  A  DISTEMPERED  EYE,  (from  /3»5, 
an  ox,  o0fi*Aft«s,  oculus;  from  its  largeness  like  an  ox's 
eye).  See  EXOPHTHALMIA. 

BUPLEUROIDES,  (from  pex-tovptt,  and  ciS'c?,  for- 
ma). A  plant  which  much  resembles  the  bupleurum. 
Phyllis  nobla  Lin.  Sp.  PL  335. 

BUPLEU'RUM  BUPLEU'RON,  (from  p«,  large, 
and  irtevpa,  a  rib;  so  called  from  its  having  large  ribs 
like  filaments  on  its  leaves).  HARE'S  EAR.  Bufileurum 
falcatum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  341.  Also  called  auricula  lefioris, 
fierfoliata,  and  hysofihyllon.  It  grows  on  hilly  places  in 
France,  flowers  in  July  and  August,  is  detersive  and 
diuretic.  Dale.  For  that  called  BUPLEU'RON  AR- 


BORESCE'NS  SA'LICIS  FO'LIO,  see  LASERPITIUM  VULGA- 
RIUS. 

BUPRE'STIS,  (from  £«?,  a  cow,  and  irfoHrDa,  to 
burn  ;  so  called  because  they  destroy  cattle  which  eat 
it).  The  BURN  .cow.  They  are  a  kind  of  cantharides, 
and  are  possessed  in  some  measure  of  the  same  virtues. 
It  is  also  a  name  of  an  herb  which  was  in  much  esteem 
among  the  Greeks  as  an  esculent  one. 

BURGOUT,  a  dish  composed  of  oatmeal  and  water 
boiled  to  a  moderate  consistence,  and  eaten  with  butter. 
— It  is  a  sailor's  and  a  highlancler's  aliment. 

BURHA'LAGA.  See  EMPETRUM  THYMELJE  FO- 
LIIS. 

BURI'NA,  and  BURNEA.     PITCH.     See  Pix. 

BURIS,  a  scirrhous  hernia,  or  a  hard  abscess.  Avi- 
cenna. 

BURNING,  or  BRENNING,  a  disease  mentioned 
by  old  historians,  from  which  authors  have  unsuccess- 
fully endeavoured  to  demonstrate  the  antiquity  of  SY- 
PHILIS, q.  v. 

BU'RRHI  SPI'RITUSMATRICA'LIS.  Burrhus's 
spirit  for  disorders  of  the  womb,  is  made  with  myrrh, 
olibanum,  and  amber,  in  spirit  of  wine. 

BU'RSJl  MUCO'SjE,  (from  bursa,  a/iurse).  Call- 
ed also  burs£  tendinibus  subjects,  and  sacculi  muc'jui. 

It  is  said  that  Bellini  first  observed  these  bags,  but 
Douglas  first  described  them.  Their  office  is  to  facili- 
tate the  motion  of  the  tendons,  where  they  play  upon 
one  another,  or  upon  a  bone,  and  for  this  purpose  they 
contain  a  lubricating  mucus. 

Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  479.  Monro's  Description  of 
the  Burse  Alucose,  and  their  diseases. 

Mr.  Gooch,  in  his  Observations,  takes  notice  of  a 
wound  in  one  of  these  bags  on  the  side  of  the  knee, 
which,  from  the  discharge,  he  concluded  to  have  been 
from  the  bursal  ligament,  but  it  healed  kindly,  and  led 
him  to  suspect  that  these  bags  may  be  the  scat  of  dis- 
orders not  yet  noticed.  He  hath  also  given  the  follow- 
ing list  of  them. 

1.  DELTOIDES.    A  large  one  situated  under  this  mus- 
cle, upon  the  acromion  scapulae. 

2.  BI'CEPS    BRA'CHII.     A   small   one    investing    the 
tubercle  of  the  radius,  both  on  the  side  where  the  ten- 
don is  fixed,  and  also  on  the  other  side  where  there  is 
no  tendon.     It  adheres  strongly  to  the  whole  tubercle, 
and  loosely  to  part  of  the  supinator  brevis,  under  which 
it  lies,  as  well  as  under  the  tendon  of  the  biceps. 

3.  ILI'ACUS  INTE'RNUS  ET  PSO'AS.     A  large  thin  pli- 
able one  is  found  upon  the  ischium,  beneath  the  tendons 
of  the  iliacus  internus  and  psoas,  as  they  pass  down  to 
their  insertions   in  the  os   femoris.     It  is  attached  to 
these  tendons,  and  to  the  anterior  surface  of  the  capsular 
ligament ;  and  this  sacculus  sometimes  communicates 
with  the  joint. 

4.  LATI'SSIMUS    DO'RSI   ET  TE'RES   MAJOR.     One  is 
situated  between  the  extremities  of  the  tendons  of  these 
muscles,  adhering  strongly  to  them. 

5.  GLU'TEUS   MA'XIMUS.     A  large   thin  one,  firmly 
connected  by  a  small  part  of  it  to  the  back  of  the  tro- 
chanter,    immediately    under   the    termination  of   the 
gluteus  medius,  and  loosely  attached  to  the  rest  of  the 
trochanter  and  the  tendon  of  the  gluteus  maximus. 

6.  GLUTE'US  ME'DIUS.    A  smalkone  situated  between 
the  termination  of  its  tendon  and  that  of  the  pyrifonnis, 
adhering  to  both. 


BU  T 


295 


BY  A 


7.  GLUTE  us  MI  XIMUS.     A  small  thin  one,   attached 
to  its  tendon  and  the  trochanter  major. 

8.  GE'MIXI.     A   small  one  between   them   and   the 
termination  of  the  obturator  internus,  connected   to 
both,  and  to  that  part  of  the  capsula  of  the  joint  which 
lies  under  the  gemini. 

9.  BI'CEPS  CRU'RIS.  One  is  situated  between  the  end 
of  its  tendon  exteriorly,  and  the  capsular  ligament  of 
the  knee,  adhering  to  both. 

10.  SEMIMEMBRAXO'SUS.     A  small  one  lies  between 
its  tendon,  which  runs  between  the  inner  condyle  of  the 
tibia,  and  the  capsular  ligament  of  the  joint. 

11.  CRURA'LIS  et  VA'STI.     Behind  the  tendons  of  the 
cruralis  and  vasti  there  is  a  thin  but  large  one,  con- 
nected to  those  tendons  before  they  join,  and,  after 
their  junction,  it  is  fixed  to  the  patella.    It  also  adheres 
t»the  capsula  of  the  joint  that  expands  itself  over  the 
bone. 

12.  CRA'CILIS,    SARTORIUS,    and    SEMITEXDIXO'SUS. 
Under  the  extremities  of  the  tendons  of  these  muscles 
is  a  large  one,  adhering  to  them  on  one  side,  and  on  the 
other  to  the  capsular  ligament  of  the  knee,  and  on  the 
side  where  these  tendons  play. 

13.  GEME'LLUS.     A  large  one  lies  under  its  inner 
head,  firmly  attached  to  its  tendinous  origin,  also  to  the 
extremity  of  the  semitendinosns,  and  the  capsula  of  the 
knee  near  the  anterior  condyle. 

14.  SOLE'US.     The  tendon  of  the  soleus  passes  over 
the  upper  part  of  the  os  calcis,  between  which  and  the 
bone  lies  a  large  sacculus,  and  near  that  is  found  a  glan- 
dular body  which  furnishes  a  mucous  fluid  for  the  more 
effectual   lubrication  of  these  parts,  that  are  in  such 
constant  motion  in  walking. 

15.  TIBIA'LIS  AXTI'CUS.     A  small  one  is  fixed  to  the 
tendon  a  little  before  its  termination,  where  it  plays  on 
the  top  of  the  foot. 

16.  PEROXE'US  LO'XGUS.     One  lies  under  the  tendon 
of  this  muscle,  where  it  plays  over  the  os  cuneiforme, 
on  the  outside  of  the  foot. 

BUR'SA  TE'STIUM.     See  SCROTUM. 
BURSA'LIS  MU'SCULUS;  so  called  from  its  re- 
semblance to  bursa,  a  fiurse.     See  OBTURATOR  EXTER- 

XUS   et  IXTERNUS. 

BUSELI'XUM,  (from  /3»,  great,  and  e-fA«»«,  fiar- 
sley).  A  large  species  of  parsley. 

BU'SSII  SPI'RITUS  BEZOA'RDICUS.  The 
BEZOARDIC  SPIRIT  of  Bussius,  an  eminent  physician  at 
Dresden. 

Take  the  spirit  of  ivory,  saturated  with  subtile  oil 
and  salt,  two  ounces  (a.  spiritus  C.  C.);  crude  sal  am- 
moniac, four  ounces;  potash,  dissolved  in  water,  eleven 
ounces ;  amber,  half  a  pound ;  oil  of  juniper,  half  an 
ounce ;  distil  them  in  a  retort.  A  salt  rises  first,  and 
then  the  spirit,  which  dissolves  this  salt. 

BUTEA  FROXDOSA  of  Roxburgh,  is  supposed  to 
nourish  the  insect  that  furnishes  the  gum  lac. 

BU'TIGA.     See  GUTTA  ROSACEA. 

BU'TINO.     See  TEREBIXTHIX\. 

BUTHA'LMUM  MAJUS.     See  BELLJS  MAJOR. 

BU'TOMOX,  BU'TOMUS,  (from  fix,  greatly,  and 
TSU.IU,  to  cut,}  so  named  from  their  sword  like  shape. 
It  resembles  the  palms,  and  its  roots  are  eaten  by  the 
Calmucks  as  food.  Its  natural  order,  junci,  we  have 
already  pointed  out.  It  belongs  to  the  alinmoidee  of 
Ventenat.  See  IRIS  PALUSTRIS. 


BUTU'A.     See-PAREiRA  BRAVA. 

BU'TYRUM,  (from  /3««,  a  cow,  and  r«f«f,  coagulum, 
or  cream J.  BUTTER.  See  ADEPS. 

BU'TYRUM  CE'RJE.     See  OLEUM  CEBJE. 

BU'TYHUM  CO'CTUM.     See  AZOM. 

BU'TYRUM:  AXTIMOXII.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

BUXB.  An  abbreviation  of  J.  C.  Buxbaumi  Enu- 
meratio  Plantarum,  1721,  8vo. 

BUXTOXIE'NSIS  A'QUA.  BUXTOX  WATER.  See 
ACJU.E  SULPHURED.  Buxton  is  in  the  Peak  of  Derby- 
shire. The  waters  there  are  the  second  in  degree  of 
heat  among  those  of  this  island.  The  mater  of  St. 
Anne's  well  is  so  pure,  that  when  a  gallon  of  the  -mater 
was  evaporated,  the  sediment  was  only  fifteen  grains ; 
of  which  one  grain  and  three  quarters  were  sea  salt, 
two  and  a  half  selenite,  and  ten  and  a  half  carbonate  of 
lime  rendered  soluble  by  an  excess  of  carbonic  acid. 
The  specific  gravity  of  this  water  is  precisely  equal  to 
that  of  rain  water,  when  their  temperatures  are  the 
same ;  but  when  first  taken  from  the  spring  it  is  four 
grains  in  each  pint  lighter.  The  temperature  of  the 
bath  is  about  eighty-two  degrees. 

The  water  of  St.  Anne's  well  contains  about  one 
sixty -fourth  part  of  its  bulk  of  azotic  gas,  in  which  its 
efficacy  may  in  part  reside,  and  which  is  quickly  dissi- 
pated by  exposure  to  the  atmospheric  air. 

This  water  is  alterative,  and  not  evacuant ;  about  a 
pint  in  the  forenoon  is  at  first  taken,  and  the  quantity 
gradually  increased.  The  cooler  the  weather,  the 
hotter  and  more  medicinal  is  the  water.  It  increases 
the  vital  heat,  is  useful  in  the  gout,  rheumatism,  con- 
vulsive asthma,  and  other  nervous  complaints,  indiges- 
tion, loss  of  appetite  from  intemperance,  contractions 
of  the  tendons,  urinary  diseases,  and  defective  cata- 
menia.  Its  temperature  is  the  highest  at  which  the 
cold  bath  has  been  used.  See  BATHIXG. 

Short's  History  of  Mineral  Waters.  Percival's  Es- 
says, Med.  and  Exp.  vol.  ii.  Dr.  Hunter's  Essay.  Dr. 
Pearson  on  Buxton  Waters. 

Besides  the  tepid  mineral  waters  which  are  so  much 
employed,  there  is  a  fine  clear  chalybeate  water.  Dr. 
Short  evaporated  a  gallon  of  it ;  and  a  scruple  of  solid 
matter,  above  half  of  which  he  says  was  ochre,  re- 
mained :  the  rest  was  a  saline  matter  composed  of  sea 
salt  and  vitriolated  magnesia.  This  water  is  drunk  for 
the  same  purposes  as  other  chalybeates. 

BU'XUS.  Buxus  eemfiervirens  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1394, 
(TMM;,  from  TtnM^a,  to  become  hard ;  or  more  pro- 
bably from  the  Arabic  term  baksa).  The  BOX 
TREE.  The  Hollanders  call  it  palm  tree.  It  is  a 
well  known  evergreen,  and  found  wild  in  some  parts  of 
England. 

An  infusion  of  the  leaves  in  water  hath  a  fetid  smell 
and  a  strong  bitter  nauseous  taste,  is  purgative,  and 
destroys  worms.  The  active  matter,  or  the  wood,  is  of 
the  saline,  and  not  of  the  resinous  kind,  consequently 
differs  from  the  lignum  guaiacum,  which  it  is  said  to 
resemble  as  a  sudorific  and  an  alterant. 

-The  leaves  of  the  common  dwarf  box  dried  and  pow- 
dered are  supposed  to  destroy -worms  in  children.  As 
much  as  will  lay  on  a  shilling  may  be  given  at  bed  time 
every  nigbt.  The  oil  is  used  as  a  depilatory. 

BUY'O-BUY'O.  A  sort  of  pepper  in  the  Philippine 
Islands.  Ray  calls  it/ii/ier  longum  monardi. 

BY'ARIS.     See  CETE  ADMIRABILZ. 


B  ys 


296 


BYZ 


BYNE,  (from  j3u«,  to  Jill,  because  in  wetting  it  swells 
much).  See  BRASIUM. 

BYNG.  A  Chinese  name  of  GREEN  TEA.  See 
TUFA. 

BYRE'THRUM,  BYRE'THRUS.  This  word  oc- 
curs in  Forestus,  lib.  x.  obs.  132.  Schol.  It  is  a  kind 
of  medicated  cap  or  cowl,  filled  with  cephalic  drugs, 
for  the  head ;  but  no  reason  or  authority  can  be  found 
for  the  term,  as  it  appears  neither  in  the  Greek  nor 
Latin. vocabularies;  perhaps  the  author  meant  BAUET- 
TUM,  from  the  French  burette,  or  BERETTUM,  from  the 
Italian  berette,  each  of  which  signifies  a  cap.  See  Cu- 
CUPIIA. 

BY'RSA,  (from  faf/r*,  leather).     See  ALUTA. 

BYRSODE'PSICON,  (from  pvf<r*,  a  skin,  and  &&•>, 
to  curry  leather;  because  it  is  chiefly  used  in  tanning). 
See  RHUS. 

BYSA'UCHEN,  (from  five,  to  hide,  and  at^v,  the 
neck).  People  are  thus  called  who,  by  elevating  their 


shoulders,  hide  their  necks.  The  name  also  of  a  person 
who  hath  a  morbid  stiffness  of  the  neck. 

BY'SMA,(from  /3f*>,  tosto/i  up,  obstruct,  Jill  u/i,  con- 
stipate, or  stuff).  The  covers,  or  stopples  of  any  ves- 
sels. Some  take  the  bysma  to  be  the  same  with  the 
amurca.  See  BYZEN. 

BY'SSUS.  A  woolly  kind  of  moss.  It  is  a  name  for 
the  pudendum  muliebrc,  from  its  mossy  or  hairy  coat; 
and  a  sort  of  fine  cloth  worn  by  the  ancients.  See  also 
BOMBAX. 

BY'STINI  ANTIDO'TUS.  An  antidote  often  men- 
tioned by  jEtius,  which  seems  to  be  much  like  Mithri- 
date. 

BY'ZEN.  In  a  heap,  crowd,  or  a  throng;  called 
also  bysma.  It  is  derived  from  the  word  fiv^a,  or  fiva, 
to  fill  up  by  stuffing',  to  condense;  thus  it  expresses  any 
thing  that  is  sufficiently  dense.  Hippocrates  uses  thv 
word  to  express  the  hurry  in  which  the  menses  flow  in 
an  excessive  discharge. 


-297 


C. 


(    A  A 


C. 


_  .      Sec  NITRUM. 

C  AA-APIA.  (Indian.)  It  is  a  small  low  plant,  with 
a  root  about  two  fingers'  breadth  long,  as  thick  as  a 
swan's  quill,  and  sometimes  as  large  as  a  man's  little 
finger.  This  root  is  knotty,  and  covered  with  filaments 
that  are  three  or  four  fingers'  breadth  long.  Outwardly, 
it  is  of  a  yellowish  grey  colour,  but  inwardly  white. 
After  being  chewed  a  little  it  is  acrid,  and  hath  nearly 
the  same  virtues  with  ipecacuanha,  whence  it  hath  also 
received  that  name.  It  is  a  species  of  dorstenia,  the 
plant  which  furnishes  the  contrayerva,  and  is  the  d. 
Brasiliensis  of  Wildenow,  vol.  i.  p.  682. 

The  Bras_ilians  cure  the  wounds  from  poisoned  darts 
with  the  juice  of  this  root,  which  they  pour  into  the 
wound.  Piso  says  it  hath  the  same  efficacy  against  the 
bite  of  serpents.  See  BOJOBI. 

CAA-ATAY'A  BRASILIE'NSIS.  (Indian.)  It  is 
a  plant  which  grows  in  Brasil,  of  no  smell,  but  bitter  to 
the  taste.  A  decoction  of  it  operates  powerfully,  both 
upward  and  downward.  It  resembles  the  euphrasia. 
Raii  Hist. 

CAACHI'RA.     See  IXDICVM. 

CAACI'CA  BRASILIA'NIS.  (Indian.)  Called  also 
cfAubrina  Lusitanica.  An  herb  growing  in  Brasil,  whose 
leaves  resemble  those  of  the  male  speedwell,  somewhat 
hairy,  green  above,  and  white  underneath.  It  is  full  of 
a  milky  juice.  When  fresh,  it  is  bruised,  and  applied 
against  venomous  bites,  Raii  Hist,  but  unknown  in  the 
system  of  the  botanists. 

CAA'CO.  (Indian.)  The  SENSITIVE  PLANT,  also  called 
aschynomene  sfiinosa  BratiiitntiAu*  secunda,  herba 
viva,  noli  me  tangere,  mimosa  casta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1500. 

It  is  a  native  of  Brasil.  If  the  leaves  of  this  plant  are 
touched,  they  immediately  contract,  but  soon  after  re- 
turn to  their  former  state,  a  singular  appearance  seem- 
ingly connected  with  electricity,  though  with  some  cir- 
cumstances which  oppose  this  idea.  The  tops  of  this 
plant  are  noxious,  and  the  roots  are  said  to  be  their  an- 
tidote. A  decoction  is  made  of  a  handful  of  that  part 
of  the  root  which  is  under  ground,  boiled  in  six  pints 
of  water  for  a  few  minutes,  half  a  pint  of  which  is  to  be 
drunk  every  hour  or  two,  until  the  patient  is  well.  The 
root  used  in  this  way  is  an  antidote  to  several  poisons 
in  America. 

VOL.  I. 


CAB 

There  is  another  species,  called  herba  viva  . 
s/iecics,  fscAynomene   sfiinosa  tertia;    m.  jiudica  Liu 
Sp.  PI.  1501. 

CAAETIMA'Y    BRASILIENSIBUS.      (Indian. 
Called  also  senecio  Brasiliensis. 

It  is  a  tall  plant  which  grows  in  Brasil ;  the  leaves  of 
which  have  a  hot  and  acrid  taste.  A  decoction  of  them 
cures  the  itch,  by  washing  the  parts  affected  with  it. 
Raii  Hist.  Its  systematic  name  is  unknown. 

CAAGHIGU'GO  BRASILIE'NSIS.  (Indian.) 
Frutex  baccifer  Brasiliensis.  A  shrub  growing  in 
Brasil ;  its  leaves  are  powdered,  arid  then  applied  to 
ulcers  as  a  desiccative. 

CAA-OPIA.  (Indian.)  Called  also  arbuscula gum- 
mifera  Brasiliensis.  It  is  a  tree  growing  in  Brasil,  from 
the  bark  of  which,  if  incisions  are  made,  a  juice  is  emit- 
ted, which,  when  dry,  resembles  the  gutta  gamba  in  all 
respects,  only  in  being  somewhat  redder.  Raii  Hist. 
It  is  the  hypericum  bacciferum  of  modern  naturalists, 
but  not  yet  introduced  into  the  Linnzan  system. 
'  CAAPE'BA.  See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

CAAPO'NGA.  (Indian.)  The  Brasilian  name  for 
crithmum;  also  called  trifolia  sfiica,  crithmum  marinum 
non  s/iinosum:  inula  crithmoides'Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1240. 

The  leaves  and  young  stalks  are  pickled  for  the  use 
of  the  table,  though  they  are  gently  diuretic. 

There  is  another  species  ;  it  is  called  fiereryl  JLusi- 
tanis;  it  resembles  purslane,  and  is  of  the  same  nature 
as  the  above. 

CAARO'BA.  (Brasilian.)  A  tree  whose  leaves  are 
bitter;  a  decoction  of  them  promotes  perspiration,  and 
is  useful  in  the  venereal  disease.  Raii  Hist. 

CA'BALA,  CA'BULA,  KABALA,  CABALI'S- 
TICA  ARS.  The  CABALISTIC  ART.  It  is  derived  from 
the  Hebrew  word  kabbalah,  signifying  to  receive  by 
tradition.  It  is  a  science  which  consists  in  a  myste- 
rious explication  of  the  Scriptures,  however  they  were 
received.  This  is  the  Jewish  cabala;  but,  from  this 
original,  the  word  is  applied  to  every  mysterious  or  ma- 
gical explanation.  Paracelsus  uses  it  in  a  medical  sense, 
saying  cabalistic  signs  cannot  deceive,  si  Dis  ftlacet. 
Some  enthusiastic  philosophers  and  chemists  -have 
transplanted  it  into  medicine,  importing  by  it  some- 
thing magical. 

CABALA'TOR.     See  XITRUM. 

Qq 


c  A  r 


C  A  C 


CAB  A  'LLICA  ARS,  (from  xxrx'ZaMa,  to  throw 
rfw«).  A  term  in  gymnastics,  importing  among  wrest- 
lers the  art  of  foiling,  or  throwing  an  antagonist  down. 

(.'  \15  \ LLIN'K, (from  eaballus^a horse).    See  ALOES. 

CABVSSOXUS  MASSILIE'NSIUM.  A  fish 
found  in  the  Mediterranean  sea;  also  called  lavoromts. 

CABF/LIAU.     Con  FISH.     See  ASELI.US  MAJOH. 

CABULA'TOR.     See  NITJIUM. 

CABUHE'IBA,  CABURII'BA.  See  PERUVIANUM 
BALSAMUM. 

CACAGO'GAj  (from  xaxav,  excrement,  and  «ya>,  to 
e.i-Jict).  OINTMENTS,  that,  by  being  rubbed  on  the  fun- 
dament, procure  stools.  P.  -/Egineta,  lib.  vii.  ix. 

CACA'LIA,  (from  «ee»«y,  bait,  and  AI«V,  exceedingly^ 
because  it  is  mischievous  to  the  soil  on  which  it  grows,) 
also  called  Icontice  veterum,  cacamum,  and  STRANGE 
COLT'S  FOOT.  C'acalia  Aljiina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1170.  Nat. 
order  corymbifera^  Jussieu  ;  com/iosite  discoldea  Lin. 

It  grows  in  shady  places.  Paulus  of  Jigina,  and 
Dioscorides,  suppose  this  to  be  the  cacanum  ;  for  their 
virtues  are  similar  to  the  common  sort,  for  which  see 
TUSSILAGO.  The  c.  sonchifolia,  Lin.  1 169,  is  esteemed 
a  febrifuge,  an  expectorant,  and  useful  in  diarrhoeas. 

CACALIA'NTHEMUM,  (from  X«*«AI«,  and  <*»0e/u»», 
ii  flower,  because  its  flower  resembles  that  of  the  caca- 
//«,)  so  called  by  Dr.  Dillenius  :  the  CABBAGE  TREE,  and 
the  CARNATION  THEE.  Caculia  klcinia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1  168. 
Originally  it  was  brought  from  the  Canary  islands;  and 
another  species  came  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
See  Miller's  Diet. 

CA'CAMUM.     Sec  CACALIA. 

CA'CAO,  (Indian);  called  also  cocoa,  amygdalus  si- 
milus  Guathnalensis,  cacava,cacari,  c/uahoitl,  caravata, 
thocolata,  avellana  Mexicana,  cacavera,  cacavala  cacao 
jtmerictt}  the  PEAK  BEARING  WHOLESOME  ALMOND  TREE, 
CACAO,  and  CHOCOLATE.  It  is  the  theobroma  cacao  of 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 100.  Nat.  order  malvacee.  The  nut  is 
the  only  part  of  the  tree  used;  its  shape  is  nearly  that 
of  an  almond,  but  of  a  much  larger  size.  The  shell  is 
dark  coloured,  brittle,  and  thin ;  the  kernel  throughout 
is  of  a  brown^colour.  It  is  produced  by  a  small  Ameri- 
can tree,  which  bears  a  large  red  fruit  like  a  cucumber ; 
in  this  fruit  is  contained  from  thirty  to  a  hundred  of 
these  nuts.  A  good  tree  produces  a  crop  in  June,  and 
another  in  December.  The  principal  distinctions 
among  these  nuts  arc  the  size,  and  place  from  whence 
they  are  brought:  the  larger  kind  from  the  province 
of  Nicaragua,  in  Mexico,  arc  most  esteemed.  The 
chief  of  those  brought  to  England  are  from  Virginia 
and  Jamaica. 

Cacao  nuts  have  a  light  agreeable  smell,  and  an  unc- 
tuous, bitterish,  but  not  ungrateful,  taste.  Those  from 
Nicaragua  and  Caracco  are  the  most  agreeable;  those 
from  the  French  Antilles,  and  our  American  islands, 
are  the  most  unctuous.  -They  invigorate  the  stomach, 
and  arc  supposed  to  recruit  rapidly  the  exhausted 
strength.  In  diseases  of  the  lungs  they  are  commended 
in  their  native  soil.  In  this  country  they  require  so 
much  heat  that  they  scarcely  ever  bear  any  seed. 

The  principal  use  of  this  nut  is  for  making  the  liquor 
known  by  the  name  of  chocolate;  which  is  a  mild,  unc- 
tuous, demulcent,  and  nutritious  fluid.  In  hectic,  scor- 
butic, and  catarrhal  disorders;  in  atrophy,  malignant 
itch,  and  hooping  cough  ;  chocolate,  made  in  the  usual 
way,  js  said  to  relieve. 


Cacao  nuts  afford  by  pressure  an  oil  of  the  same  kind 
as  those  that  are  obtained  the  same  way  from  other 
kernels  and  seeds.  This  oil  is  anodyne,  used  in  cor- 
recting the  effects  of  corrosive  poisons,  and  in  relieving 
haemorrhoids.  It  does  not  contract  any  smell,  dries 
readily,  and  is  considered  as  a  good  cosmetic.  It  is 
said  to  preserve  the  flexibility  of  the  joints,  and  prevent 
rheumatic  affections. 

OLEUM  seu  BU'TYRUM  <?  NUCLEIS.  The  OIL  or  BUTTER 
of  the  CHOCOLATE  NUT.  Roast  the  nuts  slightly  in  an 
iron  pan.  When  cleared  from  the  rind  and  levigated 
on  a  hot  stone,  dilute  them  with  a  proper  quantity  of 
hot  water,  and  keep  them  in  a  water  bath  till  the  oil 
rises  to  the  top ;  which,  when  concreted,  is  of  a  brown 
colour,  and,  by  repeated  liquefactions  in  hot  weather, 
becomes  white.  Cacao  nuts  thus  managed,  afford 
sometimes  more  than  half  their  quantity  of  this  vege- 
table sebaceous  matter.  As  it  is  not  liable  to  turn  ran- 
cid by  long  keeping,  it' is  a  proper  basis  for  odoriferous 
unguents:  but  its  indigestible  property  renders  it  unfit 
for  internal  use.  The  mucilaginous  pulp  contained  in 
the  husks,  if  pressed,  yields  a  cream  grateful  to  the 
taste  ;  and  an  emollient  for  external  application  of  some 
efficacy.  As  we  owe  our  knowledge  of  the  tea  plant  to 
China,  so  we  are  indebted  to  the  Mexicans  for  choco- 
late, but  they  were  unacquainted  with  the  sugar  cane, 
which  was  only  brought  to  St.  Domingo  in  1  506. 

To  prepare  the  kernels  of  the  chocolate  nuts  for  use, 
they  brqised  them  after  having  separated  their  husks, 
then  placed  them  before  a  clear  fire,  by  which  they  are 
so  dissolved  as  to  be  fit  for  making  into  cakes  or  rolls. 
These  cakes  were  rendered  more  solid  by  adding  the 
meal  of  maize,  and  were  flavoured  with  pimento. 
Such  are  still  brought  from  New  Spain,  but  the  union 
of  the  oil  with  the  mucilaginous  parts  is  not  complete, 
and  this  chocolate  often  occasions  complaints  of  the 
stomach. 

The  Mexicans  now  mix  with  these  nuts  a  portion  of 
Indian  corn,  a  few  seeds  of  rocou,  and  a  little  vermi- 
lion. The  French  mix  with  theirs  a  little  cinnamon, 
vauilloe  seeds,  and  fine  sugar.  In  Paris  they  make  their 
chocolate  for  sale  as  follows:  Take  of  chocolate  nuts, 
freed  from  their  husks,  and  fine  sugar,  of  each  a  pound; 
of  cinnamon,  finely  powdered,  two  drachms ;  and  of  va- 
nilloes  half  a  drachm  ;  beat  them  well  together,  and  form 
them  into  cakes  or  rolls.  "  The  chocolate  of  health" 
contains,  however,  only  canella  ;  and  the  chocolate  of 
one,  two,  or  three  vanilloes,  is  denominated  from  the 
proportion  of  this  condiment.  In  Spain  six  pounds  of  the 
cacao  nut  are  mixed  with  three  pounds  and  a  half  of 
sugar,  seven  vanilloe  pods,  a  pound  and  a  half  of  maize, 
half  a  pound  of  cinnamon,  and  six  cloves,  with  a  drachm 
of  capsicum.  The  whole  is  scented  with  musk,  and  co- 
loured with  the  rocou.  The  choice  of  the  nut  is  of  im- 
portance :  that  from  the  Caraccos  is  too  dark  and  dry  ; 
the  cacao  of  the  islands  too  unctuous.  The  best  pro- 
portion is  three  parts  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter. 

Chocolate  is  often  adulterated  in  a  variety  of  ways ; 
sometimes  common  flour,  the  farina  of  rice,  of  lentils, 
and  of  pease,  or  the  starch  of  potatoes,  are  added  to  in- 
crease its  bulk.  If  ever  any  additions  become  neces- 
sary, the  gluten  of  the  seeds  should  be  wholly  excluded, 
and  the  fecula  only  employed. 

Some  manufacturers  are  said, by  Parmentier,  to  pur^ 
chase  at  a  low  price  the  residuum  of  the  cacao  nut, 


AC 


(    A  I 


from  which  the  oil  has  been  expressed,  and  to  supply  the 
latter  by  animal  fats,  and  the  yolks  of  eggs.    Others  add 
roasted  almonds  and  gum  arabic~.     It  is  not  an  uncom- 
mon practice  to  purchase  the  unripe  nut,  and  lower  its 
sharp  bitter  taste  with  a  large  proportion  of  sugar,  which 
is  the  cheapest  ingredient.    Chocolate,  without  any  bad 
intention,  is  sometimes  injured   in  the  preparation.     If 
the  nut  is  not  sufficiently  roasted,  the  taste  is  disagree- 
uble  ;    if  burnt,   bitter ;    and   the    chocolate   is   black, 
out  the  soft  unctuous  taste  natural  to   it.     If  Ihe 
;  is  not  separated  from  the  two  lobes  of  the  seed,  it 
•.ind  in  the  chocolate,  since  it  resists  the  weight  of 
•ig  stone. 

Good  chocolate  should  in  its  fracture  present  no  gra- 
nulated appearance.  It  should  melt  in  the  mouth,  leav- 
ing a  kind  of  freshness  ;  and  when  boiled  in  water  or 
in  milk,  the  consistence  should  be  moderate.  Those 
who  cannot  bear  milk  in  any  other  way,  find  no  incon- 
venience from  it  in  chocolate. 

When  chocolate  tastes  in  the  mouth  like  paste,  when 
on  the  fiist  boiling  it  exhales  the  smell  of  glue,  or  in 
cooling  becomes  a  jelly,  it  has  been  adulterated  with 
farinaceous  matters.  If  little  grains  are  deposited,  it  is 
probable  that  the  nut  has  not  been  sifted,  that  it  has 
been  badly  cleaned,  or  the  coarsest  sugar  employed. 
The  smell  of  cheese  shows  that  animal  fats  have  been 
added;  rancidity  discovers  mucilaginous  seeds;  and  a 
bitter  or  musty  taste,  that  the  nut  is  unripe,  or  too  much 
roasted.  We  shall  add  the  receipt  for  making  choco- 
late from  Baume's  Elements  of  Pharmacy :  Take  of 
Caracco  cacao  nuts  five  pounds,  of  the  islands  nut  one 
pound,  sugar  five  pounds,  fine  canella  an  ounce  and 
half,  cloves  twelve  in  number. 

After  drinking  of  chocolate,  if  it  is  uneasy  in  the  sto- 
mach, relief  will  be  found  from  drinking  a  tea  cupful  of 
cold  water. 

An  ARTIFICIAL  CHOCOLATE  is  mad c  of  sweet  and  bit- 
ter almonds  of  each  an  ounce,  roasted  in  an  iron  pan 
until  they  are  brown,  then  wiped  clean,  and  bruised  in 
a  mortar,  gradually  mixing  four  measures  of  warm 
milk,  two  eggs  that  have  been  well  mixed  with  a  little 
cold  milk,  and  as  much  cloves,  cinnamon,  and  sugar,  as 
may  be  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

CACAPHO'NIA,  (from  *.*™<i,  bad,  and  ^*»?,  the 
•voice).  See  PAHAPHROXIA. 

CA'CARI,  CACAVI'IERA,  CA'CAVA,  QUA- 
HO'ITL,  CACAVA'TA.  See  CACAO. 

CACATO'RIA  FE'BRIS,(frorn  caro,  tog o  to  stool). 
A  name  given  by  Sylva  to  a  kind  of  intermittent  fever 
attended  with  copious  stools. 

(  A  CAVI.     See  CASSADA. 

CACCIO'XDE,  a  Patronymic,  according  to  Castel- 
lus.     A  pill  commended  by  Bagiivi  against  the  dysen- 
s  is  the  catechu. 

CACEDO'NIUM  TA'RTARUM.  The  peccant 
matter  in  the  human  body  secreted  but  not  immediately 
expelled. 

C'A'CHALOT.     Sec  C'ETE  ADMIUABII.F.. 

CACHE'XIA,  (from  *»MS,  ill  or  had,  and  t£-5,  a 
habit _  A  BAD.HABIT  OF  BODY.  The  bad  habit  which 
constitutes  cachexy  consists  of  a  want  of  vigour  of 
the  solid  parts,  and  appears  in  universal  languor,  with 
every  mark  of  defective  digestion  or  assimilation,  at- 
tended with  diminished  heat,  strength,  and  activity. 
The  skin  is  pale,  yellow,  or  dark,  and  the  white  of  the 


eyes  often  almost  transparent.  If  difficult  menstruation 
is  the  cause,  it  is  called  a  chlorosis.  In  Dr.  Cullen's 
Nosology,  it  is  the  third  class  of  diseases.  He  defines 
it  to  be  '  a  depravity  of  the  constitution  of  the  whole 
or  of  a  great  part  of  the  body,  without  any  febrile  or 
nervous  disease  as  the  primary  one.'  This  class  com- 
prehends three  orders;  marcores,  intumescentie,  and 
imfietiginea. 

They  are  the  most  disposed  to  this  disease  who  are 
naturally  of  a  lax  habit,  which  consists  in  the  softness 
of  the  moving  fibres,  the  smallness  and  number  of  the 
vessels,  and  the  slenderness  of  the  tendons.  Women 
are  more  subject  to  it  than  men  ;  men  of  a  phlegmatic 
habit  than  those  of  different  one  ;  for  such  persons  are 
apt  to  be  plethoric,  which  occasions  the  liver  to  be 
sometimes  obstructed:  whence  the  train  of  conse- 
quences which  form  this  disorder. 

It  is  distinguished  by  a  pale  white  countenance,  but 
oftener  by  a  yellowish  or  green  colour  in  the  skin,  a 
fulness,  coldness,  a  want  of  elasticity  of  the  muscles, 
general  feebleness,  weariness,  a  difficulty  of  breathing 
on  the  least  exercise,  swelled  feet,  an  inactive  mind, 
oppression  during  sleep,  urine  white  and  turbid,  the 
pulse  slow  and  soft,  the  eye  lids  cedematous.  When  a 
difficult  jnenstruation  in  girls  is  the  cause,  besides  these 
symptoms,  there  is  a  pain  in  the  head,  a  frequent  pal- 
pitation of  the  heart,  and  a  preternatural  longing  for 
things  noxious  and  unfit  for  food;  puin  in  the  back  and 
loins,  a  plethora  either  of  the  sanguineous  or  phlegmatic 
kind,  and  a  sense  of  weight  across  the  eyes.  See 
CHLOROSIS. 

Cachexy  is,  however,  too  general  an  association  to  be 
treated  of  in  a  single  article.  It  forms  with  great  pro- 
priety a  natural  order  of  diseases,  agreeing  in  numerous 
obvious  appearances,  but  differing  in  their  causes. 
When  we  speak  of  it  in  general,  we  should  say  that  it 
is  commonly  connected  with  suppressed  evacuations,  or 
with  causes  which  influence  the  digestion  and  assimi- 
lation of  the  aliment;  and,  among  the  latter,  scirrhosities 
of  the  chylopoietic  viscera  are  the  chief.  Yet  it  is  a 
mark  of  chronic  debility  in  general,  from  whatever 
cause  it  may  proceed.  One  of  its  distinguishing  symp- 
toms is  a  deficiency  of  the  red  globules  of  the  blood. 
In  our  examination  of  the  vital  fluid  we  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  discover  their  origin,  but,  like  the  fibrin,  they 
seem  to  be  connected  with  tone  and  strength.  The 
blood  without  these  is  of  a  yellowish  hue;  and  the  union 
of  this  colour  with  the  red,  gives  the  peculiar  tinge 
styled  the  flesh  colour.  It  may  be  considered  as  a  single 
disease,  when  unconnected  with  suppressed  menstrua, 
with  jaundice,  with  scurvy,  dropsy,  any  external  tu- 
mours or  ulcers,  or  hectic  fever.  In  this  view,  it  is 
often  the  effect  of  long  continued  anxiety,  of  '  hope 
deferred,'  of  too  sedentary  a  life,  indulgence  in  spiritu- 
ous liquors,  too  copious  evacuations,  particv! 
those  excited  by  artificial  or  unnatural  means.  It  is  not 
that  the  disease  differs,  but  that  its  cause  is  not  obvious. 
A  scirrhous  liver,  scirrhous  mesenteric  glands,  an  in- 
cipient dropsy,  impaired  digestion,  may  be  produced 
by  all  these  causes;  but  it  often  happens  that  the  symp- 
toms of  neither  betray  the  origin  of  the  disease,  and  our 
remedies  must  be  directed  by  general  views  or.ly. 

When  the  causes  of  cachexy  are  obvious,  the  disease 
becomes  either  of  those  just  noticed  ;  nor  is  the  dis- 
tinction then  difticult.  We  recollect  but  one  ins'. 

Q 


C  A  C 


300 


C  AC 


in  which  it  is  less  easy,  that  is,  between  cachexy  and 
hectic.  In  the  weak  cachectic  state,  a  little  fever  at- 
tends in  the  evening,  which  may  be  easily  mistaken  for 
a  hectic  exacerbation.  In  hectic,  the  cough  is  often  tri- 
fling and  unnoticed,  nor  is  the  evening  paroxysm  strongly 
marked.  In  this  difficulty,  the  uneasiness  in  laying  on 
one  side  rather  than  the  other,  the  narrow  or  de- 
formed chest,  the  prevailing  tendency  to  consumption 
in  the  family,  may  determine  us.  But,  perhaps,  the  state 
of  the  pulse  is  the  most  certain  criterion.  If  in  any  ca- 
chectic state  the  pulse  is  generally  under  70,  and  does 
not  at  any  time  greatly  exceed  80,  we  may  be  satisfied 
that  the  lungs  are,  at  least  for  a  time,  secure.  The 
young  practitioner  must,  however,  recollect,  that  there  is 
no  universal  rule  in  medicine:  the  most  general  rules 
are  liable  to  numerous  exceptions.  Old  age  is  attended 
with  cachexy,  and  of  a  most  incurable  kind.  Indeed,  it 
•was  long  since  observed,  senectus  ijisa  morbus. 

The  indications  of  cure  arc  to  correct  the  bad  quality 
of  the  juices,  to  strengthen  the  stomach,  and  to  invigo- 
rate the  system. 

Hence  the  diet  should  be  nutritious,  cordial,  such  as 
nourishes  in  the  least  quantities,  and  repeated  often,  to 
afford  nourishment  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  stomach, 
without  overloading  it.  No  error  is  more  common  or 
more  fata),  than,  in  cases  of  weakness,  to  accumulate 
food.  It  is  not  what  can  be  swallowed,  but  what  the 
stomach  can  digest,  that  is  serviceable,  and  it  should  be 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  oppose  the  cause  and  circum- 
stances of  the  disorder.  Exercise  should  be  constant  and 
regular,  but  within  the  compass  or'  the  strength.  When 
the  primse  viae  are  evacuated,  medicines  which  increase 
the  vital  heat,  as  warm  bitters,  aromatics,  and  chalybe- 
ates,  should  be  given;  antimonials  relax  the  stomach, 
and  therefore  should  be  avoided. 

It  has  been  usual  to  give  small  doses  of  rhubarb  pre- 
vious to  the  dinner,  that  it  may  digest  with  the  food. 
This  plan,  as  well  as  the  columbo  root  given  at  the  same 
time,  may  have  been  useful;  but  very  certainly  not  in 
consequence  of  its  being  digested.  Each  may  give  a 
temporary  stimulus,  and  each  may  correct  the  effect 
of  too  rapid  a  digestion  of  the  food,  the  evolution  of  an 
acid.  A  glass  of  white  wine,  previous  to  the  dinner, 
would  be  equally,  perhaps  more,  effectual. 

Chalybeates  are  a  favourite  remedy  with  many  prac- 
titioners, and,  from  their  usual  effects,  they  seem  well 
adapted  to  the  disease.  We  have  said  that  all  metallics 
are  apparently  tonic,  and  that  chalybeates  seem  to  join 
an  inflammatory  stimulus ;  yet  steel  is  a  remedy  we 
have  not  often  employed,  and  when  given,  its  effects 
have  not  been  apparently  more  beneficial  than  those  of 
tonics  and  aromatics.  But  we  mean  not  to  set  up  our 
opinion  as  a  standard;  we  are  aware  on  this  subject  of 
a  little  prejudice,  and  can  add,  that  practitioners  of  the 
highest  character,  and  the  correctest  judgment,  recom- 
mend chalybeates  in  this  complaint. 

In  the  usual  directions,  however,  there  is  a  want  of 
discrimination  which  we  must  endeavour  to  supply.  In 
every  instance  of  cachexy,  visceral  obstructions  are  to 
be  suspected  ;  and  we  should  not  accumulate  our  tonics 
and  stimulants,  without  relieving  overloaded  glands  by 
gentle  stimulants  applied  to  their  excretories,  we.  mean 
r.light  laxatives.  The  warmer  resinous  purgatives  are 
adapted  for  this  purpose,  and  among  them  rhubarb  and 
aloes  are  the  most  conspicuous.  These  may  be  given 


in  every  variety  of  form,  not  to  purge  violently,  but  to 
keep  up  a  regular  discharge,  and  on  some  days  to  give 
an  additional  evacuation  to  the  usual  daily  one. 

With  similar  views  we  have  often  advantageously 
given  small  doses  of  calomel,  not  exceeding  a  grain,  or, 
at  most,  a  grain  and  a  half,  every  night.  We  have  already 
spoken  sufficiently  of  the  general  effects  of  mercury  to 
explain  its  use  in  this  case  ;  and  as  there  is  always  some 
internal  obstruction  to  dread,  its  probable  utility  will  be 
obvious. 

See  Dr.  James's  Dictionary,  the  article  CAPHEXIA. 
Bocrhaave  on  the  Cachexy.  Shebbeare's  Theory  and 
Practice  of  Physic.  Lewis's  Translation  of  Hoffman's 
Practice  of  Medicine,  vol.  ii. 

CACHE'XIA  UTEUI'NA.     See  FI.UOR  ALBUS. 

CACHE'XIA  ICTERICA.     See  ICTERIS. 

CA'CHLAN.     See  BUPHTHALMUM  VERUM. 

CA'CHLEX.  A  little  STOKE  or  PEBBLE.  Suidus 
makes  it  the  name  of  an  animal.  Galen  says  that  the 
cachleces  heated  in  the  fire,  and  quenched  in  whey, 
become  astringents,  and  useful  in  dysentery. 

CA'CHORE.     See   TERRA  JAPOXICA. 

CA'CHOS,  (Indian,)  or  solanum  fiomiferum  folia 
rotunda  tenui.  It  grows  only  on  the  mountains  of  Peru. 
It  is.  a  shrub  of  an  extraordinary  greenness:  the  leaves 
are  thin  and  round  :  the  fruit  resembles  the  mad  apple, 
is  of  an  ash  colour  and  a  grateful  taste.  The  Indians 
use  it  as  a  diuretic,  and  to  expel  concretions  from  the 
kidneys.  Raii  Hist.  It  is,  undoubtedly,  a  species  of 
solanum,  but  it  does  not  occur  in  the  Linnjean  system. 

CA'CHOU.     See  TERRA  JAPOXICA.     - 

CA'CHRYS  LIBANOTIS.  Galen  says  it  some- 
times means  parched  barley;  called  also  canchry,  or 
canchrys. 

CACHU'NDE.  A  compound  cordial  medicine, 
much  esteemed  by  the  Chinese  and  Indians.  Zacutus 
Lusitanus  says  it  is  made  with  amber,  musk,  aloes, 
wood,  pearls,  emeralds,  granates,  hyacinths,  galangals, 
cinnamon,  aloes,  &c. 

C  ACHY 'MI  A.  A  term  in  Paracelsus,  by  which  he 
intends  an  imperfect  metallic  body,  or  an  immature 
metalline  ore,  which  is  neither  a  saline  substance  nor  a 
metal,  but  yet  almost  metal.  In  fact,  he  means  the 
metallic  calces,  which  the  chemists  of  that  period  were 
unable  to  reduce. 

CACOALEXITE'RIA,  (from  x.ttxo<;,  evil,  and  «AE|/- 
Tr.fiei,  a  remedy  or  medicine).  See  ALEXIPHARMICA. 

CACOCHO'LIA,  (from  KO.X.HI,  bad,  and  £oA)j,  bile). 
An  indisposition  of  the  bile. 

CACO'CHROI,  (from  **y.c«,  HI,  and  %(<>«•,  colour). 
Such  as  have  an  unhealthy  colour  in  the  face. 

CACOCHY'LIA,(from  K«X«?,  bad,  arid  w*y,  chyle). 
Indigestion  or  depraved  chylification. 

CACOCHY'MIA,  (from  *.«.*»<,,  ill,  and  %»/*.<><,  hu- 
mour). For  this  the  barbarous  term  kachimia  is  some- 
times used.  A  depraved  state  of  the  humours. 

CACODES.  Offensive  matter,  discharged  by  the 
stomach,  by  stool,  or  foul  ulcers. 

CACOE'THES,  (from  KX.X.<H;,  ill,  and  -<j0«?,  mos,  a 
custom,)  which,  when  applied  to  diseases,  signifies  a 
bad  quality  or  disposition.  Hippocrates  applies  this 
word  to  malignant  and  difficult- distempers.  Le  Dran 
explains  it  to  be  an  evil  ulcer,  boil,  or  sore.  Galen  and 
some  others  express  by  it  an  incurable  ulcer,  that  is  ren- 
dered so  through  the  acrimony  of  the  humours  flowing 


.E  C 


301 


to  it.  Linnveus  and  Vogel  use  this  term  much  in  the 
same  sense  with  Galen,  and  describe  the  ulcer  as  su- 
perficial, spreading,  weeping,  arid  with  callous  edges. 

CACOPA'THIA,  (from  x**6?,  mains,  and  int6o$, 
affectio).  An  ill  affection. 

CACOPHO'NIA,  (from  ««*<>«,  bad,  and  $*»»»,  voice). 
See  PAHAPHOXIA. 

COCOPRA'GIA,  (from  *«*<*,  ill,  and  *r/wr7«,  to  do 
or  acfj.  A  disease  in  those  viscera  by  which  nutrition 
is  performed. 

CACORRYTHMUS,  (from  XMW,  ill,  and  /t(?f«>5, 
order).  An  epithet  of  a  disorderly  pulse. 

CA'COS.  EVIL,  BAD.  Also  the  name  of  an  Indian 
herb  of  a  red  colour :  it  is  diuretic,  and  useful  against 
calculous  disorders. 

CACOSI'TIA,  (from  **x«j,  ill,  and  <T<TO«,  food). 
See  NAUSEA. 

CACOSPHY'XIA,  (from  ***»«,  ill,  and  <??*&,  from 
<r<J>t/|»,  to  leafi  or  beat  like  an  artery).  A  disorder  of  the 
pulse  in  general. 

CACOSTO'MACHUS,  (from  ***o5,  bad,  and  «-?».**- 
#05,  stomach).  A  bad  stomach;  but  it  is  applied  to 
unwholesome  food  that  is  bad  for  the  stomach. 

CACOTHY'MIA,  (from  **«•«,  ;//,  and  $«/,*•«,  the 
mind).  Any  vicious  disposition  of  the  mind. 

CACOTRO'PHIA,  (from  »**«?,  ill,  and  T^»,  NK- 
triment).  Any  sort  of  vicious  nutrition  in  general. 

CA'CTOS,  (from  «*<4>,  uro,  to  burn;  because  its 
seed  is  pungent).  See  CINAUA. 

CACULE.  The  Arabian  term  for  CARDAMOMS,  q.  v. 

CADA'GO  PA 'LI.     See  COXESSJ. 

CADAPALA'VA.     See  MACANDOX. 

CADDIS.     See  CARBASUS. 

CAD'JUCT.     See  PHASEOLUS  ZARRATEXSIS. 

CA'DMIA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  kadam,)  also 
rhlimia,  catimia.  Dioscorides  meant  by  it  the  recre- 
ment which  arises  from  brass  whilst  melting.  Galen 
applied  it  to  the  recrement  of  brass,  and  a  stone  found 
in  some  mines  called  cadmia  laftidosa,  supposed  to  be 
the  tsruginosus  lafiis.  The  calamine  stone  is  now  called 
cadmia,  and  the  Germans  have  given  this  name  to  co- 
balt; whence  Agricola  says,  that  there  are  three  sorts; 
one  metallic,  one  fossile,  and  one  of  the  furnaces  ;  in- 
stanced in  the  succeeding. 

CA'DMIA  META'LLICA.    See  COBALTVM. 

CA'DMIA  FO'SSILIS  and  LAPIDO'SA.  See  CALAMINARIS 
LAPIS. 

CA'DMIA  FACTI'TIA  and  FORNA'CUM.     See  TUTIA. 

The  burnt  cadmia  receives  different  names,  accord- 
ing to  the  part  of  the  furnace  from  whence  it  is  collect- 
ed ;  if  in  its  upper  part,  resembling  a  cluster  of  grapes, 
botrytes  or  botritis  ;  if  in  the  lower  part,  filacitis.  But 
Schroeder  says,  that  the  botritis  is  collected  in  the 
middle,  the  jilacitis  in  the  upper,  and  the  ostracitis, 
which  is  thin,  earthy,  and  black,  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  furnace.  See  also  CALAMITIS,  and  POMPHOLIX, 
which  are  truly  CADMIAS. 

CADU'CA,  (from  cado,  to  fall).  See  VERTIGO,  and 
DECIDUA. 

CADU'CUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  the  same).  'See 
EPILEPSIA. 

C.ECA'LIS  VE'NA.     See  CJECUM  INTESTIXUM. 
C/tXI'LIA,  (from  cacus,  blind).    The  BLIND  WORM 
or  SLOW  WORM,  also  called  caciliaie  fihlofis,  and  cteci- 


liate  fililinuR,  Graecis.    It  is  a  species  of  serpent,  whose 
bite  is  similar  in  its  effect  to  that  of  the  viper. 

C.E'CITAS  MI  XOR,(from  the  same).  See  AMAU- 

ROSIS. 

C.E'CUM  IXTESTI'XUM.  The  BLIND  GLT;  so 
called  from  its  being  perforated  at  one  end  only  ;  called 
also  monomachon;  and  by  Paracelsus  monocolou.  What 
we  now  call  the  afifiendicula  c£ci,  Rufus  Ephesius  culls 
the  cecum.  But  modern  anatomists  divide  the  large 
intestines,  which  form  one  continued  canal,  into  three 
portions.  This  canal  begins  by  a  kind  of  SACCVLUS,  or 
HAG,  which  is  the  first  of  the  three  portions,  and  is  called 
cecum.  Dr.  Hunter  says  that  it  lies  on  the  inside  of  tho 
os  ilium  upon  the  iliacus  internus,  and  is  only  a  round 
short  broad  bag,  whose  bottom  is  turned  downwards, 
and  its  mouth  upwards.  This  intestine,  which  is  about 
three  fingers'  breadth  long,  is  hid  by  the  last  convolution 
of  the  ileum.  It  hath  the  same  bands  as  the  colon,  which 
take  their  origin  from  the  appendicula  vermifo; 
Winslow  observcsHhal  this  bag  lies  under  the  rigli' 
kidney,  and  that  its  diameter  is  more  than  double  thu1. 
of  the  small  intestines.  Its  arteries  are  from  the  mescn- 
terica  superior.  The  veins  are  from  the  greater  mesen- 
teric,  and  one  of  the  branches  Riolan  calls  the  -vena 
cecalis.  The  nerves  come  from  the  posterior  and  in- 
ferior mesenteric. 

CJLME'NTUM,  (from  cedo,  to  beat  together).  See 

CffiMEXTUM. 

C^EME'NTUM  CUPRE'UM.  CEMEXT  COPPER,  called  also 
ziment  cojifier.  It.is  copper  precipitated  from  vitriolic 
waters,  by  means  of  iron.  The  name  is  derived  fron> 
a  vitriolic  water  in  Hungary  called  ziment. 

CJISA'REA  SE'CTIO.  The  CJJSARIA.V  SECTION  or 
OPERATIOX  ;  also  called  hysterotomia,  and  hysterctoma- 
tocia.  It  is  the  operation  whereby  the  foetus  is  extract- 
ed from  the  uterus  through  the  teguments  of  the  belly. 
It  is  called  the  Casarean  operation,  from  Julius  Caesar, 
who  is  said  to  have  been  brought  into  the  w.orld  this 
way ;  or  from  Caeso,  who  was  the  first  thus  taken  from 
his  mother's  womb. 

There  are  three  cases  wherein  this  operation  may  be 
necessary. — 1.  When  the  fcetus  is  perceived  to  be  alive, 
and  the  mother  dies,  either  in  labour,  or  in  the  last  two 
months.  2.  When  the  foetus  is  dead,  but  cannot  be 
delivered  in  the  usual  way,  from  the  deformity  of  the 
mother,  or  the  disproportionate  size  of  the  child.  3. 
When  both  the  mother  and  the  child  are  living,  but  the 
same  difficulty  attends  as  in  the  second  case. 

Many  instances  have  occurred,  in  which  it  has  been 
said  that  both  the  mother  and  child  have  lived  after  this 
operation,  and  the  mother  borne  children  by  the  natu- 
ral passages.  Heister  gives  a  very  distinct  account  of 
this  operation  in  his  Surgery ;  and  of  its  success  in  his 
Institutes  of  Surgery,  p.  xi.  §  5.  cap.  113.  See  also 
Mem.  de  1'Acad.  Roy.  de  Chirur.  vol.  i.  p.  623.  ii.  p. 
308.  Edinb.  Med.  Essays,  vol.  v.  art.  37  and  38. 

Xotwithstanding  the  many  successful  cases  given  by 
different  authors,  still  it  appears  very  probable  that  most 
of  them  have  been  extra  uterine,  if  we  consider  the  very 
rare  success  which  has  attended  the  operation  in  cases 
where  the  foetus  has  been  extracted  really  from  the 
uterus  ;  for  in  almost  every  case  which  has  occurred  in 
England,  the  operation  has  proved  fatal.  It  was,  how- 
ever, performed  by  Mr.  James  Barlow,  of  Choiiey,  Laa- 


C 


302 


C  A  J 


Cashire,  where  the  fcetus  was  taken  from  the  uterus  by 
the  Caesarean  operation,  the  woman  was  preserved,  and 
recovered  her  perfect  health.  See  Dr.  Haighton's  In- 
quiry concerning  the  true  and  sfnirious  C&sarecni  Ope- 
ration;  and  Mr.  Barlow's  Account  in  the  Medical  Re- 
ports and  Researches,  1798.  It  is  singular,  that  in  the 
old  authors  it  is  said  to  have  been  performed  frequently 
with  success,  and,  in  some  instances,  repeatedly  on  the 
same  woman.  We  must  confess,  that  we  feel  no  little 
scepticism  on  this  point,  though  we  cannot  see  what 
reason  there  should  be  for  imposition.  The  dangerous 
nature,  however,  of  the  operation,  even  in  the  best 
hands,  with  every  assistance,  forbids  us  to  believe  that 
it  could  have  succeeded  by  the  rudest  means. 

To  determine  the  necessity  of  the  operation,  the  size 
of  the  pelvis  should  be  carefully  examined.  It  has  been 
supposed,  that  if  the  aperture  in  any  direction  was  less 
than  two  inches,  or  two  inches  and  a  quarter,  delivery 
was  impracticable.  It  has,  however,  been  more  lately 
found,  that  in  a  pelvis  of  an  inch  and  three  quarters, 
delivery  with  the  crotchet  might  be  effected,  and,  in 
some  instances,  even  through  a  less  aperture.  Delivery, 
therefore,  should  scarcely  in  any  instance  be  considered 
as  hopeless;  and  almost  every  attempt  should  have 
failed  before  the  Csesarean  section  is  practised. 

If  the  woman  is  exhausted  and  jn  a  dying  state  while 
the  child  is  alive,  we  should  certainly  attempt  to  save 
the  latter ;  but,  in  general,  the  life  of  the  mother  is  by 
far  of  the  greatest  importance.  When  the  child  is  dead, 
we  should  at  least  wait  till  we  find  every  effort  with  the 
crotchet  has  failed ;  though  in  this  difficult  emergency, 
we  must  occasionally  balance  between  the  probability 
of  success  in  delivery,  and  the  only  possible  chance  the 
woman  can  have  by  attempting  the  operation  before  her 
strength  is  too  far  exhausted. 

It  should  not  be  recommended  if  the  woman  is  living 
before  she  falls  into  labour,  and  yet  it  must  be  attempt- 
ed before  she  has  suffered  much  by  her  ineffectual 
throes ;  for  when  she  is  much  reduced,  the  operation  is 
almost  sure  to  be  fatal. 

To  perform  this  operation,  having  previously  inject- 
ed a  clyster,  lay  the  woman  on  her  back,  place  a  pillow 
under  her  right  side,  to  turn  the  uterus  as  much  as  pos- 
sible on  the  left ;  then  the  operator  must  make  a  longi- 
tudinal incision,  beginning  as  high  up  as  the  navel,  on 
the  outside  of  the  linea  alba ;  and  carrying  it  down  in  an 
oblique  direction  towards  the  ileum,  he  must  cut  care- 
fully through  the  muscles  of  the  belly,  and  through  the 
peritonaeum.  He  must  then  introduce  a  finger  into  the 
abdomen,  which  must  be  carried  along  before  the  point 
of  the  knife,  in  order  to  prevent  the  vagina  from  being 
wounded.  The  incision  is  usually  directed  to  be  on  the 
left  side,  for  fear  of  wounding  the  liver,  though  there 
seems  to  be  more  danger  of  the  omentum,  or  a  flexure 
of  the  intestines ;  because  as  the  uterus  rises  up,  it  car- 
ries the  viscera  above  it,  and  to  each  side,  but  the  omen- 
tum is  frequently  found  lying  between  it  and  the  parietes 
of  the  belly.  The  incision  into  the  uterus  must  be  longi- 
tudinal, and  as  long  as  the  external  wound  will  admit, 
taking  care  not  to  wound  the  Fallopian  tubes;  the  child 
must  be  taken  out  at  the  incision,  and  after  it  the  pla- 
centa and  membranes ;  blood  must  be  absorbed  with 
sponges  :  the  wound  in  the  uterus  must  be  left  to  nature, 
for  by  its  contraction  it  will  be  brought  into  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  in  length.  The  external  wound  is  to  be  sutured 


with  the  interrupted  stitch,  and  then  to  be  dressed  as  in 
general.  If  any  considerable  vessels  are  cut  through, 
they  should  be  taken  up.  We  have  already  observed, 
that  this  operation  is  highly  dangerous  and  very  gene- 
rally fatal.  The  danger  sometimes  arises  from  its  having 
been  too  long  delayed,  often  from  internal  haemorrhage, 
but  more  generally  from  the  inflammation  excited,  and 
the  irritation  occasioned,  by  the  access  of  the  air. 

In  the  Lond.  Med.  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol. 
iv.p.  26l,is  an  instance  of  this  operation,  which,  though 
unsuccessful,  merits  attention.  In  this  case  the  incision 
was  made  on  the  right  side ;  and  it  was  observed  that 
the  woman  complained  but  little  during  the  operation, 
except  when  the  needles  passed  through  the  perito- 
naeum in  making  the  sutures :  and  that  the  uterus 
seemed  very  little  sensible  of  any  injury  done  to  it.  It 
is  noticed  in  the  remarks  on  writers  who  have  described 
this  operation,  that  there  is  very  little  satisfaction  to  be 
obtained  from  them  ;  that  all  they  relate  is  very  vague; 
and  that  it  is  indifferent  on  which  side  the  incision  is 
made,  further  than  as  some  present  circumstance  may 
determine;  that  the  haemorrhage  spoken  of  by  Heister 
is  not  so  much  to  be  dreaded  as  he  intimates ;  that  the 
course  of  the  linea  semilunaris,  as  nigh  to  the  outer 
edge  of  the  rcctus  muscle  as  possible,  seems  to  be  the 
most  eligible  place  for  the  operation. 

Pare,  Guillimeau,  Rolfincius,  Ploorne,  Mauriceau, 
Solingen,  and  some  others,  are  violent  opposcrs  of  this 
operation;  but  they  only  object  to  it  in  certain  cases, 
where  they  thought  the  practitioners  too  rash  in  the  at- 
tempt. As  a  substitute  for  it,  the  section  of  the  svm- 
physis  of  the  pubes  is  proposed.  (See  Punis  OSSA). 
Another  proposal  has  been  lately  offered,  that  in  women 
whose  pelves  are  distorted,  and  labour  supposed  to  be 
impracticable,  an  attempt  should  be  made  to  bring  on 
delivery  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  month.  This,  how- 
ever, is  an  expedient  highly  difficult  and  dangerous, 
though  less  so  than  the  operation.  It  involves,  however, 
many  considerations  not  strictly  medical,  which  we  must 
not  pursue  in  this  place.  See  also  an  Account  of  the 
C<Knarean  Section  by  Dr.  Vaughan  of  Leicester.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vi.  446.  White's  Surgery,  451.  Osborne's  Es- 
says on  the  Practice  of  Midwifery.  Denman's  Midwifery. 

C^E'SARES,  CJESO'NES.  Children  who  are  brought 
into  the  world  by  the  Caesarean  operation. 

C2&TCHU'.     See  TERRA  JAPONIC \. 

CAF,  CA'FA,  CA'FAR,  (from  cafihar,  Arabic). 
See  CAMPHORA. 

CAGA'STRUM.  Paracelsus  used  this  word  to  ex- 
press the  morbific  matter  which  generates  diseases, 
and  that  is  not  innate,  but  adventitious.  Diseases  arising 
from  the  cagrastum  are  pleurisy,  pestilence,  fever,  Etc. 

CA'HVEH,  CA'HOUA.     See  COFFEA. 

CAI'RA,  CAI'TCHU.     See  TERRA  JAPONICA. 

CAJAHA'BA.  An  Indian  plant  which  adheres  to 
trees  like  ivy ;  the  natives  bruise  it,  and  bind  it  upon 
fractures.  Raii  Hist. 

CA'JAN,  or  CA'YAN.  Phaseolus  ercctus  incanus 
siliyuis  torosis,  thora  fiarou,  fiimim  arborescent;  cytizus 
cajan  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1041.  A  shrubby  plant,  with  pods  con- 
taining four  reddish  peas.  A  decoction  of  the  leaves  re- 
strains the  haemorrhoids  when  excessive.  Raii  Hist. 

CA'JEPUTIO'LEUM.An  oil  distilled  from  the  leaves 
of  the  me/a/euca  leucandron  Lin.  not  included  in  his  own 
edition  of  the  species  filantarum.  The  tree  is  of  the  na- 


C  A  L 


303 


C  A  L 


.  order,  myrtoides,  whose  wood  is  useful  from  its  not 
corrupting  in  sea  water.  Its  bark  is  reproduced  like 
cork.  The  oil  is  highly  fragrartt  and  aromatic,  and  a 
few  drops  of  it  inclosed  in  a  box  will  destroy  insects 
which  infest  the  collections  of  natural  historians,  parti- 
cularly among  the  papilios.  It  is  of  a  green  colour;  its 
smell  resembling  turpentine,  and  its  taste  peppermint. 
It  is  considered  as  a  stimulant,  carminative  and  emme- 
nagogue;  is  highly  commended  in  flatulent  colic,  in 
spasms,  and  in  paralysis.  Externally  it  is  applied  to 
piles;  to  the  mouth,  in  palsy  of  the  tongue;  and  to  dis- 
eased teeth,  which  it  is  said  soon  to  destroy.  In  the 
Moluccas  also,  it  is  used  externally  as  an  aphrodisiac. 
The  dose  is  from  four  drops  to  ten,  frequently  in  a  day, 
but  it  is  seldom  used  in  this  country.  It  is  said  to  dis- 
solve very  perfectly  the  caoutchouc. 

CA'JOU,  CA'JUM.     See  ACAJAIBA. 

CA'LABA.  INDIAN  MASTICH  TKEE;  catofihyllum 
inofihyllum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  732.  It  hath  rosaceous  flowers, 
which  are  followed  by  a  fleshy  fruit  that  includes  a  nut. 
This  tree  is  a  native  of  the  warm  parts  of  America. 
From  the  trunk  and  branches  a  gum,  called  tacama/iac, 
or  green  balm,  resembling  the  gum  mastich,  issues, 
which  is  accounted  vulnerary,  resolvent,  and  anodyne. 
The  c.  calaba  affords  no  balm  of  this  kind,  but  the  seeds 
are  eatable. 

CALAMARIjE,  (from  calamus,  a  reed).  An  order 
of  plants  of  the  reed  kind. 

CALAMA'RY.     See  SEPIUM  os. 

CALA'MBAC,  CALAM'BOUR.  (Indian.)  See 
AGALLOCHUM. 

CALA'MEDOX,  (from  K*A«J««,  a  reed) .  A  species 
of  fracture  which  runs  along  the  bone  in  a  right  line, 
but  is  lunated  in  the  extremity. 

CALAMI'XA,  CALAMIXA'RIS  LA'PIS,  (from 
calamus,  a  reed;  so  called  from  its  reed  like  appear- 
ance). CALAMINE  STONE,  CADMIA,  or  CATHMIA;  also 
called  cadmia  lafiidosa  erosa,  cadmiafossilis,  CALAMITE, 

CALAMY,  and  CALAMINARIS   STONE. 

It  is  a  metallic  mineral,  of  a  whitish  or  yellowish  co- 
lour, and,  in  a  state  of  purity,  transparent,  variously 
mixed;  it  is  heavy  and  hard;  of  a  middle  nature  betwixt 
stone  and  earth,  occurring  in  copper  mines,  and  those 
of  lead  and  iron  ;  it  is  found  in  England,  Germany,  and 
other  countries,  either  in  distinct  mines,  or  intermixed 
with  the  ores  of  lead  or  other  metals.  It  is  a  calx  of 
ZINC,  and  sometimes  contains  a  small  portion  of  iron; 
its  specific  gravity  3.5236,  electrical  by  heat,  volatile, 
rising  in  whitish  flowers,  with  a  bluish  flame.  Dis- 
solved in  the  nitrous  acid,  it  becomes  gelatinous.  Haiiy 
thinks  the  calamine  a  pure  ore  of  zinc  without  any  car- 
bonic acid ;  but  Mr.  Smithson,  in  the  Philosophical 
Transactions  for  1803,  analysed  the  calamine  from  Bley- 
berg,  from  Mendip  hills  in  Somersetshire,  and  from 
Derbyshire.  In  each  he  found  carbonic  acid ;  viz.  in 
the  first  0.135;  in  the  second  0.352 ;  in  the  third  0.348. 
The  calx  of  zinc  was  respectively  0.714,  0.648,  and 
0.652.  The  electric  calamine  from  Hungary  contained 
quartz  and  calx  of  zinc  only.  It  is  generally  exposed  to 
heat  before  it  is  brought  into  the  shops,  in  order  to  se- 
parate some  sulphureous  and  arsenical  particles,  which 
it  is  supposed  to  contain,  and  also  to  render  it  more 
easily  reducible  into  powder. 

If  this  ore  is  not  already  calcined,  it  must  be  heated 


to  a  strong  red  heat,  then  quenched  in  water;  and  this 
process  must  be  repeated  three  times.  Before  calcina- 
tion it  is  frequently  of  a  grey  or  red  colour;  but  when 
calcined  it  is  yellow. 

It  is  an  error  of  some  writers  to  say  that  the  calamy 
is  a  recrement  of  melted  copper,  and  that  tutty  is  a  re- 
crement of  melted  brass  ;  though  it  is  true  that  the  best 
calamine  is  what  sticks  to  the  iron  rods  used  in  stirring 
the  matter  in  the  furnaces  while  brass  is  making. 

Though  the  calamine  stone  is  an  ore  of  zinc,  it  is  not 
the  only  one ;  for  zinc  is  found  in  the  ore  of  lead,  and 
of  other  metals.  The  principal  use  of  this  mineral  is 
for  changing  copper  into  brass,  which  it  does  by  its 
metallic  part  mixing  with  the  copper  while  it  is  in  a 
state  of  fusion.  See  ^Es. 

For  medicinal  uses,  the  calamine,  after  being  cal- 
cined, should  be  levigated  to  an  impalpable  powder;  it 
is  then  called  lafiis  calaminaris,  ppt. ;  for  the  mode,  see 
COMMINVTIO.  When  thus  prepared,  it  is  useful  in  col- 
lyria,  as  an  astringent  and  corroborant,  in  defluxions  of 
thin  acrid  humours  on  the  eyes,  in  obfuscations  of  the 
cornea,  and  in  ointments  for  cutaneous  exulcerations. 
If  it  is  exquisitely  fine,  it  acts  as  an  absorbent  or  desic- 
cative;  but  if  not,  it  is  an  escharotic.  In  the  Medical 
Commentaries  it  is  recommended,  by  Dr.  Adair,  in 
doses  of  from  five  grains  to  a  scruple,  in  the  diarrhoeas 
of  cachectic  patients  as  a  corroborant. 

CERA'TUM  EPULO'TICUM.  CICATRISING  CERATE  of 
the  London  college,  now  called  CERA'TUM  LA'PIDIS  CA- 
LAMIXA'RIS. CALAMINE  CERATE  is  made -with  olive  oil, 
a  pint;  yellow  wax,  calamine  prepared,  of  each  half  a 
pound :  the  wax  is  melted  with  the  oil,  and,  as  soon  as 
the  mixture  begins  to  thicken,  the  calamine  gradually 
added  and  stirred  till  it  is  quite  cold.  This  hath  been 
called  ceratum  Turneri.  Dr.  James  says  that  he  re- 
members to  have  met  with  a  like  cerate  in  a  publica- 
tion by  an  old  English  surgeon  who  preceded  Dr.  Tur- 
ner. The  Edinburgh  college  calls  it  ung.  lafiidis  cala- 
minaris. 

The  MAGISTERY  OF  CALAMixE  consists  of  the  muriated 
calamine,  precipitated  by  the  volatile  alkali,  and  care- 
fully washed.  In  doses  from  three  to  seven  grains  it  is 
emetic  and  cathartic.  See  Neuman's  Chemical  Works. 
Lewis's  Materia  Meclica,  and  the  Dictionary  of  Che- 
mistry, 4to. 

CALAMI'NTHA,  (from  **A*  t*.n6>,,  good  mint}. 
CALAMINT.  Melissa  calamintha  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  827.  A 
perennial  plant,  that  flowers  in  July  and  August. 

CALAMI'NTHA  ANGLICA.  FIELD  CALAMINT;  called  also 
calamintha  fiulegii  odore,  nefieta  agrestis,  calam.  fol. 
o-uatis,  and  SPOTTED  CALAMINT.  Melissa  nefieta  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  828.  The  leaves  have  much  of  the  smell  of  penny- 
royal and  spearmint,  but  hotter,  and  their  virtues  are 
similar  to  a  mixture  of  both;  water  by  infusion  ex- 
tracts all  their  virtue,  and  by  evaporation  it  carries  off 
all  the  flavour.  By  distillation  with  water  they  give 
out  a  large  portion  of  essential  oil,  pungent  to  the  taste, 
and  strong  of  the  herb:  the  decoction,  after  the  oil  is 
carried  off,  is  rough,  bitter,  and  aromatic.  Rectified 
spirit  of  wine  extracts  the  virtues  of  this  herb  the  most 
completely. 

CALAMINTHA  HUMILIOR.  GROUND  IVY.  See  HEDERA 
TERRESTRIS. 

CALAMI'NTHA  MA'GXO  FLO 'HE.    MOUNTAIN  CALAMINT. 


C  AL 


304 


C  AL 


with  a  large  flower;  MOUNTAIN  MINT,  the  GREATEST,  and 
the  more  excellent  CALAMIXT.  Melissa  grandiflora 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  827.  It  is  a  native  of  the  southern  parts 
of  Europe,  and  raised  in  our  gardens;  hath  a  mode- 
rately pungent  taste,  and  a  more  agreeable  one  than 
any  of  the  other  calamints.  It  is  a  bitter  stomachic. 

CALAMI'NTHA  MONTANA  is  the  common  calamint ; 
named  also  calainintlia  -vulgaris,  et  officinarum  Germa- 
nics. Melissa  ca/aminta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  827. 

It  is  found  on  the  sides  of  the  highways,  but  it  is 
not  so  common  as  the  field  species,  nor  are  its  leaves 
so  powerful  in  their  medicinal  qualities,  not  having  the 
smell  of  pennyroyal.  All  the  calamints  are  slightly 
aromatic,  less  so  than  the  other  mints,  and  are  used  as 
stomachic;  sometimes,  without,  however,  any  founda- 
tion, as  expectorants. 

CALAMI'NTHA  PALU'STRIS.     See  MF.NTHA  CATAIUA. 

CALAMI'TA.     Lee  STYKAX  and  MAGNES. 

CALAMI'TIS.  A  name  of  that  factitious  cadmia 
which,  by  fixing  to  iron  rods,  acquires  the  figure  of  a 
reed.  See  POMPHOLIX. 

CALAMUS,  (from  the  Arabic  term  kalam,  or  kelr- 
mus).  The  stalk  of  any  plant.  See  CAUDEX. 

CA'LAMUS  AROMA'TJCUS.  SWEET  SCENTED  FLAG; 
also  called  diringa,  jacerantatinga,  acorns  verus, 
tyfiha  aromatica,  clava  rugosa.  It  is  the  acorus  ca- 
lamus Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  463.  Nat.  order  tyjihoides  of 
Jussieu. 

The  names  of  calamus  aromaticus  and  the  acorus 
differ:  the  first  is  a  stalk  of  an  eastern  reed,  which  is 
slender,  hollow,  white,  and  of  a  fragrant  smell ;  it  is 
also  called  calamus  odoratus,  and  arundo  Syriaca,  but 
is  probably  only  a  variety  of  the  acorus  calamus,  ft.  Lin. 
463. 

The  sweet  flag  is  a  plant  with  long  narrow  pointed 
leaves,  like  those  of  the  common  iris,  and  of  a  bright 
green  colour;  they  are  divided  by  the  longitudinal  rib 
into  two  unequal  proportions,  one  of  which  is  smooth, 
the  other  transversely  wrinkled;  the  flowers  are  im- 
perfect, and  stand  thick  together,  forming  an  elegant 
spike;  the  root,  which  spreads  obliquely  under  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth,  is  long,  crooked,  full  of  joints,  about 
an  inch  thick,  somewhat  flatted,  externally  of  a  greenish 
•white  colour,  which  changes  in  drying  into  a  brownish 
yellow,  internally  white,  and  of  a  loose  fungous  texture. 
It  is  found  in  rivulets  and  marshy  places  in  many  parts 
of  England  and  in  Holland.  The  stalk  dies  in  winter, 
but  the  root  is  perennial. 

The  dried  roots  are  brought  from  the  Levant,  but 
those  of  our  own  growth  are  preferable.  Dr.  Alston 
says  that  this  root  is  aromatic,  stomachic,  and  carmi- 
native. As  an  aromatic,  though  not  heating,  like  the 
spices,  it  promotes  the  fluid  secretions,  is  of  use  in  gan- 
grenes, both  internally  and  externally,  agreeably  stimu- 
lates, and  produces  a  pleasant  sensation  in  the  mind. 
It  has  been  deemed  useful  as  a  warm  stomachic,  and 
renders  other  bitters  more  grateful  and  carminative.  It 
is  recommended  in  vertigo  proceeding  from  a  weakened 
stomach,  and  has  been  said  to  have  cured  intermittent 
fevers  after  bark  had  failed:  it  seems  to  add  to  the 
efficacy  of  the  bark,  particularly  where  the  stomach  is 
in  a  torpid  state.  The  aroma  is  fixed,  and  may  be  pre- 
served many  years.  When  fresh  gathered,  the  scent  is 
not  agreeable,  but  somewhat  like  that  of  leeks;  by  dry- 


ing, the  alliaceous  odour  is  lost.  That  which  is  sound, 
tough,  and  whitish  within  when  broken,  is  best. 

Water  dissolves  the  bitter  part  of  this  root,  and  spi- 
rit the  aroma.  In  distillation  with  water  it  sends  up  a 
very  small  portion  of  essential  oil,  leaving  a  nauseous 
bitter  in  the  decoction. 

More  agreeable  bitters  supersede  its  use,  but  it  is 
sometimes  a  substitute  for  gentian,  and  for  other  gently 
warm  bitters. 

CA'LAMUS  AUOMA'TICUS  ASIA'TICUS  is  the  ASIATIC 
SWEET  FLAG;  acorus  calamus  verus,  var.  /3.  436.  It 
grows  in  both  the  Indies.  Its  root  agrees  in  virtues 
with  that  of  our  own  growth. 

CA'LAMUS  RO'TANG;  calamus  rotang  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  463. 
See  SANGUIS  DRACONIS. 

CA'LAMUS  ODOHATUS.     See  CALAMUS  AROMATICUS. 

CA'LAMUS  SCRIPTO'RJUS.  A  cavity  of  the  brain,  near, 
or  in  the  fourth  ventricle,  is  thus  named  because  it  re- 
sembles a  quill. 

CALBIA'NUM.  The  name  of  a  plaster  in  My- 
repsus. 

CALCA'DINUM.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

CALCA'DIS.     See  VITRIOLUM  ALBUM,  and  ALCALI. 

CALCA'NEUM,  CA'LCAR,  CA'LCIS  OS,  (from 
calx,  the  heel).  PT'EHNA.  The  HEEL  BONE.  It  is  the 
largest  bone  in  the  foot,  of  which  it  is  the  posterior  part, 
and  in  some  measure  the  basis.  The  large  tendon, 
called  tendo  Achillis,  is  inserted  into  this  bone. 

If  injured  in  its  fore  part,  it  may  safely  be  ampu- 
tated. 

CALCA'NTHOS,  CALCANTHUM,(from  ***«?, 
brass,  and  avflo;,  Jlores,  Jlotvcrs  of  brass").  See  VITRI- 
OLUM. 

CA'LCAR.     See  CALCANEUM. 

CALCA'RIUS  LAPIS,  (from  calx,  lime}.  See 
CALX. 

CA'LCATAR.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

CA'LCATON.     See  ARSENICUM  ALBUM. 

CALCATRE'POLA.     See  CALCITRAPA. 

CALCE'NA,  CALCENO'NIUS,  CALCE'TUS. 
Paracelsus  uses  these  words  to  express  the  tartarous 
matter  in  the  blood;  or  that  the  blood  is  impregnated 
with  tartarous  principles. 

CALC.  MUS.  An  abbreviation  of  Museum  Cal- 
ceolaralium  Veronense. 

CALCE'TUS.      See  CALCENA. 

CA'LCEUM  EQUINUM,  (from  calceus,  a  shoe,  and 
equus,  a  horse ;  so  called  from  the  figure  of  its  leaf). 
See  TUSSILAGO. 

CALCHI'THEOS,    (from    xxMtov,  fiurflle).      See 

jERUGO  ^ERIS. 

CALCHOIDEA  OSSICULA,  (from  x**i%,  a  chalk 
stone,  and  eths,  forma').  See  CUNEIFORMS  os  EXTER- 
NUM. 

CALCI'DICUM.  The  name  of  a  medicine  in 
which  arsenic  is  an  ingredient. 

CA'LCIFRAGA,  (from  calx^  a  stone,  zndfrango,  to 
break").  BREAKSTONE.  An  epithet  given  to  the  herb 
scolofiendium  or  s/ileenwort,  in  Scribonius  Largus.  See 
LINGUA  CERVINA. 

CALCIGRADUS,  (from  calx,  the  heel,  and  gradus, 
a  stefi).  Hippocrates  means  by  it,  one  who,  in  walk- 
ing, lays  much  stress  upon  the  heels. 

CALCINATIO,  (from  calx,  to  burn  to  a  calx  or 


C  A  L 


305 


C  A  L 


friable  fio'.vder).  Also,  concremu'lc,  drjlagratio,  com- 
btstio,  combunt&ra,  ambtstio.  The  calcination  of  a 
body  is,  properly  speaking,  its  exposure  to  the  action 
of  the  fire  which  produces  some  change  in  it.  This 
change  is  generally  effected  by  separating  the  more 
volatile  from  the  more  fixed  parts  of  any  compound 
body  ;  or  the  destruction  of  any  principle  capable  of  in- 
flammation. 

Bodies  are  deprived  of  their  volatile  parts  by  calcina- 
tion, in  the  instances  of  burning  calcareous  stones  to 
convert  them  into  quick  lime,  which  is  effected  by  the 
reparation  of  the  carbonic  acid  and  water;  in  the  ex- 
posing gypsum,  alum,  borax,  and  several  other  salts,  to 
the  fire,  which  deprives  them  of  the  water  that  is  ne- 
cessary for  their  crystallization  ;  and  in  the  roasting  of 
minerals,  which  carries  off  their  sulphur,  arsenic,  and 
other  volatile  contents. 

It  was  formerly  supposed,  that  an  inflammable  prin- 
ciple gave  to  metals  their  distinguishing  splendour,  and 
other  properties.  As  this  was  consumed  in  the  fire, 
they  were  said  to  be  reduced  to  the  state  of  a  calx.  It  is 
now,  however,  found,  that  the  calx  is  the  compound bqdy 
containing  air;  but,  as  the  change  is  produced  hy  fire, 
we  still  use  the  term  calcined. 

There  is  an  evaporation  of  volatile  parts,  and  a  change 
to  the  state  of  a  calx,  without  any  sensible  combustion, 
in  exposing  imperfect  metals,  combined  with  vitriolic 
and  nitrous  acids,  to  a  due  degree  of  heat ;  in  this  pro- 
cess the  acid  rises,  and  is  at  the  same  time  decomposed, 
giving  to  the  metal  the  oxygen  necessary  to  reduce  it 
to  a  calx.  In  the  same  way  acids  act  by  solution,  cal- 
cining metals  without  the  aid  of  fire,  by  being  them- 
selves decomposed. 

Calcination  is  said  to  be  actual,  when  effected  imme- 
diately, and  only  by  the  action  of  fire  ;  and  potential, 
when  a  solvent  is  used  to  corrode  the  metal. 

To  this  head  belongs  the  burnings  of  vegetable  and 
animal  matters ;  otherwise  called  USTIO,  INCINEHATIO, 

Or  CONCREMATIO. 

There  are  several  species  of  calcination,  by  which 
different  degrees  of  the  same  effect  are  produced, 
and  thus  calcination  is  perfect  or  imperfect :  the  first 
is  where  the  utmost  change,  except  vitrification,  is 
brought  about;  the  second  is  where  the  circumstances 
of  the  process  are  limited  in  proportion  to  the  change 
intended. 

The  calcination  of  metallic  bodies,  gold  and  silver 
cxcepted,  is  promoted  by  nitre.  This  salt  exposed  to 
the  fire  in  conjunction  with  an  inflammable  substance, 
extricates  the  inflammable  matter,  but  bursts  with  it 
into  flame,  accompanied  with  a  hissing  noise:  this  pro- 
cess is  called  DEFLAGKATIO,  or  DETOXATIO.  To  un- 
derstand the  principle  of  this  operation  it  must  be  ob- 
served, that  the  afflux  of  air  is  necessary  to  the  support 
of  fire;  and  that  nitre,  or  any  thing  containing  its  acid, 
will  supply  the  air. 

The  manner  of  operation  varies  according  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  matter  to  be  calcined,  and  may,  according  to 
the  principle  on  which  it  is  performed,  be  distinguished 
into  threekinds,  COMBUSTION,  CALEFACTION,  and  DETONA- 
TION. 

CALCINATION  by  combustion  is  where  the  body  kin- 
dled supports,  with  the  assistance  of  the  air,  the  fire 
which  calcines  it,  as  in  the  Instance  of  coals  in  the  culi- 

VOL.    I. 


nary  fire.  Vegetables  are  thus  calcined;  and  the  opera- 
tion is  sometimes  ailed  INCINERATION". 

CALCINATION  by  calefaction  is  where  the  calcining 
heat  is  not  generated  in  the  body  itself,  but  imparted  to 
it  from  external  fire.  The  methods  are  as  various  as 
the  different  kinds  of  matter  thus  treated  ;  and  in  the 
management,  regard  must  be  had  to  the  substance  of 
the  containing  vessel,  for  some  should  be  made  of  iron, 
others  of  glass  or  clay  ;  and  the  heat  must  be  differently 
regulated,  or  else  vitrification,  instead  of  calcination, 
may  ensue.  Calcinations  of  this  kind  are  expedited  by 
the  increase  of  surface  which  is  given  to  the  calcined 
matter,  and  the  copious  admission  of  air  through  that 
part  of  the  furnace  where  the  matter  is  placed,  by  stir- 
ring it  with  a  spatula,  by  previous  pulverisation,  and  by 
raking  off  the  calx  from  the  surface  of  the  metal,  as  fast 
as  it  appears.  It  should  be  further  observed,  that  if 
any  coal,  or  other  inflammable  matter,  that  does  not 
contain  a  mineral  acid,  be  suffered  to  fall  on  the  calcin- 
ing matter,  calcination  will  be  prevented ;  and  part  of 
what  is  calcined  will  be  revived  or  reduced,  that  is,  it 
will  return  into  its  metallic  form  again. 

CALCINATION  by  detonation- differs  from  combustion 
only  in  this  :  in  the  latter  the  assistance  of  air  is  neces- 
sary ;  in  the  former  this  want  is  supplied  by  the  nitre 
that  is  added  to  the  matter,  which,  producing  a  quicker 
and  more  intense  fire,  both  shortens  the  operation,  and, 
in  some  instances,  renders  it  more  perfect.  Detonation 
is  thus  performed  :  a  proper  quantity  of  nitre  is  mixed 
with  the  matter  to  be  calcined,  a  crucible  is  heated  red- 
hot,  then  the  matter  thus  mixed  is  gradually  thrown  in, 
an  explosive  effervescence  soon  follows.  When  it  has 
ceased,  another  portion  must  be  projected,  till  the  whole 
is  calcined.  The  crocus  antimonii,  and  some  other 
medicines,  are  thus  prepared.  A  portion  of  the  alkaline 
basis  of  the  nitre  sometimes  joins  with  the  calcined  mat- 
ter; but  it  may  be  separated  by  repeated  washing  with 
warm  water:  this  is  called  EDULCORATION. 

The  metals  which  melt  before  ignition,  are  calcined 
by  keeping  them  in  fusion  for  some  time.  Those  me- 
tals which  require  a  strong  fire  to  melt  them,  calcine 
with  a  much  less  heat  than  is  sufficient  to  make  them 
flow  ;  hence  the  scorification,  or  burning,  of  such  iron 
or  copper  vessels  as  are  long  exposed  to  a  considerable 
fire  without  defence  from  the  air. 

In  calcination  the  metals  visibly  emit  fumes;  yet  the 
weight  of  the  calx  proves  greater  than  that  of  the  metal 
employed  from  the  oxygen  absorbed.  Metallic  calces 
are  revived  into  their  metallic  state  by  fusion  with  any 
animal  or  vegetable  inflammable  matter. 

Except  those  of  lead  and  bismuth,  all  the  metallic 
calces  require  an  addition  to  make  them  melt  in  the 
strongest  fire  that  can  be  made  in  common  furnaces ; 
and  the  additions,  called  fluxes,  chiefly  consist  of  a 
mixture  of  fixed  alkaline  salt  with  some  inflammable 
matter.  As  these  fluxes  not  only  fuse  the  calx,  but  also 
revive  it  into  metal,  they  are  sometimes  called  reducing 
fluxes ;  of  which  the  following  is  one  of  the  chief,  called 

the  BLACK  FLUX. 

Take  of  nitre  one  part,  and  salt  of  tartar  two  parts  ; 
grind  them  well  together,  then  set  the  mixture  on  fire, 
by  throwing  in  a  bit  of  red  hot  coal ;  cover  the  vessel, 
and  suffer  them  to  burn  until  the  whole  is  changed  into 
a  black  alkaline  coaly  mass. 

R  r 


0  AL 


306 


C  AL 


Metallic  calces  mixed  with  twice  their  weight  of  this 
black  flux,  and  exposed  to  a  proper  fire  in  a  close  co- 
vered crucible,  melt  and  resume  their  metallic  form. 
But  though  the  calx  was  heavier  than  the  metal  of  which 
it  was  formed,  on  reviving  to  its  original  metallic  state 
its  weight  is  less  than  at  the  first. 

See  Newman's  Chem.  Works,  Lewis's  Materia  Me- 
dica,  the  Dictionary  of  Chemistry. 

CALCINATUM,  also  CINIFICATUM.  Terms 
applicable  to  calcined  substances. 

CALCINA'TUM  MA'JUS.  This  term  is  applied  to  what- 
soever is  dulcified  by  the  chemical  art,  such  as  dulcified 
mercury,  lead,  and  the  like  substances,  which  are  very 
speedily  consolidated. 

CALOIXA'TUM  MA'JUS  POTEIUI,  is  mercury  dissolved 
in  nitrous  acid,  and  precipitated  by  salt  water.  Poterius 
used  it  in  the  cure  of  ulcers. 

CALCINATUM  MINUS.  Any  thing  sweet  by  nature,  as 
sugar,  manna,  tamarinds,  Sec. 

CALCINO'NIA.     See  CALCEXA. 

CA'LCIS  VITRIOLA'T.E  CATAPLA'SMA.  CA- 
TAPLASM OF  PLASTER  OF  PARIS.  Mix  plaster  of  Paris 
with  water  to  -a  proper  consistence,  and,  whilst  soft, 
apply  it  to  the  ulcer,  where  it  will  harden,  and  must 
be  suffered  to  remain  for  two  or  three  days  before 
it  is  removed:  where  want  of  vigour  is  apparent  in  an 
ulcerated  part,  it  is  considered  as  useful.  The  prin- 
ciple upon  which  it  is  employed  has  never  been  well 
explained,  nor  has  experience  yet  confirmed  its 
utility. 

CA'LCIS  A'QUA.     See  CALX. 

CA'LCIS  viv.z  FLO'IIES.  See  AquA  CALCIS,  undor 
CALX. 

CA'LCIS  os.     See  CALCANEUM. 

CALCITA'RI.     See  ALCALI. 

CALCITE'A.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

CALCITEO'SA.     See  LITHARGYRUM. 

CA'LCITHOS.     See  J£RUGO  JERIS. 

CALCITRA'PA.  COMMON  STAR  THISTLE;  STAR 
KNAPWEED  ;  carduus  ste'/alus,  jacea  ramosissima, 
mellata,  rujiinai  ccntaurca  calcitrajia  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1297. 

It  grows  near  highways,  on  commons,  and  flowers 
in  June.  The  leaves  are  bitter;  a  drachm  of  the  seed, 
in  a  glass  of  wine,  is  said  to  expel  viscid  matter  which 
obstructs  the  urinary  passages:  the  root  is  used  against 
the  gravel,  and  the  stone  in* the  bladder;  and  the  bark 
of  the  root  is  extolled  in  the  nephritic  colic.  It  should 
be  gathered  about  the  end  of  September,  and,  when 
dried,  the  dose  is  a  drachm.  It  scarcely  differs,  however, 
in  its  effect  from  other  bitters,  and  is  now  little  used. 
Dale. 

CALCITRA'PA  OFFIC.  ST.  BARNABY'S  THISTLE;  called 
also  carduus  stellatus  lutea,  carduus  solstitialis,  sfiina 
•lolstitialis,  jacea  stellata,  jacea  lutea  capite  sfiinosa 
minori,  and  leucanthe  -veterum.  Centaurea  solslitialis 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1297. 

It  is  commended  as  an  anticteric,  anti-cachectic,  and 
lithontriptic,  but  is  in  reality  only  a  weak  tonic,  per- 
haps an  antacid.  Dale. 

CALCOI'DEA  OSSICULA.  The  same  as  chal- 
coidea  o&sicula.  Sec  CUNEIFORME  os. 

CA'LCOTAR.     Soe  VITRIOLUM. 

VALCULI'F  RAGUS,  and  CALCIFRAGUS,  (from 


calculus,  a  stone,  and  franco,  to  break).  The  scolo- 
pendrium  or  the  pimpernel  is  thus  styled,  but  they 
have  no  lithontriptic  power. 

CALCULO'SUS.     Afflicted  with  the  stone. 

CALCULUS,  (from  calx,  a  lime  stone).  The  GRA- 
VEL and  STONE.  The  Greeks  call  this  disorder  llthia- 
sis  and  adamitum;  the  Latins  name  it  calculus;  and  in 
English  we  understand  by  gravel,  small  sf  owe*  that  pass 
from  the  kidneys  through  the  ureters  in  a  few  days; 
and  by  the  stone,  a  calculus  concretion  in  the  kidneys, 
or  in  the  urinary  bladder,  which  is  too  large  to  pass,  or 
at  least  without  great  difficulty.  Nephritis,  in  modern 
practice,  is  confined  to  an  inflammation  of  the  kidneys. 
See  NEPHRITIS. 

When  a  disposition  to  form  minute  calculi  exists,  we 
often  find  nephritic  paroxysms,  as  they  are  styled,  which 
consist  of  pain  in  the  back,  shooting  down  through  the 
pelvis  to  the  thighs  ;  sometimes  a  numbness  in  one  leg, 
or  a  retraction  of  either  testicle ;  symptoms  arising 
from  the  irritation  of  a  stone  passing  through  the 
ureters  as  these  cross  the  spermatic  cord,  or  the  nerves 
parsing  to  the  lower  extremities.  These  pains,  often 
violent,  are  terminated  by  the  painful  discharge  of 
small  stones  through  the  urethra;  and  the  patient  is  for 
a  time  easy.  What,  however,  is  meant  by  the  STONE, 
is  a  more  serious  and  violent  disease.  It  is  singular 
that  these  discharges  of  small  gravel  do  not  usually  ter- 
minate in  stone.  Many  have  experienced  them  during 
a  long  life,  without  any  more  serious  inconvenience : 
while  the  latter  is  a  disease  chiefly  of  the  young,  and 
seemingly  depending  on  a  seminium,  not  easily  ex- 
plained. If  the  stone  attacks  persons  more  advanced 
in  age,  it  is  often  the  consequence  of  paroxysms  of 
gout,  long  protracted,  and  terminating  imperfectly.  Of 
nephritic  paroxysms  we  must  again  speak,  and  shall 
now  confine  ourselves  to  calculus.  It  is  not,  like  ne- 
phritis, usually  attended  with  sickness  of  the  stomach, 
unless  the  stone  is  confined  in  the  cavity  of  the  kidney, 
called  its  pelvis ;  for  it  is  with  affections  of  this  part  that 
the  stomach  seems  to  sympathise.  Its  commencement 
is  marked  only  by  frequent  inclination  to  make  water, 
pain  during  the  discharge,  and  the  stream  often  sud- 
denly interrupted.  It  is  a  remark  of  Le  Dran,  that  if 
there  is  pain  while  the  first  portion  of  the  urine  is  dis- 
charged, the  stone  is  small ;  if  when  the  last,  it  is  large: 
if,  during  the  whole  time,  it  does  not  proceed  from  a 
calculus.  It  is  singular,  also,  that  the  pain  is  not  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  a  stone,  for  a  small  calculus- 
will  produce  violent  fits  of  pain  ;  a  large  one  often  very 
inconsiderable  inconvenience.  The  pain  from  calculus 
is  by  no  means  constant :  it  conies  on  in  violent  par1- 
oxysms,  which  induced  Hoffman  to  suppose  it  owing 
to  spasm.  All  the  parts  adjoining  are  forced  down,  par- 
ticularly the  rectum,  giving  the  sensation  of  an  urgent 
necessity  of  having  a  motion.  In  many  instances  the 
patient  can  lie  most  easily  on  one  side,  and  on  turning 
feels  a  weight  rolling  to  the  opposite  side.  In  the  in- 
tervals of  the  paroxysm  he  isoften  perfectly  easy.  These 
symptoms  will  generally  ascertain  the  existence  of  a 
calculus ;  but  we  have  often  better  evidence  by  the  in- 
troduction of  a  catheter.  With  this  instrument  we  can 
search  through  the  bladder,  and  feel  a  stone.  Yet  it 
is  sometimes  so  small  as  to  escape  it;  and,  by  some 
unaccountable  accidents,  after  many  trials  it  is  not 


C  AL 


507 


<    A  L 


felt  It  is  then  in  a  moment  caught,  again  escapes,  and 
can  be  discovered  no  more.  It  is  equally  singular  that 
an  inexperienced  surgeon  will  sometimes  discover  it, 
•when  the  most  able  operator  has  been  foiled.  The 
stone  is  sometimes  covered  with  a  membranous  coat, 
and  then  the  catheter  does  not  convey  the  proper  sen- 
sation to  the  operator's  hand :  and  it  has  happened, 
that  when  the  stone  has  been  once  felt,  at  the  mo- 
ment of  the  operation  it  could  not  be  again  discovered. 
This  may  have  been  owing  to  its  having  forced  its  way 
through  the  fibres  of  the  bladder,  carrying  with  it  the 
internal  coat,  which  thus  formed  a  covering  for  it  on 
the  outside  of  its  cavity  :  and  this,  we  were  informed 
by  the  late  Dr.  W.  Hunter,  was  the  case  with  one  of  the 
persons  on  whom  Mrs.  Steevens'  medicine  was  tried, 
previous  to  her  receiving  the  parliamentary  reward. 
The  stone,  after  taking  the  medicine,  was  not  to  be 
found ;  and,  on  the  death  of  the  patient,  it  appeared  not 
to  have  been  dissolved,  but  to  have  escaped  detection 
in  this  way. 

The  nature  and  source  of  the  calculus  have  been 
long  unknown ;  nor,  at  this  moment,  is  either  indis- 
putably ascertained.  Calculi  differ  in  all  their  external 
properties ;  they  differ  also  in  the  facility  with  which 
they  yield  to  different  solvents,  but  their  component 
parts  are  singularly  uniform.  The  calculus,  when  sin- 
gle, is  usually  oval ;  when  there  are  more,  the  shape 
is  more  irregular,  and  still  more  so  in  proportion  to  the 
number  in  the  bladder.  They  are  usually  laminated; 
the  laminae  of  different  thickness,  and  irregular  in  their 
direction.  The  colour  is  occasionally  white  or  brown, 
or  resembling  that  of  a  mulberry  in  this  respect,  as 
well  as  in  irregular  points.  The  white  laminae  are 
usually  on  the  outside,  the  brown  in  the  middle,  but  the 
colours  never  alternate. 

The  calculus  was  always  concluded  to  be  sand  or 
stone ;  nor  was  a  hint  beyond  this  idea  started  till  the 
time  of  Van  Helmont,  who,  catching  a  ray  from  the 
meteoric  visions  of  Paracelsus,  concluded  it  to  be  a  co- 
agulation of  the  urine  by  means  of  a  volatile  spirit. 
Hales  undoubtedly  threw  a  considerable  light  on  its 
nature ;  but  the  first  regular  analysis  was  made  by 
Scheele ;  and,  about  the  same  time,  Bergman  exerted 
his  penetrating  genius  in  the  same  pursuit.  They 
were  followed  by  Morveau,  Fourcroy,  AYoolaston,  and 
Pearson.  To  pursue  the  history,  which,  on  the  whole, 
would  be  neither  unentertaining  nor  uninteresting, 
would,  however,  fill  a  disproportioned  space  in  this 
work.  We  shall,  therefore,  give  the  analysis  of  Four- 
croy as  contained  in  the  latest  publication  on  the  sub- 
ject, the  first  volume  of  the  Annales  du  Museum  Na- 
tional, p.  93,  Sec.  and  add  the  experiments  of  Dr.  Pear- 
son, which  differ  from  Fourcroy's  in  some  essential 
respects. 

M.  Fourcroy  found,  on  analysis,  twelve  different 
substances  in  the  various  calculi  found  in  the  body  : — 
the  lithic  acid,  first  discovered  by  Scheele ;  urats  of 
ammonia  and  soda;  phosphat  of  lime;  acid  phosphat 
of  lime;  ammoniaco  magnesian  phosphat;  oxalate  of 
lime ;  carbonate  of  lime ;  flint ;  spermaceti ;  bezoardic 
animal  resin ;  and  gelatine.  The  uric  acid  is  of  a  yel- 
lowish colour,  from  the  light  straw  to  the  reddish  yel- 
low colour  of  bark.  It  is  in  fine  laminae,  but  brittle, 
though  susceptible  of  a  beautiful  polish.  It  is  pure 
only  in  human  urine,  and  forms  the  red  sediment  de- 


posited after  fevers,  paroxysms  of  gout,  &c.  It  is  in- 
soluble in  cold,  scarcely  soluble  in  hot,  water";  softened, 
and  in  part  dissolved,  by  alkalis,  at  least  with  the  as- 
sistance of  a  little  water;  but  unaffected  by  acids,  ex- 
cept that  the  oxygenated  muriatic  acid  changes  it  into 
the  malic  acid. 

The  urat  of  ammonia  was  first  discovered  by  Four- 
croy :  it  differs  little  in  appearance  from  the  acid,  ex- 
cept that  its  laminae  are  less  sensibly  streaked.  It  some- 
times forms  the  whole  of  a  calculus.  It  is  scarcely  so- 
luble in  water,  except  with  excess  of  ammonia,  and  is 
decomposed  by  all  the  acids,  rapidly  by  the  fixed 
caustic  alkalis. 

The  urat  of  soda  was  first  discovered  by  Mr.  Ten- 
nant  in  arthritic  concretions,  but  is  not  an  ingredient 
in  urinary  calculi.  It  consists  of  friable  fragments, 
without  any  regular  arrangement,  and  certainly  com- 
bines some  animal  and  gelatinous  matter. 

Phosfihat  of  lime  is  a  very  frequent  component  part 
of  urinary  concretions.  It  appears  in  three  different 
forms,  viz.  a  granulated,  bony  substance,  susceptible 
of  a  fine  polish,  like  the  pretended  calculi  of  the  pineal 
gland,  the  salivary,  lachrymal,  or  bronchial  glands  ;  se- 
condly, ii>  thin  strata,  which  are  concentric  and  of  a 
dead  white,  friable  like  the  urinary  calculi  themselves  : 
thirdly,  of  a  more  uniform  texture  like  ivory.  This  in- 
gredient is  not  affected  by  acids ;  and,  with  the  blow- 
pipe, exhales  the  smell  of  animal  matter,  becoming  white 
and  friable.  It  is  soluble  in  the  nitric  and  muriatic 
acids,  but  Insoluble  in  the  vitriolic.  The  solutions 
afford  also  a  calcareous  oxalate,  from  which  the  exist- 
ence of  the  lime  is  ascertained. 

The  acid  fihonfihat  of  lime  is  chiefly  confined  to  the 
bezoars,  of  which  it  is  the  principal  substance.  It  is 
formed  in  thin  strata,  with  little  adhesion,  and  ve:-v 
brittle.  In  fusion  it  gives  out  a  slight  aromatic  odour. 

The  ammoniaco  magnesian  fihosfihat  is  most  easily 
recognised  among  the  ingredients  of  calculi,  though  for 
a  long  time  unknown.  It  sometimes  occurs  in  white 
prismatic  crystals,  semitransparent,  or  in  tables  whose 
edges  project,  and  form  the  little  points  on  the  surface 
of  some  urinary  calculi,  as  well  as  on  the  intestinal 
bezoars  of  the  elephant  and  the  horse.  At  other  times 
it  is  in  sparry,  lamellated  strata,  semitransparent,  of 
different  thickness,  covering  another  primitive  calculus, 
consisting  of  the  uric  acid,  or  some  other  body.  The 
resemblance  to  calcareous  spar  is  so  strong,  that  Dau- 
benton  and  Vicq.  d'Azyr  had  nearly  confounded  it  with 
this  fossil.  This  salt  is  smooth  to  the  eye  and  to  the 
touch,  easily  reduced  to  a  white  light  powder  of  a 
sweetish,  insipid  taste,  without  the  dryness  of  phosphat 
of  lime.  This  ingredient  is  easily  dissolved  in  acids 
and  alkalis,  but  contains  some  animal  matter ;  and,  when 
decompounded,  leaves  some  soft,  light,  transparent, 
membranous  flakes,  more  nearly  approaching  the  pri- 
mitive forms  of  the  calculous  fragments  than  those 
from  the  phosphat  of  lime,  which  also  contains,  though 
less  strongly  marked,  similar  membranous  substances. 
It  generally  forms  the  external  strata  of  urinary  calculi, 
and  the  greater  proportion  of  the  intestinal  bezoars  of 
the  horse,  the  elephant,  and'the  larger  mammalia ;  but 
is  never  discovered  in  their  urinary  calculi.  After  hav- 
ing been  ascertained  in  the  analysis  of  calculi,  it  was 
found  in  the  urine  ;  at  first  in  the  form  of  the  magne- 
sian phosphat,  and,  when  the  urine  began  to  purifv. 

Rr  2 


0  AL 


308 


CAL 


in  that  of  the  ammoniaco  magnesian  phosphat.  This 
is  the  triple  salt,  formed  in  hexaedral  prisms  on  the 
sides  of  the  vessels  in  which  urine  has  been  suffered  to 
stand,  till  it  undergoes  a  spontaneous  decomposition. 

The  oxalate  of  lime  long  eluded  the  investigation  of 
chemists ;  but  it  is  constantly  found  in  the  mulberry 
calculi,  so  called  from  their  resembling  that  fruit  in 
colour  and  pointed  projections.  This  substance  is  hard 
like  ivory ;  and,  when  sawed,  exhales  the  faint  odour 
of  bones  rubbed  against  each  other.  It  consists  of  con- 
centric laminae  applied  in  rounded  scales,  or  like  caps ; 
which,  successively  covering  each  other,  produce  the 
projecting  points.  It  contains  an  animal  jelly,  and  is 
exclusively  discovered  in  human  urinary  calculi. 

Carbonate  of  lime,  long  supposed  to  be  the  only  basis 
of  the  human  urinary  calculi,  is  not  found  in  them.  It 
only  occurs  in  the  urinary  calculi  of  the  other  mammalia, 
particularly,  horses,  oxen,  and  pigs.  It  is  neither  in 
strata  nor  in  crystals,  but  in  confused  irregular  masses, 
consisting  of  granulated  molecules. 

flint  occurs  very  rarely.  M.  Fourcroy  only  found  it 
twice  in  six  hundred  calculi,  and  then  in  small  quantities, 
mixed  with  other  substances.  It  is  apparently  accidental. 

The  sfieriiiaceti  Fourcroy  calls'  adi/iocire,  as  a  me- 
dium between  fat  and  wax,  but  not  perfectly  the  same 
with  that  from  the  whale,  as  it  is  more  dry  and  fusible. 
This  substance  often  occurs  in  pure  white,  shining, 
talcy  laminae,  or  covered  with  a  brown  colouring  mat- 
ter. It  is  sometimes  found  only  like  little  straws, 
passing  through  these  concretions,  occupying  their 
centre,  or  deposited,  on  cooling,  by  the  alcohol,  in 
which  the  calculi  have  been  immersed.  It  is  soft  and 
fat  to  the  touch.  When  rubbed  and  warmed,  the  smell 
resembles  that  of  suet,  or  the  spermaceti  of  the  whale : 
it  is  very  light  and  swims  on  water.  It  is  fusible 
in  nearly  the  same  temperature  as  the  spermaceti,  re- 
sembling, when  melted,  a  yellow  oil.  It  sublimes, 
like  wax,  at  a  temperature  above  its  melting  point.  By 
distillation  it  affords  water  and  acetous  and  sebacic 
acids,  as  well  as  carbonated  hydrogenous  gas.  Its  kind 
of  fusibility  renders  it  less  readily  decomposed  in  an 
open  fire  than  fat.  It  is  not  affected  by  acids,  but  forms 
a  soap  with  alkalis.  It  is  insoluble  in  water,  soluble  in 
alcohol,  and  in  a  larger  proportion  in  hot  than  in  cold 
spirit.  The  solution  of  the  adipocire  separates  in 
shining  crystals  when  cooled,  and  is  decomposed  by 
the  addition  of  water.  It  dissolves  in  fixed  oils,  and  in 
volatile  ones  slightly  warmed.  It  is  found  only  in  the 
biliary  calculi  of  men ;  often  separate  and  pure  in  those 
calculi  which  are  white  and  crystalline.  It  is  not  dis- 
covered in  the  biliary  calculi  of  the  ox  and  other  mam- 
malia hitherto  examined. 

The  animal  bezoardic  resin  we  have  already  noticed, 
as  much  as  its  importance  in  this  work  merits. 

The  gelatine  accompanies  almost  every  ingredient. 
It  is  the  connecting  medium  of  the  other  bodies  men- 
tioned ;  and  is  discovered  by  the  fetid  odour  they  exhale 
in  the  fire  by  forming  carbon  frothing  in  water,  which 
thus  acquires  an  animal  smell,  and  in  being  precipitated 
by  tanin. 

We  have  given  this  abstract  of  the  more  important 
parts  of  M.  Fourcroy 's  Memoir,  not  only  to  illustrate 
this  subject  by  the  latest  chemical  investigations,  but  to 
contrast  it  with  the  experiments  of  Dr.  Pearson,  per- 
haps to  reconcile  the  discordant  observations, 


Dr.  Pearson,  neglecting  the  more  violent  methods  of 
analysis,  dissolved  the  calculi  in  caustic  alkalis,  and 
precipitated  the  dissolved  portions  by  acids.  The  pre- 
cipitate, when  well  washed  and  dried,  was  a  light  mi- 
caceous crystalline  substance,  consisting  of  nearly  one- 
half  of  the  original  calculus.  It  is  without  smell  or 
taste ;  scarcely  soluble  in  cold  water ;  does  not  unite  to 
any  alkaline  substance,  except  when  uncombined  and 
caustic ;  it  is  at  least  not  an  acid.  It  cannot  be  sub- 
limed without  decomposition,  and  consequently  cannot 
be  the  lit/lie  or  succinic  acid.  It  does  not  form  a  viscid 
solution  with  water,  and  consequently  cannot  be  an  ani- 
mal mucilage.  As  in  every  trial  it  shows  marks  of  an 
animal  nature,  Dr.  Pearson  styles  it  an  animal  oxide  : 
according  to  this  author,  it  is  not  putrescent  or  crystal- 
lizable,  insoluble  in  cold  water,  producing  a  pink  or  a 
red  residuum  on  evaporating  its  solution  in  nitrous  acid. 
As  an  oxide  he  attempted  to  acidify  it,  but  could  only 
change  it  into  ammonia  and  carbonic  acid.  He-found 
that  when  the  nitric  solution  of  this  animal  oxide  was 
evaporated,  the  inflammation  which  took  place  was 
owing  to  the  production  of  nitrat  of  ammonia.  The 
white,  impalpable,  tasteless,  heavy  powder  left  on  the 
filter  after  the  union  of  caustic  soda,  contained  -j^§  ol 
animal  oxide ;  -j^j,  of  phosphat  of  lime ;  of  ammonia, 
perhaps  with  phosphoric  acid,  mucilage,  &c.  -f^.  Dr. 
Pearson  afterwards  separated  the  lithic  acid  of  Scheele, 
and  found  its  properties  wholly  different  from  the  ani- 
mal oxide.  On  examining  two  hundred  specimens  of 
urinary  calculi,  thirty -two  out  of  thirty-three  contained 
this  oxide,  but  its  proportion  varied  usually  from  0.40 
to  0.70;  and  it  sometimes  was  found  in  the  exterior, 
sometimes  in  the  interior,  laminae.  It  was  not,  how- 
ever, found  in  the  urinary  concretions  of  any  animal 
butman.  It  is  found  also  in  the  human  arthritic  calculi, 
but  not  in  the  concretions  of  the  teeth,  stomach,  intes- 
tines, lungs,  or  brain.  This  animal  oxide  Dr.  Pearson 
calls  uric  oxide. 

On  comparing  the  experiments  of  these  two  che- 
mists, it  will,  we  think,  be  at  once  obvious,  that  the 
more  opcrose  and  violent  operations  of  the  former  pro- 
duced new  compounds;  and,  in  confirmation  of  this  idea, 
we  must  remark,  that  in  every  ingredient  obtained  by 
M.  Fourcroy,  animal  matter  was  conspicuous  :  we  have 
carefully  pointed  out  its  appearance  in  each.  We  may, 
therefore,  safely  conclude,  that  the  animal  oxide  is  the 
chief  ingredient  of  the  calculus,  and  that  its  component 
parts  are  the  principles  already  described  from  the 
Annales  du  Museum  National. 

We  should  not,  perhaps,  wholly  pass  over  the  con- 
cretions of  other  animals ;  yet,  not  to  distract  the  atten- 
tion, we  shall  finish  the  subject  of  human  calculi. 

Notwithstanding  the  labour  of  the  chemist,  we  are 
almost  equally  at  a  loss  respecting  the  source  of  calculi, 
and  what  has  been  styled  the  diathesis  calculosa.  It  is 
not  hereditary  :  it  is  not  acquired.  No  constitution  is 
peculiarly  subject  to  it ;  yet  we  think  the  fair  complex- 
ions, with  light  hair  and  blue  eyes,  have  been  the  most 
common  victims.  This  may  be  fanciful ;  for  if  one  of  ten 
has  been  of  this  description,  let  it  be  recollected  that 
not  one  of  a  million  of  this  description  has  suffered  from 
calculus.  The  remote  causes,  usually  assigned,  are 
equally  without  foundation.  Hard  water  is  certainly 
not  a  cause,  for  selenite  is  not  an  ingredient  in  calculi : 
wine  does  not  occasion  it,  for  the  calculus  does  not 


C  AL 


C  AL 


nble  tartar.  Cyder  is  equally  harmless  ;  and  beer 
has  been  accused,  only  because,  as  a  more  general  be- 
verage, an  unusual  proportion  of  beer  drinkers  must  be 
affected.  It  has  been  said,  and  generally  believed, 
that  a  nucleus  was  only  required  to  form  a  stone  from 
the  depositions  of  the  urine ;  but  gravel  almost  con- 
stantly occurs  in  the  bladders  of  many  persons,  and  yet 
no  stone  is  formed.  In  short,  it  is  one  of  those  arcana 
which,  after  all  our  investigations,  must  still  remain 
such.  We  know  that  our  glass  falls  to  the  ground 
from  gravity ;  and,  though  we  know  not  the  cause  of 
gravity,  we  can,  however,  preserve  it.  We  know  not 
the  source  of  calculi,  but  we  can  often  mitigate  their 
symptoms ;  relieve,  perhaps,  in  some,  though  very 
rare,  instances  cure.  If  chemistry,  however,  does  not 
assist  us,  we  may  perhaps  draw  some  useful  hints  from 
analogy. 

The  connection  of  calculus  with  gout  is  well  known ; 
and  the  latter  is  certainly  in  a  great  degree  depending  on 
a  weakened  or  disordered  stomach.  If  animal  matter  is 
formed,  but  in  a  state  not  adapted  for  nutrition,  it  must 
be  carried  out  of  the  body  as  an  injurious  substance, 
-  and  it  may  be  deposited  on  the  kidneys  or  joints.  We 
shall  here  be  accused  of  inconsistency,  and  told  that  we 
are  supporting  the  doctrine  of  morbid  matter  as  a  cause 
of  gout.  It  is  not,  however,  the  cause,  but  the  effect 
of  the  cause ;  in  reality,  the  first  in  the  chain  of  effects 
or  symptoms.  "In  the  constitution  that  has  long  suf- 
fered from  the  gout,  it  seems  to  be  determined  to  the 
kidneys  with  the  phosphoric  acid  retained  in  the  early 
period  of  the  paroxysm  ;  and  its  concretion  is  assisted 
by  the  long  confinement  on  the  back,  which  the  pain 
of  gout  often  demands.  In  relaxed  constitutions  of  the 
scrofulous  kind,  it  may  also  be  occasionally  deposited 
in  different  parts,  though  the  kidneys  seem  to  yield  it 
the  most  ready  outlet.  This  appears  to  us  a  step,  at 
least,  towards  the  explanation  of  the  cause.  If  fanciful, 
or  unfounded,  it  has  detained  the  reader  only  for  a 
very  short  time. 

The  calculous  diathesis  is  so  imperfectly  known,  and 
calculus  of  the  bladder  so  rare  a  disease,  that  little  has 
been  attempted  to  prevent  it.  As  stone,  however, 
•when  once  extracted,  will  sometimes  recur,  preven- 
tives, at  that  time,  should  be  employed.  In  this  class, 
general  tonics  will  be  found  useful ;  and  if  there  is  any 
whose  action  is  more  particularly  directed  to  the  kid- 
neys, these  should  be  preferred.  The  uva  ursi  has 
been  supposed  to  have  this  effect,  and  it  may  be  em- 
ployed with  the  decoction  of  the  bark  :  at  the  same 
time,  a  mild  diet,  with  every  plan  that  will  dilute  the 
urine,  without  stimulating  the  urinary  vessels.  The 
free  use  of  watery  fluids ;  some  of  the  diuretic  vege- 
tables ;  fruit,  of  which  Linnaeus  seems  to  prefer  straw- 
berries; are  proper,  though  with  an  admixture  of  mild 
animal  food.  The  acidulous  soda  water  will  be  an  useful 
drink.  If  the  danger  is  apparently  more  urgent,  the 
use  of  the  bitters  may  be  occasionally  intermitted  ;  and 
soap,  with  lime  water,  given  for  six  weeks  or  two 
months,  when  the  bitters  may  be  again  resumed.  The 
patient  should  never  suffer  the  urine  to  stagnate,  but 
use  himself  to  discharge  it  at  stated  times  in  the  day 
and  night,  which  will  soon  bring  on  the  habit  of  doing 
so,  whatever  the  quantity  in  the  bladder  may  be.  This", 
however,  must  not  be  too  often  practised.  'Once  in  the 


night,  and  three  times  in  the  course  of  the  day,  at 
least,  the  discharge  should  be  encouraged.  If  his  life 
is  a  sedentary  one,  it  should  be  more  frequent'. 

A  calculus,  however,  at  last  shows  itself  by  symp- 
toms somewhat  equivocal,  differing,  however,  accord- 
ing to  its  seat.  Gravelly  concretions  in  the  kidneys, 
which  seem  to  consist  almost  exclusively  of  the  uric 
acid,  we  must  consider  under  the  article  NEPHRITIS  ; 
•  and  a  stone  occurring  in  the  ureter  cannot  be  easily 
mistaken.  Acrid  matter  in  the  urine,  a  coagulum  of 
blood,  or  gluten,  will  sometimes  occasion  violent  pain, 
which  will  be  mistaken  for  a  fit  of  stone,  and  nothing 
can  ascertain  the  complaint  but  the  catheter,  unless 
the  offending  cause  should  be  discharged.  An  abscess 
of  the  prostate,  or  in  the  rectum,  pressing  on  the  blad- 
der, has  been  said  also  to  imitate  the  pain  of  a  calculus ; 
yet,  as  these  are  easily  ascertained  by  an  examination 
per  rectum,  the  error  can  neither  be  long  continued  nor 
dangerous. 

When  a  calculus  exists  in  the  bladder,  it  produces 
pain  chiefly  by  paroxysms.  There  are  intervals,  often 
long  ones,  of  the  most  perfect  ease,  but  the  paroxysms 
are  extremely  severe.  These  are  relieved  by  emollient 
oily  clysters,  followed  by  opiates  in  the  form  of  clyster, 
and  by  the  mouth  ;  the  doses  of  which  must  be  such  as 
to  meet  the  pain,  whatever  quantity  may  be  required. 
We  may  notice,  in  this  place,  that  the  proportion  of 
opium  which  is  employed  in  relieving  the  pain,  has  no 
effect  on  the  constitution  in  general ;  it  is  the  excess  of 
this  dose  which  is  felt. 

The  disease,  however,  remains ;  and  it  must  then  be 
considered  whether  the  operation  should  be  hazarded,  or 
the  solution  of  the  stone  attempted  by  internal  medicines. 
The  operation,  though  severe,  is  not  peculiarly  danger- 
ous ;  yet,  to  attempt  it  on  exhausted  arthritic  constitu- 
tions would  be  highly  improper :  if  firm,  no  period  of 
life  is  an  obstacle.  Another  consideration  must,  how- 
ever, stop  us.  We  do  not  remove  by  the  operation  the 
disposition  to  form  sttpe;  and  the  disease  has  been 
known  to  recur.  It  doS  not,  however,  always  return ; 
and,  within  our  observation,  it  has  not  returned  in  the 
greater  number  of  instances.  We  remember  an  ob- 
servation of  Mr.  Justamond,  that  the  operation  does 
not  succeed  if  the  patient  has  previously  used  lithon- 
triptics.  But  this  we  have  not  found  supported  by  ex- 
perience. If,  therefore,  the  constitution  of  the  calculous 
patient  is  firm,  if  the  paroxysms  are  frequent  and  se- 
.*pre,  if  lithonlriptics  are  not  found  in  three  or  four 
months  to  greatly  relieve,  the  operation  is  advisable. 
See  LITHOTOMY. 

Many,  however,  will  not  submit;  and,  in  all,  we 
think  lithontriptics  should  be  tried;  for,  though  we 
have  no  decisive  evidence  of  their  dissolving  stone,  they 
greatly  mitigate  the  pain,  render  the  paroxysms  more 
distant,  as  well  as  more  mild.  It  has  been  seen  from 
the  experiments  of  Fourcroy,  that  almost  every  ingre- 
dient in  calculi  is  dissolved" by  the  caustic  alkali ;  and 
various  experiments  have  shown  that  the  whole  cal- 
culus yields  to  its  powers.  Lime  water  has  been  found 
also  a  solvent  of  calculus  out  of  the  body ;  and  on  these 
our  hopes  have  chiefly  rested.  It  is  obvious,  however, 
that  what  is  taken  by  the  mouth,  has  not  only  a  circu- 
itous route  to  reach  the  bladder,  but  is  subject  to  many 
chemical  changes ;  nor,  indeed,  are  there  many  well- 


C  AL 


310 


C  AL 


authenticated  facts  of  the  urine  being  so  changed,  as  to 
become  a  menstruum  for  the  stone.  Almost  the  only 
instance,  except  the  case  of  Dr.  Newcombe,  recorded 
by  Dr.  Whytt,  is  that  of  Mr.  Holme.  Yet,  though  it 
may  not  be  so  accumulated  in  the  urine  as  to  render  it  an 
active  solvent,  it  may  destroy  the  animal  oxide  in  it,  or 
prevent  its  tendency  to  concretion;  and  it  may  have  suf- 
ficient powers  to  soften  the  surface  of  the  stone  so  as 
to  lessen  the  irritation,  and,  of  course,  the  spasmodic 
symptoms,  which  are  its  consequence.  It  is,  we  believe, 
an  incontrovertible  fact,  that,  where  the  stone  has  been 
unchanged,  the  paroxysms  of,  pain  have  been  greatly 
mitigated  ;  and,  to  lessen  pains  so  violently  excruciating, 
is  surely  an  object  of  no  little  importance. 

Lime  was  long  known  as  a  solvent  of  stone,  and  dif- 
ferent methods  were  employed  to  administer  it  with 
safety.  One.  of  these  plans  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mrs. 
Joanna  Steevcns,  daughter  of  a  gentleman  of  a  respect- 
able family  in  Berkshire,  and  her  success  occasioned  a 
considerable  anxiety  to  discover  the  secrett  At  last, 
parliament  bought  it  for  5000/.  after  different  trials  had 
been  made  of  it  with  advantage.  In  many  instances, 
stones,  which  had  been  sensibly  felt,  were  no  longer  to 
be  discovered;  and,  as  the  same  persons  were  examined 
by  surgeons,  men  of  the  greatest  skill  and  eminence, 
both  before  and  after  the  exhibition  of  the  medicines, 
it  is  fair  to  conclude  that  in  some  instances  they  were 
dissolved,  though  we  have  recorded  the  singular  mode 
which,  in  one  case,  occasioned  the  deception.  Mrs. 
Steevcns,  it  is  said,  first  gave  the  calcined'  egg-shells 
only,  but  finding  these  produce  costiveness,  she  added 
soap.  In  time  she  rendered  her  process  more  com- 
plicated, adding  snails  burnt  to  blackness,  a  decoction 
of  camomile  flowers,  parsley,  sweet  fennel,  and  the 
greater  burdock.  When  we  consider  the  effects  of 
bitters,  we  shall  not  perhaps  think,  with  Dr.  Hartley, 
these  additions  to  have  been  wholly  useless.  It  is  singu- 
lar, however,  that  the  egg  shells,  though  calcined,  were 
exposed  to  the  air  till  reduced  to  a  fine  powder.  No 
one  seems  to  have  carefully  examined  them  in  this 
state ;  and  it  is  only  presumed  that  they  retained  some 
portion  of  the  caustic  acrimony.  Various  other  in- 
gredients were  confessedly  used  as  disguises. 

As  soap  was  with  reason  supposed  to  add  consider- 
ably to  the  virtues  of  the  lime,  it  led  to  the  use  of  the 
caustic  alkali,  softened  by  a  more  pleasing  mucilage, 
veal  broth.  Since  that  time  it  has  been  used  alone. 

The  following  is  the  best  mode  of  preparing  and  ad- 
ministering it : 

Take  of  kali  prepared,  eight  ounces;  of  fresh  quick- 
lime, four  ounces;  of  distilled  water,  a  quart:  mix 
them  well  together  in  a  large  bottle,  and  let  them  stand 
for  twenty -four  hours  ;  then  pour  off  the  ley,  filter  it 
through  paper,  and  keep  it  in  well  stopped  phials  for 
vise.  Of  this  the  dose  is  from  thirty  drops  to  two 
drachms,  which  is  to  be  repeated  two  or  three  times 
in  a  day.  Mix  the  quantity  to  be  used  in  the  day  with 
three  pints  of  plain  broth,  which  has  been  made  with 
the  lean  part  of  veal,  all  the  fat  or  oily  parts  being  sepa- 
rated from  it,  by  putting  it,  when  made,  into  a  large 
bowl,  and  skimming  them  off  with  a  spoon  when  cold, 
and  let  the  patient  drink  within  an  hour  a  pint  of  this 
broth  three  times  a  day,  early  in  the  morning,  at  noon, 
and  in  the  evening :  continue  the  use  for  three,  four, 


or  more  months,  living  during  this  course  on  such  things1 
as  least  counteract  the  course  of  this  medicine. 

Various  other  lithontriptics  have  been  employed  ;  but 
the  calculus  seems  a  more  uniform  concretion  than  has 
been  supposed,  particularly  by  Dr.  Dawson  in  the  Lon- 
don Medical  Transactions,  vol.  ii.  p.  105.  The  com- 
mon fixed  alkali,  or,  in  stricter  language,  the  carbonated 
alkali,  has  been  employed ;  and,  more  lately,  the  alka- 
line carbonated  water,  viz.  the  alkali  with  an  excess  of 
carbonic  acid.  Some  cases  have  been  related,  in  which 
this  remedy  has  been  employed  with  success,  and  we 
may  easily  find  a  foundation  for  its  use. 

Honey  has  been  used  also  with  success;  and  Mr. 
Home,  surgeon  at  the  Savoy,  has  recorded  its  utility  ip 
his  own  and  his  father's  cases.  It  was  an  ingredient  in 
Mrs.  Steevens"  farrago,  but  in  too  small  a  proportion  to 
be  of  advantage.  Bitters  have  been  also  employed, 
and  we  have  already  mentioned  their  use  as  preven- 
tives :  we  have  reason  to  think  that  they  may  be  ser- 
viceable in  mitigating  and  protracting  a  fit.-.  When  we 
reflect  on  these  different  means,  we  shall  perhaps  find 
only  the  pure  alkali  and  the  lime  water  adapted  for  the 
solution  of  the  calculus  ;  and,  when  the  circuitous  course 
of  each  is  considered,  we  may  suspect  that  they  seldom 
reach  the  bladder  without  impaired  virtues.  We  have, 
indeed,  two  instances  in  opposition ;  but,  without  offence 
to  either,  may  we  not  suspect  a  little  predilection  in  fa- 
vour of  the  remedy  to  have  influenced  the  observation  ? 
It  once  happened  in  a  clinical  ward,  that  the  urine  was 
reported  to  effervesce  with  alkalis.  Some  of  the  elder 
students,  in  private,  suggested  that  they  could  perceive 
no  effervescence  but  the  slight  separation  of  air,  occa- 
sioned by  the  mixture  of  any  two  fluids.  On  the  next 
day  it  was  reported  that  no  effervescence  had  taken 
place,  nor  could  it,  adds  the  professor,  for  the  alkali  was 
caustic.  What  adds  to  our  scepticism  on  this  subject  is, 
that  from  the  use  of  lithontriptics  the  symptoms  have 
been  often  relieved,  though  the  stone  has  remained  with- 
out any  change. 

When  we  reflect  on  the  connection  of  stone  with 
gout,  on  the  weakness  of  the  stomach,  apparently  the 
origin  of  each,  and  the  utility  of  bitters,  stimulants, 
and  antacids,  we  own  that  we  rest  wilh  more  con- 
fidence on  the  idea  of  the  whole  originating  in  im- 
perfect digestion,  and  the  production  of  an  animal 
oxide  not  admitting  of  application  as  a  nutritious  sub- 
stance. But,  whatever  becomes  of  the  theory,  lime 
water  and  soap,  acidulous  soda  water,  caustic  alkali,  ,or 
bitters,  are  highly  useful.  Of  the  soap  as  much  must 
be  taken  as  the  stomach  will  bear,' or  as  much  as  will 
prove  gently  laxative;  but  of  the  lime  water  few  can 
take  more  than  a  pint  daily.  The  acidulous  soda  water 
may  perhaps  be  taken  in  larger  quantities,  as  it  is  more 
agreeable  ;  and  the  acidulous  salt  is  now  prepared,  so  as 
to  produce  this  water  extemporaneously.  It  must,  how- 
ever, be  swallowed  while  dissolving,  as  the  carbonic* 
acid  gas  rapidly  escapes.  Of  the  liquid  caustic  alkali, 
from  thirty  to  a  hundred  and  twenty  drops  may  be  taken 
in  veal  broth  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

The  inconveniences  arising  from  the  use  of  large  quan- 
tities of  soap  and  lime  water  are,  impaired  digestion, 
and,  consequently,  debility  and  emaciation.  With  the 
superfluous,  the  necessary  acid  seeni  to  be  destroyed. 
This  effect  has  not,  however,  followed  the  soda  with  an 


C  A  L 


11 


(   A  L 


excess  of  carbonic  acid;  though  the  bitters  are  suspect- 
ed, by  long  continuance,  of  diminishing  the  tone  they 
were  intended  to  preserve.  Generally  speaking,  there- 
fore, these  remedies  should  not  be  continued  long 
without  intermission:  yet  they  will  not  soon  produce 
a  change;  and  a  trial  of  three  months  is  at  least  ne- 
cessary. If  no  benefit  is  then  obtained,  they  should  be 
relinquished  or  changed.  If  any  amelioration  of  the 
symptoms  should  be  observed,  they  may  be  pursued 
longer;  yet  in  no  case,  probably,  beyond  nine  or  twelve 
months,  without  some  intermission,  or  interposing  a 
warm  tonic  for  a  few  weeks.  As  the  management 
during  the  paroxysm  has  much  engaged  the  attention 
of  physicians,  we  shall  add  the  outlines  of  what  has  been 
directed. 

During  a  fit,  if  the  habit  is  plethoric  and  sanguine, 
bit r ding  both  guards  against  and  removes  inflammation. 
Those  persons  who  are  subject  to  regular  returns,  may 
lose  blood  a  little  before  the  expected  period. 

Diuretics  should  never  be  of  the  stimulant  kind ; 
the  emollient  and  oily  are  the  most  proper;  and  after 
these,  the  diluents  should  be  freely  employed.  .In  ge- 
neral, the  more  painful  the  fit,  the  gentler  should  be 
the  diuretics,  and  the  less  copiously  given.  The  aged 
and  weak  should  be  allowed  the  use  of  cordials  with 
their  diuretic  medicines.  When  the  pain  and  spasms 
are  very  violent,  and  yet  there  is  hope  that  the  stone 
v  ill  pass  the  urinary  ducts,  gentle  diuretics,  mixed  with 
mild  anodynes,  do  the  greatest  service :  for  the  latter 
relax  the  parts  and  ease  the  pain,  and  the  former  more 
easily  and  safely  propel  the  stone.  When  gravelly 
matter  hath  been  seen  to  be  discharged  with  the  urine, 
and  to  subside  presently  after  it  is  made,  light  steel 
waters,  either  of  the  purging  or  of  the  diuretic  kind, 
^  cry  safely  and  effectually  expel  it,  and  strengthen  the 
kidneys :  the  water  should  be  continued  some  weeks, 
and  repeated  at  proper  intervals.  But  if  a  stone  in  the 
kidneys  is  so  iarge  that  there  are  little  hopes  of  its 
passing  through  the  ureters,  which  is  known  from  the 
continuance  of  the  disease,  the  steel  waters  should  not 
be  used. 

Of  all  the  purging  medicines  the  oleum  ricini  is  to 
be  preferred  in  ca/culous  disorders ;  whether  a  stone, 
orother  cause  of  inflammation,  produces  gravelly  symp- 
toms. To  relax  the  passage  for  the  calculus  to  pass 
from  the  kidneys  to  the  bladder,  this  oil  is  preferable  to 
any  other  known  medicines,  either  by  the  mouth  or 
clyster.  Oil,  manna  with  nitre,  or  vitriolated  mag- 
nesia with  the  oil  of  almonds,  may  be  used  in  its 
stead ;  for  they  empty  the  intestines,  take  off"  all  pressure 
upon  the  ureters,  moderate  the  heat  of  the  body,  lessen, 
the  inflammation,  and  relax  the  spasm  which  the  pain 
occasions.  If  the  ol.  ricini  is  taken  in  the  fit,  so  as  to 
keep  the  belly  lax,  and  the  aqua  kali  puri  at  proper  in- 
tervals, mixed  in  any  suitable  vehicle,  their  efficacy  in 
calculus  disorders  -will  equal  that  of  the  most  boasted 
remedies  used  in  these  cases.  In  slighter  attacks,  a  mix- 
ture of  soap  four  parts,  and  rhubarb  one  part,  twice  a 
day,  in  doses  sufficient  for  keeping  the  bowels  easy, 
•will  be  sufficient. 

The  use  of  clysters  is  singularly  beneficial.  The 
colon  forms  an  arch  over  both  the  kidneys,  is  sometimes 
joineu  to  the  left;  and,  consequently,  a  warm  emollient 
decoction  thrown  up,  may,  by  its  heat  and  moist  va- 
pour, relax  and  soften  the  kidney  like  a  fomentation. 


Hence  we  see  why  flatulent  or  other  accumulations 
usually  occasion  a  fresh  fit;  and  why  the  left  kidney  is 
more  subject  to  complaints  than  the  right.  The  ol.  ricini 
is  peculiarly  useful  in  emollient  clysters;  but  turpentine 
should  make  no  part  of  their  composition.  Two  drachms 
of  the  tinctura  opii  may  be  thrown  up,  after  the  opera- 
tion of  the  laxative  clyster,  when  the  pain  is  great. 

When  the  vomiting  abates,  the  stomach  and  bowels- 
are  freed  from  their  contents;  then  it  is  proper  to  give 
opiates,  which,  by  easing  the  pain,  and  relaxing  the 
spasm,  most  effectually  open  a  passage.  Their  repe- 
tition can  only  be  determined  by  the  attending  physi- 
cian. ( When  the  pain  is  of  very  long  continuance,  and 
accompanied  with  great  prostration  of  strength,  espe- 
cially if  these  occur  in  advanced  age,  and  with  a  weak 
state  of  the  pulse,  Hoffman  forbids  the  use  of  opiates, 
as  of  a  poison;  and  says  that,  in  such  cases,  gentle 
cordial  waters,  as  those  of  mint,  balm,  and  cinnamon, 
with  the  addition  of  a  few  grains  of  saffron,  and  the 
moderate  use  of  wine,  are  the  best  means  of  support- 
ing nature.  Yet,  if  the  loss  of  strength  is  caused 
by  the  violence  of  the  pain  alone,  opiates 'will  be  ne- 
cessary. 

The  SEMICUPIUM  is  an  useful  assistant  when  the  pain 
is  violent,  for  it  powerfully  relieves  the  stricture  of  the 
part/  After  sitting  a  sufficient  tune  in  it,  ten  or  twenty 
of  the  soap  pills  may  be  taken. 

yomitingis  sometimes  a  troublesome  symptom;  but 
if  not  very  severe,  it  is  rather  useful,  and  ought  not  to 
be  suddenly  checked.  Whilst  moderate,  it  rather  pre- 
vents the  cohesion  of  the  gravel,  and  promotes  its  ex- 
pulsion. When  it  is  necessary  to  remedy  this  complaint, 
the  patient  may  drink  freely  of  some  warm  aqueous 
liquor  to  unload  the  stomach  of  its  contents;  and  the 
saline  draught  in  the  act  of  fermentation,  followed  by 
an  opiate,  may  be  given. 

If  a  stone  stick  in  the  kidney,  or  the  ureter,  stimu- 
lating medicines  are  unsafe,  and  diluents  are  thrown  up 
without  producing  any  advantage ;  but  when  the  ano- 
dynes have  considerably  abated  the  spasms,  when  the 
pulse  is  grown  calm  and  soft,  and  the  whole  body  is  of 
a  moist  and  equal  heat,  then  the  expulsion  of  the  stone 
or  gravel  may  be  expected,  often  without  further  as- 
sistance. 

B'ocidy  urine  is  sometimes  a  symptom  attending  the 
gravel,  in  which  case  a  dose  of  manna  may  be  taken  as 
a  purge,  in  a  quart  of  milk  whey,  at  several  draughts. 
(See  Wallis's  Sydcnham.)  To  quicken  itsoperation,  and 
render  it  easier  in  the  stomach,  a  slice  of  lemon  may 
now  and  then  be  sucked.  This  may  be  repeated  every 
day,  or  ever)'  other  day,  for  it  both  eases  the  pain  and 
moderates  the  discharge  of  blood.  After  its  operation, 
a  dose  of  opium  may  be  taken  at  bed  time.  If  the 
bloody  urine  is  from  the  bladder,  and  attended  with 
spasms  there,  or  an  ulcer,  warm  external  applications 
are  useful  just  above  the  pubes. 

When  CALCULOUS  COMPLAINTS  ATTEND  DURING 
PREGNANCY,  which  very  seldom  happens  if  the  pain 
is  violent,  a  slight  bleeding  may  be  admitted,  with  oily 
laxatives,  and  afterwards  opiates.  If  a  stone  is  perceived 
in  the  bladiier,it  should  be  extracted  before  pregnancy; 
but  if  the  woman  is  already  pregnant,  we  should  wait 
until  her  delivery.  During  the  time  of  labour,  the 
stone  should  be  pushed  and  kept  up  above  the  child's 
head,  if  possible  j  if  this  cannot  be  done,  the  assistant 


C  AL 


112 


C  AL 


must  pass  up  his  hand  as  soon  as  the  os  internum  is 
sufficiently  dilated,  and,  breaking  the  membranes,  turn 
the  child,  and  bring  it  away  by  the  feet.  There  will 
then  be  room  for  the  stone  to  be  raised  by  the  catheter, 
to  prevent  the  child's  head  from  pressing  it  against  the 
urethra,  which  would  give  the  woman'great  pain,  and 
perhaps  lacerate  the  parts. 

See  Boerhaave,  Aretseus,  Alexander  Trallian,  Lom- 
mius,  Hoffman,  Wallis's  Sydenham.  Lobb  on  the 
Stone  and  Gout.  Medical  Museum,  vol.  i.  and  iii. 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  9,  &c.  White's  Surgery,  348. 
Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society,  vol.  i.  225. 

A  stone  is  sometimes  forced  from  the  bladder  into  the 
urethra,  and  sometimes  it  is  generated  in  this  passage. 
Boerhaave  observes,  that  if  recent  urine  be  placed  in  a 
heat  no  greater  than  that  of  a  healthy  man,  it  soon 
throws  off"  a  stony  matter  to  the  sides  of  the  vessels  ; 
a  calculous  matter,  by  too  long  a  detention  of  this 
fluid  in  the  bladder,  may  therefore  be  soon  and  easily 
formed;  and  a  little  of  it  may  on  its  passage  with  the 
urine  be  so  entangled  in  the  urethra,  as  not  readily  to 
be  extricated,  but  become  the  basis  of  a  larger  stone. 
Mr.  Warner  observes,  that  the  urethra,  in  cases  of  this 
kind,  becomes  a  cyst,  which  acquires  a  great  degree  of 
hardness,  remaining  compact  and  whole  till  an  inflam- 
mation is  produced  by  its  no  longer  admitting  any  fur- 
ther distention.  The  inflammation  is  then  soon  com- 
municated to  the  teguments,  by  which  means  they  be- 
come painfully  tender,  and  are  easily  lacerated. 

If  a  stone  is  obstructed  in  its  passage  through  the 
urethra  after  bleeding,  an  emollient  clyster  and  an 
anodyne  draught  will  be  proper ;  common  emulsion 
should  be  drunk  freely,  and  if  the  patient  is  placed  in  a 
warm  bath  presently  after  the  clyster  is  administered, 
the  stone  often  escapes. 

If  the  stone  stick  in  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  and  re- 
quire an  operation  for  its  extraction,  introduce  two  fin- 
gers into  the  anus,  to  detain  the  stone  until  the  incision 
is  made  through  the  perinsum  upon  it.  After  the  ope- 
ration, as  well  as  for  some  days  before,  Heister  advises 
the  patient  to  drink  as  sparingly  as  possible,  that  the 
wound  may  not  be  irritated  by  the  urine.  To  guard 
against  this  inconvenience,  a  canula  may  be  introduced 
beyond  the  wound,  and  kept  in  the  urethra  until  it  is 
healed.  In  whatever  part  the  stone  is  lodged,  the  in- 
cision must  be  made  in  the  course  of  the  urethra,  and 
the  wound  in  the  skin  parallel  to  that  in  the  urethra. 
When  the  stone  is  extracted,  close  the  wound,  and  keep 
its  lips  together,  by  first  laying  on  it  a  pledget  of  lint 
spread  with  some  digestive  ointment,  then  secured  with 
slips  of  plaster,  as  directed  for  the  dry  suture. 

It  has  been  lately  recommended  to  inject  the  caustic 
alkali  into  the  bladder,  diluted  in  any  mucilaginous 
fluid;  and  experiments  have  been  adduced  to  show,  that 
the  bladder  can  bear,  without  inconvenience,  a  sufficient 
quantity  to  render  the  urine  an  active  solvent  of  cal- 
culus. On  this  subject,  however,  we  would  lay  clown 
no  precise  rule ;  for  the  bladder  differs  greatly  in  irrita- 
bility in  different  persons,  and  it  will  be  proper  to  begin 
with  a  small  proportion.  The  plan  is  too  obviously 
useful  to  be  neglected,  and  experience  may  enable  us 
to  give  a  further  account  of  its  success  in  some  future 
article.  We  may  add,  however,  in  this  place,  that  weak 
vinegar,  which  may  with  safety  be  injected  into  the 
bladder  of  a  horse,  is  found,  from  the  experiments  of 


Vauquelin  and  Fourcroy,  an  effectual  solvent  for  the 
calculus  of  that  animal. 

We  shall  conclude  this  article  with  some  compara- 
tive remarks  on  the  human  and  animal  calculi,  from  a 
second  Memoir  of  M.  Fourcroy,  in  a  subsequent  vo- 
lume of  the  Annals  of  the  National  Museum,  and  with 
an  analysis  of  the  other  human  calculi. 

The  difference  between  the  human  urinary  calculus, 
and  those  of  other  domestic  animals,  is  truly  singular. 
The  renal  and  vesical  calculi  of  the  horse,  the  ox,  the 
hog,  and  even  of  the  rat  and  rabbit,  in  whom  calculi 
are  frequently  found,  consist  only  of  carbonate  of  lime, 
connected  by  an  animal  gluten.  Once  M.  Vauquelin 
suspected  that  he  discovered  the  uric  acid  in  the  calcu- 
lus of  a  tortoise,  but  it  was  not  in  sufficient  proportion 
to  render  it  certain.  M.  Fourcroy  and  his  associates 
constantly  found  a  striking  analogy  between  the  nature- 
of  the  urine,  and  that  of  the  calculus  of  the  domestic 
mammalia.  But,  though  the  urine  of  horses  does  not 
contain  phosphat  of  lime,  they  found  it  in  the  sweat, 
when  dried  on  the  hair;  and,  from  Mr.  Hatchet's  ex- 
periments, it  will  appear  that  nature  is  uniform  in  her 
productions.  The  same  substances  are  formed  in  the 
animal  economy,  deposited  only  on  different  organs. 

Many  of  the  bezoars  of  different  forms  and  colours 
chiefly  consist  of  cajcareous  phosphat,  but  they  seldom 
contaiia  the  acid  phosphat,  and  are  consequently  formed 
in  the  intestines;  which  is  sufficiently  proved  by  their 
nuclei,  which  are  often  the  kernels  of  fruit,  and  some- 
times small  branches.  In  these  animals,  therefore,  the 
substance,  not  carried  to  the  kidneys,  concretes  in  the 
intestines. 

In  the  domestic  animals,  and  those  wild  ones  confined 
to  the  menageries,  intestinal  concretions,  from  the  size 
of  a  large  hen's  egg  to  that  of  an  ostrich,  are  often 
found  in  the  ccecum.  Those  in  the  horse  are  of  a  grey- 
ish colour,  formed  of  prismatic  radii,  without  any 
distinct  strata  :  the  surface  consists  of  irregular  crystals 
worn  down  by  attrition,  with  cavities  between  them. 
All  these  bezoars  are  composed  of  an  ammoniaco  mag- 
nesian  phosphat,  a  substance  lately  discovered  in  barley 
and  oats,  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  legumina,  though 
in  a  less  proportion.  We  thus  find  the  source  of  these 
concretions;  and  their  nuclei  are  generally  some  un- 
digested seed,  or  a  bit  of  straw.  This  salt  does  not 
naturally  concrete  in  man;  and  it  requires  some  ad- 
ditional substance  or  circumstance  to  assist  its  appear- 
ance, when  it  is  discovered  in  the  calculi  of  the  kidneys 
and  bladder.  Nor  is  it. easy  to  say,  why  some  of  the 
bezoars  of  wild  animals  should  consist  of  the  ammo- 
niaco magnesian  phosphat,  while  others  contain  the 
phosphat  of  lime  only. 

Dr.  Pearson  has  analysed  also  the  calculi  of  many 
animals.  That  of  a  dog  was  found,  by  him,  to  contain 
phosphat  of  lime  and  ammonia,  with  some  animal  mat- 
ter: that  of  a  rabbit  yielded  chiefly  carbonate  of  lime, 
with  common  animal  gluten,  and  perhaps  a  small  pro- 
portion of  phosphoric,  but  no  uric  acid :  those  of 
horses,  whether  vesical  or  intestinal,  afforded  phosphat 
of  lime  and  ammonia,  with  animal  matter,  which 
melted  like  super  phosphat  of  lime,  after  separating 
the  animal  substance  and  ammonia  by  burning.  A  large 
quantity  of  matter  found  in  the  bladders  of  horses  not 
crystallized,  each  of  several  pounds  weight,  was  car- 
bonate of  lime  with  the  animal  fluid.  Bertholdi  found 


C  A  L 


f  A  L 


calculus  of  a  pig,  -which  was  nearly  twice  as  heavy 
as  d!  ;iter.  to  consist  of  phosphat  of  lime. 

..:/..  were  once  supposed  to  be  chalk,  then 

to  resemblt  th<  earth  of  bones  ;  to  be  insoluble  in  acids, 
to  be  soluble  in  them,  or  to  be  soluble  only  in  the  ni- 
trous acid.  Various  other  discordant  opinions  were 
entertained,  tiil  Dr.  Woolaston,  in  the  Philosophical 
Tiaui  actions  for  1797,  gave  us  more  distinct  ideas  OR 
the  subject :  he  found  them  to  consist  of  the  lithic  acid 
ana  soda.  We  thus  find  the  foundation  of  the  use  of 
antacids,  and  perhaps  of  bitters,  in  cases  of  gout. 

The  calculi  of  the  fiineal  gland  were  supposed  by 
many  authors  to  be  imaginary.  Sabulous  concretions, 
however,  in  this  part  have  been  often  discovered ;  and 
Dr.  Woolaston,  by  a  delicate  chemical  test,  has  dis- 
covered them  to  consist  of  phosphorated  lime.  This 
is,  however,  a  refinement  only,  for  these  concretions  are 
not  connected  with  any  concurrence  of  symptoms  so  as 
to  form  a  disease. 

The  calculi  of  the  prostate  gland  also  consist,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Woolaston,  of  phosphorated  lime. 

Calculi  of  the  salivary  glands,  calculous  incrustations 
on  the  teeth,  omsificatims  in  the  larger  vessels  of  the  heart, 
between  the  muscles,  in  theccrfitra  ca \'e rnosa  jienis,  and 
in  the  fiancreas,  resemble  the  earth  of  bones.  Those  of 
ihe  bronchial  glands  we  have  found  to  be  similar:  those 
from  the  uterus  have  not  been  exporuned.  See  Heister's 
Surgery,  Warner's  Cases  in  Surgery,  Gooch's  Treatise 
on  Wounds,  and  the  Med.  Mus.  vol.  i.  and  ii.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  9,  Sec.  Baillie's  Morbid  Anatomy. 
Woolaston's  Phil.  Trans.  1797.  Pearson's  Phil.  Trans. 
1798.  Annales  de  Chimie,  xvi.  63.  xxiii.  123.  xxviii. 
52.  xxx.  57.  xxxii.  185,  213. 

CA'LCULUS  BILIA'RIS,  (from  bilis,  6ile).  GALL 
STONE.  t 

Though  we  have  spoken  of  these  stones  at  sufficient 
length,  yet  some  facts,  chiefly  of  a  chemical  nature,  re- 
main. Biliary  calculi  are  divided  by  Walker  into  the 
striated,  lamellated,  and  cortical;  and  by  Vicq.  d'Azyr 
into  those  which  consist  of  a  yellowish  bilious  matter, 
whether  filamentous  or  not ;  those  composed  of  crystal- 
line matter  of  different  degrees  of  lustre,  with  or  with- 
out a  covering,  and  into  calculi  consisting  of  both  sub- 
stances. Externally  they  are  usually  laminated;  inter- 
nally, radiated  :  the  greater  number  have  no  taste,  but 
many  are  intensely  bitter.  From  their  chemical  pro- 
perties they  are  divided  into  two  species ;  those  con- 
sisting of  a  shining,  foliated,  crystalline  substance, 
analogous  to  spermaceti,  and  those  which  resemble 
inspissated  bile,  in  which  the  former  seems  to  have 
crystallized.  In  every  instance,  the  crystalline  matter 
resembled  spermaceti ;  though,  in  a  calculus  analyzed 
fay  Gren,  it  seemed  to  approach  more  nearly  to  wax. 
The  hepatic  calculi  have  not  been  examined. 

They  often  lie  quiet  in  the  gall  bladder ;  and,  until 
dissection  after  death,  are  not  known  to  exist:  but, 
•when  they  are  prevented  from  passing  through  the  gall 
ducts,  they  generally  obstruct  the  passage  of  the  bile 
into  the  intestines,  and  produce  many  other  distressing 
symptoms. 

The  diagnostics  of  this  disorder  are  often  obscure 
and  uncertain  ;  for  other  causes  produce  similar  symp- 
toms. An  instance  occurs  in  Mr.  White's  Treatise  on 
the  Disorders  of  the  Bile:  the  usual  symptoms,  how- 
ever, are,  a  loss  ot  appetite,  a  sense  of  fulness  ii 

VOL.  I. 


stomach,  sickness,  vomiting,  languor,  inactivity,  sleep- 
lessness, and,  if  the  obstruction  continue  a  few  d: 
wasting  of  the  flesh;  ayellowness  of  the  eyes,  ski:, 
urine;  whitish  stools  ;   a  pain  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach, 
without  any  change  in  the  pulse.     The  last  symptom 
is  considered  as  peculiarly  distinguishing  this  affection. 
This  pain,  which  in  some  is  extremely  acute,  in  others 
light,  is  felt  about  the  region  of  the  liver,  and  its  parti- 
cular seat  is  in  the  gall  duct,  just  where  it  enters  the 
duodenum.     In  some  patients  the  yellowness  dot 
appear;  in  others  it  is  observed  for  several  months.     I', 
is  a  disease  peculiarly  painful,  and  as  frequent  as  air. 
disorder  of  the  liver ;  it  receives  much  relief  from  art. 
and  is  not  immediately  dangerous. 

In  the  cure,  pain  is  the  first  object  of  attention;  and. 
when  it  is  considerable,  opium  is  the  only  resource :  a 
dose  may  be  taken  as  soon  as  the  patient  perceives  its 
approach,  and  repeated  every  hour  or  two  until  a  re- 
mission is  procured.      The  vomiting,  which  generally 
attends,  is  nature's  effort  to  dislodge  the  gall  stones : 
and,  whether  it  is  present  or  absent,  as  soon  as  the  paii; 
begins  to  abate,  an  emetic  should  be  administered,  and 
repeated  if  required.      After   its  operation   an  opiate 
may  be  given.     Purging  medicines  are  equally  n 
sary  ;  and  of  these,  such  as  act  with  the  most  ease. 
may  be  most  safely  continued,  as  manna,  castor  oi!. 
the  waters  of  purging  springs,  and  neutral  salts,  an 
preferable.     These  may  be  repeated  every  other  day 
for  several    months,  without  palling  the  appetite 
lessening  the  strength.     A  little  rhubarb  may  also  bt 
taken  occasionally.     See  London   Med.  Transaction;., 
ii'.  123.     Memoirs  of  the  Med.  Society  of  London,  i 
373. 

The  juice  of  grass  and  the  decoction  of  its  roots  i>! 
the  spring,  are  supposed,  from  a  fanciful  analogy,  to  b-- 
powerful  solvents.  Mr.  White  says  that  he  haVh  give;, 
alcohol  saturated  with  the  oil  of  turpentine,  and  advan- 
tageous effects  have  been  soon  manifested. 

See  Dr.  Coe  on  Bilious  Diseases.  Gooch's  Case- 
Remarks,  p.   163 — 169.     Lond.  Med.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p. 
105,  &c.     Mr.  White's  Treatise  on  the  Diseases  of  tin 
Bile.     Lewis's   Translation  of  Hoffman's   Practice  oi" 
Medicine.     Annales  de  Chimie,  v.  186. 

CA'LCULUS    HUMA'NUS.      See    BEZOAR  MICROCOSMI- 

CUM. 

CALDA'RI.E  ITA'LIC-E.     Hot  baths  m 
rara,  in  Italy,  useful  in  difficulty  of  urine. 

CALDA'RIUM,  quasi  calidarium,  (from  ca/eo,  to 
make  hot').  See  BALNEUM. 

CA'LDUS,  for  CA'LIDUS,  is  frequently  used  by  Scri- 
bonius  Largus  ;  and  calda,  by  many  authors,  for  warm 
water. 

CALEFACIE  XTIA,  (from  <-<v/<-/ar:o,  to  make  .'. 
Such  medicines  as  warm  the  habit.  They  belong  :<, 
class  of  stimulants,  and,  from  the  effects  they  produce, 
are  called  calefacients.     See  STIMULANTIA. 

CALEFA'CTIO.     See  CALCIXATIO  by  calef action. 

CALE'NDULA,  so  called — quod  singulia  calei: 
i.  e.  mensibusjlorescat — because  it  flowers  every  month. 
GARDES  MARIGOLD,  called  also  caltha,  calendula  sa- 
chrysanthemum,  sjionsa   solis,  SINGLE    MARIGOLD.      C'. 
sati-va  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1304.     Nat.  order,  comfi'. 
cotdee;  corumbifcre  of  Jussieu. 

Of  the  many  sorts  of  marigojds,  this  is  the  only  on. 
generally  received  in  medicine.     It  is  so  conr.no: 


C  V  L 


314 


C  AL 


gardens,  that  a  particular  description  is  needless. 
1 1  is  annual,  propagates  itself  by  seeds,  and  flowers  from 
May  to  the  end  of  autumn. 

The  leaves  have  more  virtue  than  the  flowers,  their 
expressed  juice  contains  most  of  their  pungent  matter: 
it  is  thought  to  be  aperient,  and  to  promote  the  secre- 
tions in  general.  The  flowers  are  a  slight  cordial. 

C.VLE'NDULA  ALPINA.  See  ARNICA  MONTANA.  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1245.  ft. 

CALE'NDULA  ARVENSIS,  the  WILD  MARIGOLD,  also 
called  calthu  arvensis,  caltha  minima;  c.  arvensis  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1303.  These  leaves  are  stinking  and  bitter,  and 
it'  burnt  in  the  candle  they  crackle  like  nitre. 

It  is  sometimes  preferred  to  the  former.  Its  juice  is 
given  from  one  to  four  ounces  in  the  jaundice  and  ca- 
chexia;  and  the  leaves  are  commended  as  a  salad  for 
children  affected  with  scrofulous  tumours. 

CALE'NDULA  PALUSTRIS.  COMMON  SINGLE  MARSH 
MARIGOLD.  Caltha  [lalustria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  784.  Also 
called  jiojiulago,  caltha  fialttstris,  fiscudo  helleborus, 
ranunculfjides  pratensis.  Grows  in  marshes,  and  is 
very  acrid.  It  is  so  caustic  that  cattle  avoid  it,  for  it 
excites  an  inflammation  if  they  chance  to  swallow  it. 

CALENTU'RA,  (from  caleo,  to  make  hot).  It  is  a 
vifilent  ardent  fever,  in  which  a  delirium  comes  on  both 
early  and  suddenly.  It  happens  to  those  who  sail  into 
very  hot  countries.  Dr.  Oliver  gives  the  history  of  a 
case  in  the  Philos.  Trans.  Abr.  vol.  iv.  in  which  he  ob- 
serves, that  when  the  delirium  came  on,  the  patient 
imagined  that  he  was  in  green  fields ;  that  after  a  free 
bleeding  he  slept,  and  waked  without  any  other  com- 
plaint than  weakness  from  the  loss  of  blood,  and  sore- 
ness from  struggling  during  his  delirium.  He  further 
adds,  that  this  fever  attacks  in  the  night,  whence  the 
patient,  under  the  notion  of  green  fields,  runs  into  the 
sea  before  any  one  is  aware,  so  that  few  of  these  cases 
occur  to  observation.  Dr.  Shaw  advises,  that  the  pa- 
tient should  indulge  in  rest,  be  bled  freely,  take  a  few 
hours  afterwards  an  emetic ;  dilute  plentifully  with 
barley  water,  and  that  a  blister  should  then  be  applied. 
It  is  probably  a  species  of  phrenitis,  though  of  the 
milder  kind,  and  of  the  nature  of  the  couji  de  soleil.  C. 
Stubbs  in  the  Philos.  Trans.  N°  36. 

CALE'SIUM.  (Indian.)  A  tall  tree,  which  bears 
clusters  of  berries  like  grapes  or  currants.  These  ber- 
ries contain  a  flat  stone  with  a  kernel  in  it.  It  grows  in 
Malabar.  Of  the  wood  is  made  sheaths  for  knives  and 
swords.  The  bark,  made  into  an  ointment  with  butter, 
cures  convulsions  from  wounds,  and  heals  ulcers.  The 
juice  of  the  bark  cures  the  aphthse;  and,  taken  inwardly, 
the  dysentery.  Raii  Hist. 

CA'LI,  (from  kali,  Arab.).  Sec  CLAVELLATI  Ci- 
N  HUES. 

CALICHA'PA.     See  SPINA  ALBA. 

CA'LIDRIS    BELIO'NII.        The  French   call    it 

chevalier,  from  the  length  of  its  legs  and  swiftness  of 

its  motion.     This  bird  is  of  the  bigness  of  a  pigeon; 

met  with  in  meadows  where  there  are  pools  and  rivu- 

lt  is  the  scolopax  of  Latham,  and  all  the  species 

id  a  nourishing  food. 

CA'LIDUM  INNA'TUM  is  an  expression  borrowed 
from  the  Stoical  philosophy  to  express  the  natural  heat 
of  animals,  which,  as  connected  with  life,  has  been  also 
called  /3/oAt^viav,  the  lamfi  of  tiff.  By  the  ancient  phi- 
losophers in  general,  heat  was  considered  as  connected 


with  life,   as  the  peculiar  distinguishing   property   of 
living  animals,  or  as  the  effect  of  divine  interposition: 

£st  Deus  in  nobis,agitante  calescimus  ijiso. 
The  ideas  of  Hippocrates  on  this  subject  were  not  very 
different;  and,  though  Galen  deviated  somewhat  from 
his  master,  no  attempts  were  made  to  explain  its 
source,  till  the  chemical  schools  attributed  it  to  effer- 
vescence and  fermentation ;  the  mechanical  philoso- 
phers to  friction — either  of  the  particles  of  the  blood 
on  each  other;  of  these  on  the  vessels;  or  of  the  solid 
parts  themselves.  Each  of  these  theories  is,  however, 
wholly  inconsistent  with  the  appearances,  or  with  the 
functions,  of  the  animal  economy  ;  nor  need  we  in  this 
place  enter  into  arguments  to  refute  opinions  which  no 
one  at  present  adopts. 

Dr.  Franklin  supposed  that  fire,  or,  in  modern  lan- 
guage, caloric,  was  combined  with  our  aliments ;  and, 
in  the  progress  of  the  circulation,  when  the  alimentary 
substances  were  decompounded,  again  separated  in  an 
active  state :  an  idea  simple  and  ingenious,  in  reality 
the  basis  of  more  modern  systems.  When  phlogiston 
was  in  fashion,  Dr.  Black  supposed  that  the  air  acting 
on  the  blood,  separated  the  inflammable  principle ;  and. 
since  it  was  apparently  changed  in  the  same  manner  as 
it  would  have  been  by  a  burning  body,  a  similar  process 
probably  occasioned  the  change.  Dr.  Duguid  Leslie, 
in  his  Thesis,  afterwards  published  separately,  opposed 
this  idea  ;  and  suggested  an  opinion  not  very  different 
from  Dr.  Franklin's,  that  the  phlogiston  contained  in 
all  our  fluids,  was  separated  during  the  circulation  ;  and, 
as  in  every  other  circumstance  where  this  principle  was 
separated,  heat  ensued.  This  doctrine  was,  we  believe, 
taught  by  Dr.  Duncan  in  his  class  about  that  time  :  at 
least  we  have  good  reasons  to  attribute  it  to  him.  Yet 
each  of  these  opinions  must  fall  with  phlogiston;  but, 
though  terms  alter,  we  shall  find  that  the  principle  of 
each  has  been  retained,  and  that  the  same  or  similar 
ideas,  in  different  forms,  approach  very  nearly  the  so- 
lution of  the  problem. 

The  facts,  however,  have  not  been  ascertained  with 
accuracy.  The  heat  seems  to  be  almost  uniform  in 
every  part  of  the  body;  and  a  thermometer  under  the 
tongue,  in  the  axilla,  in  the  rectum,  in  the  urethra,  and 
in  a  sinous  ulcer,  has  pointed  to  nearly  the  same  de- 
gree. 

There  is,  undoubtedly,  a  difference  in  the  degrees  of 
heat  of  different  persons,  and  probably  in  different  parts. 
The  earlier  observations,  as  the  construction  of  the 
thermometer  was  less  correct,  we  shall  omit ;  but,  in 
general,  the  heat  appears  to  vary  from  96°  to  98°.  Dr. 
Marline  and  Dr.  Hales  found  the  urine  to  be  99°  and 
103°  when  the  skin  was  97°.  Mr.  Hunter  observed 
the  heat  of  the  rectum  to  be  98°,  and  that  of  the  bulb 
of  the  urethra  97°.  A  thermometer,"  two  inches  within 
the  rectum  of  a  dog,  was  at  100°,  in  the  left  ventricle  of 
the  heart  101°,  in  the  substance  of  the  liver  100^°,  and 
in  the  stomach  101°. 

De  Haen,  however,  remarks,  that  if  a  thermometer 
be  applied  under  the  arm  for  half  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
its  height  is  95°  or  96°;  if  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
97°,  98°,  and  99°;  if  for  half  an  hour,  100°,  and  101°; 
if  for  an  hour,  101°,  and  102°.  This  passage  has 
been  little  noticed,  though  we  suspect  it  is  alluded 
to  by  an  author,  who  remarks,  that  the  irritation  pro- 
duced by  any  body  confined  so  long  to  a  part,  must 


15 


C  A  L 


ase  the  heat  above  its  natural  standard.  To  as- 
certain the  fact,  the  author  of  this  article  put  a  very 
accurate  and  sensible  thermometer,  made  by  Dr.  Wil- 
son, of  Glasgow,  under  his  arm,  when  in  perfect  h 
and.  confining  the  humerus  loosely,  so  as  not  to  produce 
the  slightest  inconvenience,  sat  down  to  read.  The 
pulse,  as  usual  with  him  when  sitting  still  for  some 
hours,  sunk  to  56%  were  the  same  in  both  arms,  and 
the  feelings  in  each  arm  continued  the  same  for  three 
hours,  during  which  the  experiment  lasted.  In  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  the  thermometer  was  97°,  in  about  an 
hour  98%  and  in  two  hours  after  99D.  It  never  rose 
higher.  We  must  add,  that  in  other  trials,  when  the 
author's  heat  has  been  cempared  with  that  of  different 

ns,  it  has  always  been  found  at  least  a  degree 
lower;  so  that,  perhaps,  the  real  heat  of  the  human 
body  should  be  considered  as  100°.  This  fact  is,  we 
think,  of  importance,  when,  with  the  accuracy  of  mo- 
dern chemists,  the  capacity  of  the  blood  for  heat  in  dif- 
ferent situations  is  estimated. 

other  fact,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  De  Haen, 
is,   that  in  putrid   fevers  the  heat  at  the  moment  of 
death  has  been  considerably  increased,  and  that  it  even 
continued  to  increase  after  death,  till,  if  we  recollect 
tly,  it  amounted  to   104D.     To  this  meagre  cata- 
„•  of  facts  we  can  only  add  one  other,  which  we 
think  should  be  again  examinee!,  viz.  that  the  venous 
blood  of  the  internal  organs   is    hotter   than    the    ar- 
terial. 

Observation,  which  ought  to  have  preceded  theory, 
should  have  furnished  many  additional  circumstances  to 
assist  our  enquiries;  and  it  would  have  been  of  advan- 
tage to  have  ascertained  the  comparative  capat 
heat  of  the  biood  in  the  vena  portae  and  the  hepatic 
veins,  perhaps  of  the  blood  !••  the  splenic  artery  and 
the  vasa  brevia;  nor  would  it  have  been  wholly  useless 
to  have  determined  the  capacity  of  heat  of  the  different 
component  parts  of  the  vital  fluid,  with  more  accuracy 
than  has  yet  been  attempted.  We  must  proceed,  how- 
ever, to  explain  the  modern  theories  of  Dr.  Crawford 
and  M.  Lavoisier,  taking  the  liberty  of  changing  the 
.age  of  the  former;  for,  though  phlogiston  is  no 
more,  the  language  only,  so  far  his  theory  extends,  is 
changed. 

We  must  anticipate  a  little  the  doctrines  of  an  ap- 
proaching article  (CALOKIC),  by  explaining  some  terms 

dally  necessary  to  the  proper  comprehension  of 
Dr.  Crav.  foru'a  system.  If  we  suppose  at  this  moment 
the  existence  of  heat  as  a  separate  principle  admitted, 
absolute  heat  is  the  real  quantity  of  this  principle;  rela- 
that  quantity  only  which  is  obvious  to  the 
senses,  or  can  be  measured  by  a  thermometer.  Thus, 
according  to  the  common  instance,  a  pound  of  -vyater 
and  as  much  calx  of  antimony  have  the  same  tem- 
perature to  the  thermometer;  but  the  water  contains 
four  limes  as  much  heat  as  the  calx.  The  capacities  of 
bodies  for  retaining  this  principle,  are  also  different  and 
measured  by  the  degrees  of  sensible  heat  in  each,  after 
being  exposed  to  the  same  temperature.  Thus,  if  water 
and  mercury  are  exposed  to  the  same  heat  for  a  given 
time,  while  the  temperature  of  the  water  is  raised  one 
degree,  that  of  the  mercury  is  raised  28°.  The  ca- 
pacity of  water  then  to  that  of  mercury,  is  as  28  to 
1.  These  two  qualities,  absolute  heat,  and  capacity 
for  heat,  are  often  confounded,  and  particularly  by  Di". 
Crawford,  who  was  not  aware,  that  in  the  diaphoretic 


antimony  the  heat  was  really  a  component  part  of  the 
calx. 

In  pursuance  of  the  general  distinction  between  ab- 
solute and  relative  heat,  Dr.  Crawford  examined  the 
arterial  blood  compared  with  water,  and  found  it  to  be 
as  1.03  to  1.00.  He  consequently  suspected,  that  the 
blood  absorbed  heat  from  the  air  in  the  lungs;  and  this 
idea  was  confirmed  by  the  intimate  connection  between 
the  increase  of  temperature  and  the  frequency  of  re- 
spiration, as  well  as  the  extent  of  the  respiratory  organs. 
On  pursuing  the  enquiry,  he  found  that  the  absolute 
heat  of  atmospheric  air  was  changed  by  passing  through 
the  lungs;  and,  in  general,  air  contained  absolute  heat 
in  the  same  proportion  that  it  was  adapted  for  respira- 
tion. On  examining  the  state  of  the  blood  in  the  pul- 
monary vein  and  artery,  he  found  the  heat  greater  in 
the  former  than  in  the  latter.  The  colour  of  the  venous 
blood  resembles  more  nearly  that  of  arteries  in  a  • 
than  in  a  cold  atmosphere,  for  less  heat  is  of  course 
absorbed;  and,  in  general,  the  heat  absorbed  by  air  is 
nearly  the  quantity  produced  by  burning  a  wax  taper, 
for  the  air  is  vitiated  in- nearly  the  same  proportion  by 
both  processes.  The  absolute  heat  of  different  animal 
substances  he  ascertained  to  be  as  follows.  Supposing 
water  l.OOOO,  inflammable  air  was  21.4000,  o\ 
gas  4.7490,  atmospherical  air  1.7300,  aqueous  vapour 
1.5500,  carbonic  acid  gas  1.0454,  az< 
blood  1.0300,  venous  blood  O.t  ;niik 

0.9999,  hide  of  an  ox  with  the  hair  ngs  of  a 

sheep  0.7690,  lean  beaf  0.74OO. 

To  apply  these  facts  tp  the  subject  before  us,  he  found 
that  the  absolute  heat  of  pure  air,  at  the  common  tem- 
perature of  the  atmosphere,  was  equal  to  1550°.  The 
heat  of  fixed  air  and  aqueous  vapour  being  one  third 
less,  pure  air  changed  to  the  two  latter,  would  give  out 
3  x  1550°  ~ 4550°.  M^ny  causes  concur  to  reduo 
quantity,  but  it  will  be  evident  that  a  large  proportion 
of  heat  must  be  absorbed  by  the  blood,  as  so  little  sen- 
sible heat  is  produced. 

The  capacity  of  the  heat  in  venous  blood,  appears  to 
that  of  arterial  as  aboi  .     If  venous  blood  be 

therefore  converted  to  arterial,  there  will  be  this  pro- 
portional loss  of  heat;  but  venous  blood  contains  1 
and  consequently  the  loss  from  the  change  of  venous 
into  arterial  blood,  would  be  very  nearly  200°,  if  the 
deficiency  were  not  supplied  from  the  air.     We  now 
know,  also,  more  clearly  than  at  the  period  Dr.  C 
ford  wrote,  that  oxygen  contains  a  considerable  propor- 
tion of  caloric,  and  its  abstraction  is  of  course  connected 
with  a  diminution  of  this  principle.     As  oxygen,  there- 
fore, disappears  in  respiration,  heat  is  lost  to  our  senses, 
but  recovered  again  in  the  increased  capacity  of  the 
blood,  after  it  has  circulated  through  the  lungs.     The 
blood  in  circulation  becomes  replete  with  azote,  and, 
of    course,   its    attraction   for   oxygen    is   diminished. 
Heat,  therefore,  escapes  in  every  part  of  the  circulating 
system,  and  supports  an  equable  warmth;  till  the  blood, 
returning  to  the  lungs,  again  absorbs  a  fresh  propor- 
tion of  oxygen  from  the  air,  to  be  again  partly  scpsi 
for  the  support  of  animal   life:   we  s:iy  partly,  ft: 
capacity  of  the  remaining  fluids  being  im  :  .   ,  por- 

tion is  absorbed,  and  becomes  of  these  a  component 
part. 

This  doctrine  is  recommended  by  its  simplicity, 
conformity  to  other  appearances,  and  thi 
cation  it  affords  to  different  phenomena;  partici:! 

S  s  2 


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316 


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the  connection  of  animal  heat  with  the  extent  of  the 
respiratory  organs,  and  the  frequency  of  respiration.  It 
explains  also  some  other  facts  which  require  a  more 
ample  consideration. 

The  heat  of  animals,  at  whatever  degree  it  may  be 
placed,  is  uniform.  We  see  that  the  lower  the  sur- 
rounding temperature  is,  the  separation  of  the  oxygen 
from  the  air  will  be  more  complete,  and,  of  course,  the 
separation  of  heat  in  the  circulation.  The  arterial  and 
venous  blood  will,  as  we  have  said,  differ  nearly  in  the 
same  proportion  in  their  colour.  Thus  the  changes 
balance  each  other;  and  in  warm  countries,  where  pu- 
trefaction powerfully  vitiates  the  air,  breathing  has  a 
proportionably  less  effect. 

This  balance  of  the  effects  of  heat  in  the  air,  and  of 
the  production  of  animal  heat,  goes  further;  for,  when 
heat  is  increased  beyond  its  due  bounds,  the  same  prin- 
ciple produces  cold.  Mr.  Tillet  found  that  a  girl  could 
live  for  some  time  in  an  oven  heated  to  220°;  and  Dr. 
Fordyce  observed  that  a  dog  could  live,  with  little  in- 
convenience, in  a.  heat  of  260°;  and  he  himself  endured 
the  heat  of  230°  for  fifteen  minutes,  while  the  thermo- 
meter under  his  tongue  pointed  only  to  100°.  Dr. 
Crawford  proved,  that  when  a  living  and  a  dead  frog 
were  exposed  to  a  great  degree  of  heat,  in  air  or  water, 
the  former  acquired  the  heat  of  the  surrounding  tem- 
perature more  slowly  than  the  latter.  These  facts  are 
readily  explained  from  our  author's  system.  It  appears, 
from  what  we  have  observed,  that  the  blood  brings  with 
it  to  the  lungs  such  an  increased  capacity  for  containing 
heat,  that  if  its  temperature  were  not  supported  by  the 
oxygen  of  the  air,  it  would  sink  200° :  but,  in  great 
heats,  this  capacity  is  supplied,  and  a  small  proportion 
only  is  absorbed;  in  very  high  degrees  of  temperature, 
probably  none:  and  when,  from  the  changes  produced 
by  the  circulation,  this  extraordinary  proportion  of  heat 
is  separated,  as  it  will  be  by  the  more  rapid  increase  of 
the  animal  process,  the  superabundant  heat  is  lost  in 
the  aqueous  vapour,  and  in  the  evaporation,  or  rather 
'he  change  of  that  vapour  into  air.  Thus  we  see,  also, 
why  the  heat  in  putrid  fevers  is  so  considerable,  and 
why  it  may  even  increase  after  death;  for  the  putrid 
fluids,  having  a  less  capacity  of  heat,  lose  whatever  they 
contained  in  consequence  of  their  former  capacity,  and 
putrefaction,  hastening  on  rapidly  after  death,  indeed 
more  rapidly  than  the  heat  can  be  carried  off,  occasions 
its  apparent  increase. 

The  opinion  of  MM.  Lavoisier  and  Seguin  is  more 
simple,  but  by  no  means  meets  so' satisfactorily  the  phe- 
nomena, as  the  theory  of  Dr.  Crawford.  They  consider 
respiration  as  a  kind  of  combustion,  in  which  pure  is 
converted  into  fixed  air,  and  the  heat  separated  as  the 
cause  of  animal  heat.  This,  however,  establishes  a 
focus  of  heat  in  the  lungs.  This  part  must  be  the 
warmest,  and  the  extremities  the  coldest,  in  the  body, 
\\hilc  the  heat  of  the  intervening  parts  must  vary  in 
proportion  to  their  distance  from  the  centre  of  inflam- 
mation. They  avoid  this  difficulty,  however,  by  alleging 
the  rapidity  of  the  circulation;  and  they  elude  the 
consequence  of  extraordinary  heat  in  the  lungs,  by  its 
diminution  in  consequence  of  evaporation;  but,  if  ex- 
amiiied,  neither  would  be  found  equal  to  the  effects. 
Lavoisier,  however,  adopts  part  of  the  idea  of  Crawford; 
and,  when  we  recollect  that  the  work  of  this  latter  au- 
thor appeared  in  1779,  and  the  improved  system  of 
Lavoisier  in  1780.,  we  shall  not  doubt  to  whom,  this  ad- 


dition is  owing.  On  the  whole,  the  system  ot  Dv, 
Crawford  is  apparently  the  true  one.  In  the  first  edi- 
tion there  were  some  errors,  both  in  the  experiments 
and  calculations;  nor  is  the  second,  perhaps,  though 
much  more  perfect,  wholly  free.  Modern  discoveries 
have,  indeed,  added  to  Dr.  Crawford's  system,  and  con- 
firmed it;  for,  whether  we  consider  the  formation  of 
carbonic  acid  gas  from  the  addition  of  carbon,  or  that 
of  water  by  the  union  of  hydrogen,  we  shall  find  that  in 
each  change  the  vital  air  must  lose  a  part  of  its  specific 
heat.  Yet  it  may  be  alleged,  that  Dr.  Crawford,  by 
ascertaining  the  capacity  of  aqueous  vapour  and  of  ve- 
nous blood,  has  given  a  solution,  though  not  so  particu- 
lar, equally  satisfactory. 

Various  modifications  of  these  opinions  have  been 
published.  M.  Girtanner,  in  the  Journal  de  Physique 
for  the  year  1790,  has  suggested  an  opinion,  that  a  part 
of  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  unites  with  the  arterial 
blood ;  a  part  with  the  carbon  in  the  carbonated  hydro- 
genous gas,  which  escapes  from  venous  blood,  forming 
carbonic  acid  gas;  a  part  with  the  mucus,  which  is  con- . 
stantly  decomposing ;  a  part  with  the  hydrogen  gas  of 
the  blood  to  form  water;  and  a  part  only  remains  in  the 
blood  to  supply  the  animal  heat.  The  effects  of  respi- 
ration will,  therefore,  be  very  numerous  and  different; 
but,  when  the  products  are  examined,  they  will,  he 
thinks,  be  found  the  same  with  those  of  combustion. 
If  Dr.  Crawford's  system  be  considered  with  attention, 
it  will  not,  we  suspect,  be  found  to  require  such  a  com- 
plicated process. 

De  la  Grange  adopts  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Duguid 
Leslie,  or  rather  of  Dr.  Duncan,  putting  it  only 
into  a  modern  dress;  and  Hassenfrctz  does  not  greatly 
differ. 

Dr.  Gren,  in  the  Annales  de  Chimie,  supposes-that 
no  oxygen  is  communicated  to  the  blood;  but  that  the 
change  from  the  venal  to  the  arterial  is  owing  to  the 
separation  of  carbon  and  hydrogen,  with  which  the 
oxygen  forms  carbonic  acid,  and  the  water  expired  in 
respiration.  M.  Metheric,  in  the  Journal  de  Physique, 
will  admit  only  of  the  combination  of  oxygen  as  one 
cause  of  animal  heat,  recurring  as  assistants  to  muscu- 
lar motion  and  fermentation.  Respiration,  he  thinks, 
conducts  the  electrical  fluid  to  the  blood,  as  the  air  of 
an  apartment  in  which  a  person  has  long  breathed,  is 
electrified  negatively;  but  this  proves  nothing,  as  all 
our  excrementitious  fluids  possess  a  negative  electricity. 
Linnaeus  hints  at  a  similar  cause  of  the  heat  of  animals, 
when  he  observes,  in  his  concise,  energetic  language, 
Flagrat  electrico  fmlmonibus  hausto. 

Dr.  Menzies'  experiments  are  connected  rather  with 
the  subject  of  respiration  than  with  animal  heat;  ;u:d 
we  need  only  remark,  that  he  thinks  all  the  heat  ob- 
served in  the  animal  system  may  be  explained  from  the 
quantity  of  pure  air  vitiated  in  the  lungs;  thus  referring 
the  heat  of  animals,  like  Lavoisier,  to  a  species  of  com- 
bustion. The  conclusion  is,  however,  more  correct  iu 
a  chemical  than  in  a  physiological  view.  It  will  un- 
doubtedly explain  the  heat  of  the  blood  in  the  lungs; 
and  if  Mr.  Hunter's  experiments,  formerly  mentioned, 
be  admitted,  for  a  little  increase  of  the  heat  in  those 
organs;  but  it  will  not  explain  the  nearly  uniform  tem- 
perature in  different  parts.  Indeed,  we  know  of  no  sys- 
tem which  so  readily  meets  all  the  physiological  and 
pathological  facts  as  that  of  Dr.  Crawford,  and  it  is,  we 
believe,  generally  adopted.  See  RESPIRATION. 


C  AJL 


si: 


C  AL 


To  this  system,  however,  one  objection  remains,  viz. 
the  heat,  which  the  embryos  of  animals,  and  particu- 
larly of  oviparous  ones,  possess,  independent  of  the 
parent.  As  the  blood,  however,  of  the  foetuses  of  viva- 
parous  animals  passes  regularly  through  the  lungs  of 
the  mother,  it  may  be  supposed  to  convey  sufficient 
heat  for  the  embryo  ;  and,  in  confirmation  of  this  idea, 
the  blood  of  pregnant  women  seems  to  be  highly  oxy- 
genated. No  blood  from  the  mother,  however,  can 
reach  the  embryo  inclosed  in  an  egg;  and,  though  na- 
ture has  provided  a  reservoir  of  air  at  one  end,  it  is  too 
inconsiderable  to  supply  the  young  animal  with  warmth. 
It  is  singular,  however,  that  the  nature  of  this  air  has 
not  been  examined  ;  nor  has  it  been  ascertained,  though 
the  quantity  is  known  to  be  diminished  in  the  progress 
of  incubation,  whether  it  undergoes  any  chemical 
change.  Yet,  as  the  yolk  by  which  the  chick  is  nou- 
rished, and  the  albumen  itself,  contain  oxygen,  this 
may  be  gradually  evolved  and  impart  its  caloric ;  nor  is 
this  change  merely  imaginary,  for  we  know  that  the  mild 
fluids  of  the  egg  are  gradually  changed  to  azotic  ones, 
whose  capacity  for  heat  is  of  course  diminished. 

There  are,  however,  many  arguments  which  lead  to 
Dr.  Cullen's  opinion,  that  the  warmth  of  animals  is 
connected  with  their  life,  and  the  effect  of  the  principle 
which  distinguishes  them  as  living  beings.  It  is  certain, 
also,  that  vegetables  which  possess  life,  possess  also 
some  innate  heat;  though  the  change  respecting  the 
air,  the  inhale  and  exhale,  is  reversed ;  for  they  expire 
oxygen  as  an  excrementitious  fluid,  while  they  draw  in 
carbon  at  the  radical  fibres,  and  absorb  hydrogen  proba- 
bly from  the  leaves.  At  present,  however,  we  know  too 
little  of  the  vegetable  economy  to  suffer  a  system,  other- 
wise highly  probable,  to  be  disturbed  by  its  apparent 
anomalies;  and,  while  we  thus  put  our  readers  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  facts,  we  shall  leave  the  ultimate  de- 
cision for  the  result  of  further  investigation. 

See  Haller's  Elementa  Physiologise  ;  Kale's  Statical 
Essays;  Dr.  Duguid  Leslie's  Philosophical  Enquiry 
into  the  Cause  of  Animal  Heat ;  Girtanner  sur  1'Irri- 
tabilite  (Journal  de  Physique,  1790);  Gren  (Annales 
de  Chimie,  vol.  xxiv.);  Crawford's  Experiments  and 
Observations  on  Animal  Heat,  2d  edition,  1788;  Me- 
moire  sur  la  Chaleur,  par  MM.  Lavoisier  and  De  la 
Place;  Memoires  de  1'Academie,  1790;  Menzies  on 
Respiration,  1796. 

CALIE'TA,  or  CALIETTE,  (from  *«>.,*,  a  ne»t, 
which  it  somewhat  resembles).  See  JUXIPERIXUM 
LIGXUM. 

CALI'GO,  (from  caligo,  to  be  dark).  A  growing 
darkness  of  the  eye,  or  dimness  of  the  sight,  from  a 
manifest  cause;  as  in  cases  of  the  cataract,  Sic.  Dr. 
,Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class  locales, 
and  order  dys£tthtsi<e.  He  defines  it  to  be  sight  dimi- 
nished, or  wholly  abolished ;  from  a  dark  barrier  be- 
tween the  object  and  the  retina,  in  the  eye  itself,  or  in 
the  eye  lid.  He  also  enumerates  five  species;  viz. 

1.  CALI'GO  LEXTIS;  the  glaucoma  ll'oolhousi,  maftre 
Jean  St.  Yves;  this  he  denominated  the  cataract,  and 
Sauvapes  calls  it  the  true  cataract,  it  is  caused  by  a 
thickening  of  the  coats  of  the  crystalline  lens.  See 
CATARACTA. 

^  2.  CALI'GO  CORNER,  from  an  opacity  of  the  cornea. 
See  ACHLYS  and  ALBUGO. 

".  CALI'GO  PVPILL^,  from  obstruction  in  the  pupil. 


See  SYXIZESIS  ;  called  also   amaurosis   ft  synclty 
Myosi. 

4.  CALI'GO  HUMORUM,  GLAUCOMA  VOGELII,  from  e 
fault  in  the  humours  of  the  eye. 

5.  CALI'GO  PALPEBRARUM,  from  a  disorder  in  the  eye 
lids.     See  Cullen's  Nosology,  edit.  3. 

CALIHA'CHA.     See  CASSIA  LIGNEA. 

CALLJLO'N,  (from  *«AAw*>,  to  adorn).  The  GILLS 
OF  A  COCK,  a  food  neither  to  be  praised  nor  condemned. 
Galen. 

CALLE'XA.     A  kind  of  SALTPETRE.     See  NITRUM. 

CA'LLI,  sofa..     Nodes  in  the  gout.     Galen. 

CALLIBLE'PHARON,  (from  ***.?,  beautiful,  and 
p>.sQ»Boi,  an  eye  lid).  Medicines  appropriated  to  the 
eye  lids. 

'  CALLICOCCA,  Lin.  Gen.  PI.  Schreber,  316. 
order  rubiacee,  Juss.     See  IPECACUANHA. 

CALLICRE'AS,  (rom  wsA»s,  good,  and  xfi*s,  meat). 
See  PANCREAS. 

CALLI'GONUM,  (from  *.**<>;,  beautiful,  and  y«»y, 
a  joint,  or  knot ;~  so  named  from  its  being  handsomely 
jointed).  See  POLYGOXUM. 

CALLIOMA'RCUS.     See  TUSSILAGO. 

CALLIO'XYMUS,  (from  «a^5,  good,  and  tteftx,  n 
name).  See  URAXOSCOPUS. 

CALLIPHY'LLUM,  and  CALLITRI'CUM,  (from 
K*A*;,  beautiful,  and  <9»AA»?,  a  leaf,  or  <f;|,  a  hair).  See 
ADIANTHUM  NIGRUM. 

CALLOS'ITAS,  CALLOSITY.     See  CALLUS. 

CALLUS.  From  calx,  the  heel,  or  calco,  to  tread; 
because  it  used  to  be  applied  to  the  thick  skin  at  the 
bottom  of  the  heel,  hardened  by  pressure ;  but  it  is  a 
cutaneous  or  osseous  hardness,  either  natural  or  pre- 
ternatural. Generally  it  means  the  callus  generated 
about  the  edges  of  a  fracture.  Sometimes  it  means  a 
corn  on  the  toes,  the  hardness  in  the  hands  produced 
by  labour,  or  the  hard  edges  of  ulcers.  See  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, ii.  326.  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  ii.  246. 

This  term  and  callositas  are,  in  a  special  sense,  spo- 
ken of  the  eye  lids,  both  by  Galen  and  Scribonius 
Largus ;  and  callus  has  a  particular  signification,  in 
which  it  means  the  corpus  callosum  of  the  brain.  Para- 
celsus gives  the  name  of  callus  to  an  abscess,  or  ulcer, 
caused  by  acrid  juices  which  excite  violent  itching. 
For  callus  on  the  hands  and  feet  see  CLAVUS. 

The  retraction  of  the  part  divided  is  a  common 
symptom  in  wounds ;  and  the  stronger  the  contractile 
force,  the  more  the  sides  of  the  wound  recede  from 
each  other.  The  skin  of  the  head  is  thick  and  strong, 
and  equally  tense  on  all  parts  of  the  skull,  and  under  it 
lays  a  cellular  membrane ;  so  that  when  the  skin  of  the 
cranium  is  divided,  the  lips  of  the  wounds  are  far  re- 
tracted, and  are  called  callus,  consequently  wounds  of 
the  forehead  generally  leave  large  scars  behind  them. 

As  the  growing  vessels  in  wounds  of  the  soft  parts 
are  tender  in  consequence  of  their  not  being  pressed  by 
the  skin,  they  may  degenerate  into  fungous  flesh.  The 
same  holds  true  in  the  callus  of  the  bones,  which  may 
become  luxuriant  when  the  vessels  which  constitute  the 
substance  of  the  growing  bone  are  distended,  either  by 
a  redundance,  or  too  strong  impetus  of  the  fluids. 

Dr.  Nisbet  and  Dr.  Hunter  imagine  a  callus  of  the 
bone  is  not  formed  by  the  inspissation  of  any  fluid,  but 
from  a  regeneration,  or,  as  it  were,  granulation  from 
the  fibres  of  the  bone. 


C  AL 


318 


C  A  L 


CA'LMET.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

CALOCA'TANOS,  (from  xx>w,  beautiful,  and  *.«.- 
Imin,  a  cup;  so  called  from  the  beauty  of  its  flower  and 
shape).  See  PAPAVKR  RUDRUM. 

CALOMELA'NOS  TURQUE'TI.  So  Rivcrius 
calls  a  certain  purgative  medicine  which  he  often  used. 
It  is  thus  prepared. 

R.  Merc.  dulc.  9  j.  gum.  scammon.  cum  sulph.  im- 
pregn  vel  rez.  jalap.  9  ss.  mucilag.  e  gum.  trag.  q.  s.  f. 
pil.  mediocr. 

CALOME'LAS,  (from  x«Aos,  good,  and^Aces,  black) . 
It  used  to  be  called  Ethiops  mineral.  But  calomrlax  is, 
in  common  acceptation,  the  mercurius  dulc.  settles  sub- 
limatus,  which,  if  ground  with  the  volatile  spirits,  be- 
comes black :  it  is  called  also  ayuila  alba.  See  ARGEN- 
TUM  VIVCM. 

CALOMO'CIIANUS,  or  CALOMOCHNUS.  See 
ADAHCES. 

CALO'NIA.  So  called  from  the  place  where  it  was 
procured.  CALOXIAN  MYRRH.  Hippocrates  often  pre- 
scribes it. 

CALORIMETER.  An  instrument  contrived  by  La- 
voisier and  De  la  Place,  to  measure  degrees  of  heat  se- 
parated. Mr.  Wedgcwood,  Philos.  Trans.  1784,  has 
offered  some  objections  to  this  instrument,  which  M. 
Berthollct  replies  to  in  Chemical  Statics,  vol.  i.  p.  404. 

CALORICUM,  (from  color, heal}.  CALORIC.  Lavoi- 
sier, in  giving  his  reasons  for  the  adoption  of  this  term, 
says,  "All  bodies  are  either  solid,  liquid,  or  in  a  state 
of  aeriform  vafiour,  according  to  the  proportion  which 
takes  place  between  the  attractive  force  inherent  in  their 
particles,  and  the  repulsive  powerofthe  heat  acting  upon 
them;  or  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  heat  to  which 
they  are  exposed.  It  is  difficult  to  comprehend  the  phe- 
nomena, without  admitting  them  as  the  effects  of  a  great 
and  material  substance,  or  very  subtile  fluid,  which,  in- 
sinuating itself  between  the  particles  of  bodies,  separates 
'them  from  each  other.  This  substance,  whatever  it  is, 
being  the  cause  of  heat;  or,  in  other  words,  the  sensation, 
which  we  call  warmth,  being  caused  by  the  accumulation 
of  this  substance;  we  cannot,  in  strict  language,  distin- 
guish it  by  the  term  heat,  because  the  same  name  would 
very  improperly  express  both  cause  and  effect."  He 
therefore  gave  it  the  names  of  igneous  Jluid,  and  matter 
of  heat.  These  periphrastic-  expressions,  however, 
lengthen  physical  language,  render  it  more  tedious,  less 
distinct  and  correct,  so  that  the  cause  of  heat,  or  that 
fluid  which  produces  it,  has  been  distinguished  by  the 
term  CALORIC,  considered  as  the  respective  cause,  what- 
ever that  may  be,  which  separates  the  particles  of  matter 
from  each  other.  See  Elements  of  Chemistry,  p.  5. 

There  is,  however,  an  intermediate  state  of  water  in 
air,  or  rather  approaching  the  form  of  air,  which  M. 
Lavoisier  has  not  considered,  viz.  vesicular  -vapour.  It 
contains  a  greater  degree  of  specific  heat  than  water, 
and  less  than  either  of  the  permanent  elastic  gases.  Its 
form,  however,  does  not  seem  wholly  to  depend  on  its 
heat,  but  on  its  electricity  ;  by  which  it  is  repelled  from 
th'e  higher  regions,  and  does  not  descend  in  rain.  This 
is  the  state  of  water  in  fogs  and  in  clouds;  but  as  this 
subject  admits  of  no  application  to  medicine,  we  need 
not  pursue  it  in  this  place. 

We  have  anticipated  the  distinction  of  absolute  and 
relative  heat  in  our  article  on  CALIDUM  INXATUM,  q.  v. 
and  shall  now  pursue  its  other  effects. 

When  we  speak  of  heat  and  its  effects,  we  measure  a 


very  small  part  of  an  extensive  scale.  It  is  computed, 
though  on  no  very  secure  foundation,  that  at  about 
1500°  below  the  scale  of  Fahrenheit,  it  no  longer  exists; 
and  we  have  in  our  power  a  degree  equal  to  32277°  of 
that  scale,  the  highest  heat  measured  by  Wedgewopd's 
pyrometer.  Our  limits  are  between  the  32d  and  the 
120th  degree  of  Fahrenheit,  scarcely  88  degrees,  yet 
even  the  effects  of  these  changes  arc  interesting. 

Expansion  is  one  of  the  first  and  most  striking  effects. 
So  far  as  it  is  applicable  to  the  human  body,  we'  have 
noticed  it  under  the  article  of  BALNEUM,  and  may  again 
advert  to  it  under  that  of  HEAT.  We  there  mentioned 
the  blood  as  one  of  the  least  expansile  fluids ;  but,  as 
in  the  experiment  some  gas  must  escape,  a  little  inac- 
curacy might  be  suspected.  We  had  then  in  our  view 
the  experiments  by  Lavoisier,  Prony,  Guyton,  and 
Prieur,  on  the  expansility  of  different  gases;  of  the 
considerable  and  equable  expansility  of  carbonic  acid 
gas  ;  and  the  very  great  expansility  of  azotic  gas  in  high 
temperatures.  We  find,  however,  from  a  Memoir  of 
an  ingenious  chemist,  Guy  Lussac,  an  abstract  of  which 
occurs  in  the  Annales  deChimie  for  1802  (Thermidor, 
an  X.),  that  when  every  cause  of  error  is  removed,  par- 
ticularly the  presence  of  water,  atmospheric  air,  oxy- 
gen, hydrogen,  azote,  nitrous,  ammoniacal,  carbonic, 
sulphureous,  and  muriatic  acid  gases,  as  well  as  the  va- 
pour of  sulphuric  aether,  are  dilated  equally  by  the  same 
degrees  of  heat ;  and  that  in  the  centigrade  thermome- 
ter, from  0  to  80°,  each  dilated  about  ^  3  of  its  bulk 
for  each  degree.  Of  the  fluids,  the  most  expansile  is 
nitric  acid,  then  linseed  oil,  sulphuric  acid,  alcohol, 
water,  and  mercury,  in  their  order.  Of  the  metals,  the 
expansility  is  nearly  in  the  order  of  their  fusibility,  viz. 
zinc,  lead,  tin,  pewter,  brass,  copper,  bismuth,  iron, 
steel,  antimony,  and  platina.  Of  liquids  the  expansion 
is  different,  but  few  expand  equably,  viz.  in  equal  de- 
grees with  equal  increments  of  heats.  Those  which 
approach  nearest  to  an  equable  expansion  are  mercury 
and  alcohol,  and  are  consequently  preferred  for  filling 
thermometers.  This  effect  of  heat  admits  but  of  little 
application  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  Cold  applica- 
tions in  hernia  and  in  topical  inflammations,  are  the 
principal  remedies  which  act  in  this  way;  though  the 
latter  admit  of  a  somewhat  different  explanation. 

Another  effect  of  caloric,  is  the  equilibrium  which  it 
affects:  but  this  admits  of  modifications  which  we  have 
already  explained.  The  heat  which  raises  one  body 
a  given  degree,  very  slightly  affects  another ;  but  to  the 
touch  and  the  thermometer  the  heat  is  in  time  the  same. 
This  law  of  heat  chemists  have  found  it  difficult  to  ex- 
plain. The  popular  idea,  though  not  a  correct  one, 
may  be  the  usual  allusion  of  a  sponge,  which  suffers 
the  superabundant  fluid  to  escape  when  its  pores  are 
filled.  This  allusion  also  explains  another  effect,  viz. 
when  any  body  is  dilated,  heat  is  absorbed,  when  com- 
pressed, it  escapes.  Thus,  in  an  exhausted  receiver,  if 
the  air  is  humid,  a  cloud  is  formed  on  exhaustion.  In 
a  condensing  engine  we  find  heat  escape  sometimes  ra- 
pidly ;  and,  when  suddenly  dilated  before  the  air  can 
again  absorb  the  free  heat,  even  inflammation  has  ta- 
ken place.  We  must  repeat,  however,  that  this  allusion 
to  the  sponge  is  by  no  means  correct.  The  equilibrium 
of  heat  depends  rather  on  affinity,  though  apparently 
subject  to  some  peculiar  laws,  and  is  little  connected 
with  physiology,  as  it  relates  to  free  caloric,  and  not  to 
absolute  or  specific  heats. 


C  AL 


319 


The  taws  of  heat,  most  interesting  to  the  chemical 
physiologist,  relate  to  the  powers  of  cliffe rent  substances 
in  conducting  heat.  The  motion  of  heat  is  slow,  par- 
ticularly when  the  conductors  are  fluids.  Some  authors, 
confounding  heat  with  light,  have  given  the  former  the 
velocity  of  the  latter.  They  are,  however,  essentially 
distinct;  and  when  air  and  water  are  interposed  be- 
tween small  filaments  of  a  solid,  its  motion  is  peculiarly 
slow.  This  renders  feathers,  eiderdown,  and  boiled 
mashed  apples,  bad  conductors  of  heat:  metals  of  every 
kind  are,  for  the  opposite  reason,  good  conductors.  We 
preserve  the  heat  of  the  body  by  fur  and  eiderdown, 
and  apply  rasped  potatoes  to  burns,  which  keep  the  part 
constantly  cool.  Count  Rumford  endeavoured  to  show 
that  water  was  a  non-conductor  of  heat,  and  that  it 
boiled  in  a  vessel  over  the  fire  by  successive  currents 
coming  in  contact  with  the  bottom.  Such  currents 
evidently  exist,  and  explain  the  common  paradox  of  the 
bottom  of  a  kettle  being  cold  while  the  water  boils  ;  but 
that  water  is  a  non-conductor  of  heat,  can  be  by  no  means 
concluded  from  the  experiment.  On  the  contrary,  Dr. 
Thomson  has  shown  in  Nicholson's  Journal,  vol.  iv. 
p.  159,  that  water  really  conducts  heat.  Metals  we 
have  said  are  good,  indeed  they  are  the  best,  conductors. 
Of  these,  silver  is  better  than  gold,  and  this  last  metal 
excels  copper  and  tin,  which  do  not  greatly  differ.  Pla- 
tina,  iron,  steel,  and  lead,  are  greatly  inferior,  and 
nearly  in  this  order.  Next  follow  stones,  then  glass,  and 
afterwards  dried  woods,  fine  sand,  charcoal  ( Annales  de 
Chimie,  xxvi.  225,)  feathers,  silk,  and  wool,  in  the  in- 
verse ratio  of  their  fineness.  Of  fluids,  Dr.  Thomson 
found  an  equal  bulk  of  mercury  to  be  twice  as  good  a 
conductor  of  heat  as  water ;  and  linseed  oil  somewhat 
better.  It  is  highly  probable,  that  the  conducting  power 
of  bodies  is  in  the  ratio  of  their  affinity  for  heat. 

Bodies  of  different  colours  convey  heat  also  differently. 
The  difference  between  white  and"  black  is  well  known; 
and  the  more  intense  colours,  as  red,  orange,  kc.  convey 
it  more  readily  than  the  blue  or  indigo.  If  heat  and 
light  are  distinct  bodies,  as  is  now  generally  supposed, 
and  light  only  excites  the  action  of  caloric,  we  can 
easily  understand  why  bodies  which  reflect  all,  or  the 
greater  proportion  of  light,  excite  little  heat.  Count 
Rumford,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1804, 
has  shown,  that  blackening  a  cylinder  expedited  the 
cooling  of  water  in  it:  in  fact,  the  communication  of 
heat  from  bodies  to  air  is  slow,  and  an  intermede  of  less 
density,  if  no  air  is  interposed  between  its  particles,  fa- 
cilitates it.  Another  reason  of  this  unexpected  effect  is 
the  destruction  of  the  polish.  Polished  surfaces  com- 
municate heat  slowly ;  and  this  is  an  additional  reason 
for  the  warmth  of  furs,  whose  fibres  possess  a  high 
polish.  For  this  reason  silk  clothes  are  cold ;  and  even 
black  clothes,  in  this  author's  opinion,  in  the  sAade,  are 
cooler  than  those  of  other  colours. 

Of  specific  and  absolute  heats  we  have  already  spoken 
at  sufficient  length.  Specific  heat,  however,  depends 
on  the  affinity  between  the  body  and  caloric ;  and 
consequently  is  in  the  inverse  ratio  of  their  conducting 
power.  We  shall  add,  therefore,  a  table  of  the  specific 
caloric  of  different  bodies,  collected  from  the  tables 
of  Mr.  Kirwan.  M.  Meyer,  and  some  others,  by  Dr. 
Thomson. 


TABLE  of  the  Sfiecific  Caloric  of -various  Bodies,  that  of 
JTater  being—  1.0000. 


Bodies. 

Specific 
Gravity. 

Specific 
of  equal 

\Vl    | 

Caloric 
of  equal 
volumes. 

I.  GASES. 

Hydrogen  gas     -     -     - 

0.00009 

21.4000 

0.00214 

Oxvgen  gas   -     -     .     - 

0.0034 

4.7490 

0.006411 

Common  air        ... 

0.00122 

.7900 

0.002183 

Carbonic  acid  gas    - 

0.00183 

.0459 

0.001930 

Steam       -     .... 

.5500 

Azotic  gas     -     -     -     - 

0.00120 

0.7036 

0.000952 

II.  LIQUIDS. 

WTater       

1.0000 

.0000 

l.OOOO 

Carbonate  of  ammonia  - 

.851 

Arterial  blood     - 

.030 

Cows'  milk    -     -     -     - 

1.0324 

0.9999 

1.0.2 

Sulphuret  of  ammonia  - 

0.818 

0.994O 

0.813O 

Venous  blood      -     -     - 

0.8928 

Solution  of  brown  sugar 

0.8600 

Nitric  acid     - 

0.844 

Sulphat  of  magnesia  1  < 
Water       -     -     -     -    85 

0.844 

Common  salt   1  ? 
Water      -     -  85 

0.832 

Nitre    1  ? 

00  i  £7 

Water  8  5 

•  OlOf 

Muriat   of  ammonia   1  J 

Water      -     -     -     -1.55 

0.779 

Tartar       1      ? 

Water  237.  3  5 

0.765 

Solution  of  potash    -     - 

1.346 

0.759 

1.2216 

Sulphat  of  iron   1     ? 
Water      -     -     2.55 

0.734 

Sulphat  of  soda  1     > 
Water      -     -     2.9  5 

0.728 

Oil  of  olives  - 

0.9153 

0.710 

0.6498 

Ammonia       - 

0.997 

0.7080 

0.7041 

Muriatic  acid      -     -     - 

1.122 

0.6800 

0.763 

Sulphuric  acid  4  > 
Water     -     -     55 

0.6631 

Alum    1          ? 

Water     4.45  5 

0.649 

Nitric  acid  9^  > 

Lime      -      1    5 

0.6181 

Nitre      1  ? 

Water  35 

0.646 

0.8371 

_  /=no  i 

^ 

Sulphuric  acid   - 

1.840 

0.5968 

1.120 

Nitrous  acid        -     -     - 

1.355 

0.576 

0.78a 

Linseed  oil     -     -     -     - 

0.9403 

0.528 

0.4964 

Spermaceti  oil    -     -     - 

0.5000 

Oil  of  turpentine      -    .- 

0.9910 

0.472 

0.4132 

Vinegar    

0.3870 

0.3966 

Lime       9  > 

Water   165 

0.3346 

3.558 

n  n  i  AA 

41  r»  -j 

Distilled  vinegar     -     - 

0.1030 

*  1  6  J 

0.1039 

III.  SOLIDS. 

OOnrwi 

Oxide  with  the  hair 

•  y  \J\J\J 

0.787 

Lungs  of  a  sheep     -     - 

0.709 

Lean  of  ox  beef  - 

0.7400 

0  AL 


320 


C  AL 


Bodie^. 

Specific 
Gravity. 

Specific 
of  equal 
weight. 

Caloric 
of  equal 
volumes. 

Pinus  sylvestris        -     - 
Pinus  abies    -     -     -     - 
Tilea  Europaea  -     -     - 
Pinus  picea    -     -     -     - 
Pyrusmalus  -     -     -     - 
Betula  alnus  -     -     -     - 
Qucrcus  robur  sessilis  - 
Fraxinus  excelsior  - 
Pyrus  communis      -     - 

0.408 
0.447 
0.408 
0.495 
0.639 
0.484 
0.531 
0.631 
0.603 

0.692 
0.690 
0.608 

0.646 

0.668 
0.687 
1.054 

2.648 
3.189? 

2.386 

1.99 
3.3293 

7.876 
8.358 
8.784 

7.154 
10.001 

0.65 
0.60 
0.62 
0.58 
0.57 
0.53 
0.51 
0.51 
0.50 
0.5050 
0.5020 
0.5000 
0.4920 
0.49 
0.48 
0.48 
0.4770 
0.47 

0.45 
0.44 
0.43 
0.4210 
0.4160 
0.2777 
0.2631 
0.2564 
0.2500 

0.2270 

0.2272 
0.2199 
0.195 
0.195 
0.1929 
0.1923 
0.187 
0.1885 
0.183 
0.174 

0.1666 

0.1666 
0.1402 

0.1369 
0.1264 
0.1141 
0.1121 
0.1099 
0.102 
0.1100 

0.0990 
0.0981 
0.0909 
0.082 

0.0680 

0.265 
0.268 
0.252 
0.287 
0.364 
0.256 
0.270 
0.321 
0.301 

0.358 
0.831 
0.291 

0.321 

0.300 
0.302 
0.453 

0.517 
0.6151 

0.448 

0.3680 
0.5792 

0.993 
0.971 
1.027 

0.735 
0.833 

Horse  beans  -     -     -     - 
Dust  of  the  pine  tree    - 

Fagus  sylvatica  -     -     - 
Carpinus  betulus     -     - 
Betula  alba    -     -     -     - 

Flm 

Quercus  robur   peclun- 

Prunus  domestica    -     - 
Diaspyrus  ebenum 

O-stc 

Charcoal  
r*iiiiL- 

Rust  of  iron  -     -     -     - 
White  oxide  of  antimony 
washed       -     -     -     - 
Oxide  of  copper  nearly 
freed  from  air 
Quicklime     .... 
Stoneware      ...     - 

Swedish  glass     -     -     - 
Ashes  of  cinders      -     - 
Sulphur    -     -     -     -     - 
Flint  glass     -     -     -     - 
Rust  of  iron  nearly  freed 
from  air      -     -     -     - 
White  oxide  of  antimo- 
ny ditto       .... 
Ashes  of  the  elm     -     - 
Oxide  of    zinc    nearly 
free  from  air    -     -     - 

Copper     
Sheet  iron     -     -     -     - 
Oxide  of  lead  and  tin    - 
Gun  metal      -     -     -     - 
White  oxide  of  tin  near- 
ly free  from  air    - 

'7\nr 

Ashes  of  charcoal    -   •  - 

Yel.  oxide  of  lead  near- 
ly freed  from  air  -     - 

Bodies. 

Specific 

Gravity. 

Specific 
of  equal 
weight 

Caloric 
of  equal 
volumes. 

Tin       
Antimony      -     -     -     - 

Hold 

7.380 
6.107 

1  Q  O4.O 

0.0661 
0.0637 
0  050 

0.444 
0.390 
O  Qfifi 

1  1    A^fi 

OO4.94. 

OJQ7 

O.Rfil 

0.04.."? 

n.4S>7 

CA'LTHA,  or  CA'LTHULA, (corrupted  from 
x.»,  yellow}.     MARIGOLD.     See  CALENDULA. 

CA'LTHA     ARVE'NSIS,     MI'NIMA.       See     CALENDULA 

ARVENSIB. 

CA'LTHA  PALUSTRIS.     See  CALENDULA  PALUSTRIS. 

CA'LTROPS.  It  derives  its  name  from  the  form  of 
its  fruit,  which  resembles  those  instruments  of  war 
which  were  cast  in  the  enemy's  way  to  annoy  their 
horses.  This  plant  is  also  called  iribulus;  trajia  natans 
Lin.  Sp.  PL  182.  The  fruit  is  nutritious  and  demul- 
cent, of  use  in  diarrhoeas  from  abraded  bowels,  and  it  is 
said  in  the  stone. 

CA'LVA,  CALVA'RIA,  (from  calvus,  bald;  so  cal- 
led because  it  is  often  bald).  See  CRANIUM. 

CALVA'TA.     See  PHALACRA. 

CALVITIES,  CALVITIUM,  (from  calvus,  bald}. 
See  ALOPECIA. 

CA'LX.  This  word  is  applied  to  whatever  is  sub- 
jected to  calcination,  or  change  from  burning.  It 
chiefly  refers  to  metals  after  having  sustained  the  action 
of  fire ;  and  to  calcareous  earths,  which  are  burnt  to  lime._ 
See  CALCINATIO. 

LIME  STONE,  also  called  saocum  calcarium,  abesum, 
algeria,  is  a  general  name  for  all  those  stones  from 
which  quick  lime  is  commonly  prepared.  Though  the 
limes  prepared  from  different  stones  answer  many  ge- 
neral purposes  equally  well,  they  differ  greatly  in  their 
efficacy  in  medicine,  and  in  many  chemical  and  other 
experiments. 

When  stones  of  the  calcareous  kind  have  been  cal- 
cined by  the  fire,  they  are  converted  into  quick  lime, 
called  CALX  VIVA,  and  in  some  obsolete  authors,  anora, 
gir,  nix  finnans,  and  almyzinthra. 

Quick  lime  dissolves  in  nitrous,  marine,  and  vege- 
'table  acids;  unites  with  the  vitriolic  into  selenite,  an 
earthy  salt,  scarcely  soluble  and  insipid  ;  produces  heat 
on  mixing  with  water,  imparting  to  it  a  medicinal 
quality.  If  quick  lime  is  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  it 
falls  into  a  powder,  and  loses  all  its  distinguishing  pro- 
perties except  that  it  retains  its  acrimony  longer  in  a 
moist  than  in  a  dry  state. 

The  stones  from  which  quick  lime  is  produced  con- 
tain a  large  quantity  of  air,  which,  in  calcination,  is  ex- 
pelled: hence  strong  quick  lime  raises  no  effervescence, 
and  emits  no  air  bubbles  during  its  dissolution  in  acids. 

CA'LX  vi'vA,or  QUICK  LIME,  is  lime  in  its  most  caustic 
state,  with  the  air  wholly  separated.  When  styled 
extincta  it  has  been  long  exposed,  and  fallen  to  powder. 
When  deprived  of  its  acrimony  by  repeated  affusions 
of  water,  it  is  called  WASHED  LIME. 

Calcareous  earth  is  commonly  found  saturated  with 
aerial  acid,  which  exhibits  the  appearance  of  effer- 
vescence upon  being  driven  from  its  basis  by  a  stronger 
acid.  It  is  found  dissolved  in  most  waters  by  means  of 
a  redundant  portion  of  this  acid,  which  by  burning  i'< 


C  A  L 


321 


C  AL 


iost,  together  with  a  proportion  of  water  with  which  it 
was  combined.  It  also  absorbs  a  considerable  propor- 
tion of  caloric,  which  on  slaking  is  let  loose. 

Quick  lime  is  employed  for  increasing  the  activity  of 
alkaline  salts,  for  making  the  milder  kinds  of  caustics, 
and  for  destroying  the  hair  on  places  where  it  is  thought 
to  be  unseemly;  it  dissolves  sulphurs  and  vegetable 
resins,  and  produces  many  effects  similar  to  those  of  the 
fixed  alkaline  salts. 

It  has  been  also  often  employed  in  paralytic  af- 
feciions;  and  Ccelius  Aurelianus  directs  us  to  rub  pal- 
sied limbs  with  this  earth.  Mixed  with  honey,  it  is  em- 
ployed as  a  stimulant  by  Tissot;  and  with  different 
ointments  in  the  morbus  coxarius  by  De  Haen.  Two 
parts  of  lime,  as  much  wheat  flour,  with  four  parts  of 
hog's  lard,  are  employed  in  the  Bath  hospital  in  tu- 
mours af  the  knees  (Falconer  on  Bath  Waters).  Seve- 
rinus  recommends  a  formula  of  quick  lime  not  strictly 
chemical  as  a  caustic.  He  mixes  it  with  soap,  and 
sprinkles  it  with  the  sharpest  vinegar ;  which  will  con- 
sequently lessen  the  acrimony  of  the  former  ingre- 
dients. Quick  lime,  however,  with  soap,  was  long  a 
favourite  remedy ;  and  is  spoken  of  with  commenda- 
tion, by  Heister,  in  warts  and  tumours  of  every  kind. 
As  promoting  suppuration,  with  flour  and  lard,  it  is 
recommended  by  Valentine ;  and  is  generally  useful  in 
destroying  the  spots  on  the  skin,  supposed  to  be  owing 
to  the  irregular  fancies  of  the  mother's  appetite  during 
pregnancy. 

Internally  it  is  employed  only  in  its  watery  solution. 
In  the  London  dispensatory,  twelve  pounds  of  boiling 
distilled  water  are  added  to  half  a  pound  of  lime,  and 
infused  for  one  hour.  The  Edinburgh  college  order 
four  ounces  of  water  to  be  first  added  to  the  lime,  or  as 
much  as  it  will  absorb.  When  the  lime  has  fallen  into 
a  powder,  the  remainder  of  the  water  is  mixed  with  it, 
stirring  the  whole  together,  and  the  agitation  must  be 
often  repeated.  There  is  a  little  too  great  refinement 
in  both  :  distilled  water  is  unnecessary  in  the  first,  and 
the  frequent  stirring  in  the  second.  If,  in  the  latter 
formula,  the  remaining  water  is  well  mixed,  and  suffer- 
ed to  remain  on  the  lime  in  a  covered  vessel  for  a  night, 
the  water  will  be  as  strongly  impregnated  with  the 
earth  as  its  affinity  will  permit.  If  the  water  is  heated, 
the  taste  is  said  to  be  less  disagreeable.  The  lime,  in 
both  formulae,  is  greatly  in  excess,  fora  very  small  pro- 
portion only  is  soluble  in  water ;  but  it  is  cheap,  or 
rather,  in  such  small  quantities,  of  no  value. 

The  choice  of  lime  is  of  consequence  in  agriculture 
and  the  arts,  but  of  little  in  medicine.  Mr.  Tennant 
has  informed  us  that  limestone,  mixed  with  magnesian 
b,  is  injurious  in  agriculture;  and  the  tanner  is 
peculiarly  acxious  that  Ills  lime  should  be  well  burnt. 
Dr.  Whytt  thought  that  the  lime  from  oyster  shells 
was  the  strongest;  but  the  difference  seems  only  to 
consist  in  its  being  more  completely  calcined  to  separate 
the  animal  gluten.  In  general,  the  deficiency  in  the 
calcination,  if  it  exists,  is  compensated  by  the  quantity; 
and  lime  water  may  easily  be  made  as  strong  as  the 
stomach  will  admit. 

The  lime  -water  is  a  solution  of  the  quick  lime  in 
water,  and  receives  no  improvement  from  the  in- 
gredients added  in  the  compound  sorts  which  used  to 
be  ordered,  for  they  precipitate  much  of  the  lime  which 
the  water  suspended.  The  taste  is  acrid  and  earthy ; 

VOL.  I. 


the  smell  pungent.  With  its  taste,  the  lime  wa.tt-.r  ios^.-; 
its  virtues.  It  hatli  a  strong  styptic  taste,  which  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  sweetish  one  :  it  changes  thd  juices  of  bhu 
flowers  to  a  green  ;  it  precipitates  metallic  bodies  that 
are  dissolved  in  acids ;  it  tinges  silver  of  a  copper  hue- 
it  turns  red  wine  to  a  dark  colour ;  and  by  those  pro- 
perties its  strength  may  be  estimated. 

The  specific  gravity  of  water  is  increased  by  the  lime 
more  than  the  weight  of  the  calcareous  matter  taken  up, 
on  account,  perhaps,  of  the  water  being  deprived  of  its  air. 

If  lime  water  is  close  kept,  it  maybe  preserved  many 
months  ;  but  in  open  vessels  the  calcareous  matter  ab- 
sorbs carbonic  acid,  and  soon  separates  from  the  v. 
concreting  on  its  surface.  The  earth  which  floats  upon 
the  surface  of  lime  water  fresh  made,  is  called  calci 
Jlores,  but  it  is  in  reality  only  the  carbonated  lime. 

Its  virtues  are  also  destroyed  by  every  substance  con- 
taining fixed  air;  the  vitriolic,  phosphoric,  oxalic,  or 
tartarous  acids,  as  well  as  by  astringents.  Milk  covers 
its  acrimony  very  successfully  without  impairing  its 
virtues. 

Lime  has  been  often  employed  with  olive  oil  in 
burns  ;  and  when  we  recollect  the  changes  produced  on 
the  acrid  serum  that  exudes  in  the  vesicles,  by  the  cal- 
careous earth  in  Mr.  Cleghorn's  poultice,  little  doubt 
will  remain  of  its  having  a  good  efi'ect.  If  by  uniting 
with  this  serum  it  produces  some  warmth,  it  will  not  on 
this  account  be  injurious. 

In  the  stomach,  lime  water  corrects  acidity  ;  but, 
though  out  of  the  body  it  has  been  found  antiseptic 
(Hales  and  Macbride),  in  the  stomach  it  has  probably 
a  contrary  effect ;  for  when  acids  abound,  putrefaction 
is  checked.  In  hot  bilious  habits,  by  destroying  the 
natural  corrector  of  bile,  acidity,  it  is  also  injurious ; 
nor  do  we  think  it  can  strengthen  the  stomach  or  assist 
digestion,  as  some  authors  have  supposed,  except  where 
acids  greatly  abound.  Perhaps,  from  its  antacid  power, 
though  its  astringency  in  the  primae  via:  is  by  no  means 
equivocal,  it  relieves  old  diarrhoeas ;  and  in  some 
cases  of  dysentery  has  been  successful.  Grainger,  in 
the  Edinburgh  Essays,  mentions  its  having  succeeded 
after  being  continued  three  weeks,  when  the  patient 
took  three  pints  daily.  Xavier  mentions  its  utility, 
with  milk,  in  destroying  the  poison  of  arsenic  in  the 
stomach,  or  counteracting  its  effects.  We  have  already 
mentioned  the  expectation  we  had  entertained  of  its 
dissolving  the  viscid  mucus  in  this  organ,  and  our  dis- 
appointment. Some  experiments,  recorded  by  Gaber, 
in  the  Turin  Transactions,  seem  to  support  its  utility 
in  this  respect;  but  they  were  not  made  on  the  mucus 
of  the  stomach.  In  leucorrhoea,  it  has  been  supposed 
to  be  very  beneficial. 

Perhaps  the  idea  of  its  dissolving  viscid  fluids  oc- 
casioned its  being  employed  in  intermit  tents,  in  pleu- 
risy, in  mesenteric  and  other  scrofulous  tumours,  in 
rheumatism,  and  gout.  We  see  Kempf  seriously  en- 
gaged in  examining  its  solvent  power  on  the  pleuritic 
crust  of  the  blood  ;  and  the  step  from  calculous  to 
arthritic  concretions  was  too  obvious  to  be  overlooked. 
We  cannot  deny  its  utility  in  gout;  but  in  the  other 
complaints  it  is  certainly  of  very  little  importance.  It" 
it  possessed  any  power  in  dissolving  viscid  mucus,  it 
would  very  probably  be  a  more  useful  anthelmintic 
than  it  has  been  found. 

From  its  astringent  power  it  has  been  an  useful  ap- 
T  t 


C  A  L 


.322 


C  A  31 


plication  in  olcl  ulcers;  and  from  thence  it  seems  to 
have  been  supposed  serviceable  in  scurvy,  in  cancer, 
and  in  internal  ulcers,  when  swallowed.  Names  of  un- 
common celebrity  have  given  a  sanction  to  its  use  in 
these  complaints;  and  Vogel,  in  a  dissertation  publish- 
ed at  Gottingcn  in  1769,  speaks  of  its  efficacy  in  cancer, 
given  in  the  quantity  of  six  and  eight  ounces  of  lime 
water,  with  as  much  common  water,  boiled  with  sarsa- 
parilla  or  guaiacum ;  interposing,  every  four  or  eight 
days,  Becchcr's  balsamic  pills. 

In  Germany  it  has  been  very  generally  employed  in 
internal  ulcers  of  the  uterus,  the  bladder,  and  even  in 
ulcers  of  the  lungs.  In  the  latter,  however,  we  are  in- 
formed by  Quarin  that  it  is  useless  or  hurtful.  Gir- 
tanner  recommends  it  as  an  injection  in  gonorrhoea ; 
and,  from  the  time  of  Hippocrates,  it  has  been  used  as 
a  lotion  in  all  the  variety  of  chronic  cutaneous  erup- 
tions, especially  if  attended  with  exudations.  For  this 
purpose  it  is  also  taken  internally ;  and  it  has  been  re- 
commended to  nurses,  to  prevent  the  child  from  being 
affected.  Indeed,  cutaneous  eruptions  are  very  in- 
timately connected  with  a  disordered  state  of  the  sto- 
mach, and  often  with  a  redundant  acid.  As  an  astrin- 
gent it  has  been  applied  externally  with  a  sponge  to 
dropsical  swellings  ;  and  Fabricius,  ab  Aqua  fiendente, 
informs  us,  that  he  cured  an  ascites  by  frequently  ap- 
plying a  sponge  moistened  with  lime  water  to  the  ab- 
domen, and  confining  it  with  a  tight  bandage.  Of  its 
lithontriptic  power  we  have  spoken  at  some  length  in 
the  article  CALCULUS,  q.  v. 

We  find  numerous  cautions  in  various  authors  re- 
specting its  use  in  different  situations  where  they  sup- 
pose it  to  be  injurious.  We  have  already  mentioned, 
however,  the  inconveniences  that  might  result  where 
the  stomach  and  bowels  are  loaded  with  bile ;  and  we 
should  suppose  it  likewise  improper  in  all  cases  of  hec- 
tic fever.  We  are  told,  however,  that  it  must  be  also 
avoided  in  all  fevers ;  in  hot  climates ;  in  dry  and  hot 
temperaments ;  in  congestions  of  blood,  either  affecting 
the  head  or  kidneys  ;  in  spasms  ;  in  the  early  stages  of 
dysentery ;  '  in  orgasms  of  the  blood,  and  discharges 
depending  on  them  ;'  in  inflammatory  habits  and  tense 
fibres  ;  in  obstructions  of  the  bowels,  or  any  diseases  in 
them  arising  from  scybala,  till  these  are  removed. 
Caution  is  at  all  times  requisite;  but  we  do  not  think 
it  a  medicine  of  so  great  power  as  to  require  so  much 
attention.  The  last  remark,  we  would,  however,  wish 
to  enforce. 

See  CRETA  ;  Neumann's  Works  ;  Experiments,  &c. 
on  Quick  Lime,  by  Mr.  Henry ;  Macbridc's  Essay  on  the 
dissolving  Power  of  Quick  Lime;  Percival's  Essays, 
Mecl.  and  Exp.  edit.  2.  p.  328  ;  Lewis's  Mat.  Med  ; 
and  the  Edinb.  Ess.  Phys.  and  Lit.  vol.  i.  art.  13.  and 
vol.  ii.  art.  8.  Dr.  Whytt  on  Oyster  Shell  Lime  Water. 

CA'LX  ANTIMONII.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

CA'LX  CUM  KA'LI  PU'UO.     See  CAUSTICUM    COMMUNE 

KORTIUS. 

CA'LX  HYDRA'RGYRI  ALBA.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

CALY'PTER,  (from  xahairlu,  to  /iide~).  A  carnous 
excrescence  covering  the  haemorrhoidal  vein. 

CALY'PTRA,  (from  *.*XvK}a,  to  hide}.  A  VEIL. 
It  is  the  thin  involucrum  or  cover  of  some  seeds,  used 
•>V  former  botanists  to  express  that  which  Linnaeus 


means  by  arillus:  also  a  thin  cup  which  covers  the  an- 
ther &  of  some  of  the  mosses. 

CA'LYX,  CALIX,  or  EMPALEMENT,  (from  »*- 
Ai/7r7«,  teg-o,  to  cover').  The  first  of  the  seven  parts  of 
fructification,  by  Linnaeus  defined  to  be  the  outer  bark  of 
the  plant  present  in  fructification.  In  general  it  is  that 
green  cup  which  supports  the  bottom  of  the  corolla,  and 
is  otherwise  called  fierianthium  or  cup,  involucrum, 
amentum  or  katkin,  sfiatha  or  sheath,  gluma  or  husk, 
caly/itra  or  veil,  volva  or  curtain,  as  it  happens  to  be 
differently  circumstanced.  It  is  generally  single;  in  some 
plants  double;  and  in  others  entirely  wanting.  It  is  com- 
monly divided  into  the  same  number  of  segments  with 
the  corolla.  The  calyx  commonly  withers  when  the 
fruit  is  ripe,  which  distinguishes  it  from  bracte&  in  du- 
bious cases.  It  is  generally  less  in  point  of  height,  but 
more  substantial  than  the  corolla. 

CAM.  An  abbreviation  of  Joach.  Camerarius  de 
Plantis  Epitome. 

CA'MARA,  or  CAMA'RIUM,  (from  **j**/u,  a 
vault).  The  fornix  of  the  brain.  Likewise  tho  vaulted 
part  of  the  auricle  leading  to  the  external  foramen. 

CA'MARA.     See  VIBURNUM. 

CAMARO'MA,  CAMARO'SIS,  CAMERA'TIO, 
(from  KatfAapx,,  a  vault,)  an  arched  roof;  a  fracture  of 
the  skull,  which  appears  like  an  arch  of  a  vault. 

CA'MARUM,  vel  CA'MMORUM,  (from  *«ft»/>*,  a. 
tortoise).  A  species  of  shrimp  of  the  crab  kind,  which 
has  a  shell  like  a  tortoise ;  also  the  aconites,  and,  ac- 
cording to  some  authors,  cicuta. 

CAMBING,  a  tree  of  the  Molucca  islands,  whose 
genus  is  unknown,  but  whose  bark  has  been  recom- 
mended in  dysenteries. 

CAMBO'DIA,  CAMBO'GIA,  CAMBO'GIUM, 
(from  Cambogia,  from  whence  it  is  brought).  The  In- 
dian yellow  orange  of  Malabar,  coddam  fiulli.  It  is  the 
garunia  Cambogia  of  Gaertner,  the  Cambogia  gutta  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  728.  The  fruit  is  slightly  acid,  and  supposed 
to  be  astringent.  See  MANGOUSTAN. 

CA'MBRO  BRITA'NICA.     See  CHAMJEMORUS. 

CAMBU'CA,  or  CAMBU'CA  MEMBRA'TA. 
Bubo,  ulcus,  or  abscess  on  the  pudenda ;  also  a  boil  in 
the  groin. 

CA'MBUI.  The  wild  AMERICAN  MYRTLE  of  Piso 
and  Marcgraave.  There  are  two  species.  Their  fruit, 
flowers,  and  leaves,  are  fragrant  and  astringent.  One 
species  is  low  and  bushy,  the  other  very  tall.  Ray  says 
there  is  a  third  species  which  is  white,  but  is  very  rare. 

CAMELI'NA,  (from  x*,«.jjA»5,  a  camel ;  because  they 
are  fond  of  it).  See  ERYSIMUM. 

CAMERA'TIO.     See  CAMAROMA. 

CA'MES,  or  CA'MET.     See  ARGENTUM. 

CA'MINGA.     See  CANELLA  ALBA. 

CAMI'NUS.  A  furnace  and  its  chimney.  In  Ru- 
landus  it  signifies  a  bell. 

CAMI'SIA  FCETUS  (from  the  Arabic  term  kami- 
sa/i,  an  under  garment).  See  CHORIUM. 

CA'MMARUS.  The  LOBSTER,  or  CRAY  FISH  ; 
so  named  from  the  shape  of  its  shell.  See  CANCER 
FLUVIATILIS. 

CA'MMORUM,  (quia  homines  KXX.U  >*.*?<*  perimat,) 
NIGHTSHADE;  because  if  eaten  it  destroys  in  a  deplo- 
rable manner.  See  CAMAHUM. 


C  A  "SI 


C  A  31 


CAMOTES    I'XDICA.     See    BATTATAS    HISPA- 

JCT 

\MO'MILLA,    corrupted    from    CHAM.EMELUM, 
•which  see. 

(    \MPA'XA.     A  BELL;  so  called  becavsc  Paulinus, 
the  bishop  of  Nola  in  Campania,  first  used  bells  for 
religious  purposes.     In  chemistry  it  is  a  receptacle  for 
the  gas  of  sulphur,  where  it  is  concentrated   and  col- 
••(!   together  into  a  fluid,  the  oltitm 
fianam,  which  is  only  the  modern  sulphuric  acid. 
\    '•  Mi'A  XUL^E,  (a  dim.  of  Cam/icnaJ.     See  CER- 

V1CARIA. 

CA'MPE,  (from  xxft.-r~a,  to  bend).  A  flexure  or 
bending.  It  is  also  used  for  the  ham,  because  it  is  the 
part  usually  bent;  and  for  a  joint,  or  an  articula- 
tion. 

CAMPECHE'NSE  LI'GNUM  ;  brought  from  the 
bay  of  Campeachy  in  America.  LOGV.-OOD;  also  call- 
ed jfcacia  Zeylanica,  lignum  Camfiescanum,  sajifian 
lignum,  tfiam  fiangam,  lignum  Camfiechianum,  Indi- 
cum  montanitm  lignum,  lignum  t'mctile  Cam/itch.  CAM- 
PEACHY,  BRASIL,  or  JAMAICA  WOOD. 

It  is  the  Kjod  of  a  prickley  pod  bearing  tree,  a  native 
of  Campeachy  island.  It  is  brought  to  Europe  in 
large  compact  logs  of  a  red  colour.  Its  fruit  resemble 
cloves  in  their  quality.  It  is  the  htzmatoxylon  cam- 
fiechianum  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  549.  Nat.  order  Ivmejita- 
ce<e.  IL-EMATo'xYLO.v,  (from  «lujt,  6lood,  and  |t-Aa», 

!io  called  erythrvxylon. 

This  wood,  of  which  the  tree  is  a  native  of  Honduras, 
is  chiefly  brought  for  the  dyers,  but  used  medicinally  as 
an  astringent  or  corroborant.  •  It  is  peculiarly  efficacious 
in  diarrhoeas,  and  in  the  last  stages  of  dysentery.  When 
the  obstructing  causes  are  removed  it  restrains  the  dis- 
charge, without  contracting  the  fibres  like  astringents  : 
it  sheaths  acrimony,  and  its  astringent  taste  is  combined 
with  a  sweetish  mucilaginous  one;  strengthens  the 
bowels,  and  perhaps  the  general  habit.  It  is  an  agree- 
able medicine,  being  free  from  any  thing  disgusting  to 
the  taste,  and  almost  void  of  smell. 

The  London  college  direct  a  pound  of  the  shavings 
of  logwood  to  be  boiled  in  a  gallon  of  distilled  water  to 
one  half;  this  must  be  repeated  four  times.  The  fluids 
must  be  mixed,  strained,  and  boiled  to  a  proper  con- 
sistence. The  shavings  are  ordered  to  prevent  it  from 
being  mixed  with  the  Jamaica,  or  other  cheaper  woods; 
h  might  be  the  case  if  bought  in  powder.  The  dose 
is  from  3  i.  to  5  ss.  repeated  according  to  the  urgency 
of  the  symptoms. 

Rectified   spirit  of  wine  takes  up  more    from  this 
-icr;  therefore  it  is  better  to  digest  its 
powder  in  as  much  spirit  as  will  cover  it  three  or  four 
;s'   breadth  above  its   surface,  then  boil  the  resi- 
duum in  water,  as  directed  above.     The  watery  men- 
are  first  evaporated  to  the  consistence  of  honey, 
then  the  spirituous  extract,  formed  by  drawing  off"  the 
spirit,  is  mixed  with  it. 

The  decoction  of  logwood  is  made  by  boiling  three 

.powdered  log-awd  in  four  pints  of  water  to 

two,  at  the  end  of  which  two  drachms  of  cinnamon  are 

added,  and  boiled  together  a  few  minutes.     When  cool 

the  decoction  is  strained. 

Both  the  extract  and  decoction  are  agreeable,  mild, 
and  safe,  when  stronger  astringents  are  less  advisable; 
and  may  be  used  with  equal  safety  whether  a  fever 


attends  or  not.  These  preparations  make  the  stoolb 
and  urine  appear  like  blood.  The  decoction  may  be 
taken  in  the  quantity  of  four  ounces  three  or  four  times 
a  day. 

The  preparations  of  this  wood  are  chiefly  held  in 
esteem  for  their  astringency,  and  may  be  given  safely 
influxes   and  at  the  'close  of  dysentery  ;  but  i  . 
ginning  they  are  hurtful.     Cullen. 

When  flatulencies  attend  in   diarrhoeas  and  dy 
teries,  a  few  grains  of  the  cortex  elutherix  is  a  j 
addition  to  each  dose  of  the  above  extract  or  decoction. 
See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.     Neumann's  Chemical  Works, 
and  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CA'MPHO'RA,  (from  the  Arabic  term   caj>l,:ira). 
CAMPHOR;    called    also    caf,   cafar,    liga;ura    -vf 
cafihora;  cafiur,   alkosor,  altefor ;    CAMPHOR.     It  is  a 
solid  concrete,  chiefly  obtained  from  the  wcody  part  of 
some  trees  which  are  met  with  in  the  island  of  P. 
in  the  East   Indies,  and  in  Japan ;  it  is  only   from  the 
latter  that  it  is  brought  into  Europe.     The  Indians  have 
a  species,  which  they  distil   from  the  roots  of  the  true 
cinnamon    tree,   that  they    call  baroa  ;  (see   Cix 
MUM;)  and  also  a  species  which  separates  from  the 
fihons    oleum  on  re-distiiling  it.     It  sometimes  oozej 
from  the  bark  of  the  root  of  the  cinnamon  tree   in  the 
form  of  oily    drops,  which    insensibly    concrete    into 
white  grains:   these  are  called  cafihura  barn*  I 
In  the  state  camphor  is  extracted  from  the  roots  of  the 
camphor  tree,  it  is  named  camfihora  rudis.     The  Ja- 
panese cut  the  wood  of  the  roots  and  branches  in  small 
pieces,  and  boil  them  with  water  in  an  iron  pot.     The 
camphor  sublimes  in  a  clay  head  in  friable,  gram; 
masses  of  a  yellowish  or  dark  colour,  like  the  cor- 
sugar,  mixed  with  straw,   Sec.     The  Chinese  mac. 
the  branches  in  water,  and   then  place   them  in  a  pot 
over  the  fire :  the  contents  are   stirred  with   a  willow 
rod,  on  which  the  camphor  concretes.     It  is  obtained 
chiefly  from  the  laurus  cam/ihora  Lin.  Sp.  Plant. 
Nat.  order  olerace<t.     In   smaller  quantities  it  is  ob- 
tained from  several  other  vegetables.     The  thyme,  the 
rosemary,    the    peppermint,  the  -root  of   the  canella, 
many  of  the  labiated  plants,  and  the  whole  tribe  of  the 
laurels,  afford  it. 

As  first  sublimed  or  distilled  from  the  wood,  it  is  of 
a  brownish  colour,  and  composed  of  semi-pellucid 
grains,  mixed  with  some  impure  matter;  in  this  state 
it  is  imported  by  the  Dutch,  then  called  unpuriiied 
camphor.  It  is  purified  by  a  second  sublimation, 
but  after  a  manner  only  known  to  themselves,  except 
the  Venetians,  who  formerly  were  the  only  refiners 
of  jt.  Bomare  discovered  in  Holland  that  it  was  puri- 
fied by  sublimation.  '  The  last  process  in  the  manage- 
ment is  so  contrived,  that  the  head  of  the  subliming 
glass  is  kept  warm  enough  to  make  the  camphor  run 
together  into  a  mass  of  its  own  figure,  in  which  form 
it  is  brought  into  the  shops.  Dr.  Lewis  says,  that  it 
may  be  purified  in  sp.  vin.  rcct.  by  solution,  and  re- 
covered from  the  spirit  by  distillation,  the  spirit  all 
rising  before  the  camphor;  and  after  this  it  may  be 
formed  into  loaves  by  fusion,  with  a  gentle  heat,  in  a 
close  vessel. 

The  ancient  Greeks  do  not  mention  camphor :  it  was 
first  used  in  medicine  by  the  Arabians. 

Camphor  is  a  vegetable  concrete,  white,  semitrans- 
parent,  brittle,  of  a   shining  fracture,  and  of  a  crvs- 
Tt  2 


C  A  M 


324 


C  A  M 


tailinc  texture,  unctuous  to  the  touch,  with  a  fragrant 
smell,  somewhat  like  that  of  rosemary,  and  a  bitter, 
aromatic,  pungent  taste,  accompanied  with  a  sense  of 
coolness  on  the  tongue  :  it  is  volatile  like  essential  oils, 
but  without  their  acrimony ;  it  also  differs  both  from 
them  and  from  the  sebaceous  oils,  in  suffering  no  sensi- 
ble alteration  from  long  keeping,  in  being  totally  vola- 
tile in  a  warm  air,  without  any  change  or  separation  of 
its  parts,  and  subliming  unaltered  in  the  heat  of  boiling 
water.  It  is  lighter  than  water,  burns  in  it  without 
receiving  any  empyreumatic  impressions,  nor  is  it  de- 
composed by  any  degree  of  fire  to  which  it  can  be  ex- 
posed in  close  vessels,  though  readily  combustible  in 
tin1  open  air.  It  combines  with  concentrated  vitriolic, 
nitric,  and  acetic  acids,  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  oils, 
resins,  balsams,  alcohol,  and  aether.  Of  resins,  balsams, 
and  oils,  it  considerably  diminishes  the  consistence. 
It  does  not  dissolve,  except  in  a  very  small  proportion, 
and  by  the  assistance  of  sugar,  in  water,  in  the  weaker 
acids,  or  alkaline  liquors.  It  melts  into  an  oily  ap- 
pearance with  a  less  degree  of  heat  than  that  of  boil- 
ing water ;  laid  on  a  red  hot  iron  it  totally  evaporates 
in  a  bright  white  flame  and  copious  fumes,  which,  con- 
densing, form  a  soot. 

As  camphor  is  found  in  so  many  different  vegetables, 
it  has  been  generally  recognised  as  a  vegetable  prin- 
ciple. It  contains  an  acid  united  with  an  oil,  and  the 
former  may  be  separated  by  means  of  nitric  acid.  In 
the  best  camphor  some  of  the  essential  oil  is  separated, 
and  the  jets  of  this  oil  occasion  the  peculiar  motions 
of  the  camphor  when  swimming  in  water,  described 
by  Prevost  and  Venturi  in  the  Annalcs  de  Chimie, 
vol.  xix. 

Camphor  is  known  to  be  good,  if,  when  it  is  put 
upon  hot  bread,  it  turns  moist ;  if  it  becomes  dry  it  is 
adulterated  :  it  should  be  kept  close  in  a  bottle  or  a  blad- 
der, not  to  prevent  it  from  losing  its  quality,  but  to  pre- 
serve the  whole  of  it  from  being  lost  by  evaporation. 

As  camphor  is  so  useful  a  medicine,  it  is  necessary  to 
examine  its  effects  on  the  human  machine  in  the  clear- 
est point  of  view.  The  first  question  is,  whether  its 
power  is  of  a  stimulant  or  sedative  nature  ?  Dr.  Cullen 
seems  clearly  to  have  proved  the  last  when  taken  into 
the  stomach  :  externally  it  is  certainly  stimulant,  for 
when  taken  into  the  mouth  it  has  an  acrid  taste,  and, 
though  by  its  evaporation  it  excites  a  sense  of  cold  air, 
what  remains  is  a  feeling  of  heat  in  the  mouth  and 
fauces.  When  taken  into  the  stomach  it  often  occa- 
sions pain  and  uneasiness,  which  Dr.  Cullen  imputes 
lo  the  action  of  the  acrimony  upon  the  upper  orifice. 
When  applied  to  any  ulcerated  part,  it  perceptibly  ir- 
ritates and  inflames.  When  throvVn  into  the  stomach 
of  brute  animals,  it  operates  there  by  its  effluvia;  for 
though  it  has  produced  considerable  effects  on  the  body, 
neither  the  bulk  nor  weight  is  found  sensibly  dimi- 
nished ;  hence  he  concludes  the  operations  have  been 
upon  the  nerves  of  the  stomach,  and  to  be  entirely  that 
of  a  sedative  power.  The  sudden  death  of  many  ani- 
mals occasioned  by  it,  as  experimentally  proved,  show 
;. till  more  evidently  its  sedative  effects  on  the  senso- 
rium,  destroying  the  mobility  of  the  nervous  power, 
ivnd  extinguishing  the  vital  principle.  Camphor  first 
operates  by  inducing  stupor  and  sleep,  and  the  different 
symptoms  of  delirium  ;  convulsions  soon  follow,  and  are 
;.  pai  t  of  the  same  series  of  sedative  effects.  It  evidently 


shows  no  stimulant  power  on  the  sanguiferous  system; 
for  the  pulse,  where  it  has  been  observed,  has  been 
slower  than  before  its  effects  took  place  by  ten  strokes 
in  a  minute.  It  is  in  general  also  softer  and  fuller,  and 
a  gentle  diaphoresis  is  excited  on  the  skin. 

As  camphor  then  seems  to  repress  inordinate  or  ir- 
regular actions  in  the  sanguiferous  and  nervous  systems, 
while  without  any  very  striking  or  perceptible  stimu- 
lus it  determines  to  the  skin,  we  may  expect  to  find 
it  highly  useful  in  those  affections  where  the  action  of 
either  system  is  disturbed.  If,  however,  we  were  to 
judge  from  its  effects  in  diseases,  we  should  pronounce 
it  to  be  rather  a  stimulant  than  a  sedative  antispasmo- 
dic  ;  since,  when  the  actions  are  irregular  and  excessive, 
it  requires  more  caution,  and  some  additions  of  a  re- 
frigerant  nature.  No  stimuli,  on  the  contrary,  ai'e 
apparently  required  when  the  irregularity  is  attended 
with  defective  energy.  It  has  been  long  since  employ- 
ed in  inflammatory  fevers,  particularly  when  attended 
with  delirium ;  but,  in  this  state,  the  addition  of  nitre 
has  generally  been  found  necessary.  When  the  deli- 
rium is  violent,  the  doses  which  may  be  given,  after 
due  evacuations  have  been  procured,  are  considerable ; 
but,  in  general,  an  equal  dose  of  nitre  is  necessary. 
This  medicine  is  more  convenient,  as  in  the  state 
which  connects  the  more  inflammatory  with  the  lower 
or  more  putrid  periods  of  the  disease  it  is  well  adapted 
to  each,  if,  on  the  one  side,  the  nitre  is  omitted,  and 
on  the  other,  cordials  are  avoided.  In  the  irregular 
delirium  of  the  nervous  and  Jiutrid  fever  it  is  highly 
useful ;  and  while  at  any  period  its  effects  are  assisted 
by  the  antimonial  powder,  so  in  these  it  may  be  ad- 
vantageously combined  with  the  aromatic  confection, 
or,  in  a  later  stage,  with  volatile  alkali.  In  short,  we 
know  no  medicine  that,  with  different  additions,  is  so 
well  adapted  to  every  period  of  fever:  it  is  soothing, 
calming,  and  composing.  I  (^prevents  opium  from  pro- 
ducing irregular  action  in  the  brain  ;  it  prevents  bark 
from  inducing  stricture  on  the  skin ;  and  stimulants 
from  exciting  a  dry  and  uncomfortable  heat.  In  the 
lamest  peutilcntialfe-vers  it  is  said  to  act  as  a  cordial :  in 
fact,  it  relieves  the  internal  accumulations  by  its  ten- 
dency to  the  surface,  and  seems  to  give  strength  when 
it  only  takes  off  oppression.  These  are  its  effects,  not 
collected  from  books,  but  from  experience;  not  sug- 
gested by  theoretical  speculations,  but  from  attentive 
observation  at  the  sick  bed.  Yet  camphor  has  been 
said  to  be  useless ;  an  opinion  which  must  be  the  result 
of  prejudice,  since  it  has  been  offered  by  those  not 
without  discernment,  not  without  experience. 

from  the  same  train  of  reasoning  we  might  suppose 
it  highly  useful  in  inflammatory  or  putrid  sore  throats. 
It  has  undoubtedly  been  found  so,  but  the  topical  sti- 
mulus in  the  first  instance  has  occasioned  it  to  be  swal- 
lowed with  difficulty ;  and  in  the  second,  the  necessity 
of  giving  the  most  active  tonics  and  stimulants  in  the 
largest  doses  that  can  lie  taken,  has  often  precluded  the 
use  of  camphor.  Yet  it  has  been  employed  witlt  suc- 
cess, though,  for  the  reasons  just  assigned,  we  cannot 
speak  of  it  from  any  very  extensive  experience. 

If  we  pusue  inflammations  to  the  c/iest,  we  shall  still 
find  it  an  useful  auxiliary.  In/ileurisy  we  seldom  want 
its  aid;  and  in  the  earlier  stages  of  fieri/ineumony  the 
most  active  refrigerants  are  necessary.  Yet,  when  the 
excess  of  inflammation  is  diminished,  when  the  skin 


C    \  M 


325 


C  A  M 


remains  dry,  and  expectoration  does  not  come  on,  cam- 
phor, with  antimonials,  is  highly  useful.  Common 
practice  prefers,  as  we  have  formerly  said,  the  kermes 
mineral,  perhaps  with  reason;  for  should  it  not  act  as 
an  expectorant,  it  will  not  so  readily  prove  laxative;  an 
effect  always  to  be  dreaded  in  peripneumony,  as  it 
cl>ecks  expectoration.  In  the  putrid  ficrifineumony, cam- 
phor  is  the  chief  remedy.  Though  this  disease  is  un- 
common, it  has  been  the  author's  fortune  to  witness 
four  extensive  epidemics  of  this  kind;  and  camphor 
was  among  the  most  generally  useful  remedies. 

We  find  little  room  for  this  medicine  in  gastritis  or 
enteritit;  butinthe  peritonitis  fiuer/ierarum  it  is  highly 
beneficial.  This  inflammation  is  not,  however,  confined 
to  the  puerperal  state :  we  have  often  seen  it,  with  no 
very  dissimilar  symptoms,  in  each  sex,  unconnected 
with  parturition;  and  have  found  the  camphor  equally 
useful.  In  inflammations  of  the  kidneys  and  bladder  it 
seems  a  very  efficacious  medicine;  yet  chiefly  appli- 
cable to  that  chronic  inflammation  of  the  neck  of  the 
bladder  which  often  takes  place  from  acrimony,  or 
sometimes  from  abraded  mucus.  On  the  bladder  and 
the  genital  system  its  sedative  power  is  considerable, 
without  the  slightest  mixture  of  stimulus  ;  and,  not  to 
return  again  to  the  subject,  we  may  remark,  that  in 
that  weakened,  irritable  state  of  the  genital  powers, 
from  excessive  or  unnatural  indulgencies,  it  is  essen- 
tially useful.  In  inflammations  of  the  joints  it  has  been 
commended,  particularly  in  gout  and  rheumatism;  yet 
we  know  of  no  very  decided  instances  of  its  efficacy. 
In  inflammatory  r/ieumatism,'wilh  nitre  and  antimonials, 
it  may  be  useful. 

In  the  exanthemata,  camphor  is  a  medicine  of 
singular  utility.  In  confluent  small  fiox,  and  particu- 
larly in  repressed  eruptions,  it  is  peculiarly  useful  from 
its  determination  to  the  skin,  without  any  injurious 
stimulus.  In  scarlatina,  that  equivocal  disease,  which, 
with  the  most  violent  external  heat,  is  often  putrid,  it 
is  equally  advantageous:  and,  in  filague,  it  has  been 
highly  extolled  by  those  who  have  had  more  numerous 
opportunities  of  observing  its  effects  than  have  been 
offered  to  us.  In  the  fiutrid  measles  we  should  sup- 
pose it,  from  analogy,  to  be  useful ;  but  we  recollect  no 
instance  of  its  employment  in  this  disease,  and  it  has 
never  occurred  to  us. 

We  have  said,  that,  with  its  power  of  diminishing  ir- 
regular action,  it  leans  rather  to  the  side  of  a  stimulant 
than  a  sedative  power.  Thus,  in  mania,  where  it  has 
been  employed  with  success,  it  is  necessary  to  add 
nitre  or  the  acetous  acid.  In  convulsive  disorders  it  is 
seldom  trusted  alone,  but  it  has  been  advantageously 
joined  with  the  metallic  tonics.  In  convulsive  asthma 
it  has  not  been  often  employed ;  and  the  stimulus  of  its 
oil  on  the  cardia  has  often  rendered  it  inconvenient  in 
hysteria.  United,  however,  with  the  warm  gums,  it 
has  been,  in  our  hands,  very  useful. 

When  joined  to  other  medicines,  it  adds  to  their  effi- 
cacy, or  corrects  the  inconveniences  they  might  other- 
wise produce.  Thus,  in  fevers,  as  we  have  said,  it 
greatly  assists  the  action  of  opium  :  it  promotes  the 
solution  of  gum  resins,  resins,  and  oil.  By  this  power 
it  may  probably  mitigate  the  acrimony  of  drastic  pur- 
gatives, a  quality  assigned  to  it  by  many  authors.  By 
the  same  effect  it  assists  the  absorption  of  mercurial 
ointment;  and  sometimes  seems  to  render  it,  by  ex- 


ternal friction,  an  useful  antispasmodic.  It  has  been  said 
to  mitigate  its  action;  but  this  is  probably  unfounded. 
Camphor  has  also  been  supposed  to  correct  the  incon- 
venient stimulus  of  cantharides;  yet  we  suspect  that  it 
rather,  by  its  sedative  power,  relieves  the  inflammation 
they  excite.  When  united  with  them  in  the  blistering 
plaster  it  seems  not  to  prevent  strangury. 

It  has  been  said,  by  a  French  author,  that  camphor 
may  be  given  in  a  clyster,  in  a  dose  of  two  drachms, 
in  inflammations,  or  other  irritations  of  the  bladder  or 
uterus.  We  once  injected  a  drachm,  and  at  another 
time,  half  that  quantity,  but  from  each  an  alarming 
coma  was  produced.  The  patients  were,  indeed,  re- 
lieved; but  at  the  expense  of  such  anxiety,  that  we 
have  never  dared  to  repeat  the  practice. 

Externally  applied,  it  has  been  useful,  in  very  small 
proportions  in  ophthalmia;  and  in  external  tumours, 
united  with  spirit  of  wine.  In  this  form,  also,  it  has 
been  used  with  fomentations  to  gangrened  parts  with 
success. 

The  dose  of  camphor  has  been  variously  directed. 
It  has  been  said  that  it  should  either  be  given  in  large 
doses  not  under  twenty  grains;  or  if  in  smaller,  that 
they  must  be  repeated  at  short  intervals,  should  any- 
sensible  effects  be  expected.  This,  however,  is  too  vio- 
lent. In  fevers,  such  large  doses  would  be  injurious 
from  too  great  irritation,  and  we  can  seldom  venture 
above  six  or  eight  grains.  In  nervous  disorders  this 
dose  may  be  doubled:  and  in  mania,  twenty  grains  will 
not  be  too  much.  It  may  be  divided  and  rubbed  with 
nitre  or  sugar,  and  a  few  drops  of  spirits  of  wine;  or 
united  with  mucilage  of  gum  arable,  the  camphor  pre- 
viously dissolved  in  a  little  spirit  of  wine,  or  expressed 
oil.  Camphor,  mixed  with  equal  quantity  of  myrrh, 
makes  an  uniform  solution  in  aqueous  fluids;  and  this  is 
the  best  mode  of  giving  camphor  in  a  liquid  form,  where 
myrrh  may  not  be  thought  an  improper  combination 
with  respect  to  the  intent  which  we  wish  to  produce. 
With  the  gum  pills  it  readily  unites,  and  it  may  be  also 
formed  into  a  convenient  mass  with  the  conserve  of  hips 
or  stiff  mucilage.  This  conserve  most  effectually  covers 
it,  if  the  form  of  a  bolus  is  preferred. 

An  imprudent  dose  of  camphor  produces  coldness  of 
the  extremities,  vertigo,  a  small  weak  pulse,  drowsi- 
ness, uneasiness  about  the  precordia:  but  these  effects 
are  relieved  by  an  emetic,  followed  with  small  doses  of 
vinegar  or  other  vegetable  acids;  and  sometimes  by 
mucilaginous  drinks. 

The  camphorated  emulsion  may  be  prepared  by 
adding  a  drachm  of  camphor  to  a  pint  of  the  almond 
emulsion,  now  called  lac  amygdale,  ALMOND  MILK  ;  to 
mix  the  camphor,  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  an  addi- 
tional quantity  of  the  mucilage  of  gum  arable  :  a  large 
spoonful,  or  more,  may  be  given  every  two  hours.  Ni- 
tre, or  acids,  may  be  added,  as  the  occasion  may  require. 
In  the  camphorated  julep,  little  more  than  the  smell  of 
camphor  is  retained.  The  dose,  in  its  best  state,  does 
not  exceed  a  grain  and  a  half. 

The  London  college  direct  the  following  preparation 
of  the  cam/i horatrd  mixture. 

Take  of  camphor  one  drachm ;  rectified  spirit  of  wine, 
ten  drops;  of  double  refined  sugar,  half  an  ounce;  of 
boiling  distilled  water,  a  pint.  Rub  the  camphor  first 
with  the  rectified  spirit,  then  with  the  sugar;  lastly, 
add  the  water  by  degrees,  and  strain  the  mixture.  This 


C  A  M 


326 


CAN 


is  better  made  by  mixing  the  camphor  with  double  its 
quantity  of  gum  arabic,  for  thus  it  is  less  apt  to  irritate 
the  stomach;  a  large  spoonful  contains  about  a  grain 
of  camphor.  Vinegar  may  be  added  instead  of  water; 
as  it  renders  the  camphor  more  agreeable  to  the  sto- 
mach, improves  its  antiseptic  power,  and  renders  it, 
according  to  Mr.  Parteger,  more  successful  in  mania. 

The  emulsion  and  the  mixture  of  camphor  are  useful 
in  low  and  putrid  disorders,  being,  in  these  cases,  the 
lightest  and  best  cordials,  especially  for  women  or  fee- 
ble men  affected  with  spasmodic  symptoms ;  and  this 
effect  shows,  that  the  medicine  may  be  useful  in  the 
smallest  doses. 

The  London  college  also  order  the  following  cam- 
phorated sfiirit  for  external  uses: 

Take  of  camphor,  four  ounces;  of  rectified  spirit  of 
wine,  a  quart;  mix  them  so  that  the  camphor  may  be 
dissolved.  This  is  often  successful  in  removing  pains, 
inflammations,  numbness,  or  palsy,  by  rubbing  the 
part  affected  with  it.  An  ounce  of  camphor  will  dis- 
solve in  an  equal  quantity  of  spirit ;  and  in  these  solu- 
tions it  does  not  evaporate,  for  the  spirit  must  all  be  eva- 
porated before  the  camphor  will  exhale. 

The  Kpiritus  camphor  (E  tartarisatus,  is  made  by  mix- 
ing equal  parts  of  camphor  and  salt  of  tartar  in  a  proper 
quantity  of  proof  spirit,  and  drawing  off  one  half.  But 
this  prepai'ation  does  not  possess  any  advantages  above 
the  sp.  catnfihoratus. 

The  college  of  London  used  to  add  ~,  i.  of  camphor  to 
lb  i.  of  the  white  ointment,  and  called  it  ung.  alb.  cam- 
phorat.;  but  have  now  rejected  it,  though  it  is  esteemed 
as  cooling,  emollient,  and  discutient,  and  useful  against 
cutaneous  heats,  tcttcry,  or  serpiginous  eruptions. 

Different  preparations  are   called  oils   of  camphor, 

several  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Neumann's  Chemical 

'  Works,  and  other  writers ;  but  they  do  not  appear  to 

possess  any  peculiar  advantage  above  the  crude  camphor. 

CA'MPHORJL  LINIME'NTUM  AMMONLV- 
TUM.  See  AMMONIA. 

CA'MPHORA  ELIX.  HARTMA'NNI,  i.  e.  Sflt.  Camphor& 
cum  pauxillo  croci  Anglican!. 

CA'MPHOR/E  FLO'RES.  The  subtile  substance  which 
first  ascends  in  subliming  camphor. 

CA'MPHOR^  FI.O'RES  COMP.  The  compound  flowers 
of  camphor,  made  by  subliming  eight  parts  of  camphor 
with  one  of  the  flowers  of  benjamin. 

CA'MPHOHJE  O'J.EUM.     See  CIXXAMOMVM. 

CAMPHOR  A'SM  A, (from  camphora,  so  called  from 
its  smell).  See  MELISSA  TURCICA. 

CAMPHORA'TA,  (from  camjihora,  so  called  be- 
cause it  resembles  it  in  smell).  STINKING  GROUND 
PINE,  called  also  CHAM.SPECCE,  and  camfihorata  hirsuta. 
Camphorosma  Munapcliaca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  178.  It  is  a 
low  plant,  a  native  of  the  warmer  parts  of  Europe, 
smelling  like  camphor,  but  more  disagreeable.  It  is 
much  esteemed  in  fomentations  against  pain,  and  com- 
mended in  gouty  complaints.  Miller's  Bott.  Off. 

CA'MPHORATS,  (from  camphora).  CAMPHO- 
BATS.  Salts  formed  by  the  union  of  the  camphoric 
acid  with  different  bases. 

CAMPHORATUM  O'LEUM.  A  mixture  of 
olive  oil,  two  parts,  with  one  of  camphor:  of  use 
in  inflammatory  swellings  of  the  throat,  if  mixed 
with  a  proper  cataplasm  and  applied  to  it.  In  ascites, 
when  the  abdomen  is  much  distended,  if  rubbed  on 


freely  every  night  and  morning,  it  is  supposed  to  be 
useful. 

See  Neumann's  Chemical  Works,  Lewis's  Mat. 
Med.  Alexander's  Exper.  Essays,  Rieger  and  Hoffman 
on  Camphor. 

CAMPHO'RICUM  A'CIDUM.  CAMPHORIC 
ACID  is  produced  by  distilling  the  nitric  acid,  six  or 
eight  times,  from  camphor.  It  is  a  crystallized  salt, 
which  reddens  syrup  of  violets  and  the  tincture  of 
turnsole;  of  a  bitter  taste,  and  differing  from  the  ox- 
alic acid  in  not  precipitating  lime  from  the  muriatic 
acid. 

CA'MPSIN.  The  Egyptian  name  for  the  south 
wind.  See  M.fe.six.. 

CA'MPULUM,  (from  v,a.par]u,  to  twist  about).  A 
distortion  of  the  eye  lids,  or  other  parts. 

CA'NABIL.     See  ERETRIA. 

CANABI'NA  AQUATICA.     See  BIDENS. 

CA'NABIS  I'NDICA  and  PEREGRINA,  (kanaba, 
from  kanah,to  moiv).  See  BANGUE  and  CANNABIS. 

CANADE'LLA.     See  CHANNA. 

CANADE'NSE  BA'LSAMUM.  See  BALSAMUM 
and  ABIES. 

CANALI'CULUS,  vel  CANALIS  ARTERIO'- 
SUS.  Dim.  of  Canalis.  See  ARTEIUOSUS  DUCTUS. 

CANA'LIS,  (from  canna,  a  reed).  A  CANAL.  It 
is  also  a  round  hollow  instrument  for  embracing  and 
holding  a  broken  limb.  Hippocrates  speaks  of  its  use, 
and  Scultetus  represents  different  sorts  in  his  Arma- 
mentarium, part.  i.  tab.  23.  According  to  Gorraeus, 
canalis  signifies  the  hollow  in  the  spine,  which  contains 
the  medulla. 

CAXA'LES  SEMICIRCULA'RES.  The  setnicircular  canals 
of  the  ear. 

They  are  three  in  number,  one  superior  and  perpen- 
dicular, one  posterior  and  perpendicular,  and  one  hori- 
zontal; their  size  is  nearly  the  same,  but  generally  the 
superior  perpendicular  is  the  largest.  They  begin  in 
the  vestibulum,  wind  round  the  bone,  and  terminate 
in  the  vestibulum  again:  each  at  its  origin  has  a  sepa- 
rate orifice, but  the  two  perpendiculars  meet  and  return 
into  the  vestibulum  by  one  common  orifice.  That 
these  ducts  contribute  to  hearing,  appears  from  their 
being  found  in  birds  and  fishes,  though  the  cochlea  is 
not  found  in  cither. 

CANA'LIS  SEMIS.  PETROS.  The  BOXY  HALF  CANAL. 
See  AUDITUS. 

CANALIS  VEXO'SUS.  The  vein  of  the  funis  umbi- 
licalis  proceeds  from  the  placenta  to  the  navel  of  the 
child,  and  thence  to  the  vena  porta,  with  which  it 
communicates  by  its  main  trunk,  where  there  is  a  canal, 
which  goes  to  the  vena  cava  hepatica.  It  is  called  ca- 
nalis, and  ductus  venosus ;  it  runs  between  the  lobulus 
Spigelii,  and  the  left  or  small  lobe  of  the  liver.  This 
duct  enters  the  vena  cava  hepatica  of  the  left  side,  just 
where  it  pierces  the  great  trunk  of  the  vena  cava  in- 
fc  1*10 1* 

CANA'NGJ:  O'LEUM.  (Indian.)  Huffman  men- 
tions this  oil  as  being  scarce,  and  brought  from  India, 
adding  that  it  is  distilled  from  the  flowers  of  the  lime  tree. 
It  is  in  reality  from  those  of  the  uvaria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  756. 
The  species  u.  aromatlca  is  not  found  in  his  system. 
See  Hoffman's  Obs.  Physico  Chim.  and  in  his  Med.  Rat. 
Syst.  vol.  i.  §  ii.  cap.  6. 

CA'NCAMUM  GR^CO'HUM.     See  COURBARIL. 


C  A  N 


527 


C  AN 


CANCE'LLUS,  (dim.  of  cancer,  a  crab).  The 
WRONG  HEIR,  also  called  Bernhardus  eremita,  cancer  in 
tentes  degens. 

It  is  a  small  species  of  cray  fish,  which  the  French 
call  BERNARD  THE  HERMIT,  because  it  shuns  others, 
and  retires  into  the  first  shell  it  meets  with.  It  is 
found  in  the  slime  near  the  rocks,  but  commonly  in  a 
shell  of  a  conic  figure,  and  as  large  as  a  nut.  There 
is  a  larger  species  in  the  American  islands  :  it  is  three 
or  four  inches  long.  They  call  it  the  SOLDIER,  be- 
cause it  fortifies  itself  in  a  shell  which  is  not  its  own. 
1'ather  Du  Tertres  says,  half  its  body  is  like  a  grass- 
hopper. 

\Vhen  hung  in  the  sun  they  dissolve  into  a  kind  of 
oil,  which  is  supposed  to  cure  rheumatism  if  rubbed 
on  the  part. 

CA'NCER.  The  CRAB,  (x#/>xivo?,  from  K»g%vo$,  rough, 
because  of  the  roughness  and  sharpness  of  its  claws. 
Cancer  in  Latin  corresponds  with  Kxpx.nof,  the  «r«*»s, 
or  the  x.xwut/><><;  of  the  Greeks,  and  to  the  crab  in  the 
English). 

CANCER  MARI'NUS,  (from  mare,  the  sea).  Is  that 
called  the  SEA  CRAB  ;  named  also  fiagurus,  cancer  me- 
nus Lin. 

CANCER  FLUVIA'TILIS,  (from  Jlu-uius,  a  river).  The 
RIVER  CRAB,  or  CRAY  FISH  ;  cammarus  and  gammarus; 
cancer  astacus  Lin.  See  ASTACUS  MARINUS. 

The  black  tips  of  the  claw  of  sea  crabs  are  levigated 
and  used  as  an  absorbent  under  the  name  of  pulv.  e. 
chel.  cancrorum  ppt.  The  London  college  direct  a 
compound  powder,  made  with  crabs'  claws,  red  coral, 
and  chalk ;  but  they  all  consist  of  the  same  calcareous 
animal  earth. 

Pul-via  K  chelis  cancrorum  comfiositus,  is  made  by 
uniting  a  pound  of  the  tips  of  crabs'  claws  prepared  to 
three  ounces  of  chalk,  and  as  much  red  coral. 

The  composition  has  been  considered  to  be  inelegant, 
for  the  chelf  cancrorum  consists  of  a  calcareous  earth, 
part  of  which  is  combined  with  the  phosphoric  acid 
and  glutinous  matter ;  the  corallium  rubrum  contains 
the  same,  and  these  are  mixed  with  chalk,  a  somewhat 
more  pure  calcareous  earth.  The  preparation  is  there- 
fore far  from  a  pure  absorbent.  The  creta  and  testae 
ostreorum  will  better  supp!y  the  place ;  and  if  calca- 
reous earth  is  desired  to  be  combined  with  phosphoric 
acid,  it  may  be  found  in  the  cornu  cervi  ustum.  Ob- 
servations on  the  Sp.  Alterum  Pharmacop.  Londinen- 
sis,  1788. 

The  college  of  Edinburgh  in  a  former  edition  direct- 
ed the  following  preparation  called  fridvis  testaceun 
coni/i6.titus. 

Take  of  oyster  shells  prepared,  one  pound ;  and  of 
white  chalk  prepared,  half  a  pound.  Mix. 

The  use  of  all  the  absorbent  earths,  and  preparations 
of  shells,  is  to  absorb  acidities  in  the  primx  vise ;  and 
this  prescription  from  the  Edinburgh  dispensatory  is 
equally  valuable  as  a  medicine  with  any  other  prepara- 
tion of  the  kind,  however  attended  with  pompous 
epithets.  If  they  meet  with  no  acid  to  dissolve  them, 
they  should  be  accompanied  by  gentle  purges.  They 
are  suspected  of  promoting  putrefaction,  but  produce 
this  effect  only  by  absorbing  acid,  as  we  have  already 
explained.  If  oyster  shells  form  with  a  very,  weak  acid 
a  mucilage,  like  that  which  lines  the  inner  surface  of 
the  stomach,  bladder,  and  blood  vessels,  this  mucilage 


may  supply  in  some  measure  the  want  of  the  natural 
mucus  when  abraded. 

See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica,  and  Neumann's  Che- 
mical Works. 

CANCER,  (from  #*/»-,/»«$.  a  crab).  By  the  term  can- 
ctr,  the  Roman  writers  understood  what  the  Greeks 
called  gangrene  and  sphacelus;  but  the  disease  which 
is  now  called  cancer  is  what  the  Greeks  and  Romans 
meant  by  carcinoma  and  carcinc/.?.  It  is  called  also  lu- 
pus, because  it  eats  away  the  flesh  like  a  wolf.  See 
Celsus,  lib.  v.  cap.  xxviii. 

Galen  observes,  that,  as  the  crab  is  furnished  with 
claws  on  both  sides  of  its  body,  so  in  the  carcinoma, 
or  carcinos,  the  veins,  which  are  extended  from  the  tu- 
mour, represent  with  it  a  figure  like  a  crab;  hen.ce  is 
the  disease  called  CANCER.  Boerhaave  adds,  that  if  the 
stagnating  matter  of  a  scirrhus  is  put  in  motion,  so  as 
to  inflame  the  vessels  situated  in  its  margin,  it  becomes 
malignant,  and  then  is  called  a  cancer. 

With  Hippocrates  we  may,  perhaps,  most  properly 
consider  all  the  species  as  comprised  in  the  occult  and 
open  cancer.  A  cancer  then  is,  according  to  P.  ^Egi- 
neta,  a  hard  unequal  tumour,  with  or  without  an  ulcer. 
Hippocrates  calls  that  an  occult  cancer  that  is  not  yet 
burst ;  and  that  an  open  one  which  is  ulcerated. 

Mr.  Pearson  says,  when  a  malignant  scirrhus,  or  a 
warty  excrescence,  hath  proceeded  to  a  period  of  ul- 
ccration,  attended  with  a  constant  sense  of  ardent  and 
occasionally  shooting  pains,  is  irregular  in  its  figure, 
and  presents  an  unequal  surface  ;  if  it  discharges  sor- 
did, sanious,  or  fetid  matter ;  if  the  edges  of  the  sore  be 
thick,  indurated,  and  often  exquisitely  painful,  some- 
times inverted,  at  other  times  retorted,  and  exhibit  a 
serrated  appearance ;  and  should  the  ulcer  in  its  pro- 
gress be  frequently  attended  with  haemorrhage,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  erosion  of  blood  vessels  ;  there  will  be 
little  hazard  of  mistake  in  calling  it  a  cancerous  ulcer. 
Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
locales  and  order  tumores.  He  defines  it  a  painful' 
scirrhous  tumour,  terminating  in  a  fatal  ulcer. 

Any  part  of  the  body  may  be  the  seat  of  this  disor- 
der, though  a  gland  is  generally,  if  not  constantly,  its 
immediate  situation.  The  obstruction  is  in  the  mi- 
nuter vessels,  and  the  adjacent  parts  are  affected  in  con- 
sequence. 

"It  is  probable,"  according  to  Mr.  Pearson,  "that 
any  gland  in  the  living  body  may  be  the  seat  of  a  can- 
cerous disease;  but  it  appears  more  frequently  as  an 
idiopathic  affection  in  those  glands  that  form  the  seve- 
ral secretions,  than  in  the  absorbent  glands  ;  and  of  the 
secreting  organs,  those  that  separate  the  fluids,  which 
arc  to  be  employed  in  the  animal  economy,  suffer 
much  oftener  than  the  glands  which  secern  the  excre- 
mentitious  part  of  the  blood.  Indeed  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  an  absorbent  gland  ever  be  the  primary  seat  of 
a  true  scirrhus.  Daily  experience  evinces  that  these 
glands  may  suffer  contamination  from  their  connection 
with  a  cancerous  part ;  but,  under  such  circumstances, 
this  morbid  alteration  being  the  effect  of  a  disease  in 
that  neighbourhood,  it  ought  to  be  regarded  as  a  se- 
condary and  consequent  affection.  I  never  yet  met  with 
an  unequivocal  proof  of  a  primary  scirrhus  in  an  AB- 
SORBENT ULAND;  and  if  a  larger  experience  shall  con- 
firm this  observation,  and  establish  it  as  a  general  rule, 
it  will  afford  a  material  assistance  in  forming  the  diag- 


C  A  N 


328 


C 


nosis  of  this  disease.  The  general  term  scirrhus  has 
been  applied,  with  too  little  discrimination,  to  indu- 
rated tumours  of  the  lymphatic  glands.  When  these 
appendages  of  the  absorbent  system  enlarge  in  the 
early  part  of  life,  the  disease  is  commonly  treated  as 
strumous ;  but  as  a  similar  alteration  of  these  parts 
may,  and  often  does,  occur  at  a  more  advanced  period, 
there  ought  to  be  some  very  good  reason  for  ascribing 
malignity  to  one  rather  than  the  other.  In  old  people 
the  tumour  is  indeed  often  larger,  more  indurated,  and 
less  tractable,  than  in  children;  but  \vhen  the  altera- 
tion originated  in  the  lymphatic  glands,  it  will  very 
rarely  be  found  to  possess  any  thing  cancerous  in  its 
nature."  However,  in  men,  a  cancer  most  frequently 
seizes  the  tongue,  mouth,  or  penis ;  in  women,  the 
breasts  or  the  uterus,  particularly  about  the  cessation 
of  their  periodical  discharges;  and  in  children,  the 
eyes.  Sometimes  at  the  breast  there  is  a  hard  and  un- 
equal tumour,  attended  with  pain,  which  is  not  quite 
constant,  and  a  burning  heat  much  like  what  happens 
in  cancer,  whence  it  is  called  ZAKUTIIAN,  a  sfiurious 
cancer. 

Celibacy,  as  well  as  the  cessation  of  the  menses,  con- 
duces to  the  production  of  cancers  in  women,  and  con- 
sequently antiquated  maids  are  the  more  subject  to 
them  :  next  are  those  mothers  who  have  not  suckled 
their  children ;  then  follow  women  who  are  past  child 
bearing ;  and  the  least  so  are  men,  and  those  women 
who  have  borne  children  and  nursed  them  with  their 
own  milk.  Hollerius  observes,  that  girls  are  subject  to 
glandular  tumours  whose  menstrual  discharges  are 
scanty. 

A  hard  unequal  tumour  that  is  indolent,  and  without 
any  discoloration  in  the  skin,  is  called  a  SCIRRHUS  ;  but 
when  an  itching  is  perceived  in  it,  which  is  followed  by 
a  pricking,  shooting,  or  lancinating  pain,  and  a  change 
of  colour  in  the  skin,  it  is  usually  denominated  a  CAN- 
CER. It  generally  is  small  in  the  beginning,  and  increases 
gradually;  but  though  the  skin  changes  to  a  red  or  livid 
appearance,  and  the  state  of  the  tumour  from  an  indo- 
lent to  a  painful  one,  it  is  sometimes  very  difficult  to 
say  when  the  scirrhus  really  becomes  a  cancer,  the  pro- 
gress being  quick  or  slow,  according  to  concurring 
causes.  When  the  tumour  is  attended  with  a  peculiar 
kind  of  burning,  shooting  pains,  and  the  skin  hath  ac- 
quired the  dusky  purple  or  livid  hue,  it  may  then  be 
deemed  the  malignant  scirrhus,  or  confirmed  cancer. 
Mr.  Pearson  further  adds,  when  thus  far  advanced  in 
women's  breasts,  the  tumour  sometimes  increases 
speedily  to  a  great  size,  having  a  knotty  unequal  surface, 
more  glands  becoming  obstructed,  the  nipple  sinks  in, 
turgid  veins  are  conspicuous,  ramifying  around,  and  re- 
sembling a  crab's  claws.  These  are  the  characteristics 
of  an  occult  cancer  on  the  external  parts;  and  we  may 
suspect  the  existence  of  one  internally  when  such  pain 
and  heat  as  hath  been  described  succeed  in  parts  where 
the  patient  hath  before  been  sensible  of  a  weight  and 
pressure,  attended  with  obtuse  pain.  A  cancerous  tu- 
mour never  melts  down  in  suppuration  like  an  inflam- 
matory one  ;  but  when  it  is  ready  to  break  open,  espe- 
cially in  the  breast,  it  generally  becomes  prominent  in 
some  minute  point,  attended  with  an  increase  of  the 
peculiar  kind  of  burning,  shooting  pain,  felt  before  at 
intervals,  in  a  less  degree,  and  deeper  in  the  body  of  the 
gland.  In  the  prominent  part  of  the  tumour,  in  this 


state,  a  corroding  ichor  sometimes  transudes  through 
the  skin,  soon  forming  an  ulcer;  at  other  times  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  a  thin  lymphatic  fluid,  tinged  with 
blood  from  eroded  vessels,  is  found  on  it.  Ulcers  of  tin 
cancerous  nature  discharge  a  thin,  fetid,  acrid  sanies, 
which  corrodes  the  parts,  having  thick  dark  coloured 
retorted  lips ;  and  fungous  excrescences  frequently  rise 
from  these  ulcers,  notwithstanding  the  corrosiveness  of 
the  discharge.  In  this  state  they  are  often  attended  with 
excruciating,  pungent,  lancinating,  burning  pains,  and 
sometimes  with  bleeding. 

Though  a  scirrhus  may  truly  be  deemed  a  cancer  us 
soon  as  pain  is  perceived  in  it,  yet  every  painful  tumour 
is  not  a  cancer ;  nor  is  it  always  easy  to  say  whether  a 
cancer  is  the  disorder  or  not :  irregular  hard  lumps  may 
be  perceived  in  the  breast ;  but,  on  examining  the  other 
breast,  where  no  uneasiness  is  perceived,  the  same  kind 
of  tumours  are  sometimes  found,  which  renders  the 
diagnostic  uncertain.  Yet,  in  every  case,  after  the 
cessation  of  catamcnia,  hard  unequal  tumours  in  the 
breast  are  suspicious;  nor,  though  without  pain,  arc. 
they  to  be  supposed  indolent  or  innoxious.  We  think, 
with  Mr.  Pearson,  that  the  absorbent  glands  are  seldom 
or  never  the  scat  of  cancers;  and,  could  we  distinguish 
in  the  breast  these  from  the  true  secretory  organs,  our 
distinction  might  be  more  correct.  Lymphatic  glands 
are,  however,  found  in  the  breast,  though  not  numer- 
ous. A  few  distinct  tumours,  traced  in  a  chain  to  the 
axilla,  are  perhaps  lymphatic  glands,  and  will  never  be- 
come cancerous;  yet  no  prudent  physician  will  offer 
such  a  decided  opinion  even  to  the  patient's  friends. 

The  nature  of  cancer  is  unknown.  It  has  long  been 
disputed,  whether  it  was  a  general  disease,  a  portion  of 
the  fluids,  determined  by  different  causes  to  the  affected 
part,  or  whether  any  accident  to  the  organ  diseased 
altered  its  former  habits,  so  as  to  produce  a  poisonous 
corrosive  fluid  instead  of  the  usual  salutary  one.  Much 
serious  argument,  and,  we  may  add,  much  idle  jargon, 
have  been  employed  on  both  sides.  We  shall  endeavour, 
at  least,  to  place  the  question  on  its  proper  footing; 
and,  though  we  may  not  greatly  elucidate  the  subject, 
yet  we  trust  we  may  be  able  to  direct  the  arguments 
and  observations  more  conclusively  in  future. 

If  cancer  were  a  general  disease,  we  might  expect  it 
to  be  distinguished  by  a  determined  appearance  in  the 
look,  or  decided  marks  in  the  constitution  :  it  might  be 
sometimes  hereditary,  or  perhaps  contagious.  We  sus- 
pect that  there  are  striking  appearances  in  the  com- 
plexion;  for  we  have  found  cancers  more  frequent  in 
the  dark  cadaverous  complexions  than  in  the  fairer 
kind.  The  complexion  we  mean  is  distinct  from  the 
darkness  of  the  atrabilious  or  melancholic  habits :  a 
blue  tint  seems  mixed  with  the  brown,  and  is  chiefly 
conspicuous  under  the  eyes,  or  in  the  parts  usually  fair. 
This  may,  perhaps,  be  a  refinement  without  founda- 
tion, but  we  think  we  have  often  observed  it.  There 
is  certainly  no  constitutional  symptom  by  which  it  can 
be  predicted,  if,  in  women,  a  scanty  and  a  dark  co- 
loured catamenial  discharge  be  not  a  prognostic  of  the 
future  disease.  We  would  not,  however,  disseminate 
alarm ;  and  can  truly  add,  that  in  such  cases  the  wo- 
man is  by  no  means  peculiarly  liable  to  cancer;  yet 
cancer  sometimes  follows  the  cessation  of  such  a  dis- 
charge. Cancer  has  certainly  been  traced  in  females 
of  the  same  family  ;  and  those  who  have  escaped,  suf- 


C  A  X 


CAN 


fer  from  irregular  anomalous  pains,  and  different,  often 
unaccountable,  complaints.  That  cancer  is  contagious 
we  have  not  the  slightest  reason  to  believe:  we  mean 
from  effluvia  ;  for  the  matter  inserted  under  the  skin, 
or  touched  with  the  tongue,  has  been  said  to  produce 
the  complaint. 

Such  arguments  •will  scarcely  establish  the  general 
nature  of  the  disease ;  but  others,  drawn  from  its  his- 
tory, may  be  more  decisive.     It   is  not  uncommon  to 
rind  a  cancerous  sore  heal  by  the  efforts  of  nature  only  ; 
and  it  is  equally  common  to  find  soon  afterwards,  dis- 
eases in  different  organs,  as  if  some  morbid  matter  had 
been  deposited  on   them.     We  have  seen  an  enteritis, 
•.vith   peculiar   symptoms,   follow ;    and    we    have,    in 
more  than  one  instance,  found  an  apoplectic  attack  at 
no  great  distance.     Fixed  pains  in  the  limbs,  and  an 
unconquerable  sciatica,  have  been  frequent  followers. 
It  may  be  asked,  do   cancers  so  often  heal  as  to  give 
such  an  extent  of  observation  ?     We  have  seen  six  in- 
stances of  this  kind,  and  one  or  other  complaint  has 
followed  :  in  one  an  apoplectic  attack  occurred  twice, 
and  the  last  was  fatal.     It  is  with  pain  we  add  another 
source  of  similar  observations,  we  mean  the  extirpa- 
tion of    a  cancerous  tumour.     Were  the  disease  local 
only,  the  operation  should  be  expected  always  to  suc- 
ceed;   and    indeed    in    the  early    stages,  in  tumours 
which   have   yet  assumed  no  very  decided  character, 
which   are  moveable,  and  the  constitution  otherwise 
sound,  no  return  is  found  often  to  take  place.    In  other 
circumstances,  however,  a  return  is  common.     The 
blood  then  may  be  at  last  affected  ;  and,  if  so,  why  not 
at  first  ?  Why  should  not  a  blow  in  the  breast  in  every 
instance  produce  a  cancer,  if  it  does  in  any,  but  that 
the  constitution  is  previously  diseased  ?     Thus  a  blow 
on  the   knee  will  produce   a  white  swelling;  but  ten 
thousand  children  receive  blows  on  the  knees,  and  un- 
less a  scrofulous  disposition  should  concur,  no  incon- 
venience arises. 

If,  however,  the  matter  is  generated  in  the  constitu- 
tion and  determined  to  a  gland ;  if,  again  absorbed 
and  carried  to  another  organ,  various  questions  will 
arise. — Is  the  whole  deposited  on  the  part  first  affected? 
Does  the  poison  possess  an  assimilatory  power,  or  when 
one  part  is  diseased,  is  it  the  focus  in  which  all  the 
matter  is  concentrated  ?  \\'e  find  it  is  fashionable  to 
deny  cancer  to  be  a  general  disorder,  and  complaints, 
previous  or  subsequent  to  it,  are  explained  away ;  yet, 
while  we  do  not  triumphantly  urge  difficulties  on  the 
opposite  side,  we  trust  that  they  will  not  be  pressed 
against  what  we  suggest  only  as  the  more  probable 
opinion.  We  will,  however,  explain  our  own  ideas  of 

tate  of  the  poison  in  this  complaint. 
In  all  cases  of  cancer,  either  a  morbid  matter  seems 
to  float  in  the  constitution,  or  the  fluids  are  hi  a  de- 
praved state,  from  which  such  a  matter  may  be  derived. 
The  last  is  seemingly  more  often  the  case.  When, 
then,  a  cause  of  inflammation  supervenes;  when  a 
wound  or  a  bruise  occasions  the  necessity  of  a  dis- 
charge; this  wound  will  assume  what  is  styled  a  bad 
•aspect,  any  suppuration  will  become  cancerous.  In 
fact,  what  might  be  a  mild,  salutary  suppuration  in  a 
healthy  constitution,  will  thus  be  of  an  opposite  kind. 
While  the  sore  continues  open,  there  is  not  always  an 
absorption ;  for  in  the  irritable,  inflammatory  state  of 
tilcers  from  specific  contagion,  we  see  few,  if'  any,  in- 
i. 


stances  of  the  fluids  being  absorbed.  Yet  in  cancer, 
after  some  time,  we  know  that  absoqrtion  does  take 
place ;  and,  when  inflammation  abates,  and  the  sore  is 
healed,  we  have  every  reason  to  think  that  the  impedi- 
ment to  the  action  of  the  lymphatics  is  removed.  The 
matter  then,  thus  accumulated,  and  thus  changed,  may 
be  taken  up  and  again  deposited:. 

If  this  reasoning  be  admitted,  and  we  kn^w  that  it 
will  meet  very  accurately  all  the  phenomena,  we  shall 
find  that  the  fomes  in  the  blood  is  not  really  cancerous, 
but  capable  of  becoming  so  in  consequence  of  its  being 
subject  to  the  process  of  suppuration  in  the  injured 
part.  Supposing,  therefore,  the  injured  part  to  be  re- 
moved before  suppuration  has  contributed  to  the  change, 
the  patient  may  remain  safe ;  and  supposing  these 
depraved  fluids  not  again  to  be  brought  to  a  suppurated 
gland,  the  disease  may  not  recur.  The  whole  of 
reasoning  may  be  pronounced  theoretical.  Admitted  : 
it  will,  however,  explain  every  appearance  ;  it  will  elu- 
cidate every  part  of  the  best  founded  practical  conduci. 
Let  it  be  for  a  moment  supposed  fallacious;  it  will  at- 
ford  a  clue  to  connect  numerous  facts  and  discordant 
directions. 

But  what,  it  may  be  asked,  is  this  depraved  state  of 
the  blood  which  will  produce  such  a  destructive  ene- 
my ?  We  can  answer,  that  it  is  an  excess  of  ammonia, 
with  a  more  copious  development  of  an  ingredient  in 
the  animal  fluids  which  we  have  so  anxiously  pointed 
out,  sulphur.  The  discharge  from  cancer,  Dr.  Craw- 
ford has  informed  us,  is  an  hepatised  ammonia;  and  we 
find  in  no  secreted  fluid  any  ingredient  that  does  noi 
exist  in  the  blood.  Its  component  parts  may  be  varied 
in  form,  in  proportion,  in  consistence,  and  acrimony, 
but  they  are  still  the  same;  and  this  position,  not 
hastily  hazarded,  we  trust  will  be  kept  in  the  mind 
of  our  readers.  It  shall  at  a  future  period  be  u 
loped. 

In  this  reasoning  we  have  laid  a  particular  stress  ou 
the  changes  produced  by  suppurated  glands:  it  was 
not  without  reason ;  but  the  explanation  of  the  reason 
would  lead  us  from  the  point.  In  fact,  there  art 
instances  of  glands  suppurating,  as  the  surgeon  style 
it,  kindly.  Suppuration  chiefly  takes  place  in  the  cel- 
lular substance ;  and,  when  the  glandular  parts  are 
affected,  whether  conglobate  or  conglomerate,  the 
wound  does  not  heal  readily.  When,  however,  in  a 
cancerous  habit  a  tumour  or  a  wound  assumes  a  pecu- 
liarly unpleasant  appearance,  if  the  part  is  not  glandu- 
lar, the  wound  may  either  heal,  or  the  whole  be  taken 
out,  if  accessible,  with  little  danger  of  returning ;  and 
we  think  it  a  strong  proof  of  what  we  have  alleged,  that, 
when  not  in  a  gland,  but  in  the  lip  or  nose,  the  opera- 
tion generally  succeeds:  in  fact,  the  peculiar  matter  ;- 
not  further  contaminated  by  the  unkindly  suppuration. 
We  have  spoken  also  of  cancers  chiefly  as  a  female 
complaint.  It  is  not  their  peculiar  misfortune;  but  in 
them  it  chiefly  attacks  the  glands  ;  in  men,  other  parts. 
In  women  the  operation  does  not  often  succeed;  in  men 
it  seldom  fails. 

We  must  not,  however,  rest  so  strongly  on  the  system 
just  stated,  to  neglect  the  sentiments  of  other  authors. 
It  is  certainly,  as  we  have  said,  the  more  general  and 
the  more  fashionable  opinion  that  cancers  are  local 
complaints.  This  idea  has  not,  however,  been  ex- 
panded so  as  to  meet  all  the  appearances,  unless  by 
U  u 


CAS 


530 


C  A  N 


-referring  it  to  putrid  or  scrofulous  tumours,  except  by 
the  pathologists  of  the  school  of  Mr.  Hunter,  who  have 
spoken  of  diseased,  and,  more  lately,  of  acquired  ac- 
tions. We  purposely  omit  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Adams, 
which  we  shall  afterwards  consider  more  at  length. 

If  the  idea  of  '  taking  on  diseased  action,'  be  any 
thing  more  than  saying  that  a  part  is  diseased,  it  has 
not  been  explained.  If  it  is  no  more,  it  says  nothing  : 
a  cancerous  mamma  is  a  diseased  mamma,  and  of 
course  has  taken  on  diseased  action.  A  new  step  has, 
however,  been  lately  added,  and  a  part  has  been  said 
to  acquire  new  actions.  Thus,  when  nature  cannot 
unite  a  fracture  by  a  bony  callus,  she  supplies  its  place 
by  a  cartilaginous  medium.  When  the  coat  of  an  artery 
is  weakened,  a  lamina  of  bone  supplies  the  defect;  "  and 
in  scirrhous  formations  or  changes,  a  marked  and  very 
extraordinary  attempt  is  very  frequently  evinced  to  cor- 
rect the  deranged  state  of  things,  by  reducing  the  whole 
into  one  insensible  and  homogeneous  mass:  and  here, 
at  the  same  time,  is  afforded  the  most  direct  evidence 
of  the  disease  of  cancer  arising  and  depending  on  sim- 
ple altered  organisation  only.  The  very  source  and 
supply  of  the  disease  is  an  assimilation  of  various  and 
unequal  structures,  giving  rise  to  dissimilar  actions. 
What  then  could  nature  do  better  (when  all  her  at- 
tempts have  failed  to  restore  an  equilibrium  of  parts) 
than  what  she  very  often  effects,  viz.  reducing  the 
•whole  into  a  bony  mass?  Here  all  discordancy  of  action 
is  at  once  destroyed,  and  an  attempt  at  natural  cure  in 
scirrhus  is  clearly  evinced,  which  shuts  out  the  idea  of 
a  '  specific  virus.'  This  attempt  at  natural  cure  is  fre- 
quently exemplified  in  the  examinations  of  true  scirrhi, 
a  progressive  change  into  bone  being  often  evident ;  in 
many,  the  centres  are  completely  ossified.  Such  at- 
tempts have  been  still  more  succesfully  accomplished 
in  the  ovaria,  these  parts  having  often  been  found  wholly- 
converted  into  bone  by  the  cancerous  action.  See 
Baillie's  Morbid  Anatomy. 

"  Confused,  therefore,  as  the  cancerous  mass  may  ap- 
pear, yet  more  of  arrangement  would  seem  to  exist  than 
one  might  at  first  be  aware  of.  Such  would  appear  to 
be  evinced  with  respect  to  the  membranous  intersec- 
tions, or  septa,  most  commonly  observed  in  scirrhi ;  as 
particularly  noticed  by  Dr.  Baillie. 

"  Query  : — In  the  view  of  natural  cure,  may  not  these 
septa  serve  as  a  surface  of  extension  for  bony  actions, 
similar  to  what  we  see  in  the  formation  of  the  bones  of 
the  head?"  Young  on  Cancers,  p.  51,  &c. 

We  have  thus  selected  the  author's  words,  as  we  were 
apprehensive  of  mutilating  or  misunderstanding  his  rea- 
soning. According  then  to  this  author,  if  any  part  is 
diseased,  or,  to  come  nearer  the  point,  if  any  gland  is 
obstructed  so  that  its  usual  actions  are  disturbed,  it  ac- 
quires other  actions;  chiefly,as  it  should  seem, to  supply 
the  deficiency,  to  obliterate  the  part,  or  to  restore  it  to 
a  healthy  state. 

If  we  were  to  examine  the  changes  attributed  to  these 
acquired  actions  in  the  passage  quoted,  we  should  find 
•A  more  ready  mode  of  explaining  them  ;  nor  should  we 
require  so  recondite  a  foundation,  as  Mr.  Young's  fun- 
damental axiom,  that '  the  essence  of  organic  life  is  im- 
mutable.' We  should  not,  however,  object  to  this  rea- 
soning, were  the  terminations  of  cancer  ossifications  ; 
or  indeed  were  there  any  acquired  actions  which  would 
vestore  the  organisation  of  the  parts,  or  compensate 


for  its  injured  functions :  on  the  contrary,  by  cancer 
the  part  is  indeed  destroyed,  but  sound  parts  suffer,  and 
life  itself  is  lost.  We  perceive,  also,  no  explanation  of 
the  phenomena  of  cancer  in  this  system  of  acquired  ac- 
tions, and,  of  course,  need  not  dwell  on  it.  Mr. 
Young's  work  is  the  latest  on  this  subject;  but,  in  the 
same  school  we  have  found  nothing  more  satisfactory. 
We  agree,  however,  with  him,  that  scrofula  and  cancer 
are  distinct  diseases. 

The  only  other  system  which  it  is  necessary  to  no- 
tice is  that  of  Mr.  Adams,  who  considers  cancers  as 
owing  to  animals  of  the  hyclatid  kind.  To  find  them 
penetrating  all  the  intricate  convolutions  of  minute 
arteries,  is,  at  first  view,  a  striking  objection  to  this  sys- 
tem ;  yet  they  appear  in  the  liver.,  in  the  ovaria,  and 
other  organs,  where  the  access  is  equally  difficult. 
This  subject,  of  course,  we  must  resume  when  we  speak 
of  this  animal,  and  can  only  add,  that  the  cause  is  highly 
probable ;  and  were  the  opinion  we  have  offered  no 
longer  tenable,  we  should  not  hesitate  to  adopt  that  of 
Mr.  Adams.  A  singular  case  of  cancer,  strongly  cor- 
roborative of  the  disease  arising  from  hydatids,  occurs 
in  Dr.  Hamilton's  Observations  on  Scrofulous  Affec- 
tions, with  Remarks  on  Scirrhus,  &c. 

The  parts  usually  affected  by  cancer  are,  the  mam- 
mae of  females,  the  uterus,  the  tcstes,  the  glans  penis, 
the  tongue,  the  stomach,  cheeks,  lips,  and  angles  of  the 
eyes.  These  are  not  always  glandular  parts ;  nor, 
though  a  cancer  of  these  is  a  more  dangerous  disease, 
though  extirpation  more  seldom  succeeds,  yet  in  a  de- 
praved state  of  the  fluids,  any  organ  may  suffer  if  a 
cause  of  suppuration  occurs.  The  ovaria  are  said  to  be 
affected  with  cancer  :  more  commonly,  however,  they 
become  scirrhous;  or  enlarged  by  hydatids,  forming 
local  encysted  dropsy.  Of  the  prostate  gland,  also,  can- 
cer is  a  rare  complaint,  though  in  advanced  age  this 
part  often  becomes  scirrhous.  The  breasts  of  females 
are  seldom  cancerous  before  the  cessation  of  the  men- 
strual discharge,  for  whatever  may  be  the  ajifiearance, 

a  MILK  ABSCESS  NEVER   BECOMES  A    CANCER.       We    have 

seen  it  continue  beyond  the  period  of  the  cessation  of 
the  catamenia  without  any  bad  consequences :  it  has 
healed  at  last. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  why  the  parts  mentionetl  should 
be  peculiarly  subject  to  the  disease.  The  cause  has 
been  referred  to  a  complicated  structure  ;  but  there  is  no 
such  structure  in  the  tongue,  in  the  lips,  in  the  angles 
of  the  eyes.  The  sexual  parts  are  certainly  most  sub- 
ject to  the  complaint.  Is  it  that  the  circulation  is 
slower;  that  congestion  is  more  likely  to  happen;  and 
that  any  accidental  cause  of  inflammation  may  excite 
the  action  of  the  obstructed  portion  ?  In  every  view  of 
the  disease  the  same  difficulties  will  recur. 

Of  the-causes  of  cancers  we  can  say  little.  In  the 
stomach,  the  dram  drinker  has  been  supposed  more  liable 
to  the  disease  ;  and  in  general  what  induces  a  depraved 
state  of  the  fluids,  as  irregularity  in  diet,  ebriety,  a 
sedentary  life,  and  confined  air,  predispose  to  it.  Ce- 
libacy, as  we  have  observed,  seems  to  be  a  predisposing 
cause;  and  we  have  suspected  that  when  marriage  has 
taken  place  at  a  late  period,  the  disposition  to  cancel- 
has  been  accelerated. 

The  progress  of  cancer  is  various ;  in  some  cases 
rapid,  in  others  slow.  In  almost  every  stage  nature 
seems  to  attempt  relief,  and  granulations  occasionally 


C  A 


351 


spring  up,  giving  hopes  of  a  cure,  which  arc  soon  dis- 
appointed. The  discharge  is  not  highly  putrid,  but  has 
a  peculiar  hepatic  smell,  sufficiently  well  known.  The 
taste  is  said  not  to  be  acrimonious,  but  insipid  and 
'  mawkish.' 

A  cure  is  rarely  made  but  with  the  knife  or  caustic; 
\\hen  these  methods  of  relief  are  not  used,  the  treat- 
ment is  only  palliative.  If  the  tumour  firmly  adheres 
10  the  subjacent  part,  it  can  neither  be  extirpated  nor 
cd  away  by  a  caustic:  if  it  is  moveable,  it  may  ge- 
nerally be  taken  away,  cautiously  avoiding  such  blood 
is  as  would  endanger  life  by  being  wounded.  In 
general,  the  larger  are  more  dangerous  than  the  less,  the 
painful  than  the  indolent,  and  the  ulcerated  than  the 
occult.  When  a  breast  is  once  scirrhous,  it  seldom 
continues  long  in  a  state  that  threatens  a  cancer  with- 
out affecting  the  axillary  glands,  occasionally  the  other 
breast,  or  the  uterus.  When  a  cancer  in  any  part  is 
attended  with  a  hardness  of  the  adjacent  glands,  success 
hath  r-rely  followed  an  attempt  to  cure.  In  habits  not 
otherwise  disordered,  an  occult  cancer  should  not  be 
Derated  by  emollients,  stimulating  application,  or 
intemperance,  for  then  it  may  remain  a  long  time  with- 
out inconvenience ;  though  at  the  cessation  of  the  menses 
in  women  they  will  be  exasperated.  If  then  it  can  be 
conveniently  done,  it  may  be  most  proper  to  extirpate 
early. 

The  remedies  employed  in  this  disease  have  been 
various;  and,  though  we  cannot  always  boast  of  suc- 
cess, we  can  often  arrest  the  progress  of  the  complaint, 
and,  without  curing,  can,  for  a  series  of  years,  render  it 
harmless.  Our  former  explanations  will  at  least  con- 
nect the  remedies,  and  perhaps  render  their  application 
more  clear. 

If,  in  a  cachectic  habit,  a  tumour  is  formed  on  any 
of  the  external  parts  mentioned,  indolent,  discoloured, 
and  occasionally  painful,  we  have  reason  to  suspect  the 
approach  of  cancer.  If  in  the  breast  of  women  about 
the  cessation  of  the  menstrual  discharge,  should  there 
be  even  no  pain,  danger  is  to  be  apprehended.  This  is 
perhaps  the  period  for  topical,  refrigerant  applications, 
for  topical  discharges,  and  for  internal  alterative  me- 
dicines. Leeches  should  be  repeatedly  applied,  the 
parts  bathed  with  saturnine  lotions,  the  diet  limited  to 
the  mildest  nutriment,  and  wine  avoided.  In  short,  at 
this  period,  every  thing  that  can  prevent  or  lessen  in- 
ilammation  should  be  employed,  while  the  activity  of 
the  smaller  vessels  may  be  gently  stimulated  to  prevent 
or  relieve  congestion.  We  combine  the  stimulant  and 
relaxant  power  very  successfully  in  the  form  of  Plum- 
mer's  pill,  to  which  a  slight  opiate  may  be  added,  taking 
care  that  no  constipation  of  the  bowels  should  increase 
the  heat.  After  a  short  period,  the  external  applica- 
tions may  be  more  stimulating.  The  aqua  ammoniae 
acetat-t  may  supersede  Goulard's  lotion;  a  small  pro- 
portion of  mercurial  ointment  with  camphor  may  be 
gently  rubbed  in,  around  rather  than  v/ion  the  tumour, 
or  a  mercurial  plaster  applied.  At  the  same  period, 
issues  have  been  sometimes  formed  in  distant  parts, 
but  we  have  had  little  experience  of  their  utility;  yet 
the  measure  certainly  merits  a  trial. 

Internal  cancers,  however,  give  no  certain  index  of 
their  existence  till  they  are  advanced  much  further. 
Vi  • .  if  in  a  cachectic  state,  there  are  irregular  and  dark 
discharges  of  blood  from  the  vagina,  shooting  pains  in 


the  lower  part  of  the  belly,  a  sense  of  weight  on 
ing  in  bed  sensibly  felt  to  fall  on  the  lower  side;  above 
all,  if,  on  examination,  the  uterus  feels  heavy,  the  osti- 
nea»  hard,  and  w-ith  irregular  projections;  there  can  be 
little  doubt  of  the  cause.  When  the  discharge  becomes 
more  decidedly  of  a  cancerous  nature,  every  doubt  must 
be  removed.  Cancer  in  the  vagina,  an  uncommon  case, 
but  of  which  we  have  seen  an  instance,  can  be  easily 
felt:  in  the  rectum  also  the  distinction  is  not  difficult. 
In  the  stomach  it  is  very  doubtful,  and  is  seldom  as- 
certained till  after  death.  Yet,  whenever  cancer  is 
suspected  in  the  internal  parts,  if  no  discharge  has  yet 
taken  place,  the  same  plan  of  internal  remedies  may"  be 
followed. 

A  question  will  arise,  whether  this  (we  now 
the  state  of  external  cancers  in  the  early  peri 
proper  time  for  the  celebrated  deobstruents. 
and  arsenic  ?     Were  our  own  experience  to 
we  should  say,  that,  in  this  state,  we  have  : 
useful.     Of  the  former  we  would  speak 
sitation.     It  seems  to  have  been  first  gi . 
trial,   and   continued  from   the   conikiei 
those  who  had  apparently  used  it  with  su 
integrity  of  Van  Swieten,  Storck,  an-:  ( 
not  insinuate  the  slightest  suspicion  : 
those  who  are  willing  to  believe  in  the  power- 
dicine,  will  always  find  some  facts  apparently  to  support 
them.     We  dare  not  say  that  hemlock  is' of  no  use; 
but  if  called  on  for  facts  to  justify  any  assertion  in  its 
favour,  we  should  find  them  with  difficulty.    After  these 
observations  we  need  not  return  to  this  remedy,  but 
shall  only  add,  that  the  doses,  gradually  increased,  of 
the  extract,  soon  become  a  cold  inert  mass  on  the  sto- 
mach.    The  seeds  are  more  active  in  a  smaller  bulk; 
but,  in  whatever  form  it  is  given,  it  should  be  increased 
till  it  exerts  some  evident  power  on  the  general  system, 
either  by  affecting  the  head  or  stomach  with   giddiness 
or  nausea. 

We  may,  indeed,  be  asked,  by  what  links  we  connect 
the  effects  of  the  hemlock  with  the  accounts  we  have 
given  of  the  disease?  We  see  no  connection  ;  but  may- 
observe,  in  general,  that  all  the  poisonous  plants  excite 
a  commotion  in  the  system,  with  a  design  probably  of 
counteracting  their  deleterious  effects.  When  this 
commotion  is  general  and  considerable,  the  obstructions 
of  a  diseased  part  may  experience  some  salutary  change. 
This  is  the  case  with  the  aconite,  the  foxglove,  the  hem- 
lock, and  the  whole  tribe;  and  the  suspicion  receives 
no  inconsiderable  support  from  this  circumstance,  that 
these  medicines  are  only  serviceable  when  raised  to  such 
a  dose  as  to  produce  violent  effects.  Few  practitioners 
will,  probably,  doubt  that  hemlock  has  done  infinite!1, 
more  mischief  in  supposed  cancers,  than  it  has  done 
good  in  real  ones. 

It  may  be  asked,  also,  to  what  period  of  the  coir.pl 
the  internal  use  of  arsenic  should  be  confined  :  We 
suspect  it  is  not  proper  in  this  early  stage :  at  a  later 
period  it  certainly  acts  as  a  tonic,  and  a  moderately 
gentle  stimulant.  We  have  seen,  from  its  use,  an  ex- 
tensive sore  filled  with  the  most  healthy  granulations, 
the  complexion  become  clear,  the  appetite  improved, 
and  the  general  health  increased.  Unfortunate]',,  these 
good  effects  have  not  been  permanent.  By  increasing 
the  dose,  we  have  gained  a  little  more,  but  at  ! 
advantage  was  apparently  ' 

r  u  ? 


CAN 


!32 


CAN 


We  have  been  led,  however,  from  our  path,  by  pur- 
suing the  effects  of  remedies  not  adapted  for  the  stage 
of  the  complaint  we  were  considering.  When  an  ac- 
cidental tumour  is  excited  to  suppuration  in  a  diseased 
habit,  and  the  plans  formerly  mentioned  neither  discuss 
it  nor  prevent  inflammation,  the  sore  appears  to  arise 
from  distinct  points  in  the  manner  described,  which 
soon  unite,  and  form  one  large,  foul,  ragged  ulcer,  with 
retracted  or  inverted  edges.  This  ulcer  is  painful  and 
irritable;  but  the  sedative  applications  do  not  then  suc- 
ceed, and  moderately  stimulant  ones  seem  to  relieve. 
In  fact,  the  inflammation  is  of  the  erysipelatous  kind, 
and  requires  warmer  applications  than  truly  phlegmonic 
sores.  At  this  period,  medicines,  we  fear,  are  useless. 
The  arsenic,  the  hemlock,  the  aconite,  the  bclla  donna, 
with  innumerable  other  poisonous  plants,  have  had 
their  supporters,  but  success  has  not  procured  many 
imitators.  The  carrot  poultice  was  thought  useful :  it 
corrected  the  foetor,  but  did  no  more.  The  carbonic 
acid  air  had  its  day  of  triumph  in  many  different  forms, 
but  is  no  longer  remembered.  Hemlock  has  been  used 
in  fomentations  and  in  tepid  baths,  in  which  the  pa- 
tient has  been  directed  to  sit  for  twenty  minutes,  at 
times  with  some  apparent  utility,  but  often  without  ef- 
fect. Toads  have  been  induced  to  suck  the  sore,  and 
it  has  been  said  that- they  expire  in  agonies,  while  the 
appearance  of  the  ulcer  is  meliorated.  If  this  were, 
however,  the  case,  the  practice  would  not  have  been 
abandoned.  We  have  witnessed  the  experiment,  but 
it  was  at  an  age  when  our  observations  ceuld  scarcely 
be  trusted.  At  this  period,  mercury  is,  we  think,  in- 
jurious; but  arsenic,  which  unites  a  tonic  with  an  in- 
ferior stimulating  power,  will  often  produce  temporary 
benefit. 

We  have  described  the  effects  of  arsenic  given  inter- 
nally, as  well  as  the  disappointment  which  often  followed 
its  continued  use.  Another  metallic  tonic  has  been 
employed,  it  is  said  with  some  success,  in  cancers,  viz. 
the  ferrum  ammoniacale,  formerly  the  flores  Martial es. 
With  this  remedy  we  have  had  little  experience;  but 
Tiave  reason  to  believe,  that,  like  the  arsenic,  its  advan- 
tages are  temporary  only.  It  is  assisted  by  a  tincture 
of  iron,  united  probably  with  aether;  but  which  is  imi- 
tated, with  sufficient  advantage,  by  mixing  the  tinctura 
ferri  muriati  with  an  equal  portion  of  spirit  of  wine. 

Before  we  speak  more  fully  of  external  and  other  re- 
medies, we  may  mention  one  form  of  cancer  which 
does  not  essentially  differ  from  the  usual  appearances  of 
the  disease  but  in  its  very  rapid  increase.  It  has  been 
railed  the  occult  cancer,  probably  because  it  was  sup- 
posed to  be  a  sudden  deposition  of  matter  before  con- 
cealed. The  swelling  is  rapid,  and  increases  soon  to  an 
alarming  size,  with  very  considerable  hardness.  Whe- 
ther this  be  a  real  deposition  from  the  blood,  or  whether 
peculiar  causes  assist  its  rapid  increase,  is  of  little  con- 
sequence to  enquire,  as  the  treatment  is  the  same,  and 
the  success,  though  not  greater,  certainly  not  less. 

When  a  tumour  in  any  part  has  not  ulcerated,  when 
attended  with  little  pain,  and  freely  moveable,  extirpa- 
tion is  an  operation  equally  easy  and  successful.  In 
parts  apparently  not  glandular,  as  in  the  cheeks,  the 
lips,  the  glans  penis,  &c.  it  very  often  succeeds  com- 
pletely. In  the  breast,  the  disease  is  more  likely  to  re- 
turn;  yet,  in  the  state  just  described,  even  this  is  not 
ve'ry  common.  The  further  we  recede  from  it,  the  less 


favourable  is  the  prognostic.  The  first  Monro  gives, 
in  the  Medical  Essays  of  Edinburgh,  a  very  unfavour- 
able statement  of  the  operation;  but  Mr.  Hill,  of  Dum- 
fries, seems  to  have  been  more  successful.  It  may  be, 
indeed,  remarked,  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  cancers 
he  extirpated  were  from  the  lips  and  other  parts;  those 
of  the  breast  were  not  equally  numerous. 

When  female  timidity  refuses  to  submit  to  the  knife, 
a  caustic  has  been  proposed,  and  the  substance  chosen 
has  been  arsenic.  We  have  already  spoken  of  this  sub- 
stance and  its  preparations,  but,  by  accident,  omitted 
one  very  commonly  employed,  the  magnes  arsenicalis. 
The  omission  was  the  more  singular,  as  it  stood  in  our 
list  of  arsenical  preparations,  and  we  mentioned  the 
plasters  formed  from  it.  The  preparation  was  first 
described  by  Hollandus  about  the  latter  end  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  and  afterwards  by  Crollius,  Ange- 
lus  Sala,  and  Vitalis.  It  is  made  by  melting  together 
arsenic,  sulphur,  and  antimony.  The  preparation  has 
been  improved  by  Mr.  Justamond,  who  used  it  as  a 
caustic,  under  the  name  of  arsenicum  antimoniatum. 
and  was  prepared  by  melting  two  parts  of  antimony 
with  one  of  arsenic.  The  sulphur  of  the  antimony  sup- 
plies a  sufficient  portion  in  this  instance  to  lessen  the 
virulence  of  the  metal. 

We  think,  however,  that  arsenic  is  improperly  called 
a  caustic.  This  acts  by  destroying  the  part  to  which  it 
is  applied.  Arsenic,  on  the  contrary,  separates  Un- 
sound from  the  diseased  portion,  not  by  any  action  on 
the  part  itself,  but  by  exciting  the  powers  of  nature; 
and  a  caustic  is  added  to  it  to  destroy  the  integuments. 
The  effect  of  arsenic  may  be  very  properly  illustrated 
by  what  takes  place  in  mortifications.  When,  by  warm 
fomentations,  stimulants,  and  tonics,  the  disease  is  con- 
quered, a  red  circle  is  observed  at  some  little  distance 
from  the  mortified  part,  which,  by  degrees,  suppurates, 
separating  the  diseased  from  the  healthy  portion.  Ar- 
senic acts  in  the  same  way.  No  part  is  destroyed,  but, 
by  the  inflammation  excited,  the  diseased  mass  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  sound.  In  this  action,  it  coincides  with 
what  we  have  observed  of  its  general  effects,  which  we 
found  to  be  those  of  a  stimulant  and  tonic;  and  the  , 
opinion  is  supported  by  the  similar  effects  of  a  remedy, 
whose  powers  we  found  greatly  to  resemble  those  of 
arsenic;  we  mean  mercury.  In  the  bay  sore,  which  is 
a  true  cancer,  occurring  on  the  coast  of  Honduras,  we 
are  informed,  by  Dr.  Moseley,  that  an  effectual  cure  is 
obtained  by  an  application  of  corrosive  sublimate. 
About  a  scruple  is  sufficient  for  a  cancer,  which  a  plas- 
ter of  diachylon,  about  the  size  o£  a  crown  piece,  would 
cover.  Mr.  Justamond,  in  some  instances,  joins  the 
corrosive  sublimate  with  arsenic.  Opium,  added  to 
both  applications,  mitigates  the  pain  without  injuring 
the  efficacy  of  the  remedy.  The  argentum  nitratum, 
with  opium,  is  sometimes  applied  the  day  before  the 
arsenic,  to  destroy  the  integuments,  in  which  it  supplies 
the  place  of  the  crowfoot  in  Plunket's  receipt. 

When  ulceration  has  begun  and  is  spreading;  when 
the  tumour  is  fixed  to  the  ribs;  the  glands  leading  to 
the  axilla  swelled;  art  can  no  longer  promise  relief. 
To  case  the  pain  and  lessen  the  foetor  of  the  discharge, 
are  al!  its  pretensions,  and  these  objects  are  often  at- 
tained by  opium,  hemlock,  the  carrot  poultice,  oxy- 
genated muriatic  acid,  goose  grass,  and  fixed  air. 
Opium  and  hemlock  may  be  given  for  the  relief  of  parti. 


(AN 


333 


C  A  N 


internally,  and  applied  externally  in  poultices  or  washes : 
the  others  are  applied  externally  only.  The  fixed  air 
has  been  thrown  against  the  sore  from  an  elastic  bottle, 
or  a  bladder  armed  with  a  proper  pipe ;  or  the  part  has 
been  bathed  by  the  acidulous  water.  Mr.  Justamond, 
for  a  similar  purpose,  advises  the  powder  of  the  cala- 
mus aromaticus,  or  of  the  flowers  of  zinc  ;  to  either  of 
which  as  mucn  crude  sal  ammoniac  as  the  state  of  the 
ulcer  will  allow  may  be  added.  Even  in  this  state, 
however,  the  ulcer  sometimes  suddenly  heals ;  but,  it 
is,  as  we  have  said,  to  carry  its  destructive  influence  to 
other  parts;  and  this  unexpected  change  has  given 
credit  to  the  numerous  nostrums  so  industriously  re- 
commended. 

Mr.  Bell,  in  his  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  edit.  3.  p.  299, 
Sec.  observes,  that  cancers  are  most  frequently  in  the 
lips  in  men,  and  the  breasts  in  women.  The  sooner, 
we  have  remarked,  the  operation  is  performed,  the 
greater  is  the  chance  of  the  extirpation  proving  effec- 
tual. This,  however,  is  contradicted  positively  by  Mr. 
Pearson.  "If,"  says  he,  "the  removal  of  the  morbid 
part  were  equally  complete  in  two  patients,  one  of 
whom  had  been  afflicted  seven  months,  and  the  other 
seven  years,  with  a  cancer,  I  should  esteem  the  latter  in 
less  danger  of  a  relapse  than  the  former.  For  example, 
when  the  breast  is  affected  by  a  cancer,  distant  parts  of 
that  gland  may  become  the  seat  of  the  morbid  altera- 
tion about  the  same  period.  These  several  diseased 
portions  may  not  advance  with  equal  celerity;  but, 
while  one  part  acquires  a  considerable  bulk,  the  other 
altered  parts  may  be  scarcely  objects  of  attention.  Un- 
der such  circumstances,  the  more  obviously  morbid 
parts  may  be  removed;  but,  the  disease  being  only  in 
progression,  no  man  can  be  certain,  without  removing 
the  whole  breast,  that  he  has  not  left  some  diseased 
fibres.  If,  however,  the  disease  shall  continue  without 
increasing  during  several  years,  one  may  in  general 
conclude  that  its  boundaries  are  more  accurately  de- 
fined." Conscious  that  such  accidents  may  occur,  Mr. 
Bell  therefore  advises,  when  the  complaint  is  on  the 
breast,  although  part  of  it  only  may  be  affected,  the 
whole  should  be  always  taken  off.  But,  although  it  be 
proper  to  extirpate  every  part  that  is  really  diseased, 
none  of  the  sound  external  teguments  should  be  ever 
unnecessarily  destroyed,  nor  should  more  of  them  be 
faken  away  than  is  requisite.  A  little  before  the  sore 
heals  up,  an  issue  should  be  established,  so  as  to  dis- 
charge freely  before  the  cicatrix  is  formed.  If  scirrhous 
or  cancerous  disorders  appear  in  several  different  parts, 
the  removal  of  any  or  all  of  them  would  not  probably 
be  effectual.  If  cancers  adhere  to  another  adjacent 
part,  they  rarely  can  be  extirpated  with  safety  ;  a  can- 
cerous tumour  may  be  attached  to  a  circumjacent 
muscle  or  tendon,  and  may  admit  of  an  operation  :  how- 
ever, much  prudence  is  requisite  in  attempting  a  des- 
perate case.  See  also  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  434, 
where  he  directs  how  to  amputate  cancerous  br. 
AMPUTATIO. 

\\  hen  tumours  of  the  axillary  glands  occur,  their  ex- 
tirpation also  is  generally  recommended.  We  have, 
however,  suspected  that  this  is  unnecessary,  for  we 
have  found  them  remain  indolent  :  after  the 

operation  has  succeeded.  Yet  it  is  a  prudent  precaution. 

CANCER  ox  THE  FACE  is  generally  seated  on  the-  iips, 
nose,  or  eye  lids.  When  these  ulcerate,  they  are  al- 


ways attended  with  a  hardness,  which  extends  in  pro- 
portion as  that  which  formed  the  first   tumour  is  de- 
stroyed by  erosion,  and  is  always  preceded  by  a  change 
in  the  colour  of  the  skin,  which,  before  it  indur 
turns  red;    and,   in  extirpating,  all  that  is  thus  florid 
must  be  cut  away,  as  well  as  the  part  that  is  aianifestly 
cancerous.     See  Le    Dran's   Observation.^.     When  a 
cancer  on  the  lip  becomes  ulcerous,  it  appea: 
like  a  crack,  and  then  gradually  widens.  In  extirp. 
cancerous  lips,  the  operation  is  best  performed  i 
the  cure  of  the  hare  lip.     Mr.  Sheldon  obse: 
cancer  in  the  cheek,  which  no  operation  can  cure, 
ceeds  from  a  polypus: 

CANCER  ix  THE  INTESTINES.     In  this  case  the  patient 
is  continually  afflicted  with  a  highly  acrid  and  obstinate- 
discharge  from  the  bowels  resembling  dysente: 
corrodes  all  the  parts  it  touches,  and  is  attended  with 
frequent  convulsions  and  fixed  pains. 

CANCER  ix  THE  TESTICLE.  The  most  powerful  means 
may  be  tried;  great  advantage  hath  followed  the  inter- 
nal and  external  use  of  hemlock,  but  castration  is  gene- 
rally the  sad  but  safest  resource. 

CANCER  IN  THE  WOMB.  This  disease,  we  have  said, 
happens  generally  about  the  time  of  the  menses  disap- 
pearing, but  may  occur  at  any  other  period  of  life.  It 
is  known  by  tensive  lancinating  pains  in  the  pelvis  and 
womb ;  indurations  in  the  part,  sensible  to  the  touch, 
a  preceding  immoderate  discharge  of  the  whites,  some- 
times of  the  catamenia,  or  both.  .£tius  remarks,  that 
"  there  is  a  violent  pain  in  the  groins,  upper  part  o 
belly  and  loins,  whilst  the  parts  original!;.  I  can 

hardly  bear  to  be  touched  :  but,  if  the  cancer  is  u! 
ted,  besides  the  pain  and  hardness  about  the  ne 
the  womb,  there  are  ulcers  with  tumid,   sordid,  and 
whitish  lips,  and  from  them  a  fetid  sanie-  The 

discharge  from  these  ulcers  is  very  various,  being  some- 
times bloody,  sanio&s,  or  accompanied  with  sloughs. 
If  the  indurations  are  not  ulcerated,  the  discharge  is 
sanious  and  acrid.  In  time  the  labia  swell,  and  arc 
cedematous;  and  if,  as  sometimes  happens,  the  ingui- 
nal  glands  are  obstructed,  the  cedema  extends  alon 
thigh. 

In  this  unhappy  case,  besides  the  general  methc 
clo3e  adherence  to  the  extract,  or  semina  cicutas  -, 
be  insisted  on ;  beginning  with  a  small  dose,  an. 
creasing  it  gradually.     This  sometimes  moderate 
pains  better  than  opium.     Mr.  Justamond,  in  this  case, 
depends  much  on  the  bath  and  injections  of  hem. 
See  CANCER. 

Mr.  Le  Febure  recommends,  in  case  of  cancL 
ulcers  in  the  womb,  that  injections  should  be  frequently 
thrown  up  of  a  decoction  of  carrots  and  hemlock,  i 
ing  four  grains  of  opium,  and  as  much  arsenic,  dissolved 
in  every  pint.     When  in  the  bone  or  bones  of  a  ii 
cancer  takes  place,  the  amputation  of  that  limb  will  be 
necessary. 

The  peculiar  advantages  of  Mr.  Fearon's  mode  of 
excision  of  the  breast,  and  .tnaent,  merit 

attention. 

The  patient  being  seated  COHV  .cad 

supported  upon  a  pill''  ;  assistant  behind, 

her  arms  held  by  one  on  ea-  .e  surgeon  m: 

a  hoi •!.  jbion,  in  the  direction  of  the  ri: 

below  the  nipple;    the  assistants  then  cira'.v  U 
ments  as  far  asunder  as  possible,  and  press  their  fingers 


CAN 


334 


C  A  N 


on  the  bleeding  arteries,  whilst  the  surgeon  is  dissecting 
the  diseased  mass  from  the  skin  above,  and  the  pectoral 
muscle  or  parts  below  :  after  which,  the  wound  being 
carefully  examined,  every  small  indurated  part  is  to  be 
removed. 

The  haemorrhage  by  this  time  generally  ceases;  but 
if  an  artery  still  bleeds  freely,  it  must  be  secured  by 
means  of  the  tcnaculum  and  ligature,  the  ends  of  which 
are  left  a  proper  length  out  of  the  wound.  The  whole 
is  then  cleaned ;  and  the  parts  and  edges  of  the  wound 
are  laid  in  even  and  perfect  contact,  and  retained  so  by 
two,  three,  or  more  sutures  of  the  interrupted  kind,  ac- 
cording to  the  extent  of  the  wound,  and  by  the  appli- 
cations of  slips  of  adhesive  plaster,  in  the  intermediate 
spaces,  across  the  line  of  incision. 

About  the  third  or  fourth  day  the  serous  discharge 
appears  through  the  bandages,  and  the  slips  of  plaster 
grow  loose  and  require  to  be  removed :  the  stitches  in 
the  teguments  are  then  to  be  divided  with  a  pair  of 
scissors.  The  incision  is  afterwards  dressed  daily  with 
small  slips  of  lint,  spread  thin  with  a  mild  cerate  made 
of  the  purest  oil  and  wax.  The  ligatures  by  which  the 
arteries  are  secured,  are  gently  drawn  every  day  after 
the  first  inflammation  is  abated,  and  taken  away  in  due 
time  for  the  secondary  union,  or  what  is  termed  adhe- 
sive inflammation,  to  take  place.  The  cure  is  greatly 
accelerated  by  repeatedly  supporting  the  edges  with  a 
lew  slips  of  adhesive  plaster. 

When  the  skin  is  ulcerated  or  diseased,  a  second  in- 
cision is  made  in  as  straight  a  line  as  the  inclusion  of 
the  diseased  part  will  admit,  down  to  the  extremity  of 
the  first;  and  the  edges  are  brought  together  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  the  first  incision.  The  incision  is 
to  be  made  below  the  nipple,  because  the  natural  posi- 
tion of  the  part  more  readily  assists  the  union,  and  the 
breast  is  less  subject  to  deformity. 

Thus  the  cure  is  generally  completed  in  a  fortnight 
or  three  weeks ;  nay,  sometimes  in  as  many  days  as 
weeks,  where  the  suppurative  process  has  been  allowed 
to  take  place.  A  large,  thick,  soft  compress  made  of 
linen,  which  has  been  in  use,  is  to  be  applied  after  each 
mode  of  dressing;  and  a  linen,  or  rather  a  flannel  roller, 
about  five  inches  broad,  and  six  or  eight  yards  long, 
bound  gently  tight  over  all.  The  arm  on  the  affected 
side  is  to  be  supported  in  the  bent  position  by  a  hand- 
kerchief tied  round  the  neck.  It  has  been  a  former 
custom  to  suffer  the  wound  to  remain  long  open,  with  a 
view  to  drain  off  the  remaining  virus;  but  this  has  been 
found  tedious  and  useless. 

We  have  omitted  mentioning  one  remedy,  which,  if 
we  recollect  rightly,  is  recommended  in  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  Medicine  at  Paris ;  we  mean 
lizards.  This  remedy  was  said  to  have  been  used  in 
South  America ;  and,  though  a  particular  species  was 
mentioned,  it  was  added  that  almost  every  other  had  a 
similar  effect ;  and  we  find,  in  some  authors,  the  lacerta 
agilis  recommended  for  this  purpose.  The  whole 
lizard  tribe,  dried  and  powdered,  is  recommended  as 
sudorifics  and  alterants.  The  lizards,  in  cancers, 
were  said  to  promote  a  considerable  discharge  of 
yellow,  offensive  sweat,  which  relieved  the  pain  and 
diminished  the  tumour.  We  know  of  no  species  that 
is  poisonous. 

See  Le  Dran's  Opej-ations,  Med.  Mus.  vol.  i.  p.  81, 
&c.  and  338,  £tc.  Lond.  Med.  Trans,  vol.  i.  75.  Gooch's 


Med.  Obs.  vol.  iii.  Hill  on  Cancers.  Bell  on  Ulcers, 
edit.  3.  p.  299.  Justamond  on  Cancers.  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, ii.  434.  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i. 
209,  &c.  and  Practical  Observations  on  Cancerous 
Complaints.  White's  Surgery,  52.  Fearon  on  Can- 
cers. Mosely  on  Tropical  Diseases. 

CA'NCER  MUNDITO'RUM.  Chimney  sweeper's  Cancer. 
See  SCROTUM. 

CA'NCER  o'ssis.     See  SPINA  VKNTOSA. 

CA'NCHRY,  or  CA'NCHRYS.     See  CACHRVS. 

CANCINPE'RICON.  Hot  HORSE  DUNG.  See 
ANIIELATIO. 

CANCRO'RUM  LAPIDES,  (from  cancer,  a  crab}. 
See  OCULI  CAXCKORUM. 

CA'NCRUM  O'RIS,  (from  cancer,  a  spreading 
ulcer}.  CANKER  OF  THE  MOUTH  ;  called  also  a/ihtlus  ser- 
jientes,  librisulcium,  gangrena  oris,  by  Le  Dran  c/icilo- 
cace.  It  is  a  deep,  foul,  irregular,  fetid  ulcer,  with 
ragged  edges,  which  appears  upon  the  inside  of  the  lips 
and  cheeks;  and  is  attended  with  a  copious  flow  of  of- 
fensive saliva. 

This  disease  is  seldom  seen  in  adults,  but  it  most 
commonly  attacks  children.  When  the  ulceration  be- 
gins at  the  inner  part  of  the  lip,  it  exhibits  a  deep,  nar- 
row, sulcatccl  appearance,  and  quickly  spreads  along  the 
inside  of  the  cheek,  which  becomes  hard,  and  tumefied 
externally.  The  gums  are  very  frequently  affected,  the 
teeth  are  generally  loose  and  diseased;  matter  is  often 
found  in  the  sockets,  and  abscesses  sometimes  burst 
externally  through  the  cheek,  the  lip,  or  a  little  below 
the  maxilla  inferior :  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see 
an  exfoliation  of  the  alveolar  processes,  or  even  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  lower  jaw.  Among  the  children 
of  poor  people,  where  this  disease  is  often  neglect- 
ed or  mismanaged,  a  gangrene  will  sometimes  su- 
pervene. 

In  order  to  the  cure,  it  will  be  proper  to  remove  any- 
diseased  teeth  or  bones  if  possible  ;  to  prescribe  a  milk 
and  vegetable  diet,  and  to  allow  a  prudent  use  of  fer- 
mented liquors  ;  to  give  the  Peruvian  bark,  sarsaparilla, 
elm  bark,  and  mineral  acids. 

External  applications  may  be  preparations  of  copper : 
a  diluted  mineral  acid  :  burnt  alum:  decoction  of  bark, 
with  borax,  or  tincture  of  myrrh.  See  APHTHAE  :  also 
Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  262. 

CANDE'LA.  A  CANDLE,  (from  cancleo,  to  shine}. 
Exhalations  from  candles  are  salutary  or  hurtful,  ac- 
cording to  the  materials  of  which  they  are  formed. 
Old  tallow  often  sends  off  bad  fumes;  wax,  though 
white,  creates  the  head  ach,  and  often  hurts  weak  lungs ; 
hogs'  fat  is  very  offensive  ;  beef  tallow  alone  is  not  good ; 
that  of  sheep  affords  the  best. 

CANDE'LA  FUMA'LIS,  or  candela  pro  snffiiu  odorata; 
called  so  from  fumus,  smoke,  from  their  odoriferous 
effluvia;  called  also  t&da,  avis,  and  avicuta  Cy/iria. 
These  are  made  of  odoriferous  powders,  mixed  with 
one  third  or  more  of  the  charcoal  of  willows  or  lime 
tree,  and  reduced  to  a  consistence  with  turpentine,  lab- 
danum,  &c.  Resinous  substances  alone  may  be  mixed 
with  balsamics;  they  give  out  a  gr.rteful  odour,  purify 
the  air,  and  raise  the  spirits.  They  were  formerly 
burnt  in  times  of  pestilence  :  they  are  also,  from  their 
form,  called  bacilli,  and  masse  ad  fornacem,  because 
they  are  usually  applied  to  a  hot  grate  or  chimney  to 
diffuse  their  smell  without  lighting  them.  See  Cho- 


(     V  N 


335 


(     V  N 


inel's  Diet.  CEconomique:  for  Candela,  medicdta,  see 

BOUGIE. 

CANDE'LA  HEGIA,  and  CANDELARIA.      See    VERBAS- 


CA'NDUM,  a  corruption  of  canthum;  SUGAR  CAN- 
DY. See  SACCHARCM. 

CANE'LA,  (from  canna,  a  reed).  A  word  used  by 
the  ancients  for  CINNAMON,  or  rather  CASSIA. 

CAXE'LLA,    (from   the    same).       See    CINNAMO- 

MUM. 

CANE'LLA  A'LBA,  (from  the  same;  because  these 
barks  have  a  reed  like  appearance,  from  being  rolled 
up  in  that  form).  Called  also  canella  cubana;  Mala- 
barica;  ivinterana;  Jamaicensis;  tubis  minoribus  alba; 
cinnamomum  album;  Malabaricum;  aromaticum  lig- 
num; aromaticus  cortex;  caminga;  caryofihilli  suavis 
odoris;  winterania  canella;  corte x  winte ranus  sfiurius; 
cassia  lignea  Jamaicensis;  arbor  Jucadice;  WILD  CIN- 
NAMON TREE.  H'interana  canella  Lin.  Supplem.  247. 
Canella  alba  Murray  Syst.  Veg.  443,  and  Swartz.  Lin. 
Trans,  v.  i.  p.  96.  '  Canella  alba  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  Wilde- 
no\v,  vol.  ii.  p.  851.  Nat.  order,  oleracee. 

The  bark  of  this  tree  is  commonly,  but  falsely,  called 
cortex  tointeranus.  It  is  a  large  tree,  whose  bark  con- 
sists of  two  parts,  an  outward  and  an  inward;  the 
outer  is  as  thin  as  a  milled  shilling,  of  an  ash  grey 
colour,  with  whiter  spots  here  and  there,  and  several 
shallow  furrows  of  a  darker  colour  running  variously 
through  it;  the  taste  is  aromatic.  The  inner  bark, 
which  only  is  employed,  is  thicker  than  that  of  cinna- 
mon, being  as  thick  as  a  milled  crown  piece,  smooth,  of 
a  whiter  colour  than  the  outward,  inclining  to  yellow, 
and  of  a  more  biting  and  aromatic  taste,  resembling 
that  of  cloves,  and  not  glutinous  when  chewed,  but  dry, 
and  crumbling  between  the  teeth.  It  is  called  the 
West  India  cinnamon  tree.  The  bark  is  of  different 
thickness,  according  to  the  age  and  size  of  the  branch 
from  which  it  is  taken. 

It  grows  in  Jamaica,  Antigua,  and  other  of  the  Ca- 
ribbee  islands.  The  bark  is  the  chief  part  in  use,  the 
poor  natives  employ  it  instead  of  all  other  spices ;  its  vir- 
tues, though  similar,  are  very  weak.  It  is  sold  in  Eng- 
land for  the  cortex  winteranus,  for  its  virtues  are  the 
same  :  it  yields  a  heavy  oil,  which,  when  mixed  with 
a  little  oil  of  cloves,  is  sold  for  it;  and  Dr.  Brown 
adds,  the  adulteration  is  no  prejudice  to  the  credit  of 
the  oil  of  cloves.  It  is  a  pungent,  bitterish  aromatic, 
not  very  agreeable  in  taste.  Water  extracts  only  the 
bitter,  but  proof  spirit  both  the  bitter  and  aroma.  It 
is  used  in  dyspepsia,  and  to  warm  some  of  the  less 
agreeable  or  narcotic  bitters.  See  Miller's  Bot.  Off.  and 
Dr.  Brown's  Natural  History  of  Jamaica.  Woodville's 
Med.  Botan. 

CANELLA  JAVENSIS,  MALABARICA.  See  FOLIUM, 
and  CASSIA  LIGNEA. 

CANELLA    SYLVESTRIS  MALABARICA.       See     FOLI- 

\  M. 

CANELLA  CUURDO,  ZEYLANICA.  See  CINNAMO- 
utnc. 

CANELLITERA  MALABA'RICA,(from  canella, 
and  fero,  to  bear ).  See  CASSIA  LIGNEA. 

CANICA.  a  spice  used  in  the  island  of  Cuba,  pro- 
bably the  pimento ;  or  from  some  of  the  species  of 
myrrhs. 

CANIC.E.     Coarse  meal  was  anciently  thus  called, 


from  can/*,  a  dog,  because  it  was  food  for  dogs.  Hence 
fianis  canicaceus,  very  coarse  bread. 

CANICIDA,  (from  canis,  a  dog,  and  cedo,  to  kill, 
so  called  because  they  are  destroyed  by  eating  it).  See 

ACONITUM. 

CANICI  DIUM,  (from  canis,  a  dog,  and  c<sdo,  to 
cut).  A  dissection  of  living  dogs. 

C ANICULA'RIS,  (from  canicula,  the  dog  star). 
DOG  DAYS.  This  is  the  time  when  the  canicula,  or 
dog  star,  rises  and  sets  with  the  sun.  Some  centuries 
ago  they  began  about  the  middle  of  July,  or  somewhat 
later,  and  ended  about  the  latter  end  of  August  or  be- 
ginning of  September;  but  the  heliacal  rising  and 
setting  of  this  star  are  now  at  a  different  period  :  these 
days,  however,  still  retain  in  our  almanac  this  appella- 
tion, and  the  idea  of  the  dog  days  is  connected  with  ex- 
treme heat.  In  some  countries  they  continue  to  main- 
tain the  opinion,  that  bleeding  and  other  evacuations 
are  not  efficacious  in  this  season,  or  rather  in  very  hot 
weather,  because  of  the  unusual  languor  of  the  patient ; 
and  probably  with  reason. 

CANI'NA  APPETE  NTIA,  (from  canis,  a  dog, 
and  afifietens,  hungering).  Fames.  See  BOULIMUS. 

CANI'NA  BRA'SSICA.  See  MERCURIALIS  SYLVES- 
TRIS. 

CANI'NA  L'INGUA.     See  CYNOGLOSSUM. 

CANI'NA  MA'LCS.     See  MANDRAGORA. 

CANI'NA  RA'BIES.     See  HYDROPHOBIA. 

CANI'NI  DE'NTES,  called  also  dentet  cynodontes. 
The  teeth  betwixt  the  incisores  and  the  grinders,  of 
which  there  is  one  in  each  side,  both  in  the  upper  and 
lower  jaw.  See  DENS. 

Mr.  John  Hunter,  in  his  Natural  History  of  the  Hu- 
man Teeth,  names  these  cugfiidati,  because,  though 
made  somewhat  like  the  incisores,  they  have  the  two 
sides  of  the  edge  sloped  off  to  a  point,  and  this  point 
is  very  sharp.  Their  fangs  are  longer  than  those  of 
the  incisores,  and,  therefore,  from  the  fangs  of  those  in 
the  upper  jaw  being  supposed  to  extend  the  greatest 
part  of  the  way  to  the  eye,  they  have  been  called  the 
EYE  TEETH.  Their  use  seems  to  be  to  hold  what  is 
caught  or  taken.  In  Varro  and  Pliny  they  are  called 
columellares. 

CANI'NI  MINORES.  The  incisorii  laterales  musculi 
sometimes  send  a  few  fibres  to  the  musculii  canini,  to 
which  Winslow  gives  the  above  name. 

CANI'NI  MUSCVLI.  Winslow  says  that  each  of  the 
two  muse,  canini  are  fixed  above  the  socket  of  the  dens 
caninus,  and  terminate  in  the  arch  of  the  orbicularis 
labiorum. 

CANI'NUS  SE'NTIS,  (from  canis,  a  dog,  and  sen- 
ds, a  thorn,  from  its  being  prickly  like  a  thorn). 
See  CYNOSBATOS. 

CANI  RAM.  (Indian.)  Called  also  mains  Ufalaba- 
rica.  It  is  a  large  tree,  bearing  a  smooth  gold  colour- 
ed apple,  whose  pulp  is  white  and  mucilaginous:  this 
fruit  is  remarkably  bitter,  and  so  are  its  seeds,  and  in- 
deed the  whole  tree.  The  root  is  cathartic,  the  bark 
restringent.  Raii  Hist.  The  root  of  the  ttrychnos 
niuc  t'omica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  271. 

CANIRU'BUS,  (from  canis,  and  rubus,  a  bramble). 
See  CYNOSBATOS. 

CA'NIS,  also  cy'on.  A  DOG.  Gloves  made  of 
dogs'  skins  are  worn  in  summer  to  keep  the  skin 
smooth  and  cool.  The  external  surface  of  these  skins 


<    AN 


336 


CAN 


is  smooth,  and,  as  is  common  with  polished  bodies, 
reflect  the  heat.  The  white  dung  of  this  animal  was 
formerly  in  esteem,  but  is  not  now  used.  See  ALBUM 
GRJEOUM. 

CA'NIS.     See  PK'NIS. 

CA'XIS     IXTKHFKOTOR.        SCO    CEVADILLA. 

CA'MS  rosTicus.     See  CASTOR. 

CANI'TIES,  (from  canus,  grey  /icadcdj.  Grey- 
ness  of  the  hairs,  or  grey  headed. 

CANNA,  (from  the  Hebrew  kanna,  a  reed,  or  hol- 
low cane).  It  is  applied  to  many  substances,  from 
some  similarity  in  their  appearances  ;  viz.  canna 
domestica  major  crnris,  and  canna  major.  See 
TIBIA. 

CANNA  FI'STULA.     See  CASSIA  FISTULARIS. 

CANNA  INDICA.  See  SAGITTARIA  ALEXIPHARMI- 
CA. 

CANNA  MI'KOR  CRU'HIS.     See  FIBULA. 

CANNABI'NA,  (from  canna,  a  reed,  so  named 
from  its  reed  like  appearance).  See  ACMELLA. 

CAXVAIU'NA  AQUA'TICA.     See  BIDENS. 

CANNABI'NUM.     See  EUPATORIUM. 

CA'NNABIS.  HEMP,  or  SEED  BEARING  HEMP; 
rannubis  saliva  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1452.  It  is  a  tall  annual 
herb  with  digitated  leaves,  cultivated  in  the  fields  on 
account  of  the  mechanic  uses  of  its  tough  rind.  Some 
of  the  plants,  called  male,  produce  flowers  composed 
of  yellowish  stamina  set  in  five  leaved  cups;  others, 
railed  female,  produce  seeds  moderately  large,  covered 
with  ;>.  shining  dark  grey  coloured  shell,  under  which  is 
lodged  a  white  kernel. 

This  plant  hath  a  rank  smell  of  the  narcotic  kind, 
which  is  supposed  to  injure  the  health  ;  the  effluvia  of 
the  fresh  herb  are  said  to  weaken  the  eyes  and  affect  the 
iiead  ;  and  the  water  in  which  the  herb  hath  been 
steeped,  for  facilitating  the  separation  of  the  tough 
rind,  is  thought  to  be  a  violent  and  sudden  poison. 
Both  in  smell  and  taste  it  is  highly  deleterious. 

The  leaves  of  an  oriental  hemji,  called  bang  or 
lianffue,  and  by  the  Egyptians  assis,  are  said  to  be  used 
in  the  eastern  countries  as  a  narcotic  and  aphrodisiac. 
Sec  BANGUK. 

The  faint  smell  of  the  seeds  goes  off  in  keeping; 
their  taste  is  unctuous  and  sweetish,  accompanied  with 
a  slight  warmth.  On  expression,  they  yield  much  in- 
sipid oil,  which  unites  with  water  by  trituration  into 
an  emulsion.  Decoctions  of  them  in  milk  are  com- 
mended in  coughs,  heat  of  urine,  and  in  all  cases 
c  the  mucus  has  been  abraded  :  their  use,  in  ge- 
neral, depends  on  their  emollient  and  demulcent  quali- 
ties. Miller's  Bot.  Off. 

C'A'NNABIS  I'NDICA  PEREGRI'XA.      See  BANGUE   and 


CANNA'CORUS    RADI'CE    CROCE'A,    (from 

,  a  reed,  and  euapvs,  ajhig).     See  CURCUMA. 
C'A'NNULA,  (a  dim.  of  canna,  a  reed).     A  name 
Tor  several  instruments  in  surgery  :  they  are  tubes  of 
.  cnt  shapes  and  sizes  ;    introduced  into  openings 
ibr  the  conveyance  of  a  fluid  from  the  part. 

CANO'NIAI,    (from    xavav,    a   rule   of  measure). 

ocnxtes,  in  his  book  De  Acre,  Sec.  gives  this  appel- 

0  to  persons  who  have  not  prominent  bellies.     He 

d  intimate  that  they  arc  formed  as  it  were  by  a 

.yht  rule  :  hence  the  term.     This  word,  canoniai,  is 

corruptly  used  for  canonti. 


CANOPI'TE.  The  name  of  a  collyrium  mentioned 
by  Celsus. 

CANO'PUM.  In  P.  jEgincta  it  is  both  the  flower 
and  the  bark  of  the  elder  tree. 

CANSCHE'NA-POU.     See  MANDARU. 

CANSJA'VA.     See  BANGUE. 

CANTA'BRICA,  also  called  convolvulus  minimus 
sjiicafoliis}  convolv.  linari&  folio  ;  convolvulus  canta- 
brica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  225.  Pliny  says  it  is  an  herb  that  was 
discovered,  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  in  the  country  of 
the  Cantabri  in  Spain.  It  grows  wild  in  the  field, 
flowers  in  June,  and  is  commended  against  worms. 
Like  all  the  convolvuli  it  is  actively  cathartic.  See 
CONVOLVULUS  CANTAB. 

CANTA'BRUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  word  kanta). 
See  FURFUR. 

CA'NTACON.     GARDEN  SAFFRON. 

CA'NTARA.     See  Nux  VOMICA  SERAPIONIS. 

CA'NTHARI  FIGULI'NI.  Cucurbits  made  of 
potter's  ware.  See  CUCURBITA. 

CANTHA'RIDES,  (from  x.**6xpv;,  a  beetle,  to 
whose  tribe  it  belongs).  FRENCH  FLIES,  Musce  His- 
jianics,  SPANISH  FLIES,  cantliaris  major  Meloe  vesicalo- 
rius,  alatus  viridissimus  nitens,  antennis  nigris.  Lin. 
Another  kind  is  called  BUPRESTIS.  In  the  system  of 
La  Treille  the  cantharis  is  separated  from  the  genus 
meloe;  and  the  insects  with  filiform  horns,  or  antennae, 
half  as  long  as  the  body,  composed  of  eleven  joints,  are 
united  into  one  family,  styled  the  cantharidce.  The 
genus  cantharus  contains  twenty-two  or  twenty-three 
species.  After  the  blistering  cantharis,  the  most 
known  are  the  c.  dubia  and  Syria.  Those  in  general 
use  were  formerly  brought  only  from  Spain,  whence 
they  were  called  S/ianisli  Jlies;  but  they  are  met  with 
in  France,  Italy,  Germany,  and  other  countries.  Neu- 
mann says  that  they  are  ound  chiefly  in  the  spring  sea- 
son, and  on  poplar  and  ash  trees  ;  but  they  occur  also 
on  nut,  rose,  and  other  trees,  whose  leaves  they  devour; 
and  when  this  food  fails,  they  attack  corn  and  grass,  in 
which  they  make  the  most  destructive  ravages. 

They  are  an  insect  of  the  beetle  kind,  known  by 
their  shining  gold  green  colour,  which  is  also  of  a 
bluish  cast.  They  have  a  strong  and  sickly  smell ; 
when  tasted  they  make  no  impression  on  the  tongue  at 
first,  but  presently  an  acrimony  and  pitchy  flavour  are 
perceived. 

The  largest  and  best  are  brought  from  Italy ;  they 
should  be  chosen  fresh  coloured,  entire,  and  free  from 
dust~  Neumann  says,  that  after  long  keeping  they  fall 
into  a  grey  brown  powder,  and  in  this  state  are  unfit 
for  use,  their  intrinsic  qualities  perishing  with  their  ex- 
ternal form.  Experience,  however,  contradicts  this 
idea. 

Baglivi  supposed  that  cantharides  were  introduced 
into  medicine  by  the  Arabian  physicians,  though  they 
were  evidently  known  to  Hippocrates ;  but  the  animal 
appears  to  have  been  different.  From  the  description 
of  Dioscorides,  the  ancient  physicians  apparently  em- 
ployed the  mylabrum  cichorci.  The  Chinese,  at  this 
moment,  use  the  same  insect  for  the  purpose  of  blis- 
tering; and  the  mylabrum  is  very  common  in  the 
east,  where  Dioscorides  lived.  The  attention  paid  to 
the  cantharis  has  occasioned  the  other  kinds  to  be 
neglected.  Many  of  the  species  are  perhaps  equally 
active,  and  others  may,  from  a  less  degree  of  acrimony. 


C  A 


oo7 


i    A 


be  adapted  for  internal  use.  Of  the  other  genera,  which 
may  be  equally  useful,  the  meloc,  the  mylabrum,  the 
scarabxus,  tenebrio,  cicindela,  and  coccinella,  may  be 
suggested  as  subjects  of  trial.  Many  of  the  caterpillars 
contain  on  their  bodies  an  acrid  dust,  which,  dispersed 
in  the  air,  irritates  the  skin  and  the  eyes. 

Cantharides  appear  in  troops  or  swarms,  and  are  dis- 
covered by  their  fetid  smell.  They  are  usually  shook 
from  the  tree  into  a  cloth,  and  exposed  in  a  sieve  to 
the  vapour  of  vinegar ;  or  they  are  collected  in  a  fine 
cloth,  and  repeatedly  immersed  in  vinegar.  Another 
method  is,  to  spread  cloths  under  the  trees  and  boil 
vinegar  around  :  they  are  then  placed  for  a  little  time 
in  jars  before  they  are  exposed  to  the  air  to  dry.  They 
are  dried  in  the  sun,  though  more  frequently  in  an 
airy  place,  from  whence  the  sun  is  excluded,  or  cover- 
ed with  paper.  In  turning  them,-  the  workmen  wear 
gloves,  as  they  would  otherwise  experience  trouble- 
some heats  of  urine,  ophthalmies,  and  pains  in  the  neck. 
Cantharides,  when  well  dried,  are  so  light  that  fifty 
scarcely  weigh  a  drachm. 

Every  animal  has  its  enemy,  and  even  this  acrid  in- 
sect is  preyed  on  by  another.  Cantharides  do  not  lose 
their  virtue  by  keeping,  or  by  having  been  for  a  long 
time  powdered.  When  kept,  some  insect  reduces 
them  to  dust,  which  is,  however,  equally  efficacious 
with  the  cantharis  recently  powdered,  for  the  animal 
seems  to  devour  only  what  we  shall  afterwards  distin- 
guish as  the  parenchyma. 

The  chemical  history  of  Cantharides  has  not  been 
sufficiently  examined ;  and  what  is  known  has  not  yet 
been  published  in  any  English  work.  We  have  only 
received  tolerably  accurate  accounts  from  MM.  Thou- 
venel  and  Beaupoil ;  but,  as  the  last,  though  not  per- 
fectly satisfactory,  are  more  so  than  the  former,  we 
shall  chiefly  rest  on  his  experiments  from  the  48th  vo- 
lume of  the  Annales  de  Chimie;  premising,  however, 
shortly  the  conclusions  of  Thouvenei,  which  we 
have  only  seen  in  the  first  volume  of  the  History  and 
Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Medicine  at  Paris, 
p.  333.  These  insects,  it  is  observed  by  M.  Thouve- 
nei, besides  the  parenchyma,  which  forms  ont-half  of 
their  weight,  affords,  1st,  An  extractive  matter  of  a 
green  yellow  colour,  resembling  that  of  ants  (see  FOR- 
MICA) ;  :dly,  A  yellow  insipid  oil,  resembling  the  spi- 
rituous tincture  of  these  animals ;  3dly,  A  green  oily 
concrete  matter  examined  with  much  care,  not  unlike 
wax,  but  of  a  pungent  taste,  and  resembling  the  insects 
in  smell;  and  affording,  by  analysis,  the  same  compo- 
nent parts.  In  this,  M.  Thouvenei  thinks  the  chief 
virtue  of  cantharides  resides;  and  he  seems  to  be  con- 
i  ir.ced  that  the  extractive  matter  tnvelopes  the  oily, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  latter  from  being  wholly  soluble  in 
vinous  spirits.  He  was  thence  led  to  employ  proof 
spirit ;  and  this  menstruum  dissolves  all  the  green  active 
matter  with  so  little  of  the  extractive,  as  not  to  impede 
its  virtues.  This  tincture  M.  Thouvenei  has  employed 
in  his  medical  experiments ;  and,  when  applied  exter- 
nally, he  found  it  a  tonic,  a  resolvent,  useful  in  rheuma- 
tisms, sciatica,  wandering  gout,  and  pains  in  the  side. 

M.  Beaupoil  has  engaged  in  the  subject  at  a  greater 
extent.  He  has  described  the  specific  characters  of  the 
cantharides,  the  means  employed  to  collect  them,  and 
the  preparation  they  undergo  previous  to  their  ir.tro- 

VOL.  I. 


duction  as  objects  of  commerce.  In  the  second  part 
he  has  slightly  glanced  at  their  use,  from  the  time  of 
Hippocrates  to  the  present.  In  these  parts  there  is  no- 
thing new.  The  third  part  relates  to  their  analysis;  and 
the  fourth  to  the  effects  of  the  cantharides  entire,  or 
their  component  parts,  on  himself  and  different  animals. 

In  his  chemical  examination  he  found  the  same  in- 
gredients as  M.  Thouvenei  ;  but  he  examined  them  se- 
parately, and  in  this  the  merits  of  his  labour  consist. 

The  extractive  matter  reddened  the  tincture  of  Tour- 
nesol,  but  appeared  of  an  animal  nature,  quickly  putre- 
fying, with  a  strong  smell  of  ammonia.  In  distillation 
the  black  portion,  not  soluble  in  alcohol,  swelled,  gave 
out  an  acid  fluid,  a  thick  oil,  and  carbonate  of  ammo- 
nia, leaving  a  dry,  shining,  friable  coal.  The  portion 
which  alcohol  dissolved,  preserved,  when  inspissated, 
the  smell  and  taste  of  the  extract;  it  dissolved  perfectly 
in  water  combined  with  potash,  w  ithout  separating  any 
ammonia.  In  distillation  it  afforded  similar  ingredients 
with  the  insoluble  portion,  but  in  less  quantity.  On 
examination  of  the  acid,  it  approached  in  its  proper- 
ties the  phosphoric,  though  it  differed  from  it,  and 
seemed  of  a  peculiar  nature.  It  was  certainly  not  de- 
rived from  the  vinegar,  with  which  the  animals  are  ge- 
nerally killed. 

The  green  matter  is  not  changed  by  the  air ;  is  inso- 
luble in  cold  water,  and  melts  in  hot  water,  swimming 
on  the  surface  like  oil.  Alcohol  and  ether  dissolve  it, 
and  water  separates  it  from  these  menstrua.  The  oxy- 
genated muriatic  acid  gradually  decomposes  it.  The 
substance  loses  its  smell  and  colour;  becomes  thick  and 
glutinous;  preserving,  notwithstanding  repeated  affu- 
sions of  water,  the  smell  of  the  oxygenated  acid.  Weak 
nitrous  acid  gives  it  a  brown  red  colour,  a  rancid,  pun- 
gent smell  ;  adding  greatly  to  its  consistence.  Caustic 
soda  uniles  with  it,  without  separating  any  ammonia  ; 
and  the  compound  is  disunited  by  acids.  In  a  high 
degree  of  heat  it  forms  an  oily,  slightly  transparent 
fluid,  which,  on  cooling,  soon  becomes  solid.  When 
urged  by  heat  it  separates  into  a  yellow  oil  like  that  from 
distilled  wax,  and  an  acid  water  without  an  atom  of  am- 
monia. The  parenchyma,  left  after  the  different  mace- 
rations, infusions,  and  decoctions,  when  examined  by 
caustic  potash,  gives  a  very  sensible  smell  of  ammonia. 
When  this  disappeared,  the  addition  of  muriatic  acid 
formed  a  precipitate  wholly  of  an  animal  nature.  In  the 
cinders,  when  burnt,  were  found  carbonate  of  lime,  cal- 
careous phosphat,  sulphat,  and  muriat  of  lime,  with 
oxide  of  iron.  An  ounce  of  cantharides,  in  this  way, 
afforded  one  drachm  two  grains  of  the  black  insoluble 
matter;  as  much  of  the  yellow;  about  six  grains  more 
of  the  green  matter  ;  four  drachms  thirty-six  grains  of 
parenchyma;  an  indeterminate  quantity  of  acid;  twelve 
grains  of  calcareous  phosphat ;  of  carbonate  of  lime  and 
oxide  of  iron  two  grains  each,  with  four  grains  of  sul- 
phat and  muriat  of  lime. 

M.  Beaupoil  found  from  his  experiments,  that  can- 
tharides, given  without  any  preparation,  chiefly  affected 
the  oesophagus,  the  stomach,  and  the  small  intestines. 
Animals  not  killed  by  them  suffered  great  pain  and  vio- 
lent inclination  to  vomit;  Cdly,  The  watery  extract 
produced  the  same  effects  in  less  doses,  and  showed  a 
more  decided  action  on  the  urinary  organs  ;  3dly,  The 
black  insoluble  matter  is  less  active  than  the  extract ; 


C  A  JV 


338 


CAN 


and,  though  it  produced  the  former  inconveniences, 
was  seldom  fatal ;  4thly,  The  green  matter  seemed  in 
no  respect  deleterious,  and  the  yellow  was  scarcely 
more  active  ;  Sthly,  The  extract,  the  green  and  the  yel- 
low matter,  applied  to  the  skin,  produced  blisters  in 
nearly  the  same  time;  but  the  yellow  matter  seems  not 
to  act  till  it  is  divided  by  wax  in  the  form  of  a  cerate. 
The  author  repeated  these  experiments  on  himself,  and 
found  the  vesicatory  properties  of  the  cantharicles  re- 
sided essentially  in  the  extractive  and  green  part  of  the 
insect,  but  that  the  extractive  exclusively  acted  on  the 
urinary  and  genital  organs. 

M.  Deyeux,  to  whom  we  owe  this  abstract  in  the 
Annals,  very  properly  observes,  that  it  is  by  no  means 
complete.  He  particularly  remarks  it  as  singular,  that 
the  green  matter  should  act  as  a  blister,  while  it  pro- 
duces no  effects  on  the  animal  economy.  The  author 
has  promised  to  examine  the  subject  again,  and  we  may 
find  some  room  for  his  further  elucidations  in  a  subse- 
quent article. 

It  has  been  thought  that  they  peculiarly  affect  the 
kidneys  and  urinary  passages,  proving  diuretic;  though 
•whether  they  affect  the  former  may  be  doubted,  if  we 
can  believe  the  evidence  of  Dr.  C.  Smith  and  Dr. 
Gullen,  to  which  our  own  experience  may  be  added. 
Werlhof,  however,  gives  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
diuretic  powers  of  cantharides  ;  and  tells  us  he  had  fre- 
quently experienced  them  in  dropsy  and  other  diseases. 
He  gave  a  grain  of  the  powder  in  a  dose,  repeating  it 
every  four  hours  ;  and  it  was  only  after  the  third  dose, 
in  a  case  of  suppression  of  urine  of  many  days  standing, 
that  it  began  to  yield :  still  Werlhof  discontinued  the 
use  of  cantharides  in  dropsy  and  other  diseases ;  and, 
as  when  the  strength  decays  suppression  spontaneously 
yields,  we  suspect  that  weakness  rather  than  the  re- 
medy occasioned  the  flow.  A  blister  to  the  loins  has 
increased  a  flow  of  urine,  but  this  remedy  seems  to  act 
on  another  principle.  Externally  they  are  caustic,  and 
are  used  to  raise  blisters,  for  which  end  Aretaeus  first 
rubbed  them  on  the  head. 

In  nephritic  cases  with  inflammation,  in  calculus  of 
the  kidneys  and  bladder,  occasionally  in  pregnancy, 
their  use  is  not  to  be  admitted. 

However  used,  they  are  apt  to  produce  a  strangury 
and  inflammation  of  the  urinary  passages.  When 
blisters  are  applied,  the  assistance  of  nitre,  oily  drinks, 
mucilaginous  soap,  and  camphor,  in  large  doses,  are 
required.  Pressing  a  piece  of  gauze  into  the  piaster 
will  often  prevent  strangury,  or  removing  it  when  the 
blister  is  first  raised.  Washing  the  blistered  part,  when 
dressed,  with  warm  milk,  greatly  relieves  these  symp- 
toms. When  imprudently  taken  into  the  stomach, 
they  cause  great  heat,  inflammation,  bloody  urine,  a 
priapism,  thirst,  and  a  cadaverous  breath.  Nitre,  cam- 
phor, milk,  oil,  mucilage  of  gum  arable,  and  copious 
diluting  drinks,  are  the  antidotes.  » 

A  dose  of  the  powder  may  be  from  half  a  grain  to 
six  grains  ;  and  of  the  tincture  from  five  to  fifty  drops, 
vwice  a  day.  By  gradually  increasing  a  small  dose,  a 
much  larger  quantity  may  be  taken. 

The  powdered  flies,  the  spirituous  extract,  or  the 
watery  one,  applied  to  the  skin,  blister  it  equally ;  but 
rhe  best  preparation  for  internal  use  is  the  tincture. 
Mead  recommends  them  in  cutaneous  complaints ;  o.nd 


in  the  moist  tettery  eruptions  of  old  people  they 
we  think,  been  serviceable.  In  incontinence  of  urine, 
cantharides  are  useful  medicines ;  and  in  blenorrhagia 
and  leucorrhoea,  they  are  sometimes  employed,  it  is- 
said,  with  effect.  When  not  used  to  raise  blisters,  they 
are  beneficial  as  topical  stimulants;  and  the  tincture  is 
occasionally  employed  for  this  purpose  rubbed  on  uai"\- 
lytic  limbs. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  preparation 
of  the  TINCTURA  CANTHARIDIS. — Take  of  cantharides 
bruised,  two  drachms ;  of  cochineal,  half  a  drachm  ;  of 
proof  spirit  of  wine,  a  pint  and  a  half;  digest  for  eight 
clays,  and  strain. 

Balsams  are  sometimes  added ;  and  the  tincture,  with 
this  addition,  is  thought  more  useful  when  the  kidneys, 
womb,  or  bladder,  are  ulcerated,  or  the  urethra  is  cor- 
roded; but  additions  are  best  joined  extemporaneously, 
or  interposed  by  themselves  at  proper  intervals.  The 
diuretic  power  of  the  flies  is  much  improved  by  the  ad- 
dition of  sps.  s&theris  nitrosi. 

The  UNGUENTUM  CANTHAIUDIS,  formerly  unguentum 
ad  vestcatoria,  is  made  by  boiling  two  ounces  of  can- 
tharides in  eight  ounces  of  water  to  four.  To  the  strain- 
ed liquor  add  eight  ounces  of  the  ointment  of  yellow 
resin.  Evaporate  this  mixture  in  a  water  bath,  saturated 
with  sea  salt,  to  the  thickness  of  an  ointment. 

Its  use  is  to  dress  blisters  that  must  be  kept  con- 
stantly open. 

EMPLASTRUM  VESICATORIUM.  Now  emfilastrum  can- 
tharidis. — Take  of  Spanish  flies,  one  pound  in  powder ; 
plaster  of  wax,  two  pounds ;  prepared  hog's  lard,  half 
a  pound :  having  melted  the  plaster  and  lard,  a  little 
before  they  coagulate,  sprinkle  in  the  flies.  Most  skins 
are  softened  by  bathing  them  with  warm  vinegar ;  and  if 
a  blistering  plaster  is  applied  immediately  after,  in  some 
instances  it  produces  a  speedier  effect.  Complaints 
have  been  often  made  of  the  failure  of  blisters,  which 
have  arisen  from  neglect  or  ignorance  :  the  apothecary, 
therefore,  should  be  careful  to  have  the  flies  good,  but 
not  in  too  fine  a  powder ;  and  the  plaster  must  be  neither 
made  in  too  great  quantity  at  once,  nor  spread  with  too 
hot  a  spatula. 

CERATUM  CAXTHARIDIS,  is  made  by  mixing  one 
drachm  of  Spanish  flies  with  six  drachms  of  cerate  of 
spermaceti  softened  by  heat. 

In  cases  where  the  common  plasters  arc  thought  to 
be  too  active,  Dr.  Percival  commends  the  following 
composition  and  manner  of  application.  It  is  chiefly 
used  to  keep  up  the  discharge  from  blisters. 

EMPI..  VESICATOR.  MITIUS. — R.  empl.  vesicat.  Ph. 
Lond.  p.  i.  vcl  ij.  cmpl.  stomach,  p.  i.  ve.1  ij.  camphor  in 
spt.  vin.  solut.  g  i.  vel  ij.  m. 

If  a  plaster  of  this  composition  be  moderately  warmed 
before  the  fire,  then  covered  with  a  fine  soft  piece  of 
gauze,  it  will  occasion  much  less  irriration  than  the 
usual  one,  produce  no  strangury,  or  but  in  a  slight  de- 
gree, and  when  to  be  removed  will  separate  from  t'->-c 
skin  with  great  facility.  Nor  will  this  covering  pre- 
vent its  vesicating  effects.  Blisters  may  be  thus  Ap- 
plied when  the  skin  is  disposed  to  erysipclatous  inflam-, 
mation  from  its  great  sensibility,  or  when  the  c\  , 
cuating  power  is  wanted  without  the  s'l.nulus. 
BLISTERS. 

See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.    PcrcivaPs  Essays?  MetJ,  and 


LAO 


C  A  P 


,.T.-uit,  e.  p.    183,  248.     Memoires   tie  la  Societe 
Royale  de  Medecine,  v.    1.     Annales  de  Chimie,   v. 

CA'XTHI,  CA  XTHUS.  K*»S©-,  a  primitive  in 
the  Greek.  Av  ANGLE  OF  THE  EYE.  ,4nguli  oculi, 
ulso  tjiicanthides.  The  cavities  at  the  extremities  of  the 
eyelids,  called  the  corners  of  the  eyes  ;  the  greater  can- 
thus  is  next  to  the  nose ;  the  lesser  canthus  lies  towards 

cniples. 

CAXTIAXUS  PU'LVIS.    The  Countess  of  Kent's 
,;cr.     It  is  made  with  the  rad.  contrayervae  ;  coral- 
,  album  crystal,  terra  Lemnia  cerussa  antimonii ; 
mosch.  ambergrise  and  saffron. 

If  cochineal  be  added,  it  is  called  fiulv.  cant.  rub. ; 
if  calcined  toads,  fiulv.  cant,  niger. 

CA'XTIOX.  A  term  for  saccharum,  sugar;  but 
in  conjunction  with  it,  for  sugar  candy.  See  SACCHA- 

HUM. 

CA'XTIUM,  or  CA'XTUM.  A  word  used  by  the 
Greeks  to  signify  angular,  and  applied  to  crystallized 
SUGARS,  particular  sugars  in  more  regular  crystals, 
candy. 

CANTUARIE'NSES  A 'QUA.  CANTERBURY  WA- 
TERS. At  Canterbury  there  are  five  wells  not  far  from 
each  other;  they  are  strongly  impregnated  with  iron, 
sulphur,  and  carbonic  acid  gas.  Their  taste  is  some- 
what hard  and  austere;  their  smell  is  sulphureous. 
They  are  said  to  succeed  in  disorders  of  the  stomach, 
in  gouty  complaints,  the  jaundice,  diseases  of  the  skin, 
and.  chlorosis. 

CA'OVA.     See  COFFEA. 

CAOUTCHOUC.  (French).  INDIAN-  RUBBER,  or 
ELASTIC  GL  M.  Called  also  Cayenne  resin,  and  caittchuc. 
It  is  prepared  from  the  juice  of  a  tree  in  Cayenne 
or  other  parts  of  South  America.  The  Mexicans 
call  it  olin,  or  olli ;  the  Spaniards  of  that  kingdom, 
Aublet,  hevea  Guianansis  ;  Jacquili,  echites  co- 
rymbosa  ;  and  Linnaeus,  in  his  Supplementum  Plan- 
tarum,  iatrojiha  elastica.  The  hevea  is  the  proper 
genus;  though  it  is  procured  also  from  the  urceola,  de- 
scribed in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  v.  5.  the  artocarpus, 
the  Indian,  and  probably  our  own,  fig  tree.  The  he- 
vea is  a  monoicous  plant  of  the  family  of  the  tithyma- 
loides,  nearly  allied  to  the  croton.  The  Indians  obtain 
the  juice  of  this  tree  by  incisions  made,  through  the 
bark  in  its  lower  part,  from  whence  it  oozes  out,  under 
:  jrm  of  vegetable  milk,  and  is  received  in  a  vessel 
placed  under  the  incisions.  The  milk,  on  exposure, 
gradually  inspissates  into  a  soft,  reddish,  elastic  resin, 
•and  is  commonly  brought  to  Europe  in  the  form  of 
pear  shaped  bottles.  It  is  soluble  in  rectified  oil  of 
turpentine,  oil  of  wax,  and  of  lavender,  but  more  per- 
fectly in  ether.  M.  Bernard,  in  the  Journal  de  Phy- 
sique for  1781,  has  given  many  experiments  on  this 
substance,  and  has  shown  it  to  consist  of  a  fat  oil,  inso- 
suble  in  water  or  ardent  spirit,  but  soluble  in  any  oily 
fluid.  The  volatile  alkali  which  it  contains,  is  appa- 
rently furnished  by  the  smoke  in  which  the  bottles  are 
I.  The  distinguishing  properties  of  the  substance 
are,  its  solidity,  flexibility,  and  elasticity,  and  its  quality 
of  resisting  the  action  of  aqueous,  spirituous,  saline, 
oily,  and  other  common  solvents  :  from  these  properties 
it  becomes  extremely  fit  for  bougies,  catheters,  syringes, 
and  /.  h  purposes  it  is  only  medically 

applkc'. 


CAPELI  XA,  j'rom  cafieline,  a  woman's  hi: 
dage;  French).     Or  caf:i!alis  reflexa,  CAPELINE  DE  LA 
TKTE,  deligatio,  species  8. 

A  REFLEX  BANDAGE.     It  is  a  double  headed  roller, 
about  twenty-four  feet  long,  and  the  breadth  of  for.'.- 
inches,  sometimes  narrower;  the  middle  is  fixed 
occiput,  and,  after  two  or  three  circular  rounds,  the 
rollers  intersect  each  other  upon  the  forehead  and 
put ;  then  one  roller  being  reflected  over  the  vertex  or 
sagittal  suture  to  the  forehead,  the  other  is  continued  in 
a  circular  tract ;    they  cross  each  other  upon  the 
head,  after  which  crossing  the  first  head  is  carried  back 
obliquely  towards  the  occiput,  and  reflected  by  the  side 
of  the  other;  the  last  is  continued  in  a  circular  direc- 
tion, but  the  first  is  brought  again  over  the  sagitt 
ture,  back%vard  and  forward,  and  so  continued  till  thr 
whole  head  is  covered.    It  must  be  applied  smooth  and 
even  upon  the  part  which  it  surrounds,  or  on  which  it 
reflects.     It  is~used  in  the  hydrocephalus,  but  is  not  of 
any  advantage. 

CA'PER,  and  CA'PRA,  (from  car/to,  to  croft;  be- 
cause they  are  apt  to  crop  the  fruit  and  twigs  from  even- 
plant  and  tree  which  they  can  come  at).  The  HE  anrf 
SHE  GOAT;  or  caflra  domestica. 

Dr.  Cullen,  in  his  class  of  nutrentia,  reckons  the 
milk  of  animals,  amongst  which  he  enumerates  that  of 
goats,  and  sets  them  down  in  proportion  to  their  solid 
contents :  thus,  -women's,  ass's,  mare's,  coiy's,  sherfi's, 
and  goat's;  and  says,  that  the  first  three  agree  very 
much  in  their  qualities,  having  little  solid  contents ; 
and,  when  evaporated  to  dryness,  having  those  vei ; 
luble,  containing  much  saccharine  matter ;  of  very  : 
acescency  ;  and,  when  coagulated,  their  coagulurr, 
der,  and  easily  broken  down.  The  last  three  are  dif- 
ferent, but  the  gradation  is  more  obvious.  Cow's  milk 
comes  nearest  to  the  former  milks  :  goat's  milk  is  less 
fluid,  less  sweet,  less  flatulent;  has  the  largest  propor- 
tion of  insoluble  parts  after  coagulation,  and  indeed  the 
largest  proportion  of  the  coagulable  part.  Its  oily  and 
coagulable  parts  do  not  spontaneously  separate :  they 
never  rise  in  cream,  or  allow  butter  to  be  readily  ex- 
tracted. Hence  the  virtues  of  these  milks  are  obvious, 
being  more  nourishing,  though  at  the  same  time  less 
easily  soluble  in  weak  stomachs  than  the  first  three,  less 
acescent  than  these,  and  so  more  rarely  laxative,  and 
peculiarly  Jilted  for  the  diet  of  convalescents  without 
fever.  The  first  three  are  less  nourishing,  more  soluble, 
more  laxative,  more  acescent,  and  adaftted  to  conva- 
lescents toith  fever.  Mat.  Med.  p.  112.  Lond.  : 
See  also  LAC. 

Goat's  whey  is  afierient,  attenuating,  and  laxative; 
it  is  generally  preferred. 

CA'PHURA  BA'ROS   IXDO  RUM.      See    C 

PHOHA. 

CA'PHUR.E  OL.     An  aromatic  essential  oil 
tilled  from  the  root  of  the  cinnamon  tree. 

CAPICATI'XGA.     (Indian.)      Species  of  ac 
which  grow  in  the  West  Indies,  larger  and  more  useful 
than  thos,e  of  Europe,   with   the   same  qualities  in  a 
greater   degree.       See   CALAMUS    AROMATICUS    ASIA- 
TICUS. 

CAPILA'CTEUM,  (from  caflillus,  a  hair,  and  lac- 
teum,  milky}.  See  APHROGALA. 

CAPILLA'CEUS,  (from  capillus,  a  hair,)  resem- 
bling hairs  or  threads. 

X  xC 


c  A  r 


340 


C  A  P 


CAPILLAME'NTA.  Cafiillamenta  are  those  slen- 
der filaments  that  spring  up  within  the  leaves  of  a  flower, 
and  are  more  usually  called  the  stamina;  whence  a  ca- 
pillaceous  flower  is  also  a  stamineous  one.  Again,  by 
cafiillaments  are  meant  those  slender  parts  which  re- 
semble hairs,  and  are  produced  from  vegetables  ;  as,  for 
instance,  from  seeds  or  roots. 

CAPILLAME'NTUM.  The  hairy  or  villous  inte- 
guments belonging  to  animals.  Called  also  capilii- 
tium,  when  applied  to  the  hairy  scalp  in  the  human 
subject. 

CAPILIA'RES  VERMI'CULI.  See CMNONES, and 
DRACUNCULJ. 

CAPILLA'RIA  VA'SA,  (from  capillus,  a  hair). 
CAPILLARY  VESSELS.  The  smallest  vessels  in  our 
bodies  are  so  called,  because  they  appear  as  small  as 
hairs. 

CAPILLARIS.  Any  thing  that  resembles  hairs, 
applied  to  LEAVES  that  are  longer  than  the  setaceous, 
or  bristle  shaped  leaf;  to  GLANDS  resembling  hairs ;  to 
FILAMENTS;  to  the  STYLE;  and  to  the  PAPPUS  or  DOWN 
affixed  to  some  seed.  Capillary  plants  are  those  which 
have  leaves  of  this  description ;  and  they  are  all  sup- 
posed pectoral  or  demulcent.  See  ADIANTHUM. 

CAPILLATIO,  (from  capillus,  a  hair'].  A  capillary 
fracture  of  the  cranium.  See  TRICHISMOS. 

CAPILLI'TIUM.  SeeCAPiLLAMENTUM,andTRicHi- 

ASIS. 

CAPILLORUM  DEFLU'VIUM,  (from  capillus, 
and  dcfluo,  to  fall  off").  See  ALOPECIA. 

CAPI'LLUS,  (quasi  cafiitis  pilus,  the  hair  of  the 
head,]  also  crinis.  The  HAIR.  Capillus,  though 
strictly  the  hair  of  the  head,  is  used  also  for  hair  in 
general.  The  hairs  are  hollow,  and  furnished  with 
vessels ;  are  knotted  at  certain  distances,  like  some  sorts 
of  grass,  and  send  out  branches  at  their  joints.  The 
disorder  called  plica  polonica  proves  them  to  be  hollow. 
The  branching  of  the  hair  is  visible  at  the  extremities 
with  a  microscope,  and  the  hair  is  apt  to  split  if  worn 
long  and  kept  dry.  Each  of  these  hairs  has  a  bulbous 
root  of  an  oval  shape,  which  is  lodged  in  the  skin.  It 
has  been  supposed,  that  as  long  as  any  moisture  re- 
mains about  the  roots  of  the  hair  it  continues  to  grow, 
though  the  body  be  dead  and  mouldering  to  dust;  but 
this  is  a  popular  superstition,  wholly  without  founda- 
tion. 

Dr.  Cheyne  observes,  that  the  strength  of  the  hair  is 
proportional  to  that  of  the  constitution. 

tor  its  principal  disorders,  see  ALOPECIA. 

CAPI'LLUS  VE'NERIS  CANADE'NSIS.  See  ADIANTHUM 
CANADENSE. 

CAPI'LLUS  VE'NERIS.     See  ADIANTHUM  VERUM. 

CAPIPLE'NIUM,  (from  caput,  the  head,  and  file- 
nus,  full).  See  CATARRHUS.  It  is  a  barbarous  word, 
but  Baglivi  uses  it  to  signify  that  continual  heavi- 
ness or  disorder  in  the  head  which  (the  Greeks  call 
care  bar  ia. 

CAPISTRA'TIO,  (from  capisirum,  a  bridle).  See 
PBIMOSIS. 

CAPI'STRUM.  The  name  of  some  chirurgical 
bandages  about  the  head,  resembling  a  bridle,  or  rather 
a  horse's  head  stall.  Sec  also  TRISMUS. 

CAPI'STRUM  A'URI.  The  soldering  of  gold.  It 
is  a  name  given  to  borax,  because  of  its  use  in  soldering 
this  metal.  See  BORAX. 


CAPI'STRY.     See  FASCIA,  N°  6. 

CAPITA'LIA,  (from  caput,  head).  See  CEPHA- 
LICA. 

CAPITA'LIS  REFLE'XA.     See  CAPELINA. 

CAPITATE  PLA'NT^E,  are  plants  whose  seeds, 
with  their  down,  be,ing  included  within  a  squamous  ca- 
lyx, are  conglobated  into  a  roundish  figure  resembling 
a  head.  Hence  are  called  cephaloides,~or  ceplialotos. 

CAPITE'LLUM,  (from  caput,  head).  The  head  or 
seed  vessels,  frequently  applied  to  mosses,  &c.  as  in 
capitulum.  Some  suppose  it  to  signify  soapy  water; 
others  a  lixivium. 

CAPITILU'VIUM,  (from  caput,  the  head,  and  lavo, 
to  wash).  A  bath  or  lotion  for  the  head. 

CA'PITIS  OBLI'QUUS  INFERIOR  and  major. 
See  OBLIQUUS  INFERIOR. 

CA'PITIS  PAR  TERTIUM  FALLOPii.      See  COMPLEXUS 

MINOR. 

CA'PITIS  POSTICUS.     See  RECTUS  MAJOR. 

CA'PITIS  RECTUS.     See  RECTUS  MINOR. 

CA'PITIS  VENA.     See  CEPHALICA  VENA. 

CAPI'TULUM,  (a  dim.  of  caput,  the  head).  In 
botany,  a  species  of  inflorescence,  in  which  several 
flowers  form  a  kind  of  ball.  In  chemistry  it  is  an 
alembic.  (See  ALEMBICUS.)  In  anatomy  it  is  a  smaller 
process  or  protuberance  of  a  bone  received  by  another 
bone. 

CAPI'VI  BA'LSAMUM.  (Indian.)  BALSAM  CA- 
PIVI,  called  also  copaiba,  capivus,  album  balsamum. 
The  tree  which  affords  it  is  called  arbor  balsamifera 
JJrasiliensis,  copaiba  £rasiliensibus,a.nd  baccifera  arbor 
Brasilienuis,  fructu  monopyreno  folio  sesyuepedali. 
The  tree  grows  spontaneously  in  the  woods  of  Brasil, 
St.  Vincent,  and  other  of  the  British  American  islands. 
Deep  incisions  are  made  into  the  trunks  of  this  tree  dur- 
ing the  hotter  summer  months;  and  one  tree  sometimes 
is  met  with  that  affords  five  or  six  gallons  of  balsam,  but 
the  same  tree  never  yields  it  twice. 

This  balsam  is  at  first  limpid  and1  colourless,  and 
smells  like  -  calambour  wood  ;  as  brought  into  Europe 
it  is  generally  yellowish,  and  somewhat  thicker  than 
olive  oil;  by  long  keeping  it  becomes  still  thicker,  but 
does  not  dry.  In  all  states  of  its  consistency,  it  con- 
tinues clear  and  transparent.  To  the  smell  it  is  grate- 
ful, to  the  taste  bitterish  and  biting ;  not  intensely  so, 
but  durable. 

To  prove  its  genuineness,  drop  it  on  paper;  if  it 
spreads  not,  as  oil,  nor  penetrates,  it  is  good;  on  the 
contrary,  if  it  spreads  or  sinks  through,  it  is  adulterated. 
It  is  also  esteemed  genuine  when  a  drop,  falling  from, 
the  point  of  a  needle  into  cold  water,  sinks  to  the  bottom, 
or  is  suspended  in  the  middle;  but  if  it  is  suspended  at 
the  top,  or  spreads,  it  is  spurious.  If  genuine,  it  is  said 
that  it  does  not  give  the  violet  smell  to  the  urine  of 
those  who  take  it. 

Distilled  with  water  it  yields  half  its  weight,  or 
nearly  so,  of  essential  oil ;  the  remaining  resin  is  tena- 
cious and  inodorous.  If  it  is  distilled  in  a  retort,  with- 
out any  addition,  by  a  fire  gradually  raised,  it  sends 
over  first  a  light  yellow  oil,  which  smells  strongly  of  the 
juice;  then  a  dark  coloured  oil,  and  after  it  a  fine  blue 
oil,  bath  which  are  pungent  to  the  taste,  having  also  an 
empyreumatic  flavour,  but  not  an  ungrateful  one.  For 
its  other  properties  and  its  use,  see  BALSAMUM  co- 
PAIB.E. 


C  A  P 


341 


CAP 


CAPI'VUS  A'LBUS.     See  CAPIVI  BALSAMUM. 

CAPXELA'IOX,  CAPXEL.tUM.  In  Galen's 
works  it  is  said  to  be  a  resin  that  flows  spontaneously 
from  some  tree  in  Lacedaemon.  In  Cilicia  it  is  called 
cafinclaion,  from  *«*r»{,  smote,  and  £>.*<«»,  oil,  smoky 
oil;  so  called  from  its  smoky  exhalations  when  exposed 
to  heat ;  but  in  Lacedaemon,  and  in  some  other  places, 
it  is  called  ffu'i»ftur»^,  the  first  firoduct.  Faesius  says  it 
seems  to  be  called  cafinelaion,  because  of  the  smoke  it 
gives  when  placed  near  the  fire. 

CAPXI'STON",  (from  «**-»«s,  smoke}.  A.  name  of 
an  oil  prepared  of  several  kinds  of  spices  and  oil,  by 
kindling  the  spices,  and  thus  impregnating  the  oil. 

CAPXI'TIS,  (from  KO.ITKX;,  smoke;  so  called  from  its 
smoky  colour).  See  TUTIA. 

CA'PXOS.  (Greek).  SMOKE;  so  called,  because  if 
its  juice  is  applied  to  the  eyes,  it  produces  the  same 
effect  as  smoke.  See  FUMARIA. 

CAPO,  CAPUS.  A  name  of  the  American  TOAD. 
See  BUFO.  Also  a  CAPON,  quia  testiculi  ejus  aunt  cafiti. 
The  design  of  castrating  a  cock  is  to  render  him  a  fit 
leader  for  the  other  poultry,  more  fleshy,  and  more 
easily  fattened. 

CA'PO  MOLAGO.     See  PIPER  INDICUM. 

CA'POLIX  MEXICANO'RUM  HERXA'XDEZ. 
(Indian).  SWEET  INDIAN  CHERRIES,  called  also  cerasus 
dulcis  Indica.  The  bark  is  restringent.  There  are 
three  species,  the  xitoma  cafiolin,  the  helocafiolin,  and 
the  tolacafiolin.  Rail  Hist.  We  cannot  discover  this 
plant  in  any  system. 

CAPOTES.     See  COVALAM. 

CATPARIS,  (from  the  Arabic  term  cabar).  Cafi- 
fiaris  sflinota  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  720.  The  CAPER  BUSH.  It 
is  a  low  prickly  bush,  grows  wild  in  Italy,  Spain,  and 
the  southern  parts  of  France.  Those  of  Provence  are 
the  best ;  those  of  Tunis,  where  they  also  grow,  are  very 
inferior.  The  plant,  however,  is  originally  an  Asiatic 
one.  The  bark  of  the  root  is  bitterish  and  acrid  to  the 
taste,  and  is  ranked  among  aperients  and  diuretics. 
The  green  buds  of  the  flowers  are  pickled  in  vinegar 
and  salt,  and  are  used  at  the  table  to  assist  the  appetite. 
In  Holland  and  Germany  they  substitute  the  buds  of 
the  flowers  of  the  cytisogenista  sco/iaria  vulgarisjiore 
luteo  for  the  cafiers,  and  pickle  them  in  the  same  man- 
ner. The  plant  grows  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks  and 
of  old  walls.  The  buds  are  numerous,  and  daily  ga- 
thered, as  they  soon  grow  too  large.  Those  which 
escape,  and  when  the  fruit  becomes  the  size  of  a  gerkin, 
are  preserved  in  sugar.  Capers  are  separated  according 
to  their  different  sizes  by  sieves,  with  suitable  aper- 
tures: the  small  and  green  ones  are  preferred,  which 
has  led  to  a  suspicion  that  an  artificial  colour  is  some- 
times given.  See  CONDIMENTS. 

CA'PPARIS  FABA'GO,  CA'PPARIS  PORTULA'CA,  C.  B.  See 
FABAGO. 

CA'PRA    ALPI'XA.     The    CHAMOIS,    called    also 
rufiicafira  and  dtrca*,  the  ROCK  GOAT.     It  is  met  with 
on  the  Alps  belonging  to  Switzerland,  and  in  Gen-, 
It  is  a  species  of  wild  goat,  in  shape  and  size  n 
bling  the  tame  one,  with  short  horns,  the  ends  of  which 
are  hooked.     The  balls  found  in   their  stomachs   are 
called  egagrofiila  and  bezoar  Germanicum,  formed  of 
hairs  which  they  lick.     Such  are  found  also  in  the  s:o- 
machs  oi  cows,  hogs,  and  stags  with  us :  when  taken 


from  ruminating  animals,  they  are  called  bulithum,  or 
bezoar;  from  stags,  elafihofiila. 

CA'PRA  DOME'STICA.     See  CAPER. 

CA'PRA  MO'SCHI.     See  MOSCHUS. 

CA'PRA  STREPSI'CEROS,  (from  <r?«0*,  to  turn;  so  named 
from  his  crooked  horn).  See  ANTILOPUS. 

CAPREOLA'RIS,CAPREOLA'RIA,(fromra/imi, 
a  tendril  of  a  vine}.  See  SPERMATICA  CORDA. 

CAPREO'LUS,  A  TENDRIL;  in  anatomy,  is  the 
HELIX  of  the  ear  (see  AURICULA);  and  in  zoology  the 
HOE  BUCK,  which  is  also  called  ca/irea  Plinii,  and  dor- 
cat.  It  is  found  in  Scotland  and  other  parts. 

CAPRICE'RVA  OCCIDEXTA  LIS,  (from  cafier, 
a  goat,  and  ceri'us,  a  stag}.  A  West  Indian  deer  parti- 
cipating both  of  the  nature  of  the  deer  and  stag,  afford- 
ing the  West  Indian  bezoar. 

CAPRICE'RVA  ORIENTA'LIS.  The  deer  in  which  the 
East  Indian  bezoar  is  found. 

CAPRICO'RXUS.     See  PLUMBUM. 

CAPRI'FICUS,  (from  ca/ier,  a  goat,  and  Jlcus,  a 
Jig;  because  they  are  the  chief  food  of  goats).  See 
Ficus  SATIVA. 

CAPRIFO'LIUM,  (from  cafirea,  a  tendril,  and  fo- 
lium, a  leaf;  so  called  from  its  tendrils).  HONEY 
SUCKLE  or  WOODBINE.  Also  called  matrisylva,  fiericli- 
menum,  chamecerasus.  It  is  the  lonicera  fiericlymenum 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  247;  and  is  a  climbing  shrub,  common  in 
shady  places;  for  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  its 
flowers  it  is  cultivated  in  gardens :  its  medical  proper- 
ties do  not  recommend  it  in  practice,  though  some  at- 
tribute extraordinary  efficacy  to  it.  The  seeds  are 
highly  acrid ;  and,  as  their  colour  is  alluring,  children 
are  often  Injured  by  eating  them. 

CAPRIMU'LGA,  (from  ca/ira,  a  she  goat,  and  mul- 
geo,  to  milt;  so  called  because  it  was  supposed  to  suck 
the  milk  from  the  goats  in  the  night  time).  It  is  a  large 
kind  of  viper,  not  poisonous. 

CA'PSICUM,  CA'PSICUM  A'XXUUM,  (from 
XM^C-CI,  a  dag,  from  the  shape  of  its  pods).  See  PIPER 
INDICUM. 

CA'PSULA,  (a  diminutive,  from  cafisa,  a  little  bag 
or  case,  or  chest}.  In  surgery  it  is  a  bag  made  of  the 
broken  or  distended  membrana  cellularis,  or  other 
membrane,  formed  by  nature  to  inclose  or  lodge  some 
extravasated  juice,  or  other  matter  contained  in  those 
tumours  called  encysted ;  the  same  with  cystis.  But 
in  botany  it  is  the  short  pod,  or  husk  of  a  plant,  con- 
taining the  seed.  According  to  the  number  of  cells  for 
seed,  the  pod  is  called  unicapsular,  bicapsular,  &c.  It 
has  several  membranes  of  which  it  is  composed.  1st, 
The  outer  coverings  called  -valvulte.  2d,  The  parti- 
tions, dissefitmenta.  3d,  Central  pillar,  columella.  4th, 
Cells,  loculamenta. 

CA'PSULA  COMML'XIS  GLISSO'NII,  VE'SX  PO'RTJE.  It 
is  a  production  of  the  peritoneum,  including  the  vena 
porta  and  biliary  duct  in  the  liver.  It  is  also  called 
•vagina  fiorte.  Glisson  first  described  it  particu- 
larly. 

CA'PSULA  CO'RDIS.     See  PERICARDIUM. 

CAPSU'LJZ  ATRABILA'RI^E,  RENA'LES.  Also  called 
glandule  sufira  renales,  et  renales ;  renes  succentu- 
riati. 

They  are  two  little,  oblong,  flat  bodies,  lying  at  the 
upper  end  and  inside,  or  the  extremity  of  each  kidney ; 


CAP 


312 


CAP 


the  right  behind  the  vena  cava,  and  the  left  behind 
the  spleen  and  pancreas,  being  attached  by  vessels  to 
those  of  the  kidneys.  When  cut  into,  there  seems  to 
be  a  small  cavity,  containing  a  deep  green  fluid ;  and 
if  viewed  when  fresh,  a  white  substance  where  the 
vessels  ramify  ;  the  inner  part  is  a  tender  Substance  like 
the  liver,  so  that  it  readily  breaks  down.  •  Both  the  ex- 
ternal and  internal  parts  are  vascular,  and  two  or  three 
large  vessels  may  be  observed  in  the  middle.  Eusta- 
chius  was  the  first  who  described  these  glands.  They 
are  larger  in  the  foetus  than  in  the  adult,  but  their  use 
is  not  certainly  known. 

CAPSULA'RES  ARTE'mM,(fi-omca/,sul<s_).  The 
arteries  of  the  renal  glands  are  thus  called,  because  they 
are  inclosed  by  a  capsule;  and  arise  from  the  aorta, 
above  the  arteria  renalis,  and  give  out  the  arterix  adi- 
posje,  which  go  to  the  fat  of  the  kidneys.  Sometimes 
they  come  from  the  trunk  of  the  coeliaca.  The  right 
cafisidar  artery  comes,  most  commonly,  from  the  ar- 
teria renalis,  of  the  same  side,  near  its  origin ;  the  left 
from  the  aorta  above  the  renalis. 

CAPSULA'RF.S  VEN.S,  are  branches  from  the  emulgents, 
and  go  into  the  renal  glands. 

CAPSULA'KES  SEMINALES.  The  extreme  parts  of  the 
vasa  cleferentia,  which  have  their  cavities  dilated  like 
capsules.  Their  use  is  to  transmit  the  semen  from  the 
testcs  to  the  vesiculae  seminales. 

CAPSULA'RIA  LIGAME'NTA,  (from  the  same). 
CAPSULAR  LIGAMENTS,  also  called  mucilaginosa  liga- 
•menta,  as  they  contain  many  glands  to  separate  the 
synovia.  Every  articulating  bone  is  furnished  with  a 
t.apsular  ligament,  composed  of  two  layers  ;  the  exter- 
nal is  the  stronger,  being  made  by  the  periosteum;  the 
inner  is  thin  and  uniform. 

The  use  of  the  capsular  ligament  is,  1st,  to  connect 
the  bones,  which  is  performed  by  the  outer  lamella; 
'2dly,  to  confine  the  synovia,  which  is  the  office  of  the 
inner  layer. 

They  are  long  and  large  in  those  bones  that  are  de- 
signed for  rotation,  to  give  -room  for  motion  ;  and  ten- 
dons are  frequently  inserted  into  them,  that  by  their 
action  they  may  draw  them  outward,  and  prevent  their 
being  compressed. 

They  are  generally  of  an  equal  thickness  all  round 
in  the  cnarthrosis  and  arthrodia ;  but  in  the  ginglymus 
they  arc  thick  on  the  sides,  and  thin  on  the  fore  and 
hind  parts,  as  in  those  places  their  thickness  would  have 
been  inconvenient,  by  hindering  the  due  flexion  and 
extension  of  the  joint ;  but  the  tendons  strengthen  the 
joint  in  that  part,  and  partly  compensate  for  the  weak- 
ness of  the  ligament.  In  complete  luxations,  the  cap- 
sular ligament  is  generally,  if  not  always,  ruptured. 
That  of  the  os  femoris  is  extended  from  below  the  neck 
of  the  bone,  to  admit  of  a  more  extensive  rptation. 

The  capsular  ligament  of  the  head  of  the  humerus 
proceeds  from  the  edge  of  the  glenoid  cavity  in  the 
scapula ;  is  continued  over  the  head  of  the  os  humeri ; 
iixed  near  its  edge  towards  the  muscular  surfaces  of 
the  great  and  small  tuberosities,  ancV  runs  down  on  the 
neck  of  the  bone,  below  the  lowest  part  of  the  cartila- 
ginous hemisphere.  In  all  this  course,  the  capsular 
ligament  is  closely  fixed  in  the  bone,  except  a  small 
portion,  where  it  passes  over  the  inner  articular  tendon 
of  the  biceps  muscle. 


The  capsular  ligament  always  includes  the  wliou-. 
joint.  On  collections  within  the  capsular  ligaments  oi' 
the  joints,  see  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  485.  On  con- 
cretions and  preternatural  excrescences  within  the  cap- 
sular ligaments  of  the  joints,  see  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v 
491. 

CA'PUR.     (Arabic.)     See  CAMPHORA. 

CA'PUS.     See  CAPO. 

CA'PUT,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  kabah,  an  hel- 
met). The  HEAD.  The  parts  in  the  lower  cavities 
are  the  seat  of  the  vital,  and  in  the  upper,  of  the 
animal  powers ;  the  latter  is  the  seat  from  whence  all 
sensation  is  derived.  See  CEREBELLUM  and  CERE- 
BRUM. 

Besides  the  external  integuments  of  the  head,  then- 
is  an  aponeurotic  expansion  which  covers  it  like  a 
cap.  It  is  also  spread  round  the  neck  and  on  the 
shoulders  like  a  riding  hood  ;  for  which  reason  Wins- 
low  calls  it  COIF,  and  the  superior  portion  of  it  the 
APONEUROTIC  CAP.  It  is  very  strong,  and  appears  to 
be  made  of  two  strata  of  fibres  crossing  each  other ; 
as  it  spreads  to  the  neck  it  becomes  thinner,  and  is 
lost  insensibly  on  the  clavicles.  It  sends  out  a  pro- 
duction on  each  side  from  above  downward,  and  from 
without  inward,  which  having  passed  over  the  supe- 
rior extremity  of  the  musculus  mastoideus,  runs  be- 
hind that  muscle  toward  the  transverse  apophysis  of 
the  vertebrae  of  the  neck,  where  it  communicates 
with  the  intertransversalia  ligamenta.  See  PERICRA- 
NIUM. 

The  head  comprehends  the  cranium  and  the  face ; 
the  cranium  is  distinguished  into  the  upper  and  lower 
parts.  The  base  of  the  skull  externally  is  very  uneven ; 
internally  it  is  divided  into  three  pair  of  cavities,  and 
one  azygous  cavity.  The  first  pair  are  above  the  orbit, 
in  which  the  anterior  lobes  of  the  cerebrum  are  placed; 
and  the  next  pair  contains  the  middle  lobes  ;  the  pos- 
terior pair  are  placed  behind  the  foramen  magnum  oc- 
cipitalc,  where  the  posterior  lobes  of  the  cerebellum 
are  lodged.  The  azygous  cavity  is  situated  upon  that 
part  of  the  sphenoid  bone  called  the  ephippium,  or 
sella  turcica,  where  the  glandula  pituitaria  lies. 

The  bones  of  the  upper  part  of  the  cranium  are 
nearly  of  the  same  thickness.  Where  the  bone  is  thick 
there  is  a  larger  space  occupied  by  the  meditullium, 
which  consists  of  cancelli,  formed  by  the  interlacing 
fibres,  as  in  the  heads  of  the  long  bones ;  where  they 
are  very  thin  there  is  no  meditullium,  whence  in  the 
latter  case  the  cranium  is  transparent,  in  the  former 
opaque.  The  cranium  is  laterally  depressed,  which 
serves  to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  vision,  and  to  increase 
the  strength  of  the  skull  on  its  fore  and  hind  parts,  by 
making  them  more  convex ;  which  is  a  necessary  con- 
trivance to  prevent  injuries  from  falls,  for  we  seldom 
fall  on  the  sides.  See  FACIES  and  CRANIUM. 

The  best  way  of  forming  a  perfect  idea  of  the  bones 
of  the  head  is  to  have  a  skull,  the  bones  of  which  are 
separated  by  art ;  and  another,  in  which  they  are  con- 
nected in  their  proper  articulations. 

The  nerves  from  the  fifth  pair,  and  the  portia  dura, 
so  called  from  its  former  consistence,  of  the  seventh, 
are  distributed  through  the  external  parts  of  the 
head. 

Through  the  small  foramina  of  the  os  ethmoides  the 


CAT 


< '  A.  R 


filaments  of  the  first  pair  of  nerves  pass  lo  ihe  nose,  and 
are  called  olfactory  nerves. 

In  the  os  sphenoides,  immediately  behind,  is  the  fora- 
men opticum,  through  which  the  second  pair  of  nerves, 
called  the  optic,  pass.  This  hole,  which  is  seated  be- 
low the  anterior  clinoid  process,  likewise  admits  the 
branch  of  the  carotid  artery  that  goes  to  the  eye. 

The  foramen  lacerum  superius  on  each  side  lies  be- 
tween the  transverse  spinous,  and  orbitar  processes  of 
>he  os  sphenoides :  through  this  hole  the  three  pair  of 
nerves,  called  motores  oculi ;  the  fourth  pair  or  pathe- 
tic ;  the  first  branch  of  the  fifth  pair ;  the  whole  sixth 
pair,  except  one  reflected  branch  ;  and  an  artery  from 
the  internal  carotids,  pass  to  the  orbit. 

Behind  the  last  mentioned  hole,  in  the  same  bone,  is 
the  foramen  rotundum,  through  which  the  second 
branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves,  called  the  superior 
maxillary  nerves,  pass  to  the  bottom  of  the  orbit. 

Between  the  pars  petrosa  of  the  os  temporis,  and  the 
process  of  the  os  sphenoides,  is  an  oblong  aperture, 
through  which  the  carotid  artery  passes,  running  in- 
wards and  upwards  to  the  sella  turcica,  and  thence  to 
the  clinoid  processes,  where  it  passes  through  the  dura 
mater. 

The  portio  mollisof  the  seventh  pair  of  nerves,  called 
the  auditory  nerve,  is  distributed  to  the  meatus  audito- 
rius  internus ;  the  portia  dura  comes  out  by  the  aque- 
duct. The  eighth  pair  of  nerves,  called  the  par  vagum, 
pass  out  by  that  common  hole,  between  the  temporal 
and  occipital  bones  ;  where  likewise  the  internal  jugu- 
lar vein,  which  is  a  continuation  of  the  transverse  sinus, 
goes  out  of  the  cranium. 

The  ninth  pair  of  nerves  pass  through  the  holes  of 
the  occiput  above  the  condyles. 

The  tenth  pair  of  nerves  pass  through  the' foramen 
inagnum,  where  likewise  the  vertebral  arteries  enter. 

The  external  eminences  are,  the  two  mastoid  pro- 
cesses, the  two  styloid  processes,  the  two  condyloid 
processes,  the  two  pterygoid,  the  two  arches  called  zy- 
gomata, the  external  spine  of  the  occiput,  the  condyloid 
and  coronoid  apophyses  of  the  lower  jaw. 

The  principal  uses  of  the  bones  of  the  head  are,  to 
contain  the  brain,  to  be  the  seat  of  the  organs  of  sensa- 
tion, to  serve  for  mastication,  respiration,  and  the  for- 
mation of  the  voice.  There  is  sometimes  a  disorder  of 
the  head,  which  draws  it  to  one  side,  called  contorsio.  ' 

Eustachiub'  tables  of  the  bones  of  the  head  are  good. 
See  Winslow's  Anatomy,  and  Monro's  Osteology. 

CA'PUT.     See  CAPITA,  and  PROCESSUS. 

i' IT     COXCU'TIEXS.       See    IXTERTRAXSVERSALES 

BQIU. 

CA'PUT  GALLIXA'CEUM.     See  OXOBRYCHIS. 

CA'PCT  MO'NACHI.     See  DENS  LEOSIS. 

CA'PUT  MO'RTUUM.  A  DEAD  HEAD.  In  chemistry 
it  imports  the  dry  faeces  left  in  a  vessel  after  the  mois- 
ture hath  been  distilled  from  it.  It  is  also  called  term 
damnata,  and  mortua  terra.  The  earthy  part  of  moist 
bodies  serves  as  a  basis  to  the  other  principles ;  it  is 
that  which  unites  and  gives  them  solidity.  When  the 
active  principles  are  extracted,  it  is  consequently  called 
ca/iut  mortuum. 

CA'PUT  OBSTI'PIUM.     See  CERVIX. 

CA'RA  BRASILIE'NSIBUS,  called  also  igname 
:ie;  {-.attains  Hi/tftanica.  It  is  a  name  given  by  the 


old  Roman  authors  to  a  plant  with  large  and  esculent 
roots.  The  soldiers  of  Caesar  are  said,  in  some  of  their 
marches  when  distressed  for  provision,  to  have  made 
a  sort  of  bread  of  this  root;  and  P.  -£gineta  and 
Dioscorides  inform  us  that  this  plant  was  of  the  fiasti- 
naca,  or  parsnip  kind.  It  was  probably  the  elofihoboscum, 
or  wild  parsnip,  which  has  roots  long  and  thick,  and  of 
as  good  a  taste  as  those  cultivated  in  gardens,  only 
they  were  not  quite  so  tender.  It  is  supposed  that  our 
word  carrot  is  derived  from  this  CARA. 

CA'RAB.     See  SILIQUA. 

CARABA'CCIUM  LIGNUM.  The  wood  tastes 
like  cloves,  but  very  mild,  and  quite  grateful,  of  a  cin- 
namon colour.  It  is  brought  from  India,  but  not  much 
known  in  practice.  Baglivi  thinks  that  it  corrects  acri- 
mony, and  a  scorbutic  dissolution  of  the  blood.  See 

CASSIA   rARYOPHILLATA. 

C'A'RABE,  (from  carab,  to  offer,  Pers).  Sec  Suc- 
oanat, 

C'A'RABE  FU'XERUM.     See  BITUMEN. 

CA'RABUS,  (from  **f«,  the  head;  from  va^x.  r» 
x.scpa  £*tttn,  according  to  Schrevelius,  it  walks  ufion  its 
head).  This  word  is  variously  understood ;  with  some 
it  signifies  an  insect  of  the  beetle  kind,  or  those  which 
are  bred  in  dried  woods,  and  belong  to  the  scarabxi; 
with  others,  the  cray  fish ;  and  sometimes  it  is  used  for 
the  locusta  marina. 

CA'RABVS.  CHRYSOCE'PHALUS,  and  FERRU'GIXECS  of 
Fabricis.  These  insects  have  been  recommended  for 
the  tooth  ach.  They  must  be  pressed  between  the 
fingers,  which  must  then  be  rubbed  on  the  gum  and 
tooth  affected. 

CARACO'SMOS.  A  name  of  the  sour  mare's  milk- 
which  the  Tartars  are  fond  of. 

CARA'GN'A.     See  CARAXXA. 

CARA'MBOLOS.  (Indian.)  jlver/ioa  carambola 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  613.  This  tree  bears  fruit  three  times  in 
a  year.  It  grows  in  the  East  Indies.  To  its  different 
parts  are  attributed  as  many  medical  virtues.  The  fruit 
is  agreeably  acrid,  and  recommended  in  bilious  fevers 
and  dysenteries.  Raii  Hist. 

CARAME'XO.        Sec     HYBOUCOUHU      AMERICA- 


CARA'NXA.  (Spanish.)  Also  called  caragna;  brc- 
lisis.  It  is  a  concrete  resinous  juice  brought  from 
Spain,  and  other  parts  of  America,  in  little  ITK 
rolled  up  in  the  leaves  of  flags,  outwardly  of  a  dark 
brown  colour,  inwardly  brown,  with  a  cast  of  red, 
variegated  with  irregular  white  streaks,  somewhat  sofi 
and  tenacious  as  it  first  comes  over,  but  in  time  grow- 
ing dry  and  friable.  The  whiter  the  gum,  the  better  it 
is,  especially  if  of  the  consistence  of  a  plaster.  Its  vir- 
tues are  the  same  as  those  of  tacama/iaca,  but  more  ac- 
tive. It  hath  an  agreeable  smell,  with  a  bitter  and 
slightly  pungent  taste.  Rectified  spirit  dissolves  three- 
fourths  of  it,  and  water  dissolves  the  rest,  except  the 
impurities.  By  distillation  it  affords  mu^h  essential 
oil  of  an  orange  colour.  It  is  fragrant,  and  to  the 
taste  moderately  pungent.  If  the  spirituous  tincture 
be  inspissated,  it  yields  a  tenacious  resin,  and  an  oily 
matter,  which  separates  and  floats  on  the  surface :  it  is 
considerably  aromatic,  and  moderately  bitter.  Etmul- 
ler  says,  that  this  gum  is  useful  against  pains  in  the 
stomach,  and  in  the  joints,  if  applied  in  the  form  of  .• 


CAR 


344 


CAR 


p\aster.     The  tree  which  affords  it  is  unknown.     It  is 
suspected  to  be  a  palm.     See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 

CARA'NTIA.     See  SILIQUA  DULCIS. 

CARA-SCHU'LLI.  (Indian.)  Frutex  Indicus  sfii- 
nosus.  An  Indian  shrub  like  the  caper  bush.  A  decoc- 
tion of  the  root  provokes  urine.  Raii  Hist. 

CARAVA'TA.     See  CACAO. 

CA'RBASUS.  (Greek.)  ScriboniusLargus  uses  this 
word  to  signify  the  thin  linen,  or  soft  threads,  on  which 
the  surgeons  spead  their  ointments,  viz.  LINT  ;  called 
also  ac/ine,  carjiia;  in  France,  charfiie;  in  Scotland, 
caddes.  It  is  called  likewise  Unteum,  linen,  tents,  rollers, 
com/iresses;  MOTOS  is  an  appellation  for  lint,  whence 
diamotosis,  the  introduction  of  lint  into  a  wound  or  ulcer. 
Where  lint  is  applied  to  absorb  the  matter  from  a 
wound,  pledgets  of  fine  sponge  are  more  effectual,  and 
should  be  preferred  where  any  inconvenience  is  appre- 
hended from  the  sharpness  of  the  matter. 

CA'RBO,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  charak,  to  burn, 
or  charbah,  burnt).  But  charcoal  is  generally  under- 
stood by  this  word  when  fossilis  is  not  joined  with  it. 
It  is  also  a  name  of  the  carbunculus. 

CA'RBO  FO'SSILIS,  (from  charbah,  burnt).  PITCOAL, 
or  SCOTCH  COAL.  Hoffman  says,  that  when  it  is  ana- 
lysed by  distilling  in  a  retort,  over  an  open  fire,  it  first 
yields  a  phlegm,  then  an  acrid  sulphureous  spirit,  then 
a  subtile  oil,  then  a  grosser  oil,  which  falls  to  the  bottom 
of  the  receiver ;  then,  by  a  brisker  fire,  an  acidulated 
salt,  like  that  of  amber ;  in  the  retort  there  is  left  a 
black  earth  that  is  light,  and  which,  on  the  application 
of  fire,  emits  neither  flame  nor  smoke.  The  gross 
empyreumatic  oil  contains  a  quantity  of  mineral  sul- 
phur: thus  coal,  as  all  bitumens  are,  is  an  oleo  sul- 
phureous acid,  with  a  light  calcareous  earth. 

These  coats  are  only  used  for  the  advantage  of  their 
heat  by  burning  them  in  stoves  ;  but  for  purposes  not 
connected  with  medicine,  they  undergo  a  process  pre- 
vious to  their  being  used,  that  is,  they  are  charred,  or 
reduced  to  COAKS  or  CINDERS:  this  is  effected  by  a 
method  similar  to  that  of  making  charcoal  of  wood:  by 
this  operation  they  are  deprived  of  their  phlegm,  their 
acid  liquor,  and  much  of  their  fluid  oil. 

CARBO  VEGETABILIS,  or  CHARCOAL  OF  WOOD,  is  the 
coal  into  which  wood  is  converted  by  the  process  of 
charring. 

Pieces  of  wood  are  so  disposed  as  to  form  a  pile,  gene- 
rally conical ;  this  pile  is  covered  with  turf,  to  prevent 
the  too  free  draught  of  air,  by  which  the  wood  would 
be  reduced  to  ashes,  and  not  to  coal.  The  pile  is  then 
kindled,  and  the  fire  continued  till  the  watery  and  the 
more  volatile  parts  of  the  wood  are  dissipated,  that  is, 
till  no  more  smoke  arises,  at  which  time  the  wood  is 
thoroughly  red  hot.  The  external  air  is  then  to  be 
totally  excluded  by  covering  the  pile  with  earth,  and 
thus  the  fire  is  extinguished. 

In  chemistry,  by  the  word  coal  is  understood  any 
substance  containing  oil,  which  hath  been  exposed  to 
fire  in  a  close  vessel  so  that  it  can  sustain  a  red  heat 
without  further  decomposition ;  but  the  use  of  these 
coals  or  coaks  in  smelting  iron  is  scarcely  a  part  of 
our  subject,  and  must  not  detain  us  at  this  time. 
Charcoal  is  of  very  considerable  service  in  many  pro- 
cesses connected  with  diet.  From  the  indestructible 
nature  of  charcoal,  charring  the  inner  surface  of  casks 


renders  them  more  fit  for  preserving  water;  and,  from 
some  late  experiments,  it  appears  that  water  may  be 
kept  at  sea  without  any  change  for  an  indefinite  period, 
by  this  simple  previous  operation  on  the  staves.  Honey 
is  cleared  from  its  bad  colour,  and  occasionally  offen- 
sive taste,  by  its  means  ;  ardent  spirits  are  deprived  of 
an  empyreumatic,  or  other  bad  flavour,  and  rancid  oil 
by  an  admixture  of  charcoal  is  restored  to  its  former 
state  of  purity.  Vinegar  concentrated  by  freezing, 
and  afterwards  distilled  from  powdered  charcoal,  be- 
comes highly  pure  and  fragrant.  Crystals  of  tartar  are 
whitened,  and  many  of  the  neutral  salts  crystallize  more 
perfectly,  by  previously  digesting  their  solutions  with 
this  substance. 

Heated  charcoal  absorbs  air  very  completely,  and 
forms  a  more  perfect  vacuum  than  the  best  air  pump. 
In  other  circumstances  it  absorbs  it  in  part  only,  pre- 
ferring the  oxygenous  part  to  the  azote.  Cold  charcoal 
absorbs  atmospheric  air  without  any  decomposition. 
Fresh  made  charcoal  absorbs  water  very  copiously,  and 
deposits  a  great  part  of  the  air  it  had  taken  up.  It  is 
an  excellent  conductor  of  electricity. 

In  medicine  it  is  used  as  an  application  to  cancers, 
and  to  putrid  ulcers  ;  occasionally  also  as  a  dentifrice. 
but  it  appears  to  possess  little  pecuHar  merit. 

Charcoal  from  different  woods  are  preferred  in  dif- 
ferent arts,  but  its  use  in  medicine  and  pharmacy  is  the 
same  from  whatever  source  it  be  obtained. 

The  vapours  that  arise  from  charcoal  are  extrcmely 
pernicious,  producing  a  species  of  apoplexy  in  those  per- 
sons who  are  exposed  to  them.  They  produce  at  first 
a  sense  of  uneasiness,  a  chilliness,  nausea,  and  headach. 
These  are  followed  by  a  loss  of  sense,  a  fixed  look,  u 
rigidity  of  the  whole  body,  a  ghastly  countenance,  a 
small,  frequent,  and  irregular  pulse,  and  death. 

In  this  case  the  noxious  vapours  act  on  the  brain  and 
nerves,  through  the  medium  of  the  lungs ;  these  va- 
pours, and  those  from  fermenting  vegetables,  putrefying 
animal  substances,  or  from  caverns,  operate  in  the  same 
manner ;  and  as  accumulated  and  confined,  their  effect 
is  more  or  less  instantaneous.  They  attack  the  vital 
principle,  and  extinguish  it  at  once  if  copious  :  a  less 
quantity  produces  the  symptoms  of  debility  in  the 
nervous  system.  To  prevent  suffering  from  this  cause, 
close  rooms  where  these  substances  are  burning  must 
be  avoided ;  they  are  only  safe  when  a  candle  will  con- 
tinue to  burn  in  them.  The  vapours  of  deep  wells  are 
of  this  kind,  but  those  of  mines  are  different,  and  consist 
of  hydrogenous  gas.  In  some  kinds  of  azotic  gas,  which 
are  highly  deleterious,  a  candle  will  burn  freely. 

When  affected,  the  patient  must  be  exposed  to  the 
open  air ;  if  he  can  swallow,  acidulated  liquors  may  be 
given  :  if  he  is  insensible,  cold  water  must  be  thrown 
on  his  face ;  strong  vinegar  rubbed  about  his  nostrils, 
and  held  under  them ;  stimulating  clysters  are  also  ne- 
cessary. To  remove  the  spasms,  the  sps.  setheris  vi- 
triolicus  compositus  will  be  useful.  If  these  fail,  let 
a  strong  healthy  person  breathe  forcibly  into  the  mouth 
of  the  patient  so  as  to  distend  his  lungs,  or  they  may  be 
distended  more  advantageously  by  oxygenous  gas. 

CARBON,  or  CARBONE.  This  substance  has  not 
yet  been  procured  in  a  separate  state ;  the  idea  of  it  is 
an  abstract,  not  a  sensible  one :  yet  it  is  not,  like  phlo- 
giston, an  imaginary  principle,  for  though  on  the  v, ' 


e  AR 


345 


C  A  R 


the  evidence  of  its  existence  is  not  more  strong,  it  does 
not  by  its  presence  involve  any  contradictory  quality. 

The  essence  of  carbon  has  been  thought  to  consist  in 
its  absorbing  light,  and  appearing  of  a  black  colour;  but 
the  purest  form  in  which  it  is  offered  to  our  observa- 
tion is  that  of  the  sparkling  diamond.  In  the  carbonic 
acid  gas  it  is  combined  only  with  oxygen,  for  Lavoisier 
found  that  this  gas  contained  28  parts  of  carbon,  and 
72  of  oxygen.  Charcoal  itself,  is  supposed  to  be  car- 
bon, with  a  smaller  proportion  of  oxygen;  and  diamond 
approaches  still  nearer  to  the  carbon :  so  that  charcoal 
has  been  called  an  oxide  of  diamond. 

Carbon  unites  with  many  bodies,  which  are  deno- 
minated carbonates  and  carburets.  It  does  not,  however, 
combine  in  the  form  of  charcoal  with  oxygen  gas,  till 
its  tempera  tore  be  raised  to  370°  of  Fahrenheit,  its  point 
of  ignition.  It  then  burns  in  this  gas  with  a  brilliant 
flame,  and  the  carbonic  acid  gas  is  the  result.  This  gas 
also  escapes  in  respiration,  and  in  many  other  animal 
processes.  In  the  form  of  carbonic  acid,  it  exists  co- 
piously in  the  earth,  united  with  limestone,  and  is  found 
in  many  other  bodies.  It  occurs  alone  in  caverns,  and 
particularly  in  the  grotto  del  Cani  in  Sicily. 

It  particularly  engages  our  attention  in  this  work,  as 
it  is  the  distinguishing  ingredient  in  vegetable  bodies, 
while  the  azote  equally  discriminates  animal  substances. 
It  is  derived  from  the  earth,  for  of  whatever  kind 
manures  are,  they  all  contain  carbon,  or  greedily  ex- 
tract it  from  the  air.  From  thence  it  is  introduced  into 
the  animal  system  ;  and,  combining  with  oxygen,  is  dis- 
charged in  respiration  in  the  form  of  carbonic  acid  gas. 
\Ve  have  already  noticed  this  change,  particularly  under 
the  article  of  CALIDUM  INNATUM,  and  shall  return  to  it 
under  that  of  RESPIRATION.  In  the  system  it  produces 
no  particular  effect.  In  the  stomach,  as  we  have  seen 
under  the  head  of  Aqu.£  MINERALES,  it  acts  as  a 
stimulant,  and  relieves  vomiting. 

CA'RBOXAS.  CARBONATE.  Salts  formed  by  the 
union  of  carbonic  acid  with  different  bases ;  as  carbona 
cufiri,  carbonate  of  cofifier. 

CARBO*NICUM  A'CIDUM.  Carbon  united  with 
a  larger  proportion  of  oxygen  than  in  charcoal,  see  AER. 

CA'RBOS.     CANAL  COAL.     See  AMPELITIS. 

CARBU  XCULUS.  A  CARBUNCLE,  (from  carbo, 
a  burning  coaC).  It  is  called  carbo,  rubinus  -verus  ;  code- 
sella,  erythema  gangr<£ nosum,  granatrisfum,  anthrax^ 
fintna,  and  Avicenna  names  it  Persicus  ignis,  par- 
ticularly that  species  which  is  attended  with  pustules 
and  vesications.  Paulus  JLgineta  says  it  is  a  crusty 
ulcer,  beginning,  for  the  most  part,  with  a  pustule  like  a 
burn,  and  sometimes  without  it ;  at  first,  the  patient 
scratches  the  part,  whence  arise  one  or  more  pustules, 
small  as  a  grain  of  millet,  which,  breaking,  become  a 
crusty  ulcer,  as  if  it  was  produced  by  an  actual  cau- 
tery ;  the  crust  is  rather  of  an  ash  colour  or  blackish ;  it 
adheres,  and  is  fixed  on  its  base  to  the  part,  and  spreads 
by  its  phagedenic  property  ;  the  flesh  all  around  is  in- 
flamed and  black,  and  shines  like  bitumen.  Heister 
says,  a  carbuncle  is  an  inflammation,  which,  in  pesti- 
lential times,  rises  with  such  vesicles  as  are  the  usual 
effects  of  a  burn  ;  this  inflammation,  for  the  most  part, 
suddenly  degenerates  into  a  sphacelus,  and  corrupts 
the  subjacent  parts  to  the  bones,  rendering  them  as 
black  as  a  coal>  and  this  seems  to  be  the  reason  why 

VOL.    I. 


the  Latins  call  them  carbuncuti,  and  the  Greeks  an* 
t h  races. 

In  the  Edinb.  Med.  Commentaries,  vol.  vi.  p.  165,  it 
is  observed  that  carbuncles  are  a  gangrenous  spot  upon 
the  skin,  having  the  appearance  of  a  burn  with  red, 
livid,  or  black  vesicles,  bounded  by  an  inflammatory 
ring,  which  soon  terminates  in  a  hard  black  eschar. 
The  anthrax,  an  affection  of  the  same  nature  with  the 
carbuncle,  only  the  former  is  more  prominent,  pene- 
trates deeper  into  the  adipose  membrane,  and  occasions 
a  higher  degree  of  inflammation. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  it  as  a  variety  of  phlogosis  erythe- 
ma, on  account  of  its  violence,  making  it  synonymous 
with  anthrax,  and  the  erythema  gangrxnosum  of  Sau- 
vages.  Carbuncles  generally  break  out  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly,  in  an  hour  or  two  at  the  most,  and  are 
attended  with  pain  and  heat.  The  inflammation  pro- 
ceeds so  quickly  to  mortification,  that  there  is  seldom 
any  evident  tumour  raised,  the  parts  turning  black,  and 
ending  in  real  gangrene,  often  in  the  course  of  twenty- 
four  hours  from  the  first  attack.  But  when  a  tumour 
does  arise,  as  soon  as  it  is  opened,  it  discharges  a  livid 
sanies,  or  sometimes  limpid  water.  It  is  black  within, 
which  shows  that  a  sphacelus  has  seized  the  subjacent 
flesh,  and  is  making  rapid  progress.  In  those  that  re- 
cover, a  separation  is  made  betwixt  the  sound  and  the 
disordered  flesh,  by  means  of  a  suppuration.  There  is 
no  part  of  the  body  but  what  may  be  the:'.-  seat ;  and  they 
are  generally  attended  with  buboes.  The  proximate 
cause  is  the  inflammation  from  pestilential  contagion, 
with  a  putrescent  state  of  the  system.  Danger  is  great 
when  the  colour  is  livid;  the  milder  sort  are  first  red 
and  then  yellow.  When  they  are  seated  on  the  face, 
neck,  breast,  and  arm  pits,  they  are  generally  fatal. 
When  they  occur,  as  they  sometimes  do,  internally 
upon  any  of  the  viscera,  they  must,  in  every  instance, 
probably  prove  fatal,  as  we  are  not  acquainted  with  any 
remedies  which  can  ever  prevent  their  progress  to  mor- 
tification. Externally,  indeed,  when  they  are  foot  very 
extensive,  nor  seated  on  any  of  the  large  blood  vessels 
and  nerves,  they  are  frequently  conquered,  that  is,  by 
the  destruction  of  the  part  affected. 

Van  Swieten  describes  another  sort  of  carbuncle  in  his 
Comments  on  Boerhaave's  Aphorisms;  and  says,  it  is  an 
ulcer,  which,  when  after  a  violent  and  commonly  very 
painful  inflammation,  there  happens  a  rupture  of  the 
skin  in  several  places,  and  fragments  of  the  corrupted 
paniculus  adiposus  are  discharged  at  its  orifices. 

In  the  view  we  have  thus  given,  carbuncle  appears 
as  a  putrid,  irritable  sore,  whose  origin  is  in  the  cellu- 
lar substance,  and  which  is  intimately  connected  with 
putrid  or  pestilential  diseases,  the  production  of  a  hot 
climate,  or  the  attendant  of  weak  debilitated  constitu- 
tions. Anthrax,  however,  as  observed  in  this  country, 
assumes  a  different  form.  A  hard  substance  forms  in  a 
fleshy  part,  often  in  the  back  or  thigh,  with  a  violent 
throbbing  pain  and  a  burning  heat.  It  frequently  hap- 
pens to  old  persons,  and  sometimes  seems  to  be  a  criti- 
cal deposition,  an  effort  of  nature  to  discharge  some 
morbid  fluids.  This  hard  body  suppurates  with  diffi- 
culty, and  imperfectly ;  but  if  the  constitution  is  suffi- 
ciently strong  to  carry  on  the  process,  the  whole  is  se- 
parated, and  the  cavity  fills  with  healthy  granulations; 
the  constitution  regaining  its  strength,  often  with  reno- 

"Y  v 


CAR 


346 


CAR 


vated  \igour.  It  happens,  however,  frequently  in  the 
weak  and  aged ;  in  persons  loaded  with  fat,  and  often 
breathing  with  difficulty.  The  latter  can  seldom  bear 
the  tonic  powers  of  bark  without  suffocation,  and  to  the 
former  any  dose  of  bark  or  any  cordial  is  generally  in- 
sufficient. They  yield  to  the  discharge,  or  sink  more 
rapidly  from  sphacelus. 

The  substance  of  this  hard  tumour  seems  to  be  a  con- 
geries of  the  sebaceous  glands  under  the  skin,  for  if  on 
the  first  appearance  of  the  tumour,  the  point,  which  is 
obvious,  be  opened,  and  the  tumour  gently  pressed,  a 
quantity  of  sebaceous  matter  is  forced  out.  The  throb- 
bing and  heat,  however,  soon  return,  and  the  operation 
must  be  often  repeated.  We  have  frequently,  in  this 
way,  checked  anthrax  in  its  germ. 

It  more  often  happens  that  the  tumour  is  suddenly 
formed  of  a  considerable  size.  If  this  be  the  case,  or 
the  pressing  out  be  neglected,  suppuration  goes  on;  not 
indeed  in  the  tumour,  for  the  sebaceous  matter  does  not 
admit  of  this  change,  but  in  the  parts  around,  and  the 
tumour  is  then  thrown  out  like  a  cancer  by  the  effect  of 
arsenic.  The  cavity  is  generally  large,  and  the  discharge 
considerable :  few  constitutions  are  equal  to  it,  espe- 
cially when  debilitated  by  age,  the  previous  fever,  and 
the  violent  pain. 

Every  stimulant  application  externally,  and  the 
warmest  tonics,  with  wine  and  opiates  internally,  are 
requisite.  Yet  these,  as  we  have  said,  are  often  useless, 
or  unequal  to  support  the  patient  under  circumstances 
so  violent  and  distressing.  It  has  been  proposed  to 
make  incisions  into  the  tumour,  and  to  fill  it  with  stimu- 
lating substances  ;  but  we  have  never  found  this  plan  of 
service,  for  the  tumour  itself  never  suppurates.  Might 
the  application  of  corrosive  sublimate  or  arsenic  suc- 
ceed? 

See  Heister's  Surgery,  Bell  on  Ulcers,  edit.  3.  p. 
97 — 99.  Kirkland's  Med.  Surgery,  vol.  i.  320,  vol.  ii. 
080,  389.  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i.  136. 
White's  Surgery,  15. 

CARCATULI  FRU'CTU  MA'LO  AU'REO 
.E'MULO;  CODDAMPU'LLI.  (Indian.)  The  IN- 
DIAN YELLOW  ORANGE  TREE,  of  MALABAR,  Called  also 

ghoraka. 

It  is  a  tall  large  tree,  with  yellow  flowers,  and  large 
round  fruit,  that  is  ribbed  and  whitish,  when  ripe  of  an 
agreeable  acid  and  sweetish  taste,  and  with  seeds  of  an 
azure  blue  colour.  This  fruit  recovers  lost  appetite, 
and  is  restringcnt.  The  same  tree,  however,  affords 
the  GAMBOGE,  q.  v. 

CARCA'PULI  LINCO'TANI.  This  differs  from  the  above 
in  its  flower  and  fruit..  The  fruit  of  this  species  is 
sweet,  round,  and  of  the  size  of  a  cherry.  It  is  also  call- 
ed kanna  ghoraka.  They  both  afford  the  gamboge, 
'but  this  latter  the  best. 

CA'RCAROS,  (from  x»px.a.ipa,  to  resound).  See 
PJIUICODES. 

CA'RCAS.     See  CATAPUTIA,  under  RICINOIDES. 

CA'RCAX,  (from  xapct,  a  head).  A  species  of 
poppy  with  a  very  large  head. 

CA'RCER.  Paracelsus  means  by  it  a  remedy  proper 
for  restraining  disordered  motions  of  body  and  mind,  as 
-in  curing  the  chorea  sancti  Viti. 

CARCHE'SIUS.  The  name  of  some  bandages  no- 
ticed by  Galen,  and  described  by  Oribasius,  Properly, 


a  rope  which  goes  round  the  top  of  a  ship's  mast,  anrf 
keeps  it  steady  on  both  sides. 

CARCINE'THRON,  (from  x.apx.ms,  a  crab,  so 
called  from  its  being  jointed  like  the  claws  of  a  crab). 
A  name  in  Oribasius  for  the  fiolyg-onum,  or  common 
knot  grass. 

CARCINO'DES,  (from  *<*p*iv»f«e,  a.nA-ciS~>s,  forma) 
A  tumour  resembling  a  cancer. 

CARCINO'MA,  and  CARCI'NOS.  See  CANCER. 
It  sometimes  signifies  the  cancer  only  in  its  ulcerated 
state;  or  cancerous  ulcer,  however  produced. 

CARDAMA'NTICA,  (a  dim.  of  **f}«fi*v,  nastur- 
tium). See  CARDAMINES. 

CARDAME'LEUM.  (Greek.)  The  name  of  a 
medicine  mentioned  by  Galen. 

CARDAMI'NDUM  MINUS,  (from  K«,JV»,  and 
IvA;,  Indian  cresses).  See  NASTURTIUM  INDICUM. 

CARDAMI'NES,  (from  xxp^x,  the  heart,  because 
it  comforts  and  strengthens  the  heart).  Also  called 
cardamantica,  nasturtium  ai/ualicum,  culi  flos,  iberis^ 
herba  veteribus  iffnota,  sofihia ;  MEADOW  CRESSES, 
LADIES  SMOCK,  and  CUCKOW  FLOWER.  The  carda- 
mine  firatensis  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  915.  Nat.  order  sili- 
quotes. 

The  cardamine  was  formerly  esteemed  as  a  diuretic 
and  sudorific,  and  then  was  supposed  to  be  a  powerful 
antispasmodic.  It  grows  in  meadows,  and  flowers  in 
April. 

Sir  Geo.  Baker,  in  the  Lond.  Med.  Trans,  vol.  i.  p. 
442,  relates  a  case  of  a  spasmodic  asthma,  that  after 
resisting  all  other  means,  was  cured  by  taking  the  flow- 
ers of  this  plant,  at  first  9  i.  twice  a  day,  and  after- 
wards 5  ss-  in  each  dose.  The  chorea  sancti  Viti  was 
cured  by  J  ss.  twice  a  day.  The  case  was  obstinate 
while  other  means  were  used,  but  soon  gave  way  to 
these  flowers.  To  these  he  adds  a  case  in  which  palsy, 
a  difficulty  of  swallowing,  and  convulsions,  were 
complicated;  and  though  these  disorders  had  been 
of  long  standing,  relief  was  obtained  by  J  ss.  of  these 
flowers  taken  twice  a  day.  He  further  observes,  that 
they  improve  the  appetite,  that  J  i.  hath  succeeded  as 
an  antispasmodic,  where  opium,  camphor,  and  valerian 
failed;  and  that  they  have  been  given  to  3  iss.  three 
times  a  day. 

Greeding,  though  he  tried  this  medicine  in  large  doses 
in  a  great  number  of  cases,  experienced  its  good  effect 
only  in  one.  We  have  never  experienced  them  in  one. 

Linnaeus  observes,  that  these  flowers  are  pungent  to 
the  taste,  but  their  pungency  is  inconsiderable ;  and 
they  have  scarcely  ever  succeeded  in  our  hands  as  an 
antispasmodic,  nor  have  they  seemed  to  possess  any 
medicinal  powers.  Dioscorides  says,  they  are  warm 
and  diuretic;  Galen,  that  they  resemble  water  cresses 
in  taste  and  virtues;  Dale, that  they  are  antispasmodic ; 
and  Dr.  T.  Robinson,  that  they  arc  powerfully  anti- 
epileptic. 

Dr.  Cullen  mentions  this  plant,  and  particularly  its 
flowers,  to  be  far  inferior  to  several  others  of  the  sili- 
quosx  in  its  sensible  qualities;  and  he  noticed  them 
only  on  the  authority  of  Sir  Geo.  Baker,  referring  to 
.his  paper  on  this  subject  above  quoted. 

CARDAMO'MUM,  (from  tutgfapui,  and  u^a^o^ 
because  it  participates  of  the  nature  of  both).  The 
COMMON  or  LESSER  CARDAMOMS,  called  also  eletfctrt.. 


C  A  R 


347 


<_'  A 


fardam.  minus.  The  lesser  cardamom  seeds  are  the 
produce  of  the  amomum  cardamomum  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  2. 
But  later  authors  have  referred  it  to  another  species, 
the  a.  repens  of  Wildenow,  vol.  i.  page  9.  Nat.  order 
scitaminef. 

Cardamoms  area  dried  pod  with  seeds,  brought  from 
Malabar  in  the  East  Indies:  the  best  come  from  Co- 
magene,  Armenia,  and  the  Bosphorus.  They  grow 
also  in  Arabia.  These  pods  are  divided  internally  into 
three  cells,  in  each  of  which  are  two  rows  of  triangular 
seeds,  of  a  brownish  colour  on  the  outside,  and  white 
within.  The  plant  grows  in  the  form  of  our  reeds. 

The  lesser  cardamoms  have  short  triangular  husks, 
scarce  half  an  inch  long.  The  seeds  freed  from  these 
husks  are  a  grateful  aromatic,  warm,  but  not  fiery,  and 
not  subject  like  pepper  to  create  immoderate  heat. 
The  husks  should  only  be  separated  "when  used ;  for 
the  seeds  lose  much  of  their  flavour  if  taken  out.  They 
give  out  all  their  virtue  to  spirit,  and  nearly  so  to  water. 
In  distillation  with  water,  a  large  quantity  of  essential 
oil  rises ;  it  is  pungent  to  the  taste,  and  smells  strong  of 
the  seeds  ;  the  remaining  decoction  is  bitter  and  muci- 
laginous, but  void  of  the  flavour  and  warmth  of  the 
seeds.  A  spirituous  tincture,  when  evaporated,  leaves 
the  virtues  of  the  seeds  almost  wholly  in  the  extract, 
which  is  more  grateful  than  the  seeds  themselves. 
They  are  considered  as  gentle  stimulants  of  the  sto- 
mach, cordial,  carminative,  and  antispasmodic ;  with- 
out that  irritation  and  heat  which  many  other  of  the 
spkes  are  apt  to  produce.  All  the  spirituous  prepara- 
tions are  more  agreeable  than  the  watery. 

The  TINCTURE  OF  CARDAMOMS  is  made  by  digesting 
three  ounces  of  the  bruised  seeds  in  a  quart  of  proof 
spirit  for  eight  days.  It  possesses  all  the  virtues  of 
the  seeds ;  and  among  all  the  aromatics  there  are  none 
that  answer  so  well,  in  general,  as  this  tincture,  for 
rendering  mineral  -waters  and  other  saline  liquors  easy 
and  agreeable  in  the  stomach.  The  dose  is  one  drachm 
to  three. 

COMPOUND  TINCTURE  OF  CARDAMOMS,  formerly  tine- 
tura  siomac/iica,  is  made  of  smaller  cardamom  seeds 
husked,  carraway  seeds,  cochineal,  of  each  powdered 
two  drachms;  cinnamon  bruised,  half  an  ounce  ;  raisins, 
stoned,  four  ounces ;  proof  spirit,  two  pints ;  digested 
for  fourteen  days,  and  strained.  This  is  often  ordered 
by  itself,  or  in  draughts,  from  two  drachms  to  half  an 
ounce,  joined  with  aether,  and  tinct.  opii,  in  gouty  and 
other  spasmodic  affections  of  the  stomach  and  precor- 
dia.- 

CARDAMO'MUM  MAJUS.  The  GREATER  CARDAMOMS. 
The  amomum  grana  fiaradisi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  2.  Their 
pods  are  about  an  inch  long,  triangular,  and  with  two 
rows  of  seeds  in  each.  The  husks  are  tough,  and 
thicker  than  those  of  the  lesser  kind.  They  grow  in 
Java  and  the  East  Indies. 

CARDAMO'MUM  MEDIUM,  grows  in  pods  of  a  round 
figure.  These  two,  though  of  the  same  nature,  are 
weaker  than  the  first  kind,  and  consequently  disused. 
See  Cullen's  Mater.  Medic.  Woodville's  Medic. 
Botany. 

CARDAMO'MUM  PIPERA'TUM.    See  PARADISI  GRAXA. 
CARDAMO'MVM  SIBERIE'JCSE.    See  ANISUM  INDICUM. 
CARDE'GI  1'NDI.     See  FOLIUM. 
CA'RDIA,  (from  *£*f,  cor).     By  this  term  the  an- 


cients meant  the  heart ;  but  we  call  the  upper  orifice 
of  the  stomach  cardia,  from  its  vicinity  to,  and  consent 
with,  the  heart.  See  COR,  CARDIALGIA,  MEDITULLIUM. 
and  LIPOTHYMIA. 

CARDI'ACA  HE'RBA.    MOTHERWORT.    It  is  also 
called  agrifialma  gallis,  marrubium,  and  cardiaca  c 
Ruellii ;   leonurus  cardiaca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  817. 

It  is  called  cardiaca  because  it  is  supposed  to  relieve- 
in  fainting  and  disorders  of  the  stomach,  particula 
children  and  in  hypochondriacs.     It  is  biennial,  grcr.vs 
waste  in  wild  grounds,  and  flowci-s  in  July. 

It  hath  been  celebrated  in  disorders  of  the  stomach, 
proceeding  from  thick  phlegm.  It  is  said  to  loosen  the 
belly,  promote  perspiration,  urine,  and  the  catameni?. 
The  leaves  and  tops  have  a  strong,  rather  a  disagreeable, 
smell,  and  a  bitter  taste,  and  it  has  probably  been  useful 
in  hysteric  affections.  By  keeping,  or  by  boiling,  the 
disagreeable  smell  is  dissipated.  An  extract  of  a  pun- 
gent bitter  quality  is  obtained  by  evaporating  the  wa- 
tery decoction.  But  an  infusion  of  the  tops  before  it 
flowers  is  the  best  preparation.  See  Dale,  Miller's  Bot. 
Off.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 

CARDI'ACA,  CORDIALS,  (from  x.ttf&ot,  the  heart  and 
u/ifier  orifice  of  the  stomach,  because  they  act  on  the 
heart  by  their  application  to  the  stomach).  In  phar- 
macy it  signifies  CORDIAL,  and  is  also  named  cordialia. 
anale/itica,  resumfitiva,  and  by  Paracelsus,  deft-nsh-a. 

The  word  cordial  is  of  a  large  extent.  Things  of 
very  opposite  natures  may  prove  cordials  by  relieving 
the  same  symptoms  when  produced  by  opposite  causes. 
To  understand  their  operation,  it  is  necessary  to  con- 
sider that  a  languor  or  faintness  may  be  the  conse- 
quence either  of  what  oppresses  or  of  what  exh. 
the  vital  powers ;  what  retards  the  progress  of  the  vita! 
principle,  or  impedes  its  influence,  produces  the  sanu- 
sensation  as  its  diminution.  In  both  these  cases,  medi- 
cines of  opposite  natures  produce  the  same  effec 
adding  force  to  the  fibres :  thus,  under  an  oppression 
of  spirits,  from  heat,  when  no  extraordinary  action  or 
indisposition  of  body  hath  exhausted  them,  a  glass  of 
cold  water  is  a  cordial,  for  it  stimulates  the  fibres,  and 
rouses  them  to  their  wonted  action ;  and  w  hen,  front 
violent  exercise  or  a  tedious  disease  a  person  faints, 
warm  medicines,  or  aromatic  and  spirituous  liquors, 
are  also  cordial,  by  producing  the  same  effect.  But 
in  general,  by  cordials,  is  understood  those  prepara- 
tions whose  warm  and  active  parts,  immediately  on  be- 
ing received  into  the  stomach,  produce  a  cheerfulness, 
and  are  suited  to  increase  the  strength  and  •> 
the  heart.  Valcarengus  observes,  that  a  cordial  ii 
whatever  destroys,  or  at  least  blunts,  the  force  of  a 
morbific  cause,  restores  the  lost  tone  of  the  solids,  and 
gives  due  motion  to  the  fluids ;  by  that  means  procuring 
a  just  equilibrium. 

CARDI'ACA  PA'SSIO.  The  CARDIAC  PASSION  is  a  dis- 
order frequently  mentioned  by  the  ancients;  but  by 
the  moderns  it  is  mostly  treated  of  under  the  name 
of  SVXCOPE,  and,  indeed,  from  the  description  of  the 
ancients,  it  may  well  be  referred  to  that  article.  The 
name  cardiaca  ftassio  is  from  the  part  supposed  to 
be  affected.  Ccelius  Aurelianus  says,  "  that  this  dis- 
order, according  to  some,  derived  its  name  from  the 
part  affected ;  for  they  imagined  that  the  heart  is  the 
principal  seat  of  it."  Soranus  declines  givini: 

Y  v  : 


C  AH 


348 


C  AR 


definition,  and  says,  "  that  there  is  no  perceptible  sign 
uf  any  tumour  about  the  heart,"  which  some  sup- 
pose ;  and  he  asserts,  "  that  it  is  a  quick  and  instanta- 
neous solution,  or  relaxation."  Hippocrates  mentions 
this  disorder  in  his  first  and  second  books  of  Epide- 
mics. Erasistratus  also  speaks  of  it  in  his  books  con- 
cerning the  belly.  Arthnedorus  Sidensis  says,  it  is  a 
tumour  about  the  heart :  but  from  the  description  of 
Coelius  Aurelianus,  in  his  De  A  cut.  Morb.  lib.  ii.  the 
syncope  is  very  clearly  and  accurately  described.  See 
LYPOTHYMIA. 

CARDI'ACJE   ARTE'RIVE,    et  VE'N^E.     See   CORONARIJE 

ARTER1.S,   et  VEN^E. 

CARDI'ACUS  MO'RBUS.  (Falconer  in  the  Me- 
moirs of  the  Medical  Society,  vol.  vi.)  See  NERVOSA 
FKUHIS. 

CARDIA'LGIA.  The  HEARTBURN,  or  rather  a  pain 
and  uneasiness  at  the  upper  orifice  of  the  stomach ; 
(from  x.a.^ia,,  the  left  orifice  of  the  stomach,  and  cthysa, 
to  be  pained}.  Called  also  ardor  ventriculi,  and  pro- 
perly so,  when  attended,  as  it  sometimes  is,  with  consi- 
derable heat;  likewise  cordolium,  pain  or  uneasiness 
about  the  upper  orifice  of  that  organ,  and  cardiogmus. 

Dr.  Cullen  ranks  it  as  synonymous  with  dy&fiefisia; 
and  considers  it  as  arising  either  from  a  disease  of  the 
stomach  itself,  or  from  an  affection  of  some  other  part, 
or  of  the  whole  habit.  SVNOP.  NOSOLOG.  METHOD. 
Gen.  45. 

This  disorder  is  called  SODA,  heartburn,  or  sfiurious 
cardialgia;  fiain  in  the  stomach,  or  the  true  cardialgia, 
also  cardimona.  In  the  SPURIOUS  kind  the  pain  is  not 
so  great,  nor  does  the  strength  fail,  nor  is  there  any 
remarkable  inquietude.  In  the  TRUE,  there  is  pain 
in  the  stomach,  or  about  its  upper  orifice,  but  gene- 
rally about  the  pit  of  the  stomach :  it  is  sometimes 
attended  with  great  anxiety,  difficulty  of  breathing, 
want  of  strength,  inquietude,  retelling  to  vomit,  cold- 
ness, and  trembling  of  the  extremities.  Sometimes 
the  uneasy  sensation  extends  the  whole  length  of  the 
oesophagus,  with  a  pressure  or  constriction,  and  usually 
attacks  by  fits. 

The  upper  orifice  is  the  usual  seat  of  this  disorder; 
it  is  sometimes  in  the  lower;  and  is  occasionally  the 
disorder  of  the  whole  viscus.  In  those  who  have  died 
of  this  disorder,  on  dissection  the  right  orifice  only  hath 
appeared  to  be  in  an  unnatural  state. 

Were  we  to  be  minutely  exact,  we  should  refer  every 
cause  of  cardialgia  to  the  weakened  powers  of  diges- 
tion ;  since,  if  these  are  strong,  no  inconvenience 
arises  from  any  aliment :  so  true  is  the  axiom,  sanis 
omnia  sana. 

To  avoid,  however,  all  minute  disquisition,  we  shall 
refer  the  causes  to  a  disease  of  the  stomach  and  its 
contents,  to  a  disorder  of  distant  parts,  or  the  whole 
system,  with  which  this  organ  sympathises.  The  dis- 
ease of  the  stomach,  we  have  said,  is  weakness ;  and 
the  disordered  contents,  from  this  cause,  are  acid,  oily, 
acrid,  or  bilious  substances,  which  its  debilitated  powers 
arc  unable  to  combine  with  the  alimentary  mass.  Acid 
is  generally  accused,  and  the  anti-cardialgics  are  ge- 
nerally alkalis  and  absorbent  earths.  It  is,  indeed, 
the  most  frequent  cause,  whether  the  disease  be  idio- 
pathic  or  symptomatic.  The  acid  swims  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  contents  of  the  stomach,  and  gives  the 
sensation  of  burning  heat  to  the  cardia.  It  arises  from 


acescents,  rather  than  acids;  from  fruit,  vegetables, 
and  saccharine  substances.  Oily  foods  are,  however, 
an  equally  frequent  cause.  A  red  herring,  for  instance, 
will  often  produce  it;  the  fat  of  meat,  butter,  and 
every  similar  matter  will,  in  many  constitutions,  bring 
on  the  complaint,  particularly  if  the  process  of  diges- 
tion is  disturbed  in  its  commencement.  Acrid  is  a 
term  too  general,  yet  it  is  meant  to  include  highly 
seasoned  dishes,  pepper,  and  various  spices,  which 
have  been  long  acknowledged  as  causes,  though  not 
frequent  ones,  of  cardialgia.  That  bile  in  the  stomach 
is  a  cause,  we  cannot  so  confidently  affirm ;  yet  it  has 
been  enumerated  as  such  :  and  if  heartburn  is  attend- 
ed with  a  putrid  taste  on  the  back  part  of  the  tongue, 
the  disease  may  be  pronounced  to  arise  from  bile.  We 
suspect,  however,  that  the  opinion  has  arisen  from  its 
being  an  attendant  on  jaundice;  and  we  well  know, 
that  when  bile,  the  usual  neutralise!'  of  acid,  is  absent, 
it  may  probably  abound.  In  any  circumstance,  if  the 
usual  mucus  of  the  stomach  be  abraded,  or  the  organ 
inflamed,  the  most  common  and  salutary  aliments  may 
occasion  this  impression  from  the  increased  sensibility 
of  the  organ :  thus  it  seems  sometimes  to  arise  from 
corrosive  poisons ;  we  have  seen  it  from  swallowing, 
by  mistake,  the  volatile  sal  ammoniac ;  and  in  this  way 
it  is  found  to  be  the  effect  of  inflammation  and  abscess 
in  the  stomach. 

In  general,  as  Dr.  Hunter  has  supposed,  it  is  the 
fumes  of  these  substances  rather  than  the  substances 
themselves  which  occasion  the  complaint.  The  sto- 
mach is  seldom  perfectly  full ;  and,  though  its  action 
may  sometimes  raise  the  contents  to  the  cardia,  the 
contact  must  be  only  occasional  and  temporary. 

The  more  general  causes  which  affect  the  stomach 
by  sympathy  are  gout  and  nephritic  complaints.  From 
a  fact  recorded  by  Van  Helmont,  it  seems,  that  any 
affection  of  the  joints  may  in  this  way  disorder  the 
stomach.  Violent  passions  have  equally  produced  it. 
Cold  feet  seem  sometimes  to  have  the  same  effect,  and 
the  relief  is  then  generally  preceded  by  a  return  of 
perspiration  in  the  extremities.  A  recession  of  erup- 
tions has  been  supposed  to  be  a  cause ;  and,  as  in  such 
cases  the  stomach  generally  suffers,  not  without  some 
reason. 

To  relieve  the  complaint,  the  diet  should  be  light, 
generally  of  the  animal  kind :  what  is  drunk  should 
not  be  apt  to  ferment ;  brandy  and  water,  or  water  in 
which  toasted  bread  is  steeped,  will  generally  agree ; 
or  camomile  tea,  which  soothes  the  spasmodic  mo- 
tions of  the  stomach.  Lime  water,  the  mineral  alka- 
line waters,  and  distilled  water,  are  proper  for  com- 
mon drink. 

The  cure  depends  on  the  cause.  As  in  every  in- 
stance the  stomach  is  weakened,  bitters,  and  perhaps 
chalybeates  with  aromatics,  should  accompany  the  ap- 
propriate remedies.  We  need  not  repeat  what  we  have 
said  of  antacids ;  but,  in  the  heartburn  from  oily  or 
acrid  substances,  immediate  relief  is  obtained  from 
sucking  gum  arable.  If  it  should  arise  from  bile,  vege- 
table acids  will  almost  immediately  remove  it.  Vomits 
are  often  advantageously  premised. 

When  not  arising  from  the  contents  of  the  stomach, 
general  warmth,  particularly  of  the  feet,  is  essentially 
useful ;  and  even  rubbing  them  with  flour  of  mustard 
has  produced  good  effects.  Tonics  of  every  kind  arc 


L   AR 


349 


CAR 


Indispensable  additions  to  the  other  remedies;  and, 
when  from  gout,  aromatics  should  be  joined.  In  every 
species,  also,  the  bowels  should  be  kept  free,  and  the 
warmer  resinous  purgatives  are  best  adapted  to  the 
complaint.  Any  external  applications  that  may  be 
thought  necessary  should  be  placed  on  the  pit  of  the 
stomach. 

CARDIA'LGIA    INFLAMMA'TORJA.       See   IXFLAMMATIO 

\ENTRICULI. 

CVRDIA'LGIA  SPUTATORIA.     See  PYROSIS. 

CARDIME'LECH,  (from  *Wia,  cor,  and  the  He- 
brew term  melek,  a  gn-ernor).  A  fictitious  term  in 
Dolaeus's  Encyclopedia,  by  which  he  would  express  a 
particular  ac-Jve  principle  residing  in  the  heart,  ap- 
pointed to  what  we  call  the  vital  functions. 

CARDIMO'XA.     See  CARDIALGIA. 

CARDIXAME  NTUM.  (from  cordo,  a  hinge'}.  A 
hinge-like  articulation.  See  DIARTHROSIS. 

CARDIO'GMUS,  (from  xaphfirra,  to  have  a  gnaw- 
ing pain  at  the  mouth  of  the  stomach").  Synonymous 
with  Cardialgia. 

CARDIO'NCHUS,  (from  **^<«,  the  head,  and 
«y«;,  a  tumour}.  See  also  AXEURISMA  PR^CORDIO- 

RUM. 

CARDIOTRO'TUS,  (from  *a^/«,  the  heart,  and 
•nlttmu,  to  wound).  One  who  hath  a  wound  in  his 
heart. 

CARDITIS,  (from  xMt^ict,  heart).  See  IXFLAMMA- 
TIO CORD1S. 

CAR  DO.     A  HINGE.     See  GIXGLYMUS. 

CA'RDONET.     See  CIXARA  SYLVESTRIS. 

CARDO'NIUM,  in  the  phrase  of  Paracelsus,  is 
wine  medicated  with  herbs. 

CARDOPATIUM.     See  CARLIXA. 

CARDUO-CNrCUS,(fromozr<fuKs,a  thistle, x.n*»i, 
carthamus,  the  distaff  thistle).  See  ATRACTYLIS. 

CA'RDUUS,  (from  «'?»,  to  abrade ;  so  named  from 
its  roughness,  which  abrades  and  tears  whatever  it  meets 
with).  The  THISTLE.  The  general  characters  of  which 
are  as  follow:  the  leaves  are  set  alternately  on  the 
branches,  and  are  prickly;  the  heads  are  mostly  squa- 
mous  and  prickly;  prickles  are  on  most  or  all  parts  of 
the  plant,  and  they  are  mostly  lactescent. 

CA'RDUUS  BEXEDI'CTUS.  See  BEXEDICTUS.  The 
BLESSED  or  HOLY  THISTLE;  also  called  cnicus  sylves- 
tris.  It  is  the  centaurea  benedicta  Lin.  Sp.  PL  1296. 
Nat.  ord.  Comfiosito  cafiitate.  Cynarocefihali  of  Jus- 
sieu.  It  is  a  native  of  Spain  and  some  of  the  Ar- 
chipelago islands,  and  is  annually  sown  with  us  in 
gardens. 

The  leaves  have  a  penetrating  bitter  taste,  not  very 
strong  or  durable  in  the  mouth ;  when  fresh  they  are 
more  pleasant  than  when  dry.  The  plant  should  be 
hung  up  loosely  in  an  airy  place  after  it  is  well  dried; 
for,  if  pressed  close,  it  rots.  The  best  time  for  gather- 
ing it  is  when  in  flower. 

This  plant  obtained  the  name  benedictus  from  its 
being  supposed  to  possess  extraordinary  medical  vir- 
tues ;  but  it  is  not  found  to  excel  several  other  of  the 
simple  bitters;  though  Bergius  considers  it  as  antacid, 
corroborant,  stomachic,  sudorific,  diuretic,  and  ecco- 
protic.  See  AMARA. 

Camomile  flowers  are  now  generally  substituted  for 
the  carduus  benedictus,  and  are  thought  to  be  of  at  least 
equal  value. 


When  this  herb  is  used  to  excite  vomiting,  a  decoc- 
tion of  it  in  water  is  preferable,  for  thus  its  more  nau- 
seous parts  are  extracted :  cold  water,  in  an  hour  or  two, 
imbibes  a  light  grateful  bitter;  but  if  the  infusion  be 
continued  much  longer,  the  nauseous  part  is  also  taken 
up.  Rectified  spirit  extracts  only  the  agreeable  bitter, 
and,  though  heated,  it  does  not  easily  take  up  the  of- 
fensive parts. 

A  light,  cold,  watery  infusion,  with  fresh  lemon  or 
orange  peel,  improves  the  appetite,  and  is  useful  when 
the  digestive  powers  are  weak:  it  sits  easy  on  the  sto- 
mach, and  no  bitter  is  less  heating.  Dr.  Cullen  thinks 
this  plant  a  simple  and  pure,  though  not  a  very  strong, 
bitter;  and  that,  therefore,  it  possesses  none  of  the  ex- 
traordinary virtues  ascribed  to  it.  An  ounce  of  the 
dried  leaves  may  be  infused  two  hours  in  a  pint  of  cold 
soft  water,  and  it  may  be  flavoured  at  pleasure  with  any 
aromatic.  It  may  be  made  stronger  by  returning  the 
liquor  on  fresh  parcels  of  the  leaves  or  tops.  It  affords 
nothing  valuable  by  distillation.  See  Lewis's  Mat. 
Med.  Miller's  Hot.  Off.  Dale. 

CA'RDUUS  HXMORRHOIDA'LIS.  So  called  because  it 
relieves  the  pains  of  the  haemorrhoids,  if  beat  into  a 
poultice  and  applied;  also  called  carduus  -vinearumre- 
fiens,  sonchi  folio,  cirsium  arvense,  ceanothos ;  serra- 
lulu  arvensis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1149.  The  COMMON  CREEP- 

IXG  WAY  THISTLE. 

Its  roots  are  whitish,  but  now  and  then  are  of  a 
darker  hue,  and  have  a  strong  smell:  it  sends  forth 
fibres  that  creep  on  the  ground,  and  propagates  itself 
to  a  great  distance :  it  is  common  in  tillage  ground  and 
highways,  flowering  in  July  and  August. 

CA'RDUUS  LACTEUS,  also  called  carduus  Marias,  car- 
duus Marianus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1153.  carduus  albis  ma- 
culis  notatus  vulgaris.  c.  B.  COMMON  MILK  THISTLE, 
or  LADY'S  THISTLE.  It  is  distinguished  from  all  other 
thistles  in  England,  by  having  its  leaves  cut  in  several 
laciniae,  full  of  hard  sharp  prickles,  having  all  the 
upper  part  spotted  with  long  and  broad  white  spots. 
It  grows  on  banks,  and  flowers  in  June.  The  leaves 
and  seeds  have  similar  virtues  to  those  of  the  car- 
duus benedictus,  but  in  an  inferior  degree.  It  is  said 
to  be  efficacious  against  pungent  pains.  Miller's  Bot. 
Off. 

CA'RDUUS  LACTE'US  SYRIA'CUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1153. 
also  called  carduus  albis  maculis  notatus  exoticus.  Be- 
deguar  Arabum  Rauwolfii,  cnicus  albis  maculis  notatus. 
The  SPANISH  MILK  THISTLE. 

This  and  the  next  species  are  perennial,  have  long, 
narrow,  deeply  jagged  leaves,  that  are  prickly  and  lay- 
ing on  the  ground ;  in  the  middle  of  the  plant  grows  a 
large  roundish  head,  without  any  stalk,  encompassed 
with  smaller  leaves,  which  maybe  eat  like  an  artichoke  ; 
the  flowers  issue  from  the  middle  of  the  head. 

CA'RDUUS  PINEA  THEOPHRASTI;  carlina  aulos  gum- 
mifrra,  chemaleon  albus  Dioscoridis,  and  PIXE  THISTLE; 
atractylis  gummifera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1161.  Its  flowers 
are  composed  of  purplish  flosculi,  like  those  of  the 
common  thistle.  It  is  a  native  of  Italy  and  of  Candy. 
Its  roots  are  larger  than  those  of  the  carline  thistle, 
and  smell  stronger;  if  wounded  when  fresh  they  yield 
a  viscous  milky  juice,  which  concretes  into  tenacious 
masses,  at  first  whitish,  and  resembling  wax,  when  much 
handled,  growing  black  ;  supposed  to  be  the  ijcion,  ixiay 
and  acanthina  mastiche  of  the  ancients;  the  people  of 


CAR 


350 


CAB, 


Apulia  gather  this  gum,  and  name  it  cera  di  cardo. 
It  was  formerly  chewed  for  the  same  purposes  as  the 
mastich  gum :  the  root  hath  the  same  virtues  as  the 
carline  thistle  roots. 

CA'RDUUS  SPINOSISSIMUS  sfiherocdphalus  rigldis  acu- 
ieis  armata  ;  c.  B.  cardui  Arabici,  PARK.  THEAT.  spina 
Arabica  offic.  ARABIAN  THISTLE.  Carduus  nit  tans  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1 150.  It  seems  to  have  qualities  similar  to  those 
of  the  spina  alba. 

CA'RDUUS  A'CANTHUS.     See  ACANTHUS. 

CA'RDUUS  BRASILIA'NUS  FO'LIIS  A'LOES.     Sec  ANA- 


CA'RDUUS  A'LTILIS;  domesticus ;  sativus,  non  spiuo- 
sus  ;  sativus.  See  CINARA. 

CA'RDUUS  HUMILIS  GUMMIFERA.    See  CARDUUS  PINEA. 

CA'RDUUS  LUTEUS.     See  ATRACTYLIS. 

CA'RDUUS  SOLSTITI'ALIS.     See  CALCITRAPA  OFFICIN. 

CA'RDUUS  SATIVUS.     See  CARTHAMUS. 

CA'RDUUS  STELL'ATUS.     See  CALCITRAPA. 

CA'HDUUS  STELL'ATUS  LUTEUS.  See  CALCITRAPA  or- 
FICIN. 

CA'RDUUS  ESCULENTUS;  spinosissimus  elatior.  See 
CINARA  SPINOSA. 

CAREBA'RIA,  (from  M^  the  head,  and  papas,  hea- 
vine»s\  See  CAPIPLENIUM. 

CARE'NA.     The  twenty-fourth  part  of  a  DROP. 

CARE'TTI.     See  BONDUCH  INDORUM. 

CA'REUM,  CA'RI.  (See^CARUM.)  From  Caria, 
the  country  from  whence  they  were  brought. 

CA'RICA.  A  DRY  FIG,  (from  Carica,  the  place 
where  they  were  cultivated).  Sec  Ficus  SATIVA. 

CA'RICUM,  vel  CA'RYCUM,  (from  Caricus,  the 
inventor).  The  name  of  a  medicine  for  deterring  ul- 
cers, prepared  of  the  black  hellebore,  cantharides,  and 
several  other  ingredients. 

It  is  also  the  name  of  an  oil  mentioned  in  Athenaeus, 
lib.  ii. 

CA'RIES,  (from  xupa,  to  abrade,  or  from  karah,  to 
dig  in,  a  Chaldee  word);  according  to  Mr.  Sharp,  it  is 
a  partial  mortification  of  the  bone,  which  separates  from 
the  sound  part  sooner  or  later.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this 
disease  in  the  class  locales  and  order  dyalyses,  and 
names  it  exulceratio  ossis.  But  as  every  species  of 
caries,  attended  with  loss  of  substance,  may  be  termed 
an  ulcer,  Mr.  Bell,  to  prevent  confusion,  considers 
caries  as  an  accidental  symptom  of  ulcers,  and  speaks 
of  it  under  the  general  name  of  CARIOUS  ULCER.  It  is 
an  ulcer,  however,  of  a  gangrenous  kind,  but  differing 
from  mortification  of  the  bone,  which  will  be  considered 
under  the  term  NECROSIS.  In  short,  these  diseases 
bear  the  same  relation  to  each  other  as  a  foul  putrid 
ulcer  and  a  sphacelus- 

This  disorder,  called  caries,  sfihacelus,  teredo,  or 
tredon,  happens  when  the  bone  is  deprived  of  its  peri- 
osteum, and,  having  lost  its  natural  colour,  becomes 
oily,  yellow,  brown,  and  at  last  black.  This  stale, 
which  is  the  first  degree  of  the  disorder,  was  called  by 
the  ancients  os  VITIATUM,  ossis  NIGRITIES.  When  the 
disease  advances  the  bone  is  corroded,  discharging  a 
sanies  which  consumes  the  adjacent  flesh.  Of  the 
many  names  given  to  the  caries,  which  are  collected 
under  spina  ventosa,  the  following  are  only  necessary: 
When  the  cause  is  external,  it  is  the  SPINA  VENTOSA  ; 
or,  with  Severinus,  when  it  happens  to  children,  it  may 


be  called  P.EDARTHROCACES  :  when  the  cause  is  external, 
caries. 

That  an  inflammation  of  the  periosteum  is  tending 
to  a  caries  of  the  bone,  is  known,  first,  from  the  signs 
of  inflammation  preceding ;  secondly,  a  freedom  from. 
pain  in  the  affected  part,  without  a  manifest  cause,  and 
from  a  dense,  slow,  increasing,  and  not  -very  painful^ 
tumour  of  the  incumbent  parts.  But  among  the  signs 
of  a  beginning  caries,  the  sudden  removal  of  pain  is  fal- 
lacious; for  this  happens  in  inflammation  of  the  perios- 
teum, when  this  membrane  is  corroded  so  as  to  admit 
the  matter  to  escape  betwixt  the  muscles,  though,  in 
general,  when  pain  is  relieved  by  a  resolution  of  inflam- 
mation, it  goes  off1  gradually  only;  for  a  perfect  resolu- 
tion hardly,  if  ever,  happens  after  a  violent  inflammation. 
Again,  when  a  caries  is  threatened,  the  taint  is  propa- 
gated through  the  cellular  membrane,  which,  by  slight 
causes,  is  often  raised  into  a  large  tumour:  but,  as  all 
the  symptoms  of  an  inflammation  lessen  when  a  caries 
is  present,  the  tumour  will  not  have  the  hardness  and 
resistance  observable  in  a  phlegmon,  but  will  be  flaccid, 
and  hardly  sensible  of  pain.  If  the  incumbent  part 
changes  to  a  livid  colour,  or  a  dark  sanious  discharge 
issues  from  a  part  in  the  direction  of  a  bone,  the  bone 
is  then,  without  doubt,  in  a  mortifying  state. 

Celsus,  the  best  ancient  author,  at  least  on  the  cure 
of  caries,  observes,  lib.  viii.  cap.  3,  "  We  may  soon,  by- 
means  of  a  probe,  discover  a  caries  of  the  bone,  since 
the  probe  will  penetrate  less  or  more,  according  as  the 
caries  is  superficial  or  deep."  When  the  probe  comes 
to  the  sound  part  of  the  bone,  it  is  resisted.  Wiseman, 
vol.  i.  p.  296.  edit.  5.  says,  "  If  the  bone  be  bare,  its 
corruption  is  easily  discerned,  though  sometimes  it  be 
covered  with  a  grumous  or  viscous  matter,  which 
rubbed  off,  the  bone  appeareth  white,  brown,  or  black. 
If  the  white  be  porous,  the  caries  may  be  deeper  and 
more  dangerous  than  if  it  were  black  and  hard.  If 
the  bone  lies  so  hid  as  that  you  cannot  feel  it  with 
your  probe,  yet  you  may  judge  it  carious  from  the 
quantity  or  quality  of  the  matter.  If  the  bone  lies 
near,  and  the  flesh  is  lax  and  white,  it  is  strongly  sus- 
picious that  the  bone  is  carious:  but  if  the  matter 
stinks,  or  is  oily,  it  is  a  more  certain  sign  of  rottenness. 
Ulcers  of  long  continuance  near  a  bone  do  also  fore- 
show a  caries,  according  to  Hippocrates.  Also  the 
difficulty  of  cicatrizing  them,  and  the  frequent  and  sud- 
den eruption  of  them  after  they  are  cured,  give  a  sus- 
picion of  a  foul  bone.  But  if  the  bone  is  much  cor- 
rupted, the  matter  is  fetid,  and  the  probe  will  penetrate 
into  it." 

The  friability  of  carious  bones  is  occasioned  by  the 
acrimony  of  their  humours,  and  chiefly  of  their  cor- 
rupted medullary  oil;  for  since  its  separation  destroys 
the  cohesion,  by  decompounding  the  bony  substance, 
the  peculiarly  disagreeable  fetid  smell,  which  arises 
from  carious  bones,  is  from  this  corrupted  medullary  oil. 

When  a  caries  is  under  an  ulcer,  the  flesh  over  the 
caries  is  soft,  flaccid,  and  fungous;  the  lips  of  the  ulcer 
inverted,  the  sanies  clear,  fetid,  and  full  of  small  black 
scales.  The  ulcer  heals  only  superficially,  and  soon 
breaks  out  again.  Ulcer  has  been  accused  of  producing 
caries,  but  the  latter  is  more  frequently  the  cause  of 
the  former.  See  ULCER  with  a  caries,  under  ULCUS. 

In  the  Edinb.  Med.  Essays,  Dr.  Monro  gives  a  par- 


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351 


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ticular  account  of  several  species  of  this  disorder,  viz. 
1.  The  DRY  or  GANGRENOUS  CARIES,  which  is,  where 
the  bone  is  smooth  and  firm,  and  throws  out  little  mat- 
ter i.  its  surface  at  first  is  not  of  a  very  dark  colour,  but 
before  exfoliation  it  turns  very  brown  or  black.  This 
kind  exfoliates  with  less  difficulty  than  any  other.  2. 
The  WORM  EATEN  CARIES,  or  ULCER  of  the  BONES,  halh 
not  such  a  dark  colour  as  the  former,  it  discharges 
more  matter;  the  cavernous  or  spongy  texture  of  the 
bone  becomes  conspicuous.  3.  The  CARNEOUS  CARIES, 
or  ulcer  of  the  bones  with  hypersarcosia  :  this  sort  dif- 
fers from  the  worm  eaten  caries  only  in  the  addition  of 
spongy  flesh  growing  in  the  cells  of  the  bone ;  this 
spongy  flesh  often  bleeds,  if  touched  wuh  the  greatest 
caution.  4.  The  PHAGEDENIC  CARIES  with  hypcrsar- 
cosis :  in  this  case  the  periosteum  is  thickened,  the 
bone  softened,  and  its  surface  is  eroded,  a  yellow  .red 
spongy  substance  sprouts  out;  the  difference  betwixt 
this  and  the  carneous  caries  is,  that  in  the  latter 
the  spongy  flesh  grows  out  of  the  caverns,  while 
their  grey  or  brown  coloured  spongy  bony  sides  still 
remain ;  but  in  the  former,  the  bony  fibres  disappear 
wherever  the  spongy  flesh  comes,  so  that  one  can 
scarcely  determine  by  the  probe  whether  or  no  the  bone 
is  carious  :  upon  scraping  away  the  flesh,  so  destructive 
to  the  bone,  its  surface  appears  rough  indeed,  but  not 
much  eroded,  nor  greatly  altered  in  its  colour.  5.  The 
SCROFULOUS  CARIES  is  sometimes  observed  when  an  ab- 
scess is  opened ;  the  bone  at  the  bottom  of  it  appears 
•white  and  smooth,  without  its  periosteum  or  any  con- 
nection to  the  neighbouring  parts,  except  by  its  liga- 
ments at  the  extremities  ;  and  this  kind  of  caries  most 
commonly  happens  in  scrofulous  habits.  6.  The 
SCIRRHO-CANCEROUS  CARIES  :  in  one  species  of  exos- 
tosis  the  tumefied  bone  is  softer  in  one  part  than  in  the 
other,  and  is  not  composed  of  regular  fibres,  nor  cavern- 
ous, but  as  if  the  ossifying  juice  had  been  thrown  out 
irregularly,  over  which  a  cartilaginous  or  tendinous 
substance  had  spread ;  and  from  this  a  firm  shining 
smooth  flesh  grows  out,  which,  after  the  teguments  are 
removed,  sends  forth  a  thin  stinking  acrid  sanies.  The 
patient  complains  often  of  throbbing  pains  in  the  part, 
and  sometimes  considerable  haemorrhages  are  made 
from  imperceptible  vessels  on  its  surface.  7.  The 
SPREADING  CANCEROUS  CARIES  :  in  the  spreading  eating 
cancers  the  bones  are  wasted,,  as  well  as  the  soft  parts, 
and  the  appearances  are  the  same  in  both,  unless  that 
the  bones  do  not  consume  quite  so  fast.  8.  The  SYPHI- 
LITIC CARIES  affects  chiefly  the  tibia,  frontal  bone,  the 
ossa  nasi  and  palati,  and  the  sternum.  9.  The  ANEURIS- 
MATIC  CARIES  affects  any  bones  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  an  aneui  Ism. 

In  considering  a  caries  of  the  bones,  we  should  re- 
member, that  the  bones  have  their  vessels  and  circulat- 
ing fluids,  and  the  same  general  texture  which  the  soft 
parts  have ;  so  that  solidity,  and  a  stronger  cohesion  of 
parts,  are  their  only  evident  distinguishing  characters. 

Caries  of  spongy  bones  is  cured  with  greater  diffi- 
culty than  of  compact  ones.  Caries  of  the  bones  of  the 
carpus  and  tarsus  is,  from  their  vicinity,  easily  com- 
:cated  to  the  neighbouring  ones.  The  disease, 
•when  it  occurs  in  the  deeper  seated  bones  near  the 
tru:.k,  is  seldom  to  be  relieved  or  cured.  It  partakes 
also  nger  of  its  cause  ;  since,  as  cancer  ami 

scrofula  are  incurable,  little  expectation  can  be  enter- 


tained of  caries  from  either  source.     In  young  persons- 
also  it  is  more  easily  cured  than  in  old. 

Heister  observes,  that  the  cure  of  a  caries  depends  on 
removing  easily  and  speedily  all  the  corrupted  parts  of 
the  bone,  and  that  in  the  gentlest  cases  this  is  done  by 
rectified  sfiirit  of  ivine  being  applied  by  means  of  lint 
dipped  in  it ;  or  alcohol  caryo/ihillatum,  made  by  mixing 
alcohol.  3  iij-  ol.  caryoph.  J  i.  This  applied  upon  lint 
to  carious  bones  quickens  the  exfoliation.  Vinegar  used 
in  the  same  manner  has  been  thought  to  answer  the 
purpose  equally  well.  In  more  violent  cases,  a  solution 
of  mercury  in  aqua  fortis  is  required,  and  in  the  most 
malignant  the  actual  cautery  will  be  necessary :  but 
these  hinder  suppuration,  and  retard  the  operation  in- 
tended. See  EXFOLIATIO. 

An  exfoliation  of  the  carious  laminae  of  the  bone 
sometimes  takes  place  in  two  or  three  weeks,  and  in 
other  instances  the  laminae  are  not  removed  in  a  year. 

It  is  necessary  to  examine  strictly  all  circumstances, 
and  to  discover,  if  possible,  what  cause,  either  general 
or  topical,  may  have  induced  the  disease,  that  endea- 
vours may  be  used  to  remove  it,  if  it  still  subsist :  the 
lues  -venerea,  scrofula,  scurvy,  gangrene,  abscess, 
wounds,  contusions,  and  many  other  diseases  may  be 
the  cause. 

When  the  bone  is  perceived  to  separate,  if  the  pus 
which  flows  from  under  it  is  mild  and  in  a  due  quan- 
tity, it  will  be  the  best  application,  and  nothing  is  to  be 
.done  but  to  remove  the  pieces  of  bone  as  often  as  they 
are  perceived  to  be  loose.  If  the  quantity  of  pus  is  too 
small,  ung.  resinae  flavae,  or  a, similar  digestive,  is  use- 
ful. If  the  opening  in  the  integuments  is  so  small  that 
the  matter  detained  is  either  absorbed  into  the  circula- 
tion or  forms  sinous  ulcers,  the  aperture  must  be  en- 
larged by  means  of  sponge  tents,  and  kept  open  by  dos- 
sils of  lint.  Indeed,  if  the  exfoliation  is  likely  to  be 
tedious,  in  some  cases  it  may  be  hastened  by  the  use  of 
a  caustic  or  actual  cautery,  though  in  general  the  sup- 
puration, which  contributes  to  throw  off  the  diseased 
part,  is  thereby  retarded ;  or  the  rasp  may  be  used  :  if 
instead  of  the  actual  cautery  a  potential  one  is  preferred, 
the  common  caustic  is  the  best. 

When  caries  is  accompanied  by  an  acrid  discharge, 
which  consumes  the  surrounding  parts,  this  fluid  may 
be  absorbed  by  dry  powders,  and  pledgets  dipped  in 
tincture  of  aloes  and  myrrh  ;  or,  in  more  violent  cases, 
in  a  solution  of  nitrat  of  silver.  The  disease  is  then 
reduced  to  a  necrosis.  The  dried  piece  should  after- 
wards be  moved  frequently,  and  the  fungous  flesh, 
which  would  prevent  exfoliation,  prevented  from  rising. 
Sometimes,  however,  the  strongest  caustics  will  not 
desiccate  the  bone.  The  fluid  discharge  dilutes  and 
lessens  their  action,  and  the  actual  cautery  becomes 
necessary. 

In  the  WORM  EATE.V  CARIES  it  is  necessary  to  destroy 
all  the  affected  part  of  the  bone  as  soon  as  conveniently 
can  be  done,  by  rasping,  chiseling,  or  trepanning,  ac- 
cording as  each  instrument  can  be  applied;  after  which, 
the  method  above  described  is  to  be  pursued.  When 
the  ulcer  is  deep,  honey,  dissolved  in  vinegar  and  water, 
may  be  injected  into  jl  every  day. 

In  the  CARXEOUS  CARIES,  the  fungous  and  corrupted 
parts  are  best  destroyed  by  a  caustic ;  though  Gouch, 
in  his  Cases  and  Remarks,  vol.  ii.  p.  359,  gives  an  in- 
stance of  the  inefficacy  of  caustics  in  this  case,  and  of 


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352 


C  All 


the  necessity  of  using  the  actual  cautery,  which  he  in 
general  prefers. 

The  PHAGEDE'NIC  CARIES  may  be  reduced  by  one  or 
two  applications  of  the  potential  cautery  to  the  most 
simple  kind  of  caries  ;  but  sometimes  great  difficulties 
attend  it. 

In  the  SCROFULOUS  CARIES,  the  teguments  which 
cover  the  abscess  formed  on  the  bone  must  be  destroy- 
ed with  a  caustic  ;  the  eschar  cut  through  the  middle 
to  evacuate  the  matter ;  and  to  save  the  eschar  as  long 
as  possible,  mild  applications  only  should  be  laid  on  the 
sore ;  then,  to  assist  the  discharge  of  the  matter,  it 
should  be  washed  with  water;  but  if  fetid,  with  vinegar 
and  water. 

In  general  a  mild  treatment  is  to  be  preferred.  In 
the  slighter  cases  we  must  endeavour  to  excite  and 
continue  a  degree  of  inflammation  in  the  adjoining 
sound  part  of  the  diseased  bone,  so  that  it  may  be  the 
means  of  separating  the  mortified  part.  This  is  done 
by  making  a  number  of  small  perforations  all  over  the 
surface  of  the  carious  bone,  to  such  a  depth  as  to  give 
the  patient  a  very  little  pain,  and  no  further:  this  ope- 
ration may  be  renewed  in  different  parts  every  third 
day,  or  thereabout ;  thus  suppuration  will  take  place, 
and  a  consequent  separation  of  tfre  carious  part.  But 
when  the  disease  is  extensive,  and  goes  deeper  thdn  the 
second  lamella  of  the  bone,  instead  of  little  perforations 
made  by  the  pin  which  fixes  the  trepan,  it  will  be  ad- 
visable to  use  the  small  head  of  a  trepan.  This  instru- 
ment, applied  at  proper  distances  over  the  surface  of 
the  caries,  and  carried  just  so  deep  as  to  produce  a 
little  uneasiness,  will  occasion  the  necessary  inflamma- 
tion and  suppuration.  As  soon  as  any  of  the  parts 
loosen  at  the  edges,  their  final  separation  may  be  al- 
ways hastened  by  daily  insinuating  below  them  the  end 
of  a  common  spatula,  so  as  to  press  their  edges  a  very 
little  upwards.  After  the  use  of  those  instruments,  ap- 
ply to  the  ulcer  the  same  dressings  as  in  cases  of  a 
simple  ulcer;  and  to  moderate  the  fetor  of  the  caries, 
they  may  be  covered  with  lint,  moistened  with  a  strong 
decoction  of  the  cort.  Peruv.  and  fol.  juglandis.  After 
the  separation,  the  dressings  are  the  same  as  in  cases 
of  simple  ulcers  in  fleshy  parts.  If  the  caries  pene- 
trates very  deep  into  the  substance  of  a  bone,  so  that  a 
considerable  portion  is  affected,  or,  as  frequently  hap- 
pens, the  disease  extends  even  round  the  bone,  the 
shortest  method  is  to  take  out  at  once  all  the  diseased 
parts,  either  with  the  head  of  a  trepan  frequently  ap- 
plied, or  by  means  of  a  small  spring  saw.  This  may 
be  performed  on  the  skull,  hands,  feet,  legs,  or  arms. 
See  the  article  TIBIA  for  the  process. 

In  the  SCIRRHO-CANCEROUS  CARIES,  as  in  cancers  of 
the  glands,  extirpation  is  the  only  remedy ;  but  here 
also  the  disorder  is  apt  to  return  in  another  part. 

The  SPREADING  CANCEROUS  CARIES  seldom  heals : 
it  may  be  dressed  with  lint,  or  a  cautery  may  be  ap- 
plied ;  but  it  generally  breaks  out  again  after  a  seem- 
ing cure. 

In  the  SYPHILITIC  CARIES,  we  must  at  first  check 
the  original  disease.  To  the  bones  of  the  head,  how- 
ever, we  cannot  apply  caustics,  except  to  the  mastoid 
process  of  the  temporal  bone.  The  other  affected 
bones  must  be  removed  by  the  trepan.  The  other 
bones  of  the  face,  as  the  antrum  maxillare  from  abscess 


Surgery, 
gery. 
of  the 


there,  or  the  os  unguis  from  fistula  lachrymalis,  when 
carious,  readily  exfoliate.  If  the  causes  are  removed  the 
parts  heal  without  any  particular  management. 

Parts  of  the  sternum  are  from  different  causes  cari- 
ous ;  and  these  may  be  safely  removed,  since  the 
pleura  thickens  and  becomes  cartilaginous.  It  may 
be  also  defended  by  a  piece  of  leather  or  pasteboard. 
When  it  is  thought  dangerous  to  remove  it,  the  bone, 
may  be  perforated  in  a  depending  part  to  prevent  the 
confinement  of  matter. 

Some  assert  that  sea  water  is  more  efficacious  in  ca- 
ries of  the  bones  than  in  glandular  swellings. 

A  caries  of  the  whole  bone  or  bones,  forming  a  limb, 
is  sometimes  productive  of  the  necessity  of  amputation : 
particularly  when  the  internal  surface  of  such  bones  is 
affected  as  well  as  the  external,  through  the  whole 
extent,  or  near  it.  In  such  instances,  if  the  whole 
bone  is  not  removed  by  amputation,  the  patient  will 
perish.  It  too  often  happens  that  in  young  subjects, 
with  the  best  health,  the  whole  habit  will  be  so  injured 
by  the  carious  bone,  and  a  hectic  fever  of  the  putrid 
kind,  with  all  its  horrid  train  of  symptoms,  will  quickly 
destroy  the  patient. 

See  Almeloveen's  edition  of  Celsus  de  Morbis  Os- 
siuin,  p.  539.  Petit's  Diseases  of  the  Bones.  Heister's 
Le  Dran's  Observations.  Wiseman's  Sur- 
lonro's  Account  of  the  Caries,  in  the  5th  vol. 
!d.  Med.  Essays.  Bell's  Treatise  on  Ulcers, 
edit.  3.;  and  his  System  of  Surgery.  Pott's  Works. 
London  Med.  Transactions,  vol.  iii.  p.  25.  Boyer  on 
Diseases  of  the  Bones. 

CARI'MA.     (Indian.)     See  CASSADA. 

CARIM-CURI'NI.  (Indian.)  Justicia  ecbolium 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  20.  An  Indian  shrub,  the  bark  of  which  is 
used  in  a  decoction  against  the  gout ;  and  a  decoction 
of  the  leaves  against  a  disury.  Raii  Hist. 

CARI'NA.  The  keel  of  a  boat  or  ship.  In  botany 
it  is  the  inferior  petal  of  a  papilionaceous  corolla;  in- 
closing the  stamens  and  pistil,  usually  shaped  like  a 
boat. 

In  zoology  it  is  applied  to  the  first  rudiments  of  the 
spine  of  a  chicken  during  its  incubation. 

CARIO'SSE.     See  ADY. 

CA'RIUM  TE'RRA.     LIME.     See  CALX. 

CARIVI'LLANDI.     See  SARSAPARILLA. 

CARLI'NA,  or  CAROLINA,  (from  Carolus, 
Charles  the  Great;  because  it  was  believed  that  it 
was  shown  to  him  by  an  angel ;  and  that  by  the  use  of 
it  his  army  was  preserved  from  the  plague).  CARLIXE 
THISTLE.  The  species  used  in  medicine  is  the  Car- 
Una  acaulis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 160.  It  is  also  called  cards- 
patiu?n,  crocodilian,  heracantha,  ixia,  chamtsleon  albus, 
acaulos  magnojlore  albo.  Car  lino,  humilis,  the  LOW  CAR- 
LINE  THISTLE. 

The  species  with  the  flower,  composed  of  a  number 
of  white  petals  set  around  a  middle  disk,  is  a  native  of 
the  mountainous  parts  of  Italy  and  Germany.  The 
roots  have  a  strong  disagreeable  smell,  and  weak,  bit- 
terish, subacrid,  aromatic  taste.  They  are  diaphoretic, 
hysteric,  and  anthelmintic;  used  in  hysteria,  tumours 
of  the  abdomen,  and  diseases  of  the  skin.  The  dose 
from  9i.  to  51- 

CARLI'NA  ACAULIS  GUMMIFERA.  See  CARDUUS  PINEA. 

CARLO  SANCTO,  RADIX.    ST.  CHARLES'S  BOOT. 


C  A  it 


353 


(     VR 


It  is  found  in  Mechoacan,  a  province  of  America  : 
its  bark  is  easily  separated  from  it,  and  hath  an  aromatic 
flavour,  with  a  bitter  acrid  taste.  The  root  itself  con- 
sists of  slender  fibrils.  The  bark  is  sudorific,  and 
strengthens  the  gums  and  stomach  :  the  Spaniards  call 
it  St.  Charles,  and  dedicate  it  to  him  on  account  of  its 
great  virtues. 

CA'RMES,  EAU  DE.  CARMELITE  WATER,  called  also 
MAGISTERIAL  WATER  of  BAUMF,'.  It  hath  its  name  from 
being  invented  by  the  Carmelites  at  Paris. 

Take  of  fresh  baum,  six  ounces;  fresh  lemon  peel, 
the  yellow  part,  two  ounces;  nutmegs  and  coriander 
seeds,  of  each  half  an  ounce ;  bruise  them,  and  put 
them  into  rectified  spirit  of  wine  and  pure  water,  of 
each  a  pint  and  a  half:  let  them  stand  in  a  moderate 
heat  for  three  days,  then  draw  off  two  pints  and  a  half 
in  a  vapour  bath.  Rectify  the  distilled  liquor  by  a  se- 
cond distillation  in  a  water  bath,  drawing  off  only  two 
pints. 

Mr.  Beaume  observes,  that  all  aromatic  spirits  ought 
to  be  prepared  in  the  same  manner;  that  in  this  recti- 
fication only  the  more  volatile,  subtile,  aromatic  parts, 
arise;  a  white,  acrid,  bitter  liquor,  loaded  with  the 
grosser  oil,  deprived  of  all  die  specific  flavour  of  the  in- 
gredients, remains.  He  further  observes,  that  aromatic 
spirituous  waters  have  less  odour  when  newly  distilled 
than  after  they  have  been  kept  about  six  months  ;  and 
he  found  that  the  good  effects  of  age  were  produced  in 
a  short  time  by  means  of  cold  ;  and  that,  by  plunging 
quart  bottles  of  the  liquor  into  a  mixture  of  pounded 
ice  and  sea  salt  for  six  or  eight  hours,  it  proves  as  grate- 
ful as  that  which  hath  been  kept  many  years.  Simple 
waters  also,  after  having  been  frozen,  prove  far  more 
agreeable  than  they  were  before.  Geoffrey  takes  notice 
of  this  melioration  by  frost.  See  Hist.  Acad.  1713. 

CA'RMIXA,  VERSES.  So  called  because  charms 
usually  consisted  of  verses.  Also  INCHA.VTMEXTS.  See 
AMULETA. 

CARMIXA'XTIA,  or  CARMIXATI'VA.  CAR- 
MINATIVES. In  general,  by  these  words  are  meant  such 
medicines  as  are  used  to  expel  wind  from  the  alimentary 
canal.  The  ancients  had  much  of  mystery  in  their 
practice,  and  celebrated  these  medicines  by  singing 
verses  when  they  administered  them,  as  by  their  fre- 
quent speedy  relief  they  seemed  to  act  as  by  a  charm ; 
so  from  carmen,  the  Latin  word  for  a  verse,  the  %vord 
carminative  is  derived.  Others  derive  it  from  carmino, 
io  card  wool,  or  cleanse  it  from  foulness,  or  from  car- 
mina,  charms.  They  were  supposed  to  attenuate  and 
discuss  wind  or  vapours,  and  promote  their  discharge 
by  perspiration.  We  have  already  had  occasion  to 
mention,  that,  in  the  process  of  digestion,  much  air  is 
expelled,  which  is  again  combined  with  the  alimentary 
mass,  and  afterwards  separated  by  the  different  se- 
cretory organs.  When  this  process  is  disturbed  by 
accident,  or  not  properly  carried  on  in  consequence  of 
weakness,  the  air  is  not  combined,  but  accumulates  in 
the  stomach,  producing  pain  from  the  distention.  But, 
though  the  accumulation  of  wind  will  alone  create  great 
inconvenience,  and  prevent  its  own  escape,  yet  it  seems 
seldom  to  amount  to  a  disease,  except  the  stomach  be 
spasmodically  contracted.  When  such  spasms  take 
place,  wind,  before  unnoticed,  creates  uneasiness.  Car- 
minativ  es,  therefore,  at  present,  are  confined  to  such 
medicines  as,  by  their  stimulating  and  antispasmodic 

VOL.  I. 


power,  increase  the  action  of  the  primae  viae,  tukc  oft 
spasmodic  affections,  and  thus  promote  the  expulsion 
of  flatulencies. 

Our  own  lighter  aromatics,  particularly  peppermint, 
are  highly  useful;  occasionally  combined  with  ardent 
spirits.  The  fetid  gums  also,  as  the  asafoetida  and 
galbanum,  are  employed  with  great  success;  but, 
perhaps,  the  chief  and  most  effectual  carminative  is 
opium. 

CARXE'-E  COLU  MX.E.     See  COH. 

CARNI'CULA,  (from  carnis,  the  genitive  of  caro. 
flesh}.  Fallopius  uses  this  word  instead  of  caruncula, 
to  signify  in  particular  the  flesh  which  surrounds  the 
gums. 

CARXIFO'RMIS  ABSCE'SSUS,(from  caro,  flesh, 
and  forma,  likeness').  An  ABSCESS  with  a  hardened 
orifice,  and  of  a  firm  substance,  or  hard  consistence, 
like  a  shell ;  not  much  elevated  into  a  tumour,  but 
broad  and  expanded,  with  membranes,  fibres,  and  capil- 
laries, usually  interspersed.  It  generally  rises  where 
the  muscles  are  inserted  into  the  joints.  Sevefinus. 

CARXI'VOROUS,  (from  caro,  flesh,  and  i'oro,  ."j 
devour").  FLESH  DEVOURING.  An  appellation  of  the 
assius  lafiis.  Animals  also  are  thus  called  whose  food 
is  flesh. 

CARXO'SA  CU'TIS,  (from  caro,  flesh}.     See  PA - 

NICULUS   CAHNOSUS. 

CARXO'SA  MUSCULO'SA  MEMBRA 'NA.     See  FHOXTALIS 

MUSCULUS. 

CAR.  STEPH.  PR.ED.  RUST.  An  abbreviation 
of  Caroli  Stephani  Praedium  Rust.  Paris,  1629. 

CA'RO,  FLESH.  By  some  it  is  said  to  mean,  strictly 
speaking,  DEAD  FLESH,  (from  careo,  to  -want,  yuia  caret 
animd,  it  "wants  life;  but  others  think  it  more  properly 
comes  from  the  Hebrew  term  karah,  food].  In  ANA- 
TOMY it  is  only  the  red  part  or  belly  of  a  muscle.  In 
BOTANY  it  is  the  pulp  of  a  fruit. 

CA'RO  ADNATA.  Ad  testem,  et  ad  vasa.  See  SAR- 
COCELE. 

CA'RO  MUSCULO'SA  QUADRA 'TA.  See  PALMARIS 
BREVIS. 

CA'ROBA,  (from   charab,  Arabic).     See  SILI^LA 

DULCIS. 

CARCE'XUM,  (from  *.*.f*.,  the  head,  and  •/>«», 
vinum,  so  called  because  it  affects  the  head).  See 
MUSTUM. 

CARO'LI.     See  CHANCRE. 

CAROLI'XA.     See  CARLINA. 

CARO'PI.     See  AMOMUM  VERUM. 

CARO'RA,  also  cynnia  and  cymia.  The  name  of  a 
vessel  that  resembles  an  urinal. 

CA'ROS.     See  CARUM. 

CA'ROS,  CA'RUS,  Kap^-,  or  cams,  synonymous  witk 
sofior,  (from  x.a.ex,  the  head,  which  is  chiefly  affected). 
It  is  a  slight  degree  of  apoplexy,  in  which  some  broken 
incoherent  answers  are  obtained  from  the  patient. 
When  called,  he  scarcely  opens  his  eyes  ;  yet,  if  stimu- 
lated, he  hath  feeling  enough  to  manifest  his  uneasi- 
ness. The  walnut  tree  is  named  from  this  disease, 
CARTON,  q.  v. 

The  coma  lethargus,  coma  vigil,  coma  somnolentum, 
caiafihora,  differ  only  in  degree ;  but  apoplexy  is  the 
most  violent  of  these  diseases.  Galen  says,  that  if  the 
cants  oppresses  respiration,  as  in  those  who  snore  in  their 
sleep,  it  must  be  considered  as  apoplexy.  See  COMA. 

Zz 


CAR 


354 


C  All 


Boerhaave  observes,  that  a  carus  is  a  slight  apoplexy 
from  a  hot  cause,  attended  with  a  fever ;  and  a  lethargy 
is  a  slight  apoplexy  from  a  cold  cause. 

Hippocrates  sometimes  calls  this  disorder  afihonia; 
Galen,  in  his  Method.  Med.  lib.  xiii.  catoche;  Coelius 
Aurelianus,  gravatio;  and  Pliny,  gravedo.  Dr.  Cullen 
arranges  carus  as  synonymous  with  afiojilexia.  In  a 
earns  there  are  insensibility  and  sleepiness,  with  quiet 
respiration.  It  sometimes  signifies  a  loss  of  sense  and 
voluntary  motion,  respiration  remaining  uninjured. 

The  immediate  cause  of  sleepy  affections  seems  to  be 
a  defect  of,  or  an  impediment  to  the  passage  of  the  vital 
principle.  The  remote  causes  are,  whatever  diminishes 
the  vis  vitse,  or  that  can  obstruct  its  influence;  as  tu- 
mours pressing  on  the  brain,  a  turgescency  of  the  ves- 
sels from  obstructed  menses  and  haemorrhoids,  a  too 
free  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  exposure  to  offensive  va- 
pours, blows  on  the  head,  Sec. 

Co 'MA  VI'GIL  is  known  by  a  burning  and  extensive 
pain  in  the  head,  attended  with  a  sense  of  ebullition  in 
it.  There  is  a  strong  inclination  to  sleep,  but  the  pa- 
tient either  does  not  sleep,  or  awakes  immediately  with 
little  or  no  relief:  there  is,  however,  no  delirium.  This 
disorder  is  always  symptomatic,  often  attends  acute 
fevers,  and  occasionally  is  the  prelude  of  a  phrensy, 
sometimes  of  an  hemiplcgia. 

CO'MA  SOMNOLE'NTUM,  (from  somnus,  sleefi1).  In  this 
disorder  the  patient  is  languid,  and  his  chief  complaint 
is  a  constant  drowsiness.  He  often  falls  asleep  at  meals, 
in  conversation,  and  in  the  midst  of  business;  and,  when 
awaked,  he  soon  sleeps  again.  Luxurious  old  men  are 
most  subject  to  it.  It  is  a  primary  disorder,  and  unat- 
tended with  fever,  but  often  the  first  symptom  of  apo- 
plexy. This  and  the  former  species  equally  arise 
from  over  distended  vessels :  but,  in  the  coma  vigil, 
the  distention  is  only  in  a  degree  to  produce  irritation  ; 
in  the  second  it  is  increased  so  as  to  occasion  com- 
pression. 

CA'RUS  is  a  profound  sleep,  from  which  the  patient 
is  with  great  difficulty  roused,  though  he  seems  sensi- 
ble of  pinching,  or  pricking  him  with  pins,  he  either 
does  not  speak,  or  he  immediately  relapses  into  the 
same  degree  of  sleep.  This  disorder  is  either  idiopathic 
or  symptomatic,  and  often  attended  with  a  fever.  When 
symptomatic,  it  is  said  to  be  of  three  kinds  ;  but  is  only 
the  same  disease  in  the  different  periods  of  that  com- 
plaint, of  which  it  is  a  symptom.  The  first  happens 
early  in  acute  fevers ;  and,  if  convulsions  and  hic- 
cough come  on,  is  soon  fatal.  The  second  appears 
after  acute  fevers ;  and,  when  the  patient  is  exceed- 
ingly weak,  the  sleep  will  continue  for  several  days : 
if  it  happens  in  acute  fevers  on  critical  clays,  with  a 
sweat,  and  the  countenance  not  changed,  it  is  salutary. 
The  third  happens  a  day  or  two  before  death,  when, 
the  patient's  strength  being  exhausted,  he  lies  de- 
prived of  sense  and  motion,  as  it  were  in  a  profound 
sleep,  and  under  it  expires.  In  this  state  the  counte- 
nance sinks. 

LETHA'RGUS,  (from  Irfa,  forgeffulness,  and  <*p*/o$, 
alothful^)  also  called  vtifrnus,  a  LETHARGY  ;  is  a  heavy 
perpetual  sleep,  with  scarcely  any  intervals  of  waking. 
When  awakened,  the  patient  answers;  but,  ignorant  or 
forgetful  of  what  he  said,  he  immediately  sinks  into  the 
same  state  of  sleep:  indeed  it  is  attended  with  such  a 
stupidity  and  forgetfulness,  that  whatever  the  patient 


begins  to  do,  he  forgets  to  proceed  in  it,  and  fail.-- 
asleep.  It  is  attended  with  a  fever,  which  is  chiefly 
discovered  by  the  frequency  of  the  pulse;  and  does  not 
invade  so  suddenly  as  an  apoplexy,  nor  kill  so  soon.  By 
some  it  is  considered  as  generally  symptomatic;  it  is 
often  the  attendant  of  fevers,  and  usually  a  very  dan- 
gerous symptom.  In  this  disease  there  seems  to  be  an 
utter  loss  of  all  the  rational  powers,  and  inaptitude  to 
motion,  whence  some  have  named  it  desidia  oblii'iosa. 
Dr.  Cullen  thinks  it  a  symptomatic  apoplexy. 

Bonetus,  in  his  Sepulchretum  Anatomicum,  observes, 
that  in  those  who  died  of  sleepy  disorders,  a  copious 
serum  was  found  diffused  through  the  substance  of  the 
brain,  chiefly  in  the  cortical  part :  in  some  he  found  the 
ventricles  replete  with  serum,  and  the  cortical  part  un- 
affected ;  and  these,  he  says,  were  never  troubled  with 
lethargic  diseases.  But  he  observes,  that  the  more 
this  watery  fluid  penetrated  into  the  medullary  part  of 
the  brain,  the  more  obstinate  was  the  sleepiness  during 
the  life  of  the  patient.  In  some  who  died  of  drowsi- 
ness, he  found  abscesses,  tumours,  and  scirrhositics  of 
the  brain ;  but  these  were  only  on  its  anterior  and  cor- 
tical region.  In  some  he  found  the  vessels  of  the  pia 
mater  very  much  distended  with  blood. 

The  COMA  VIGIL  should  be  distinguished  from  the 
pervigilium  ;  each  of  these  disorders  from  one  another; 
and  all  from  apoplexy,  hysteric  fits,  syncope,  and  hy- 
drocephalus. 

In  whatever  view  we  consider  this  disease,  it  will  ap- 
pear to  be  chiefly  a  less  violent  apoplexy,  varying  in  its 
degrees  rather  than  its  nature  or  causes.  To  distin- 
guish the  different  species  from  each  other,  or  from 
apoplexy,  is  therefore  of  little  practical  importance; 
but  these  diseases  often  so  nearly  resemble  a  tit  of  hys- 
teria, syncope,  or  the  advanced  state  of  hydrocephalus, 
that  some  little  attention  will  be  required. 

The  previous  state  of  the  patient  will  point  out  the 
hysteric  paroxysm.  In  this  last  disease,  however,  the 
pulse  assumes  every  variety  both  in  strength  and  quick- 
ness ;  but  the  constitutions  which  each  affects  are  very 
different,  and  the  previous  indisposition  of  the  stomach, 
the  attack  commencing  with  flatulence,  the  neck  swell- 
ing, the  absence  of  either  a  fulness  or  redness  in  the 
face,  which  occurs  when  carus  proceeds  from  over  dis- 
tended vessels,  or  a  peculiar  sinking  in  the  features, 
when  from  narcotic  vapours,  sufficiently  distinguish  the 
complaint.  In  an  hysteric  fit  the  countenance  is  little 
altered. 

Nearly  the  same  symptoms  distinguish  carus  from 
syncope ;  to  which  we  may  add,  that  the  latter,  if  com- 
mon, cannot  easily  be  mistaken ;  if  a  single  occurrence, 
the  cause  will  point  out  its  nature.  Tfie  distinction  of 
hydrocephalus  is  not  so  easy.  In  the  early  state  of  irri- 
tation the  disease  does  not  resemble  earns  :  in  its  latter 
period,  the  strabismus,  and  the  slow  pulse,  sufficiently 
point  out  water  in  the  head.  Yet  there  are  cases 
where  neither  occurs,  and  where  even  the  pupil  dilates 
and  contracts.  The  history  of  the  complaint  must 
then  come  in  aid,  and  little  difficulty  will  arise.  If  we 
suppose  an  error,  no  great  harm  can  result ;  and,  in 
doubtful  cases,  the  practitioner  should  act  as  if  it  were 
carus. 

A  more  important  consideration  is,  whether  carus  be 
idiopathic  or  symptomatic.  It  is  often  a  symptom  only 
of  disordered  stomach ;  and,  as  we  have  remarked,  it 


C  Alt 


355 


CAR 


is  a  symptom  of  fevers.  In  the  whole  course  of  medi- 
cal practice,  we  know  no  case  of  greater  difficulty  than 
the  distinction  of  complaints  affecting  the  head  and  the 
stomach  with  respect  to  the  primary  affection.  After 
a  long  practice,  we  are  often  deceived ;  nor  can  any 
precise  limits  be  drawn.  Every  case  is  peculiar  to  it- 
self; and  the  practitioner  can  only  be  assisted  by  an  at- 
tentive examination  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the 
complaint,  the  effects  of  remedies,  and  the  various 
juvantia  and  laedentia  of  the  dietetic  kind.  Even  the 
apparently  pathognomic  symptom  of  a  noise  in  the  ears 
is,  in  elderly  persons,  more  frequently  the  effect  of 
weakness  than  of  over  distended  vessels. 

When  a  complaint  of  this  kind  occurs  in  fevers,  it  is, 
as  we  have  hinted,  a  dangerous  symptom ;  and  it  then 
seldom  arises  from  over  distended  vessels,  but  from 
weakness.  In  slow  fevers,  however,  which  approach 
insidiously,  this  symptom  unexpectedly  comes  on  ;  and 
all  the  evacuants,  with  every  method  of  rousing  the 
patient,  are  employed,  till  the  powers  of  life,  at  once  ex- 
hausted, yield.  We  may  repeat  the  metaphor  formerly 
employed,  which  the  young  eager  practitioner  should 
constantly  keep  in  mind:  a  gentle  gale  may  animate  the 
flame  which  a  violent  wind  will  extinguish. 

An  attack  of  apparent  carus,  or  even  of  its  increased 
degree  approaching  apoplexy,  often  happens  in  young 
and  strong  persons  from  long  exposure  to  the  sun.  In 
such  cases  we  have  seen  leeches,  blisters,  and  the  whole 
train  of  evacuants,  employed  with  little  success.  The 
disease  is  in  fact  a  less  degree  of  the  cou/i  de  soldi; 
and  moderately  warm  stimulants,  with  tonics,  and, 
above  all,  rest,  with  patience,  are  only  adequate  to  the 
relief.  Its  immediate  cause  is  obscure;  but,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  we  are  not  yet  in  a  condition  to  ex- 
plain it.  Various  preliminary  facts  must  be  previously 
stated. 

Narcotic  poisons  and  effluvia  are  more  common 
causes  of  carus  than  of  apoplexy.  These  also  require  a 
stimulating  plan.  Cold  water  dashed  on  the  surface, 
oxygenous  gas  injected  into  the  lungs,  volatile  spirits 
applied  to  the  nose,  and  stimulating  cataplasms  to  the 
feet,  are  all  necessary.  In  other  respects  the  treatment 
does  not  essentially  differ  from  that  of  apoplexy. 

CARO'TA.     See  DAUCUS. 

CAROTIDE'.E  ARTE'RLE.  The  CAROTID  AR- 
TERIES ;  from  ««/>*,  the  head,  or  x*/>a«,  sleeft;  since,  when 
the  current  of  blood  is  diminished  through  these  ves- 
sels, stupor  follows. 

From  the  fore  part  of  the  curvature  of  the  aorta,  just 
before  the  trachea,  the  right  subclavian  and  the  carotid 
mostly  arise  in  one  common  trunk,  which  runs  upwards 
a  little  way,  and  then  divides.  The  left  carotid  rises 
singly,  and  runs  upwards  on  the  side  of  the  trachea. 
Both  these  carotids  run  up  as  high  as  the  side  of  the 
larynx,  even  to  the  upper  part  of  the  thyroid  cartilage, 
.  before  they  give  off"  one  branch,  and  there  they  divide 
into  the  external  and  internal:  the  latter  goes  to  the  in- 
side of  the  cranium  ;  the  former,  which  is  the  largest, 
gives  branches  to  all  the  external  parts  of  the  head. 

The  external  carotid  is  anterior,  the  internal  is  poste- 
rior; the  external  situated  more  inward  and  nearer  the 
larynx.  It  is  the  smallest,  runs  insensibly  outward  be- 
tween the  external  angle  of  the  lower  jaw  and  the  pa- 
rotid gland,  which  it  supplies  as  it  passes ;  afterwards 
it  ascends  on  the  fore  side  of  the  ear,  and  ends  in  the 


temples.  It  sends  off  the  gutturalis  superior,  sublin- 
gualis,  maxillaria  inferior,  maxillaria  externa,  &c.  The 
internal  carotid  leaving  the  general  trunk  is,  at  first,  a 
little  incurvated.  It  is  situated  a  little  more  backward 
than  the  external,  and  generally  runs  up,  without  any 
ramification,  as  high  as  the  lower  orifice  of  the  great 
canal  of  the  apophysis  petrosa  of  the  os  temporis :  it 
enters  this  orifice,  and  the  cranium,  through  an  irregular 
aperture  in  the  sphenoidal  bone ;  and,  except  one  branch, 
which  goes  to  the  eye,  it  is  wholly  spent  upon  the  brain. 
See  \Vinslow's  Anatomy. 

CA'RPASUS,  (so  named  -zfa.f:t  TO  ttttfn  Trauin-m ,  be- 
cause it  makes  the  person  who  cats  it  appear  as  if  he 
was  asleep).  An  herb,  the  juice  of  which  was  for- 
merly called  ofiocar/iason,  ofiocarfiathon,  or  ofiocalfiason: 
according  to  Galen,  it  resembles  myrrh  ;  but  is  esteemed 
highly  poisonous.  It  is  not  certainly  known  what  it  is ; 
yet  Bruce  thought  he  had  found  it  in  a  species  of  acacia, 
called  sassa,  which  is  not  poisonous.  It  differs  little 
from  the  mimosa  Nilotica. 

CA'RPATA.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

CARPA'THICUM.  From  the  fresh  cones  of  the 
trees  which  yield  the  common  turpentine  is  distilled  a 
fine  essential  oil,  said  to  be  carfiat/iicum,  or  Germanis 
oleum. 

CARPERITA'RIA.     See  BARBAREA. 

CARPE'SIUM,  (from  x*^«5,  fruit).  This  is  an 
aromatic  vegetable ;  it  is  often  mentioned  by  the  an- 
cients, and  is  probably  the  carjiesium  cernuum  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1203. 

CAR'PHOS.     See  FWNUM  GR^ECUM. 

CA'RPHUS,  (from  x.xp?»i,  a  straw).  In  Hippocrates 
it  signifies  a  straw,  a  mote,  or  any  small  substance.  It 
also  signifies  a  small  pustule,  for  the  cure  of  which 
jEtius,  Tetrab.  i.  recommends  rubbing  them  with  dried 
seeds  of  the  herb  mercury. 

CA'RPIA,  (from  car/io,  to  fduck  off,  as  lint  is  from 
linen  cloth).  See  CARBASUS. 

CA'RPIO,  (from  carfio,  to  seize;  so  called  because 
of  its  voraciousness).  Called  also  carfia,  cufirinus.  The 
CARP.  Fish  of  this  kind  fed  in  rivers  are  better 
than  those  fed  in  ponds ;  and  of  these  the  largest  and 
fullest  are  the  best.  They  live  on  herbs,  slime,  and 
the  smaller  fishes.  They  are  nutritive,  but  not  highly 
flavoured,  and  the  fat  is  indigestible.  The  head  is  the 
finest  part  of  the  fish  ;  and  of  the  head,  the  tongue  is 
the  most  delicate. 

CARPOBA'LSAMUM,  from  x*firt;,  fruit,  and 
jSaArxiun,  balsam).  It  is  the  fruit  of  the  tree  that 
yields  the  BAI.M  OF  GILEAD.  See  BALSAMUM. 

CARPOLO'GIA,  (from  car/io,  to  pluck,  or  fiull 
gently).  A  delirious  motion  of  the  hands  ;  as  when  a 
patient  seems  to  be  gathering  something  from  off  the 
bed  clothes,  which  yet  is  imperfectly  performed,  be- 
cause of  the  trembling  which  affects  them.  It  is  usually 
a  fatal  symptom  in  fevers. 

CA'RPOS.     (Greek.)     See  FRUCTUS  and  SEMEN. 

CA'RPUS.  K*/>a-®",  a  Greek  primitive,  a  WRIST, 
called  by  the  ancients  brachialc.  It  consists  of  eight 
bones;  viz.  the  os  scafihoidcs,  lunare,  cuneiforme,fiisi- 
frjrme,  trafiezium,  trafiezoides  magnum,  and  uneiforme. 
The  first  three  make  an  oblong  head,  by  which  they 
are  articulated  to  the  lower  extremity  of  the  bones  of 
the  fore  arm  by  arthrodia.  The  articulation  of  these 
three  bones,  with  the  bones  of  the  inferior  row,  is  such 
Zz2 


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C  A  U 


as  allows  of  motion,  especially  backward  and  forward, 
to  which  the  arthrodia  of  the  os  magnum  with  the  sca- 
phoides  and  lunare  greatly  contribute.  The  trapezium 
on  the  one  side,  the  pisiforme  and  cuneiforme  on  the 
other,  being  raised  above  the  rest  of  the  bones  of  the 
carpus,  make  a  sort  of  arch  for  the  secure  passage  of 
the  flexors  of  the  fingers ;  and  the  transverse  ligament 
being  extended  from  one  side  of  the  arch  to  the  other, 
binds  them  down  to  their  proper  place.  Lyserus  gave  the 
eight  bones  of  the  wrist  their  respective  names.  The 
four  bones  of  the  second  row  are  all  in  a  line,  the  first 
being  articulated  with  the  thumb,  and  the  rest  with  the 
metacarpus.  These  bones  are  very  spongy.  See  Win- 
slow's  Anatomy. 

CA'RTHAMUS,  (from  the  Arabic  term  kartham). 
BASTARD  SAFFRON.  Called  also  cnicus;  crocus  Sara- 
wiicus;  carthamum  ojfficinarum;  carduus  sativus,  SAF- 
FRON FLOWER;  carthamus  tinctorius  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1162. 
Nat.  order  cynarocephali  of  Jussieu.  It  agrees  with  the 
thistle  in  most  of  its  characters,  but  its  seeds  are  desti- 
tute of  down.  The  leaves  are  oval  and  pointed  :  on  the 
tops  grow  scaly  heads,  with  saffron  coloured  fistulous 
flowers;  these  are  followed  by  smooth  white  seeds,  of  an 
oblong  roundish  shape,  yet  with  four  sensible  corners 
remarkably  heavy,  so  as  to  sink  in  water. 

This  plant  is  animal,  a  native  of  Egypt,  and  culti- 
vated in  other  places  on  account  of  its  flowers,  which 
are  used  in  dyeing.  It  does  not  arrive  at  much  perfec- 
tion in  England. 

The  seeds  have  an  unctuous  sweetish  taste,  which  on 
chewing  are  acrid  and  disagreeable.  With  water  they 
form  an  emulsion  by  tritu  ration  ;  and  to  spirit  they  give 
out  a  little  nauseous,  acrid  matter.  They  are  cathartic 
in  doses  of  one  or  two  drachms ;  supposed  also  to  be 
diuretic  and  expectorant,  particularly  useful  in  humoral 
asthma,  and  similar  complaints.  The  flowers  are  diffi- 
cultly distinguished  by  the  eye  from  true  saffron,  when 
they  are  well  prepared ;  but  they  have  neither  its  smell 
nor  taste.  They  give  to  spirit  of  wine  a  deep  saffron 
tincture,  and  to  water  a  paler  yellow.  After  the  yellow 
matter  is  extracted  by  water,  the  flowers  appear  of  a 
red  colour,  and  communicate  to  spirit  of  wine  a  deep 
red. 

Some  have  the  art  of  preparing  the  seeds  of  melons 
and  of  cucumbers,  so  as  to  resemble  the  excoriated 
seeds  of  bastard  saffron ;  but  the  genuine  seeds  are  not 
so  white  as  the  artificial. 

The  CARTHAMUS  LANATUS  is  considered  in  France  as  a 
febrifuge  and  sudorific.  (See  CAHDUUS  and  ATRAC- 
TYLIS).  The  carthamus  gummiferus  of  naturalists  is 
the  atractylis  gummifera  of  Linnaeus.  Its  juice  is  milky, 
and  it  concretes  in  the  form  of  a  gum. 

CARTHUSIA'NUS  PU'LVIS,  (from  th'e  Carthu- 
sian monks,  who  -were  the  inventors).  See  ANTIMO- 

NIUM. 

CARTILAGINO'SUM,  (from  cartilago,  a  carti- 
lage ).  See  PATELLA. 

CARTILAGO,  -(quasi  cartilage,  from  carnis,  the 
genitive  of  rare,  fleah).  A  substance  between  muscu- 
lar flesh  and  bone.  A  CARTILAGE  or  GRISTLE,  called 
also  chondros.  Dr.  Hunter  defines  it  to  be  a  smooth,  so- 
lid, diaphanous,  elastic,  insensible,  inorganic  substance. 
He  observes,  that  in  the  fresh  subject  it  appears  uni- 
form, and  without  any  visible  fibres ;  when  cut  in 
«ny  direction,  its  surface  appears  smooth,  like  wax  or 


glue.     On  a  cartilage  there  is  no  periosteum ;  but  its 
place  is   supplied  by  a  similar  membrane,   styled  the 
perichondrium.  Cartilages  are  the  leastaffected  by  pres- 
sure of  all  animal  substances,  while  the  body  is  living: 
their  substance  is  firm  and  dense,  and  their  texture  so  fine, 
that,  when  cut,  they  appear  only  like  a  very  stiff  jelly. 
Cartilages  are  distinguished  into  three  kinds  : 
First,  such  as  supply  the  place  of  a  bone  in  an  adult, 
as  the  trachea;  secondly,  such  as  supply  the  place  of 
bones  in  young  subjects,  as  epifihyses;  and,  thirdly,  such 
as  are  common  to  the  fxtus  and  adult,  and  are  expanded 
on  the  extremities  of  articulating  joints. 

Bones,  it  is  supposed,  are  only  cartilages,  into  which 
the  calcareous  phosphat  has  been  secreted ;  and,  when 
nitric  acid  has  dissolved  the  latter,  the  shape  of  the  bone, 
is  thought  to  be  preserved  by  its  cartilaginous  substance. 
This,  however,  is  not  correct,  as  we  have  already  shown ; 
and  the  matter  which  remains  after  solution  is  rather 
membranous,  with  a  portion  of  gelatine  attached  to  the 
membranes. 

Cartilages  differ  greatly  from  bone.  They  are  inso- 
luble in  cold  water.;  but  they  yield  to  the  water  at  a 
boiling  heat,  forming  a  jelly,  and  at  last  a  glue.  Yet, 
even  to  cold  water,  they  impart  a  small  proportion  of 
gelatine,  which  becomes  sour.  The  jelly  procured 
by  boiling  water  becomes  first  sour,  and  then  putrid, 
but  not  in  a  high  degree;  and  the  animal  matter  pro- 
cured by  distillation  is  much  les^s  than  from  the  same 
bulk  of  muscular,  or  almost  any  other  animal,  sub- 
stance. 

The  articulating  cartilages  cannot  be  injected  to  their 
middle  solid  part,  though  the  vessels  of  its  membrane 
are  easily  filled.  The  cartilages  are  supposed  to  be  sup- 
plied with  nerves,  but  they  are  too  minute  to  be  visibly- 
demonstrated. 

The  uses  of  the  articulating  cartilages  are,  first,  to 
prevent  abrasion,  as  without  them  the  continual  attri- 
tion of  the  bones  against  each  other's  surface  must  have 
destroyed  them ;  secondly,  by  their  elasticity,  they 
break  the  force  of  collision ;  thirdly,  they  serve  as  indo- 
lent bodies,  to  admit  of  motion  and  friction  without  pain. 
They  sometimes  answer  the  purpose  of  ligaments,  oc- 
casionally of  bones. 

A  disease  never  affects  the  cartilages  primarily. 
They  are  incapable  of  exfoliation;  but  when  diseased 
from  some  preceding  disorder  of  the  bone,  the  whole 
is  generally  affected,  and  the  cohesion  between  the 
cartilage  and  the  bone  in  the  joint  being  less  than  be- 
tween the  parts  of  the  cartilage  itself,  causes  it  to  sepa- 
rate from  the  bone.  If  a  part  of  the  cartilage  is  destroy- 
ed, it  is  never  restored. 

CA'RUI  and  CA'RUM,  also  called  carvi,  cuminum 
firatense,  caros;  CARAWAIES.  It  is  the  carum  carvi  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  378.  Nat.  order  umbelliferte. 

It  is  a  native  of  the  northern  climes  ;  cultivated  in 
gardens  with  us ;  but  by  chance  found  wild,  and  is  a 
biennial  plant.  Its  roots  and  leaves  are  esculent. 

The  seeds  are  warm  and  carminative;  have  an  aro- 
matic smell,  a  warm  penetrating  taste,  and  are  given 
in  powder  from  9j.  to  5  j-  They  dispel  wind,  arc  cor- 
dial, stomachic,  and  assist  the  digestive  powers ;  re- 
commended in  dyspepsia,  flatulencies,  and  some  hyste- 
rical and  hypochonclriacal  affections.  Carui  seeds  ex- 
cite the  discharge  of  saliva,  and  are  said  to  be  emmena- 
gogue.  They  are  used  in  palsies  :  the  oil  is  supposed 


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357 


(    A  R 


to  be  advantageous  in  tooth  ach.     In  the  complaints  of 
ch;leren,  they  are  boiled  with  advantage  among  the  , 
laxative  ingredients  of  clysters.     Custom  even  retains 
them  in  those  of  adults.     They  differ  only  from  anise- 
seeds  in  the  peculiarity  of  their  odour. 

An  extract  made  from  a  tincture,  with  rectified 
spirit,  retains  all  the  virtue  of  the  seeds.  After  infusion 
in  water,  spirits  extract  a  strong  tincture ;  watery  in- 
fusions are  strongest  to  the  smell,  and  spirituous  ones 
to  the  taste. 

When  distilled  in  water,  all  their  aroma  rises.  They 
afford  an  essential  oil,  which  is  a  warm  carminative, 
and  given  in  doses  from  one  to  five  drops:  and  there 
is  also  a  spirit  drawn  from  the  seeds.  SPIRITVS  CA- 
RUI  is  made  by  adding  half  a  pound  of  bruised  carui 
seeds  to  a  gallon  of  proof  spirit,  with  a  little  water  to 
avoid  empyreuma,  and  distilling  off  a  gallon.  It  has 
been  used  as  a  stomachic ;  but,  by  such  medicines,  the 
pernicious  habit  of  drinking  drams  is  often  incautiously 
introduced. 

CARU'XCULA.  A  CARUXCLE.  This  word  is  a 
diminutive  from  core,  flesh.  A  caruncle  is  a  small 
piece  of  flesh,  or  an  excrescence  that  hath  the  appear- 
ance of  flesh.  Thus  there  are  the  caruncul£  lachry- 
males  in  the  corners  of  the  eyes;  the  caruncule  myrti- 
formes,  which  are  at  the  entrance  into  the  vagina, 
formed,  or  rather  discovered,  by  the  rupture  of  the 
hymen  (see  HYMEN);  the  fiafiillares  carunculce  of  the 
kidneys;  and  a  caruncle  of  the  urethra  at  the  orifice, 
which  opens  from  the  vesiculz  seminales ;  besides  many 
others,  all  which  are  the  productions  of  nature.  The 
uvula  is  sometimes  called  caruncula. 

Morbid  excrescences  of  flesh  are  called  caruncles,  as 
well  as  small  portions  of  a  fleshy  substance  sometimes 
discharged  in  a  dysentery  by  stool,  or  in  diseases  of  the 
urinary  passages  by  urine. 

Excrescences  in  the  urethra  arise  from  its  ulcerated 
or  excoriated  sides,  by  sharp  corroding  matter  lodging 
there :  these  are  often  mistaken  for  the  stone,  or  occa- 
sion nephritic  symptoms,  but  are  owing  to  a  stricture  in 
the  urethra.  In  this  case,  when  the  urine  is  discharged, 
it  passes  from  the  urethra  divided  into  two  or  more 
streams,  sometimes  only  with  pain,  and  in  drops ;  but 
the  only  certain  proof  is,  passing  a  probe  or  bougie  up 
the  urethra,  until  the  obstruction  is  met  with;  and  if 
any  is  found  on  this  side  the  valve,  at  the  entrance  of 
the  bladder,  there  is  reason  to  suspect  caruncles  to 
be  the  cause.  They  are  cured  by  the  bougie.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  188. 

CARU'XCULA  LACHRYMALIS,  is  situated  between  the 
internal  angle  of  the  eye  lids  and  the  ball  of  the  eye ; 
it  is  a  small  reddish  oblong  substance,  and  hath  the 
appearance  of  being  fleshy,  though  it  is  thought  to  be 
glandular.  The  ancients  call  it  glandula  lachrymal™, 
also  glanduta  innominata.  It  serves  to  prevent  the  in- 
ternal edges  of  the  lids  at  that  part  from  coming  into 
contact  with  one  another;  and  the  orifices  of  the  la- 
chrymal points  are  kept  open,  so  that  the  tears  pass 
freely  through  them  into  the  sac. 

CARU  XCULjE  MYRTIFO  RMES,  (from  myr- 
tus,  a  myrtle,  and  forma,  a  likeness,  because  they  are 
like  the  myrtle  berry).  They  are  several  small  knots 
or  protuberances  at  the  entrance  of  the  vagina ;  they 
are  the  remains  of  the  ruptured  hymen,  and,  when 
large,  have  been  taken  for  cancers. 


GARUNCULO'SA  ISCHURIA.  A  suppression 
of  urine,  from  caruncles  in  the  urethra.  See  ISCHURIA. 
4th  species. 

CA'RVA.     See  CASSIA  LIGXEA. 

CA'RYA,  a  walnut,  (from  xapz,  the  head,  because 
it  is  round  like  the  head).  See  JUGUXS. 

CA'RYCE,  or  CARYCIA.  Galen  says  it  is  a  costly 
food  prepared  by  the  Lydians.  Various  supposes  it  to 
be  thus  called,  because  it  was  black  like  the  boiled 
walnuts;  from  «.a.fnoi,  the  -walnut. 

CARYE'DOX,  (from  x.«.fv&,  a  nut}.  See  ALPHI- 
TIDOX. 

CA'RYL.     See  CORALLODEXDROX. 

CARYO'CES.  A  Portuguese  name  for  the  fruit  of 
the  Guinea  palm  tree.  See  also  ADY. 

CARYOCOSTI'XUM  ELECT,  (from  ««pv«,  cary- 
ofihillus,  and  toe-7<»»s,  comfiosed  of  costus,  so  named 
from  its  ingredients).  See  SCAMMOXIU.M. 

CA'RYOX".  A  xur.  (From  *.nf*,  the  head,  from 
its  rotundity.)  This  word  is  applied  to  all  such  fruit  as 
inclose  somewhat  eatable  within  a  hard  shell.  Plu- 
tarch says  that  the  ancients  called  the  walnut  r c  • 
because  it  induces  a  heaviness  and  stupidity  of  spirits; 
probably  derived  ir*f»  r«  »«»«>,  from  its  causing  sleep. 
See  CAROS. 

CA'RYON  BASI'LICOX.     See  JUGLAXS. 

CA'RYOX  HERACLEO'TICOX.  A  small  nut,  as  a  hazle 
nut  or  filbert;  from  Heraclea,  in  Pontus,  whence  it  was 
brought  into  Greece. 

CA'RYOX  LE'PTOX.  A  small  nut,  as  filberts,  or  hazlc 
nuts;  from  A/:r7«?,  small. 

CARYOPHYLLA  TA  :  also  herba  Benedicta,cary- 
ofih.  -oulgaris,  garyofihilla,  janamunda,  avens,  HERB 
BEXXET.  It  is  called  caryo/ihyllata,  from  caryofihillus, 
because  its  smell  resembles  that  of  clove  July  flowers. 
Geum  urbanum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  716.  Nat.  order  rosacee. 

It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in  woods  and  hedges,  and 
is  found  in  flower  the  greatest  part  of  the  summer. 

The  root  is  gently  styptic,  corroborant,  and  stoma- 
chic; hath  a  moderately  austere  aromatic  taste,  a  plea- 
sant smell,  especially  in  the  spring,  and  when  produced 
on  dry  warm  soils.  It  has  been  said  to  be  astringent, 
vulnerary,  and  tonic;  to  cure  intermittents  where  bark 
has  failed.  Indeed,  it  is  strongly  astringent  with  some 
aroma,  when  recently  raised  in  the  spring,  and  from  a 
dry  soil.  There  is  great  reason  to  doubt  its  efficacy  in 
intermittents,  as  the  experiments  of  the  Swedish  physi- 
cians contradict  those  of  the  Danes  and  the  Germans, 
who  are  the  great  advocates  for  this  medicine.  It  gives 
its  aroma  chiefly  to  spirits,  and  its  astringent  matter  to 
water  or  to  spirit.  In  distillation  with  water  it  affords 
a  small  quantity  of  an  agreeable  concrete  oily  matter; 
and  the  remaining  decoction,  if  inspissated  by  evapo- 
ration, is  moderately  astringent.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 
Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CARYOPHY'LLATUM  A'LCOHOL.  See  CA- 
RIES. 

CARYOPHY'LLI  AROMA'TICI,  (from  *«.».,  a 
nut,  ®ti>J*r,    a   It  of,   ard   *<K>,«JC,  odour}.      The    A  p. 
TIC  CLOVES;   called  also  garyofihyllus,  hinka,  z 
It  is  the  unripe  fruit,  or  rather  the  cups  of  the  unop 
flowers,  of  a  tree  which  grows  in  the  Molucc;. 
of  the  natural  order  of  the  myrtles.     In  shape,  it  re- 
sembles ii  short  thick  squar.   mil,  of  a  rus  ',  in- 
clining to  black:  in  the  middle  of  each  clove  are  found 


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358 


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a  stylus  or  stamina,  with  their  apices ;  at  the  larger  end 
shoot  out  from  the  four  angles,  four  little  points,  like  a 
star,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  a  round  ball  of  a  lighter 
colour  than  the  rest,  composed  of  four  small  scales  or 
leaves,  which  seem  to  be  the  unexpanded  petala  of  the 
flower.  The  tree  is  the  caryofi/iylliis  aromaticus  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  735.  It,  indeed,  seems  evidently  to  belong  to 
the  class  icosandria;  and  modern  botanists  are  said  by 
Dr.  Woodvillc,  though  we  know  not  on  what  authority, 
to  refer  it  to  the  genus  evgenia.  The  clove  tree  is  one 
of  those  whose  flower  is  produced  above  the  rudiments 
of  the  fruit:  the  ripe  fruit,  sometimes  brought  to  Eng- 
land under  the  name  of  antliofihyllus,  or  aitto/t/iyllon, 
marked  on  the  top  with  the  remains  of  the  flow'er,  is 
about  the  size  and  shape  of  an  olive,  and  contains,  un- 
der a  thin  blackish  shell,  one  or  two  hard  kernels  of 
the  same  colour,  which  hath  a  deep  longitudinal  seam 
on  the  side,  composed  each  of  two  sinuous  lobes  ;  but 
this  fruit  is  less  aromatic  than  the  immature  flower. 
The  cloves  arc  said  to  be  cured  by  exposing  them  to 
smoke,  and  afterwards  drying  them  in  the  sun. 

The  largest,  heaviest,  most  brittle,  and  darkest  co- 
loured, are  the  best,  and  those  which  feel  oily  when 
pressed.  Another  mark  of  their  goodness  is,  when, 
on  piercing  them  with  a  needle,  a  little  liquid  matter, 
like  oil,  oozes  out.  Those  that  are  of  a  light  brown 
colour  have  had  their  oil  extracted. 

Cloves  have  a  strong  but  agreeable  smell,  a  bitterish 
hot  pungent  taste ;  are  one  of  the  hottest,  and  most 
pungent  and  acrid,  of  the  aromatic  class;  and  have  all 
the  virtues  ascribed  to  aromatics  in  general.  When  good, 
they  have  these  qualities  in  a  great  degree,  and  almost 
burn  the  throat  when  swallowed.  They  are  remarka- 
bly disposed  to  imbibe  humidity;  and,  when  robbed  of 
their  active  parts,  and  afterwards  mixed  with  fresh 
cloves,  they  regain  from  them  a  considerable  share 
both  of  taste  and  smell.  The  Dutch  extract  the  oil 
from  them,  and  then  mix  them  with  others,  from  which 
it  hath  not  been  separated ;  but  their  dryness,  less 
pungent  odour,  and  pale  colour,  discover  the  fraud. 
The  Dutch  also  preserve  the  fruit  with  sugar,  which 
they  eat  in  their  voyage,  to  stimulate  the  stomach  and 
prevent  scurvy. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine  takes  up  all  the  virtue  of 
cloves :  an  extract  from  this  spirituous  tincture  amounts 
to  nearly  one-third  of  the  cloves  used  in  preparing  it, 
and  retains  nearly'  their  whole  virtue.  Infused  in 
water,  they  give  out  to  it  more  of  their  smell  than  to 
spirit,  but  not  so  much  of  their  taste. 

Distilled  with  water,  they  give  over,  very  slowly, about 
one-sixth  of  their  weight  of  essential  oil,  at  first  yellow, 
and  afterwards  a  reddish  brown;  but  if  the  fire  is  very 
moderate,  its  colour  is  pale:  it  sinks  in  water,  is  mild, 
and  not  very  pungent ;  but  the  only  way  to  have  it  genu- 
ine is  to  distil  it  ourselves.  The  Dutch  oil  is  very 
acrid,  and  contains  near  half  its  weight  of  an  insipid 
expressed  oil.  It  is  probable,  that,  from  an  admixture 
of  the  resinous  part  of  claves,  this  sophisticated  oil  re- 
ceives both  its  acrimony  and  high  colour;  or,  as  fresh 
cloves  are  said  to  yield  a  high  coloured  fragrant  thick 
oil  upon  expression,  it  may  be,  that  the  common  oil  of 
cloves,  brought  from  the  spice  islands,  is  no  other  than 
this  oil  diluted  with  an  insipid  one.  In  Holland,  the  oil 
is  distilled  by  holding  the  cloves  in  a  moistened  cloth 
over  the  fumes  of  hot  water.  Heat  is  applied  over 


them ;  and  the  oil,  dropping  through  the  water,  sinks 
to  the  bottom. 

If  the  oil  of  cloves  is  adulterated  with  an  insipid  ex- 
pressed oil,  it  is  discovered  by  dropping  a  little  into  al- 
cohol ;  and,  on  shaking  them,  the  genuine  oil  mixes 
with  the  spirit,  and  the  insipid  oil,  separating,  is  dis- 
covered. 

Cloves  are  considered  to  act  as  powerful  stimulants 
to  the  muscular  fibres;  and,  in  some  cases  of  atonic 
gout  and  paralysis,  may  supersede  most  others  of  the 
aromatic  class.  In  stomach  and  chlorotic  complaints, 
they  are  often  of  considerable  service.  Though  cloves 
powerfully  excite  the  vital  powers,  they  produce  no 
serous  discharges,  and  are  accused  of  inducing  consti- 
pation. In  humoral  asthmas  they  are  said  to  be  use- 
ful, and  the  oil  rapidly  cures  the  tooth  ach.  Its  use  as 
a  condiment  is  well  known.  Both  the  spice  and  oil  are 
used  as  correctors  of  some  of  our  officinal  compositions. 
The  Dutch  join  it  with  bark  and  cream  of  tartar,  in  ob- 
stinate agues.  Twenty  cloves  are  added  in  powder  to 
half  an  ounce  of  each  of  the  other,  and  3  ss.  is  given 
every  third  or  fourth  hour. 

In  dyspepsia,  also  against  flatulence,  and  as  a  vehicle 
to  other  medicines,  J  ij-  of  cloves  are  infused  in  half  a 
pint  of  boiling  water.  The  dose,  one  ounce  and  an 
half,  or  two  ounces. 

The  oil  of  cloves  is  made  into  an  agreeable  draught- 
by  mixing  it  with  a  proper  quantity  of  gum  arable,  and 
then  with  water.  See  Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 
Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CARYOPHY'LLI  SUA'VIS  ODO'RIS,  &c.  See  CANELLA 
ALBA. 

CARYOPHYLLO'IDES  CORTEX  CARYO- 
PHI'LLON  PLI'NII,  (from  x.ecpv<xpv>(fov,  caryofihyllus, 
and  £<£»$,  likeness,  from  their  resemblance  to  the  July 
flower).  See  CASSIA  CARYOPHYI.LATA. 

CARYOPHI'LLUS  RU'BER,  from  xafw,  a  nut, 
and  <5t/AAov,  a  leaf;  so  called  because  it  smells  like  the 
leaves  of  the  Indian  nut  or  clove  tree).  Hence  it  is  a 
name  applied  to  many  plants  of  the  pink  and  July  flow- 
er kind.  GILLYFLOWER;  also  called  tunica,  vetonica, 
betonica  coronaria,  caryofihillus  hortensis,  CLOVE  JULY 
FLOWER;  dianthus  caryofihyllus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  587. 

It  is  well  known  in  our  gardens,  is  perennial,  and 
said  to  be  a  native  of  Italy.  There  are  many  varieties; 
but  those  employed  for  medicinal  use  are  of  a  deep 
crimson  colour,  and  an  agreeable  aromatic  smell,  some- 
what resembling  that  of  the  spice ;  and  this  odour  is 
not  very  soon  dissipated. 

These  flowers  are  esteemed  moderately  cardiac,  diu- 
retic, and  sudorific;  but  they  are  chiefly  used  in  the 
form  of  a  syrup,  for  the  beauty  of  their  colour. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  syrup  from 
these  flowers. 

Take  of  fresh  clove  July  flowers,  with  their  heels  cut 
oft,  two  pounds;  of  boiling  distilled  water,  six  pints: 
macerate  the  flowers  in  the  water  for  twelve  hours  in  a 
glass  vessel ;  and  in  the  liquid,  strained,  dissolve  as 
much  double  refined  sugar  as  is  required  to  make  a 
syrup.  It  should  be  observed,  that  as  the  beauty  of  the 
colour  is  a  principal  quality  of  this  syrup,  no  pressure 
of  the  flowers  is  to  be  admitted. 

In  St.  Thomas's  hospital  a  syrup  is  made  from  the 
aromatic  clove,  coloured  with  cochineal.  See  Lewis's 
Mat.  Med. 


CAS 


359 


CAS 


CARYOPHY'LLUS   AROMA'TICUS    AMERI- 
CA 'XL'S.     See  PIPER  JAMAICENSIS. 

CARTOPHY'LLUS  HORTE'SSIS.    See  CARYOPHU.H.-S  RU- 


BER. 

CARTOPHY'LLCS  i.v'mcrs.     See  AKTHELMIA. 
CARYOPHY  LLVS  VC'LGAHIS.     See  CARTOPHILLATA. 
CARYO'TI,  (from  **fo»',  a  nut).     See  DACTYLIS 

FAXJCUU, 

CAS  GA'XGYTHREB.     See  VERBENA. 
CA  SAMUM.     See  ARTHAKITA. 
CASCARI'LLA.    CASCARILLA.     The  Spaniards  ap- 
plj-  this  word  to   the  Peruvian  bark,  as  we  apply  the 
word  bark  to  distinguish   the  same  material.     It  is  a 
diminutive  of  caicara,  the  Spanish  word  for  bark  or 
shell ;  but  is  applied  by  us  to  a  peculiar  bark,  very 
different  from  the  Peruvian.     See  THURIS  CORTEX. 
CA'SCHU.     See  TERRA  JAPOXICA. 
CA'SEUS,   (from   the   Arabic  term   casa/i,    milk}. 
CHEESE.     When  old,  it  is  called  flalftyrus.    Aristaeus, 
a  pupil  of  Chiron,  is  said  to  have  first  discovered  the 
art  of  making  it.     The  ancients  were  well  acquainted 
with  the  methods  of  coagulating  milk ;  and  for  this  pur- 
pose they  boiled  it,  mixed  it  with  vinegar,   infused  the 
branches  of  the  fig  tree  in  it,  or  added  salt  with  sour 
milk. 

The  curd  of  milk  is  more  or  less  dense,  according 
as  the  whey  is  more  or  less  perfectly  separated  from  it. 
Its  cohesion  is  never  considerable  ;  but  the  chief  art  of 
making  cheese  consists  in  separating  as  perfectly  as 
possible  the  whey,  for  a  very  small  proportion  of  mois- 
ture accelerates  fermentation  and  putrefaction. 

Curd  or  cheese  is  an  albuminous  substance,  not  un- 
like the  white  of  an  egg,  or  the  coagulum  of  the  blood. 
It  dissolves  in  alkalis,  but  most  perfectly  in  the  caustic 
mineral  alkali ;  and  from  its  solution  a  volatile  alkaline 
il  anses.  The  vitriolic  and  nitrous  acids  dissolve 
it;  the  marine  acid  less  readily.  In  hot  water  it  hardens; 
and  cold  has  no  effect  on  it.  If  the  cheese  is  good,  it 
melts  easily  :  if  poor,  it  becomes  crisp  and  horny.  By 
Nation,  the  water  which  first  arises  is  nearly  taste- 
less, but  soon  putrefies.  In  a  greater  heat  the  cheese 
kiisters,  and  yields  hydrogenous  and  carbonated  gas, 
•with  some  ammonia,  and  a  heavy  stinking  oil.  Its  ashes 
contain  phosphat  of  lime  and  calcareous  earth.  The 
cupd  of  goat  and  cow's  milk  is  solid  and  elastic;  that 
«f  the  ass  and  mare  less  solid ;  that  of  the  sheep  and 
•women  almost  or  entirely  fluid.  It  is  a  common  opi- 
nion, that  old  cheese  digests  every  thing,  yet  is  left  un- 
digested itself;  but  this  is  without  a  proper  foundation, 
cheese  digests  with  difficulty,  and  when  old  is 
acrid  and  hot.  Cheese  made  from  the  milk  of  sheep 
digests  sooner  thau  that  from  cows,  but  it  is  less  nou- 
rishing; that  from  the  milk  of  goats  sooner  than  either, 
buc  is  the  least  nourishing.  In  general,  it  is  a  kind  of 
food  fit  only  for  the  laborious,  or  those  whose  organs  of 
digestion  are  strong.  See  Galen  de  Alim.  Facult. 

Dr.  Cullen,  in  his  Materia  Medica,  vol.  i.  gives  a 
very  minute  account  of  cheese,  and  tells  us  "  the 
caseous  or  coagulable  part  of  milk  contains  certainly 
a  great,  if  not  the  greatest  part  of  the  nourishment 
which  milk  affords,  and  is  in  itself  the  more  nourishing 
the  more  it  is  united  with  the  oily  parts.  When  the 
toa^ulum  has  the  whey  taken  from  it,  it  becomes  a 
more  nutritious  substance  than  the  milk  it  was  taken 


from,  but  will  probably  be  of  more  difficult  digestion. 
Cheese  in  its  dried  state,   when  made  from  milk  pre- 
viously deprived  of  its  cream,  may  be  still  nutritious. 
though  of  difficult  digestion ;  but  made  of  entire  milk 
must   be  more  nourishing,  and   of  easier  dige-. 
and  made  of  entire  milk,  with  a  portion  of  cream 
from  other  milk  added  to  it,  will  be  still  more  noi 
ing,  but  hardly  of  less  easy  digestion,  as  the  oil  every 
where  interposed  between  the  parts  of  the  gluten 
render  its  adhesion  less  firm ;  and  if  cheese  is  made  of 
cream  alone,  that  will  be  certainly  the  most  nutri. 
and  of  the  easiest  digestion." 

But  cheese  is  not  only  made  of  cows'  milk  alone,  but 
also  of  the  milk  of  ewes  and  goats,  and  often  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  two  latter  added  to  cows'  milk.  In  all  these 
cases,  as  the  milk  of  ewes  and  cows  contains  a  larger 
portion  of  the  oily  and  caseous  parts,  so  in  proportion 
as  these  are  employed  the  cheese  becomes  more  nutri- 
tious, but  at  the  same  time  often  occasions  inconve- 
nience from  its  richness. 

As  cheese  is  employed  not  only  when  recent  and 
fresh,  but  also  under  various  degrees  of  corruption,  so 
it  acquires  new  qualities  ;  and,  according  to  the  degree 
of  corruption,  it  becomes  more  acrid  and  stimulant, 
partly  by  the  acrimony  thus  acquired,  and  parti}'  by  the 
great  number  of  insects  that  are  very  constantly  gene- 
rated in  that  state.  It  can  then  hardly  be  taken  in  such, 
a  quantity  as  to  be  considered  as  alimentary ;  and  its 
effects  as  a  condiment  influencing  the  digestion  of  other 
food  are  difficult  to  explain,  though  they  are  commonly 
admitted.  When  toasted,  it  is  certainly  not  easL 
gested  by  weak  stomachs ;  as  a  portion  of  the  oil  is  se- 
parated, and  the  coagulum  rendered  homy. 

In  general,  cheese,  as  an  aliment,  is,  as  we  have  re- 
marked, adapted  to  the  healthy,  the  strong,  and  labo- 
rious. The  coagulum  always  contains  a  sufficient  de- 
gree of  moisture  to  approach  the  putrid  state,  which  is 
prevented  from  advancing  rapidly,  by  the  close  com- 
pression it  experiences.  Yet,  as  a  medicinal  dietetic, 
it  is  often  useful,  even  in  debilitated  stomachs.  In, 
those  where  acid  abounds,  good  cheese  is  particularly 
serviceable;  and  in  cases  of  flatulence  it  often  relic 
It  has  been  recommended  as  a  diet  in  leucorrhoea ;  and 
we  can  perceive  some  connection  between  this  com- 
plaint and  an  acid  stomach,  since  absorbents  have  been 
recommended  for  its  relief:  as  a  condiment  it  is  well 
known,  and  it  has  been  properly  said,  that  cheese  di- 
gests every  thing  but  itself;  in  other  words,  though 
undigestible,  yet  by  its  stimulus,  or  its  antacid  power, 
it  contributes  to  the  digestion  of  the  various  heteroge- 
neous substances  of  a  modern  luxurious  dinner,  since 
a  redundant  acid  is  its  most  frequent  consequence.  It 
may  be  of  use  to  know,  that  soft  cheese  relieves  that 
unpleasing  sensation  often  the  consequence  of  an  acid, 
which  we  express  by  the  teeth  being  an-edge. 

With  respect  to  its  component  parts,  cheese  chiefly 
differs  from  the  excess  or  defect  of  its  oily  part.  The 
opposite  examples  are  the  cream  cheeses  of  Bath,  and 
the  scald-milk  cheese  of  the  West.  In  the  former, 
cream  is  added,  and  it  is  of  course  in  a  larger  propor- 
tion than  from  the  milk  which  nature  offers.  The  con- 
sequence is,  that  compression  is  inadmissible ;  the  acid 
fermentation  soon  comes  on,  increased  fluidity  is  the 
consequence,  and  from  that 


CAS 


360 


CAS 


putrefaction.  The  Bath  cheese  is  nutritious,  and  we 
think  easy  of  digestion.  The  Stilton  cheese  is  not  very 
different;  and  the  Cheshire,  the  Gloucestershire,  and 
the  Bridge-water,  follow  in  the  order.  Each  is  more  oily 
and  nutritious  than  its  successor :  each  in  the  inverse 
order  is  more  stimulating  and  indigestible,  and  still 
more  so  the  farther  the  putrefactive  process  is  ad- 
vanced. 

On  the  opposite  side,  the  scald-milk  cheese  contains 
the  curd  almost  wholly  without  the  oil,  which  is  artifi- 
cially separated  by  heating  the  milk  to  a  degree  just 
below  the  boiling  point.  It  is  hard  and  indigestible  ; 
but  we  may  add,  that  this  only  is  the  cheese  proper  for 
cements.  From  its  dryness,  it  does  not  readily  putrefy  ; 
though  when  putrid  it  is  scarcely  more  indigestible  than 
in  its  most  perfect  state. 

The  Roquefort  cheese  is  soft,  mild,  and  pleasant. 
The  peculiar  excellence  of  this  cheese,  from  M.  Chap- 
tal's  description,  consists  in  checking  the  fermentation 
when  it  has  reached  a  given  point ;  for  if  neglected,  it 
contracts  a  disagreeably  sour  taste.  The  milk  of  goats 
and  sheep  are  only  employed.  The  Swiss  cheese  de- 
rives its  excellence  from  a  similar  management.  It  is 
cellular ;  and  the  cavities  are  filled  with  whey,  which  is 
in  its  passage  from  the  acid  to  the  putrid  state.  The 
cheese  is  also  rich,  and  the  peculiar  poignancy  of  this 
whey  renders  it  such  a  favourite  with  the  epicure.  The 
smell  when  toasted  is  so  much  heightened  as  to  be  ge- 
nerally unpleasing,  except  to  the  sensualist.— But  we 
cannot  enlarge  this  disquisition  :  these  details  belong 
rather  to  the  economical  science  than  to  medicine.  See 
LAC. 

CA'SHOW.     See  TERRA  JAPONICA. 

CA'SIA,  i.  e.  Cassia,  (from  the  Arabic  term  fcatsia, 
and  this  from  katsa,  to  (ear  off).  CASSIA;  so  called 
from  the  act  of  stripping  the  bark  from  the  tree. 

CASMINA'RIS,  CA'SMUNAR.     See  CASSUMMU- 

iriAtt. 

C.  B.     An  abbreviation  for  Caspar  Bauhine. 

C.  B.  PIN.     Caspar  Bauhine's  Pinax. 

C.  B.  MATTH.     Casp.  Bau.  in  Matthiolum. 

C.  B.  PROD.  Casp.  Bauh.  Prodromus  Theatri  bo- 
tanici. 

CA'SSA,  (from  the  Arabic  term  balsa).  See  THORAX. 

CA'SSADA.  (Indian).  Called  also  cacai'i,  cassave, 
pain  de  Madagascar,  ricinos  minor,  maniot,  yucca,  ma- 
•niiba,  aifii,  ai/iima  coxera,  aifiifioca,  janifiha,  jatrofiha 
manihot  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1429.  Nat.  order  tithymeloides  of 
Jussieu,  nearly  related  to  the  crotons.  This  plant  grows 
in  the  warmer  parts  of  the  western  world.  Its  root, 
which  is  only  used,  is  called  yucca;  by  the  Mexicans 
quanticamotli;  and  when  prepared  into  a  flour,  cassavi. 
Names  for  the  preparations  of  the  root,  in  order  to  make 
it  into  bread,  are  various.  See  MANDIBA. 

This  plant,  which  is  a  native,  or  at  least  a  denizen, 
of  three  quarters  of  the  world,  is  one  of  the  most  ad- 
vantageous gifts  of  Providence  to  mankind.  It  grows 
in  a  dry,  and  in  many  respects  an  useless,  soil ;  it  is  nei- 
ther injured  by  seasons  nor  insects,  and  the  roots  of 
different  varieties  are  fit  for  use  at  every  period.  It  is 
nutritious,  and,  to  those  accustomed  to  the  diet,  plea- 
sant, though  to  the  European  it  is  insipid.  The  plant  is 
poisonous ;  but  the  poison  consists  in  a  volatile  oil, 
which  is  easily  separated  by  heat,  and  its  congeneres 
afford  us  two  medicines  of  peculiar  utility,  the  cascarilla 


and  the  castor  oil,  both  however  from  plants  poison- 
ous in  some  parts.  The  poison  of  the  cassada  root  is  a 
white  milky  fluid,  highly  deleterious.  It  is  found  to  act 
as  a  sedative  on  the  nervous  system ;  for  the  substance 
is  apparently  unchanged,  and  neither  inflammation  nor 
erosion  can  be  discovered  in  the  stomach. 

Among  the  varieties  cultivated,  those  which  have  a 
tinge  of  red  or  violet  are  most  common  and  most  high- 
ly esteemed.  The  cassada,  when  dried,  will  keep  fif- 
teen years  with  little  change:  and  A ublet  tells  us,  that 
ten  pounds  are  sufficient  for  fifteen  days'  provision.  On 
adding  water,  it  swells  considerably. 

The  liquor  that  is  pressed  from  this  plant  is  called 
•rn.anip.uera  ;  the  root  macerated  in  water  until  it  is  soft 
is  called  mandiofiiba  ;  of  the  sediment  of  this  is  made  a 
finer  flour,  called  vijieba  by  the  Brasilians,  and  by  the 
Portuguese  farin  ha  fresca  ;  the  undried  dressed  meal, 
farinha  relada. 

The  soft  mandihoca  is  called  fiuba  :  when  dried  over 
the  fire,  or  in  the  sun,  it  is  called  carima  ;  and  of  this 
good  bread  is  made,  which  is  called  musam,  or  angu,  or 
enfonde. 

The  root  of  the  bitter  cassada  is  poisonous  when  raw: 
however,  it  may  be  deprived  of  its  noxious  qualities, 
which  reside  in  the  juice,  by  heat.  Cassada  bread  is 
made  therefore  both  of  the  bitter  and  sweet,  by  washing 
and  scraping  the  roots  clean,  grating  them  into  a  tub  or 
trough,  and  squeezing  out  the  juice  by  strong  pressure 
through  a  hair  bag  ;  the  thinner  part  of  which  is  eva- 
porated, and  the  remainder  dried  over  the  fire  in  a  hot 
stone  bason,  and  afterwards  made  into  cakes.  It  also 
makes  puddings  equal  to  millet. 

The  small  bits  which  have  escaped  the  grater,  and 
the  clods  not  passing  through  the  sieve,  are  dried  in  the 
stove  after  the  flour  is  roasted;  then  pounded  in  a  mor- 
tar to  a  fine  powder,  of  which  is  made  soup.  It  is  like- 
wise used  for  making  a  kind  of  coarse  cassada,  which  is 
roasted  till  almost  burnt:  this,  fermented  with  me- 
lasses  and  West-India  potatoes,  forms  an  intoxicating 
liquor,  a  favourite  drink  of  the  natives,  called  ouycou. 
With  this  liquor  the  poorer  inhabitants  and  workmen 
are  often  intoxicated.  It  is  of  a  red  colour,  strong, 
nourishing,  and  refreshing;  to  which  the  inhabitants 
are  soon  and  easily  accustomed  as  beer. 

Of  the  cassada  are  made  emulsions,  ptisans,  Sec. 
which  are  used  in  consumptions,  dysenteries,  fevers, 
faintings,  against  poisons  and  haemorrhages,  both  in- 
ternal and  external. 

The  scrapings  of  fresh  bitter  cassada  are  successfully 
applied  to  ill-disposed  ulcers. 

The  fluid  pressed  from  the  cassada  contains  an  ex- 
tremely fine  fsecula  or  starch,  of  the  most  beautiful 
white  colour,  which,  like  the  starch  of  wheat,  crackles 
between  the  fingers — an  adventitious  quality  in  the  lat- 
ter, depending,  it  is  said,  on  spirits  of  wine  employed 
in  the  manufacture.  The  cassada  starch  is  used  in  the 
preparation  of  the  most  delicate  dishes;  indeed  in  every 
art  where  we  employ  the  finest  flour. 

From  the  cassada,  mixed  with  potatoes,  by  fermenta- 
tion, the  Americans  prepare  the  vicou  :  it  is  an  agree- 
able acid  liquor,  equally  pleasant  and  wholesome.  If 
the  juice  of  a  variety  of  the  jatropha,  the  cachiri,  is 
boiled  with  rasped  potatoes  and  sugar,  and  then  fer- 
mented, a  pleasing  liquor  resembling  perry  is  produced. 
By  a  similar  method,  a  kind  of  white  wine  (paya)  or 


0  A 


361 


CAS 


r  (voua-paya)  is  manufactured.  In  these  processes, 
tne  roots  of  the  cassada  suffer  a  degree  of  decomposi- 
tion, probably  from  fermentation,  since  they  are  al- 
lowed to  remain  till  they  are  covered  with  a  purple 
mould.  The  cassada,  boiled  with  pimento  till  it  ac- 
quires the  consistence  of  a  conserve,  is  used  as  a  con- 
diment, and  said  to  be  highly  agreeable  in  a  variety  of 
es. 

When  the  cassada  is  heated  over  the  fire  to  separate 
the  poisonous  oil,  it  is  usually  made  into  cakes ;  but  it 
(.->  sometimes  broken  into-small  grains,  and  is  then  sup- 
posed to  be  the  tafiioca. 

The  juice  of  roucou  is  an  antidote  to  the  poison  of 
this  plant.  Raii  Hist.  Encyclop.  Britannica. 

CASSA'LE  VU'LNUS.  A  term  signifying  a  wound 
in  the  breast:  (from  the  Arabian  word  cassa,  a  breast'). 

C  A'SSAMUM.     The  fruit  of  the  balsam  tree. 

CASSA'TUM,  (from    *.ars-»,   a    harlot;    so    called 

being  debilitated   by  too   frequent  meretricious 

commerce).     Weak,  spiritless;  blood  that  is  grumous, 

and  hinders  the  passage  of  the  circulating  blood.     It  is 

rd  of  Paracelsus. 

CA  SSAVE,  CA'SSAVI.     See  CASSADA. 

CA'SSE,  EAU  DE,  or  EAU  DE  CASSE-LUXE'TTE.  It  is 
icr  distilled  from  the  flowers  of  the  cyanus. 

CA'SSIA.     See  CASIA.    and   also    SEXXA  ALEXAX- 

DRINA. 

CA'SSIA  ALATA,  Lin.  Sp.  PL  541.  The  leaves  of  this 
plant  are  bitter,  nauseous  in  their  taste,  and  supposed 
to  be  cathartic.  The  decoction  is  recommended  in 
herpes. 

CA'SSIA  CANE'LLA.     See  CASSIA  LIGXEA. 

CA'SSIA  CARYOPHVLLA'TA,  called  also  fiifier  tavasci, 
.Jihillus  aromaticus  fructu  rotunda,  g-aruo/ihillon 
Pliniiy  amomum,  CLOVE  BEKHY  TREE,  SWEET  SCEXTED 
JAMAICA  PEPPER  TREE.  The  bark  is  called  cortex  ca- 
ryofihyltoides,  CLOVE  BARK,  and  cassia  carter,  CASSIA 
BARK.  M-jr-us  caryo/ihyllata  Lin  Sp.  PI.  675. 

The  bark  is  produced  in  Jamaica,  Cuba,  and  other 
of  the  West  Indian  islands.  It  is  rolled  like  cinnamon, 
but  is  rather  thinner,  rougher  on  the  outside,  and  of  a 
dark  brown  colour.  Cassia  bark  is  warm  and  aromatic, 
resembles  the  smell  of  cloves,  though  weaker,  and  mixt 
v>  ith  the  flavour  of  cinnamon;  agreeing  with  cloves  in 
solubility  and  volatility  of  its  active  principles. 
Spirit  of  wine  takes  up  all  its  aroma,  but  carries  very 
little  of  it  in  distillation.  \Vater  takes  up  its  smell, 
though  imperfectly  its  taste;  and,  distilled  with  water, 
a  small  portion  of  an  essential  oil  arises,  which  resem- 
bles that  of  cloves,  but  is  more  pungent. 

A  similar  bark  is  brought  from  the  East  Indies,  un- 
der the  name  of  culilia^an  or  culilaisan,  a  compound 
Malabarian  word,  which  is  translated  into  the  Latin  by 
cortex  caryophylloides,  or  clove  bark.  That  distin- 
guished in  Europe  by  the  name  of  culilawan  is  thicker 
than  the  other,  and  more  of  a  cinnamon  colour,  but 
scarcely  differs  in  smell  or  taste.  The  carabacium  of 
Baglivi  is  probably  not  very  different,  and  supposed  to 
be  a  species  of  laurus.  Rumphius  observes,  that  the 
outer  and  inner  barks  of  different  parts  of  the  tree  differ 
in  colour  and  taste  from  one  another;  whence,  probably, 
ihe  differences  observed  in  those  brought  under  differ- 
ent names  into  Europe. 

The  unripe  fruit  is  the  JAM  MCA  PEPPEB.  See  PIPEK 
JAMAICEXSE. 

VOL.  i. 


CA'SSIA  FISTULA'RIS,  called  also  cassia  Higra,  tu 
solutii'a,  vel  fiurgatrix,  chaiarxambar,  canna,  fistula, 
PURGING  CASSIA.     Cassia  fistula  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  540.    The 
ALEXANDRIAN  PURGING  CASSIA. 

The  cassia  fistula  is  the  hard  woody  cylindrical  pod 
of  a  tree  called  PUDDIXG  PIPE-TREE,  which  resembles 
the  walnut  tree:  it  grows  spontaneously  in  Egypt  and 
the  warmer  part  of  the  East  Indies,  and  hath  been  from 
thence  introduced  into  the  West,  and  is  brought  to  us 
from  the  Brasils.  The  pods  are  about  an  inch  in  dia- 
meter, and  a  foot  or  more  in  length;  externally  of  •* 
dark  brown  colour,  somewhat  wrinkled,  with  a  large 
seam  running  the  whole  length  upon  one  side,  and  an- 
other, less  visible,  on  the  opposite  side,  internally  of  a 
pale  yellowish  colour,  divided  by  thin  transverse  woody 
plates,  in  a  number  of  little  cells,  containing  each  a  flat- 
tish  oval  seed,  with  a  soft  black  pulp. 

The  pulp  is  called  by  some  medulla  ;  cassia  cribra- 
tra ;  cassite  atramentum, exlractum, and fios  ;  brothers, 
WILD  HOXEY,  because  of  its  sweet  taste,  which  is  fol- 
lowed by  an  ungrateful  kind  of  acrimony ;  that  from  the 
East  Indies  has  a  more  agreeable  sweetness  and  less 
acrimony  than  the  West  Indian  kind.  The  best  pulp 
is  of  a  shining  black  colour,  sweet  taste,  with  a  slight 
degree  of  acidity. 

The  oriental  pods  are  also  smaller,  smoother,  and 
thinner  rinded  than  the  occidental,  and  its  pulp  is  more 
shining  and  of  a  deeper  colour.  The  dry  pods,  in 
which  the  seed  rattles,  are  generally  rejected  ;  but  Neu- 
mann thinks  that  they  are  scarcely  worse  than  the  other. 
as  their  humidity  only  is  wasted,  and  it  is  thus  secured 
from  being  mouldy  or  sour.  The  best  sort,  if  gathered 
before  it  is  fully  ripe,  grows  mouldy,  and  becomes  sour 
or  harsh. 

The  pulp  of  cassia  dissolves  very  readily  in  water, 
whether  it  is  moist  or  dry,  but  not  so  readily  in  spirit  of 
wine.  It  is  usually  extracted  by  boiling  the  bruised 
pods  in  water,  and  evaporating  the  strained  solution  to 
a  proper  consistence:  the  exhaling  vapour  carries  no- 
thing off.  The  pulp  soon  turns  sour,  so  that  it  should 
be  only  extracted  in  small  quantities. 

Cassia  was  first  used  by  the  Arabians.  Where  irri- 
tating purges  would  injure,  it  may  be  safely  employed : 
in  doses  of  a  few  drachms  it  is  generally  laxative,  and 
particularly  useful  in  costive  habits  and  inflammatory 
cases.  According  to  Geoffroy,  it  is  peculiarly  beneficial 
in  those  tensions  of  the  belly  which  attend  an  imprudent 
use  of  antimonials :  as  a  cathartic,  two  ounces  are  re- 
quired, so  that  it  is  seldom  used ;  and,  indeed,  at  present 
it  is  rarely  given  by  itself,  except  to  children,  or  pregnant 
delicate  women.  The  pulp  of  prunes  is  recommended 
to  supply  its  place,  as  almost  equally  pleasant  and  safe. 

It  is  sometimes  quickened  by  stronger  purgatives,  or 
with  tartrited  antimony,  which  it  decomposes;  so  that 
four  grains  or  more  of  emetic  tartar  may  be  taken  in  a 
decoction  of  cassia  by  those,  who,  without  it,  can  scarce- 
ly bear  one  quarter  of  the  dose.  It  is  supposed  to  en- 
hance the  purgative  virtue  of  manna:  a  mixture  of  half 
an  ounce  of  cassia  with  two  drachms  of  manna,  is  said 
to  purge  more  than  three  times  the  quantity  of  cassia 
by  itself,  or  than  a  yet  greater  quantity  of  manna  when 
alone. 

Cassia,  if  repeatedly  taken,  is  said  to  tinge  the  urine 
of  a  yellow,  green,  or  brown  colour,  according  to  the 
quantity  given.  Bergius,  however,  informs  us,  that  an 


CAS 


362 


C  A8 


ounce  was  taken  for  three  successive  mornings  without 
such  effect. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  prepara- 
tion: 

Electuarium  &  Cassia.  —  Take  of  syrup  of  roses,  the 
pulp  of  cassia,  fresh  extracted,  of  each  half  a  pound  ; 
of  manna,  two  ounces;  of  the  pulp  of  tamarinds,  one 
ounce.  Beat  the  manna,  and,  with  a  slow  fire,  dissolve 
it  in  the  syrup;  then  add  the  other  ingredients;  con- 
tinue the  heat;  and  reduce  the  whole  to  a  proper  con- 
sistence. 

This  electuary  was  formerly  called  diacassia  :  the  ta- 
marinds render  the  taste  of  it  very  agreeable,  and  do  not 
subject  it  to  turn  sour.  Two  or  three  drachms  will 
prove  gently  laxative.  See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CA'SSIA  LIG'NEA;  called  also  cassia  lignea  Malabar- 
ica,  xylo-cassia,  canella  Malabarica  et  Javensis,  karva, 
canella  Cubana,  ardor  Jucadice,  cassia  canella,  canel- 
liftra  Malabarica,  cortex  crassior,  cinamomiim  Maht- 
baricum,  carva,  calihacha,  and  by  the  ancients  canela, 

WILD     CINNAMON    TREE,    MALABAR     CINNAMON    TREE,    Or 

cassia  lignea  tree. 

The  leaves  of  this  tree  are,  by  way  of  eminence, 
called  FOLIUM,  which  see.  The  bark  is  called  cassia 
lignea,  and  is  brought  from  the  East  Indies.  This  tree 
is  of  the  cinnamon  kind.  It  is  the  laurus  cassia  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  528;  the  c  assia,  or  wild  cinnamon  tree.  Curtis, 
in  his  Catalogue  of  Medicinal  Plants,  in  the  London 
Botanic  Garden,  calls  it  laurus  Malabathrum.  This 
bark  (the  best  species  of  which  are  styled  dafihnitis} 
resembles  cinnamon  in  appearance,  but  is  distinguish- 
able by  its  breaking  short  or  smooth,  while  the  fracture 
of  cinnamon  is  fibrous  :  and  by  chewing,  when  the  cas- 
sia becomes  mucilaginous,  but  the  cinnamon  austere 
and  dry.  It  resembles  cinnamon  in  flavour,  but  is 
weaker:  it  contains  a  mucilage,  of  which  cinnamon  does 
not  sensibly  partake;  if  powdered,  and  boiled  in  water, 
the  water  becomes  glutinous,  so  as  to  concrete,  on  cool- 
ing, into  a  jelly.  Of  the  bark,  choose  that  which  is 
small,  purplish,  easily  broken,  fragrant,  pungent,  sweet- 
ish, and  mucilaginous  when  chewed. 

Spirit  of  wine  extracts  the  aroma,  and  water  extracts 
the  mucilage.  By  distillation  in  water  it  yields  a  small 
portion  of  oil,  which  differs  not  from  that  of  cinnamon; 
and  if  care  is  taken  in  distilling  it  with  water,  no  differ- 
ence can  be  discovered  from  what  it  produces,  and  that 
which  is  drawn  from  true  cinnamon;  but  if  too  much 
heat  is  continued  at  the  end  of  the  operation,  it  occa- 
sions an  cmpy  reumatic  flavour,  because  of  the  mucilage, 
which  is  very  apt  to  burn.  As  a  cordial,  it  is  equal  to 
cinnamon,  if  twice  the  quantity  is  allowed  for  a  dose; 
but  to  astringent  powers  it  has  no  pretension.  See 
Neumann's  Chem.  Works.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Cul- 
len's Mat.  Med. 

CA'SSIA  POE'TICA  LOBE'LLII,  cassia  Latinorum,  cassia 
lignea  Monsfieliensium,  and  cassia  Monsfieliensium. 
See  OSYIIIS.  . 

CA'SSIA  I.I'GNEA  JAMAICE'NSIS.  j  See  CANELLA  ALP,  A. 
ATRAME'NTUM  et  EXTIJACTUM.     See  CASSIA 


J-ISTULARIS. 

CA'SSIA  CO'RTEX.     See  CASSIA  CARYOPHYLLATA. 
CASSIA'NA.     See  CASSINE. 
CA'SSIBOR.     See  CORIANDRUM. 


CA'SSIDA,  (from  its  resemblance  to  cassis,  a  hood; 
or  helmet);  Lysimachla  galericulata ;  scutellaria  gale- 
riculata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  835.  HOODED  LOOSE  STRIFE. 

LYSIMACHIA  C^EHU'LEA  GALERICULATA,  or  gratiola 
cerulca,  (from  Lijsimachus,  the  inventor).  HOODED 

WILLOW  HERB. 

Dr.  Turner  says  it  was  called  tertianaria,  from  it.- 
use  in  intermitting  fevers;  it  is  bitter,  stinks  like  gar- 
lic, but  is  never  used. 

CA'SSIDBOTT.     See  CORIANDRUM. 

CA'SSINA,  CA'SSINE;  also  called  alaternoide* 
Africana.  lauri  serratts  folio,  Apalachine  gallis,  hvrbc 
cafniana,  alaternus.  Ilex  cassine  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  181.  Nat. 
order  dumosce.  It  grows,  in  Carolina;  the  leaves  re- 
semble those  of  senna,  blackish  when  dried,  shining  in 
the  upper  part,  and  green  underneath,  with  a  bitter 
taste,  and  an  aromatic  smell.  There  are  two  sorts,  and, 
according  to  Dale,  they  are  the  third  and  fourth  species, 
of  alaternus.  Miller  calls  the  cassine  vera  Floridano- 
rum,  the  SOUTH  SEA  TEA  TREE;  and  the  Paragua,  the 
CASSIO  BERRY  BUSH.  Some  call  the  Paraguay,  or  South 
sea  tea,  by  the  name  of  BARTHOLOMEW'S  HERB.  It 
grows  near  the  sea.  The  trade  for  this  tea  is  chiefly 
at  Santa  Fe,  whither  it  is  brought  by  the  river  Plata: 
there  are  two  sorts,  the  yerba  de  fialos,  and  a  finer  and 
a  better  sort,  called  yerba  de  camini.  It  is  most  proba- 
ble that  the  yerba  de  camini  is  the  Paraguay,  or  South 
sea  tea,  and  the  yerba  de  fialos  is  our  cassio  berry  bush. 
The  leaves  of  the  cassine  are  considered  as  stomachic 
and  stimulant.  They  are  sometimes  used  as  expec- 
torants; and,  when  fresh,  are  emetic.  Miller's  Diet. 

CA'SSOB.     See  ALCALI. 

CASSOLE'TA.  A  kind  of  humid  suffumigation 
described  by  Marcellus. 

CA'SSONADA.     See  SACCHARUM. 

CA'SSU.     See  ACAJAIBA. 

CASSUMMU'NIAR,  called  also  bengalle  Indorum, 
rysagon,  and  casminar.  The  root  brought  from  the 
East  Indies  in  irregular  slices  is  tuberous,  an  inch 
or  more  thick,  marked  on  the  surface  with  circles 
or  joints  like  the  galangal:  it  is  brown  on  the 
outside,  and  of  a  dusky  yellow  within.  We  have 
no  certain  account  of  the  plant  from  which  it  is. 
taken. 

This  root  was  introduced  by  Marloe  as  a  medicine  of 
uncommon  efficacy  in  nervous  diseases;  at  present  it  is 
used  as  a  stomachic,  but  not  so  generally  as  it  seems  to 
deserve.  It  is  warm  and  aromatic,  slightly  bitter,  in 
smell  resembling  ginger,  or  zedoary,  from  which  it  dif- 
fers in  being  milder.  Spirit  of  wine  extracts  all  its 
virtue;  and,  if  the  tincture  is  evaporated,  it  remains 
in  the  extract.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 

CASSU'TA,  (from  the  Arabic  term  kesut~).  See 
CUSCUTA. 

CASTANEA.  CHESTNUTS,  (from  Castana,  a  city 
in  Thessaly  from  whence  they  were  brought).  Called 
also  lofiima,  mota,  glans  Jovis  Theofihrasti,  JUPITER'S 
ACORN,  and  SARDINIAN  ACORN.  Fagus  Caslanea  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1416.  The  coat  between  the  kernel  and  shell 
is  astringent;  the  kernel  is  indigestible,  and  supposed 
to  be  astringent;  but  if  roasted  and  mixed  with  honey, 
it  is  commended  for  coughs  and  spitting  of  blood.  Sec 
ALIMENT. 

CAST'ANEA.     FI/ORE  AL'BO,  See.     See  COFFEA. 


CAS 


363 


C  A 


CASTA'NEA  EQUI'KA.     HORSE  CHESTNUT.     See  Hir- 

rOCASTAKVM. 

CASTA'XEA  CA'STJOE.     See  TERRA  JAPONICA. 

\STLE-LEOD  WATERS.  This  mineral  water 
is  found  at  Castlc-Leod,  in  Ross-shire  :  and  at  this  place 
a  spring  of  strong  sulphureous  water  has  been  in  great 
repute  for  many  years.  Dr.  D.  Monro,  in  his  analysis, 
found  a  gallon  to  contain  about  59  grains  of  solid  mat- 
ter;  viz.  of  absorbent  earth  1|  grain;  of  selenite  26 J 
grains ;  of  saline  matter  30|  grains  ;  the  greatest  part 
of  which  is  true  Glauber's  salt,  mixed  with  a  little  sul- 
phur, and  probably  a  very  small  portion  of  marine 
bittern.  This  water  is  said  to  be  sensibly  diuretic,  and 
sometimes  to  increase  perspiration.  It  increases  the 
appetite,  and  sits  light  on  the  stomach ;  sometimes  oc- 
casioning a  little  headach,  but  of  no  long  duration, 
nor  to  any  great  degree.  Dr.  Mackenzie  has  directed 
•people  with  various  complaints  to  drink  these  waters; 
and  observes,  that  cutaneous  eruptions  have  been  cleared 
by  their  use,  the  herpes  removed,  the  erysipelas  re- 
ceived benefit,  and  foul  ulcers  cured.  Dr.  Monro 
asserts,  that  many  of  those  cutaneous  disorders  called 
scorbutic  have  been  removed  by  their  means,  and  that 
they  cure  the  itch.  As  this  water  contains  but  a  small 
portion  of  purging  salt,  and  does  not  operate  by  stool, 
all  these  virtues  are  very  incredible,  and  are  probably 
the  offspring  of  fancy  or  superstition.  To  render  them 
really  useful,  some  purging  salt  may  be  occasionally 
added  to  the  first  glass  that  is  taken  in  the  morning; 
and  if  equal  parts  of  this  and  sea  water  be  mixed,  they 
will  form  a  purging  sulphureous  water,  similar  to  that 
of  Harrowgate.  See  Monro,  vol.  ii.  Medical  and  Phar- 
maceutical Chemistry. 

CASTOR,  (quasi  y«5-f«rT,  from  -/acs-rtf,  the  belly, 
because  of  the  largeness  of  his  belly  ;  or  from  castrando, 
because  he  is  said  to  bite  off  his  testicles,  as  the 
supposed  object  of  his  hunters).  The  BEAVER,  also 
called  fiber,  and  canis  fiwticus.  CASTOREUM  RUSSI- 
CUM,  materia,  in  falliculo  firofie  anum  sito,  collecta. 
Pharmacop.  Lond.  RUSSIAN-  CASTOR,  from  the  castor 
fiber  Lin.  Systema  Naturae.  It  is  an  amphibious  qua- 
druped, inhabiting  some  parts  of  Prussia,  Poland, 
Russia,  and  Germany ;  but  the  greatest  quantities  are 
found  in  Canada.  In  the  inguinal  region  of  this  ani- 
mal are  found  four  bags,  of  an  oval  shape,  a  large  and 
a  small  one  on  each  side ;  in  the  two  large  ones  is  con- 
tained a  softish,  greyish  yellow,  or  light  brown  sub- 
stance, which  in  a  warm  dry  air  grows  by  degrees 
hard  and  brittle,  and  of  a  darker  and  browner  colour; 
this  is  the  castor  used  in  medicine.  The  two  smaller 
bags  have  a  smell  much  like  that  of  the  larger,  but 
contain  a  softer  and  more  unctuous  matter  of  but  little 
value. 

On  cutting  these  bags,  when  dry,  and  brought  into 
the  shops,  they  are  found  full  of  a  brittle  friable  sub- 
stance, of  a  brownish  red  colour,  interspersed  with 
fine  membranes  and  fibres,  intimately  interwoven. 
Neumann  asserts  that  the  best  comes  from  Prussia ; 
all  other  writers  say  from  Russia,  and  it  is  in  hard 
round  bags :  an  inferior  moister  sort  comes  from  Dant- 
zic.  The  worst  is  from  New  England,  which  is  in  thin 
long  bags. 

The  Russian  castor  hath  a  strong  but  not  agreeable 
smell;  the  taste  is  pungent  and  bitter;  the  other  sorts 
are  weaker  and  more  ungrateful. 


Castor  is  ranked  among  antispasmouics,  and  is  cer- 
tainly, on  many  occasions,  a  powerful  one.  It  has 
been  useful  almost  in  every  case  requiring  such  reme- 
dies, when  given  in  doses  of  from  10  to  30  grains.  In 
slow  nervous  fevers  it  takes  off"  the  oppression  of  the 
precordia,  which  is  often  a  very  troublesome  symp- 
tom. It  is  by  no  means  a  stimulant,  but  seems  rather 
to  relieve  by  a  sedative  power.  From  this  it  is  proba- 
bly useful  in  stomach  complaints :  and  if  it  be  an  em- 
menagogue,  as  authors  have  supposed,  it  must  be  in 
the  hysteric  and  nervous  habits,  where  the  discharge 
has  been  repressed  from  spasm  in  consequence  of  a 
fright,  or  any  similar  cause.  It  has  been  styled  also, 
without  sufficient  foundation,  an  aphrodisiac;  but  its 
quality  of  correcting  the  uneasy  irritation  of  opium  in 
those  with  whom  that  medicine  disagrees,  is  an  effect 
more  firmly  established.  It  is  used  in  spasms  and  con- 
vulsions of  every  kind,  in  the  flatulent  colic,  and  in 
typhus.  Joined  with  camphor,  we  have  found  it  pe- 
culiarly useful  near  the  conclusion  of  the  more  purely 
nervous  fevers. 

Rondeletius  seems  to  have  first  made  the  distinction 
between  these  bags  or  glands  of  the  beaver  and  his  tes- 
ticles, the  part  supposed  to  contain  the  castor.  Alb. 
Seba  remarks,  that  the  Siberian  castor  is  the  best, 
and  in  succession,  the  Norwegian,  the  Swedish,  the 
Polish,  and  the  Canadian.  But  from  whatever  coun- 
try it  comes,  that  which  is  from  a  full-grown  beaver, 
hath  a  fetid,  disagreeable  smell,  an  acrid  biting 
taste,  a  brownish  colour,  and  a  friable  texture,  is  the 
best. 

It  is  adulterated  with  dried  blood,  gum  ammoniacum, 
or  galbanum,  mixed  with  a  little  of  the  powder  of 
castor,  and  some  quantity  of  the  fat  of  the  beaver.  But 
to  detect  the  fraud,  we  may  remark  that  the  genuine 
follicules  arise  from  one  common  source ;  that  the 
matter  contained  in  them  is  of  a  firm  consistence,  and 
too  bulky  to  be  introduced  in  their  natural  state  :  the 
smell  is  not  so  strong  as  the  genuine.  It  is,  indeed, 
sometimes  difficult  to  distinguish  the  false  from  the 
genuine ;  but  the  sophistication  is  undoubted,  when  the 
membranes,  pellicles,  and  fibres,  do  not  appear  inter- 
mixed with  the  castor. 

This  drug  does  not  keep  well  in  powder.  Rectified 
spirit,  proof  spirit,  and  water,  by  the  help  of  a  little 
heat,  extract  its  whole  virtue.  Rectified  spirit  takes 
up  the  less  ungrateful  parts,  and  water  the  more  nau- 
seous. Proof  spirit  acts  equally,  though  with  some 
difficulty,  on  both ;  the  sp.  ammon.  compositus  is  an 
excellent  menstruum,  and  in  many  cases  improves  its 
virtues. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  Ti-nctura 
Castorfi. 

Take  of  Russia  castor,  two  ounces ;  of  proof  spirit 
of  wine,  a  quart :  digest  for  ten  days  without  heat,  and 
then  strain.  Dose  3!.  to  3  iu-  Heat  only  extracts  the 
grosser  part  more  plentifully  than  a  cold  maceration, 
and  proof  more  than  a  rectified  spirit.  If  it  should  be 
wanted  to  act  more  suddenly,  the  tincture  of  the  Edinb. 
New  Dispensatory',  1789,  is  preferable.  R.  Castorei 
Russici  §i.  asafoetida  |ss.  sp.  sal  ammoniac  vinos,  {fci. 
digere  per  sex  dies. 

CA'STOR.     See  CATAPUTIA  MAJOR. 
CASTRA'TIO,  (from   castro,  to  castrate  J.     CAS- 
TRATION.    This  operation,   called   also   celotomia   or- 
3  A  2 


C  A  T 


364 


C  A  T 


ia,  is  performed  when  the  testicle  is  scirrhous  or 
cancerous.  When  the  testicle  suppurates,  it  is  only 
treated  as  a  common  abscess.  Mr.  Barnard  says,  that 
out  of  a  hundred  patients  that  he  castrated,  only  three 
were  living  three  years  after :  and  that  when,  after 
the  operation,  the  wound  heals  nearly,  and  not  com- 
pletely, it  commonly  proves  mortal.  Some  of  the 
most  eminent  practitioners  observe,  that  when  a  scirrh- 
ous is  extirpated,  it  is  apt  to  return  like  a  cancer  in 
the  breast. 

But  if  the  testicle  must  be  extracted,  first  examine 
whether  or  not  the  spermatic  cord  is  free.  Should  it 
not  be  so,  the  operation  is  useless.  If  not  diseased,  it 
must  be  laid  bare,  tied,  and  cut ;  after  which  all  the 
diseased  part  of  the  scrotum  must  be  dissected.  If  the 
rumour  is  large,  or  if  it  adheres  to  the  skin,  an  oval  in- 
cision must  be  made,  begun  a  little  above  the  tumour, 
for  the  better  convenience  of  tying  the  vessel. 

Mr.  Gooch  (Cases,  vol.  2.)  first  slits  the  sheath  of 
the  cord  with  the  point  of  a  knife,  then  opens  it  fur- 
ther with  a  small  pair  of  crooked  scissors,  by  which 
method  the  vessel  is  fairly  discovered,  and  easily  taken 
up  with  a  crooked  needle  and  ligature.  He  adds,  that 
if  the  whole  spermatic  cord  be  tied,  the  consequences 
are  disagreeable,  or  perhaps  fatal :  he,  therefore;  after 
dissecting  the  sheath,  secures  only  the  artery,  and  thus 
\m  haemorrhage  is  prevented,  and  the  usual  conse- 
quences of  tying  the  whole  cord  avoided.  Dr.  Hunter 
long  since  advised  to  secure  the  artery,  and  leave  the 
rest  of  the  cord ;  and,  indeed,  he  suggests  a  sufficient 
security  though  the  artery  should  be  left  untied  ;  though 
if  it  is  to  be  cut  close  to  the  ring,  he  advises  to  tie  it 
before  cutting,  that  it  may  not  retract  too  suddenly, 
and  prove  troublesome  by  its  discharge.  Perhaps  the 
bcrotal  arteries  should  be  secured  previous  to  the  ope- 
ration. After  it,  the  patient  should  be  kept  perfectly 
quiet,  and  the  wound  healed,  if  sufficient  integuments 
•ran  be  saved  by  the  first  intention.  See  Sharpe's  Ope- 
rations. Le  Dran's  Operations,  and  his  74th  Obs. 
Heister's  Surgery.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  520. 

CASTRA'TU'S,(from<ras?ro,  to  castrate).  In  botany 
it  means  having  the  filament  without  the  anthera,  or  part 
which  contains  the  dust  of  impregnation.  In  medicine, 
those  unhappy  beings  who,  to  preserve  the  voice  from 
the  changes  produced  by  puberty,  are  thus  mutilated  in 
early  infancy.  In  the  East,  the  same  operation  is  prac- 
tised to  qualify  them  as  safe  guardians  of  the  women. 

CASTRE'NSIS.     See  DYSENTERJA. 

CA'SUS,  (from  cado,  to  fall  out,  or  occur).  This 
word  signifies  the  same  as  symptoma  ;  but  sometimes 
any  thing  fortuitous  or  spontaneous ;  or  a  fall  from  an 
eminence.  In  Paracelsus  it  signifies  a  present  distem- 
per, as  well  as  an  entire  history  of  a  disease. 

CATA'BALAM.     See  AMBALAM. 

CATABLETM  A,  (from  x.«7*?*AA«,  to  place  round). 
The  outermost  fillet  which  secures  the  rest  of  the  band- 
age; ulsojimbria.  Hippocrates,  secundum  Galenum. 

'  CATACHLO'OS,  (from  **7«,  and  &»*»,  to  make 
green).  Galen  styles  it  '  a  very  green  colour.'  It  is 
applied  to  stools ;  and  then  CATACHOLA,  very  bilious, 
M  111  be  synonymous. 

CATACHRI'STON,  (from  *«7<*£fi»,  to  anoint). 
A  medicine  applied  by  way  of  unction. 

QATACHY'SIS,  (from  »a.l»Kfa»,  to  four  out).  An 
affusion. 


CATACLA'SIS,  (from  x.alxx>,ctiu,  to  break  or  dis- 
tort). Galen  explains  it  to  be  a  distortion  of  the  eye- 
lids. Vogel  defines  it  to  be  a  spasmodic  occlusion  of 
the  eye. 

CATACLE'IS,  SUBCLAVICLE.  According  to  Galen 
it  is  the  first  small  rib  of  the  thorax  ;  from  x«.lx,  below, 
*AEI«,  c/avis,  the  clavicle. 

CATACLI'NES,  (from  xxla-Kbita,  to  lie  donvn)^  See 
CLINICUS. 

CATACLY'SMA.     See  ENEMA. 

CATACLY'SMUS,  (from  the  same).  EMBROCA- 
TION. Coelius  Aurelianus  also  interprets  it  by  illisionesi 
aguarum,  dashings  of  water. 

CATACONE'SIS,  (from  *a7**«»«a,  to  irrigate).  Ir- 
rigation by  a  plentiful  aifusion  of  liquor  on  some  part 
of  the  body. 

CATA'CORES,  (from  xalaKpewvut ,  to  supersatu- 
rate). Full,  abundant ;  and  when  applied  to  stools,  it 
means  that  they  are  purely  or  intensely  bilious.  Hip- 
pocrates uses  it  in  both  these  senses. 

CATAGE'MU.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

CATAGLY'PHE,  (from  y*v<pu,  to  cut  in  wood  or 
metal}.  An  excavation,  hole,  or  pit.  Hippocrates 
uses  this  word,  De  Art.  et  de  Morb. 

CATA'GMA,  (from  *«7«,  and  «y«,  to  break).  A 
FRACTURE.  See  pRACTURA.  Galen  says, '  a  solution  of 
the  bone  is  called  catag-ma,  and  elcos  is  a  solution  of  the 
continuity  of  the  flesh  ;  that  when  it  happens  to  a  carti- 
lage it  hath  no  name,  though  Hippocrates  calls  it  ca- 
tagma.  See  ALPHITEDON. 

CATAGMA'TICA,  (from  K«7«y»vjwi,  X«T«,  contra^ 
cf/vvfit,  frango).  Remedies  proper  for  cementing 
broken  bones,  or  to  promote  a  callus. 

CATAGO'GE,  (from  x«7«y«,  deduco.)  In  Hippo- 
crates' Epid.  lib.  vii.  it  means  a  region,  and  its  circum- 
jacent part. 

CATALE'NTIA.     See  EPILEPSIA. 

CATALE'PSIS,  CATALEPSY,  (from  xxlaXit^ttia,  to- 
seize,  or  interrupt).  It  is  also  called  catoche,  cato- 
chus  congelatio  ;  and  by  Hippocrates,  afihonia  ;  by  An- 
tigencs,  anaudia  ;  by  Ccelius  Aurelianus,  apprehensio, 
op/tressio  ;  also  apoplexia  cataleptica,  detentio,  encata- 
Icjisis,  compreliensio. 

The  word  catalepsis  hath  many  significations,  as 
perception,  or  the  knowledge  of  a  thing;  the  reten- 
tion of  the  breath,  as  when  a  person  strains  at  stool  j 
a  retention  of  any  humour  which  ought  to  be  eva- 
cuated; an  interruption  of  the  blood  in  the  vessels 
by  a  bandage,  and  the  disease  which  is  the  subject  of 
this  article.  The  catoche  is  sometimes  supposed  to  be 
the  coma  vigil ;  but  most  writers  mean  by  it  the  cata- 
lepsy. 

This  disorder,  with  the  carus,  may  be  ranked  among 
the  species  of  apoplexy.  Dr.  Cullen  considers  it  as 
such,  and  adds  the  following  remark :  '  I  never  saw 
any  catalepsy  but  what  was  counterfeited ;  and  the 
same  has  been  seen  by  others.  Therefore  from  the  dis- 
ease being  seldom  seen,  differently  described,  and  often 
altogether  feigned,  I  know  not  in  what  place  to  fix  it 
with  certainty ;  but,  as  I  am  persuaded  in  general  it 
does  not  differ  from  apoplexy,  I  have  therefore  placed 
it  under  that  head,'  viz.  apoplexia  cataleptica,  when  the 
muscles  are  contracted  upon  being  moved  by  external 
force.  Its  seat  seems  to  be  in  the  back  part  of  the 
brain,  from  the  symptoms  of  the  disease,  and  the 


C  A  T 


365 


t  AT 


observations  made  on  dissecting  those  who  die  of  it. 
Indeed  its  subjects,  and,  perhaps,  the  symptoms,  do  not 
essentially  differ  from  chorea,  since  the  tonic  and  clonic 
spasms  originate  from  the  same  or  similar  causes ;  and 
chorea  we  shall  find  to  be  truly  apoplectic. 

Women  of  a  melancholy  habit  and  a  very  active 
imagination  are  most  subject  to  it,  especially  if  exposed 
to  bad  weather  in  cold  climates  after  being  heated. 

The  immediate  cause  of  this  and  other  spasmodic 
diseases,  is  an  irregular  distribution  of  the  vital  influ- 
ence from  debility.  The  predisposing  cause  is  an  irri- 
table system  ;  and  the  exciting  suppressed  perspiration, 
or  a  disordered  stomach  :  noxious  vapours,  and  bad 
smells,  have  been  accused,  but,  we  suspect,  without 
sufficient  foundation. 

This  disorder  rarely  occurs  :  the  fits  generally  seize 
the  patient  at  intervals,  and  last  usually  a  few  minutes* 
though  sometimes  they  continue  for  some  hours  or  days. 
It  is  rarely  preceded  by  any  signs  that  indicate  its  ap- 
proach ;  in  a  few  instances  a  stiffness  in  the  neck,  or  a 
dull  pain  in  the  head,  has  ushered  in  the  fit.  In  the 
disorder  the  patient  is  without  sense  or  motion,  con- 
tinuing in  the  posture  in  which  the  fit  attacked  him, 
until  a  recovery  from  it :  the  limbs  are  moveable  by 
another  person ;  but,  however  they  are  disposed,  the 
patient  never  alters  their  position  until  the  paroxysm 
is  at  an  end.  He  neither  sees,  hears,  nor  feels,  what- 
ever methods  may  be  used  to  excite  the  sensations. 
He  swallows  greedily  all  that  is  given  him;  the  coun- 
tenance becomes  florid  ;  the  eyes  are  open,  seemingly 
fixed  upon  some  object ;  at  the  close  of  the  fit  he  fetches 
a  deep  sigh,  and  then  recovers.  Other  symptoms  at- 
tend different  patients,  or  the  same  at  different  times, 
such  as  tears  dropping  from  the  eyes,  grinding  of  the 
teeth,  See.  but  the  above  are  the  most  general. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  confound  a  catalefiey  with 
a  tetanus  :  the  latter  begins  with  a  stiffness  of  the  neck, 
which  gradually  extends  to  every  muscle,  and  every 
limb  is  immoveably  rigid. 

If  this  disease  proceeds  from  passions,  the  danger  is 
not  so  great  as  when  suppressed  accustomed  evacua- 
tions, or  a  foul  stomach,  are  the  causes  :  from  sup- 
pressed evacuations  it  is  mostly  fatal.  In  general  the 
cure  will  be  similar  to  that  of  the  apoplexy.  The  in- 
dication in  the  fit  is,  to  relax  the  spasmodic  stricture ; 
and,  out  of  the  fit,  to  remove  the  material  or  secondary 
causes,  which  contribute  to  the  production  of  the  con- 
striction. 

In  the  fit,  pungent  acid  spirits,  such  as  the  acetic 
acid,  or  the  strongest  wine  vinegar,  may  be  applied  to 
the  nose.  Forestus  strongly  recommends  antispasmodic 
oils  to  be  rubbed  on  the  nape  of  the  neck,  and  on  the 
back  part  of  the  head  after  shaving  it.  Strong  stimu- 
lating clysters  may  be  injected,  if  the  anus  is  not  too 
much  constricted  to  admit  them. 

Bleeding  is  commended,  if  the  face  is  very  red  and 
turgid ;  but,  the  heat  and  strength  of  the  patient  will 
best  determine  the  propriety  of  this  operation.  Blisters, 
though  recommended,  seem  not  so  eligible  an  applica- 
tion as  sinapisms  to  the  feet.  Two  or  three  spoonfuls 
of  the  following  mixture  may  be  given  at  proper  inter- 
vals, either  during  the  fit,  or  in  its  absence. 

B.  Gum  ass.  foetid.  3  ij.  aq.  puleg.  §  iv.  sp.  ammoniac 
foetid,  and  tinct.  valer.  vol.  aa  |  ss.  m.  The  fit  is  gene- 
rally transitory,  and  never  fatal. 


In  the  absence  of  the  fit,  the  remedies  will  be  indi- 
cated by  the  remote  causes.  The  bowels  should,  in 
every  instance,  be  kept  regularly  and  freely  open.  If, 
however,  fears  or  other  passions  of  the  mind  are  the 
causes,  medicines  cannot  be  expected  effectually  to  re- 
lieve ;  but,  in  such  cases,  a  change  of  air,  travelling, 
diverting  company,  &c.  are  to  be  insisted  on.  Elec- 
tricity has  been  recommended,  and  cures  from  its  em- 
ployment have  been  recorded.  The  metallic  tonics 
have  also  been  recommended,  particularly  the  copper 
and  the  zinc,  though  seemingly  from  no  real  trials. 

The  catalepsy  sometimes  ends  in  a  melancholy,  epi- 
lepsy, or  fatal  apoplexy. 

See  Coelius  Aurclianus,  Acut.  ii.  x.  Huffman. 
British  Magazine  for  March,  1800,  and  the  following 
numbers.  Journal  des  Savans,  Jan.  1776.  Histoire 
de  1'Academie  des  Sciences,  1738 ;  and  Memoires  pour 
1742. 

CATALO'NGAY.  The  plant  that  bears  the  faba 
sancti  Ignatii. 

CATA 'LYSIS,  (from  **7*Af»,  to  dissolve,  or  de- 
stroy']. It  signifies  n./iaralysis,  or  such  a  resolution  as 
happens  before  the  death  of  the  patient ;  also  that  dis- 
solution which  constitutes  death. 

CATAME'NIA,  (from  *,»!»,  secundum,  according  to, 
and  fop,  mentis,  the  month").  See  MENSES. 

CATAXA'XCE.     See  CICHOHIIM. 

CATANTLE'MA,  (from  x*7««7A*»,  to  draw,  or  flour 
water  ufion).  A  kind  of  lotion  by  infusion  in  water. 
Moschion  de  Morbis  Mulierum. 

CATANTLE'SIS,  (from  the  same).  A  lotion  with 
hot  water,  expressed  out  of  sponges,  recommended  by 
Marcellus  Empiricus  against  irritable  running  ulcers  of 
the  head. 

CATAPA'SMA,  CATAPA'STUM,  (from  *.*'*- 
irae-tra,  to  sfirinkle  u/jon).  The  ancient  Greek  physi- 
cians meant  by  this  term  any  dry  powder,  to  be 
sprinkled  on  the  body ;  called  also  consfiersio,  efrifia*- 
ton,  fiasma,  symflasmata,  asflersio,  asfiergines;  their 
various  uses  may  be  seen  in  Paulus  of  Egina,  lib.  vii. 
cap.  xiii.  Powders  valued  for  their  grateful  smell  were 
called  diapasms ;  and  these  were  sometimes  added  to 
the  drink.  Oribasius  shows  from  Antyllus,that  emfias- 
mata  wrere  used  in  order  to  restrain  sweat,  or  any  other 
evacuation  by  the  pores;  or  for  exciting  an  itching. 
Catafiasms,  varied  according  to  the  intention  of  the 
physician,  were  sprinkled  on  ulcers;  but  diapasms 
were  prepared  for  the  sake  of  their  scent,  and  were  ap- 
plied to  the  arm  pits,  and  the  inside  of  the  thighs.  Coel. 
Aurel.  in  Morb.  Acut.  lib.  ii.  cap.  xxxviii.  says,  that 
symfiasmata  were  such  powders  as,  being  endowed  with, 
an  acrid  quality,  were  sprinkled  on  the  body  to  procure 
heat. 

CATAPA'SMUS.  A  term  used  by  Coel.  Aurelia- 
nus,  probably  by  mistake,  for  some  other  word.  It  im- 
plies, according  to  him,  a  rubbing  of  the  posterior  part 
of  the  shoulders  and  neck  downwards. 

CATAP'ELTES,  (from  xalx,  against,  and  a-«A7»,  a 
shield,)  a  grenado,  or  battery  :  it  signifies  also  the  me- 
dicine which  heals  the  wounds  and  bruises  made  by 
such  an  instrument. 

CATAPHI'SMA.  A  thick  poultice  of  meal  and 
herbs. 

CATA'PHORA,  (from  x*.l*fcp*,  which,  among 
other  significations,  implies  to  render  sleefiy}.  A  pre- 


C  A  T 


366 


CAT 


tcrnatural   propensity   to  sleep.     See  CAIIOS.     Galen 
calls  a  coma  by  this  name. 

CATA'PHORA  CO'MA,  i.  e.  Afioplexia. 

CATA'PHORA  HYDROCEPHA'LiCA,i.e.  Afiojilexia  serosa. 
See  HYDROCEPHALUS. 

CATAPHRA'CTA,  (from  K*7*?/>*<r™,  to  fortify}. 
See  QUADRIGA. 

CATAPLA'SMA,  a  POULTICE,  (from  xMlct7r*«.<r<ru, 
ill/no,  to  sfiread  like  a  fillister,}  also  malagma,  efiifiasma, 
epifilasma.  Cataplasms  take  their  name  sometimes' 
from  the  part  to  which  they  are  applied,  or  effects  they 
produce,  so  are  called  anacollema,  and  fronta/e,  when 
any  topical  application  of  this  sort  is  laid  upon  the  fore- 
head; but  the  former  were  always  made  of  agglutinants. 
They  were  styled  e/iicar/iia,  and  pericardia,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  wrists;  efiisfiastica,  when  the  external  re- 
medies only  inflamed  the  skin  ;  -uesicatoria,  when  it  oc- 
casioned blisterings ;  and  sinafiismata,  when  mustard 
chiefly  composed  them,  and  the  consequences  were 
irritation,  redness,  itching,  and  tumour,  in  the  parts  to 
which  they  are  applied.  See  BLISTERS. 

These  kind  of  applications  are  softer  and  more  easy 
than  plasters  or  ointments.  They  are  formed  of  some 
vegetable  substances,  and  applied  of  such  a  consistence 
as  neither  to  adhere  nor  run :  they  are  also  more  use- 
ful when  the  heat  is  to  be  preserved,  or  its  access  pre- 
vented. See  CALORIC. 

When  designed  to  relax,  or  to  promote  suppuration, 
they  should  be  applied  warm.  Their  warmth  and 
moisture  contribute  to  this  purpose.  The  proper  heat, 
when  applied  warm,  is  that  only  which  excites  a  plea- 
sant sensation  ;  for  great  heat  prevents  the  relaxation 
for  which  they  are  applied.  (See  BALNEUM.)  They 
should  be  renewed  as  often  as  they  cool.  For  relaxing 
and  suppurating,  none  excel  the  white  bread  fioultice, 
made  with  the  crumb  of  an  old  loaf,  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  milk  to  boil  the  bread  in  until  it  is  soft,  and  a  little 
oil,  to  prevent  the  fioultice  from  drying  and  sticking  to 
the  skin,  and,  perhaps,  to  retain  the  heat  longer  than 
the  bread  and  milk  alone  would  do.  The  meal  of  lint- 
seed  is  often  employed,  as  it  contains  the  oil  intimately 
united  with  the  farina.  To  preserve  the  heat  longer, 
the  fioultice,  when  applied,  may  be  covered  with  a 
strong  ox's  bladder. 

When  designed  to  repel,  they  should  be  applied  cold, 
and  ought  to  be  renewed  as  oft  as  they  become  warm  : 
a  proper  composition  for  this  end  is  a  mixture  of  oat- 
meal and  vinegar.  Epithems  are  also  a  kind  of  cata- 
ftlasms. 

The  emollient  fioultice  is  made  by  boiling  half  a  pound 
of  the  crumb  of  bread  with  one  ounce  of  white  soap  in 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  cow's  milk,  to  reduce  the  whole 
to  a  proper  consistence.  Amongst  the  poor,  the  bran 
from  wheat  may  be  used  instead  of  bread,  adding  a 
small  quantity  of  oil  or  lard  to  it. 

The  discutient  fioultice  is  made  with  barley  meal,  six 
ounces ;  the  leaves  of  hemlock  fresh  gathered  and 
bruised,  two  ounces;  crude  sal  ammoniac,  half  an 
ounce ;  vinegar  enough  to  give  the  whole  a  proper 
consistence.  These  ingredients  should  be  mixed  with- 
out heat,  and  applied  cold. 

CATAPLA'SMA  EFFEHVE'SCENS.  Stir  into  a  strong  in- 
fusion of  malt  as  much  oatmeal  as  will  make  it  of  a 
proper  consistence,  then  add  a  spoonful  of  yeast,  and 


mix  them  well  together.  By  this  mode,  fixed  air  is  ap- 
plied to  ulcers,  cancers,  and  other  local  affections  re- 
quiring powerful  antiseptic  remedies.  In  the  applica- 
tion, room  must  be  left  by  the  bandages  sufficient  to 
permit  its  expansion,  which,  from  the  fermentation, 
will  be  considerable,  or  the  bandages  must  be  carefully 
watched,  and  occasionally  slackened. 

CATAPLA'SMA  ALU'MINIS.     See  COAGULUM  ALUMIXIS. 

CATAPLA'SMA  ACE'TI.  Sec  STREMMA.  There  are  a 
variety  of  other  cataplasms,  all  which  will  be  found  un- 
der the  respective  ingredients  from  whence  they  are 
denominated  ;  as,  CATAPLA'SMA  HO'S-E,  CU'MINI,  &c.  See 
ROSA,  CUMINUM,  8cc. 

CATAPLE'XIS,  (from  x*la.ir)w/rira,  to  strike}.  A 
sudden  stupefaction,  or  deprivation  of  sensation  in  any 
of  the  members  or  organs. 

-  CATAPO'SIS,  (from  Kccjefrita,  to  swallow  down}. 
According  to  Aretaeus  it  signifies  the  instruments  of 
deglutition.  Hence,  also, 

CATAPO'TIUM,  (from  the  same).     A  PILL.     See 

PlLULA. 

CATAPSY'XIS,  (from  **7*^^«,  to  refrigerate}. 
A  coldness  without  shivering,  either  universal  or  of 
some  particular  part.  A  CHILLNESS;  or,  as  Vogel  de'- 
fines  it,  an  uneasy  sense  of  cold  in  a  muscular  or  cuta- 
neous part. 

CATAPTO'SIS,  (from  **7*3v*-7*>,  to  fall  down}.  It 
implies  such  a  falling  down  as  happens  in  apoplexies; 
or  the  spontaneous  falling  down  of  a  paralytic  limb,  ex- 
pressed often  by  decidentia. 

CATAPULT'ARUM,  AQUA.  See  ARQUEBUSADE. 
It  is  the  same  as  CATAPELTES. 

CATAPU'TIA.  SPURGE,  (from  tatJuTrvla,  or  the 
Italian  term  cacafiuzza,  to  have  an  ill  flavour}.  Under 
this  name  are  ranked  the  CATAPUTIA  MAJOR  ;  called  also 
jialma  Christi,  alkerva,  ficus  infernalis,  fientadactylon, 
granadilla  Peruviana,  ricinus  vulgaris,  agnus  castus; 
kiki,  ricinus  Americanus,  nliambu  guacu  of  Piso,  c/terva 
major;  COMMON  PALMA  CHRISTI,  GREAT  SPURGE,  MEXICO 
SEED,  castor;  ricinus  communis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  430.  It  is 
of  the  natural  order  of  tricocc<£,  and  nearly  allied  to  the 
croton  and  jatropha.  The  order  of  Jussieu  is  the 
tithymaloides. 

This  plant  sometimes  rises  in  one  year  to  the  height 
of  twenty  feet,  and  is  spread  into  many  branches ;  the 
leaves  expand  like  a  hand,  with  the  fingers  a  little  sepa- 
rated :  the  flowers  are  small  and  in  bunches.  On  the 
body  of  the  plant  there  are  clusters  of  rough  triangular 
husks,  each  containing  three  speckled  seeds  about  the 
size  of  small  kidney  beans,  and  in  their  shells  are  white 
kernels  of  a  sweet,  oily,  and  sometimes  of  a  nauseous, 
taste. 

These  seeds  are  called  grana  ragium,and  were  used  by 
Hippocrates,  and  perhaps  before  him.  If  taken  in  sub- 
stance they  are  acrid,  and  purge  violently ;  but  the  oil 
expressed  from  them  acts  gently,  though  generally  with 
effect. 

The  leaves,  when  beat  and  boiled  in  milk  to  the 
consistence  of  a  poultice,  are  powerful  suppurants, 
used  for  dressing  blisters,  and  applied  to  the  tinea  of 
children. 

The  seeds  are  externally  variegated  with  black  and 
whitish  streaks,  resembling  both  in  shape  and  colour 
the  insect  called  ricinus,  the  tick,  whence  the  name 


C  A  i 


C  A  T 


ricinus  is  given  to  the  plant.  The  oil  is  the  mobl  valu- 
able part,  and  is  obtained  both  by  expression  and  de- 
coction; the  latter  is  preferred  as  more  mild  in  its 
operation. 

This  oil  is  known  by  the  names  of  ol.  ricini,  alkerva, 
ol.  fialmce  CAristi,  oleum  cicinum  kerva,  OIL  OF  AGNUS 
r-ASTus,  and  CASTOR  OIL.  The  Greeks  call  it  A/yt/»-7<»» 
£/.*,<!»,  oleum  JEgyfitium. 

This  oil  operates  soon  after  its  exhibition,  often  in 
two  or  three  hours :  it  seldom  gripes,  or  gives  more 
than  two  or  three  stools.  It  is  particularly  suited  to 
the  cure  of  costiveness  and  of  spasmodic  colic.  It  is 
not  heating  or  irritating  to  the  rectum,  and  conse- 
quently well  suited  to  cases  of  haemorrhoids;  besides  its 
easily  operating  as  a  purge,  it  is  of  peculiar  use  in  bili- 
ous constitutions,  in  febrile  disorders  of  the  same  kind  ; 
and,  by  joining  it  with  proper  cordials,  may  be  used  in 
the  low  and  putrid  fevers.  Its  efficacy  exceeds  all  other 
kind  of  purging  medicines  in  calculous  complaints,  and 
in  all  such  cases  as  require  the  bowels  to  be  moved,  and 
yet  forbid  the  use  of  powerful  stimulants.  In  colics, 
without  addition,  it  is  seldom  sufficiently  active;  and 
even  in  fevers,  as  it  does  not  greatly  -excite  the  action 
of  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  intestines,  it  often  passes 
over  collected  scybala.  See  CATHARTICS. 

To  children  it  may  be  given  in  the  manner  of  an 
oleo  saccharum.  Gooch,  in  his  Medical  Observations, 
commends  the  following  method  of  administering  it  to 
adults,  and  assures  us,  that  two  or  three  spoonfuls, 
taken  occasionally  at  bed  time,  keep  the  bowels  solu- 
ble, even  when  the  bleeding  piles  attend.  A  larger 
dose,  or  the  above  more  frequently  repeated,  is  sufficient 
for  a  purge  on  any  occasion. 

R.  Ol.  ricini  |  i.  ss.  vitel.  ovi  parum,  probe  contritis 
adde  sensim  aq.  menth.  pip.  ct  aq.  cinnam.  aa.  Jij.  syr. 
rosae,  3  ss.  m. 

In  the  colic,  a  table  spoonful  of  this  oil  may  be  mixed 
with  a  little  peppermint  water,  and  repeated  every  half 
hour,  or  every  hour,  until  it  promotes  the  desired  eva- 
cuation. If  the  stomach  rejects  it,  the  irritability  of 
this  organ,  should  the  necessity  of  a  discharge  not  be 
urgent,  may  be  previously  corrected  by  opium. 

In  fevers  it  is  cooling  and  laxative ;  but  in  the  lower 
kind  of  fevers  it  requires  the  addition  of  an  aromatic. 
In  the  yellow  fever  of  the  West  Indies  it  is  very  useful. 
When  the  belly  is  already  too  lax  from  acrid  bile,  this 
oil  sheaths  the  acrimony,  and  thus  restrains  the  exces- 
sive discharge ;  in  dysenteries  it  relieves  by  a  similar 
power.  If  the  symptoms  of  nephritic  complaints  and 
the  properties  of  this  oil  are  considered,  its  use  in  those 
complaints  will  be  obvious,  for  it  purges  in  small  quan- 
tities, without  irritation ;  it  is  cooling,  and  allays  febrile 
heat ;  it  corrects  acrimony,  and  prevents  the  cohesion 
of  calculous  concretions.  In  gonorrhoeas,  the  fluor 
albus,  the  constipation  peculiar  to  studious  and  seden- 
tary persons,  &c.  this  oil  is  of  singular  efficacy.  The 
more  resinous  purgatives  often  leave  costiveness,  but 
the  castor  oil,  it  is  said,  after  little  use,  acts  even  in  less 
doses.  The  best  method  of  preventing  sickness  or 
nausea,  which  it  sometimes  occasions,  is  to  mix  one 
part  of  tincture  of  senna  to  three  parts  of  the  oil.  In 
this  state  the  oil  is  less  nauseous  to  the  taste,  and  sits 
more  easy  on  the  stomach.  It  is  sometimes  taken  in 
coffee,  sometimes  in  mutton  broth;  frequently  in  an 
emulsion,  mixed  by  means  of  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  with 


some  spirituous  water,  or  while  swimming  on  pepper- 
mint water.  The  dose  is  a  table  spoonful,  or  §  ss ;  but 
some  require  double  the  quantity.  Where  the  oil  is 
rejected,  the  seeds  may  be  carefully  separated  from  their 
shells  and  the  inner  white  membrane,  and  formed  into 
an  emulsion,  as  an  agreeable  substitute  for  the  oil. 

The  oil  of  a  pale  colour,  limpid,  and  rather  inclining 
to  a  greenish  cast,  almost  insipid  to  the  taste,  with  but 
little  smell,  and  of  a  thickish  consistence,  is  the  best. 
See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol. 
ii.  Canvane's  Diss.  on  the  Ol.  Palmae  Christi.  Med. 
Mus.  vol.  iii.  Cullen's  Mat.  Medica. 

CATAPU'TIA  MI'NOR.  GARDEN  SPURGE.  Also  called 
lathyris  major,  and  tithymalug  latifolius. 

All  the  afiurges  are  acrid  :  the  milky  juice,  in  which 
their  virtue  lies,  is  caustic  and  cathartic  ;  the  root,  or 
bark,  prepared  by  infusion  in  vinegar,  hath  been  given 
in  the  dose  of  a  drachm ;  three  or  four  of  the  leaves 
purge  strongly;  the  milky  juice  is  said  to  destroy 
warts ;  but  none  of  this  tribe  are  now  used,  because  of 
their  excessive  acrimony. 

Under  this  article  may  be  ranked  the  three  following, 
viz. 

RICINOI'DES  (from  ricinus,  the  tick,  and  u$«s,  forma; 
from  its  likeness  to  that  reptile).  The  BARBADOES 
NUT;  jatrofiha  curcas  Lin.  Sp.  PI.' 1429.  Also  called 
fiineus  fiurgans,  fiinhones  Indict,  carcas  nux  Barbaden- 
«/«,  Jaba  fiurgatrix,  car/tata,  chiviquilenga,  ricinus 
Americanus  major  semine  nigro,  mundu  bignacu.  The 
fruit  is  oval  shaped  like  a  walnut,  and  contains  oblong 
black  seeds.  The  tree  is  a  native  of  America,  and  also 
of  the  East  Indies ;  it  grows  to  a  considerable  size.  The 
seeds  are  extremely  acrid,  and  afford  an  oil  that  purges, 
but  is  rarely  used,  on  account  of  its  activity. 

AVELLANA  CATHARTICA,  Or  PURGATRIX.  The  PURG- 
ING NUT.  Jatrofiha  multifida  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1429.  The 
tree  is  a  native  of  America  and  the  West  Indies ;  and 
grows  to  a  considerable  size.  Its  fruit  is  oval  shaped, 
containing  roundish,  and  somewhat  triangular,  brown- 
ish seeds,  which  have  but  little  acrimony,  and  taste 
like  almonds,  but  yet  operate  briskly  by  vomit  and 
stool. 

GRA'NA  TI'GLIA.  Croton  tiglium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1426. 
The  MOLUCCA  GRAINS,  so  called  because  they  were  first 
brought  from  the  Molucca  islands.  They  are  also 
called  croton,'  and  fiinus  Indica  nucleo  fiurgante.  The 
tree  is  a  native  of  America  and  the  East  Indies ;  the 
fruit  is  roundish,  containing  dark  greyish  seeds  ;  shaped 
nearly  like  those  of  the  palma  Christi.  They  are  in- 
tensely hot  and  acrid,  operate  with  a  degree  of  virulence 
both  upward  and  downward ;  and  of  the  four  sorts  above 
mentioned,  this  is  the  most  active.  One  drachm  of  the 
oil  is  a  strong  dose. 

The  wood  and  leaves  of  the  above  five  trees  and  plants 
are  strong  cathartics.  Hermann  says,  that  the  wood  of 
the  tiglia,  called  fianava,  or  fia-vana,  operates  violently 
when  fresh,  but  when  long  kept  is  sudorific. 

CATARA'CTA.  A  CATARACT,  (from  xjtlttpzrira,  to 
mingle  together,  or  fiut  out  of  order ;  because  the 
sense  of  vision  is  confounded  if  not  destroyed).  Dr. 
Cullen  places  it  as  a  species  of  caligo,  and  names  it  CA- 
LIGO  (lentis~)  ob  maculum  opacum  pone  pupillam ; 
and  observes,  that  he  cannot  agree  with  Sauvages,  that 
a  cataract  should  be  of  a  different  genus  from  caligo  ; 
and  leaves  it  to  the  judgment  of  others  to  determine 


CAT 


368 


C  AT 


whether  he  has  been  right  in  changing  the  character  of 
caligo,  and  placing  cataract  as  its  species. 

A  cataract  is  an  opacity  of  the  crystalline  humour  of 
the  eye,  which  stops  the  rays  of  light  from  passing  to 
the  retina,  and  preventing  vision.  Dr.  Hunter  attri- 
butes the  disease  to  an  inflammation  in  the  coat  of  the 
crystalline  humour;  but  M.  de  St.  Yves  seems  to  inti- 
mate that  the  crystalline  humour  is  itself  affected. 

Hippocrates  called  it  glaucosis.  Galen,  hijfwchynis, 
and  hyfiochytha ;  the  Arabians,  gutta  ofiaca ;  others, 
macula  oculorum.  Celsus,  suffusio.  It  sometimes  has 
the  term  affus'w  applied  to  it ;  and  yhavxarti;,  or 
y>Mvx.ut4.a,  which  Galen  and  most  of  the  ancients  say  is 
a  dryness  or  concretion  of  the  crystalline  humour. 
jEtius  thinks  it  a  change  of  the  crystalline  humour  to 
a  sky  colour,  with  a  dryness  and  concretion.  More 
modern  authors  think  that  the  principal  difference  be- 
twixt a  cataract  and  a  glaucoma  is,  that  in  the  latter 
the  crystalline  humour  becomes  hard,  and  of  a  sky  co- 
lour (glauci  coloris)  ;  and  in  the  former  it  is  soft.  But 
the  idea  of  cataract  is  now  totally  cleared  from  all  that 
confusion  in  which  it  was  usually  involved  ;  it  is  uni- 
versally allowed  to  be  an  opacity  of  the  crystalline  tens, 
nr  its  ca/isule. 

M.  de  St.  Yves  divides  the  cataract  into  the  true, 
doubtful,  and  false. 

The  TRUE  is  when  the  crystalline  humour  hath  lost 
its  transparency:  and  the  species  are,  when  it  is  soft; 
when  hard ;  and  when  purulent. 

The  DOUBTFUL  are  those  cases  in  which  the  success 
of  the  operation  is  as  uncertain  as  the  use  of  topical  re- 
medies. Of  this  there  are  four  sorts  :  a  membranous 
and  a  filamentous  cataract ;  cataracts  from  external  in- 
juries ;  and  from  a  defect  of  the  membrane  which  co- 
vers the  bottom  of  the  socket  in  the  vitreous  humour. 
The  first  and  third  of  these  he  subdivides  again,  each 
into  three  kinds,  as  he  endeavours  to  be  minute,  as  well 
as  full,  in  his  description  of  this  disorder. 

The  FALSE  arc  those  in  which  the  remedies  afford 
no  relief  further  than  to  palliate  pains,  or  to  remove  de- 
formity; and  these  he  divides  into  the  glaucoma,  and 
the  shaking  cataract. 

All  these  minute  divisions  seem  little  regarded  in 
present  practice  ;  but  yet  some  useful  hints  will  be  de- 
rived by  a  perusal  of  this  author. 

When  a  cataract  begins,  the  patient  at  first  com- 
plains of  a  dimness  of  his  sight ;  and  on  a  careful  ex- 
amination of  the  eye,  a  whiteness  is  perceived  very  deep 
in  it :  on  examining  the  eye  at  distant  periods  of  time, 
its  opacity  becomes  more  and  more  manifest  to  the 
observer,  and  the  patient  very  sensibly  loses  the  advan- 
tages of  seeing.  The  progress  of  a  cataract  is  usually 
very  slow. 

No  medicines  are  capable  of  removing  this  disorder 
of  the  eye ;  but  it  is  sometimes  relieved  by  copious, 
general,  or  topical  evacuations;  sometimes  by  small 
doses  of  muriated  mercury,  long  continued  ;  by  draw- 
ing electrical  sparks,  or  even  by  dropping  a  little  of  the 
tincture  of  opium  at  night  into  the  eye ;  in  short,  by 
every  means  of  increasing  the  action  of  the  smaller 
vessels.  The  sight,  however,  can  only  be  restored  by 
an  operation. 

Sauvages  enumerates  no  less  than  five  species,  and 
of  the  cataracta  vera  six  varieties.  He  tells  us,  that 
two  patients  were  cured  by  the  internal  use  of  the  hyos- 


cyamus  :  one  of  the  species  which  he  inserts  under  the 
title  of  membranacea  is  very  doubtful.  He  says,  that  it 
was  discovered  by  Lower  on  horses,  and  arises  from  a 
mucus  exuding  from  the  margin  of  the  pupil,  or  uvea, 
which  concretes  sometimes  into  a  membrane  that  ob- 
structs the  pupil ;  but  whether  this  membranous  cata- 
ract exists  in  the  human  species,  he  thinks  uncertain, 
notwithstanding  it  has  sometimes  been  suspected.  See 
Sauvages  Nosologia  Methodica,  vol.  ii.  p.  723. 

Mr.  Sharpe  gives  it  as  a  general  rule  for  proceeding 
to  the  operation,  when  the  cataract  is  entirely  opaque ; 
adding,  that  sometimes  they  are  of  a  proper  consistence 
for  the  operation  before  they  become  opaque  ;  but  for- 
bids the  attempt  while  the  patients  can  perceive  any 
thing.  Cataracts  are  of  different  colours;  the  pearl 
coloured,  and  those  that  appear  like  burnished  iron,  are 
thought  capable  of  enduring  the  needle  ;  the  white  arc 
supposed  to  be  milky ;  the  green  and  yellow  are  horny, 
and  incurable ;  the  black  cataract  Mr.  Sharpe  thinks  is 
the  gutta  serena. 

The  yellow  cataract  often  adheres  to  the  iris,  so  as  to 
be  incurable.  When  a  gutta  serena  attends,  the  opera- 
tion will  not  relieve.  There  is  little  to  be  expected 
from  the  operation  when  the  size  of  the  diseased  eye  is 
either  diminished  or  increased  ;  when,  previously  to  the 
appearance  of  any  obfuscation,  the  sight  was  defective  ; 
when  in  a  strong  light,  of  which,  from  the  appearance 
of  the  cataract,  the  patient  must  be  seemingly  sensible, 
no  contraction  of  the  iris  takes  place. 

The  methods  of  operating  are  different.  By  the  first 
and  oldest  plan,  the  thickened  crystalline  was  depressed 
below  the  vitreous  humour;  and  it  was  styled  couching, 
from  coucher,  to  lie  down.  In  the  second,  the  crystal- 
line is  extracted. 

Before  and  after  the  operation,  a  due  regard  mtjst  be 
paid  to  the  state  of  the  patient's  constitution  ;  and  such 
means  are  generally  advised,  as  will  keep  it  somewhat 
below  its  natural  vigour,  if  otherwise  in  health. 

When  no  objection  to  the  operation  attends,  Mr. 
Sharpe  commends  the  following  method  for  depressing 
the  cataract.  "  Place  the  patient  in  a  convenient  light, 
and  a  suitable  height;  put  a  pillow  behind  his  back, 
that  his  body  may  bend  forward,  and  the  head  approach 
near  to  the  operator;  then  inclining  the  head  a  little 
backwards  upon  the  breast  of  the  assistant,  and  covering 
the  other  eye,  so  as  to  prevent  its  rolling,  let  the  as- 
sistant lift  up  the  superior  eye  lid,  and  the  operator  de- 
press a  little  the  inferior  one :  this  done,  strike  the 
needle  through  the  tunica  conjunctiva,  somewhat  less 
than  one-tenth  of  an  inch  from  the  cornea,  even  with 
the  middle  of  the  pupil,  into  the  posterior  chamber, 
and  gently  endeavour  to  depress  the  cataract  with  the 
flat  surface  of  it.  If,  after  it  is  dislodged,  it  rises  again, 
though  not  with  much  elasticity,  it  must  again  and  again 
be  pushed  down.  If  it  is  membranous,  after  the  dis- 
charge of  the  fluid,  the  pellicle  must  be  more  broken 
and  depressed.  If  it  is  uniformly  fluid,  or  exceedingly 
elastic,  we  must  not  continue  to  endanger  a  terrible  in- 
flammation by  a  vain  attempt  to  succeed. 

"  After  the  operation,  treat  it  as  an  ophthahny  ;  and 
a  collyrium,  of  one  part  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and 
ten  parts  of  lukewarm  water,  will  be  as  proper  an  ap- 
plication as  any." 

Mr.  Daviel  has  the  honour  of  having  discovered  the 
method  of  extracting  the  crystalline  humour,  but  M. 


C  A  1 


369 


C  A  T 


de  St.  Yves  practised  it  about  sixty  years  before  him. 
When  the  crystalline  lens  had  passed  through  the  pupil 
into  the  anterior  chamber  of  the  eye,  both  Mery  and 
Petit  extracted  it;  for  then  the  depression  is  imprac- 
ticable. When  this  mode  of  relief  is  employed,  the 
following  method  is  recommended. 

Pass  your  knife  through  the  cornea  into  the  anterior 
chamber  of  the  eye,  about  a  line  before  the  iris;  for  if 
it  is  not  inserted  there,  the  iris  will  perhaps  be  wound- 
ed :  if  you  go  too  far  on  the  cornea,  the  knife  may  pass 
betv.-cen  its  lamina,  and  so  not  perforate  into  the  cham- 
ber. After  puncturing  into  the  chamber,  guide  your 
knife,  with  the  flat  side  perpendicular  to  the  eye,  through 
the  aqueous  humour  horizontally,  (being  careful  not  to 
wound  the  iris.)  and  thrust  it  out  at  the  opposite  side 
and  situation  of  the  cornea  to  those  in  which  you  insert 
it;  turning  its  edge  obliquely  and  perpendicularly 
outwards,  make  an  incision  rather  through  the  inferior 
half  of  the  cornea ;  then  lifting  up  the  superior  part  of  it, 
the  crystalline  humour  will  burst  its  capsule  and  drop 
out:  but  if  it  should  stick  at  its  exit  through  the 
wound,  it  shows  that  the  capsula  of  the  crystalline  is 
not  broken,  on  which  you  must  puncture  it  with  the 
knife,  and  then  it  will  drop  :  but  if  the  disease  is  in 
the  aranea,  or  the  capsule  of  the  crystalline,  you  must 
ct  it  also  with  the  forceps. 

With  respect  to  the  nature  of  this  disorder,  or  the 
state  of  the  crystalline  lens,  whatever  improvements 
have  been  made  within  the  present  century  respecting 
its  disordered  state,  many  difficulties  still  attend.  Mr. 
Pott  observes,  that,  until  about  the  year  1720,  neither 
the  state,  nature,  nor  seat  of  this  disease,  was  truly 
known,  at  least  not  to  those  who  practised  surgery. 
Accident,  he  adds,  first  proved  it  to  be  a  distemper  of 
the  crystalline  lens,  and  to  be  in  general  confined  to  it. 
Heister  is  the  first  writer  who  leads  to  any  just  idea 
on  the  subject.  Mr.  Pott  seems  to  be  the  first  who 
explains  the  true  state  of  the  crystalline  humour, 
when  a  cataract  is  formed.  He  says,  that  the  idea 
of  a  beginning  or  imperfect  cataract  being  soft,  and 
that  of  a  mature  or  perfect  cataract  being  hard,  is 
erroneous;  at  least  for  the  most  part:  that  the  natural 
sound  transparent  crystalline  is  very  far  from  being 
uniform  hi  its  consistence  through  its  whole  sub- 
stance; its  external  part  is  much  softer,  and  more  ge- 
latinous than  its  internal,  which,  therefore,  although 
equally  transparent,  may  be  said  to  form  a  kind  of 
nucleus,  and  is  always  of  a  much  firmer  texture.  He 
adds,  if  this  known  difference  of  consistence  between 
the  external  and  internal  parts  of  the  crystalline  was 
duly  attended  to,  it  would  solve  many  of  the  appear- 
ances in  cataracts,  which,  for  want  of  such  atten- 
tion, are  either  not  at  all  or  imperfedly  understood. 
Among  other  phenomena,  it  would  account  for  the 
•.  ery  different  colour  which  the  different  parts  of  the 
same  cataract  frequently  bear;  and  which  hath  fur- 
nished the  wildest  conjectures.  From  this  sound  and 
natural  state  it  is  capable  of  several  morbid  alterations; 
it  is  capable  of  being  dissolved,  or  of  becoming  a  fluid, 
without  losing  any  thing  of  its  transparency.  It  hath 
been  supposed,  by  very  able  anatomists,  that  the  hu- 
man crystalline  has  sometimes  between  its  surface  and 
its  capsula,  a  small  quantity  of  fine  pellucid  lymph,  and 
consequently  that  there  is  no  immediate  connection  be- 
tween the  body  and  its  investing  membrane.  In  many 

yoi_  i. 


beasts,  as  well  as  fishes,  this  is  known  to  be  the  case; 
but  whether  it  be  so  in  the  human  eye  is  not  very  easy 
to  be   known    during  life;  though  it  sometimes  hap- 
pens from  disease:    that   is,  the  whole  crystalline  is 
dissolved  into  a  fluid,  which  still  preserves  its  tran- 
sparency;  and  this  seems  to  form  what  is  called  the 
black  cataract,  which  is  a  species  of  the  gutta  serena. 
Mr.    Pott    goes    on   to   observe,    that    the    crystalline 
humour  is  capable  of  being   dissolved  into  an   appa- 
rently uniform  fluid  of  a  gelatinous  consistence,  which 
will  be  more  or  less  opake  through  the  whole  of  it: 
it   sometimes  becomes  opake    while    it    undergoes    a 
partial  dissolution,  which  leaves  or -renders  its  differ- 
ent parts  of  very  different  degrees  of  consistence;  and 
it  now  and  then,  though  very  rarely,  becomes  opake 
through  its   whole   substance,   and   yet    preserves    its 
natural  degree  of  firmness.     From  this  variety  of  al- 
teration, which  the   crystalline  humour  is  capable  of 
undergoing,  proceeds  that  variety  of  appearance  which 
our  ancestors  have  called  so  many  different  kinds  of 
cataracts.     The  idea  of  beginning  cataracts  being  soft, 
and  hardening  as  they  become  more  perfect,  hath  had 
an  unfortunate  influence  on  practice.     When  the  cry- 
stalline humour  becomes  softer  than  it  should  be,  it  is 
certainly   distempered,    and    unfit    for   perfect   vision, 
whether  it  be  opake  or  not;  but  that  this  softened  lens 
will  ever  be  harder  we  have  no  more  reason  to  think 
than  we  have  evidences  that  an  opacity  is  a  proof  of  its 
induration.     The  most  fluid  cataracts  are  as  opake  as 
the  most  firm  ones.     If  the  early  or  unripe  state  be 
supposed  an  improper  one  for  the  operation,  and  that 
the  patient  must  wait  for  a  later  or  ripe  one  ;  it  then 
becomes  a  matter  of  consideration,  whether  the  patient 
shall  or  shall  not  continue  blind  for  a  very  uncertain 
space  of  time,  or  perhaps  be  ever  relieved.     Besides 
the  body  of  the  crystalline  lens,  its  capsula  or  investing 
membrane  may  be  the  seat  of  the  disease;  it  may  be- 
come opake,  while  its  contents  are  clear  and  duly  tran- 
sparent.    This  may  happen  after  the  operation  for  de- 
pressing a  harder  cataract,  or  for  discharging  a  softer 
one.      When  the  capsula  is  the  seat  of  the  disease,  and 
it  takes  place  after  depressing  or  extracting  the  crystal- 
line lens,  it  sometimes  vanishes  in  a  few  weeks,  but 
occasionally  requires  an  operation. 

Respecting  the  operation  of  couching,  Mr.  Pott  ob- 
serves, that  as  in  some  instances  the  cataract  remains 
always  fluid,  so  in  others  it  becomes  instantly  in- 
durated; whence  it  follows,  that  there  is  no  point  of 
time  for  which  we  should  wait ;  but  at  any  time  when, 
on  other  accounts,  the  object  is  a  proper  one,  the  sur- 
geon may  proceed.  Previous  to  the  operation,  it  is 
right  to  know  the  circumstances  which  render  it  likely 
or  unlikely  to  succeed.  That  it  may  succeed,  the  crys- 
talline humour  should  be  opake,' and  all  the  other 
parts  of  the  eye  capable  of  performing  their  functions; 
the  eye  should  be  of  its  natural  size :  when,  with  the 
cataract,  the  globe  of  the  eye  is  manifestly  enlarged, 
the  patient  is  incapable  of  perceiving  light,  or  distin- 
guishing betwixt  light  and  darkness,  in  such  a  case,  the 
operation  must  be  omitted.  The  pupil  ought  to  be 
capable  of  contracting  and  dilating.  It  hath  been  ge- 
nerally supposed,  that  when  the  pupil  is  immoveable 
it  is  useless  to  perform  the  operation,  which  is  not  in 
every  instance  true:  the  operation  certainly  should  not 
be  performed  if  the  pupil  is  immoveable  from  a  para* 

o       T 


CAT 


370 


CAT 


tysis  of  the  part,  nor  if  it  adheres  to  the  crystalline;  as 
In  these  cases  we  could  not  operate  with  any  success  : 
but  if  it  is  immoveable,  or  almost  so,  from  a  disten- 
tion  of  the  crystalline  humour,  (which  Mr.  Pott  thinks 
sometimes  happens,)  the  operation  may  be  performed  : 
in  these  cases,  however,  on  a  very  nice  examination, 
the  pupil  will  be  found  to  have  a  very  small  degree  of 
motion.  The  patient  ought  always  to  be  able  to  dis- 
tinguish light  from  darkness,  and  a  white  from  a  black 
body ;  if  he  is  not,  though  you  remove  the  cataract 
from  the  pupil,  yet  the  retina  is  incapable  of  perform- 
ing its  office.  In  the  following  instances,  success  is 
hardly  to  be  expected  by  either  couching  or  extracting 
the  crystalline  body  ;  viz.  when  the  diseased  crystalline 
is  somewhat  of  the  colour  of  brass,  or  of  a  bright  yel- 
low, or  of  a  copper  colour;  the  pupil  being  generally 
found  immoveable,  and  the  whole  eye  enlarged.  When 
all  the  parts  of  the  eye  are  enlarged,  or  when  the  crys- 
talline protrudes  through  the  pupil,  the  case  is  not 
proper  for  the  operation. 

Those  who  undertake  to  perform  either  operation 
will,  undoubtedly,  have  availed  themselves  of  all  the  in- 
formation given  by  the  best  writers  on  these  subjects  ; 
and  to  those  who  wish  for  fuller  directions,  the  sub- 
joined writers  are  those  from  whom  the  whole  of  what 
art  hath  taught  will  be  received. 

See  Celsus,  Paulus  Aetius,  St.  Yves  on  the  Disor- 
ders of  the  Eyes,  Heister's  Surgery,  Sharp's  Opera- 
tions, Med.  Mus.  vol.  ii.  p.  157,  £cc.  and  412.  vol.  iii. 
p.  1.  Warner  and  Pott  on  the  Cataract.  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  iii.  p.  394.  Medical  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  vi. 
p.  250.  Wallis's  Nosology  of  the  Eyes,  p.  197,  &c. 
Edinb.  Med.  Comment,  vol.  v.  p.  275.  White's  Sur- 
gery, p.  236. 

CATARA'CTA  NI'GHA.     See  AMAUROSIS. 

CATA'RIA,  CAT  MINT,  (from  catus,  a  cat;  because 
they  are  fond  of  it).  See  MENTHA  CATARIA. 

CATARRHA'LIS  FE'BRIS  AMPHEMERI'NA, 
(from  catarrhus,  because  this  fever  is  accompanied 
with,  or  proceeds  from,  a  catarrh).  The  CATARRHAL 
FEVER,  or  CONTINUAL  QUOTIDIAN  of  the  ancients.  It 
begins  in  the  evening,  with  a  shivering  and  a  coldness 
of  the  skin  and  extreme  parts,  costivcness,  frequent  de- 
sire of  making  water,  but  the  urine  is  small  in  quantity; 
weakness  of  the  head,  universal  languor,  a  capricious 
and  irregular  appetite,  thirst,  difficulty  of  swallowing, 
stimulus  on  the  larynx,  a  heat  in  the  nostrils  and 
fauces,  attended  with  sneezing,  and  a  weight  in  the 
breast.  Towards  night,  heat,  and  a  quicker,  fuller 
pulse;  cough,  with  a  defluxion  of  rheum,  a  heat  in  the 
fauces,  unquiet  sleep,  sweating  in  the  morning,  and 
at  length  a  total  loss  of  appetite.  In:  the  forenoon  there 
is  generally  a  remission,  and  it  thus  appears  of  the 
quotidian  type. 

The  cause  is  a  fever,  with  inflammation  on  the  mem- 
brane of  the  nostrils,  throat,  and  bronchiae,  occasioning 
the  secretion  of  a  sharp,  acrid  serum,  which  irritates 
every  part  of  this  membrane,  and  sometimes  the  oeso- 
phagus, stomach,  and  intestines ;  a  cough,  hoarseness, 
spitting  of  a  viscid  matter,  sneezing,  a  defluxion  on 
the  lungs,  nausea,  and  colic  followed  by  a  salutary  flux, 
are  often  the  consequences. 

Women,  children,  and  weakly  men,  are  its  chief 
subjects.  It  is  most  frequent  in  spring  and  autumn,  or 
in  very  variable  seasons.  After  a  few  days,  a  catarrh 


comes  on ;  and  as  soon  as  its  discharge  appears  at  the 
nose,  the  symptoms  of  the  fever  go  off:  sometimes, 
indeed,  a  copious  perspiration  relieves,  and  at  others  a 
large  discharge,  thrown  up  from  the  lungs;  or,  perhaps, 
a  diarrhoea  proves  the  natural  means  of  cure. 

If  we  do  not  wait  for  these,  we  must  relieve  the 
fever  by  the  more  common  means  of  emetics  and  ca- 
thartics, and  thus  supersede  the  deposition  on  the 
lungs.  In  fact,  from  the  neglect  only  of  these  more 
general  remedies  it  becomes  a  catarrhal  fever.  If  these 
are  neglected,  the  remedies  are  the  same  as  in  catarrh. 
See  CATARRHUS. 

CATARRHE'UMA,  (from  **T*#£«,  tojloia  from). 
See  CATARRHUS. 

CATARRHEXIS,  (from  K«T«^V/t>fa>,  to  fiour  out). 
A  violent  and  copious  eruption  or  effusion.  Catarr- 
hexis,  XO<A;JJS,  is  a  copious  evacuation  from  the  belly, 
and  sometimes  even  alone  it  has  the  same  signification. 
In  Vogel's  Nosology  it  is  defined  a  discharge  of  pure 
blood  from  the  belly. 

CATARRHCE/CUS,  (from  x.«T*^'t<y,  to  flow  from). 
A  word  applied  to  diseases  proceeding  from  distillations 
of  an  acrid  fluid. 

CATARRHO'PA  PHY'MATA,  (from  *«T*^£™, 
to  tend  downwards,  and  0u,«.«7«.  tubercles).  Tubercles 
tending  downwards;  or,  as  Galen  says,  those  that 
have  their  apex  on  a  depending  part. 

CATARRHO'POS  NO'SOS,  (from  x.ar*^™,  to 
tend  backwards,  and  v«o-«5,  morbus).  A  remission  of 
the  disease,  or  its  decline,  opposed  to  paroxysm. 

CATA'RRHUS,  a  DEFLUXION,  (from  *«T«,  and  pia, 
to  flow  down).  Called  also  bronchos,  catarrheuma, 
Jluxio,  rheuma,  cafiifilenium.  It  is  an  inflammation 
of,  or  an  increased  and  morbid  secretion  from,  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  nose,  eyes,  throat,  mouth, 
or  lungs,  which,  in  a  slight  degree,  is  called  a  cold. 
Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
fiyrexi<e,  and  order  firoflu-via.  He  enumerates  two 
species :  the  first  from  cold,  called  also  amjihhncrina 
tusiculosd,  tussis  catarrhalis,  rheuma  catarrhale^  cefiha- 
lalgia  catarrhalis,  coryza  catarrhalis,fihlegmatorrhagia 
febricoaa;  the  second  from  contagion,  called  catarrhus 
ejiidemicus.  Hippocrates  mentions  seven  species  of  dc- 
fiuxions  under  the  appellation  of  catarrh;  and,  with 
Coelius  Aurelianus,  under  this  term  comprehends  co- 
ryza. Dr.  Cullen  uses  the  last  as  a  synonym  to  ca- 
tarrhus. 

As  this  is  the  first  disease  of  importance  in  which 
the  idea  of  a  defluxion  has  occurred,  we  may  take  the 
opportunity  of  making  some  remarks  on  an  opinion 
which  has,  for  more  than  two  thousand  years,  influ- 
enced the  language  of  medicine.  When,  from  any 
cause,  a  tumour,  increased  action  of,  or  an  increased 
discharge  from,  a  part,  occurred,  it  was  called  a  de- 
fluxion,  or  rather  a  pevfix,  from  pia,  Jluo:  in  fact,  it 
meant  no  more  than  that  the  vessels  contained  an  over 
proportion  of  fluids  which  were  sent  to  the  part.  Yut, 
even  in  the  earliest  periods,  the  word  rheum  made  a 
fixed  impression  on  the  mind,  as  a  peculiar  substance; 
and  we  had  a  cold,  a  hot,  a  saline,  an  acrid,  and 
viscid  rheum,  in  almost  every  complaint.  The  former 
editions  of  this  Dictionary  repeated  this  language  more 
often  than  the  pages  recurred;  and,  in  cleansing  an 
Augean  stable,  who  can  say  that  every  atom  of  offen- 
sive matter  is  removed  ?  It  is  necessary,  however,  in 


CAT 


571 


CAT 


tins  place,  to  observe,  that  rheum,  as  a  peculiar  morbid 
fluid,  has  no  existence ;  and  that  it  cannot  be,  there- 
fore, hot,  cold,  acrid,  saline,  or  viscid.  When  an  in- 
creased action  of  any  part  is  preceded  by  fever,  it  was 
styled  a  hot  rheum ;  when  fever  was  the  effect,  the 
rheum  was  cold.  If  a  sore  was  irritable,  the  rheum  was 
acrid ;  if  a  tumour  did  not  readily  suppurate,  it  was 
viscid;  while  every  appearance  depended  on  the  in- 
creased action  being  an  effect  or  a  cause,  on  the  state 
of  the  vessels,  or  on  the  nature  of  the  organ.  We  still 
preserve  the  term  in  rheumatism,  and,  "  a  graeco  fonte 
parce  detorta,"  in  catarrh. 

In  this  place  we  consider  only  the  catarrh  attended 
by  fever;  whether  it  affects  the  nose,  the  breast,  or  the 
fauces,  according  to  the  following  lines. 

Sijltiit  ad  ftectus  dicatur  Rheuma  CATA'RRHUS. 

-4d fatces  BRO'XCHUS  ad  r.ares  ento  CORY'ZA. 

The  seat  of  the  catarrh  is  in  the  membrane  of  the 
nose,  the  frontal  sinuses,  the  antra  Highmoriana,  all  the 
cells  of  the  os  sphenoides,  the  mouth,  fauces,  eyes,  the 
aspera  arteria,  and  its  branches  in  the  lungs.  It  is  most 
frequent  in  cold  climes,  in  spring  and  autumn,  or  in 
variable  seasons;  and  is  said  to  be  be  more  common 
with  those  who  have  narrow  chests,  long  necks,  are 
disposed  to  coughs ;  the  phlegmatic  and  weak. 

Its  general  cause  is  supposed  to  be  suppressed  per- 
spiration ;  and  this  so  often  occurs  in  our  climate,  that 
we  can  account  for  every  catarrh.  It  may  appear  sin- 
gular to  reject  this  cause;  yet,  how  often  is  perspira- 
tion suppressed  without  catarrh ;  how  often  catarrh 
occurs  without  the  supposed  source.  We  remember 
a  period,  not  during  an  epidemic  influenza,  that  in  one 
evening,  nearly  at  the  same  hour,  six  persons  were 
seized  with  violent  catarrhs  :  two  of  these  had  not  been 
out  of  their  bed,  from  a  gouty  paroxysm,  for  six  weeks; 
and  two  others  had  been  confined  for  many  days  to 
their  room.  The  fact,  recorded  by  Martin,  of  an  epi- 
demic catarrh  happening  at  St.  Kilda,  when  the  stew- 
ard went  to  this  remote  island  to  receive  the  rents,  is 
well  known ;  and  we,  for  many  succeeding  years, 
witnessed  the  fact  of  a  lady  who  regularly  had  a  cold 
when  she  returned  from  her  country  to  her  town 
house ;  though  servants,  for  many  days,  preceded  her, 
fires  were  made  in  every  room,  and  her  removal  was 
always  before  Michaelmas.  It  is  common  also,  on  be- 
ginning a  course  of  sea  bathing,  to  direct  a  little  delay, 
lest  a  cold  should  occur  on  the  change  of  air;  and 
though  we  can  more  readily  account  for  a  person  catch- 
ing an  infectious  disease,  on  removing  from  a  healthy 
to  an  infectious  atmosphere,  the  contrary  is  not  equally 
probable,  unless  some  cause  should  concur  to  facilitate 
the  action  of  the  miasmata.  Yet  the  latter  sometimes 
happens,  and  may  be  owing  to  a  cold.  A  late  author, 
if  we  mistake- not,  a  Mr.  Kelson,  has  adduced  many 
arguments  to  prove  this  position ;  and,  when  we  re- 
flect that  no  epidemic  is  so  universal,  so  steady  in  its 
progress  and  so  constant  in  its  returns,  as  influenza, 
we  must  at  least  doubt  whether  catarrh  is  not  more 
often  owing  to  miasmata  than  change  of  temperature. 
\\  e  should  indeed  doubt  whether  it  were  not  always 
owing  to  the  former,  but  that  we  know  an  organ 
builder  constantly  affected  with  a  catarrh  on  tuning  an 
organ  :  and  the  connection  is  general  and  constant  be- 
t%veen  the  discharge  from  the  skin  and  the  lungs ;  the 


defect  of  one  is  so  often  supplied  by  the  excess  of  the 
other,  that  cold  must  be  a  very  frequent  cause. 

In  the  inflammatory  CATARRH  the  symptoms  are  a 
redness,  heat,  soreness  and  sense  of  distention  in  the 
eyes  and  eye  lids ;  at  the  same  time  there  is  an  unusual 
secretion  of  tears,  and  watery  mucus,  which,  run- 
ning down  the  cheeks,  inflame  them.  When  the  nose 
is  affected  there  is  a  sense  of  stuffing  and  swelling  in 
the  nostrils,  an  alteration  in  the  voice,  a  loss  of  smell : 
and,  if  the  inflammation  runs  high,  a  thin  mucus  is 
secreted,  which  produces  heat  and  soreness  of  the  no- 
strils, sneezing,  and  sometimes  inflammation,  with 
excoriation  of  the  upper  lip.  If  the  throat,  trachea, 
or  lungs,  are  the  seat  of  the  disease,  the  thin  mucus 
separated  in  these  parts  inflames  them:  sometimes  a 
swelling  of  the  nose  attends,  or  perhaps  the,  whole  face 
is  puffed;  a  languor,  stupor,  deafness,  and  soreness  oi 
the  ears,  are  common  complaints.  When  the  throat  is 
affected,  the  tonsils  and  parts  adjacent  are  red,  sore, 
and  hot,  accompanied  with  a  secretion  of  watery  mucus, 
which  stimulates  and  occasions  a  constant,  troublesome, 
and  tickling  cough :  sometimes  the  whole  mouth  is 
sore ;  there  are  little  excoriations  on  the  tongue,  and  a 
constant  flow  of  saliva,  with  a  soreness  of  the  salivary 
glands,  and  the  lips  are  inflamed  and  excoriated.  When 
the  larynx  or  trachea  is  affected,  a  soreness  is  felt  in 
them,  attended  with  a  hoarseness,  and  generally  with 
a  troublesome  tickling  cough.  In  the  lungs,  this  dis- 
ease produces  a  soreness,  tightness,  and  sense  of  ful- 
ness in  the  breast,  with  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  and 
a  violent  cough,  with  which  nothing,  or  only  a  watery 
mucus,  is  at  first  spit  up  :  the  cough  produces  soreness 
under  the  sternum  and  in  the  sides,  and  sometimes 
head  ach,  sickness,  and  retching.  All  these  parts  are 
occasionally  affected  at  once;  but  more  generally  i: 
happens  that  one  only  is  first  diseased.  The  inflam- 
mation spreads  more  or  less,  as  circumstances  concur 
to  favour  its  progress.  The  inflammation  too  varies, 
according  to  the  strength  of  the  patient,  or  the  violence 
of  the  attack.  In  the  evening  the  symptoms  are  more 
troublesome ;  but  in  the  morning  a  gentle  moisture  in 
the  skin  appears,  and  the  patient  is  easier.  In  weakly 
habits  the  pulse  is  frequent,  but  not  very  hard  ;  the  ap- 
petite is  lost,  and  the  increase  of  the  evening  paroxysm 
is  considerable. 

In  the  less  inflammatory  kind  the  secretion  of  thc- 
mucus  comes  on  first,  or  at  least  the  previous  fever  is 
not  very  easily  distinguished.  The  running  from  the 
nose  is  not  watery,  but  viscid ;  though  thin,  and  not  very 
stimulating.  This  mucus,  when  it  is  secreted  into  the 
throat,  produces  a  cough,  by  which  it  is  thrown  off, 
and  sometimes  a  nausea;  or  affecting  the  lungs,  there 
is  a  spitting  with  the  cough.  This  expectoration  of 
phlegm  is  most  considerable  after  sleep ;  but  there  is  no 
great  sense  of  soreness  or  fulness.  After  some  days  in- 
flammatory .symptoms  come  on,  though  not  in  a  great 
degree,  nor  is  the  whole  system  often  much  affected. 
These  symptoms  are  followed  by  an  increased  secretion 
of  mucus,  which,  becoming  viscid,  if  it  was  not  so  at  the 
beginning,  loses  its  stimulus.  If  the  inflammation  is 
great,  the  mucus  discharged  is  yellowish,  and  some- 
times tinged  with  blood ;  as  this  goes  on  the  other 
symptoms  abate,  and  at  length  die  discharge  by  spit- 
ting grows  whiter,  then  less  in  quantity.  If  the  pa- 
3  B  3 


C  A  T 


372 


C  A  T 


tient  is  in  a  cold  atmosphere,  the  cough  is  the  more 
troublesome,  the  other  symptoms  are  aggravated,  and 
the  disease  is  prolonged.  If,  through  an  imprudent  ex- 
posure to  the  air,  a  relapse  happens,  the  same  course 
recurs.  If  the  inflammation  is  very  considerable,  an 
angina,  or  a  quinsy,  may  be  produced ;  or  if  there  is 
also  the  inflammatory  diathesis,  a  pneumonia,  or  other 
disorders  tending  to  hectic,  may  occur. 

A  catarrh  consists  in  an  inflammation  of  the  mem- 
brane lining  the  nose,  the  fauces,  and  the  lungs,  called 
from  Schneider,  who  described  it,  and  who  has  left  us 
six  small,  but  not  thin,  quartos,  on  catarrhal  inflamma- 
tions of  this  and  other  mucous  membranes.  If  it  does 
not  reach  the  branchiae,  it  requires  little  care.  Warmth, 
diluting  mucilaginous  liquors,  slight  sudorifics,  and 
gentle  laxatives,  soon  remove  it.  Should  the  inflamma- 
tion reach  the  bronchial  glands,  it  may  be  considered 
as  a  slight  peripneumony,  and  the  remedies  for  that 
complaint  may  be  less  actively  employed.  Bleeding  is 
seldom  required:  the  bowels  should  be  kept  free,  and 
the  pediluvium,  breathing  the  steams  of  warm  water, 
with  a  slight  opiate  at  night,  are  generally  sufficient  for 
the  cure.  An  emetic,  however,  is  sometimes,  though 
seldom,  necessary.  The  mucilaginous  drinks  are  sup- 
posed to  relieve  one  of  the  most  troublesome  attendant 
symptoms,  the  cough ;  nor  need  we  impede  the  exertions 
of  any  old  nurse  who  may  strenuously  recommend  bran 
or  lintsecd  tea,  barley  water,  or  a  decoction  of  coltsfoot. 
Of  course,  the  saline  draughts  must  be  loaded  with 
spermaceti ;  but  if  both  are  omitted,  the  patient  will  not 
essentially  suffer. 

A  catarrh,  however,  though  in  itself  a  slight  disease, 
is  often  the  parent  of  a  very  highly  dangerous  and  gene- 
rally fatal  complaint,  viz.  consumption.  The  inflam- 
mation is  communicated  to  a  vomica,  and  its  ulceration 
brings  on  hectic.  In  more  advanced  life  it  leads  to  hu- 
moral asthma,  or  hydrops  pectoris.  It  should  not 
therefore  be  neglected;  but  the  most  simple  precautions, 
except  when  the  disease  is  of  peculiar  severity,  are  only 
requisite. 

Chronic  catarrh  sometimes  occurs;  but  we  sec  nothing 
to  add  on  this  subject  that  has  not  been  anticipated  un- 
der the  article  of  HUMORAL  ASTHMA,  or  that  will  not 
recur  under  PERIPNEUMONIA  MOTH  A.  It  is,  however,  often 
a  gouty  symptom  ;  and  sometimes  attends  infarctions  of 
the  liver,  in  those  who  have  for  a  long  time  lived  within 
the  tropics. 

CATA'HKHUS  EPIDEM'ICUS.  If  a  common  catarrh 
be  so  general  in  its  attack  as  to  excite  the  suspicion  of 
its  arising  from  some  aerial  influence,  or  from  conta- 
gion, we  may  with  .greater  reason  attribute  to  either 
cause  the  catarrh  which  is  the  subject  of  the  present 
article.  The  former  source  was  so  impressive,  that  the 
Italian  appellation  of  influenza  has,  in  every  language, 
distinguished  it.  The  original  country  of  this  complaint 
is  not  known.  Hippocrates  seems  to  have  been  ac- 
quainted with  it ;  and  since  medical  records  have  been 
kept  with  accuracy,  we  find  it  occasionally  appearing  in 
different  regions,  and  travelling,  with  an  equal,  unin- 
terrupted pace,  in  different  directions.  The  universal- 
ity and  the  violence  of  the  epidemic  catarrh  force  the 
disease  on  our  notice:  the  peculiarity  of  its  symptoms 
attracts  our  attention  ;  but  we  are  compelled  to  read,  ad 
fastidium  usyue,  that  the  head  ached  at  the  extremity  of 
Africa  as  at  the  North  Cape,  and  that  the  cough  was 


equally  troublesome  on  the  Danube  and  on  the  Thames, 
on  the  Ohio  and  the  Rhine.  The  reason  for  this  accu- 
mulation of  minute  uninteresting  description  it  is  not 
for  us  to  fathom,  but  we  cannot  repress  a  recurrence  of 
the  disgust  which  has  so  often  occasioned  the  honest 
anguish  and  the  aching  head. 

In  the  chronology  of  the  complaint  we  need  not  go 
further  back  than  the  twelfth  century,  the  date  of  the 
first  record  collected  by  Dr.  Cullen,  Nosology,  vol.  ii. 
p.  173.  From  that  time  he  has  traced  the  disease,  in 
the  writings  of  different  authors,  with  sufficient  mi- 
nuteness. With  respect  to  its  course,  it  seems  most 
frequently  to  proceed  from  north  to  south,  but  it  has 
been  found  also  to  travel  from  west  to  east.  These, 
however,  are  points  of  curiosity  only,  and  we  need  not 
enlarge  on  them. 

The  symptoms  of  the  epidemic  catarrh  differ  in  some 
respects  from  those  of  the  common  cold,  and  were  we 
here  to  be  minute,  we  should  contend  that  it  forms  a 
different  species.  The  attack  is  remarkably  sudden, 
and  at  first  attended  with  considerable  debility.  A 
few  minutes  have  often  interposed  between  the  feelings 
of  high  health  and  extreme  weakness.  The  head, 
especially  the  forehead  over  the  eyes,  is  particularly 
loaded ;  all  exertion  is  painful ;  a  tickling  of  the  nose, 
with  frequent  and  violent  sneezing,  often  suddenly 
comes  on.  A  load,  rather  than  pain,  in  the  chest,  is  very 
troublesome;  cough  is  severe  and  dry,  the  tongue  parch- 
ed, thirst  often  intense.  A  sore  throat  is  not  a  common 
symptom,  yet  a  bright  efflorescence  is  sometimes  ob- 
served on  it.  Pulse  is  low  and  frequent,  seldom  hard; 
the  skin  constantly  dry.  In  the  progress  of  the  com- 
plaint, the  breast  is  sometimes  more  affected,  and 
pleuritic  pains  are  observed  in  the  young  and  robust. 
As  the  skin  becomes  softer,  the  tickling  acrid  mucus 
from  the  nose  becomes  thicker,  the  head  more  free ; 
but  a  considerable  debility  remains  often  for  several 
months,  and  from  this  period  the  suppuration  of  latent 
tubercles  has  been  often  dated. 

The  middle  aged,  the  strong  and  robust,  are  in 
general  soonest  affected,  and  suffer  most  severely: 
children  and  old  persons  are  less  violently  attacked ; 
yet  in  the  latter  it  is  most  often  fatal :  a  humoral 
asthma,  or  a  catarrhus  suffocativus,  is  a  frequent  con- 
sequence. Children  at  the  breast  generally  escape, 
nor  did  any  seem  to  suffer  within  the  first  year;  but  no 
period  of  advanced  age,  nor  any  previous  disease,  ap- 
peared to  secure  any  person.  All  beyond  early  infancy 
were  indiscriminately  attacked.  It  has  very  rarely  hap- 
pened that  any  person  who  had  perfectly  recovered  was 
again  attacked ;  but  he  has  appeared  equally  liable  to 
the  influence  of  a  future  epidemic. 

The  causes  undoubtedly  existed  in  the  atmosphere. 
Of  a  dozen  persons  in  perfect  health,  in  the  same  room, 
ten  have  been  often  attacked  within  a  very  short  period. 
Those  confined  to  bed,  insulated  from  every  infected 
person,  have  equally  suffered.  In  one  hospital,  con- 
taming  one  hundred  and  seventy  persons,  more  than  one 
hundred  were  attacked  within  twenty-four  hours,  and 
few  of  the  remainder  escaped.  The  infection  passed 
the  Atlantic,  with  little  or  no  remission  of  its  severity, 
and  attacked  Americans  who  had  not  had  the  slightest 
intercourse  with  Europeans. 

Is  not  contagion  then  also  a  cause?  It  evidently 
is,  though  in  many  instances  only  an  exciting  cause ; 


CAT 


373 


C  AT 


yet  the  concurrence  of  the  disorder  with  contagion,  ap- 
parently received  by  the  most  familiar  intercourse,  has 
often  appeared  so  striking,  that  its  influence  must  be  ad- 
mitted. It  is  indeed  difficult  to  say,  when  every  one  is 
equally  exposed  to  a  general  cause  why  any  given  per- 
son should  be  exempted,  whether  contagious  influence 
concurs  or  not.  The  man  most  subject  to  contagion 
may  have  been  affected,  as  well  as  those  at  a  distance 
from  any  fomes.  The  negative  cannot  be  proved  ;  but 
the  very  existence  of  the  question  seems  to  show  that 
there  were  many  apparent  instances  of  its  influence, 
though  it  was  often  perhaps,  as  we  have  said,  an  excit- 
ing cause  only.  Other  exciting  causes  were  cold,  fa- 
tigue, and  depressing  passions. 

The  predisposing  causes  were  previous  debility  of 
every  kind,  in  the  young  and  robust.  In  the  aged, 
infirm  health  seemed  by  no  means  a  predisposing  cause. 
The  previous  state  of  the  air,  either  with  respect  to 
heat,  cold,  elasticity,  or  damp,  seemed  to  have  little 
power.  Influenzas  have  recurred  at  every  different 
season,  in  every  state  of  the  barometer,  thermometer, 
and  hygrometer.  If  we  were  to  fix  on  any  state  of  the 
atmosphere  in  which  it  has  most  frequently  appeared, 
we  should  say  it  was  when  supersaturated  with  moisture. 
The  distinctions  between  common  and  epidemic  ca- 
tarrhs, are  the  universality  of  the  attack  and  the  violence 
of  the  symptoms.  Yet  in  these  there  are  various  de- 
grees ;  and  we  have  seen  influenzas  where  not  one  in 
twenty  have  been  affected,  and  where  the  appearances 
scarcely  differ  from  common  colds.  The  load  in  the 
head,  and  particularly  over  the  eyes,  with  the  great  de- 
bility, more  strikingly  distinguish  this  disease,  and  it 
bears  the  same  relation  to  the  common  catarrh  that  the 
putrid  pneumonia  does  to  the  inflammatory  species. 
Physicians  have  differed  respecting  the  propriety  of 
bleeding.  It  may,  in  the  young  and  strong,  be  indi- 
cated; but  it  is  by  no  means  a  general  remedy,  and 
should  scarcely  in  any  instance  be  employed.  Even  in 
these,  however  apparent  peripneumonic  symptoms  may 
seem  to  indicate  it,  the  practice  is  followed  by  consi- 
derable, often  a  long  protracted,  debility.  It  is  with 
regret  we  are  obliged  to  add,  that  the  mania  for  bleed- 
ing is  far  from  being  extinguished,  and  we  daily  wit- 
ness its  mischief  in  the  putrid  forms  of  diseases,  which 
were  usually  inflammatory :  real  inflammatory  com- 
plaints are  now  very  rare. 

Vomiting  is  a  remedy  better  adapted  to  the  disease ; 
but  even  this  discharge,  if  violent,  greatly  debilitates  the 
patient,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  set  limits  to  the  operation 
of  an  emetic.  In  nauseating  doses,  combined  with 
opiates,  both  the  ipecacuanha  and  tartarised  antimony 
are  highly  useful;  but  to  these  we  must  return. 

When  the  pains  in  the  side,  usually  indicating  bleed- 
ing, are  violent,  a  blister  is  the  appropriate  remedy ; 
and  it  is  always  necessary  to  keep  the  bowels  free,  though 
the  action  of  violent  purgatives  greatly  debilitates. 

In  short,  in  this  and  every  putrid  complaint  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  keep  up  the  vis  vitae,  and  gently  determine 
to  the  skin.  Diapnbe,  a  term  applied  by  Chenot,  to 
distinguish  this  easy  perspiration  from  more  violent 
sweat,  will  relieve  without  inducing  debility,  and  this 
will  be  best  kept  up  by  warm  cordial  liquids.  The  use 
of  wine,  at  first  in  moderation,  and  afterwards  more 
freely,  is  very  beneficial;  and  by  thus  cautiously  sup- 
porting the  strength,  nature  will  often  effect  the  cure. 


The  wine  should  be  given  with  warm  water,  and  the 
determination  to  the  surface  secured  by  diluting  li- 
quors, and  a  moderately  warm  room.  If  this  is  not 
easily  effected,  emetics  in  nauseating  doses,  with  opium, 
may  be  given  with  success.  The  neutrals,  particularly 
the  ammoniacal  ones,  will  assist  this  operation ;  and 
vinegar  whey,  with  white  wine,  is  also  an  excellent 
diaphoretic.  Nitre  is  often  injurious  by  its  cooling  se- 
dative power,  and  from  its  irritating  cough.  If  any 
particular  medicine,  not  peculiarly  suited  to  these  indi- 
cations, is  necessary,  we  think  it  is  the  camphor.  It  is 
eminently  useful  in  putrid  peripneumony,  and  we  think 
it  has  been  so  in  the  epidemic  catarrh. 

Bark  has  been  recommended,  and  often,  it  is  said, 
given  with  advantage.  We  have  had  its  necessity  in 
frequent  contemplation  during  epidemic  catarrhs,  but 
never  yet  found  it  necessary.  In  general,  it  may  be  as- 
serted that  this  disease  is  never  fatal.  In  its  conse- 
quences it  may  be  so;  and  the  cutting  a  corn  may  in- 
duce gangrene,  but  the  operation  is  not  on  that  account 
dangerous. 

The  debility  that  follows  is  very-  considerable,  and 
continues  often  for  many  months.  A  cordial  diet,  free 
air,  and  exercise  on  horseback,  are  its  best  remedies. 
The  author  of  this  article,  who  suffers  always  severely 
from  influenza,  experienced  this  debility  in  a  great  de- 
gree; and  though  the  cough  remaining  was  consider- 
able, he  used  with  the  happiest  effects  the  cold  bath. 
The  bath  was  at  some  distance,  and  at  first  both  in 
going  and  returning  he  was  obliged  to  rest  three  times: 
on  the  second  attempt  he  rested  twice,  and  on  the  third 
once  only.  On  the  fourth  no  rest  was  required,  so  ra- 
pid was  the  recovery. 

See  Hoffman's  Med.  Rat.  Syst.  Opuscula  Med.  Doc- 
toris  Baker,  Dr.  Fordyce's  Elements,  part.  ii.  Brooks's 
Practice  of  Physic.     Schneider  de  Catarrhis.    Cullen's 
First  Lines,  vol.  ii.  p.  83.  edit.  4.    Wallis's  Sydenham. 
CATA'RRHUS   IXTESTIXO'RUM.      On   considering  the 
affections  of  the  mucous  membrane  from   inflamma- 
tion, our  attention  was  necessarily  attracted  by  this  dis- 
ease, which,  however,  has  not  yet  found  a  place  in  the 
medical  systems.     It  appeared,  on  reflection,  singular, 
that,  though  the  oesophagus,  at  least  its  upper  part,  was 
occasionally  affected  by  catarrh,  there  was  no  instance 
of  this  disease  being  continued    to  the   stomach.     It 
however  occurs   to  observation  in  the  intestines  ;  and 
diarrhoea,  from  cold,  is  no  uncommon  disease.    It  may 
be  discovered  by  its  occurring  in  consequence  of  ex- 
posure to  cold  and  damp,  by  its  coming  on  with  fe- 
ver, with  slight  colic  pains,  acrid  motions  without  re- 
lief, excoriation  of  the  lower  part  of  the  rectum,  and  the 
absence  of  either  bilious  evacuations  or  symptoms  of 
indigestion.     The  cure  is  sufficiently  obvious.     But  a 
question  here  arises  ;  is  dysentery  nothing  more  ?     We 
must  recur  to  this  subject;  and  what  we  have  here  men- 
tioned will  not,  we  trust,  be  forgotten.     The  facts  just 
recorded  are,  however,  faithful  pictures  from  nature, 
without  any  reference  to  the  connection  just  mentioned. 
CATA'RRHI:S   VESIC.E.      This   disease   is  noticed  by 
Hoffman,  Lieutand,  and  Cullen,  but  by  few  other  au- 
thors.    It  is  confounded  with  dysuria,  with  calculus, 
and  with  abscess  of  the  urinary  organs.    We  have  twice 
seen   it  as  a  true   catarrhal  affection,  from  cold ;  and- 
twice  only.     It  consists  in  a  painful  discharge  of  urine, 
sometimes  with  fever,  but  more  frequently  without  its 


CAT 


374 


CAT 


attendance ;  and  of  the  urine  nearly  half  the  bulk  is  com- 
posed of  a  light,  flocculent  matter.  It  appears,  though 
very  rarely,  as  we  have  said,  from  cold,  but  more  often 
from  any  cause  which  occasions  acrimony  of  urine,  or  a 
difficulty  of  discharging  it;  in  fact,  from  any  cause  which 
excites  inflammation  or  irritation  on  the  neck  of  the 
bladder,  or  occasions  an,  unusually  strong  action  of  this 
hollow  muscle.  Its  cause  will  require  only  an  investi- 
gation of  the  previous  symptoms,  but  these  will  not  al- 
ways assist  in  determining  whether  the  discharge  be 
not  purulent.  To  the  experienced  eye  pus  is  soon 
known  by  its  filamentous  appearance,  while  the  mucus 
of  the  bladder  is  more  light  and  uniform.  The  smell, 
however,  will  immediately  discover  it. 

The  cure  will  be  regulated  by  the  cause.  Mucila- 
ginous diluting  drinks,  with  gentle  laxatives,  are  al- 
ways proper;  and  if  the  pain  is  violent,  opiates  may  be 
joined.  We  seldom  want  any  further  aid:  but  it  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  inject  the  opiates  united  with  a 
starch  clyster;  and  we  have  already  observed,  that  cam- 
phor exerts  a  peculiar  sedative  effect  on  the  bladder.  A 
mild  diet,  rest,  and  a  warm  room,  will  greatly  expedite 
the  cure  of  every  catarrh. 

CATA'RRHUS  BELLINSULA'NUS.     See  CYNANCHE  PARO- 


CATA'RRHUS  SUFFOCATI'VUS.  See  SUFFOCATIO  STRI- 
DULA. 

CATARTI'SMUS,(from  xalxpli&fo  make  perfect'). 
According  to  Galen,  it  is  a  translation  of  a  bone  from  a 
preternatural  to  its  natural  situation.  , 

CATASA'RCA,  (from  »«?«,  and  <r«/>|,  caro}.  See 
ANASARCA. 

CATASCHA'SMOS,  (from  K«T«,  and  <*•%«&,  scari- 
fico}.  Scarification  ;  and,  according  to  Dioscorides,  a 
deeper  scarification  than  common,  which  is  necessary 
in  gangrene  and  sphacelus. 

CATASTA'GMOS,CATASTALA'GMOS,(from 
<rrtt£u,  to  distil}.  These  are  names  which  the  Greeks, 
in  the  time  of  Celsus,  employed  for  DISTJLLATIO. 

CATASTA'LTICUM,  (from  PT£AA«,  x«7««-r£/iA<»,  to 
.  restrain}.     It  signifies  styptic,  astringent,  and  is  some- 
times termed  castalticum. 

CATA'TASIS,  (from  Kalunna,  to  extend).  In  Hip- 
pocrates, it  means  the  extension  of  a  fractured  limb,  or 
a  dislocated  one,  in  order  to  replace  it ;  as  well  as  the 
actual  replacing  it  in  a  proper  situation. 

CATA'XA.  Both  Aetius  and  Actuarius  express  by 
this  word  raw  silk,  or  silk  before  it  is  dyed. 

CATE'E.     See  ACAJAIBA. 

CA'TE,  and  CA'TECHU,  (from  fcate,  a  tree,  and 
chu,  a  juice,  in  the  Japanese  language).  See  TERRA 
JAPONJCA. 

CATEIA'DION,  (from  *«7«,  and  £<*,  a  blade  of 
grass}.  A  long  instrument  which  was  introduced  into 
the  nostrils,  in  order  to  provoke  an  haemorrhage  in  the 
cure  of  the  head-ach.  It  is  mentioned  by  Aretaeus.  It 
was  thus  called,  either  because  the  instrument  had  at 
the  end  a  blade  of  grass,  or  was  made  like  a  blade  of 
grass  for  the  purpose. 

CATELLO'RUM,  O'LEUM,  (from  catulus,  a  wlielji}. 
It  is  olive  oil  in  which  young  whelps  have  been  boiled 
until  their  flesh  separates  from  the  bones ;  after  which 
are  added  thyme,  marjoram,  Ecc.  The  whole  stands  to- 
gether in  the  sun,  and  then  the  oil  is  strained  for  use. 
See  PH.  PARIS. 


CATE'LLUS  CINERE'US :  so  called  from  itshead 
being  like  that  of  a  dog.  A  CUPEL  or  TEST.  See  Cu- 
PELLA. 

CATE'VALA.     COMMON  ALOE.     See  ALOE  HEPA- 

TICA. 

CATH^E'RESIS,  (from  «*?*,  and  «ij£«,  to  take 
away}.  The  subtraction  of  a  part  of  the  body  by  any- 
kind  of  evacuation,  called  also  detractio. 

CATH^ERE'TICA,  (from  aipea,  to  take  away}.  Re- 
medies which  consume  superfluous  flesh.  See  COR- 

ROPENTIA. 

CATHA'RMA,  (from  x.«,6«.i%a,  to  purge}.  The  ex- 
crements purged  off  from  any  part  of  the  body. 

CATHA'RMOS,  (from  the  same).  Purgation  by 
medicines,  and  the  cure  of  a  disorder  by  superstitious 
remedies. 

CATHA'RSIS,  (from  the  same).  A  discharge  from 
the  uterus,  bladder,  or  intestines,  excited  either  by  na- 
ture or  art. 

CATHAR'TICA,  (from  x.a.6»ipa,  to  fiurge}.  This 
word  is  generally  used  as  expressive  of  purging  medi- 
cines ;  but  it  implies  emetics  in  ancient  authors  also. 

In  this  place,  however,  we  must  adopt  the  common 
language,  and  speak  of  purgatives  only;  a  class  of  me- 
dicines of  great  variety  and  singular  utility.  By  phar- 
maceutical authors,  they  are  divided  into  lenitives, 
purgatives,  and  drastics ;  and  by  therapeutical  writers, 
into  those  that  act  by  increasing  the  evacuations,  in 
consequence  of  the  stimulus  applied  to  the  excretory 
ducts  of  the  different  glands,  and  those  that  increase 
the  action  of  the  intestines  themselves.  There  are 
others  that  act  by  exciting  a  commotion  in  the  system, 
in  consequence  of  their  poisonous  nature  ;  and  these 
show  deleterious  effects,  immediately  on  their  introduc- 
tion, by  exciting  vomiting.  Of  this  kind  are  the  gutta 
gamba,  the  seeds  of  some  species  of  the  croton  and 
jatropha,  the  tobacco,  probably  the  colocynth,  and 
others.  Another  division,  now  almost  obsolete,  is  that 
into  phlegmagogues,  cholagogues  and  hydragogues; 
purgatives  that  evacuate  phlegm,  bile,  or  water :  these 
very  nearly  correspond  to  the  lenitives,  purgatives,  and 
drastics.  With  the  first,  often  styled  minoratives,  ec- 
coprotics have  been  confounded,  but  improperly.  The 
last  are  certainly  mild  in  their  operation  ;  but  this  is  not 
always  owing  to  their  moderate  stimulus,  but  often  to 
their  want  of  solubility  in  the  first  passages,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  they  act  on  the  rectum  only,  since 
they  reach  that  part  with  little  change.  Thus  sulphur 
and  aloes  are  eccoprotics,  and  even  the  gutta  gamba  is 
an  ingredient  in  that  recommended  by  Dr.  Fordyce,  as 
the  other  parts  of  the  formula  are  not  very  soluble. 
We  shall  therefore  follow  the  pharmaceutical  division 
just  mentioned,  and  then  add  a  few  remarks  on  the 
eccoprotics. 

Lenitives  chiefly  act  by  increasing  the  watery  or  mu- 
cous discharges  from  the  glands,  and  comprehend  all 
the  phlegmagogues  af  the  ancient  pharmaceutists.  The 
mildest  of  this  class  are  the  vegetables  and  the  acid  fruits. 
Of  the  vegetable  lenitives,  the  oleraceae  are  the  principal; 
and  of  the  acid  fruits,  the  tamarinds,  the  apples,  and  the 
prunes.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  hesperidese  (oranges 
and  lemons),  the  senticosae  (strawberries,  raspberries, 
grapes,  gooseberries,  &c.),are  cathartic,  except  in  con- 
siderable quantities.  They  seem  to  be  directed  rather 
to  the  urinary  organs ;  though  in  some  constitutions, 


CAT 


375 


C  A  T 


from  idiosyncrasy,  probably,  they  operate  as  cathartics. 
All  the  neutral  salts,  except  the  ammoniacal,  are  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree  laxative.  To  these  must  be  add- 
ed the  supertartrite  of  the  vegetable  alkali,  viz.  the 
crystals  of  tartar.  The  saccharine  vegetable  substances 
belong  also  to  the  lenitives;  as  the  pulp  of  the  cassia, 
manna,  and,  what,  with  a  little  latitude,  may  be  referred 
to  the  same  rank,  honey.  The  vegetable  oils  are  all 
slightly  cathartic;  but  we  use  only  the  olive  and  the 
castor  oil.  Sulphur,  from  the  little  change  it  expe- 
riences in  the  stomach  and  small  intestines,  is  a  cathar- 
tic of  a  similar  nature;  and  to  this  class  phosphorus  is 
added:  but,  until  some  safer  mode  of  exhibition  is 
adopted,  we  would  not  advise  this  substance  to  be  em- 
ployed. The  bitters,  the  gall  of  animals,  the  foetid 
gums,  the  various  balsams,  the  guaiacum  and  the 
myrrh,  appear  to  be  occasionally,  in  a  slight  but  per- 
manent degree,  laxative;  though  not  usually  arranged 
in  this  class.  The  guaiacum,  indeed,  is  often  more 
active;  but  this  seems  frequently  to  depend  rather  on 
idiosyncrasy  than  a  real  cathartic  power.  The  foetid 
gums  are  excellent  vehicles  for  eccoprotics. 

Lenitives,  in  general,  very  slightly  stimulate  the  in- 
testines, but  seem  chiefly  to  act  by  increasing  the  se- 
cretions from  the  glands,  whose  ducts  open  into  the 
intestinal  canal.  They  do  not  increase  the  heat  of  the 
body  nor  the  pulse.  They  give  little  uneasiness  in  the 
stomach,  except  from  their  bulk;  and  this  is  chiefly 
obvious  in  the  saccharine  lenitives,  and  sometimes  in 
the  oily.  They  discharge  copious  watery  faeces;  but 
by  no  means  the  substances  hardened  in  the  cells  of  the 
colon.  In  many  instances,  they  even  lessen  heat ;  and 
as  eccoprotics,  unbruised  mustard  seed,  or  a  dove  of 
garlic,  is  swallowed,  without  producing  any  sensible 
irritation.  The  saline  lenitives  excite  thirst;  and  this 
may  be  readily  gratified,  as  warm  diluting  liquors  as- 
sist their  operation. 

Purgatives  are  more  active,  excite  the  action  of  the 
muscular  fibres  of  the  intestines,  and  are  consequently 
better  adapted  to  remove  the  more  hardened  faeces. 
Of  these  there  is  a  considerable  variety.  The  leading 
distinction  is,  into  those  which  are  astringent,  or  have  no 
such  power.  The  former  are  preferred,  from  their 
strengthening  rather  than  weakening  the  bowels.  They 
are  supposed,  however,  to  leave  a  disposition  to  cos- 
tiveness;  but,  while  the  appearance  of  astringency  leads 
to  a  suspicion  of  this  effect,  we  find  little  foundation 
for  its  existence.  All  the  cathartics,  except,  perhaps, 
the  saline  and  oily,  render  the  intestines  less  irritable; 
since  vessels,  stimulated  to  discharge  an  unusual  quan- 
tity of  fluids  in  a  given  time,  sink  afterwards  into  a 
comparatively  torpid  state;  and,  indeed,  when  the  cir- 
culating mass  is  drained  of  any  considerable  proportion 
of  its  fluids,  all  the  secretions  are  for  a  time  lessened, 
until  the  loss  is  repaired.  But  while  we  cannot  deny 
some  subsequent  astringent  effect  to  rhubarb,  for  in- 
stance, we  cannot  admit  of  its  strengthening  the  bowels 
by  the  same  power.  We  have  found  no  effect  of  this 
kind,  and  the  continuance  of  small  doses  has  appeared 
to  be  only  eccoprotic.  When  the  bowels  have  been 
.•  ned  by  inflammation,  or  diarrhoea,  it  has  seemed 
injurious  from  its  acrimony.  This,  former  practition- 
ers tacitly  allowed,  by  toasting  it;  which  they  thought 
increased  its  astringency,  but  really  only  lessened  its 
cathartic  effect. 


The  distinction  between  lenitives  or  drastics,  and 
laxatives,  is  by  no  means  easy;  since  by  diminishing 
or  increasing  the  dose  of  the  last,  they  may,  with  some 
propriety,  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the  first  or  se- 
cond class.  This  inconvenience,  however,  attends  all 
natural  arrangements;  but,  in  our  enumeration  of  the 
different  medicines,  we  shall  follow  them  very  nearly  in 
the  order  of  their  activity. 

As  laxatives,  we  employ  the  sena  (cassia  sena);  ifit- 
cacuanha  (callicocca  ipecacuanha)  in  decoction;  the 
fiolyflody  root  and  myrobolan»  (polypodium  vulgaris  et 
emblica);  the  damask  rose  leaves  (rosa  damascena); 
rhubarb  (rheum  palmatum) ;  purging  Jlax  (linum  ca- 
tharticum);  broom  (spartium  scoparium);  mrchoacanna 
(convolvulus  mechoacanna);  buckthorn  berries  (rham- 
nus  catharticus);  jalafi  (convolvulus  jalapa);  rattle- 
snake root  (polygala  seneka);  celandine  root  (chelido- 
nium  majus);  black  alder  (rhamnus  frangula);  scam- 
mony  (convolvulus  scammonia);  common  and  dwrf 
elder,  inner  bark  (sambucus  nigra  et  ebulus).  from 
the  mineral  kingdom  laxative  cathartics  are,  James's 
powder,  calomel,  and  phosphat  of  silver. 

These  substances  act  with  greater  or  less  acrimony ; 
and  those  towards  the  end  of  the  list  are  often  highly 
acrid.  Many  others  might  be  enumerated,  which  are 
found  in  the  writers  on  the  Materia  Medica,  and  which 
occur  in  their  places  in  this  dictionary.  From  these 
before  him,  however,  the  practitioner  may  have  a  suffi- 
cient choice.  In  general,  these  laxatives  excite  colic, 
and  sometimes  prove  emetic:  they  frequently  stimulate 
the  system,  increase  the  heat  and  the  pulse;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  they  are  active  and  effectual  evacuants. ' 
If  an  opiate  has  previously  produced  some  relaxation 
in  the  cells  of  the  colon,  they  will  bring  away  the  most 
hardened,  long  retained  scybala.  In  cases  of  fever, 
however,  these  are  often  only  evacuated  when  the  re- 
laxation is  produced  by  the  solution  of  the  disease. 
Mild  purgatives  will,  in  those  cases,  discharge  what  had 
escaped  the  action  of  the  most  violent.  The  former 
part  of  this  list  contains  the  chologogues  of  the  ancients. 

The  drastics  are  the  gamboge  (stalagmitis  of  Koenig); 
veild  cucumber  (momordica  elaterium);  bitter  cucumber 
(cucumis  colocynthis);  black  and  tahite  hellebore  (helle- 
borus  niger,  and  veratrum  album);  sea  colewort  (bras- 
sica  marina,  soldanella  pharmaceut.);  resin  of  jalap, 
nitrat  of  silver,  and  various  mercurials  and  amimo- 
nials,  q.  v. 

These  drastics  act  with  great  violence,  generally  dis- 
order the  stomach  and  the  whole  system  in  a  consi- 
derable degree,  and  sometimes  inflame  the  intestines. 
These,  and  some  of  the  more  active  medicines  of  the 
former  group,  were  chiefly  used  by  the  ancients,  for 
the  milder  laxatives  were  introduced  by  the  Arabians, 
and  occasioned  the  numerous  cautions  respecting  the 
use  of  purgative  medicines.  From  this  circumstance 
also,  and  from  the  use  of  mercurials  as  laxatives,  the 
supposed  necessity  of  confinement  to  a  warm  room  ap- 
parently arose.  This  measure  may  be  dictated  by  con- 
venience; but  certainly  warm  air,  and  a  horizontal 
posture,  retard  or  lessen  the  operation  of  laxatives. 

The  narcotic  cathartics  remain,  which  disorder  the 
senses,  produce  stupefaction,  and  seem  to  act  as  ca- 
thartics, by  the  general  commotion  that  they  produce. 
We  think  these  effects  in  some  measure  follow  the  use 
of  the  gutta  gamba,  the  colocynth,  the  hellebores,  and 


CAT 


376 


CAT 


some  of  the  other  drastics,  when  first  introduced  into 
the  stomach.  They  often  occasion  sickness,  faintncss, 
and  cold  sweats;  but  the  cathartics  more  decidedly  se- 
dative are  the  tobacco  (nicotiana  tabacum),  \\-\efoxglo-ve 
(digitalis  purpurea),  and  the  lactucavirosa.  One  effect 
of  the  drastics,  which  we  deferred  mentioning  till  we 
had  introduced  this  last  group,  is  the  discharge  of  wa- 
ter from  the  cavity  of  the  peritoneum,  the  chest,  and 
the  cellular  substance.  This  effect  seems  to  arise  from 
the  sedative  power  of  the  remedies.  In  this  moment 
of  total  relaxation  every  bond  of  union  is  removed,  even 
the  inosculation  of  the  maternal  and  foetal  parts  of  the 
placenta,  every  form  of  obstruction  recedes :  the  secre- 
tory organs  yield,  not  from  the  action  of  the  remedy 
increasing  the  excitement,  but  from  the  temporary  so- 
lution of  the  tonic  power. 

We  have  little  to  add  to  what  we  have  already  said 
of  eccoprotics.  A  mild  vegetable  diet  is  the  safest  and 
the  best.  Aloes,  combined  either  with  the  foetid  gums 
or  soap,  is  highly  useful,  chiefly  from  its  very  slow  de- 
composition in  the  small  intestines.  Sulphur  is  equally 
convenient,  from  the  same  cause.  The  sea  water  and 
the  purging  mineral  waters  are  also  highly  useful,  when 
they  can  be  conveniently  taken.  Rhubarb  we  have 
found  too  irritating,  unless  combined  with  soap;  and  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  the"  latter  renders  the  bulk  incon- 
venient. We  have  generally  added  a  small  proportion  of 
the  scammony,  to  render  it  more  active.  Aloes  is  by  far 
more  useful;  and  though  it  sometimes  produces  piles, 
yet,  in  the  forms  above  mentioned,  we  have  not  expe- 
rienced this  inconvenience.  Dr.  Fordyce,  in  an  ex- 
cellent paper  "  on  the  combination  of  medicines," 
recommends  a  compound  eccoprotic,  which  he  thinks 
of  superior  efficacy  to  any  other.  It  consists  of  five 
parts  of  aloes,  three  of  sagapenum,  two  of  gamboge, 
and  one  of  distilled  oil  of  camomile.  Two  parts  of 
gum  arable  are  employed  to  give  it  a  consistence,  and 
the  whole  is  made  into  a  mass  with  the  syrupus  a 
spina  cervina.  P'rom  six  to  ten  grains  are  a  dose;  and 
it  is  said  to  operate  without  sickness  or  griping.  We 
shall  resume  this  subject  under  the  article  of  COMBI- 
NATION OF  MEDICINES,  and  shall  then  speak  of  the 
•advantages  derived  from  the  union  of  different  pur- 
gatives. 

One  other  class  of  purgatives  remains,  viz.  what  are 
styled,  by  some  late  authors,  "  the  mechanical;"  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  watery  liquors.  These  act  by  their 
bulk,  which  is  the  chief  stimulus  of  every  hollow  mus- 
cle. The  utility  of  a  large  bulk  of  fluids  is  particularly 
conspicuous  in  clysters,  where  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk 
and  water  will  procure  a  motion,  often  more  readily 
than  the  most  active  purgative  administered  in  the 
same  manner.  We  speak,  however,  of  these  mechani- 
cal cathartics,  chiefly  to  notice  the  effects  of  dilution 
in  increasing  the  power  of  the  neutral  salts.  If  an 
ounce  is  the  proper  dose  in  two  ounces  of  water,  two 
thirds  will  be  sufficient  in  half  a  pint;  and  perhaps  one 
half  in  a  pint.  This  fact,  before  alluded  to,  solves  the 
difficulty  felt  in  accounting  for  the  purgative  power  of 
some  mineral  waters,  in  which  the  proportion  of  salts 
is  inconsiderable. 

In  describing  the  effects  and  the  use  of  cathartics,  in- 
stead of  explaining  them  in  the  way  of  some  therapeu- 
tical authors,  a  taftile  ad  calcem,  we  shall  first  speak 
of  their  more  immediate  effects;  and,  from  them, 


trace  the  more  remote  and  distant.  We  shall  after- 
wards enumerate  those  diseases  in  which  they  arc 
chietiy  indicated,  and  in  which  they  are  most  essen- 
tially useful. 

The  first  and  most  obvious  effect  of  purgatives  is  the 
discharge  of  the  contents  of  the  abdomen.  The  intes- 
tines lire  subject  to  various  accumulations  of  hardened 
fasces,  undigested  matter,  or  inspissated  mucus.  These 
substances  impede  not  only  the  passage  of  the  fresh 
nutriment,  but  prevent  the  absorption  of  the  newly- 
formed  chyle,  and  occasion  general  languor  and  debi- 
lity. Laxatives,  as  we  have  said,  also  stimulate  the 
orifices  of  the  excretory  ciucts,  and  promote  the  circu- 
lation through  the  vessels  of  the  glands.  This  is  a 
very  important  effect,  and  renders  these  medicines 
useful  in  a  variety  of  complaints. 

By  the  evacuation  of  the  contents  of  the  intestines, 
it  may  be  supposed  that  cathartics  would  relieve  the 
stomach,  and  promote,  in  every  instance,  the  discharge 
of  its  contents :  but  this  effect  is  not  constantly  pro- 
duced ;  and  where  a  viscid  mucus  has  accumulated, 
its  weight  carries  it  to  the  bottom  of  the  larger  curva- 
ture of  that  organ,  and  it  is  rarely  discharged  without 
the  assistance  of  an  emetic.  The  complaints  of  the 
stomach,  supposed  to  be  relieved  by  cathartics,  are 
more  often  accumulations  in  the  duodenum. 

When  the  intestines  are  loaded,  and  particularly  the 
small  intestines,  some  pressure  is  made  on  the  descend- 
ing aorta,  and  the  blood  is  determined  in  larger  pro- 
portions to  the  ascending  branches,  occasioning  pain  in 
the  head,  languor,  and  general  uneasiness.  These 
symptoms  cathartics  commonly  relieve;  and,  by  taking 
off  the  pressure  from  the  descending  aorta,  facilitat- 
ing the  circulation  through  the  glands  of  the  chylo- 
poietic  viscera,  and  thus  increasing  the  circulation  in 
its  branches,  cathartics  become  the  most  useful  reme- 
dies in  diseases  of  the  head. 

The  efficacy  of  cathartics  as  evacuants  of  particular 
fluids,  which  seem  chiefly  to  depend  on  the  solu- 
bility of  the  medicine,  merits  our  attention.  The 
saline  and  other  lenitives  act  immediately  on  passing 
into  the  intestinal  canal,  and  stimulate  not  only  the 
excretories  of  the  liver  and  pancreas,  but  of  the 
mucous  glands  in  the  neighbourhood ;  and  it  is  this 
class  of  cathartics  on  which  we  chiefly  depend  for  the 
evacuation  of  bile.  By  some  accident,  rhubarb  has 
been  considered  as  the  chief  evacuant  of  this  secreted 
fluid;  but  we  have  never  found  it  peculiarly  adapted 
for  this  indication,  except  when  combined  with  soap. 
Indeed  the  stimulus  of  rhubarb  on  the  internal  surface 
of  the  canal  is  so  considerable,  that  even  when  it  has 
passed  the  entrance  of  the  ductus  communis,  the  irrita- 
tion may  be  communicated  to  it.  Irritation  is  always 
readily  conveyed  along  the  surface  of  mucous  mem- 
branes; for  we  find  a  stone  in  the  pelvis  of  the  kidit'ey 
sometimes  convey  a  peculiar  sensation  at  the  extremity 
of  the  glans  penis. 

The  active  cathartics  alone  stimulate  sufficiently  the 
muscular  fibres  of  the  colon  ;  so  as  to  evacuate  the  con- 
tents of  its  cells :  and  for  this  purpose  calomel  is  the 
most  effectual.  Jalap,  a  medicine  of  considerable 
utility,  seems  also  to  combine  a  power  of  assisting  the 
watery  secretions;  and  thus  becomes  a  serviceable  ad- 
dition to  the  lenitives,  when  employed  with  this  view. 
Rhubarb  seems  also  particularly  useful  in  evacuating 


CAT 


377 


CAT 


the  contents  of  the  larger  intestines.  On  the  rectum, 
sulphur  and  aloes  seem  to  act  exclusively  ;  and  the  one 
is  supposed  to  relieve,  as  the  other  is  to  induce,  the 
haemorrhoids.  The  evacuation  of  the  contents  of  the 
rectum  is,  however,  in  general,  more  properly  trusted 
to  clysters.  The  importance  of  this  discharge  is  con- 
siderable in  relieving  any  inflammatory  diseases  of  the 
uterus  or  vesica  urinaria;  and,  as  injections  reach  so 
nearly  the  affected  part,  opiates  are  thus  advantage- 
ously' administered.  But  this  is  from  our  present 
subject. 

The  diseases  in  which  cathartics  are  advantageously 
employed  are  numerous.  We  have  detailed  the  ad- 
vantages arising  from  the  evacuation  of  the  contents  of 
the  bowels ;  and  it  will  be  obvious,  that,  in  every  case 
of  dyspepsia,  of  bilious  accumulations,  and  worms,  they 
must  be  of  essential  utility.  For  the  discharge  of  worms, 
and  the  mucus  which  forms  their  nidus,  the  most  sti- 
mulating cathartics  are  requisite.  For  dyspepsia  the 
eccoprotics ;  and  for  bilious  accumulations  the  laxa- 
tives, and  of  these  rhubarb  and  calomel,  are  the  most 
useful. 

The  infarctions  of  the  different  viscera  require  the 
constant  use  of  cathartics ;  since,  from  the  steady  and 
frequently  repeated  stimulus  to  their  excretories,  we 
promote  a  more  active  circulation  through  their  sub- 
stance. Dissection  discovers  various  indurations  in 
different  organs,  whose  excretories  open  into  the  abdo- 
men ;  but  we  can  distinctly  ascertain  the  existence  of 
one  only  during  life,  viz.  infarctions  of  the  liver.  The 
small  doses  of  calomel,  which  give  a  general  activity  to 
the  circulation,  are  greatly  assisted  by  the  regularly  re- 
peated stimulus  of  gentle  laxatives  ;  and,  indeed,  with- 
out these,  would  be  of  little  service.  When  no  symptom 
leads  to  the  suspicion  of  disease  in  any  one  organ,  a 
general  cachectic  habit  renders  laxatives  almost  indis- 
pensable :  indeed,  in  every  instance  of  this  kind  they 
are  highly  useful.  When  the  mesenteric  glands  are 
affected,  we  can  scarcely  style  the  lacteals  their  excre- 
tory ducts  ;  yet  the  stimulus  of  cathartics  on  their  ori- 
fices is  highly  useful.  We  shall  find  reason  to  conclude, 
that  all  the  infarctions  of  conglobate  glands  are  owing  to 
a  want  of  irritability  in  these  vessels ;  and  the  disease 
is  not  only  relieved  by  the  stimulus  of  the  cathartic,  bift 
probably  by  the  absorption  of  those  found  to  be  most 
useful,  viz.  sea  water,  and  the  purging  mineral  waters. 
The  latter  are  frequently  the  most  effectual  also  in  in- 
farctions of  the  liver;  and,  when  joined  -with  a  chaly- 
beate, which,  as  we  have  said,  is  supposed  to  prevent 
the  debilitating  effects  of  purging,  have  been  greatly 
celebrated.  Cheltenham  water  is  the  most  fashionable 
of  this  kind. 

In  diseases  of  the  head,  from  the  effects  of  cathartics 
just  mentioned,  we  may  expect  the  greatest  advantages ; 
and  we  find  from  experience,  that  they  chiefly  relieve 
every  accumulation  on  the  cerebrum.  In  every  case  of 
nfiofilexy,  cams,  and  lethargy,  cathartics  are  remedies 
of  peculiar  utility ;  and,  hi  the  course  of  our  labours, 
we  shall  find  many  diseases  connected  with  such  accu- 
mulations that  have  not  been  suspected  to  originate 
from  this  source. 

The  great  utility  of  cathartics  is,  however,  conspicu- 
ous in  febrile  diseases.  We  cannot  explain  the  founda- 
tion of  the  advantages  derived  from  them  at  present ; 
•but  can  only  observe,  that  in  every  fever  the  balance  of 

VOL.    I. 


the  circulation  is  apparently  destroyed ;  that  in  some 
cases  the  liver,  in  others  the  head,  often  both  organs, 
suffer  from  accumulation.  Cathartics  relieve  both ; 
and,  in  checking  fever  on  its  first  formation,  seem  to  be 
the  most  .useful  remedies.  Emetics  have  had  the  chief 
credit  in  destroying  fever  in  the  bud;  but,  unless  suc- 
ceeded by,  or  accompanied  with,  laxatives,  they  have 
failed,  or  performed  their  office  imperfectly.  During 
the  whole  course  of  febrile  diseases,  a  regular,  and  very 
often  an  active,  discharge  from  the  bowels  is  necessary  : 
tnd  stools,  so  far  from  weakening,  add  to  the  strength 
of  the  patient.  Care,  however,  must  be  taken  that  the 
discharges  be  actually  feculent.  We  have  known  the 
motions  numerous  without  relief:  they  have  been  found' 
only  mucous  evacuations  from  the  rectum.  They  have 
been  reported  to  be  copious ;  but,  on  examination,  have 
appeared  to  be  only  water  scarcely  coloured.  Even 
when  motions  have  appeared  most  decidedly  feculent 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  fever,  some  matter  has  been 
seemingly  retained;  since  discharges  of  peculiar  foetov 
and  putridity  have  accompanied  or  followed  the  crisis. 
On  this  account  the  lenitives,  though  often  recom- 
mended, have  not  appeared  to  us  the  best  form  of  ca- 
thartics in  this  country.  In  warmer  climates,  where 
the  bile  is  highly  acrid  and  stimulating,  lenitives  only 
are  admissible  ;  since  laxatives  would  add  to  a  stimulus 
already  in  excess.  We  now  make  this  distinction,  but 
would  subjoin  a  caution  in  the  words  of  Baglivi,  when 
he  apologizes  for  a  practice  which  might  be  suitable 
only  in  his  own  situation  :  "  Romae  ago  et  Romano  in 
acre." 

It  may  be  asked,  are  laxatives  so  peculiarly  useful  in 
every  epidemic  ?  We  dare  not  say  so ;  for  we  have 
found  some  truly  asthenic  fevers  in  which  they  have 
appeared  to  have  effects  highly  debilitating.  The  in- 
stances have,  however,  been  very  few  ;  and,  in  general, 
on  the  appearance  of  every  epidemic,  the  practitioner 
must  cautiously  examine  its  nature  in  every  point.  He 
will,  however,  err  most  seldom  in  examining  the  effect 
of  laxatives  if  he  tries  them  to  some  extent.  He  can 
soon  check  his  career;  and^  in  the  very  earliest  stages, 
they  scarcely  ever  are  injurious.  We  must,  however, 
in  a  future  article,  point  out  the  fevers  which  are  less 
adapted  to  this  remedy. 

To  pursue  the  particular  kinds  of  fevers  in  which 
cathartics  are  most  useful,  we  must  first  remark  thai 
bilious  accumulations  are  particularly  conspicuous  in 
intermittent^;  and  from  hence  arose  the  anxiety  of 
former  physicians  to  bring  the  fever  to  a  regular  inter- 
mission, previous  to  the  exhibition  of  the  bark.  In 
fact,  the  end  really  attained  was,  by  previous  evacua- 
tions, to  prevent  accumulations  in  the  liver,  which 
the  bark  might  still  further  impact;  nor  have  we  u 
doubt  that  the  accusation,  formerly  brought  against  this 
remedy,  of  its  producing  the  tumours  styled  ague 
cakes,  may  have  had  some  foundation.  It  has  been 
alleged,  that  these  tumours  were  more  common  be- 
fore the  introduction  of  the  bark  than  since.  This, 
indeed,  we  believe  ;  but  the  cause  was  the  long  con- 
tinuation of  the  disease  without  the  use  of  any  ac- 
tive remedy. 

In  remitter^*,  diseases  of  a  similar  nature,  the  same 
remedy  is  useful ;  and  of  continued  fevers,  it  is  chiefly 
employed  in  the  inflammatory  fe-ver,  to  cool  by  the  dis- 
charge from  the  exhibition  of  lenitives;  and  in  bilious 


A  T 


C  A  T 


fevers,  to  clear  the  liver  from  the  accumulations  with 
which  that  organ  is  oppressed.  In  the  more  cumiiwn 
epidemics,  styled  /ntirid,  or  nervous,  there  appear  to  be 
accumulations  in  the  liver  and  the  head.  \V  e  are  told 
by  medical  authors  to  prevent  costiveness  ;  but  we  have 
only  succeeded  when  we  have  carried  the  evacuation 
further.  On  these  subjects  we  must  again  enlarge 

In  the  topical  inflammations,  cathartics  arc  less  gene- 
rally useful.  In  phrenitis,  indeed,  they  are  essential 
remedies;  but,  in  pneumonia,  often  injurious.  In  an- 
gina they  are  not  singularly  beneficial ;  and,  in  gaatritif, 
often  inadmissible.  In  enteritis  they  are  of  the  greatest 
importance;  and,  oa  their  management  in  this  disease, 
the  cure  almost  wholly  depends.  In  nephritis  and  fieri- 
tonitis,  lenitives  are  remedies  of  importance;  and,  in 
cystitis,  laxative  clysters  are  highly  useful. 

In  the  exanthemata,  also,  laxatives  are  employed  with 
much  discrimination.  The  bowels  and  skin,  as  we 
have  said,  alternate  in  their  discharge;  and,  cutis  sic- 
r.itax,  alvi  lujcitas,  is  an  axiom  two  thousand  years  old. 
By  purging,  therefore,  we  may  always  moderate  a  cu- 
taneous eruption  ;  we  may  sometimes  prevent  it :  and, 
whenever  previous  fever  threatens  a  copious  eruption 
«f  small  pox,  next  to  cool  air,  active  laxatives  are  the 
most  effectual  remedies.  In  measles  we  have  found 
nothing  prevent  so  effectually  the  peripneumonic  symp- 
toms as  a  loose  belly  :  and,  from  one  instance,  have 
suspected  that  purging  may  be  carried  to  a  greater  de- 
gree than  has  yet  been  practised.  The  child  was  ten- 
der and  delicate,  with  apprehension  of  weak  lungs  ;  the 
peripneumonic  symptoms  violent.  The  cathartics  were 
urged  with  unusual  activity  ;  the  disease  was  mitigated, 
and  the  recovery  unusually  rapid.  The  instance  is, 
however,  a  single  one.  In  erysipelas  and  scarlatina 
we  know  not  that  cathartics  have  been  urged,  or 
that  they  have  been  urged  with  success.  In  gout 
we  have  said  they  are  injurious :  in  rheumatism  they 
are  inconvenient.  Yet  we  have  thought  the  doses 
of  calomel,  in  an  active  form,  have  been  useful  as 
laxatives. 

In  luemorrhages  of  the  brain  the  most  active  laxatives 
are  useful;  but  here  their  benefits  seem  in  this  order  to 
end :  in  the  other  haemorrhages,  the  mildest  lenitives 
only  are  employed  with  advantage,  to  cool  rather  than 
to  evacuate. 

In  various  diseases,  arranged  by  Dr.  Cullen  under 
the  class  neuroses,  laxatives  are  highly  useful.  In  all 
i:omata,  even  though  not  febrile,  they  are  essential.  In 
the  spamni  they  are  apparently  less  beneficial ;  but,  in 
warm  countries,  these  often  arise  from  acrid  bile,  and 
the  trinmutt  infantum  is  well  known  to  be  owing  to  this 
cause.  The  chorea,  too,  as  we  shall  soon  find,  is  greatly 
benefited,  often  effectually  cured,  by  active  cathartics. 
In  colic,  cholera,  and  diarrhtea,  laxatives  are  appropriate 
remedies ;  but  particularly  useful  in  the  first :  in  the 
two  last  the  discharge  requires  only  to  be  regulated, 
sometimes  to  be  rendered  more  effectual. 

In  the  whole  of  the  class  vesanits,  cathartics  in  differ- 
ent forms  PI ul  degrees  are  necessary;  and,  in  the  ca- 
•  hexies,  particularly  in  tabes  mesenterica,  we  have  al- 
ready remarked  their  utility.  On  the  subject  of  dropsy 
we  have  nothing  to  add  to  the  observations  under  the 
articles  ASCITES  and  AXASAHCA,  q.  v. 

The  manuscript  of  the  foregoing  article  was  sent  to 
the  printer  before  we  had  an  opportunity  of  perusing 


Dr.  Hamilton's ''Observations  on  the  Utility  and  Ad- 
ministration of  Purgative  Medicines."  It  gave  us 
great  pleasure  to  see  this  confirmation  of  our  opinions, 
cirawn  also  from  the  sick  bed,  by  a  gentleman  with 
whom  we  Were  once  personally  acquainted,  and  whose 
c-.ijilities  we  highly  respected.  He  recommends  purga- 
tives in  chlorosis,  chorea,  chronic  diseases,  haemateme- 
sis,  marasmus,  scarlatina,  and  typhus.  Under  the  se- 
parate respective  articles  we  shall  more  particularly 
attend  to  his  observations :  our  opinions,  in  general, 
are  before  the  reader. 

With  scarlatina,  he  speaks  of  its  frequent  concomi- 
tant, the  ulcerated  sore  throat.  The  peculiar  disease 
which  we  have  described  under  the  article  ANGINA 
GANGRKNOSA  is  scarcely,  if  at  all,  known  in  Edinburgh; 
at  least,  in  the  course  of  five  years,  we  never  saw  it: 
and,  in  the  lectures  of  Dr.  Cullen  and  Dr.  Gregory, 
this  kind  of  sore  throat  was  spoken  of  so  indiscrimi- 
nately, as  if  they  were  little  acquainted  with  the  com- 
plaint. In  the  ulcerated  throat  as  it  appears  in  Eng- 
land, purgatives  are  certainly  not  admissible ;  and  we 
have  seldom  found  them  very  advantageous  in  scarla- 
tina. Dr.  Hamilton  means  by  purgatives  what  we 
have  called  laxatives,  but  administers  them  in  separate 
doses. 

CATHAR'TICUS,  SAL,  (from  xaOxif*,  to  purge). 
Called  also  amarus  sal,  magnesia  -vitriolata,  Ebshamen- 
sis,  and  £fisomen»it  sal.  PURGING  SALT,  EPSOM  SALT, 
and  ENGLISH  SALT.  This  salt  was  first  obtained  from 
the  mineral  water  at  Epsom  :  it  was  afterwards  separat- 
ed from  the  brine  which  remains  after  the  crystallization 
of  common  salt,  and  the  latter  is  now  in  general  use.  It 
is  composed  of  the  vitriolic  acid  and  magnesia ;  differ- 
ing from  the  natron  vitriolatum,  which  has  a  mineral 
alkaline  salt  for  its  basis.  The  first  is  often  sold  for  the 
latter;  but  they  are  distinguished  by  adding  any  alka- 
line salt  to  a  solution  of  the  former,  when  the  earth  will 
be  precipitated. 

It  is  with  this  salt  that  the  purging  mineral  waters 
are  frequently  impregnated,  and  to  which  they  often  owe 
their  virtue.  It  hath  a  bitter  taste,  is  soluble  in  less  than 
twice  its  weight  of  water,  shoots  into  long  prismatic 
crystals,  liquifies  and  bubbles  in  a  moderate  heat,  emit- 
ting a  quantity  of  aqueous  vapours ;  it  changes  to  a 
white  spongy  mass,  which  is  more  bitter  than  the  ori- 
ginal salt. 

If  this  salt  is  dissolved  in  water  and  crystallized 
afresh,  it  concretes  into  a  larger  kind  of  crystals, 
which  resemble  the  purging  salt  usually  called  Glau- 
ber's. It  has  a  nauseous  bitter  taste ;  is  a  gentle  purga- 
tive, operating  in  general  with  ease  and  safety,  yet  with 
a  sufficient  efficacy,  and  quickly  finishing  its  operation. 
Two  or  three  drachms,  dissolved  in  a  pint  of  water,  ope- 
rate more  powerfully  and  easily  than  a  larger  quantity 
in  three  or  four  ounces.  Its  passing  off  hastily,  and 
not  exciting  the  action  of  the  intestinal  fibres,  seem  to 
be  its  principal  imperfections.  In  small  doses  often 
repeated  it  promotes  the  secretions  in  general,  and 
proves  an  excellent  aperient  in  many  chronical  disor- 
ders. It  seldom  occasions  gripes  or  sickness,  like  re- 
sinous purges.  If  the  patient  keep  warm,  small  doses 
will  excue  perspiration;  if  cool,  they  pass-  off  by  urine. 
As  a  purge,  from  an  ounce  to  an  ounce  and  a  half  is  a 
full  dose,  which,  when  dissolved  in  a  quart  of  water 
with  a  drachm  of  mace  or  of  cardamom  seeds  previously 


C  A  T 


379 


<     V  T 


-ed  in  it,  sits  easy  on  the  stomach.     See  Lewis's 
Mat.  Med.     Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

C'ATrtA'RTfcus  HISPAXICUS  SAL.  It  is  produced  near 
Madrid  from  some  springs:  it  is  neutral,  and  agrees 
with  the  natron  vitriolatum,  or  Glauber's  salt.  Its  ope- 
ration is  very  gentle. 

CATHV'STICUS  GLAUEE'RI  SAL.     See  GLAUBERI  SAL. 

-.  THE'DRA,  (from  ^tifyu*.-,  to  sit).     See  A.\u-. 
CATHE  STECOS.     See  DI.ETA. 

\THETERI'SMUS,    (from    xatilt;,    catheterv*}. 
The  hitroduction  of  the  catheter  into  the  bladder;  an 
llation  given  by  P.  jEgineta  to  this  operation,  which 
.ouired  in  the  following  cases. 

1.  When  a  stone  lies  internally  on  the  neck  of  the 
bladder,  and  stops  the  discharge  of  the  urine. 

When  a  preternatural  weakness  of  the  bladder 
hinders  the  urine  from  being  discharged  in  the  usual 
manner;  and  when  other  remedies  fail,  which  often 
happens  in  women  weakened  with  labour,  or  when  the 
head  of  the  child  presses  on  the  urethra. 

3.  When,  by  long  retention  of  urine,  the  bladder  is 
so.  distended  and  weakened  as  not  to  be  able  to  dis- 
charge its  contents. 

4.  When  mucus,  blood,  pus,  or  other  matter,  sticks 
in  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  from  ulcers,  or  wounds  of 
the  kidneys,  or  from  discharges  of  bloody  urine. 

5.  When  the  urethra,  or  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  is 
contracted  or  obstructed ;  but  in  this  case  bougies  are 
preferred  ;  or  when  the  prostate  is  scirrhous  and  pre- 
vents the  passage  of  the  urine. 

6.  In  the  last  months  of  pregnancy  it  is  sometimes 
useful  to  introduce  the  catheter,  to  draw  off  the  urine, 
as  the  weight  of  the  uterus  obstructs  its  discharge. 

~.  When  a  prolapsus  uteri  produces  an  ischury. 

8.  When  a  liquor  is  to  be  injected  into  the  bladder; 
in  which  case  a  bladder,  or  an  elastic  bottle,  may  be 
filled  with  the  liquor  to  be  injected,  fastened  to  the 
catheter,  and,  by  gentle  pressure,  conveyed  through 
it. 

It  is  easy  to  introduce  the  catheter  into  the  female 
bladder,  since  the  direction  of  the  urethra  is  nearly 
straight;  but  in  males  there  is  some  difficulty.  Heister 
directs  the  man  to  lie  on  his  back,  and  the  operator  to 
:ake  the  penis  in  his  left  hand,  as  he  stands  on  the  pa- 
tient's left  side,  reclining  the  penis  towards  the  navel ; 
then  he  is  to  introduce  the  catheter,  with  its  concave 
part  to  the  belly,  into  the  urethra,  so  far  as  the  os 
pubis  ;  and  so  thrusting  it  under  the  symphysis  of  those 
bones,  and  moving  the  hands  gently  outwards,  forces  it 
into  the  bladder. 

If  the  catheter  is  too  small,  it  is  the  more  apt  to 
stop  in  the  corrugations  and  foldings  of  the  urethra, 
which  often  occur  in  elderly  men.  Dr.  Hunter  adds, 
that  some  impediments  are  often  met  with  at  the  caput 
gallinaginis,  in  which  case  he  advises  to  draw  the  ca- 
theter a  little  back,  and  press  the  end  of  the  catheter  a 
iittle  higher,  and  then  it  will  slip  in;  but  he  cautions 
against  using  any  force.  If  a  difficulty  is  sti'l  found, 
he  advises  the  operator  to  put  a  finger  into  the  anus, 
at  the  same  time  draw  the  perinium  forward,  and 
therewith  endeavour  to  assist  the  catheter  in  its  intro- 
duction. 

Mr.  Ware,  in  a  paper  expressly  written  on  this  sub- 
ject, say-,  "  The  mode  in  which  I  pass  the  instrument 
is  as  follows  :  being  first  thoroughly  oiled,  I  introduce 


it  into  the  urethra,  with  its  convex  part  uppenno- 
carry  it  as  far  as  h  will  pass  without  us;ng  force ; 
I  turn  it  slowly  round,  so  as  to  bring  its  concave  side 
uppermost;  and  in  doing  this,  I  make  a  large  sweep 
with  the  handle  of  the  instrument,  and  at  the   same 
time  keep  my  attention  fixed  steadily  on  its  apex,  or 
inner  termination,  which  I  take  particular  care  neither 
to  retract,  nor  to  remove  from  its  first  line  of  dirt  - 
When  the  catheter  is  turned,  it  must  still  be  pressed 
onward,  and  its  handle  at  the   same   time   gently  de- 
pressed :  by  this  method  it  will  be  made  to  enter  the 
bladder." 

The  catheter  made  use  of  by  Mr.  Ware  is  twelve 
inches  long,  which  is  more  than  an  inch  above  the  or- 
dinary length ;  and  the  curvature  larger  than  common, 
as  represented  in  the  plate  he  has  annexed;  and  with 
which  he  has  succeeded  often,  where  others  of  a  differ- 
ent size  and  curvature  had  failed. 

Those  catheters  are  the  best  that  are  made  with  small 
holes  at  their  ends,  instead  of  long  rhomboidul  aper- 
tures. 

In  the  following  cases  this  instrument  cannot  be 
used: 

1.  When  the  neck  of  the  bladder  is  greatly  inflamed, 
for  then  the  urethra  is  much  contracted,  and  force  in 
this  case  would  endanger  a  sphacelus.  2.  When  a  ca- 
runcle, cicatrix,orhard  tubercle,  obstructs  the  passage. 
3.  In  old  men,  sometimes  from  the  stricture  shrir'. 
or  from  wrinkles  in  the  urethra.  4.  From  the  disten- 
tion  of  the  spongy  substance  of  the  urethra  with  blood. 
.  5.  From  a  scirrhosity  or  preternatural  tumour  of  the 
prostate  gland.  6.  From  a  stone  lodged  in  the  neck  of 
the  bladder.  7.  When  the  uterus  is  remarkably  pro- 
minent and  pendulous  over  the  ossa  pubis,  the  neck  of 
the  bladder,  then  forming  an  angle  with  the  body  of  the 
bladder,  hinders  the  passage  of  the  catheter.  8.  When 
the  uterus  is  retroverted,  in  which  state  it  drags  the 
bladder  upwards  and  backwards. 

CATHETE'RUS.  CA'THETER,  (from  KZ. 
thrust  into).  Also  called  aul:*cte^fistula.  It  is  ••».  long 
crooked  tube  introduced  through  the  urethra  into  the 
bladder,  when  solid  for  the  discovery  of  a  stone,  or  when 
hollow  to  occasion  a  flow  of  urine  if  suppressed.  The 
L  .tins  call  it  fistula :  and  it  had  the  epithet  aenea  from 
the  matter  of  which  it  was  formed.  It  is  the  name  also 
for  BOUGIE,  which  see. 

CATHIDRU'SIS,  (from  *ati?fou,  to  filace  together}. 
See  FRACTURA  and  CATIMIA. 

CATHI'MIA.  In  the  Spagyric  language  signifies 
subterraneous  mineral  veins;  concretions  in  the  fur- 
nace of  gold  and  silver  ;  and  soot  that  adheres  to  the 
walls  in  burning  brass.  It  is,  in  fact,  cadmia  disguised 
by  bad  spelling.  See  LITHARGYB.VM. 

CATHO'LCEUS,  (from  x*7*,  and  cAx<»,  to  dra-z 
oi'<-r).  An  oblong  fillet  which  came  over  the  whole 
bandage  of  the  head,  called  periscepastrum,  or  the 
sling  with  six  heads.  See  FASCIA. 

CATHO'LICOX.  A  general  or  universal  medicine, 
formerly  supposed  to  purge  off  all  bad  humours,  (from 
x.xT<t,  through,  and  c>.*>,  the  whole  j:  sometimes  termed 
diucafhoticon,  or  the  universal  purge.  It  was  an  elec- 
tuary which  Nicolaus  prescribed,  as  a  purge  suited  to 
carry  oft'  all  kinds  of  humours. 

CATHY'PNIA,  from   im®>,  ;nd 


C  A  U 


380 


C  ATI 


CA'TIAS,  CA'TIUS,(from  xaQtv/u,  dimitto,  to  place 
in}.  An  incision  knife,  formerly  used  to  extract  a  dead 
fcetus,  and  for  opening  an  abscess  in  the  uterus. 

CATI'LLIA.     The  weight  of  nine  ounces. 

CA'TINUM    ALU'MEN.      See   CLAVELLATI    Ci- 

NERES. 

CATI'SCHON,  (from  Kctrie-^a,  to  retain}.  One  who 
is  costive,  or  not  easily  purged. 

CATIXIS,  (from  a»l  i%iv,/ier  rcctam  viam}.  ON  THE 
SAME  SIDE.  In  inflammation  of  the  liver,  a  crisis  of 
blood  is  discharged  from  the  nose  by  the  right  nostril ; 
and  in  inflammation  of  the  spleen  by  the  left.  It  hath 
long  been  supposed  that  nature  endeavours  with  more 
vigour,  and  more  certain  success,  to  free  herself  by 
passages  on  the  side  of  the  disease. 

CATOCATHA'RTICA,  (from  X.«T*,  downwards, 
and  Ka.6x.ipa,  fiurgo}.  See  CATHARTICA. 

CA'TOCHE,  and  CATOCHUS,  (from  »«7^«,  to 
detain}.  See  CATALEPSIS,  CAROS,  and  TETANUS. 

CATOCHI'TES,  (from  x.xli%a,  to  retain).  A  stone 
found  in  Corsica,  which  Pliny  says  attracts  and  retains 
the  hand  when  laid  upon  it. 

CATO'DON,  (from  X.O.TU,  below,  and  «&«,  a  tooth  ; 
because  it  has  teeth  only  in  its  lower  jaw).  See  CETE 

ADMIRABILE. 

CATOMI'SMOS,  (from  «<*»•«,  under,  and  #JK.®-,  the 
shoulder}.  By  this  word  P.  .Egineta  expresses  a  mode 
of  reducing  a  luxated  humerus,  performed  by  a  strong 
man  taking  the  patient's  arm  and  laying  it  over  his 
shoulder,  so  that  he  can  raise  him  from  the  ground ; 
thus  by  the  "weight  of  the  body  the  luxation  is  reduced. 

CATO'PTER,  (from  »*7«,  through,  oirlopxi,  to  see, 
and  by  metaphor,  to  Jirobe}.  See  SPECULUM. 

CATORCHI'TES,  (from  >c«7«,  and  «/>£<?,  orchis}. 
A  sort  of  wine  in  which  the  orchis  root  has  been  used. 
Uloscorides. 

CATORE'TICA,  CATOTE'RICA,  (from  **«, 
downwards,  and  pea,  to  flow}.  See  PURGANTIA. 

CATTA'RIA.  See  MENTHA  CATARIA,  and  CATA- 
RIA. 

CATTU-SCHl'RAGAM.  (Indian.)  The  Malabar 
name  for  the  scabiosa  Indica  arborea,  the  seeds  of  which 
kill  worms.  Raii  Hist. 

CATULO'TICA,  (from  x.x]y>j>a,to  cicatrise,}  impro- 
perly catalotica.  Medicines  that  cicatrise  wounds. 

CA'TULUS.  In  zoology  it  is  a  PUPPY.  See  CANIS. 
[u  botany  it  is  a  CATKIN.  See  AMENTACEI  FLORES. 

CATU-TRI'PALI.     See  PIPER  LONGUM. 

CAU'CALIS,  (from  xavxiov,  a  cufi,  so  named  from 
the  shape  of  its  flower).  BASTARD  PARSLEY,  called 
also  echinojihora.  tertia,  lafi/iula  Canaria,fiseudoselinum, 
anihriscus,  daucus  annuus  minor,  HEDGE  PARSLEY. 
It  has  generally  red  flowers,  and  possesses  the  common 
qualities  of  the  garden  parsley.  See  APIUM  HOR- 

I'ENSE. 

CAUCALOI'DES,  (from  *a««»A/s,  and  ufa,  like- 
ness}. A  name  of  the  fiatella,  in  Moschion  de  Morb. 
Mulieb.  so  called  from  its  likeness  to  the  flower  of  the 
caucalis. 

CAU'DA.  jEtius,  in  his  Tetrab.  4.  serm.  4.  ch.  103. 
says,  that  in  some  women  a  fleshy  substance  arises  from 
the  os  uteri,  and  fills  the  vagina.  Sometimes  it  protu- 
berates  without  the  lips  of  the  pudenda,  like  the  tail  of 
some  animal.  If  this  substance  ever  existed,  it  must 
have  been  enlarged  clitoris,  or,  if  a  disease,  a  polypus. 


In  order  to  extirpate  it,  he  advises  to  extend  it  with  a 
forceps,  and  then  cut  it  off";  after  which  it  must  be 
dressed  with  lint  dipped  in  rough  wine.  It  is  also  a 
name  of  the  os  coccygis. 

CAU'DA  Equi'NA.  In  anatomy  the  medulla  spinalis 
ends  about  the  first  or  second  lumbar  vertebra,  and 
there  forms  itself  into  many  branches,  which  receive  all 
together  the  name  cauda  euuina,  from  being  like  a 
horse's  tail.  From  the  loins  downwards  the  holes  in  the 
vertebra  are  somewhat  lower  than  the  origin  of  the 
nerves  that  pass  through  them ;  hence  it  is  of  import- 
ance, when  any  disorder  arises  from  an  injury  of  any  of 
the  nerves  below  the  first  and  second  lumbar  vertebra, 
to  advert  to  this  circumstance;  and,  as  at  the  first  or 
second  vertebra  of  the  loins  the  cauda  equinci  begins, 
so,  in  tracing  the  source  of  all  the  nerves  below  these 
parts,  this  is  their  origin.  See  LUMBARES. 

CAU'DA  MURIS.  A  species  of  RANUNCULUS.  Sec  also 
MYOSURUS. 

CAU'DA  PORCI'NA.     See  PEUCEDANUM. 

CAU'DA  VU'LPIS  RUBICU'NDI.  A  preparation  of 
lead. 

CAUDA'TIO,  (from  cauda,  a  tail,}  an  elongation 
of  the  clitoris.  See  CAUDA. 

CAUDE'X.  The  TRUNK  of  a  TREE,  or  that  part  of 
a  plant  which  lies  betwixt  the  root  and  the  branches. 
According  to  Linnaeus,  when  a  seed  germinates,  the 
caudex  descendens  terminates  in  roots,  the  ascendens 
in  branches  and  leaves. 

CAULE'DON,  (because  it  breaks  like  xccv*&-,  a 
stalk}.  A  species  of  fracture,  when  the  bone  is  broken 
transversely  so  as  not  to  cohere. 

CAULI'AS,  (from  r-av^os,  a  stalk}.  An  epithet  for 
that  juice  of  the  asafoetida  plant  which  flows  from  the 
stalk,  by  way  of  distinction  from  that  which  flows  from 
the  root,  and  is  called  f'<£«*?,  rizias.  Its  stalk  is  styled 
caulos. 

CAU'LIS,  and  CAU'LOS,  (from  kalah,  a  Chaldean 
term).  The  STALK.  See  CAUDEX.  It  is  a  name  also 
for  both  the  PENIS  and  VAGINA  ;  and  in  corn  and  grass 
it  is  called  the  BLADE.  It  is  a  name  for  a  cabbage  or 
colewort.  See  BHASSICA  SATIVA. 

CAU'LIS  FLO'RIDA.     See  CAULIFLOWER. 

CAULO'DES,  (from  x.etv^,  cabbage}.  See  BRAS? 
SICA. 

CAU'MA,  (from  KO.IU,  to  burn}.  The  heat  of  the 
atmosphere  ;  or  of  the  body  in  a  fever. 

CAU'NGA.     See  ARECA. 

CAU'SA.  (Latin.)  A  CAUSE.  Causation,  among 
metaphysicians  and  logicians,  is  a  subject  of  peculiar 
difficulty  and  of  some  clanger  ;  since,  in  pursuing  the 
reasoning  without  due  attention,  some  of  the  best  men 
have  advanced  nearer  the  confines  of  infidelity  than 
they  have  suspected  ;  and  mankind,  ever  prone  to  cen- 
sure, have  caught  with  eagerness  at  little  errors,  and 
pursued  the  author  with  the  acrimony  which  crimes 
only  merited.  As  logical  disquisitions  can  have  no 
place  in  this  work,  we  shall  fortunately  escape  the  quick- 
sands, though  we  may  encounter  whirlpools,  on  the  op- 
posite shore.  Dr.  Wallis,  in  his  work  on  Health  and 
Diseases,  and  in  the  last  edition  of  this  Dictionary, 
seemed  to  plume  himself  on  establishing  certainty 
from  his  disquisitions  on  this  subject,  in  a  science  for- 
merly conjectural ;  yet  a  more  confused  farrago  of  rea- 
soning, with  scarcely  a  clear  determinate  idea,  never 


c  Atr 


(J  A  L 


occurred.     Disputes,  however,  are  still  less  within  our 
province,  and  particularly  with  our  predecessors. 

To  ascertain  the  nature  and  degree  of  causation  re- 
specting diseases,  we  must  first  enquire  what  a  DIS- 
EASE is;  and  we  shall  so  far  anticipate  that  article  by 
saying,  that  a  disease  is  that  condition  of  the  human 
body,  in  which  the  actions  of  life  and  health  proper 
to  it  are  not  performed,  or  performed  imperfectly. 
According  to  this  definition,  the  disease  consists  in  the 
disordered  or  impeded  functions;  and  these  form,  in 
our  views,  its  essence.  By  these  it  is  defined ;  by  these 
distinguished.  Authors  formerly,  and  often  at  present, 
suppose  that  the  disease  consists  in  the  injury  which 
disorders  or  impedes  the  functions  :  thus  what  they  con- 
sider as  the  disease  is,  strictly  speaking,  only  the  im- 
mediate cause.  The  difference  is,  indeed,  merely  verbal ; 
and,  when  established,  either  plan  may  with  equal  reason 
be  supported.  If,  however,  it  be  necessary  to  speak  of 
diseases  as  characterised  by  fixed  indisputed  marks,  it 
must  be  established  on  a  securer  basis  than  the  fluc- 
tuating systems  of  pathology.  In  this  way  the  real 
disease,  like  the  unknown  quantity  of  the  algebraist,  is 
uncertain  ;  but  as  it  has  distinguishing  properties  and  a 
peculiar  appellation,  every  end  is  attained. 

Since  a  disease  supposes  a  change  of  the  body 
from  a  sound  state  discriminated  by  a  given  concourse 
of  symptoms,  these  symptoms  are  the  effect  of  that 
change;  and  the  change  itself  the  effect  of  a  given 
power  by  whose  influence  it  exists.  Whatever,  then, 
it  be  by  whose  influence  the  disease  exists,  is  its  cause. 
In  medicine,  also,  it  is  not  necessary  that  the  cause  be 
active,  though  logicians  scarcely  admit  any  other :  pri- 
vation, as  will  be  seen,  is  a  frequent  cause  of  corporeal 
changes,  and  often  a  source  of  disease  ;  as  depriving  a 
muscle  of  a  portion  of  its  nervous  power,  occasions  vio- 
lent convulsions. 

The    minute  difference  of  causes  in   the  works  of 
many  pathologists,  would  lead  to  pompous  trifling,  and 
would  disgrace  a  science  which  should  be  distinguished 
by  its  utility  alone.     The  first  important  distinction  of 
causes  is  into  infernal  and  external.     The  former  im- 
plies some  defect  previously  rooted  in   the  body  be- 
fore it  breaks  out  into  a  disease,  or  before  it  becomes 
conspicuous  by   evident  symptoms.     To  such  a  state, 
though  really  a  morbid  change,  Gaubius  himself,  who 
considers  what  we  would  style  the  immediate  cause  as 
the  disease,  will  not  allow  that  appellation.     External 
causes  are,  improper  diet,  inclement  weather,  sudden 
changes  of  temperature,  or,  indeed,  whatever  affects  the 
body   from  without.     These   have  been  styled  evident 
causes  ;  and  even  the  most  empirical  systems  admit  the 
utility  of  enquiries  into  them.    Internal  causes  form  the 
teminium  m:>r&i,the  predisposition  to  disease;  and  such 
is  the  state  of  the   human  frame,  that  no  constitution 
can  be  pronounced  free  from  predisposition.     There  is, 
in  every  one,  some  weak  organ  which  requires  only  an 
exciting  cause  10  blow  the  spark  into  a  flame.     Thus  a 
vomica  is  brought  to   a  suppuration  by  an  accidental 
cold,  which  would  never   otherwise    have  occasioned 
any  inconvenience.     This  internal  cause,  which  is  often 
styled  causa  iratr/uu-or^  or  predisponent,  is  roused  to 
action   by    what   is  styled    the  exciting    cause,   catna 
" '*>'/'* <Y.r*  sometimes  occasio,  or  occasional  cause. 
This   •->  generally  external,  though  not  necessarily  so, 
as  we  shall  soon  find.     In   general,  neither  of  these 


causes  alone  will  produce  a  disease,  but  the  concurrcia  i 
of  both  is  required.  If  there  is  no  predisposition,  the 
occasional  cause  is  harmless :  without  the  occasio,  a 
predisposition  may  exist  for  years  harmless. 

These  causes  have  been  styled,  in  conjunction,  prin- 
tipia  morborum,  and  the  logical  meaning  of  principium 
may  be  understood  from  Sauvages'  Definition  of  a  Cause, 
adopted,  if  we  recollect  rightly,  from  \Volfius;  "  Causa 
est,  illud  ex  quo  intelligitur  alterius  actualis  existentia, 
unde  discrefiat  a  firincijii'j,  ex  quo  nan  actualitas  eed 
tan  turn  fiossibilitas-  intelligitur." 

What  authors  have  styled  the  disease,  or  what  the 
more  correct  pathologists  of  the  present  day  call  the 
proximate  cause,  viz.  the  morbid  laesion,  alone  merits 
the  appellation  of  a  cause.  "  That  only,"  observes  Gau- 
bius, "  deserves  the  name  of  a  physical  cause,  which  so 
constitutes  the  disease  that,  when  present,  the  disease 
exists ;  while  it  remains,  the  disease  remains ;  when 
changed  or  removed,  the  disease  is  equally  altered  or 
destroyed."  The  lax  use  of  the  term  cause  among  phy- 
sicians has  occasioned  much  ridicule  on  the  art,  whicli 
should  have  been  directed  against  its  unskilful  profes- 
sors :  and  causes,without  effects ;  effects  without  causes ; 
opposite  effects  from  the  same  cause ;  or  the  same  effect 
^ from  opposite  causes;  have  not  been  uncommonly  as- 
signed, and  furnished  a  foundation  for  numerous  sneers. 
The  English  reader  need  not  look  further  for  examples 
than  Tristram  Shandy  and  Hudibras. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  body  only,  without  mention- 
ing the  mind.  We  well  know  their  mutual  influence; 
but  have  yet  to  learn,  whether  disease  may  consist 
merely  in  mental  injury,  or,  indeed,  whether  morbid 
motions  can  originate  from  mind.  The  mental  prin- 
ciple, which  regulates  the  whole  system,  has  been 
already  spoken  of.  Its  tranquillity  and  passions  may  be 
considered,  as  its  health  and  diseases.  These,  however, 
are  transitory,  but  they  affect  for  a  time  the  body.  Joy 
and  exultation  have  raised  the  mental  powers  so  high 
that  they  have  sunk  from  exhausted  excitability ;  and 
the  depressing  passions,  by  lowering  the  irritability, 
have  produced  visceral  obstructions,  and  every  symptom 
of  cachexy.  But  whatever  may  have  been  the  mental 
source,  the  effect  is  continued  from  disease  of  body. 
The  mental  disease  may  be  alleviated  or  removed ;  the 
bodily  remains  ;  norm  any  instance,  whatever  tempo- 
rary relief  may  arise  from  soothing  consolation,  can  the 
disease  be  removed  without  bodily  remedies. 

In  body,  however,  as  in  mind,  the  remote  causes  may 
cease  to  act  without  any  change  in  the  disease.  When 
it  is  once  produced,  their  presence  or  absence  occasions 
little  alteration.  A  person,  for  instance,  affected  by 
fever  from  marsh  miasmata,  may  be  removed  to  the 
healthiest  situation  without  any  change  of  his  com- 
plaint; and  the  cold  that  produced  rheumatisai  may 
be  removed  with  little  relief  of  his  disorder.  This,  as 
we  have  said,  is  not  the  case  with  the  proximate  cause  : 
it  commences,  continues,  and  ends,  with  the  disease. 

Another  circumstance  respecting  causes  demands 
our  attention.  We  have  explained  two  kinds  of  remote 
causes;  but  between  these  and  the  proximate  there 
are  many  intermediate  steps.  There  is,  as  we  have 
formerly  said,  a  series  of  causes  and  effects  before  the 
morbid  laesion  takes  place.  Thus,  in  the  common 
cause  of  dropsy  ebriety,  we  see  that  the  tone  of  the 
stomach  is  originally  destroyed.  This  want  of  irrita.- 


0  A 


382 


C  AY 


bility  is  communicated  to  the  liver;  infarctions  take 
place ;  the  returning  blood  to  the  vena  ports  is  checked 
in  its  progress ;  the  exhalant  arteries  have  more  than 
their  proportion  of  fluids;  and  exhalation  is  increased 
beyond  what  the  absorbents  can  convey,  which  also 
seem  to  experience  the  same  defective  irritability.  In 
this  series  there  is  no  predisponent  cause;  and  which  is 
the  remote  cause  of  the  disease,  the  diminished  tone 
of  the  stomach,  the  infarctions  of  the  liver,  the  ob- 
struction of  the  vena  portae,  or  increased  exhalation  ? 
Yet  medical  authors  give  with  confidence  remote  and 
proximate  causes,  though  the  former  are  often  various, 
and  the  latter  frequently  unknown.  In  short,  in  every 
science  there  is  too  much  jargon,  and  too  many  pre- 
tensions to  a  knowledge  that  we  cannot,  which  pro- 
bably we  never  shall,  possess. 

We  just  now  cited  the  cause  of  dropsy  with  a  parti- 
cular design :  it  was  to  adduce  it  as  an  instance,  that 
predisponent  causes,  aeminia  morbi,  do  not  always 
occur.  The  same  occasional  causes  will  produce  the 
disease  in  the  best  constitution ;  as  a  fall  from  a  house 
will  bring  on  haemoptoe  in  the  person  whose  lungs  are 
most  sound. 

To  return,  then;  the  proximate,  or  the  continent, 
cause  merits  our  chief  regard,  as  it  alone  furnishes  indi- 
cations of  cure.  This  is,  however,  often  uncertain,  and 
in  many  cases  unknown.  If  debility  furnish  the  lead- 
ing clue  to  explain  the  phenomena  of  fever,  we  can 
scarcely  explain  its  operation  or  connection  with  every 
symptom ;  nor  can  we  say  why,  when  its  cause  is 
removed,  the  effect  should  not  cease.  In  the  disease 
just  mentioned,  dropsy,  we  can  scarcely  in  any  instance 
see  the  particular  cause  of  the  increased  exhalation  or 
diminished  absorption ;  nor,  as  we  have  found,  can  we 
rest  on  either  any  clear  discriminated  indications  of  cure. 
We  must,  therefore,  often  collect  rules  from  experi- 
ence, and  connect  them  with  the  more  obvious  causes 
and  the  more  certain  changes  in  the  constitution  when 
deviating  from  the  healty  state. 

CAU'SIS,  (from  K*I»,  wro,  to  burn).    See  AMBUSTA. 

CAUSO'DES  FF/BRIS,  (from  **<«,  to  burn).  See 
FEBRIS  ARDENS. 

CAUSO'MA,  (from  the  same).  In  Hippocrates 
signifies  a  burning  heat  and  inflammation. 

CAU'STICA.    CAUSTICS,  (from  xctiu,to  burn).    See 

ESCHAROTICA. 

CAU'STICUM     AMERICA'NUM.     See    CEVA- 

DILLA. 

CAU'STICUM  COMMU'NE  FO'RTIUS.     Ph.  Lond. 

The  common  stronger  caustic  of  the  London  college, 
called  now  CALX  CUM  KA'LI,  is  made  by  adding  five 
pounds  four  ounces  of  quick  lime,  to  water  of  pure 
kali,  sixteen  pounds.  The  water  of  pure  kali  is  re- 
duced by  boiling  to  a  fourth  part ;  and  the  lime  reduced 
to  a  powder  by  the  affusion  of  water  gradually  added. 
It  must  be  kept  in  a  vessel  close  stopped.  For  the 
mode  of  application  see  ESCHAROTICA. 

CAU'STICUM  LUNA'RE.     See  ARGENTUM. 

CAU'STICUM  OPIA'TUM.     OPIATED  CAUSTIC. 

R.  Calcis  cum  kali  puro  3  ij-  opii  pulverisati  5  ss- 
saponis  mollis  q.  s.  commisceantur  calx  cum  kali  puro, 
et  opium,  et  in  pastam  cum  sapone  molli  formentur. 
This  is  used  in  the  radical  cure  of  an  hydrocele,  by  form- 
ing, of  adhesive  plaster  spread  on  leather  of  several  thick- 


nesses, a  circular  aperture  adapted  to  the  lower  and  an- 
terior part  of  the  tumour,  in  which  the  paste  is  intro- 
duced. This  is  to  continue  for  about  eight  hours, 
about  which  time  it  will,  without  much  pains,  pene- 
trate down  to  the  tunica  vaginalis.  Afterwards  apply 
poultices  till  the  eschar  sloughs  :  then  the  water  is  eva- 
cuated, and  the  cure  completed.  This  is  Mr.  Else's 
mode  at  St.  Thomas's  Hospital. 

CAU'SUS,  (from  x.*i«,  uro,  to  burn).  See  ARDENS 
FEBRIS  and  DIPSAS. 

CAUTE'RIUM,  (from  KXIU,  to  burn).  A  CAUTERY, 
either  actual  or  potential.  See  ESCHAHOTICA. 

Cautcrium  Potentiate  Ph.  Edinb.  The  POTENTIAL 
CAUTERY  of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensary. 

Take  of  Russian  potash  and  quick  lime,  of  each  equal 
parts ;  of  spring  water  three  times  the  quantity  of  the 
whole  ;  macerate  them  for  two  days,  occasionally  stirring 
them  ;  then  filter  the  ley,  and  evaporate  it  to  dryness; 
put  the  dry  mass  into  a  crucible,  and  urge  it  with  a 
strong  fire  till  it  flows  like  oil ;  then  pour  it  out  upon  a 
flat  plate  made  hot,  and  while  the  matter  continues 
soft  cut  it  into  pieces  of  a  proper  size  and  figure,  and 
keep  them  in  glasses  closely  stopped. 

This  is  also  called  lafiis  sefiticas.  It  is  a  strong  and 
sudden  caustic,  but  it  deliquesces  too  soon  in  the  air, 
and  runs  beyond  its  proper  bounds  ;  indeed,  the  sudden- 
ness of  its  action  depends  on  its  disposition  to  liquefy. 
But  this  inconvenience  is  avoided  in  the  calx  cum  kali 
puro.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

CA'VA  VE'NA.  The  principal  vein,  which  re- 
ceives the  refluent  blood,  and  conveys  it  to  the  heart,  is 
thus  named,  from  its  size. 

The  vena  cava  is  generally  described  as  being  two; 
viz.  the  ascending  and  the  descending;  the  right  auri- 
cle receives  them  both,  one  at  its  upper,  the  other  at  its 
lower  part. 

The  superior  vena  cava  receives  the  blood  principally 
from  the  thorax,  head,  and  upper  extremities,  with  a  very 
small  proportion  from  the  parts  below  the  diaphragm. 

The  inferior  vena  cava  receives  the  blood  principally 
from  the  abdomen  and  lower  extremities,  and  very  lit- 
tle from  the  parts  above  the  diaphragm. 

The  ancients  called  the  vena  cava  superior,  the  vena 
cava  ascendejis  ;  and  the  vena  cava  inferior,  vena  cava 
descendens. 

According  to  Winslow,  who  is  extremely  accurate 
in  his  description  of  the  blood  vessels,  the  superior 
vena  cava  runs  down  to  the  right  auricle  of  the  heart, 
almost  in  a  direct  course,  for  about  two  fingers'  breadth 
within  the  pericardium,  on  the  right  side  of  the  aorta, 
but  a  little  more  anteriorly.  Above  the  pericardium,  it 
runs  down  from  the  cartilage  of  the  first  true  rib,  and 
a  little  higher  than  the  curvature  of  the  aorta;  here  it 
receives  two  branches,  viz.  the  right  and  left  subcla- 
vian  veins.  The  trunk  of  this  upper  vena  cava,  above 
the  pericardium,  to  the  just  named  bifurcation,  receives 
anteriorly  the  vena  mediastina,  pericardia,  diaphrag- 
matica  superior,  thymica,  mammaria  interna,  and 
trachealis.  All  these  are  called  dextrse.  Their  fel- 
lows on  the  other  side  are  called  sinistrre ;  they  do  not 
fall  into  the  trunk  of  the  vena  cava,  but  into  the  left 
subclavianvein.  Posteriorly,  a  little  above  the  pericar- 
dium, the  trunk  of  the  vena  cava  receives  a  capital 
branch,  called  vena  azygos.  It  runs  down  by  the  ver- 


C  E  D 


383 


CED 


tebrae  dorsi,  almost  to  the  diaphragm,  composed  of  the 
greatest  part  of  the  venae  intercostales  and  lumbares  su- 
periores. 

Hardly  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  one  side  of  the  vena  ca- 
i-a  inferior  is  contained  in  the  pericardium  ;  from  thence 
it  immediately  perforates  the  diaphragm,  receiving  the 
venae  diaphragmaticae  inferiores,  orphrenicae :  it  passes 
behind  the  liver,  through  the  great  sinus  of  that  viscus, 
from  which  it  receives  venae  hepaticae.  In  this  course  it 
inclines  towards  the  spina  dorsi  and  aorta  inferior,  the 
trunk  and  ramifications  of  which  it  accompanies  all  the 
way  to  the  os  sacrum,  the  arteria  cceliaca  and  the  two 
mesentericae  excepted.  Arrived  at  the  os  sacrum,  the 
two  iljacae  unite  to  form  its  trunk,  joined  by  the  hy- 
pogastricae,  and  some  other  branches  distributed  into 
the  pelvis.  Under  the  ligamentum  Fallopii  they  take 
the  name  of  crurales,  each  of  which  receives  the  blood 
from  the  lower  extremities. 

CA'VAN,  dicta  THO'RA  PA'ROU.     See  CAJAX. 

CAVE'RXA,  (from  car"*,  hollow).  A  CAVERX.  See 

also  PUDEXDUM   MULIEBRE. 

CAVIA'RIUM,  (from  caviar).  It  is  the  pickled  roe 
of  the  sturgeon. 

CAVI'CULA,  and  CAVI'LLA,  (from  ca-ous).  See 
ASTRAGALUS,  and  also  CUNEIFORM?;  os. 

CA'VITAS  1XXOM1X  A'TA,(from  the  same).  See 
AURICULA. 

CA'YEXXE,  CA  VAX.     See  PIPER  LVDICUM. 

CAYUTANA  LU  ZOXIS.  See  FAGARA  MA- 
JOR. 

CA'ZABI.     See  CASSADA. 

CEANO'THOS,  (from  ten  tt'/*Su,  because  it  pricks 
at  the  extreme  .parts).  See  CARDUUS  H.EMORRHOI- 
DALIS. 

CEANCXTHUS.     See  CELASTUS  INERMIS. 

CEA'SMA,  (from  ««$*>,  to  sfilit,  or  divide).  A  fis- 
sure or  fragment. 

CEBIPl'RA  Bra&iliensibus.  (Indian.)  Guacu,  or 
Miri.  A  tree  which  grows  in  Brasil.  Its  bark  is  bitter 
and  astringent,  and  the  decoction  is  employed  in  baths 
and  fomentations  for  the  relief  of  pains  in  the  limbs, 
diseases  from  cold,  tumours  of  the  feet  and  belly,  itch, 
and  other  cutaneous  diseases.  It  is  figured  by  Mar- 
grave in  his  plants  of  Brasil,  p.  100,  but  its  botanical 
place  has  not  been  ascertained. 

CE'CIS,  (from  >ui*.iu,  to  spring) .  A  GALL  of  the  OAK. 
So  called  because  it  springs  suddenly  from  the  oak. 
See  GALL^E. 

CECRY'PHALOS,  (from  *.fv*l*,  to  hide).  The  net 
in  which  women  confined  their  hair  (Hippocrates).  It 
is  also  applied  to  one  of  the  stomachs  of  ruminating 
animals.  See  ABOMASUM. 

CE'DMA,  (from  xe«**>,  to  disperse).  See  PUDEX- 
DAGRA. 

CE'DRA,  ESSE'NTIA  DE.     See  BERGAMOITE. 

CEDRELvE'UM,  (from  mS'ptf,  the  cedar  tree,  and 
EA«I*I,  oleum}.  OIL  of  CEDAR.  See  CEDRIA. 

CEDRE'LATE.  According  to  Bellonius,  this  word 
is  derived  from  t>***,  the  fir  tree,  and  **fy««,  the  cedar, 
because  it  grows  like  the  fir.  Among  botanists  it  sig- 
nifies that  species  of  cedar  which  is  said  to  exceed  all 
other  trees  in  size. 

CE'DRIA,  (from  x£o;»$,  the  cedar  tree).  It  is  called 
the  PITCH  and  the  RESIN  of  the  great  cedar  tree,  and 
it  is  the  crude  tears  of  the  cedar.  It  has  been  supposed 


different  from  the  cedrium,  or  oil  of  cedar,  which  is 
more  fluid ;  but,  by  writers  in  general,  it  is  called 
cedria,  cedrium,  and  cedrelteum.  Gorrasus  and  Pliny 
observe,  that  the  great  cedar  yields  a  pitch  called  cedria, 
to  which  Galen  gives  the  same  appellation  with  many 
others.  Salamasius  says,  that  the  Arabians  call  the  oil 
of  cedar  ketran,  or  alketran;  and  we,  by  a  corruption 
of  that  word,  give  the  name  of  cedrium  to  the  pitch 
which  is  used  for  ships.  Though  the  Greeks  confound 
cedreltsitm  with  cedria,  they  are  not  the  same  ;  for  the 
cedria  is  the  pitch,  or  resin,  that  distils  from  the  cedar 
tree ;  and  the  cedrelaeum  is  an  oil  obtained  from  the 
pitch  or  resin,  and  which  swims  above  it  in  boiling,  and 
is  collected  with  wool.  Dioscorides  remarks,  that  the 
best  cedria  is  thick,  pellucid,  and  of  a  nauseous  smell ; 
when  poured  out  it  does  not  spread,  but  collects  in 
drops,  and  preserves  dead  bodies  from  putrefaction  :  it 
does  not,  however,  appear  to  be  really  known  what  the 
cedrium  is. 

CEDRI'XUM  LI'GNUM.     See  JUNIPERIXUM. 

CEDRI'NUM  VI'NUM.  CEDAR  WINE.  Take  thin 
pieces  of  wood,  just  cut  from  the  tree,  while  the  fruit 
is  on  it,  and  expose  them  to  the  sun,  or  a  fire,  to  ob- 
tain their  juice  by  exudation.  A  pint  of  this  juice  is 
mixed  with  six  pints  of  wine.  After  standing  for  two 
months  they  are  decanted  into  another  vessel,  and  ex- 
posed for  some  time  to  the  sun.  The  wine  is  then  fit 
for  use. 

In  the  same  manner  are  prepared  wines  from  juniper, 
pine,  cypress,  bay,  and  the  wood  of  some  other  trees. 
All  these  wines  are  heating,  diuretic,  and  astringent ; 
the  bay  wine  is  particularly  so. 

Cedar  wine  is  also  prepared  by  mixing  half  a  pound 
of  the  bruised  berries  with  six  pints  of  must.  The  whole 
placed  in  the  sun  for  forty  days,  and  is  then  proper  for 
drinking. 

CEDRIXUM  is  a  name  for  the  composition  of  wax  and 
resin  used  for  ships.  See  CEDRIA. 

CE'DRIS.     See  CEDRUS. 

CEDRI'TES,  is  wine  in  which  the  resin  that  distils 
from  cedar  trees  has  been  steeped. 

CE'DRIUM.     See  CEDRIA,  and  Pix  LI^UIDA. 

CE'DRO  and  CEDROME'LA,  (from  «<T?o5  and 
fails*,  an  afifile).  See  CITREUM. 

CEDROXE'LLA,  (from  *eJ)««,  because  it  is  pro- 
duced by  a  sort  of  cedar  tree).  See  MELISSA. 

CEDRO'STIS,  (from  «ty««;  because  it  smells  like 
the  cedar).  See  BRYONIA  ALBA. 

CE'DRUS,  (from  Kedron,  a  valley  where  it  grew  in 
great  abundance,)  cedrus  conifera  foliis  laricis,  cedrus 
Libani,  cedrus  mag-na,  larix  orientalis.  The  fiinus 
cedrus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1420.  The  GREAT  CEDAR  OF 
LIBANUS.  Nat.  order  conifertf.  It  is  referred  by 
Tournefort  to  the  genus  meleza,  and  by  Jussieu  to  the 
juniperus. 

Modern  botanists  cannot  find  cedar  trees  that  agree 
v.'ith  the  scriptural  description  of  their  loftiness ;  but 
this  tree,  according  to  the  similitude  of  the  Psalmist, 
spreads  its  branches  very  extensively.  Maundrel,  in 
his  travels,  says  he  measured  the  trunks  of  some  old 
cedar  trees,  and  found  one  to  be  twelve  yards  in  cir- 
cumference, and  thirty-seven  yards  in  the  spread  of  its 
boughs.  Its  native  spot  seems  to  be  Mount  Libanus, 
where  it  grows  in  a  dry,  stony  soil ;  but  even  here  its 
numbers  were  diminishing.  Rawolf,  in  1574,  found 


CE  L 


;84 


CEL 


only-twenty  six,  with  no  young  ones;  Maundrel,  100 
years  afterwards,  could  discover  but  16  :  there  were, 
however,  many  young  ones.  Pocock  also  found 
a  great  number  of  young  thriving  cedars  on  the  moun- 
tain. 

The  cedar-  of  Lebanon  is  an  evergreen  coniferous 
tree,  with  very  narrow,  stiff,  sharp  pointed  leaves, 
standing  several  together  in  tufts.  Its  fruit  is  called 
cedris.  It  is  a  native  of  the  bleak  snowy  mountains  of 
Syria,  and  is  not  as  yet  become  common  in  England. 
As  a  medicine,  it  differs  very  little  from  the  virtues  of 
the  fir  tree.  Its  smell  is  considerably  more  agreeable, 
and  the  resinous  juice  extracted  from  the  trunk  of  the 
cedar  tree,  by  incisions,  is  more  disposed  to  concrete 
into  a  solid  brittle  mass  than  that  from  the  fir  tree ; 
nor  does  the  matter  which  distils  from  the  cedar  tree 
lose  much  of  its  finer  parts  in  drying:  even  boiling 
water  does  not  easily  carry  off  the  flavour  of  cedar 
wood. 

By  distilling  the  wood  with  water,  a  small  quantity 
of  essential  oil  is  obtained,  which  congeals  in  a  mode- 
rate degree  of  cold.  The  decoction,  in  the  still,  affords 
an  extract  by  evaporation,  which  smells  considerably 
of  the  wood,  and  is  in  taste  bitterish  and  saline.  In  the 
saline  nature  of  this  extract,  this  wood  differs  from  all 
the  resinous  ones  that  have  been  examined.  Margraff 
says,  that  the  saline  part  which  crystallized  in  the  ex- 
tract was  common  salt. 

The  wood  of  the  cedar  is  very  incorruptible,  though 
it  is  not  probable  that  cedar  wood  formed  the  roof  of 
the  temple  of  Apollo  at  Utica,  supposed  to  have  re- 
mained with  little  change  for  2000  years.  The  fra- 
grance of  the  wood  drives  away  moths ;  and,  internally, 
the  productions  of  the  cedar  and  the  junipers  differ  little 
from  the  turpentines.  See  JUNIPERUS. 

CE'DRUS  CUPRESSI,  junijterus  Lycia  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1471. 

It  is  a  shrub  with  yellow  flowers,  and  fleshy  leaves, 
placed  four  together,  like  those  of  cypress.  The  flowers 
are  followed  by  a  round  fruit  like  a  mulberry  in  taste 
and  smell,  and  of  a  purple  colour  when  ripe.  In  this 
fruit  are  three  or  four  seeds,  which  smell  like  resin. 
Until  this  tree  is  three  or  four  years  old,  its  only  dis- 
tinction from  the  juniper  bush  is,  that  its  leaves  are 
softer  and  shorter.  It  grows  in  many  of  the  southern 
parts  of  Europe.  Its  medicinal  qualities  are  like  those 
of  juniper.  Dale  informs  us  of  another  species  which 
he  found  in  Carolina,  and  which  affords  a  gum  so  like 
the  true  olibanum,  that,  when  mixed,  they  cannot  be 
separated.  Hence  he  concludes,  that  this  is  the  tree 
that  affords  the  olibanum.  It  is  probably  ihcjuiiiperus 
tAurifcra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1471. 

CE'DRUS  AMERICA'XUS.     See  THUYA. 

CE'DRUS  HACCI'FERA,  SABINA.  Junijierus  sabiriaL,'m. 
Sp.  PI.  1472.  See  SABINA. 

CE'DRUS  CE'ES.     See  CRINOXES. 

CE'DKUS  PHCENI'CIA,  called  also  thuya  Afassilientium, 
j  Unifier  us  &  Goa,  cedrus e  Goa,sabina  Goensis,  andjuni- 
perus  Coroliniana.  A  variety  probably  ofpinus  cedrus. 
Its  virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  juniper. 

CELA'STRUS,  (from  xeA«,  a  dart  or  pole,  which  it 
represents).  Ceanothus  Americanus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  284. 

Some  noted  Indians  depend  more  on  this  than  on  the 
lobelia  for  the  cure  of  syphilis,  and  use  it  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  LOBELIA,  which  sec.  If  the  disorder 


is  exceedingly  virulent,  they  mix  some  of  the  roots  of 
the  rubus  occidentalis  Lin.  PI.  706,  with  it. 

CE'LE.  KijAij,  a  TUMOUR,  (from  *«A£«  to  swell  out,) 
the  prolusion  of  a  soft  part ;  a  rupture. 

CE'LERI  ITALO'RUM.  A  corruption  of  selinum, 
(Ital.).  SeeApiuM. 

CELLU'L,E  MASTOI'DE^,  (a  dim,  of  cella,  a 
cell}.  These  are  very  irregular  cavities  in  the  substance 
of  the  mastoid  apophysis,  which  communicate  with  each 
other,  and  have  a  common  opening  towards  the  inside, 
and  a  little  above  the  posterior  edge  of  the  orbicular 
groove.  These  cells  are  lined  by  a  fine  membrane, 
which  is  partly  a  continuation  of  the  periosteum  of  the 
tympanum,  and  partly  seems  to  be  glandular,  like  a 
kind  of  mcmbrana  pituitaria.  The  mastoid  opening  is 
opposite  to  the  small  opening  of  the  Eustachian  tube, 
but  a  little  higher.  See  AUDITUS. 

CELLULO'SA  MEMBRA'NA.  The  CELLULAR 
MEMBRANE._  It  is  called  tela  cellulosa,  panniculus  adi- 
posus;  membrana  adiposa,  pinguedinosa,  et  reticularis; 
in  French,  tissue  cellulaire,  tissue  mugueux-,and  I'organe 
cellu/aire.  This  membrane  is  of  the  greatest  extent, 
and  of  the  utmost  consequence  in  the  human  structure; 
for  it  connects  and  penetrates  into  every  part ;  indeed 
it  seems  to  be  the  very  constituent  of  most,  if  not  all, 
the  parts  that  are  called  the  solids  in  our  bodies.  Ex- 
periments prove  that  all  membranes,  without  excep- 
tion, and  the  vessels,  which  are  hollow  membranes,  the 
parenchymatous  substance  of  the  viscera,  ligaments, 
and  a  great  part  of  the  bones,  either  are  or  have  been 
cellular  texture.  The  cellular  membrane,  when  com- 
pacted in  different  degrees  of  density,  forms  these 
solids.  Air  introduced  under  the  skin  diffuses  itself 
through  all  the  surface  of  the  body,  penetrates  into  the 
interstices  of  the  muscles  ;  and  Haller  asserts,  that  even 
the  vitreous  humour  of  the  eye  hath  received  the  flatus 
of  an  emphysema. 

Some  describe  the  cellular  membrane  not  as  one,  but 
as  a  congeries  of  many  membranous  lamina  joined  irre- 
gularly to  each  other  at  different  distances,  so  as  to  form 
numerous  interstices  of  different  capacities,  and  which 
communicate  with  each  other.  These  interstices  they 
call  cellulae,  and  the  substance  made  up  of  them  cellular 
substance. 

It  is  generally  and  properly  considered  as  of  two 
kinds,  viz.  reticular  and  adipose ;  and  the  latter  is  de- 
scribed as  a  connection  of  fibres,  forming,  by  their 
different  directions,  cells  for  the  lodgment  of  oil  or  fat. 
In  some  parts  its  substance  is  merely  a  net  work  of 
slender  fibres,  which  give  it  ductility  and  looseness ; 
for  instance,  under  the  skin  of  the  penis  and  scrotum. 
In  other  parts  it  is  more  or  less  loaded  with  oil,  and  is 
less  porous  or  spongy  in  its  substance,  as  under  the 
skin  of  the  buttocks,  and  in  the  soles  of  the  feet.  Dr. 
Hunter  uses  the  term  cellular  as  the  generical  name, 
and  the  names  reticular  and  adipose  for  expressing  the 
two  species.  He  also  observes,  that  the  reticular  part 
is  evidently  dispersed  through  the  whole  body,  except, 
perhaps,  in  the  substance  of  the  bones,  of  the  brain, 
and  in  the  humours  of  the  eye ;  that  it  is  found  in  a, 
much  greater  degree  in  the  belly  of  muscles  than  in 
the  tendons,  in  which  it  is  scarcely  discerned.  He  is 
also  of  opinion  that  the  adipose  membrane  is  composed 
of  two  kinds  of  cells ;  viz.  the  reticular,  which  com- 
municate with  each  other;  and  adipose,  which  are  d-i- 


CE  L 


385 


CEX 


stinct,  and  are  the  reservoirs  of  the  animal  oil,  or  a 
white  granulated  matter,  capable  only  of  being  fused 
by  heat;  the  cells  of  which  are  called  sacculi  adiposi. 
He  urges,  as  a  proof  of  his  opinion,  that  the  water  in 
an  anasarca  goes  downward  while  we  are  in  an  erect 
posture,  but  the  oil  does  not.  The  oil  is  supposed  to 
be  secreted  by  the  small  arteries,  and  occasionally 
absorbed  into  the  circulation.  Dr.  Hunter  thinks 
that  wherever  there  is  fat  in  the  human  body,  there  is 
a  particular  glandular  apparatus  superadded  to  the  re- 
ticular  membrane,  consisting  of  vesicles,  or  bags,  for 
lodging  the  animal  oil,  as  well  as  vessels  fitted  for  its 
secretion. 

Whether  or  no  the  cellular  membrane  be  the  basis  of 
all  the  organized  and  vascular  parts  of  our  frame,  Dr. 
Hunter  hath  proved  that  the  most  simple  parts  of  it 
are  vascular;  that  the  callus,  which  unites  broken  bones, 
is  itself  bone,  and  also  vascular;  that  the  morbid  adhe- 
sions, between  different  adjacent  parts,  are  vascular, 
and  that  a  cicatrix  in  the  skin  is  vascular.  He  infers 
from  hence,  that  all  our  solids  are  organized;  and  that, 
whether  lengthened  or  renewed,  they  shoot  in  a  vas- 
cular form.  But  here  he  speaks  of  the  visible  parts. 
We  suspect,  however,  that  the  importance  of  this  con- 
necting reticular  texture  has  been  greatly  exaggerated. 
We  see  in  it  nothing  but  connecting  threads,  which 
any  condensed  glutinous  substance  forms ;  and,  if  the 
cells  communicate  through  the  whole  body,  it  is  no 
more  than  may  be  expected  from  the  union  of  differ- 
ent separate  organs.  If  these  are  united  in  one  part, 
they  are  separated  in  another;  and  we  can  easily  see 
that  by  some  passage  all  may  communicate. 

It  has  been  said,  that  membranes  are  formed  of  this 
substance.  We  know  t'.i?.t,  when  condensed,  it  will 
assume  a  membraneous  appearance;  but  we  have  no 
evidence  of  it  in  any  case  possessing  nerves  or  organi- 
zation, like  what  we  may  style  primordial  membranes. 
The  effused  gluten,  between  the  pleura  and  lungs,  as- 
sumes this  form ;  but  we  cannot  say  that  this  is  an  or- 
ganized substance.  The  cellular  texture  never  appears 
to  be  vascular:  even  in  a  state  of  inflammation  it 
is  never  sensible.  It  is  the  seat  of  an  abscess,  but  is 
not  itself  inflamed.  Nerves  pass  through  it,  but  are 
never  lost  on  it.  The  former  editors  of  this  work  have 
suggested,  that  it  may  be  formed  from  the  coats  of  the 
nerves;  but  these  are  never  deposited  except  at  their 
minutest  extremities,  where  the  nervous  power  acts 
with  its  peculiar  functions.  This  never  occurs  in  the 
cellular  substance,  except  of  the  muscles;  and  it 
would  be  a  gratuitous  assertion,  that  such  was  the  origin 
of  the  cellular  substance  in  muscular  flesh,  when,  in 
every  other  part  of  the  body,  no  such  source  could  be 
traced.  In  fact,  we  see  in  every  part  of  the  cellular 
substance  only  hardened  gluten,  without  either  a  nerv- 
ous or  glandular  apparatus.  Whether  the  adipose 
membrane  differs  in  its  structure  we  doubt.  There  is 
some  reason  to  think  so :  but  we  must  remember  that,  if 
one  part  of  the  cellular  substance  be  filled,  the  sur- 
rounding membrane  is  thickened ;  and  this  will  account 
for  the  retention  of  the  fat  in  those  cells  where  it  is  de- 
posited. Among  the  uses  of  this  membrane,  the  fol- 
lowing are  sufficiently  obvious. 

1.  It  fills  up  interstices,  and  gives  an  agreeable  con- 
tour to  the  body. 

vol.  i. 


2.  It  is  a  cushion  to  defend  against  pressure,  hence 
it  is  of  a  thicker  composition  in  infants. 

3.  It  connects  the  parts  of  the  body,  but  so  as  to  ad- 
mit of  a  sliding  motion  between  them. 

4.  In  some  parts  of  the  body  it  serves  as  a  bed  for 
more   tender  organs ;  as  in  the  orbit  and  scrotum,  as 
well  as  a  reservoir  for  animal  oil. 

This  membrane  is  the  seat  of  abscesses,  the  leuco- 
phlegmatia,  emphysema,  anasarca.  In  a  consumption  it 
is  shrunk  up  so  as  to  be  hardly  visible ;  in  an  anasarc* 
its  oily  contents  are  all  destroyed ;  and  in  an  emphyse- 
ma almost  its  minutest  parts  are  rendered  visible. 

On  this  article,  see  what  Dr.  Hunter  says  in  the 
Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  ii.  p.  26,  Sec.  Haller's 
Physiology;  Malpighius  on  the  Cellular  Membrane  r 
Dr.  Shebbear  in  his  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physic ; 
also  Recherches  sur  le  Tissu  Muqueux,  ou  1'Organe. 
Cellulaire,  par  Mons.  Theoph.'de  Bordeu. 

CELLULO'SA    TU'XICA    RU'YSCHII.       See    IXTESTI- 

-VA. 

CELOTO'MIA,  (from  x-rM,  hernia,  and  TSU.JU,  tv 
cut).  See  CASTRATIO  and  HERNIA. 

CE'LSA.  It  means  the  beating  of  the  life,  or  of  the 
life's  blood;  and  is  a  barbarous  term  of  Paracelsus. 

CE'LTIS.     A  celsitate, from  its  height.    See  LOTUS 

ARBOR. 

CEMEXTA'TIO.  See  CCEMENTUM  and  CORRO- 
sio. 

CEMEXTE'RIUM.     See  ALUDEL. 

CE'XCHRAMIS,(from  *f/;£f«5,  millet).  See  Ficvs 
SATIVA. 

CE  XCHRIUS,  a  species  of  HERPES,  called,  from 
its  resembling  Kev%c«;,  millet.  See  HERPES,  Bell'-; 
Spec.  3d. 

CEXCHROS.  MILLET,  (from  *£'/%*»;,  dry;  be- 
cause it  is  a  very  dry  seed).  See  MILLIUM.  These 
seeds  are  also  called  cenchreides;  and,  in  Hippo- 
crates, we  find  the  words  uyxpMi Jlrt;  ifyu-ri;,  miliary 
sweats. 

CEXEAXGI'A,  (from  #"«?,  vacuus,  inanis,  and 
«•/'/«?,  ra*,J  is  an  emptiness  of  vessels  from  abstinence. 
It  is  sometimes  thought  to  mean,  primarily,  a  spon- 
taneous evacuation  of  blood-  from  the  vessels;  and, 
consequently,  that  which  is  artificial  may  be  meant  by 
this  term.  In  some  dissections  the  vessels  have  been 
found  remarkably  empty  ;  but  this  appearance  has  not 
been  connected  with  any  concourse  of  symptoms. 

CEXEO'XES,  the  FLAKKS,  from  rtros,  empty. 

CENI'GDAM  and  CEXIPLAM.and  CEXTGO- 
TAM  and  CEXI'POLAM.  The  name  of  an  instru- 
ment anciently  used  for  opening  the  head  in  epilepsies. 

CENIOTE'MIUM.  A  purging  remedy,  formerly, 
used  in  the  venereal  disease,  supposed  to'  be  mercu- 
rial. 

CEXO'SIS,  (from  x£»«s,  empty).  EVACUATION.  Ct- 
nosis  imports  a  general  evacuation;  catharsis  the  evacua- 
tion of  a  particular  humour  which  offends  with  respect 
to  quality,  and  almost  exclusively  from  the  alimentary 
canal. 

CEXTAU'REA    BEXEDI'CTA.      See    CARDUUS 

BEXEDICTUS. 

CENTA'UREA  CEXTAU'REUM.    See  RHAPONTICUM  vci.- 

GARE. 

CEXTAURIOI'DES.     See  GRATIOH. 
3  D 


C  E  N 


386 


CEP 


CENTAU'RIUM,  (from  *«?««/!««,  a  centaur) .  This 
herb  is  called  CENTAURY,  because  it  was  feigned  that 
Chiron,  the, centaur,  cured  with  it  Hercules'  foot,  which 
had  been  wounded  with  a  poisoned  arrow.  It  is  also 
called  CHIF.ONIA. 

CENTAU'RIUM  MA'GNUM,  MA'JUS.     See  RHAPONTICUM 

VULGARE. 

CENTAU'RIUM  MI'NUS,  or  lesser  ccntaury.  It  is  the 
gentiana  centaurium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  332.  Nat.  order  ro- 
!(icc<e.  It  is  annual,  grows  wild  in  dry  pastures,  and 
among  corn.  It  flowers  in  July;  and  is  sometimes 
called  the  febrifugia. 

The  leaves  and  tops  are  pure  bitters,  having  scarcely 
any  smell  or  flavour,  and  agree  with  the  gentian  root. 

The  seeds  are  bitter,  but  the  petals  of  the  flowers 
and  roots  are  almost  insipid.  The  flowery  tops  are  the 
parts  chiefly  useful. 

Its  active  parts  are  readily  dissolved  by  water,  or 
rectified  spirit  of  wine.  Water  takes  up  with  the  bit- 
ter an  insipid  mucilage;  but  spirit,  the  bitter  part  only. 
The  watery  extract  is  consequently  more  in  quantity, 
and  less  bitter;  and  the  spirituous  less,  but  more  bitter. 
Cartheuser  says,  that  one  ounce  of  the  herb  yields 
about  half  an  ounce  of  the  watery  extract,  and  scarcely 
two  scruples  of  the  spirituous.  The  centaury  is  justly 
esteemed  to  be  the  most  efficacious  bitter  of  our  indi- 
genous medicinal  plants ;  and  has  been  recommended 
as  equal  or  superior  to  gentian.  Dr.  Cullen  observes 
that,  though  the  extract  of  this  plant  is  said  to  be  less 
agreeable  than  that  of  gentian,  he  can  find  no  difference, 
and  thinks  that,  as  cheaper,  it  is  preferable.  It  is 
considered  as  strengthening  and  stomachic  ;  and,  as  out 
of  the  body  ccntaury  manifests  an  equal  degree  of 
antiseptic  power  with  gentian,  similar  medical  effects 
are  ascribed  to  it.  It  is  given  in  atony,  dyspepsia,  and 
jaundice.  The  flowery  tops  are  infused  as  tea,  and  a 
tea  cupful  administered  three  or  four  times  a  day:  but 
they  may  be  taken  in  powders,  or  the  decoction  in- 
spissated into  an  extract  like  wormwood.  See  Neu- 
mann's Chem.  Works.  Lewis's  and  Cullen's  Mat. 
Med. 

CENTIMO'RBIA,  (from  centum,  a  hundred,  and 
•mar bus,  a  disease;  so  called  because  it  was  supposed 
capable  of  curing  a  great  number  of  diseases).  See 

XuMMULARIA. 

CENTINE'RVIA,  (from  centum,  and  nervus,  a 
string;  so  called  from  the  many  ribs  upon  its  leaves). 
See  PLANTAGO. 

CENTINO'DIA,  or  CENTINODIUM,  (from  cen- 
tum, and  nodus,  a  knot;  so  called  from  its  many  knots 
or  joints).  See  POLYGONUM. 

CENTI'PEDES,  (from  centum,  and  fies,  a  foot). 
See  ASELLI. 

CENTRATIO,  (from  centrum,  a  centre).  The  de- 
generating of  a  saline  principle,  and  contracting  a  cor- 
rosive and  ulcerating  quality.  Hence  centrum  salis 
is  said  to  be  the  principle  and  cause  of  ulcers.  Para- 
celsus. 

CE'NTRE  PHRENI'QUE.     See  DIAPHRAGMA. 

CE'NTRION,  (from  KMT/IOV,  a  sjmr).  An  epithet 
for  a  plaster  mentioned  by  Galen,  calculated  against 
stitches  in  the  side. 

CE'NTRUM,  in  chemistry,  is  theprincipal  residence, 
foundation,  or  source  of  any  thing;  in  medicine,  that 


part  in  which  its  virtue  resides;  in  anatomy  the  middle 
point  of  some  parts. 

CE'NTRUM  NERVE'UM.  The  tendinous  part  of  the 
diaphragm,  which  hath  a  triangular  appearance  :  it  is 
called  also  centrum  tendinosum. 

CE'NTHUM  OVA'LE.  Vieussens  first  gave  this  appel- 
lation to  a  part  of  the  corfius  callosum.  It  is  convex, 
and  of  the  form  of  the  cerebrum.  See  CEREBRUM. 

CENTU'NCULUS,(from«-rc/o,  a  quilt  or  mattrass, 
which  was  formerly  made  of  this  herb).  See  ALSINE, 
and  GNAPHALIUM. 

CE'PA,  (from  xesra?,  a  wool  card;  from  the  likeness 
of  its  root;  or  cafiilis  magnitudine,  from  the  size  of 
its  head).  The  ONION.  Alinnn  cnfia  Lin.  cromyon,  et 
agrumina.  Nat.  order  liliacee. 

The  common  onion  is  a  plant  too  well  known  to  need 
any  description  of  its  botanical  character.  It  is  chiefly 
cultivated  for  culinary  uses :  its  root  affords  a  large 
proportion  of  alimentary  matter,  particularly  when 
boiled,  as  it  shows  by  some  sweetness  and  a  large  pro- 
portion of  mucilage,  when  its  acrimony  is  exhaled. 
In  its  fresh  state  it  is  acrid  and  stimulating.  In  bilious 
dispositions  it  produces  flatulence,  thirst,  and  headach ; 
but  in  cold  and  phlegmatic  temperaments  is  warming, 
attenuant,  and  promotes  both  expectoration  and  urine. 
It  is  powerfully  antiseptic,  and,  if  applied  to  tumours, 
promotes  suppuration. 

The  root  is  the  most  active  part;  but  it  loses  much 
of  its  virtue  by  drying.  Distilled  with  water,  all  its 
flavour  and  acrimony  arise.  The  active  matter  is  much 
more  volatile  than  that  of  garlic,  but  in  other  respects 
they  agree,  though  the  onion  is  much  weaker,  less 
acrid,  and  more  mucilaginous. 

Onions  have  a  greater  effect  than  any  other  alka- 
lescent plant  in  dissolving  gravelly  concretions.  The 
expressed  juice  has  been  serviceable  in  deafness  (see 
ALLIUM).  Neumann  remarks,  that  the  characteristic 
principle  of  this  root  is  its  essential  oil,  though  it  can- 
not be  collected  in  a  separate  state.  See  Lewis's  Mat. 
Med.  or  Neumann's  Chem.  Works.  Cullen's  Mat. 
Med. 

CEP^'A.  A  small  species  of  onion,  which  used  to 
be  esteemed  for  sallads  in  spring,  but  is  not  now  re- 
garded. See  BEUABUNGA. 

CEPHALjE'A,  (from  r.iQa.'bv,  head).  A  long  con- 
tinued pain  in  the  head.  See  CEPHALALGIA. 

CEPHALALGIA,  CEPHALA'GIA,  (from  *t<t>«^ 
the  head,  and  «Ay«s,  pain).  The  HEADACH.  It  is 
also  named  cejihal<£,  cefihahfionia,  and  homono/iugia. 
It  is  sometimes  used  to  signify  a  dull  pain  of  the  head, 
of  a  short  duration ;  but  most  frequently  it  is  the  ap- 
pellation of  pain  in  the  head  in  general,  without  re- 
gard to  circumstances,  and  is  sometimes  acute,  and 
sometimes  chronical.  When  mild  it  is  called  cejiha- 
lalgia;  when  inveterate,  cefihal&a.  When  one  side 
of  the  head  only  is  affected,  it  takes  the  name  of  he- 
micrania,  migrana,  hemifiagia,  and  megrim:  in  one 
of  the  temples  only  it  is  entitled  crotafihos;  and  that 
which  is  fixed  to  a  point,  generally  in  the  crown  of  the 
head,  is  distinguished  by  the  name  of  clavas  hystericus: 
q.  v. 

The  nervous  membranes  of  the  head  are  the  general 
seats  of  its  pains,  as  the  pericranium,  the  skin,  dura 
mater,  the  membrane  which  covers  the  sinus  in  the  os 


CEP 


381 


CEP 


frontis,  &c.  This  complaint  is  considered  as  symp- 
tomatic by  Dr.  Cullen  ;  but  as  an  idiopathic  affection 
by  other  nosological  writers.  See  Vogel,  Sagar,  Lin- 
nzus,  Macbi-ide.  Sauvages  places  it  under  his  seventh 
class  doiores,  and  second  order  dofares  cafiitis;  of  which 
the  cetihalalgia  and  cephalea  form  two  distinct  genera. 
See  sfoxologia  Methodicat  vol.  ii.  p.  49. 

Undoubtedly  pain  of  the  head  is  often  symptomatic ; 
yet,  as  in  many  cases  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  the 
disease  of  which  it  is  a  symptom,  and  in  some  is  uncon- 
nected with  any  other  complaint,  it  must  be  often  con- 
sidered as  idiopathic.  When  we  explain  the  arrange- 
ment of  diseases,  we  shall  find  it  difficult  to  avoid  an 
order,  at  least,  of  doiores ;  and  under  this  head  cepha- 
lalgia  must  be  arranged.  If  we  were  already  to  antici- 
pate definitions,  which  we  have  cautiously  avoided,  we 
would  say  that  it  is  a  pain  confined  to  the  forehead  and 
occiput,  unconnected  in  every  instance  with  the  bones 
of  the  face,  except  when  periodical.  In  this  way  it  is 
at  once  distinguished  from  the  tic  doloureux  (the  dolor 
crucians  faciei  of  1'othergill),  diseases  of  the  teeth,  of 
the  different  antra,  and  of  the  eyes. 

In  this  view,  headach  is  a  disease  of  the  brain  when 
idiopathic ;  and,  though  a  symptom  of  apoplexy,  of 
mania,  and  other  diseases,  yet,  when  alone  and  uncom- 
bined,  when  the  series  of  symptoms  which  distinguishes 
these  diseases  is  absent,  and  headach  alone  present,  it 
must  certainly  be  considered  as  of  itself  a  disorder. 
As  such,  we  find  it  produced  by  extraneous  bodies 
pressing  on  the  brain.  These  have  been  bony  frag- 
ments, separated  from  the  internal  table  of  the  scull, 
irritating  the  brain,  while  the  accident  that  occasioned 
their  separation  was,  at  a  distant  period,  unknown  or 
unobserved.  In  some  cases  no  such  accident  seems  to 
have  occurred;  and  the  cause,  only  discovered  by  dis- 
section, is  unknown.  The  irritating  bone  has,  in  some 
instances,  not  been  separated  ;  but,  has  sprouted  from 
the  internal  table  of  the  skull  in  the  form  of  an  exos- 
tosis.  This  seems  to  be  the  cause  of  the  obstinate  head- 
achs  arising  from  an  old  neglected  venereal  complaint; 
headachs  which  we  have  sometimes  seen  terminating 
in  epilepsy.  The  falx  has  been  found  to  be  bony,  with- 
out producing  headach  ;  and.  on  the  contrary,  the  me- 
ningesof  the  brain  have  been  discovered  in  a  thickened 
state  after  headachs  the  most  violent.  In  the  last  case 
it  is  probable  that  the  thickening  of  the  membranes 
was  owing  to  chronic  inflammation  ;  and  that  the  latter 
occasioned  the  pain.  The  pineal  gland  has  been 
sometimes  found  hard,  and  filled  with  stony  concre- 
tions, which  seem  to  have  been  the  cause  of  obstinate 
headachs;  and  Dr.  Blane  has  found  a  tumour  in  the 
situation  of  this  gland  occasion  the  disease,  as  well  as 
aneurisms  of  those  branches  of  the  carotids  that  sur- 
round the  sella  turcica.  The  distinction  of  these  cases 
is  very  difficult:  the  pain  is  not  always  constant.  In 
some  instances  it  is  violent  only  when  the  circulation 
is  greatly  accelerated;  in  others  it  occurs  irregularly, 
without  any  obvious  cause  for  its  exacerbations.  We 
have  not  mentioned  the  worms  generated  in  the  brain, 
recorded  by  Schenkius,  as  this  author's  narratives  are 
more  often  wonderful  than  probable;  and  abscess  in 
the  brain  more  often  produces  lethargy  and  coma,  than 
cephalalgia. 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  other  causes  do  not  some- 
•imcs  produce  pain  in  the  head,  which  are  still  less 


easily  traced.  Accumulation  of  water  often  occasions 
uneasiness  and  symptoms  of  irritation,  before  those  of 
compression  come  on.  The  peculiar  kind  of  circulation 
through  the  brain;  viz.  the  collection  of  the  venous 
blood  in  sinuses,  greatly  favours  accumulation,  and  may 
be  a  cause  of  pain.  We  hear  also  of  a  spasmodic  con- 
traction of  the  meninges ;  and  the  idea  has  been  sup- 
ported by  a  peculiar  feel,  as  if  the  brain  was  grasped  by 
a  strong  hand.  Yet  we  cannot  admit  of  the  contraction 
of  a  membrane  in  which  no  muscular  fibres  are  dis- 
coverable, and  the  sudden  distention  of  their  vessels- 
may  produce  the  peculiar  sensation  just  mentioned. 
We  find  also  cases  of  mania  and  idiotism,  where  vio- 
lent pain  preceded  the  irregular  exertion  or  extinction 
of  the  mental  powers,  in  which  the  brain  has  been  found 
unusually  dry,  or  peculiarly  soft.  We  know  not  the 
cause  of  these  changes ;  nor  can  we  trace  the  co 
tioii  of  their  effects ;  yet,  as  they  have  been  causes  of 
pain,  we  may  suppose  that,  in  some  obstinate  cases, 
they  may  produce  this  symptom  without  proceeding  to 
similar  distressing  terminations.  There  is  at  times  a 
morbid  sensibility,  the  concomitant  often  of  genius, 
which  predisposes  to,  or  causes,  this  disease.  It  seems 
as  if  the  man  of  genius  suffers  from  the  same  source 
that  gives  him  the  superiority  to  the  rest  of  mankind. 
In  such  a  constitution,  as  in  inflammations  of  the  skin, 
of  the  eye,  or  ear,  a  fly  may  excite  pain;  a  ray  of  light, 
or  the  slightest  sound,  be  more  pungent  than  the  mid- 
day sun,  or  the  explosion  of  a  n, 

We  shall  mention  haemicrania  as  an  idiopathic  pain 
of  the  head,  though  by  some  authors  it  is  referred  to 
intermittents ;  by  others  to  rheumatism.  We  mean  to 
treat  of  it,  however,  more  particularly  under  its  own 
appellation. 

On  a  review  of  these  causes  of  idiopathic  headach, 
we  must  regret  that  the  source  of  so  few  cases  is  dis- 
coverable, and  that  we  have  scarcely  appropriate  reme- 
dies for  any  of  those  which  we  can  ascertain.  In  ge- 
neral, in  every  instance,  the  necessity  for  keeping  the 
bowels  free,  must  be  obvious  from  what  we  have  said 
under  the  article  of  CATHARTICS.  A  drain  also  from 
the  head,  by  a  perpetual  blister  on  the  vertex,  to  the 
bone  of  the  neck,  or  behind  the  ears,  must  be  cqually 
so.  Avoiding  accumulations  and  flatulencies  in  the 
stomach,  for  the  reasons  formerly  assigned  (see  CA- 
THARTICS), must  be  advantageous.  Emetics  are  often 
advised  for  this  purpose ;  but  they  are  doubtful  reme- 
dies, as  they  determine  so  powerfully  during  their  ac- 
tion to  the  head.  Yet  we  suspect  that  they  are  not  in- 
jurious, since  their  inconvenience  is  transitory,  and  their 
beneficial  effects  durable;  and  we  shall  find  them  pecu- 
liarly useful  in  symptomatic  headachs.  As  a  remedy 
for  flatulence,  the  fetid  gums  will  probably  be  useful. 
even  in  idiopathic  cephalalgia;  and,  if  joined  with 
aloes,  will  be  more  serviceable.  From  the  effects  of 
camphor  in  fevers,  we  suspect  that  it  may  be  useful  in 
headach;  and  with  nitre  we  have  often  employed  it 
with  advantage.  It  is  a  too  common  practice  to  cut 
off  the  hair,  partly  because  it  is  supposed  to  keep  the 
head  warm,  and  partly  that  cold  applications  may  bo 
more  conveniently  employed.  Thib  practice  has  not, 
hov.ever,  the  sanction  of  long  experience;  nor  is  it 
supported  by  reason.  Each  hair  is  a.  \c^ct:.ble.  nour- 
ished by  a  bulbous  root,  supplied  by  numerous  blood 
vessels.  These,  though  small,  from  their  number 
3  D  : 


CEP 


388 


CEP 


convey  no  inconsiderable  quantity  of  fluids  ;  and  as  the 
external  and  internal  carotids  arise  from  a  common 
trunk  and  anastomose  in  some  of  their  branches,  what- 
ever cause  increases  the  circulation  in  the  former  must 
lessen  it  in  the  latter.  The  author  of  this  article  suf- 
fered for  many  years  an  irregularly  returning  paroxysm 
of  headach,  for  which  he  could  assign  no  cause ;  but 
at  last  discovered  that  it  frequently  returned  after  shav- 
ing the  head.  He  suffered  his  hair  to  grow,  and  from 
that  time  it  gradually  lessened  in  violence,  in  duration, 
and  the  frequency  of  its  return.  From  being  a  com- 
plaint highly  serious,  and  beginning  to  affect  the  me- 
mory, its  returns  are  now  rare,  and  never  so  violent  as 
to  unfit  him  for  any  exertion  of  body  or  mind. 

Among  the  means  of  lessening  the  force  of  the  cir- 
culation in  the  head,  we  should,  perhaps,  have  mentioned 
more  early,  the  use  of  slight  occasional  bleedings;  the 
application  of  leeches  or  cupping  glasses.  They  are 
all  occasionally  useful.  In  such  cases,  too,  the  temporal 
artery  has  been  sometimes  opened  with  the  best  effect. 

The  diet  in  those  subject  to  headach  should  be  light, 
cooling,  and  moderate  in  quantity :  the  usual  drink, 
water,  with  a  moderate  quantity  of  the  wine  most  suita- 
ble to  the  constitution.  The  white  wine  is  generally 
preferable.  The  mind  should  be  kept  calm ;  all  the 
more  violent  exciting  passions  avoided ;  the  exercise 
moderate,  and  never  in  the  heat  of  a  summer  day,  or 
under  a  warm  sun.  The  apartment  should  be  large; 
the  sleeping  room  lofty  and  well  ventilated;  the  head 
raised  high  on  the  pillow.  In  short,  every  thing  that 
accelerates  the  circulation,  or  determines  the  blood  to 
the  head,  should  be  carefully  avoided. 

Symptomatic  headach  is  a  disease  of  so  many  or- 
gans, that  it  is  impossible  to  "  fix  the  variable  Proteus 
by  any  chain."  Headach  attends  fevers  of  almost 
every  kind ;  and,  when  the  infinite  variety  of  forms  of 
fevers  are  considered,  so  many  must  there  be  of  cepha- 
lalgia,  as  a  symptom  of  this  complaint  only.  Every  ob- 
struction in  the  bowels,  every  accumulation  of  sordes, 
or  indigestible  matter  in  the  stomach,  produces  the 
same  disease  :  every  obstruction  to  the  regular  evacua- 
tion of  any  gland,  particularly  those  of  the  surface,  has 
a  similar  consequence ;  every  nervous  affection,  either 
from  excessive  excitability  or  exhaustion.  Are  we  then 
to  be  surprised  at  its  frequent  occurrence?  Is  it  not 
wonderful  that  the  head  is  ever  free  from  pain  ?  But  to 
be  more  particular. 

The  sympathy  between  the  head  and  stomach  has 
been  so  generally  observed,  it  is  the  subject  of  such 
constant  experience,  that  to  enlarge  on  it  would  be  su- 
perfluous. We  have  already  observed  how  difficult  it 
is  to  ascertain  the  organ  primarily  affected.  The  ap- 
prehension of  increasing  any  effusion  in  the  brain,  has 
made  the  distinction  an  object  of  peculiar  anxiety  ;  but 
we  are  confident  in  saying,  that,  in  the  doubtful  cases, 
no  hazard  attends  the  exhibition  of  an  emetic  :  we  must 
repeat,  the  inconvenience  is  temporary,  the  advantages 
durable.  We  urge  this  with  more  force,  as,  with  the 
experience  of  near  forty  years,  we  find  the  decision 
difficult  and  precarious  :  the  tyro,  without  a  suspicion 
of  the  difficulty,  by  the  exhibition  of  an  emetic  has 
succeeded.  If  to  this  we  add  that  headach  is  one  of 
the  first  symptoms  of  fever,  this  plan  has  additional  re- 
commendation. It  must  be  followed  by  a  cathartic ; 
apd,  unless  great  weakness  forbid,  this  cathartic  must 


be  an  active  one :  the  foundation  of  its  use  has  been 
already  explained.  In  this  way  headach,  whether 
idiopathic  or  symptomatic,  will  be  usually  relieved.  If 
relieved  only,  and  congestion  in  the  head  is  obvious 
from  heavy  or  inflamed  eyes,  languor  and  listlessness, 
a  blister  is  no  equivocal  remedy,  whatever  may  be  the 
cause. 

Headach,  if  a  symptom  of  slow  or  obstructed  bow- 
els, is  to  be  relieved  in  the  same  way  by  an  emetic  and 
laxative,  but  chiefly  by  the  latter ;  and,  in  these  circum- 
stances, a  moderate  discharge,  steadily  continued,  is 
more  useful  than  temporary  active  purging.  Eccopro- 
tics  are  chiefly  useful ;  and  they  should  be  long  persisted 
in.  The  choice  of  the  medicine  must  be  determined 
by  the  causes.  If  the  fault  be  in  the  biliary  secretion, 
the  purging  mineral  waters,  soap,  sometimes  assisted 
by  rhubarb,  or  neutral  salts  with  the  occasional  use  of 
calomel,  will  be  useful.  If  a  torpor  of  the  intestines 
occasion  the  disease,  the  rhubarb,  the  aloes,  and  even 
the  colocynth,  will  be  necessary,  as  less  active  medi- 
cines will  have  little  effect ;  if  mucus  involving  worms, 
calomel,  rhubarb,  resin  of  jalap,  and  even  gutta  gamba. 
We  doubt,  however,  whether  worms  be  so  frequent  a 
cause  of  headach  as  has  been  supposed.  The  hydro- 
cephalus  was  not  long  since  styled  a  worm  fever ;  and 
the  early  symptoms  of  irritation,  accompanied  by  pain 
in  the  head,  were  attributed  to  these  animals.  Yet,  as 
all  accumulations  in  the  bowels  may  occasion  headach, 
those  from  worms  must  not  be  hastily  rejected. 

An  obstruction  connected  with  the  bowels  has  been 
a  very  general  cause  of  this  complaint,  we  mean  the 
suppression  of  the  haemorrhoidal  discharge.  In  the 
whole  circle  of  practical  medicine,  we  know  no  question 
so  intricate  and  difficultly  explained  as  the  connection 
of  the  haemorrhoidal  discharge  with  the  general  health  ; 
or  rather,  perhaps,  the  supposed  connection,  as  stated  by 
the  German  physicians,  We  have  not  found,  from  our 
own  observation,  this  connection  ;  but  the  experience  of 
ages  must  not  be  overlooked,  or  contemptuously  disre- 
garded. The  haemorrhoids  were  considered,  at  a  cer- 
tain period  of  life,  as  essential  to  the  male,  as  the  cata- 
menia  to  the  female,  health :  their  appearance  was  hailed 
as  a  salutary  omen,  their  disappearance -dreaded  as  a 
dangerous  symptom.  To  this  subject  we  must  return  : 
we  can  only  now  say,  that  we  have  not  found  this  dis- 
charge necessary,  except  when  established  as  an  habit- 
ual one.  We  have  found  its  repulsion  injurious,  and 
indeed  so  is  that  of  every  habitual  discharge.  Yet 
there  is  evidently  some  connection  between  the  state  of 
the  rectum  and  the  general  health  ;  for  the  fistula,  or  an 
abscess  in  ano,  often  relieves  hectic  symptoms  ;  and,  to 
check  or  stop  the  discharge,  is  often  injurious,  and  ge- 
nerally fatal.  It  was  supposed,  that  as  the  veins  of  the 
abdomen  centered  in  the  vena  portae,  the  depletion  of 
these  would  lessen  an  obstructed  circulation  in  the  liver. 
But  the  haemorrhoidal  veins  do  not  form  a  part  of  the 
vena  portae,  and  this  system  is  of  course  untenable. 
The  inconvenience  that  arises,  must  consequently  be 
attributed  to  the  suppression  of  an  evacuation,  and  par- 
ticularly to  that  of  a  discharge,  which  increases  the  cir- 
culation in  the  descending  aorta.  The  consequence,  as 
we  have  already  shown,  must  be  a  greater  determination- 
to  the  ascending. 

Another  defect  constantly  attended  with  headach  is 
that  of  the  cata-menia,  whether  they  have  not  appeared, 


CEP 


389 


CEP 


•rbeen  suppressed.  The  chlorosis  we  shall  soon  notice, 
but  it  must  be  under  the  disadvantage  of  not  having  con- 
sidered the  cause  of  menstruation.  We  should  have 
explained  this  subject  under  catamenia  but  were  un- 
willing to  disturb  the  former  arrangement  too  rashly,  as 
it  involved  such  numerous  references.  If  plethora  or 
spasm  obstruct  the  menses,  the  disease  of  the  head  is 
obviously  accounted  for  :  if  weakness  or  inanition  ren- 
der this  discharge  insufficient,  the  effect  is  not  so  easily 
explained.  The  complaint  is,  however,  attended  with 
general  debility ;  every  discharge  is  equally  suppressed, 
and  an  irregular  balance  of  the  circulation  is  the  conse- 
quence. With  the  greatest  weakness,  with  a  com- 
plexion which  shows  that  the  red  globules,  that  index 
of  tone  and  general  health,  are  deficient,  the  head  is 
loaded,  and  haemorrhages  from  the  nose  are  not  un- 
common. A  similar  complaint  with  headach  often 
occurs  in  boys  about  the  age  of  puberty.  In  these  dis- 
eases, active  cathartics,  particularly  those  whose  activity 
is  exerted  on  the  rectum,  are  the  chief  remedies,  though 
in  chlorosis,  tonics  must  be  also  employed. 

Repelled  fluids  from  the  surface  produce  very  con- 
stantly symptomatic  cephalalgia.  The  simplest  case  of 
this  kind  is  coldness  of  the  feet ;  but  damp  cold  wea- 
ther, with  an  easterly  wind,  will  in  many  constitutions 
bring  it  on.  Partial  colds  produce  rather  fever  or  rheu- 
matism; but  in  both  the  head  is  usually  affected.  A 
more  severe  cause  of  this  kind  is  the  repulsion  of  acrid 
matter  from  the  surface,  by  the  application  of  astringent 
washes  to  herpes,  or  tetter;  by  saturnine  or  mercurial 
applications  as  cosmetics :  from  these  the  head  generally 
suffers,  though  the  mischief  is  often  more  extensive, 
and  apoplexy,  cachexy,  slow  fever  or  epilepsies,  are 
frequent  consequences.  Repelled  gout  is  a  still  more 
serious  cause.  See  ARTHRITIS. 

There  are  causes  of  headach  that  act  more  mechanic- 
ally. Whatever,  for  instance,  retards  the  current  of  the 
blood  in  the  sinuses  of  the  brain,  or  the  veins  which 
convey  the  blood  from  the  head,  will  produce  it.  Of 
this  kind  are  various  tumours,  particularly  of  the  con- 
globate glands,  polypi,  exostosis,  Etc.  Whatever  pre- 
vents the  free  evacuation  of  the  right  auricle  and  ven- 
tricle, contributes  to  retard  the  motion  of  the  blood  in 
the  veins,  which  discharge  their  contents  on  this  side 
of  the  heart.  More  externally,  rheumatic  pains  in  the 
muscles  of  the  head  sometimes  resemble  so  strikingly 
cephalalgia  as  to  be  mistaken  for  it. 

We  have  not  mentioned  the  mental  causes,  anxiety, 
fear,  suspense,  and  grief;  for  these  seldom  produce 
the  com  plaint  until  the  body  or,  in  general,  the  stomach 
is  affected.  The  cephalalgia  of  students  is  often  a  nerv- 
ous affection  merely.  Whatever  be  the  action  of  the 
nervous  fibres  in  intellectual  operations,  its  excess  is 
often  a  cause  of  pain;  though,  in  many  instances,  the 
cephalalgia  of  students  is  connected  with  obstructions  of 
the  bowels,  and  very  often  with  increased  determination, 
to  the  head.  The  hysteric  cephalalgia  partakes  of  this 
nervous  cause,  particularly  when  the  pain  feels  as  if  a 
nail  was  fixed  in  the  brain,  from  hence  called  the  clavus 
hystericus.  But  to  this  subject  we  must  return  when 
we  treat  of  hysteria. 

Authors  have  endeavoured  to  distinguish  by  the  par- 
ticular kinds  of  pain  which  of  these  causes  may  have 
produced  it,  but  language  fails  in  describing  the  differ- 


ent feelings,  and  their  variety.  An  external  soreness, 
points  out  an  external  cause ;  and,  when  the  remote 
causes  are  attended  to,  we  may,  with  little  difficulty, 
ascertain  the  real  nature  of  the  complaint,  and  the  prac- 
tice will,  of  course,  be  obvious.  Where  the  causes 
are  beyond  our  reach,  the  disease  may  be  mitigated, 
by  attending  to  the  directions  given  for  relieving  idio- 
pathic  headach. 

Though  the  cure  of  these  species  of  headachs  de- 
pends on  their  causes,  and  we  have  given,  in  general, 
the  outline,  which  will  be  filled  up  in  treating  of  the 
diseases  themselves,  we  may  here  add  a  few  of  the  re- 
medies which  give  immediate  relief.  One  of  these  is 
bathing  the  feet  in  tepid  water,  rubbing  them  with 
flour  of  mustard,  and  keeping  up  a  general  circulation 
to  the  surface  by  flannel  next  to  the  skin.  The  effects 
of  a  blister  we  have  already  mentioned;  but  the  aqua 
ammonise,  or  ether,  applied  to  the  nostrils  or  the  fore- 
head by  the  palm  of  the  hand,  often  produce  instan- 
taneous relief,  which  authors  have  explained  in  the 
following  manner : 

A  branch  from  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves  is  spread  on 
the  membrane  that  lines  the  nostrils,  and  another 
branch  from  the  same  passes  through  the  foramen  su- 
percih,  and  spreads  on  the  teguments  of  the  forehead  ; 
hence,  when  pain  is  in  the  eyeball  and  forehead,  a 
heat  is  perceived  in  the  nostrils;  and  benefit  may  be 
expected  from  external  means,  if  applied  to  the  mem- 
brana  narium  and  to  the  forehead  :  alternate  pressure 
near  the  superciliary  holes  of  the  frontal  bones  will  also 
relieve. 

CEPHALA'LGIA  CATARRHA'LIS.     See  CATARRHUS. 

CEPHALA'LGIA  INFLAMMATO'HIA.     See  PHRENITIS. 

CEPHALA'LGIA  HE'RBA.     See  VERBENA. 

CEPHALA'LGIA  SPASMO'DICA.  The  SICK  HEAD- 
ACH. Though  this  afflictive  malady  scarcely  differs 
from  the  symptomatic  headach,  arising  from  the  sto- 
mach, yet,  from  respect  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  who  first 
called  our  attention  to  it,  we  shall  speak  more  parti- 
cularly on  the  subject.  He  observes,  that  it  is  not  the 
complaint  of  any  particular  age,  sex,  constitution,  or 
season,  but  it  is  incident  to  all.  The  sedentary,  in- 
active, relaxed,  and  incautious  respecting  diet,  are  the 
most  exposed  to  it. 

The  patients,  he  observes,  generally  awake  early  in 
the  morning  with  a  headach,  which  seldom  affects'the 
whole  head,  but  one  particular  part  of  it,  most  com- 
monly the  forehead ;  over  one  frequently,  sometimes 
over  both  eyes.  It  is  occasionally  fixed  about  the  upper 
part  of  the  parietal  bone,  of  one  side  only ;  sometimes 
the  occiput  is  the  part  affected  ;  or  it  darts  from  one 
place  to  another.  From  the  time  it  commences  until 
it  wholly  ceases,  it  is  in  different  degrees.  With  this 
is  joined  more  or  less  of  sickness,  which  in  some  is 
scarcely  sufficient,  without  assistance,  to  provoke  vo- 
miting, though  in  ochers  this  operation  is  easily  excited, 
If  this  pain  happens,  as  is  most  common,  early  in  the 
morning,  before  any  meal  is  taken,  then  phlegm  only 
is  thrown  up,  unless  the  straining  be  severe,  when 
some  bile  follows.  In  this  case  the  disease  soon  bcg-ias 
to  abate,  leaving  a  soreness  about  the  head,  a  squeam- 
ishness  at  the  stomach,  and  a  general  uneasiness,  which 
induces  the  patient  to  wish  for  repose.  Perhaps,  after 
a  short  sleep,  he  recovers  perfectly,  debilitated  only  by 


CEP 


390 


C  E  P 


his  sufferings.  The  duration  of  this  conflict  differs  in 
different  persons;  in  some  it  goes  off  in  two  or  three 
hours;  in  others  it  continues  twenty -four  hours  or 
longer,  and  with  a  violence  scarcely  to  be  endured, 
when  the  least  light  or  noise  produces  most  excruciat- 
ing pain.  In  young  persons  it  most  commonly  goes 
off  soon ;  if  it  continues  to  harass  them  many  years, 
as  it  sometimes  happens,  the  fit  is  of  longer  duration, 
and  leaves  the  whole  system  in  so  weak  a  condition  as 
is  not  soon  recovered.  Its  returns  are  very  irregular; 
some  suffer  from  it  every  two  or  three  clays,  some  in 
two  or  three  weeks,  others  in  as  many  months,  or  yet 
more  seldom.  Those  who  use  but  a  little  exercise,  and 
are  inattentive  to  their  diet,  arc  the  greatest  sufferers ; 
costive  habits  are  the  most  exposed  to  it ;  and  habitual 
laxity  of  the  bowels  coming  on  has  removed  this  com- 
plaint. 

The  disease  is  spasmodic  ;  it  attacks  after  digestion 
is  performed,  when  the  bile  is  supposed  to  have 
acquired  its  full  activity,  undiluted  by  fresh  supplies 
of  liquid :  from  numerous  circumstances  it  appears 
to  proceed  from  the  stomach.  For  the  most  part 
it  proceeds  from  inattention  to  diet,  either  in  re- 
spect to  kind  or  quantity,  or  both ;  and  without 
exact  conformity  to  rule  in  this  respect,  medicine 
proves  ineffectual.  Butter,  pepper,  or  other  spices, 
meat  pies,  rich  baked  puddings,  drinking  strong 
liquors,  with  a  very  free  use  of  malt  liquors,  arc  sup- 
posed to  produce  it.  Quantity  as  well  as  quality  of 
diet  is  to  be  considered.  Bile,  if  very  acrid  or  bitter, 
is  a  frequent  cause,  unless  in  habits  where  the  bile  will 
purge,  and  these  are  rarely  affected  by  this  disease. 

An  emetic,  or  mild  cathartic,  and  some  time  after  it 
an  anodyne,  will  carry  off  the  complaint ;  but,  as  we 
have  said,  the  fits  will  return  after  irregular  and  uncer- 
tain intervals.  If  disposed  to  costiveness,  the  belly 
should  be  kept  open,  by  a  regularly  repeated  laxative  ; 
and  rhubarb,  or  aloes,  is  preferable  to  the  saline  pur- 
gatives. If  acid  abounds  in  the  stomach,  small  doses 
of  stomach  bitters,  with  a  little  alkaline  salt,  or  a  cha- 
lybeate, once  or  twice  a  day,  may  be  given;  but  in 
general,  soap  and  pil.  aloes  cum  myrrha,  or  magnesia 
and  rhubarb,  in  small  doses,  daily  continued,  will  often 
prove  effectual.  The  following  eccoprotic  is  highly 
useful:  IJ.  aloes  succotorin.  3i.  ratj.  rhab.  et  rad. 
glycyrrhiz.  incis.  a"i  5  ss.  infunde  in  aq.  calcis  ^  viij. 
colaturae  adde  tinct.  lavencl.  ^  ss.  m.  cap.  cochl.  i.  ij. 
vel.  iij.  pro  nc  nata. 

This  disease  is  not  the  effect  of  any  sudden  and  ac- 
cidental cause,  but  of  reiterated  errors  in  diet, 
or  in  conduct,  which,  by  weakening  the  organs  of 
digestion,  and  otherwise  disordering  the  animal  func- 
tions, occasion  frequent  accumulations  of  indigested 
matter,  and  require  a  steady  perseverance  in  the  use 
of  medicines.  This  change  cannot  be  effected  speedily; 
a  patient  observance  of  proper  regimen,  in  respect  both 
to  medicine  and  diet,  is  necessary.  The  former  ought, 
therefore,  to  be  so  contrived  as  to  be  taken  without 
disgust  for  several  weeks  together,  and  to  be  repeated 
at  proper  distances,  till  the  digestion  is  rightly  per- 
formed, and  the  bile  properly  secreted  and  discharged. 
Unless  the  whole  plan  of  diet,  both  in  kind  and  quan- 
tity, accord  with  medical  prescription,  the  benefits 
will  be  proportionally  diminished.  It  demands  atten- 
tion to  observe  the  just  medium,  and  no  less  resolution 


to  keep  steadily  to  the  directions  enjoined,  particularly 
in  respect  to  quantity.  This  must  vary  in  different 
constitutions ;  but  the  first  sensation  of  satiety  is  the 
surest  prooi"  of  the  meal  having  attained  its  proper 
limits.  These  patients  are  often  subject  to  false  appe- 
tite, a  craving  that  does  not  arise  from  the  demands  of 
health,  but  from  the  morbid  irritability  of  the  stomach, 
which  prompts  them  to  eat  more,  and  more  frequently 
than  nature  requires,  by  which  their  sufferings  are 
increased,  and  the  disease  gains  ground. 

See  Dr.  Fothergill's  Works,  4to.  edit.  p.  597,  Sec. 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  vi.  p.  103, 
8cc. 

CEPHALA'RTICA,  (from  xcfxtlv,  caflul,  and 
«£*•;£*>,  to  make  clear").  Medicines  that  purge  the  head. 

CEPHA'LEA  JUVENUM.  The  HEADACH  that 
often  attends  youth  at  the  approach  of  puberty. 

CEFHA'LICA,  CEPHALICS,  (from  xe^aA?,  the 
fiead,  also  cajntalia,}  remedies  against  disorders  of  the 
head.  Dr.  Cullen  says,  "  however  frequently  em- 
ployed, such  a  general  meaning  is  sufficient  to  show 
the  absolute  impropriety  of  the  term.  It  has  been  pro- 
posed to  limit  it  to  such  medicines  as  have  the  power  of 
increasing  the  energy  of  the  brain  and  the  activity  of 
the  nervous  system.  But  in  this  manner  it  has  been 
applied  without  any  proper  distinction  and  precision ; 
and  till  this  can  be  done,  the  term  would  be  better  laid 
aside."  In  general,  authors  mean  by  ccphalics,  cor- 
dials, and  whatever  promotes  a  free  circulation  of  the 
blood  through  the  brain. 

In  general,  cool  applications  are  useful  cephalics, 
when  inflammation  prevails ;  but  the  ether,  and  the 
spirit  of  ammonia,  as  we  have  just  observed,  are  more 
frequently  useful.  The  old  pharmaceutical  works  are 
full  of  formulae  under  this  title,  to  be  applied  as  cafiitones, 
frontals,  or  in  other  forms,  which  modern  practice 
wholly  disregards.  The  medicines  were  generally  of 
the  stimulant  kind.  The  herbals  are  equally  full  of 
medicines,  which  clear,  which  purge,  which  fortify 
the  brain,  under  the  name  of  cephalics.  Perhaps  err- 
hines  and  sialogogues  may  have  some  effect  in  promot- 
ing a  discharge ;  but  these  act  on  more  general  prin- 
ciples. The  chief  cephalics  retained  in  some  of  the 
lists  of  the  older  authors  are,  the  betony,  the  valerian, 
the  lavender,  the  abrotanum,  and  the  vanilloes. 

CEPHA'LICA  POLICIS.  A  branch  from  the  cepha- 
lica  vena,  sent  off  from  about  the  lower  extremity  of 
the  radius,  running  superficially  between  the  thumb 
and  the  metacarpus. 

CEPHA'LIOA  TINCTU'HA,  of  a  former  edition  of 
the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  consisted  of  four  ounces 
of  wild  valerian  root,  finely  powdered;  one  ounce  of 
Virginian  snake  root,  powdered  ;  half  an  ounce  of  the 
tops  of  rosemary  ;  and  six  pints  of  white  French  wine; 
digested  for  three  days,  and  then  strained  off'.  If  to 
this  were  added  two  ounces  of  senna,  one  ounce  of 
black  hellebore,  and  two  pints  of  French  white 
wine,  the  cephalica  tinctura  purgans  is  formed.  It  is 
now  totally  disregarded,  though  it  may  be  useful  as  a 
nervous  or  antispasmodic  medicine;  particularly  in 
those  nervous  complaints  connected  with  fullness  of  the 
vessels  of  the  head. 

CEPHA'LICA  VE'XA.  The  CEPHALIC  VEIN,  called 
also  caftitis  vena  :  because  the  head  was  supposed  to  be 
relieved  by  taking  blood  from  it.  It  does  not 


CE  R 


ER 


particular  artery ;  it  comes  over  the  shoulder  be- 
tween the  pectoral  and  deltoid  muscles,  and  runs  down 
the  back  part  of  the  arm  ;  when  it  arrives  at,  or  a  little 
below,  the  bending  of  the  fore  arm,  it  divides  into  two, 
below  the  outer,  as  the  basilic  does  below  the  inner, 
condyleoftheoshumeri.  The  inner  of  the  two  branches 
of  the  cephalic  vein  is  called  mediana  cephalica,  and 
is  the  safest  to  bleed  in.  It  is  a  branch  from  the  axil- 
lary vein. 

CEPHA'LICUS.     PI/LVIS.     See  ASARUM. 

CE'PHALIXE,  (from  Kspate,  the  head).     See  LIN- 


OUA. 


CE'PHALITIS,  (from  the  same).     See  PHREXITIS. 

CEPHALOI'DES,  (from  >««>*A>j,  and  tife,  likeness). 
Shaped  like  a  head,  or  having  a  head.  It  is  applied  to 
plants  which  are  called  CAPITATE,  q.  v. 

CEPHALONO'SOS,  (from  *.t<p<t>r,,  a  head,  and 
tes-^,  a  disease).  This  term  is  applied  to  a  fever  par- 
ticularly affecting  the  head1,  and  is  frequent  in  Hungary. 
See  AMPHEMERIXA  HVXGARICA. 

CEPHALO  PHARYNG.EUS,  (from  «?***,  the 
head,  and  p*fv/%,  the  throat,")  a  muscle  of  the  pha- 
rynx;  called  zlsoglosso  jikaryngeus, mylofiharyngaus. 
It  rises  above,  from  the  cuneiform  process  of  the  os 
occipitis,  before  the  foramen  magnum,  near  the  holes 
where  the  ninth  pair  of  nerves  pass  out ;  lower  down, 
from  the  pterygoid  process  of  the  sphenoid  bone,  from 
the  upper  anil  under  jaw,  near  the  roots  of  the  last 
dentis  molaris,  and  between  the  jaws ;  it  is  continued 
with  the  buccinator  muscle,  and  with  some  fibres  from 
the  root  of  the  tongue,  and  from  the  palate.  It  is  in- 
serted into  a  white  line,  in  the  middle  of  the  pharynx, 
where  it  joins  with  its  fellow,  and  is  covered  by  the 
constrictor  medius,  i.  e.  hyopharyngaeus  of  Douglas. 
Its  use  is  to  compress  the  upper  part  of  the  pharynx, 
and  to  draw  it  forwards  and  upwards.  See  PHARYNX, 

?TERYGO-PHARYXG.£I. 

CEPHALOPO'NIA,  (from  «^*AK,  head,  and  n-«»<>{, 
fiain).  See  CEPHA'LALGIA. 

CE'PHALOS,  (from  «p«Ai;,  the  head;  so  called 
from  the  size  of  the  head).  See  MUGILIS. 

CEPHALO'TOS,  (from  the  same).     See  CAPITATE 

PLAXT.E. 

CERA,  (from  the  Arabic  kira,  or  the  Chaldean 
kera).  WAX.  It  is  a  concrete  collected  from  vege- 
tables by  bees,  and  extracted  from  their  combs  after 
the  honey  is  separated  from  them.  It  is  wholly  a  ve- 
getable production :  and  a  similar  substance  is  obtained 
from  leaves.  A  little  of  the  pollen  only  is  added  by 
the  bee,  which  gives  the  colour,  and  increases  the  so- 
lubility; for  yellow  wax  melts  at  142°;  bleached  wax 
at  155°.  Wax  is  evidently  an  oil  coagulated  by  oxy- 
gen, which  it  certainly  contains,  though,  according  to 
Lavoisier's  analysis,  100  parts  of  wax  consist  of  82.28 
of  carbon,  and  17.72  of  hydrogen.  In  distillation,  a 
little  water  and  some  sebacid  acid  come  over,  next  a 
very  fluid  odorous  oil,  which  increases  in  consistence 
tillit  assumes  that  of  butter,  and  is  called  butter  '^f  wax; 
but,  by  repeated  distillations,  Lemery  reduced  this  to 
a  very  volatile  oil.  Acids  have  no  effect  on  it :  even 
the  oxy-muriatic  acid  only  whitens  it.  It  is  lighter 
than  water,  but  heavier  than  proof  spirit ;  and  with 
the  assistance  of  heat  it  is  soluble  in  rectified  spirit  of 
wine ;  more  so,  according  to  Dr.  Alston,  than  in  oil. 
at  all  soluble  in  aqueous  liquors.  With  a 


small  degree  of  heat  it  is  dissolved  into  the  appearance 
of  a  transparent  oil ;  and  in  this  state  it  is  easily  misci- 
ble  with  oils,  and  any  kind  of  fat.  It  readily  takes  fire, 
and  burns  all  away  ;  and  all  the  wax,  like  camphor, 
is  volatile  in  a  certain  heat.  Inflammable  vegetable 
oils  may  exist  under  the  various  forms  of  oil,  butter, 
balsam,  wax,  resin,  and  pitch,  according,  probably,  to 
the  proportion  of  oxygen  which  they  contain. 

CE'RA  FLAVA,  YELLOW  WAX,  in  the  state  it  is 
taken  from  the  combs,  is,  while  fresh,  of  a  lively  yel- 
low colour,  tough,  yet  easy  to  break ;  hath  an  agree- 
able flavour,  somewhat  resembling  honey :  by  long 
keeping  it  loses  its  colour,  its  agreeable  smell,  and  be- 
comes harder  and  more  brittle.  It  contains,  as  we 
have  said,  a  proportion  of  the  pollen,  furnished  by  the 
bee. 

Distilled  with  water  it  impregnates  the  liquor  with 
the  smell,  but  gives  no  appearance  of  oil.  If  chewed, 
it  proves  tenacious,  and  neither  mingles  with  the  sa- 
liva, nor  discovers  any  peculiar  taste.  By  a  mixture  of 
gum  arabic  in  fine  powder  it  is  rendered  soluble  in 
water ;  the  wax  requires  its  weight  of  the  powdered 
gum  for  this  end ;  and  thus  prepared,  it  is  still  insipid, 
and  void  of  all  acrimony.  The  addition  of  soap  renders 
it  also  soluble  in  watery  fluids. 

Dioscorides  observes  that  wax  is  healing  and  soften- 
ing. When  made  into  an  emulsion,  or  mixed  with 
spermaceti,  in  an  electuary,  or  divided  by  rubbing  it 
with  the  testaceous  powders  while  it  is  in  a  melted 
state,  it  is  successfully  used  to  blunt  the  acrimony  in  di- 
arrhoeas and  dysenteries  ;  it  supplies  the  loss  of  mucus 
in  the  bowels,  and  heals  their  excoriations. 

With  soap,  to  which  a  small  proportion  of  opium 
is  added,  or  a  few  grains  of  Dover's  powder,  it  be- 
comes an  excellent  remedy  for  diarrhoeas  of  long  con- 
tinuance, and  for  dysenteries,  when  all  obstruction 
and  indurated  faeces  are  removed.  We  have  seen  that 
it  was  formerly  added  to  the  vitrum  antimonii,  to  miti- 
gate its  too  great  acrimony.  Poerner  used  it  in  com- 
plaints of  the  bowels,  by  melting  it  with  some  fixed  oil, 
and  then  combining  it  with  water  in  an  emulsion ;  but 
its  union  with  soap,  in  pills,  is  preferable. 

The  college  of  Edinburgh  gave  the  following  prepa- 
ration, in  a  former  edition  of  their  Pharmacopoeia. 
PI/LVIS  TESTA'CEOUS  CER'ATUS.  Testaceous  cerated 
fioivder. — Melt  yellow  wax  over  a  gentle  fire,  and  care- 
fully stir  into  it,  by  degrees,  as  much  of  the  compound 
powder  of  crabs'  claws  as  the  wax  will  take  up.  The 
dose  is  a  drachm  twice  a  day. 

The  chief  uses  of  wax  are  at  present  in  plasters, 
ointments,  and  cerates,  partly  to  give  them  consistence, 
and  partly  to  increase  their  emollient  and  suppurating 
quality. 

The  college  of  physicians  of  London  order  an  EM- 
PLASTRUM  CER.E  filaster  of  wax,  formerly  called  em- 
filastrum  attrahens,  to  be  made  of  yellow  wax  and 
sheep's  suet  prepared,  of  each  three  pounds;  yellow 
resin,  one  pound  ;  melted  together,  and  the  mixture 
to  be  strained  whilst  it  remains  in  its  fluid  state.  Ph. 
Lond.  1788.  Though  blisters  used  to  be  dressed  with 
this  plaster,  it  is  not  an  agreeable  form  :  softer  and 
less  adhesive  cerates  are  preferable:  the  ceratum  sper- 
matis  ceti,  or  the  ceratum  resinae  flavac,  are  good  sub- 
stitutes for  this  plaster;  which  see,  under  CERATUM 

ALBUM  Ct  CITRIXl'M. 


C  ER 


392 


C  ER 


O'LEUM  CE'R^E;  OIL  OF  WAX;  called  also  cerelce'um, 
from  cera,  and  fA«i«v,  oleum,  from  being  thinner  than 
cerate,  which  is,  in  fact,  the  butter  of  wax,  prepared  by 
filling  the  upper  part  of  the  retort  with  fine  sand,  and 
distilling  the  wax  through  the  sand. — Cut  yellow  wax 
in  small  pieces,  and  put  as  much  into  a  retort  as  will 
fill  nearly  one  half;  then  add  as  much  clean  white  sand 
as  will  nearly  fill  the  retort ;  after  which  place  it  in  a 
sand  furnace.  At  first  an  acid  liquor  arises,  after- 
wards a  thick  oil,  which  sticks  in  the  neck  of  the  retort, 
unless  it  be  heated  by  applying  a  live  coal.  The  thick 
oil  is  also  called  the  butter  of  wax,  and  maybe  rectified 
into  a  thin  oil  by  distilling  it  several  times,  without  ad- 
dition, in  a  sand  heat :  if  it  is  thus  rectified  it  never 
hardens  again. 

Boerhaave  highly  extols  this  oil  as  an  emollient,  and 
for  healing  chaps  and  roughness  of  the  skin,  for  curing 
chilblains,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  exercise,  for  re- 
laxing contracted  tendons.  It  is  rarely  used  on  account 
of  its  empyreumatic  smell,  but  it  is  wholly  free  from 
acrimony. 

CE'RA  A'LBA,  WHITE  WAX,  is  the  yellow  wax  arti- 
ficially deprived  of  its  colour,  by  reducing  it  into  thin 
flakes,  exposing  them  to  the  sun  and  air,  and  occa- 
sionally sprinkling  them  with  water.  When  sufficient- 
ly whitened,  it  is  melted  and  cast  into  thin  cakes.  Some 
whiten  it  first  by  dissolving  it  in  hot  water,  forcing  it 
through  linen  strainers  into  shallow  metalline  moulds, 
and  then  exposing  it  to  the  air.  When  wax  is  thus 
robbed  of  its  colour,  it  has  a  less  resolvent  quality  ;  but 
is  altered  in  no  other  respect.  It  is  sometimes  adulter- 
ated with  white  oxide  of  lead,  sometimes  with  tallow. 
Melting  will  discover  the  first,  and  the  smell  detect  the 
other  fraud. 

The  college  of  physicians  of  London  give  the  follow- 
ing form  for  making  the  UNGUENTUM  CER.S,  ointment  of 
wax;  formerly  called  ungitentum  album.  Take  of 
white  wax,  four  ounces ;  spermaceti,  three  ounces ; 
olive  oil,  a  pint :  let  these  be  melted  over  a  gentle  fire, 
constantly  and  quickly  stirring  the  compound  until  it 
grows  cold.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

The  certs  unguentumcumhydrdrgyro  is  highly  recom- 
mended in  languid  ulcers,  and,  as  it  acts  favourably  on 
the  callous  edges,  it  should  be  extended  some  distance 
round  the  sore.  It  consists  of  eight  ounces  of  wax,  and 
two  of  axunge,  with  six  ounces  of  unguent,  hydrargyri. 
A  few  drops  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine  renders  wax 
more  easily  pulverisable.  See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 
Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

CE'RA  DICA'RDO.     See  CARDUUS  PINEA. 
CE'RA  CINNAMO'MI.     See  CINNAMOMUM. 
CER/E'jE,  (from  xepas,  a  horn,  called  also  Girri}.    So 
Rufus  Ephesius  calls  the  cornua  of  the  uterus. 

CERA'MIUM.     A  Greek  measure  of  nine  gallons. 
CERANI'TES,  (from  xsguwvp.!,  to  temfier  together}. 
See  TROCHISCI. 

CERA'NTHEMUS,  (from  xypos,  ivax,  and  a.vli/u>s, 
ci  flower ;  so  called  because  it  is  collected  from  flowers). 
See  PROPOLIS. 

CERASIA'TUM,  (from  cerasus,  a  cherry).  A  purg- 
ing medicine  in  Libavius;  so  called  because  the  juice 
of  cherries  is  an  ingredient. 

CERA'SIOS,  (from  the  same  cause).  The  "name  of 
two  ointments  in  Mesue. 


CERA'SMA,  (from  m^ctnv^i,  to  mix],  A  mixture 
of  cold  and  warm  water,  when  the  warm  is  poured  into 
the  cold. 

CERASO'RUM  NIGRO'RUM  A'QUA.  See 
AMYGDALAE  AMARJE. 

CERASUS.  The  CHERRY-TREE.  It  receives  its 
name  from  Cerasis,  or  Cerasante,  a  city  of  Pontus, 
from  whence  it  was  imported  to  Rome  by  Lucullus, 
and  thence,  according  to  Pliny,  propagated  into  Bri- 
tain. 

Cherries  have  the  same  general  properties  as  other 
summer  fruits  :  they  are  agreeable,  cooling,  and  quench 
thirst ;  and  because  they  keep  the  body  open  they  are 
termed  EUCOILIA. 

CERA'SUS,  avium  nigra.  See  LAURO  CERASUS  ct 
PADUE. 

CERA'SUS  AMERICA'NA.     See  MALPHIGIA. 

CERA'SUS  DU'LCIS  IN'DICA.     See  CAPOHN. 

CERA'SUS  A'CIDA  NIGRICA'NS,  the  MORELLO  CHER- 
RY. 

CERA'SUS   RU'BRA,  SATI'VA,   or   ANGH'CA  ;   COMMOS 

RED   CHERRY. 

CERA'SUS  NI'GRA,  also  cfrasus  major,  BLACK  CHERRY. 

CERA'TIA,  CERA'TIUM,  and  CERA'TONIA, 
(from  Kipct-s,  a  horn,  which  its  fruit  is  supposed  to  re- 
semble). See  SiLiquA  DULCIS. 

CERA'TIA  DIPHY'LLUS.     See  COURBARIL. 

CERAT'ITIS,  (from  xepae,  a  horn).  See  UNICORNU. 

CERATO-CE'PHALUS,  (from  *£/>««,  cornu,  and 
xf0«;>u0,  caput ;  from  the  horn-like  appearance  of  its 
top).  See  ACMELLA  and  BIDENS. 

CERATO-GLO'SSI,  (from  xsfat,  a  horn,  and  yha/rra.,  a 
tongue  ;  muscles  so  named  from  their  shape  and  inser- 
tion into  the  tongue).  See  HYO-GLOSSUS. 

CERATO  HYOID^E'US,  (from  the  os  hyoides}.  Sec 
STYO-HYOIDES. 

CERATO-PHARYNGE'US  MA'JOR  et  MI'NOR.     See  HYO- 

PHARYNGEUS. 

CERATOI'DES,  (from  xifxlos,  the  genitive  case  of 
xepxs,  a  horn).  See  CORNEA. 

CERATOMALA'GMA,  (from  xvgos,  wax,  and 
/«.aAy«jtt«,  a  mixture}.  See  CERATUM. 

CERA'TUM,  from  cera,  wax}.  CERATE;  called 
also  CERELJEUM  (which  see),  ceroma,  ceronium,  cero- 
tum,  ceratomalagma.  Cerates  chiefly  differ  from  plas- 
ters in  consistence,  being  a  softer  kind  .of  plaster,  or 
harder  kind  of  ointment.  Their  consistence  is  very 
convenient :  when  mercury  is  made  up  in  plasters,  a 
sufficient  quantity  is  not  absorbed  from  them  to  produce 
any  very  certain  effect ;  but  in  a  cerate  it  is  resolvent 
and  discutient,  and  when  thus  applied  to  venereal  tophi 
and  nodes,  they  often  yield  to  it.  The  general  rule  for 
cerate  is,  eight  parts  of  oil,  fat,  or  juices,  four  of  wax, 
and  one  or  two  of  powder :  or  three  ounces  of  oil,  half 
an  ounce  of  wax,  and  two  or  three  drachms  of  powder. 
The  London  college  directs  the  ceratum  Album  to  be 
made,  of  olive  oil,  four  ounces  by  measure ;  of  white 
wax,  two  ounces  in  weight ;  of  spermaceti,  half  an 
ounce  in  weight :  these  must  be  melted  and  stirred  to- 
gether till  the  cerate  is  quite  cold. 

CERA'TUM  ANTIMO'NII  VI'TRUM.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

CERA'TUM  LYTHA'RGYRI.     See  LITHARGYRUM. 

CERA'TUM  HYDRA'RGYRI  NITRA'TI.  See  MEROUK. 
PR^CIPIT.  RUB. 


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393 


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CERA'TUM  ME'LLIS.     See  MEL. 

CEHA'TVM  CITRI'XUM. — Take  of  the  ointment  of  yel- 
low resin,  half  a  pound ;  of  yellow  wax,  one  ounce :  melt 
them  together.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

CERA'TUM  RU'BRUM.  RED  CERATE.  Take  yellow 
wax,  and  sheep's  suet,  of  each  two  pounds :  red  sul- 
phurated quicksilver,  fifteen  grains :  yellow  resin,  two 
ounces.  Melt  the  resin,  wax,  and  suet  together,  and 
afterwards  add  the  sulphurated  quicksilver;  this  is  a 
cheap  cerate  for  external  dressings. 

CERA'TUM  EPULO'TICUM.     See  CALAMINARIS  LAPIS. 

CERA'TUM  LITHA'RGYRI  ACETA'TI.  SeeLYTHARGYRUM. 

CERA'TUM  SAPO'NIS.     See  SAPO. 

CERA'TUM  CANTHA'RIDES,  et  HYDRARGYRI.  Cerate 
of  SPANISH  FLY.  See  CANTHARIDES,  and  ARGENTUM 
VIVUM. 

CERAUXO-CHRY'SOS,  (from  %!>*•*•;,  thunder, 
and  wus-cs,  aurum ;  so  called  from  the  violence  of  its 
explosion  when  heated).  See  AURUM  FULMIXAXS,  un- 
der AURUM. 

CE'RBERUS  TRI'CEPS.  A  powder  composed  of 
three  capital  active  ingredients.  See  SCAMMOXII  PULV. 
COMPOSIT.  under  SCAMMOXIUM. 

CE'RCHNOS,  and  CE'RCHXON,  (from  *ifx*,  to 
vshecze).  See  RHEXCHOS. 

CERCHO'DES,  (from  the  same).     See  DASYS. 

CE'RCIS,  (from  xifxi{,a/iestlefor  a  mortar,  or  sfiolce 
for  a  wheel}.  See  SILIQUASTKUM  and  RADIUS. 

CERCO'SIS,  x:fxu~is,  (from  x;cK>s,a  tail').  A  disease 
of  the  clitoris,  when  it  is  enlarged  and  hangs  like  a  tail 
from  the  vagina.  See  CLITORIS. 

CE'REA,  (from  cera,  •a-aj:').     See  CERUMEN  AURIS. 

CEREA'LIA,  (from  ceres,  corn).  All  sorts  of  corn 
of  which  bread  is  made.  The  Greeks  use  the  word 
dtmetrias  in  the  same  sense.  Not  to  enlarge  too  far  the 
article  of  bread,  we  referred  to  this  part  of  our  work 
a  short  view  of  the  comparative  qualities  of  different 
corn  employed  as  its  basis.  The  cerealia,  strictly 
speaking,  are  the  barley  (hcrdeum  disticAum.L.in.')  ;  the 
rye  (secale  sereale');  millet  (fianicum  miliaceumj;  the 
oat  (ai-ena  saliva};  wheat  (triticum  hybernum};  rice 
(oryzo  satii'a');  and  maize  (:f a  mays').  To  these  are 
sometimes  added  the  buck  wheat,  from  different  spe- 
cies of  fagopyrum;  Guinea  corn  (holchus  sorgum); 
flote  fescue  grass,  or  manna  seeds  (festuca  Jluitans) ; 
and  the  lotus,  described  by  Mungo  Park,  (r/iamntis 
>). 

These  different  cerealia  are  set  down  nearly  in  the 
order  of  their  nutritious  qualities,  beginning  with  the 
least  nourishing  ;  and,  as  these  perhaps  depend  on  the 
proportion  of  oil,  their  ascescency,  and  the  easy  evolu- 
tion of  their  saccharine  principle,  are  not  very  different. 
The  buck  wheat,  the  Guinea  com,  the  manna  seeds, 
and  those  of  the  lotus,  are  truly  saccharine.  See  ALI- 
MENT, and  the  different  articles  under  their  proper 
terms  :  FARIXACEA  and  BRE\D. 

"  CEREBE'LLUM,  and  CERE'BRUM,  (a  dim.  of 
cerebrum,')  as  it  were,  the  LITTLE  BRAIX;  called  also 
tfiencranis  fiarencefihalis  encranion. 

'  The  cerebrum  and  cerebellum  together  are  often 
called  cerebellum,  when  the  brain  is  spoken  of  in  small 
animals,  as  birds,  pigs,  kc. 

"  The  terebellum  is  flattened,  and  convex  on  its  upper 
and  lower  part ;  its  greatest  extent  is  from  side  to  side. 

voi .  : 


It  is  situated  under  the  posterior  lobes  of  the  cerebrum, 
and  divided  into  two  lobes  by  a  small  process  of  the 
dura  mater,  which  is  a  continuation  of  the  falx  running 
in  its  direction.  It  is  covered  by  the  pia  mater  like  the 
cerebrum  ;  but  the  lobuli  of  the  cerebellum  differ  from 
those  of  the  cerebrum,  mostly  lying  horizontal.  It  hath 
no  convolutions  like  the  cerebrum,  but  it  hath  curved 
parallel  lines  described  on  its  surface  by  the  pia  mater, 
and  is  of  a  darker  colour  than  the  cerebrum.  It  is  com- 
posed of  a  cortical  substance,  and  a  medullary  part  like 
the  cerebrum,  but  disposed  in  a  more  regular  manner; 
and  a  perpendicular  section  of  it  hath  a  beautiful  ap- 
pearance, ramified  like  a  tree,  called  i'it<e  arbor,  the 
trunks  of  which  form  the  pedunculi  of  the  cerebellum. 
On  the  back  part  of  the  isthmus  which  joins  the  cere- 
brum and  cerebellum  we  see  four  eminences ;  the  two 
upper  are  called  nates  or  glutie,  and  the  two  lower 
testes  or  didymi.  Before  these  the  aqueduct  runs  down 
into  the  fourth  ventricle,  the  medullary  covering  of 
which  is  called  valvula  magna  Sylvii.  The  fourth  ven- 
tricle is  placed  between  the  cerebellum  and  the  medulla 
oblongata." 

"  CE'REBRUM,  (quasi  carabrum,  a  x*f»,  cafiut").  The 
BRAK,  called  ence/ihalus :  see  also  EPISPH^RIA.  Meta- 
phorically called  emfiorium  (a  Latin  term  for  a  market 
town),  because  it  is  the  seat  of  all  rational  and  sensitive 
transactions.  Its  structure  and  use  are  not  so  fully 
known  as  some  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  different 
authors  consider  it  in  various  manners.  However,  ac- 
cording to  the  observations  of  those  most  famed  for 
their  accuracy  in  anatomical  enquiries,  its  general  struc- 
ture is  thus  described. 

"  The  whole  mass  of  brain  is  divided  into  CEREBRUM 
and  CEREBELLUM.  It  consists  of  two  substances,  viz. 
one  cortical  or  cineritious ;  the  other  medullary.  Thefirst 
is  of  an  ash  colour,  the  second  is  white,  and  of  a  firmer 
texture:  they  both  are  vascular, but  the  cortical  is  more 
so  than  the  medullary,  from  whence  the  nerves  proceed. 
When  the  two  hemispheres  of  the  cerebrum,  each  side 
of  the  falx  being  called  an  hemisphere,  are  removed,  a 
white  part,  called  CORPUS  CALLOSUM,  running  from 
one  hemisphere  to  the  other,  appears.  The  CENTRUM 
OVALE  is  the  appearance  of  a  particular  section  of  it. 
The  anterior  ventricles  are  two  oblong  bodies  placed 
one  on  each  side  the  corpus  callosum,  with  a  partition 
between  them,  called  the  SEPTUM  LUCIDUM,  which  is 
a  continuation  of  the  medullary  substance  of  the  cor- 
pus callosum.  There  is  commonly  much  water  in  these 
ventricles,  in  those  who  die  of  disorders  in  their  heads, 
as  in  the  epilepsy,  hydrocephalus,  Sec.  but  naturally 
they  only  contain  about  two  drachms.  In  watery  heads 
the  fluid  is  always  found  in  the  cerebrum  only ;  th«  ce- 
rebellum never  hath  any  share  in  it.  Er.ch  ventricle  at 
the  posterior  part  throws  back  an  appendage,  which 
makes  a  cavity  in  the  posterior  lobe  of  the  cerebrum. 
Below  the  septum  lucidum  appears  the  FORXIX,  or 
LYRA,  with  the  corpora  Jimbriaia,  narrow  at  the  ante- 
rior extremity,  where  it  rises  by  a  double  basis  called 
its  CRURA,  which  follow  the  track  of  the  ventricle ;  in 
each  ventricle  are  eminences  of  a  cineritious  colour, 
called  CORPORA  STRIATA.  The  PLEXUS  CHOROIDES,  call- 
ed also  reticulcris,  or  retiformis,  is  a  plexus  of  vessels 
which  follow  the  sweep  of  the  ventricle :  it  is  formed 
by  the  vessels  of  the  pia  mater;  it  is '  -din 

*  E 


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two  loose  fasciculi,  which  lie  one  in  each  lateral  ven- 
tricle, and  partly  expanded  over  the  neighbouring  parts, 
and  covering  in  a  particular  manner  the  thalami  nervo- 
rum  opticorum,  GLANDULA  PINEALIS,  and  other  ad- 
jacent parts,  both  of  the  cerebrum  and  cerebellum,  to 
all  which  it  adheres.  The  parts  of  this  plexus,  which 
are  in  the  ventricles,  contain  some  very  small  glands, 
which  are  considerably  increased  in  some  diseases. 
After  the  fornix  is  removed,  we  see  a  large  plexus  of 
vessels,  particularly  Galen's  great  vein,  which  go  to 
form  the  TORCULAR  HEROPHILLI,  or  fourth  sinus,  called* 
also  lecheneon,  and,  by  Herophillus,  tenos.  It  is  a  sinus 
formed  by  the  meeting  of  the  sinuses  of  the  dura  mater. 
Under  the  plexus,  before  the  united  thalami  nervorum 
opticorum,  is  a  hole  on  each  side  called  the  ANUS  and 
the  VULVA;  the  latter  goes  to  the  infundibulum,  the 
former  to  the  aqueduct  and  third  ventricle.  The 
THALAMI  NERVORUM  OPTICORUM  are  white  externally, 
and  grey  within,  and  are  little  eminences  from  whence 
the  optic  nerves  arise.  The  third  ventricle  is  very 
small ;  it  runs  back  under  the  two  thalami,  between 
them  and  the  medulla  oblongata.  The  PINEALIS  GLAN- 
J>ULA,  pineal  gland,  called  also  conarium,  conoides  et 
conoides  corjius,  from  its  cone  like  form;  and  turbinata, 
covered  by  the  plexus  choroides,  and  situated  on  the 
sella  turcica  of  the  os  sphenoicles,  is  a  little  greyish 
body,  the  size  of  a  pea  :  it  lies  just  a  little  before  where 
the  transverse  and  longitudinal  processes  meet,  where 
the  vessels  go  to  form  the  torcular.  It  is  covered  by 
the  pia  mater,  and  is  connected  by  a  little  bone  to  each 
thalamus  nervi  optici. 

"  Numberless  experiments  prove,  that  the  nerves  are 
necessary  to  life;  and  that  when  the  brain,  or  medulla 
s/iinalis,  is  much  injured,  life  is  at  an  end,  or  at  least 
health  :  yet  no  part  of  the  brain  being  injured,  imme- 
diate death  may  ensue  from  different  causes,  though  an 
injury  of  the  medulla  oblongata  is  so  instantly  fatal. 

"  Behind  the  infundibulum  called  fiel-vis,  is  seen  the 

CORPORA  ALBICANTIA,  Or  GLANDULJE  WlLLISII. 

"  Two  glands  are  said  to  be  in  the  brain,  viz.  the  su- 
perior orglandula  fiinealis  ;  and  the  inferior  or  glandula 
ftituitaria,  which  see.  They  have  the  external  appear- 
ance of  glands,  but  as  to  their  being  such  is  not  cer- 
tainly known. 

"  The  cerebrum  fills  all  the  upper  portion  of  the  ca- 
vity of  the  cranium,  or  the  portion  which  lies  above  the 
transverse  septum ;  each  lateral  half  is  divided  into 
three  eminences,  called  lobes;  one  anterior,  one  middle, 
and  one  posterior. 

"  The  blood  vessels  which  supply  the  cerebrum,  ce- 
rebellum, and  medulla  oblongata,  come  partly  from  the 
carotid,  and  partly  from  the  vertebral,  arteries.  The 
veins  of  the  cerebrum  and  cerebellum  may,  in  general, 
be  looked  on  as  branches  not  only  of  the  longitudinal 
sinus  of  the  dura  mater,  and  of  the  two  great  lateral 
sinuses,  but  also  of  all  the  inferior  sinuses  of  this  mem- 
brane, in  all  which  the  veins  terminate  by  different 
trunks." 

"  Plain  truth,"  it  is  observed,  "  needs  no  flowers  of 
speech,"  and  we  long  hesitated  whether  this  simple, 
this  bald,  unornamented  description  might  not  pass  as 
plain  sound  science.  If  we  could  only  add  to  it  specu- 
lation, yet  when  this  is  the  mode,  a  dictionary,  which 
is  to  give  the  very  body  of  the  time  its  form  and  pressure, 
must  admit  of  speculation.  As  the  room  it  employed 


was  but  small,  and  as  it  contained  a  text  which  might 
prevent  repetition,  we  have,  therefore,  preserved  it,  and 
shall  add  the  commentary. 

A  brain  is  the  distinction  of  the  more  perfect  animals, 
and  its  proportional  bulk  is  the  criterion  of  more  per- 
fect intellectual  faculties.  With  a  diminished  brain, 
animals  dwindle  in  the  scale  of  intellect;  and  Camper's 
facial  line,  which  marks  the  varying  boundary  between 
the  most  perfect  human  form  and  the  meanest  animal 
which  possesses  this  distinguishing  organ,  depends  on 
the  bulk  of  the  cerebrum.  This  is  the  part  originally 
created ;  and  the  integuments,  whether  bony  or  mem- 
branous, are  adapted  to  its  primordial  shape. 

When  the  head  is  opened,  and  the  tense  DURA  MATER 
removed  (vide  in  verbo),  we  perceive  a  bluish  white 
mass,  formed  apparently  of  vermicular  convolutions, 
variegated  with  vessels  of  a  deeper  blue.  This  mass  is 
divided  into  two  hemispheres,  which  fill  the  upper  part  of 
the  head,  and  form  the  projection  of  the  forehead.  Be- 
tween the  hemispheres  passes  a  membrane,  called  the 
falx ;  because,  when  separated,  it  resembles  a  scythe  or 
reaping  hook  ;  and  these  are  united  below  the  falx  by  a 
white  substance,  firmer  than  the  brain,  which  has  been 
just  styled  corpus  callosum.  This  hard  substance  is 
continued  downwards,  and  divides  two  ventricles ;  but 
as  it  is  there  thinner,  it  has  obtained  the  name  of  sep- 
tum lucidum.  This  corpus  callosum,  continued  back- 
ward, connects  the  cerebrum  and  cerebellum  ;  and  as 
when  cut  through  in  a  horizontal  direction  it  appears 
of  an  oval  shape,  it  has  been  called  the  centrum  ovale. 

When  the  base  of  a  skull  is  examined,  it  appears  to 
have  numerous  projections  and  depressions,  adapted  to 
the  cavities  or  reliefs  of  the  brain  which  rests  on  it. 
Behind  are  two  spherical  cavities,  which  contain  the 
cerebellum  ;  and  between  them  is  a  hole,  through  which 
the  medulla  spinalis  passes  out,  or,  according  to  modern 
speculators,  enters.  We  need  not  enlarge  furtheron  these 
projections,  as  our  predecessors  have  given  their  ap- 
pellations, except  to  add,  that  the  pineal  gland  seated 
in  the  midst,  on  a  kind  of  throne,  the  sella  turcica  of 
the  sphxnoiclal  bone,  the  only  part  to  which  no  other 
corresponds,  has  been  styled  the  seat  of  the  soul.  Less 
eccentric  observers  have  supposed  it  to  be  a  conglobate 
gland ;  but  as  we  have  found  it  the  seat  of  calculous 
concretions,  we  must  consider  it  as  a  secretory  organ, 
whatever  fluid  it  may  furnish.  To  this  subject,  how- 
ever, we  shall  return. 

When  the  brain  is  examined  more  nearly  we  find  a 
very  thin  membrane,  called  the  pia  mater,  which  ac- 
companies the  convolutions,  and  sinks  into  the  inter- 
stices. This  membrane,  which  will  be  afterwards  de- 
scribed, conv  eys  the  blood  vessels  to  the  cineritious  part 
of  the  cerebrum,  and  is  itself  covered  with  a  cobweb- 
like  membrane,  which,  however,  does  not  follow  it  into 
the  sulci,  called  tunica  arachnoidcs.  When  we  cut 
into  the  substance  of  the  brain,  we  shall  find  for  a  little 
space  within  a  brown  substance,  called,  without  any 
strict  accuracy,  the  cineritious  portion ;  which  follows 
all  the  sulci  of  the  convolutions,  terminating  in  lines  or 
rounded  points,  as  directed  by  these.  To  this  portion 
the  medulla  is  united,  and  neither  encroach  on  the 
other,  but  in  the  angles  of  the  sulci:  the  depth  of  the 
cineritious  portion  is  generally  uniform.  The  colour  is 
derived  from  very  minute  blood  vessels ;  for,  strictly 
speaking,  the  medullary  part  suffers  vessels  only  to  pass 


CE  R 


395 


C  Ell 


through  it.  Those  apparently  dispersed  on  it,  form 
such  conspicuous  streaks,  as  prevent  us  from  thinking 
that  the  medulla  contributes  any  thing  further  than  a 
support:  there  is  certainly  no  such  minute  distribution 
as  generally  attends  any  glandular  apparatus,  or  distin- 
guishes any  organ  destined  for  an  important  purpose. 

This  cin'eritious  portion  is  certainly  designed  for  an 
office  of  the  greatest  consequence ;  for  we  shall  find 
that  whatever  be  the  proportion  of  the  brain,  it  is  al- 
ways present,  and  by  no  means  in  the  ratio  of  the  me- 
dulla ;  and  in  parts  where  seemingly  additional  nervous 
power  is  required,  in  the  course  of  the  nerves,  adven- 
titious ash  coloured  matter  is  observed.  In  the  sub- 
stance of  the  brain,  striae  of  a  cineritious  hue  are  found ; 
and  some  projections  wholly  consist  of  it,  with  different 
tints,  while  others  contain  this  matter  surrounded 
with,  instead  of  containing,  the  medullary  substance. 

Near  the  origin  of  each  pair  of  nerves  we  are  in- 
formed that  a  brown  substance  is  observable;  and  in 
the  cerebellum,  confessedly  the  most  important  part  of 
the  contents  of  the  skull,  it  penetrates  so  deeply  as  to 
form  by  much  the  larger  portion  of  it.  Nature,  also, 
seems  to  have  supplied  it  with  its  blood,  by  means  so 
refined  as  to  prevent  almost  the  possibility  of  its  being 
wholly  destitute;  for  not  only  does  it  receive  arteries 
from  the  external  surface,  but  other  vessels  pass  through 
the  base  of  the  skull  and  penetrate  the  medullary  sub- 
stance to  prevent  any  deficiency  from  accident.  It  is 
these  arteries  only,  in  our  opinion,  which  we  see  in  the 
medulla.  It  has  been  doubted  whether  the  whole  of 
this  substance  is  vascular:  the  minutest  injections  do 
not  penetrate  every  part ;  nor,  perhaps,  were  the  whole 
vascular,  could  this  be  expected. 

The  medullary  substance  is  a  pulpy  mass;  though 
probably,  could  our  sight  be  sufficiently  assisted,  we 
should  find  it  fibrous,  since  this  structure  appears  where 
the  nerves  are  sent  off1,  when  they  assume  their  coat 
from  the  pia  mater.  Various  communications  are  ob- 
servable in  the  medulla,  from  the  front  to  the  hinder 
part,  and  from  side  to  side.  In  a  negro  the  medulla  is 
yellowish,  and  sometimes  a  blackish  yellow,  though  in 
the  European  of  a  pure  white.  In  the  former  the  yel- 
low hue  disappears  by  the  access  of  the  air.  The  cor- 
pora striata,  and  the  thalami  nervorum  opticorum, 
which  are  in  an  European  of  a  flesh  colour,  approaching 
a  cineritious,  are  in  the  negro  of  a  dusky  brown,  like 
the  bark  of  a  tree. 

The  ventricles  of  the  brain  are  four  in  number.  Two 
are  on  each  side  of  an  oblong  form,  projecting  in  what 
are  styled  horns ;  and  it  seems  as  if  the  medulla,  growing 
more  dense  in  the  corpus  callosum  and  septum  luci- 
dum,  had  proportionally  contracted,  leaving  these  cavi- 
ties. In  health  they  are  probably  distended  by  an 
halitus;  but  after  death  their  parietes  collapse,  and  a 
small  portion  of  fluid  is  only  discoverable.  Two,  as  we 
have  said,  are  on  each  side ;  the  third  is  more  forward 
and  in  front,  below  the  fornix,  or  that  portion  of  the 
medulla  which  forms  the  base,  and  in  part,  the  sides  of 
the  lateral  ventricles.  It  is  a  sulcus  or  slit  of  very  in- 
considerable dimensions,  and  scarcely  merits  the  name 
of  a  cavity,  but  from  it  passes  a  canal  of  soft  cineritious 
matter,  styled  the  infundibulum,  to  the  pineal  gland. 
The  fourth  ventricle  is  in  a  perpendicular  direction, 
anterior  to  the  cerebellum.  It  is  probable  that  all  the 
ventricles  communicate.  Dr.  Monro  has,  with  much 


anxiety  as  a  discovery  of  importance,  claimed  the  ho- 
nour of  having  first  described  an  opening  between  the 
lateral  ventricles,  and  consequently  a  communication 
between  the  three  former.  Yet  it  seems  that  this  com- 
munication which  we  have  ourselves  often  traced,  is 
not  always  found. 

When  we  contemplate  the  ventricles,  we  seem  to 
think  that,  like  the  chambers  in  the  Egyptian  pyramid, 
they  are  so  disproportioned  to  the  bulk  that  they  can 
probably  be  of  little  advantage,  and  seem,  as  we  have 
hinted,  to  be  accidental.  A  more  attentive  examina- 
tion, however,  shows  the  fallacy  of  this  conclusion;  and 
they  appear  formed  by  design,  and  with  a  judgment^) 
subtle  or  refined,  as  to  elude  our  research.  The  pia 
mater  from  the  basis  of  the  skull,  is  conveyed  as  a  lining 
round  the  parietes  of  each;  and  if  the  cineritious  mat- 
ter is  an  important  organ,  the  pia  mater,  from  which 
it  originates,  must  be  equally  so.  Again:  the  base  of 
the  brain  is  diversified  by  numerous  projections,  evi- 
dently designed  to  increase  the  surface,  and  afford  a 
larger  scope  for  the  cineritious  matter  which  we  find  in 
different  parts,  and  chiefly  about  the  origin  of  the  nerves, 
•which  spring  from  the  base.  This  cineritious  substance 
is  also  found  in  many  parts  of  the  different  ventricles; 
and  in  these  too,  we  find  plexuses  of  vessels  so  minutely 
convoluted,  as  probably  to  subserve  some  important 
purpose.  Let  us  add,  that  any  suppuration  or  any  dis- 
order on  the  ba'se  of  the  brain,  soon  produces  the  most 
alarming  and  fatal  symptoms;  while  some  spoonfulls  of 
the  medullary  substance  of  the  hemispheres  may  be 
discharged  from  a  wound,  without  apparent  injury  to 
the  intellectual  faculties.  We  forgot  to  mention  that 
the  commissurae,  the  medullary  cords,  which  unite  the 
different  parts  of  the  brain,  are  by  far  more  common 
at  the  base  of  the  skull  than  in  any  other  part;  nor  is  a 
circumstance  wholly  to,  be  overlooked,  that  the  infundi- 
bulum,  whicfT  passes  from  the  ventricles,  terminates  in 
the  pineal  gland:  an  organ  probably  of  considerable 
importance,  though  its  office  is  yet  unknown.  The  in- 
fundibulum  is  not  indeed  hollow  through  its  whole 
length,  yet  it  seems  to  be  occasionally  so,  as  some  au- 
thors have  described  the  aperture  as  continued  to  the 
gland.  Its  uniform  direction,  and  the  small  space  occu- 
pied by  the  loosely  textured  medulla,  seem  to  show  the 
probability  of  some  communication. 

Anatomists  have  described,  with  great  precision,  all 
the  minuter  projections,  cavities  scarcely  discernible, 
medullary  cords  of  connection  (commissurae),  and  nu- 
merous sulci.  To  follow  them  would  be  useless;  for 
this  work  is  not  designed  to  teach  the  minuter  branches 
of  anatomy,  and  the  reader  may  think  that  we  have 
already  been  unnecessarily  minute.  Yet  we  thought  ii 
right  to  give  a  particular  outline  of  the  anatomy  of  the 
brain  j  and  we  think  we  have  not  trespassed  in  descrip- 
tions which  will  not  admit  of  some  application. 

The  projecting  and  upper  parts  of  the  skull  are  filled 
with  the  two  hemispheres  of  the  cerebrum  which  rest  on 
a  membrane,  a  prolongation  of  the  dura  mater,  styled 
tentorium.  Below  it  is  the  cerebellum,  whose  connec- 
tions we  shall  next  describe.  From  each  side  of  the 
brain,  near  the  middle,  medullary  processes  arise;  and 
passing  downwards  and  backwards,  form  what  are 
styled  the  crura  cerebri:  these  unite  at  an  acute  angle, 
and  form  what  is  styled  the  pons  varolii  or  tuber  annu- 
lare.  From  hence,  what  are  styled  the  crura  cerebelli 

' 


C  E  R 


396 


C  E  II 


Arise ;  or  to  the  tuber  they  descend.  A  prolongation  of 
the  latter  forms  the  medulla  oblongata ;  which,  when  it 
escapes  from  the  head,  is  styled  the  medulla  spinalis. 
In  the  whole  of  this  part  of  the  brain,  the  striated  or 
cineritious  matter  is  freely  united  with  the  medullary ; 
and  at  the  union  of  the  crura  there  are  some  protuber- 
ances, which,  from  their  shape  and  colour,  have  ob- 
tained the  names  of  corpora  pyramidalia  and  olivaria. 

As  an  appendage  to  the  system  of  the  brain, or  rather 
as  a  detached  nervous  apparatus  of  considerable  im- 
portance, we  shall  shortly  describe  the  course  and  forma- 
tion of  the  great  sympathetic  or  intercostal  nerve  ;  the 
brain  of  the  vital  and  involuntary  motions,  its  succeda- 
neuni  in  the  lower  classes  of  animals,  and,  indeed,  in 
human  monsters  where  the  brain  is  absent. 

The  great  intercostal  is  styled  a  portion  of  the  sixth 
pair  of  nerves,  another  portion  of  which  is  distributed 
to  the  muscles  of  the  eye.  It  is,  however,  more  properly 
a  nerve  from  the  medulla  spinalis,  and  is  sent  rather  to 
the  brain,  than  proceeds  from  it.  This  we  collect  from 
the  parts  to  which  it  is  distributed  being  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  the  will;  and  from  the  nerve  between  the 
neck,  and  that  part  where  the  nerves  of  the  muscles  of 
the  eye  are  sent  off,  being  larger  than  that  between  the 
brain  and  the  same  point.  This  almost  insulated,  nearly 
independent,  nervous  system,  is  connected  with  the 
brain,  not  only  by  this  branch,  but  by  a  slight  twig 
from  the  fifth  pair;  but  its  substance  is  formed  by 
branches  from  all  the  different  vertebrae.  As  soon  as  it 
appears  in  the  neck  it  forms  a  ganglion,  a  medullary 
enlargement,  in  which  the  different  filaments  are  inter- 
mixed, with  generally  the  addition  of  some  cineritious 
substance.  In  the  neck  only,  there  are  three  of  these 
ganglia,  to  which  nerves  from  almost  every  vetebra 
can  be  traced.  In  the  chest  it  receives  additional  nerves, 
forming  several  smaller  ganglia.  From  hence  it  escapes 
with  the  aorta,  and  reaches  the  sacrum  ;  forming,  with 
the  branches  from  the  spinal  marrow  of  that  part,  other 
ganglia.  It  then  turns  inward ;  and  at  the  hollow  of  the 
os  coccygis,  meets  its  fellow  from  the  opposite  side, 
which  has  traced  the  same  course  with  similar  addi- 
tions. 

When  not  united  in  a  hard  body  like  a  ganglion, 
smaller  nerves  are  often  intermixed,  and  form,  by  their 
mutual  decussation,  a  net  work.  In  these  a  similar  in- 
terchange of  fibres  seemingly  takes  place ;  and,  in  the 
course  of  the  intercostal  nerve  through  the  trunk,  nine 
distinguished  plexuses  have  been  described.  To  illus- 
trate the  advantages  of  this  arrangement,  we  may  now, 
though  not  in  its  proper  place,  remark  that  if  an  organ 
essential  to  life  was  supplied  by  one  nerve,  any  injury 
to  that,  either  in  its  origin  or  course,  would  be  fatal. 
If,  by  uniting  in  a  ganglion  or  a  plexus  with  another 
nerve  the  fibres  of  both  are  intermixed,  the  injury  to 
one  nerve  would  be  attended  only  with  half  the  injury 
to  the  function  of  the  organ,  but  the  chance  of  injury 
would  be  increased  in  the  same  proportion.  If,  then, 
fifty  nerves  are  mixed,  the  chances  of  injury  are  aug- 
mented, but  the  real  injury  to  the  organ  is  very  in- 
considerable. In  tiiis  way  has  nature  guarded  those 
•ns  on  which  life  depends;  and  we  see  that  animal 
life  may  exist  with  a  very  snjjill  brain,  or  without  any. 
But,  after  a  perfect  animal  has  existed,  such  is  the  con- 
nection of  excitability  through  the  whole  nervous  sys- 
tem, that,  independent  of  the  loss  of  blood,  the  destruc- 


tion of  the  brain  must  destroy  the  excitability  in  the 
nerves.  It  may  be  diminished  to  a  very  inconsidera- 
ble degree;  and,  by  the  arrangement  described,  life 
may  for  a  time  be  continued  till  the  cause  is  re- 
moved. 

The  great  sympathetic  nerve  is  also  the  connecting 
link,  between  the  two  parts  of  which  the  human  body 
consists.  All  our  organs  are  doubled;  and  one  half 
may  be  diseased  or  dead,  with  a  partial  injury  only  to 
the  vital  organs ;  and,  in  the  first  case,  if  the  brain  is 
not  affected,  without  any  apparent  inconvenience  to 
the  unaffected  parts.  The  great  sympathetic,  we  shall 
find,  supplies,  in  a  great  degree,  the  lungs,  the  heart, 
the  stomach  and  intestines,  the  urinary  and  genital 
organs.  The  action  of  these,  it  must  be  obvious,  are 
too  important  to  be  entrusted  to  the  influence  of  one  or 
several  nerves :  they  must  be  raise<i  above  common 
accident:  and,  above  all,  must  be  independent  of  the 
will. 

Such  is  the  substance  of  the  descriptions  of  the  most 
correct  anatomists ;  and  we  should  now  proceed  to 
consider  the  functions  of  this  organ,  if  we  did  not  find 
it  necessary  to  attend  to  the  doctrines  of  an  author  who 
has  begun  to  excite  considerable  attention  on  the  con- 
tinent; we  mean  Dr.  Gall  of  Vienna.  Dr.  Gall  has 
published  no  account  of  his  system,  and  the  substance 
must  be  collected  from  the  reports  of  his  pupils.  We 
have  now  before  us  two,  the  one  by  Dr.  A-rnemann, 
and  the  other  by  M.  Boisjames  (Journal  de  Physique, 
vol.  55.),  in  which  there  is  a  view  of  the  cranium^  where 
the  different  organs  are  distinctly  marked.  Our  chief 
object,  at  present,  is  his  account  of  the  brain  and  me- 
dulla spinalis. 

We  laid  the  foundation  for  this  explanation  very 
early,  by  inserting  the  arrangement  of  the  animal  king- 
dom by  M.  Virey  (see  ANIMAL).  In  this  scheme, 
animals  are  distinguished  as  possessing  a  cerebral  and 
intercostal,  or  sympathetic  system  :  an  intercostal  sys- 
tem alone;  or  separate  nerves  with  nervous  molecules 
only.  Dr.  Gall  considers  the  lower  classes  of  animals 
as  possessing  nervous  filaments  only;  the  next,  a  spinal 
marrow;  the  superior  animals  possess  a  double  spinal 
marrow;  and  the  more  perfect,  a  brain.  In  this  Isst 
class,  the  spinal  marrow,  he  thinks,  exclusively  forms 
the  brain,  and  all  the  other  nerves.  The  eight  pair  of 
nerves,  supposed  to  arise  from  the  brain,  are  derived, 
therefore,  by  Dr.  Gall,  from  the  spinal  marrow,  and 
seem  to  become  a  part  of  the  brain  before  they  are 
sent  off  in  separate  bundles.  In  this  rank,  the  first  are 
the  nervus  accessorius,  and  nervus  occulo  motorius ; 
the  common  ganglion  of  which  is  supposed  to  be  the 
corpus  olivare,  at  the  upper  part  of  the  medulla  oblon- 
gata. Nearer  the  centre  of  the  medulla  are  the  nerves 
of  the  cerebellum;  those  medullary  processes  formerly 
supposed  to  be  sent  from  the  latter  to  the  former :  the 
ganglion  of  these  is  a  substance  situated  in  the  body  of 
the  cerebellum,  called,  by  anatomists,  corpus  ciliare. 

The  corpora  pyramidalia,  which  we  have  mentioned 
as  protuberances  on  the  medulla  oblongata,  are  sup- 
posed, by  Dr.  Gall,  to  be  the  origin  of  the  cerebrum ; 
for  he  expressly  remarks,  that  the  size  of  the  hemi- 
spheres is  always  proportional  to  that  of  the  pyramidal 
bodies.  The  ganglia  of  the  pyramids  are  the  pons 
varolii;  and  a  part  we  omitted  to  mention,  the  gan- 
glion cerebri,  near  the  fossa  sylvii.  These  nervous 


C  E  R 


397 


CE  R 


strings  are  distinctly  marked  at  the  base  of  the  skull  by 
gyrating  lines. 

As  eight  pair  of  nerves,  according  to  Gall,  are  de- 
rived from  the  spinal  marrow,  they  are  styled  "  enter- 
ing nerves ;"  but  there  are  some  minute  nervous  fila- 
ments, returning  from  the  drain,  which  he  calls  "  re- 
trograde nerves."  These,  he  thinks,  arise  from  the 
cortical  substance  which  surrounds  the  ends  of  the  first 
species  of  entering  nerves.  They  unite  in  their  course 
towards  the  spinal  marrow,  and  increase  in  bulk,  with- 
out passing  through  any  ganglia.  These  nerves,  in  his 
opinion,  form  commissurae.  Thus  the  commissurae  of 
the  retrograde  acoustic  nerve  is  situated  under  and  be- 
hind the  pons  varolii ;  that  of  the  olfactory  nerve  between 
the  ganglion  belonging  to  these  nerves  ;  that  of  the  re- 
trograde nerves  of  the  cerebellum  in  the  pons  varolii 
itself.  The  commissurae  of  the  retrograde  nerves  of  the 
cerebellum  are  the  corpus  callosum,  the  commissura 
anterior  of  the  lobe  of  the  brain,  near  the  optic  nerves, 
continued  in  the  septum  lucidum,  Sec.  Through  the 
very  middle  of  the  spinal  marrow,  to  a  raphe  or  seam  on 
the  top  of  the  corpus  callosum,  a  very  delicate  medul- 
lary substance  is  observed  to  ascend,  which  Dr.  Gall 
considers  as  the  uniting  medium  of  the  double  system 
of  organs  in  the  animal  machine ;  an  office  we  have 
assigned  to  the  great  intercostal. 

It  will  be  obvious  on  examining  this  system,  that  little 
difference  can  arise  in  any  disquisition  respecting  the 
functions  of  the  brain,  whether  it  be  derived  from  the 
spinal  marrow  or  the  contrary ;  and,  ascending  from 
the  more  simple  structure,  we  may  as  well  suppose  a 
cerebral  organ  added,  as,  in  descending,  to  view  the 
lower  animals  deprived  of  it.  The  brain,  we  find,  is 
not  essential  to  animal  life ;  for  the  nerves  subservient 
to  it  are  derived  from  another  source ;  and  it  is  certain, 
that  a  wound  in  the  spinal  marrow  is  more  fatal  than 
one  in  the  brain.  The  functions  of  the  latter,  as  we 
have  seen,  may  be  destroyed,  while  those  of  the  former 
remain.  So  far,  perhaps,  the  balance  may  be  said  to 
turn  in  favour  of  Dr.  Gall.  The  brain,  however,  is 
the  chief  seat  of  the  intellectual  functions ;  and  this  is 
acknowledged  by  our  author,  since,  in  his  "  Organ- 
ology"  he  has  assigned  to  its  different  parts  various  pas- 
sions and  propensities.  We  have  already  admitted  his 
chief  position,  that  the  shape  of  the  cerebrum  and  cere- 
bellum determine  that  of  the  skull ;  and,  as  he  has 
found  (or  thinks  he  has  found)  certain  projections  con- 
nected in  man  and  different  animals,  with  different  pro- 
pensitiesorpassions,he  has  denominated  these  their  seat. 
He  seems  to  have  carried  this  enquiry  to  a  considerable 
extent;  and  his  collection  of  skulls,  or  casts,  is  said  to 
be  numerous  and  highly  curious,  as  they  belonged  to 
characters  the  most  notorious,  of  very  different  de- 
scriptions. On  a  careful  examination  and  consideration 
of  this  system,  we  cannot  think  it  wholly  fanciful,  though 
fancy  seems  often  to  predominate.  But  this  is  from 
our  present  subject.  We  shall  return,  however,  to  Dr. 
Gall's  system,  with  some  notice  of  that  of  Lavater, 
under  the  article  CHASIOLOGY. 

We  must  not  conclude  this  descriptive  part  of  the 
cerebrum,  without  some  notice  of  the  enquiries  of 
Camper.  This  very  accurate  anatomist  examined,  with 
peculiar  and  discriminated  attention,  the  skulls  of  ,-iif- 
ferent  races  of  mankind,  and  found  that  the  facial  line, 
viz.  the  direction  of  a  ruler  applied  to  the  lips  and  fore- 


head, distinguished  the  more  perfect  and  beautiful 
forms,  from  those  confessedly  less  generally  pleasing. 
The  line  of  the  faces  of  the  ancient  heads  formed,  with 
a  horizontal  line,  an  angle  of  100°;  beyond  that  is 
the  deformity  of  the  hydrocephalus ;  between  it  and 
70°  the  usual  European  forms :  a  less  angle  than  70° 
marks  the  Calmuc,  the  negro,  the  ape,  the  dog,  and 
the  -woodcock,  in  succession.  In  the  last  the  angle  is 
almost  wholly  lost.  When  we  trace  the  forms  of  the 
different  races  of  mankind  in  the  natural  history  of 
man,  we  shall  enlarge  on  this  subject.  It  is  only  ne- 
cessary at  present  to  observe,  that  the  direction  of  the 
facial  line  is  marked  by  the  projections  of  the  hemi- 
spheres of  the  cerebrum,  and  the  situation  of  the  fora- 
men occipitale.  These  distinguish  the  more  perfect 
races ;  and,  indeed,  mankind,  from  its  nearest  resem- 
blance, the  ape. 

The  functions  of  the  brain  are  so  singular  and  im- 
portant, that  every  art  has  been  employed  to  trace  its 
structure  and  component  parts.  When  the  knife  of 
the  anatomist  had  exhausted  its  dexterity,  injections 
and  microscopical  observations  came  in  aid.  The  cineri- 
tious  matter,  we  have  said,  is  vascular ;  but  we  added 
that  the  /whole  could  not  be  injected.  Some  authors 
have  thought  that  the  whole  has  been  filled  ;  but  this  is 
not  probable,  nor  supported  by  the  experiments  of  the 
most  accurate  anatomists.  Veins  are  traced  from  it, 
and  their  contents  are  conveyed  to  the  sinuses.  The 
parts  not  injected  have  been  supposed,  from  micro- 
scopical observations,  to  be  follicles  ;  and  small  globu- 
lar bodies  have  been  discovered.  But  these  are  seen  in 
almost  every  fluid  of  the  human  body,  particularly  in 
mucilaginous  ones,  and  lead  to  no  important  conse- 
quence. The  hemispheres  of  the  cerebrum  are  chiefly 
mucilaginous ;  but  as  we  approach  the  basis  of  the  skull, 
a  fibrous  texture  is  more  conspicuous :  and,  if  the  brain 
be  macerated  in  acids,  this  fibrous  structure  can  be 
traced  further  into  its  substance  than  by  mere  anatomi- 
cal investigation.  When  the  brain  is  boiled  in  oil,  it 
assumes  a  granulated  appearance. 

The  refinements  of  modern  chemistry  have  also  tor- 
tured this  substance  with  as  little  profit.  We  recollect 
only  the  labours  of  M.  Thouret,  in  the  38th  volume  of 
the  Journal  de  Physique,  p.  329,  and  M.  Fourcroy's, 
in  the  16th  of  the  Annales  de  Chimie.  The  brain 
they  found  somewhat  heavier  than  water ;  and  conse- 
quently, a  person  at  rest  in  a  horizontal  position  in 
water,  swims  indeed,  but  with  the  head  lower  than 
the  surface.  A  small  proportion  of  saline  matter  was 
discovered  by  M.  Fourcroy,  but  scarcely  j^  part  of 
the  whole ;  and  it  consisted  of  phosphat  of  lime,  of  soda, 
and  ammonia.  In  other  respects  the  brain  seemed 
essentially  to  differ  from  the  other  solid  parts.  It  cer- 
tainly contained  little  animal  matter,  and  consisted 
chielly  of  albumen ;  but  the  latter  differed  from  that  of 
the  human  body  in  general,  or  was  changed  in  its  pro- 
per ies  by  the  mixture  of  another  substance,  whose 
nature  has  not  been  ascertained.  It  certainly  is  not  an 
oily  matter,  and  the  brain  is  not  a  saponaceous  substance. 
We  strongly  suspect  that  it  contains  sulphur;  but 
much  room  remains  for  further  investigation.  M. 
1  houret  considers  it  as  analogous  to  spermaceti ;  and 
it  is  singular  that,  when  kept  from  the  air,  it  for  a  long 
time  experiences  little  change. 

After  having  detailed  every  important  circumstance 


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relative  to  this  very  peculiar  organ,  we  have  not  found 
a  single  property  to  assist  us  in  explaining  its  functions. 
If  we  examine  its  changes  from  disease,  we  shall  find 
no  further  assistance.  In  maniacal  persons  it  is  found 
sometimes  hard  and  dry ;  in  idiots,  soft  and  mucilagi- 
nous. Occasionally  an  abscess  appears  at  the  basis,  and 
sometimes  the  pineal  gland  is  suppurated,  or  filled  with 
calculous  concretions.  Although  we  think,  with  some 
authors  of  high  credit,  that  the  brain  is  always  organi- 
cally affected  when  any  violent  and  permanent  injury  of 
its  functions  has  preceded,  yet  there  is  no  given  change, 
from  any  particular  series  of  symptoms.  Dissection 
does  not  teach  us  any  indication  to  pursue ;  nor  would 
the  powers,  which  we  possess,  probably  enable  us  to 
fulfil  them,  if  they  were  pointed  out. 

We  must,  therefore,  consider  the  brain  as  the  material 
organ  of  an  immaterial  principle,  intimately  united 
with  it  during  life,  and  forming  with  it  one  distinct, 
inseparable  whole.  When  we  speak  then  of  the  ac- 
tions and  functions  of  the  brain,  we  speak  of  it  only 
as  the  instrument;  nor  can  we  after  this  declara- 
tion be  misunderstood.  Though  we  may  sometimes 
employ  the  language  of  materialism,  we  consider  the 
materialist,  in  general,  as  a  weak,  uninformed  philo- 
sopher, and  should  deprecate  being  confounded  with 
the  herd. 

The  best  physiologists  suppose  the  brain  to  be  fibrous ; 
and  when  Gall  calls  it  a  membrane,  he  means  no 
more.  Fibres  arc  conspicuous  at  its  base,  and  in  its 
prolongations,  the  nerves.  These  chords  convey  im- 
pressions of  different  kinds  to  the  brain,  in  a  manner 
which  has  occasioned  many  disputes.  It  was  for  a 
long  time  supposed  that  the  brain  was  a  gland  which 
secreted  a  fine  fluid,  conveyed  through  the  minute 
fibres  of  the  nerves,  which  conducted  to  their  origin 
the  impressions  received  at  their  extremities  ;  but  the 
great  tenuity  of  such  a  fluid,  its  rapid  motions,  and, 
above  all,  the  little  probability  of  the  nervous  fibres  be- 
ing hollow,  rendered  this  system  highly  improbable. 
Yet,  that  the  brain  was  a  gland  appeared  to  be  a  con- 
clusion, obvious  from  its  structure,  its  large  supply  of 
blood  vessels,  and  their  very  minute  convolutions. 
These  facts  appeared  to  Dr.  Cullen  in  so  striking  a 
light,  that,  while  he  considered  the  nerves  as  vehicles 
of  a  very  fine  fluid,  which  was  the  cause  of  sensation 
and  motion,  he  supposed  that  the  brain  secreted  the 
nutritious  particles  designed  to  repair  accidental  losses, 
either  from  absorption  or  accidents ;  and  fhat  these 
were  conveyed  along  the  surfaces  of  the  nerves.  The 
improvements  in  electricity,  and  more  lately  in  Gal- 
vanism, have  given  a  different  appearance  to  this  ques- 
tion, which  will  soon  claim  our  attention  more  par- 
ticularly. We  shall  only  at  present  state  what  we 
consider  to  be  the  nature  and  properties  of  the  nervous 
power. 

It  is  probable  that  in  each  nervous  fibril,  an  elastic 
fluid  is  inherent,  forming,  from  the  first  moment  of 
animation,  a  part  of  it;  differing,  however,  according 
to  the  state  of  the  constitution,  in  power,  in  mobility, 
and,  perhaps,  in  other  qualities.  Of  this  fluid  the 
nerves  are  conductors ;  and  they  are  surrounded  in 
their  course  by  non-conducting  membranes ;  while  the 
same  membrane  lines  every  part  of  the  brain,  and  is 
carried  into  the  deepest  cavities,  guarding  with  parti- 
cular attention  the  slightest  aperture.  In  this  view  the 


sanguiferous  vessels  are  chiefly  useful  in  nourishing  this 
medullary  substance ;  and  they  appear  to  be  necessary 
also  in  adapting  the  nerves  to  their  office  ;  for  when  the 
circulation  is  greatly  increased,  the  sensibility  is  more 
acute ;  and  when  it  languishes,  or  is  destroyed,  the 
nervous  energy  soon  shares  the  same  fate. 

This  fluid  must  be  necessarily  an  elastic  one;  and 
impressions  are  apparently  conveyed  through  it  by  vi- 
brations. It  does  not  follow  from  hence,  that  the 
nerves  vibrate  like  musical  chords ;  or  that,  in  every  the 
slightest  motion,  a  portion  is  conveyed  from  the  brain. 
The  elasticity  of  the  fluid  is  proved  by  the  momentary 
continuance  of  the  impression  after  the  cause  is  re- 
moved ;  and  vibration  is  a  term  employed  in  many 
branches  of  philosophy  as  a  means  of  communicating 
motion,  without  any  very  distinct  application.  If  we 
touch  an  object  with  a  stick,  or  with  a  metallic  rod,  we 
perceive  through  it  the  impression,  and,  in  a  general 
way,  the  nature  of  the  substance.  The  impression  must 
be  conveyed  by  something;  and  whatever,  that  some- 
thing is,  it  may  as  well  convey  impressions  through  the 
nerves  as  through  the  rod.  But,  through  the  nerves 
only  can  it  affect  the  brain,  and  produce  an  idea,  or 
some  change  in  the  brain,  or  its  fluid  connected  with 
the  nature  of  the  object,  and  which  conveys  to  the  mind 
some  peculiar  and  discriminated  impression  which  it 
afterwards  retains. 

We  have  offered  these  opinions,  not  indeed  essen- 
tially different  from  those  taught  by  Dr.  Cullen,  be- 
cause it  enlarges  our  sphere  of  language,  and  enables 
us  more  clearly  to  convey  our  own  opinions.  It  is  im- 
material to  the  purpose  whether  this  view  be  ultimately 
correct:  it  is  sufficient  that  it  meets  all  the  phenomena 
already  known,  and  carries  us  to  the  confines  of  im- 
materiality ;  of  which  we  can  have  no  idea,  while  the 
organs  which  convey  ideas  are  material.  We  knoiv  of 
no  ideas  that  are  innate  ;  all  are  derived  from  sensible 
objects ;  and  even  in  dreams,  iv/ien  the  mind  seems  to 
sport  uncontrouled,  the  distorted,  and  often  apparently 
new,  images,  will  be  found  only  heterogeneous  com- 
pounds of  sensible  ideas  formerly  received. 

We  can  now,  then,  speak  more  fully  of  the  functions 
of  the  brain,  the  seat  of  intellect,  the  receptacle  of  our 
ideas,  and  the  scene  of  all  the  intellectual  operations. 
Animal  life,  as  we  have  said,  is  confined  to  the  in- 
tercostal system,  perhaps  to  the  cerebellum  ;  which,  we 
own,  appears  to  us  rather  an  appendage  to  the  medulla 
spinalis  than  to  the  cerebrum. 

The  most  striking  function  of  the  brain  is  volition; 
and  this,  the  great  source  of  all  our  voluntary  motions, 
is,  we  believe,  always  excited  by  sensation,  though  often 
by  sensations  wholly  unperceived  or  unattended  to.  ' 
It  is  singular  that  we  will  the  end  only  :  the  means  are 
directed  by  mind,  or  in  some  cases  by  a  necessary  con- 
nection. In  sneezing,  in  coughing,  and  yawning,  vo- 
lition appears  imperfectly,  if  at  all,  exerted;  and  the 
motions  excited  appear  to  arise  from  a  connection  of 
nerves,  though  the  means  are  directed  with  great  preci- 
sion to  the  end. 

The  great  intellectual  principle  which  pervades  every 
intellectual  function,  the  association  of  ideas,  is  also 
carried  on  in  the  brain;  and  it  is  this  principle  which 
seems  to  require  that  the  receptacle  of  our  ideas  should 
be  so  large  and  extensive.  We  mean  not  to  revive 
the  old  system  of  material  vestiges  as  the  effect  of  im- 


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pression,  and  the  sensible  prototypes  of  our  ideas ;  but 
it  involves  no  contradiction  to  suppose,  that  a  nervous 
fibre,  whose  mobility  has  been  once  excited,  will  more 
readily  yield  to  the  same  stimulus,  when  repeated  in  a 
less  degree  ;  and  ideas  once  connected  will,  by  the  same 
increased  mobility,  be  excited  by  any  impression,  men- 
tal or  corporeal,  on  the  neighbouring  parts,  as  the  voice 
involuntarily  pursues  the  air  which  another  has  begun 
to  sing.  The  variety  of  distinct  impressions  communi- 
cated to  the  mind  through  the  medium  of  the  nerves, 
necessarily,  therefore,  requires  an  extended  bulk  of  the 
common  sensorium ;  and,  though  a  part  of  the  cere- 
brum may  be  occasionally  destroyed  without  apparent 
injury  to  any  function,  we  need  only  reflect  how  few 
and  simple  are  the  ideas  of  the  greater  number  of  man- 
kind, compared  with  those  of  Bacon,  Newton,  Boyle, 
or  Locke.  Yet  we  see,  after  a  partial  compression  of 
the  brain,  some  of  the  powers  of  mind  greatly  weak- 
ened ;  and  it  is  singular  that  these  powers  are  chiefly 
such  as  are  concerned  in  succession,  and  consequently 
association  ;  as  in  counting  numbers,  or  pursuing  any 
successive  train  of  ideas. 

It  has  been  doubted,  whether  the  mind  can  of  itself 
commence  a  train  of  thought  wholly  new,  or  excite 
ideas  different  from  those  received  through  the  senses. 
We  have,  as  already  observed,  never  been  able  to  dis- 
cover any  such  in  all  the  wanderings  of  a  morbidly 
excited  imagination,  all  the  reveries  of  fancy,  all  the 
eccentric  images  in  dreams  or  low  delirium :  yet  the 
mind  can  voluntarily  again  raise  ideas  formerly  im- 
pressed; and  this  faculty  is  styled  reminiscence,  or  me- 
mory :  a  power  which  is  greatly  assisted  by  association. 

Though  we  consider  mind  as  an  immaterial  princi- 
ple, yet,  as  its  instrument  is  the  brain,  the  state  of 
mind  must  often  appear  to  partake  of  the  diseases  of  the 
body :  and  the  restoration  of  mind  equally  follows  the 
returning  health  of  body.  The  reason  is,  that  we  do 
not  see  the  mind  act  but  through  the  medium  of  the 
corporeal  organs ;  and  every  agent  will  be  powerful  in 
proportion  to  the  power  of  his  means.  We,  therefore, 
in  considering  the  effects  of  astringents,  referred  the 
change  in  the  state  of  the  nervous  fluid  to  that  of  the 
solid;  and  so  again  in  mental  diseases  we  shall  en- 
deavour to  show  the  connection  of  mental  powers  with 
the  same  fluid.  In  some  instances  the  change  is  so 
sudden,  that  the  fluid  itself  must  be  primarily  affected, 
as  in  the  attack  of  fevers ;  and  the  mind  is  weakened  in 
proportion.  This  did  not  escape  Shakspeare,  who  has 
described  the  effects  of  an  ague  fit  with  the  spirit  of  a 
poet,  ar.d  the  precision  of  a  philosopher.  Speaking  of 
Caesar,  Cassius  says, 

"  He  had  a  fever  when  he  was  in  Spain  ; 
And,  when  the  fit  was  on  him,  I  did  mark 
How  he  did  shake  !  "Tis  true,  this  god  did  shake  : 
His  coward  lips  did  from  their  colour  fly : 
And  That  same  eye,  whose  bend  doth  awe  the  world, 
Did  lose  its  lustre      I  did  hear  iiim  groan  ; 
A)  e  ;  and  that  tongue  of  his,  that  bade  the  Romans 
>!:<rk  h.m.  and  write  his  speeches  in  their  books, 
'  Alas  !'  it  cried, '  Give  me  some  drink,  Titinius,' 
As  a  sick  girl." 

This  sudden  change  in  the  nervous  energy,  as  evi- 
dent in  fevers,  and  in  breathing  noxious  vapours,  has 
been  styled  by  Dr.  Cullen  "  ctllapae ;"  and  we  shall 


adopt  the  term  more  from  shortness  than  any  desire  of 
connecting  it  with  any  real  alteration,  or  as  referring 
to  any  theory.  Yet,  as  we  know  no  instance  in  nature 
of  a  sensible  fluid  circulating  with  the  rapidity  of  the 
nervous ;  and  as  we  do  know  that  a  power  not  obvious 
to  our  senses,  which  possesses  some  of  its  peculiar 
properties,  really  exists,  we  perceive  no  theoretical  te- 
merity in  adopting  its  terms.  It  extends,  as  we  have 
said,  the  bounds  of  language ;  and  facts  expressed  in 
this  language  may  be  without  violence  transferred  to 
any  other,  when  future  discoveries  may  extend  our 
knowledge  of  this  mysterious  power,  whose  cause  we 
know  not,  but  whose  influence  is  general  and  exten- 
sive. 

To  penetrate  further  into  the  regions  of  metaphysics 
is  not  suitable  to  our  present  object.  What  we  have 
now  introduced,  we  shall  have  occasion  hereafter  to  ap- 
ply. We  shall  conclude  this  article  with  some  more 
particular  account  of  the  circulation  through  the  brain 
than  the  pages  of  Dr.  Motherby  and  his  associate  have 
supplied.  To  connect  the  whole,  a  little  repetition  is 
unavoidable. 

The  course  of  the  carotid  arteries  has  been  already 
explained;  and  the  peculiarity  in  the  circulation  chiefly 
relates  to  the  venous  system.  The  veins  are  large  and 
tortuous,  unconnected  with  cellular  substance,  without 
valves ;  freely  anastomosing,  and  terminating  in  reser- 
voirs rather  than  in  large  trunks.  The  apparent  great 
object  of  this  apparatus  is  to  confine  a  certain  portion  of 
blood  in  the  head  ;  and,  at  the  risk  of  a  morbid  accu- 
mulation, to  prevent  the  source  of  the  nerves  from 
wanting  at  any  time  a  supply.  Even  respiration,  as 
we  shall  find,  contributes  to  the  same  purpose. 

The  mode  in  which  the  veins  open  into  the  sinuses 
confirm  the  same  principle.  We  are  informed  by  Vicq 
d'Azyr  that  they  open  in  a  direction  opposite  to  the 
current  of  blood;  and,  though  the  universality  of  this 
distribution  has  been  doubted,  it  is  admitted  that  they 
very  frequently  penetrate  obliquely  through  the  coats 
of  the  sinus,  as  the  ureters  into  the  bladder;  or  that 
little^  valves  occasionally  cover  their  apertures  ;  a  struc- 
ture which  produces  the  same  effects. 

Where  the  veins  penetrate  the  dura  mater,  this  mem- 
brane and  the  pia  mater  are  united  by  a  fatty  substance, 
which  has  been  mistaken  for  the  glands  of  Pacconius  ; 
but  these  are  in  the  cavity  of  the  longitudinal  sinus, 
and  act  still  further  as  valves,  to  save  the  arteries  from 
the  danger  of  being  exhausted  ;  since  these  glands  are 
placed  at  the  entrance  of  the  vein  into  the  sinus.  The 
course  of  the  smaller  veins  is  circuitous,  and  with  dif- 
ficulty, explained  without  numerous  plates.  We  shall 
not  attempt  a  description,  for  it  admits  of  no  application. 

The  arteries  in  the  plexus  choroides,  which  are 
peculiarly  minute  and  tortuous,  probably  have  an  im- 
portant office,  which  we  cannot  even  conjecture.  The 
veins  are  large  which  arise  from  them,  and  some  are 
peculiarly  conspicuous.  The  great  central  vein  of  the 
brain  is  styled,  from  Galen,  who  first  described  it, 
vena  Galeni.  From  nearly  the  centre  of  the  brain,  this 
vein  collecting  all  the  blood,  enters  the  fourth  sinus, 
where  it  receives  the  blood  from  the  inferior  longitu- 
dinal sinus.  But  to  be  more  distinct,  we  shall  begin 
with  the  latter. 

The  great  longitudinal  sinus  commences  near  the 
root  of  the  nose,  and  runs  backward  close  to  the  skull; 


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over  the  head,  in  the  direction  of  the  sagittal  suture, 
The  vena  Galeni,  running  backward,  forms  the  chord 
of  this  arc.  At  nearly  two  thirds  from  the  front,  to 
the  occipital  bone  in  this  chord,  the  inferior  longitudi- 
nal sinus  descends  to  meet  it,  forming  the  fourth  sinus. 
It  descends  in  a  curved  line,  not  concentric  with,  or 
parallel  to,  the  great  longitudinal  sinus,  but  nearly  in 
the  same  direction ;  and  in  the  prolongation  of  this 
chord,  where  it  meets  the  longitudinal  sinus  near  the 
occipital  bone,  the  left  and  right  lateral  sinuses  branch 
off,  terminating  in  their  respective  jugulars,  after  a  ho- 
rizontal course  of  some  length. 

Nearly  at  the  fore  part  of  the  base  of  the  skull,  be- 
low where  the  vena  Galeni  assumes  a  distinguished 
bulk,  there  are  some  other  sinuses,  irregular  in  their 
shape,  and  tortuous  in  their  course,  which  terminate 
also  in  the  jugulars. 

The  great  sinus  is  formed  by  the  splitting  of  the  la- 
minae of  the  dura  mater,  and  as  the  separation  is  more 
distant  above,  the  cavity  of  the  sinus  is  triangular  ;  the 
inferior  lesser  sinus  runs  along  the  edge  of  the  falx, 
without  any  peculiar  form ;  but  the  fourth  sinus, 
which  is  continued  along  the  tentorium,  by  the  joint 
action  of  this  membrane  and  the  falx,  is  also  drawn  into 
a  triangular  shape.  The  olher  sinuses  are  apparently 
enlarged  tortuous  veins,  which  we  need  not  particularly 
mention. 

It  is  obvious  from  this  description,  that  nature  anxi- 
ously retains  a  portion  of  blood  in  the  head,  even  at 
the  risk,  as  we  have  said,  of  accidental  accumulation. 
But  she  has  not  incurred  this  danger,  without  attempts 
to  lessen  or  relieve  it.  Though  the  longitudinal  and 
the  occipital  sinuses  are  bound  by  the  dura  mater  and 
tentorium,  the  rest  are  free,  and  admit  of  dilatation.  At 
the  point  of  meeting  the  angle  of  the  occipital  bone, 
they  are  so  closely  tied  down,  that  the  ancients  sup- 
posed the  blood  in  this  part  subjected  to  a  peculiar  pres- 
sure, and  the  point  of  union  was  styled  the  torcular 
Herophili,  from  its  discoverer.  The  inferior  sinuses, 
however,  have  no  such  restrictions ;  and  they  commu- 
nicate by  veins,  styled  the  emmissarise  of  Santorinus, 
which  communicate  also  with  the  external  veins. 
Vicq.  d'Azyr  informs  us,  that  those  sinuses  which  lie 
near  the  orbits  and  ethmoidal  bone,  the  orbitar  and 
carvenous,  anastomose  by  a  number  of  small  veins 
with  the  hinder  veins  of  the  nose ;  so  that  the  advan- 
tages of  critical  hsemorrhages  from  the  nose  in  reliev- 
ing acute  fevers  where  the  head  is  affected,  will  be  suf- 
ficiently obvious.  But,  though  authors  have  described 
the  emissaries  of  Santorinus  with  particular  care  as  the 
source  of  relief  in  apoplexies,  and  similar  disorders 
arising  from  accumulation,  their  bulk  is  by  no  means 
equal  to  this  office;  and  ihey  seem  chiefly  useful  in 
preventing  partial  compression,  from  the  too  great  ful- 
ness of  any  particular  sinus. 

The  uses  of  the  sinuses  have  been  differently  ex- 
plained by  former  authors;  and  these  cavities  have 
been  supposed  reservoirs,  to  prevent  any  sudden  inter- 
ruption in  the  blood  through  the  vena  cava  to  the  heart 
from  pressing  too  strongly  on  the  tender  medullary  or- 
gan. If  this  were,  however,  the  case,  they  are  adapted 
very  imperfectly  for  the  purpose,  since  they  are  closely 
tied  down  where  dilatation  might  be  safely  allowed  ;  and 
without  any  restriction  in  the  base  of  the  skull  where 
ihelr  compression  must  necessarily  be  injurious.  If  it 


be  true  that  the  nervous  fibres  require  an  active  circu- 
lation for  the  support  of  their  excitement,  it  rrfust  be 
an  object  of  the  highest  importance  that  the  arteries  of 
the  brain  should  not  be  suddenly  emptied,  or  frequently 
liable  to  the  accidents  that  may  occasion  it.  This  pur- 
pose the  sinuses  answer  very  completely;  and,  as  we 
shall  find,  that  during  inspiration  the  course  of  the 
blood  in  the  upper  vena  cava  is  obstructed,  this  func- 
tion will  appear  to  be  an  assistant  in  the  same  office. 

See  Winslow's  Anatomy  ;  Haller's  Physiology  ;  Wil- 
lis' Anatome  Cerebri ;  Vicq.  d'Azyr  on  Brain,  and  his 
Memoirs  in  the  Academy  of  Sciences  for  1781  ;  Mala- 
carne  Encephalotomia  Nuova ;  Monro  on  the  Nervous 
System. 

CE'REBRUM  ELONGA'TUM.  See  MEDULLA  SPIXA- 
LIS. 

CE'REBRI  AFFE'CTIO  SPASMO'DICO-EC'- 
STATICA.  See  AFOPLEXIA. 

CE'HEBRI  COMPRE'SSIO,  and  CONCUSSIO.  COMPRES- 
SION OF  THE  BRAIN  :  (from  con,  and  premo,  to  ,/iress  to- 
gether ;  and  con,  and  yuatio,  to  shake  together}. 

This  often  happens  from  external  injuries,  and  gene- 
rally attended  with  giddiness,  dimness  of  sight,  coma, 
loss  of  voluntary  motion,  vomiting,  an  apoplectic  ster- 
tor  in  breathing,  convulsive  tremors  hi  different  mus- 
cles, a  dilated  state  of  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  even  when 
exposed  to  a  clear  light ;  paralysis  of  different  parts, 
especially  of  the  side  of  the  body  opposite  to  that  part  of 
the  head  which  has  been  injured ;  involuntary  evacua- 
tion of  the  urine  and  faeces ;  an  oppressed,  and,  in 
many  cases,  an  irregular,  pulse  ;  and  when  the  violence 
done  to  the  head  has  been  considerable,  it  is  commonly 
attended  with  a  discharge  of  blood  from  the  nose,  eyes, 
and  ears.  Some  of  the  milder  of  these  symptoms,  such 
as  vertigo,  stupefaction,  and  a  temporary  loss  of  sensi- 
bility, are  frequently  induced  by  slight  blows  on  the 
head  ;  and  as  they  often  appear  to  be  more  the  conse- 
quence of  a  shock,  or  concussion  given  to  the  sub- 
stance of  the  brain,  than  of  compression  induced  upon 
it,  so  they  soon  commonly  disappear,  either  by  the 
effects  of  rest  alone,  or  some  other  gentle  means.  (See 
CONCUSSIO.)  But  when  any  of  the  other  symptoms 
take  place,  such  as  convulsive  tremors,  dilatation  of 
the  pupils,  involuntary  passage  of  the  urine  and  fa;ces, 
and  especially  when  much  blood  is  discharged  from  the 
mouth,  nose,  eyes,  and  ears,  it  is  almost  certain  that 
much  violence  has  been  done  to'  the  brain,  and  that 
compression  in  some  part  is  induced.  In  fine,  a  com- 
pression of  the  brain  may  be  brought  on  by  whatever 
contributes  to  diminish  the  cavity  of  the  cranium,  or 
increase  its  contents  in  any  considerable  degree :  hence 
fractures,  attended  with  depression  of  any  part  of  its 
bones,  forcible  introduction  of  any  extraneous  body 
through  both  tables  of  the  skull,  the  effusion  of  blood, 
serum,  pus,  or  any  other  matter,  the  thickening  of  the 
bones  of  the  head  produced  by  lues  venerea,  collection 
of  water  in  the  ventricles,  or  other  parts  of  the  brain, 
may  occasion  this  disease.  For  the  cure  of  which  see 
CONCUSSJO  ;  FRACTUHA  CHANII  ;  DEPHESSIO,  EXTRAVA- 
SATIO,  HYDROCEPHALUS  ;  also  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii. 
p.  132,  &c. 

CE'REBRI  BA'SIS.     See  PALATUM. 

CE'HEBRI  GA'LEA.     See  CRANIUM. 

CEREFO'LIUM,  a  corruption  of  CH.ZHOPIIYLLUM. 
See  COELIFOLIUM,  and  CH.EREFOLIUM. 


CER 


401 


C  E  11 


CEREFO'LIUM  HISPA'MCUM.     See  MYRRHIS. 
CEREFO'LIUM  SYLVE'STRE.  See  CH.EROPHYLLUM  SYL- 

VESTRE. 

CEREL.E'UM,  (from  Kept,  wax,  and  «A*i»»,  oleum'). 
See  CEH\TUM  et  OLEUM  CER.E,  under  CEHA. 

CEREVI'SIA  AMA'RA,  and  AXTISCORBUTI- 
CA,  (from  Cere»,~)  as  all  ales  are  made  of  corn.  See 
ALLA. 

CEREVI'SI-E  CATAPLA'SMA.  Into  the  grounds  of  strong 
beer  stir  as  much  oat  meal  as  will  make  it  of  a  suitable 
consistence.  This  is  sometimes  employed  as  a  stimu- 
lant, and  antiseptic  to  mortified  parts. 

CE'RIA,  or  CE'RLE,  (from  cereus,  soft  taper}.  See 


CE'RIOX,  xifiet,  a  honey  comb,  (from  *ff»(,  wax'). 
See  ACHOR. 

CERITUS,  or  CERRI'TUS,  (from  Ceres,)  the  dis- 
ease arising  from  malt  liquors. 

CE'RNUUS,  (from  cernuo,  to  fall  isith  the  face 
downwards}.  In  botany  it  means  bent  downwards, 
drooping,  hanging  down  its  head. 

O'MA,  et  CERO'NIUM.     See  CERATUM. 

CEROPI'SSUS,  (from  **««;,  ivax,  and  iri<rr*,fiitch}. 
Also  called  drofiax,  dnfiacismus.  A  plaster  of  pitch 
and  wax.  It  was  usual  to  spread  it  on  cloth  or  leather, 
and  to  apply  it  to  some  part  of  the  body,  then  to  pull  it 
ofl'  again  and  apply  it  afresh,  frequently  renewing  the 
application  and  removal,  to  induce  a  redness  on  the  part 
and  attract  the  fluids  which  nourish  it.  To  render  this 
plaster  the  more  efficacious,  acrimonious  powders  were 
added  to  it.  This  DROPAX  was  also  used  to  make  hair  fall 
off,  or  to  pull  it  off  from  any  part.  But  the  ingredients 
for  the  dropaces  were  pitch,  oil,  bitumen,~galbanum, 
and  other  stimulants. 

CERO'TUM,  (from  xtf*;,  isax~).     See  CERATUM. 

CE  RRO,  (from  «?*«,  c  ,rnu,  because  its  wood  is  hard 
like  iiorn).  See  PHELLODRYS. 

CERV  MEN  AU'RIS,  (fromrerajiMu:).  The  WAX 
in  the  EARS.  The  Latins.call  it  cerea,  aurium  gordes, 
and  murmcrata  aurium,  cyfii^le,  cyfiselis,  fugile.  It  in- 
visc^ies,  and  retains  insects,  and  prevents  their  hurting 
the  membrana  tympani.  It  is  a  yellow,  oily,  bitter,  and 
viscid  fluid,  which  is  inspissated  by  stagnation,  softens 
by  heat,  and  evaporates  in  a  white  smoke,  whose  ouour 
resembles  that  of  burning  fat.  By  a  continuance  of 
the  heat,  it  melts,  swells,  grows  dark,  and  emits  an  am- 
moniacal  and  empyreumatic  odour.  It  mixes  with 
V.V.UT,  forming  an  emulsion,  which,  on  putrefaction 
taking  place,  deposits  white  flakes.  Alcohol  dissolves 
more  than  half;  and,  when  evaporated,  a  deep  coloured 
substance  remains,  nearly  resembling  the  resin  of  bile. 
What  the  alcohol  does  not  dissolve  appears  to  be  albu- 
men, which,  when  burnt,  leaves  marks  of  soda  and 
phosphat  of  lime.  .Ether  dissolves  it,  but  the  solution 
is  less  coloured  ;  so  that,  added  to  these  ingredients,  it 
seems  to  contain  a  peculiar  colouring  principle.  It  is 
separated  from  the  glands  in  the  part  of  the  ear  in  which 
it  is  found.  It  is  fluid  when  first  discharged,  but  soon 
thickens  by  stagnation.  Wax,  under  some  circum- 
stances, occasions  deafness.  See  SURDITAS. 

CERU'SSA.     So  called  because  it  was  a  pigment 
made  by  dissolving  lead  in  vinegar,  and  formed  of  the 
consistence  of  wax  ;  hence  x-tf'1,  xtp»m.,  Kifeif-nt,  —  unde 
--*.     See  PLUMBUM. 

CERU'SSA  ASTIMO'XII.     See  ANTIMOMUM. 
VOL.  i. 


CERVA  RIA,  and  CERVA'RIA  NI'GRA,  'from 
cervug,  a  stag,  because  deer  are  fond  of  it).  See 
LASERPITIUM  VULGATIUS,  et  OREOSELIXUM. 

CE'RVI   SPI'NA.     See  RHAMNUS. 

CERVICA'LES,  belonging  to  the  neck,  (from  cer- 
vix, the  neck,}  the  nerves  which  pass  through  the  ver- 
tebrae of  the  neck. 

The  first  cervical  nerve  throws  out  a  considerable 
branch  to  the  occiput ;  supporting,  in  some  degree,  the 
idea  of  Gall  :  it  joins  the  ninth  pair  from  the  brain,  to 
form  the  first  cervical  ganglion  of  the  intercostal. 

The  second  cervical  nerve  hath  a  very  remarkable 
plexus ;  it  sends  out  a  very  considerable  nerve  to  the 
occifiut,  as  well  as  the  first.  It  sends  off  three  branches 
behind  the  sterno  mastoideus,  where  they  are  entangled 
with  the  accessorius  Willisii.  The  first  branch,  going 
upward  and  backward,  becomes  cutaneous  on  the  pos- 
terior parts  of  the  temporal  and  parietal  bones.  The 
second  goes  upward,  and  a  little  forward  under  the 
sterno  mastoideus,  and  throws  branches  to  the  parotid 
gland,  to  the  lobe,  and  to  the  posterior  side  of  the  ear. 
The  third  goes  horizontally  forward  to  the  neck,  and 
there  becomes  a  cutaneous  nerve,  which  is  sometimes 
pricked  in  opening  the  external  jugular  vein. 

The  third  cervical  nerve  goes  downwards  by  a  number 
of  filaments  towards  the  shoulders,  and  produces  the 
phrenic  nerve,  which  runs  towards  the  thorax,  before 
the  anterior  portion  of  the  scalenus,  between  the  sub- 
clavian  artery  and  vein,  contiguous  to  the  trunk  of  the 
par  vagum;  passes  down  before  the  root  of  the  lungs, 
follows  the  pericardium,  and  branches  out  in  the  dia- 
phragm. That  on  the  right  is  shorter  than  that  on  the 
left,  as  the  latter  goes  round  the  apex  of  the  heart. 

The  four  inferior  pairs,  since  a  similar  nerve  arises 
on  both  sides,  are  larger  than  those  already  named. 
Their  main  trunk,  with  the  first  nerve  of  the  back, 
passes  between  the  portions  of  the  scalenus  over  the 
first  rib,  into  the  axilla,  where  they  produce  six  trunks, 
which  go  to  the  upper  extremities.  In  their  way  thither 
they  detach  branches  to  all  the  arteries. 

The  first  of  these  six  branches  is  the  HUMERA'HS, 
which  follows  the  course  of  the  artery  of  that  name, 
round  the  head  of  the  os  humeri. 

The  second  is  the  CUTA'XEUS,  which  runs  down  the 
inside  of  the  arm,  and  goes  into  the  fore  arm,  just  where 
we  open  the  basilic  vein,  and  is  often  wounded. 

The  third  is  called  the  MUSCULO  CUTA'VEUS,  and  is 
larger.  It  rises  pretty  high,  and  throws  branches  into 
the  coraco  brachiaeus,  through  which  the  trunk  passes 
obliquely  ;  it  is  then  covered  by  the  biceps,  and,  passing 
through  between  the  brachiasus  and  biceps,  it  sends  off 
several  branches,  and  lies  on  the  outside  of  the  tendon 
of  the  last  mentioned  muscle,  where  we  commonly 
bleed  in  the  median  cephalic  vein. 

The  fourth  is  called  CUBITA'LIS,  or  VLXA'RIS,  the 
ulnar  nerve;  it  follows  the  course  of  the  artery,  but 
passes  gradually  backwards,  and  gets  behind  the  inner 
condyle  of  the  os  humeri,  betwixt  which  and  the  ole- 
cranon  it  passes  to  the^fore  arm.  A  little  above  the 
carpus  it  divides  into  an  anterior  and  posterior  branch, 
which  goes  to  the  palm,  the  back  of  the  hand,  and  fin- 
gers. See,  under  CUBITALIS,  Cheselden's  account. 

The  fifth  branch,  called  MEDIA 'NUS,  the  median 
nerve,  passes  down  contiguous  to  the  brachial  artery, 
and,-  accompanying  the  vessel,  goes  to  the  fore  arm 

3  F 


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402 


C  ER 


and  to  the  palm  of  the  hand,  thence  to  the  thumb  and 
fingers. 

The  sixth  branch,  called  the  RADIA'LIS, radial  nerve, 
passes  down  the  inside  of  the  arm,  and  then  backwards 
between  the  brac.hiacus  externus,  and  the  short  heads  of 
the  biceps  externus,  attended  by  the  artery.  When  it 
hath  got  round,  it  runs  down ;  and,  at  the  head  of  the 
radius,  it  gives  oft'  a  cutaneous  branch,  which  goes  to 
the  thumb  and  fingers  on  the  back  of  the  hand,  whilst 
the  main  trunk  passes  round  the  head  of  the  radius 
through  the  supinator  radii  brevis,  and  goes  betwixt  the 
radius  and  ulna,  to  be  lost  in  the  extensor  digitorum 
communis,  and  the  muscles  of  the  carpus  and  thumb. 

CEIIVK'.V'I.KS  ARTE'RI.S.  The  ARTERIES  of  the 
NECK.  ' 

The  cervical  artery  rises  from  the  subclavian  on  its 
upper  side,  and  is  presently  afterwards  divided  into  two, 
which  sometimes  come  out  separately,  and  at  others  by 
a  small  common  trunk ;  the  anterior  goes  to  the  ante- 
rior muscles  which  move  the  neck  and  head,  the  poste- 
rior to  the  scalenus,  trapezius,  Sec. 

The  anterior  cervicalis,  running  behind  the  carotid  of 
the  same  side,  is  distributed  to  the  musculus  coraco- 
hyoiclseus,  mastoidaeus,  cutaneus,  sterno-hyoidaeus,  and 
sterno-thyroidaeus,  to  the  jugular  gland,  and  aspera  ar- 
teria ;  the  muscles  of  the  pharynx,  bronchia,  cesopha- 
gus,  and  to  the  anterior  muscles,  which  move  the  neck 
and  head.  This  artery  has  been  observed  to  send  out 
the  intercostalis  superior. 

The  posterior  cervicalis  arises  sometimes  a  little  after 
'he  vcrlebralis,  and  sometimes  from  that  artery.  It 
passes  under  the  transverse  apophysis  of  the  last  ver- 
tebra of  the  neck,  and  from  thence  runs  up  backward, 
in  a  winding  course,  on  the  vertebral  muscles  of  the 
neck,  and  then  returns  in  the  same  manner.  It  com- 
municates with  a  descending  branch  of  the  occipital  ar- 
tery, and  with  another  of  the  vertebral,  about  the  se- 
cond vertebra.  It  is  distributed  to  the  musculi  scaleni, 
angularis  scapulae,  and  trapezius,  and  to  the  jugular 
glands  and  integuments. 

CKRVICA'LES  VEN.S:.  The  CERVICAL.  VEINS.  They 
are  branches  from  the  upper  external  jugular  veins,  or 
from  the  vertebral  veins :  they  spread  in  the  vertebral 
muscles  of  the  neck,  and  communicate  with  the  hu- 
ineralis  and  occipitalis. 

CERVICA'LIS  DESCE'NDENS,  DO'RSI.     See  SACRO  LUM- 

liAIUS  ACCESSOUIUS. 

CERVICA'RIA,  (from  cervix,  the  neck,  so  named 
because  it  was  supposed  to  be  efficacious  in  disorders 
of  the  neck  and  throat).  BELL  FLOWER,  or  CAMPA- 
NULA. 

The  flower  consists  of  one  petal  or  flower  leaf,  shaped 
like  a  bell:  before  it  is  blown  it  is  of  a  pentagonal 
iigure,  and  when  fully  opened  it  is  cut  into  five  seg- 
ments at  the  top.  The  summit  of  the  pedicle  is  ex- 
panded into  an  ovary,  whose  apex  is  crowned  with  a 
inonophylloua  quinquifid  calyx,  divided  into  five  long 
segments.  The  seed  vessel  is  for  the  most  part  divided 
into  three  cells,  each  having  a  hole  at  the  bottom,  by 
which  the  seed  is  emitted. 

Camp.unula  esculenta.  SMALL  or  GARDEN  UAMPION. 
Campanula  ruputiculus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  232. 

The  roots  are  used  in  salads. 

Medium,  -viola  Mariana  Lin.  Sp.  PI,  236,     Syrian 

BELL  FLOWER. 


Trachrlium,  (from  •ffecx.r^of,  the  throat,}  campanula 
vulgar wr  >r,ajor.  GREAT  THROAT  WORT,  aud  CAN- 
TERBURY BELLS.  Campanula,  trachdium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
235. 

The  root  is  very  moderately  astringent. 

CERVI'CUL.E  SPI'RITUS,  (from  cervus,  a  stag}. 
Rulandus  gives  this  appellation  to  the  spirit  of  the  bone- 
of  a  stag's  heart. 

CE'RVIX.  Usually  confined  to  the  back  part  of  th- 
neck;  hence  derived  by  some  from  cur-vus,  crooked; 
but,  by  others,  quasi  cerebri  via,  as  the  road  leading  to 
the  brain ;  also  collum,  the  NECK.  This  is  applied 
figuratively  to  different  parts  ;  and  there  is  the  cervix 
•vesicts,  uteri,  ossis.  (See  VESICA,  UTERUS,  and  PRO- 
CESSUS).  But,  in  its  general  acceptation,  it  means  that 
part  of  the  body  situated  betwixt  the  head  and  breast. 

The  neck  is  divided  into  the  anterior  part  or  throat, 
and  the  posterior  or  nape.  It  contains  the  larynx,  a  part 
of  the  trachea  arteria,  the  pharynx,  part  of  the  oesopha- 
gus, the  musculi  cutanei,  sterno-mastoidaei,  sterno- 
hyoidaei,  hyo-thyroides,  coraco-hyoidaei,  splenius,  corn- 
plexus,  the  musculi  vertebrales,  which  lie  upon  the  first 
seven  vertebra,  and  a  portion  of  the  medulla  spinalis. 

The  ARTERIES  which  go  to  the  neck,  are  the  artcrix 
carotides  externae,  et  internae,  vertebrales,  et  cervicales. 
The  VEINS  are,  the  venae  jugulares  externae  et  internae, 
cervicales,  et  vertebrales.  The  NERVES  are,  the  portio 
dura  of  the  auditory  nerves,  the  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth 
pair,  the  seven  cervical  pairs,  and  the  nervi  sympathetic! 
maximi. 

A  contraction  of  the  neck  to  one  side  is  among  the 
disorders  to  which  it  is  subject.  Tulpius  calls  this 
contraction  CAPUT  OBSTIPUM  ;  but  it  is  a  species  of  con- 
tractura:  he  hath  removed  this  disorder  in  those  who 
had  exceeded  their  twentieth  year,  and  were  born  with 
it :  others  have  had  the  same  success. 

This  disorder  is  usually  described  under  the  title  of 
the  WRY  NECK.  It  proceeds  from  burns,  a  stricture  in 
the  skin,  a  relaxation  of  some  of  the  muscles  in  the 
neck  on  one  side,  or  a  contraction  of  them  on  the 
other;  but  the  most  common  cause  is  a  contraction  of 
the  mastoid  or  sterno-mastoid  muscle  only. 

If  it  depends  on  a  paralysis  on  one  side,  the  cure 
must  depend  on  that  of  the  disease :  if  from  inflam- 
mation, external  blisters  and  stimulants  are  employed. 
In  general,  emollients  on  the  contracted  part,  and  sti- 
mulants on  the  opposite,  afford  the  most  probable 
means  of  relief.  Electrical  sparks,  drawn  from  the  re- 
laxed side,  are  also  often  useful ;  and  the  contracted 
muscle,  should  be  kept  at  its  full  extent  of  distention, 
by  a  bandage  keeping  the  head  steady  in  the  opposite 
direction. 

If  these  remedies  fail,  two  or  three  incisions  trans- 
versely through  the  skin,  where  it  is  contracted,  may 
be  made.  If  the  cause  is  from  several  muscles  being 
contracted,  the  cure  will  be  more  difficult ;  but  if  there 
is  a  contraction  of  the  mastoid  muscle  only,  or,  as 
called  by  some,  the  sterno-mastoid  muscle,  the  cure  is 
effected  by  dividing  it. 

In  this  operation,  Mr.  Sharpe  directs  us  "  to  make  a 
transverse  incision  through  the  skin  and  fat,  some- 
thing broader  than  the  muscle,  and  not  above  half  an 
inch  from  the  clavicle ;  then  passing  the  probed  razor 
with  care  underneath  the  muscle,  draw  it  out,  and  cut 
the  muscle.  After  the  incision  is  made,  the  wound  is 


CE  T 


403 


C  II  A 


to  be  filled  with  dry  lint,  and  always  dressed  so  as  to 
prevent  the  extremities  of  the  muscles  from  re-uniting; 
to  which  end  they  are  to  be  separated  from  each  other 
as  much  as  possible,  by  the  assistance  of  a  supporting 
bandage  for  the  head  during  the  whole  time  of  the 
cure,  which  will  generally  be  about  a  month." 

Mr.  Pott  directs  to  cut  through  the  muscle  as  near 
the  middle  as  may  be,  taking  care  not  to  wound  the 
carotid  artery,  nor  the  jugular  vein.  Dr.  Hunter  pre- 
fers making  the  incision  near  the  sternum  :  he  says, 
that  at  the  lower  part  of  the  muscle  it  is  best  to  perform 
this  operation,  because,  there,  the  cellular  membrane 
is  not  in  any  great  proportion.  Mr.  Sheldon  advises 
us  not  to  use  the  razor  above  named,  as  we  may  en- 
danger cutting  the  carotid  artery,  the  jugular  vein,  and 
the  eighth  pair  of  nerves.  He  prefers  the  incision 
knife,  to  cut  gently  in  a  transverse  direction ;  in  that 
case  the  fibres  will  fly  from  the  edge  of  the  knife,  and, 
wiih  a  moderate  attention,  the  dangers  just  mentioned 
will  be  avoided.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p.  366. 
White's  Surgery,  p.  38". 

CE'RVUS.  (from  r.=. ex.*;,  corn u  ;  so  called  because  of 
the  exuberance  of  its  horns).  The  STAG,  HART,  or  MALE 
of  the  red  deer.  The  flesh  of  these  animals,  until  they 
are  three  years  old,  is  excellent.  The  bone  of  the 
stag's  heart,  called  crux  cervi,  from  its  shape  being 
that  of  a  cross;  is  only  the  tendons  of  the  muscles  of  its 
heart  hardened.  This  bone,  as  it  is  called,  should  be 
very  white. 

Balls  are  formed  in  their  stomachs  from  the  hairs 
-vhich  they  swallow  when  licking  themselves.  These 
balls  are  called  elaifihofiiln.  See  CAPRA  ALPIXA. 

The  tears  of  a  stag  are  the  sordes  collected  in  the 
inner  angles  of  the  eye,  resembling  wax.  This  matter 
hath  many  virtues  ridiculously  attributed  to  it,  and  is 
given  in  doses  of  three  or  four  grains. 

CE'RVUS  DA'MA.     See  DAMA. 

CER'VUS  MI'XOR  AMERICA'XUS  BEZOA'RTICUS.  The 
deer  which  produces  the  West  Indian  bezoar,  q.  v. 

CE'RVUS  ODORA'TUS.     See  MOSCHUS. 

CE'RVUS  RANGI'FER.  The  REIN  DEER,  called  by  some 
authors  tarandut,  and  niachiis.  It  is  an  animal  very  com- 
mon in  all  the  northern  regions,  of  the  shape  of  a  stag, 
but  its  body  is  thicker,  and  its  whole  make  much  more 
robust  and  strong.  It  is  of  great  use  as  a  beast  of  car- 
riage to  the  Laplanders,  and  almost  all  the  northern 
nations.  Scheffer  alleges,  from  Tornaeus,  that  though 
;>  cloven  footed  ar>im?-l,  and  plainly  of  the  deer  kind,  it 
does  not  chew  the  cud;  but  this  is  wholly  disbelieved 
by  the  more  accurate  naturalists.  Its  horns  and  hoofs 
have  bsjcTi  suid  to  be  of  use  in  spasmodic  affections. 

CESTRE'US.     SeeMuoiLis. 

CESTRI'TES  YIXUM/from  r.£>:$n,bctony).  Wine 
impregnated  with  betony. 

CE'STRUM,  (from  xtr'f*,  a  dart ;  so  called  either 
from  the  shape  of  its  flowers,  which  resemble  a  dart,  or 
because  it  was  used  to  extract  the  broken  ends  of  darts 
from  wounds).  See  BETOMCA. 

CETA'CEUS,(from  ce(e,a  whale}.  Cetaceous  fishes 
ut-e  very  large,  bring  forth  a  perfect  animal  instead  of 
spawn  :  like  viviparous  animals,  they  respire  by  means 
of  lungs,  and  nourish  their  young  with  milk. 

CE'TE,  (from  the  Chaldaean  word  Xro/a).    This  term 
is  usually  applied  to  the   spermaceti  whale;  t,hy 
•macroctfihaius  Lin.     See  SPERMACETI. 

CE'TERACH.     See  ASPLENIUM. 


CE'TUS.  See  CETE.  The  WHALE.  There 
many  kinds  of  this  fish;  but  the  two  principal  are  the 
Greenland  whale  :  also  called  baltzna.  vulgaris^  balxna. 
major,  musculus;  according  to  Pliny,  niysiicelus:  the 
GREENLAND,  or  BLACK  WHALE.  The  spermaceti  whale 
is  the  physeter  macroce/ihalus. 

It  is  from  the  upper  jaw  that  :;•/;<;/<?  bone  is  taken, 
and  from  no  other  part  of  this  fish.     Besides  this  bone, 
its  only  produce  is  its  oil,  used  for  burning  in  lamps, 
but  of  no  use  in  medicine.     In  Paris,  they  have 
sorts  of  tuhale  oil :   the  best   is  called  huiie  a'e  grandc 
baye:  it  is  made  from  the  blubber  immediately  at 
is  taken  out  of  the  fish,  and  is  not  so  offensive  in  smei! 
as  that  from  Holland,  which  is  melted  down  after  their 
arrival. 

The  latter  also  called  cachalot.  .  from  ha 

teeth  only  in  the  lower  jaw,  bal&na  macroccfihala,  Irom/ic. 
byaris,  occa.  The  SPERMACETI  WHALE  does  not  afford 
any  y-'iale  bone;  but  its  teeth  are  ivory.  From  its  body 
it  yields  a  finer  oil  than  that  from  the  Gj'eenland  spe- 
cies ;  as  well  as  SPERMACETI,  q.  v. 

CEYADI'LLA,  (from  cevada,  barley,  Spanish1!. 
Called  also  sebadilla,  sabadilla,  cau*;.  .  ricanum. 
hordeum  causlicum,  cania  interaecfjr.  INDIAN  CAUSTIC 
BARLEY.  Veratrirm  sabadilla,  not  included  in  the  Spe- 
cies Plantarum.  It  is  the  seed  vc.-  Mexican 
plant;  like  a  barley  ear,  but  with  scr-r'i  r.ot  exceeding 
the  size  of  lintseed.  They  are  reckoned  the  strongest  of 
the  vegetable  caustics.  Monardes  says,  that  for  de- 
stroying vermin,  and  as  a  corrosive  for  some  kinds  of 
ulcers,  they  are  equally  effectual  with  the  actual  cau- 
tery. Dale  thinks  the  capsula  of  the  seed  only  is 
used :  the  taste  is,  however,  bitter  and  acrid  ;  in  quality 
highly  drastic,  and  powerfully  anthelmintic.  It  is  also 
diuretic  and  emetic.  The  dose  to  a  child  from  two  to 
four  years  old,  is  two  grains;  from  hence  to  eight,  five 
grains;  from  eight  to  twelve,  ten  grains. 

CE'VIL.     See  LUDUS  HELMONTII. 

CHA'A.     See  THEA. 

CHACARI'LLA.     See  THURIS  CORTEX. 

CHiREFO'LIUM,  CH.EROPHY'LLUM,  (from 
£«(£»,  to  rejoce,  and  £s/AA»»,  folium,  a  leaf,  so  called 
from  the  abundance  of  its  leaves).  Called  also  cerefo- 
lium,  gingidium;  COMMON  CHERVIL.  It  is  the  scandijr 
cerefolium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  368.  It  is  an  umbelliferous 
plant,  with  winged  leaves,  like  those  of  parsley,  pro- 
ducing smooth  long  seeds,  shaped  like  a  bird's  beak;  a 
native  of  the  southern  parts  of  Europe,  sown  annually 
in  our  gardens,  and  slightly  aromattic,  aperient,  and 
diuretic,  differing  not  from  parsley  in  its  medical  vir- 
tues. Distilled  with  water,  it  affords  a  small  quantity 
of  essential  oil. 

CH.EREFOLIUM  SVLVE'STRE  PERE'NNE  CICU'T.E  FO'LIO, 
Cicutaria,  -vulgaris,  myrrhis  sylvestris,  cartfvlium  syl- 
•veslre;  WILD  CICELT  ;  cow  WEED.  Cher-j/ihyilum 
syl-vestre  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  369.  The  roots  are  poisonous, 
causing  difficulty  of  breathing,  torpor,  and  delirium. 
The  roots  resemble  parsnips,  and  are  called  by  the  coun- 
try people  MADNIPS.  The  leaves  resemble  those  of  hem- 
lock. 

CHAIARXA'MBAR.     See  CASSIA  FISTUHRIS. 

CHAI'TA.  Properly  the  name  of  quadrupeds;  but 
Rufus  Ephesius  expresses  by  it  the  hair  of  the  hind  head. 

CHA'LAPA.     See  JALAPA. 

CHALA'SIS,  (from  x*A*»,  to  relax'\     See  RE 

ATIO. 

3F 


Oil  A 


404 


CH  A 


CHALA'STICA  MEDICAME'NTA,  (from  the 
same).  RELAXING  MEDICINES. 

CHALA'Z^E,  and  CHALA'ZIA,  (from  £*A«g*<, 
hail  stones;  grandines  lup£  ).  This  name  is  given  to  a 
white  knotty  string  at  each  end  of  an  egg,  formed  of  a 
plexus  of  the  fibres  of  the  membranes,  by  which  the 
yolk  and  the  white  are  connected :  it  is  sometimes 
called  arquatum. 

It  is  also  a  species  of  the  hordeolum.  STYE,  STIAN, 
or  STITHE,  a  moveable,  hard,  white,  encysted  tumour 
on  the  margin  of  the  eye  lid,  resembling  a  hail  stone; 
and  differs  from  the  crithe,  another  species,  only  in 
being  moveable.  It  continues  long,  and  proceeds 
slowly,  and  is  often  merely  an  enlargement  of  one  of 
the  sebaceous  glands  in  consequence  of  obstruction ; 
but  occasionally  of  a  more  solid  consistence.  Some- 
times it  may  be  dispersed  with  the  unguentum  coeru- 
leum  forlius,  and  with  a  few  roses  of  calomel.  If  they 
fail  to  relieve,  make  an  incision  through  the  skin  which 
covers  them,  and  dissect  the  tumour  clearly  out,  or 
touch  the  skin  over  them  with  caustic,  until  the  whole 
is  wasted.  See  St.  Yves  on  the  Disorders  of  the  Eye. 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii.  p.  264.  Nos.  Meth.  Ocul.  of 
Dr.  Wallis,  p.  4. 

CHALBA'NE.     See  GALBANUM. 

CHALCA'NTHUM,  (from  #*A*»5,  brass,  and  «»*»?, 
a  Jiotvcr).  FLOWERS  OF  BKASS.  See  VITRIOLUM. 

CHALCEDO'NIUS,  is  the  name  of  a  medicine, 
which  Galen  directs  to  be  used  in  disorders  of  the  ears. 
Ak>o  a  species  of  onyx  stone  brought  from  Chalcedon. 

CHALCI'TIS,  (from  je*Aw< ,  brass).  The  native  is 
said  to  be  a  vitriolic  mineral,  containing  copper  and 
iron,  of  a  copperish  colour.  As  it  cannot  be  procured, 
Dr.  Alston  thinks  that  its  best  succedaneum  is  the 
chalcitis  officinarum.  See  VITHIOH  COLCOTHAR,  and 
VITRIOLUM  VIRIDF.. 

CHALCOI'DEUM,  Os.  The  os  cuneiforme  of  the 
tarsus.  See  CUNEIFORME  os. 

CHA'LCOS.     See  ^Es. 

CHA'LCUTE.     BURNT  BRASS.     See  jEs  USTUM. 

CHALICRA'TON.  WINE  and  WATER,  (from  ;e«A<{, 
an  old  word  that  imports  pure  wine,  and'  xeganvni ,  to 
mix). 

CHALI'NOS.  BRIDLE.  This  word  is  sometimes 
used  to  express  that  part  of  the  cheeks  which,  on  each 
side,  is  contiguous  to  the  angles  of  the  mouth,  as  the 
part  where  the  bridle  of  a  horse  is  placed. 

CHALYBEA'T^E  A'QU^E.  See  Aqujs  MINER- 
ALES. 

CHALY'BIS  RUBI'GO  and  SAL.     See  FERRUM. 

CIIA'LYBS,  (from  Chalybes,  a  people  of  Pontus, 
who  dug  iron  out  of  the  earth).  STEEL  ;  called  also 
fides.  As  a  medicine,  it  differs  not  from  iron.  (V. 
FERRUM.)  See  Neumann's  Chemical  works,  the  Dic- 
tionary of  Chemistry. 

CHA'LYBS  TARTARIZA'TUS.     See  FERRUM. 

CHA'MA,  (from  £««,  to  gape;  so  named  from  its 
wide  mouthed  shell).  BASTARD  COCKLE;  called  ajso 
glycimeris  magna,  and  chama  glycimeris.  They  are 
found  in  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and  are  similar  to  our 
-common  cockle,  and  other  shell  fish. 

CHAMjE'ACTE,  (from  ^X/AXI,  upon  the  ground, 
a.*]*,  the  elder).  See  EBULUS. 

CHAMjEBA'LANOS,  (from  #«/««,  and  j8«A**»o5,  a 
trinj.  See  OROBUS. 


CHAMjE'BATOS,  (from  #«/»«<>  and  paiva,  to  go,- 
so  called  from  its  creeping  along  the  ground).  See 

RUBUS    VULGARIS. 

CHAM^ECE'DRYS,  (from  %*IMI,  and  «^««,  cedar'). 
See  ARBROTANUM  F<EMINEUM. 

CIIAM^ECE'RASUS,  (from  x*t"">  and  xefunt, 
cherry  tree).  See  CAPRIFOLIUM. 

CHAM^CI'SSUS,  (from  #*f««,  and  x.tevt$,  ivy). 
See  HEDERA  TERRESTRIS. 

CHAM^ECI'STUS, (from  #«,«.*<, and  xvrltif,  cystus~). 
Panaoc  chironium,consolidaaurea;  cistus  helianthemum 
Lin.   Sp.  PI.  744.     LITTLE  or  DWARF  CISTUS,  or  SUN 
FLOWER.     It  is  vulnerary,  and  is  supposed  to  make  a  . 
good  gargle1  in  diseases  of  the  throat. 

CHAMjECLE'MA,  (from  #*/»*<,  and  x.*eftM,  ivy). 
See  HEDEHA  TERRESTRIS. 

CHAM^EDA'PHNE,  (from  £«^(,  and  }*&»,  the 
laurel).  See  LAUREOLA  MAS. 

CHAM^E'DRYS,  (from  £«,«*<,  and  V«>  the  oak). 
GERMANDER.  Chamedrys  minor  repens;  -vulgaris. 
Also  called  yuercula  calamandrina,  trissago;  chamts- 
drops  P.  jEginetse  and  Oribasii.  SMALL  GERMANDER, 
and  ENGLISH  TREACLE.  It  is  the  teucrium  chamedrya 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  790.  CREEPING  GERMANDER. 

The  chamsedrys  is  a  small,  creeping,  shrubby  plant, 
with  square  stalks,  small,  stiff',  oval  leaves,  notched 
from  the  middle  to  the  extremity,  like  those  of  the 
oak  tree,  set  in  pairs  at  the  joints,  and  purplish  labi- 
ated  flowers,  set  thick  together,  wanting  the  upper  lip. 
It  grows  wild  in  France,  Germany,  and  Switzerland. 
It  is  sometimes  found  wild  in  England,  but  is  generally 
raised  by  culture  in  gardens.  It  flowers  in  June  and 
July. 

The  leaves  and  tops  are  slightly  bitter  and  aromatic  ; 
and  esteemed  mildly  aperient  and  corroborant.  They 
have  been  held  in  esteem  in  uterine  and  rheumatic  com- 
plaints; in  intermittent  fevers;  scrofulous  affections, 
and  other  chronic  complaints.  At  present,  however, 
they  are  little  used.  The  best  time  for  gathering  this 
herb  is  when  the  seeds  are  formed,  and  the  tops  are 
then  preferable  to  the  leaves.  When  dry,  the  dose  is 
from  3  ss-  to  7  i-  Either  water  or  spirit  will  extract 
their  virtue;  but  the  watery  infusion  is  more  bitter. 
This  plant  is  an  ingredient  in  the  noted  powder,  called 
from  the  duke  of  Portland,  of  which  we  add  the  original 
receipt. 

Take  of  the  roots  of  round  birthwort  and  gentian, 
the  tops  and  leaves  of  small  germander,  lesser  centaury, 
and  ground  pine,  of  each  equal  parts:  powder  them  all 
together.  Of  this  powder  a  drachm  must  be  taken,  in 
any  convenient  liquor,  every  morning,  fasting,  for  three 
months;  then  two  scruples  for  three  months;  and,  after 
that,  half  a  drachm  for  six  months :  and,  to  conclude  the 
process,  half  a  drachm  every  other  day  for  a  year.  ^F.tius 
calls  a  powder  similar  to  this,  antidotes  ex  duobus  cen- 
taurt'ce  generibua;  Coclius  Aurelianus,  diacentaurion. 

Experience,  in  general,  hath  tended  to  lessen  the  credit 
of  this  composition,  which  hath  little  more  than  its  an- 
tiquity to  support  the  character  with  which  it  was  lately 
raised.  It  differs  but  little  from  the  diacentaureon  of 
Ccelius  Aurelianus,  the  pulvis  principis  Mirandolae, 
climax  vel  scala  sacra,  and  others,  of  which  an  account 
is  given  in  the  Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  vol.  vi.  p. 
126,  where  also  the  origin  of  the  duke  of  Portland's 
powder  is  traced  back  to  these  boasted  remedies.  We 


C  H  A 


4U5 


C  H  A. 


need  not  add  on  this  subject  to  our  former  observations 
on  bitters,  and  on  the  gout  cordial.  See  AMARA,  and 
ARTHRITIS. 

CHAMJE'DHYS  IN'CANA  MARI'TIMA.     See  MARUM  SY- 

HIACVM. 

CHAM.C'DRYS  FRUTE'SCEXS.     See  TEUCRIVM. 

CHAM-E'DRYSFRUTICO'SASYLYE'STRISMELI'SS^FO'LIO. 
S«e  SALVIA  SYLVESTRIS. 

CHAM^E'DRYS  PALUSTRIS  AL'BIUM  REDO'LEXS.  See 
SCORDIVM. 

CHAMJE'DRYS  SPU'RIA  AXGU'STIFOLIA,  vel  LATIFOLIA. 
See  VERONICA. 

CHAM.£'DRYS.  A  name  of  a  species  of  caryophyllata, 
called  avens. 

CHAM.EL.E'A,  CHAMEL.E'A,  (from  %***>,  on 
the  ground,  and  t*xi*,  the  olive-tree").  WIDOW-WAIL. 
Daphne  Alfiina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  510.  A  shrub,  with  leaves 
like  the  olive-tree.  The  juice  is  a  powerful  hydra- 
gogue  and  cathartic,  but  much  milder  than  mezereon, 
and  many  other  plants  which  belong  to  the  same  genus. 
If  it  is  applied  to  the  pubes  and  abdomen  of  dropsical 
patients,  no  medicine  is  said  to  be  more  effectual  in 
promoting  urine.  See  LAVREOLA  FOSMIXA. 

CHAM-ELEA'GNUS,  (from  *w"«,  and  £A*,«y».5, 
thetoild  olive}.  See  MYRTCS  BRABAXTICA. 

CH  AM.ELEMA,  (from  ;s*ft*r,  and  «A<^a,  ivy}.  See 
HEDERA  TERRESTRIS. 

CHAM  zELE'ON,  (from  %*n*t,  /mini,  and  A£«»,  lion  ; 
that  is,  d-aarf  lion}.  A  lizard,  supposed  to  be  capable 
of  changing  its  colour  at  pleasure.  It  is  also  the  name 
given  to  some  thistles  from  the  variety  and  uncertainty 
of  their  colour,  and  to  some  metallic  preparations  from 
the  same  variety. 

CHAMXLE'OS  ALBUS,  Sec.     See  CARDUUS  PIXEA  arid 

CARL1NA. 

CHAM-SLE'ON  VE'HVM.     See  Cxictrs. 

CHAMJLLEUCE,  (from  £*ft*i,  and  Ari/Kij,)  the  herb 
roll's  foot.  See  TVSSILAGO. 

CHAM-ELI'NUM.  (from  z*u*i,  and  A<»«»,  fax}. 
See  LIXUM  CATHARTICUM. 

CHAM.ELI'XUM  VV'LGARE.     See  KXAWEL. 

CHAM.EMELUM,  (from  K*?**',  and  fu>.**,an  afi- 
fle  ;  because  it  grows  on  the  ground,  and  has  the  smell 
of  an  apple).  CAMOMILE.  Galen  calls  it  euanthemon. 
It  is  corruptly  named  camomilla.  The  following  are 
the  most  common  species. 

.CHAM.EME'LVM  XO'BILE.  Cham.  Romanum  leucan- 
themum  odoratius,  vel  odoratissimum  refiena;  by  Dios- 
corides,  c/irysocallia ;  COMMON  CAMOMILE.  It  is  the 
anthemis  nobilis  Lin.  Sp.  Plant.  1260.  Xat.  order  com- 
fiotitis  radiate. 

It  is  found  wild  in  moist  pasture  grounds  in  many 
•parts  of  England,  but  is  commonly  cultivated  in  gar- 
dens. It  flowers  in  July,  August,  and  the  following 
summer  months ;  and  the  seeds  come  to  perfection  at 
the  time  of  flowering.  The  leaves  and  flowers  have  a 
strong,  though  not  ungrateful  smell,  and  bitter  taste. 
The  flowers  are  more  aromatic  and  bitter  than  the 
leaves  and  the  stalks  ;  the  yellow  disk  is  by  far  the 
strongest.  The  smell  and  taste  are  both  improved  by 
careful  drying,  and  they  lose  very  little  by  long  keep- 
ing. These  flowers  are  found  to  consist  of  a  bitter  ex- 
tive  part,  and  an  essential  oil.  The  former  is  the 
touic,  and  the  latter  the  carminative  portion. 


The  flowers  only  are  used  internally  :  they  are  bitter, 
carminative,  anodyne,  antispasmodic  ;  of  particular  use 
in  cold  flatulent  colics,  especially  if  joined  with  aroma- 
tics  ;  in  nephritic,  hysteric,  hypochondriac,  and  other 
spasmodic  disorders.  The  vomiting  of  breeding  wo- 
men, and  the  after-pains  of  parturition,  are  greatly  re- 
lieved by  them ;  and  it  has  been  idly  supposed  that  they 
will  prevent  the  accession  of  puerperal  fever,  and  pro- 
mote the  uterine  discharges.  In  agues,  from  half  a 
drachm  to  3  i.  of  the  powder  is  given  every  two  or  three 
hours  during  the  intermission ;  but  as  this  quantity  is 
apt  to  run  off  by  the  bowels,  it  is  usually  joined  to  an 
opiate  or  astringent.  The  camomile  is  useful  in  spas- 
modic colics,  and  also  in  the  dysentery,  from  its  lax- 
ative power ;  but  in  diarrhoea  it  has  been  found  hurtful. 
In  fevers  of  the  low  and  irregular  kind,  attended  with 
visceral  obstructions,  especially  when  too  nearly  allied 
to  continual  fevers  to  admit  of  the  bark,  the  camomile 
is  assisted  by  a  mixture  of  fixed  alkaline  salts,  and 
other  corroborating  medicines.  A  warm  infusion,  from 
two  to  three  ounces,  taken  twice  a  day,  has  been  ef- 
ficacious in  relieving  pains  of  the  stomach.  In  much 
larger  quantity,  it  excites  vomiting,  and  promotes  the 
operation  of  emetics  ;  for  which  purposes  it  is  fre- 
quently given.  In  general,  camomile  flowers  possess 
in  a  very  great  degree  all  the  virtues  of  bitters  (see 
AMARA),  rendered  more  effectual  by  the  warmth  of 
the  bitter  oil,  while,  from  the  total  absence  of  the 
astringent  principle,  they  are  of  -  considerable  service 
in  pulmonic  affections.  They  seem  superior  in  most 
respects  to  the  quassia,  the  columbo,  to  the  angustura 
bark,  and  perhaps  the  myrrh ;  yielding  perhaps  only  to 
the  columbo,  where  bile  abounds  in  the  stomach.  If  it 
proves  purgative,  the  best  addition  is  the  extract  of  the 
logwood.  Externally,  the  flowers  are  used  in  the  de- 
coction for  fomentation,  and  are  also  an  ingredient  in 
the  decoction  for  clysters. 

The  dose  may  be  from  gr.  x.  to  3  i-  °f  the  dry  pow- 
der; of  the  fresh  juice  from  the  whole  herb,  from  one 
to  six  ounces,  which,  if  taken  just  before  the  paroxysm 
of  agues,  is  said  to  be  effectual  in  a  few  doses.  This 
juice  is  supposed  to  be  peculiarly  useful  in  strangury, 
asthmas,  jaundice,  and  dropsies. 

Camomile  flowers  yield  their  virtue  to  water  and  to 
spirit :  the  dry  flowers  make  a  more  agreeable  infusion 
than  those  that  are  fresh  or  newly  dried ;  and  the  most 
grateful  is  when  cold  water  only  is  used.  Distilled 
with  water,  they  impregnate  it  strongly ;  and,  from 
the  flowers,  a  small  proportion  of  essential  oil  may  be 
thus  obtained.  This  oil  is  of  a  yellowish  colour,  and 
possesses  all  the  virtues  of  the  flowers  in  an  eminent 
degree. 

Externally,  this  herb  is  discutient  and  antiseptic  ;  but 
the  flowers  possess  the  greatest  degree  of  these  quali- 
ties. Dr.  Pringle  says,  that  their  antiseptic  power  is  120 
times  greater  than  that  of  sea  salt. 

A  green  oil  is  prepared  from  the  herb,  while  it  is 
fresh,  in  April  and  May  at  furthest,  by  boiling  it  with, 
olive  oil  until  the  leaves  are  almost  crisped :  but  as  boil- 
ing dissipates  the  most  efficacious  part  of  the  herb,  the 
best  method  is  to  steep  the  flowers  cold  in  the  oil,  and 
to  strain  it  off  as  it  is  wanted. 

kxtriictum  C7iamtsu:e!i.  EXTRACT  OF  CAMOMILE, 
is  prepared  by  boiling  the  flowers  in  distilled  water, 


C  II  A 


406 


C  H  A 


pressing  and  straining  the  decoction.  When  the  fseccs 
have  subsided,  the  decoction  is  evaporated  in  a  water- 
bath  saturated  with  sea  salt,  to  a  consistence  proper  for 
making  pills.  Lond.  Pharm.  1788.  This  extract  is 
remarkably  antiseptic,  according  to  the  experiments  of 
Sir  John  Pringle ;  and  in  doses  of  one  or  two  scruples, 
either  given  by  itself,  or  added  to  other  remedies, 
proves  highly  beneficial  in  flatulence,  indigestion,  and 
pains  of  the  stomach  and  bowels.  In  the  same  manner 
have  the  college  of  physicians  of  London  ordered  the 
extract  of  broom  tops,  gentian,  black  hellebore,  liquor- 
ice, rue,  and  savine,  to  be  made.  But  if  the  extract  of 
this  flower  is  obtained  from  a  spirituous  tincture,  it 
retains  much  of  its  flavour,  as  well  as  its  bitter  taste. 
Lewis's  and  Cullcn's  Mat.  Mcd. 

CHAM<EME'LUM  VULGA'RE,  leucanthemum  Dioscoridis; 

COMMON  WILD  CORN,  Or  DOG*S   CAMOMILE.      It  is  the   ma- 

tricaria  chamomilla  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1256.  It  is  upright, an- 
nual, and  grows  wild  in  corn  fields.  In  France,  and 
other  countries  on  the  continent,  its  flowers  are  used 
indiscriminately  with  the  other  species,  but  they  are 
weaker  and  more  disagreeable.  The  oil  obtained  from 
this  species,  by  distillation,  is  of  a  fine  blue  colour,  but 
the  air  soon  changes  it  to  a  yellow. 

CHAM^EME'LUM  FLO'RE  PLE'NO,  called  also  chameme- 
lum  nobile  flore  multifilici,  and  DOUBLE  CAMOMILE.  An- 
themis  nobilis  var.  /3.  They  are  produced  by  culture, 
and  differ  in  their  flowers  from  the  Roman  camomile 
above  described  in  being  double,  or  having  several  rows 
of  the  white  petals,  and  the  thick  disk  proportionably 
smaller.  Sometimes  the  disk  is  filled  with  the  petals. 

The  single  and  the  double  flowered  sorts  are  often 
used  indiscriminately :  their  leaves  differ  very  little ; 
but  as  the  active  parts  chiefly  reside  in  the  disk  or  tu- 
bular part  of  the  florets,  which  in  the  single  flowers  are 
largest,  the  latter  are  generally  preferred. 

The  single  sort  affords  most  oil. 

CHAMJEME'LUM  FCETIDUM,  called  also  cynatithemis, 
cotula  fxtida,  anthemis  cotula  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1261. 
STINKING  CAMOMILE,  MAITHS,  and  MAY-WEED.  It  is 
annual,  growing  in  waste  grounds  and  amongst  corn. 
It  is  more  upright  than  the  other  species ;  its  leaves 
are  finer,  and  flowers  closer. 

In  its  qualities  it  differs  greatly  from  the  three  pre- 
ceding. Its  smell  is  disagreeable ;  its  flowers  are  al- 
most insipid,  but  the  leaves  have  a  strong,  acrid,  harsh 
taste.  It  has  been  esteemed  strongly  sudorific.  Dr. 
Brown  Langrish  gives  an  account  of  a  decoction  of  this 
plant,  recommended  by  a  gypsey,  throwing  a  person  af- 
fected with  a  rheumatism  into  a  profuse  sweat,  and  cur- 
ing him  of  the  disease. 

CHAM^EME'LUM  CANARIE'NSE.  The  leucanthemum 
Canariense.  Chrysanthemum frutescens  Lin.  Sp.Pl.  1 25 1 . 

CHAM^EME'LUM  CHRYSA'NTHEMUM.  See  BUPHTHAL- 
MUH  GERMANICUM. 

CHAM^EME'SPILUS,  (from  #«,«.«/,  on  the  ground, 
and  /«.£o-?r<>it*s,  a  medlar).  See  ARIA. 

CHAM^iMO'RUS,  (from  x*f*.*<,  and  ftafca,  moros, 
a  mulberry  tree}.  Called  also  chamg-rubus  foliis  ribis 
Angliccs,  rubus  ftalustris  humilis,  vaccinium  Lancas- 
trense,  rubus  Alfiinus  humilis  Anglicus.  Rubus  chamce- 
morus  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 708.  CLOUD-BERRY,  and  KNOT-BERRY. 

It  is  a  shrub  which  grows  on  boggy  mountains  in 
England,  and  more  northern  regions ;  the  leaves  re- 


semble those  of  the  mallow  or  of  the  currant  tree ;  the 
fruit  is  like  the  raspberry ;  when  ripe  it  is  sweet,  tart, 
and  of  a  yellowish  red.  It  ripens  in  July  and  August. 
When  ripe  and  boiled,  without  any  addition,  to  the  con- 
sistence of  a  pulp,  it  will  not  soon  spoil,  if  closely  co- 
vered in  pots ;  and,  as  an  antiscorbutic,  far  excels  the 
scurvy  grass,  and  vegetables  of  that  tribe  in  common 
use. 

The  chatiKSmorus  Norivegia  is  a  variety  of  the  same 
species.  Raii  Hist. 

CHAM^EPEU'CE,  (from  #*,«.*(,  and  vevx.»,  the  fiine 
tree}.  See  CAMPHORATA. 

CHAMjEPITUI'NUM  VI'NUM.  It  is  wine  in 
which  the  bruised  green  leaves  of  the  chamaepitys  have 
been  infused. 

CHA&Lfi'PITYS,  CHAMjEPITY'S  MAS,  (from 
%ct/Mtt,  and  5ri7««,  the  pine  tree.}  Arthetica  vel  arthre- 
tica,  ajuga,  abiga  ;  ii<a  art/iritica.  Dioscorides  says, 
that  it  was  called  holocyron'm  Pontus,  Ionia  in  Athens, 
and  sideritis  in  Euboea.  COMMON  GROUND-PINE.  It  is 
the  teucrium  cham&fiitys  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  787. 

It  is  a  low  hairy  creeping  plant,  with  square  stalks, 
whitish  clammy  leaves,  cut  deeply  into  three  narrow 
segments,  set  in  pairs  at  the  joints,  and  yellow  labiated 
flowers  without  pedicles,  and  wanting  the  upper  lip. 
It  is  annual,  grows  wild  in  sandy  and  chalky  grounds 
in  some  parts  of  England  ;  flowers  in  July  and  August, 
and  has  a  long  slender  fibrous  root. 

The  leaves  are  moderately  bitter,  of  a  resinous  but 
not  disagreeable  smell,  approaching  in  this  respect,  as 
in  their  external  form,  to  those  of  the  pine  tree.'  They 
are  aperient,  stimulant,  and  corroborant ;  are  commend- 
ed in  palsies,  rheumatisms,  gout,  and  uterine  obstruc- 
tions; are  attenuating  and  diuretic,  and  in  general  of  si- 
milar virtues  with  the  chamacdrys,but  more  active  from 
an  admixture  of  an  essential  oil  similar  to  turpentine. 

They  yield  their  virtue  to  water,  but  somewhat 
more  fully  to  spirit :  on  distillation  with  water,  a  very 
small  portion  of  essential  oil  is  obtained,  resembling 
that  from  turpentine.  An  infusion  of  the  dried  herb  in 
white  wine  is  the  best  preparation,  but  the  dried  leaves 
may  be  taken  to  a  drachm  for  a  dose.  They  arc  an  in- 
gredient in  the  pulvis  ad  rheumatismum.  See  CHAM.E- 
DRYS. 

CHAMJE'PITYS  MOSCHA'TA,  also  called  iva  moschati; 
Monspelie nsium  ;  chamnsfiytis  anthyllis.  Teucrium  iva 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  787.  FRENCH  GROUND-PINE. 

It  is  weaker,  but  of  similar  virtues.  See  CHAM/E- 
PITYS. 

CHAMjE'PLION.  A  name  in  Oribasius  for  the 
ERYSIMUM,  which  see. 

CHAM.ERAPHANUM,  (from  x*^,  on  the 
ground,  and  f'«0«vo{,  the  radish,}  the  upper  part  of 
the  root  apium  (P.  jEgineta).  It  is  also  the  dwarf 
radish. 

CHAMJ&HI'PHES.     See  PALM  A  MINOR. 

CHAM^ERODODE'NDRON,  (from  %*f<.xt,  on  the 
ground,  and  /ioJo^nJW,  the  rose  laurel).  See  J£GOLK- 

THRON. 

CHAM.ERU'BUS,  (from  x*/t*i,  and  rubus,  the 
bramble}.  See  CHAMEMORUS. 

CHAM^ESPA'RTIUM,  (from  £«,«.»<,  and  «-sr*fT/«v, 
S/ianish  broom}.  GENISTE'LLA.  See  GENISTA  Ti*r'- 

TORIA. 


CH  A 


407 


CH  A 


CHAMJESY'CE,  (from  x«f«",  and  r:""»>  aflS  tree). 
See  PEPLIOX. 

CHAMBROCH.     See  TRIFOLIVM. 

CHA'MOIS.     See  CAPRA  ALPIXA. 

CHAMOMI'LLA.     See  CHAM^MELUM. 

CHA'MPACAM.  (Indian.)  A  large  tall  tree  in  the 
East  Indies,  which  bears  fragrant  flowers  twice  a  year, 
and  not  fruit  until  it  is  advanced  in  age.  Ray  thinks 
it  is  the  champacaof  Bontius.  Michelia  chamfiaca  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  756.  The  dried  root  of  its  bark  is  an  emmena- 
gogue:  the  flowers  are  reckoned  cordial. 

CHA'N'CRE,  a  CANKER,  (French);  called  also  ca- 
roli.  The  ancients  called  such  ulcers  on  these  parts 
caries  fiudendorum. 

The  small  irritable  pustules  which  have  obtained  this 
appellation  do  not  appear  at  any  certain  period  after  the 
application  of  the  virus ;  sometimes  they  form  in  less 
than  twenty -four  hours ;  at  others  not  before  six  weeks ; 
but  most  frequently  from  four  to  ten  days,  and  are  at  first 
seldom  larger  than  a  millet  seed.  They  occasionally 
make  their  appearance  over  all  the  parts  of  generation, 
and,  in  some  instances,  even  on  the  contiguous  parts,  as 
on  the  scrotum,  all  over  the  penis,  and  on  the  lowest 
region  of  the  abdomen.  They  may  indeed  form  on  all 
the  soft  parts  of  the  body  ;  but  they  are  most  frequently 
seated  on  the  glans  penis,  and  on  the  prepuce,  near  to 
its  connection  with  the  glands;  often  about  the  fraenum, 
and  in  some  instances  on  the  very  point  of  the  glans, 
and  even  within  the  verge  of  the  urethra;  here,  as  well 
as  near  the  fraenum,  they  prove  always  very  trouble- 
some, and  more  difficult  to  cure  than  in  other  parts  of 
the  penis.  The  colour,  quantity,  and  consistence  of  the 
matter,  are  exceedingly  variable.  It  is  usually  of  a  dirty 
yellow  green  colour,  often  tinged  with  red.  Sores  of 
this  kind  are  sometimes  of  a  simple  innocent  nature, 
and  they  usually  heal  in  the  course  of  a  short  time, 
merely  by  being  kept  clean;  whilst  they  will  gradually 
become  worse,  if  they  are  venereal,  should  mercury 
not  be  employed,  or  if  they  are  not  treated  with  es- 
charotic  or  astringent  applications.  A  real  venereal 
chancre  is  seldom  so  large  at  the  first  as  the  base  of  a 
split  pea,  and  the  edges  of  the  sore  are  elevated,  some- 
what hard  and  painful :  still,  in  some  few  instances,  we 
observe  a  slight  superficial  ulceration,  not  attended  with 
either  pain  or  hardness,  and  which,  by  the  consequences 
alone,  we  find  to  be  venereal.  In  general,  however, 
such  sores  are  not  venereal,  and  the  want  of  hardness 
and  of  painful  irritability  are  the  chief  distinctions. 

There  are  other  chancres,  which  become  suddenly 
elevated  into  extensive  vesications,  containing  a  clear 
lymph,  but  more  frequently  tinged  with  blood ;  from 
this  livid  appearance,  these  chancres  are  judged  of  a 
more  dangerous  nature  than  others ;  but  the  colour  de- 
pends entirely  on  the  blood  being  mixed  with  the  se- 
rum; and  on  their  contents  being  discharged,  the  parts 
beneath  appear  clean,  the  surface  is  only  excoriated, 
without  being  affected  in  any  other  manner.  In  wo- 
men, chancres  exactly  resemble  those  in  men,  and  oc- 
cur chiefly  on  the  internal  parts  of  the  labia  pudendi, 
nymphae,  clitoris,  and  the  entrance  of  the  vagina  and 
urethra;  but  seldom  or  never  within  either  of  these 
passages. 

If  a  chancre  is  seated  in  the  urethra,  it  may  be  mis- 
taken for  a  gonorrhoea,  but  may  be  distinguished  by  the 
smallness  of  the  discharge,  the  pain  during  erection 


being  in  the  extremity  of  the  penis,  or  a  particular  spot 
in  the  urethra,  but  principally  by  examining  with  the 
touch  of  a  probe  or  bougie  whether  it  is  callous  or  not. 
In  almost  every  instance,  however,  a  chancre  never 
occurs  in  the  urethra,  except  it  be  within  the  reach  of 
the  sight,  often  of  the  touch. 

When  a  venereal  chancre,  distinguished  by  its  ap- 
pearance, its  hardness,  and  its  painful  irritability,  oc- 
curs, it  is  seemingly  the  first  object  to  crush  the  disease 
in  its  bud.  It  has  been  indeed  doubted  whether  in 
that  state  absorption  takes  place  ;  but  we  need  not  dis- 
cuss the  question,  since  no  prudent  practitioner  would 
agree  to  omit  internal  remedies;  and  in  the  inquiry 
into  the  previous  symptoms,  the  appearance  of  a 
chancre  leads  most  decisively  to  the  use  of  internal 
mercurials. 

If,  indeed,  after  exposure  to  infection,  an  ulceration 
appear,  it  is  most  probably  only  a  local  affection;  and  a 
cure  might  be  effected  by  a  very  superficial  dressing; 
yet  as  we  have  no  means  of  being  certainly  safe,  the 
cure  of  even  the  slightest  chancre  should  never  be 
trusted  to  external  remedies.  In  every  case  of  ulcerated 
chancre  not  attended  with  much  inflammation,  after 
wiping  the  sores  as  clean  as  possible,  let  them  be  sprin- 
kled well  with  the  hydrargyrus  nitratus  ruber,  finely 
powdered,  and  pledgets  of  any  common  ointment 
applied  over  it ;  and  after  two  or  three  dressings,  the 
ulcer  will  be  generally  clean,  and  nearly  healed.  Finely 
powdered  calomel  will  be  equally  effectual,  and  the 
application  is  said  to  give  a  pleasing  glowing  warmth. 

The  free  use  of  the  lunar  caustic  is  recommended 
highly  in  the  cure  of  this  cpmplaint,  and  particularly  in 
its  incipient  state:  it  effectually  cures,  by  destroying 
the  diseased  parts,  which  soon  become  clean,  and  heal 
as  quickly  as  sores  proceeding  from  any  other  cause, 
and  of  the  same  magnitude.  In  general  they  are  sel- 
dom troublesome  but  from  the  pain,  and  the  great 
doubt  is  whether  they  should  be  suffered  to  remain  as 
an  index  of  the  effects  of  mercury  internally,  or  de- 
stroyed as  local  disease  by  a  caustic.  We  have  no 
doubt  of  advising  the  latter,  since  in  a  part  where  the 
circulation  is  languid,  they  may  not  be  readily  affected 
by  internal  mercurials,  and  we  have  equally  certain 
guides  of  the  necessary  extent  of  a  mercurial  course. 
See  Astruc  on  the  Venereal  Disease,  or  Chapman's 
Abridgment  of  Astruc,  Heister's  Surgery,  Lond.  Med. 
Trans,  p.  337  ;  and  particularly  Hunter  and  Bell  on  the 
Venereal  Disease. 

CHAO'VA.  The  Egyptian  name  for  COFFEE.  See 
COFFEA. 

CHA'RABE,  (from  charaba,  Arab).  See  Succi- 
mm, 

CHARA'CIAS,  (from  x*f*^  "  bulwark,  or  fence}. 
An  epithet  given  to  some  plants  which  require  support, 
as  the  vine,  Sec. 

CHARA'CTER,  (from  £*»«e-<r«,  to  engrave.)  In 
botany  and  nosology  it  is  that  assemblage  of  marks  by 
which  the  species  of  plants  or  diseases  are  distinguished 
from' each  other.  Character  signifies  also  an  hereditary 
disposition  to  some  particular  disease. 

In  chemistry  it  is  a  mark  importing  a  particular  sub- 
stance ;  or  it  is  a  sign  invented  to  represent  the  princi- 
pal substances  and  operations  in  a  concise  manner. 

CHARA'NTIA.     See  MOMORDICA. 

CHA'RDONE.     See  CINARA  SPINOSA. 


C  H  E 


408 


CHE 


CHARISTOLO'CHIA,  (from  x*P'*,j°y>  and 
iliefiux  of  women  after  child-birth.)    So  called  from  its 
usefulness  to  women  in  child-birth.  See  ARTEMISIA. 

CHA'RME,  CHA'RMIS,  the  name  of  a  cordial  an- 
tidote mentioned  by  Galen. 

CHARO'NIUS,  (from  Charon,  the  boatman  of  the 
Styx,  surrounded  by  noxious  vapours.)  CHAUOMAN. 
An  epithet  for  caves,  some  of  which  are  in  Italy,  where 
the  air  is  loaded  with  deleterious  vapours. 

CHA'RTA  VIRGI'NEA.  So  called  from  its  like- 
ness to  a  piece  of  fine  paper.  See  AMNION. 

CH'ARTREUX,  PO'UDRE  DE,  invented  by  some 
friar  of  the  Carthusian  order.  See  ANTIMONIUM. 

CIIA'SME,  ^ssc-jio],  (from  %*ita,  to  gape.)  See  Os- 
fe'iTATio.  Hence,  in  English,  a  chasm. 

CHA'TE.     See  CUCUMIS  JEGYPTIA. 

CHAULIODO'NTA,  (from  £«»A«»,  to  throw  out, 
and  oJVv,  a  tooth.)  So  the  Greeks  call  those  animals 
whose  teeth  grow  to  a  great  length  out  of  their  mouths, 
as  the  boar  and  the  elephant. 

CHE'DROPA,  (quasi  w?,  manus,  Sfeira,  colligo.) 
A  general  term  for  all  sorts  of  corn  and  pulse,  because 
they  are  collected  by  the  hand. 

CHEILOCA'CE,  (from  ^e/Ao?,  a  li/i,  and  KX.KOV,  an 
evil.)  The  LIP-EVIL.  A  swelling  of  the  lips.  See 
CANCRUM  ORIS,  and  LABRI-SULCIUM. 

CHEIME'TLON,  (from  £«//*«,  winter.)  See  PER- 
NIO. 

CHEI'MIA,  (from  the  same.)     COLD,  SHIVERING. 

CHEIRA'PSIA,  (from  %fip,  the  hand,  and  ajr/'sft*/, 
to  touch.)  SCRATCHING. 

CHE'IRI.  So  named  from  the  likeness  of  its  blos- 
soms to  the  fingers  of  the  hand;  called  also  leucoium 
luteum,  -viola  lutea,  COMMON  YELLOW  WALL-FLOWER. 
Cheiranthus  chciri  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  924. 

The  stalks  are  woody  and  brittle;  the  leaves  oblong, 
narrow,  sharp  pointed,  smooth,  and  of  a  dark  green 
colour;  the  flowers  numerous,  yellow,  tetrapetalous, 
open  successively  on  the  tops,  are  followed  by  a  long 
slender  pod,  containing  reddish  flat  seeds.  It  grows 
wild  on  old  walls  and  among  rubbish,  and  flowers  in 
April  and  May. 

The  flowers  have  an  agreeable  smell,  but  to  the  taste 
are  nauseously  bitter  and  pungent.  Water  takes  up  all 
their  active  matter;  but  no  essential  oil  is  obtained  by 
distillation,  though  in  this  way  a  water  is  obtained  that 
possesses  much  of  the  flavour  of  these  flowers.  They 
are  reckoned  among  the  nervines,  deobstruents,  diure- 
tics, and  antiparalytics. 

CHEIRIA'TER,  (from  %tif,  a  hand,  and  i«,r^,  a 
physician.)  A  SURGEON;  called  also  chirurgus.  Hence 
eheiriaticus,  a  term  appropriated  to  chirurgical  reme- 
dies and  operations.  V.  CHIRURGIA. 

CHEIRI'SMA,  (from  £e/p;£of««,  to  labour  with  the 
hand.)  HANDLING,  or  a  manual  operation. 

CHEIRI'XIS.     SURGERY. 

ClIEIRONO'MIA,(from  xupow/*.iu,to  exercise  with 
the  hands.)  CHIRONOMIA.  An  exercise  mentioned 
by  Hippocrates,  which  consists  of  peculiar  gesticula- 
tions of  the  hands. 

CHEIRUR'GUS,(from  %u/>,  manus, and  £g*/av,  opus.) 
See  CHEIRIATER. 

CHE'LA,  (from  %£<?,  to  take.)  A  FORKED  PROBE 
mentioned  by  Hippocrates  for  extractinga  polypus  from 
the  nose.  In  Rufus  Ephcsius  it  is  the  extremities  of 


the  cilia;  but  most  commonly  it  is  used  for  claws, 
particularly  of  crabs.  It  also  signifies  fissures  in  the 
heels,  feet,  or  pudenda. 

CHEL.  CANC.   PULV.  C.     See  CANCER  FLUVIA- 

TILIS. 

CHELI'DON,  (from  fa.ftt  to  #£iAE<m  ct^nv,  because 
it  chatters  with  its  lips  or  bill.)  The  SWALLOW.  Also 
the  hollow  at  the  bend  of  the  arm,  from  its  shape. 

CHELIDO'NIA,  (from  Xci^<a,  the  swallow,  be- 
cause swallows  are  said  to  open  the  eyes  of  their  young 
by  it;  or  because  it  blossoms  about  the  time  in  which 
these  birds  appear.)  The  GREATER  and  LESSER  CE- 
LANDINES. See  CHELIDONIUM  MAJUS. 
"  CHELIDO'NIUM.  See  BRIONIA  ALBA. 

CIIELIDO'NIUM  MA'JUS,  papaver  corniculatum  lu- 
teum, TETTER-WORT,  alld  GREAT  CELANDINE.  Clie- 

lidonium  majus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  723. 

This  plant  hath  longish  leaves,  divided  to  the  rib  into 
roundish  and  indented  portions,  of  which  those  at  the 
extremities  are  the  largest,  of  a  bright  green  colour  on 
the  upper  side,  of  a  bluish  green  underneath,  full  of  a 
gold  coloured  juice,  as  are  likewise  the  stalks  ;  from  the 
bosoms  of  the  leaves  issue  longpedicles,  bearing  clusters 
of  tetrapetalous  yellow  flowers,  which  are  followed  by 
brownish  pods,  containing  flattish  shining  black  seeds ; 
the  root  is  thick  at  the  top,  with  a  number  of  fibres  at 
the  bottom,  externally  brownish,  internally  of  a  deep 
yellowish  red  or  a  saffron  colour:  it  is  perennial,  grows 
wild  in  hedges  and  shady  places;  flowers  in  May  and 
June. 

The  leaves  and  roots  have  a  faint  unpleasing  smell, 
and  to  the  taste  are  bitter  and  acrid;  they  give  out  their 
active  matter  to  spirit  and  to  water  :  the  pungency  they 
possess  is  not  of  the  volatile  kind,  for  hardly  any  of  it 
rises  in  distillation;  yet  it  is  lessened  by  drying  the 
plant,  and  inspissating  infusions  of  it.  Drying  wholly 
dissipates  its  smell. 

It  is  aperient,  diuretic,  and  useful  in  the  jaundice, 
when  not  accompanied  with  inflammatory  symptoms. 
The  fresh  juice  is  used  to  destroy  warts  and  films  in 
the  eyes;  but  for  this  latter  purpose  it  is  diluted  with 
milk.  Of  the  dried  root  from  2j  ss.  to  J  i-  is  a  dose ;  of 
the  fresh  root  infused  in  wine  or  in  water  the  dose  may 
be  about  3  ss. 

The  decoction  of  the  fresh  root  is  used  in  dropsy, 
cachexy,  and  cutaneous  complaints. 

CHELIDO'NIUM  MI'NUS,  called  also  scrophularia 
minor,  ficaria  minor,  chelidonia  rotundifolia  minor, 
cursuma,  h&morrhoidalis  hcrba,  ranunculus  -vertius, 
PILEWORT,  and  LESSER  CELANDINE.  Ranunculus  ficaria 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  774. 

It  is  a  small  plant,  with  roundish  smooth  shining 
green  leaves,  set  on  long  pedicles ;  and  slender  pro- 
cumbent stalks,  bearing  bright  gold  coloured  solitary 
flowers  of  eight  or  nine  petals  which  stand  in  three 
leaved  cups,  and  are  followed  by  clusters  of  naked  seeds ; 
the  root  consists  of  slender  fibres,  with  a  number  of  tu- 
bercles or  little  knobs.  It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in 
hedges  and  moist  meadows,  and  flowers  in  April. 

The  leaves  are  antiscorbutic,  but  are  without  smell, 
and  have  very  little  taste,  though  on  chewing  a  slight 
pungency  is  perceived.  The  roots  are  reckoned  a  spe- 
cific, it"  beat  into  cataplasms  and  applied  to  the  piles; 
they  yield  a  large  portion  of  mucilaginous  matter  to 
water,  are  supposed  to  be  diuretic,  and  to  clear  the  skin 


CHE 


409 


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oftettery  eruptions.     Rail   Sj-nop.   et  Hist.      Oihonna 
has  been  supposed  to  be  the  juice  of  celandine. 

CHELO'XE.  A  TORTOISE.  It  also  imports  a  part 
of  a  surgical  machine  mentioned  by  Oribasius.  An  in- 
strument to  make  a  gradual  extension  of  any  fractured 
limb,  in  which  motion  it  resembles  the  slowness  of 
£iA»!i!,  a  tortoise.  A.  plant  also  whose  crest  resembles 
a  tortoise  shell. 

CHELO'XIOX.  A  HUMP  BACK;  so  called  from  its 
resemblance  to  the  shell  of  X,I>M*T.,  a  tortoise. 

CHELTENHAM   WATER.     This  arises  from  a 
spring  near  Cheltenham  in  Gloucestershire  ;  and  is  one 
of   the  most  celebrated  purging    waters    in  England. 
When   taken  from   the   fountain,  it  is   clear  and   co- 
lourless, but  somewhat  brisk;  has  a  saline,  bitterish, 
chalybeate    taste ;    it    strikes    a   vivid    purple  colour 
immediately    on    being    mixed    with    an    infusion    of 
galls.  Its  heats  is  in  summer  from  53°  to  59°,  when  the 
medium  heat  of  the  atmosphere  was  nearly  15°  higher. 
When  exposed  to   the  air  in  an  open  glass  vessel,  it 
throws  up  a  quantity  of  air  bubbles,  becomes  turbid, 
and  loses  its  brisk  chalybeate  taste  and  property  of 
tinging  an  infusion  of  galls.    On  evaporation  it  is  found 
to  contain  a  calcareous  earth,  mixed  with  ochre,  and  a 
purging  salt.     In  one  gallon  were  found  by  Dr.  Short 
74  grains  of  calcareous  earth  mixed  with  ochre,  and 
673  grains  of  a  purging  salt.  In  the  second  experiment, 
42  and   580;  in   the  third,   70   and  622   respectively. 
Dr.  Rutty  found  36  grains  of  earth,  494  of  salt,  which 
was*  composed  of  vitriolated   magnesia,  and  a  small 
quantity  of  sea  salt.     Dr.  Lucas,  4  grains  of  iron,  18  \\ 
grains  of  calcareous  earth,  mixed  with  a  small  portion 
of  selenites,  362|  of  salt  of  the  nature  of  Epsom,  but 
drier  and  finer.     Dr.  A.  Fothergill  found  480  grains  of 
Glauber  and  Epsom  salts,  5    grains  of  sea  salt,  25  of 
magnesia,  and  40  of  selenite;  together  550  of   solid 
contents.     The  upper,  or  King's  well,  was  discovered 
by  the  accidental  sinking  of  a  well  after  the  king's  resi- 
dence there,  by  his  command.    The  temperature  of  this 
water  at  eight  in  the  morning,  the  beginning  of  August, 
was  54°.    Its  specific  gravity  was,  at  that  temperature, 
1059;  and  it  boiled  at  214  j,  when  the  barometer  was 
at  29.60.     Its  sensible  qualities  were  not  very  different 
from  the  other  springs.     It  certainly  contains,  a  larger 
proportion  of  salts  than  the  water  usually  employed ; 
and  the  analysis  of  Dr.  Jameson  discovered  the  follow- 
ing contents  :  viz.  sulphat  of  soda,  490  grains;  sulphat 
of  magnesia,  310;  muriat  of  soda,  40  ;   sulphat  of  lime, 
38;   carbonat  of   lime  and    magnesia,  34:  in  all  912 
grains  of  salts,  estimated  in  their  crystallized  state  in  a 
wine  gallon  of  the  water.     This  well  seems  to  contain 
neither  sulphur  nor  steel. 

The  principal  diseases,  for  which  the  Cheltenham 
water  is  employed,  are  bilious;  and  to  the  Chelten- 
ham wells  resort  those  who  from  indolence,  luxurious 
indulgences,  a  long  residence  in  tropical  climates,  or 
other  causes,  labour  under  cachexy  from  a  diseased,  ge- 
nerally a  scirrhous,  liver.  It  is  this  state  of  the  biliary 
system  which  is  chiefly  adapted  for  these  waters ;  and 
they  very  successfully  assist  a  mercurial  course.  In 
overflowings  of  bile  also,  particularly  where  this  fluid 
regurgitates  into  the  stomach,  occasioning  headach  and 
sickness,  it  assists  in  discharging  it  regularly.  In  the 
Srst  instance,  the  steel  seemingly  counteracts  its  debili- 

VOL.  I. 


tating  power;  and  in  the  latter,  the  carbonic  acid  gas 
prevents  it  from  producing  vomiting. 

In  gout  the  Cheltenham  water  is  also  occasionally  re- 
commended; and  the  cooling  tendency  of  the  salts  is 
supposed  to  be  counteracted  by  the  stimulus  of  the 
steel :  yet,  perhaps,  it  is  chiefly  adapted  to  those  cases  of 
gout  connected  with  complaints  of  the  liver ;  in  reality, 
to  the  broken  constitution,  which  is  the  cause  of  both. 
In  all  stomach  complaints,  in  hypochondriasis,  and 
chlorosis,  it  is  said  to  be  useful ;  and,  probably,  may  be 
so,  though  there  are  apparently  other  medicines  better 
adapted  to  them.  In  jaundice,  in  scorbutic  eruptions  of 
different  kinds,  in  scrofula,  and  the  diseases  connected 
with  it,  this  water  is  useful.  In  inflammatory  asthma, 
in  amenorrhoea  and  leucorrhoea,  in  hxmorrhoids,  and 
nephritic  complaints,  in  short,  wherever  constant  cool- 
ing laxatives  are  necessary,  this  mineral  water  has  been 
employed;  but  in  many  of  these  diseases  it  is  not  su- 
perior to  sea  water,  and  in  some  perhaps  inferior. 

As  a  purge,  this  water  is  drank  from  one  to  three 
pints ;  though  in  general  from  half  a  pint  to  a  quart  is 
sufficient.  It  operates  with  great  ease. 

CHE'LYS,  (from  #£*»«,  a  shell}.     See  PECTUS. 

CHELY'SCION,  (from  xttos,  the  breast}.  A  SHORT 

DRY  COUGH. 

CHE'MA.  Blancard  says  it  is  a  certain  measure 
mentioned  by  the  Greek  physicians,  supposed  to  contain 
two  small  spoonfuls ;  the  Athenians  had  one  of  two 
drachms,  and  another  of  three. 

CHE'MIA,  vel  CHI'MIA,  (from  the  Arabic  term 
chamiah,  from  c/iamah,  to  burn}.  CHEMISTRY.  Among 
the  Greeks  it  was  called  %ip.i*,  y_(jut*,  and  -/vu.'.ix\ 
the  last  of  which  hath  been  generally  followed  by  the 
later  writers  on  this  subject,  though  the  most  approved 
editors  and  other  learned  men  have  preferred  the  former. 
The  modern  Greeks  write  -^luta..  It  is  also  called 
archimagia  and  fiyrotechnia. 

Though  this  branch  of  the  science  of  nature  is  well 
known,  the  definition  of  chemistry  has  occasioned  many 
discussions  and  tedious  controversies.  The  first  great 
object  is  to  distinguish  it  from  natural  philosophy,  a 
task  which  few  authors  have  successfully  performed ; 
and  we  are  on  this  account  tempted  to  select  the  discri- 
minating description  of  the  Abb6  Haiiy,  in  the  ablest 
system  of  natural  philosophy  yet  published. 

"  When  we  consider,"  observes  this  author,  "  the  ge- 
neral and  permanent  properties  of  bodies,  or  when  the 
changes  that  these  bodies  undergo  are  slight,  and  they 
return  to  their  former  state,  after  the  cause  has  ceased  to 
act ;  when,  also,  the  laws  which  determine  the  reciprocal 
actions  of  the  same  bodies  are  propagated  to  distances 
more  or  less  considerable;  the  results  of  our  observations 
are  still  within  the  confines  of  natural  philosophy.  But 
when  the  phenomena  depend  on  the  ultimate  action 
which  the  molecules  exert  on  each  other,  at  distances 
almost  infinitely  small,  by  virtue  of  which  the  mole- 
cules separate  to  unite  again  in  a  different  order,  form- 
ing new  combinations,  with  new  properties,  the  study 
of  the  phenomena  belongs  to  chemistry." 

We  seldom  indulge  ourselves  with  quoting  the  words 
of  an  author  but  for  some  particular  object.  This  dis- 
tinction, truly  judicious  and  scientific,  we  consider  as 
one  of  those  positions  on  which  we  can  securely  rest, 
and  to  which  we  may  have  occasion  to  refer.  At  pro" 
3  G 


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410 


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sent  it  serves  only  to  introduce,  and  as  a  foundation  for, 
a  more  precise  definition  of  chemistry  than  any  former 
author  has  offered.  We  shall  consider  chemistry,  there- 
fore, as  comprehending  the  science  of  the  mutual  actions 
of  the  smaller  particles  of  matter,  either  in  decompos- 
ing natural  bodies  or  producing  new  compounds.  In 
this  view,  fire,  electricity,  and  Galvanism,  are  its  in- 
struments only,  and  become  the  objects  of  chemistry 
when  they  enter  into  the  composition  of  bodies ;  and  in 
this  view,  also,  the  human  body  is  a  philosophical  and 
chemical  machine,  though  chiefly  chemical.  It  some- 
times partakes  of  both,  in  as  much  as  its  operations  are 
carried  on  between  particles  at  an  indefinitely  minute 
distance,  but  not  always  occasioning  decomposition  or 
new  compounds  with  different  properties. 

Were  we  to  treat  of  the  history  of  chemical  arts,  we 
should  be  carried  back  to  a  very  remote  era :  were  we  to 
speak  of  chemistry  as  a  science,  our  history  would 
scarcely  yet  have  a  beginning.  Chemical  arts  do  not 
imply  chemical  science;  and  we  shall  consequently 
overlook  the  fancies  of  those,  who  see  in  common  oper- 
ations the  rudiments  of  what  has  since  been  so  advan- 
tageously developed  ;  who  admire,  for  instance,  the 
ingenuity  of  those  ancient  artists  who  could  be  so  far 
instructed  as  to  produce  a  scarlet  dye,  when  they  were 
in  reality  ignorant  of  such  a  colour. 

The  Egyptians,  who  have  had  the  honour  of  invent- 
ing every  science,  probably  without  the  accurate  know- 
ledge of  any  one,  have  appeared  to  claim  chemistry  as 
peculiarly  their  own.  Plutarch  tells  us,  that  Egypt  is 
called  xt/Afttt,  from  its  earth,  like  the  black  of  the  eye ; 
but  the  name  is  more  probably  derived  from  ffam,  as  it 
is  called  by  the  psalmist  Al-chami.  The  error  arising 
from  this  name  was  fostered  by  the  new  Platonists,  who 
forged  works  under  the  names  of  Hermes,  &c.  as  those 
of  the  ancient  Egyptians.  Yet  to  these  new  Platonists 
we  are  perhaps  indebted  for  many  valuable  facts.  They 
were  the  first  visionaries  who  aimed  at  changing  the 
meaner  metals  to  gold,  a  pursuit  with  which  the  disco- 
very of  an  universal  medicine  was  very  early  connected ; 
and  from  them  it  was  conveyed  to  the  Arabians,  by 
whom  it  was  taught  to  Europeans.  Themistius,  the 
peripatetic,  in  the  fourth  century,  and  ..Eneas  of  Gaza, 
in  the  fifth,  speak  of  these  attempts;  the  former  in  his 
'  Oratio  ad  Valentinum,"  the  latter  in  his  Dialogue  en- 
titled '  Theophrastus.'  With  them  and  with  the  Ara- 
bians the  art  remained ;  nor  did  it  reach  Europe  till  after 
the  capture  of  Constantinople,  for  the  name  was  unknown 
to  the  Grecians  of  Europe  till  the  time  of  Julius  Firmi- 
cus,  who  lived  under  Constantine  the  Great. 

The  Arabians  applied  this  new  science  to  medicine, 
though  not  to  any  considerable  extent.  Their  practice 
was  mild  and  timid  ;  and  had  any  more  active  medicine 
been  discovered,  it  is  not  probable,  from  their  general 
conduct,  that  they  would  have  been  its  patrons.  The 
works  of  Geber,  Rhazes,  Avicenna,  and  Mesue,  have 
reached  us ;  and  from  them,  were  not  our  limits  con- 
fined, we  might  trace  very  accurately  the  state  of  me- 
dicinal chemistry  at  that  time.  It  is  enough  to  remark, 
that  it  added  little  to  the  powers  of  medicine,  though 
somewhat  to  the  convenience  of  the  practitioner.  We 
•speak  not  now  of  the  new  medicines  which  they  intro- 
duced. 

In  Europe,  the  art  of  making  gold  filled  the  minds  of 


the  chemists,  or  rather  alchymists,  to  which  they  joined 
an  almost  equal  anxiety  to  discover  the  universal  medi- 
cine. This  was  sometimes  supposed  to  be  the  same, 
sometimes  a  similar  preparation  ;  and  as  the  former  art 
depended,  in  their  opinion,  on  the  employment  of  mer- 
cury and  antimony,  many  preparations  of  these  metals 
must  have  occurred,  and  we  can  trace  some  of  them  at 
this  time  to  these  whimsical  unintelligible  works.  Even 
among  the  alchymists,  however,  we  perceive  traces  of 
sounder  minds  and  more  solid  judgments  mixed  with 
their  reveries;  and  the  names  of  Albert  von  Bollstaedt, 
Roger  Bacon,  Raymond  Lully,  Albertus  Magnus,  Ar- 
nold of  Villenuova,  the  Isaacs  of  Holland,  and  Basil 
Valentine  (though  probably  not  his  true  name),  merit 
peculiar  distinction.  They  mixed  indeed  the  fancies, 
the  superstitions,  and  the  unintelligible  language  of  the 
alchymists  with  their  descriptions ;  but  they  discovered 
and  detaile'd,  often  with  precision,  many  valuable  ami 
important  facts.  The  writings  of  Lully  and  Arnold, 
however,  seldom  merit  the  commendations  which  we 
have  bestowed  ;  and  perhaps  the  praise  of  any  portion  of 
perspicuity  might  have  been  more  limited.  They  wer» 
all  of  the  thirteenth  or  fourteenth  centuries. 

The  folly,  the  madness,  and  the  wickedness  of  the 
alchymists,  for  their  conduct  at  different  times  merited 
each  title,  continued  without  any  considerable  change. 
They  worked  in  secret;  and  collected  facts  which  were 
to  supply  at  a  future  period  the  more  rational  chemists, 
but  had  little  influence  on  the  practice  of  medicine  till 
the  period  of  Paracelsus.  This  visionary  of  the  sixteenth 
century  burnt  in  solemn  state  the  writings  of  Galen 
and  his  followers,  professing  to  cure  all  diseases  by  che- 
mical medicines  alone.  He  was  equally  depraved  in  his 
moral,  as  he  was  insolent  and  ignorant  in  his  medical, 
character.  His  precepts  were  generally  dictated  in  fits 
of  intoxication ;  and  he  owned  to  one  of  his  favoured 
disciples,  that  he  could  not  maintain  his  credit  in  any 
place  above  a  year.  He  died  in  his  forty-seventh  year, 
boasting  of  having  the  power  of  prolonging  his  life  to  an 
indefinite  period.  From  the  mysticism  of  his  language, 
many  parts  of  which  Dr.  Motherby  and  his  associate 
had  preserved,  and  some  specimens  we  have,  perhaps 
with  too  great  facility,  retained,  it  will  appear  that  little 
can  be  learnt  from  his  works,  which  however,  have  been 
collected  by  his  disciples  in  two  volumes  folio.  He 
was  succeeded  in  this  path  by  Van  Helmont,  equally 
visionary  as  an  alchymist,  and  more  so  in  adopting  the 
fancy  of  sympathetic  medicine;  but  a  man  of  talents,  of 
observation,  and,  out  of  these  departments,  not  without 
judgment.  To  Van  Helmont,  though  nearly  at  the  dis- 
tance of  a  century  from  Paracelsus,  and  to  Crollius,  we 
owe  the  labours  of  Paracelsus  in  a  more  intelligible 
form  ;  and  we  are  certainly  indebted  to  him  for  the  in- 
vention or  preservation  of  some  very  valuable  chemical 
preparations.  The  original  of  Crollius  appeared  at 
Frankfort,  in  1609,  and  was  translated  into  English  in 
1670.  Glauber,  Kunkel,  Kircher,  and  Conringius, 
were  diligent  and  experienced  chemists,  who  added 
greatly  to  the  stock  of  facts,  and  to  whom  we  are  still 
indebted. 

Chemistry,  however,  continued  to  be  only  a  collec- 
tion of  detached  facts,  without  any  bond  of  connection, 
without  any  principle  of  union ;  nor,  until  the  period  of 
Becher  and  Stahl,  did  it  assume  the  semblance  of  a 


CHE 


411 


CHE 


science.  Becher  died,  like  Paracelsus,  at  the  age  of 
forty-seven;  but  he  had  collected  the  various  operations 
of  chemistry,  and  united  them  by  general  principles : 
one  of  these  was  the  supposition  oi'  phlogiston,  which 
has  only  of  late  been,  with  reluctance,  abandoned. 
Stahl,  a  man  of  singular  talents,  of  an  imagination  lively 
and  eccentric,  but  who  wrote  with  a  logical  precision 
almost  unexampled,  assumed  gratuitously  the  existence 
of  this  principle;  and  connected  also,  chiefly  by  its 
means,  the  numerous  isolated  facts  of  which  chemistry 
then  consisted.  His  cotemporary,  Hoffman,  applied  this 
science,  with  more  studied  care,  to  medicine,  and  col- 
lected, with  great  anxiety,  the  labours  of  the  more  in- 
telligent chemists  who  preceded  or  were  cotemporaries 
with  him.  As  a  medical  chemist,  Hoffman  merits  the 
highest  commendation :  he  was  patient,  industrious, 
and  honest.  He  was,  however,  too  eager,  certainly  too 
credulous.  About  the  same  period,  with  superior  tal- 
ents and  similar  faults,  our  own  Boyle  laboured  in  this 
vineyard;  but,  while  we  blame  their  credulity,  we  must 
make  allowance  for  the  splendour  of  numerous  and 
surprising  phenomena,  which  dazzled  the  imagination, 
and  led  the  judgment  captive.  It  was  a  new  world, 
and  what  they  believed  was  scarcely  more  extraordinary 
than  what  they  saw. 

To  pursue  the  subject  of  medical  chemistry,  our  chief 
object,  we  shall  next  mention  the  celebrated  Boerhaave, 
who  detailed,  very  advantageously,  what  former  chemists 
had  discovered,  and  added  the  result  of  many  years  un- 
remitted  industry.  He  unveiled  the  mysteries  of  the 
art,  by  employing  the  language  of  learning  and  philoso- 
phy unmixed  with  metaphor  and  an  assumed  obscurity. 
Probably,  no  author  promoted,  more  successfully,  the 
progress  of  chemistry,  or  applied  it  more  advantageously 
to  medicine;  and  he  advanced  it  by  these  means  rather 
than  by  splendid  discoveries.  After  him  followed  Dr. 
Cullen,  who,  probably,  brought  to  this  science  those  ex- 
tensive systematic  views  which  distinguished  him  in 
every  other.  But  the  cold  reserve  of  his  descendants, 
their  apparent  indifference  to  his  fame,  repress  all  com- 
munication. We  know  only  that  his  lectures  were  re- 
ceived with  great  approbation,  and  that  his  chemical 
knowledge  was  directed  to  medicinal  improvements. 
To  him  we  are  indebted  for  the  more  general  use,  at 
least,  if  not  the  introduction,  of  some  of  the  more  ac- 
tive metallic  preparations.  Dr.  Black  followed  his  steps  ; 
and,  though  he  pursued  chemistry  rather  as  an  inde- 
pendent science,  he  seldom  lost  sight  of  its  application 
to  medicine. 

In  following  the  systematic  authors,  we  have  hastened 
too  rapidly  in  our  way.  From  the  time  of  Boerhaave 
to  the  downfal  of  Becher  and  Stahl's  boasted  principle, 
numerous  were  the  authors  who  improved  this  science. 
Among  the  Germans,  Neumann,  Pott,  Cramer,  Car- 
;/ieuser,  Margraaf,  Sfiielman,  De  Born,  Plenck,  Scheele, 
and  Gren;  in  Holland,  Ingenhouz  and  Van  Mont;  in 
France,  the  Geoffroys,  Reaumur,  Du  Hamel,  Hellot; 
the  two  Rouetles,  Homberg,  Macquer,  Baume,  Sage, 
D'Arcet,  and  De  Morveau;  In  Italy,  Sco/ioli,  Fontana, 
Liandriani,  Cavallo,  Volta,  and  Spalanzani;  in  England, 
Hales,  Mayow,  Lewis,  Priestley,  Black,  Higgins,  and 
Nicholson;  in  Sweden,  Brandt,  Wallerius,  Cronstedt, 
Rinman,  Scheffer,  Ga/in,  and  Bergman.  Those  who 
have  applied  more  particularly  chemistry  to  medicine 
ire  marked  by  italics. 


The  early  dawn  of  chemical  improvements  may  b* 
traced,  in  England,  to  the  period  of  Mayow,  Hales. 
Kirwan,  and  Black,  of  the  old  school;  from  Priestley 
and  Cavendish  of  the  new.  Gahn  and  Bergman,  Sage 
and  De  Morveau,  Scopoli  and  Spallanzani,  are  on  the 
confines  of  each  system,  and  may  belong  to  both.  The 
experiments  of  Hales  and  Mayow  had  been  forgotten, 
when  Black  elicited  the  first  spark,  which  was  to  dazzle 
with  the  flame  it  excited.  This  embryo,  if  not  ne- 
glected, scarcely  treated  with  a  parent's  fondness,  was 
cherished  by  Cavendish  and  Priestley ;  and  the  result 
was  the  splendid  discovery  of  the  composition  of  water; 
the  existence  and  properties  of  many,  permanently 
elastic,  gases.  Lavoisier,  De  la  Place,  Berthollet,  and 
Fourcroy,  followed;  and  from  this  period  the  distin- 
guished chemists  of  every  country  have  resigned  the 
visionary  phlogiston,  and  joined  in  adopting  the  pneu- 
matic system.  Priestley  died  an  infidel ;  Gren  but  half 
converted.  Kirwan  and  Black  joined  with  apparent 
reluctance,  after  patient  inquiry  and  full  conviction, 
what  is  styled  the  antiphlogistic  system.  The  revolu- 
tion is  now,  we  believe,  complete :  it  is  not  heresy,  but 
reformation. 

The  French  chemists,  not  content  with  this  splen- 
did improvement,  of  which,  indeed,  they  could  not 
claim  the  honour,  though  they  have  made  numerous  ad- 
ditions, scarcely  less  valuable,  perhaps,  than  the  first 
discoveries  of  Black  and  Cavendish,  have  changed,  in 
consequence  of  the  establishment  of  the  pneumatic 
system,  the  whole  language  of  chemistry.  They  have 
thus  attempted  to  make  it  exclusively  their  own.  This 
vanity,  so  common  in  their  nation,  might  excite  a  smile 
as  harmless ;  and  from  the  merits,  on  the  whole,  of  the 
new  nomenclature,  command  approbation,  were  it  not 
from  some  serious  inconveniences  that  will  be  found  to 
result.  At  this  time,  the  language  of  both  sects  is 
common,  and  little  inconvenience  is  experienced ;  but, 
except  to  the  experienced  chemist,  the  labours  of  Pott, 
of  Neumann,  of  Margraaf,  Macquer,  Baume,  &c.  will 
be  soon  lost.  Their  language  will  no  longer  convey 
ideas;  and  experiments,  most  truly  important  and 
valuable,  will  be  almost  on  a  footing  with  Egyptian  hie- 
roglyphics. There  is  one  remedy  for  this  evil,  which 
is  the  unmerciful  pillage  of  French  authors  from  their 
predecessors;  and,  as  usual,  the  stolen  goods  are  marked 
with  the  characteristics  of  their  present  owners,  to  con- 
ceal the  depredations.  This,  however,  is  not  sufficient : 
juvat  integ-ros  accedere  fontes;  and,  unfortunately,  the 
streams  are  polluted.  Various  are  the  changes  we 
have  witnessed  to  adapt  former  facts  to  the  theory  of 
the  moment.  We  would  strenuously  advise  the  stu- 
dent, therefore,  to  study  the  language  of  both  sects ; 
and  the  lately  published  lectures  of  Dr.  Black  are  ad- 
mirably adapted  for  this  purpose.  Mr.  Nicholson's 
Elements  also,  published  when  the  new  theory  was  not 
fairly  established,  contains  the  explanation  of  the  phe- 
nomena according  to  each  system,  and  will  answer  the 
same  purpose,  though  the  new  theory  has  received  con- 
siderable improvement  since  the  period  of  their  publi- 
cation. 

Chemistry,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  medicine,  has  been 
hitherto  employed  in  the  composition  of  medicines.  In 
this  branch,  however,  previous  to  the  introduction  of 
pneumatic  chemistry,  much  was  empirical  and  hetero- 
geneous; ingredients,  destructive  of  each  other's  powers. 

3G2 


CHE 


412 


CHE 


were  ignorantly  or  inconsiderately  accumulated.  It 
was  the  object  to  heap  a  great  variety  of  medicines  in 
one  formula,  that  should  one  fail,  another  might  suc- 
ceed :  forgetting  that,  though  the  imagination  was 
boundless,  the  stomach  was  limited ;  and  that,  when 
the  number  of  ingredients  was  increased,  the  dose  of 
each  was  inconsiderable.  In  chemical  formulae,  the 
error  was  greater  from  the  union  of  heterogeneous  sub- 
stances; and,  where  the  ingredient  was  retained,  its 
utility  was  not  understood.  A  striking  instance  of  this 
kind  was  the  chalybeate  oxide  in  the  preparation  of  the 
corrosive  sublimate,  which  furnished  the  pure  air  that 
distinguishes  this  preparation.  In  the  former  case  we 
have  refined,  perhaps,  too  far,  as  we  shall  show  in  the 
article  of  COMBINATION  OF  MEDICINES.  In  the  latter, 
we  have  not  been  equally  rash,  yet  we  suspect  we  have 
often  erred.  In  the  articles,  ARGENTUM  VIVUM,  and 
ANTIMONIUM,  we  have  shown  that  the  more  simple 
modern  preparations  are  different,  in  some  respects, 
from  those  of  the  ancients.  Chemistry,  however, 
which  first  led  the  pharmaceutist  from  the  path,  will 
contribute  to  his  recovering  it. 

In  another  branch,  chemistry  was  seemingly  misem- 
ployed; we  mean  in  investigating  the  powers  of  medi- 
cines. The  older  chemists  employed  fire,  almost  ex- 
clusively ;  and  vegetable  remedies,  the  most  opposite  in 
their  nature,  yielded  nearly  the  same  products.  Even 
bread,  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Boyle,  will  produce,  by 
distillation,  the  most  acrid  deleterious  oil.  In  fact,  in 
these  destructive  processes,  new  combinations  are  form- 
ed; and,  as  the  firincifiia  firoxima  of  vegetable  sub- 
stances are  nearly  the  same,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the 
products  in  their  reunion,  after  separation,  should  be 
similar.  Modern  chemistry  employs  less  violent  means, 
and  new  compounds  are  not  so  frequently  produced. 
By  these  more  gentle  means,  also,  the  analysis  of  mine- 
ral waters  is  much  more  accurate  and  satisfactory. 

This  science  has,  however,  since  the  discovery  of  new 
gases,  been  very  successfully  employed  in  investigating 
the  nature  of  the  animal  solids  and  fluids.  A  new  era 
may  be  thus  marked  in  our  chemical  physiology.  They 
were  not  neglected  by  the  French  chemists,  particu- 
larly the  Rouellcs,  Homberg,  and  others ;  but  we  have 
only  of  late  witnessed  the  happy  results  of  more  accu- 
rate, more  scientific  investigation.  Since  the  period  of 
Plenck,  whose  Hydrology  is  still  an  excellent  work,  we 
have  received  considerable  satisfaction  from  Berthollet, 
Fourcroy,  Vauquelin,  Pearson,  Hatchett,  and  many 
themists  of  the  new  school. 

To  teach  chemistry  cannot  be  our  object ;  we  must 
treat  of  it  as  the  handmaid,  the  assistant,  of  physic  and 
the  physician,  and  the  chief  details  must  be  sought  in 
the  different  articles.  Yet,  perhaps,  we  may  here,  with 
advantage,  sketch  the  outline  of  the  science;  point  out 
the  mutual  dependencies  of  each  part,  and  supply  what 
omissions  may  have  already  occurred.  We  must,  how- 
ever, speak  chiefly  of  medical  chemistry ;  for  we  anxi- 
ously wish  to  avoid  stepping  beyond  the  line  of  medi- 
cine, and  to  render  this  dictionary  strictly,  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  exclusively  a  medical  one. 

In  teaching  chemistry,  modern  authors  have  begun 
with  elements,  and  proceeded  to  their  compounds.  We 
thus  soar,  perhaps,  too  far  above  common  comprehen- 
sions, and  certainly  beyond  the  youthful  intellect.  We 
shall  prefer  the  division  of  D  r.Black,  ori  ginally  that  of  D  r. 


Cullen;  and  divide  the  objects  of  chemistry  into  salts, 
earths,  inflammables,  metals,  and  waters,  adding  the 
airs,  vegetable  and  animal  substances.  We  obtain, 
however,  the  bases  of  everybody  most  pure  in  the  form 
of  air,  so  that  we  shall  premise  a  short  abstract  of  the 
properties  of  the  different  gases.  Of  caloric  we  have 
already  spoken:  of  light,  as  a  chemical  principle,  we 
know  little,  and  still  less  of  its  real  influence  in  the  ani- 
mal economy ;  yet,  under  that  article,  we  shall  add  a  few 
observations  on  the  subject  not  wholly  uninteresting. 

Under  the  article  AIR,  in  the  First  Part,  we  have 
mentioned  the  general  properties  of  the  different  kinds 
of  this  invisible  fluid,  as  well  as  of  the  medical  proper- 
ties of  each  species.  We  must  now  speak  of  air  chiefly 
in  a  chemical  view ;  and  though,  perhaps,  in  this  and 
some  other  parts  of  the  present  article,  we  may  seem  to 
deviate  from  our  professed  intentions  of  confining  our- 
selves to  medical  chemistry,  such  is  the  rapid  progress 
of  the  science,  and  so  much  closer  is  its  connection 
with  physiology  advancing,  that,  even  while  we  are 
writing  what  may  at  first  appear  irrelevant,  will  become 
of  the  greatest  importance. 

We  speak  first  of  oxygenous  gas  as  the  least  com- 
pounded form  of  air;  and  though,  as  we  have  said,  the 
aerial  form  is  the  purest  in  which  the  different  bases 
can  be  represented,  yet  it  is  doubtful  whether  this  gas 
has  any  basis,  and  whether  it  is  not  strictly  and  purely 
caloric.  It  combines,  under  different  degrees  of  tem- 
perature with  all  the  gases  or  their  bases,  with  inflam- 
mables and  with  metals,  but  not  with  earths  or  alkalis. 
The  temperature  required  for  the  union  is  different; 
and  when  it  is  in  so  high  a  degree  as  to  dissipate  the 
body  in  vapour,  inflammation,  strictly  so  called,  is  pro- 
duced. By  the  French  chemists,  the  union  of  oxygen 
with  different  bodies  is  styled  combustion,  but  in  a 
loose,  and,  we  think,  an  unscientific  sense.  This  gas 
constitutes  0.22  of  atmospheric  air,  and  its  specific 
gravity  is  0.00135. 

Oxygen  combines  with  bodies  in  different  propor- 
tions. With  nitrogen,  it  forms  atmospheric  air:  in 
larger  proportions,  successively,  nitrous,  nitric  oxide, 
and  nitric  acid.  With  hydrogen,  water:  and,  as  has 
lately  been  rendered  probable,  in  a  larger  proportion, 
muriatic  acid.  With  carbon,  it  forms  plumbago,  char- 
coal, gaseous  oxide  of  carbon,  carbonic  acid,  and  carbo- 
nic acid  gas.  With  sulphur,  oxide  of  sulphur,  sul- 
phureous and  sulphuric  acid.  With  phosphorus,  oxide 
of  phosphorus,  phosphorous,  and  phosphoric  acid.  With 
carbon  and  hydrogen,  it  forms  what  are  styled  the  hy- 
drocarbonats  and  the  vegetable  acids;  and,  with  the 
addition  also  of  nitrogen,  it  forms  animal  substances. 
Oxygen  unites  with  metals,  forming  what  former  che- 
mists styled  calces,  now  oxides.  From  these  it  is  sepa- 
rated by  phosphoric  salts,  and,  indeed,  by  animal  sub- 
stances of  every  kind  :  a  fact  of  importance  in  explaining 
the  action  of  oxygenated  remedies.  It  is  separated 
also  from  almost  every  compound  by  light :  a  circum- 
stance to  which  we  shall  return  in  that  article. 

Nitrogenous  or  azotic  gas  constitutes  0.78  of  our  at- 
mosphere, and  may  afford  the  portion  that  we  breathe 
with  peculiar  pleasure,  and  by  which  the  process,  styled 
animalization,  may  be  chiefly  assisted ;  it  is  probably  ab- 
sorbed in  respiration.  Its  specific  gravity  is  0.001 15,  and 
some  very  delicate  vegetable  blues  are  rendered  green  by 
it.  Vegetation,  respiration,  and  combustion,  are  at  once 


CHE 


413 


CHE 


checked  by  this  gas  when  unmixed ;  and  azote  is  the 
distinction  of  animal  substances.  It  constitutes,  with 
oxygen,  nitrous  acid,  and  is  the  chief  ingredient  in  am- 
monia. It  refuses  to  unite  with  water,  and  dissolves 
phosphorus  and  carbon  in  small  quantities. 

With  oxygen  it  forms  atmospheric  air,  and  in  succes- 
sion nitrous  oxide,  nitrous  gas,  and  nitric  acid ;  with 
hydrogen,  ammonia ;  with  sulphur  and  phosphorus, 
sulphurated  and  phosphorated  nitrogen  gas.  With  car- 
bon, nitrogen,  and  oxygen,  it  forms  animal  substances  ; 
should  the  oxygen  be  in  excess,  the  result  is  animal  acids. 

With  the  proportion  of  oxygen,  which  forms  nitrous 
oxide,  viz.  37  of  oxygen  and  33  of  nitrogen,  it  will 
support  flame,  and  suffers  no  diminution  when  mixed 
with  oxygen  gas.  It  does  not  change  even  the  most 
delicate  vegetable  colours,  for  in  this  state  it  recedes 
from  its  alkalinity,  nor  does  it  combine  with  alkalis. 
With  atmospheric  air,  it  is  highly  grateful  when 
breathed,  which  supports  the  idea  formerly  hazarded, 
that  azote,  so  far  as  it  can  be  safely  introduced,  is  pleas- 
ing and  salutary.  Water  absorbs  one  half  the  bulk  of 
nitrous  oxide. 

The  nitrous  gas  contains  44  parts  of  oxygen,  but  does 
not  change  vegetable  colours.  Its  specific  gravity  is 
0.001343.  It  forms,  with  oxygen,  nitric  acid,  and 
water  absorbs  0.1 18  of  its  bulk.  It  supports  neither 
vegetation  nor  respiration,  and  only  in  a  few  instances 
combustion. 

Hydrogen  gas,  the  inflammable  air  of  Priestley,  is 
very  light,  for  its  specific  gravity  is  only  0.000094.  It 
is  highly  inflammable,  and  burns  when  oxygenous  gas 
or  atmospheric  air  is  contiguous  ;  or  detonates,  when 
mixed  with  them,  on  the  application  of  a  burning  body. 
It  extinguishes  flame,  and  will  not  support  respiration. 
It  dissolves  sulphur,  forming  hepatic  gas ;  and  united 
with  phosphorus  and  carbon,  it  forms  gases  highly 
fetid. 

Hydrogen,  with  oxygen,  forms  water;  with  a  less 
proportion  it  has  been  lately  thoughtto  produce  muriatic 
acid ;  with  nitrogen,  ammonia  ;  with  sulphur  and  phos- 
phorus, hepatic  air  and  sulphurated  hydrogen.  With 
carbon  and  oxygen  it  produces  the  hydrocarbonates  and 
vegetable  substances ;  with  carbon,  nitrogen,  and  oxy- 
gen, animal  substances  and  animal  acids.  Water  is 
composed  of  14.42  of  hydrogen,  to  85.58  of  oxygen; 
ammonia  of  four  parts  of  nitrogen,  and  one  of  hydro- 
gen. 

Carbonic  acid  gas  was  formerly  known  by  the  name 
of  fixed  air,  and  its  discovery  was  the  germ  of  the 
whole  of  pneumatic  chemistry.  Its  basis,  carbon,  in  its 
purest  form,  is  the  diamond;  and  17.88  of  carbon  with 
82.12  of  oxygen,  forms  the  gas.  It  is  the  chief  basis  of 
vegetable,  though  it  occurs  also  in  animal  substances. 

With  oxygen  and  iron  it  forms  plumbago,  and  with  a 
larger  proportion,  successively,  charcoal  and  gaseous 
oxide  of  carbone ;  with  metals,  what  are  styled,  in  the  new 
language,  carburets.  With  oxygen  and  hydrogen,  it 
forms  the  hydrocarbonates,  alcohol,  ether,  oils,  wax,  re- 
sins, camphor,  starch,  sugar,  jelly,  tanin,  and  all  the  va- 
riety of  vegetable  acids,  with  the  mucous,  laccic  andse- 
bacic  acids.  With  nitrogen,  oxygen,  and  carbon,  it  forms 
the  various  gums  and  resins,  cork,  gelatin,  albumen, 
fibrin,  urea;  the  prussic,  zoonic,  uric,  and  amnic  acids. 

Common  charcoal  of  wood  contains  36.14  of  oxygen 
the  gaseous  oxide  of  carbone,  74.1 1  of  oxygen. 


SALTS  are  either  acid  or  alkaline.  The  acid  salts,  or 
ac;rf*,are  mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal ;  though  various 
acids  are  not  exclusively  confined  to  the  class  in  which 
they  are  arranged. 

The  mineral  acids,  or  those  usually  styled  so,  are 
three,  the  vitriolic,  the  nitrous,  and  the  muriatic;  but 
the  succinic,  the  boracic,  and  several  others,  have  an 
equal  claim  to  the  title,  as  they  are  the  productions  of, 
or  at  least  found  in,  the  mineral  kingdom.  These  acids 
unite  with  alkalis,  earths,  and  metallic  oxides  so  com- 
pletely, that  in  the  new  compound,  the  properties  of  the 
component  parts  are  wholly  lost ;  while  some  of  the 
weaker  acids,  particularly  the  carbonic  acid  gas,  leave 
often  an  alkaline,  urinous  taste.  These  acids,  like  all 
others,  owe  their  acidity  to  the  oxygen  they  contain, 
united  to  separate  bases,  which  give  their  peculiar  pro- 
perties ;  but  this  oxygen  may  be  in  excess,  and  the  acid 
has  then  been  styled  oxygenated,  or  the  particle  (oxy) 
is  added.  The  French  chemists  distinguish  the  acids 
with  an  excess  of  oxygen,  by  terminating  their  respec- 
tive appellations  with  ic,  as  sulphureous  and  sulphuric. 
Their  general  properties  have  been  already  detailed. 

The  -vitriolic  acid  is  diffused  so  generally,  as  to  be 
styled  the  universal  acid ;  but  many  others  can  now  dis- 
pute this  honour,  particularly  the  carbonic.  In  medi- 
cine it  is  of  the  highest  importance,  since,  independent 
of  its  tonic  powers  when  uncombined,  its  union  with 
alkalis  and  metals  furnishes  a  variety  of  useful  remedies. 
Its  basis  is  sulphur,  and,  from  its  apparent  viscidity,  it 
has  been  styled  oleum  sulfihuris.  When  sulphur  is  in- 
flamed, the  oxygen  is  supplied  by  the  atmosphere;  and 
for  this  purpose  it  was  formerly  burnt  under  a  bell,  from 
whose  sides  it  streamed  into  a  receptacle  below.  It  is 
now  usually  prepared  in  close  vessels ;  and  the  oxygen 
is  supplied  by  the  addition  of  nitre,  whose  acid  is  in  this 
operation  decomposed. 

Vitriolic  acid  will  crystallize  at  3°  below  0  of  Reau- 
mur. With  ice  it  produces  an  increased  cold ;  with 
water  considerable  heat.  With  alkalis  it  forms  the  sul- 
phat  of  potash,  formerly  the  vitriolated  tartar,  the  sul- 
phat  of  soda  (Glauber's  salt),  and  the  sulphat  of  ammo- 
nia (Glauber's  secret  ammoniacal  salt). 

The  sulphat  of  potash  is  soluble  in  about  sixteen 
parts  of  water,  at  60°  of  Fahrenheit,  which  we  shall  af- 
terwards call  cold  water,  and  five  parts  of  boiling  water. 
It  is  the  least  soluble  salt,  and  on  this  account  inconve- 
nient in  its  exhibition,  as  it  requires  so  much  fluid. 
One  hundred  grains  contain  3O.21  of  acid;  64.61  of 
alkali;  and  5.18  of  water.  The  sulphat  of  potash,  of 
commerce,  is  the  residuum  after  distilling  nitrous  acid, 
separated  from  nitre  by  means  of  the  vitriolic.  In  ex- 
temporaneous prescription,  it  is  only  decomposed  by 
barytes  or  any  of  its  preparations.  In  some  circum- 
stances the  nitric  acid  will  displace  the  vitriolic  ;  but 
this  is  of  little  importance  to  our  subject,  which  is  not 
strictly  chemical.  Mr.  Chaptal  found  this  salt  in  the 
analysis  of  tobacco. 

The  sulphat  of  soda  is  soluble  in  three  parts  of  cold 
water,  and  in  an  equal  weight  of  boiling  water.  It 
contains  a  large  quantity  of  water  entangled  in  its  cry- 
stals, which  occasions  it  to  swell  and  effervesce  when 
heated:  100  grains  contain  14  of  acid,  22  of  alkali,  and 
64  of  water.  It  is  found  in  the  ashes  of  the  tamarix 
gallica  ;  but  the  salt  of  commerce  is  the  residuum,  after 
preparing  the  muriatic  acid.  It  is  decomposed  by  pot- 


CHE 


414 


CHE 


ash,  baritic  salts,  the  muriat  of  potash,  the  acetite  of 
soda,  muriated  lime,  lime  water,  nitrated  silver,  acetat- 
ed  and  nitrated  mercury,  and  acetite  of  lead. 

The  sulphat  of  ammonia  is  seldom,  if  ever,  used  in 
medicine.  It  is  produced  chiefly  by  decomposing 
earthy  or  metallic  salts  with  volatile  alkali,  and  by  the 
decomposition  of  nitric,  muriatic,  or  carbonated  ammo- 
niacal  salts  by  sulphuric  acid.  In  extemporaneous 
prescription,  fixed  alkalis,  barytes,  and  lime,  the  nitric 
and  muriatic  acids  must  be  avoided  in  the  same  for- 
mula. 

The  basis  of  the  nitrous  acid  is  the  nitrogen,  which, 
with  different  portions  of  oxygen,  forms  nitrous  oxide, 
nitrous  gas,  nitrous  and  nitric  acids.  The  nitrous  acid 
is  brown,  volatile,  and  suffocating.  It  assumes  succes- 
sively a  blue,  green,  and  yellow  colour,  by  the  addition 
of  water;  and  in  a  state  of  vapour  is  absorbed  by  wa- 
ter, oil,  and  sulphuric  acid.  It  consists  of  about  three 
parts  of  oxygen,  and  one  of  nitrogen.  The  nitric  acid 
consists  of  four  parts  of  oxygen  to  one  of  nitrogen ;  is 
liquid,  colourless,  and  transparent,  but  corrosive,  tinging 
the  skin  of  a  yellow  colour.  It  produces  heat  when 
mixed  with  water,  and  is  deprived  of  a  part  of  its  oxy- 
gen by  light;  while  the  suffocating  fumes  of  the  nitrous 
acid  are  destroyed  or  suppressed  by  keeping  it  in  the 
dark.  When  concentrated,  it  inflames  oils,  sulphurated 
hydrogen,  and  iron  filings.  The  same  effect  is  pro- 
duced on  zink,  bismuth,  and  tin,  when  poured  on  them 
in  a  state  of  fusion.  It  oxygenizes  all  metals,  muci- 
lages, &c.  and  is  itself  decomposed.  This  facility  in 
yielding  its  oxygen,  which  is  seemingly  separated  by 
the  animal  fluids,  and  is  certainly  so  by  die  phosphoric 
salts  with  which  they  abound,  has  rendered  it  an  useful 
remedy  where  oxygenation  is  required.  Its  utility  in 
curing  syphilis  is  not  indeed  established  by  extensive 
experience ;  but  it  evidently  prevents  the  disease  from 
growing  worse,  when  from  weakness,  inclement  wea- 
ther, or  accidental  circumstances,  mercurials  cannot  be 
persisted  in. 

From  the  chemical  composition  of  nitrous  acid,  its 
resemblance  to  atmospheric  air  is  obvious,  and  by  the 
air  it  is  evidently  formed.  In  many  places,  particularly 
in  India,  South  America,  and  Spain,  nitre  requires  only 
lixiviation  and  purification.  In  France  and  other  coun- 
tries, its  formation  is  assisted  by  animal  putrefaction, 
vegetable  fermentation,  and  the  rubbish  of  old  walls, 
containing  a  calcareous  substance.  It  is  not  easy  to  say 
what  particular  office  either  part  of  the  process  serves. 
It  seems  designed  chiefly  to  adapt  the  mass  for  the  ab- 
sorption of  the  ingredients  of  the  atmosphere,  for  these 
are  only  requisite  to  form  the  acid.  The  alkali  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  product  of  the  vegetable  fermentation. 
This  is,  however,  improbable ;  and  we  strongly  suspect 
that  it  arises  from  the  calcareous  matter,  as  we  shall 
soon  consider. 

It  is  in  the  form  of  nitre  that  this  acid  is  offered  to 
our  notice;  in  the  language  of  modern  chemistry,  nitrat 
of  potash.  As  it  occurs  from  the  hand  of  nature,  it  is 
far  from  pure.  A  large  proportion  has  often,  as  might 
be  expected,  a  calcareous  basis ;  and  sea  salt  generally 
forms  a  portion  of  it.  We  find  nitre  also  in  many 
plants,  particularly  the  parietaria  and  bugloss ;  in  fact, 
in  all  those  whose  extracts  are  liable  to  ferment.  WTe 
need  not  enlarge  on  the  methods  of  purifying  nitre. 
We  receive  it  in  the  form  of  a  neutral,  crystallized  in 


prismatic  octoedrons,  terminated  by  dihedral  summits. 
It  is  fusible  on  ignited  coals,  and  its  acid  is  decomposed. 
It  does  not  deliquesce,  but  dissolves  in  seven  parts  of 
cold  water,  and  its  own  weight  of  boiling :  100  grains 
of  the  crystals  are  usually  said  to  contain  30  of  acid, 
63  of  alkali,  and  7  of  water.  This  salt  is  cooling,  and 
highly  useful  in  all  inflammatory  diseases,  those  of  the 
bladder  sometimes  excepted.  Nitre  is  decomposed  by 
alum,  Epsom  salt,  tartar,  spirit  of  vitriol,  vitriol  of  zinc, 
copper,  and  iron.  From  the  usual  laws  of  affinity,  it 
should  be  decomposed  by  Glauber's  salt;  but  this  takes 
place  only  in  a  slight  degree,  and  at  a  temperature  of 
32°.  Its  chief  utility  in  the  arts  for  the  process  of 
making  gunpowder  is  well  known.  It  is  the  principal 
ingredient  also  in  fulminating  powder ;  but  even  mo- 
dern fancy  has  not  yet  enrolled  this  among  the  articles 
of  the  materia  medica. 

Nitrat  of  soda  is  styled  cubic,  quadrangular,  and 
rhomboidal  nitre,  from  the  form  of  its  crystals,  which, 
however,  are  not  cubic,  but  rhomboidal.  It  is  somewhat 
more  bitter  than  common  nitre,  and  grows  moist  in  the 
air.  Cold  and  boiling  water  equally  dissolve  about  two 
parts  of  the  salt :  100  grains  contain,  it  is  said,  28.80 
of  acid,  50.09  of  alkali,  and  21.11  of  water;  but  by 
others  the  proportions  assigned  are  very  different,  and 
Tromsdorff'  thinks  that  100  grains  contain  43  of  acid, 
32  of  alkali,  and  25  of  water.  It  is  generally  the  pro- 
duct of  art,  though  it  has  been  suspected  in  some  mi- 
neral waters.  We  know  not  that  it  has  been  used  in 
medicine ;  but  should  it  be  employed,  the  prescriber 
should  recollect  that  it  may  be  decomposed  by  potash, 
alum,  Epsom  salt,  vitriolic  acid,  and  the  vitriols. 

Nitrat  of  ammonia  is  the  production  of  art,  and  its 
crystals  are  described  as  resembling  needles ;  the  taste 
is  cooling,  but  it  has  been  little  attended  to,  and  has 
never  been  employed  in  medicine. 

The  marine  acid  has  hitherto  resisted  every  attempt 
to  ascertain  the  nature  of  its  basis.  Yet,  from  some  Gal- 
vanic experiments,  it  is  suspected  that  it  may  be  water ; 
and  this  acid  is  only  water  with  a  diminished  proportion 
of  oxygen.  We  shall  first  describe  this  acid  and  its  pro- 
perties in  the  common  way. 

When  pure,  it  is  colourless  ;  but  has  generally  a  yel- 
lowish hue,  and  exhales  white  suffocating  fumes.  It  is 
lighter  than  either  of  the  other  acids  ;  but  its  most  dis- 
tinguishing property  is  the  very  great  change  it  expe- 
riences from  an  excess  of  oxygen.  Though  this  be  un- 
doubtedly the  principle  of  acidity,  yet  when  added  to 
the  muriatic  acid  in  an  over  proportion,  its  volatility  is 
increased,  its  acidity  and  power  of  attraction  for  alkalis 
weakened,  and  instead  of  reddening  vegetable  colours, 
it  destroys  them.  It  is  procured  from  common  salt  by 
the  addition  of  sulphuric  acid,  when  it  assumes  a  ga- 
seous form ;  and  in  this  state  has  been  recommended  for 
destroying  infection,  and  purify  ing  infected  rooms.  As 
these  fumes  are  very  suffocating,  the  vapour  of  the  ni- 
tric acid  has  been  preferred  ;  and  the  discovery  of  each 
has  occasioned  a  controversy  which  perhaps  might  have 
been  spared,  and  which  we  must  afterwards  more  par- 
ticularly notice,  though  we  shall  not  pretend  to  decide 
the  dispute. 

The  most  delicate  test  of  the  presence  of  muriatic 
acid  is  the  nitrate  of  silver  ;  for  the  metal  when  united 
with  the  muriatic  acid  is  insoluble,  but  the  oxygenated 
acid  occasions  no  precipitation  ;  so  that  if  any  doubt 


CHE 


415 


CHE 


arises,  the  acid  should  be  previously  exposed  to  the 
light,  which  separates  in  every  instance  the  oxygen. 
The  oxygenated  acid  forms,  with  different  bases,  ful- 
minating powders,  whose  detonation  is  extremely  vio- 
lent, and  takes  place  on  trituration  only,  without  heat. 
The  use  of  the  oxy-muriatic  acid  in  bleaching  is  well 
known ;  and  in  its  union  with  alkalis  it  furnished  the 
active  ingredient  of  De  Morveau's  box,  which,  on  open- 
ing, diffuses  round  the  person  who  holds  it  a  pure  at- 
mosphere, which  destroys  infection.  The  ingredients 
are  now  altered.  See  CONTAGION. 

The  experiments  lately  alluded  to  are,  however,  too 
striking  to  be  wholly  passed  over,  since  they  offer  such 
a  clear  simple  view  of  the  different  operations  of  na- 
ture as  will  greatly  elucidate  many  unaccountable  phe- 
nomena. In  attempting  to  ascertain  the  basis  of  this 
acid,  even  Berthollet  erred,  and  Mr.  Lambe  was  misled 
by  a  remote  analogy  ;  nor  some  months  since  should  we 
have  given  a  more  favourable  account  of  Girtanner's 
hypothesis,  who  derived  it  from  hydrogen.  On  the 
23d  of  April,  1805,  Mr.  W.  Peel  of  Cambridge,  an- 
nounced, in  the  Philosophical  Magazine,  his  discovery 
of  muriat  of  soda  from  the  decomposition  of  water  by 
the  Galvanic  apparatus.  In  June  he  repeated  his  com- 
munication, and  mentions  his  having  formed  water 
from  its  elements  to  repeat  the  experiment ;  but  this 
water,  from  a  little  inaccuracy  in  the  proportions,  being 
acidulous,  he  neutralized  the  acid  with  lime,  and  dis- 
tilled it.  But,  after  the  Galvanic  process,  he  found 
muriat  of  fiotash. 

By  a  singular  coincidence,  about  the  same  time  Pac- 
chioni  of  Pisa  made  a  similar  discovery.  His  letter  is 
dated  the  9th  of  May,  sixteen  days  only  later  than  Mr. 
Peel's,  and  both  speak  of  recent  discoveries.  Pacchioni's 
apparatus  is  not  described ;  and  at  the  first  glance  it 
excites  a  suspicion  that  he  procured  oxygen  only  in  the 
decomposition  of  the  water,  while  others  have  obtained, 
exclusively,  hydrogen ;  but  as  both  are  ingredients  of 
water,  evolved  separately  on  different  sides  of  the  pile, 
this  occasions  little  difficulty.  On  separating  the  oxygen, 
he  found  the  gold  wire  dissolved,  and  the  oxygenated 
muriatic  acid  evidently  produced.  Water  then  is  hy- 
drogen, with  its  full  proportion,  perhaps,  of  oxygen. 
"When  the  proportion  of  the  latter  is  diminished,  it  be- 
comes oxymuriatic  acid ;  and,  when  still  further,  the 
common  muriatic  acid.  Mr.  Henry  has  repeated  these 
experiments  with  some  success,  but  suggests  a  source 
of  fallacy,  which  leads  us  at  least  to  hesitate.  We  shall 
have  frequent  opportunities  of  resuming  the  subject  in 
different  parts  of  the  work,  as  in  the  articles  MURIATIC 
ACID,  MURIATS,  and  SEA  SALT,  when  we  shall  give 
whatever  the  labours  of  chemists  have  added  to  the 
stock.  Even  while  this  sheet  was  passing  through  the 
press,  we  find  in  the  Journal  de  Physique,  vol.  Ixi.  some 
experiments  instituted  by  the  Galvanic  Society  at  Paris, 
which  throw  considerable  doubts  on  the  supposed  dis- 
•overy. 

Muriat  of  potash  has  been  styled  the  febrifuge  salt  of 
Sylvius,  and,  from  one  process  by  which  it  was  pre- 
pared, the  regenerated  marine  salt.  Its  crystals  are 
cubic,  but  not  regular;  its  taste  pungent  and  bitter; 
and  it  dissolves  in  three  times  its  weight  of  cold  water. 
It  is  supposed  by  some  authors  to  comain  29.68  of  acid, 
63.47  of  alkali,  and  6.85  of  water.  It  is  found  occasion- 
ally in  sea  water,  and  in  some  mineral  waters;  but,  when 


wanted  as  a  medicine,  which  scarcely  ever  happens,  it 
is  prepared  by  art. 

Muriat  of  soda  is  the  common  salt  so  generally  dif- 
fused not  only  in  the  earth,  but  by  the  ocean,  of  which 
it  constitutes  the  chief  ingredient.  Should  the  suspi- 
cions just  stated  be  confirmed,  its  source  will  be  well 
understood:  at  present  it  is  unknown.  There  is  every 
reason,  however,  to  suppose,  that  all  the  fossile  muriat 
of  soda  has  been  deposited  from  an  ocean  which  once 
covered  the  highest  continents,  perhaps  the  whole  globe, 
when  the  principal  inhabitants  were  fish,  and  where  ani- 
mals, now  known  only  from  their  debris,  were  the  ty- 
rants of  this  watery  world.  Common  salt  is  highly 
necessary  to  the  health  of  men  and  many  other  animals; 
it  is  a  condiment  most  congenial  to  their  constitution, 
and  though  some  are,  from  necessity,  obliged  to  live 
without  it,  yet  all  find  its  advantages  when  it  can  be 
procured.  In  America,  animals  from  a  vast  distance 
repair  to  those  regions  where  the  salt  effloresces  on  the 
surface,  which  they  "  lick"  with  great  avidity,  and  the 
spots  are  distinguished  by  this  appellation. 

Common  salt  is  pungent,  with  a  slight  bitterness.  It 
dissolves  equally  in  cold  and  hot  water,  in  a  little  more 
than  twice  its  weight  of  the  menstruum :  100  grains 
have  been  said  to  contain  33.3  of  acid,  50  of  alkali,  and 
16.7  of  water.  Its  crystals  are  usually  cubical,  but  they 
seem  to  be  sometimes  octoedral.  It  scarcely  ever  forms 
an  article  of  extemporaneous  prescription,  except  in  the 
form  of  sea  water.  Barytes,  lead,  and  sometimes  iron, 
seem  to  decompose  this  salt,  and  are  employed  to  sepa- 
rate the  soda  for  the  artist;  but  could  have  no  extem- 
poraneous effect  in  mixture,  were  it  even  necessary  to 
combine  them  in  a  medicine.  Vitriolic  and  nitric  acids 
are,  apparently,  the  only  instances  from  which  any  in1 
convenience  could  arise.  Potash  would,  however,  have 
a  similar  effect ;  and  some  metalline  salts,  particularly 
nitrat  of  silver,  would  decompose  it ;  but  these  are  not 
likely  to  meet  in  a  prescription. 

Muriat  of  ammonia  was  originally  prepared  in  Egypt 
from  the  dung  of  camels,  and  is  met  with  in  commerce 
in  round  cakes,  concave  on  one  side,  and  convex  above, 
from  the  shape  of  the  glasses  into  which  it  is  sublimed. 
When  in  conical  masses,  it  is  debased  by  other  salts, 
particularly  earthy  ones.  Its  taste  is  acrid  and  pungent, 
with  a  flavour  not  very  distant  from  the  urinous  alka- 
line. It  dissolves  in  about  three  times  its  weight  of 
cold,  and  about  an  equal  weight  of  boiling,  water;  and, 
during  its  solution,  produces  nearly  32°  of  cold.  Its- 
crystals  are  four  or  six  sided  pyramids,  generally  aggre- 
gated in  a  plumose  form,  and  it  is  said  to  consist  of 
42.75  of  acid,  25  of  ammonia,  and  32.25  of  water.  It 
is  not  often  used  internally,  yet  we  shall  find  that  it  is 
more  commonly  useful  than  has  been  supposed.  Ex- 
ternally it  is  often  employed ;  but,  as  it  is  decomposed 
by  the  sulphuric  and  nitric  acids,  by  barytes,  potash, 
soda,  strontia,  and  lime,  as  well  as  by  different  salts 
composed  of  these  acids  or  their  bases,  and  by  some 
metalline  salts,  the  practitioner  should  be  very  careful 
of  the  ingredients  with  which  he  joins  this  salt.  It  is 
soluble  in  little  more  than  four  parts  of  alcohol. 

These  are  the  acids  which  chiefly  claimed  the  atten- 
tion of  chemists  within  the  last  twenty  years.  An 
acid  from  vegetables  was  indeed  well  known,  and  it 
seemed  to  be  varied  in  its  forms  and  its  properties;  but 
modern  chemistry  has  only  ascertained  their  different 


CHE 


416 


CHE 


sources,  and  their  distinguishing  affinities.  We  find 
also  in  the  animal  system  a  variety  of  peculiar  acids 
which  claim  our  attention,  and  in  hoth  vegetables  and 
animals  there  are  various  substances  denominated 
oxides,  which,  with  the  addition  of  oxygen,  assume  acid 
properties.  These  we  shall  not  consider  in  the  present 
article,  unless  they  have  become  peculiar  objects  of  our 
attention,  by  having  been  introduced  into  the  practice 
of  medicine. 

The  principal  vegetable  acid  is  the  acetous,  known 
chiefly  in  common  life  by  the  appellation  of  vinegar ; 
but  nature  offers  us  also  that  of  lemons  (the  citric),  of 
apples  (the  malic),  that  of  galls  (the  gallic),  that  of 
acetosella  (the  oxalic),  that  of  benzoin  (the  benzoic), 
that  of  tartar  (the  tartarous),  and  that  of  borax  (the  bo- 
racic  acid,  or  sedative  salt).  With  a  little  exertion  we 
separate  from  cork,  the  suberic  ;  from  camphor,  the 
camphoric ;  from  sugar,  the  saccharine ;  from  gum,  the 
mucous  :  but  these  are,  perhaps,  more  strictly  oxides. 
Fire  separates  the  pyrotartarous  acids,  the  ligneous  and 
the  pyroligneous  acids.  The  carbonic  acid  we  have  al- 
ready noticed. 

Of  these,  the  chief  acid,  perhaps  that  from  which 
every  other  with  some  modifications  proceeds,  is  the 
acetous.  The  tartarous  and  boracic  acids  will  indeed 
merit  our  particular  attention,  on  account  of  their  me- 
dicinal formulae  ;  but  the  malic,  the  citric,  the  oxalic, 
acids,  do  not  essentially  differ.  The  benzoic  acid,  Mr. 
Hatchett,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1805, 
(Part  II.),  considers,  with  some  reason,  as  a  produc- 
tion of  fire ;  in  his  own  strictly  philosophical  lan- 
guage, a  product  rather  than  an  educt.  The  saccha- 
rine, the  camphoric,  the  mucous,  the  suberic,  are  cer- 
tainly modifications  of  the  acetous  acid;  and  the  lig- 
neous, the  pyroligneous,  and  the  pyrotartarous,  acids, 
are  only  vegetable  acids  disguised  by  an  empyreumatic 
oil. 

We  have  thus  confined  our  views  to  the  acids  of  vi- 
negar and  tartar.  The  former  is  the  product  of  fer- 
mentation, or  of  that  new  combination,  which,  by  the 
"play  of  affinities"  from  the  slow  intestine  motion  of 
the  particles  of  a  saccharine,  and  afterwards  of  a  spi- 
rituous, fluid  takes  place.  See  FERMENTATION. 

The  acetous  acid,  as  offered  to  us  by  the  spontaneous 
•changes,  in  consequence  of  fermentation,  contains  a 
large  proportion  of  mucilage.  This  is  separated  by  dis- 
tillation, or  more  certainly  by  freezing;  but  the  mode 
which  chemists  have  preferred  is  uniting  it  with  cop- 
per or  lead,  and  distilling  it  from  these  bases.  In  this 
way  it  undoubtedly  acquires  new  properties,  and,  in 
the  modern  nomenclature, merits  the  title  of  acetic  acid. 
It  is  then  highly  fragrant  and  volatile,  confined  only  by 
the  purest  gold  or  crystal ;  and,  in  this  state,  combined 
with  aromatics,  it  becomes  a  very  useful  and  safe  pro- 
phylactic, a  preservative  from  the  infection  of  putrid 
fevers.  See  INFECTION. 

Acetous  acid  is  formed  of  the  vegetable  principle  car- 
bon, united  with  hydrogen  and  oxygen;  and  this  com- 
pound is  not  only  the  result  of  the  gradual  decomposi- 
tion of  saccharine  matter  in  fermentation,  but  is  pro- 
duced more  rapidly  by  the  action  of  nitric  acid  on  many 
vegetable  bodies;  this  acid  supplying  the  oxygen,  which 
is  otherwise  absorbed  from  the  atmosphere.  Though 
very  commonly  a  vegetable  matter,  its  immediate  prin- 
ciples are  sometimes  unexpecteo'y  combined,  and  we 


discover  it  in  animal  and  mineral  productions.  It  will  be 
obvious  that  its  acid  is  destroyed  by  earths  and  alkalis, 
but  the  tartarous  neutrals  are  also  decompounded  by  it. 
Vinegar  dissolves  sugar,  mucilages,  and  gums,  and 
mixes  in  every  proportion  with  alcohol.  It  softens 
gum  resins;  and,  triturating  with  vinegar,  renders  gum 
ammoniac  and  asafoetida  more  readily  soluble  in  wa- 
ter. It  dissolves  the  peculiar  acrimony  of  the  alka- 
lescent plants,  and  consequently  forms  the  best  men- 
struum for  squills,  colchicum,  Ecc.  Medicated  vinegars 
are  very  common,  and  foreign  pharmacopoeias  offer  a 
considerable  number.  See  ACETUM. 

Acetated  potash  was  formerly  styled  terra  foliata 
tartari,  and  tartarum  regeneratum :  a  more  modern 
appellation,  scarcely  disused,  is  the  diuretic  salt.  It  is  a 
deliquescent  salt,  and  not  adapted  either  for  powder  or 
pills.  It  may  be  decomposed  by  tamarinds  and  almost 
every  acid,  even  the  citric  and  phosphoric,  and  by  al- 
most every  variety  of  neutral,  either  alkaline,  earthy, 
or  metallic.  It  is  soluble  in  an  equal  weight  of  water  at 
60.  The  preparation  is  difficult  and  uncertain. 

The  acetatcd  natron  has  been  styled  the  sal  vegeto 
minerale ;  but  it  has  never  been  employed  as  a  medicine, 
and  even  its  chemical  properties  have  not  been  proper- 
ly investigated. 

The  acetated  ammonia  was  formerly  styled  Mindere- 
rus  spirit.  It  is  a  deliquescent  salt,  and  we  receive  it 
usually  in  a  liquid  form,  but  seldom  of  a  certain  strength; 
though  a  medicine  given  in  doses  of  half  an  ounce  or  an 
ounce  does  not  require  any  minute  accuracy.  When 
procured  in  a  solid  state,  its  crystals  are  long,  slender, 
flatted,  and  of  a  pearly  white  colour  :  they  melt  at  170, 
and  sublime  at  250°.  It  is  decompounded  by  fixed  al- 
kalis, lime  water,  the  acids  of  lemon,  phosphorus,  and 
tartar,  as  well  as  the  three  strong  mineral  acids  ;  by 
alum,  Epsom  salt,  nitrated  silver,  muriated  iron,  ace- 
tated lead,  and  the  vitriols. 

Theac/rf  of  tartar,  in  common  language,  is  the  cream 
of  tartar,  which  is  the  deposition  from  wine,  purified 
from  the  oily  and  colouring  matter,  and  crystallized  in 
irregular  masses,  formed  by  a  confused  mixture  of 
needle-like  crystals.  In  this  state  it  is  gritty  between 
the  teeth,  and  of  a  harsh  unpleasant  sourness  ;  soluble 
in  sixty  times  its  weight  of  cold,  and  half  the  quantity 
of  boiling  water.  It  is  not,  however,  a  pure  acid,  but 
contains  from  twenty-three  to  thirty-three  hunclredths 
of  potash.  The  purification  of  tartar  is  kept  a  secret; 
but  it  is  probably  effected  by  the  admixture  of  pipe  clay, 
since,  by  repeatedly  washing  the  crystals  of  tartar,  an 
earth  of  this  kind  remains.  It  has  been  a  pharmaceuti- 
cal problem  to  render  cream  of  tartar  more  soluble  in 
water,  and  borax  has  been  employed  for  the  purpose ; 
but  the  latter  is  by  this  means  decomposed. 

The  real  acid  of  tartar  is  not  deliquescent,  and  for 
this  reason  it  is  entitled  the  dry  powder  of  lemonade. 
It  is  not  the  reputed  salt  of  lemons,  which  is  in  reality 
the  salt  of  wood  sorrel,  though  it  is  supposed  to  add  not  a 
little  to  the  bulk  of  this  expensive  preparation.  The 
powder  of  lemonade  is  prepared  by  mixing  a  drachm  of 
the  essential  salt  of  tartar  with  six  drachms  of  sugar,  and 
adrachmoftheeleosaccharum  of  oil  of  lemons.  It  is  ob- 
vious that  alkalis  and  earths  will  destroy  the  acid,  but 
the  eyes  and  claws  of  crabs  are  not  purely  calcareous ; 
and  though  with  chalk  it  forms  an  indissoluble  salt, 
with  magnesia,  on  the  contrary,  it  forms  a  soluble  one. 


CHE 


417 


CHE 


But  whatever  its  affinities  are  in  the  moisi  slate,  in  a 
dry  powder  they  are  not  exerted ;  and  the  acid  of  tartar 
forms  the  basis  of  a  salt,  from  which  the  carbonic  acid 
is  readily  separated  in  solution.  We  hinted  at  this 
mixture  when  we  spoke  of  the  exhibition  of  this  acid; 
and  the  preparation  consists  of  one  drachm  of  the  acid, 
with  two  of  kali,  or  three  of  natron,  adding  a  little  sugar 
according  to  the  taste.  This  acid  decomposes  all  the 
salts,  whose  basis  is  the  vegetable  alkali.  It  decomposes 
alsomuriated  lime  and  barytes,  nitrated  silver,  muriated 
iron,  acetated  and  nitrated  mercury,  acetated  lead,  and 
all  the  vitriols,  as  well  as  soaps  of  every  kind. 

The  tartarised  kali  is  the  tartarised  tartar  of  former 
authors,  the  soluble  tartar  of  pharmaceutists,  and  is 
usually  prepared  by  saturating  the  superabundant  acid 
of  the  cream  of  tartar  by  adding  kali.  It  is  soluble  in 
alcohol,  and  in  four  parts  of  cold  water.  It  is  decom- 
posed by  all  acids  and  by  acid  fruits;  by  lime,  barytes, 
strontia,  and  magnesia ;  partly  by  the  sulphats  of  potash, 
soda,  alumine,  and  magnesia;  and  by  the  muriats  of 
barytes,  lime,  and  ammonia;  by  cubic  nitre,  and  the 
most  common  metallic  salts. 

The  tartarised  soda  has  been  styled  sal  Rupellensis  ; 
but  as  the  crystals  of  tartar  are  saturated  with  the  soda, 
it  is  obvious  that  this  is  properly  a  triple  salt,  and  has 
been  justly  called  by  the  Edinburgh  college,  tartris  po- 
tassae  and  sodae.  Its  crystals  are  very  large  and  regular, 
in  the  form  of  prisms,  of  eight  nearly  equal  sides,  di- 
vided longitudinally  almost  to  their  axis.  It  is  bitter, 
soluble  in  about  five  parts  of  water,  effloresces,  but 
does  not  deliquesce,  in  the  air,  and  consists  of  about  54 
parts  of  tartrite  of  potash  and  46  of  tartrite  of  soda. 
All  acids  decompose  it;  even  the  acid  fruits,  alum,  mu- 
riated lime,  Epsom  salt,  nitrated  mercury,  acetated  lead, 
and  the  vitriols,  have  the  same  effect. 

Tartarised  ammonia  seems  not  to  have  been  examin- 
ed :  it  certainly  has  not  been  employed  as  a  medicine. 
Its  crystals  are  tetraedral  pyramids,  with  obliquely 
truncated  summits. 

Borax  is  a  natural  production,  which  nature  offers, 
partly  saturated  with  soda,  as  the  acid  of  tartar  is  with 
kali.  The  crystals  of  borax  are  hexangular  prisms ;  of 
which  two  sides  are  broader  than  the  others,  terminated 
by  -white  triangular  pyramids.  The  taste  is  styptic  and 
urinous ;  it  colours  vegetable  blues  green,  is  soluble  in 
18  parts  of  cold  water,  and  in  6  of  boiling.  It  slightly 
effloresces  in  the  air,  swells  with  the  loss  of  nearly  half 
its  weight  from  heat,  and  becomes  a  porous  friable 
mass,  melting  in  a  greater  heat  to  glass.  It  is  decom- 
posed by  all  acids  and  alkalis,  by  the  sulphats,  nitrats, 
muriats,  phosphats,  and  fiuats,  of  all  the  earths,  and  of 
ammonia.  The  boracic  acid  forms  39  parts,  soda  1 7, 
and  water  44. 

Its  acid  was  styled  by  Homberg,  who  discovered  it, 
the  sedative  salt,  from  its  supposed  soothing  power  in 
fevers.  It  appears  in  small,  shining,  laminated  crys- 
tals, and  its  specific  gravity  is  148.  It  vitrifies  in  the 
fire ;  is  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  imparting  to  the 
latter  the  property  of  burning  with  a  yellow  flame. 
Of  borax  we  have  already  spoken  ;  but  of  the  borats  we 
know  little,  and  they  certainly  form  no  part  of  the  ma- 
teria  medica. 

The  citric  and  oxalic  acid  are  employed  in  medicine  ; 
but  their  compounds,  the  citrats  and  the  oxalats,  except 
in  one  instance,  the  citras  potassse,  do  not  claim  the  phy- 

VOL.    I. 


sician's  attention.  We  must  not,  however,  wholly  omit 
them  or  the  other  acids,  as  in  the  rage  for  novelty  they 
may  in  turn  share  our  regard. 

The  acid  of  lemon*  is  with  difficulty  separated  from 
its  mucilage,  so  as  to  be  reduced  to  the  state  of  a  limpid 
solution  or  a  crystalline  form.  Various  attempts  have 
been  made  to  concenter  it  by  freezing,  or  to  combine  it 
with  spirit  of  wine,  from  which  the  mucilage  is  easily 
separated.  The  most  successful  plan  was  suggested  by 
Scheele,  to  combine  the  acid  with  chalk;  from  which,  as 
the  salt  is  nearly  insoluble,  the  mucilage  may  be  readily 
washed :  the  citric  acid  is  then  separated  by  adding 
the  sulphuric.  It  is  one  of  the  strongest  of  the  native 
acids;  and  cannot,  like  the  greater  number  of  the  others, 
be  converted  into  the  oxalic  by  means  of  the  nitric 
acid.  Its  crystals  are  octoedral  prisms,  truncated  on 
their  solid  angles.  The  citric  acid  unites  with  alkalis, 
earths,  and  even  metals.  With  the  fixed  alkali  it  is 
supposed  to  sit  more  easily  in  the  stomach  than  any 
other  neutral;  which,  if  true,  may  be  owing  to  some 
remains  of  the  carbonic  acid  gas  separated  from  the 
alkali,  and  entangled  in  the  fluid  :  but  all  neutrals  pos- 
sess, in  a  certain  degree,  an  anti-emetic  power.  The 
citric  acid  decomposes  all  tartarised  neutrals. 

The  malic  acid  is  not  peculiar  to  apples,  from  whence 
its  name  is  derived,  but  is  found  in  all  unripe  fruits, 
and  may  be  converted  into  oxalic  acid  by  the  nitric. 
It  is  separated  from  the  mucilage  by  combining  it  with 
chalk,  and  then  adding  the  acetite  of  lead.  The  ma- 
late  of  lead  thus  formed  is  decomposed  by  the  sulphuric 
acids.  This  acid  is  frequent  in  a  variety  of  plants,  par- 
ticularly the  succulent  ones,  and  in  common  parsley : 
and  Vauquelin  tells  us,  that  when  the  juice  of  a  plant 
furnishes  a  copious  precipitate  with  oxalate  of  am- 
monia, and  a  flocculent  one  with  acetite  of  lead,  it  un- 
doubtedly contains  a  malate  of  lime.  By  fire,  this  acid 
is  destroyed  or  converted  into  carbonic  acid.  The  ma- 
lates  of  alkalis  are  deliquescent,  but  the  malate  of  alu- 
mine is  with  difficulty  soluble :  it  unites  with  iron  and 
zinc :  the  chalybeate  salt  does  not  crystallize ;  that  with 
zinc  forms  fine  crystals. 

The  oxalic  acid  which  nature  offers  us  combined  like 
tartar,  in  part  with  an  alkali,  has  a  penetrating  sour 
taste.  It  effloresces  in  the  air ;  and  is  soluble  in  twice 
its  weight  of  cold,  and  half  its  weight  of  boiling,  water. 
Like  all  the  weaker  acids,  it  dissolves  the  metallic  ox- 
ides rather  than  the  metals  themselves ;  and  it  combines 
with  the  more  common  earths.  With  lime  it  forms  a 
salt  so  insoluble,  that  it  becomes  the  surest  test  of  cal- 
careous earths  and  its  compounds ;  though  Brugnatelli 
suspects  its  infallibility. 

The  acid  of  sugar  is  one  of  those  products  from  the 
vegetable  oxides  by  means  of  the  nitric  acid  which  we 
have  already  mentioned.  Not  only  sugar,  but  muci- 
lages, mild  oils,  and  flour,  assume  by  this  intermede  the 
form  of  an  acid  ;  and  this  acid  is  invariably  the  oxalic. 

The  gallic  acid  seems  to  collect  its  oxygen  from  the 
air,  since  long  exposure  to  the  atmosphere  is  necessary 
to  its  production.  The  taste  is  acid  and  astringent ;  it 
effervesces  with  lime,  and  reddens  the  blue  vegetable 
infusions.  The  salt  requires  twelve  tunes  the  quantity 
of  cold  water,  and  one  and  a  half  of  warm.  It  dissolves 
also  in  alcohol,  in  equal  quantities  when  hot,  but  re- 
quires four  times  its  weight  when  cold.  It  forms  ox- 
alic with  nitrous  acid ;  and  the  acid,  when  sublimed. 
3H 


CHE 


418 


CHE 


resembles  in  obvious  qualities  the  benzoic.  The  gallic 
acid  is  totally  distinct  from  the  tanning  principle ;  with 
which,  as  boih  are  often  united,  it  has  been  confounded. 

The  acid  of  cork  is  sharply  acid  and  bitter.  It  deli- 
quesces in  the  air,  and  becomes  brown  by  the  sun's 
light.  It  is  distinguished  from  the  acid  of  camphor,  by 
turning  the  solution  of  indigo  green;  from  the  gallic 
acid,  by  its  yellow  precipitation ;  and  from  the  malic, 
by  its  solid  form.  It  does  not  burn  or  smoke  on  hot 
coals,  like  the  tartarous  ;  gives  a  green  hue  to  a  solution 
of  nitrat  of  copper,  without  occasioning  any  precipita- 
tion ;  and  does  not  attract  lime  so  strongly  as  the  oxalic 
acid. 

The  benzoic  acid  appears  very  generally  in  the  vege- 
table chemistry ;  and  we  have  mentioned  it  as  the  acid 
which  gives  the  balsams  their  distinguishing  properties. 
Since  that  article  was  printed  we  have  received  Mr. 
Hatchett's  valuable  observations  on  this  and  some  other 
acids;  and  we  have  thus  a  striking  proof,  if  any  other 
>vas  wanted,  of  the  utility  of  frequently  returning  to  the 
same  subject  in  a  progressive  work  like  the  present,  if 
we  would,  as  we  profess,  render  it  a  picture  of  the 
science  at  the  present  moment.  The  properties  of  the 
benzoic  acid,  as  generally  recognised,  occur  under  the 
article  BENZOINUM.  We  must  now  add,  however, 
the  formula  adopted  in  the  last  edition  of  the  Edinburgh, 
from  the  Prussian,  Pharmacopoeia ;  not  as  a  chemical  re- 
finement only,  but  as  better  fitting  it  for  being  reduced 
to  a  powder,  should  it  be  ever  employed  as  a  medicine. 
Twenty-four  ounces  of  gum  benjamin  are  triturated 
•with  eight  quarts  of  water  for  half  an  hour ;  the  water 
is  strained  off,  and  the  gum  again  triturated  with  three 
quarts  of  water  and  strained.  The  strained  liquors  are 
mixed  and  evaporated  to  a  quart,  to  which  diluted  sul- 
phuric acid  is  gradually  added  while  any  precipitation 
appears.  The  precipitated  acid  is  dissolved  in  boiling 
water,  strained  while  hot,  and  set  aside  to  crystallize. 
The  crystals,  which  are.  less  beautiful  than  the  flowers, 
must  be  washed  in  cold  water,  and  preserved  in  a  dry 
phial. 

The  camfihoric  acid  has  not  been  used  in  medicine, 
and  the  properties  of  its  neutral  salts  are  little  known. 
Its  crystals  resemble  the  muriat  of  ammonia,  and  are, 
with  difficulty,  soluble  in  water.  It  is  not,  perhaps, 
very  different  from  the  benzoic  acid.  It  burns  without 
any  residuum ;  does  not  precipitate  lime  from  lime 
water,  nor  produce  any  change  in  the  sulphuric  solution 
of  indigo. 

Two  animal  acids  yet  remain,  the  phosphoric  and 
•prussic ;  for  the  uric  acid  we  shall  not  again  consider, 
unless  additional  information  lead  us  to  resume  the  sub- 
jest.  See  CALCULUS. 

Phosfihoric  acid  is  produced  from  phosphorus  (see 
INFLAMMABLES)  by  burning,  but  is  not  in  that  pro- 
cess saturated  with  oxygen.  It  is  in  a  more  perfect 
state  when  prepared,  as  usual,  by  nitric  acid.  The 
phosphoric  acid  when  pure  is  not  corrosive,  and  has  no 
smell ;  its  specific  gravity  is  three  times  that  of  water, 
and  it  may  be  concentrated  to  dryness,  when  it  is  styled 
the  glacial  acid  of  phosphorus.  It  combines  with  al- 
kalis, and  the  alkaline  earths ;  but  its  salts  are  seldom 
soluble.  With  magnesia,  if  the  acid  is  in  excess,  the 
salt  is  soluble;  and  were  not  phosphorus  a  suspicious 
medicine,  we  should  recommend  this  salt  to  a  cautious 
trial.  The  only  neutral  employed  by  the  physician  is 


the  phosphat  of  soda ;  a  salt  almost  tasteless,  though  suf- 
ficiently active  as  a  cathartic  for  children,  perfectly  safe, 
and  highly  useful.  Its  crystals  are  rhomboidal,  and 
they  effloresce  in  the  air.  It  is  decomposed  by  alkalis, 
the  mineral  acids,  tartarous  neutrals,  alum,  muriated 
lime,  Epsom  salt,  muriated  barytes,  and  almost  every 
metallic  salt. 

The  firussic  acid  is  an  ingredient  in  the  vital  fluid, 
and  may  be  obtained  by  distilling  blood  with  the  nitric. 
acid.  It  has  an  acid  taste  and  suffocating  smell ;  com- 
bines with  alkalis  and  metals;  and  has  lately  been  disco- 
vered in  the  vegetable  kingdom  as  a  component  part  of 
bitter  almonds,  the  cherry,  peach,  and  apricot  kernels, 
and  perhaps  laurel  and  peach  leaves.  Berthollet  sup- 
poses its  basis  to  be  composed  of  hydrogen,  nitrogen, 
and  carbon;  but  the  proportions  are  not  known.  It 
has  in  no  form  been  yet  employed  in  medicine,  except 
in  the  (now  neglected)  black  cherry  water. 

Two  anomalous  neutrals  yet  remain,  which,  to  com- 
plete the  subject,  we  shall  here  consider,  viz.  the  hydro- 
Hidfihurat  of  ammonia,  introduced  into  the  last  edition 
of  the  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  and  the  sai  fiolycrestum 
Glaseri.  Tromsdori  seems  first  to  have  remarked  that 
sulphurated  hydrogen  combines  with  different  bases  like 
an  acid.  The  hydrosulphural  of  ammonia  is  prepared 
by  decomposing  sulphurat  of  iron  with  muriatic  acid. 
When  the  acid  separates  the  iron  from  the  sulphur,  the 
latter,  with  the  oxygen  of  the  water,  forms  sulphuric 
acid ;  while  another  portion  of  the  sulphur  forms  the 
hydrogen,  forming  sulphurated  hydrogen  gas,  which  is 
afterwards  combined  with  the  ammonia.  This  is  the 
preparation  of  the  salt  recommended  by  Mr.  Cruick- 
shanks  in  diabetes,  which  he  styles  hepatised  ammonia ; 
and  though  experience  has  not  established  its  utility  in 
this  complaint,  there  is  great  reason  for  supposing  that 
it  may  be  useful  in  some  others,  particularly  in  phthisis. 
It  must  be,  however,  employed  with  caution,  since  it 
produces  vertigo  and  other  unpleasant  symptoms. 

The  sal  fioly  crest  of  Glaser  is  only  a  combination  of 
an  imperfect  sulphureous  acid  with  potash.  It  is  easily 
decomposed ;  and  though  it  was  once  a  celebrated  re- 
medy in  Germany,  is  now  rarely  used. 

ALKALIS  are  salts  of  an  opposite  nature,  and  very 
rarely  found  native  ;  never,  perhaps,  pure.  They  are 
either  the  vegetable,  the  mineral,  or  the  volatile:  but 
the  two  former  are  not  exclusively  derived  from  that 
kingdom  which  gives  them  their  distinguishing  appel- 
lation ;  as  the  vegetable  alkali  has  been  found  in  some 
granites  of  a  very  early  formation,  if  not  primordial,  and 
the  mineral  in  numerous  vegetables. 

Alkalis  were  long  supposed  to  be  elementary  sub- 
stances; but  a  few  years  since  M.  cle  Morveau  an- 
nounced that  he  had  discovered  the  vegetable  alkali  to 
consist  of  hydrogen  and  lime  ;  the  mineral  of  the  same 
principle  and  magnesia.  His  few  experiments  were, 
however,  inconclusive;  and  would,  perhaps,  not  have 
occurred  to  our  notice,  but  for  the  facts  pointed  out  when 
we  spoke  of  the  decomposition  oi  the  muriatic  acid. 
The  whole  is  strongly  prepossessing  from  its  simplicity. 

The  alkalis  in  the  earlier  chemical  works  were  by  no 
means  such  as  the  modern  chemistry  recognises  by  this 
title.  They  are,  in  the  modern  systems,  considered  as 
imperfect  neutrals,  neutralised  by  the  carbonic  acid  or 
fixed  air,  which,  as  we  have  hinted,  does  not  deprive 
them  of  their  alkaline  properties ;  nor,  indeed,  when 


C  HE 


419 


CHE 


supersaturated  with  this  acid  and  become  acidulous,  do 
they  wholly  lose  their  alkaline  or  urinous  taste.  We  have 
nothing  further  to  add  on  this  subject.  See  ALKALI. 

EARTHS.  Chemistry  has  lately  been  enriched  by 
numerous  additions  to  this  class  of  bodies,  and  medi- 
cine has  also  made  a  few  acquisitions.  Though  earths 
should  not  appear  to  be  the  bases  of  alkalis,  yet  many 
approach  alkalis  very  nearly  in  numerous  properties. 
In  general,  earths  are  insoluble  in  water,  at  least  when 
joined  with  carbonic  acid ;  and  in  this  state  also  they 
are  without  taste  and  smell.  They  are  fixed,  and  unal- 
terable in  fire,  assuming  the  form  of  a  dry  powder,  and 
their  specific  gravity  rarely  exceeds  4.9.  The  five 
earths  employed  in  medicine  are,  the  barytes,  strontia, 
lime,  magnesia,  alumine ;  the  five  others  are  the  yttria, 
glucina,  zircona,  agustina,  and  silica.  These  are  ar- 
ranged nearly  in  the  order  of  what  may  be  styled  their 
alkalinity. 

Barytes  is  a  greyish  white  porous  body,  possessing 
even  a  greater  pungency  than  lime.  It  tinges  blue  co- 
lours green,  and,  as  we  have  said,  destroys  animal  sub- 
stances. Its  specific  gravity  is  nearly  4,  and  it  is  not  af- 
fected by  the  strongest  heat.  It  is  slaked  in  the  air,  and 
by  water,  like  lime ;  and  when  dissolved  in  hot  water 
it  crystallizes  on  cooling,  in  needle-like  crystals,  com- 
posed of  53  parts  of  water,  and  47  of  barytes.  Water 
dissolves  0.05  of  this  earth,  and  resembles  in  taste  and 
properties  lime  water.  Boiling  water  dissolves  half  its 
weight.  It  will  not  unite  with  oxygen,  azote,  hydro- 
gen, carbon,  or  charcoal,  but  joins  readily  sulphur  and 
phosphorus.  (See  BARYTES). 

Strontia  resembles  barytes  in  every  circumstance,  ex- 
cept that  the  salts  it  forms  with  acids  have  somewhat 
different  properties ;  and  it  will  probably  be  found  that 
potash  and  soda,  barytes  and  strontia,  lime  and  mag- 
nesia, are  very  nearly  and  respectively  connected.  The 
specific  gravity  of  strontia  is  about  3.7.  One  part  of 
strontia  requires  162  parts  of  cold  water,  but  boiling 
water  dissolves  it  more  freely.  In  cooling,  the  earth  is 
deposited  in  thin  quadrangular  plates,  which  are  often 
parallelograms:  occasionally  they  adhere  and  form 
cubes,  containing  about  0.68  of  water.  It  is  not  poi- 
sonous ;  and  though  it  has  been  tried  in  medicine,  it 
does  not  seem  to  possess  any  peculiar  medicinal  powers. 

Lime  is  an  earth  well  known,  and  has  already  been 
particularly  noticed  (see  CALX).  We  may  add  here, 
for  the  sake  of  the  connection,  that  its  specific  gravity 
is  about  2.4,  and  that  it  is  soluble  in  450  times  its  weight 
of  water.  Its  neutrals  are  supposed  to  be  astringent. 
It  combines,  in  the  form  of  lime  water,  with  the  oxides 
«jf  mercury  and  lead;  but  we  know  not  that  these  com- 
pounds have  been  employed  in  medicine. 

Magnesia  was  first  pointed  ont  as  a  distinct  earth  by 
Dr.  Black.  Its  properties  are  less  strikingly  alkaline 
than  the  preceding  earths,  and  it  docs  not  melt  in  the 
strongest  heats  that  can  be  employed ;  nor  does  it  be- 
come acrid  by  calcination,  though  the  air  which  it  loses 
in  the  fire  is  rapidly  regained  on  exposure  to  the  atmo- 
-plu-re.  If,  therefore,  the  calcined  magnesia  is  not  care- 
i'uily  kept  from  the  air,  it  soon  differs  little  from  the 
common  earth.  Its  specific  gravity  is  2.33,  and  its  com- 
pounds, with  acids,  are  soluble;  yet  even  with  thevege- 
tiibie  acid,  the  neutral  is  deliquescent  and  not  pleusing 
to  the  tab'e.  The  fossils  in  which  it  predominates  are 
soft  and  unctuous  to  the  touch. 


Alumine  is  an  earth  of  the  highest  importance  Ln  me- 
dicine, since  its  sulphat,  the  common  alum,  is  a  very 
valuable  remedy ;  and  the  boles,  in  which  it  is  often  a 
principal  ingredient,  are  useful  in  sheathing  membranes 
deprived  of  their  mucus.  The  earth  is  soft  to  the  touch, 
and  adheres  to  the  tongue,  in  consequence  of  absorbing 
its  moisture.  Its  specific  gravity  is  2.0.  It  absorbs 
water,  and  is  diffusible  through  it:  but  alone  it  is  wholly 
insoluble;  and  in  fire  infusible.  It  unites  with  alkalis, 
and  many  different  earths. 

Of  the  remaining  earths  our  account  will  be  neces- 
sarily short,  as  they  are  useless  in  medicine. 

Yttria  appears  in  the  form  of  a  tasteless,  white  pow- 
der. It  is  insoluble  in  water,  and  does  not  change  vege- 
table blues.  It  refuses  all  union  with  fixed  alkalis,  but 
unites  with  the  carbonate  of  ammonia.  With  acids  it 
forms  salts  of  a  sweetish  but  somewhat  austere  taste, 
and  in  fire  it  is  unaltered. 

Glucina  is  obtained  in  white,  light  masses,  adhering 
strongly  to  the  tongue,  unaffected  by  fire,  and  insoluble 
in  water.  This  earth  unites  with  all  the  alkalis,  with 
acids,  and  with  sulphurated  hydrogen. 

Zircona  appears  also  as  a  white  powder,  soft  to  the 
touch,  without  taste  or  smell ;  of  a  specific  gravity  equal 
to  4.3.  Though  infusible  by  heat  alone,  when  surround- 
ed by  charcoal  its  particles  unite  to  a  flinty  hardness.  It 
combines  with  carbonated  alkalis,  and  is  soluble  in  all 
the  acids,  though  insoluble  in  water. 

Of  agustina,  the  existence  as  a  distinct  earth  has  been 
disproved.  If  Tromsdorf 's  experiments  may  be  trusted, 
though  the  results  have  not  been  supported  by  other 
chemists,  it  resembles  alumina,  and  refuses  to  unite 
with  all  alkalis.  It  hardens  when  heated  without  ac- 
quiring any  taste,  and  its  salts  are  tasteless. 

Silica  is  well  known  by  its  common  appellation,  flint. 
It  melts  with  alkalis,  forming  the  well  known  and  use- 
ful compound,  glass ;  but  it  is  insoluble  in  acids,  and 
wholly  useless  in  medicine.  It  occurs  in  vegetable 
substances ;  and  must  consequently  admit  of  such  a 
minute  division  that  we  may  expect  to  find  it  also  in 
the  animal  fluids.  It  occurs,  we  find  from  late  expe- 
riments, in  the  Bath  waters ;  but  we  have  no  reason  to 
think  that  it  contributes  to  their  medicinal  virtues.  Its 
source  is  unknown;  but  if  potash  is  only  lime  united  to 
hydrogen,  as  this  salt  dissolves  flint,  on  the  separation  of 
the  hydrogen,  the  latter  will  necessarily  form  distinct 
concretions,  in  which  state  we  find  it.  We  regret  that 
this  system  of  De  Morveau's  is  not  better  established, 
since  it  elucidates  so  clearly  various  facts  in  mineralogy, 
many  more  indeed  than  we  dare  hint  at.  Silica  com- 
bines with  barytes,  and,  when  recently  formed,  unites 
with  about  1000  parts  of  its  weight  of  water. 

INFLAMMABLES.  These  are  sulphur,  phosphorus, 
the  various  kinds  of  pitcoal,  charcoal,  and  amber.  Of 
these  the  two  former  only  are  medicinal,  and  to  them 
we  must  return;  but  to  preserve  the  connection  we 
shall  give  a  very  short  outline  of  the  chemical  proper- 
ties o*  each. 

Sulfthur  is  known  to  be  a  yellow  substance,  brittle, 
fusible,  electric,  insoluble  in  water,  of  the  specific  gra- 
vity of  nearly  2.0.  It  sublimes  at  170°,  melts  at  185°, 
burns  with  a  pale  blue  flame  at  300°,  and  with  a  bright 
white  flame  at  570a.  It  combines  with  different  pro- 
portions of  oxygen,  and  occurs  in  a  variety  of  minerals. 
particularly  metallic  ores. 

3H2 


C  H  K 


420 


CHE 


Phosfihorus  is  a  concrete  oxide,  generally  prepared 
from  urine  or  bones,  of  the  consistence  of  wax,  of  a 
reddish  colour,  which  it  loses  by  being  kept  in  the  dark. 
It  is  soluble  in  essential,  and  with  some  precautions  in 
expressed,  oils.  When  the  oil  of  cloves  is  employed,  a 
Hash  of  light  follows  each  time  the  bottle  is  opened. 
Phosphorus  in  the  dark  emits  a  pale  light,  but  at  about 
100°  of  Fahrenheit  melts  and  burns  with  a  vivid  flame 
and  violent  heat.  It  is  brittle  under  32°,  and  its  fracture 
is  vitreous  and  somewhat  lamellated.  It  unites  with 
oxygen,  but  attracts  it  only  when  nitrogen  or  some 
other  intermede  is  added.  This  union  would  appear 
to  be  a  mixture,  but  that  phosphorus  attracts  oxygen 
from  the  oxy-muriatic  acid.  With  oxygen,  as  we  have 
said,  the  phosphoric  acid  is  produced.  The  union  of 
phosphorus  with  oxygen  takes  place  with  considerable 
violence  if  the  ingredients  are  struck  only.  Nitrate  of 
silver,  or  oxygenated  muriat  of  potash,  forms,  with  phos- 
phorus, the  most  violent  fulminating  powders,  in  conse- 
quence of  percussion  only ;  but  even  common  muriates, 
with  heat,  will  have  the  same  effect.  This  is  a  fact  of 
more  importance,  as  phosphorus  has  been  lately  given 
internally ;  but  great  inconveniences  have  arisen  from 
its  exhibition,  which  seems  sometimes  to  have  proved 
fatal.  Its  specific  gravity  is  2.0382,  taste  acrid,  smell 
alliaceous.  It  is  raised  into  vapour  by  a  heat  of  180°, 
and  boils  at  534°. 

Of  charcoal  and  pitcoal  (see  CARBO)  we  have  spok'en 
at  sufficient  length,  as  they  are  not  substances  very  often 
employed  in  medicine.  Respecting  amber,  usually  ar- 
ranged under  the  inflammables,  we  have  nothing  to 
add.  See  AMBER. 

Metals  are  opaque,  brilliant  bodies,  considerably  hard, 
very  frequently  malleable  in  different  degrees,  though 
some  are  flexile  and  elastic.  They  make  no  impression 
on  the  organs  of  smell  or  taste,  except  in  some  in- 
stances when  rubbed.  They  are  the  best  conductors 
of  electricity  ;  and  during  the  oxidation  of  some  of  these 
bodies,  the  Galvanic  influence  becomes  powerfully  con- 
spicuous. All  may  be  melted  by  heat,  and  the  greater 
number  are  exhaled  in  vapour. 

Metals  are  divided  into  those  which,  by  the  addition 
of  oxygen,  become  acid,  and  those  which  are  oxidised, 
without  showing  any  acid  properties.  Of  the  former 
kind  arsenic,  tungstein,  molybdenum,  chrome,  and 
columbium.  Of  the  latter,  gold,  platina,  silver,  copper, 
iron,  plumbago,  lead,  tin,  zinc,  mercury,  tellurium 
(sylvanite  of  Kirwan),  antimony,  bismuth,  manganese, 
nickel ,  niccolanum,  cobalt,  uranium ,  titanium,  palladium, 
osmium,  and  iridium.  We  shall  shortly  mention  their 
properties  in  the  same  order,  excepting  only  those  gene- 
rally employed  in  medicine ;  and  their  medical  effects 
depend  so  intimately  on  their  chemical  treatment,  that 
it  would  neither  be  easy  nor  advantageous  to  separate 
the  different  parts  of  the  subject. 

Tungstein  is  a  semimetal  of  a  gray  colour,  fusing 
with  great  difficulty,  oxidisable  in  the  air  by  heat,  and 
afterwards  acidifiable.  In  the  state  of  an  oxide  it  is 
yellow ;  in  that  of  an  acid,  white.  The  former  gives  to 
glass  a  blue  or  brown  colour. 

Molybdenum  has  a  very  slight  metallic  splendour,  and 
a  low  specific  gravity.  It  is  oxidised  by  sulphuric,  and 
easily  acidified  by  nitric,  acid.  The  acid  is  white  and 
styptic.  Though  the  specific  gravity  of  the  metal  is 
but  6,  that  of  the  acid  is  8.4. 


Chrome  is  of  a  whitish  gray  colour,  very  brittle,  and 
with  difficulty  fused  or  oxidised.  Neither  the  sulphuric 
nor  muriatic  acids  dissolve  it ;  but  the  nitric  changes  it 
first  into  a  beautifully  green  oxide,  and  afterwards  into 
an  orange  yellow  acid. 

Columbium  is  little  known.  It  was  discovered  in  an 
American  fossil  by  Mr.  Hatchett,  and  its  acid  is  awhile 
powder,  insoluble  in  water. 

Of  the  oxidisable  metals,  we  shall  omit,  for  the  rea- 
sons mentioned,  gold,  silver,  copper,  iron,  lead,  tin,  zinc, 
mercury,  antimony,  bismuth,  and  manganese. 

Platina  has  not  yet  found  its  way  into  the  materia 
medica,  nor  is  it  likely  soon  to  become  a  medicinal  sub- 
stance. It  is  of  a  gray  colour,  approaching  Jo  black, 
when  polished.  Its  specific  gravity  is  about  21,  and  it 
yields  to  gold  only  in  ductility,  and  to  iron  in  hardness. 
It  is  fused  in  160°  of  Wedgewood,  21.877°  of  Fahren- 
heit, could  Fahrenheit's  scale  be  continued  to  this  point. 
It  is  a  good  conductor  of  electricity  and  Galvanism  ;  is 
oxidised  by  the  former,  producing  a  gray  powder.  It 
is  oxidised  and  dissolved  by  the  oxy-muriatic,  but  more 
certainly  and  quickly  by  the  nitro-muriatic,  acid. 

Plumbago  is  a  carburet  of  iron,  seldom  pure,  and  re- 
quiring a  high  degree  of  heat  for  its  union  with  oxygen. 

Tellurium,  which  Mr.  Kirwan  styles  sylvanite,  is  of  a 
bright  lead  colour,  but  brittle  and  crystallized  in  lamel- 
lae. Its  specific  gravity  is  about  6.1.  It  soon  melts 
and  sublimes.  It  burns  with  a  greenish  flame  and  a 
white  smoke,  resembling  the  smell  of  radishes.  Its 
oxide  melts  into  a  straw  coloured  radiated  glass.  It 
is  soluble  in  sulphuric,  nitric,  and  nitro-muriatic 
acids. 

The  colour  of  nickel  is  between  that  of  tin  and  silver, 
nearly  9  in  specific  gravity  ;  when  pure,  extremely  duc- 
tile and  malleable ;  infusible,  and  with  difficulty  oxidisa- 
ble in  the  air :  yet  it  yields  to  the  nitrous  and  nitro- 
muriatic  acid  only,  tinging  them  of  a  brilliant  green.  It 
combines  with  phosphorus,  sulphur,  and  the  different 
metals.  Its  oxide  is  of  a  light  clear  green,  giving  to 
glass  a  brown  and  orange,  in  soigne  instances  a  red,  hue  ; 
but  reducible  by  fire  only.  It  is  strongly  attracted  by 
the  magnet,  and  can  assume  polarity.  Richter.  Nic- 
colanum, lately  discovered  by  the  same  author,  very 
nearly  resembles  nickel. 

Cobalt  is  a  metal  so  brittle  as  to  be  capable  of  being 
reduced  to  powder.  Its  grain  is  fine,  its  colour  of  a 
reddish  gray,  and  its  specific  gravity  nearly  7.8.  It  is 
oxidated  previous  to  its  fusion,  and  requires  a  high 
degree  of  heat  for  its  melting.  It  yields  to  all  the  acids, 
and  unites  with  phosphorus  and  sulphur.  Its  oxide  is 
of  a  deep  blue,  and  gives  this  colour  to  glass.  In  the 
arts  it  is  styled  zaffre,  or  smalt. 

Uranium  presents  a  mass  of  small  globules  slightly 
united,  of  a  pale  brown,  sometimes  of  a  gray,  colour. 
Its  specific  gravity  is  6.44.  It  is  very  infusible,  but 
yields  to  several  of  the  acids,  and  unites  with  phospho- 
rus. Its  oxide  is  yellow,  colouring  glass  of  a  greenish 
yellow  an  emerald  green,  or  brown  of  different  shades, 
and  is  very  soluble  in  carbonated  alkalis. 

Titanium  occurs  in  hard  friable  masses,  of  a  crystal- 
line appearance  ;  internally  of  a  bright  red.  It  is  very 
infusible,  and  yields  only  to  the  principal  mineral  acids 
by  boiling.  Its  oxide  is  a  deep  red,  blue,  or  white. 

Of  iridium,  osmium,  and  palladium,  three  metals,  if 
truly  distinct  ones,  found  in  platina,  we  yet  know  little, 


CHE 


4-21 


CHE 


and  of  course  shall  not  enlarge  this  (already  too  exten- 
sive) article,  by  enumerating  properties  imperfectly 
known.  What  has  been  discovered  occurs  in  the  Phi- 
losophical Transactions  for  1804  and  1805. 

The  VEGETABLE  SUBSTANCES  which  have  claimed 
the  chemists'  attention  are,  sap,  mucilage,  gum,  oils, 
resins,  gum  resins,  caoutchouc,  balsams,  foecula  (starch), 
gluten,  sugar,  albumen,  various  acids,  tanin,  alkalis, 
wax,  honey,  and  aroma.  These  substances,  as  we 
have  stated  in  the  beginning  of  this  article,  consist  of 
carbon,  hydrogen,  and  oxygen.  The  tanin,  lately  in- 
troduced to  our  notice,  has  been  lately  examined  with 
peculiar  attention  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  for 
1805,  by  Mr.  Hatchett.  He  has  produced  it  with  a 
variety  of  substances  artificially,  viz.  by  the  action  of 
nitric  acid  on  any  carbonaceous  substance,  vegetable, 
animal,  or  mineral;  secondly,  by  distilling  this  acid 
from  common  resin,  indigo, dragon's  blood,  kc.;  thirdly, 
by  digesting  common  resin  with  gum  elemi,  asafoetida, 
camphor,  kc.  which  then  yield  a  principle  very  nearly 
resembling  tanin  to  alcohol. 

The  ANIMAL  SUBSTANCES  which  have  been  the 
objects  of  the  chemist  are,  the  blood,  the  gastric  and 
pancreatic  juices,  the  milk,  the  sebacic  acid,  the  bile, 
the  urine;  the  prussic,  zoonic,  formic,  and  bombic 
acids ;  the  hard  parts  of  animals ;  the  humours  of  the 
eye;  cartilages;  brain;  synovia;  tears;  mucus  of  the 
nose,  8cc.;  cerumen  of  the  ears ;  saliva;  pus;  semen; 
sweat;  liquor  amnii;  eggs;  hairs;  feathers,  and  silk. 
These  are  more  particularly  the  object  of  this  work, 
and  have  been  or  will  be  considered  in  separate  arti- 
cles. We  need  scarcely  repeat,  that  nitrogen,  or  azote, 
is  the  distinguishing  principle  of  animal  substances;  and 
have  already  observed  that  their  component  parts  are 
nitrogen,  hydrogen,  carbon,  and  oxygen. 

The  ultimate  analysis  of  animal  substances  is  pecu- 
liarly embarrassing,  on  account  of  the  extensive  combi- 
nation of  their  elements,  for  the  simplest  agent  produces 
numerous  transformations ;  many  of  which,  from  the 
rapidity  of  their  progress,  escape  us,  and  the  last  results 
are  only  obvious.  The  agent  employed,  most  success- 
fully, by  Scheele,  Bergman,  and  Berthollet,  is  the  nitric 
acid;  and  the  result,  as  we  have  often  mentioned,  is  the 
evolution  of  azote  in  large  quantities.  The  consequences 
are  also  a  change  in  the  acid ;  the  copious  production 
of  ammonia;  carbonic,  oxalic,  and  malic  acids;  the 
transformation  of  one  portion  of  these  matters  into  fat ; 
and  of  another  into  a  yellow,  bitter  substance,  the  bit- 
ter of  Welther. 

The  effects,  however,  vary  according  to  the  strength 
of  the  acid,  the  duration  of  its  action,  and  the  kind  of 
substances  examined  by  its  means.  These  varieties 
have  been  lately  the  subject  of  MM.  Fourcroy  and 
Vauquelin's  inquiries,  and  we  shall  take  this  opportu- 
nity of  stating  their  results.  The  particular  experi- 
ments have  not  yet  been  published. 

The  nitrous  acid,  from  its  first  action,  changed  the 
muscular  flesh  into  a  yellow  substance,  with  little  taste, 
though  still  sensibly  acid,  and  very  imperfectly  soluble. 
When  the  action  was  longer  continued,  the  result  was 
a  matter  equally  yellow  and  acid,  but  very  bitter,  and 
very  soluble.  By  a  still  longer  continued  action,  the 
matter  was  soluble,  inflammable,  and  fulminating,  not 
only  by  heat  but  by  percussion. 

Indigo  furnished  a  similar  substance,  and  still  more 


copiously  than  muscular  flesh.  Haussman  and  Welther 
long  ago  discovered  it ;  and  MM.  Fourcroy  and  Vau- 
quelin  attribute  it  to  the  separation  of  the  azote,  and  to 
the  combination  of  the  hydrogen  and  carbon  of  the 
flesh,  with  the  excess  of  oxygen  furnished  by  the  acid. 
They  suspect  that  the  yellow  substance  which  tinges 
the  bile,  is  equally  produced  by  the  separation  of  the 
azote  and  the  union  of  the  other  ingredients,  furnished 
probably  by  the  blood.  Yet  this  appears  less  probable  ; 
since  the  blood  which  is  to  furnish  the  bile  is  carried 
by  a  very  circuitous  course,  after  it  has  received  the 
oxygen  from  the  air,  and  the  contents  of  the  vena  portas 
abound  seemingly  more  in  azote  than  in  oxygen. 

While  we  are  speaking  of  animal  substances,  it  may 
not  be  uninteresting  to  add  the  experiments  of  those 
chemists  on  the  smut  of  wheat.  They  found,  in  this  de- 
generated corn,  a  green  oil  of  the  consistence  of  butter; 
phosphoric  acid,  in  part  comhined  with  magnesia ;  some 
lime  and  ammonia;  carbon,  and  a  vegeto-animal  sub- 
stance, exactly  like  that  which  is  produced  in  the  de- 
composition of  the  gluten  of  wheat  by  putrefaction. 

They  consequently  conclude,  that  the  smut  is  the 
residuum  of  the  farina,  decomposed  by  a  putrid  fer- 
mentation ;  and  suspect  that  it  arises  from  an  over 
proportion  of  animal  manure,  assisted  by  a  hot  and 
moist  season  at  the  period  of  its  flowering,  or  the  forma- 
tion of  the  grain. 

What  may  be  further  requisite  for  the  different  facts 
relating  to  medical  chemistry,  may  be  found  under  Ar- 
FI.VITY,  q.  v. 

CHE'MICI,  (from  chemia).  Called  also  fattarii. 
Men  who  pursue  the  art  of  chemistry. 

CHENALO'PEX,  (from  %,v>,  a  goose,  and  «***•»£,  a. 
fox}.  SHELL  DRAKE.  So  called  from  its  being  of  the 
goose  kind,  and  crafty  like  a  fox.  See  VULPANSER. 

CHENOCO'PRUS,  (from  xw,  a  goose,  and  *»*?«{, 
dung).  GOOSE  DUNG.  It  was  formerly  used  as  a  pow- 
erful resolvent,  diuretic,  and  anti-icteric.  The  green 
was  thought  the  best;  it  was  collected  in  spring,  dried, 
and  given  from  5  ss.  to  3  i.  for  a  dose. 

CHEXOPO'DIUM,  CHE'NOPUS,  (from  Kv,  a 
goose,  and  trtv*,,  a  foot}.  GOOSE  FOOT,  or  Sow  BANE  ; 
from  its  likeness  to  a  goose's  foot.  Called  also  atrifilex 
sylvestris,  fies  anserinus,  botrys,  botrya  Mexicans, 
and  atrifilex  silvestris  latifolia.  It  is  reckoned  among 
the  uterines,  but  seldom  used  in  the  present  practice. 
There  are  four  species  enumerated  by  the  writers  on 
the  materia  medica,  viz.  the  c.  bonus  henricus  and  ru- 
brum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  318.  c.  botrys  and  ambrosoides  320. 
These  are  all  oleraceous  plants,  possessing  little  medical 
power.  The  c.  anthelminticum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  320,  has  a 
fragrant  though  somewhat  faint  smell,  and  an  aromatic 
taste.  As  the  name  imports,  it  is  recommended  for 
destroying  worms.  This  forms  the  link  between  the 
oleraceous  and  the  fetid  species,  which  follows.  See 
MERCVRIALIS  and  BOTRYS. 

CHEXOPO'DIUM  F<ETIDA,  CHEXOPO'DIUM  VCLTA'RJA. 
See  ATRIPLEX  FCETIDA. 

CHEOPrXA,(from  #£»,  to  fiour,  and  *•<»»,  to  drink}. 
See  CHOPIXO. 

CHE'RAS,  (from  %tu,  to  flour  out).  It  is  so  called 
during  its  discharge.  See  SCROFULA. 

CHEREFO'LIUM.     See  CH^ROPHYLLUM. 

CHE'RMES,  (from  the  Arabic  term  charmah,  or 
karam~).  Also  called  r occum  scarlatinum,  cherme»invm 


CHE 


422 


CHI 


tinctorium  and  bajiticum,  alkermes,  coccibadicum,  grana 
kernies,  coccitm  in.tectorium,  quisquilia,  SCARLET  GRAIN, 

and  KERMES  BERRIES. 

Xermcs,  among  the  Arabians,  and  X.OX.KOS,  among  the 
Greeks,  signifies  a  small  worm;  grana  arbor  is  liicis, 
quibus  fiunicca  inficiuntur. 

An  insect  which  much  resembles  the  green  house 
bug,  lays  its  eggs  on  the  quercus  ilexlAn.  Sp.  PI.  1420, 
the  SCARLET  OAK.  The  females  of  this  kind  have  no 
wings.  The  colour  of  these  berries,  or  rather  insects, 
is  like  that  of  a  blue  plum;  the  red  colour  which  they 
have  when  brought  to  us,  is  from  their  having  been 
washed  with  vinegar.  They  are  about  the  size  and 
shape  of  juniper  berries  that  are  cut  into  two  parts;  the 
hole,  in  the  flat  surface,  leads  to  the  skin  of  the  belly. 
When  these  insects  are  fresh,  they  appear  full  of  minute 
reddish  ova,  and  which,  in  long  keeping,  change  to  a 
brownish  red  colour.  They  are  preserved  by  sprinkling 
with  vinegar,  which  prevents  the  exclusion  of  the  ova, 
and  kills  such  of  the  animalcules  as  are  already  hatched, 
and  would  otherwise  soon  fly  away.  They  are  brought 
from  France,  Spain,  Candia,  &c.  where  they  are  ga- 
thered in  May,  and  early  in  the  mornings,  while  the 
prickly  thorns,  on  which  they  adhere,  are  soft  with  the 
dew. 

Geoffroy  obtained  an  alkaline  spirit  from  them  by  dis- 
tillation. The  fresh  kermes,on  expression,  yield  a  red 
juice  of  a  light,  agreeable  smell,  and  a  bitterish  sub-as- 
tringent, and  somewhat  pungent  taste  ;  but  before  it  is 
brought  to  us,  it  is  boiled  with  sugar  into  the  con- 
sistence of  a  syrup.  The  dried  grain,  if  not  too  long 
kept,  gives  out,  both  to  water  and  to  spirit,  the  same 
deep  red  colour,  the  same  smell  and  taste,  as  is  in  the 
expressed  juice.  By  evaporation,  the  watery  tincture 
loses  nearly  all  its  smell  and  taste,  but  the  spirituous 
retains  both ;  and  spirit  extracts  the  active  parts  most 
completely. 

They  are  grateful  to  the  palate,  esteemed  cordial  and 
astringent,  and  aphrodisiac,  without  any  real  virtue,  or 
in  any  considerable  degree.  A  confection,  called  con- 
Jectio  alkermes,  was  made  of  the  juice  of  chermes  ber- 
ries, and  once  not  unfrequently  prescribed;  it  was  in- 
vented by  Mesue,  and  was  a  favourite  medicine  of 
Geoffrey;  but,  at  this  time,  practitioners  have  no  de- 
pendence on  it.  Within  our  own  remembrance,  the 
syrup,  with  fragments  of  leaf  gold,  was  given  as  a  cor- 
dial in  small  pox. 

CHK'RMES  MINERA'LIS.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

CHE'RNI'BION,  (from  %tt?,  the  hand,  and  inr]a,  to 
was/;).  In  Hippocrates  it  is  an  URINAL,  or  rather  a 
WASH-HAND  BASIN.  Motherby. 

CHE'RSA,  (from  ££/>»•««,  earth).     See  F^x. 

CHE'RVA.     An  Arabian  name  for  CATAPUTIA. 

CHEVA'LIER.     See  CALIDRIS  BEI.IONII. 

CHEVA'STRE.  A  double  headed  roller,  applied 
by  its  middle  below  the  chin;  then  running  on  each 
side,  it  is  crossed  on  the  top  of  the  head;  and  passing 
to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  is  there  crossed  :  it  next  passes 
under  the  chin,  where  crossing,  it  is  carried  to  the  top 
of  the  head,  until  it  is  all  employed.  See  Fascia. 

CHEZANA'NCE,  (from  %t&,  to  go  to  stool,  and 
avxymi,  necessity}.  It  signifies  anything  that  creates  a 
necessity  of  going  to  stool ;  and  in  P.  jEgineta  it  is 
the  name  of  an  ointment  with  which  the  anus  is  to 
be  rubbed  for  this  purpose,  jfttius  gives  this  name 


to  a  plaster,  which  was  to  have  the  same  effect  when 
applied  to  the  navel. 

CHI'A.  A  sweet  fig;  so  named  from  C/iio  or  Scio, 
where  they  are  propagated. 

CHI'A  TE'RRA.  EARTH  OF  CHIOS,  now  called 
Scio,  an  island  in  the  Archipelago.  It  is  a  grayish 
earth,  brought  from  that  island,  formerly  used  as  a  su- 
dorific in  fevers,  but  now  neglected.  Fuller's  earth,  or 
pipe  clay  coloured,  and  impressed  with  proper  signa- 
tures, are  the  general  substitutes. 

CHI'ACUM  COLL'Y'RIUM.  In  P.  ./Egineta  it  is 
a  remedy  for  disorders  of  the  eyes,  of  which  the  dry  in- 
gredients were  bruised  and  infused  in  Armenian  wine. 

CHI'ADUS.     See  FURUNCULUS. 

CHIA'SMOS.  It  is  the  meeting  of  any  two  things 
under  the  form  of  a  cross,  or  of  the  letter  £ ;  whence 
it  is  named.  The  adverbs  chiasti  and  chiasticos  mean 
the  same. 

CHI  A  'STOS.  The  name  of  a  bandage  in  Oribasius. 
so  called  from  its  resembling  the  letter  %.  See  FAS- 
CIA. 

CHIA'STRE,  (from  the  same).  A  bandage  for  the 
temporal  artery.  It  is  a  double  headed  roller,  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  broad,  and  four  ells  long.  The  mid- 
dle is  applied  to  the  side  of  the  head,  opposite  to  that 
in  which  the  artery  is  opened;  and,  when  brought  round 
to  the  part  affected,  it  is  crossed  upon  the  compress 
that  is  laid  on  the  wound,  and  then  the  continuation  is 
over  the  coronal  suture,  and  under  the  chin  ;  then  cross- 
ing on  the  compress,  the  course  is,  as  at  first,  round 
the  head,  Sec.  till  the  whole  roller  is  taken  up.  See 
FASCIA. 

CHI'BOU.  A  spurious  species  of  gum  elemi,  little 
known  in  this  country,  though  common  in  France. 

CHI'BUR.     See  SULPHUR. 

CHICHIA'XOCOTL.     See  MACAXOCOTLIFERA. 

CHI'COS,  or  CHI'CRES.     See  BOVINA  AFFECTIO. 

CHI'EN-DENT.     See  GRAMEN  CANINUM. 

CHI'GRES.     See  HYBOUCOUHU. 

CHILCHO'TES.     See  PIPER  INDICUM. 

CHI'LI,  BALS.  DE.  This  seems  to  have  been  an 
imposition.  Salmon  speaks,  but  without  any  proof,  of 
its  being  brought  from  Chili.  The  Barbadoes  tar,  in 
which  are  mixed  a  few  drops  of  the  oil  of  aniseseed, 
is  usually  sold  for  it. 

CHILIOPHY'LLON,(from  ^iA/««,  a  thousand,  and 
<pv^ev,  a  leaf).  See  MILLEFOLIUM. 

CHI'LI  A'RBOR.     See  CORT.  PERUVIANUS. 

CHI'LLI.     See  PIPER  INDICUM. 

CHI'LLI  INDITE  ORIENT.     See  ZINGIBER. 

CHI'LON,  (from  x,ft*-°s,  a  itji).  A  person  with 
large  prominent  lips,  either  by  nature  or  from  disease. 
The  term  is  applicable  to  fish,  as  well  as  the  human 
species;  called  also  labeo. 

CHILPELA'GUA,  CHI'LTERPIN.  See  PIPER 
INDICUM. 

CIII'MALATH,  or  CHIMALA'TL.  See  CORONA 
sons. 

CHIME'TIILON.     See  PERNIO. 

CHIMIA'TER,  (from  chimia,  chemistry,  and  ictlfo^ 
a  fihyaician) .  Physicians  who  make  the  science  of 
chemistry  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  medicine. 
Physicians  of  this  description  are  called  also  chemici 
and  iatrochimici. 

CIIIMO'LEA  LA'XA.     Paracelsus  means,  by  this 


L  HI 


423 


C  HI 


•word,  the  powder  which  is  separated  from  the  flowers 
of  saline  ores. 

CHl'NA  ORIEXTA  LIS.  So  called  from  the 
country  from  whence  it  was  brought.  China  radix, 
iankioa,  yuaguara,  smilax  asfiera  Chinensis,  or  CHINA 
ROOT.  It  is  the  smilax  china,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1459. 

It  is  an  oblong-,  thick  jointed  root,  full  of  irregular 
knobs,  of  a  reddish  brown  colour  outwardly,  but  in- 
wardly of  a  pale  red.  There  are  two  sorts,  the  East  and 
the  West  Indian.  The  first  is  most  esteemed ;  it  is  paler 
and  harder  than  the  otheiytnd  in  China  is  called  lamfiatam. 
The  plant  is  climber,  with  tendrils ;  and,  like  the 
vine,  it  bears  clusters  of  large  berries  of  a  red  colour. 
It  is  a  native  of  China  and  Japan. 

The  root  hath  but  little  smell  or  taste.  An  inspissated 
decoction  of  it  yields  an  unctuous,  farinaceous,  almost 
insipid  mass,  his  supposed  to  promote  perspiration  and 
urine.  Prosper  Aipinus  says,  that  the  Egyptian  women 
use  this  root  to  increase  their  bulk.  It  first  appeared 
in  Lurope  as  an  anti-venereal  about  the  year  1535,  but 
now  it  gives  place  tosarsupariila. 

This  Last  India  china  may  be  distinguished  from  the 
other  by  its  yellow-brown  colour  outwardly  ;  its  white, 
or  recidish-white,  colour  inwardly  ;  by  its  being  in  flat- 
tish  long  pieces,  full  of  knots,  firm,  and  smooth  when 
cut. 

CHI'NA  OCCIDENTALS.  China  sfiuria  nodota,  smi- 
lax,fiseudo  china  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  146,  smilax  Indica  s/ii- 
nosa.  AMERICAN  or  WEST  INDIAN  CHINA. 

This  plant  is  a  climber,  ana  bears  black  berries,  grows 
wild  in  V  irginia  and  Jamaica,  and  bears  the  cold  of  our 
climate.  The  root  is  brought  chiefly  from  Jamaica  in 
long  round  pieces,  full  of  knots ;  whitish  without,  and 
reddish  within. 

In  scrofulous  disorders  it  has  been  preferred  to  the 
oriental  kind.  In  other  cases  it  is  of  similar  but  inferior 
virtue. 

CHI'NA  SUPPO'SITA.  Senecio  Madrasfiatanus  sene- 
ciOiJiseudo  china  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1216,  or  BASTARD  CHINA. 
It  gro\vs  in  Malabar;  the  root  greatly  resembles  the 
china  root  both  in  appearance  and  qualities.  Lewis's 
Mat.  Med.  Rail  Hist. 

CHI  NA  CHINEE.     See  CORT.  PER. 
CHINE  NSE.     See  ALKANTIASINENSIS. 
CHiNCHI'NA.     See  CORT.  irERuv. 
CHl'OLI.     See  I-'UHUNCLLUS. 

CHI'QUES.  A  name  which  the  French  give  to  the 
worms  which  are  found  under  the  toes  of  the  negroes, 
and  which  are  destroyed  by  the  oil  which  flows  out  of 
the  cashew  nut  shell. 

CHIRA'GRA,  (from  #e/f,  the  hand,  and  *'/fst,  a 
teizurej.  Gout  in  the  hand.  See  ARTHRITIS. 

CHJRO'NES,  (from  %tip,  the  hand).  See  BOVINA 
AFFECT  10. 

CHIRO'N'JA,  (from  xtif,  the  hand}.  See  BRYO- 
VIA  NIGHA.  It  is  also  a  name  for  the  centaury.  See 

I  KNTAVR1U.M. 

CliiRO  MUM.  A  malignant  ulcer,  difficult  to 
heal,  u  i>h  a  hard,  callous,  and  tumid  margin  ;  so  called 
from  Chiron  the  centaur,  who  is  said  to  be  the  first  who 
fured  H.  It  is  also  called  teltfihium. 

CHIRONO  MIA.     See  CHEIHONOMIA. 
CHIKOTHE'CA,  and  PGUOTHE CA,  (from  %„?, 
j     mi"  «  or  ritr.Ki,fono,  to  fiutj.     In    the 

;    preparation  of  anatomical  subjects,  they  are  a  glove  and 


a  shoe  of  the  scarf  skin,  with  the  nails  adhering.  They 
are  separated  with  very  little  trouble  after  the  cuticula 
loosens  from  the  parts  below  by  putrefaction ;  and  this 
method  is  better  than  that  of  separating  it  by  means  of 
boiling  water 

CHIRU'RGIA,  (from  %tif,  a  hand,  and  ep/ei,  work, 
manual  operation}.  SURGERY,  or  that  part  of  medicine 
which  consists  of  manual  operations. 

It  was  our  intention  to  have  comprised  under  the  ar- 
ticle of  medicine  a  general  history  of  that  science,  as 
well  as  of  anatomy  and  surgery  ;  and  we  consequently- 
omitted  in  its  proper  place  the  particular  history  of  the 
former.  On  contemplating  the  subject  more  nearly,  we 
find  that  it  will  be  too  much  broken  by  subjects  which, 
though  generally  connected,  yet  branch  into  distant 
ramifications.  As  anatomy  is  perhaps  more  intimately- 
connected  with  surgery  than  with  medicine,  we  have 
therefore  preferred  giving  a  short  sketch  of  the  origin 
and  progress  of  each  in  the  present  article. 

Anatomy  and  surgery  are  the  sciences  of  a  rude  war- 
like race ;  for  however  simplicity  of  diet  and  constant 
labour  may  preserve  health,  yet  in  this  ruder  state  of 
society,  wounds  and  bruises  must  have  been  frequent. 
If   the  nation  were   ferocious  and  often  engaged    in 
combat,  the  knowledge  of  the  former  would  be  more 
generally  disseminated,  and   the  practice  of  the  latter 
more  necessary.    Thus  each  science  was  very  early  cul- 
tivated ;  and  in  Homer  no  slight  knowledge  of  anato- 
my is  displayed.     The  Egyptians,  whom  we  generally 
compliment  with  the  earliest  advances  in  every  science, 
often  with  little  reason,  were  probably  acquainted  with 
the  structure  of  the  human  body  from  their  practice  of 
embalming,  and  it  is  said  that  their  kings  left  treatises 
on  anatomy.    If  what  Prosper  Aipinus  has  described  as 
their  later  practice  was  traditionally  conveyed  from  the 
early  ages,  they  had  also  made  a  considerable  progress 
in   surgery;  but  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the 
greater  part  was  taught  them  by  the  Greeks,  as   we 
know  the  practice  of  bleeding  to  have  been.  The  Egyp- 
tians h:d  their  jEsculapius ;  whom  the  Greeks,  in  their 
usual  method  of  appropriating  every  distinguished  per- 
sonage to  their  own  nation,  have  transferred  to  Greece. 
After  .£sculapius,  we  find  the  names  of  Chiron  the 
centaur;  Machaon  and  Podalirius,  two  sons  of  £scu- 
lapius,  mentioned    by  Homer;   Thales,   Empedoclus, 
Pythagoras,  Heraclitus,  and  Democritus.     The  small 
circle  of  the  philosophy  of  those  days  would  not  be 
greatly  crowded  by  the  admission  of  anatomy  and  sur- 
gery ;  and  we  know  that  some  of  these  philosophers 
assiduously  cultivated  the  former  study.     We  have  the 
authority  of  Stephen  of  Byzantium  for  Podalirius  hav- 
ing practised  phlebotomy. 

We  can  only  judge  of  the  ancient  state  of  anatomy 
and  surgery  from  the  works  of  Hififiocrates.  He 
seems  to  have  collected  with  great  diligence  all  the 
observations  of  his  predecessors,  but  his  anatomy  was 
general,  and  somewhat  superficial.  He  is  accused  of 
dissecting  brutes,  and  describing  the  organs  of  apes  as 
those  of  the  human  race.  Indeed  this  seems  to  have 
been  true,  if  all,  even  the  undisputed,  writings  attribut- 
ed to  him  be  really  genuine.  Yet  many  of  these  are 
evidently  interpolated ;  and  very  few  indeed  have  reach- 
ed us  without  some  ground  of  suspicion.  His  surgery 
deserves  a  better  character.  His  remarks  on  ulcers  and 
wounds,  even  at  this  time,  merit  attention;  but  his 


CHI 


424 


CHI 


operations  were  few.  He  opened  abscesses,  pene- 
trated the  thorax  to  discharge  any  effused  fluid,  and  the 
abdomen  for  the  same  purpose :  the  head  he  perforated 
with  the  trepan.  His  chief  surgical  operation  was  the 
actual  cautery,  which  he  recommends  in  a  variety  of 
diseases,  and  which  modern  delicacy  or  timidity  has 
banished  with  too  little  discrimination. 

Various  were  the  followers  of  Hippocrates,  of  whom 
we  have  received  little  more  than  the  names,  till  the 
timeofjDzoc/es,at  the  distance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  from  his  era,  and  about  three  hundred  and  eighty 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  He  invented  an  in- 
strument for  extracting  the  point  of  an  arrow  sticking 
in  a  wound,  and  some  bandages  which,  like  the  in- 
strument, bore  his  name.  The  last  of  the  Asclepiadean 
race  was  Praxagoras.  He  is  recorded  in  desperate 
cases  of  ileus  to  have  opened  the  abdomen  and  intes- 
tines in  order  to  evacuate  the  faeces,  and  then  to  have 
sewed  up  the  wounds  in  each. 

The  improvements  in  anatomy  during  this  long  pe- 
riod were  probably  few,  at  least  scarcely  any  additional 
knowledge  in  this  branch  has  been  preserved.  The  era 
of  the  Alexandrian  school  has  not  been  accurately  ascer- 
tained ;  but  its  distinguished  professors,  Htrophilus  and 
Erasistratus,  were  minute  anatomists,  and  many  parts 
of  the  human  body  still  preserve  their  names  as  discover- 
ers. We  have  received  their  improvements  only  in  the 
works  of  Galen,  at  the  distance  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  They  both  practised  surgery ;  and  Erasistra- 
tus, who  was  a  century  earlier  than  Herophilus,  opened 
the  cavity  of  the  abdomen  in  cases  of  diseased  liver,  to 
apply  his  remedies  to  the  part  itself.  Asclefiiadea  of 
Bithynia  was  the  cotemporary  of  Erasistratus,  and,  as 
appears  from  Plutarch,  an  experienced  surgeon;  but  his 
chief  reputation  arises  from  the  revolution  he  occasioned 
in  the  practice  of  medicine,  which  is  not  our  present  ob- 
ject. Cassius,  perhaps  a  scholar  of  Asclepiades,  at  least 
a  cotemporary  of  his  scholars,  was  apparently  an  able 
anatomist  and  a  skilful  surgeon;  and  Aretseus,  who 
lived  near  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  was  more  distin- 
guished for  his  medical  abilities,  than  for  anatomical  or 
chirurgical  knowledge. 

Whatever  was  the  era  of  Celsus,  he  is  certainly  the 
first  author  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  who  merits  our  re- 
gard. His  style  has  been  the  admiration  of  ages,  and 
in  his  collections  he  appears  to  have  been  diligent  and 
attentive.  It  has  been  doubted  whether  he  himself 
practised.  From  some  parts  of  his  works  it  is  evident 
that  he  did,  but  not  frequently,  or  probably  in  import- 
ant cases.  His  seventh  and  eighth  books  are  wholly 
chirurgical, but  in  these  he  treats  chiefly  of  operations; 
for  to  these  he  seems  to  confine  the  office  of  the  surgeon. 

Celsus  mentions  the  operation  of  lithotomy,  but  this 
is  not  the  first  time  of  the  subject  occurring.  We  de- 
layed, however,  noticing  it  till  we  could  bring  the  whole 
together.  It  appears  from  Hippocrates,  that  the  ex- 
traction of  the  stone  was  practised  in  his  time,  but  con- 
fined to  particular  operators,  and  he  forbids  its  being 
attempted  except  by  them.  Of  their  methods  or  suc- 
cess we  have  no  particular  information ;  and  we  have 
only  an  obscure  ray  from  the  Alexandrian  school,  of  a 
surgeon  who  attempted  to  break  the  stone  in  the  blad- 
der when  it  was  too  large  to  be  extracted  entire.  In 
Celsus  the  operation  described  is  that  with  the  lesser 
apparatus. 


One  hundred  and  fifty  years  elapsed  before  any  otlic; 
author  worthy  of  particular  attention  offers  himself  to 
our  notice,  and  we  then  meet  with  the  famous  Claudius 
Galenus  of  Pergamus,  whose  undisputed  sway  overall 
the  realms  of  medicine  continued  for  more  than  twelve 
hundred  years.  Galen  was  a  laborious  collector,  and  a 
diligent  dissector:  his  anatomical  knowledge  was  ex- 
tensive, and  in  his  work  are  preserved  all  that  former 
observers  knew.  In  surgery  he  possesses  little  origin- 
ality, and  chiefly  comments  on  the  writings  of  Hippo- 
crates. From  this  period,  the  history  of  anatomy  pre- 
sents for  ages  a  dreary,  unproductive  desert.  Little 
was  added  by  the  Galenists,  who  feared  to  step  beyond 
their  master;  and  the  Arabians,  who  preserved  the 
spark  of  science  when  it  was  nearly  extinguished  in  the 
West,  thought  themselves  polluted  by  touching  a  dead 
body.  Surgery,  however,  was  cultivated  with  care.  It 
has  been  in  all  ages,  in  every  revolution  of  society  and 
science,  a  necessary  acquisition. 

Nearly  two  hundred  years  after  Galen,  Oribasius 
flourished,  who  explained  and  illustrated  very  satisfac- 
torily many  parts  of  the  Pergamenian's  doctrine.  His 
chirurgical  chapters  are  full  and  instructive,  but  he  pos- 
sesses little  originality.  He  has  been  stigmatised  as  a 
compiler,  and  in  reality  is  little  more.  jEtius  of  Amida, 
followed  him,  probably  about  the  distance  of  one  hun- 
dred years,  and  seems  to  be  a  superior  author  in  many 
respects,  though  it  is  not  easy  to  appreciate  his  chirur- 
gical merit  from  the  unconnected  form  of  his  observa- 
tions. His  method  of  puncturing  the  legs  in  anasarca, 
and  of  relieving  inveterate  asthma  by  numerous  caute- 
ries, merits  particular  attention.  He  was  acquainted 
with  the  use  of  setons;  and  the  wounds  inflicted  by  the 
bites  of  mad  animals  should,  in  his  opinion,  be  kept 
open  sixty  days.  In  jEtius  are  some  fragments  of 
Leonidas,  a  surgeon  of  the  school  of  Alexandria.  The 
only  novelty  we  perceive  in  these,  is  the  treatment  of 
the  Guinea  worm,  the  dracunculis. 

Paulus  of  ^Egina,  whom  Dr.  Friend  places  in  the 
seventh  century,  has  been  styled  the  ape  of  Galen,  as 
his  works  are  supposed  to  be  servilely  copied  from  that 
author.  We  do  not  indeed  perceive  so  many  originali- 
ties in  Paulus  as  some  of  his  admirers  seem  to  have  dis- 
covered ;  but  he  is  by  no  means  a  compiler  only.  He 
was  apparently  a  judicious  practitioner;  and  in  his  works 
the  whole  of  the  ancient  surgery  is  detailed  more  co- 
piously and  accurately  than  in  those  of  any  other  au- 
thor. His  account  of  aneurisms  is  new.  He  describes 
(almost)  the  lateral  incision  in  lithotomy,  and  apparently 
first  mentions  the  fracture  of  the  patella.  If  not  the 
first  author  who  recommends  bronchotomy,  he  is  cer- 
tainly the  first  who  distinguishes  with  precision  the 
circumstances  in  which  it  is  successful. 

The  chief  Arabian  surgeons  were  Rhazes,  Avicenna, 
A-venzoar,  and  Albucasis.  It  would  fill  but  a  few  lines 
were  we  to  add  all  the  improvements  of  the  three  former. 
The  description  of  an  abscess  in  the  mediastinum  by 
Avenzoar  deserves  indeed  to  be  mentioned,  with  his 
proposal  of  trepanning  the  sternum,  which  somemodern 
authors  have  practised  with  success;  but  the  complaint 
is  by  no  means  so  accurately  distinguished  as  to  enable 
us  often  to  follow  the  example.  Albucasis  has  given  us 
a  complete  system  of  surgery  copied  professedly  from 
Hippocrates  and  Galen,  sometimes  apparently  from 
Paulus  of  .figina;  but  many  observations  and  improve- 


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ments  of  his  own  are  added.  We  may  mention  one,  as 
it  has  been  lately  the  subject  of  some  dispute,  that  is, 
tying  the  artery  to  stop  haemorrhages ;  an  improvement 
usually  attributed  to  Ambrose  Parey. 

At  the  restoration  oflearning,  authors  of  credit  were 
soon  numerous,  and  surgery  improved  rapidly.  Ana- 
tomy for  a  time  lingered  in  its  former  imperfect  state. 
When  a  surgeon  appears  only  in  a  century,  he  becomes  a 
distinguished  figure  on  the  canvas  :  the  crowd  that  now 
hastily  follow  each  other  must  be  considered  more  cur- 
sorily. Indeed,  the  greater  number  who  first  distin- 
guished this  era  were  merely  copyists  of  Albucasis  ;  nor 
have  Saliceto  orLanfranc  sufficient  originality  to  induce 
us  to  rest  on  them  for  a  moment.  Guido  de  Cauliaco 
was  the  first  who  had  any  pretensions  to  originality ; 
though  these  rather  consist  in  judicious  remarks  on  his 
predecessors,  than  any  improvement  peculiarly  his  own. 
In  cataracts  he  depressed  the  lens. 

At  this  time  surgery  in  England  was  at  a  low  ebb. 
Gilbert  was  very  imperfectly  instructed  in  his  art ;  John 
of  Gaddesden  was  a  quack ;  and  of  John  Arderne's  works 
we  cannot  judge,  as  they  have  not  been  printed,  if  we 
except  the  Treatise  on  the  Fistula  in  Ano,  translated  by 
Read.  He  is  spoken  of,  however,  with  respect  by 
Friend. 

The  appearance  of  the  venereal  disease  in  the  six- 
teenth century  turned  the  attention  of  surgeons  to  one 
object,  though  they  were  not  wholly  inattentive  to  the 
science  in  general.  Vigo's  Surgery  is  a  work  of  consi- 
derable merit ;  and  he  explains,  particularly,  the  mode 
of  tying  the  arteries  when  cut.  Some  authors  think 
him  the  first  surgeon  who  used  mercury  in  the  venereal 
disease,  the  credit  of  which  is  usually  given  to  Carfii, 
who  undoubtedly  first  employed  mercurial  frictions. 
Carfii's  only  other  chirurgical  work  was  on  the  fracture 
of  the  skull.  MarisTtvs  Sanctus,  who  wrote  on  a  parti- 
cular mode  of  cutting  for  the  stone,  which  he  attributes 
to  John  de  Romanis,  was  an  author  of  this  period. 
.Intonr.is  Fcrrus,  and  B.  Maggius  of  Bononia,  published 
on  gun  shot  wounds;  Vidus  Vidius  and  J.  Andreas  on 
surgery  in  general ;  and  Taliacotiue  on  supplemental 
noses,  about  this  period. 

Ambrose  Parey  claims  a  greater  share  of  attention, 
[lis  works  may  he  even  at  this  time  read  with  consider- 
able profit,  as  he  treats  of  every  branch  of  the  science 
with  considerable  judgment  and  precision.  He  was  the 
nrst  who  condemned  the  practice  of  dressing  gun  shot 
wounds  with  hot  irritating  oils ;  and  to  him  the  check- 
ing haemorrhages  by  ligatures  on  the  arteries  has  been 
attributed.  He  possesses  such  a  variety  of  merit,  that 
he  may  resign  his  claim  to  this  discovery  without  any 
injury  to  his  fair  fame.  Franco  is  a  French  surgeon, 
who  treats  with  singular  precision  on  hernits,  and  men- 
tions the  use  of  the  seton  in  hydrocele.  He  «rs  •  -3 
.aventor  of  the  high  operation  for  the  stone,  urgv. 
".ecessity,  as  it  was  too  large  to  be  extracted  by  De  Ro- 
manis' plan.  Paracelsus  was  also  a  surgeon  of  this  era, 
but  of  no  credit;  Forestus  deserves  a  higher  character, 
and  his  works  even  at  this  time  are  valuable. 

It  may  appear  that  we  have  forgotten  the  history  of 
anatomy  ;  but  in  the  whole  of  this  period  no  anatomist 
of  character  has  appeared  to  claim  our  attention.  We 
now,  however,  approach  a  period  when  the  science  was 
assiduously  cultivated ;  and  we  have  passed  over  Fallo- 


pius  and  Vcsalius,  who,  though  distinguished  as  sur- 
geons, yet  merit  more  particular  notice  as  anatomists. 

Anatomy,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  dawned  with 
Sylvius  ;  but,  servilely  attached  to  Galen,  he  did  little 
more  than  explain  that  author's  works.  J'esaHus  wa^ 
his  pupil;  and,  ardent  in  the  study  of  anatomy,  he  soon 
discovered  many  errors  in  the  descriptions  of  Galen, 
and  clearly  showed  that  they  were  taken  from  the  dis- 
sections of  brutes,  particularly  apes.  The  clamour  which 
this  accusation  excited  was  inconceivable:  even  deny- 
ing the  infallibility  of  the  pope  would  have  been,  among 
the  anatomists  of  that  era,  a  comparatively  venial  crime. 
His  master,  Sylvius, continued  forever, on  this  account, 
his  irreconcilable  enemy.  Science,  however,  gained  by 
the  contest ;  for,  if  Vesalius  and  Galen  were  at  issue, 
the  contest  must  be  decided  by  actual  observation.  The 
result  was,  on  the  whole,  favourable  to  Vesalius  ;  but 
unfortunately  he  was,  in  some  instances,  detected  in  the 
same  disingenuity  of  which  he  accused  Galen.  The 
anatomy  of  Vesalius,  however,  continued  to  be  for 
ages  a  work  of  peculiar  interest  and  value.  The  early 
editions  are  illustrated  with  wooden  cuts,  it  is  said,  from 
the  drawings  of  Titian.  They  are,  indeed,  executed 
in  a  style  truly  masterly  ;  but  the  great  painters  oi 
era,  Raphael,  Titian,  and  Leonardo  de  Vinci,  were  ex- 
cellent anatomists,  so  far  as  the  structure  of  the  parts, 
influenced  the  external  form. 

Fallofiius  was  also  an  author  of  this  century,  though 
later  than  Vesalius.  His  Observationes  Anatomies 
were  published  in  1561,  and  his  discoveries  were  nu- 
merous. The  tubes  which  convey  the  ovum  to  the 
uterus  still  bear  his  name.  Eustachius  lived  somewh:.. 
later.  His  tables,  which  he  himself  engraved,  wer^ 
found  without  any  explanations,  and  published  by  Lan- 
cisi,  in  1714,  with  some  short  and  imperfect  elucidations. 
They  were  republished  by  Albinus,  with  a  copious  com- 
mentary; and  even  at  this  time  are,  with  a  few  excep- 
tions, very  correct  and  satisfactory.  Eustachius  was. 
however,  no  man's  friend,  and  a  violent  enemy  of  Vi-- 
salius.  His  anatomical  discoveries  were  numerous  ami 
important.  Though  able  and  scientific,  yet,  from  a 
spirit  of  opposition,  he  often  defended  Galen ;  and 
thought  that  he  had  gained  a  victory,  when  he  proved 
that  some  of  the  parts  were  not  described  from  apes, 
as  Vesalius  supposed,  though  he  admitted  that  they  we  iv 
copied  from  brutes.  He  intended  that  his  plates  should 
be  explained  by  a  geometrical  gnomon,  to  avoid  the  ob- 
scurity which  letters  of  reference  would  occasion  ;  but 
his  plan  is  lost. 

The  other  anatomists  of  this  century  are  not  of  suf- 
ficient importance  to  detain  us  long.  Yet  we  ouglr. 
not  to  omit,  in  the  Italian  school,  the  only  one  to  which 
we  are  indebted  for  anatomical  knowledge,  Mercurialia. 
who  merits  more  particular  attention  as  a  practical 
physician,  but  who  was  also  an  expert  anatomist ;  Czxal- 
fiinusy  who  clearly  described  the  lesser  circulation 
through  the  lungs;  Varolius,  whose  name  is  preserved 
in  a  distinguished  part  of  the  brain;  Sc/ienckiuj,  whose 
collections  furnish  us  with  so  many  singular,  often  in- 
credible narratives;  Casfier  Bauhine,  the  botanist: 
Laurenti  ;  Castellus,  our  predecessor  in  lexicography  ; 
fabricius,  ab  Aquafiendente ;  Hiidanus;  Kefiler,  the  as- 
tronomer; Riolan  :  the  elder  Hartfioline,  C.  Hoffman. 
Senriertus}  S/iigelius.  and" 

3    1 


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We  have,  contrary  to  our  intention,  stepped  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  sixteenth  century,  to  extend  our  his- 
torical sketch  to  the  period  of  Harvey.  The  early  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century  was  the  era  of  discoveries, 
Asellus  ascertained  the  existence  of  the  lac  teals,  Har- 
vey of  the  circulation  of  the  blood ;  while  he,  at  the  same 
time,  established  many  important  facts  respecting  the 
generation  of  animals,  establishing,  on  the  firmest 
foundation,  that  universal  axiom,  omne  ex  OTJO.  The 
discovery  of  the  circulation  has  immortalized  the  name 
of  Harvey  ;  yet  we  must  add,  that  the  facts  already 
established  left  little  more  to  be  done  than  to  collect 
and  compare  them ;  nor  have  we  any  hesitation  in  re- 
marking, that  the  greatest  discoveries,  that  of  Newton, 
respecting  the  universal  influence  of  gravitation,  and 
of  a  new  world  by  Columbus,  were  in  the  same  way 
prepared,  so  as  to  require  only  "  patient  thinking,"  at- 
tentive examination,  and  a  comparison  of  facts  already 
known.  Scrvetus  alluded  to  the  lesser  circulation  through 
the  lungs  ;  Caesalpinus  described  it  more  distinctly,  and 
proved  it  by  the  structure  and  situation  of  the  valves.  May 
not  then  all  the  blood  in  the  body  circulate?  The  question 
was  ready  and  obvious ;  and  the  chief  merit  of  Harvey 
and  of  Newton  was  that  of  bringing  a  simple  sugges- 
tion to  such  a  rigorous  examination,  as  incontestably  to 
demonstrate  its  truth.  It  has  been  triumphantly  asked, 
What  have  we  gained  by  either  ?  Were  it  no  more,  we 
have  divested  superstition  of  its  terrors,  and  quackery  of 
its  vain  pretensions  ;  but  the  discovery  of  Harvey  im- 
perceptibly mixes  in  every  step,  either  of  speculation  or 
practice  :  the  result  is  now  so  interwoven  with  every 
thought,  that  its  influence  is  not  perceived. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  the  names  crowd  on  us  in 
such  a  multitude,  that  even  the  enumeration  is  almost 
impracticable.  Among  anatomists  and  surgeons,  for 
we  can  now  scarcely  distinguish  them,  we  find  Sylvius 
de  laBoe,  Veslingius,  Horstius;  the  younger  Bartholine, 
an  author  of  peculiar  industry,  of  great  abilities  as  an 
anatomist,  and  a  strenuous  defender  of  the  newly  disco- 
vered absorbent  system ;  Schneider,  the  discoverer  of  the 
extent  of  the  Schneiderian  membrane  and  author  of  an  ex  - 
tensive  work  on  catarrhs;  Ballonius;  Van  Helmont;  Van- 
derlinden,  the  very  accurate  editor  of  Hippocrates;  our 
own  Charleton  and  High  more;  Pecquet,  the  discoverer  of 
the  receptacle  of  the  chyle ;  Wallis,  who  gave  us  the  first 
rudiments  of  the  method  of  teaching  the  deaf  and  dumb 
to  speak;  Glisson,  the  author  of  the  Anatomia  Hepatis; 
Bohnius,\.o  whom  we  are  indebted  for  a  work  on  the  eye, 
and  an  excellent  treatise,  De  Renunciatione  Vulnerum  ; 
Schultetus,v/ho  gave  us  a  most  instructive  work  on  sur- 
gical instruments,  and  has  preserved  the  form  of  many, 
which  would  have  been  otherwise  forgotten ;  Wharton, 
author  of  the  Adenographia  ;  We/tfer,  Wedelius,  Willis, 
of  Oxford,  whose  talents,  as  an  anatomist  and  physi- 
cian, are  not  adequately  appreciated  at  this  time  ;  Mal- 
filiigi,  a  naturalist  and  anatomist  of  the  highest  rank; 
Steno  Bellini,  a  mechanical  physiologist  of  considerable 
ability;  Borelli,  the  disciple  of  Bellini ;  Drelincourt,  the 
anatomical  preceptor  of  Boerhaave  ;  Kedi,  De  Graff, 
Kuysch,  Sivammerdam,  Lower,  Etmuller,  Mauriceau, 
Murultu,  lAster,  Kay,  Pechlin,  Diemerbroeck,  Leiven- 
hoeck,  Duverney,  Tyson,  Grew,  JVuck;  Bidloo,  the  au- 
thor of  some  excellent  anatomical  plates,  which  Cowper- 
has  been  accused  of  republishing,  without  any  acknow- 


ledgment, and  with  little  alteration  ;  Vieu&sens,  author 
of  the  Neurographia  Universalis  ;  Vandcrwlel;  and  our 
own  Wiseman,  though  last,  not  least. 

The  extent  of  this  catalogue,  though  numerous  au- 
thors of  credit  are  omitted,  prevents  us  from  following 
at  length  the  anatomists  and  surgeons  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. To  attempt  it  would  be  a  labour  of  immense 
extent,  disproportioned  to  the  work  ;  and  it  would  be  in 
a  great  measure  useless,  since  they  are  generally  known. 
In  the  early  part  of  the  last  century  Dr.  Douglass  taught 
anatomy  with  credit ;  and  to  him  we  are  indebted  for 
Dr.  William  Hunter,  and,  more  remotely,  for  his  brother, 
J.  Hunter.  In  Scotland,  the  first  Monro  was  an  ana- 
tomist and  surgeon  of  unrivalled  excellence.  In  Ger- 
many, Holler  merits  peculiar  and  distinguished  com- 
mendations;  while,  in  both  countries,  the  second  Mon- 
ro, Hewson,  and  Meckel,  perfected  the  discovery  of  the 
third  distinct  system  of  vessels,  the  lymphatic,  which 
Mascagni  of  Italy  has  delineated  with  singular  ele- 
gance. Italy  can  also  boast  of  the  very  able  anatomists, 
Morgagni  and  Valsalva. 

In  surgery,  Cheselden,  Sharp,  Pott,  and  many  others, 
have  been  equally  an  ornament  to  their  country  and  to 
the  science  they  professed  ;  nor  have  their  successors 
been  less  distinguished  :  but  of  living  surgeons  it  is  not 
perhaps  proper  to  speak,  since  it  is  so  difficult  to  speak 
without  offence.  In  France,  Petit,  Mery,  Le  Dran,  Le 
Cat,  Daniel,  and  Peyronie,  have  greatly  extended  their 
art ;  and  in  Germany  Heister  has  given  the  best  general 
system  of  surgery  ,which  appeared  before  thatofMr.Bell. 

Here,  then,  we  must  close  the  history  of  surgery, 
and  proceed  to  the  other  branches  of  this  article.  The 
object  of  surgery  is  apparently  every  external  com- 
plaint not  owing  to  an  internal  cause,  and  every  dis- 
ease in  which  an  operation  is  required.  Of  the  first 
class  are,  wounds,  tumours,  inflammations,  and  organic 
complaints.  The  latter  comprehends  a  great  variety 
of  internal  complaints,  which  are  partly  the  object  of 
the  physician,  and,  in  part,  of  the  surgeon.  These 
are,  diseases  of  the  brain  from  compression  ;  fractures 
of  the  cranium  ;  polypi  of  the  nose  ;  accumulations  of 
cerumen  in  the  ears;  scirrhous  tonsels  ;  obstruction  of 
the  larynx  from  inflammation;  accumulations  in  the 
chest,  either  of  air,  water,  or  purulent  matter ;  herniae 
of  every  kind ;  abscesses  of  the  liver,  or  other  viscera, 
pointing  outwards  ;  calculus  in  the  kidneys  or  bladder ; 
suppression  of  urine,  or  fasces  ;  fractures;  dislocations; 
diseased  joints,  &c.  Yet  the  surgeon  should  reflect, 
that  he  will  always  merit  greater  praise  from  curing 
without  an  operation,  than  by  an  operation  performed 
with  the  greatest  dexterity.  Unfortunately,  many  sur- 
geons suppose  that  the  operation  is  their  chief  busi- 
ness ;  that,  by  it,  their  character  obtains  a  degree  of 
splendour,  which  the  best  and  most  successful  plan  of 
cure  would  not  otherwise  claim.  Let  the  young  sur- 
geon disregard  this  delusive  splendour,  which  will  en- 
tice him  often  to  his  patient's  injury.  On  the  other 
hand,  let  him  not  too  long  delay  an  operation  that 
may  be  necessary,  or  protract  to  the  moment  of  ex- 
hausted strength  what  requires  some  efforts  of  the 
constitution  to  bear  or  contend  with.  Each  fault  is 
too  common ;  and  it  has  been  a  great  object,  in  our 
separate  articles,  to  give  such  rules  as  may  correct 
either  tendency. 


CHI 


CHI 


When  an  operation  of  importance  is  necessary,  it 
becomes  the  surgeon's  duty  to  state  to  the  friends  the 
real  probability  of  success,  without  exaggeration  on  one 
side,  or  too  doubtful  hesitation  on  the  other.  The 
whole  truth,  as  it  appears  to  him,  should  be  faithfully 
and  explicitly  detailed.  If,  from  a  fair  view  of  the  ar- 
guments, the  operation  be  decided  on,  the  patient's  con- 
sent should  also  be  gained;  yet,  at  this  time,  every  en- 
couraging circumstance  should  be  displayed,  and  every 
doubt  suppressed,  or,  at  least,  suggested  with  caution. 
The  pain,  the  hazard  of  an  operation,  will  strongly  bias 
the  mind,  and  give  every  doubt  a  disproportioned  force; 
nor  is  the  moment  of  pain  and  distress  such  as  will 
enable  the  patient  to  examine  contending  arguments 
with  the  requisite  discrimination  and  impartiality. 

When  an  operation  is  performed,  it  was  formerly 
fashionable  to  display  the  dexterity  of  the  operator  by 
a  rapid  execution.  Neatness,  accuracy,  and  minute 
precision,  are  now  studied.  We  do  not  think  the 
change  advantageous  to  the  patient.  If  the  operation 
is  not  so  much  hurried  as  to  occasion  error,  it  cannot  be 
performed  too  soon;  and  nothing  is  gained  by  detaining 
the  patient  on  the  table  three  times  the  necessary  time, 
Because  the  knife  shall  be  carried  as  near  as  possible  to 
an  artery  without  wounding  it,  or  because  the  smallest 
particle  of  muscular  flesh  shall  not  be  included  in  a 
ligature.  We  have  seen  an  operation  performed  so 
slowly,  as  if  the  operator  thought  his  success  was  only 
obtained  by  a  dilatory  caution.  After  the  operation, 
the  application  of  the  bandage  is  of  the  greatest  conse- 
quence ;  and,  as  the  ease  of  the  patient  is  much  con- 
nected with  the  neatness  with  which  it  is  applied,  the 
utmost  attention  should  be  paid  to  this  part  of  the  pro- 
cess. 

The  profession  of  a  surgeon  is  of  the  highest  import- 
ance to  society,  and  it  requires  a  greater  combination  of 
talents  than  any  other  within  the  circle  of  scientific  at- 
tainments. The  object  is  certainly  more  nearly  within 
the  reach  of  the  senses.  The  surgeon  has  not,  like  the 
physician,  to  contend  often  with  a  form  or  phantasm. 
Yet  he  cannot  pursue  a  disease  in  all  its  bearings,  in  all 
its  consequences,  without  the  most  careful  discrimina- 
tion of  causes  and  effects,  without  an  attentive  examina- 
tion of  the  influence  of  an  injury  on  the  most  distant 
parts.  With  these  powers,  he  must  have  a  command 
of  hand  to  enable  him  to  direct  his  knife  with  the  ut- 
most nicety  and  precision ;  a  mind  unruffled  by  any  ac- 
cidental unexpected  occurrence  ;  and  a  readiness  of  re- 
source to  supply  the  assistance  necessary  in  any  emer- 
gency. His  senses  must  possess  peculiar  acuteness, 
particularly  the  feeling,  which  is  often  more  important 
than  even  the  sight.  His  hand  must  not  tremble ;  his 
mind  be  unassailed  by  fear,  by  apprehension,  or  doubt, 
when  the  necessary  operation  has  been  once  decided  on. 
It  is  observed  by  Celsus,  that  a  surgeon  should  be  able 
to  use  either  hand;  but,  by  attaining  this  power,  the  right 
might  lose  a  portion  of  its  dexterity;  and,  though  the 
left  may  occasionally  in  the  less  nicer  parts  assist  the 
right,  yet  it  should  not  be  wholly  trusted.  It  is  said 
that  the  surgeon  should  be  young,  at  least  no  young  as 
not  to  have  the  necessary  powers  impaired,  and  of  suf- 
ficient age  to  have  attained  the  requisite  experience. 
Undoubtedly,  by  age  the  faculties  are  blunted :  doubt 
and  hesitation  take  the  place  of  a  proper  confidence  and 
a  manly  firmness ;  the  hand  is  less  steady ;  the  feelings 


less  acute.  The  age  cannot  be  fixed,  since  the  powers  of 
each  individual  differ  at  a  given  time  of  life.  We  have 
known  many  surgeons  of  character  and  abilities  who 
have  limited  their  professional  career  at  the  age  of  sixty. 
But  this  decision,  formed  with  the  candour  and  ingenu- 
ousness of  youth,  has  been  forgotten  when  they  reached 
the  limit.  It  shows,  however,  their  opinion ;  which  were 
we  to  controvert,  it  would  be  by  fixing  a  less  extended 
period.  But  this  we  would  only  confine  to  capital  ope- 
rations; long  after  sixty  a  surgeon  of  abilities  may  be 
eminently  useful  in  consultations. 

A  quality  very  necessary  for  a  surgeon  is,  a  knowledge 
of  mechanics,  and  a  readiness  in  adapting  little  mecha- 
nical contrivances  to  the  exigencies  of  the  moment.  It 
is  inconceivable  how  much  pain  and  distress  are  allevi- 
ated by  such  ingenuity ;  how  the  cure  is  often  acceler- 
ated, or  the  spirits  supported. 

Humanity  is,  above  all,  required  to  complete  this 
first  of  characters,  a  good  surgeon.  In  general,  sur- 
geons are  proverbially  cruel,  and  they  often  must  be  so 
to  fulfil  their  duty.  Yet  there  is  a  tenderness  of  man- 
ner that  makes  even  cruelty  tolerable ;  in  comparison, 
amiable :  and,  though  the  surgeon  ought  not  to  feel,  he 
should  as  much  as  possible  lessen,  the  patient's  pain, 
and  appear  to  be  sensible  of  his  sufferings.  A  softness 
of  manner,  a  gentleness  of  voice,  and  even  a  delicacy  of 
form,  are  not  without  their  effect ;  and  whatever  can 
alleviate  distress,  though  trifling  in  the  general  scale, 
should  not  be  neglected.  To  the  one  the  patient  looks 
with  horror  as  the  butcher;  to  the  other  as  the  minis- 
tering angel,  bringing  balm  on  his  wings  to  heal  and  to 
save.  We  have  employed  these  few  lines  for  the  sake 
of  our  younger  brethren.  May  they  not  be  without 
their  effect ! 

We  thought  that  we  had  completed  our  task,  when 
we  were  reminded  that  the  recommendation  of  the 
study  of  anatomy  was  omitted  ;  but  this  first,  this  most 
important,  qualification,  can  never  be  neglected  by  him 
who  aims  at  the  character  of  an  accomplished  surgeon. 
It  should  be  his  study  day  and  night :  the  human  body- 
should  be  the  work,  nocturna  vertari  manu,  -versari  di- 
urna.  The  knife  should  be  constantly  in  his  hand  to 
attain  a  readiness  in  using  it  in  every  direction  ;  to  vary 
the  direction  in  a  moment  at  every  angle  of  obliquity ; 
to  stop;  to  proceed;  to  alter  the  velocity  with  the 
readiness  which  governs  the  movements  of  the  best 
managed  horse,  or,  to  employ  a  more  delicate  meta- 
phor, the  finger  of  the  most  experienced  musician.  But 
this  must  be  a  part  of  his  education ;  nor  should  he 
claim  the  confidence  of  the  public  till  all  these  qualities 
are  attained. 

The  study  of  the  practice  of  physic  may  not  be  con- 
sidered as  essential  to  a  surgeon  :  yet,  as  the  complaints 
which  are  occasionally  arranged  under  each  head  vary 
in  their  minute  shades  and  press  on  each  other,  it  is 
highly  necessary  that  medicine  should  make  a  part  of 
his  education.  It  has,  however,  often  happened,  that  a 
knowledge  of  the  one  has  led  to  a  presumption  that  it 
has  equally  inspired  an  acquaintance  with  the  other ; 
and  each  has  intruded  in  a  department  not  his  own, 
without  a  sufficient  qualification  for  the  due  exercise  of 
it.  A  surgeon  should,  we  think,  possess  a  sufficient 
knowledge  of  medicine,  to  regulate  the  gereral  treat- 
ment of  the  diseases  within  his  own  limits.  Beyond 
them  he  should  not  pass,  without  having  paid  thai 
3  I  2 


CHI 


428 


CHN 


attention  to  the  other  science,  which,  had  he  cultivated 
with  care  his  own,  he  would  have  little  opportunity  of 
attaining.  The  physician  should  be  equally  careful  of 
interfering;  yet,  in  a  comprehensive  view,  surgery  be- 
comes a  part  of  his  profession.  A  man  of  science  grasps 
particulars  in  an  outline ;  and  as  the  operative  part  is 
beyond  his  limits,  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  his  acqui- 
sition of  so  much  of  surgery  as  will  enable  him  to  assist, 
sometimes  to  direct,  the  less  experienced  practitioner. 

One  other  subject  only  remains;  a  subject  which  we 
could  not  have  supposed  would  ever  have  occurred  in  a 
questionable  form,  viz.  whether  surgery  is  improved  by 
the  labour  of  the  moderns,  and  raised  above  its  former 
state.  Let  humanity  decide,  and  the  cause  will  be  soon 
determined ;  but  we  will  not  harrow  up  the  soul  by  the 
repetition  of  former  cruelties.  The  question  will  recur 
in  another  shape  :  Is  the  modern  surgeon  more  success- 
ful than  his  predecessors  ?  The  reply  is  easy.  Do  we  still 
pour  hot  irritating  oils  on  gun  shot  wounds  ?  Are  not 
wounds  quickly  cured  by  the  adhesive  inflammation, 
which  required  months  by  the  former  methods  of  sup- 
puration ?  Is  not  the  stump  healed,  by  means  of  the  flap, 
in  a  few  weeks?  Does  the  wound,  from  which  the  can- 
cerous mamma  has  been  extirpated,  require  any  thing 
more  than  superficial  dressings  ?  To  pursue  the  subject 
minutely,  would  be  to  waste  the  reader's  time  and  ex- 
haust his  patience.  Let  us  select  an  instance  or  two. 
In  hernise  the  operation  was  precarious  and  ill  under- 
stood :  it  was  consequently  but  seldom  attempted.  The 
modes  of  reduction  were  little  known,  and  the  trusses 
so  imperfectly  calculated  for  the  purpose,  that,  when 
reduced,  the  intestine  was  seldom  retained.  We  have 
selected  this  instance ;  because  we  can  appeal  to  facts, 
viz.  the  numerous  advertisements,  even  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  last  century,  of  rupture  curers.  The  greater 
number  we  now  know  can  be  reduced  and  retained  with 
little  difficulty;  and  of  those  cases  which  require  the 
operation,  nearly  one  half  escape.  If  the  operation  were 
not  too  long  delayed,  the  proportion  of  successful  cases 
would  be  greater. 

In  lithotomy,  confined  for  ages  to  one  set  of  prac- 
titioners, the  means  were  limited  and  inadequate.  The 
method  described  by  Celsus  was,  from  its  nature,  con- 
fined to  the  age  of  from  nine  to  fourteen.  How  many 
years  previous,  how  very  many  subsequent,  to  that 
age,  must  have  been  spent  in  'unsuflferable  agonies  ! 
What  then  was  the  attempt  ?  First,  with  the  greater 
•apparatus;  and,  secondly,  in  the  higher  way.  Even 
'.vhcn  it  succeeded,  an  incontinence  of  urine  frequently 
followed  each  ;  and  in  the  greater  number  it  failed. 
When  Frere  Jacques  pointed  out  the  lateral  operation, 
iiow  crude  and  imperfect  were  his  first  ideas  I  The 
grooved  staff  and  the  cutting  gorget  were  the  improve- 
ments of  very  late  years.  But,  previous  even  to  the 
latter,  Cheseldcn  had  so  far  simplified  the  operation, 
ihat  many  surgeons  have  professed  being  able  to  per- 
form it  in  the  dark.  Indeed,  it  is  one  of  many  operations 
which  depends  on  the  nicety  of  the  feelings  rather  than 
the  sight. 

The  systems  of  surgery  in  our  hands  are  few.  The 
practice  of  the  ancients  may  be  found  most  eloquently 
described  in  Celsus ;  but  at  greater  length,  and  often 
more  satisfactorily,  in  Albucasis,  with  numerous  im- 
provements, which  he  claims  as  his  own.  It  was  pub- 
lished with  Guido's  Surgery,  in  folio,  at  Venice,  1500; 


again  in  1506  and  1520  ;  but  the  best  edition  is  that  of 
Strasburgh,  in  1532,  or  that  at  Basil,  1541. 

Heister  connects,  very  properly,  the  ancients  with 
the  moderns  ;  and,  among  the  latter,  Mr.  Benjamin  Bell 
almost  stands  alone;  for  Mr.  Latta's  system  is  less  com- 
plete, and  Mr.  J.  Bell's  a  very  inferior  work.  Mr.  B. 
Bell  is,  however,  too  minute  and  tedious;  and  so  dis- 
proportionate is  his  share  of  attention,  that  bleeding  oc- 
cupies nearly  as  many  pages  as  lithotomy.  The  chief 
inconvenience,  besides  unreasonably  enlarging  the  work, 
is,  that  the  young  surgeon  may  attempt  the  more  im- 
portant operation  with  the  same  confidence  that  he  has 
often  successfully  performed  the  less.  From  the  cha- 
racter of  Mr.  Blair,  we  have  reason  to  expect,  with 
some  impatience,  his  promised  system. 

To  enumerate  the  other  independent  works  is  un- 
necessary, as  they  will  occur  under  each  head,  and  they 
are  so  numerous  as  to  form  an  extensive  catalogue. 

CHIRURGO'RUM  SAPIE'NTIA.     See  SOPHIA. 

CHIRU'RGUS.     See  CHEIRIATER. 

CHIST.     See  SEXTARIUS. 

CHITON.     (Greek.)     See  MEMBRANA. 

CHI'UM  VI'NUM.  CHIAN  WINE.  A  wine  of  the 
island  now  called  Scio.  Dioscorides  says  it  is  less  dis- 
posed to  intoxicate  than  any  other  sort. 

CHI'VES.     See  STAMEN. 

CHI'VETS.  The  small  parts  at  the  roots  of  plants 
by  which  they  are  propagated.  Miller's  Diet. 

CHIVIQUILE'NGA.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

CHILIA'SMA,  (from  %*ta.i*a,-  to  make  warm.*)  See 
FOTUS. 

CHl'LMIA.     See  CADMIA. 

CHLO'RA.     GREEN.     See  CHLOROS. 

CHLORA'SMA,  and  CHLOROS,  (from  %>Mp»t). 
A  palish  green  colour,  shining  with  a  sort  of  splendour, 
and  inclining  to  watery :  it  is  applied  to  leguminous 
plants  before  they  are  dry  or  come  to  perfection. 

CHLORO'SIS,  (from  chloros,  %>wp<>s,  green}.  The 
GREEN  SICKNESS,  called  also  fcbris  alba,  the  VIRGIN'S 
DISEASE,  amatoria'' febris,  and  icterus  albus.  Though 
Hippocrates  does  not  seem  to  have  known  these  names 
of  this  disorder,  yet  in  the  34th  and  35th  paragraphs 
of  his  book  De  Internis  Affectionibus,  he  describes  it 
fully ;  and  when  it  happens  to  girls,  he  speaks  of  it  in  his 
book  De  Virginum  Morbis. 

Most  authors  treat  it  as  a  species  of  cachexy,  and  in- 
deed it  is  only  distinguished  from  other  species  by  its 
cause.  (See  CACHEXIA.)  Dr.  Cullcn  considers  it  as 
a  symptom  of  amenorrhcea. — A  vitiated  appetite,  a 
strong  desire  of  eating  unalimentary,  often  absorbent, 
substances,  are  constant  attendants  on  this  disorder ; 
and,  if  married  women  become  chlorotic,  their  children 
are  weakly,  should  they  have  any.  THE  COMMON 
SYMPTOMS,  "when  from  difficult  menstruation,  are  a 
paleness  in  the  lips,  a  livid  colour  about  the  eye  lids, 
indolence,  coldness,  particularly  in  the  feet,  loss  of 
appetite,  nausea,  vomiting,  disturbed  sleep,  a  languid 
pulse,  limpid  urine,  which  in  time  becomes  turbid,  a 
tremor,  if  exercise  is  brisk,  or  if  the  patient  ascends  a 
hill,  frequent  palpitation  of  the  heart,  swelled  feet, 
heart  burn,  intermitting  headachs,  and  fainting.  See 
MENSES  DEFICIENTES. 

CHNU'S,  #vs$,  FINE  SOFT  WOOL;  but  sometimes 
CHAFF  or  BRAN;  (from  W*VH,  to  grind,  or  ra-if.~)  Sound. 
or  wind. 


C  HO 


429 


C  HO 


CHO'A.     SeeCnu. 

CHO'ACON.  The  name  of  a  black  plaster,  men- 
tioned by  Celsus,  made  of  a  spuma  argenti  boiled  in 
oil,  added  to  a  proper  quantity  pf  resin. 

CHO'ANOS,  XO*HI,  A  FUNNEL,  (from  #»£*>,  to  flour). 
See  INFUNDIBULUM.  A  funnel,  or  furnace  for  melting 
metals. 

CHOA'VA.     SeeCoFFEA. 

CHOCOLA'TA.     This  is  said  by  Dr.  Alston  to  be 
compounded  of  two  Indian  words,  (from  choco,  sound, 
utte,  -water  -,  because  of  the  noise  made  in  its  pre- 
paration).    See  CACAO. 

CHCE'NICIS.  The  TREPAN;  so  called  by  Galen 
and  P.  jEgineta,  from  #«/»/!,  the  nave  of  a  wheel ;  (from 
yjxvu,  to  tear,  or  vellicate).  See  TREPAXUM. 

CHCE'RADES,  (from  #«/f<^*,  a  swine).  Strumous 
swellings,  of  a  malignant  quality,  painful  to  the  touch, 
and  exasperated  by  medicines.  See  SCROFULA. 

CHCERADOLE'THRON,(from  K<"?'^  a  siuine,and 
oAtfyo?,  destruction;  so  called  from  being  dangerous  if 
taten  by  hogs).  See  BARDANA  MINOR. 

CHOTRAS,  (from  %oif»s,  a  hog).     See  SCROFULA. 

CHO'LADES,  (from  jjoA?,  bile).     See  INTESTINA. 

CHO'LAGO,  (from  the  same).  The  small  intes- 
tines which  contain  bile.  See  ILIUM. 

CHOLAGO'GA,  CHOLAGOGUES,  also  colegon,  (from 
X*A*,  bile,  and  xya,  to  drive  out  or  evacuate).  By  cho- 
lagogues  the  ancients  meant  only  such  purging  medi- 
cines as  expelled  the  bilious  faeces.  We  retain  the  word 
for  such  purgatives  as  are  found  most  useful  when  bile 
offends,  or  are  of  service  when  the  liver  is  diseased. 
Of  this  kind  are  rhubarb  and  calomel,  which  are  sup- 
posed to  increase  the  bilious  discharge  more  powerfully 
than  any  other  medicine.  Aloes  and  taraxacum  have 
been  considered  as  useful  in  occasioning  the  bile  to  pass 
freely  into  the  intestines,  though  with  little  reason.  See 
CATHARTICA. 

CHO'LAS.     See  ILIUM. 

CHO'LE,  (from  %«*>;,  bile").     See  Bins. 

CHOLE'DOCHUS,  (from  %<»*,  bile,  and  S'ex.'^h  '° 
receive).  It  is  a  common  name  for  the  gall  bladder,  the 
biliary  ducts,  and  the  common  gall  duct,  which  commu- 
nicates with  the  duodenum,  called 

CHOLE'DOCHUS  DU'CTUS.  It  seems  to  be  a  continua- 
tion of  the  ductus  cysticus ;  for  it  is  often  observed,  that 
:he  ductus  hepaticus  runs,  for  some  space,  within  the 
side  of  the  ductus  cysticus,  before  it  opens  into  its  ca- 
vity :  at  the  opening  of  the  hepatic  duct  into  the  cystic, 
there  is  a  small  loose  membrane  to  hinder  the  bile  from 
regurgitating. 

CHOLE'GON.     See  CHOLAGOGA. 

CHO'LERA  MO'RBUS.  Coelius  Aurelianus  says, 
'.he  name  is  derived  from  2«A>j,  bile,  and  ptu,  luo.  It  is 
called  also  diarrhoea  cholerica,  felliflua  fiassio,  and  by 
•.ome  of  the  ancients,  /to/era. 

Hippocrates  divides  this  disorder  into  the  moist  and 
dry  ;  and  there  is  a  kind  of  cholera  morbus  which  fre- 
quently happens  to  children  from  dentition.  Dr.  Cul- 
len  names  it  cfialtra,  and  defines  it  a  frequent  vomiting 
and  purging  of  abilious  humour,  attended  with  anxiety, 
gripings,  and  spasms  of  the  legs.  He  ranks  it  in  the 
class  neuroses,  and  order  sfianmi.  He  observes  two  spe- 
cies :  \  Cholera  sfiontanea,  which  happens  in  hot  sea- 
>sons.  and  without  any  manifest  cause  :  2.  Cholera  acci- 


denialis,  which  occurs  from  too  acrid  materials  taken 
into  the  stomach. 

The  intermittent, inflammatory,  arthritic,  and  vermi- 
nose  cholera,  are  considered  truly  symptomatic.  The 
true  species  is  most  frequent  in  autumn,  and  happens 
chiefly  to  young  persons,  and  its  scat  seems  to  be  the 
whole  volume  of  the  intestines,  but  more  particularly 
the  duodenum  and  biliary  ducts,  as  appears  by  the  vo- 
miting and  stools,  which  are  bilious. 

The  cholera  and  bilious  diarrhoea  are  incident  to  the 
bilious  and  dry  constitutions ;  for  those  of  a  phlegmatic 
and  sanguine  habit  are  more  frequently  liable  to  a  dif- 
ferent discharge.  Those  who  are  subject  to  a  scorbutic 
acrimony,  or  those  of  a  passionate  temper,  are  the  com- 
monly reputed  victims  of  the  disease.  In  sultry  weather 
it  is  most  frequent :  hence  it  is  said  by  Bontius  and 
Thevenot  to  be  endemic  in  India,  Muritania,  Arabia, 
and  America. 

The  true  cholera  attacks  often  suddenly  :  sickness, 
pain,  flatulency,  and  distention  of  the  belly,  are  first 
perceived,  and  are  soon  followed  by  frequent  vomit- 
ing and  purging  of  bilious  matter;  the  vomiting  and 
purging  come  on  together,  and  continue  very  frequent, 
with  violent  pain.  The  matters  voided  are  at  first  the 
remains  of  the  food  ;  afterwards  bilious  fluids,  more  or 
less  mixed  with  frothy  mucus,  of  a  yellow,  green,  and, 
at  last  often  a  black  colour;  sometimes  bloody,  like  the 
washings  of  flesh,  extremely  acrid,  and  almost  corrosive. 
The  pulse  is  frequent,  and  sometimes  small  or  unequal ; 
heat,  thirst,  and  anxiety,  now  attend ;  cold  sweats  pre- 
sently appear,  and  spasmodic  contractions  affect  the 
extremities.  In  greater  degrees  of  this  disorder,  the 
muscles  of  the  belly,  and,  indeed,  the  whole  body,  are 
seized  with  spasms :  ineffectual  strainings  to  vomit, 
with  almost  continual  urging  to  stool,  usher  in  an  hic- 
cough, lividness  of  the  nails,  convulsive  contractions  of 
the  legs  and  arms,  and  death  sometimes  within  twenty- 
four  hours. 

In  the  dry  species,  there  is  a  considerable  distention 
of  the  stomach  and  intestines  by  wind,  which  is  plenti  - 
fully  discharged  both  upward  and  downward  with  ex- 
treme anxiety,  but  without  either  vomiting  or  purging 

The  remote  causes  are  various;  as  acrid  poison  taken 
into  the  stomach,  active  emetics  or  purgatives,  acrid, 
fermenting,  or  putrescent,  drinks  or  diet,  and  violent 
passions. 

The  immediate  cause  is  the  irritation  of  the  nervous 
coat  of  the  stomach  and  intestines,  which  is  communi- 
cated to  the  biliary  system,  occasioning  the  violent  pain 
and  the  discharge. 

Hoffman  says,  that  the  dangerous  vomiting  and  purg- 
ing which  infants  are  thrown  into  from  the  vehement 
anger  of  the  nurse,  and  those  which  follow  the  exhibi- 
tion of  arsenic,  some  other  poisons,  and  the  virulent  ca- 
thartics and  emetics,  seem  to  be  no  other  than  the  true 
cholera. 

The  dry  cholera  proceeds  from  a  collection  of  acrid 
and  flatulent  humours  in  the  stomach,  by  which  the  ad- 
jacent nervous  parts  are  irritated  and  distended. 

The  cholera  morbus  must  be  distinguished  from  a 
bilious  looseness,  a  dysentery,  and  the  dry  cholera.  It 
is  distinguished  from  the  first  by  its  rapid  attack,  its 
violence,  and  short  duration;  from  dysentery,  by  thc- 
absence  of  the  violent  forcing  pains,  and  the  ineffectual 


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mucous  evacuations;  and  from  the  dry  cholera,  by  the 
nature  of  the  discharge. 

It  is  often  fatal  in  hot  climates,  though  seldom  in  tem- 
perate ones.  The  more  corrosive  the  matter  discharg- 
ed, the  more  intense  the  heat  and  thirst,  the  greater  is 
the  danger.  Hippocrates  observes,  that  if  black  blood 
and  black  bile  are  voided  together,  death  is  certainly  at 
hand;  and  an  exorbitant  discharge  of  a  green  fluid,  both 
upward  and  downward,  fainting,  hiccough,  convulsions, 
coldness  of  the  extremities,  cold  sweats,  a  small  inter- 
mitting pulse,  and  the  continuance  of  the  other  symp- 
toms, after  the  looseness  and  vomiting  cease,  are  mortal 
signs  :  yet,  in  this  country,  all  these  may  concur  from  a 
common  bilious  vomiting,  without  danger,  if  they  do 
not  continue  long  after  the  discharges  cease.  Danger 
is  extreme,  if  what  is  vomited  smells  like  the  internal 
excrements.  If  the  vomiting  ceases,  sleep  succeeds, 
and  the  patient  seems  relieved,  there  are  hopes  ;  if  the 
disease  continues  more  than  seven  days,  it  is  seldom 
dangerous ;  but  the  best  sign  is  a  free  discharge  of  fla- 
tus downward. 

The  general  indications  of  cure  are  : 

1st,  To  correct  the  acrid  matter,  and,  if  necessary,  to 
expel  it  by  art. 

2d,  To  check  the  violent  commotions. 

3d,  To  strengthen  the  weakened  organs. 

Cholera,  strictly  speaking,  arises  from  a  discharge 
of  superabundant  acrid  bile.  It  is  the  disease  of  hot 
climates,  and  of  intemperately  warm  weather  ;  but  si- 
milar symptoms  are  sometimes  produced  by  poisons,  by 
anger,  or  fermenting  food  and  drinks.  In  all  these 
cases  mild  diluting  liquors  may  be  given,  and  the  ma- 
nagement as  in  real  cholera  adopted.  The  only  dif- 
ference in  practice  arises  from  the  advantages  of  giving 
opiates  sometimes  earlier  and  more  freely. 

In  the  true  cholera,  Aretaeus  long  since  commended 
frequent  small  draughts  of  tepid  water,  to  evacuate  the 
present  contents  of  the  stomach;  and  when  bilious  dis- 
charges, loathing,  and  restlessness,  afterwards  come  on, 
a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  cold  water,  to  check  the  purging, 
to  cool  the  ardent  heat  of  the  stomach,  and  to  abate  the 
thirst,  may  be  given  :  this  he  advises  to  be  repeated  as 
often  as  the  patient  throws  up  what  he  drinks  :  and  if 
fainting,with  other  symptoms  of  weakness,  appear,  a  little 
wine  may,  he  thinks,  be  added  to  each  draught  of  water. 

Many  since  Aretseus  have  extolled  cold  water,  and 
the  more  so,  as  the  climate,  season,  and  constitution  of 
the  patient  are  warm  ;  for  it  cools,  blunts  acrimony,  and 
restores  the  tone  of  the  parts.  In  this  country  it  may 
be  given  safely,  if  large  draughts  at  a  time  are  avoided; 
but  toast  and  water  is  perhaps  safer. 

Sydenham  commends  a  similar  practice.  He  orders, 
if  called  in  at  an  early  period  of  the  disease,  a  chicken 
to  be  boiled  for  a  short  time  in  three  gallons  of  water  ; 
of  this  the  patient  is  to  drink  freely,  and  a  part  is  to  be 
injected  as  a  clyster,  until  the  whole  is  consumed  : 
thus  the  offending  matter  will  be  diluted  and  evacu- 
ated both  by  vomit  and  stool.  The  clysters  may  be  re- 
peated as  often  as  they  return,  at  least  until  the  pain 
abates. 

Instead  of  chicken  water,  as  advised  by  Sydenham, 
barley  water  may  be  used,  or  water  impregnated  with 
any  insipid  mucilage;  butter  milk,  which  some  prefer 
above  every  liquid;  gentle  acid  drinks;  or  a  decoction 


of  oat  (or  other)  bread,  that  is  first  toasted,  until  if  i* 
brown  as  coffee,  but  not  burnt,  may  be  employed :  as 
much  of  this  toasted  bread  should  be  boiled  in  the  wa- 
ter as  will  render  the  decoction  of  the  colour  of  weak 
coffee.  Edinburgh  Med.  Essays. 

These  liquors  should  be  plentifully  drank,  until  the 
contents  of  the  bowels  are  sufficiently  evacuated  to  ren- 
der the  exhibition  of  opium  safe. 

If  the  pain  and  sickness  be  violent,  and  the  vomiting 
slight  and  ineffectual,  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  grain  of 
tart.  emet.  may  be  given  in  part  of  the  drink,  every 
three  or  four  hours  ;  or,  if  the  discharge  by  stool  be  in- 
efficient, such  mild  laxatives  as  the  stomach  will  bear 
may  be  added.  Manna  is  well  adapted  to  this  purpose, 
and  may  be  given  with  tamarinds. 

When  the  strength  is  reduced  by  the  evacuations,  and 
the  prim  as  vise  cleared,  the  vomiting  and  purging  may 
be  checked  with  opiates.  Sydenham  directs  the  tinct. 
opii,  from  twelve  to  twenty  drops,  or  more,  in  a  little 
mint  water,  to  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  a  day,  or 
oftener,  as  the  urgency  of  the  pain  or  frequency  of  the 
evacuations  require,  and  to  be  continued,  at  least  night 
and  morning,  until  the  patient  recovers  some  degree  of 
strength.  Opiates  are  often,  however,  in  a  moment  re- 
jected; and,  in  this  case,  a  small  pill  of  solid  opium  will 
elude  the  action  of  the  stomach,  and  check  the  vomit- 
ing. This,  too,  sometimes  is  rejected;  and  we  have 
then  given  with  advantage,  a  tcaspoonful  of  elixir  pa- 
regoric frequently,  which  is  lost  about  the  fauces,  but  its 
effects  are  communicated  by  degrees  to  the  stomach.  • 

If  the  disorder  hath  continued  some  hours,  and  the 
patient  is  already  weakened,  the  opiates  may  be  imme- 
diately given  and  continued,  as  already  directed.  If  the 
symptoms  of  weakness  are  extreme,  the  pulse  weak 
and  intermitting,  and  convulsions  approaching,  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  drops  of  the  tincture  of  opium  should  be 
given  in  a  large  spoonful  or  two  of  strong  cinnamon 
water,  and  after  it  a  draught  of  whatever  liquor  the 
patient  hath  to  drink,  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
wine. 

The  saline  draughts  given  in  the  act  of  fermentation 
often  allay  the  vomiting  very  soon :  they  may  be  re- 
peated after  each  evacuation  upwards,  and  to  these 
some  tincture  of  opium  may  be  added. 

A  free  use  of  the  columbo  root  will  be  sometimes  an 
adequate  remedy  against  this  dangerous  disease.  It  is 
said  rarely  to  require  any  means  to  be  employed  for  pro- 
moting the  discharge  of  bile,  or  to  cleanse  the  primae 
vise,  previous  to  its  administration.  As  soon  as  assist- 
ance is  demanded,  from  3  ss-  to  3  *j-  of  this  medicine, 
finely  powdered,  may  be  given  in  a  glass  of  peppermint 
water,  and  repeated  every  three  or  four  hours,  accord- 
ing to  the  urgency  of  the  symptoms.  In  hot  climates 
this  remedy  is  almost  a  specific  :  it  soon  abates  the  vio- 
lent evacuations;  and  by  continuing  it  a  few  days,  every 
other  symptom  vanishes. 

Hoffman  observes,  that  in  choleras  and  bilious  diarr- 
hoeas, especially  such  as  are  excited  by  passion,  it  is 
necessary  to  abstain  from  sudorifics  and  a  sudorific  regi- 
men, particularly  at  the  beginning  ;  these  being  apt  to 
bring  on  a  violent  rheumatic  or  arthritic  affection. 

The  cholera  morbus  sometimes  destroys  the  patient 
in  tw.enty-four  hours.  If  it  is  cured,  the  patient  is  much 
relieved  in  two  or  three  days :  it  rarely  continues  a 


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431 


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week,  except  it  is  the  forerunner  of  some  other  disease. 
See  Aretaeus,  Coelius  Aurelianus,  Hoffman,  Fordyce's 
Elem.  p.  2.  Edinb.  Med.  Ess.  vol.  v.  Wallis's  Syden- 
ham.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv.  39. 

CHO'LERA  SI'CCA.     SeeCoucA. 

CHOLE'RICA,  (from  x»*P*>  cholera).  Medicines 
which  relieve  the  cholera.  See  also  DIARRH<EA  HE- 

PATARRCEA. 

CHOLICELE.  A  swelling  on  the  right  side,  or  ra- 
ther near  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  from  an  accumulation 
of  bile  in  the  gall  bladder. 

CHOLOBA'PHINON,  (from  x«A>j,  bile,  and  /3«»7«, 
to  immerge).  A  metal  resembling  gold,  and  which  ap- 
pears as  if  it  had  been  dipt  in  gall.  See  ..Es. 

CHOLO'MA,  (from  x*>A»«,  lame,  maimed).  Galen 
observes  that  in  Hippocrates  it  signifies  a  distortion  of 
a  limb.  In  a  particular  sense,  it  is  taken  for  a  halting, 
or  lameness  in  the  leg. 

CHOLO'SIS,  (from  xa*»s,  lame).  In  Vogel's  No- 
sology, this  is  a  genus  of  disease  which  he  defines  te  be 
lameness,  from  one  leg  being  shorter  than  the  other.  It 
is  sometimes  the  case  with  children,  that  one  leg  seems 
longer  than  the  other,  and  the  motion  of  the  longer  leg 
is  rotatory  in  consequence  of  it.  Mr.  Pott  thinks,  that 
this  is  owing  to  a  paralysis  of  the  part.  In  these  in- 
stances, the  glutaei  muscles  and  the  ligaments  are  in  a 
very  relaxed  state,  and  the  disease  most  probably,  in  a 
very  great  measure,  originates  from  weakness.  Amongst 
the  most  useful  means  of  relief  are,  the  cold  bath,  the 
bark,  iron,  setons,  and  vitriolic  acid. 

CHONDRI'LLA,  vel  CONDRI'LLA,  (from  x»*P», 
a  grain  of  any  corn;  so  called,  because  it  emits  small 
particles  of  gum  resembling  grain).  It  is  a  species  of 
SUCCORY,  the  root  of  which  is  perennial,  and  the  leaves 
minutely  indented. 

The  only  species  of  chondrilla  in  the  Species  Planta- 
rum,  is  the  C.  juncea  Sp.  PI.  1120;  and  the  different 
species  of  former  authors  are  dispersed  under  the  pre- 
ceding and  following  genera,  lactuca,  and  firenanthes; 
but  no  species  has  the  slightest  pretence  to  any  medi- 
cinal power,  though  the  gum  of  the  lactuca  fierennis, 
the  chondrilla  ccsrulea  of  Casper  Bauhine,  has  been 
used  as  an  emmenagogue. 

CHONDROGLO'SSUS,  (from  x»fy<»>  a  cartilage, 
and  «/y«a-(rj),  a  tongue).  A  muscle  inserted  into  the 
basis,  or  cartilaginous  part  of  the  tongue.  See  Hvo- 
GLOSSUS. 

CHO'NDROS,  (from  %ta,  to  flour  out,  and  v£af, 
water;  from  the  manner,  according  to  Schrevelius,  in 
which  the  food  of  the  ancients  called  Alica  was  made). 
See  ALICA  CARTILAGO,  and  XIPHOIDES  CARTILA- 
GO.  It  also  signifies  any  grumous  concretion,  as  of 
mastic,  &c. 

CHONDROSYNDE'SMUS.  A  cartilaginous  liga- 
ment. (From  x«»^««,  cartilago,  and  s-t/n&c-^oj,  con- 
nectio). 

CHONDROPHARYNG^E'US,  (from  x»%»<,  a  car- 
tilage, and  q>*fvi%,  the  upper  fiart  of  the  fauces).  See 
PHARYNX.  A  muscle  which  rises  from  the  cartilaginous 
appendage  of  the  os  hyoides,  and  is  inserted  in  the 
membrane  of  the  fauces.  Douglass. 

CHO'NE.     See  IXFUNDIBULVM. 

CHO'PIN.     An  English  WINE  QUART. 

CHOPI'NO.     A  CHOPIXE;  also  cheofiina,  which  see. 


A  pint  measure  at  Paris,  containing  fifteen  ounces  and 
a  half,  or  sixteen  ounces. 

CHO'RA.  A  REGION,  (from  %*>?<><;,  a  place).  Galen, 
in  his  work  De  Usu  Part,  expresses  by  it  particularly 
the  cavities  of  the  eyes ;  but  in  other  places  he  means 
by  it  any  void  space. 

CHO'RDA,  X'P^i'  (from  xffovu,  to  roll  uji  like  a 
cord).  Properly  a  musical  chord,  metaphorically  a  ten- 
don. Poets  often  express  by  it  the  intestines.  Para- 
celsus, in  his  work  De  Origine  et  Curatione  Morbi 
Gallici,  calls  the  penis  by  this  name.  A  painful  ten- 
sion of  the  penis  in  the  lues  venerea  is  still  called 
chorde. 

CHO'RDA  MAGNA.     See  TENDO  ACHILLIS. 

CHO'RDA  TYMPANI.  The  fifth  pair  of  nerves  from  the 
brain  divides  into  three  principal  branches,  one  of  which 
is  called  the  inferior  maxillary.  (See  TRIGEMIVI  NERVI). 
A  branch  of  the  inferior  maxillary  nerve  forms  the 
lingual,  which,  soon  after  it  leaves  its  origin,  is  accom- 
panied by  a  small  distinct  nerve,  which  runs  upward 
and  backward  towards  the  articulation  of  the  lower 
jaw,  in  company  with  the  lateral  muscle  of  the  malleus, 
and  passes  through  the  tympanum  between  the  handle 
of  the  malleus  and  the  long  neck  of  the  incus,  by  the 
name  of  the  chorda  tymfiani.  It  afterwards  perforates 
the  back  side  of  the  tympanum,  and  unites  with  the 
portio  dura  of  the  auditory  nerve. 

CHO'RDA  TENDI-NE^E.     See  COR. 

CHO'RDA  WILLISII.     See  DURA  MATER. 

CHORDA'PSUS,  (from  xoph,  a  cord,  and  «*la,  to 
knit;  so  called,  from  the  intestines  appearing  to  be 
twisted  into  knots,  like  pieces  of  string,  in  a  species  of 
painful  colic).  See  COLICA,  and  ILIACA  PASSIO. 

CHORDA'TA  GONORRHCE'A.  A  gonorrhoea 
attended  with  chordee,  or  painful  tension  of  the  penis. 
See  GONORRH<EA. 

CHORDE'.  See  CHORDA.  It  is  a  painful  invo- 
luntary erection  of  the  penis,  happening  at  all  times, 
but  more  commonly  when  the  patient  is  warm  in  bed : 
under  which  circumstance,  the  penis  is  not  only  hard 
and  painful  to  the  touch,  but  generally  bent  downwards 
in  a  considerable  degree.  It  sometimes  remains  after 
the  heat  of  urine  and  other  symptoms  of  gonorrhoea  have 
disappeared;  but  is  usually  more  severe  during  the 
continuance  of  the  inflammation,  and  becomes  more 
or  less  violent  according  to  the  greater  or  less  degree  of 
that  symptom. 

Astruc  distinguishes  two  species;  when  the  whole 
body  of  the  penis  is  regularly  drawn  downwards  in  the 
form  of  a  semicircle,  from  inflammation,  an  ulcer  in  the 
membrane  of  the  urethra,  or  in  its  corpus  cavernosum ; 
or  when  the  glans  only  is  drawn  down  by  inflamma- 
tion of  the  fraenum.  He  also  observes,  that,  besides 
the  chordee,  there  are  other  distortions  of  the  penis. 
If  the  suspensory  ligament  that  connects  the  penis  to 
the  os  pubis  is  inflamed,  or  if  only  one  of  its  cavernous 
bodies  is  injured,  the  penis  will  either  be  bent  upwards 
or  to  one  side ;  and  these  are  relieved  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  chordee. 

Dr.  Rutherford,  in  his  Clinical  Lectures,  sup- 
poses that  inflammation  and  swelling  in  the  corpus  ca- 
vernosum urethrae  is  the  cause  of  the  chordee ;  and 
Mr.  Bell,  that  the  irritation  is  communicated  to  the 
contiguous  muscles,  producing  unequal  degrees  of  con- 


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traction  over  the  whole  substance  of  the  penis  which 
universally  takes  place  in  this  disease.  Neither  expla- 
nation is,  however,  satisfactory ;  nor  can  we  attribute 
it  to  any  cause  but  a  spasm  in  the  cells  of  the  corpora 
cavernosa,  and  an  irregular  distribution  of  the  blood. 
It  has  not,  however,  yet  been  shown  that  these  cellular 
parts  are  muscular. 

If  the  patient  is  costive,  gentle  laxatives  should  be 
administered;  and  in  full  habits,  bleeding  is  essentially 
necessary.  A  cold  solution  of  acetated  litharge,  or  the 
camphorated  oil,  applied  to  the  part,  and  sleeping  in 
tight  drawers,  have  been  recommended.  Rubbing  the 
parts  with  tincture  of  opium,  or  a  strong  solution  of  it 
in  water,  or  pledgets  immersed  in  either,  kept  upon  the 
parts,  have  been  found  useful.  Emollient  injections, 
impregnated  with  opium,  are  exceedingly  efficacious  in 
lessening  the  violence  of  this  complaint :  but  taking- 
thirty  or  forty  drops  of  tincture  of  opium  at  bed  time 
is  the  remedy  mostly  to  be  depended  upon,  as  it  seldom 
tails  to  prevent  or  remove  the  affection  :  and  this  is 
considered  as  one  of  the  most  effectual  remedies  in 
ti'ery  stage  of  this  symjitom,  particularly  where  it  has 
been  of  long  continuance.  If  opium  fails,  the  hyoscya- 
mus  niger  may  be  tried,  beginning  with  one  grain  of 
the  extract,  and  gradually  increasing  the  dose,  accord- 
ing to  its  effects.  Though,  in  slight  degrees  of  chor- 
dee,  blood  letting  is  never  necessary  ;  still,  whenever,  it 
is  severe,  particularly  if  the  habit  is  plethoric,  and  the 
pulse  strong  and  full,  it  should  never  be  omitted  ;  and, 
perhaps,  the  best  mode  is  by  the  application  of  leeches 
to  the  part  affected ;  particularly  as  it  prevents  the  chor- 
dee  remaining  after  every  other  symptom  of  gonorrhoea 
has  disappeared,  which  is  sometimes  the  case.  Fric- 
tions, with  mercurial  ointment,  have  been  strongly  re- 
commended ;  but  they  are  generally  unnecessary,  and 
often  useless. 

See  Astruc,  Foot,  Hunter,  Bell,  and  Swediaur,  on 
the  Venereal  Disease. 

CHO'REA  SANCTI  VITI,  (a  x»f»<,  coitus  saltan- 
t'nnn).  St  VITUS'  DANCE.  Also  called  viti  saltus; 
by  Paracelsus,  lascivus.  Horstius  observes,  that  some 
women,  who  were  disordered  in  mind,  once  every 
year  paid  a  visit  to  the  chapel  of  St.  Vitus,  near  Ulm, 
and  there  exercised  themselves  day  and  night  in  danc- 
ing, till  they  were  completely  exhausted.  Thus  they 
were  restored  till  the  return  of  the  following  May, 
when  they  were  again  seized  with  a  restlessness  and 
disorderly  motion  of  their  limbs,  in  so  great  a  de- 
gree as  to  be  obliged,  at  the  anniversary  feast  of  St. 
Vitus,  to  repair  again  to  the  same  chapel  for  the  sake 
of  dancing.  From  this  tradition,  a  convulsion,  to  which 
girls  are  principally  subject  before  the  eruption  of  the 
menses,  took  its  name.  The  disorder,  however,  above 
described  by  Horstius  is  different  from  what  we  call  St. 
Situs'  dance. 

Mead  and  Pitcairn  think  this  disorder  paralytic;  Sy- 
denham  considers  it  as  convulsive ;  Dr.  Cullcn  calls  it 
chorea,  and  has,  on  account  of  the  age  at  which  it  at- 
tacks, as  well  as  the  motions  which  it  exhibits,  esta- 
blished it  as  a  genus,  under  the  class  neuroses,  and  or- 
der sjiasmi.  He  remarks,  that  it  affects  those  of  either 
sex  before  the  time  of  puberty,  for  the  most  part  be- 
tween the  tenth  and  fourteenth  years.  It  manifests 
itself  by  involuntary  convulsive  motions  of  some  parts, 


commonly  of  one  side,  resembling  the  gestures  of  buf- 
foons, in  the  movement  of  the  arms  and  hands ;  the 
patients,  in  walking,  oftener  drag  one  foot  than  raise 
it. 

Sydenham  thus  describes  it :  "  A  kind  of  convulsion, 
which  principally  attacks  children  of  both  sexes  from 
ten  to  fourteen  years  of  age.  It  first  shows  itself  by  a 
lameness,  or  rather  unsteadiness,  of  one  of  the  legs, 
which  the  patient  draws  after  him  like  an  idiot,  and  af- 
terwards affects  the  hand  on  the  same  side,  which,  being 
brought  to  the  breast,  or  any  other,  part,  can  by  no 
means  be  held  in  the  same  posture  for  a  moment,  but 
is  distorted  or  snatched  by  a  kind  of  convulsion  into  a 
different  posture  or  place,  notwithstanding  all  possible 
efforts  to  the  contrary.  If  a  glass  of  liquor  be  put  into 
the  hand  to  drink,  before  the  patient  can  get  it  into  his 
mouth,  he  uses  a  thousand  odd  gestures ;  for,  not  being 
able  to  carry  it  in  a  straight  line  thereto,  because  his 
hand  is  drawn  different  ways  by  the  convulsion,  as  soon 
as  it  hath  reached  his  lips,  he  throws  it  suddenly  into 
his  mouth,  and  drinks  it  very  hastily,  as  if  he  only  meant 
to  divert  the  spectators." 

This  is,  however,  a  very  imperfect  and  inadequate 
view  of  the  disease.  We  shall,  therefore,  transcribe 
that  given  by  Dr.  Hamilton,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  Utility 
of  Purgatives. 

"  Chorea  Sancti  Viti  attacks  boys  and  girls  indiscri- 
minately ;  and  those  chiefly  who  are  of  a  weak  consti- 
tution, or  whose  natural  good  health  and  vigour  have 
been  impaired  by  confinement,  or  by  the  use  of  scanty 
or  improper  nourishment.  It  appears  most  commonly 
from  the  eighth  to  the  fourteenth  year.  I  saw  it  in  two 
young  women,  who  were  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  years 
of  age. 

"  The  approaches  of  chorea  are  slow.  A  variable, 
and  often  a  ravenous,  appetite,  loss  of  usual  vivacity  and 
playfulness,  a  swelling  and  hardness  of  the  lower  belly- 
in  most  cases,  in  some  a  lank  and  soft  belly,  and,  in  ge- 
neral, a  constipated  state  of  the  bowels,  aggravated  as 
the  disease  advances,  and  slight  irregular  involuntary 
motions  of  different  muscles,  particularly  of  those  of 
the  face,  which  are  thought  to  be  the  effect  of  irrita- 
tion, precede  the  more  violent  convulsive  motions, 
which  now  attract  the  attention  of  the  friends  of  the 
patient. 

"  These  convulsive  motions  vary.  The  muscles  of 
the  extremities  and  of  the  face,  those  moving  the  lower 
jaw,  the  head,  and  the  trunk  of  the  body,  are  at  different 
times,  and  in  different  instances,  affected  by  it.  In  this 
state  the  patient  does  not  walk  steadily ;  his  gait  re- 
sembles a  jumping  or  starting;  he  sometimes  cannot 
walk,  and  seems  palsied  ;  he  cannot  perform  the  com- 
mon and  necessary  motions  with  the  affected  arms. 

"  This  convulsive  motion  is  more  or  less  violent,  and 
is  constant,  except  during  sleep,  when,  in  most  instances, 
it  ceases  altogether.  Although  different  muscles  are 
sometimes  successively  convulsed,  yet,  in  general,  the 
muscles  affected  in  the  early  part  of  the  disease  remain 
so  during  the  course  of  it. 

"  Articulation  is    now    impeded,   and  is  frequently 
completely  suspended.   Deglutition  is  also  occasionally 
performed  with  difficulty.     The    eye   loses  its  lustre 
and  intelligence ;  the  countenance  is  pale,  and  expres 
sive  of  vacancy  and  languor.     These  circumstances 


CHO 


435 


CHO 


give  the  patient  a  fatuous  appearance.  Indeed,  there  is 
ever)-  reason  to  believe,  that,  when  the  complaint  has 
subsisted  for. some  time,  fatuity,  to  a  certain  extent,  in- 
terrupts the  exercise  of  the  mental  faculties. 

"  Fever,  such  as  arises  in  marasmus,  is  not  a  neces- 
sary attendant  on  chorea;  nevertheless,  in  the  advanced 
periods  of  the  disease,  flaccidity  and  wasting  of  the 
muscular  flesh  take  place,  the  consequences  of  constant 
irritation,  of  abating  appetite,  and  impaired  digestion, 
the  common  attendants  of  protracted  chorea ;  and 
which,  I  doubt  not,  may,  in  some  instances,  although 
contrary  to  the  opinion  that  chorea  is  not  fatal,  have 
been  the  forerunners  of  death." 

This  is  a  very  faithful  picture  of  the  disease,  and  we 
can  only  add  to  it,  that  the  belly  seems  often  obstinately 
bound.  We  have  seen  it  at  every  age,  from  seven  to 
twenty-two ;  and,  in  one  case,  it  occurred  in  a  young 
woman  of  twenty,  who  had  been  married  about  three 
weeks. 

What  can  have  occasioned  the  apathy  of  practitioners 
respecting  this  frightful  complaint,  it  is  not  easy  to  say. 
The  description  of  Sydenham  has  been  repeated  in 
every  author,  and  the  usual  tonics  and  antispasmo- 
dice  indiscriminately  and  fruitlessly-  advised.  The  dis- 
ease evidently  depends  on  debility;  but  we  can  no  more 
conquer  this  debility  by  tonics,  than  we  can  success- 
fully combat  that  which  arises  from  infarcted  viscera  by 
bark.  It  seems  to  have  escaped  authors  that,  in  every 
case  of  chorea,  there  is  a  load  in  the  head,  an  obstruct- 
ed discharge  from  the  bowels,  at  a  time  when  it  is  the 
object  of  nature  to  determine  the  fluids  to  the  lower 
belly,  viz.  about  the  age  of  puberty.  Many  of  the 
symptoms  are  those  of  apoplexy  or  palsy ;  but,  as  usual 
in  cases  of  debility,  the  voluntary  muscles  lose  their 
balance,  and  convulsions  follow. 

Those  who  have  once  suffered  under  this  disease  are 
very  subject  to  a  relapse.  However  violent  the  symp- 
toms, they  never  are  suddenly  destructive.  When 
recent  in  a  young  person,  of  an  otherwise  good  consti- 
tution, there  is  hope  of  a  speedy  cure.  If  the  menses 
are  obstructed,  their  return  will  mitigate,  if  not  cure, 
the  disease.  If  the  temperament  is  very  sensible,  the 
disease  hereditary  or  habitual,  the  cure  is  difficult. 

Nothing,  in  the  records  of  medicine,  is  more  trifling 
and  indiscriminate,  than  the  mode  recommended  of  re- 
lieving chorea.  The  author  of  this  article,  more  than 
twenty  years  since,  catching  the  hint  from  Sydenham, 
,<ave  purgatives ;  and  found  that  this  usually  obstinate 
disease  yielded  not  only  soon,  but  with  little  danger  of 
r-elapse ;  and,  in  this  interval,  he  has  had  occasion  to 
-ee  more  than  sixty  cases,  three  times  Dr.  Hamilton's 
boasted  number,  in  one  of  which  only  he  may  have 
been  styled  unsuccessful.  The  violence  of  the  disease, 
indeed,  in  that  instance,  was  subdued;  but  slight  irre- 
gular motions,  especially  on  any  sudden  agitation,  would 
;iot  yield.  The  author's  own  illness  obliged  him  to  re- 
fer the  patient  to  another  physician,  but  every  measure 
seems  to  have  failed. 

The  choice  of  the  purgative  appears  of  little  import- 
ance ;  but  it  must  be  active,  for  no  other  will  produce 
the  necessary  discharge  ;  and  the  saiine  purgatives  are 
apparently  less  adapted  to  the  complaint.  The  author 
knows  no  distinction  but  in  their  power.  The  most 
active  are  the  most  useful.  In  the  Edinburgh  Medical 
Journal,  there  are  two  cases  of  chorea  in  which  purga- 

TOL.  I- 


lives  succeeded;  and,  in  Dr.  Hamilton's  volume,  there 
are  many  instances  of  well  conducted  successful  treat- 
ment by  this  plan.  We  have  had  no  reason  to  follow  the 
purgatives  by  tonics.  The  constitution  has  restored  the 
general  health  with  rapidity  and  effect.  We  may  jus- 
add,  that,  in  the  woman  newly  married,  the  complain! 
yielded,  within  a  fortnight,  to  the  purgative  course. 

See  Wallis's  Sydenham,  vol.  ii.  p.  327;  CullenV 
First  Lines,  vol.  iii.  edit.  4.  Hamilton  on  Purgativ< 
Medicines;  Edinburgh  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i. 

CHO'RION.  Membrana  externa,  qua  foetus  invol- 
vitur,  (from  £««»,  rece/itaculum}.  Vide  H.  Steph.  Thes. 
Sometimes  called  camisia  fttun,  SHIRT  OF  THE  FCETI— . 
A  name  of  the  external  membrane  of  the  fcetus.  In 
women,  as  in  some  animals,  the  chorion,  at  the  first,  L 
without  any  sensible  placenta.  It  is  also  said  to  have 
its  name  from  the  chorus  or  crowd  of  blood  vessels 
which  are  spread  on  it.  It  adheres  to  the  amnios  by 
a  gelatinous  substance,  and  is  divisible  into  two  lamellae ; 
the  internal,  or  true  chorion,  is  even  more  thin  and  pel- 
lucid than  the  amnios ;  whilst  the  external,  or  false  cho- 
rion, is  thick  and  opaque.  This  spongy  chorion  adheres 
to  the  uterus  at  every  part,  and  grows  thicker  as  it  ap 
preaches  the  placenta;  whilst  the  internal  lamina  ad- 
heres inseparably  to  the  inner  surface  of  the  placenta : 
hence  it  is  plain,  that  the  substance  of  the  placenta  is 
betwixt  these  two  lamellae  of  the  chorion.  This  mem- 
brane hath  numerous  lymphatic  vessels;  but  in  the 
human  placenta,  these  vessels  cannot  be  traced  by  in- 
jection on  the  amnios  and  chorion.  The  uterus,  in- 
deed, sends  veins  to  the  outer  chorion;  and  perhaps 
the  arteries  do  the  same.  See  DECIDUA. 

The  use  of  the  chorion  is  to  sustain  the  umbilical 
vessels. 

CHOROI'DES,  (from  x*fi»',  chorion,  and  u?«,  like- 
ness'). It  is  an  epithet  of  several  membranes,  which,  on 
account  of  the  multitude  of  their  blood  vessels,  resem- 
'  ble  the  chorion.  It  is  the  tunica  retiformis  oculi,  a  name 
of  one  of  the  coats  of  the  eye.  (See  RETIFOHMIS.^ 
It  lines  the  sclerotis ;  is  a  thin  vascular  coat  of  a  brown- 
ish colour,  and  generally  said  to  derive  itsorigin  from  the 
pia  mater  covering  of  the  optic  nerve.  From  the  colour 
of  part  of  this  membrane  it  hath  been  called  irvea;  the 
external  surface  of  which  is  called  the  iris;  but  at  pre- 
sent the  entire  fore  part  onlyof  this  coat  is  called  iris; 
and  the  rest  choroides.  It  consists  of  twolaminx ;  the  ex- 
terior is  slightly  connected  with  the  sclerotica,  and  is 
also  covered  with  a  black  matter,  called  nigrum  fligmen- 
tum.  Both  laminae  are  extremely  vascular:  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  vessels  of  the  inner  surface  project  from 
it,  and  are  termed  villi  and  fiaftillg.  As  this  internal 
lamina  was  first  noted  by  Ruysch,  it  is  called  Ruytchi- 
ana  tunica.  The  black  substance  which  lies  between 
the  sclerotica  and  choroides,  is  also  found  betwixt  it  and 
the  retina.  Near  where  the  sclerotica  becomes  trans- 
parent, the  choroides  is  firmly  united  to  it ;  and,  at  thi* 
circle  of  adhesion,  the  choroides  seems  to  change  its 
colour  and  texture,  appearing  as  a  whitish  'ring,  of  a 
compact  substance,  and  is  termed  ciliare  ligamentum. 
Here  the  internal  lamina  of  the  choroides  dips  inwards, 
to  make  what  are  termed  the  processes.  The  ciliary 
processes  are  on  the  inside,  between  the  iris  and  cho- 
roides, as  the  ligamentum  ciliare  is  on  the  outside.  The 
choroides  is  continued  on  the  inside  of  the  transparent 
part  of  the  sclerotis,  and  there  forms  the  iris :  the  per- 

3  K 


C  H  tt 


434 


C  11  R 


Joration  in  the  middle  is  called  fiufiiUa.  The  artery 
is  a  branch  of  the  carotid.  The  veins  empty  themselves 
into  the  optic  sinuses,  which  are  again  discharged  into 
the  internal  jugulars;  but  some  of  these  veins  commu- 
nicate with  the  external  veins  of  the  eye,  so  that  part 
of  the  blood  is  emptied  into  the  external  jugulars.  The 
nerves  are  from  the  ophthalmic  branch  of  the  fifth 
pair,  and  a  branch  of  the  third  pair. 

Opposite  to  the  insertion  of  the  optic  nerve,  the  cho- 
roides  is  wanting :  and  thus  is  formed  that  white  speck, 
on  which,  if  the  picture  of  an  object  falls,  we  are  inca- 
pable of  perceiving  it. 

CHOROI'DES  PLEXUS.  A  plexus  of  blood  vessels  ;  a 
congeries  of  blood  vessels  on  the  lateral  ventricles  of  the 
brain.  See  CEREBRUM. 

CHOU  DE  PALMI'STE.  (French.)  The  cabbage 
of  the  palm  tree.  See  PALMA  NOBILIS. 

CHOWDER,  is  an  antiscorbutic,  used  on  the  New- 
foundland station,  and  consists  only  of  fresh  fish  boiled 
with  the  salted  ship  provisions. 

CHOWDER  BEER,  is  an  infusion  of  spruce  in  wa- 
ter, from  which  beer  is  prepared  in  the  common 
way. 

CHRI'STI  MA'NUS.     See  SACCHARUM. 

CHRISTOS,  (from  xf">>  to  anoint ).  Whatever  is 
applied  by  way  of  unction. 

CHROME.  A  newly  discovered  metal.  See  CHE- 
MISTRY. 

CHRO'NICUS,  or  CHRO'NIUS,  (from  x/wv©-, 
time).  CHRONICAL. 

Diseases  which  continue  long,  and  are  without  any, 
or  at  least  a  considerable  degree  of,  fever.  On  the  con- 
trary, those  which  proceed  rapidly,  and  terminate  soon, 
are  termed  acute. 

In  the  cure  of  chronical  disorders,  Dr.  Fothergill  in- 
timates, that  those  means  or  medicines  which  enable 
the  stomach  duly  to  perform  its  office,  are  the  most  ef- 
fectual, if  not  the  only  remedies.  (See  Lond.  Med. 
Obs.  vol.  i.  p.  314.)  Dr.  Cadogan  seems  to  corroborate 
this,  by  his  observations  on  the  causes  of  chronical  dis- 
orders ;  which,  he  says,  are  indolence,  intemperance,  or 
vexation  :  though  now  and  then  he  allows,  that  an  acute 
disorder,  imperfectly  cured,  may  be  the  cause  of  chronical 
ones.  (See  his  Essay  on  the  Gout  and  Chronical  Dis- 
eases.) In  general,  however,  chronical  diseases  depend 
on  an  obstructed  discharge,  or  an  infarcted  gland,  usually 
the  liver.  Atonic  gout  may  be  another  cause ;  but,  in 
general,  an  attention  to  the  state  of  the  bowels  is  essen- 
tially necessary,  and  a  preservation  of  the  balance  of  the 
circulation,  particularly  an  attention  to  the  warm  th  of  the 
surface  and  extremities.  Wallis's  Sydenham,  vol.  i.  p.  4. 

CHROS,  (from  xfaa,  the  skin).  Galen  says,  that 
the  ISnians  mean,  by  this  word,  the  flesh  in  our  bodies ; 
i.  e.  all  except  bones  and  cartilages. 

CHRU'PSIA,  (from  xPevai  colour,  and  «i^/«,  sight). 
V  disease  in  the  eyes,  in  which  the  person  perceives 
objects  of  colours  different  from  their  real  ones. 

CHRYPSO'RCHES.     See  PARORCHIDIUM. 

CHRYSA'NTHEMUM,  (from  xpvm,  aurum,  and 
rtvJsfto;,  a  Jloiucr).  Called  also  bellis  iutca  foliis  firo- 
funde  incisis  major;  chrysanthemum  segetum  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1254;  CORN  MARIGOLD.  It  is  an  annual  plant,  fre- 
quently met  with  amongst  corn.  The  Germans  com- 
mend it  in  the  jaundice;  but  it  is  not  employed  in 
practice  with  us. 


It  is  likewise  a  name  for  the  GARDEN  MARIGOLD,  arid 
many  other  herbs,  whose  flowers  are  of  a  bright  yellow 
colour.  See  CALENDULA. 

CHRYSA'NTHEMUM  BIDKNS.     See  ACMEL'LA. 

CHRYSA'NTHEMUM  COTU'L«  FO'LIO.  See  BUPHTHAL- 
MUM  VERUM. 

CHRYSA'NTHEMUM  I'NDICUM.     See  BATTATAS  CANA- 

DENSIS. 

CHRYSA'NTHEMUM  LEUCA'NTHEMUM.  See  BELLIS 
MAJOR.  It  is  also  the  name  for  several  species  of  sun- 
Jiower,  cotula,  and  the  common  ox  eye. 

CHRYSA'TTICUM.  An  epithet  of  a  sort  of  pas- 
sum,  recommended  by  P.  JEgineta  to  be  drunk  with 
the  seed  of  atriplex  for  the  jaundice. 

CHRY'SE.  The  name  of  a  yellow  plaster  in  P. 
JEgineta  for  fresh  wounds;  from  %pv<r<>f,  gold. 

CHRYSISCE'PTRUM,  (from  xpvm,  gold,  and 
c-xtTrjpoi,  a  rod,  or  staff,  so  named  from  the  yellow  colom 
of  its  stem).  See  VIRGA  AUREA. 

CHRYSI'TIS,  or  CHRYSI'TIS  SPO'DOS,  (from 
Xpve-e*;,  aurum).  See  LITHARGYRUM. 

CHRYSOBALA'NUS  GALE'NI,  (from  Kfv<r»s, 
and  /3«A*va5,  a  nut,  on  account  of  its  colour).  See  Nux 

MOSCHATA. 

CHRYSOCA'LLIA.     See  CHAMJEMELUM. 

CHRYSO-CERAU'NIUS,  (from  %pv<r«,  gold,  and 
Ktpawos,  thunder*).  See  AURUM  FULMINANS. 

CHRYSOCHA'LCUM,  (from  xp™*i  and  £***<>?, 
brass}.  See  .£SECAVUM. 

CHRYSOCO'LLA,  (from  %fu<n<,  gold,  and  X»AA», 
glue,  or  solder).  See  TINCAL  and  BORAX. 

CHRYSOCO'MA,  (from  %pvn<;,  gold,  and  »«p«, 
hair,  from  its  resembling  golden  hair).  See  ELICHRY- 
SUM. 

CHRYSO'GONUM,(from  xpf«>  and  y.vt/,  a  knot}. 
RED  TURNIP. 

CHRYSOLA'CHANON,  (from  xp™<,  and  ^x*">», 
the  olus;  so  called  from  its  leaf  and  root  being  yellow 
like  the  olus).  See  ATRIPLEX. 

CHRYSOME'LIA,  (from  x?VF°s,  and  wfot,  an  ap- 
ple). See  AURANTIA  HYSPANICA. 

CHRYSO'PUS,  (from  xpres,  and  a^,  face  or  a/i- 
fiearance).  See  GAMBOGIA. 

CHRY'STALS,  and  CHRY'STALLOGRAPHY. 
This  subject  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  a  medical 
one,  since,  perhaps,  the  deposition  of  bony  matter,  more 
certainly  calculous  concretions,  are  the  only  instances 
of  crystallization  in  the  human  body.  Yet,  as  che- 
mistry has  made  such  gradual  and  effectual  encroach- 
ments on  medicine,  and  as  the  variety  of  crystals  are 
often  mentioned  in  these  pages,  a  short  account  of  this 
subject  is,  in  every  view,  necessary  and  proper. 

Linnaeus,  who  made,  very  early,  some  imperfect  and 
ineffectual  attempts  to  arrange  minerals  from  their  exter- 
nal appearances,  spoke  of  the  more  obvious  and  common 
forms,  which  salts  and  other  bodies  assume,  when  pass- 
ing from  a  state  of  fluidity  to  that  of  a  solid.  The  che- 
mical mineralogists,  who,  under  the  guidance  of  Cron- 
stedt,  succeeded,  turned  the  attention  of  philosophers 
from  the  obvious  properties  to  the  component  parts; 
when,  in  1772,  the  first  edition  of  Rome  de  1'Isle's 
Chrystallography  appeared;  and  the  second  edition,  in 
five  volumes,  was  published  in  1783.  About  this  pe- 
riod Bergman,  in  a  separate  dissertation,  greatly  illus- 
trated the  subject.  Since  that  time,  the  attention  of 


C  11  V 


435 


H  Y 


•mineralogists  was  again  directed  to  external  forms,  by 
the  abbe  Haiiy ;  who,  in  numerous  papers,  published 
in  the  Journal  des  Mines,  and  afterwards,  in  1801,  in  a 
separate  work,  in  four  volumes  octavo,  explained,  with 
mathematical  accuracy,  all  the  different  forms  of  crys- 
tals; taught  us  the  mode  of  their  construction,  by  a  suc- 
cessive application  of  molecules;  and  pointed  out  the 
way  in  which  the  primitive  chrystal  may  be  detected. 
The  form  of  the  crystals,  in  a  great  variety  of  solids, 
has  thus  been  traced;  and  so  constant  is  the  crystalliza- 
tion of  the  same  ingredients',  that,  in  more  than  one  in- 
uance,  the  crystallographer  has  instructed  the  chemist; 
in  general,  his  fiat  has  confirmed  the  chemical  analysis. 

CHRY  SUN,  (from  x?va-^,  gold).  An  epithet  of 
two  collyria  for  the  eyes,  and  also  of  two  pessaries  for 
the  uterus,  in  .£tius. 

CHU,  or  CHUS.  The  name  of  a  measure.  The 
same  as  CHOA,  congius.  This  was  a  liquid  measure 
among  the  Athenians,  containing  six  sextarii,  twelve 
Attic  cotylse,  or  nine  pints  or  pounds  of  oil,  ten  of  wine, 
thirteen  and  a  half  of  honey,  according  to  Galen.  Lin- 
den says,  at  least  eight  of  wine  and  four  ounces.  Rho- 
tiiusasserts,  thatthe  chus,  or  congius,  weighs  ten  pounds. 
Castelli. 

CHUNDRI  LL.A  VERCU'RIA.     See  ZACINTHA. 

CHU'NNO.     See  BATTATAS. 

CHYLA'RIA,  (from  j£»A»«,  chyle).     See  DYSURIA. 

CHYLIFE'RA  VA'SA,  (from  *t>A«s,  chyle,  and 
Qeev,  to  carry).  See  LACTEA  VASA. 

CHYLIFICA'TIO,  (from  £«*«?,  and  fio,  to  make). 
CHYLIFICATIOX.  The  first  digestion,  or  the  chang- 
ing of  the  aliment  into  chyle.  See  DIGESTION. 

CHYLIS'MA,  (from  £KA»S,  juice).  In  Dioscorides 
it  signifies  expressed  juice. 

CHYLI'STA.  Hartman's  chylista  is  glass  of  anti- 
mony obtunded  by  levigating  it  with  mastich  dissolved 
in  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 

CHYLOPOI'ETIC,  (from  %v>*f,  chylus,  and  «•»/£«, 
facia,)  applied  to  the  organs  which  form  chyle. 

CHYLO'SIS,  (from  y_v>.i^ti,  to  express  the  juice). 
See  CHYLIFICATIO. 

.CHYLOSTA  GMA  DIAPHORETICUM  MIN- 
DERERI,  (from  %,<>)&$,  j uice,  and  er«£»,  to  distil)  ; 
•  ailed  also  theriacalis  bezoardica  aqua.  It  is  a  fluid  dis- 
:illed  from  the  theriaca  Andromachi,orfrom  Mithridate. 

CHY'LUS,  /;t.A««,  (from  £«<*««,  juice,')  called,  in 
Paracelsus,  chymosum.  In  general  it  is  a  juice  inspissat- 
ed to  a  middle  consistence  between  fluid  and  dry. 

In  Hippocrates  the  word  >;f  Ac;  is  used  to  express  the 
juice  andsorbile  liquor  of  barley,  called  strained  ptisan, 
being  the  expressed  substance  of  the  barley;  not  what 
:he  Latins  called  cremor,  which  isonly  the  barley  water. 
To  xv>*s  is  opposed  ptisan  unstrained. 

By  chyle,  however,  is  commonly  meant  the  oily  part 
if  our  aliment,  mixed  with  the  saliva  and  other  juices 
poured  into  the  stomach  and  duodenum.  It  assumes 
the  form  of  chyle  only  in  the  duodenum,  since  it  never 
Appears  in  the  lymphatics  of  the  stomach.  It  is  ap- 
parently an  uniform  fluid,  whatever  be  the  food  em- 
ployed, or  the  animal  in  whose  stomach  it  is  digested. 
It  has  been  supposed,  though  without  sufficient  founda- 
tion, to  resemble  milk ;  but  milk  in  the  stomach  is  not 
absorbed  till  it  has  undergone  the  digestive  process,  and 
milk  injected  into  the  blood  vessels  produces  the  most 


formidable  symptoms.  The  real  nature  of  chyle  is  no; 
known.  It  seems  to  consist  of  a  serous  and  a  coagu- 
lable  part,  with  distinct  globules,  which  give  it  opacity, 
and  have  been  supposed,  rather  than  proved,  to  be  oily. 
The  small  quantity  of  chyle  that  can  be  obtained,  is  the 
reason  why  its  nature  has  not  been  more  carefully  exa- 
mined. 

The  chyle,  when  it  enters  the  blood,  does  not  imme- 
diately mix  with  it,  but  in  many  instances  seems  to  pass 
in  a  separate  state  through  the  whole  circulation  :  for 
the  chyle  has  been  seen  to  float  on  the  surface  of  blood, 
when  taken  from  the  arm :  in  the  last  stage  of  a  dia- 
betes, the  urine  manifestly  points  out  the  presence  of 
chyle  in  it  See  Haller's  Physiology  on  the  chyliferous 
vessels. 

CH  YMA'TION.  The  name  of  a  penetrating  medi- 
cine in  Marcellus  Empiricus. 

CHY'MIA.     See  CHEMIA. 

CHYMIA'TRIA,(from  x>>fii<t,  chemintry,  and  i»~ifu*, 
healing).  The  art  of  curing  diseases  by  chemical  me- 
dicines. 

CHYMO'SIS,  (from  x*i>*,  togafie).  It  is  when, 
from  inflammation,  the  white  of  the  eyes  swells  above 
theblack  circle,  so  that  there  appears  a  gaping  aperture. 
Galen,  de  Euphoristis,  calls  it  a  red  and  carnous  in- 
flammation of  the  cornea  tunica.  Paulus  calls  it  che- 
mosis,  when,  from  a  vehement  inflammation,  both  the 
eye  lids  are  turned  outwards,  so  as  scarcely  to  cover  the 
eye,  and  the  white  of  the  eye  appears  higher  than  the 
black,  and  partly  hides  it.  Le  Dran  calls  it  a  tumour 
on  the  white  of  the  eye. 

It  is  really  a  species  of  ophthalmia,  called  by  Sau- 
vages  OPHTHA'LMIA  CHEMO'SIS,  and  by  De  Mese- 
rey,  TRAUMATICA.  The  CHEMOSIC,  or  CONJUNC- 
TIVA CORNEA  PALPEBRAIC  OPHTHALMY.  SaUVagCS 

ascribes  it  to  an  external  cause,  as  a  violent  contu- 
sion of  the  eye,  whence  an  hyposphagna,  or  to  a 
chirurgical  operation  performed  on  the  eye,  as  an  ex- 
traction of  a  cataract ;  to  the  operation  for  the  unguis. 
or  empyesis,  or  to  an  internal  cause,  as  metastasis,  or 
severe  catarrh  in  cacochymic  habits.  It  is  known  by  the 
black  red  swelling  of  the  conjunctiva,  with  a  depression 
and  obscurity  of  the  cornea,  which  seems  to  lie,  as  it 
were,  in  a  cavity.  The  inflammation  is  severe,  with 
excruciating  pains  of  the  eyes  and  head,  and  a  sense  of 
weight  above  the  orbit;  pervigilium,  fever,  pulsation, 
a  swelling,  and  shutting  of  the  eye  lids.  It  terminates 
sometimes  in  the  suppuration  of  the  eye,  and  an  irre- 
mediable blindness  or  leucomata  succeed. 

In  Dr.  Cullen's  Nosology,  it  is  a  variety  of  that  spe- 
cies of  ophthalmy  which  he  names  the  ofihthalmia  mem- 
branarum.  When  the  ophthalmy  is  in  this  state,  it  is 
for  the  most  part  accompanied  with  violent  pain ;  the 
white  part  of  the  eye  resembles  raw  flesh,  or  some- 
times the  pile  of  red  velvet.  All  the  transparent  part  of 
the  cornea  often  comes  away  by  suppuration,  which 
destroys  the  anterior  chamber  of  the  eye.  The  cica- 
trix,  subsequent  to  the  suppuration,  hinders  the  crystal- 
line and  vitreous  humours  from  falling  out,  and  by  that 
means  the  entire  destruction  of  the  globe  is  prevented  : 
sometimes,  however,  both  happen.  This  disease  is 
often  fatal;  loss  of  sight  generally  follows,  and  the  pain 
sometimes  destroys  the  patient. 

The  violence  of  the  disease  requires  the  speediest  and 
.>  K  2 


CIC 


436 


CIC 


most  powerful  aids.  Repeated  bleeding,  according  to 
the  strength  of  the  patient,  with  the  mostactive  purges, 
chiefly  of  the  saline  kind,  will  be  necessary.  A  blister 
may  be  applied  on  the  forehead,  or  leeches  to  the 
temples  ;  and  after  them  a  blister  over  the  part  where 
they  were  applied.  Goulard's  saturnine  poultice  may 
be  applied  cold  over  the  eye  lids,  and  renewed  as  often 
as  it  grows  warm.  Antimonial  diaphoretics  may  be 
given  inwardly,  and  opium  in  the  largest  doses  is  indis- 
pensable. Indeed  every  method  ought  to  be  pursued 
which  can  most  immediately  subdue  the  inflammatory 
symptoms.  See  Nosologia  MethodicaOculorum,with 
Notes  by  Dr.  Wallis,  and  Ophthalmia. 

CHYMO'SUM,  (from  x,vw,succus).    See  CHYLUS. 


CHY'MUS,  #fA«s,  HUMOUR  or  JUICE,  (from 
fundo,  to  pour  out).  In  the  common  signification  of  the 
word  it  is  every  kind  of  fluid  which  is  incrassated  by 
concoction.  Sometimes  it  means  the  finest  part  of  the 
chyle  when  separated  from  the  faeces;  but  in  general 
it  implies  the  food  in  the  state  in  which  it  passes  out  of 
the  stomach  previous  to  its  mixing  with  the  bile.  In 
Galen,  it  is  the  faculty  or  quality  in  plants  and  animals 
which  is  the  object  of  our  taste. 

CHY'TLON,  (from  %v*>,  to  pour  out).  In  Hippo- 
crates it  means  a  plentiful  inunction  with  oil  and  water. 

CIBA'RIUS,  SAL.     See  MARINUM  SAL. 

CIBA'TIO,  (from  cibus,food}.  By  this  is  meant  the 
assumption  of  aliment  ;  synonymous  also  with  the  ap- 
plication of  the  nutritious  juices. 

CIBO'RIUM,  CIBO'TIUM,  (from  *<£«?«?,  a  bag, 
which  its  pods  resemble.)  See  FABA  J£GYPTIA. 

CIBOU'L.  A  sort  of  ONION  nearly  allied  to  the 
scallion.  They  have  no  bulb  at  the  root,  and  are  culti- 
vated in  the  kitchen  garden. 

CI'BUS,  from  the  Hebrew  term  kibash,food,  ornou- 
rishment. 

CI'BUS  A'LBUS.  WHITE  FOOD.  It  is  a  species  of 
jelly,  which  in  Fuller's  Pharmacopoeia  is  thus  made  : 
take  four  pints  of  milk,  the  breast  of  a  boiled  capon, 
and  two  ounces  of  blanched  sweet  almonds  ;  let  them 
be  well  beat,  then  boil  them  over  a  gentle  fire,  adding 
three  ounces  of  rice  meal.  When  they  begin  to  co- 
agulate, add  eight  ounces  of  white  sugar,  and  ten 
spoonfuls  of  rose  water:  mix  all  well  together. 

The  Spaniards  givethe  nameof  cibus  albus  to  acertain 
American  plant.  But  by  WHITE  MEATS  we  now  mean 
milk,  butter,  cheese,  custards,  and  other  foods  consist- 
ing of  milk  or  eggs  ;  as  WHITE  POT,  made  of  milk  or 
cream,  baked  with  the  yolks  of  eggs,  fine  bread  or  rice, 
sugar,  and  spice,  in  an  earthen  vessel.  There  are  a  va- 
riety of  dishes  under  this  denomination  ;  but,  strictly 
speaking,  white  meats  are  fish,  veal,  and  chicken. 

CICA'DA,  (quod  cito  caclit,  because  it  soon  disap- 
pears). The  BAUM  CRICKET.  It  hath  wings,  is  very 
noisy,  and  is  said  to  live  on  dew,  which  it  sucks  from 
the  dwarf  ash  or  manna  tree.  Its  species  we  cannot 
ascertain,  though  we  have  examined  all  those  of  Gmelin, 
amounting  to  237.  These  insects,  when  dried  and 
burnt,  are  used  in  the  colic  or  stone  as  a  solvent. 

CICATRISA'NTIA,  (from  cicatrico,  to  skin  over). 
See  EPULOTICA. 

CICA'TRIX,  (from  the  same).  A  seam  or  eleva- 
tion of  callous  flesh,  on  the  skin,  after  the  healing  of  a 
wound  or  ulcer,  commonly  called  a  scar. 


It  is  the  destruction  of  the  cellular  membrane  by  in- 
flammation that  causes  cicatrices  to  be  drawn  inwards. 
Some  commend  the  steams  of  hot  water  to  be  often  ap- 
plied to  the  growing  skin  to  prevent  a  cicatrix,  and  to 
dress  the  wound  with  a  cerate  of  wax  and  the  oil  of  eggs. 

CI'CER,(from  kikkar,  a  round  mass,  ^alburn,  tngrum, 
vel  rubrum;  cicer  sativum,  cicer  arietinum,erebinthus  ; 

CHl'CHES,     CJCHES,      CICEKS,      CICH      PEAS,    and      VETCH. 

The  sort  used  as  aliment  is  the  cicer  arietinum  Lin.  Sp. 
PL  1040. 

Chiches,  a  leguminous  plant,  cultivated  in  warmer 
climates,  where  our  finer  peas  do  not  thrive  so  well. 
They  are  a  strong  flatulent  food,  hard  of  digestion. 
They  are  sown  in  France,  Italy,  Sec.  flower  in  June, 
and  the  peas  are  ripe  in  July. 

CI'CERA,  (from  cicer,  because  of  their  size). 

CI'CERA  TA'RTARI.  Small  pills  composed  of  tur- 
pentine and  cream  of  tartar,  of  the  size  of  a  vetch. 

CICHO'REUM,  CICHO'RIUM,  (v**f*  TO  h*  r*» 
%agim  Kttii,  because  it  creeps  about  and  scatters  itself 
in  the  fields).  Sylvestre,  and  satrvum,  WILD  and 
GARDEN  SUCCORY.  The  wild  is  the  cichorium  intybus 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1142. 

It  is  a  plant  with  oblong,  dark  green,  hairy  leaves, 
deeply  jagged,  like  those  of  dandelion,  but  larger  ;  in 
the  bosoms  of  which,  towards  the  tops  of  the  branches, 
the  flowers  come  forth  in  spikes,  consisting  each  of  a 
number  of  blue  flat  flosculi,  set  in  a  scaly  cup,  which 
afterwards  become  a  covering  to  several  short  angular 
seeds :  the  root  is  long  and  slender,  of  a  brown  colour- 
on  the  outside,  and  white  within.  It  is  biennial,  grows  in 
hedges  and  by  road  sides,  and  flowers  in  June  and  July. 

It  abounds  with  a  milky  juice,  of  a  penetrating  bit- 
terish taste,  and  of  no  remarkable  smell  :  the  roots  are 
bitterer  than  the  leaves  or  stalks,  and  these  much  more 
so  than  the  flowers.  But  by  culture  in  gardens  it  loses 
its  green  colour,  and  in  a  great  measure  its  bitterness, 
and  in  this  state  is  a  common  sallad  herb:  the  deeper 
coloured  and  the  deeper  jagged  the  leaves  are,  the  bit- 
terer is  the  taste  of  the  whole  plant,  which  is  mildly 
aperient,  and,  if  freely  used,  it  loosens  the  belly.  The 
virtue  resides  in  the  milky  juice,  which  may  be  ex- 
tracted by  boiling  in  water,  or  by  pressure.  The  wild 
and  the  garden  sorts  are  used  indifferently,  and 
chiefly  as  food.  If  the  root  is  cut  into  small  pieces, 
dried  and  roasted,  it  resembles  coffee,  and  is  sometimes 
a  good  substitute  for  it. 

CICHO'REUM  LATIFO'LIUM.     See  ENDIVIA. 

CICHO'REUM  VERRucA'RibM.     See  ZACTNTHA. 

CICILIA'NA.     See  ANDROS.SMUM. 

CICINDE'LA,  (a  dim.  of  catulela,  i.  e.  a  little 
candle;  so  called  from  its  light).  The  GLOW-WORM, 
also  called  *xiivi>-jp>s,  noctiluca  terrestris,  scurabaus,  ci- 
cendela  mas  etfttmina, 

The  flying  glow  worms  are  males,  and  the  creep- 
ing ones  the  females.  Some  think  them  anodyne, 
others  lithontriptic;  though  probably  neither. 

CICI'NI  OL.  (from  X.IHI,  the  ricinus).  See  RICINI 
OL.  under  CATAPUTIA. 

CI'CIS,  xix.it.  In  some  places  of  Hippocrates  and 
Theophrastus  it  is  put  forxws.  A  GALL.  See  GAI.I.JL 

CI'CLA.     See  BETA  ALBA. 

CICO'NGIUS.  Blancard  says  it  is  a  measure  con- 
taining twelve  sextaries  or  pints. 


CIC 


437 


CIC 


CICO'NIA,  (from  Cicines,  the  people  of  Thrace, 
-vho  held  this  bird  in  veneration).  The  STORK. 

CTCUS,  (from  x-ixxaf,  the  core).  The  skin  which 
envelopes  the  seed. 

CICU'TA,  (quasi  cscuta,  blind,  because  it  is  said  to 
destroy  the  sight  of  those  who  use  it.)  HEMLOCK; 
called  by  some  camarum  ;  by  others  abiotos  ;  and,  ac- 
cording to  Erotian,  camAeion  is  an  old  Sicilian  word  for 
cicuta. 

CICU'TA  MA'JOR  F<E'TIDA.  The  conium  maculatum 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  349.  SPOTTED  HEMLOCK.  It  grows  wild 
in  almost  every  climate,  and  with  us  is  found  about 
the  sides  of  the  fields,  under  hedges,  and  in  moist  shady 
places.  It  is  a  tall  umbelliferous  plant,  with  large 
leaves,  of  a  blackish  green  colour  on  the  upper  side, 
and  a  whitish  green  underneath,  divided  into  a  number 
of  small  oblong  somewhat  oval  segments,  which  stand 
in  pairs  on  middle  ribs ;  these  segments  are  again  deeply 
cut,  but  not  quite  divided  on  both  sides ;  and  many  of 
these  ultimate  sections  have  one  or  two  slighter  indent- 
ations. They  much  resemble  parsley  or  chervil,  espe- 
cially the  leaves  of  the  smallest  sorts,  whose  poisonous 
quality  is  the  most  violent.  The  stalk  is  round,  smooth, 
hollow,  irregularly  variegated  with  spots  and  streaks  of 
a  red  or  blackish  purple  colour;  the  flowers  are  white, 
and  blow  in  June  or  July ;  the  seeds  greenish,  flat  on 
one  side,  very  convex,  and  marked  with  five  furrows 
on  the  other.  The  root  is  oblong,  about  the  size  of  a 
middling  parsnip,  yellowish  without,  white  and  fun- 
gous within,  and  part  of  it  hollow  ;  it  changes  its  form 
according  to  the  season.  The  leaves  have  a  rank  smell, 
but  do  not  much  affect  the  taste. 

Internally  and  externally  it  is  narcotic  and  anodyne  : 
it  abates  inflammations  of  the  eyes;  promotes  rest,  and 
eases  pain,  without  producing  thirst  or  headach  the 
next  morning,  and  as  rarely  creates  costiveness ;  is  sup- 
posed to  possess  a  property  of  altering  thin,  corrosive 
cancerous  ichor,  and  of  rendering  it  mild.  It  hath  been 
used  with  some  advantage  in  sanious  ulcers,  cancers, 
gleets,  painful  discharges  from  the  vagina,  fixed  pains 
supposed  to  arise  from  acrid  serum,  fluor  albus,  and 
scirrhous  tubercles ;  but  its  efficacy  is  seldom  perma- 
nent, and  it  injures  the  stomach,  sometimes  the  con- 
stitution. Though  it  does  not  cure  cancers,  yet  it  is  an 
anodyne  more  effectual  than  opium ;  and  in  phthisis  is 
often  useful  for  relieving  pain  and  cough.  It  is  useful 
in  syphilis,  according  to  Mr.  John  Hunter. 

Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  if  hemlock,  either  in  form 
of  powder  or  extract,  has  no  sensible  effect  when 
taken  to  twenty  grains  for  a  dose,  the  medicine  may  be 
supposed  to  be  imperfect,  and  that  if  it  is  to  be  con- 
tinued, another  parcel  of  it  should  be  employed.  He 
adds,  that  he  has  known  it  useful  in  resolving  and 
discussing  scirrhosities  of  different  kinds,  particularly 
those  of  a  scrofulous  nature ;  in  healing  the  ulcers  of 
scirrhous  tumours,  which  continued  to  be  surrounded 
•vith  such  scirrhosity  ;  and  in  some  ulcers  certainly  that 
Approached  to  the  nature  of  cancer.  In  those  that 
might  be  considered  truly  cancerous,  he  has  known  it 
relieve  the  pains,  meliorate  the  quality  of  the  matter 
proceeding  from  the  sore,  and  even  to  make  a  consi- 
derable approach  to  its  healing,  though  it  never  com- 
pleted the  cure.  Mat.  Med.  It  has  been  considered 
also  as  very  useful  in  the  chin  cough  and  rheumatic 
complaints.  See  Butler  on  the  Chin  Cough. 


When  hemlock  is  imprudently  eaten,  it  causes  a 
vertigo,  a  dimness  of  sight,  hiccough,  madness,  cold- 
ness of  the  extremities,  convulsions,  and  death  :  some- 
times by  the  spasms,  which  it  produces  in  the  stomach 
and  other  parts,  haemorrhages,  or  an  epilepsy  come  on, 
which,  without  very  speedy  relief,  are  fatal.  The  pro- 
per method  of  relief  is  to  discharge  the  contents  of  the 
stomach  by  means  of  the  most  active  emetics,  and  then 
to  administer  frequent  doses  of  sharp  vinegar,  as  in  the 
articles  AMAXITA  and  VEXENUM. 

The  proper  method  of  administering  hemlock  inter- 
nally is  to  begin  with  a  few  grains  of  the  powder  or 
inspissated  juice,  and  gradually  to  increase  the  dose 
until  a  giddiness  affects  the  head,  a  motion  is  felt  in  the  • 
eyes,  as  if  pressed  outwards,  with  a  slight  sickness  and 
trembling  agitation  of  the  body.  One  or  more  of  these 
symptoms  are  the  evidences  of  a  full  dose,  which  should 
be  continued  until  they  have  ceased,  and  then  after  a  few 
days  the  dose  may  be  increased  ;  for  little  advantage  can 
be  expected  but  by  a  continuance  of  the  greatest  quan- 
tity the  patient  can  bear.  In  some  constitutions  even 
small  doses  greatly  offend,  occasioning  spasms,  heat 
and  thirst ;  in  such  instances  it  will  be  of  no  service. 

The  college  of  physicians  of  London  order  the  in- 
spissated juice  of  hemlock,  succus  CICUTA  SPISSATUS, 
instead  of  the  former  extract,  to  be  made  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  let  the  expressed  juice  of  hemlock,  clear- 
ed from  its  faeces,  be  evaporated  in  a  water  bath  satu- 
rated with  sea  salt  to  a  proper  consistence. 

As  the  powder  of  the  dried  leaves  has  been  thought 
to  act,  and  may  be  depended  upon,  with  more  certainty 
than  the  extract,  the  following  direction  should  be  ob- 
served in  the  preparation :  gather  the  plant  about  the 
end  of  June,  when  it  is  in  flower;  pick  off  the  little 
leaves,  and  throw  away  the  leaf  stalks ;  dry  the  small 
selected  leaves  in  a  hot  sun,  or  in  a  tin  or  pewter  dish 
before  the  fire.  Preserve  them  in  bags  made  of  strong 
brown  paper,  or  powder  them,  and  keep  the  powder  in 
glass  phials,  where  the  light  is  excluded  ;  for  light  dis- 
sipates the  beautiful  green  colour  very  soon,  and  thus 
the  medicine  loses  its  appearance,  if  not  its  efficacy ; 
this  mode  is  recommended  by  Dr.  Withering.  The 
extract  should  also  be  made  of  the  plant  gathered  at  this 
period.  That  which  grows  in  exposed  places  is  gene- 
rally stronger  than  what  grows  in  the  shade;  and  that 
in  dry  places  is  also  to  be  preferred. 

This  plant  has  been  taken  a  long  time  without  any 
bad  effect.  When  considerable  inconveniences  have 
arisen  from  its  use,  the  cicuta  aquatica  has  probably 
been  mistaken  for  it.  Externally  it  is  applied  with  ad- 
vantage, and  particularly  in  the  form  of  fomentation  and 
poultice. 

FOTUS  CICUT.S.  Hemlock  fomentation. — R.  Fol.  ci- 
cutas  recent,  g  vi.  vel  siccae  3  iij.  coq.  in  aqua:  fontanae 
tt  iij.  et  ft  ij.  et  fiat  fotus.  This  is  commonly  made 
use  of  to  foment  cancerous  or  scrofulous  ulcers,  pre- 
vious to  the  application  of  the'  succeeding  cataplasm. 

CATAPLA'SMA  CICU'TA,  Hemlock  calafilanm. — K.  Fo- 
tus cicutae,  q.  v.  inspissctur  avenae  farina  ad  crassitu- 
dinem  cataplasmatis.  This  is  not  only  applied  in  can- 
cerous and  scrofulous  cases,  but  to  inveterate  ulcers, 
and  very  often  both  meliorates  their  discharge  and  less- 
ens {their  sensibility,  though  Mr.  Justamond  preferred 
the  application  of  the  fresh  herb  bruised.  An  ointment 
is  also  made  of  hemlock,  by  bruising  the  plant  very  well 


C  1C 


438 


C  I  M 


in  a  marble  mortar,  then  mixing  with  it  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  hog's  lard,  and  gently  melting  them  over  the 
fire ;  afterwards  the  composition  is  to  be  strained  and 
stirred  till  cold.  This  has  been  recommended  to  be  ap- 
plied to  cancerous  or  scrofulous  sores. 

In  this  mode  it  has  been  useful  in  resolving  some  in- 
durations, especially  that  of  the  scrofulous  kind ;  but 
in  the  indolent  scirrhosities  in  the  breasts  of  women  it 
is  seldom  of  any  service ;  and  the  frequent  applications 
of  hemlock  poultices  have  been  known  to  do  much 
harm,  by  bringing  these  tumours  sooner  to  an  open 
cancer.  The  hemlock  bath  requires  no  direction.  The 
proportions  are  those  of  the  fomentation.  See  Wilmer's 
Observations  on  Poisonous  Vegetables.  Withering's 
Bot.  Arrangement,  vol.  i.  p.  161.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CICU'TA  AQUA'TICA,  vel  VIHO'SA.  WATER  HEMLOCK, 
also  called  sium  majus  altcrum  august/folium,  slum 
erucce  folio.  LONG-LEAVED  WATER  HEMLOCK  and  COW- 
BANE.  It  is  the  cicuta  virosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  365.  Dr. 
Withering  gives  the  following  description  of  it : — 
Rundle  roundish,  with  many  equal  spokes.  Rundles 
roundish,  with  many  bristle  shaped  spokes.  Empale- 
ment;  general  fence  none.  Partial  fence  of  many 
leaves ;  little  leaves,  bristly,  short.  Cup  scarcely  evi- 
dent. Blossom  general,  uniform.  Florets  alf  fertile. 
Individuals  :  petals  five,  egg  shaped,  nearly  equal,  bent 
inwards.  Chives ;  threads  five,  hair  like,  longer  than 
the  petals.  Tips  simple.  Pointal ;  seed  bud  beneath. 
Shafts  two,  thread  shaped,  longer  than  the  petals,  per- 
manent. Summits  roundish.  Seed  vessels  none.  Fruit 
nearly  egg  shaped ;  slightly  furrowed;  divisible  into  two. 
Seeds  two,  somewhat  egg  shaped ;  convex,  and  scored 
on  one  side  ;  flat  on  the  other.  To  this  he  adds,  with 
rundles  opposite  the  leaves.  Leaf  stalks  with  blunt 
borders ;  leaves  with  about  seven  pair  of  little  leaves, 
which  are  variously  divided  and  indented.  Petals  yel- 
lowish pale  green.  It  is  met  with  in  shallow  waters, 
and  flowers  in  July. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  active  of  the  vegetable  poisons. 
Early  in  the  spring,  when  it  growsj  in  the  water,  cows 
often  eat  it,  and  are  killed  by  it ;  but  as  the  summer  ad- 
vances, and  its  smell  becomes  stronger,  they  carefully 
avoid  it. 

Mr.  Wilmer  observes,  that  the  poison  is  of  that  class 
which  produces  epileptic  symptoms.  Wepfer  notices 
some  children,  who,  on  eating  the  roots  of  this  plant, 
were  seized  with  pains  of  the  precordia,  loss  of  speech, 
abolition  of  the  senses,  and  terrible  convulsions ;  the 
jaws  were  locked,  blood  started  from  the  ears,  the  eyes 
were  distorted,  and  some  of  them  died  in  half  an  hour. 
Others  have  observed  that  the  old  roots  are  a  more  ac- 
tive and  sudden  poison  than  arsenic  or  corrosive  subli- 
mate. 

If  any  of  this  plant  is  taken,  a  quick  vomit  should  be 
instantly  given,  after  which  vinegar  in  water  should  be 
drunk  freely.  Sec  VENENUM. 

See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Loncl.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq. 
vol.  iii.  p.  229,  &c.  400,  &r,.  vol.  iv.  p.  104,  Sec.  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works.  Medical  Museum,  vol.  iii. 
p.  566.  Withering's  Botanic  Arrangement,  vol.  i. 
p.  177. 

CICUTA'RIA  AQUA'TICA,  (from  cicuta,  hem- 
lock}. PALU'STRIS.  See  PHELLANDRIUM  AQUATI- 

CUM. 

CICUTA'RIA  VIRO'SA.     See  CICUTA  AQUATICA. 


CICUTA'RIA.  See  CH^EHOPHYLLUM  SVLVESTRE,  and 
MYRRHIS. 

CI'DRA.     See  POMACEA. 

CI'GNUS.  A  measure  so  called,  containing  about 
two  drachms. 

CI'LIA,  (from  cileo,  to  move  about).  The  extreme 
parts,  or  edges  of  the  eye  lids ;  they  are  semicircular, 
and  cartilaginous,  with  hairs  fixed  in  them,  which  are 
sometimes  called  cilia.  See  TARSUS. 

CILIA'RES,  (from  cilia,  the  eye  lids,)  vel  MEIBO'- 
MII  GLA'NDUL^E;  from  Meibomius,  the  discoverer. 
On  the  inner  edge  of  each  eye  lid,  in  the  tarsus,  is  a 
row  of  small  holes,  which  are  the  excretory  ducts  of 
what  are  called  the  ciliary,  or  Meibomius' s  glands.  The 
glands  themselves  appear  of  a  whitish  colour,  and  are 
situated  on  the  internal  surface  of  the  tarsus;  their 
ducts  are  short,  resembling  white  lines  running  do\vu 
towards  the  edge  of  the  eye  lids  :  like  the  miliary  ones, 
they  secern  an  unctuous  matter,  which  prevents  the 
attrition  of  the  eye  lids,  from  their  frequent  motion ; 
keeps  the  edges  soft  and  free  from  excoriation,  and 
prevents  the  tears  from  falling  down  the  cheeks.  See 
TARSUS. 

CILIA'RE  LIGAME'NTUM,  also  called  firocessus  ci- 
liaris.  It  is  a  range  of  black  fibres,  in  the  eye,  circu- 
larly disposed,  having  their  rise  in  the  inner  part  of  the 
choroides,  and  terminating  in  the  prominent  part  of 
the  crystalline,  where  the  sclerotis,  choroides,  retina, 
cornea,  processus  ciliaris,  and  iris,  end :  they  surround 
the  crystalline  humour,  or  rather  the  part  where  the 
sclerotica  joins  the  choroides,  and  round  the  edge  of 
the  cornea  they  adhere  firmly  ;  at  this  circle,  the  cho- 
roides seems  to  change  its  colour  and  texture,  appearing 
as  a  whitish  kind  of  ring,  termed  ligamentum  ciliare : 
here  the  internal  lamina  of  the  choroides  dips  inwards, 
to  make  what  are  termed  the  processes,  which  are  little 
folds  of  the  inner  lamella  of  the  choroides.  These  folds 
become  broader  until  they  terminate  in  a  broad  point  in 
the  crystalline  humour ;  the  whole  radiated  ring,  made 
by  the  ciliary  processes,  is  sometimes  called  corona  ci- 
liaris. See  CHOROIDES. 

CILIA'RIS  MUSCU'LUS.  That  part  of  the  muse, 
orbicularis  palpebrarum  which  lies  nearest  the  cilia, 
considered  by  Riolan  as  a  distinct  muscle. 

CILIA'TUS,  (from  cilium,  the  eye  lash).  In  botany 
it  means  having  the  margin  guarded  with  a  sort  of 
bristles  like  the  eye  lashes. 

CI'LLO.  One  who  is  affected  with  a  perpetual 
trembling  of  the  upper  eye  lid;  from  cillendo,  being  in 
continual  motion. 

CILLO'SIS,  (from  cilium,  the  eye  lid).  A  trembling 
of  the  upper  eye  lid. 

CI'LO,  or  CI'LLO,  (from  cilium,  the  eye  lid).  One 
whose  forehead  is  prominent,  and  temples  compressed, 
called  beetle  browed ;  the  eye  lid  in  these  is  also  very 
protuberant. 

CI'MEX.  Cimex domesticus,cimexlectularius,(from 
KstfiMt,  to  inhabit:  so  called  because  they  infect  houses). 
The  WALL-LOUSE,  or  BUG  :  called  also  cotula.  It  is 
of  a  rhomboidal  figure,  a  dark  brown  colour,  and  hath 
six  legs.  The  skin  is  extremely  tender,  so  that  it  bursts 
with  the  least  compression,  and  emits  an  offensive  smell. 
Six  or  seven  are  given  inwardly  to  cure  the  ague,  just 
before  the  fit  comes  on,  and  have  the  same  effect  with 
every  thing  nauseous  and  disgusting. 


C  I  \ 


439 


C 


CIMO'LIA  A'LBA,  TERRA:  called  also  creta  ful- 
lonica,  terra  and  argilla  Candida,  creta  cimolia.  TO- 
BACCO PIPE  CLAV. 

It  takes  the  name  cimolia  from  the  island  Cimolus, 
in  the  Cretan  sea,  now  called  Argentiere,  where  it  is 
procured.  It  hath  nearly  the  same  absorbent  quality 
\vith  the  boles,  and  is  often  substituted  for  them.  Its 
soft  viscous  quality  is  its  only  medicinal  one,  and  in 
this  particular  it  excels  most  of  the  earths  of  its  kind. 
It  is  the  cimolite  of  modern  authors,  of  a  greyish  white, 
inclining  to  red,  by  exposure  to  air.  It  sticks  to  the 
tongue,  and  though  difficult  to  break,  is  scratched  by  the 
nail.  It  becomes  white  in  the  flame  of  a  blow  pipe,  and 
does  not  melt  but  with  the  assistance  of  a  flux.  Haiiy, 
vol.  iv.  446. 

The  cimolia  alba  of  the  ancients  seems  to  have  been  a 
sort  of  loose  marie  ;  probably  it  was  our  fuller's  earth. 
In  Cornwall  the  steatites,  a  magnesian  earth,  is  used  as 
soap,  as  well  as  the  cimolia  alba  of  the  ancients.  It  is 
usually  marked  with  a  seal,  and  called  terra  sigillata 
alba  :  the  terra  samia  is  only  a  fatter  pipe  clay. 

CI'MOLIA  PURPURE'SCENS  TE'RRA.  The  smectis  of 
Wallerius ;  terra  safionaria  jlnglica,  terra  fullonica, 
and  FULLER'S  EARTH.  It  hath  its  name  smectis  from 
•rux-fcu,  to  absterge. 

It  is  a  kind  of  marie  rather  than  a  compact  earth, 
and  of  the  same  qualities  as  bole.  Indeed  Walle- 
rius has  given  this  name  to  a  true  marie  and  to  a  stea- 
•ite. 

CI'NA  CI'NjE.     See  CORT.  PERUV. 

CI'NjE,  SEM.     See  SANTONICUM. 

CI'NARA,  (from  xm«,  to  mo-ve,quia  movet  urinam). 
Some  write  it  cy'nara,  and  derive  it  from  KVHV,  canis,  a 
dog ;  because  the  plant  is  sharp,  like  dog's  teeth.  The 
ARTICHOKE.  Also  called  alcocalum,  articocalus,  arti- 
schncus  [<zvis,  costus  nigra,  carduua  sativus  nonsfiino- 
*ua,  cinara  hortensis,  scolymus  sativus,  carduua  domes- 
•  icus  cafiite  majore,  carduua  a/tilis.  The  species  used 
in  medicine  is  the  cynara  scolymus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 1 59. 

Artichokes  are  so  well  known  as  not  to  require  a 
description  :  they  are  natives  of  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe,  perennial,  and  cultivated  in  our  kitchen  gar- 
dens. 

The  bottoms  of  the  heads,  and  the  fleshy  parts  of  the 
scales,  are  easily  digested,  though  flatulent,  and  afford 
but  little  nourishment.  They  are  preserved  by  drying 
them  to  a  horny  consistence,  and  are  then  so  light,  that 
forty  scarcely  weigh  a  pound.  The  leaves  are  bitter, 
and  give  out  their  bitterness  with  the  juice,  on  being 
bruised  and  pressed.  This  juice  is  powerfully  diuretic 
and  useful  in  dropsies ;  it  should  be  mixed  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  white  wine,  and  three  or  four  table 
spoonfuls  taken  every  night  and  morning.  An  infusion 
of  the  leaves  is  likewise  diuretic,  and  may  be  employed 
with  the  same  intention.  The  leaves  themselves  are 
astringent,  and  contain  tanin.  In  France  they  have 
been  employed  instead  of  galls. 

In  England  we  only  eat  the  heads,  but  the  Germans 
and  French  eat  the  young  stalks  after  boiling  them. 

CI'NARA  SPINO'SA,  called  also  carduus  esculentus,  vel 
sfiinosissirnus  elatior,  chardone,  cactos.  Cynara  cardun- 
culus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1159.  According  to  some  authors 
it  is  a  speries  of  carduus.  The  CHARDON. 

As  a  medicine  it  is  similar  to  the  artichoke.     It  is  a 


culinary  plant,  which  is  blanched  like  celery,  and,  like 
that,  eaten  raw  with  pepper  and  salt  in  Italy. 

CI'NARA  SYLVE'STRIS,  also  called  scolymus  sylvestris, 
agriocinara,  WILD  ARTICHOKE,  or  CARDONET.  Carline 
acaulis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1160.  They  grow  in  Italy  and 
France,  but  the  flowers  are  only  used.  See  Dale,  Ray. 

CI'NARA  ACAU'LIS  GUMMI'FERA.   See  CARDUUS  PINEA. 

CINCHO'NA.     See  CORTEX  PERUVIANUS. 

CINCLE'SIS,  or  CINCLI'SMOS,  (from  *.y>a,C«, 
to  shake'}.  They  all  mean  a  morbid  nictitation,  or  an 
involuntary  winking.  Vogel  uses  the  term  cinclesis. 
Hippocrates  means  by  the  term  a  small  and  repeated 
motion. 

CINERA'RIUM,  (from  cinit,  ashes).  The  ash  hole 
of  a  furnace. 

CI'NERES  RU'SSICI.  See  CLAXELLATI  CINERES. 

CINERFTIUM,  (from  cinu,  ashes  ;  because  it  is  ge- 
nerally made  of  the  ashes  of  vegetables  or  bones).  See 
CUPELLA. 

CINE'RULAM.     See  SPODIUM. 

CINE'TUS.     See  DIAPHRAGMA. 

CINGULA'RIA,  (from  cingulum,  a  girdle  ;  because 
it  grows  in  that  shape).  See  LYCOPODIUM. 

CI'NGULUM,  (from  cingo,  to  bind).  A  GIRDLE  or 
BELT.  Dr.  Cheyne,  in  his  Essay  on  Regimen  of  Diet, 
says,  "  Cincture,  with  a  broad  quilted  belt  about  the 
loins,  to  keep  the  bowels  in  their  natural  situations,  and 
the  chylous  vessels  in  the  best  locality  in  flabby  consti- 
tutions, weak  bowels,  and  atrophies,  is  of  great  bene- 
fit." This  belt  is  chiefly  useful  for  fat  persons. 

CI'NGULUM  MERCURIA'LE.  A  MERCURIAL  GIRDLE, 
called  also  cingulum  safiientie,  and  cingulum  stultiti<e. 
It  was  an  invention  of  Rulandus's  ;  different  directions 
are  given  for  making  it,  but  the  following  is  one  of  the 
neatest  : 

Take  three  drachms  of  quicksilver  ;  shake  it  with  two 
ounces  of  lemon  juice  until  the  globules  disappear;  then 
separate  the  juice,  and  mix  with  the  extinguished  quick- 
silver half  the  white  of  an  egg  ;  gum  dragon,  finely  pow- 
dered, a  scruple  ;  and  spread  the  whole  on  a  belt  of 
flannel. 

CI'NGULUM  SA'XCTI  JOHA'NNIS.    See  ARTEMISIA. 

CINIFICATUM,  (from  cinis  and  facio,  to  turn  to 
ashes).  See  CALCINATUM. 

CINNABARI'NUM  BA'LSAMUM,  (from  cinna- 
baris).  CINNABAR  BALSAM.  The  simple  balsam  of  sul- 
phur is  a  proper  substitute,  and  nearly  a  similar  medi- 
cine. 

CINNA'BARIS,  CINNABAR.  Also  called  cinnabar 
natrvum,  minium  fiurum,  minium  Grascorum,  (magnea 
eflile/isi<e,  from  its  supposed  usefulness  in  epilepsies,) 
alzemafor,  ammion,  azamar.  Vitruvius  calls  it  anthrax. 
Mineralogie  de  Haiiy  iii.  437. 

Native  cinnabar,  a  ponderous,  red,  sulphureous  ore 
of  quicksilver.  It  is  found  in  Spain,  Hungary,  the  East 
Indies,  &c.  The  finest  is  brought  from  the  East  Indies. 
It  is  found  sometimes  in  veins,  occasionally  in  grains, 
or  crystallized.  Its  crystals  are  tetraedrous. 

Sometimes  it  is  brought  to  us  in  a  large  irregular 
mass  ;  at  others  in  smaller  roundish  ones,  smooth  with- 
out, and  striated  within  ;  and  of  a  bright  red  colour 
throughout  ;  its  streak  red  and  metallic  ;  and  its  speci- 
fic gravity  from  5.419  to  10.1285.  It  is  insoluble  in  the 
nitric,  and  soluble  in  the  muriatic  acid. 


C  IN 


440 


C  IN 


This  ore  consists  of  sulphur  and  quicksilver ;  the 
liner  the  colour,  the  more  quicksilver  it  contains  :  with 
these  constituents  there  is  generally  much  earthy  mat- 
ter, from  which  it  is  easily  sublimed.  M.  Proust,  in 
the  Journal  de  Physique,  vol.  liii.  has  shown  that  the 
mercury  is  in  the  proportion  of  85  to  15  of  sulphur,  in 
100  parts.  The  mercury  seems,  however,  to  be  in  a 
metallic  state,  since,  on  distilling  a  mixture  of  muriat 
of  mercury  and  sulphur,  the  product  is  oxy-muriat  of 
mercury  and  cinnabar.  JLthiops  mineral,  according  to 
Berthollet,  differs  only  from  cinnabar  by  its  containing 
sulphurated  hydrogen.  See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM.  See 
Diet,  of  Chemistry,  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Neumann's 
Chem.  Works. 

Cinnabar  is  a  name  now  confined  to  the  native  and 
factitious  sort;  but  formerly  it  was  applied  to  dragon's 
blood,  madder  root,  cemss  calcined  to  redness,  and  to 
some  other  articles. 

Artificial  cinnabar,  hydrargyrus  sulfihuratus  rubcr, 
is  prepared  by  mixing  purified  quicksilver  forty  ounces, 
and  pure  sulphur  eight  ounces.  The  quicksilver  must 
be  stirred  into  the  sulphur  melted ;  and  if  the  mixture 
takes  fire,  it  is  to  be  extinguished  by  covering  the  ves- 
sel. Then  let  the  matter  be  reduced  to  powder  and 
sublimed.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

The  quicksilver  in  the  cinnabars  is  rendered  inert  by 
the  sulphur,  and  of  no  efficacy  as  an  internal  medicine. 
The  factitious  or  native  cinnabar  is  supposed  never  to 
be  active  without  having  lost  a  portion  of  its  sulphur, 
though  it  has  been  esteemed  an  useful  medicine  in  dis- 
eases of  the  skin,  in  arthritic,  rheumatic,  and  epileptic 
cases.  Its  chief  use  is  for  fumigating  venereal  ulcers; 
when  the  quicksilver  is  resolved  into  vapour,  and  blends 
in  part  with  a  volatile  vitriolic  acid,  derived  from  the 
sulphur,  forming  a  mercurial  salt.  This  method  is  use- 
ful when  a  rapid  effect  is  to  be  produced  ;  but  in  gene- 
ral the  salivation  excited  is  violent  and  profuse,  so  that 
this  remedy  has  been  lately  neglected. 

If  adulterated  with  red  lead,  it  may  be  discovered  by 
putting  a  little  on  a  hot  iron,  for  the  cinnabar  is  all  eva- 
porated, and  the  lead  remains. 

This  preparation  is  used  by  painters  under  the  name 
of  VERMILION  ;  and  the  colour  is  improved  by  lessening 
the  proportion  of  sulphur ;  and  if  a  little  arsenic  be  add- 
ed in  the  sublimation,  though  the  preparation  is  injured 
as  a  medicine,  it  is  improved  as  a  pigment. 

An  oval  earthen  jar  is  the  best  subliming  vessel.  The 
great  art  of  making  this  cinnabar  is  first  to  manage  the 
fife  so  as  continually  to  keep  the  matter  subliming,  yet 
not  so  as  to  force  its  way  through  the  mouth  of  the  ves- 
sel, which  is  covered  with  an  iron  plate.  Secondly,  to 
put  in  but  little  at  a  time. 

CI'NNABAIUS  GR.JECO'RUM.  See  SANGUIS  DRACO- 
NIS. 

CINNABA'JUS  ANTI'MOXII.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

CINNAMO'MUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  kina- 
men~).  Also  called  cinnamum,  canel/a,  canel/a  Zeylani- 
ca,  cassia  cinnamomea,  cassiajislula,  cunrlla  cuurdo,  ku- 
rutlu  ;  CINNAMON.  The  best  sort  of  which  the  Arabians 
distinguish  by  the  term  karfe,  and  the  ordinary,  by  dar- 
t-in i ;  the  choicest  sort  by  many  is  called  mosyllon  ;  the 
wood  of  the  tree  xylocinnaniomum. 

It  is  the  bark  of  a  tree  of  the  laurel  kind,  growing  in 
the  island  of  Ceylon,  freed  from  the  outer  green  or 
greyish  part,  and  cut  into  long  slices,  which  curl  up  in 


drying  into  quills  or  canes,  the  form  in  which  it  is 
brought  to  us.  Cinnamon  is  very  thin,  light,  and  of  a 
reddish  yellow,  or  pale  rusty  iron  colour,  somewhat 
tough  in  breaking,  and  of  a  fibrous  texture.  It  is  the 
bark  of  the  laurus  cinnamomum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  520.  The 

CINNAMON  TREE. 

It  is  often  mixed  with  the  cassia  bark ;  but  the  cassia 
hath  a  close  smooth  fracture  ;  when  chewed,  is  slimy  ; 
and  is  of  a  dark  brown  colour :  the  cinnamon  is 
rougher  to  the  sight  and  taste,  having  an  astringency 
and  brittleness  in  chewing,  is  of  a  paler  brown  colour, 
and  breaks  in  splinters. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  grateful  aromatics,  both  to  the 
palate  and  stomach,  of  a  fragrant  smell,  moderately 
pungent  but  not  fiery,  sweetish  to  the  taste,  and  some- 
what astringent,  but  not  in  so  considerable  a  degree  as 
to  be  trusted  alone.  It  proves  of  service  in  several 
kinds  of  alvine  fluxes,  and  immoderate  uterine  dis- 
charges. The  fine  flavour  is  said  to  reside  in  the  thin 
pellicle  which  lines  the  interior  surface  of  the  bark, 
and  which  abounds  with  vesicles  of  essential  oil ;  the 
rest  of  the  bark,  while  fresh,  being  merely  astringent, 
receiving  its  flavour  from  the  inner  pellicle;  according- 
ly the  thinnest  pieces  are  most  cordial,  and  the  thicker 
most  astringent.  Its  stimulus  and  astringency  are  said 
to  be  occasionally  inconvenient;  but  neither  quality  is 
in  so  great  a  degree  as  to  be  dangerous. 

Infused  in  boiling  water  in  a  close  vessel  it  yields 
the  greatest  part  of  its  virtue.  The  watery  decoction, 
after  distillation,  retains  only  the  astringency,  without 
the  flavour  of  the  cinnamon.  The  watery  extract  is 
similar. 

Rectified  and  proof  spirits  extract  its  virtues  better 
than  water,  even  without  heat ;  but,  in  distillation,  they 
carry  over  very  little  of  the  flavour. 

An  extract  made  with  rectified  spirit  of  wine  has  all 
the  virtue  of  the  spice  :  cinnamon  affords  about  l-16th 
of  its  weight  of  extract. 

The  cinnamon  water  of  the  London  college  is  pre- 
pared by  adding  to  a  pound  of  cinnamon  as  much  water 
as  is  sufficient  to  prevent  burning;  after  maceration  for 
twenty-four  hours,  a  gallon  is  distilled  off.  As  the  oil 
of  cinnamon  is  very  heavy,  in  time  it  falls  to  the  bot- 
tom ;  and  the  water  loses,  with  its  milky  appearance, 
its  aromatic  and  cordial  quality  :  sugar  keeps  the  oil  di- 
vided and  suspended. 

The  spirituous  cinnamon  water,  now  called  s/iiritus 
cinnamomi,  SPIRIT  OF  CINNAMON,  is  directed  to  be  pre- 
pared by  adding  of  cinnamon  a  pound,  of  proof  spirit  a 
gallon,  and  as  much  water  as  is  sufficient  to  prevent 
burning.  A  gallon  is  distilled.  In  distilling  with  proof 
spirit,  that  which  arises  first  is  almost  flavourless ;  for 
the  water,  which  arises  after,  brings  the  oil  with  it; 
and  as  the  oil  is  dissolved  by  the  spirit,  it  is  limpid.  As 
the  oil  of  cinnamon  is  very  heavy  when  cinnamon  wa- 
ter is  distilled,  a  low  flattish  still  and  a  quick  equal  fire- 
are  proper.  As  very  little  of  the  oil  rises  with  the  spi- 
rit, the  best  method  is  first  to  distil  the  cinnamon  with 
water  only,  and  then  to  add  a  proper  quantity  of  recti- 
fied spirit  of  wine. 

The  aromatic  principle  in  cinnamon  resides  in  the  es- 
sential oil,  which  rises,  when  distilled  with  water,  slow 
and  with  difficulty,  rendering  the  liquor  milky.  When 
a  large  quantity  is  distilled  at  once,  a  small  portion  of 
the  oil  is  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  receiver.  To 


CIN 


441 


obtain  this  oil  more  easily  and  plentifully,  let  the  water, 
after  it  is  distilled,  stand  in  a  cold  place.  A  pound  of 
good  cinnamon  affords  a  drachm,  or  a  drachm  and  a 
half  of  oil;  which,  if  exposed  to  the  air,  loses  its  virtue, 
without  any  sensible  loss  of  its  weight ;  so  that  it  is  not 
the  oil  which  is  efficacious,  but  the  spirit  in  the  oil. 
The  oil  of  cassia  bark  is  substituted  for  the  oil  of  cinna- 
mon ;  but  as  they  are  the  same  in  their  medicinal  vir- 
tues, no  objections  can  be  reasonably  made.  The  oleum 
canellse  albae  and  the  oleum  caryophillorum  are  mixed 
with  the  oleum  cinnamomi. 

Oil  of  cinnamon  is  one  of  the  most  immediate  and 
most  powerful  cordials  in  languor,  hiccoughs,  and  de- 
bility of  every  kind;  it  is  so  extremely  pungent,  that,  on 
being  applied  to  the  skin,  it  produces  an  eschar;  though 
a  drop  or  two  may  be  given  in  a  draught,  mixed  up 
with  a  little  sugar  or  mucilage  of  gum  arable. 

Cinnamon,  when  fresh,  affords  a  larger  proportion  of 
oil ;  but  the  Dutch  extract  great  part  of  it  in  India,  so 
that  the  oil  may  be  most  advantageously  bought  of 
them.  In  proportion  as  the  oil  is  separated,  the  cinna- 
mon loses  its  pungency.  It  is  said  that  the  Dutch  ob- 
tain above  an  ounce  of  essential  oil  from  every  pound. 
If  this  oil  be  genuine,  the  point  of  a  penknife  dipped 
into  it  will  smoke  only  when  it  approaches  a  candle. 
Should  it  soon  flame,  it  contains  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
The  use  of  the  cinnamon  tree  is  not  confined  to  the 
bark  ;  for  the  leaves,  root,  and  fruit,  all  yield  oils  of 
different  qualities,  and  of  considerable  value.  That 
produced  from  the  leaves  is  called  oil  of  cloves,  and 
oleum  malabathri;  from  the  bark  of  the  root,  an  aro- 
matic essential  oil,  or  what  has  been  called  oil  of  cam- 
phor, and  of  great  estimation  as  a  medicine,  is  extracted, 
with  a  species  of  camphor  which  is  much  purer  and 
whiter  than  the  common  kind:  from  the  fruit  is  obtain- 
ed a  white  sebaceous  matter  extremely  fragrant,  resem- 
bling the  oleum  nucis  moschatae  per  express,  of  a  thick 
consistence,  which  in  Ceylon  is  made  into  candles  for 
the  sole  use  of  the  king.  It  is  white,  and  is  called  cera 
cinnamomi. 

The  tincture  of  cinnamon  is  thus  prepared:  Take  of 
cinnamon  an  ounce  and  a  half;  of  proof  spirit  a  pint. 
Digest  without  heat  for  ten  days,  and  strain.  It  contains 
all  the  cordial  and  restringent  qualities  of  the  cinnamon 
itself:  if  it  is  continued  for  some  time  daily,  it  warms 
and  strengthens  the  stomach  ;  but  this  daily  use  is  often 
the  parent  of  the  most  pernicious  custom,  dram  drink- 
ing. H&  nuge  seria  ducunt,  in  mela. 

Neumann,  in  his  Prselectiones  Chemicae,  says,  that 
a  pound  of  cinnamon  contains  near  three-fourths  of  its 
quantity  of  an  indissoluble  earth,  two  ounces  of  resin, 
an  ounce  and  a  half  of  gum,  and  about  two  scruples  and 
a  half  of  essential  oil.  See  Neumann's  Chem.  Works, 
Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  and  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

The  compound  tincture  of  cinnamon,  formerly  the 
tinctura  aromatica,  is  prepared  by  adding,  cinnamon 
bruised  six  drachms;  lesser  cardamom  seeds,  freed  from 
their  husks,  three  drachms ;  long  pepper  and  ginger, 
reduced  to  powder,  of  each  two  drachms ;  to  two  pints 
of  proof  spirit:  after  digesting  for  eight  days  it  is  strain- 
ed. Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

CINXA'MOMUM  A'LBUM,  CINJJA'MOMUM  MALABARICUM. 
See  CAKELLA  ALBA. 

CINXA'MOMCM  CRASSIO'RE  CORTICE  VULG.  i.  e.  MA- 
^,ABATHRUM.  See  FOLIUM. 

VOL.  I. 


CIXXA'MOMUM  MAGELLA'NICUM,  vel  CORTEX  MAGEL 
LAXICUS.     See  CORT.  WINTERAXUS. 

CINNA'MOMUM  MALAB.    See  CASSIA  LIGXEA. 

CINNA'MOMUM   SPC'RIUM,  i.  e.  CORT.   CARYOPHILLOI' 
DBS. 

CI'NNUM,  or  CI'NNUS.     See  CYCEOX. 

CINZI'LLA.     See  ZOXA. 

CI'ON,  Kim,  a  COLUMN.  The  uvula  is  so  named  from 
its  pyramidal  shape.  (See  UVULA,  HIMAS.)  Hippo- 
crates gives  this  name  to  a  carunculous  excrescence  in 
the  pudendum  muliebre. 

CIO'NIA.  In  Dioscorides  it  is  the  middle  part  of 
a  whelk,  or  purple  fish,  near  the  centre  of  the  striae ; 
which,  being  calcined,  is  supposed  to  be  more  caustic 
than  the  other  parts. 

CIO'NIS,  (from  »<*»,  the  uvula}.  A  painful  thick- 
ness of  the  uvula. 

CIRC.£'A,  (from  Circe,  the  famous  enchantress;  on 
the  supposition  that  it  was  used  in  her  enchanted  pre- 
parations). ENCHANTER'S  NIGHTSHADE.  Circtsa  lute- 
tiana  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  12.  Called  also  dificaa.  Its  leaves 
resemble  those  of  the  garden  nightshade :  the  flowers 
are  small  and  black ;  the  seeds  like  those  of  the  millet ; 
they  are  inclosed  in  a  sort  of  corniculated  capsule ; 
the  roots  are  three  or  four  spans  long,  white,  scented, 
and  heating.  It  grows  on  rocky  ground,  where  it  is 
exposed  to  the  sun.  Its  virtues,  if  any,  resemble  those 
of  the  garden  nightshade. 

CIRCOCE'LE,  (from  K/JS-O?,  -varix,  and  KS^JI,  a  tu- 
mour). A  corruption  of  CIRSOCELE,  q.  v. 

CIRCULA'TIO,  (from  circulo,  to  comfiasa  about, 
moving  as  it  were  in  a  circle).  CIRCULATION.  For 
what  is  understood  by  it  in  chemistry,  see  CIHCULATO- 
RIUM  and  DIGESTIO. 

In  anatomy  it  is  the  circulation  of  any  fluid  through 
the  vessels  destined  for  its  conveyance.  Strictly  speak- 
ing, circulation  is  only  applied  to  the  blood,  because  it 
moves  from  the  heart  to  return  to  it  again;  but  the 
other  fluids  do  not  return  to  the  organ  from  which  they 
were  first  discharged. 

The  honour  of  the  discovery  of  the  circulation  is  un- 
doubtedly due  to  Dr.  Harvey ;  but  it  has  been  claimed 
for  Servetus,  Columbus,  and  Caesalpinus. 

Servetus  was  an  opponent  of  Calvin,  and  persecuted 
by  him.  He  was  a  Spanish  physician ;  but  was  not  the 
author  of  any  known  medical  work.  In  a  theological 
tract,  by  way  of  allusion,  he  mentions  the  circulation  of 
the  blood  through  the  lungs,  rather  indeed  as  an  hypo- 
thesis than  as  an  established  fact.  It  is  of  more  import- 
ance, in  another  view,  to  remark,  that  he  considers  the 
object  of  the  circulation  through  the  lungs  to  be  the  in- 
haling a  spirit  from  the  air,  and  the  escape  of  a  fuliginous 
vapour.  He  was  unacquainted,  however,  with  the  struc- 
ture of  the  heart,  or  the  uses  of  the  valves ;  and,  with 
Galen,  confines  the  blood  to  the  liver  and  veins,  while 
he  supposes  the  heart  and  arteries  filled  with  a  spirit. 
Columbus,  in  1 569,  followed  him  in  describing  this  lesser 
circulation,  and  first  explained  the  structure  and  use  of 
the  sigmoid  and  tricuspid  valves ;  but  with  little  consist- 
ency adopted,  also,  the  fancies  of  Galen  first  mentioned. 

Caesalpinus  published  about  twelve  years  after  Co- 
lumbus, viz.  in  about  1681 ;  and  had  not  the  authority  of 
Aristotle  and  Galen  possessed  his  imagination  so  strong- 
ly as  to  shut  out  the  most  obvious  consequences  of  the 
best  established  facts,  the  honour  of  the  discovery  must 
3L 


1  11 


442 


C  IK 


have  been  his  own.  But  his  claims  to  genius  of  the 
highest  rank  are  undisputed  without  this  additional 
laurel.  Aristotle  first  misled  him  by  distinguishing 
two  kinds  of  blood  ;  one  for  the  increase  and  the  other 
for  the  nourishment  of  the  body  :  the  first  he  supposed 
to  be  derived  from  the  liver,  and  poured  into  the  vena 
cava,  attracted  by  the  heat  of  the  heart.  From  the  right 
ventricle  he  traces  the  blood,  with  Columbus  or  Serve- 
tus,  to  the  lungs,  where  he  supposes  it  to  be  cooled  only. 
The  blood,  now  become  spirituous  and  alimentary,  in 
successive  periods,  according  to  this  system,  causes,  by 
the  fermentation  excited,  the  succession  of  pulsations, 
while  the  aliment  destined  for  increase  is  elicited  from 
the  veins;  yet  in  sleep  this  effervescing  blood,  he  ad- 
mits, is  returned  by  the  veins,  the  valves  of  which  had 
been  described  by  J.  B.  Cannanus,  and,  more  accurate- 
ly, by  Fabricius  ab  Aquapendente. 

Such  were  the  opinions  which  Harvey  found  in  the 
schools  ;  and  he  need  only  have  recollected  that  simpli- 
city was  the  criterion  of  truth,  to  suppose  that  blood, 
which  circulated  in  the  night,  might  also  circulate  in  the 
day.  This  was  the  foundation  of  our  remark  in  the 
history  of  surgery  (see  CHIRUHGIA),  that  the  facts 
were  already  established,  and  that  it  required  only  "  pa- 
tient thinking"  to  connect  them.  The  claim  to  this 
quality  distinguished  both  Harvey,  Newton,  and  Co- 
lumbus; nor,  if  we  know  any  thing  of  the  human  mind, 
does  this  representation  diminish  their  credit.  Peaches 
had  for  ages  fallen  from  the  tree;  the  structure  of  the 
valves  of  the  heart  been  for  years  known ;  and  the  In- 
dies long  discovered  by  an  eastern  course;  when  the 
calm  dispassionate  examination  of  these  three  first  of 
philosophers  drew  consequences  which  had  escaped  all 
their  predecessors.  They  have  received  their  reward ; 
for  they  have  demonstrated  how  high  human  intellect 
can  soar :  it  is  for  their  opponents  to  show  how  low  it 
can  descend. 

With  regard  to  the  circulation,  however,  it  is  thus 
clearly  described.  The  blood  is  conveyed  from  the  left 
ventricle  of  the  heart,  by  the  aorta  and  its  branches,  to 
the  minutest  and  most  remote  parts  of  the  body;  and 
then  passing  from  the  extremities  of  the  smallest  arteries 
into  the  incipient  veins,  whether  continuous  or  not  ana- 
tomists have  not  decided,  circulates  through  them  into 
their  larger  branches  into  the  right  auricle  of  the  heart, 
and  in  succession  to  the  right  ventricle.  It  is  forced  with 
the  fresh  supplies  that  it  receives  from  the  chyle,  passing 
into  the  subclavian  vein,  from  thence  into  the  pulmon- 
ary artery;  and  after  circulating  through  the  lungs,  in 
its  passage,  is  .returned  by  the  pulmonary  vein  into  the 
left  auricle,  and  thence  into  the  left  ventricle.  The 
same  round  recurs  until  death  concludes  the  progress. 

When  Harvey  promulgated  this  doctrine  is  uncertain. 
It  has  been  supposed,  that  he  delivered  his  new  system 
in  the  Lumley  lectures,  1615.  It  is,  however,  singu- 
lar, that  a  discovery  so  important  should  have  passed 
unnoticed;  though  little  doubt  can  be  entertained  that 
this  important  fact  was  established  in  his  own  mind 
early  in  the  following  year.  This  appears  clearly  from 
his  MS.  De  Anatomia  Universa.  In  the  year  1619 
this  great  discovery  was  promulgated ;  for,  if  we  are  not 
mistaken,  in  that  year  his  Exercitatio  Anatomica  de 
Cordis,  and  Sanguinis  Motu,  appeared  at  Frankfort;  a 
choice  probably  dictated  by  the  convenience  of  circula- 
tion on  the  continent.  This  treatise  is  a  masterpiece  of 


simple,  but  cogent  and  decisive  argument.  After 
shortly  confuting  the  errors  of  his  predecessors,  he  de- 
scribes the  motion  of  the  heart  as  it  appears  in  a  living 
animal;  points  out  the  alternate  dilatations  and  contrac- 
tions of  its  different  auricles  and  ventricles,  and  then- 
effect  as  regulated  by  the  various  valves.  He  then 
shows,  by  calculation,  that  the  blood  flows  faster  into 
the  arteries  than  it  can  be  supplied  by  aliment  imbibed 
by  the  veins;  and,  as  the  arteries  can  receive  no  sup- 
plies but  from  the  veins,  the  former  must  be  gradually 
more  distended,  or  the  latter  more  emptied,  unless  the 
veins  and  arteries  anastomose,  which  was  supposed  less 
improbable,  as  this  communication  takes  place  in  the 
lungs.  A  few  simple  experiments  illustrate  this  idea, 
and  establish  it  beyond  contradiction. 

The  clamour  that  this  publication  excited  was  incon- 
ceivable. It  was  either  not  true,  or  the  ancients  had 
already  taught  the  same.  Riolan,  a  more  respectable 
antagonist  than  the  common  herd,  was  alone  honoured 
with  an  answer:  and  the  venerable  antagonist  retired 
with  some  disgrace  from  the  field,  accused  of  cavilling, 
unmeaning  quibbles,  rash  unfounded  assertions,  and 
even  unfaithful  experiments.  The  number  and  names 
of  his  other  antagonists  which  lie  before  us  would  fill 
our  page,  with  little  advantage  or  satisfaction  to  our 
readers. 

During  the  dilatation  of  the  heart,  when  the  blood 
enters  the  ventricles  the  coronary  arteries  receive  that 
fluid,  contrary  to  all  the  other  arteries  of  the  body,  and 
thus  supply  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  heart  with  the 
blood  ;  for  the  passage  of  the  blood  is  freer  through  the 
arteries  during  the  heart's  inflation  than  at  the  con- 
traction, because  those  vessels  are  then  less  convoluted. 
That  the  heart  is  not  the  one  and  sole  cause  of  circula- 
tion appears,  because  the  arteries  all  perform  their  dia- 
stole at  the  same  instant  in  healthy  people.  If  the 
heart's  propelling  the  blood  was  the  sole  cause  of  the 
circulation,  the  pulsation  of  the  artery  would  be  an  un- 
dulation, and  in  different  parts  it  would  be  perceived  at 
different  times,  as  the  impulse  at  different  distances  of 
the  artery  from  the  heart  would  be  in  succession. 

That  some  other  power  than  the  velocity  of  the 
blood  dilates  the  capillary  arteries  to  give  passage  to  the 
globules,  seems  evident  also  from  the  experiments  of 
Dr.  Hales.  He  poured  water  into  the  aorta  and  other 
arteries  of  dogs;  and  though  its  force  and  velocity  were 
equal  to  that  given  to  the  blood  by  the  heart,  yet  it  ne- 
ver passed  by  the  anastomoses  of  the  arteries  and  veins, 
but  through  the  sides  of  the  arteries;  and  this  seems  to 
prove  that  the  arteries  are  totally  stopped  by  the  con- 
traction of  their  fibres  after  the  vital  power  no  longer 
continues  to  act,  and  that  the  force  of  the  heart  hath  not 
a  power  equal  to  what  is  required  to  dilate  them.  To 
this  experiment  indeed  objections  may  be  made ;  but 
strong  arguments  may  be  adduced  to  render  the  princi- 
pal position  highly  probable.  It  is  supported  with  great 
force  by  Dr.  Whytt. 

The  whole  arterial  tube,  therefore,  contributes  to  the 
emotion  of  the  blood;  and  the  heart,  instead  of  moving 
a  weight  equal  to  the  whole  mass  in  this  way,  impels 
no  more  than  about  two  ounces,  the  quantity  supposed 
to  be  contained  by  the  ventricle  in  each  diastole.  Sec 
ANIMALIS  MOTUS,  also  Haller's  Physiology. 

The  laws  of  the  circulation,  or  the  general  circumstances 
that  influence  its  various  modifications,  must  detain  us  a 


CIR 


443 


C  1  B. 


liitle  longer.  Physiologists  have  anxiously  endeavoured 
to  ascertain  the  quantity  of  blood  thrown  out  by  each 
contraction  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  its  velocity.  But 
these  circumstances  are  of  little  real  importance,  and 
we  need  not  examine  nor  attempt  to  refute  the  calcula- 
tions and  errors.  It  is  enough  that  the  left  ventricle 
contains  about  two  ounces;  and  that  probably  somewhat 
less  is  thrown  out  at  each  contraction.  Whatever  the 
velocity  may  be,  it  is  gradually  diminishing;  for  the 
areas  of  all  the  branches  exceed  that  of  the  aorta,  and 
the  angles  must  sometimes  impede  rectilineal  motion. 
A  proportion  of  the  impetus  is  in  this  way  lost ;  nor  is 
the  resistance  of  the  coats  of  the  arteries,  or  die  friction, 
to  be  wholly  overlooked ;  though  the  elasticity  and  the 
muscular  power,  as  well  as  the  mucous  secretion  on 
the  internal  surfaces,  greatly  lessen  its  effects. 

The  velocity  of  the  blood  in  the  arteries  will  be  in 
proportion  to  the  frequency  of  contraction  ;  and  this  in 
proportion  to  the  return  of  blood  in  the  veins,  which  is 
influenced  by  a  variety  of  causes,  chiefly  exercise  and 
agitation  of  mind.  The  frequency  of  the  contraction, 
which  arises  from  irritability,  does  not  increase  the  ve- 
locity of  the  blood,  since,  in  such  instances,  the  left 
ventricle  contracts  before  it  is  filled,  and  this  state  is  not 
attended  with  a  determination  to  the  surface.  In  a 
healthy  state  the  arteries  are  always  full,  and  conse- 
quently each  impulse  gives  successive  momenta  to  the 
whole  mass:  but  this  succession  is  so  rapid,  and  the  ac- 
tion of  the  arterial  coats  so  immediate,  that  the  pulsation, 
vrhich  is  the  consequence,  is  apparently  synchronous 
over  the  whole  body.  As,  however,  the  velocity  dimi- 
nishes from  the  causes  mentioned,  this  pulsation  must 
be  at  last  imperceptible;  and  at  some  distance  from  the 
heart,  and  more  particularly  in  the  veins,  it  is  of  course 
lost.  The  velocity  of  the  blood  will  therefore  vary  in 
proportion  to  the  power  of  the  heart,  to  the  distance 
from  it,  to  the  causes  influencing  the  action  of  the  arte- 
ries, and  to  the  direction  as  affected  by  gravity. 

The  quantity  of  blood  distributed  to  any  part  of  the 
system  rri!!  differ  ir.  proportion  to  the  action  of  the  ar- 
teries of  that  part ;  an  action  increased  by  resistance  of 
every  kind :  but  the  effects  of  that  resistance,  at  first 
owing  to  die  action  of  the  arteries  of  that  part,  and  af- 
terwards to  the  general  consent  of  every  part  of  the  cir- 
culating system,  is  little  affected  by  the  state  of  the 
circulation  in  a  distant  part.  The  contrary  idea  has 
induced  the  most  singular  and  preposterous  practice. 
It  is  the  parent  of  the  doctrines  of  derivation  and  revul- 
sion, which  we  shall  afterwards  notice.  Thus,  if  the 
head  was  affected,  blood  was  drawn  from  the  feet ;  but 
it  will  be  at  once  obvious,  that  sixteen  ounces  of  blood 
from  a  vein,  if  affecting  one  thousand  six  hundred  ar- 
teries, will  lessen  the  quantity  of  blood  in  each  only 
0.01  ;  consequently,  on  the  contraction  of  the  left  ven- 
tricle, only  one  hundredth  part  less  of  blood  will  be 
sent  to  the  head.  But  if  the  sixteen  ounces  be  taken 
from  the  temporal  arteries,  or  jugular  veins,  the  head 
will  be  ..depleted  in  the  same  proportion,  without  any 
diminution.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  this  idea  con- 
tinues to  prevail  among  practitioners;  and  we  still  find 
blisters  and  cataplasms  applied  to  the  legs  to  relieve 
congestions  in  the  head  or  lungs. 

The  quantity  of  blood  distributed  to  different  parts 
varies  at  different  periods.  In  the  growing  state,  the  heart 
evidently  increases  in  its  bulk  in  a  less  proportion  than 


the  capacity  of  the  arterial  system.  As  age  approaches, 
the  number  of  the  arteries  lessens,  and  the  proportion 
of  the  heart  gains  the  ascendancy.  In' this  state  the 
venoos  system  is  proportionably  fuller  than  the  arterial. 
In  young  animals  the  head  is  large,  and  its  vessels  full. 
Diseases  of  die  head,  from  fulness  and  haemorrhages 
from  the  nose,  are  then  common.  At  a  subsequent  period 
the  determination  is  to  the  lungs,  and  soon  afterwards  to 
the  genital  system  in  both  sexes ;  at  a  more  advanced 
period  to  the  haemorrhoidal  vessels.  When  the  num- 
ber of  arteries  diminishes  from  age,  we  find  venous 
plethora  in  the  head,  with  serous  apoplexies  and  pal- 
sies ;  in  the  lungs,  with  humoral  asthmas  and  catarrhus 
sufibcativus ;  in  the  abdomen,  with  discharges  of  black 
bile  ;  in  the  extremities,  with  varices. 

Any  general  increase  of  the  action  of  the  arteries  de- 
termines the  blood  rather  to  the  surface  than  the  internal 
parts  ;  but,  if  checked  in  its  determination  to  the  sur- 
face, or  irregularly  accelerated  or  retarded,  the  viscera 
chiefly  suffer.  If,  from  the  continued  action  of  any 
cause,  a  fixed  determination  to  any  part  is  established, 
it  becomes  a  necessary  part  of  the  constitution,  and  can- 
not without  danger  be  altered. 

The  whole  of  the  blood  sent  from  the  heart  is  not 
returned  to  that  organ  by  the  veins.  The  exhalations 
from  the  arteries  into  the  cellular  substance  employ  a 
part  of  it;  the  various  secretions  also  greatly  lessen  it. 
The  arterial  system,  however,  always  continues  full,  in 
consequence  of  the  contractility  of  its  muscular  coat. 
The  venous  system  has  not  this  advantage,  but  the 
motion  of  the  blood  is  slower  in  these;  and,  as  it  is  kept 
up  by  the  pulsation  of  the  arteries, muscular  action,  &c. 
while  advantage  is  taken  of  every  action  by  the  frequent 
interposition  of  valves,  these  vessels  must  continue  full, 
since,  from  die  want  of  any  active  force,  a  portion  must 
be  discharged  into  the  heart,  before  that  below  can  be 
propelled  forward. 

Some  other  circumstances  respecting  the  circulation 
can  only  be  understood  when  the  structure  of  the  heart 
is  known.  See  Con. 

We  have  remarked,  that  there  is  some  doubt  whether 
arteries  terminate  by  continuous  vessels  in  veins:  in  the 
corpora  cavernosa  penis  they  do  not,  and  the  veins  there 
certainly  absorb  die  effused  blood.  The  course  of  the 
circulation  also,  when  minutely  examined,  is  not  regu- 
larly progressive.  It  sometimes  is  retrogade  for  a  little 
way,  favoured  by  an  anastomosis,  chiefly  when  the  ves- 
sel will  not  admit  the  red  globules.  The  veins  too  do 
not  all  pass  immediately  to  the  heart ;  for,  as  we  have 
remarked,  those  of  the  abdomen  unite  in  forming  the 
vena  portae  dispersed  in  the  liver,  apparently  for  die 
secretion  of  bile. 

The  circulation  of  the  blood  in  the  fxtus  hath  some 
peculiarities  different  from  what  is  observed  in  adults. 
1st,  The  blood  does  not  all  pass  through  the  lungs;  a 
very  small  part  only  takes  that  course  each  time  that  it 
returns  to  the  heart.  2dly,  The  blood  brought  by  the 
two  venje  cavse  into  the  right  auricle  of  the  heart  passes 
chiefly  into  die  right  ventricle,  but  not  entirely  ;  for 
some  portion  goes  immediately  through  the  foramen 
ovale  into  the  left  auricle,  and  especially  that  bruutrht 
up  by  die  cava  inferior.  Suppose,  then,  two-thirds  of  the 
blood  passes  into  the  right  ventricle,  in  order  to  circu- 
late through  the  pulmonary  artery;  yet  all  the  blood  that 
flows  into  it  in  die  foetus  will  not  circulate  through  the 

3  L  2 


C  IK 


444 


CIR 


lungs,  for  a  considerable  part  must  necessarily  pass  by 
the  ductus  arteriosus,  directly  to  the  aorta,  before  it 
hath  arrived  at  the  lungs ;  so  that  probably  not  above 
one-third  of  the  blood  circulates  through  the  lungs  every 
time  it  is  brought  back  to  the  heart.  That  blood  which 
was  thrown  out  directly  from  the  right  to  the  left  auri- 
cle, goes  thence  to  the  left  ventricle,  and  so  on  to  the 
aorta,  without  touching  at  either  the  right  ventricle  or 
pulmonary  artery,  and  consequently  not  arriving  at  the 
lungs.  After  the  child  is  born,  and  a  little  grown  up, 
the  foramen  ovale  is  closed  up  in  most  subjects ;  though, 
in  some  instances,  it  is  found  to  continue  more  or  less 
open  during  the  whole  life  of  the  person. 

CIRCULA'TORES,  (from  circulo,  to  compass 
nbout).  See  AGYRT.E. 

CIRCULATO'RIUM,  (from  the  same).  A  CIR- 
CULATORY GLASS.  It  is  a  vessel  in  which  the  contain- 
ed liquor,  when  put  over  the  fire,  circulates  by  ascend- 
ing and  descending  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  more 
volatile  parts  of  the  liquor,  raised  by  the  fire,  not  find- 
ing a  passage,  may  always  fall  back  again.  Thus  che- 
mical circulation  is  only  a  species  of  digestion.  Re- 
peated distillation  sometimes  answers  the  end  of  circu- 
lation. See  DIGESTIO. 

CIRCULA'TUM.  According  to  Boerhaave,  the 
clrcilatum  of  Paracelsus  was  a  liquor  prepared  from  sea 
salt.  Paracelsus  obtained  from  this  salt  a  perpetual  oil, 
which  he  called  circulatum  minus,  circulatus  sal  minor, 
ens  grimum  saiium,  oleum  salis,  aqua  salts.  He  had 
also  a  circulatum  majus,  which  he  called  materia  mer- 
furii  salts,  and  ignis  vivens.  See  Barchusen  in  his 
Pyrosophia-Maets,  Collectanea  Chimlca  Leydens,  and 
Blancard's  Lexicon  Renovatum. 

CI'RCULI   I'GNEI.     See  ECLAMPSIS. 

CI'RCULUS,  (dim.  of  circus,  a  circle").  A  CIRCLE. 
Besides  its  proper  signification,  it  is  applied  to  different 
parts  of  the  body  ;  as,  by  Hippocrates,  to  the  balls  of  the 
cheeks,  the  orbs  of  the  eyes,  or  the  cavities  which  sur- 
round the  eye.  Circulus  is  also  the  name  of  an  iron 
instrument  used  by  the  chemists  for  cutting  off  a  neck 
of  glass  vessels.  The  circulus  is  heated,  then  pressed 
close  to  the  glass  where  to  be  divided ;  and  when  the 
glass  is  hot,  the  application  of  a  blast  of  cold  air,  or  a 
tew  drops  of  water,  separates  it.  The  circulus  is  some- 
times called  abbreviatorium. 

It  is  also  reckoned  among  surgical  instruments, 
figures  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Scultetus's  Armamen- 
tarium Chirurgicum,  tab.  xxii.  fig.  6,  7  ;  tab.  xliii. 
fig.  5. 

CI'RCULUS  «IUADRU'PLEX.  See  CIRCUS  QUADRU- 
PLEX. 

CI'RCULUS  AHTERIO'SUS  I'RIDIS.  It  is  composed  of 
two  arteries  going  round  the  basis  of  the  iris.  From 
the  arteries  of  the  external  lamina  are  sent  several  rami- 
fications to  the  circumference  of  the  iris,  where  they 
produce  a  vascular  circle,  called  circulus  arteriosus. 
From  this  vascular  circle  pass  off  many  smaller  vessels, 
which  form  themselves  into  arches  ;  and  from  these 
arches  still  finer  vessels  are  sent,  which  probably  se- 
crete the  aqueous  humour. 

CIRCUMCAIAJA'LIS.     See  ADNATA. 

CIRCUMCI'SIO,  (from  circumcido,  to  cut  about}. 
CIRCUMCISION.  Albucasis  describes  several  methods 
of  performing  this  operation  ;  but  the  best  is  to  stretch 
the  prepuce  over  the  glands,  and  make  a  ligature  about 


it,  then  with  a  razor  cut  of  all  that  extends  beyond. 
In  warm  countries  this  operation  seems  to  be  sometimes 
necessary,  and  always  convenient,  in  point  of  cleanli- 
ness ;  for  the  discharge  of  the  glandulae  odoriferse  lying 
under  the  prepuce,  corrupts  and  becomes  acrid;  cor- 
rodes and  inflames  the  glands  and  the  prepuce. 

CIRCU'MFERUS,  (from  circumfero,  to  twist 
about}.  In  botany  it  means  twisting  round  like  the 
tendrils  of  a  hop  round  the  pole. 

CIRCUMFLE'XUS  PALA'TI,  (from  circumflecto, 
to  fold  about;  so  named  from  its  winding  position). 
Called  also  musculus  tub<e  no-uus  Valsalv<z,tialato-fiha- 
ryng<eus,sfiheno-8alfiingo-8tafih.ylinus,fieri-stajihylinu» 
externus,  tensor  fialati.  Of  this  muscle  Valsalva  was  the 
discoverer.  It  rises  from  the  spinous  process  of  the 
sphenoid  bone,  behind  the  foramen  ovale,  which  trans- 
mits the  third  branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves  from  the 
Eustachian  tube,  not  far  from  its  osseous  part ;  it  then 
runs  down  along  the  pterygoides  internus,  passes  over 
the  hook  of  the  internal  plate  of  the  pterygoid  process 
by  a  round  tendon,  which  soon  spreads  into  a  broad 
membrane.  It  is  inserted  into  the  velum  pendulum  pa- 
lati,  and  the  semilunar  edge  of  the  os  palati,  and  ex- 
tends as  far  as  the  suture  which  joins  the  two  bones. 
Its  use  is  to  stretch  the  velum,  to  draw  it  downwards,  and 
to  a  side  towards  the  hook.  It  has  little  effect  upon  the 
tube,  being  chiefly  connected  to  its  osseous  part.  Innes. 

CIRCUMl'ORA'NEI,  (yuia  circumfora  versari  so- 
leant,  because  they  attended  markets).  See  AGYRT.&. 

CIRCUMGYRA'TIO,  (from  circumgyro,  to  turn 
round}.  CIRCUMGYRATION.  A  turning  of  the  limb 
round  about  in  its  socket. 

CIRCUMLI'TIO,  (from  circumlino,  to  anoint  all 
over,}  in  general,  is  any  medicine  applied  by  way  of 
unction,  or  as  a  liniment ;  but,  in  a  particular  manner, 
it  is  appropriated  to  ophthalmic  medicines,  with  which 
the  eye  lids  are  anointed. 

CIRCUMOSSA'LIS,  (from  circum,  around,  and  os, 
a  bone}.  See  ADNATA  and  PERIOSTEUM. 

CIRCUMSTA'NTI^E,  (from  circumsto,  to  stand 
round).  CIRCUMSTANCES.  In  medicine,  they  are 
whatever  are  not  essentially  necessarily  connected  with 
the  principal  indicant.  Of  this  kind,  in  what  are  com- 
monly called  res  naturales,  are  the  condition  of  the  pa- 
tient and  the  part  affected ;  the  strength,  age,  sex,  cus- 
tom, and  way  of  life ;  in  the  firzternaturales,  or  the 
times  of  diseases,  paroxysms,  number,  and  symptoms. 
In  the  non-naturales  are  the  air  and  soil.  These  circum- 
stances often  regulate  the  conduct  of  a  physician. 

CI'RCUS,  QUADRU'PLEX,  from  the  Chaldee 
term  carka,  to  surround,}  also  circulus.  The  four 
fold  circle.  It  is  a  kind  of  bandage  ;  called  also  filin- 
t/iius  layueus.  See  Galen  de  Fasciis. 

CI'RRHUS,  rather  CI'RRUS,  (from  x.e?«5,  cornu,  a 
horn  ;  because  cirri  resemble  the  figure  of  horns  in  their 
spiral  girations).  It  is  one  of  the  fulcra  of  plants,  called 
also  clavicula,  tendril,  ca/ireolus  ;  the  spiral  string,  by 
which  some  plants  fix  themselves  to  other  bodies.  They 
are  of  various  textures  :  some  of  them  emit  a  glue  at 
their  termination,  by  which  they  stick  as  well  as  cling; 
others  have  points,  by  which  they  stick  into  trees  and 
walls,  serving  also  for  roots. 

CI'RRI.  In  Pliny  they  signify  the  four  lesser  claws 
of  the  polypus.  See  also  CE.HJEJE. 

C'IRSIUM    ARVE'NSE,  (from  *if<r<><,  a  vein,    w 


445 


CIT 


»weiltng  of  a  -vein;  which  this  herb  was  supposed  to 
heal).     See  CARDUUS  H.SMORRHOIDALIS. 

CIRSOCE'LE,  (from  *.ip<r*,  a  varix,  and  *.**»,  a  tu- 
mour) .  It  is  also  called  varicocele,  circocele,  ramex  va- 
ricosus,  and  hernia  varicosa. 

This  is  an  irregular,  elastic  tumour  of  the  spermatic 
arteries  and  veins.  Any  large  tumour  in  the  abdomen, 
or  external  force  pressing  the  veins,  or  a  large  tumour 
»f  the  scrotum  stretching 'the  vessels  or  impeding  the 
return  of  the  blood,  may  occasion  the  veins  of  the  scro- 
tum, or  the  spermatic  veins,  to  be  dilated  with  blood  ; 
in  which  case,  they  are  also  here  and  there  diversified 
with  large  and  unequal  knots,  and  the  testicles  hang 
lower  than  in  their  natural  state.  This  disorder,  how- 
ever, generally  depends  on  a  relaxed  state  of  the  veins 
themselves. 

Sometimes  young  men  of  a  salacious  turn,  abound- 
ing with  seminal  fluids,  are  subject  to  this  disorder;  but 
when  neither  pain  nor  other  troublesome  symptoms  at- 
tend, no  regard  need  to  be  paid  to  the  case,  except  it  be 
to  apply  to  matrimony  for  the  cure.  As  this  disorder 
is  symptomatic,  to  remove  the  circumstances  on  which 
it  depends  will  be  its  relief.  It  sometimes  depends  on 
the  pressure  of  an  hernial  truss  upon  the  spermatic  pro- 
cess ;  and  then  an  alteration  in  the  bandage  will  probably 
succeed.  If  tumours  of  a  scirrhous  kind  are  the  cause, 
and  they  are  so  situated  as  to  admit  of  extirpation,  they 
should  be  removed.  However,  when  the  veins  have 
been  long  distended,  so  that  their  coats  are  become  very 
weak,  incisions  may  be  made  longitudinally  into  them, 
after  which,  dressing  as  in  a  common  wound,  a  cicatrix 
will  prevent  the  return  of  the  complaint.  Before  inci- 
sions are  made  in  the  veins,  it  will  be  proper  to  try  a 
suspensory  bandage,  the  cold  bath,  the  application  of  a 
solution  of  alum,  or  other  astringents.  Before  opening 
the  knot  in  these  veins,  it  will  be  proper  to  employ  evacu- 
ants,  lying  in  an  horizontal  posture,  by  which  the  course 
of  the  returning  blood  is  facilitated ;  the  scrotum  and  its 
contents  should  be  supported  by  a  proper  bandage,  and 
strengthening  embrocations  may  be  applied  to  the  part 
affected.  See  Heister's  Surgery.  Bell's  System  of  Sur- 
gery, vol.  i.  p.  493.  Pott's  Works,  4to.  White's  Sur- 
gery, 334. 

For  the  distinction  between  this  complaint  and  bubo- 
nocele, vide  in  VERBO. 

CIRSOI'DES,  (from  t-'fftn,  -varix,  and  £/<Jo«,  forma, 
likeness;  so  called  from  its  resembling  a  varix).  It  is 
an  epithet  in  Rufus  Ephesius  for  the  upper  part  of  the 
brain.  He  also  applies  this  name  to  two  of  the  four  se- 
minal vessels. 

CI'RSOS.  K.I/XT&;  (from  Kiftrta,  to  dilate).  See 
VARIX. 

CI'SSA.     (Greek.)     See  PICA. 

CISSA'MPELOS  PAREI'RA,  (from  *«nr«5,  ivy, 
and  «jtsre*«s,  the  -vine).  The  WILD  VINE;  so  called  be- 
cause it  has  leaves  like  ivy.  See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

CISSA'RUS.     SeeCisxus. 

CISSI'NUM,  (from  ma-mf,  ivy).  The  name  of  a 
plaster  mentioned  by  P.  JLgineta. 

CIST,  or  XIST.  A  measure  of  wine  containing 
about  four  pints. 

CISTE'RNA,  (from  data,  a  cist).  A  CISTERN.  A 
name  of  the  fourth  ventricle  of  the  brain,  and  of  the 
concourse  of  the  lacteal  vessels  in  the  breasts  of  women 
•who  suckle. 


CI'STHORUS,  and  CISTUS,  *;«•©-,  (from  the  He- 
brew term  kiss).  The  cistas,  or  ROCK  ROSE;  also 
cissarus,  cistus  creticus,  dorycinitim.  It  is  a  shrub  which 
grows  in  stony  places  :  it  is  full  of  branches  and  leaves, 
but  not  tall:  the  leaves  are  round,  black,  and  hairy. 
The  leaves  of  the  male  cistus  resemble  those  of  the 
pomegranate  tree,  but  those  of  the  female  are  white 
See  LADANUM. 

CI'STUS  HU'MILIS.     See  PARNASSIA. 

CI'STUS  LADANI'FERA.     See  LADANUM. 

CI'STUS  LE'DON.     See  LEDUM  PALUSTRE. 

CFTHARUS.  According  to  Hesychius,  it  signifies 
the  breast,  the  side,  and  a  species  offish. 

CITRA'GO,  CITRA'RIA,  (from  citrus,  the  citron; 
because  of  its  smell).  See  MELISSA. 

CI'TRAS.andCI'TRATS,  (from  citru*,the  citron). 
CITRATE.  Salts  formed  by  the  union  of  acid  of  lemon 
with  different  bases.  The  common  saline  draught  is 
styled  citras  fiotasse. 

CITRE'UM,(from  citrus).  Called  also  citron, mains 
medico,  malus  citria.  The  CITRON  TREE.  Citrus  me- 
dico. Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1100. 

It  was  first  brought  from  Assyria  and  Media  into 
Greece,  and  thence  into  the  southern  parts  of  Europe, 
where  it  thrives,  and  produces  perfect  fruit,  called  cc- 
dromela,  which  is  larger  and  less  succulent  than  the  le- 
mon ;  but  in  all  other  respects  the  citron  and  lemon 
trees  agree  :  the  lemon  is  a  variety  only  of  the  citrus 
medica. 

As  to  its  medicinal  qualities,  the  chief  differences  from 
those  of  the  lemon  are,  that  the  citron  juice  is  less  acid, 
the  yellow  rind  is  hotter,  bitterish,  and  its  flavour  more 
volatile,  so  that  it  rises  with  rectified  spirit  of  wine. 
The  citron  juice,  when  sweetened  with  sugar,  is  called 
by  the  Italians  aigre  di  cedre. 

Oils  obtained  from  the  fresh  peels  of  the  more  odori- 
ferous kinds,  by  rolling  the  fruit  on  a  plane  stuck  full  of 
points,  are  brought  from  Italy,  and  used  as  perfumes ; 
these  are  more  grateful  and  less  pungent  than  such  as 
are  drawn  by  distillation  with  water.  The  oil  prepared 
either  of  these  ways  is  subject  to  lose  its  flavour,  and 
become  thick  and  resinous  in  keeping;  when  distilled 
with  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and  afterwards  separated 
from  the  spirit  by  dilution  with  water,  it  retains  much 
longer  its  odour,  fluidity,  and  limpidness.  See  Lewis's 
Mat.  Med. 

CITRINA'TIO.     COMPLETE  DIGESTION. 

CITRI'NULA,  (a  dim.  of  citrus,  a  citron;  so  named 
because  its  smell  somewhat  resembles  that  fruit). 
SPEARWORT.  See  RANUNCULUS  LOXGIFOLIUS,  &c. 

CI'TRON,  and  CITRUS.     See  CITREUM. 

CI'TRONELLE.  So  the  French  name  the  liquor 
which  we  call  Barbadoes  water.  Take  the  dry  yellow 
rind  of  citron  tb  iij.  of  French  brandy  lb  vi.  infuse  cold 
for  a  month,  then  distil  in  a  sand  bath,  in  a  retort,  with 
a  receiver  luted  to  it.  When  the  strongest  part  of  the 
spirit  is  drawn  off,  add  to  the  remainder  the  pulps  of 
the  citrons ;  let  them  macerate  five  or  six  days,  and 
distil  them  ;  add  what  comes  over  to  the  former  strong 
spirit ;  and  to  this  mixture  as  much  sugar  and  orange 
flower  water  as  is  needful  to  render  it  agreeable. 

CITRU'LLUS,  called  also  anguria,jace  Brasiliensi- 
bus,  tetranguria ;  the  WATER  MELON,  or  CITRUL.  It 
is  the  cucurbita  citruljus,foliis  multipart  it  is  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1434.  It  is  a  gourd,  called  by  the  Greeks  »yytvfi»it 


C  L  A. 


446 


C  LA 


from  «yy««,  which  signifies  any  vessel  or  receptacle. 
This  name  was  probably  given,  because,  when  the  pulp 
is  taken  out,  the  shell  will  hold  any  liquor.  The  branches 
run  along  the  ground ;  the  fruit  is  very  large,  the  rind 
is  smooth,  of  a  green  colour,  variegated  with  specks  of 
a  paler  green,  though  in  this  it  is  not  always  the  same. 
The  pulp  is  grateful  to  the  taste  ;  the  seeds  are  oblong, 
broad,  rhomboidal,  and  blackish.  The  seed  only  is  used 
in  medicine;  and  is  one  of  the  four  greater  coM  seeds, 
but  not  employed  in  this  kingdom. 

CI'TRUS  AURA'NTIUM,  (from  x<7/>»«,  quasi  *elftt, 
or  xefyei,  from  its  pleasant  cedar-like  smell).  Sec  Au- 

RANTIA  HISPALENSIS. 

CI'TTA.  (Greek.)  A  PIE.  A  voracious  bird.  See 
PICA. 

CIVE'TA,  or  CIVE'TTA,  (from  the  Arabic  term 
sebet).  See  ZIBETHUM. 

CL-iER.  A  chemical  term  for  the  BONE  FLOUR, 
which  is  prepared  from  the  bones  of  the  fore  part  of 
the  cranium  of  a  calf,  depurated  from  the  fat  by  boil- 
ing, then  calcined  to  whiteness,  and  levigated  finely, 
afterwards  moistened  with  water,  and  calcined  again  in 
an  earthen  pot  closed  :  after  cooling,  it  is  reduced  again 
•to  a  subtile  powder,  which  is  sprinkled  through  a  sieve 
upon  earthen  vessels,  to  prevent  their  contracting 
chinks. 

CLA'MOR,  (from  clamo,  to  cry  out).  An  eager 
exaltation  of  the  voice. 

CLA'NGOR,  xto'/yti.  It  is  properly  the  cry  of 
cranes,  geese,  &c.  A  shrill  noise.  Clangosum  de  voce 
dicitur,  quae  a  gravi  tono  inchoata  in  acutum  desinit. 
Ainsworth. 

CLARE'TA,  (from  clareo,  to  be  clear} .  See  ALBU- 
MEN ovi. 

CLARE'TUM,  CLARET,  or  CLAIRET,  a  diminu- 
tive of  clair,  bright,  transparent.  By  this  name  is  ge- 
nerally understood  an  infusion  of  aromatic  powders  in 
wine,  which  is  afterwards  edulcorated  with  sugar  and 
honey.  This  sort  of  liquor  is  also  called  vinum  Hipfio- 
craticum,  and  by  the  Germans  ffi/i/iocras;  because  when 
the  infusion  is  finished,  it  is  strained  through  a  filter, 
styled  Hififiocraten's  sleeve.  It  is  prepared  of  various  in- 
gredients, according  to  the  intentions  of  the  prescribe!'. 
Claretumfiurgatoriumis  mentioned  by  Schvoeder,  and  is 
a  vinous  infusion  of  glass  of  antimony  in  cinnamon  water 
with  sugar. 

Extemporaneous  clarets  are  made  by  pouring  into 
those  wines  a  small  quantity  of  tincture,  according  to 
the  intention,  made  with  spirit  of  wine,  which  was  for- 
merly kept  under  the  name  of  the  tincture  of  claret. 
Of  this  kind  is  an  extemporaneous  mulled  wine,  made 
•with  the  vinous  tincture  of  cinnamon  and  port  wine, 
sweetened  with  fine  sugar.  It  is  also  a  name  given  by  the 
French  to  such  of  their  red  wines  as  are  not  of  a  deep 
»r  high  colour.  See  VINUM. 

CLARIFICA'TIO,  (from  clarifacio,  to  make  clean). 
See  DEPURATIO. 

CLA'SIS,  CLA'SMA,  (from  *A«*>,  to  break).  See 
FRACTURA. 

CLA'SPER.     See  CIRRHUS. 

CLASSIFICA'TIO,  and  CLA'SSIS,  (from  classes 
facere,  and  ultimately  from  xA«»,  to  divide).  Classifi- 
cation may  perhaps  scarcely  at  first  appear  to  be  a  sub- 
ject which  belongs  to  the  present  work;  but  as  we 
wish  not  to  conceal  that  we  consider  the  arrangement  of 


diseases  as  an  object  of  importance,  and  as  we  have  ta- 
citly acquiesced  in  the  propriety  of  the  classification  of 
plants,  animals,  and  minerals,  connected  with  medicine, 
by  adopting  the  plans  of  naturalists,  it  is  proper  in  this 
place  to  explain  their  principles.  . 

Nature,  it  is  said,  has  created  only  species:  it  is  not 
true ;  for  she  has  created  only  individuals.  The  simi- 
larity of  these  has  occasioned  the  establishment  of  sfie- 
cies;  for  similar  individuals  form  a  species.  Individuals, 
differing  in  circumstances  arising  from  accident;  in 
plants  and  animals,  from  soil  and  climate ;  in  diseases, 
from  constitution ;  in  minerals,  from  locality,  are  styled 
varieties:  and  these,  when  circumstances  are  changed, 
return  to  the  species  from  which  they  started.  These 
distinctions,  though  apparently  simple  and  obvious,  are, 
however,  necessary  ;•  for  naturalists  have  usually  begun 
at  the  other  extremity,  and  formed  "  methods"  (see 
BOTANY),  classes  and  orders,  before  they  have  esta- 
blished species,  and,  at  this  moment,  in  nosology  and 
mineralogy,  the  great  impediments  to  improvement 
arise  from  the  uncertainty  of  what  are  species.  Even 
in  botany  this  difficulty  was  once  so  great,  that  more 
than  half  of  Tournefort's  supposed  species  have  been 
found  to  be  varieties  only.  Three  fourths  of  Sauv ages' 
species  of  diseases  are  varieties  or  symptoms.  This  latter 
subjectwe  hope  in  future  to  illustrate.  (^See  NOSOLOGY). 
Having  shortly  then  pointed  out  the  distinctions  be- 
tween species  and  varieties,  as  well  as  the  means  by 
which  the  former  are  ascertained,  we  shall  next  con- 
sider genera.  This  is  the  first  step  in  arrangement ;  for 
the  establishment  of  species  consists  in  ascertaining 
identity  ;  of  genera,  similarity.  A  striking  discriminat- 
ing mark,  in  many  species,  sometimes  establishes  a  ge- 
nus ;  at  others,  a  general  similarity.  The  conduct  of 
botanists,  however,  has  differed  in  this  part  of  their 
labour,  from  the  difference  of  their  dispositions.  Some 
naturalists,  catching  hastily  at  analogies,  have  included 
numerous  species  under  a  genus:  others,  more  wary 
and  exact,  have  retrenched  them  too  rigorously.  The 
latest  botanists  have  rendered  the  genera  more,  some- 
times too,  numerous;  but  this  of  the  two  is  the  more 
venial  error,  since  new  discoveries  continually  enlarge 
them. 

An  order  is  an  association  of  genera ;  but  orders  are 
usually  too  comprehensive,  including  too  great  a  number 
of  genera;  and,  to  facilitate  investigation,  these  are  often 
divided  into  separate  groups,  as  in  mineralogy  the  spe- 
cies are  sometimes  again  divided  into  sub-species.  Each 
is  a  proof  of  imperfection  in  arrangement. 

A  class  contains  the  different  orders ;  and  though,  in 
reality,  it  should  be  the  last,  or  nearly  the  last,  labour, 
it  has  usually  been  the  first ;  and,  to  make  the  system 
elegant  in  appearance,  the  classes  have  been  few  and 
comprehensive.  The  classes  are  connected  by  what  in 
botany  is  styled  a  "  method,"  which  we  have  already 
mentioned.  Thus,  in  the  Linnaean  system  of  plants, 
they  are  said  to  have  evident  or  concealed  fructification  ; 
and  in  nosology  Dr.  Cullen  has  first  divided  diseases 
into  general  and  local,  forgetting  that  with  little  change 
of  appearance  or  treatment  they  pass  insensibly  into 
each  other. 

CLAUDI'ACON.  The  name  of  a  collyrium  in  P. 
jEgineta. 

CLAUDICATIO,  (from  daudico,  to  halt).  STAG- 
GERING, HALTING,  or  LIMPING,  as  when  one  leg  is 


CLA 


447 


CL  A 


shorter,'  weaker,  or  less  under  the  power  of  the  will, 
than  the  other. 

CLAU 'STRUM,  vel  CLEI'THROX  GUTTURIS, 
(from  claudo,  and  xAt«»,  to  shut}.  The  passage  to  the 
throat  which  lies  immediately  under  the  root  of  the 
tongue  and  tonsils.  The  term  is  preserved  in  common 
language,  and  it  is  styled  the  gleik  of  the  throat. 

CLAV'STRUM  VIKGIXITATIS.     See  HYMEN. 

Cl.AUSU'RA,  (from  claudo,  to  shut).  An  imper- 
foration  of  any  canal  or  cavity  in  the  body.  Thus  clau- 
sura  uteri  is  a  preternatural  imperforation  of  the  uterus ; 
clausura  tubarum  Fallofiianarum,  a  morbid  imperfora- 
tion of  the  Fallopian  tubes,  mentioned  by  Ruysch  as 
one  cause  of  infecundity. 

CLA'VA    RUGO'SA.       See    CALAMUS    AHOMATI- 

BDS. 

CLAVA'TA.    The  name  of  a  suture.    See  SUTURA. 
CLAVA'TIO,  (from  clava,  a   club).     See    GOM- 

PHOMA. 

CLAVA'TUS,  (from  clavis,  a  nail).  In  botany  it 
means  shaped  like  a  nail. 

CLAVELLA'TI  CI'NERES,(from  clavus,a  wedge; 
so  called  from  the  little  wedges  or  billets  into  which  the 
wood  was  cut  to  make  them).  Also  called  alumen  ca- 
tinum,  soda,  sal  alkali  Jixum,  cineres  Ruxsici,  kali,  fio- 
tasfia,  gastrinum,  POTASH,  and  PEARLASH. 

The  ancients  call  the  ashes  of  burnt  wood  lix,  from 
whence  the  modern  appellation  lixi-ua:  the  moderns 
call  them  also  cineres  clavellati.  The  English  name 
fiotash,  is  from  the  pots  in  which  the  lixivium  was  boiled. 

Potashes  are  made  in  most  countries  that  abound  with 
the  hard  kind  of  wood;  particularly  the  north  of  Eu- 
rope and  America.J'rom  which  last  the  -best  is  brought 
to  us ;  produced  £Rn  the  ashes  of  vegetable  substances, 
by  dissolving  their  salt  in  water,  decanting  the  clear  so- 
lution, and  evaporating  it  to  dryness. 

Oak,  ash,  and  other  trees  that  shed  their  leaves  in 
autumn,  are  proper,  and  the  smaller  shrubs,  commonly 
called  underwood ;  but  evergreens,  as  the  pine,  cypress, 
&c.  yield  very  little  salt.  Fern,  bean  straw,  and  the 
greater  number  of  annual  plants,  afford  a  large  quan- 
tity of  salt;  dead  trees  seldom  afford  an  alkali. 

The  timber  may  be  cut  down  at  any  season  of  the 
year,  but  should  be  burnt  as  soon  as  possible.  Pieces  of 
eight  or  ten  feet  long  should  be  laid  in  piles,  filling  the 
interstices  with  the  chips  and  smaller  wood ;  and  the 
fire  kindled  at  both  ends.  As  soon  as  the  pile  is  burnt 
down,  rake  such  ashes  as  lie  thin  on  the  outside,  a  little 
towards  the  middle  :  add  no  fresh  fuel,  nor  stir  the  ashes 
till  you  can  bear  your  hand  in  them.  When  placed  in 
a  shade  on  a  plank  floor,  they  must  be  wetted  until 
brought  nearly  to  the  consistence  of  mortar  in  the  first 
mixture  of  lime  and  sand,  or  so  as  to  stick  together; 
then  rammed  in  a  heap,  in  which  they  must  continue 
not  less  than  twenty  days,  though  they  may  remain 
many  months.  This  is  called  wood  ash. 

Kilns  are  also  made  for  the  more  advantageous  burn- 
ing of  wood  into  ashes. 

Wood  ashes,  put  into  vessels  with  latticed  bottoms, 
covered  with  clean  straw,  are  to  be  firmly  pressed  to- 
gether; their  surface  covered,  four  or  five  inches  deep, 
with  soft  water,  and  as  it  subsides  more  added.  A  re- 
ceiver is  then  placed  underneath  to  receive  the  solution, 
and  water  continually  added  until  the  ley  is  very  weak. 
The  weak  ley  is  strengthened  by  again  filtering  through 


fresh  ashes,  and  the  whole  conveyed  into  a  pan  to  be 
evaporated  to  a  dryness:  the  produce  is  called  fiotash. 

The  ley  of  wood  ashes,  made  strong  enough  to  bear 
an  egg,  is  boiled  briskly,  until  a  pellicle  appears  on  the 
surface,  then  gently  boiled  until  it  thickens,  and  conti- 
nued just  bubbling  until  it  is  very  hard.  In  that  state 
it  is  taken  out  in  pieces,  which  are  cut  out  with  a  cold 
chisel,  and  spread  on  the  floor  of  a  furnace,  so  contrived 
that  the  salt  may  be  just  covered  with  the  flame :  if  it  is 
thus  continued  until  it  begins  to  look  fair,  and  incline 
to  look  red,  afterwards  kept  red  hot,  and  turned  occa- 
sionally, until  it  is  of  a  pearl  colour,  it  is  called  pearl- 
ash.  When  this  pearlash  is  cold  enough  to  handle,  that 
which  is  imperfectly  calcined,  with  such  as  falls  into 
powder,  must  be  replaced  in  a  caldron,  with  fresh  ley. 
From  contact  with  some  inflammable  matter,  or  cal- 
cining with  too  much  heat,  it  hath  sometimes  a  blue 
colour,  but  it  should  be  of  a  pearl  colour. 

Potash  is  said  to  be  a  creature  of  the  fire.  In  some 
parts  of  Germany  it  is  prepared  from  the  same  wood  of 
which  charcoal  is  made.  A  number  of  tubes,  made  of 
copper,  or  of  iron,  are  so  disposed  in  the  pile  of  wood 
intended  to  be  burnt  into  charcoal,  that  the  water,  acid, 
and  oil,  which  are  obtained  in  ordinary  distillations, 
shall,  when  separated  from  the  wood  by  fire,  pass 
through  these  tubes  into  buckets  placed  to  receive  them. 
The  oil  is  next  to  be  separated  from  the  acid  liquor, 
which  is  then  to  be  boiled  in  copper  or  iron  vessels,  and 
the  residuum  dried  and  calcined.  By  this  calcination, 
the  acid  is  decomposed  and  the  alkali  remains.  These 
and  many  similar  facts  show  that  the  alkali  is  a  pro- 
duction of  fire. 

Pearlash  is  entirely  soluble  in  water,  and  is,  in  all 
respects,  the  same  as  the  fixed  alkaline  salt.  See  AL- 

CALI. 

Potash  often,  though  carefully  prepared,  contains  some 
portion  of  earth  and  a  neutral  salt,  which  is  either  a  vi- 
triolated  tartar  or  sea  salt.  The  earth  is  separable  by 
dissolving  the  salt  in  water.  The  neutral  salt  dissolves 
with  difficulty,  and  so  may  easily  be  separated  by  solu- 
tion in  cold  water,  which  readily  dissolves  the  alkaline 
salt,  but  leaves  the  neutral  unaffected.  The  sea  salt 
discovers  itself  by  decrepitating,  if  laid  on  red  hot  iron; 
and  is  separated  by  dissolving  one  part  of  potash  in  two 
parts  of  water,  for  in  this  the  sea  salt  will  not  dissolve. 

Potash  is  met  with  of  various  colours ;  but  when 
good,  if  it  is  exposed  to  the  air,  it  first  grows  clammy, 
then  runs  to  an  oily  liquid,  which,  when  dried,  leaves 
an  impalpable  powder  of  a  whitish  colour.  It  hath  but 
little  smell,  and  is  of  a  pungent,  urinous  taste ;  does  not 
crumble  in  solution,  but  dissolves  gradually ;  it  ferments 
with  acid,  and  it  unites,  when  pure,  with  oil. 

As  a  medicine,  the  virtues  of  the  alkaline  salt  of 
potash  are  the  same  as  those  of  any  other  vegetable 
fixed  alkaline  salt. 

See  ALCALI.  Neumann's  Chem.  Works.  Diet,  of 
Chemistry,  4to. 

CLA'VI  SI'LIGINIS.     See  SECALE. 

CLAVI'CULA.     See  CLAVICULUS. 

CLAVI'CUL^E,  and  CLAVES.  In  anatomy,  the 
clavicles,  (from  da-vis,  a  little  key).  So  the  collarbone 
is  called,  from  its  likeness  to  an  ancient  key,  called  also 
furcula,  sometimes  clidion;  clavis. 

Each  clavicle  resembles  the  Italian  letter  f:  they 
bend  forwards  neaj  the  sternum,  and  backwards  near 


C  L  E 


448 


CLI 


the  scapula.  They  arc  more  straight  in  women  than  in 
men.  They  are  placed  almost  horizontally,  between 
the  sternum  and  acromion,  and  are  connected  to  the 
sternum  by  the  articulation  called  arthodia.  At  their 
extremities,  next  the  sternum,  is  a  ligament,  which  runs 
across  to  the  other  clavicle,  and  it  is'  connected  to  the 
first  rib  likewise  by  a  ligament.  These  bones,  by  keep- 
ing the  scapulae  in  their  proper  situation,  serve  for  the 
more  free  and  easy  motion  of  the  arms.  The  clavicles 
iu  infants  are  perfect  bones  without  any  epiphyses. 
CLAVI'CULUS,  vel  CLAVI'CULA.  See  CIR- 

RHUS. 

CLA'VUS,  (from  claudo,  to  shut).  A  NAIL  or  BUT- 
TON. An  instrument  in  surgery  mentioned  by  Amatus 
Lusitanus,  to  be  introduced  into  the  ulcerated  palate, 
for  the  better  articulation  of  the  voice.  Sometimes  this 
word  signifies  indurated  tubercles  of  the  womb,  and  are 
distinguished  by  a  similar  appellation. 

CLAVUS,  a  CORN,  called  also  sfiine  Jiedum,  calli,  con- 
dylomata,  and  tyllomata.  Dr.  Cullen  defines  a  corn  to 
be  a  lamellated  hard  thickening  of  the  cuticle.  He 
ranks  it  as  a  genus  of  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and 
order  tumores. 

Corns  are  a  sort  of  horny  excresence  growing  on  the 
feet  and  toes,  sometimes  on  the  hands  of  labouring  peo- 
ple. These  callosities  resemble  an  inverted  wart,  and 
are  seated  in  the  cutis  and  cuticle,  arising  chiefly  from 
pressure  and  irritation,  and  are  excessively  painful  when 
rooted  near  a  nerve.  The  easiest  and  best  method  of 
cure,  is  to  take  off  all  uneasy  pressure,  and  apply  a 
piece  of  plaster,  spread  with  soap,  or  plaster  of  litharge, 
with  some  opium,  little  more  than  the  size  of  the  corn, 
which  may  be  closed  on  the  part  for  four  or  five  days 
together,  to  render  its  surface  soft.  That  part  which 
appears  sodden  must  be  pared  away,  but  by  no  means 
so  low  as  to  touch  the  cutis  vera;  after  which  the  plaster 
is  to  be  renewed,  and  the  whole  process  may  be  repeated 
in  five  or  six  days,  till  the  corn  appears  likely  to  separate 
with  its  root,  or  waste  away.  Soaking  the  part  in  bran 
and  warm  water  is  very  useful  previous  to  each  cutting. 
Hog's  gall  dried  in  the  bladder,  spread  thin  upon  a  rag 
and  applied  to  the  corn  only,  has  often  proved  effica- 
cious :  it  is  apt  to  inflame  the  part  a  little,  but  the  corn 
generally  withers  after  a  few  applications  of  this  kind, 
and  is  wholly  separated.  See  White's  Surgery;  also 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  p.  539.  See  SPIN^E  PEDLM. 

CLA'VUS  HYSTERICUS,  (so  called  from  clavus,  a  nail; 
as  the  sensation  resembles  the  driving  a  nail  into  the 
head).  A  symptom  attending  some  cases  of  hysteria, 
which  is  thus  described  by  Sydenham:  "  Hysterics 
sometimes  attack  the  external  parts  of  the  head,  be- 
tween the  cranium  and  the  pericranium,  occasioning 
violent  pain,  which  continues  fixed  in  one  place,  not 
exceeding  the  breadth  of  one's  thumb;  and  it  is  also 
accompanied  with  enormous  vomitings."  (See  CE- 
PHALALGIA.)  Such  again  attend  a  venereal  caries,  or 
an  exostosis  of  some  bone  of  the  cranium. 

CLA'VUS  OCULORUM.     See  STAPHYLOMA. 

CLEI'DION,  vel  CLI'DION.  The  epithet  of  a 
pastil  described  by  Galen  and  P.  ./Egineta ;  and  it  is  the 
name  also  of  an  epithem,  described  by  ^Etius.  Some- 
times it  is  synonymous  with  claviculse. 

CLEIDOMASTOIDE'US,  (from  «*«&««,  the  da- 
vide,  and  |ita<r7o/JVos,  the  mastoideus  muscle:  so  called 
from  its  origin  and  insertion).  See  CLINOMASTOIDEUS. 


CLEISA'GRA,  (from  #Af<?,  the  clavicle,  and  xypx,  a 
jiain).  See  ARTHRITIS. 

CLEI'THRON.     See  CLAJSTRUM. 

CLE'MA,  (from  K*XU,  to  break;  so  named  from  its 
frangility).  A  twig  or  tendril  of  a  plant. 

CLE'MATIS,  (from  xy«jtwc,  a  tendril}.  See  ATRA - 
GENE  and  VINCA  PERVINCA. 

CLEMA'TIS  HE'CTA.     See  FLAMMULA  Jovis. 

CLEMATI'TIS  PERUVIA'NA.     See  BEXUGO. 

CLEO'NIS  COLLY'RIUM.  The  name  of  a  col- 
lyrium  described  by  Celsus. 

CLEO'NIS  GLU'TEN.  It  is  mentioned  by  Oribasius, 
lib.  iv.  and  recommended  for  restraining  fluxes:  it 
consists  of  terra  Samia,  myrrh,  grains  of  frankincense, 
of  each  equal  parts;  the  white  of  egg,  a  sufficient 
quantity;  spread  on  linen  cloth,  to  be  applied  to  the 
temples  and  forehead. 

CLE'PSYDRA,  (from  K^STTTU,  to  conceal,  and  uS'af, 
•water J.  Properly  an  instrument  to  measure  time  by 
the  dropping  of  water  through  a  hole  from  one  vessel  to 
another;  but  it  is  used  to  express  a  chemical  vessel 
perforated  in  the  same  manner.  It  is  also  an  instrument 
mentioned  by  Paracelsus,  contrived  to  convey  suffumi- 
gations  to  the  uterus' 

CLI'BANUS,  (quasi  xeeAaffusvas,  from  Kahviila,  to  con- 
ceal J.  A  little  portable  oven. 

CLIFTON  WATER.  This  well  lies  a  mile  from 
Deddington  in  Oxfordshire.  It  is  a  weaker  water  of 
the  same  sort  with  TILBURY,  which  see. 

CLIMACTE'RICUS  A'NNUS,  (from  *A(jW>»  to 
proceed  gradually,  as  upon  (KA^?))/),)  a  ladder.  The 
CLIMACTERIC  YEAR.  Every  seventh  year  is  usually 
styled  a  climacteric;  but  others  Beckon  only  those 
years  that  are  produced  by  multip^lng  seven  by  odd 
numbers,  viz.  3,  5,  7,  9,  to  be  such.  These  years 
they  say,  bring  with  them  some  remarkable  changes 
with  respect  to  health,  life,  or  fortune.  The  grand 
climacteric  is  the  sixty-third  year ;  some  add  to  this 
the  eighty-first  year.  The  other  remarkable  ones  are 
the  seventh,  twenty-first,  forty-ninth,  and  fifty-sixth. 
The  credit  of  climacteric  years  depends  on  Pythagoras's 
doctrine  of  numbers,  and  seven  times  nine  (63)  is  the 
grand  climacteric,  since  it  is  the  peculiar  number,  se- 
ven, multiplied  by  the  perfect  number.  Nine  is  the 
perfect  number  as  the  square  of  3,  which  is  perfect, 
because  it  is  the  only  number  made  up  of  its  parts  one 
and  two.  Such  were  once  the  trifles  dignified  by  the 
name  of  science! 

CLIMATE.  The  term  is  employed  by  geographers, 
who  divide  the  globe  into  parallel  bands  or  zones  of  a 
determined  breadth.  By  physicians  it  implies  different 
regions  either  of  more  steady  or  more  temperate  warmth, 
more  or  less  dry  or  damp. 

Each  state  of  climate  may  be  adapted  to  different 
situations  and  constitutions;  but,  in  this  article,  we 
must  confine  ourselves  to  more  general  remarks.  Cli- 
mates, as  distinguished  geographically,  can  form  no  part 
of  our  present  subject,  since  we  may  freeze  within  the 
tropics,  for  even  there  we  find  regions  of  perpetual 
snow,  and  be  relaxed  by  the  short,  though  warm  and 
humid  atmosphere  within  the  arctic  circle,  during  its 
short  but  unremittecl  summer  heat.  In  general,  the  inte- 
rior of  islands  or  continents  offers  the  highest  mountains, 
consequently  the  coldest  situations;  and  these  are  usually, 
from  causes  unnecessary  to  explain  in  this  place,  gene- 


CLI 


449 


CL  I 


rally  much  nearer  the  western  than  the  eastern  coasts. 
In  cold  climates,  the  body  is  robust,  and  the  constitu- 
tions subject  to  inflammatory  diseases  :  in  these  regions 
the  invalid  seeks  the  bracing  and  elastic  breezes;  but 
he  must  inhale  them  w  ith  caution ;  they  may  prove  too 
astringent;  the  excitability  may  be  accumulated  in  a 
noxious  degree;  and  an  accidental  cold  induce  the 
most  dangerous  inflammatory  diseases,  more  imminently 
dangerous  as  the  constitution  cannot  bear  to  be  de- 
pressed, since  the  former  debility  may  be  rapidly  in- 
duced. The  invalid  should  therefore  proceed  with  cau- 
tion, and  mount  the  lesser  heights  before  he  ascends  the 
Alpine  mountains.  The  hills  of  Devonshire  may  pre- 
pare him  for  the  mountains  of  Wales,  and  these  again 
for  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  It  is  an  advantage  that 
in  these  situations  there  are  numerous  shelters  from  the 
eastern  blasts,  which  are  proverbially  baleful. 

In  every  country  the  climate  near  the  sea  is  mild  and 
moist,  if  we  except  the  eastern  shore  of  this  island 
during  the  spring  and  early  summer  months.  The  coasts 
have  been  consequently  recommended  to  consumptive 
patients,  though  not  always  with  the  expected  advan- 
tages. Yet  the  air  is  more  temperate  in  winter,  and  the 
heat  more  tolerable  in  summer;  and  in  situations  not 
exposed  to  the  east,  it  would  appear, a  firiori,  a  situation 
truly  desirable.  Dr.  Rush  has  suggested  that  disad- 
vantagesmay  arise  from  the  mixture  of  sea  and  land  air; 
but  until  these  have  been  found  to  differ,  we  may 
neglect  the  distinction  as  an  unnecessary  refinement. 
It  is  probable  that  the  air  is  of  a  lower  quality,  that  is, 
contains  a  less  proportion  of  oxygen ;  but  this  state  of 
the  air  is  certainly  beneficial  to  hectics:  and,  as  we  have 
hinted,  if  Bristol  is  ever  advantageous,  it  must  be  in  the 
lower  situations.  By  a  refinement,  not  unlike  Dr. 
Rush's,  it  has  been  supposed  that  sea  coasts,  where  no 
river  conveys  its  water  to  the  ocean,  are  preferable  to  the 
large  estuaries.  If  the  mixture  of  water  and  dry  air  is 
not  injurious,  we  cannot  suppose  that  this  idea  is  well 
founded;  on  the  contrary,  where  no  river  leaves  an 
opening  for  free  ventilation,  storms  most  tremendous 
occasionally  burst  from  the  mountains  with  the  most 
piercing  coldness.  This  happens  in  many  of  the  boasted 
retreats  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Mediterranean. 

In  general,  as  we  have  said,  we  must  not  look  for 
heat  or  cold  by  the  measure  of  the  latitude,  but  by  con- 
templating the  situation ;  and  we  can  only  look  for  a 
steady  even  temperature  where  the  ventilation  from 
land  to  sea,  or  the  contrary,  is  free  from  obstacles.  In 
'.he  lower  (or  comparatively  the  lower)  regions,  sur- 
rounded with  hills,  we  shall  chiefly  find  damp  situa- 
tions, air  of  a  lower  quality,  and  a  steady  temperature, 
'.hough  occasionally  interrupted  by  storms.  Such  spots 
f.re  seldom  unhealthy,  and  the  asthmatic  patient  breathes 
a  them  with  more  freedom.  Such  is  the  famous  valley 
of  Cashmire;  and  such  spots  abound  on  the  Alps,  parti- 
:ularly  in  the  once  happy  country  of  Switzerland. 
They  may  be  sought  for  as  remedies  ;  but  confinement 
.n  them,  without  change,  predisposes  to  diseases,  arising 
from  languor  and  diminished  irritability. 

The  famous  resorts  of  invalids  were  Lisbon,  Madeira, 
and  the  south  of  France.  To  Lisbon  there  seems  little 
objection,  but  that  the  temperature  is  not  steady,  and  it 
is  occasionally  subject  to  piercing  colds.  Madeira  has 
the  inconveniences  attributed  to  those  coasts  not  ven- 
tilated by  large  rivers;  and  the  most  favourite  spots  in 

VOL.  I. 


the  south  of  France  are  equally  subject  to  sudden  and 
violent  storms.  When  a  change  of  climate  is  requisite, 
every  advantage  apparently  may  be  gained  by  different 
situations  in  our  own  island,  with  the  additional  one  of 
customs,  language,  &c.  familiar  to  the  patient.  Illness, 
in  the  best  regulated  minds,  occasions  peevishness,  at 
least  irritability ;  and  the  want  of  the  accustomed  in- 
dulgences seldom  fails,  even  though  in  trifles,  to  occa- 
sion fretfulness,  which  astonishes  the  attendants,  and 
indeed  the  patient  himself  on  recovery. 

The  French  physicians  have  set  an  example  well 
worthy  of  our  imitation,  viz.  the  publication  of  a  me- 
dical topography  of  different  situations.  Such  accounts, 
including  the  temperature,  the  state  of  the  air,  the  rains, 
and  prevailing  winds  and  diseases,  would  be  highly 
valuable  if  executed  without  prejudices.  Our  "  Guides 
to  watering  places"  are  unfortunately  dictated  by  the 
most  interested  motives  :  every  advantage  is  magnified, 
every  inconvenience  concealed.  Such  topographies 
should  be  executed  by  medical  visitants,  could  they  be 
candid;  and  not,  like  Smollet,  view  every  thing  with  a 
prejudiced  eye,  and  a  distempered  imagination. 

CLI'MAX,  (from  *.\tu.x£a,  to  proceed).  Also  called 
scala  sacra.  A  name  given  by  the  ancients  to  some 
antidotes,  the  ingredients  in  which  gradually  diminished 
in  quantity,  e.  g.  Chamaedryos  ^  iij.  centaurii  j  ij.  hype- 
rici  gi.  See  PULVIS  AD  RHEUMATISMUM,  under 
CHAM.CDRYS. 

CLI'MIA.     See  CADMIA. 

CLI'NICUS,  (from  »Ai»u,  a  bed,  also  cataclines). 
CLINICAL.  It  is  applied  to  patients  who  keep  their 
beds.  Hence  a  clinical  physician  is  one  who  attends 
the  sick  ;  and  clinical  lectures  are  those  in  part,  at  least, 
delivered  at  the  bed  side  on  the  cases  of  the  patient. 

CLIXOI'DES.  The  four  small  processes  of  the  os 
sphenoides,  which  form  the  sella  turcica,  (from  EiJW, 
resemblance,  and  ^Aim,  a  bed). 

CLINO-MASTOIDE'US,  for  CLEIDOMASTOI'DKLS. 
Sue  MASTOIDEUS  MUSCULUS. 

CLINO'PETES,  (from  «AI»S),  a  bed,  and  fieto,  T'J 
seek).  A  person  who, on  account  of  great  weakness,  or 
any  disorder,  is  obliged  to  lie  in  bed,  or  on  a  bed. 

CLIXOPO'DIUM,  (from  *.*t,r.,  a  bed,  and  TT»VS,  a 
foot;  so  called  because  it  has  leaves  like  a  bed's  foot1. 
See  MARVM. 

CUXOPODIUM   MAJUS  ACISOS.        See  BASILICUM. 

CLl'SSUS,  is  a  chemical  technical  term,  and  denotes 
mineral  compounded  spirits.  But  antimony  is  con- 
sidered as  the  basis  clyssi.  A  spirit  of  antimony  is 
called  c/.v*«a*. 

CLITO'RIDIS  FLOS  TERXATE'XSIBUS.  A 
beautiful  flower  growing  in  the  island  ofTernate.  The 
inhabitants  boil  and  eat  it;  but  no  medical  virtues  are 
attributed  to  it. 

CLITO'RIDIS  MT'SCULUS.  Innes  calls  it  erector 
cfitoridis,  and  describes  it  as  arising  from  the  crus  of 
the  os  ischium,  internally  covering  in  its  ascent  the 
crus  of  the  clitoris,  as  far  up  as  the  os  pubis.  It  is  in- 
serted into  the  upper  part  of  the  crus  and  body  of  the 
clitoris.  Its  use  is  to  draw  the  clitoris  downwards  and 
backwards,  and  may  serve  to  make  the  body  of  the 
clitoris  more  tense,  by  squeezing  the  blood  into  it  from 
its  crus. 

CLI'TORIS,(from  r.\ta,  to  inclose,  or  hide,  because 
in  its  natural  state  it  is  closed  in  the  vagina,  1  called  also 
3  M 


C  LU 


450 


CNE 


estrum  Vencris,  columella,dulcedo  Veneris,efiideris,hy- 
podcrmis,  myrton.  It  is  a  part  of  the  external  pudendum 
situated  at  the  angle  which  the  nymphae  form  with  each 
other.  Within  the  labia  externa,  at  the  upper  angle, 
we  observe  the  prominent  extremity  of  the  clitoris, 
which  is  covered  with  a  preputium  similar  to  that 
of  the  penis.  It  is  very  vascular  and  villous,  to  oc- 
casion a  greater  irritation  in  coitu.  The  clitoris  is,  in 
many  respects,  analogous  to  the  penis;  the  two  crura 
clitoridis,  which  are  two  spongy  bodies,  and  form  the 
clitoris  by  their  union,  arise  from  the  ischium,  and, 
running  along  the  lower  edge  of  the  ospubis  and  the  os 
ischium,  unite,  to  form  the  corpora  cavernosa  of  the 
clitoris.  It  is  furnished  with  two  erector  muscles,  whose 
origin  and  insertion  are  the  same  as  in  the  penis ;  but 
though  the  clitoris  has  a  glans,  there  is  no  corpus 
spongiosum  urethrae ;  its  trunk  is  sustained  by  a  sus- 
pensory ligament,  fixed  in  the'symphysis  of  the  ossa 
pubis.  Like  the  penis,  it  has  an  erection,  and  it  is 
thought  to  be  the  principal  seat  of  venereal  pleasure. 

The  clitoris  is  of  different  sizes  in  different  women, 
but,  in  general,  it  is  small,  and  covered  with  the  labia; 
when  preternaturally  enlarged,  it  constitutes  an  her- 
maphrodite. 

When  the  clitoris  is  too  large,  it  is  styled  cercosis, 
and  may  be  so  extirpated  as  to  remove  the  unnecessary 
part ;  but  this  requires  much  care,  for  if  too  large  a 
portion  is  extirpated,  the  patient  is  subjected  to  an  in- 
voluntary discharge  of  urine. 

CLITORI'SMUS.  A  morbid  enlargement  or  swell- 
ing of  the  clitoris. 

CLOA'CA,  (quasi  colluaca,  from  colluo,  to  cleanse). 
A  REPOSITORY  OF  FILTH.  In  comparative  anatomy, 
it  imports  the  canal  in  birds  through  which  the  egg 
descends  from  the  ovary.  It  is  remarkable,  that  the 
part  which  is  next  the  ovary  is  jagged  like  the  morsus 
diaboli,  and  fluctuates  in  the  abdomen  without  any 
attachment  to  the  ovary.  It  must,  therefore,  like  the 
fimbriae  of  the  Fallopian  tube,  be  erected  to  grasp  the 
ovum. 

CLOATHING.    SeeCoopERTio. 

CLO'NICUS,(from*A«m«),  to  agitate).  See  CLONOS. 

CLONO'IDES,  (from  the  same).  An  epithet  for  a 
sort  of  pulse  which  is  vehement  and  large,  at  the  same 
time  unequal  in  one  and  the  same  stroke. 

CLO'NOS,  (from  the  same).  KAov««,  also  clonicus. 
Any  tumultuary,  inordinate,  interrupted  motion.  It  is 
applied  to  the  epileptic  and  convulsive  motions.  See 
SPASMUS  CLONICUS. 

CLO'US.      (French).       See    CARYOPHILLUS    ARO- 

MATICUS. 

CLU'NES,  (from  xhva,  to  cleanse,  because  they  are 
the  parts  through  which  the  alvine  faeces  are  ejected). 
The  BUTTOCKS;  called  also  efihidsan£  fiygx  :  the  two 
posterior  and  lower  parts  of  the  abdomen  are  separated 
by  a  fossa,  which  leads  to  the  anus:  each  buttock  is 
terminated  downwards  by  a  large  fold,  which  distin- 
guishes it  from  the  rest  of  the  thigh.  They  consist  of 
skin,  fat,  and  muscles,  principally  of  the  glutaei. 

CLUNE'SIA,  (from  xAi»£«,  the  buttocks).  See  PHOC- 

I'AI.GIA. 

CLUPE'A,  (from  clyfieus,  a  shield  ;  so  called  from 
its  shape).  See  ALOSA. 

CLUS.  et  CLUS.  HIST.  An  abbreviation  of  Caroli 
CFuSii  rariorutn  Plantarum  Historia; 


CLUS.  HISP.  An  abbreviation  of  Caroli  Clusii 
rariorum  aliquot  stirpium  per  Hispanias  observatorum 
Historia. 

CLUS.  CUR.  POST.  An  abbreviation  of  Caroli  Clusii 
Curae  Posteriores. 

CLUSIA.  Flava  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1495.  A  tree  in  Jamaica 
that  produces  a  kind  of  turpentine  called  hog's  gum. 

CLUTTO'NI  DOM.  SPI'RITUS  FEBRIFU'GUS.  See 
FEBRIFUGUS  SPIRITUS,  &c. 

CLY 'DON,  (from  x.Au£<y,  to  cleanse).  A  fluctuation 
and  flatulency  in  the  stomach  and  intestines. 

CLY'MA,  (from  xlvga,  to  cleanse}.  The  fasces  of 
silver  and  gold,  which  have  been  cleansed  by  washing. 

CLYME'NUM  ITALO'RUM,  (from  Cly?nenes,  who 
first  used  it).  See  ANDROS.SMUM. 

CLYPEA'LIS  CARTILA'GO,  (from  its  resem- 
blance to  a  shield,  clyfieus).  See  ASPERA  ARTERIA. 

CLY'PEUS,  a  shield.  It  is  supposed  to  be  an  in- 
strument used  in  the  ancient  baths  to  increase  or  dimi- 
nish their  heat,  by  admitting  or  excluding  air;  so  called 
from  its  resemblance. 

CLY'SMA,  (from  *Ai/£«,  to  -wash  out,  a  clyster).  See 
ENEMA. 

CLYSSIFO'RMIS  DISTILLA'TIO,  (from  ;//••«• 
and  forma,  a  likeness) .  A  distillation  of  such  substances 
as  are  subject  to  take  fire  and  fulminate  by  a  tubulated 
retort. 

CLY'SSUS.  Clissus  vel  clistus,  (from  xAu£«,  to 
wash).  Among  the  ancient  chemists,  this  word  im- 
ported an  extract  prepared  of  various  substances  mixed 
together.  Among  the  moderns,  it  signifies  a  mixture, 
containing  the  various  productions  of  one  substance 
united  with  each  other;  e.  g.  when  the  distilled  water, 
the  spirit,  the  oil,  the  tincture,  and  the  salt  of  worm- 
wood, are  so  blended,  that  the  mixture  is  possessed  of 
all  the  united  virtues  of  the  simple,  from  which  these 
preparations  are  obtained.  Clyssuses  were  formerly 
prepared  from  the  vapours  of  different  matters  joined 
with  nitre,  several  instances  of  which  may  be  seen  in 
the  Dictionary  of  Chemistry;  and  as  their  virtues  merit 
not  the  trouble  of  preparing  them,  the  curious  are  re- 
ferred to  that  work. 

CLY'SSUS  ANTIMO'NII,  CLY'SSUS  MINERA'LIS.  It 
is  obtained  by  deflagrating  a  mixture  of  antimony, 
nitre,  and  sulphur,  in  a  red  hot  retort,  fixed  to  a  re- 
ceiver, in  which  is  some  water.  But  as  it  is  only 
a  weak  spirit  of  sulphur,  it  is  not  worth  the  labour  of 
preparing.  It  is  recommended  as  an  antiseptic,  and 
as  useful  in  early  stages  of  hectics.  See  Diet,  of  Che- 
mistry, and  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

CNA'PHOS.     See  HIPPOPH^S. 

CNE'CUS,  (from  KH»W,  to  scratch  or  rasfi).  See 
CARTHAMUS  ;  also  the  seeds  of  the  carthamus. 

CNEMI'U.  Any  part  connected  with  the  tibia.  Galen. 

CNEMODACTYLjE'US,  (from  ww,  the  tibia,  and 
fae7*fofj  the  toe ;  so  named  from  its  origin  and  inser- 
tion). See  EXTENSOR  DIGITORUM  LONGUS. 

CNEO'RON.     Sec  THYMAL^A. 

CNE'SIS,  CNE'SMOS,  Kvsjo-/;,  the  same  zscnismos, 
and  cnyma,  (from  Kieta,  to  scratch).  That  eager 
scratching  observed  in  brutes ;  but  it  more  generally 
means  the  itching  itself. 

CNE'STON,  (from  the  same).  It  is  a  species  of 
thymalsea ;  a  rasp,  which  is  also  called  cnester,  and  par- 
ticularly a  rasp  for  scraping  cheese. 


CO  A 


451 


C  O  A 


CNiCEL-E'ON,  (from  «»/*©-,  cnicut,  and  iA«ia», 
oil).  Oil  made  of  the  seed  of  cnicus.  Its  virtues  are 
the  same  with  those  of  the  oleum  ricini,  but  in  an  in- 
ferior degree. 

CNI'CION.     A  name  of  the  trifolium. 

CNI'CUS,  (from  *»*«,  to  scratch}.  The  heads  are 
surrounded  with  a  crown,  formed  of  a  complication  of 
numerous  leaves.  Many  of  the  species  of  the  former 
genus  are  removed  to  that  of  carduus  and  attractylis, 
q.  v. 

That  used  as  a  purge  by  Hippocrates  is  supposed  to 
be  the  carthamus ;  but  modern  botanists  exclude  it  from 
the  species  of  this  plant. 

CNI'CUS  A'LBIS  MA'CULIS  NOTA'TUS.  See  CARDUUS 
J.ACTEUS  SYRIACUS. 

CNI'CUS  SYLVE'STHIS.     See  CARDUUS  BENEDICTUS. 

CNI'DE,  (from  *»*4>,  to  scratch').     See  URTICA. 

CNIDELjE'ON,  (from  *»<^»,  the  nettle,  and  fA*<«v, 
oleum}.  Oil  made  of  the  cnidia  grana. 

CNI'DIA  CO'CCUS.     See  THYMALJLA. 

CNI'DIA  GRA'NA.  CNIDIAN  BERRIES  ;  called  JEtolion, 
cocca  cnidia,  coccalos.  Dafihne  gridium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
511.  These  berries  are  highly  acrid  and  poisonous. 

CNIDO'SIS,  (from  Kith,  nettle}.  An  itching  and 
stimulating  sensation,  such  as  is  excited  by  the  nettle. 

CNIPO'TES,  (from  the  same).  ITCHING.  It  some- 
times signifies  a  dry  ophthalmy. 

CNI'SMOS.     See  CNESIS. 

CNISSORE'GMIA,  (from  KKo-<r«,  a  nidorons  smell, 
and  ifivyti,  an  eructation}.  A  nidorous  eructation. 

CNY'MA,  (from  xv«<»,  to  scra/ie  or  grate).  In  Hip- 
pocrates it  signifies  a  rasure,  puncture,  or  vellication ; 
also  the  same  as  cnesmos.  See  CNESIS. 

COAACHI'RA  INDO'RUM.     See  INDICVM. 

COA'CUS.  An  epithet  of  a  treatise  of  Hippocrates, 
called  Coacts  Prtznotujnes,  from  Cos,  his  birth-place. 

COADUNA'TOS,  (from  coadunatos,  united}.  In 
botany  it  means  united  together  in  some  expressed 
manner,  as  coadunata  folia,  leaves  joined  together  at 
the  base. 

COAGUL./VNTIA,  (from  coagulo,  to  incrassate  or 
curdle).  In  general  such  bodies  as  coagulate  fluids ; 
but  in  medicine  it  signifies  more  particularly  such  reme- 
dies or  poisons  as  coagulate  the  blood  and  juices  flow- 
ing from  it. 

Though  poisons  were  generally  accused  of  coagulating 
the  fluids,  yet  various  other  substances  were  employed 
for  this  purpose ;  and,  at  the  present  moment,  sperma- 
ceti is  sometimes  given  after  lying-in,  to  prevent  the 
excessive  lochial  discharge,  and  occasionally  as  a  check 
to  the  haemorrhages  from  the  lungs.  In  the  humoral 
pathology  the  class  of  coagulants  are  still  numerous, 
and  with  those  who  retain  the  theory  of  preternatural 
tenuity  or  lentor,  they  must  be  still  cherished  as  reme- 
dies, or  dreaded  as  injurious.  We  see  no  instance, 
however,  of  coagulation  of  the  vital  fluids,  but  in  cases 
of  polypi  in  the  heart  or  larger  arteries ;  and  these  con- 
cretions are  rather  owing  to  occasional  stagnations  of 
the  circulation  from  faintings,  or  similar  temporary 
causes  of  suspended  circulation,  than  any  fault  in  the 
fluids.  Some  effects  formerly  attributed  to  coagulation, 
•we  now  know  to  be  the  effect  only  of  adhesive  in- 
flammation. Externally,  these  are  undoubtedly  coagu- 
lants ;  for  whatever  favours  the  concretion  of  the  blood 


flowing  from  a  wound  may  be  styled  such.  Of  this 
kind  arel  int,  especially  when  mixed  with  flour,  spiders' 
webs,  sometimes  the  white  of  an  egg,  or  similar  appli- 
cations, which  have  been  styled  styptics.  Internally 
we  find  an  effect  from  one  medicine  that  may  be  sup- 
posed to  resemble  it,  viz.  that  of  gum  arabic,  which, 
when  used  in  large  quantities,  we  think  has  sometimes 
lessened  the  flow  of  urine.  Authors,  however,  who 
claim  some  credit,  have  arranged  under  this  head  the 
consolida,  pulmonaria,  aloes,  gum  benjamin,  the  bal- 
sams, spirit  of  wine,  sarcocolla,  lapis  hybernicus,  the 
leaves  of  the  elm,  hypericum,  and  caprifolium,  some  of 
which  certainly  act  as  styptics  when  applied  externally. 

COAGULA'TIO  (from  the  same).  COAGULATION 
is  when  a  fluid,  or  some  part  of  it,  is  rendered  more  or 
less  solid.  This  is  variously  effected,  and  from  the  dif- 
ferent methods,  as  well  as  means,  the  appellations  vary. 

Heat  and  cold  are  the -two  principal  natural  agents  for 
coagulating  fluids.  When  heat  is  used  by  art,  its  effect 
is  called  coagulatio  /ter  sefiarationem.  When  cold  is 
thus  made  use  of,  its  effect  is  called  coagulatio  p.er 
comfirehensionem  ;  implying  that  no  part  of  the  fluid  is 
lost,  but  the  whole  brought  into  a  solid  state. 

Different  means  coagulate  different  matters :  thus 
heat  coagulates  salts  by  dissipating  their  moisture; 
cold  coagulates  water  by  freezing  it ;  water  coagulates 
camphor  when  dissolved  in  spirit  of  wine,  by  uniting 
with  the  spirit  and  rendering  it  a  less  perfect  menstruum 
for  the  camphor ;  spirit  of  wine,  if  pure,  coagulates  the 
white  of  egg  and  other  matters ;  and  motion  coagulates 
milk  into  butter,  by  uniting  the  particles  of  oil. 

The  coagulatio-continua  is  produced  cither  by  im- 
pastation,  that  is,  when  powders,  Stc.  are  mixed  with 
the  fluid,  or  by  condensation,  that  is,  when  coldness  is 
applied  to  water  so  as  to  congeal  it. 

The  coagulatio-partis  is  when  one  substance  so  ad- 
heres to  another  as  to  form  a  more  solid  body  ;  for  ex- 
ample, dry  things  with  moist,  oil  with  water,  &c. 

The  coagulatio-totius  is  preternatural  when  hetero- 
geneous matter  is  united;  and  natural,  when  homoge- 
neous fluids  are  coagulated  by  way  of  generation. 

Such  are  the  logical  distinctions  of  the  Stahlians;  but 
it  is  necessary  to  be  more  chemically  accurate.  Coagula- 
tion consists  chiefly  in  precipitation,  when  the  attraction 
of  the  fluid  to  the  solid  which  keeps  the  latter  suspend- 
ed is  weakened.  Coagulations  by  heat  are  sometimes 
owing  to  evaporation,  but  more  often  to  a  chemical 
change,  as  in  an  instance  soon  to  be  mentioned.  In 
many  instances  of  apparent  complete  coagulation,  the 
fluid  is  only  entangled  between  the  spiculae  of  the 
crystals  ;  and  this  is  the  case  with  the  coagulation  from 
cold  or  rapid  crystallization.  Sometimes  it  is  occasion- 
ed by  a  chemical  change.  Albumen,  for  instance,  when 
coagulated,  is  not  again  soluble  in  the  same  fluids  as 
before ;  and  butter  will  not  again  become  milk  with  the 
albumen  and  whey.  There  are  various  instances  of  in- 
creased density,  occasioned  by  different  additions,  which 
are  not  readily  explained.  The  thickening  of  leather 
by  astringent  substances  was  one  of  these;  but  we  now 
know  it  to  proceed  from  precipitation  of  gelatine.  The 
use  of  alum  by  the  soap  boilers,  and  in  the  coagulation 
of  curd  to  produce  whey,  is  not  yet  understood. 

COA'GULUM,  (from  the  same).     Curdled  concre- 
tions, formed  by  the  mixture  of  two  liquors,  are  thus 
3  M  2 


COB 


452 


c  o  c 


called ;  such,  for  instance,  as  the  curd  for  cheese,  sepa- 
rated from  the  serous  part  of  milk,  by  means  of  rennet 
infused  in  warm  water.  Rennet,  or  runnct,  is  the  sto- 
mach of  a  young  sucking  animal,  and  curdles  milk  with- 
out any  previous  preparation.  The  common  method  is, 
to  take  the  calf's  stomach,  clean  it  well,  salt  and  hang  it 
xip  in  brown  paper  :  when  this  is  used,  the  salt  is  washed 
off,  a  piece  is  macerated  in  a  little  water  during  the 
night,  and  in  the  morning  the  infusion  is  poured  into 
the  milk  to  curdle  it.  This  property  of  the  stomach 
has  been  attributed  to  the  remains  of  the  food,  or  to  its 
acid ;  but  the  stomach  retains  its  power  when  nicely 
cleaned,  and  no  acid  can  be  discovered  in  it  by  the  most 
delicate  taste.  The  whole  stomach  produces  this  singu- 
lar change,  and  it  is  undoubtedly  a  chemical  one.  Some 
other  substances,  not  acid,  arc  said  to  produce  the  same 
effect ;  and  Spallanzani  mentions  his  having  found  si- 
milar changes  from  infusions  of  the  liver  of  the  gallina- 
ceous tribe,  particularly  turkeys. 

COA'GULUM  ALU'MINIS,  called  also  catafilasma  alu- 
minis.  In  ophthalmia  it  is  found  very  serviceable,  par- 
ticularly in  that  species  called  purulent,  applied  between 
two  pieces  of  fine  soft  linen  rag.  It  is  also  said  to 
be  very  effectual  as  a  remedy  for  chilblains.  See  also 
ALUMEN. 

COALESCE'NTIA,  (from  coalesco,  to  grow  toge- 
ther]. COALESCENCE.  The  union  or  growing  together 
of  two  bodies,  or  two  parts  which  before  were  separate. 
COALTE'RN^E  FE'BRES,  (from  con,  and  alternus, 
alternate).  Fevers  mentioned  by  Belini.  He  describes 
them  as  two  fevers  affecting  the  same  patient,  and 
the  paroxysm  of  one  approaching  as  that  of  the  other 
subsides.  It  is  a  rare  occurrence,  but  by  no  means 
imaginary. 

COARCTA'TIO,  (from  coarcto,  to  straiten).  Co- 
ARCTATION.  A  contraction  of  the  diameters  of  the 
vessels.  A  coarctation  of  the  pulse  is  a  diminution  of 
the  capacity  of  the  arteries,  from  the  increased  tone  of 
the  muscular  coat. 

COARCTA'TUS,  (from  the  same).  In  botany  it 
means  pressed  together  very  closely. 

COARCTICULA'TIO,  (from  con,  and  articulatio). 
See  ARTICULATIO. 

COATLIS.     See  BEN. 

COBA'LTUM,  koball,  (Germ.)  called  also  cadmia 
uietallica.  COBALT.  It  is  a  ponderous  hard  metallic 
substance,  found  in  some  parts  of  Asia,  now  chiefly  dug 
up  in  Saxony,  but  also  met  with  in  England.  The  best 
way  of  distinguishing  it  from  other  minerals  is  to  melt 
it  with  glass,  for  it  imparts  a  sapphire  blue  colour:  from 
it  the  greatest  quantity  of  arsenic  is  obtained  that  is 
\ised  all  over  Europe. 

When  dug,  it  is  mixed  with  various  other  substances ; 
it  is  then  broken  into  small  pieces,  and  calcined  in  a 
reverberatory  furnace,  so  formed  as  that  the  flame  of  the 
iire  may  pass  over  the  calcining  matter,  and  keep  it 
ignited:  the  flame,  in  passing  over  the  cobalt,  carries 
off  a  copious  fume,  which  is  conveyed  from  the  top  of 
the  furnace  into  a  large  long  winding  wooden  chimney, 
to  the  inside  of  which  the  fumes  adhering  in  the  form  of  a 
white  soot,  are  at  proper  intervals  swept  down,  and  when 
melted  form  the  white  arsenic.  The  cobalt  is  next  re- 
peatedly calcined,  and  then  finely  ground  with  two  or 
three  times  its  weight  of  powdered  flint.  From  this 
mixture,  when  melted,  zaffer  is  produced. 


If  two  parts  of  calcined  cobalt,  one  part  of  potash, 
and  three  parts  of  common  sand,  are  melted  together, 
a  vitreous  opaque,  bluish  mass  is  formed,  which,  when 
ground  to  powder,  is  called  smalt,  or  encaustum  caru- 
leum,  fioiuder  blue. 

On  the  outside  of  the  mines  where  cobalt  is  found, 
there  is  a  mineral  of  the  colour  of  streaked  roses,  called 
ihe_floivcr  of  cobalt. 

The  chief  use  of  this  mineral  is  for  obtaining  arsenic, 
and  the  reguline  part  is  the  blue  made  use  of  for  colour- 
ing glass  or  china.  See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Dictionary 
of  Chemistry,  and  Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

COBA'STOLI.     ASHES. 

CO'BBAN.  A  small  tree  resembling  the  peach  tree. 
It  grows  in  Sumatra  :  the  fruit  quenches  thirst,  and  the 
kernel  affords  an  oil  by  expression,  which  is  externally 
used  against  pains.  Raii  Hist. 

COBHAM  WATERS.  These  arise  from  a  spring: 
which  lies  a  mile  south  from  Church  Cobham,  abou! 
twenty-four  miles  from  London.  It  is  considered  as 
one  of  the  weaker  saline  purging  waters.  See  Aqu^E 

CATHARTICS  AMAR^E. 

CO'BRA  DE  CAPE'LLO,  (from  cobra,  the  head,  01 
covering  ;  Spanish).  A  venomous  serpent,  which  is  also 
called  ser/iens  Indicus  coronatus,  vifiera  Indica  vittata, 
vifiera  fiileata.  The  RATTLE  SNAKE.  Crotatus  hor- 
ridus  Lin.  Syst.  Nat.  (Gmelin)  1080.  The  part  in  use  is 
a  stone  taken  out  of  its  head,  whence  its  name  of  cobra; 
called  fiedro  del  cobra,  and  by  mistake  fiiedra  di  cobra  : 
it  is  of  an  oval  figure,  plain  on  the  outside,  and  gibbous 
on  the  other,  of  a  brown  colour,  shining,  with  pores  in- 
terspersed. It  is  said  to  be  an  antidote  to  the  poison  of 
venomous  animals ;  but  neither  this  quality  nor  the 
truth  of  its  being  a  natural  production  is  ascertained ; 
for  the  Pierres  de  Cobras  were  discovered  by  Fpntana 
to  be  artificial  productions,  and  to  consist  only  of  cal- 
cined hartshorn. 

CO'BRE  VERB.     See  BOJOBI. 
COBRE'LLO.     See  EPILEPSIA. 
CO'BUS  DE  CIPO.     See  BOJTIAPO. 
CO'CAO  AMERICA.     See  CACAO. 
CO'CCA  BA'PTICA.     See  CHERMES. 
CO'CCA  CNI'DIA,  or  GNI'DIA,  (from  x«»*«5,  a  berry). 
See  CNIDIA  GHANA. 

COCCA'RIUM,  (from  xoxx«s,  a  berry).  The  name 
of  a  very  small  pill  mentioned  by  Oribasius  in  his  Sy- 
nop.  lib.  iii. 

COCCEI'RA  I'NDICA.     See  PALMA  COCCIFERA. 
CO'CCI  ORIENTA'LES.    See  COCCULUS  INDICUS. 
CO'CCIjE  MINO'RES    PIL.    colocynth.  pil.    cum 
aloe.     See  CATHARTICUM  EXTRACTUM. 

COCCINI'LLA,  (a  dim.  of  coccus,  a  berry,)  also 
called  coccinella,Jicus  Indite grana,  scarabgolus  h&nris- 
fihericus,  cochineiifera  cochinella,  coccus  Americanus, 
cocliinelle,  coccus  Indicus  tinctorius.  COCHINEAL.  Coc- 
cus cacti  Lin.  Syst.  Nat.  (Gmelin)  2220. 

It  is  an  insect,  but,  as  brought  to  us,  appears  in 
little  grains,  wrinkled,  of  an  irregular  figure,  convex 
on  one  side,  and  flat  or  hollow  on  the  other ;  externally 
they  are  of  a  dark  red  colour,  generally  sprinkled  with 
a  whitish  clammy  powder ;  internally  of  a  deep  bright 
red.  It  is  brought  from  Mexico  and  New  Spain ;  but 
the  plant  has  been  lately  cultivated  a,  India  with  some 
success.  The  insects  are  found  adhering  to  the  leaves 
and  branch.es  of  the  opuntia,  called  nochetzli,  nofialli ;  or' 


O  C 


453 


oc 


nochezno/iatli  in  New  Spain;  the  AMERICAN  PRICKLY 
PEAR  TREE,  or  INDIAN  FIG;  cactus  oftuntia  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
669.  The  natives  carefully  collect,  preserve,  and  cure 
them.  The  male  insects  have  wings,  and  are  about  the 
size  of  a  flea;  the  females  have  no  wings,  and  are  larg- 
er :  when  full  of  young  they  swell  so  as  to  resemble  ber- 
ries, in  which  state  they  are  swept  off  from  the  leaves 
and  branches  of  the  opuntia  with  a  pencil ;  if  left  until 
the  young  ones  creep  out,  the  parent  dies,  and  its  body 
becomes  an  empty  husk.  From  their  state  when  thus 
hiding  their  young,  they  have  been  styled  the  gall  in- 
sect ;  or,  more  strictly,  the  pro  (false)  gall  insect ;  the 
true  one  being  the  kermes,  which  belongs  to  the  same 
genus.  It  is  the  female  sort  that  we  use  for  dying 
scarlet  and  making  carmine.  By  different  manage- 
ment it  affords  all  the  shades  of  red,  from  the  lowest  to 
the  highest. 

Carmine  is  a  fecula  or  powder  that  settles  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water  in  which  cochineal  hath  been  mixed: 
with  this  the  drapers  rub  scarlet  cloth  where  it  has  not 
taken  the  dye. 

Cochineal  gives  a  fine  durable  red  to  proof  and 
rectified  spirits,  and  a  deep  durable  crimson  to  water : 
both  retain  their  colour  when  inspissated  to  an  ex- 
tract. 

This  insect  hath  been  commended  as  diuretic,  dia- 
phoretic, and  corroborant ;  but  they  are  now  employed 
only  for  their  colour.  See  Neumann's  Chem.  Works  ; 
Diet,  of  Chem.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 

COCCO  BA'LSAMON,  (from  xowws,  a  berry,  and 
fnt.Xfa.jMi ,  balsam  tree).  The  fruit  of  the  true  balsam. 

COCCO'NES,  (a  dim.  of  coccus,  a  berry}.  The 
grains  or  acini  of  the  pomegranate.  See  GRANATA 
MALA. 

CO'CCOS,  or  CO'CCUM.  See  PALMA  COCCIFERA. 
In  Hippocrates,  when  without  any  addition,  it  signifies 
the  cnidia  grana  :  but  coccus  implies  any  berry  or  grain. 

CO'CCULI  I'NDI  AROMA'TICI,(fromthesame). 
See  PIPER  JAMAICENSE. 

CO'CCULUS  1'NDICUS,  called  also  cocculz  offi- 
cinarum,  cocci  orientates.  Menisfiermum  cocculus  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1468.  INDIAN  BERRY.  It  is  a  brown  fruit  of  the 
size  of  a  very  large  pea ;  rough,  brittle,  and  when  per- 
fect hath  a  white  kernel.  It  is  brought  from  Malabar 
and  the  East  Indies,  where  it  grows  in  clusters  on  a 
large  tree  called  natsiatam.  It  is  poisonous  if  swallow- 
ed, bringing  on  a  nausea,  fainting,  and  convulsion.  The 
noxious  quality  resides  in  the  kernel,  and  it  operates 
both  as  an  emetic  and  purgative.  It  is  only,  and  rarely, 
used  externally  :  made  into  an  ointment,  or  infused  in 
water,  it  destroys  lice  more  effectually  than  the  staves- 
acre.  Mixed  with  paste  it  stupifies  fishes  so  that  they 
will  lie  on  the  water,  and  not  attempt  to  escape  from 
the  hand  that  takes  them.  Wepfer  takes  notice  of  se- 
veral experiments  made  with  them  in  his  work  De  Ci- 
cuta  Aquatica.  See  also  Raii  Hist,  and  Neumann's 
Chem.  Works. 

CO'CCUM  BA'PHICUM,  inftctorium,  tinctorium, 
chermesinum  vel  scarlatinum.  See  CHERMES. 

CO'CCUS  DE  MALDI'VIA.  See  PALMA  COCCI- 
FERA. 

Co'ccus  PO'LONICUS,  Co'ccus  RA'DICIS  TIKCTO'RIUS, 
is  found  of  different  sizes,  from  a  poppy  seed  to  a 
pepper  corn,  and  in  greater  or  less  numbers  adher- 


ing to  the  roots  of  the  ftolygonum  cocci/'erum  of  Ray, 
the  scltranthus  fierennis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  580.  Breynius 
describes  it  as  being  round,  smooth,  and  of  a  purple 
violet  colour :  it  has  a  thin  skin,  inclosing  a  blood  red 
juice;  one  half  or  more  of  it  is  covered  with  a  rough 
dark  brown  crust,  by  which  it  adheres  to  the  roots.  It  is 
gathered  in  summer  and  dried  in  earthen  platters.  One 
of  these  exposed  to  the  sun,  by  the  latter  end  of  July- 
produces  a  small  worm,  which,  after  a  few  days,  lays 
numerous  eggs.  The  young  ones  fix  to  the  roots  of  the 
plants,  or  their  lowest  branches,  and  suck  their  juice. 
These  berries  are  used  as  a  colour  in  dyeing,  for  they 
abound  with  a  purple  juice.  As  a  medicine,  their  vir- 
tues are  the  same  with  the  chermes,  and  for  these  the) 
are  a  good  succedaneum.  The  insect  is  the  coccus  fio- 
lonicus  Lin.  Syst.  Nat.  (Gmelin)  1218.  See  Neumann's 
Chem.  Works,  and  Raii  Hist.  Plant. 

COCCYG^IUS  Muse,  (so  called  from  coccyx,  where 
it  is  inserted).  It  arises  from  the  spine  of  theischium, 
and  is  inserted  into  the  side  of  the  os  coccygis ;  this 
muscle  and  its  fellow  form  a  sling  to  bring  that  bone 
upwards  and  inwards.  It  is  only  a  continuation  of  the 
posterior  part  of  the  levator  ani;  coccyg&us  posterior 
of  Winslow. 

COCCYG.E'US  ANTERIOR,  called  also  ischio  coccygaus. 
The  muscle  is  fixed  in  the  anterior  portion  of  the  small 
transverse  ligament,  at  the  upper  part  of  the  foramen 
ovale  of  the  os  innominatum ;  from  thence  it  runs  be- 
tween the  great  transverse  ligament  of  the  pelvis  and 
the  musculus  obturator  internus,  and  is  inserted  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  os  coccygis. 

COCCYGJE'US  POSTERIOR.  This  muscle  is  fixed  to 
the  inner  concave  edge  of  the  two  first  vertebrae  of  the 
os  sacrum,  to  the  inner  and  lower  edge  of  the  ligamen- 
tum  sacro-sciaticum,  and  to  the  spine  of  the  os  ischi- 
um,  and  is  inserted  in  the  inside  of  the  os  coccygis, 
above  the  coccygaeus  anterior  ;  it  is  called  also  sacra 
coccyg&us. 

CO'CCYGIS  OS,  (from  M*XI»|,  a  cuckoo,  whose  bill 
it  is  said  to  represent).  Also  called  cauda,  coccyx,  os- 
sis  sacri  acumen.  It  is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  the 
os  sacrum,  and  is  in  some  measure  an  appendix  of  it ; 
it  is  bent  in  a  concave  form  towards  the  pelvis,  to  sup- 
port the  rectum  and  enlarge  the  cavity  of  the  basin ; 
the  fore  side  is  flat,  the  back  part  rather  convex ;  it  is 
made  up  of  four  or  five  pieces,  like  false  vertebrae, 
joined  together  by  cartilages,  more  or  less  pliable; 
sometimes  all  are  cemented  together.  The  first  piece 
is  the  largest ;  it  consists  of  two  parts,  betwixt  which 
and  the  os  sacrum  is  a  notch,  through  which  a  pair  of 
nerves  pass.  The  other  pieces  are  irregular  squares, 
diminishing  as  they  descend.  In  children  it  is  almost 
wholly  cartilaginous. 

Daventer  and  some  other  writers  say,  that  difficult 
labours  are  often  caused  by  these  bones  being  anchy- 
losed  :  but  experience  manifests  that  the  difficulty  was 
owing  to  their  impatience ;  for  it  is  generally  found  that 
when  the  head  advances  but  slowly,  or  not  at  all,  if  we 
wait,  nature  generally  will  perform  her  office  safely  and 
effectually. 

CO'CCYS.     See  PALMA  COCCIFERA. 

CO'CCYX,  xex.x.11%.     See  COCCYGIS  os. 

CO'CHIA,  (from  X.OX.B.H,  to  make  round}.  A  name 
formerly  of  some  officinal  pills.  There  were  two  com- 


c  o  c 


454 


COO 


positions  bearing  this  name;  the  fiil.  cochia  majores 
from  Rhases,  and  the  jiil.  cochi£  minores  from  Galen: 
the  first  is  totally  excluded  from  practice  ;  the  second  is 
called/;//,  colocynth.  cum  aloe, or  extrac.tum  colocynthi- 
dis  com/iositum.  See  COLOCYNTHIS. 

CO'CHLEA,  CO'CHLIAS,  (from  *.<>%*i&  (o  turn 
round).  Called  also  antrum  buccinosum.  The  first 
mention  made  of  this  part  of  the  ear  is  by  Plutarch,  who 
says,  that  Empedocles,  a  scholar  of  Pythagoras,  was  ac- 
quainted with  it  and  its  use,  for  he  said  that  sounds 
•were  formed  there.  It  is  a  winding  cavity,  which  turns 
round  a  nucleus  in  a  spiral  manner.  It  is  larger  where 
it  begins,  becoming  smaller  like  a  horn  ;  the  second  turns 
almost  within  the  first,  and  the  third  within  the  second, 
making  about  two  turns  and  a  half.  It  is  divided  into 
a  superior  and  an  inferior  cavity,  by  a  partition  in  the 
middle,  perpendicular  to  the  axis  of  the  spindle  of  the 
cochlea,  so  that  in  reality  it  consists  of  two  semi  canals  : 
that  part  of  the  partition  next  to  the  axis  is  bony,  which 
terminates  in  an  edge,  where  it  is  membranous ;  it  grows 
narrower  towards  the  apex.  The  scala,  which  is  next 
the  basis,  opens  into  the  tympanum  by  the  fenestra  ro- 
tunda ;  that  towards  the  apex  into  the  vestibulum  by  the 
fenestra  ovalis. 

That  the  cochlea  is  a  part  of  the  organ  of  hearing 
may  be  concluded  from  its  spiral  laminae,  which  are 
hard,  dry,  slender,  and  easily  broken ;  conditions  re- 
quired in  bodies  susceptible  of  tremulous  motions. 
Again,  when  the  large  branch  of  the  portio  mollis  of  the 
seventh  pair  of  nerves  arises  at  the  basis  of  the  cochlea, 
it  is  divided  into  a  great  number  of  smaller  branches, 
which,  passing  through  all  the  smaller  meatuses  with 
•which  the  spindle  is  perforated,  are  distributed  to  the 
various  windings  and  meanders  of  these  spiral  laminae, 
•where  they  are  lost.  These  laminae  are  not  only  cal- 
culated for  receiving  the  vibratory  motion  of  the  air, 
but  their  structure  has  been  looked  on  as  a  convincing 
proof  that  this  part  of  the  organ  is  qualified  and  dispos- 
ed for  accommodating  itself  to  the  different  characters 
and  degrees  of  sounds ;  for  since  it  is  broader  at  the  be- 
ginning of  its  first  circumvolution  than  at  the  extremity 
of  its  last,  and  since  the  breadth  of  its  other  parts  is 
in  like  manner  proportionably  diminished,  its  broadest 
parts  are  supposed  to  be  fit  for  the  reception  of  those 
slow  and  languid  vibrations,  which  are  productive  of 
grave  tones,  since  they  may  be  put  into  a  commotion 
without  the  other  parts  undergoing  any  change ;  and, 
v ice  versa,  that  when  its  narrower  parts  are  struck,  their 
vibrations  are  brisk  and  lively,  and  consequently  pro- 
duce acute  tones.  Therefore,  according  to  the  various 
commotions  of  the  spiral  laminae,  the  nerves  distributed 
through  its  substance  may  probably  receive  the  various 
impressions  of  the  air,  which  exhibit  and  represent  va- 
rious tones  or  modulations  of  sound.  See  SONUS. 

CO'CHLEA  CELA'TA.     See  AIIDROSACE. 

CO'CHLEA  FO'SSILIS  and  LAPIDE'A.    See  COCHLITA. 

COCHLEAE,  (from  w^a,  to  wind,  or  wreathe). 
SNAILS. 

The  snail  is  an  animal  lodged  in  a  short  thick  tur- 
binated  shell,  whose  aperture  is  closed  in  the  winter 
with  a  kind  of  cement.  The  land  snails  are  called 
ofierculares :  that  sort  which  adheres  to  briars  and 
tendrils  of  vines  are  sometimes  called  seselon  and  fto- 
maticx. 


Before  the  time  of  Serenus  Samonicus,  who  flourish- 
ed in  the  third  century  after  Christ,  shell  snails  were  not 
recommended  in  phthisical  cases.  The  shell,  however, 
does  not  alter  the  nature  of  the  animal. 

Snails  abound  with  a  viscid  slimy  juice,  which  they 
readily  impart,  by  boiling,  to  milk  or  water,  so  as  to 
render  them  thick  and  glutinous.  They  are  a  tender 
substance  ;  easily  digestible ;  very  nutritious  and  demul- 
cent ;  employed  in  cases  of  emaciation  and  hectic  fe- 
ver: though  as  animal  food  they  cannot  be  refrigerant, 
still  perhaps  they  are  only  slightly  stimulant. 

The  sea  snail,  called  the  periwinkle,  is  often  eaten  as 
a  common  food  ;  in  France  the  land  snail,  called  the  vine 
shell  snail,  is  an  article  of  diet;  but  the  small  white 
shell  snail  is  the  most  valued. 

Naturalists  describe  a  great  variety ;  but  the  large 
ash  coloured  snail  is  said  to  be  that  which  is  intended 
for  medicinal  use;  though  the  smaller,  dark  coloured, 
spotted,  or  striped  sort,  more  common  in  gardens,  is 
taken  indiscriminately,  and  their  qualities  do  not  appear 
to  differ. 

If  salt  is  put  upon  the  snail  it  soon  dies ;  but  it  first 
contracts  itself,  so  as  to  force  out  all  its  mucus. 

COCHLE'A  CELA'TA,  ANTONOMA'STICA.  This  is  a  good 
shell  snail,  found  in  the  Mediterranean.  Its  operculum 
or  cover,  is,  according  to  some,  the  umbilicus  marinus 
of  the  shops. 

COCHLE'A  MAGARITI'FERA.  See  CONCHA  MAGAHITI- 
FERA. 

COCHLE'ARE,  (from  cochlea,  a  cockle  ;  whose  shell 
its  bowl  represents).  A  SPOON.  Perhaps  so  called  from 
resembling  a  shell.  The  ancients  had  two  kinds  of 
spoons  ;  the  greater,  which  contained  a  drachm  ;  and 
the  lesser,  which  contained  a  scruple.  Various  indeed 
are  the  accounts  of  the  ancient  cochlearia ;  but  in  the 
present  London  and  Edinburgh  dispensatories,  a  large 
spoonful  is,  of  syrup  half  an  ounce  in  weight,  and  of  dis- 
tilled waters  three  drachms  in  weight,  by  measure  half 
an  ounce. 

COCHLEA'RIA,  (from  cochleare,  a  sfioon;  because 
its  leaves  are  like  the  bowl  of  a  spoon).  SCURVY  GRASS, 
a  low  plant,  with  thick  juicy  leaves,  somewhat  hollow- 
ed, so  as  to  resemble  a  spoon :  those  from  the  root 
standing  on  long  pedicles ;  those  on  the  stalk  joined 
close  to  it  without  pedicles;  producing  toward  the 
upper  parts  of  the  stalks  small  white  tetrapetalous 
flowers,  followed  by  roundish  seed  vessels.  It  is  an- 
nual, grows  wild  in  several  parts  of  England,  particu- 
larly about  the  sea  coasts  and  salt  marshes,  and  flowers 
in  May,  or  sooner.  In  Greenland,  and  some  other 
northern  parts,  it  is  mild  and  totally  destitute  of  pun- 
gency, and  yet  as  effectual  as  that  which  grows  with  us, 
when  eaten  for  the  same  purposes  :  it  is  the  cochlearia 
officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  903.  The  COMMON  or  GARDEN 
SCURVY  GRASS.  A  variety  of  this  is  the  cochlearia  offi- 
cinalis minor,  rotunda  folio.  SMALL  LEAVED  SCURVY 

GRASS. 

COCHLEA'RIA  BATA'VIA,  called  also  cochlearia  hor- 
tensis,  vel  rotundifolia  ;  HOUND  LEAVED,  DUTCH,  or 
GARDEN  SCURVY  GRASS.  The  radical  leaves  are  un- 
evenly roundish,  those  on  the  stalks  oblong.  It  is 
cultivated  in  gardens,  and  is  probably  also  a  variety, 
though  it  is  said  not  to  change  its  qualities  with  the 
soil. 


coc 


455 


COD 


COCHLEA'RIA  BHITAXKICA,  called  also  cochlearia  ma- 
rina, cochl.  folio  sinuato.  ENGLISH  or  SEA  SCURVY  GRASS. 
It  is  the  cochlearia  anglica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  903.  All  its 
leaves  are  alike,  oblong,  pointed,  deeply  irregularly  in- 
dented and  sinuated. 

The  fresh  leaves  of  all  these  plants  have  a  disagree- 
able smell,  and  a  penetrating  acid  taste:  the  first  is 
by  much  the  strongest.  The  leaves  are  the  strongest 
part  of  the  plant:  they  are  antiseptic,  attenuant,  aperi- 
ent, and  diuretic ;  supposed  to  open  obstructions  of  the 
viscera  and  remoter  glands,  without  heating  or  irritat- 
ing. They  have  long  been  considered  as  the  most  ef- 
fectual antiscorbutic  plants.  Sydenham  and  Lewis  re- 
eommend  the  first  species  highly,  combined  with  arum 
and  wood  sorrel,  in  rheumatic  and  wandering  pains,  ac- 
companied with  fever.  It  is  said  to  be  of  service  also 
in  paralytic  and  cachectic  indispositions;  but  for  these 
purposes  its  powers  are  |po  weak.  A  small  quantity 
of  nutmeg  covers  their  disagreeable  flavour. 

Their  active  parts  are  wholly  in  the  expressed  juice. 
Water  or  spirit  alike  extracts  their  whole  virtue.  The 
pungent  part  exhales  in  drying,  or  in  evaporating  the 
liquors  which  contain  it. 

The  method  of  preserving  the  herb,  with  all  its  vir- 
tues, is  to  beat  it  up  with  sugar  into  a  conserve,  and 
keep  it  in  a  close  vessel.  But  as  an  antiscorbutic  it 
is  not  so  beneficial  as  the  fresh  plant,  or  the  expressed 
juice  directed  in  the  Pharmacopoeias. 

The  principal  virtue  has  been  said  to  reside  in  an 
essential  oil,  separable  in  small  quantities  by  distillation 
In  water;  this  oil  sinks  in  water,  yet  it  is  very  volatile, 
subtile,  and  penetrating,  and  is  carried  over  in  distilla- 
tion with  rectified  spirit  of  wine.  A  pint  of  spirit  will 
take  with  it  all  the  oil  from  two  pounds  weight  of  the 
leaves.  The  virtues,  however,  of  all  fresh  vegetables  in 
scurvy  are  so  nearly  the  same,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  refer 
them  to  any  one  principle ;  nor,  on  the  whole,  is  any 
one  preferable.  Of  equal  virtue  with  the  scurvy  grass 
is  fresh  lemon  juice  and  the  tops  of  turnips.  But  this 
is  not  a  place  for  the  discussion.  See  SCORBUTUS. 
Lewis's  Mat.  Med. 

SPI'RITUS  COCHLEA'RI^E.  Take  ten  pounds  of  the 
leaves  of  fresh  scurvy  grass,  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine 
live  pints  :  macerate  the  herb  twelve  hours,  and  with  a 
water  bath  draw  off  five  pints.  This  is  called  simple 
spirit,  in  contradistinction  to  what  is  called  golden.  The 
dose  is  from  twenty  to  a  hundred  drops.  Horse  radish 
may  be  mixed,  or  wholly  substituted,  without  any  sen- 
sible difference  in  any  point  of  view.  In  this  form, 
however,  the  plant  is  wholly  inert,  and  the  preparation 
is  now  disused. 

Su'ccus  COCHLEA  '-RIM  co'MposiTus,  formerly  su'cci 
SCORBU'TICI,  is  prepared  by  adding  two  pints  of  the 
juice  of  garden  scurvy  grass  to  a  pint  of  the  juice  of 
brook  lime,  as  much  of  the  juice  of  water  cresses,  and 
twenty  ounces  of  the  juice  of  Seville  oranges;  mix 
them,  and  after  the  fseces  have  subsided,  decant  off  the 
liquor,  and  strain.  The  dose,  to  be  effectual,  must  be 
at  least  a  pint  in  a  day.  This  is  antiscorbutic,  gently 
diuretic,  and  slightly  laxative.  There  is  some  difficulty 
in  procuring  it  fine.  An  apothecary,  who  had  gained 
the  credit  of  preparing  it  very  neatly,  owned  that  the 
only  secret  was,  suffering  a  little  fermentation  to  begin 
before  the  juices  were  strained,  which  he  had  been 
taught  by  once  carelessly  neglecting  them. 


Su'cctrs  COCHLEA'RI^E  AU'REUS.  To  a  pint  of  the 
simple  spirit  of  scurvy  grass  add  an  ounce  of  gamboge. 
The  dose  is  from  twenty  to  sixty  drops,  and  it  operates 
as  an  aperient  and  a  stimulating  diuretic,  added  to  the 
virtues  of  the  gamboge,  which  acts  in  a  mild  manner. 
All  the  preparations  of  scurvy  grass  are  now,  however, 
deservedly  neglected.  See  GAMBOGIA. 

COCHLEA'RIA  ARMORA'CIA.  See  RAPHAXUS  RCSTI- 
CAXUS. 

COCHLEA'TUS,  (from  cochlea,  a  snail).  In  bota- 
ny it  means  resembling  a  snail's  shell. 

CO'CHLIAXON.  A  name  for  a  part  in  a  machine 
described  by  Oribasius. 

COCHLI'TA,  (from  *«;KAi)*,  a  snail's  shell).  It  is 
also  called  cochlea  fossilis  or  lafiidea,  and  is  a  stone  of 
the  shape  and  figure  of  a  certain  shell  snail ;  said  to  be 
lithontriptic. 

COCHO'NE,  (from  ««£*»»,  to  turn  round).  Galen 
gives  this  appellation  to  the  juncture  of  the  ischium, 
near  the  seat  or  breach  ;  whence,  says  he,  all  the  adja- 
cent parts  about  the  seat  are  called  by  the  same  name. 
Hippocrates  often  mentions  these  parts.  Hesychius 
says,  that  cochone  is  the  part  of  the  spine  adjacent  to  the 
os  sacrum  and  breech,  and  tells  us  that  some  call  the 
parts  on  both  sides  of  the  os  sacrum  by  this  name ;  and 
adds,  that  the  ischia  are  sometimes  thus  called. 

COCILIO.     A  weight  of  eleven  ounces. 

CO'COS.     See  PALMA  COCCIFERA. 

CO'CTIO,  (from  coguo,  to  boil).  BOILIKG;  and 
metaphorically  PREPARING.  Also  decoctio  and  ap.oz.ema. 
The  effect  of  boiling  differs  greatly  from  that  of  infu- 
sion. In  the  heat  of  boiling  water  the  essential  oils  of 
vegetables,  in  which  their  virtue  generally  resides,  are 
dissipated;  and  when  the  medicine  to  be  obtained  is  to 
consist  of  the  more  volatile  parts  of  the  ingredients,  in- 
fusion is  obviously  preferable  to  decoction.  The  grosser 
parts  of  many  substances  are  only  extracted  by  boiling. 
The  infusions  of  animal  substances  are  of  much  lighter 
digestion  than  the  decoctions ;  and  boiling  water  ex- 
tracts, for  instance,  the  rougher  and  more  disagreeable 
portions  of  camomile  flowers,  and  the  carduus  benedic- 
tus:  cold  water,  the  milder  and  more  aromatic. 

In  decoctions,  those  ingredients  should  be  boiled  first 
from  which  their  virtues  are  most  difficultly  extracted ; 
and  those  which  more  readily  impart  them  may  be  re- 
served until  a  later  period.  Volatile  ones  may  be  added 
when  the  decoction  is  removed  from  the  fire;  they 
may  stand  closely  covered  until  the  liquor  is  cool. 

Agglutinants,  astringents,  and  emollients,  are  the 
chief  subjects  of  this  operation,  and  such  other  mate- 
rials as  require  some  force  to  separate  their  parts.  See 
DECOCT  A. 

By  decoction  the  tendency  to  fermentation  in  fer- 
mentable liquors  is  lessened.  See  Diet.  Chem.  4to. 

By  the  coctions  of  humours  is  meant  the  digestion  of 
the  aliment  into  chyle ;  the  reduction  of  the  chyle  into 
blood;  and  the  separation  of  the  juices  from  the  blood, 
by  means  of  the  glands.  These  are  styled  the  first,  se- 
cond, and  third  coction. 

COCU'STA.     See  COURBARIL. 

CO'CYTA.     See  MALIS. 

CO'DAGA  PA'LA.     See  COXESSI. 

CODDAM-PU'LLI.      See    CARCAPULI    and   GAM- 


BOGIA. 

CODESE'LLA. 


See  CARBUNCULUS. 


CCEL 


456 


C  (EL 


CO'DI  A.  The  bulbous  head  of  any  plant.  In  Hip- 
pocrates it  signifies  a  POPPY  HEAD.  See  PAPAVER  AL- 
BUM. 

CODIA'MINUM,  CODIA'NUM,  (named  from  its 
round  head).  See  NARCISSUS  LUT.SUS  SYLVESTRIS. 

CODI-AVA'NACU.  An  under  shrub  growing  in 
sandy  soils  in  the  East  Indies.  The  juice  of  the  whole 
plant  taken  in  wine  is  a  good  remedy  for  fluxes.  Sonic 
other  preparations  are  made  from  it.  We  can  find  no 
traces  of  it  in  later  authors:  but  it  is  the  tragia  chame- 
l<ea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1391. 

CODOCE'LE,  (from  x.aS'tat,  a  bulb,  and  K>jA>),  a  tu- 
mour). See  BUBO. 

CCECA'LIS  VE'NA,  (from  caecum,  the  blind  gut 
through  which  it  runs).  A  branch  from  the  concave 
side  of  the  vena  mescraica  major:  it  runs  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  colon;  dividing  by  two  arteries,  one  of 
which  communicates  with  the  gastro-colica;  the  other, 
after  sending  branches  to  the  intestinum  ccecum  and 
appendix  vcrmiformis,  communicates  below  with  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  great  meseraic  vein. 

CCELA,  (from  *»<AO$,  hollow).  The  hollow  of  the 
eyes,  or  rather  above  and  below  the  eye  lids.  They 
are  puffed  up  in  a  cachexia.  The  coela  of  the  feet  arc 
the  hollow  parts  at  the  bottom  of  the  foot,  adjacent  to 
the  heels. 

CCELIA,  (from  XO/AO?,  hollow).  It  signifies  a  cavity 
in  any  part  of  the  body,  or  in  any  of  the  viscera;  it  is 
also  the  same  with  ALVUS  :  if  »ia  is  joined  with  it,  it 
signifies  stomachus,  and  sometimes  the  thorax;  with 
Kxla,  it  is  the  abdomen,  lower  belly,  or  intestinal  tube, 
from  the  cardia  to  the  anus. 

CCELIA'CA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  xe/Ai*,  venter,  the 
belly).  The  coeliac  artery  arises  anteriorly  from  the 
aorta  descendens,  as  soon  as  it  has  passed  through  the 
diaphragm  ;  its  trunk  is  short,  but  it  sends  off  from  the 
right  side  two  small  diaphragmatic  arteries,  though 
sometimes  there  is  but  one.  The  left  branch,  which 
rises  from  the  intercostales  and  mammariae,  sends  rami- 
fications to  the  superior  orifice  of  the  stomach,  and  to 
the  glandulae  renales  of  the  same  side,  as  the  right  fur- 
nishes the  renal  gland  on  the  right  side,  and  the  pylorus. 
After  these  the  creliac  artery  sends  off  the  arteria  ven- 
triculi  coronaria,  and  the  gastrica  superior ;  then  divides 
into  the  arteria  hepatica  on  the  right  hand,  and  the 
arteria  splenica  on  the  left.  Sometimes  this  artery  is 
divided  into  the  coronaria,  hepatica,  and  splenica;  in 
the  same  place,  very  near  its  origin,  the  trunk  going 
out  from  the  aorta  in  a  straight  line,  and  the  branches 
from  the  trunk  almost  at  right  angles,  like  radii  from 
the  axis,  whence  this  trunk  has  been  called  axis  arte- 
ries cmliac<£. 

COSLIA'CA  FASSIO.  The  C<ELIAC  PASSION  is  a  species 
of  diarrhoea,  in  which  the  aliment  is  carried  off  in  a 
liquid  state,  but  not  well  digested;  the  discharges  re- 
semble chyle.  Aretaeus  calls  those  afflicted  with  this 
disorder  *«M/*xo<;  Ccelius  Aurelianus,  ventriculosi; 
Hippocrates  does  not  name  the  disease.  Sauvages 
enumerates  four  species,  the  chylosa,  fiurulenta,  muco- 
sa,  and  lactea;  but  the  first  is  generally  understood  by 
the  caliac  fiassion,  which  is  a  chronic  discharge  of  liquid 
indigested  aliment:  in  this  disease,  on  account  of  the 
debility  of  the  assimilating  power,  the  aliment  is  left 
half  digested,  and  becomes  depraved  both  in  colour, 
smell,  and  consistence,  for  the  colour  is  white ;  there  is 


a  rumbling  in  the  intestines,  and  flatus  is  exploded  wiUi 
some  violence;  the  pain  of  the  stomach  is  severe,  re- 
sembling pricking ;  the  patient  becomes  weak  and 
emaciated.  The  disease  continues  long,  is  periodical, 
and  difficult  to  cure.  Dr.  Cullen  considers  it  as  synony- 
mous with  diarrhoea,  and  mentions  it  in  his  third  and 
fourth  species,  under  the  terms  mucosa  and  czliaca, 
making  the  purulenta  only  symptomatic. 

It  is  said  to  be  caused  by  a  disorder  in  the  first  pas- 
sages, which  admits  of  the  aliment  being  dissolved,  but 
not  properly  digested.  Dr.  Friend  says  that  it  originates 
from  an  obstruction  of  the  intestinal  glands,  on  which 
account  a  sufficient  quantity  of  lymph  cannot,  by  these, 
be  supplied  for  diluting  the  chyle,  and  rendering  it  fit 
to  pass  into  the  lacteals ;  hence  it  passes  off  with  the 
excrements.  He  distinguishes  it  from  the  chylous  flux, 
by  observing,  that  in  this  the  cause  is  an  obstruction  of 
the  lacteal  vessels.  • 

This,  though  the  most  simple  and  obvious  view  of  the 
subject,  admits  of  many  doubts ;  and  its  periodical  return 
leads  us  to  consider  it  in  a  different  view.  This  expla- 
nation will  explain  the  appearances  of  lientery,  but  by 
no  means  of  the  coeliac  passion.  As  we  find  a  sweet 
chylous  matter  occasionally  thrown  out  by  the  kidneys, 
sometimes  floating  in  the  blood,  and  in  a  few  instances 
by  the  salivary  glands,  it  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  this  matter  may  be  again  deposited  after  being  re- 
ceived into  the  circulation.  Were  it  only  a  discharge 
from  the  first  passages,  opiates  and  astringents  would 
relieve  it,  nor  should  we  find  its  removal  rapid,  its  re- 
turn irregular,  but  certain.  It  is  by  no  means  also  a 
symptom  of  obstructed  mcsenteric  glands;  and  though 
the  bile  is  usually  wanting,  it  is  more  probably  conceal- 
ed by  the  colour  than  absent,  since  we  have  reason  to 
suppose  that  chyle  is  only  formed  by  its  means. 

It  must  be  distinguished  from  other  intestinal  dis- 
charges, and  from  what  Celsus  calls  celiacus  ventriculi 
morbus. 

The  cure  is  always  tedious ;  often  uncertain.  The 
disease  sometimes  ceases,  but,  generally,  often  periodi- 
cally returns.  Astringents  are  usually  prejudicial,  and 
those  remedies  which  gently  stimulate  the  bowels,  are 
manifestly  the  means  of  relief.  Vomits  of  ipecacuanha 
may  occasionally  be  given,  and  gentle  purges  frequently 
repeated  in  small  doses.  As  the  disease  seemingly  con- 
sists in  the  defective  application  of  the  nourishment, 
exercise,  free  air,  and  perhaps  sea  bathing,  would  be 
useful.  See  DIARRHOEA  and  DIABETES. 

See  Aretaeus,  lib.  ii.  cap.  7.  Coelius  Aurelianus 
Morb.  Chron.  lib.  iv.  cap.  3. 

CCE'LIE,  JC»<A<>J.     See  VENTER. 

CCE'LI-FLOS,  CCELIFO'LIUM,  (from  ccdum,  hea- 
venly, Jlos,  or  folium,  a  leaf;  so  called  because  it  was 
supposed  to  be  a  fallen  star).  In  some  places  it  is 
known  by  the  name  of  STAR  FALL.  Purgamentum  stel- 
larum;  commonly  nostoch.  Tremella  nostoch  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1625. 

It  is  a  species  of  jelly,  sometimes  clear,  at  others 
greenish,  and  agitated  with  a  kind  of  tremulous  motion 
so  long  as  it  is  fresh. 

It  is  found  after  rain  in  meadows,  and  in  dry  parched 
grounds,  generally  betwixt  the  spring  and  summer  sea- 
sons. If  not  gathered  before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  it 
will  be  shrivelled  up  to  a  thin  membrane  of  a  brownish 
colour. 


C  OF 


45; 


C  O 


The  nostoc  is  in  reality  a  moss,  adhering  to  the  earth 
by  one  or  more  slender  roots.  The  embryo  at  first  ap- 
pears like  a  small  tubercle  ;  which  is  fleshy,  soft,  and 
diversified  with  inconsiderable  inequalities,  like  those 
on  strawberries,  of  a  greenish  blue  colour,  but  after- 
>vards  clear.  This  membrane  is  gradually  unfolded  on 
the  earth,  and  remains  while  the  weather  is  moist. 
It  affords  a  clear  insipid  liquor,  that  turns  hydrargyrus 
muriatus  white,  and  syrupus  violarum  green.  It  af- 
fords a  volatile  salt  well  crystallized,  ammonia,  and  a 
letid  oil.  The  Germans  use  it  to  make  the  hair  grow. 

CCELO'MA,    (from     «/*»;*«,    hollo's;}.      See   Bo- 

i  HRIOX. 

CCELOSTO'MIA,  (from  «M/A©-,  hollow,  and  mfui, 
mouth}.     A   defect  in  speaking,  when  a  person's 
speech  is  obscured  by  sounding,  as  $  his  voice  proceed- 
ed from  a  cavern. 

CCEMEXTA'TIO,  CCEME  NTUM,  (fromc<rrfo,ro 
beat  together).  CEMENT,  also  c&mentum.  It  is  a  tena- 
cious matter,  by  which  two  bodies  are  made  to  adhere. 
What  is  used  by  the  chemists  is  commonly  called  lute. 
See  LUTVM. 

Cements  are  also  those  powders  and  pastes  with  which 
any  body  is  surrounded  in  pots  or  crucibles,  producing, 
by  the  help  of  fire,  changes  in  the  substance  round 
which  they  are  spread.  The  COMMON  CEMENT,  direct- 
ed by  Schroeder,  is  the  following :  take  half  a  pound  of 
finely  powdered  brick  dust,  four  ounces  of  common  salt, 
and  of  nitre  and  verdigrise,  each  an  ounce. 

'1  here  are  many  compositions  for  cementing,  which 
may  be  seen  in  chemical  authors ;  one  of  the  chief  is 
what  is  called  the  ROYAL  CEMENT,  because  used  in  puri- 
fying gold  and  silver.  It  is  made  with  four  parts  of 
fine  brick  dust,  one  part  of  green  vitriol,  calcined  to 
redness,  and  one  part  of  common  salt:  when  mixed, 
they  must  be  worked  into  a  firm  paste  with  water.  See 
Diet,  of  Chem.  4to.  Neumann's  Works. 

-  XA,  (from  «;»««,  common  ;  as  a  meal  necessary 
to  aJl).  SUPPER.  Suppers  that  are  heavy  should  be 
avoided,  because  digestion  produces  a  slight  fever,  which 
increases  the  natural  evening  paroxysm ;  and,  though 
the  robust  feel  no  inconvenience  from  neglecting  this 
rule,  the  invalid  will  suffer  greatly  by  the  error.  Sup- 
pers should,  therefore,  be  eaten  long  before  bed  time, 
that  they  may  be  nearly  digested  before  the  hour  of 
sleep ;  and  then  a  draught  of  pure  water  will  usefully 
dilute  what  remains  in  the  stomach.  Indeed  suppers', 
in  many  constitutions,  are  very  pernicious ;  inducing 
disagreeable  dreams,  disturbed  rest,  the  incubus  or 
night-mutt,  particularly  in  those  who  have  weak  di- 
^ons. 

EXO'TES,  (from  «!»•«,  common}.  The  physi- 
cians of  the  Methodic  sect  asserted,  that  all  diseases 
arose  from  relaxation,  stricture,  or  a  mixture  of  both, 
i  he  last  were  called  ctnotes,  because  diseases  have 
e  in  common. 

CCERU  LEUM  MOXTA  XUM,  (quasi  ctluleu*, 
irom  Cflum,  the  H-J/,  of  a  *kv  blue  colour.}  MOUNTAIN 
BLUE.  It  is  a  blue  ore  of  copper. 

CCERU 'LEUM   FO'SSILE.     See  ARMENUS  HPIS. 

CCERU 'LEUS    LTPIS.     See    VITR.OLUM     CCERU- 

UKCV. 

CO'FFEA,  (from  kofuah,  mixing  together).    Called 
a.\sojasminum  Arabicum,  choai-a,  COFFEE  TREE  or  BUSH 
It  is  the  coffea  .Irabica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  245  :  natural  order 

»'O1.    I. 


rubiaeez,  called  also  bon.     When  fit  to  drink  it  is  then 
named  caova. 

The  tree  is  of  the  jessamine  kind,  with  leaves  like 
those  of  the  bay  tree  :  from  Arabia  FelLx  it  was  intro- 
cuced  into  the  Wfest  Indies  ;  but  is  said  to  be  a  native 
of  the  higher  ..Ethiopia,  from  whence  it  was  carried  to 
Persia  before  it  was  known  in  Arabia.  The  fruit  is  a 
juicy  berry,  including  two  of  the  seeds,  joined  by  th<- 
flat  sides,  and  covered  each  with  a  thin  shell.  Tin- 
seeds  are  of  a  pale  colour  and  an  oval  shape,  convex  on 
one  side,  flat  on  the  other,  with  a  remarkable  furrow. 

Coffee  was  but  little  known  in  Europe  before  the  se- 
venteenth century.  The  first  coffee  house  in  London 
was  erected  in  the  Tilt  Yard,  in  the  year  1652.  In 
Paris  it  was  scarcely  known  until  1669  :  though  at  Mar- 
seilles it  was  used  in  1644.  Rauwolfius,  a  German- 
and  Prosper  Alpinus,  an  Italian,  were  the  first  Euro- 
peans who  wrote  on  the  use  of  it. 

The  Arabian  is  called  the  Levant  coffee,  and  is  th« 
smallest ;  the  Java,  the  East  Indian  coffee  ;  it  is  larger 
and  of  a  whitish  livid  colour :  the  American,  English  or 
Surinam  coffee  ;  the  berries  are  large,  and  of  a  greenish 
colour  ;  but  the  best  are  small,  close  and  somewhat 
transparent.  This  last  seems  to  be  an  indigenous  va- 
riety of  this  part  of  America,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether 
the  plant  is  not  also  a  native  of  Arabia.  The  Arabic 
word  canoua  signifies  any  kind  of  liquor,  consequently 
the  liquor  made  with  coffee.  Hence  the  Turks  derive 
their  cah-veh  ;  whence  again  the  European  word  cafe 
In  Arabia,  persons  of  rank  only  use  the  seminal  cap- 
sules, and  the  pellicles  immediately  covering  the  ber 
ries ;  these  produce  a  grateful  liquor,  but  for  this  pur- 
pose the  capsules  must  be  fresh.  The  French  call  this 
cafe  a  la  sultane. 

The  coffee  berries  have  a  farinaceous,  somewhat  unc- 
tuous, bitterish  taste,  and  little  or  no  smell.  They  arc 
roasted  to  destroy  the  watery  part  of  the  mucilage,  and, 
of  course,  that  flatulence  that  they  have  in  common 
with  all  farinaceous  substances.  Many  seeds  by  roast- 
ing acquire  the  flavour  for  which  coffee  is  admired. 
Dillenius  hath  enumerated  in  the  Epheraerides  Na- 
turae Curiosorum  the -substances  which  in  smell  and 
taste  resemble  coffee  ;  and  finds  that  roasted  rye,  with  a 
few  roasted  almonds  to  furnish  the  necessary  proper 
tion  of  oil,  comes  the  nearest  to  it. 

Coffee  contains  a  large  portion  of  acid,  a  gummy, 
resinous,  and  astringent  extract,  a  large  proportion  of 
oil,  and  some  salts.  The  oil  in  roasting  becomes  empy- 
reumatic,  and  gives  the  desired  flavour. 

From  sixteen  ounces  of  roasted  coffee,  Neumann  ob- 
tained seven  ounces,  two  drachms,  and  two  scruples  of 
watery  extract ;  and  afterwards  five  drachms  and  one 
scruple  of  spirituous  extract.  On  reversing  the  opera- 
tion, he  obtained  four  ounces  and  four  scruples  of 
spirituous  extract,  and  four  ounces  of  watery  :  the  resi- 
duum, in  both  cases,  was  nearly  the  same;  viz.  about 
one  half  of  the  whole. 

The  roasted  seeds  ground  into  powder  soon  lose  the; 
flavour  in  the  air,  impart  it  to  water  and  to  spirit  by 
light  coction  or  digestion,  and  give  over  a  great  part  of 
it  with  water  in  distillation.     The  roasted  berries  keep 
very  well ;  and,  to  recover  their  brisk  flavour,  lay  then* 
before  the  fire  a  few  minutes,  and,  when  warm,  they 
may  be  ground  for  use ;  they  are  then  as  agreeable  a^ 
when  first  roasted. 

3  N 


COL 


458 


C  O  L 


Coffee  should  be  boiled  eight  or  twelve  hours  before 
it  is  drunk ;  and  if  the  liquor  is  mixed  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  milk  it  is  excellent. 

It  is  the  most  approved  method  to  prepare  the  coffee 
by  infusion  only.  An  ounce  and  quarter  of  coffee  is 
allowed  to  a  pint  of  water,  which  must  be  added  in  a 
boiling  state,  and  continue  simmering,  closely  covered, 
for  two  hours.  In  this  time  it  must  be  frequently  shaken, 
or  agitated  with  a  chocolate  mill :  in  the  common  ves- 
sel, styled  the  coffee  biggin,  it  is  prepared  very  com- 
pletely. The  inferiority  of  the  West  Indian  to  the  Le- 
vant coffee,  is  said  to  arise  from  plucking  the  berries  too 
soon.  They  arc  then  larger,  but  have  not  attained  their 
true  flavour. 

If  coffee  is  drunk  warm  within  an  hour  after  dinner,  it 
is  of  singular  use  to  those  who  have  head  achs  from  a 
weakness  in  the  stomach,  contracted  by  too  great  atten- 
tion, or  from  irregularity.  The  phlegmatic  and  corpu- 
lent are  much  benefited  by  its  use.  In  some  delicate 
habits  it  produces  nervous  symptoms ;  but,  in  general, 
gives  cheerfulness  and  serenity  of  mind.  It  soon  carries 
off  the  disagreeable  effects  of  opium ;  and  has  been  said, 
by  sir  John  Pringle,  to  relieve  obstinate  spasmodic  asth- 
mas. It  certainly  prevents  sleep  in  many  constitutions; 
and  we  have  known  it  prove  a  quick,  easy,  laxative. 
Prosper  Alpinus  is  immoderate  in  his  praises  of  coffee  ; 
and  the  Persians  say  it  was  revealed  by  the  angel  Ga- 
briel, to  relieve  Mahomet  after  his  fatigues.  It  is  slight- 
ly astringent  and  antiseptic,  moderates  alimentary  fer- 
mentation, and  is  powerfully  sedative.  Drunk  too  soon 
after  port  wine,  it  often  produces  a  disagreeable  acidity 
in  the  stomach  j  and  indeed  an  acidity  is  obvious,  at 
once,  to  the  taste,  on  mixing  coffee  and  port  wine.  See 
Lewis's  Mat.  Med.;  Neumann's  Chem.  Works  ;  Per- 
cival's  Ess.  Med.  and  Exp.  vol.  ii.;  Lettsom's  edit,  of 
I'oihcrgill's  Works,  vol.  ii. 

COIiOBATIO,  COHO'BIUM,  COHOPH.  Co- 
HOBATION.  It  is  the  returning  a  liquor,  distilled  from 
any  substance,  back  again  upon  the  same  substance, 
and  redistilling  it  with  or  without  an  addition  of  fresh 
ingredients.  The  alembic,  called  a  pelican,  was  invent- 
ed for  the  more  easily  effecting  this  operation;  modern 
chemists  neglect  it.  Paracelsus  uses  the  word  cahob 
when  a  disease  does  not  easily  yield  to  the  remedies 
applied.  Medicines,  therefore,  are  to  be  given  secun- 
dum  cohob ;  that  is,  repeated  at  intervals. 

CO'HOL,  (from  cohol,  antimony).  See  ALCOHOL. 
Casteilus  says,  that  it  is  used  in  Avicenna  to  express 
collyriafor  the  eyes,  in  fine  powder. 

COI'LIMA,  (from  x»;A<«,  the  bowels).  A  sudden 
swelling  of  the  belly  from  wind. 

CO'IRA.     See  TERRA  JAPONICA. 

COI'TIO,  (from  coi?o,  to  cohabit).  The  act  of  ve- 
nery.  See  VENUS. 

COLATO'RIA  LACTE'A.     See  FLUOR  ALBUS. 

COLATO'RIUM,  (from  colo,  to  strain}.  A  STRAIN- 
KK  of  any  kind. 

COLATU'RA,  (from  the  same).  Any  strained  or 
tillered  liquor.  See  DEPURATIO. 

CQLCAQUAHUI'TL.  An  American  plant,  com- 
mended in  palsies  and  uterine  disorders.  Rail  Hist.. 

COLCESTKE'NSIS  A'QUA.  COLCHESTER  WA- 
TER. This  mineral  water  is  of  the  bitter  purging  kind, 
similar  to  that  at  Epsom,  but  not  so  strong.  See  A 

MINKRALES. 


CO'LCHICUM,  (from  CWcA/s,  a  city  in  Asia,  \vh-  r" 
this  plant  abounds).  Called  also  coum,  colc/iicum  curn- 
munt ;  diigticum,  jiur/iureum,  el  album.  Colchiciun 
autumnale  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  485.  Nat.  Ord.  liliacecs  of 
Murray.  MEADOW  SAFFRON. 

It  grows  in  meadows  that  are  moist  and  rich,  and 
sometimes  in  marshy  grounds.  It  hath  two  fleshy  bulb- 
ous roots  ;  the  one  producing,  from  its  lower  part,  a 
smaller  bulb.  From  the  last  arises,  in  autumn,  along  a 
furrow,  in  the  side  of  the  old  root,  a  slender,  hollow, 
transparent  pedicle  ;  widening  at  the  top  into  a  flower, 
like  that  of  a  crocus ;  divided  into  six  segments,  of  a  pur- 
plish or  whitish  colour;  withering  in  two  or  three  days. 
From  the  same  root  spring,  early  in  the  following  sea- 
son, three  or  four  upright  leaves,  like  those  of  the  lily  ; 
in  the  middle  of  which  appear,  on  short  pedicles,  com- 
monly three  triangular  pods,  about  the  size  of  small 
walnuts,  divided  into  three  cells,  full  of  roundish  dark 
coloured  seeds.  The  outer  root  is  barren  and  shrivelled, 
the  inner  one  produces  the  plant. 

When  the  root  is  young  and  fresh,  its  taste  is  very 
acrid ;  but,  when  old,  it  is  mealy  and  faint.  For  medi- 
cal purposes  it  is  best  when  full  of  sap.  Two  drachms 
of  this  root  killed  a  large  dog ;  after  occasioning  violent 
pain  for  about  thirteen  hours,  it  operated  by  vomit, 
stool,  and  urine.  One  grain  of  it  swallowed  by  a  healthy- 
man  produced  heat  in  the  stomach,  and,  soon  after, 
flushing  heats  in  different  parts  of  the  body,  with  fre- 
quent shiverings,  followed  by  colic  pains:  itching  in  the 
loins  and  urinary  passages  was  soon  afterwards  per- 
ceived, and  then  came  on  a  continual  inclination  to 
make  water,  a  tenesmus,  pain  in  the  head,  a  rapid  pulse, 
thirst,  and  other  disagreeable  symptoms. 

Notwithstanding  these,  effects,  when  dissolved  in 
vinegar,  or  made  into  an  oxymel,  it  becomes  a  safe,  but 
powerful  medicine.  The  roots  should  be  fresh  and  full 
of  sap  when  they  are  used.  In  slicing  them,  they  emit 
acrid  particles,  which  affect  the  head,  irritate  the  nostrils, 
throat,  and  breast ;  the  fingers  which  hold  them,  when 
cutting,  are  benumbed  for  a  time.  Their  acrimony  is 
wholly  taken  up  by  vinegar. 

When  this  root  is  imprudently  swallowed,  a  pint  of 
water,  with  an  ounce  of  vinegar,  or  lemon  juice,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  the  syrup  of  poppy  heads,  form  a  sa- 
lutary mixture,  which  should  be  drunk  frequently. 

ACE'TUM  CO'LCHICI.  Take  of  the  fresh  roots  of 
meadow  saffron,  sliced,  an  ounce;  white  wine  vinegar, 
a  pint.  Mix  and  digest  in  a  glass  vessel,  over  a  gentle 
fire,  during  forty-eight  hours  ;  then  strain  the  liquor. 

This  vinegar  is  made  into  an  oxymel,  by  adding  to 
each  pint  two  pounds  of  clarified  honey,  mixing  them 
by  boiling.  This  is  the  oxymel  colc/iici  of  the  L-.ndon 
Dispensatory. 

As  it  is  of  consequence  that  the  bulbs  be  in  perfec- 
tion, they  should  be  taken  up  in  autumn. 

This  oxymel  is  agreeably  acid,  gently  pungent,  and 
moderately  astringent,  clearing  the  tongue  effectually 
from  mucus.  In  an  increased  dose  it  is  an  emetic,  and 
sometimes  purgative  ;  but  its  most  general  effect  is 
diuretic,  and  as  such  it  is  very  constant,  and  remark- 
ably powerful. 

The  dose  should  be  small  at  the  first;  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  may  be  given  two  or  three  times  a  day,  in- 
creasing the  dose  as  the  stomach  will  admit.  In  drop- 
sies and  tertian  agues  its  success  has  been  great;  as  an 


459 


COL 


expectorant,  it  succeeds  when  squills  fail ;  and  when 
opiates  are  joined  with  expectorants,  this  oxymel  should 
be  preferred,  for  no  medicines  in  conjunction  interfere 
with  its  operation.  See  Dr.  Storck's  Essay  on  the  Use 
and  Effects  of  the  Root  of  the  Colchicum  Autumnale. 
For  its  use  in  dropsies,  see  London  Med.  Journal,  vol.  i. 
p.  395.  In  Germany  and  France,  it  continues  still  to 
be  a  favourite  medicine.  In  England,  it  is  generally 
thought  a  less  efficacious  diuretic  than  the  squill,  which 
yet  excels  it  as  an  expectorant.  We  have,  however, 
often  found  it  a  more  effectual  diuretic. 

CO'LCHICUM  ILLYRICUM.     See  HERMODACTYLCS. 

CO'LCHICUM  ZEYLA'.VICUM.     See  ZEDOAKIA. 

CO'LCOTAR.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

CO'LCOTHAR,  SAL,  is  the  salt  obtained  when  th» 
rolrothar  of  vitriol  is  washed  in  water;  it  is  also  named 
fixed  salt  of  vitriol.  If  borax  is  added  to  this  salt,  and 
the  mixture  exposed  to  the  fire,  it  easily  sublimes  in  the 
form  of  silver-coloured  saline  flowers,  thus  forming  the 
*al  sedatii'us  Homb^ririi;  already  mentioned  as  the  acid 
of  borax  (see  CHF.MISTRY).  Two  ounces  of  this  salt 
of  vitriol,  well  calcined,  must  be  dissolved  in  a  quart  of 
warm  water ;  the  same  quantity  of  borax  must  be  dis- 
solved also  in  a  quart  of  warm  water :  these  solutions 
being  mixed  and  tillered,  the  clear  liquor  must  be  eva- 
porated in  a  griass  alembic  to  dryness,  then  the  dry  mass 
must  be  sublimed.  By  mixing  oil  of  vitriol  with  twice 
its  weight  of  borax,  the  same  sedative  salt  may  be  more 
easily  obtained. 

COLD.  Cold  is  an  agent  peculiarly  powerful  in  pro- 
ducing diseases,  and  removing  them;  indeed  almost  the 
fabled  spear,  which  heals  the  wounds  that  it  has  in- 
flicted. Though  we  have  styled  cold  an  agent,  it  is 
seemingly  a  privation  of  heat ;  and  the  application  of 
cold  to  the  human  body,  is  only  the  application  of  such 
bodies  which  powerfully  attract  heat  in  consequence  of 
their  lower  temperature:  apparently,  in  some  cases,  from 
their  possessing  a  greater  affinity  for  caloric,  or  from 
carrying  offbeat  in  consequence  of  their  evaporation. 

In  the  human  body,  cold  is  a  relative  term.  We  style 
it  cold  when  the  thermometer  is  at  70°,  if  it  has  suddenly 
-,unk  from  84°  to  that  point;  but  it  is  cold  only  at 
.  if  the  air  has  been  long  at  40°,  with  little  wind. 
Temperate  heat  is  generally  placed  at  62°  ;  but  the  uni- 
form heat  of  the  earth  in  England  is  about  51°.  From 
about  these  two  last  points — for,  from  many  circum- 
stances, there  must  be  a  considerable  variety — cold  di- 
minishes the  irritability  of  moving  fibres:  they  contract 
more  slowly  ;  but,  as  cold  condenses  the  skin,  it  presses 
more  firmly  on  the  subjacent  vessels,  and  gives  addi- 
tional tone  to  the  whole  system.  This  effect  of  general 
pressure  is  evinced  by  the  hilarity  which  we  feel  in  a 
dense  elastic  atmosphere ;  and  the  same  effect  some- 
times arises'  even  from  the  support  of  clothes :  an  advan- 
tage felt  by  the  weak  and  irritable  of  the  softer  sex. 
In  this  state  of  the  atmosphere,  the  perspiration  is  dimi- 
nished ;  but  the  discharge  of  that  gaseous,  insensible 
halitus,  which  contributes  so  powerfully  to  our  feelings 
of  health,  seems  to  be  continued  with  unabated  vigour, 
and  to  be  occasionally  increased.  The  discharges  from 
the  bronchial  glands,  from  thelacrymal,  and  from  those 
of  the  whole  Schneiderian  membrane,  are  augmented  ; 
and  these,  with  the  increased  discharge  of  urine,  seem 
chiefly  to  supply  the  deficiency  of  the  perspiration  :  for 


in  steady  continued  cold,  the  bowels  are  by  no  means 
relaxed,  often  in  a  contrary  state. 

The  nervous  system  seems  to  suffer  in  nearly  the 
same  manner  with  the  moving  libres.  Its  sensibility 
is  diminished ;  but  the  mental  powers,  we  mean  the  in- 
tellectual, do  not  suffer.  They  seem  to  acquire  vigour 
with  the  lone  of  the  body  ;  while  tenderness,  sensibility, 
and  those  feelings  connected  with  an  irritable  system, 
are,  in  proportion,  less  acute.  The  stomach,  which 
partakes  of  the  state  of  the  nerves  and  moving  fibres, 
experiences  an  increased  tone.  Its  functions  are  less 
rapid,  but  performed  more  perfectly ;  and,  for  similar 
reasons,  the  bowels  are  frequently  less  active,  and  the 
nutritious  particles,  by  delay,  more  completely  separat- 
ed. In  short,  if  we  were  to  fix  the  limits  where  the 
animal  system  was  in  its  most  perfect  vigour,  we  should 
say  it  was  in  those  regions  where  the  heat  seldom  rises 
above  70°,  or  falls  below  3 

When,  during  a  great  part  of  the  year,  the  heat  is 
below  the  latter  point,  we  find  all  the  effects  mentioned 
more  striking,  except  the  vigour  of  the  intellectual  fa- 
culties. When  the  irritability  is  further  lessened, 
strength  of  mind  becomes  torpor;  energy  and  vigour 
are  sunk  in  sensibility,  and  roused  only  by  violent  causes 
to  temporary  exertions.  When  still  further  lessened, 
the  distinguishing  features  of  humanity  are  almost 
wholly  lost.  Even  parental  affection  has  little  influence; 
and  the  great  duties  of  religion  are  heard  with  indiffer- 
ence. The  exertions  necessary  for  the  support  of  life, 
few  as  they  are,'  occupy  the  mind  and  body.  Love, 
which  in  warmer  and  more  genial  climates  refines  the 
heart,  and  awakens  every  finer  feeling,  here  sinks  into 
an  animal  passion,  neither  importunate  nor  refined  ;  and 
the  same  want  of  irritability  protracts  the  period  of  pu- 
berty, and  lessens  the  proportional  number  of  the  off- 
spring. A  truly  wise  provision,  where  the  means  of 
support  are  so  scanty. 

The  temporary  effects  of  cold  we  have,  in  part,  anti- 
cipated, under  the  article  of  BATHING,  q.  v.  All  the 
changes  just  noticed  come  on  rapidly;  but  the  accumu- 
lated irritability,  when  no  longer  repressed,  restores  the 
glow.  If,  however,  the  cause  continues,  the  debility  is 
increased;  the  pulse  flutters  with  an  irregular,  inter- 
rupted action;  the  senses  become  gradually  weaker ;  a 
propensity  to  sleep  so  irresistible,  that  the  victim  is 
content  to  purchase  it  with  his  life,  supervenes,  and 
death  creeps  imperceptibly  on  this  lethargy.  The  tor- 
pid animal,  who  passes  his  winter  in  this  state  of  apparent 
death,  recovers  on  the  approach  of  spring.  His  irrita- 
bility, suspended  for  a  time,  is  accumulated ;  and  he 
wakes  from  his  death-like  sleep  with  new  vigour.  When 
examined  with  a  microscope,  the  vessels  appear  like 
dark  lines  ;  for  the  fluids  are  apparently  coagulated. 
The  action  is  first  perceived  in  the  vessels  :  this  breaks 
the  line  into  minute  portions  before  these  become  un- 
distinguishable  in  a  circulating  fluid. 

The  partial  action  of  cold  has  similar  effects;  but  they 
are  confined  to  the  part  only.  The  bulk  of  the  organ 
is  diminished;  the  vessels  are  less  distinguishable:  the 
skin  becomes  pale ;  and,  if  the  coid  is  too  long  con- 
.tinued,  its  life  is  destroyed.  Before,  however,  this  last 
effect  takes  place,  we  avail  ourselves  of  the  change:  the 
hernia  is  reduced;  the  puerperal  discharge  checked; 
inflammation  diminished. 


COL 


460 


COL 


The  diseases  which  cold  produces  are  not  numerous, 
its  we  speak  only  of  continued  cold.  It  checks,  as  we 
have  said,  the  growth ;  it  protracts  the  period  of  puberty ; 
and  renders  the  female  less  prolific.  All  these,  how- 
ever, are  within  the  limits  of  health  :  and  we  may  as 
well  say,  that  the  Italian  female,  full  of  fire  and  passion, 
is  diseased  from  excess  of  fulness  and  irritability,  as  the 
Laplander  from  the  defect  of  both.  But,  when  the 
paucity  of  the  menstrual  discharge  becomes  a  suppres- 
sion ;  when  the  circulation  can  be  no  longer  carried  to 
the  extremities,  but  chilblains  and  sphacelus  affect  the 
fingers  and  toes ;  when  the  whole  system  languishes ; 
disease  must  be  present.  Yet,  if  we  consider  the  va- 
riety of  climates;  the  rigour  of  the  arctic  winters;  the 
hardships  of  the  Esquimaux,  or  of  the  sailor,  in  pursuit  of 
the  whale  and  seal;  when  we  see,  at  the  same  time,  the 
few  diseases  to  which  they  are  subject ;  we  are  almost 
tempted  to  assert,  that  continued  cold  is  very  rarely  the 
cause  of  disease. 

The  principal  disorders  attributed  to  cold  are  owing 
to  its  irregular  application  to  the  body  overheated,  or  to 
•A  partial  stream  of  cold  air  on  one  particular  organ. 
From  hence  arise  catarrhs,  with  all  their  attendant 
symptoms,  and  their  accustomed  danger  ;  from  hence 
fevers,  rheumatisms,  diarrhoea,  and  all  the  variety  of 
epidemics,  with  their  attendant  evils,  date  their  origin. 
Even  the  most  destructive  miasmata  often  rest  innocu- 
ous in  the  body,  unless  excited  to  action  by  cold ;  and 
when  we  hinted  that  all  catarrhs  may  originate  from 
miasmata,  we  admitted  that  cold  was  an  exciting  cause. 
In  this  enumeration  we  have  omitted  two  diseases 
.attributed  to  cold  :  the  chaps  on  the  lips  and  skin,  from 
the  contraction  of  cold  air;  and  the  fragility  of  the 
bones,  the  fragile  vitreum  of  Gaubius,  supposed  to  be 
equally  the  effect  of  condensation.  The  former  are 
scarcely  diseases ;  and  there  is  much  reason  to  con- 
clude, that  the  deep  seated  bones  are  little  affected  by 
the  inclemency  of  the  air.  The  internal  parts  preserve 
their  usual  heat  in  air  of  every  temperature,  without 
increase  or  diminution,  as  we  have  already  shown ;  and 
if  fractures  are  more  common  in  cold  weather,  it  must 
be  recollected  that  our  steps  are  then  more  unsteady, 
the  ground  harder,  and  irregularly  uneven. 

It  has  been  contended,  that  cold  is,  in  its  primary 
action,  a  stimulant;  but  the  idea  arises  from  the  refine- 
ments of  system,  rather  than  observation.  From  the 
first  effects  of  cold,  what  has  been  styled  reaction  so 
suddenly  follows,  as  to  mislead  the  incurious  or  the  pre- 
judiced attendant.  The  dispute  will,  however,  at  last, 
become  verbal :  for  it  is  in  no  case  contended  that  its 
stimulus  will  be  injurious;  and  generally  admitted,  that 
with  little,  often  imperceptible  stimulus,  it  may  be 
quickly  rendered  a  powerful  sedative. 

If  we  look  to  cold  as  a  remedy,  we  shall  find  a  more 
cheering  prospect.  In  our  observations  on  cold  bath- 
ing, we  have  distinguished  it  in  its  immediate,  its  con- 
tinued, and  repeated  action.  When  we  speak  of  cold 
in  this  place,  we  treat  chiefly  of  its  immediate  and  its 
continued  action;  for  cold  applications  are  principally 
useful  in  these  ways.  We  were  almost  led  to  confine 
our  remarks  to  the  latter;  but  there  are  some  facts 
which  will  not  admit  wholly  of  this  explanation. 

Cold  is  highly  useful  in  FEVERS  of  almost  every  kind, 
though  it  will  often  admit  only  of  the  slight  application 


of  cold  air ;  and  rheumatic  fevers  seem  to  be  the  only 
exception.  The  heat  forms  the  true  indication  for  its 
use ;  since,  in  the  early  stage  of  intermittents,  or  in  the 
exhausted  state  of  protracted  typhi,  it  is  less  admissible. 
When  there  is  considerable  heat,  and  no  fixed  organic 
affection  of  the  internal  parts,  cold  is  often  a  very  salu- 
tary remedy.  We  have,  indeed,  some  instances,  where, 
in  a  protracted  cold  fit,  the  application  of  cold  has  has- 
tened the  reaction;  but  the  practice  will  be  dangerous, 
unless  the  patient  is  strong  and  active.  The  effect  of 
cold  in  the  hot  fit  of  fevers  is  to  lessen  the  heat,  and 
hasten  the  perspiration.  This  discharge  is  checked 
when  the  heat  is  considerable,  and  seldom  takes  place 
when  it  is  much  above  100°.  Dr.  Alexander  places  the 
perspirable  heat  too  high,  viz.  at  108°. 

Synocha  is  well  adapted  to  this  remedy;  but  it  seldom, 
occurs  without  the  combination  of  internal  inflamma- 
tion, except  when  owing  to  worms,  or  sordes  in  the  ab- 
domen. In  each  case,  cold  must  be  employed  with 
some  caution  and  discrimination.  Yet  cool  air  and  cool 
drinks  may  be  allowed.  Let  us  take  this  opportunity 
of  making  the  distinction.  By  cold,  when  we  speak  of 
drinks,  we  mean,  in  general,  from  51°  to  40°;  by  cool, 
from  48°  to  60°.  The  coolness  of  air  is  more  relative; 
and,  in  general,  means  from  10°  to  15°  below  the  mean 
heat  of  the  chamber,  which  should  never  exceed,  if  pos- 
sible, 62°.  It  will  be  obvious,  that  these  numbers  are 
not  to  be  taken  with  minute  precision,  but  only  as  a 
general  standard. 

In  typhus,  the  use  of  cold  is  a  subject  of  greater 
nicety.  Cool  air  and  cool  drinks  are  always  proper, 
except  when  the  patient  sinks  from  faintness.  Yet  De 
Haen,  as  we  have  already  observed,  used  it  in  a  low  epi- 
demic fever,  at  Breslaw,  with  some  appearance  of  suc- 
cess ;  Dr.  Gregory  has  sponged  the  body  with  cold  water 
or  vinegar;  and  the  practitioners  of  America  have  em- 
ployed it  even  more  boldly  in  this,  and  its  kindred  dis- 
ease, the  yellow  fever.  The  exhibition  of  calomel,  at  the 
same  time,  does  not  seem  to  deter  them;  and,  indeed, 
till  some  effect  on  the  gums  appears,  no  benefit  is  de- 
rived from  the  medicine.  Should  it  produce  this  pecu- 
liar symptom,  its  worst  consequence,  little  disadvantage 
would  probably  arise.  In  some  instances,  very  cold 
water  has  been  employed  as  a  clyster ;  and  ice,  in  a 
bladder,  applied  to  the  stomach,  or  other  parts,  suffer- 
ing under  acute  pain.  !•  rom  ourselves  we  can  say  little ; 
we  have,  in  a  few  instances,  employed  it  certainly  with- 
out injury;  we  can  scarcely  say  with  any  striking  advan- 
tage. Where  the  heat  is  great,  it  may  be  most  freely 
used :  when  inconsiderable,  sponging  is  the  most  ad- 
viseable  application  of  cold,  and  vinegar  mixed  with 
water  may  have  its  advantages.  The  different  parts  of 
the  body  should  be  sponged  also  in  succession. 

Pm-KGMASijE.  Ojihthalmia  has  been  constantly  be- 
nefited by  cold  applications;  and  the  fact  is  so  gene- 
rally understood,  that  we  need  not  enlarge  on  it.  Even 
ether,  which  produces  a  considerable  degree  of  cold  by 
evaporation,  has  been  employed.  Cynanc/ie,  we  are  told 
by  Dr.  Rogers,  is  relieved  in  the  northern  climates  by 
rubbing  ice  externally  on  the  throat.  A  practice  not 
very  dissimilar  is  recommended  in  some  parts  of  Eng- 
land, holding  a  piece  of  nitre  or  sal  prunella  in  the 
mouth.  Some  caution  is  necessary,  that  this  remedy  be 
not  employed  hi  the  malignant  angina.  In  fifirenitis,  the 


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utility  of  cold  applications  is  sufficiently  known  and 
well  established :  but  in  the  other  internal  inflamma- 
tion il  is  a  suspicious  remedy.  From  its  utility  in  hernia 
we  may  be  led  to  employ  it  in  enteritis.  In  this  dis- 
ease, cold  water  has  been  dashed  against  the  legs  and 
thighs  with  advantage ;  but  it  will  be  recollected,  that, 
in  hernia,  enteritis,  and  cynanche,  we  approach  so  near 
the  part  aifected,  that  the  cold  is  almost  an  external  ap- 
plication; and,  though  we  have  mentioned  among  the 
effects  of  cold  a  costive  state,  we  then  spoke  of  its  con- 
tinued application  in  a  cold  climate.  In  nefihritia  we 
are  told,  by  Mercurialis,  that  cold  is  useful ;  and,  as  we 
can  so  nearly  reach  the  bladder,  either  by  the  perinxum 
or  above  the  pubes,  we  suspect  it  may  be  useful  also  in 
eystiti*. 

In  external  fihlegmone,  and  all  inflammations  of  the 
joints,  cold  is  a  more  doubtiul  remedy.  It  has  never, 
we  believe,  been  employed  in  rheumatism ;  and  in  gout 
we  still  think  it  must  be  injurious.  In  strains,  in  the 
white  swellings  of  the  knee,  and  in  the  morbus  coxarius, 
cold,  in  the  early  stages,  is  advantageous ;  and  it  is  ren- 
dered more  effectual,  by  increasing  the  momentum  of 
the  water,  the  form  in  which  it  is  usually  employed,  by 
pumping,  which  also  regularly  renews  the  cold  applica- 
tion to  the  part. 

In  the  HJEMORRHAGI.E,  with  scarcely,  if  any,  ex- 
ception, cold  is  useful ;  and  cold  drinks,  cold  air,  cold 
applications,  are  of  the  greatest  importance.  Even  in 
haemorrhages  from  the  lungs  it  may  be  employed  with 
little  apprehension  ;  and  nitre,  a  remedy  so  powerful  in 
every  case  of  haemorrhages,  acts  only  by  the  cold  which 
it  produces.  Hemorrhages  from  the  uterus  are  restrained 
by  cold,  though  they  often  require  it  in  the  most  active 
degree ;  and,  perhaps,  iced  injections  into  the  rectum 
would  be  serviceable.  Cold  injections  in  the  hemorr- 
fioides  are  powerful  and  efficacious  remedies.  Cold  is, 
perhaps,  best  adapted  to  the  active  haemorrhages ;  but 
even  those  from  debility  and  tenuity  of  the  blood 
reap  little  less  advantage  from  its  use. 

In  the  EXANTHEMATA,  cold  is  also  aver}'  useful  remedy. 
In  the  small  jiox,  we  know  it  is  freely  and  advantage- 
ously employed  in  .he  form  of  cold  air  and  cold  drinks. 
Accident  has  even  shown,  that  cold  bathing,  in  the  worst 
kinds  of  the  complaint,  has  preserved  the  patient  from 
the  most  imminent  danger.  If,  however,  cold  is  used 
in  these  eruptive  diseases,  it  must  be  employed  with 
steadiness  and  perseverance.  Slight  cold,  soon  Discon- 
tinued, will  be  rather  injurious  than  beneficial.  The 
effect  of  cold  in  these  cases  is  to  moderate  the  too 
active  determination  to  the  skin ;  which,  pouring  the 
fluids  under  the  cuticle  faster  than  they  can  be  trans- 
mitted, are  detained,  and  by  their  irritation  produce  the 
peculiar  pustules.  When  this  determination  is  re- 
strained, moderate  perspiration,  or  the  insensible  halitus, 
which  we  have  before  called,  with  Chenot,  the  diafir.'dr, 
succeeds.  The  eruption  of  the  small  pox  may  be  thus 
in  a  great  degree,  or  even  entirely,  suspended  with 
safety :  we  scarcely  dare  to  say  the  same  of  the  other 
exanthemata. 

In  measles,  the  poison  is  directed  to  the  eyes,  the 
bronchial  glands,  and  often  to  the  breast.  These  affec- 
lion^  have  prevented  the  free  use  of  cold.  In  peripneu- 
mony,  'he  advocates  for  its  use  can  only  allege,  that 
when  cold  has  been  employed  in  other  diseases  with 
which  the  peripneumony  was  complicated,  it  has  done 


no  injury.  In  catarrh  we  find  a  few  instances,  but 
from  a  suspicious  source,  in  which  it  is  said  to  have 
been  useful ;  but,  on  the  whole,  we  find  little  founda- 
tion for  pronouncing  cold  even  generally  safe  in  affec- 
tions of  the  breast.  We  must,  therefore,  dissuade  the 
practitioner  from  employing  it  in  measles ;  nor  is  it 
necessary,  when  we  find  that  we  can  easily  diminish  all 
the  dangerous  symptoms  by  cathartics.  In  scarlatina, 
the  experience  of  Dr.  Currie,  and  the  decisive  conduct 
of  Dr.  Gregory,  have  established  the  utility  of  cold  affu- 
sions. They  are  employed  to  counteract  the  heat,  and 
must  be  continued  while  any  considerable  heat  remains. 

In  the  miliaria,  the  use  of  cold  drinks  and  cool  air 
has  been  long  established ;  and  such  is  their  success, 
either  in  preventing  or  removing  the  disease,  that  we 
seldom  want  actual  cold :  at  least  such  has  been  the 
fortune  of  the  author.  In  violent  cases,  there  is  certainly 
no  objection  to  actual  cold. 

In  trysifif  la- ,  some  apprehensions  have  been  entertain- 
ed of  the  effects  of  cold  as  a  repellent ;  we  believe  without 
foundation.  When,  in  this  disease,  the  brain  is  affected, 
subsequent  to  the  tumour  and  inflammation  of  the  face 
and  head,  the  latter  does  not  subside :  it  is  a  continuance 
of  the  same  affection,  or  rather  a  greater  extent  of  dis- 
ease ;  and  authors  of  credit  have  employed  it  with  success. 

In  the  filague,  if  it  be  really  a  genus  of  this  order,  our 
late  experience  in  Egypt  has  fully  established  the  ad- 
vantages of  cold  applications,  cold  air,  and  cold  affusions. 
These  are  particularly  said  to  prevent  bubos ;  and  it  is 
highly  probable  that  considerable  and  continued  cold 
would  be  useful  to  anthrax  and  other  situations.  The 
practitioner  should,  however,  recollect,  that  anthrax  is 
sometimes  aftp.arently  critical. 

Proflu-via,  the  next  order,  contains  but  two  genera ; 
and  in  one  of  these,  catarrh,  we  have  said  that  cold  is 
inadmissible:  yet  in  the  epidemic  catarrh,  cool  air  and 
cool  drinks  have  been  generally  useful.  We  know  not 
that  the  Application  of  cold  has  been  carried  further. 

In  dysentery,  cold  affusions  are  recommended  by  Dr. 
Lind.  An  Italian  physician,  Signer  Rosa,  recommends 
clysters  of  the  coldest  water. 

In  the  sanguineous  afiofilexy  (of  the  order  COMATA), 
cold  applications  will  undoubtedly  be  useful ;  but  we 
find  little  authority  for  their  use.  In  the  hydrocefihalus, 
which  has  been  lately  classed  under  this  genus,  the 
coldest  water  applied  to  the  head  is  said,  by  Dr.  Rush, 
to  be  serviceable ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to  say  in  so  early 
a  stage  what  the  disease  really  is.  Little  danger  will. 
however,  probably  ensue  from  cold  applications  in  any 
kind  of  headach.  The  apoplexy  from  narcotic  poisons 
is  always  greatly  relieved  by  cold  applications.  (See 
BATHIXG)%  Tissot  mentions  the  good  effects  of  cold 
affusions  in  the  coufi  de  soleil.  In  partial  palsies,  pump- 
ing on  the  affected  limb,  and  then  covering  it  with 
warm  flannel,  is  often  serviceable  ;  and  in  weak  joints, 
a  similar  remedy  is  equally  beneficial. 

In  the  SPASMI,  cold  is  chiefly  useful  in  the  form  of 
cold  bathing,  which  we  have  already  noticed.  In  colic 
and  cholera,  cold  drinks  will  be  useful ;  but  they  should 
be  administered  with  caution  in  small  quantities,  fre^ 
quently  repeated. 

The  success  of  cold,  in  every  form,  in  maniacal  cases, 
is  well  established  by  a  great  variety  of  the  most  re- 
spectable evidence;  particularly  of  cold  applications  to 
the  head.  In  tympanites  it  is  recommended  by  Dr, 


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Cullen;  and  in  ischuria,  placing  the  patient  on  a  wet 
stone  floor,  on  his  naked  feet,  has  often  removed  the 
obstruction.  It  has  been  common  to  recommend  bath- 
ing scrofulous  tumours -with  sea  water  :  but  the  effect 
is  apparently  from  the  cold;  and  we  have  often  em- 
ployed common  water  with  similar  success.  In  burns 
we  have  already  mentioned  the  utility  of  cold  water. 
See  COMBUSTIO. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  add  an  account  of  some  easy 
methods  of  producing  a  considerable  degree  of  cold. 
W  hen  ice  or  snow  are  to  be  procured,  we  want  no 
further  assistance,  for  we  can  cool  water  only  to  Un- 
freezing point.  When  these  are  not  at  hand,  water 
from  a  ileep  well  will  be  found  to  be  at  the  heat  of 
about  50°.  By  adding  gradually  a  mixture  of  nitre  and 
crude  sal  ammoniac  (nmriated  ammonia),  in  the  propor- 
tion of  8  to  5,  this  water  may  be  gradually  cooled  down 
to  about  38°.  When  we  reflect  that  the  heat  of  the 
body  is  98°,  and  that  of  the  diseased  part  at  least  104°, 
even  the  first  degree  will  be  considerable;  and  by 
repeating  the  application  we  shall  often  obtain  the  ex- 
pected relief.  From  the  water  artificially  cooled,  the 
benefit  may  be  increased.  But  if  this  water  be  put  into 
a  bladder,  and  moistened  with  ether,  spirit  of  wine,  or 
indeed  with  common  water,  in  a  free  current  of  air,  the 
temperature  will  be  nearly  that  of  ice,  and  fully  equal 
to  any  of  the  indications  before  laid  down.  The  greatest 
extremity  of  cold  required,  is  in  some  cases  of  puerperal 
uterine  haemorrhage.  In  this  we  have  known  the  patient 
exposed  to  the  severest  winter  cold,  covered  only  with 
a  sheet,  which  has  been  kept  constantly  wetted ;  and 
life  has  been  only  preserved  by  such  severe  treatment. 
But  we  must  repeat  that  in  every  case,  where  cold  is 
indicated,  its  use  must  be  steady  and  constant. 

CO'LES,  or  CO'LIS,  (from  xavfof,  a  stalk}.  See 
PENIS. 

CO'LI  DE'XTRUM,  LIGAME'NTUM.  Where 
the  mesentery  changes  its  name  for  that  of  mesocolon 
(near  the  extremity  of  the  ileum)  the  particular  lamina, 
which  is  turned  to  the  right  side,  forms  a  small  trans- 
verse fold,  which  is  thus  named. 

CO'LI  SINI'STHUM,  LIGAME'NTUM.  It  is  a  con- 
traction of  the  mesocolon,  a  little  below  the  left 
kidney. 

CO'LICA,  (from  xaAov,  colon,  the  name  of  one  of 
the  intestines).  The  COLIC;  sometimes  called rachial- 
gia  ;  but  this  term  is  more  particularly  confined  to  the 
colica  jiictonum,  the  second  species. 

The  appellation  of  colic  is  commonly  given  to  all 
pains  of  the  abdomen,  almost  indiscriminately  ;  but 
from  the  different  causes  and  circumstances  of  this  dis- 
order, it  is  differently  denominated,  and  som§  difference 
in  the  mode  of  cure  is  also  to  be  observed  in  different 
cases. 

"When  the  pain  is  accompanied  with  a  vomiting  of 
bile,  or  with  obstinate  costiveness,  it  is  called  a  bilious 
colic  ;  if  flatus  causes  the  pain,  that  is,  if  attended  with 
temporary  distention, relieved  by  the  discharge  of  wind, 
it  takes  the  name  of  Jlatuleni  or  ivindy  colic ;  when  ac- 
companied with  symptoms  of  heat  and  inflammation,  it 
takes  the  name  of  inflammatory  colic,  or  enteritis.  The 
different  kinds  seem  to  be  properly  included,  under  the 
distinctions  of  inflammatory,  spasmodic,  and  flatulent 
colic. 

The  inflammatory  is  when  actual  inflammation  seizes 


some  part  of  the  intestinal  canal;  the  disorder  will  then 
be  considered  and  treated  as  an  inflammation  of  the  re- 
spective part.  See  INFLAMMATIO  VENTIUCULI  and  n-, 

TESTINORUM. 

The  x/iasmodic  is  when  pain  affects  the  belly  princi- 
pally about  the  navel,  attended  with  an  obstinate  costive- 
ness,  and  either  a  nausea,  or  actual  vomiting.  In  the 
beginning  it  is  without  inflammation,  though  inflamma- 
tion is  often  a  consequence. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
neuroses,  and  order  s/iasmi  ;  and  defines  it,  pain  of  the 
abdomen,  particularly  round  the  umbilicus,  attended 
with  vomiting  and  costiveness.  He  enumerates  seven 
species. 

1.  CO'LICA    SPASMODICA,    with    retraction    of    the 
navel ;  and  spasm  of  the  muscles  of  the  belly. 

2.  CO'LICA    PICTONUM,  called  also   rachialgia  fiicto- 
num;  me.tallica;  traumatica.  It  is  also  called  bellon,  when 
produced  by  lead.     Beasts  and  poultry,  as  well  as  men, 
are   subject  to  it,  if  in  the  vicinity  of  smelting  houses. 
The  symptoms  of  this  species  in  men  are  a  sense  of 
weight  or  uneasiness,  first  affecting  the  abdomen,  par- 
ticularly  round  the  navel ;  succeeded   by   pain,  in  the 
beginning  slight,  not  continued,  and  increased   especi- 
ally after  eating :  at  length  the  pain  is   more   violent, 
and  remains  almost  constant,  terminating  in  paralysis. 

3.  CO'LICA  STERCORARIA,  which  happens  from  obsti- 
nate and  long  continued  costiveness. 

4.  CO'LICA  ACCIDENTALIS,  called  also   cholera  sicca, 
from  acrid  undigested  matters. 

5.  CO'UCA    MECONIALIS,  in    infants,  from  a  reten- 
tion of  meconium. 

6.  CO'LICA  CALLOSA,  from  a  sensation  of  a  stricture 
in  some  part  of  the  colon,  and   frequently  of  previous 
flatulence  gradually  passing  off;  the  habit  costive,  or 
faeces  liquid,  and  in  small  quantity. 

7.  CO'LICA  CALCULOSA,  from  calculi   formed   in  the 
intestines,  attended  with  a  fixed  hardness  in  some  part 
of  the   abdomen.     It  is  distinguished   by  the  previous 
discharge  of  calculi. 

8.  CO'LICA    FLATULENTA    may  be  added    to    these 
species.     It  is  distinguished  by  a  sudden  fulness,  with 

Eain  and  constipation,  relieved  by  a  discharge  of  wind 
•om  the  mouth  or  anus. 

The  early  symptoms  of  the  two  first  species  do  not 
greatly  differ.  A  pain,  chiefly  confined  to  the  umbilicus, 
with  a  costiveness,  attends  both.  The  difference  arises 
from  a  more  peculiar  obstinacy  of  the  bowels  in  colica 
pictonum,  from  its  attacking  in  paroxysms,  and  from  a 
weakness  of  the  hands  soon  coming  on.  It  is  styled 
from  the  place  where  it  is  endemial,  the  Poitou,  the 
Surinam,  the  Devonshire  colic;  from  its  victims,  the 
plumbers  and  the  painters  colic;  from  its  symptoms, 
the  dry  belly  ach,  the  nervous  and  spasmodic  colic.  It 
has  been  attributed  to  the  poison  of  lead;  and  this  is  un- 
doubtedly the  cause,  when  it  occurs  to  glaziers,  painters, 
and  those  employed  in  lead  works;  but  though  this  is 
one,  it  is  by  no  means  the  only,  cause.  In  Devonshire 
it  certainly  more  often  arises  from  the  early  cyder,  made 
of  harsh,  unripe  fruit,  and  in  the  West  Indies  from  new 
rum.  The  whole  region  of  the  intestines  is  the  subject 
of  this  disorder :  in  any  part  of  them  it  may  manifest  its 
presence  ;  but  in  whatever  part  the  true  colic  occurs, 
the  pain  is  usually  felt  round  the  navel.  The  real 
spasm  is  often  very  distant.  If  the  lower  part  of  the- 


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colon,  or  the  inteslinum  rectum,  is  affected,  the  colon 
in  the  left  hypochondrium,  towards  the  spleen,  together 
with  that  part  of  it  which  is  seated  beneath  die  stomach, 
and  near  the  liver,  become  greatly  inflated.  When, 
as  it  often  happens  in  hypochondriac  and  hysteric  dis- 
orders, the  beginning  of  the  jejunum,  or  the  end  of  the 
duodenum,  is  spasmodically  affected,  a  severe  pain  in 
the  loins,  on  account  of  the  superior  mesenteric  and 
intercostal  branch  of  the  nerves,  which  spread  them- 
selves on  the  jejunum,  comes  on ;  but  more  probably 
t'rom  the  attachment  of  the  mesentery.  In  this  case 
the  duodenum  and  stomach  are  inflated,  the  breathing 
:s  considerably  affected,  and  great  anxiety  follows. 

Spasms  may  be  excited  by  extraordinary  agitations  or 
uneasiness  of  mind;  or  by  acrid  and  stimulating  mat- 
ter thrown  upon  the  bowels.  Bile,  and  other  excre- 
mentitious  sordes,  may  be  too  long  retained,  or  change 
their  milder  qualities ;  acrid  substances  may  be  swal- 
lowed, or  conveyed  to  the  intestines  by  other  means; 
particularly  lead  from  vapours,  as  well  as  its  solutions 
in  different  ways.  This  cause  is,  however,  compara- 
tively very  uncommon.  Gouty  matter  diverted  from 
its  original  seat  to  the  intestines,  worms,  obstructed  pe- 
riodical evacuations,  may  have  a  similar  effect. 

Whatever  be  the  cause,  the  approach  and  progress 
of  this  disorder  are  nearly  the  same.  It  begins  with  a 
sense  of  weight,  or  pain,  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  at- 
tended with  loss  of  appetite,  yellowness  in  the  coun- 
tenance, a  slight  sickness,  and  costiveness  ;  the  pain  gra- 
dually increases,  no  longer  wanders,  but  becomes  fixed 
about  the  navel,  from  whence  painful  darlings  proceed 
in  various  directions  ;  wherever  pain  is  felt,  a  soreness 
and  tenderness  remain  some  time  afterwards.  The 
sickness  increases  with  the  pain,  and,  at  length,  a  vo- 
miting of  bilious  matter  comes  on ;  the  urine  is  dimin- 
ished in  its  usual  quantity,  and  a  tenesmus  sometimes 
adds  to  the  distress.  While  the  pain  is  spasmodic,  the 
pulse  remains  unaffected,  except  concurring  circum- 
stances produce  a  change  in  it;  the  urine  is  various ;  if 
the  smaller  intestines  are  the  seat  of  the  pain,  it  is  felt 
more  acutely ;  if  the  larger  intestines  are  the  parts  ag- 
grieved, the  sense  of  pain  is  more  dull  and  heavy ; 
sometimes  there  is  a  bitter  taste  in  the  mouth,  and  a 
yellowness  in  the  countenance:  if  the  symptoms  are 
not  relieved,  an  inflammation  or  a  gangrene  may  ensue ; 
or  the  excrements  returning,  are  ejected  by  vomit,  and 
death  soon  follows. 

The  colic  should  be  distinguished  from  a  fit  of  the 
gravel ;  stones  passing  through  the  ureters ;  rheumatic 
pains  in  the  muscles  of  the  belly  ;  a  beginning  dysentery ; 
the  blind  piles;  from  a  stone  passing  through  the  gall- 
duct;  and  from  the  more  transitoiy  flatulent  pains,  styled 
flatulent  colic.  Gravel  in  the  kidney  produces  often 
colic  pains,  rot  easily  distinguishable;  but, when  stones 
pass  through  the  ureters,  the  testicle  on  that  side  is  often 
retracted,  the  leg  is  benumbed,  a  pain  shoots  down  the 
inside  of  the  thigh;  symptoms  occasioned  by  the  stone 
passing  through  the  ureter  over  the  spermatic  chord,  or 
the  sacro  sciatic  nerve.  Rheumatic  pains  in  the  muscles 
of  the  belly  rarely  affect  so  accurately  the  umbilical 
region,  but  dart,  in  various  directions,  to  the  chest  or 
to  the  pelvis,  and  are  attended  with  soreness,  not  con- 
fined to  the  abdomen.  A  beginning  dysentery  differs 
little  from  colic, and  the  remedies  are  the  same.  The  pain 
from  the  blind  piles  is  confined  to  the  rectum  ;  and  that 


from  a  stone  in  the  gall  duct  is  felt  in  the  pit  of  the 

stomach,  occasionally  shooting  through  the  body  to  the 

back. 

Of  the  remarkable  symptoms  that  sometimes  come  on 

in  consequence  of  this   disorder,  a  palsy  is  the  chief. 

Dr.  Thierry  says,  that  it  is  the  natural  crisis  of  a  colic; 

but,  in  general,   it  accompanies  the  colic  from  lead, 

though  it  sometimes  follows  colic  where  this  cause  is 

not  suspected.     It  sometimes  comes  on  during  the  fit, 

but  more  generally  follows. 

When  the  colic  attacks  with  a  shivering,  and  the 

pain  is  very  violent,  great  danger  attends  it,  for  an  in- 
flammation usually  follows.  A  sweat,  a  salivation,  an 
haemorrhage  at  the  nose,  or  from  the  haemorrhoidal 
veins,  spontaneously  occurring,  is  said  sometimes  to 
terminate  the  colic  :  though,  if  after  the  strength  is  ex- 
hausted a  colliquative  sweat  come  on,  the  danger  is 
considerable.  If  the  violence  of  the  pain  continues  to 
increase,  and  the  pains  suddenly  cease,  fatal  conse- 
quences are  to  be  expected. 

As  preventatives  of  this  complaint,  those  who  are  at 
times  afflicted  with  pains  in  the  belly,  should  be  careful 
to  keep  from  all  violent  agitations  of  the  mind ;  shun 
exposures  to  the  northern  winds ;  keep  the  feet  dry  and 
warm;  abstain  from  flatulent  food  and  spirituous  li- 
quors; and  attend  carefully  to  the  bowels,  to  prevent 
constipation.  Those  whose  occupation  subjects  them 
to  the  fumes  of  lead,  or  to  the  influence  of  any  of  its  pre- 
parations, should  breakfast  on  fat  broth,  or  eat  bread 
that  is  spread  with  sweet  lard,  before  they  begin  their 
work ;  and  frequently  interpose  oily  purgatives. 

As  a  spasm  is  the  immediate  cause,  its  resolution  is 
the  chief  indication  of  cure ;  for  this  purpose,  relaxing 
and  antispasmodic  medicines,  with  purges,  which,  while 
they  solicit  the  internal  discharge,  will  not  greatly  in- 
crease the  morbid  irritation,  are  the  more  proper  means. 
If  the  pains  are  violent,  and  the  pulse  full,  some  blood 
may  be  taken,  in  proportion  to  the  strength:  vomits 
must  be  carefully  avoided ;  for,  if  any  irritability  of  the 
stomach,  afterwards  so  troublesome,  be  induced,  it  will 
not  be  easily  quieted. 

Opium  should  be  next  given ;  and  the  dose,  which 
may  be  more  or  less,  according  to  the  violence  of  the 
pain,  must  be  repeated  every  two  or  three  hours,  until 
ease  is  obtained. 

As  soon  as,  by  a  due  use  of  opium,  the  sickness  and 
pain  abate,  5  ii-  of  the  sal  catharticum  amarum  may  be 
taken  in  warm  water:  if  repeated  every  two  hours,  it 
will  operate  sometimes  with  sufficient  efficacy ;  though 
the  ol.  ricini  should  be  preferred,  if  the  stimach  will 
bear  it,  because  its  repetition  need  not  be  so  frequent. 
The  ol.  ricini  may  be  given  to  3;  ss.  with  any  warm 
agreeable  mixture.  If  the  ol.  ricini  is  not  to  be  pro- 
cured, any  other  purgative,  not  painful  in  its  operation, 
may  be  used.  When  a  free  passage  is  obtained  down- 
wards, laxatives  must  still  be  continued,  until  all  danger 
of  a  relapse  is  removed. 

It  often  happens,  however,  that  these  and  every  pur- 
gative are  rejected ;  and,  in  the  continuance  of  the  dis- 
order, the  obstruction  is  too  firmly  fixed  to  be  removed 
by  such  gentle  medicines.  We  must  then  apply  to 
more  active  ones ;  and  the  infusion  of  sena  £  iv.  with 
manna,  sal  rupellens,  tinct.  sense  and  jalap,  aa.  3  ss.  will 
form  a  mixture,  of  which  two  or  three  spoonfuls  may  be 
given  every  two  hours.  Should  this  fail,  two  scruples  of 


C  O  L 


4C4 


COL 


the  colocynth  pill,  with  1 5  grains  of  calomel,  may  be  form- 
ed into  ten  pills,  two  of  which  may  be  given  every  two 
hours  till  stools  are  procured.  At  the  same  time,  the 
bowels  must  be  solicited  downwards  by  clysters.  A  con- 
venient one  is  half  an  ounce  of  common  soap,  or  as  much 
black  soft  soap,  dissolved  in  three  quarters  of  a  pint  of  wa- 
ter, to  which  an  equal  quantity  of  milk  should  be  added. 
Tf  this  fails,  three  drachms  of  colocynth,  boiled  in  a  pint 
and  half  of  water,  adding  two  ounces  of  oil,  and  as  much 
common  salt,  given  as  a  clyster,  will  seldom  fail. 

If  doses  of  a  grain  or  two  of  opium,  repeated  every 
six  hours,  fail  to  relieve,  from  100  to  120  drops  of  the 
tinct.  opii  may  be  mixed  with  four  ounces  of  warm  olive 
oil,  injected  as  a  clyster;  and  repeated  as  often  as  the 
pain  returns. 

In  case  of  a  relapse,  after  the  relief  from  purges,  the 
medicines  should  be  repeated;  but  the  previous  use  of 
opium  is  unnecessary. 

Fomentations  and  warm  baths  may  prove  auxiliaries, 
but  no  great  dependence  is  to  be  placed  on  them.  It 
is  true,  that  while  the  patient  sits  in  the  warm  bath 
the  pain  abates  ;  but  when  he  is  taken  out  it  returns. 
In  this  disorder,  the  pain  must  be  allayed  during  some 
hours  before  the  intestines  will  be  disposed  to  perform 
their  office ;  and  few,  if  any  patients  can  continue  in 
the  bath  so  long  as  ease  is  required.  In  general,  as 
we  have  before  mentioned,  we  think,  we  have  found 
gangrene  a  more  frequent  consequence  when  the  warm 
bath  has  been  freely  and  frequently  employed,  than 
when  it  has  been  omitted. 

Dr.  Warren  and  Dr.  Biss  relate  their  success  in  at- 
tempting the  cure  of  the  colica  pictonum,  as  it  is  deno- 
minated by  one,  and  the  dry  belly  ach  by  the  other,  by 
means  of  a  salivation  with  mercury;  and  observe,  that 
as  soon  as  the  ptyalism  was  perceived,  the  pain  abated, 
and  returned  no  more.  One  of  these  gentlemen  ob- 
serves, that  in  mild  cases,  where  a  salivation  seemed  not 
necessary,  blisters  applied  to  the  upper  and  fore  part  of 
the  thighs,  near  the  groin,  were  sometimes  effectual. 
Dr.  Hugh  Smith  advises  to  apply  the  blisters  on  the 
belly. 

Dr.  Grashuis  commends  alum  as  a  specific  in  this 
disorder:  and  Dr.  Percival,  in  his  Ess.  Med.  and  Exp. 
relates  the  success  which  hath  attended  his  use  of  this 
medicine  in  various  painful  disorders  of  the  bowels.  He 
gives  it  from  gr.  x.  ad  xx.  every  four  or  six  hours;  and 
a  few  doses,  thus  administered,  never  failed  to  procure 
relief,  and,  duly  repeated,  to  effect  a  cure. 

"  In  violent  colics,"  remarks  Dr.  Percival,  (Med. Com- 
mentaries, vol.  v.  p.  172.)  "  attended  with  vomiting  and 
an  obstinate  constipation  of  the  bowels,  it  has  been  the 
common  practice  amongst  physicians  to  give  opiates,  in 
conjunction  with  purgatives.  This  method  of  treatment 
has  been  lately  improved  by  administering  the  opiate 
first,  and  the  purgative  an  hour  or  two  afterwards.  But 
I  take  the  liberty  of  suggesting  to  you  another  mode, 
which,  as  far  as  my  own  experience  extends,  has  proved 
the  most  successful.  I  directed  three  or  four  ounces 
of  a  strong  decoction  of  poppy  heads,  with  twenty, 
thirty,  or  forty  drops  of  tinctura  opii,  to  be  injected 
into  the  intestines,  and  retained  as  long  as  possible.  If 
it  be  speedily  discharged,  the  clyster  is  repeated  till  the 
pain  is  relieved,  and  the  vomiting  ceases.  A  close  of 
calomel  and  jalap,  or  any  other  brisk  cathartic,  is  then 
administered;  and  its  operation  quickened  by  the  use  of 


sena  tea,  of  a  solution  of  the  neutral  salts,  or  of  castor 
oil.  By  this  process,  evacuations  are  procured  with 
more  ease,  certainty,  and  expedition,  than  by  any  other 
which  I  have  tried.  For  opium,  when  given  in  a  clyster, 
does  not  check  the  peristaltic  motion  of  the  intestines, 
nor  counteract  the  operation  of  any  purgative  so  power- 
fully as  when  received  into  the  stomach.  And,  in  this 
way,  it  is  most  efficacious  in  alleviating  the  sickness,  and 
in  putting  a  stop  to  the  violent  retchings,  with  which 
colics  are  often  attended.  The  taste  of  laudanum  is 
often  so  nauseous,  that  it  is  frequently  rejected  as 
soon  as  swallowed.  And,  if  the  extractum  opii  be 
given  in  a  solid  form,  time  must  be  allowed  for  its  so- 
lution, before  any  effect  can  be  expected  from  it." 

On  this  subject  we  need  scarcely  repeat  the  remark, 
which  we  have  had  occasion  to  make,  viz.  that  the 
opiate  should  be  first  given,  and  left  to  produce  its  full 
effects,  before  the  purgative  is  administered;  nor  have 
we  found  the  remark  of  Dr.  Percival  confirmed  by 
practice,  that  opium  in  clysters  is  less  constipating  than 
by  the  mouth. 

The  palsy  which  remains  after  the  removal  of  the 
colic  is  best  relieved  by  the  use  of  Bath  water;  but  as 
the  circumstances  sometimes  do  not  admit  of  this  me- 
thod, the  whole  length  of  the  spine  may  be  rubbed  with 
Barbadoes  tar ,  dissolved  in  rum;  and  such  other  anti- 
paralytics  may  be  used  as  the  constitution  of  the  patient, 
and  other  circumstances,  may  admit. 

The  third  species,  the  colica  stercoraria,  arises  in  al- 
most every  instance,  from  a  want  of  irritability  in  the 
bowels.  In  old  people,  it  amounts  to  a  paralytic  torpor; 
and,  though  it  may  arise  from  calculi,  yet  this  cause  is 
exceedingly  rare,  and  it  is  more  often  owing  to  palsy. 
It  is  then  attended  with  no  pain;  and  the  disease  scarce- 
ly admits  of  even  temporary  relief.  The  most  active 
purgatives  have  no  effect;  and  we  gain  little  benefit 
from  the  warmest  liniments  rubbed  on  the  spine,  or 
into  the  abdomen.  In  younger  persons  it  is  removed 
by  powerful  cathartics :  the  oily  ones  have  been  pre- 
ferred ;  but  we  have  found  the  resin  of  jalap,  combined 
with  soap,  the  most  successful. 

The  fourth  and  fifth  species,  c.  accidentalis  and  me- 
conialis  require  little  comment.  Manna,  sweet  oil,  or  a 
common  clyster,  easily  relieve  the  latter  :  and  any  com- 
mon purgative  the  former. 

The  colica  callosa  is  the  disease  styled  the  scirrhv 
contracted  rectum.  The  contraction  is,  however,  be- 
yond the  reach  of  a  topical  remedy ;  and  the  disease  is 
distinguished  by  the  alternation  of  obstinate  constipa- 
tion, with  a  thin  watery  ineffectual  discharge.  It  is  a 
very  rare  occurrence;  and  the  patient  is  usually  left 
with  little  exertion  in  his  favour.  In  a  long  practice, 
we  have  not  seen  more  than  four  cases.  Should  another 
occur,  we  shall  be  tempted  to  employ  a  remedy  some 
time  since  fashionable,  mercury,  divided  by  the  extract 
of  cicuta.  If  it  is  ever  useful,  which  we  doubt,  the 
scirrho  contracted  rectum  may  be  relieved  by  it.  The 
c.  calculosa  scarcely  ever  occurs  in  the  human  body. 

Colica  Jlatulenta.  The  FLATULENT  COLIC  is  usually 
a  symptom  or  consequence  of  some  other  disorder, 
and  is  neither  accompanied  with  fever  nor  thirst;  how- 
ever, the  pain  is  acute,  as  the  seat  of  the  complaint 
is  in  the  small  intestines.  Cardialgic  symptoms,  with 
efforts  to  vomit,  sometimes  attend;  and  a 
is  the  consequence  of  the  great  distention. 


COL 


465 


COL 


It  is  frequently  caused  by  wetting  the  feet,  or  other- 
wise checking  the  perspiration.  Rubbing  the  legs  with 
warm  cloths,  and  afterwards  keeping  the  feet  for  some 
time  in  warm  water,  will  be  the  most  effectual  remedy. 

When  a  person  is  subject  to  frequent  returns  of  this 
disorder,  it  proves  that  the  digestive  powers  are  weak; 
and  warm  tonics  are  the  most  effectual  remedies.  The 
columbo  root  and  quassia  arc,  however,  preferable  to 
bark  and  cascarilla. 

To  promote  the  discharge  of  wind,  clysters  of  warm 
water,  with  a  large  proportion  of  carui  seeds,  may  be 
frequently  repeated.  Warm  gums,  as  in  the  gum  pill, 
are  useful ;  and  a  solution  of  the  asafoetida  may  be  in- 
jected as  a  clyster.  Warm  camomile  tea  may  be  now 
and  then  drunk ;  and  tincture  of  rhubarb,  with  a  few 
drops  of  the  oil  of  mint,  will  be  occasionally  necessary. 
Sometimes  the  conf.  opiata,  joined  with  rhubarb,  gives 
speedy  relief. 

See  Trochin  on  the  Colica  Pictonum,  with  Schom- 
berg's  Notes.  Thierry  on  the  Colica  Pictonum.  De 
Haen  on  the  Colica  Pictonum.  Huxham  on  the  Colic 
of  Devonshire.  Warren's  Account  of  the  Colica  Pic- 
tonum, in  the  Lond.  Med.  Trans,  vol.  i.  ii.  Syden- 
ham's  Works,  with  Notes,  by  W'allis.  Percival's  Es- 
says, Medical  and  Experimental,  vol.  ii.  p.  194,  &c. 
Medical  Musaeum,  vol.  iii.  p.  579,  Sec.  Cullen's  First 
Lines,  vol.  iv. 

CO'LICA  SIXI'STRA,  and  CO'LICA  SUPE'RIOR,  ARTE'RIA. 
See  MESEXTEHICJE  ARTERI.E. 

CO'LICA  VE'NA  is  a  branch  from  the  meseraica  -vena 
major,  running  from  the  anterior  part  of  the  trunk  be- 
fore it  joins  the  artery,  to  the  middle  of  the  colon,  where 
it  divides  to  the  right  and  left,  and  forms  arches.  On 
the  left  it  communicates  with  the  upper  branch  of  the 
haemorrhoidalis,  and  on  the  right  with  the  second  branch 
of  the  meseraica. 

CO'LICA  RE'CTA,  VE'XA.  It  is  a  branch  of  the  gas- 
Srocolica  -vena;  it  goes  to  the  right  portion  of  the  colon, 
from  thence  to  its  upper  part,  where  it  divides,  and 
anastomoses  with  the  colica  and  the  coecalis. 

COLIFO'RME  OS,  (from  cola,  a  strainer,  and  for- 
ma, likeness  ;  so  called  from  having  many  perforations). 
See  ETHMOIDES  os. 

CO'LINIL.  Called  also  nil;  Indigo  s/iuria  ;  fioly- 
gala  Indica  minor.  Convolvulus  nil  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  219. 
The  name  of  an  American  plant,  the  juice  of  which, 
with  a  little  honey,  cures  pustules  in  the  mouth.  Raii 
Hist. 

COLI'PHIUM,  (from  xutoi,  a  limb,  and  i$i,  strong- 
ly'}. BOMPOURXICKEL.  A  sort  of  bread  made  of  the 
flour  and  bran  as  it  comes  from  the  mill.  It  was  made 
for  wrestlers,  and  used  by  the  Greeks,  as  more  nourish- 
ing than  bread.  The  Romans,  for  three  hundred  years, 
•jiily  made  bread  of  this  kind.  In  Norfolk  and  West- 
phalia, that  sort  of  bread  is  now  in  use.  Some  of  the 
most  ancient  nations  called  the  bread  thus  made  panis 
furfuracius  ;  (see  Aulus  Gellius,  lib.  ii.  cap.  9).  Pa- 
nis  imfiuru*;  (see  Hippocrates.)  Athenaeus,  lib.  iii. 
calls  it  bread  prepared  of  unsifted  meal,  syncomiston. 
Ccelius  Rhodiginus,  lib.  is.  c.  16.  calls  it  fianis  ciba- 
rius,  zndfianis  gregarius  ;  Terence,  panis  ater.  The 
foundation  of  its  nutritious  quality  we  now  understand, 
since  the  bran  contains  the  gluten,  which  is  of  an  ani- 
mal nature. 

COLLATE'NNA.  A  certain  specific  for  the  cure 
vot.  i. 


of  wounds.     It  is  mentioned  by  Paracelsus  in  his  work 
De  Vita  Longa. 

COLLA'TERALES,  (from  con,  and  laterales,  on 
the  same  side'].  See  ERECTORES  PENIS. 

COLLATI'TIUM,  (from  colla,  glue,  or  jelly}.  A 
sort  of  food  prepared,  according  to  Blancard,  of  the 
flesh  of  a  capon,  or  a  pullet  bruised,  and  then  mixed  with 
mutton  broth,  and  eaten  with  verjuice,  or  lemon  juice. 

COLLE'TICA,  (from  K«AA<*,  glue').  Conglutinating 
or  healing  medicines.  See  COAGVLAX TIA. 

COLLI'CI/E,  (from  co//ig-o,  to  collect}.  The  union  of 
the  ducts  which  convey  the  humours  of  the  eyes  from 
the  puncta  lachrymalia  to  the  cavity  of  the  nose. 

COLLI'CULA,  and  COLLI'CULUM.  A  diminu 
tive  of  collis,  a  hill.  See  NYMPH.S. 

COLLIGA'MEN,  (from  colligo,  to  bind  together*. 
See  LIGAMEXTUM. 

COLLIQUAME'NTUM,  (from  colliqueo,  to  melt]. 
An  extremely  transparent  fluid  in  an  egg,  observable 
after  two  or  three  days  incubation,  containing  the  first 
rudiments  of  the  chick.  It  is  included  in  its  own  pro- 
per membranes,  distinct  from  the  albumen.  Harvey 
calls  it  oculus. 

COLLIQUA'TIO.  COLLIQUATIOX,  (from  colliquo, 
to  melt  away}.  A  dissolving  or  wasting. 

COLLI'SIO,  (from  collide,  to  beat  together}.     See 

CoXTUSA. 

CO'LLIX,  (from  *eA»?,ybod).  A  sort  of  round  loaf 
or  cake  ;  but  in  Hippocrates,  and  other  Greek  medici- 
nal writers,  X«AA/|  imports  a  sort  of  pastil,  or  troche,  of 
the  form  above  mentioned.  See  TROCHISCI. 

COLLO'DES,  (from  *«AA«,  glue}.     Glutinous. 

CO'LLUM,  (from  columna,  thefiillar  and  support  of 
the  head}.  See  CERVIX. 

COLLUTO'RIUM  O'RIS,  (from  colluo,  to  wash}. 
See  GARGARISMA. 

COLLU'VIES,  (from  colluo,  to  wash  or  rinse,  in  its 
primitive  sense  means  filth.  In  a  medical  sense,  it  is 
expressive  of  any  corrupted  or  contaminated  fluid. 

COLLY'RIUM,  (from  *»AA»,  glue,  fta,Jluo,}  as  they 
were  usually  glutinous,  or  designed  to  dilute  the  gluti- 
nous discharges.  Suppositories,  tents,  and  other  things, 
have  been  styled  collyria  from  their  form  ;  but  as  they 
were  used  whole,  or  in  their  proper  shape,  they  were 
called  entire :  what  were  called  collyria,  without  the 
epithet  entire,  were  finely  powdered  and  applied  to  the 
eyes.  At  present,  a  collyrium  only  means  a  topical  me- 
dicine for  the  eyes,  called  EYE  WATER.  It  differs  not 
from  a  lotion,  but  in  the  term  and  application. 

Collyria  made  with  vegetable  infusions  and  salts  that 
entirely  dissolve  are  more  elegant,  and  agree  better  with 
the  eyes,  than  when  they  contain  powders. 

Hoffman  condemns  all  acrid,  astringent,  cooling,  dry- 
ing, and  mucilaginous  applications  to  the  eyes.  Wede- 
lius  observes,  that  aloes  relieves  the  eyes  more  than 
opium ;  but  experience  proves  this  opinion  erroneous. 
After  proper  evacuations  have  preceded,  two  drachms 
of  tincture  of  opium,  mixed  with  two  ounces  of  rose 
water,  will  very  often  produce  considerable  relief;  or, 
in  some  obstinate  cases,  the  tincture  of  opium  may  be 
used  alone  with  success.  The  usual  collyria  are  either 
sedative  or  astringent.  The  preparations  of  lead  are  of 
the  former  kind  ;  those  of  zinc  and  copper  are  astrin- 
gent :  each  is  applicable  in  different  states  of  the  dis- 
ease. See  OPHTHALMIA. 

30 


COL 


466 


COL 


COLLYRIUM  C<ER'ULEUM.  See  CUPRI  AMMONIATI 
AQUA. 

COLOBO'MA,  and  COLLOBO'MA,(from  *,*,&«, 
to  maim,')  the  growing  together  of  the  eye-lids.  Also 
a  want  of  a  particular  member  or  part  of  the  body. 

COLOBO'MATA,  (from  the  same).  In  Celsus, 
this  word  is  expressed  by  curta.  Both  the  words  signify 
a  deficiency  in  some  part  of  the  body,  particularly  the 
cars,  lips,  or  alae  of  the  nostrils. 

COLOCA'SIA,  (from  xo/o?,  food,  and  ««£«,  to 
adorn  ;  so  called  from  its  use  as  a  food,  and  the  custom 
of  wearing  its  flowers  in  wreaths).  See  FABA  -<EGYP- 
TIA. 

COLOCHIERNI  CARDUUS  CRETENSIBUS. 
A  plant  which  differs  very  little  from  the  atractylis. 

COLOCY'NTHIS,  (from  K»A.»,  thccolon,  and  *ive«, 
moveo,  from  its  active  purging  powers).  BITTER  AP- 
PLE. Also  called  alhandala,  colocynthidis  medulla,  co- 
loquintida. BITTER  or  WILD  GOURD.  It  is  the  dried 
pulpy  part  of  a  species  of  gourd  ;  the  cucumis  colocyn- 
this  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1435.  Nat.  order  cucurbitace <E  :  dif- 
fering from  the  common  sort  only  in  the  leaves  being 
deeper  jagged,  and  the  fruit  not  eatable.  It  is  brought 
from  Aleppo,  and  grows  in  many  parts  of  Turkey.  It 
is  very  light,  white,  and  of  a  fungous  texture,  composed 
as  it  were  of  membranaceous  leaves,  with  a  number  of 
roundish  seeds  lodged  in  the  cavities. 

The  seeds  are  unctuous  and  sweetish,  like  those  of 
cucumbers,  but  not  purging :  the  fungous  medulla, 
freed  from  the  seeds,  is  acrid,  nauseous,  and  bitter  to 
the  taste,  and  is  a  strong  irritating  cathartic.  It  is  com- 
mended also,  in  less  doses,  as  an  alterative  in  chronical 
disorders.  It  is  rarely  used  alone,  though  ten  or  twelve 
grains  will  purge  violently,  frequently  producing  violent 
colic,  bloody  discharges,  and  even  disordering  the  whole 
system  ;  but  if  mixed  with  other  purgatives,  it  quickens 
their  operation. 

When  boiled  in  water,  it  gives  out  a  large  quantity  of 
gluten ;  to  proof  spirit  it  does  the  same :  the  watery 
decoction,  inspissated  to  an  extract,  purp^s  briskly,  but 
with  less  irritation  than  the  colocynth  it-self  in  half  its 
weight.  Mr.  Bolduc  thinks  that  the  active  matter  re- 
sides in  its  salts,  which  far  exceed  the  resin  and  the  oil 
in  quantity,  and  that  water  is  its  best  menstruum.  But 
the  most  effectual  method  of  abating  its  virulence,  with- 
out diminishing  its  purgative  quality,  seems  to  be  by 
triturating  it  with  gum,  farinaceous  Substances,  or  the 
oily  seeds;  by  which  means  its  resinous  particles  are 
prevented  from  adhering  to  the  membrane '.s  of  the  intes- 
tines, so  as  to  irritate  and  inflame  them. 

COLOCY'NTHIDIS  COMPO'SH  UM  EX- 
TRA'CTUM.  It  is  directed  to  be  prepared  by  the 
London  college  in  the  following  manner ;  viz.  pith  of 
coloquintida  six  drachms  ;  aloes  an  ounce  and  a  half ; 
scammony  half  an  ounce ;  lesser  cardamom  seeds  one 
drachm  ;  proof  spirit  a  pint.  Digest  the  coloquintida 
with  the  spirit  for  four  days,  with  a  gentle  heat.  To 
the  extracted  tincture  add  the  aloes  and  scammony. 
When  these  are  dissolved,  draw  off  the  spirit  by  distil- 
lation, evaporate  the  water,  adding  the  seeds  towards 
the  end  of  the  process. 

CO'LON,  (from  xo/A»»,  hollow}.  It  is  the  first  and 
most  considerable  of  the  large  intestines,  called  also 
enteron.  From  the  ccecum  it  reaches  in  the  form  of  an 
arch  above  the  umbilical  region,  and  extends  to  the 


lower  part  of  the  left  hypochondrium,  running  down 
before  the  left  kidney,  to  which  it  is  connected,  and  be- 
low which  it  turns  towards  the  spine;  then  forming  two 
opposite  convolutions,  called  the  signwidflejcure,  it  ter- 
minates in  the  rectum.  When  it  has  passed  below  the 
last  vertebra  of  the  loins  to  the  inside  of  the  os  sacrum, 
it  is  bent  backwards  on  the  concave  side,  to  which  it  is 
joined  ;  and  running  in  the  direction  of  the  os  coccygis, 
bends  a  little  forwards,  and  terminates  in  the  extremity 
of  that  bone. 

The  continuity  of  the  colon  is  a  little  interrupted  by 
the  intestinum  ilium,  which  advances  into  the  cavity  of 
the  colon ;  not  at  its  extremity,  but  at  the  distance  of 
about  two  inches,  penetrating  through  its  longitudinal 
fibres.  It  thus  forms  the  valve  of  the  colon,  which  is 
shut  only  when  the  colon  is  distended.  From  this  struc- 
ture, it  is  evident  that  no  sphincter  is  necessary  to  pre- 
vent the  faeces  returning  to  the  ilium  :  yet  this  some- 
times happens  from  a  retrograde  peristaltic  motion; 
and  even  clysters  are  thrown  up  by  vomiting. 

The  whole  convex  side  of  the  colon  is  divided  longi- 
tudinally into  three  parts,  by  three  ligamentous  bands, 
continued  from  those  of  the  caecum,  and  of  the  same 
structure  with  them.  Two  of  these  bands  run  on  each 
side  along  the  great  curvature  of  the  colon,  and  the 
third  along  the  small  curvature.  This  last  was  first  no- 
ticed by  Mprgagni.  Between  these  ligaments  the  in- 
testine is  formed  into  cells,  from  the  ligaments  being 
shorter  than  the  duct,  called  the  cells  of  the  colon.  The 
cellular  coat  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  small  in- 
testines ;  the  internal  coat  is  not  villous,  but  papillous ; 
the  rugae  are  waved  and  irregular. 

From  the  apparent  course  of  this  intestine,  warm 
clysters  may,  it  is  said,  be  applied  to  almost  all  the  ab- 
dominal viscera  ;  for  it  begins  under  the  right  kidney, 
and  runs  up  on  its  fore  part,  passes  under  the  gall  blad- 
der, then  runs  upon  the  first  curvature  of  the  duodenum, 
to  all  which  it  is  contiguous  ;  from  thence  it  runs  before 
the  great  convexity  of  the  stomach,  then  touches  the 
spleen,  and  goes  on  to  the  left  kidney,  as  above  men- 
tioned. This  representation  is,  however,  the  offspring 
of  theory  and  ignorance;  for  no  clyster,  except  when 
thrown  up  by  an  injecting  syringe  of  strong  powers, 
furnished  with  a  lateral  pipe,  can  pass  even  thesigmoid 
flexure.  De  Haen,  in  this  way,  has  sometimes  filled 
the  colon  of  a  dog,  and  forced  the  valve ;  but  he  often 
failed. 

The  colon  on  its  upper  part  receives  arteries  from  the 
mesenterica  superior  and  inferior :  the  lower  portion  is 
supplied  from  the  mesenterica  inferior,  one  of  which 
forms  the  internal  haemorrhoidal  artery.  The  veins  are 
from  the  vena  portae  ventralis,  the  mescraica  major  and 
minor,  or  haemorrhoidalis  interna.  The  nerves  of  the 
arch  of  the  colon  are  the  two  inesenteric  plexuses. 

When  pain  is  in  the  colon,  it  is  less  acute,  and  with 
a  sense  of  weight ;  when  in  the  small  guts,  there  is  not 
any  sense  of  weight,  but  an  acute  pain.  If  fever  attends 
pain  in  the  colon,  the  pain  extending  to  the  ribs  gives  a 
suspicion  of  pleurisy,  though  the  colon  in  reality  is  only 
affected.  The  colon  is  narrower  in  the  right  side  than 
elsewhere,  whence  colic  pains  arise  more  frequently, 
and  are  more  acute  in  this  part.  The  excrements  are 
long  retained  in  the  colon,  and  often  much  indurated 
before  they  pass  on. 

COLOPHO'NIA,  (K«A»0ft>v«*,  a  city  of  Ionia,  from 


COL 


467 


COL 


whence  it  was  first  brought).  COLOPHONY,  or  BLACK 
UESIN  ;  called  also  berrionis  retina  fricta  torta,  vel 
nigra  ;  DRIED  or  BLACK  RESIN.  Phrycte  is  used  alone 
in  this  sense,  as  a  distinction  from  the  liquid  sort  called 
hygra.  It  is  only  resin  whose  humid  and  volatile  parts 
are  most  dissipated.  It  receives  its  names  as  above  from 
the  city,  which  formerly  furnished  the  best  kind. 

Two  sorts  are  mentioned  in  ancient  writings,  the 
dry  and  liquid.  The  latter  seems  to  have  been  liquid 
pitch,  which  is  the  crude  resin  of  the  pine  brought  from 
Colophon ;  the  former  was  the  resina  fricta.  The  latter 
Greeks  called  every  kind  of  resin  colophony. 

The  best  colophony  is  the  resin  of  turpentine,  which, 
after  the  ethereal  oil  is  distilled,  is  again  urged  by  a 
strong  continued  fire. 

COLOQUI  XTIDA,  (from.  x**»i,  and  *m*,  moveo). 
See  COLOCYNTHIS. 

COLORA TUS,  (from  color,  colour}.  In  botany  it 
means  varying  from  its  usual  colour,  as  when  leaves 
which  ought  to  be  green  are  of  the  colour  of  the  flower. 

COLORI'NDUS  is  a  mixture  of  blue  and  purple. 

COLO 'STRUM,  (from  *»Ae«,  food,  because  it  is  the 
first  food  of  the  young).  The  first  milk  of  any  animal, 
after  bringing  forth  its  young;  that  from  cows  is  called 
UEESTISGS.  It  is  thin,  gently  cathartic,  and  carries 
off  the  meconium ;  serving  both  as  aliment  and  medi- 
cine. 

An  emulsion  prepared  with  turpentine,  dissolved  with 
the  yolk  of  egg,  is  sometimes  called  colostrum. 

COLOTOrDES,  (from  *«**?»:«,  a  lizard,  and  * ifa, 
likeness).  Variegated  like  the  skin  of  a  lizard.  Hip- 
pocrates applies  it  to  the  excrements  when  of  different 
colours. 

COLPOCE'LE,  (from  x»>«-»;,  sinus,  and  xj|A»,  her- 
nia). A  hernia  of  the  urinary  bladder  protruding  into 
the  vagina.  Hence  called  cystocele  -vaginalis,  or  clytro- 
cele.  A  patient  had  been  for  many  years  liable  to  violent 
hysteric  affections,  which  at  last  were  succeeded  by  a  dry, 
convulsive  cough.  When  this  cough  disappeared,  she 
was  seized  with  a  suppression  of  urine,  together  with 
great  pain  and  tenseness  in  the  abdomen.  When  other 
remedies  had  failed,  the  catheter  was  employed ;  but 
with  difficulty  introduced.  This  suppression  returned 
very  frequently,  was  always  preceded  by  the  convulsive 
cough,  and  sometimes  attended  even  with  convulsions, 
which  commonly  ended  in  faintings.  The  obstruction 
h  occurred  to  the  introduction  of  the  catheter  seem- 
ed to  proceed  from  a  considerable  weight  and  pain  which 
the  patient  complained  of  in  the  fore  part  of  the  genitals, 
and  which  was  always  most  severe  when  the  suppression 
of  urine  was  not  considerable.  On  examining  the  parts, 
the  hypogastric  region  was  tense  and  painful,  but  there 
was  no  considerable  tumour  perceivable,  as  there  usually 
is,  in  the  under  part  of  the  belly,  when  the  urine  has 
oeen  long  suppressed ;  but,  upon  introducing  the  finger 
into  the  vagina,  while  the  suppression  continued,  a  large 
tumour  was  discovered,  which  occupied  the  whole  cavity 
of  the  vagina.  In  this  swelling  a  fluctuation  was  per- 
ceived, but  no  urine  could  be  evacuated  by  compressing 
it,  unless  the  catheter  was  at  the  same  time  introduced, 
and  then  a  plentiful  evacuation  ensued;  though,  even 
in  this  manner,  the  contents  of  the  swelling  could  not 
be  entirely  discharged,  unless  the  compression  was  con- 
tinued. When  the  urine  was  entirely  evacuated,  the 
oathe:er  could  be  easily  introduced  ;  the  tumour  disap- 


peared ;  the  superior  part  of  the  vagina  felt  lax  and 
flaccid  ;  and  the  finger  could  be  easily  pushed  up  to  the 
mouth  of  the  uterus,  till  the  rumour  began  again  to  in- 
crease, by  the  urine  collecting  in  the  bladder.  Then 
the  former  symptoms  returned ;  and  were  relieved,  as 
before,  by  the  catheter.  The  urine,  which  at  first  was  of 
a  natural  appearance,  after  the  disorder  had  subsisted  for 
some  time,  became  less  pure,  and  seemed  to  contain  a 
number  of  small  membranous  filaments,  as  if  the  inter- 
nal coat  of  the  bladder  had  been  eroded.  From  this 
time  the  sensibility  of  the  bladder  became  so  much 
increased,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  introduce  the 
catheter  much  more  frequently  than  before.  On  con- 
sidering the  case,  it  appeared  that  a  pessary,  properly 
adapted  for  the  support  of  the  relaxed  parts,  would,  in 
this  case,  probably  be  the  most  effectual  remedy ;  and 
an  instrument  of  that  kind  being  procured,  and  so  con- 
structed as  not  to  prevent  the  discharge  of  the  menstrual 
flux,  it  was  introduced ;  and  being  continued  for  several 
years,  till  the  parts  had  again  recovered  their  tone,  a 
complete  cure  was  at  length  obtained.  The  pessary  was 
then  no  longer  necessary,  and  the  patient  discharged 
her  urine  with  perfect  ease.  See  Edin.  Med.  Comment, 
vol.  v.  p.  257.  Sauvages'  Nosol.  Meth.  vol.  i.  p.  216. 

COLPOPTO'SIS,  (from  X»AT»J,  the  vagina,  and 
•a-nr]u,tofalldoisn).  See  PROCIDENTIA  VAGINAE. 

CO'LPOS.     See  SINUS. 

CO'LUBER  BE'RUS;  (quad  colat  umAram, because 
he  delights  in  a  shade).  See  VIPER. 

COLUBRI'XA,  (from  coluber,  a  snake;  from  the 
snake-like  contortions  of  its  roots).  See  SZRPEXTARIA, 
DRACONTIUM,  and  BISTORTA. 

COLUBRI'NA  LUSITA'XICA,  HE'IIBA.     See  CAACICA. 

COLUMBRI'NUM,  (from  coluber,  the  snake;  co- 
lubrinum  lignum,  radix  colubrina,  -nux  -vomica  minor 
moluccana,  vel  altera  modira  caniram,  solarium  abo- 
rescens  Indicum,  SNAKE  WEED  TREE. 

It  is  the  wood  of  one  species  of  the  genus  which 
affords  the  nux  vomica,  viz.  strychnos  colubrina  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  271.  (See  STRYCHNOS).  It  is  brought  from  the 
East  Indies  in  pieces  about  the  size  of  a  man's  arm, 
covered  with  a  brownish  or  rusty  coloured  bark,  inter- 
nally of  a  yellow  colour,  with  whitish  streaks. 

It  hath  a  faint  but  not  disagreeable  smell;  after 
chewing  for  some  time  the  taste  is  bitterish:  it  gives  a 
gold  colour  to  water  and  to  spirit ;  affords  a  fourth  of  its 
weight  of  extract  by  means  of  spirit,  but  not  so  much  by 
water. 

It  hath  been  given  in  doses  of  half  a  drachm,  as  an 
anthelmintic ;  in  quartan  agues  and  some  other  dis- 
orders. It  operates  differently,  sometimes  passing  off 
by  urine,  at  others  by  sweat,  or  by  stool.  In  a  less 
degree  it  displays  the  deleterious  qualities  of  the  nux 
vomica. 

COLUBRI'NUS  LA'PIS,or  SERPENTIS.  It  hath 
its  name  from  the  snake  coluber,  from  which  it  was 
thought  to  be  taken ;  but  it  is  now  known  to  be  an  ar- 
tificial composition.  It  is  made  of  hartshorn,  burnt  to 
blackness,  and  afterwards  polished ;  or  of  clay.  It  is 
fabled  to  be  a  cure  for  the  bites  of  serpents,  by  applying 
it  to  the  wound. 

COLU'MBAC.     See  AGALLOCHLM. 

COLU'MBO,  COLUMBA,  COLUMO'BE.  or,  in 
the  Portuguese  language,  raijs  de  Mozambique. 

It  is  produced  in  Asia,  from  whence  it  was  trans- 
3  O  2 


COL 


468 


COM 


planted  to  Colombo,  a  town  in  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
and  from  whence  all  the  East  Indies  are  supplied  with 
it. 

The  plant  is  not  known  ;  but  from  a  note  in  Commer- 
son's  Herbal,  it  appears  probable  that  it  is  a  species  of 
the  mcnisficrmum,  which  he  styled palmated,  not  known 
to  Linnaeus.  It  is  bristled  with  hair,  has  leaves  with 
five  lobes,  often  palmated;  the  base  at  the  heart  and 
the  lobes  are  often  sharp  pointed. 

It  is  brought  into  Europe  in  circular  pieces  of  dif- 
ferent sizes,  some  of  which  are  three  inches  diameter; 
its  sides  are  covered  with  a  thick  wrinkled  bark,  of  a 
dark  brown  hue  externally ;  when  cut  transversely, 
they  exhibit  a  large  central  disk,  with  brown,  streaks, 
and  yellow  points.  The  root  consists  of  three  laminae  ; 
viz.  the  cortical,  which  in  the  larger  pieces  is  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  thick ;  the  ligneous,  which  is  about  half  an 
inch  ;  and  the  medullary,  which  forms  the  middle,  and 
is  near  an  inch  in  diameter.  This  last  is  softer  than  the 
other  parts,  and,  when  chewed,  seems  to  be  very  muci- 
laginous. Many  small  fibres  run  longitudinally  through 
it.  The  cortical  and  ligneous  parts  are  divided  by  a 
circular  black  line. 

It  hath  an  aromatic  smell,  but  is  disagreeably  bitter, 
and  slightly  pungent  to  the  taste ;  is  supposed  to  be 
almost  a  specific  in  the  cholera  morbus,  nausea,  vo- 
miting, diarrhoea,  bilious  fever,  indigestion,  and  most 
other  disorders  of  the  stomach  and  bowels.  It  is 
slightly  sedative,  corroborant,  and  antiseptic.  The 
bark  resists  the  putrefaction  of  animal  flesh ;  and  the 
root  exceeds  it  in  preserving  the  bile  from  putridity,  or 
in  correcting  the  putrescency  which  has  already  com- 
menced. As  it  is  not  heating,  it  may  be  used  in  hectic 
fevers.  A  tincture  of  this  root  in  brandy  is  a  very  use- 
ful remedy  for  moderating  the  retchings  during  the  first 
months  of  pregnancy.  Dr.  Cullen  says  it  is  a  strong 
and  agreeable  bitter,  and  he  has  employed  it  in  many 
instances  of  dyspepsia  with  great  advantage.  In  check- 
ing vomiting  it  has  frequently  succeeded ;  but  he  has 
found  it  to  fail  even  where  there  seemed  to  be  a  re- 
dundancy of  bile  ;  nor,  in  correcting  the  acrimony  and 
putrescency  of  the  bile,  has  it  appeared  more  powerful 
than  other  bitters. 

It  may  be  given  in  powder  from  ten  grains  to  two 
drachms,  but  the  common  dose  is  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
grains,  every  three  or  four  hours ;  and  in  bilious  cases 
it  should  be  joined  with  an  equal  part  of  vitriolatcd  kali. 
The  powder  has  been  applied  to  ulcers,  which,  by  com- 
mon remedies,  cannot  be  brought  to  a  healing  state; 
and  Mr.  Home  thinks  it  next  in  efficacy,  for  this  pur- 
pose, to  rhubarb  ;  nay,  when  rhubarb  begins  to  lose  its 
effect,  columbo  will  frequently  renew  the  healing  pro- 
cess, and  ultimately  be  successful. 

Distilled  with  spirit,  it  sends  over  little  of  its  taste 
or  smell ;  but  the  extract,  made  by  evaporating  its  de- 
coction in  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  is  better  than  the  root 
itself  in  powder :  about  two  thirds  of  this  root  is  ob- 
tained in  the  spirituous  extract. 

The  London  college  order  the  following  prepara- 
tion of  the  TINCTURE  OF  COLUMBO  :  Take  of  columbo 
root,  powdered,  two  ounces  and  a  half;  proof  spirits 
of  wine,  two  pints ;  digest  for  eight  days,  and  strain : 
one  or  two  drachms,  or  more,  may  be  taken  repeatedly 
in  mint  water,  or  in  an  infusion  of  orange  peel :  the 
last  renders  it  the  most  grateful.  It  powerfully  and 


speedily  relieves  those  colic  pains  which  arise  from 
flatulence  or  indigestion. 

The  EXTRACT  OF  COLUMBO  ROOT  is  made  by  di- 
gesting twelve  ounces  of  columbo  root  in  powder  four 
days,  in  three  pints  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine.  Af- 
ter filtering  this  tincture,  the  residuum  is  boiled  re- 
peatedly in  different  waters,  until  it  yields  little  or  no 
taste  to  the  liquor.  The  decoction  is  then  strained  and 
evaporated  until  six  pints  only  remain  :  this  is  evapo- 
rated in  a  vapour  bath  :  and,  when  nearly  finished,  the 
tincture  is  added,  and  the  whole  reduced  to  the  con- 
sistence of  a  pill. 

See  Cullen's  Mat.  Med.  Percival's  Essays  Medical 
and  Experimental,  vol.  i.  ed.  2.  Notes  to  Sydenham 
by  Wallis,  vol.  iv.  p.  221. 

COLUME'LLA,  (a  dim.  of  columna,  a  column;  so 
called  from  its  shape).  The  clitoris,  also  the  uvula, 
and  hyfiostafihile,  or  falling  down  of  the  uvula.  See  also 
CAPSULA. 

COLUMELLA'RES  DE'NTES,  (from  cotumella, 
on  account  of  their  shape).  See  CANINI  DENTES. 

COL.  ET  COLUM  ECPH.  An  abbreviation  of 
Fabii  Columns  minus  cognitarum  rariumque  stirpium 
Ecphrasis,  1,  2.  Romae,  1616,  4to. 

COL.  ET  COLUM.  PHYT.  An  abbreviation  of  Fabii 
Columnse  Phytobasanos  sive  Plantarum  aliquot Historia. 
Neap.  1592. 

COLUMNA  O'RIS.     See  UVULA. 

COLUM'NA  NA'SI.  The  lowest  and  fleshy  part  of  the 
nose,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  septum. 

COLU'MNA  SEPTI  PA'LATI.     See  PALATUM  MOLLE. 

COLU'MNjE.  Many  parts  of  the  body  which,  in 
their  shape  or  orifice,  resemble  columns,  viz. 

CoLu'MNjE.     See  CARDUUS  PINE.S. 

COLUM'N^E  CO'RDIS,  vel  CARNE'^E.  These  are  small, 
long,  and  round  fleshy  productions  from  the  ventricles 
of  the  heart.  According  to  Le  Dran,  the  basis  of  the 
heart  is  also  thus  named.  See  COR. 

COLUMNIFERUS,  (from  columna,  a  column,  and 
fero,  to  bear}.  An  order  of  plants  bearing  columns  of 
pillars. 

COLUTE'A,  (from  x«A«<»,  to  mutilate  ;  so  called  be- 
cause it  perishes  if  any  of  limbs  are  cut  off;)  senna  pau- 
fierum,  colutea  "vesicaria,  senna  Mauritanorum,  senna 
Eurofiea,  senna  sfiuria,  BASTARD  SENXA.  Colutea  arbo- 
rescent Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1045. 

It  is  a  bush  whose  flowers  are  succeeded  by  large, 
swelled,  thin  bladders,  flattish  on  the  upper  part,  sharper 
and  carinated  underneath,  with  a  crooked  appendix  at 
the  end,  full  of  black  kidney-like  seeds.  It  grows  wild 
in  Italy,  and  flowers  in  July.  The  leaves  and  seed 
purge  and  vomit  violently ;  but  it  is  scarcely  found  in 
the  lists  of  the  materia  meclica. 

COLUTE'A  caule  genistae  fungoso.  See  POLTGALA 
VERA. 

COLUTE'A  I'NDICA  HERBA'CEA.     See  INDICUM. 

COLUTE'A  SCOHPIOI'DES,  MA'JOH,  HU'MILIS,  et  SILI- 
QUO'SA.  See  EMEHUS. 

COLYMBA'DES,  (from  xetou.£aa,  to  swim").  Olives 
pickled  in  salt,  or  ntuimming  in  their  own  oil. 

COLYMBE'THRA,  (from  the  same).     See  DEXA- 

MENE. 

COLYTE'A.     See  SIHQUASTRUM. 
CO'MA,  (*«jw.»,  a  head  of  hair).     The  hair  of  the 
head.     In  botany,  a  species  of  bracte,  terminating  the 


CO  M 


469 


COM 


stem  in  a  tuft,  or  bush.  A  spike  of  flowers  terminating 
by  a  coma  is  called  comose.  And  plants  with  such 
flowers  are  ranged  in  the  thirty-sixth  of  the  natural  or- 
ders of  Linnaeus'  Philosophia  Botanica. 

CO'MA,  (from  «»  or  «t«,  to  lie  down}.  In  Galen's 
Exegisis  it  is  expounded  by  catafihora;  and  in  his  treat- 
tise  on  a  coma,  he  says,  that  coma  includes  every  cata- 
phora,  both  the  sleepy  and  wakeful.  By  the  word  coma 
the  author  of  Prorrhedcon  often  expresses  a  lethargy. 
The  coma  is  sometimes  called  by  the  name  typhoma- 
nia,  being  supposed  to  consist  of  a  mixture  of  phrensy 
and  lethargy.  It  is  the  coma  somnolentum  of  authors  ; 
in  reality,  a  less  violent  degree  of  apoplexy,  in  which 
the  loss  of  sensation  is  not  so  considerable.  See  CARDS. 

CO'MA  AU'REA.  GOLDEN  LOCKS,  also  GOLDEN  CUD- 
WEED. See  ELICHRYSUM. 

CO'MA  VI'GIL;  called  also  agryfinocoma.  A  disease 
wherein  the  patients  are  apparently  sleepy,  but  can 
never  sleep.  Blancard.  See  CAROS. 

COMAROI'DES,  CO'MARUS,  (from  *.HM,  a  lock 
of  hair;  so  named  from  its  strings,  which  are  like  hair). 
See  ARBUTUS. 

CO'MATA.  See  COMA.  The  first  order  of  Dr. 
Cullen's  second  class  neuroses;  denned  a  diminution  of 
voluntary  motion,  attended  with  sleep,  or  a  deprivation 
of  the  senses.  In  this  order  he  ranks  APOPLEXIES, 
PALSIES,  and  adds  the  species  of  TREMOR.  He  therefore 
comprehends  those  affections  which  have  generally  been 
called  sofiorose  diseases;  but  observes,  that  they  are  dis- 
tinguished by  consisting  in  some  interruption  or  sup- 
pression of  the  powers  of  sense  and  voluntary  motion, 
or  of  what  are  called  the  animal  functions.  These,  he 
observes,  are  usually  suspended  in  the  time  of  natural 
sleep;  but  in  all  these  diseases,  sleep,  or  even  the  ap- 
pearance of  it,  is  not  constantly  a  symptom.  They  are 
also  termed  nervorum  resolutions . 

COMBINATION  OF  MEDICINES.  In  the  rage 
of  reformation,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  step  beyond  the 
proper  limits ;  and,  in  almost  every  science,  it  is  neces- 
sary, in  different  eras,  to  review  dispassionately  the 
conduct  of  its  professors ;  to  correct,  at  times,  their  in- 
temperate zeal,  or  to  supply  their  omissions.  Physi- 
cians have  for  many  years  aimed  at  simplicity  in  pre- 
scription, with  propriety  and  success ;  but  they  have 
sometimes  failed,  in  wholly  rejecting  combinations  with 
which  their  ancestors  succeeded.  And  it  was  rather  a 
spirit  of  empiricism  than  philosophical  induction  which 
gave  a  general  currency  to  Dover's  sweating  powder, 
and  many  of  Ward's  compositions. 

To  check,  in  some  degree,  the  rage  of  simplicity, 
and  the  general  tendency  to  too  great  refinement,  we 
shall,  from  the  different  classes  in  medicines,  select 
some  instances,  where  combination  is  not  only  defensi- 
ble but  advantageous.  We  have  already  hinted  at  this 
subject  under  the  head  of  CATHARTICS,  and  pointed  out 
the  paper  of  Dr.  Fordyce  on  the  same  subject.  Though 
we  may  employ  some  of  his  instances,  we  shall  not  ser- 
vilely follow  his  steps;  but  in  the  principal  part  of  this 
article  follow  a  different  direction. 

In  the  exhibition  of  emetics,  we  are  often  disappoint- 
ed, by  the  medicine  remaining  inactive  in  the  stomach, 
and  escaping,  with  its  stimulant  powers  unimpaired, 
into  the  intestines.  The  addition  of  an  antimonial  to  the 
ipecacuanha  may  quicken  its  action;  but  this  is  subject 
to  a  similar  inconvenience.  By  the  addition  of  a  few 


grains  of  the  white  vitriol,  we  can  often,  with  either  of 
the  others,  produce  the  effect.  A  sedative  emetic,  less 
dangerous  than  the  tobacco  or  the  foxglove,  would  be  a 
great  acquisition  to  the  materia  medica  ;  but,  even  at 
present,  in  some  pulmonic  cases,  the  foxglove  may  be 
actively  given  for  this  purpose.  The  union  of  the  squills 
with  the  ipecacuanha  has  often  been  highly  useful,  and 
equally  so  with  the  antimonials. 

In  the  class  of  cathartics,  combination  is  often  essen- 
tially necessary.  We  have  distinguished  cathartics  as 
operating  by  increasing  the  secretions  from  the  glands 
of  the  chylopoietic  viscera,  and  thus  affording  the  na- 
tural stimulus  to  the  intestines;  as  increasing  the  action 
of  their  moving  fibres,  by  a  stimulus  peculiarly  their 
own ;  or,  as  occasioning  an  extraordinary  effort  of  the 
constitution,  to  throw  off  a  poisonous  substance  intro- 
duced. It  will  be  obvious,  by  uniting  the  two  first,  we 
gain  many  advantages.  The  effect  of  rhubarb,  for  in- 
stance, will  be  quickened  and  increased,  if  the  polycrest 
salt  assists  in  increasing,  at  a  more  early  period,  the 
motions  of  the  alimentary  canal ;  soap  -will  sheath  the 
acrid  particles  of  aloes,  and  extract  of  jalap,  while  it 
assists  their  action ;  and  the  warmer  gums,  as  in  Dr. 
Fordyce's  formula,  gently  stimulate  the  superior  part  of 
the  canal,  while  they  sheath  and  mitigate  the  too  great 
acrimony  of  some  of  the  ingredients.  The  old  formulae 
of  manna  with  the  salts,  quickened  by  some  of  the  more 
active  tinctures,  or  occasionally  with  metallic  prepara- 
tions, though  apparently  a  disagreeable  and  discordant 
union,  had  many  advantages,  which  are,  in  vain,  ex- 
pected from  the  more  elegant  formulae  of  modern  times. 
In  general,  the  more  gentle  laxatives  should  be  quick- 
ened by  the  more  powerful  purgatives;  and  the  latter 
(if  indicated),  softened  by  the  oily,  saccharine,  the  mu- 
cilaginous, or  the  saponaceous  cathartics.  There  is, 
perhaps,  no  class  of  medicines  in  which  greater  latitude 
of  combination  may  be  allowed  with  advantage. 

The  subject  of  diajihoretics  we  must  not  anticipate ; 
yet  in  this  a  judicious  combination  produces  the  most 
singularly  beneficial  effects.  Generally  speaking,  the 
fluids  are  thrown  to  the  surface  by  the  stimulus  of 
warmth,  or  other  powers  exciting  the  action  of  the  heart 
and  arteries.  This  stimulus,  however,  requires  regu- 
lation ;  for  we  have  found  (see  COLD),  that  excess  of 
temperature  is  unfavourable  to  the  discharge  from  the 
skin.  Stimulus,  when  fever  is  not  present,  will,  how- 
ever, often  succeed ;  but,  in  general,  it  requires  the 
addition  of  a  relaxant.  Thus  opium  has,  in  every  age, 
been  the  chief  ingredient  in  sudorifics.  But  Dover 
refined  on  the  former  plans,  by  adding  another  relaxant; 
Ward,  by  the  union  of  the  white  hellebore,  which  he, 
perhaps,  supposed  to  be  a  stimulant,  but  which  acted 
probably  in  a  different  way.  Some  poisonous  medicines, 
by  exciting  nausea,  relax  the  skin,  and  prove  diaphore- 
tic. Of  this  kind  is  the  veratrum  album,  which  Ward 
employed ;  and  all  the  variety  of  narcotic  vegetables  will 
produce  the  same  effect.  In  combination  with  the 
warmer  stimulants,  therefore,  a  great  variety  would  pro- 
bably form  useful  diaphoretics,  did  we  want  any  more 
powerful  than  those  we  possess. 

Diuretics  are  of  a  similar  nature;  and,  independent  of 
the  more  immediate  and  active  stimulus  conveyed  to  the 
kidneys,  narcotics,  by  inducing  general  relaxation,  pro- 
mote greatly  the  flow  of  urine  Some  combinations  of 
the  two  kinds  we  have  employed  with  effect ;  and,  if 


C  O  M 


470 


C  O  M 


Bacher's  tonic  pill  is  useful,  it  is  from  a  combination  of 
this  kind.  The  necessity  of  the  union  is  sufficiently 
perceived,  by  joining  aromatics  with  the  foxglove.  Why 
not  rather  the  oils  of  juniper  or  turpentine? 

£rrhines  are  also  of  two  kinds,  the  stimulant  and 
evacuant :  these  are  usually  combined.  We  have  but 
one  internal  sialogogue  :  but  the  Hindoo  unites  the 
stimulant  with  the  sedative  in  the  preparation  of  his 
betel. 

In  the  exhibition  of  emmenagogues  we  occasionally 
combine  with  advantage,  the  more  general  stimulants 
and  tonics  with  the  topical  stimulants  of  aloetic  purga- 
tives ;  sometimes  the  latter  with  relaxants  :  and,  under 
lithontrifitics,  we  have  mentioned  the  union  of  the  bit- 
ters, designed  to  counteract  the  calculous  diathesis,  with 
medicines  that  act  on  the  calculus  itself.  We  have 
even  expressed  our  doubts,  whether  refinement  has 
not  too  far  simplified  the  medicine  of  Mrs.  Joanna 
Stephens. 

Medicines  of  a  more  general  action  do  not  so  fre- 
quently require  combination.  We  allude  to  stimulants 
and  sedatives.  Astringents  and  tonics,  however,  de- 
mand a  more  exact  attention,  properly  to  appropriate 
the  medicine  to  the  disease,  as  each  is  seldom  without 
an  admixture  of  the  other,  and  a  stimulant  principle  is 
sometimes  combined.  But  this  part  of  the  subject 
requires  a  minuteness  of  detail,  which  can  only  be  ad- 
vantageously pursued  when  connected  with  the  consi- 
deration of  separate  diseases. 

In  many  of  these  classes,  Dr.  Fordyce  seems  to  think, 
that  the  union  of  two  or  more  substances  of  the  same 
class  can  be  more  easily  borne,  and  be  more  effectual, 
than  the  same  bulk  of  a  single  medicine;  as  water,  when 
saturated  with  one  salt,  will  dissolve  a  portion  of  a  dif- 
ferent kind.  It  is  not  improbable;  and  while,  as  in  the 
classes  just  alluded  to,  we  are  measuring  the  degree  in 
which  we  shall  add  the  wanner  to  the  purer  astringent, 
we  may  perhaps  increase  the  activity  of  the  medicine. 
On  this  subject  we  cannot  properly  decide;  for  we,  too, 
are  of  "  St.  Thomas,  and  hard  of  belief." 

Another  method  in  which  combination  will  be  use- 
ful is,  where  two  indications  can  be  at  once  answered  by 
the  union  of  different  medicines.  The  instance  given 
by  Dr.  Fordyce  is  the  union  of  tormentil  with  ipeca- 
cuanha in  old  diarrhoeas.  The  one  strengthens  the 
bowels,  while  the  other  determines  to  the  skin  :  an  ef- 
fect highly  advantageous  in  the  cure.  This  consequence 
of  combination  is  peculiarly  important,  and  we  would 
strongly  recommend  it  to  the  practitioner's  attention : 
but  it  will  be  obvious,  that  it  rather  relates  to  the  ma- 
nagement of  particular  diseases;  and  to  pursue  the  sub- 
ject would  require  a  volume.  See  Transactions  for 
improving  Medical  and  Chirurgical  Knowledge,  vol.  ii. 
p.  314. 

COMBU'STIO,  and  COMBUSTURA,  (from  con 
and  uro,  to  burn).  See  CALCINATIO. 

COMEDO'NES,  (from  comedo,  a  glutton').  A  sort 
of  worms,  which  eat  into  the  skin  and  devour  the  flesh. 
See  BOVINA  AFFECTIO,  and  CRINONES. 

COME'TES,  (from  KU/MI,  a  bush  of  hair ;  so  named 
from  its  appearance).  See  AMYGDALOIDES. 

COME'TZ.     HALF  A  DROP. 

COMI'SDI.     See  GUMMI  ARABICUM. 

COMl'STE,  (from  x,»ft,i£v,  to  provide).  FOOD,  NOU- 
RISHMENT. 


COMITIA'LIS  MORBIS,(from  comitia,  an  assem- 
bly).  See  EPILEPSIA. 

COMITISSJE  PULVIS,  (from  comitissa,  a  count- 
ess). See  CORT.  PERUV. 

COMITISS&  PALMK,  Or  PALMER!  PULV.  See  MAGNESIA 
ALBA. 

COMMAGE'NUM,  (from  Commagene,  a  place  in 
Syria,  from  whence  it  was  brought).  The  name  of  an 
ointment  mentioned  by  Galen.  It  is  also  called  Syria- 
cum  unguentum. 

COMMANDUCA'TIO,  (from  commanduco,  to  eat). 
See  MASTICATIO. 

COMMA'NSUM,  (from  commando,  to  eat).  See 
APOPHLEGMATICA. 

COMMEL.  PLANT.  USU.  An  abbreviation  of 
Caspar!  Commelinis  Horti  Medici  Amstaeledamensi, 
Plantarum  Usualium  Catalogus.  Amstel.  1724. 

COMMEL.  PRJELUD.  An  abbreviation  of  Caspar!  Com- 
melini  Prasludia  Botanicae,  Ludg.  Batav.  1715. 

COMMEL.  FLOR.  MAL.  An  abbreviation  of  C.  Com- 
melini  Flora  Malabarica,  sive  Horti  Malabarici  Cata- 
logus. 

COMMEL.  INDIG.  An  abbreviation  of  Casp.  Comme- 
lini  Catalogus  Plantarum  Indigenarum  Hollandiae. 

COMMENDATO'RIUM  (BALS.)  (from  commen- 
dator,  the  commander).  The  balsam  of  the  commander 
of  Berne,  Balsamum  Traumaticum,  now  tinclura  be- 
zoes  comfiosita.  See  BENZOINUM. 

COMMINU'TIO,  (from  comminuo,  to  break  in 
pieces).  COMMINUTION.  Contritio.  It  is  the  reduc- 
tion of  any  solid  body  into  finer  particles,  and  is  of  two 
kinds,  viz.  CONTUSION,  or  PULVERISATION,  and  LEVIGA- 
TION,  or  TRITURATION;  which  differ,  however,  only  in 
degree. 

Subsequent  to  pulverisation,  where  extremely  fine 
powders  are  required,  two  secondary  processes  are  ne- 
cessary, viz.  searching  and  elutriation :  the  first  is  the 
passing  of  any  pounded  matter  by  agitation  through  the 
interstices  of  cloth  of  different  fineness,  stretched  across 
a  cylinder,  covered  with  a  similar  one.  The  latter  is 
by  diffusing  the  powdered  substance  in  a  proper  quantity 
of  water;  then  decanting  the  liquor  with  the  lightest 
part  of  the  powder,  as  directed  in  the  preparation  of 
crude  antimony. 

In  powdering  any  substance,  care  should  be  taken  to 
accommodate  the  substance  to  the  instruments:  such 
medicines  as  will  dissolve  metal  should  be  prepared  in 
stone  or  glass  mortars;  very  hard  bodies  will  abrade  soft 
marbles  :  to  prevent  then  the  mixture  of  the  instruments 
made  use  of  with  the  medicine  that  is  prepared  by  them, 
such  mortars,  stones  for  levigating  on,  must  be  chosen, 
as  cannot  be  affected  by  the  uses  they  are  employed  in. 

Light  dry  substances,  resins,  roots  of  a  tenacious  tex- 
ture, are  more  easily  pulverised  if  the  mortar  is  pre- 
viously rubbed  with  oil ;  camphor  and  cortex  require  a 
little  water:  tough  substances  may  be  grated  or  rasped: 
hard  minerals,  as  flint,  calamine,  or  stone,  should  pre- 
viously undergo  an  extinction  ;  that  is,  should  be  made 
red  hot,  and  then  quenched  in  water ;  the  alkaline  and 
calcareous  stones  should  be  converted  into  lime  by  this 
process. 

Some  metals,  if  heated  to  a  proper  degree,  arc  ren- 
dered brittle,  and  then  by  agitation  are  easily  powder- 
ed :  of  this  kind  is  tin.  This  comminution  of  metals  is 
called  granulation. 


C  O 


471 


CON 


Simple  as  this  pharmaceutic  operation  is,  its  import- 
ance is  considerable  in  medicine  ;  resinous  purgatives, 
when  well  triturated,  are  more  easily  soluble  in  the  ani- 
mal fluids,  and  operate  more  briskly  with  less  irritation: 
antimony,  finely  powdered, discovers  but  little  efficacy; 
but  exquisitely  levigated,  is  said  to  be  a  powerful  altera- 
tive. Mercurials,  and  many  other  medicines,  owe  their 
virtue  in  part  to  comminution. 

Roots,  and  such  other  articles  as  consist  of  different 
parts,  viz.  a  resinous,  ligneous,  &c.  should  be  complete- 
ly powdered,  and  then  the  whole  powdered  substance 
should  be  well  mixed  together ;  for,  without  this  pre- 
caution, one  part  which  yields  more  easily  to  the  pestle 
than  another,  as  more  friable,  will  be  too  active,  and 
another  too  inert. 

In  levigating,  some  fluid  must  generally  be  added. 
Earthy  and  other  hard  bodies,  that  are  not  soluble  in 
water,  must  first  be  finely  powdered  in  a  mortar,  then 
levigated  with  water  on  a  hard  marble  stone,  and  after- 
ward dried  on  a  chalk  stone.  Bezoar  should  be  levi- 
gated with  spirit  of  wine. 

COMMISSU'RA,  (from  committo,  to  join  together). 
See  SUTURA,  and  ARTICULATIO.  This  term  is  also  ap- 
plied to  the  apparently  fibrous  structure  which  unites 
different  portions  of  the  base  of  the  brain. 

COMMISSU'RES,  (from  the  same).     See   LABIA 

PUDEN'DI. 

COMMO'SIS,  (from  xtft/u,  gluten).  The  first  stra- 
tum of  gummy  matter  with  which  bees  line  their  hives. 
It  also  signifies  that  art  which  is  employed  in  conceal- 
ing natural  imperfections  with  respect  to  beauty ;  from 
X.OUMOU,  ornatum  adhibeo.  This  is  distinguished  from 
the  cosmetic  art,  which  consists  in  preserving  the  beau- 
ty that  is  natural. 

COMMUNICA'NTES  FE'BRES,  (from  communi- 
co,  to  participate).  According  to  Bellini,  they  are  two  fe- 
vers which  infest  a  person  at  one  and  the  same  time,  the 
paroxysm  of  one  beginning  as  soon  as  the  other  ceases. 

COMMU'NIS  SAL.     See  MARINLM  SAL. 

COMO'SE.     See  COMA. 

COMPA'CTUS,  (from  compingo,  to  put  together). 
In  botany  it  means  being  of  a  firm  and  close  texture. 

COMPA'SSIO,  (from  compatior,  to  suffer  with). 
COMPASSIOX.  In  nosology  it  is  the  suffering  of  one 
part  on  account  of  an  affection  of  some  other  part: 
more  commonly  called  suffering  by  consent,  or  sympa- 
!hy.  See  SYMPATHIA. 

COMPE'BA,  and  COMI'PER.     See  CUBES*. 

COMPLE'XUS,(from  complecto,to  comprise).  Call- 
ed also  trigeminus.  This  muscle  runs  obliquely,  rising 
from  the  transverse  processes  of  the  six  inferior  cer- 
vical vertebrae :  and  sixth,  seventh,  or  eighth  superior 
dorsal  verterbrae  :  it  then  directs  its  course  upwards,  and 
's  inserted  into  the  cavity,  below  the  transverse  line  of 
the  occiput,  and  bends  the  head  back.  It  sometimes  re- 
ceives a  few  slips  from  the  spinal  processes  of  some  of 
the  vertebrae  of  the  dorsum.  The  complexus  being  re- 
moved, \v~e  see  the  two  recti  and  the  two  obliqui. 

COMPLE'XUS  MI'NOR,  called  also  mastoideus  lateralis, 
iracfielo-mastoidaus,  et  capitis,  par  tertium  failopii. 
When  the  splenius  muscle  is  removed,  we  see  the  com- 
plexus and  the  complejcus  minor;  the  complexus  is  near- 
er the  spine,  and  the  complexus  minor  is  under  the  up- 
per edge  of  the  splenius ;  it  is  various  in  different  bodies. 


Albinus  describes  its  origin  twelve  different  ways :  it 
rises  from  the  transverse  processes  of  the  three  upper- 
most vertebrae  of  the  back,  and  from  the  five  lowermost 
of  the  neck,  where  it  is  connected  to  the  transversalis 
cervicis,  by  as  many  thin  tendons,  which  unite  into  a 
belly,  and  run  up  under  the  splenius.  It  is  inserted 
into  the  middle  of  the  posterior  side  of  the  mastoid  pro- 
cess by  a  thin  tendon.  Its  use  is  to  assist  the  complexus, 
but  it  pulls  the  head  more  to  one  side.  Innes. 

COMPOSI'TUS,  (from  compono,  to  compose).  In 
botany  it  means  compound,  aggregate,  in  opposition  to 
single.  In  pharmacy  a  more  complicated  preparation 
of  a  common  medicine. 

COMPREHE'NSIO,  (from  comprehendo,  to  under- 
stand). See  CATALEPSIS. 

COMPRESSIO,  (from  comprcmo,  to  press  upon). 
See  CEREBRI  COMPRESSIO. 

COMPRE'SSOR  NA'RIS.     See  NASALIS. 

COMPU'NCTIO,  (from  compungo,  to  prick) .  See 
PARACEVTESIS. 

CON7A'RIUM,  (from  **>»•«,  a  cone).  The  PINEAL 
GLAND  ;  so  called  from  its  shape.  See  CEREBRUM. 

CONCAUSA,  (from  con,  with,  and  causa,  a  cause). 
A  cause  which  co-operates  with  another  in  the  produc- 
tion of  a  disease. 

CONCENTRA'TIO,  (from  con,  and  centrum,  the 
centre).  CONCENTRATION.  To  concentrate  a  body  is 
to  approximate  its  principal  parts  by  removing  those 
which  keep  them  asunder,  and  which  are  not  proper  to 
the  body  concentrated.  This  word  is  generally  applied 
to  the  dephlegmation  of  acids,  and  particularly  of  the 
vitriolic  by  distillation,  of  vinegar  by  congelation,  and 
of  salts  by  evaporation. 

CONCE'PTIO,  (from  concipio,  to  conceive).  Con- 
ception may  be  perhaps  defined  the  first  animation  of  the 
ovum,  at  the  moment  when  it  escapes  from  the  ovarium, 
passing  through  the  Fallopian  tube  to  the  uterus.  The 
definition,  which  is  undoubtedly  connected  with  a  the- 
ory, will  be  further  illustrated  under  the  article  GENE- 
RATION, q.  v. ;  but  it  is  sufficiently  supported  by  the 
weight  of  evidence.  It  is  only  necessary  to  observe  in 
this  place,  that  the  ovum  is  very  probably  a  part  of  the 
mother's  system ;  that  it  has  not  life  while  in  the  ova- 
rium, and  that  in  every  part  of  the  progress  pointed 
out,  a  living  full  grown  foetus  has  been  found. 

But,  however  secretly  conception  is  effected,  its 
symptoms  are  soon  conspicuous.  These  consist  in  a 
preternatural  irritability  of  the  whole  system,  particular- 
ly of  the  stomach.  Vomiting  frequently  occurs,  after  a 
few  weeks,  in  the  morning,  and  often  incessant  through 
the  day.  For  some  months  nothing  is  seemingly  retain- 
ed in  the  stomach,  and  yet  the  child  grows,  though  the 
mother  is  often  greatly  reduced.  The  whole  nervous  sys- 
tem is  equally  disturbed,  and  fancies  the  most  strange  and 
incoherent  often  agitate  the  mind.  See  PREGNANCY. 

See  Malpighius,  De  Graaf,  Harvey,  and  Hamilton's 
Outlines. 

CONCE'PTUS,  (from  the  same).  The  very  first 
rudiments  of  the  foetus  in  the  uterus  after  conception.  • 

CO'NCHA,  (from  -srafa.  TO  %*nti*,  from  its  gaping). 
A  SHELL.  Some  confine  this  word  to  the  shell,  while 
others  intend  by  it  the  animal  with  its  shell. 

Sea  sheli  fish,  when  boiled,  are  wholesome  food, 
though  supposed  to  be  alkalescent;  their  shells  are 


CON 


472 


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absorbent;  it' calcined,  they  become  a  quick  lime,  pos- 
sessing all  the  properties  of  pure  calcareous  earth. 

CO'NCHA  ANATI'FEHA,  (from  anas,  a  duck). 
Shell-fish,  ridiculously  supposed  to  produce  a  species 
of  duck. 

CO'NCHA  AUHI'CUL/E.     See  AURICULA. 

CO'XCHA  CYTHERIA'CA,  CO'NCHA  ERYTHR^E'A.  See 
CONCHA  VENERIS. 

CO'NCHA  MAHGARITI'FERA.  This  word  belongs  to 
every  shell  fish  in  which  pearls  are  found  ;  but  because 
the  best  pearls  are  found  in  the  East  Indies,  it  is  con- 
fined for  the  most  part  to  the  concha  Indica  magna, 
whose  shells  are  moderately  hollow,  thick,  and  external- 
ly of  a  yellowish  colour,  rough,  uneven,  and  not  striat- 
ed ;  internally  they  are  smooth,  and  shine  like  pearls. 
It  is  a  species  of  oyster,  principally  found  in  the  Persian 
sea,  and  is  eaten  raw  or  roasted.  The  shell  of  this  fish 
is  the  mater  fierlaruin.  It  is  also  called  cochlea  marga- 
ritifera.  See  MATKH  PERLARUM. 

CO'NCHA  STHI'ATA.  The  COCKLE.  This  is  a  shell 
tish  employed  as  a  nutriment,  but  being  of  a  firmer  sub- 
stance than  the  oyster,  is  not  so  easily  digested :  in 
other  respects  it  possesses  nearly  the  same  properties. 
See  OSTREA  and  ALIMENT. 

CO'NCHA  VENE'RIS,  or  ERYTHR^E'A.  VENUS'S  SHELL, 
is  an  univalve  wreathed  shell,  having  a  small  longitudi- 
nal and  denticulated  chink  or  aperture  in  it.  It  is  also 
called  concha  /wrcellana,  from  its.  aperture  resembling 
the  mouth  of  a  hog ;  and  concha  cytheriaca,  from  Venus, 
or  its  being  found  in  the  island  Cythera. 

As  a  medicine,  for  this  shell  the  cockle  or  any  other 
shell  may  be  substituted;  but  it  is  now  never  de- 
manded. 

CO'NCHA.  A  liquid  measure  among  the  Athenians, 
which  contained  half  an  ounce  ;  from  three  to  five  spoon- 
fuls; in  fact,  nearly  six  drachms.  Galen  says,  that  the 
concha  magna  was  the  same  as  the  acetabulum,  which  of 
liquid  contained  an  ounce  and  a  half,  and  in  weight  fif- 
teen drachms;  and  that  the  concha  minor  was  half  an 
ounce  of  liquid,  and  five  drachms  of  weight.  It  is  a 
term  applied  also  to  some  of  the  smaller  and  shallow 
cavities  of  the  body. 

CON'CH^E  NA'RIUM  INFERIO'RES;  convoluta 
tnferiora,  lamince  sjiongiosts  inferiores.  THE  INFERIOR 
SPONGY  LAMINJE  OF  THE  NOSE.  They  are  situated  in  the 
nasal  fossae,  one  on  each  side  ;  suspended  like  the  eth- 
moidal  concha,  without  resting  on  any  thing.  The  in- 
ferior edges  are  the  most  considerable  of  the  three  ; 
they  are  rough,  thick,  a  little  rounded,  and  turned  to- 
ward the  os  maxillare.  By  their  anterior  superior  edge, 
they  are  joined  to  the  anterior  transverse  eminences  of 
the  os  maxillare ;  their  posterior  superior  edge  is  the 
longest,  and  is  joined  backwards  to  the  small  transverse 
eminence  of  the  middle  portion  of  the  os  palati.  See 
Winslow's  Anatomy,  and  Monro  on  the  Bones. 

CO'NCHA  NAKIUM  SUPERIO'RES  ;  con-valuta  sufieriora 
ossa,  and  lamina  sfiongiose  interiores.  So  Winslow 
calls  the  inferior  part  of  each  lateral  portion  of  the  os 
ethmoides. 

CONCHARUM  ANTIFEBRI'LE.  Muscle  shells 
are  macerated  in  vinegar  for  twenty-four  hours,  after 
wiping  off  the  external  mucus.  They  must  then  be  dried 
and  reduced  to  a  powder;  during  which  operation  a 
spoonful  of  carduus  water,  to  prevent  the  light  parts  from 


flying  off,  is  added.  A  drachm  is  the  proper  dose  as  a 
febrifuge  and  diaphoretic.  Bate's  Pharmacopoeia. 

CONCHIFO'LIA,  (from  concha,  a  shell,  und  folium, 
a  leaf;  from  its  bearing  leaves  bent  in  the  form  of  a 
shell).  See  MANGA. 

CON'CHIS,  (from  ««y^,  a  shell).  Among  the 
Romans  it  is  an  entire  bean  wrapped  up  in  its  perfect 
capsule. 

CONCHY'LIA  FOSSI'LIA,  (from  the  same).  Fos- 
SILE  SHELLS.  They  are  ridiculously  supposed  to  be 
lithontriptic,  because  other  shells  when  calcined  are  of 
that  nature. 

CONCHYROI'DES.    See  CORACOIDES  PROCESSUS. 

CONCIDE'NTIA,  (from  concido,  to  decay).  A  de- 
crease of  bulk  in  the  whole  or  any  part  of  the  body,  or 
the  subsiding  of  a  tumour. 

CONCOAGULA'TA,  (from  con  and  coagulo,  to  co- 
agulate together).  The  confused  concretion,  or  crys- 
tallization of  different  salts,  first  dissolved  in  the  same 
fluid. 

CONCO'CTIO,  (from  concoquo,  to  digest) .  CONCOC- 
TION. It  is  generally  understood  to  be  such  a  change 
upon  the  morbid  matter,  by  the  power  of  nature,  gene- 
rally with  assistance  of  art,  as  renders  it  fit  for  separa- 
tion from  the  healthy  parts  of  our  fluids,  and  to  be 
thrown  out  of  our  bodies.  But  this  doctrine,  at  least  in 
fevers,  is  certainly  false.  That  morbid  matter,  when  it 
exists,  passes  off  from  the  blood  in  its  pristine  state, 
appears  from  the  matter  of  the  small  pox  and  measles, 
both  which  communicate  the  same  disease  at  every 
period  after  the  eruption.  It  is  most  probable  also, 
that,  in  every  infectious  fever,  the  morbid  matter,  after 
assimilating  some  of  the  fluids  of  the  patient  affected, 
passes  of  in  the  same  state  that  it  was  received.  Acri- 
mony in  the  blood  is  in  no  case  rendered  mild  by  any 
process  in  our  constitutions  :  on  the  contrary,  it  is  al- 
ways expelled  unaltered  by  some  of  the  emunctories. 
Pus  is  never  formed  of  a  kindly  nature  whilst  the  heat 
of  the  body  much  exceeds  the  degree  that  is  proper  to 
health. 

The  theory  of  concoction,  however,  which  has  pre- 
vailed since  the  days  of  Hippocrates,  has  been  of  the 
most  fatal  consequence  to  the  science  of  medicine,  and 
to  patients  affected  with  fevers.  It  precluded  all  observa- 
tion of  the  effects  of  medicines  in  the  early  stages  of  such 
fevers,  and  left  the  patient  to  the  ravages  of  their  cause. 
When  the  idea  was  added,  that  heat  was  the  instrument 
by  which  the  change  was  effected,  the  miseries  of  the 
sufferers  were  greatly  augmented.  The  curtains  were 
drawn ;  the  windows  shut ;  the  fires  large  and  in- 
cessant; and  the  medicines  of  the  most  stimulating 
kind.  It  was  truly  said,  that  those  who  recovered  es- 
caped S~i»  5ruf»«,  through  the  fire. 

Sydenham  supposed  that  the  concoction  of  the  febrile 
matter  meant  no  mo  rethan  a  preparation  and  separa- 
tion of  the  morbific  from  the  sound  particles.  See 
Kirkland  on  Fevers,  p.  14,  27. 

CONCREMA'TIO,(from  con  and  cremo,  to  burn  to- 
gether). See  CALCINATIO. 

CONCRE'TIO,  (from  concresco,  to  grow  together). 
In  chemistry  it  is  the  condensation  of  any  fluid  sub- 
stance into  a  more  solid  mass,  importing  the  same  as 
coagulation.  In  surgery  it  is  the  growing  together  of 
any  parts  which  are  separate  in  a  natural  state. 


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C  O 


CONCU'RSUS,  (from  concurro,  to  meet  together). 
See  SYNDROME. 

COXCU'SSIO,  (from  conculio,  to  *hake  together}. 
\  CONCUSSION.  A  jolt  or  shock  in  consequence  of 
blows  or  falls. 

CONCUSSION  OF  THE  BHAIN.  Anaffectionof  the  brain, 
produced  by  a  violent  shock,  without  a  wound  or  frac- 
ture, though  it  must  have  been  often  the  subject  of 
observation,  has  been  but  lately  distinguished  with 
accuracy.  It  has  been  confounded  with  the  effects  of 
depression  and  extravasation ;  with  inflammation  and 
Abscess  of  that  organ.  The  two  latter  are  often  its 
consequences ;  but  should  be  clearly  distinguished  in 
the  origin.  To  take  the  simplest  idea  of  the  disease, 
we  will  suppose  a  cannon  ball  to  pass  near  the  head. 
The  person  falls  insensible  :  if  it  passes  near  the  spine, 
death,  or  a  paralysis  of  the  lower  limbs,  is  often  the 
consequence.  From  this  there  can  be  no  organic  in- 
jury; none  can  be  traced  by  dissection :  and  though  the 
momentum  of  the  air  may  account  for  the  fall,  it  will 
not  explain  the  subsequent  disease.  This,  however, 
will  be  a  future  consideration. 

In  concussion,  the  greater  number  of  symptoms  which 
distinguish  compression  are  present.  The  great  dis- 
tinction is.  that  the  pulse  is  soft,  often  weak,  and  sinks 
on  bleeding.  A  discharge  of  blood  from  the  nose  or 
ears,  and  the  apoplectic  stertor,  are  wanting.  After  a 
short  period  has  elapsed,  the  insensibility  in  concussion 
is  not  so  great:  the  patient  will  complain  on  the  head 
being  moved.  The  muscles  reir.in  tl.eir  natural  tone, 
and  the  pupils  are  often  contracted;  they  are,  indeed, 
sometimes  dilated ;  the  insensibility  is  then  extreme, 
and  concussion  and  compression  often  so  much  resem- 
ble each  other,  that  they  cannot,  perhaps,  always  be 
distinguished.  What  adds  to  the  difficulty  is,  that  after 
the  insensibility  from  the  simple  concussion  begins  to 
wear  off,  inflammation  often  comes  on;  not  active  in- 
flammation, with  violent  pain  and  delirium,  but  the 
milder  kind,  from  a  dilatation  of  the  vessels,  exciting, 
in  consequence,  a  slight  increased  action.  This,  in 
many  cases,  unsuspectedly  runs  its  course,  till  symp- 
toms of  compression  come  on;  and,  after  death,  an 
abscess  is  found  generally  at  the  base  of  the  brain, 
though,  occasionally,  in  other  parts  of  that  organ. 

The  best  foundation  of  the  distinction  in  these  very 
difficult  emergencies  is  the  effects  of  remedies.  In 
every  accident  of  this  kind,  blood  should  be  taken.  If 
there  is  no  wound,  if  there  is  no  evidence  of  an  actual 
blow,  it  should  be  taken  sparingly.  Should  the  pulse 
•>ink,  the  insensibility  continue,  we  must  content  our- 
selves with  injecting  a  clyster,  and  consider  it  to  be  a 
concussion.  Should,  however,  any  blow  be  discerni- 
ble ;  should  the  patient,  on  pressing  the  cranium  on 
every  part,  show  more  sensibility  when  pressed  on  one 
rather  than  any  other  part;  should  the  pulse  not  sink 
on  a  moderate  bleeding;  we  have  reason  to  think  the 
accident  has  produced  a  fracture  or  an  extravasation. 

Concussion  is  a  disease  similar  to  the  effect  of  inso- 
lation, an  affection  of  the  nervous  aura,  equally  pro- 
duced by  noxious  vapours,  by  the  simoon  of  the  desert, 
particularly  by  lightning  or  electricity,  which  probably 
produce  their  effects  only  by  the  momentum  communi- 
cated to  the  air.  Why  this  concussion  of  the  air  should 
affect  the  nervous  aura  it  is  impossible  to  say,  until  its 
nature  is  better  known.  Shocks,  however,  of  every 
•..  i. 


kind  produce,  in  different  parts  of  the  body,  similar  ef- 
fects. How  often  will  a  fall  in  old  persons  occasion 
infarctions  or  abscesses  in  the  liver,  independent  of  any 
topical  bruise,  or  obvious  inflammation!  By  such  con- 
cussions the  vessels  are  weakened,  and  admit  of  con- 
gestion :  the  load  is  greater  than  the  debilitated  powers 
can  overcome,  and  suppuration  is  the  consequence. 

In  cases  of  concussion,  our  conduct  is  by  no  means 
cleared  from  difficulties.  When  the  pulse  sinks  from 
bleeding,  and  when  we  are  satisfied,  from  the  other 
symptoms,  that  no  depression  or  extravasation  has  taken 
place,  the  warmest  cordials  have  been  ordered.  Yet,  as 
we  have  a  second  stage  to  dread,  they  should  be  em- 
ployed with  caution.  Evacuations  by  clyster,  topical 
discharges  from  the  head,  not,  with  the  hasty  rashness  of 
some  modem  practitioners,  at  once,  but  in  a  gradual 
manner  to  keep  up  a  constant  effect,  and  prevent  too 
great  a  stimulus  in  the  early  period,  are  necessary.  We 
may,  for  instance,  apply  immediately  leeches ;  but  not 
more  than  four.  At  this  time,  a  blister  at  the  nape  of 
the  neck  may  be  operating.  After  its  discharge  has 
begun,  two  may  be  applied  behind  the  ears;  and,  after 
a  similar  interval,  another  to  the  vertex.  During  this 
period,  the  bowels  should  be  kept  moderately  open; 
wine  and  nourishment  supplied  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  support  the  strength,  and  preserve  a  vital  warmth, 
without  healing.  The  extremities  should  be  kept  warm 
by  friction,  and  hot  bricks,  if  cold. 

Mr.  Bromfield  was  led,  seemingly  by  a  happy  acci- 
dent, to  give  the  Dover's  powder ;  for  which  he  after- 
wards substituted  an  antimonial  with  opium.  When 
we  consider  the  extent  of  the  vessels  over  the  whole 
surface  of  the  body,  and  recal  to  our  recollection  the 
advantages  we  derive  from  an  evacuation  from  the  skin 
in  every  topical  congestion,  we  shall  at  once  sea  the 
foundation  of  this  practice,  which,  in  his  and  other 
hands,  has  been  found  very  successful.  In  reality,  we 
consider  it  as  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  in  mo- 
dern practice;  and,  from  the  views  we  have  given,  the 
foundation  of  its  use  is  particularly  explained.  Time, 
however,  can  only  perfect  the  cure.  The  function 
the  brain,  if  not  hurried  out  of  their  regular  train,  ex- 
erted with  too  much  energy,  or  too  early,  gradually  re- 
cover, and  the  patient,  at  last,  regains  his  former 
health :  the  time,  however,  is  usually  long. 

If  the  patient  has  been  neglected,  or  the  plan  not 
fully  answered  its  intended  purpose,  though  he  appears 
to  recover,  yet,  at  an  uncertain  interval,  shiverings,  a 
low  delirium,  with  marks  of  compression,  come  on. 
An  abscess  has  then  taken  place,  and  death  is  inevitable. 

Mr.  Pott,  in  his  description  of  concussion,  has  not 
distinguished  sufficiently  between  the  effects  of  the 
shock  and  extravasation ;  and  Mr.  Deasc,  though  he 
approaches  nearer  to  an  accurate  view  of  the  subject, 
still  confounds  the  two  diseases. 

From  Mr.  Schmucker's  view  of  the  cause  of  the  dis- 
order, is  suggested  the  idea  of  astringent  applications; 
and  he  informs  us,  that  he  employed  them  with  the 
greatest  advantage.  The  following  he  seems  to  pre- 
fer :  R.  Aq.  pur.  ffs  x.  acet.  acerrim.  $>  i.  sal  nitri  :  iv. 
sal.  ammon.  crud.  ^ij.  m.  With  this  embrocation  he 
orders  the  part  affected  to  be  frequently  well  bathed;  at 
the  same  time  that  blood  letting  is  prescribed,  together 
with  the  internal  use  of  nitre,  stimulating  injections,  and 
laxatives.  In  all  the  slighter  affections  of  the  head,  the 
,  ^  I1 


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474 


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greatest  success,  he  says,  has  been  observed  from  such 
a  course;  and,  even  in  those  which  have  required  the 
trepan,  Mr.  Schmucker  thinks  he  has  often  seen  it  em- 
ployed with  advantage.  In  concussions  of  the  brain, 
even  without  any  external  wound,  cold  epithems  and 
fomentations,  he  says,  are  very  serviceable,  especially 
if  conjoined  with  stimulating  clysters,  and  the  applica- 
tion of  leeches  to  the  temples.  Mr.  Schmucker  further 
observes,  in  the  same  work,  that  violent  concussions  of 
the  brain  are  often  produced  merely  from  the  passage  of 
cannon  balls  near  to  the  head,  without  any  external 
affection  being  observable.  In  such  cases,  and  in  all 
similar  concussions,  emetics,  he  says,  are  commonly  at- 
tended with  the  best  effects ;  venesection,  however, 
must  always  be  premised. 

See  Berengarius  de  Commotione  Cerebri;  Mons. 
Bertrandi's  Dissertation  on  the  Concussion  of  the  Brain, 
in  the  3d  vol.  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Academy 
of  Surgery;  Wiseman's  Surgery,  book  v.  ch.  ix.  obs. 
x.  Gooch's  Cases  and  Remarks,  ed.  2.  and  Bromfield's 
Chirurgical  Obs.  and  Cases,  vol.  i.  ch.  i.  Dease's  Obs. 
on  Wounds  of  the  Head;  Pott's  Works;  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  iii.  page  132.  Abernethy's  Surgical 
Essays. 

CONDENSA'TIO,(from  condense,  to  make  thick). 
CONDENSATION.  It  implies  a  contraction  of  the  cu- 
taneous pores  by  means  of  cooling,  drying,  or  astrin- 
gent medicines.  It  is  also  an  inspissation  of  any  fluid; 
condensantia  medicamenta  are  such  as  authors  have 
fancied  possess  a  power  of  inspissating  the  fluids. 
CO'NDER.  See  OLIDANUM. 

CONDIME'NTUM,  (from  condio,  to  preserve). 
.Jrtyma,  conditura.  A  CONDIMENT  or  PRESERVE.  It 
signifies  whatever  procures  sweetness  and  a  grateful 
taste  to  any  substance.  But,  in  a  more  restrained  sense, 
that  is  called  condimentum  which  is  used  in  preparing 
aliments,  whether  with  an  intention  of  rendering  them 
palatable,  or  assisting  their  digestion. 

Condiments  make  so  considerable  a  part  of  modern 
luxuries,  that  a  more  particular  consideration  of  the 
poignant  substances  employed  to  give  a  relish,  which 
health  and  hunger  have  denied,  becomes  necessary. 
We  mean  not  to  say  that  every  condiment  is  designed  to 
give  an  artificial  appetite.  Spices  in  the  warm  climates 
are  essential  to  health  ;  and  salt  in  every  climate  seems 
•to  be  the  same.  But  we  must  be  more  particular. 

The  condiments  employed  are  those  used  to  preserve 
meat  from  putrefaction,  and  those  added  occasionally  in 
the  process  of  cooking,  or  at  table.  Of  the  former 
kind,  some  merely  preserve  animal  food  without  add- 
ing to  the  poignancy  of  the  taste,  as  ice,  vinegar,  or  a 
few  pepper  corns.  Others  give  a  poignancy,  and  alter 
the  quality  of  the  food,  as  salt,  sugar,  nitre,  and  smoke; 
vinegar  and  spices  more  intimately  mixed,  or  in  a 
larger  proportion.  Of  the  first  we  need  not  speak 
particularly,  but  only  to  suggest  the  necessity  of  gra- 
dually thawing  meat  preserved  by  ice,  as  its  texture  is 
otherwise  destroyed.  Salt  condenses  the  muscular 
fibres,  and  renders  them  harder  of  digestion ;  but  a  large 
proportion  of  sugar  lessens  the  inconvenience,  and  nitre 
is  said  to  have  a  similar  effect.  Nitre,  however,  in  the 
quantity  employed,  is  by  no  means  a  powerful  antisep- 
tic; and,  as  a  condiment,  it  seems  of  little  importance. 
It  chiefly  imparts  a  more  uniform  and  pleasing  red  co- 
lour than  salt.  The  poignancy  of  the  salt,  however,  ren- 


ders many  substances  much  more  digestible,  particularly 
the  fatter  part  of  the  hog,  the  bacon.  This,  if  cut  thin, 
is  easily,  when  broiled,  borne  by  the  tenderest  stomach, 
and  the  addition  of  vinegar  assists  its  digestion.  Sugar, 
we  have  said,  does  not  harden  the  animal  fibres,  and  it 
preserves  meat  very  successfully.  It  is  usually  mixed 
with  salt,  though  in  too  small  a  proportion.  The  weight 
of  each  should  be  equal,  or  of  the  sugar  superior ;  and 
the  kind  used  should  be  the  coarsest  brown.  Smoke  is 
employed  sometimes  alone  to  preserve  fish  and  animal 
food  ;  sometimes,  as  in  the  herring,  bacon,  and  some 
forms  of  Indian  cookery,  to  give  a  peculiar  flavour.  If 
not  carried  so  far  as  to  dry  and  harden  the  meat,  it  seems 
to  render  it  by  no  means  unwholesome,  or  difficult  of 
digestion.  If  the  red  herring  is  peculiarly  indigestible, 
it  is  owing  to  the  rancidity  which  its  oil  acquires  in  the 
preparation. 

Vinegar  is  seldom  employed  to  preserve  animal  food. 
Brawn  owes  little  to  it ;  for,  composed  of  gelatinous 
matter  not  easily  putrescible,  it  is  preserved  by  prevent- 
ing the  access  of  air,  in  consequence  of  its  being  lightly 
rolled.  To  vinegar  and  salt  we  owe  the  preservation  of 
many  different  kinds  of  fish;  but  for  a  long  continu- 
ance of  their  perfect  state,  Spices  must  be  added.  In 
the  sauer  kraut,  the  acetous  acid,  which  contributes  to 
the  preservation  of  the  cabbage,  is  formed  by  its  spon- 
taneous fermentation.  Potted  meats  owe  their  pre- 
servation to  spice,  and  to  the  air  being  excluded. 

In  all  these  instances,  hard  salted  meat  excepted,  we 
do  not  find  that  the  food  is  rendered  less  digestible. 
The  warmth  of  the  condiment  may  prevent  this  effect ; 
but  we  must  at  the  same  time  reflect,  that  these  highly 
seasoned  dishes  are  eaten  only  in  small  quantities. 

The  condiments  added  in  the  cookery,  or  at  table, 
are,  salt,  vinegar,  pickles,  spices,  wine,  ardent  spirit, 
soy,  ketchup,  mushrooms,  oil,  sugar,  and  various  indi- 
genous roots  and  vegetables,  with  a  slight  preparation, 
or  in  their  natural  state,  as  well  as  some  animal  sub- 
stances, particularly  fish.  Of  the  ancient  condiments 
we  cannot  speak  with  precision.  The  asafoetida  supplied 
the  flavour  of  garlic ;  the  garum  was  not  very  distant 
from  the  anchovy;  and  many  of  their  native  vegetables 
are  supplied  at  our  tables,  by  the  more  pleasant  aroma- 
tics  of  the  east.  What  seems  disgusting  in  ancient 
cookery,  was  perhaps  not  really  so;  as  partly  from 
custom,  more  certainly  from  the  proportion  employed, 
the  effect  might  be  pleasing.  We  know  that  even  asa- 
foetida, rubbed  only  on  a  warm  plate,  gives  a  more 
pleasing  flavour  than  garlic;  and  that  a  judicious  mix- 
ture of  different  spices  is  not  only  more  agreeable,  but 
often  more  wholesome  than  a  large  proportion  of  one 
only.  Who  would  think  of  adding  a  red  herring  to 
soup?  yet  it  is  often  done  with  success;  and,  in  a  small 
proportion,  gives  the  flavour  of  ham.  We  should  have 
apologised  for  entering  so  largely  on  the  subject  of 
cookery,  but  that  a  most  respectable  "  brother  of  our 
order"  has  indulged  his  taste  in  publishing  a  collection 
of  receipts,  in  a  work  entitled  Culina  Famulatrix.  We 
shall,  however,  chiefly  enlarge  on  condiments,  as  salu- 
tary or  otherwise,  and  shall  notice  each  in  its  order. 

Salt,  we  have  already  remarked,  is  almost  the  uni- 
versal condiment  of  animated  nature ;  and  it  is  by  no 
means  improbable  that  the  extinction  of  the  vast  ani- 
mal, the  mammoth  of  America,  was,  in  a  great  degree, 
occasioned  by  their  collection  in  search  of  their  prey 


CON 


475 


(J  0  X 


wear  the  salt  lakes  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  at  the 
time  of  some  general  convulsion ;  such  at  least  is  pro- 
bable from  the  vast  collection  of  their  bones  in  that 
spot.  Salt,  in  this  instance,  acts  as  a  stimulant ;  for  its 
excess  is  as  destructive  as  its  moderate  use  is  salutary. 
I'.vcn  an  oyster  may  be  killed  by  an  additional  quantity 
of  sea  salt  to  sea  water.  As  it  is  void  of  flavour,  we 
seldom  use  it  in  excess;  and  we  only  see  the  effects  of 
its  increased  quantity,  in  the  constant  use  of  salt  provi- 
sions at  sea.  But  to  the  effects  of  salt  at  sea  must  be 
added  the  unalimentary  quality  of  animal  food  long  kept 
in  this  state,  as  well  as  the  almost  constant  moisture  to 
which  sailors  are  exposed.  In  some  instances,  when 
used  too  largely,  it  is  said  to  have  brought  on  symptoms 
of  sea  scurvy  even  on  shore. 

f'infgar  w^  now  speak  of  as  a  condiment,  occasion- 
ally used.  When  in  a  perfect  state,  it  is  scarcely  ever, 
in  a  moderate  quantity,  injurious.  Even  the  most  acid 
stomachs,  and  pregnant  women  most  injured  by  aces- 
cents,  may  use  it  with  safety.  The  fact  is,  that  its  ul- 
terior change  corrects  acidity ;  and  with  animal  food 
little  injury  will  result.  With  vegetables  alone  it  is  not 
so  innocent ;  yet  in  this  way  it  is  rarely  taken  but  by 
the  robust,  to  whom  no  diet  is  particularly  inconvenient. 
Vinegar,  as  has  been  observed,  renders  some  gross  ani- 
mal substances  more  digestible ;  but  others  it  seems  to 
harden,  and  to  lessen  their  solubility.  Yet  we  have 
seldom  found  it  injurious  but  with  shell  fish ;  and  oysters, 
cockles,  muscles,  crabs,  and  lobsters,  are  we  think 
less  easily  digested  when  vinegar  is  added.  The  three 
first  when  pickled  are  certainly  less  soluble.  The 
various  flavours  given  to  vinegar,  which  is  by  this 
means  so  infinitely  diversified,  must  not  be  an  object  of 
our  attention,  for  it  is  still  vinegar  unaltered  in  its  es- 
sential qualities.  We  know  a  gentleman  who  never 
makes  a  salad  without  five  kinds  of  this  vegetable  acid. 
Pickles  are  little  more  than  vinegar  in  a  solid,  and,  we 
may  add,  in  its  most  inconvenient  and  indigestible  form. 
These  are  vegetable  substances  preserved  by  means  of 
salt  and  vinegar ;  but  the  salt,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
process,  chiefly  hardens  and  contributes  to  their  pre- 
servation. Should  the  curious  reader  wish  to  pursue  the 
subject  more  closely  than  our  limits  will  admit,  we 
would  refer  him  to  the  fourth  volume  of  the  Amaeni- 
tates  Academics,  in  which  he  will  find  (p.  536)  an 
entertaining  and  a  not  uninteresting  essay  *"  De  Ace- 
tariis,"  by  Si.  Van  der  Burg,  in  reality  by  Linnaeus 
himself. 

The  simplest  form  of  the  acetaria  is  that  of  the  sa- 
lad, which  takes  its  name  from  the  ingredient,  which 
should  be  in  the  least  perceptible  proportion,  salt.  The 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  salads  arise  from  the 
choice.  The  lettuce  is  soporific,  the  endive  and  celery 
acrimonious ;  but  the  power  of  the  first  is  inconsider- 
able, of  the  latter  lessened  or  destroyed  by  blanching 
•.  etiolation).  The  young  mustard,  the  cresses,  and  the 
water  cresses,  are  warmer;  but  these  will  be  spoken  of 
under  another  head.  In  general,  salads  to  the  young 
and  strong  are  extremely  wholesome,  and  excellent  cor- 
rectors of  alkalescency.  In  the  weaker  stomachs,  the 
addition  of  mustard  renders  them  less  inconvenient, 
though  the  coldness  is  often  troublesome.  Sliced  cu- 
cumber can  seldom  be  rendered  digestible,  even  by  the 
warmest  spices,  except  in  young  and  robust  stomachs. 
Vegetables  which  are  preserved  by  vinegar  are  chiefly 


those  which  are  smooth,  tasteless,  and  tolerably  firm. 
Modern  luxury  flavours  them  highly  with  shalot,  gar 
lie,  or  the  seeds  of  the  nasturtium,  and  with  advan- 
tage. The  mango,  the  Indian  plum,  is  highly  flavoured 
with  garlic  ;  and  we  emulate  it  in  a  similar  preparation 
of  the  unripe  melon.  The  yellow  and  the  warmer 
pickles  of  the  East  and  West  Indies  we  also  imitate  by 
the  admixture  of  a  variety  of  substances,  preserved  and 
flavoured  in  the  same  way,  styled  pickalilla.  The 
warmth  of  the  West  India  pickle  we  obtain  by  the  ad- 
dition of  the  capsicum,  raised  in  our  green  houses. 

The  pickles  of  our  own  climate  are  chiefly  the  cab- 
bage, red  or  white,  rendered  yellow  by  art;  the  young 
cucumbers  (gerkins,)  the  larger  cucumbers,  or  unripe 
melons  (mangos,)  the  unripe  walnuts,  the  naturally 
acid  gooseberries,  berberries,  lemons,  the  samphire 
(crithmum  maritimum  Lin.),  the  buds  of  the  capparis, 
the  tops  of  broccoli,  sliced  beet  root,  kc.  In  general, 
the  firmer  vegetables  are  the  least  wholesome ;  and  those, 
without  the  additional  warmth  of  other  vegetable  sub- 
stances or  spices,  often  produce  inconvenience  in  weak 
stomachs.  Perhaps,  in  general,  they  are  injurious  bv 
exciting  a  false  appetite,  without  carrying  with  them 
sufficient  correction. 

S/iices  are  more  harmless  condiments;  since,  if  they 
contribute  to  convey  a  larger  proportion  of  nutriment, 
they  warm  the  stomach,  and  enable  it  to  perform  its 
office  more  perfectly.  It  must  be  indeed  admitted,  that 
the  organ  will  be  ultimately  weakened  by  over  disten- 
tion ;  but  if  not  greatly  abused,  the  use  of  spices  does 
no  real  nor  permanent  injury.  The  safest  of  the  spices 
is,  apparently,  the  common  pepper.  It  is  at  the  same. 
time  the  most  durable  and  inflammatory  ;  but  the  quan- 
tity employed  renders  the  last  quality  of  little  effect. 
The  Cayenne  pepper  is  more  pungent,  but  more  tran- 
sitory in  its  stimulus ;  and  we  have  had  great  reason  to 
think  that  much  of  its  warmth  is  lost  on  the  throat  and 
fauces.  Ginger  is  peculiarly  warm,  and  its  warmth  is 
permanently  exerted  in  the  stomach,  which  renders  it 
an  excellent  addition  to  cold  and  flatulent  drinks.  The 
warmth  of  cloves  is  more  inflammatory,  and  in  a  small 
proportion  not  unpleasant.  Mace  is  milder ;  but,  from 
its  strong  flavour,  is  used  in  too  small  a  quantity  to  be 
either  useful  or  injurious.  The  capsicum  and  chili, 
though  scarcely  meriting  the  name  of  spice,  as  void  of 
aroma,  are,  in  qualities  and  botanical  analogy,  nearly 
related  to  Cayenne.  The  pimento,  uniting  the  flavour 
of  different  spices,  seems  also  to  unite  their  qualities; 
and  the  cinnamon,  chiefly  employed  for  its  flavour,  un- 
less used  medicinally,  has  little  pretensions  to  either 
praise  or  blame. 

Wine  must  be  reckoned  among  the  condiments;  for 
though  its  addition  to  sauces  is  in  too  small  a  proportion 
to  produce  any  considerable  effect ;  yet  it  is  often  drunk 
at  table,  and  adds  to  the  inclination  for  an  additional  quan- 
tity of  food,  and  the  power  of  the  stomach  to  digest  it. 
This  advantage,  if  it  may  be  styled  one,  is  chiefly  ob- 
tained by  the  drier  and  stronger  wines,  as  Madeira, 
sherry,  and  white  port ;  more  effectually  by  the  strong 
and  sharp  wines,  as  rhenish,  vin  de  grave,  and  old 
hock.  The  sweeter  wines  pall  the  appetite,  and  are 
reserved  for  the  dessert,  whose  sweetness  would  destroy 
the  flavour  of  the  others.  We  then  find  the  Malmsey, 
Madeira,  the  Frontiniac,  Tokay,  and  Cape  wines,  in- 
troduced. This  finishes  the  studied  luxury  of  a  modern 
3  P  2 


CON 


476 


C  ON 


dinner,  where  ever}'  thing  is  nicely  calculated  to  add  to 
the  quantity,  since  the  second  is  more  poignant  than  the 
first  course,  and  the  dessert  more  attractive  than  the  se- 
cond :  the  wine  joins  in  the  conspiracy  against  the 
powers  of  the  stomach,  which  is  thus  daily  under- 
mined, and  its  tone  gradually  destroyed.  Wine  is  per- 
haps sometimes  really  useful  in  this  view;  we  mean,  in 
some  instances  where  the  stomach  requires  the  assistance 
of  a  stimulus  to  take  even  the  necessary  quantity ;  and 
in  such  cases  it  may  be  even  taken  with  advantage  be- 
fore dinner.  In  this  situation  hock  is  preferable :  the 
next  is  Madeira;  sherry,  white  and  red  port,  follow  in 
succession.  When  the  whole  body  is  exhausted  also 
by  fatigue,  the  stomach  will  often  refuse  the  necessary 
food,  until  it  is  a  little  revived  by  a  glass  of  wine. 

S/iirifa,  either  alone  or  with  water,  are  occasionally 
taken  with  similar  design;  but  these  are  in  every  form, 
rxcept  occasionally  as  medicines,  injurious.  Brandy  is 
rhiefly  preferred ;  but  it  is  scarcely  less  hurtful  than 
cither  of  the  others. 

Soy  is  imported  from  the  east.  It  is  the  production 
of  the  bean,  the  dolictos  sola  Linnsei  Sp.  PI.  1023, 
which  is  chiefly  prepared  by  a  spontaneous  fermenta- 
tion, with  the  addition  of  salt,  and  a  small  proportion 
of  flour.  It  merely  gives  a  flavour  to  sauce. 

Ketchup  is  prepared  from  mushrooms  or  walnuts, 
with  the  addition  of  salt,  and  generally  some  spice. 
These  two  fluids  are  infinitely  diversified  with  the  fla- 
vour of  shalot,  the  warmth  and  pungency  of  Cayenne 
vinegar,  the  taste  of  anchovies,  Sec. ;  and  sold  in  many 
forms,  with  a  great  variety  of  names,  according  to  the 
fancy  of  Mr.  Burgcs  and  others.  They  are  not  inju- 
rious if  they  do  not  tempt  the  appetite  too  far,  and  in- 
crease the  load  beyond  the  powers  of  the  stomach  to  di- 
gest. Mushrooms  we  have  added  to  the  list,  which, 
though  in  a  slight  degree  nourishing,  are  chiefly  taken 
for  their  flavour.  See  AMANITA. 

Oil  must  be  reckoned  among  the  condiments  occa- 
sionally used,  though  void  of  flavour.  Its  chief  use  is 
as  a  sauce  with  vinegar,  to  pickled  fish,  or  in  salads. 
It  issaid  in  the  former  to  correct  the  alkalescency  of  the 
iish,  and  assist  its  solubility.  But  if  this  advantage  be 
denied,  it  may  be  at  least  pronounced  innocent.  It 
is  not  easy  to  conjecture  the  origin  of  its  use  in 
salads.  We  have  suspected  that  it  may  have  arisen 
from  a  suspicion  of  some  poisonous  herbs  being  incau- 
tiously mixed  with  the  others.  Its  more  obvious  ad- 
vantage is,  that  it  gives  a  richness  to  the  salad,  and  by 
the  assistance  of  the  egg  employed  to  mix  it  with  the 
vinegar,  conveys  the  poignancy  of  the  latter  more  uni- 
formly to  every  part  of.  the  vegetable,  in  consequence  of 
its  viscidity.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause  or 
effect,  it  is  very  generally  employed;  and  if  not  advan- 
i  agcous,  is  pleasant  and  innocent. 

Sugar  is  not  commonly  used  as  a  condiment  except 
in  the  form  of  currant  jelly,  or  occasionally  with  mint 
sauce  in  the  early  season  of  lamb.  In  every  instance 
it  is  at  leaht  innocent. 

Vari'ju.-i  indigenous-vegetables  furnish  also  a  variety  of 
condiments.  We  employ  the  root  of  the  horse  radish, 
the  capsules  and  seeds  of  the  nasturtium,  the  seeds  of 
the  mustard,  the  cresses,  the  water  cresses,  and  the 
youngmustard,  in  their  earliest  periods,  sometimes  when 
even  the  seed  leaves  only  are  expanded.  These  plants 
belong  to  the  order  silif/uona;,  all  of  which  are  in  the 


same  groupe,  the  tetradynamiis  of  Linnaeus,  one  of  the 
most  natural  classes  of  the  sexual  system.  They  are, 
without  any  exception,  pleasant  and  salutary.  Indeed 
they  have  been  commended  more  highly  than  they 
merit,  from  circumstances  that  may  for  a  moment  be 
allowed  to  detain  us.  When  stall  feeding  was  not 
common,  families  in  general  preserved  their  winter's 
stock  of  food  by  means  of  salt ;  and  symptoms  of  scurvy 
and  of  biliary  calculi  were  often  the  consequence,  after 
some  months  confinement  to  this  diet.  The  early  ve- 
getables were  then  sought  with  alacrity,  and  their  powers 
were  consequently  more  conspicuous.  These  vegeta- 
bles still  retain  their  character,  though  the  occasion  of 
their  use  is  removed.  The  flour  of  the  mustard  seed 
seems  not  to  have  been  employed  very  early,  but  it  is 
now  a  general  favourite  ;  and  in  France  it  is  prepared 
with  peculiar  care,  and  enriched  with  a  variety  of  ad- 
ditional flavours.  Were  we  to  write  another  cuiina  fa- 
mulatrix,  we  might  enlarge  copiously  on  this  subject, 
and  some  similar  ones,  from  a  pleasant  work  published 
annually  in  France,  of  which  the  third  year  has  just  ap- 
peared, viz.  Almanach  des  Gourmands,  the  Almanack 
of  Epicures.  In  this  the  variety  of  mustards  and  other 
sauces  are  described ;  "  which  have  the  inestimable  ad- 
vantages of  enabling  you  to  eat  much,  and  for  a  long 
time  without  inconvenience."  It  is  sufficient,  however, 
in  our  situation  to  remark,  that  all  these  indigenous  con- 
diments are  wholesome. 

Another  kind,  the  last  of  which  we  shall  speak,  is 
that  prepared  from  fish.  Caviare  prepared  from  the 
roe  of  the  sturgeon  is  sometimes  employed  in  this  way, 
though  more  usually  eaten  alone.  Anchovies,  which 
dissolve  by  heat,  are  employed  as  a  sauce  for  fish;  but 
what  is  styled  their  "  essence,"  is  little  more  than  the 
sordes  that  remain.  When  the  fish  itself  is  employed, 
and  the  solution  clarified,  it  is  almost  equally  clear  with 
water;  and  the  flavour  of  the  anchovy  is  delicate  and 
pure.  Crabs,  lobsters,  oysters,  cockles,  and  prawns,  are 
all  in  turn  employed  as  sauce  for  fish,  and  occasionally 
the  oysters  for  some  kinds  of  fowl ;  but  when  dressed", 
they  are  far  from  being  easy  of  digestion. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  we  have  been  too  lenient  to 
these  condiments,  which  have  excited  the  indignation 
of  the  moralist,  and  of  the  dietetic  physician.  Could 
we  return  to  a  state  of  nature,  or  indeed  were  such  a 
return  desirable,  we  might  have  employed  a  different 
language  ;  but  while  they  assail  us  in  numerous  shapes, 
it  was  of  more  importance  to  appreciate  with  some  ac- 
curacy their  various  merits  than  to  reject  them  with 
indignation. 

The  experimental  physician,  who  endeavoured  to  imi- 
tate the  process  of  digestion  in  his  phials,  was  surprised 
to  find  that  all  the  condiments,  which  he  employed,  retard- 
ed the  spontaneous  changes;  and  all  were  at  once  con- 
demned. Independent,  however,  of  the  common  argu- 
ment, that  digestion  is  a  process  connected  with  a  being 
possessed  of  life,  we  might  ask  what  reason  induced  him 
to  confound  a  rapid  with  an  easy  digestion.  Various  in- 
conveniences we  know  attend  a  quick  digestion  ;  among 
which  we  may  reckon  flatulence,  headaoh,  and  a  symptom 
not  generally  attributed  to  this  cause,  a  faintness  within 
about  an  hour  or  two  after  eating  We  recollect  that 
Psalmanazar,  who  in  support  of  his  fiction  was  obliged 
to  eat  his  meat  raw,  found  great  inconveniences  from 
too  quick  digestion,  which  he  removed  by  mixing  large 


I    O  >> 


477 


CON 


fjuantities  of  pepper  with  it.  In  fact,  then,  condiments 
may  be  serviceable  by  retarding  this  process;  and  we 
have  employed  them  medicinally  for  this  purpose. 
Their  use  ha's  been  thought  disgraceful,  as  implying  a 
deficiency  of  appetite  and  impaired  health,  but  with- 
out reason.  The  person  who  employs  them  may  in- 
deed often  eat  without  their  assistance,  but  he  can  dine 
more  agreeably  with  it;  and  while  "to  enjoy  is  to 
obev."  we  find  little  objection  to  condiments  but  in 
their  abuse. 

CO'NDIO,  TO  EMBALM;  also  conditura,  and  fiollincio. 
Embalming  is  as  ancient  as  the  first  record  of  the  cha- 
racter of  physician.  See  Genesis,  ch.  1.  v.  2.  It  is  still 
practised,  but  not  generally.  On  this  subject  see  Pare 
Dionis's  Surgical  Operations ;  Gooch's  Treatise  on 
Wounds,  p.  456;  Greenhill's  Art  of  Embalming;  Bell's 
Surgery,  p.  465. 

CO'XDITUM.  (from  condio,  to  fircsen-e').  PRE- 
SERVES. They  are  made  by  steeping,  or  by  boiling  re- 
cent fruits  in  syrup  or  a  solution  of  sugar.  It  is  after- 
wards either  kept  moist  in  the  syrup,  or  taken  out  and 
dried,  that  the  sugar  may  candy  upon  it :  this  last  is  the 
most  usual  method.  The  art  was  formerly  a  branch  of 
the  apothecary's  business,  but  now  is  wholly  in  the 
hands  of  confectioners. 

The  Latins  and  the  latter  Greeks  meant  by  conditum 
a  sort  of  acratomeli ;  that  is,  a  wine  impregnated  with 
honey  and  aromatics.  See  MULSUM. 

COXDITU'RA.     See  CONDIMENTUM  and  COXDIO. 

CONDU'CTIO,  (from  conduce,  to  draw  along-,')  in 
C'oclius  Aurelianus  it  means  a  spasm  or  convulsion. 

iNDU'CTOR,  (from  conduct,  to  guide].    A  CON- 
:  OR  is  an  instrument  used  in  surgery  for  the  direc- 
tion of  a  kr.ife  when  a  sinus  is  laid  open.     It  is  also  a 
name  of  the  instrument  called  a  GORGET,  which  is  used 
•is  a  conductor  in  the  operation  of  lithotomy. 

COXDUPLICA  TUM  FOLIUM,  (from  con  and 
dufilicor,  to  be  doubled*).  A  term  in  foliation,  signify- 
ing that  the  sides  of  the  leaf,  while  in  the  bud,  are  dou- 
bled over  each  other  at  the  midrib.  It  is  used  also  in 
the  sleep  of  plants  in  the  same  sense,  when  the  leaves 
during  the  night  fold  together  in  the  same  manner. 

COXDYLOI'DJE,  (from  *»»d't>A««,  a  joint,  and  £j»«;, 
forma,  litene**').  APOPHYSES.  See  MAXILLA  INFERIOR. 

COXDYLO'MA.  (from  x»»Ji/Aos,  a  joint  or  tubercle"). 
\  Tt'iiouR ;  so  called  from  its  resemblance  to  a  con- 
.  a  joint  bent,  or  a  tubercle.  It  is  a  hard  eminence, 
which  arises  in  the  folds  of  the  anus,  or  a  hardening  or 
a  swelling  of  the  rugae.  These  tumours  also  sometimes 
happen  in  the  orifice  of  the  uterus,  and  other  parts. 
it  is  variously  described  by  authors  ;  by  some  as  a  tu- 
mour of  the  cuticle;  by  others  as  an  instance  of  sar- 
oma.  An  anonymous  French  writer  says,  it  is  in  ge- 
neral a  fleshy  excrescence  which  appears  on  the  fingers, 
hands,  feet,  and  principally  about  the  anus,  the  peri- 
naeum,  and  the  private  parts  of  both  sexes.  He  adds, 
that  warts,  the  tumours  called  Jicits*  jnarisca,  SUL 
and  tttymus,  are  different  instances  of  condyloma.  See 

A  TRICKS. 

Authors  abound  with  unnecessary  distinctions  re- 
specting these  tumours;  but  all  tubercles  and  fungi, 
whether  within  the  verge  of  the  anus  or  more  outward, 
are  of  the  same  nature,  and  are  cured  by  the  same  me- 


thod, whether  called  condyloma^ficus,  fungus,  orcriare, 
and  are  tumours  of  the  glandules  of  the  part ;  which, 
increasing  by  degrees,  prove  painful  and  troublesome. 
Those  who  are  troubled  with  the  piles  frequently  suf- 
fer from  them  ;  and  they  often  appear  in  the  pudenda 
from  the  lues  venerea. 

If  the  roots  are  small,  a  ligature  may  extirpate  them; 
if  broad,  they  are  best  removed  by  a  caustic,  but  care 
must  be  taken  that  it  doth  not  injure  any  other  part. 

See  P.  jEgineta,  Celsus,  Heister, Turner,  Wiseman; 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  264. 

COXDYLO'MA.     A  CORN.     See  CLAVUS. 

CO'XDYLUS,  (from  tuatv,  an  ancient  cuft  »hajied 
like  a  joint}.  A  COXDYLE.  It  is  a  protuberance  in  any 
of  the  joints,  formed  by  the  epiphysis  of  a  bone.  In  the 
fingers  it  is  called  the  knuckles.  See  PROCESSUS.  In 
botany  it  signifies  the  joints  of  plants. 

COXEI'ON.  In  Hippocrates  it  is  an  appellation  of 
the  cicuta ;  from  «««s,  turbo,  a  turning  or  whirling 
round  ;  because  it  produces  a  vertigo  in  those  who  take 
it  internally. 

CONE'SSI.  (Indian).  Called  also  the  codagafiala, 
cones  fi  seca,  cadagusfiali.  It  is  the  bark  of  a  small  tree, 
called  arbor  Malabarica  lactescens;ja*minijiore  odoro, 
siliquis  oblongig,  growing  in  Ceylon  and  Malabar,  and 
on  the  Coromandel  coast,  where  it  is  called  conessi.  It 
is  blackish  outwardly,  and  covered  more  or  less  with  a 
whitish  moss  or  scurf,  which  should  be  scraped  off. 
To  the  taste  it  is  gratefully  austere  and  bitter.  It  is 
commended  in  diarrhoeas,  and  half  a  drachm  may  be  ta- 
ken three  times  a  day  ;  or  in  sour  milk  it  restrains  not 
only  alvine  fluxes  but  haemorrhages.  The  root,  boiled 
in  water,  makes  a  useful  fomentation  against  inflam- 
matory tumours;  and,  taken  inwardly,  destroys  worms. 
When  used,  it  should  be  fresh  powdered,  for  it  soon 
loses  its  medical  qualities  under  any  form  or  prepara- 
tion. When  taken  to  restrain  a  diarrhoea,  an  emetic  of 
ipecacuanha  should  precede  its  use.  Those  with  whom 
a  diarrhoea  is  frequent,  in  moist  weather,  are  much  be- 
nefited by  its  use,  if  a  dose  is  taken  morning  and  even- 
ing. Its  genus  is  unknown.  Raii  Hist. 

COXFE'CTA,  (from  conficio,to  make  «/i).  COMFITS 
or  SUGAR  PLUMS.  Seeds  or  other  substances  incrusted 
with  sugar.  These,  when  impregnated  with  purging 
ingredients,  are  given  to  children  who  -will  not  take  the 
usual  forms  of  medicines. 

CONFE'CTIO,  (from  the  same).  A  CONFECTION; 
called  also  aligulus.  In  general  it  is  any  thing  prepar- 
ed with  sugar,  and  the  same  with  conditum.  The  latter 
is  usually  dry  ;  the  confectio  a  soft  electuary.  The  dry 
confccts  are  now  a  branch  of  the  confectioner's  busi- 
ness, and  are  the  roots  of  eringo,  the  peels  of  oranges, 
kc.  which  are  incrusted  with  sugar,  and  are  called  CAN- 
DIED ROOT,  or  PEEL.  The  London  college  prescribes 
the  following  soft  electuary  :  the  CORDIAL  CONFECTION, 
now  called  the  AROMATIC  CONFECTION. 

Take  of  zedoary  in  coarse  powder,  saffron,  of  each 
half  a  pound  ;  distilled  water,  three  pints ;  let  them  ma- 
cerate for  twenty -four  hours,  then  press  and  strain 
them.  Evaporate  the  strained  liquor  to  a  pint  and  a 
half,  to  which  add  the  subsequent  ingredients  reduced 
to  very  fine  powder ;  compound  powder  of  crab's  claws, 
sixteen  ounces;  cinnamon,  nutmegs,  of  each  two  ounces; 


CON 


478 


CON 


cloves,  one  ounce;  lesser  cardamom  seeds  husked,  half 
an  ounce ;  double  refined  sugar,  two  pounds  ;  and  thus 
form  the  confection.  Pharm.  Lond.  1J88.  This  is  al- 
tered from  the  last  Dispensatory,  and  may  be  consider- 
ed as  an  improvement.  It  is  certainly  an  agreeable 
cordial  and  carminative,  but  should  not  be  long  kept, 
as  it  loses  its  efficacy.  It  is  substituted  for  the  confect 
or  cordial  of  Sir  Waller  Raleigh. 

CONFE'CTIO  ALKE'RMES.     See  CHERMES. 

CONFE'CTIO  ANACA'RDII.     See  ANACARDIUM. 

CONFE'UTIO  AROMA'TICA.    See  CONFECTIO  CARDIACA. 

Confectio  Damocratis,  DAMOCRATES'S  CONFECTION-. — 
This  was  formerly  called  mithridatium,  from  Mithri- 
dates,  king  of  Pontus  and  Bithynia,  who,  after  the  ex- 
ample of  Attalus  of  Pergamus,  is  said  first  to  have  ex- 
perienced the  virtues  of  simples  separately,  and  then  to 
have  combined  them.  But  it  should  be  noted  that  the 
original  compound,  as  prepared  by  Mithridates,  consist- 
ed of  but  a  few  ingredients.  Serenus  Sammonicus  says, 
that  when  Pompey  took  the  baggage  of  this  prince,  he 
was  surprised  to  find  that  this  antidote  consisted  of  only 
twenty  leaves  of  rue,  two  walnuts,  two  figs,  and  a  little 
salt.  Of  this  he  took  a  dose  every  morning,  to  guard 
himself  from  the  effects  of  poisons.  It  is,  however, 
probable  this  was  designed  to  deceive,  as  the  prepara- 
tion used  by  the  king  of  Pontus  has  been  handed  down 
with  great  care,  and  is  a  combination  of  aromatics  and 
nervous  medicines  with  opium.  If,  as  Dr.  Fordyce  al- 
leges, a  variety  of  aromatics  is  more  useful  than  a  large 
dose  of  a  single  one,  we  cannot  see  with  what  propriety 
the  mithridate  is  rejected,  except  on  the  common  prin- 
ciple, "  Est  modus  in  rebus  et  certi  denique  fines."  At 
all  events,  the  mithridate — for  we  well  remember  its 
use,  and  its  being  faithfully,  at  least  with  tolerable  fide- 
lity, prepared — was  a  warm  useful  opiate.  It  is  now, 
however,  thrown  out  of  the  London  Dispensatory  of 
'  1778. 

CONFECTIO  OPIA'TA.     See  PHILONIUM. 

CONFECTIO  SAPIE'NTUM.     See  ANACARDIUM. 

CONFE'RTUS,  (from  confero,  to  bring  together). 
In  botany  it  means  very  numerous,  and  crowded  toge- 
ther. See  ATHROOS. 

CONFIRM  A 'NTI A  MEDIC  AME'NTA,  (from 
coiifirmo,  to  strengthen).  Medicines  which  restore  or 
confirm  the  strength  of  the  body,  or  any  part  of  it :  or 
medicines  which  fasten  the  teeth  in  their  sockets.  See 

TONICA. 

CONFLUE'NTIA,(from  confluo,  tojloio  together). 
A  term  used  by  Paracelsus  to  express  the  agreement, 
conjunction,  or  confederation  of  the  microcosm  with 
the  stars,  or  of  a  disease  with  remedies :  in  botany  it 
means  growing  together  in  partial  masses,  so  as  to 
leave  the  intermediate  parts  quite  bare;  and  in  small 
pox,  the  running  together  of  the  pustules  when 
crowded. 

CONFCEDERA'TIO  is  of  the  same  import.  From 
conftederOf  to  agree  together. 

CONFORMA'TIO,  (from  conformo,  to  sha}ie,  or 
fashion).  CONFORMATION.  Some  diseases  are  called 
morbi  male  conformation!*,  or  organical  diseases ;  that 
is,  which  depend  upon  the  original  ill  conformation  of 
the  parts,  or  on  the  change  of  their  structure  from 
disease.  These,  if  external,  may  admit  of  a  chirurgi- 
cal  cure;  and  proper  exercise,  regimen,  and  medicines, 


may  sometimes  contribute  much  to  the  relief  even  of 
those  which  are  internal.     See  also  DIAPLASIS. 

CONFORTA'NTIA)  (from  conforto,to  strengthen'). 
See  CAUUIAUA. 

CONERICA'TIOj  (from  con  and/Hco,  to  rub  toge- 
ther) .  In  pharmacy  it  is  the  reducing  of  any  easily  fri- 
able substance  to  powder  by  rubbing  it  with  the  hands; 
or  the  rubbing  any  soft  and  succulent  vegetable  with 
the  hands  to  express  the  juice. 

CONFRICATRl'CES,(from  the  same).  Lascivious 
women,  who  induce  a  variety  of  chronic  diseases  from 
unnatural  practices. 

CONFUTE  FE'BRES,  (from  confundo,  to  con- 
fuse). Bellini  thinks  that  he  has  met  with  two  fevers 
attending  at  the  same  time,  beginning  and  ending  toge- 
ther, but  so  confusedly  as  not  to  be  distinguished.  Bel- 
lini, however,  in  his  distinctions,  is  too  refined,  and  often 
himself  confused. 

CONFUSA'NEUS  PA'NIS,  (from  confundo,  to 
mingle  together).  Bread  made  of  meal,  from  which 
the  bran  has  not  been  separated. 

CONFU'SIO,  (from  the  same)  A  disorder  of  the 
eyes,  which  happens  when,  upon  a  rupture  of  the  in- 
ternal membranes  which  include  the  humours,  they 
are  all  confounded  together.  It  is  also  a  mental  dis"- 
ease  when  the  ideas  are  not  clear  and  discriminated. 
Some  authors  have  laboured  under  it  during  their  whole 
lives. 

CONGELA'TI,  or  CONGELA'TICI.  persons  af- 
flicted with  a  catalepsis.  See  CATALEPSIS  and  CONGE- 
LATUS. 

CONGELA'TIO,  (from  congelo,  to  freeze).  CON- 
GELATION, and  COAGULATION.  It  is  such  a  change  pro- 
duced by  cold  in  a  fluid  body,  that  it  becomes  appa- 
rently, sometimes  really  solid.  Water  is  rarified  or 
expanded  by  congelation  ;  but  this  depends  on  the  sud- 
den separation  of  the  air.  Iron,  plaster  of  Paris,  and 
many  other  substances,  expand  at  the  moment  of  con- 
gelation. Animal  fats,  and  some  oils,  usually  contract. 

The  calcareous  stalactites  produced  in  caverns  from 
the  drops  of  petrifying  waters  are  called  congelations. 

CONGELATI'VA  MEDICAME'NTA,  (from  con- 
gelo,  to  congeal).  Medicines  which  inspissate  and  dry; 
or  are  employed  to  check  discharges. 

CONGELA'TUS,  and  COGELA'TIO,  (from  con- 
geloi  to  freeze).  FROZEN  or  FROST  BITTEN.  Persons 
thus  affected  by  the  cold  are  compared  to  cataleptic 
patients,  but  still  there  is  much  difference  between  the- 
diseases. 

When  a  man  is  benumbed  with  cold,  and  he  attempts 
to  warm  himself  at  the  fire,  the  parts  exposed  to  the 
heat  are  painful,  and  a  mortification  is  the  general  con- 
sequence. Thus  frozen  fruit,  if  put  into  water  nearly 
freezing,  recovers  ;  but  in  warm  water,  or  in  a  warm 
place,  soon  rots.  Those  who  are  severely  affected  with 
cold,  should  first  put  the  frozen  part  into  cold  water,  or 
cover  it  with  snow  ;  and  next  into  water  somewhat  above 
the  freezing  point,  until  a  sense  of  warmth  is  perceived, 
or  some  degree  of  motion  returns.  At  this  time  a  little 
warm  wine,  mixed  with  camomile  tea,  may  be  drunk, 
and  the  warmth  gradually  increased.  A  mortification 
will  be  in  this  way  avoided. 

When  travellers  begin  to  be  drowsy  in  the  cold,  they 
should  redouble  their  speed  to  extricate  themselves  from 


cox 


479 


c  ox 


danger;    for  though  their  sleepiness  is  urgent,   it  is 
always  fatal. 

The  heat  of  our  bodies,  when  in  health,  very  com- 
monly exceeds  that  of  the  ambient  air:  a  consider- 
able degree  of  cold  is  consequently  required  to  freeze 
our  fluids,  and  the  extremities  are  the  first  affected,  as 
most  distant  from  the  centre.  When  a  mortification 
from  cold  approaches,  the  part  affected  by  it  is  first  pale, 
then  red:  this  redness  is  attended  with  a  troublesome 
pain  and  a  violent  itching :  after  which  the  colour  be- 
comes almost  purple,  and  at  last  black. 

In  these  cases,  the  parts,  by  their  sedative  powers  of 
the  cold,  are  deprived  of  life ;  or  at  least  their  irritability 
is  suspended,  and  consequently  accumulated.  Should 
heat  be  applied,  the  excessive  action,  which  is  the  con- 
sequence, soon  induces  mortification,  that  would  other- 
wise be  avoided.  By  introducing  the  heat  gradually, 
the  accumulated  irritability  is  sufficient  to  restore  the 
life  of  the  part.  When  gangrene  has  actually  taken 
place,  the  increased  action  of  the  vessels,  as  usual  in 
such  instances,  is  excited  to  separate  the  morbid  from 
the  sound  part.  There  is  not  the  slightest  evidence, 
that  the  organic  structure  is  destroyed  by  the  expansion 
of  the  fluids  during  congelation. 

See  Tissot's  Advice  to  the  People ;  Van  Swieten's 
Com.  on  Boerh.  Aph.  422,  427,  454;  Med.  Mus.  vol. 
i.  p.  71. 

COXGE'NERES,  (from  con  and  genus,  of  the  same 
kind}.  When  spoken  of  muscles,  it  imports  those  which 
concur  in  the  same  action. 

CO  XGER,  or  CO'XGRUS,  *»w,,  (from  yf*»,to 
devour;  so  called  from  its  voracity).  The  CONGER  EEL. 
It  is  a  large  sea  eel,  often  called  the  serpent.  The 
flesh,  when  deprived  of  its  rancid  flavour  by  soaking  in 
salt  and  water,  resembles  bad  veal. 

COXGE'STIO.  CONGESTION-,  or  COLLECTION. 
(From  congero,  to  gather  into  a  heafi\  A  swelling  which 
gradually  arises,  and  slowly  ripens;  in  opposition  to  that 
defluxion  which  is  quickly  formed  and  terminated. 

CO'NGIUS.  A  GALLON.  This  is  a  very  ancient 
measure,  and  is  generally  said  to  have  been  equal  to  ten 
pints  of  wine,  and  nine  of  oil.  The  Athenian  congius, 
or  conchus,  weighed  nine  pounds,  and  the  Roman 
weighed  ten,  or  contained  ten  Roman  pints  of  wine. 
In  the  London  and  Edinburgh  Dispensatories  the  gallon 
is  only  eight  pints.  See  CHU. 

CONGLOBA'TA  GLANDU'LA.  A  CONGLOBATE 
GLAND,  (from  conglobo,  to  gather  into  a  ball}.  AH  the 
glands  are  either  conglobate  or  conglomerate.  A  con- 
globate gland  is  a  little  smooth  body,  covered  with  a  fine 
skin,  by  which  it  is  separated  from  every  other  organ, 
only  admitting  an  artery  and  a  lymphatic,  and  affording 
a  passage  to  a  vein,  or  another  to  the  same  lymphatic. 
See  Winslow's  and  Keil's  Anatomy. 

COXGLOMERA'TA  GLANDU'LA,  (from  con- 
glomero,  to  hea/i  ufi  together).  A  CONGLOMERATE 
GLAND  is  composed  of  many  little  glandular  bodies, 
united  in  one  common  membrane.  All  their  excretory- 
ducts  sometimes  unite,  through  which  the  secreted  fluid 
passes.  Sometimes  the  ducts  uniting  form  several  ducts, 
which  communicate  with  one  another  by  anastomosing 
canals,  as  in  the  mammae.  Others  again  have  several 
ducts  without  any  communication  with  each  other;  as 
the  glandulse  lacrymales  et  prostatae;  and  occasionally 
each  gland  hath  its  own  excretory  duct,  through  which 


it  transmits  its  fluid  to  a  common  reservoir,  as  the  kid- 
neys. See  Winslow's  and  Keil's  Anatomy.  See  GLAND 
and  SECRETION. 

CONGLUTINA'XTIA,  (from  conglutino,  to  glut 
together}.  Healing  medicines. 

CO'XIA.  LIME,  (from  «>>.•*«,  to  whiten}.  When 
joined  with  <mtKni,  it  means  lixivium,  or  ley  of  vegeta- 
ble ashes;  or  wine  impregnated  with  cones  of  fir ;  from 
x.ui»c,a  cone.  Dioscorid.  lib.  v.  c.  xlviii. 

CONTFER.E  A'RBORES,(from  conus,  a  cone,  and 
/t-ro,  to  bear).  Trees  which  bear  cones,  as  the  cedar, 
fir,  and  pine. 

COXI'LE.     See  MYRRHIS. 

CO'NIS,  (from  »»»/«,  dust,)  fine  powder;  ashes;  a 
nit  in  the  hair;  scurf  from  the  head;  and  sometimes 
lime. 

COXISTE'RIUM,  (from  the  same).     See  APODY- 

TERIUM. 

CON JUGA'TA,  (from  con  and  jugo,  to  yoke  toge- 
ther) .  In  botany  it  means  growing  in  pairs. 

CO'XIUM  MACULATUM   and  MA'JUS.     See 

ClCUTA   MAJOR  FOETIDA. 

COXJU'XCTA  CAU'SA,  (from  conjungo,  to  join 
together).  The  IMMEDIATE  CAUSE.  See  CAUSA. 

CONJU'NCTA  SI'GNA.  The  pathognomonic  signs  of  a 
disease. 

COXJUXCTI  VA  TU'XICA,  (from  the  same). 
The  conjunctiva  is  erroneously  confounded  with  the  ad- 
nata ;  they  are  two  distinct  coats,  and  both  but  partial 
coverings  of  the  fore  part  of  the  eye,  though  the  con- 
junctiva is  reflected,  and  also  spread  over  the  inside  of 
the  eye  lids.  This  is  a  thin  transparent  membrane, 
which  lines  the  inner  surface  of  the  eye  lids,  and  at  the 
edge  of  the  orbit  has  a  fold,  that  is  continued  forward 
over  the  anterior  half  of  the  globe  of  the  eye.  It  is 
exterior  to  all  the  other  coats  of  the  eye,  and  connected 
with  the  albuginea,  by  means  of  a  cellular  substance, 
from  which  it  may  easily  be  separated  in  the  dead  sub- 
ject by  dissection.  The  conjunctiva  of  the  eye  lids  is 
perforated  by  many  minute  foramina,  which  suffer  a 
thin  serum  to  exhale,  to  keep  a  moisture  over  the  globe 
of  the  eye.  This  membrane  is  transparent,  and,  cover- 
ing the  albuginea,  gives  the  whiteness  to  the  portion  of 
the  eye  usually  distinguished  by  this  appellation.  See 
Ware's  Remarks  on  th..  Ophthalmy,  &c.  p.  5.  It  is 
sometimes  called  the  mucous  coat. 

CO'XXA.     See  CASSIA  FISTULARIS. 

COXXA'TUS,  (from  con  and  nascor,  to  grow  toge- 
ther). In  botany  it  means  two  or  more  distinct  things 
growing  together,  and  having  the  appearance  but  of 
one  ;  as  two  apples,  two  nuts,  or  two  leaves. 

COXXE'CTIO,  (from  con  and  necto,  to  knit  toge- 
ther). See  SYMPHYSIS. 

COXXE'XUS,  (from  the  same).  In  botany  it  means 
growing  in  pairs. 

COXOI'DES,  (from  xarcf,  a  cone,  and  ei&s,  like- 
ness). Any  body  in  the  shape  of  a  cone.  See  PINEA- 

LIS  GLANDULA. 

COXTQUASSA'TIO,  (from  con  and  quatio,  to  shake 
together).  CoxquASSATiox.  In  pharmacy  it  is  a  spe- 
cies of  comminution,  or  an  operation  by  which  moist 
concreted  substances,  as  recent  vegetables,  fruits,  or  the 
softer  parts  of  animals,  are  agitated  and  bruised  till  they 
are  reduced  to  a  soft  pulp. 

CONSE'RVA,  (from  conserve,  to  keefij,     A  cox- 


CON 


480 


CON 


SERVE.  Conserves  consist  of  recent  vegetable  matters 
and  sugar,  beat  together  into  one  uniform  mass. 

On  account  of  the  large  quantity  of  sugar  contained 
in  conserves,  it  is  obvious  that  they  are  chiefly  useful  as 
an  auxiliary  to  other  more  efficacious  drugs.  Though 
of  the  conserves  of  lavender,  wood  sorrel,  mint,  rose- 
mary, orange  and  lemon  peels,  arum,  or  wormwood,  a 
useful  dose  may  be  taken,  if  the  proportion  of  sugar  is 
diminished. 

Mucilaginous  substances,  if  mixed  with  sugar,  be- 
come glutinous,  and  astringents  soft.  The  more  in- 
tense bitters  arc  improper  for  this  form;  and  lightly 
flavoured  vegetables  soon  spoil:  the  latter  must,  there- 
fore, be  prepared  extemporaneously. 

The  general  observations  for  properly  making  con- 
serves are  but  few :  leaves  are  to  be  picked  from  their 
stalks,  and  flowers  from  their  cups.  When  the  flowers 
or  leaves  are  properly  prepared,  they  must  be  beat  into 
an  uniform  mass,  in  a  marble  mortar,  with  three  times 
their  weight  of  powdered  lump  sugar;  but  we  are  often 
obliged  to  diminish  the  proportion  to  twke,  or  some- 
times to  an  equal  weight.  Orange  peel  may  be  rasped, 
or  ground  in  a  mill,  and  then  beat  up  with  the  sugar. 
Roses  are  to  be  ground  before  they  are  beat  into  a  con- 
serve. If  they  are  infused  in  a  large  proportion  of  wa- 
ter, and  this  is  separated  by  expression,  their  bitterness, 
perhaps  their  virtue,  is  extracted. 

CONSERVA'TIO,  (from  conserve,  to  keep).  In 
pharmacy,  the  same  as  asservatio;  pickling,  or  pre- 
serving from  putrefaction  and  evaporation,  by  some 
additions ;  or  exclusion  of  air,  heat,  or  moisture. 

CONSERVATI'VA  MEDICI'NA,(from  the  same). 
That  part  of  medicine  which  relates  to  the  preservation 
of  health.  But  for  this  purpose  medicine  is  of  little  use. 

CONSILI'GO,  (from  con,  and  siligo,  a  kind  of  fine 
corn;  so  called  from  its  being  usually  found  among 
corn).  See  HELLEBORUS  NIGER  HORTENSIS  FLORE 

V1RIDI. 

CONSISTE'NTIA,  (from  consisto,  to  abide}.  The 
state  or  acme  of  a  disease.  When  applied  to  the  fluids, 
excrements,  or  excretions,  it  imports  their  consistence. 

CONSOI'DES.     See  AMIANTHUS. 

CONSO'LIDA,  (from  its  supposed  power  of  con- 
solidating and  agglutinating  things  broken).  COM- 
FKEY  ;  called  also  alum,  and  alus  Gallica. 

CONSO'LIDA  MA'JOK;  symfihytum  majus;  GREATER 
COMFREY.  Symfihytum  officinale  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  195. 

A  rough  hairy  plant,  with  large,  somewhat  oval, 
pointed  leaves,  producing,  on  the  tops  of  the  branches, 
spikes  of  white  or  purplish  pendulous,  nearly  cylin- 
drical, flowers,  followed  each  by  four  shining  black 
seeds.  The  root  is  thick  and  fleshy,  black  on  the  out- 
side, and  white  within.  It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in 
moist  grounds,  and  flowers  in  May  or  June.  There  is  a 
sort  with  purple  flowers,  but  it  is  rarely  to  be  met  with. 
The  purple  and  the  white  flowers  are  but  varieties  of 
the  same  species. 

The  whole  plant  is  used,  but  the  root  is  the  only  part 
that  deserves  notice;  it  yields  in  boiling  about  two 
thirds  of  its  weight  of  mucilage,  almost  void  of  smell 
and  taste,  and  similar  to  that  from  the  althaea,  but  more 
tenacious.  The  comfrey  is,  therefore,  probably  prefer- 
able. This  mucilage  is  its  only  medicinal  principle. 
See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 
Raii  Hist. 


CONSO'LIDA  AU'REA,  and  AU'REA  CO'RDI.     See  CHA- 

M.-ECISTUS. 

CONSO'LIDA  ME'DIA,  and  MINIMA.  DAISY.  See  Bi> 
GULA,  BELLIS  MAJOR  and  MINOR. 

CONSO'LIDA  MI'NOR,  and  RUBUA.  See  PRUNELLA 
and  TORMENTILLA. 

CONSO'LIDA  SARACE'NICA.     See  VIRGA  AUREA. 

CONSO'LIDANS.  CONSOLIDATING,  (from  conso- 
lido,  to  make  firm).  This  is  applied  to  medicines  thai 
produce  new  flesh. 

CONSO'MME,  CONSUMMA'TUM,  (from  con- 
summo,  to  make  perfect}.  It  is  a  broth  so  strong  as  to 
concrete  into  a  jelly  when  cold.  Frequent  mention  is 
made  of  it  in  the  French  medicinal  writers. 

CONSPE'RSIO,  (from  consfiergo,  to  sfirinkle}.  See 
CATAPASMA. 

CONSPICI'LUM,  (from  consjiicio,  to  behold}.  SPEC- 
TACLES. 

Spectacles  are  either  convex,  concave,  or  plain.  Tin 
first  are  adapted  to  old  persons ;  the  next  to  those  who 
see  only  with  distinctness  at  a  small  distance ;  and  the 
third,  formed  of  glass  with  a  light  green  or  blue  shade, 
are  designed  to  defend  weak  eyes  from  too  strong  light. 
The  form  of  the  eye  in  old  and  near  sighted  people 
has  been  explained  under  the  terms  AMBLY  OPIA  ; 
and  the  subject  will  again  recur,  vide  PHESBYT*  and 
MYOPES. 

Those  who  wear  spectacles  should  be  very  cautious  ' 
to  have  the  glasses  ground  with  the  most  perfect  accu- 
racy, and  should  apply  to  opticians  of  credit,  rather 
than  to  itinerant  Jews;  for  the  aberrations  of  the  rays 
produced,  by  an  imperfect  figure  of  the  glass,  strain  the 
eye  to  distinguish  the  image  ;  from  this  cause  indistinct. 
Fora  similar  reason,  the  glasses  of  old  people  should  be 
not  at  all,  or  very  slightly,  tinged  :  and  the  glare  which 
arises  from  a  candle,  or  a  strong  sun,  may  be  better 
avoided  by  a  shade  against  the  former,  or  over  the  eyes, 
to  guard  against  the  latter. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  spectacles  should  !>• 
used  to  preserve  the  sight.  We  think  that  in  old 
persons  they  will  be  useful :  with  the  near  sighted,  who 
are  usually  young,  they  should  be  discouraged.  Old 
people  will  save  their  eyes,  and  there  is  little  danger 
of  exhausting  the  degrees  of  convexity :  indeed  none. 
The  young  will  not,  indeed,  exhaust  the  degrees  of 
concavity;  but  the  other  senses  should  be  kept  "on 
the  alert,"  while  they  can  supply  the  place  of  distinct 
vision.  The  hearing,  the  feeling,  even  the  facility  of 
conjecture,  are  kept  alive  by  disusing  spectacles  ;  and 
we  should  improve  all  our  powers.  As  we  have  al- 
ready hinted,  the  near  sighted  person  should  use  the 
number  next  below  that  of  distinct  vision,  and  he  will 
soon  attain  it.  Habit,  in  this  way,  will  coincide  with 
the  change  which  age  induces;  and  not  to  sec  with 
the  utmost  acuteness,  is  still  an  advantage  to  those  who 
could  otherwise  see  very  imperfectly. — All  this  is, 
however,  refinement;  for  spectacles  used  with  little 
caution  or  discrimination  have  seldom  done  harm,  if  the 
glasses  are  good. 

Pebbles,  which  admit  not  of  scratches,  should  be  in 
every  instance  preferred. 

CO'NSTANS,  (from  consto,  to  stand  firm).  When 
applied  to  the  strength,  or  vital  powers,  it  imports  firm- 
ness, or  a  go'od  condition. 

CONSTELLA'TUM  UNGUE'NTUM.     It  is  an 


c  o 


481 


CON 


ointment  made  of  earth  worms,  cleansed,  dried,  pow- 
dered, and  mixed  with  the  fat  of  boars  or  bears. 

CONSTIPA'TIO,(from  consti/w,  to  crowd  together). 
Obsti/iatio,  adstrictio.  COSTIVE.VESS.  Dr.  Cullen  gives 
this  disorder  the  name  ofo5sti/tario.  A  person  is  said  to 
be  costive,  not  only  when  the  contents  of  the  intestines 
are  not  daily  discharged,  but  also  when  what  is  dis- 
charged is  too  hard  to  receive  its  form  from  the  impress 
of  the  rectum  upon  it.  The  daily  discharge  is,  how- 
ever, relative;  for  the  constitution,  accustomed  only  to 
this  relief  every  four  days,  can  scarcely  be  said  to  labour 
under  disease,  if  a  week  should  elapse  between  the  pe- 
liods.  Sec  OBSTIPATIO. 

Hoffman  observes,  that  costiveness  is  generally  ow- 
ing to  spasms  in  the  intestines  themselves,  or  is  propa- 
gated by  consent ;  but  various  causes  conduce  to  this 
habit,  particularly  a  want  of  irritability  of  the  intestines 
uncl  a  sedentary  life. 

This  habit  of  body  is  generally  attended  with  headach, 
vertigo,  disagreeable  taste  in  the  mouth,  and  want  of 
appetite :  it  is  a  frequent  cause  of  chronic  complaints, 
which  will  be  easily  understood  by  what  we  have  re- 
marked respecting  CATHARTICS;  q.  v. 

The  costiveness  peculiar  to  studious  people  is  much 
'.•elieved  by  magnesia,  with  rhubarb,  or  the  ol.  ricini. 
Artificers  who  sit  much,  and  work  with  their  bodies  lean- 
ing forward,  are  best  relieved  by  the  same  medicines.  In 
cases  of  melancholy,  neutral  salts,  if  long  continued,  are 
most  effectual ;  for  they  leave  no  tendency  to  costiveness. 

Women,  during  pregnancy,  are  sometimes  costive  ; 
from  the  pressure  of  the  child's  head  against  the  rectum. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  an  accumulation  of 
faeces  by  an  early  administration  of  mild  purges,  for 
harsher  ones  are  dangerous.  Old  people,  from  the 
weakness  of  their  muscles,  have  hard  faeces  collected  in 
the  rectum  :  and  though  laxative  medicines  procure  a 
discharge  of  the  thinner  fluids,  the  indurated  matter 
still  lodges,  except  manual  assistance  is  given.  The 
late  Dr.  Warren  employed,  from  an  obvious  connec- 
tion, a  marrow  spoon. 

Aloes,  given  in  small  doses,  prove  sufficiently  laxa- 
tive: and  this  effect  is  continued  longer  after  its  use, 
than  is  observed  with  respect  to  many  other  medicines. 
When  flatulencies  are  very  troublesome,  if  a  little  asa- 
ioetida  is  joined  with  it,  more  considerable  relief  may 
!>e  expected.  Calomel  also  often  prevents  other  purg- 
;ng  medicines  from  leaving  costiveness  behind.  The 
'  xtractum  colocynthidis  compos,  united  with  calomel, 
•.'.id  corrected  by  the  addition  of  oleum  carui,  seu  anisi, 
forms  an  excellent  remedy  for  relieving  and  preventing 
oostiveness,  if  used  occasionally.  The  utility  of  Dr. 
.Tames's  analeptic  pills  have  led  to  a  suspicion  of  the 
utility  of  the  antimonials,  joined  to  the  more  active 
torms  of  resinous  purgatives;  and  we  have  already  men- 
tioned the  advantages  derived  from  adding  a  grain  of 
emetic  tartar  to  a  drachm  of  the  colocynth  pills  for  this 
purpose.  A  form  we  have  often  employed  with  success, 
consists  of  half  a  drachm  of  the  gum  pill,  as  much  pill 
Rufi,  with  ten  grains  of  antimonial  powder.  Two  or 
three  of  these  pills  approach  very  nearly  in  their  effects 
to  the  analeptic  pills  of  Dr.  James.  Habitual  costiveness 
hath  been  much  lessened  both  by  the  cold  and  hot  baths, 
by  early  rising,  and  walking  in  the  open  air. 

In  the  Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq.  volfiv.  are  two 
~ases  of  costiveness  which  resemble  diarrhoeas. 

VOL.  I. 


CONSTRI'CTIVA,  (from  constringo,  to  bind  toge- 
ther). See  STYFI-ICA. 

CONSTRI'CTOR  A'L.E  NA'SI,  (from  the  same; 
for  all  muscles,  called  constrictores,  have  the  power  of 
straitening).  Triangularis;  defiressor  labii  aufierioris. 
Fallopius  first  described  these,  though  Placentinus 
claims  the  discovery.  They  rise  fleshy  below  the  root 
of  the  nares,  immediately  above  the  gums  of  the  denies 
incisores,  and,  ascending  transversely,  are  inserted  into 
the  coats  of  the  alae  nasi,  and  the  superior  part  of  the 
upper  lip. 

COXSTRI'CTOR  AM.        See   Sl'HIXCTEH  AXI. 

CONSTRUCTOR  I'STHMI  FAU'CIUM.  From  the  uvula 
two  arches  run  down  on  each  side,  and  there  is  a  cavity 
between  them,  where  the  tonsils  are  lodged.  The  an- 
terior arch  goes  to  the  basis  of  the  tongue,  and  is  thus 
called ;  the  other  passes  down  the  palatum  molle,  and 
goes  to  the  pharynx,  whence  it  is  distinguished  by  the 
name  of  fialato-fiharyng£us. 

CONSTRUCTOR  LABIO'RUM.      See  SPHINCTER  LABIO- 

II UM. 

CONSTRI'CTOR  MU'SCULUS.     See  BUCCINATOR. 
COXSTRI'CTOR    PALPEBRA'RUM.       See    ORBICULARIS 

PALPEBRARUM. 

COXSTRI'CTOR  PHARY'XGIS  IXFE'RIOR.     See  CHICO- 

PHARVNG.EI. 

COXSTRI'CTOR  PHARY'XGIS  ME'DIUS.     See  HYOPHA- 

PYXG.SUS. 

COXSTRI'CTOR  PHARY'XGIS  SUPE'IUOR.   See  CEPHALO- 

PIIARYXG.£US. 

COXSTRI'CTOR  VESI'C.S  VRIXA'RI^E.     See  DETRUSOR 

URIN.S. 

CONSTRICTO'RES  PHARYNG.fc'I.     See  PH\- 

RYNX. 

CONSTRICTO'RII,  (from  the  same).  Diseases  at- 
tended with  constriction. 

CONSTRINGE'NTIA,  (from  the  same).    Sec  A»r 

TRIXGEXTIA. 

CONSUETU'DO,  (from  consuesco,  to  be  accustom- 
ed to.}  CUSTOM.  Custom  and  habit  are  two  terms 
often  used  synonymously,  and  indeed  the  former  is  often 
confounded  with  the  latter.  By  custom  is  meant  a  fre- 
quent repetition  of  the  same  act;  by  habit,  the  effect 
that  custom  has  on  the  mind  or  body ;  so  that  the  for- 
mer is  the  cause  of  the  latter. 

It  has  been  often  alleged,  and  with  truth,  that  we  are 
creatures  of  habit.  Custom  produces  a  regularity  in  all 
our  returning  wants;  and  the  hour  of  dinner,  of  exer- 
cise, or  sleep,  brings  on  the  feeling  of  want,  independ- 
ent of  any  real  demand.  In  general,  the  frequent  and 
regular  repetition  of  small  impressions  produces  habit, 
and  their  influence  is  soon  unperceived :  violent  impres- 
sions never  become  habitual ;  for,  when  repeated,  the 
body  or  mind  would  sink  under  their  force.  The 
influence  of  custom  on  our  sensations  is  singular.  Ac- 
customed sensations,  as  we  have  just  remarked,  are 
soon  unnoticed;  and  it  requires  a  little  increased  action 
to  render  them  the  objects  of  our  attention.  Yet,  whe,i 
the  energy  of  the  mind  is  excited  by  the  sensation, 
custom  adds  to  the  power  of  discrimination.  The 
shepherd  will  distinguish  every  individual  sheep  of  a 
large  Hock;  the  painter  discover  beauties  and  faults  in- 
visible to  die  common  eye;  and  the  musician  feel  with 
pain  the  minutest  deviation  from  tune.  Custom,  there- 
fore, which  blunts  bodily  sensations,  renders  the  mental 
3Q 


CON 


482 


CON 


ones  more  acute.  Volition  is  not  an  exertion  of  mind, 
but  apparently  a  simple  impulse,  directed  almost  ne- 
cessarily to  an  end ;  and  it  is  affected  by  custom,  nearly 
like  the  organs  of  the  body.  Thus  a  sensation,  which 
excited  a  perceptible  exertion  of  volution,  will,  in  time, 
produce  it  and  the  correspondent  action,  without  our 
being  sensible  of  its  interference ;  and  so  rapid  is  this 
progress,  that  we  seem  to  will  two  ends  or  objects  at 
the  same  time,  though  they  are  evidently,  when  ex- 
amined, distinct  operations.  But  though  by  custom  we 
are  no  longer  sensible  of  bodily  impressions,  or  the 
exercise  of  volition,  yet  the  corporeal  organs  in  their 
several  functions  acquire,  like  those  of  the  mind,  pecu- 
liar accuracy  of  discrimination.  The  musician  is  not, 
for  instance,  sensible  of  his  willing  any  one  motion;  yet, 
with  the  most  exquisite  nicety  he  touches  a  particular 
part  of  the  string,  and  executes  a  variety  of  the  nicest 
and  most  complicated  motions  with  the  most  delicate 
precision.  Indeed,  it  appears  to  be  a  general  rule  in  the 
animal  economy,  that  if  an  idea  has  frequently  produc- 
ed a  motion,  its  power  is  increased;  but  if  the  motion 
connected  with  the  idea  has  been  prevented,  the  power 
is  diminished  or  lost. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  will,  by  custom  and 
exercise,  may  acquire  a  power  over  motions  in  the  body 
not  originally  subject  to  it ;  and  we  think  we  have  ob- 
served some  instances  of  this  power  in  a  slight  degree 
on  the  motions  of  the  alimentary  canal.  The  most 
striking  instance  of  this  kind,  however,  was  the  power 
which  colonel  Townsend  obtained  over  the  heart  and 
arteries ;  and  we  know  an  eminent  professor  who,  in 
his  youth,  could,  and  is  perhaps  still  able  to,  produce  a 
considerable  effect  on  his  pulse.  But  this  effect  of  cus- 
tom is  very  limited.  Its  power  of  increasing  the  force 
and  facility  of  action  of  the  moving  fibres  is  sufficiently 
well  known.  In  the  action  of  medicines  on  the  moving 
fibres  we  find  some  variety.  Moderate  power,  by  cus- 
tom, loses  its  peculiar  effect.  Thus,  the  dose  of  emetics 
and  laxatives,  when  repeated,  must  be  increased ;  and 
ihe  dram  drinker  gradually  requires  additional  quanti- 
ties, or  augmented  strength,  of  his  liquor:  but  if  the 
power  be  very  active,  the  repetition  gives  greater  facility 
of  motion,  as,  by  the  repetition,  the  mobility  of  the  mov- 
ing fibres  is  increased.  Another  effect  of  custom  on 
the  moving  fibres  resembles  the  association  of  ideas. 
Tf  two  muscles,  or  the  different  parts  of  one  muscle, 
have  been  used  to  act  together,  exciting  the  action  of 
one  will  produce  that  of  the  other.  If,  however,  this 
kind  of  association  is  prevented  by  a  strong  effort  of  vo- 
lition, and  strengthened  by  a  different  habit,  they  are 
induced  to  act  separately,  with  the  greatest  precision. 
This  power  is  constantly  attained  by  musicians. 

A  singular  effect  has  been  attributed  to  custom,  which 
may  perhaps  be  more  satisfactorily  explained  on  other 
principles.  As  we  usually  feel  only  in  the  sentient  ex- 
tremities o/the  nerves,  it  has  been  supposed,  that  from 
custom  we  refer  every  affection  of  the  nerve,  in  its 
course,  to  the  extremities;  and  thus  the  sailor,  who  had 
lost  Ms  leg  many  years  before,  feels  a  pain  in  the  toe. 
This,  however,  certainly  does  not  depend  on  custom ; 
for  a  disease  of  the  origin,  or  in  the  course  of  a  nerve, 
is  at  once  referred  to  its  extremity,  though  the  sensation 
was  never  before  experienced. 

Custom,  we  find,  regulates  the  degree  of  tension 
necessary  to  produce  sensation.  The  sailor  used  to  the 


sound  of  cannon  can  hear  a  person  speak  in  a  common 
tone  during  their  loudest  roar ;  and  a  deaf  person  will 
hear  more  easily  while  a  drum  is  beating,  or  in  a  car- 
riage. It  equally  regulates  the  degree  of  tension  neces- 
sary to  the  action  of  muscular  fibres,  as  the  musician 
experiences  by  the  degree  of  pressure  suitable  to  the 
production  of  a  given  sound,  from  a  piano-forte  or  an 
organ;  and  it  associates  motions  with  sensations  not 
otherwise  connected.  There  is  no  necessary  connec- 
tion, for  instance,  between  a  particular  figure  of  a 
country  dance  and  a  given  tune,  since  many  different 
figures  may  be  suited  to  it ;  but  when  the  music  be- 
gins, the  accustomed  movements,  without  any  apparent 
exertion  of  volition,  follow.  Custom  also  associates  dif- 
ferent motions,  though  not  necessarily  connected ;  and 
from  the  habit  established  they  cannot  be  performed 
separately.  It  determines  the  degree  of  force  and  ve- 
locity with  which  motions  can  be  performed,  and  which, 
after  the  habit  is  established,  cannot  be  violated:  a 
blacksmith  can  never  become  a  watchmaker.  Custom 
establishes  also  the  order  in  which  certain  sensations 
and  motions  return.  An  infant  can  soon  be  brought  to 
feed  only  at  regular  hours ;  and  those  who  retire  regu- 
larly to  the  garden  immediately  after  breakfast,  will  feel 
little  or  no  inconvenience  should  their  breakfast  be  de- 
layed for  an  hour  or  two.  The  same  call  will  also  regu- 
larly return  with  almost  every  change  of  the  constitution 
in  other  respects. 

These  motions,  established  and  associated  by  custom, 
are  sometimes  broken  with  difficulty,  and  occasionally 
Avith  injury  to  the  constitution.  If  the  supply  of  food, 
or  the  discharge  of  the  excretions,  be  not  obeyed,  the 
call  will  often  not  again  recur  till  the  next  period,  and 
the  feelings  be  uncomfortable  in  the  interval.  Indeed, 
the  deprivation  of  the  most  trifling  accustomed  gratifi- 
cation frequently  injures  the  health,  while  the  most  dis- 
cordant noises,  the  most  offensive  smells,  or  the  most 
disgusting  objects,  lose  every  unpleasing  effect  from 
habit.  It  was  this  which  occasioned  the  ancient  sage  to 
remark,  "  Optimum  vitse  genus  eligito,  nam  consuetudo 
faciet  jucundissimum."  Choose  the  best  occupation,  for 
custom  will  make  it  the  ftlcasantest.  On  the  other  hand, 
these  accustomed  associated  motions  constitute  the  most 
obstinate  diseases.  Intermittent  fevers,  epilepsies,  co- 
mata,  &c.  when  the  periodical  return  is  established,  are 
most  difficult  of  cure.  In  such  circumstances  we  can- 
not often  succeed  without  stopping  all  motion,  to  begin 
again  a  new  and  more  salutary  series. 

CONSU'MPTIO,  (from  consume,  to  ivaste  away"). 
See  PHTHISIS. 

CONTABESCE'NTIA,  (from  contabesco,  to  pine  or 
waste  away}.  See  ATHOPHIA. 

CONTA'GIO,  (from  contingo,  to  meet  or  touch  each 
other ;  vel  INFE'CTIO,  from  in/icio,  to  infect}.  CONTA- 
GION, or  INFECTION. 

It  has  been  lately  attempted  to  distinguish  these  two 
words,  though  not  with  a  happy  discrimation.  We 
should  approach  more  nearly  to  common  language,  if 
we  employed  the  adjective  "infectious"  to  diseases 
communicated  by  contact ;  for  we  infect  a  lancet,  and 
we  catch  a  fever  by  contagion.  In  the  present  state  of 
our  knowledge  of  the  subject  we  must  perhaps  employ 
these  terms  as  synonymous,  though  we  shall,  in  general, 
follow  the  distinction  now  suggested. 

Contagion,  then,  exists  in  the  atmosphere ;  and  we 


CON 


483 


C  O  JS 


know  distinctly  but  of  one  kind,  viz.  marsh  miasmata, 
which  probably  consists  of  inflammable  air.  All  moist 
earth  seems  to  be  also  injurious ;  and  we  now  know  that 
moistened  earth  absorbs  the  oxygen,  and  leaves,  of 
course,  the  azote.  Putrefying  vegetable  and  animal 
substances  have  also  been  accused,  particularly  of  pro- 
ducing the  yellow  fever  of  America;  and  there  is  no 
doubt  of  their  being  highly  pernicious,  though  from 
what  kind  of  exhalation  we  cannot  say  :  mineral  exhala- 
tions seem  never  to  have  produced  fever..  Another  kind 
of  contagion  is  that  which  produces  the  epidemic  ca- 
tarrhs ;  others  which  occasion  the  plague,  the  dysentery, 
the  cynanche  malignata  scarlatina.  Egyptian  ophthal- 
mia, Sec.  but  these  we  need  not  anxiously  enumerate,  as 
their  nature  is  obscure;  and  the  security,  if  it  can  be 
obtained,  rests  only  on  the  general  principles  of  avoiding 
cold,  damp,  night  air,  and  whatever  checks  perspiration 
or  debilitates  the  nervous  system.  The  fevers  which 
may  arise  from  moistened  earth  cannot  be  avoided  ;  but 
those  from  marsh  miasmata  we  may  escape,  by  choos- 
ing a  situation  where  the  prevailing  winds  do  not  blow 
from  neighbouring  marshes;  or,  at  least,  where  the 
winds  at  the  period  the  marshes  emerge  from  under  the 
water,  the  only  time  of  considerable  danger,  are  not 
frequent  from  that  quarter. 

Many  of  the  diseases  above  mentioned  are  "  ir\fec- 
tioua"  also;  and  though  it  has  been  lately  the  fashion 
to  deny  contagion  or  infection,  yet  numerous  are  the 
victims  that  have  been  sacrificed  to  this  pernicious  sys- 
tem. The  plague  may  still  be  pronounced  eminently 
infectious.  The  small  pox,  the  measles,  the  yellow  fe- 
ver, the  ulcerated  throat,  the  scarlatina,  catarrhus  epi- 
demicus,  and  the  hooping  cough,  are  probably  so,  in  a 
decreasing  ratio,  according  to  the  order.  Others,  less 
infectious,  require  somewhat  of  more  immediate  con- 
tact. The  dysentery,  perhaps,  connects  both  classes  : 
then  follow  the  itch,  the  sibbens,  and  the  venereal  dis- 
ease ;  perhaps  the  yaws.  Other  complaints  supposed 
to  be  infectious,  are  apparently  so  from  their  being  the 
offspring  of  contagion  only. 

We  have  omitted  in  this  enumeration  the  jail  and 
hospital  fever,  as  of  doubtful  origin,  partaking  both  of 
infection  and  contagion.  The  miasmata  are  undoubt- 
edly diffused  through  hospitals,  jails,  and  transports  ; 
but  the  diseases  usually  received  from  the  human  body, 
or  the  recent  effluvia,  give  activity  to  the  contagion  be- 
fore introduced.  Thus  we  find  a  person,  apparently  with- 
out fever,  coming  from  an  infected  hospital  or  jail  will 
convey  the  disease,  while  he  himself,  having  constantly 
imbibed  the  poison,  is  habituated  to  it ;  and  the  infec- 
tion requires  an  exciting  cause,  or  the  effluvia  in  a  more 
active  state. 

Contagious  or  infectious  matter  acquires  peculiar 
\  irulence  from  confinement,  especially  with  woollens 
or  cotton ;  and  in  this  way  infection  is  diffused  from  dis- 
tant countries.  The  last  plague  which  infested  the 
town  in  which  we  now  write  arose  from  a  traveller  re- 
marking to  his  companion  that,  in  u  former  journey,  he 
had  the  plague  in  the  room  where  they  sat.  "  In  that 
corner,"  said  he,  "  was  a  cupboard,  where  the  bandages 
were  kept :  it  v\  j.s  now  plastered  ;  but  they  are  probably 
there  still."  He  took  the  poker.,  broke  down  the  plas- 
tering, and  found  them.  The  disease  was  soon  disse- 
minated and  extensively  fatal. 

People  are  very  variously  susceptible  of  infection. 


The  slightest  breath  will  sometimes  induce  the  disease, 
while  others  will  daily  breathe  the  poisonous  atmo- 
sphere without  injury.  We  remember  a  young  lady 
having  a  violent  fever  in  a  boarding  school.  Each  scho- 
lar constantly  passed  the  door  of  her  room,  and  no  one 
caught  the  disease.  When  recovered,  she  was  removed, 
with  fresh  clothes,  to  a  lodging,  where  there  was  no 
communication  with  the  persons  of  the  house;  but  two 
young  women,  of  the  latter,  were  soon  affected  with  a 
similar  fever,  and  narrowly  escaped.  We  mention  this 
fact,  not  to  alarm,  but  to  induce  the  extremest  caution, 
particularly  in  those  who  have  previously  lived  in  per- 
fectly wholesome  air. 

The  period  at  which  the  disease  takes  place  subse- 
quent to  infection,  is  different  in  different  circumstances. 
Should  a  case  of  fever  occur  within  a  few  hours  after  u 
person  has  been  exposed  to  it,  the  fever  will  assume  the 
contagious  type.  Generally  speaking,  however,  most  fe- 
brile infections  appear  active  from  about  ten  to  fourteen 
days.  The  p  eriod  is  scarcely  ever  less  than  seven,  or  more 
than  twenty-one  days.  Infection  is,  indeed,  more  often 
taken  than  is  supposed.  A  slight  shiver  is  followed  by 
perspiration,  by  a  diarrhoea,  or  some  other  spontaneous 
discharges,  and  nothing  more  is  heard  of  the  fever.  Bu: 
its  nature  is  shown  by  prostration  of  strength,  want  of 
appetite,  kc. ;  which  continue,  at  least,  during  the  first 
septenary  period,  if  not  to  the  fourteenth  day.  It  is  ge- 
nerally received  with  the  air  inbreathing;  but  its  effect 
is  felt  at  the  back  of  the  fauces  only,  and  from  thence 
in  the  stomach. 

During  the  progress  of  contagion,  and  while  exposed 
to  infection,  cold  chills,  indigestion,  and  the  depressing 
passions,  should  be  as  much  as  possible  avoided.  The 
sick  room  should  be  kept  well  ventilated,  and  the  dis- 
charges immediately  removed :  it  should  be  also  fre- 
quently exchanged  for  free  open  air ;  the  mouth-and 
throat  gargled  with  oxymel,  a  decoction  of  bark,  ren- 
dered pungent  with  spirit  of  vitriol  or  port  wine.  We 
had  almost  said  brandy,  which  we  once  saw  recom- 
mended in  a  very  respectable  scientific  journal,  the  Cri- 
tical Review,  and  have  since  used  with  some  success. 
But  that  author  was  violently  reprehended  by  a  gentle- 
man, "  scrupulous,"  perhaps  "  over  much,"  as  encou- 
raging dram  drinking.  We  may,  at  least,  fiace  tanti 
Tt'ri,  recommend  it  to  those  who  have  no  propensity  to 
that  pernicious  custom.  A  decoction  of  bark,  taken 
two  or  three  times  a  day?  with  a  few  glasses  of  port 
wine,  may  be  useful,  when  infection  is  around ;  and  an 
attention  to  the  state  of  the  bowels  is  essentially  neces- 
sary. But  nothing  will  effectually  preserve  without  air 
— -free  o/ien  air. 

Fevers,  however,  caught  by  recent  infection  are  mild, 
compared  with  those  which  arise  from  contagion  long 
pent  up,  styled  fomites  ;  and,  in  our  experience,  very 
few  such  fevers  have  been  fatal.  There  are  other 
means  proposed  of  guarding  against  infection.  To  per- 
sons exposed  to  it,  camphor  worn  in  a  bag  on  the  sto- 
mach has  been  recommended.  We  know  not  its  effi- 
cacy ;  but  recollect  a  late  recorder  of  London  (serjeant 
Glyn)  mentioning  his  having  worn  it  in  the  earlier  pe- 
riod of  his  appointment,  but  afterwards  disusing  it.  He 
added,  that  he  thought  himself  cooler  in  cou-t  since  he 
had  rejected  it.  Another  mode  of  avoiding  infection  is, 
fumigations  with  vinegar  and  the  mineral  acids  in  the 
form  of  air.  Vinegar  has  been  frequently  employed  : 
3Q  2 


C  ON 


484 


CON 


'.i\.n  the  discovery  of  the  power  of  the  mineral  acids  is 
contested.  The  late  Dr.  Johnson,  of  Kidderminster, 
evidently  first  proposed  this  method;  but  from  liisfiub- 
lications  there  appears  to  be  r.o  evidence  of  his  having 
employed  the  acid  gases.  It  seems,  however,  from  his 
manuscripts,  that  he  had  done  so  ;  and,  indeed,  the  ease 
with  which  it  could  be  tried  is  a  strong  evidence  that  he 
had  really  used  it.  Dr.  C.  Smyth,  who  received  a  par- 
liamentary reward  for  this  supposed  discovery,  seems  to 
rest  his  claim,  in  a  great  measure,  on  his  having  substi- 
tuted the  nitrous  gas,  since  the  muriatic  is  so  offensive  to 
the  organs  of  respiration  ;  but  certainly,  previous  to  Dr. 
Smyth's  application  to  parliament  M.  de  Morveau  had 
recommended  similar  trials.  We  mean  not  to  decide 
hastily  or  rashly  ;  but,  though  the  casual  notice  of  this 
plan  by  Dr.  Johnson  is  certainly  anterior  to  the  hints 
of  any  other  author,  yet  to  our  recollection,  M.  de  Mor- 
veau preceded  Dr.  Smyth.  Our  countryman  may  not 
have  borrowed  the  hint ;  but,  in  the  present  state  of  che- 
mical science,  it  lay  too  much  on  the  level  for  any  one 
to  plume  himself  greatly  on  the  discovery.  The  me- 
thod of  preparing  each  gas  is  extremely  simple ;  and 
consists  only  of  adding  the  sulphuric  acid  to  nitre,  or  sea 
salt,  deprived  of  their  water  of  crystallization. 

We  have  omitted  mentioning  vinegar,  as  it  connects 
the  former  with  some  other  modes  of  destroying  infec- 
tion. The  volatility  of  the  acetous  acid  adapts  it  for 
this  purpose  without  any  preparation  ;  and  it  is  proba- 
bly highly  useful,  though  perhaps  less  efficacious  than 
the  gases  of  the  mineral  acids.  It  is  used  in  another 
form,  viz.  in  a  highly  concentrated  state,  with  aromatic 
oils.  The  first  idea  was  taken  from  a  preservative,  said 
to  be  employed  by  four  thieves,  who  plundered  the  vic- 
tims of  the  plague  with  impunity,  secured  by  the  aro- 
matic vinegar.  It  is  prepared  with  great  elegance  and 
efficacy  by  Mr.  Henry,  of  Manchester,  and  sold  under 
his  name. 

A  more  recent  plan  of  this  kind  is  the  disinfecting 
bottle  of  M.  dc  Morveau.  The  materials  are  preserved 
in  a  bottle  made  of  strong  glass,  secured  in  a  wooden 
case,  and  the  stopper  kept  down  by  a  screw.  In  this 
glass  about  eleven  French  drachms  of  finely  powdered 
black  oxide  of  manganese  are  put;  and  to  these  are 
added  about  three  ounces  by  weight,  of  pure  nitric 
acid  of  the  specific  gravity  of  1.40,  with  an  equal  bulk 
of  muriatic  acid,  of  the  specific  gravity  of  1.134.  About 
two  thirds  of  the  bottle  must  be  empty:  it  is  covered 
with  a  plate  of  glass,  which  is  raised  by  a  single  turn 
of  the  screw.  This  plate  must  be  ground  and  polished, 
so  as  to  close  the  bottle  accurately,  and  every  particle  of 
dust  must  be  carefully  wiped  off.  When  used,  it  must 
not  be  held  near  the  nose,  as  the  pure  oxygen  gives  pain 
when  respired ;  but  in  a  few  minutes  it  will  fill  a  large 
room  with  the  gas.  These  materials,  if  the  bottle  is 
opened  daily,  will  last  six  months.  The  price,  when 
properly  filled,  is,  in  Paris,  twenty  one  francs  for  each. 
Annales  de  Chimie,  vol.  lii.  p.  347. 

M.  Dumotiez  prepares  bottles  of  a  smaller  size,  with 
less  proportions  of  the  same  materials.  The  chief  im- 
provement is,  that  a  small  aperture  is  made  by  a  turn  of 
the  screw.  They  are  cheaper,  and  adapted  for  apart- 
ments of  a  common  size. 

When  infection  or  contagion  has  taken  place,  an 
emetic  is  the  first  necessary  step ;  and  this  should  be 
followed  by  active  purging.  After  these  medicines,  a 


warm  cordial  diaphoretic,  and  sometimes  a  blister,  is 
necessary.  If,  however,  any  one  medicine  is  peculiarly 
and  essentially  requisite,  it  is  the  cathartic ;  but  the 
emetic  must  be  premised.  The  reasons  for  this  plan 
will  be  afterwards  explained. 

Mineral  exhalations  have  been  sometimes  supposed 
to  be  causes  of  fever  ;  but  we  have  not  found  any  well 
authenticated  instances  of  such  effects,  though  Dr. 
Webster,  in  his  History  of  Epidemics,  has  endeavoured 
with  great  earnestness  to  connect  epidemics  with  volca- 
nic explosions,  and  other  physical  phenomena.  Those 
who  work  in  mines  of  lead  or  quicksilver  are,  however, 
subject  to  nervous  colics  and  palsies. 

CONTAGIO'SI,  (from  contagio,  contagion}.  Dis- 
orders from  infection  or  contagious  diseases. 

CONTEMPERA'NTIA,  (from  con  and  tempera,  to 
moderate }.  See  TEMPERANTIA. 

CONTE'NSIO,  (from  contineo,  to  restrain}.  It 
sometimes  is  used  to  express  a  tension  or  stricture. 

CONTE'NTA,  (from  contineo, to  contain}.  CON- 
TENTS. Any  fluids  contained  within  a  solid  part  of  the 
body. 

CONTE'NTUS,  from  contcndo,  to  stretch}. 
STRETCHED. 

CONTINE'NS  FE'BRIS.  A  CONTINUAL  or  a  CON- 
TINENT FEVER,  which  proceeds  regularly  in  the  same 
tenor,  without  either  intermission  or  remission.  This 
rarely,  if  ever,  happens.  See  FEBRIS. 

CONTI'NUA  FE'BRIS,  (from  continue,  to  jierse- 
vere').  A  CONTINUED  FEVER,  attended  with  exacerba- 
tions, and  slight  remissions,  but  no  intermission ;  some- 
times called  assidua.  See  FEBRIS. 

CONTO'RSIO,  (from  contoryueo,  to  twist  about}. 
CONTORSION.  In  medicine  this  word  hath  various  sig- 
nifications. See  ILIACA  PASSIO,  LUXATIO,  LUXATION  OF 

THE  VERTEBRA  and  CAPUT. 

CONTO'RTUS,  (from  contoryueo,  to  tivist  aside}. 
In  botany  it  means  ravelled,  curled,  or  twisted. 

CONTRA  APERTU'RA,  (from  contra,  against, 
and  a/ierio,  to  often).  A  COUNTER  OPENING.  This  is 
sometimes  necessary  in  wounds  made  by  puncture,  or 
by  a  bullet,  to  discharge  what  is  contained  in  them,  or 
to  prevent  their  growing  fistulous.  The  circumstances 
requiring  this  procedure  are  so  various,  as  to  demand 
considerable  sagacity  in  the  surgeon.  The  opening  is 
sometimes  made  by  passing  a  trochar  to  the  bottom  of 
the  wound,  directing  its  point  to  the  nearest  skin,  and 
continuing  it  through,  so  as  to  make  the  old  and  the 
new  aperture  one  continued  passage ;  more  frequently 
by  cutting  through  the  skin  directly  upon  the  intruded 
body,  or  upon  the  button  of  the  probe,  which  may  be 
introduced  to  the  bottom  of  the  wound  to  direct  the  in- 
cision. See  Petit  and  Heister's  Surgery. 

CONTRACTU'RA,  (from  contralto,  to  draw  toge- 
ther}. CONTRACTION  ;  called  by  Dr.  Aitkin,  beribe- 
ria.  An  immobility  of  any  of  the  joints  from  a  preter- 
natural contraction  of  some  of  their  muscles,  or  from 
a  derangement  of  the  osseous  or  ligamentous  parts 
of  the  joint  affected.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  this  as  a  genus 
of  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dyscinesice  ; 
and  defines  it  "a  continued,  rigid  contraction  of  one 
or  more  of  the  limbs."  He  distinguishes  two  spe- 


cies. 


1.  CONTRACTU'RA  PRIMARIA,  from   a  rigid  contrac- 
tion of  the  muscles,  termed  also  obstifiitas ;  a  word, 


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that  with  any  other  annexed  distinguishes  the  variety 
of  the  contraction. 

Of  this  species  he  forms  four  varieties.  1st.  When 
the  muscles  become  rigid  from  inflammation.  2d. 
From  spasm.  3d.  When  contracted,  from  the  anta- 
gonists being  paralytic.  4th.  From  irritating  acrimony. 

-2.  COXTRACTU'RA  ARTICULARIS,  from  rigid  joints. 

Dr.  Aitkin  observes,  that  the  disease  is  most  frequent- 
ly symptomatic  :  and  when  it  depends  on  muscular  con- 
traction only,  he  advises  the  tepid  bath,  with  bandages, 
and  counteracting  by  proportional  weights  the  increased 
power  of  the  muscle.  Mechanical  contrivances,  either 
to  assist  the  paralytic  muscles  or  gradually  extend  the 
contracted  ones,  are  chiefly  useful.  In  each  instance, 
the  vapour  bath  is  a  valuable  assistant.  Dominieeti 
Buzaglo,and  at  present  Mr.  Pugh,  have  often  succeeded 
in  this  disease  by  a  bath  of  this  kind. 

CONTRA -FISSU'RA,  (from  contra,  opposite,  and 
Jindo,  to  cleave ) .  COXTRA-FJSSURE.  See  FISSUUA. 

CONTRAHE'NTIA,  (from  contraho,  to  contract). 
Medicines  which  shorten  and  strengthen  the  fibres. 
Astringents  are  the  only  medicines  of  this  nature,  q.  v. 

CONTRA-INDICA'TIO,  (from  contra,  against,  and 
indico,  to  show).  See  ANTENDEIXIS. 

CONTRA-LUNA'RIS,  (from  contra,  and  luna,  the 
:nc,sn).  An  epithet  given  by  Dietericus  to  a  woman 
who  conceives  during  the  menstrual  discharge  ;  but  we 
believe  there  is  no  instance  of  this  kind. 

CONTRARIUS.  CONTRARY.  In  botany  it  means 
not  parallel  in  situation.  In  medicine,  any  thing  oppo- 
site in  its  nature  or  tendency. 

CONTRA-VE'RMES,  (Sem.).     See   SANTOXICITM. 

CONTRA YE'RVA,  (from  contra  and  yerva,  a  herb, 
Spanish).  A  herb  good  against  poisons.  Drakena, 
Cyfierus,  longus  odor  us  Peruanus,  dorstenia,  bezoardi- 
ca  radix.  COUNTER  POISON.  It  is  the  dorstenia  con- 
tray erva  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  176. 

The  contrayerva  was  first  brought  into  Europe  about 
ihe  year  1581  by  sir  Francis  Drake,  whence  its  name 
Drakena.  It  is  the  root  of  a  small  plant  found  in  Peru, 
and  other  parts  of  the  Spanish  West  Indies.  There  are 
two  kinds ;  the  one  placenta  ovali,  the  other  angulari 
ft  undulata.  The  sort  generally  brought  to  us  is  about 
an  inch  or  two  long,  half  an  inch  thick,  full  of  knots, 
surrounded  on  all  sides  with  numerous  long  tough  fibres, 
most  of  which  are  loaded  with  scaly  knobs,  of  a  reddish 
brown  colour  on  the  outside,  and  pale  within. 

The  tuberous  parts  of  these  roots  are  the  strongest, 
and  should  be  chosen  for  use.  They  have  an  agreeable 
aromatic  smell ;  a  rough,  bitter,  penetrating  taste ; 
and,  when  chewed,  they  give  out  a  sweetish  kind  of 
acrimony. 

It  is  diaphoretic  and  antiseptic ;  formerly  used  in  low 
nervous  fevers,  and  those  of  the  malignant  kind  ;  though 
taken  freely  it  does  not  produce  much  heat.  It  is,  how- 
ever, now  seldom  used ;  though,  with  the  Peruvian  bark 
in  decoction,  we  have  sometimes  employed  it  in  ulcerat- 
ed sore  throats  as  a  gargle. 

Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  this  and  seYpentaria  are 
powerful  stimulants,  and  both  have  been  employed  in 
fevers  in  which  debility  prevailed.  However,  he  thinks, 
wine  may  always  supercede  the  stimulant  powers  of 
these  medicines ;  and  that  debility  is  better  remedied  by 
the  tonic  and  antiseptic  powers  of  cold  and  Peruvian 
bark,  than  by  any  stimulants. 


By  the  assistance  of  heat,  both  spirit  and  water  ex- 
tract all  its  virtues,  but  they  carry  little  or  nothing  in 
distillation  ;  extracts  made  by  inspissating  the  decoction 
retain  all  the  virtues  of  the  root. 

The  London  college  forms  the  compound  powder  of 
contrayerva,  by  combining  five  ounces  of  contrayerva 
in  powder,  with  a  pound  and  a  half  of  the  compound 
powder  of  crabs'  claws. 

This  powder  was  formerly  made  up  in  balls,  and 
called  lapis  contrayervec  ;  employed  in  the  decline  of 
ardent  fevers,  and  through  the  whole  course  of  low  and 
nervous  ones.  The  radix  serpentarie  Virginiensis  in 
all  cases  may  be  substituted  for  the  contrayerva.  See 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's  Chem.  Works: 
Rail  Hist,  and  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CONTRAYE'RVA  XO'VA,  or  MEXICAN-  COXTRAYERVA.  It 
was  introduced  into  Europe  after  the  former,  and  is 
brought  from  Guiana,  as  well  as  from  Mexico.  The 
root  is  longish,  about  two  fingers  thick,  externally  rough, 
and  of  a  brownish  colour,  internally  white,  with  a  pith  in 
the  middle,  of  a  sweetish  aromatic  taste,  and  but  little 
inferior  to  the  contrayerva  introduced  before  it.  This  is 
the  root  of  the  pnoralea  fientafihy lla  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1076. 

CONTRAYE'RVA  A'LBA.  CONTRAYE'RVA  GERMANO'- 
RUM.  See  ASCLEPIAS.  , 

CONTRAYE'RVA  VIRGIXIA'XA.  See  SERPENTARIA 
VIRGIXIANA. 

CONTRI'TIO,  (from  contero,to  break  small).    See 

COMMIXUTIO. 

CONTU'SA,(from  contundo,  to  bruise).  Conlusio, 
collisio,  phlosma.  CONTUSED  WOUXDS,  CONTUSIONS,  or 
BRUISES.  When  any  part  is  bruised,  the  small  blood- 
vessels are  broken,  and  the  blood  they  contained,  effused 
in  the  adjoining  cellular  membrane;  or  these  vessels 
lose  their  tone,  and  no  longer  contributing  to  the  circu- 
lation, their  contents  stagnate.  In  either  of  these  cases, 
if  the  impediment  is  not  removed,  an  inflammation 
comes  on,  followed  by  suppuration,  sometimes  by  gan- 
grene. There  are  also  peculiar  symptoms  from  any 
injury  done  to  a  nerve,  a  blood  vessel,  or  a  bone. 

In  general,  the  symptoms  consequent  on  bruises  may 
be  reduced  to  three  classes. 

First,  They  arise  either  when  the  solids  are  destroy- 
ed, and  the  fluids  they  contain  discharged  :  those  func- 
tions are  consequently  abolished  which  depend  upon  a 
due  and  determinate  motion  of  the  fluids  through  the 
sound  vessels. 

Secondly,  The  discharged  fluids,  collected  either  in 
the  natural  or  preternatural  cavities  of  the  body,  by 
their  bulk  and  quantity  press  upon  the  adjacent  parts, 
and  either  totally  destroy  or  at  least  disturb  their  re- 
spective functions. 

Thirdly,  The  humours  thus  discharged,  may,  by 
their  continuance  and  stagnation  in  their  cavities,  ac- 
quire such  a  degree  of  acrimony  as  to  corrode  and  de- 
stroy the  adjacent  parts. 

When  the  internal  parts  are  bruised,  and  the  external 
integuments  are  entire,  or  confine  the  extravasated  fluid, 
the  consequence  is,  1.  An  echymosis.  2.  A  spurious 
aneurism.  3.  A  sugillation.  4.  Ulcers  and  gangrenes. 
5.  Caries ;  or,  6.  Scirrhus. 

Boerhaave  observes,  that  contusions  on  fleshy  parts 
may  produce  suppuration,  gangrene,  palsy,  or  a  con- 
traction. On  a  large  nerve,  a  palsy,  atrophy,  incurable 
insensibility,  and  a  gangrene  on  all  their  parts  below 


CO 


485 


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the  injured  part:  this  may  peculiarly  follow  contusions 
of  the  spine  and  its  marrow.  Contusions  of  the  viscera, 
he  justly  observes,  are  often  speedily  fatal ;  they  are 
tender;  and  their  vessels  easily  burst. 

Contusions  from  gun  shot  wounds  are  dangerous 
from  the  destruction  of  the  organized  parts  which  are 
bruised,  as  well  as  from  the  general  concussion  that  the 
whole  body  suffers  from  the  air  violently  impelled 
against  it.  The  effects  of  concussion  we  have  already 
noticed,  though  we  have  been  unable  to  explain  them. 
In  no  case  should  we  be  more  cautious  of  pronouncingon 
the  event  of  any  disaster,  than  where  a  concussion  or  a 
contusion  happens;  and  where  both  may  have  occurred, 
the  caution,  if  possible,  should  be  greater.  See  Bohnius 
de  Renunciatione  Vulner.  §  2.  cap.  1. 

When  bruises  arc  received  inwardly,  it  is  not  easy  to 
judge  readily  of  the  extent  of  the  injury  done  by  them  ; 
and  when  the  case  becomes  more  manifest,  it  is  often 
too  late  to  attempt  relief.  See  CONCUSSION. 

The  remedies  must  be  those  chiefly  which,  by  their 
stimulus,  restore  the  tone  of  the  vessels.  For  external 
use,  where  the  skin  is  not  much  destroyed,  a  mixture 
of  sharp  vinegar,  with  twice  its  quantity  of  water,  may 
be  applied  frequently  by  means  of  linen  cloths  wrung 
out  of  it,  and,  as  often  as  they  dry,  moistened  again. 
If  there  is  much  inflammation  present,  the  following, 
called  embrocatio  ammonia  acetate  cum  safione,  ACE- 

TATED    AMMONIATED    EMBROCATION    WITH    SOAP,    IS  VCry 

useful.  R.  Aq.  Ammoniac,  acetatse  solutionis  saponis 
aa.  §.  1.  m.  But  where  the  inflammation  has  subsided, 
two  drachms  of  aqua  ammonia;  purse  added  to  the  above 
is  considered  as  very  efficacious.  Spirituous  applica- 
tions should  not  be  used,  except  where  the  sole  inten- 
tion is  to  strengthen  the  injured  fibres  immediately  on 
the  occurrence  of  the  accident;  in  slighter  cases,  a 
small  quantity  of  spirit  may  be  mixed  with  vinegar,  and 
used  on  the  first  reception  of  the  bruise.  Even  such 
friction  as  the  bruise  will  bear  on  the  part,  or  around  it, 
will  be  generally  useful.  See  DISCUTIENTS. 

If  the  bruise  is  considerable,  and  particularly  if  any 
internal  part  is  affected,  bleeding,  a  cooling  liquid  diet, 
with  repeated  gentle  purgings,  are  of  the  greatest  advan- 
tage. If  the  bruise  is  in  the  lower  belly,  clysters  are 
necessary;  and  where  the  internal  parts  are  greatly  af- 
fected, leeches  or  blisters,  as  near  the  seat  of  the  com- 
plaint as  can  be  admitted,  are  useful.  Poultices,  which 
were  formerly  applied  to  carry  on  the  circulation  by 
relaxing  the  over  distended  vessels,  are  now  disused,  as 
they  are  found  to  promote  suppuration.  Cold  vinegar 
poultices  act  as  stimuli;  but  cold,  in  the  other  forms, 
is  seldom  admissible,  as  the  vessels  are  too  weak  to  re- 
store the  action.  This  remedy  is,  however,  useful  in 
relieving  the  weakness  which  is  often  the  consequence. 

The  advantages  of  the  tinct.  opii  externally  as  a  re- 
solvent, of  Dover's  powders,  and  the  anodyne  antimo- 
nial  drops,  recommended  in  the  article  CONCUSSIO,  de- 
serve the  same  attention  when  contusions  happen,  and 
on  the  same  principles. 

See  Bohnius  de  Renunciatione  Vulnerum ;  Van  Swie- 
tan's  Commentaries  on  Boerhaave's  Aphorisms;  Tis- 
sot's  Advice  to  the  People;  Bilguer's  Dissertation  on 
the  Inutility  of  amputating  Limbs,  p.  69,  73.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  v.  446. 

CONTU'SIO,  CONTUSU'RA,     See  CONTUSA. 


CO'NUS.  (Greek.)  A  CONE.  The  fruit  of  the  pine, 
fir,  or  cedar  tree ;  or  any  fruit  with  a  broad  basis,  which 
gradually  diminishes  to  a  point.  The  trees  which  bear 
such  fruit  are  called  coniferous.  Dioscorides  says,  that 
*o»»5  is  a  name  of  liquid  pitch. 

CO'NUS  FUSO'RIUS,  also  called  fiyramis.  A  CONE.  It 
is  a  vessel  resembling  an  inverted  cone,  made  of  brass 
or  iron,  and  is  used  for  separating  a  regulus  from  its 
scorire  ;  for  while  the  fused  metal  is  pouring  into  the 
crucible,  it  is  struck  with  a  mallet,  in  order  to  produce 
a  tremulous  motion  in  it,  by  which  the  heavier  parts 
fall  to  the  bottom. 

CONVALESCENCE,  (from  convalesce,  to  grow 
well').  This  state  implies  a  recovery  from  disease,  when 
natui'e,  with  little  assistance,  is  sxipposed  capable  of  re- 
storing health.  In  all  acute  diseases,  considerable  at- 
tention is,  however,  requisite,  to  prevent  a  relapse 
On  recovery  from  fever,  the  appetite  often  returns 
before  the  powers  of  digestion,  and,  of  course,  cannot 
be  always  safely  indulged.  In  recovery  from  other  dis- 
eases, the  principal  complaints  should  be  cautiously  kept 
in  view.  Thus,  after  peripneumony,  the  expectoration 
should  be  anxiously  kept  up ;  after  enteritis,  the  con- 
stant action  of  the  bowels ;  after  affections  of  the  head, 
the  utmost  tranquillity  of  the  body  and  mind  preserved. 
In  short,  convalescence  requires,  in  almost  every  situa- 
tion, care  equally  unremitted  with  that  which  the  con- 
tinuance of  disease  demanded. 

CONVALLA'RIA,  (from  convallis,  a  -valley}.    See 

LlLIUM   CONVALLIUM. 

CONVALLA'RIA,  FOLYGONATUM.     See  POLYGONATUM. 

CONVOLU'TUS,  (from  convolve,  to  roll  round}. 
In  botany  it  means  rolled  up,  like  a  scroll  of  paper. 

CONVOLU'TA  SUPERIO'RA,  et  INFERIORA 
O'SSA,  (from  convolvo,  to  roll  round}.  See  CONCHA 

NARIUM   SUPERIORES,  and  INFERIORES. 

CONVO'LVULUS,  or  VOLVULUS,  (from  con- 
volvo, to  roll  together).  (See  ILIACA  PASSIO.)  It  is 
also  the  name  of  a  genus  which  affords  the  JALAPA, 
MECOACHANA,  TURBITH,  and  SCAMMONY;  q.  v.  The 
whole  genus  usually  abounds  with  plants  containing  a 
milky  juice  strongly  cathartic  and  caustic. 

CONVO'LVULUS  SEPIUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PL  218.  It  is  the 
c.  major  albus  of  authors,  and  resembles,  in  its  virtues, 
the  scammony. 

CONVO'LVULUS  SCOPARIUS,  a  new  species,  vide  Lin. 
Supplem.  135.  Alton's  Kew,  vol.  i.  p.  213.  Wildenow, 
vol.  i.  p.  872.  Probably  the  plant  which  affords  the 
lignum  rhodium. 

CONVO'LVULUS  COLUBRI'NUS.     See  PAREIRA  BRAVA. 

CONVO'LVULUS  I'NDICUS  RADI'CE  TUBERO'SA  E'DULI, 
CO'HTICE  RU'BRO.  POTATOES.  See  BATTATAS  His- 
PANICA. 

CONVO'LVULUS  MARI'TIMUS.  See  BRASSICA  MARI- 
TIMA. 

CONVO'LVULUS  MARI'TIMUS  ZEYLA'NICUS,  &c.  See 
BlNTAMBARU  Z  EYLANEXSIBUS. 

CONVO'LVULUS  CANTA'BRICA,  CONVO'LVULUS  SPI'CJE 
FO'LIIS,  CONVO'LVULUS  LI'NARI^E  FO'LIO.  See  CANTA- 

BRICA. 

CONVO'LVULUS  SOLDANE'LLA.     See   BRASSICA   MARI- 

TIMA. 

CONVO'LVULUS  SYRI'ACUS.     See  SCAMMONIUM. 
CONVO'LVULUS  PERE'NNIS.     See  LUPULUS. 


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487 


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CONVUL'SIO.  A  CONVULSION-,  or  involuntary 
contraction  of  the  muscles,  (from  convello,  to  fiull  to- 
gether). Called  also  hieranosos,  disfensio  ner-jvrum. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
neuroses,  and  order  sfiasmi;  and  defines  it,  "  an  irregular 
clonic  contraction  of  the  muscles  without  sleep,"  of 
•which  he  enumerates  nine  idiopathic  species;  and  five 
symptomatic.  See  Nosologiae  Methodicae  Synopsis,  p. 
216,  vol.  iii. 

Under  the  spasmi  Dr.  Cullen  includes  the  tonic  and 
the  clonic  spasms,  where  the  muscles  are  rigidly  and 
immovably  contracted;  and  where  the  violent,  irre- 
gular contractions  are  alternated  with  equally  sudden 
relaxations.  This  arrangement  is  formed  with  the  strictest 
propriety,  as  we  shall  afterwards  find. 

Convulsions  attack  persons  of  all  ages,  but  chiefly  the 
young,  or  the  debilitated;  all  constitutions,  but  princi- 
pally the  fair,  the  delicate,  and  the  irritable ;  each  sex, 
but  particularly  females.  Its  causes  are  various ;  but 
the  chief  source  of  convulsions  is,  in  the  opinion  of 
every  author,  irritation.  It  is  certainly  irritation,  in 
systems  peculiarly  mobile,  in  other  words,  easily  ex- 
cited to  action;  but,  as  the  mobility  is  greater,  the  ir- 
ritation necessary  to  produce  convulsions  is  less ;  and 
sometimes  so  slight  as  to  be  imperceptible. 

If  we  examine  the  functions  of  the  nervous  system,  we 
shall  find  life  and  health  depend  on  the  regular  distribu- 
tion of  the  nervous  power.  If  it  is  hurried,  irregularly 
exerted,  or  deficient,  various  diseases,  and  particularly 
convulsive  ones,ensue.  Joy,  grief,  surprise,  will  equally 
produce  them.  Violent  exertions,  and  tone,  suddenly 
relaxed,  are  also  causes  of  these  irregular  motions.  We 
do  not  find,  however,  that  with  high  health,  full  vessels, 
and  a  firm  constitution,  however  the  circulation  is  ac- 
celerated, or  the  nervous  power  excited,  convulsions 
ensue,  unless  the  tone  is  suddenly  remitted.  Whatever 
effect  therefore  may  be  attributed  to  predisposition,  the 
causes  are  chiefly  debilitating  ones ;  and  the  constitu- 
tions chiefly  affected,  those  which  are  weak.  It  is  then 
irregular  action,  in  weak  habits,  which  constitutes  the 
disease.  In  palsies  of  every  kind,  tremors  attend  every 
exertion  ;  and  the  various  species  of  tremor  in  Sauvages', 
one  only  excepted,  are  obviously  from  debility.  In  hysteria 
there  is  usually  considerable  debility,  though  the  circu- 
lating system  is  often  full;  and  indeed  there  is  no  more 
common  cause  of  weakness  than  over  distended  vessels. 
This  is  the  exception  noticed  in  Sauvages'  species  of  tre- 
mor. In  epilepsy  this  debility  is  less  obvious,  but  the 
most  obstinate  cases  occur  in  weak  constitutions;  and, 
in  others,  the  irregular  action  is  excited  by  peculiar  and 
violent  stimuli,  chiefly  affecting  the  organic  structure 
of  some  part  of  the  nervous  system.  The  palpitations 
in  chlorosis,  the  gesticulations  in  chorea,  the  convulsive 
agitations  in  raphania,  the  causes  of  true  convulsive 
asthma,  all  confirm  the  idea,  that  debility  is  the  cause 
of  irregular  action.  Nor  need  we  add,  for  it  is  the 
subject  of  common  observation,  that  convulsions  close 
the  scene,  particularly  of  disorders  induced  by  excessive 
evacuations  and  worn  out  constitutions;  that  they  are 
effects  of  narcotics  of  every  kind,  of  deleterious  gases, 
mineral  exhalations,  and  even  of  stimulants  that  exhaust 
the  vital  power,  and  increase,  inconsequence,  the  irrita- 
bility. We  may  therefore  rest  safely  on  the  position, 
that  irregular  action,  either  spasmodic  or  clonic,  has  its 
foundation  in  debility  or  in  irritability ;  but  the  former 


is  most  frequent,  as  it  is  a  very  common  cause  of  in- 
creased mobility. 

From  the  effects  of  narcotics,  of  deleterious  gases  and 
similar  powers,  we  have  reason  to  conclude,  that  ir- 
regular action  may  arise  from  debility  alone,  or  at  least 
from  obscure  and  unperceived  irritation.  Yet  in  practice 
we  must  always  keep  in  view  the  existence  of  irritation; 
and  we  often  find  it  necessary  to  check  this  exciting, 
at  the  risk  of  increasing  the  power  of  the  predisposing, 
cause.  There  is  little  doubt,  for  instance,  that  the  ir- 
ritation of  themeconium  sometimes  produces  the  locked 
jaw  and  convulsions  in  new  born  infants  ;  this  must  be 
evacuated.  The  sedative  power  of  lead  produces  the 
Poitou  colic  :  this  irritation  must  be  soothed  by  opium 
before  laxatives  will  succeed.  A  wounded  nerve  will 
occasion  a  locked  jaw;  the  irritation  on  the  nerve  must 
be  removed  by  destroying  its  sensibility,  and  the  in- 
creased action  of  the  muscles  at  the  same  time  counter- 
acted by  appropriate  remedies,  general  and  topical. 
Other  convulsions  are  more  effectually  remedied  by 
warm  stimulants  and  tonics :  the  warmest  stimulants 
are  often  required  in  the  convulsions  from  sedative 
poisons  or  the  deleterious  gases.  In  this  short  dis- 
quisition, our  first  object  was  to  establish  the  principle, 
that  convulsions  are  rather  irregular  than  increased 
action,  and  that  their  primary  cause  was  debility :  our 
second,  not  to  mislead  the  young  practitioner,  who,  by 
attempting  to  counteract  debility,  may  lose  sight  of  the 
exciting  cause,  irritation. 

How  debility  acts  in  producing  convulsions  we  pre- 
tend not  to  say,  nor  is  the  inquiry  of  importance;  there 
seems,  however,  to  be  a  ruling  power  in  the  constitu- 
tion, which  regulates  the  distribution  of  the  nervous 
influence ;  and,  when  it  is  weakened,  this  influence  is 
irregularly  distributed.  We  mean  not  to  say,  with 
Stahlians,  that  this  power  is  all  wise,  and  directs  every 
thing  for  the  general  good ;  exciting  these  convulsions 
to  throw  off  some  noxious  matter,  threatening  destruction 
to  the  whole  system.  If  such  a  power  exists,  it  is  im- 
planted by  the  Almighty ;  regulated  according  to  his  fiat 
by  secondary  causes;  and  acting  necessarily  from  the 
organisation  of  the  machine.  In  another  view,  the 
whole  nervous  influence  may  be  regulated  by  its  state 
in  the  brain ;  and,  if  that  arrangement  is  altered  by 
any  violently  stimulant  or  sedative  impression,  the  rest 
must  suffer  a  similar  change :  and,>when  we  contemplate 
the  various  phenomena  which  diseases  of  the  nervous 
system  present,  we  are  rather  inclined  to  adopt  this 
opinion.  We  have,  however,  already  observed  that  our 
object  is  to  establish  principles,  not  to  build  systems. 

Sometimes  convulsions  attack  suddenly,  without  any 
warning ;  at  others  their  approach  is  indicated  by  cer- 
tain symptoms,  such  as  coldness  of  the  feet,  or  a  sense 
of  creeping,  rising  like  a  blast  of  cold  air  from  a  parti- 
cular part  of  the  extremities  to  the  head ;  the  left  hypo- 
chondrium  is  sometimes  affected  with  tensive  and  flatu- 
k-nt  pains,  and  a  costiveness  attends ;  the  urine  is  thin  and 
pale;  tremors  and  various  unusual  sensations  are  perceiv- 
ed, and  in  different  patients  other  symptoms  also  attend, 
as  the  prelude  to  more  violent  ones.  During  the  fit  the 
motions  are  violent  and  involuntary,  continuing  in  dif- 
ferent cases  foralongeror  shorter  period, and  returning 
after  different  intervals,  occasionally  after  regular  inter- 
missions. Languor,  delirium,  sleepiness,  vomiting,  or 
headach  sometimes  follow  the  cessation  of  a  convulsive 


CON 


488 


C  ON 


paroxysm;  but  there  are  cases  in  which  little  or  no 
sensible  uneasiness  is  perceived  on  recovery  from  it. 

Infants  when  disposed  to  convulsions  are  affected 
with  a  cough,  vomiting,  or  diarrhoea;  their  features  are 
at  times  distorted;  a  blueness  appears  about  their  eyes 
and  upper  lip,  and  twitchings  or  starlings  are  often 
observed,  particularly  a  contraction  of  the  fingers  into 
the  palm  of  the  hand;  and  during  the  intervals  of  the 
fits  they  are  drowsy.  As  death  draws  nigh,  the  con- 
vulsions are  more  frequent. 

Convulsions,  however,  which  have  appropriate  names 
will  occur  in  the  different  articles.  It  is  now  only  ne- 
cessary to  mention  the  species  included  by  Dr.  Cullen 
under  the  genus  COWT  «/*/'<>.  The  nine  idiopathic  species 
differ  only  from  their  causes,  where  there  is  any  real 
distinction;  for  the  "  universal,"  the  "  habitual,"  the 
"  intermittent,"  convulsions  are  varieties  only,  and  the 
symptomatic  convulsions  are  less  objects  of  particular 
attention.  The  result  is,  that  convulsion  is  a  symptom 
only,  and  does  not  deserve  a  particular  generic  distinc- 
tion. There  are,  however,  some  forms  of  the  disease 
so  important  and  dangerous,  that  they  require  a  more 
minute  attention.  The  first  of  these  is  the  convulsio 
fiuerfierarum. 

Dr.  Bland  thinks  that  convulsions  in  pregnant  wo- 
men, and  during  labour,  have  nothing  peculiar  in  their 
cause  from  those  which  happen  to  women  differently 
situated;  and  though  external  agents,  particularly  vio- 
lent affections  of  the  mind,  may  sometimes,  as  at  other 
periods,  excite  them,  yet  this  will  rarely  happen,  unless 
there  is  some  peculiar  vice  in  the  constitution  disposing 
to  them.  From  observation  he  thinks  he  is  justified  in 
saying,  that  the  puerperal  state  is  far  from  favouring 
them  ;  as  women  at  that  time  will  do  and  suffer,  almost 
with  impunity,  what  at  any  other  would  be  attended 
with  the  most  serious  consequences.  But  whatever 
maybe  the  cause,  he  observes,  there  is  evidently  in  the  fit, 
as  in  the  apoplexy,  a  too  rapid  and  dangerous  determina- 
tion of  the  blood  to  the  head,  which  demands  the  most 
immediate  and  serious  attention.  To  remedy  this,  blood 
must  be  immediately  drawn,  and,  if  possible,  from  the 
jugulars.  The  state  of  the  labour  should  then  be  in- 
quired into;  and  if  the  child  is  not  too  far  advanced  in 
the  pelvis,  it  will  be  right  to  prescribe  a  large  stimulat- 
ing clyster  to  empty  the  bowels,  and  at  the  same  time 
lessen  the  determination  to  the  head  ;  this,  if  not  suffi- 
cient for  the  purpose,  should  be  assisted  by  a  few  grains 
of  jalap  and  calomel,  or  some  other  brisk  purge.  If  the 
labour  is  far  advanced,  the  convulsions  will  act  upon  the 
foetus;  and  if  there  is  no  impediment,  either  from  wrong 
presentation  or  disproportion  of  the  child  to  the  pelvis, 
will,  in  a  little  time,  safely  expel  it.  If  any  obstacle  to 
delivery  is  found,  the  position  of  the  child,  if  faulty, 
must  be  altered  ;  or  we  ought  to  have  recourse  to  other 
necessary  assistance,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  convul- 
sions were  not  present.  In  either  way  the  termination 
of  the  labour  will  frequently  put  an  end  to  the  convul- 
sions. But  if  this  is  too  hastily  performed  before  the 
vessels  have  been  properly  emptied,  and  the  rapid  mo- 
tion of  the  blood  in  them  diminished,  there  will  be  dan- 
ger, from  the  torrent  rushing  too  impetuously  into  the 
intestines  or  other  abdominal  viscera,  of  inflammation 
in  some  of  those  parts,  inducing  puerperal  fever,  and 
often  death.  But  where  the  labour  is  not  far  ad- 
vanced, after  the  exhibition  of  the  clyster  and  purgative, 


thirty  drops  of  the  tinct.  opii  may  be  given,  and  repeated, 
interposing  occasionally  the  clysterorcathartic,  as  symp- 
toms shall  indicate.  See  Dr.  Bland's  Essay  on  the  Treat- 
ment of  Convulsions  during  Parturition. 

Though  we,  however,  allow  Dr.  Bland's  authority  to 
merit  every  attention  which  his  judgment  and  long 
practice  demand,  we  think  that  convulsions  of  puerperal 
women  are  really  connected  with  that  state.  They  oc- 
cur to  those  who  never  otherwise  have  been  affected 
with  the  disease;  and  they  cease  when  labour  pains  force 
down  the  child,  us  if  its  pressure  on  some  of  the  nerves 
of  the  pelvis  had  occasioned  the  irritation.  The  neces- 
sary doses  of  opium  also  are  much  larger  than  he  re- 
commends, and  even  ten  grains  of  solid  opium  may  be 
given  in  a  clyster.  We  have  seen  half  a  drachm  ordered. 
Dashing  cold  water  in  the  face  has  sometimes  succeeded, 
according  to  Dr.  Denman's  recommendation,  and  the 
foxglove,  according  to  Dr.  Hamilton's ;  but  the  chief 
object  is  to  hasten  delivery.  In  every  other  respect,  Dr. 
Bland's  directions  appear  to  us  highly  judicious. 

Convulsions  are  sometimes  a  symptom  attending  fe- 
vers, and  may  be  produced  by  inanition,  as  when  hae- 
morrhages or  diarrhoea  have  occurred;  or  by  repletion. 
Relief  will  most  readily  be  procured  by  evacuations 
from  the  bowels  in  the  last  case ;  and  by  antispasmo- 
dics,  particularly  opiates,  in  the  former.  When  they  are 
caused  by  wounds,  warm  oil,  or  the  warmer  balsams, 
applied  to  the  injured  part,  often  effect  a  speedy  cure, 
when  stricture  in  the  part  has  been  previously  relieved 
by  manual  operation:  the  causes  of  irritation  are  indeed 
various,  and  therefore  different  means  will  be  required 
to  effect  this  end. 

Convulsions  in  children,  from  teething,  require  the 
loss  of  blood,  particularly  if  the  gums  are  swelled  and 
painful.  When  depletion  is  the  cause,  cordials  must 
immediately  be  administered,  and  a  generous  nourishing 
diet  allowed. 

If,  as  we  have  said,  plethora  is  a  cause  of  debility, 
suppressed  evacuations,  which  also  occasion  it,  become 
a  source  of  irritation.  The  repulsion  of  cutaneous  dis- 
eases, of  the  hacmorrhoidal  discharge,  sometimes  of  the 
menses,  are  therefore  frequent  causes.  In  such  cases, 
some  evacuation  is  necessary;  but  so  much  only  as  will 
take  off  the  immediate  effects  of  the  plethora.  The 
other  remedies  must  be  adapted  to  the  local  fulness; 
these  are  chiefly  laxatives,  diaphoretics,  and  aloeticme- 
dicines,  interposing  in  every  instance  opium,  and,  in  the 
uterine  obstructions,  opium  with  camphor. 

Convulsions  in  children  are  owing  to  irritation  of 
almost  every  kind;  to  flatulence;  to  the  irritation  of  the 
gum  distended  by  teeth;  to  acrimony  in  the  stomach  and 
bowels,  or  worms.  In  every  such  instance  we  must  guard 
against  the  peculiar  irritation,  as  it  occurs  to  our  notice. 
The  stomach  and  bowels  must  be  certainly  kept  clear, 
and  opiates  then  administered,  either  by  the  mouth  or 
by  clyster.  When  flatulence  is  apparently  the  cause, 
to  the  opium  in  a  clyster,  the  asafoetida  should  be  added. 
Worms  are  a  more  important  source  of  irritation  ;  but 
all  children  have  worms:  and  if  symptoms  of  irritation 
continue  after  rhubarb  and  calomel  have  been  repeatedly 
given,  worms  maybe  fairly  accused  as  a  cause,  and  me- 
dicines for  this  purpose  employed.  Not  to  anticipate 
what  will  be  the  subject  of  more  particular  considera- 
tion, we  may  now  add,  that  the  bear's  foot,  the  hel- 
leborus  foetidus,  is  the  only  certain  remedy. 


coo 


489 


COO 


The  more  general  remedies  for  convulsions  are  musk 
and  the  whole  tribe  of  fetids.  These  seem  to  act  as 
sedatives,  or  rather  as  inirritants,  a  class  of  medicines 
whose  nature  we  shall  explain  under  that  term.  Warm 
bathing  appears  to  relieve  in  a  similar  way.  Nor  can 
we  attribute  the  effects  of  valerian  to  any  other  power. 
The  union  of  the  valerian  with  bark  seems  to  give  it  an 
additional  efficacy,  from  some  influence  which  we  can- 
not explain.  The  remaining  observations  on  the  reme- 
dies for  convulsions  have  been  anticipated  in  the  article 
AXTISPASMODICS  ;  q.  v.  See  also  SPASMS. 

COXVU'LSIO  IN'DICA.     See  TETANUS. 

COXVU'LSIO  A  NE'RVI  PU'NCTURA.     See  TRISMUS. 

CONVU'LSIO  RAPHA'NIA,  SOLOXIEXSIS,  et  AB  USTILA- 
GIXE.  See  RAPHANIA. 

COXVU'LSIO  U'TERI.     See  ABORTUS. 

CONY'ZA,  (from  «*««,  dust;  because  the  powder 
is  sprinkled  to  kill  fleas  in  places  where  they  are  trouble- 
some). FLEA-BAXE.  The  leaves  of  this  plant  are  com- 
monly glutinous  and  strong  scented,  the  cup  of  the 
flower  generally  scaly,  and  of  a  cylindrical  form.  The 
flowers  consist  of  many  florets,  which  are  succeeded  by 
seeds  covered  with  a  downy  substance. 

CONY'ZA  ./ETHIOPICA.     See  ELICHRYSUM. 

CONY'ZA  MA'JOR  VULGA'BIS.  Mas  T/ieoflhrasti, 
conyza  major  Diosc.  GREATER  FLEA-BANE.  See 
BACCHAR. 

CONY'ZA  MI'XOR  FLO  'RE  GLOBO'SO,  Jiulicaria,  conyza 
minima,  et  media.  SMALL  FLEA-BANE.  See  INULA 
DYSEXTERICA. 

The  chief  use  of  all  the  flea-banes  is  to  destroy  fleas 
and  gnats  by  burning. 

COOKERY.  (See  ALIMENT,  page  72.)  Though  in 
this  article  we  have,  perhaps,  introduced  all  the  more 
essential  remarks,  yet  we  must  still  add  what  fancy, 
fashion,  or  refinement,  has  suggested.  It  is  not  gene- 
rally understood  how  profuse  and  prodigal  civilized  na- 
tions are  in  the  expenditure  of  aliment.  A  large  pro- 
portion escapes  unchanged,  and  becomes,  with  the  ex- 
crementitious  fluids,  a  manure.  Many  substances,  re- 
jected as  useless,  are  employed  in  the  same  way.  We 
shall  begin  with  the  latter. 

Fish,  when  caught  in  a  proportion  beyond  that  which 
the  inhabitants  can  consume  or  preserve,  are  scarcely 
objects  of  the  present  attention  ;  but  the  bones,  which 
we  reject,  after  the  modern  processes  of  cookery  still 
contain  useful  aliment.  When  ground,  they  yield  gela- 
tine to  the  common  processes.  The  stomach  of  dogs 
extract  it,  so  that  they  discharge  almost  pure  calcare- 
ous earth.  Later  refinements  have  extracted  nutri- 
tious particles  from  bones,  by  an  instrument  styled  a 
digester,  and,  from  its  inventor,  Papin's  digester;  in 
which  water,  in  a  strong  well  secured  iron  vessel,  is 
heated  far  beyond  the  boiling  point.  The  fins  of  fish, 
some  parts  of  the  skin,  have  been  in  a  similar  way  dis- 
solved. 

Boiling  in  close  vessels  has  been  recommended  by 
some  authors,  as  preventing  the  evaporation  of  the  finer 
parts,  or  what  may  be  styled  the  aroma  of  animal  food. 
This  is,  however,  an  useless  refinement ;  for  this  aroma 
is  soluble  in  water,  if  not  carried  off  by  too  great  heat. 
To  preserve  it,  the  water  should  be  kept  immediately 
below  the  boiling  point,  and  the  process  longer  con- 
tinued. This  makes  beef,  mutton,  and  chicken  tea,  su- 
perior to  the  broth  of  either ;  and,  if  we  would  be  still 

VOL.  I. 


more  nice,  the  meat  should  be  put  in  e  close  earthen 
vessel  without  any  water,  and  placed  in  a  water  bath, 
at  about  200°o  f  Fahrenheit.  It  is  stewed  in  the  steam 
raised  from  the  food;  and  the  jelly,  thus  formed,  con- 
tains the  more  delicate  and  nutritious  particles  of  the 
food,  with  the  flavour  unimpaired  and  unaltered.  In 
this  state  it  is  well  adapted  for  delicate  stomachs,  and 
for  food  in  febrile  cases.  When,  as  in  baking,  the  vo- 
latile parts  are  not  closely  confined,  they  are  altered  by 
heat,  and  acquire  a  kind  of  empyreuma  not  agreeable 
to  the  taste,  nor  easy  in  the  stomach.  In  the  common 
ovens,  this  compound,  empyreuma,  is  often  very  offen- 
sive. 

The  great  refinement  of  modern  cookery  is,  however, 
the  minute  division  of  the  aliment.  In  this  consists  the 
real  secret  of  the  effects  of  the  soup  prepared  according 
to  count  Rumford's  plans;  which  are  only  the  decoc- 
tions of  the  farinacea,  with  a  proportion  of  animal  food, 
deprived,  by  the  continuance  of  heat,  of  all  their  nourish- 
ment, which  is  communicated  to  the  water.  To  this 
various  condiments  are  added ;  of  which  the  cheapest 
and  most  useful  is  the  red  herring,  more  often  used  in 
the  soups  of  the  luxurious  than  they  are  themselves 
aware.  It  is  an  instance  of  what  we  remarked  in  the 
condiments  of  the  ancients,  of  the  effects  of  even  un- 
pleasant substances  in  a  very  minute  proportion. 

COOPE'RTIO,  (from  coofierio,  to  cover  o-uer).  CO- 
VERING, CLOTHING,  or  A  SMALL  CLOAK,  by  which  the 
body  is  defended  from  the  air,  the  same  as  irtpurlefo,, 
amictus,  from  iref i«-7fAA«i»,  co-ofierire,  tegere,  to  cover, 
in  which  sense  it  is  several  times  used  by  Hippocrates. 
It  is  applied  to  the  belly,  and  uterus  investing  the  foetus ; 
and  also  to  a  medicament,  which  is  placed  upon  the 
tooth,  involving  it  like  a  plaster,  by  Scribonius. 

To  this  article  we  have  referred  a  most  important 
subject,  viz.  CLOTHING  in  general,  on  which  the  health 
greatly  depends,  and  in  diseases  meriting  also  the  most 
scrupulous  attention. 

The  ancients  furnish  little  information ;  for  their 
clothes  were  uniformly  woollens,  seldom  probably 
cleansed  in  the  washing  tub.  The  inconvenience  from 
this  source  they  avoided  by  frequent  bathing,  while  the 
limbs  were  anointed  with  oil,  on  coming  from  the  bath. 

Linen  was  unknown  till  after  their  connexion  with 
Egypt  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  and  then  not  generally 
used :  the  sericae  vestes  were  cotton ;  for  the  country  of 
the  Seres,  the  lesser  Bulgaria,  is  unfavourable  for  the 
propagation  of  the  silk  worm,  and  the  ancients  were  un- 
acquainted with  China,  or  any  country  to  the  east  of  the 
Gulf  of  Martaban.  A  proof  of  their  ignorance  of  silk 
is,  that  in  the  time  even  of  Justinian  it  was  sold  for  its 
weight  of  gold.  We  mention  these  circumstances 
chiefly  to  explain  the  cause  of  the  slight  attention  paid 
to  this  subject  by  the  ancient  physicians  ;  for,  however 
changeable  the  climate,  they  suffered  little  in  conse- 
quence of  their  woollen  dresses,  which  we  have  no  rea- 
son to  think  were  peculiarly  fine  or  thin.  In  more 
modern  periods  it  is  a  subject  of  peculiar  importance ; 
and,  when  we  consider  the  most  modern  fashions,  calls 
for  the  strictest  attention. 

How  can  you  bear  the  access  of  cold  air  to  your  naked 
body  ?  asked  an  European  of  a  Canadian  Indian.  I  am 
all  face,  he  replied  ;  meaning  that  custom  had  render- 
ed it  familiar.  Were  we  in  a  state  of  nature,  this  reply 
might  be  satisfactory:  yet  we  know  that  catarrhs 
3R 


:  o  o 


490 


c  o  o 


and-rheuirtatisms  are  the  most  constant  diseases  of  the 
savage.  In  polished  life,  a  more  particular  inquiry  is 
necessary. 

The  interior  clothing  of  the  present  period  consists 
of  linen,  of  cotton,  or  of  flannel.  The  first,  usually 
worn  next  the  skin,  must  be  frequently  changed.  The 
effect  of  frequent  change  is  to  keep  up  perspiration, 
and  it  was  even  supposed  to  produce  emaciation.  The 
only  real  inconvenience  of  linen  is,  that  it  absorbs 
moisture  slowly  ;  in  other  words,  its  hygrometrical  af- 
finity is  inconsiderable,  and  if  for  a  short  time  removed 
from  the  body  after  copious  perspiration,  it  feels  damp 
and  cold.  We  bear,  however,  with  this  inconvenience 
from  the  comfort  we  feel  in  changing  it  ;  nor,  when 
vised  only  as  the  garment,  next  the  skin,  is  it  ever  ma- 
terially injurious. 

The  hygrometrical  affinity  of  cotton  is  more  consi- 
derable, and  calico,  for  shirts  or  bed  gowns,  is  prefer- 
able. For  children,  on  many  accounts,  it  is  the  only 
proper  shirting.  To  the  feeling  it  is  warmer  than  linen, 
though  less  pleasant;  though  it  equally  at  least  pro- 
motes perspiration.  In  the  more  improved  state  of  the 
manufacture  of  calicos,  there  is  little  distinction  either 
in  point  of  comfort  or  salubrity  between  them  and 
linens ;  yet,  in  the  latter  view,  they  are  on  the  whole 
preferable. 

The  hydrometrical  affinity  of  flannel  is  still  more  con- 
siderable; and  copious  indeed  must  be  the  perspiration 
that  makes  them  inconveniently  damp.  To  this  must 
be  added,  that  the  spiculae  of  the  wool  stimulate  the 
surface  and  excite  the  action  of  the  cutaneous  vessels, 
while  the  inconvenient  roughness  is  soon,  from  custom, 
unobserved.  It  may  now  appear  that  we  have  proved 
little  more  than  the  superiority  of  flannel  to  calico,  and 
of  this  to  linen  ;  yet,  we  think,  we  have  placed  then- 
different  merits  on  such  a  foundation  as  will  elucidate 
many  modifications  of  our  clothing. 

Our  upper  garments,  in  this  climate,  are  generally 
of  woollen  ;  and,  where  this  material  is  not  used,  we 
compensate  by  numerous  folds  for  the  thinner  texture, 
and  the  increased  conducting  power  of  heat. 

This  last  circumstance,  of  the  greatest  importance  in 
our  present  consideration,  we  have  explained  in  the  ar- 
tle  CALORIC.  Air  is  a  bad  conductor  of  heat,  and  po- 
lished surfaces  receive  it  slowly.  Hair  and  wool,  there- 
fore, whose  surfaces  are  polished,  conduct  heat  imper- 
fectly, and  more  so  in  proportion  to  their  fineness, 
which  occasions  the  more  frequent  interposition  of  aerial 
molecules,  and  their  little  affinity  for  heat.  This  renders 
the  eiderdown  so  peculiarly  warm.  We  did  not  men- 
tion the  effect  of  this  circumstance  in  our  comparison 
of  the  internal  coverings  of  our  bodies,  not  to  confuse  it 
with  the  hygrometrical  affinity,  and  because  it  is  more 
peculiarly  applicable  here  ;  but  its  influence  will  be  suf- 
ficiently obvious.  As  conductors  of  heat,  from  the 
body,  silk  is  more  powerful  than  cotton,  and  cotton  than 
woollen.  Each  is  colder,  therefore,  in  the  same  propor- 
tion than  that  which  follows.  Black  also  conducts  heat 
from  without  better  than  white,  and  the  more  refrangi- 
ble rays  better  than  the  less  refrangible.  In  warm 
weather,  therefore,  these  colours  are  warmer  in  the 
same  order.  Count  Rumford's  later  refinements  on 
this  subject,  are  not  sufficiently  established  to  induce  us 
•o  enlarge  on  them. 

'These  considerations  •\rill  lead  us  to  a  choice  of  cloth- 


ing, in  different  circumstances,  for  the  preservation  o) 
health.  In  general,  we  have  erred  by  clothing  our- 
selves too  thin,  and  changing  our  dress  too  early  in  the 
summer.  It  was  formerly  a  rule,  even  when  the  sea- 
sons were  seemingly  more  forward  than  at  present,  to 
"  keep  the  winter  dress  till  May  be  done ;"  but  we  now 
change  it  more  early,  or  adopt  that  of  the  demi-saison, 
which  is  scarcely  more  warm  than  the  dress  of  summer. 
It  is  not,  however,  the  real  warmth  which  is  of  so 
much  consequence,  as  the  sudden  changes  of  dress  in 
the  same  day ;  not  according  to  the  change  of  tempera- 
ture, but  to  fashion.  The  drawing-room  may,  indeed, 
be  warm,  but  the  passages  which  lead  to  the  door  are 
cold ;  and  the  modern  fine  lady  is  ill  adapted  for  so  sud- 
den a  change,  eitherfrom  dress  or  habit.  It  has  been 
remarked,  that  consumptions  have  been  much  more 
frequent  in  Scotland  since  the  plaid  has  been  disused; 
and  in  England,  we  fear,  from  the  present  fashions, 
they  will  be  still  more  abundant  than  at  any  former 
period. 

It  has  been  constantly  remarked,  that  the  breast  and 
the  feet  should  be  carefully  guarded  from  cold.  We 
see  sufficient  reason,  from  theory  and  experience,  for 
the  latter  caution  ;  and  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  explain 
the  former,  when  we  reflect,  that  a  local  chill  deter- 
mines the  fluids  to  the  internal  parts  of  the  same  organ. 
Thus,  chills  in  the  breast  produce  catarrhs  and  peripneu- 
mony ;  in  the  extremities,  rheumatism  ;  in  the  face, 
coryza  and  ophthalmia. 

The  application  of  different  kinds  of  clothing  to  dif- 
ferent diseases,  presents  some  variety  which  merits  at- 
tention. In  the  thin  emaciated  habits,  flannel  has  been 
forbidden.  It  exhausts,  it  is  said,  too  much  ;  yet  these 
are  generally  susceptible  of  cold  ;  and  by  this  safeguard 
we  avoid  its  most  unpleasant  effects.  Such  plans,  how- 
ever, should  be  conducted  with  a  discriminated  cau- 
tion. If  flannel  be  adopted,  cold  air  should  not  be  ex- 
cluded, and  the  patient  accustomed  to  a  moderate 
breeze,  till  habit  allows  of  greater  cold  with  impunity. 
Calico  should  in  the  summer  be  substituted  for  flannel, 
and  the  period  of  its  wear  protracted  annually  ;  while 
in  spring  the  flannel  should  be  earlier  thrown  ofl'.  The 
changes,  for  a  time,  should  be  conducted  with  care ; 
and  in  the  height  of  summer  the  cold  bath  will  assist 
this  progressive  improvement.  In  general,  however, 
flannel  does  little  harm  if  free  air  be  allowed.  Its  ob- 
ject is  to  guard  against  the  bad  effects  of  cold  air;  nor 
should  it  be  worn  if  the  air  is  at  the  same  time  carefully 
excluded. 

When,  however,  'the  object  is  to  produce  and  con- 
tinue a  free  discharge  of  sweat,  flannel  is  essentially 
necessary.  The  "  nine  times  dyed  blue  flannel"  has 
certainly  the  virtues  of  common  woollens,  and  no  other. 
Flannels  were  formerly  worn  when  the  patient  was  con- 
fined to  bed  in  fevers,  in  a  profuse  sweat,  to  promote 
concoction.  At  present  they  are  employed  only  in 
rheumatisms,  and  occasionally  in  salivations.  In  each 
their  utility  is  obvious.  In  fevers  at  present,  fresh  linen 
is  usually  allowed  daily,  and  the  patient  feels  the  high- 
est gratification  from  the  change  ;  and  calico  in  this 
state  is  not  equally  grateful,  certainly  not  more  advan- 
tageous, except  the  perspiration  is  very  profuse. 

We  must  add,  that  the  flannels  should  be  frequently 
changed  and  washed.  Those  who  would  think  them- 
selves injured  if  they  did  not  change  their  linen 


t  UP 


491 


COP 


daily,  will  often  nut  change  their  flannel  lor  months. 
Flannel  shirts  should  never  be  worn  above  two  or  three 
days  wiihout  being  rinsed  in  cold  spring  water,  and 
hung  in  open,  free  air. 

Extraordinary  warmth  of  clothing  should  be  admitted 
with  caution ;  and  in  no  instance,  unless  it  can  be 
steadily  employed.  In  general,  it  should  be  the  object 
to  bear  changes  of  temperature  with  impunity;  but 
this  invulnerable  constitution  can  only  be  gained  by 
degrees.  Those  accustomed  to  indulgences  should 
proceed  with  the  utmost  caution,  and  be  aware  that  the 
attempt  is  highly  dangerous.  The  cautions  already 
•suggested,  will  form  their  chief  security. 

Besides  the  clothing  mentioned,  modern  refinement 
lias  introduced  some  new  manufactures.  The  shawl,  the 
eiderdown,  and  the  Shetland  wool,  owe  their  peculiar 
advantages  to  the  fineness  of  the  texture,  in  the  way  al- 
ready explained.  The  fleecy  hosiery  is  a  manufacture 
of  cotton,  where  the  inner  surface  is  raised  into  a  soft, 
flocculent  pile.  As  it  does  not  possess  the  stimulus  of 
wool,  we  doubt  if  it  is  greatly  superior  to  the  fine  soft 
woollens.  Common  consent,  perhaps  fashion,  gives  it 
the  preference,  and  the  dictates  of  fashion  we  shall  not 
oppose.  The  fine  fur  of  animals  often  covers  the  skin, 
and  is  peculiarly  warm;  but  it  must  be  employed,  in 
'h,  with  caution,  as  its  disuse  is  dangerous.  It  may 
be  an  useful  lesson  to  add,  that  ladies  should  scarcely 
ever  change  their  "  bosom  f-iend."  Velvets  are  warm 
from  their  weight,  rather  than  their  pile ;  plushes  from 
both.  The  cause  of  the  coldness  of  silks  will  be  suffi- 
ciently obvious  from  their  texture;  but  the  oiled  silk,  or 
linen,  is  warm,  from  preventing  all  access  of  air,  and 
i-losely  confining  the  heat  of  the  body. 

COOPERTO'RIA,  (from  the  same,)  i.  e.  ctn-tilago 
'j'tdea;  called  also  abicum.     See  ASPER\  ARTERU 
COO'STRUM.     See  DIAPHRAGMA. 
COPAI'BA.      See   BALSAMVM. 
COPAI'B.E  IXJE'CTIO.     R.  Bals.  copaiba:  5  ij. 
mucilaginis  g.  Arab.  3  ss.  aquae  calcis  g  ss.  m.  proper  in 
gleets,  in  the  latter  stage  of  the  gonorrhoea,  and  in  the 
fluor  albus. 

COPAI'B.E  cum  OLI'BAXO  JIISTV'RA,  consists  of  two 
•-Irachms  of  powdered  olibanum,  mixed  with  half  an 
ounce  of  the  balsam,  with  which  half  an  ounce  of  mu- 
cilage of  gum  arable,  and  twice  the  quantity  of  honey, 
are  incorporated.  Five  ounces  of  cinnamon  water  are 
gradually  added.  In  the  dose  of  an  ounce,  or  an  ounce 
and  a  half,  this  mixture  will  be  useful  in  humoral 
asthmas,  in  leucorrhoca  and  gleets. 

COPE'IA,  COPE'LLA  AMERICA'NORUM,  and 
COPELGA.  The  name  of  a  tree  in  Mispaniola,  in 
America,  whose  leaf  serves  for  paper,  and  of  which 
the  Spaniards  there  make  cards.  This  tree  affords  a 
bituminous  matter  resembling  pitch.  Raii  Hist. 

CO'PHOS,  Ka?os,  deaf,  (from  r.u3tu,  to  be  deaf).  A 
^ort  of  toad  mentioned  by  Nicander.  It  also  signifies 
'•eaf,  dumb,  or  both,  or  a  dulness  of  any  of  the  senses 

JHO'SIS.     See  COPHOS  and  DY'SEC.EA. 
jO'POS,  (from  x«n-»uaj,  to  be  weary).     FATIGCE, 
.VKARIXESS. 

We  are  so  constituted  by  nature,  that  all  our  ex- 
ertions must  be  succeeded  by  a  suitable  and  propor- 
tionate relaxation.  We  are  not  calculated  for  a  constant 
activity ;  and  weariness,  without  its  due  share  of  rest, 
exhausts  the  constitution,  and  shortens  life.  In  our 


muscular  exertions,  we  soon  find  inability  succeed  c\ 
traordinary  action  ;  in  our  mental,  languor  and  a  van! 
of  comprehension,  after  a  time,  come  on:  and  though 
from  habit  we  gain  a  power  over  mind  and  body,  so 
that  the  employment  of  each  may  be  continued  for  a 
longer  than  the  usual  period,  yet  we  at  last  yield  to 
weariness,  and  a  sleep  so  deep  as  even  to  resemble 
death  ensues. 

Our  activity  and  fatigue  must  be  equally  referred  to 
different  and  opposite  states  of  the  nervous  power,  which 
we  have  styled  its  mobility  and  torpor.     By  what  means 
it  is  exhausted  or  recruited  we  know  not,  but  the  fact  is 
sufficient  for  our  purpose.    Independent  of  this  change, 
the  muscular  structure  seems  to  receive  some  organic 
injury;  since,  after  great  bodily  fatigue,  rest,  though  so 
necessary,  is  prevented  by  an  obtuse,  aching  pain.     For 
the  effect  on  the  nervous  power  we  know  no  remedy 
but  sleep ;  yet  coffee  and  strong  tea  will  often  enable 
us  to  continue  our  labours  with  little  present  incon- 
venience.   Vinous  spirits  will  sometimes  have  a  similar, 
but  often  an  opposite  effect.     Varying  the  mental  ac- 
tion, we  have  remarked,  will  prevent  weariness.     Is, 
according  to  the  system  of  Dr.  Gall,  one  portion  of  the 
brain  only  employed  in  a  given  occupation ;  or  is  a  less 
degree  of  labour  a  relief  after  a  greater,  as  the  horse, 
after  a  race,  is  recruited  more  by  walking  slowly  than 
by  rest  ?     More  acute  physiologists  must"  decide  ;  but 
that  the  fact  is  true  our  own  experience  has  taught  us. 
Indeed,  there  is  no  more  effectual  remedy  for  extraor- 
dinary mental  fatigue,  than  what  employs  the  attention 
without  any  great  exertion  of  mind.     One  reason  of 
this  seems  to  be,  that  intellectual  labour  leaves  a  degree 
of  irritability  which  will  not  admit  of  sleep. 

Bodily  fatigue  does  not  produce  such  an  irritable 
state;  yet  the  achingpain, which  prevents  sleep, requires 
some  remedy.  The  warm  bath  is  well  adapted  to  relieve 
this  extraordinary  tension  of  the  muscular  fibres;  and 
opium  has  a  similar  effect.  Fatigue  in  a  great  degree 
conquers,  however,  every  painful  feeling.  In  the 
American  war,  a  pilot,  in  carrying  a  frigate  up  Hudson's 
river,  had  been,  for  two  or  three  days  and  nights,  at  the 
helm.  They  then  arrived  at  a  fort,'  mounting  fourteen 
guns,  which  it  was  necessary  to  silence;  the  pilot,  no 
longer  wanted,  sunk  on  the  deck,  and  slept,  during  the 
whole  cannonade,  with  the  most  perfect  tranquillity 

COPO'VICH  OCCA'SSOU.  A  tree  mentioned  bv 
De  Laet,  which  grows  in  the  West  Indies :  the  leaves 
resemble  those  of  the  pear  tree;  and  the  fruit,  railed 
oumery,  is  like  a  large  pear,  and,  when  ripe,  is  eaten 
as  a  delicacy.  It  is  not  described  by  the  systematic 
botanists.  Raii  Hist. 

COPRAGO'GUM,  (from  x**-f<*,  dung,  and  aya,  to 
bring  away).  The  name  of  a  gently  purging  electuary, 
mentioned  by  Rulandus. 

COPRIEME'TOS,  (from  »*?««,  dung,  and  tfua,  to 
vomit).  A  person  who  vomits  feculent  matters. 

COPROCRI'TICA     MEDICA.ME'XTA,    (from 
xt^ef,  excrement,  and  x<u»«,  to  separate).     See  Ecco- 

PROTICA. 

COPROSTA'SIA,  (from  xaa-wj,  faces,  and  <-?:;««.  to 
remain).  A  COXSTRICTIO?:  of  the  BELLY. 

COPTA'RION,  (from  XO.T??,  a  small  cake).     A  me- 
dicine in  the  shape  of  a  very  small  cake,  directed  for 
disorders  of  the  aspera  arteria  and  lungs,  and  for  many 
other  intentions,  by  the  ancients. 
5  R  * 


COR 


492 


COR 


CO'PTE.  A  small  cake,  (from  K«?T?«,  to  beat  or 
found;  because  it  was  formed  by  beating  or  pounding 
the  ingredients  into  a  paste).  It  was  the  form  of  a 
medicine  used  by  the  ancients,  generally  made  of  vege- 
table substances,  and  applied  externally  to  the  stomach, 
and  internally  on  many  occasions. 

CO'PULA,  (quasi  comfiula,  from  com/iello,  to  re- 
strain). See  LIGAMENTUM. 

COQUE'NTIA  MEDICAME'NTA,  (from  coyuo, 
to  digest}.  Medicines  which  promote  concoction. 

CO'R.  In  chemistry  signifies  gold  ;  sometimes  an 
intense  fire.  In  botany,  it  is  the  heart  of  vegetables,  or 
their  pith.  See  MEDITULLIUM  and  CORCULUM. 

CO'R,  (from  xmp,  contr.  tip,  Hebrew,  koaeb,  the  mid- 
dle,) called  also  by  the  ancients  cardia.  The  HEART. 
This  viscus  is  double,  consisting  of  two  cavities  on  each 
side,  serving  for  two  circulations  of  the  blood,  one 
through  every  part  of  the  body,  and  the  other  through 
the  lungs.  The  right  side  of  the  heart  is  similar  to  the 
left,  excepting  that  both  its  auricle  and  ventricle  have 
fewer  muscular  fibres.  The  auricle  receives  blood 
from  the  venae  cavae,  and  the  ventricle  throws  it  into 
the  pulmonary  artery. 

The  situation  of  the  heart  is  in  the  middle  of  and 
across  the  cavity  of  the  thorax,  but  rather  inclining  to 
the  left ;  on  each  side  of  it  lie  the  lungs,  playing  on 
the  ribs  and  diaphragm,  and  following  closely  all  their 
motions ;  attached  at  their  roots  to  the  heart  by  the 
pulmonary  vessels.  The  heart  is  close,  on  its  lower  side, 
to  the  diaphragm,  covered  by  the  pericardium,  which  is 
a  membranous  bag,  enclosing  this  organ  and  all  the 
parts  belonging  to  it,  with  a  small  proportion  of  fluid  or 
halitus  interposed.  The  figure  of  the  heart  is  conoid, 
its  base  is  irregular,  because  all  the  large  vessels  are 
fixed  there.  The  human  heart  differs  from  those  of 
quadrupeds,  which  are  more  round:  the  human  rather 
represents  half  a  cone,  because  the  under  part  which 
lies  upon  the  diaphragm  is  flat. 

The  apex  of  the  heart  is  to  the  left  and  forwards  :  its 
situation  varies  but  little  with  the  motion  of  the  dia- 
phragm, as  it  lies  upon  the  tendinous  part. 

The  body  of  the  heart  is  composed  of  two  large  mus- 
cular cavities,  called  ventricles;  one  to  the  right  and 
forwards,  the  other  to  the  left  and  backwards.  Wins- 
low  calls  them  anterior  and  posterior. 

At  the  basis  of  the  heart  are  two  muscular  bags, 
called  auricles,  adjoining  to  the  ventricles.  They  lie 
contiguous  to  one  another  below;  but  above  they  are 
distant,  as  the  aorta  and  pulmonary  artery  pass  between 
them.  The  right  is  larger  than  the  left,  and  it  is  very 
thin.  The  left  is  thicker,  unequally  square  :  into  which 
the  four  pulmonary  veins  empty  themselves.  The 
heart  hath  a  septum  divided  into  two,  called  ventricula- 
rttm,  et  auricularum  sefitum. 

The  right  auricle  receives  the  two  venae  cavae,  one  at 
the  upper  part,  the  other  at  the  lower.  At  their  union, 
these  vessels  are  dilated,  forming  a  sinus,  styled  sinus 
venosus.  The  blood,  brought  there  by  the  contraction 
of  the  auricle,  passes  into  the  right  ventricle,  from 
thence  into  the  pulmonary  artery,  and  through  its  mi- 
nutest branches ;  then  through  the  pulmonary  veins, 
into  the  left  auricle,  which  propels  it  into  the  left  ven- 
tricle, from  whence  it  is  sent  into  the  aorta,  to  be  dis- 
persed all  over  the  body,  and  at  last  is  returned  by  the 
two  cavae  to  the  right  auriclfe. 


The  two  cavae  go  into  the  middle  part  of  the  auricle, 
each  a  little  inclined  inwards ;  the  angle  between  them 
is  partly  filled  up  by  the  left  auricle ;  there  is  a  trans- 
verse ridge  upon  the  septum  auricularum,  called  tuber- 
culum  Loiveri,  which  is  placed  there  to  hinder  the  cur- 
rent of  the  blood  from  each  cava  rushing  directly 
against  each  other.  The  existence  of  any  such  tubercle 
is,  however,  denied  by  later  authors ;  and,  indeed,  it 
could  be  of  little  utility,  since  the  opposing  currents  of 
blood  would  supply  its  office. 

The  right  auricle  hath  an  appendage,  which  serves  to 
fill  up  the  part  between  that  and  the  aorta ;  for  the  same 
reason  the  left  hath  a  similar  appendage  upwards,  and 
to  the  left  side,  to  fill  up  the  space  between  the  pul- 
monary artery  and  the  left  ventricle.  The  whole  of  the 
cavity  of  the  auricles  internally  is  not  smooth,  but  com- 
posed of  fasciculi,  running  from  one  side  to  the  other. 
This  fasciculated  texture  is  less  in  the  left  than  in  the 
right  auricle,  and  is  most  observable  in  the  appendages 
of  the  auricles ;  supposed  to  be  with  a  view  to  hinder 
the  blood  from  concreting,  as  there  it  is  most  out  of 
the  way  of  the  circulation;  but  with  little  reason,  as 
solid  bodies  assist  concretion.  It  is  probably  designed 
to  assist  the  weaker  action  of  the  auricle  at  a  distance 
from  the  centre  of  its  greatest  power. 

Under  the  reputed  tuberculum  Loweri,  we  seethe  fo- 
ramen ovale,  which  runs  upwards  from  the  right  to  the 
left  auricle,  and  goes  through  the  auricularum  septum, 
directly  opposed  to  the  vena  cava  inferior.  Soon  after 
the  child  is  born  this  hole  closes,  though  in  some  in- 
stances it  remains  a  little  open,  even  in  old  age.  In  the 
foetus  there  is  a  valve  which  is  loose,  but  this  valve  in 
adults  is  connected  to  the  septum. 

The  coronary  vein  opens  into  the  right  auricle,  be- 
tween the  orifice  of  the  cava  inferior  and  the  passage 
into  the  ventricle.  The  fibres  of  the  auricle  are  so  ir- 
regularly disposed  as  to  act  as  sphincters,  and  hinder  the 
regurgitation  of  the  blood. 

At  the  insertion  of  the  cava  inferior,  is  a  valve  called 
•valvula  nobilis:  it  is  larger  in  the  foetus  than  in  the 
adult;  and  its  office  is  to  hinder  the  blood  from  flowing 
back  into  the  vein. 

The  right  ventricle,  on  its  lower  part,  lies  on  the  dia- 
phragm ;  and  on  its  upper,  makes  the  larger  part  of  the 
heart.  It  is  thicker  than  the  auricle,  and  the  whole  in- 
ternal surface  of  it  is  fasciculated.  Its  lower  orifice  re- 
ceives the  blood,  and  the  upper  yields  it  a  passage:  the 
auricular  orifice  is  surrounded  by  a  loose  membrane, 
which  hangs  into  the  ventricle,  connected  with  it  by 
loose  tendinous  chords.  When,  therefore,  the  blood 
flows  into  the  ventricle,  this  membrane  hangs  loose ; 
but,  on  the  blood  regurgitating,  the  fluid  behind  presses 
it  backward,  and  produces  the  effect  of  a  valve.  These 
tendinous  chords  are  divided  into  three  sets,  and  hence 
called  -valvulce  tricusfiidales. 

The  other  orifice,  which  leads  into  the  pulmonary 
artery  just  at  its  beginning,  is  furnished  with  three  se- 
milunar  valves,  whose  loose  floating  edges  lie  towards 
the  artery,  whilst  the  others  are  fixed  to  the  ventricle. 
In  order  to  make  these  valves  close  more  accurately, 
each  hath  a  little  mamilla  in  its  middle,  (to  fill  up  the 
triangular  space  which  is  left,)  called  the  corpus  sesa- 
moideum:  these  valves  hinder  the  blood  from  regurgi- 
tating into  the  heart. 

The  left  auricle  lies  rather  on  the  back  part,  behind 


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493 


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the  basis  of  the  heart,  and  towards  the  left.  It  is  situ- 
ated below  the  bifurcation  of  the  trachea  and  pulmonary 
artery.  It  is  stronger  than  the  other,  and  is  smooth  in- 
ternally, except  at  the  little  appendicle.  There  are  no 
valves  on  die  orifices  of  the  pulmonary  veins.  This 
auricle  is  stronger  than  the  right,  because  the  left  ven- 
tricle is  stronger  than  the  right,  and  therefore  requires 
more  force  to  overcome  the  resistance. 

The  left  ventricle  is  fasciculated.  At  the  orifice,  be- 
tween the  auricle  and  the  ventricle,  is  a  valve,  called 
the  -ualvula  mitralig  vel  efiiscofialis,  so  called  from  re- 
sembling a  mitre,  which  runs  from  the  one  to  the 
other ;  it  is  fissured  into  two  points,  which  are  fixed  to 
the  auricles,  and  hang  down  loose  into  the  ventricles, 
resembling  in  structure  the  -valvulit  tricusfiidales.  The 
chords  tendine <E,  and  column  <e  cornea,  are  the  same  as 
in  the  other,  but  much  stronger.  The  orifice,  by  which 
it  expels  the  blood,  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  the  ven- 
tricle ;  so  the  aorta  rises  from  the  middle  of  the  basis  of 
the  heart.  The  larger  flap  of  the  valvula  mitralis  hangs 
down  between  the  auricle  and  ventricle  :  and  it  has  been 
supposed  to  serve  as  a  valve  to  both  the  auricular  and 
arterial  orifices  ;  but  for  this  purpose  neither  its  struc- 
ture nor  its  situation  is  adapted. 

The  coronary  arteries  are  two.  See  CORONARUE  AR- 
TERI.S. 

The  foramina  thebesii  are  venal  orifices,  said  to  open 
into  all  the  cavities  of  the  heart. 

The  fibres  of  the  heart  are  muscular;  at  each  of  the 
orifices  is  a  tendinous  ring,  where  the  fibres  of  the  ven- 
tricles begin,  which  go  downwards  to  the  apex,  where 
they  turn  in,  and  run  up  on  the  inside,  representing  in 
perspective  a  figure  of  8.  There  are  some  fibres  com- 
mon to  both  ventricles,  which,  as  they  compress  them 
both,  Dr.  Hunter  thinks  is  a  proof  of  their  acting  at  the 
same  time. 

According  to  Lancisi,  the  nerves  of  the  heart  are 
both  numerous  and  large.  In  each  side  there  are  in- 
serted five  pair  ;  viz.  from  the  par  vagum,  the  superior 
intercostal  pair,  the  vertebral  pair,  the  inferior  inter- 
costal pair,  and  the  phrenic  pair.  The  heart  hath  two 
motions,  systole  and  diastole.  Harvey  and  others  say, 
that  the  systoles  of  the  two  auricles  of  the  heart,  the 
two  ventricles,  and  the  aorta  and  pulmonary  artery,  are 
respectively  synchronous  with  each  other:  but  Dr.  Ni- 
chols thinks  that  the  motion  of  the  auricles  is  synchro- 
nous, and  that  the  ventricles  and  arteries  are  likewise 
dilated  and  contracted  at  different  periods  of  time.  As 
the  auricles  throw  blood  into  their  respective  ventri- 
cles, so  do  the  ventricles  perform  the  same  duty;  viz. 
the  right  throws  blood  into  the  pulmonary  artery,  the 
left  into  the  aorta. 

The  real  course  of  the  circulation,  and  the  alternate 
action  of  the  different  parts  of  the  heart,  we  shall  de- 
scribe. The  blood  passing  from  the  left  ventricle  into 
the  aorta,  is  returned  by  the  venae  cavje.  It  then  passes 
into  the  right  auricle.  This  sac  is  excited  to  contraction 
by  the  dilatation,  and  propels  the  blood  into  the  right 
ventricle.  Their  action  is  consequently  successive. 
For  a  similar  reason,  the  action  of  the  left  auricle  and 
ventricles  is  successive  ;  but  as  the  times  required  for 
emptying  and  filling  are  nearly  equal,  the  action  of  the 
auricles  and  ventricles  are  respectively  synchronous. 
This  succession  is  proved  by  actual  observation  of  the 
action  of  the  heart  in  the  mammalia,  and  from  the  si- 


tuation of  the  different  valves.  Animals  without  lungs, 
and  which  do  not  breathe,  have  only  a  single  heart;  but 
a  considerable  artery  from  the  aorta  passes  to  the  organs 
which  supply  the  place  of  lungs,  as  the  gills  of  fish,  and 
bring  back  the  blood  meliorated  by  the  action  of  air. 

See  Winslow's  Anatomy.  Haller's  Physiology.  Se- 
nac  on  the  Heart. 

COR  AC  I  'XE,  (from  >«»«!,  corvus,a  crow  ;  so  named 
from  its  black  colour).  An  epithet  for  a  lozenge,  quoted 
by  Galen  from  Asclepiades. 

CORACI'NI  LAPIDES,  (from  the  same).  Certain 
bones  found  in  the  head  of  the  coracinus,  the  CROW 
FISH,  found  in  the  Nile,  and  other  rivers  of  the  Medi- 
terranean sea. 

CORACOBO'TANE,  (from  «p*f,  a  crow,  and  ft»- 
Ttnri,  a  plant  ;  from  the  dark  colour  of  its  bark).  See 
LAURCS  ALEXANDRIA. 

CORACO-BRACHI£'US(.MuscuLus),  (from  *•;«£, 
a  croro,  and  brachium,  an  arm,)  coracoides,  and  cora- 
coideus.  It  rises  from  the  point  of  the  coracoid  process, 
and  is  inserted  internally  into  the  middle  of  the  os 
humeri.  Riolan  gives  it  this  name,  and  Arantius  first 
took  notice  of  it  as  belonging  to  the  arm.  Winslow  calls 
it  coraco-brachialis.  It  hath  been  called  fierforatus  Cas- 
serii,  because  this  author  first  gave  a  particular  descrip- 
tion of  it,  and  because  it  is  perforated  in  the  middle,  to 
give  passage  to  a  nerve.  Spigelius  calls  it  nonus  hu- 
meri filacentini. 

CORACO-H VOID jE'US, called  also  omo-hyoidxwt, 
omo-filato-hyoid<sus,  and  costo-hyoideus.  It  rises  from 
the  superior  part  of  the  upper  costa  of  the  scapula,  and 
is  inserted  into  the  basis  of  the  os  hyoides,  to  pull  it 
downwards  and  backwards. 

CORACOI'DES  PROCE'SSUS,  (from  its  likeness 
to  a  crow's  beak — «^*|,  and  £«?•«,)  sigmoides  firocessus. 
The  BEAK-LIKE  PROCESS.  It  projects  from  the  anterior 
extremity  of  the  upper  costa  of  the  SCAPULA,  q.  v.  and 
is  a  little  crooked,  with  its  point  inclining  forwards  :  a 
ligament  passes  from  its  superior  part,  to  connect  it  to 
the  acromion  and  clavicle.  At  the  birth  it  is  cartilagi- 
nous, and  called  anchoralis  firocessus  ;  anchyroides,  cor- 
nicularis,  conchyroides,  firocessus. 

CORACOI'DES  MU'SCULUS.  See  CORACO-BRACHI.SUS. 
It  is  called  coracoides,  because  it  proceeds  from  the 
process  which  is  formed  like  a  crow's  beak. 

CORACOI'DEUS.     See  CORACO-BRACHLSUS. 

CORA'CUM  EMPLA'STRUM.  The  name  of  a 
plaster  described  by  P.  jEgineta. 

CORALLI'NA,  (a  dim.  of  corallium,  coral,)  mus- 
cus  marinus,  corailina  anglica,  coraltina  alba,  SEA  CO- 
RALLINE, and  WHITE  WORMSEED. 

It  is  a  marine  production,  common  on  rocks  and  shells 
in  shallow  water.  It  resembles  a  small  plant  without 
leaves,  consisting  of  several  jointed  branches,  generally 
of  a  greyish  colour,  sometimes  greenish,  yellowish,  or 
reddish;  of  a  brittle  stony  substance,  friable  betwixt  the 
fingers,  and  crackling  between  the  teeth.  It  hath  com- 
monly been  supposed  a  vegetable ;  but  is  really  of  ani- 
mal origin,  and  the  habitation  of  an  animal  belonging  to 
the  class  of/iolyfii.  The  corallines  formerly  were  a  very 
extensive  groupe,  including  the  tubulariae  sertulariae, 
the  alcyones,  sponges,  Sec. ;  but  we  are  indebted  to  El- 
lis for  more  correct  ideas,  and  more  accurate  distinc- 
tions. For  the  corailina  officinalis,  see  Ellis,  PI.  24,  Fig. 
A.  Its  height  is  about  two  or  three  inches. 


COR 


494 


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It  ought  to  be  entire,  of  a  strong  sea  smell  and  salt 
/aste.  Worms  will  live  in  a  strong  infusion  of  it  for  se- 
veral days,  notwithstanding  it  has  been  styled  an  an- 
thelmintic.  By  calcination  in  a  strong  fire,  it  becomes 
true  quicklime,  and  consequently  resembles  other  tes- 
taceous marine  bodies.  See  Neumann's  Chem.  Works, 
Lewis's  Mat.  Mecl.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

CORALLI'NA  HEI.MINTHO  CORTOX,  a  species  of  con- 
serva,  found  chiefly  in  Corsica,  and  employed  as  an  an- 
thelmintic. 

CORA'LLIUM,  (from  tcopn,  a  daughter,  and  <**««,  of 
the  sea.)  CORAL.  It  is  also  called  lithodendron,  or 
TREE  STONE  ;  almarago,  mcrgen,  almargen,  gorgonias. 

CORA'LLIUM  A'LBUM  RAMO'SUM,  Madrepora  -vulga- 
ris,  corallium,  officinarum  oculatum,  and  WHITE  CORAL. 

COUA'LLIUM  NI'GRUM.  Also  called  antijihates,  lithoj- 
jihijton  nigrum,  jmeudocorallium  nigrum,  and  BLACK 

CORAL. 

What  is  usually  shown  for  black  coral  is  petrified 
wood.  See  KERATOPHYTON. 

The  best  sort  of  white  coral  is  brought  from  the  Me- 
diterranean, and,  like  the  other  corals,  solid. 

CORA'LLIUM  RU'BRUM.  RED  CORAL,  called  also  acrno, 
azur. 

The  most  ancient  naturalists  considered  coral  as  a 
vegetating  stone ;  Dioscorides,  Pliny,  Csesalpinus,  and 
Tournefort,  a  plant,  which  indeed  it  greatly  resembles. 
It  is,  however,  the  work  and  habitation  of  a  polypus,  and 
its  internal  parts  resemble  marble  in  hardness :  the  ex- 
ternal covering  is  soft,  and  the  extremity  is  still  softer. 
It  hardens  by  age,  but  not,  as  supposed,  by  the  access 
of  air.  The  surface  is  mamillated,  and  each  mamilla  is 
the  residence  of  an  animal.  By  calcination  it  is  found  to 
consist  of  many  concentric  laminae. 

The  red  coral  has  been  chiefly  used  in  medicine.  It 
is,  like  the  others,  a  hard,  brittle,  branched  substance, 
resembling  a  plant  without  leaves,  usually  about  the 
thickness  of  a  goose  quill,  full  of  knots,  sometimes 
straight,  and  sometimes  variously  bent,  both  externally 
and  internally  of  a  deep  bright  red  colour.  It  is  found 
adhering  to  rocks  and  other  bodies,  particularly  in  the. 
Indian  and  Mediterranean  seas,  and  in  the  Persian  Gulf. 
The  soft  fungous  matter  which  covers  it  contains  a 
great  number  of  cells  full  of  a  milky  liquor.  This  corti- 
cal part  is  separated  easily  whilst  fresh  and  soft. 

Red  coral  contains  some  iron  ;  its  basis  seems  to  be 
the  same  as  that  of  coralline  and  other  animal  earths. 
It  is  alkaline  and  absorbent. 

The  common  testacea,  coloured  with  dragon's  blood, 
are  sold  for  it ;  but  by  shaking  this  substitute  in  water, 
the  fraud  is  discovered ;  for  the  colouring  matter  being 
separated,  the  other  becomes  white,  whilst  red  coral  is 
still  red.  The  fraud  is,  however,  innocent,  and,  indeed, 
the  substituted  earth  is  often  a  more  active  medicine ; 
but  the  coral  and  its  substitutes  are  equally  neglected. 
It  was  once  considered  as  an  absorbent,  an  astringent,  a 
tonic,  and  a  diuretic.  It  is  now  only,  and  indeed  very 
seldom,  the  basis  of  a  tooth  powder. 

Oil  of  aniseseeds,  white  wax,  milk,  or  juice  of  citrons, 
equally  extract  the  red  colour  from  coral. 

CORALLODE'NDRON,  (from  *of*Mm,  cora/,and 
aiityev,  a  tree ;  resembling  in  hardness  and  colour  a 
piece  of  coral).  The  leaves  for  the  most  part  consist  of 
:  hree  lobes ;  the  flowers  are  papilionaceous,  and  suc- 


ceeded by  knobbed  bivalve  pods,  which  contain  several 
kidney  shaped  seeds.  A  confect  made  with  the  flow- 
ers is  called  caryl. 

Arbor  coral  siliqua  sylvestris  sjiinosa, THREE  LEAVED 
AMERICAN  CORAL  TREE,  with  deep  red  flowers,  com- 
monly called,  in  America,  the  BEAN  TREE.  Mrythrina, 
corallodendron  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  992.  var.  ». 

Arbor  coral,  min.  or  the  LESSER  THREE  LEAVED  AME- 
RICAN CORAL  TREE,  with  black  seeds  and  spines. 

Ray  informs  us,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Malabar  make 
sheaths  for  their  knives  and  swords  with  the  wood ;  that 
they  use  the  wood  with  the  bark  which  they  call  saras- 
sas,  for  washing  their  garments  ;  and  of  the  flower  they 
make  the  confection  called  caryl.  The  powdered  leaves, 
when  boiled  with  the  mature  cacao  nut,  consume  vene- 
real buboes,  and  ease  pains  in  the  bones.  The  juice  of 
the  leaves,  taken  with  the  oil  sergelim,  mitigates  vene- 
real blindness. 

CORALLOI'DES,  (from  xo/>«/A«>v,  coral,  and  tiSe;, 
likeness').  SeeDsNTARiA  and  CORALLODENDROX. 

CORALLOI'DES  FUNGUS,  (from  KepxMiti,  coral,  and 
ctS'cf,  likeness,)  also  called  erotylus.  Ctavaria  coral- 
hides  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1652.  It  is  of  a  fleshy,  fungous  tex- 
ture, of  a  yellow  colour,  and  branched  in  the  manner  of 
coral.  It  is  said  to  be  corroborant  and  astringent,  but 
little  notice  is  now  taken  of  it. 

CO'RCHORON,  (from  *«fi»,  the  jiufiil  of  the  eye,  and 
xcpsa,  to  Jiurge}.  See  ANAGALI.IS. 

CO'RCULUM,  (a  dim.  of  cor,  the  heart");  called 
also  cor.  The  heart  or  essence  of  a  seed,  and  the  pri- 
mordium  of  the  future  plant  attached  to  and  involved 
in  the  cotyledon.  It  consists  of  the /ilumula,  the  ascend- 
ing scaly  part,  and  the  rostellum,  the  descending  part  of 
the  corculum. 

CORD.  EUR.  An  abbreviation  of  Euricii  Cordii 
Botanologicon,  sive  Colloquium  de  Herbis. 

CORD.  An  abbreviation  of  Valerii  Cordi  Historia 
Stirpium. 

CO'RDA,  or  CHO'RDA.     See  CHORDEE. 

CO'RDA  TY'MPANI.  The  portio  dura  of  the  seventh 
pair  of  nerves  having  entered  the  tympanum,  sends  a. 
small  branch  to  the  stapes,  and  another  more  consider- 
able one,  which  runs  across  the  tympanum  from  behind 
forwards,  passes  between  the  long  leg  of  the  incus  and 
the  handle  of  the  malleus,  then  goes  out  at  the  same  place 
where  the  tendon  of  the  anterior  muscle  of  the  malleus 
enters.  It  is  called  chorda  tym/iani,  because  it  crosses 
the  tympanum  as  a  cord  crosses  the  bottom  of  a  drum. 

Dr.  Monro  thinks  that  the  chorda  tymjiani  is  formed 
by  the  second  branch  of  the  fifth  pair,  as  well  as  by  the 
portio  dura  of  the  seventh. 

CO'RDJE  WILLI'SII.     See  DURA  MATER. 

CO'RDIA  SEBESTI'NA.     See  SEBESTEN. 

CORDIA'LA.     See  CARDIACA. 

CORDO'LIUM,  (from  cor,  the  heart,  and  dolor, 
fiain).  See  CAHDIALGIA. 

CO'RE.  (Greek.)  See  PUPILLA  OCULI. 

CORE'MATA,  (from  xagta,  to  cleanse").  BRUSHES  ; 
but  in  P.  jEgineta  it  is  used  to  signify  medicines  for 
cleaning  the  skin. 

CORIA'CEUS,(from  corium,  leather).  In  botany  it 
means  thick  and  tough,  like  leather. 

CORIA'NDRUM.  CORIANDER.  (Derived,  perhaps- 
from  x-cftf,  cimex,  a  bug,  because  the  green  herb 


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495 


COR 


and  seed  stink  intolerably);  also  called  cassibor  and 
corianon.  The  coriandrum  sativum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  367. 
The  plant  is  an  umbelliferous  one,  with  finely  divided 
leaves;  the  lower  ones  like  parsley;  the  seeds  of  a  pale 
yellowish-brown  colour,  and  striated.  It  is  a  native  of 
Italy ;  cultivated  in  some  parti  of  England  ;  annual, 
flowers  in  June,  and  ripens  in  July  or  August. 

The  leaves  have  a  small  degree  of  an  aromatic  smell, 
mixed  with  somewhat  offensive.  The  seeds  when  fresh 
are  also  disagreeable,  but  by  drying  they  become  grate- 
ful: to  the  taste  they  are  moderately  warm  and  pungent. 
Dioscorides  has  asserted,  that  these  seeds,  taken  in  a 
considerable  quantity,  produce  deleterious  effects;  but 
Dr.  Withering  has  known  six  drachms  of  the  seeds 
taken  at  once  without  any  remarkable  consequences. 
Mathiolus  considers  them  as  antiseptic ;  but  they  are 
generally  used  as  stomachic  and  carminative.  Mixed 
with  sena  in  infusion,  they  more  powerfully  correct  its 
odour  and  taste  than  any  other  aromatic,  and  are  equally 
powerful  in  obviating  the  colic  pain  it  is  very  apt  to  pro- 
duce. Rectified  spirit  of  wine  takes  up  all  their  virtue, 
but  water  only  partially  extracts  it.  Distilled  with 
water,  a  small  quantity  of  essential  oil  is  obtained, 
which  partakes  agreeably  of  the  quality  of  the  seeds. 
Pure  spirit  carries  off,  in  evaporation,  a  great  part  of 
their  flavour.  Raii  Hist,  and  Lewis's  and  Cullen's 
Mat.  Med. 

CORIA'N*ONy.     See  CORIAXDRUM. 

CORIA'RIUM,  (from  cormm,  leather;  because  the 
dried  leaves  are  used  in  tanning).  See  RHUS. 

CO'RIS,  (from  *tipti,  to  cleave,  or  cut;  so  called  be- 
cause it  heals  wounds).  See  SYMPHYTUM  PETR^EUM. 

CO'RIS  LUTE'A,  CO'RIS  LEGI'TIMA  CRE'TICA.  See 
HYPERICITM  SAXATILE. 

CO'RIS  MONSPELIEXSIS  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  252.  A  bien- 
nial plant  of  the  south  of  Europe,  intensely  bitter  and 
nauseous,  but  apparently  an  active  medicine ;  and  em- 
ployed, it  is  said,  with  success  in  syphilis. 

CO'RIUM,  (from  the  Hebrew'  term  gor).  The 
skin  of  a  beast;  also  LEATHER,  from  whence  the  buff 
appearance  upon  the  blood  is  called  coriaceous.  See 
DARTOS. 

CORK,  the  bark  of  the  quercus  suber  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1413;  formerly  employed  as  an  astringent,  but  now  dis- 
used. It  affords  an  acid;  for  which  see  CHEMISTRY. 

CORN.     See  CEREALIA. 

CORK  SALAD,  an  early  salad  possessing  the  celebrated 
antiscorbutic  qualities  of  early  vegetables.  It  is  the 
valeriana  locustaUm.  Sp.  PI.  47,  var.  a. 

CORNACHl'M  PU'LVIS.     See  SCAMMO.VIUM. 

CO'RNEA,  (from  cornu,  as  it  resembles  horn).  A 
COAT  of  the  EYE,  which  is  also  called  sclerotica  cera- 
ioides.  It  is  the  first  proper  coat  of  the  eye,  strong, 
thick,  and  tendinous;  its  anterior  part  is  distinguished 
by  the  name  of  cornea  tranafiarens,  or  lucida,  and  the 
posterior  part  by  that  of  cornea  ofiaca.  The  transparent 
part  is  sometimes  called  cornea  ;  and  the  posterior  part 
cornea  o/taca,  and  sclerotica,  or  sclerolia :  the  former 
only  is  elastic.  The  opake  part  is  made  up  of  several 
laminae  closely  connected,  whose  fibres  run  in  different 
directions,  and  form  a  dense,  compact  substance. 

The  cornea  consists  of  an  external  and  internal  la- 
mina, each  of  which  is  composed  of  thinner  lamins. 
Its  substance  is  in  some  degree  elastic,  to  fit  the  eye  to 
different  magnitudes  and  distances ;  it  is  also  perfo- 


rated with  many  small  holes,  through  which  a  fluid  is 
supposed  to  be  constantly  discharged,  but  which  soon 
evaporates. 

The  sclerotica  and  cornea  are  furnished  with  arteries, 
chiefly  from  a  branch  of  the  internal  carotid.  The 
nerves  proceed  principally  from  the  ophthalmic  branch 
of  the  fifth  pair. 

The  cornea  transmits  the  rays  of  light  into  the  eye, 
and  produces  the  first  refraction  of  the  rays  necessary 
to  vision.  Its  natural  transparency  is  liable  to  be  ob- 
scured by  inflammation,  by  abscesses,  and  ulcers. 

It  seems  more  proper  to  consider  this  coat  of  the  eye 
as  the  sclerotica,  and  the  cornea  only  as  its  transparent 
part.  See  SCLEROTICA. 

CORNE'STA.     See  CORNUMUSA. 

CORNI'CULA,  (from  cornu,  horn).  A  conical  per- 
forated instrument  of  horn,  which  was  formerly  used  as 
a  cupping  glass.  The  broad  part  was  applied  to  the 
skin,  and  by  sucking  from  the  smaller  end,  the  skin  was 
raised  into  the  instrument. 

CORNICULA'RIS  PROCE'SSUS.   See  CORACOI- 

DES  PROCESSUS. 

CORNICULA'T.£  PLA'NT.£,  (from  cornu,  horn]. 
Plants  which  produce  many  distinct  horned  seed  pods, 
called  silit/ue. 

CO'RNU  ARIETIS,  the  appearance  of  the  section 
of  the  pes  hippocampi,  a  portion  of  the  brain. 

CO'RXTJ  CE'RVI,  (from  the  Chaldee  term  karnah,)  in 
chemistry,  is  the  beak  of  an  alembic ;  but  it  generally 
means  the  HORN  oi  the  STAG  or  HART,  particularly  of  the 
male  red  deer,  though  the  horns  of  the  fallow  deer  are 
commonly  employed.  See  DAMA. 

Hart's  horn  shaved  gives  out  to  water,  by  boiling, 
a  soft  insipid  and  flavourless  jelly,  in  quantity  about 
one-fourth  of  the  weight  of  the  horn.  This  jelly  is 
used  as  a  nourishing  diet,  and  to  obtund  acrimony ;  it 
is  usually  mixed  with  the  juice  of  lemons,  or  with 
wine  or  spice,  according  to  the  different  circumstances 
of  the  patient.  The  Edinburgh  college  directs  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Jelly  of  hart's  horn.  Boil  half  a  pound  of  the  shav- 
ings of  hart's  horn,  in  six  pints  of  water,  to  a  quart :  to 
the  strained  liquor  add  one  ounce  of  the  juice  of  lemon, 
or  of  Seville  orange,  four  ounces  of  mountain  wine,  and 
half  a  pound  of  sugar;  then  boil  the  whole  to  a  proper 
consistence. 

The  horns  of  deer  are  used  for  obtaining  a  liquor,  salt, 
and  oil,  denominated  liquor,  sal,  and  oleum  cornu  cervi; 
but  there  is  no  observable  difference  betwixt  one  animal 
substance  and  another  for  this  purpose,  except  in  the 
different  proportion  of  oil  which  they  afford;  hence  the 
bones  of  oxen  and  other  animals,  the  hoofs  of  horses, 
the  horns  of  oxen,  ivory,  the  shells  of  tortoises,  hair, 
and  silk,  all  afford  nearly  the  same  liquor,  salt,  and  oil. 
See  ALCALI. 

Hart's  horn  is  said  by  former  chemists  to  be  prepared 
philosophically,  when  it  is  suspended  in  a  still,  while 
distilling  any  spirituous  liquor;  the  horn  being  cut  into 
thin  slices,  and  exposed  to  the  vapours,  by  which  it  is 
rendered  white  and  friable.  This  preparation  was  acci- 
dentally discovered  at  Dresden,  in  Saxony,  by  Casper 
Pantzerus,  an  apothecary  and  native  of  Prussia.  At 
present  it  is  boiled  till  the  black  part  separates,  and  then 
the  inner  white  part  is  dried  for  use.  Hoffman  orders 
some  alkaline  salt  to  be  put  in  the  water  when  boiling. 


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to  soften  the  black  part.  This  process  frees  the  horns 
from  their  glutinous  matter,  and  thus  renders  them 
friable. 

By  calcination,  the  earthy  part  is  obtained  most  pure 
and  perfect ;  its  quantity  about  half  the  weight  of  the 
horn.  The  London  college  directs  pieces  of  hart's 
horn  to  be  burnt  till  they  become  perfectly  white,  then 
rubbed  to  a  very  fine  powder,  called  cornu  cervi  calcina- 
tum,  calcined  hart's  horn,  phosphas  calcis  of  the  last 
edition  of  the  Edinburgh  Pharmacopoeia,  which  is  to  be 
powdered  and  levigated  for  use.  As  the  intention  of 
this  operation  is  to  separate  the  volatile  parts,  the  heat 
cannot  be  too  great :  yet  some  caution  is  necessary  in 
this  respect,  as  by  suddenly  hardening  the  external 
parts,  the  internal  are  guarded  from  the  action  of  fire ; 
for  the  earth  of  hart's  horn  is  not  convertible  into 
quick  lime.  The  horns  left  after  distilling  the  spirit, 
salt,  and  oil,  are  as  proper  as  fresh  ones ;  but  they  are  a 
mixture  of  calcareous  earth  and  phosphoric  acid,  and 
the  weakest  of  the  absorbents.  The  earth  of  all  bones 
is  similar.  Hart's  horn,  by  late  experiments,  is  found  to 
contain  27  parts  of  gelatine,  57.5  of  phosphat  of  lime, 
and  one  of  carbonate  of  lime,  with  about  14.5  of  water. 
The  bones  of  animals,  sometimes  substituted,  contain 
also  a  small  proportion  of  phosphat  of  magnesia.  Burnt 
hart's  horn,  or  burnt  bones,  are  therefore  slightly  con- 
taminated with  these  salts.  The  phosphat  of  lime  has 
been  recommended  in  rickets  by  M.  Bonhomme,  and 
used  in  France,  it  is  said,  with  success;  but  it  has  sel- 
dom been  given  in  England. 

Solutions  of  this  earth  in  vegetable  acids  are  suppos- 
ed to  be  restringent,  and  they  probably  act  only  by  unit- 
ing with  acid  humours  in  the  primae  viae.  The  London 
college  only  directs  the  following  decoction  of  hart's 
horn. 

Take  of  burnt  hart's  horn  prepared,  two  ounces;  gum 
arable,  six  drachms;  distilled  water,  three  pints;  boil  the 
water  to  a  quart,  and  strain  it.  This  is  used  as  a  com- 
mon drink  in  fevers  attended  with  laxity  of  the  bowels, 
or  after  violent  diarrhoeas. 

Dec6ctum  cretaceum.  Take  of  chalk  finely  powder- 
ed, two  ounces ;  of  gum  arable,  half  an  ounce ;  boil  it 
in  three  pints  to  two  of  water;  pour  off  the  liquor  from 
the  heavier  parts  that  fall  to  the  bottom.  This  may  be 
substituted  for  the  former,  but  each  would  be  useless  if 
the  gum  was  not  an  ingredient. 

If  a  little  cochineal  is  added,  it  is  called  decoctum  ru- 
brum,  red  decoction.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 
Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

CO'RNU  UNICO'RNU.     See  UNICORNU. 

CO'RNU  FO'SSILE.    See  UNICORNU. 

CO'RNU  CERVI'NUM.     See  CORONOPUS. 

CORNU' A,  (from  cornu,  horn}.  Horny  excrescences, 
which  sometimes  arise  on  some  part  of  the  body. 

CORNU'A  UTE'RI,  called  also  filecten&.  In  compa- 
rative anatomy,  the  horns  of  the  womb.  The  womb  in 
some  quadrupeds  is  triangular,  and  its  angles  resemble 
horns. 

CORNUMU'SA.  A  RETORT,  called  also  batia,  cor- 
nesta,  cornuta. 

CO'RNUS.  The  CORNEL  TREE.  Cornus  sanguine  a 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  171.  The  fruit  is  moderately  cooling  and 
astringent.  The  schagri  cottam  is  a  species  of  cornel 
which  grows  in  Malabar,  the  expressed  juice  of  which, 
drunk  with  sugar,  is  cooling  and  astringent. 


CORNU'TA,  (from  cornu;  from  its  resemblance  to 
a  horn).  A  RETORT.  See  CORNUMUSA. 

CORO'CRUM.     See  FERMENTUM. 

CORO'LLA,  (from  corona,  a  crown").  One  of  the 
seven  parts  of  fructification,  according  to  Linnaeus,  who 
defines  it  the  inner  bark  of  the  plant  present  in  the 
flower :  it  is  the  coloured  or  painted  leaves  of  the  plant, 
consisting  of  petals,  and  nectarium.  The  corolla  of 
Linnaeus,  English  botanists  call  blossom. 

CORO'NA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  koren).  A 
CROWN.  In  botany  it  is  a  series  of  small  beards,  or  rays, 
in  discoid  flowers. 

CORO'NA  SE'MINIS  is  the  appendage  to  the  top  of 
many  seeds,  enabling  them  to  disperse,  serving  them  as 
wings.  This  is  either  the  calyculus,  formed  of  the  pe- 
rianthium  of  the  flower,  as  in  the  scabiosa,  knautica, 
&c. ;  or  the  pappus  (down),  as  in  the  hieracium,  son- 
chus,  &c. 

CORO'NA  CILIA'RIS.     See  CILIARE  LIGAMENTUM. 

CORO'NA  IMPERIA'LIS.    CROWN  IMPERIAL. 

It  is  a  bell-shaped  flower,  and  an  ornament  of  our 
gardens.  In  the  petals  is  a  sweet  juice,  which  the 
Turks  use  as  an  emetic ;  but  the  whole  plant  is  esteem- 
ed poisonous. 

CORO'NA  RE'GIA.     See  MELILOTUS. 

CORO'NA  SO'LIS.  SUN  FLOWER;  called  also  chima- 
lati ;  helianthus  annuus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1276.  This  flower, 
well  known  as  an  ornament  in  gardens,  is  a  native  of 
Peru,  and  other  warm  countries  of  America.  It  is  not 
known  to  possess  any  valuable  medicinal  qualities ; 
though  it  is  noticed  as  heating,  and  an  agreeable  food. 
It  produces  a  resinous  tear,  which  is  its  most  active 
part.  A  gum  also  flows  from  it,  if  the  seed  vessels 
when  ripe  are  cut  small,  and  boiled  in  water.  The  seeds 
are  made  into  bread. 

CORO'NA  SO'LIS  PA'RVO  FLO'RE  TUBERO'SA  RADICE. 
See  BATTATAS  CANADENSIS. 

CORO'NA  TE'RRJE.     See  HEDERA  TERHESTRIS. 

CORO'NA  GLANDIS,  the  margin  of  glans  penis,  just 
above  the  odoriferous  glands. 

CORO'NA  VENERIS,  the  eruptions  which  surround  the 
forehead  at  the  roots  of  the  hair,  in  cases  of  syphilis. 

CORONA 'LE  OS,  (from  corona,  a  crown).   See  Os 

FRONTIS. 

CORONA'LIS,  (from  the  same,)  vel  ARCUA'LIS 
SUTU'RA,  (from  arcus,  a  bow).  The  suture  upon  the 
crown  of  the  head. 

CORONA'RIA  LIGAME'NTA,  (from  corona,  a 
crown).  The  CORONARY  LIGAMENT  of  the  radius  is  a 
sort  of  ligamentary  hoop,  surrounding  the  circular  cir- 
cumference of  the  head  of  that  bone,  reaching  from  one 
side  of  the  small  lateral  sigmoid,  or  transverse  cavity  of 
the  ulna,  to  the  other,  in  an  arch,  which  is  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  circle.  It  is  nearly  as  solid  as  a  cartilage. 
It  connects  the  radius  very  closely  to  the  ulna,  yet  ad- 
mits of  the  pronation  and  the  supination  of  the  arm. 

CORONA'RIjE  ARTE'RI^E  et  VEN.E,  (from 
the  same).  The  CORONARY  ARTERIES  and  VEINS. 
Those  of  the  heart  are  also  called  cardiacs.  The  first 
branches  which  the  aorta  sends  off  are  the  coronary  ar- 
teries of  the  heart ;  and  they  appear  between  the  aorta 
and  the  pulmonary  artery,  running  round  the  basis  of 
the  heart  and  to  the  apex,  giving  branches  chiefly  to 
their  respective  ventricles.  They  frequently  anasto- 
mose both  at  the  basis  and  apex.  One  of  these  runs  an- 


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tcriorly,  the  other  posteriorly  on  the  heart,  and  some- 
times there  are  three.  They  are  lost  in  the  substance 
of  the  muscle. 

-  The  coronary  veins  of  the  heart  follow  very  nearly 
the  arteries;  they  rise  chiefly  from  the  right  auricle, 
and  come  out  in  the  angle  between  the  vena  cava  and 
the  passage  into  the  ventricle;  one  principal  branch  runs 
to  the  apex ;  the  great  trunk,  to  the  other  parts.  Dr. 
Hunter  says,  that  the  coronary  vein  of  the  heart  opens 
into  the  right  auricle,  between  the  orifice  of  the  cava 
inferior  and  the  passage  into  the  ventricle,  and  is  fur- 
nished with  a  semilunar  valve,  to  hinder  the  blood  from 
flowing  back. 

The  great  coronary  vein,  and  the  orifice  by  which  it 
communicates  with  the  right  sinus  of  the  heart,  were 
known,  it  has  been  said  by  M.  Wolf,  to  Galen;  but 
Eustachius  seems  to  have  been  the  first  who  noticed  the 
v>iih  which  this  orifice  is  furnished.  Since  his 
time,  M.  Y\  olf  says  anatomical  writers  have  con- 
stantly spoken  of  this  valve  as  of  a  semilunar  shape ; 
but  he  asserts  that  its  figure  is  oblong  and  narrow, 
and  that  it  is  a  peculiar  valve,  different  from  every 
other  in  the  human  body. 

The  coronary  artery  of  the  stomach  rises  from  the  co;- 
liaca,  goes  first  to  the  left  side  of  that  organ,  a  little  be- 
yoml  the  superior  orifice,  round  which  it  throws  branches, 
and  also  to  every  part  of  the  stomach  near  it :  and 
these  branches  communicate  with  those  whichrun  along 
i  he  bottom  of  the  stomach  to  the  pylorus:  afterwards  it 
runs  on  the  right  side  of  the  superior  orifice,  along  the 
small  curvature  of  the  stomach,  almost  to  the  pylorus, 
••.here  it  communicates  with  the  arteria  pylorica,  and 
'. timing  towards  the  small  lobe  of  the  liver,  it  gives  off 
some  branches  to  it:  then  it  advances  under  the  ductus 
venosus  to  the  left  lobe  of  the  liver,  in  which  it  is  lost 
the  beginning  of  the  duct  just  named,  having  first 
given  off  some  small  branches  to  the  neighbouring  parts 
of  the  diaphragm  and  omentum. 

The  coronary  vein  of  the  stomach  is  sometimes  a 
branch  from  the  vena  portae  ventralis,  or  from  its  princi- 
pal branches.  It  sometimes  springs  from  the  splenica. 
The  coronaria  ventriculiis  so  called,  because  it  surrounds 
its  upper  orifice.  It  runs  along  the  small  arch  to  the 
pylorus,  and  gives  out  branches  to  the  sides  of  the 
stomach. 

CORONARIUM  LIGAME'NTUM,  (from  the 
same).  See  JELTR. 

COROXA'RIUS  STOMA'CHICUS.  The  ramifica- 
tion of  the  nerves  from  the  eighth  pair  near  the  upper 
orifice  of  the  stomach. 

COROXA'TUS,  (from  corona,  a  crown).  In  botany 
cans  crowned,  appearing  like  a  coronet. 

CORO'XE,  (Greek).  A  CROW.  The  acute  process  of 
the  lower  jaw  bone  is  so   called  from  its  likeness  to  a 
.  's  beak.     See  also  PROCESSUS. 

COROXI'LLA  I'NDICA,  (a dim.  of  corona;  from 
•he  appearance  of  its  flower).  See  LVDICUM. 

CORONI'LLA  MOXTA'XA.     See  EMERUS  MINOR. 

CORO'XOID,  (from  >upair,,  a  crow,  and  ei«W,  like- 
-.ess  ;  resembling  a  crow's  beak).  See  PROCESSUS. 

COROXOI'DES  APO'PHYSIS  U'LX.E.  It  is  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  ulna  prominent,  and  a  little  point- 
ed, resembling  abroad  short  beak.  It  is  received  into 
the  anterior  cavity  above  the  pulley,  at  the  lower  extre- 
mity of  the  os  humeri,  when  the  fore  arm  is  bent. 

VOL.  I. 


COROXOI'DES  APO'PIIYSJS  MAXI'LLJE.  See  MAXILJ.A 
INFERIOR. 

COROXO'PUS,  (from  KO?*S?,  a  carrion  crotv,  and 
x-otn,foot,  the  plant  being  said  to  resemble  a  crow's 
foot,)  cornu  cervinum,  sttiia  ttrre,  filantago,  BUCK'S 
HORN-  PLANTAIX.  Plantdgo  coronojius  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
166. 

Its  leaves  are  deeply  cut;  its  root  long  and  slender; 
many  of  its  leaves  lie  flat  on  the  earth  in  a  circular  man- 
ner, whence  the  name  stella  term.  The  leaves  are 
downy,  long,  and  narrow;  the  stalk  hoary;  the  seeds 
small,  and  of  a  dark  brown  colour.  It  grows  on  sandy 
places  and  heaths,  and  flowers  in  June. 

Its  medical  virtues  arethe  same  as  those  of  the  other 
plantains.  See  PLASTAGO. 

CO'RPORA  ALBICA'NTIA,(fromcor/iiM,a6ody). 
See  CEREBRUM. 

CO'RPORA  CAVERXO'SA  PE'VIS,  called  also  ntrvea 
sfiongiosa.  The  two  bodies,  thus  named,  rise  by  two 
distinct  crura  from  the  lower  part  of  the  ossa  pubis; 
after  which  they  join,  and  are  continued  to  the  glans. 
They  are  separated  by  a  septum,  disposed  like  the  teeth 
of  a  comb,  so  that  any  fluid  forced  into  one  distends  the 
other.  The  two  crura  are  connected  to  the  symphysis 
of  the  os  pubis  by  the  ligamentum  suspensorium,  which 
proceeds  from  the  cartilage,  and  is  diffused  upon  the 
sheaths  of  the  corpora  cavernosa.  Towards  the  upper 
extremity  of  the  corpora  cavernosa  are  several  white 
ligaments,  which  seem  to  be  placed  there  to  hinder  the 
penis  from  being  too  much  distended.  In  the  axis  be- 
tween each  corpus  cavernosum  an  artery  and  a  vein  run. 
which  enter  near  the  union  of  the  crura,  and  ramify 
throughout  the  spongy  substance. 

CO'RPORA  FIMBRIA'TA.  A  border  on  the  edge  of 
the  fornix  in  the  brain.  See  Fonxix. 

CO'RPORA  LOBO'SA.     See  REXES. 

CO'RPORA  OLIYA'RIA.  Two  eminences  on  the  me- 
dulla oblongata. 

CO'RI'ORA  PYRAMIDA'LIA.  Two  o:her  eminences 
on  the  .medulla  oblongata,  near  the  corpora  olivaria, 
confounded  by  Willis  with  the  latter. 

CO'RPORA  STRIA'TA.  Two  prominences  in  the  late- 
ral ventricles  of  the  brain,  in  which  we  meet  with  a 
great  number  of  white  and  asli  coloured  lines  alternately 
disposed,  but  these  are  only  the  transverse  section  of  the 
medullary  and  cortical  laminae  mixed  together.  See 
CEREBRUM. 

CORPULE'XTIA,  (from  cor/iuf,  a  body).  See 
OBESITAS  and  POLYSARCIA. 

CO'RPUS  CALLO'SUM,  called  also  Callus.  If 
the  falx  is  cut  away  from  the  crista  galli,  turned  back- 
wards, and  the  two  lateral  parts  of  the  cerebrum  gently 
separated,  we  see  a  longitudinal  portion  of  a  white  con- 
vex body,  named  cor/ius  callotium,  which  is  the  middle 
portion  of  the  medullary  substance  of  the  brain:  under 
the  inferior  sinus  of  the  falx,  and  also  a  little  towards 
each  side,  it  is  parted  from  the  mass  of  the  cerebrum, 
to  which  it  is  simply  contiguous  from  one  end  of  that 
sinus  to  the  other;  so  that  at  this  place  the  edge  of  the 
inside  of  this  hemisphere  only  lies  on  the  corpus  callo- 
sum,  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the  anterior  and  pos- 
terior lobes  lie  on  the  dura  mater.  Both  extremities  of 
this  medullary  body  terminate  by  a  small  edge  bent 
transversely  downwards.  The  surface  of  the  corpus 
callosum  is  covered  by  the  pia  mater;  along  the  middle 

3  S 


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498 


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of  its  surface,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  there  is  a 
kind  of  raphe,  or  seam,  which  hath  on  each  side  a  white 
chord.  The  corpus  callosum  covers  the  two  lateral  ven- 
tricles. See  CEREBRUM. 

CO'RPUS  GLANDULO'SUM.     See  PROSTATE. 

CO'IIPUS  LUTEUM.  A  yellow  substance ;  some- 
times, in  the  early  period,  a  cavity  found  in  the  ovarium 
after  impregnation.  When  there  are  twins,  one  is  found 
in  each,  but  scarcely  ever  two  in  the  same  ovarium. 
They  continue  some  months,  and  are  supposed  to  be 
the  part  from  which  the  ovum  has  been  separated. 
While  the  surrounding  parts  are  filled  by  injection,  a 
cavity  is  observed  in  the  centre  of  this  body. 

CO'RPUS  MUCO'SUM.     See  RETE  MUCOSUM. 

CO'RPUS  PAMPINIFO'RME,  PYRAMIDA'LE.  The  SPER- 
MATIC CHORD.  See  SPERMATICA  CHORDA. 

CO'RPUS  RETICULA'RE.     See  RETE  MUCOSUM. 

CO'HPUS  SESAMOIDE'UM.     See  COR. 

CO'RPUS  SPONGIO'SUM  URE'THR^E.  The  SPONGY 
BODY  OF  THE  URETHRA.  It  is  of  the  same  substance 
as  the  corpora  cavernosa,  and  surrounds  the  urethra. 
That  part  which  is  next  the  prostate  is  thick,  and  styled 
the  bulb  of  the  urethra;  but  as  it  runs  on,  it  becomes 
smaller,  and  at  the  extremity  forms  the  gland. 

CO'RPUS  VARICO'SUM.    See  SPEHMATICA  CHORDA. 

CORRA'GO,  (from  cor,  the  heart;  it  being  sup- 
posed to  have  a  good  effect  in  comforting  the  heart). 
See  BORRAGO. 

CO'RRE,  (fromxitpu,  to  shave).    See  TEMPORA. 

CORRE'CTIO,  (from  corrigo,  to  correct).  COR- 
RECTION. This  word,  in  pharmacy,  signifies  additions 
which  correct  the  noxious  quality,  the  violent  operation, 
or  the  taste,  of  medicines. 

CORRIGIO'LA,  (from  corrigia,  a  point  or  knot). 
KNOT  GRASS.  See  GRAMEN  POLYGONUM. 

CORROBORA'NTIA,  (from  corroboro,  to  strength- 
en,)  all  such  medicines  as  are  suited  to  strengthen  the 
body,  and  therefore  to  restore  the  strength  which  has 
been  lost.  Dr.  Cullen  thinks,  as  a  general  term,  it  is  im- 
proper; still  as  it  is  employed  for  medicines  which  in- 
crease the  tone  of  the  moving  fibres,  it  may  be  allow- 
able. Tonics  and  astringents  are,  however,  the  only 
medicines  of  this  class;  for  though  nutritious  sub- 
stances may  be  supposed  to  give  strength,  yet  adding  to 
the  quantity  of  fluids  without  at  the  same  time  increas- 
ing the  strength  of  the  containing  vessels,  is  a  frequent 
cause  of  languor  and  debility.  (See  on  this  subject 
Conspectus  Medicinx  Theoretics  Doctoris  Gregory  de 
Remediis  Roborantibus).  Under  this  head  are  placed 
absorbents,  agglutinants,  and  astringents.  These  give 
bulk  and  firmness  to  the  solids,  which  are  rendered 
necessary  by  the  continual  waste  which  the  actions  of 
life  occasion.  Absorbents  remove  redundant  moisture, 
astringents  contract  the  relaxed  fibres,  and  agglutinants 
add  substance,  where  a  previous  waste  renders  a  supply 
necessary. 

CORRODE'NTIA,  (from  corrodo,  to  eat  away). 
Corrosiveorcorrodingmedicines,aiso  called  cat/icsretica. 
They  are  divided  into,  1st,  The  MILD,  such  as  burnt 
alum,  the  ashes  of  green  wood,  calomel,  calx  hydrargyri 
alba,  and  zincum  vitriolatum  purificatum ;  2d,  The 
STRONG,  ashydrargyrusnitratusruber,  colcothar  vitrioli, 
trochisci  de  minio  Vigonis  ;  3d,  The  STRONGEST,  as  bu- 
tyrum  antimonii,  lapis  infernalis,hydrargyrus  muriatus, 
aqua  kali,et  acidum  vitriolicum.  Corrosives  generally 


destroy  the  life  of  the  part  to  which  they  are  applied, 
either  by  their  stimulus  exhausting  the  excitability,  or, 
in  some  instances,  by  their  affinity  for  moisture.  After 
this  destruction  of  life  they  differ  by  acting  chemically 
on  the  dead  matter,  and  destroying  it.  Of  the  corrosives 
which  destroy  life,  uithout  acting  on  the  dead  matter, 
are  the  savine,  the  euphorbium,  the  gall  nut  powder, 
sugar,  and  the  cevadilla  (the  Indian  caustic  barley). 
Every  active  stimulant  produces  in  different  degrees  the 
same  effects.  Those  which  seem  to  destroy  and  decom- 
pose a  part  by  their  affinity  for  moisture,  are  the  alkalis, 
lime,  and  perhaps  barytes.  These  belong,  also,  to  the 
second  class,  viz.  corrosives,  which  act  on  the  dead 
animal  matter.  Among  them  we  may  enumerate  the 
argentum  nitratum  (lunar  caustic,)  butter  of  antimony, 
blue  vitriol,  corrosive  sublimate,  calomel,  verdigris,  red 
precipitate,  burnt  alum,  and  the  mineral  acids.  These 
are  all  oxygenated  preparations,  and  probably  destroy  life 
by  their  excess  of  stimulus. 

CORRO'SIO,  (from  corrodo,  to  eat  away).  COR- 
ROSION. It  is  the  action  of  appropriate  menstrua  on 
bodies,  so  as  to  produce  new  combinations  and  a  change 
of  their  form  without  converting  them  to  fluids.  This 
depends  on  the  same  principles  as  solution.  The  sub- 
jects are  usually  metals;  and  the  modes  are  either, 
first,  by  immersing  the  body  to  be  corroded  in  a  fluid 
menstruum,  which  is  called  corrosion  by  immersion;  or 
secondly,  by  exposing  it  to  the  action  of  some  vapour, 
and  this  is  called  cementation.  There  are  other  kinds 
of  corrosion ;  as  sprinkling  the  subject  with  some  ap- 
propriate fluid,  and  afterwards  rubbing  it  with  some  dry 
substance. 

COuRUGA'TOR  COITERII,  (from  corrugo,  to 
wrinkle).  Volcherus  Coiter  first  took  notice  of  these 
muscles.  The  corrugator  arises  fleshy  from  the  inter- 
nal angular  process  of  the  os  frontis,  above  the  joining 
of  the  os  nasi,  and  the  nasal  process  of  the  maxillary 
bone ;  from  thence  it  runs  outwards,  and  a  little  up- 
wards. It  is  inserted  into  the  inner  and  inferior  fleshy 
part  of  the  occipito-irontalis  muscle,  where  it  joins  with 
the  orbicularis  paipcbrarum,  and  extends  outwards  as  far 
as  the  middle  of  the  superciliary  ridge.  WThen  one  of 
these  muscles  acts,  it  draws  the  eye  brow  of  that  side 
towards  the  other  ;  and  makes  it  project  over  the  inner 
canthus  of  the  eye  :  when  both  act,  they  pull  down  the 
skin  of  the  forehead,  and  make  it  wrinkle,  particularly 
beivvuen  the  eye  brows.  This  muscle  is  called  by 
Winslow  musculus  sujiercilii ;  by  Douglas,  frontalis 
•vcrus  tnusculus :  and  by  Riolan,  carnosa  musculosa 
membruna. 

CORS^K.     See  TEMPOHA. 

CORSOI'DES,  (from  Knprti,  a  tuft  of  hair,  and  nS'o^, 
likeness;  from  its  resemblance  to  hair).  See  AMIANTHUS. 

CO'RTALON.     See  ERIGERUM. 

CO'RTEX,(from  corium,  the  skin,  and  tego,  to  cover; 
as  covering  the  inner  rind  of  the  tree).  The  bark  or 
outward  rind  of  vegetables.  It  is  the  name  of  many 
drugs  consisting  of  the  barks  of  trees  or  roots,  viz. 

CO'RTEX  ANGELIN.E.  The  tree  is  unknown.  It  is 
found  in  the  island  of  Grenada,  and  employed  as  an  an- 
thelmintic:  an  ounce  of  the  bark  is  boiled  in  three 
pints  of  water  to  one,  and  two  or  three  table  spoonfuls 
are  given  every  morning. 

CO'RTEX  ANGUSTUR.S.     See  ANGUSTURA. 

CO'IITKX  BELLA-AYE.     The  bark  of  a  tree  found  in 


COR 


C  OK 


the  island  of  Madagascar.  From  its  sensible  qualities, 
it  appears  to  be  a  powerful  astringent ;  and  it  is  em- 
ployed in  haemorrhages,  in  diarrhoea,  and  dysentery. 
From  a  scruple  to  half  a  drachm  is  given  morning  and 
evening.  The  plant  has  not  yet  found  a  place  in  the 
systems  of  the  botanists. 

Co  RTEX  JITBAB.C  is  brought  to  us  from  the  East  In- 
dies ;  but  the  tree  is  unknown,  and  its  powers,  if  we 
may  judge  from  its  sensible  qualities,  are  weak.  It  is 
slightly  bitter,  and  is  recommended  rather  as  a  nervous 
than  a  tonic  medicine. 

CO'RTEX  LAVOLA.  The  bark  of  the  tree  supposed  to 
afford  the  ANISUM  STELI.ATUM  ;  q.  v. 

CO'RTEX  CARDINALIS  DE  LUGO.      See   CORTEX    PE- 


RUVIAN rs. 

CO'RTEX    CARYOPHYLLOI'DES. 


See    CASSIA    CARY- 


OPHYLLATA. 

CO'RTEX   CRA'SSIOU.     See  CASSIA  LIGXEA. 

CO'RTEX  CULILA'WAX,  a  hot  aromatic  bark,  found  in 
New  Guinea,  of  similar  virtues  to  the  cortex  massory  ; 
q.  v.  See  also  CASSIA  CARYOPHYLLATA. 

CO'RTEX  ELATE'RII.     See  THURIS  CORTEX. 

CO'RTEX  MAGELLA'XICUS.  See  WIXTERAXUS  COR- 
TEX. 

CO'RTEX  MA'SSORY.  It  is  a  warm  aromatic  bark, 
found  in  New  Guinea.  It  is  stimulant,  carminative, 
and  stomachic.  The  inhabitants  powder,  and  mix  it 
with  water,  to  anoint  their  bodies  in  cold  wet  weather. 
It  is  also  used  against  pains  and  colic. 

CO'RTEX  PERUVIA'NUS.  The  PERUVIAX  BARK;  also 
called  cinchona,  china  chin£,  kinkina^  c/iinc/iina,  quin- 
quina, holquahuilt,  cortex  fiatrum,  and  cardinalis  de 
Lugo  ;  JESUITS'  BARK.  The  powder  of  this  bark  hath 
been  sold  under  various  names,  as/;u/t;i«  comitiss*,  fia- 
trum et  Jesuitarum  fiuli>.  Sec.  CIXCHOXA  is  its  appella- 
tion in  the  new  London  Dispensatory. 

It  is  the  bark  of  a  tree  which  grows  in  Peru ;  the 
cincona  officina/is  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  244,  the  c.  macrocarfia  of 
the  Supplementum  Plantarum,  and  of  Wildenow,  vol.  i. 
p.  958.  There  are  four  sorts  of  this  bark,  viz.  the  red, 
the  yellow,  the  white,  and  the  curling ;  the  two  first 
are  the  best,  the  curling  is  from  young  trees,  but  of  the 
kinds  we  shall  afterwards  speak  more  particularly.  Its 
virtues  were  probably  discovered  by  the  Indians  about 
the  year  1 500.  A  lake  near  a  town  in  Peru  was  sur- 
rounded by  these  trees,  which  were  torn  up  by  an  earth- 
quake, and  falling  into  the  adjacent  water,  they  render- 
ed it  bitter.  An  Indian,  urged  by  his  thirst  during  a 
fever,  drank  of  this  water,  and  soon  recovered :  others 
were,  by  the  same  means,  also  cured.  On  enquiry,  it 
•>vas  found  that  the  water  owed  its  virtue  to  the  trees, 
and  ultimately  to  the  bark.  A  Spanish  soldier  was 
afterwards  cured  by  it,  and  from  him  it  was  recom- 
mended to  the  wife  of  the  count  de  Cinchon,  then  vice- 
roy of  Peru;  hence  the  name  CIXCHOXA  and  COMITISSA. 
The  countess,  on  her  recovery,  distributed  a  large 
portion  of  this  bark  to  the  Jesuists,  in  whose  hands 
its  reputation  was  increased.  After  this,  father  de 
Lugo,  at  a  great  expense,  brought  a  parcel  of  it  to 
Rome,  and  distributed  it  among  the  religious  and  poor : 
from  him  it  received  the  name  of  CORTEX  CARDIXA- 
LIS  BE  LUGO.  From  Rome  it  was  spread  into  France 
and  England,  and  at  length  became  general.  Such  is 
the  story  gravely  recorded,  and  industriously  repeated ; 


but  there  is  little  difficulty  in  proving  that  all  the  forme  r 
part  is  apocryphal. 

This  bark  is  brought  in  pieces  of  different  ^sizes, 
some  rolled  up  in  short  thick  quills,  and  others  flats  the 
outside  is  brownish,  and  generally  hath  a  whitish  moss 
spread  upon  it ;  the  inside  is  of  a  yellowish,  reddish,  or 
rusty  iron  colour.  The  best  sort  is  bitter,  aromatic, 
resinous,  breaks  close  and  smooth,  is  friable  between 
the  teeth,  pulverises  easily  ;  when  powdered,  is  of  a  cin- 
namon colour,  but  rather  paler;  and  the  surest  test  of 
its  goodness,  in  the  opinion  of  some  authors,  is  a  musty 
smell,  with  so  much  of  the  aromatic  as  not  to  be  dis- 
agreeable. The  inferior  kinds,  when  broken,  appear 
woody  ;  and  in  chewing,  separate  into  fibres.  That 
which  is  called  femsie  bark  is  redder  on  the  inside, 
thicker,  and,  on  the  outside,  more  white  and  smooth, 
weaker  to  the  smell  and  taste  than  the  former,  and  in 
medical  virtue  greatly  inferior.  In  the  choice  of  bark 
we  must  select  that  which  is  solid,  heavy,  and  dry,  not 
mouldy ;  or  whose  taste  is  simply  bitter  and  astringent, 
without  aroma.  That  whose  taste  is  nauseous,  mucila- 
ginous, whose  surface  is  polished,  which  is  tough, 
spongy,  or  powdery,  should  be  rejected. 

The  bark  has  been  subjected  to  all  the  tortures  of  fire, 
to  extort  the  secret  of  those  virtues  which  it  was  sup- 
posed exclusively  to  possess.  We  need  not  add  with 
little  success ;  nor  can  we  follow  all  the  fancies  which 
have,  at  different  times,  been  raised  to  the  rank  of  the- 
ories to  account  for  its  effects.  The  more  rational  and 
less  violent  processes  of  modern  chemists  have  shown, 
that  it  consists  of  a  bitter  extractive  matter,  tanin,  and 
gallic  acid.  With  these  are  combined  mucilage  and 
resin  ;  but  the  two  last  are  apparently  a  portion  of 
extractive,  formed  in  the  analysis:  at  least  we  know 
that  the  extractive  contains  mucilage,  and  that,  by 
long  exposure  to  heat,  almost,  perhaps  the  whole, 
of  the  extractive  may  be  converted  into  resin.  M.  Se- 
guin,  a  chemist  of  some  credit,  has  strangely  supposed 
that  the  bark  owes  its  virtues  to  its  gelatine;  and 
some  practitioners  have  gravely  attempted  to  cure  inter- 
mittents  and  continued  fevers  with  glue.  When  a  phy- 
sician prescribes  a  remedy  under  the  bias  of  a  system, 
he  is  generally  successful.  Dr.  Duncan,  junior,  in  his 
Analysis  of  Bark,  has  shown  that  it  does  not  contain 
gelatine:  yet  its  mucilage  assumes  a  particular  ap- 
pearance, which  has  induced  him  to  give  it  the  name  of 
cinconin  ;  and  it  has  been  suspected  that  the  bark  owes 
its  virtue  to  this  principle. 

The  sensible  qualities  of  the  bark  show  it  to  be  a 
warm  tonic  and  astringent ;  excelled  in  its  warmth  by 
many  aromatics,  and  in  its  astringency  by  the  oak  bark 
and  the  tormentil :  as  a  stimulant,  its  effects  are  very  in- 
considerable. On  dead  animal  matter  it  appears  to  be 
an  antiseptic ;  yet  in  this  quality  it  is  exceeded  by  the 
myrrh  and  some  other  substances.  Authors  have  con- 
sequently found  considerable  difficulties  in  explaining 
the  sources  of  the  benefit  derived  from  its  use.  We 
may  combine  aromatics,  tonics,  and  antiseptics,  in  every 
variety  of  proportion,  without  obtaining  the  advantages 
of  the  union  which  this  natural  combination  offers  ;  yet 
approaching  so  near  to  it,  that,  paradoxical  as  it  may 
seem,  we  could,  perhaps,  better  give  up  this  medicine 
than  many  other  articles  of  the  materia  medica.  As, 
however,  its  excellence  is  generally  allowed,  it  has  been 
3  S2 


COR 


500 


COtt 


styled  u  bpcciiic ;  and,  indeed,  from  its  indiscriminate 
use,  physicians  seem  to  have  adopted  this  opinion. 

The  peculiar  advantages  of  the  bark  are  certainly 
<leri\if  9  from  its  tonic  power.  How  far  this  is  connect- 
ed with  its  astringency  has  not  been  shown ;  yet  we 
have  laid  the  foundation  for  the  enquiry  under  the  arti- 
cle AsTiuNGEXTiA,  q.  v.  ;  and  may  now  add,  that  we 
consider  this  tonic  power  as  connected  with  its  astrin- 
gency, joined  with  a  peculiar  proportion  of  aroma, 
which  affords  a  slight,  and  seldom,  if  ever,  an  injuri- 
ous stimulus.  Whatever  are  the  real  effects  of  bark  may 
be  explained  from  this  view  ;  for  botanical  analogy  does 
not  at  all  assist  us  in  the  enquiry,  since  in  its  natural  or- 
der we  find  simple  astringents  only  of  no  peculiar  virtues. 

If  the  bark  be  given  to  a  healthy  person,  it  produces 
no  striking  change  in  the  pulse,  or  any  of  the  other  na- 
tural functions.  If  continued,  it  is  said  to  make  the 
pulse  fuller  and  slower,  to  increase  the  appetite,  and 
often  to  produce  costiveness.  We  have,  therefore,  little 
assistance,  from  this  source  ;  and  our  best  assistance  is 
derived  from  its  effects  in  diseases. 

The  variety  of  disorders  in  which  the  bark  can  be 
used  to  advantage,  formerly  entitled  it  almost  to  the 
character  of  an  universal  medicine  :  in  many  diseases  it 
is  supposed  to  be  a  sovereign  remedy  ;  but  every  prac- 
titioner, in  proportion  as  his  knowledge  of  its  qualities 
increases,  «finds  he  can  employ  many  other  remedies 
with  at  least  equal  advantage. 

From  the  history  of  the  bark,  it  appears  to  have  been 
introduced  as  a  remedy  for  intermittent  and  remittent 
fevers  of  warm  climates.  When  brought  to  Europe  it 
was  not  less  successful ;  not  that  former  plans  had  failed, 
but  vernal  intermittent  had  been  considered  as  salutary, 
and  autumnal  ones  as  peculiarly  obstinate.  The  fever 
was  supposed  to  be  the  means  of  concocting  the  matter ; 
and,  when  this  was  effected,  it  was  supposed  that  nature 
would  discharge  it.  On  this  principle  the  use  of  the  bark 
was  opposed  by  regular  physicians,  and  it  was  accused 
of  producing  infarctions  of  the  liver,  dropsy,  See. ;  while 
its  supporters  alleged  that  these  were  the  effect  of  the 
disease,  and,  in  reality,  owing  to  its  not  being  checked 
more  early.  Truth,  as  usual,  probably  lay  between  the 
two  extremes.  We  are  confident  that  these  inconve- 
niences have  been  derived  from  the  injudicious  use  of 
the  bark,  though  they  may,  and  often  do,  arise  from  the 
disease  itself,  as  will  appear  in  its  proper  place. 

As  the  bark  seems  to  act  as  atonic  in  consequence  of 
its  astringency,  we  may  suspect  that,  from  this  power, 
it  would  be  occasionally  injurious,  and  it  is  certainly 
found  so.  The  admirers  of  this  remedy  contend  that 
it  cannot  be  an  active  astringent,  since  it  is  useful  in  re- 
lieving glandular  tumours  arising  from  obstruction,  and 
that  it  does  not  stop  the  spitting  in  the  confluent  small 
pox.  Such  assertions,  which  we  find  in  the  former  edi- 
tions of  this  dictionary,  are  owing  to  the  want  of  discri- 
mination, so  frequent  in  its  authors.  When  increased 
evacuations  or  obstructions  arc  owing  to,  or  connected 
with  debility,  the  astringent  power  of  the  bark  corrects 
the  cause,  and  only  by  degrees  lessens  the  effect.  We 
have  already  noticed  even  a  stronger  case,  where  it  is 
useful  in  peripneumonia  notha  arising  from  atonic  gout, 
iind  shall  have  occasion  to  point  out  its  efficacy  in  the 
putrid  pcripr.eumony.  But  when  it  is  contended  that  it 
has  been  given  to  women  successfully  in  the  quantity  of 


a  drachm  every  three  hours,  two  days  jttcr  delivery,  the 
event  is  certainly  misrepresented,  or  the  circumstances 
concealed.  WTe  have  had  occasion  to  witness  verv 
opposite  effects;  and  though  it  may  not  greatly  lessen 
the  usual  flow  of  the  menses  in  some  cases  of  excessive 
critical  evacuations  from  the  uterus,  it  has  been  highly 
injurious  by  checking  them.  The  expectoration,  ex- 
cept where  connected  with  debility,  it  certainly  lessens  ; 
the  discharge  of  bile  it  checks ;  and  frequently  the  per- 
spiration. In  short,  its  use  demands  much  more  mi- 
nute discrimination  than  it  seems  yet  to  have  enjoyed. 

In  INTERMITTENTS  its  power  is  generally  acknow- 
ledged; and  it  is  in  these  a  medicine  of  great  import- 
ance, as  we  can  often,  with  certainty,  prevent  an  ex- 
pected fit.  This  power  is  more  valuable,  as  those  spe- 
cies which  attack  the  head  would  be  fatal  in  the  recur- 
rence of  another  paroxysm.  Yet,  where  we  can  wait 
the  operation  of  laxatives,  it  is  always  safest  to  premise 
them,  for  reasons  which  we  shall  afterwards  explain. 
(See  INTERMITTENTS.)  The  young  practitioner  must 
not,  however,  too  confidently  expect  constant  success. 
We  have  often  found  the  bark  ineffectual  in  curing 
agues,  in  whatever  way  it  has  been  tried;  but  usually 
to  succeed  is  no  comftnon  praise.  In  remittents  the  bark 
is  equally  useful ;  and  in  the  malignant  ones  indispens- 
able, when  the  irritability  of  the  stomach  will  admit  of 
its  exhibition. 

In  every  kind  of  continued  Jever,  except  the  inflamma- 
tory, or  the  inflammatory  stages  of  fever,  the  bark  is 
said  to  be  extremely  useful,  though  this  general  axiom  is 
not  supported  by  our  own  experience.  When  the  bowels 
are  thoroughly  emptied,  it  is  not  injurious  :  when  debi- 
lity or  putridity  comes  on,  it  is  useful.  Yet  in  many  cases 
of  febrile  debility,  wine  and  suitable  aliment  are  at  least 
equally  effectual,  and  the  practitioner  should  be  aware 
that  bark,  by  checking  the  discharges  from  the  liver  and 
other  glands  of  the  intestines,  produces  an  apparent 
debility,  which  purgatives  alone  will  remove.  In  the 
yellow  fever,  it  is  lately  said  by  Dr.  De  la  Fuente,  a 
Spanish  physician,  that  it  is  a  specific,  given  in  large 
doses :  six  or  eight  ounces  of  bark  are  to  be  taken  in 
the  first  forty -eight  hours  of  the  disease. 

In  the  real  PHLEGMASIJE  the  bark  is  seldom  admiss- 
ible. Erythema  and  the  erythemalatous  inflammations 
must  be  excepted,  and  these  ought  to  be  separated 
from  the  others.  Gangrenous  sore  throat,  for  instance, 
has  not  the  slightest  connection  with  quinsy,  but  in  the 
part  affected.  An  exception  of  importance  occurs  in 
those  plegmasis  which  periodically  recur ;  yet  in  these 
the  fever  appears  to  be  the  radical  disease,  and  inflam- 
mation only  a  symptom.  It  is  on  this  foundation  only 
that  bark  has  been  rationally  employed  in  rheumatism 
or  gout.  Dr.  Haygarlh  has  lately  offered  some  evidence 
in  its  favour  in  relieving  the  former  disease.  Yet,  on  a 
careful  comparison  of  his  facts,  we  think  that  at  least 
equally  strong  evidence  might  be  afforded  for  the  suc- 
cess of  more  than  one  other  plan.  His  authority  is, 
however,  sufficient  to  recommend  this  medicine  for 
further  trial ;  but  of  it  we  have  had  little  experience. 

In  gout,  its  latest  advocate  has  been  Dr.  Tavares,  the 
archiater  of  Portugal.  After  purging,  he  advises  it  in 
large  and  frequently  repeated  doses. 

EXANTHEMATA  are  often  relieved  by  this  remedy. 
Erysificlas  in  wanner  regions,  and  in  crowded  cities5 


COR 


501 


COR 


•.Ken  requires  it;  and  though  late  experience  by  no  means 
iinds  it  eminently  useful  in  ll\e/ilague,  as  theory  supposed 
it  must  be,  yet  there  is  little  doubt  of  its  utility  in  this 
disease.  Small  fiojc,  advancing  slowly,  and  the  conflu- 
ent kind  maturating  imperfectly,  are  greatly  benefited 
by  bark  ;  but  the  peripneumohic  tendency  of  measles, 
unless  of  a  putrid  kind,  forbids  its  use.  In  afihtha:,  ex- 
cept when  symptoms  of  putridity  come  on,  this  remedy 
is  not  required ;  and  as  scarlatina  is  often  attended  with 
a  putrid  sore  throat,  bark  is  usually  given.  Of  its  utility 
in  this  disease,  however,  while  the  great  heat  continues, 
we  have  some  doubts  ;  but  this  is  not  the  place  for  their 
discussion.  The  putrid  forms  of  miliaria,  of  which  we 
hear  the  report  only — for  we  do  not  recollect  this  species 
of  the  disease  to  have  been  described  in  any  English 
author — will  certainly  require  bark;  while  the  remit- 
ting forms  of  the  fever  attending  fiemfihigus  and  urti- 
caria seem  equally  to  demand  its  assistance. 

In  H^MORRHAGI*,  bark  has  been  often  given ;  but, 
in  almost  every  instance,  with  disadvantage,  except  in 
the  putrid  dissolution  of  the  blood,  sometimes  attending 
fevers,  though  occasionally  occurring  without  any  evi- 
dent cause.  Even  in  haemorrhages  from  debility,  we 
think  that  greater  benefit  has  been  derived  from  nitre, 
though  the  bark  is  sometimes  necessary. 

The  two  genera  of  PROFLUVIA  occasionally  require 
this  remedy,  viz.  the  cfiidemic  catarrh,  and  some  of  the 
stages  of  dysentery;  but,  in  the  latter,  it  is  very  seldom 
useful.  In  other  discharges  without  fever,  it  is  an  use- 
ful remedy  in  supporting  the  strength,  and  in  meliorat- 
ing the  suppuration  from  abscesses. 

In  the  NEUROSES,  bark  has  been  deservedly  a  favour- 
ite remedy.  In  apoplexy  and  palsy,  while  the  vessels 
are  distended,  this  remedy  is  inadmissible ;  but  when 
the  tension  is  removed,  it  is  of  the  highest  importance. 
In  tremor,  as  we  have  observed,  tonics  are  valuable  re- 
medies, if  no  organic  affection  occasions  the  complaint. 
In  the  adynamie  it  is  chiefly  adapted  to  dyspepsia  and 
chlorosis,  though  injurious  in  hypochondriasis  and  in 
syncope,  a  very  few  cases  excepted,  where  the  disease 
arises  from  excessive  evacuations.  In  the  more  violent 
sftaums  it  is  a  remedy  of  too  slow  operation;  though, 
when  joined  with  valerian,  it  has  been  found  useful  in 
both  epilepsy,  hysteria,  raphania,  and  the  intervals  of 
true  spasmodic  asthma.  In  fiertussis  it  has  been  com- 
mended, but  we  suspect  it  to  be  of  little  real  utility. 
Paljiitatio  generally  attends  debility,  but  it  is  in  that  case 
scarcely  a  disease.  It  most  commonly  arises  from  a 
topical  affection  of  the  heart  and  larger  arteries  imme- 
diately connected  with  that  organ,  or  from  a  source 
generally  unsuspected,  accumulations  in  the  stomach 
and  bowels,  or  plethora ;  and  in  these  cases  bark  is  in- 
admissible. In  dyspnoea,  pyrosis,  colica,  cholera,  hy- 
drophobia, and  diarrhoea,  it  is  usually  injurious.  In 
diabetes,  of  slight  and  doubtful  efficacy.  In  all  the 
sp?.sms,  recurring  at  regular  intervals,  it  is  a  remedy  of 
the  highest  value. 

In  the  VESAXI^E,  some  species  of  amentia  from  debility 
excepted,  it  is  admissible;  and,  indeed,  in  the  marcores 
and  intumescentie,  the  two  first  order  of  CACHF.XI^,  it 
is  scarcely  ever  advantageous;  for,  however  the  diseases 
under  the  former  order  appear  to  be  connected  with  de- 
bility, they  are  either  attended  with  hectic  fever,  or  such 
obstructions  as  are  rendered  more  obstinate  by  this  re- 
medy. In  rachitis  it  is  sometimes  given,  but  seldom 


with  advantage.  Of  the  imfietigines,  the  only  genus  in 
which  it  is  employed,  or  in  which  any  success  has 
attended  its  use,  is  scrofula;  But  on  this  subject  we 
must  afterwards  enlarge.  In  some  cases  of  syphilis, 
where  the  bubos  do  not  advance,  or  where  the  discharge 
from  them  is  thin  and  acrid,  the  bark  has  been  highly 
commended. 

In  the  class  LOCALES,  the  order  of  a/iocenoses,  "  ex- 
cessive evacuations,"  contain  the  only  group  of  diseases 
in  which  the  bark  is  useful;  but  in  these  we  find  that 
plethora  or  irritation  often  occasions  the  discharges, 
and  the  only  effectual  remedies  are  of  a  different  kind. 
In  these,  and  in  the  diseases  of  some  other  orders,  where 
debility  is  the  cause,  the  bark  may  be  employed;  and, 
indeed,  it  is  constantly  used,  though  not  always  with 
success. 

As  an  antiseptic  the  bark  has  been  highly  commend- 
ed; and  in  gangrenes,  as  well  as  in  every  case  where 
the  fluids  are  putrescent,  it  has  been  chiefly  depended 
on.  It,  indeed,  sometimes  fails  in  the  former  case, 
where  great  irritation  is  the  cause,  or  an  attendant 
symptom ;  but,  in  general,  it  is  highly  useful,  though 
modern  surgeons  depend  less  on  it  than  their  predeces- 
sors. In  these  instances  it  acts,  however,  as  a  tonic 
only.  As  such,  it  promotes  the  suppuration  of  the 
mortified  part,  and  when  it  appears  to  meliorate  -in  a 
slight  degree  the  discharge,  its  chief  efficacy  is  by  ac- 
celerating the  separation. 

The  bark  is  generally  injurious  in  fevers  of  the  in- 
flammatory kind  and  in  topical  inflammations;  yet,  in 
some  cases  of  abscess,  where  the  suppuration  proceeds 
slowly,  or  the  discharge  is  thin  and  glairy,  it  has  been 
of  use.  In  all  cases  of  dyspnoea,  whether  from  inflam- 
mation or  any  other  cause,  except  in  the  kind  for- 
merly mentioned,  it  is  hurtful.  In  infarctions  of  the 
viscera,  in  critical  discharges,  unless  insufficient  from 
weakness,  it  is  generally  injurious.  In  many  cases  of 
different  kinds,  or  rather,  perhaps,  in  many  constitu- 
tions, it  produces  a  stricture  on  the  surface  from  the 
suppression  of  the  perspiration.  It  sometimes  purges ; 
at  others,  lies  like  a  cold  weight  at  the  stomach.  In 
such  cases  some  corrective  should  be  employed.  When 
it  produces  a  stricture,  which  most  frequently  happens 
in  fever,  camphor,  or  the  James'  powder,  will  often  ob- 
viate the  inconvenience.  The  cathartic  tendency  is  cor- 
rected by  an  opiate,  and  the  cold  heavy  load  by  an 
aromatic.  In  every  instance  previous  to  the  use  of  the 
bark,  the  stomach  and  bowels  should  be  freely  evacuated. 

When  the  bark  produces  vomiting,  the  carbonic  acid 
gas,  or  an  opiate,  will  correct  this  tendency;  and 
when  it  occasions  costiveness,  rhubarb  may  be  added. 
Numerous  other  medicines  are  occasionally  combined 
with  bark,  either  to  add  to  its  virtues  or  to  correct  its 
supposed  disadvantages.  In  fevers  it  has  been  usual  to 
add  emetic  tartar  or  crude  sal  ammoniac ;  in  stomach 
complaints,  sulphuric  acid,  kali,  lime  water,  or  chaly- 
beate preparations ;  in  excessive  discharges,  sulphuric 
acid  or  alum.  In  each  case  some  decomposition  ap- 
pears to  take  place,  and  we  can  place  no  confidence  on 
the  appropriate  effects  of  the  medicine.  It  is  highly 
probable  that  some  change  occurs  on  the  union  of  bark 
with  emetic  tartar,  since  the  latter  loses  in  a  great  de- 
gree its  emetic  power.  The  powder  of  Dr.  James 
preserves  in  the  combination  its  powers  unimpaired. 

In  the  Species  Plantarum,  published  by  Wildenow, 


C  O  K 


502 


COR 


there  arc  nine  species  of  cincona,  two  of  which  only 
occur  in  Linnseus's  own  edition.  These  have  been 
found  in  Peru,  or  in  the*  American  islands  of  St.  Lucia, 
St.  Domingo,  8cc.  They  agree  in  general,  with  the  bark, 
in  astringent  and  tonic  powers;  but  possess  qualities  of- 
fensive to  the  stomach  and  bowels,  which  are  lessened 
apparently,  and  would  be,  probably,  ultimately  lost  by 
keeping.  See  Lambert  on  the  genus  cinchona ;  Vahl, 
Copenhagen  Transactions,  vol.  i.  ii.  and  iii. ;  Davidson, 
Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  Ixxiv. 

Various  are  the  preparations  of  the  bark ;  but  when 
the  stomach  will  bear  it,  the  powder,  if  very  fine,  is  the 
most  agreeable  and  the  most  useful.  If  the  powder 
cannot  be  taken,  the  infusion  has  been  preferred ;  but 
where  the  active  power  of  the  bark  is  necessary,  the 
infusion  is  a  very  weak  inadequate  preparation. 

INFUSION  or  THE  BARK.  To  one  ounce  of  bark  in 
fine  powder,  add  twelve  ounces  of  soft  water  by  a  little 
at  a  time,  continuing  to  triturate  it  for  about  ten  minutes 
in  a  marble  mortar;  then  let  them  stand  together, 
without  subjecting  them  to  any  heat,  for  twelve  hours, 
and  strain.  If  the  water  is  poured  on  hot,  the  time 
necessary  for  the  infusion  may  be  less;  and,  indeed, 
with  cold  water,  many  pharmaceutists,  after  trituration, 
allow  only  of  the  infusion  for  an  hour  or  two.  The 
elegance  and  strength  of  the  infusion  are  increased  by 
the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  French  brandy 
during  the  triturc.  In  this  preparation,  the  component 
parts  of  the  bark  are  not  separated.  It  is  a  solution 
with  little  change,  In  weak  stomachs  it  is  preferable, 
but  its  powers  are  inconsiderable. 

In  boiling,  the  bark  is  partly  decomposed.  The  ex- 
tractive matter,  by  the  addition  of  oxygen,  becomes  a 
resin,  dissolved  while  the  water  boils,  but  separating  on 
cooling. 

In  decoction,  the  London  college  orders,  for  this  rea- 
son, the  bark  to  be  boiled  for  a  very  short  time  in  a  co- 
vered vessel.  An  ounce  is  ordered  to  be  boiled  in  a 
pint  and  quarter  of  pure  water  for  ten  minutes  only. 

Next  to  the  infusion  and  decoction,  an  infusion  in 
Rhenish  wine  may  be  preferred ;  and  the  tincture  drawn 
with  good  French  brandy  follows.  In  SCROFULA,  the 
shell  lime  water  is  said  to  be  a  good  menstruum  for  the 
bark;  and  in  cases  where  relaxation  simply  demands 
the  use  of  the  bark,  the  lime  water  made  with  stone 
lime  should  be  preferred. 

The  addition  of  magnesia  to  the  bark  during  the  tri- 
turation, previous  to  the  infusion,  renders  the  colour 
much  deeper,  and  is  supposed  to  add  to  the  strength  of 
the  preparation.  A  decomposition  seems,  in  this  in- 
stance, to  take  place  ;  and  it  is,  we  think,  still  doubtful 
whether  this  infusion  is  really  preferable  as  a  medicine. 

The  unpleasant  taste  of  the  bark  is  covered  by  liquo- 
rice, orange  peel,  or  a  small  quantity  of  winter's  bark. 
In  the  following  electuary,  mucilage  is  thought  useful 
in  concealing  the  taste,  and  it  is  considered  as  an  excel- 
lent medicine  in  scrofulous  cases,  equal  to  burnt  sponge. 
R.  sodae  pp.  5  i)-  pulveris  cort.  Peruv.  |  i.  mucilaginis 
gum.  Arab.  q.  s.  m.  The  dose  J  ij.  two  or  three  times 
a  day. 

The  college  of  London  directs  the  following  extracts 
from  the  bark. 

EXTRACT  OF  PERUVIAN  BARK.  Take  of  Peruvian 
bark,  coarsely  powdered,  one  pound;  distilled  water, 
twelve  pints;  boil  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  pour  off  the 


liquor,  which,  while  hot,  will  be  red  and  pellucid,  but 
as  soon  as  it  grows  cold  it  becomes  yellow  and  turbid ; 
boil  the  bark  again  in  the  same  quantity  of  water  as 
before,  repeating  the  operation  till  the  liquor  remains 
transparent  when  cold :  then  evaporate  all  the  decoc- 
tions, strained  and  mixed  together,  to  a  proper  con- 
sistence. Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

This  extract  is  to  be  prepared  under  a  double  form ; 
one  of  the  consistence  of  a  pill,  the  other  hard  enough 
to  be  reduced  to  powder. 

It  is  not  so  active  in  its  powers  as  is  imagined, 
and  it  is  difficult  to  prepare  it  without  some  degree  of 
cmpyreuma;  nor  does  the  advantage  of  its  form  com- 
pensate for  the  expense  and  trouble.  Ten  grains  of  the 
hard  extract  are  computed  to  be  equal  to  half  a  drachm 
of  the  bark  in  powder,  but  it  is  scarcely  superior  to  an 
equal  weight  of  the  powder. 

EXTRACT  OF  PERUVIAN  BARK  WITH  RESIN. — Take 
of  Peruvian  bark,  coarsely  powdered,  one  pound ;  rec- 
tified spirits  of  wine,  four  pints;  digest  for  four  days, 
and  then  poiir  off  the  tincture;  boil  the  residuum  in 
ten  pints  of  distilled  water  to  two;  then  strain  the  tinc- 
ture and  decoction  separately,  evaporating  the  water 
from  the  decoction,  and  distilling  the  spirit  from  the 
tincture,  until  each  begins  to'be  thickened  ;  lastly,  mix 
the  resinous  with  the  aqueous  extract,  and  make  the 
mass  fit  for  forming  into  pills.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 
This  extract  is  greatly  inferior  to  the  former,  and  seldom 
employed. 

The  extracts  are  in  general  carelessly  and  imperfectly 
prepared,  and  among  the  venial  faults  we  may  mention, 
that,  when  the  evaporated  decoctions  have  attained  the 
consistence  of  honey,  they  are  brought  to  that  of  an 
extract  by  adding  the  powder  of  bark.  The  operator 
thus  avoids  the  most  troublesome  part  of  his  labour,  the 
cautious  regulation  of  the  fire,  and  the  constant  stirring 
when  it  approaches  the  form  of  an  extract. 

We  have  lately  received,  it  is  said,  from  South  Ame- 
rica, a  very  elegant  preparation,  supposed  to  be  an  in- 
spissation  of  the  decoctions  by  exposure  to  the  sun  in  its 
native  climate.  It  is  by  far  the  most  efficacious  of  the 
extracts ;  but  we  suspect  that  it  is  often,  at  least,  the 
common  extract  prepared  with  peculiar  care.  Some 
years  since  a  preparation  was  sold  under  the  title  of  the 
essential  salt  of  bark.  It  was  an  extract  full  of  flaky 
salts,  tasting  strongly  of  bark;  but  as  it  is  no  longer 
known,  we  may  suppose  that  its  efficacy  was  not  con- 
siderable. 

TINCTURE  OF  PERUVIAN  BARK.  Take  of  the  Peru- 
vian bark,  four  ounces ;  of  proof  spirit  of  wine,  a 
quart ;  digest  with  a  gentle  heat  for  eight  days,  and 
strain.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

This  is  an  agreeable  preparation,  but  it  is  too  heating 
if  a  large  dose  is  given.  It  would  be  better  to  add 
twice  the  quantity  of  bark  to  this  proportion  of  spirit,  if 
the  menstruum  would  dissolve  it,  which  we  believe 
would  not  be  the  case. 

COMPOUND  TINCTURE  OF  BARK.  Take  of  Peruvian 
bark  in  powder,  two  ounces  ;  exterior  peel  of  Seville 
oranges,  one  ounce  and  a  half;  Virginia  snake  root 
bruised,  three  drachms;  saffron,  one  drachm;  cochineal 
powdered,  two  scruples;  proof  spirit  of  wine,  twenty 
ounces;  digest  for  fourteen  days,  and  strain.  This  was 
the  tinctura  corticis  Huxhami,  and  is  certainly  a  good 
cordial ;  but  it  derives  little  additional  virtue  from  the 


COR 


503 


C  O  K 


saffron  or  cochineal.  The  snake  root  and  orange  peel 
warm,  slightly,  a  preparation  sufficiently  heating  before. 

Tinctura  ammoniata  cinchone. — AMMOXIATED  TINC- 
TURE or  BARK.  Take  of  Peruvian  bark  in  powder, 
by  weight,  four  ounces ;  compound  spirit  of  ammonia, 
two  pounds ;  digest  them  in  a  close  vessel  for  ten 
days,  and  filter  it.  Pharm.  Lond.  1"88.  This  is  a 
very  weak  preparation  of  the  bark,  and  seldom  em- 
ployed. See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Neumann's 
Chem.  Works.  Percival's  Essays.  Cullen's  Materia 
Medica. 

CO'RTEX  PERUVIANUS  RUBER.  The  red  Peruvian 
bark  is  in  much  larger  and  thicker  pieces  than  the 
common  bark.  It  evidently  consists  of  three  differ- 
ent layers.  The  external  is  thin,  rugged,  and  frequent- 
ly covered  with  a  mossy  substance,  and  of  a  reddish 
brown  colour ;  the  middle  is  thicker,  more  compact, 
and  of  a  darker  colour ;  in  this  appears  chiefly  to  re- 
side its  resinous  portion,  since  it  is  extremely  brittle, 
and  evidently  contains  a  larger  quantity  of  inflammable 
matter  than  the  similar  part  of  any  other  kind  of  bark. 
The  innermost  hath  a  more  woody  and  fibrous  appear- 
ance, of  a  brighter  red  than  the  former.  The  entire 
piece  breaks  in  that  brittle  manner  described  by  writers 
on  the  materia  medica,  as  a  proof  of  the  superior  ex- 
cellence of  the  bark.  In  reducing  it  to  powder,  the 
middle  layer,  which  seems  to  contain  the  greatest  pro- 
portion of  resin,  will  not  give  way  to  the  pestle  so  easily 
as  the  other  layers :  and  this  should  be  particularly  at- 
tended to  when  it  is  used  in  fine  powder.  In  flavour, 
chiefly  discoverable  either  in  powder  or  solution,  it  is 
evidently  more  aromatic,  and  has  a  greater  degree  of 
bitterness  than  the  common  bark. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  this  is  the  bark  of  older  trees 
than  that  which  is  called  quill  bark,  or  from  their 
trunks  and  larger  branches ;  and  more  particular  care 
is  probably  taken  in  collecting  and  drying  it. 

The  taste  and  flavour  of  the  red  bark  are  more  diffi- 
cultly evolved,  and  are,  therefore,  at  first  not  so  obvious, 
from  the  closeness  of  its  texture,  and  from  the  resinous 
coat  being  so  well  defended  and  inclosed  between  the 
other  layers.  It  is  evidently  heavier  than  any  other 
kind  of  bark,  and  i;,  so  much  warmer  that  it  would  seem 
to  answer  all  the  purposes  derived  from  the  union  of 
aromatics  or  serpentaria,  recommended  in  the  obstinate 
quartan  intermittents  of  elderly  people. 

By  the  testimony  of  many  practitioners,  it  appears 
that  intermitting  fevers  are  more  speedily  and  effectu- 
ally cured,  either  by  infusion,  decoction,  or  powder  of 
the  red  bark,  than  by  those  of  the  common  bark ;  and 
this  also  by  smaller  doses  of  the  former  than  of  the 
latter.  Dr.  Saunders  observes,  that  liom  the  numerous 
trials  he  has  made  with  it  in  intermitting  fevers  and 
other  diseases,  he  is  disposed  to  conclude  that  it  need 
be  employed  only  in  half  the  quantity  we  generally  re- 
commend of  the  other  bark.  We  must  add  with  regret, 
that  we  seldom  meet  with  bark  of  this  superior  quality 
at  present.  Our  red  bark  is  often  only  the  coarser 
pieces  artificially  stained. 

The  infusion,  decoction,  and  tincture,  made  with  red 
bark,  are  considerably  stronger  than  those  from  the 
same  quantity  of  common  bark  ;  and  it  is  said  to  have 
afforded  :nore  ihan  twice  the  quantity  of  extract  than 
is  obtained  from  the  same  portion  of  common  bark. 

Dr.  Saunders  relates  the  following  experiment,  in 


his  observations  on  the  superior  efficacy  of  the  red  Pe- 
ruvian bark.  A  decoction  of  both  red  and  common 
Peruvian  bark  was  prepared  by  taking  an  ounce  of  each, 
and  boiling  them  in  a  pint  and  a  half  of  water,  to  one 
pint;  the  former  had  greatly  the  superiority  in  strength 
and  power.  A  pint  of  fresh  water  was  added  to  each 
decoction  ;  the  boiling  still  continued  till  that  quantity 
was  evaporated.  The  decoction  of  the  common  Peru- 
vian bark  seemed  gradually  to  lose  its  sensible  qualities, 
while  that  of  the  red  bark  still  retained  its  own.  The 
same  quantity  of  water  was  added  as  before  to  each, 
and  the  decoction  repeated  until  a  gallon  of  water  v.-as 
exhausted ;  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  the  com- 
mon Peruvian  bark  was  rendered  almost  tasteless,  the 
red  bark  still  retaining  nearly  its  former  sensible  quali- 
ties. 

In  an  infusion  of  the  red  bark,  the  spirit  of  vitriol  lost 
its  acidity  more  perfectly  than  in  an  infusion  of  the 
bark  before  in  use.  A  decoction  of  the  red  bark  keeps 
perfectly  good  during  more  than  a  month  in  the  sum- 
mer season,  whilst  that  of  the  common  bark  is  sensibly- 
changed  in  a  few  days.  In  the  decoction  of  the  red 
bark,  the  powder,  which  is  separated  during  cooling, 
remains  intimately  diffused  through  the  liquor,  so  that 
it  continues  loaded  and  turbid  whilst  at  rest :  in  the  de- 
coction of  the  common  bark  it  separates,  and  easily  sub- 
sides to  the  bottom. 

CO'RTEX  FLA'VUS.     See  FLAVUS  CORTEX. 

CO'RTEX  POEGEREB^  is  a  bark  whose  country  is  un- 
known. It  is  styptic  and  bitterish ;  said  to  be  useful 
as  an  astringent  in  old  diarrhoeas,  and  occasionally  in 
dysentery. 

CO'RTEX  WIXTERA'XUS  SPU'RIUS.  See  CAVELLA 
ALBA. 

CORTICA'LIS  SUBSTA  NTIA,  (from  cortex,  the 
bark).  The  CORTICAL  SUBSTANCE  OF  THE  BRAIN.  See 
CEREBRUM. 

CORTICA'TUS,  (from  cortex,  bark).  In  botany  it 
means  in  a  skin  or  rind. 

CORTU'SA.     See  SAMCULA  MAS. 

CO'RU  CANA'RICA,  JLusitanis  Malabarica  herba. 
It  is  a  dwarf  tree,  with  yellow  flowers,  and  leaves  re- 
sembling those  of  the  peach  tree.  The  bark  of  the  tree, 
if  wounded,  distils  a  copious  milky  juice,  which  is  much 
used  in  Malabar  against  alvine  fluxes.  Its  genus  is  un- 
known. Raii  Hist. 

CORYCOMA'CHIA,  and  CO'RYCUS,  (from  *»fv. 
*»«,  a  ball,  and  p-*'/*.^  contention).  A  small  ball  made 
of  leather,  and  stuffed  with  bran,  or  sand,  or  other  mate- 
rials :  it  was  suspended  by  a  string  about  the  height  of 
the  navel  of  the  person  who  used  it.  When  people 
were  too  fat,  they  took  it  in  both  hands  and  pushed  it 
from  them,  and  receding  as  it  returned,  they  received 
it  into  their  hands,  and  so  continued  the  exercise.  See 
SPH.ERISTICA. 

CORYDALES,  (from  w^«,  a  helmet  or  hat).  A 
natural  order  of  plants  resembling  a  hat  or  helmet. 

CORYLUS.     (Greek).     See  AVELLAXA. 

CORY'MBAS,  or  CORY'MBE,  (from  **f»,  the 
head).  The  IVY  TREE.  So  called  because  it  grows 
into  a  large  head  on  the  top.  See  HEDERA  ARBOREA. 

CORY'MBUS,  (from  corymbe,  the  ivy).  A  cluster 
of  flowers  or  fruit  standing  on  pedicles,  which  are  so 
disposed  as  to  form  a  sphere.  In  its  proper  accepta- 
tion it  is  a  cluster  of  ivy  berries.  Linnaeus  distinguishes 


COS 


504 


COT 


by  this  name  a  species  of  inflorescence,  in  which  the 
flowers  grow  in  clusters,  each  upon  a  separate  peduncle 
as  on  the  siliquose  plants  in  general. 

CORY'PHE.  K.ofi><f>y.  The  vertex  or  top  of  any 
thing.  See  VERTEX. 

CORY'ZA,  (from  *«/!<*,  the  head,  and  £sa,  to  boil ; 
because  it  is  attended  with  an  inflammatory  defluxion 
from  the  nose).  Sec  GRAVEDO  and  CATARRHUS. 

COSCU'LIA.  The  grains  of  kermes.  See  CHERMES. 

COSMETICA.  Medicines  which  take  off  pimples 
or  other  irregularities  of  the  skin.  They  are  usually 
saturnine  or  other  metallic  preparations,  and  ofien  highly 
injurious.  The  celebrated  wash  of  Gowland  is  a  weak 
solution  of  corrosive  sublimate.  Antimonials  taken  in- 
ternally are  safe  and  useful. 

COSMETO'RGES.  A  word,  invented  by  Dolaeus, 
to  express  the  sensitive  soul. 

COSMIA'NA  ANTIDOTUS.  The  name  of  an 
antidote  in  Marcellus  Empiricus. 

CO'SMOS.  Rythmus,  a  regular  series.  In  Hippo- 
crates it  is  the  order  and  series  of  critical  days. 

CO'SSI,  (from  xi«,  a  worm).  Tubercles  in  the  face, 
like  the  head  of  a  worm.  See  VARUS. 

CO'SSUM.  A  malignant  ulcer  of  the  nose,  men- 
tioned by  Paracelsus. 

CO'STA  PULMO'NARIA,and  CO'STA  HE'RBA 
PANO'NICA.  See  HIERACIUM  ALPINUM. 

CO'ST-iE,  (from  cuvtodiendo;  because  they  surround 
and  keep  in  the  lungs).  The  RIBS.  The  costae,  in 
anatomy,  are  generally  twelve  on  each  side,  sometimes 
eleven,  at  others  thirteen  :  their  extremities  next  the 
vertebras  are  rounder  and  stronger  than  those  which 
join  the  sternum  ;  the  upper  edges  are  more  round  than 
the  lower,  which  are  depressed  internally  for  lodging  the 
intercostal  vessels  and  nerves ;  this  channel  is  not  ob- 
servable at  either  extremity,  which  directs  us  to  per- 
form the  operation  for  the  empyema  rather  at  the  sides 
of  the  thorax  than  near  the  sternum  or  spine. 

The  ribs  are  articulated  at  each  extremity,  of  which 
the  posterior  is  doubly  joined  to  the  vertebrae  ;  for  the 
head  is  received  into  the  cavities  of  the  two  bodies  of  the 
vertebrae  by  ginglymi,  and  the  larger  tubercle  is  articu- 
lated to  the  transverse  process  of  the  inferior  vertebrae 
by  arthrodia;  they  are  thus  guarded  against  luxations. 

They  are  divided  into  true,  called  i>er<e,  and  false, 
called sfiurie,  illegitlme,  mendos<£.,noth<e.  The  true  are 
the  seven  superior,  whose  cartilages  are  joined  to  the 
sternum ;  these  ribs  include  the  heart  and  lungs.  The 
false  are  five  inferior,  whose  cartilages  are  not  joined 
to  the,  sternum;  unto  all  these  the  diaphragm  is  con- 
nected, and  within  them  the  stomach,  liver,  Sec.  are  con- 
tained. 

The  cartilages  of  the  false  ribs  are  only  connected  to 
one  another  by  the  membrane  which  covers  them  ;  the 
two  last  are  joined  to  the  vertebrae  by  a  round  head,  and 
their  cartilaginous  extremities  are  lost  in  the  interstices 
of  the  muscles,  so  that  they  are  more  moveablc  than  the 
other  ribs. 

The  upper  rib,  contrary  to  the  rest,  is  flat  upwards 
and  downwards,  that  it  may  not  incommode  the  lungs, 
and  leave  room  for  the  subclavian  vessels  and  muscle. 
.  The  anterior  extremity  of  each  rib  is  lower  than  the 
posterior ;  therefore,  when  elevated,  the  cavity  of  the 
thorax  will  be  increased  in  its  diameter  backwards  and 


forwards,  and  the  middle  part  of  the  superior  ridge  11 
lower  than  the  posterior  part;  thus,  when  elevated,  the 
diameter  of  the  thorax  will  be  laterally  increased. 

The  ribs  are  but  little  used  in  sleep,  respiration  being 
then  chiefly  carried  on  by  the  diaphragm. 

CO'STA,  in  botany.  The  fibres  of  the  leaves,  or  the 
long  strings  which  run  either  across  or  lengthways 
through  them,  are  called  their  ribs. 

COSTA'LES   NE'RVI,  (from  costa,  a  rib).     See 

DORSALES. 

COSTO-HYOID^E'US,  (from  costa,  a  rib,  and  hy- 
oidceus,  belonging-  to  the  hyoidal  bone).  A  muscle  so 
named  from  its  origin  and  insertion.  See  CORACO- 

HYOIDjEUS. 

CO'STUS,  costus  arabicus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  2,  (from  the 
Arabic  term  kasta).  Also  called  costus  Indicus,  ama- 
rus  dulcis  Orientals,  tsianakua.  SWEET  AND  BITTKK 
COSTUS. 

It  is  a  root  brought  from  the  East  Indies;  about, 
the  size  of  a  finger,  of  a  pale  greyish  colour  outwardly, 
and  yellow  within.  In  Arabia  a  bitter  and  a  sweet 
sort  were  formerly  distinguished ;  and  in  commerce 
three  kinds  are  occasionally  found,  derived  either  from 
the  amomum,  the  costus,  or  the  alpinia  of  Linnxus. 

The  root  of  costus  is  recommended  as  stomachic, 
diaphoretic,  and  diuretic  ;  it  impregnates  the  urine  with 
a  violet  smell.  On  evaporating  a  decoction  of  this 
root,  almost  all  its  smell  is  dissipated  ;  but  a  bitter  ex- 
tract is  obtained  nearly  equalling  two  thirds  of  the  root. 
The  spirituous  extract  is  but  small  in  quantity.  Raii 
Hist.  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  See  ZEDOAKIA. 

CO'STUS  CORTICO'SUS.     See  CANELLA  ALBA. 

Co'STUS  HORTO'llUM   MIXOIt.        See  AGERATUM. 

CO'STUS  NI'GUA.     See  CINARA. 

CO'STYLE.     The   socket  of  the  hip    bone.     See 

ACETABULUM. 

COTARO'NIUM.  A  word  coined  by  Paracelsus, 
implying  a  liquor  into  which  all  bodies,  and  even  their 
elements,  may  be  dissolved. 

CO'TINUS.  (Greek).  The  olive  of  the  Greeks  ; 
the  red  sumach  of  the  moderns. 

CO'TIS,  (from  x.«r7)),  the  head).  The  back  part  of 
the  head  ;  sometimes  the  hollow  of  the  neck. 

COTONA'STER.     See  SORBUS. 

COTO'NEA.     See  CYDONIA. 

COTO'NIUM.     See  BOMBAX. 

CO'TTI  VI'NI.  A  name  of  some  Italian  wines 
rendered  luscious  by  boiling  the  must  of  the  poorer 
sorts. 

CO'TULA.  (See  COTYLE  and  CYATHUS).  A  twelve 
ounce  measure;  and  sometimes  the  appellation  of  bugs. 
See  CIMEX. 

CO'TULA  FLO'RE  LU'TEO  UADI'ATO.     Sec  BUI'HTHAL- 

MUM. 

CO'TULA  FCETIDA,  (from  cos,  a  whetstone).  A  kind 
of  camomile,  with  leaves  like  a  whetstone.  See  CHA- 

MjEMELUM   FCETIDUM. 

CO'TYLA,  (from  Kolv^r.,  a  cavity}.  Sec  COTYLE. 
It  is  any  deep  cavity  in  a  bone,  in  which  any  other  bone 
is  articulated  ;  but  generally  used  to  express  the  cavity 
which  receives  the  head  of  the  thigh  bone.  It  also  sig- 
nifies a  deep  sinus  surrounded  with  large  lips,  or  any 
cavity  like  the  glene,  but  deeper. 

COTYLE,  CO'TYLA,  or  CO'TULA,  (from  the 


COTJ 


505 


same).  Among  the  ancients  it  was  a  drinking  cup,  or 
any  thing  which  had  a  cavity,  as  the  hollow  of  the 
hand.  Among  the  Greeks  it  was  a  measure,  and  is 
nearly  the  same  as  the  hemina  of  the  Romans,  which 
held  nine  or  ten  ounces.  See  CYATHCS. 

COTYLEDO'NES,  (from  the  same).  COTYLEDONS; 
acetabula  ;  certain  glandular  bodies  adhering  to  the  cho- 
rion  of  some  animals :  but  no  such  substances  are  ob- 
served in  the  human  chorion. 

COTYLE'DON,  (from  «7t*A»,  cavity).  The  lateral 
bibulous,  perishable  lobe,  or  placenta  of  the  seed,  des- 
tined only  to  nourish  the  heart.  The  greater  part  of 
seeds  have  two  lobes  ;  some  have  more ;  some  only  one, 
and  others  none  :  hence  a  distinction  of  all  plants  into 
acotyledones,  monocotyledones,  dicotyledones,fiolycoty- 
ledones.  (See  BOTANY.)  Some  herbs,  also,  whose  leaves 
are  concave,  and  shaped  like  the  cavity  of  the  hip  joint, 
bear  this  name. 

COTYLE'DOX,  (from  xtlv^,  a  cavity.)  Cotyledon  um- 
bilicus -veneris  Lin.  Sp.  PL  615.  Acetabulum,  cotyle- 
don major,  KIDNEY  WORT,  NAVEL  WORT,  and  WALL  PEN- 
NY WORT. 

Its  whole  appearance  resembles  house  leek;  the  root 
thick,  knotted,  with  many  small  fibres  springing  from  it. 
It  grows  on  old  stone  walls,  and  flowers  in  May.  The 
leaves  are  slightly  cooling,  astringent,  and  diuretic ;  but 
are  seldom  used. 

COTYLE'DON  MARIKUM.     See  ANDROSACE. 

COTYLE'DUM,  A'LTERUM.     See  CRASSULA. 

CO'UM.     See  COLCHICUM. 

COUP  DE  SO'LEIL.     See  ICTUS  SOLARIS. 

COU'RADI.     See  PAIANELI. 

COU'RAP.  (Indian.)  The  modern  name  for  a  dis- 
temper very  common  in  Java  and  other  parts  of  the 
East  Indies.  It  is  a  herpes  on  the  axillae,  groins,  breast, 
and  face  ;  the  itching  is  almost  perpetual,  and  the 
scratching  is  followed  by  great  pain,  with  a  discharge 
of  matter,  which  fixes  the  linen  firmly  to  the  skin. 
Courap  is  a  general  name  for  any  sort  of  itch ;  but 
this  distemper  is  thus  called  by  way  of  eminence.  It  is 
so  contagious  that  few  escape  it.  For  the  cure  gentle 
and  repeated  purging,  and  externally  the  sublimate  in 
a  small  quantity,  are  employed.  See  Bontius  de  Medi- 
cina  Indorum. 

COU'RBARIL.  The  American  name  of  the  tree 
which  produces  the  gum  anime.  Called  also  locusta  ; 
animifera  arbor  Brasiliana  ;  Brasiliensis  arbor  siliquo- 
sa;  cancamum  Grecorum  ;  ceratia  difihyllos  ;  ictaiba  ; 
COURBARIL.  Hymen  tea  coubaril  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  537.  It 
grows  in  many  parts  of  the  West  Indies,  particularly  in 
the  Brasils.  See  ANIME. 

COURO'NDI.  It  is  a  tall  evergreen,  which  grows 
in  the  East  Indies;  the  juice  of  its  leaves  and  the  ker- 
nels of  its  fruit  are  astringent,  and  used  with  whey  to 
cure  diarrhoeas  and  dysenteries.  Rheed's  Malabar,  4 
tab.  50.  Rail  Hist. 

COU'ROS.  So  Hippocrates  called  the  child  in  the 
womb  when  perfected  there.  See  CONCEPTIO. 

COUROY-MOE'LLI.  A  shrub  growing  in  sandy 
places  in  the  East  Indies  :  the  bark  and  root  boiled  in 
milk  are  esteemed  an  antidote  against  the  poison  of  ser- 
pents. It  has  not  yet  found  a  place  in  botanical  systems. 
Raii  Hist. 

COU'SCQUS.  The  African  name  of  a  paste  made 
of  the  flour  of  millet,  with  some  flesh;  and,  when  eaten, 

VOL.    I. 


a  small  quantity  of  lalo  is  also  put.  It  is  much  used  as 
food  about  the  river  Senegal. 

COU'TON.  A  tree  which  grows  in  Candia,  resem- 
bling the  walnut  tree  ;  arbor  innifera  couton  juglandi 
similis  of  Bauhine.  When  this  tree  is  wounded,  an 
agreeable  liquor  flows  out,  which  resembles  Orleans 
wine.  Its  genus  is  unknown. 

CO'VALAM ;  called  also  cucurbitifera  trifolia,  Sec. 
belt,  seu  serifole  Bengalensium,  cafiotes,  cydonia  exotica. 
Crat<eva  marmelos  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  637. 

It  is  a  tall  tree,  growing  in  Malabar,  and  in  the  island 
of  Ceylon  :  its  fruit  is  shaped  like  an  apple  ;  the  outer 
rind  is  thin  and  green ;  under  it  is  a  woody  one,  inclos- 
ing a  viscid  yellowish  moist  substance,  of  a  sweetish 
acid  taste,  in  which  are  long,  flat,  white  seeds  ;  it  is  tur- 
gid, with  a  gummy  pellucid  juice.  This  fruit  is  astrin- 
gent whilst  unripe  ;  but  when  ripe,  of  a  delicious  taste. 
The  bark  of  the  tree  strengthens  the  stomach,  and  re- 
lieves hypochondriac  languors.  Raii  Hist.  A  species 
of  sterculia,  called  tongchu,  greatly  resembles  this  plant, 
of  which  M.  Correa  has  formed  a  new  genus.  Linnaean 
Transactions,  vol.  v. 

COU'VRE  CHEF,  LE  GRAND.  COU'VRE  CHEF,  EN 
TRIA'NGLE.  See  RIC.S,  DELIGATIO,  5,  7. 

COWPE'RI  GLANDU'L^E.  COWPER'S  GLANDS, 
from  the  discoverer.  They  are  small,  hemispherical, 
and  compound.  One  of  them  is  situated  on  each  side 
of  the  urethra,  without  the  corpus  spongiosum  and 
acceleratores  muscles,  between  the  bulb  and  prostate. 
Each  has  an  excretory  duct,  through  which  a  mucus  is 
evacuated  upon  the  internal  surface  of  the  urethra  for 
its  defence.  Whether  there  be  other  glands  belonging 
to  this  part,  as  some  authors  assert,  is  uncertain.  In 
women  we  observe,  before  the  hymen,  an  orifice  on  each 
side,  from  Cowper's  glands,  which  lie  upon  each  side 
of  the  perinaeum,  and  serve  the  same  purpose  as  in  the 
male.  They  are  called  also  muscosce  glandules,  and 
glandule  vascularea. 

CO'XA.     See  FEMUR. 

CO'X^E  DOLO'RES.     Sec  ISCHIADICUS  MORBUS. 

Co'xje.  O'SSA.     See  Os  INNOMINATUM. 

COXE'NDIX,  (from  coxa,  the  Irifi).  See  ISCHICM, 
and  Os  INNOMINATUM. 

COYU'TENA  LUZO'NIS.     See  FAGARA  MAJOR. 

COZTIECZO'COTL.     See  MECAXOCOTLIFERA. 

CRAB  LICE.  A  species  of  pcdiculus,  which  infests 
the  axillae  and  pudenda.  They  fix  to  the  skin,  and  are 
with  difficulty  removed.  They  are,  however*  easily 
destroyed  by  slight  mercurials,  cither  in  an  ointment  or 
lotion. 

CRAB  YAWS.  A  name  in  Jamaica  for  a  kind  of 
ulcer  on  the  soles  of  the  feet,  with  callous  lips,  so  hard 
that  it  is  difficult  to  cut  them.  The  unguentum  hydrar- 
gyri  fortius  is  the  best  remedy. 

CRA'DE.  In  Hippocrates  it  is  the  branch  of  a  fig- 
tree. 

CRA'DLE.  A  moveable  bed  to  lull  children  to 
sleep ;  and  a  case  in  which  broken  limbs  are  placed, 
whose  arched  top  prevents  inconvenience  from  the 
weight  of  the  bed  clothes. 

CR^'CA  MA'JOR.     See  VICIA. 

CR^'PALE,  and  CRA'PULA,  (from  »*;«,  the  head, 
and  •a-iiM.ti,  to  agitate}.  A  disorder  of  the  head,  pro- 
duced by  excess  both  in  eating  and  drinking.  IXDIGES- 

T1OX. 

3T 


C  R  A 


506 


CR  A 


CRA'MBE,  (from'the  Arabic  word  caromb}.  A  CAB- 
BAGE. See  BKASSICA. 

CRAMBEI'ON.  (See  CICUTA.)  In  Hippocrates  it 
signifies  a  decoction  of  cabbage,  (from  xp«,tt£>j,  a  cab- 
bage}. 

CRA'MPUS,  CRAMP,  (from  krimfien,  to  contract; 
Germ.)  It  is  a  sudden  and  violently  painful  rigidity  or 
spasm  of  a  muscle.  This  complaint  is  often  very  trou- 
blesome, but  not  usually  dangerous;  though  instances 
have  occurred  in  which,  passing  from  the  limbs  to  the 
bowels,  the  patient  hath  with  difficulty  recovered  :  it 
principally  affects  the  limbs  or  neck. 

In  the  Medical  Museum,  vol.  iii.  is  an  instance  of  a  cure 
effected  by  drinking  a  glass  of  tar  water  every  night  and 
morning.  For  present  relief  a  roll  of  brimstone  is  re- 
commended to  be  held  firmly  in  the  hand,  which  quickly 
breaks,  and  thus  the  patient  is  eased :  it  breaks,  how- 
fiver,  from  the  heat  only  ;  yet  a  violent  exertion  of  some 
other  muscles  contributes  to  relieve  it.  This  disease  is 
either  idiopathic  or  symptomatic.  When  of  the  former 
class,  it  afl'ects  the  legs,  thighs,  or  other  parts  suddenly, 
whilst  swimming  in  cold  water,  or  whilst  the  tibiae  are 
exposed  to  the  cold  night  air ;  or  when  the  muscles  are 
uneasily  situated  :  the  digastric  muscles  are  subject  to 
this  complaint ;  whilst  the  neck  is  exposed  naked  to  the 
cold  air  the  pain  is  intolerable,  but  in  a  minute  or  two 
abates  spontaneously,  particularly  if  warmth  with  fric- 
tion is  applied  to  the  parts,  if  the  contraction  of  the 
muscle  is  counteracted  by  external  pressure,  or  the  part 
affected  be  placed  in  a  situation  where  extension  may 
be  produced. 

The  sympathetic  cramp  is  that  which  affects  the  lower 
extremities,  particularly  in  the  cholera  morbus,  with 
strong  distcntion  and  excruciating  pain  of  the  calves  of 
the  legs  :  all  the  flexor  muscles  of  the  legs  and  thighs 
occasionally  suffer  from  this  cause.  After  a  vomit  has 
been  premised,  thirty  or  forty  drops  of  liquid  laudanum 
should  be  administered.  If  the  breast  should  be  affected 
with  this  spasm,  a  fugitive  pleurodyne  arises,  which  is 
temporary,  but  violent,  with  danger  of  suffocation ;  if 
the  throat,  a  spasmodic  angina. 

CRANEI'A.     SeeCoBNUs. 

CRA'NGON;  also  called  syitilla  crangon,  and  the 
PRAWX.  It  is  a  sea  shell  fish  of  a  delicate  flavour,  afford- 
ing a  light  and  easily  digestible  food. 

CRA'NIOLOGY.  We  have  introduced  this  subject 
in  the  article  CEREBRUM,  and  have  there  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  the  present  inquiry,  by  considering  the  brain 
as  the  material  organ  of  an  immaterial  principle  ;  as  the 
instrument  rather  than  the  agent.  The  faculties  of  the 
soul  are  found  only  in  animals  which  have  a  brain,  are 
generally  proportioned  in  their  extent  and  variety  to  the 
size  of  the  brain,  are  injured  or  destroyed  by  the  lesion 
or  destruction  of  this  organ. 

We  find  also  the  intellectual  faculties  independent  of 
each  other ;  and,  even  when  they  exist  apparently  in  the 
same  perfection  in  one  individual,  they  are  exercised 
with  different  degrees  of  activity  at  different  times.  This 
independence  of  the  faculties  is  a  position  of  consider- 
able importance  in  Dr.  Gall's  system,  our  chief  object  at 
present ;  because  he  at  once  draws  a  consequence  from 
it,  that  faculties,  thus  independent  in  their  nature,  are 
;iot  connected  in  the  organ,  and  that  the  evolution  of  the 
organs  is  in  the  direct  ratio  of  the  corresponding  facul- 
ties. We  doubt  whether  the  conclusion  is  correct;  nor, 


indeed,  do  we  see,  if  it  be  admitted,  how  the  authni 
can  refuse  to  allow  of  the  division  of  what  is  immate- 
rial, a  solecism  in  physics,  or  separate  independent  pow- 
ers acting  in  different  parts  ;  in  fact,  of  as  many  souls 
as  there  are  faculties.  Dr.  Gall  thinks,  however,  that 
the  evolution  of  different  faculties  is  the  cause  or  effect 
of  distinct  protuberances  of  the  cranium,  and  that  the 
peculiar  mental  power  of  the  individual  may  be  ascer- 
tained by  inspecting  the  skull. 

With  these  views  he  has  compared  the  skulls  of  ani- 
mals and  those  of  men,  whose  faculties  are  analogous  or 
contrasted.  His  inquiries  have,  it  is  said,  not  only  as- 
certained the  facts  to  be  hereafter  mentioned,  but  proved 
that  the  faculties  called  instinctive  in  animals,  as  attach- 
ment, cunning,  circumspection,  Sec.  are  found  equally  in 
man;  that  the  bulk  of  the  organ  determines  the  genus, 
while  the  reciprocal  proportion  characterizes  the  in- 
dividual ;  that  the  disposition  to  every  faculty,  given 
originally  by  nature,  may  be  expanded  by  exercise  or 
favourable  circumstances,  sometimes  even  by  diseases  ; 
but  that  it  can  never  be  created,  where  nature  has  not 
originally  given  it.  The  accumulation  of  the  organs, 
he  remarks,  is  made  in  a  regular  manner  from  behind 
forward,  and  from  below  upward;  so  that  animals,  in 
their  approach  to  man  in  the  variety  of  their  faculties, 
have  the  superior  and  anterior  parts  of  the  brain  more 
expanded.  In  the  most  perfect  animal,  man,  there  are, 
in  the  author's  opinion,  organs  in  the  anterior  and  su- 
perior parts  of  the  frontal  and  parietal  bones,  destined 
for  the  faculties,  which  belong  exclusively  to  him.  In 
this  view  Gall's  system  entirely  corresponds  to  the  ob- 
servations of  Camper  on  the  facial  line,  noticed  also  in 
the  article  CEREBRUM  ;  q.  v. 

But  though  we  have  spoken  of  the  bulk  of  the  brain, 
as  distinguishing  the  possession  of  intellectual  faculties 
in  their  greatest  variety  and  extent,  yet  bulk  alone  does 
not  more  furnish  the  criterion  of  intellect,  than  the  size 
of  the  body  does  that  of  strength.  Many  large  un- 
wieldy men  are  much  weaker  than  those  of  a  smaller 
size,  whose  limbs  are  firmly  knit,  and  whose  muscles 
display,  by  their  swell,  the  effects  of  frequent  and  spi- 
rited exertion.  A  large  round  head,  in  the  same  way, 
shows  a  feeble  intellect;  while  the  varied  bold  projec- 
tions of  the  cranium  display,  it  is  supposed,  varied  and 
active  mental  powers. 

Dr.  Gall,  who  first  promulgated  this  system  at  Vi- 
enna, has  been  since  travelling  through  Germany,  to  in- 
crease his  collection  of  skulls,  and  to  improve  the  nice 
arrangement  of  faculties  from  a  view  of  the  cranium. 
We  lately  heard  of  him  in  Saxony;  where  he  is  said  by 
professor  Boetiger,  who  accompanied  him,  to  have  been 
very  successful  in  ascertaining  the  qualities  of  the  mind 
by  this  new  kind  of  physiognomy.  He  has  never  pub- 
lished his  lectures  ;  but  we  are  led  to  expect  a  full  ac- 
count of  his  system  from  Dr.  Bishoff  and  Dr.  Hufeland, 
translated  into  English.  We  shall,  however,  give  at 
present  the  outline,  and  correct  or  supply  what  may  be 
erroneous  or  deficient  in  another  article.  The  subject 
will  again  recur  under  ORGANOLOGY. 

Asa  plate  will  render  long  descriptions  unnecessary, 
we  shall  refer  to  an  engraving,  copied  from  one  in  the 
55th  volume  of  the  Journal  de  Physique,  for  the  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  cranium,  which  designate  particular 
qualities  of  mind  ;  and  shall  here  add  a  few  of  the  singu- 
lar, and  sometimes,  we  think,  trifling  or  ridiculous 


CR  A 


507 


Cit  A 


•bservaiions  by  which  Dr.  Gal)  endeavours  to  establish 
his  system.  A  system-builder  will  often  stoop  very 
low  for  assistance  in  support  of  his  fabric. 

In  conformity  with  his  opinions,  before  hinted  at,  he 
considers  the  medulla  oblongata  as  the  seat  of  the  organ 
of  the  tenacity  of  life.  The  bulk  of  this  part  is  propor- 
tional to  the  size  of  the  occipital  hole;  and  he  finds  it 
larger  in  women  than  in  men,  proportionally  very  large 
in  the  cat,  the  beaver,  the  weasel,  Sec. 

The  organ  of  lasci-viousness  is,  in  his  opinion,  at  the 
.3  of  the  skull,  behind  the  medulla  oblongata.  It  is 
only  conspicuous  about  the  age  of  puberty,  and  in  cas- 
trated animals  is  never  observed.  In  the  ape,  the  rab- 
j;t,  and  the  cock,  this  part  of  the  skull  is  very  large. 
It  is  peculiarly  large  in  pigeons  and  sparrows,  so  as  al- 
most to  form  an  epiphysis;  and,  in  some  human  skulls 
of  idiots  distinguished  for  lasciviousness,  this  part  was 
very  protuberant. 

The  organ  of  attachment  is  peculiarly  large  in  spa- 
iiiels,  and  less  visible  in  greyhounds. 

The  organ  of  courage,  contiguous  to  those  of  "  pa- 
rental affection  and  attachment,"  explains,  in  our  au- 
thor's opinion,  the  exertions  of  courage  from  animals 
and  human  beings,  in  defence  of  their  young  or  their 
particular  friends.  This  organ  is  very  inconsiderable 
in  the  hare,  the  sheep,  and  die  greyhound;  but  very 
conspicuous  in  the  hyena,  the  lion,  the  wolf,  and  parti- 
cularly in  the  bulldog.  Mr.  Gall  adduces  as  a  proof  of 
the  existence  of  the  organ  of  courage,  the  coward,  when 
affrighted,  "scratching  the  back  part  of  his  head  behind 
his  ears,  as  if  he  wished  to  excite  its  action  ! !" 

The  organ  of  cunning  is  nearly  connected  with  that  of 
pillage.  \Ve  mean  not  to  be  ludicrous  when  we  add, 
that  our  author  found  it  in  floets  (Journal  de  Physique, 
vol.  Iv.  p.  206,  note).  It  is  very  conspicuous  in  the 
heads  of  Calmucs,  in  foxes,  cats,  pies,  &c. 

The  organ  of  the  sense  of  locality  constitutes,  with 
respect  to  places  formerly  seen,  local  memory;  with  re- 
spect to  future  objects,  combinations  of  new  localities. 
This  organ  is  particularly  conspicuous  in  birds  of  pas- 
sage, in  landscape  painters,  and  in  the  skull  of  the  great 
Frederick.  It  is  fainter  from  age.  The  frontal  sinus 
enlarges  inwardly,  and  diminishes  this  portion  of  the 
brain. 

The  organ  of  the  sense  for  collecting  or  remembering 
facts  is  subject  to  a  similar  change  from  age.  Among 
animals,  it  is  chiefly  conspicuous  in  the  elephant. 
-Among  men  (we  now  employ  Dr.  Gall's  own  words) 
I  have  found  this  organ  not  only  in  those  who  have  a 
retentive  memory  for  facts  and  things,  but  in  those  who 
have  what  are  called  systematic  heads;  who  arrange 
'heir  facts,  and  draw  conclusions  from  them  :  in  those 
who  possess  a  quick  perception,  and  are  distinguished 
by  an  anxiety  of  knowing  every  thing.  It  even  appears 
that  the  operation  of  combining  facts,  to  draw  conclu- 
sions from  them,  is  the  chief  action  of  this  organ  :  at 
least  the  elephant,  who  conceals  the  water  in  his  trunk, 
to  pour  on  the  person  who  offended  him  the  day  before, 
Arranges  many  facts,  and  draws  from  them  a  truly  logi- 
cal conclusion;  nor  is  there  any  other  organ  in  the  ele- 
phant's head  to  which  we  can  refer  this  power.  The 
involuntary  motion  of  a  man,  who  perceives  that  he  has 
reasoned  incorrectly,  supports  these  suppositions :  he 
;es>  the  middle  of  his  forehead." 

The  organ  sf/iain'.'ing  and  the  distinction  of  col- 


Gall  has  found  in  many  great  painters,  and  has  parti- 
cularly noticed  it  in  a  head  of  Raphael. 

The  organ  of  the  musical  sense  and  articulate  sounds 
is  very  distinguishable  in  singing  birds,  in  the  jay  and 
parrot ;  but  does  not  exist  in  those  whose  notes  are  harsh 
and  inharmonious.  He  found  it  very  conspicuous  i;i 
the  heads  of  Gluck,  Mozart,  Haydn,  and  Pleyel.  The 
organ  of -verbal  memory  is  distinguished  by  remarkable 
projections  of  the  eyes. 

The  organ  of  liberality  lessens  as  a  man  grows  old :  in 
fact,  he  then  becomes  avaricious.  It  is  very  near  the 
organ  of  painting  and  music  ;  and  this,  he  thinks,  is  the 
reason  why  men  of  such  talents  are  generally  prodigal. 
We  wish  he  could  have  examined  the  head  of  Gains- 
borough ! 

The  organ  of  the  metaphysical  sfiirit  is  found  in  the 
heads  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  particularly  Socrates ; 
among  the  moderns  in  Kant. 

The  organ  of  goodness  forms  that  oblong  elevation 
found  constantly  in  the  heads  of  Christ  and  the  Virgin, 
painted  by  Raphael  and  Corregio ;  and  contributes  to 
convey  the  ideas  of  gentleness  and  goodness,  which  arc 
so  attractive.  It  is  found  in  the  skulls  of  all  who  are 
naturally  good,  and  is  wanting  in  those  who  are  wicked. 
Animals  of  prey  have  no  vestige  of  this  organ. 

The  organ  of  music  and  of  theatrical  talents  Gall  has 
found  in  all  the  great  singers  and  actors.  In  those  who 
are  born  deaf,  and  are  consequently  dumb,  it  is  very 
conspicuous;  as  they  are  obliged  to  depend  on  gestures 
for  the  conveyance  of  their  ideas. 

The  organ  of  religious  -veneration  is  on  the  top  of  the 
frontal  bone;  and  it  is  this,  observes  M.  Gall,  which  has 
probably  induced  all  races  of  mankind  to  look  for  their 
divinities  in  the  superior  regions,  since  "  there  is  no  phi- 
losophical reason  why  we  should  not  place  them  below 
as  well  as  above  ourselves." 

The  organs  described  by  Dr.  Gall  are  thirty-three  in 
number,  which  the  plate,  with  the  explanations,  will 
point  out.  These  are  some  of  the  most  singular  of  his 
remarks;  and  from  them  our  readers  may  form  a  judg- 
ment of  his  abilities,  and  the  probability  of  his  system. 
CRA'XIUM,  (quasi  *.xf*n»>,  from  **?*,  the  head^. 
Called  also  ca/va,  and  calvaria,  cerebri  galea.  The 
SKULL.  It  is  that  part  of  the  head  which  is  covered 
with  hair:  besides  the  os  frontis,  it  consists  of  the 
two  parietalia,  the  two  temporal,  the  occiput,  the  os 
ethmoides,  and  os  sphenoides.  (See  CAPUT.)  As  to 
the  medicinal  virtues  of  the  human  skull,  they  differ 
not  from  those  of  other  bones.  It  was  formerly  given 
in  epilepsy ;  but  the  intention  was  to  excite  horror,  as 
the  bone  was  to  be  a  part  of  a  man  who  had  died  a 
violent  death. 

CRA'NTERKS,  (from  K^MP,  to/ierftrm*).     See  SA- 

PIEVTI.E  DE..XTES. 

CRAPULA.  ,Sce  CR.BPALE.)  It  is  also  *»*irx*?, 
a  SURFEIT.  A  disorder  from  something  taken  into  the 
stomach,  and  occasioning  sickness,  or  uc  least  a  loath- 
ing of  the  offending  matter.  It  sometimes  signifies  a 
plethora,  from  indolence,  and  fall  but  improper  feeding ; 
in  which  ca»e  perspiration  is  checked,  and  eruptions 
formed  on  the  skin:  this  is  sometimes  called  the  cholera 
accidental^.  See  CHOLERA  MOUBUS. 

A   surfeit  from  auLnal   food   is  best  remedied  by  a 
vomit,  even   though   a  vuii:hing  and  purging  attend. 
For  the  management  in  cases  of  pu'son,  s<  e  YEXF... 
-  Y 


C  RE 


508 


C  I!  K 


When  an  excess  of  feeding  is  the  cause,  after  an 
evacuation  of  the  stomach  and  bowels,  rigid  abstinence 
is  for  a  time  peculiarly  necessary;  and  after  the  symp- 
toms of  sickness  disappear,  the  bowels  should  be  kept 
free,  food  very  gradually  allowed;  and  the  intervals  be- 
tween the  meals  should  be  considerable. 

CRA'SIS,  (from  x.epanv/u.i,  to  mix).  The  temper  or 
consistency  of  the  blood  peculiar  to  every  constitution. 

CRASPE'DON,  (from  x.?*>n*a,  to  hang  down}.    See 

HVPOSTAPHYLE. 

CRA'SSA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  crassus,  large).  See 
AORTA. 

CRA'SSA  ME'NIXX.     See  DURA  MATER. 

CRA'SSA  INTE'STINA.     See  INTESTINA. 

CRASSAME'NTUM,  the  coagulated  portion  of  the 
blood  when  suffered  to  cool  at  rest ;  containing  the 
gluten,  the  fibrin,  and  the  red  globules.  See  BLOOD. 

CRA'SSENA.  Saline,  putrefactive,  and  corrosive 
particles,  which  produce  ulcers  and  tumours  of  various 
forms.  Paracelsus. 

CRA'SSULA,  (from  crassus,  thick;  so  named  from 
the  thickness  of  its  leaves).  Called  also  faba  crassa, 
faba  inversa,  sedum  telefihium,  fabaria,  anacamfiseros 
maxima,  cotyledum  alterum,  scrofularia  media  vel  tertia, 
acetabulum  alterum.  COMMON  ORPINE,  or  LIVE  LONG. 
The  sort  used  in  medicine  is  the  sedum  telefihium  Lin. 
Sp.  PL  616. 

It  is  a  plant  with  unbranched  stalks,  clothed  with 
thick,  fleshy,  oval  leaves,  but  producing  no  leaves  im- 
mediately from  the  root :  the  flowers  stand  in  form  of 
umbels  on  the  top  of  the  stalk,  and  are  followed  each  by 
three,  or  four,  or  six,  pods  full  of  small  seeds :  the  root  is 
irregular  and  knobby.  It  is  indigenous  in  England,  and 
perennial. 

Common  orpine,  with  the  leaves  slightly  or  not  at  all 
serrated,  grows  in  hedges  and  shady  grounds,  hath  red- 
dish or  whitish  pentapetalous  flowers.  The  leaves  are 
cooling,  but  their  power  seems  too  inconsiderable  for  a 
place  in  practice.  They  are  applied  to  inflamed  hae- 
morrhoids, and  sometimes  to  paronychise. 

CRA'SSULA  MINOR.     See  SEDUM. 

CRAT^EGUS,  (from  *|*7o«,  strength;  so  called  from 
the  strength  and  hardness  of  the  wood).  The  WILD 

SERVICE  TREE. 

CRAT^'GUS  ALPI'NUS.  The  WHITE  BOAM  TREE.  See 
ARIA-. 

CRAT^'GUS  OXYCA'NTHA.     See  SPINA  ALBA. 

CRAT.<£'GONUM,  (from  »p*7*«>«,  strong,  and  y»vo- 
UMI,  nascor,  to  make  ;  so  named  from  its  strengthening 
virtues).  See  MELAMPYRUM. 

CRATE'VjE  SI'UM.      See  NASTURTIUM  AQUATI- 

CUM. 

CRATI'BULA,  CRATI'CULA,  (from  craticula,  a 
gridiron).  The  iron  bars  or  grate  which  cover  the  ash- 
hole  in  chemical  furnaces. 

CRATICULA'RIS,  (from  the  same).  Bread  boiled 
on  the  grate  of  a  furnace,  or  on  a  gridiron. 

CRA'TON.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

CRE'A.     See  TIBIA. 

CRE'BER.  FREQUENT.  From  the  Hebrew  term 
kebor.  It  is  applied  to  respiration,  and  to  the  pulse, 
when  the  intervals  betwixt  each  respiration,  or  each 
pulsation  of  the  artery,  are  short. 

CREM A 'STER, (from xpifiaet,  susfiendo,  to sus fiend). 
These  muscles  are  also  called  susfiensorii  testium. 


They  arise  from  the  inside  of  Poupart's  ligament  on 
each  side,  run  to  the  perforation  where  the  seminal  cord 
passes  out,  and  expanding  over  it,  make  part  of  the 
tunica  vaginalis  communis.  The  course  of  this  muscle 
being  very  oblique,  makes  the  spermatic  cord  seem 
much  more  so  than  it  really  is.  Their  use  is  to  draw 
up  and  suspend  the  testes. 

CRE'MER.  The  name  of  a  distemper  endemial  in 
Hungary,  which  seems  to  resemble  crapula.  It  is  cured 
by  drinking  a  small  quantity  of  any  cordial  water. 

CRE'MNOI.  The  lips  of  ulcers,  also  the  labia  fiu- 
dendi,  (from  x.pt/u><&;  a  firecifiicc,  or  shelving  lilacs'). 

CRE'MOR,  (from  xpip.vev,  lactis  crumcn,  a  x.ptvu,  se- 
cerno).  It  is  the  expressed  or  strained  juice  of  any 
grain,  particularly  of  barley  boiled  till  it  be  so  soft  as  to 
pass  through  a  strainer  (see  PTISANA);  also  the  cream 
of  milk.  See  CHYLUS  and  LAC. 

CRE'MOR  CALC.  viv.  The  cream  or  flour  of  quick 
lime  is  the  calcareous  earth,  which,  having  regained  the 
carbonic  acid  from  the  air,  is  insoluble  in  water. 

CRE'MOR  HTHARGY'RI  ACETA'T.     See  PLUMBUM. 

CRENATUM,  (from  cre/ia,  a  notch).  CRENATED 
When  the  edge  of  a  leaf  is  cut  into  angular  teeth,  it  is 
called  acutely  crenated;  when  into  segments  of  small 
circles,  instead  of  angular  teeth,  it  is  said  to  be  obtusely 
crenate;  when  the  larger  segments  have  smaller  ones 
upon  them,  the  leaf  is  then  said  to  be  doubly  crenate : 
the  same  term  is  applied  to  the  corolla  and  nectarium  in 
some  cases. 

CREPA'TIO,  and  CREPATU'RA,  (from  crefio,  to 
make  a  noise).  In  pharmacy  is  the  cracking  or  bursting 
of  any  seed  in  boiling  or  roasting,  and  this  is  to  be  un- 
derstood when  seeds  are  directed  to  be  boiled  ad  crefia- 
turam.  See  also  HERNIA  SCROTALIS. 

CREPI'NUM.     See  TARTARUM. 

CRE'PITA  .fc'TAS.     See  .ETAS. 

CREPITA'TIO.    See  DECREPITATE. 

CRE'PITUS,  (from  crefio,  to  make  a  noise).  Crack- 
ling of  the  joints,  which  may  happen  either  from  a  de- 
feet  of  synovia,  or  a  deposition  of  cretaceous  matter,  as 
in  the  gout;  but  is  generally  owing  to  the  former  cause. 
Mr.  Sharp  recommends  a  frequent  use  of  fomentations, 
rubbing  the  joint  with  the  ungt.  hydrargyri,  and  to  ad- 
minister purges  occasionally. 

It  means  also  a  discharge  of  air  from  the  anus  when 
attended  with  a  noise. 

CRE'PITUS  LU'PI.     See  LYCOPERDON  VULGARE. 

CRESPI'NUS,  (quasi  crisfiinus,  from  crisfius,  curl- 
ed, crisfied;  so  called  from  the  crispness  of  its  leaves  and 
wood.)  See  BERBERIS. 

CRE'SPULUM,  (from crisfius,  crisfi;  from  the  crisp- 
ness  and  curledness  of  its  leaves).  See  BUPTHALMUM. 

CRE'SSIO,  (from  cresco,  to  grow;  because  of  their 
abundance  every  where).  See  NASTURTIUM  ACIUATI- 
CUM. 

CRE'TA,  (from  Crete,  the  place  whence  it  was  first 
brought).  CHALK.  The  only  kind  now  used  in  me- 
dicine is  the  white  chalk,  which  is  found  in  most  parts 
of  the  world.  It  is  a  pure  white  mineral  calcareous 
earth  of  different  degrees  of  hardness ;  it  crumbles  be- 
tween the  fingers,  and  stains  them  white ;  readily  diffuses 
in  water  when  finely  powdered,  and  as  soon  subsides; 
sticks  to  the  tongue  without  any  astringency.  Its  form 
is  amorphous,  stalactitical,  or  crystallized;  specific  gravi- 
ty from  2.3  to  2.7.  Its  crystals  are  rhomboidal  paral- 


CRE 


509 


CRI 


lelopiped,    and   when  transparent    their   refraction   is 
double. 

The  best  is  that  which  is  perfectly  white,  soft,  close, 
and  solid,  equal  and  uniform  when  broken,  free  from 
sand  and  flints,  and  insipid  to  the  taste ;  though  chalk, 
when  first  dug,  has  often  a  slight  pungency,  as  it  has  not 
a  full  proportion  of  carbonic  acid.  Many  other  earths 
are  of  a  similar  nature,  but  this  being  the  purest  is 
preferred. 

It  dissolves  in  all  the  acids,  particularly  in  the  nitrous 
and  muriatic;  even  totally  in  vinegar.  The  vitriolic 
precipitates  it  from  all  other  acids,  and  forms  with  it  a 
selenite.  It  is  convertible  into  quick  lime  :  with  bo- 
rax it  melts  into  a  transparent  glass.  The  solutions  of 
it  in  acids  are  bitterish. 

Chalk  is  employed  as  a  remedy  against  the  heartburn, 
and  other  disorders  that  have  acidity  in  the  primae  vise 
for  their  cause.  Some  use  it,  when  finely  powdered,  to 
sprinkle  on  erysipelatous  inflammations.  Two  drachms 
for  a  dose,  and  repeated  at  proper  intervals,  have  often 
effected,  it  is  said,  a  speedy  cure  both  in  a  diarrhoea  and 
a  dysentery ;  but  this  effect,  if  true,  must  be  owing  to  its 
absorbing  those  acids  whose  stimuli  caused  the  morbid 
excretion.  When  milk  turns  sour  on  the  stomach,  a 
scruple  of  chalk  may  be  given  with  each  half  pint.  This, 
however,  is  a  very  uncommon  effect;  but  chalk  is  also 
added  when  milk  forms  a  hard  coagulum,  and  lies  heavy 
on  the  stomach.  When  on  any  account  a  free  use  of 
chalk  is  required,  if  the  belly  is  inclined  to  costiveness, 
laxative  medicines  should  occasionally  be  taken,  as  the 
earth  may  otherwise  accumulate. 

Chalk  should  be  finely  powdered,  and  separated  from 
its  grosser  parts  by  elutriation.  Boerhaave  prefers  it  to 
the  cornu  cervi  calcinatum  for  making  the  white  decoc- 
tion with.  Bates  formerly  used  to  boil  half  a  pound  of 
chalk  in  three  pints  of  water  to  a  quart,  after  which  he 
just  permitted  the  grosser  parts  to  fall,  and  poured  off 
the  yet  turbid  fluid  for  use ;  and  the  London  college 
directs  the  following  chalk  mixture,  formerly  called 
jule/ium  e  creta:  take  of  the  whitest  chalk  prepared, 
one  ounce;  of  double  refined  sugar,  six  drachms;  of 
gum  arable,  finely -powdered,  two  ounces  ;  of  distilled 
water,  a  quart:  mix.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

See  Dale.  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Diet.  ofChem.  Neu- 
mann's Chem.  Works.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

Besides  these,  the  folio-ring  are  often  used  : 

Compound  ointment  of  chalk:  neutral  cerate  of  Kirk  - 
land. — &.  Cretae  pp.  aceti  distijlati,  olei  olivae  aa  5  iv. 
emplastri  lithargyri  ^3.  aq.  lithargyriacetati  §  ss.  The 
chalk  and  vinegar  are  to  be  mixed  together,  and  over  a 
slow  fire,  incorporated  with  the  litharge  plaster,  and 
oil ;  when  sufficiently  united,  the  water  of  acetated  li- 
tharge is  to  be  added.  This  is  allowed  to  be  an  efficacious 
remedy,  when  applied  to  inflamed  parts  and  ulcers,  and 
is  much  employed  in  practice.  Chalk  is  often  applied 
to  ulcers  in  its  dry  state,  when  the  discharge  is  thin 
and  acrimonious,  with  success  ;  and  it  is  sprinkled  on 
the  poultices  in  burns,  according  to  Mr.  Cleghorn's 
plan,  with  singular  advantage. 

We  find  in  some  foreign  authors  an  acetat  and  a  citrat 
of  lime  recommended  in  scrofula,  pruritus,  hernia,  hu- 
moralis,  tumours  of  the  mesenteric  glands,  in  a  dose  of 
one  or  two  ounces  daily.  In  this  kingdom,  the  muriat 
of  lime  formed  by  saturating  common  muriatic  acid 
with  chalk,  is  recommended  in  scrofula  and  obstructed 


glands  ;  of  which  from  half  a  drachm  to  half  an  ounce, 
in  a  pint  of  water,  is  to  be  taken  daily. 

Decoctum  t  creta.  (See  CORXU  CERVI.)  Pulvis  £ 
creta  comfiositut;  fiulvis  e  creta  comfi.  cum  ofiio.  See 
BOLUS. 

The  two  last  supply  the  place  of  the  pulvis  e  bolo 
compositus,  a  pulvis  e  bolo  compositus  cum  opio,  of  the 
old  London  Pharmacopoeia. 

CRE'TA  XIGRA.  BLACK  CHALK,  called  also  humus 
nigra  ftictoria;  has  never  been  employed  in  medicine. 

CRE'TA  RU'BRA.     See  OCHRA. 

CRE'TA  SELENUSLA,  called  also  terra  selenusia.  The 
best  is  of  a  shining  white  friable  appearance,  and  readily 
diluted  with  a  fluid.  It  is  drying  and  astringent. 

CRE'TA  CIMO'LIA.  TOBACCO  PIPE  CLAY.  And 
creta  fullonica.  FULLER'S  EARTH.  See  CIMOLIA 

ALBA. 

CRETA'CEUM  A'CIDUM,  (from  creta,  chalk). 
The  CARBONIC  ACID. 

CRE'THMON.     (Greek.)     See  CRITHMUM. 

CRE'VIS.     See  ASTACUS  FLUVIATILIS. 

CRIBRA'TIO,  (from  cribrum,  a  sieve}.  SEARSLNG. 
In  pharmacy,  it  is  the  passing  of  powders  and  pulps 
through  a  sieve,  or  searse. 

CRIBRIFO'RME,  and  CRIBRO'SUM  OS,  (from 
cribrum,  sieve').  See  ETHMOIDES  os. 

CRICELA'SIA.  The  driving  a  hoop  as  high  as  the 
breast  of  the  person  who  used  it  was  formerly  com- 
mended for  rendering  the  limbs  pliable,  and  strengthen- 
ing the  nerves.  It  was  an  ancient  gymnastic  exercise. 

CRI'CO-ARYTjENOIDjET  MUSCULI,  (from 
xptx*f,  a  ring,  a^vntux,  a  funnel,  and  ft  fa,  forma). 
Muscles  of  die  larynx,  whose  office  is  to  open  the  glottis. 
They  arise  from  the  cricoid  cartilage,  and  are  inserted 
into  the  arytaenoid. 

CRI'CO  ARYTixoi'DES  LATERA'LES.  They  lie  laterally 
upon  the  upper  edge  of  the  cricoid  cartilage,  and  are 
inserted  into  the  lower  part  of  the  side  of  the  arytaenoid . 
They  serve  to  dilate  the  glottis. 

CRI'CO  ARYT^NOI'DES  PO'STICI.  They  lie  upon  the 
back  part  of  the  cricoid  cartilage,  and  are  inserted  into 
that  knob  which  stands  on  the  back  part  of  the  basis  of 
the  arytaenoid  cartilage,  near  the  angle  of  the  basis, 
one  on  each  side.  They  open  the  larynx,  and  are  called, 
by  Casserius,  fiar-cucullare. 

CRI'CO  PHARYXG^EI.  These  muscles  arise  from  the 
lower  part  of  the  side  of  the  cricoid  cartilage.  They 
seem  to  be  appendices  of  the  thyro-jiharyngtci,  showing 
no  other  marks  of  distinction  but  their  insertions,  and  a 
small  difference  in  direction,  because  as  they  run  back- 
ward they  descend  a  little ;  for  this  reason,  Winslow 
says  he  hath  sometimes  looked  on  them  as  one,  and 
calls  them  thyrocrico-fiharyngzi.  The  lowest  of  these 
muscular  fibres,  he  says,  makes  a  complete  circle  back- 
wards, between  the  two  sides  of  the  basis  of  the  carti- 
lago  cricoides,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  oesophagus, 
and  has  been  sometimes  supposed  to  form  a  distinct 
muscle,  called  ssofihagus.  There  is  another  fasciculus 
of  fibres  occasionally  detached  from  the  thyro-pha- 
ryngaeus,  and  inserted  laterally  in  the  thyroid  gland, 
for  which  reason  I  call  it  musculus  thyro-adenoid<eus. 
Innes  calls  it  the  constrictor  fiharyngis  inferior;  and  de- 
scribes it  as  follows.  It  arises  from  the  side  of  the 
thyroid  cartilage,  near  the  attachment  of  the  sterno- 
hyoidaeus  and  thyro-hyoidaeus  muscle,  and  from  the 


CHI 


510 


C  It  I 


cricoid  cartilage,  near  the  crico-thyrodacus.  This  muscle 
is  the  largest  of  the  three,  and  is  inserted  into  the  white 
line,  where  it  joins  with  its  fellow;  the  superior  fibres 
running  obliquely  upwards,  covering  nearly  one  half  of 
the  middle  constrictor,  and  terminating  in  a  point ;  the 
inferior  fibres  run  more  transversely,  and  cover  the 
beginning  of  the  (esophagus.  Their  use  is  to  compress 
that  part  of  the  pharynx  which  they  cover,  and  to  raise 
it  with  the  larynx  a  little  upwards.  See  PHARYNX. 

CRI'CO  THYROID^E'I.  Certain  muscles  of  the  larynx, 
which  shut  up  the  glottis.  They  rise  from  the  anterior 
und  lateral  part  of  the  cricoid,  and  are  inserted  into  the 
lower  edge  of  the  thyroid  cartilage.  These  are  some- 
times called  crico-ehyroidai  ant  id. 

CRICOI'DES,orCYMBOLA'RISCARTILA'GO, 
(from  KfiKas,  a  ring,  and  uhs,  a  form}.  The  name  of 
the  annular  cartilage  belonging  to  the  larynx,  which  it 
encompasses.  See  ASPERA  ARTERIA. 

CRI'COS,  (from  x.£ix.&,  a  ring,  or  circle}.  The  an- 
nular cartilages,  which  form  the  aspera  arteria.  Hip- 
pocrates. 

CRIDO'NES.     See  CIUNONES. 

CRIMNO'DES,  (from  xf/fooy,  bran}.  An  epithet 
for  urine,  which  deposits  a  branny  sediment. 

CRIMNO'N.  (Greek.)  Dioscorides  describes  it 
as  a  coarse  sort  of  meal  produced  from  maize  and  wheat, 
of  which  they  make  pulse  ;  Galen,  as  the  largest  par- 
ticles of  torrefied  barley,  which  have  escaped  clue  con- 
tusion in  the  mill. 

CRINA'TUM,  (from  »fn»t,  a  lily}.  An  epithet  of 
suffumigation,  mentioned  in  P.  ^Egineta;  composed 
chiefly  of  the  roots  of  lilies. 

CRINEDO'NES,  and  CRI'NES,  (from  crinis,  hair}. 
See  CAPILLARES  VERMICULI. 

CRINI'S.     See  CAPILI.US. 

CRINI'TUS,  (from  the  same).     HAIRY,  or  HAVING 

LONG    HAIR,    Or    BEARDS    RESEMBLIEG    HAIR.        In  botany 

it  means  abounding  with  capillaments  or  small  fibres 
like  hairs,  as  in  the  root  of  the  leek ;  and  the  phleum 
crinitum. 

CRINOMY'RON,  (from  *ftw,  lily,  and  /*uf«v,  an 
ijintment).  OINTMENT  or  LILIES,  consisting  of  lilies 
und  some  other  aromatics.  It  was  also  called  JEgyfitium 
album,  and  susinum. 

CRINO'NES,  (from  crinis,  hair,}  called  also  come- 
clones,  cridones.  "  The  mention  of  dracunculi,"  ob- 
serves Ambrose  Pare,  "  calls  to  my  memory  another  kind 
of  abscess,  altogether  as  rare.  This  our  Frenchmen  name 
crinones,  I  think,  a  crinibus,  i.  e.  from  hairs.  It  chiefly 
troubles  children,  and  pricks  their  backs  like  thorns. 
They  toss  up  and  down,  being  not  able  to  take  any  rest. 
This  disease  arises  from  small  hairs,  which  arc  scarce 
of  a  pin's  length,  but  thick  and  strong.  It  is  cured  with 
a  fomentation  of  water  more  than  warm ;  after  which 
you  must  presently  apply  an  ointment  made  of  honey 
and  wheaten  flour:  for  so  these  hairs,  lying  under  the 
skin,  are  allured  and  drawn  forth ;  and  being  thus 
drawn,  they  must  be  plucked  out  with  small  mullets." 
Sec  Edinb.  Med.  Comment,  vol.  ix.  p.  64. 

In  the  History  of  the  Royal  Medical  Society  at  Paris, 
for  the  year  1776,  Mons.  Bassignet  observes,  that  this 
disease,  said  to  be  peculiar  to  the  town  of  Seyne  and  its 
neighbourhood, attacks  almost  all  the  new  born  children. 
In  the  place  itself  it  is  called  ceen,  a  corruption  of  ccddes, 
•A  provincial  word  that  signifies  a  bristle.  It  appears  in 
many  cases  within  twelve  hours,  in  others  not  till  a 


month  after  birth  ;  and  sometimes,  though  rarely,  a(  a 
more  advanced  age.  The  symptoms  are  described  to  be 
a  violent  itching,  increased  by  the  heat  of  the  bed,  and 
preventing  sleep;  a  diminution  of  the  voice;  continual 
agitation  ;  incapability  of  sucking,  the  child's  tongue  not 
being  able  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  nipple  ;  a  hoarse- 
ness, and  gradual  extinction  of  the  voice.  Of  all  these 
symptoms,  the  last  is  considered  as  the  most  certain  ;  so 
that  by  the  weakness  of  the  child's  cries,  and  the  altera- 
tion in  its  voice,  the  degree  of  the  disorder  is  judged  of. 
As  soon  as  it  is  observed,  they  employ  frictions  ;  and  the 
women  of  the  country  are  so  accustomed  to  this  disease, 
that  they  seldom  call  in  either  a  physician  or  a  surgeon. 
These  frictions  are  made  on  different  parts  of  the  body, 
according  to  the  three  states  of  the  disease,  which  are 
sometimes  distinct,  at  others  complicated.  In  the  first. 
to  a  diminution  of  voice  is  joined  an  inability  to  suck. 
This,  we  are  told,  requires  frictions  at  the  upper  part  ol 
the  sternum,  neck,  cheeks,  and  about  the  jaws  and 
temples.  If  the  child,  though  its  tongue  be  at  liberty, 
is  still  unable  to  seize  the  nipple,  and  his  anus  or  fin- 
gers at  the  same  time  tense,  this  is  the  second  state  of 
the  disease,  and  requires  frictions  on  the  fore  arm.  The 
third  is  known  only  by  the  change  in  the  voice,  and  is 
cured  by  rubbing  the  arms,  shoulders,  back,  and  calves 
of  the  legs.  In  this  mode  of  friction  the  woman  wets 
her  hand  with  saliva,  and  rubs  the  skin  of  one  of  th» 
child's  arms,  for  instance,  along  the  tensor  muscles,  till 
she  feels  a  considerable  roughness.  She  then  quits  this 
arm,  and  begins  with  the  other  ;  rubbing  always  in 
small  circles,  and  constantly  in  the  same  direction. 
Nothing  particular  is  observed  in  the  skin  previous  to 
these  frictions,  though  some  of  the  most  experienced 
women  speak  of  a  tension  which  yields  to  rubbing.  In 
many  cases  where  this  practice  hath  been  neglected, 
the  child,  it  is  said,  has  been  carried  ofl"  by  convulsions 
or  diarrhoea.  In  some  subjects  a  species  of  dark  rough 
hairs,  not  longer  than  the  tenth  of  an  inch,  and  in  others 
little  substances  resembling  very  fine  red  hair,  not  quite 
so  rough  as  the  former,  and  furnished  with  a  minute 
bulb,  at  their  extremity,  appear  on  the  skin,  and  termi- 
nate the  disease.  This  circumstance  gives  a  name  to 
the  complaint.  A  case  is  related  of  a  girl  ten  years  old, 
who,  after  having  been  for  some  time  ill,  and  taking 
different  medicines,  at  length  tried  the  frictions  above 
described,  which  brought  out  a  prodigious  quantity  of 
dark  coloured  rough  hairs,  after  which  she  recovered. 

Lorry  de  Morbis  Cutaneis.  The  London  Medical 
Journal,  vol.  ii.  p.  289.  See  BOVINA  AFFECTIO. 

CRIO'GENES.  An  epithet  for  certain  troches  men- 
tioned by  Paulus  jEgincta,  and  which  he  commends  for 
cleansing  sordid  ulcers. 

CRIOMY'XUS,(from  xpief,  a  ram,  and  pt-vty,  mucus; 
because  it  frequently  affects  sheep).  An  epithet  for 
persons  abounding  with  mucus  in  the  nose. 

CRIPSO'RCHIS,  (from  nfvirlu,  to  hide,  and  of%if,  a 
testicle).  See  TESTES  and  PAROKCHIDICJM. 

CRI'SIMOS,  (from  xftiu,  judico,  to  judge).     CRI- 


TICAL. 

CRI'SIS,  (from  r.pivu,  to  judge)  .  The  termination 
or  change  of  a  disease  either  by  recovery  or  death. 

Hippocrates  first  established  the  doctrine  of  cnsls 
and  critical  days,  which  were,  the  3d,  5th,  7th,  9th, 
1  1th,  14th,  17th,  and  21st.  Fevers  were  probably  more 
regular  in  their  periods  at  this  time,  because  they  were 
seldom  interrupted  in  their  progress  by  medicine.  A 


C  RI 


511 


C    RJ 


tvisis  only  respects  acute  diseases,  and  more  particu- 
larly continual  fevers.  At  this  time,  critical  days  are 
not  a  subject  of  frequent  attention ;  the  type  of  the  dis- 
order being  changed,  and  the  crisis  accelerated  or  re- 
tarded, by  what  is  administered. 

Asclepiades  and  Celsus  deny  that  diseases  have  their 
critical  days  ;  and  Langius  adds,  "  if  a  crisis  is  to  be 
expected,  medicine  is  superfluous." 

The  coincidence  of  critical  days  with  the  Pythago- 
rean numbers,  has  induced  many  physicians  to  oppose 
the  doctrine  as  fanciful,  or  to  reject  it  as  false.  Others 
have  as  strenuously  contended  for  the  reality  of  changes 
generally  salutary  on  particular  days,  rather  than  on 
others  ;  and  those  particular  days  are  the  same  which 
\ve  have  already  mentioned. 

There  is  little  doubt  of  the  universality  of  the  tertian 
period.  It  has  been  proved  by  numerous  facts,  with 
great  logical  precision,  by  Stahl,  in  a  separate  disserta- 
tion. We  generally  find  also  a  fever  formed,  not  on  the 
day  following  the  action  of  the  exciting  cause,  but  on 
the  alternate  day.  If  the  fever  consists  only  of  one  pa- 
roxysm, the  3d  or  5th  will  be  salutary  ;  if  of  two,  the 
7th.  We  thus  find  the  first  septenary  period  very 
clearly  established.  The  14th  is  generally  acknow- 
ledged as  a  critical  day  ;  but  the  days  of  the  interval  are 
not  so  clearly  established.  The  llth  is  not  strikingly 
critical ;  but  if  the  patient  pass  the  loth  in  safety,  and 
the  treatment-be  properly  regulated,  the  disease  gene- 
rally terminates  on  the  14th.  If  in  the  evening  of  the 
14th  there  is  a  violent  fresh  exacerbation,  it  is  highly 
dangerous  ;  yet  a  slight  exacerbation  is,  in  part,  remov- 
ed on  the  17th,  and  completely  on  the  20th  or  21st. 

It  will  be  obvious,  that  in  the  first  fourteen  days  the 
crises  observe  the  tertian  period ;  afterwards  the  quar- 
tan ;  but  the  reason  is  uncertain,  except  that  the  consti- 
tution, accustomed  to  the  action  of  the  cause,  is  not  so 
readily  affected  by  it ;  for  the  more  violent  the  cause, 
the  shorter  and  the  more  violent  are  the  periods,  and  the 
disease.  In  fact,  we  have  been  generally  able,  in  this 
climate,  to  trace  changes  generally  salutary  on  the  days 
styled  critical;  and,  if  the  practice  is  well  conducted, 
they  may  be  observed  in  almost  every  continued  fever, 
though  not  in  all  equally  striking. 

De  Haen,  who  acknowledges  the  influence  of  parti- 
cular days,  has  taken  the  trouble  of  selecting  the  facts 
from  the  most  approved  works  of  Hippocrates  ;  and  of 
163  instances  of  the  termination  of  fever  within  the  first 
twenty  days,  more  than  two-thirds,  viz.  107,  happened 
on  the  days  mentioned  as  critical.  None  happened 
on  the  2d  or  13th;  and  upon  the  8th,  10th,  12th,  15th, 
16th,  18th,  and  19th,  there  are  but  eighteen  instances 
of  termination.  As,  from  the  preceding  facts,  regular 
periods  in  fevers  are  sufficiently  obvious,  so  from  these 
the  real  periods  appear  to  be  those  stated  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  article.  De  Haen  Ratio  Medendi, 
vol.  i.  p.  19. 

The  word  crisis,  however,  is  not  confined  to  this  sig- 
nification ;  for  sometimes  it  means  the  excretion  of 
something  noxious  from  the  body,  or  of  the  noxious 
fluids  in  a  fever ;  for  the  word  Kfutit  signifies  also  to 
tefiarate,  or  as  it  were  to  pass  through  a  sieve. 

Those  who  observe  critical  days  consider  crudity  as 
that  state  of  the  morbid  matter  wherein  it  is  unfit  for  a 
regular  separation  from  the  sounder  juices ;  concoction, 
as  that  change  in  the  morbid  matter,  by  the  power  of 


nature,  or  assistance  of  art,  which  renders  it  fit  for  se- 
paration from  the  healthy  part  of  our  fluids ;  crisis  is, 
therefore,  the  actual  discharge  of  the  morbid  matter, 
whether  brought  on  by  the  power  of  nature,  or  by  me- 
dical aid ;  and  the  critical  day  is  the  time  that  this  dis- 
charge happens.  See  FEBRIS. 

On  this  subject  see  Hippocrates,  Galen,  P.  jEgineta, 
Fernelius,  De  Haen,  and  Cullen  ;  on  the  other  side, 
Asclepiades,  Celsus,  Langius,  Faber,  and  a  tribe  of 
moderns. 

CRISPATU'RA,  (from  crisfio,  to  turn,  or  curl). 
CRISPATURE,  CURLING,  In  medicine  it  is  supposed  to 
be  a  spasmodic  contraction  or  curling  of  the  membranes 
and  fibres  ;  but  these  are  not  muscular,  and  we  have 
no  evidence  of  contraction  except  in  muscular  fibres. 
The  idea  arose  from  the  sensation,  referred  to  mem- 
branes ;  but  really  arising  from  an  affection  of  some 
neighbouring  muscles. 

CRISPI'NUS,  (from  crisfiug,turned  or  curled}.  See 
BEHBERIS. 

CRI'STA,  (quasi  cerista,  from  tips,  a  horn  ;  or  ca- 
rista,  from  x.*pa,  the  head  ;  as  being  on  the  top  of  the 
head).  Any  thing  which  has  the  appearance  of  a  crest 
or  comb,  as  on  the  head  of  a  cock.  Tubercles  near  the 
anus  and  pudenda  are  so  called  on  account  of  their 
form.  The  cause  and  cure  are  the  same  as  of  the  con- 
dyloma.  See  PROCESSUS. 

CRI'STA  GA'LLI.  In  anatomy,  it  is  an  eminence 
rising  from  the  upper  part  of  the  os  ethmoides,  to 
•which  the  beginning  of  the  falciform  process  is  attached. 
It  is  called  crista  galli,  from  its  supposed  resemblance 
to  the  comb  of  a  cock.  See  ETHMOIDES  os. 

CRI'STA  PAVO'NIS.  See  POINCIANA  FLORE  PULCHER- 
RIMO. 

CRI'STA  PAVO'NIS    CORONI'LL^  FO'LIO.     See  BRASI- 

LIUM     LIGNUM. 

CRI'ST^E  CLITO'RIDIS.     See  NYMPH*. 

CRISTA'TUS,  (from  crista,  a  cock's  comb,  crested,) 
is  a  term  in  botany,  and  means  having  a  tuft  upon  the 
top. 

CRI'THAMUM.     See  CRITHMUM. 

CRI'THE.  (Greek.)  BARLEY;  and,  from  its  simi- 
litude, a  sort  of  tubercle  on  the  eyelid  is  thus  named ; 
called  also  a  stye  ;  and  by  j£tius,  grando.  It  is  a  hard 
scirrhous  immoveable  stian  in  the  interior  part  of  the 
eyelid,  containing  a  pellucid  body.  When  small  it  is 
seated  on  the  edge  of  the  eyelid,  but  when  large  it 
spreads  further.  When  the  stians  do  not  suppurate, 
they  become  wens;  and  are  apt  to  disappear  and  return. 
If  there  be  inflammation,  the  white  bread  poultice  may 
be  applied  to  promote  suppuration  :  if  it  is  hard,  a  mix- 
ture of  equal  parts  of  hog's  lard  and  quicksilver  will 
destroy  it.  If  the  lower  eyelid  is  affected,  the  tumour 
is  more  frequent  on  its  inside :  it  may  then  be  dissected; 
and  a  caustic  should  be  applied  on  the  skin  just  upon 
it,  to  make  an  external  opening  for  it.  See  St.  Yves 
on  Disorders  of  the  Eyes ;  also  HORDEOLUM  and 
CHALAZA. 

CRI'THMUM,  (from  *.piiu,  to  secrete;  so  named 
from  its  supposed  virtues  in  promoting  urine  and  the 
menses).  Called  also  feniculum  marintim  majus  and 
minus,herba  Sancti  Petri,  fiasfiier,  baticula,  crithamum, 
crithmum  marinum  ;  SAMPIRE  and  SAMPHIRE. 

It  grows  wild  on  rocks,  and  in  maritime  places :  the 
leaves  resemble  those  of  fennel,  but  the  segments  are 


C  RO 


512 


CRO 


thicker  and  shorter ;  to  the  taste  they  are  warm  and 
bitter,  to  the  smell  somewhat  like  smallage.  They  are 
aperient  and  diuretic ;  but  chiefly  used  as  a  pickle. 

CRI'TICA  SI'GNA,  (from  xfiva,  to  judge}.  Those 
signs  which  are  taken  from  the  crisis  of  a  disease,  re- 
specting recovery  or  death. 

CRI'TICI,  (from  the  same).  CRITICAL  FEVERS. 
Those  which  terminate  with  a  lateritious  sediment  in 
the  urine. 

CRI'TICI  DIES,  (from  the  same,)  called  internuncii. 
CRITICAL  DAYS.  See  CRISIS. 

CROCI'DE  CONFE'CTIO.  The  name  of  a  con- 
feet  commended  by  Nicolaus  Myrepsus  for  the  colic. 

CROCI'NUM,  (from  */>»*<>?,  crocus,  saffron).  OIL 
or  SAFFRON.  It  is  mentioned  by  Dioscorides  as  con- 
sisting of  olive  oil,  myrrh,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
saffron. 

CROCO'DES.  An  epithet  for  certain  troches  in 
P.  jEgineta,  from  the  saffron  they  contain. 

CROCODI'LION,  (from  xpexehitos,  the  crocodile  ; 
from  its  deceit,  in  consequence  of  its  change  of  colour). 
See  CARLINA,  ERYNGIUM,  ECHINOPUS  MAJOR. 

CROCODI'LUS  TERRES'TRIS.     See  SCINCUS. 
CROCOMA'GMA,  and  ECMAGMA  (from  x/w**, 
crocus,  and  ^«y,tt«,  thick  oil).     Dioscorides  informs  us, 
that  it  is  prepared  of  the  ungt.  crocinum,  and  spices 
pressed  and  made  into  troches. 

CRO'CUS,  (from  krokin,  Chaldean)  SAFFRON:  be- 
cause of  its  golden  colour,  the  chemists  call  it  aroma 
fihilosojihorum,  by  contraction  arofih  ;  others  have  call- 
ed it  sanguis  Herculis,  aurum  -uegetabile,  anima  fiul- 
monu?n,  and  Jo-vis  Jlos.  For  its  supposed  efficacy  in 
some  diseases,  it  is  entitled  rex  -vegetabiliam,  and  pana- 
cea vegetabilis  ;  from  its  power  of  exciting  laughter,  it 
hath  the  appellation  of  hovtus  lattitix  ;  and  from  its 
cheering  effects,  medicina  tristitie.  Besides  these,  va- 
rious other  names  are  to  be  met  with  in  different  au- 
thors. Its  name  of  saffron  is  from  the  Arabian  word 
zaffaran,  or  zahafaran.  Crocus  sativus  «  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
50.  Nat.  order  liliacetf. 

Saffron  is  a  bulbous  rooted  plant;  its  leaves  are 
shaped  like  those  of  grass;  the  flower  is  of  a  purplish 
blue  colour,  cut  deep  into  six  segments ;  in  the  middle 
of  the  flower,  among  the  stamina,  arises  a  pistil,  which 
is  divided  at  the  top  into  three  fleshy  filaments  ;  the 
upper  part  of  these  filaments  is  of  a  deep  orange  red 
colour,  and  the  saffron  of  the  shops.  The  plant  is  pe- 
rennial; the  flowers  blow  in  September  and  October. 
The  filaments  of  the  saffron  flowers  are  carefully 
separated,  and  moderately  dried  in  a  kiln ;  and  when 
no  farther  manufactured,  are  sold  under  the  name, 
saffron  in  the  hay.  But  the  greatest  part  of  this  article 
is,  after  being  dried  to  a  certain  degree,  pressed  into 
thin  cakes. 

It  is  cultivated  in  France,  Spain,  Austria,  Hungary, 
kc. ;  but  the  best  is  produced  in  England,  and  the  plant 
is  now  indisputably  ascertained  to  be  a  native  of  this 
country.  It  may  be  distinguished  from  all  others  by 
the  greater  breadth  of  its  blades.  The  best  saffron  is  in 
long  broad  filaments,  of  a  deep  red  colour,  without  any 
yellow  parts,  moderately  dry,  yet  flexible  and  soft  to  the 
touch,  difficultly  pulverized,  of  a  strong  and  agreeable 
smell,  especially  at  a  distance;  affecting  the  eyes  so  as 
to  draw  tears  from  them ;  of  a  pungent  and  somewhat 
bitterish  taste :  it  readily  impregnates  the  hand  with  its 


smell ;  stains  the  moist  hand  with  a  deep  yellow  colour, 
and  colours  a  very  large  proportion  of  alcohol. 

It  is  sometimes  adulterated  with  the  fibres  of  smoked 
beef,  the  flowers  of  the  carthamus,  the  calendula  offici- 
nalis,  See  ;  but  the  imposition  may  be  detected  by  the 
want  of  the  white  ends  observable  in  saffron  ;  the  in- 
considerable or  bad  smell,  when  thrown  on  live  coals. 
The  Spanish  saffron  is  covered  with  oil,  to  preserve  it. 
Of  the  foreign,  the  French  and  Austrian  saffron  is  the 
best. 

It  yields  in  distillation  with  water  a  small  proportion 
of  essential  oil,  of  a  golden  colour,  heavier  than  water, 
with  a  smell  of  the  saffron  in  a  high  degree.  By  other 
experiments  it  afforded  the  extractive  copiously,  and  in 
a  pure  state.  Its  aromatic  part  is  extremely  volatile,  so 
that  it  should  be  kept  carefully  covered.  It  yields  its 
colour  and  virtue  to  spirit  of  different  strengths ;  to 
wine,  water,  either  cold  or  hot,  and  vinegar.  The  last 
soon  loses  its  colour.  The  watery  infusion  and  the 
vinous  tincture  soon  grow  sour,  and  lose  all  their  colour 
and  virtue.  About  three  parts  in  four  of  the  saffron  are 
dissolved  by  each,  and  the  remainder  is  a  pale  mass, 
without  colour,  taste,  or  smell. 

As  a  medicine,  it  has  been  esteemed  an  agreeable  aro- 
matic, an  anodyne,  antispasmodic,  cordial,  and  attenuant. 
Boerhaave  ranks  it  among  narcotic  poisons ;  and,  in  case 
of  an  imprudent  dose,  orders  a  vomit  and  acidulated 
draughts.  It  has  been  called  a  very  powerful  emmen- 
agogue,  and  said  to  require  caution  in  its  use,  as  some 
patients  are  more  affected  by  it  than  others;  in  dis- 
orders of  the  lungs  it  hath  been  so  esteemed  as  to 
obtain  the  name  of  anima  fiulmonum.  In  coughs  it  is 
highly  commended;  andCamerarius  says,  that  a  scruple 
of  saffron,  with  half  a  grain  of  musk,  is  of  considerable 
efficacy  in  asthmas.  Very  frequent  experiments  in 
practice  do  not,  however,  support  the  opinions  com- 
monly entertained  of  it.  Dr.  Cullen  has  given  it  in 
large  doses,  when  it  scarcely  produced  sensible  effects 
in  any  degree,  or  increased  the  frequency  of  the  pulse  ; 
and  as  anodyne  or  antispasmodic,  he  scarcely  observed 
its  operation.  In  one  or  two  instances  he  suspected  an 
emmenagoguc  power,  but  in  others,  though  repeatedly 
employed  in  large  doses,  it  was  useless;  and  though  he 
has  given  it  in  every  shape,  and  in  larger  doses  than 
authors  ever  proposed,  he  never  discovered  in  it  any 
virtue.  Indeed,  though  the  sensible  qualities  of  this 
medicine  are  pretty  considerable,  it  appears  to  possess 
no  other  power  than  that  of  a  weak  aromatic.  In  this 
medicine  very  little  confidence  is  at  present  placed; 
though  it  enters  into  several  officinal  compositions,  more 
on  account  of  its  colour  perhaps  than  its  utility. 

In  distillation,  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  its 
flavour;  and  if  the  quantity  of  saffron  is  large,  a  small 
portion  of  a  fragrant  and  very  pun  gent  essential  oil  may 
be  collected,  which,  according  to  Vogel,  amounts  to 
about  a  drachm  and  a  half  from  sixteen  ounces.  The  re- 
maining decoction,  inspissated  to  an  extract,  retains  all 
the  virtues  of  the  saffron,  except,  it  is  said,  the  cordial 
one.  The  spirituous  extract  retains  much  of  the  cor- 
dial quality,  if  it  has  any. 

The  dearness  of  saffron  subjects  it  to  many  artifices ; 
but  the  best  method  of  avoiding  them  is  to  purchase 
only  the  sort  called  hay-saffron. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  method  of 
preparing  the  SYRUP  OF  SAFFRON  : 


I   LI  L 


513 


CR  t 


Take  of  saffron,  one  ounce  ;  boiling  distilled  water, 
two  pints  ;  macerate  the  saffron  with  the  water  for  two 
hours  in  a  vessel  close  stopped;  and  to  the  strained 
liquor  add,  of  double  refined  sugar,  sufficient  to  make  a 
syrup.  Pharm.  Lend.  1788. 

See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Raii  Historia  Plantarum. 
Neumann's  Chemical  Works.  Cullen's  Mat.  Mcd. 

CRO'CUS  AXTIMO'XJI.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

CRO'CUS  I'XDICUS.     See  CURCUMA. 

CRO'CUS  MA'RTIS  APERIEXS,  and  ASTRIXGEXS.  See 
FERRU.M. 

CRO'CUS  METALLO'RUM.     See  AXTIMOXIUM. 

CRO'CUS  SARACE'XICUS.  BASTARD  SAFFROX.  See 
CARTHAMUS. 

CROMMYOX,  or  CRO'MYOX;  •**?«.  TO  -rets  xttxs 
fi«<»,  because  it  makes  the  eyes  wink.  An  oxiox.  See 
CEPA. 


»Jt<«,  acid,  and  fv/'/v^i,  to  break  out).  Acid  and  fetid 
eructations,  resembling  the  taste  of  onions. 

CRO'TAPHl,  (from  *.f»leu,  to  beat,  from  the  pulsa- 
tion always  perceptible  there).  See  TEMPORA. 

CROTAPHI'TES,  (from  Kf»l»<p®<,  the  temfile,  or 
*.f»len,  to  beat,  as  the  pulse).  See  TEMPORALIS  MUS- 

CULI. 

CROTA'PHIUM,  <from  xf«7*£«,  the  temfilea).  A 
pain  in  the  head  near  the  temples. 

CRO'TAPHOS,  (from  «p/«p«,  to  beat).     See  CE- 

PHALALGIA. 

CRO'TON.  According  to  Foesius,  it  signifies,  in 
Hippocrates,  the  bronchiae  of  the  lungs  expectorated  ; 
a  name  also  of  the  seeds  from  whence  the  ol.  ricini  is 
taken.  SCCCATAPUTIA. 

CRO'TOX  BEXZO'E.     See  BEXZOIXUM. 

CRO'TOX  CASCARI'LLA.     See  THUHIS  CORTEX. 

CROTO'NE,  (from  */>«?«»,  the  tick).  A  fungous 
excrescence  on  trees,  produced  by  an  insect  like  the 
tick;  but  applied  to  excrescences  and  fungous  tumours 
on  the  periosteum. 

CROC  'SM  ATA.  This  word  is  met  with  in  Myrepsus, 
and  is  translated  by  defluxions,  rheums  :  but  Fuchsius 
thinks  it  should  be  read  fevtutla. 

CRUCIA'LIA,  LIGAME'XTA,  (from  crux,  a 
cross).  They  rise  from  the  inside  of  each  condyle, 
and  are  attached  to  the  femur.  They  give  strength  to 
the  joint,  and  limit  its  motion. 

CRUCIA'LIS  INCI'SIO,  (from  the  same).  An  in- 
-oi;  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 

CRUCIA'LIS  GA'LLH  SPE'CJES.      See   CEUCIATA  VUL- 

GARIS. 

CRUCIA  TA,  (from  crux,  a  cross).  CROSS  WORT, 
from  its  leaves  being  disposed  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 
Theonly  species  is  the  c.vulgaris,  called  •ualantiaaflarine 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1491,  also  cruciata  hirsuta,  crucialis  gallii 
species,  gallium  latifolium,  fore  luteo,  MUG  WEED  and 
CROSS  WORT. 

The  roots  are  slender  and  creeping,  the  branches 
hairy,  about  a  foot  high  ;  at  the  joints  of  the  stalk  are 
placed  four  round  pointed  leaves  that  are  hairy,  and 
have  foot  stalks;  the  flowers  are  small  and  yellow, 
each  followed  by  two  small  round  black  seeds.  It  grows 
in  hedges  and  the  sides  of  fields,  and  flowers  in  July. 
The  leaves  and  tops  are  commended  for  promoting  ex- 
pectoration. Raii  Hist. 

CRUCI'BULUM,  (from  craciOjfo  former).  Also  call- 
ed tigillum,  ca!inusfuaoriua,albot,alkczoal,or  crucible. 

VOL.  I. 


It  is  an  earthen  vessel,  made  for  enduring  the  gre<; 
degree  of  heat,  generally  wider  above  than  below,  and 
of  a  round  or  triangular  figure.  Calcined  bones  are 
equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  other  materials  for  mak- 
ing them;  some  are  made  of  equal  parts  of  the  besl 
potter's  clay  dried,  of  a  plumose  alum,  and  of  bastard 
talc,  finely  powdered,  formed  into  a  paste  with  whey, 
and  then  baked  as  other  pottery.  Chalk  cut  into  tlie 
form  of  a  crucible,  then  steeped  in  linseed  oil  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  answers  many  purposes  very  well:  some 
use  the  powder  of  common  tiles,  and  an  equal  quantity 
of  chalk :  these  are  mixed  with  linseed  oil,  and  then 
baked.  They  may  be  either  made  of  earth,  black  lead, 
forged  iron,  or  platina;  Chaptal  says,  they  ought  to 
support  the  strongest  heat  without  melting,  and  be  ca- 
pable of  resisting  the  attacks  of  all  such  agents  as  are 
exposed  to  heat  in  vessels  of  this  kind.  Those  crucibles 
which  possess  the  greatest  degree  of  perfection  are  made 
in  Hesse,  or  Holland.  Those  made  of  platina  unite  the 
most  excellent  properties.  They  are  nearly  infusible, 
and  at  the  same  time  indestructible  by  fire.  M.  Achard, 
and  M.  Morveau,  have  made  them  by  first  fusing  platina 
with  arsenic,  which  at  first  remains  brittle ;  but  in 
proportion  as  the  arsenic  is  driven  off  by  the  continu- 
ance of  heat,  it  becomes  more  ductile.  These  chemists, 
by  melting  ita  second  time  in  moulds, formed  crucibles. 
Platina  has  been  lately  found  more  manageable,  and 
various  chemical  vessels  of  this  metal  are  now  com- 
monly met  with.  Various  other  materials,  and  modes 
of  combining  them,  may  be  seen  in  Pott's  Dissertation 
on  Crucibles,  and  in  the  Dictionary  of  Chemistry. 
Chaptal's  and  Lavoisier's  Elements  of  Chemistry. 

CRUCIFO'RMIS,  (from  crux,  a  cross).  Shaped 
like  a  cross;  a  botanical  term,  expressing  the  shape  of 
flowers  in  a  particular  state. 

CRU'DITAS,  (from  crudus,  raw).  CRUDITY.  Itis 
applied  to  unripe  fruits,  raw  flesh,  undigested  substances, 
humours  in  the  body  in  a  state  unprepared  for  expulsion, 
and  to  the  excrements.  See  CRISIS. 

CRU'DUS,  (fromxpw?,  cold,  i.  e.  rata).  Crude,  un- 
digested, unconcocted. 

"  Crudum,  pavonem  in  balnea  portas."     JUVEXAL. 

CRUE'NTASUTU'RA,(fromcr«or,6/oorf).BLooDY 
SUTURE;  when  the  lips  of  a  wound  are  brought  to- 
gether by  irieans  of  a  ligature  made  with  a  curved 
needle. 

CRU'XIOX.  (from  «£«</»»;,  a  torrent ;  from  the  vio- 
lence of  its  operation).  The  name  of  a  diuretic  com- 
pound medicine  described  by  ^Etius. 

CRU'OR.  BLOOD  EXTRAVASATED  AND  COXGEALED, 
(from  x.fvof,  cold).  Sometimes  it  means  the  blood  in 
general,  and  occasionally  the  venal  only. 

CRUPI'NA.     See  C'ALCITRAPA. 

CRU'RA  CLITO'RIDIS,  (from  crura,  legs).  See 
CLITORIS. 

CRU'RA  MEDU'LL.E  OBLOXGA'T^.  The  two  largest 
legs,  or  roots,  of  the  medulla  oblongata,  which  proceed 
from  the  cerebrum.  See  CEREBRUM. 

CRUR.E'US,  CRURE'US,  or  CRURA 'LIS,  (from 
crus,  a  leg).  The  crureus,  the  vastus  externus,  and 
vastus  internus,may  be  considered  as  one  muscle.  (See 
VASTUS  INTERXUS).  The  crureus  muscle  covers 
almost  all  the  fore  side  of  the  os  femoris,  between  the 
two  vasti.  The  tendons  of  the  crureus  rectus  anterior, 
and  of  the  two  vasti,  unite  into  one,  and  are  inserted 
into  the  side  of  the  patella,  in  the  edge  of  the  ligament 

3U 


C  RU 


514 


CRY 


of  that  bone,  and  in   the  adjacent  lateral  part  of  the 
head  of  the  tibia.     They  extend  the  leg. 

CRURA'LES  ARTE'RI^.,(from  cms,  a  leg).  The 

CRITHAL  AUTKRIES. 

The  external  iliac  arteries  pass  out  of  the  belly  under 
the  inguinal  glands,  and  there  take  the  name  of  crural : 
they  run  over  the  heads  of  each  os  femoris,  turn  under 
the  crural  vein,  presently  after  passing  out  of  the  abdo- 
men ;  here  they  are  not  covered  with  any  muscles,  but 
presently  plunge  betwixt  the  sartorius,  vastus  interims, 
and  triceps  muscles,  and  are  covered  by  them  all  the 
way  to  the  lower  part  of  the  thigh.  A  little  above  the 
internal  condyle  of  the  os  femoris,  they  perforate  the 
tendon  of  the  triceps,  and  run  to  the  posterior  part  of 
the  thigh,  clown  the  ham,  and  there  take  the  name  of 
fio/ilitece.  In  the  course  ofthese  arteries,  they  give  out 
the  pudicae  externse,  and  other  branches,  to  the  different 
muscles  of  the  thigh. 

CRURA'LIS  NE'RVUS,  (from  crus,  a  lcg)_.  The 
nerve  which  passes  from  the  loin  into  the  thigh  is  thus 
called.  The  second  lumbar  nerve  joins  the  third,  and 
that  again  communicating  with  the  fourth,  they  pro- 
duce this  crural  nerve  (see  LUMBAHES,)  which  pass- 
ing under  Poupart's  ligament,  runs  on  the  fore  part  of 
the  thigh,  under  the  iliacus  internus  muscle;  it  dis- 
perses itself  into  many  branches,  one  of  the  principal 
nf  which  accompanies  the  vena  saphena  all  the  way  to 
the  ancle. 

CHUHA'LIS  VENA, (from  the  same).  Called  also  ischias. 
The  external  iliac  vein,  going  out  from  under  the  liga- 
mcnluin  Fallopii,  on  the  inside  of  the  iliac  artery,  is 
there  called  crural.  About  an  inch  below  its  passing 
out  of  the  abdomen,  it  sends  off  a  large  branch,  called 
the  sa/ihfiia;  after  which  it  sinks  between  the  muscles, 
and  is  distributed  to  all  the  inner  parts  of  the  lower 
extremity,  accompanying  the  crural  artery  to  the  toes. 
In  its  descent  down  the  thigh,  it  runs  behind  the  crural 
artery:  when  it  hath  arrived  into  the  lower  part  of 
the  thigh,  its  situation  is  between  the  crural  artery  and 
the  inner  condyle  of  the  os  femoris ;  and  just  above  the 
ham  it  takes  the  name  of  /lojititea. 

CRUS,  (a  currcndo,  from  running,  or  rather  from 
the  Hebrew  term  crugh,  to  bend,  as  the  knee).  The 
i. KG.  It  includes  the  whole  of  the  lower  extremities, 
from  the  os  innominatum  to  the  toes;  viz.  the  thigh, 
leg,  and  foot.  It  sometimes  signifies  only  the  thigh, 
and  is  occasionally  confined  to  that  part  between  the 
knee  and  ancle. 

CRU'STA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  chresh).  The 
.shell  of  a  lobster,  crab,  cray  fish,  prawn,  or  shrimp  ; 
;;lso  the  name  of  a  scab,  scurf, or  eschar,  upon  a  diseased 
part :  sometimes  a  crust  or  cream  which  coagulates  on 
the  superficies  of  any  liquor,  as  on  blood  and  urine,  or 
upon  fermentable  liquors  during  one  stage  of  their  fer- 
mentation. 

CHU'STA  LA'CTKA.     SeeAcnou. 

CRUSTA'CEA,  (from  crusta,  a  -shell,  and  fi«- 
^uKaTrfxxtt,')  are  animals  which  have  the  external  parts 
firm  and  hard,  but  contain  afleshy  soft  substance  within. 
The  firm  part  consists  of  a  semicalcareous  crust,  forming 
one  very  large  and  several  small  pieces,  or  a  sei-ies  of 
rings  nearly  equal.  They  have  their  heads  furnished 
with  horns  and  other  appendages ;  numerous  feet 
obliquely  bent  and  articulated;  two  arms  called  claws, 
notched  li'.-v:  a  forceps,  and  breathe  by  means  of  distinct 
gills.  Ancient  naturalists  united  them  with  fish,  or 


in  a  separate  class  after  fish,  or  after  the  molluscs. 
Pliny  comprehends  all  crustaceous  animals  under  the 
name  of  crabs.  Linnaeus  classes  them  among  insects 
without  wings,  under  the  gencrical  name  of  crabs. 
•  Since  the  time  of  the  Swedish  naturalist  they  have 
been  arranged  with  insects,  though  their  structure  is 
very  different,  since  they  breathe  by  gills,  and  have  a 
muscular  heart.  Cuvier  and  La  Marck  have  agreed, 
therefore,  in  separating  them  from  insects.  The  former 
places  them  as  a  distinct  class  between  worms  and  in- 
sects; the  latter  between  the  molluscse  and  arachnidcs, 
a  class  formed  by  him  to  connect  the  Crustacea;  with 
insects.  They  differ,  therefore,  from  fish  and  molluscx 
in  having  articulated  limbs;  and  from  insects  by  having 
a  muscular  heart,  and  breathing  by  gills. 

Dr.  Cullen  takes  notice  in  general  of  the  lobster, 
crab,  prawn,  and  shrimp  only;  of  which  he  says  the 
two  former  hardly  differ  in  any  quality  from  one  an- 
other: and  from  the  small  proportion  of  volatile  alkali 
that  is  obtained  from  their  entire  substance,  or  extract, 
he  concludes  they  contain  less  animal  matter  than 
the  flesh  of  quadrupeds,  birds,  or  even  the  amphibia. 
They  appear  to  be  more  easy  of  digestion  than  animal 
food,  or  aliment  of  any  other  kind.  See  ALIMENT. 

CRU'STULA,  (from  crusta,  a  shell).  See  ECCHY- 
MOSIS. 

CRUSTU'MIXA  PYRA,  (from  Crustuminum,  a 
town,  where  they  grow).  PEARS  much  admired  by  the 
Romans,  and  mentioned  by  Columella,  v.  10.  Rhociius 
thinks  it  the  bergamot  pear;  but  from  its  history  this 
is  not  probable :  it  seems  to  resemble  the  Catharine 
pear. 

CRUSTUMINATUM,  (from  the  same).  A  sort 
of  rob  made  of  the  juice  of  apples  and  pears,  boiled 
with  honey  and  rain  water.  jEtius  gives  directions  for 
the  preparation. 

CRUX-CE'RVI,  (from  crux,  a  cross,  and  cervus,  a 
stag).  Sec  CEHVUS. 

CRYMO'DES,  (from  upvot,  cold).  An  epithet  for  a 
fever  wherein  the  external  parts  are  cold. 

CRYO'XA.     Erotian  thinks  it  a  kind  of  pot  herb. 
CRY'PTJE,  (from  x.fv7fiS,  to  hide).    Hollow  cavities, 
containing  some  fluid.     See  FOLLICULUS. 

CRYPTOGA'MIA  (from  x/>nr7<>?  and  yetfttf,  con- 
cealed nufitials)  .  The  twenty-fourth  of  Linnseus's  classes 
of  plants ;  denominated  from  the  obscurity  oftheir  manner 
of  impregnation.  They  comprehend  vegetables  whose 
fructification  is  concealed,  or  at  least  too  minute  to  be 
observed  by  the  naked  eye.  The  mosses,  mushrooms, 
flags,  and  ferns,  are  of  this  class.  In  the  fern,  the  seeds 
are  found  on  the  back  of  the  leaves  of  the  plant. 

CRYPTOPYICA.  ISCHURIA.  A  suppression  of 
urine,  from  a  retraction  of  the  penis  within  the  body. 
See  ISCHURIA. 

CRYPSORCHIS,  (from  »fvv!a,  to  hide,  and  «/>^«.«, 
testis).  A  retraction,  or  retrocession,  of  one  of  the 
testicles. 

CRYSTA'LLI,  (from  Kfvos,  cold,  and  c-leMa,  to  con- 
tract; for  crystals  were  considered  as  water  contracted 
by  cold).  See  CRYSTALLINE. 

CRYSTA'LLI  TA'RTARI.     See  TARTARUM. 
CRYSTALLI'NA.     The  CRYSTALLINE  HUMOUR  OF 
THE   EYE,    (from  xgvof,  cold,   and   rleMa,  to  contract). 
Called  also  crystallinus  humor ;  and  discoides,  from  its 
resembling  a  disk  or  quoit  of  the  Romans. 

Immediately  behind  the  aqueous  humour  is  situated 


C  R\ 


515 


c  R  \ 


the  crystalline;  transparent,  of  the  colour  of  crystal.  It 
is  situated  between  the  aqueous  and  vitreous  humours, 
its  anterior  part  being  opposite  to,  and  very  near  the 
pupil ;  its  posterior  part  is  lodged  in  a  cavity,  formed 
for  its  reception  in  the  middle  and  fore  part  of  the  vi- 
treous humour  :  the  figure  of  the  crystalline  is  that  of  a 
lens,  convex  on  both  sides,  but  rather  more  so  posteri- 
orly. The  crystalline  is  the  least,  but  of  the  most  firm 
consistence,  of  the  three  humours  of  the  ey.e.  It  is  more 
firm  in  the  middle  than  in  the  sides;  and,  in  time,  is  apt 
to  change  both  in  its  consistence  and  colour,  growing 
still  more  firm,  and  yellowish.  It  is  invested  with  a 
dense,  firm  membrane,  which  is  rather  loosely  connect- 
ed to  it;  is  perfectly  transparent,  but,  when  injected, 
appears  furnished  with  numerous  blood  vessels.  In  the 
fa:tus  there  appears  a  branch  of  the  artery  that  passes 
through  the  axis  of  the  op  tic  nerve, which  comes  through 
the  vitreous  humour,  and  ramifies  through  the  capsule 
of  the  crystalline  in  a  radiated  manner;  this  is  much 
larger  in  the  fojlus,  and  stronger  than  in  adults:  these 
branches  go  to  the  tips  of  the  processus  ciliaris,  and 
are  there  imperceptible.  The  crystalline  humour  is 
membranous,  and  consists  of  many  coats  inclosed  in  one 
another;  the  whole  of  which  are  contained  in  a  capsule, 
formed  by  a  continuation  of  the  covering  of  the  vitre- 
ous humour.  This  capsule  is  called  ARANEV  ;  q.  v.  The 
crystalline  produces  a  second  refraction  of  the  rays  of 
light ;  the  first  refraction,  which  is  produced  by  the  cor- 
nea and  the  aqueous  humour,  not  being  sufficient  to 
bring  them  to  a  focus  at  the  retina.  More  minutely  ex- 
amined, its  specific  gravity  was  found  by  Mr.  Chcnevix 
to  be  1 100.  When  fresh  it  was  neither  acid  nor  alka- 
line, but  putrificd  rapidly.  It  is  almost  wholly  soluble 
in  -water,  and  is  partly  coagulated  by  heat.  Tanin  gives 
a  copious  precipitate  ;  but  when  free  from  the  other  hu- 
mours, no  traces  of  the  muriatic  acid  were  found.  The 
proportion  of  water  is  therefore  smaller;  those  of  albu- 
men and  gelatine  larger  than  in  the  other  humours. 
Philosophical  Trans.  1803,  p.  197. 

CRYSTALLI'NjE,  (from  the  same).  CRYSTAL- 
LINKS.  Also  crystalli.  The  Italian  physicans  call  them 
taroli.  They  are  pustules  filled  with  water,  transpa- 
rent, and  on  that  account  receive  their  name.  They  are 
sometimes  about  the  size  of  a  lupin,  and  appear  over 
the  whole  body.  Ikit  when  they  attend  a  gonorrhoea, 
they  are  considered  as  one  of  the  most  troublesome 
symptoms.  They  are  lodged  on  the  prepuce  without 
pain;  and,  though  caused  by  coition,  are  not  infectious. 
The  cause  is  supposed  to  be  a  contusion  of  the  lympha- 
tic vessels  in  the  part  affected.  Dr.  Cockburn,  who  hath 
described  this  case,  recommends  for  the  cure  a  mixture 
of  three  parts  of  lime  water  and  two  of  .rectified  spirit  of 
wine,  to  be  used  warm  as.  a  lotion,  three  times  a  day. 

CRYSTALLI'NJE  MA'NUS.  In  Hippocrates,  are  hands 
so  cold  as  to  seem  frozen. 

CRYSTALLI'XUM,  (from  the  same;  so  called  from 
its  transparency).  See  AUSEMCVM  AI.HL-.M. 

CRYSTALLI'NUS  HUMOR,  (from  the  same). 
See  CKYSTALLIXA. 

CRYSTA'LLION.     Sec  PSYLLIUM. 

CRYSTALLISA'TIO,  (from  x^o-7*A>.«?,  cri/tiaf). 
CRYSTALLIZATION.  The  parts  of  all  bodies  \\hiih 
take  the  solid  state  are  disposed  to  arrange  themselves 
in  such  a  manner,  as  to  produce  so;:  ,-  geome- 

trical figure  in  the  solid.  This  property  is  called  cry- 


stallization, and  the  regularly  figured  bodies  we  call 
crystal*.  In  this  process  the  integrant  parts  of  a  solid 
body,  separated  from  each  other  by  the  intervention  of 
a  fluid,  exert  the  mutual  attraction  of  aggregation,  so  as 
to  coalesce  and  produce  a  solid  muss. —  \Vtun  the  par- 
ticles of  a  body  are  only  separated  by  caloric,  and  the 
substance  is  retained  in  the  liquid  stale  by  ils  means, 
all  that  is  necessary  for  its  crystallization  is,  to  remove 
a  part  of  the  caloric  ;  in  other  words,  to  cool  it.  If  this 
refrigeration  be  slow,  and  the  body  be  at  the  same  time 
left  at  rest,  its  particles  assume  a  regular  arrangei, 
and  crystallization,  properly  so  called,  takes  place  : 
but  if  the  refrigeration  is  rapid,  or  if  the  liquor  be 
agitated  at  the  moment  of  its  passage  to  the  concrete 
state,  the  crystallization  is  irregular  and  confused.  The 
same  phenomena  occur  in  watery  solutions,  or  rather 
in  those  made  partly  in  water,  and  partly  by  ci'i 
So  long  as  there  remains  a  sufficiency  of  water  and 
caloric  to  separate  the  particles  of  the  body  beyond 
the  sphere  of  their  mutual  attraction,  the  salt  remains 
in  a  fluid  state ;  but  when  the  necessary  quantity  of 
either  is  deficient,  and  the  attraction  of  theparticlc- 
each  other  becomes  superior  to  the  power  which  sepa- 
rates them,  the  salt  recovers  its  concrete  form,  and  the 
crystals  produced  are  more  regular  in  proportion  as  the 
evaporation  has  been  slower,  and  more  tranquilly  per- 
formed. 

To  dispose  a  substance  to  crystallization,  it  is  ncv 
sary,  in  the  first  place,  to  red-j-e  it  to  the  most  . 
plete  state  of  division.  This  may  be  effected  either  bv 
solution,  or  by  an  operation  merely  mechanical.  Solu- 
tion may  be  effected  either  by  the  means  of  water  or 
fire.  The  solution  of  salts  is  generally  performed  by- 
means  of  the  first;  that  of  melals  of  the  second.  In 
order  that  the  form  of  a  crystal  may  be  regular,  three, 
circumstances  are  required;  time,  a  sufficient  sfiace,  and 
rcfiose.  Sometimes  the  assistance  of  light  is  appar< 
requisite,  though  in  general  injurious  to  the  regular 
formation  of  crystal.  Time  brings  the  integral  parts 
by  insensible  gradation  nearer  each  other,  and  without 
any  sudden  shock  ;  so  that  they  unite  according  to  their 
constant  laws,  and  form  a  regular  crystal.  Space,  or 
sufficient  room,  is  likewise  a  condition  necessary  for 
obtaining  regular  crystallization.  If  nature  be  restrain- 
ed in  her  operations,  the  product  of  her  labour  will  ex- 
hibit symptoms  of  constraint.  A  state  of  repose  in  the 
fluid  is  likewise  necessary  to  obtain  very  regular  forms  : 
uninterrupted  agitation  opposes  all  symmetrical 
rangcment ;  and  in  this  case  the  crystallization  obtained 
will  be  confused  and  indeterminate. 

This  term,  however,  is  most  commonly  applied  to 
bodies  of  the  saline  kind  ;  but  not  till  lately  applied  to 
the  freezing  of  water,  or  to  the  consolidation  of  metals 
after  they  have  been  melted.  In  every  change,  how- 
ever, from  a  fluid  to  a  solid  state,  we  can  perceive  traces 
of  this  operation,  if  we,  perhaps,  except  the  fat  oils. 
Though  this  is  accounted  one  of  the  processes  ofxhe- 
mistry,  it  is  truly  a  process  of  nature,  and  may  be  dis- 
covered in  all  her  operations.  All  the  deliquescent 
are  excluded  from  this  operation,  and  the  volatile  ones 
never  assume  this  form,  uni  con- 

fined.     Sonic  of  the  neutral  kind,  particularly  ti:<>se  of 
which  certain  metallic  bodies  are  the  !:••  s  capable 

of  crystallization,  if  a  sufficient  quant'  -del- 

ed, or  anv  substance  with  which  the  water  lias  a  greater 
3  U   1 


CRY 


516 


CUB 


affinity.  Different  salts  also  require  different  quantities 
of  water  to  dissolve  them  ;  so  that  if  a  mixture  of  two 
salts  be  dissolved  in  one  fluid,  they  will  begin  to  sepa- 
rate at  different  times  of  the  evaporation :  upon  this 
foundation  salts  are  freed  not  only  from  their  impuri- 
ties, but  also  from  one  another;  that  which  is  least  so- 
luble shooting  first. 

The  mannerof  crystallizing  salts  is,  to  make  a  saturat- 
ed solution  of  them  in  boiling  water;  for  hot  water  dis- 
solves a  larger  quantity  of  many  salts  than  it  can  sus- 
pend when  cold.  The  solution  must  be  then  put  into  a 
proper  vessel,  and  stand  still  in  a  cool  place  till  the  crys- 
tals are  formed,  which  sometimes  require  several  days. 
AVhen  crystals  are  formed,  the  remaining  solution  must 
be  poured  off,  and  what  the  crystals  retain  drained  from 
them,  by  means  of  bibulous  paper,  then  dried.  There 
is  a  certain  portion  of  the  menstruum,  which,  though 
it  contains  salts,  never  permits  them  to  crystallize.  This 
arises  from  a  viscidity  or  oiliness  in  the  fluid,  which 
prevents  the  mutual  attraction  of  the  saline  particles  ; 
and  in  the  salt  works  it  is  called  oil  of  salt.  Chemists 
style  it  the  mother  water  ;  sometimes  the  mothers. 

The  cause  of  crystallization  seems  to  depend  on  the 
attraction  and  repulsion  with  which  the  different  portions 
of  the  molecule  are  endowed.  Attraction  alone  will  not 
explain  the  phenomena;  and,  indeed,  with  the  assistance 
of  its  antagonising  power,  they  are  very  obscure.  The 
crystals  are  apparently  formed  with  some  momentum, 
and  they  are  seen  in  their  shooting  to  strike  the  glass  forci- 
bly. Vauquelin  saw  a  thin  glass  broken  by  this  means. 
Whatever  be  the  variety  of  crystals,  the  primordial  forms 
are  few.  Their  forms  have  been  explained  with  great 
precision  by  Haiiy  ;  and  they  appear  so  constant  and  re- 
gular, that  they  become  the  best  criterion  often  for  distin- 
guishing the  species  of  natural  bodies.  See  CRYSTALLI. 

If  salts  are  dissolved  in  too  much  water,  the  super- 
fluous fluid  must  be  evaporated  slowly  until  the  salts 
show  a  disposition  to  concrete,  even  from  the  hot  wa- 
ter, by  forming  a  pellicle  on  the  surface.  If  large,  and 
the  most  perfect  crystals  are  required,  the  solution  must 
be  removed  from  the  fire  before  the  pellicle  appears  ; 
otherwise  the  sudden  crystallization  will  diminish  their 
perfection.  In  this  case  the  evaporation  must  be  con- 
tinued until  some  drops  of  the  liquor,  falling  on  a  cold 
glazed  plate,  discover  crystalline  filaments  :  the  vessel 
must  then  be  removed  from  the  fire  into  a  less  warm,  but 
not  cold  place,  covered  with  a  cloth,  and  left  till  crystals 
are  formed.  If  the  salt  be  pure,  no  more  is  necessary ; 
but  if  not,  filtration  will  be  required,  previous  to  the 
solution  being  left  for  the  separation  of  its  contents. 

In  crystallizing  large  quantities,  sticks  are  placed, 
and  sometimes  threads,  across  in  the  vessels,  on  which 
the  salts  form,  and  are  taken  out  in  a  more  perfect  figure 
than  when  they  adhere  in  "thicker  concretions  to  the 
sides  and  bottoms  of  the  vessels.  Sudden  cooling,  or 
shaking  of  the  vessel,  will  prevent  the  salts  from  being 
properly  and  regularly  formed ;  and  care  should  be  ta- 
ken that  the  substance  of  the  vessels  are  such  as  not  to 
endanger  corrosion. 

The  figures  of  salts  cannot  be  destroyed  ;  for  if  they 
are  comminuted  ever  so  small,  yet,  upon  re-crystalli- 
zation, they  form  themselves  again  into  their  proper 
shape. 

Salts  entangle,  in  the  interstices  of  their  crystals,  a 
portion  of  water,  called  the  -water  of  crystallization ; 


which  occasions  tlie  efflorescence  of  salts  in  the  air, 
and  their  effervescence  on  the  application  of  heat:  and 
on  this  their  crystalline  form  seems  much  to  depend. 
Nitre  contains  about  one  twentieth- of  its  weight  of 
water;  alum  one  sixth  ;  sea  salt  one  fourth;  borax, 
green  vitriol,  and  the  bitter  purging  salts,  from  one 
third  to  one  half. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine  dissolves  some  salts,  assists 
the  crystallization  of  others,  and  is  necessary  for  sepa- 
rating any  oily  matters  from  them.  See  MENSTRUUM 
and  SOLUTION. 

See  Chaptal ;  Fourcroy ;  Lavoisier's  Elements  of 
Chemistry  ;  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica;  Boerhaavc's 
Chemistry;  Dictionary  of  Chemistry;  Neumann's  Che- 
mical Works;  Haiiy  Traite  cle  Mineralogie;  and  Rome 
1'Isle's  Crystallographie. 

CRYSTA'LLUM  MINERA'LE.  See  SAL  PRL- 
NELLJE,  under  NITRUM. 

CRYSTALLOI'DES  TUNICA,  (from  *,»{?* «t.?, 
crystal,  and  it  fa,  forma).  See  ARANEA. 

CRY'THE.  A  hard,  scirrhous,  immoveable  stian  in 
the  interior  part  of  the  eye  lid,  containing  a  pellucid 
body.  .  See  CHALAZA,  CRITHE  HORDEOLUM. 

CTE'IS.     See  PUBIS  OSSA. 

CTE'NES.  A  COMB  or  RAKE.  Its  plural  means  the 
denies  incisores. 

CTESIPHO'NTIS  MALA'GMA.  A  plaster  de- 
scribed by  Celsus. 

CU'BARIS.     See  ASELLI. 

CUBE'BuE,  (from  the  Arabic  term  cubabah).  Ct- 
BEBS;  called  also  Jiifier  caudatum;  by  Actuarius,  com- 
fieba  ;  and  by  Myrepsus,  comjiifier.  Pi/ier  cubeba  Lin. 
Sup.  90.  Wildenow,  vol.  i.  p.  159.  The  cubeb  tree  is 
also  the  baccifera  arbor  Brasiliensis  fructu  fii/ier  reci- 
fiiente.  The  berries  are  dried,  of  an  ash  brown  colour, 
generally  wrinkled,  greatly  resembling  pepper,  but  fur- 
nished each  with  a  slender  stalk.  They  are  brought  from 
Java,  and  different  parts  of  the  East  Indies  ;  are  a  warm 
spice,  agreeable  to  the  smell,  and  somewhat  pungent  to 
the  taste.  Their  qualities  resemble  those  of  pepper, 
but  are  much  milder.  Distilled  with  water,  they  yield 
a  small  quantity  of  essential  oil,  which  possesses  most 
of  their  virtue.  An  extract  made  with  rectified  spirit 
of  wine  abounds  with  all  their  virtues,  for  the  odorous 
principle  does  not  exhale  with  spirit. 

Those  which  are  large,  plump,  and  heavy,  are  pre- 
ferable ;  for  if  they  are  wrinkled,  they  have  been  ga- 
thered before  they  were  ripe.  See  Rail  Hist. ;  Neu- 
mann's Works;  and  Lewis's  MateriaMedica. 

CUBE'BIS.     See  FAGARA  MAJOR. 

CUBIFO'RME  OS,  (from  cubus,  a  cube,  and  £/£>?, 
forma,  likeness}.  See  CUHOIDES  os. 

CUBITA'LISNE'R  VUS,  (from  cubitus,  elbow). 
See  CERVICALES.  Cheselden  describes  the  cubical 
nerves  as  being  two  in  each  arm :  the  upper  passing 
over  the  Upper  exuberance  of  the  os  humeri,  runs  on  to 
the  thumb  and  the  three  next  fingers  by  its  branches, 
which  spread  when  it  approaches  the  thumb;  the  infe- 
rior, which  passes  under  the  inner  exuberance  of  the 
os  humeri,  and  runs  on  to  the  ring  and  little  fingers.  For 
this  reason  we  find  these  fingers  often  affected,  while 
the  others  remain  free  from  disease. 

CUBITA'LIS,  vel  ULNA'RIS  ARTERIA.  The  cubital  or 
ulnar  artery,  parting  from  the  radical  about  a  fin- 
ger's breadth  below  the  bend  of  the  arm,  sinks  in 


c  u  r 


517 


cue 


between  the  ulna  and  the  upper  parts  of  the  pronator 
teres,  perforates  the  palmaris  longus,  and  radiaeus  inter- 
nus :  near  the  carpus  it  lies  just  under  the  integuments, 
is  continued  on  the  inside  of  the  os  pisitbrme,  runs  be- 
fore the  annular  ligaments  across  the  palm,  and  forms 
an  arch  which  anastomoses  with  that  of  the  radial ; 
whence  these  arteries  go  to  the  finger  and  thumb,  one 
running  on  each  of  the  fingers.  In  its  course  it  sends 
off  various  branches. 

CUBITA'LIS  MU'SCULUS.     See  AXCOX.EUS  MUSCULUS. 

CUBITA'LIS  EXTE'RNA  and  IXTE'RXA,  VEXA.  See  BA- 
SILICA VEXA. 

CU'BITI  PROFUNDA  VEXA.  Sometimes  from 
one  and  sometimes  from  another  of  the  branches  called 
mediana,  a  branch  goes  out  on  the  inside  of  the  fore 
arm,  which  is  thus  named. 

CU'BITUS.  The  ELBOW  ;  (from  cubo,  to  He  dwn  ; 
because  the  ancients  used  to  lie  down  on  that  part  at  their 
meals).  Olene.  (See  ULXA).  It  is  also  a  cubit  measure ; 
and  in  botany  it  is  the  ninth  degree  in  the  Linnaean 
scale  for  measuring  plants.  The  length,  from  the  el- 
bow to  the  extremity  of  the  middle  finger,  is  esteemed 
equal  to  seventeen  Parisian  inches,  or  a  foot  and  a  half 
English.  The  stalks  of  plants  are  named  cubitalis,  or 
bicubitalis,  according  to  their  height. 

CUBOI'DES  OS,  (from  *.t/»»«,  a  cube,  and  nfc, 
forma,}  called  also  o»  cubiforme,  (/uadratum,  grandino- 
sum,  tessera,  multiforme,  is  situated  immediately  before 
the  os  calcis  ;  on  its  fore  side  it  sustains  the  os  metatarsi 
of  the  little  toe,  and  that  toe  next  to  it.  The  ossification 
of  this  bone  is  scarcely  begun  at  the  birth. 

CU  COS.  The  kernel  of  the  fruit  of  a  species  of 
palm  tree;  the  fruit  is  the  size  of  a  cherry. 

CUCULA  TUM  MA 'JUS.  BRANDY,  or  SPIRIT  OF 
WIXE. 

CUCULLA,CUCULLA'RISMU'SCULUS,(from 
cucullus,  a  hood,')  called  also  tra/iezius,  arises  by  a  strong 
round  tendon,  from  the  lower  part  of  the  protuberance 
in  the  middle  of  the  os  occipitis  behind  ;  and  by  a  thin 
membranous  tendon,  which  covers  part  of  the  splenius 
and  complexus  muscles,  from  the  rough  curved  line 
that  extends  from  the  protuberance  towards  the  mastoid 
process  of  the  temporal  bone  ;  runs  down  the  nape  of  the 
neck,  where  it  seems  to  arise  from  its  fellow,  and  co- 
vers the  spinous  processes  of  the  superior  vertebra;  of 
the  neck,  but  arises  from  the  spinous  processes  of  the 
two  inferior,  and  all  the  vertebrae  of  the  back,  adhering 
-tendinous  to  its  fellow  the  whole  length  of  its  origin. 
It  is  inserted,  fleshy,  into  the  posterior  half  of  the  cla- 
vicle, tendinous  and  fleshy  into  the  acromion,  and  into 
almost  all  the  spine  in  the  scapula.  Its  use  is  to  move 
the  scapula,  according  to  the  three  directions  of  its 
fibres  :  for  the  upper  descending  fibres  draw  it  obliquely 
upwards ;  the  middle  transverse  straight  fibres  draw  it 
directly  backwards ;  and  the  inferior  ascending  fibres 
draw  it  obliquely  downwards  and  backwards.  Where  it 
is  inseparably  united  to  its  fellow  in  the  nape  of  the  neck, 
it  is  named  ligamentum  colii,  or  nuclie.  (Innes).  It 
is  observed  by  Douglas,  that  Galen  divides  this  muscle 
into  two,  viz.  the  superior  and  the  inferior.  The  first 
he  calls  the  traflezia  ;  and  to  the  second  later  anatomists 
have  given  the  name  of  cuculla,  from  whence  they  are 
both  commonly  named  cucullares.  Its  upper  part,  from 
the  os  occipitis  to  the  spinal  process  of  the  last  ver- 


tebrae colli,  is  inseparably  united  to  its  fellow  of  the 
other  side. 

CUCULLA'TA,  (from  the  same).     See  SAXICULA. 

CUCULLA'TI  FLORES,  (from  the  same).     Cu- 

CULATE   FLOWERS.        See  pLOS  LABIATUS. 

CUCULLATUSj  (from  the  same).  -  In  botany  it 
means  rolled  up  like,  or  covered  as  with,  a  hood. 

CUCU'LLUS.     A  FLOOD.     See  CUCUPHA,  and  EPI- 

THEMA. 

CUCUMERA'RIA,  CUCUMERI'NA  I'XDICA. 
(from  cucumis,  the  cucumber ).  See  MOMORDICA. 

CUCU' MIS,  (quasi  curvime res,  from  their  curvature, 
according  to  Varro).  The  CUCUMBER.  The  cucum- 
ber hath  a  flower  consisting  of  one  leaf,  which  is  bell- 
shaped,  expanded  toward  the  top,  and  cut  into  many 
segments,  of  which  some  are  male,  others  female.  The 
best  fruit  is  long,  and  of  a  deep  green.  This  plant  is 
annual,  and  raised  from  seed,  the  best  of  which  is  long 
and  thick,  with  a  thin  rind.  See  CUCUMIS  HORTEXSIS. 

CUCU'MIS  AGRESTIS;  called  also  cucumis  asininus, 
elaterium  officinarum  boubalios,  guarerba  orba.  The 
WILD  or  squiRTixo  CUCUMBER.  The  fruit  from  whence 
the  elaterium  of  the  shops  is  obtained,  is  the  momordica 
elaterium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1434.  This  fruit  is  watery,  hairy, 
and  almost  of  an  oval  shape,  about  two  inches  in  length  : 
when  ripe,  it  bursts  on  being  touched,  and  throws  out 
with  violence  its  whitish  juice  and  black  seeds.  It  is  sown 
in  our  gardens  annually,  but  is  found  wild  in  many  other 
countries.  The  Greeks  call  it  efaterion,  from  fA*»»«<,  to 
dart;  and  from  whence  it  is  called  the  squirting  cucumber. 
The  same  term  is  applied  to  any  purging  medicine  that 
acts  with  violence.  All  the  parts  of  the  wild  cucumber 
are  strongly  purgative ;  the  fruit  is  the  most  so,  and  the 
root  more  active  than  the  leaves.  The  juice  of  the  fruit 
hath  an  unpleasant  smell,  and  a  durable  nauseous  bitter 
taste :  on  standing  a  few  hours,  it  separates  into  a  thick 
part,  which  falls  to  the  bottom,  and  a  thin  watery  fluid, 
which  floats  above.  The  dried  juice,  or  faecula  of  the 
fruit,  known  in  the  shops  by  the  name  of  elaterium,  is 
the  only  part  now  medicinally  employed,  and  has  been 
distinguished  into  white  and  black  elaterium  :  the  first 
is  prepared  of  the  juice  which  issues  spontaneously,  the 
latter  from  that  whkh  is  obtained  by  expression.  It  is 
a  strong,  irritating,  but  slow,  cathartic ;  and  often  ope- 
rates with  violence  as  an  emetic,  disappointing  the  prac- 
titioners in  its  other  effects.  It  remarkably  raises  the 
pulse,  appearing  to  excite  for  a  time  a  feverish  state ;  and 
is,  therefore,  only  used  in  cold  phlegmatic  constitutions, 
and  in  dropsy,  a  disease  in  which  it  was  much  employed 
by  Sydenham  and  Lister.  (See  Sydenham's  Works,  and 
Listeri  Exercitationes  Medicinales  de  Hydrope).  It  is 
undoubtedly  the  most  violent  purgative  in  the  materia 
medica,  and  ought,  therefore,  to  be  administered  with 
great  caution,  and  only  where  the  milder  cathartics  have 
proved  ineffectual.  The  dose  is  from  half  a  grain  to 
three  grains :  the  most  prudent  and  effectual  mode  of 
exhibition  in  dropsies  is  by  repeating  it  in  small  doses, 
at  short  intervals;  or  employing  it  to  quicken  other  pur- 
gatives. Four  grains  of  extract  of  gentian,  "and  a  quarter 
of  a  grain  of  elaterium,  formed  into  a  pill,  and  repeated 
every  two  hours  till  it  operates  sufficiently  by  stool,  and 
given  every  third  or  fourth  day,  is  said  to  have  been  ef- 
ficacious in  reducing  dropsical  swellings,  and  affording 
an  opportunity  for  the  exhibition  of  tonics. 


cue 


518 


cue 


The  London  college  directs  the  following  method  of 
preparing  claterium  : 

Slit  ripe  \\i\d  cucumbers,  and  strain  the  juice,  very 
gently  pressed,  through  a  very  fine  hair  sieve,  into  a 
glazed  vessel ;  set  it  by  for  some  hours,  till  its  thicker 
part  shall  have  subsided.;  then  pour  oft'  the  thin  part  of 
the  juice,  and  separate  the  rest  by  straining;  let  the 
thicker  part  which  remains  be  covered  over  with  a  linen 
cloth,  and  dried  by  a  gentle  heat.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

Care  should  be  taken  not  to  press  the  cucumber  so  as 
to  force  out  any  of  the  pulp ;  for  thus  the  preparation 
will  be  proportionally  weakened.  An  extract  made 
with  wine  from  the  roots  is  equally  useful  with  this 
fecula,  called  elaterium. 

Elatcrium  is  mentioned  as  a  purging  medicine  by 
Hippocrates:  sometimes  it  occasions  great  uneasiness 
in  the  bowels,  if  too  large  a  dose  is  given ;  in  which  case 
acids  and  mucilages  are  the  proper  antidotes.  Sec  Rail 
Hist.:  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  and  CATHARTICS. 

CU'CUMIS  yEovi'Tirs.  CHATE,  or  EGYPTIAN  CUCUM- 
BER. It  is  more  white,  soft,  and  round  than  our  garden 
cucumber,  but  of  similar  qualities. 

CU'CUMIS  CAKADENSIS.     Sec  SICYOS. 

CU'CUMIS  COLOCY'NTHIS.     See  COLOCYNTHIS. 

CU'CUMIS    IIORTE'NSIS,    cucumis    vulgaris,    cucumin 

."lltn'US,  or  GARDEN   CUCUMBER. 

The  seeds  of  this  species  are  the  only  part  used  in 
medicine.  They  have  usually  been  prescribed  in  a  mix- 
ture of  equal  portions  of  the  seeds  of  the  citrullus,  or  wa- 
ter melon  ;  cucurbita,  or  gourd  ;  and  pepo,  or  pompion  ; 
\inder  the  general  name  of  the  GREATER  COLD  SEEDS. 
The  seeds-of  all  these  plants  are  similar  in  their  medi- 
cal properties.  The  fruit  of  the  cucumber  is  not  very 
nutritious,  though  it  makes  a  considerable  part  of  the 
aliment  of  many  persons  in  warm  climates  and  seasons ; 
and  its  aqueous  and  cooling  quality  renders  it  very  pro- 
per for  summer  aliment,  and  an  agreeable  food  in  hot, 
bilious  dispositions.  From  the  sponginess  of  its  texture, 
it  is  often  retained  long  in  the  stomach,  occasioning 
acidity  and  flatulence;  hence  it  should  be  accompanied 
with  a  large  proportion  of  aromatics.  Formerly  the 
seeds  were  beat  into  an  emulsion  with  other  ingredients, 
but  now  are  rarely  employed,  the  almond  emulsion  su- 
perseding their  use. 

CU'CUPHA,  A  HOOD  ;  called  also  cucullus,  birethus, 
and  Jiilcus.  An  ODORIFEROUS  CAP  for  the  head.  It 
is  made  like  what  is  called  the  skull  cap,  for  children, 
of  either  silk  or  linen  ;  double,  containing  between  its 
folds  cephalic  aromatic  drugs,  in  powder;  sometimes 
they  are  mixed  with  cotton,  to  keep  them  equally  dis- 
persed ;  sprinkled  with  some  suitable  essential  oil,  with 
spirit,  or  vinegar.  When  applied  to  half  of  the  skull, 
or  a  particular  part,  it  is  called  a  semlcucu/ilia.  The 
ingredients  should  be  renewed  when  their  virtue  is  ex- 
hausted. Indeed  all  the  virtues  these  caps  possess  will 
soon  be  lost,  for  the  aromatics  can  be  of  little  use.  The 
double  cap  may  possess  some  virtue  ;  and,  as  in  the  ori- 
ental tale  of  medicines,  concealed  in  the  racket,  the  ad- 
ventitious circumstances  may  be  truly  salutary  The 
proportions  of  the  species  usually  recommended  are,  of 
roots,  an  ounce  ;  of  leaves,  two  or  three  handfuls ;  of 
flowers,  two  or  three  pugils;  of  gums,  one  or  two 
drachms;  of  powders,  one  ounce:  the  whole  rarely  ex- 
ceeds four  ounces.  See  EPITHEMA. 


CUCU'RBITA,  (a  curvitate;  from  its  shape).  Cu- 
curbita lagenaria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1434.  The  GOURD.  It 
is  a  large  fruit  growing  on  a  plant :  its  seed  is  one  of 
the  four  cold  seeds  mentioned  in  the  article  CUCUMIS. 
It  is  also  a  glass  vessel  with  a  round  belly  and  a  long 
neck,  about  six  inches  diameter,  and  firmly  closed; 
bocia,  bolus  barbatus,  and  ovum  sublimatorium. 

CUCU'RBITA.  A  CUPPING  GLASS.  (See  CUCURBITU- 
LA).  Also  a  CUCURBIT;  alkara  obelchera.  A  chemi- 
cal vessel,  so  called  from  its  resemblance  to  a  gourd ; 
for  it  gradually  arises  from  a  wide  bottom,  and  termi- 
nates in  a  small  neck.  Some  call  it  vas  urinate,  be- 
cause it  is  shaped  like  a  glass  in  which  urine  is  in- 
spected. It  is  used  in  distillation,  with  a  head,  and 
then  it  constitutes  an  alembic  :  it  is  also  used  in  diges- 
tions, with  a  blind  alembic  fitted  to  it. 

Cucurbits  are  made  of  glass,  earthen  ware,  or  of  me- 
tal, according  to  the  respective  uses  in  which  they 
are  engaged :  the  earthen  ones  are  called  canthari 
Jigulini;  the  copper  ones  are  lined  with  tin,  ve&ice  dis- 
tillutoritS. 

The  broader  the  bottom,  and  the  narrower  and  longer 
the  neck,  with  the  more  difficulty  its  contents  are  dis- 
tilled; so  that  the  less  obedient  any  subject  is  to  the 
fire,  the  narrower  the  bottom,  and  the  shorter  the  neck 
should  be,  and  vice  versa. 

It  is  a  blind  cucurbit,  when  another  small  cucurbit  is 
placed  on  with  its  neck  in  the  neck  of  the  larger.  The 
lesser  are  called  separatory  cucurbits.  If  its  belly  is 
spherical,  and  its  neck  long  and  cylindrical,  it  is  called 
matracium,  a  MATRASS,  or  a  BOLT  HEAD. 

The  length  of  its  neck  is  such,  that  scarcely  any  of 
the  liquor  ascends  to  its  mouth,  the  cold  external  air 
repelling  it  again  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  Thus  the 
digestions  of  menstrua,  with  the  substances  to  be  re- 
solved in  them,  are  conveniently  carried  on  without  any 
loss.-  They  are  used  for  macerating  and  digesting  va- 
rious ingredients  :  they  are  also  used  as  receivers,  and 
take  different  names  from  their  different  shapes.  Be- 
sides these  advantages,  the  long  necked  cucurbits  are 
singularly  useful  in  separating  pure  alkaline  or  volatile 
spirits  and  salts  from  water,  oil,  and  volatile  earth. 
Cucurbits  are  more  used  for  digesting  and  subliming, 
than  for  distilling.  See  Dictionary  of  Chemistry. 

CUCU'RBITA  CITRU'LLUS.     See  CITHULLUS. 

CUCURBITA'CEJE,  (from  cucurbita,  a  gourd). 
An  order  in  Linnaeus's  fragments  of  a  natural  me- 
thod. 

CUCURBITI'FERA  MALABARI'ENSIS,  (from 
cucurbita,  a  gourd,  and/i'ro,  to  bear}.  Nux  VOMICA. 

CUCURBITI'FERA  TRI'FOLIA  I'NDICA  FRUC'TUS  PU'LPA 
CYDO'NII  JB.'MVLA.  See  COVALAM. 

CUCURBI'TULA,'(a  dim.  of  cucurbita;  so  called 
from  its  shape).  A  CUPPING  GLASS;  an  instrument 
of  great  antiquity,  being  mentioned  by  Hippocrates, 
and  formerly  made  of  horn  or  metal.  Different  names 
have  been  given  to  them,  according  as  they  were  ust/d 
with  or  without  scarifications,  as  leves,  arentes,aiccat<s, 
8cc.  The  ancients  employed  them  with  narrow  mouths 
for  drawing  more  forcibly,  and  with  wider  mouths  for 
drawing  more  gently,  as  they  were  exhausted  by  the 
breath.  The  principle  on  which  all  cupping  glasses 
act,  is  the  exhaustion  of  the  air;  from  which  the  parts 
under  the  glass  rise  in  it,  and  their  vessels,  when  the 


C  I   L 


519 


C  U  L 


•  sure  is  removed,  are  distended.  The  delicacy  of  the 
operation  consists  in  exhausting  the  glass  so  far  that  the 
-.•Is  under  it  may  be  filled,  but  not  that  the  edges  of 
the  glass  may  press  so  firmly  around  as  to  impede  the 
circulation  ;  a  medium,  it  may  be  supposed,  easily  pre- 
served: yet  the  operation,  except  in  the  hands  of  pro- 
fessed artists,  often  fails.  The  failure  is  not  of  conse- 
quence when  cupping  only  is  employed;  but  if  evacua- 
tions are  also  required,  this  error  renders  them  trifling 
or  ineffectual.  When  scarifications  are  not  wanted,  it 
is  termed  dry  cu/i/iing-. 

The  old  mode  of  applying  a  cupping  glass,  now  obso- 
lete, was  to  expel  the  air  by  heat :  the  wick  of  a  spirit 
lamp,  or  a  little  inflamed  tow,  was  put  within  the  cup- 
ping glass,  which  was,  after  a  little  time,  applied  to  the 
part,  to  which  it  adhered  with  a  strong  attraction,  as  the 
air  was  rarefied.  At  present  the  air  is  exhausted  by  an 
air  pump.  The  use  of  dry  cupping  is  to  invite  the 
fluids  to  the  place  where  the  glass  is  applied,  in  order 
to  remove  them  from  the  internal  parts.  The  opera- 
tion should  be  repeated  until  the  part  becomes  red,  ant! 
is  in  pain.  It  very  nearly  resembles,  in  its  operation, 
blisters;  and  the  scarifications  supersede  the  use  of 
leeches.  We  have  found  them  equally  effectual. 

When  scarification  is  used  with  cupping,  the  part 
should  first  be  dry  cupped  until  it  appear  red  ;  then  the 
incision  should  be  made  with  the  scarificator.  If  scari- 
fications are  to  be  made  in  several  parts,  it  is  more  con- 
venient to  begin  below  and  proceed  upwards.  After 
the  scarifications  are  made,  the  air  must  be  excluded 
from  the  glass,  when,  from  the  pressure  around,  the 
vessels  usually  bleed  freely.  When  the  operation  is 
ended,  to  stop  the  bleeding  a  little  spirit  of  wine  may- 
be applied ;  but  sometimes  warm  water,  with  a  slight 
pressure,  is  sufficient. 

This  operation  seldom  seems  necessary,  except -when 
blood  cannot  be  obtained  by  opening  a  vein  in  the  usual 
manner.  Celsus,  lib.  ii.  cap.  11,  observes,  that  "cup- 
ping is  needful  when  the  body  is  to  be  relieved  in  some 
acute  disorder,  and  yet  the  strength  does  not  admit  of 
a  loss  of  blood  from  the  veins."  It  is  true,  that  the 
.  slow  dischaage  of  blood  by  cupping  does  not  lessen  the 
force  of  the  arterial  system  so  much  as  the  same  quantity 
of  blood  suddenly  taken  away  from  a  vein  ;  but  in  such 
cases,  as  Celsus  supposes,  some  evacuation  is  often  ne- 
cessary, and  no  other  is  admissible  except  bleeding  by- 
leeches. 

Cupping  has  been  preferred  in  apoplexies,  epilepsies, 
and  some  kinds  of  convulsions,  because  the  spasms  are 
supposed  to  be  increased  by  the  speedier  discharge  of 
blood  which  is  the  consequence  of  phlebotomy  ;  but 
they  are  in  reality  more  useful,  because  the  plethora  is 
local  rather  than  topical. 

See  Coelius  Aurelianus,  Celsus,  Morgagni,  Hoffman, 
Haller,  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  154,  Sec.  White's 
Surgery,  p.  180. 

CU'DU  PARI'TI.  (Indian.)  A  shrub  which  grows 
in  Malabar  :  it  flowers  through  all  the  year.  The  leaves 
are  anodyne  -when  externally  applied;  and  the  fruit 
ehecks  a  dysentery.  Raii  Hist. 

CUE'MA,  vel  YE'MA.  (from  xva,  to  carry  in  the 
womb).  See  CoNCEPTio.and  EMBRYOX. 

CULBI'CIO.  A  strangury,  or  rather  heat  of  urine. 
See  DVSVHIA. 

CULE'US,  or  CULLE'US.  A  Roman  measure 
containing  twenty  amphorae ;  the  largest  liquid  mea- 


sure among  the  Romans  :  sometimes  it  signifies  a  lea- 
ther sack. 

CU'LI  FLOS.     See  CARDAMINES. 

CULIXA'RIUS  SAL,  (from  culina,a  kitchen].  The 
CULINARY  or  ALIMENTARY  SALT.  It  is  generally  called 
COMMON  or  SEA  SALT,  because  of  common  use  in  culi- 
nary preparations.  Sea  salt  consists  of  the  pure  muriat 
of  soda,  and  the  salt  usually  called  Epsom  salt,  or  salt 
cathartic um  amarum.  When  sea  water  is  evaporated, 
the  first  crystals  are  the  culinary  salt.  When  these 
are  separated  from  the  remaining  brine,  and  the  evapo- 
ration continued,  crystals  of  the  bitter  purging  salt  of 
the  shops  follow.  The  constituents  of  the  culinary  salt 
are,  the  muriatic  acid,  and  a  mineral  alkaline  salt.  See 
MARINUM  SAL,  and  CHEMISTRY. 

CULI  LTLAWAN.     See  CORT.  CUI.IL.VWAN. 

CULLEXIAN  SYSTEM.  The  Cullenian  system 
forms  an  era  in  the  history  of  medicine,  which,  from 
various  causes,  may  perhaps  escape  the  notice  of  fu- 
ture inquirers;  for  the  physicians  on  the  continent 
had  scarcely  escaped  from  the  trammels  of  Boerhaave, 
before  the  eccentricities  of  Brown  caught  their  atten- 
tion ;  and  to  him  they  look  for  that  revolution  in  the 
science,  which  taught  that  the  functions  of  a  living 
being  were  to  be  explained  only  by  the  laws  of  anima- 
tion. Causes,  already  hinted  at,  have  obscured  the 
lustre  of  Dr.  Cullen's  fame;  and  it  is  left  to  a  sou  to 
explain  why  the  character  of  a  father  must  be  rescued 
from  oblivion  by  strangers. 

The  early  years  of  Dr.  Cullen  were  spent  in  active 
life.  He  had  few  opportunities  for  study,  but  many  for 
observation.  Nature  had  given  him  an  intuitive  saga- 
city, which  caught  at  every  fact,  and  stored  it  advan- 
tageously for  future  use.  Of  his  chemistry  we  have  had 
little  information;  but,  during  his  holding  the  professor- 
ship of  chemistry,  he  gave  a  private  course  of  pathology. 
This  must  be  explained.  The  institutions  of  medicine 
comprehend  physiology,  pathology,  hyg  Seine  (the  doc- 
trine of  health),  and  therapeutics,  the  general  doctrines 
of  remedies.  In  the  university  of  Edinburgh,  at  that 
period,  the  professor  of  the  institutions  confined  his  at- 
tention chiefly,  and  almost  exclusively,  to  the  first 
branch.  The  other  subjects,  therefore,  confessedly  of 
importance,  were  left  open  to  any  enterprising  teacher. 
Such,  apparently,  at  that  time  was  our  author;  for  we 
have  many  reasons  to  convince  us,  that  even  at  this  time 
he  aspired  to  be  the  founder  of  a  sect.  In  the  pathology 
he  had  the  best  opportunities  for  laying  his  foundation  ; 
and  the  additional  advantage  of  illustrating  his  princi- 
ples by  experience  in  the  clinical  lectures,  which  he 
gave  at  this  time  in  the  infirmary.  We  have  seen  some 
extracts  from  these  lectures,  and  find  in  them  the  germ 
of  his  future  system ;  the  embryo,  already  formed, 
which  required  only  to  be  evolved  and  augmented. 

His  fame  gradually  expanded  till  the  year  1763,  when 
an  accidental  circumstance  rendered  it  more  brilliant 
and  extensive.  In  1763,  Dr.  Alston,  the  professor  of 
materia  medica,  died  in  the  midst  of  his  course;  and 
Dr.  Cullen  either  offered  or  was  requested  to  continue 
it.  A  common  genius  would  have  copied  in  the  mo- 
ment of  exigency,  or  repeated,  with  the  slight  varia- 
tion which  his  own  opinions  suggested,  the  lectures  of 
his  predecessor.  Dr.  Cullen  started  at  once  into  a  new 
path,  bold,  comprehensive,  and  original.  We  remember 
our  first  opinions  of  it ;  and  now  that  thirty -five  succeed- 
ing years  have  cooled  our  ardour,  uninterrupted  study 


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and  practice  added  to  our  information,  we  can  decidedly 
pronounce  that  his  plan  has  not  been  excelled ;  has  not 
publicly  been  equalled.  We  take  it  not  from  the  im- 
proved edition  of  the  author  himself,  but  from  the 
outline  in  the  lectures  originally  delivered. 

While  our  astonishment  is  excited  by  this  apparently 
sudden  display  of  talent,  of  united  genius  and  industry, 
we  must  reflect  that  he  had  taken  his  degree;  and,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-four,  was  elected  professor  of  chemis- 
try in  Glasgow.  This  professorship  he  retained  five 
years,  when  he  was  appointed  professor  of  medicine  in 
the  same  university.  Five  years  after  that  period  he 
became  professor  of  chemistry  at  Edinburgh,  viz.  in 
1756;  and  in  1763  did  he  continue  the  course  of  Dr. 
Alston.  Seventeen  years  may  have  been,  and  probably 
were,  employed  in  maturing  a  system  which,  with  all 
its  imperfections,  is  a  splendid  monument  of  genius ; 
and  though  private  practice,  convivial  hilarity,  and  the 
duties  of  his  chemical  chair,  must  have  employed  ma- 
ny of  his  hours  ;  yet  industry,  a  habit  of  early  rising  ; 
above  all,  an  able,  comprehensive  mind,  which,  at  once 
catching  the  principle,  included  innumerable  conse- 
quences, enabled  him  to  retain  a  vast  fund  of  medical 
erudition,  and  to  complete  those  extensive  views  which 
seem  already  to  have  assumed  a  consistent  form. 

In  1765  he  approached  nearer  to  his  object,  by  his 
appointment  to  the  chair  of  the  institutions  of  medi- 
cine, vacant  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Whytt;  and,  in  1769, 
the  agreement  between  him  and  Dr.  Gregory,  to  give 
alternately  courses  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  medi- 
cine, was  carried  into  effect.  These  professors,  at  the 
same  time,  agreed  to  divide  the  clinical  course. 

It  is  not  our  subject  to  write  the  life  of  Dr.  Cullen ; 
but  the  events  detailed  are  connected  with  our  views 
of  his  system,  and  we  have  been  enabled  to  add  some 
facts,  and  correct  some  dates  in  the  only  narrative  of 
his  life  which  has  any  pretensions  to  accuracy,  viz.  that 
in  the  Supplement  to  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  from 
our  own  knowledge. 

The  foundation  of  Dr.  Cullen's  system  is,  as  we  have 
hinted,  considering  the  human  body  as  a  congeries  of 
animated  organs,  regulated  by  the  laws,  not  of  inanimate 
matter,  but  of  life,  and  superintended  by  an  immaterial 
principle,  acting  wisely,  but  necessarily,  for  the  general 
health;  correcting  deviations,  and  supply  ing  defects,  not 
from  a  knowledge  and  choice  of  the  means,  but  by  a 
pre-established  relation  between  the  changes  produced, 
and  the  motions  required  for  the  restoration  of  health. 

This  principle,  in  its  various  ramifications,  influenced 
every  part  of  his  theory  of  medicine.  The  circulation 
was  no  longer  to  be  explained  by  mechanical  laws;  the. 
angles  at  which  the  branches  of  the  larger  arteries  di- 
varicated, were  shown  to  have  little  influence ;  lentor, 
viscidity,  and  acrimony,  either  acid  or  alkaline,  were 
1  proved,  if  they  existed,  to  have  no  influence  in  produc- 
ing diseases.  The  whole  was  resolved  into  motions, 
regulated  by  the  living  principle,  and  chiefly  influenced 
by  the  action  or  torpor  of  the  extreme  arteries. 

This  total  revolution  in  the  science  was  received  by 
the  younger  with  the  stare  of  admiration,  by  the  elder 
with  doubt,  suspicion,  and  dislike.  From  the  system  of 
Boerhaave  there  had  been  hitherto  no  appeal ;  and  to 
doubt  his  theory  was  to  undermine  Jthe  whole  fabric  of 
medicine.  Dr.  Cullen  was  certainly  considered  for  a 
lime  as  a  fanciful  innovator;  but,  whatever  may  have 


been  the  deviations  from  his  system  even  in  Brown 
and  Darwin,  still  it  must  be  considered  that  each  adopt- 
ed the  same  great  principle,  and  explained  the  functions 
of  a  living  system  by  the  laws  of  animation. 

It  is  singular,  however,  that  it  did  not  occur  to  those 
who  animadverted  on  or  opposed  the  Cullenian  system, 
that  it  was  by  no  means  wholly  new  or  fanciful.  The 
connection  of  the  state  of  the  extreme  vessels  with  the 
general  system  had  been  pointed  out,  in  many  places, 
by  the  industrious  and  attentive  Hoffman ;  and  the  ge- 
neral regulations  of  the  living  principle,  by  Stahl.  We 
have  been  often  tempted  to  accuse  Dr.  Cullen  of  dis- 
ingenuity  in  concealing  the  labours  of  Stahl.  He 
slightly  mentions  one  essay  on  "  The  Tertian,  as  the  ge- 
neral Type  of  Fever,"  and  his  "  Theoria  Medica  Vera:" 
chiefly  with  a  view  of  combating  his  principle,  that  the 
mind  provides  for  those  exigencies  by  a  knowledge  of 
the  change  to  be  produced,  and  that  its  superintending 
power  adapts  the  means  to  the  end ;  but  the  commen- 
taries on  different  parts  of  the  latter,  where  the  system 
is  more  fully  developed  and  explained  with  the  most 
logical  precision,  we  mean  in  the  inaugural  dissertations 
published  at  Halle,  during  his  presidentship,  our  pro- 
fessor never  mentions.  The  dissertation,  "  De  Motu 
Tonico,"  and  "  jEstus  Maris  Microcosmici,"  contain 
the  principles  of  the  Cullenian  doctrine,  though  in  no 
very  inviting  form  or  language. 

We  might  now  dismiss  the  subject,  referring,  for 
more  particular  information,  to  the  different  articles  as 
they  occur ;  but  the  admirers  of  Dr.  Cullen  will  probably 
expect  a  somewhat  more  particular  account  of  his  doc- 
trines. We  shall,  therefore,  pursue  them  a  little  more 
minutely. 

He  considers  the  primordial  stamina  of  the  human 
body  as  fibrous.  Such  is  the  structure  of  the  brain,  the 
nerves,  the  muscles,  and  the  various  membranes ;  but 
these  fibres  are  not,  as  Boerhaave  supposed,  connected 
by  a  cementing  matter,  but  a  peculiar  solid,  consisting 
of  parts  united  by  chemical  attraction.  The  growth  of 
the  body  he  supposes  to  be  owing  to  the  extension  of 
the  arteries  and  the  nutritious  fluid  prepared  by  the 
brain,  and  deposited  in  the  interstices  of  the  fibres  by 
the  nerves.  This  extension  of  the  arteries  is  effected 
by  the  force  of  the  heat;  and  on  the  proportion  of  this 
force  to  the  resistance,  many  of  the  changes  in  the  ani- 
mal economy,  both  in  its  advancing  and  decaying  state, 
are,  he  thinks,  owing. 

The  muscular  fibres  he  styles  "  the  moving  extremi- 
ties of  the  nerves,"  and  supposes  them  to  be  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  extremities  of  nerves.  He  denies  that 
the  muscles  have  a  vis  insita,  independent  of  the  ner- 
vous power,  as  Haller  supposed ;  and  thinks  that  the 
contraction  of  muscular  fibres  is  only  an  increase  of  the 
common  power  of  cohesion,  by  an  accumulation  of  the 
nervous  influence. 

This  influence  he  supposes  not  to  be  secreted  by  the 
brain  from  the  blood;  but  to  be  generally  inherent  in 
the  nerve,  and^  indeed,  to  be  a  part  of  it.  Sleep  and 
watching  are  not,  therefore,  owing  to  the  exhaustion  of 
the  nervous  influence  or  its  accumulation,  but  to  its 
state  of  torpor  or  excitement. 

The  simple  solids  he  supposes,  as  already  mentioned, 
to  be  a  chemical  mixture,  consisting  of  fibres,  with  a 
more  simple  animal  substance  interposed.  They  dif- 
fer in  strength,  cohesion,  8cc. ;  but  in  this  respect  they 


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c  i  M 


Follow  the  state  of  the  constitution,  or  rather  of  the  nerv- 
ous system.  From  this  all  their  deviations  are  derived; 
and  to  this  all  our  views  for  the  restoration  of  their  healthy 
state  must  be  directed.  The  fluids  are  formed  al- 
the  constitution.  The  superintending'  power  regulates 
their  deviations  from  their  proper  state  of  mixture,  by 
increasing  the  different  secretions  adapted  to  carry  off 
particular  portions  when  in  exc«s,  or  checking  these 
discharges  when  the  quantity  of  the  whole  mass  or  any 
of  its  component  parts  is  deficient. 

As  a  machine,  the  whole  is  regulated  by  the  state  of 
the  brain,  of  the  stomach,-  and  of  the  extreme  vessels. 
These  mutually  influence  each  other;  and  when  one  is 
disordered,  the  others  suffer.  When  the  spasmus  pe- 
riphericus  of  Hoffman  exists,  the  stomach  sympathises, 
and  vomiting  comes  on,  which  is  often  not  removed 
till  sweat  breaks.  When  the  head  is  loaded,  vomiting 
equally  occurs ;  and  an  affection  of  the  stomach  will 
produce  shivering,  headach,  palpitation  of  the  heart, 
and  almost  every  other  complaint.  The  ligaments, 
particularly  of  the  extremities,  have,  in  our  author's 
opinion,  a  striking. connection  with  the  state  of  the  sto- 
mach; but  this  rests  on  some  facts  which  afe  doubtful, 
or  which  may  be  otherwise  explained. 

From  these  principles  all  the  leading  traits  of  his 
system  emanate.  To  'pursue  them  in  particular  detail, 
or  distinct  complaints,  is  not  proper  in  this  place:  they 
•will  frequently  occur  in  almost  every  sheet  of  this  work. 
In  our  opinion,  it  is  a  most  astonishing  effort  of  genius 
and  ingenuity :  when  the  period  of  its  publication  is 
considered,  it  is  still  more  wonderful.  The  whole  is 
combined  with  so  much  judgment,  that  it  fills  the  mind 
as  one  whole :  nothing  is  wanting ;  nothing  redundant. 
The  chain  is  complete ;  and  it  is  a  chain  of  facts  sup- 
ported by  observation.  To  suppose  it  faultless  would 
be  ridiculous;  yet  those  who  oppose  it,  have  borrowed 
from  their  master's  powers  the  facts  and  arguments  ad- 
duced against  it.  Dr.  Cullen  succeeded  well;  but  his 
greatest  success  was  what  he  professed  to  aim  at,  the 
improvement  of  his  pupils' judgment;  the  raising  a  host 
of  critics  on  himself. 

It  will  have  been  obvious,  from  the  preceding  pages, 
that  we  have  in  general  followed  Dr.  Cullen;  or  rather, 
that  we  have  given  a  temperate  view  of  our  professor's 
opinions,  adding  to,  modifying,  and  sometimes  differing 
from,  them.  One  very  important  addition  we  have 
professed  to  take  from  Dr.  Brown,  viz.  accumulated  and 
exhausted  irritability;  and  one  very  material  alteration 
we  have  made,  in  considering  convulsions  not  as  in- 
creased but  irregular  action.  "  As  we  are  now  at 
."  we  may  add,  that  we  follow  no  man's  if.se  dixit. 
No  opinion  shall  be  hazarded  in  this  work  that  has  not 
been  fully  considered,  brought  to  the  test  of  experience, 
and  examined  in  all  its  bearings  and  connections.  If 
wanting,  when  "  weighed  in  the  balance,"  it  shall  be 
stated  as  uncertain,  doubtful,  or  hazardous.  At  least, 
we  will  not  knowingly  mislead. 

If  we  follow  Dr.  Cullen's  system  in  its  practical  de- 
ductions, we  shall  not  speak  of  it  with  equal  commend- 
ation. As  a  practitioner,  he  was  often  feeble  and  in- 
decisive ;  nor  do  his  doctrines  always  lead  to  the  most, 
active  and  successful  measures.  The  error  is,  however, 
chiefly  in  the  application  :  we  shall  show  that  it  is  not 
in  the  principle.  A  striking  instance  of  this  error  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  notice  in  the  treatment  of  fevers. 


VOL.  i. 


With  a  view  to  relax  the  spasm,  the  use  of  the  anthno- 
nials  was  commenced  early,  and  continued  with  some- 
what too  great  pertinacity:  but,  if  the  spasm  arose  from 
debility,  if  the  reaction  was  unable  to  conquer  it,  still 
less  would  a  debilitating  power  succeed;  and,  in  reality, 
while  the  employment  of  antimonials  was  eminently 
useful  in  the  early-  stages,  when  the  reaction  was  strong, 
and  the  general  principle  contributed  to  give  a  fatal  blow 
to  the  doctrine  of  concoction,  its  promiscuous  use  ha- 
been  highly  injurious.  We  have  now  employed  •• 
lenian  language,  not  our  own. 

-  We  have  not  mentioned  our  author's  nosology,  be- 
cause it  was  not,  in  reality,  a  part  of  his  system.  I' 
must  rest  on  other  grounds,  and  be  the  subject  of  u 
future  article.  It  is  only  mentioned  at  present  to  point 
out  a  most  important  part  of  Dr.  Cullen's  instructions 
to  his  pupils,  viz.  the  necessity  of  an  accurate  diagnosis. 
This  he  thought  was  best  ascertained  by  nosological 
arrangement;  and  he  added,  what  we  believe  to  be 
strictly  true,  that  no  nosological  difficulty  can  occur, 
which  does  not  imply  the  defect  of  accurate  observa- 
tion, or  lead  to  a  more  attentive  examination  of  the 
symptoms  of  a  disease. 

'  CU'LMEN,  CU'LMUS,  (from  «**..«,',  a  reed").  The 
STALK  or  BLADE  OF  CORN  or  GRASS.  Culminifcrous 
plants  have  a  smooth  jointed  stalk,  are  usually  hollow. 
and  at  each  joint  wrapped  round  with  single,  narrow-, 
sharp  pointed  leaves :  their  seeds  are  in  chaffy  husks, 
as  wheat  and  barley. 

In  grasses  and  corn,  the  culm  or  stalk  corresponds  to 
the  caudex  or  trunk  of  trees;  so  that  it  generally  denotes 
that  part  between  the  root  and  the  ear  or  panicle.  The 
stubble  of  corn  remaining  after  the  ears  are  cut  off,  is 
strictly  the  culmen. 

CULMI'NIFERJE,  (from  culmen,  the  tofi}.  The 
twenty-fifth  order  in  I.innsus's  Fragments  of  a  Natural 
Method. 

CU'LTER,  (from  colo,  to  cultivate}.  A  knife  or 
spear.  The  third  lobe  of  the  liver,  named  from  its  re- 
semblance. See  AURIGA. 

CU  LUS,  (r.tvkas).     See  ANUS. 

CUMA'NA.  (Indian.)  Called  also  gacirma.  An 
Indian  tree  like  that  of  die  mulberry  tree,  whose  wood 
is  so  hard  that  it  strikes  fire  like  a  flint. 

CU'MBULU.  (Indian.)  Called  also  nux  Malabarica 
unctuosa  Jlore  cucullato.  A  tall  tree  growing  in  Ma- 
labar, the  root  of  which  is  used  in  a  decoction  with  rice 
for  common  drink  in  fevers.  Neither  this  nor  Xhe 
cumana  is  to  be  found  in  the  systems  of  the  bota- 
nists. 

CUMINOI'DES,  (from  *ffc!»e»,  cummin,  and  . 
likeness').     WILD  CUMIX.    Called  also  cuminum  sy/vef- 
tre,  fiastinaca  tenuifolia  Cretica,  and  daucus  odoratus 
C'reticus.  Lagecia  cumineides  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  294. 

This  plant  grows  in  Crete :  the  seeds  only  are  in  use; 
they  are  carminative.  Raii  Hist. 

CU'MINUM.  CUMIX.  (From  *»£/»,  to  bring  fnrth; 
because  it  is  said  to  be  efficacious  in  curing  sterility.) 
It  is  also  called  cyminum  andftniculum  orientate.  It 
is  the  cuminum  cyminum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  365. 

This  plant  resembles  fennel,  but  is  much  smaller ; 
produces  longish,  slender,  plano-convex  seeds,  of  a 
brownish  colour,  with  yellowish  striae;  is  annual;  a 
native  of  Egypt  and  Ethiopia.  It  is  cultivated  in  Sicily 
and  Malta,  from  whence  it  is  brought  to  us,  chiefly  for 
3X 


CUP 


522 


C  1    I' 


its  fruit,  which  has  an  aromatic,  sharp,  and  slightly  bit- 
ter flavour;  a  strong  and  not  unpleasant  smell. 

The  Dutch  mix  the  seeds  with  their  cheeses,  the  Ger- 
mans with  their  bread;  and  pigeons  are  fond  of  them. 
Water  takes  up  their  odoriferous  particles  by  infusion, 
though  but  little  of  their  taste.  Distilled  with  water 
they  afford  a  pungent  oil,  which  resembles  in  flavour 
the  seeds.  Rectified  spirit  extracts  their  whole  virtue: 
the  spirituous  extract  is  very  warm,  moderately  pun- 
gent, and  not  a  little  nauseous. 

These  seeds  are  carminative  and  stomachic,  and 
possess  these  powers  in  an  equal  or  superior  degree 
when  compared  with  the  other  plants  of  the  umbellife- 
rous class;  but  they  are  rather  unpleasing.  Externally 
they  are  discutient  and  antiseptic;  affording,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  stomach,  a  warm  and  salutary  stimulus. 

The  catafilasmacumlni,  formerly  theriaca  Londinen- 
sis,  of  the  London  college,  consists  of  cumin  seeds,  one 
pound ;  bay  berries,  the  leaves  of  water  germander 
dried,  Virginia  snake  root,  of  each  three  ounces;  of 
cloves,  one  ounce :  with  honey  equal  to  thrice  the 
weight  of  the  powders.  (Ph.  Lond.  1788.)  This  was 
formerly  applied  to  mortified  parts  as  an  antiseptic,  but 
is  now  seldom  used,  though  by  no  means  an  ineffectual 
remedy. 

Emfilastrum  cumini,  consists  of  Burgundy  pitch,  three 
pounds ;  yellow  wax,  cumin  seeds,  caraway  seeds, 
and  bay  berries,  of  each  three  ounces.  The  pitch  and 
wax  are  melted  together,  the  seeds  and  berries  are 
gradually  added  and  stirred  well  together.  (Ph.  Lond. 
1788.)  This  is  considered  as  a  suitable  application  to 
encysted  and  other  tumours,  which  suppurate  imper- 
fectly. See  Miller's  Dictionary.  Lewis's  Materia  Me- 
dica.  Raii  Hist. 

CU'MINUM  ^ETHIO'PICUM.     See  AMMI  VERUM. 
CU'MINUM  PRA'TENSE.     See  CARUM. 
CU'MINUM  SILIQUOSUM,  is  the  CODDED  WILD  CUMIN.  It 
grows  in  Spain,  flowers  in  May,  and  produces  the  same 
effects,  medicinally,  as  the  poppy.     Hyfiecoum  pendu- 
lum Lin.  Sp.  PI.  181. 

CU'MINUM  SYLVESTRE.     See  CUMINOIDES. 
CUNEA'LIS  SUTU'RA,  (from  cuneus,  a  wedge). 
The  suture  by  which  the  os  sphenoides,  or  cuneiforme, 
is  joined  to  the  os  frontis. 

CUNEIFORME  OS,  (from  cuneus,  a  wedge,}  clavi- 
cula,  cat'illa,  Chalcoideum  os,  Ba.sila.re  os.  A  name  of 
the  os  s/ihejioides,  from  its  being  wedged  between  the 
other  bones.  Also  the  third  bone  of  the  first  row  in  the 
wrist;  called  so  from  its  appearing  like  a  wedge  stick- 
ing between  the  two  rows.  See  CARPUS. 

CUNEIFORMS  os  EXTE'RNUM,  or  chalcoideum  exter- 
num  of  the  tarsus.  At  its  posterior  edge  it  joins  the  os 
naviculare  and  os  cuboides;  it  supports  the  metatarsal 
bone  of  the  toe  next  the  little  one,  and  that  next  the 
great  one  and  of  the  middle  toe.  The  os  cuneiforme 
medium  vel  minimum,  is  still  more  wedge-like  than  the 
former;  it  Sustains  the  melatarsal  bone  of  the  toe  next 
to  the  great  one.  The  os  cuneiforme  internum  vel 
maximum  sustains  the  os  metatarsi  of  the  great  one. 
All  these  are  cartilaginous  at  the  birth  of  children. 
These  bones  are  also  called  chalcoidea  ossicula. 

CUNI'LA  SATI'VA,  (from  xoviA»).     See  SATUREIA 

SATIVA. 

CU'PELLA,  (from  kujifiel,   Germ.).       Called  also 
)  catellus  cincreuf,  cineritium, patella  docimastica, 


testa  jirobatrix,  exjiloratrix,  or  docimastica.     A  CUPEL 
or  TEST. 

These  are  vessels  used  for  separating  baser  metals 
from  gold  or  silver ;  they  are  made  of  earth,  and  are 
hollowed  like  flat  cups,  from  which  they  have  been 
named :  they  resist  every  degree  of  fire  that  is  needful 
to  keep  any  metal  in  fusion,  and  retain  these  metals  when 
fused ;  but  the  calces  of  some  metals,  particularly  of 
lead,  penetrate  the  common  cupels.  The  ashes  of  bones 
or  of  plants  that  have  been  calcined  are  therefore  em- 
ployed, though  Cramer  prefers  those  made  with  plas- 
ter:  and  later  chemists  prepare  them  of  gold  or  platina. 
The  bone  ashes  must  be  perfectly  calcined,  then  levi- 
gated ;  after  which  they  must  be  formed  into  a  paste, 
moulded  into  their  proper  form,  and  burnt  in  a  potter's 
furnace.  See  various  directions  concerning  them  in  the 
Dictionary  of  Chemistry. 

CUPELLATION.  A  chemical  operation  by  means 
of  a  cupel.  It  is  employed  to  separate  the  purer  from 
the  baser  metals,  by  scorifying  the  latter. 

CUPERO'SA,  (from  ciiftrum}.     COPPURAS. 

CU'PHOS.  LIGHT.  When  applied  to  aliments,  it 
imports  their  being  easily  digested ;  when  to  distempers, 
that  they  are  mild. 

CUPRESSUS,    («7T»     TtV  KtltlV    irstplFOOf    TiVf     CtX.  f '.  fiHV  Xf  . 

because  it  produces  equal  branches).  Called  also  cyfia- 
rissus.  CYPRESS  THEE.  Cyfiressus  semfiervirens  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1422.  It  is  a  tall  evergreen  tree,  native  of  the 
warmer  climates,  bearing  male  and  female  flowers  on 
the  same  branches  :  the  leaves  are  slender,  and  so  are 
the  branches,  which  spread,  forming  a  cone,  the  apex 
of  which  is  the  top  of  the  tree ;  the  fruit  is  a  kind  of 
nut  called  galbule  and  glabulz,  as  large  as  a  walnut, 
and  astringent.  The  flowers  have  an  agreeable  odour, 
and  have  been  used  in  conjunction  with  some  other,  in- 
gredients for  making  an  oil,  by  infusion  with  olive  oil, 
named  oleum  cy/irinum. 

CUPRESSI'NUM.     CYPRESS   WINE.     See   CEDRI- 

NUM. 

CU'PRI  AMMONIA'TI  A'QUA,  (from  cufirum, 
cojifier,}  olim, aqua  safi/iirina,ca\\ed collyrium c/sruleum. 

Take  of  lime  water,  one  pint;  sal  ammoniac,  one 
drachm;  let  them  stand  together  in  a  copper  vessel  un- 
til the  ammonia  is  saturated.  Phar.  Lond.  1788. 

CU'PRI  PREPARATIO'NES.  PREPARATIONS  OF  COPPER. 
See  jERis  FLOS. 

CU'PRI  RUBI'GO.     See  J£RUGO  .&RIS. 

CU'PRUM,  (quasi  <zs  Cyfirium;  so  called  from  the 
island  of  Cyprus,  from  whence  it  was  brought).  See 
.ffi,s.  In  this  article  we  chiefly  enlarged  on  the  chemical 
properties  of  copper,  reserving  our  account  of  its  medi- 
cal virtues  and  its  different  preparations  to  this  article, 
where  it  would  be  more  naturally  sought. 

In  a  medical  view,  copper  supports,  in  a  singular 
degree,  the  canon  of  Linnaeus,  that  medicines  differ 
from  poison,  not  in  quality,  but  in  power.  Its  quality  is 
not  essentially  different  from  those  of  iron  and  zinc ; 
yet  copper,  in  a  moderate  quantity,  disorders  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels,  producing  inflammation  and  its  most 
fatal  consequences.  In  moderate  doses,  like  all  other 
metals,  it  is  a  sedative,  a  tonic,  or  antispasmodic.  When 
taken  in  larger  quantities,  it  produces  nausea,  with  a 
constant  taste  of  the  copper  remaining  in  the  back  part 
of  the  fauces:  violent  vomiting;  the  most  dreadful  op- 
pression on  the  breast;  the  most  acute  pains  of,  and  a 


ci  r 


5-23 


C  I  P 


burning  heat  in,  the  stomach ;  colic ;  vertigo ;  bloody 
stools  ;  watchfulness,  increasing  to  delirium;  faintings; 
convulsions ;  paralysis  ;  and  apoplexy  ;  frequently  with 
eruptions  on  the  skin  ;  sometimes  resembling  lepra. 

Such  are  nearly  the  symptoms  arising  from  copper 
imprudently  or  accidently  taken;  and  the  authorities 
which  now  lie  before  us  of  the  dangers  arising  from  it, 
would  fill  more  than  our  page.  Yet  such  is  the  nauseous 
taste  of  this  metal,  that,  in  general,  it  guards  the  victim 
from  its  influence ;  for  the  flavour  of  copper  would  cer- 
tainly alarm  the  most  incautious  person  of  its  danger,  if 
it  approached  under  the  disguise  of  aliment.  In  medi- 
cine it  cannot  be  always  discovered  ;  and  the  great 
danger  of  employing  vessels  which  have  any  propor- 
tion of  copper  in  their  composition,  has  been  properly 
pointed  out  by  Mr.  Blizard  and  others. 

When  copper  has  been  inadvertently  swallowed, 
emetics  are  seldom  necessary.  The  vomiting  they  ex- 
cite is  sufficiently  active ;  but  should  sickness,  with 
violent  pain  in  the  stomach,  ensue  without  vomiting,  as 
sometimes  happens,  a  few  grains  of  the  vitriol  of  zinc 
Trill  be  effectual.  If  an  emetic  is  not  required,  mucila- 
ginous substances,  as  oil,  butter,  and  milk,  will  be  useful; 
and,  with  these,  an  alkali  will  contribute  to  mitigate  the 
virulence  of  the  poison.  Each  of  these  meet  in  soap. 
The  most  appropriate  antidote,  however,  is  the  sul- 
phurated alkali  (hepar  sulphuris),  which  may  be  given 
with  milk  or  with  mucilages, 

The  most  common  artificial  forms  of  copper,  as  ver- 
digris, aes  ustum,  kc.  we  have  noticed  in  their  proper 
places.  We  shall  therefore  mention  a  few  more  rarely 
described.  Thejiling-s  ofcofifier  are  recommended  by 
Struve  in  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog;  and  this  preparation 
has  been  formerly  recommended  as  a  laxative,  a  diuretic, 
and  a  sialagogue.  It  is  recommended  also  by  Cothe- 
nius  in  malignant  and  venereal  ulcers. 

The^?o«  (tri-s  is  copper  in  a  capillary  form,  which  it 
acquires  by  sudden  cooling  ;  and  it  has  been  recom- 
mended as  an  attenuant  by  Dioscorides.  The  sulfihur  of 
ccfifieria  adark  green  powder,  prepared  by  precipitating 
copper  from  an  acid  by  means  of  a  plate  of  iron.  This 
precipitate  is  triturated  with  four  parts  of  quicksilver  in 
a  glass  mortar,  and  then  suspended  for  a  month  in  a 
gentle  heat;  after  which  the  copper  is  separated,  by 
triturating  the  mixture  with  rain  water.  It  has  been 
recommended  in  epilepsies,  but  has  deceived  some  of 
its  warmest  patrons. 

Various  are  the  liniments,  cerates,  and  plasters,  to 
which  the  preparations  of  copper  impart  their  colour, 
and  give  a  name.  These,  however,  belong  to  extempora- 
neous prescriptions,  which  we  shall  afterwards  notice;  yet 
as  not  generally  known,  we  may  mention  the  following. 

The  balsamum  rir/rfe  consists  of  verdigris,  boiled  with 
turpentine  and  linseed  oil.  It  has  been  considered  as 
powerfully  deturgent  in  old  foul  ulcers. 

The  cera  viridig,  employed  by   Plainer  in  softening, 

tor  rather  eroding,  corns,  consists  of  verdigris,  combin- 
ed with  yellow  wax,  resin,  and  turpentine.  This  great- 
ly resembles  a  plaster  highly  recommended  in  the  Jour- 
nal de  Medecine,  composed  of  verdigris,  combined  with 
yellow  wax,  and  gum  ammoniac. 
The  magisterium  cufiriof  Sala  differs  little  from  the 
green  crystals  of  copper;  and  the  aqua  -viridis  of  Hart- 
man  is  composed  of  equal  portions  of  verdigris  and 
burnt  alum,  a  double  portion  of  honey,  with  thirty- 


two  parts  of  white  wine.  It  is  supposed  to  be  highly 
useful  in  cleansing  foul  ulcers  of  the  gums,  and  other 
parts,  whether  they  proceed  from  a  venereal  or  a  scor- 
butic source. 

The  tinctura  cupri  alkalina  differs  little  from  the  am- 
moniated  copper,  to  be  afterwards  described.  It  is  a 
solution  of  calx  of  copper,  by  means  of  ammonia,  with 
the  alkali  in  excess.  Boerhaave  recommends  it  to  be 
prepared  by  the  filings  of  copper ;  Hecker,  with  the 
erugo  ;  but  both  recommend  it  for  cancers  and  vene- 
real ulcers.  It  is  also  supposed  useful  in  tooth  ach, 
conveyed  by  means  of  cotton  to  a  hollow  tooth ;  by 
Lieb,  in  epilepsy;  by  Boerhaave,  in  dropsy.  Many 
blue  lunar  tinctures  of  the  ancients  are  probably  derived 
from  the  alloy  of  copper  in  silver ;  and  the  tinctura 
martis  cerulea  of  the  Wirtemburg  Pharmacopoeia  seems 
to  derive  its  virtue  and  its  colour  from  an  accidental 
mixture  of  copper. 

The  tinctura  teris  -vinota,  so  effectual,  if  we  believe 
Sala,  in  destroying  leucomata  on  the  eyes,  is  prepared 
from  filings  of  copper  in  wine.  The  more  common 
extemporaneous  formulae  we  shall  add. 

Cu/iri  Calx.  R.  Cupr.  vitriolat.  q.  v.  solvatur  in  aquae 
distillatae,  q.  s.  et  adjiciatur  kali  praeparati  portio  pro- 
pria,  donee  cuprum  ad  vasis  imum  descendat,  deinde 
bene  lavetur,  et  siccetur. 

Cufiri  ammoniati  liquor.  R.  Calcis  cupri  5  i.  aq.  am- 
rooniae  5  ij-  These  are  to  be  digested  without  heat  till 
the  copper  is  dissolved. 

Cufiri  acetati  injectio.  R.  -Erug-nis  gr.  x.  olei 
amygdal.  3  iv.  m.  trituratione  donee  solvatur  in  oleo 
aerugo. 

Cufiri  ammoniati  injectio.  R.  Liquor,  cupri  ammo- 
niati, g.  xx.  aq.  rosae  5  iv.  m. 

Cufiri  vitriolat  i  injectio.  R.  Cupri  vitriolati  g.  iv. 
aquae  distillatae  ^  iv.  m. 

These  injections  are  are  of  the  astringent  class,  and 
calculated  for  the  latter  stage  of  gonorrhoea.  The  am- 
moniated  one  is  considered  by  Mr.  Foot,  and  recom- 
mended, as  a  remedy  preferable  to  all  others  of  this  na- 
ture. Practitioners  should  be  cautious  in  the  use  of 
astringents :  they  should  be  first  introduced  in  very 
small  quantity,  and  gradually  increased  ;  indeed,  till  the 
inflammation  is  considerably  abated,  they  are  scarcely 
at  all  admissible,  and  much  mischief  has  been  done  by 
their  too  early  administration.  The  following  has 
been  highly  useful  in  that  symptom  called  phimosis, ' 
which  has  been  supported  by  ulcerations  within  the 
prepuce. 

Cufiri  i-itriolati  comfiotita  injecto.  R.  Cupri  vitrio- 
lati g.  vi.  aquae  distillatae  f  iv.  aquae  lithargyri  acetati  g. 
xx.  m.  Cupro  vitriolsfto  prius  soluto,  adjiciatur  lithar- 
gyrum  acetatum,  et  interpraeputium,  et  glandem  penis 
injiciatur.  et  pro  ratione  effectus  caute  repetatur. 

Cufiri  i-itriolati  fiilule.  R  Cupri  vitriolati  g.  xx. 
Olibani,  extract,  cinchonas,  51  5  ij.  syr.  sacch.  q.  s.  ut 
fiant  pilulae  quadraginta.  Dosis,  ab  una  ad  quatuor 
indies.  These  are  calculated  to  remove  gleets,  and 
are  sometimes  advantageous  in  the  latter  stages  of  go- 
norrhoea. 

Cufiri  Titriolati  camfihorata  aqua.  R.  Cupri  vitrio- 
lati, bol.  gallici  ai  5  ss.  camphorae  3l-  aquae  ferventis 
Ib  iv.  Adjiciatur  aqua  ingredientibus  aliis.  et  quando 
frigida  fiat,  per  chartam  coletur.  This  is  the  campho- 
rated water  of  Bates  in  a  diluted  state;  it  is  chiefl" 


CUR 


5:24 


CUT 


employed  as  a  collyrium,  but  may  be  usefully  applied 
to  foul  ulcers. 

Cufirum  ammoniacum.  AMMONIACAL  COPPER.  (Phar. 
Eclin.)  Take  of  purest  blue  vitriol,  two  parts ;  vola- 
tile alkali  of  sal  ammoniac,  three  parts :  rub  them 
briskly  in  a  glass  mortar  till  the  effervescence  is  finish- 
ed, and  they  run  calmly  into  a  violet  coloured  mass, 
which  is  to  be  rolled  up  in  a  piece  of  bibulous  paper, 
and  exsiccated,  first  upon  a  chalk  stone,  and  afterwards 
with  a  gentle  heat,  then  put  up  for  use  in  a  close  phial : 
this  is  a  very  active  medicine,  used  for  the  same  pur- 
poses, and  in  the  same  manner,  as  VITRIOLUM  OJERULE- 
UM,  which  see. 

It  may  appear  singular  that  the  mixture  of  two  dry 
powers  should  be  ordered  to  be  dried;  but  the  moisture 
on  mixing  them  arises  from  the  water  of  crystallization. 
The  theory  of  this  preparation  is  not  well  understood, 
and  in  general  there  is  a  considerable  waste  of  the  vola- 
tile alkali,  for  all  that  is  added  to  redissolve  the  copper, 
seems  to  be  afterwards  evaporated.  This  objection  ap- 
plies with  more  force  to  the  usual  method  of  preparing 
it  in  the  humid  way.  The  most  effectual,  but  the  most 
expensive,  mode  of  preparing  it,  is  to  precipitate  the 
coprjer  from  a  solution  of  its  vitriol  by  means  of 
ammonia,  adding  more  of  the  latter  till  the  copper 
is  redissolved.  This  solution  must  be  concentrated 
by  evaporation,  and  then  an  equal  quantity  of  alcohol 
added,  which  occasions  a  separation  of  silky  blue  crys- 
tals. In  the  cuprum  ammoniacum  there  is  evidently 
some  portion  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  the  other  ingredients 
are  an  oxide  of  copper  and  ammonia.  It  has  been  chief- 
ly employed  in  epilepsies,  and  its  virtue  seems  to  be  in- 
creased by  the  addition  of  the  oxide  of  zinc.  We  know 
not  this  can  produce  any  chemical  change  on  either,  yet, 
when  combined,  each  may  be  given  in  a  larger  dose. 

CUR.  POST.  An  abbreviation  of  curse  posteriores, 
the  frequent  title  of  a  second  part,  or  supplement. 

CU'RA,AVENA'CEA.  A  decoction  of  oats  and 
succory  roots,  with  a  little  nitre  and  sugar.  It  was  for- 
merly used  as  a  common  drink  in  fevers. 

CUR'CAS.  (See  RICINOIDES,  under  CATAVUTIA 
MINOR.)  Also  an  edible  root,  probably  of  a  species  of 
arum. 

CU'RCUMA,  (from  the  Arabic  term  carkim). 
TURMERIC.  Crocus  Indicus,  terra  marita,  cy fieri  genus 
tx  India,  cannacorus  radice  croceo,manjella,kua,  kaha; 
by  the  Indians,  borri-borri ;  by  the  Portuguese,  saffran 
de  terra  ;  the  Arabians  call  every  root  of  a  saffron  co- 
lour by  this  name,  curcuma.  There  are  two  species, 
the  long  and  the  round  rooted ;  but  the  first  is  the  best, 
and  chiefly  used.  It  is  the  curcuma  longa  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
103.  INDIAN  LONG  ROOTED  TURMERIC. 

The  root  is  the  only  part  in  use ;  brought  from  the 
East  Indies;  small,  tuberous,  and  knotty;  externally 
greyish  coloured,  but  internally  of  a  deep  lively  yellow 
lending  to  red.  It  hath  a  slight  aromatic  and  bitterish 
taste,  and  somewhat  disagreeable  smell.  It  gives  out 
its  virtues  both  to  water  and  to  spirit;  by  distillation 
with  water,  a  small  quantity  of  essential  oil  is  obtained  ; 
and  from  the  remaining  decoction  a  bitter  extract  is  pro- 
cured by  evaporation.  The  spirituous  extract  retains 
nearly  the  whole  virtueof  the  root. 

It  has  been  thought  a  powerful  remedy  in  obstruc- 
tions of  the  viscera,  particularly  the  abdominal ;  in  ic- 
,  and  uterine  disorders.     The  dose  mav  be  from  a 


scruple  to  a  drachm,  but  it  is  now  very  rarely  used.  The 
powder  is  often  mixed  with  yellow  peas,  ground  fine;  the 
roots  should  be  chosen  of  the  largest  size,  fresh,  com- 
pact, heavy,  not  easy  to  break,  of  a  lightish  yellow  with- 
out, and  a  deep  reddish  yellow  within. 

It  is  chiefly  consumed  by  the  dyers.  See  Lewis's 
Mat.  Metl.  Neumann's  Chemical  works. 

CURD.     See  CASEUS  and  LAC. 

CURIME'NTOS.  The  Portuguese  appellation  of 
some  pains  in  the  limbs,  which  are  relieved  by  a  warm 
bath,  made  with  an  astringent  bark  produced  in  the 
Brasils. 

CU'RMI,  (from  xcfttu,  to  mix.}  A  drink  made  of 
barley,  which  is  used  instead  of  wine  ;  such  a  liquor  is 
employed  in  Iberia  and  Britain,  which  is  prepared  of 
wheat.  (Dioscorides.)  It  is  not  difficult  to  recognise 
in  this  description  our  beer  or  ale  ;  perhaps  our  white 
(wheat)  ale. 

CU'RSUMA,  or  CURTUMA.     See  CHELIDONIUM 

MINUS. 

CURSU'TA.     See  GENTIANA  PURPUREA. 
CU'RTA,  (from  curio,  to  mangle).     See  COLOBO- 

MATA. 

CURU'RU.     See  BUFO. 

CURU'RU  A'PE.  (Indian.)  A  scandent  tree  which 
grows  in  Brasil,  and  bears  pods  with  seeds  like  beans  : 
these  seeds  destroy  fish,  and  produce  intoxication  in  the 
inhabitants  ;  the  Omaguas  of  Brasil.  It  is  the  fiaulinia 
curruruof  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  524;  or  rather  the  c.  fiinnata,  525. 

CURU'TU  PA'LA.  (Indian.)  A  shrub  which 
grows  in  Malabar.  The  bark  of  the  root  boiled  in  wa- 
ter cures  a  diarrhoea;  boiled  and  taken  with  it,  a  dysen- 
tery. Tabern&montana  altcrnifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  308. 

CUSCU'TA.  Cuscuta  major,  cassuta,  efiithimum.. 
DODDER,  and  DODDER  or  THYME.  The  cuscuta  £uro- 
fiea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  180,  «  and  ft.  It  is  of  the  number  of 
plants  called  parasitical ;  it  hath  no  leaves ;  grows  on 
thyme,  and  consists  of  a  number  of  slender  juicy  fila- 
ments, producing  small  heads  of  white  or  reddish  flow- 
ers, followed  by  roundish  capsules  full  of  minute  seeds. 
A  large  kind,  known  by  the  name  of  HELL  WEED,  is  com- 
mon on  heaths,  upon  furzes  and  nettles.  This  hell 
weed  destroys  the  vegetables  which  afford  it  nourish- 
ment, whence  its  name:  it  is  also  called  diaboli  intesti-,' 
na,  the  DEVIL'S  GUTS. 

Dodders  are  found  on  almost  all  plants;  supposed  to 
partake  of  the  virtues  of  those  on  which  they  grow. 
They  are  hardly  known  in  practice ;  but  recommended 
as  a  remedy  for  rheumatism  and  gout;  as  aperitives, 
antiscorbutics,  and  gentle  laxatives. 

CUSPIDA'TUS,  (from  cusfiis,  a  point  or  sfiear). 
POINTED.  In  botany  the  term  regards  the  apex  only, 
when  the  leaves  have  the  apex  sharp  like  a  spear,  or 
terminating  in  a  bristly  point.  Some  of  the  teeth  are 
called  cus/iidati.  See  DKNTES. 

CU'SPIS,  (from  casfie,  Chaldean,  a  shell  or  bone, 
with  which  spears  were  formerly  pointed).  Properly 
the  point  of  a  spear  :  but  it  is  applied  to  the  glans  pe- 
nis ;  and  is  also  the  name  of  a  bandage. 

CU'STOS  O'CULI.  An  instrument  to  preserve  the 
eye  in  an  operation. 

CUTA'MBULI,(from  cutis,  the  skin,  Kt\&  ambulo,  to 
walk).  A  name  of  some  worms  either  under  the  skin 
or  upon  it,  which,  by  their  creepingj  cause  uneasiness 
and  pain. 


C  UT 


525 


CUT 


CUTANEI  MORBI.  If  cutaneous  diseases  have 
been  imperfectly,  and  with  too  little  discrimination,  de- 
scribed or  considered  by  the  practical  physician,  they 
have  claimed  a  large  share  of  the  attention  of  nosologists, 
in  whose  systems  each  blemish  on  the  skin  has  been 
magnified  into  a  genus  of  disease.  We  cannot  help 
smiling  when  to  the  last  of  the  Linnaean  genera  in  his 
nosology,  which  is  only  a  freckle,  the  following  pathetic 
exclamation  is  added : 

Hei  raihi !  tot  mortes  homini  quot  membra,  malisque 
Totsumus  i'.fecti,  mors  ut  meclicina  putetur. 

In  one  view,  the  attention  of  nosologists  to  these  diseases 
was  properly  employed,  and,  above  all,  the  luminous 
terseness  of  the  Linnaean  language,  viz.  for  the  purpose 
of  distinction;  yet,  were  criticism  our  object,  we  could 
show  that  both  Linnaeus  and  Sauvages  have  failed  in 
attaining  this  end ;  nor  was  accurate  discrimination  to 
beprobably  obtained  without  coloured  plates,  resembling 
those  of  Dr.  Willan.  Former  authors  gave  little  assist- 
ance :  Mercurialis  was  too  concise  and  imperfect;  Plenck 
often  obscure  and  inconsistent;  Lorry, in  his  quarto  vo- 
lume, superficial  and  indistinct:  and  the  ancients  imper- 
fect, confused,  and  inaccurate  in  their  descriptions.  In 
fact,  previous  to  the  appearance  of  Dr.  Willan's  work, 
our  best  assistant  was  Sauvages,  in  his  larger  work  on 
nosology. 

As  we,  in  general,  approve  of  Dr.  Willan's  arrange- 
ment, we  shall  first  explain  it,  with  his  own  remarks,  so 
far  as  he  has  proceeded,  adding  those  in  the  orders 
which  have  not  appeared,  that  their  arrangement  sug- 
gests ;  after  which  we  shall  subjoin  what  appears  to  us 
an  improved  order,  and  an  outline  of  the  pathology  of 
those  complaints  :  the  latter  attempt,we  believe,is  new, 
and  therefore,  we  trust,  its  imperfections  will  be  excused. 

Dr.  Willan's  orders  are  natural  ones,  viz.  pimples, 
scales,  rashes,  vesicles,  pustules,  tubercles,  and  spots. 
The  arrangementof  these  orders  is  of  little  importance; 
yet  it  has  been  suggested  that  it  would  have  been  more 
correct  to  have  placed  those  first  in  which  the  protu- 
berance was  inconsiderable,  and  to  have  proceeded  ac- 
cording to  their  increasing  magnitude,  as  spots,  rashes, 
pimples,  scales,  vesicles,  pustules,  and  tubercles.  Per- 
haps it  would  be  still  better,  keeping  this  idea  at  the 
same  time  in  view,  to  divide  them  into  febrile  and  not 
t'ebrile ;  including  in  the  first  class,  pimples,  pustules, 
vesicles,  and  rashes,  and  the  others  in  the  second.  As 
the  genera  are  introduced  by  Dr.  Willan,  this  arrange- 
ment is  not  perfectly  correct;  but  we  shall  employ  it  as 
more  suitable  to  our  pathological  enquiries. 

The  pimples  are  styled  PAPUL.Z  :  they  are  small  ele- 
vations ot  the  skin,  with  an  inflamed  basis  rising  to  a 
point,  with  either  no,  or  a  very  imperceptible,  tiuid. 
When  any  fluid  is  present,  it  is  serosity,  sometimes  pe- 
culiarly acrid,  and  never  becomes  pMrulent,  but  occasion- 
ally desquamating  in  branny  scales.  The  genera  in- 
cluded by  Dr.  Willan  in  this  order  are,  the  strr,Jihulun 
(the  red  gum,  a  vulgar  corruption  of  the  red  gown,  from 
the  generally  diffused  colour);  the  lichen  (the  eruption 
in  the  spring,  or  from  heat);  and  the  firurigo,  or  the 
pimples  which  arise  with  general  itching.  The  term 
pimples,  or  the  equivalent  appellation  in  different  lan- 
guages, has  been  employed  with  little  accuracy.  In  our 
iiuthor's  definition  they  are  properly  and  strictly  limited ; 


perhaps  too  strictly.  The  firurigo  he  has  not,  we  think, 
properly  defined.  It  is  an  itching  of  the  skin,  with 
small  papulae,  seldom  discoloured,  with  very  slight  fever, 
and  without  contagion.  All  these  genera  are  connected 
with  a  febrile  state  of  the  constitution. 

In  the  PUSTULES  which  follow,  the  little  inaccuracy 
of  which  our  arrangement  is  liable  appears  more  conspi- 
cuous. Few  are  febrile  diseases ;  but  the  itch,  in  its  ap- 
pearance, connects  this  order  with  the  pimples,  and  the 
introduction  of  variola  reduces  it  to  the  febrile  com- 
plaints: nor,  indeed,  is  the  tinea  wholly  free  from  the 
suspicion  of  being  originally  a  febrile  indisposition. 

The  genera  are,  scabies  (itch);  hnfietigo  (a  running 
scab);  eclhyma  (an  ulcerated  tetter);  Jiorrigv  (scald 
head);  and  variola  (smallpox).  The  itch,  certainly, 
at  times  degenerates  into  the  impetigo;  and  sometimes, 
in  a  secondary  chronic  state,  forms  distinct  pustules. 

The  VESICUL.S  contain  the  following  genera,  viz. 
the  varicella;  the  /lemfihigus;  the  fiomfiholyx;  miliaria  ; 
erysi/ielas;  her/ies  (shingles)  ;  eczema  (heat  eruption); 
and  afi/it/ia  (thrush).  There  may  be  some  doubtof  the  pro- 
priety of  admitting  aphtha  as  an  affection  of  the  epithe- 
lion,  though  it  be  a  continuation  of  the  skin.  In  that  case, 
syphilis,  cynanche  maligna,  and  mercurial  sores, should 
have  a  place  as  cutaneous  diseases.  In  this  order  the 
genera  are  arranged  according  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
vesicle,  except  in  the  case  of  the  varicella,  to  connect 
this  with  the  former  order.  Each,  except  perhaps  the 
eczema,  is  preceded  by  fever,  as  we  shall  show  under 
the  different  heads.  In  the  last  fasciculus,  we  perceive 
that  Dr.  Willan  has  made  some  alteration  in  his  arrange- 
ment, by  including  the  erysipelas,  the  pemphigus,  and  the 
pompholyx,in  a  separate  order,  which  he  styles  BULLJE; 
but  it  is  unnecessary  to  notice  it  particularly,  as  it  does 
not  materially  alter  our  present  views. 

The  HASHES,  EXANTHEMATA,  contain  the  urti<. 
(nettle  rash);  rubeola  (measles);  scarlatina  (scari* ::'. 
fever);  roseola  (rose  rash);  fiurfiura  (scorbutic  rashx; 
erythema  (red  rash);  and  the  iris  (the  rainbow  rash  \ 
This,  with  the  exception  of  the  urticaria,  whose  vesicles 
sometimes  rise  above  the  skin,  and  might,  perhaps,  be 
with  propriety  arranged  in  our  author's  new  order, 
bullae,  form  a  truly  natural  association. 

The  cutaneous  diseases  not  attended  with  fever, 
are  the  MACUL.E  (spots);  squ\M.£  (scales);  and  TU- 
BERCULA  (tubercles).  The  first  contains  thos's  little 
insignificant  deviations  which  do  not  constitute  diseases; 
the  second  are  disgusting  and  obstinate  complaints ;  and 
the  tubercles  are  often  the  most  frightful  masses. 

The  genera  of  the  order  MACULA  are,  e/ihelis  (freckles) ; 
nevus  (marks  supposed  to  be  the  effects  of  the  mother's 
longing);  and  sfiilus  (a mole). 

The  genera  of  the  SQUAM.E  are,  the  lefira  (the  true 
leprosy  of  the  Greeks) ;  psoriasis  (the  scaly  tetter)  ; 
liityriassis  (the  dandriff)  ,•  and  icthy-jsis  (the  nsh  skin). 
These  are,  perhaps,  only  forms  of  the  true  lepra. 

The  TUBERCULA  are,    verruca    (a  wart);   maluscum 
(the  small  soft  wen)  ;  vitiligo  (soft  smooth  tubercles)  ; 
acne  (stone   pock,  the  red  tuberculated   face);  It 
(noli    me    tangere) ;    {ihyma    (boiis  ,or    caibuncles); 
framb&sia  (yaws);  elephantiasis  (Arabian  leprosy). 

We  shall  add  what  we  consider  an  improved  arrange- 
ment of  these  diseases;  but  should  we  err  in  thinking 
it  such,  it  will  detain  the  reader  for  a  short  time  only. 


CUT 


526 


CUT 


A.  Febrile  cutaneous  diseases. 
)..    PAPULAE.     Gen.    PRUHIGO   LICHEN    STROPHULUS. 

2.  EXANTHEMATA.  RUBEOLA,  SCARLATINA,  ROSEO- 

LA, PURPURA,  ERYTHEMA,  IRIS. 

3.  VESICULjE.    VARICELLA,  MILIARIA,  ERYSIPELAS, 

HERPES,  ECZEMA,  APHTHA. 

1.  PUSTULE.     SCABIES,  IMPETIGO,  ECTHYMA,    POR- 

RIGO,  VARIOLA,  FRAMB.ZSIA. 

5.  BULL£.     URTICARIA,  PEMPHIGUS,  POMPHOLYX. 
B.   Not  febrile. 

1.  MACULjE.      Gen.  EPHELIS,  NJEVUS,  SPILUS. 

2.  SQUAMJE.       LEPRA,    PSORIASIS,    PITYRIASIS,    ic- 

THYOSIS. 

3.  TUBERCULA.     VERRUCA,  MOLUSCUM,  VITILIGO, 

ACNE,  LUPUS,  PHYMA,  ELEPHANTIASIS. 

Cutaneous  diseases  of  the  febrile  kind  often  depend 
on    the  discharge  of  some  morbid,   often   a   specific, 
cause;  the  slight  cutaneous  affections  occasionally  ap- 
pear to  be  only  irritation -communicated  from  the  sto- 
mach.   In  some  instances  the  white  of  an  egg,  in  others, 
fish  poison  almost  immediately  after  being  swallowed, 
certainly  long  before  it  can  have  entered  the  mass  of 
blood  will  produce  papulae.     A  proof  of  its  not  being 
owing  to  any  deprivation  of  the  animal  fluids  is,  the 
eruptions  being  removed  on  evacuating  the  stomach. 
When  owing  to  poison  in  the  blood,  and  fever  is  ex- 
,  cited  in  consequence,  the  copiousness  and  violence  of 
the  eruption  are  greatly  mitigated  by  the  regulation  of 
the  febrile  state.     If  the  fluids  are  forcibly  propelled, 
and  carried  to  the  exhalants,  so  as  to  pass  oft'  in  the  form 
of  sweat,  either  from  the  fluid  form  or  the  rapidity  of  the 
secretion,  a  portion  is  stopped  by  the  cuticle,  and  in- 
flammation is  the  consequence.     We   can  easily  con-, 
ceive,   as  in  the   case   of  miliaria,  where  no    poison 
probably  exists,   that  copious  sweating  in  the  irritable 
state  of  the  arterial  system,  which  occurs  in   puerpe- 
ral cases,  may  occasion  eruptions ;  and  we  consequently 
find  that,  by  a  duly  regulated  temperature,,  this, incon- 
venience can  be  avoided.     In  small  pox,  where  a  spe- 
cific poison  really  exists,  the  eruption  can  be  always 
mitigated  or  even  occasionally  prevented,  by  similar 
measures,  viz.  remedies  peculiarly  adapted  to  lessen  the 
fever.     In  these  cases,  the  exhalants,  which  open  under 
the  cuticle,  convey  the  fluids  in  no  greater  quantity  than 
the  pores  of  this  inorganic  membrane  allow  to  pass  ;  so 
that,  though  the  acrimony  is  occasionally  perceptible  by 
a  little  prurigo,  or  by  the  smell,  no  pustules  inflame  or 
suppurate. 

It  was  not  without  design  that  we  mentioned  the  form 
of  the  fluid  discharged ;  for  in  almost  every  instance, 
gentle  perspiration  appears  better  adapted  to  preserve 
health  and  remove  diseases  than  sweating.  The  form 
of  gas  may  be  chemically  more  suitable  to  the  morbid 
cause,  than  that  of  a  fluid ;  and  it  is  certainly  better 
adapted  to  transude  through  the  cuticle,  both  from  its 
attenuation,  and  the  gentleness  with  which  it  is  conveyed. 
Though  we  have  pointed  out,  in  general,  the  sur- 
face as  the  channel  by  which  the  cause  is  evacuated,  yet 
there  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  order  exanthemata,  and  in 
one  genus  of  the  vesiculae,  if  indeed  it  be  admitted,  we 
mean  the  aphtha,  viz.  that  the  matter  is  carried  to  other 
membranes  :  in  the  two  first  genera,  for  instance,  to  the 
Schneiderian  membrane  and  the  throat;  and,  in  the  last, 
to  the  membranes  of  the  brain  ;  for  erythema  differs  only 


from  erysipelas  in  form.  The  small  pox  virus  is  some- 
times poured  on  the  tunica  conjunctiva,  sometimes  on 
the  throat,  and  the  villous  coat  of  the  intestinal  canal ; 
but  this  is  not  its  usual  or  natural  outlet. 

The  pustulx  we  have  allowed  not  to  be  always  febrile ; 
yet  they  are  often  so,  though  the  ecthyma  -and  variola 
are  obviously  diseases  of  this  kind  :  and  the  former  in- 
cludes the  phlegmous.  The  scabies,  though  not  febrile, 
has  this  peculiarity,  that  it  is  excited  to  action  by 
warmth  and  a  more  generous  diet ;  but  the  operation 
of  these  existing  causes  we  cannot  now  examine,  until 
the  cause  itself  is  more  clearly  understood.  The  exist- 
ence of  an  animalcule,  producing  the  diseases,  has  been 
lately  denied.  When,  however,  the  itch  has  been  re- 
pelled rather  than  cured,  its  form,  on  its  return,  is  very 
generally  pustular. 

The  kind  of  fever  in  these  cutaneous  diseases  greatly 
differs.  It  is  inflammatory  or  putrid,  continued  or  re- 
mittent. In  the  bullae  it  is  generally  remittent.  For 
this  variety  no  adequate  reason  can  be  assigned  :  but  the 
continued  form  of  fever  is  generally  observable  in  those 
eruptions  where  the  poison  is  of  a  specific  kind ;  the 
remittent  form  seems  rather  suited  to  the  sporadic  or 
accidental  eruptions. 

Several  diseases  concur  in  their  general  nature  with 
the  cutaneous.  The  nearest  is  dysentery,  which  greatly 
resembles  them  in  their  pathology  and  cure.  Epidemic 
diarrhoeas  from  cold  are  not  very  different.  Ulcerated 
throat,  pertussis,  andcroop,  are  affections  of  the  epithe^ 
lion  continued  from  the  skin.  But  of  these  we  must  not 
now  treat. 

The  cutaneous  diseases  not  febrile  are  of  two  kinds, 
viz.  affections  of  the  cuticle,  or  of  the  parts  beneath. 
The  maculae  and  squamae  are  of  the  former  kind  ;  but 
the  genera  included  under  the  first  of  these  are  not,  as 
we  have  said,  diseases.  Mere  pressure  on  the  cuticle 
will  produce  squamae,  but  the  causes  in  general  are  dif- 
ferent. They  seem  to  arise  from  an  acrimony  often  con- 
stitutional, which,  however,  has  not  always  sufficient 
power  to  excite  inflammation  ;  or,  more  probably,  they 
are  the  diseases  of  torpid  habits  little  susceptible  of  in- 
flammatory excitement.  This  acrimony,  either  natural 
or  acquired,  is  gradually  deposited  under  the  cuticle  till 
it  rises  in  irregular  masses,  or,  from  the  pressure  be- 
neath, assumes  a  scaly  form.  The  porrigo  might,  perhaps, 
with  propriety  be  referred  to  this  order,  except  that,  as  a 
disease  of  the  roots  of  the  hair,  its  source  is  below  the  cutis. 
The  tubercles,  we  have  said,  are  seated  below  the 
skin.  The  verrucae  are  connected  with  the  extremities 
of  the  nerves ;  but  their  origin  is  doubtful,  and  their  cure 
uncertain.  The  other  tuberculae  are  enlargements  of 
the  sebaceous  glands  as  the  wens;  depositions  become 
morbid  by  stagnation,  as  the  phymata  ;  or  effects  of  de- 
praved fluids  or  broken  constitutions,  as  the  lupus 
and  elephantiasis;  to  which  the  Italian  disease,  the 
pelagra,  may  be  added.  The  tubercles  of  the  ele- 
phantiasis are  often  most  horrible  in  their  appear- 
ance ;  and  Sauvages  has  exhausted  the  monstra  hor- 
rcnda  informia  ingentia'm  the  description.  They  occur, 
however,  only  in  the  decline  of  life,  and  are  preceded 
by  marks  of  a  decayed  constitution,  or  depraved  fluids. 
The  same  appearances  also  precede  the  true  lepra  ;  but 
these  considerations  we  must  resume  under  their  proper 
heads  ;  q.  v. 


C  L    1 


527 


(    I    T 


It  will  appear  singular  that  we  have  referred  fram- 
baesia  to  the  pustule.  The  disease  is  little  known  ;  and 
the  best  account  of  it,  that  of  Dr.  Adams,  in  the  6th 
volume  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society,  justifies 
the  change. 

CUTA'NEI  ^CULUS,(from  cutis,  the  skin; 

belonging  to  the  skin).  See  PLATYSMA  MYOIDES. 

CUT  A  XEUM  O'SSIS  CO'CCYGIS  LIGAMEX- 
TUM.  It  goes  out  anteriorly  from  the  extremity  of  the 
os  coccygis ;  is  slender,  and  divides  into  two  portions 
at  the  orifice  of  the  anus,  which  run  into  themembrana 
adiposa,  are  inserted  in  the  skin  on  each  side  of  the 
anus  by  a  kind  of  expansion,  and  continue  to  divaricate: 
they  are  lost  on  the  sides  of  the  perinaeum. 

CUTA'XEUS.  See  SPHINCTER  ANI.  There  is  also 
a  nerve  so  called.  See  CERVICALES. 

CUTA'XEUS  IXTE'RXUS  XERVUS.  It  rises  from  the 
union  of  the  seventh  cervical,  and  first  dorsal  pairs,  runs 
over  the  other  brachial  nerves,  and  passes  down  on  the 
inside  of  the  arm,  between  the  muscles  and  integuments ; 
it  divides  into  two  branches,  which  accompany  one  an- 
other as  far  as  the  inner  condyle  on  one  side  of  the  vena 
basilica,  being  covered  by  the  ramus  medianus  of  that 
vein ;  then  runs  down  towards  the  wrist,  where  it 
spreads,  and  on  the  beginning  of  the  palm  of  the 
hand.  The  other  branch  passes  backward  along  the 
integuments,  and  down  to  the  little  finger. 
CUTCH.  See  TERRA  JAPOXICA. 
CUTI'CULA,  (a  dim.  of  cut's,  the  skin).  The 
SCARF  SKIX.  The  Greeks  call  it  eflidermis,  because  it 
is  placed  upon  the  true  skin  as  a  covering.  It  is  more 
compact  than  the  true  skin,  full  of  pores  for  the  eva- 
cuation of  what  transpires  through  it  from  the  body, 
though  the  best  glasses  do  not  enable  us  to  discern 
them  :  it  hath  neither  blood  vessels  nor  nerves,  there- 
fore it  is  void  of  sense.  Dr.  Hunter  thinks  it  an  orga- 
nised body,  though  its  organization  cannot  be  demon- 
strated ;  and  there  is  not  the  slightest  reason  from  its 
functions  or  diseases  to  consider  it  as  such.  The  pores 
described  by  Leuwenhoeck  have  not  been  found  by 
later  observers.  When  abraded  it  is  rapidly  reproduced, 
"  and  is  greatly  thickened  by  pressure,  either  external  or 
from  tumours  below  its  internal  surface. 

The  integuments,  or  the  universal  covering  of  the 
body,  are  the  cuticle,  the  rete  mucosam,  the  cutis,  and 
the  membrana  cellularis  :  besides  these,  the  old  anato- 
mists reckon  the  membrana  communis  musculorum, 
which  does  not  exist ;  and  the  panniculus  carnosus, 
which  is  only  found  in  brutes.  The  rete  mucosum  is 
added  by  the  moderns,  and  is  found  between  the  skin 
and  the  cuticle. 

The  cuticle  is  continued  only  over  all  the  external 
parts  of  the  body  :  in  the  cavities,  as  in  the  mouth,  oeso- 
phagus, aspera  arteria,  intestines,  &c.  it  becomes  almost 
imperceptible,  and  not  to  be  distinguished  from  the  cu- 
tis vera.  The  external  covering  of  these  internal  parts 
is  called  the  efiithelium  ;  and  the  surface  is  rendered  ir- 
regular by  innumerable  papills.  Xo  nerves  nor  vessels 
can  be  demonstrated  to  exist  in  the  true  cuticle. 

In  examining  the  pores,  the  cuticle  seems  to  insinuate 
itself  into  them,  to  complete  the  excretory  tubes  of  the 
cutaneous  glands.  The  fossulae  of  the  hairs  have  like- 
wise the  same  productions  of  the  cuticle,  and  it  seems 
to  give  a  sort  of  coat  to  the  hairs  themselves. 

The  best  method  of  separating  the  cuticle  for  examin- 


ation is  to  macerate  it  in  water,  or  to  suffer  some  putre- 
faction to  take  place. 

The  cuticle  is  a  medium  betwixt  the  skin  and  the  sub- 
jects of  feeling,  and  moderates  the  impressions,  which, 
without  it,  would  be  too  painful.  It  is  also  said  to  mo- 
derate the  perspiration,  which,  without  it,  would  be  too 
copious.  This,  however,  is  hypothetical.  It  seems  to 
be  a  sheath  which,  in  some  degree,  compresses  the 
whole  body,  and  gives  a  tone  to  the  extreme  vessels. 
To  its  relaxation  the  effects  of  warm  bathing,  a  moist 
or  a  humid  atmosphere,  have  been  attributed.  Yet,  as  a 
simple  solid,  it  can  be  but  inconsiderably  contracted  by- 
cold  or  expanded  with  heat ;  and  though  we  cannot  deny 
it  some  power  as  a  counterpoise  to  the  distention  of  the 
subcutaneous  vessels,  that  power  is  probably  trifling. 

The  cuticle  is  very  incorruptible,  even  when  the  sub- 
jacent parts  are  destroyed  by  sphacelus ;  and  suffers  the 
effect  of  caustics  to  act  on  the  subjacent  parts  without 
itself  being  destroyed. 

The  colour  of  the  cutis  differs  in  different  persons, 
and  also  in  different  parts  of  the  same  person ;  but  it  is 
owing  to  the  difference  in  the  rete  mucosum  that  com- 
plexions are  so  opposite  to  one  another.  See  Edinburgh 
Med.  Essays,  vol.  iv.  page  79. 

In  the  second  volume  of  the  Medical  Museum  is  a 
remarkable  instance  of  a  young  man  losing  the  use  of  his 
hands,  by  the  cuticle  being  thickened  and  hardened  in 
an  extraordinary  degree.  He  was  a  dyer,  and  by  fre- 
quently cleaning  brass  wire  in  the  mixture,  which  con- 
sists of  the  oil  of  vitriol,  tartar,  and  alum,  this  complaint 
was  gradually  produced.  His  hands  were  quite  stiff  from 
the  hardness  of  the  cuticle ;  and  on  endeavouring  to 
straighten  the  fingers  by  force,  blood  started  from  every 
joint.  As  the  acid  seemed  to  contribute  much  to  the 
disease,  an  emollient  liniment,  with  equal  parts  of  olive 
oil  and  aqua  kali,  was  ordered.  After  a  few  days  one  half 
of  the  aqua  kali  was  omitted,  and  the  yolks  of  two  eggs 
added.  By  this  means  the  hardened  cuticle  began  to 
peel  off;  a  new  flexible  one  appeared  underneath;  he 
began  to  have  some  use  of  his  fingers ;  and,  after  little 
more  than  two  months,  he  obtained  a  perfect  cure. 

CUTICULA  RIS  MEMBRA'XA,  (from  cuticulo). 
See  DCRA  MATER. 

CUTICULO'SUS.     SeeSpnixcTER  AXI. 
CU'TILL^E.     Certain  cold  fountains  in  Italy,  men- 
tioned by  Celsus  and  Pliny,  which  were  used  in  baths. 
CU'TIO,  (a  cutis  duritif,  from  the  hardness  of  its 
skin).     See  ASELLI. 

CU'TIS,  (from  *.v]ou,  to  cover  with  a  hide,  or  from 
cutan,  a  covering;  Chaldean).  The  SKIX.  It  is  called 
by  Herodotus,  anthrofie.  It  is  a  strong,  thick,  universal 
covering  of  the  external  parts  of  the  body,  immediately 
above  the  adipose  membrane.  It  is  composed  of  a  close 
texture  of  fibres  of  various  kinds,  and  of  veins  and  arte- 
ries, variously  disposed  :  where  there  are  large  orifices, 
it  is  gradually  lost.  Its  inner  surface  is  moulded  upon 
the  outer  surface  of  the  membrana  adiposa,  whose  mem- 
branous part  produced,  seems  to  form  the  skin. 

The  skin,  on  its  outside,  is  unequal  :  this  is  occa- 
sioned by  the  miliary  glands,  and  the  bulbs  of  the  hair. 
It  is  naturally  contracted ;  but  when  it  is  swelled,  it  is 
smooth.  Upon  its  surface  we  observe  the  papillae  py- 
ramidales,  which  are  longerin  some  parts  than  in  others, 
as  in  the  fingers,  where  they  are  called  villi.  They  ap- 
pear in  rows,  each  having  two  ranks  contiguous,  and  are 


C  Y  A 


528 


C  YD 


the  organs  of  touch.  Opposite  to  the  joints  the  skin  is 
thin,  and  formed  into  plicae,  to  admit  of  a  free  motion. 
Its  whole  surface,  outwardly,  is  covered  with  the  rete 
mucosum,  and  the  cuticle. 

The  skin  is  thickest  between  the  shoulders,  and  on 
the  back  part  of  the  neck.  Dr.  Hunter  says,  that  when 
the  skin  is  once  destroyed  it  is  never  regenerated,  but 
the  edges  stretch  considerably  to  form  a  covering  :  after 
that,  a  cicatrix,  which  is  hardened  flesh,  completes  the 
healing.  The  loss  of  substance  is  discovered  by  injec- 
tions. 

The  outer  surface  is  furnished  with  small  eminences, 
called  pafiille  fiyramidales,  and  the  inner  with  the  mi- 
liary  glands.  Fewer  papillae  appear  on  the  skin  of  the 
belly  than  elsewhere  :  the  anterior  portion  of  it  is  not 
only  thinner  and  more  compact  than  the  posterior,  but 
it  may  naturally  be  very  much  increased  in  breadth,  to 
an  extraordinary  degree,  without  losing  in  thickness 
what  it  gains  in  breadth ;  and  it  is  generally  more  diffi- 
cult to  pierce  the  skin  of  the  belly  with  pointed  instru- 
ments than  of  the  back. 

Though  the  best  glasses  cannot  assist  us  to  see  pores 
in  the  cuticle,  the  naked  eye  can  discern  them  in  the 
skin,  which  is  the  seat  of  many  diseases.  Dr.  Willan's 
late  publication  on  these,  has  superseded  the  works  of 
all  his  predecessors  on  cutaneous  diseases  of  the  skin. 

CU'TIS  AXSERINA.  When  from  cold,  fear,  or  terror, 
the  skin  is  contracted,  the  bulbs  of  the  hair  are  conspi- 
cuous, and  the  surface  resembles  that  of  a  newly  pluck- 
ed goose. 

CU'TT.     See  TERRA  JAPONICA. 

CY'AMOS  jEGYPTIA'CUS.      See   FABA   -£GYP- 

TIACA. 

CY'AMUS,  (from  »va,  to  bring  forth;  from  its  fe- 
cundity). Sec  FABA.  It  also  signifies  a  wood  louse 
in  the  form  of  a  bean.  See  ASELI.I. 

CY'ANUS  ORIENTA'LIS  MAJOR  MOSCHA- 

TUS,  SWEET  SULTAN,  Ol*  SULTAN   FLOWER.        It  is  slight- 

ly  cordial.      Centaurea  moschata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1286,«. 

CY'AR,  (from  Kta,  to  jiour  out).  Properly,  the  eye 
of  a  needle;  but  it  is  used  to  signify  the  orifice  of  the 
internal  car.  Sec  AURIS. 

CYA'SMA.  Brown  spots  in  the  lips,  forehead,  and 
hands  of  pregnant  women. 

CYATHIFO'RMIS,  (from  cyathus,  a  cufi,  and  for- 
ma, likeness}.  In  botany  it  means  shaped  like  a  cup, 
that  is  partly  cylindrical,  butexpanding  towards  the  top. 

CYATHI'SCUS,  (from  the  same).  The  hollow  part 
of  a  probe,  formed  in  the  shape  of  a  small  spout,  as  in 
an  ear-picker. 

CY'ATHUS,  xvxSit,  a  CUP,  (from  %vtn>,  to  fiourout). 
It  was  a  common  measure  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans, both  of  the  liquid  and  dry  kind  ;  equal  to  an 
ounce,  or  the  twelfth  part  of  a  pint.  The  sextans  was 
two  ounces;  the  quadrans,  three;  the  tricns,  four;  and 
were  named  from  the  portion  of  a  pint  they  con- 
tained. The  quincunx  was  five  ounces;  the  semis, 
six ;  the  septunx,  seven ;  the  bes,  eight ;  the  do- 
drans,  nine ;  the  dextans,  ten  ;  the  deunx,  eleven ;  the 
as,  sextarius,  or  cotula,  twelve.  The  cyathus  was 
made  with  a  handle  like  our  punch  ladle.  The  Ro- 
mans were  used  to  drink  as  many  cyathi  as  there  were 
muses;  also  as  many  as  there  were  letters  in  their  pa- 
tron's or  their  mistress's  name.  Pliny  and  Galen  say, 
that  a  cyathus  of  the  Greeks  weighed  ten  drachms  ; 


though  the  latter  elsewhere  observes,  that  a  cyathus 
contains  twelve  drachms  of  oil,  thirteen  drachms  and 
one  scruple  of  wine,  water,  or  vinegar,  and  eighteen 
drachms  of  honey.  Among  the  Veterinarii,  the  cyathus 
contained  two  ounces.  The  modern  cyathus  is  5  i.  ft. 

CY'BITOS.     See  CUBITUS. 

CYBOI'DES.     See  CUBOIDES. 

CY'CAS  CIRCINA'LIS  seu  I'NDICA.  See  PAL- 
MA  JAPONICA. 

CYCE'ON,  (from  xvxxa,  to  mix  ;  also  cinnum,or  cin- 
nus).  It  is  a  mixture,  of  the  consistence  of  pap,  made 
with  wine,  honey,  flour,  and  cheese  ;  perhaps  the  ma- 
caroni of  antiquity.  This  name  was  given  to  some  pti- 
sans ;  and  to  a  kind  of  salad  in  which  cheese  was  mix- 
ed. See  also  QINUS  ANTHINOS. 

CY'CIMA,  (from  the  same;  so  called  from  the 
mixture  of  the  ore  with  lead  to  form  litharge).  See 

LlTHARGYKUM. 

CYCLA'MEN,  EUROPE' UM,  (from  xvttefr,  to 
surround;  from  the  spiral  coiling  of  its  leaves  and 
stalk).  See  ARTHANITA. 

C  YCLI'SCUS,  (from  Kvxtes,  a  circle").  See  TROCHIS- 
ci.  Also  an  instrument  formerly  used  in  the  operation 
of  the  trepan. 

CYCLO'PION.  The  WHITE  OF  THE  EYE,  (from 
Kvx^ta,  to  surround,  and  a-^,  the  eye).  See  ADNATA. 

CY'CLOS.     A  CIRCLE.     See  Bucc*  and  ORBITA. 

CY'CLUS  METASYNCRI'TICUS.  It  is  a  long 
protracted  course  of  remedies,  persisted  in  for  restor- 
"ing  health. 

CYCNA'RION,  (from  xt/xve;,  a  .swan).  A  collyrium 
mentioned  by  Galen  and  P.  jEgineta,  from  its  colour 
resembling  that  of  a  swan. 

CY'DAR.     See  STANNUM. 

CYDER,  a  fermented  liquor  from  the  juice  of  apples. 
It  runs  so  quickly  into  fermentation  that  much  care  is 
necessary  to  check  the  process,  which  would  otherwise 
soon  render  it  acid.  When  in  a  good  state,  it  is  a  very- 
wholesome  drink,  though  accused  of  producing  rheu- 
matism. Cyder  drinkers  are  generally  thin,  but  firm 
and  muscular;  certainly  subject  to  rheumatism,  and 
occasionally  to  gout;  but,  on  the  whole,  healthy  and 
long  lived.  The  sweet  cyders  of  Herefordshire  are  less 
wholesome  than  the  strong,  more  pungent,  cyder  of 
Devonshire. 

Cyder,  when  made  early,  of  unripe  fruit,  is  sharp  and 
acrid ;  apparently  able,  without  any  suspicion  of  lead, 
to  occasion  the  colica  pictonum.  The  poison  of  this 
metal,  however,  often  impregnates,  from  accident  or 
design,  this  otherwise  wholesome  beverage,;  and  the 
most  fatal  colics  and  palsies  are  the  consequence. 

CYDERKIN,  a  small  cycler  made  by  infusing  the 
mock  in  water,  and  afterwards  pressing.  It  is  weak,  and 
must  be  drunk  immediately.  From  pears  it  is  called 
jierkin,  and  is  prepared  in  the  same  way. 

CYDONA'TUM,  (from  cydoneum,  a  quince}.  A 
preparation  of  quinces  with  an  addition  of  aromatics, 
described  by  P.  jEgineta. 

CYDO'NIA,  (from  Cydon,  a  town  in  Crete,  where 
they  grew).  The  QUINCE  TREE  ;  also  called  cotonea, 
and  mains  cydonia.  It  is  the  fiyrus  cydonia  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  687.  The  WILD  QUINCE  TREE. 

The  quince  tree  is  low,  a  native  of  the  rocky  banks  of 
the  Danube,  and  common  in  our  gardens.  Its  fruit  re- 
sembles, in  shape,  round  pears ;  hath  -an  agreeable  and 


C  YM 


529 


C  V  M 


strong  smell,  an  austere  and  acid  taste ;  and  its  express- 
ed juice,  taken  in  small  quantities,  is  cooling  and  re- 
stringent,  useful  in  nauseas,  vomitings,  nidorous  eruc- 
tations, as  well  as  some  kinds  of  diarrhoeas :  by  boiling, 
it  loses  its  astringency.  The  seeds  abound  with  mu- 
cilage, which  they  yield  to  boiling  water.  One  drachm 
makes  six  ounces  of  mucilage,  resembling  in  consist- 
ency the  white  of  egg,  recommended  in  aphthous  affec- 
tions, and  excoriations  of  the  mouth  and  fauces  ;  though 
that  of  the  simple  gums  appears  at  least  equally  effica- 
cious. It  is  the  most  agreeable  of  all  the  mucilages, 
but  is  apt  to  mould  in  a  short  time. 

The  London  college  directs  the  following  mucilage 
of  quince  seed : 

Take  of  quince  seed,  a  drachm ;  distilled  water,  eight 
ounces  :  boil  with  a  gentle  fire,  till  the  water  thickens ; 
then  strain  through  a  linen  cloth. 

Formerly  a  syrup  was  made  of  the  juice  of  the  fruit, 
and  a  conserve,  called  marmalade,  jelly,  miva  cydonio- 
rum,  or  diacydonium  ;  but  it  is  now  an  article  of  con- 
fectionary only.  See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Rail  Hist. 

CYDO'NIA  EXO'TICA.     See  COVALAM. 
.  CYE'MA.     See  CUEMA. 

CY'GNUS  REGI'NjE.  A  collyrium  described  by 
JEtius. 

CYLI'CHNE,  (from  «Mi£,  a  cufi).  A  small  vessel 
or  box  for  holding  medicines  ;  a  GALLI-POT,  or  PILL- 
BOX. 

CYLI'NDRUS,  (from  xA/y«,  to  roll  round).  The 
CYLINDER.  A  tube,  equal  in  diameter  from  top  to  bot- 
tom. The  fruits  of  plants  are  termed  cylindrical,  when 
they  resemble  a  column.  Martyn  says,  it  is  applied  to 
stems,  and  some  leaves,  which  are  round,  or  rather 
without  angles  ;  but  many  times  longer  than  they  are 
thick.  This,  however,  is  more  properly  expressed  by 
Columnar,  because  they  are  not  of  the  same  diameter 
from  top  to  bottom.  The  term  is  applied  to  the  calyx, 
to  the  style,  and  to  the  spike ;  as  well  as  to  masses  of 
plaster.  See  MAGDALEONES. 

CY'LLOS,  (from  x«A>o&>,  to  make  lame).  In  Hippo- 
crates, it  a  kind  of  luxation  bending  outwards,  and  hol- 
lowed within.  Such  a  defect  in  the  tibia  is  called 
cyllosis,  and  the  person  to  whom  it  belongs  is  called, 
by  the  Latins,  varus  or  bl&ssus,  and  is  opposed  to 
valgus. 

CYLLO'SIS.     See  CYLLOS. 

CY'MA,  Ku/uc,  fteina,  (from  x.vu,  to  bring  forth). 
CYME.  It  properly  signifies  a  sprout  or  tender  shoot, 
particularly  of  the  cabbage.  Linnaeus  explains  it  to  be 
an  aggregate  flower,  composed  of  several  florets,  sitting 
on  a  receptacle,  producing  all  the  primary  peduncles 
from  the  same  point,  but  having  the  partial  peduncles 
scattered  or  irregular ;  all  fastigiate,  or  forming  a  fiat 
surface  at  top.  The  cyme  is  either  naked  or  with 
bractese.  Flowers  disposed  in  a  cyme  are  called  cy- 
mose  flowers :  hence  cymosac,  the  sixty-third  of  Lin- 
nxus's  natural  orders  in  Philosophia  Botanica. 

CY'MB£  OS,  (from  cym6a,  a  boat ;  so  called  from 
its  supposed  likeness  to  a  skiff).  See  SCAPHOIDES  os. 

CYMBALA'RIA,(from  cymbalum,  a  cymbal ;  from 
the  resemblance  of  its  leaves  to  an  ancient  cymbal ;  also 
called  linaria).  IVY-LEAVED  TOAD  FLAX,  or  IVY 
WORT.  It  grows  on  old  walls  in  Italy  and  Switzer- 
land ;  and  hath  the  same  virtues  as  the  navel  wort.  See 
ANDROSACES. 

VOL.    I. 


CYMBAI.A'RIS  CARTILA'GO.    See  CARTII 

CRICOIDES. 

CYMBIFO'RME,  (from  cymba,  a  boat).     See  g 

PHOIDES. 

CY  MIA.     SeeCARonA. 

CY'MIXUM,  (Arab,  kumin).     See  CUMIXUM. 

CYMO'S.E.     See  CY.MV. 

CYXA'XCHE.     See  ANGINA. 

CYNA'NCHICA  MEDICAME'XTA.  Medicines 
appropriated  to  the  cynanche. 

CYNA'NTHEMIS,  (from  *««»,  a  dog,  and  «»0£.«,?, 
a  flower  ;  because  dogs  are  said  to  eat  it).  See  CHAM.E- 

MELUM     FCETIDUM. 

CYXAXTHRO'PIA,  (from  xu»»,  and  (ev^aa-o;,  « 
man).  A  kind  of  melancholy  delirium,  in  which  the 
persons  affected  believe  they  are  changed  into  dogs. 
Sometimes  the  term  for  /tydro/i/iobia. 

CY'NARA  SCOLYMUS.     See  CINARA. 

CY'XCHXIS.  (Greek.)  A  small  vessel  to  hold 
medicines. 

CY'NICUS,  (from  *.vai,  canis).  CAXIXE.  Certain 
convulsions  are  called  cynic  sftasms.  See  SARDONICUS 
RISUS. 

CY'NIPHES,  (from  the  Hebrew  word  cnis).  FLIES 
or  GNATS.  Van  Helmont. 

CY'NNIA.     See  CARORA. 

CYNOBO'TANE,  (from  **«»,  a  dog,  and  0«7«.,,  a, 
herb).  See  CHAM^EMELUM  FIETIDUM. 

CYNOCO'CTANUM.     See  ACONITUM. 

CYNOCO'PRUS,  (from  *«/*..,  a  dog,  and  w»^?, 
dung).  See  ALBUM  GRJECUM. 

CYNOCRA'MBE,(fromxfw»,  canis,K%stp£ti,  cabbage; 
because  dogs  are  said  to  eat  it  as  a  cathartic.)  See 
MERCURIALIS,  SYLVEST.  and  HIPPOMAXES. 

CYNOCY'TISIS,  (from  xvav,  canis,  and  avlis-of,  the 
cytisus  ;  because  it  cures  the  distemper  of  dogs).  See 
CYNOSBATOS. 

CYNODE'CTOS,  from  *»«.»,  a  dog,  and  £«»»,  to 
bite).  Bitten  by  a  mad  dog. 

CYNO'DES,  (from  x-vai,  a  dog).     CANINE. 

CYNODE'SMION,(from  *.vai,  membrum  -virile,  and 
i~ta,  ligo).  A  ligature  by  which  the  prepuce  is  bound 
upon  the  glans  ;  or  the  lower  part  of  the  prepuce. 

CYNODO'NTES,  (from  »»«»,  a  dog,  and  oJat/s,  a 
tooth).  See  CANINI  DEXTES. 

CYNOGLO'SSUM,  (from  x.vai,  a  dog,  and  "/Xutrirr,, 
a  tongue  ;  from  its  resemblance).  HOUND'S  TONGUE. 

CYNOGLO'SSUM  MAJUS  VULGARK  CANINA  LINGUA. 
GREATER  HOUND'S  TONGUE.  Cynoglossum  officinale 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  192. 

It  is  a  biennial  plant ;  producing,  the  first  year,  large, 
soft,  tongue-shaped,  long,  pointed  leaves:  the  second 
year,  a  thick  branched  stalk,  with  pointed  leaves  joined 
to  it,  without  pedicles  :  on  the  tops  of  the  branches  arc 
dark  purple  flowers,  which  are  followed  by  four  fiat 
seeds :  The  root  is  oblong,  and  of  a  dark  brown  or 
blackish  colour  on  the  outside,  but  white  within.  It 
grows  in  shady  places,  and  flowers  in  June. 

The  roots  that  grow  in  moist  grounds  have  a  rank, 
but  not  very  strong,  smell,  like  those  of  the  narcotic 
plants,  which  in  drying  is  mostly  dissipated  ;  those  on 
dry  ground  have  very  little  smell.  In  medicine  is  use- 
less, but  it  has  been  employed  adversus  pediculos. 

CYNO'LOPHA,   (from  v.vai,  a    dog,  and   >.o0«s,   a 

protuberance).       The     ASPERITIES     OF      THE     UPPER 

•  \r 

>  i 


C  Y  P 


C  Y  S 


nent. 


',  i  I'.TEBH.E  :  in  dogs  they  ai-e  particularly  emi- 


mad- 


CYNOLYSSA, (from  *.vwi,   a  dog;  and  ^v 
ness}.     See  LYSSA  and  HYDROPHOBIA, 

CYNT()MOR()N,-(froin  x.v:-n,  a  dog-,  and  papa*,  a  ber- 

ry).      Sec   Ifll'I'OMANKS. 

CYNOMY'Aj  (from   KVUI,  a  dog-,  and  /*.v%,  a  JfyJ. 

Sec   PsYLI.U'M. 

CYNO'PTICON.     See  DACNEHOX. 
CYNORE'XIA,  (from  xvut,  and  «fe|'s,  an  afifietite). 
See  BOUT.IMVS. 

CYNORRHO'DON,  (from  *»«»,  and  f«&v,  a  rosej. 
The  DOG  ROSE. 

CYNO'SBATOS,  (from  xvav,  and  /3*7«s,  «  thorn). 
The  BKRRV  OF  THE  DOG  HOSE.  Canirubus,  cynocytis, 
rosa  tyJvestrif  vulgaris,  and  inodora.  It  is  the  rosa 
tanina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  631.  The  WILD  BRIAR,  or  HIP 
rHKE.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  plants  of  the  rose  kind, 
a  native  of  Britain,  grows  wild  in  hedges,  and  flowers 
in  June.  The  fruit  contains  a  sour  sweetish  pulp,  which 
is  made  into  a  conserve,  by  adding  to  a  pound  of  the 
pulp  of  the  berries  (hips)  of  double  refined  sugar  twenty 
ounces. 

The  hips  are  to  be  split,  and  the  hairy  seeds  carefully 
separated.  When  the  fruit  is  mellowed  by  standing  a 
few  days,  it  must  be  pressed  through  a  hair  sieve,  and 
to  the  pulp  the  sugar  must  be  added.  Ph.  Lund.  1788. 
If  this  caution  is  not  observed  in  pulping  the  fruit,  the 
rough  prickly  matter  enclosing  the  seeds  may  be  retain- 
ed in  the  conserve,  which  will  occasion  uneasiness  at  the 
stomach,  an  itching  about  the  anus,  and  sometimes 
vomiting.  Though  formerly  it  was  ordered  in  large 
doses,  to  correct  acrid  bile,  sharp  urine,  heat  in  the 
stomach,  and  esteemed  useful  in  many  disorders,  as 
dropsies,  calculous  complaints,  dysenteries,  haemorrha- 
ges, See.  it  is  now  considered  only  as  agreeable  to  the 
taste,  and  principally  used  as  a  vehicle  to  more  effica- 
cious remedies.  There  is  also  a  reddish  green,  spongy, 
hairy  excrescence,  made  by  small  ichneumon  flies,  on  the 
stalks  of  this  tree,  called  bedeguar,  celebrated  for  its 
astringent  power  ;  but  it  has  not  yet  been  sufficiently 
tried  to  speak  with  great  certainty  of  its  power. 

CYNOSO'RCHIS,  (from  xvat,  canis,  and  ep%is,  a 
i  reticle  ;  from  the  testicular  shape  of  its  root).  See 
ORCHIS. 

CY'ON.  (See  CANIS.)  Also  the  inferior  part  of 
the  penis  and  prepuce.  See  PENIS. 

CYOPHO'RIA,  (from  Kvr,/u.x,  the  foetus,  and  <pitu>  to 
furry).  See  GESTATIO. 

CYPARI'SSUS.     See  CUPRESSUS. 
CY'PERI  GE'NUS  EX  I'NDIA.  See  CURCUMA. 
CYPEROI'DIS   GRA'MEN   and  CY'PERI.     See 
GRAMEN  CYPEROIDES. 

CY'PERUS,  (from  xviratos,  a  little  round  vessel, 
which  its  root  is  said  to  resemble).  A  plant  with  vitre- 
ous leaves,  and  triangular  stalks,  bearing  tufts  of  flow- 
ers on  their  top,  followed  by  a  triangular  seed. 

CY'PERUS    LO'XGUS,    ODORATUS,    Lin.    Sp.    PI.    67. 

The  ORDINARY  SWEET  CYPERUS,    Or   ENGLISH    GALANGAL. 

It  hath  along  slender  root,  crooked  and  knotted;  on 
the  outside  of  a  blackish  brown  colour,  and  white 
within  ;  grows  in  marshy  places,  and  the  English  is 
••cjual  to  the  foreign  ones. 

The  root  hath  an  agreeable  aromatic  smell,  and  a 
bitterish  taste  ;  both  water  and  spirit  take  up  its  virtues  : 


by  distillation  a  very  small  quantity  of  essential  oil  is 
obtained.  It  is  chiefly  noticed  for  its  astringency. 

CY'PERUS  ROTU'NDUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  ,67.  Creticun, 
vel  syriacus.  ROUND  ROOTED  CYPERUS.  The  roots  of 
this  plant  are  about  the  size  of  walnuts,  connected  by 
fibres,  rough,  and  rusty  coloured  on  the  outside,  of  a 
yellow  white  within.  It  is  a  native  of  the  East  Indies- 
and  grows  wild  in  some  other  countries.  This  sort  is 
most  noted  for  its  aroma ;  but  each  species  may  be 
used  indifferently.  Rail  Hist. 

CY'PERUS  AMERICA 'NUS.  Sec  SANCTA  HELENJE  RA- 
DIX. 

CY'PERUS    LO'XGUS    ODO'HUS,     &c.       See    CONTRA- 

TERVA. 

CY'PERUS  XILO'TICUS  vel  SYRIACUS.  See  PAPY- 
RUS. 

CY'PHI.  A  composition  of  sixteen  ingredients,  such 
as  honey,  raisins,  cardamom  seeds,  &c.  ;  much  used  in 
the  Egyptian  sacrifices,  and  the  troches  are  called  tro- 
chisci  cy/iheos. 

CYPHO'MA,  CYPHO'SIS,  (from  *t^«u,  to  bend). 
A  kind  of  gibbosity ;  a  curvature  of  the  spine  of  the 
back,  when  the  vertebrae  incline  preternaturally  out- 
wards. 

CYPI'RA.     See  CURCUMA. 

CYPRI'NUS.     See  CARPIO. 

CY'PRUS  DIO'SCORIDIS  et  PLI'NII,  (from  the 
isle  of  Cyfirus).  See  LIGUSTRUM  INDICUM. 

CY'PSELE,  (From  r.v^t*.>i,  a  bee  hive).  See  CERU- 
MEN AURIS. 

CYR^E'NIA.  The  faeces  of  saffron  infused  in  oil. 
Rulandus. 

CYRBA'SIA.  Properly  the  tiara,  or  CAP,  worn  by 
the  Persian  monarchs.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word  in 
his  Treatise  of  the  Diseases  of  Women,  when  describing 
a  covering  for  the  breasts. 

CYRE'BIA,  (a  corruption  of  x.*g oSta  folliculi  faba- 
rumj.  The  HUSKS  OF  BARLEY,  or  of  other  CORN,  which 
fall  off  while  they  are  roasted,  or  soaked  in  water. 

CYRENAI'CUS  SAL.  Produced  in  Cyrene.  See 
AMMONIACUS  SAL. 

CYRENAI'CUS  su'ccus  ;  applied  to  the  juice  of  the 
laserpitium  of  the  ancients,  from  the  country  where  it 
most  flourished,  by  Scribonius  Largvis,  Paulus  jEgineta, 
and  Sanctorius.  See  ASAFCETIDA. 

CYRO'NES.     See  PHTHIRIASIS. 

CYRSE'ON.     See  ANUS. 

CYRTOI'DES,  CYRTO'MA.  GIBBOSITAS.  Any 
preternatural  tumour  or  gibbosity,  (from  *.vf7»5,  hump- 
backed). In  Vogel's  Nosology,  it  signifies  a  particular 
flatulent  tumour  of  the  belly. 

CYRTONO'SUS,  (from  tuples,  curved,  and  »««{,  a 
disease).  See  RACHITIS. 

CY'SSAROS,  (from  x«5-«?,  the  breech).     The  ANUS, 

Or  RECTUM. 

CY'SSOTIS,  (from  the  Same).     See  PROCTALGIA. 

CYSTEOLI'THOS,  (from  *vrl><,  the  bladder,  and 
Aidos,  the  stone].  See  CALCULUS. 

CY'STIC^E  ARTE'RI^E,  (from  *vr]is,  the  bladder}. 
The  CYSTIC  ARTERIES.  The  hepatic  artery  advances 
behind  the  ductus  hepaticus  towards  the  vesicola  fellis, 
to  which  it  gives  two  principal  branches.  These  are 
called  arteries  cysticte.  See  HEPATICA  ARTERIA. 

CY'STIC>E  VE'N^E,  (from  the  same).  A  branch 
from  the  vena  portae  ventralis.  They  run  along  the 


t;  v 


c  \ 


ula  tellis,  from  its  neck  to  the  bottom  ;  and  as  they 
often  only  two  in  number,  they  are  called  cyeticz 
gamellz. 

CYSTIRRHA'GIA,  (from  win,  and  /•*«,  to  flw). 
Discharge  of  the  blood  from  the  urinary  bladder;  ge- 
nerally symptomatic. 

CYSTICA'PNOS  AFRICA  XA  SCA'XDEXS, 
(from  xw7«C)  and  unrraf,  smoke;  from  its  pods  resem- 
bling u  brown  bladder).  See  FUMARIA  ALBA. 

CYSTICUS  DU'CTUS,  DU'CTUS  VESICU- 
LA'RIS.  The  neck  of  the  gall  bladder  is  formed  by 
the  contraction  of  its  small  extremity ;  and  this  neck 
bending  afterwards,  produces  a  narrow  canal  called  the 
\,».  and  tr.ea'us,  cysticus.  It  conveys  the  gall  from 
the  gall  bladder  to  the  duodenum. 

CVSTICA  ISCHU'RIA.     See  ISCHURIA. 

CYSTI'DES.  Encysted  tumours,  and  those  whose 
substance  is  included  in  a  membrane. 

CY'STIS.  A  BAG.  It  is  applied  to  any  receptacle 
of  morbid  humours  (see  CAPSULA,)  and  to  the  VESICA 
IRIXARIA;  q.  v.  Many  complaints  of  the  bladder  are 
derived  from  this  term,  compounded  with  some  other 
words,  as  cystitis,  cystocele,  cystorrhfa,  kc.  kc. 

CY'STINX.     A  small  bladder. 

CYSTITIS,  CYSTIPHLO'GIA,  (from  ««.(r7«,  and 
fte'/ta,  inflammation).  See  IXFLAMMATIO  VESICLE. 

CYSTOLITHICA  ISCHU'RIA,  (from  *ve-7«s,  and 
lifts,  a  stone).  A  suppression  of  urine  from  a  stone  in 
the  bladder.  See  ISCHURIA. 

CYSTOPHLE'GICA,  (from  xvc-r,,;,  and  0Ai«™.  to 
xirikej.  A  suppression  of  urine  from  a  blow  on  the 
bladder.  See  ISCHURIA. 

C  YSTOCE'LE,  (from  xvr"i<,  and  *.r,>.r.,  a  tumour').  A 
hernia  formed  by  the  protrusion  of  the  urinary  bladder. 

CYSTOCE'LE  VAGIXA'LIS.     See  COLPOCELE. 

CYSTOPTO'SIS,  (from  «>ev«,  and  s-(*7«,  to  fall). 
The  inner  membranes  of  the  bladder  protruding  through 
the  urethra. 


CYSTOPHLEGMA'TICA,  (from  x«r,;,  and  9. 
u.a,  phlegm).     A  suppression  of  urine  from  abundance 
of  mucus  in  the  bladder.     See  ISCHUIUV. 

CYSTOSPA'STICA,  (from  the  same,  and  vx-xru.*, 
a  sjiasm).  A  suppression  of  urine  from  a  spasm  in  the 
sphincter  of  the  bladder.  See  Iscnunn. 

CYSTOTHROMBOI'DES,  (fronixthe  same,  and 
feu.^,a  coagulation  oj  'the  blood}.  A  suppression  of  urine 
from  grumous  blood  in  the  bladder.  See  Iscnunn. 

CYSTOSPY'ICA,  (from  -  ,  and  a-»«,  flu*).  \ 
suppression  of  urine  from  purulent  matter  in  the  bladder. 
See  ISCHURIA. 

CYSTOPRO'CTICA,  (from  -  and  a?-*-.;,  anus, 
or  rectum).  A.  suppression  of  urine  from  pain  in  the 
bladder,  caused  by  indurated  faeces,  wind,  inflammation, 
or  abscess,  in  the  rectum.  See  ISCHURIA. 

C\  STOTO'MIA,  (from  -  ,  and  Tfj*»«<,   t^   < 


A  cutting  of  the  bladder  in  the  operation  for  the  stone. 
See  LITHOTOMIA. 

CY'THIOX.     A  collyrium  mentioned  bv  Celsus 

CYTIXIFO'RME,  CYTI'XUS.  (from  «*.,  to  pro- 
duce; from  its  fecundity,)  generally  signify  the  flower 
of  the  true  pomegranate;  but  sometimes'  the  cups  of 
flowers  -which  expand  after  the  same  manner 

CY'TIXUS  HYPOCFSTIS.     See  HVPOCISTIS 

CYTISO  GEXI'STA.  See  GENISTA,  SCOPARIA, 
and  CAPPARIS,  (from  cytisus,  the  bean  trefoil,  and  ge- 
nista, broom;  from  having  flowers  like  the  cytisus) 

CYTISUS  ALPI'NUS;  also  called  anagyris  ,,011 
fxtida.  BEAN  TREFOIL  TREE.  Cytisus  laburnum  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1041.  The  leaves  are  said  to  cool  and  discuss  ; 
a  decoction  of  them  is  diuretic. 

CY'TISUS    SPIXO'SUS;    acacia    altera    trifolia,   cy 
sfiartium  acttleatum.     TREFOIL  ACACIA.      Sflartium  sfii- 
nosum  Lin.  Sp.  PL  997.     Its  juice  is  astringent. 

CY'TISUS  SCO'PARIUS  VU'LGAIUS.     See  GENISTA. 

CYZICE'NUS.  An  epithet  of  a  plaster  commended 
hy  Galen  for  ulcers  and  wounds  of  the  nervous  parts. 


532 


D. 


D  JED 

\J  •     See  VITRIOI.UM. 

DABU'RI.     See  ACHIOTL. 

DA'CETON,  (from  $****,  to  bite).  An  epithet  for 
such  animals  as  injure  by  biting. 

DA'CHEL,  (Arab,  dekel}.     See  DACTYLUS. 

DA'CNERON,  (from  <$Wv«,  to  bite).  BITING.  An 
cpithetfor  a  collyrium  in  Trallian  ;  also  called  oxydor- 
cia,  and  cijnoftticgn. 

DACRY'DIUM,  (from   faxpv,  a   tear}.     See  DIA- 

GRIDIUM. 

DACRYO'DES,  (from  £**.pv,  a  tearj.  In  Hippo- 
crates it  is  a  sanious  ulcer. 

DACRYO'M  A,  (from  S'a.x.^va,  to  iveefi) .  A  coalition 
of  one  or  more  of  the  puncta  lacr'ymalia. 

DACRYOPCE'OS,  (from  Step*,  a  tear,  and  -stna, 
facio).  An  epithet  for  substances  which  cause  a  flow 
of  tears,  as  onions,  Sec. 

DACTYLE'TUS,  (from  JW?i,;w«,  a  date}.    See  HER- 

MODAOTYLU8. 

DACTYLE'THRA,  (from  JW?t,A«s,  a  finger.)  A 
machine  shaped  like  a  finger,  and  introduced  into  the 
stomach  to  excite  a  vomiting. 

DACTY'LION,  (from  the  same).     WEB  FINGERED. 

DACTY'LIOS,  (from  the  same).     See  TROCHISCI. 

DA'CTYLON  RADICE  REPENTE.     See   GRA- 

MEN    DACTYLON. 

DACTYLOTHE'CE,  (from  <$W7iM<>«,  a  finger,  and 
Ttttfit,  fiono).  So  Pare  calls  an  instrument  which  he 
used  in  some  cases  of  injury  done  to  the  fingers. 

DA'CTYLUS,  (from  S'UKU,  to  fioint  out).  The  FIN- 
GER; and  the  fruit  of  the  fialma  dactylifera,  a  DATE; 
called  dactijlus  and  dig-itus,  from  its  likeness  to  a  finger. 

DA'CTYLUS  PA'LMULA.  Pa/ma  major,  palma  dac- 
tylifera; fihxnix  dactylifera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1658;  the 
GREAT  PALM  TREE,  or  DATE  TREE.  It  is  cultivated  in  the 
southern  parts  of  Europe ;  its  fruit  is  oblong,  larger 
than  an  acorn,  and  includes  a  stone.  The  best  dates 
are  those  which  are  soft,  large,  and  not  much  wrinkled, 
of  a  reddish  yellow  colmr  on  the  outside,  and  a  whitish 
membrane  between  the  flesh  and  the  stone.  They  are 
moderately  astringent,  particularly  when  unripe,  yet 
are  eaten  as  food  in  Africa.  Galen  calls  the  best  dates, 
in  Syria,  carijoii. 

DjE'DALUS.     QUICKSILVER.     See  AUG.  VIVUM. 
•DvEDA'LEUS,  (from  S'iS'cihAa,  to  work  curiously). 
In  botany  it  means  exquisitely  and  curiously  wrought. 


DAP 

D^E'DION  t&dula,  (a  diminutive  of  dais  teda,  a 
torch,)  a  kind  of  pessary. 

DjEMO'NIS.     ORDURE.     DUNG. 

DYEMONOMA'NIA,  (from  £*<ft«v,  demon,  and  t*.*,- 
v(«,  madness).  D<zmonia.  The  melancholy  which  is 
supposed  to  arise  from  the  possession  of  demons. 

DAIS.     See  T^SDA. 

DAITJ'DES,  (from  SICK,  and  tt&s,  likeness).  In 
Galen  it  means  great  torches ;  but  it  is  usually  applied 
to  heads  of  garlic.  See  ALLIUM. 

DALI'GTHRON.  A  name  of  the  thalictrum.  See 
SOPHIA. 

DA 'MA,  (from  deima,  fear;  from  its  timidity). 
FALLOW  DEER;  cervus  dama  Lin.  The  venison  of 
a  deer  killed,  when  cool,  differs  much  from  that  of 
one  heated  with  exercise.  The  fibres  of  the  first  are 
harder,  the  flesh  more  tough,  and  less  easily  soluble  in 
the  stomach  ;  but,  in  general,  it  is  an  alkalescent,  sapid 
animal,  considered  as  a  delicacy,  and  of  easy  digestion. 
(See  ALIMENT).  Medicinal  virtues  have  been  attri- 
buted to  different  parts.  The  recent  blood,  drunk  im- 
mediately from  the  veins,  hath  been  said  to  remove  ver- 
tigo ;  the  gall  to  be  detersive,  and  take  away  films  from 
the  eyes;  the  liver  hath  been  recommended  in  diarrhoea, 
the  horns  are  of  the  same  nature  as  those  of  the  stag, 
and  the  fat  or  suet  agrees  perfectly  with  that  of  the 
same  animal. 

DAMASCE'NA  PRU'NA  NOSTRA'TA,  (from 
Damascus,  the  place  from  whence  they  were  brought). 
See  PRUNA  DAMASCENA. 

DAMASCE'NA  PA'SSUL^E,  vel  U'V.E,  (from 
the  same).  See  VITIS. 

DAMASO'NICUM  and  DAMASO'NiyM.     See 

DoRIA. 

DAMNATA  TERRA,  (from  <fa?nwo,  to  condemn). 
See  CAPUT  MORTUUM. 

DANAIS.     (Greek).     See  CONYZA. 

DAPHNE,  (from  Dafihne,  supposed  in  fable  to  have 
been  converted  into  a  plant  of  this  kind).  The  BAY 
TREE.  See  LAURUS  ALEXANDRINA. 

DAPHNE  GKI'DIUM.     See  THYMELEA  MONSPELIACA. 

DAPHNE  LAURE'OLA.     See  LAUHEOLA  MAS. 

DAPHNE  MEZE'REUM.     See  LAUHEOLA,.F<EMINA. 

DAPHNEL^EON,  (from  taw,  and  £**<«»,  oil).    The 

OIL  OF  BAY  BERRIES.        See  LAX'RUS  VULGARIS. 

DAPHNI'TIS,  (from  its  resembling  the  laurel).  A 
name  for  the  best  pieces  of  cassia. 


I)  AU 


533 


DBA 


DAPHNOI'DES,  (from  f«p»»,  and  ttfa,  likeness). 
See  LAUREOLA  MAS. 

DA'RATOS.     UN-FERMENTED  BREAD.     See  PAXIS. 

DA'RCHEM,  and  DA'RSIX.     See  CINXAMOMUM. 

DA  'RSIS,  (from  Stf *,  to  excoriate}.     When  the  skin 

is  divided  and  separated  by  the,  seal  pel  from  the  parts 

which  are  situated  underneath,  and  often  when  one  part 

is  separated  from  another,  the   phrase  *.*!*  Safe-it,  was 

used. 

DA'RTA.  See  HERPES  and  PRURITUS. 
DA'RTOS,  (from  <&?*«,  leather).  Dartos,  a  Greek 
name,  derived  from  its  raw  or  excoriated  appearance, 
and  not  from  its  use  in  contracting  the  scrotum.  (See 
Warner  on  the  Testicles,  p.  2.)  One  of  the  coats  which 
forms  the  scrotum  is  called  the  dartos  muscle  and  curi- 
um. Dr.  Hunter  asserts  that  no  such  muscle  can  be 
found;  and  Albinus  takes  no  notice  of  it  in  his  table. 
See  SCROTUM. 

DAS.     See  T^EDA. 

DASY'MMA,  (from  <$««•»«,  rough).  See  TRA- 
CHOMA. 

DA'SYS,  (from  the  same).  Dense,  thick,  close,  or 
rough ;  an  epithet  for  a  tongue  that  is  parched  in  a  fe- 
ver. Applied  to  respiration,  it  signifies  a  contracted 
breathing,  as  if  the  lungs  had  not  room  to  expand  ;  and 
those  who  suffer  from  it  are  called  cerchodes. 

DATISCA  CAXXABIXA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1469,  has 
been  recommended  as  a  substitute  for  the  bark,  in  the 
same  doses. 

DATU'RA,  and  DATYRA.  (Indian.)  See  STRA- 
MONIUM. 

DAUCI'TES  VI'XUM,  (from  »V.««s,  the  mild  car- 
rot). Wine  in  which  are  the  seeds  of  daucus. 

DAUCUS,  (*7rt  -rtv  S'x.vstt.  from  its  relieving  the 
colic,  and  dispersing  flatulencies).  The  CARROT,  called 
also  carota,  supposed  to  be  derived  from  cara. 

DAUCUS    ALSA'TICUS.       See     OREOSELINUM     PRA- 

TENSE. 

DAUCUS  A'XXUUS  MI'XOR.     See  CAUCALIS. 

DAUCUS  VU'LGARIS;  called  also  daucus  sylvestris, 
fiastinaca  tenuifolia,  stafthilinus  Grecorum  -vel  sylves- 
tris.  WILD  CARROT,  or  BIRD'S  XEST.  It  is  the  daucus 
carota  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  348. 

DAUCUS  CRE'TICUS  ;  myrrhis  annua,  daucus  foliis 
feniculi  tenuissimis,  CARROT  OF  CRETE.  It  is  the  atha- 
manta  Cretensis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  352;  but  often  brought 
from  Germany.  The  best  is  large,  fresh,  sound,  and  of 
an  acrid  taste. 

The  wild  carrot  is  common  in  many  uncultivated 
parts  of  England,  and  flowers  in  June :  in  its  cultivated 
state,  this  is  the  well  known  garden  carrot.  Carrots 
appear  to  contain,  from  experiment,  a  large  proportion 
of  saccharine  matter,  and  consequently  afford  much 
nourishment,  if  well  boiled  ;  if  eaten  raw,  they  are  very 
difficult  in  digestion,  and  pass  through  the  bowels 
without  suffering  any  considerable  change.  Raw  car- 
rots have  been  given  to  children  as  an  anthelmintic, 
probably,  on  this  account:  in  calculous  complaints, the 
expressed  juice,  or  decoction  of  the  roots,  has  been  re- 
commended; and  as  gargles  for  infants  in  aphthous  af- 
fections, or  excoriations  of  the  mouth :  to  cancerous  and 
putrid  sores,  afid  to  phagedsenic  ulcers,  cataplasms  of 
scraped  carrot  have  been  found  useful,  as  they  mitigate 
the  pain,  and  abate  the  stench  of  such  as  are  foul  and 
offensive.  The  seeds  are  similar  in  their  taste  and 


smell  to  those  of  the  Cretan  carrot,  but  weaker:  they 
are,  however,  substituted  for  them;  and,  if  infused  in 
ale  or  wine,  give  out  their  diuretic,  antiscorbutic,  car- 
minative, and  lithontriptic  virtues ;  at  least,  all  which 
they  possess.  They  are,  indeed,  slightly  carminative 
and  diuretic,  but  little  more.  Half  a  pound  of  the 
seeds  may  be  infused  in  five  or  six  gallons  of  ale,  and  a 
pint  of  the  clear  liquor  drunk  three  times  a  day.  The 
seeds  of  the  wild  carrot,  which  should  be  gathered  in 
August,  are  said  in  many  instances  to  have  been  useful 
in  the  stone  and  gravel,  particularly  in  the  latter,  when 
accompanied  with  great  pain  and  coffee  coloured  or 
bloody  urine.  Half  an  ounce  of  the  seeds  may  be  added 
to  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  and  the  infusion  drunk 
with  sugar  and  milk,  instead  of  tea,  for  breakfast,  and 
again  in  the  afternoon.  Gouty  people,  who  are  afflicted 
with  the  gravel,  are  sometimes  relieved  by  it  in  a  few 
days  ;  others  do  not  perceive  any  sensible  effect  from  it 
for  some  months,  but  have  been  afterwards  rewarded 
for  their  perseverance:  though  Dr.  Cullen  says,  that  the 
seed  has  been  employed  for  a  considerable  time,  in 
large  quantities,  in  calculous  cases,  without  any  appa- 
rent remarkable  diuretic  power. 

DAUCUS  SATIVUS.  Daucus  carota  Liu.  var.  */.  The 
COMMON-  GARDEN  CARROT.  This  root  is  in  frequent 
use,  and  though  it  will  not  yield  any  grained  sugar,  it 
affords  a  great  deal  of  a  sweet  juice,  strongly  nutritious. 
When  boiled,  it  affords  a  tender,  and  not  very  flatulent, 
food.  The  roots,  when  scraped  small,  and  made  up 
into  a  poultice,  take  off  the  disagreeable  smell  which 
attends  ulcerated  cancers.  The  raw  carrot  may  be 
scraped  or  grated,  then  made  into  a  cataplasm  with  cold 
water,  and  applied  to  any  feticj  ulcers;  or  carrots  may 
be  boiled  a  sufficient  time  till  they  become  soft  enough 
to  mash  into  a  pulp.  The  raw  carrots  are,  however, 
preferable.  Turnips  prepared  the  same  way  are  said  to 
answer  a  similar  purpose.  They  are  both  to  be  applied 
immediately  to  the  ulcer,  without  the  intervention  of 
any  other  substance.  See  Lond.  Med.  Obs.  and  Inq. 
vol.  iv.  p.  183,  358,  &c.  Lewis's  Mat.  MeJ. 

DAUCUS  MACEDO'NIUS.  See  APIUM  MACEDOXI- 
CUM. 

DAUCUS    MOXTA'XUS.       See    OREOSELIXUM,     APII 
FOLIO. 

DAUCUS    ODORA'TUS     CRETICUS.       See     CUMINOI- 
DES. 

DAUCUS  PEREGRI'XUS.     See  SELIXUM    MOXTAX. 
DAUCUS    PETHO'SELIXI    vel    CORIAXDRI    FOLIO.     See 

BUXIUM. 

DAUCUS  SEI.EXOI'DES.     See  OREOSELINUM. 

DAULO  'XTAS  FRU'TEX.  An  American  shrub, 
which  Lemery  says  possesses  the  properties  of  camo- 
mile, and  its  berries  relieve  asthmas. 

DAU  PHIXY   SAL.     See  GLAUBERI  SAL. 

DAU'RA.     See  HELLEBORUM  XIGRUM. 

DAYERI'DOX'.     OIL  OF  SPIKE.     See  LAVEXDULA 

LATIFOL1A. 

DEAFXESS.     See  DYSJECEA  and  SURDITAS. 

DEARTICULA'TIO,  (from  de  and  articulus,  a 
joint).  See  DIARTHROSIS. 

DEASCIA'TIO,  (from  de,  and  ascio,tochifi,  as  : 
a  hatchet).     See  APOSCEPARXISMUS. 

DEATH.      When   we  contemplate    the   wonderful 
structu:  e  of  the  human  frame,  the  varied  form  in  \ 
it  is  supplied  with  what  is  necessary  to  its  perfer* 


1J  E  15 


534 


DEC 


the  resources  accumulated  to  obviate  accidental  wants, 
and  the  exertions  of  nature  to  supply  every  defect,  we 
appear  to  be  calculated  for  immortality.  Disease,  how- 
ever, sometimes  rapidly  terminates  the  scene;  but  age, 
without  its  aid,  undermines  the  vital  and  mental  powers, 
and  the  wonderful  machine  of  man  sinks  again  into  fee- 
ble infancy,  and  the  mental  imbecility  of  the  same  pe- 
riod, so  as  to  be  the  shadow  of  his  former  self,  the  ruin 
of  the  once  boasted  structure. 

To  trace  this  change,  it  will  be  necessary  to  examine 
the  progressive  stages  of  life,  as  they  affect  the  different 
parts  of  the  system.  In  the  circulation,  we  have  found 
the  arterial  system  strong  in  proportion  to  the  venal, 
and  gradually  decaying  in  activity  and  power.  In  the 
nervous  system,  irritability  lessens,  and  torpor  succeeds; 
in  the  muscular  fibres,  the  same  torpor  occasions  their 
less  ready  obedience  to  stimuli  and  to  volition.  From 
all  these  causes  the  circulation  languishes,  the  extremi- 
ties become  cold,  the  feeling  is  blunted,  the  veins  filled, 
und  the  excretions  sluggish.  Ossifications  take  place 
in  the  arteries;  and  mortification,  from  this  cause, 
closes  the  scene:  the  bronchial  glands  cannot  propel 
iheir  contents,  and,  occasionally,  suffocation  follows ;  the 
distended  veins  burst  in  the  head,  and  the  principle  of 
life  is  at  once  overwhelmed.  In  other  circumstances, 
the  activity  of  the  circulation  languishes,  the  blood  is 
confined  to  the  larger  vessels,  and  the  heart  can  no 
longer  contend  with  the  increasing  load ;  or  the  vital 
power  is  gradually  sunk  in  sleep,  and  at  last  in  death, 
assuming  the  form  of  a  deeper  slumber. 

The  causes  of  death,  at  an  earlier  period,  are  either  the 
destruction  of  an  organ  essential  to  life;  a  total  obstruc- 
tion to  the  supply  of  nutriment ;  or  a  poison  gradually 
introduced,  cither  undermining  the  vital  powers,  or  ex- 
hausting the  strength,  by  the  regularly  returning  pa- 
roxysms of  hectic.  In  continued  fevers  we  cannot 
distinctly  see  the  action  of  either  cause  separately;  but 
the  mostfrequentis  exhausted  strength,  or  an  oppressed 
brain. 

The  signs  of  aft/woac/iing  death  are,  a  rapid  and  very 
small,  scarcely  distinguishable,  pulse,  cold  extremities, 
clammy  sweats,  "  alack  lustre  eye,"  features  sunk,  the 
expression  lost,  and  a  hollowness  particularly  at  the 
temples :  the  three  last  characters  constitute  the  facies 
Hippocratica.  These  are  all  signs  of  a  total  loss  of  ac- 
tivity and  power  in  the  circulating  and  nervous  systems. 

In  these  different  slates,  the  mind  seems  to  sink  with 
the  body;  its  powers  decay  pari  Jiaxsu:  and  when  the 
medium  through  which  the  activity  of  the  soul  is  mani- 
fested can  act  no  longer,  we  cannot  expect  to  find  any 
fu  i  ther  traces  even  of  its  existence.  Yet  at  the  period  of 
its  separation,  we  are  told  of  brilliant  mental  exertions,  of 
powers  of  intellect,  not  equalled  in  the  best  portion  of 
existence.  It  has  not  been  our  fortune  to  see  such  intel- 
lectual animation.  At  the  moment  of  death,  anxiety  for 
those  we  have  loved  will  sometimes  occasion  apparently 
disproportioned  exertions;  and,  as  they  were  unexpected, 
they  have  been  exaggerated.  But  in  no  instance  could 
we  ever  detect  the  activity  of  mind  independent  of  the 
body.  To  this  temporary  prison  the  soul  is  confined, 
till,  by  the  destruction  of  the  machine,  its  animating 
principle  is  emancipated,  soaring  probably  in  higher, 
•<d,  we  trust,  more  blissful,  regions. 
frojJBILITA'TES,  (from  debilis,  weak}.  Diseases 
"Viency,  as  blindness,  want  of  appetite,  £tc. 


DE'BUS,     A  medicine  given  against  anger. 
cclsus. 

DEC.     The  abbreviation  of  decad. 

DECA'MYRON,  (from  S'm.x,  ten,  and  fivpav,  an  oint- 
ment). In  Oribasius  it  is  a  composition  made  of  ten 
aromatics,  forming  an  ointment. 

DECAGYNIA,(from  oW*,  ten,  and  yvtti,a  woman). 
TEM  STYLED  ;  the  name  of  one  of  the  orders  of  the  de- 
candria,  comprehending  those  flowers  which  have  ten 
styles,  considered  as  the  female  organs  of  generation. 

DECANDRIA,  (from  &*«,  decent,  and  »v*if,  vir). 
The  name  of  the  tenth  class  of  Linnaeus's  artificial  sys- 
tem, comprehending  all  hermaphrodite  flowers,  with 
ten  stamens  or  filaments  in  each  flower,  and  one  style. 
It  is  also  the  name  of  an  prder  in  the  classes  muna- 
del/i/iia,  diadeljihia,  gynandria,  and  diacia. 

DECANTA'TIO,  DECANTATION,  (from  decanter, 
French).  Pouring  the  clear  liquor  from  a  sediment. 
See  DEPURATIO. 

DECIDE'NTIA,  (from  decido,  to  fall  down).  It  is 
an  epithet  affixed  to  some  acute  diseases,  which  are  pro- 
tracted beyond  fourteen  days,  to  the  twentieth,  some- 
times to  the  fortieth  day ;  hence  diseases  are  called  acuf 
fier  decidentian,  or  ex  decidentia.  It  also  means  a  sud- 
den falling  down.  See  CATAFFOSIS. 

DEC1DUA,  (from  the  Latin,  de,from,  and  carlo,  tv 
fall).  FALLING,  fading  once  in  the  year;  whatcvc. 
falls  away,  as  leaves  of  trees.  In  botany,  deciduous 
plants  are  such  as  cast  their  leaves  in  winter.  From 
this  Dr.  Hunter  calls  the  spongy  chorion  by  the  names 
decidua  and  caduca.  (See  ABORTUS.)  Dr.  Hamilton 
observes  that  the  membranes  (speaking  of  those  which 
contain  the  foetus  during  pregnancy)  consist,  externally, 
of  two  layers  of  the  spongy  chorion,  called  decidua  and 
dfdclua  reflexa:  internally,  of  the  true  chorion,  and  the 
amnion.  They  form  a  pretty  strong  bag,  commencing 
at  the  edge  of  the  cake,  going  round  the  whole  circum- 
ference, and  lining  the  internal  surface  of  the  womb. 
The  mcmbrana  decidua,  or  that  lamella  of  the  spongy 
false  chorion  which  is  in  immediate  contact  with  the 
uterus,  is  originally  very  thick  and  spongy,  and  exceed- 
ingly vascular,  particularly  where  it  approaches  the  pla- 
centa. At  first  it  is  loosely  spread  over  the  ovum ;  and 
the  intervening  space  filled  with  a  quantity  of  gelatin- 
ous substance;  but  gradually  becomes  more  and  more 
attenuated,  and  approaches  nearer  to  the  interior  la- 
mella of  the  decidua,  called  decidua  reJJexa:  about  the 
fifth  month  the  two  layers  come  in  contact,  and  adhere 
so  as  to  become  apparently  one  membrane.  The  de- 
cidua reflexa,  in  its  structure  and  appearance,  is  similar 
to  the  former,  being  rough,  fleecy,  and  vascular,  on  its 
external  surface ;  internally,  smoother,  and  perforated 
with  a  number  of  small  foramina,  which  are  the  orifices 
of  vessels  that  open  on  this  internal  surface.  In  ad- 
vanced gestation  it  adheres  intimately  to  the  former 
membrane,  and  is  with  difficulty  separated  when  the 
double  decidua  comes  off  entire  ;  but  the  outer  lamella 
more  commonly  adheres  to  the  uterus  after  the  placenta 
and  other  membranes  are  expelled,  and  is  afterwards 
cast  oft"  with  the  cleansings.  The  decidua  reflexa  also 
becomes  thicker  and  more  vascular  as  it  approaches  the 
placenta;  and  is  then  blended  with  its  substance,  con- 
stituting the  cellular  or  maternal  part  of  the  cake.  The 
other,  or  more  internal  part,  belongs  to  the  foetus,  and 
is  styled  the  fetal  part  of  the  placenta.  The  double 


DEC 


535 


DE 


decidua  is  opaque,  in  comparison  of  the  other  mem- 
branes ;  the  blood  vessels  are  derived  from  the  uterus, 
and  can  be  readily  traced  into  it.  Dr.  Hunter  supposes 
that  the  double  decidua  lines  the  uterus  nearly  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  peritonaeum  does  the  cavity  of  the 
abdomen,  and  that  the  ovum  is  inclosed  within  its  dupli- 
cature,  as  within  a  double  night  cap.  On  this  supposi- 
tion, the  ovum  must  be  placed  on  the  outside  of  this 
membrane;  which  is  not  very  easily  comprehended,  un- 
less we  adopt  Signer  Scarpa's  opinion,  and  suppose  it  to  be 
originally  composed  of  an  inspissated  coagulable  lymph. 
Dr.  Ruysch  called  this  exterior  coat  the  tunica  fila- 
mentosa;  more  modern  authors,  \hefalseorftfiongy  c/ii- 
rion,  consisting,  as  we  have  said,  of  two  distinct  layers. 
The  portion  which  covers  the  ovum  is  a  complete  mem- 
brane, like  the  true  chorionand  amnios;  but  that  which 
immediately  lines  the  uterus  is  imperfect  or  deficient, 
being  perforated  with  three  foramina,  viz.  two  small 
ones,  corresponding  with  the  insertion  of  the  tubes  at 
thefundus  uteri;  and  a  larger  ragged  perforation  oppo- 
site to  the  orifice  of  the  womb.  See  Dr.  Hamilton's 
Outlines ;  Dr.  Hunter  on  the  Gravid  Uterus. 

DECIMA'XA,  (from  decem,  ten,  and  mane,  morn- 
ing'). An  erratic  kind  of  fever,  which  returns  every 
tenth  day ;  but  such  fevers  are  not  observed,  at  least  in 
this  country. 

DECLIXA'TIO,  (from  declino,  to  abate').  The  de- 
cline of  a  disease.  See  LUXATIO. 

DECLI'VIS,  (from  de,  and  clivi*,  a  hill'}.     See  OB- 

LIQUVS DESCEXDEXS. 

DECO'CTA,  (from  decoquo,  to  boil  away,")  water 
that  hath  not  been  boiled,  and  is  cooled  by  the  help  of 
snow.  Decocta  also  signify  decoctions,  boiling  differ- 
ent ingredients  in  water,  and  administering  the  liquor, 
strained,  either  when  cold  or  hot,  according  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  substance  boiled. 

DECO'CTUM  A'LBUM.     See  CORXU  CERVI. 

DECO'CTUM  RU'BRUM.     See  CORXU  CERVI. 

DECO'CTIO,  (from  decoquo,  to  boil  away).  See 
COCTIO. 

DECOLO'RES,  (from  de,  and  color,  colour).  Dis- 
eases which  disagreeably  change  the  colour  of  the  skin. 

DECORTICA'TIO,'(from  de,znAcortejc,bark).  The 
separation  of  the  outward  coat  from  branches  or  seeds. 

DECREPITA'TIO,  vel  CREPITATIO,  (from  de- 
crefio,  to  crackle').  The  crackling  noise  which  common 
salt  makes  when  thrown  on  the  fire,  from  the  sudden 
separation  of  its  water  of  crystallization. 

DECUMBENS,  (from  d'ecumbo,  to  lie  down'}.')  DE- 
CVMBEXT.  In  botany  it  is  drooping,  hanging  down. 

DECURREXS,  (from  decurro,  to  run  along}.  DE- 
CVRREXT.  In  botany  it  is  applied  to  a  leaf,  when  its 
basis  extends  downwards,  below  the  proper  termination 
of  the  leaf. 

DECURSI'VUS,  (from  the  same).  DECURSIVE; 
when  the  bases  of  the  lesser  leaves  are  continued  along 
the  sides  of  the  petiola. 

DECURTA'TUS  PU'LSUS,  (from  decurto,  to  cur- 
rail).  A  weak  or  a  deficient  pulse.  If  it  fails,  and  re- 
vives by  turns,  it  is  called  decurtatusrecijirocus. 

DECUSSATION.  The  crossing  of  nerves 'or  mus- 
cular fibres. 

DECUSSATUS,  (from  decusso,  to  divide).    DECVS- 
•>.     In  botany  it  means  growing  in  pairs  and  op- 


posite, each  pair  being  alternately  on  opposite  sides  of 
the  stem. 

DECUSSO'RIUM,  (from  the  same).  An  instru- 
ment to  depress  the  dura  mater  after  trepanning,  quia 
ciecutit  membranam,  or  from  its  extremity  being  groov- 
ed, decussatim. 

DECOLLA'TIO,  (from  decollo,  to  behead'}.  It  is 
when  a  part  of  the  cranium  is  cut  off  with  the  tegu- 
ments in  a  wound  of  the  head. 

DEFECATIO.     In  chemistry,  to  free  from  faeces. 

DEFECTrVI,(from  deftcio,  to  faint).  Synonymous 
with  adynamia. 

DEFE'CTIO  AXIMI,  (from  the  same).     See  Li- 

POTHYMIA. 

DEFEXSIVA,  (from  defendv,  to  defend).    See  CAR- 

DIACA. 

DEFEXSIVUM,  (from  the  same).  An  epithet  for 
some  surgical  topics  which  repel;  or,  in  some  authors, 
such  as  defend.  Of  this  kind  are  external  dressings. 
See  Kirkland. 

DEFERE'XTIA  VA'SA,  (from  defero,  to  convey). 
Immediately  beneath  the  tunica  albuginea  are  lodged 
the  testicles,  the  tubuli  of  which  run  on  to  form  the 
epididymis.  They  then  become  larger,  unite,  and  form 
the  vasa  deferentia,  which  ascend  in  the  spermatic  cord 
behind  the  blood  vessels;  and  having  got  through  the 
abdominal  rings,  are  reflected  downwards,  and  passing 
on  the  back  of  the  bladder,  between  that  and  the  ure- 
ter, go  on  the  inside  of  the  vesiculaseminalis,  to  its  an- 
terior end,  where  they  unite  with  the  vesicula  ;  and, 
from  the  union  of  these  with  the  vesiculae  seminales, 
two  ducts  are  formed  and  continued,  which  gradually 
approaching  each  other,  become  contiguous  at  the  notch, 
in  the  basis  of  the  prostate  gland, «|ftd  terminate  in  a 
small  duct  on  each  side  of  the  capu^PilIinaginis,  in  the 
urethra.  At  a  distance  from  the  vesiculae  seminales, 
the  vas  deferens  is  hardly  capable  of  admitting  an  hog's 
bristle ;  but,  as  it  approaches  the  vesicula,  it  grows 
larger  both  externally  and  internally,  and  becomes  cel- 
lular and  tortuous.  The  use  of  these  vessels  is  to  con- 
tain the  sperm  secreted  from  the  blood,  and  to  cam-  it 
into  the  spermatic  vessels. 

DEFI'XUS,  (from  defigo,  to  fasten;  because  it  was 
supposed  that  every  man  thus  defective  was  bewitched, 
or  fastened  by  some  charm).  Impotent  with  respect  to 
venereal  desires. 

DEFLAGRA'TIO,  (from  deflagro,  to  bum).  See 
CALCIXATIO. 

DEFLORA  TUS,  (from  de,  and./?!/*,  afotaer).  DE- 
FLORATED.  In  botany  it  means  having  shed  or  discharg- 
ed its  flowers  ;  in  anatomy,  the  loss  of  virginity. 

DEFLU'XIO,  (from  defuo,  tojlow  down).  A  DE- 
FLUXIOX.  The  flowing  down  of  humours  upon  any  in- 
ferior part,  as  in  a  catarrh.  They  are  supposed  to  flow 
from  the  head. 

DEFORMA'TIOXES,  and  DEFO'RMES.  Syno- 
nymous with  cache-rite  ;  or  any  ciiAses  occasioning  ex- 
ternal deformity  of  the  body. 

DEFRU'TUM.  (from  dfferveo,  to  grow  cool).    See 

Ml'STVM. 

DEGLUTI'TIO,  (from  deglutio,  to  swallow).  The 
act  of  SWALLOWING.  In  swallowing,  the  morsel  is 
collected  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  tongue,  is  squeezed 
against  the  bony  palate,  and  then  carries  the  palatum 


D  EG 


536 


DE  G 


molle  backward  and  upward;  the  pharynx  meets  it,  the 
tongue  keeps  close  to  the  palatum  molle,  and  by  this 
action  the  epiglottis  closes  the  rimula  of  the  larynx. 
The  bolus  is  consequently  forced  down  the  oesophagus. 
When  it  is  carried  into  the  stomach,  it  is  propelled  by 
the  sucessive  action  of  the  circular  fibres  of  the  pha- 
rynx, which  contract  from  above  downwards;  and  for 
this  reason,  when  the  continuity  of  these  circles  is  de- 
stroyed by  an  ulcer,  the  action  of  the  oesophagus  is  im- 
peded or  destroyed.  General  debility  in  a  similar  way 
will  impede  swallowing,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  in 
nurses,  when  the  child's  wants  are  disproportioncd  to  the 
supply.  Hysteric  affections  will  equally  occasion  the  dis- 
ease, not  only  from  debility,  but  from  the  distention  of 
the  stomach  with  wind,  which  the  action  of  the  muscular 
fibres  cannot  conquer.  The  latter  cause  we  suspect  to 
be  much  more  frequent  than  physicians  have  supposed. 
Independent  of  these  causes,  incapability  of  swallowing, 
called  aca/a/!osz*,oradifficulty,  named  dysfihagia,  orag- 
glutitio,  may  be  occasioned  by  a  thickening  of  the  mucus 
in  the  oesophagus;  indurations  of  the  canal;  a  fungus  in 
it;  by  spasms;  foreign  bodies  sticking  in  their  passage 
to  the  stomach  ;  tumours  pressing  against  the  side  of  the 
oesophagus,  either  of  the  canal  or  neighbouring  parts. 

Mr.  Warner  relates  a  singular  case  of  difficult  swal- 
lowing, in  which  the  oesophagus,  besides  being  other- 
wise diseased,  was  ulcerated  in  its  internal  surface ; 
which  we  shall  relate  to  facilitate  the  distinction,  and 
assist  future  practitioners  in  their  prognostics.  A  young 
woman,  aged  twenty -five,  had  been  afflicted  with  a  diffi- 
culty in  swallowing  for  some  months;  the  sense  of  con- 
striction was  just  below  the  back  part  of  the  cricoid  car- 
tilage. The  par^ffected  was  easily  discovered,  by 
conveying  down«Bc  throat  a  bit  of  sponge,  fastened 
upon  whale  bone,  which,  though  very  small,  could  not 
be  made  to  pass  beyond  it.  She  at  length  became  inca- 
pable of  taking  any  nourishment,  and  soon  after  died. 
After  death,  her  neck  was  opened,  and,  upon  taking 
out  the  oesophagus,  it  appeared  considerably  thickened, 
about  an  inch  in  length,  just  below  the  cricoid  cartilage. 
Upon  opening  the  oesophagus  lengthways,  its  coats  ap- 
peared so  contracted  in  the  diseased  part,  as  to  be  only 
just  capable  of  admitting  a  passage  to  a  common  probe. 
The  internal  coat  of  the  oesophagus  was  in  part  ulcerat- 
ed, and  covered  with  matter.  All  the  adjacent  parts 
were  sound. 

When  a  bronchocele  is  the  cause,  there  is  no  palliat- 
ing the  difficulty  of  swallowing  caused  by  it,  further 
than  that  of  which  the  bronchocele  admits,  which  we 
have  found  to  be  inconsiderable. 

Hoffman  observes,  that  mucus  not  unfrequently  con- 
cretes, during  the  night,  in  the  fauces  and  gullet,  and  is 
afterwards  with  difficulty  brought  up.  This  proceeds 
not  from  the  aspera  asteria,  or  the  pharynx,  or  the  pi- 
tuitary tunic  of  the  nose,  but  from  the  glands  of  the 
oesophagus  itself,  fnjji  a  torpor  in  their  vessels,  from  too 
violent  and  too  frequent  previous  stimulus  on  the  sto- 
mach. He  recommends  diluents  and  mineral  waters  as 
the  principal  remedies,  and  relates  a  case  in  which  a 
'  cure  was  effected  by  abstinence  from  a  more  generous 
diet,  and  the  use  of  a  soft  and  slender  one;  drinking  the 
Egra  waters,  omitting  suppers,  and  taking  a  dose  of 
a  nitrous  powder  in  a  draught  of  cold  water  at  bed- 
time. 


Indurations  happening  in  any  part  of  the  oesophagus 
are  causes  of  a  difficulty  of  swallowing,  an  instance  of 
which  is  already  noticed.  These  tumours  rarely  admit 
of  relief.  In  the  History  of  the  Royal  Medical  Society 
in  Paris,  for  the  year  1776,  we  are  told  that  a  young 
lady,  aged  sixteen  years,  after  being  troubled  for  about 
three  months  with  a  spasmodic  cough,  began  to  have  a 
difficulty  of  swallowing,  which  increased  so  fast,  that 
after  a  very  short  time  she  was  incapable  of  taking  any 
nourishment  by  the  mouth  :  so  that,  for  the  space  of 
three  months,  life  was  supported  solely  by  clysters. 
Mercurial  and  other  frictions  were  employed  without 
effect.  At  length  M.  Macquart,  reflecting  on  the  case, 
and  conjecturing  that  an  encysted  tumour  existed  in  the 
oesophagus,  and  that  it  might  probably  be  now  in  a 
state  of  suppuration,  he  resolved  to  administer  some  sub- 
stance, which,  by  its  weight,  might  occasion  a  rupture 
of  the  sac.  For  this  purpose  he  prescribed  an  ounce  of 
crude  mercury,  mixed  with  the  yolk  of  eggs,  to  be 
swallowed  every  three  hours.  This  remedy  was  taken, 
and  the  patient,  soon  after  she  had  swallowed  the  second 
dose,  brought  up  a  considerable  quantity  of  pus.  From 
this  moment  she  was  able  to  swallow  broth,  and  by 
proper  care  recovered.  When  scrofulous  indurations 
happen  about  the  oesophagus,  the  ung.  hydrargyri, 
rubbed  on  the  neck  over  the  induration,  or  small  doses 
of  calomel,  have  often  been  of  singular  efficacy,  espe- 
cially if  used  early  after  the  attack  of  the  disorder.  If 
the  case  is  of  more  considerable  duration,  the  mercu- 
rials should  be  given  so  as  to  excite  and  support  a  mo- 
derate ptyalism  for  some  time. 

In  the  London  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries, 
vol.  iii.  p.  85,  is  the  history,  Sec.  of  a  case,  in  which 
deglutition  was  obstructed,  from  a  preternatural  dilata- 
tion of  a  bag  formed  in  the  pharynx.  This  instance 
was  produced  by  a  cherry  stone  lodging  in  the  throat, 
which  was  returned  three  days  afterwards  by  a  fit  of 
coughing ;  the  part  where  it  had  lodged  gradually  ex- 
panded, and  retained  a  part  of  the  food  taken  at  each 
meal.  At  last  all  the  aliment  returned,  without  causing 
either  pain  or  sickness.  It  is  proposed  in  a  similar  case 
to  pass  a  tube  into  the  oesophagus,  and  through  it,  to 
inject  a  due  quantity  of  broth  ;  by  which  life  may  be 
continued  many  years,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  sac 
will  be  thus  prevented. 

DEGLUTITION  PREVENTED  BY  SPASMS.  See  CEso- 
PHAGUS. 

When  debility  occasions  difficult  deglutition,  bark, 
port  wine,  and  a  generous  diet,  assisted  by  drawing 
electrical  sparks  from  the  neck,  will  often  succeed.  A 
blister  on  the  back  part  of  the  neck  has  sometimes  been 
effectual ;  and  even  the  irritation  of  introducing  the  pro- 
bang  we  have  thought  useful,  in  exciting  the  action  of 
the  languid  fibres. 

Foreign  bodies  sticking  in  the  passage  to  the  stomach 
are  no  unfrequent  cause  of  this  disorder.  Many  are  the 
contrivances  for  removing  them ;  but  it  would  often  be 
better  to  leave  the  case  to  nature,  than  to  irritate  so 
tender  a  part,  which  must  be  the  effect  of  such  attempts. 
If  the  substance  can  be  reached  with  the  fingers,  or 
with  the  forceps,  the  extraction  is  easy.  When  pins, 
fish  bones,  or  similar  bodies,  stick  across  the  gullet, 
some  recommend  a  wire  with  its  end  turned  up  like  a 
hook  to  be  passed  below  these  bodies,  and  then  turned 


BEG 


537 


DEL 


so  as  to  bring  them  up.  Pins,  and  other  sharp  bodies, 
nrhen  they  have  stuck  in  the  throat,  have  been  returned 
by  swallowing  a  piece  of  tough  meat  tied  to  a  strong 
thread,  and  then  pulled  up  again.  If  the  detained  body- 
may  more  safely  be  pushed  down,  the  probang,  a  flexi- 
ble piece  of  whalebone,  with  a  piece  of  sponge  secured 
to  its  end,  is  a  safe  instrument.  It  hath  frequently  hap- 
pened, that  though  indigestible  bodies  have  been  swal- 
lowed, no  inconvenience  hath  arisen  from  them.  If  the 
bodies  cannot  be  easily  moved  up  or  down,  endeavours 
should  not  be  continued  long,  lest  inflammation  come  on. 
If  the  patient  can  swallow  some  softening  liquid,  barley 
water,  or  milk  and  water,  may  be  taken  ;  and  if  he  can- 
not swallow,  an  assistant  may  inject  some  similar  fluid 
into  the  gullet,  which  will  not  only  abate  inflammation, 
but  will  sometimes  loosen  the  impacted  body.  When 
endeavours  fail,  the  patient  must  be  treated  as  if  labour- 
ing under  an  inflammatory  disease  ;  and  the  same  treat- 
ment will  be  required  if  an  inflammation  take  place  in 
the  part,  after  the  obstructing  body  is  removed.  A  pro- 
per degree  of  agitation  hath  sometimes  succeeded  in 
removing  the  obstructing  body,  better  than  instruments. 
Thus  a  blow  on  the  back  hath  often  forced  up  a  sub- 
stance that  stuck  in  the  gullet  or  windpipe.  Pins, 
which  have  stuck  in  the  gullet,  have  been  discharged 
by  riding  on  a  horse  or  in  a  carriage.  If  the  gullet  is 
strongly  contracted,  so  that  the  patient  cannot  swallow, 
he  may  be  supported  by  means  of  clysters  until  relief  is 
obtained.  If  there  is  danger  of  suffocation,  the  opera- 
tion of  bronchotomy  will  be  necessary  ;  but  sometimes 
the  obstructing  cause  is  seated  below  the  part  where  the 
trachea  can  be  opened.  If  an  indigestible  substance  is 
forced  into  the  stomach,  the  patient  should  live  on  a 
mild  smooth  diet,  consisting  chiefly  of  farinaceous  mat- 
ters, as  puddings,  soups,  &c.  carefully  avoiding  what- 
ever will  irritate  or  heat. 

In  the  London  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries, 
vol.  iii.  p.  7,  is  an  account  of  a  small  fibre  of  a  feather 
being  swallowed,  and  extracted  by  means  of  a  probang, 
with  a  thread  or  two  passing  from  one  end  to  the  other, 
and  fastened  to  the  sponges  which  were  connected  with 
each  end  of  this  instrument. 

In  the  Medical  Museum,  vol.  ii.  are  several  instances 
related  of  different  bodies  sticking  in  the  oesophagus, 
and  the  methods  by  which  patients  were  relieved.  In 
the  same  volume  it  is  observed,  that  many  bodies  are  not 
much  to  be  dreaded  when  they  arrive  at  the  stomach, 
though  they  have  passed  the  oesophagus  with  difficulty. 
Pieces  of  money  of  various  sizes  have  passed  by  the 
anus  in  a  few  days:  pieces  of  lead,  as  bullets,  have  at 
last  been  discharged,  though  sometimes  they  have  been 
detained  for  years. 

In  the  London  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  iii.  p.  30, 
is  an  account  of  a  crown-piece  which  a  man  swallowed^ 
An  emetic  was  given,  but  without  discharging  the  piece, 
which,  after  twenty  months,  was  brought  up  by  a  spon- 
'aneous  vomiting. 

See  Warner's  Cases  in  Surgery.  Medical  Museum, 
vol.  ii.  Haller's  Physiology.  London  Medical  Trans- 
actions, vol.  i.  p.  165.  ii.  p.  90.  iii.  p.  30.  PercivaPs 
Essays,  vol.  ii.  p.  141.  Gooch's  Cases,  vol.  ii.  p.  108. 
Lewis's  Translation  of  Hoffman,  vol.  ii.  p.  147.  &c. 
London  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iii.  p. 
7,  &c.  ci,  kc.  Med.  Communications,  vol.  i.  p.  157, 
342.  White's  Surgery,  296. 
VOL.  r. 


DE'GMOS,  (from  Sttxtv,  to  bite).  A  biting  pain  in 
the  orifice  of  the  stomach,  such  as  is  perceived  in  the 
heartburn. 

DEHE  XE.     See  SANGUIS. 

DEHISCEXS,  (from  de/iisco,  to  gafie).  OPENING, 
or  GAPING  WIDE.  It  is  applied  to  the  pod  of  vegeta- 
bles. 

DEJE'CTIO,  (from  dejicio,  to  cast  out}.  A  dis- 
charge of  the  excrements  by  stool.  The  prognostics  from 
this  evacuation  may  be  seen  in  Prosper  Alpinus's  Pre- 
sages. 

DEJECTO'RIA,  (from  the  same).     See  PVRGANTIA. 

DEIXO'SIS,  (from  fima,  to  exaggerate).  EXAGGE- 
RATION. Hippocrates  uses  this  word  with  respect  to 
the  supercilia  when  enlarged. 

DELACRYMATI  VA,  (from  de  and  lachryma,  a 
tear}.  DELACRYMATIVES.  Medicines  which  dry  the 
eyes  by  first  discharging  tears,  such  as  onions. 

DELA'PSIO,  (from  delator,  to  sli/i  down).  See 
PROLAPSUS. 

DELA'TIO,  (from  delatus,  shown}.  See  INDICA- 
TIO. 

DELETE'RIOUS,  (from  ^A£«,  to  injure}.  Perni- 
cious, or  extremely  noxious  :  an  epithet  of  poisons. 

DELIGA'TIO,  (from  de  and  Hgo,  to  tie}.  A  BAND- 
AGE. 

The  design  of  bandages  is  chiefly  to  secure  the  dress- 
ings, or  to  confine  the  motion  of  parts  which  might  be 
painful  or  injurious.  In  ulcers,  they  support  the  dress- 
ings, defend  the  newly  formed  skin  from  any  force 
which  might  separate  it,  and  bring  the  edges  both  of 
these  and  of  wounds  nearer;  so  that  there  will  be  less 
for  nature  to  supply.  That  they  support  and  preserve 
the  ends  of  fractured  limbs  in  a  proper  position,  is  too 
obvious  to  be  particularly  pointed  out.  «In  some  instan- 
ces they  are  necessary  to  keep  parts  asunder  ;  and  are 
very  frequently  useful  in  preventing  a  too  luxuriant 
growth  of  new  parts,  accumulations  of  purulent  matter 
in  sinuses,  of  watery  fluids  in  the  extremities,  as  well 
as  in  confining  prolapsed  organs. 

Bandages  are  made  of  linen,  cotton,  or  flannel.  They 
should  be,  if  possible,  without  a  seam,  and  linen  is  wove 
for  this  purpose;  but  the  selvage  is  always  harsh, 
and  as  the  edges  are  necessarily  covered  by  the  next 
round,  they  are  sometimes  inconvenient.  We  prefer, 
therefore,  old  linen  ;  and  more  readily  submit  to  the  in- 
conveniences of  the  edges  unravelling,  than  to  the  ir- 
regularity which  any  stitching  would  produce.  The 
length  often  renders  seams  necessary.  The  pieces 
must,  therefore,  be  united  by  back  stitching,  and  beat 
smooth. 

Linen  is  generally  preferred  for  bandages ;  and  it 
should  be  such  as  has  been  long  worn,  as  its  harshness 
is  thus  diminished  or  destroyed.  We  have  lately  em- 
ployed cotton  (calico),  and  have  perceived  many  advan- 
tages from  its  softness  and  elasticity.  Where  some 
motion  of  the  part  is  necessary,  flannel  is  .preferable, 
from  its  greater  elasticity ;  and  it  ffused  in  ulcers  of 
the  legs,  wounds  of  the  thorax,  and  in  the  operation  of 
the  paracentesis  :  all  its  advantages  are,  however,  to  be 
found  in  calico. 

The  application  of  bandages  can  scarcely  be  taught 
by  words;  actual  observation,  and,  indeed,  experience, 
are  required.  The  young  surgeon  should  therefore  be 
exercised  in  applying  them  to  a  proper  figure,  for  it  is  a 

/ 


1)  E  L 


538 


BEL 


part  of  his  profession  which  every  nurse  can  judge  of. 
Should  he  perform  it  without  effect  or  dexterity,  he  will 
have  little  credit  for  talents  in  any  other  branch.  It  is, 
however,  often  of  importance,  that  the  pressure  should 
bear  equally  on  every  part ;  that  in  other  cases  it  should 
gradually  increase  or  lessen  ;  and  occasionally  the  force 
of  the  bandage  is  limited,  while  the  parts  above  and 
below  are  useful  only  as  they  support  the  principal. 
With  all  these  views,  the  surgeon  should  accustom 
himself  to  apply  them  ;  and  he  will  find  considerable 
assistance  in  the  works  of  the  French  surgeons,  who 
roll  over  an  affected  part  many  yards  of  bandage  with 
the  utmost  dexterity  and  neatness.  See  Heister's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  ii.  tables  37  and  38. 

Bandages  are  either  simple  or  compound ;  but  they 
tire  sometimes  divided  into  general  and  particular  :  and 
the  latter  are  often  denominated  from  the  part  to  which 
they  are  applied. 

A  simple  bandage  is  a  long  piece  of  linen  or  cotton 
of  an  indefinite  length,  and  from  three  to  six  inches  in 
breadth.  When  applied,  it  is  usually  rolled  up  ;  and 
the  rolled  part  is  styled  its  head.  When  rolled  from 
each  end,  it  is  styled  a  double-headed  bandage.  The 
part  applied  to  the  limb  should  be  the  opposite  to  that 
on  which  it  is  rolled,  so  that  it  may  unroll  from  above, 
and  not  embarrass  the  operator.  In  the  circular  turns, 
it  should  be  unrolled  towards  the  surgeon,  and  great 
eare  should  be  taken  that  the  edges  are  kept  smooth. 
This  will  seldom  be  effected,  unless  at  least  one  third, 
often  one  half,  of  the  bandage  is  covered  by  the  succeed- 
ing turn.  The  first  turns  should  be  wholly  circular,  for 
security. 

The  bandage  is  frequently  returned  to  secure  the 
edges,  and  prevent  its  slipping.  This  is  effected  by 
folding  it,  at  a  right  angle,  when  it  can  be  easily  rolled 
the  opposite  way  without  any  gaping  edge.  The  chief 
of  the  simple  bandages  are,  the  circular,  the  spiral,  the 
•uniting,  the  retaining,  the  expellent,  and  the  creeping 
bandages. 

The  circular  bandage  is  the  simplest  form  ;  the  rolls 
cover  each  other,  and  it  is  seldom  long,  as  two  or  three 
rolls  are  sufficient.  The  spiral  bandage  is  that  already 
described  ;  and  modern  practice  has  extended  its  utility, 
by  applying  it  in  many  obstinate  diseases,  where  it  is 
the  only  remedy.  In  the  upper  extremity,  the  fingers 
are  first  swathed  with  smaller  fillets,  and  these  secured 
on  the  back  of  the  hand  by  the  larger  bandage;  it  is 
then  carried  up  the  arm  to  the  elbow,  where  the  band- 
age is  crossed  in  the  form  of  a  figure  of  8,  as  after 
bleeding,  and  from  thence  up  the  humerus,  where  it 
must  be  returned.  The  toes  need  not  be  swathed  ;  but 
the  heel  must  be  confined  by  a  piece  of  linen  drawn 
tight,  and  secured  with  the  roller,  and  the  cavities  on 
each  side  of  the  tendo-achillis  filled  with  lint.  The 
bandage  is  then  carried  to  the  calf  of  the  leg,  to  the 
knee  and  thigh  reversed,  where  the  increasing  bulk 
prevents  it  from  lying  smooth.  In  these  cases  the  band- 
age must  not  be  lod'Hight,  especially  if  it  is  to  be  wet- 
ted;  for  it  is  contracted  by  moisture.  If  the  proper 
degree  of  tightness  cannot  be  ascertained,  it  may  be 
applied  wet. 

The  uniting-  bandage,  or  spica  descendens,  used  in 
rectilinear  wounds,  made  with  a  double-headed  roller, 
with  a  longitudinal  slit  in  the  middle,  of  three  or  four 
inches  long.  After  dressing  the  wound,  compresses 


should  be  applied  on  each  side  of  it,  so  as  to  press  front 
the  bottom  to  the  lips  of  the  wound,  before  the  roller 
is  applied;  which  roller  having  one  head  passed  through 
the  slit,  an  opportunity  will  be  given  of  drawing  the 
lips  of  the  wound  together.  The  whole  must  be  ma- 
naged so  that  the  bandage  may  act  equally.  Where 
wounds  are  stitched,  this  bandage  supports  the  stitches, 
and  prevents  their  tearing.  When  the  wound  is  deep, 
a  long  compress  is  to  be  applied  on  each  side,  to  secure 
a  pressure  at  the  bottom.  When  the  wound  is  very 
long,  two  or  three  bandages  should  be  employed,  and 
great  care  must  be  taken  that  the  pressure  is  perfectly 
equable. 

Henkel  and  Richter  recommend  for  this  purpose  a 
compound  bandage,  consistingof  four  straps  of  linen  of 
the  usual  breadth,  and  a  length  suitable  to  the  wound. 
These  are  united  by  six  narrow  straps  crossing  each 
other  like  the  fingers  of  the  hand  when  folded.  When 
applied,  the  middle  of  the  bandage,  or  the  narrow  straps, 
cover  the  wound,  and  two  of  the  heads  on  each  side  of 
it  cover  each  other.  The  two  lowest  are  then  placed 
circularly  round  the  limb.  The  two  heads  are  drawn 
tight  with  both  hands,  and  fastened.  As  the  narrow 
straps  lie  over  the  wound,  we  have  thus  a  constant  view 
of  it. 

The  retentive  bandage  is  usually  the  single-headed 
roller.  It  should  be  applied  first  on  one  side,  opposite 
to  the  wound,  and  brought  round,  so  as  to  bring  the 
lips  of  the  wound  closer.  The  contrary  manner  sepa- 
rates the  lips. 

The  expellent  bandage  is  designed,  by  an  equable 
pressure,  to  keep  the  fluids  within  so  near  to  the  orifice 
of  the  wound  that  sinuses  may  be  prevented.  In  gene- 
ral, a  compress  of  unequal  thickness  is  necessary  ;  and 
the  thinner  part  of  the  compress  is  placed  next,  and 
immediately  contiguous,  'to  the  orifice  :  the  thicker 
below.  Before  it  is  fixed,  the  pus  must  be  completely 
pressed  out,  and  the  rolling  begun  with  two  or  three 
circular  turns  on-the  lower  part  of  the  compress.  The 
bandage  must  then  be  carried  spirally,  but  somewhat 
slacker,  upwards,  and  again  return  to  its  commence- 
ment. It  becomes  an  uniting  bandage  when  a  piece  of 
flesh  is  lacerated,  and  we  wish  to  heal  it  by  the  first  in- 
tention. 

The  creeping  is  a  simple  bandage,  where  the  succeed- 
ing turn  only  covers  the  edge  of  the  preceding.  It  is  em- 
ployed where  theobject  is  merely  to  secure  the  dressings, 
and  not  to  make  any  considerable  or  equable  pressure. 

The  compound  bandages  are  the  eighteen-tailtd,  or 
rather  the  many-headed,  bandage,  and  the  T  bandage. 
The  first  consists  of  three  pieces  of  linen,  about  a  foot 
in  length  and  in  width.  These  are  sewed  together  in 
the  middle,  and  each  end  divided  into  three  equal  parts; 
the  division  continued  to  about  two  inches  and  a  half 
from  the  centre.  These  are  arranged  so  as  to  press 
equally  on  the  limb,  which  it  will  do,  if  the  head  which 
overlaps  is  received  in  a  slit  of  the  corresponding  piece. 
This  bandage  has  been  varied  by  Dessault  and  others,  in 
a  manner  which  we  find  almost  incapable  of  being  con- 
veyed by  words. 

The  T  bandage  is  chiefly  used  in  injuries  of  the 
abdomen  and  back  ;  but  particularly  of  the  genital  or- 
gans, and  the  neighbouring  parts.  It  is  of  the  shape  of 
the  letter.  The  transverse  part  passes  round  the  waist, 
and  the  other  part  between  the  legs.  If  the  latter  is. 


D  E  L 


539 


D  E  IS 


,:\  ided,  it  may  press  on  either  groin,  when  brought  up 
to  unite  with 'the  bandage  which  surrounds  the  waist. 

We  shall  add  a  short  description  of  some  other  band- 
ages, neither  simple  nor  compound,  before  we  proceed 
to  the  particular  ones. 

The  triangular  bandage  is  generally  a  handkerchief 
doubled  into  that  form.  In  common  cases  it  is  used  on 
the  head,  also  as  a  support  to  the  testicles  when  swelled, 
called  by  the  French  couvre-clief  en  triangle. 

The  nodose  bandage,  called  scapha.  It  is  a  double- 
headed  roller,  made  of  a  fillet  four  yards  long,  and  about 
an  inch  and  a  half  broad  ;  it  must  be  reversed  two  or 
three  times,  so  as  to  form  a  knot  upon  the  part  which 
is  to  be  compressed.  It  is  employed  when  an  haemorr- 
hage from  a  wound  is  to  be  stopped,  or  for  securing 
the  compress  after  bleeding  any  part  of  the  head. 

The  quadrangular  bandage  is  about  three  feet  square, 
or  a  little  longer  than  broad.  The  French  call  it  le  grand 
couvre-c/K-f. 

The  reflex  bandage.     See  CAPELINA. 

The  particular  bandages  we  shall  consider  under  the 
article  FASCIA. 

For  the  practice  of  the  ancients  in  this  part  of  surgery, 
see  Vidus  Vidius.  For  more  modern  directions,  Heistcr's 
Surgery;  M.  M.  Sue,  and  Thilloye;  Pott's  Works; 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.vi.  p.  469;  Lombard  and  Bernstein. 

The  tcaflularia,  scapulary,  and  napkin,  is  a  piece  of 
cloth  four  or  six  fingers  broad,  with  a  slit  in  the  middle 
to  pass  the  head  through,  and  long  enough  to  reach 
from  the  bottom  of  the  sternum  over  the  shoulders,  and 
down  the  back,  as  low  as  the  sternum  is  before.  For 
the  sfiica  inguinalis,  inguinalis  duplex,  snd  simplex,  see 
SPICA.  The  STELLA,  MONO'CULUS,  DISCRIMKN,  HA- 
I;I;'N A,  HEMICERAU'NIOS,  AURI'GA,  CHIASTOS,  CHIA'STE, 
may  be  found  under  their  respective  heads.  For  circu- 
lus,  and/ilititAius  layueus,  see  CIRCUS  QUADRUPLES. 
DELIQUA'TIO,  (from  deliyueo,  to  melt).  See  So- 

LUTIO. 

DELIQUESCENTIA  and  DELIQUIUM,  in  che- 
mistry, imply  a  spontaneous  solution  which  some  salts 
experience  by  exposure  to  the  air  only.  This  effect  is 
owing  to  their  very  powerful  affinity  for  moisture,  which 
draws  to  them  the  portion  of  vapour  dissolved  in  the 
atmosphere. 

DELI'QUIUM  ANIMI,  (from  delinyuo,  to  swoon}. 
See  LIPOTHYMIA. 

DELI'RIUM,  (from  deliro,  to  rave,  or  talk  idly).  It 
Is  termed  also  alienatio  mentis,  paranoias  paraphrenesis, 
dementia,  sometimes  einotio.  When  the  ideas  excited 
in  the  mind  do  not  correspond  to  the  external  objects, 
but  are  produced  by  a  diseased  state  of  the  common 
sensory,  the  patient  is  said  to  be  delirious.  In  mad- 
ness, reason  is  destroyed ;  in  foolishness  (morosis),  is 
defective;  and  in  the  delirium,  vitiated.  Delirium  is 
commonly  a  symptom  of  fever,  occasionally  the  effect 
of  narcotic  poisons.  In  general,  the  objects  do  not  pro- 
duce the  accustomed  impression,  or  are  followed  by  the 
usual  associations.  It  usually  arises  from  an  unequal 
state  of  activity  in  different  parts  of  the  brain,  and 
differs  from  madness  only  in  duration,  or  the  presence 
of  a  disease  of  which  itis  a  symptom. 

Galen  observes,  that  delirium  is  caused  by  the  heat 
and  acrimony  of  the  fluid,  but  principally  by  yellow 
bile.  (See  his  book  De  Sympt.  Cans.  lib.  ii.)  Many 
other  writers  think  that  the  bile  is  the  cause.  No  great 


danger  is  to  be  apprehended  from  delirium,  whilst  the 
pulse,  the  appetite,  and  respiration,  arc  favourable. 

DELI'RIUM  MANIA'CUM.      See  MANIA. 

DELI'RIUM  MELANCHO'LICUM.     See  MELANCHOLIA. 

DELI'RIUM  FEBRILE.     See  FF.BRIS. 

DELOCA'TIO,  C de,frtm,  and  locus,  a  place).  Sic 
LUXATIO. 

DELO'TICOS,  (from  or>.n,  manifestum) .  INDICA- 
TIVE: used  in  this  sense  by  Hippocrates,  in  his  Apho- 
risms;  in  general,  diagnostic  signs.  See  DIAGNOSIS. 

DELPHI'NIUM  STA'PHIS  A'GRIA,  (from  the 
flower  resembling  the  dolphin's  head).  See  STAPHIS 
AGRIA. 

DE'LPHYS,  (from  b'/Qx,  the  womb).  See  UTERUS. 

DE'LTA.  The  name  of  the  letter  A  in  the  Greek; 
also  the  external  pudendum  muliebre,  so  called  from 
the  triangular  shape  of  the  hair. 

DELTOI'DES  MUSCULI.  The  DELTOID  MUSCLES, 
(from  delta,  and  ci$of,  likeness  ;  musculi  triangulares, 
and  humerales ) .  They  rise  from  the  anterior  edges 
of  the  extremities  of  the  clavicles,  which  join  the  aero- 
mions  ;  from  the  acromions,  and  from  the  spines  of  the 
scapulae;  and  are  inserted  into  the  middle  of  each  hu- 
merus  respectively.  They  move  the  arm  forward,  up- 
ward, and  backward. 

DEME'NTIA,  (from  de  and  mens,  without  mind ^ 
See  VESANIA,  and  DELIRIUM. 

DEME'RSUS,  (from  dermergo,  to  sink  down).  In 
botany  it  is  applied  to  aquatic  plants,  and  means  sunk 
below  the  surface  of  the  water. 

DEME'TRIAS.     See  CEREALIA. 

DEMO'CRATIS  THERIA'CA.  A  theriaca describ- 
ed by  uEtius  ;  called  from  its  inventor. 

DEMOTI'VUS  LA'PSUS,  (from  demo-ceo,  t?  send 
back).  SUDDEN  DEATH. 

DEMULCE'NTIA  MEDICAMK'XTA,  (from  d- 
mulceo,  to  soften).  DEMULCENT  MEDICINES  sheath  the 
acrimony  of  the  humours,  and  render  them  mild.  Dr. 
Cullen  says,  they  are  such  as  are  suited  to  correct 
acrids,  or  to  obviate  the  irritations  arising  from  them. 
Emollients  are  occasionally  demulcents;  for  they  often 
sheath  acrid  humours,  and  soften  rigid  fibres.  Sec 
EMOLLIENTIA. 

Demulcents  are  of  two  kinds,  viz.  general,  or  speci- 
fic, obtunding  only  a  particular  acrimony. 

The  general  sort  are,  1st,  All  oils  obtained  by  the  ex- 
pression of  fruits,  or  formed  by  boiling  vegetable  sub- 
stances containing  them ;  the  oil  distilled  from  wax, 
and  all  animal  fats.  2dly,  All  insipid  inodorous  plants 
that  yield  no  oil,  but  are  merely  mucilaginous.  3dly, 
The  viscid  insipid  gums.  4thly,  All  the  animal  gela- 
tines and  albumens.  Watery  fluids,  usually  styled  ac 
mulcents,zrc  rather  to  be  considered  as  DILUENTS;  q.  v. 
The  specific  demulcents  are  those  which  unite  by- 
chemical  affinity  with  the  acrid  :  these  are  chiefly 
alkalis  and  acids,  when  the  acrimony  is  of  the  opposite 
kind.  Bitters  are  supposed  to  be  demulcents  when 
the  acrimony  is  bilious  :  vegetable  acids  are  more  cer- 
tainly such  in  the  same  case.  The  other  acrimonies 
described  by  authors  are  numerous,  but  generally  ima- 
ginary, except  probably  the  saline,  for  which  diluents 
are  the  remedies. 

DENA'RIUS,  (from  denus,  ten  ;  because  the  Roman 
denarium  marked  with  the  letter  X  meant  ten  asses,  a 
coin  so  called). 

3  Z  2 


D  E  N 


-    540 


D  B  N 


DENDR.  An  abbreviation  of  dcndrographia,  or  den- 
drologia,  a  description  of,  or  discourse  on,  trees,  from 
S'lttyav,  arbor,  a  tree,  and  yfxtyv,  scrip  tura,  seu  Aoyo?, 
fsertno. 

DENDROI'DES,  (from  Mpn,  a  tree,  and  e«&«, 
likeness).  Plants  that  resemble  trees:  they  are  also 
called  arborescent. 

DENDROLI'BANUS,  (from  £vJ>«v,  tree,  and  oAc 
b«»«v,  frankincense.).  See  ROSMARINUS. 

DENDROMA'LACHE,  (from  &>fy>»,  and  I"*A*£>J, 
'he  mallow).  See  MALTA  ROSEA. 

DENODA'TIO,  (from  denodo,  to  loosen ).  See  Dis- 

SOI.UTIO. 

DENS,  (quasi  edens,  from  edo,  to  eat,  or  from  «?« 
o£)v7«s).  A  TOOTH.  The  teeth  are  usually  sixteen  in  each 
jaw ;  they  are  divided  into  the  body  above  the  gum, 
and  the  root,  or  fang,  which  is  within  the  socket  of  the 
jaw;  the  neck  is  the  line  of  division  between  the  root 
and  the  body.  They  are  composed  of  a  bony  substance 
and  an  enamel. 

Little  attention  was  paid  to  the  teeth  before  the 
period  of  Eustachius,  whose  work  appeared  in  1563. 
He  was  followed  by  a  French  surgeon,  Urban  Hemard, 
about  twenty  years  afterwards  ;  but  though  the  teeth 
and  their  diseases  were  more  frequently  mentioned  in 
anatomical  and  chirurgical  works,  we  find  no  express 
treatise  on  the  subject  till  the  year  1740,  the  date  of 
Fouchard's  work.  This  author  was  followed  in  1771 
by  Mr.  3.  Hunter;  by  Dr.  Blake  in  1798;  and  Mr. 
Fox  in  1803. 

The  enamel  covers  only  the  body  of  the  tooth,  that 
part  which  is  not  covered  by  the  gums,  so  far  as  to  its 
neck  :  it  is  not  vascular,  nor  capable  of  being  injected  : 
for  if  animals  are  fed  with  madder,  the  body  of  the 
tooth  will  be  coloured,  but  the  enamel  will  remain  un- 
altered ;  or,  if  the  enamel  be  steeped  in  a  weak  acid,  it 
will  become  a  powder ;  but  if  bone  is  thus  steeped,  a 
soft  elastic  part  remains. 

Chemically  examined,  the  enamel  consists,  like  bone, 
of  phosphat  of  lime,  and  gelatine,  viz.  of  29.67  parts  of 
phosphoric  acid;  43. 3  of  lime;  and  27.10  of  gelatine  and 
water.  It  is  generally  agreed  that  the  enamel  is  never 
reproduced.  It  certainly  is  not  when  broken  to  the 
subjacent  bone  ;  but  its  surface  seems  to  be  occasionally 
supplied,  though  its  hardness  prevents  injury  from  at- 
trition. 

Each  root  is  hollow,  for  the  admission  of  vessels  and 
nerves  to  pass  into  the  substance  of  the  teeth  ;  but  these 
cavities  grow  less  in  advanced  age. 

Ossification  begins  in  the  body  of  a  tooth,  and  is  con- 
tinued to  the  root;  and  there  are  as  many  points  of  ossi- 
fication as  there  are  tubercles  in  the  tooth.  Mr.  John 
Hunter  suspects  that  the  teeth,  when  full  grown,  are 
not  simply  bone.  He  observes,  that  bones  are  tinged 
with  the  colouring  matter  of  madder  when  they  are  com- 
plete and  perfectly  grown,  if  the  animal  is  fed  for  a  time 
with  this  root ;  and  teeth,  whilst  growing,  receive  this 
tinge,  but  not  when  they  are  perfected.  In  all  other 
bones  this  red  colour  is,  in  time,  carried  off  by  absorp- 
tion, and  they  return  to  their  original  colour ;  but  a 
growing  tooth,  if  coloured,  never  loses  it.  This  does 
not  show  the  want  of  an  absorbent  'system,  for  teeth, 
when  their  nerves  are  destroyed,  seem  to  be  slowly  ab- 
sorbed ;  and  they  certainly  continue,  while  alive,  to  be 
vascular.  The  whole  anomaly  seems  to  arise  from  the 


minuteness  of  their  vessels.  The  rickets  do  not  affect 
the  teeth ;  for  we  never  find  them  grow  soft  like  the 
bones,  but  they  remain  perfectly  hard :  lastly,  in  old 
age,  the  other  bones  become  brittle  and  waste;  but  the 
teeth,  except  when  carious,  continue  in  their  former  state. 
The  teeth  are  divided  into  three  classes,  viz.  the  inci- 
sores, canini,  and  molares.  The  incisores,  called  also 
denies  lactei,  and  denies  risorii,  are  the  four  anterior 
teeth  in  each  jaw;  they  appear  the  first.  The  canini, 
or  clentes  oculares,  are  one  on  each  side  of  the  incisores, 
in  each  jaw.  The  molares  arc  five  on  each  side  of  both 
jaws.  Sometimes  before  twenty  years  of  age,  often 
about  five  or  six  and  twenty,  the  last  of  the  grinders  ap- 
pear, and  are  called  denies  sapientiis  and  denies  genuini. 
Mr.  John  Hunter  divides  and  names  them  as  follows; 
viz.  from  the  symphysis  of  the  jaw  on  each  side,  are 
two  INCISORES,  q.  v.  ;  one  cuspidatus,  (see  CANINI 
DENTES  ;)  two  bicnspides  ;  and  three  molares,  the  last  of 
which  is  the  sapientice  dens.  See  MORALES. 

The  incisores,  canini,  and  the  two  first  of  the  grinders, 
are  formed  at  the  birth,  and  are  those  teeth  which  are 
shed.  They  usually  appear  about  the  seventh  month, 
and  are  shed  about  the  seventh  year.  The  secondary 
teeth  are  formed  in  sockets  of  their  own,  which  are 
situated  below  the  other  socket.  The  three  dentes 
molares  on  each  side  do  not  come  through  the  gums 
until  the  first  set  of  teeth  is  shed  ;  then  they  come 
through  with  the  second  set,  and  are  never  shed. 
Some  people  never  have  the  last  molares.  At  about 
three  years  of  age  a  child  hath  the  whole  of  its  first  set 
of  teeth,  which  are  twenty. 

There  are  generally  as  many  protuberances  on  the 
body  of  the  teeth  as  there  are  roots  :  but  the  latter  some- 
times grow  together;  at  other  times  they  are  divaricat- 
ed, especially  in  the  upper  jaw,  where,  not  having  a 
sufficient  depth,  because  of  the  maxillary  sinus,  they 
spread  and  are  extracted  with  greater  difficulty  than 
those  on  the  lower  jaw. 

The  fifth  pair  of  nerves  supply  the  teeth  with 
branches,  which,  with  the  blood  vessels,  are  surrounded 
by  a  membrane,  and,  running  under  the  teeth,  enter 
into  the  cavities  through  a  hole  in  the  roots.  From  an 
attention  to  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves,  and  the  parts  to 
which  they  are  distributed,  many  of  the  phenomena  at- 
tendant on  disorders  of  the  teeth  may  be  explained.  It 
is  in  general  supposed  that  the  teeth,  when  a  child  is 
born,  are  lodged  in  sockets  in  the  jaw-bones,  and  are 
covered  with,  and  inveloped  by,  a  thin,  very  irritable, 
and  sensible  membrane,  the  periosteum  of  the  teeth  ; 
so  that  when  the  teeth  begin  to  grow,  they  must  neces- 
sarily distend,  and  force  their  way  through  this  mem- 
brane, which,  from  its  sensibility,  gives  great  pain,  and 
occasions  fevers,  starlings,  and  all  the  symptoms  of 
teething.  As  soon  as  this  membrane  is  completely 
divided  in  that  part  by  the  tooth,  the  child  is  relieved 
for  the  present  from  the  fever  and  other  complaints ; 
which  are  subject  to  return  upon  the  successive  rising 
of  the  other  teeth. 

This  general  account  must  be  admitted  with  many 
restrictions,  derived  from  more  minute  inquiries.  The 
teeth  are  formed  in  the  fcetus,  and  even  the  rudiments 
of  the  second  set  are  very  early  conspicuous.  They  os- 
sify in  distinct  points ;  and,  at  the  period  of  birth, 
these  ossified  points  are  nearly  contiguous.  They  are 
covered  with  a  membrane  which  is  divisible  into  two 


1)  E  X 


541 


DEN 


layers;  most  dense  and  thick  near  the  edge  of  the  jaw, 
and  softer  as  well  as  more  gelatinous  below.  The  exter- 
nal layer  is  spongy  and  vascular;  the  internal  more  ten- 
der and  delicate,"without  vessels:  though  Mr.  Hunter, 
perhaps  from  accident,  has  inverted  this  order.  The 
membrane  is  fastened  to  the  neck  of  the  tooth,  which, 
pressing  against  it,  deprives  it  of  life,  and  thus  occasions 
its  absorption,  as  well  as  of  the  gum  above.  Laceration 
seldom  takes  place,  though  in  some  instances  it  seems 
to  do  so,  as  the  ragged  edges  have  been  observed.  In 
general,  the  diseases  attributed  to  dentition  do  not  arise 
from  the  distention  of  this  membrane,  but  to  the  state 
of  the  stomach,  and  are  often  relieved  by  a  slight  opiate, 
with  the  volatile  alkali.  It  has  been  a  too  common  prac- 
tice to  divide  the  gum  ;  but  this  is  an  unnecessary  seve- 
rity, and  often  useless.  It  is  only  when  the  tooth  distends 
it  considerably,  with  violent  inflammation,  that  such  an 
operation  is  admissible. 

Disorders  in  the  teeth,  in  more  advanced  age,  depend 
chiefly  on  a  caries,  and  an  inflammation  in  the  mem- 
brane which  covers  their  root.  When  a  tooth  is  ca- 
rious, it  often  occasions  a  fetid  breath  ;  and  the  air  pass- 
ing into,  or  any  warm  or  cold  substance  touching  it, 
excites  pain.  Relief  is  often  obtained  by  filling  the 
carious  part  with  opium  for  occasional  relief;  but  with 
gold  or  silver  laminae  for  more  permanent  ease.  When 
the  membrane  which  spreads  itself  about  the  roots  of  the 
teeth  is  considerably  inflamed,  bleeding  or  purging,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  the  constitution,  will  be  needful ; 
warm  barley  water  may  also  be  held  in  the  mouth,  and 
the  methods  useful  in  other  inflammatory  disorders  may 
be  employed.  Blisters  may  be  applied  behind  the  ears) 
or  on  the  back  ;  and  horse  radish  or  pellitory  root  may 
be  held  between  the  gums  and  cheeks,  to  excite  a  dis- 
charge of  saliva.  Besides  these  general  causes,  scorbu- 
tic and  venereal  complaints  will  affect  the  teeth;  in 
which  cases,  the  method  of  cure  will  consist  in  general 
remedies  adapted  to  ihem.  See  DEXTIFRICIUM. 

On  the  teeth,  and  their  disorders,  see  Mr.  John  Hun- 
ter's Natural  History  of  the  Human  Teeth;  Eustachius 
de  Dentibus  ;  Hoffman  de  Dentibus,  eorum  Morb.  et 
Cura ;  Hurlock  on  Breeding  of  Teeth  ;  Moss  on  the 
Management  of  Children;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p. 
191;  White's  Surgery,  p.  280;  Blake  and  Fox  on  the 
Teeth. 

DENS  CABALU'XUS.     See  HYOSCIAMUS. 

DENS  CA'XIS.  DOG'S  TOOTH.  Erythronium,  dens 
fanisLin.  Sp.  PI.  437.  The  flower  is  shaped  like  that 
of  a  lily  ;  the  root  is  long,  fleshy,  and  formed  somewhat 
like  the  tooth  of  a  dog;  the  leaves  resemble  those  of 
the  cyclamen.  The  dried  roots  are  commended  as  an- 
thelmintic  ;  but  are  not  used  with  us.  Dog  tooth 
spar  in  mineralogy  is  one  of  the  original  forms  of  crys- 
tals. 

DEXS  LE'OXIS,  also  called  taraxacum,  urinaria,  hie- 
racium  Alfiinum,  hedyjmois.  DANDELION-.  It  is  the 
leontodon  taraxacum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1122.  It  is  a  low 
plant,  with  long,  narrow,  deeply  indented  leaves,  lying 
on  the  ground,  among  which  arises  a  single,  naked,  hol- 
low pedicle,  bearing  a  large,  yellow,  flosculous  flower, 
followed  by  small  seeds,  covered  with  a  tuft  of  long 
down  :  the  root  is  oblong,  slender,  yellowish,  or  brown- 
ish, on  the  outside,  and  white  within.  It  is  perennial, 
comni'  in  in  uncultivated  places,  and  flowers  from  April 
to  the  end  of  summer. 


The  roots,  stalks,  and  leaves,  abound  •with  a  milky, 
bitterish  juice,  but  of  no  particular  flavour.  They 
were  supposed  to  be  mildly  detergent  and  aperient ;  but 
owe  their  credit  chiefly  to  their  milky  juice,  which  was 
supposed  to  be  saponaceous.  Boerhaave  highly  com- 
mends them  as  a  resolvent ;  but  the  more  immediate 
and  sensible  operation  of  this  plant  is  to  loosen  the 
belly,  and  promote  urine  ;  which  it  does  with  little  sti- 
mulus, though  in  a  slight  degree  ;  and  has  been  consi- 
dered as  highly  efficacious  in  removing  biliary  obstruc- 
tions. Dr.  Pemberton,  in  a  late  work,  speaks  of  it  with 
commendation  in  these  complaints.  Murray  observes, 
that  this  plant  resolves  viscid  humours,  opens  obstruct- 
ed vessels,  and  is  a  remedy  for  various  eruptive  com- 
plaints ;  and  Bergius  considers  it  as  an  effective,  hepa- 
tic deobstruent,  recommending  it  in  hypochondriasis 
and  jaundice.  He  recommends  it  boiled  in  whey,  or 
formed  into  broths  and  apozems.  It  has  also  been  sup- 
posed useful  in  dropsies,  pulmonic  tubercles,  and  some 
cutaneous  disorders ;  given  in  decoctions  of  the  plant 
and  root ;  or  the  expressed  juice  is  sometimes  adminis- 
tered, from  one  ounce  to  four,  three  or  four  times  a  day 
The  plant  should  always  be  used  fresh ;  for  even  ex- 
tracts of  it,  as  well  as  the  roots  and  leaves,  lose  theiv 
power  by  keeping.  It  may  also  be  taken  as  part  of  diet, 
and  eaten  fresh.  The  young  leaves  blanched  resemble 
in  taste  the  endive,  and  make  a  good  addition  to  salad; 
in  the  spring.  -The  roots  are  roasted,  and  used  at  Got- 
tingen,  by  the  poorer  people,  for  coffee,  from  which  a 
decoction  of  them  properly  prepared  can  hardly  be  dis- 
tinguished. 

See  Raii  Hist.  Lewis's  Mat.  Mad.  'It  is  also  a  name 
of  the  auricula  muris,  and  some  other  plants. 

DE'XSITAS,  (fromdensus,  thick}.  DENSITY.  Dense- 
bodies  contain  a  considerable  quantity  of  matter  within 
a  proportionally  small  bulk.  But  in  medical  writings, 
denseness  sometimes  means  frequency,  and  is  applied 
to  the  pulse,  and  to  respiration. 

DEXTA'GRA,  (from  dens,  a  tooth,  and  a.yea.,  a  sei- 
zure ).  It  is  used  both  to  signify  the  gout  in  the  teeth 
(see  ARTHRITIS),  and  an  instrument  for  drawing  them, 
called  also  dentarfiaga,  dentiducum,  odontagogzs. 

DEXTA'LE  VIRIDE  STRIATUM.  SeeEn*uim. 

DEXTA'LISLA'PIS,  (from  dens,)  the  tartareous 
matter  formed  on  the  teeth,  resembling  in  hardness  a 
stone. 

DENTA'LIUM,  (from  the  same).  Also  called  den- 
tale,  autalis,  tubulus  dentalis,  and  TOOTH  SHELL.  It  is 
the  shell  of  a  small  sea  fish,  oblong,  slender,  and  of  a 
whitish,  greenish,  or  reddish  colour ;  about  two  inches 
long,  striated,  and  marked  with  two  or  three  bands.  As 
a  medicine,  it  differs  little  from  the  oyster  shell. 

DEXTA'RIA,  (from  the  same).  Dentaria  fienta- 
fihyllos  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  912.  Coralloides,stfitifolia,  SEPT- 
FOIL  TOOTHWORT,  and  CORALWORT.  This  plant  hath  a 
long  pod,  full  of  round  seeds ;  when  this  is  ripe,  its 
valves  are  twisted  into  a  spiral  form,  and  discharge  the 
seeds  with  violence  :  the  root  is  squamous,  fleshy,  and 
denticulated.  It  flowers  in  April:  the  root  is  drying  and 
astringent. 

DEXTA'RIA.     See  PLUMBAGO. 

DEXTARPA'GA,  .'from  dens,  a  tooth,  and  «**•«£«, 
tofasten  ufion).  See  DEXTAGRA. 

DEXTA'TA,(from  dens, a  tooth).  The  second  ver- 
tebra of  the  neck.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  process, 


DEN 


542 


D  EN 


called  jirocess us  dentatus,  which  plays  in  the  hollow  of 
the  anterior  arch  of  the  vertebra  above  it,  called  Atlas. 
From  the  sides  of  the  processus  dentatus,  the  ligaments 
go  oft'  to  attach  it  to  the  Atlas  ;  and  from  its  point  a 
strong  one  is  sent  out  to  the  os  occipitis.  In  botany  a 
dentated  leaf,  called  denticulatum,  is  distinguished  by 
spreading  points  or  teeth,  remote  from  each  other,  about 
the  edge. 

DENTATUS  PROCE'SSUS.     See  ATLAS. 

DENTELLA'RIA,  (from  dentella,  a  little  tooth). 
See  PLUMBAGO. 

DENTES  COLUMELLARES,  (from  dens,  and  co- 
lumella.')  A  LITTLE  COLUMN.  Denies  canini  of  Varro 
and  Pliny. 

DENTES  I.ACTE'I.     See  INCISORES. 

DENTES  OCCULA'RES.  EYE  TEETH.  See  DENS.  They 
are  thus  named,  because  their  nerves  are  supposed  to 
be  connected  with  those  of  the  eye,  and  that  any  injury 
they  receive  may  equally  injure  that  organ. 

DKNTES  KISO'HII.     See  INCISORES. 

DENTICULA'TA,  (from  denticitla,  a  little  tooth). 
Indented,  or  cut  round  in  small  notches.  See  MOCHA- 

1KI.I.INA   FOLHS  FUMARI/E  liULBOS^E. 

DENTICULA'TUM,  (from  the  same).  See  DEN- 
TATA. 

DENTIDUCUM,  (from  dens,  and  cluco,  to  draw). 
See  DENTAGBA. 

DENTIFRI'CIUM,(from  denies  fricare,  to  rub  the 
teeth).  DENTIFRICE;  called  also  odontotrimma.  Medi- 
cines for  cleaning  the  teeth.  Many  preparations  are  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose,  chiefly  consisting  of  scuttlefish 
bone,  bole,  bark,  myrrh,  salt,  and  soot.  Each  operator 
has  his  receipt,  which  he  highly  commends  and  con- 
ceals. Any  very  fine  powder  is  apparently  of  equal  ser- 
vice, but  mastich  and  myrrh  are  the  general  bases :  most 
commonly  the  former.  The  powder  is  flavoured  with 
orris  root,  with  ambergris,  &c.  and  coloured  with  dra- 
gon's blood,  bole  armoniac,  or  red  sanders,  professedly 
to  strengthen  the  gums,  but  really  to  conceal  the  bleed- 
ing from  the  gums.  It  was  formerly  the  custom  to  add 
common  salt  or  crude  sal  ammoniac  to  dentifrices;  for 
what  purpose  we  know  not;  but  both  are  now  disused: 
and  one  of  the  most  boasted  tooth  powders  that  we  have 
seen,  is  only  magnesia  coloured  with  rose  pink.  The 
carbonated  dentifrice  is  merely  powdered  charcoal,  and 
it  has  been  employed  chiefly  from  its  power  of  destroy- 
ing the  colours  of  different  fluids,  discovered  by  Lowitz. 
(See  CHARCOAL.)  Soot  is  used  from  the  whiteness  ob- 
served on  chimney  sweepers'  teeth  ;  but  it  possesses  no 
very  peculiar  merit.  A  sufficiently  pleasant  and  effica- 
cious tooth  powder  is  made  with  two  parts  of  finely  pow- 
dered mastich,  two  parts  of  myrrh,  and  one  part  of  cas- 
sia. It  cleans  the  teeth,  preserves  them  from  decaying, 
and  renders  the  gums  peculiarly  firm  and  hard.  In  fact, 
however,  almost  every  powder  seems  equally  efficacious, 
and,  if  it  be  impalpable  without  acidity,  equally  innocent. 

The  calculous  concretion  which  forms  on  the  teeth 
is  of  singular  hardness,  and  with  great  difficulty  remov- 
ed ;  nor  has  modern  chemistry  yet  discovered  a  a  men- 
struum which  will  dissolve  it  without  injuring  the  ena- 
mel. Acids  soften  this  firm  coveringr  and  render  it 
transparent.  Dentists  universally  reprobate  their  use, 
and  we  cannot,  therefore,  encourage  it.  We  suspect, 
however,  that  their  occasional  application  will  not  be 
injurious  :  we  are,  at  least,  certain,  that  the  injury  acids 


may  do  is  recoverable.  The  brushes  should  be  hard  and 
strong ;  the  hairs  set  at  some  distance,  that  they  may 
clean  the  interstices  of  the  teeth,  where  the  tartar  lodg- 
es ;  and  the  brush  should  be  used  more  in  the  longitu- 
dinal direction,  with  respect  to  the  teeth,  than  across 
them.  If  the  powders  are  perfectly  fine,  no  injury  can 
arise  from  the  brush.  The  preservative  tinctures  are  of 
little  use.  Their  basis,  like  the  powders,  is  mastich, 
and  their  appellations  fanciful. 

DENTILLA'RIA,  (from  dcnticula,  a  little  tooth; 
so  called  because  its  root  is  denticulated).  See  PLUM- 
BAGO. 

DENTISCA'LPIUM,  (from  dens,  a  tooth,  and  scal- 
po,  to  scrafie) .  Also  called  odontoglyjihon.  An  instru- 
ment for  scraping  off  the  crust  which  is  formed  on  foul 
teeth.  In  Oribasius,  it  is  an  instrument  for  separating 
the  gums  from  the  teeth. 

DENTITIO,  (from  dentio,  to  breed  teeth).  Also 
called  odontiasis,  odontofihya.  DENTITION,  or  breeding 
of  teeth.  Sauvages,  in  his  system  of  Nosology,  makes 
this  a  species  of  odontalgia.  Cullen  makes  dentitio 
synonymous  with  odaxismos  ;  but  does  not  admit  it  as  a 
disease.  Hippocrates  uses  the  word  principally  with 
respect  to  the  gums,  when  the  teeth  are  forcing  a  pass- 
age through  them;  and  modern  writers  follow  his  ex- 
ample. 

Children  often  suffer  much  uneasiness  from  the  cut- 
ting of  their  teeth  :  though  teething  is  not  a  disease,  yet 
from  accident  and  temperament  it  sometimes  produces 
the  most  fatal  disorders.  The  fever  and  inflammation 
excited  in  a  full  habit  may  terminate  in  peripncumony 
or  suffocation  ;  and  when  the  child  is  fat  and  plethoric, 
the  most  cooling  diet  and  the  most  active  laxatives  must 
be  employed. 

A  troublesome  cough  is  often  attendant  on  teething; 
in  which  case  a  small  blister  applied  to  the  nape  of  the 
neck  is  of  considerable  service..  A  fresh  one  may  be  ap- 
plied when  the  first  begins  no  longer  to  produce  any 
discharge. 

Dr.  Withers  observes,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  Asthma, 
p.  301,  302,  that,  "If  a  child  has  a  disease  in  his  breast, 
the  cutting  of  a  tooth,  as  it  often  excites  pain,  fever, 
and  general  irritability,  will  be  found  commonly  to  in- 
crease it.  But  this  affords  no  proof  why  a  cough  and 
shortness  of  breath,  with  a  pulmonary  obstruction  in  the 
lungs,  should  be  thought  a  necessary  attendant  on  teeth- 
ing. According  to  the  best  of  my  observations,  it  is  an 
indisputable  fact,  that  healthful  children  cut  their  teeth 
without  a  cough  ;  and  when  in  others  a  cough  attends 
teething,  it  is,  in  general,  an  accidental  circumstance, 
proceeding  from  a  local  complaint  in  the  breast,  and  is 
not  merely  symptomatic  of  the  cutting  of  a  tooth.  The 
violence  of  the  cough,  the  rising  of  the  phlegm  from  the 
lungs,  inflammations,  pulmonary  obstructions,  and  ulce- 
rations,  which  have  followed,  and  been  proved  by  dis- 
section, have  fully  convinced  me  of  the  truth  of  the 
above  assertion.  I  should  not  have  dwelt  at  all  on  this 
fact,  if  I  had  not  observed  that  the  notion  which  I  am 
endeavouring  to  refute  is  pernicious  to  society,  and 
productive  of  fatal  consequences.  For  when  we  say 
that  a  cough,  with  shortness  of  breath,  is  a  common 
symptom  of  teething,  we  unite  the  two  complaints  to- 
gether under  one  idea;  and  as  we  consider  teething  as 
natural  and  necessary,  the  other,  being  united  with  it, 
and  regarded  only  as  an  effect,  falls  in  under  the  same 


DEN 


543 


JJ  E  O 


general  idea,  and  consequently  is  too  often  supposed  to 
require  no  particular  treatment;  by  which  means  it  is 
neglected,  and  in  many  instances  proves  fatal." 

When  children  are  vigorous,  they  cut  their  teeth 
earlier;  weakly  children,  particularly  those  that  are  dis- 
posed to  the  rickets,  are  later  before  their  teeth  appear. 
A  discharge  of 'saliva,  or  a  diarrhoea,  are  favourable 
symptoms  during  the  time  of  cutting  the  teeth.  Child- 
ren attended  with  these  symptoms  are  rarely  affected 
with  convulsions,  or  any  other  violent  disorder. 

Hoffman  observes,  that  the  teeth  appear  sometimes 
in  the  seventh  month,  at  others  in  the  ninth,  or  even  the 
twelfth.  In  some,  this  process  gives  but  little  uneasi- 
ness; in  others,  it  is  accompanied  with  very  trouble- 
some symptoms.  In  difficult  dentition  the  child  is 
preternaturally  hot,  cries  immoderately,  starts  in  his 
sleep,  often  applies  his  hand  to  his  mouth,  sucks  with 
eagerness,  and  even  bites  the  nipple.  The  gums  swell, 
and  look  whitish  or  reddish;  the  saliva  is  copiously  dis- 
charged, and  often  hangs  viscid  from  the  mouth;  the 
belly  either  costive  or  too  loose.  Sometimes  acute  fe- 
vers, convulsive  and  epileptic  paroxysms,  distortions  of 
the  jaws,  and  other  violent  symptoms  are  joined,  differ- 
ent in  different  subjects,  according  to  the  difficulty  of 
the  eruption  of  the  teeth,  or  the  sensibility  of  the 
child.  Amongst  the  prognostics,  he  says,  that  those 
who  are  plethoric,  sleepy,  costive,  those  affected  in 
dentition  with  a  cough,  who  are  of  great  sensibility,  or 
an  hereditary  passionate  disposition,  have  the  most  to 
fear.  Hippocrates  observes,  that  those  who  are  attacked 
by  the  acute  fever  escape  convulsions,  and  that  the 
teething  is  easiest  in  winter.  The  principal  indications 
of  cure  are,  to  abate  the  pain  and  inflammation,  and  to 
soften  and  relax  the  gums.  If  the  body  be  not  naturally 
lax,  it  should  be  kept  so.  A  spontaneous  looseness  is 
salutary,  and  should  not  be  checked ;  for  convulsions 
and  other  threatening  symptoms  will  then  probably  fol- 
low. 

Breeding  the  teeth  commonly  begins  about  the  third 
or  fourth  month :  it  may  be  known  by  a  copious  dis- 
charge of  saliva  taking  place ;  its  being  pleased  with 
having  its  gums  rubbed  with  a  finger,  or  other  harder 
substance  ;  its  becoming  more  fretful  and  uneasy,  start- 
ing in  its  sleep,  or  suddenly  awaking.  If  now  there  are 
also  great  heat,  thirst,  fever,  a  dulness  and  drowsiness, 
particular  attention  should  be  paid  to  keep  the  bowels 
lax,  if  they  are  not  already  so ;  if  a  looseness  at  this  time 
attends,  though  it  is  somewhat  severe,  it  should  not  be 
checked.  The  griping,  which  occasionally  accompanies 
this  looseness,  is  generally  abated  by  the  use  of  a  little 
magnesia,  or  prepared  chalk.  When  the  drowsiness, 
starting,  and  feverishness  come  on,  bleeding  with  leeches 
will  be  singularly  useful.  Two  leeches  may  be  applied 
to  the  neck  every  or  every  other  day,  until  these  symp- 
toms abate.  During  the  thirst,  if  children  crave  sweet- 
ened drinks,  liquorice  may  be  boiled  in  the  water  which 
is  given,  as  it  does  not  increase  this  troublesome  symp- 
tom. After  the  bleeding,  blisters  behind  the  ears,  or 
on  the  back,  are  not  to  be  omitted.  The  antimonial  eme- 
tics should  be  repeated  occasionally  until  the  fever  is 
removed;  and,  in  many  cases,  the  sp.  cornu  cervi,  re- 
commended by  Sydenham,  is  useful.  Should  convulsions 
come  on,  the  above  treatment  will  be  also  well  adapted 
to  reik  e.  A  discreet  use  of  anodynes  is  an  important 
addition  in  this  instance ;  and,  in  general,  after  free 


evacuations  they  may  be  given  hy  the  mouth,  or  in  an 
enema.  The  second  stage,  or  period  of  teething,  is  that 
of  cutting  the  teeth.  This  usually  begins  about  the 
seventh  or  nir.th  month  :  in  this  the  symptoms  or  ma- 
nagement are,  in  general,  the  same  as  those  of  the  first 
period.  A  child,  however,  who  a  little  before  was 
pleased  with  having  his  gums  rubbed,  will  now  seldom 
suffer  any  thing  to  touch  them  ;  for  when  a  tooth  is 
penetrating  the  gum,  it  is  exceedingly  sensible  of  pain 
from  the  slightest  touch.  It  may  be  known  that  a 
tooth  is  near  cutting,  when  the  gum  in  one  particular 
part  appears  fuller  and  more  distended  than  usual ;  the 
gum  in  that  part  looks  red,  and  is  inflamed  at  the  bottom 
or  base,  but  is  paler  or  whiter  at  its  point  or  edge  ;  and 
when  the  tooth  is  very  near,  the  edge  of  the  gum  seems 
as  if  it  was  covered  with  a  flat  white  blister,  appearing 
also  thicker  and  broader  than  the  edges  of  the  gums  in 
other  places:  at  this,  but  at  no  other  period,  if  any 
alarming  symptoms  come  on,  cutting  the  gum  over  the 
edge  of  the  approaching  tooth,  will  be  a  speedy  and 
often  an  effectual  means  of  relief.  If  cut  earlier,  though 
the  symptoms  abate,  the  tooth  will  not  appear  for  some 
days,  or  perhaps  weeks.  Sometimes  the  gum  heals, 
and  the  former  uneasy  symptoms  return ;  and  it  has 
been  necessary  to  repeat  the  operation  frequently ;  a 
severity  which,  though  the  wounded  gum  should  not 
unite  with  a  hard  cicatrix,  is  to  be  discouraged.  It  is, 
however,  by  no  means  certain,  that  the  subsequent  opera- 
tions are  not  more  painful,  and  that  the  appearance  of 
the  tooth  is  not  retarded;  that  repeated  cutting  the  gum 
renders  it  harder;  for  the  contrary  is  said  to  take  place; 
on  which  see  J.  Hunter's  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Dis- 
eases of  the  Teeth,  p.  121.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p. 
191.  White's  Surgery,  p.  280,  &c. 

DE'XTO,  (from  dots,  a  tooth}.  One  whose  teeth 
are  prominent  to  a  great  degree. 

DEXTODU  CUM.      DEXTIDUCIM.      See    DENTA- 

GRA. 

DEXUDA'TIO,  (from  denude,  to  make  bare}.  DE- 
NUDATION. It  is  spoken  of  parts  that  are  laid  bare  by 
the  flesh  being  torn  from  them. 

DEXUDA'TUS,  (from  the  same).  An  order  of 
plants  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  whose  flowers  arc 
naked. 

DEOBSTRUE'XTIA,  (de,  priv.  and  o6struo,to  ob- 
struct}. DEOBSTRUEXTS.  DEOPPJLATIVA. 

DEOBSTRUEXTS.  This  is  a  class  of  medicines 
formed  without  any  precise  or  definite  object.  Obstruc- 
tion was  a  cause  of  convenient  application,  from  its 
vague  indefinite  meaning;  and,  while  lentor  and  vis- 
cidity were  the  sources  of  diseases,  deobstruents  were 
common  remedies.  We  declined  speaking  of  ihem  in 
the  class  of  aperients;  as  for  these  medicines  there 
was  an  apparent  foundation ,  we  mean  not  to  say  that 
there  is  not  some  foundation  for  the  present  group, 
it  is  less  clear  and  satisfactory. 

Obstruction,  during  the  reign  of  the  humoral  pa- 
thology, was,  as  we  have  hinted,  frequently  introduced 
as  a  cause;  but  though  fevers  and  inflammations  were 
then  ultimately  resolved  into  obstruction,  deobstruents 
were  confined  exclusively  to  chronic  complaints :  of 
these,  infarctions  of  the  viscera  were  chiefly  atta< 
by  gentle  laxatives,  from  this  effect  styled  aperients,  of 
which  we  have  already  spoken. 

The  obstructions  to  be  removed  bv  this  class  of  :. 


DEO 


544 


DEP 


dicines,  are  those  of  natural  discharges,  or  infarctions  of 
organs,  whose  utility  is  less  obvious,  and  from  which  no 
excretory  ducts  proceed.  The  natural  discharges,  to 
restore  which  we  employ  deobstruents,  are  those  of  the 
menses,  of  the  haemorrhoidal  vessels,  of  the  nose,  the 
lungs,  and  the  skin.  The  first  we  must  treat  of  under 
the  title  of  EMMENAGOGUES  ;  the  second  we  have 
spoken  of  in  the  article  CATHARTICS  ;  the  others  will 
occur  under  the  articles  of  ERRHINES,  EXPECTORANTS, 
and  DIAPHORETICS.  Our  present  object  is,  then,  those 
tumours  out  of  the  circulation,  or  in  parts  where  the 
circulation  is  languid,  and  from  which  no  excretory 
ducts  proceed. 

We  have  already  stated,  that  where  obstruction  oc- 
curs, two  modes  of  treatment  offer  themselves  to  our 
notice;  the  one  consists  in  forcing  on  the  circulation, 
by  increasing  the  vis  a  tergo  ;  the  other  in  moderating 
too  great  action,  'in  order  to  prevent  the  fluids  from 
being  further  impacted,  the  obstruction  increased,  and 
suppuration  supervening.  The  first  can  seldom  be  ef- 
fected by  violent  stimulating  remedies ;  yet  we  have  had 
occasion  to  show,  that  mercury,  by  slowly  and  steadily 
increasing  the  action  of  the  arterial  system,  and  of 
course  the  momentum  of  the  blood,  sometimes  succeeds. 
It  certainly,  at  times,  removes  complaints  of  the  liver ; 
sometimes,  though  rarely,  scirrhous  tumours  of  the 
breast,  and  other  parts  where  its  topical  application  by 
friction  can  be  combined  with  its  internal  stimulus. 
The  internal  use  of  arsenic,  in  cancers,  must  be  referred 
to  the  same  head;  and  other  stimuli  sometimes  succeed 
in  different  complaints.  The  tartar  emetic  ointment 
has  been  useful  in  bronchocele,  and  occasionally  in  the 
white  swelling  of  the  knee.  In  the  latter  also,  the 
arum,  and  the  gum  ammoniacum,  with  squills,  have 
been  successful.  These,  then,  are  deobstruents  from 
their  stimulus.  When  the  application  of  sea  weeds  and 
sea  salt,  with  their  internal  use,  relieves  cases  of  scro- 
fula; and  mesenteric  tabes,  or  the  burnt  sponge,  under 
the  tongue,  lessens  the  bronchocele ;  they  appear  to  be 
useful  in  the  same  way. 

The  sedative  or  refrigerant  deobstruents  are  medicines 
of  the  same  classes,  though  they  have  not  been  usually 
arranged  under  this  head.  When  we  give  nitre,  and 
employ  the  antiphlogistic  regimen  in  cases  of  tubercles 
in  the  lungs,  we  use  them  as  deobstruents.  A  similar 
treatment  is  often,  for  the  same  purpose,  adopted  in  in- 
cipient cancers.  The  general  remedies  of  this  class, 
however,  besides  opium,  are,  the  cicuta,  the  lactuca 
virosa,  the  belladonna,  the  aconite,  and  the  various  ge- 
nera of  the  same  order.  These  have  been  used  as  de- 
obstruents  in  other  parts  of  Europe,  it  is  said,  with 
success.  We  have  to  regret  that  we  cannot  add  our 
testimony  to  their  efficacy. 

It  has  not  been  uncommon  to  unite  the  two  orders  of 
deobstruents;  and  not  long  since  fashionable  to  join 
the  extract  of  cicuta  with  mercury  in  tubercular  con- 
sumptions; arum,  with  the  same  preparation,  as  an  ap- 
plication to  white  swellings;  mercury,  antimony,  and 
opium,  in  internal  obstructions;  and  mercury,  with 
camphor,  externally  applied. 

We  have  enlarged  on  this  class  more  fully  than,  per- 
haps, its  importance  might  have  demanded;  for,  from 
being  highly  valued,  it'has  been  neglected  in  the  later 
systems.  It  was  proper,  therefore,  to  show,  that  the 
establishment  of  this  association  was  not  wholly  theore- 
ikal,  and  to  point  out  its  real  foundation. 


DEPART.  See  DISCESSUS.  It  is  also  called  quar- 
tatio,  which  see. 

DEPA'SCENS  U'LCUS,  (from  defiasco,  to  eat 
down).  See  PHAGEDJENA. 

DEPENDENS,  (from  defiendo,  to  hang  from').  DE- 
PENDENT. In  botany  it  means  hanging  down,  pointing 
towards  the  ground. 

DEPERDI'TIO,  (from  defierdo,  to  lose).  See 
ABORTUS. 

DEPETI'GO,  (from  de,  and  /ictigo,  a  running  scab). 
See  PRURITUS. 

DEPHLEGMA'TIO,  (from  de,  and  flhlegma, 
fihlegm).  Vinous  spirits  are  said  to  be  dephlegmated,  or 
rectified,  when  freed  from  the  usual  proportion  of  water. 

DEPILATO'RIUM,  (from  de,  and  fiilus,  hair).  DE- 
PILATORY. Medicines  which  take  off  the  hair,  such  as 
quick  lime  and  orpiment.  There  are  three  kinds  of  de- 
pilatory medicines  :  1.  The  fisildthra,  or  defiilat6ria,  by 
way  of  eminence;  2.  Those  which  thin  the  hair;  and, 
3.  Those  which  are  corrosive,  and  extirpate  the  hair. 
The  first  and  third  are  nearly  the  same,  at  least  the 
hair  cannot  be  effectually  taken  off  unless  its  roots  are 
destroyed. 

DEPI'LIS,  (from  the  same).     See  ALOPECIA. 

DE'POT  LAITE'UX.     See  LYMPHS  DUCTUS. 

DEPLUMA'TIO,  (from  de,  and  filuma,  a  feather, 
or  hair).  An  affection  of  the  eye  lids,  with  a  callous 
tumour,  which  causes  their  hair  to  fall  off.  ./Etius  says, 
it  is  a  disorder  in  the  eye,  consisting  of  a  madarosis  and 
sclero/ihthafmia. 

DEPREHE'NSIO,  (from  defirehendo,  to  catch  •una- 
wares). See  CATOLEPSIS. 

DEPRE'SSIO,  (from  dejirimo,  to  press  down).  A 
DEPRESSION.  In  surgery  this  word  generally  signifies  a 
sinking  of  some  part  of  the  skull,  which  happens  from 
an  external  violence,  by  which  the  bone  is  fractured, 
or  pressed  inwards.  This  injury  is  sometimes  named 
imfiressio,  introcessio. 

In  this  case,  the  same  symptoms  may  attend  as  are 
obsei'ved  in  an  extravasation  within  the  skull,  and  are 
caused  by  the  same  means,  viz.  mechanical  pressure : 
they  differ  widely  from  those  of  a  concussion  of  the 
brain.  See  CONCUSSIO,  EXTRAVASATIO,  CERBERI, 

COMPRESSIO. 

Dr.  Hunter  seems  to  think,  that  it  is  almost  impossi- 
ble to  raise  a  depression  of  this  kind,  because  the  frac- 
ture is  usually  more  extensive  in  the  inside  than  exter- 
nally, and  the  spiculse  can  never  be  brought  exactly  to 
fit  each  other.  But  as,  according  to  Hildanus  and  Van- 
der  Weil,  some  skulls  have  been  depressed  without 
fracture,  success  may  be  expected,  at  least,  in  some 
cases;  and  where  the  bones  are  soft  and  yielding,  they 
may  be  raised  by  means  of  a  string  fastened  to  an  adhe- 
sive plaster,  which  may  be  applied  to  the  depression, 
after  shaving  the  part.  But,  after  all,  if  their  elevation 
were  easily  practicable,  it  would  not  be  advisable,  in 
general,  to  be  contented  with  mere  elevation;  for  all 
the  ills  attending  and  succeeding  simple  fractures,  are 
more  likely  to  happen  from  depressed  pieces  of  bone ; 
therefore  the  depressed  pieces  should  be  generally  re- 
moved. 

DEPRE'SSOR,  also  defirimens,  (from  dejirivo,  to 
Jiull,  or  draiv  down).  In  anatomy,  a  name  applied  to 
several  muscles,  because  they  depress  the  parts  to  which 
they  are  fastened. 

DEFKE'SSOK    ANGU'LI    O'RIS.       A    name    given    by 


JJEP 


545 


I)  E  R 


.  to  the  dc/iresscr  labiorum  communis.  It  rises 

from  the  outer  part  of  the  lower  edge  of  the  lower  jaw, 
at  the  side  of  the  chin,  and  is  continued  outwardly,  to 
the  greater  zygomaticus,  to  the  nasalis  of  the  upper  lip, 
and  thence  into  the  outer  part  of  the  orbicularis,  where 
it  surrounds  the  upper  lip  at  the  corner  of  the  mouth. 
It  extends  and  joins  the  elevator  of  the  corner  of  the 
mouth. 

DEPRE'SSOR  EPIGLOTTIDIS.  It  rises  from  the  liga- 
ment on  the  thyroid  cartilage  on  its  fore  part,  and  is 
inserted  in  the  epiglottis,  near  its  basis,  on  each  side. 

DEPRE'SSOR  LABIO'RUM  COMMU'NIS.  See  DEPRESS- 
OR ANGULI  OHIS. 

DEPRE'SSOR  LA'BII  SUPERI'ORIS;  triangitlaris,  con- 
strictor aie  nasi.  It  rises  from  the  sockets  of  the  in- 
cisores,  runs  to  the  superior  part  of  the  upper  lip,  and 
sends  some  fibres  to  the  nose. 

DEPRE'SSOR  o'cuu  :  humilie  rectue  inferior,  defiri- 
men-i  musculus  inferior.  It  rises  tendinous  from  the 
back  part  of  the  socket,  cohering  in  some  measure  with 
the  covering  of  the  optic  nerves,  and  is  inserted  into 
the  fore  part  of  the  sclerotica,  after  running  under  the 
eye. 

DEPRE'SSOR  SVPERCI'LII.  See  CORRUGATOR  coi- 
TEHH. 

DEPRESS'ORES  A'L.E  XA'SI.  The  plural  of 
depressor..  The  DEPRESSORS  OF  THE  WIXGS  OF  THE 
.NOSE.  They  arise  from  the  upper  jaw  bone  outwardly, 
where  the  gums  cover  the  sockets  of  the  denies  incisores 
and  canini,  and  are  inserted  into  the  root  of  the  wing  of 
the  nose,  advancing  a  little  way  up  the  side  of  the  wing  : 
they  pull  the  alas  downwards. 

DEPRESSO'RES  COSTARUM.  They  are  so  similar  to 
the  levatores  longiores,  as  to  need  no  further  descrip- 
tion: their  office  is  the  reverse  of  the  other. 

DEPHESSO'HES  LABII  IXFERIORIS.  Also  called  yua- 
drati.  They  arise  fleshy  on  each  side  of  the  chin, 
proceed  obliquely,  and,  crossing  each  other,  terminate 
together  in  the  whole  edge  of  the  lip,  where  it  grows 
red. 

DEPRF.SSO'RES  MAXILLA  IVFERIOIUS.  See  PLATYSMA 
MYOIDES. 

UEPRESSO'RIUM,  (from  dcjirimo,  to  dc/iress).  An 
instrument  used  for  depressing  the  dura  mater  after  the 
operation  of  the  trepan. 

DETRIMEXS,  (from  drjirimo,  to  de/iress).  See 
DEPRESSOR,  and  DEPRESSOR  ocui.i. 

DEPURATIO,  (from  dcjniro,  to  fiur[fij).  DEPU- 
RATION", ciarfficatio,  dt«fiumatio,'Ve]  rectificatio.  It  is 
•he  freeing  of  any  fluid  from  all  heterogeneous  feculence, 
and  rendering  it  more  transparent.  This  operation  is 
of  three  kinds:  1st.  DECAXTATIOX,  which  can  only  take 
place  where  there  is  a  difference  in  the  specific  gravity 
•  if  what  constitutes  the  mixture  ;  so  that  the  lighter  part 
ran  be  poured  off.  When  oils  are  to  be  separated  from 
water,  or  indeed  from  other  fluids,  a  tritorium,  or  se- 
paratpry  glass,  is  used.  2dly.  DESPUMATIOX.  The 
principle  of  this  mode  of  depuration  is  the  existence  of 
air  in  the  fluid,  which,  when  rarified  by  heat,  rises  to  the 
top,  carrying  with  it  the  feculse,  which  may  be  separated 
by  a  spoon.  Sdly.  CLARIFICATION-,  performed  by  add- 
ing the  whites  of  eggs,  or  such  fluids  as  will  coagulate 
by  means  of  heat,  and  entangle  all  the  heterogene- 
ous matter,  which  may  be  easily  separated,  tthly. 
FILTRATION  or  PERCOLATION-,  performed  by  pass- 
ing, without  pressure,  the  fluid  to  be  purified  through 

VOL.   I. 


strainers  of  linen,  flannel,  or  paper,  which,  retaining 
the  feculence,  permit  only  the  clearer  fluid  to  pass.  In 
filtration,  a  soft  porous  paper  is  folded  in  the  shape 
ot  a  funnel,  then  placed  into  one;  and,  after  suffer- 
ing some  water  to  nitrate  through  it,  to  dissolve  the 
alum,  usually  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  the  pa- 
per, the  liquor  is  to  be  gradually  poured  on,  to  pass 
through  it. 

When  flannel  is  used  it  is  commonly  formed  into  a 
cone,  called  Hijifioc  rates'  sleeve,  and  its  base  is  hung  on 
three  props,  with  the  apex  of  the  cone  downwards  ;  it  is 
then  filled  with  the  liquor,  which  gradually  drops  from 
the  apex :  it  is  generally  used  when  the  fluid  to  be  de- 
purated is  hot. 

Distillation  and  sublimation  are  practised  in  the  de- 
puration of  spirits  and  salts,  and  the  operation  is  then 
called  rectification. 

DEPURATO'RIA  FE'BRIS,  (from  de,  and  fiurus, 
pure).  DEPURATORY  FEVER.  A  name  given  by  Sy- 
denham  to  a  fever,  which  prevailed  in  the  years  1661 
and  1664.  He  called  it  dcfiuratory,  because  he  observed 
that  nature  regulated  all  the  symptoms  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  fit  the  febrile  matter  for  expulsion  in  a  cer- 
tain time,  either  by  a  copious  sweat,  or  a  free  perspira- 
tion. See  Sydenham's  Works. 

DE'RAS,"and  DERMA,  (from  &•«,  &?a«,  a  sheefi 
skin).  The  title  of  a  book  in  chemistry,  treating  of  the 
art  of  transmuting  base  metals  into  gold.  It  is  written 
on  sheep  skins;  hence  also  DERM*. 

DE'RBIA.     See  IMPETIGEXES. 

DERIVA'TIO,  (from  deri-uo,  Co  draw  from;  and  from 
de,  and  rivus,  a  river}.  DERIVATION.  In  medicine, 
when  a  humour  cannot  conveniently  be  evacuated  at 
the  part  affected,  and  is  attracted  from  thence,  to  be 
discharged  at  another  place,  it  is  called  derivation:  thus 
a  blister  is  applied  to  the  neck  to  draw  away  the  hu- 
mour from  the  head. 

The  doctrine  of  derivation  and  revulsion,  as  under- 
stood and  explained  by  the  ancients,  is,  in  their  sense  of 
these  terms,  wholly  exploded.  By  revulsion  they  meant 
the  driving  back  of  the  fluids  from  one  part  to  determine 
it  to  another.  The  only  rational  meaning  that  the  word 
revulsion,  as  here  applied,  can  have,  is  the  preventing  too 
great  an  afflux  of  humours  to  any  part,  either  by  contract- 
ing the  area  of  the  vessels,  or  diminishing  the  quantity 
which  flows  from  them  ;  the  first  of  these  intentions  is 
answered  by  the  application  of  repellents  to  the  part ; 
the  last  by  bleeding  and  other  evacuations.  The  great 
object  of  the  older  authors  was,  however,  to  derive  from 
a  part,  by  establishing^  drain  in  a  very  distant  one.  Thus 
titty  applied  sinapisms  to  the  feet  to  relieve  the  head. 
The  fallacy  of  this  reason!  r.;j  we  have  noticed  under  the 
article  of  CIRCULATION-.  Revulsion  was  a  reciprocal 
term  to  derivation  :  for  revulsion  was,  in  their  sense, 
made  by  deriving  to  a  distant  part.  The  language  and 
the  ideas  remain,  though  the  error  has  been  often  de- 
monstrated. It  means  also  the  derivation  of  a  word. 
.  deducing  it  from  its  original  source. 

DERMATOI'DES,  (from  &?.«.*,  a  skin,  01 
and  £j(Jo;,  likcnesiyj.     See  DURA  MATER. 

DERMATOLOGI  V,  vfn,m  *V"*,  the  *.<•/»,  and 
Aoyo;,  a  i!  ', .  A  treatise  on  the  skin. 

DERMATO-PATHOLOGm.  The  pathology  or 
diseases  of  the  skin. 

DE'RTRON,  (from  <5Vp<?,  the  skin,  or  c ', 
ABDO.MEX,  OMEXTUM,  and  I\nsTi\\. 
;  A 


DE  T 


546 


DI  A 


DESCE'NSIO,  and  DESCE'NSUS,  (from  descendo, 
to  move  downwards,)  mean  the  gentle  and  moderate 
motion  of  the  body,  or  of  the  fluids,  downwards.  The 
chemists  call  it  distillatio  per  descensum  when  the 
fire  is  applied  to  the  top,  and  all  around  the  vessel,  whose 
orifice  is  at  the  bottom,  and  the  vapours  consequently 
driven  there.  Liquifying  salts  by  exposing  them  to 
the  air,  as  in  making  the  aqua  kali,  is  also  a  sort  of  dis- 
tillatio per  descensum. 

DESCENSO'RIUM,  (from  the  same).     See  BOTUS. 

DESE'SSIO,  (from  de,  and  sedeo,  to  sit  down). 
Celsus  uses  this  word  for  sitting  on  a  close  stool.  DE- 
SURB.ECTIO  is  used  in  the  same  sense,  q.  v. 

DESICCA'TIO,  (from  dcsicco,  to  dry  up).  DRY- 
ING. The  chemists  also  refer  it  (though  improperly) 
to  calcination. 

DESICCATI'VUM,  (from  desicco,  to  dry  up).  DE- 
SICCATIVE.  See  EPULOTICA. 

DESI'DIA  OBLI'VIO,  (from  deses,  sloth,  and  obli- 
Tiscor,  to  forget).  That  inactivity  and  forgetfulness 
which  attend  the  approach  of  lethargy.  See  LETHAK- 
i;rs,  under  CARDS. 

DESIPIE'NTIA,  (from  desipio,  to  rave,  or  to  doat). 
See  PHB.ENITIS. 

DE'SME,  (from  S~ia,  to  tie,  or  bind,)  a  word  which 
occurs  in  Moschion.  A  FAGGOT.  See  MANIPULUS. 

DESMI'DION,  a  diminutive  of  desme;  a  handful. 

DE'SMOS,  (from  Pea,  to  bind  up).  In  Hippocrates 
<le  Fractura,  this  word  signifies  an  affection  of  a  joint 
after  a  luxation,  when,  as  if  tied,  it  is  rendered  incapa- 
ble of  bending  or  stretching  out,  which  proceeds  from 
inflammation. 

DESPUMA'TIO,  (from  despumo,  to  scum}.  See 
DEPURATIO. 

DESQUAMA'TIO,  (from  de,  privative,  and  squama, 
the  scale  of  a  fish).  To  take  off  scales.  Sometimes  it 
signifies  the  same  as  abrasio ;  and  by  a  metaphor  is 
applied  to  the  separation  of  a  foul  bone,  the  laminae  of 
which  rise  like  scales ;  more  properly  termed  EXFOLIA- 
TIO  ;  which  see.  When  the  scarf  skin  peels  off  after 
some  eruptive  complaint,  the  process  is  named  desqua- 
matio. 

DESQUAMATO'RIUM,  (from  desquamo,"to  scale 
<iff).  An  epithet  of  a  trepan,  called  also  exfoliativum, 
for  abrading  part  of  the  cranium. 

DESUDA'TIO,  (from  desudo,  to  sweat').  See  EPHI- 
DROSIS.  It  is  also  profuse  sweat,  succeeded  by  an 
eruption  of  pustules,  called  sudamina,  hydroa,  and  boa: 
these  arc  of  the  miliary  kind. 

DESURRE'CTIO,  (from  dcsurg-o,  to  arise  from). 
The  same  as  DESESSIO  ;  but,  though  the  derivation  of 
the  two  terms  appears  to  be  widely  different,  they  have 
been  used  in  the  same  sense,  to  go  to  stool.  Castelli. 

DETE'NTIO,  (from  detinco,  to  detain).  See  CA- 
TAI.EFSIS. 

DETE'RGENS,  (from  detergeo,  to  wipe  off}.  DE- 
TEUGING.  (Sec  ABSTERGENTIA.)  These  were  medi- 
cines formerly  supposed  to  have  a  specific  power  in 
cleansing  wounds  ;  but  it  is  now  found  that  proper  pus 
is  the  most  healing  application,  and  that  foul  sloughs 
are  only  separated  by  exciting  the  action  of  the  vessels 
below  them. 

DETERIORA'TIO,  (from  deterior,  worse).  DE- 
TERIORATION. The  impairing  or  rendering  a  thing 
worse. 

DETERMIXA'TIO,  (from  determino,  tojix  bounds 


to).  In  botany  it  means  the  prescribed  habit  of  an  herb, 
as  to  the  number  of  its  leaves,  their  direction,  or  inser- 
tion, and  from  which  it  never  deviates.  In  medicine, 
an  increased  action  of  the  vessels  of  any  part,  and  an  ac- 
cumulation of  fluids  in  it. 

DETERSO'RIUM,  (from  detergeo,  to  cleanse).  The 
apartments  at  baths  where  the  sweat  was  scraped  off. 

DETERSO'RIUS,  (from  the  same).     See  ABSTEU- 

SIVUS. 

DETONA'TIO.  DETONATION,  (from  detono,  to 
make  a  great  noise).  In  chemistry  it  is  that  noise  and 
explosion  which  some  substances  make  upon  the  appli- 
cation of  fire,  or  rather  sparks.  Detonation  is  a  less 
degree  of  thundering  noise,  and  less  explosive  ih&nful- 
minatio.  (See  CALCINATIO,  by  detonation).  As  ni- 
tre is  the  cause  of  most  explosions,  the  word  detonation 
hath  been  appropriated  chiefly  to  the  inflammation  of 
this  salt  with  inflammable  bodies ;  and  it  is  frequently 
given  to  those  inflammations  of  nitrous  acid  which 
are  not  accompanied  with  explosion.  Compositions 
have  lately  been  discovered  which  detonate  by  percus- 
sion, or  even  the  slightest  friction.  But  this  rather 
belongs  to  FULMINATION;  q.  v.  See  Dictionary  of  Che- 
mistry. 

DETRA'CTIO,  (from  detraho,  to  draw  forth) .  See 
CATH^ERESIS. 

DETRA'HENS  QUADRA'TUS,  (from  the  same). 
See  PI.ATYSMA  MYOIDES. 

DETRA'CTOR  AU'RIS,  (from  the  same).  Sec 
ABDUCTOR  AURIS. 

DETRI'TIO,  (from  detero,  to  rub  off).  In  a  general 
sense  it  is  taken  from  trituratio.  See  RHACOSIS. 

DETRU'SOR  URI'N^E,  (from  detrudere,  to  thrust 
or  squeeze  out  of.)  Douglas  divides  the  muscular  cover- 
ing of  the  bladder  into  two  distinct  muscles:  the  muscle 
composed  of  longitudinal  fibres  he  calls  the  detrusor 
urine,  which  he  describes  as  arising  from  the  prostate 
gland  going  round  the  fundus,  and  being  lost  in  the 
gland  again  ;  the  oblique  fibres  form  a  muscle,  which  he 
calls  constrictor  vesic&  urinarics,  and  describes  as  run- 
ning obliquely  under  the  other.  But  Dr.  Hunter  thinks 
this  distinction  merely  artificial. 

DE'UNX.     See  CYATHUS. 

DEU'RENS  FE'BRIS,  (from  deuro,  to  burn).  See 
ARDENS  FEBRIS. 

DEU'STIO,  (from  the  same).     See  ENCAUSIS. 

DEUTE'RIA,  and  DEUTE'RINAS,  (from  &v]ef»s, 
secundus).  A  poor  kind  of  wine,  which  the  Latins  call 
lora.  Also  an  adhesion  of  the  placenta. 

DEUTE'RION,  (from  the  same).     See  SECUNDINA. 

DEVALGA'TUS,  (from  de,  and  valgus,  bow  leg. 
ged).  See  BL^ESUS. 

DEX'AMENE,  (from  <JVxai«-*'>  to  receive).  Any  re- 
ceptacle, but  particularly  the  labrum  or  folium,  that  is, 
a  deep  basin  in  which  bathers  might  swim.  It  was  also 
called  colymbethra  and  embasis. 

DE'XTANS,  (from  the  same).     See  CYATHUS. 

DIA,  ^V*.  The  beginning  of  several  terms  in  medi- 
cine :  and  when  the  name  of  any  thing  begins  with  these 
three  letters,  they  signify  composition,  and  the  word 
with  which  they  are  compounded  is  the  chief  ingredient 
in  the  composition.  A  variety  of  instances  may  be  seen 
in  the  succeeding  articles. 

DIABA'CANU,  (from  S~i»,  and  /3«x«»ov,  a  principal 
ingredient  in  it.)  An  hepatic  remedy  mentioned  by 
Trallian. 


DI  A 


547 


DI  A 


DIABE  BOS,  (from  ptSxio*,  to  strengthen^.  The 
ANKLE  BONES.  Hippocrates  uses  this  word.  See  As- 

TRAG.M  ' 

DIABESA'SA,  (from  ?i»,  and  fac-ar*,  wild  rue). 
The  name  of  a  preparation,  in  which  rue  forms  a  part. 

DIABETES,  (from  £/«?<*<•»",  to  pass  off,  orthrough). 
Diarrhta  urinosa;  diftsas;  diuresis  ;  hydro/is  ad  matu- 
lam;  firofluvium  urine.  An  excessive  discharge  of 
crude  urine,  exceeding  the  quantity  drunk.  Boerhaave, 
in  his  Institutes,  says,  it  is  a  frequent  copious  discharge 
of  lacteous  urine,  in  conjunction  with  an  extraordinary 
tenuity  of  the  fluids. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
neuroses,  and  order  sfiasmi:  which  he  defines  a  chronic 
flow  of  urine,  made  in  immoderate  quantities,  and  of  a 
preternatural  quality.  He  notices  two  species,  1st. 
Diabetes  mellitus,  when  the  urine  hath  the  colour, 
odour,  and  taste  of  honey.  2d.  Diabetes  insi/iidus, 
when  limpid  only.  Dr.  Home  defines  it  to  be  an  extra- 
ordinary increase  of  the  urine  as  to  its  quantity,  and  that 
of  a  sweetish'  taste,  attended  with  perpetual  thirst,  and 
a  dry  skin,  which  for  the  most  part  is  also  scaly. 

Youth  is  scarcely  ever  attacked  with  this  disorder:  its 
most  frequent  subjects  are  those  in  the  decline  of  life, 
often  those  who  have  drunk  liberally  of  wine  in  their 
earlier  years,  and  who  are  also  employed  in  the  more 
violent  kinds  of  business. 

The  flow  of  insipid  urine  is  owing  sometimes  to  a 
nervous  irritation,  and  from  this  cause  it  appears  to  be 
occasionally  a  symptom  of  hysteria.  It  has  been  owing 
to  relaxation  of  the  kidneys  "from  drinking  mineral  wa- 
ters in  excess,  occasionally  to  unnatural  indulgences, 
and,  as  has  been  said,  to  too  great  tenuity  of  the  fluids : 
generally  speaking,  when  permanent,  it  is  a  symptom  of 
debility  ;  when  temporary,  it  is  nervous.  The  insipidity 
of  the  urine  is  not  always  owing  to  a  deficiency  of  its 
solid  contents,  but  to  their  diluted  state,  from  the  large 
proportion  of  the  menstruum.  Yet  in  some  fevers,  ap- 
parently of  the  nervous  kind,  with  affections  of  the 
head,  we  have  perceived  the  salts  almost  wholly  re- 
tained. 

The  other  species  is  that  which  has  lately  attracted 
the  greatest  attention,  the  diabetes  mellitus.  In  this 
disease  the  urine  is  not  only  copious  in  quantity,  but 
wholly  different  in  its  quality,  since  it  contains  no  ani- 
mal matter,  and  yields,  on  evaporation,  a  considerable 
quantity  of  sugar.  To  constitute  this  disease,  it  is  not 
necessary  that  the  urine  should  be  in  an  unusual  quan- 
tity ;  since  we  find  an  instance  where,  in  an  anomalous 
consumption,  the  urine  contained  three  ounces  of  sugar 
in  a  pint,  without  being  uncommonly  copious. 

In  general,  in  the  diabetes  mellitus,  the  skin  is  dry, 
parched,  and  often  scaly.  The  appetite  not  greatly  im- 
paired ;  but  the  patient  is  weak  and  emaciated,  with  a 
low  quick  pulse.  It  has  been  said,  that,  on  the  stop- 
page of  the  discharge,  anasarca  has  come  on;  but,  in 
twenty  cases  we  have  seen,  no  such  termination  has 
occurred.  It  is,  however,  by  no  means  a  common  com- 
plaint. The  thirst  is  excessive. 

In  speaking  of  aliment,  we  have  mentioned  sugar  as 
highly  alimentary :  the  chyle  and  milk  have  been  consi- 
dered as  abounding  in  sugar;  so  that,  with  some  au- 
thors, the  conclusion  was  easy,  that  the  discharge  was 
milky,  with  others  that  it  was  chylous.  Modern  che- 


mistry, in  ascertaining  carbone  to  be  the  principle  of 
vegetable  substances,  and  azote  of  animal,  has  led  with 
more  reason  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  saccharine  dis- 
charge was  an  imperfectly  animalised  fluid;  and  this 
ider-  is  supported  by  the  disease  occurring  in  exhausted 
constitutions,  while  its  chief  remedies  are  tonics  and 
stomachics.  When  we  reflect  on  various  symptoms  of 
disease,  we  shall  find  that  saccharine  discharges  are  not 
uncommon.  The  depots  laiteux  of  puerperal  women 
are  of  this  kind  :  in  hectics  we  find  the  sputum  occa- 
sionally sweet;  we  have  found  the  saliva  of  a  honied 
sweetness.  Hippocrates  has  remarked,  that  the  sweet 
smell  and  taste  of  the  cerumen  are  a  fatal  symptom ;  and 
the  colliquative  sweats  of  hectic  patients  are  occasionally 
found  to  impart  the  smell  of  acetous  acid,  after  being 
confined  in  napkins.  From  these  facts,  our  conclusion, 
that  the  ctcliaca  fiassio  may  be  a  deposition  of  the  same 
kind,  will  not  appear  very  unreasonable. 

Dr.  Gottlieb  Richter,  professor  of  medicine  at  Gottin- 
gen,  thinks,  according  to  his  experience,  that  a  diabetes 
is  occasioned  by  a  stimulus  which  acts  upon  the  kidneys. 
When  the  particular  irritation  cannot  be  discovered  nor 
removed,  to  counteract  its  action  upon  the  kidneys  by 
antispasmodics  and  sedatives,  is  the  proper  remedy.  In 
proof  of  which  he  refers  to  Whytt  and  M'Cormic, 
who  saw  it  originate  from  gouty  matter,  and  Sydenham 
from  healing  an  old  ulcer.  Steller,  who  cured'a  patient 
with  bark  and  opium ;  Dobson,  by  warm  baths ;  M'Cor- 
mic, by  Dover's  powder;  Brisbane,  by  almond  emulsion ; 
support,  in  his  opinion,  the  same  doctrine.  Dr.  Richter 
says  also,  that  tincture  of  cantharides  and  bark  have  been 
variously  used  with  advantage  against  diabetes;  and  sup- 
poses, that  the  first  acted  by  carrying  off  irritation,  as 
in  the  chin  cough;  the  second  by  allaying  irritation,  as 
in  agues.  But  notwithstanding  these,  he  depends  chiefly 
upon  his  own  experience,  and  gives  some  cures  in  sup- 
port of  his  opinion :  one  case,  which  succeeded  a  bilious 
fever,  wherein  the  pulse  was  small,  tense,  irritated,  and 
quick,  attended  with  an  uneasy  sensation  and  fulness  in 
the  region  of  the  stomach;  all  the  complaints  growing 
worse  towards  evening,  was  cured  by  a  vomit,  by  which 
a  very  great  quantity  of  bilious  matter  was  evacuated. 
A  second,  wherein  some  scorbutic  symptoms  appeared, 
was  conquered  by  wort.  A  third  and  fourth,  for  which 
no  precise  cause  could  be  discovered,  yielded  to  tartar 
emetic  and  valerian  in  the  first  case;  in  the  second,  to 
ipecacuanha,  which  occasioned  vomiting;  and  as  often 
as  the  patient  vomited,  the  disease  disappeared  for 
twenty-four  hours :  but  besides  these  medicines  above 
mentioned,  he  strongly  recommends  camphor  in  emul- 
sion. See  Medical  and  Surgical  Observations,  Edin- 
burgh, 1794. 

This  author  seems,  however,  evidently  to  confound 
the  two  species  of  diabetes ;  and  after  having  mentioned 
his  arguments  and  facts,  we  may  safely  conclude  that 
they  do  not  apply  to  the  diabetes  mellitus. 

We  know  nothing  of  the  process  of  animalisation, 
but  that  it  is  connected  with  the  production  or  union  of 
azote.  The  mode  in  which  it  is  effected  we  cannot  in 
this  place  ascertain;  and  all  that  the  refinement  of  mo- 
dern practice  has  suggested,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
improved  state  of  chemistry,  is  the  exhibition  of  azotic 
substances  with  an  animal  diet. 

The  following  remarks,  which  -\ye  transcribe  from  the 
4  A  2 


1)1  A 


548 


1)    I  r 


last   edition,  arc  apparently  directed  to  the  increased   , 
How  of  limpid  urine. 

"  The  diet  should  be  the  some  as  in  an  hectic  fever, 
viz.  animal  substances,  such  as  broth  made  of  beef,  shell 
fish,  milk  often,  and  in  small  quantities;  jellies,  barley 
water,  in  which  the  root  of  comfrey  is  boiled,  and  lime 
water,  may  be  the  common  drink. 

"  Moderate  exercise  on  horseback,  and  dry  friction  of 
the  whole  body,  assist  in  promoting  perspiration ;  and 
which,  when  excited,  peculiarly  tends  to  divert  the  dis- 
charge through  the  kidneys. 

"  When  unquenched  lime  is  mixed  with  the  serum  of 
blood,  it  generates  those  salts  that  are  necessary  to  the 
true  urinary  discharge;  and  if  lime  water  is  drunk  as 
freely  as  the  thirst  requires  it,  its  efficacy  exceeds  that 
of  Bristol  water  in  the  cure  of  a  diabetes,  notwithstand- 
ing the  latter  is  esteemed  as  a  specific  :  but,  in  order  to 
this  advantage  from  lime  water,  it  must  be  drunk  while 
the  heat  continues,  which  it  possesses  from  the  lime 
being  quenched  in  the  water. 

"  At  proper  intervals,  during  the  use  of  lime  water,  as 
above  directed,  the  acidum  vitrioli  dilutum ;  cort.  Peruv. 
limatura  ferri ;  and  whatever  can  improve  the  crasis  of 
the  blood,  may  also  be  administered. 

"  A  flannel  shirt  may  be  worn,  to  solicit  a  discharge 
through  the  skin.  The  tincture  ofcanlharides  is  said  by 
Dr.  Morton  to  be  a  specific  in  this  complaint.  Others 
prefer  the  serum  aluminosum,  made  as  strong  as  the 
stomach  will  bear  it,  and  direct  half  a  pint  to  be  taken 
night  and  morning.  With  others,  the  vitr.  caerul.  gr. 
ss.  given  twice  a  day,  dissolved  in  any  agreeable  liquor, 
is  most  depended  on.  When  the  means  first  proposed 
are  unsuccessful,  recourse  may  be  had  to  these,  or  such 
other  means  as  experience  may  suggest.  Rhubarb  is 
found  to  be  of  singular  advantage;  and  from  the  success 
which  follows  on  the  use  of  antispasmodics,  joined  with 
other  means,  a  spasm  in  the  ducts,  through  which  some 
other  excretions  are  conveyed,  rather  than  an  irrita- 
tion in  the  kidneys,  may  be  a  principal  cause  of  this 
malady." 

From  these  confident  assertions  the  disease  may  be 
supposed  tractable,  and  easily  yielding.  Each  species  is, 
however,  peculiarly  obstinate,  and  we  fear  both  resist 
the  best  concerted  plans.  The  hepatised  ammonia 
(see  CHEMISTRY)  has  failed  in  our  hands ;  and  the  best, 
most  successful,  remedies  have  appeared  to  be  bark, 
with  Dover's  powder,  and  a  diet  highly  alkalescent  and 
animalised.  Yet,  in  general,  every  attempt  has  alle- 
viated the  disease  only;  for  how  can  we  expect  to  cure 
what  is,  perhaps,  a  symptom  only  of  a  broken  constitu- 
tion ? 

See  Aretaeus,  Lommius,  Boerhaave,  Lister,  London 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iii.  p.  274, 
&c.  vol.  v.  p.  298.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv.  Sy- 
denham. 

DIA'BOLUS  META'LLORUM.     See  STANNUM. 
DIA'BOLI  INTESTINA.     See  CUSCUTA. 
DIABO'TANUM,  (from  ft*,  and  fa™*,  an  herb}. 
The  name  of  a  plaster  prepared  of  herbs. 

DIABRO'SIS,  (from  fta£foo-x.«,  to  eat  through}.  See 
\\-.\STOMOsis,  and  ANADROSIS. 

DIACA'DMIAS,  (from  ft*,  and  B«ft*<*,   cadmia). 
The  name  of  a  plaster,  whose  basis  is  cadmia. 
DIACALAMI'NTHES,  (from  ft*,  and 


calamint).  The  name  of  an  antidote  whose  basis  is  cala- 
mint. 

DIACA'RCINON,  (from  ft*,  and  xapKivcs,  a  crab,  or 
crayjisli).  The  name  of  an  antidote  prepared  of  these 
kinds  of  fish. 

DIACA'RYON,  (from  ft*,  and  Ka.pui>v,  a  walnut). 
See  JUGLANS. 

DIACA'SSIA,  (from  ft*,  and  x«5-«-i*,  cassia).  See 
CASSIA  FISTULARIS. 

DIACASTO'RIUM,(fromft«,  andxat^/ov,  castor). 
A  name  of  an  antidote  whose  basis  is  castor. 

DIACATHO'LICON,  (from  ft*,  and  xa^A/xos,  uni- 
versal). See  CATHOLICON. 

DIACELTATE'SSON.  A  name  given  by  Van 
Helmont  to  a  purging  preparation  of  antimony .  It  seems 
to  mean,  in  Paracelsus,  a  vomit  excited  by  quicksilver. 
Sometimes  this  word  signifies  quicksilver  dissolved  in 
alcahest. 

DIA'CENOS,(from  ft*,  and  x.fw;,  emfity,void).  An 
epithet  of  porous  bodies,  as  sponge,  or  pumice  stone. 

DIACENTAU'RION,  (from  ft*,  and  «»7*«f<»v,  cen- 
taureum).  See  CHAMJEDRYS. 

DIACENTE'TON,  (from  ft«,  and  «v7e»,  pungo,  to 
prick).  The  name  of  a  stimulating  collyrium  in  Celsus. 
DIACHALA'SIS,  (from  ft*#*A«,  to  relax).     A  re- 
laxation of  the  sutures  of  the  cranium. 

DIACHALCI'TIS,  (from  <h*,  and  x"**-'!'!,  chal- 
citis).  The  name  of  a  plaster  whose  basis  is  the  cal- 
citis. 

DIACHEIRI'SMOS,  (from  ft*,  and  Xeif,  a  hand,) 
is  any  manual  operation. 

DIACHELIDO'NIUM,  (from  ft*,  and  X£Aift».,  ce- 
ladine,)  a  SWALLOW.    A  preparation  of  swallows. 
DIACHE'TON.     See  ASPALATHUS. 
DIACHORE'MA,    and    DIACHORE'SIS.      The 
different  excretions  from  the  body  ;  but  more  properly 
and  frequently  those  from  the  intestines.    See  DISTRI- 
BUTIO. 

DIACHRI'STA,  (from  ft*,  and  xfiu,  to  anoint). 
Medicines  applied  to  the  fauces,  palate,  uvula,  and 
tongue,  to  absterge  phlegm,  and  discharge  the  mucus. 
P.  jEgineta. 

DIACHRY'SU,  (from  ft*,  and  xf™!*  gold).  The 
name  of  a  plaster  mentioned  by  Galen,  used  when  limbs 
were  fractured. 

DIA'CHYLON,  (from  ft*,  ex,  and  %vfof,  a  juice). 
An  emollient  digestive  plaster  made  of  vegetable  juices. 
The  name  is  given  to  very  different  compositions  for 
plasters,  and  is  now  the  emplaslrum  lithargyri  of  the 
London  Dispensatory.  See  EMPLASTRUM  COMMUNE. 

DIACHY'SIS,  (from  ft*,  and  %vu,  to  fuse,  or  melt). 
See  Fusio. 

DIACHY'TICA,  (from  the  same).  See  DISCUTI- 
ENTIA,  and  DISSOLVKXTIA. 

DIACHY'TOS,  (from  the  same).  An  epithet  of 
wine  prepared  from  grapes  that  have  been  dried  seven 
days,  and  were  pressed  on  the  eighth. 

DIACINE'MA,  (from  ft*xm«,  dinwveo,  to  put 
aside).  See  LUXATIO. 

DIACLY'SMA,  (from  ft*»m«,  and  x.)w&,  to  tvasli 
out,  or  rinse).  See  GARGARISMA. 

DI  ACOCCYME'LON,  (from  ft*x<»£«,  and  Ko 
a  filum).     See  DIAPRUNTFM. 

DIACO'CHLACON,  (from  «Wivf«,  and 


DI  .E 


549 


Jlints].  An  epithet  of  milk  in  which  red  hot  flints  have 
been  extinguished,  supposed  to  be  sudorific. 

DIACO  DIUM,  (from  &«,  ex,  and  *.^u»,  a  poppy 
head}.  See  PAPAVER  ALBUM. 

DIACOLOCY  XTHIDOS  PILUL.E.  Alex.  Tral- 
lian's  composition  which  bears  this  name  is  called  fill, 
de  nitro  in  the  Augustan  Dispensatory :  they  consist  of 
aloes,  colocynth,  nitre,  &c. 

DIACOLOCY  XTHIS,  (from  tio,  and  «*»«»*<;,  co- 
iocynthis,)  from  coiocynth,  which  is  the  chief  ingredient 
in  the  preparation. 

DIACO'MEROX.  The  name  of  an  antidote  in 
Myrepsus. 

DIA'COPE,  (from  J/««JTT«,  to  cut  through).  A  deep 
cut,  a  wound,  or  the  cutting  off  any  part. 

DIACOPR^E'GIA,  (from  fix,  «*?©-,  dung,  and  *<|, 
o  goat) .  A  preparation  with  goat's  dung  against  dis- 
orders of  the  parotids  and  spleen. 

DIACRI'SIS,  (from  JW«^>*,  to  judge,  or  distin- 
guish). The  distinction  of  diseases  and  symptoms. 

DIACRO'CIUM,(from  ^<*K*;»*>,  and  X,MK««,  saffron,') 
also  a  collyrium  containing  saffron.  The  elect,  de  ovo  ; 
Platerus  de  curatione.  Febrium  Pestilentialium,  torn, 
ii.  c.  2. 

DIACRO'CU,  (from  ^ex.®*,  saffron}.  The  name  of 
a  dry  collyrium  in  P.  Jigineta,  in  which  saffron  is  an 
ingredient. 

DIACU'RCUMA.  Fuschius  thinks  Mesue  used 
curcuma  for  saffron.  A  name  of  several  antidotes  in 
Myrepsus  which  contain  saffron. 

DIACYDO'XIL  M.ffrom  fix,  and  xufutief,  a  quince*). 
MARMALADE  OF  QUINCES.  See  CYDONIA. 

DIADA'PHXIDOX,  (from  J1**,  and-  A*0»,«,  the  bay 
tree  ;  bay  berry).  The  name  of  a  drawing  plaster  pre- 
pared from  bay  berries,  employed  to  promote  suppura- 
tion. Celsus,  lib.  5,  cap.  19. 

DIADE'LPHIA,  (from  fit,  twice,  and  «&A0»j.  a 
brother).  The  name  of  the  seventeenth  class,  in  Lin- 
naeus's  artificial  system,  comprehending  those  plants 
which  bear  hermaphrodite  flowers,  with  two  sets  of 
united  stamina.  This  is  a  natural  class  with  papiliona- 
ceous, or  pea  flowers,  and  leguminous  fruits.  The  or- 
ders are  founded  on  the  number  of  stamina ;  and  ten 
being  the  predominating  number  in  this  class,  the  order 
decandria  is  much  the  largest.  The  regular  disposition 
of  the  stamina  in  this  order  is,  nine  united  in  one  bro- 
therhood, the  lower  broad  part  of  the  filament  sheathing 
the  germ,  and  the  tenth  single  ;  but  in  almost  twenty 
genera,  the  ten  staminas  are  connected  into  one  body  at 
the  bottom. 

^  DIADE'XIS,  and  DIADO'CHE,   (from   £«,  and 
ttjcpfuu,  to  transfer).     See  METASTASIS. 

DIADO'SIS,  (from  fra.faS'aftj,  to  distribute  or  dissi- 
pate). In  medicinal  authors  it  signifies  to  remit,  though 
sometimes  it  means  the  distribution  of  the  aliment  over 
all  the  body. 

DIJE'RESIS,  (from  dutigia,  to  divide  or  separate). 
It  is  taken  generally,  from  Galen,  to  be  a  solution  of 
continuity,  of  which  he  forms  four  species,  wounding, 
contusion,  erosion,  rupture  ;  it  is  now  used  in  this  sense 
from  whatever  cause  the  solution  arises. 

DI-ilRE'TICA,  (from  fiaifiu,  to  divide).  Corrosive 
medicines. 

DI-.E/TA,  (from  J"i«<7««<,  to  nourish).  Dieta,  also 
Diaterica.  DIET.  When  strict  and  regular,  the  Greeks 


named  it  cathestecos.  Though  diet  is  often  confined  to 
what  we  eat  and  drink,  yet  Galen  and  most  other  me- 
dical writers  include  in  it  the  whole  of  what  are  called 
the  non-naturals. 

We  shall  consider  under  this  head  what  relates  to  our 
food  and  drink  only. 

*V\  e  have  already  spoken  at  some  length  on  this  sub- 
ject under  the  article  of  ALIMENT;  and  it  will  only  be 
necessary,  at  this  time,  to  distinguish  the  food  adapted 
to  the  different  ages,  different  climates,  and  to  different 
periods  of  the  day. 

The  food  of  infants  is  milk,  mixed  occasionally  with 
-the  farinacea ;  and,  in  general,  a  healthy  child  requires 
no  farther  approach  to  an  animal  diet  till  after  the  ninth 
or  tenth  month.  Yet,  in  some  constitutions,  the  milk, 
from  the  mother's  constitution,  disagrees  ;  sometimes 
the  farinacea  become  acescent  and  flatulent.  A  more 
animalised  diet  is  then  necessary  ;  and  the  juices  of  the 
younger  animals,  as  of  veal  and  chicken,  must  be  mixed 
with  the  farinaceous  pap.  Sometimes  the  latter  must 
be  wholly  laid  aside,  and  the  gravy  of  meat  or  beef  tea 
substituted.  With  the  teeth,  new  sensations  arise,  and 
the  child  is  delighted  to  exert  its  little  powers  on  what 
will  easily  yield ;  a  bit  of  meat,  some  soft  bread,  Sec. ; 
nor,  if  he  is  healthy,  is  this  to  be  forbidden.  He  advances 
another  step,  and  makes  a  regular  meal  of  solid  food. 

A  growing  child  is  always  craving  for  food :  his  sto- 
mach digests  rapidly  no  inconsiderable  quantity,  when 
his  age  and  size  are  considered;  and,  if  he  is  active  and 
strong,  there  is  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be  indulged. 
We  are  told,  however,  that  he  should  be  fed  regularly, 
at  distant  intervals,  and  in  moderation.  There  seems 
no  rule  so  little  consonant  to  the  dictates  of  nature.  If 
the  child  grows  full ;  if  he  breathes  with  difficulty  ;  if  he 
is  torpid  or  drowsy  ;  he  is  certainly  over  fed.  But  if 
from  his  meals  he  rises  to  play;  if  his  sleep  be  light 
and  uninterrupted,  and  his  activity  incessant ;  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  say  what  are  the  limits  which  a  judicious  ob- 
server would  lay  down  for  the  regulation  of  his  diet. 
The  symptoms  of  fulness,  which  we  have  mentioned, 
are  not  seen  when  the  food  is  plain  ;  the  drink,  water ; 
when  pastry  and  confectionary  are  denied,  or  very  spar- 
ingly allowed  :  nor  have  we  ever  observed  a  bloated  in- 
fant, whose  diet  was  properly  regulated  in  its  quality, 
whatever  may  have  been  the  quantity.  Xature  never 
errs  in  her  demands,  when  not  pampered  by  high  sauces, 
various  dishes,  or  sweetmeats.  It  is  certainly  a  proper 
rule,  that  the  drink  of  children  should  be  of  the  mildest 
kind,  and  almost  exclusively  water.  Wine  or  diluted 
spirits,  in  any  form  except  as  a  medicine,  should  be  for- 
bidden; but  as,  according  to  modern  customs,  it  is 
sometimes  impossible  to  comply  with  this  rule,  they 
should,  at  least,  never  be  rendered  habitual.  Sauces 
and  condiments  should  be  equally  strangers  to  their  pa- 
lates, till,  at  least,  after  the  age  of  fourteen. 

From  eighteen  to  fifty-six,  if  moderation  be  observed, 
and  the  health  good,  no  rules  of  diet  are  necessary  :  sa- 
nis  omnia  sana.  Yet  we  would  suggest  the  propriety  of 
making  the  meal,  in  general,  on  one  dish  only,  either  of 
fish  or  animal  food.  The  little  excesses  in  this  respect, 
if  not  often  repeated,  will  not  be  injurious ;  and  we  have 
already  stated,  that  the  powers  of  nature  in  preserving 
health  and  correcting  any  deviations  are  lost,  if  not  oc- 
casionally exercised :  we  should  add,  that  they  are  e.r- 
hausted  if  the  exertion  is  too  frequent. 


550 


In  this  interval,  the  errors  respecting  drink  are  often 
more  fatal  than  those  which  regard  the  food.  Water 
with  the  meals  is  always  most  salutary  :  cyder  follows; 
and  beer,  or  porter,  according  to  different  constitutions, 
come  in  succession.  Cyder  is  said  to  be  injurious  to 
those  subject  to  rheumatism;  beer  is  certainly  so  to  the 
corpulent  and  asthmatic ;  porter  is  a  salutary  liquor, 
though  containing  a  proportion  of  po'sonous  vegetables. 
If  any  thing  be  afterwards  taken,  wine  will  be  prefer- 
able to  spirits  in  any  form.  The  quantity  will  vary  in 
different  habits;  and,  as  the  prior  customs  may  have  in- 
duced an  artificial  necessity,  a  pint  of  wine  should  be 
the  utmost  limit :  in  general,  it  should  be  less,  and  it 
may  occasionally,  though  this  should  seldom  happen, 
be  more.  Dr.  Cadogan  recommended,  at  times,  intem- 
perance. This  is  not,  indeed,  wholly  inconsistent  with 
the  principle  already  stated  ;  and  if  we  sometimes  break 
regularity,  without,  however,  verging  to  intemperance, 
the  danger  will  not  be  considerable.  Midnight  orgies 
are  always  fatal,  for  the  fever  at  night  is  exasperated 
by  wine,  as  well  as  by  late  hours. 

When  the  second  childhood  commences,  the  habits 
of  the  earlier  period  of  our  lives  return.  Animal  food  is 
less  easily  borne.  The  lighter  diet  is  preferred,  and 
wine  begins  to  lose  its  relish.  Of  the  whole  change, 
the  diminution  of  the  proportion  of  wine  is  most  injuri- 
ous ;  and  the  old  man  should  drink  it  as  a  cordial,  if  not 
as  a  luxury.  We  ought,  however,  to  add,  that  the  grow- 
ing distate  for  wine  is  so  common  -in  advanced  life,  that 
we  almost  distrust  our  opinions  in  this  respect.  Yet  we 
think  experience  supports  them.  The  love  of  confec- 
tionary, of  tarts,  and  whatever  is  sweet,  returns  also  in 
old  age;  and  this  propensity  we  have  never  found  inju- 
rious, though  sometimes  indulged  with  little  modera- 
tion. 

We  have  spoken  of  spirits  as  less  wholesome  than 
wine.  It  may  be  said,  that  by  dilution  they  are  not  su- 
perior in  strength,  and  may  be  even  made  of  an  inferior 
quality.  In  wine,  however,  there  is  an  extractive  mat- 
ter, and  a  mucilage  which  sheaths  the  pungency  of  the 
spirit;  but,  independent  of  this  difference,  by  distilla- 
tion an  oily  matter  is  separated,  which,  from  the  action 
of  heat,  seems  to  acquire,  if  not  an  actual  empyreuma, 
a  deleterious  quality.  In  a  moderate  proportion  they 
are  not,  however,  eminently  hurtful ;  and  we  must  re- 
peat another  axiom,  that  poisons  difl'er  from  medicines 
not  in  their  qualities,  but  their  doses.  It  is  often  asked, 
which  kind  of  spirit  is  the  most  wholesome.  In  the  mo- 
derate quantities,  we  would  allow  they  are  perhaps 
equally  so.  Rum  has  been  preferred  as  most  oily.  It  is 
certainly  not  more  wholesome  on  this  account.  Brandy 
is  more  suitable,  in  general,  to  weak,  gin  to  disordered, 
stomachs;  but  the  latter  is  always  injurious,  when  any 
irritability  or  weakness  in  the  urinary  or  neighbouring 
organs  exists. 

The  diet,  adapted  to  different  climates,  will  not  detain 
us  long.  Under  a  tropical  sun,  the  perspiration  is  con- 
siderable, and  the  fluids  alkalescent.  The  supply  should 
therefore  be  of  the  mildest  kind,  and  the  proportion  of 
watery  fluids  large.  Yet  the  languor  produced  by  heat 
requires  assistance  for  the  digestive  organs ;  and  the  tro- 
pical regions,  which  abound  in  succulent  fruits,  abound 
also  in  spices.  On  this  subject  we  have  spoken  at  suf- 
ficient length  under  the  article  of  CONDIMENTS. 

If  the  stranger  to  these  regions,  from  this  statement, 
indulges  in  fruits,  he  will  find  himself  in  error.  Old 


habits  are  not  easily  conquered ;  and  the  constitution 
will  not  change,  at  once,  with  the  climate.  The  bile 
soon  becomes  more  acrid  ;  and  this,  with  fruit  in  excess, 
occasions  cholera  or  bilious  fevers.  Some  proportion  of 
the  usual  stimuli  are  also  essential ;  and  the  spices,  with 
a  moderate  proportion  of  wine,  are  at  first  necessary. 
When  the  constitution  is  more  accustomed  to  the  cli- 
mate, he  may  indulge  more  freely;  but  excess  in  hot 
climates  should  be  always  particularly  avoided. 

We  have  explained,  at  some  length,  the  effects  of 
continued  cold,  and  pointed  out  the  torpor  which  it  pro- 
duces in  every  part  of  the  system.  Indulgence  in  ani- 
mal food,  in  wine,  and  even  in  spirits,  may  in  the  arctic 
regions  be  more  readily  admitted.  Indeed,  seasoned 
dishes  and  wine  are  almost  indispensable,  especially  if 
a  person  has  been  accustomed  to  them  in  more  mode- 
rate climes. 

Of  the  sixteen  hours  not  destined  to  sleep,  two  hours 
may  be  dedicated  to  meals ;  and  we  think  that  nature 
would  divide  them  in  the  following  manner.  After  one 
or  two  hours  from  our  rising  we  should  breakfast ;  about 
noon,  or  soon  afterwards,  dine,  allowing  for  this  meal  an 
hour,  as  we  should  take  after  it  a  little  rest,  but  without 
sleep.  The  concluding  slight  meal  may  then  be  about 
an  hour  before  bedtime.  The  first  and  last  meal  will 
require  only  an  hour;  and  the  more  solid  substantial 
.  one,  with  the  respite  from  labour,  we  have  said  another 
hour. 

This  may  appear  to  be  a  plan  of  peculiar  severity ;  but 
the  health,  the  cheerfulness  which  follow,  will  compen- 
sate for  all  the  inconvenience.  It  is  necessary,  however, 
to  explain  its  foundation.  One  substantial  meal  of  so- 
lid animal  food,  each  day,  is  sufficient  to  support  the 
constitution  under  very  considerable  fatigue;  and  the 
time  of  taking  this  meal  is  undoubtedly  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  day,  or  one  in  the  afternoon.  If  the  changes, 
even  in  the  most  healthy  constitutions,  are  observed, 
three  slight  febrile  accessions  may  be  discovered.  We 
style  them  febrile,  though  in  general  announced  by  an 
increased  quickness  of  pulse  only  ;  but  their  nature  is 
shown  by  their  being  sometimes  attended  with  rigour 
and  increased  heat,  in  consequence  of  debility  alone. 
The  first  of  these  occurs  about  eight  in  the  forenoon, 
and  it  remits  about  ten  ;  the  second  occurs  at  twelve, 
and  remits  about  one  or  two ;  the  third  at  six  or  seven, 
and  is  not  completely  at  an  end  till  two  in  the  morning. 
The  evening  paroxysm  is  the  most  distinct ;  that  at 
noon  very  inconsiderable.  The  period  of  the  morning 
paroxysm  distinguishes  all  fevers  of  the  tertian  type  ; 
that  ot  the  evening  the  quartans,  which  is  also  the  type 
of  continued  fevers,  for  we  have  seen  that  they  scarcely 
ever  terminate  till  the  quartan  period  has  taken  place. 
See  CRISES. 

These  are  the  principles  which  regulate  the  time  of 
taking  food.  The  system  of  the  healthiest  person  after 
sleeping,  is  not  at  once  alive  and  active  ;  and  the  appe- 
tite, unless  from  indulgence,  or  in  childhood,  is  seldom 
craving  at  this  early  period.  If  the  person  rises  at  six, 
his  breakfast  hour  should  be  eight ;  and  if  he  is  to  ex- 
perience great  fatigue,  some  animal  substance, .as  an 
egg,  or  some  cold  meat,  may  make  a  part  of  his  meal, 
which  will  not  require  half  an  hour.  If  in  health,  the 
morning  paroxysm  is  not  noticed ;  and  he  may  with  this 
support  continue  till  one,  when  the  solid  substantial 
meal  should  be  taken ;  and  the  remainder  of  the  hour,  for 
the  plain  meal  of  a  hungry  man  requires  but  Jittle  time, 


J)  I 


551 


D  LA 


should  be  destined  to  repose,  while  the  fever,  which  di- 
gestion always  produces,  continues.  The  slight  even- 
ing meal  may  be  taken  at  eight,  and  the  hour  of  repose 
should  not  be  protracted  beyond  ten.  The  evening 
meal  should  be  slight,  because  it  is  taken  during  the 
evening  paroxysm  ;  and  the  hour  of  retiring  be  early,  that 
much  of  the  time,  while  it  continues,  may  be  passed  in 
a  state  least  likely  to  increase  it.  It  has  been  reported, 
we  believe  with  truth,  that  a  judge  was  accustomed  to 
ask  witnesses,  who  are  often  in  a  very  advanced  period 
of  life,  respecting  their  diet,  8cc.  He  found,  it  is  said, 
thai  their  mode  of  living  was  various,  but  that  they  uni- 
formly agreed  in  early  hours.  Whether  we  have  cor- 
rectly stated  the  cause  or  not,  it  is,  however,  a  fact, 
that  nothing  is  more  injurious  than  late  hours,  and  that, 
in  every  instance,  a  habit  of  this  kind  shortens  life. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  in  this  arrangement  of  our 
time  and  meals  we  have  been  anxious  to  avoid  the  fever 
from  indigestion  interfering  with  the  regular  febrile 
exacerbations  ;  and  it  may  be  asked,  why  may  not  the 
evening  fever  be  obviated  by  retiring  to  repose  before 
it  recurs,  or  the  morning  paroxysm  by  remaining  in 
bed  till  after  it  returns  ?  The  answer  is  easy  :  we  are 
constituted  for  activity  by  day,  and  for  repose  by  night ; 
nor  does  sleep  naturally  come  on  so  early  as  six  in  the 
evening.  To  this  may  be  added,  that  exercise  docs  not 
increase  these  slight  febrile  attacks,  but  the  increased 
perspiration,  which  is  its  most  frequent  consequence, ' 
either  prevents  or  lessens  them.  The  other  idea  is  ap- 
parently more  plausible.  After,  however,  the  termina- 
tion of  the  evening  paroxysm,  at  one  or  two  in  the 
morning  perspiration  comes  on,  which  gradually  in- 
creases, though  in  no  hurtful  degree,  till  after  six  or 
seven.  If  therefore,  continuing  in  bed  would  prevent 
the  morning  paroxysm,  the  injury  to  the  constitution 
would  be  greater  by  the  debilitating  perspiration,  which 
necessarily  recurs. 

We  have  engaged  at  greater  length  in  this  disquisition 
than  we  designed,  as  we  wished  to  rescue  a  popular 
subject  from  the  dictates  of  caprice,  and  the  trammels 
of  fashion  ;  to  point  out  what  is  right,  if  modern  cus- 
toms will  not  enable  us  to  pursue  it.  We  shall,  there- 
fore, next  examine  how  far  fashionable  life  is  reconcile- 
able  to  this  system,  and  where  the  usual  customs  may 
be  allowed  as  least  injurious. 

A  modern  day  begins  by  far  too  late,  and  the  stomach 
is  at  once  cloyed  by  animal  food  before  the  system  has 
recovered  its  activity  and  tone.  The  eggs,  the  dried 
fish,  the  tongue,  or  the  ham,  which  in  moderation 
might  be  digested  by  a  constitution  which  has  already 
laboured  two  hours,  is  a  load  on  one,  without  exercise, 
exhausted  by  the  morning  perspiration,  and  yet  languid 
from  imperfect  sleep.  The  lunch  at  one  or  two  is  the 
only  part  of  the  system  which  can  be  recommended.  It 
is  a  plain  solid  dinner  at  a  proper  hour,  sufficient  to  sup- 
port, not  overload.  The  subsequent  dinner  at  six  is 
superfluous.  It  is  unnecessary  as  a  principal  meal,  and 
too  stimulating  for  a  supper.  Luckily,  fashion  spares 
the  stomach  any  new  load.  The  evening  paroxysm 
thus  excited  is  kept  up  by  wine,  and  different  stimu- 
lants, by  crowded  and  hot  rooms  ;  nor  does  the  consti- 
tution know  a  respite  till  the  moment  of  retirement. 

If  we  look  at  the  waste  which  this  excess  of  nourish- 
ment is  intended  to  supply,  we  shall  find  it  very  incon- 
siderable. If  anxiety,  restlessness,  hope  delayed,  or 


ambition  disappointed,  exhausts  the  frame,  we  fear  in 
high  life  they  are  so  frequent  as  to  draw  compassion 
even  from  the  labourer,  who  eats  his  hard  earned  meal 
with  cheerfulness,  and  rises,  refreshed  with  sleep,  to 
his  daily  toil.  In  general,  however,  the  daily  ride,  and 
the  daily  saunter,  are  the  chief  exercises ;  and  the  vo- 
taries of  fashion  thus  anxiously  hoard  all  the  diseases 
arising  from  repletion  and  indigestion  for  their  future 
torment.  These  would  be  more  striking,  but  that  the 
summer  carries  them  to  the  sea  coast,  where  fashion 
allows  of  more  air,  more  violent  exercise,  earlier  hours, 
and  less  crowded  apartments. 

DLETE'TICA,    (from    diceta).     See    PHARMACEU- 

TICE. 

DIAGLAU'CIUM.  The  name  of  a  collyrium  re- 
commended by  Scribonius  Largus.  It  is  thus  named 
from  Glaucium,  which,  according  to  Dioscorides,  is  the 
juice  of  the  fiafia-uer  sfiinosvm. 

.DIAGNO'SIS,  (from  JWyvaocw,  to  discern,  or  dis- 
tinguish,) also  digr.otio.  It  generally  means  distinction, 
and  is  generally  confined  to  diseases ;  therefore,  diagnos- 
tics mean  the  signs  of  diseases  by  which  they  may  be 
known  and  distinguished.  They  are  of  two  kinds,  viz. 
the  adjunct,  and  ftathognomonic :  the  first  are  common 
to  several  diseases,  and  serve  only  to  point  out  the  dif- 
ference between  diseases  of  the  same  species  ;  the  latter 
are  those  which  always  attend  the  disease,  and  distin- 
guish it  from  all  others. 

The  knowledge  of  diagnostics  has  always  been  con- 
sidered as  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  ;  and  to  know  a  disease  is  justly  believed  to  be 
the  first  step  in  its  proper  treatment.  The  want  of  ac- 
curacy in  distinction  is  a  source  of  much  uncertaintyt 
and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  those  who  practise  from  th<: 
popular  treatises,  to  apply  the  remedies  recommended 
for  one  complaint  to  those  of  another ;  so  very  imper- 
fect are  such  works  in  discrimination.  Distinction  is 
the  greatest  object  of  nosological  systems;  and  this 
advantage  we  shall  afterwards  have  occasion  to  point 
out.  See  NOSOLOGY. 

DIAGRY'DIUM,  also  DACRYDIUM  ;  which  see. 
A  preparation  of  scammony ;  but  indeed  the  general 
name  of  the  resin  itself:  quasi  S'ax.fvS'iti,  lachrymula,  be- 
cause the  juice  issuing  from  the  wounded  root  was 
called  lachryma  scammonii.  Its  great  activity  was  cor- 
rected by  the  ancient  physicians  by  exposing  it  to  the 
fumes  of  burning  sulphur  ;  in  reality  combining  it  with 
the  vitriolic  acid,  and  it  is  then  called  diagrydium  nul- 
Jihuratum.  It  is  sometimes  incorporated  with  the 
sfiiritus  -uitrioli  rosati,  sufficient  to  make  a  liquid  paste, 
which  is  afterwards  dried  in  the  sun  or  by  a  gentle  fire; 
called  diagrydium  rosatum ;  occasionally  it  has  been 
baked  in  a  quince  :  but  all  these  modes  are  of  not  the 
slightest  consequence  as  correctors ;  nor,  indeed,  does 
the  medicine  require  correction.  See  SCAMMOXIUM. 

DIAHERMODA'CTYLUS,  (from  <?<«,  and  lflu- 
PatKiv Aos).  A  purging  medicine,  of  which  hermodactyls 
form  the  basis. 

DIAHEXA'PALA,  or  DIAHEXA'PTE.  See  LAU- 

RUS   Al.KXAXDRIN'US. 

DIA'IOX,  (from  S'ta.,  and  «>v,  a  -violet).  The  name 
of  a  pastil  in  Myrcpsus.  Violets  are  its  chief  ingre- 
dient. 

DIA'IPvEOS,  (from  £*,  and  /;««,  a  lily).  An  antidote 
in  Myrepsus,  containing  the  lily  root. 


D  1  A 


552 


Dl  A 


DIALA'CCA,  (from  S'tec,  and  /«**«,  iacca).  An 
antidote  in  the  same  author,  containing  Iacca. 

DIA'LAGOU,  (from  <$";«,  and  A*yo?,  leflus,  a  hare). 
A  medicine,  whose  chief  ingredient  is  the  dung  of  a 
hare. 

DIALE'PSIS,  (from  S'tateiiru,  to  leave  a  space  be- 
tween). To  intermit.  See  APOLEPSIS. 

DIALI'B  ANON,  (from  -  ,  and  *(£«»«,  frank- 
incense). A  name  of  several  medicines  in  which  frank- 
incense is  an  ingredient. 

DIA'LOES,  (from  -  ,  and  ocAojj,  the  aloe).  A 
composition  in  which  is  aloes. 

DIALTHJL'A,  (from  -  ,  and  «AC*i«,  the  mal- 
low) .  The  name  of  an  ointment  in  Myrepsus,  the  pro- 
totype of  the  althaea  ointment. 

DIA'LYSIS,  (from  S'nt^va,  to  dissolve,  or  render  lan- 
guid,) also  dissolutio.  A  dissolution  of  the  strength, 
or  a  weakness  of  the  limbs;  applied  by  Hippocrates  to 
the  cause  of  the  debility,  particularly  of  the  winds, 
hence  v«7»i  <$*<«/!>/  <K«(,  austri  dissolventes.  It  is  express- 
ive also  of  a  discontinuity  or  division  of  a  part. 

DIALY'TICA,  (from  the  same).  A  solution  of  con- 
tinuity as  in  fractures,  or  wounds. 

DIAMARE'NATUM,  (from  ha,  and  0.^0.^0.,  acid 
cherries)  .  It  is  a  confection  of  acid  cherries,  called 
amarene,  reduced  to  a  pulp,  passed  through  a  sieve, 
then  mixed  with  sugar,  and  aromatics.  See  Schroder. 
Pharmacopoeia  Medico  Chimica,  lib.  4,  p.  41. 

DIAMARGAR'ITON,  (from  ha,  and  ^r/*f'7«, 
pearl).  An  antidote  in  which  pearls  are  the  chief  in- 
gredient. 

UIAMA'SCIEN.     See  jEnis  FLOS. 

DIAMASSE'MA,  (from  ^la/ttots-e-aujM.*/,  to  chew).  A 
masticatory. 

DIAMBR^E  PILLULE,  from  },*,  and  «^«,  am- 
ber), See  AROMATIC^E  PILULJE. 

DIA'MBHJE  SPE'CIES,  SPECIES  AROMATIC^,  now  PUL- 
vis  AROMATIC-US.  The  prescription  is  originally  Me- 
sue's,  and  had  its  name  from  the  ambergrise  in  the  com- 
position. See  AROMATIC^  SPECIES. 


DIAME'LON,  (from  ^i«,  and 


a  quince').    The 


name  of  a  composition  containing  quinces. 

DIA'MNES,  and  DIAPNE.  An  involuntary  and 
insensible  discharge  of  urine  ;  a  word  used  by  Joannes 
Anglicus. 

DIAMO'RON,  (from  <5W,  and  ftaptv,  a  mulberry}. 
A  preparation  of  mulberries  and  honey. 

DIAMO'SCHU,  (from  <?<«,  and  fwr^o?,  moschus). 
The  name  of  an  antidote  containing  musk. 

DIAMOTO'SIS,  (from  }<a,  and  fi«7«5,  lint).  See 
CARBASUS. 

DIA'NA.  The  chemical,  or  rather  alchemical,  name 
of  silver.  See  ARGENTUM. 

DIANANCA'SMOS,  (from  <5W,  and  «.*•/*«,  force, 
or  necessity).  The  forcible  restitution  of  a  luxated  part 
into  its  proper  place.  Hippocrates  gives  this  appella- 
tion to  an  instrument  intended  to  restore  a  distorted 
spine. 

DIA'NDRIA,  (from  <5V«,  and  otvyf,  a  man).  The 
second  class  of  Linnseus's  artificial  system,  comprehend- 
ing all  hermaphrodite  flowers  which  have  two  stamina. 

DIA'NTHON,  (from  S;*,  and  <*v00?,  a  flower}.  The 
name  of  an  antidote  in  Galen,  which  is  thus  made. 

R.  Flor.  rorismarini  £  i.  rosarum  rubrarum  et  radicis 
glycyrryzae  aa  3  vi.  caryophyllar  aromat.  spicae  nardi 


nucismoschatae  radicis  galangal.  corticis  cinnaitiomi  ra- 
dicis zcdoarise  ligni  aloes  seminum  cardam  minoris 
sem.  anethi,  et  anasi,  macis.  aa  9  iv.  m. 

DIA'NTHUS   CARYOPHI'LLUS.      See   CARYO- 

PHILLUB    RUBER. 

DIAOPO'RON,  (from  aV«,  and  tTrapa,  an  autumnal 
fruit).  A  composition  of  quinces,  medlars,  and  ser- 
vices. 

DIAPA'SMA,  (from  &«*•*£«,  to  sprinkle).  See 
CATAPASMA. 

DIAPEDE'SIS,  (from  Si*,  through,  and  v^xa,  to 
pass).  The  transudation  of  blood  through  the  coats  of 
an  artery,  or  occasionally  between  its  fibres.  See  AN- 
ASTOMOSIS. 

DIAPE'NCIA.     See  ALCHIMILLA. 

DIAPE'NSIA.     See  SANICULA  MAS. 

DIAPE'NTE,  (from  <^«,  and  m-ili,  quinque).  A 
composition  which  consists  of  five  ingredients  ;  gentian 
root;  aristolochia  longa  ;  shavings  of  ivory ;  bay  ber- 
ries :  bac.  laur.  et  myrrh,  au.  p.  aeq.  m.  f.  pulv. 

Mesue  is  said  to  be  its  author ;  but  Vegetius  described 
it  before  him.  It  is  now  only  used  by  farriers. 

DIAPEPE'REON.  An  antidote  mentioned  in  Ga- 
len. 

DIAPHjE'NICON,  (from  <&<*,  and  <Z>»mf,  a  date}. 
The  name  of  an  electuary  for  discharging  phlegm  ;  as 
well  as  a  medicine  made  of  dates. 

DIAPHILEDO'NU.  The  name  of  an  antidote  in 
Myrepsus. 

DIAPHLY'XIS,  (from  S~iettf».va,  to  moisten).  In 
Galen's  Exegesis  it  means  effusions  or  ebullitions;  also 
an  affusion,  or  moistening  any  part. 

DIA'PHORA,  (from  S-iafipa,  to  differ}.  DIFFER- 
ENCE. In  medicine  it  comprehends  the  characteristic 
marks  and  signs  which  distinguish  one  disease  from 
another.  It  also  "signifies  a  corruption  of  food  in  the 
stomach;  and  is  then  synonymous  with  DYSPEPSIA; 
which  see. 

DIAPHORE'SIS,  (from  }:*<p»piti,  of  h*,  through, 
and  <?ifa,  to  carry).  See  PERSPIRATIO. 

DIAPHORETICA,  (from  the  same).  DIAPHO- 
RETICS. Medicines  which  promote  perspiration.  Dia- 
phoretics differ  from  sudorifics  :  the  former  only  in- 
crease the  insensible  perspiration  ;  the  latter  excite  a 
sensible  discharge  through  the  skin,  which  is  called 
sweat.  See  SCDOHIFICA. 

Diaphoretics  are  those  medicines  which  produce  a 
discharge  from  the  surface  ;  and  when  this  discharge  is 
fluid,  they  are  styled  sudoriftcs.  The  true  diaphoresis 
is  a  condensed  halitus,  distinguishable  by  a  moist  clam- 
my feel;  while  the  diapnoe,  of  which  we  have  had  oc- 
casion to  speak,  and  to  which  we  shall  often  return, 
seems  still  less  sensibly  moist,  and  to  be  more  truly 
gaseous.  This  is  ascertained  by  the  peculiar  softness 
of  the  skin  in  health.  - 

These,  three  states  have  been  supposed  to  differ  only 
in  degree.  The  insensible  halitus,  when  in  a  quantity 
to  be  condensed,  and  in  this  state  sensible  to  the, feel- 
ings, is  the  diaphoresis  :  and  this,  when  more  decidedly 
fluid,  sweat.  The  same  causes,  in  different  degrees, 
appear  to  produce  each  discharge;  and  they  have  of 
course  been  supposed  to  proceed  from  the  same  vessels, 
the  exhalant  arteries.  If  the  distinction  were  a  refine- 
ment merely,  it  would  not  deserve  a  moment's  notice. 
We  think,  however,  that  it  involves  many  questions  of 


BI  A 


Dl  A 


practice.     We  cannot  relieve  some  complaints  without 
actual  sweating,  and  others  are  injured  by  it.     Rheu- 
matisms require  the  former  discharge,  and  fevers  de- 
mand its  regulation,  at  least,  if  not  the  reduction  of  its 
violence.     Again:  diaphoresis,  if  gradually  increased 
to  sweating,  can  scarcely  in  any  instance    be  kept  up 
after  it.     When  the  sweating  is  stopped,  the  skin  is 
dry,  and  shivering  often  follows.     If,  in  diaphoresis,  we 
feel  the  hand,  it  is  soft  and  unctuous  to  the  touch :  in 
the  most  violent  sweat,  the  skin,  though  covered  with 
moisture,  often  feels  harsh  and  unyielding  in  its  sub- 
stance beneath.     Sweating  almost  constantly  requires 
increased  heat,  or  the  confinement  of  the  heat  of  the 
body.     Diaphoresis,  on  the  contrary,  is  often  produced 
by  antimonials  and  different  sedatives.     We  shall  admit 
that  these  distinctions  may,  with  a  very  slight  exertion 
of  ingenuity,  be  reconciled  with  different  degrees  of  the 
action  of  the  same  vessels ;  yet,  while  practical  facts 
lead^us  to  distinguish  them  in  their  effects,  we  were  will- 
ing to  point  out  some  discordance  in  their  phenomena. 
It  is  no  objection  that  anatomy  does  not  furnish  us  with 
a  clue  in  this  investigation,  by  demonstrating  the  glan- 
dular apparatus.    We  have  no  such  structure  to  explain 
the   production  of  sweat;  and   the  best  physiologists 
consider  it  as  an  exhalation  from  the  serous  arteries, 
while  others  suppose  it  to  be  derived  from  follicles  un- 
der the  skin,  though  no  such  have  been  demonstrated. 
Sweat,  in  a  chemical  view,  differs  little  from  the  scrum 
of  the  blood.     It  contains,  with   a   large  proportion  of 
water,  some  gluten  and  muriated  ammonia;  while  the 
insensible  perspiration  consists  of  carbonic  acid  gas, 
with  a  proportion  of  azotic  gas.     In  some  experiments, 
it  has  appeared  to  be  chiefly  the  latter.     The  acid  which 
occasionally  appears  on  the'sweat,  is  the  phosphoric.  We 
have  much  reason  to  believe,  then,  these  discharges  to 
proceed  from  different  vessels ;  and  should  conclude, 
that  the  halitus  is  a  secreted  fluid  in  a  gaseous  form, 
while  the  sweat  is  only  elicited  by  the  force  of  the  cir- 
culation from  the  exhalant  arteries.     We  are  confident, 
however,  that  these  opinions,  should  they  be  found  or 
appear   fanciful,  will    not    mislead.      The   distinction 
which  we  shall  pursue  is  wholly  practical ;  and,  as  it 
was  originally  suggested  by  practical  facts,  we  hope  it 
will  contribute  to  elucidate  and  explain  them. 

Perspiration  has  been  styled  insensible,  from  its  not 
being  cognizable  by  any  sense.  Its  existence  is  ascer- 
:ained  by  the  peculiar  softness  of  the  skin,  and  the  ge- 
neral feeling  of  freedom  and  hilarity  which  accompanies 
this  state  of  health.  It  is  the  diapnoe  of  some  authors ; 
but  in  Chenot,  this  term  rather  means  a  slight  degree 
of  diaphoresis.  The  discharge  of  insensible  perspira- 
tion is  an  halitus  not  admitting  of  being  condensed  in  a 
fluid  form,  of  the  nature  already  explained. 

The  diaphoresis  is  an  increased  discharge  of  a  vapour 
ither  than  a  gas.     It  is  obvious  to  our  sight,  when  a 
un  beam  passes  over  the  surface  of  the  body,  while 
naked  against  a  wall,  as  a  slight  shade  may  be  perceived 
.  is  usually  the  effects  of  warmth,  of  a  stimulus,  or  of 
exercise ;  and  is  felt  by  a  warm  healthy  glow,  and  a  sensa- 
tion of  freedom  from  oppression  or  inconvenience. 

Sweating,  on  the  contrary,  is  probably  a  serous  dis- 
charge from  the  skin,  generally  attended  with  consider- 
able warmth,  often  with  oppressive  heat,  seldom  afford- 
ing a  pleasant  sensation,  unless  associated  with  mirth 

VOL.  I. 


and  hilarity,  as  in  dancing,  or  a  freedom  from  pain,  as 
in  the  sudorific  treatment  of  rheumatism. 

These  different  discharges  are  excited  by  different 
means.  The  diapnoe  is  the  criterion  of  health,  and  we 
can  restore  it  only  by  restoring  health.  Diaphoresis  and 
sweat  are  excited  by  different  ways,  which  may  be  di- 
vided into  the  stimulant  and  relaxant.  The  stimulant 
diaphoretics  are  chiefly  beat,  sometimes  alone;  occa- 
sionally assisted  by  aromatics,  and  similar  heating  medi- 
cines. We  employ  sometimes  heat  alone  to  produce 
sweat,  as  in  the  sudatoria  of  the  ancients;  heat,  inother 
circumstances,  is  communicated  more  successfully  by 
vapour  and  by  water,  though  their  relaxant  power  con- 
tributes to  the  effect :  it  is  communicated  also  by  solid 
bodies,  as  bricks  or  tiles,  heated  cloths,  bottles  and  jugs 
containing  warm  water.  The  heat  of  the  body  itself  is 
sometimes  confined  for  the  same  purpose,  and'  a  partial 
diaphoresis  kept  up,  by.  covering  any  portion  of  the 
body  with  oil  skin  ; — a  general  swe'at  by  additional 
clothes,  particularly  flannel,  whose  properties  w^e  have 
already  explained.  See  COOPERTIO. 

Heat  produces  this  discharge,  when  conveyed  to  the 
stomach  by  means  of  warm  water;  and  it  is  rendered 
more  effectual  when  this  water  is  impregnated  with  dif- 
ferent stimuli.  The  aromatic  herbs  of  our  own  country, 
and  the  spices  of  the  warmer  regions,  are  equaliy 
employed  for  this  purpose.  Wine,  cyder,  sometimes 
beer,  ardent  spirits,  and  volatile  alkali,"  are  occasionally 
added  to  increase  the  effect;  but  these  always  operate 
with  great  stimulus  and  inconvenient  heat. 

It  was  formerly  the  custom  to  accumulate  all  these 
stimuli  for  particular  purposes,  thinking  that  the  greater 
the  heat,  the  more  copious  would  be  the.  discharge. 
Physicians,  in  this  plan,  were  frequently  disappointed  by 
their  own  eagerness.      They  could  produce  burning 
heat,  and  a  clammy  fluid  on  the  skin,  which  appears  to 
be  the  serosity,  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  gluten  of 
the  blood;  but  they  soon  found  that  this  was  not  of  the 
nature  of  sweat,  nor  so  efficacious  as  the  more  fluid  dis- 
charge.    We  were  brought  nearer  the   truth  by  Dr. 
Alexander,   who  found,  by  his  experiments,  that  the 
temperature  of  the  body  must  be  often  reduced  before 
the  proper  discharge  takes  place.    The  temperature,  at 
which  sweating  most  freely  occurs,  he  fixes   at   108° 
of  Fahrenheit.     We  have  found,  by  some  experiments, 
that  this  heat  is  too  high,  and  suspect  the  accuracy  of 
his  thermometer.     We  are  confident  that  the  highest 
point  is  102° ;  and  that  generally  the  heat,  when  the 
sweat  is  most  free  and  salutary,  does  not  exceed  100°. 
To  this  reduction  of  temperature,  rather  than  to  its 
increase,  we  must  attribute  the  effects  of  many  diapho- 
retics.    A  draught  of  cold  water  will  often,  in 'this  way. 
excite  a  free  diaphoresis;  and  cold  affusions,  during 
the  height  of  the  febrile  paroxysm,  will  have  the  same 
effect.     We  have  striking  instances  of  this  kind  in  the 
practice  of  Dr.  Currie  and  Dr.  Gregory  in  scarlatina. 
Acid  drinks  have  a  similar  power;  and  to  this  cause 
we  attribute  the  diaphoretic  effects  of  vinegar  whey, 
the  whey  of  milk,  and  similar  drinks. 

There  is,  however,  a  class  of  stimulant  diaphoretics 
which  act  more  gradually,  and  almost  insensibly,  by 
mixing  with  the  blood,  and  stimulating,  in  the  course 
of  their  circulation,  the  extreme  vessels.  From  what 
has  been  observed  under  the  article  of  ARGEXTVM 
4  B 


DIA 


554 


DIA 


VIVUM,  it  will  be  obvious  that  mercurials  arc  remedies 
of  this  kind,  and  we  are  inclined  to  refer  all  the  metallic 
tonics  to  the  same  head.  Arsenic  will  probably  be  found 
a  similar  remedy.  There  are  many  vegetable  sub- 
stances which  may  be  referred  to  this  class,  particularly 
the  serpentaria  contrayerva,  the  mezereon,  and  the 
guaiacum.  The  seneka,  which  may  appear  to  belong 
to  it,  owes,  more  probably,  its  diaphoretic  effects  to 
the  action  of  vomiting  which  it  excites. 

To  these  more  moderate  stimuli  of  the  extreme  ves- 
sels, some  of  the  gentler  exercises  maybe  added.  Sail- 
ing, riding  in  a  carriage,  and  swinging,  require  bodily 
exertion  in  the  same  order;  but  are  apparently  similar 
in  their  effects  of  determining  to  the  surface.  Riding 
on  horseback,  walking,  dancing,  running,  digging, 
tennis,  and  ringing,  require  still  more  violent  exertion, 
and  at  last  excite  copious  sweat. 

External  stimulating  diaphoretics  are,  friction,  rube- 
facients,warm  plasters  of  Burgundy  pitch,  euphorbium, 
and  cummin  seeds ;  and  blisters,  which  excite  copious 
partial  perspiration,  previous  to  their  vesication. 

The  relaxing  diaphoretics  are  much  more  powerful 
in  their  operation;  and  at  the  head  of  this  list  is  opium. 
There  are  few  ancient  sudorifics  which  have  not  this 
medicine  as  an  ingredient  in  a  greater  or  less  propor- 
tion; and  of  whatever  nature  the  diaphoretic  is,  the  ad- 
dition of  opium  makes  it  more  active  and  successful. 
Anlimonials  are  equally  useful,  and  ipecacuanha  scarcely 
yields  to  them  in  this  power.  It  has  been  doubted, 
whether  these  two  last  medicines  act  independently  of 
the  nausea  they  produce.  We  have  little  hesitation  in 
thinking  that  they  do  so,  for  their  effect  is  not  in  pro- 
portion to  the  degree  of  nausea,  and  is  sometimes  con- 
siderable, when  no  such  previous  power  is  obvious. 
Squills  seem  to  connect  the  nauseating  medicines  with 
those  which  act  on  different  principles.  No  diaphore- 
tic effects  are  strikingly  produced  by  them  in  moderate 
doses;  but  it  may  be  presumed1  that  such  exist,  by  ihe 
balance  observable  between  the  skin  and  kidneys;  for 
whatever  may  excite  the  discharge  from  one  organ,  if 
its  operation  is  prevented,  stimulates  the  other.  Vomit- 
ing constantly  relaxes  the  vessels  on  the  surface,  and 
every  medicine  which  produces  it  is  a  diaphoretic.  The 
whole  tribe  of  narcotic  vegetables,  with  their  deleterious 
effects,  produce  cold  sweats.  Yet  these  we  should  not 
employ  as  salutary  medicines  ;  though  we  suspect  that 
the  aconite,  and  some  others,  employed  in  chronic 
rheumatism,  or  that  hybrid  disease  which  seems  to 
connect  gout  and  rheumatism,  act  in  no  other  way. 

Such  are  the  remedies  employed  as  diaphoretics,  and 
such,  in  general,  the  principles  on  which  they  act.  We 
must  now  attend  to  their  effects  on  the  animal  economy. 

The  connection  between  the  state  of  the  extreme 
vessels,  the  system  in  general,  and  the  stomach,  has  been 
already  noticed.  This  has  been  attributed  to  a  nervous 
sympathy,  and  probably  is  owing  to  such  a  connection, 
since  the  effect  is  more  sudden  than  can  be  explained  in 
uny  other  manner.  To  keep  up  the  action  of  these 
vessels  must  consequently  be  always  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance, since  health  is  inconsistent  with  a  contrary 
state;  and,  in  the  whole  circle  of  acute  and  chronic  com- 
plaints,no  single  circumstance  requires  greater  attention. 

When  we  reflect,  however,  on  the  extent  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  body,  we  shall  find,  that  to  fill  the  extreme 


vessels  will  require  no  inconsiderable  proportion  of  the 
fluids.  To  prevent,  therefore,  as  well  as  to  relieve,  in- 
ternal congestions,  this  class  of  remedies  is  of  the 
greatest  utility.  If,  however,  carried  to  excess,  no 
evacuation  so  greatly  debilitates;  and  though  all  secre- 
tory organs,  after  their  action  has  been  violently  excited, 
sink  into  a  torpid  state,  the  vessels  of  the  skin  seem 
peculiarly  disposed  to  this  alternation  of  inactivity  after 
exertion.  If  then  it  is  intended  to  relieve  congestion, 
we  must  be  peculiarly  cautious  to  excite  no  greater 
action  than  we  can  constantly  keep  up.  In  all  such 
cases,  therefore,  the  slightest  diaphoresis  is  only  admis- 
sible. In  fact,  we  should  fill  the  vessels,  instead  of 
promoting  any  considerable  evacuation. 

As  different  theories  have  dictated,  we  have  been 
sometimes  alarmed  with  apprehensions  of  producing 
morbid  viscidity  and  lentorof  the  fluids  by  sweating  ;  at 
others,  taught  to  promote  this  evacuation  to  counteract 
preternatural  tenuity.  Each  danger  is  equally  imaginary. 
When  sweat  is  excited,  other  watery  discharges  are  pro- 
portionally diminished,  and  thirst  leads  the  patient  to 
require  a  supply.  On  the  other  hand,  tenuity  of  the 
blood,  when  it  exists  merely  in  consequence  of  an  in- 
creased proportion  of  water,  is  relieved  by  the  kid- 
neys, without  any  effort  on  our  side.  When  it  arises 
from  an  increase  of  the  ammoniacal  salts  in  the  blood, 
the  debility  which  attends  prevents  the  use  of  reme- 
dies which,  in  any  degree,  weaken  the  system.  In  those 
cases  where  acrimony  may  be  suspected,  (they  are  in- 
deed very  rare,)  violent,  insatiable  thirst  calls  fora  sup- 
ply of  watery  fluids  for  their  solution  and  evacuation. 
They  are  then  eliminated  through  the  urinary  organs. 
We  must  next  consider  the  diseases  to  which  diapho- 
retics are  applicable. 

The  insensible  diapnoe,  we  have  said,  is  the  criterion 
of  health,  and  can  be  produced  only  by  supporting  the 
general  healthy  state.  It  is  most  observable  in  cold 
weather ;  and  the  nearer  we  approach  to  it  in  every  dis- 
order, the  greater  is  our  success.  It  is  generally  ob- 
tained by  free  cold  air,  when  this  is  admissible;  and  to 
attain  it  is  our  aim  in  every  complaint. 

The  moderate  diaphoresis  is  our  chief  object  in  the 
greater  number  of  acute  diseases.  To  begin,  as  usual, 
with  the  PYREXI.E,  we  may  remark,  that  diaphoretics 
are,  in  this  class,  of  very  extensive  utility.  Intermit- 
tents  are  usually  left  to  their  course  during  the  parox- 
ysm, and  the  efforts  of  the  physician  are  reserved  for 
the  interval.  Yet  there  are  circumstances  in  which 
the  return  of  the  paroxysm  would  be  fatal;  and  others, 
where  the  delirium,  in  the  hot  fit,  is  most  alarming. 
In  each  case,  diaphoretics  are  employed :  in  the  first,  to 
support  the  circulation  in  the  extreme  vessels,  that  the 
fit  may  be  obviated;  in  the  second,  to  hasten  the  na- 
tural crisis  by  perspiration.  The  kind  of  diaphoretics 
chosen  for  the  first  purpose,  is  the  warm  stimulants  ;  the 
reason  of  which  we  shall  afterwards  explain.  To  assist 
in  promoting  perspiration,  in  the  hot  fit,  the  relaxants, 
and  particularly  opium,  are  preferred.  This  was  the 
practice  introduced  by  Dr.  Lind. 

In  continued  fe-vers,\\.  was,  for  ages,  the  custom  to  give 
the  most  stimulating  diaphoretics  to  promote  the  con- 
coction of  morbid  matter.  Not  a  breath  of  air  was 
suffered  to  approach  the  patient ;  but  serpentary,  con- 
trayerva, and  volatile  alkali)  were  exhibited  in  profusion. 


DI  A 


I)  I  A 


have  been  assured,  that  three  beds  have,  in  succes- 
sion, rotted  by  the  sweat,  under  the  same  person,  in  a 
single  fever.  We  still  attempt  to  promote  perspiration  ; 
but  by  cooling,  rather  than  heating,  remedies,  adapting 
them  to  the  circumstances  and  to  the  temperature  of 
the  patient.  Modern  practice  has  freely  adopted  the 
relaxant  diaphoretics,  particularly  the  antimonials,  to 
conquer  the  supposed  spasm  on  the  surface.  We  trust 
that  we  shall  show  that  this  plan  has  at  least  been  car- 
ried to  an  improper  extent,  even  if  it  appear  well  found- 
ed in  its  principle. 

In  ibe.phlfgmasi£  the  skin  is  hot  and  dry,  and  the 
utility  of  diaphoretics  is  obvious.  As  the  temperature 
of  the  skin  is  above  the  sweating  point,  cold  is  chiefly 
indicated;  yet,  in  man);  of  the  diseases,  this  plan  can- 
not, for  reasons  already  assigned,  be  carried  to  a  consi- 
derable extent  (see  COLD).  We  must,  therefore,  adopt 
the  relaxant  diaphoretics ;  and  of  these  we  are  often 
obliged,  for  other  reasons,  to  avoid  opium.  Antimo- 
nials are  then  our  chief  dependence,  with  the  other 
remedies  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  seat  of  the  com- 
plaint. There  is,  however,  one  disease,  which  is  an 
exception  to  these  general  remarks;  rheumatism.  Af- 
ter the  more  active  period  of  the  complaint,  it  admits 
of  the  more  stimulating  diaphoretics;  and  when  the  fe- 
ver has  abated,  of  the  most  stimulating.  In  fact,  after 
a  time  the  vessels  become  torpid  and  paralytic,  to  be 
roused  only  by  the  most  powerful  exciting  causes;  but 
-tate  can  only  be  explained  under  the  proper  head, 
after  many  previous  distinctions.  See  IXFLAMMATIO 
-and  RHEUMATISMCS. 

In  the  hsni'jrrhagits  we  find  little  room  for  diapho- 
retics, except  of  the  most  cooling  kind.  The  source  of 
their  utility  in  relieving  internal  congestions  has  been 
already  explained ;  but  it  will  be  obvious  that  these  re- 
medies are  chiefly  of  service  in  active  haemorrhages, 
where  the  heat  is  preternaturally  increased.  In  this 
case,  cold  drinks  and  cold  applications  are,  as  usual,  the 
most  powerful  diaphoretics.  In  the  passive  haemorr- 
T  they  relax  too  powerfully  to  be  of  the  slightest 
utility.  In  reality,  they  are  highly  injurious. 

Exanthemata.  The  diseases  of  this  order  peculiarly 
require  the  use  of  diaphoretics  ;  but,  in  the  greater 
number  of  genera,  the  heat  is  already  beyond  the  point 
which  admits  of  a  discharge  from  the  skin,  so  that  the 
more  cooling  medicines  of  this  class  are  preferred,  ex- 
cept in  one  genus,  the  measles.  In  scarlatina,  the  cold 
jns,  long  continued,  have  been  found  of  singular 
y  in  promoting  perspiration.  In  the  plague,  the 
gentle  diaphoresis  called  by  Chenot  the  d:afn;^f,  is  found 
of  the  greatest  utility  ;  and  it  appears  probable,  from 
;he  late  experience  in  this  complaint,  that  this  is  best 
obtained  by  cold.  To  this  general  doctrine  there  are 
only  two  exceptions,  either  when  the  disease  is  of  a  pu- 
trid nature,  or  the  eruption  has  disappeared.  In  these 
>  warmth  of  every  kind  is  essentially  necessary,  and 
the  warmer  diaphoretics  are  only  employed. 

In  the  proflu-uia,  this  class  of  remedies  is  of  the 
highest  importance.  In  the  only  two  diseases  included 
under  it  in  the  best  system  of  nosology,  diaphoretics 
chiefiy  relieve.  In  catarrh,  their  use  is  well  known  ; 
and  in  dysentery,  when  purgatives  have  evacuated  the 
accustomed  scybala  from  the  intestines,  the  ipecacuanha 
*nd  antimonials,  so  universally  recommended,  undoubt- 
act  only  by  determining  to  the  surface. 


In  the  first  order  of  the  NEUROSES,  the  comata,  dia- 
phoretics are  not  peculiarly  indicated.  Yet  we  must 
keep  in  our  view  the  advantages  which,  in  every  case  of 
internal  congestion,  arise  from  keeping  the  extreme 
vessels  in  an  active  state,  since  they  contain  so  consi- 
derable a  portion  of  the  fluids.  Of  the  adynamiz,  dys- 
pepsia, hypvchondriasis,  and  chlorosis,  require  the  same 
attention.  In  each  there  is  always  a  defect  of  perspi- 
ration ;  and,  in  each,  to  restore  it,  contributes  greatly 
to  the  patient's  relief. 

Of  the  spasmi,  tetanus  chiefly  demands  our  attention 
to  the  state  of  the  skin,  as  it  often  proceeds  from  cold, 
and  is  relieved  by  active  sweating.  When  mercurials, 
with  opiates  are  of  such  singular  service,  the  benefit 
probably  originates  from  the  same  source.  In  asthma, 
the  utility  of  diaphoretics  is  sufficiently  obvious,  from 
what  we  have  already  said  ;  and  in  cfilic  and  diarrhta 
external  warmth  is  singularly  useful.  In  cholera  they 
are  of  peculiar  service  ;  and  Sydenham  has  remarked, 
that  even-  remedy  to  calm  the  vomiting  has  failed,  til! 
a  sweat  broke  out.  We  mention  this  more  particularly, 
as  the  advantages  of  these  remedies  were  not  duly  en- 
forced under  the  proper  head. 

Of  the  vesaniis,  melancholia  alone  seems  to  be  parti- 
ticularly  relieved  by  diaphoretics;  yet,  in  those  cases  of 
mania  where  there  is  great  internal  congestion,  could 
the  patient  be  properly  confined,  they  might  be  useful. 
In  the  CAciiExijE  we  see  little  foundation  for  their  pe- 
culiar employment.  In  each  genus,  however,  the  cir- 
culation in  the  extremities  is  particularly  languid,  and 
the  external  stimulating  diaphoretics  are  of  use.  Of 
the  i.MPETiGEXES,  the  diseases  merely  cutaneous  are  be- 
nefited by  them  ;  but  these  require  the  more  gently  sti- 
mulating kind,  which  act  steadily  rather  than  violently: 
we  mean  the  mercurials,  the  sarsa,  the  mezereon,  and 
the  others  enumerated. 

The  chief  disadvantages  of  diaphoretics  arise  from 
their  debilitating  effects.  The  discharge,  therefore,  in 
every  instance,  should  be  conducted  with  caution  and 
moderation ;  nor  should  the  practitioner  aim  at  relic 
his  patient  rapidly,  when  the  cure  would  be  safer  and 
more  permanent,  were  the  course  more  gentle  and  stea- 
dy ;  and  when  the  perspiration  has  been  kept  up  with 
violence,  relapses  are  by  no  means  uncommon. 

DIAPHRA'GMA.  TbediaflAragm,(fnaa  h«Q?*' 
to  make  a  partition,  or  inclosure,  of  «**«,  and  <£fxr<ra,  to 
close,}  because  it  divides  the  cavity  of  the  thorax  from 
that  of  the  abdomen.  MIDRIFF;  also  called  diazoma, 
disseptum,  hypozoma, septum  transversum,  cinetus,suc- 
cingcns  membrana,  discrimen  thoracis  etventris.  Pliny 
calls  it  the  precordia,  because  it  stands,  he  says,  like  a 
wall,  to  defend  the  heart.  Hippocrates,  with  many  of 
the  ancients,  call  it  (pfms ;  they  also  gave  the  name  of 
diaphragms  to  the  division  between  the  mouth  and  the 
oesophagus,  terming  it,  by  way  of  distinction,  the  dia- 
phragma  per  OEsophagum.  Galen  and  Rufus  Ephesius 
call  the  cartilaginous  partition  between  the  nostrils,  the 
diaphragm  of  the  nose;  but  the  only  part  now  called 
diaphragm  is  that  first  mentioned. 

The  diaphragm  is  composed  of  two  muscles;  the 
small  one  rises  by  two  tendons,  called  crura,  from  the 
second  lumbar  vertebra,  and  receives  a  slip  from  the 
first  vertebra  of  the  loins,  and  from  the  ligament  which 
joins  the  last  rib  to  the  vertebra  ;  the  two  crura  then 
run  upwards  and  grow  fieshy.  The  large  .  ises 

4  B2 


DI  A 


556 


1)  I  A 


from  the  inside  of  the  margin  of  the  thorax,  all  round, 
from  the  false  ribs  to  the  xiphoid  cartilage ;  its  fibres 
shoot  forwards,  and  form  that  triangular  appearance 
called  the  centrum  tendinosum,  or  centrum  nerveum. 
Winslow  calls  it  the  middle  a/ioneurosis,  or  aponeurotic 
filane  cf  the  diaphragm  :  M.  de  Bordeu  calls  it  centre 
phrenique  ;  and  it  is  also  called  coostrum.  There  is  a 
notch  between  the  crurae  of  the  lesser  muscle  where  the 
aorta  passes.  In  the  larger  muscle  are  two  passages, 
one  in  the  tendinous  part,  for  the  vena  cava,  which  is 
situated  there ;  because  as  the  tendon  is  not  capable  of 
being  contracted,  the  circulation  will  not  be  interrupted: 
the  other  is  for  the  oesophagus,  and  is  situated  in  the 
fleshy  part.  The  reason  seems  to  be, that  the  diaphragm, 
in  its  action,  pressing  upon  the  stomach,  might  cause 
an  evacuation  of  its  contents,  unless  at  the  same  time  it 
constricted  the  cavity  of  the  oesophagus.  If  this  be  true, 
the  diaphragm  has  probably  little  effect  in  promoting  the 
action  of  vomiting.  From  considering  the  attachment 
of  the  diaphragm,  it  will  be  seen  that  its  action  will  be 
to  render  itself  flat,  and  thereby  to  enlarge  the  cavity 
of  the  thorax;  but  if  we  regard  it  as  acting  round  the 
viscera  as  round  a  pulley,  we  may  conceive  how  it  both 
depresses  the  viscera  and  raises  the  ribs ;  at  the  same 
time  still  more  enlarging  the  cavity  of  the  thorax.  Its 
veins  are  large,  and  go  directly  to  the  vena  cava.  The 
arteries  are  sometimes  immediately  from  the  aorta,  and 
sometimes  from  the  cceliac  ;  a  few  branches  are-receiv- 
ed also  from  the  lumbales  and  adiposae.  The  nerves  are 
from  the  plexus  cervicalis  on  each  side,  and  from  the 
second  pair  of  the  vertebrae. 

In  inspiration,  the  diaphragm  descends  towards  the 
belly  ;  this  is  its  proper  motion  resulting  from  muscu- 
lar contraction.  In  expiration,  it  is  relaxed  and  drawn 
upwards,  forming  a  concavo-convex  figure,  the  concave 
side  being  towards  the  belly.  It  assists  in  the  expulsion 
of  the  excrements  and  foetus.  It  is  in  perpetual  mo- 
tion, and  seems  to  have  other  and  more  important  uses 
in  our  constitution  than  as  yet  are  clearly  understood. 
It  is  also  a  name  of  the  septum  scroti.  See  SCRO- 
TUM. 

DIAPHRAGMATIC^  ARTE'RIJE,  belonging  to 
or  connected  with,  the  diaphragm.  The  DIAPHRAGMA- 
TIC ARTERIES  ;  also  called  phrenic.  Their  origin  has 
been  already  explained.  The  diaphragmatic  arteries  ge- 
nerally appear  on  the  under  side  of  the  diaphragm,  very 
rarely  on  the  upper;  they  give  small  branches  to  the 
glandulae  renales,  and  to  the  fat  which  lies  on  the  kid- 
neys ;  these  latter  are  called  adipose.  Besides  these  ca- 
pital diaphragmatic  arteries,  there  are  other  less  ones 
from  the  intercostales,  mammarias  internae,  mediastinae, 
pericardise,  and  coeliacae. 

DIAPHRAGMA'TIC^E  VE'NJE,  (from  the  same).  The 
DIAPHRAGMATIC  VEINS  ;  also  called  phrenic<£  ven&. 
They  spring  from  the  vena  cava  inferior,  just  as  it  dc- 
..  scends  through  the  diaphragm  :  they  appear  generally 
on  the  lower  side  of  the  diaphragm.  The  left  branch  is 
ramified  upon  the  pericardium. 

DIAPHRAGMA'TIC^E  SUPERIORES  VEN.S.  The  UPPER 
DIAPHRAGMATIC  VEINS,  are  also  called  fiericardio-dia- 
phragmatic/E  vence.  The  right  comes  anteriorly  from 
the  root  of  the  bifurcation,  near  the  mediastina,  and 
is  spread  about  the  pericardium:  the  left  from  the  left 
subclavian. 

DIAPHRAGMITIS,  (from hxfyx-y/4*, diaphragm}. 


INFLAMMATION   OF     THE  DIAPHRAGM.     See   PARAPHRE- 
NITIS. 

DIA'PHTHORA,  (from  ha,  and  <p6ei^a,  corrumflo,  to 
corrupt).  In  Hippocrates  it  signifies  the  corruption  of 
the  foetus.  See  AUORTUS. 

DIAPHYLA'CTICOS,  (from  hatpvtes-tra,  to  keep). 
See  PROPHYLACE. 

DIA'PHYSIS,  (from  S~ta,tyva,  inlernascor,  to  grow  be- 
tween). An  interstice,  a  partition,  or  whatever  inter- 
venes between  different  parts.  Galen  explains  it  to  be 
a  nervous  and  cartilaginous  protuberance  in  the  middle 
of  the  junction  of  the  os  tibise  with  the  os  femoris, 
which  enters  that  large  sinus,  and  separates  the  lower 
heads  and  processes  of  the  os  femoris,  inserted  into  the 
sinus  of  the  tibia.  This  substance  only  appears  in  recent 
subjects.  In  other  places,  the  0?aphysis  is  spoken  of  as 
a  cavity,  or  chink,  for  the  reception  of  some  other  part. 

DIAPISSELjE'ON,  (from  ^V-ancl  zrio-s-aA^v,  the 
oil  tjf  pitch).  A  composition  in  which  liquid  pitch  is  a 
chief  ingredient. 

DIAPLA'SIS,  (from  S'lanhairru,  to  put  together,  os 
fashion).  CONFORMATION.  It  signifies  the  replacing 
a  l.uxated  or  fractured  bone,  as  near  as  possible,  in  its 
proper  situation. 

DIAPLA'SMA,  (from  S'ta.Tr^xtnra,  to  smear  over). 
An  unction  or  fomentation  applied  all  over  the  body. 

DIA'PNE,  (from  S'ta.Tritu,  to  pass  gently  through,  as 
the  breath  does).  See  DIAMNES. 

DIAPNOE,  (from  Sixvita,  to  perspire,  from  Put, 
through,  and  ITIIU,  to  breathe}.  See  PERSPIRATIO,  and 

DlAPHORETICA. 

DIAPORE'MA,  (from  S~i»iftf;a,  to  be  in  doubt). 
Anxiety,  heat,  and  restlessness,  in  distempers.  See 

Al.VS.MOS. 

DIAPRA'SIUM,  (from  •srpci/ro-tev,  hore/iound).  A 
composition  in  which  horehound  is  one  of  the  ingre- 
dients, 

DIAPRU'NUM,  (from  2t»,  and  -srpovvev,  a  prune,} 
also  called  diacoccymelon.  The  name  of  two  composi- 
tions which  contain  prunes  :  both  are  purging  electu- 
aries; but  the  elect,  e  senna  is  used  in  their  stead. 

DIAPSO'RICUM,  (from  — ,  and  ^«;«,  the  itch). 
The  name  of  a  medicine  for  the  itch  or  scurvy. 

DIAPTE'RNES,  (from  — ,  and  vlifia,  the  heel).  A 
medicine  made  of  the  heels  of  animals  and  cheese. 

DIAPTERO'SIS,  (from—,  and  ar7tfv«,  a  feather). 
The  cleaning  of  the  ears  with  a  feather. 

DIAPYE'MA,(from  — ,  and  srt/«»,  pus).     See  AB- 

SCESSUS. 

DIAPYE'MATA,  and  DIAPYE'TICA,  (from  h*- 
Trviifia,  a  suppuration).  See  SUPPURANTIA. 

DIA'RIA  FE'BRIS,  (from  dies,  a  day).  See  EPHE- 
MERA. 

DIAROMA'TICUM,  (from  h*,  a^/a*?**)-  A  me- 
dicine composed  of  aromatics. 

DIA'RRHAGE,  (from  <5W<if>jyyvujw./,  to  break  asun- 
der). A  fracture,  particularly  of  the  temporal  bones. 

DIARRHODOME'LI,  from  &«,  {»}»,  a  rose,  and 
f«A<,  an  apple).  The  name  of  a  composition  of  scam- 
mony,  juice  of  roses,  kc.  See  PIAGRYDIUM. 

DIARRHO'DON,  (from  — ,  and  f,h,,  a  rose).  A 
name  of  many  compositions  in  which  roses  are  ingre- 
dients. 

DIARRHCE'A,  (from  h*,  through,  and  fta,  to  flow'). 
ALVI  FLUXXJS,  hypexodcs ;  perturbatio  alvi ;  a  too 


UIA 


557 


DI  A 


frequent  discharge  of  the  contents  of  the  intestines.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class  neuroses, 
and  order  sfiasmi,  which  he  defines  a  frequent  purging  ; 
the  disease  not  contagious,  and  unattended  with  any 
primary  febrile  affection.  Of  this  he  forms  six  species  : 
1st,  Diarrhoea  crapulosa  ;  stercoroso,  seu  vulgaris ; 
when  the  excrements  are  more  fluid  and  more  copious 
than  is  natural.  2d,  Diarrhea  biliosa ;  when  yellow 
faeces  are  copiously  discharged.  3d,  Diarrhoea  mucosa, 
leucorrhois  ;  diarrhoea  lactantium  ;  serosa  ;fiituitaria,  vel 
mucosa ;  in  which,  either  from  acrid  substances  taken 
into  the  stomach,  or  from  cold  applied  particularly  to 
the  feet,  there  is  a  copious  discharge  of  mucus.  4th, 
Diarrhoea  cfliaca, called  also  cxliaca  cfiylosa,&i\d.  lactea  ; 
when  a  milky  liquid,  like  chyle,  passes  downwards.  5th, 
Diarrhea  lienteria ;  when  the  aliment  soon  passes 
through,  with  little  alteration.  6th,  Diarrhea  hcfiatirhtea  ; 
when  the  discharge  is  bloody  coloured  serum,  and  not 
attended  with  pain.  If  painful,  it  is  sometimes  called  a 
colic. 

Those  who  have  been  rendered  weak  or  irritable  by 
a  hot  season  or  sultry  climate,  or  by  being  exposed  to  a 
putrid  vapour,  are  peculiarly  liable  to  this  disease. 

The  immediate  cause  is  irritation  in  the  intestines  ; 
but  the  causes  of  this  preternatural  irritation  are  numer- 
ous: the  most  frequent  are  an  undue  use  of  purgatives  ; 
acidity,  or  putrescency  of  the  aliments ;  acrid  bile  ;  pus 
absorbed  from  abscesses,  and  carried  to  the  intestines  ; 
a  laxity  of  the  glands  of  the  intestines;  obstructed  per- 
spiration ;  putrid  vapours  ;  a  translation  of  the  morbid 
matter  of  other  diseases  to  the  intestines;  passions  of  the 
mind,  kc. 

Whatever  other  symptoms  occasionally  attend  a  diarr- 
hoea, besides  a  too  copious  and  too  frequent  discharge 
of  the  intestines,  are  accidental.'  The  loss  of  appetite, 
and  of  strength,  are  consequences  of  the  excessive  eva- 
cuations, or  of  some  other  attending  disorder ;  sickness 
and  pain  are,  in  many  cases,  only  attending  symptoms. 
While  the  patient's  strength  is  but  little  affected  by  a 
diarrhoea,  it  may  be  generally  looked  on  a  salutary  ra- 
ther than  morbid  evacuation  ;  but  sometimes,  if  neglect- 
ed or  ill  treated,  the  cure  is  difficult. 

Diarrhoea,  in  its  most  unlimited  sense,  is  a  discharge 
from  the  bowels ;  and,  in  this  view,  its  explanation  is 
peculiarly  difficult.  The  principal  distinction  which 
arises  is,  whether  the  cause  be  connected  with  the 
bowels,  or  with  other  organs;  in  fact,  whether  diarrhoea 
be  idiopathic  or  symptomatic.  But  this  distinction  we 
shall  have  little  occasion  to  employ,  since  the  greater 
number  of  instances  are  owing  to  substances  actually 
present  in  the  intestines. 

The  most  obvious  species  is  that  kind  which  arises 
from  the  ingesta,  whether  these  in  their  quantity  or 
quality  offend.  In  either  case,  the  first  symptoms  arise 
in  the  stomach  ;  and,  if  the  patient  cannot  ascertain  the 
fact  from  recollecting  what  he  has  eaten,  he  may  be  re- 
minded of  it,  by  the  taste  arising  in  his  mouth,  the  aver- 
sion which  he  feels  on  recollecting  any  part  of  his  former 
diet;  from  the  nidorose  eructations,  resembling  the 
taste  of  rotten  egg,  or  even  a  putrid  taste  on  the  back 
part  of  the  tongue.  In  such  circumstances,  no  medicine 
will,  in  general,  succeed,  without  evacuating  the  sto- 
mach ;  but  to  this  consideration  we  must  return. 

When  the  ingesta  pass  the  stomach,  they  sometimes 
excite  commotions  from  their  action  in  the  intestinal 
canal.  They  then  usually  pass  off;  but  there  are  in- 


stances where  they  are  retained,  particularly  in  the  co- 
lon, by  a  spasmodic  constriction ;  and  the  increased  ac- 
tion which  they  excite  is  sometimes  continued  from 
increased  irritability  alone.  In  the  first  instance,  con- 
siderable pain  usually  attends  ;  in  the  second,  the  stools 
are  watery,  without  pain. 

Another  kind  of  diarrhoea,  confined  to  the  bowels,  is 
from  an  increased  discharge  of  the  fluids  poured  in  from 
their  excretory  ducts.  The  principal  fluid  is  bile ;  and 
diarrhoea  arises  from  this  fluid  in  many  different  cir- 
cumstances. An  increased  flow  of  bile  is  sometimes 
owing  to  continued  heat  only,  and  it  is  then  attended 
with  vomiting,  as  in  cholera ;  sometimes  from  a  previous 
obstruction  of  the  biliary  ducts,  when  the  preceding 
jaundice  will  point  out  its  cause ;  occasionally  from  the 
exciting  passions  of  the  mind  ;  from  the  bites  of  vipers; 
from  worms ;  from  poisons ;  from  congestions  in  the 
liver  ;  from  cold;  or  the  cold  fit  of  fevers. 

Of  the  other  glands  whose  ducts  open  in  the  aliment- 
ary canal,  we  have  a  less  perfect  knowledge.  The  pan- 
creas only  is  an  object  of  our  sense,  and.its  functions  are 
little  known.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  its  fluid  re- 
sembles the  saliva;  and,  when  we  find  mercurials  em- 
ployed in  friction,  instead  of  affecting  the  salivary 
glands,  stimulate  the  intestines,  we  naturally  ascribe  it 
to  an  increased  discharge  of  the  pancreatic  fluid. 

The  whole  of  the  canal  is  covered,  however,  with 
mucous  glands;  and  we  know  that,  when  the-perspira- 
tion  is  obstructed,  the  whole  mucous  membrane  com- 
pensates for  the  defect,  by  an  increased  discharge.  I. 
is  said,  and,  we  believe,  with  some  truth,  that  the  milk 
is  occasionally  absorbed  and  deposited  on  the  intestines  ; 
we  can  add,  after  what  has  been  said  on  the  subject  o- 
CCELIACA  PASSIO  and  DIABETES,  q.  v.  that  the  unapplied 
aliment  sometimes  takes  the  same  course. 

In  cases  of  teething,  we  might  consider  the  increased 
action  of  the  salivary  glands  as  similar  to  the  increased 
discharge  from  the  pancreas.  We  omitted  mentionnrj; 
it,  however,  under  this  head,  because  it  is  supposed  that 
the  irritation  communicated  through  the  whole  mem- 
brane contributes  to  the  effect.  We  dare  not  either  deny 
or  confirm  this  opinion ;  but  it  receives  some  suppor" 
from  opium  being  the  most  effectual  remedy. 

In  cases  of  diarrhoea  following  suppressed  perspira- 
tion, we  considered  the  discharge  as  merely  vicarious. 
It  is,  however,  sometimes  inflammatory  ;  and  it  was  ne- 
cessary to  separate  the  consideration  in  a  practical  view, 
from  the  following  circumstance.  A  diarrhoea  sometimes 
follows  measles,  which,  Sydenham  tells  us,  cannot  be 
suppressed  by  the  usual  remedies,  but  by  antiphlogistic 
plans,  and  particularly  bleeding. 

Diarrhoea,  we  have  said, arises  from  acrid  poisons;  and 
these,  even  when  they  have  been  discharged,  leave  the 
intestines  in  so  irritable  a  state,  that  even  the  common  in- 
gesta excite  violent  and  irregular  action.  Sometimes 
even  extreme  general  irritability  will  occasion  a  similar 
effect;  and  any  agitation,  even  from  the  depressing  pas- 
sions, will  occasion  copious  discharges  from  the  bowels. 
This  disease  occasionally  attends  fevers,  and  is  said 
to  be  sometimes  critical,  which  means,  in  the  language  of 
the  ancient  physicians,  that  the  concocted  morbid  matter 
is  thrown  out  by  the  glands  of  the  intestines,  probably 
the  liver.  Though  we  admit  neither  of  the  theory  nor 
of  the  comment,  the  fact  is  certain,  and  will  be  found  to 
admit  of  a  different  explanation.  We  now  mention 
it  merely  to  say,  that,  if  in  fever  the  pulse  becomes 


DI  A 


558 


DI  A 


fuller,  softer,  and  slower,  the  skin  more  moist,  without 
faintness,  though  the  discharges  by  stool  are  copious, 
they  should  not  be  hastily  checked. 

The  bowels  suffer  from  another  cause.  When  inter- 
nal suppuration  takes  place,  the  discharge  is  sometimes 
lessened,  and  the  purulent  matter  apparently  evacuated 
from  the  intestines.  It  is  seemingly  absorbed,  and 
again  deposited.  In  cancers  we  have  more  than  once 
known  this  metastasis,  as  it  is  called,  to  take  place ;  and 
in  phthisis  it  is  not  uncommon,  especially  when  there  is 
no  morning  perspiration,  or  this  discharge  disappears, 
or  is  checked.  It  frequently  attends  peripneumony, 
and  is  then  a  dangerous  symptom,  as  it  prevents  the  na- 
tural solution  of  the  disease  by  expectoration ;  some- 
times it  attends  gout,  when  it  brings  back  an  almost  ex- 
tinguished paroxysm. 

Diarrhoea  sometimes  continues  long  without  evacuat- 
ing the  offending  substance.  We  must  not,  therefore, 
conclude,  from  its  continuance,  that  the  intestines  are 
properly  emptied.  In  fevers  it  supervenes,  or  is  pro- 
duced by  the  most  active  purgatives,  without  properly 
discharging  the  contents  of  the  canal,  which  only  ap- 
pear on  the  solution  of  the  disease.  When  diarrhoea 
has  long  continued,  it  is  attended  with  tenesmus,  an  ir- 
regular action  of  the  rectum,  suggesting  the  idea  of  a 
discharge  impending,  without  effect.  Sometimes  the 
'  abraded  mucus  exposes  the  small  vessels,  and  a  little 
blood  is  evacuated.  It  is  then  said  to  be  dysenteric  ; 
but  no  two  diseases  are  more  essentially  distant  than 
diarrhoea  and  dysentery,  as  we  shall  soon  demonstrate. 
The  mucous  diarrhoea  approaches  most  nearly  to  dysen- 
tery ;  but  this  is  either  owing  to  acrid  cathartics  or 
sometimes  to  cold. 

Diarrhoea  is  seldom  fatal  but  in  exhausted  constitu- 
tions, where  it  is  generally  a  symptom  of  some  highly 
dangerous  disease  ;  or  where  the  tone  of  the  intestines  is 
so  completely  destroyed,  that  the  aliment  cannot  be 
retained  a  sufficient  time  to  be  digested.  In  general, 
when  it  has  continued  for  a  long  period,  it  is  seldom 
completely  removed;  and,  in  such  cases,  when  it  has 
ceased  for  a  time,  the  slightest  occasional  causes  have 
induced  a  relapse. 

The  cure  of  diarrhoea  is  sometimes  easy  ;  but  it  fre- 
quently baffles  our  utmost  skill.  When  the  symptoms, 
already  described  in  the  stomach,  lead  to  a  suspicion 
that  irritation  is  kept  up  by  acrid  substances  in  that  vis- 
cus,  an  emetic  should  be  premised.  This,  indeed,  is 
generally  necessary  in  every  case  where  the  diarrhoea 
continues  obstinate.  It  relieves  the  stomach  from  acri- 
mony, checks  the  increased  peristaltic  motion  down- 
ward, gives  it  an  opposite  direction,  or  determines 
it  to  the  skin:  in  each  way  it  is  useful.  After  the 
emetic,  it  is  necessary  to  procure  some  respite,  and 
opiates  may  be  employed  with  safety.  By  lessening  or 
stopping  the  peristaltic  motion,  we  relax  any  spasmodic 
stricture  which  may  prevent  the  discharge  of  offending 
matter ;  and  the  gentle  laxatives  afterwards  required, 
will  have  a  more  salutary  effect.  By  thus  alternating 
the  opiates  and  laxatives,  we  at  last  succeed  in  reliev- 
ing the  bowels  from  the  irritation  of  offending  matter, 
and  moderately  warm  astringents  will  complete  the 
cure. 

The  bilious  vomiting  will  be  sufficiently  understood 
by  what  has  been  observed  under  the  article  CHOLERA. 
We  can  only  add  in  this  place,  that  while  ihe  dis- 


charges continue  dark  and  fetid,  no  astringents  should 
be  employed,  and  we  can  only  allow  occasional  rest  by 
a  slight  opiate  after  it,  and  the  laxatives  must  be  soon 
repeated. 

When  a  bilious  diarrhoea  has  followed  a  suppressed 
evacuation  of  bile,  or  when  it  arises  from  passions,  from 
worms,  the  bites  of  poisonous  animals,  &c.  it  requires 
regulation,  rather  than  immediate  suppression,  and  we 
may  siill  alternate  the  opiates  with  the  laxatives  ;  but 
emetics  are  unnecessary.  The  diarrhoea,  from  conges- 
tions, in  the  liver,  attends  those  who  have  lived  long  in, 
and  been  affected  with  the  bilious  diseases  of,  warm  cli- 
mates. It  is  a  symptom  of  infarcted  liver,  and  the  cure 
will  depend  on  the  removal  of  the  principal  complaint. 
When  from  the  congestion,  in  consequence  of  the  cold 
fit  of  fevers,  we  must  endeavour  to  relieve  the  fever  by 
the  remedies  to  be  afterwards  pointed  out. 

The  diarrhoea,  which  arises  from  mercurials  exter- 
nally applied,  we  have  attributed  to  their  action  on  the 
pancreas ;  and  the  medicine  must,  in  that  case,  be  re- 
mitted, opiates  employed,  and  perspiration  excited  by 
warm  diluting  liquors.  When  the  kindred  fluid,  the 
saliva,  excites  the  action  of  the  intestines,  in  the  teeth- 
ing of  children,  we  can  only  lessen  it,  and  diminish  the 
irritation  by  opium.  It  must,  however,  be  recollected, 
that  a  diarrhoea  in  teething  is  most  salutary,  and  that  it 
should  be  regulated,  not  checked. 

The  most  frequent  cause  of  diarrhoea  is  an  affection 
of  the  mucous  membrane,  either  when  its  action  is  in- 
creased to  supply,  with  the  other  glands,  the  deficiency 
of  perspiration,  or  when,  from  this  or  a  specific  virus, 
as  in  the  measles,  these  glands  are  inflamed.  In  such 
cases  the  ipecacuanha,  either  in  Active  doses,  as  an 
emetic,  or  in  milder  ones,  with  opium,  as  a  diaphoretic, 
is  of  considerable  service.  The  warm  bath  also,  gene- 
ral or  topical,  is  essentially  useful.  In  the  last  case,  Sy- 
denham  recommends  bleeding;  but  by  regulating  the 
discharge  only  by  diaphoretics,  and  interposing  mild 
laxatives,  we  have  always  succeeded  in  combating  it. 
In  general,  diarrhoea,  from  cold,  should  be  treated  like 
a  catarrh,  which  it  really  is  ;  and  we  may  be  less  anxious 
to  keep  up  any  action  of  the  bowels  than  in  the  other 
cases.  A  similar  disease  arises  from  the  metastasis  of 
milk,  of  any  unassimilated  nourishment,  or  of  purulent 
matter.  These  also  may  be  checked  ;  but  the  offending 
fluids  will  find  their  way  by  other  excretories,  and  little 
advantage  can  be  gained,  unless  the  original  cause  be  re- 
moved. In  the  instance  of  the  milk  only  can  we  form 
any  reasonable  expectations.  This  is  the  diarrhoea  that 
attends  puerperal  women,  und  we  should  be  cautious  in 
checking  it,  though  we  must  equally  prevent  its  excess. 
In  these  cases  the  ipecacuanha,  as  an  emetic,  followed 
by  the  columbo  root,  and  the  careful,  but  occasional,  ex- 
hibition of  opium,  will  best  succeed.  Every  means  must, 
however,  be  attempted  to  bring  back  the  milk  to  its  na- 
tural channel. 

When  the  diarrhoea  is  chronical,  moderate  astringents 
and  tonics,  warm  feet,  exercise  on  horseback,  and  avoid- 
ing the  depressing  passions,  afford  the  most  reasonable 
expectations  of  relief.  Opiates,  with  demulcents,  as  in 
the  old  pulvis  e  bolo  cum  opio,  the  modern  pulvis  e 
creta  compositus  cum  opio,  are  often  essentially  ne- 
cessary. 

The  safest  astringents  in  diarrhoea  are  the  opiates,  espe- 
cially if  joined  with  ipecacuanha.  The  tormentil,  theca 


DIA 


559 


DIA 


techu,  the  gum  kino,  the  oak  bark,  and  the  logwood, 
may  be  occasionally  employed.  We  have  placed  them 
nearly  in  the  order  of  their  strength ;  for  the  tormentil 
is  seemingly  the  strongest.  The  logwood  appears  to 
owe  its  utility,  in  part,  to  its  mucilage,  and  is  more 
effectual  where  the  mucous  coat  of  the  intestines  is 
abraded.  In  such  cases,  which  often  follow  the  use  of 
acrid  cathartics  or  poisons,  this,  with  thick  gruels,  chief- 
ly of  rice,  a  decoction  of  althaea,  with  gum  arabic,  and 
every  other  mild  demulcent,  is  of  singular  utility. 

Opiates  may  be  sometimes  given  in  clysters,  and  they 
are  said  to  affect  the  head  in  a  less  degree  than  when 
swallowed.  They  relieve  more  certainly,  in  this  way, 
the  troublesome  tenesmus  ;  which  is  often  greatly  miti- 
gated also  by  the  pulv.  ebolo  cum  opio,  interposing  the 
mildest  laxatives,  as  soap  or  castor  oil. 

Soap,  when  joined  with  wax,  which  thus  becomes 
soluble  in  our  fluids,  is  often  highly  useful  when  the 
mucus  of  the  bowels  is  abraded,  or  tenesmus  is  trou- 
blesome. A  little  opium,  and  occasionally  the  Dover's 
powder,  joined  with  these  remedies,  renders  it  more 
effectual. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  we  have  not  mentioned 
rhubarb,  on  which  former  authors  seem  to  have  a  con- 
siderable dependence  in  this  complaint,  from  its  sup- 
posed subsequent  astringency.  We  have  not  found  it, 
however,  superior  to  other  purgatives:  yet  occasionally, 
in  small  doses,  it  seems  to  strengthen  the  bowels ;  and 
those  who  depend  on  its  astringent  qualities  may  supply 
this  remedy,  where  we  have  mentioned  purgatives  in 
general. 

See  Aretseus;  Lommius;  Wallis's  Sydenham;  For- 
dyce's  Elements,  part  ii. ;  Dr.  Pye's  Observations  on 
the  Use  of  Ipecacuanha,  in  the  London  Med.  Obs.  and 
Inq.  vol.  i.;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv. 
DIARRHCE'A  CARNO'SA.    See  DYSEVTERIA. 
DIARRHOE'A  CHOLE'RICA.     See  CHOLERA  MORBUS. 
DIARRHOEA  VRINO'SA,    or   EX    OURE.      See    DIABE- 
TES. 

DIARROX'jE,  (from  XiXfivrra,  disrumfio).  The  in- 
terstices betwixt  the  circumvolutions  of  bandages. 

DIAR  THRO'SIS,  (from  *<*,/ier,  and  *ftf<»,  a  joint}. 
A  MOVEABLE  ARTICULATION  ;  abarticulatio,  and  dtarti- 
eutatio.  Different  authors  vary  in  their  division ;  but 
Dr.  Hunter  supposes  it  to  consist  of  three  species  :  1st, 
The  enarthrosis,  or  ball  and  socket ;  when  a  large  head 
is  received  into  a  deep  cavity,  as  the  head  of  the  femur 
into  the  acetabulum  of  the  os  innominatum :  its  synonym 
is  genou.  2dly,  Arthrodia  ;  when  a  round  head  is  re- 
ceived into  a  superficial  cavity :  these  two  kinds  admit 
of  a  motion  on  all  sides.  Sdly,  The  ginglymus,  called 
also  cardo,  cardinamentum ;  because  it  resembles  the 
motion  of  a  hinge.  There  are  properly  but  two  species 
of  this  articulation  ;  the  first  confined  to  flexion  and  ex- 
tension, the  angular  ginglymus,  where  each  bone  re- 
ceives partly,  and  partly  is  received  by  the  other,  as  in 
the  articulation  of  the  humerus  with  the  ulna,  or  where 
the  joint  is  adapted  only  to  small  turns  towards  each 
side,  the  lateral  ginglymus.  This  last  is  either  single, 
as  in  the  articulation  of  the  first  vertebra  of  the  neck, 
with  the  apophysis  dentifonnis  of  the  second;  or  double, 
that  is,  in  two  different  parts  of  the  bone,  as  in  the  ar- 
ticulation of  the  ulna  with  the  radius. 

DIASAPO'XIUM.  (from  £•*,  and  «»«.,  soafi).  An 
ointment  in  which  soap  is  a  principal  ingredient. 


DIASATY'RION,  (from  ?>*,  and  <r«7«^«,  satyrion). 
An  electuary  containing  satyrion. 

DIASCILLION,  (from  *i«,  and  «<AA«,  the  squill,) 
vinegar  and  oxymel  of  squills. 

DIASCIXC'l,  (from  <T<«,  and  «iy;e<>5,  skint).  A 
name  for  Mithridate,  which  orginally  contained  this 
kind  of  lizard.  See  CONFECTIO  DAMOCRATIS. 

DI  ASCO'RDIUM,  (from  JV«,  and  ntrfm,  scordivm,) 
from  containing  scordium,  formerly  called  elect,  e  scor- 
dio.  Hieronymus  Fracastorius  first  described  it;  and 
it  was  named  Fracastorii  confcctioi  though  now  rejected 
from  the  London  Pharmacopeia. 

DIA  SENA,  (from  Si*,  and  tenet).  It  is  an  antidote 
in  Myrepsus,  containing  senna ;  but  very  different  from 
the  pulvis  i  sena  now  in  use. 

DIASE'RICOS,  (from  *>*,  and  <ny<««»,  silk).  A 
composition  in  which  silk  is  an  ingredient. 

DIASMY'RXON,  or  DIASMY'RNES.  A  name 
of  several  collyria,  which  contain  myrrh  (rtuifn),  called 
also  euelfiidium  and  atheniftfion. 

DIASO'STICA,  (from  <?/*,  and  <ru£*,  to  fireterve). 
See  PROPHYLACB. 

DIASPE'RMATION,  (from  Ji«,  and  rreiiui,  a 
seed).  A  name  of  two  malagmas,  compounded  of 
seeds. 

DIA'SPHAGE,  (from  )i*;f*£»,  to  separate}.  An 
INTERSTICE.  The  interval  between  two  branches  of  a 
vein.  Hippocrates. 

DIASPHY'XIS,  (from  &«,  and  <rpt»£»,  to  strike). 
The  pulsation  of  an  artery. 

DIA'STASIS,  (from  <h«r7*j«,  to  separate,)  signifies 
the  distance  betwixt  the  fractured  ends  of  bones  re- 
ceding from  each  other;  also  the  natural  interstice  be- 
twixt the  radius  and  the  ulna.  Sometimes  it  signifies 
that  distention  of  the  muscles  which  happens  in  spasms. 
When  this  word  is  applied  to  the  stomach,  it  means  an 
effort  to  vomit ;  and  when  to  the  pulse,  it  is  synonymous 
with  diastole.  It  sometimes  means  a  luxation. 

DIASTE'ATON,  from  *««,  and  e-l«tf,  fat).  The 
name  of  an  ointment  containing  the  fat  of  a  stag,  a  sow, 
a  goose,  and  a  hen. 

DIA'STOLE,  (from  £*S-?£AA«,  to  stretch).  In  anato- 
my, it  imports  the  dilatation  of  the  heart,  auricles,  and 
arteries  ;  in  contradistinction  to  systole,  by  which  is  un- 
derstood their  contraction.  In  the  diastole  the  artery  is 
enlarged  both  in  length  and  breadth.  In  the  systole 
the  coats  of  the  arteries  restore  themselves  by  their 
elasticity,  assisted  by  the  action  of  the  muscular  fibres. 
The  diastole  is  performed  almost  instantaneously,  the 
systole  more  gradually,  insomuch  that  the  latter  em- 
ploys two-thirds  more  time  than  the  former.  When 
the  heart  begins  to  vibrate,  the  diastole  is  the  first  mo- 
tion. The  heart  has  only  two  motions,  dilatation  and 
contraction ;  but  it  has  been  supposed  to  have  a  third, 
or  stibsultory  motion,  by  which  the  blood  is  projected 
forward  from  the  ventricles  of  the  heart  into  the  large 
vessels.  This  idea  is,  however,  unfounded. 

DIAS TOMO'TRIS,  (from  iW^fw*.,  to  dilate).  It 
is  usually  joined  with  fuiAv,  a  firobe.  See  SPECU- 
LUM. 

DIASTRE'MM  A,  and  DLVSTROPHE,  (from  ^*- 
*,  to  distort,  or  turn  aside).     A  distortion  of  the 
limbs. 

DIASU'LPHURIS  EMPLA  STRUM,  (from  <Jv«, 
and  sulfihur,  brimstone).  This  is  a  prescription  of 


DIC 


560 


DIC 


Rulandus ;  but  it  contains  only  a  very  small  proportion 
of  sulphur,  with  wax,  &c. 

DIATA'MARON.     See  ANTIMOROS. 

DIATA'SIS,  (from  h*Tci>«,  to  stretch  out}.  The 
extension  of  a  fractured  limb,  in  order  to  its  reduction. 

DIATECOLI'THOS,  (from  ha,  and  T«*«AI««S,  the 
Jew's  stone").  An  antidote  in  which  is  the  lapis  Judai- 
eus,  called  TjjxoAifl©-. 

DIATERE'TICA.     See  DI^TA. 

DIATE'SSARON,(from  *«*.,  ear,  and  rt^^t^four,} 
a  compound  made  of  four  ingredients,  viz.  gentian,  bay 
berries,  myrrh,  and  the  root  of  birthworth,  in  equal 
quantities.  See  DIAPENTE. 

DIATE'TTIGON,  (from  h*,  and  T(T?<|,  a  grass- 
hopfier}.  The  name  of  an  antidote  containing  grass- 
hoppers. 

DIATHESIS,  (from  JW/»«A«,  to  dispose}.  An  af- 
fection, or  a  disposition,  expressive  of  a  particular  state 
of  the  constitution.  Hence  the  term,  often  used  in  me- 
dicine, infammatory  diathesis,  that  is,  when  the  vascular 
system  is  in  an  inflammatory  state,  or  so  disposed  as 
readily  to  be  inflamed  by  any  accidental  cause.  See 
HEXIS. 

DIATRAGACA'NTHI  SPE'CIES,  (from  ?,*,  and 
Tp*ya*«v0cs).  See  GUM.  TRAGACANTHA. 

DIATRINSA'NTALON.  A  confect  in  which  is  the 
santalum. 

DIA'TRION  PIPERE'ON  SPE'CIES,  (from  ^«, 
and  Tfets,  ires').  A  powder  prescribed  by  Galen,  which 
chiefly  consists  of  three  peppers. 

DIATRI'TOS,  (from  the  same.).  An  abstinence 
during  three  days  was  first  recommended  by  the  me- 
thodic physicians.  The  term  was  called  diatrilos,  not 
the  abstinence;  and,  from  this  circumstance,  the  me- 
thodics  had  the  name  of  diatritarli.  On  the  third  day 
they  gave  such  medicines  as  they  thought  of  importance. 
Ccelius  Aurelianus  gives  this  name  not  only  to  the  term, 
but  to  the  third  day  in  particular. 

DIAU'LOS,  (from  £if,  twice,  and  avkr,,  a  station}. 
A  kind  of  exercise  in  which  the  person  runs  a  straight 
course  forwards  and  back  again. 

DIAZO'MA,  (from  S~i*}  and  ^anvfti,  to  surround}. 
See  DIAPHRAGMA. 

DIAZO'STER.  A  name  of  the  twelfth  vertebra  of 
the  back ;  called  from  &<rl*lf,  the  belt,  which  rests 
on  it. 

DICENTE'TON.  See  DIACENTETON  ;  the  name  of 
a  collyrium  described  by  P.  jEgineta. 

DICHA'LCON.  A  weight  equal  to  one  third  of  an 
oboluSi 

DICHA'STERES,  (from  hx*&,  to  divide}.  See 
INCISORES. 

DICHOPHY'IA,  (from  <5^<x,  double,  andpww,  nas- 
cor}.  It  is  a  distemper  of  the  hairs,  when  they  split  at 
the  points. 

DICHO'TOMUS,  (from  &#«,  double,  and  -rtftxu, 
seco}.  In  botany  it  means  forked. 

DICHOTOPHY'LLON,  (from  }l%*,  double,  and 
0vAA«y,  a  leaf}.  See  CERATOPHYLLUM. 

DICO'CTA,  (from  <J;«,  bis,  and  coguo,  to  boil}.  Wa- 
ter first  heated,  then  cooled  with  snow. 

DICOTYLEDO'NES,  (from  hf,  twice,  and  Ktlvtofai, 
cotyledon}.  See  COTYLEDON. 

DICRjfe'US,  (from  ^i«,  twice,  and  xpiva,  to  distin- 
guish'). See  BIFIDUS. 


DICRO'TUS,  or  BIS-FERIENS,  (from  h<,  twice, 
and  Kfovtv,  to  strike}.  A  pulsation  of  an  artery  which 
strikes  the  finger  a  second  time  before  the  usual  inter- 
val, similar  to  what  appears  from  ^hammer  striking  the 
anvil,  and  afterwards  rebounding.  Solano  first  observed 
it,  and  supposed  it  a  certain  sign  of  an  approaching  cri- 
tical haemorrhage  from  the  nose.  It  is  also  called  a  re- 
bounding fiulse. 

DICTAMNrTES,(from^*7«/Kv«?,  dittany}.  A  wine 
medicated  with  dittany. 

DICTA'MNUS  ALBUS,  (from  Dictamnus,  a  city 
in  Greece,  on  whose  mountains  it  grew,)  fraxinella, 
WHITE  or  BASTARD  DITTANY.  It  is  a  plant  with  leaves 
resembling  those  of  the  ash  tree,  but  much  smaller,  and 
more  juicy.  On  the  tops  of  the  stalks  are  long  spikes 
of  purplish  and  white  flowers,  which  are  followed  by 
pods  of  black  seeds.  It  is  perennial,  and  grows  wild  on 
the  mountains  in  France,  Italy,  and  Germany.  Dictam- 
nus albus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  548. 

The  roots  are  whitish ;  the  cortical  part,  freed  from 
the  pith  and  small  fibres,  is  dried,  rolled  up,  and  in  this 
form  brought  to  England.  The  young  roots,  about  the 
size  of  a  squill,  are  the  best.  When  fresh,  they  have  an 
agreeable  smell,  dissipated  in  drying;  are  considerably 
bitter ;  a  quality  they  yield  to  water  and  spirit,  and 
which  remains  in  the  extract.  Formerly  this  medicine 
was  considered  as  efficacious  in  uterine  and  visceral  ob- 
structions, as  well  as  an  anthelmintic.  But  it  had  been 
neglected,  till  brought  again  into  notice  by  Stoerck,  and 
recommended  in  tertians ;  against  worms,  particularly 
the  lumbrici ;  and  menstrual  suppressions.  A  scruple 
of  the  powder  was  given  twice  a  day,  which  may  be 
gradually  increased  to  3  i-  From  twenty  to  fifty  drops 
of  the  following  tincture  were  successfully  prescribed  in 
epilepsies,  given  two  or  three  times  a  day :  R.  Dictamni 
albi  recentis  ^ij.  sp.  vini  rect.  ^xiv.  digere.  In  cho- 
loric  patients,  the  root,  mixed  with  steel,  has  been  said 
to  be  efficacious.  It  is  not,  however,  employed  in  this 
country,  and  probably  is  of  little  efficacy. 

DICTA'MNUS  CRE'TICUS,  VERUS  ;  origanum  Creticum, 

Onitis,    DITTANY    OF  CRETE,    Or  CANDY    WILD  MARJORAM. 

It  is  the  origanum  dictamnus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  823,  and  is  a 
small  shrubby  plant,  with  square  stalks,  and  roundish 
leaves,  that  are  covered  with  a  thick  white  down  ;  the 
flowers  are  in  spikes  of  a  purplish  colour.  The  flowery 
tops  were  formerly  brought  from  Crete,  and  indeed  these 
are  somewhat  stronger  than  ours,  which  are  now  al- 
ways used.  It  is  perennial,  a  native  of  stony  grounds, 
and  bears  the  winters  of  our  climate.  Those  we  have 
from  Greece,  when  we  receive  them,  are  not  greatly 
superior  to  our  own. 

Whilst  the  leaves  are  in  perfection,  they  are  warm 
and  aromatic,  have  an  agreeable  smell,  and  a  hot  pun- 
gent taste,  resembling  that  of  the  thymus  citratus.  The 
garden  pennyroyal  is  of  the  same  quality,  but  not  equally 
strong.  Both  water  and  spirit  take  up  the  virtues  of 
this  plant.  If  a  large  quantity  is  distilled  at  once  with 
water,  a  small  portion  of  essential  oil  is  obtained,  of  a 
yellowish  colour,  a  highly  pungent,  aromatic  taste  and 
smell ;  congealing  in  the  cold,  so  as  to  resemble  cam- 
phor :  the  remaining  decoction,  when  inspissated,  is  a 
bitterish,  disagreeable  mass,  but  destitute  of  the  flavour 
and  warmth  of  the  herb :  the  spirituous  extract  possesses 
all  its  virtues.  See  Neumann's  diem.  Works;  Lewis's 
Mat.  Mcd. 


DIG 


561 


DIG 


DICT  YOI'DES,  (from  MW,  a  net,  and  i 
NET  LIKE.     See  RETE  MIRABILE. 

DI'DYME,  (from  fitufu*,  double}.     See  BIFOLICM. 

DIDVM.E'A,  (from  the  same).  The  name  of  a  ca- 
taplasm mentioned  by  Galen,  named  from  the  double 
use  to  which  he  applied  it. 

DIDYMI,(from  the  same).  See  GEMIXUS,  TESTES, 
and  CEREBEL; 

DIDYMUS,  (from  fit,  or  fv*,  /*:•&).  A  TWIX.  In 
botany  it  means  double,  or  having  two  of  each  sort. 

DIDYXA'MIA,  (from  fit,  twice,  and  tmafut,  fiower). 
Linnaeus's  fourteenth  class,  comprehending  those  plants 
which  have  hermaphrodite  flowers,  with  four  stamens, 
in  two  pairs,  of  different  lengths,  the  outer  pair  longer, 
the  mddile  pair  shorter,  and  converging.  These  flowers 
have  one  pistil,  and  the  corolla  is  irregular.  Linnaeus 
has  divided  this  class  into  two  orders,  gymnotfierma, 
and  angios/ierma;  the  seeds  naked  or  covered. 

DIECBO  LION,  (from  ^*,and  ««*/**,  to  cast  out,) 
a  medicine  causing  abortion:  hence  DIECBOLICA. 

DIELE'CTROX,  (from  2t*,  and  eM*lfei.  amber).  The 
name  of  a  troche,  in  which  amber  is  an  ingredient. 

DIERVILLA.  Ltnicera  diervilla  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  249. 
This  species  of  honeysuckle  is  a  native  of  the  most 
northern  regions  of  America,  and  its  young  branches 
are  employed  in  gonorrhoea  and  suppression  of  urine. 

DIET  DRINKS.     Alterative  decoctions,  employed 

daily  in  considerable  quantities,  at  least  from  a  pint  to  a 

-.     The  decoction  of  sarsaparillaandmezereon,  the 

Lisbon  diet  drink,  is  the  most  common  and  most  useful. 

DIETETICS.     The  doctrines  relating  to  diet. 

DIE'XODOS,  (from  fta,  and  *!«»»«,  a  -way  by  tohich 
any  thing  passes).  Diodos.  In  Hippocrates,  it  is  the 
descent  or  passage  of  the  excrements  by  the  anus. 

DIITLATIO,  (from  difflo,  to  blow  away).  See 
PEKSPI  RATIO. 

DIFFU'SUS,  (from  diffundo,  to  sjiread  out).  DIF- 
TUSE.  In  botany  it  means  spreading  wide. 

DIGA'STRICUS,  (from  £•«,  double,  and  y»f~lr,f,  a 
belly).  See  BIVEXTER. 

DIGE'STIO,  (from  digero,  to  dissolve}.  DIGESTION. 
In  surgery  it  is  the  disposing  an  ulcer  or  wound  to  sup- 
puration, by  the  application  of  proper  remedies. 

In  pharmacy  it  is  the  subjecting  of  bodies,  included 
in  proper  vessels,  to  the  action  of  a  gentle  heat.  The 
term  digestion  is  often  used  for  maceration ;  and,  in  this 
case,  the  process  is  without  heat:  where  this  circum- 
stance is  not  expressed,  digestion  always  implies  the 
operation  of  heat.  In  some  cases,  digestion  is  used  to 
produce  a  change  in  a  single  body,  as  in  hydrargyrus 
uitratus  ruber;  in  others,  to  promote  solutions,  or  differ- 
ent combinations.  Circulation  is  a  mode  of  digesting : 
•.he  vessels  generally  used  are  matrasses,  or  Florence 
wir.e  flasks,  either  of  which  may  be  converted  into  cir- 
culatory vessels  ;  or  the  neck  of  one  may  be  inverted 
into  the  neck  of  the  other.  The  operation  is  generally 
performed  in  a  sand  bath,  by  which  the  degrees  of  heat 
may  be  regulated  according  to  the  intention  of  the  che- 
mist. This  heat  is  never  so  great  as  to  make  it  boil.  Di- 
gestion is  used  for  making  tinctures,  wines,  and  elixirs. 

In  the  animal  economy,  it  is  the  conversion  of  ali- 
ment into  chyle,  and  then  into  blood.  By  digestion, 
the  specific  differences  of  all  substances  are  abolished; 
the  blood,  formed  from  different  kinds  of  aliment,  whe- 
ther used  singly  or  together,  does  not  sensibly  differ  in 

VOL.  I. 


its  properties,  provided  that  the  organ  of  digestion  be 
sufficiently  powerful  to  convert  them  into  blood.  Di- 
gestion, in  the  stomach  alone,  is  capable  of  converting 
our  food  into  chyme,  and  the  continuation  of  the  pro- 
cess can  alone  assimilate  it  to  our  own  nature. 

This  function  of  the  animal  economy  is  of  most  diffi- 
cult explanation.  The  ingenuity  of  physiologists  has 
been  exhausted  in  the  solution  of  the  problem;  and  we 
are  still  at  a  distance  from  any  theory  that  will  explain 
all  the  different  appearances  satisfactorily. 

When,  with  Hippocrates,  we  attribute  digestion  to 
putrefaction;  with  Pringl*  and  Macbride,  to  fermenta- 
tion; or,  with  Haller,  to  the  joint  action  of  solution  and 
fermentation;  we  alter  the  language  only,  not  the  opi- 
nions. Van  Helmont  attributed  it  to  the  energy  of  his 
archseus,  which  resided  in  the  stomach ;  and,  though 
fanciful  in  language,  we  shall  probably  find  this  process 
very  intimately  connected  with  the  vital  principle.  We 
must,  however,  premise  some  peculiar  circumstances 
in  the  structure  of  the  parts  concerned  in  the  operation, 
omitted  in  the  general  descriptions;  because  they  would 
appear  more  advantageously,  when  their  application 
could  be  at  the  same  time  perceived. 

The  alimentary  canal  extends  from  the  mouth  to  the 
anus,  enlarged  at  different  parts,  to  detain  the  food,  and 
assist  the  changes  it  is  destined  to  undergo.  When  the 
oesophagus  passes  down  on  the  left  side,  the  canal  crosses 
the  body;  and  we  here  find  the  first  dilatation,  which 
we  style  the  stomach.  In  its  empty  state  it  appears  a 
bag,  into  which  a  substance  falls,  and  from  which  it 
must  rise  to  pass  out  at  the  other  aperture,  the  pylorus. 
When,  however,  the  stomach  is  full,  the  fundus  of  this 
sac  is  raised  against  the  integuments,  and  it  assumes  the 
form  of  a  crescent.  The  angle  to  which  the  substance 
passing  out  must  rise,  in  the  empty  state,  is  obliterated  ; 
but  the  food  is  retained  by  the  contraction  of  the  strait 
fibres,  which  draw  the  pylorus  towards  the  cardia.  The 
fundus  of  the  stomach  enlarges  between  the  fohls  of  the 
epiploon,  which  is  its  mesentery;  and  the  large  vessels 
of  this  membrane  are  thus  emptied,  discharging  their 
contents  into  the  stomach,  which  receives  also,  at  the 
same  time,  blood,  from  its  pressure  on  the  spleen,  which 
determines  a  larger  proportion  of  the  vital  fluid  through 
the  vasa  brevia. 

The  next  dilatation  is  a  little  below  the  stomach,  at 
the  part  styled  the  duodenum.  The  intestine,  in  this 
part,  is  not  confined  by  the  peritonaeum  so  closely 
form  a  mesentery;  but  is  loosely  connected  to  the  back 
bone,  and  admits  of  considerable  distention.  Here  the 
chyme  receives  the  bile  and  the  pancreatic  juice;  and, 
in  this  part,  its  animalisation  begins,  and  chyle  is  formed. 
The  intestines  then  proceed,  of  an  uniform  Diameter, 
till  the  end  of  the  ilium  is  inserted,  in  the  manner 
before  described,  into  the  large  intestine  (see  COLOX), 
where  it  again  stagnates ;  apparently  to  admit  of  the 
absorption  of  the  remaining  chyle. 

The  food  of  animals  is  very  various;  yet  it  consists 
only  of  a  few  principles,  and  these  may  be  reduced  to 
oil,  gelatine,  and  sugar,  with  the  animal  matter  already 
prepared.  In  proportion  as  the  food  is  of  the  last  k 
its  remora  in  the  stomach  and  duodenum  is  shorter;  but 
the  digestion  of  matter  already  animalised,  is  a  problem 
too  simple  to  detain  us.  We  must  remark,  however, 
that  the  action  of  the  stomach  differs  from  almost  every 
known  power.  It  has  no  effect  on  living  bodies:  it£ 

4C 


DIG 


562 


DIG 


effects  are  in  proportion  to  the  vital  energy ;  and  when 
this  is  greatly  diminished  from  any  sudden  cause,  the 
digestion  suffers  at  the  same  moment,  and  in  the  same 
ratio.  Digestion  sweetens  also,  in  a  short  period,  the 
most  putrid  substances  which  the  stomach  can  retain. 
So  different  is  this  process,  as  well  as  its  instruments, 
from  every  other,  that  we  must  turn  with  contempt  from 
the  philosophers  attempting  to  imitate  it  in  their  phials, 
did  not  their  exalted  character  in  other  pursuits  change 
our  contempt  to  surprise. 

The  changes  produced  by  digestion  are  very  consi- 
derable. The  principles  of  vegetable  substances)  as  we 
have  already  seen,  consist  of  oxygen,  carbone,  and  hy- 
drogen; animal  substances  contain  the  same  principles, 
with  a  less  proportion  of  carbone,  and  with  the  addi- 
tion of  azote.  The  production  of  the  azote  has  occa- 
sioned the  chief  difficulty  ;  for  we  know  that  some 
proportion  of  carbone  is  separated  with  oxygen,  by  re- 
spiration, in  the  form  of  carbonic  acid  gas.  We  must, 
however,  pursue  the  subject  in  its  proper  order. 

The  changes  in  the  stomach  are,  by  the  most  mo- 
dern physiologists,  attributed  either  to  fermentation  or 
solution.  Each,  however,  gives  a  due  share  of  the  cre- 
tlit  to  the  division  by  mastication,  combination  with  the 
saliva,  the  effects  of  heat,  and  gentle  agitation  in  the 
stomach  by  the  action  of  its  fibres,  producing  a  regular 
progressive  and  retrograde  motion.  Fermentation,  it 
is  contended,  does  not  probably  take  place,  because  we 
do  not  find  its  productions,  an  ardent  spirit,  and  an  acid. 
We  have  more  than  once  had  occasion  to  remark  that 
we  often  find  an  acid,  which  we  know  to  be  the  product 
of  fermentation,  though  we  cannot  detect  the  previ- 
ous form.  We  discover,  in  digestion,  an  extrication  of 
air,  which,  when  the  process  is  not  interrupted,  is  again 
combined  with  the  mass,  and  an  acid  is  perhaps  always 
formed;  because,  when  by  accident  digestion  is  dis- 
turbed, or  stopped,  in  an  early  period,  it  is  obvious.  In 
better  circumstances  this  acid  disappears,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  subsequent  union.  In  short,  as  our  vegeta- 
ble food  is  susceptible  of  fermentation,  and  in  circum- 
stances which  would  most  probably  favour  it,  we  see  no 
reason  for  denying  that  this  change  takes  place. 

Those  who  contend  that  digestion  is  a  simple  solu- 
tion, have  sought,  with  some  anxiety,  for  a  solvent  of 
a  peculiar  power;  and  they  have  at  last,  apparently,  dis- 
covered it  in  what  they  style  the  gastric  juice,  a  mucous 
fluid  always  found  in  the  stomach,  of  some  peculiar, 
but  no  very  decisive  properties.  It  is,  undoubtedly,  a 
solvent  out  of  the  body ;  but  the  experiments  made  by 
forcing  animals  to  disgorge  what  they  have  taken,  prove 
the  power  of  all  the  fluids  of  the  stomach,  not  of  one 
only.  In  every  part  of  the  human  body,  the  production 
of  a  fluid  of  peculiar  powers  is  connected  with  a  com- 
plicated apparatus.  In  the  stomach  the  mucous  glands 
only  seem  to  produce  the  gastric  juice.  When  analysed, 
it  is  said,  by  Struve,  to  contain  a  phosphorated  ammo- 
nia ;  but  this  conclusion  has  not  been  supported  by 
other  chemists.  Carminiati  digested  some  veal  in  wa- 
ter, with  a  little  salt,  in  a  heat  of  about  100  of  Fahren- 
heit. The  decanted  liquor  he  employed  in  a  similar 
experiment,  which  he  repeated  till  he  produced  a  fluid 
resembling  the  gastric.  This  would  lead  us  to  a  suspi- 
cion that  the  gastric  juice  is  only  the  remnant  of  for- 
mer digestions,  and,  in  reality,  nothing  more  than  a 
1'iM-ment.  We  are  told,  however,  by  Carminiati  himself 


(Journal  dc  Physique,  vol.  xxi.),  that  the  gastric  fluid 
of  herbivorous  and  of  carnivorous  animals,  when  the  sto- 
mach is  not  organically  diseased,  assists  digestion,  and 
cures  intermittents,  if  given  as  a  medicine.  Other  au- 
thors have  told  us,  that  it  is  antiseptic ;  that  it  even 
sweetens  putrid  meat ;  and  that  it  greatly  assists  in 
healing  old  ulcers.  It  is  natural  to  suspect  the  exist- 
ence of  extraordinary  qualities,  when  detailed  by  those 
who,  previous  to  their  experiments,  had  formed  a  par- 
ticular system.  We  may  just  suggest,  however,  that  if 
the  gastric  juice  has  such  miraculous  powers,  why  does 
it  not  constantly  produce  them  in  the  stomach  ?  If,  af- 
ter a  meal  made  with  the  best  appetite,  a  cause  of  sud- 
ded  agitation  or  of  deep  distress  should  occur,  the  food, 
which  would  have  otherwise  produced  wholesome  chyle, 
becomes  acid  or  putrid. .  The  stomach  is  not,  therefore, 
a  containing  vessel  only,  gently  agitating  the  mass. 

Fordyce,  after  describing  the  structure  of  the  organs 
of  digestion ;  the  matters  applied  to  the  food  in  those 
organs ;  and  pointing  out  that  the  substances  employed 
for  food  have  the  same  elements,  and  each  of  them  all 
the  elements,  actually  found  in  chyle,  viz.  a  part  which 
is  fluid,  and  contained  in  the  lacteals,  but  coagulates  on 
extravasation : — a  second,  which  consists  of  a  fluid  co- 
agulable  by  heat,  and,  in  all  its  properties  that  have 
been  observed,  consonant  to  the  serum  of  blood ;  and  a 
third,  formed  of  globules,  which  render  the  whole  white 
and  opaque ;  observe,  that  it  was,  therefore,  only  neces- 
sary that  these  elements  should  be  separated  from  one 
another,  and  recombined  in  order  for  its  formation.  That 
the  action  of  the  organs  of  digestion  disunited  the  ele- 
mentsof  the  food,  which  were  reunited  in  a  new  form, 
so  as  to  form  the  essential  parts  of  the  chyle;  and  that 
these  three  essential  parts  of  the  chyle  were  always  the 
same ;  and,  therefore,  when  converted  into  blood,  the 
blood  a  fortiori,  could  not,  in  the  smallest  degree,  be 
influenced  by  the  food.  The  elements,  according  to 
this  author,  are  separated  in  the  stomach,  where  they 
are  retained;  but  the  chyle  is  not  formed  in  this  organ. 
A  simple  matter,  called  chyme,  is  only  there  produced, 
which  in  the  subsequent  state  of  the  process  is,  by  the 
reunion  of  its  elements,  formed  into  chyle. 

Digestion  consists  of  two  distinct  stages :  the  first, 
which  takes  place  in  the  stomach,  styled  solution,  or 
fermentation;  and  the  second  in  the  duodenum,  which 
is  more  strictly  animalisation.  In  the  remaining  track 
of  the  intestine,  the  animalisation  is  rendered  more  com- 
plete: the  chyle,  gradually  and  progressively  formed, 
is  absorbed,  carried  into  the  blood,  and  then  applied  to 
supply  the  different  organs,  after  having  been  more  com- 
pletely elaborated  in  the  lungs.  We  must  pursue  this 
progress  in  the  order. 

It  has  been  always,  but  with  little  accuracy,  supposed 
that  digestion  takes  place  in  the  stomach.  This  is  not 
true;  for  not  a  particle  of  chyle  can  be  at  any  time  dis- 
covered in  its  lymphatics.,  coloured  matters  do  not  tinge 
their  contents;  and  what  is  called  the  chyme  resembles 
in  no  respect  the  white  fluid  destined,  at  a  future  pe- 
riod, to  fill  the  blood  vessels.  In  the  stomach  then, 
perhaps,  we  shall  find  solution  only  in  the  saliva  and 
other  glands  of  that  organ:  but  it  is  a  solution  which 
we  may  try  in  vain  to  imitate ;  because  it  takes  place 
in  an  animated  organ,  whose  power  cannot  be  for  a  mo- 
ment intermitted,  without  some  injury  to  the  result. 
Fermentation,  also,  probably  soon  comes  on ;  and  it  is 


DIG 


563 


BIG 


apparently  assisted  by  the  gastric  juice,  which  acts  as  a 
leaven,  and  in  this  way  only.  Such  a  process  is  pecu- 
liarly necessary  in  herbivorous  and  granivorous  animals, 
since  the  change  by  solution  alone  is  not  sufficiently  ra- 
pid for  the  wants  of  the  system,  or  equal  to  the  effect  of 
breaking  down  the  denser  substances;  and  since,  per- 
haps, one  stage  of  assimilation  may  be  necessary  in  this 
organ  to  prepare  it  for  the  second.  If  the  gastric  juice 
be  formed,  as  Carminiati  suspects,  and  which  is  highly 
probable,  since  it  differs  in  different  animals,  and  always 
resembles  the  nature  of  their  food,  it  is  a  ferment  pe- 
culiarly adapted,  not  only  to  assist  the  separation  of  the 
parts,  but,  in  some  degree,  to  assimilate  them  to  its 
own  nature.  The  fluids  of  the  stomach  have  no  effect 
in  dissolving  the  husks  of  vegetables,  for  instance;  and 
consequently  fermentation,  in  some  cases,  is  absolutely- 
necessary.  So  far,  therefore,  there  is  little  mystery. 

The  distention  of  the  stomach,  after  a  full  meal,  is 
not,  in  the  greatest  degree,  at  its  termination,  if  the  ap- 
petite has  not  been  stimulated  by  varieties,  or  by  con- 
diments. It  is  farther  increased  by  the  separation  of 
air,  which  is  sometimes  so  considerable  as  to  rise  to  the 
cardia,  and  be  discharged  through  the  oesophagus.  It 
is,  however,  generally  again  absorbed  by  the  mass,  and 
carried  into  the  blood.  The  food  detained  in  the  sto- 
mach by  the  action  of  its  longitudinal  fibres  is  lessened 
in  its  bulk  by  the  reunion  of  its  air,  and  the  absorption 
of  its  watery  parts.  The  pylorus  is  then  brought  in  a 
straighter  line  with  the  axis  of  the  organ,  and  the  fluid 
parts  gradually  pass  over.  It  has  been  supposed  that 
the  pylorus  possesses  an  elective  power,  to  admit  of  the 
passage  of  some  bodies,  and  to  refuse  others.  In  every 
part  of  the  animal  economy  we  seem  to  perceive  a  simi- 
lar power ;  nor  dare  we  deny  it  to  an  organ  of  so  much 
importance,  whose  nerves  are  peculiarly  and  acutely 
sensible.  Richerand,  who  has  most  pointedly  enforced 
this  opinion,  seems  to  think  that  this  elective  power  is  at 
last  lost.  The  stimulus  which  excited,  by  its  disagree- 
ble  impression,  the  contraction  of  this  aperture,  becomes, 
in  time,  habitual,  and  the  passage  is  effected.  Inde- 
pendent, however,  of  this  cause,  heavy  bodies  not  so- 
luble in  the  watery  fluids  are  not,  for  a  long  time,  dis- 
charged. They  lie  at  the  bottom  of  the  stomach  ;  are 
not  presented  to  the  pylorus  when  it  is  full ;  and,  when 
empty,  they  cannot  rise  to  the  angle  which  that  passage 
forms.  In  this  way,  heavy  metallic  bodies,  and  even 
the  heavy  mucus  of  weak  stomachs,  are  not  discharged. 
The  stimulus  of  the  latter  soon  becomes  habitual;  but, 
after  some  time,  the  action  of  this  organ  seems  to  be 
excited,  and  the  former  are  propelled  into  the  duo- 
denum. 

The  food  then  in  the  stomach  is  in  part  dissolved  by 
the  saliva  and  fluids  of  the  organ;  broken  down  by 
fermentation,  and,  by  the  latter  process,  in  part  ani- 
malised.  In  this  state  it  is  carried  into  the  duodenum, 
a  portion  of  the  intestine,  for  the  reasons  assigned,  ca- 
pable of  a  considerable  dilatation.  It  is  here  exposed  to 
the  influence  of  bile,  a  fluid,  as  we  have  seen,  which 
has  almost  undergone  a  second  circulation,  without 
being  exposed  to  the  air ;  or,  what  is  of  more  conse- 
quence, without  being  mixed  with  fresh^nimal  matter. 
It  is  evidently  more  animalized  than  any  other  fluid  of 
the  body ;  and,  by  its  union  with  the  chyme,  new  com- 
binations take  place,  which  have  not  yet  been  accu- 
rately observed.  Our  food,  we  have  said,  consists  of 


gelatiae,  oil,  and  sugar.  These  substances  are  the  chiei 
component  parts  of  the  chyle.  When  the  vegetable 
substances  are  then  broken  down,  we  want  little  more 
than  their  separation  from  the  other  ingredients,  which 
may  be  probably  effected  by  the  bile,  and  perhaps  the 
combination  of  a  small  portion  of  azote.  Fourcroy  sup- 
poses that  the  alkali,  and  other  saline  parts  of  the 
bile,  are  combined  with  the  chyle  to  attenuate  it,  and 
that  its  resin  is  discharged  with  the  excrements.  We 
should  rather  suspect  that  the  alkali  itself  was  decom- 
posed, and  its  azote  only  combined  with  the  chyle.  We 
certainly  find  the  resin  of  the  bile  in  the  excrementitious 
part  of  the  contents  of  the  intestines.  The  pancreatic 
fluid  is  here  also  added  ;  and  we  have  reason  to  suppose 
that  it  dilutes  the  chyle,  while,  as  an  animal  fluid,  it 
contributes  to  the  necessary  change. 

The  next  portion  of  the  intestine  is  called  jejunum. 
It  is  distinguished  by  no  peculiar  structure,  and  differs 
from  the  rest  of  the  small  intestines  by  being  frequently 
found  empty.  The  only  consequence  to  be  drawn  from 
this  is,  that,  in  the  duodenum,  digestion  is  perfected, 
and  no  longer  delay  is  required.  As  the  food,  however, 
proceeds,  the  process  of  animalisation  appears  to  go  on; 
and,  from  the  large  intestines,  the  chyle  seems  to  dif- 
fer in  some  respects,  at  least  in  colour,  from  that  which 
is  earned  from  the  ilium. 

In  the  progress  of  the  alimentary  fluid  through  the 
lacteals,  we  find  it  often  conveyed  into  glands,  called 
lymphatic,  or  conglobate.  It  is  here  apparently  depo- 
sited into  cells,  and  mixed  still  more  intimately  with 
animal  fluids,  from  whence  it  is  absorbed  by  other  lac- 
teals,  which  apparently  possess  some  elective  power. 
Partly  for  the  purpose  of  a  more  complete  animalisa- 
tion, and  partly  to  prevent  any  noxious  substance  from 
contaminating  the  vital  fluid,  these  glands  are  seem- 
ingly interposed.  We  see  an  equal  anxiety  for  each 
purpose  in  the  further  provisions.  The  new  aliment  is 
mixed  in  the  thoracic  duct  with  the  lymph,  absorbed 
from  every  cavity,  and,  even  after  every  precaution, 
conveyed  almost  by  drops  into  the  blood.  It  is  thus 
carried  gradually  to  the  heart  and  the  lungs,  where  the 
last  process  takes  place. 

We  are  now  well  acquainted  with  thex changes  which 
are  produced  in  this  part  of  the  animal  system.  Atmo- 
spheric air  is  absorbed,  and  its  oxygen,  in  part,  uniting 
with  the  blood,  gives  it  a  florid  hue ;  and,  in  part,  com- 
bining with  the  carbone,  separates  it  in  the  form  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas.  It  is,  indeed,  doubtful  whether  any  oxy- 
gen remains  ;  and  whether  the  separation  of  the  carbone 
alone  may  not  produce  the  sensible  changes  attributed 
to  the  oxygen.  Our  vegetable  food,  by  the  gradual  ad- 
mixture of  fluids  more  highly  animalised,  has  now  be- 
come near  to  our  own  nature,  but  it  is  still  not  azotic. 
This  last  principle  seems  to  be  supplied  by  the  air,  from 
whence  azote  is  very  probably  absorbed.  The  experi- 
ments by  which  this  is  ascertained  are  not  before  the 
public  ;  but  those  communicated  to  us  render  it  highly 
probable. 

It  may  be  said,  that,  though  the  bile  be  obstructed, 
digestion  goes  on.  It  does  so  ;  but  imperfectly,  and  the 
body  is  emaciated,  the  strength  diminished,  and  atrophy- 
is  the  consequence.  There  is  some  doubt  whether  any 
considerable  portion  of  nourishment  is,  in  such  cases, 
conveyed  through  the  lacteals,  and  whether  the  body  is 
not  supported  by  absorption  from  the  adipose  membrane, 

4  C  2 


DIG 


564 


DIG 


It  will  be  obvious,  however,  that  some  nourishment 
must  still  be  obtained;  for  the  bile,  returned  to  the  blood, 
is  discharged  by  every  excretory  duct,  and,  among  the 
rest,  by  the  mucous  glands  and  the  pancreas.  A  small 
portion,  therefore,  finds  its  way  to  the  digestive  organs; 
and  those  who  have  remarked  with  how  inconsiderable 
a  degree  of  nutriment  thej^ody  is  sometimes  supported, 
will  not  be  surprised  at  the  effect  of  the  pittance  it  must 
in  this  way  receive. 

Another  objection  will  be  suggested,  by  the  almost 
total  obstruction  of  the  mesenteric  glands  in  some  cases 
of  scrofula.  Yet,  on  minute  observation,  it  will  ap- 
pear that  every  lacteal  does  not  press  through  a  gland. 
Sometimes  it  creeps  over  the  surface  to  immerge  in  the 
following ;  and  sometimes  it  seems  cautiously  to  avoid 
every  body  of  this  kind  interposed. 

The  "play  of  affinities,"  which  takes  place  on  the 
mixture  of  the  bile,  is  not  yet  understood.  It  is  cer- 
tainly considerable ;  for  we  sometimes  find  the  benzoic 
acid  in  the  excrements  of  herbivorous  animals,  and 
sometimes  the  phosphoric.  The  former  we  have  rea- 
son to  believe,  from  some  late  experiments,  to  be  a  pro- 
duct, whose  basis  is  the  vegetable  acid ;  and  the  latter 
we  have  begun  to  detect  in  its  disguise,  and  to  trace  its 
source  in  grain.  These  subjects  will  soon^be  more 
clearly  elucidated.  Whether  produced  in  the  intestines, 
in  the  different  cavities,  or  in  the  circulating  system,  is 
yet  uncertain ;  but  the  phosphoric  acid  and  the  ammonia 
are  the  creatures  of  the  animal  economy,  produced  by 
the  new  combinations  constantly  taking  place.' 

The  red  globules  of  the  blood,  though  evidently  de- 
rived from  the  nutriment,  resemble  so  little  every  part 
of  it,  except  the  oil,  that  we  must  profess  ourselves  ig- 
norant of  their  source.  They  are  not  oily ;  and  though 
we  lose  the  oil  that  makes  a  part  of  our  food,  and  which 
is  discoverable  in  the  chyle,  we  can  scarcely  think  that  it 
forms  this  singular  portion  of  our  fluids.  It  is  apparently 
decomposed,  and  affords  the  hydrogen,  which  is  a  com- 
ponent part  of  the  animal  economy.  When  we  reflect, 
however,  on  the  other  hand,  that  we  have  scarcely  any 
instance  of  globules  swimming,  unmixed,  in  a  watery 
fluid,  without  being  oleaginous;  that  oil  affords  a  very 
solid,  substantial  nutriment;  and  that  the  red  globules 
are  numerous  and  vivid,  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of 
the  constitution ;  we  hare  some  reason  to  suppose  that 
they  derive,  in  part,  their  origin  from  this  source,  though 
(hanged  in  their  chemical  properties.  The  application 
of  these  newly  formed  fluids  must  be  the  subject  of  fu- 
ture consideration.  Sec  NUTRITION. 

The  digestibility  of  different  substances  we  consi- 
dered under  the  article  ALIMENT,  and  we  there  spoke 
from  observation,  assuming,  as  the  criterion,  the  ex- 
acerbation of  hectic  paroxysms,  which  always  occurs 
during  digestion,  and  is  greater  in  proportion  to  the  dif- 
ficult solubility  of  the  food.  Constitutions,  however, 
greatly  differ  in  this  respect;  and  we  ought  ti  add,  that 
the  opinions  of  other  authors  differ  from  our  own.  We 
shall,  therefore,  adduce  the  conclusions  of  a  respectable 
observer,  M.  Gosse,  of  Geneva,  who,  by  swallowing 
air,  was  at  any  time  able  to  discharge  the  contents  of 
the  stomach.  His  experiments  are  recorded  in  Spalan- 
zani's  work  ;  but,  that  we  may  not  be  suspected  of  dis- 
torting them  to  favour  our  own  ideas,  we  shall  tran- 
scribe the  account  from  a  late  respectable,  but  unequal, 
publication. 


"  He  informs  us,  that  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half 
after  the  food  is  taken  into  the  stomach,  it  is  changed 
into  a  pultaceous  mass  ;  the  gastric  juice,  likewise,  ren- 
ders it  fluid,  without  altering  its  nature  ;  and  when  di- 
gestion is  properly  carried  on,  there  is  no  appearance  of 
acidity  or  alkalescence ;  the  food  does  not  ferment ;  and 
the  process  of  digestion  is  not  completed  until  the  space 
of  between  two  and  three  hours  has  elapsed. 

"  The  chyme  which  arises  from  aliments  taken  either 
from  the  animal  or  vegetable  kingdom  is  the  same;  they 
both  are,  by  the  gastric  fluid,  converted  into  the  same 
substance,  which  is  in  consequence  most  probably  of 
their  both  containing  gelatine,  See.  If,  however,  the  di- 
gesting solvent  is  not  in  sufficient  quantity,  or  is  in  a 
diseased  state,  the  acetous  fermentation  will  take  place 
in  vegetable,  and  the  putrid  in  animal,  matter ;  hence 
milk,  vegetable  matter  containing  sugar,  wine,  and  even 
spirits,  will  degenerate,  when  left  to  their  spontaneous 
changes  in  the  stomach,  to  a  very  strong  acid,  and 
sooner  sometimes  than  out  of  the  body,  perhaps  from 
the  heat,  Sec.  All  oily  substances  likewise  become  ran- 
cid, and  flesh  meat  putrid,  producing  acid  and  putrid 
eructations,  Which  is  never  the  case  in  a  state  of  healthy 
digestion;  whilst,  in  many  animals,  the  digestion  is 
finished  before  the  acetous  or  putrid  fermentation  can 
begin. 

"  Substances  insoluble,  or  that  were  not  digested  in 
the  usual  time  in  the  stomach. 

"  Animal  substances. 

"  1.  Tendinous  parts.  2.  Bones.  3.  Oily  or  fatty 
parts.  4.  Indurated  white  of  egg.  . 

"  Vegetable  substances. 

"  1.  Oily  or  emulsive  seeds.  2.  Expressed  oils  of  dif- 
ferent nuts  and  kernels.  3.  Dried  grapes,  and  the  skins 
offish.  4.  Rind  of  farinaceous  substances.  5.  Pods  of 
beans  and  peas.  6.  Skins  of  stone  fruits.  7.  Husks  of 
fruits  with  grains  or  seeds.  8.  Capsules  of  fruit  with 
grains.  9.  Ligneous  stones  of  fruits.  10.  It  does  not 
destroy  the  life  of  some  seeds ;  hence  bitter-sweet,  hemp, 
misletoe,  and  other  plants  which  sometimes  grow  upon 
trees,  are  produced  by  the  means  of  the  excrements  of 
birds,  the  kernels  of  the  seeds  being  defended  from  the 
menstruum  by  their  exterior  covering. 

"  Substances  partly  soluble,  or  parts  of  which  were 
digested. 

"  Animal  substances. 

"  1.  Pork  dressed  various  ways.  2.  Black  puddings.. 
3.  Fritters  of  eggs,  fried  eggs  and  bacon. 

"  Vegetable  substances. 

"  1.  Salads  of  different  kinds  rendered  more  so  when 
dressed.  2.  White  of  cabbage,  less  soluble  than  red. 
3.  Beet,  cardoons,  onions,  and  leeks.  4.  Roots  of  scurvy 
grass,  red  and  yellow  carrots,  succory,  are  more  inso- 
luble in  the  form  of  salad  than  any  other  way.  5. 
The  pulp  of  fruit  with  seeds,  when  not  fluid.  6. 
Warm  bread  and  sweet  pastry,  from  their  producing 
acidity.  7.  Fresh  and  dry  figs.  By  frying  all  the  sub- 
stances in  butter  or  oil  they  become  less  soluble.  If 
they  are  not  dissolved  in  the  stomach,  they  are,  how- 
ever, in  the  course  of  their  passage  through  the  intes- 
tines. 

"  Substances  soluble,  or  easy  of  digestion,  and  which 
are  reduced  to  a  pulp  in  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  half. 

"  Animal  substances. 

"  1.  VeaJ,  lamb,  and,  in   general,  the  flesh  of  young 


DIG 


565 


131  G 


animals,  are  sooner  dissolved  than  that  of  old.  2.  Fresh 
eggs.  3.  Cow's  milk.  4.  Perch  boiled  with  a  little 
salt  and  parsley.  When  fried  or  seasoned  with  oil,  wine, 
and  white  sauce,  it  is  not  so  soluble. 

"  Vegetable  substances. 

'"  1.  Herbs,  as  spinach  mixed  with  sorrel,  are  less  so- 
luble, celery,  tops  of  asparagus,  hops,  and  the  ornitho- 
galus  of  the  Pyrenees.  2.  Bottom  of  artichokes.  3. 
Boiled  pulp  of  fruits,  seasoned  with  sugar.  4.  Pulp  or 
meal  of  farinaceous  seeds.  5.  Different  sorts  of  wheaten 
bread,  without  butter,  the  second  day  after  baking,  the 
cruse  more  so  than  the  crumb.  Salted  bread  of  Geneva 
more  so  than  that  of  Paris,  without  salt ;  brown  bread  in 
proportion  as  it  contains  more  bran  is  less  soluble.  6. 
Rapes,  turnips,  potatoes,  parsnips,  not  too  old.  7.  Gum 
arabic,  but  its  acid  is  soon  felt.  The  Arabians  use  it 
as  food. 

"  Substances  which  facilitated  the  menstrual  power 
of  the  gastric  juice  are,  sea  salt,  spices,  mustard,  scurvy 
grass,  horse  radish,  radish,  capers,  wine,  spirits  in  small 
quantities,  cheese,  particularly  when  old,  sugar,  various 
bitters. 

'•  Substances  which  retarded  the  gastric  power  are, 
water,  particularly  hot,  and  taken  in  large  quantities. 
It  occasions  the  food  to  pass  into  the  intestines  without 
being  properly  dissolved.  All  acids,  astringents,  24 
grains  of  Peruvian  bark,  taken  half  an  hour  after  din- 
ner, stopped  digestion.  All  unctuous  substances,  ker- 
mes,  corrosive  sublimate.  Gosse  likewise  observed,  that 
employment  after  a  meal  suspended  or  retarded  diges- 
tion, as  well  as  leaning  with  the  breast  against  the  table; 
and  that  repose  of  mind,  vertical  position,  and  gentle 
exercise,  facilitated  it." 

See  Fordyce  on  Digestion ;  Richerand's  Elements  of 
Physiology  ;  Senebier's  Observations  (Journal  de  Phy- 
sique, Mars,  1785);  Carminiati's  Experiments,  ibid, 
vol.  xxvi. ;  Spalanzani's  Tracts;  Brugnatelli  Sagio  d'un 
Analisi  Chimica  de  succi  Gastrici ;  Steven's  Thesis ; 
Gosse's  Experiments. 

DIGESTI'VUM,  SAL  SY'LVII,  (from  the  same). 
See  MARINVM  SAL. 

DIGESTIVA,  (from  digero,  to  dissolve}.  Such  ap- 
plications as  promote  suppuration,  viz.  ointments  ren- 
dered stimulating  by  turpentines  and  balsams,  poultices 
and  fomentations.  The  object  is  to  excite  suppuration 
by  stimulating  the  vessels,  when  too  languid  ;  to  hasten 
it  when  the  process  goes  on  too  slowly ;  and  to  relax  the 
vessels  when  their  action  is  sufficient.  By  these  cflects 
the  choice  is  easily  directed. 

DIGITA'LIS,  (from  digitus,  aftnger).  Aralda,  di- 
gitalis fiurfiurea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  758.  It  is  a  hairy  plant, 
with  serrated  leaves  ;  a  thick  angular  stalk,  on  which  are 
numerous  purple  tubulous  flowers,  resembling  the  fin- 
ger of  a  glove,  hanging  downwards,  in  a  row  along  one 
side,  each  on  a  short  pedicle;  the  flower  is  followed  by 
an  oblong  pointed  capsule,  full  of  small  angular  seeds.  It 
is  biennial,  grows  wild  in  woods  and  on  heaths,  only  in 
gravelly  soils,  and  flowers  in  June,  July,  and  August. 

The  leaves  are  bitterish  and  nauseous  to  the  taste  ; 
they  yield  their  virtue  both  to  water  and  to  spirit.  Dr. 
Hulse  recommends  an  ointment  made  by  boiling  it  in 
butter,  as  an  ppplication  to  scrofulous  ulcers,  with  gen- 
tle purging  two  or  three  times  a  week. 

Dr.  Withering  considers  this  as  one  of  the  most  cer- 


tain diuretics  in  the  whole  materiamedica.  The  leaves, 
which  ure  chiefly  employed,  are  given  from  one  to  three 
grains,  in  powder,  twice  a  clay,  alone,  or  united  wilh 
aromatics,  and  sometimes  formed  into  pills  with  soap 
and  gum  ammoniac :  the  dose  may  be  gradually  in- 
creased; but  four  grains  are  generally  sufficient  in  drop- 
sical cases.  A  drachm  of  the  dried  leaves  may  be  infus- 
ed in  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  for  four  hours,  adding 
to  the  strained  liquor  an  ounce  of  any  spirituous  water  : 
two  table  spoonfuls,  or  an  ounce  given  twice  a  day,  is  a 
moderate  dose  for  an  adult :  if  the  patient  be  stronger 
than  usual,  or  the  symptoms  very  urgent,  this  may  be 
given  once  in  eight  hours ;  but,  in  many  instances,  half 
an  ounce  will  be  sufficient.  When  this  medicine  purges, 
it  is  said  to  fail  of  success,  and  opium  may  be  advanta- 
geously joined  with  it :  but  when  the  bowels  are  too 
tardy,  jalap  may  be  added.  It  seldom  succeeds  in  men 
of  great  natural  strength,  of  a  tense  fibre,  warm  skin, 
florid  complexion,  and  a  hard  pulse.  But  if  the  pulse 
be  feeble,  or  intermitting,  the  countenance  pale,  the 
lips  livid,  the  skin  cold,  the  belly  soft  and  fluctuating, 
the  anasarcous  limbs  readily  pitting  with  pressure  of 
the  finger,  we  may  expect  the  diuretic  effects  to  follow 
in  the  most  salutary  manner.  If  given  in  the  form  of 
extract,  it  must  be  joined  with  exercise  and  tonics.  The 
decoction  is  occasionally  preferred  to  the  powder,  and 
given  in  the  following  form :  R.  Digitalis  purpureae  • 
recentis  §  iv.  aquas  clistillatse  Jfe  ij.  coq  ad  ftj  i.  et  liquo- 
ri  colato  adjiciantur  spt.  vinosi  §  ij.  fiat  decoctio. — One 
large  spoonful  is  to  be  administered  every  morning,  in 
every  variety  of  idiopathic  dropsy,  and  repeated  every 
hour,  till  the  patient  has  taken  from  three  to  eight  or 
nine  spoonfuls,  or  till  sickness,  or  some  other  disagree- 
able sensation,  be  induced.  The  hydropic  fluid  gene- 
rally disappears  on  the  next  or  on  the  third  day,  without 
any  repetition  of  the  medicine  ;  and  frequently  without 
any  apparently  increased  evacuation;  at  other  times, 
with  vomiting  and  a  large  flow  of  urine;  and  sometimes 
with  purging  stools. 

Such  is  the  flattering  account  of  Dr.  Withering;  but 
•we  cannot  confirm  it  from  experience  in  every  part. 
The  digitalis  is  of  a  suspicious  order,  and  its  exhibition 
is  attended  often  with  inconvenience.  Vertigo,  sick- 
ness, and  faintness,  frequently  follow.  More  than  one 
patient  has  died  suddenly  during  its  exhibition ;  and, 
though  these  sudden  terminations  in  dropsy  are  not  un- 
common, we  have  apprehended  that  this  poisonous  plant 
may  have  had  a  share  in  the  event.  We  have,  there- 
fore, always  prescribed  it  with  a  trembling  caution,  and 
have  scarcely  ventured  giving  above  two  grains  three 
times  a  day.  After  some  time  the  pulse  becomes  slower, 
the  patient  weaker,  and  it  seems  to  be  owing  to  the  ge- 
neral relaxation  which  takes  place  that  the  urine  passes 
off.  It  is  singular,  but  undoubtedly  true,  that  it  should 
be  useless  in  dropsies  of  the  young  and  strong. 

From  its  lowering  the  pulse,  it  has  been  given  fretly 
in  spasmodic  asthma,  and  hectic,  so  far  as  our  experi- 
ence goes,  without  success.  The  pulse  is,  indeed,  ren- 
dered slow;  but  the  other  symptoms  remain  with  little 
melioration. 

The  unguentum  digitalis  is  made  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  applied  to  the  same  uses,  as  that  of  cicuta;  the 
ingredients  are  equal  parts  of  the  digitalis  purpurea,  re- 
cently gathered,  and  hog's  lard.  (For  the  process,  see. 


13  IH 


566 


DIG 


CICUTA.)  It  is  also  a  name  of  the  sesamum  orientals. 
See  SESAMUM  VERUM. 

DIGITA'LIS  MINIMA.     SeeGRATioLA. 

DIGITA'TUS,  (from  digitus,  a  finger}.  In  botany 
U  means  divided  into  several  parts,  and  meeting  toge- 
ther at  the  tail ;  like  a  hand,  and  its  fingers.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  the  leaves. 

DIGI'TIUM,  (from  digitus,  afinger) .  A  contraction 
of  the  joint  of  a  finger;  and  a  pain,  with  wasting  of  the 
same  part.  See  also  PARONYCHIA. 

DIGITO'RUM  TE'NSOR.     See  EXTENSOR  DIGI- 

TOHUM   COMMUN1S. 

DI'GITUS,  (from  digero,  to  direct,  as  the  natural  in- 
strument of  pointing  or  directing).  AFINGER.  In  the 
hands  they  have  particular  names.  The  first,  which  is 
opposite  to,  and  thicker  than  the  rest,  is  called  a.vli%tip, 
and  pollex  ;  the  second,  index,  *t%mi>(,  and  salutaris  ; 
the  third,  /i«<r«s,  medius,  and  longissimus ;  the  fourth, 
•srapatitiroi,  and  annularis  ;  and  the  fifth,  minimus,  auri- 
cularis.  The  Greeks  called  the  thumb,  cttli^iif,  be- 
cause it  was  alone  as  powerful  as  the  other  four  fingers, 
from  «v7<,  against,  and  %tip,  the  hand;  and  the  Latins 
pollejc,  from  pollendo,  for  the  same  reason.  The  se- 
cond, or  fore  finger,  *<#*»««,  index,  because,  by  point- 
ing, discoveries  are  made,  or  indications  given ;  and  sa- 
lutaris, because,  being  applied  to  the  mouth,  it  causes 
a  salutar.y  silence.  The  third,  /*£«•««,  medius,  and  lon- 
gissimus,  the  middle  finger,  from  its  situation  and 
length.  The  fourth,  •zretpctfiiirts,  because  it  was  beyond 
the  middle  finger;  and  annularis,  from  wearing  rings 
upon  it,  hence  called  ring  finger.  The  fifth,  auricularis, . 
from  its  clearing  the  ear,  and  minimus,  from  its  size. 
The  toes  have  no  names.  The  thumb  and  the  four  fingers 
are  each  composed  of  three  bones ;  those  of  the  fingers 
aVe  formed  alike,  but  those  of  the  thumb  are  much 
thicker  and  stronger,  in  proportion  to  their  length.  On 
the  outside,  the  bones  of  the  fingers  are  convex,  within 
flat.  Both  ends  of  the  first  phalanx  are  in  a  cartilaginous 
state  at  birth.  The  first  joint  of  the  fingers  is  arthrodia, 
the  two  last  are  ginglymus.  The  different  parts  or  bones 
of  the  fingers  are  called  phalanges  ;  the  first  phalanx  is 
the  largest,  and  the  last  the  least.  (See  PHALANX). 
Digitus,  among  the  Latins,  stands  also  for  a  measure, 
similar  to  dactylus  among  the  Greeks  ;  the  smallest 
measure,  by  which  the  distances  ot  space  or  time  are 
measured,  similar  to  our  jot.  However,  at  the  present 
day,  it  seems  to  be  a  measure  taken  from  the  breadth 
of  the  finger,  properly  three  fourths  of  an  inch,  and 
equivalent  to  four  grains  of  barley  laid  breadthwise,  so 
as  to  touch  one  another.  Astronomers  preserve  the 
name  in  the  division  of  a  great  circle,  digit. 

DIGLO'SSON,(fromX«,6zs,  and  yA<ac-r«,  a  tongue}. 
A  name  of  the  laurus  Alexandrina,  because  that  above 
its  leaf  a  less  leaf  resembles  a  tongue. 

DIGNO'TIO,  (from  dignosco,  to  distinguish.}  See 
DIAGNOSIS. 

DIGY'NIA,  (from  Sts,  bis,  and  yuvsj,  muiier.}  The 
name  of  an  order  in  Linnaeus's  artificial  system,  com- 
prehending those  plants  which  have  two  pistils. 

DIHjE'MATON,  (from  <^«,  and  *(>*,  blood}.  The 
name  of  an  antidote,  in  which  is  the  blood  of  many  dif- 
ferent animals. 

DIHA'LON,  (from  <5W,  and  «A«,  salt}.  A  plaster 
prepared  of  salt  and  nitre,  adapted  to  foul  ulcers. 


DII'PETES,  (from  hot,  heaven,  and  wmla,  to  fall; 
i.  e.  falling  as  rain).  See  SEMEN. 

DILATA'TIO,  (from  dilato,  to  expand,)  distentio; 
DILATATION.  Sometimes  it  is  used  for  diastole. 

DILATATO'RES  ALA'RUM  NA'SI,  (from  the 
same).  DILATORS  OF  THE  NOSTRILS.  They  are  small, 
thin  muscles,  having  a  double  order  of  fibres  decussat- 
ing each  other.  They  rise  from  the  interior  and  infe- 
rior parts  of  the  ossa  narium,  and  are  soon  inserted  into 
the  superior  parts  of  the  alse.  They  raise  the  alae,  and 
dilate  the  nostrils. 

DILATATO'RIUM,  (from  the  same).  A  surgical 
intrument  for  dilating  any  part. 

DILL.  H.  MUSC.  An  abbreviation  of  Johannis 
Jacobi  Dillenii  Historia  Muscorum. 

DILUEN'TIA,  (from  diluo,  to  ivash  away).  DI- 
LUENTS. These  are  fluids,  which  render  the  substance 
with  which  they  are  mixed  still  more  fluid,  without 
adding  any  acrimony,  and  are  almost  universally  water. 
Heat  cannot  be  considered  of  this  kind,  because  it  is 
not,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  a  fluid  ;  and,  when 
salt  renders  the  serum  more  fluid,  the  term  is  impro- 
perly applied. 

Diluents  are,  therefore,  watery  fluids  alone  ;  and 
these  undoubtedly  dilute  the  contents  of  the  stomach 
and  bowels;  but,  should  lentor  or  vicidity  exist  in  the 
blood,  water  alone  will  not  remove  it.  If  water  is  ab- 
sorbed, it  is  soon  again  carried  to  the  kidneys  or  the 
skin,  and  evacuated  without  any  impregnation.  Some 
diluent  effect  may  be  produced,  if,  by  joining  any  of  the 
farinacea,  the  watery  fluid  is  subjected  to  the  powers  of 
digestion. 

DILU'TUM,(from  the  same).  DILUTED.  Sec  INFUSUM. 

DILYTjE'A.  In  Myrepsus,  it  is  the  fat  of  some  un- 
known animal. 

DIMIDIA'TUS,  (from  dimidium,  half,),  divided  into 
half. 


DI'NICA,  (from  frivtu,  to  turn  round}.  Medicines 
against  a  vertigo. 

DINNER,  (from  the  barbarous  Latin  word  disnare, 
to  dine)  .  The  principal  meal,  which  should  be  taken 
about  the  middle  of  the  day.  See  DIJETA. 

DI'NOS,  (from  S'lica,  to  turn  round}.  See  VERTIGO. 

DIO'BOGON.     See  SCRUPULUS. 

DIO'CRES.     The  name  of  a  pastil  in  Myrepsus. 

DIO'DOS,  (from  ^/«,  and  o^««,  the  "way  through). 
See  DIF.XODOS. 

DICF.'CIA,  (from  Pis,  bis,  andoixe?,  domus).  A  vege- 
table which  has  no  hermaphrodite  flower  ;  but  in  which 
the  male  flower  is  upon  one  plant,  and  the  female  flower 
upon  another.  It  is  the  twenty-second  of  Linnseus's 
classes. 

DICENA'NTHES,  (from  <$W,  and  •»»«»&»,'  thejloioer 
of  the  -vine,)  an  epithem  in  Trallian  against  the  cholera 
morbus. 

DIO'GMUS,  (from  S'tax.u,  to  persecute).     See  PAL- 

PITATIO   CORDIS. 

DIO'NIS  COLLY'RIUM.  A  collyrium  in  Oriba- 
sius,  so  called  from  Dion  its  author. 

DIONY'SIA.  The  name  of  a  plaster  for  abscesses, 
invented  by  Hera  the  Cappadocian  ;  also  called  diony- 
sianum  emplastrum. 

DIONY'SIAS,  (from  Aiawe-as  Bacchus,  or  wine). 
See  ANDROSJEMUM. 


DIP 


567 


DIR 


DIOXISI'SCI.  HORNED.  Certain  bony  eminences 
near  the  temples;  or  rather  the  race  distinguished  by 
those  prominences ;  from  Dionysius,  a  name  of  Bacchus, 
described  as  horned. 

DIONY'SIUS.     See  LEPIDIUM. 
DION  Y'SOS.     The  name  of  a  collyrium  in  -Etius  ; 
one  resembling  it  is  found  in  P.  .Cgineta,  called  colly- 
rium malabathrinum,  and  isotheon. 

DIOPO'RON,  (from  fi»,  and  fra?x,autumnal  fruit). 
The  name  of  a  medicine  in  Cod.  Aurelianus,  used 
against  the  quinsy. 

DIO'PTRA,  (from  i'levltfuti,  lo  see  through).  An 
instrument  for  dilating  any  natural  cavity,  the  better  to 
see  its  state,  as  the  speculum  uteri. 

DIOPTRICS  ;  glasses  employed  to  view  distant  ob- 
jects, where  the  rays  pass  through  the  lens,  in  opposi- 
tion to  those  where  the  object  is  examined  after  reflec- 
tion. Spectacles  are  dioptrical  instruments. 

DIOPTRI  SMOS,  (from  hmltfuu,  to  see  through). 
The  operation  which  consists  in  dilating  the  natural 
passages  with  a  dioptra. 

DIO'ROBON,  (from  J<«,  and  <y«?««,  a  -vetch}.  A 
medicine  containing  vetches. 

DIORRHO'SIS,or  DIORO'SIS,  (from  fix,  and  >fi(, 
serum,)  a  conversion  of  the  humours  into  serum  and 
water. 

DIORTHO'SIS,  (from  ^<*,  and  «^©-,  right,  or  from 
fitfltu,  to  direct}.  The  restitution  of  a  fractured  limb 
to  its  natural  situation. 

DIOSCO'R.  An  abbreviation  of  Pedacii  Dioscoridis 
Opera. 

DIOSCU'RI,  (from  &us  x.ev?et,  the  sons  of  Jupiter, 
Castor  and  Pollux:  the  parotid  glans  are  so  named 
from  their  equality  in  shape  and  position).  See  PARO- 
TIDES. 

DIO'TA,  (from  ^<«,  double,  and  «»"«?,  from  «»«,  the 
ear).  The  name  of  a  wooden  cup,  with  two  ears  or 
handles,  lined  with  aromatics,  to  give  a  flavour  to  the 
liquor  contained  in  it. 

DIOXEL-E'UM,  (from  J>,  »|K«,  acid,  and  t*tun, 
oleum).  A  malagma  of  oil  and  vinegar. 

DIO'XUS,  (from  JW,  and  «|t,«,  acid).    The  name  of 
an  acid  collyrium  in  Marcellus  Empiricus. 
DIOSPY''ROS.     See  GUAJACANA. 
DI'PCADI.     See  BULBUS  VOMITORIUS. 
DIPC^E'A.     See  CIRC^A. 

DIPE'TALUS,  (from  &H,  double,  and  irelxtot,  a  fte- 
tal).  Consisting  of  two  petals. 

DI'PHRYGES,or  DISPHRYGES.  SCORIA;  (from 
JV;,  twice,  and  pfVY*,  to  torrefy).  There  are  three 
kinds;  1st,  Metallic,  produced  only  in  Cyprus ;  found 
in  the  mud  of  a  pool,  whence  it  is  taken  and  dried  in 
the  sun,  then  burnt ;  as  it  were  twip e  roasted.  2d,  The 
dross  in  working  copper.  3d,  Pyrites  calcined  to  red- 
ness. 

DI'PLOE,  from  <5V!rA»«,  double,  called  also  meditul- 
!ium).  It  is  the  soft  part  between  the  two  tables  of 
the  bones  of  the  skull. 

DIPLO'MA,  The  written  instrument  which  gives 
authority  for  physicians  to  practise.  It  is  usually  writ- 
ten on  parchment,  and  folded  up;  hence  its  name, 
from  S'if>M»,  to  fold.  Diplomas  are  now  disgracefully 
sold  by  colleges  founded  for  better  purposes ;  and  the 
blockhead,  who  cannot  write  a  prescription,  ranks  with 
a  man  of  the  greatest  learning  and  experience.  Also  a 
DOUBLE  VESSEL.  To  boil  in  diplomate,  is  to  set  one 


vessel,  containing  the  ingredients  intended  to  be  act- 
ed upon,  in  another  larger  vessel  full  of  water,  and 
to  this  latter  vessel  the  fire  is  applied.  See  BALNEUM 

MARI.t. 

DIPLO'PIA,  (from  <J/TA»»,  dufilus,  and  »4>is,  visvs). 
A  depravity  of  sight,  by  which  the  same  objects  appear 
double.  The  symptom  is  almost  always  of  short  dura» 
tion,  and  we  bear  it  freely.  So  long  as  the  object  is 
not  within  the  distance  of  distinct  vision,  two  images 
opposite  to  one  faramen,  or  aperture,  having  fallen 
upon  the  eye,  are  not  united  in  the  retina,  but  in  distinct 
places ;  and,  therefore,  they  have  not  the  optic  point  as 
a  centre  :  whence  the  image  appears  double.  The  optic 
portion  is  a  circular  point  in  the  bottom  of  the  eye, 
whose  centre  the  optic  axis  occupies :  but  as  often  as 
we  look  at  any  object  with  both  eyes,  so  often,  unless 
there  should  be  some  defect  in  the  organs,  we  turn  the 
eyes,  that  each  axis  may  concur  in  the  same  point  of 
the  object ;  and  we  learn  by  long  habit,  that  a  double 
image  answers  to  one  object,  and  consequently  we  judge 
that  object  single :  but  if  a  double  image  should  fall 
upon  the  same  eye,  and  not  concur  in  the  optic  point, 
then  the  same  object  appears  to  be  seen  in  two  different 
places,  and  therefore  double.  It  frequently  arises  from 
weakness,  when  we  lose  the  power  over  the  muscles  of 
the  eye,  so  as  not  to  be  able  to  direct  them  with  accu- 
racy. The  diplopia,  then,  is  the  forerunner  of  death, 
or  in  fevers,  of  delirium.  At  times,  the  defect  seems 
to  be  in  the  brain  beyond  the  eye ;  and  it  has  been 
sometimes  an  early  symptom  of  hydrocephalus,  or  of  an 
abscess  in  the  basis  of  the  brain  near  the  thalami  nerv- 
orum  opticorum.  Dr.  Cullen  makes  it  a  variety  of  the 
second  species  of  pseudoblepsis,  which  he  calls  mutans, 
in  which  objects  appear  changed  from  what  they  really 
are  :  and  the  disease  varies  according  to  the  variety  of 
the  remote  cause,  of  which  he  enumerates,  from  Sau- 
vages,  ten  species.  See  Nosologia  Methodica  Sauva- 
gesii,  et  Culleni.  Wallis's  Nosologia  Methodica  Ocu- 
lorum,  with  notes. 

DIPNO'OS,  (from  <T<«,  6is,  double,  and  int*,  to 
breathe).  An  epithet  of  wounds  which  penetrate  through 
some  cavity,  or  quite  through  a  part,  or  that  have  two 
orifices,  admitting  the  air  at  both  ends. 

DI'PSACON,  the  TEASLE,  (from  $d>*,  thirst).  So 
called  from  the  concave  situation  of  its  leaves,  which 
will  hold  water,  by  which  the  thirst  of  the  traveller  may 
be  relieved.  See  ASPALATHUS. 

DI'PSACOS,  (from  h^*,  thirst).     See  DIABETES. 

DI'PAS.  DRY  EARTH,  (from  the  same).  Also 
the  name  of  a  serpent,  whose  bite  causes  thirst.  See 
COBRA. 

-  DIPSE'TICUS,  (from  <fc^*«,  to  thirst).  An  epithet 
for  food  which  causes  thirst. 

DIPYRE'NON,  (from  ^<?,  bis,. double,  and  wvtv,  a 
berry,  or  kernel,)  the  name  of  a  probe,  with  two  but- 
tons on  one  end.  It  is  mentioned  by  Coelius  Aurelianus. 

DIPYRI'TES,  or  DIPY'ROS,  (from  J<«,  twice,  and 
•a-vf,Jire').  BREAD  TWICE  BAKED.  Hippocrates  recom- 
mends it  in  dropsies. 

DIRADIA'TIO.     See  ACTIXOBOLISMUS. 

DIRE'CTOR,  (from  dirigo,  to  direct).  A  grooved 
instrument  for  guiding  an  incision  knife. 

DIRECTO'RES  PENIS,  (from  the  same).  See 
ERECTORES  PENIS. 

DIRI'NGA.     A  name,  in  the  isle  of  Java,  for  the 

SWEET-SCENTED    FLAG.       See    CALAMUS     AROMATICUS. 


BIS 


568 


DTS 


DISCE'SSUS  (from  discedo,  to  depart).  A  chemical 
term,  in  French  depart,  or  linquart,  signifies,  in  gene- 
ral, any  separation  of  two  bodies  before  united  :  but  it  is 
particularly  applied  to  the  separation  of  gold  from  silver 
by  the  nitrous  acid,  where  the  silver  is  dissolved,  but 
the  gold  left  untouched. 

DISCOI'DES,  (from  JW,@-,  the  quoit  used  in  the 
Roman  games,  and  ct^s,  a  form}.  See  CRYSTALI.INA. 

DISCRE'TA  PURGATI'VA,  (from  discerno,  to 
separate).  A  purgative  which  evacuates  a  particular 
humour. 

DISCRI'MEN,  is  a  small  roller  about  twelve  feet 
long,  and  two  fingers  broad,  rolled  up  with  one  head, 
and  used  after  bleeding  in  the  forehead,  in  the  following 
manner:  the  bandage  is  held  with  the  left  thumb  upon 
a  compress,  so  that  about  a  foot  hangs  below  the  fore- 
head ;  then  the  roller  is  carried  round  the  temples  and 
occiput  in  the  circular  direction;  after  this,  the  part 
which  hangs  down  is  to  be  carried  over  the  head  to  the 
occiput,  and  there,  having  rolled  it  several  times  about 
the  head,  it  is  to  be  secured.  It  is  a  term  also  applied 
to  the  diaphragm. 

DISCIFO'RME,  (from  J'/c-xo?,  a  quoit,  and  forma, 
likeness).  See  PATELLA. 

DrSCUS,(fromJW«,  to  throw).  A  DISK,  or  QUOIT, 
thrown  to  a  great  distance  at  a  mark.  It  was  one  of  the 
gymnastic  exercises.  In  botany,  the  whole  surface  of 
a  leaf;  disk,  of  a  flower,  is  the  central  part  in  radiate 
compound  flowers  consisting  generally  of  regular  little 
corollx  or  florets  ;  the  term  is  also  appled  to  other  ag- 
gregate flowers,  when  the  florets,  towards  the  middle, 
differ  from  those  in  the  circumference. 

DISCU'SSIO,  (from  $~i$,  and  yuatio,  to  shake 
through}.  See  PERSPIRATIO. 

DISCUSSO'RIA,  DISCUTIE'NTIA,  (from  discu- 
tio,  to  discuss,  or  shake  to  pieces).  DISCUTIENTS,  by 
Dioscorides  called  also  diachytica.  They  are  such  me- 
dicines as  dissolve  or  dissipate  a  stagnating  fluid  without 
an  external  solution  of  continuity.  In  all  bruises  the 
fluids  are  stagnant.  If  there  is  no  ecchymosis,  the  ves- 
sels are  distended  and  thus  weakened,  and  the  principal 
means  of  relieving  is  by  exciting  their  action.  Simple 
friction  will  often  succeed.  Ardent  spirits,  camphor, 
volatile  alkali,  the  light  subtile  spirit  styled  arquebu- 
sade,  which  is  only  a  distillation  of  spirits  from  some 
warm  plants,  are  very  active  discutients.  They  are, 
however,  more  effectual  when  united  with  a  sedative, 
particularly  with  opium ;  and  it  may  indeed  be  doubted 
whether  ardent  spirits  do  not,  in  part,  owe  their  virtue 
to  their  narcotic  powers.  Relaxants,  particularly 
warmth,  and  oils,  are  injurious,  and  induce  suppuration. 
Cold  adds  greatly  to  the  effect  of  discutients,  and  the 
most  volatile  are  the  most  powerful. 

DISEASE.     See  MORBUS. 

DISLOCA'TIO,  (from  £if,  ex,  out  of,  and  locus,  a 
place).  To  put  out  of  its  place.  See  LUXATIO.  . 

DISPENSARY,  (from  dinpendo,  to  distribute,  the 
xhofi  in  which  medicines  are  prepared) .  It  is  also  the 
appellation  of  a  modern  institution,  in  which  the  poor 
are  supplied  with  medicines  and  advice.  It  is  more 
advantageous  than  hospitals,  as  a  greater  number  of 
patients  are  relieved  at  a  less  expense  ;  and  less  useful, 
us  the  diet  and  other  circumstances  cannot  be  properly 
attended  to.  It  is  generally  the  arena,  in  which  the 
young  physician  can  display  his  importance,  and  ac- 
f'uire  practical  knowledge.  Every  hospital,  however, 


has  its  out  patients,  which  are  nearly  on  the  same  footr 
ing  with  the  patients  of  a  dispensary  ;  and,  if  necessary, 
are  often  visited  at  their  own  houses. 

DISPENSATO'RIUM,(from  dispendo,  to  distribute^ 
or  set  in  order).  DISPENSATORY.  A  work  treating  of 
the  composition  of  remedies  ;  called  also  antidotari- 
um.  A  dispensatory  contains  a  select  number  of  for- 
mulae, established  by  the  authority  of  the  government 
of  each  country,  that  the  medicines  may  be  prepared  in 
a  manner,  not  only  correct,  but  active  and  uniform.  The 
publication  of  authorized  regular  dispensatories  is  not, 
however,  of  a  very  early  date;  but,  from  the  time  of 
the  Arabians,  different  works  of  authority  have  been 
considered  as  the  directors  of  apothecaries.  About  the 
middle-  of  the  fifteenth  contury,  the  standard  volumes 
were  a  treatise  of  Avicenna,  andanotherof  Serapion  on 
Simples,  which  still  remain;  the  Antidotarium  of  Me- 
sue ;  another  of  Nicholas  of  Salerno,  a  tract  of  Simon 
Januensis  de  Synonymis;  and  one  of  an  Arabian  author, 
containing  the  preparation  of  simples  and  chemical  re- 
medies, under  the  name  of  Liber  Servitoris.  About 
the  end  of  the  century,  a  collection  was  made  from 
these  authors  by  Nicholaus  Pracpositus  of  Tours  ;  but 
chiefly  from  Mesue  and  Nicholas  of  Salerno.  This 
general  dispensatory  was  followed  by  the  Thesaurus  Ar- 
matariorum,  the  Lumen  dpothecariorum,  and  theZttwzzrc- 
are  Majus,  compilations  from  the  same  source. 

Of  these  two  luminaries  of  modern  pharmacy,  Mesue 
seems  to  have  lived  early  in  the  eleventh  century,  cer- 
tainly before  its  end ;  and  Nicholas  of  Salerno  followed 
him.  Under  this  name,  we  have,  however,  three  phar- 
maceutical works.  The  principal  is  styled  Nicholaus 
Magnus;  from  this  there  is  an  abridgment,  or  rather 
a  contraction,  styled  Nicholaus  Parvus;  but,  in  a  sub- 
sequent era,  another  Nicholaus  called  Myrepsus,  some- 
times Alcxandrinus,  appeared,  whose  work  is  the 
largest  of  the  three.  We  have  decided  ex  cathedra  on 
many  disputed  points  of  chronology  in  this  short  histo- 
ry ;  but  have  followed  the  more  probable  accounts, 
though  we  have  not  room  to  assign  our  reasons. 

All  these  works  are,  in  many  parts,  confused  and 
complicated.  The  ingredients  of  the  compositions  are 
numerous  and  contradictory,  and  of  the  greater  num- 
ber it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  design.  Some  remedy 
was  introduced  for  every  complaint,  and  it  was,  of 
course,  supposed  that  the  whole  would  be  an  universal 
medicine. 

The  first  dispensatory  published  by  authority  was 
that  of  Valerius  Cordus,  in  1542,  by  the  authority  of 
the  senate  of  Nuremberg.  It  is  chiefly  taken  from  the 
authors  above  mentioned,  with  .the  addition  of  some 
chemical  remedies,  particularly  ether.  The  work  it- 
self, now  before  us^  is  not  scarce ;  but  it  is  particularly 
known  from  the  comments  and  quotation  of  Hoffman. 
This  work  was  followed  by  Wecker,  whose  Antidotari- 
um  Speciale  appeared  in  1561,  a  distinct  work  from  the 
Secrctu  of  the  same  author,  and  by  Renodaeus,  who  pub- 
lished his  Officina  Pharmaceutica  seu  Antidotarium  at 
Paris,  in  1608  ;  but  these  were  the  works  of  individuals. 
The  next  dispensatory  by  authority  was  the  Pharma- 
copoeia Bergamensis,  1581  ;  and  it  was  followed  by  the 
Pharmacopeia  Augustana,  which  appeared  at  Ausburg, 
in  1601 ;  and,  with  the  notes  of  Zwelfer,  at  Rotterdam, 
in  1653.  The  former  was  the  reputed  parent  of  every 
other  dispensatory;  and  it  was  succeeded  by  that  of 
London,  in  1618,  and  of  Paris,  in  1637.  In  each  too 


IMS 


BIB 


was  copied  from  Nicholas  of  Salerno;  but  they 
are,  when  we  consider  the  pe.riod  at  which  they  appear- 
ed, respectable  collections.  It  is  too  common  to  de- 
spise the  ancients;  but  those  who  have  looked  into  the 
Pharmacopoeias  subsequent  to  the  periods  of  Xicholaus, 
will  find  in  them  the  germs  of  our  most  boasted  formulae, 
though  overloaded  and  disguised  by  the  number  of 
ingredients.  It  would  not  be  an  uninteresting  work  to 
restore  to  each  author  his  original  idea.  The  Persian 
Pharmacopoeia,  published  in  the  same  century;  at  Pa- 
ris, containing  the  Arabian  formulae,  will  complete  this 
short  view  of  ancient  pharmacy. 

There  were,  indeed,  many  other  Dispensatories  pub- 
lished in  the  same  century,  or  even  more  early  ;  but,  in 
general,  copies  from  those  which  preceded.  We  shall 
add  the  titles  of  the  works  which  had  the  best  preten- 
sions to  originality.  Of  these  the  first  and  principal  is 
Florentinum  Antidotarium,  of  which  we  know  not  the 
date;  but  the  Latin  translation  by  Clusius,  now  before 
us,  was  published  at  Antwerp,  in  1561;  Montagna's 
Antidotarium,  at  Venice,  1565;  Fioraventi's  Secreti 
Rational!  intorno  alia  Medicina,  Ecc.  appeared  at  Venice 
in  L600  ;  Poterius's  Pharmacopoeia  Spagyrica,  at  Frank- 
fort, 1698  ;  Juncken's  Corpus  Pharmaceutico-Medicum, 
at  Frankfor*:,  in  1697;  Lemery's  Phanuacopee  Uni- 
verselle,  in  the  following  year ;  and  Mynsicht's  Arma- 
mentarium Medico-Chymicum,  in  1631.  An  early 
Pharmacopoeia,  by  Bauderon,  whose  date  we  cannot  at 
present  ascertain,  was  republished,  with  remarks,  at 
Lyons,  in  1681,  by  F.  Verny. 

The  Dispensatories  in  the  eighteenth  century  were 
too  numerous  to  be  particularly  mentioned.  The 
"  mere  muster-roll  of  names"  would  fill  our  page,  which 
may  be  better  employed  by  a  slight  discriminated 
view  of  the  merits  of  the  more  modern  authorised  col- 
lections. 

Every  country  of  Europe  has  now  its  own  Pharma- 
copoeia, established  by  authority.  In  the  north,  the 
Swedish,  the  Danish,  and  the  Russian,  Dispensatories 
are  respectable  and  correct  collections  of  well  arranged 
formulae.  The  Danish  merits,  on  the  whole,  the  pre- 
ference; though  the  Swedish  is  more  chemically  correct. 
In  our  own  country,  the  late  edition  of  the  London 
Pharmacopoeia  is  elegantly,  and  on  the  whole  accurate- 
ly, chemical.  Perhaps  it  is  too  concise ;  nor  does  it  al- 
-  furnish  the  formulae  which  extensive  practice  de- 
mands. The  first  edition  appeared  in  1618;  but  we 
cannot  find  that  it  was  republished  till  the  year  1746, 
and  again  in  1788.  The  Edinburgh  college  published 
their  first  edition  in  1723,  and  it  has  been  followed  by 
editions  in  1736,  1747,  1756,  1775,  1792,  and  1803. 
Their  last  edition  is  a  very  elegant  and  accurate  work. 
The  Dublin  college  has  not  published  any  dispensatory 
till  within  these  few  years,  under  the  auspices  of  Mr. 
Kinvan  :  it  is  what  may  be  expected  from  a  learned  bo- 
dy, in  an  enlightened  age. 

In  Germany,  the  Wirtemburgh  Dispensatory  was  for 
many  years  the  standard  of  German  pharmacy,  and  the 
best  edition  was  that  of  1771.  It  was  afterwards  re- 
published,  but  without  any  change ;  and  is  still  a  neces- 
sary work  for  those  who  study  the  labours  of  the  former 
German  practitioners:  it  is  particularly  referred  to 
in  Murray's  Apparatus  Medicaminum.  In  the  north  of 
Germany  it  has  been  superseded  by  the  Berlin  Dispen- 
satory, the  last  edition  of  which  is  one  of  the  most 


VOL.  I. 


complete  Pharmacopoeias  which  we  possc-ja;-and  by 
the  Brunswick  Dispensatory  of  1777,  a  very  inferior 
work,  abounding  in  all  the  useless  exuberance  of  some 
ancient  collections.  On  the  west,  in  Holland,  the 
Leydcn  and  Amsterdam  Dispensatories  direct  the  prac- 
tice; but  neither  has  lately  been  revised. 

In  the  south  of  Germany,  the  Fulda  Dispensator 
highly  esteemed.  It  is  a  work  of  value,  and  may  br 
perused  in  every  country  with  advantage.  That  ot 
Vienna  was  first  printed  in  1729,  and  reprinted  in  1765. 
It  has  escaped  us  if  any  other  edition^  has  appeared. 
Dispensatories  have  been  published  at  Presburg  and 
Cracow  ;  but  they  were  early  works,  and  of  little  value. 

In  France,  the  first  Dispensatory  appeared  in  1 6 
and  we  know  of  no  edition  since  that  of  Boyer,  in  1758. 
The   Pharmacopoeia  of  Lyons,   by  Vitet,  appeared  m 
-1778,  and  is  a  very  respectable  collection. 

The  Spanish  and  Italian  Dispensatories  are  of  too  little 
real  value  to  detain  us ;  and  we  shall  close  this  article 
with  a  short  enumeration  of  the  principal  collections  of 
formulae  not  authorised  by  any  government. 

The  first  of  these,  besides  Renodaeus  and  some  others 
formerly  mentioned,  was  Schroeder's  Pharmacopoeia, 
in4to.,  published  at  Leyden,  in  1656  ;  Triller's  Dispen- 
satorium  Pharmaceuticum  Universale,  in  two  volumes, 
4to.,  published  at  Frankfort,  in  1764:  the  first  volume 
of  this  work  contains  the  materia  medica.  A  superior 
collection,  however,  is  the  Dispensatorium  Universale 
of  Reuss,  in  two  volumes,  8vo.,  published  at  Strasbiirg, 
in  1791;  and  Spielman's  Pharmacopoeia  Generalis,  pub- 
lished at  the  same  place  in  1783,  is  a  work  of  value.  In 
our  own  country,  the  Dispensatories  of  Quiucy,  of 
James,  and  Strother,  merit  our  commendation.  The 
first,  improved  by  Lewis,  is  still  a  most  valuable  pharma- 
ceutical work;  but  the  last  improved  edition  by  Dr. 
Duncan,  junior,  comprehending  the  last  London,  Edin- 
burgh and  Dublin  Pharmacopoeias,  greatly  excels  every 
other  collection  we  have  seen.  It  is  full,  correct,  anil 
satisfactory  :  with  all  the  improvements  of  modern  sci- 
ence, from  the  best  sources,  most  skilfully  condensed,. 
We  owe  numerous  obligations  to  it  in  the  present  work. 
If  it  wants  any  addition,  it  is  of  the  formulae  from  some 
of  the  best  Pharmacopoeias  of  the  continent;  and  the  ad* 
dition  of  another  volume,  with  these  formulae,  has  been 
recommended.  At  present  the  deficiency  is  best  sup- 
plied by  the  improved  editions  of  Lewis,  or  by  an  ex- 
cellent work  entitled  "  Thesaurus  Medicaminum, •'  at- 
tributed, with  some  reason,  to  Dr.  R.  Pearson.  An  ex- 
cellent work  by  Plenck,  entitled  Pharmacopoeia  Chirur- 
gica,  and  an  admirable  little  manual  under  the  same 
title  in  English,  must  conclude  our  list.  , 

DISPE'RMATUS,  (from  ?n,  and  ex-iffi*, ~se rnenj.. 
Bearing  two  seeds. 

DISRU'PTIO,  (from  disrum/io,  to  break  asunder,} 
a  violent  lacerated  wound  which  penetrates  the  skin  to 
the  flesh. 

DISSE'CTIO,  (from  J~i?,  through,  and  seed,  to  cut). 
DISSECTION.  The  cutting  up  a  body,  with  a  view  of  ex- 
amining the  structure  of  the  parts.  See  ANATOMIA. 

It  is  scarcely  an  object  of  a  work  of  this  kind  to  teach 
the  minutiae  of  anatomy,  or,  of  course,  to  enlarge  on  the 
methods  by  which  it  may  be  most  satisfactorily  learnt. 
We  rather  design  this  article  as  subservient  to  forensic 
medicine,  which  is  an  object  of  considerable  importance, 
and,  in  general,  too  much  neglected  bv  authors  and 


DIS 


570 


DIS 


professors.  We  shall  add,  however,  a  few  observations 
on  this  subject,  for  the  assistance  of  the  younger  prac- 
titioners ;  we  trust  not  without  their  use. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  article  CHIRUUGIA  we  spoke 
of  the  necessity  of  frequently  using  the  knife  to  attain  a 
dexterity  in  accommodating  the  hand  to  every  little 
change  of  direction;  and  we  would  now  extend  the  ad- 
vice by  recommending,  as  frequently  as  possible,  the 
dissection  of  those  who  die  of  disease.  In  the  theatres 
of  anatomical  investigation,  some  days  have  generally 
t- lapsed  before  the  body  can  be  obtained,  and  some  fur- 
ther time  is  necessarily  lost  before  all  the  cavities  can 
be  examined.  Exudations,  in  consequence  of  this  de- 
lay, often  take  place  ;  the  blood  vessels,  if  distended,  as- 
sume a  livid  hue,  and  give  an  unfaithful  idea  of  the  real 
•appearance  of  the  parts,  so  that  the  practitioner  docs 
not  learn  to  distinguish  disease  when  it  really  occurs. 
If  the  dissection  of  diseased  bodies  be  often  practised, 
some  of  the  sound  parts  will  show  the  young  practi- 
tioner their  natural  appearance,  and,  in  turn,  he  will  see 
every  part  in  its  proper  colours. 

In  such  circumstances,  his  dexterity  may  be  improv- 
ed by  the  introduction  of  probes,  bristles,  or  other  in- 
struments, into  the  different  cavities.  The  probang  and 
i  atheter  he  may  thus  be  able  to  introduce  more  readily. 
fie  may  learn  to  pass  a  tent  to  the  upper  part  of  the 
nose,  by  conveying  a  string  through^it  to  the  back  part 
of  the  fauces ;  an  operation  on  which,  in  haemorrhages 
of  the  nose,  life  may  depend.  In  fact,  the  young  sur- 
geon should  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  of  inr 
creasing  his  readiness  in  executing  every  operation 
which  he  may  be  ever  required  to  perform. 

Another^circumstance  of  no  little  importance  is,  that 
he  will  learn,  in  the  subject  recently  dead,  and  not  injur- 
ed by  hasty  and  rough  conveyance,  to  see  the  situation 
of  different  viscera  with  respect  to  the  external  organs. 
He  will  find,  for  instance,  that  at  the  scrobiculus  cordis 
many  important  parts  meet;  the  stomach,  the  gall  blad- 
der, and  the  colon.  Each  may  produce  pains  there ; 
and  it  should  be  his  object  to  discriminate  those  which 
are  owing  to  diseases  of  the  different  organs.  He  will 
learn  also  from  the  diseased  state,  what  deviations  some- 
times take  place  in  these  respects.  The  stomach  will 
be  dragged  down  by  a  disease  of  the  epiploon  ;  the  ab- 
domen filled  by  one  of  the  ovarium,  Sec.  Each  dissec- 
tion, by  careful  observation,  will  thus  afford  a  lesson  ei- 
ther of  instruction  or  caution. 

Dissection,  when  necessary  to  ascertain  real  diseases, 
or  to  detect  crimes,  should  be  conducted  with  the  great- 
est care.  In  the  first  instance,  the  pains  are  often 
distant  from  the  seat.  We  remember  a  case  where 
pain  was  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  region  of 
the  navel ;  the  disease  was  a  scirrhus  pylorus :  another 
which  the  best  surgeons  pronounced  to  be  a  scirrhous 
prostate;  it  was  a  stone  impacted  in  the  pelvis  of  the 
kidney  :  of  a  child  whose  complaints  were  attributed  to 
a  diseased  liver;  it  was  a  mesenteric  obstruction.  In- 
stances of  this  kind,  and  many  we  might  add,  will  in- 
spire a  cautious  distrust,  and  the  propriety  of  a  doubtful 
opinion,  when  originally  offered.  Yet  nothing  is  more 
common  than  to  find  the  most  positive  decisions.  At 
ihis  moment  we  have  cases  pronounced  to  be  a  wasting 
of  the  liver;  a  dropsy  of  the  womb;  and  a  polypus  of 
the  uterus  ;  the  sources  of  which  arc  either  unknown 
er  evidently  mistaken.  Should  such  bodies  be  ever 


opened,  the  physician  and  his  science  will  be  disgracec:. 
except  by  some  frauds  which,  wo  fear,  are  too  common 
Deviations  from  the  common  structure  have  been  made 
by  art ;  and  it  is  always  easy  to  find,  in  any  circum- 
stances, what  we  wish. 

When  it  is  the  object  to  detect  crimes,  dissection  be- 
comes an  object  of  considerable  importance.  The  life 
of  an  innocent  person  maybe  the  sacrifice  of  ignorance, 
inattention,  or  presumption.  The  principal  inconve- 
niences we  shall  enumerate,  as  they  occur  in  the  greater 
cavities.  In  the  head,  the  surgeon  is  often  called  on 
to  decide  on  the  cause  of  death.  This  may  have  oc- 
curred in  a  paroxysm  of  passion,  and  an  accidental 
rencounter  ;  and  death  may  have  arisen  from  apoplexy, 
or  a  blow.  In  each  case,  the  vessels  will  be  turgid, 
especially  if  intoxication,  a  frequent  attendant,  has  con- 
curred. In  such  circumstances,  it  is  necessary  to  know 
that  the  vessels  of  the  brain  in  a  healthy  state  arc  usu- 
ally very  conspicuous.  If  no  considerable  external  in- 
jury, no  inflammation  corresponding  to  the  part  where 
a  slight  or  probable  blow  may  have  been  afflicted,  arc 
observable,  it  may  be  concluded  that  the  patient  did 
not  die  from  violence.  Even  general  inflammation, 
though  considerable,  will  scarcely  justify  the  contrary 
opinion  ;  nor  an  abscess,  if  at  the  basis  of  the  scull,  its 
most  common  seat,  support  a  different  conclusion. 
On  the  contrary,  a  trifling,  and  even  an  inconsiderable 
blow,  either  on  the  temple  or  on  the  upper  orbit  of  the 
eye,  where  the  bone  is  thin,  may  be  fatal ;  and  in  such 
circumstances,  the  most  minute  examination  of  the 
brain  and  its  bony  envelope  is  essentially  necessary. 
The  point  of  a  small  sword  against  the  upper  part  of 
the  orbit  has  been  fatal,  by  penetrating  the  brain,  though 
the  organ  of  vision  has  escaped. 

In  the  chest,  blows  and  wounds,  though  violent,  will 
not  always  be  fatal.;  but,  in  this  part  of  the  body,  the 
effects  are  generally  obvious,  and  no  doubt  occurs  that 
merits  any  elucidation. 

In  the  stomach,  we  are  often  left  in  uncertainty. 
Blows  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach  have  been  sometimes 
fatal,  without  leaving  any  trace.  The  effect,  on  this 
organ,  is  similar  to  concussion  on  the  brain.  Inflam- 
mation seldom  points  out  any  evident  cause ;  and  death, 
without  any  alteration  of  the  structure,  ensues. 

Greater  are,  however,  the  difficulties  when  poison  is 
the  suspected  cause  of  death;  and  it  is  necessary  that 
every  practitioner  should  be  acquainted  with  the  inter- 
nal appearances  of  this  organ.  Fortunately,  the  taste 
of  the  most  dangerous  poisons  soon  guards  a  person 
from  any  permanent  injury ;  and,  of  others,  the  effects 
are  strikingly  obvious.  The  idea  of  Mr.  Hunter,  that 
the  gastric  juice  dissolves  after  death  the  substance  of 
the  stomach,  and  occasions  erosions  in  it,  is  found  to 
have  no  foundation;  and  it  is  a  proof,  among  a  thousand 
others,  how  far  a  preconceived  opinion  influences  the 
most  accurate  observers.  Lead,  copper,  and  arsenic,  can 
be  ascertained  by  their  most  appropriated  tesls  (see 
VEJJENUM).  The  vegetable  poisons  are  too  nauseous 
to  escape  the  organs  of  taste,  and  the  animal  influence 
other  organs.  On  the  intestines  we  see  only  the  effects 
of  stimulant  poisons,  of  inflammation,  and  its  conse- 
quences. Wounds  and  bruises  offer  no  subject  of 
remarks,  as  they  are  sufficiently  obvious.  Yet  some- 
times, in  severe  bruises,  the  effects,  for  instance,  of 
military  punishment,  an  abscess  forms  below,  rather 


BI  IS 


371 


than  on  the  part  affected,  and  is  occasionally  the  cause 
of  death. 

In  cases  of  death,  in  real  or  supposed  puerperal  cases, 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  know  the  appearance  of  the 
organs  in  a  state  of  health,  and  in  the  puerperal  state. 
A  woman  sometimes  dies  apparently  from  poison,  and 
the  supposed  inducement  to  this  rash  act  is  suspected 
pregnancy.  The  cause  is,  sometimes,  with  difficulty 
decided  in  the  early  months.  If  the  period  of  menstrua- 
tion is  at  hand,  the  uterus  will  assume  the  appearance  of 
early  impregnation,  and  we  once  saw  it  at  a  different 
period,  though  the  hymen  was  entire.  The  appearance 
of  an  uterus^  lately  gravid,  ought  also  to  be  known,  as 
it  may  be  sometimes  necessary  to  determine  whether  a 
person,  who  has  voluntarily  terminated  her  existence, 
may  have  been  lately  delivered.  For  two  months,  at 
least,  and  very  often  much  longer,  the  appearance  of  a 
corpus  luteum  in  the  ovarium  is  decisive 

In  cases  of  puerperal  fever,  the  subject  has  been 
greatly  confined  by  those  who  have  described  -the  ap- 
pearances on  dissection,  being  imperfectly  acquainted 
with  those  of  the  puerperal  state.  The  natural  fulness 
of  the  uterine  vessels  has  been  styled  inflammation,  and 
the  coagulable  lymph  a  purulent  discharge. 

In  dropsy  in  tympanites,  as  well  as  in  the  puerperal 
state  just  described,  the  vessels  are  peculiarly  full,  and 
give  the  suspicion  of  previous  inflammation  where  none 
has  existed.  Adhesions  often  take  place  in  chronic 
cases,  in  the  last  moments,  or  soon  after  death,  and  ex- 
cite an  unfounded  suspicion  of  an  inflammatory  disorder 
having  preceded.  In  real  inflammation  of  the  perito- 
nxum,  it  is  thickened,  pulpy,  and  opaque. 

A  neatness  in  opening  a  body  ayid  again  sewing  the 
wounds,  can  be  judged  of  by  every  one.  The  body  should 
not  be  too  much  exposed.  In  dissecting  the  head, 
the  integuments  should  be  cut  across  from  ear  to  ear. 
,  They  may  then  be  replaced,  without  disfiguring  the 
subject.  To  examine  the  thorax,  the  cartilages  of  the 
ribs  should  be  divided  on  each  side,  after  dissecting -off 
the  integuments  and  the  muscles,  near  the  sternum, 
which  may  be  turned  back ;  and  from  the  scrobiculus 
cordis,  an  incision  should  be  made  to  each  ilium,  to  ex- 
amine the  state  of  the  abdominal  viscera.  When  these 
viscera  are  taken  out,  ligatures  should  be  made  on  every 
canal,  previous  to  dividing  it.  The  parts  should  be 
carefully  replaced,  and  the  integuments  sown  with  what 
is  styled  the  flat  stitch.  See  C.  Bell's  System  of 
Dissection. 

DISSE'CTUS,  (from  disseco,  to  cut  asunder}.  In 
botany  it  means  cut  into  small  notches,  fringed. 

DISSEPIML  NTUM, ,  from  dig,  and  sefiio,  to  inclose 
round}.  It  is  the  thin  septum  which  divides  the  several 
ceils  in  the  fruit  of  plants.  See  CAPSULA. 

DISSE  PTUM,  (from  the  same).  See  DIAPHRAGMA. 

DISSOLVE'NTIA,  (from  dusohro,  to  melt}.  By 
Dioscorides  called  diachytica;  medicines  which  dissolve 
concretions  in  the  body,  not  only  calculous  ones,  of 
which  we  have  already  spoken,  but  coagulated  lymph, 
polypi,  tubercles,  Sec.  This  ridiculous  fancy  is  not  yet 
forgotten.  In  chemistry,  dissolvents  are  menstrua. 

DISSOLU'TIO,  (from  dissvh-o,  to  loosen^.     DISSO- 
LUTION-;  liflotAymia,  syncope,  and  death.     Solution  of 
continuity  is  distinguished  by  the  same  appellatio: 
thus  i-  synonymous  with  dialy 


DISSOLU'TUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  dissolvo).  Sec 
DYSKNTERIA. 

DI'STA,  (from  fa,  double").     See  DVOTA. 

DISTE'NSIO,  (from  distendo,  to  stretch  out}.  Dis- 
TEXTION  ;  dilatatio,  fiandiculatio,  convuhio.  Tension 
has,  however,  a  different  meaning,  and  we  shall  return 
to  it  under  the  article  FEBRIS. 

DISTI'CHIA,  or  DISTICHI'ASIS,  (from  J<5,  dou- 
ble, and  rli^i,  a  row  or  order").  See  DISTRICHIASIS. 

DISTICHUM,  (from  the  same,)  a  species  of  barley 
which  hath  only  two  rows  of  grains. 

DISTILLA'TIO,  (from  du-tilto,  to  drop  gradually"). 
DISTILLATION  ;  alsacta,  catastagmos.  Sometimes  it 
signifies  the  same  as  defluxio,  or  catarrhus ;  so  Shak- 
speare  speaks  of  "  distilling  rheum." 

In  pharmacy  it  is  the  separation  of  the  more  volatile 
from  the  more  solid  parts  of  any  substance  by  means  of 
heat.  The  operation  itself  consists  of  the  condensing 
and  collecting  the  lighter  parts  of  bodies,  previously 
rarefied  by  heat,  and  thus  separated  from  the  less  vola- 
tile. Re-distilling  a  fluid  several  times  from  fresh 
parcels  of  the  same  kind,  is  called  cohobatio;  but  little 
advantage  is  derived  from  this  practice.  When  distil- 
lation is  repeated,  in  order  to  purify  or  separate  the 
matter  distilled  from  some  parts  of  less  value,  it  is  called 
rectification.  Distillation  with  an  alembic  or  a  common 
still  is  called  per  ascensum,  because  the  vapours  rise  and 
are  condensed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  vessel;  and  in 
this  way  all  distillations  may  be  performed  that  require 
no  greater  heat  than  boiling  water.  When  a  greater 
heat  is  required,  retorts  may  be  used;  and  as  from  their 
shape  the  volatile  parts  can  only  escape  through  the 
side,  it  is  called  per  lalus.  When  the  heat  is  applied 
above  the  bodies  to  be  distilled,  and  the  lighter  parts 
forced  downwards,  it  is  called  fier  descensum:  this  me- 
thod is  now  never  used  in  pharmacy,  though  occa- 
sionally in  the  arts.  When  the  volatile  parts,  rarefied  by 
distillation,  are  dry,  the  operation  is  called  sublimation. 
When  no  more  heat  is  applied  than  is  necessary  just  to 
raise  a  vapour,  which  when  condensed  only  falls  in  drops, 
it  is  called  a  cold  distillation:  roses  and  other  substances 
valued  only  for  their  flavour,  and  which  do  not  admit 
of  drying,  are  advantageously  distilled  in  this  way ; 
and  the  dry  cake,  left  after  distilling  roses,  is  well 
adapted  for  making  a, decoction  or  syrup:  in  this  kino 
of  distillation,  the  subject  should  neither  be  bruised  nor 
have  any  water  added  to  it :  they  should  be  gathered  with 
the  morning  dew  upon  them.:  and  a  retort  placed  in  a 
sand  bath,  with  a  receiver,  is  the  best  apparatus.  The 
worm  still  is  more  frequently  used,  and  called  the 
still,  because  the  materials  boil;  it  communicates  with 
a  leaden  spiral  tube  (the  worm),  placed  in  a  tub  filled 
with  cold  water  (the  refrigeratory);  in  this  worm  the 
vapours  are  condensed,  and  run  out  in  a  small  stream 
into  whatever  vessel  is  placed  to  receive  it. 

The  end  of  distilling  is  the  separation  of  volatile  sub- 
stances from  those  with  which  they  were  mixed;  as  in 
obtaining  vinous  spirits,  essential  oils,  volatile  spirits, 
kc.  or  for  the  more  speedy  or  effectual  combination  of 
such  bodies  as  require  a  boiling  heat  for  their  union. 

Asa  great  object  in  distillation  is  to  apply  no  more 
heat  than  is  necessary  to  accomplish  our  intention,  re- 
torts are  sometimes  used,  and  are  placed  on  an  open 
They  are  placed  also  in  sand  or  in  water,  that  thr 
4  D  2 


I)  IS 


572' 


I)  IS 


•heal  liiay  be  more  certainly  adjusted  to  the  d.eg''ee  °f 
volatility  which  the  subject  to  be  distilled  possesses.  In 
distilling  water,  the  menstruum  should  be  attended  to, 
as  well  as  the  heat  to  be  applied;  for,  as  some  essential 
oils  require  the  full  heat  of  boiling  water,  they  cannot 
be  raised  by  the  use  of  spirits  of  wine:  this  happens  in 
distilling  oil  of  cinnamon,  and  some  other  ponderous 
oils. 

Retorts  are  proper  when  the  subject  to  be  distilled 
would  corrode  the  metal  of  a  still,  as  in  the  preparing 
a  mineral  acid,  or  qther  corrosive  matters.  Earthen 
vessels  are  sometimes  used,  and,  on  some  few  occasions, 
iron  ones.  But  these,  and  many  other  observations  on 
this  subject,  are  fully  noticed  under  the  articles  where 
an  attention  to  them  may  be  required. 

DISTILLA'TIO  PER  DESCEN'SUM.     See  DESCENSIO. 

DISTI'NCTUS,  (from  distinguo,  to  set  aftartj.  In 
botany  it  means  distant,  and  without  any  contact  of 
parts. 

DISTO'RTIO,  (from  distorgueo,  to  ivrest  aside}.  It 
is  applied  to  the  eyes,  when  a  person  seems  to  turn 
them  from  the  object  he  would  look  at,  and  is  then 
called  squinting.  (See  STRABISMUS.)  It  also  signifies 
the  bending  of  a  bone  preternaturally  to  one  side.  See 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  281. 

DISTO'RTIO  SPI'N.*,  vel  VERTEBRA'RUM.  DISTOR- 
TION OF  THE  SPINE.  In  this  disease,  the  spine  becomes 
more  or  less  curved,  and  the  power  of  the  lower  limbs 
is  usually  lessened  or  destroyed.  Mr.  Pott  calls  it  a 
kind  of  palsy  in  the  lower  limbs ;  in  another  place  he 
speaks  of  it  as  a  useless  state  of  them.  From  his  ac- 
count of  the  disease,  it  hath  a  scrofulous  origin ;  but 
as  its  most  striking  symptoms  are  from  the  caries, 
which  takes  place  in  the  bodies  of  some  of  the  vertebrae, 
may  it  not  be  properly  termed  the  strumous  sfiinal  ca- 
ries? Mr.  Bell,  in  his  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  294,  calls  it 
distortion  of  the  sftine. 

In  this  disease,  the  lower  limbs  are  gradually  weakened, 
or  their  power  is  wholly  lost.  A  curvature  of  the  spine 
nearly  about  the  middle  of  the  lumbar  vertebrae  is  ob- 
served, with  a  crackling  sound  on  bending  them.  It  is 
sometimes  said  to  take  place  on  the  neck,  and  to  be 
attended  with  the  same  effects  on  the  upper  extremities; 
"but  we  recollect  no  well  authenticated  case  of  this  kind. 

To  this  distemper  both  sexes,  and  all  ages,  are  equally 
liable  ;  though  the  majority  of  these  patients  are  infants 
or  young  children. 

When  the  attack  is  made  on  an  infant  of  only  one  or 
two  years  old,  the  true  cause  is  rarely  discovered  until 
borne  time  after  the  effect  has  taken  place  ;  the  nurse  or 
parents  suppose  that  the  child  is  weakly,  or  hath  been 
hurt  at  its  birth.  When,  on  the  attack,  the  patient 
hath  been  used  to  walk,  the  loss  of  the  use  of  his  legs  is 
gradual,  though  not  in  general  very  slow.  At  first  he 
shows  signs  of  being  soon  tired ;  he  is  languid,  listless, 
mid  unwilling  to  move  much,  or  briskly;  soon  after 
he  is  observed  frequently  to  trip,  although  there  be  no 
impediment  in  his  way.  When  he  attempts  to  move 
quickly,  his  legs  involuntarily  cross  each  other,  and  he 
is  frequently  thrown  down  suddenly,  and  upon  endea- 
vouring to  stand  still  and  erect,  even  for  a  few  minutes, 
his  knees  give  way,  and  bend  forward.  When  the  dis- 
temper is  a  little  farther  advanced,  it  will  be  found 
he  cannot,  without  much  difficulty,  direct  either  of 


his  feet  precisely  to  any  exact  point ;  and  very  soon 
after,  both  thighs  and  legs  lose  their  sensibility,  and 
become  gradually  paralytic.  When  an  adult  is  tlnr 
affected,  the  progress  of  the  distemper  is  much  the  sam< . 
but  more  rapid.  Arrived  at  this  state,  whatever  be  the 
age  or  sex  of  the  patient,  complaint  is  made  of  twitch- 
ing and  frequent  pains  in  the  thighs,  particularly  when 
in  bed,  and  of  uneasy  sensation  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach ; 
when  he  sits  on  a  chair  or  a  stool,  his  legs  are  almost 
always  found  across  each  other,  and  drawn  up  under  the 
seat;  the  power  of  walking  is  soon  afterwards  lost. 

The  true  curvature  is  usually  from  within  outwards; 
sometimes  on  one  side,  and:  sometimes  there  is  a  coun- 
ter curvature  resembling  an  S.  This  curve  of  the  spine 
varies  in  situation,  extent,  and  degree,  being  either  in 
the  lower,  or,  more  rarely,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  loins ; 
sometimes  comprehending  one  vertebra  only,  sometimes 
two,  three,  or  more ;  by  which  the  curve  becomes  ne- 
cessarily more  extensive:  but,  whatever  variety  these 
circumstances  may  admit,  the  lower  limbs  most  fre- 
quently feel  the  effect.  The  arms  are  said  to  be  some- 
times paralytic ;  and  a  few  instances  are  said  by  Dr. 
Motherby  to  have  occurred,  in  which  both  legs  and 
arms  were  affected.  The  effect  is  also  different  in  dif- 
ferent subjects ;  some  are  rendered  totally  and  ab- 
solutely incapable  of  walking  very  early,  or  soon  after 
the  appearance  of  the  curvature ;  others  can  move  with 
the  help  of  crutches,  or  by  grasping  their  thighs  just 
above  the  knees  with  their  hands  :  some  can  sit  in  an 
erect  posture  or  in  a  chair  without  much  fatigue ;  others 
are  incapable  of  it  for  any  time :  some  have  such  a  de- 
gree of  motion  in  their  legs  or  thighs,  as  to  enable  them 
to  turn  and  move  for  their  own  convenience  in  bed ; 
others  cannot  move  without  assistance. 

When  a  naturally  weak  infant  is  the  subject,  the 
curvature  is  in  the  vertebrse  of  the  back :  it  is  not  un- 
frequently  productive  of  additional  deformity  by  gra- 
dually rendering  the  whole  back  what  is  vulgarly  called 
humped;  and  by  subsequent  alterations,  such  persons 
are  shortened  in  their  stature,  and  debilitated  in  their 
constitution ;  but  in  all  cases  where  this  effect  has 
been  gradually  produced,  whatever  alteration  made  in 
the  disposition  of  the  ribs  and  sternum  may  contribute 
to  such  deformity,  it  will  always  be  found  that  the- 
curvature  of  the  spine  appeared  first,  and  was  the  chief 
complaint.  Such  curvatures,  however,  do  not  produce 
paralysis  in  either  extremity.  The  reason  is,  that,  in 
general,  the  angle  is  less  acute,  so  that  the  nerves  are 
not  injured ;  but  should  any  be  compressed,  their  fibres 
in  these  central  cavities  are  so  much  intermixed  in 
plexuses  and  ganglia,  that  the  parts  are  weakened  only, 
and  their  functions  impaired,  not  destroyed.  The  chief 
inconveniences  arise  from  the  subsequent  contraction  of 
the  chest  and  abdomen. 

The  general  health  of  the  patient  does  not  seem,  at 
first,  to  be  materially  affected ;  but  when  the  disease 
has  continued  some  time,  and  the  curvature  is  thereby 
increased,  many  inconveniences  and  complaints  follow. 
When  the  incurvation  is  in  the  neck,  and  to  a  consi- 
derable degree,  by  affecting  several  vertebrae,  the  child 
finds  it  inconvenient  and  painful  to  support  its  head, 
and  is  always  desirous  of  laying  it  on  a  table  or  pillow, 
to  take  off  the  weight.^ When  in  the  dorsal  vertebrae, 
there  arc  a  difficulty  of  "breathing,  loss  of  appetite,  indi- 


D1S 


31 


D1S 


•n,  dry  cough,  quick  pulse,  what  is  styled  tight- 
ness at  the  stomach,  obstinate  constipations  or  purg- 
ings,  involuntary  flow  of  urine  and  faeces,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  what  are  called  nervous  complaints. 

An  adult,  in  a  case  where  no  violence  hath  been  com- 
mitted or  received,  usually  complains  first  of  weakness 
in  his  back  bone,  accompanied  with  a  heavy  dull  pain, 
and  great  lassitude  :  this  is  soon  followed  by  an  unusual 
sense  of  coldness  in  his  thighs,  independent  of  the  wea- 
ther or  any  obvious  cause  :  his  limbs  are  soon  afterwards 
affected  with  an  unusual  sensibility,  and  frequently  con- 
vulsed by  slight  spasms,  particularly  troublesome  in  the 
night.  Soon  after  this,  he  not  only  becomes  incapable 
of  walking,  but  his  power  of  retaining  or  discharging 
his  urine  or  faeces  is  considerably  impaired.  The  adult, 
as  well  as  the  child,  complains  constantly  of  a  tightness 
and  pain  at  his  stomach,  and  he  finds  all  the  offices  of 
his  digestive  and  respiratory  organs  much  impaired. 

The  loss  of  motion  in  the  limbs,  which  generally  ac- 
companies a  distorted  spine,  proceeds  from  this  distor- 
tion. Until  the  curvature  is  discovered,  the  complaint 
is  considered  as  nervous;  but  when  the  state  of  the  ver- 
tebrae is  known,  it  is  attributed  to  some  previous  blow, 
fall,  or  other  accident.  In  some  few  instances  these 
may  have  produced  the  effect ;  but,  in  the  majority, 
some  predisposing  cause,  in  which  the  very  essence  of 
the  disease  consists,  may  be  found  ;  and  this  is  a  distem- 
pered state,  generally  an  inflammation  of  the  ligaments 
and  bones,  where  the  curve  soon  after  makes  its  ap- 
pearance. Thisxiccasions  the  ill  health  of  the  patient, 
and  in  time  the  curvature.  The  helpless  state  of  the 
limbs  is  the  consequence  only. 

It  has  been  supposed  thatthere  is  a  dislocation  of  the 
vertebrae  ;  but  the  spine  bends  forward  only  because  the 
diseased  bones,  intervening  between  the  sound  ones, 
are  unable  to  bear  the  parts  above.  From  every  circum- 
stance it  is  evident,  that  the  complaint  arises  from  a 
scrofulous  indisposition  affecting  the  parts  that  com- 
pose the  spine,  or  those  in  its  immediate  vicinity :  this 
morbid  affection  shows  itself  in  a  variety  of  forms  ;  but 
they,  in  every  instance,  determine  the  true  nature  of  the 
distemper.  Sometimes  the  deformity  of  the  spine  oc- 
curs, without  any  apparent  disease  of  the  bones  com- 
posing it ;  sometimes  the  deformity  is  attended  with 
erosion,  or  caries  of  the  body  of  one  of  the  vertebrae ; 
and  the  same  bones  are  occasionally  found  to  be  carious, 
without  any  crookedness  or  alteration  of  figure.  Stru- 
raous  tubercles  in  the  lungs,  and  a  distempered  state  of 
some  of  the  abdominal  viscera,  are  often  attendants  of 
this  complaint. 

When  these  complaints  are  not  attended  with  an  al- 
teration of  the  figure  of  the  back  bone,  neither  the  real 
seat  nor  true  nature  of  the  distemper  is  pointed  out 
by  the  general  symptoms,  and  they  are  frequently  un- 
known while  the  patient  lives.  When  the  ligaments 
and  cartilages  of  the  spine  become  the  seat  of  the  dis- 
order, without  any  affection  of  the  vertebrae,  the  whole 
spine,  from  the  lowest  vertebra  of  the  neck  downwards, 
gives  way  laterally,  forming  a  great  curve  on  one  side, 
sometimes  a  more  irregular  figure,  attended  with  many 
marks  of  ill  health.  The  attack  is  occasionally  on  the 
bodies  of  some  of  the  vertebrae ;  and  ulceration,  with 
erosion  of  the  bones,  is  the  consequence.  This  ero- 
sion of  the  bones  often  produces  the  curvature  peculiar 
to  the  disease,  by  wasting  the  body  of  each  vertebra 


affected  ;  and  then  the  spinal  processes  of  the  diseased 
vertebras  protuberate  behind,  in  consequence  of  the  de- 
cay of  their  fore  parts.  When  the  dorsal  vertebrae  are 
attacked,  the  sternum  and  ribs,  for  want  of  proper  sup- 
port, necessarily  give  way,  and  additional  deformity  is 
produced.  It  sometimes  happens  that  internal  abscesses 
and  collections  of  matter  are  formed  near  the  spine, 
which,  affecting  the  spine  with  caries,  and  proceeding 
outward,  produce  what  is  called  a  psoas  abscess,  and 
destroy  the  patient. 

If  we  carefully  examine  this  disease,  it  will  be  found, 
as  we  have  said,  to  originate  from  a  scrofulous  habit, 
perhaps  from  a  disease  of  the  ligaments,  and  particular- 
ly inflammation  of  the  vertebrae  themselves.  What  we 
style  inflammation  of  the  bones,  differs  from  that  of  the 
softer  parts.  It  is  rather  a  slight  increased  action  of  the 
vessels,  soon  destroying  their  vital  principle,  probably 
from  pressure,  as  distention  is  not  admissible.  The 
bones,  thus  partially  destroyed,  are  pressed  on  unequal- 
ly, and  deformity  necessarily  ensues.  When  the  outside 
of  the  vertebra  is  decayed,  there  is  little  change ;  for  the 
flexors  of  the  trunk  are  strong,  and  a  slight  stooping 
soon  relieves  the  diseased  part.  When  decayed  within, 
to  preserve  the  equilibrium,  the  neighbouring  vertebrae 
start  out.  When  the  disease  is  on  either  side,  the  cur- 
vature is  on  the  opposite,  but  the  curvature  on  the  side 
is  seldom  alone.  To  prevent  uneasiness,  the  patient  re- 
clines to  the  opposite  side,  and  this  produces  the  coun- 
ter curvature,  formerly  described. 

It  will  be  obvious  that  the  nerves  coming  from  the 
diseased  bone  will  be  compressed  by  the  curvature ;  but 
this  compression  is  not  complete,  and,  like  all  imperfect 
compressions,  is  attended  with  irritation.  Thus  the 
early  compression  in  hydrocephalus  appears  with  all 
the  marks  of  irritation.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  pa- 
ralysis, from  curved  spine,  is  attended  with  spasms,  and 
differs,  as  we  shall  soon  mention,  in  this  essential  cir- 
cumstance, from  other  paralyses. 

There  is  another  circumstance  of  some  importance, 
which  we  must  add.  If  from  tonics,  or  any  general 
plan  of  restoring  strength,  the  general  health  is  amend- 
ed, whatever  remedy  is  directed  to  the  spine,  the  dis- 
ease is  relieved,  and  often  when  no  application  is  made. 
This,  though  not  an  isolated  fact  in  nervous  compres- 
sions, is  yet  difficult  of  explanation.  It  may  arise  from 
anastomosis  of  nerves ;  but  we  know  not  that  nervous 
influence  is  retrograde  or  lateral.  We  suspect,  there- 
fore, that  the  nervous  energy,  like  the  arterial,  is  in- 
creased when  any  obstacle  has  been  interposed ;  and  by 
this  increase  the  functions  are,  at  least  in  some  degree, 
restored. 

Mr.  Pott  observes,  that,  in  compliance  with  custom, 
he  hath  called  this  disease  a  palsy;  but  that,  notwith- 
standing the  limbs  be  rendered  almost  totally  useless,  yet 
there  are  some  essential  circumstances  in  which  this  af- 
fection differs  from  a  nervous  palsy  :  the  legs  and  thighs 
are  rendered  unfit  for  all  the  purposes  of  loco-motion, 
and  have  lost  much  of  their  natural  sensibility  ;  but  they 
have  not  the  flabby  feel  of  a  truly  paralytic  limb,  that 
seeming  looseness  at  the  joints,  nor  that  total  incapacity 
of  resistance  which  admits  of  motion  in  almost  all  direc- 
tions :  on  the  contrary,  the  joints  have  frequently  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  stiffness,  particularly  the  ankles,  so 
that  the  feet  of  children  are  generally  pointed  down- 
wards ;  and  they  are  prevented  from  setting  them  flat 


D  IS 


574 


13IS 


on.  the  ground :  the  legs  of  the  patient  are  either 
constantly  kept  stretched  out,  and  considerable  force 
is  required  to  bend  the  knees,  or  they  are  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  stronger  muscles  drawn  across  each  other, 
and  require  as  much  to  separate  them.  When  the  leg 
is  in  a  straight  position,  the  extensor  muscles  act  so 
powerfully  as  to  require  a  considerable  degree  offeree 
to  bend  the  joints  of  the  knees ;  and  when  they  have 
been  bent,  the  legs  are  immediately  and  strongly 
drawn  up,  with  the  heels  towards  the  buttocks;  by  the 
rigidity  of  the  ankle  bones,  added  to  the  spasmodic  ac- 
tion of  the  gastrocnernii  muscles,  the  patient's  toes  are 
pointed,  as  we  have  said,  downwards  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  render  it  impossible  for  him  to  put  his  feet  flat  on 
the  ground;  which  makes  one  of  the  decisive  charac- 
ters of  this  distemper.  Thus  the  marks  of  distinction 
between  this  disease  and  the  palsy  are  sufficiently 
strong  to  show  the  impropriety  of  confounding  them, 
and  from  the  slightest  attention  the  two  diseases  may 
be  easily  distinguished. 

The  restoration  of  the  spine  to  its  natural  figure  de- 
pends much  on  the  early  administration  of  the  help  pro- 
posed :  though  the  distemper  may  be  so  far  cured,  as 
the  patient  may  recover  the  use  of  his  limbs,  yet  it  is 
seldom  possible  to  correct  the  curvature  of  the  spine ; 
and  if  the  bodies  of  the  vertebrae  become  completely 
carious,  and  the  intervening  cartilages  are  destroyed, 
no  assistance  is  to  be  expected  from  any  remedies. 
After  the  discharge  produced  by  art  for  the  removal  of 
this  disorder  hath  continued  for  some  time,  the  patient 
begins  to  feel  better  health,  he  gradually  recovers  his 
appetite,  is  refreshed  by  his  sleep,  hath  a  more  quiet 
and  less  hectic  pulse ;  but  the  chief  relief  is  from  the 
loss  of  the  distressing  tightness  about  the  stomach  :  in  a 
little  time  a  warmth  and  sensibility  are  felt  in  the  thighs, 
to  which  the  patient  hath  been  long  a  stranger  ;  and 
nearly  about  the  same  time  the  power  of  retaining  and 
discharging  the  urine  and  fseces  begins  to  be  in  some 
degree  exerted.  The  first  return  of  the  power  of 
motion  in  the  limbs  is  rather  disagreeable,  as  it  is  in- 
voluntary and  spasmodic,  principally  in  the  night,  and 
generally  attended  with  sense  of  pain  in  all  the  mus- 
cles exerted.  At  this  point  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the 
patient  to  remain  for  some  time  without  making  far- 
ther progress :  this  in  adults  occasions  impatience,  and 
in  parents  despair ;  but  in  the  milder  cases,  the  power  of 
voluntary  motion  generally  soon  follows  the  involuntary. 
The  knees  and  ankles  by  degrees  lose  their  stiffness, 
and  the  patient  can  set  his  feet  flat  upon  the  ground — a 
certain  mark  that  the  power  of  walking  will  soon  fol- 
low. The  joints,  no  longer  rigid,  are  weak;  and  the  first 
voluntary  motions  are  liable  to  great  variation,  from  a 
number  of  accidental  circumstances,  both  external  and 
internal.  The  first  attempts  to  walk  arc  feeble,  irregu- 
lar, and  unsteady,  and  bear  every  mark  of  nervous  and 
muscular  debility  ;  but  from  this  point  no  instance  hath 
occurred  in  which  the  full  power  of  walking  was  not 
soon  attained.  When  the  patient  can  first  walk,  either 
with  crutches  or  between  two  supporters,  he  is  gene- 
rally unable  to  resist  or  overcome  the  more  powerful 
action  of  the  stronger  muscles  of  the  thighs  over  the 
weaker,  by  which  his  legs  are  frequently  brought  invo- 
luntarily across  each  other,  and  he  is  suddenly  thrown 
down.  Adults  find  assistance  in  crutches,  by  laying 
hold  of  the  chairs  or  tables;  but  for  children  a  go-cart  is 


the  best  assistant :  it  should  reach  up  to  the  arm  pit,  and 
enclose  the  whole  body.  This  takes  off  all  inconvenient 
\yeight  from  the  legs ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  enablch 
the  child  to  move  them  as  much  as  it  pleases.  Or  the 
instrument  of  Mr.  Jones  should  be  worn,  which,  in  all 
cases,  would  be  serviceable,  and  in  many  a  perfect  cure, 
as  it  acts  by  taking  off  the  superincumbent  weight  from 
the  diseased  vertebra:."  See  his  Essay  on  Crookedness. 

While  the  curvature  of  the  spine  remains  undisco- 
vered or  unattended  to,  the  case  is  generally  supposed 
to  be  nervous  ;  and  nervous  medicines  are  as  generally 
administered,  without  advantage.  When  the  case  is 
known,  recourse  is  too  frequently  had  to  steel  stays, 
swings,  screw  chairs,  Sec.  to  restore  the  spine  to  its  na- 
tural figure  ;  but  still  the  patient  grows  unhealthy,  and, 
languishing  under  a  variety  of  complaints,  dies  in  an  ex- 
hausted, emaciated  state. 

The  remedy  for  this  dreadful  disease  consists  merely 
in  procuring  a  large  discharge  of  matter  by  suppuration, 
from  underneath  the  membrana  adiposaon  each  side  of 
the  curvature,  and  in  maintaining  such  discharge  until 
the  patient  shall  have  perfectly  recovered  the  use  of  his 
legs.  The  effect  of  drains  in  all  inflammations  is  well 
established  ;  and  it  matters  not  by  what  means  the  dis.- 
charge  is  procured,  provided  it  be  large,  and  from  a  suf- 
ficient depth. 

In  general,  an  eschar  is  made  on  each  side  of  the 
curved  part  of  the  spine  with  a  caustic  :  it  should  be  of 
an  oval  shape,  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  length, 
and  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  breadth,  at  the  broadest 
part.  Apply  each  caustic  near  the  side  of  the  curvature, 
so  as  to  leave  the  portion  of  the  skin  covering  the  spinal 
processes  of  the  protruded  bones  unhurt,  and  so  large  that 
the  sores  upon  the  separation  of  the  eschars  may  easily 
hold,  each,  three  or  four  peas  in  the  case  of  the  smallest 
curvature,  but  in  large  curves  at  least  as  many  more.  A 
few  days  after  applying  the  caustics,  the  sloughs  begin 
to  loosen:  it  is  then  proper  to  cut  out  all  the  middle, 
and  put  into  each  a  large  kidney  bean :  when  the  bot- 
toms of  the  sores  are  become  clean  in  suppuration, 
sprinkle  now  and  then  a  small  quantity  of  finely  pow- 
dered cantharicles  on  them,  by  .which  they  are  prevented 
from  contracting,  and  the  discharge  is  increased.  The 
issues  should  be  kept  open  until  the  cure  is  complete ; 
that  is,  until  the  patient  has  not  only  the  perfect  use  of 
the  limbs,  but  also  his  former  good  health.  By  means  of 
this  discharge,  the  inflammation  is  checked,  and  the  car- 
tilages between  the  bodies  of  the  vertebras  having  been 
previously  destroyed,  the  bones  are  united  with  each 
other.  No  degree  of  benefit,  nor  any  tendency  towards 
a  cure,  is  to  be  expected  until  the  caries  be  stopped  :  the 
larger  the  quantity  of  bones  diseased,  and  the  greater  the 
degree  of  waste  committed  by  the  caries,  the  greater 
must  be  the  length  of  time  required  for  its  correction, 
and  for  restoring  to  a  sound  state  so  large  a  quantity  of 
diseased  parts.  Nothing  can  be  more  uncertain  than  the 
time  required  to  accomplish  a  cure:  sometimes  it  is 
perfected  in  two  months,  and  at  others  it  requires  two 
years  ;  in  the  last  circumstances, two  thirds  of  the  time 
have  passed  without  any  sensible  amendment. 

The  discharge  by  means  of  the  issues  is  principally 
requisite  for  the  cure;  yet  every  assisting  means  should 
be  applied  at  the  same  time,  in  order  to  expedite  it,  such 
as  the  bark,  cold  bathing,  frictions,  &c.  Yet,  as  we 
have  already  observed,  general  tonics  and  sea  bathin;>; 


JJI  U 


575 


1)  i  U 


e  at  times  effected  the  cure  without  the  issues;  and 
in  that  case,  nature,  unassisted,  restores  the  use  of  the 
limbs. 

In  the  course  of  lecturing,  In  the  year  1781,  Mr.  Pott 
observed,  that  it  seems  to  be  one  of  the  few  things  that 
we  may  reason  upon  a  priori,  viz.  that  the  whole  train 
of  the  various  symptoms  of  this  disease  are  derived  ori- 
ginally from  a  constitutional  predisposing  cause ;  for, 
whenever,  in  a  curvature  of  the  spine,  the  discharge 
begins  to  have  any  effect,  the  lesser  symptoms,  if  they 
may  be  so  called,  as  pain  in  the  stomach,  tightness  across 
the  breast,  incapacity  of  holding  the  urine  or  faeces,  all 
give  way,  before  the  removal  of  the  lameness  from  the 
curve  begins  to  take  place. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  a  curvature  of  the  spine  may 
take  place  from  the  mollifies  ossium,  the  rickets,  and 
from  other  causes  of  caries.  An  aneurism  often  pro- 
duces a  caries  in  the  bones ;  so  an  aneurism  near  a  ver- 
tebra may  render  it  carious  :  the  venereal  disease  some- 
times attacks  the  vertebrae,  and  produces  the  same  effect. 
The  scrofula  is  said  to  be  the  constant  cause  of  the  an- 
gular protuberance,  attended  with  a  useless  state  of  one 
or  more  of  the  extremities :  but  may  not  any  cause, 
that  produces  a  caries  in  the  vertebrae,  occasion  the  an- 
gular instead  of  the  curved  appearance  of  the  spine  ? 
and  when  the  carious  vertebra  happens,  so  as  that  it  is 
nearly  destroyed,  may  not  all  the  same  symptoms,  pro- 
'•ted  from  its  destruction,  though  the  causes  of  die  caries 
various  ? 

•       See  Pott's  Works  on  this  subject ;  Jones's  Essay  on 
Crookedness;  Select  Cases  of  the  Disorder  commonly 
•  1  the  Paralysis  of  the  Lower  Extremities,  by  John 
Jebb,  M.  D.  edit.  2;  Bell's  Surgery;  Lond.  Med.  Jour- 
nal, vol.  vi.  p.  358  ;  Earle  on  the  Distorted  Spine. 

DISTO'RTOR  O'RIS  MU  SCULUS,(from  distor- 
<jueo,  fj  -wrest  aside}.  See  ZYGOMATICVS  MINOR  MUS- 

DULUS. 

DISTRA'CTIO,(fromdi*/raJo,  to  draw  apart).  In 
chemistry  it  is  a  forcible  division  of  substances  before 
united,  either  by  separation  or  calcination. 

DISTRIBU'TIO,(from  distribuo,  to  divide).  DIS- 
TRIBUTION. It  sometimes  implies  separation.  In  me- 
dicine it  relates  to  the  nutricious  juices,  and  is  the  same 
as  anadosis,  the  distribution  of  aliment  over  the  body; 
or  to  the  excrements,  and  is  then  the  same  as  diachoresis, 
or  diachorema. 

DISTRICHI'ASIS,  (from  f«5,  double,  and  %|,  a 
hair').  DitticAia,  distichiasis.  A  disease  of  the  eyelid, 
which  consists  in  its  having  a  double  row  of  hairs,  or  at 
the  least  supernumerary  ones.  Galen,  and  Jitius.  See 
TRICHIASIS. 

DI'STRIX,  (from  the  same).  The  hair  growing 
smaller  and  smaller. 

DIURE'SIS,  (from  out,  by,  and  tv^vi,  urine,~)  the  ex- 
cretion of  urine.  It  also  signifies  a  DIABETES. 

DIURE'TICA.  DIURETICS,  (from  ?<*,  by,  and  «i^», 
urine\  Medicines  which  are  suited  to  promote  the 
secretion  and  provoke  the  discharge  of  urine,  either  by 
increasing  the  quantity  of  water  in  the  mass  of  blood, 
or  by  introducing  a  matter  that  may  stimulate  the  kid- 
neys. When  medicines  are  designed  to  pass  off  by 
urine,  walking  gently  in  a  cool  air  will  assist  their  ac- 
tion ;  but  considerable  warmth  directs  them  to  the  skin, 
or  at  least  restrains  their  efficacy. 

The  object  of  this  discharge  is  to  carry  off  various  sub- 


stances, either  injurious  or  no  longer  useful  to  the  con- 
stitution. The  principal  of  this  is  the  urea,  or,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  the  uric  acid.  With  this  we  find 
muriat  of  potash  and  soda,  phosphat  of  soda,  lime  and 
ammonia,  with  an  excess  of  phosphoric  acid,  and  an 
animal  extractive  matter.  The  greater  number  of  these 
are  the  products  of  the  animal  economy,  and  they  arc 
thrown  out  as  injurious.  The  animal  matter  has  been 
styled  effete,  a  word  of  no  very  distinct  meaning  ;  but, 
from  the  symptoms  of  disease,  it  appears  to  be  that  mat- 
ter which  is  no  longer  adapted  for  the  different  func- 
tions of  the  organ  of  which  it  makes  a  part,  but  is 
absorbed  and  evacuated  as  excrementitious.  See  URINE. 

The  importance  of  this  discharge  is  sufficiently  ob- 
vious from  the  facts  before  us ;  and,  when  retained,  the 
most  violent  symptoms  follow.  To  obviate  these,  it  is 
often  necessary  to  restore  it ;  and  diuretics  are  medi- 
cines by  which  this  object  is  effected. 

From  this  view  it  appears  that  the  mere  evacuation 
of  a  watery  liquid  is  not  sufficient.  In  many  fevers  the 
water  is  sufficiently  copious ;  but  we  find  no  portion  of 
the  necessary  contents,  and  some  febrile  complaints  are 
apparently  kept  up  by  their  retention.  We  can  often 
procure  a  mere  watery  discharge  by  frequent  draughts 
of  fluid ;  but  it  is  frequently  returned  as  pure  as  it  is 
drunk ;  and,  in  dropsy,  where  we  want  only  the  discharge 
of  fluid,  we  gain  little,  if  only  what  we  pour  in  is  thus 
returned. 

One  singularity  respecting  this  discharge  has  occa- 
sioned considerable  surprise  ;  we  mean  the  very  short 
time  sometimes  required  for  the  evacuation  of  watery 
drinks,  and  the  little  impregnation  which  they  receive. 
It  has  led  to  a  suspicion  that  some  ducts  lead  imme- 
•  diately  to  the  kidneys  from  the  stomach  :  but  they  have 
been  sought  for  in  vain ;  and,  when  we  reflect  on  dif- 
ferent facts  respecting  the  secretions,  we  shall  be  led  to 
suspect  that  it  is  not  the  same  fluid  which  is  evacuated, 
but  that,  when  a  supply  is  at  hand,  nature  discharges  a 
portion  of  fluid  to  prepare  for  its  reception.  Thus,  at 
the  sight  of  tempting  food,  the  secretion  of  the  saliva, 
and  probably  of  the  secretions  of  the  stomach,'  are  in- 
creased ;  and,  in  the  opposite  scale,  when  the  child  it, 
put  to  the  breast,  the  sense  of  thirst  is  immediatel}- 
felt. 

Watery  liquids  alone  will  not  excite,  in  any  effectual 
degree,  the  action  of  the  kidneys ;  but,  if  impregnated 
with  the  farinacea,  or  sometimes  only  with  our  indige- 
nous aromatics,  so  as  to  become  subject  to  the  diges- 
tive power,  they  will  succeed.  In  general,  diuretics 
are  to  be  divided  into  cooling;  sedative,  and  stimulant. 
The  cooling  diuretics  are  the  alkalis,  chiefly  carbonat- 
ed, or  supercarbonated  ;  for  the  diuretic  power  of  the 
pure  alkalis  is  doubtful,  except  in  the  form  of  soap. 
The  carbonic  acid,  when  combined  with  alkalis  in  va- 
rious mineral  waters,  and  sometimes  alone  in  wat. 
equally  effectual ;  and  all  the  neutrals,  with  either  the 
fixed  or  the  volatile  alkali,  occasionally  act  in  the  same 
way :  the  most  powerful  of  the  latter  is  the  acetated 
ammonia. 

Vegetable  acids,  either  native  or  the  product  of  fer- 
mentation, are  considered  as  diuretics,  and  belong  to  the 
first  order.  All  the  vegetable  fruits,  particularly  of  the 
senticosae,  and  all  the  oleraceous  plants,  are  of  a  similar 
nature,  though  weak  in  their  powers.  To  assist  their 
action  the  skin  must  be  kept  cool,  and  every  stimulus 


1)  1 1 


576 


D  1  I 


avoided;  indeed,  cold  alone,  or  by  means  of  water,  ap- 
plied to  the  skin,  has  a  similar  effect. 

The  sedative  diuretics  are  more  numerous  than  au- 
thors have  supposed.  The  foxglove  is  at  the  head  of 
the  list;  and  the  squill,  though  referable  to  the  follow- 
ing order,  seems  to  owe,  in  part,  its  virtue  to  its  seda- 
tive power.  The  tobacco,  the  wild  lettuce,  the  broom, 
the  ice  plant,  the  winter  cherry  (physalis  alkekengi), 
the  wolf's  bane  root  (doronicum  pardalianches),  opium, 
which  sometimes  acts  powerfully  in  this  way,  the 
woody  nightshade  (solatium  dulcamara),  the  rue  and 
aavine,  if  diuretic,  with  some  others,  are  of  this  class. 
They  act,  as  already  explained,  under  the  article  CA- 
THARTICS, by  the  general  relaxation  they  produce  as  de- 
leterious substances.  They  are  of  doubtful  efficacy,  and 
should  be  always  used  with  caution.  See  DIGITALIS. 

The  stimulating  diuretics  are  chiefly  vegetable.  We 
borrow  one  only  from  the  mineral  kingdom,  though  of 
doubtful  origin  and  efficacy,  viz.  the  naphtha;  and  two 
from  the  chemists,  nitrous  ether,  and  oil  of  wine.  Va- 
rious are  the  plants  arranged  among  the  diuretics  of  this 
nature  in  the  authors  on  the  materia  medica.  Many  of 
the  umbellatae  ;  the  most  effectual  of  which  are  species 
of  apium  and  daucus  (parsley  and  wild  carrot  roots  and 
seeds)  ;  the  stellatae  ;  the  asparagus,  bardana,  and  seneca  ; 
the  siliquosae,  the  alliacex,  conifers,  and  liliaceae :  of 
the  siliquosae,  the  erysimum  is  most  effectual;  of  the 
alliaceae,  the  allium  and  squill ;  of  the  coniferae,  the 
juniper;  of  the  liliaceae  of  Murray,  the  colchicum. 

The  balsams  and  resins  merit  our  notice  also  in  this 
place.  The  former  may  derive,  in  part,  their  virtue 
from  the  benzole  (perhaps  the  vegetable)  acid;  but 
there  is  reason  to  think  that  the  oil  contributes  to  the 
effect.  The  various  turpentines  are  perhaps  the  most 
powerful.  The  Canada  balsam  is  from  a  species  of 
pinus,  and  the  Chio  turpentine  from  a  similar  vegetable, 
the  pistacese  terebinthus.  The  balsam  copaiba,  the  gum 
guaiacum,  the  balsam  of  Peru,  and  the  gum  benjamin, 
follow  in  their  order ;  though,  as  we  advance  in  the  list, 
Xhe  powers  are  weaker,  and  almost  disappear.  From 
some  analogy,  either  botanical  or  therapeutical,  the 
Xvarm  antispasmodic  gums  have  been  occasionally  add- 
ed to  the  diuretics.  They  may  have  some  effect  when 
the  discharge  is  occasionally  checked  by  spasm ;  but 
the  olibanum,  from  a  species  of  juniperus,  and  the  sty- 
rax,  from  other  analogies,  have  the  fairest  claim  to  our 
regard  as  diuretics.  Mercury,  which  is  so  generally  a 
stimulant,  and  sometimes  acts  on  all  the  variety  of 
glands,  is  occasionally  directed  to  the  kidneys. 

The  more  immediate  action  of  diuretics  is  connected 
with  the  general  doctrines  of  secretion.  It  is  sufficient 
to  remark  at  present,  that  the  greater  number,  by  their 
chemical  affinity,  are  confined  to  that  portion  of  blood 
from  which  the  urine  is  derived,  the  serosity.  The  sti- 
mulant diuretics  are  said  to  possess  what  is  styled  a  spe- 
cific power  on  the  kidneys.  This  we  must  sometimes 
admit,  when  a  better  reason  cannot  be  assigned  ;  but, 
in  this  class,  the  stimulus  is  by  no  means  confined. 
Many  of  the  diuretics,  by  proper  management,  are  su- 
dorific, which  may  be,  in  part,  explained  from  their 
chemical  affinity ;  but  they  are  also  expectorant,  and 
occasionally  cathartic.  In  fact,  the  union  of  a  vegeta- 
ble acid  with  a  warm  oil,  which  constitutes  the  balsams 
and  the  turpentines,  obeys  the  chemical  affinity  of  either, 
according  to  the  state  of  the  constitution,  or  accidental 


circumstances.     Of  the  action  of  the  sedative  order  we 
have  already  spoken. 

Of  the  use  of  diuretics  in  fevers  we  are  not  prepared 
to  speak.  If  the  contents  of  the  urine  are  retained,  it 
will  appear,  at  first  sight,  an  obvious  measure  to  restore 
the  action  of  the  kidneys  by  diuretics;  but  the  attempt 
would  fail.  When  the  fever  relaxes  the  obstruction, 
the  proper  discharge  returns  ;  but  the  cure  of  fevers  is 
one  of  the  arcana  which  we  cannot  yet  fathom.  It  is 
sufficient  if  we  can  assist  nature,  and  conduct  them 
safely  to  their  termination. 

The  abuse  of  diuretics,  particularly  of  mineral  waters, 
has  been  much  insisted  on.  In  fact,  the  long  continu- 
ance of  these  medicines,  when  they  produce  the  dis- 
charge, greatly  relax  the  urinary  and  adjacent  organs, 
and  occasion  a  variety  of  distressing  complaints. 

See  Hoffman's  Med.  Rad.  Syst.  Alexander's  Exper. 
Essays,  p.  149,  &c. 

DIURE'TICUS  SAL.  DIURETIC  SALT;  acetated 
kali,  sal  Sennerti,  tartar  us  regeneratus,  and  arcanum 
tartari;  terra  foliata  tartan i;  essentialc  sal.  It  is  a  fixed 
vegetable  alkaline  salt,  saturated  with  the  acetous  acid, 
and  evaporated  to  dryness  :  when  the  process  is  carried 
no  further,  it  is  of  a  brownish  colour^  somewhat  oily, 
and  is  called  tartarum  regtneratum.  When  purified 
to  perfect  whiteness,  it  is  sal  diureticus. 

Acetated  kali  is  prepared  by  boiling  one  pound  of  kali 
with  four  or  five  pints  of  distilled  vinegar  over  a  gentle 
fire  :  when  the  fermentation  ceases,  more  distilled  vine- 
gar must  be  added,  and  when  the  fermentation  subsides, 
still  more.  When  the  vinegar  is  nearly  all  evaporated, 
fresh  vinegar  will  not  excite  any  fermentation,  which 
usually  happens  when  about  ten  quarts  have  been  used: 
then  gently  evaporate  to  dryness.  The  impure  salt  is  to 
be  melted  for  a  time  with  a  gentle  heat,  dissolved  in 
water,  and  filtered  through  paper.  If  the  melting  hath 
been  duly  performed,  the  filtered  liquor  will  be  colour- 
less :  if  otherwise,  of  a  brown  colour.  The  water  is 
then  to  be  evaporated  with  a  very  gentle  heat,  in  a  shal- 
low glass  vessel ;  the  salt,  as  it  dries,  being  frequently 
stirred,  that  the  humidity  may  the  sooner  and  more 
completely  be  discharged.  It  should  be  kept  in  a  ves- 
sel close  stopped,  or  it  will  dissolve  by  the  moisture  of 
the  air.  If,  on  dissolving  a  little  of  it  in  water,  or  the 
spirit  of  wine,  any  fseccs  are  observed  in  either  of  these 
liquids,  the  whole  must  be  dissolved  in  spirit,  filtered, 
and  again  evaporated.  Pharmac.  Lond.  1788. 

To  succeed  completely,  the  salt  must  be  perfectly 
saturated  with  the  acid,  properly  calcined,  and  at  last 
dried,  without  too  much  heat.  -  The  first  is  ascertained 
by  dipping  a  coloured  paper  into  it,  as  directed  in  the 
article  SPT.  MINDER.  The  degree  of  calcination  may 
be  judged  of,  by  dropping  a  little  in  water,  and  observ- 
ing when  it  begins  to  part  with  its  blackness  readily: 
if,  after  this,  the  calcination  is  continued,  the  salt  will 
be  brownish.  In  the  last  drying,  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  melt  it;  for  thus  its  whiteness  will  be  lessened, 
in  consequence  of  a  decomposition  of  a  portion  of  the 
acetous  acid,  and  a  deposition  will  take  place  on  dis- 
solving it  in  spirit,  as  the  carbonate  of  potash  is  insoluble 
in  alcohol. 

The  only  use  of  rendering  this  salt  white  by  depriving 
it  of  its  oil,  or  carbone — for  it  is  uncertain  to  what  the 
colour  may  be  owing — is,  that  it  may  rest  more  easily  on 
weak  stomachs ;  but  if  the  process  was  carried  on  no 


DI  V 


DOG 


further  than  to  saturate  the  alkaline  salt,  if  the  evapo- 
ration of  the  liquor  was  performed  in  a  water  bath,  the 
oily  part  of  the  salt  would  not  have  an  empyreumatic 
flavour,  so  as  to  become  offensive ;  the  remaining  trou- 
ble would  be  spared,  and  a  medicine  of  equal  goodness 
obtained. 

Dr.  Lewis  directs  the  salt  of  tar  to  be  dissolved  in 
cold  water,  and  filtered,  and  then  this  solution  to  be  sa- 
turated with  distilled  vinegar:  after  which  the  evapora- 
tion is  to  take  place  over  a  very  gentle  fire,  so  that  the  li- 
quor may  not  boil,  until  a  pellicle  appears  on  its  surface : 
the  process  must  be  finished  in  a  water  bath;  the  pelli- 
cle, as  it  whitens,  must  be  taken  off,  and  the  fluid  con- 
tinually stirred,  until  the  whole  is  taken  away  in  the  form 
of  a  white  scum,  which  may  be  dried  in  an  oven. 

In  making  this  salt,  care  should  be  taken  to  use  a  pure 
alkali,  in  which  no  neutral  is  mixed ;  but,  in  general,  a 
mixture  of  the  salt  of  tartar  with  vinegar,  to  a  point  of 
saturation,  without  evaporation,  or  any  other  trouble,  is 
very  little,  if  at  all,  inferior.  Two  drachms  of  the  alkali 
saturated  with  vinegar,  it  is  said,  have  been  very  success- 
ful in  dropsies. 

Some  chemists  have  proposed  making  this  salt  by  a 
decomposition  of  acetite  of  lead  by  carbonate  or  sul- 
phate of  potash.  It  may  be  very  readily  prepared  by 
using  the  acetous  acid  separated  from  an  acetated  kali, 
made  with  common  vinegar,  by  means  of  sulphuric 
acid. 

In  doses  of  about  twenty  or  thirty  grains,  this  salt  is  a 
mild,  cooling  aperient  and  diuretic;  from  a  drachm  to 
half  an  ounce  it  is  purgative.  As  a  purgative  it  is  mild 
and  easy,  and  as  it  is  diuretic  also,  it  is  a  peculiarly  pro- 
per purgative  in  dropsies.  In  the  jaundice  and  similar 
complaints  this  salt  may  be  given  to  advantage,  and  pre- 
parations of  steel  afterwards  employed.  See  Lewis's 
Mat.  Med.  Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

DIU'RNUS,  (from  dies,  a  day}.  An  epithet  of  dis- 
eases whose  exacerbations  are  in  the  day  time. 

DIUTU'RNUS,  (from  diu,  a  long  time').  Applied  to 
diseases  it  signifies  chronical. 

DIVARlCA'TUS,(fromrfi'-i>arico,/o*/ir<rarfa*anrf<?r). 
In  botany  it  means  the  branches  spread  wide  asunder. 

DIVARICATION,  in  medicine,  signifies  often  the 
intersection  of  muscular  or  tendinous  fibres. 

DI  VE'RGENS,  (from  di-uergo,  to  separate,)  branches 
proceeding  horizontally  from  the  stem. 

DIVERSO'RIUM,'(from  diverso,  to  resort  to).  See 
RECEPTACULUM  CHYLI. 

DIVERTICULUM.  A  DEVIATION-,  chiefly  applied 
to  an  unusual  course  of  the  intestine.  Nuck  applied 
this  term  to  the  opening  through  which  the  round  liga- 
ments of  the  uterus  pass. 

DIVI'NUM  O'LEUM.    See  LATERITIUM  OLEUM. 

DIVI'NUS  ;  appertaining  to,  or  coming  from,  God. 
A  pompous  epithet  of  many  compositions,  from  their 
supposed  excellencies. 

DIVI'SUS  LA'PIS.  The  name  of  a  preparation  made 
by  fusing  alum,  saltpetre,  and  Cyprian  vitriol  together, 
adding  a  small  portion  of  camphor,  while  fluid. 

DIVTSUS,  (from  divide,  to  divide*).  In  botany  it 
means  divided,  separated  into  two  parts 

DIVU'LSIO  URI'NJE,  (from  divello,  to  fiull  asun- 
der). An  irregular  separation  of  urine,  in  which  the 
sediment  is  divided,  ragged,  and  uneven. 

VOL.  I. 


DO'CIIME.  A  measure  among  the  Greeks  of  fouv 
fingers'  breadth. 

DOCIMA'STICA.     See  CVPELLA. 

DOCIMA'STICE.  The  docimastic  art:  the  art  of 
analysing  fossils. 

DOCK.  A  common  plant,  of  which  different  kinds 
are  used  in  medicine,  particularly  the  water  dock,  HY- 
DROLAPATHUM,  q.  v.  The  wood  sorrel  is  sometimes 
called  the  sour  dock.  The  docks  are,  in  their  botanical 
analogy,  nearly  allied  to  the  rhubarb. 

DOCTILE'TUS.  Paracelsus  mentions  it  as  a  me- 
dicine for  cancer;  but  he  does  not  explain  what  it  is. 

DO'CTOR,  (from  doceo,  to  teach).  The  highest  step 
in  medical  rank :  formerly  confined  to  men  who  were 
appointed  by  authority  to  direct  the  application  of  me- 
dicines for  the  prevention  and  cure  of  diseases.  At  this 
time  the  term  is  most  shamefully  prostituted ;  for,  so  far 
from  being  confined  to  men  who  have  had  the  honour 
conferred  upon  them  from  merit,  and  a  proper  educa- 
tion, it  is  as  liberally  bestowed  upon  the  most  ignorant 
pretenders. 

DOD.  An  abbreviation  of  Remberti  Dodonaei  Stir- 
pium  Historiae  Pemptades  sex. 

DODECADA'CTYLON,  (from  *«&««,  twelve,  and 
£«7»A»5, finger's  length).  See  DUODENUM. 

DODECA'NDRIA,  (from  JW««,  twelve,  and 
husband).  The  eleventh  of  Linnaeus's  classes  of  plants. 
It  comprehends  those  plants  which  produce  hermaphro- 
dite flowers,  and  have  from  twelve  to  nineteen  stamina. 
The  five  orders  are  taken  from  the  number  of  the 
pistils. 

DODECAPHA'RMACUM,  (from  &,?»«,  twelve, 
and  <p*pfutx»r,  a  medicine).  See  APOSTOLORUM  UXGV- 
ENTUM. 

DOCECA'THEON,  (from  &&*«,  and  t,«mu,  fiono). 
The  name  of  an  antidote  which  consists  of  twelve 
simples,  described  by  P.  .Egineta;  and  of  the  SAM- 

CULA. 

DO'DRA.  A  potion  among  the  ancients,  consisting 
of  nine  ingredients. 

DO'DRANS,  (see  CYATHUS,)  the  name  also  of  a 
measure  of  nine  inches,  and  a  weight  of  ten  ounces. 

DCE'DYX,  (from  Je<^»|,  a  jiestle  and  mortar.)     See 

COCHLEARIA. 

DO'GGA.     An  Arabic  term  for  the  fiaronychia. 

DOG  AND  DUCK  WATERS.  This  spring  is 
situated  in  Surrey,  about  half  a  mile  from  Westminster 
bridge.  Its  solid  contents  appear  different  at  different 
times.  Dr.  Hales  obtained  from  one  gallon  324  grains  ; 
Dr.  Fothergill,  200  ;  Dr.  Rutty,  only  96.  Of  this  about 
T\th  part  is  an  earth,  which,  Dr.  Rutty  says,  is  soluble 
in  acids,  but  does  not  calcine  to  lime :  the  salt  is  vi- 
triolated  magnesia  and  sea  salt  mixed  together.  Drunk 
from  one  to  three  pints,  it  generally  purges  briskly.  See 

Aqf.E   CATH ARTICLE  AMAR.E. 

DO'GMA,  (from  $>*{«,  to  be  of  opinion).  It  is  a 
principle,  tenet,  or  settled  opinion,  with  regard  to  mat- 
ters of  faith  or  philosophy  :  in  medicine,  a  sentiment 
founded  on  established  principles,  whatever  may  have 
been  their  basis.  Hence, 

DOGMA'TICUS.  DOGMATIST.  A  sect  of  an- 
cient physicians,  of  which  Hippocrates  is  supposed  to 
have  been  the  first.  They  supposed  principles  drew 
conclusions,  and  applied  those  principles  and  conclu- 

4E 


I)  O  L 


'8 


DOR 


siou.s  to  particular  diseases  :  hence  wciv  they  called 
togici,  logicians,  and  were  distinguished  from  the  cm- 
pirici  and  methodic!.  They  are  what  are  at  present 
styled  regular  scientific  physicians,  in  opposition  to 
quacks  and  Brunonians. 

DOLABRIFO'RMIS,  (from  dolabra,  an  a.ve,  and 
forma,  likeness}.  In  botany  it  means  shaped  like  an  axe. 

DO'LICHOS,  (Mi£»s).     Long,  or  prolix.     A  POD 

Or  KIDNEY  BEAN.        See  PlIASEOLUS   ZURRATENSIS. 

DO'LICHOS  SOIA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1023;  the  plant  which 
affords  the  soy.  See  CONDIMENT. 

DO'I.ICHOS  PRURIENS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1019.  From  the 
bean  of  this  plant  the  hairy  covering  is  scraped,  and 
^iven  to  destroy  worms.  See  ANTHELMIXTICA. 

DOLOI'RES.     See  DEUGATIO. 

DO'LOR.  PAIN;  algema.  Boerhaave,  and  most 
other  authors  on  this  subject,  assign  a  stretching  of  the 
nerves  as  the  only  immediate  cause  of  pain:  but  this  is 
a  partial  view  of  the  subject,  since  compression,  irrita- 
tion, and  many  other  causes,  concur.  See  the  articles 
CEREBRUM,  NERVI,  and  SYMPATHIA. 

Many  kinds  of  pain  are  described  by  authors ;  as  a 
gravitative  pain,  or  a  sense  of  weight  on  the  part  af- 
fected, as  the  liver;  a  pulsative  pain,  which  always  suc- 
ceeds some  remarkable  inflammation  in  the  containing 
parts,  and  is  a  symptom  of  suppuration  ;  a  tensive  DI- 
LI distending  pain,  excited  by  the  distention  of  some 
nervous,  muscular,  or  membranous  part,  from  a  fluid, 
or  flatulence  ;  an  acute  pain,  when  attended  with  quick 
and  lively  sensations  ;  a  dull  pain,  when  attended  with 
numbness. 

The  mediate  and  more  remote  causes  of  pain  are  ge- 
nerally obvious,  and  the  cure  will  consist  generally  in 
removing  them;  for  though,  in  many  instances,  the 
chief  complaint  is  very  distant  from  the  seat  of  these 
causes,  yet  their  removal  is  the  most  effectual  method 
of  relief.  For  these  methods  we  must  refer  to  the  par- 
ticular articles. 

When  pain  is  owing  to  inflammation,  the  pulse  is 
quicker  than  in  a  natural  state,  generally  full,  hard,  and 
tense;  the  pain  is  equal,  throbbing,  and  unremitting. — 
If  a  spasm  is  the  cause,  the  pulse  is  rarely  affected;  at 
intervals  the  pain  abates,  and  then  returns  with  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  aggravation ;  gentle  motion  some- 
i imes  abates  the  pain;  but  in  inflammatory  pains  no 
such  relief  is  ever  experienced. 

The  pains  so  frequently  attendant  on  child-bed  wo- 
men, called  after  pains,  from  their  occurring  after  de- 
livery, are  often  occasioned  by  coagulated  blood,  which 
excites  the  action  of  the  uterus  to  discharge  it.  Care 
should  be  taken  not  to  confound  them  with  the  pains 
attending  puerperal  fevers,  or  the  colic.  After  pains 
come  by  fits,  and  soon  go  off,  but  return  at  different  in- 
tervals, usually  longer  each  day,  and  after  two  or  three 
days  generally  cease.  Notwithstanding  these  pains,  the 
iochui  flow  properly;  but  the  violence  of  the  pain  is  ge- 
.  or.illy  followed  by  the  discharge  of  clots  of  coagulated 
blood.  This  is  not  the  case  in  colic;  and  puerperal  fever 
is  attended  with  shivering  and  tumefaction,  with  sore- 
ness on  the  abdomen. 

As  these  pains  arc  spasmodic,  opiates,  with  frequent 
•~:raughts  of  warm  caudle,  camomile  tea,  Sec.  are  only 
"ssary.  See  PUERPERALIS  FEHRIS. 

Pain  forms,  with  some  nosologists,  a  class  of  diseases, 


under  the  denomination  PAINFUL  DISEASES,  because  pain 
is  the  characteristic  symptom  and  constant  concomitant 
of  such  complaints,  as  gout,  rheumatism,  and  colic,  and 
these  all  arise  either  from  irritafion>  spasm,  or  disten- 
tion; but  most  commonly  from  the  first  often  inducing 
the  two  last. 

When  pains  arise  on  taking  cold  during  the  use  of 
mercury,  which  is  not  unfrequently  the  case,  a  con- 
tinuance or  a  repetition  of  the  mercurial  course  is  the 
only  cure.  See  the  third  volume  of  the  London  Medi- 
cal Observations  and  Inquiries,  p.  244. 

DO'LOR  FACIEI  CRUCIANS.  We  have  adopted  this 
little  change  from  Dr.  FothergilPs  appellation  of  the  tic 
doloureux.  In  fact,  it  is  a  pure  unmixed  pain,  from  a 
nervous  affection  only  ;  and,  when  we  consider  the  sub- 
ject of  nosology,  we  shall  find,  in  this,  and  some  other 
diseases,  a  strong  inducement  to  form  an  order  or  class 
of  DOLORES. 

It  is  an  affection  of  a  branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of  nerves, 
which  passes  through  the  infra  orbital  foramen  to  the 
cheeks.  The  pain  is  most  excruciating,  not  constant, 
but  not  regularly  intermittent,  or  ushered  in  by  a  fe- 
brile paroxysm.  Opiates  scarcely  lull  its  violence,  and 
the  only  remedy  is  the  division  of  the  nerves.  It  has 
been  said  that  the  pain  returns  after  the  operation;  but 
we  have  no  evidence  that  nervous  sensation  is  communi- 
cated through  the  medium  which  unites  the  end  of  the 
wounded  nerves,  though  some  sensation  is  referred  to 
the  part,  from  an  affection  of  the  trunk,  or  superior 
branches.  If  there  was  the  slightest  suspicion  of  this 
kind,  a  portion  of  the  divided  nerve  might  be  cut  off, 
so  that  the  extremities  would  be  no  longer  in  contact. 
A  more  common  cause  of  the  failure  of  the  operation  is, 
that  the  trunk  of  the  nerve,  when  it  escapes  from  the 
foramen,  is  not  divided;  but  some  principal  branch  has 
been  mistaken  for  it.  Dr.  Fothcrgill,  in  a  late  treatise 
on  the  subject,  has  collected  all  that  has  been  said  on  the 
Tic  DOLOUREUX,  q.  V.  The  name  is  derived  from  the 
pungent  stroke  with  which  the  pain  attacks,  resembling 
the  bite  of  an  insect. 

DOLO'RES,  vel  DOLOROSI,  EXTRI'NSEOI,  and 
INTRI'NSECI  Painful  diseases  of  the  limbs  _or  internal 
parts. 

DOME'STICUS,  (from  domus,  a  house').  DOMES- 
TIC. In  zoology  it  signifies  animals  fed  at  home,  in 
distinction  from  those  which  are  wild.  It  botany  it 
signifies  cultivated;  in  pharmacy,  some  medicines  pre- 
pared for  a  family  without  the  direction  of  a  physician. 

DOMI'NICUM      SERPE'NTUN.       See     BOICI- 

NINGA. 

DO'RCAS,  (from  £cpx.a,  to  see;  from  the  acuteness 
of  his  vision).  See  CAPRA  AI.PINA,  and  CAPREOLUS. 

DO'REA.     See  HEMEUALOPS. 

DO'RIA  NARBONE'NSIUM;  from  Andrew  Do- 
ria,  who  brought  it  from  Africa.  Damasonium,  lodelii, 
and  mathioli;  alisma;  alisma  damasonium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
486.  DORIA'S  WOUND  WORT.  It  grows  on  the  banks  of 
rivers,  flowers  in  July  and  August,  and  is  commended 
as  a  vulnerary,  but  not  much  employed. 

DO'RIA  HE'BRA.     See  VIHGA  AUREA., 

DO'RIDIS  HU'MOR.     See  AQUA  MARINA. 

DO'RIS,  (from  its  country). '  See  ANCHUSA. 

DORO'NICUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  dorongty. 
LEOPARD'S  BANE. 


1311  A 


5/y 


O  it  A 


DORO'MCUM  AUSTRI'ACUM,  GEHMA'-VICUM.'  See 
ARNICA  MONTANA. 

DORO'XICUM  ROMA'XUM  ;  doronicum  radice  scorfiii, 
aconitum  fiardalianches,  BROAD  LEAVED  LEOPARD  and 
WOLF'S  BAXE  ;  doronicum  fiardatianches  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1247,  var.  ft. 

It  is  a  native  of  the  Alps ;  cultivated  in  our  gardens ; 
hath  heart-shaped  leaves,  and  roots  that  are  knotted,  and 
resemble  a  scorpion's  tail.  It  flowers  in  June  and  July. 
The  roots  are  sweetish  to  the  taste,  slightly  aromatic, 
and  extolled  in  epilepsies ;  but  they  are  neglected  at 
present  in  our  practice.  The  plant  is  supposed  to  be 
th<  duronego  of  the  Arabians. 

DORSA'LIS,  (from  dorsum,  the  back,)  belonging 
to  the  back.  In  botany  it  means  a  plant  which  bears  its 
seed  on  the  back  of  its  leaves.  The  filices  are,  on  this 
account,  termed  dorsales. 

DORSA'LES  XE'RVI,  (from  dorsum,  the  back;) 
the  nerves  which  pass  out  from  the  vertebrae  of  the  back. 
These  dorsal  nerves,  as  soon  as  they  pass  from  the  ver- 
tebrae, send  out  two  branches  anteriorly,  called  costales, 
which  contribute  to  form  the  intercostal,  and  several 
twigs  backwards  to  the  muscles.  The  dorsal  nerves  go 
to  the  internal  and  external  intercostal  muscles,  running 
on  the  under  side  of  the  ribs:  those  that  supply  the  true 
ribs  extend  as  far  as  the  sternum ;  those  that  go  to  the 
spurious  ribs  are  dispersed  on  the  muscles  of  the  bdly. 
The  first  dorsal  nerve  goes  to  the  axilla,  to  join  the  cer- 
vical ;  the  last  is  diffused  over  the  transversalis  and 
obliqui  interni ;  and  at  the  spine  of  the  os  ilium  it  throws 
a  branch  out,  forming  a  cutaneous  nerve  on  the  hip. 
DORSTE'XIA,  (from  Dr.  Dorston).  See  Cox- 

TRATERVA. 

DORSUM.  The  BACK.  Most  etymologists  derive 
it  from  deorsum,  because  it  bends  downwards  ;  antister- 
j-on,  vtAmetajihrenrjn  ;  but  this  last  appellation  properly 
means  the  part  between  the  shoulders.  We  use  the 
term  back  in  a  figurative  sense,  as  the  back  of  the  head  ; 
and  the  epithet  dorsalis  is  applied  to  diseases  originating 
apparently  from  the  back. 

A  gibbosity  is  a  preternatural  incurvation  of  the  spine 
of  the  back,  either  to  the  posterior  or  to  the  lateral  parts. 
It  generally  happens  from  external  causes,  as  blows, 
tight  stays,  £tc.;  sometimes  from  a  relaxation  of  the 
iigaments  of  the  belly,  or  from  scrofula.  Gouey  gives 
an  instance  of  it  from  a  preternatural  contraction  of  the 
muscles  of  the  belly.  See  Heister's  Institutes  of  Sur- 
gery, and  DISTORTIO  SPIN^E. 

DORY  CXIUM,  (from  «V,  a  dart).     See  CISTUS. 

DOSE.  The  quantity  of  medicine  directed  to  be 
laken  at  once.  See  POSOLOGIA. 

DOTHIEX.     See  FURUXCULUS. 

DOUCHE  LA.     See  DUCCIA,  and  STILLICIDIUM. 

DOVE'RI  PU'LVIS,  (from  its  inventor  Dover.) 
See  Pulv.  ijiecacuanhe  comfi.  under  IPECACUANHA. 

DRA'BA,  (from  tyxfra,  to  seize ;  so  called  from  the 
sudden  effect  on  the  nose  of  those  who  eat  it,)  lefiidium 
.Irabis;  ARABIAN  MUSTARD  and  TURKEY  CRESSUS. 
Ibtris  umbellata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  906?  The  seeds  serve 
as  pepper  in  seasonings,  but  are  not  used  as  a  me- 
dicine. 

DRA'CHMA,  (from  theHebrew  drachmon').  Among 
the  Greeks  this  was  the  name  of  a  coin ;  and  of  a  weight 
divided  into  six  oboli.  The  Romans  reckoned  eight 
drachms  to  an  ounce,  and  twelve  ounces  to  a  pound  : 


in  our  apothecaries'  present  weights,  the  drachm  makes 
three  scruples,  or  sixty  grains. 

DRA'CO,  (irom  fyo.x.ai,  a  dragon  ;  because  its  flowers 
resemble  the  mouth  of  a  dragon,)  tarachon,  dracuncu- 
lus  hortensis,  adrotanum  lilii  folio,  TARRAGON.  Artemi- 
sia dracunculus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1  189. 

The  leaves  'of  this  herb  resemble  those  of  hyssop,  and 
their  scent  that  of  fennel  :  the  flowers  grow  on  the  top 
of  the  plant,  and  appear  like  those  of  southernwood. 
It  grows  in  gardens,  and  flowers  in  July  and  August; 
is  warm  and  stomachic,  used  as  a  condiment,  but  not 
employed  in  medicine. 

DRA'CO  A'RBOR  I'XDICA  SILIQU'OSA.  See  AXG- 
SAXA. 

DRA'CO  FI'GEXS.  The  name  of  an  anti-epileptic 
powder  extolled  by  Dolaeus. 

DRA'CO  SYLVE'STRIS.     See  PTARMICA. 

DRACONTHjE'MA,  (from  i)«x*»,  a  dragon,  and 
<xi.u.»,  blood.  See  SAXGUIS  DRACOXIS. 

DRACO'XTIA.     See  DRACOXTIUM. 

DRACO'XTIA,  MINOR.     See  ARUM. 

DRACO  'NTIA  MA'CRA.     See  DRACUNCULI. 

DRACO'XTIDES;  the  name  of  some  veins  pro- 
ceeding directly  from  the  heart. 

DRACO'XT  IUM,  (from  J>**«»,  a  drag™  ;  from  its 
root  resembling  a  dragon's  tail,)  dracunculus  /toly/iAyl- 
lus,  colubrina,  dracontia,  Erva  de  Sancta  Maria,  ffiffa- 
rus  serfientaria,  arum  jiolyfihyllum,  DRAGOX'S  and  MAXY- 
LEAVED  ARUM.  Arum  dracunculus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1367. 
It  is  a  plant  with  smooth  glossy  leaves,  set  on  long 
pedicles;  the  stem  is  single,  thick,  whitish,  and  varie- 
gated with  purple  streaks  ;  on  the  top  is  a  long  sheath, 
including  a  dark  coloured  pistil,  like  that  of  arum,  but 
larger,  succeeded  by  a  cluster  of  red  berries.  The  root 
is  large,  rather  round,  externally  inclining  to  yellow, 
and  internally  white.  It  is  perennial  ;  a  native  of  the 
southern  parts  of  Europe. 

Its  botanical  analogy  and  its  medical  virtues  render  it 
a  good  substitute  for  the  arum  ;  and  the  same  pharma- 
ceutiq  treatment  is  necessary.  See  ARUM. 

DRACU'XCULUS  HORTE'XSIS,  (a  dim.  of  dra- 
co). See  DRACO. 

DRACU'NCULI,  (from  <5)ar.*»>,  a  serfient).  GUI- 
NEA WORMS  ;  called  also  cafiillares  -vermiculi,  TAPK 
WORM,  and  SOLITARY  WORM.  The  Arabians  call  it  Mc- 
dinensis,  vel  medena  vena.  They  styled  it  vena,  be- 
cause they  doubted  it  being  a  living  animal,  and  Medi- 
nensis  from  the  frequency  of  its  appearance  at  Medina. 
Hence  Avicenna  treats  of  it  among  abscesses.  Le  Clerc 
and  many  others  mistake  them  for  the  bovina  afftctio  ; 
but  jEtius  separates,  and  Albucasis  distinguishes  them 
with  great  care. 

Dr.  Freind  thinks  that  -Etius  first  gave  an  account  of 
these  worms;  but  Plutarch  quotes  Agartharchides  on 
this  subject  long  before  ..Etius.  Plutarch  calls  them 


They  arc  common  in  both  the  Indies,  in  most  parts 
of  Africa,  occasionally  in  Genoa,  and  other  hot  cour- 
tries. 

"These  worms  resemble  the  common  wo  mi,  but  ane 
often  much  larger  ;  commonly  found  in  the  legs,  but 
sometimes  in  the  muscular  part  of  the  arms.  They 
are  bred  in  Ethiopia  and  India,  principally  affecting 
children  ;  and  their  generation  is  not  unlike  that  of  the 
broad  worms  of  the  belly;  hence  their  name  TAPE 

{  E 


1J  R  1 


580 


D  U  C 


WORM.  While  they  move  under  the  skin  they  create 
no  trouble  ;  but  in  length  of  time  the  place  near  the 
dracunculus  suppurates,  and  the  animal  puts  forth  its 
head.  If  it  be  drawn,  it  excites  considerable  uneasi- 
ness, especially  if  drawn  so  forcibly  as  to  break  it;  for 
the  part  left  within  creates  intolerable  pain."  (jEtius 
in  Tctrabib.  4.  serm.  2.  cap.  85.)  Paulus  .Sgineta 
mentions  them  as  being  always  seated  in  the  muscular 
parts  of  the  thighs,  legs,  and  arms;  and  he  says,  that 
sometimes  they  are  met  with  in  the  sides  of  children. 
Avicenna  observes,  that  these  worms  are  from  ten  to 
fifteen  palms  long.  Albucasis  mentions  one  of  twenty 
palms.  In  the  sixth  vol.  of  the  Edinb.  Med.  Essays, 
mention  is  made  of  one  that  was  three  yards  and  a  half 
in  length. 

In  some  instances,  besides  the  pain  which  these  worms 
occasion,  a  fever  is  also  a  consequence. 

Kempfer  observes,  that  these  worms  prevail  most 
when  the  weather  is  hottest ;  and  he  attributes  their 
production  to  drinking  stagnant  rain  water.  Dr.  Towne. 
in  his  Treatise  of  the  Diseases  of  the  West  Indies,  pro- 
perly describes  this  worm  as  being  long,  white,  round, 
and  resembling  round  tape  or  bobbin-. 

Nothing  is  necessary  until  a  tumour  comes  on ;  and 
then  the  best  method  is  to  promote  suppuration :  as  soon 
as  the  tumour  is  open,  the  head  of  the  worm  appears, 
•which,  being  tied  by  a  thread,  may  be  secured  on  a  roll 
of  linen  spread  with  sticking  plaster,  and  as  the  worm 
appears,  it  may  be  rolled  round  this  linen,  until  the 
whole  is  extracted ;  after  which,  the  treatment  is  in  no 
respect  uncommon.  During  the  time  that  this  worm  is 
drawing  out,  the  greatest  care  is  necessary  that  it  may 
not  be  broken,  for  the  consequence  of  such  an  accident 
is  tedious  ulcers  in  the  whole  length  of  the  limb  which 
contains  the  remaining  part.  A  daily  use  of  aloes,  or 
of  any  other  anthelmintic,  during  the  extraction  of  the 
worm,  is  supposed  to  hasten  its  expulsion. 

DRACU'NCULUS.     See  DRACO,  DRACONTIUM. 

DRACU'NCULUS  PRATE'NSIS.  -  See  PTARMICA. 

JDRAGACA'NTHA,  DRAGA'NTUM.    See  GUM 

TRAGACANTHjE. 

DRA'GMA,  and  DRA'GMIS,  (from  ^«T7»ft*().  A 
PANDFUL.  See  MANIPULUS,  and  PUGILUS. 

DRAKE'NA  RA'DIX,  (from  sir  Francis  Drake, 
who  first  brought  it  from  America).  See  RADIX  CON- 

THAYERVA. 

DRANG^E'A  .A  name  of  several  antidotes.  See 
TRAG^EA. 

DRANK.     See  ./EGYLOPS. 

DRA'STICOS,  (from   fy*u,  to   act,  effect,  or  fier- 

fortn).     DRASTIC,  ACTIVE.     It  is  an  epithet  bestowed 

on  medicines  of  quick  action  and  powerful  operation, 

commonly  applied   to  cathartics  of  a  violent  quality. 

See  CATHARTICA. 

DRESDE;NSIS  PU'LVIS;  an oleo  saccharum,  con- 
taining the  oil  of  cinnamon. 

DRIFF.  BUTLER'S  STONE,  or  some  similar  prepara- 
tion; also  named  fieriafiton,  salutzs  magneticum ;  and 
said  to  cure  diseases  by  a  touch  of  it  with  the  lips  and 
tongue.  Van  Helmont. 

DRIMYLE'ON,  and  DRIMYMOROS,(from  ty/w, 
eager,  shrewd,  and  AE«V,  a  lion,*)  a  term  of  reproach 
bestowed  by  Menodotus,  the  empiric,  upon  the  physi- 
cians of  his  time,  who  professed  to  govern  practice  by 
their  reason. 


DRIMYPHA'GIA,  (from  fyftvs,  acrid,  and 
to  eat).     The  eating  of  acrid  substances. 

DRO'MA.  The  name  of  a  plaster  described  by 
Myrepsus. 

DROPA'CES,  and  DROPACI'SMUS,  (from  J>«T#, 
to  remove).  See  CEROPISSUS. 

DROSA'TUM,  i.  e.  Rosatum.  Wine  made  of  roses 
infused,  or  any  other  composition  where  roses  make  the 
chief  ingredient. 

DRO'SERON.  The  name  of  an  ointment  in  My- 
repsus. 

DROSIOBE'TANON,  (from  ty.<r«5,  dew,  and  fit- 
rxiti,  an  herb  ;  from  its  being  covered  with  dew).  See 
BETONICA.  „ 

DROSOME'LI,  (from  ^>«<r»s,  dew,  and  jucA<,  honey). 
See  MANNA. 

DRU'PAS,  a  contraction  of  tywrtirtK,  (from  ^u«,  a 
tree,  and  *  tafia,  to  fall).  See  OLEA. 

DRYO'PTERIS,  (from  J>»5,  and  wfy/s,  fern  ;  be- 
cause it  grows  upon  oak  trees).  See  POLYPODIUM 

TENERUM    MINUS. 

DRY'PA,  the  same  as  DRUPAS.  In  botany  it  means 
a  pulpy  pericarpium  surrounding  a  stone,  as  the  peach 
and  cherry.  See  OLEA. 

DU'BEL  CO'LEPH.  A  composition  of  coral  and 
amber. 

DU'BELECH.  The  cavity  of  an  abscess,  with  ma- 
nifest solution  of  continuity. 

DUBLE'TUS.     See  ABSCESSUS. 

DU'CCIA.  A  DROP.  It  implies  also  that  species 
of  bathing  which  we  call  pumping,  and  the  French  la 
douche.  Baccius,  in  his  Treatise  of  Baths,  lib.  ii.  gives 
rules  for  this  kind  of  bathing.  See  also  Le  Dran's  Ob- 
servations, p.  310. 

DU'CIS  HOLSA'TIJL    SAL.     NITRE. 

DU'CTUS,  (from  duco,  to  lead}.  A  DUCT  or  CA- 
NAL ;  a  word  frequently  applied  to  parts  of  the  body 
through  which  particular  fluids  are  conveyed. 

DU'CTUS  ARTERIO'SUS.  It  is  found  only  in  the  foetus, 
and  very  young  children,  arising  from  the  aorta  de- 
scendens,  immediately  below  the  left  subclavian  artery. 
In  adults  it  is  closed  up,  and  appears  like  a  short  liga- 
ment adhering  by  one  end  to  the  aorta,  and  by  the  other 
to  the  pulmonary  artery ;  so  that,  in  reality,  it  deserves 
no  other  name  than  that  of  ligamentum  arteriosum. 

DU'CTUS    AU'RIS     PALA'TINUS.     See    TUBA    EUSTA-  - 

CHIANA. 

DU'CTUS  AD  NASUM.     See  ANTRUM  GEJJ.S. 

DU'CTUS  BILIARIS,  and  DU'CTUS  COMMU'NIS  CHOLE- 
DO'CHUS.  See  JECUH. 

DU'CTUS  LACTIFERI.  The  excretory  ducts  from  the 
glans  of  the  breast,  which  convey  the  milk  to  the  nipple. 

DUC'TUS  NI'GRI.  On  separating  the  crystalline  and 
vitreous  humours  from  their  adhesions  to  the  ciliary 
processes,  part  of  the  black  pigment,  on  the  choroides, 
is  left  in  black  radiated  lines,  which  are  thus  named. 

DU'CTUS  PANCREATIS  opens  into  the  duodenum,  near, 
or  often  at,  an  aperture  common  to  it  and  the  ductus 
communis  choledochus. 

DU'CTUS  SALIVA'LIS.     See  SALIVA. 

DU'CTUS  STENO'NIS.  See  SALIVALIS  DUCTUS  STE- 
NONIS. 

DU'CTUS  THORA'CICUS.  THORACIC  DUCT.  Pecquet 
discovered  and  demonstrated  it  at  Paris,  1615,  1652. 
It  is  a  thin  transparent  canal,  which  runs  up  from  the 


DUO 


581 


DUO 


•  receptaculum  chyli,  along  the  spina  dorsi,  between  the 
vena  azygos  and  aorta,  often  above  the  fifth  vertebra  of 
the  back ;  from  thence  it  passes  behind  the  aorta,  to- 
wards the  left  side,  and  ascends  behind  the  left  subcla- 
vian  vein,  where  it  terminates  in  some  subjects  by  a 

-  kind  of  vesicula ;  in  others  by  several  branches  united 
together,  and  opens  into  the  back  side  of  the  subclavian 
vein  near  the  outside  of  the  internal  jugular.     It  is 
furnished  with  many  semilunar  valves  directed  upwards, 
to  prevent  regurgitation.     Its  opening  into  the  subcla- 
vian vein  in  the  human  body  is,  in  the  place  of  valves, 
covered  by  several  pelliculae,  so  disposed  as  to  admit 
only  the  gradual  entrance  of  the  chyle  into  the  vein, 
and  hinder  the  blood  from  running  into  the  duct.     It  is 
sometimes  double,  one  lying  on  each  side;  and  some- 
times it  is  accompanied  with  appendices,  called  ftamfiini- 

formes.  Any  compression  upon  this  duct  will  occasion 
atrophy,  and  death;  as  it  prevents  the  fluids  by  which 
the  animal  is  to  be  nourished  from  entering  the  course 
of  circulation.  See  Monro's  Osteology. 

DU'CTUS  VENO'SUS.  When  the  vena  cava  passes 
the  liver,  in  the  foetus,  it  sends  off  the  ductus  venosus, 
which  communicates  with  the  sinus  of  the  vena  portae; 
but  in  the  adults  becomes  a  flat  ligament. 

DU'CTUS  WHA'RTOM.  From  -Wharton  the  disco- 
verer. The  inferior  salival  duct  is  thus  named  from  his 
describing  it. 

DUUA'IM.     See  MAXDRAGORA. 

DUE'LLA.     A  weight  of  eight  scruples. 

DULCA'CIDUM,  (from  dulcis,  sweet,  and  acidum, 
.  Any  preparation  that  is  sweet  and  tart,  as 
oxymel. 

DULCAMA'RA,  (from  dulcis,  and  amarum,  hitter). 
See  SOLAXUM  LIGXOSUM. 

DULCE'DO  SATURXI,  i.  e.  cerussa.  See  PLUM- 
BUM. 

DULCE'DO  VEXERIS.       See   CLITORIS. 

DU'LCIS  RA'DIX.     See  GLYCYRRHIZA. 
.  DU'LECH.  A  term  used  by  Paracelsus  and  Helmont 
for  a  spongy  stone  generated  in  the  body. 

DULWICH  WATERS.  This  welfis  situated  in  the 
county  of  Surrey,  about  four  miles  south  east  of  London- 
bridge.  The  water  is  clear,  slightly  brackish,  and  tastes 
a  little  bitter  in  the  throat.  A  gallon  at  one  time 
yielded  two,  at  another  three,  drachms  of  solid  matter, 
containing  a  small  portion  of  calcareous  earth,  and  a 
vitriolated  magnesia,  mixed  with  a  portion  of  marine 
salt.  From  one  to  three  pints  in  a  morning  are  a  dose. 
See  Aqu^E  MIXERALES. 

DU'MUS,  (from  ^W,  to  rest  under).  A  BRUSH,  or 
SHRUB.  Bushes  send  out  branches  from  near  their 
roots;  and  are  distinguished  from  trees,  whose  stem 
rises  considerably  before  any  branches  are  sent  out. 

DUO'BUS,  SAL  DE.     See  NITRUM. 

DUODENA'LIS,  or  IXTESTINALIS  ARTE'- 
RIA,  (from  the  intestine,  called  duodenum).  As  soon 
as  the  gastrica  dextra  hath  passed  behind  the  stomach, 
it  sends  out  the  duodenal  artery  (which  sometimes 
comes  from  the  trunk  of  the  hepatica) :  it  runs  along 
the  duodenum,  on  the  side  next  the  pancreas,  to  both 
which  it  furnishes  branches,  as  well  as  to  the  neigh- 
bouring part  of  the  stomach. 

DUODEXA'LIS  VE'NA.  A  branch  from  the  vena  ports 
ventralis,  called  intestinalis;  it  is  distributed  chiefly  in 


the  duodenum,  but  sends  some  branches  to  the  pan- 
creas. A  branch  of  the  gastrica  has  the  same  appella- 
tion, and  the  haemorrhoidalis  interna  gives  a  branch  of 
this  name  to  the  duodenum. 

DUODE'NUM,(from  duodeni,  twelve).  This  intes- 
tine is  thus  named  from  a  supposition  that  its  length  does 
not  exceed  the  breadth  of  twelve  fingers;  and  if  mea- 
sured with  the  ends  of  the  fingers,  the  idea  is  sufficiently 
correct:  it  is  also  called  dodecadactylon,  ecfihysis,fiortQ- 
rarium.  It  begins  at  the  right  orifice  of  the  stomach  be- 
hind the  liver;  runs  backward,  and  obliquely  down- 
ward; then  turns  a  second  time  towards  the  right  kid- 
ney, to  which  it  is  attached  by  the  cellular  membrane. 
It  next  passes  between  the  kidney  and  liver,  across  the 
spine  about  the  last  vertebra  of  the  back;  and  it  comes 
out  on  the  left  side,  behind  the  root  of  the  mesentery  : 
as  soon  as  it  arrives  at  the  mesentery,  it  forms  the  jeju- 
num. It  is  the  widest  and  shortest  of  the  small  intes- 
tines; indeed  it  is  sometimes  called  ventriculus  succen- 
turiatus,  an  office  we  have  already  assigned  to  it  (see  . 
DIGESTION).  Its  extremity^  next  the  jejunum,  is 
fixed  in  a  course  almost  perpendicular  upwards.  It  is 
not  entirely  covered  with  the  peritonaeum,  nor  con- 
tracted by  a  mesentery ;  but  attached  to  the  neigh- 
bouring parts.  Its  outer  coat  is  surrounded  by  a  loose 
cellular  membrane;  the  villi  in  its  inside  are  thicker 
than  in  the  stomach,  and  its  texture  resembles  a  fungus, 
as  the  inner  coat  is  loose,  and  folded  into  what  are  call- 
ed -val-vulos  conniventes,  like  the  gills  of  a  mushroom. 
On  the  edges  of  these  valves  are  very  fine,  papillae  of  dif- 
ferent shapes,  apparently  pierced  with  many  holes,  seen 
only  by  a  magnifier;  and  in  other  parts  are  villous  tu- 
bercles at  different  distances  from  each  other.  This 
villous  substance  contains  many  capillary  vessels,  not 
only  conveying  red  blood,  but  apparently  lymph  or 
chyle.  Several  follicles  are  discovered  in  the  cellular 
substance,  which  have  been  considered  as  the  origin  of 
the  lacteals.  These  have  been  called,  from  their  dis- 
coverer, the  amfiullts  of  Liberkuhn. 

In  the  inner  surface,  almost  at  the  lower  part  of  its 
first  turn,  there  is  a  longitudinal  protuberance,  at  the 
point  of  which  is  an  opening,  where  the  pancreatic  and 
biliary  ducts  discharge  their  contents. 

As  its  form  is  much  like  that  of  the  stomach,  so  is  its 
use :  it  is  furnished  with  fluids  peculiar  to  itself,  since 
not  only  numerous  small  glands  were  discovered  by 
Brunnerus  in  it,  but  the  pancreatic  juice,  mixing  with 
the  bile,  accomplishes,  in  this  intestine,  the  further  ela- 
boration of  the  chyle  :  thus  the  digestion  of  the  aliment, 
begun  in  the  stomach,  is  completed  in  the  duodenum. 
(See  DUODENALIS  ARTERIA  et  VENA.)  Its  nerves  are 
the  middle  plexus  of  the  semilunar  ganglion,  and  some 
filaments  of  the  plexus  stomachicus  and  hepaticus. 
The  duodenum  is  connected  with  the  oesophagus  by  the 
same  coats,  and  hence  they  communicate  with  the  coat 
which  surrounds  the  fauces  and  the  mouth.  Like  the 
stomach  the  duodenum  hath  a  very  extensive  nervous 
connection  with  the  other  parts  of  the  body. 

Of  such  importance  is  the  duodenum,  that  Sylvius 
thinks  it  the  seat  of  almost  all  the  disorders  in  the  phy- 
sician's province.  Van  Helmont  agrees  with  him ;  and 
the  influence  of  this  part  is  certainly  considerable. 

In  the  circulation,  no  morbid  matter  can  be  disco- 
vered ;  in  the  stomach  and  duodenum,  a  stagnation,  and 


II  UE 


582 


B  YN 


consequent  degeneracy  are  often  produced  :  it  the  bile 
and  other  fluids  stagnate  in  the  duodenum,  they  soon 
occasion  great  anxiety,  with  other  unpleasant  symp- 
toms. From  this  source,  viz.  the  morbid  contents  of 
the  duodenum,  many  disorders  have  been  traced;  and 
the  opinion  is  further  confimed  by  the  success  of  eme- 
tics, and  of  gentle  purgatives,  in  the  cure  of  many  chro- 
nic complaints.  Emetics  often  evacuate' the  contents 
of  the  duodenum  by  a  continuation  of  the  inverted  mo- 
tion, as  we  find  by  their  discharging  bile  after  their  con- 
tinued action.  See  Monro's  Observations  on  the  In- 
testines, in  the  Edinburgh  Essays,  and  Frederic  Hoff- 
man on  the  Duodenum. 

DUPLICA'NA,  (from  dvjilex,  double.)     See  TER- 

TIANA  DUPLEX. 

DUPO'NDIUM.     A  weight  equal  to  four  drachms. 

DU'RA  MATER,  (from  durus,  hard,  and  mater, 
mother).  It  is  so  called  from  its  hardness,  compared 
with  that  of  the  pia  mater,  and  from  its  being  the  source 
of  all  the  other  membranes;  amenta  eilamides,  cuticu- 
laris  membrana,  and  crassa  meninoc,  to  distinguish  it  . 
from  the  meninx  tennis  or  pia  mater.  See  PIA  MATER. 

The  dura  mater,  to  which  dermatoides  is  used  as  an 
epithet,  from  its  skin  or  leather-like  appearance,  lies 
contiguous  to  the  inside  of  the  skull ;  its  substance  is 
very  compact ;  white,  and  glistening  like  a  tendon,  and 
divided  into  two  or  more  lamellae.  The  external  surface 
of  this  membrane  is  analogous  to  the  internal  surface  of 
the  periosteum  in  all  parts  of  the  body;  it  adheres  more 
firmly  to  the  cranium  at  the  sutures  than  elsewhere, 
because  of  the  vessels  which  run  in  these,  and  in  the 
processes  which  are  thrown  out.  The  inner  surface  of 
the  dura  mater  is,  in  general,  a  smooth  membrane,  and 
lies  loose  upon  the  pia  mater,  except  at  the  sinuses, 
where  they  are  attached  by  means  6f  the  veins  which 
come  out  from  the  pia  mater;  and,  sinking  into  the 
dura  mater,  form  these  cavities.  The  processes  of  the 
dura  mater  are  divided  into  the  external  and  the  internal. 
The  true  external  are  those  which  line  the  foramina, 
which  are  afterwards  lost  in  the  pericranium,  or  accom- 
pany the  nerves.  These  processes  are  accommodated, 
in  general,  to  the  size  and  direction  of  the  nerves ;  but 
when  the  processes  of  the  dura  mater  are  mentioned,  in 
general,  the  internal  ones  are  meant.  The  longitudinal, 
or  the  processus  falciformis,  or  falx  (from  its  shape  be- 
ing like  that  of  a  sickle),  begins  at  the  crista  galli;  runs 
iiijthe  direction  of  the  sagittal  suture,  to  the  middle  of  the 
os  occtpitis,  dividing,  as  already  explained,  the  cerebrum 
into  two  hemispheres;  it  there  forms  two  transverse 
processes,  which  lie  between  the  two  posterior  lobes  of 
the  cerebrum  and  cerebellum.  The  glands  of  the  dura 
mater,  spoken  of  by  some  old  anatomists,  do  not  exist. 
The  sinuses  of  the  dura  mater  are  venal,  though  their 
structure  and  form  differ  from  veins;  every  section  is 
triangular,  and  their  shape  like  a  prism.  The  veins  are 
every  where  pouring  their  blood  into  these  sinuses  from 
all  parts-of  the  brain,  and  there  are  several  cords  going 
across  them,  which,  from  their  discoverer,  are  called 
chorda;  Willisii ;  but  the  veins  and  sinuses  of  the  brain 
have  already  been  described  (see  CEREBRUM).  The  prin- 
cipal sinus  runs  along  the  processes.  The  dura  mater  ap- 
pears more  red  than  the  tendons,  because  of  the  arteries 
%vhich  pass  over  its  surface  before  they  penetrate  it.  The 
arteries  go  from  side  to  side,  but  do  not  open  into  the  si- 


nuses, as  has  been  asserted.  Wherever  an  artery  rui-.-. 
upon  the  dura  mater,  it  is  accompanied  with  one  or 
more  veins,  which  contribute  to  make  the  sulci  on  the 
cranium,  as  well  as  the  arteries.  Its  principal  uses  are 
as  a  covering  for  the  brain ;  and  it  serves  as  an  inner 
periosteum.  The  use  of  the  processes  is  to  connect 
the  bones,  and  of  the  sinuses  to  retain  the  necessary 
proportion  of  blood. 

The  dura  mater,  when  exposed  in  a  living  animal, 
is  seen  to  have  a  pulsation  corresponding  to  that  of  the 
arteries,  owing  to  the  systole  and  diastole  of  the  arteries 
of  the  pia  mater.  When  the  dura  mater  is  laid  bare,  it 
commonly  sloughs  like  a  tendon ;  in  some  cases  it  is 
ossified.  The  brain  is  sometimes  protruded  through 
the  bregma  in  children,  with  its  covering,  the  dura 
mater.  Gooch,  in  his  Medical  Observations,  gives  an 
instance  of  a  fractured  skull,  when  a  fluid  being  per- 
ceived under  the  dura  mater,  this  membrane  was  cut 
through  with  the  scissors,  and  the  patient  recovered. 

The  nerves  have  been  said  to  arise  from  the  fifth  and 
seventh  pair;  but  the  modern  anatomists  do  not  ac- 
knowledge them. 

DU'R^E  MATRIS  ARTERUE,  and  MENINGEJE.  The  DURA- 
MATRAL  ARTERIES.  The  external  carotid  artery  sends 
a  branch  through  the  spinal  hole  of  the  os  sphenoidale, 
which  is  the  middle  artery  of  the  dura  mater,  and  is 
called,  by  way  of  eminence,  the  artery  of  the  dura  ma- 
ter. It  is  divided  into  many  branches,  which  are  dis- 
persed through  the  substance  of  the  external  lamina  as 
high  as  the  falx,  where  these  ramifications  communi- 
cate with  the  branches  on  the  other  side.  The  im- 
pressions of  this  artery  are  seen  on  the  inside  of  the 
parietal  bones ;  the  anterior  and  lower  angle  of  which, 
instead  of  a  simple  impression,  contain  a  canal  for 
the  passage  of  a  trunk  of  this  artery ;  on  which  account, 
several  accidents  happen  in  fractures  of  the  skull.-  The 
external  carotid  sends  off  another  branch,  through  the 
superior  orbitary  fissure,  to  the  dura  mater,  called  its 
anterior  artery ;  and  it  receives  branches  from  the  caro- 
tid and  the  vertebrals.  Winslow  calls  the  first  men- 
tioned of  these  arteries,  sfihcno-sfiinalis.  Dr.  Hunter 
observes  that  the  dura-matral  artery  proceeds  from  the 
inferior  maxillary  artery,  and  passes  through  a  hole  in 
the  petrous  part  of  the  temporal  bone. 

DURA'TUS,  (from  durus,  hard.)  HARDENED;  but 
in  Scribonius  Largus  it  means  macerated. 

DURO'NEGO.  BROAD  LEAVED  LEOPARD'S  BAM  . 
See  DORONICUM  ROMANUM. 

DU'TRAY.  See  STRAMONIUM. 

DWARFS  ;  diminutive  beings  whose  growth  has 
been  checked  by  art,  or  arrested  by  disease.  Their 
height  differs  ;  but,  in  general,  they  have  exceeded  three 
feet.  The  Polish  Borulawski  was,  however,  but  twen- 
ty-eight inches;  and  Bebe,  kept  by  Stanislaus,  king  of 
Poland,  measured  only  thirty-three  inches.  Their  in- 
tellectual faculties  are,  however,  imperfect :  they  arc 
lively,  but  simple  ;  and  sharp,  but  timorous.  Borulawski 
seems  to  have  possessed  superior  mental  powers.  It 
is  not  easy  to  assign  a  cause  for  such  diminutive  forms. 
except  their  growth  is  checked  by  disease,  and  their 
forms  distorted  by  confinement  in  one  posture, 

DYAMA'SSIEN.     See  JEms  FLOS. 

DY'NAMIS,  (from  &•»«/**<,  to  be  able)..  It  is  the 
faculty  or  power  from  whence  an  action  proceeds. 


D  YS 


583 


D  YS 


Galen  often  uses  this  word  for  a  composition  of  a  me- 
dicine, particularly  of  an  approved  one. 

DYO'TA,  or  DISTA,  (from  ^4-,  two,  and  out,  «?»«, 
an  ear].  A  PELICAN,  or  CIRCULATING  VESSEL,  WITH 

TWO  HANDLES  OR  EARS. 

DYS^ESTHE'SIA,  (from  fa,  difficulty,  and  *<rti*- 
••K.*I,  tofeelorfiercerue).  A  DULLNESS  OF  SENSATION, 
or  FAULTY  SENSE.  Under  this  term,  Dr.  Cullen  forms 
his  first  order  of  his  fourth  class  locales  ;  though  in  the 
enumeration  of  the  species  he  has  not  adhered  closely 
to  the  definition.  Diseases  of  this  order  are  synony- 
mous with  ftallvcinatior.es,  according  to  this  author,  and 
are  considered  as  complaints  whose  principal  symptom 
is  a  depraved  or  erroneous  imagination.  He  defines 
them,  the  senses  depraved  or  destroyed  from  some  de- 
fect or  fault  of  the  external  organs.  Privativi  are  re- 
duced to  this  head. 

DYSA'LTHES,  (from  fa,  difficulty,  and  «O*»,  to 
curt}.  DIFFICULT  OF  CURE. 

DYSANAGO'GOS,  (from  fa,  and  «»«y«,  to  su&- 
dve).  An  epithet  for  tough  viscid  matter,  which  is 
with  difficulty  expectorated. 

DYSCATAPO'TIA,  (from  fa,  and  *«7*»-(»»,  to 
drink).  A  difficulty  of  swallowing  liquids,  which  Dr. 
Mead  thinks  a  more  proper  term  than  that  used  for  ca- 
nine madness,  viz.  hydrofihobia,  as  it  is  more  particu- 
larly descriptive  of  the  affection  under  which  the  un- 
happy patients  labour;  but,  in  reality,  they  dread  water 
from  the  difficulty  of  swallowing  it. 

DYSCINE'SIA,  (from  <JW,  and  *m«,  to  move).  Dif- 
ficulty of  motion,  from  faulty  or  defective  organs :  also 
termed  intemfieries .  This  is  the  third  order  of  Dr.  Cul- 
len's  class  locales— defined,  motions  impeded  or  deprav- 
ed from  the  fault  of  the  organs. 

DYSCRA'SIA,  (from  fa,  and  Kepstnv/u,  to  mix}. 
DYSCRACY.  An  ill  temperament  or  habit  of  the  blood 
and  humours,  as  in  the  jaundice  and  scurvy. 

DYSCRI'TOS,  (from  fa,  and  xfins,  crisis).  Dif- 
ficult to  be  brought  to  a  crisis,  or  brought  to  an  imper- 
fect crisis. 

DYSECCE'A,  (from  fa,  difficult,  and  ax»v*,:to  hear). 
DEAFNESS,  called  also  cofihosis.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this 
genus  of  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dystes- 
thesie,  which  he  defines,  hearing  diminished  or  abolish- 
ed. He  points  out  two  species  : 

1.  DYSECCE'A  ORGANICA,  from  a  fault  in  the  organs,  by 
which  sound  is  transmitted  into  the  internal  ear. 

2.  DYSECCE'A  ATONICA,  in  which  there  is  no  manifest 
fault  in  the  organs  for  transmitting  sound  into  the  inter- 
nal  ear;  but  merely  a  defect  of  the  nervous  power. 
See  SURDITAS. 

DYSE'LCES,  (from  S'ta,  and  i>x'&,  an  ulcer,)  an 
epithet  for  such  persons  whose  ulcers  are  difficult  to 
heal. 

DYSE'METI,  (from  fa,  and  ifua,  to  vomit).  Those 
who  vomit  with  difficulty. 

DYSENTE'RIA,  (from  fa,  difficult,  and  f»T£?«,  the 
intestines).  Intestines  with  difficulty  moved,  though 
sometimes  called  diarrhoea  carnosa  and  dissolutus  mor- 
tus,  often  the  blood Jlux,  because  blood  occasionally 
appears  in  the  stools  :  this,  however,  is  not  always  a 
symptom,  nor  essential  to  the  disease.  Dr.  Akeiiside 
calls  the  dysentery  a  rheumatism  in  the  bowels,  and 
thinks  dysenterv  and  rheumatism  are  the  same  :  the 


Latins  call  it  tormina  :  Ccelius  Aurelianus,  a  rheuma- 
tism of  the  belly,  preceded  either  by  a  diarrhoea,  a  cho- 
lera morbus,  or  a  tumour  of  the  abdomen.  Dr.  Cullen 
defines  it,  "  a  contagious  fever,  in  which  the  patient  has 
frequent  mucous  or  bloody  stools,  accompanied  with 
much  griping  and  followed  by  a  tenesmus ;  the  alvine 
faeces  being  for  the  must  part  retained."  The  stools, 
though  frequent,  are  generally  small  in  quantity ;  the 
matter  voided  is  chiefly  mucus ;  sometimes  blood.  At 
the  same  time  the  natural  faeces  seldom  appear;  or 
they  are  small  in  quantity,  compact  and  hardened.  He 
places  this  disease  in  the  class  fiyrexie,  and  order  pro- 
Jlu-via.  There  is  but  one  species,  which  varies  its  name 
from  different  circumstances,  e.  g.  dysenteria  castrensis, 
from  happening  ^in  a  camp,  on  account  of  the  soldiers 
being  more  exposed  to  the  night  air,  which  produces 
or  aggravates  the  disease  ;  dysenteria  -verminosa,  from 
being  occasionally  accompanied  with  worms;  dysenteria 
carnosa,  when  fleshy  or  sebaceous  lumps  are  discharg- 
ed; dysenteria  intermittent,  when  accompanied  with  an 
intermittent  fever  ;  dysenteria  alba,  when  the  stools  are 
not  mixed  with  blood;  dysenteria  miliaria,  when  accom- 
panied with  miliary  eruptions.  The  others  are  symp- 
tomatic. This  disease  is  sometimes  acute;  but  more 
frequently  of  a  chronic  kind. 

As  diarrhoea  and  dysentery  equally  consist  of  an  in- 
creased discharge  by  stool,  the  diseases  have  been  ge- 
nerally confounded;  and  a  diarrhoea,  especially  if  at- 
tended with  a  discharge  of  blood,  has  been  styled  a  dy- 
sentery. The  more  attentive  observation  of  the  mo- 
derns has  corrected  this  confusion,  from  which  even  the 
work  of  Sauvages  is  not  free;  though  the  correction  is, 
in  a  great  degree,  owing  to  the  labours  of  nosologists. 

Diarrhoea  chiefly  consists  of  the  evacuation  of  foecu- 
lent  matter,  for  the  stools,  even  when  wateiy,  contain  dis- 
solved faeces:  in  dysentery  the  stools  are  retained,  and 
the  evacuation,  discharged  with  much  straining,  is  a 
small  portion  of  mucus  only.  Each  is  attended  with 
pain  and  tenesmus :  but  in  dysentery,  the  pain  and 
straining  are  extremely  violent.  Again  :  the  diarrhoea 
and  dysentery  are  both  occasionally  epidemic  ;  the  latter 
is  not  only  epidemic  in  a  more  extensive  degree,  but 
may  be  traced  by  infection.  It  is  sometimes  also  local 
in  its  attacks,  and  may  be  traced  either  to  the  influence 
of  neighbouring  marshes,  or  alternates,  with  remitting 
fevers.  In  diarrhoea  the  discharges  are  sometimes 
tinged  with  blood ;  in  dysentery  the  sanguineous  dis- 
charge is  often  considerable :  in  the  former,  fever  sel- 
dom attends,  or  is  inflammatory  only ;  in  the  latter,  the 
fever  is  of  the  nervous  and  putrid  kind  ;  the  prostration 
of  strength  considerable. 

Various  observations  have  been  recorded  to  distin- 
guish the  seat  of  the  disease,  according  as  the  blood  is 
more  or  less  florid,  more  or  less  intimately  mixed  with 
the  faeces.  These  are,  however,  trifling,  and  in  general 
unfounded.  The  true  seat  of  the  dysentery  is  the  large 
intestines,  generally  their  lower  part  ;  and  the  disease  is 
immediately  owing  to  a  spasmodic  stricture  producing 
increased,  but  ineffectual,  exertions  on  the  upper  part ; 
and  this  spasm,  to  inflammation  of  the  villous  coat. 

It  has  been  common  to  seek  for  the  more  remote 
causes  in  acrimony  of  the  fluids,  of  the  ingesta,  of  the 
bile,  and  the  other  abdominal  secretions.  Even  Syden- 
ham,  who  saw  clearly  that  it  was  a  febrile  disease. 


D  YS 


584 


D  YS 


directed  to  the  intestines,  thought  it  owing  to  a  morbid 
matter  brought  by  the  meseriac  arteries.  Hippocrates, 
however,  long  ago  observed,  that  dysenteries  are  most 
common  in  summers  that  succeed  cold  and  dry  winters, 
followed  by  a  rainy  spring ;  that  they  occur  also  when  a 
dry  spring  succeeds  a  rainy  winter.  Bontius  remarks, 
that  the  hottest  weather  produces  them  when  the  nights 
begin  to  be  cold.  These  are  the  periods  when  remit- 
tents and  intermittents  most  prevail ;  when  marsh  mi- 
asmata are  the  most  copious  and  active  ;  when  the  ex- 
citing cause  of  cold  most  powerfully  assists  their  action. 
In  fact,  it  is  a  contagious  remittent  fever,  with  an  ery- 
sipelatous  affection  of  the  internal  coat  of  the  intestines 
exciting  a  spasm,  and  its  consequences  already  describ- 
ed ;  viz.  increased  action,  sufficient  to  occasion  the  dis- 
charge of  mucus,  but  not  to  evacuate  the  accumulated 
faeces.  This  discharge  of  mucus  is  common  from  every 
mucous  membrane,  when  the  action  of  the  organs, 
which  the  membrane  lines,  is  augmented,  as  in  the 
bronchiae  and  bladder ;  and  we  know  that  the  faeces  are 
retained,  both  from  their  not  appearing,  and  from  their 
hardened  state  on  the  solution  of  the  disease. 

The  diagnostics,  according  to  Sydenham's  celebrated 
description,  are  as  follow :  "  The  patient  is  attacked 
with  a  chillness  and  shaking,  which  are  immediately 
succeeded  by  a  heat  of  the  whole  body ;  soon  after  this, 
gripes  and  stools  follow :  it  is  indeed  often  not  preceded 
by  a  fever ;  but  the  gripes  attack  first,  and  the  stools 
soon  succeed.  Intolerable  gripings,  and  a  painful  de- 
scent, as  it  were,  of  the  bowels,  accompany  every 
evacuation.  The  discharges  are  chiefly  mucous,  except 
now  and  then  an  excrementitious  one  intervenes,  with- 
out any  considerable  pain.  The  mucous  stools  are  ge- 
nerally streaked  with  blood  ;  but  sometimes  no  appear- 
ance thereof  is  seen  throughout  the  disease:  neverthe- 
less, if  the  stools  are  frequent,  mucous,  and  accompa- 
nied with  gripings,  the  distemper  may  as  justly  be  en- 
titled a  dysentery  as  if  blood  were  discharged  along  with 
them.  If  the  patient  is  in  the  vigour  of  life,  or  hath 
been  treated  with  cardiacs,  a  fever  arises,  and  the  tongue 
is  covered  with  a  thick,  white  mucus ;  and  if  he  hath 
been  much  heated,  it  is  black  and  dry  :  great  loss  of 
strength,  a  lowness  of  spirits,  and  all  the  signs  of  an 
ill-conditioned  fever,  are  joined  with  it.  This  disease 
is  attended  with  extreme  pain  and  sickness,  greatly  en- 
dangering life  if  unskilfully  treated ;  for,  when  the  spi- 
rits are  much  exhausted,  and  the  vital  heat  diminished 
by  frequent  stools,  before  the  matter  can  be  expelled 
from  the  blood,  a  coldness  of  the  extremities  ensues,  and 
there  is  danger  of  death,  even  within  the  periods  of  acute 
diseases.  But  if  the  patient  escapes  for  this  time,  seve- 
ral symptoms  of  a  different  kind  succeed.  Sometimes, 
in  the  progress  of  the  disease,  instead  of  the  sanguine- 
pus  filaments,  which  are  usually  mixed  with  the  stools 
in  the  beginning,  a  large  quantity  of  pure  blood,  unmix- 
ed with  mucus,  is  voided  at  every  stool;  which,  as  it  ma- 
nifests an  erosion  of  some  of  the  larger  vessels  of  the 
intestines,  threatens  death.  Sometimes  an  incurable 
gangrene  seizes  the  intestines,  which  is  caused  by  a  vio- 
lent inflammation  excited  by  the  afflux  of  hot  acrid 
matter  to  the  affected  parts.  At  the  decline  of  the  dis- 
ease, aphthae  frequently  affect  the  internal  parts  of  the 
mouth,  especially  if  the  patient  hath  been  kept  hot  for 
a  long  time,  and  the  evacuation  of  the  matter  hath  been 


checked  by  astringents ;  the  fuel  of  the  disease  not  hav- 
ing been  first  carried  off  by  cathartics  :  these  aphthae 
generally  foreshow  imminent  death.  If  the  patient  sur- 
vives the  foregoing  symptoms,  and  the  disease  proves 
lasting,  the  intestines  at  length  seem  to  be  affected  suc- 
cessively downwards,  till  it  be  driven  to  the  rectum,  and 
ends  in  a  tenesmus ;  upon  which  the  natural  stools  oc- 
casion great  pain  in  the  bowels,  the  faeces,  in , then- 
passage  through  them,  abrading  the  small  guts ;  where- 
as the  mucous  stools  only  offend  the  rectum  during  the 
time  that  the  matte'r  is  made  and  discharged.  Though 
this  disease  is  often  mortal  in  grown  persons,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  aged,  it  is  nevertheless  very  gentle  in 
children,  who  have  it  sometimes  for  several  months 
without  any  inconvenience,  provided  the  cure  of  it  be 
left  to  nature." 

The  principal  distinctions  of  dysentery  into  inflam- 
matory, putrid,  and  malignant,  are  without  foundation, 
as  will  be  obvious  from  the  following  short  description. 
It  is  evident  that  these  are  inflammatory  or  putrid 
fevers,  with  inflammation  in  the  bowels,  or  putrid  diarr- 
hoeas. 

The  inflammatory  dysentery  approaches  with  a  violent 
fever,  and  a  hard  pulse,  which  in  other  dysenteries  is 
generally  small,  and  that  (only  in  the  progress  of  the 
sickness)  becomes  full;  an  almost  continued  and  in- 
tolerable pain  in  the  belly,  which  increases  on  the  part 
being  touched,  and  still  more  after  vomiting ;  stools 
very  inconsiderable  with  respect  to  quantity;  a  head-ach, 
red  face,  and  sometimes  a  distended  belly. 

A  putrid  dysentery  is  distinguished  by  a  bitterness  in 
the  mouth,  which  appears  directly  on  the  first  attack; 
a  vomiting  of  bilious  matter,  which  is  sometimes  also 
mingled  with  worms ;  a  shivering  that  returns  in  the 
course  of  the  disorder  ;  the  slightness  of  the  fever,  the 
paleness  of  the  countenance,  and  the  variegated  colour 
of  the  excrements. 

DYSENTE'RIA  MALI'GNA.  A  MALIGNANT  DYSENTERY 
is  attended  in  the  beginning,  or  whenever  any  other 
kind  degenerates  into  it,  by  a  sudden  weakness,  great 
anxiety  about  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  heaviness  in  the 
head,  a  heavy,  oppressed,  sunk  countenance,  frequent 
slight  convulsions,  a  weak  voice,  frequent  faintingst 
miliary  eruptions,  petechise,  aphthae,  sickness,  and  a 
very  weak  pulse. 

Having  distinguished  dysentery  from  diarrhoea,  we 
need  not  add  to  the  length  of  the  article  by  enlarging 
on  the  distinction  between  this  disease,  a  bloody  flux 
from  piles,  or  an  abscess  of  the  intestines.  The  de- 
scription of  Sydenham  is  alone  sufficient  to  establish  the 
diagnosis.  The  scirrho-contracted  rectum  sometimes 
produces  symptoms  not  unlike  dysentery.  The  absence 
however,  of  pain,  of  fever,  of  the  mucous  dejections, 
and  the  troublesome  tenesmus,  sufficiently  points  out 
the  difference. 

The  explanation  of  the  symptoms,  from  what  has 
been  said,  is  not  difficult.  The  appearance  of  the  fatty 
matter,  which  is  less  easily  explained,  seems  owing  to 
the  diseased  state  of  the  glands,  from  the  continuance 
of  the  disease,  for,  apparently,  it  is  not  hardened  mucus. 
The  skins,  in  the  stools,  are  probably  abrasions  of  the 
villous  coat.  Aphthae  are  a  symptom  of  low,  long  con- 
tinued fever,  from  whatever  cause  it  may  proceed. 

A  dysentery  commonly  begins  as  an  acute  disease ; 


D  \ 


585 


13  \  S 


but  it  degenerates,  after  some  time,  into  a  chronic  com- 
plaint; and,  in  that  case,  to  the  other  symptoms,  a  de- 
cayed appetite,  dryness  of  the  skin,  sunk  features,  a 
lividly  yellow  comp'lexion,  great  weakness,  and  emacia- 
tion, are  added. 

In  general,  the  prognostics  are  taken  from  the  intense- 
ness  of  the  symptoms,  the  colour  and  smell  of  the  stools, 
the  strength  of  the  patient,  and  the  length  of  the  disor- 
der's continuance.  It  is  never  without  danger,  and 
never  to  be  slightly  regarded ;  for  nature  alone  contri- 
butes very  little  to  its  cure.  There  is  always  danger  of 
a  mortification  of  the  bowels,  until  the  disease  gives 
way.  When  the  excrements  are  of  various  colours,  and 
of  an  offensive  smell,  there  are  probably  ulcers  in  the 
intestines,  and  the  danger  is  increased.  If  blood  ap- 
pears on  the  first  day,  or  the  irritation  great,  the  danger 
is  in  proportion.  When  the  fever  is  urgent,  when  the 
cause  is  contagion,  the  patient  already  reduced  by  pre- 
vious sickness,  or  sinking  under  any  other  disorder,  the 
danger  is  proportionably  enhanced.  An  hiccough,  de- 
lirium, the  pain  and  thirst  ceasing  at  once,  the  excre- 
ments passing  involuntarily,  convulsions,  coldness  of  the 
extremities,  with  vomiting,  are  among  the  mortal  symp- 
toms. 

To  prevent  the  complaint,  those  who  are  in  warm 
climates  should  carefully  avoid  the  coldness  of  the  even- 
ings, and  the  chilling  dews  which  succeed  the  sultry 
days;  those  who  are  confined  in  jails,  or  in  camps, 
should  avoid  the  vapours  from  putrid  faeces ;  and  if  any 
putrid  disease  is  prevalent,  the  bark,  with  laxatives, 
may  be  taken  at  proper  intervals.  If  there  is  any  sus- 
picion of  the  disease  approaching,  an  emetic  should  be 
given  immediately ;  a  warm  sudorific  should  succeed ; 
and.  in  the  morning,  a  dose  of  some  gentle  purgative, 
to  promote  the  proper  discharge  from  the  intestines. 

In  the  progress  of  this  complaint,  the  air  should  be 
kept  as  pure  as  possible,  and  moderately  warm :  clean- 
liness is  absolutely  necessary ;  the  excrements  should  be 
immediately  removed;  the  linen,  and  every  thing  about 
the  patient,  frequently  changed.  The  diet  may  be  of 
rice,  salop,  panada,  the  broth  of  lean  meat  acidulated 
with  lemon  or  orange  juice,  jelly  of  animal  substances 
with  cinnamon.  Dr.  Rutherford  advises  a  few  hand- 
fills  of  wheat  flour  to  be  boiled,  tied  up  tight  in  a  rag, 
for  six  or  eight  hours.  It  will  then  be  hard,  and  two  or 
three  table  spoonfuls,  when  grated,  may  be  boiled,  in 
milk  and  water,  to  the  consistence  of  pap  :  this  may  be 
made  agreeable  to  the  palate  with  sugar,  and  used  both 
for  the  general  food,  and  for  the  substance  of  clysters, 
which  in  this  disorder  are  frequently  required.  For 
drink,  milk  and  water,  butter  milk,  the  white  decoction, 
or.  what  is  still  preferable,  a  decoction  of  mallows  in 
milk  and  water,  may  be  freely  used.  Frequent  dilution 
with  mucilaginous  drinks  of  every  kind  is  highly  proper. 
It  was  usual  with  Sydenham,  and  some  other  judicious 
practitioners,  whose  success  justified  their  proceeding, 
to  begin,  if  called  in  early  after  the  first  attack,  by  giving 
a  gentle  emetic,  and  copious  draughts  of  some  thin 
fluid,  to  cleanse  the  stomach  f  clysters  of  the  same  were 
frequently  injected,  to  lessen  or  dilute  the  irritating 
matter  if  it  existed ;  but  more  certainly  to  soften  as  a 
fomentation. 

Sydenham  ordered  bleeding,  if  the  symptoms  required 
it ;  then  directed  a  large  quantity  of  cold  whey  to  be 
drunk;  and  clysters  of  the  same  to  be  injected  and  re- 

VOL.  I. 


peated  until  the  pains  were  abated:  these  were  admini- 
stered warm.  Alter  this  the  patient  was  put  in  bed,  and 
a  sweat  promoted.  When  the  patient  was  greatly  ex- 
hausted, endeavours  were  used  to  check  the  evacuation,. 
The  cure  of  dysentery,  as  described  by  the  earlier 
authors,  is  confused  and  contradictory .  As  an  increased 
evacuation  it  has  been  treated  by  astringents ;  as  a  spasm, 
by  opiates;  and  as  an  haemorrhage,  by  sedatives.  Zim- 
merman seems  to  have  first  established  the  most  rational 
views,  and  the  most  enlightened  practice;  yet  even  this 
requires,  in  different  climates,  considerable  modifica- 
tions, and  numerous  auxiliaries.  Navy  and  army  sur- 
geons assert  that  practitioners,  in  general,  know  little  of 
dysentery.  They  seldom,  indeed,  see  the  complicated 
cases,  the  numerous  forms  of  the  disease,  or  its  singular 
changes.  We  shall  give  a  consistent  view  of  their  doc- 
trines and  opinions,  for  it  is  one  of  the  few  diseases 
"  where  we  do  not  speak-  from  any  very  extensive  prac- 
tice of  our  own.  Our  predecessors  were  certainly  little 
acquainted  with  it. 

As  an  inflammation,  bleeding  may  appear  the  most 
proper  step  in  the  earliest  stages ;  but  the  fever  is  of 
the  putrid  kind,  and  the  inflammation  erysipelatous. 
We  find  some  army  surgeons  bleeding  the  strong,  ro- 
bust soldiers,  on  a  violent  attack  in  the  earliest  stages, 
with  apparent  advantage.  It  is  not,  however,  a  remedy 
adapted  to  the  nature  of  the  disease ;  and,  though  oc- 
casionally admissible,  should  be  rarely  employed. 

Emetics,  particularly  the  antimonial  ones,  are  of  more 
importance;  they  are  adapted  to  the  disease  as  febrile, 
and  peculiarly  to  spasm,  since,  OH  their  first  action,  a 
general  relaxation  is  produced  in  the  system.  This  re- 
laxation is  more  considerable,  and  longer  continued  by 
giving  nauseating  doses  only;  and  it  is  probable  thai 
the  ipecacuanha,  the  antimonials  in  their  various  forms, 
the  white  vitriol,  &c.  act  as  much  by  the  nausea  they 
produce,  as  by  increasing  the  discharge  from  the  skin. 
Vomiting,  except  in  the  commencement,  cannot  be  en- 
couraged with  advantage. 

As  the  fasces  are  retained,  cathartics  would  appeal- 
peculiarly  proper;  and  when  some  relaxation  of  the 
spasm  has  been  produced,  they  are  found  to  be  the  most 
effectual  remedies.  Zimmerman  rests  chiefly  on  the 
use  of  the  milder  laxatives,  neutral  salts,  the  tamarinds, 
senna,  and  manna ;  and  it  will  be  indeed  obvious  that 
these,  as  well  by  their  cooling  as  their  relaxing  power, 
must  be  useful.  The  narcotic  laxatives,  which  we  have 
described  as  producing  so  general  a  solution  of  tension 
through  the  whole  system,  may  perhaps  be  found  use- 
ful, particularly  the  tobacco;  yet  the  great  previous 
debility  renders  its  use  highly  precarious,  and  we  know 
not  that  it  has  been  employed.  Dr.  Hagstroom,  from 
the  idea  of  dysentery  proceeding  from  animalcules,  em- 
ployed the  nux  vomica,  he  says,  with  considerable 
success.  This  medicine  is,  indeed,  a  powerful  narcotic, 
but,  we  believe,  not  a  laxative. 

The  more  active  purgatives  have  not  been  lately  em- 
ployed. Respecting  the  utility  of  rhubarb,  practitioners 
have  greatly  differed.  By  some  it  has  been  considered 
as  a  specific,  by  others  as  injurious.  In  general,  it  is 
too  violent  in  its  operation,  and  is  by  the  best  practi- 
tioners now  disregarded.  In  the  Amaenitates  Acade- 
mics: is  a  thesis,  formerly  quoted,  entitled  Exanthemata 
Viva,  where  the  author  asserts,  that  he  has  discovered 
animalcules  in  the  dysentery,  to  which  he  attributes 
4F 


D  YS 


586 


:D  YS 


the  disease;  and  he  thinks  it  a  great  support  of  his 
idea,  that  they  were  immediately  destroyed  by  an  in- 
fusion of  rhubarb. 

Diafi h orctics  are  the  most  important  medicines  in  this 
complaint ;  and  to  the  relaxation  of  the  skin  must  be 
attributed  the  good  effects  of  ipecacuanha ;  of  the  vi- 
trum  ceratum  antimonii;  and,  in  some  measure,  of 
opiates.  The  more  violent  stimulant  sudorific.s  have 
been  avoided ;  and,  from  our  observations  on  cathartics, 
it  will  be  obvious  that  they  must  be  injurious;  yet  ipe- 
cacuanha seems  also  to  possess  apeculiarsedativepower, 
which  renders  it  useful  in  all  cases  of  increased  action 
of  the  intestines;  nor  is  it  without  1'eason  that  Dr. 
Akenside  seems  to  have  commended  it  so  warmly. 

The  action  of  diaphoretics  must,  however,  be  sup- 
ported by  warm  diluting  liquors  ;  by  proper,  though  not 
heavy,  bed  clothes ;  and  every  method  of  supporting  a 
gentle,  free  perspiration,  approaching  at  least  to  sweat- 
ing, for  the  patient  should  not  sweat  profusely.  The 
object  is  rather  to  produce  a  general  relaxation  than  to 
weaken  by  the  discharge. 

Sedatives  have  not  been  much  employed;  and  when 
opiates  have  been  given  to  lull  the  violence  of  the  pain, 
practitioners  have  rather  aimed  at  procuring  present 
ease  than  at  removing  the  complaint.  But,  from  the 
view  we  have  taken,  it  will  be  obvious  that  opium  is  of 
considerable  service.  It  is  singular  that  the  opium  with 
ipecacuanha,  Dover's  powder,  has  not  been  more  fre- 
quently used.  We  suspect  that  its  action  as  a  sudorific 
is  too  violent;  and  that  the  disease,  like  other  fevers,  is 
more  effectually  removed  by  a  gentle  diaphoresis,  than 
a  more  considerable  discharge  from  the  skin. 

As  the  discharge  of  either  mucus  or  blood  is  often 
violent,  it  is  not  surprising  that  astringents  have  been 
employed.  All  the  variety  have  been  given,  and  each 
has  been  commended  by  its  partisans.  Alum,  gall  nuts, 
white  vitriol,  logwood,  simarouba,  cascarilla,  columbo 
root,  and  a  variety  of  similar  medicines,  have  been  em- 
ployed in  this  disease ;  but  their  good  effects  have,  we 
believe,  been  owing  to  an  unsuspected  source.  The  gall 
nut  is,  indeed,  a  pure  astringent,  though  not  without  some 
suspicion  of  a  narcotic  power.  Alum  is  not  only  a  seda- 
tive but  a  purgative,  and  an  useful  remedy  in  many 
cases  of  colic.  The  white  vitriol  is  a  tonic  and  a  seda- 
tive; the  logwood  combines,  with  its  astringency,  no 
inconsiderable  portion  of  mucilage.  The  simarouba,  like 
its  botanical  associate,  unites  with  its  bitter  a  warm 
viiuphoretic  power;  the  columbo  root  differs  little  from 
common  bitters,  which  alone  are  not  astringent.  Of 
all  these  supposed  astringents,  therefore,  the  casca- 
rilla  only  acts  as;  probably  such  ;  and  for  these  reasons 
they  have,  perhaps,  not  been  so  injurious  as  they  would 
have  otherwise  been  found^  for  astringents  are  certainly 
not  adapted  to  the  disease:  and,  though  we  find  the 
acacia,  or  its  substitute,  the  conserve  of  sloes,  and  the 
catechu,  sometimes  mentioned,  they  have  been  long 
neglected  by  the  best  modern  practitioners.  If  even 
the  more  powerful  tonics  are  ever  employed,  the  intes- 
tines must  be  previously  emptied,  and  all  inflammation 
removed.  This  is,  perhaps,  also  the  only  time  for  the 
exhibition  of  the  cascarilla. 

(iocttlieb  Richter,  in  his  Medical  and  Surgical  Obser- 
vations, observes,  that  the  dysentery  is  a  rheumatic  or 
catarrhous  affection  of  the  larger  intestines ;  and  that 
the  proper  remedies  for  the  disease  are  sedatives  and 


diaphoretics.  In  three  epidemic  dysenteries,  which  he 
carefully  and  accurately  observed,  he  was  fully  con- 
vinced that  the  bilious  appearances  were  accidental  and 
accessory;  and  he  produces  several  facts  to  prove  that 
the  bilious  acrimony  was  not  the  cause  of  the  disease, 
but  rather  the  effect  of  irritation  in  the  bowels,  produc- 
ing an  increased  secretion  of  bile,  and  that  they  had  no 
essential  influence  on  the  principal  complaint. 

From  this  view,  he  depended  upon  opium  and  anti- 
mony for  the  cure,  which  they  effected  by  allaying  pain 
and  irritation,  and  raising  a  gentle  diaphoresis.  He 
asserts  also,  that  by  the  use  of  opium  the  bilious  symp- 
toms disappeared,  and  the  patient  was  cured  without 
evacuation.  He  does  not  totally  reject  vomits  and  pur- 
gatives; but  if  they  are  indicated  at  the  beginning  of 
the  disease,  he  administers  them.  Vomits  evacuate 
the  bile,  diminish  the  spasm  in  the  intestines,  and  pro- 
mote a  gentle  perspiration ;  for  which  purpose,  he  pre- 
fers ipecacuanha  to  emetic  tartar;  to  clear  the  intestines, 
manna;  but  more  particularly  calomel,  which  from  ex- 
perience he  found  more  powerful  and  more  gentle 
than  other  purgatives;  and  so  far  from  increasing  the 
pains  in  the  bowels,  it  frequently  diminishes  them. 
Rhubarb  he  considers  as  a  very  dangerous  medicine  in 
this  disease;  though,  after  it  is  cured,  he  approves  of  it 
as  a  strengthener  of  the  stomach  and  intestines.  When 
the  fever  is  considerable,  the  antimon.  tartarisatum, 
in  small  doses,  was  given,  with  sal  ammoniac,  or  Min- 
dererus'  spirit.  When  inconsiderable,  tinct.  thebaic. 
with  vinum  antimonii  Huxhami;  orextr.  opii  with  ipe- 
cacuanha. Hut  in  order  to  cure  the  disease  radically, 
the  use  of  opium  must  be  continued,  and  emetics  given 
at  intervals,  if  necessary.  A  soft  pulse,  and  moist  skin, 
are  the  chief  signs  of  the  good  effects  of  opium,  and  of 
a  certain  amendment.  Warm  fomentations  to  the  ab- 
domen; and  frictions,  with  volatile  camphorated  lini- 
ment, were  useful :  but  if  there  was  a  fixed  pain  in  the 
belly,  or  they  were  constant,  a  blister  on  the  abdomen 
produced  the  best  effects.  In  cases  where  the  evacua- 
tions were  very  fetid,  and  the  patient  much  debilitated, 
the  arnica  was  very  useful;  and  when  a  lientery  re- 
mained after  the  disease,  the  columbo  root  exceeded  all 
other  remedies. 

The  chronic  dysentery  is  a  very  different  complaint, 
and  has  not  been  so  fully  considered  as  it  deserves. 
After  the  acute  disease  is  removed,  a  tenderness  of  the 
bowels  remains.  They  are  excited  to  action  frequently, 
and  by  the  slightest  causes ;  the  stools  are  small,  mucous, 
and  often  offensive,  with  frequent  pains;  the  strength 
and  appetite  greatly  impaired;  the  skin  dry;  the  com- 
plexion of  a  dark  yellow;  and  the  eyes  sunk.  Either 
from  the  original  cause,  the  climate,  in  which  it  occur- 
red, or  the  disease  itself,  the  power  of  the  digestive 
organs  is  frequently  impaired,  and  the  liver  often  injured. 
The  blood  is  confined  to  the  larger  vessels,  and  the  de- 
tenriination  to  the  surface  greatly  diminished.  The 
remaining  disease  of  the  intestines  seems  to  be  a  chronic, 
erysipelatous  inflammation,  a  defect  of  mucus,  and  often, 
perhaps,  an  erosion  of  the  villous  coat. 

In  this  state  of  the  complaint,  tonics  have  little  power. 
A  mild,  nutritious  diet;  the  lighter  bitters,  as  the  co- 
lumbo root,  and  the  camomile  flowers;  a  warm  cli- 
mate; or  flannel  clothing;  are  chiefly  necessary.  The 
increased  action  of  the  larger  intestines  often  requires 
opium  to  be  injected  in  a  clyster;  and  we  have  f< 


D  \  > 


587 


1)  Y  S 


equal  parts  of  soap  and  wax,  with  a  small  portion  of  the 
pulvis  Doveri,  of  considerable  service.  The  soap  renders 
the  wax  soluble  in  our.fluids ;  and,  together,  they  supply 
the  abraded  mucus,  while  the  Dover's  powder  not  only 
checks  the  too  violent  action  of  the  bowels,  but  deter- 
mines to  the  surface.  With  every  exertion,  however, 
the  disease  is  only  palliated.  The  patient  must  rest 
contented  with  infirm  health  during  the  remainder  of 
his  existence.  We  mean  not  to  say  that  every  dysentery 
terminates  in  this  state;  but  every  violent  dysentery 
leaves  some  unpleasant  remains  of  this  kind. 

See  Alex.  Trallian;  Aretaeus;  Coelius  Aurelianus, 
and  Celsus;  Baker  on  the  Dysentery;  Akenside's  Com- 
mentary; Zimmerman  on  the  Dysentery,  translated  by 
Hopson;  Degner  de  Dysenteria;  Wallis's  Sydenham; 
Dr.  Wilson  on  the  Dysentery;  Cullen's  First  Lines, 
vol.  iii.  p.  101.  edit.  4  ;  Moseley  on  Tropical  Diseases ; 
Lond.  Med.  Journ.  vol.  ii.  p.  86,  iii.  189.  vol.  vii.  p. 
Goettlieb  Richter's  work  before  quoted. 

DYSEXTE'RIAA  cATHA'RTicis,andpARisi'ACA.  DIARR- 
HEA MUCOSA.  See  DIARRHCEA. 

D  YSEPULO  TICUS,'(from  ?*<;,  difficult,  and  £3-«A»*, 
to  cicatrise').  An  epithet  for  an  ulcer  which  is  difficult 
to  heal. 

DYSH.£'MORRHOIS,  (from  J*«,  and  *>fu?f»it,  the 
piles').  Suppression  of  the  bleeding  piles. 

DYSHE'LCES,  (from  ^H,  male,  and  i**®-,  ulcus~). 
Ulcers  with  difficulty  cured. 

DYSI'ATOS,  (from&«,  difficulty,  and  iiuftM,  to  heal 
or  cure).  Difficult  of  cure. 

DYSLO'CHIA,  (from  A*,  and  A»X.«,  lochia).  Sup- 
pression of  the  lochia.  See  LOCHIA. 

DYSMEXORRHCE'A,  (from  JW,  and  fui»»ff'»ts, 
menses').  Difficult  or  painful  menstruation.  SeeMExsES 

'DEFIC1EXTES. 

DYSO'DES,  (from  (?•,?,  tad,  and  •£«,  to  smell").  AJJ 
ILL  SMELL,  FETID.  Foesius  thinks  that  in  Hippocrates 
it  means  a.fetid  disorder  of  the  small  intestines.  It  is 
also  the  name  of  a  malagma  for  the  pleurisy,  and  of  an 
acopon,  which  Galen  and  Paulus  describe.  Sauvages, 
and  some  other  nosologists,  form  a  genus  of  disorder 
which  they  name  dysodia,  and  define  it  to  be  disagree- 
able exhalation  from  the-  whole  body,  or  from  a  parti- 
cular part,  the  skin,  the  mouth,  or  the  feet. 

Dr.  Percival  takes  notice  of  a  kind  of  offensive 
breath,  (dysodes  pulmohica,)  often  found  in  persons 
with  a  narrow  chest  and  scorbutic  habit.  He  observes, 
that  it  seems  to  originate  from  a  want  of  power  to  make 
a  full  expiration,  by  which  too  much  perspirable  matter 
is  retained,  and  corrupted  by  stagnation  in  the  vesicles 
of  the  lungs.  In  such  cases  he  hath  found  the  most 
salutary  effects  from  the  use  of  myrrh  and  fixed  air,  in- 
'.ernally  administered.  These  antiseptic  substances  are 
probably  carried  to  the  lungs,  and  correct  the  offensive 
vapour  at  the  same  time  that  they  invigorate  the  smallest 
ramifications  of  the  bronchiae. 

DYSO'PIA,  (from  ft*,  difficulter,  and  «•£/?,  visus\ 
DIFFICULT  sioflr;  farorasis.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this 
genus  of  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dyses- 
thesi<£,  which  he  defines,  depraved  vision,  so  that  ob- 
jects cannot  be  seen,  except  in  a  certain  degree  of  light, 
at  a  given  distance,  or  in  a  particular  position.  He 
.nguishes  five  species. 

DYSO'PIA       TENEBRAHVM,       AMBYLOPIA        C  UEPUS- 


CULARIS  :  when  a  great  light  is  required  for  distinct 
vision. 

C.  DYSO'PIA  LUMIXIS,  amblyofiia  rneridiana,  when 
sight  is  most  distinct  in  an  obscure  light. 

S.  DYSO'PIA,  called  also  am6lyc/ria  disaitorum,  when 
objects  must  be  very  near  to  be  seen. 

4.  DYSO'PIA  AMBLYOPIA,  D.  firoximorum,  when  ob- 
jects cannot  be  seen  distinctly,  if  very  near. 

5.  DYSO'PIA  LATERALIS,  also  called  amblyofiia  lusco- 
rum,  when  objects  are  best  discerned  by  a  side  view. 

In  the  first  case,  the  disease  depends  on  weakness  ot 
sight ;  in  the  second  from  too  great  irritability  of  the 
organ.  In  persons  whose  hair  is  white,  and  the  edges 
of  the  eye  lids  red,  the  pigment,  usually  black,  is  of  a 
lighter  colour,  as  in  cats  and  the  white  rabbits.  The 
rays  of  light  are  therefore  not  lost,  as  when  the  pigment 
is  black;  and  strong  light  occasions  pain.  Every  one' 
has  experienced,  in  a  strong  sunshine,  the  effect  of 

"  Tenebrz  per  tantum  lumen  oborta:." 

The  third  and  fourth  species  are  the  presbytia  and 
myopia ;  and  the  fifth  depends  on  some  partial  obfusca- 
tion  of  the  cornea,  or  humours,  or  a  partial  paralysis  of 
the  retina. 

DYSORE  XIA,  (from  <?•-•?,  bad,  and  »fi%is,  c/i/ie: 
A  BAD,  or  A  DEPRAVED  APPETITE,  as  when  the  appetite 
is  weakened,  excessive,  or  requires  unusual  food;  it  ii 
synonymous  with  hyfieresthesis,  morositates,  and  pri 
•vatrai.     This  is  the  second  order  of  Dr.  Cullen's  lo- 
cales, which  he   divides  into  two   sections,    ap.jt: 
erronei,  and  deficientes  ;  Synop.  Xosol.  Mcth.     (Sec 
ANOREXIA).     He  places  morbi jia'.hetici  as  synonymous, 
p.   318,   324. 

DYSPE'PSIA,  from  tvt,  difficult  or  bad,  and  *-: 
to  concoct).     DIFFICULTY  OF,  or  rather  DEPRAVED,  DI- 
GESTION.    See  APEPSIA. 

DYSPHA'GIA,  (from  *»;,  and  f«y»,  to  eat").  Dr. 
Cullen  ranks  this  under  his  class  locales,  and  order 
dyscinesi<s,  and  defines  it,  impeded  deglutitition,  unat- 
tended with  inflammatory  affection,  or  injured  respira- 
tion. See  DEGLUTITIO. 

DYSPERMATI'SMUS,  (from  ft*,  difficulter,  and 
«3-£ftt*7<£«,  semino,)  agenesia.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this 
genus  of  diseasein  the  class  locales,  and  order  cfli-tcheses, 
which  he  defines  a  slow  or  impeded  emission  in  coition 
of  the  semen  virile,  insufficient  for  the  purpose  of  ge- 
neration. The  first  species  is, 

1.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  URETHRALIS,  when  the  cause  of 
obstruction  is  in  the  urethra. 

2.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  SODOSUS,  when  a  tumour  is  form- 
ed in  either  corpus  cavernosum  penis. 

3.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  PR.EPUTIALIS,  when  the  impedi- 
ment is  from  a  straitness  of  the  orifice  of  the  prepuce. 

4.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  MUCOSUS,  when  the  urethra  is 
obstructed  by  a  viscid  mucus. 

5.  DYSPEKMATI'SMUS  HYPERTOXICUS.  when  there  is  an 
excess  of  erection  of  the  penis. 

6.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  EPILEFTICUS,  from  epileptic  fi:s 
coming  on  during  coition. 

7.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS  EPHRACTODES,  from  a  want  of 
vigour  in  the  genitals. 

8.  DYSPERMATI'SMUS    REFLUUS,    in    which    the   se- 
men is  thrown  back  into  the  • 

.ILITAS. 


JJ  YS 


S88 


D  Y  S 


DYSPIIO'NIA,  (from  fa,  difficulty,  and  <fn»i>,  the 
voice).  A  difficulty  of  speech. 

DYSPNCE'A.  DIFFICULT  BREATHING,  (from  fa,  diffi- 
culty, and  iriea,  to  breathe).  Dyspnoon.  This  is  a  ge- 
nus of  the  class  neuroses,  and  order  s/iasmi.  Dr.  Cullen 
defines  it  to  be  a  constant  difficulty  of  breathing,  with- 
out a  sense  of  straitness  in  the  breast,  but  rather  that  of 
fulness  and  obstruction;  a  cough  frequently  attending 
through  the  whole  course  of  the  disease.  He  distin- 
guishes eight  species. 

1.  DYSPNCE'A  CATARRHALIS,  when  with  a  cough  there 
are  copious  discharges  of  viscid   mucus,  called  also 
asthma  catarrhale,  jineumodes,  fineumonicum,  undfiitui- 
tosum. 

2.  DYSPNCE'A  SICCA,  when  there  is  a  cough  without 
any  considerable  discharge. 

3.  DYSPNCE'A  AEREA,  when  the  disease  is  much  in- 
creased by  slight  changes  of  the  weather. 

4.  DYSPNCE'A  TEHREA,  when  earthy  or  calculous  mat- 
ters are  spit  up. 

5.  DYSPNCE'A  AQUOSA,  when  there  is  a  scarcity  of 
urine,  and  oedematous  feet,  without  any  symptoms  of  a 
dropsy  in  the  chest. 

6.  DYSPNCE'A  PINGUEDINOSA,  from  corpulency. 

7.  DYSPNCE'A  THOHACICA,  when  parts  surrounding  the 
i  hcst  are  injured  or  deformed. 

8.  DYSPNCE'A   EXTRINSECA,   from  manifest    external 
causes,  asthma  fiulverulentorum,  and  metallicum. 

It  is  spoken  of  by  many  as  a  species  of  asthma;  but 
much  difficulty  attends  this  view  of  the  complaint,  and 
us  much  in  affording  relief.  If  respiration  be  only 
obstructed  and  quick,  without  the  other  symptom,  it  is 
called  dyspnea  i  if  attended  with  different  symptoms, 
they  give  an  appropriate  name.  To  this  place  belong 
several  of  the  species  of  the  orthopnoea,  to  which  the 
reader  is  referred. 

It  is,  in  general,  a  spasm  affecting  the  vital  functions. 
Sauvages  defines  it,  a  disease  whose  principal  symptom 
is  a  shortness  of  breathing,  with  chronic  indisposition, 
not  intermitting,  and  without  signs  of  hydrothorax  or 
empyema.  Its  most  usual  causes  are,  phlegm  lodged 
in  the  bronchia,  or  the  too  strong  constriction  of  the 
bronchiae  themselves,  which  prevents  the  easy  ingress 
of  the  air  into  the  lungs.  Sauvages  enumerates  no  less 
than  twenty-two  species  :  but  the  greater  number  are 
symptomatic  ;  and  few,  if  any,  admit  of  more  effectual 
remedies  than  such  as  mitigate  their  violence.  It  is  ge- 
nerally advisable  to  moderate  the  plethora  in  the  lungs, 
and  avoid  all  hurry  of  respiration. 

Sometimes  nauseating  emetics  are  good  expectorants 
in  this  case,  especially  if  given  in  small  doses.  Gum 
ammoniacum,  and  asafcetida,  may  be  employed;  and 
blisters  are  often  beneficial.  Issues  have  been  formed 
in  the  thigh;  and  in  some  cases  seem  to  have  been 
useful,  but  in  too  many  instances  fail.  See  ASTHMA. 

DYSPNO'ON.    SeeDYSPNCEA. 

DYSRA'CHITIS.    The  name  of  a  plaster  in  Galen. 

DYSTHERAPEU'TOS,  (from  fa,  difficulty,  and 
Sipaveva,  to  heal).  Difficult  to  heal. 

DYSTO'CHIA,  (from  fa,  difficult,  and  ntf*,  to 
bring  forth  young).  Difficulty  in  labour  or  child  birth. 

DYSTCECHI'ASIS,  (from  fa,  bad,  and  <rl»t%®*, 
order,)  an  irregular  disposition  of  the  hairs  in  the  eye 
lids. 


DYSU'RIA.  DYSURY,  (from  2vs,  gainful,  and»t^«v, 
urine).  A  difficulty  of  voiding  the  urine;  stillicidium, 
ardor  urines,  culbicio,  obstruction,  heat,  difficulty  of 
voiding  urine,  and  strangury. 

A  total  suppression  is  called  ischuria;  a  partial  sup- 
pression dysuria;  and  this  may  be  with  or  without  heat. 
When  there  are  frequent  painful  or  uneasy  urgings  to 
discharge  the  urine,  and  it  passes  off  only  by  drops,  or 
in  very  small  quantities,  the  disease  is  called  a  stran- 
gury. When  a  sense  of  pain  or  heat  attends  the  dis- 
charge, it  passes  with  difficulty,  and  is  styled  heat  of 
the  urine.  \ 

The  dysuria  is  acute  or  chronic.  Dr.  Cullen  places 
this  disease  is  the  class  locales,  and  order  efiischeses,  and 
defines  it,  a  painful,  and  by  some  means  impeded,  emis- 
sion of  urine.  He  distinguishes  six  species. 

1 .  DYSU'RIA  ARDENS,  when  the  urine  burns  in  passing 
off,  and  there  is  not  any  evident  disorder  in  the  bladder. 

2.  DYSU'RIA  SPASMODICA,  when  a  spasm  affects  the 
parts  which  communicate  with,  and  are  communicated 
to,  the  neck  of  the  bladder. 

3.  DYSU'RIA  COMPRESSIONS,  from  parts  contiguous 
pressing  on  the  bladder. 

4.  DYSU'RIA  PHLOGISTICA,  when  the  parts  around  are 
inflamed. 

5.  DYSU'RIA  IRRIT ATA,  when  there  are  signs  of  a  stone 
in  the  vesica. 

6.  DYSU'RIA  MUCOSA,  when  there  is  a  copious  excre- 
tion of  mucus;  also  called  -vesic<e  catarrhus;  chylaria; 
if  the  mucous  urine  is  whitish;  fiyuria,  fiyuria  arthri- 
tica,  vel  viscida. 

The  causes  are  various :  as,  caruncles  in  the  urethra; 
a  stone  in  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  or  in  the  urethra ; 
spasm,  or  inflammation  in  either;  acrimony  in  the 
urine,  abrading  the  mucus  from  either;  the  venereal 
disease,  and  the  scurvy ;  and  ulcer,  or  a  deficiency  of 
mucus  for  lubricating  the  urinary*  passages.  The  chro- 
nic dysury  is  generally  occasioned  by  a  metastasis  of 
gout ;  sometimes,  it  is  said,  of  scurvy,  or  rheumatism ; 
but  we  know  distinctly  of  no  such  effect,  except  from 
gout,  or  the  irritation  of  a  stone.  Catarrhus  vesicae 
sometimes  leaves  a  tender  state  of  this  organ  easily 
excited  to  inflammation  by  accidental  cold;  by  excess 
in  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors ;  and  from  hence,  per- 
haps, sometimes  supposed  to  be  rheumatic. 

The  diagnostic  signs  of  a  dysury  sometimes  so  much 
resemble  those  of  a  stone  in  the  bladder,  that  no  little 
difficulty  attends  the  distinction,  especially  when  the 
dysury  is  of  the  chronic  kind.  However,  in  general, 
the  difficulty  of  discharging  urine  is  unattended  with" 
pain  or  heat,  except  during  the  endeavours  to  void  it, 
or  its  actual  passing  off;  and  for  a  short  time  the  pain 
perceived  afterwards  is  in  the  glans,  a  circumstance  not 
so  particularly  attendant  in  the  stone :  in  the  chronic 
dysury,  bloody  urine  is  more  frequently  caused  by 
exercise,  and  voided  in  large  quantities  after  violent 
exertions  than  in  calculus;  the  pain  does  not  come  on 
in  violent  paroxysms  without  an  evident  cause;  tenes- 
mus  more  seldom  attends ;  nor  is  the  flow  of  urine, 
when  begun,  at  once  checked. 

Heat  of  urine  does  not  arise  from  an  increase  of  its 
natural  heat;  but  from  its  irritating  a  tender,  and  often 
an  inflamed,  part.  If  the  burning  heat  proceed  from 
acrimony  in  the  urine,  it  will  be  known  by  the  high 


D  YS 


589 


D  Y  S 


colour  and  paucity  of  the  discharge,  or  from  a  mixture  of 
unusual  matter. 

Blood,  and  sometimes  pus,  when  in  contact  with  the 
neck  of  the  bladder,  produce  violent  pain.  The  dis- 
charge of  mucus  appears  rather  to  be  the  effect  than  the 
cause  of  pain ;  but,  in  both,  the  pain  is  felt  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  glans,  for,  when  any  membrane  is  affect- 
ed, the  irritation  is  chiefly  felt  at  its  most  sensible  ter- 
mination :  thus  irritation,  in  any  of  the  small  branches 
of  the  aspera  arleria,  is  sensible  only  at  its  upper  part ;  • 
and  a  stone,  even  in  the  pelvis  of  the  kidney,  is  felt  at 
the  extremity  of  the  glans  penis. 

The  dysury  is  not  a  dangerous  disorder,  but  it  is  both 
troublesome  and  difficult  of  cure,  particularly  in  the  aged. 
The  principal  distinction  necessary  in  this  disease  is,  to 
ascertain  the  nature  of  the  discharge.  Dysury  is  usually 
attended  with  a  mucous  sediment  in  the  urine,  which  is 
sometimes  mistaken  for  pus.  The  mucus  is,  however, 
white,  light,  and  fiocculent,  without  smell :  pus  more 
filamentous,  heavy,  and  of  a  greenish  colour,  with,  ge- 
nerally, some  fever ;  often  remitting. 

The  cure  must  greatly  depend  on  the  cause.  We 
have  remarked  that  we  seldom  perceive  the  influence 
of  acrimony  except  in  gout ;  we  meant  of  acrimony 
generated  in  the  constitution,  for  large  quantities  of 
spices,  even  of  spirits,  particularly  gin,  will  produce  it ; 
and  the  stimulus  of  cantharides  from  a  blister  is  a  very 
common  cause.  In  every  instance  of  dysuria,  dilution 
is  necessary;  and  it  is  of  sen-ice  to  give  the  diluting 
liquors  in  a  mucilaginous  form.  Gum  arable,  the 
althese  root,  the  jelly  of  the  orchis  (salep),  infusion  of 
linseed,  of  oatmeal,  and  barley,  have  been  employed. 
There  is  little  foundation  for  choice,  since  each  is  ef- 
fectual, in  proportion  to  its  quantity  of  mucilage  ;  and 
in  this  respect  they  do  not  generally  differ  :  the  gum 
arable,  in  barley  water,  is  as  effectual  as  any  other;  but 
from  one  to  two  ounces  of  the  gum  should  be  taken 
daily.  An  elegant  form  of  althaea,  styled  fiate  de  Gaim- 
atrue,  we  have  found  very  useful ;  more  so,  perhaps, 
because  it  is  pleasant,  and  taken,  on  that  account,  more 
freely.  Injecting  these  fluids  is  useless,  for  the  injec- 
tion does  not,  penetrate  far  into  the  urethra;  and,  ex- 
cept in  cases  of  gonorrhoea,  the  seat  of  the  complaint  is 
very  distant. 

Bathing  the  penis,  and  particularly  its  glans,  will  often 
relieve,  by  communicating  the  relaxation  to  the  vessels 
above,  the  only  way  in  which  injections  can  be  useful ; 
and  warm  brandy,  or  other  stimulant  applications  to  the 
perinaeum,  will  be  often  beneficial.  A  blister  to  that  part, 
removed  before  any  of  the  cantharides  can  be  absorbed, 
is  equally  effectual.  A  starch  clyster,  with  opium,  may 
be  considered  as  an  external  application,  since  it  is  ex- 
ternal to  the  part  affected,  and  often  almost  immediately 
relieves. 

Internally,  opium  and  camphor  are  highly  useful. 
The  cooling  power  of  the  latter  is  very  soon  felt  in  the 
urinary  organs,  and  it  appears  to  be  quickly  effectual. 
In  the  form  of  Dover's  powder  we  have  found  the 
opium  particularly  useful.  Cooling  laxatives  and  diu- 
retics, which  operate  without  any  stimulus,  particularly 
the  neutral  purging  salts,  often  relieve.  Nitre,  which 
seems  in  almost  every  view  useful,  is  suspected  of  some- 
times irritating  the  neck  of  the  bladder.  If  employed, 
it  should  be  given  in  small  quantities,  copiously  diluted, 
and  generally  with  camphor.  Oil  has  £een  recom- 


mended, and  particularly  olive  oil,  as  a  laxative;  b 
is  not  peculiarly  beneficial :    the  balsams,  except  in 
chronic  dysury,  from  weakness,  are  generally  injurious. 
When  dysury  arises  from  caruncles,  bougies  are  ne- 
cessary. 

In  the  chronic  dysury,  after  other  means  fail,  a  sali- 
vation excited  by  the  use  of  mercury  has  succeeded  ; 
and  an  issue  in  the  inside  of  one  thigh,  a  little  above 
the  knee,  is  said  to  have  prevented  the  return,  or  at 
least  rendered  relapses  very  moderate  ;  and  this  effect 
may,  perhaps,  follow,  if  the  disease  arises  from  gout. 
When  the  patient  is  too  weak  to  admit  of  salivation,  a 
dose  of  the  uva  ursi  may  be  taken  every  morning,  and 
after  it  half  a  pint  of  lime  water,  mixed  with  a  strong 
decoction  of  the  great  water-dock  root.  The  uva  ursi, 
however,  though  warmly  recommended  in  this  com- 
plaint, has  seldom  succeeded  in  our  hands,  and  never 
except  it  be  taken  in  enormous  doses. 

Dr.  Percival  observes,  that  there  is  a  species  of  chro- 
nic dysury  to  which  persons  of  an  arthritic  or  scorbutic 
habit,  and  who  have  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  are 
peculiarly  liable.  It  is  often  mistaken  for  the  stone, 
and  aggravated  by  the  use  of  lithontriptics.  He  adds, 
that  it  hath  many  symptoms  in  common  with  that  dis- 
order :  such  as  frequent  and  urgent  calls  to  make  water; 
pain  at  the  extremity  of  the  urethra  ;  a  mucous  dis- 
charge ;  tenesmus,  and  sometimes  a  suppression  of  urine. 
But  the  patients  who  labour  under  it  feel  no  uneasy 
weight  in  the  perinaeum,  and  always  void  their  water 
with  much  less  difficulty  in  an  erect  than  in  a  hori- 
zontal posture.  The  complaint,  also,  may  be  further 
distinguished  from  the  stone,  by  having  shorter  intervals 
of  ease ;  by  more  frequently  injuring  the  retentive  power 
of  the  bladder;  and  by  occasioning  no  sudden  interrup- 
tion to  the  stream  of  urine  in  the  absence  of  pain.  Ii 
seems  to  arise  from  a  catarrh  on,  and  increased  sensi- 
bility of,  the  coats  of  the  bladder,  as  we  have  already 
explained.  The  efforts  to  discharge  the  urine  should, 
however,  be  restrained  as  much  as  possible,  because 
they  increase  the  pain  and  irritation.  Of  all  the  reme- 
dies which  Dr.  Percival  tried,  he  says  that  mercury 
was  the  most  successful ;  it  seldom  failed  to  afford  re- 
lief, and  generally  cured,  if  administered  with  persever- 
ance and  in  sufficient  quantity.  According  to  the  ur- 
gency of  the  case,  one,  two,  or  three  scruples  of  the  ung. 
hydrargyri  fortius  should  be  rubbed  into  the  thighs 
every  night,  till  a  slight  ptyalism  ensues :  the  symptoms 
for  the  most  part  abate  before  the  spitting  comes  on  ; 
and  after  it  has  continued  a  little  while,  they  disap- 
pear. Sometimes,  in  slighter  cases,  he  advises  half  a 
grain  of  calomel,  with  two  grains  of  James's  fever  pow- 
der, twice  a  day ;  and  this  small  dose  of  mercury,  i; 
duly  continued,  will  effect  a  cure,  without  producing 
any  salivation,  or  even  soreness  of  the  mouth.  In 
such  cases,  however,  an  affection  of  the  prostate 
gland  may  be  suspected  to  have  been  the  cause ;  and  it 
so  frequently  occasions  chronic  dysury,  that  its  state 
should  be  always  ascertained  by  examination,  if  chronic 
dysury  is  obstinate.  See  Lond.  Med.  Journ,  vol.  iv. 
p.  69. 

Violent  heat  hi  the  urinary  passages  of  women  has 
been  cured  by  the  use  of  the  bark. 

See  the  authors  under  the  article  ISCHURIA  ;  Biss's 
Essays;  Lobb  on  Painful  Distempers ;  Gooch's  Cases 
and  Remarks,  vol.  ii. 


590 


E. 


EB  It 

JjjATON'S  STYPTIC.  A  quack  remedy  tor  check- 
ing haemorrhages:  it  consists  of  calcined  vitriolated  iron, 
steeped  in  brandy. 

EAU  DE  LUCE.  SPS.  AMMONIA  SUCCINATUS. 
See  ALCALI. 

EAU  DE  RABEL,  consists  of  one  part  of  sulphuric 
acid  added  to  three  of  alcohol  ;•  chiefly  useful  in  in- 
creased .mucous  evacuations. 

E'BEL.     The  seed  of  sage,  or  of  juniper. 

EBE'SMECH.    A  name  in  Langius  for  quicksilver. 

E'BISCUS.    SeeALTHEA. 

EBRACTEA'TUS.  Without  a  bractea  orfloral  leaf. 

EBRIECA'TUM,  (from  ebrio,  to  be  drunk).  By  this 
-term  Paracelsus  expresses  the  partial  loss  of  reason 
from  drunkenness;  and  by  the  addition  of  the  word 
celeste,  that  kind  of  enthusiasm  which  is  affected  by 
many  heathen  priests. 

EBRI'ETAS,  (from  the  same).  DRUNKENNESS. 
Spirituous  liquors  animate,  and  for  a  time  our  natural 
vigour  is  more  active ;  but  this  effect  is  fleeting.  If 
they  are  often  repeated,  or  too  freely  used,  their  excess 
of  action  enervates  the  constitution ;  the  appetite  and 
the  digestion  are  impaired ;  the  spirits  fail;  and  a  general 
feebleness  ensues. 

The  effects  of  spirits  on  the  human  body  have  not  been 
discussed  with  philosophical  precision,  nor  is  this  the 
place  for  the  enquiry.  It  has  been  generally  supposed 
that  alcohol  is  a  stimulant,  and  that  the  repeated  stimu- 
lus exhausts  the  excitability.  From  every  experiment, 
however,  on  the  nerves,  it  has  been  found  a  sedative; 
and  those  who  trust  in  such  conclusions  have  supposed, 
as  usual,  that  it  combines  a  stimulant  power.  Were  we 
inclined"  to  form  systems,  we  should  endeavour  to  show 
that  it  is  really  a  sedative,  and  that  its  apparent  stimulus 
is  only  an  instance  of  irregular,  rather  than  increased, 
action.  Whatever  be  the  source,  its  secondary  effects 
are  allowed  to  be  highly  sedative;  and  from  the  dimi- 
nution of  irritability,  the  most  fatal  effects  are  derived, 
particularly  indurations  of  the  liver,  which  have  been 
ridiculously  attributed  to  its  coagulating  the  blood. 

To  relieve  the  effects  of  ebriety,  we  must  employ 
moderate  stimulants  and  tonics,  particularly  those  which 
contain  no  portion  of  ardent  spirits.  The  most  effectual 
are  the  Bath  waters,  carbonated  ammonia,  or  even  the 
pure  alkali ;  light  bitters  with  aromatics.  The  most 
difficult,  but  the  most  essential,  part  of  the  cure,  is  to 


EBU 


prevent  the  continuance  of  the  practice.  This  can  bo 
seldom  attained;  never,  it  is  said,  with  females;  but  men 
will  sometimes  "turn  from  the  error  of  their  ways." 
As  the  want  of  irritability  is  chiefly  felt  in  the  liver, 
its  circulation  should  be  assisted  by  a  gentle,  steady 
stimulus  to  its  ducts,  by  those  laxatives  which  assist  the 
secretion  of  bile.  t 

When  the  over-night's  potation  has  been  too  liberal, 
a  wet  napkin  should  be  bound  round  the  head  ;  a  quantity 
of  cold  water  should  be  placed  at  the  bed-side;  and  if  u 
restlessness  comes  on  with  heat,  adryness  of  the  tongue, 
See.  this  water  should  be  drunk  as  freely  as  the  thirst  re- 
quires :  thus,  by  degrees,  a  perspiration  is  produced,  and 
the  most  effectual  relief  obtained.  On  the  succeeding  day, 
abstemiousness  is  requisite  ;  and  such  a  regimen  should 
be  pursued  as  is  consistent  with  the  nature  of  the  con- 
stitution. A  man  of  a  strong,  healthy,  plethoric  habit 
should  drink  plentifully  of  thin,  warm,  diluting  liquids, 
mixed  with  ^vegetable  acids ;  keep  in  bed,  and  pro- 
mote perspiration..  The  weak,  delicate,  and  relaxed, 
besides  abstinence  from  sqlid  diet,  should  ride  on  horse- 
back, or  take  some  other  gentle  exercise  in  the  pure  air; 
a  glass  or  two  of  generous  wine,  as  a  cordial,  may  be 
allowed,  or  such  other  means  pursued  as  are  calculated 
to  invigorate  the  system,  and  keep  up  an  increased  state 
of  insensible  perspiration.  See  Wallis  on  Health  and 
Disease. 

To  the  most  violent  effects  of  fermented  spirits 
vinegar  is  an  antidote.  A  sponge  clipped  in  vinegar 
should  be  frequently  applied  to  the  mouth  and  nose; 
an  emetic  that  operates  quickly  should  be  given;  a 
clyster,  and,  after  it,  a  purging  draught,  may  be  admi- 
nistered ;  and  a  gentle  sweat  promoted. 

EBSHAME'NSIS  SAL.  See  CATHARTICUS  SAL. 
EBULLITION.  BOILING.  The  rapid  separation 
of  aeriform  bubbles,  in  consequence  of  the  application 
of  heat  to  any  fluid.  These  bubbles  arc  in  the  state  of 
vesicular  vapours,  and  no  permanent  aeriform  fluid  is 
produced  without  some  further  chemical  change. 

E'BULUS,  (from  ebullio,  to  boil ;  from  its  supposed 
power  of  concocting  the  humours  of  the  body,)  c/ia- 
misacte,  sambitcus  /nimi/is,  sambucus  herbacca,  w.u.i. 

WORT,  DANE  WORT,  and  DWARF  ELDER  :    SCimbucitS  t'bltlus 

Lin.  Sp.  PI.  385. 

It  is  an  herbaceous  plant,  dying  to  the  ground  in  win 
ter,  with  longer  leaves  than  those  of  the  elder  tree. 


E  C  C 


E 


nine  leaves  on  one  rib.  It  grows  wild  in  many  parts  of 
England,  flowers  in  July,  and  produces  ripe  black  ber- 
ries in  the  beginning  of  September. 

Its  virtues  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  common  el- 
der, but  it  is  somewhat  more  efficacious.  It  is  an  active 
hydragogue,  and  in  smaller  doses  a  powerful  resolvent 
and  deobstruent.  See  Cullen's  Materia  Medica;  Wal- 
lis's  Sydenham. 

E'BUR,  IVORY,  (from  e  and  barrus,  the  elephant, 
because  ivory  comes  from  that  animal,)  see  SPODIVM 
ARABUM. 

E'BUR  FO'SSILE.     See  UNICORXI;. 

ECALCARA'TUS,  (from  e,  without,  and  calcar,  a 
sfiur).  In  botany  it  means  having  no  spur. 

ECAUDA'TUS,(from  e,  and  cauda,  a  tail}.  Not  hav- 
ing the  elongation  of  the  base  of  a  leaf,  called  its  tail. 

ECBO'LION,  (from  ex.£*Ma,  to  cast  out).  See 
DIECBOLIOX,  hence  DIECBOLICA. 

ECBRA'SMATA,  (from  tx.%£x<r<rei,  to  cast  out,  or 
from  /V*£«,  to  be  -very  hot,)  ecchymata,  ardentes  papu- 
le. Fiery  pustules  on  the  surface  of  the  body. 

ECBRA'SMUS,  (from  <*?f<<«,  to  become  hot).  See 
FERMENTATIO. 

ECBYRSO'MATA,  (from  «,  out  of,  and  frf**,  « 
skin).  Protuberances  of  the  bones  at  the  joint,  which 
appear  through  the  skin. 

ECCATHA'RTICA,(fromi*,and**««iV»,  to/iurge). 
Remedies  which,  applied  to  the  skin,  are  supposed  to 
open  the  pores ;  but  in  general  they  are  understood  to 
be  deobstruents  :  sometimes  expectorants  and  purga- 
tives are  distinguished  by  this  appellation.. 

ECCHYLO'MA,  (from  ex.,  and  #»A»S,  a  juice).    See 

EXTRACTUM. 

ECCHVMATA,  (from  «**»,  to  pour  out).     See 

E  C  R  R  \  S  ^1  \T  4 

ECCHYMO'MA  ARTERIO'SUM,  (from  the 
same).  The  false  aneurism.  See  AXEURISMA. 

ECCRY'SIS,  (from  t*.x.fiiu,  to  Jlotu  out,)  is  an  ex- 
cretion, expulsion,  or  removal  of  any  excrementitious  or 
morbid  matter  from  the  body,  either  by  the  bowels  or 
any  other  convenient  passage.  It  sometimes  means  the 
excreted  matter  itself.  Apocrisis,  a  similar  term*  ac- 
cording to  Hippocrates,  is  applied  to  the  contagious 
effluvia  of  the  air,  or  to  a  morbid  quality  communicat- 
ed to  the  air  by  exhalations,  called  miasmata. 

ECCYMO'SIS,  ECCHYMO'MA,  (from  «*«•,  to 
pour  out,  or  from  t|,  without,  and  wp>.r&',  juice,}  exsuc- 
catio.  Sometimes  CRUSTULA  and  SUGILLATIO  are  ap- 
plied in  this  sense  ;  which  see.  It  is  an  effusion  of  hu- 
mours from  their  respective  vessels  under  the  integu- 
ments ;  either  from  a  relaxation  of  the  exhalants,  or  a 
bruise  -and  consequent  rupture  of  the  vessels  them- 
selves. This  blood,  when  collected  under  the  skin,  is 
called  an  ecchymosis  ;  the  skin  in  the  mean  time  remain- 
ing entire,  sometimes  a  tumour  is  formed  by  it,  which 
is  soft  and  livid,  and  generally  without  pain.  If  the 
quantity  of  blood  is  not  considerable,  it. :s  usually  again 
absorbed ;  if  great,  it  sometimes  suppurates ;  and  any 
further  inconvenience  seldom  follows :  a  mortification 
may,  however,  be  the  result  in  diseased  or  languid  ha- 
bits. Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
locales,  and  order  tumores,  and  defines  it,  a  diffused  tu- 
mour, a  little  elevated,  growing  blue  or  black.  The 
causes  are,  pressure  or  bruises  :  from  the  latter  the  ec- 
f  ymoses  are  called  stigmat a.  They  sometimes  also  arise 


from  blood  letting,  either  in  consequence  of  the  orifice 
in  the  skin  sliding  over  that  of  the  vein,  or  from  the 
vein  being  cut  through.  Livid  or  black  spots  are  some- 
times a  symptom  of  the  scurvy  :  when  round  and  small, 
they  are  named  thrombi ;  when  more  diffused,  ecchy- 
moses.  It  should  not  be  mistaken  for  a  spurious  aneu- 
rism. See  ANEURISM. 

In  slight  cases,  compresses  dipped  in  vinegar,  or  in 
water  so  strongly  impregnated  with  salt  as  to  suspend 
an  egg,  frequently  applied  and  kept  upon  the  part,  are 
alone  necessary.  If  the  ecchymosis  tend  to  suppura- 
tion, it  must  be  treated  as  an  abscess.  If  the  quantity 
of  coagulated  blood  be  considerable,  it  must  be  dis- 
charged by  as  many  incisions  as  are  requisite ;  then 
treated  as  an  approaching  mortification.  See  Bell's, 
White's,  and  Heister's  Surgery.  Van  Swieten's  Com- 
mentaries on  Boerhaave's  Aphorisms,  sect.  324,  1151. 

ECCLY'SIS,  (from  exxAow,  to  bend,  or  turn  aside). 
See  LUXATIO. 

E'CCOPE,  (from  «x«5r7«,  to  cut  off).  The  cutting 
off  of  any  part. 

ECCOPE'US  (from  ex.,  and  m-xla,  to  cut).  An  an- 
cient instrument,  of  the  same  use  as  the  modern  raspa- 
tory. 

ECCOPRO'TICA,  (from  ex,  and  **•*&,  dung,)  co- 
firocritica.  Mild  aperients,  or  gently  purging  medicines 
which  assist  the  natural  evacuation  by  stool.  See  CA- 

THARTICA. 

ECCRINOLO'GICA,  (from  exxjo*,  to  secrete,  or 
separate).  That  part  of  medicine  which  relates  to  the 
doctrine  of  excretions. 

E'CDORA,  (from  ex,  and  S'ifa,  to  excoriate).  See 
EXCORIATIO.  An  excoriation  of  the  urethra.  P.  Aman- 
nus. 

ECHECO'LLON,  (from  it,  and  «AA«,  glue).  A 
GLUTINOUS  TOPIC. 

ECHETRO'SIS.     See  BRYOXIA  ALBA. 

ECHINA'TA  SE'MINA.  Seeds  which  are  prick- 
ly and  rough,  from  echinus,  a  HEDGE  HOG. 

ECHINI'DES.  A  medicine  for  purging  the  womb. 
Hippocrates. 

ECHINO'PHORA,  (from  t£i»«5,  and  if>^<»,  to  bear). 
See  CAUCALIS. 

ECHINOPHTHA'LMIA,(from  £*<»*,  a  hedge  hog, 
and  cifdtXftia.,  an  inflammation  of  the  eye).  Ax  INFLAM- 
MATION OF  THE  HAIRY  PART  OF  THE  EYE  LIDS  ;  pfoba- 

bly  because  the  eye  lid  is  set  with  hairs,  as  the  echinus 
with  prickles. 

ECHINO'PUS,  (from  c-^u^,as  beset  taith  prickles ). 
Crocodilion,  acanthalruca,  scabiosa  carduifolia,  sphcsro- 
cephala  elatior,  GLOBE  THISTLE.  ILcliinops  spheroce- 
phalus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1314.  It  is  raised  in  our  gardens. 
The  root  and  seeds  are  moderately  diuretic,  butnot  used. 

ECHI'XUS.  A  HEDGE  HOG;  acanthion.  In  botany, 
those  plants  or  parts  of  plants  which  are  beset  very  close- 
ly with  spines ;  or  the  prickly  head  or  cover  of  the  seed. 

ECHI'.VUS  MAUI'NUS.  The  SEA  HEDGE  HOG  or  UR- 
CHIN. See  AMYGDALOIDES. 

ECHI'TES  CORYMBO'SA.     See  CAOUTCHOUC. 

F.'CHOS,  (from  *%»<,   sound).     See  TINNITUS  AC- 

RIUM. 

E'CHYSIS,(from  en^ua,  to/iour  out).  See  LIPOTHY- 
MIA. 

ECLAMPSIA  TYPHO'DES.     See  RAPHANIA. 
F.CLA'MPSIS,  (from  cx.teu.-ra,  to   shine).     It  is  a 


E  C  P 


592 


EC  T 


flashing  light,  or  those  sparklings  which  strike  the  eyes 
of  epileptic  patients.  Ccelius  Aurelianus  calls  themrir- 
culi  ignei.  Though  only  a  symptom  of  the  epilepsy, 
Hippocrates  uses  the  term  for  the  disease  itself.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  it  as  a  synonym  with  epilepsia,  and  adds, 
"  that  Vogel  and  Sauvages  distinguished  an  eclampsia 
as  an  acute  disease  from  epilepsy,  which  they  consider 
a  chronic  one  ;  but  as  it  is  very  difficult  every  where  to 
place  accurate  limits  between  acute  and  chronic  diseases, 
and  as  the  eclampsia  of  Sauvages  will  exactly  agree,  for 
the  most  part,  as  well  in  the  causes  as  symptoms,  with 
epilepsy,  I  could  by  no  means  arrange  it  in  a  different 
genus  from  epilepsy." 

ECLE'CTICA  MEDICI'NA,(from  «AEy»,  to  elect}. 
Archigenus,  and  some  others,  selected  from  all  other 
sects  what  appeared  to  them  to  be  the  best  and  most 
rational  ;  hence  they  were  called  eclectics,  and  their  me- 
dicine, eclectic  medicine.  Boerhaave's  system  is  of  this 
kind.- 

ECLE'CTOS,  ECLE'GMA,  and  ECLEI'CTOS, 
(from  At(^<y,  to  lick}.  See  LINCTUS. 

ECLY'SIS,  (from  txbvu,  to  dissolve}.  An  universal 
faintness. 

ECMA'GMA,  (from  ixfute-ra,  toform  together).  Sec 


ECPEPIE'SMENOS,  (from  e*.Tne?,a,  to  depress  or 
press  outward).  An  epithet  for  ulcers  with  protuberat- 
ing  lips. 

ECPHRA'CTICA,(from  ex,  and  <pf*<r<ru,  to  obstruct}. 
Deobstruent  medicines. 

ECPHRA'XIS,  (from  the  same).  An  opening  of 
the  pores. 

E'CPHYAS,  (from  ex.,  and  QVU,  to  produce}.  An  ap- 
pendix, or  excrescence.  The  appendicula  vermiformis 
is  sometimes  thus  called. 

ECPHYSE'SIS,  (from  f*,  and  0vr*u,  to  breathe 
through).  A  quick  expulsion  of  the  air  out  of  the 
lungs. 

E'CPHYSE,  (from  the  same,)  flatus  from  the  blad- 
der through  the  urethra,  and  from  the  womb  through 
the  vagina. 

E'CPHYSIS,  (from  tx,  and  $vu,  to  produce}.  See 
APOPHYSIS,  also  DUODENUM. 

ECPIE'SMA,  (from  IK,  and  ?ni£a,  to  press  out}. 
MAGMA  ;  or  the  JUICE  that  is  pressed  out  from  the 
plants  of  which  the  magma  is  made.  It  is  also,  with  lit- 
tle propriety,  the  name  of  a  kind  of  fracture  of  the  cra- 
nium, in  which  the  bones  are  shattered,  and  press  in- 
wardly, on  the  membranes  of  the  brain. 

ECPIESMOS,  (from  ex.,  and  -sfiii^a,  to  press  out.}  In 
general  it  implies  expression;  but  it  is  the  name  of  a 
disorder  of  the  eye,  which  consists  in  a  great  prominence 
of  the  entire  globe,  thrust,  as  it  were,  almost  out  of  the 
orbit  by  a  flow  of  humours,  or  a  tumour  from  the  bot- 
tom or  sides  of  the  orbit. 

It  is  also  a  true  exophthalmia  produced  by  strong 
exertions,  by  which  the  eyes  are  so  far  pressed  out  as  to 
remain  prominent.  Protuberances  of  the  eyes,  happen- 
ing from  child  bed  pains,  are  often  cured  by  the  suc- 
ceeding discharges  and  lochia.  It  is  therefore  unneces- 
sary to  employ  any  remedy.  Wallis's  Nosologia  Ocu- 
lorum. 

ECPI'PTICA.     See  ECPYEMA. 

ECPLERO'MA,  (from  exx-fopou,  to  Jill).  Any  sub- 
stance to  fill  a  cavity.  In  Hippocrates,  they  are  hard 
balls  of  leather,  or  other  substances,  adapted  to  fill  the 


arm  pits,  while,  by  the  help  of  the  heels,  placed  against 
the  balls,  and  pressing  the  same,  the  luxated  os  humeri 
is  reduced  into  its  place. 

ECPLE'XIS,  (from  exirbtio-ra,  to  terrify  or  astonish) . 
A  stupor  or  astonishment,  from  sudden  external  acci- 
dents. 

ECPNEUMATO'SIS,  ECPNCE'A,  (from  ex.,  and 
•srvta,  to  breathe  out).  See  EXPIRATIO. 

ECPTO'MA,  (from  exxiTrlu,  to  fall  out).  The  ex- 
elusion  of  the  secundines ;  and  the  separation  of  cor- 
rupt parts.  See  also  LUPATIO,  HERNIA  SCKOTALIS,  and 
PROCIDENTIA  UTERI. 

ECPYE'MA,  (from  e»,  andn-t/an,  to  convert  into  pus,} 
the  suppuration  of  a  collection  of  pus,  from  tumour,  or 
vomica.  Medicines  abounding  with  maturating  or  sup- 
puratory  powers  were  consequently  called  by  Galen 
fx.irvx.1tK.*,.  Empyema  was  used  by  the  ancients  in  the 
same  diffuse  sense,  but  the  moderns  confine  it  to  a  dis- 
ease of  the  chest.  See  EMPYEMA. 

E'CPYSIS.     See  EXCRESCENTIA. 

ECRUE'LLES.     See  SCROFULA. 

ECRE'XIS,  (from  txpiryivf*.!,  to  break).  A  RUP- 
TURE. Hippocrates  expresses  by  this  term  a  rupture 
or  laceration  of  the  womb.  See  HERNIA,  and  HERNIA 
UTERI. 

ECRI'SIS,(from  exgea,  to  flow  out}.     See  SEMEN. 

E'CROE,  (from  cxpta,  tofiotu),  Exerhesis,  or  exer- 
Aysis.  An  efflux,  or  the  course  by  which  any  fluid, 
which  requires  purging,  is  evacuated. 

ECRY'THMUS,  (from  e|,  ex,  and  fvttut,  harmony}. 
See  ARYTHMUS. 

ECSARCO'MA,(from£*,and  raptJlesh}.  A  FLESHY 

EXCRESCENCE. 

E'CSTASIS,  (from  ffio-7*/t«*;,  to  be  out  of  one's 
senses}.  An  ECSTACY.  It  is  a  species  of  catalepsy ;  but 
in  this  complaint  the  patient  recollects  the  ideas  that 
-passed  in  his  mind  during  the  paroxysm,  and  often  what 
was  said  by  those  around.  In  Hippocrates  it  signifies  a 
delirium;  and  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  it  as  a  species  of  apo- 
plexy, apoplexia  mentalis,  arising  from  affections  of  the 
mind. 

ECSTRO'PHIUS,  (from  tx-dfiQa,  to  invert}.  An 
epithet  for  any  medicine  that  forces  the  internal  piles 
beyond  the  sphincter. 

ECTA'SIS,  (from  ex.,  and  reiva,  to  extend).  An  ex- 
tension of  the  skin,  the  reverse  to  wrinkling. 

ECTE'XIS,  (from  exlvxu,  to  liquefy,  or  consume), 
See  EMACIATIO. 

ECTHELY'NSIS,  (from  extvhvvu,  to  render  effemi- 
nate). SOFTNESS.  It  is  applied  to  the  skin,  bones, 
and  flesh  when  lax  and  soft ;  and  to  bandages  when  not 
sufficiently  tight. 

ECTHLI'MMA,  (from  extoiSa,  to  dash,  or  press  out 
against).  An  ulceration  caused  by  pressure  on  the 
skin. 

ECTHLI'PSIS,  (from  the  same).  ELISION  or  EX- 
PRESSION. It  is-  spoken  of  swelled  eyes,  when  they  dart 
forth  sparks  of  light. 

E'CTHYMA,  (from  exlva,  to  break  out).  See  PUS- 
TULA,  and  CUTANEI  MORBI. 

ECTILLO'TICA,  (from  exl,Ma,  to  pull  out).  Me- 
dicines which  consume  tubercles  and  corns,  or  which 
assist  in  drawing  away  superfluous  hairs.  See  ECTY- 
LOTICA. 

E'CTOME,  (from  ex.,  out,  and  rtfiia,'to  cut).  EXCI- 
SION or  EXTIRPATION.  See  AMPUTATIO. 


E  C  T 


E  J  A 


ECTO'PLE,  (from  «  and  «»•»«,  locus}.  PROTRU- 
SIONS, or  MISPLACED  PARTS.  Diseases  in  which  a  part 
of  the  body  is  moved  from  its  proper  seat,  and  forms  a 
tumour.  It  is  the  seventh  order  of  Dr.  Cullen's  locales, 
in  which  he  includes  hernia,  firolafisus,  and  lujcatio. 
Synopsis  Nosologiae  Method,  vol.  ii.  p.  366. 

ECTOPOCY  STIC  A,  ISCHU'RIA,  (from   £«?«»-.«, 
misplaced,  and  K*<r7/!,  a  bladder) .  A  suppression  of  urine 
from  a  rupture  or  hernia  of  the  bladder.  See  ISCHURIA. 
E'CTOMOX.     See  HELLEBORUS  NIGER. 
ECTRI'MMA,  (from  fx7/"£»,  of  Tf,G»,  to  rub}.     An 
ATTRITION  or  GALLING  ;  an  ulceration  of  the  skin  about 
the  os  sacrum.     Hippocrates. 

E'CTROPE,  (from  e*.lfe*it,  to  divert,  pervert,  or  in- 
vert,) any  duct  by  which  the  fluids  are  diverted  and 
drawn  off.  In  P.  jEgineta  it  is  the  same  as 

ECTRO'PIUM,  (from  the  same,)  an  inversion  or 
everson  of  the  eye  lids,  so  that  their  interior  red  skin 
becomes  prominent,  and  the  eyes  exposed.  When 
this  misfortune  happens  in  the  superior  eye  lid,  in  con- 
sequence of  its  resemblance  to  a  hare's  eye,  it  is  call- 
ed by  the  Greeks  lagofihthalmia  ;  but  Galen,  in  his  De- 
finit.  Med.  makes  ectrofiium  an  eversion  of  the  eye  lids 
in  general.  According  to  Paulus  jEgineta,  however, 
lib.  vi.  cap.  12,  the  ectropium  is  peculiar  to  the  under 
eye  lid,  and  lagophthalmus  to  the  upper;  but  the  term 
lagophthalmia  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  eye  lid,  when 
retracted  only,  without  eversion. 

Sometimes  this  disorder  is  unaccompanied  with  any 
other;  but  often  an  inflammation  of  the  eye,  a  sarcoma, 
or  an  encanthis,  attends  it.  When  alone,  it  is  caused  by 
cicatrices  after  wounds,  exulcerations,  burns,  and  im- 
prudent use  of  astringents,  or  from  the  protuberance  of 
the  internal  fleshy  parts.  In  old  people  a  relaxation  of 
the  orbicular  muscle  sometimes  occasions  it  in  the 
lower  eye  lid.  If  the  eye  lid  is  greatly  distorted  or  con- 
tracted, or  if  the  disorder  hath  been  of  long  continuance, 
a  remedy  is  rarely  to  be  expected. 

When  a  cicatrix  is  the  cause,  it  must  be  softened  by 
a  frequent  application  of  the  steams  of  warm  water,  the 
egg  liquor  mentioned  in  the  article  ANCHYLOSIS,  Sec. 
At  night,  proper  compresses  may  be  applied  to  con- 
fine the  eye  lids. 

When  a  contraction  of  the  eyelid  is  the  cause,  if 
emollients  and  compresses  fail,  an  incision  in  the  form 
of  a  crescent  may  be  made  at  a  small  distance  from 
the  eye  lashes,  to  give  room  for  the  eye  lid  to  cover  the 
globe  :  in  the  upper  eye  lid  the  points  of  the  incision 
should  be  downwards,  and  in  the  under  eye  lid  upwards. 
The  number  of  incisions  may  be  one  or  more,  accord- 
ing to  the  degree  of  the  contraction  ;  if  more  than  one 
are  required,  the  second  must  be  parallel  to  the  first,  and 
at  a  small  distance  from  it.  After  the  operation  at  the 
second  dressing,  some  digestive  must  be  applied  to  en- 
courage the  granulations  betwixt  the  incisions ;  and 
slips  of  sticking  plaster  used,  to  keep  the  upper  and 
lower  eyelids  close  until  the  incisions  are  healed.  Fun- 
gous flesh  is  to  be  treated  in  the  usual  way.  If  it  arise 
from  a  relaxation  of  the  orbicular  muscle,  relief  must 
be  attempted  by  spirituous  and  strengthening  applica- 
tions. If  tumours  in  the  orbit  are  the  the  cause,  and 
they  are  not  of  a  cancerous  kind,  the  cure  will  depend 
on  their  extirpation.  Ware's  Remarks  on  the  Oph- 
thalmy,  kc.  See  BLEPHAROPTOSIS. 

Galen,  Celsus,  P.  Jigineta,  Keckius's  Dissertation  on 

VOL.    I.. 


the  Ectropium,  Heister's  Surgery,  London  Medical 
Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iv.  p.  371.  Warner's 
Cases  in  Surgery,  p.  34.  and  Mons.  St.  Yves  on  the 
Disorders  of  the  Eyes.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii.  p.  2S7 . 
Wallis's  Nosology  of  the  Eyes,  p.  13.'  White's  Sur- 
gery, p.  248. 

ECTRO'SIS,  (from  mliltuzv,  to  miscarry).  See 
ABORTUS. 

ECTROTICA,  and  ECTYRO'TICA,  (from  the 
same).  Medicines  which  cause  miscarriage. 

ECTYLO'TICA  ;  medicines  that  destroy  callosities. 
See  ECTILLOTICA. 

ECZE'MA,  and  ECZE'SMA,  (from  «<*«,  to  boil 
out,  or  to  be  hot).  See  PUSTULA. 

EDE'XTULUS,  (from  e,  -without,  and  dens,  a  to 
WITHOUT  TEETH. 

E'DERA  TRIFO'LIA.     See  TOXICODENDRON. 
EDE'SSEXUM  PELA'RIUM.      The   name  of  a 
collyrium  in  ./Etius,  containing  edes  or  amber. 

E'DRA.  A  FRACTURED  BONE,  in  which,  beside  the 
fracture,  there  is  an  impression  of  the  instrument  by 
which  it  was  broken. 

EDULCORA'NTIA,  (from  edulco,  to  make  sweet, 
or  fiurify).  Medicines  supposed  to  correct  or  "  sweeten" 
the  blood ;  a  word,  which,  if  allowed  to  have  any  precise 
meaning,  must  be  considered  as  similar  to  alterantia. 

EDULCORA'TIO,  (from  the  same,)  SWEETENING 
WITH  SUGAR  OR  HONEY  ;  but,  in  chemistry,  it  is  the  ren- 
dering preparations  mild,  by  repeated  affusions  of  wa- 
ter, to  separate  the  acids  and  salts,  or  by  different  com- 
binations to  sheath  their  acrimony.  See  CALCINATIO 
by  detonation. 

EFFERVESCE'NTIA,  (from  efferuetco,  to  grow 
hot).  EFFERVESCENCE.  It  signifies  a  slight  degree  of 
ebullition  in  liquors  exposed  to  the  necessary  degree  of 
heat.  The  chemists  apply  it  to  the  ebullition  excited 
by  mixing  an  acid  and  alkali.  It  is  occasionally  con- 
founded with  fermentation;  but  fermentation  is  now 
limited  to  that  -commotion  in  vegetable  juices  which 
produces  a  vinous  or  an  acetous  liquor,  and  those  ebul- 
litions that  are  produced  by  the  mixture  of  bodies  are 
called  effervescences. 

E'FFILA.     See  LEXTICULJE. 

EFFLORA'TIO,  or  EFFLORESCE'XTIA,  (from 
effloresco,  to  biota  as  ajlovier).  See  EXANTHEMA. 

EFFLU'VIA,  (from  tffluo,  tojloto  out).  Minute  par- 
ticles which  exhale  from  bodies.  By  these  effluvia  from 
morbid  bodies,  contagion  is  propagated.  See  COXTAGIO. 

EFFCE'TUS,  (from  e,  ecaAfftus, -without  an  embryo). 
BARREN,  CHILDLESS  ;  and  figuratively,  any  thing  so  de- 
cayed as  to  have  lost  its  virtue. 

EFFRACTU'RA,  (from  effringo,  to  break).  A  spe- 
cies of  fracture  of  the  cranium  when  the  bone  is  broken 
and  much  depressed  by  a  blow. 

EFFUSIO,  synonymous  with  extravasation;  fluids 
passing  into  the  cellular  membrane,  generally  from  rup- 
ture of  the  vessels,  though  sometimes  from  debility  and 
relaxation  of  the  exhalants. 

EGE'STIO.  EXCRETION;  a  term  generally  used 
with  respect  to  evacuations  by  stool. 

EJACULA'XTIA,  and  EJACULATO'RIA  VA'- 
SA,  (from  ejaculo,  to  cast  out).  The  vessels  which  con- 
vey the  seminal  matter  secreted  in  the  testicles  to  the 
penis.  These  are  the  efiididymis,anA  the  dtferentia  vasa: 
the  vesicule  seminales  are  the  receptacles  to  the  semen. 

4G 


K  L  A 


594 


L  K 


EILA'MIOES,  (from  ti^ta,  to  involve].  See  DURA 
MATER. 

E!  I  ,E'M  A,  (from  eihia,  ;o  involve,)  PAINFUL  CONVO- 
LUTIONS "!•'  TIII-,  INTESTINES,  from  flatulence.  (Hippo- 
rrates.)  Sometimes  it  signifies  a  covering,  and,  ac- 
cording to  Vogel,  a  fixed  local  pain  in  the  intestines 
resembling  a  nail. 

EILE'ON,  (from  ei^ia,  to  «•/«</).     See  ILEUM  INTES- 

riNUM. 

EILE'OS,  (from  the  same).     See  II.IACA  PASSIO. 

EI'SBOLE,  (from  eis,  into,  and  &«,>.Ka,  to  cast*).  An 
INJECTION;  but  the  term  is  used  to  express  the  access 
of  a  distemper,  or  of  a  particular  paroxysm. 

El'SPNOE,  (from  ei$,  in,  and  -srvsa,  to  breathe).  See 
INSPI  RATIO. 

Kl.A-CA'LLI.  Euphorbia  neriifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
648.  An  East  Indian  shrub,  whose  juice  is  an  excel- 
lent cathartic  in  dropsies.  Raii  Hist. 

EL.EA'GNUS,  (from  e^xiot,  oil,  and  «-/v»;,  cfiastc~). 
See  MYRTUS  BRABAXTICA,  and  OLEASTER. 

EL^EOME'LI,  (from  £/*<»»,  oil,  and  /n.£Af,  honey).  In 
Syria  this  oil  is  prepared  from  the  buds  or  the  trunk  of 
a  certain  tree  unknown  to  naturalists,  but  probably  a 
species  of  fraxinus  :  it  is  sweet,  thicker  than  honey,  and 
of  a  purging  quality.  Dios.  lib.  i.  c.  37. 

ELyEOSA'CCHARUM,  (from  EA*<«V,  oil,  and  r«K- 

%«.?,    SUgar).       A     MIXTURE  OF  ESSENTIAL  OIL    WITH     SU- 

tiAii.  The  oil  requires  at  least  eight  or  ten  times  its 
quantity  of  sugar,  which  should  be  well  rubbed  with 
the  mixture,  and  kept  closely  from  the  air.  In  the 
essential  oil  of  vegetables  reside  most  of  the  virtues  that 
are  communicated  to  water,  or  to  vinous  spirit  by  distil- 
lation ;  and  if  a  proper  quantity  of  water,  or  of  vinous 
spirit  be  added  to  these  elaeosacchara,  a  medicine  is  im- 
mediately produced,  of  similar  efficacy  with  distilled 
water,  and  of  any  given  strength. 
ELA'NULA.  Sec  A  LUMEN. 

ELA'PHICON,  ELAPHOBO'SCUM,(from  £A^o5, 

and  paTxa,  to  eat,  because  stags  are  fond  of  them).  See 
PASTIXACA  SYLVESTRIS,  and  SISARUM. 

ELAPHOPI'LA,  (from  «A«<J>o;,  a  stag,  and  ftilus, 
hair}.  See  CERVUS. 

E'LAPS.  A  SERPENT,  whose  bite  produces  a  disor- 
der like  the  iliac  passion. 

E'LAS  MA'RIS.     See  PLUMBUM  USTUM. 

ELA'SIS,  and   ELATER,  (from  t^xvva,  to  impel). 

S(  C1   El.  \STICITAS. 

ELA'SMA,  (from  the  same).  A  LAMINA  or  PLATE  of 
any  kind  ;  though  used  to  express  a  clyster  pipe.  See 
ENEMA. 

ELASTI'CITAS,  ELA'SIS,  ELA'TER.  ELASTI- 
CITY, (from  the  same).  It  is  the  property  in  bodies  by 
\\hich  they  restore  themselves  spontaneously  to  the 
figure  and  dimensions  which  they  had  lost  by  pressure 
or  extension. 

E'LATE.  The  VAGINA,  which  incloses  the  flowers 
and  rudiments  of  the  great  palm  tree. 

E'LATE  THELE'IA.     See  ABIES. 

KLATE'RII  CORT.     See  THURIS  CORTEX. 

ELAT'ERIUM  ;  a  word  often  used  by  Hippocrates 
to  express  an 'internal  application  of  a  digestive  or  a 
detergent  nature.  The  inspissated  juice  of  the  wild 
i-ucumber.  See  CUCUMIS  AGRESTIS. 

ELATIIE'RIA.     See  THCRIS  CORTEX. 

'',!..  ATINE,  (from  eA«K»»,  as  the  smaller  species). 
''•r/iiintm  rlatinr  Lin.  Sn.  PI.  851.  The  leaves  of  this 


plant  ar«  rough  and  bitter  to  the  taste  ;  ami  were,  for- 
merly recommended  internally  as  an  antiscorbutic,  and 
applied  externally  to  heal  old  ulcers. 

ELA'TINUM  O'LEUM.  The  name  of  an  oil  in 
Dioscorides. 

E'LCOS.     See  CATAGMA. 

ELCO'SIS,  (from  EA*CS,  an  ulcer).  Numerous,  or 
large  chronic  ulcers,  carious,  fetid,  and  attended  with  a 
slow  lever. 

ELECTA'RIUM,  vcl  ELECTUARIUM,(from  ell- 
go,  to  choose,  or  rather  lackata,  from  laacfc,  Heb.  to  lick 
vp,w  the  Greek  word  AEI^OI,  to  lick).  An  ELECTUARY. 
An  electuary  is  of  the  same  consistence  and  materials 
as  a  bolus;  and  where  the  accuracy  of  the  dose  is  not 
essential,  and  a  frequent  change  unnecessary,  it  is 
preferable  to  the  bolus.  In  electuaries,  when  kept  in 
the  shops,  medicines  which  will  ferment  or  combine  in 
new  forms  must  be  avoided.  Nauseous  medicines  can- 
not be  easily  taken  in  any  electuary,  and,  for  these,  pills 
arc  preferable.  The  latter  is  also  the  more  convenient 
form  for  many  metallic  preparations.  If  electuaries  are 
too  hard,  they  candy  ;  if  too  soft,  they  ferment.  When 
soft,  they  are  called  o/iiata.  The  lighter  powders  re- 
quire thrice  their  weight  of  honey,  and  twice  the  weight 
of  common  syrup  ;  but  to  prevent  drying  too  fast,  a  little 
conserve  should  be  added.  Deyeux  recommends  pre- 
viously crystallizing  the  sugar  in  the  syrup,  or,  at  least, 
separating  as  much  of  it  as  will  crystallize.  The  re- 
mainder will  form  electuaries  not  subject  to  this  incon- 
venience, since  the  drying  depends  on  the  crystalliza- 
tion of  the  sugar.  Treacle  is  not  subject  to  this  incon- 
venience. 

Extemporaneous  electuaries  should  not  exceed  two 
or  three  ounces,  half  of  which  is  conserve  :  but  this  is 
not  a  fixed  rule,  for  the  consideration  of  how  much  of 
the  medicine  can  conveniently  be  given  for  one  dose  is 
sometimes  to  be  attended  to ;  when  the  ingredients  are 
unpleasant,  the  taste  is  best  covered  by  mucilage,  or  a 
solution  of  liquorice  juice.  Mucilage  is  well  adapted 
for  the  exhibition  of  powders.  See  Lemery's  Universal 
Pharmacopoeia. 

ELECTIVE  ATTRACTION,(from  digo,to  choose, 
or  select).  This  term  has  been  usually  applied  to  che- 
mical affinities;  but  as  we  have  employed  it  in  physio- 
logical discussions,  we  shall  state  the  foundation  on 
which  we  rest. 

This  power  is  chiefly  observed  in  the  absorbent  sys- 
tem. There  is  little  doubt  but  that,  on  the  surface, 
noxious  vapours  and  noxious  fluids  are  not  taken  up  ; 
and,  apparently,  when  watery  fluids  are  not  wanted, 
even  water  is  not  absorbed.  In  many  cases,  when  the 
introduction  of  medicines  into  the  circulating  system 
was  thought  necessary,  numerous  experiments  were 
made  to  discover  whether  the  chyle  was  impregnated 
with  remedies  given  to  dogs.  These,  though  sought 
for  at  different  periods,  after  having  been  taken,  were 
seldom  found.  Thus  we  have  an  additional  proof 
of  the  superintending  power  of  nature  to  guard  the 
constitution  against  injury ;  since,  as  we  have  had 
occasion  to  remark,  the  most  innocuous  fluids  in- 
jected into  the  blood  vessels  occasion  the  most  fatal 
symptoms. 

How  far  this  choice  prevails  we  are  not  informed. 
In  Dr.  Alexander's  experiments,  bark  and  nitre  seeia 
to  have  been  conveyed  to  the  blood,  as  they  appeared  in 
the  urine.  Even  at  the  first  view,  these  experiments 


ti  1-  E 


E  L  E 


•appear  inconclusive,  and  other  more  accurate  observers 
have  not  supported  his  opinion. 

This  elective  power  appears  equally  striking  in  the 
stomach  and   intestines.     Food  the  most  strange  and 
singular  is  sometimes  longed  for.  particularly  in  U 
about,  or  alter,  their  crisis;  and  the  desire  may  be  in- 
dulged with  little  injury.     The  mildest  foods  are  often, 
;  apparently  similar  caprice,  rejected  by  this  organ 
and  the  intestines.  In  the  glandular  system  we  perceive 
ilar  election.    The  fluids  pass  through  the  kidneys 
in  small   and  inefficient    quantities,   apparently 
the  presence  of  some  medicine  which  they  repel; 
:f  that  is  disused,  the  secretion  returns.     In  this 
•>ve  find  all  the  other  symptoms  of  a  noxious  mat- 
ter; the  functions  are  disturbed,  the  mind  agitated,  and 
fever  excited.     These  symptoms  are  sometimes  owing 
to  an  excess  of  stimulus,  which,  in  weak  organs,  pro- 
duces irregular  action ;  but  more  frequently  to  the  re- 
pulsion of  the  fluids,  for  where  there  is  attraction,  re- 
pulsion is  also  found.     Why  medicines  affect  a  parti- 
cular gland  or  injure  the  stomach,  -though  inoccuous 
in  the  eye,  is  a  subject  not  connected  with   the  pre- 
sent, and  will  be  spoken  of  under  the  article  SECRE- 
TION ;    and   occasionally   mentioned   as   a  specific  sti- 
mulus. 

EEE  CTIO,  (from  el:go,  to  c/io^se\    ELECTION;  that 
part  of  pharmacy  which  consists  in  a  knowledge  of  the 
:'ia  medica,  and  directs  the  choice  of  drugs,  dis- 
tinguishing the  good  from  the  bad. 

ECTRIC1TAS;  ELECTRICITY,  (from  vhiKrfa,  am- 
The  quality  which  amber  possesses  of  attracting 
bodies  when  rubbed,  has  expanded  into  conse- 
quences the  most  extensive,  and  results  the  most  im- 
portant: it  has  become  the  science  of  electricity;  has 
drawn  thunder  from  the  clouds ;  and,  in  the  hands  of 
philosophers,  may  deprive  earthquakes  of  their  destruc- 
tive power.  Our  province  is  more  humble :  it  is  to 
trace  its  powers  in  a  little  microcosm,  in  a  limited  circle, 
where  we  once  hoped  to  find  it  a  salutary  guardian ; 
but  where  it  appears  only,  if  not  a  harmless,  at  least  not 
a  beneficial  agent. 

We  must  not  detail  the  principles  of  this  science,  or 
.•ge  on  contending  systems.     It  will  simplify  our 
language  if  we  consider  Jiosith-e  electricity  as  the  ex- 
.  and  negative  as  a  deficiency,  of  this  fluid :  the  for- 
mer as  the  excess  of  uncombined  electricity,  the  latter 
deprivation  of  the  due  or  necessary  quantity.     A 
theory  of  this  kind  we  could  render  equally  probable 
with  any  other;  but  it  is  unnecessary,  since  the  facts 
may  be  readily  translated  into  a  more  fashionable  lan- 
guage, if  such  a  translation  be  required. 

In  the  view  we  have  just  offered,  each  body  has  its 
proportionate  share  of  this  fluid,  which  may  be  increased 
or  diminished;  but,  in  either  case,  the  equilibrium  is 
only  restored  with  some  violence,  called  a  shock;  though 
:t  mav  more  silently  take  place  by  appropriate  means,  to 
R  -i  wards  described.  This  share  is  determined  by 
the  nu'.ure  of  the  body;  but  is,  in  general,  greater  or 
less  as  the  body  is  a  conductor  or  a  non-conductor;  i.  «.-. 
that  it  has  a  power  of  conducting  any  excess  < 
city  to  its  common  reservoir,  the  earth,  or  of  o>;:;hiing 
it  to  its  own  substance.  Thus  metals  and  fluids  arc 
powerful  conduct  or  is;  any  dry  bodies,  particularly 
ous  ones,  n(.7i-conductors.  The  human  body  is,  in  ge- 
neral, a  conductor,  as  consisting  of  fluids,  and  commu- 


nicating with  the  earth  by  its  surface,  commonly  moist- 
ened by  the  perspiration. 

It  has  been  rendered  highly  probable,  by  an  anony- 
mous author,  in  a  collection  of  « 

that,  on  the  conversion  of  any  fluid  to  an  aerial  form, 
the  electrical  escapes;  and,  oil  the  contrary,  that  • 
air  is  converted  to  a  fluid,  that  it  disappears;  probably, 
in  the   first  instance,  separated  from,  and  in  tin 
combined  with,  the  fluid.  If  this-be  true,  in  meteorolo- 
gical phenomena,  as  it  seems  to  be,  from  a  very  care- 
ful induction  from  facts,  it  probably  is  so  in  physiology ; 
and  it  is  supported  by  some  striking  appearances.  Thus 
the  electricity  of  the  human  body,  in  its  healthy  sta: 
like  that  of  the  generality  of  bodies,  positive:  such  also 
is  the  electricity  of  the  blood;  but,  in  the  animal  econo- 
my, various  functions  continually  go  on,  in  which  air  is 
separated  and  carried  off.     The  electric:     .  lore, 

of  the  body  must  be  constantly  changing;  ;Kd  we,  of 
course,  find,  as  may  be  expected,  that  of  son>e  of  the 
fluids  negative.  Such  is  die  electricity  of  all  the  ex- 
crememitious  fluids. 

Again:  We  know  that  in  confined  air,  in  heated  and 
crowded  rooms,  these  aerial  changes  are  more  consider- 
able; and  it  is  consequently  not  uncommon,  in  such 
circumstances,  to  find  the  electricity  of  the  whole  body- 
negative.  Such  observations  have,  unfortunately,  not 
been  duly  examined,  and  we  must  take  advantage  of 
incidental  facts.  The  ignis  fatuus  is,  we  know,  inflam- 
mable air  ignited  by  electricity.  It  flies  from  a  p 
who  pursues  it,  because  the  electricity  of  each  is  posi- 
tive; but  Dr.  Priestley  has  recorded  an  observation, 
where  it  seemed  to  follow  the  person,  who  had  been 
long  in  a  crowded  room  ;  and  we  learn  from  Mr.  Read, 
(Phil.  Transactions  for  1794)  that  the  electricity  of  the 
air,  in  such  an  apartment,  probably  from  the  perspira- 
tions of  a  numerous  assemblv,  is  negative.  We  may- 
conclude,  then,  that  the  positive  electricity  of  the  body 
disappears  in  the  animal  process;  but  nothir;. 
It,  perhaps,  performs  a  most  important  office,  which 
we  can  only  at  present  guess  at;  but  this  is  scarcely  a 
place  for  conjecture.  Let  us.  however,  at  once  hazard 
it.  The  electrical  fluid,  by  its  union,  clic:  'ictet 

sur  le  Feu,  108);  and  this  fluid  is  nearly  and  intimately 
connected  with  the  nervous  power.  The  one  is  probably 
occasioned,  and  the  other  supported,  by  the  electricity 
that  disappears. 

If  a  resinous,  as  well  as  a  \  itreous,  electric 
in  other  vords,  two  fluids  of  different  and  opposite  pro- 
perties, the  distinction  appears  to  be  immaterial  in  a 
medical  view.  Each  produces  similar  effects  when  used 
as  a  remedy,  and  this  consideration  led  us  to  adopt  the 
simple  language  with  which  we  introduced  the  subject. 

Electricity  is  employed  in  medicine  chiefly  when  ac- 
cumulated. If  the  communication  with  the  earth  is  cut 
off",  and  the  fluid  accumulated  in  the  body  by  the  action 
of  a  proper  machine,  it  is  called  sim/ile  •  .  It" 

then  the  fluid  is  drawn  off",  silently,  by  points,  or  more 
actively  l;y  rounded  conductors,   the   electric  aura,  or 
,  are  said  to  be  drawn.  If  the  accumulated 
.  be  at  once  discharged,  or,  in  other  language, 
it  the  communication  betwe.  Vcrc-nt  sides  of  the 

electrical  jar  be  suddenly  restored,  the  shock  is  said  to 
be  produced.  Electricity,  in  each  instance,  acts  as  a 
stimulus  only.  Simple  electricity  increases  the  circula- 
tion, uccelerates  the  jet  of  blood  in  bleeding,  increases 
I  i 


EL  E 


596 


E  LE 


perspiration,  as  well  as  the  other  secretions  and  the 
appetite.  When  the  aura  is  gently  drawn  off,  a  slight 
stimulus  augments  the  action  of  the  vessels,  from  which 
it  is  taken;  when  by  rounded  conductors,  in  the  form 
of  sparks,  the  stimulus  is  more  considerable.  When 
the  equilibrium  is  suddenly  restored,  every  fibre  seems 
agitated.  When  slight  it  is  felt  in  the  fingers  and 
wrists  only ;  when  gradually  more  violent,  the  shock 
affects  the  elbows,  the  arms,  and  the  chest.  This  hap- 
pens when  the  equilibrium  is  restored,  by  touching  the 
conductor  with  each  hand  ;  and,  in  this  case,  the  fluid 
takes  the  shortest  circuit,  through  the  arms  and  breast, 
apparently  passing  through  the  nerves ;  for  its  effects 
are  chiefly  felt  where  they  are  more  strictly  tied  down 
by  their  sheaths.  When  the  stimulus  is  wanted  in 
any  particular  part,  the  conductors  are  so  placed  as  to 
convey  the  fluid  necessary  to  restore  the  equilibrium 
through  that  part.  The  effects  of  the  shock  are  said  to 
be  stimulant;  but  it  is  rather  a  violent  concussion,  with- 
out any  discriminated  or  permanent  change.  It  may  be 
made  so  strong  as  to  kill  smaller  animals ;  and,  for  a 
time,  to  deprive  even  a  human  being  of  his  senses. 
When  animals  are  killed  by  it,  the  irritability  of  the 
muscles  is  destroyed,  an  effect  also  occasioned  by  hy- 
drogen :  sometimes  an  important  blood  vessel  is  ruptur- 
ed. If  the  shock  be  a  stimulus,  and  destroy  by  excess 
of  excitement,  we  might  expect,  that,  in  a  less  degree, 
it  would  prove  useful  as  such.  It  undoubtedly  excites 
the  action  of  a  paralysed  muscle,  but  produces  no  per- 
manent good  effect ;  so  that  this  mode  of  employing 
electricity  is  now  almost  wholly  disused. 

In  general,  then,  electricity  must  be  considered  as  a 
simple  stimulant;  and  it  increases  all  the  actions  going 
on  in  the  system,  whether  salutary  or  morbid.  It  pro- 
motes suppuration,  and  more  firmly  impacts  the  fluids 
in  infarcted  glands.  But  it  also  discusses  tumours  not 
too  firmly  fixed,  and  assists  the  recovery  of  the  nervous 
power  of  a  debilitated  organ. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  will  be  obvious  that 
electricity  is  chiefly  useful  in  asthenic  diseases,  and  in 
obstructions  not  yet  insurmountable.  It  must  be  hurt- 
ful in  inflammatory  disorders ;  where,  with  an  inflam- 
matory diathesis,  there  is  a  strong  determination  to  any 
part ;  when  the  irritability  is  considerable,  or  the  ob- 
struction firm,  and  of  long  standing. 

In  febrile  diseases,  it  has  been  seldom  employed,  ex- 
cept to  terrify  on  the  approach  of  intermittents;  when, 
by  the  unexpected  shock,  it  often  succeeds. 

In  inflammations ,  it  has  been  sometimes  employed  to 
discuss  phlegmons ;  occasionally  to  relieve  ophthalmiae. 
In  both  cases  the  shocks  are  inadmissible.  In  the  for- 
mer sparks  may  be  drawn;  but,  in  the  latter,  the  points 
must  be  used  to  solicit  the  aura.  In  the  tooth  ach  it 
.has  been  also  sometimes  employed,  as  well  as  in  the 
gout  and  in  inflammatory  cynanche,  but  with  very  little 
effectual  relief;  and  it  is  now,  in  general,  disused. 

The  chief  complaints  in  which  advantage  from  elec- 
tricity has  been  expected  are  the  palsies.  It  was  first 
used  at  Geneva;  and  was  said  to  have  cured  a  lock- 
smith and  one  other  person  of  hsemiphlegix.  It  is  now 
well  known,  that  the  relief  obtained  by  each  was  tem- 
porary only;  and  though  it  continues  to  be  employed, 
generally  in  the  form  of  shocks,  ijs  utility  is  inconsider- 
able and  temporary.  In  many  instances  it  has  cer- 
lainly  been  injurious. 


In  the  more  partial  palsies,  drawing  sparks  has  been 
occasionally  beneficial,  though  in  no  considerable  de- 
gree: and  the  power  of  debilitated  organs,  as  of  the  eye 
in  gutta  serena ;  of  the  ear  in  deafness  ;  or  of  a  palsied 
muscle,  has  been  sometimes,  in  part,  restored.  Elec- 
tricity has  been  also  tried  in  chronic  rheumatism,  a 
species  of  palsy,  and  in  anumorrhoea.  Slight  shocks, 
in  each,  have  been  sometimes  useful.  In  the  last  com- 
plaint, the  fluid  must  be  directed  through  the  pelvis. 
We  have  sometimes  succeeded  in  procuring  a  return  of 
the  menses  by  these  means ;  but  we  have  more  often 
produced  leucorrhoea.  Electricity  has  been  also  often 
employed  to  restore  suspended  animation  from  apparent 
drowning,  and  is  supposed  to  be  a  powerful  and  ef- 
fectual remedy;  but  we  have  never  found  it  of  the 
slightest  use.  A  physician  at  Brunswick,  M.  Friske, 
has  directed  the  shocks,  through  the  abdomen,  to  kill 
the  tape  worm;  in  which  he  thinks  he  has  succeeded. 
On  recurring  to  the  authors  on  medical  electricity,  in 
almost  all  we  observe  a  very  prudent  remark,  that  dur- 
ing its  course  the  proper  medicines  are  by  no  means  to 
be  omitted. 

ELECTRO'DES,  (from  jjAjxr^an,  amber,  and  ii^ot, 

likeness).    An  epithet  for  stools  which  shine  like  amber. 

ELE'CTRUM,  (from  s\xu,  lo  draw,  because  of  its 

attractive  power.     AMBER.     (See  SUCCINUM.)     It   is 

also  a  mixture  of  gold  with  a  fifth  part  silver. 

ELE'CTRUM  MINERA'LE;   a  mass  of  tin  and  copper, 
with  double  its  quantity  of  martial  regulus  of  antimony, 
melted  together.     This  mass,  powdered  and  detonated 
with  nitre  and   charcoal,   powdered   again  while  hot, 
and  then  digested  in  spirit  of  wine,  produces  a  tincture 
of  a  fine  red  colour,  accounted  a  deobstruent. 
ELECTUA'RIUM  e  SE'NNA.     See  SENNA. 
ELE'GMA,  (from  *u%*>,  to  lick).     See  LINCTUS. 
ELELI'SPHACOS,    (from   e*u&,  to  distort,   and 
e-0«x«s,  sage,)  the  name  of  a  species  of  sage,  from  the 
appearance  of  its  leaves  and  branches  curling  spirally : 
its  virtues  are  the  same  with  those  of  sage.  See  SALVIA. 
ELEME'NTUM.     ELEMENT,    (quasi    elicimentum, 
quod  omnia  ex  iis  elicita  sunt  et  extracta).     A  simple 
body,  from  whence  any  thing  is  first  constituted,  and 
which  may  be  resolved  into   parts  not  of  a  different 
nature,  but  homogeneous.     Empedocles  and  Aristotle 
acknowledged  as  elements,  air,  earth,  fire,  and  water; 
an  opinion  now  proved  fallacious.     Paracelsus,  with 
other  chemists,   considered   earth,    salt,  sulphur,  and 
mercury,  in  the  same  sense;  but  these  are  allowed  to  be 
the  result  of  theory  without  the  support  of  experiment. 
Principles  which  cannot  be  subdivided  by  art  are  called 
elements  or  first  principles;  and  the  principles  made  up 
of  these,  secondary  principles.    Some  writers  carry  this 
order  much  further;  but  it  must  be  confessed,  no  means 
have  yet  been  devised  to  show,  unequivocally,  whether 
any  such  subordination  of  principles  exists.     We  may 
indeed  discover  the  component  parts  of  bodies,  but  we 
know   nothing  of  their  arrangement;  and  what    are 
considered  at  one  time  as  the  simplest  form  of  bodies, 
are  at  others  found  to  be  compounds.     Hence  it  is 
said  that  the  word  ought  not  to  be  used,  but  as  an  ex- 
pression denoting  the  last  term  of  our  analytical  results. 
Galen  observes,  that  the  element  is  the  smallest  and 
most  minute  part  of  any  thing  whose  element  it  is. 
But  the  word  elements,  in  a  figurative  sense,  is  used  tor 
the  principles  and  foundations  of  any  art  or  science,  as 


ELE 


597  - 


ELE 


Euclid's  elements,  the  elements  of  chemistry,  elements 
of  medicine:  sometimes,  as  in  Haller's  great  work,  the 
Elementa  Physiologiae,  it  implies  the  minutest  compo- 
nent parts;  while  the  abstract,  or  rudiments,  are  styled 
>'  First  Lines." 

E'LEMI ;  called  also  icicariba,  idea,  and  gum  elemi, 
is  a  dry  resinous  substance,  brought  from  the  East  In- 
dies and  ^Ethiopia ;  but  an  inferior  sort  is  the  produce  of 
an  olive  tree  in  the  Spanish  West  Indies ;  the  amyris 
elemifera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  495.  The  elemi  tree  is  also  called 
myrobalanut  Zeylanicus  ;  elemnifera  Curassavica  ar- 
bor ;  ktekuria.  What  is  brought  from  the  east  is  wrap- 
ped in  flag  leaves  ;  is  softish,  somewhat  transparent ;  of 
a  pale  whitish  yellow  colour,  inclining  to  green ;  inflam- 
mable, and  of  an  agreeable  flavour  when  melting ;  to 
the  taste  bitterish ;  dissolving  totally  in  rectified  spirit 
of  wine ;  and  yielding,  by  distillation  with  water,  about 
one  ounce  of  essential  oil  from  sixteen  of  the  gum.  Dr. 
Wright  informs  us  that  a  resin,  not  apparently  differ- 
ent from  the  elemi,  is  obtained  from  the  bursera  gum- 
mifera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  471  ;  the  tree  supposed  to  afford  the 
simarouba.  Of  this  resin,  alcohol  dissolves  0.94 ;  and  it 
contains  also  about  0.06  of  essential  oil. 

It  is  chiefly  used  as  a  digestive  in  the  form  of  an 
ointment :  the  London  college  gives  the  following  pre- 
scription, in  which  it  is  the  chief  ingredient. —  Unguen- 
tum  elemi)  OINTMENT  OF  ELEMI.  Take  of  mutton  suet 
prepared,  two  pounds ;  of  gum  elemi,  one  pound  ;  of 
common  turpentine,  ten  ounces.  Melt  the  gum  with 
the  suet ;  and  when  all  is  quickly  removed  from  the 
fire, add  the  turpentine;  and,  while  the  mixture  is  fluid, 
strain  it. 

Arcaeus  was  its  first  prescriber,  and  it  was  formerly 
called  linlmentum  vel  balsamum  Arcei.  (See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica.  Neumann's  Chem.  Works.)  When 
two  ounces  of  olive  oil  are  added,  it  has  been  called  un- 
guentum  elemi  comfiositum.  It  is  the  best  of  the  terebin- 
thinate  applications  for  encouraging  a  salutary  diges- 
tion in  ulcers.  If  to  half  a  pound  of  this  ointment  one 
drachm  of  aerugo  aeris  is  added,  it  becomes  ungttentum 
elemi  cum  erugine.  The  verdigrise  must  be  mixed 
with  a  little  oil,  and  gradually  stirred  into  the  ointment 
whilst  in  a  melting  state.  This  remedy  has  been  long 
used  as  a  stimulant  to  foul  ulcers. 

ELEMNIFERA  CURASSA  VICA  A'RBO  R 
(from  elemi,  zndfero,  to  bear}.  See  ELEMI. 

ELE'NGI.  A  tall  tree  which  grows  in  Malabar,  and 
bears  fragrant  flowers,  esteemed  for  their  cordial  qua- 
lity. Mimusofis  elengi  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  497. 

ELEOSELI'NUM,  (from  tAos,  a  fen,  and  veknti, 
parsley).  See  APIUM. 

ELEPHA'NTIA,  (from  elefihas,  on  account  of  the 
great  enlargement  of  the  body  in  this  disease).  An  AXA- 
SARCA. 

ELEPHA'XTIA  A'RABUM.  In  Dr.  Cullen's  Nosology 
it  is  synonymous  with  elephantiasis.  The  term  is,  how- 
ever, occasionally  confined  to  this  Oisease,  when  it  af- 
fects the  feet. 

ELEPHANTI'ASIS;  lazari  morbua  vel  malum ; 
Phaniceus  morbus,  is  generally  ranked  as  a  species  of 
leprosy  (see  LEPRA  ARABUM)  ;  but  is  distinguished  from 
the  leprosy  by  being  seated  in  the  flesh,  while  the  lep- 
rosy only  affects  the  skin,  or,  at  the  most,  the  integu- 
ments. This  disorder  receives  its  name  from  its  often 
affecting  the  legs,  so  as  to  make  them  resemble  those  of 


an  elephant;  but  in  many  instances  the  legs  are  ng.t 
affected. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
cachexies,  and  order  imfletigines,  and  defines  it  a  con- 
tagious disease,  wherein  the  skin  is  thick,  wrinkled, 
rough,  and  unctuous,  divested  of  its  hair  ;  the  extre- 
mities insensible,  with  respect  to  feeling  ;  the  face  dis- 
figured with  hard  tumours,  called  tubera  ;  the  voice 
hoarse  and  nasal.  In  different  parts  of  the  skin  some- 
times arise  fungi,  having  the  appearance  of  mulberries 
or  raspberries. 

Dr.  Towne  assures  us,  that  negroes  are  very  com- 
monly the  subjects  of  this  disorder,  and  that  it  bears  a 
great  affinity  to  the  best  account  we  have  of  the  lepra 
of  the  Arabians.  He  says  those  are  the  most  subject  to 
it,  who,  after  severe  acute  fevers,  long  continued  inter- 
mittents,  or  other  tedious  diseases,  are  either  much  ex- 
posed to  the  inclemency  of  rainy  seasons,  and  the  cold 
dews  of  the  evening,  or  who  are  constrained  to  subsist 
on  bad  diet. 

On  the  first  attack  the  patient  complains  of  shiver- 
ings  ;  these  continue  a  few  hours,  and  are  succeeded 
by  a  pain  in  the  head,  back,  and  loins ;  a  nausea  and 
vomiting  soon  follow,  with  pain  in  one  of  the  inguinal 
glands  (never  in  both) :  a  severe  fever  follows ;  the 
gland  reddens,  becomes  hard,  but  seldom  suppurates  ;  a 
red  streak  runs  down  the  thigh,  from  the  swelled  gland 
to  the  leg,  almost  an  inch  broad,  and  of  a  flesh  colour: 
this  streak  soon  swells,  and  then  the  fever  abates,  and 
the  matter  is  thrown  upon  the  leg  by  an  imperfect 
crisis.  By  degrees  the  leg  is  more  and  more  tumefied, 
and  the  veins  are  formed  into  large  variccs,  which  are 
very  apparent  from  the  knee  downward  to  the  toes.  Soon 
after,  the  skin  grows  rugged  and  unequal ;  a  scaly  sub- 
stance soon  forms  on  it,  with  fissures  interspersed. 
These  scales  do  not  dry,  but  are  daily  protruded  for- 
ward, until  the  leg  is  greatly  enlarged.  Though  this 
scaly  substance  appear  harsh  and  insensible,  if  it  is 
very  superficially  touched  with  the  point  of  a  lancet,  the 
blood  freely  oozes  out.  Notwithstanding  the  monstrous 
size  of  the  diseased  leg,  the  appetite  remains  good,  and 
in  all  other  respects  the  patient  is  healthy :  many  con- 
tinue in  this  state  for  twenty  years  or  more,  and  make 
no  other  complaint  than  what  the  enormous  size  of  the 
leg  occasions.  It  rarely  happens  that  both  legs  are 
affected.  White  people  suffer  from  this  disorder  when 
in  the  same  circumstances  which  produce  it  in  the 
negro.  The  'disease  is  infectious,  and  often  found  to 
be  hereditary. 

The  cure  is  uncertain :  after  cleansing  the  first  pass- 
ages, warm  diophoretics  may  be  mixed  with  antimo- 
nials,  and  administered  with  the  bark.  The  diet  and 
mode  of  living  should  conduce  to  increase  the  vis  vitae. 
Mercury  is  said  to  be  injurious;  but  experience  has 
occasionally  shown  its  utility,  when  joined  with  the  re- 
medies just  mentioned. 

Aretaeus  describes  the  elephantiasis  with  great  ac- 
curacy. Towne  is  particular  in  the  account  of  it.  See 
Turner  also  in  his  Diseases  of  the  Skin,  and  Brook's 
Practice  of  Physic. 

In  the  London  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  i.  p.  23,  is 
inserteda  description  of  the  elephantiasis,asitappearsin 
Madeira,  with  the  method  which  in  one  instance  was  at- 
tended with  success.  In  this  country  the  disorder  appears 
at  first  in  the  form  of  tubercles  on  any  or  all  parts  of 


ELK 


598 


ELI 


the  body  ;  in  time  they  ulcerate  :  if  they  occur  on  the 
beard  or  eye  brows,  the  hairs  fall  off;  but  this  does  not 
always  happen  on  the  head.  The  legs  swell,  and  are 
hard;  white  scales  cover  them,  and  fissures  occasionally 
appear,  though  the  legs  are  sometimes  emaciated  and 
full  of  ulcers.  The  alse  nasi  are  swollen  and  rough  ; 
the  cartilage  of-  the  nose  sometimes  destroyed ;  the 
lobes  of  the  cars  are  swollen ;  the  voice  hoarse ;  the 
nails  are  thick  and  scaly  ;  the  skin  white,  shining,  and 
insensible;  the  breath  offensive;  the  pulse  weak  and 
slow.  Many  other  very  disagreeable  symptoms  occur 
in  different  patients.  None  are  observed"  to  receive  this 
disorder  from  others  by  contact;  but  generally  the 
children  of  the  diseased  are  subjected  to  it. 

It  usually  appears  here  as  a  chronic  disease  on  the 
decline  of  life,  and  every  circumstance  shows  a  great 
deficiency  of  nervous  power.  We  never  saw,  in  the 
few  cases  that  have  occurred  to  us,  any  advantage  from 
medicine;  but  the  bark,  with  the  following  embroca- 
tion and  blistering,  is  said  to  have  relieved  after  mer- 
curials and  antimonials  had  failed.  The  following  is  the 
mode  recommended:  Applicetur  emplastrum  epispasti- 
cum  nuchse.  K.  Cort.  Peruv.  pulv.  ^  i  ss.  cort.  radicis 
sassafrae  pulv.  J  ss.  syr.  q.  s.  fiat,  electar.  cap.  q.  n.  m. 
majoris  bis  in  die. 

B.Spt.  vinitenuior.  §  viii.  lixiv.  tart.  ^  i.  spt.  sal  am- 
mon.  3  ii-  rn.  f.  embrocatio  qua  inungantur  partcs  af- 
fectae  mane  nocteque. 

The  disease  was,  however,  apparently  mistaken,  or 
the  event  unfaithfully  related. 

The  cause  is  often  indigestion,  and  it  has  been  at- 
tributed, in  the  island  of  Madeira,  to  the  poison  offish. 
Sometimes  emetics,  and  in  sonve  instances  cooling 
antiphlogistic  medicines,  are  said  to  have  been  there 
serviceable.  In  the  elephantiasis  of  the  East  (see  Asia- 
tic Researches),  white  arsenic  is  said  to  have  succeeded. 
Dr.  Semplc  advises  mercury  and  antimony,  with  an 
embrocation  consisting  of  eight  ounces  of  spirit  of  wine, 
an  ounce  of  aqua  kali,  with  twice  as  much  aqua  am- 
moniae. 

ELEPHA'NTINUM  EMPL.  A  plaster  described 
in  Oribasius.  Celsus  describes  one  of  the  same  name, 
but  very  different  in  qualities. 

E'LEPHAS,(from  the  Hebrew  term,  ele/ih).  In  che- 
mistry itsignifiesr/</;<o/b?Y(.'j;  in  zoology,  thelarge  animal 
called  an  elcjiliant ;  in  nosology,  the  elephantiasis. 

ELE'RSNA.     See  MOI.YBD.ENA. 

ELE'TTARI.     See  CARDAMOMUM. 

ELE'TTARI  PRIMUM.     SeeAiuoMUM. 

ELUTHE'RIA.     See  THURIS  CORTEX. 

ELEVA'TIO,  (from  elevo,  to  lift  up).     See  SUBLI- 

MATIO. 

ELEVATOR  AURI'CULjE.  This  muscle  arises 
from  the  external  termination  of  the  frontal  muscle,  it  be- 
ing formed  of  different  fleshy  fibres  covering  the  tempo- 
ral muscle;  and  being  thin  and  membranous,  is  carried 
over  it;  then  growing  narrower,  is  inserted  into  the 
upper  part  of  the  ear,  bringing  it  upward  and  forward. 

ELEVA'TOR      LA'BII      INFERIO'RIS.       See     LEVATOR 

LABII  IN'FERIORIS. 

ELEVA'TOR  LABII   SUPERIORIS.     See  LEVATOR   LABII 

SUPERIORIS. 

ELEVA'TOR      LABIO'KUM.         See      LEVATOR      COM- 

MUN'IS. 

ELEVA'TOR   NA'SI    ALA 'RUM.      These   jnuscles  arise 


from  the  top  of  the  bone  of  the  nose  near  the  lachrynuu 
cavity,  with  a  sharp  and  fleshy  beginning,  and  falling 
down  towards  its  sides  in  a  triangular  figure,  not  much 
unlike  the  Greek  letter  A,  run  downwards  the  length 
of  the  bone,  and  are  inserted  broad  and  fleshy  into  the 
aiae  nasi. 

ELEVA'-TOR  O'CULI  ;  sufierbus,  attollens,  and  rectus 
superior.  This  muscle  rises  from  the  bottom  of  the 
socket,  near  the  hole  which  gives  a  passage  to  the  optic 
nerve  ;  then  passing  over  the  upper  part  of  the  globe 
of  the  eye,  is  inserted  into  the  superior  and  anterior 
part  of  the  sclerotica. 

•ELEVA'TOH    PA'LPEBR/E    SUPERIO'RIS.     See  LEVATOU 

PALPEBRjE  SUPERIORIS. 

ELEVATO'RES  A'NI.     See  LEVATORES  ANI. 

ELEVATO'RIUM,  (from  elevo,  to  lift  up).  An 
ELEVATOR.  An  instrument  to  raise  a  depression  in  the 
skull. 

ELHA'NNE  A'RABUM.     Sec  LIGUSTRUM  INDI- 

CUM. 

ELICHRY'SUM.  HELYCHRYSOX,  (from  >iA(©~, 
the  sun,  and  %fv rot,,  gold  ;  from  their  shining  yellow 
appearance).  Gotdylockx.  It  is  a  small,  shrubby,  downy 
plant,  clothed  with  long  very  narrow  leaves,  producing 
on  the  tops  of  the  branches  several  small  round  heads 
of  bright  yellow  scaly  flowers;  a  native  of  the  southern 
parts  of  France;  flowers  in  May  and  June,  and  holds  its 
leaves  all  the  winter. 

ELICHRY'SUM,  COMA  AUREA,  called  also  linaria  au- 
rea,  li-no&yriS)  iiirga  mtrea,  conyza,  gnaphalium  lutcit ;;/, 
and  GERMAN  GOLDYLOCKS,  gnu/thulium  st&chas  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1193.  It  is  cultivated  in  gardens,  and  flowers 
in  May.  The  flowers  are  said  to  be  diuretic. 

ELICHRY'SUM,    called  also    chrysocome,  coma  aurea, 

GOLDEN      MAIDEN     HAIR,      GOLDEN    STOCCHAS,    GOLDEN    Or 

YELLOW  CASIDONY,  GOLDYLOCKS,  c/irysocoma  f oma  aurc a 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1177. 

The  flowers,  naturally  dry  "and  firm,  retain  thciv 
figure  and  glossy  yellow  colour  for  years.  Both  the 
flowers  and  leaves,  if  rubbed  a -little,  smell  strongly, 
and  have  the  flavour  of  musk  ;  but  to  the  tasie  ai  e 
warm,  pungent,  bitterish,  and  astringent.  Water  and 
rectified  spirit  take  up  their  flavour  in  distillation  and 
infusion.  It  is  not  much. used  in  medicine,  although  it 
has  been  esteemed  as  astringent  and  tonic:  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica,  or  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

ELICHRY'SUM  MONTANUM.  See  GNAPHAI.IUM  MO.N- 
TANUM  ;  g.  dhiciim  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1199. 

ELI'DRION.  Rulandus  says,  itismastich;  mere -iir\  ; 
rapontic;  or  a  mixture  of  silver,  brass,  and  gold. 

ELI'GII  MO'RBUS.    See  FZSTULA. 

ELIQUA'TIO,  ELIQATION,  (from  elir/uo,  to  melt 
down,)  an  operation  by  which  a  more  fusible  substance 
is  separated  from  one  less  fusible,  by  means  of  a  heat 
sufficiently  intense  to  melt  the  former,  but  not  the  lat- 
ter. Thus,  an  allay  of  copper  and  lead  may  be  sepa- 
rated by  applying  a  heat  which  shall  melt  the  lead,  but 
not  the  copper. 

ELITIIROI'DES.     See  TESTES. 

ELI'XIR,  (from  the  Arabic  term  al-easir,  or  che- 
mistry,  an  appropriate  production  of  the  chemical  art,) 
sometimes,  according  to  Lemery,  called  enc/iy/oma.  An 
elixir  is  only  a  compound  tincture. 

ELI'XIR    A'LOES,    and    ELI'XIR    PUOPKII.TA'TIS. 
trhlicum.     See  ALOES. 


E  M  A 


.599 


EMB 


Kn'xlR  MY'RRH,£   COM1'.   and  ELl'xlR   UTERI 'XUM.     See 

MYRHHA. 

ELI'XIS,  (from  *u%a,  to  lick).     See  Lixcruh. 

ELIXI VIATIC),  (from  eli.ro,  to  boil).  EI.IXIVI.V- 
TIOX  ;  the  operation  by  which  a  fixed  salt  is  extracted 
from  the  ashes  of  vegetables,  by  an  affusion  of  water. 

E'LLEBOKINE.       See    HELLERORUS    NIGER  HOR- 

TENS. 

E'LLEBORUS.     See  HELLEBORCS. 

E'LLOBOS,  (from  e»,  in,  and  A»£»s,  a  /oie).  An  epi- 
thet for  such  seeds  or  fruits  as  are  in  pods  or  lobes. 

E'LLY'CHXIOX,  and  E'LLYCHXIOTOS,  (from 
AugMf,  a  lamfi).  The  WICK  OF  A  LAMP  or  CANDLE. 
These  were  made  of  the  papyrus,  of  the  fruit  of  the 
ricinus,  £cc.;  used  by  the  ancients  instead  of  cotton. 

ELMI'XTHES,  (from  ei*ia,  to  involve  ;  from  their 
contortions).  See  YEHMES. 

ELO'DES,  from  ites,  a  swamp;  from  the  great 
moisture  attending  it).  This  is  a  species  of  tritaeophya, 
or  remittent  fever,  of  the  typhous  kind,  which  usually 
terminates  in  fourteen  or  twenty -one  days  :  it  is  epide- 
mic, though  not  strikingly  contagious;  and  from  the 
beginning  of  the  disease,  through  its  course,  profuse 
sweating  attends.  It  differs  from  the  sweating  sickness, 
supposed  to  be  peculiar  to  England,  in  its  type,  duration, 
and  degree  of  debility. 

ELO'GIUM.for  ELLOGIUM,  (from  n,  and  *»y»<, 
ratirj).  See  REXUXCIATIO. 

ELOXGA'TIO,  (from  elongo,  to  lengthen  out).  See 
Lux.vno. 

ELOPHOBO'SCUM.     See  CARA  BRASILIEXSIBUS. 

E'LITZ.     See  JK.RIS  FLOS. 

EI.UTRIA'TIO.  ELUTRIATION,  (from  elutro,  to 
decant).  This  is  an  operation  performed  by  washing 
solid  substances  with  water,  stirring  them  well  together, 
and  hastily  pouring  off  the  water",  while  the  lighter 
part  remains  suspended  in  the  agitated  fluid,  that  it  may 
be  separated  from  the  heavier  part.  By  this  operation 
metallic  ores  are  cleansed  from  the  earth,  stones,  and 
other  lighter  unmetallic  parts  adhering  to  them. 

ELU'VIES,  (from  eluo,  to  wash  out).  The  humour 
discharged  in  a  fluor  albus.  Pechlinus. 

ELL  XA'TIO.     See  LUXATIO. 

ELYMAGRO'STIS,  (from  fAe/fw?,  the  herb  panic, 
and  tt'/eae-l^,  wild).  See  PAXICUM. 

E'LYMOS.  The  H£RB  PANIC,  (from  tibia,  to  in- 
volve ;  because  its  seeds  are  covered  by  an  involucrum). 

ELYTHROI'DES  or  ELITHROIDES,  (from  i/t»- 
rfti, -vagina,  and  it$o$,form).  The  tunica  vaginalis  of 
the  testis.  Sec  TKSTES. 

ELYTROCE'LE,  (from  thvlfti,  vagina,  and  x>;A!!, 
hernia).  See  HERNIA  VAGIXALIS. 

ELY'TROX,  (from  thw,  to  involve,  or  cover).  A 
covering  or  sheath.  Hippocrates  calls  the  membranes 
which  involve  the  spinal  marrow  eto'.nt. 

EMACIA'XTES,  (from  emacio,  to  mate  lean}.  Dis- 
eases that  occasion  a  wasting  of  the  whole  body. 

EMA'XSIO.  Etmuller  uses  this  word  instead  of 
suppressio,  when  speaking  of  suppressed  menses. 
Emansio  mensium,  is  the  retention  or  absence  of  the 
menses  beyond  their  usual  period  of  appearing.  See 
MENSES  DEFICIKNTES. 

EMARGIXA'TIO,  (from  emargino,  to  cleanse  the 
edges,)  cleansing  a  wound  of  the  scurf  about  its  edge. 


EMARGIXA'TUS.  EMARGINATE,  (from  e, 
and  margo,  margin,}  deficient  in  its  margin  :  when  ap- 
plied to  the  apex  of  a  leaf,  it  signifies  terminating  in  a 
notch,  the  margin  being  discontinued  or  broken. 

EMASCULA'TUS,  (from  cmasculo,  to  castrate). 
Si-e  MALAZISSATVS. 

EMBA'MMA,  vd  BA'.MMA,  (from  /3**-7«,  to  im- 
merge,  or  dip,)  a/iobamma.  A  sauce  or  pickle  to  dip 
victuals  in.  Mustard  is  a  kind  of  embamma.  It  some- 
times means  a  slight  tincture,  and  is  applied  to  water  in 
which  hot  iron  hath  been  quenched. 

EMBA'PHIOX.  A  CRUET  for  containing  embam- 
mas. 

E'MBASIS,  (from  e»,  and  /3*<»«,  to  go}.    See  DEXA- 

MENE. 

E'MBLEG.     See  MYROBALANI  EMBLICI. 

E'MBOLE,  (from  f.«./3*AA«,  to  put  in').  The  reduc- 
tion or  setting  of  a  dislocated  bone.  See  LUXATIO. 

EMBORI'SMA.  "  See  ANEURISMA. 

E'MBOTUM.  A  FUNNEL  conveying  fumes  into  any 
part  of  the  body. 

EMBRE'GMA,  EMBROCA'TIO,  (from  ,f4ftK», 
to  moisten,  sprinkle,  or  soak  in).  EMBROCATION',  em- 
pluvium,  embroche,  and  cataclytmus.  It  is  an  external 
fluid  application,  usually  prepared  of  volatile  and  spi- 
rituous ingredients,  and  mostly  used  to  relieve  pains, 
numbness,  or  palsies.  See  LOTIO. 

E'MBROCHE,  (from  c^f'K",  to  make  wet).  See 
EMBROCATIO,  and  FOTUS. 

EMBRONTE'TOS,  (from  /3g«7»,  thunder,}  thun- 
derstruck. See  APOPLECTICI. 

E'MBRYO.  An  EMBRIO,  (from  tv,  in,  and  fipw,  to 
bud).  A  CHILD  ix  THE  WOMB;  but  Hippocrates  con- 
fines the  term  to  the  child  in  its  third  stage,  that  is,  be- 
fore it  is  complete.  See  COXCEPTIO. 

Galen  remarks  that  the  Greeks  did  not  call  the  foetus 
under  two  months  old  by  the  name  of  embryon,  but 
named  it  cuema  ;  but  others  styled  it  embryon  during 
the  whole  time  of  its  being  in  the  womb.  Homer  ap- 
plies the  term  embryon  to  the  foetus  of  brutes,  and 
Theophrastus  to  the  seeds  of  plants ;  and  they  are  fol- 
lowed by  all  the  moderns. 

EMBRY  OXUM  BALSAMUM  vel  SPT.  It  is  a 
prescription  of  Bates ;  but  in  point  of  excellency  is  ex- 
ceeded by  a  mixture  of  the  spirituous  aniseseed  water 
and  simple  cinnamon  water,  in  equal  parts. 

EMBRYOTHLA'STES,  (from  tt£?wi,  afxtus,  and 
SA*»,  to  break).  An  instrument  to  break  the  bones  of 
a  fetus,  in  order  to  its  more  easy  delivery  ;  or  a  crotchet 
for  extracting  a  foetus.  See  EMBRVL-LCIA. 

EMBRYOTO'MIA.  EMBRIOTOMY,  from  «ft?jt/«», 
a  fetus,  and  rcpia,  to  cut).  It  is  the  division  of  the 
child  while  in  the  womb,  in  order  to  its  easier  de- 
livery. 

EMBRYU'LCUS.  (from  efiGgvo*,  afatus,  and  tA*«,  to 
draw).  The  instrument  required  for  artificial  delivery, 
or  embryulcia. 

EMBRYU'LCIA,  (from  «/*£;;»»,  «  fxtus,  and  i*«.a, 
to  draw}.  A  hook  for  the  extraction  of  a  child  when 
labour  is  difficult.  In  the  present  practice  of  midwifery, 
as  circumstances  vary,  the  fcetus  is  drawn  from  the 
uterus  by  the  blunt  hook,  the  straight  forceps,  the 
curved  forceps,  or  the  crotchet :  the  latter  would  be 
fatal  to  the  child,  if  alive,  so  that  it  is  seldom  employed 


E  MB 


600 


EME 


unless  it  is  known  to  be  dead  ;  but  its  delivery  is  only 
expedited  and  facilitated  by  the  other  three. 

The  blunt  hook  is  used  when  the  child  presents  with 
its  breech,  and  the  pains  are  not  sufficient  for  effecting 
its  delivery.  In  this  case  the  hook  is  carefully  to  be 
fixed  in  the  groin  of  the  child,  and,  as  the  pains  return 
nature  must  be  assisted  by  gently  pulling  with  the  hook; 
but  if  much  strength  is  required,  it  is  still  better  to 
leave  the  delivery  to  the  usual  assistance  of  the  hands 
only  with  the  labour  pains,  because  the  hook  may  dislo- 
cate or  break  the  thigh  of  the  child.  When  the  hook 
is  used,  it  should  be  taken  away  as  soon  as  the  finger 
can  be  fixed  in  the  child's  groin. 

The  crotchets  are  used  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
forceps,  except  that  the  crotchet,  having  a  hook  at  its 
point,  is  forced  into  the  part  to  which  it  is  applied. 

The  straight  forceps  are  used  for  bringing  the  head 
of  the  child  forward,  when,  by  reason  of  its  size,  or  the 
want  of  pains,  it  cannot  otherwise  be  protruded  ;  but 
much  care  should  be  taken  in  using  them.  They  are 
never  to  be  employed  while  the  head  is  above  the  brim 
of  the  pelvis,  and  indeed  very  rarely  when  it  has  de- 
scended lower.  Dr.  Hunter  absolutely  forbids  their 
use,  if  they  can  possibly  be  avoided,  consistently  with 
the  safety  of  the  child  ;  for,  if  time  is  allowed,  the  parts 
will  dilate,  and  the  head  will  be  moulded  so  as  to  pass 
with  the  least  possible  violence. 

The  forceps,  as  improved  by  Smellie,  are  the  best ; 
he  reduced  their  length,  to  prevent  their  being  used 
before  the  head  is  sufficiently  low.  They  should  not  be 
applied  before  the  ears  can  be  felt,  and  previous  to  their 
use  the  following  rules  should  be  observed  : 

1.  The  external  parts  should  be  sufficiently  dilated. 

2.  The  exact   situation  of  the   child's  head  should 
be   known ;   and  this  is  best  discovered  by  feeling  one 
ear. 

3.  A  finger  should  be  in  the  os  internum  to  guide 
the  forceps,  lest  a  part  of  the  uterus  itself  should  be  in- 
cluded in  them.     When  the  finger  cannot  be   thus  in- 
troduced, great  care  is  required  in  passing  the  forceps 
along  the  side  of  the  child's  head. 

4.  The  blades  of  the  forceps  should  be  well  greased 
before  they  are  introduced. 

5.  If  possible,  apply  the  blades  over  the  child's  ears; 
for  thus  they  are  placed  on  the  narrowest  part  of  the 
head  ;  when  this  cannot  be  done,  fix  one  before  one  ear, 
and  the  other  behind  the  opposite  one. 

6.  The  forceps  should  be  passed  up  in  the  direction 
of  a  line  that  may  be  supposed  to  pass  through  betwixt 
the  navel  and  the  scrobiculus  cordis  ;  at  the  same  time 
keeping  the  handles  as  far  back  as  the  perineum  will 
easily  admit.     When  the  forceps  are  secure,  pull  them 
from  blade  to  blade  ;  for  otherwise  they  are  apt  to  slip 
off. 

7.  The  handles  should  be  tied  tight  before  the  opera- 
tor begins  to  pull  downwards  with  them  ;  and  when  the 
two  blades  are  locked,  the  lock  should  be  about  an  inch 
from  the  child's  head. 

8.  As  the  child's  head  advances,  the  operator  should 
alternately  rest  and  pull  while  the  perinaeum  is  on  the 
stretch,  and  until  the  vertex  is  brought  from  under  the 
os  pubis;  then  the  handles  of  the  forceps  being  gradu- 
ally raised  towards  the  mother's  belly,  and  the  pulling 
repeated  with  caution,  whilst  with  one  hand  the  peri- 


nseum  is  supported,  the  forehead  will  be  freed  from  it. 
The  forceps  are  now  to  be  taken  away,  and  the  delivery 
finished,  as  is  usual,  with  the  hands  alone. 

The  different  cases  in  which  these  forceps  are  requir- 
ed may.be  seen  under  the  article  PRESENT ATIO. 

The  long  curved  forceps  were  invented  by  Smellie, 
with  a  view  to  save  the  life  of  the  child,  when,  the  body 
being  delivered,  the  head  could  not  be  brought  away  in 
the  usual  manner.  In  this  case  the  crotchet  was  for- 
merly used.  These  forceps  are  longer  than  the  straight 
ones,  because  they  are  applied  when  the  head  of  the 
child  is  above  the  brim  of  the  pelvis ;  but  as  it  can  very 
rarely  happen  that  where  the  buttocks  have  passed  (es- 
pecially when  doubled,  as  in  breech  presentations)  the 
head  will  be  detained,  these  instruments  are  scarcely 
ever  necessary.  Indeed,  when  the  head  is  separated 
from  the  body,  and  left  in  the  uterus,  if  the  pelvis  be 
much  distorted,  the  long  curved  forceps  may  sometimes 
be  preferable  to  the  straight  ones ;  but  in  this  case,  if 
the  size  of  the  head  is  lessened  by  emptying  it  of  part 
of  the  brain,  the  delivery  may  generally  be  effected  by 
one  hand  and  one  blade  of  a  crotchet.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  advantages  proposed  by  the  u'se  of  the  foregoing 
instruments,  in  some  cases  they  are  unavailing  :  it  is 
then  advised  to  open  the  head  by  the  use  of  a  large 
pair  of  scissors,  with  a  stop  put  on  the  outward  edge 
of  each  blade,  about  the  middle ;  the  inner  edges  of 
which  are  blunted  downwards.  These  contrivances  are, 
first,  to  stop  the  scissors  before  they  are  expanded  in  a 
proper  situation,  and  to  prevent  cutting  the  vagina 
or  uterus,  in  occasionally  closing  them.  See  PR.SSEN- 
TATIO,  cases  where  the  head  presents,  which  will  show 
the  utility  of  these  instruments  more  clearly.  See  the 
figures  of  these  instruments  represented  in  plate*  5  of 
Midwifeiy,  No.  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  15.. 

E'MBULA.     A  PIPE. 

.  EMBULA'RCHI  SUFFUMI'GIUM.     A  SUFFUMI- 
GATION,  described  by  JEtius. 

E'MERUS,  also  colutea,  scorftioides  major,  and  sena, 
scorfiium,  colutea  humilis,  colutea  scorftioides  humilis, 
colutea  siliguosa  minor,  coronilla  montana,  and  LESSER 
SCORPION  SENA  ;  coronilla  emerus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1046. 
It  grows  on  hilly  places ;  its  leaves  are  cathartic,  and 
poor  people  sometimes  gather  and  use  them  for  that 
purpose. 

E'MERUS  AMERICA 'NUS.     See  INDICUM. 

EME'SIA,  EME'SMA,  and  EME'TOS,  (from  i^a, 
to  -vomit).  The  action  of  VOMITING. 

EME'TICA,  EMETICS,  (from  ipuu,  to  vomit,}  ano- 
cathartica,  and  -uomitoria  ;  medicines  which  excite  vo- 
miting. 

The  use  of  these  medicines  is  so  extensive,  and  their 
effects  often  so  important,  that  they  will  justify  our 
considering  them  at  some  length.  The  most  simple 
view  we  can  take  of  emetics  is,  that  they  evacuate  the 
stomach  by  the  inverted  action  of  its  own  motions  with 
those  of  the  oesophagus,  assisted  by  the  contraction  of 
the  diaphragm  and  abdominal  muscles.  This  alone  is 
an  object  of  no  little  importance  when  we  consider  the 
extensive  influence  of  this  organ,  and  the  very  danger- 
ous consequences  which  arise  from  its  acrimonious  or 
vitiated  contents.  But  the  advantages  do  not  rest  here. 
The  same  inverted  motion  is  communicated  to  the  duo- 
denum, and,  in  some  degree,  to  the  inferior  partsof  the 


E  M  E 


601 


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nanal.  Into  this  second  stomach,  as  we  have  described 
it,  the  bile  and  pancreatic  juice  are  poured  ;  and,  while 
the  joint  action  of  the  diaphragm  and  the  abdominal 
muscles  compress  the  gall  bladder  to  evacuate  its  con- 
tents, the  inverted  motion  of  the  duodenum  and  stomach 
evacuate  it.  Emetics,  in  this  way,  unite  with  cathar- 
tics in  assisting  the  secretion  and  discharge  of  bile  ;  in 
relieving  or  preventing  infarctions  of  the  liver:  for, 
while  the  latter  promote  the  secretion  by  stimulating 
the  ducts,  the  former  contribute  to  the  same  purpose 
by  an  action  more  strictly  mechanical. 

"We  have  often  had  occasion  to  remark  the  extensive 
influence  of  the  stomach  in  the  animal  economy,  parti- 
cularly its  connexion  with  the  state  of  the  brain  and 
the  extreme  vessels.  The  first  effect  of  emetics,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  connexion,  is  to  produce  a  general  re- 
laxation, approaching  sometimes  to  faintness.  In  this 
state  the  extreme  vessels  sympathise  and  yield,  with 
little  resistance,  to  the  force  of  the  circulation.  Per- 
spiration follows,  which  by  the  action  of  vomiting  is  still 
further  increased;  and,  if  this  is  kept  up  by  other 
means,  the  most  salutary  changes  are  often  produced. 
We  perceive  the  connexion  of  the  stomach  with  the 
head,  rather  in  the  morbid  than  the  salutary  effects. 
During  the  action  of  vomiting,  the  return  of  the  blood 
from  the"  head  is  impeded,  and  all  its  vessels  are  dis- 
tended; which  has  occasioned  some  hesitation  in  the 
use  of  emetics,  when  these  vessels  were  previously 
distended,  as  in  apoplexy  and  palsy.  In  such  circum- 
stances, however,  we  find  the  irritation  on  the  brain 
communicated  to  the  stomach,  and  vomiting  excited. 

The  agitation  of  vomiting  has  been  considered  as  use- 
ful ;  but  this  is  a  vague,  indistinct  indication.  Medi- 
cines of  this  kind  have,  however,  been  employed  where 
obstructions  have  been  suspected;  and,  in  the  brain,  the 
alternate  filling  and  emptying  their  vessels  may  contri- 
bute to  excite  and  support  their  action.  We  see  some 
traces  of  such  an  influence  from  their  utility  in  nervous 
diseases,  particularly  in  those  attended  with  general 
languor,  as  hypochondriasis,  and  in  obstructed  menses  ; 
but  more  strikingly  in  the  good  effects  of  very  active 
emetics,  particularly  of  vitriolated  mercury  in  the  cure 
of  gutta  serena.  Another  distant  effect  of  emetics  is 
more  certain :  their  increasing  the  action  of  the  ab- 
sorbent system.  Their  operation,  in  this  way,  is  not 
easily  explained,  but  such  effects  are  well  established ; 
and,  on  this  account,  we  shall  find  them  extremely  ser- 
\iceablc,  when  we  wish  to  promote  the  absorption  of 
purulent  matter  that  we  cannot  with  ease  or  safety  eva- 
cuate. They  cannot  be  employed  to  relieve  the  more 
<-xtensive  accumulations  of  dropsies. 

A  very  important  effect  of  emetics,  referrible  in  part 
to  their  action,  and  sometimes,  perhaps,  to  the  nature 
of  the  medicine,  is  their  power  of  emulging  the  bron- 
chial glands.  On  the  first  access  of  nausea,  we  find  a 
How  of  saliva,  and  a  little  discharge  from  the  bronchise  ; 
but,  when  the  emetic  begins  to  act  with  some  violence, 
this  discharge  is  considerable;  and  no  remedy  is  more 
powerful  in  producing  a  complete  evacuation  of  those 
glands,  or  relieving  them  from  the  infarctions  of  viscid 
mucus.  In  part,  this  effect  may  be  owing  to  the  medi- 
cine ;  for  we  shall  find  some  of  the  most  active  emetics 
to  be  expectorants  also. 

Emetics  arc  of  very  different  kinds.  Some  are  purely 

VOL.    I. 


stimulant,  as  mustard,  volatile  alkali,  and  horse  radish 
root.  Others  are  sedative  or  relaxant.  Opium,  in  large 
doses,  acts  as  an  emetic.  Foxglove,  tobacco,  putrid 
substances,  oil,  and  warm  water,  are  emetics  of  d'M\ 
strength,  nearly  in  their  order.  The  greater  number, 
however,  act  apparently  by  a  peculiar  stimulus.  In 
some  of  these  the  stimulus  is  obvious;  and,  when  the. 
stomach  is  not  affected,  acts  on  other  secretory  organs. 
The  principal  emetics  of  this  kind  are  the  antimonial 
preparations,  which  affect  the  bowels,  the  skin,  and 
sometimes  the  bronchial  glands.  The  mercurials  are 
similar  in  this  respect;  but  the  copper,  zinc,  and  platina, 
which  in  all  their  forms  are  emetic,  seem  not  to  affect 
any  other  glands.  The  acrimony  of  the  squill  and  the 
seneka  root  is  very  general :  they  are  not  only  emetics, 
but  cathartics  and  expectorants.  The  asarabacca  and 
the  groundsel  juice  are  more  limited  in  their  stimulant 
powers.  The  former,  besides  its  emetic  property,  acts 
chiefly  as  an  errhine,  and  the  latter  only  on  the  intes- 
tines. The  ipecacuanha  is  the  connecting  link  between 
these  more  general  stimulants  and  medicines,  which 
seem  to  act  from  a  specific  influence  on  the  stomach. 
There  are  certainly  emetics  which  may  be  referred  to 
this  head.  The  vitriols  of  zinc,  already  mentioned,  not 
to  separate  the  metallic  substances,  have  little  general 
stimulus;  and  the  air  of  the  lungs  which,  when  swal- 
lowed, proves  certainly  emetic,  is  wholly  without  any 
other  power.  Every  nauseous  taste  tends  to  excite  tlu- 
action  of  the  stomach  ;  and  to  this  head  may  be  referred 
the  bitters,  as  wormwood,  camomile  flowers,  the  seeds 
of  the  carduus  benedictus  and  broom.  Putrid  sub- 
stances, and  the  liver  of  sulphur,  act  apparently  in  the 
same  way. 

Other  causes  of  vomiting  are  more  obscure  in  their 
action.  Association  of  ideas  is  a  mental  operation  ;  yet 
a  very  frequent  and  certain  cause  of  vomiting  is,  the  re- 
collection of  objects  connected  with  the  evacuation  of 
the  stomach  at  a  former  pleriod.  Motion  in  a  circle,  in 
a  ship,  or  in  an  unaccustomed  direction,  has  the  same 
effect.  The  motion  of  a  wheel  carriage,  especially  if 
the  windows  are  closed,  or  the  person  sits  in  the  back 
seat  of  a  coach,  will  often  produce  vomiting.  This 
effect,  as  connected  with  the  changes  in  the  common 
sensonum,  must  remain  in  obscurity. 

The  principle  on  which  emetics  act  is  not  readily 
explained.  It  has  been  said  that  they  are  constantly 
sedatives ;  and,  as  plausibly,  that  they  are  always  sti- 
mulant. Very  powerful  emetics  belong  to  each  class, 
yet,  perhaps,  a  different  principle  influences  their  opera- 
tion. The  affection  of  the  stomach  is  apparently  in- 
creased action  ;  but,  in  medicine,  increased  action  is 
sometimes  owing  to  a  defect.  It  is,  more  obviously, 
irregular  action  ;  and  we  might  thus  attribute  vomiting 
to  the  principle  we  have  already  endeavoured  to  esta- 
blish, that  irregular  action  is  connected  with  a  diminu- 
tion of  tone.  We  certainly,  in  this  way,  approach,  at  least, 
very  near  the  truth  ;  and  the  facts  will  in  general  support 
it.  In  every  instance,  however,  except  where  vomiting 
is  owing  to  an  affection  of  the  brain,  there  appears  to  be 
a  substance  inimical  to  the  constitution,  which  the  sto- 
mach, influenced  by  the  vires  medicatrices,  attempts 
to  discharge ;  and  the  necessary  motions  are  "conse- 
quently excited.  Yet  we  must  keep  in  our  view,  that 
languor  and  faintness,  from  any  cause,  will  produce  the 
4  H 


E  M  E 


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same  effect ;  and'we  thus  see  why  causes  of  extreme  de- 
bility will  equally  excite  this  organ,  independent  even  of 
the  presence  of  any  medicine,  certainly  by  the  interven- 
tion of  any  violent  commotion.  In  this  way  may,  pro- 
bably, be  explained  the  experiments  of  those  who  have 
excited  vomiting  by  injections  of  emetic  medicines  into 
the  veins.  In  fact,  every  foreign  substance  in  the  blood 
vessels  excites  such  commotions,  with  faintings  and 
convulsions ;  nor  is  it  surprising  that  the  stomach 
should  equally  suffer.  In  general,  then,  the  most  active 
emetics  are  the  most  powerful  sedatives ;  and  the  whole 
class  of  poisons,  particularly  the  narcotic  cathartics,  are 
violently  emetic. 

The  motions  of  the  stomach  during  the  operation  of 
emetics  are,  as  we  have  said,  inverted.  This  has  been 
proved  by  ocular  observation  ;  and  it  is  equally  certain, 
that  the  action  of  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  oesophagus 
is  equally  inverted.  A  nauseous  draught,  the  repeti- 
tion of  an  emetic,  will  sometimes  excite  the  action  of 
the  oesophagus  only;  and  we  once  saw  it  so  permanently 
excited  by  a  crystal  of  emetic  tartar  sticking  in  it,  that 
the  mildest  fluids  could  not,  for  a  long  time,  pass  into 
the  stomach.  The  action  of  the  fibres  of  the  stomach 
surrounding  the  cardia  is,  in  some  instances,  exclusively 
excited :  as  in  those  who  discharge  wind,  a  small  por- 
tion of  acid,  of  oil,  or  any  substance  swimming  on  the 
surface  of  the  contents  of  the  stomach,  and  producing 
cardialgia.  The  more  violent  exertions  of  this  organ 
alone  discharge  its  whole  contents ;  and  such  exertions 
must  be  strong  and  long  continued  before  they  are  com- 
municated to  the  duodenum.  These  are  not  facts 
merely  of  curiosity,  but  of  great  importance  in  the  exhi- 
bition of  vomits.  It  is  in  vain  to  expect  benefit  from 
them,  if  only  the  slight  ineffectual  discharge  of  a  little 
of  the  tea,  which  has  been  drunk,  takes  place.  The 
strain,  such  as  arises  from  the  action  of  the  greater  cur- 
vature, is  necessary,  if  any  viscid  mucus  is  to  be  evacu- 
ated ;  if  any  effect  on  the  liver  can  be  expected.  The 
evacuation  of  bile  appears  towards  the  end  of  the  ope- 
ration, sometimes  after  the  interval  of  two  or  three 
hours;  frequently  on  taking  in  the  first  draught  of  ne- 
gus, or  a  similar  cordial.  The  expediency  of  the  re- 
medy is  then  triumphantly  pointed  out ;  but,  in  reality, 
the  bile  was  the  effect,  and  was  not  previously  in  the 
stomach.  The  assisting  actions  of  the  diaphragm  and 
abdominal  viscera  are  sufficiently  felt  during  the  opera- 
tion, if  the  facts  were  not  ascertained  by  the  experi- 
ments of  Mr.  Haighton. 

These  observations  are  of  some  importance  in  the 
.administration  of  emetics.  If  the  medicine  is  not  for 
some  time  in  the  stomach  previous  to  the  vomiting, 
the  whole  organ  is  seldom  excited.  It  has  been  usual 
to  direct  that  the  emetic  shall  be  first  discharged,  pro- 
bably from  its  apprehension  of  doing  some  injury.  The 
practice  is,  however,  proper,  from  its  thus  exciting 
every  portion  ;  but,  as  the  vomiting,  without  some  con- 
tents, is  painful,  on  the  first  oppearance  of  sickness  a 
little  camomile  tea  may  be  allowed.  In  the  whole 
operation,  however,  if  more  than  a  half  pint  of  any 
fluid  is  contained  in  the  stomach  atone  time,  the  greater 
is  the  probability  of  its  acting  incompletely.  In  cases 
of  poisons  the  vomiting  is  extremely  violent,  and  we 
then  only  want  to  dilute,  and  to. render  the  action  as 
easy  as^js  consistent  with  the  discharge.  The  dry 


vomits,  as  they  are  called,  where  all  drinking  is  pre- 
cluded, are  painful  remedies,  but  of  great  importance 
in  assisting  the  bronchial  discharges,  or  in  relieving 
visceral  obstructions. 

Opposed  to  the  severity  of  dry  vomits,  are  the  milder 
nauseating  doses  of  an timonials  or  squills.  These  assist, 
in  some  degree,  the  discharge  from  the  branchiae,  but 
not  so  effectually  as  full  vomiting.  Their  chief  ad- 
vantages are  in  the  earlier  state  of  fevers ;  in  which  they, 
in  some  degree,  contribute  to  relieve  the  dryness  of  the 
skin,  and  to  mitigate,  by  this  effect,  the  great  heat. 

The  Use  of  emetics  is  very  extensive.  In  fevers  of 
every  kind  they  are  most  powerful  remedies.  In  in- 
termittents,  the  vomiting,  sometimes  excited  on  the 
accession  by  nature,  has  taught  .us  to  lessen  the  vio- 
lence of  the  paroxysm  by  emetics;  and  occasionally  to 
prevent  it,  by  their  previous  exhibition,  and  continuing 
to  support  the  perspiration  they  excite.  In  every  inter- 
mittent, and  remittents  also,  we  find  bilious  congestions, 
which  active  vomiting  contributes  to  relieve.  By  this 
means  the  paroxysms  of  each  gradually  become  milder ; 
and  there  have  been  many  instances  where  no  other 
remedy  was  required. 

In  continued  fevers  emetics  are  highly  useful,  but 
their  effects  are  not  equally  striking.  The  debilitating 
power  of  every  febrile  attack  affects  the  stomach,  and 
produces  those  irregularities  of  the  digestive  process 
which  we  have  already  described.  The  wholesome 
aliment  is,  in  this  way,  converted  into  an  injurious  load ; 
and  emetics  are  not  more  useful  in  determining  to  the 
skin,  than  in  removing  the  acrimonious  or  putrid 
saburrae.  When  contagion  also  has  been  received, 
though  breathed  with  the  air,  it  immediately  affects  the 
stomach,  producing  a  bad  taste  in  the  mouth.  This, 
with  all  the  subsequent  bad  consequences,  an  emetic, 
followed  by  a  brisk  cathartic,  will  often  remove.  The 
particular  kinds  of  fever  offer  few  remarks  of  import- 
ance. In  the  synocha,  bleeding,  if  it  be  at  all  admiss- 
ible, should  be  premised ;  but  the  young  practitioner, 
eager  with  his  lancet,  should  reflect,  that  every  throb- 
bing pulse  is  not  a  strong  one;  nor  does  every  headach 
portend  approaching  delirium.  Emetics  have  often  been 
of  service  even  in  the  most  inflammatory  fevers,  when 
bleeding  has  not  preceded ;  and  we  should  always  consi- 
der, that  the  most  putrid  fevers  are  sometimes  ushered 
in  by  symptoms  seemingly  inflammatory.  In  the  lower 
putrid  fevers,  emetics  are  useful ;  but  the  nauseating 
doses,  which  may  be  continued  in  inflammatory  fever, 
should  soon  be  omitted  in  the  latter,  as  they  debilitate 
in  a  considerable  degree. 

In  the  next  order,  the  fihtegmasie,  emetics  are  less 
essentially  necessary ;  and,  in  these,  bleeding  must  be 
frequently  premised.  After  vomiting,  the  nauseating 
doses  may  be  continued  with  the  best  effects.  In  the 
pneumonia  they  are  often  important  remedies,  from  their 
power  of  emulging  the  bronchial  glands.  In  fihrenitis, 
though  dangerous  from  increasing  the  accumulation  in 
the  head,  we  are  sometimes  obliged  to  employ  them. 
In  cynanche  they  are  inconvenient,  though  useful,  re- 
medies. When  the  inflammation  terminates  in  sup- 
puration, suffocation  often  impends,  and  then  vomiting-, 
a  precarious  remedy,  which  may  even  bring  on  the  fate 
it  is  intended  to  avert,  may  at  once  rescue  the  victim 
from  the  grave.  Firm  and  steady  must  be  the  physician 


E  ME 


603 


EME 


wljo  prescribes  it;  but  he  who  would  for  a  moment 
hesitate  when  his  patient's  life  is  at  stake,  whatever 
risk  he  may  personally  run,  merits  not  the  name  of  man, 
nor  the  character  of  a  physician.  In  the  other  pyrexiae  we 
find  little  room  for  the  use  of  this  remedy.  In  hepatitis, 
for  obvious  reasons,  it  is  doubtful,  though  sometimes 
useful;  in  enteritis  the  natural  vomiting  is  often  the 
most  troublesome  symptom;  but  in  the  peritonitis  pu- 
trperarum,  emetics,  given  early,  have  been  considered  as 
a  most  certain  remedy.  It  would  give  us  the  greatest 
satisfaction  could  we  confirm  these  assertions.  On 
trial  we  have,  however,  found  them  useful.  In  gout, 
emetics  have  been  employed  to  obviate  the  return  of 
paroxysms;  and  in  rheumatism,  if  bark  be  useful  in  this 
view,  vomits  must  be  equally  so. 

If  the  explanation  we  have  offered  of  febrile  cutane- 
ous diseases  be  correct,  emetics  must  be  a  remedy  of 
peculiar  value  and  importance  in  the  order  exanthema- 
ta. We  need  not  enlarge  on  the  different  kinds,  for  in 
each  these  remedies  are  useful  on  the  first  appearance 
of  fever.  In  those,  however,  attended  with  nervous  or 
putrid  fever,  the  repetition  must  be  attempted  with 
caution. 

In  hemorrhages,  emetics  are  supposed  of  doubtful 
efficacy  ;  but  they  are  more  generally  useful  than  has 
been  supposed.  With  respect  to  the  htemorrhagia  ce- 
rebri  we  shall  reserve  our  observations  for  the  present; 
and  in  epittaxis  we  need  not  have  recourse  to  an  active, 
uncertain  remedy,  when  we  have  more  safe  ones  within 
our  reach.  In  hemoptysis,  emetics  have  been  for- 
bidden; but  with  little  reason.  Dr.  Robinson,  near 
sixty  years  since,  recommended  them  as  safe  and 
effectual  remedies;  and  we  know  that  there  are  none 
which  more  certainly  deserve  this  character:  yet  the 
general  opinion  is  so  decidedly  in  opposition  to  their 
employment,  that,  unless  in  emergency,  we  think  they 
should  not  be  exhibited  ;  or  even  in  emergency  not  pro- 
fessedly as  emetics.  One  of  the  most  obstinate  haemop- 
tyses  the  author  of  this  article  ever  saw,  yielded  only 
;o  the  digitalis,  which  acted  as  a  violent  emetic ;  and 
its  action  was  continued  for  several  days.  The  bleed- 
ing only  ceased  during  the  operation  of  vomiting,  and 
was  finally  stopped.  Vomiting  has  been  employed  with 
success  in  menorrhagia;  but  a  physician  may  brave  po- 
pular prejudice  more  safely  in  any  disease  than  in  female 
ones:  nor  is  their  utility  in  this  complaint  very  clearly 
established.  We  speak,  however,  only  at  present  of 
febrile  msenorrhagia..  In  every  other  kind,  emetics  are 
idedly  injurious. 

Of  the  projhivia,  the  only  genera,  catarrh,  and  dysen- 
.  are  greatly  benefited  by  these  remedies ;  nor  can 
we  add  to  what  we  have  already  remarked  respecting 
their  utility,  or  offer  any  observations  to  limit  their  em- 
ployment. 

The  order  neuroses  offers  abundant  subject  of  discus- 
sion, was  this  a  place  for  extensive  inquiries ;  and  had 
•>ve  not,  in  part,  anticipated  ever)-  essential  remark. 
It  will  be  at  once  obvious,  that  we  refer  to  apoplexy 
and  palsy,  and  the  disputes  which  have  arisen  on  the 
subject.  In  our  former  article  (see  APOPLEXIA)  we 
gave  the  result  of  our  observations ;  and  then  remarked 
that,  though  we  had  been  ourselves  cautious  in  the  ex- 
hibition of  emetics,  we  had  seen  them  employed  b'y 
others  without  injury ;  adding,  that  their  inconveniences 
were  slight  and  transitory,  their  good  effects  consider- 


able and  permanent.  To  this  we  may  now  subjoin  what 
has  since  occurred  in  the  progress  of  our  work,  that  the 
venous  system  of  the  brain  is  apparently  calculated  to 
admit  of  distention,  without  any  essential  injury.  The 
coats  of  many  of  the  sinuses,  particularly  those  at  the 
base  of  the  brain,  admit  easily  of  distention,  are  tor- 
tuous, and  anastomose  freely.  On  the  whole,  then, 
though  we  must  consider  emetics  as  remedies  some- 
what precarious,  we  think  that  they  ought  to  be  em- 
ployed in  such  circumstances;  and  on  taxing,  most 
impartially,  our  recollection,  we  cannot  find  that,  in  a 
single  instance,  in  our  hands,  or  those  of  others,  they 
have  been  hurtful.  On  the  contrary,  we  have  very 
often  found  them  beneficial. 

In  the  adynamiee,  emetics  are  of  very  extensive 
utility.  They  are  pf  doubtful  efficacy  in  syncofie,  when 
the  disease  arises  from  a  topical  affection  of  the  heart 
and  larger  arteries,  or  when  owing  to  debility,  or  an  ex- 
hausted constitution.  In  many,  perhaps  the  greater 
number  of  instances,  fainting  proceeds  from  accumula- 
tions in  the  stomach,  and  emetics  are  then  absolutely 
necessary.  In  dyspepsia,  hyfiochondriasis,  and  chlorosis, 
they  are  remedies  of  the  greatest  importance. 

The  order  styled  spasmi  is  a  group  of  diseases  scarcely 
connected.  Palfiitatio,  however,  like  syncope,  more 
commonly  depends  on  accumulations  in  the  stomach  and 
bowels  than  on  any  other  cause;  and  asthma,  with 
dyspnea,  as  we  have  seen,  is  greatly  relieved  by  the 
operation  of  emetics,  when  not  owing  to  any  topical 
affection  of  the  heart  and  arteries.  If  any  medicine  be 
useful  in  pertussis,  it  is  occasional  vomiting;  but  -the 
pyrosis  is  a  spasmodic  complaint,  and  ultimately  cured 
by  a  very  different  plan.  Emetics  are  often  useful  as 
temporary  palliatives.  In  colica,  in  cholera,  and  diarr- 
hea, we  have  had  occasion  to  point  out  their  utility ;  but 
in  hysteria,  though  sometimes  necessary,  they  are  of 
doubtful  efficacy.  In  the  other  genera  they  are  not 
employed,  or  only  occasionally  useful. 

In  the  -vesaniis,  emetics  are  the  most  important  re- 
medies. When  the  disease  is  not  connected  with  the 
stomach,  which  generally  happens,  they  are  probably 
useful  by  the  agitation  formerly  mentioned  among  their 
effects. 

In  the  first  order  of  the  cachexitt,  the  marcores,  we 
find  little  foundation  for  their  employment;  yet,  as  in 
tabes  the  hectic  fever  is  mentioned,  they  may  appear 
to  be  indicated.  But  the  fever,  in  this  case,  is  from 
debility  only,  the  exacerbation  of  the  common  evening 
paroxysm.  It  reminds  us,  however,  of  an  omisskm, 
which  we  must  supply,  the  utility  of  emetics  in  phthisis; 
a  disease  that  has  no  appropriate  place  in  the  system  of 
Dr.  Cullen,  which  we  have  chiefly  followed.  Whether 
we  consider  the  fever  as  a  remittent,  the  bronchial 
glands  as  infarcted,  or  the  existence  of  purulent  matter 
in  a  concealed  abscess,  emetics  appear  to  be  medicines 
of  the  greatest  utility.  In  fact,  they  are  so ;  and  could 
phthisis  be  ever  cured,  it  would  be  by  the  joint 
action  of  emetics  and  blisters.  No  remedy  is  so  gene- 
rally useful  as  a  slight  emetic,  frequently  repeated;  it 
checks  the  fever,  relieves  the  burning  heat,  renders  the 
respiration  more  free,  and  the  cough  more  loose.  Yet 
hseret,  later!  lethalis  arundo,  emetics  will  not  cure. 
In  dropsies  we  have  mentioned  the  occasional  utility  of 
natural  vomiting,  and  stated  that  we  have  not  yet  been 
able  to  imitate  it  by  art;  but  in  hydrocephalus  and 

I   2 


E  M  E 


604 


EMO 


hydrothorax  it  is  inadmissible.  We  find  a  few  solitary 
cases  where  the  water  in  hydrocele^  a  partial  dropsy, 
has  been  evacuated  in  this  way. 

For  the  various  genera  of  the  order  imjietigenca  we 
find  little  room  forthc  use  of  this  remedy.  Iffra?n6(£sia, 
as  Dr.  Adams  thinks  (Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society, 
vol.  vi.),  be  an   exanthema,  emetics  may  be  of  service, 
as  they  very  certainly  are  in  icterus.     Even  where  the 
pain  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach  is  violent,  and  the  exist- 
ence of  a  calculus  unequivocal,  though  emetics  may 
for  a  time  increase  the  pain,  the  relaxation  which  they 
produce  assists  its  passage.     Neither  in  accidental  nor 
in  artificial  vomiting  have  we  ever  found,  in  this  case, 
any  inflammation  (the   great  source  of  alarm)  follow. 
Emetics  are  of  more  importance  in  the  last  class  of  dis- 
eases, than  from  their  local  nature  might  be  expected. 
In  every  case  of  obstructed  sense,  where  the  cause  is  not 
so  firmly  fixed  as  to  resist  every  power,  these  remedies 
are  useful ;  in  the  caligo  for  instance,  a  maurosis,  dys<zcia, 
and  ageustia;  in  the  greater  number  of  depraved  and 
deficient  appetites ;  and  in  some  of  the  depraved  or  ir- 
regular motions.  In  the  a/iocenoses,  the  passive  haemorr- 
hages, or  mucous  discharges,  they  are  certainly  injurious. 
In  the  e/rischeses,  if  we  except  the  amenarrhaa,  and  in 
the  tumores,  except  the  purulent  ones,  they  are  hurtful. 
The  choice  of  emetics  is  a  subject  of  some  importance ; 
but  it  is  chiefly  regulated  by  the  quickness  or  the  vio- 
lence of  their  action.      The  most  quickly  operating 
emetic,  in  cases  of  emergency,  is  the  white  vitriol ;  the 
most  violent  is  the  turbith  mineral.     It  is  common  to 
select  the  mercurial  emetics  in  venereal  cases ;  but  this 
plan  is  not  attended  with  peculiar  advantages.     We 
have  often  thought  it  singular  that  the  squills  are  not 
more  frequently  employee!  for  this  purpose  in  asthma 
or  pneumonia.  They  indeed  produce  a  very  permanent 
and  distressing  nausea,    and  are  often  employed    as 
nauseating  remedies;  but  we  suspect  that  they  might 
be  particularly  useful  if  given  in  these  cases  so  as  to 
produce  full  vomiting.     In  such  instances  physicians 
seem  to  prefer  the  antimonial  emetics,  and  it  must  be 
allowed  that  the  squills  are  very  uncertain   in   their 
operation. 

Emetics  are  injurious  when  there  is  any  original  defect 
in  the  head,  in  the  heart  and  larger  arteries,  or,  perhaps, 
in  the  abdominal  viscera,  if  we  except  the  liver;  in  the 
aneurisms  of  the  larger  vessels,  in  the  delicate  and  the 
weak,  if  particularly  plethoric.  If  no  plethora  exists, 
debility  is  seldom  so  considerable  as  to  contraindicate 
vomiting,  should  there  be  any  foundation  for  thinking 
it  may  produce  real  good  effect. 

With  respect  to  the  administration,  we  have  little  to 
udd  to  what  we  have  already  remarked.  In  cases  of 
fever  we  prefer  the  evening;  in  asthmatic  cases,  the 
morning;  in  hectics,  the  period  when  the  febrile  ac- 
cession is  most  strongly  marked.  In  the  other  disorders 
there  is  little  choice  of  time.  The  preferable  form  is  a 
liquid;  and  were  the  preparation  of  the  ipecacuanha 
wine  to  be  always  depended  on,  this  would  be  the  best 
form  of  a  medicine  almost  universally  employed  as  an 
emetic,  since  the  powder,  apparently  entangled  in  the 
coats  of  the  stomach,  sometimes  occasions  a  continuance 
of  painful  retchings.  Those  who  have  repeatedly  taken 
this  medicine  often  find  even  the  smell  or  taste  sufficient 
to  excite  vomiting;  and,  from  what  has  been  said,  it 
will  be  obvious  that  such  vomiting  v/ill  be  ineffectual. 


To  patients  of  this  class  it  may  be  given  in  pills,  or  the 
tartarised  antimony  may  be  substituted. 

Vomits,  taken  in  the  morning,  should  be  allowed  to 
produce  their  operation  in  bed.  In  the  evening,  if  not 
taken  in  bed,  the  patient  should  immediately  retire  to 
it,  without  exposing  himself  to  any  chill.  At  any  other 
period  of  the  day,  cold,  after  the  vomiting,  should  be 
carefully  avoided. 

Any  warm  liquid  may  be  employed  to  facilitate  tha 
action  of  the  emetic ;  but  the  camomile,  the  carduus 
tea,  mustard  infusion,  or  whey,  or  the  volatile  alkali 
added  to  the  bitter  infusions,  greatly  facilitate  it. 

EMETI'CUM  MI'TE.  The  mild  emetic  of  Boer- 
haave  is  made  by  deflagrating  one  part  of  crude  anti- 
mony with  two  of  nitre.  By  this  process  all  the  sul- 
phur is  consumed,  and  a  large  proportion  of  oxygen 
combined  with  the  metal,  which  reduces  it  to  the 
state  of  an  inert  earth ;  it  is  therefore,  in  every  sense, 
mild. 

EME'TICUM  VI'NUM.     See  ANTIMONIALE  VINUM. 
EMETOCATHA'RTICUM,   (from  «(««,   and  **- 
6x.tau}.     A  medicine  which  operates  both  by  vomit  and 
stool. 

EMISSA'RIUM,  (from  cmitto,  to  send  forth}.  An 
EMISSARY.  In  medicine  it  is  any  outlet,  whether  natural 
or  morbid,  from  which  any  thing  is  discharged. 

EMMENAGO'GA,  EMMENAGOGUES,  (from  tw/,v«.. 
the  menstrual  discharges,  and«ys>,  to  prof i el,)  menago- 
ga;  medicines  suited  to  promote  the  menstrual  flux  in 
women;  or  to  excite  and  restore  it  when  retained  01 
suppressed. 

The  establishment  of  this  class  has  occasioned  much 
hypercriticism ;  yet,  as  pointing  out  a  change  to  be  pro- 
duced, it  is  equally  proper  with  emetics  or  cathartics ; 
nor  is  it  an  objection  that  we  must  produce  the  change 
through  some  medium,  and  not  by  any  direct  action  on 
the  vessels  themselves. 

Emmenagogues  are  general  or  partial  stimulants, 
tonics,  or  antispasmodics.  We  cannot,  however,  en- 
large on  their  utility  or  application,  while  the  cause  of 
the  discharge  itself  has  not  been  investigated.  We  are 
compelled,  therefore,  to  defer  the  consideration  to  a 
future  part  of  the  work,  and  trust  then  to  be  able  to 
give  a  comprehensive  account  of  the  whole  subject : 
we  shall  endeavour  to  give  a  satisfactory  one.  See 
MENSES. 

EMME'NIA,  (from  JM.DV,  a  month}.     See  MENSES. 
EMMO'TOS,  (from   ^?o5,    lint}.      An  epithet    for 
persons,  parts  of  the  body,  or  disorders,  that  require 
lint  for  the  cure. 

EMO'DIA,  (from  f»,  and  eJ»t>;,  dens}.     A  STUPOR  OK 

THE    TEETH. 

EMOLLIE'NTIA,  (from  emollio,  to  soften).  EMOL- 
LIENTS, malacticos.  Medicines  which  lessen  the  force 
of  cohesion  in  our  simple  solids,  and  therefore  soften 
and  diminish  the  hardness  and  rigidity  of  the  parts  to 
which  they  are  applied.  They  not  only  relax  the  solids, 
but  also  sheath  and  defend  them  from  the  acrimony  of 
the  fluids.  When  externally  applied,  they  are  termed 
emollientia;  internally  administered,  demulcentia.  (See 
DEMULCENTIA.)  Dr.  Cullen  thinks  that  emollients 
act  upon  the  parts  to  which  they  are  immediately  ap- 
pTied,  either  by  insinuating  themselves  into  the  sub- 
stance of  the  solid,  and  diminishing  the  density  and 
force  of  cohesion  of  the  mixt;  or,  by  being  insinuated 


BMP 


605 


EMI' 


into  the  interstices  of  dry  particles,  they  diminish  the 
friction  that  might  otherwise  occur,  and  thereby  render 
the  whole  more  flexible. 

We  have  not,  however,  the  slightest  evidence  that 
any  permanent  change  can  be  made  in  the  mixt,  by 
:!K  lemporary  application  of  oil  or  warm  water.  The 
nervous  system  is  relaxed  by  warmth,  and  the  simple 
soliiis  partake  of  the  change ;  but  it  is  temporary  only. 
A  permanent  change  is  only  produced  by  a  warm 
climate,  or  some  relaxing  occupation.  In  the  simple 
solids  we  only  find  a  greater  flexibility,  in  consequence 
of  emollients,  which  in  Dr.  Cullen's  system  appears  to 
be  correctly  explained. 

Emollient  topics  are  formed  of  water,  oily  and  mu- 
cilaginous substances.  Water,  particularly  when  assisted 
a  moderate  heat,  is  plentifully  absorbed  from  the 
whole  surface  of  the  body.  It  powerfully  relaxes  and 
dilutes,  being  miscible,  though  it  does  not  enter  into 
the  composition  of  the  solid,  with  almost  every  animal 
fluid.  Oil  relaxes  and  obtunds  what  is  rigid  and  acri- 
monious; and  mucilage  equally  sheaths  sharp  humours. 
In  compositions  of  this  kind,  the  aqueous  part  should  be 
freely  admitted,  for  the  mucilages  require  to  be  largely 
diluted  ;  gentle  friction  on  the  part  increases  their  effi- 
cacy, by  promoting  the  circulation ;  but  the  heat  with 
which  they  are  applied  should  not  exceed  what  pro- 
duces a  pleasing  sensation.  From  the  relaxing  and  de- 
mulcent quality  of  emollient  topics,  they  are  useful 
sedative  applications,  when  pain  from  tension,  or  from 
irritation,  is  excited  :  from  the  sympathy  of  the  nerves, 
their  efficacy  is  conveyed  to  distant  and  deep  seated 
parts ;  and  thus  the  warm  bath  proves  so  powerful  a 
sedative.  From  the  same  principles  these  applications 
are  also  antispasmodics.  Emollients,  by  relaxing  the 
fibres,  and  promoting  the  circulation,  hasten  suppura- 
tion. See  Aikin's  Observations  on  the  external  Use  of 
Preparations  of  Lead,  p.  29,  &c. 

EMO'TIO,  (from  emoveo,  to  move  out).  When  used 
w  ith  respect  to  the  mind  it  signifies  a  delirium ;  when 
relative  to  some  bone,  a  luxation. 

EMPA'LEMEXT.     See  CALYX. 

F.MPA'SMA,  (from  ir*es-ti,  to  sfirinkle  ufion}.  See 
CATAPASMA. 

EMPE'ROS,  (from  e.«.*-£if»>,  to  mutilate}.  MUTI- 
LATED. 

E'MPETRUM,  (from  f»,  and  vtlf»t,  a  stone').  See 
ALYPUM. 

E'MPETRUM  THYMELJE'JE  FO'LIIS,  also  called  sanamun- 
da,  and  SEA  HEATH  SPURGE;  da/ihne  thymel&a  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  509;  grows  on  the  coast  of  Andalusia,  and  flowers 
in  February.  A  drachm  of  the  root  purges  violently. 
About  Gibraltar  it  is  called  burhalaga;  but  only  used  to 
heat  ovens. 

EMPHRA'CTICA,  (from  t^tt<rc-»,  to  obstruct). 
Such  topical  applications  as  obstruct  the  pores  when 
applied  to  the  skin;  also  named  emfilastica,  em/ilat- 
tomena. 

EMPHRA'GMA,  (from  c/jjpfxr/ru,  to  obstruct').  An 
IMPEDIMENT  or  OBSTRUCTION  ;  the  parts  of  a  child  which 
present  in  an  unnatural  posture,  and  obstruct  the  birth. 
Hippocrates. 

EMPHYSEMA,  (from  t^t/s-a*,  to  inflate,")  infatio  ; 
and  sometimes  leucofMegmatia  ;  is  any  flatulent  tu- 
mour: but  it  means  generally  a  so  ft  tumour  arising  from 
air  being  admitted  inio  the  cellular  membrane.  In  Hip- 
pocrates it  signifies  an  inflation  of  the  belly,  and  some- 


times a  tumour  in  general.  When  ruptures  or  tumours 
are  of  the  flatulent  kind,  they  are  called  fthysocele.  Dr. 
Cullen  means  by  the  word  pneumatosis,  which  is  his 
general  name  for  this  disease,  the  swelling  formed  by 
air,  a  flatus,  or  rarefied  fluids.  He  places  it  in  the 
class  cachejcie  and  order  intumescenti£,  and  defines  it,  a 
tense,  elastic  tumour  of  the  body,  making,  on  pressure 
under  the  hand,  a  crackling  noise.  The  species  are, 
1.  Pneumatosis  s/iontanea,  when  it  happens  without 
manifest  cause;  2.  Pneumatozis  traumatica,  when  from 
a  wound  in  the  thorax;  3.  Pneumatosis  -uenenata,  when 
from  the  swallowing  or  external  application  of  poison; 
4.  Pneumatosis  hysterica,  when  accompanied  w  ith  hys- 
terics. 

The  most  frequent  cause  of  this  disorder  is  the  pierc- 
ing of  the  plura  by  a  sharp  pointed  instrument,  or 
wounding  the  lungs  by  the  pointed  fragments  of  broken 
ribs  ;  though  it  sometimes  happens  that  an  emphysema 
is  produced  by  internal  lacerations  of  the  air  vessels  of 
the  lungs,  without  any  injury  to  the  pleura.  Putridity 
separates  air  both  in  vegetable  and  animal  substances ; 
and,  consequently,  emphysema  is  the  consequence  of 
mortifications,  and  sometimes  attends  putrid  fevers.  It 
more  seldom  happens  from  pointed  instruments  than 
might  be  expected,  as  the  blood  instantly  stops  the 
passage. 

An  emphysema  is  known  by  a  soft  puffy  swelling : 
the  skin  appears  glossy,  the  tumour  gives  way  on  pres- 
sure, but  it  instantly  returns ;  a  crackling  is  perceived 
on  pressing  the  emphysematous  tumour.  When  the 
lungs  are  wounded,  a  troublesome  cough  attends,  and 
the  matter  expectorated  is  mixed  with  blood;  some- 
times air  escapes  from  the  lungs  into  the  cavity  of  the 
pleura,  and  occasions  great  difficulty  of  breathing, 
anxiety,  a  sense  of  suffocation,  stupor,  a  livid  colour  in 
the  face,  and,  if  relief  is  not  speedily  obtained,  death. 
The  air  detained  in  any  part  of  the  cellular  membrane 
may  produce  a  mortification  in  it. 

When  these  tumours  occur  in  putrid  disorders,  fo- 
mentations may  be  applied,  made  with  equal  parts  of 
sharp  vinegar  and  rectified  spirit  of  wine  ;  but  when  a 
wound  is  the  cause,  if  the  breathing  is  quick  and  labo- 
rious, blood  must  be  taken,  and  the  operation  repeated 
as  often  as  this  symptom  renders  it  necessary.  Punc- 
tures, or  rather  small  incisions,  may  be  made  into  the 
cellular  membrane  with  a  lancet,  or  in  different  parts 
of  the  body  ;  the  air  will  thus  be  evacuated,  if  gentle 
pressure  is  also  made  on  the  tumour :  after  its  evacua- 
tion, a  compress  may  be  dipped  in  vinegar,  and  applied 
over  the  part  where  the  wound  is  supposed  to  be,  se- 
cured by  a  tight  bandage ;  and  the  patient  should  be 
directed  to  lie  on  the  injured  side,  to  prevent  a  fresh 
afflux  of  air.  Nitre,  and  pectoral  emulsions,  may  be 
given  to  prevent  internal  suppuration.  When  the  air 
is  detained  in  the  cavity  of  the  breast,  Mr.  Hewson 
proposes  to  discharge  it  by  a  small  opening  made  with 
a  knife  on  the  fore  part  of  the  chest,  which,  if  on  the 
right  side,  must  be  between  the  fifth  and  sixth  ribs, 
because  there  the  integuments  are  thin :  but  if  on  the 
left  side,  the  opening  must  be  betwixt  the  seventh  and 
eighth,  or  betwixt  the  eighth  and  ninth  ribs ;  the  beuer 
to  avoid  wounding  the  pericardium.  See  Le  Diun's 
Observations,  N°  29;  James's  Medical  Dictionary,  art. 
Fractura  ;  and  London  Medical  Observations  and  In- 
quiries, vol.  ii.  p.  1",  vol.  iii.  p.  28 — 36,  572 — 399; 
White's  Surgery,  p.  78. 


BMP 


60C 


E.MP 


EMPI'RICA  SE'CTA,  (from  «»,  and  wupx,  experi- 
entia).  The  EMPIRIC  SECT.  It  was  begun  by  Sera- 
pion  of  Alexandria,  or  by  Heracleon,  about  278  years 
before  the  birth  of  Christ.  The  erhpyrical  physicians 
conducted  themselves  wholly  by  experience,  without 
study  or  theory,  like  the  quacks  of  the  present  day.. 
See  Celsus  de  Medicina,  p.  3,  8,  8vo.  Lugd.  Bat.  1746. 

EMPI'RICUS.  An  EMPIRIC,  (from  -anifaa,  to  expe- 
rience, or  tff.ifftfo.a,  to  tryS)  an  epithet  applied  to  practi- 
tioners who  founded  their  practice  on  experience  only, 
or  rather  on  incontrovertible  facts,  totally  freed  from 
all  speculative  ideas.  In  a  bad  sense,  it  is  an  appellation 
bestowed  on  quacks,  who,  without  knowledge,  pretend 
to  perform  miracles  by  some  desperate  nostrum ;  care- 
less of  the  destruction  they  create,  and  eager  only  to 
pillage  their  unfortunate  patients,  generally  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  their  health,  and  too  often  of  their  lives.  For 
the  difference  between  the  empiric  and  dogmatist,  see 
Percival's  Essays,  Medical' and  Experimental,  vol.  i.; 
which  is,  however,  nearly  a  copy  of  one  of  Dr.  Cullen's 
early  introductory  lectures. 

EMPLA'STICA,  (from  t^Tr^ttir/ra,  to  spread  upon"). 

EMPLA'STRUM.  (from  the  same).  PLASTER. 
Plasters  are  compositions  for  external  use :  they  are 
not  always  applied  for  any  medical  virtue ;  but  chiefly 
used  to  retain  other  dressings,  or  to  keep  the  parts  to 
which  they  are  applied  warm  and  tight.  These  effects 
they  produce  more  equally  and  steadily  than  a  bandage 
of  linen,  especially  if  there  be  no  swelling.  They  are 
composed  of  oily  and  unctuous  substances,  united  with 
powders,  into  such  a  consistence,  that  the  compound 
may  remain  firm  in  the  cold  without  sticking  to  the 
fingers;  that  it  may  be  soft  and  pliable  in  a  gentle  heat ; 
and  that,  by  the  warmth  of  the  human  body,  it  may  be 
so  tenacious  as  readily  to  adhere.  When  a  plaster  is 
softened  to  the  consistence  of  warm  wax,  it  is  called 
cerate  ;  though  the  term  is  generally  confined  at  present 
to  such  plasters  as  contain  wax  in  their  composition : 
when  so  soft  as  to  spread  easily  whilst  cold,  yet  not 
t.o  run  with  the  heat  of  the  body,  an  ointment;  and  if 
betwixt  the  consistence  of  an  ointment  and  oil,  a  lini- 
ment. 

Calces  of  lead  boiled  with  expressed  oils  unite  into 
a  plaster  of  a  good  consistence,  and  are  a  proper  basis 
for  several  other  plasters.  Plasters  may  also  be  made 
of  resins,  gummy  resins,  &c.  without  wax,  especially 
in  extemporaneous  prescription;  but  for  officinal  com- 
positions they  are  less  proper,  as  they  soon  grow  too  soft 
in  keeping,  and  lose  their  form  in  a  warm  air. 

As  some  difference  is  observed  in  the  hardness  of  a 
plaster  for  the  breast  or  stomach,  and  one  that  is  to  be 
applied  to  the  limbs,  the  following  proportions  are  ge- 
nerally directed.  For  a  soft  plaster,  take  one  ounce  of 
expressed  oil,  one  ounce  of  wax,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
any  powder;  for  a  harder,  add  an  ounce  more  of  wax, 
and  half  an  ounce  of  powder. 

M.  Deyeux,  in  the  33d  volume  of  the  Annales  de 
Chimie,  has  added  some  chemical  refinements  with  re- 
spect to  this  officinal  preparation,  which  merit  our  at- 
tention. He  considers  plasters  to  consist  merely  of  the 
union  of  oil,  or  a  mixture  of  oil  and  wax  with  metallic 
oxides.  Those  in  which  these  substances  are  united 
with  vegetable  juices  he  styles  ointments. 

The  union  of  oils  with  metallic  oxides  he  supposes  to 


be  a  true  chemical  combination,  which  some  pharma- 
ceutical authors  have  styled  soaps;  he  thinks  without 
reason,  as  they  are  neither  soluble  in  water  nor  alcohol, 
In  proof  of  the  chemical  union,  he  adds,  that  some  me- 
tallic oxides,  particularly  those  of  iron,  refuse  to  unite 
with  oils;  for,  though  they  apparently  mix,  yet,  when 
diluted,  the  oxide  separates,  which  is  by  no  means  the 
case  with  similar  combinations.  The  oxides  of  lead, 
bismuth,  and  mercury,  unite  with  oil,  though  not  with 
equal  facility. 

There  are  three  methods  of  uniting  oil  with  metallic 
oxides :  the  first  is  by  agitation,  without  heat.  In  this 
way  the  oxide  of  lead  combines  with  oilj  but  the 
operation  is  slow  and  laborious :  and,  though  the  union 
appears  to  be  complete,  the  plaster  never  attains  a 
proper  consistence.  The  second  is  to  boil  the  oxide 
and  oil  with  water,  and  in  this  case  the  water  acts  only 
as  a  balneum  mariae,  to  facilitate  the  union,  by  bringing 
the  particles  of  the  oil  and  oxide  together  in  an  at- 
tenuated state.  By  this  process  we  usually  obtain  a 
plaster  of  a  proper  consistence.  The  third  is  the  com- 
mon method  of  uniting  the  oxide  with  the  heated  oil 
by  agitation.  Plasters,  thus  made,  are  always  dark  in 
their  colour,  and  exhale  a  peculiar  odour,  which  dis- 
tinguishes them.  In  every  process  the  oxide  should 
be  in  the  minutest  state  of  division,  particularly  in  the 
last,  since  the  metal  would  be  otherwise  revived,  which 
sometimes  happens,  particularly  in  a  saturnine  oint- 
ment, called  by  the  French  pharmaceutists,  unguentura 
de  la  mere ;  an  event  in  part  owing  to  the  large  propor- 
tion of  animal  oils  which  it  contains.  The  only  method 
of  avoiding  this  inconvenience  is  to  hasten  the  union, 
which  is  best  effected  by  a  minute  division  of  the  oxides. 
Though  all  oils  unite  with  metallic  oxides,  the  results 
are  different.  With  oxides  of  lead,  for  instance,  parti- 
cularly litharge,  linseed  oil  unites  freely,  and  softens 
by  the  heat  of  the  hand  only :  while,  with  olive  oil,  it 
is  so  dry  as  to  admit  of  being  powdered,  and  must  be 
heated  to  be  properly  spread.  In  general,  drying  oils 
afford  the  softest  plasters ;  and  olive  oil,  digested  with 
the  root  of  althaea,  gives  a  softer  ointment  than  it  would 
have  done,  previous  to  the  process.  Those  oils  which 
are  not  drying  are  preferable ;  but  the  olive  oil,  gene- 
rally sold,  is  seldom  uniform  in  its  properties. 

The  metallic  oxides  differ  perhaps  as  much  as  the 
oils.  Litharge  affords  drier  plasters  than  minium  or 
the  white  oxides  of  lead.  Other  oxides  may  unite 
readily  with  oil;  but  a  sufficient  number  of  experi- 
ments has  not  yet  been  made.  M.  Deyeux  suspects 
that  the  very  pure  red  oxide  of  mercury,  if  finely 
powdered,  so  as  to  prevent  its  being  deoxydated, 
might  advantageously  supersede  the  oxide  of  lead  in 
many  plasters. 

When  plasters,  from  age,  become  too  dry,  they  must 
be  moistened  with  a  due  proportion  of  oil;  but,  in  ge- 
neral, the  proportion  of  oil  in  those  liable  to  become 
brittle  by  age  is  too  small.  The  access  of  air  often 
changes  the  colour  of  plasters,  and  very  probably  their 
qualities;  so  that  they  should  be  carefully  guarded  from 
it,  especially  those  subject  to  such  a  change. 

EMPLA'STRUM    ADH.SSIVUM    NIGRUM.       The    BLACK 

STICKING     PLASTER,     LADv's     COURT    PLASTER,     and     the 

CHICHESTER  PLASTER. 

Dissolve  twelve  ounces  of  gum  benjamin  in  twelve 
ounces  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine:  in  a  separate  vcsse^ 


E  M  1J 


607 


E3IP 


dissolve  a  pound  of  the  best  isinglass  in  five  pints  of 
pure  water;  strain  each  solution;  mix  them,  and  let 
them  stand  in  a  narrow  vessel,  that  the  grosser  parts 
may  subside  :  when  the  clear  liquor  is  cold,  it  will  form 
a  jelly ;  and  it  must  be  warmed  when  spread.  This 
quantity  suffices  for  covering  ten  yards  of  half-yard- 
wide  silk  :  the  silk  must  be  stretched  in  a  frame,  and  the 
mixture  spread  on  it  with  a  brush.  As  each  spreading 
dries,  it  must  be  repeated  to  the  tenth  or  twelfth  time ; 
and  a  gloss  is  obtained  by  a  light  touch  of  the  brush  at 
the  last  operation. 

Its  use  is  generally  known ;  but  the  following  is  an 
easy  substitute  :  Dissolve  a  pound  and  a  quarter  of  fine 
isinglass  infive  pints  of  water ;  and  before  it  cools  spread 
it  on  silk  in  the  manner  above  directed. 

Emplastrum  ad  contusa  Boerhaa-vii.  R.  Bryoniae  in 
farinam  reductae  5  ij.  florum  sulph.  ^  i.  hydrargyricum 
sulphure  3  iij.  galbani  puri,  et  s.  a.  soluti  §  iv.  emplastri 
de  meliloto  5iv.  ol.  chamaemeli  q.  s.  ut  fiat  emplastrum. 
The  three  last  ingredients  are  to  he  melted  together, 
and  the  powder  stirred  in.  Modern  practice  adopts 
this,  only  using  the  emplastrum  cerae  compositum, 
instead  of  that  of  melilot;  and  one  ounce  of  olive  oil 
in  the  place  of  the  oleum  chamaemeli:  it  is  supposed 
to  be  a  beneficial  application,  particularly  in  scrofulous 
indurations. 

Emfilastrum  anodynum.  Take  four  pounds  of  com- 
mon plaster;  melt  it  over  a  gentle  fire,  with  an  ounce 
and  a  half  of  common  black  pitch.  When  this  is  to  be 
applied,  mix  with  each  ounce,  weight,  half  a  drachm  of 
opium,  and  the  same  quantity  of  camphor  in  fine  pow- 
der. It  is  said  to  be  very  efficacious  in  relieving  old 
pains ;  but  the  proportion  of  camphor  and  opium  may 
be  doubled. 

EMPL.V'STRUM  A'TTRAHENS.  See  EMPLASTRUM  CEIUE, 
under  CERA. 

EMPLA'STRUM    VESICATO'RIUM.     See    CANTHARIDES. 

EMPLA'STRUM  CU'MIXI.     See  CUMINUM. 

EMPLA'STRUM  COMMU'XE;  formerly  called  diachylon, 
now  lithargyri  emfilastrum. 

Take  of  olive  oil,  one  gallon ;  of  litharge  finely  pow- 
dered, five  pounds;  boil  them  together  with  about  a 
quart  of  water  over  a  gentle  fire,  continually  stirring  till 
the  oil  and  the  litharge  are  united,  and  acquire  the  due 
consistence  of  a  plaster;  and  if  the  water  is  wasted  be- 
fore the  operation  is  finished,  more  water  (previously 
heated)  must  be  poured  on. 

As  soon  as  the  mixture  is  warm,  begin  to  stir  it :  in 
about  four  hours  the  boiling  will  be  completed ;  but  to 
ascertain  this,  drop  a  little  on  a  tile  to  cool,  by  which 
you  will  easily  discover  whether  the  litharge  be  dissolv- 
ed; the  boiling  must  be  continued  very  gently,  or  the 
plaster  will  be  black  ;  perhaps  boil  over  suddenly.  If 
water  should  be  added  that  is  not  very  hot,  the  plaster 
will  explode  with  violence,  and  be  wasted  ;  an  accident 
•which  will  happen  with  hot  water,  if  the  plaster  is  too 
hot.  If  the  composition  proves  discoloured,  the  addi- 
tion of  a  little  white  lead  and  oil  will  improve  it ;  but 
'  expected  to  be  very  white,  true  olive  oil  must  be  used. 

Emfilastrum  nigrum  Domini  Sharp,  seu  Emfilastrum 
cerussz. — §,.  Olei  olivarum  5  xij.  cerx  flavae  5  ij.  ss. 
cerussx  ^  x.  Let  the  oil  andwax  be  melted  together, 
the  ceruss  added,  and  the  whole  boiled  to  a  consistence 
of  a  plaster.  Sharp  used  it  as  an  application  to  diseas- 
ed knees ;  but  Kirkland  employs  a  plaster  of  red  lead 


and  oil,  boiled  to  a  dark  brown  colour,  for  the  same 
purpose. 

Em/ilastrum  stimulant,  seu  ammonftf,  STIMULANT  PLAS- 
TER, or  PLASTER  OF  AMMONIA. — IJ».  Saponis  J  ij.  em- 
plastri lithargyri  §  ss.  ammoniac  muriatae  ^  i.  Let  the 
soap  and  litharge  plaster  be  melted  together,  and  when 
nearly  cold,  the  muriated  ammonia,  in  fine  powder,  be 
stirred  in.  This  plaster  must  be  made  at  the  time  of 
application,  else  the  -alkali,  set  at  liberty  by  the  decom- 
position of  the  muriated  ammonia,  will  fly  off,  and 
frustrate  the  intent  of  the  remedy.  In  delicate  and 
irritable  skins,  the  quantity  of  the  ammonia  must  be 
lessened,  lest  the  plaster  blister  the  part.  In  chronic 
enlargement  of  the  joints,  or  tumours  without  inflam- 
mation; in  some  scrofulous  affections  of  the  knee  or 
elbow  joints  ;  but  particularly  in  those  gelatinous  swell- 
ings which  frequently  form  on  the  olecranon,  it  has  been 
of  singular  service,  probably  by  stimulating  the  absorb- 
ents, and  increasing  their  power  of  action. 

EMPLA'STRUM  SAPO'XIS.  R.  Saponis  f  ij.  emplastr. 
lithargyri  Jfc  iij.  These,  melted  together,  must  be  boil- 
ed to  a  proper  consistence.  It  is  a  mild  discutient,  and 
to  tumours  of  various  kinds  is  considered  as  an  useful 
application ;  but  as  soap  is  much  more  advantageously 
used  in  liquid  forms,  the  practitioner  will  rarely  be  in- 
duced to  apply  it  in  that  of  a  solid. 

EMPLASTRUM  STOMA'CHICUM.  STOMACH  PLASTER. 
Now  called  emfilastrum  labdani  comfiositum,  COMPOUND 

PLASTER  OF  LABDANUM. 

Take  of  soft  labdanum.  three  ounces  ;  of  frankin- 
cense, one  ounce;  cinnamon  and  expressed  oil  of  mace, 
of  each  half  an  ounce ;  of  essential  oil  of  mint,  one 
drachm  :  add  to  the  frankincense,  first  melted,  the  lab- 
danum heated,  till  it  becomes  soft,  and  then  the  oil  of 
mace  ;  afterwards  mix-  the  cinnamon  with  the  oil  of 
mint,  beat  them  together  in  a  warm  mortar,  and  keep 
the  whole  in  a  vessel  well  closed. 

The  plasters  should  be  frequently  renewed,  and  ap- 
plied on  the  five  lower  ribs  of  the  left  side,  towards  the 
back.  It  has  been  supposed  of  use  also  to  promote  the 
suppuration  of  indolent  tumours. 

EMPLATTO  MENA,  (from  ((tx>a.<rru,  to  obstruct). 
See  EMPHRACTICA. 

EMPNEUMATO'SIS,  (frome,*™*,  to  blow  into,  or 
inflate ).  An  inflation  of  the  stomach,  the  womb,  or 
other  parts. 

EMPO'RIUM,  (from  efix-»{*;,  negotiator,  from  e/w.- 
rctea,  to  negotiate).  See  CEREBRUM. 

EMPRION,  (from  -a-fif,  to  saw).  SAW-LIKE.  A  kind 
of  pulse  mentioned  by  Galen,  in  which  the  artery  is  un- 
equally distended  in  different  parts. 

EMPROSTHO'TONOS,  (from  et*x?»tfn,forv>ardt, 
and  reita,  to  bend).  A  spasm  which  bends  the  body 
forward,  and  confines  it  in  that  position.  Celsus,  lib. 
iv.  cap.  3,  restricts  the  term  to  a  convulsive  stiffness  of 
the  neck,  by  which  the  chin  is  fixed  on  the  breast.  See 
TETANUS. 

E'MPTYSIS,  (from  a-lv»,  to  sfiit  out).  SPITTING  OF 
BLOOD;  a  discharge  which  comes  only  fromjthe  mouth, 
fauces,  and  parts  adjacent.  Aretaeus. 

EMPYE'MA,  (from  t»,  within,  and  a-t*?,  fius,  or 
matter).  The  ancients  called  all  internal  suppurations 
emfli/ema,  (see  ECPYEMA)  ;  but  at  present  this  name  is 
confined  to  a  collection  of  purulent  matter,  lying  loose 
in  the  cavity  of  the  breast,  and  lodging  on  the  dia- 


EMP 


608 


EMU 


phragm.  Dr.  Cullcn  considers  it  as  a  consequence  of 
pneumonia,  and  says,  its  symptoms  are,  a  remission  of 
pain,  after  a  pleurisy  has  terminated  in  suppuration, 
often  after  a  vomica;  whilst  a  difficulty  of  breathing, 
cough,  uneasiness  in  lying  down,  and  hectic  fever,  con- 
tinue i  frequently  attended  with  a  sensation  of  some 
fluid  fluctuating  in  the  breast,  and  symptoms  of  a  hy- 
drothorax. 

Aretaeus,  lib.  i.  De  Causis  et  Signis  Morborum  Chro- 
nicorum,  cap.  9,  says,  "  They  who  have  purulent  ab- 
scesses in  the  cavities  of  the  body,  whether  within  (the 
thorax  or  below  the  diaphragm,  if  the  pus  be  discharged 
upwards,  are  called  ifiirvoi  (emjiyi);  if  downwards, 
ajwstomatici.  And  if  there  be  a  suppuration  in  the  tho- 
rax, and  the  pus  be  discharged  through  the  lungs,  it  is 
called  fff,7T^>i."  But  the  moderns  styled  it  only  an  cmjiye- 
ma  when  purulent  matter  floats  upon  the  diaphragm. 
If  matter  is  lodged  on  both  sides  of  the  breast,  there  are 
two  empyemas. 

The  pus,  that  forms  an  einpycma,  may  be  from  an 
abscess  in  the  lungs,  pleura, mediastinum,  pericardium, 
or  diaphragm  ;  or  perhaps  from  that  inflammatory  ex- 
udation, or  inspissated  serum,  which,  Dr.  Hunter  ob- 
serves, resembles  pus,  often  found  in  large  quantities  in 
the  cavities  of  the  breast,  belly,  8cc.  Wounds  in  the 
breast  may  also  evacuate  their  matter  into  its  cavity, 
and  prove  a  cause  of  this  disease.  Le  Dran  informs  us, 
that  he  met  with  instances  of  abscesses  in  the  liver 
making  a  way  through  the  diaphragm,  and  emptying 
themselves  into  the  breast.  Some  instances  of  this  have 
occurred  in  modern  times,  and  small  'apertures  in  the 
diaphragm,  through  which  pus  has  passed,  anatomists 
have  observed  and  described.  (Pemberton  on  the  Dis- 
eases of  the  Abdominal  Viscera,  p.  36).  From  Sauva- 
ges  may  be  collected  six  varieties,  although  they  are  not 
always  capable  of  being  distinguished,  viz.  Em}iyema  a 
Jicrifineumonia  ;  and  vomica  i  empyema  pleuris  ;  medi- 
astina  ;  diafiliragmatis  ;  and  intercostaie. 

When  any  fluid  matter  is  collected  in  the  cavity  of 
the  breast,  it  may  be  known  by  the  following  signs  :  the 
breathing  is  short  and  laborious;  expiration  is  more  dif- 
ficult than  inspiration  ;  the  patient  perceives  a  fluctua- 
tion when  he  changes  his  position  from  side  to  side,  or 
presses  the  abdomen  against  the  edge  of  a  table  ;  some- 
times there  is  an  enlargement  of  the  cavity  of  the  tho- 
rax, and  an  cedematous  fulness  of  the  skin  and  flesh  of 
one  or  both  sides  of  the  chest;  a  dry  cough;  a  slow  fever; 
heat  at  the  extremities  of  the  fingers ;  and  hollowhess 
of  the  eyes.  The  patient  cannot  lie  on  the  sound  side, 
though  in  hectics  he  can  only  sleep  easily  on  it.  The 
kind  of  matter  can  only  be  known  by  the  nature  of  the 
disorder,  which  preceded  an  accumulation,  and  from 
ilie  concomitant  symptoms.  The  matter  may  be  blood 
or  pus  :  and  the  latter  of  these  may  be  suspected,  when 
there  hath  been  an  inflammatory  disorder  in  the  lungs, 
pleura,  or  other  parts  in  the  breast,  attended  with  symp- 
toms of  suppuration,  and  particularly  if  viscid  sweats 
attend. 

If  the  matter  of  an  empyema  be  not  speedily  expecto- 
rated, the  patient  dies  of  a  consumption,  with  a  hectic 
fever,  which  is  always  exasperated  at  night.  If  the  me- 
diastinum is  corroded,  upon  opening  the  thorax  a  sud- 
den suffocation  must  ensue.  If  the  empyema  is  of  long 
standing,  the  strength  decayed,  with  a  colliquative  diarr- 
hoea, and  a  wasting  of  the  body,  the  operation,  instead 
of  relieving,  hastens  the  death  of  the  patient.  When 


this  disorder  is  merely  local,  the  operation  may  succeed  , 
but  if  the  habit  be  strumous,  or  otherwise  unsound;  if 
fever,  coughing,  thirst  and  other  symptoms,  are  either 
numerous  or  considerable  in  their  degree ;  there  is  but 
little  hope  of  recovery.  The  operation  is  also  ineffec- 
tual if  the  lungs  adhere  considerably  to  the  pleura,  or  if 
the  matter  lodged  on  the  diaphragm  was  emptied  from 
a  cyst. 

The  chirurgical  method  by  which  relief  is  obtained 
is  called  THE  OPERATION  FOR  THE  EMPYEMA.  The  fluid 
to  be  voided  by  this  operation  is  matter.  In  this  case, 
therefore,  only  the  assistance  of  a  surgeon  is  required  ; 
for  blood  will  be  gradually  absorbed,  and  need  not 
be  removed  by  any  artificial  opening.  Gooch  relates  a 
case  in  his  Medical  Observations  of  air  in  the  thorax  pro- 
ducing the  symptoms  of  an  empyema:  it  passed  through 
an  ulcer  in  the  lungs;  but  the  ulcer  healing,  the  air  was 
evacuated  by  the  operation  for  the  empyema,  and  a 
complete  cure  effected. 

The  manner  of  operating  is  to  fix  on  the  part  for  the 
perforation  ;  then,  with  a  knife  or  a  trochar,  a  passage 
may  be  formed  for  the  offending  air.  Whether  an 
opening  is  made  by  means  of  a  knife  or  a  trochar,  as 
Albinus  hath  observed  that  the  diaphragm  on  the  right 
side  ascends  higher  into  the  thorax  than  on  the  left,  it 
may  be  proper  to  pierce  it  on  the  right  side  between  the 
third  and  fourth  spurious  ribs  ;  but  on  the  left,  between 
the  second  and  third,  and  at  about  half  or  two  thirds  of 
the  distance  from  the  sternum  to  the  vertebra  ;  for  here 
the  muscles  are  thinnest,  the  artery  is  concealed  under 
the  rib,  and  the  diaphragm  at  a  due  distance.  The 
puncture  must  be  made  with  the  utmost  caution,  lest 
there  should  be  an  adhesion  of  the  lungs  to  the  pleura ; 
a  canula  for  a  time  left  in  the  wound,  and  the  wound 
itself  kept  open.  Matter,  lodged  in  both  cavities  of  the 
thorax,  requires  that  the  operation  be  performed  on 
each  side.  See  Hippocrates,  Galen,  Aretaeus,  Boer- 
haave,  with  Van  Swieten's  Comments,  Le  Dran's  Ope- 
rations, Sharp's  Operations,  Heister's  Surgery,  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  383,  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery, 
vol.  ii.  p.  175,  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i. 
p.  94,  White's  Surgery,  p.  303. 

EMPYE'MATA,  (from  cft.^vr^a.'].  So  the  ancients 
called  suppurating  medicines  ;  for  they  named  an  inter- 
nal collection  of  pus  em/iyema. 

E'MPYI.  Purulent  or  suppurated,  or  those  who 
have  purulent  abscesses  internally. 

EMPYREU'MA,  (from  e/iTrvpiva,  to  kindle,  or  cva-vfi, 
in  the  fire).  In  chemistry  it  is  the  offensive  smell  and 
taste  which  distilled  waters,  or  other  substances,  re- 
ceive from  being  too  much  exposed  to  the  fire,  when 
their  mucilage  is  burnt. 

EMPYREUMA'TICA,  O'LEA,  (from  t^vftv^. 
EMPYREUMATIC  OILS.  Oils  both  of  the  animal  and  ve- 
getable kind,  distilled  with  a  heat  greater  than  that  of 
boiling  water  ;  and  thus  receiving  a  burnt  smell.  These 
oils  are  sometimes  considered  as  of  a  distinct  class  ;  but 
they  are  only  burnt,  and  dissolve  more  or  less  in  recti- 
fied spirit  of  wine  ;  are  acrid  ;  by  repeated  distillations 
volatile,  and  almost  free  from  their  disagreeable  smell. 
In  some  respects  they  resemble  the  essential  oils  of  ve- 
getables. They  are  considered  as  powerful  untispasmo- 
dics  :  that  chiefly  used  is  the  oleum  Dippeliianimale. 

E'MPYROS,  (from  f»,  and  •art<f,  fire).  One  labour- 
ing under  a  fever. 

EMU'LGENS,  (from  emulgo,  to  milk  out').     EMUL- 


EN  C 


( 


GENT,  milking  out.  The  term  is  applied  to  the  arteries 
and  veins,  from  the  aorta  and  vena  cava  to  the  kidneys. 
According  to  the  ancients,  they  strained  and  milked  the 
serum  through  the  kidneys. 

F.MULGE'XTES  ARTE'RI^'and  VE'N^.  See 
RENALES  ARTERI.S  and  VEN^E. 

EM  U  'LSIO,  (from  emulgeo).  Medicines  of  any  kind 
resembling  milk ;  though  the  London  college  has  re- 
jected that  term,  and  supplied  it  with  lac.  They  are 
generally"  made  from  farinaceous  seeds,  beat  up  with 
some  fluid,  with  which  their  oily  parts  are  intimately 
blended;  and  chiefly  used  for  common  drink  in  acute 
disorders.  Forthe  emulaio  communis,or  lac,  amygdala, 
emulnioa6sortens,a.nd  emulsio,  camfihorata,  see  AMTG. 

DAI-jE  DULCES. 

EMUNCTO'RIA.  EMUNCTORIES,  (from  emungo, 
!o  elf  an,  viifie  away,  or  draw  off,)  the  passages,  particu- 
larly the  glands,  by  which  excrementitious  matters  are 
evacuated.  The  parotides  supposed  to  receive  the  excre- 
ments from  the  brain,  the  axillary  glands  from  the 
heart,  and  the  inguinal  from  the  liver,  were  *«T  (&%>:>, 
thus  named.  It  is,  however,  often  the  appellation  of 
glands  which  separate  useful  fluids. 

EX.E'MOS,  (from  <»,  and  «</**,  blood,)  topical  medi- 
cines appropriated  to  bleeding  wounds.  Hippocrates. 

ENJLORE'MA,  (from  a/*?®-,  sublime,}  the  pendu- 
lous substance  which  floats  in  the  middle  of  the  urine, 
sublimamentum,  nubecula  susfiensa,  sublimatio  urine. 

EXA'MEL.     See  DE.VS. 

EXA'RGES,  (from  «;•/??.  -.i'/nte,  or  evident}.  Hip- 
pocrates applies  this  epithet  to  dreams. 

ENARICY'MOX.  (from  ci,aft,  soon,  and  KVU,  to  con- 
ceive}. See  ARICI.MON. 

EXARTHRO'SIS,  (from  et,  in,  and  attfti,  a  joint). 
See  DIARTHROSIS. 

ENCA'NTHIS,  (from  f»,  in,  and  mnt^,  an  angle  of 
the  eye,}  an  encysted  tumour  on  its  inner  angle.  At 
the  first  a  tubercle  appears  on  the  carunculalachrymalis, 
or  on  the  cuticle  adjacent ;  afterwards  this  tumour  ex- 
tends over  the  pupil  of  the  eye.  The  tears  in  conse- 
quence trickle  down  the  cheeks,  the  sight  is  impaired, 
the  countenance  deformed,  and  the  eyes  inflamed. 
When  of  a  milder  nature,  it  may  be  destroyed  by  gentle 
escharotics;  the  belly  should  be  kept  lax,  and  an  issue 
in  the  arm,  or  a  perpetual  blister  between  the  shoulders,  - 
should  continue  to  discharge. 

When  this  tumour  is  malignant,  it  is  attended  with 
pain,  is  of  a  livid  hue,  and  often  cancerous.  If  manifestly 
cancerous,  palliatives  only  are  to  be  used;  but  other- 
wise, the  whole  tumour  and  its  cyst  should  be  dissected, 
raising  it  with  the  foreceps,  to  avoid  cutting  either  the 
eye  or  the  caruncle :  if  the  latter  is  hurt,  the  tears  will 
always  run  down  the  cheek;  so  that  it  is  safer  to  leave 
a  little  of  luxuriant  flesh,  and  to  destroy  it  afterwards 
with  a  caustic.  See  ECTROPIUM  ;  Heister's  Surgery ; 
and  White's  Surgery,  p.  23 1 . 

EXCA'RDIOX.  (from  <»,  and  **/>«<*,  the  heart}. 
See  MEDITULLICM. 

EXCA'RDIUM  PREMXU.  The  heart  and  mar- 
row of  the  trunk  of  trees;  the  tender  medullary  sub- 
stance which  grows  on  the  tops  of  the  great  palm  tree. 
Dioscorides.  By  Theophrastus  styled  encefihalus. 

EXCATALE'PSIS,(from  n.  and  xa?*A-"ia-»,  to  leave). 
See  CAT  ALEPSIS. 

VOL.  I. 


EXCATHI  SMA,  (from  i'/a»tr.futt ,  to  sit  in}.  See 
SEMICUPIUM. 

EXCAU'MA,  (from  ti,  and  x.aa,  to  burn}.  The 
scoriae  of  silver,  as  well  as  the  mark  left  by  a  burn,  and 
a  pustule  produced  by  the  same  cause.  It  is  also  the 
appellation  of  a  superficial  ulceration  on  the  eye.  Those 
ulcerations  on  the  eyes,  from  iefluxions  of  humours, 
receive,  according  to  jEtius,  different  names:  when 
formed  on  the  pupil,  covering  a  great  part  of  it,  and  of 
a  bluish  colour,  it  is  called  caligo:  when  the  ulcer  is 
less  wide,  but  deeper,  and  seated  in  the  pupil,  nubecula: 
when  the  surface  of  the  pupil  appears  rough,  and  of  an 
ash  colour,  efiicauma:  and  when,  after  a  fever,  the  ulcer 
has  a  sordid  crust,  seated  either  on  the  pupil  or  the 
white  part  of  the  eye,  encauma;  which  when  fixed  in 
the  pupil,  all  the  humours  of  the  eye  are  mixed,  and  the 
organ  is  destroyed.  In  the  beginning  of  these  cases, 
relief  is  sometimes  obtained  by  keeping  the  bowels 
loose.  White's  Surgery,  p.  229. 

EXCAU'SIS,  (from  the  same).  A  BURN;  or  rather 
the  inflammation  caused  by  it.  It  is  also  that  action  of 
external  heat  upon  the  body,  as  of  the  sun,  or  fire,  and 
a  synonym  with  deustio;  sometimes  an  appellation  of 
the  HEART  BURN,  with  thirst;  in  Dr.  Cullen's  Xosoiogy 
synonymous  with  erythema  and  ambiistiv. 
'  EX'CETHALOX  and  EXCE'PHALUS,  (from  .», 
within,  and  *tQa.>.r,,  the  head).  The  encephalon  includes 
the  cerebrum,  the  cerebellum,  the  medulla  oblongata, 
with  their  membranes. 

EXCEPHALOCE'LE,  (from  ey«0*As5,  cerebrum, 
and  KiXe,  a  tumour).  See-HERNiA  CEREBRI. 

EXCE'RIS,  (from  t»,  and  *^««,  -KO.X).     Bits  of 
found  in  plasters  as  they  cool. 

EXCHARA'XIS,  (from  it,  and  ^aLfttmi,  to  scu, 
See  SCAKIKICATIO. 

EXCHEIRE'SIS,  (from  t»,  and  %fif,  the  hand).  This 
word  imports  the  manual  treatment  of  any  subject,  and 
is  a  part  of  the  title  of  one  of  Galen's  works  on  dis- 
section. 

EXCHO'XDROS,  (from  t»,  and  yprtftf,  signifyii)!- 
both  a  grain  and  a  cartilage,)  granulated  and  cartila- 
ginous. 

EXCHO'RIOS,  (from  tt,  and  KaP'*>  a  reS*'jnt  OI" 
country).  See  EXDEMIUS. 

EXCHRI'STA,  (from  e*/'Kf">,to  anoint).    Linhru 
to  anoint  any  part. 

EXCHU'SA.     See  AXCIIUSA. 

EXCHYLO'MA,  (from  £»,  and  £»A«s,  juice).  See 
ELIXIR. 

EXCHY'MA,  (from  t'/-/.i>u,  to  infuse).  INFUSION,  or 
a  sanguine  plethora. 

EXCHY'M  ATA,  (from  t'/%vu,to  jiour  into).  Liquid 
medicines  to  be  poured  into  the  eyes  or  ears. 

ENCHYMO'MA,(from  the  same).  In  the  writings 
of  the  ancient  physicians  it  implies  that  sudden  effusion 
of  blood  into  the  cutaneous  vessels  which  arises  from 
joy,  anger,  or  shame,  and,  in  the  last  instance,  is  usually 
called  BLUSHING.  Dr.  Hunter  thinks  it  a  nervous 
affection  ;  but  Dr.  Why  tt,  with  more  propriety,  ascribes 
it  to  the  increased  action  of  the  smaller  vessels,  which 
has  been  attributed  to  a  nervous  connection,  but  which 
we  suspect,  though  less  obvious,  is  very  general,  over 
the  whole  surface. 

ENCHYMO'SIS.  (from  the  same).     An  extravasa- 
4  I 


ENE 


610 


ENE 


tion  of  blood,  which  makes  the  part  appear  livid ;  some- 
times synonymous  with  ecchymosis. 

ENCHY'SA.     See  ANCHUSA. 

ENCHY'TOS,  (from  ty^t/w,  to  infuse}.  An  epithet 
for  a  fluid  injected  into  any  cavity  of  the  body. 

ENCLY'SMA,  (from  en,  and  xWX  to  clean).  See 
ENEMA.  » 

ENCJE'LIA,  (from  EV,  and  xoilict,  the  belly,")  the 
contents  of  the  abdomen. 

ENCOLPI'SMOS,  (from  tyxoAa-i^,  to  insinuate'). 
An  uterine  injection. 

E'NCOPE,  (from  £»,  and  XOX-TU,  to  cut).  An  incision; 
and,  figuratively,  an  impediment. 

ENCRA'NION,  (from  EV,  and  xfmity,  the  skull). 
See  CEREBELLUM. 

E'NCRIS,  (from  tyx-fis).  A  cake  made  of  fine  meal 
boiled  in  oil,  and  sweetened  with  honey. 

E'NCYMON,  (from  iy*.vu,  to  conceive).     Pregnant. 

ENCY'STIS,  (from   iv,  and   xus-7<«,   a  bag).      See 

N^EVUS. 

ENDEDINE'MENOS,  (from  i»JW,  to  turn  round 
like  a  -vortex,")  an  epithet  for;  the  eyes,  which  perpetu- 
ally turn  in  their  orbits. 

ENDEI'XIS,  (from  £v<5Wvt/fu,  to  show}.     See  INDI- 

CATIO. 

ENDE'MIAS,  or  ENDE'MIUS,  (from  «,  and  &/*.«, 
people,)  tnchorios,  popularis.  A  term  applicable  to 
diseases  common  to  the  inhabitants  living  in  one  coun- 
try, from  a  cause  connected  with  it,  as  intermittents 
with  the  marshes  of  Essex,  and  fens  of  Cambridgeshire ; 
the  swelled  throat  in  the  Alps  ;  and  the  plica  and  per- 
tussis in  Poland.  It  is  opposed  to  EPIDEMIUS,  q.  v. 

E'NDESIS,  (from  EV,  and  ha,  to  tie).     A  LIGATURE, 

BAND,  Or  CONNECTION. 

E'NDICA.  A  sediment  at  the  bottom  of  a  fluid; 
called  also  mose  hazuania.  Rulandus. 

E'NDIVA,  (quasi  eundo  via,  from  its  frequent  oc- 
currence,) intybum  sativum,  neriola,  cichoreum  endivia 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1142.  Endivia  vulgaris,  ENDIVE.  This 
plant  is  in  common  use  as  a  salad:  it  very  much  resem- 
bles succory,  both  in  its  appearance  and  virtues.  It  is 
etiolated,  viz.  blanched,  by  excluding  the  light.  With- 
out this  process  it  is  bitter,  and  not  eatable.  The  Ba=- 
tavian  endive,  whose  leaves  are  not  deeply  crenated, 
requires  no  previous  etiolation.  It  is  considered  as 
warmer  than  lettuces,  but  differs  little  in  its  properties 
from  other  salads. 

E'NDIVA  ERECTA  LUTEA  NAPIFOLIA.  See  LAMPSA- 
KA. 

ENELLA'GMENOS,  (from  Ev*AA«r7«,  to  alternate). 
An  epithet  applied  to  the  joints  of  the  vertebrae,  be- 
cause of  their  alternate  or  mutual  receptions  and  in- 
sertions. 

E'NEMA.  A  CLYSTER,  (from  EVO^I,  to  inject,) 
enclysma,  catlaysma,  and  lotio.  Any  liquid  medicine  in- 
jected into  the  anus.  Clysters  are  usually  injected  by 
means  of  a  bladder  and  pipe,  called  elusma,  fistula, 
au/iscos;  from  whence ,/Jtftt/a  armata,  pipe,  and  bladder: 
but  in  many  other  countries  a  syringe  is  always  used, 
by  which  the  liquor  is  thrown  up  further  into  the 
bowels. 

The  quantity  of  liquor  used  in  each  clyster  will  vary 
according  to  the  age  of  the  patient  and  intention  pro- 
posed. For  infants,  two  ounces  are  sufficient ;  a  child 


of  six  years  old,  from  six  to  eight  ounces ;  a  youth  of 
fourteen  years,  from  eight  ounces  to  a  pint ;  and  to  an 
adult,  from  a  pint  to  a  pint  and  half.  In  general,  the 
bulk  should  be  considerable  ;  for  they  stimulate  from 
their  bulk  alone,  and  a  quart  of  milk  and  water  will  of- 
ten produce  the  appropriate  effect;  a  circumstance  of 
some  utility,  when  the  too  anxious  friends  dread  every 
evacuant.  When  the  mor,e  active  purgatives  are  thus 
combined  with  increased  bulk,  they  seldom  fail. 

Clysters  seldom  reach  beyond  the  sigmoid  flexure,  or 
that  turn  of  the  colon,  on  the  left  side,  before  its  straight 
direction  obtains  for  it  the  name  of  the  rectum.  They 
thus  operate  chiefly  by  stimulating  the  lower  part  of  the 
gut,  and  evacuate  only  to  the  extent  which  that  stimu- 
lus reaches.  They  are  of  little  use,  therefore,  as 
evacuants,  unless  a  purgative  has  been  taken,  whose 
effects  we  wish  to  hasten.  This  is  often  of  considera- 
ble service  where  only  small  doses  of  cathartics  can  be 
retained ;  for  by  these  means  they  prove  effectual ;  and 
frequent  solicitations  by  clysters  produce,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, the  best  effects. 

In  diarrhoeas,  and  all  disorders  where  the  intestines 
are  weak,  or  whenever  the  clyster  is  to  be  retained,  the 
quantity  for  an  adult  should  not  exceed  five  or  six 
ounces. 

In  ardent  fevers,  and  inflammations  of  the  bowels, 
they  answer  the  end  of  a  fomentation,  and  should  be  ad- 
ministered from  a  pint  to  a  quart.  In  putrid  fevers, 
this  mode  of  introducing  the  bark  and  fixed  air  into  the 
constitution  has  been  adopted,  it  has  been  said,  with  suc- 
cess. Nourishment  may  be  conveyed  by  clysters,  when, 
from  some  complaint  of  the  mouth,  throat,  or  stomach, 
nothing  can  be  swallowed  or  retained  :  many  have  been 
thus  supported  during  several  weeks.  In  such  cases  a 
quarter  of  a  pint  of  rich  broth  is  injected,  with  thirty 
or  forty  drops  of  tinctura  opii,  every  five  or  six  hours, 
and  bark  with  port  wine  has  been  injected  in  the  same 
way.  The  effects  are  not,  however,  so  decidedly  bene- 
ficial as  they  have  been  represented.* 

Clysters  should  never  be  either  hot  or  cold  when  used ; 
but  so  warm,  that,  when  inclosed  in  a  bladder,  the  heat 
gives  only  an  agreeable  sensation  to  the  closed  eye  lid. 

When  a  clyster  is  intended  only  to  evacuate,  three  or 
four  ounces  of  common  salt,  or  as  much  soap  in  a  pint 
and  half  of  water,  are  sometimes  equally  effectual  with 
any  quantity  of  the  other  purging  medicines. 

When  a  very  powerful  stimulus  is  required  in  purg- 
ing clysters,  it  is  usual  to  mix  emetics  with  them,  and  of 
these  the  vinum  antimonii  merits,  it  is  said,  the  pre- 
ference. But  any  of  the  more  active  purgatives  will 
equally  succeed  ;  and  there  is  not  a  more  effectual  purga- 
tive clyster  than  three  drachms  of  the  pulp  of  colocynth, 
boiled  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  water,  to  strain  off  a  little  more  than  a  pint.  To  this 
should  be  added  two  ounces  of  oil,  and  as  much  vitri- 
olated  magnesia. 

The  usual  method  of  injecting  clysters  is  very  inade- 
quate, and  often  ineffectual.  An  injecting  syringe, 
which  holds  a  pint  and  half,  is  the  proper  instrument ; 
and  it  is  sometimes  of  advantage  to  have  a  lateral  pipe, 
by  which  it  may  be  supplied  without  withdrawing.  We 
might  thus  even  fill  the  colon,  and  produce  many  benefi- 
cial effects  ;  since  a  fomentation  could  be  in  this  way  ef- 
fectually applied  to  many  important  parts,  when  in,  a 


ENS 


611 


ENT 


state  of  inflammation,  or  otherwise  diseased.  De  Haen, 
by  such  an  instrument,  filled  the  colon  of  a  dog,  and  in 
some  experiments  even  conquered  the  obstruction 
which  its  valve  offers. 

E'XEMA  EX  A'MYLO.     See  AMYUM. 

E'NEOS.  Pain,  empty,  or  useless.  The  Greeks  call 
those  who  are  unable  to  perform  the  common  offices  of 
life,  as  dumb,  deaf,  or  foolish  persons,  m«i. 

EXE'RGIA,  (from  E»,  and  tpy'i,  a  work).  ENERGY  ; 
force,  vigour,  efficacy. 

ENERVA'TIO,  (from  enervo,  to  weaken,')  an  equi- 
vocal term,  signifying  aponeurosis  or  debility. 

E  XFLURE  DES  JAMBES.     See  LYMPH.E  DUC- 

TUS. 

E'XFOXDE.     See  CASSADA. 

EXGISO'MA,  (from  i*/^*,  to  draw  near).  An  in- 
strument formerly  used  about  fractures  of  the  cranium  ; 
and  from  hence  employed  to  signify  a  fracture  of 
the  cranium,  in  the  middle  of  which  the  bone  presses 
upon  the  membranes  of  the  brain,  resembling  a  yii™, 
or  pent  house. 

ENGOMPHO'SIS,  (from  E»,  and  y«/«4>««,  a  nail). 
See  GOMPHOMA. 

EXGO'XIOS,  (from  ei,  and  y«»«t,  an  angle),  the 
bending  of  the  arm  at  a  right  angle.  Hippocrates. 

ENGO'RGEMENT    LAI'TEUX.      See  LYMPHS 

DUCTUS. 

EXH.<E,'MON,  (from  E»,  and  tuput,  blood).  STYPTIC. 
The  name  of  an  astringent  plaster  in  Myrepsus. 

ENI'XA,  (from  enitor,  to  endeavour}.     A  WOMAN  IN 

CHILD  BED. 

ENI'XUM,  (from  enitor,  tn  produce)-  the  appella- 
tion of  a  neutral  salt.  See  NEUTRI. 

ENI'XUM  PABACE'LSI  SAL.  From  the  discoverer  Pa- 
racelsus :  kali  intriolatum. 

EXNEA'NDRIA,  (from  Em*,  novem,  and  cettif,  ma- 
ritus):  the  ninth  class  of  the  Linnsean  system,  com- 
prehending such  hermaphrodite  flowers  as  have  nine 
stamina. 

ENNEAPET'ALUS,  (from  tm*,  novem,  and  *£?*- 
A»»,  a  flower-leaf}.  Having  nine  petals. 

EXXEAPHA'RMACOS,    (from    «m«,    nine,    and 


a  medicine,}  a  composition  of  nine  simple  in- 
gredients. It  is  also  the  name  of  a  pessary  mentioned 
by  Galen  and  jEgineta  ;  of  the  antidotus  Heraclidis  ; 
and  of  several  plasters  mentioned  by  jEtius  and  Celsus 

EXXEAPHY'LLUM,  (from  Em*,  nine,  and  <pt/AA«, 
a  leaf}.  See  HELLEBORUS  NIGER  HORTENSIS,  &c. 

EXOCHDIA'XA  VITA.  A  VERY  LONG  LIFE;  the 
life  of  Enoch.  Paracelsus. 

EXRY'THMOS,  (from  t«,  and  fvtfus,  number). 
See  ARYTHMUS. 

EXS.  An  ENTITY,  or  thing  really  existing.  In  Pa- 
racelsus ens  imports  the  power,  virtue,  and  efficacy, 
which  a  thing  exerts  upon  our  bodies. 

ENS  PA'RVUM  SAPIF/NTUM.  It  is  soap  made  by  mix- 
ing fixed  alkaline  salt  with  distilled  vegetable  oil.  The 
salt  must  be  quite  hot  when  mixed  with  the  oil,  for 
the  least  portion  of  water  prevents  their  union  :  after 
their  combination  they  are  to  be  placed  some  time  in  a 
subterraneous  place.  A  small  quantity  of  the  salt  re- 
maining on  the  surface  of  the  oil  will  attract  water,  and 
prevent  the  success  of  the  process. 

ENS  PRI'MUM  SALIUM.     See  CIRCVLATUM. 


E*s  PRI'MVM  SOLA'RE.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

ENS  VE'NERIS.     See  FLORES  MARTIALES,  under  FER- 

HUM. 

EXSA'TUS,  (from  ensis,  a  sword}.  In  botany  it 
means  shaped  like  a  sword. 

EXSIFO'RMIS  CARTILAGO,  (from  ensis,  a 
sword,  and  forma,  a  form}.  The  SWORD  LIKE  CARTI- 
LAGE, called  also  xiphoides  ;  mucronatum  os,  or  mucro- 
nata  cartilago  ;  by  Hippocrates,  chondros ;  and  when 
bifurcated,  furcu la  orfurcella  inferior.  It  is  the  carti- 
lage at  the  bottom  of  the  sternum;  but  the  ancients 
often  give  the  name  of  ensiformis  to  the  whole  breast 
bone.  Dr.  Hunter  observes,  that  "  if  this  cartilage  be 
forced  inwardly  by  a  blow,  it  will  occasion  vomiting  and 
violent  pains,  by  pressing  against  the  pylorus  :  in  this 
case  it  would  be  proper  to  lay  it  bare  and  elevate  it ; 
but  the  diaphragm  arising  partly  from  it  would  probably 
replace  it."  From  the  form,  or  from  accidents  in  this 
cartilage,  many  diseases  arise ;  as  a  cough,  pain  in  stoop- 
ing, and  difficult  breathing.  These  symptoms  are  ac- 
counted for,  when  we  consider  that  the  diaphragm  is 
attached  to  it,  and  that  the  great  lobe  of  the  liver  and 
the  stomach  lie  immediately  under  it. 

ENSTA'CTON,  (from  E»,  and  <rra£»,  to  distil).  IN- 
STILLATION. The  name  of  a  liquid  collyrium  in  Galen, 
•which  Jigineta  calls  stacticon. 

EXTA'LI.     FOSSIL  ALUM.     See  VAS. 

ENTATICA  MEDIC AME'XTA,  (from  E.?E<.«,^ 
strain}.  Medicines  that  provoke  vehery.  Coelius  Au- 
relianus  calls  them  satyrica. 

ENTATICON.  The  name  of  a  plaster  in  P.  jEgi- 
neta. 

E'NTERA,  (from  £»?««,  within,}  the  bags  in  which 
were  inclosed  medicines  for  fomentation.  Hippo- 
crates. 

ENTERADE'NES,  (from  tiltfti,  an  intestine,  and 
afai,  a  gland).  The  INTESTINAL  GLANDS.  See  INTES- 

TINA. 

ENTERE'NCHYT^E,  (from  nltftt,  the  intestines, 
and  f/j;t>*,  to  infuse).  Instruments  for  administering 
clysters. 

ENTERITIS,  (from  nltf»,  intestines).  See  INFLAM- 

MATIO  INTESTINORUM. 

ENTERI'TIS  MESENTE'RICA,  (from  the  same,  and 
fit<rttlffi<t,  mesentery).  See  IXFLAMMATIO  MESENTERII. 

ENTEROCE'LE,(from  E»?E^>»,  an  intestine,  and  x.i>>*, 
a  rupture}.  See  HERNIA  SCROTALIS. 

ENTEROCE'LE  OVULA'RIS.  A  rupture  of  the  intes- 
tines through  the  foramen  ovale. 

EXTERO  EPIPLOCE'LE,  (from  E»?E?«»,  cxf>r>*»i, 
the  amentum,  and  X?AIJ,  tumor,)  when  both  the  omen- 
turn  and  intestines  protrude  through  the  integuments 
of  the  belly. 

ENTERO-HYDROCE'LE,  (from  eirefn,  v£*f,  water,  and 
xrM,  a  hernia).  A  dropsy  of  the  scrotum,  with  a  de- 
scent of  the  intestine. 

EXTERO 'MPHALOS,  (from  E»?E^»,  and  «^aA»5, 
the  navel).  A  rupture  of  the  intestine  at  the  navel. 
This  seldom  happens  to  women  in  labour,  or  from  la- 
bour ;  but  it  often  occurs  in  those  debilitated  by  numer- 
ous births  ;  to  women  who  are  fat  and  indolent. 

E'XTEROX,  (from   E»T««,  -within).      INTERNAL  and 
INTESTINE.     In  Hippocrates  Epid.  6.  §  4.  ap.  3.  tntt- 
ran  signifies  simply  the  colon. 
41  '2 


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612 


E  P  A 


ENTEROPHY'TUM,  (from  ivliftv,  and  tf>vl»*,  a 
plant).  The  sea  chitterlins!;,  which  grows  in  the  shape 
of  a  plant. 

ENTERORA'PHE,  (from  etrtpoi,  and  f*Qv,  a  su- 
ture). A  SUTURE  of  the  INTESTINES.  It  is  performed 
with  the  glover's  stitch,  and  the  end  of  the  thread  must 
be  left  beyond  the  external  wound,  to  connect  both,  in 
order  to  form  an  adhesion,  or  an  artificial  anus. 

ENTEROSCHEOCE'LE,  (from  EVTE/WV,  os-^ov,  the 
scrotum,  and  xt>>w,  a  hernia}.  See  HERNIA  SCROTALIS. 

ENTHEMA'TA,  (from  ii-nttp.1,  to  put  in).  Medi- 
cines applied  immediately  to  recent  wounds,  in  order  to 
prevent  an  inflammation,  or  stop  a  haemorrhage. 

ENTHE'TOS,  (from  £»7<«^<,  to  put  in).  Any  thing 
introduced,  but  particularly  lint  introduced  into  the 
nose  to  stop  a  haemorrhage. 

ENTHLA'SIS,  (from'  s^Xetl^a,  to  press  upon,)  illi- 
xio  ;  a  contusion,  with  the  impression  of  the  instrument 
by  which  it  happened. 

ENTHUSIA'SMUS,  (from  oDt-s-/*^,  to  rave).  An 
HEATED  IMAGINATION,  when  a  person  deeply  contem- 
plating religious  subjects  loses  his  reason,  and  sees 
strange  sights,  or  hears  the  noise  of  musical  instru- 
ments. 

ENTRICHO'MA,  (from  EV,  and  rp,^af^,  the  hair}. 
The  edge  of  the  eye  lid  on  which  the  hairs  grow. 

ENTRI'MMA,  (from  EV,  and  rpi£u,  to  grate,  or  tri- 
;nrate).  See  INTHITOM. 

E'NTROCHUS,  (from  EV,  and  rpo%o<;,  a  -wheel).  An 
oblong  stone  nearly  as  thick  as  the  finger,  from  one  to 
two  inches  long;  bluish,  composed  of  joints  frequently 
found  in  clay  pits.  Sometimes  the  joints  are  founrl  se- 
parate, and  are  called  trochite.  It  is  a  part  of  the  arm 
of  a  petrified  star  fish,  or  a  similar  sea  animal.  It  is 
always  hardened  with  sparry  matter,  and,  like  it,  is 
supposed  to  be  diuretic.  A  trochite,  when  found  sepa- 
rate, is  nearly  an  inch  in  diameter,  with  a  hole  in  the 
centre  ;  varying  in  thickness ;  when  broken,  it  is  glossy 
and  shining. 

ENTRO'PIUM,(from  EV,  and  -rptva,  to  turn  in).  In- 
troversion ui"  the  eye  lid.  See  TRICHIA. 

ENTYPO'SIS,  (from  tvlvx-nw,  to  make  an  impres- 
tsion).  The  acctabulum  of  the  humerus.  It  is  not  used 
by  any  medical  writer,  but  mentioned  by  Julius  Pollux. 

KNUCLEA'TIO,  (from  enucleo}.  The  taking  a 
kernel  from  a  nut ;  figuratively,  clearing  a  difficulty. 

E'NULA,  (a  corruption  of  Helenium  ;  so  called  from 

Helene,  the  island  where  they  grow,)  aroma  germani- 

;/.;;,  rnula  campana,  aster,  omnium   maximus  ;   SCAB- 

WOUT,  and  ELECAMPANE.     Inula  Helenium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 

1236. 

It  is  a  large  plant,  with  long,  wrinkled  leaves,  that 
are  serrated ;  of  a  pale  green  colour  above,  and  hoary 
underneath  :  the  flowers  are  yellow,  of  a  discous  kind, 
and  followed  by  oblong  seeds,  winged  with  down;  the 
roots  are  short  and  thick,  unctuous  to  the  touch  ;  brown 
or  blackish  on  the  outside,  and  whitish  within.  It  js 
perennial,  grows  wild  in  moist  rich  soils,  and  flowers  in. 
June. 

The  fresh  roots  have  a  weak  but  not  very  grateful 
smell ;  when  perfectly  dried,  they  are  more  pleasing ; 
when  chewed,  they  discover  at  the  first  a  kind  of  rancid 
glutinous  taste,  quickly  succeeded  by  an  aromatic  bit- 
terness, which  by  degrees  becomes  more  pungen},.  They 


are  diaphoretic,  diuretic,  and  stomachic  ;  if  taken  frecn  . 
they  are  gently  laxative;  powerfully  attenuate  viscid 
humours,  and  assist  expectoration  in  coughs  and  hu- 
moral asthmas.  The  ancients  had  a  high  opinion  oi 
their  virtues,  and  from  their  sensible  and  chemical  qua- 
lities they  promise  to  be  a  medicine  of  some  efficacy. 
Elecampane  is  now  chiefly  recommended  where  the  di- 
gestion is  impaired ;  in  pulmonic  affections,  and  uterine 
obstructions;  sometimes  as  an  anthelmintic,  and  in 
mucous  discharges  from  the  rectum :  but  Dr.  Cullen, 
notwithstanding  its  allowed  qualities,  says,  still  he  is 
at  a  loss  to  determine  what  are  its  peculiar  virtues.  We 
have  not  extensively  used  this  remedy,  but  have  chiefly 
found  it  as  a  warm  expectorant,  and  have  employed  it 
with  most  success  in  those  cases  of  hectics  where  the 
bronchial  glands  were  considerably  weakened,  and  the 
discharge  was  copious  and  watery. 

The  spirituous  extract  is  the  most  active  prepara- 
tion ;  but  the  watery  is  more  abundant,  and  scarcely  in- 
ferior to  the  former.  Neumann  obtained  from  one  ounce 
of  thedry  root,  by  means  of  water,six  drachms  andahalf 
of  extract ;  but  with  spirit,  only  two  drachms  and  a  half. 
Much  of  the  aromatic  warmth  and  bitterness  of  these 
roots  reside  in  the  less  volatile  parts,  which  are,  there- 
fore, preserved  in  the  watery  extract.  In  distillation 
with  water  an  essential  oil  arises  which  concretes  into 
white  flakes,  and  partly  into  an  unctuous  mass,  like 
soft  wax.  Thirty  ounces  of  roots  afford  about  a  drachm 
of  this  oil.  The  younger  Geoffroy  observes,  that  this 
oil  resides  in  the  exterior  part  of  the  root,  near  the  bark. 
When  this  concrete  oil  is  newly  distilled,  it  strongly 
possesses  the  flavour  of  elecatnpane ;  but  30011  loses  its 
smell  by  keeping. 

Extractum  Enuliz  Campestris. — Boil  elecampane 
roots  in  water;  press  and  strain  the  decoction.  When 
settled,  pour  off'  the  clear  liquor,  and  boil  it  to  a  con- 
sistence of  pills,  taking  care  to  prevent  its  burning  to- 
wards the  end  of  the  operation.  The  dose  may  be  from 
9  i.  to  3  i.  in  a  lax  state  of  the  fibres  of  the  stomach, 
and  in  some  disorders  of  the  breast. 

The  dose  of  the  root  may  bo  two  scruples  :  in  infu- 
sion, one  drachm;  and  from  5  ij  to  §  ss-  i°  decoction. 

The  candied  elecampane  root  is  prepared  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  eringo  root.  (See  ERYNGIUM.)  Raii 
Hist.;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works ;  Cullcn's  Materia  Medica. 

E'NULON,  (from   tv,  and   sAov,   the  gums).       See 

GlNGIV^E. 

ENURE'SIS,  (from  EV,  and  upiv,  to  discharge  urine). 
See  URINE,  incontinence  of. 

ENYPOSA'PROS,  (from  EV,  UTTO,  and  c-a^o?,  pu- 
trid}. An  epithet  applied  to  the  sputum  of  hectic  pa- 
tients, who  generally  compare  it  with  the  taste  of  a 
spoiled  egg:  a  tendency  to  putrescency. 

ENY'STRON,  (from  MU,  to  perfect}.     See  ABO- 

MASUM. 

E'ON.      The  whole  compass  of  the  eye. 

EPACMA'STICI,  (from  iiritx.t*.ctga,  to  increase).  See 
ACMASTICOS. 

EPAGO'GION,  (from  intyu,  to  draw  out).  An 
appellation  in  Dioscorides  of  the  prepuce.  See 

PUTIUM. 

EPANADIDO'NTES  PURETI,(froni£?r 
to  increase).     Fevers,  whose  heat  is  not  pungent  to  the 


EP11 


613 


EPH 


touch  in  the  beginning  but  becomes  more  so  as  they 
advance. 

EPANADIPLO'SIS,  (from  nr*,x},v>*u,  toredufili- 
cate,)  the  reduplication  of  a  fit  of  a  semitertian  fever; 
that  is,  the  renewal  of  the  cold  before  the  hot  fit  is  com- 
pleted. 

EPANA 'STASIS, from  tin,  and  <*Mo-?<rf*/,/o  excite). 

A  TL'MOUR  OF  TUBERCLE. 

EPAN'CYLO'TUS,  (from  im,  and  «•/***»«,  crooked). 
A  bandage  described  by  Oribasius. 

EPANTHE'SMA,  or  EPANTHI'SMA,  from  rvt, 
and  tuftf,  a  Jlotser.  An  EFFLORESCENCE.  See  EXAN- 
THEMA. 

EPAOI'DAI.     SeeAMULETA. 

EPAPH^E'RESIS,  (from  em,  importing  a repetition, 
and  <t^*«!i;5-;5,  a  removal').  In  Galen  it  is  used  to  ex- 
press a  repeated  evacuation  by  bleeding. 

EPA'RGEMOS,  (from  tin,  and  *f-/£C"»,  the  disease 
called  albugo).  An  epithet  for  a  person  affected  with 
the  disorder  of  the  eyes  called  argemon. 

EPA'RMA,  andEPA'RSIS,  (from  «»•<,  and  »I/M,  to 
tle-vate).  Any  kind  of  tumour,  but  usually  applied  to 
the  parotis. 

E'PAROTH.    See  BOTRYS  MEXICAXA. 

EPENCRA'XIS,from  e*-i,  £»,  and  *.fc«t<n,the  skull). 
A  name  of  the  cerebellum. 

EPERLA'XUS  ;  zWa  marina.  The  SMELT.  This 
fish  receives  its  first  name  from  its  pearl  colour,  and  the 
second  from  its  violet  smell.  It  is  very  nourishing,  and 
as  easy  to  digest. 

EPHEB.E'ON,  (from  1*1,  and  £v,   the  groin).  See 

Pt'BIS  OSSA. 

EPHEDRA'NA,  (from  dpt&ttxi,  to  sit  upon}.  See 
CLUXES. 

EPHE'LCIS,  (from  in,  ufion,  and  «Ax«$,  an  ulcer). 
The  crust  of  an  ulcer,  a  small  abrasion,  or  bloody  frag- 
ment coughed  up. 

EPHE'LIDES,  (from  em,  and  **/««,  the  sun.  Sux- 
BURXIXG,  testates,  nitiligo  lentigines,  lenticule,  from 
their  size  and  colour  resembling  a  lentil  seed.)  FREC- 
KLES, TAX,  MORPHEW,  which  seem  only  to  differ  in 
degree  ;  they  are  yellowish  coloured  spots  spread  over 
the  face,  neck,  and  hands,  brought  on  in  particular  con- 
stitutions by  heat ;  they  chiefly  affect  people  of  delicate 
complexions,  and  who  have  red  hair,  and  are  confined 
to  those  parts  exposed  to  the  sun ;  in  winter  they  often 
disappear.  Juice  of  lemons,  mixed  with  sugar  and  borax 
finely  powdered  and  digested  for  eight  days,  frequently 
remove  them.  Homberg  also  recommends  bullock's 
gall,  mixed  with  alum,  and  after  the  alum  has  preci- 
pitated, exposed  three  or  four  months  to  the  sun  in  a 
close  phial.  Of  the  XITILIGO,  or  morfihew,  Sauvages 
enumerates  four,  and  of  the  EPHELIS,  six  species.  Xo- 
sologia  Methodica,  vol.  i.  p.  127,  128. 

EPHEM.  GERM.  An  abbreviation  of  Epheme- 
rides  Medicophysicae  Germanics.  Nov.  is  added  when 
the  neio  collection  is  referred  to. 

EPHE'MERA,  (from tin, and  r,u.ie»,  a  day).  A  fe- 
ver of  one  day's  continuance  only ;  diaria  febris.  The 
heat  of  the  body  is  moderate,  such  as  attends  an  excess 
of  wine,  or  a  violent  passion.  The  pulse  is  somewhat 
full  and  quick,  but  soft  and  regular;  the  urine  unchang- 
ed :  neither  is  the  complaint  preceded  by  any  sickness, 
yawning,  propensity  to  sleep,  or  horror.  It  comes  on 
suddenly,  unattended  with  any  pain  of  the  head  and 


stomach,  nausea,  burning  heat,  or  inquietude.  The 
disorder  sometimes  goes  off  without  any  apparent  eva- 
cuation ;  but  oftener  by  a  free  perspiration,  or  at  most  a 
pleasant  moderate  sweat.  It  generally  arises  from 
watching,  solicitude,  sorrow,  anger,  inebriety,  fatigue, 
heat  of  the  sun,  or  inanition,  and  usually  terminates 
in  one,  at  the  furthest,  in  two  or  three  days.  Nature 
commonly  effects  a  cure.  The  fever  described  by  Lom- 
mius,  and  other  ancient  authors,  under  this  title,  is  evi- 
dently an  exacerbation  of  the  common  febrile  accession, 
in  consequence  of  some  of  the  causes  mentioned. 
There  is,  however,  an  ephemera  of  a  different  kind, 
marked  by  violent  rigor,  and  succeeded  by  burning 
heat,  which  disappears  at  the  end  of  the  twenty-four 
hours,  leaving  only  debility.  It  is  the  occasional  recur- 
rence of  such  ephemerae  which  has  induced  nosologists 
to  establish  a  genus  which  they  style  erratica,  but  which 
seems  to  have  no  existence.  We  have  seen  suqh  ephe- ' 
merae  frequently, without beingable  to  trace  their  source. 
We  have  generally,  however,  had  reason  to  suspect  that 
they  were  owing  to  obstructed  viscera,  or  at  least  con- 
nected with  some  internal  disorder.  They  require  no 
remedy  but  rest  and  warm  diluting  liquors.  See  Lom- 
mii  Observationes  Medicae.  Sauvagesii  Nosologia. 

EPHE'MERA  DICHOMEXE  ;  the  febris  erratica  of  noso- 
gists  just  mentioned. 

EPHEME'RIDES,  (from  iQr.fiffif,  an  almanack,  as 
they  may  be  foretold  by  the  almanack).  Van  Helmont 
calls  those  diseases  which  seize  the  patient  at  particular 
times  of  the  moon,  efihemerides  egrotorum,  the  ALMA- 
NACKS OF  THE  SICK. 

EPHE'MEROX,  (from  tin,  and  tiutf»,  a  day  ;  be- 
cause the  flowers  continue  but  a  day).  See  HERMO- 

DACTYLUS. 

EPHE'SIUM.  The  name  of  a  plaster  described  in 
Celsus. 

EPHIA'LTES,or  EPIA'LTES,  (from  f<p*>.A»«c«/,  to 
leafi  ufion).  See  IXCUBO. 

EPHIA'LTIA,  (from  efihialtet;  because  it  occasions 
the  night  mare).  See  PJEONIA. 

EPHIDRO'SIS,  (from  f&fya,  to  break  out  into  a 
sweat,)  hydro/iedesis,  desudatio  undmador.  Dr.  Cullen 
places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  afioce- 
noses;  and  defines  it  a  preternatural  evacuation  of  sweat, 
one  species  only  of  which  he  considers  as  idiopathic; 
e/ihidrosiss/iontanea.  The  rest  are  symptomatic,  of  which 
he  enumerates  nineteen  varieties — seven  according  to 
the  diseases  which  they  accompany,  viz.  febrile,  febri- 
cose,  hectic, exantliematic,  syncopic,  scorbutic,  saburral; 
eleven,  from  the  nature  of  the  sweat ;  lacteal,  melleous, 
•vinous, green, black,  fiale  yellow, urinous,  bloody,  bluish, 
acid,  arenous  ;  and  one,  from  the  part  whence  the  sweat 
is  effused,  viz.  lateral;  or,  more  properly,  local.  The 
idiopathic  ephidrosis  is  most  frequently  the  result  of 
debility.  Sauvages  has  three  or  four  times  observed 
men  who  were  afflicted  violently  with  night  sweats,  that 
continued  for  months  without  fever,  bringing  on 
emaciation,  debility,  and  loss  of  appetite  :  these  were 
cured  by  cathartics,  the  mineral  waters  styled  acidul<e, 
and  milk;  but  amongst  boys  the  disease  used  to  con- 
tinue long.  These  sweats  seem  to  resemble  DIABETES 
and  CCELIACA  PASSIO,  q.  v.  The  sweating  sickness,  said 
to  be  peculiar  to  England  and  to  Englishmen,  in  every 
climate,  was  a  fever.  See  Cullen's  Synopsis,  and  Sau- 
vages's  Nosolog.  Methodica. 


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614 


EPI 


EPHI'PPIUM,  A  SADDLE.  See  SELLA  TURCICA. 
It  is  called  efihififiium,  from  its  resemblance  to  a 
saddle. 

EPHO'DES,  (from  afi  and  ohs,  a  ioay}.  In  Hip- 
pocrates it  means  the  ducts  or  passages  by  which  the 
excrementitious  fluids  of  the  body  are  evacuated;  the  pe- 
riodical attack  of  a  fever,  from  the  common  use  of  the 
term  to  express  the  attack  of  thieves ;  or  the  access  of 
similar  or  dissimilar  things  which  may  be  useful  or  hurt- 
ful to  the  body. 

EPI'ALOS.  An  epithet  of  a  fever,  (from  times,  gen- 
tle, and  «A«,  the  sea).  Galen  defines  it  to  be  a  fever  in 
which  the  patient  labours  under  a  preternatural  heat, 
and  a  coldness  at  the  same  time  ;  called  by  the  Latins 
quercera.  Hesychius  confines  it  to  the  cold  shivering 
preceding  a  fever;  and  other  authors  enumerate  it 
among  the  varieties  of  tertian  fever. 

EPI'BOLE,  (from  em  and  £«AA«,  to  be  cast  upon}. 
See INCUBO. 

EPICA'NTHIDES,  (from  em,  and  *av0«s,  the  angle 
of  the  eye).  See  CANTHI. 

EPICA'RPIUM,  (from  £3-i,  and  K*/>TO«,  the  wrist). 
See  CATAPLASMA. 

EPICAU'MA,  (from  em,  and  icctiw,  to  burn).  See 
ENCAUMA. 

EPICERA'STICA,  (from  eirt,  and  xefmivpi,  to  mix, 
or  attemfierate).  Medicines  supposed  to  dilute  obtund 
acrimony,  and  relieve  troublesome  sensations. 

EPI'CHOLOS,  (from  em,  and  X«AD,  bile).     BILIOUS. 

EPICHORDIS,  (from  tvi,  and  £«^»,  a  gut).  See 
MESENTERIUM. 

EPICHO'RIOS,  (from  tm,  and  #»?*,  a  region}.  See 
EPIDEMIUS. 

EPICCE'LIS,  (from  evi  and  *»<AI?,  the  eye  lid}.    The 

UPPER  EYE  LID.  ' 

EPICO'LIC^E  REGIO'NES,  (from  i*r>,  super,  and 
xaiAev,  colon).  The  lateral  or  lumbar  region;  the  parts 
of  the  body  adjacent  to  the  colon. 

EPICRA'NIUM,  (from  evi,  and  *pmiti,  the  skull). 
See  OCCIPITO  FRONTALIS. 

EPICRA'SIS,  (from  tin,  and  xcpmnufu,  to  temper}. 
A  critical  evacuation,  or  an  attemperation  of  bad  hu- 
mours. When  a  cure  is  performed  in  the  latter  way, 
it  is  called  per  efiicrasin.  The  term  is  often  employed 
by  the  Galenists  and  Boerhaavians ;  but  as  we  have  no 
evidence  of  a  depraved  state  of  the  fluids  in  the  circu- 
lating system,  we  are  neither  anxious  to  "  attemper"  or 
"  evacuate"  them. 

EPICTE'NION,  (from  em,  above,  and  xnif,  fiubes). 
The  part  above  the  pubes ;  and  the  fine  lint  which  is 
wafted  in  the  air  where  flax  is  dressing. 

EPICYE'MA,  and  EPICYE'SIS,  (from  im,  and  *v», 
to  conceive}.  EPIGONON.  SUPERF<ETATION,  SUPERIM- 
PREGNATION  ;  a  second  conception  whilst  the  woman 
is  in  a  state  of  pregnancy  :  but  this  event  never  takes 
place.  In  Hippocrates  it  isarcETUs;  sometimes  a  MOLE, 

See  SUPERFCETATIO. 

EPIDE'MICA    A'QUA.      See    ALEXITERIA    AQUA 

SPIRITUOSA. 

EPIDE'MIUS,  (from  tin,  ufion,  and  <5V«;,  the  peo- 
ple). £fiichorios;fiandemius,fiofiularis,regionalis  nior- 
bus.  An  epithet  of  diseases  which  at  certain  times  are 
popular,  and  frequently  attack ;  then  for  a  time  disap- 
year,  and  again  return. 

The  extensive  influence  of  epidemic  diseases  has  ex- 


cited the  greatest  attention  to  their  causes.  In  almost 
every  ruder  age  they  have  been  referred  to  the  anger  of 
their  peculiar  divinities,  and  sacrifices  were  instituted  to 
reconcile  them.  More  lately  Dr.  Webster  has  attempted 
to  connect  them  with  the  eruptions  of  volcanos,  or  the 
devastation  of  earthquakes.  A  more  sound  philosophy, 
and  more  attentive  observation  have  shown,  that  they  are 
owing  very  often  to  the  effluvia  of  neighbouring 
marshes,  and  their  occasional  appearance  is  connected 
with  the  prevailing  wind  which  passes  from  the  marsh  to 
the  habitations.  Another  cause  of  their  prevalence  is,  the 
wind  from  the  marsh  coinciding  with  the  time  when  the 
moist  ground  begins  to  appear,  from  the  waters  subsid- 
ing. This  is  the  period  of  sickness ;  for  the  marsh, 
while  covered  with  water,  is  innocuous  Another  cause 
of  epidemics  is  the  weather.  Along  continued  warm 
season,  suddenly  interrupted  by  a  cold  piercing 
wind,  will  produce  a  violent  and  extensive  epidemic, 
which  particularly  attacks  in  the  highest,  and  apparently 
the  most  healthy,  situations ;  for  this  reason,  that  the 
inhabitants  are  there  most  exposed  to  cold.  But  if  this 
interchange  of  weather  occurs  to  the  inhabitants  of  a 
crowded  city,  the  epidemic  will  be  highly  putrid,  and 
often  fatal.  Should  contagion  of  a  malignant  kind  con- 
cur, the  devastation  of  the  epidemic  will  increase  in 
proportion.  These  are  the  concurring  causes  of  the 
American  yellow  fever,  and  the  late  fatal  epidemics  in 
Spain. 

There  are,  however,  causes  which  we  cannot  investi- 
gate. Extensive  epidemics  appear,  and  travel  in  succes- 
sion, with  different  severity,  through  every  part  of  the 
globe  that  we  are  acquainted  with.  The  destroying  angel 
seems  to  move  with  a  studied  regularity,  without  our  be- 
ing able  to  arrest  his  steps  or  alter  his  course.  We  often 
find  these  inexplicable  epidemics  without  much  danger, 
influencing  the  appearance  of  diseases  and  their  treat- 
ment. Thus,  while  some  epidemics  prevail,  evacua- 
tions from  the  bowels  are  necessary  in  almost  every 
complaint ;  even  where,  in  appearance,  unnecessary  or 
contraindicated.  In  others,  they  are,  with  difficulty, 
borne  in  any  disorder.  This  necessary  attention  to  the 
prevalence  of  the  constitution  merits  very  particular  at- 
tention ;  and  the  more  extensive  a  physician's  experi- 
ence is,  by  so  much  will  he  be  better  able  to  treat  the 
commonest  disease. 

Epidemics  connected  with  the  seasons  or  prevailing 
temperature  may  be  easily  traced,  and  we  shall  find 
them  occasionally  mitigated  or  severe :  sometimes  ap- 
parently stopped  ;  at  others  exerting  their  power  with 
increased  virulence.  The  peculiar  treatment,  however, 
suggested  by  a  general  epidemic,  should  not  at  once  be 
discontinued.  The  human  constitution  does  not  soon 
change ;  the  alteration  is  gradual,  and  almost  imper- 
ceptible :  nor  should  the  medical  plans  be  altered  till 
they  are  decidedly  injurious. 

When  an  epidemic  has  continued  for  some  time,  the 
body  is  habituated  to  the  influence  of  the  morbid  cause; 
suffers  less  from  it ;  and  the  health  is  more  readily  re- 
stored. At  this  time,  remedies  before  useless  are  found 
to  produce  some  salutary  effects ;  and,  at  the  end  of  an 
epidemic,  we  usually  are  told  of  a  plan  which  never 
fails.  On  its  return,  these  boasted  plans  are  as  ineffec- 
tual as  before.  In  fact,  they  only  combated,  with  suc- 
cess, a  disease  of  reduced  power. 

We  greatly  want  a  judicious  and  well  connected 


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615 


EPI 


account  of  epidemics.  Dr.  Webster  has  lately  brought 
together  a  very  extensive  collection  of  facts  of  this  kind, 
with  the  views  formerly  mentioned  ;  but  the  chaff  is  so 
intimately  mixed  with  the  grain,  that  the  salutary  in- 
formation is  with  difficulty  selected.  See  also  Obser- 
vations on  Epidemic  Disorders,  !cc. 

We  cannot  give  a  better  view  of  the  epidemics  of  the 
two  last  centuries  than  in  the  comprehensive  abstract 
of  Dr.  Sims. 

"  1 .  The  first  epidemic  constitution  was  as  follows  : 
The  years  1590,  1591,  1592,  were  all  exceedingly  dry; 
as  was  part  of  1593  ;  afterwards  very  rainy  weather  until 
the  end  of  1597.  In  1593  the  plague  killed  eleven 
thousand  five  hundred  and  three  in  London ;  the  same 
year  it  was  prevalent  in  Alcmaar.  A  catarrh  prevailed 
in  1597.  The  rainy  weather  began  in  Florence  in  1592, 
during  which  a  pestilential  fever  raged  there,  attended 
with  a  whitish  tongue,  and  an  inflammation,  with  ulcers 
about  the  throat  and  mouth. 

"2.  There  was,  in  1598,  an  excessive  heat  and 
drought,  which  continued  next  year;  1600,  a  severe 
winter;  1601,  a  drought  of  five  months'  continuance; 
1602,  a  cold  spring  and  summer,  cold  dry  harvest 
and  winter;  the  rest  of  this  constitution  very  rainy, 
until  the  end  of  1608,  except  seven  weeks'  frost  in 
1607.  In  1603  the  plague  was  imported  from  Ostend, 
where,  and  in  the  Low  countries,  it  raged  much,  and 
killed  thirty -six  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  in 
London. 

"  3.  In  1609,  three  months  most  rigorous  frost, 
wherein  the  Thames  became  like  a  solid  highway  ; 
1610,  an  excessive  hot  dry  summer,  as  were  those  of 
1611  and  1612;  1616,  1617,  and  1619.  The  winters 
of  1614  and  1615  great  frost  and  snow  ;  the  rest  of  this 
constitution  wet  until  the  end  of  1624.  In  1609  the 
plague  broke  out  in  Alcmaar,  as  also  in  Denmark.  In 
1610  the  Hungarian  fever  commenced  in  many  places, 
and  made  great  havoc  for  several  years,  so  as  often  to  be 
denominated  a  plague.  About  the  same  time  the  ma- 
lignant sore  throat  is  supposed  to  have  commenced  in 
Spain,  where  it  killed  incredible  numbers.  In  1611  the 
plague  is  said  to  have  destroyed  two  hundred  thousand 
at  Constantinople.  In  1614  the  most  fatal  small  pox 
spread  all  over  Europe.  In  1618  the  sore  throat  broke 
out  at  Naples,  where  it  continued  its  ravages  for  twenty 
years;  it  was  preceded  by  a  similar  disorder  among 
cattle.  In  1618  the  plague  existed  in  Bergen.  In 
1619  it  broke  out  in  Denmark  and  in  Grand  Cairo. 

"  4.  In  1625,  a  hard  frosty  winter,  summer  wet  and 
hot;  1626  and  1627  excessively  hot  summers;  1630 
and  1631,  a  great  drought;  the  other  years  wet  until 
1634.  In  1625  the  plague  killed  thirty-five  thousand 
four  hundred  and  seventeen  in  London  ;  it  raged  in 
Denmark  both  in  1625  and  1629;  as  also  in  1625  in 
Leyden.  In  1632  inflammations  of  the  jaws  prevailed, 
with  an  erysipelas  in  one  or  more  parts  of  the  body. 

"5.  In  1634,  an  excessively  frosty  winter;  1635, 
1636,  1637,  and  1638,  very  hot  and  dry  summers;  then 
very  rainy  years  until  1643.  In  1635  the  plague  in 
Leyden,  and  the  camp  fever  spread  all  over  Germany. 
In  1636  the  plague  was  in  London,  whereof  died  thir- 
teen thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty;  in  1637,  the 
plague  in  Denmark. 

"6.  The  years  1643  and  1645  were  remarkable  for 
hot  summers,  followed  by  inconstant  rainy  seasons  until 


1650.  In  1648  a  fatal  malignant  fever  was  spread  by 
the  armies  all  over  England  ;  1 644,  a  malignant  epide- 
mic fever  in  Denmark;  a  similar  fever  in  England, 
in  which  there  was  a  roughness  and  sliminess  of  the 
throat  and  jaws,  with  pain,  but  scarcely  any  swelling  or 
inflammation :  it  seemed  only  a  mere  defluction,  by 
which  the  sick  seemed  choked,  and  for  which  astrin- 
gent gargles  were  useful.  In  1650  a  general  catarrh 
prevailed. 

"7.  The  years  1651  and  1659  had  both  very  hot 
summers,  and  proved  mostly  dry;  thence  to  1655  very 
wet.  The  winters  of  1651  and  1658  remarkably  cold. 
In  1651,  in  the  country  about  Rome,  a  contagious  epi- 
demic quinsey  prevailed,  and  made  terrible  slaughter 
among  children.  A  small  ulcer  arose  in  the  mouth,  for 
which  juice  of  wood  sorrel, syrup  of  pomegranates,  with 
the  bark,  and  chiefly  the  acid'  of  vitriol,  were  useful.  All 
that  took  these  medicines  recovered ;  but  those  who 
were  not  tractable,  and  refused  medicines,  died :  it  did 
not  seize  adults,  nor  the  aged.  In  1654  the  plague  was 
in  Denmark;  and  in  1655,  and  the  two  following  years, 
it  prevailed  exceedingly  in  the  south  of  Europe ;  the 
agues  likewise  of  these  hot  years  were  malignant, 
and  spotted  fevers  were  very  common.  In  1664,  after 
a  mild  rainy  winter,  a  malignant  purple  fever  raged 
in  Prussia,  and  killed  great  numbers  under  twelve  years 
of  age,  those  only  escaping  who  had  no  inflammation  or 
cedematous  tumour  in  the  throat.  Such  as  recovered, 
after  sweating,  had  scales  peeling  off  the  skin ;  then 
adults  had  a  swelling  over  their  bedy  and  of  their  belly, 
which  continued  several  weeks  like  leucophlegmatia, 
and  then  went  off  by  sweat  and  urine.  This  epidemic 
seems  a  considerable  deviation  from  their  general  pro- 
gress laid  down  in  the  scheme  of  them  already  men- 
tioned, and  is,  therefore,  particularly  noticed  in  this 
place. 

"  8.  In  1665,  an  excessively  severe  frost,  which  con- 
tinued to  the  end  of  March,  summer  temperate;  1666, 
a  very  hot  dry  year,  followed  by  two  as  wet  and  cold. 
In  1665,  immediately  after  the  frost,  began  the  plague 
in  London,  which  killed,  according  to  the  least  computa- 
tion, sixty -eight  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety-six. 
Since  that  time  the  plague  has  vanished  from  London, 
and  all  other  epidemics  seem  to  have  become  less  ma- 
lignant, owing  to  many  causes  ;  among  which  may,  per- 
haps, be  a  greater  use  of  fresh  vegetable  food,  a  less  use 
of  fish,  an  universal  use  of  tea,  superior  cleanliness  in 
our  persons,  a  greater  attention  to  the  poor  in  times  of 
scarcity,  which  are  now  scarcely  felt  in  any  extreme  de- 
gree, and,  lastly,  the  tremendous  fire  in  1666,  since 
which  the  streets  have  been  very  much  widened,  and 
the  houses  so  enlarged,  that  the  same  number  of  inha- 
bitants now  occupy  above  double  the  space.  In  1 667 
an  epidemic  fever,  with  aphthae,  prevailed  in  Holland, 
in  which  acids  were  useful,  but  neither  bleeding  nor 
purging. 

"9.  In  1669,  the  summer  intolerably  hot,  after 
which  the  winter  was  as  severely  cold  and  frosty; 
1670,  a  severe  frosty  winter;  the  rest  of  this  constitu- 
tion bad  and  wet.  In  1669  a  most  fatal  fever  prevailed, 
with  slimy  tongue,  sore  mouth,  &c.  in  which  bleeding 
was  hurtful,  but  acids  and  laxatives  very  beneficial.  Sy- 
denham  does  not  mention  this  fever,  nor  its  return  in 
1678,  although,  next  to  the  plague,  they  were  the  great- 
est epidemics  in  his  time;  which,  together  with  his 


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little  knowledge  of  putrid  fevers,  can  only  be  attributed 
to  his  practice  lying  about  the  court;  whilst  Morton, 
who  practised  in  the  city,  gives  abundant  proofs  that 
putrid  complaints  were  as  prevalent  then  as  at  this  time. 
The  same  year,  in  Norway,  malignant  measles  are  said 
to  have  prevailed,  with  thrush,  which,  if  mismanaged  or 
neglected,  ended  in  a  fatal  mortification.  In  1675  a 
coryza,  or  cough,  were  prevalent. 

"  10.  In  1678,  summer  and  harvest  droughty,  hot, 
and  clear  ;  1679,  winter  long,  severe  frost,  and  intensely 
cold;  1680  and  1681,  summer  extremely  dry  and  hot ; 
the  next  two  years  rainy.  In  1678  the  same  fever  and 
sore  throat  prevailed  as  in  1669.  In  1679,  after  a  most 
deluging  October,  a  catarrh  was  universal.  ('  In  1682, 
sphacelated  tongues  and  angina  maligna  prevailed 
among  cattle  ;  in  the  same  year,  in  Dublin,  a  fatal  pe- 
I  techial  fever. 

"11.  The  year  1684  was  remarkable  for  the  severest 
frost  remembered  at  that  time,  succeeded  by  a  very  dry 
and  hot  summer,  to  which  1686  bore  a  near  resem- 
blance :  the  other  years  were  rainy  till  1691.  In  1684 
spotted  fevers,  particularly  of  the  miliary  kind,  were 
common.  This  and  the  following  year  of  1685  are  re- 
markable for  the  greatest  number  of  burials  ;  from  1665 
to  1714,  although  1684  does  not  contain  St.  James's, 
Westminster,  and  neither  1684  nor  16&5  contain  St. 
Ann's,  Westminster,  nor  St.  John's,  Wapping,  parishes, 
which  are  inserted  in  every  following  bill  of  mortality, 
and  which  then  buried  above  sixteen  hundred  annually 
at  a  medium.  In  1688  an  epidemic  catarrh  prevailed 
a(ll  over  Europe. 

"  12.  A  frosty  winter  in  1691,  and  excessively  hot 
and  dry  summer.  The  same  in  1694,  the  other  years 
rainy  and  variable.  In  1691  a  fatal  spotted  fever  pre- 
vailed; in  1693  an  universal  catarrh;  and  in  1695  the 
hooping  cough. 

"  13.  Of  1698,  an  exceedingly  hard  frost  in  the  win- 
ter ;  the- rest  of  this  constitution  rather  rainy.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1698,  began  a  fatal  contagious  spotted  fever,  which 
bpread  all  over  England.  Coughs  attended  most  of  the 
diseases  in  1703. 

"  14.  The  year  1704  was  excessively  dry,  so  that  the 
grass  was  burnt  up  ;  this  continued  until  August  1 5, 1 705  ; 
the  rest  of  this  constitution  cold  and  wet.  In  1704  ma- 
lignant spotted  fevers  were  common.  In  1708  coughs 
and  coryzas  prevailed  every  where,  so  that  few  escaped. 
"  15.  In  1709,  great  frost  all  over  Europe,  and  even 
in  Portugal;  1712,  a  very  frosty  winter;  the  rest  of 
this  constitution  variable.  In  1709  the  plague  broke 
out  in  Dantzick,  immediately  after  the  thaw,  and  killed 
twenty  four  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-three.  In 
1710  the  plague  in  Copenhagen  killed  twenty-five 
thousand.  In  1712,  sore  throats  universal  in  July  and 
August,  with  dizziness  and  pains  of  the  limbs,  in 
London. 

"  16.  The  year  1714,  and  the  six  succeeding  years, 
were  all  dry,  with  hot  summers.  In  the  winter  of  1716 
so  severe  a  frost  that  the  Thames  was  covered  with 
booths;  that  of  1718  likewise  very  frosty ;  the  rest  to 
1731,  cold,  wet,  and  variable,  except  1723,  which  was 
cold  and  dry  ;  and  1729,  which  was  a  cold  dry  winter, 
followed  by  a  hot  dry  summer.  In  1720  the  plague 
killed  sixty  thousand  in  Marseilles.  In  1729  an  univer- 
sal epidemic  catarrh  prevailed  in  November. 

"  17.  The  year  1731  was  a  very  dry  one,  which  con- 


tinued until  harvest  1732;  summer  of  1733  rather  dry 
and  pleasant,  as  was  most  of  1738;  the  remainder  oi 
this  constitution  extremely  wet.  In  the  beginning  of 
1733  was  an  epidemic  catarrh;  1737,  1738,  and  1739, 
were  all  much  affected  with  catarrhal  fevers,  especially 
among  children. 

"  18.  In  1740  was  the  severest  frosty  winter  and 
spring  that  had  happened  for  three  hundred  years ;  1741, 
extremely  dry  hot  summer;  1742,  a  variable,  but  dry, 
year ;  the  rest  of  this  constitution  wet  or  variable.  In 
1740  a  malignant  petechial  fever  made  great  havock  in 
Bristol,  and  in  Galway  in  Ireland.  In  1741  it  reached 
London,  where  this  and  the  last  year  were  the  most  mor- 
tal ever  known,  except  when  the  plague  reigned,  the 
burials  amounting  to  sixty  two  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  eighty.  In  1742  the  putrid  sore  throat  broke  out. 
In  March,  1744,  an  epidemic  catarrh  was  universal,  and 
was  more  fatal  than  usual. 

"  19.  In  1747,  there  was  an  excessively  hot  dry  sum- 
mer ;  1750,  a  dry  year  throughout  and  intensely  hot 
summer;  the  rest  of  this  constitution  moderate,  variable, 
or  wet.  In  1747,  and  the  succeeding  years,  the  sore 
throat  seemed  to  acquire  new  vigour,  alarming  the  in- 
habitants of  these  kingdoms  very  much.  In  November, 
1758,  there  was  an  universal  epidemic  catarrh. 

"  20.  The  year  1760  was  droughty  from  June  26  to 
September  16;  the  end  of  that  and  the  following  year 
severely  wet,  as  was  the  end  of  1763  and  beginning 
of  1764  ;  the  rest  of  this  constitution  moderate.  In 
April  and  May,  1762,  a  most  epidemic  catarrh. 

"21.  A  very  dry  year,  and  rather  hot  summer  in 
1765,  as  was  the  next  year,  though  not  quite  so  much 
so  ;  the  remainder  of  this  constitution  moderate  years, 
rather  inclining  to  wet.  During  this  constitution  no 
very  remarkable  epidemic  till  the  universal  catarrh  in 
November,  1775,  unless  we  reckon  such,  the  small  pox 
of  the  year  1772,  which,  succeeding  a  hard  winter,  were 
more  fatal  than  they  had  ever  been  before  in  London. 

"22.  The  year  1776  was  dry,  and  1778  still  more  so. 
The  winter  of  1780  was  the  most  frosty  since  1740: 
yet  these  deviations  from  what  might  be  accounted  mo- 
derate weather  were  so  small  as  scarcely  to  deserve  no- 
tice. In  May,  1782,  there  was  a  very  general  epidemic 
catarrh  ;  and  early  in  1783  began  the  constitution  which 
produced  the  epidemic  scarlatina  anginosa,  which 
spread  very  considerably." 
See  Dr.  Wallis's  Sydenham. 

EPIDE'RMIS,  (from  £*-,,  and  ?efa<,  the  skin).  See 
CLITORIS. 

EPIDE'RMIS,  (from  tx-i,  njion,  and  hpt*.*,  the  skin) . 
See  CUTICULA. 

EPIDE'SMIS,  (from  an,  and  &«,  to  bind).  A 
bandage  by  which  splints,  bolsters,  &c.  are  secured. 

EPIDI'DYMIS,  from  ex-t,  upon  and  Sifvpus,  a  tes- 
ticle}. The  epididymis  may  be  reckoned  a  testis  acces- 
sorius,  called  by  Hippocrates,  fiarastata.  It  is  a  body 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  testicle,  formed  of  a  continua- 
tion of  the  tubes  that  constitute  its  body:  the  continu- 
ance of  the  epididymis  upwards  forms  the  vas  defercns. 
See  TESTES. 

EPIDI'DYMIS  DISTE'NSA.     See  SPERMATOCELE. 
EPIDO'SIS,  (from  HrthPufti,  to  increase).      Preter- 
natural enlargement  of  the  parts. 

EPI'DROME,  (from  nri,  ufion,  and  fyfiAa,  to  yui:^. 
An  afflux  of  humours,  particularly  from  a  ligature. 


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EPIGA  STRIC.E  ARTE'RI£,  (from  ejngattrum}. 
The  EPIGASTRIC  ARTERIES.  The  external  iliac  artery 
divides  into  two  branches  at  the  ligamentum  Poupartii ; 
one  of  these  is  the  epigastric,  which  runs  to  the  inside 
of  the  rectus  abdominis,  at  whose  upper  part  it  com- 
municates with  the  internal  mammary.  Dr.  Hunter 
observes,  that  in  the  operation  for  the  femoral  rupture, 
we  endanger  dividing  the  epigastrica  if  we  cut  upwards 
and  outwards;  and  if  upwards  and  inwards,  the  sper- 
matic, as  the  hernial  sac  lies  in  the  angle  between  the 

EpioA'sTRrtr-s  VK'X-E.  The  EPIGASTRIC  VEINS.  The 
-.  nal  iliac  veins,  a  little  before  their  going  out  of  the 
belly,  send  off  from  the  inside  the  epigastric  veins,  from 
whence  branches  run  to  the  neighbouring  glands,  up 
the  musculi  recti  abdominis,  and  then,  advancing,  join 
the  manimaria. 

EPIGA'STRIUM,  (from  tin,  ufton,  or  above,  and 
•yarrr.f,  the  stomach}.  The  upper  fore  part  of  the  belly; 
reaching  from  the  pit  of  the  stomach  to  an  imaginary 
line  above  the  navel,  supposed  to  be  drawn  from  one 
extremity  of  the  last  of  the  false  ribs  to  the  other.  Its 
sides  are  called  hypochondria,  and  are  covered  by  the 
false  ribs,  betwixt  which  lies  the  epigastrium. 

EPIGE'XEMA,  (from  tv.ytia,a,  to  generate  anew}. 
Someiimes  it  signifies  an  adventitious  symptom;  at 
others  any  thing  added,  as  a  fur  on  the  tongue. 

EPIGIXO'MEXA,  (from  £»•;-//»««*/,  to  succeed,  or 
tufiervene}.  Those  symptoms  which  naturally  succeed, 
or  may  be  expected  in  the  progress  of  a  disease  (Galen); 
but  Fojsius  considers  them  as  accessions  of  some  new 
affection,  which  never  happened  but  in  stubborn  and 
malignant  disease.  See  EPIPH.EXOMEXA. 

EPIGLO'SSUM,  (from  to-/,  ufwn,  and  '/>Mrs-x,  the 
tongue;  from  a  less  leaf  growing  above  a  larger  in  the 
shape  of  a  tongue).  See  LAUHUS  ALEXAXDRIXA. 

EPIGLOTTIS,  (from  «*•;,  and  -/AWT?/?,  the  aperture 
Of  the  larynx}.  See  ASPERA  AIITERIA. 

EPIGLO'TTUM,(from  ETC/AWT?^).  An  instrument 
mentioned  by  Paracelsus  for  elevating  the  eye  lids,  re- 
sembling in  shape  the  epiglottis. 

EPIGLU 'TIS,  (from  en,  and  •/*•»?«{,  the  buttock}. 
The  superior  part  of  the  buttock. 

EPIGO'XATIS,  (from  in,  and  y»t»,  a  knee}.  See 
PATELLA. 

EPPGO  XOX,  (from  f*-<y<'*<uci,  to  proceed  vfion}. 
See  EPICYEMA. 

EPIGO'XIDES,  (from  **•<,  and  >«v,  the  knee}.  The 
wiuscles  inserted  into  the  knees. 

EPILE'PSIA,  (from  £»-<A««t?a»»,  to  seize,  invade,  or 
Gftfiress}.  The  EPILEPSY;  Abas,  morltus  caducus,  in- 
ferlvnius,  magnus,  and  attonitus  morbus,  analefizia;  by 
Paracelsus,  catalent'a;  by  the  Portuguese,  cobrell'j;  by 
Hippocrates,  eclamp *•;'*,  FALLIXG  SICKNESS  ;  heracleios, 
the  GREAT  or  HERCULEAN  DISEASE,  from  its  violence  and 
intractability  ;  the  SACRED  or  DIVIXE  DISEASE,  because 
it  was  supposed  owing  to  the  divine  influence  ;  inorbus 
infantilin  and  fiuerili*,  as  happening  most  frequentjy 
to  infants  and  children  ;  comiste,  and  comitialis  morbux, 
since  people  were  frequently  seized  with  it  whilst  in 
the  comitia. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class 
nearest*,  and  order  sflasmi.  He  defines  it  a  convulsion 
of  the  muscles,  attended  with  a  loss  of  sense,  terminat- 

VOL.    I. 


ing  in  a.  state  of  insensibility,  and  seeming  sleep.     He 
distinguishes  three  species : 

1.  EPILE'PSIA  CEREBRALIS,  vrhen    it  arises  suddenly 
without  any  manifest  cause ;  no 

except  sometimes  a  giddiness  or  loss  of  sight. 

2.  EPILE'PSIA  SYMPATIUCA,  vrhen   it   arises   vrithout 
any  manifest  cause;  but  is  preceded  by  a  particular 
sensation,  called  aura  efiilefitlca,  from  some  part  of  the 
body  rising  upwards  to  the  head. 

3.  EPILE'PSIA    OCCASIOXALIS,  when    from    manifest 
irritation,  and  ceases  on  the-  removal  of  that  morbid 
cause. 

An  epilepsy  is  a  violent,  involuntary,  or  convulsive 
contraction  of  the  muscular  parts  of  the  whole  body,  at- 
ktended  with  an  abolition  of  sense,  owing  generally  to 
some  irritation  in  the  common  sensorium,  producing 
insensibility,  and  consequently  irregular  action.  When 
the  cause  is  in  the  brain  itself,  it  is  called  an  idiopaihic 
epilepsy ;  when  in  other  parts,  symptomatic. 

The  idiopathic  epilepsy  is  remotely  occasioned  by 
external  violence;  by  bony  protuberances  arising  in- 
ternally in  the  basis  of  the  skull,  in  the  lateral  o 
falciform  sinuses ;  from  an  obstruction  of  the  jugular 
veins;  from  polypous  concretions;  the  passions  of  the 
mind  ;  an  ill  conformation  of  the  brain,  &cc. 

A  symptomatic  epilepsy  is  produced  by  cachectic  and 
hypochondriac  habits ;  flatulencies  proceeding  from  the 
stomach  and  bowels  ;  spasms  of  the  intestines ;  irregular 
secretions  and  excretions  ;  the  acrid  matter  of  eruptive 
and  other  diseases  conveyed  to  the  brain;  gout;  • 
that  are  violent  and  attended  with  spasms ;  stones  pass' 
ing  through  the  ureters  ;  worms ;  poisons,  kc. 

The  diagnostics  vary  in  different  people :  some  are 
suddenly  seized;  others  have  a  train  of  symptoms  fore- 
boding the  attack,  such  as  weariness,  an  oppressive 
pain  in  the  head,  interrupted  sleep,  a  languid  pulse,  a 
pale  countenance,  stupor  and  drowsiness,  an  unusuaf 
dread  and  terror,  a  ringing  in  the  ears,  palpitation  of 
the  heart,  inflation  of  the  precordia,  disturbed  respira- 
tion, rumbling  in  the  bowels,  a  discharge  of  fetid  stools, 
coldness  in  the  joints,  and  a  copious  discharge  of  urine. 
A  cold  vapour  is  sometimes  perceived  gradually  ascend- 
ing from  the  extremities  to  the  brain.  Whether  these 
symptoms  precede  the  attack,  or  are  absent,  the  fit  ap- 
proaches suddenly,  and  as  it  were  unexpectedly ;  the 
patient  falls  down ;  the  thumbs  are  firmly  fixed  on  the 
palms  of  the  hands ;  the  eyes  are  distorted,  and  the 
white  part  only  appears ;  all  sensation,  both  internal  and 
external,  is  lost;  a  froth  is  forced  through  the  closed 
lips,  with  a  hissing  noise ;  the  tongue  is  often  lacerated 
by  the  teeth ;  and  the  limbs  are  agitated  with  the  most 
violent  convulsive  motions.  In  some,  the  distortions 
and  gesticulations  are  ridiculous  and  distressing;  in 
others,  instead  of  convulsive  motion,  there  is  highly 
rigid  spasm  in  all  the  members,  by  which  they  are  so 
fixed  that  no  force  c&n  move  them.  The  seed  is  occa- 
sionally ejected,  and  sometimes  the  urine  is  discharged 
to  a  considerable  distance,  and  this,  as  well  as  the  dis- 
charges by  stool,  are  involuntary.  At  length  these 
symptoms  remit;  the  patient  seems,  to  have  a  sort  of 
respite  at  intervals,  but  the  eyelids  remain  immovable; 
the  teeth  grind  upon  eacli  other,  the  tongue  hangs  out 
of  the  mouth.  When  the  paroxysm  ceases,  the  patient 
is  entirely  ignorant  of  every  thing  thut  happened  during 

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it ;  he  rolls  on  the  ground ;  his  countenance  appears  sad ; 
he  begins  to  yawn,  and  stretches  himself  with  a  kind  of 
violent  effort ;  he  rises  and  walks  slowly,  seems  uneasy, 
and  the  veins  of  his  forehead  appear  distended.  The 
recollection  returns  very  slowly,  and  the  symptoms 
which  preceded  the  fit  sometimes  continue  after  it. 
The  returns,  in  many  instances,  are  regularly  periodical ; 
more  frequently  irregular  and  uncertain.  By  a  frequent 
recurrence  of  this  disorder  the  patient  grows  dejected ;  is 
indolent;  subject  to  a  vertigo  and  a  trembling  if  he  looks 
upward ;  is  irritable,  and  quickly  agitated. 

The  epilepsy  should  be  distinguished  from  the  apo- 
plexy, convulsions,  and  hysterics.  In  apoplexy  there 
are  no  convulsions ;  the  breath  is  drawn  with  a  stertor, 
and  the  pulse  is  unusually  slow  and  laborious.  If  con- 
vulsions and  hysterics  are  confounded  with  epilepsy, 
the  inconvenience  is  not  very  great.  The  remedies  do 
not  materially  differ ;  and  those  reputed  epilepsies,  at- 
tended with,  and  in  part  owing  to,  flatulencies  in  the 
stomach,  are  more  nearly  allied  to  hysteria.  We  may 
add  also,  that  the  epilepsies  attended  with  stupor  rather 
than  convulsions,  do  not  essentially  differ  from  apo- 
plexy. 

Hereditary  epilepsy  is  rarely  cured;  and  when  the 
disorder  is  chronical  or  habitual,  success  is  scarcely  to 
be  expected.  When  the  approach  of  puberty,  the  erup- 
tion of  the  menses,  or  the  first  delivery,  does  not  remove 
an  epilepsy  in  woman,  an  hereditary  cause  may  be  sus- 
pected, and  a  cure  is  not  to  be  expected.  When  caused 
by  frights,  they  are  so  rarely  cured  as  to  afford  but 
little  hope ;  for,  when  the  patient  seems  recovered, 
trifles  occasion  a  relapse.  When  the  fit  approaches 
during  sleep,  the  danger  is  greater.  Hippocrates  as- 
serts, that  boys  are  relieved  from  this  disorder  about 
their  seventh,  fourteenth,  or  seventeenth  year.  There 
are  hopes  of  cure  when  the  case  is  not  inveterate  or 
hereditary,  when  the  cause  is  in  the  primse  viae,  too 
great  irritability,  or  some  disorder  translated  to  the  brain. 
In  all  spasmodic  diseases,  the  disease  often  continues 
from  custom  alone,  after  the  original  cause  has  long 
ceased  to  act ;  so  that  much  depends  upon  breaking  the 
habit.  If  several  successive  attacks  can  be  prevented, 
it  may  never  return.  No  medicine  will  so  certainly 
prevent  an  epileptic  fit,  as  a  vomit  given  an  hour  before 
the  attack.  But  this  can  only  be  employed  when  the 
disease  is  regularly  periodical,  as  its  approach  is  known 
by  previous  symptoms.  In  the  epilepsia  nocturna,  a 
dose  of  ipecacuanha  may  be  given  at  bed  time. 

From  the  variety  of  causes,  and  the  nature  of  some  of 
these,  it  is  difficult  to  state  the  indications  and  method 
of  cure.  We  may,  with  the  generality  of  authors,  pro- 
pose, 1.  To  prevent  an  impending  paroxysm.  2.  To 
shorten  a  present  one.  3.  To  guard  against  future  at- 
tacks. The  first  of  these  intentions  is  answered  in  ple- 
thoric habits  by  suitable  evacuations  and  antispasmodics, 
as  nitre,  opium,  musk,  &c. ;  in  languid  constitutions,  by 
warm,  nervous  medicines,  as  castor,  valerian,  camphor, 
fetid  gums,  volatile  salts,  the  bark,  and  chalybeates. 
Cheyne  thinks  that  the  epilepsy  differs  but  little  in  de- 
gree from  the  hypochondriac  and  hysteric  fits ;  and 
observes,  that,  when  the  former  abate,  they  end  in  the 
latter,  and  when  the  latter  are  violent,  they  become  epi- 
leptic :  he  therefore  urges  a  free  use  of  vomits,  bitters, 
and  steel.  The  second  intention  is  supplied  by  sinapisms 


or  blisters,  if  the  fits  are  long ;  but  before  these  are  ap- 
plied, or  when  the  fits  are  short,  if  the  jaws  are  separated 
by  a  wedge  as  far  as  they  can  be  opened  in  health,  the 
fit,  it  is  said,  will  be  removed  ;  and  in  cases  where  the 
patient  hath  due  notice  of  their  approach,  he  may  pre- 
vent them  ~by  introducing  the  wedge  into  his  mouth. 
When  the  fits  are  preceded  by  a  peculiar  sensation  in  the 
toes,  feet,  or  legs,  a  bandage  applied  tight  below  the 
knee  will  often  prevent  the  paroxysm ;  or  wherever 
these  sensations  are  felt,  a  bandage  may  be  applied 
there,  and  continued  from  thence  upwards.  Instances 
of  perfect  cures  have  occurred,  by  cutting  down  on  the 
part  in  which  those  peculiar  feelings  were  first  perceived. 
(See  an  instance  in  the  Edinb.  Med.  Essays,  vol.  iv.  and 
the  article  SESAMOIDEA.)  Ccelius  Aurelianus  prefers 
the  blowing  of  strong  vinegar  up  the  nostrils  to  volatile 
salts.  The  third  intention  requires,  if  possible,  that  the 
cause  be  known,  in  order  to  its  being  removed  :  but  in 
some  instances  it  cannot  be  discovered ;  and  in  others 
no  remedy  could  be  applied. 

In  the  article  CONVULSIONS  we  stated  what  appeared 
to  us  a  correct  view  of  the  subject,  and  this  is  more 
particularly  applicable  to  epilepsy.  We  there  remark- 
ed that  convulsions  were  irregular  actions,  depending 
chiefly  on  debility,  though  generally  excited  by  some, 
often  almost  imperceptible,  irritation.  To  prevent  the 
return  of  the  fits,  both  objects  must  be  combined;  and 
we  have  fortunately  some  medicines,  or  combinations 
of  medicines,  which  will  answer  both  intentions. 

Dissections  have  taught  us  that  exostoses  in  the  cra- 
nium, obstructions  in  the  venous  system  of  the  brain, 
and  various  causes  of  irritation  in  that  organ,  frequently 
produce  epileptic  paroxysms.  -  It  will  be  obvious  that 
no  medicine  has  power  over  these ;  yet,  in  a  very  few 
instances,  where,  from  venereal  complaints,  the  external 
injuries  of  the  bone  lead  to  a  strong  presumption  of  in- 
ternal ones  producing  the  disease,  long  continued,  gentle 
courses  of  mercury  have  succeeded :  we  say  in  a  very 
few  Instances,  for,  in  general,  the  bones  are  too  inti- 
mately diseased  to  admit  of  very  considerable  relief. 
Yet  where  we  find  these  mechanical  irritations  to  pro- 
duce epilepsy,  though  we  cannot  remove  them,  we  can 
often  mitigate  the  paroxysms.  In  such  cases  we  gene- 
rally find  the  fits  increased  by  every  circumstance 
which  accelerates  the  circulation  through  the  head ;  and, 
taking  the  hint  from  this  fact,  a  drain  from  any  part  of 
the  neck  or  head,  by  means  of  a  blister  or  a  seton ;  a 
free  discharge  from  the  bowels  ;  a  milk  diet,  with  the 
utmost  tranquillity  of  body  and  mind,  have  given  very 
considerable  relief.  Indeed,  in  almost  every  case  of 
epilepsy,  except  where  it  is  connected  with  great  de- 
bility, or  has  been  produced  by  debilitating  causes, 
these  means  of  relief  will  be  found  highly  useful. 

Another  cause  of  topical,  nervous  irritation  occurs  in 
those  cases  where  the  fit  is  preceded  by  a  sensation  of 
cold  air,  rising  from  some  portion  of  either  (though  ge- 
nerally the  lower)  extremity.  An  instance  of  this  kind 
is  recorded  where  a  hard  body  was  found  on  the  nerve, 
which  was  removed,  and  the  fits  ceased.  In  other 
cases  a  drain  from  that  part,  by  means  of  a  blister,  has 
succeeded;  but,  as  the  cause  is  fixed  and  often  within 
our  reach,  many  remedies  may  be  applied  to  the  nerve, 
or  if  it  be  not  a  considerable  one,  it  may  be  divided 
above  the  part  whence  the  irritation  proceeds. 


EPI 


619 


EPI 


These  are  unfortunately  the  very  few  instances  on 
which  our  foundation  is  firm,  and  in  which,  if  we  can- 
not cure,  we  can  often  alleviate.  In  general,  we  must 
rest  on  the  vague  indications  of  counteracting  irritability, 
or  any  concealed  source  of  irritation.  From  the  stomach 
and  bowels  the  latter  often  Unsuspectedly  proceeds; 
and,  in  every  instance,  these  organs  should  be  kept  free 
by  occasional  emetics,  and  the  regular  use  of  laxatives 
and  anthelmintics,  when  worms,  as  sometimes  happens, 
are  the  cause.  From  the  observations  under  the  article 
CATHARTICA,  it  will  be  obvious  that  these  are  means  of 
removing  manyjunds  of  irritation  in  different  organs  ; 
and  from  their  use  in  chorea  and  palpitations,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  they  will  be  found  extensively  useful.  Con- 
vulsions do  not  differ  so  greatly  as  authors  have  gene- 
rally represented.  In  the  diagnosis,  which  we  hastily 
passed  over  because  it  did  not  admit  of  any  practical 
application,  they  appeared  to  run  into  each  other;  and 
it  is1  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  distinguish  epilepsy 
from  other  convulsions  but  from  the  violence,  the 
obstinacy,  and  often  the  regularity,  of  the  return  of 
paroxysms.  The  foaming  at  the  mouth  is  occasioned 
only  by  the  convulsions  of  the  muscles  of  the  jaws 
emulging  the  salivary  glands  and  combining  the  saliva 
•with  the  air;  yet  this  is  the  chief  distinction.  The 
paroxysms  arising  from  a  distant  aura  is  a  good  mark  of 
distinction;  but  it  would  greatly  contract  our  views, 
and  exclude  many  cases  from  the  share  of  attention 
which  they  would  otherwise  receive. 

Another  source  of  irritation,  less  obscure,  arises  from 
the  suppression  of  the  usual  evacuations.  The  German 
physicians  are  uncommonly  anxious  to  procure  or  re- 
store the  haemorrhoidal  discharge;  but,  in  this  country, 
we  do  not  find  it  such  an  essential  evacuation.  The 
suppression  of  cutaneous  affections  has  occasioned  the 
disease ;  the  repulsion  of  gout ;  and  sometimes  the  de- 
ficiency of  constitutional  strength,  which  prevents  its 
formation,  has  had  the  same  effect.  In  some  cases, 
the  eruption  of  the  menses  will  occasion  pain  and  con- 
vulsive paroxysms.  In  all  these  instances,  the  know- 
ledge of  the  cause  will  suggest  the  means  of  relief. 

When  causes  of  debility  and  irritability  produce 
epilepsy ;  in  other  words,  when  the  irritability  is  so 
great  that  the  slightest  irritation  will  induce  the  fits; 
the  remedy  is  equally  obvious.  Warm  generous  diet, 
•which  may  appear  at  first  indicated,  must  be  used  with 
caution,  since  a  fulness  of  the  vessels  is,  alone,  in  ten- 
der habits,  a  cause  of  irritability.  Tonics  and  narcotic 
bitters  are  the  best  remedies  in  such  cases,  anxiously 
guarding,  as  usual,  against  any  accumulations  in  the 
head ;  but  not  by  such  remedies  as  will  weaken. 

In  the  greater  number  of  instances,  however,  we 
have  only  the  vague  indication  formerly  mentioned  to 
direct  us;  and  many  are  the  nauseous  disgusting  reme- 
dies recommended  by  ancient  authors,  which  act  on 
the  mind  by  exciting  horror,  and  thus,  by  fixing  the 
attention,  destroy  the  habit ;  for  nervous  paroxysms, 
after  their  cause  is  removed,  are  frequently  renewed  by 
habit  only.  These  we  shall  not  stay  to  enumerate  : 
they  are  almost  forgotten,  and  we  wish  not  to  revive 
their  memory.  Superstition  has,  however,  employed 
one  remedy,  not  yet  wholly  disused,  the  misletoe,  re- 
tained, perhaps,  as  a  tonic  from  its  connection  with  the 
oak.  It  has,  however,  no  such  power;  its  taste  is 


nauseous,  and  it  may  be  sedative;  but  its  quality  is 
almost  wholly  mucilaginous. 

Tonics,  in  general,  are  freely  employed;  and,  of 
these,  the  Peruvian  bark  is  the  principal  remedy  from 
the  vegetable  kingdom;  yet  alone  it  is  seldom  trusted, 
and  would  probably  seldom  succeed.  The  metals,  we 
have  said,  are  very  generally  tonic,  differing  only  in  the 
degree  of  inflammatory  stimulus,  most  conspicuous  in 
iron.  All  have,  however,  been  employed,  viz.  silver 
(afgentuni  nitratum);  iron  (flores  martiales,  ferrum 
vitriolatum,  rubigoferri,  squamae  ferri,  and  chalybs  pre- 
paratum);  copper  (cuprum  vitriolatum  and  ammonia- 
cum) ;  zinc  (zincum  vitriolatum,  ustum)  ;  tin  (limatura 
vel  pulvis  stanni);  arsenic  (kali  arsenicatum).  Each 
has  been  used  with  success;  but  the  silver,  the  copper, 
and  zinc,  have  been  preferred.  These  are  more  effectual 
when  combined ;  but  as  we  cannot  suspect  any  chemical 
union,  the  increased  power  is  probably  owing  to  their 
being  borne  by  the  stomach  m  increased  quantities. 
(See  COMBINATION  OF  MEDICINES).  As  a  tonic,  the 
cold  bath  is  also  an  excellent  remedy. 

The  medicines  which  obviate  irritation  are  the  seda- 
tives and  antispasmodics.  Of  these  the  chief  is  opium, 
and  the  valerian :  camphor  is  similar  in  its  powers ;  and 
the  leaves  of  the  orange  tree,  the  extractum  hyoscyami, 
the  peony  root,  flowers  of  the  cardamine  pratensis, 
are  medicines  of  the  same  class.  We  have  found  little 
benefit  from  any  except  the  valerian  and  camphor.  The 
flowers  of  the  cardamine  have  failed  in  every  instance ; 
the  leaves  of  the  orange  tree  have  produced  only  a 
temporary  and  inconsiderable  benefit.  The  union,  how- 
ever, of  these  with  the  tonics  has  been  particularly  ser- 
viceable; and  their  effects  seem  to  support  the  opinion 
we  have  attempted  to  establish.  The  bark  and  valerian 
united  have  afforded  relief,  which  neither  separately 
could  procure ;  and  the  camphor,  with  the  zinc,  been 
highly  and  deservedly  commended.  Opium  has  been 
combined  with  all  the  metallic  preparations  with  ad- 
vantage. If,  according  to  this  idea,  such  combinations 
are  pursued,  much  benefit  will  probably  result. 

The  tribe  of  antispasmodics  has  been  employed ;  but 
not  often  successful.  The  ether,  rectified  animal  oil 
of  Dippel,  oleum  vini,  musk,  castor,  and  asafoetida,  are 
the  principal  remedies  of  this  class ;  but  they  are  seldom 
trusted  alone ;  and  of  their  separate  or  comparative 
merits  it  is  not  easy  to  speak.  We  have  placed  them 
nearly  in  the  order  of  their  power. 

Of  anthelmintics  we  have  not  spoken  with  sufficient 
distinctness.  Worms  are  not  an  uncommon  source  of 
irritation  in  the  tender  habits  of  children ;  and  epileptic 
paroxysms  should  always,  in  such  cases,  be  attacked 
with  this  remedy,  unless  they  arise  from  fright,  or 
some  more  obvious  cause.  We  have  nothing  to  add 
at  present  to  what  we  have  remarked  in  the  article 
ANTHELMINTICS,  q.  v. 

See  Hippocrates,  Celsus,  Ccelius  Aurelianus,  Are- 
taeus,  Hoffman,  Boerhaave;  and  among  the  best  authors 
on  this  subject,  Threlfal's  and  Lyson's  Essays  on  Epi- 
lepsy;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iii.  edit.  4. 

EPIME'LIS,  (from  ffi,  and  fu)A«>,  an  apfile').  See 
AMAMELIS. 

EPIMO'RIOS,  (from  1*1,  and  pcifa,  to  di-vide~).     In 
Galen  it  is  an  epithet  of  the  difference  of  pulse  with 
respect  to  the  inequality  of  their  time  in  beating. 
4  K2 


EP  I 


620 


E  P  I 


EPIMU'LlS,  (from  £5r<,  and  wt/A^,  a  kna-}.  Sec 
PATELLA. 

EPINENEU'COS,  (from  ST*,  and  »sti*»,  to  nod  or  zn- 
cline,)  an  epithet  of  a  pulse  which  beats  unequally  in 
different  parts  of  the  artery;  also  called  Jierinciieucoa. 
Galen  thinks  it  common  in  hectics. 

EPINE'PIIELOS,  (from  in,  and  v«£>eA»,  a  c/owrf). 
CLOUDY.  An  epithet  applied  to  the  enxorema  in  the 
urine,  which  appears  like  a  cloud. 

EPINO'TION,  (from  ea-»,  and  v«7«s,  the  back').    The 

SHOULDER  BLADE.        See  ScAPULA. 

EPINY'CTIS,  (from  tin,  and  »»|,  night).  A  pustule 
which  arises  in  the  night  resembling  a  furunculus;  ac- 
cording to  Sauvages,  these  are  pustules  of  a  blackish- 
red  colour,  crowding  together,  three  or  four  lines  in 
diameter,  affecting  chiefly  the  legs,  and  very  frequently- 
painful,  chiefly  in  the  night.  He  enumerates  two 
species : 

EPINY'CTIS  VULGAHIS  and  PKURIGINOSA.  Celsus  con- 
siders it  as  malignant,  and  describes  it  as  of  a  whitish 
or  somewhat  livid  colour,  with  a  violent  inflammation 
around  it ;  affecting  the  hands,  arms,  and  thighs.  The 
ancients  rank  it  with  the  terminthus,  which  is  rather 
less;  and  it  is  sometimes  described  as  of  a  dusky  red, 
occasionally  of  a  livid  and  pale  colour,  with  great  in- 
flammation and  pain.  In  a  few  days  it  is  said  to  burst, 
and  separate  in  a  slough.  When  opened,  there  is  an 
eiHux  of  sanies;  a  deep  ulcer  follows,  and  the  pain  is 
more  violent  than  in  proportion  to  its  magnitude,  for  it 
is  scarcely  as  large  as  a  bean ;  according  to  Paulus  and 
.£ this,  chiefly  troublesome  in  the  night.  Celsus  recom- 
mends that  in  this,  and  all  other  kinds  of  pustules,  the 
patient  walk  much,  abstain  from  all  acrid  food,  and  be 
very  sparing  in  his  diet.  Sauvages  recommends  bleed- 
ing, a  cooling  diet,  antiphlogistic,  cathartic,  emollient 
gruels,  with  the  application  of  cataplasms  of  mallow 
flowers,  and  lintseed. 

E'PIOS.  MILD,  GENTLE.  An  epithet  which  Hip- 
pocrates bestows  on  mild  epidemic  fevers. 

EPIPA'CTIS,(from  mrx-axlita,  to  coagulate;  because 
it  coagulates  milk).  Dioscorides  mentions  this  plant, 
and  Boerhaave  thinks  it  the  helleborine  latifolia  mon- 
tana  of  C.  Bauhina.  Sera/lias  helleborine  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1344. 

EPIPAROXY'SMUS,  (from  tin,  and  w*f«|t>e-fM<r, 
paroxysm,)  when  the  patient  suffers  more  exacerbations 
than  usual  in  a  fever. 

EPIPA'SMA.    See  CATAPLASMA. 

EPIPA'STON,  (from  e*i,  and  waveu,  to  sprinkle}. 
See  CATAPASMA. 

EPIPE'CHYS,  (from  ciri,  and  ar«x»«,  the  cubit,)  the 
part  of  the  arm  above  the  cubit. 

EPIPE'PHYCOS,  (from  1*1,  and  fva,  to  grow).  See 
ADXATT,A. 

EPIPH^ENO'MENA,  (from  **•/,  and  panels™,  a 
phenomenon  or  symjitomj)  adventitious  symptoms  which 
do  not  appear  till  the  disease  is  formed:  the  same  pro- 
bably as  epiginomena. 

EPIPHLE'BOS,  (from  IKI,  and  <?^,  a  -vein).  One 
whose  veins  are  prominent. 

EPIPHLOGI'SMA,  (from  ear*,  and  0A»y/£»,  to  in- 
flame). A  violent  inflammation,  attended  with  pain, 
tumour,  and  redness;  or  internally  a  burning  heat.  The 
shingles  of  Hippocrates.  See  ERYSIPELAS; 


EPI'l'HORA,  (from  iTiipipv,  to  can':/  with  a  force ^  . 
In  a  medical  sense,  it  is  a  violent  determination,  gene- 
rally inflammatory,  of  the  fluids  to  any  part  of  the  body; 
but  more  particularly  the  flow  of  tears  from  the  eyes,  in 
consequence  of  obstructed  puncta  lachrymalia,  imper- 
vious nasal  duct,  or  an  inflammation  of  the  eyes. 

The  epiphora,  or  watery  eye,  called  rhocas,  lififiitudo, 
oculus  lachrijmans,  and  MOON  EYE,  is  sometimes  con- 
founded with  the  fistula  lachrymalis,  for  in  both  the 
tears  run  down  the  cheeks ;  but  in  the  latter,  pus  is 
mixed  with  the  tears.  The  obstruction  in  the  puncta 
lachrymalia  and  nasal  duct  is  sometimes  owing  to  a 
tumour,  as  the  encanthis  in  the  great  angle  of  the  eye ; 
to  any  accident,  as  a  wound,  or  burn ;  to  the  destruction 
of  the  nasal  duct;  a  polypus  of  the  nose;  a  fistula  la- 
chrymalis; an  inversion  of  the  eye  lid  (see  ENTRO- 
PIUM)  ;  an  erosion  or  other  defect  of  the  caruncula 
lachrymalis. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and 
order  afiocenoses,  and  defines  it  a  flux  of  the  lachrymal 
humour.  Only  one  species,  the  epiphora  frigida,  can, 
he  thinks,  be  esteemed  idiopathic;  and  of  this  there  are 
twelve  varieties. 

When  the  cause  is  a  tumour  in  the  angle  of  the  eye, 
a  polypus  in  the  nose,  a  distortion  in  the  eye  lids,  and  a 
fistula  lachrymalis,  it  must  be  removed.  When  from 
a  conglutination  of  the  puncta  lachrymalia,  we  are  to 
examine  whether  their  ducts  are  totally  obstructed  or 
their  mouths  only  covered ;  for  if  after  a  burn,  or  from 
a  cicatrix  after  a  wound,  a  cure  is  hardly  to  be  ex- 
pected:  but  if  only  a  cuticle  covers  the  duct,  a  perfora- 
tion may  be  made  with  a  needle;  then  a  hog's  bristle, 
or  silver  wire  oiled,  be  passed  through,  and  continu- 
ed till  the  part  is  healed.  If  from  a  total  want  of 
the  caruncula  lachrymalis,  a  cure  cannot  be  effected, 
because  that  gland  cannot  be  restored.  Mr.  Ware 
thinks  it  may  be  occasioned  either  by  a  more  copious 
secretion  of  tears  than  the  puncta  lachrymalia  are 
capable  of  absorbing;  or,  which  is  more  commonly 
the  cause,  by  an  obstruction  in  the  lachrymal  canal.  It 
is  the  opinion  of  some  anatomists,  not  only  that  part  of 
the  tears  transude  through  the  pores  of  the  conjunctiva 
and  cornea,  but  that  their  quantity  is  increased,  and 
their  acrimony  abated,  by  the  secretions  of  the  ca- 
runcula lachrymalis,  and  the  glandulx  Meibomii.  A 
morbid  epiphora  is  consequently  produced  by  an  in- 
flammation in  the  membranes  of  the  eye,  and  to  be 
cured  by  the  remedies  of  inflammation.  No  such 
transudation,  however,  appears  to  take  place.  When 
it  originates  from  an  obstruction  in  the  ducts,  leading 
from  the  puncta  lachrymalia  into  the  lachrymal  sac, 
which  rarely  occurs,  the  tears  fall  over  the  cheeks,  and 
the  sac  is  constantly  empty.  Pressure  therefore  on  the 
sac  can  produce  no  regurgitation,  either  of  the  tears  or 
mucus,  into  the  eye.  A  probe,  of  a  suitable  size,  must 
in  that  case  be  introduced  through  the  puncta  of  the 
obstructed  ducts  into  the  sac ;  and  the  operation  re- 
peated daily,  till  the  obstruction  is  removed.  The  part 
in  which  the  obstruction  most  commonly  lies  is  in  the 
sac  itself;  then  the  tears,  on  pressing  the  sac,  mixed 
sometimes  with  mucus,  flow  back  into  the  eye,  through 
the  puncture.  The  causes  producing  this  obstruction  to 
the  passage  of  the  tears,  arc  either  a  thickening  of  the 
membrane  lining  the  sac,  from  previous  inflammation : 


EP  1 


EPI 


inspissated  mucus  lodged  in  the  inferior  portion  ot  the 
cavity,  from  the  same  cause  ;  or  a  spasmodic  action  of 
that  part  called  the  sfihincter  of  the  sac. — These  three 
causes  sometimes  exist  together,  and  mutually  increase 
each  other's  effect. 

Of  the  various  remedies  which  have  been  proposed 
for  the  cure,  Mr.  Ware  approves  most  of  Monsieur 
Avel's,  recommended  first  in  the  year  1712;  which 
consisted  in  first  passing  a  probe,  and  afterwards  in- 
jecting a  fluid  through  the  puncta  lachrymalia,  in 
order  to  clear  the  matter  which  obstructed  the  lachry- 
mal passage.  Mr.  Ware  adopted  this  plan,  which  in 
several  cases  was  attended  with  success.  He  had  a 
small  silver  syringe,  with  pipes  fitted  to  it  of  various 
sizes,  much  shorter  than  that  represented  in  plate  37, 
vol.  iii.  of  Bell's  Surgery :  they  were  a  little  arched 
towards  the  point,  for  the  convenience  of  being  in- 
troduced into  the  punctum  lachrymale  with  more 
ease  ;  of  these  he  used  the  largest  that  could  be  intro- 
duced without  pain,  and  through  it  he  injected  warm 
•water.  In  introducing  the  pipe,  he  found  it  conve- 
nient to  stand  either  behind  the  patient,  or  on  the  side 
opposite  to  that  of  the  diseased  eye,  and  always  high 
enough  to  give  him  a  full  command  of  the  patient's 
head.  The  syringe  being  held  in  the  right  hand,  the 
eye  lid  was  drawn  downward,  and  a  little  outward,  with 
the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand.  This  brought  the  in- 
ferior punctum  fully  within  the  sight  of  the  operator, 
and  placed  it  in  a  position  very  convenient  for  admitting 
the  point  of  the  pipe.  When  the  pipe  was  introduced, 
the  finger  was  removed  from  the  lower  lid,  and  applied 
as  accurately  as  possible  over  the  superior  punctum,  to 
prevent  the  liquor  from  escaping  through  it ;  and  with 
this  finger  the  lachrymal  sac  was  occasionally  com- 
pressed, to  assist  the  determination  of  the  liquor  down- 
wards to  the  nose.  See  Ware  on  the  Epiphora,  or 
Watery  Eye;  Heister's  Surgery  ;  White's  Surgery,  p. 
233;  and  Dr.  Wallis's  Nosologia  Oculorum. 

EPIPHYLLOSPE'RMUS,  (from  £*-/,  uflon,  <p<;AA»», 
a  leaf,  and  a-ripuM,  seed}.  Plants  whose  seeds  grow  on 
the  back  of  their  leaves. 

EPI'PIIYSIS,  (from  r&tQvtt,  to  grow  to  or  upon). 
Additamenium,  APPENDIX,  is  a  small  bone  annexed  to 
the  larger  by  means  of  an  intervening  cartilage,  only 
observable  in  growing  subjects,  for  in  adults  the  cpi- 
pliysis  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  bone.  Epi- 
physes  are  of  a  larger  diameter  than  the  bone  they  be- 
long to,  and  serve  to  render  the  articulation  more  firm  : 
the  muscles  also  inserted  into  them  act  with  greater  force, 
as  their  axis  are  further  removed  from  the  centre  of 
motion.  They  are  sometimes  separated  from  the  head 
of  the  bone,  and  mistaken  for  a  luxation,  or  a  fracture. 
See  SYMPHYSIS. 

EPIPLA'SMA,  (from  «*•/,  and  ir>.zrra,  to  spread). 
(See  CATAPLASMA.)  A  name  for  an  application  of 
wheat  meal,  boiled  hi  hydrelaeum,  to  wounds. 

EPIPLOCE'LE,  (from  earnrA««»,  the  amentum,  and 
**;>.»;,  a  rufiture,)  hernia  omentalis.  A  RUPTURE  OF 
THE  OMENTUM  ;  or  a  protrusion  of  the  omentum 
through  apertures  in  the  integuments  of  the  belly. 
Sometimes,  according  to  Mr.  Sharpe,  so  large  a  quan- 
tity of  the  omentum  hath  fallen  into  the  scrotum,  that 
its  weight  drawing  the  stomach  and  bowels  downwards 
hath  excited  vomiting,  inflammation,  and  symptoms 
similar  to  those  of  the  bubonocele.  When  this  hap- 


pens, he  thinks  it  necessary  to  operate  as  in  the  bubono- 
cele. The  rings  of  the  muscles  must  be  dilated  ; 
or  the  whole  cannot  be  returned.  But  except  in- 
flammation has  commenced,  this  method  is  not  to  be 
attempted. 

EPIPLOI'CvE  APPENDI'CULA,  (from  I*,***,, 
the  omentum).  The  peritoneal  coal  of  the  intestines 
sends  out  some  processes  like  little  epiploons,  to  which 
Winslow  gives  this  name. 

EPIPLOI'CA    ARTE'RIA.      See    SPLENICA     AR- 

T^.RIA. 

EPIPLOI'CA  DE'XTRA  VE'XA  is  a  branch  from  the 
trunk  of  the  meseraica  major,  which  goes  to  the  omen- 
tum. 

-  EPIPLOI'OA  SINI'STRA  VE'NA  arises  from  the  sple- 
nica  at  the  small  extremity  of  the  pancreas,  and  is 
ramified  on  the  omentum  so  far  as  the  colon,  where  it 
communicates  with  the  hacmorrhoidalis  interna. 

EPIPLOI'TIS,  (from  t*-<*7u>«,  ome-ueumj.     See  PE- 

RITONITIS OMENTALIS,  and  PuERPERILIS    FEBRIS. 

EPIPLOOCOMI'STES,  (from  ;*•<*•*•»,  the  caw/, 
and  xtfut^a,  to  carry).  Those  who  have  the  omentum 
in  a  morbid  state  ;  so  that  it  appears,  on  a  comparative 
view,  larger  than  that  of  brutes  —  a  circumstance  which 
rarely  occurs.  It  is  also  applied  to  those  who  labour 
under  a  rupture  of  the  omentum  ;  but  probably  it  is 
only  a  term  of  raillery. 


and  «/it<p*A»j,  the  navel).  See  HERNIA  UMBIUCALIS. 

EPI'PLOON,  (from  fjr/wAe*i,  to  run  over,')  because 
it  seems  to  float  upon  the  intestines.  See  OMENTUM. 

EPIPLOSCHEOCE'LE,  (from  wa-Aew,  »r%to,,  the 
scrotum,  and  xjjAij,  a  tumour  or  rufiture}.  See  HERNIA 

SCROTALIS. 

EPIPOL^'US,  (from  £5riT«W>,  to  be  light). 
SLIGHT,  GEXTLE.  Hippocrates  applies  it  to  disorders 
that  are  not  dangerous. 

EPIPOLA'SIS,(from  £•*•<*•£*•».**£«,  to  swim  ontheCofi,) 
a  REDUNDANCE  and  FLUCTUATION.  In  chemistry 
when  what  is  sublimed  ascends  only  to  the  surface  and 
there  settles,  this  term  is  applied. 

EPIPORO'MA,  (from  iTrinupoa,  to  harden}.  An  in- 
durated tumour  on  the  joints.  See  TOPHUS. 

EPISARCI'DIUM,  (from  «*•/,  and  <r*p£,  flesh).  See 
ANASARCA. 

EPISCHE'SIS,  (from  fxi<rx»,  to  retain).     SeeEpis- 

TASIS. 

EPI'SCHION,  (from  cxi,  and  T^/<»,  ischium).  See 
OSSA  PUBIS. 

EPISCOPA'LES  VALV'UL^E.  Valves  resembling 
a  mitre,  (from  efiiscofius}.  See  COR. 

EPISE'ION.    See  PUBIS  OSSA. 

EPISEMA'SIA,  (from  ITI,  and  <r>yta/»«,  to  signify}. 
See  ANNOTATIO. 

EPISPA'SMOS,  (from  £*•/,  and  <nr*rfu><').  In  Hip- 
pocrates it  generally  means  inspiration;  but  has  been 
supposed  to  imply  a  more  quick  inspiration  than  usual. 

EPISPA'SMOS,  (from  ex-irxrxa,  to  draw}.  Medi- 
cines which  draw  the  fluids  more  copiously  into  the 
parts  to  which  they  are  applied,  and  therefore,  strictly, 
a  term  of  the  same  meaning  as  attrahentia  ;  but  as  the 
effect  of  the  epispastics  is  commonly  that  of  exciting 
blisters,  the  term  is  often  employed  for  that  of  vesica- 
toriaand  vesicantia.  What  the  ancients  called  efiisfiastice 
weresuch  external  applications  as  only  reddened  the  skin, 


EPO 


622 


EQU 


and  according  to  the  different  degree  of  effect,  received 
different  names ;  the  slightest  were  called  phaniginoi, 
the  next  sinapismi,  the  more  active  vesicatorii,  and  the 
strongest  caustici.  The  London  college  hath  changed 
the  name  of  the  blistering  plaster  from  vesicatorium  to 
emplastrum  cantharidis.  See  CATAPLASMA,  BLISTERS, 
and  CANTHARIDES. 

EPISPA'STICUM  MEDICAME'NTUM.  A.  dry 
powder  sprinkled  on  malignant  ulcers,  to  promote  a 
separation. 

EPISPH^ERIA,(from  tr<p*ipa,a  sphere}.  The  wind- 
ings of  the  exterior  substance  of  the  brain ;  sometimes 
the  circular  vessels  on  its  surface. 

EPISTAPHYLI'NI,  (from  i*,,  and  el  *<?**„<*  a 
parsnip,}  from  their  resemblance  to  a  parsnip.  See 
STAPHYLINI. 

EPI'STASIS,(from  e*i,  and  irlvt*.t,to  stayjcpischesis. 
A  suppression  of  proper  excretions;  or  rather  the  super- 
ficies of  urine,  railed  inaidentia,  opposed  to  the  uposta- 
sis,  subsMentia,  or  sediment  in  urine.  Epistasis  is  ap- 
plied in  Hippocrates  to  the  beginning  and  increase  of 
the  fit. 

EPISTA'XIS,  (from  tviel^a,  instillo).  Haemorr- 
hage from  the  nose.  See  H^EMORRHAGIA. 

EPISTO'MION,  (from  evi,  and  el»t*.i»r,  a  mouth). 
A  stopper  for  a  bottle,  and  a  vent-hole  of  a  register 
furnace. 

EPISTROPH-E'US,  (from  t*i,  and  e]gepa,  to  turn}. 
Epistrophea  and  epistrophis.  The  first  vertebra  of  the 
neck :  the  same  term  is  applied,  though  improperly, 
to  the  second. 

EPITEDEU'MA,  (from  aefltiS'tvu,  to  appropriate). 
The  way  of  living  each  person  adopts.  Coelius  Aure- 
lianus  calls  it  vitas  affectiones  ;  and  Celsus,  vita  pro- 
fiosita. 

EPITHE'LIUM,  (from  em,  and  T/«VU,  to  cover). 
See  CUTICULA,  and  PROLARIUM. 

EPITHE'MA,  (from  tin,  upon,  and  •n%&»,  to  lay 
•upon  or  apply).  A  LID  or  COVER;  but  used  to  signify 
a  topical  medicine.  Epithems  are,  1.  Liquid;  and, 
when  applied  warm,  called  fomentatlonx  or  embroca- 
tions ;  2.  Dry  or  solid;  viz.  medicated  powders  folded 
in  cloths,  called  sacculus,  and  saccus  ;  when  applied  to 
the  head,  cucupha,  and  cucullus;  to  the  forehead,./ron- 
tale;  to  the  breast  or  stomach,  scutum  and  pulvinar ; 
when  used  as  a  pillow,  lectulus  ;  3.  Those  of  the  soft 
kind,  as  sinapisms,  and  poultices.  Turner  confines  the 
name  of  epithem  to  liquids  in  which  rags  are  dipped,  to 
be  applied  to  the  parts  affected.  See  Gaubius  de  For- 
mulus  Medicamentorum. 

EPITHESIS,  (from  em,  and  nQiiuj,  to  lay  upon).  In 
surgery,  it  is  the  straightening  of  crooked  limbs  by 
means  of  instruments. 

EPITHY'MBRUM,  (from  «ri,  andSt^fya,  savory). 
A  species  of  moss  growing  on  the  thymbra,  or  winter 
savory. 

EPITHY'MUM,  (fromtsr/,  andSt^v,  thyme).    See 

CUSCUTA. 

EPOCHETEU'SIS,  (from t*»%*ltiui,  to  drain).  A 
derivation  of  the  juices  to  other  parts. 

EPO'MIS,  i.  e.  ACROMION,  (from  CTTI,  and  aw, 
shoulder).  See  SCAPULA. 

EPO'MPHALUM,  (from  «r/,  and  0^*^05,  the 
navel).  Any  application  to  the  navel. 

EPO'DE,   and  EPO'DOS,  (from  JET/,  and  »fcj,   a 


song,  the  absurd  attempt  of  curing  distempers  by  in- 
cantations. 

EPO'SCHION,  (from  eirt,  and  *<rx.et>v,  a  branch"). 
The  tendril  of  a  plant. 

EPOMPHA'LION,  (from  evi,  and  «^«A»s,  the  na- 
vel,) a  medicine  supposed  to  purge  when  applied  to 
the  navel. 

EPOSILI'NGA.     SCALES  OF  IRON. 

EPSOME'NSIS  A'QUA.  EPSOM  WATER.  From 
this  water  the  bitter  purging  salt  was  first  procured. 
Epsom  water,  which  rises  near  Epsom,  in  Surrey,  differs, 
at  different  times,  in  its  solid  contents :  for,  from  a 
gallon  Dr.  Lister  obtained  one  ounce  and  a  half;  Dr. 
Rutty,  one  ounce,  and  in  some  seasons  half  the  quantity ; 
Dr.  Lucas,  only  five  drachms  and  one  scruple.  Of  this 
solid  matter  Dr.  Allen  alleged  that  one  eighth  was  an 
earth,  or  insoluble  matter :  hut  Dr.  Rutty  found  a  much 
less  proportion  of  it ;  and  to  him  it  appeared  of  a  cal- 
careous nature.  The  salt  is  mostly  a  vitriolated  mag- 
nesia, and  probably  contains  some  earth ;  for  Dr.  Rutty 
affirms,  that  it  requires  at  least  twenty-four  times  its 
own  weight  of  water  entirely  to  dissolve  this  salt, 
though  the  factitious  Epsom  salt  dissolves  readily  in 
little  more  than  an  equal  weight  of  water. 

EPSOME'NSIS  SAL.     See  CATHARTICUS  SAL. 

EPU'LIS,  (from  tari,  upon,  and  ov).et,  the  gums). 
Vogel  describes  it,  "  a  tubercle  on  the  gums  without 
inflammation." — Of  these  there  are  two  species;  one 
without  pain,  the  other  troublesome,  and  often  degene- 
rating into  a  cancer;  some  have  a  broad  basis,  and 
others  a  slender  neck,  by  which  they  are  united  to  the 
gums. 

The  best  method  of  cure  is  totally  to  extirpate  them. 
When  they  have  a  small  neck,  or  root,  they  may  be 
separated  by  a  thread;  but  when  the  basis  is  broad,  it 
may  be  destroyed  with  the  aqua  kali,  or  a  solution  of  sal 
ammoniac.  If  these  mild  corrosives  fail,  it  is  better  to 
use  the  knife  than  to  employ  the  stronger  ones. 

After  the  tumour  is  extirpated,  the  mouth  should  be 
washed  with  red  wine,  or  oxycrate  with  alum;  and 
when  the  blood  ceases  to  flow,  the  honey  of  roses  may 
be  applied.  See  Turner's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  210. 
Heister's  Surgery. 

EPULO'TICA,  (from  cm,  and  «uA«,  a  cicatrix;  rxtv- 
Au»,  is  to  cicatrise).  EPULOTIC.  Cicatrisantia;  desic- 
cativa;  apulotica;  topical  medicines  which  absorb 
moisture,  repress  fungous  flesh,  and  dispose  wounds  or 
ulcers  to  heal.  Dry  lint,  a  gentle  compress,  and  the 
cerate,  with  lapis  calaminaris,  are  the  general  applica- 
tions. Dr.  Cullen  thinks  it  is  extremely  doubtful  if  any 
medicine  exists  which  can  induce  new  skin  on  a  wound : 
the  propriety  of  the  term,  therefore,  may  be  justly  ques- 
tioned. 

E'QUI  CLI'BANUS.  In  chemistry  it  is  the  heat 
of  horse  dung. 

EQUI'NA  FRA'SA.     See  FABA  MINOR. 

EQUISETUM,  (from  equus,  a  horse,  and  seta,  a 
hair).  Cauda  equina,  HORSE  TAIL.  Hippurisvulgaris 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  6.  It  has  been  recommended  as  an  astringent 
in  diarrhoeas  and  haemorrhages;  but  is  now  Httle  used. 

E'QUI  VE'NTER.     See  VENTER. 

EQUITA'TIO,  (from  eguito,  to  ride).  RIDING. 
When  the  bowels  are  empty,  they  are  powerfully 
strengthened  by  this  species  of  exercise.  Its  use  arises 
from  the  repeated  gentle  agitation  given  to  these  parts, 


ERI 


623 


ER 


calculated  to  remove  visceral  obstructions,  promote  the 
circulation  of  the  blood,  determine  the  fluids  to   the 
surface  of  the  body,  and  increase  perspiration.     Dr. 
Huxham  had  so  high  an  opinion  of  this  remedy,  that  he 
says,  where  medicine  has  failed,  in  some  chronic  disea- 
ses, riding  only  has  performed  a  cure  :  when  a  patient 
can  therefore  sit  on  horseback,  he  recommends  the 
daily  use  of  this  exercise.     See  .£ORA. 
E'RAWAY.     See  CATAPUTIA. 
EREBI'NTHUS.     See  CICER. 

ERECTIU'SCULUS,  (a  dim.  of  erectus).     In  bota- 
ny, it  means  erected,  or  lifted  up  a  little. 
'  ERE'CTOR  CLITO'RIDIS,  (fromcr/g-o,  to  lift  ufl). 
See  CLITORIDIS  MUSCULUS. 

ERECTO'RES  PENIS.  These  muscles,  arising 
from  the  inside  of  the  tuberosity  of  the  ischium,  are  lost 
in  the  crura,  where  they  unite.  They  are  also  called 
directores  penis ;  and  Spigelius  calls  them  collaterals 
penis,  from  their  collateral  order  of  fibres. 

ERE'GMOS,  (from  fiyv/a,  to  break).  It  is  any  le- 
guminous fruit  decorticated  and  broken  into  pieces. 
Foesius  thinks  it  is  bean  meal. 

ERETHI'SMOS,  (from  'fiti&,  to  excite,  irritate). 
In  general,  medicinally  used,  it  signifies  every  thing  ir» 
ritating,  comprehending  whatever  weakens  the  vires  vi- 
t3e,  and  thus  destroys  the  vital  heat;  or  impedes  critical 
efforts,  from  hence  styled  FIHHX  eptiteltx*,  signa  irri- 
tantia.  In  particular,  it  signifies  an  irritation  of  the 
belly,  from  thin  acrimonious  humours,  and  their  dis- 
charge in  liquid  stools.  Some  modern  authors  give 
this  appellation  to  a  fatal  disease  of  the  apoplectic  kind, 
which  sometimes  occurs  during  a  mercurial  course. 

ERE'TRIA  TE'RRA,  (from  Eretria,  the  place  from 
•whence  it  was  brought).  ERETRIAN  EARTH,  styled  ca- 
nabil.  It  is  a  peculiar  alkaline  bole  ;  once  much  used  as 
an  astringent  and  sudorific.  Dioscorides  and  Galen 
describe  two  kinds,  white  and  grey  :  the  latter  was  in 
the  highest  estimation.  The  ancient  esteemed  it  an 
useful  medicine,  and  were  very  careful  in  their  mode  of 
preparing  it,  by  frequent  washing.  Though  unknown 
to  the  present  practice,  some  think  it  may,  from  its  al- 
kaline quality,  be  still  useful-  It  is  dug  up  in  the 
Negropont,  near  ancient  Eretria,  where  it  might  be 
readily  procured. 

EREU'GMOS,  and  EREUXIS,  (from  tpivy*,  te 
eructate}.  An  ERUCTATION. 

EREU'MENA  U'RA.  Urine  that  assumes  a  cloudy 
consistence  in  the  middle. 

ERGA'SIMA.     See  MYRRHA. 

ERGASTE'RIUM,  (from  £/>y«»,  a  work).  A  LABO- 
RATORY. In  particular,  it  is  that  part  of  a  furnace  in 
•which  the  cupel,  alembic,  or  retort,  containing  the  mat- 
ter to  be  acted  on,  is  placed. 

E'RGOT.  So  the  French  call  a  disease,  which  re- 
sembles one  in  England,  caused  by  eating  bad  corn.  It 
consists  of  extreme  debility,  with  mortification  of  the 
extremities,  partly  from  the  unalimentary  nature  of  the 
substance;  but  more  probably  from  the  effect  of  some 
animalcule,  for  which  the  injured  grain  (generally  rye) 
affords  a  nidus.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  resem- 
blance of  the  diseased  corn  to  a  cock's  spur. 

ERI'CA,  (from  ipnx.fi,  to  break ;  so  called  because  it 
is  broken  to  make  besoms  of).  ERICE,  COMMON  HEATH, 
HEATHER.  LING.  The  flower  is  of  a  curious  structure, 


and  a  decoction  of  the  plant  is  recommended  as  a  sol- 
vent for  the  stone ;  five  ounces  of  it  are  to  be  drunk 
every  night  and  morning.  See  Raii  Hist.  It  is  the 
erica  vulgaris  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  501. 

ERICE'RUM.  The  name  of  several  collyria  in 
-£tius,  so  called  from  erica,  heath,  which  is  an  ingre- 
dient. 

ERI'GERUM,  (from  r,f,  the  spring,  and  yeftn,  old; 
because  in  spring  it  has  a  white  blossom,  like  the  hair 
of  an  old  man).  Simpson,  and  groundsel, called  also,  by 
Myrepsus,  cortalon.  It  ia  a  low  plant,  and  too  generally 
known  to  require  a  description.  The  species  used  in 
medicine,  the  senecio  vulgaris  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1216,  is  an  an- 
nual plant ;  but  may  be  found  at  all  times  of  the  year. 
The  expressed  juice  of  the  leaves,  or  an  infusion  of  them, 
is  a  powerful  emetic  and  cathartic.  A  tea  cupful  of 
the  juice  will  operate  with  maniacs  as  an  emetic  when 
other  means  fail,  and  thus  slight  attacks  of  the  disorder 
may  be  removed.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica  ;  and 
for  its  singular  power  externally  applied,  Edinburgh 
Medical  Essays,  vol.  ii.  art.  5. 

ERI'NEAS.     See  Ficus  SATIVA. 

E'RIX.     See  JECUR. 

ERIZA'MBA.     See  ASPHODELUS  LUTEUS. 

ERODE'NTI A,  (from  erode,  to  eat  away').     See  Es- 

CHAROTICA. 

ERODI'NIUM.     See  PROGNOSIS. 

ERO'SUS,  (from  erodo,  to  eat  atoay).  In  botany  it 
means  notched  at  the  edges,  as  if  gnawed  or  eaten. 

ERO'TION,  (from  cptta,  to  love;  because  bees  are 
fond  of  it).  See  MELISSA. 

EROTOMA'NIA,  (from  tf*«,  love,  and  fuai*,  mad- 
ness). That  sort  of  melancholy  arising  from  disap- 
pointed love,  or  anxiety  from  delay.  See  MELANCHOLIA. 

ERO'TYLUS,  (from  «/>*«,  love).  A  species  of  fun- 
gus resembling  erotium.  See  COKALLOIDES  FUNGUS. 

ERRA'NA,  ERRA'TICA,  (from  erro,  to  deviate). 
ERRATIC  FEVERS,  IRREGULAR  TERTIANS  or  QUARTANS. 
See  INTERMITTENS. 

ERRHI'NA,  (from  pit,  the  nose).  Sternutatoria.  ER- 
RHINES,  called  nasal,  cafiut  fiurgia,  which  last  is  a  bar- 
barous term,  implying  those  remedies  which  purge  the 
head.  These  are  either  errhines,  or  masticatories  :  the 
former  is  the  term  given  by  Galen  to  sternutatories ;  sub- 
stances which,  if  snuffed  up  the  nose,  promote  a  dis- 
charge of  mucus  from  that  organ.  At  present  the 
milder  sorts  are  distinguished  by  the  name  of  errhines, 
and  the  stronger  by  that  of  sternutatories,  because  they 
excite  a  sneezing.  Besides  the  general  shock  that  sneez- 
ing gives  to  the  whole  body,  it  tends  to  remove  remote 
obstruction ;  so  as  to  be  useful  in  lethargies,  epilep- 
sies, palsies,  apoplexies,  head  achs,  vertigos,  catarrhs, 
gutta  serena,  &c.  The  action  of  sneezing  seems  to  be 
more  extensively  useful  by  its  general  shock  than  that 
of  vomiting;  but  it  should  be  observed,  that  if  there  is 
any  kind  of  plethora  in  the  habit,  sternutatories  are  dan- 
gerous. There  seems  little  distinction  in  the  different 
articles  which  compose  this  class,  except  in  their  vio- 
lence. The  betony,the  sweet  marjoram,  the  orris  root, 
and  rosemary  tops,  are  of  the  milder  kind:  the  asarum, 
euphorbium,  the  tobacco,  the  white  hellebore,  and  the 
turbith  mineral,  of  the  latter.  The  more  acrid  are 
chiefly  evacuants.  The  use  of  errhines  is  now  very  limit- 
ed, and  principally  confined  to  inflammatory  obstrac- 


ER  Y 


624 


Eft  Y 


tions  in  the  nose,  and  to  gutta  serena.  The  agitation 
they  produce  does  not  extend  beyond  the  head.  See 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

ERRI'PSIS,  (from  />W7«,  to  firecifiitate).  When 
spoken  with  respect  to  the  body,  it  signifies  a  loss  of 
strength. 

E'RRORLO'CI,(from  erro,  to  deviate).  Boerhaave 
introduced  this  term,  from  the  opinion  that  the  vessels 
were  of  different  sizes  for  the  circulation  of  blood, 
serum,  and  lymph;  and  that  when  the  larger  sized 
globules  were  forced  into  the  lesser  vessels  by  an  error 
of  place,  they  wore  obstructed.  This  opinion  is,  how- 
ever, no  longer  adopted,  as  it  originated  frorrumicrosco- 
pical  observations,  in  which  the  conclusions  were  too 
hastily  drawn. 

ERU'CA,  (from  erugo,  to  make  smooth;  from  the 
smoothness  of  its  leaves).  ROCKET;  euzomon.  It  re- 
sembles mustard  in  appearance,  but  is  distinguished  by 
the  smoothness  of  the  leaves,  and  its  disagreeable  smell. 
The  seeds  have  a  pungent  taste,  somewhat  like  that  of 
mustard,  but  weaker.  The  sort  used  in  medicine  is  the 
brassica  eruca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  923.  It  is  also  a  term  for 
mustard.  See  SINAPI. 

ERU'CA  SATI'VA,  called  also  eruca  latifolia  alba,  eruca 
major  saliva.  GARDEN  ROCKET;  brassica  eruca  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  923.  The  roots  have  a  hot  biting  taste,  and  the 
seeds  have  the  same  qualities.  The  herb  is  eaten  as  a 
salad,  and  is  somewhat  warm  and  diuretic  ;  but  is  not 
in  use  as  a  medicine. 

ERU'CA  SYLVE'STRIS,  called  also  eruca  sy/vestris  ma- 
jor, and  eruca  tenuifolia,  brassica  erucastrum  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  923.  WILD  ROCKET. 

ERU'CA  si'nquA  CAULI  OPPRESSA.  HEDGE  MUSTARD. 
See  ERYSIMUM. 

ERUTHE'MATA,  (from  e?cv6*,,  to  make  red}.  RED 
FIERY  TUMOUHS  which  arise  from  inflammation,  as  in 
erysipelas. 

E'RVA  DE  SA'NCTA  MARI'A.     See  DRACON- 

TIUM. 

ERVI'LIA,(dim.from  ervum, vetch).   See  OCHRUS. 

E'RVUM,  (quasi  arvum,  a  field  ;  because  it  grows 
wild  in  the  fields,)  orobus,  crobrychift  ficregrina.  The 
BITTER  VETCH  ;  crvum  ervilia  Lin.  This  plant  grows 
two  feet  in  height :  its  leaves  and  flowers  are  like  those 
of  the  tare  in  their  shape,  but  are  less,  and  of  a  white 
colour;  they  are  succeeded  by  pods  which  contain  two 
or  three  large,  round,  whitish  seeds.  It  is  a  native  of 
France,  Italy,  and  the  warmer  parts  of  Europe.  The 
seeds  have  a  farinaceous,  disagreeable,  bitter  taste; 
are  supposed  nephritic,  powerfully  diuretic,  and,  if 
mixed  with  honey,  expectorant. 

E'RVUM  LENS.     See  LENS. 

ERY'NGIUM,  (from  efvyyava,  to  eructate;  because 
it  causes  erxictations).  ERYNGO.  Eringus,  eryngium 
maritimum,  inguinalis,  tetherea  herba,  aster  atticus, 
hyofihthalmos, crocodilian, iringus,  and KEA  HOLLY,  eryn- 
gium cam/iestre  Lin.  Gen.  PI.  337;  supposed  to  be  the 
ypvy-ytov  of  Dioscorides,  who  with  other  ancient  writers, 
speak  highly  of  its  efficacy. 

The  eryngium  maritimum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  337,  does  not 
differ  in  quality  or  power.  It  is  a  bluish  branched 
plant,  with  mallow-like,  thick,  prickly  leaves,  angular 
or  jagged  about  the  edges  ;  the  flowers  are  white  ;  the 
roots  slender  and  long,  brown  on  the  outside,  and 


white  within.  It  is  perennial,  growing  plentifully  an 
some  of  our  sandy  and  gravelly  shores ;  and  flowers  in 
July. 

The  root  has  an  agreeable  sweet  tastCj  which  on 
chewing  is  followed  by  a  light  aromatic  pungency. 
Freely  used,  it  is  aperient,  diuretic,  and  antiscorbutic.  It 
has  been  extolled  as  an  aphrodisiac  ;  but  it  is  now  very 
seldom  used  except  as  a  comfect. 

The  candied  roots,  bought  at  the  confectioners,  are 
ingredients  in  artificial  asses'  milk,  which  is  thus 
made  : 

Take  of  candied  eryngo  root  one  ounce  ;  pearl  barley) 
half  an  ounce;  liquorice  root,  three  drachms  ;  boil  them 
in  two  pints  of  water  to  one  pint,  to  which  add  a  pint  of 
"new  milk  from  the  cow;  boil  them  gently  together,  and 
strain  the  decoction.  Half  a  pint  should  be  drunk  three 
times  a  day. 

ERY'NGIUM  F(ETIDUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  336,  is  highly  es- 
teemed in  America  as  an  antihysteric  medicine  ;  and 
in  large  doses  is  said  to  act  powerfully  as  a  cathartic  and 
a  diuretic.  It  is  chiefly  employed  in  the  hysteria  and 
dropsy. 

ERY'SIMUM,  (from  tgvu,  to  draw  ;  from  its  power 
of  drawing  blisters).  Iris,  camelma,  chamtf/ilion,  ver- 
bena ftemina,  eruca  siliqua  cauli  oft/iremia.  HEDGE 
MUSTARD.  Erysimum  officinale  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  922. 

It  is  a  hairy  plant,  with  oblong  narrow  leaves,  tough 
branched  stalks ;  bearing  numerous  small  yellow  flowers ; 
followed  by  short  roundish  pods,  full  of  small  reddish 
brown  seeds.  It  is  annual,  common  in  waste  places, 
and  flowers  in  July. 

This  plant  is  not  in  much  esteem  :  it  has  been  em- 
ployed in  the  cure  of  hoarseness  like  the  horse  radish 
(see  RAPHANUS  HUSTICANUS);  and  perhaps,  as  having 
less  acrimony  than  the  other  siliquose  plants,  it  may  be 
more  frequently  used.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica.  The 
leaves  are  herbaceous  to  the  taste;  the  flowers  attenu- 
ant,  expectorant,  and  diuretic ;  the  seeds  resemble  in 
their  qualities  those  of  mustard,  but  are  much  weaker  : 
their  acrimony  is  extracted  totally  by  water,  and  par- 
tially by  spirit.  Water  is  strongly  impregnated  with 
them  in  distillation.  Stahl  highly  commends  the  active 
parts  of  this  plant  in  scirrho-cancerous  tumours.  It  is 
also  a  name  of  the  sophia. 

ERY'SIMUM  ALLIA'RIA.     See  ALLIARIA. 
ERY'SIMUM  BARBAREA.     See  BARBAREA. 
ERY'SIMUM    LATIFO'LIUM,    also    called    sinajii    si/l- 
vestre,    Sec.      BROAD    LEAVED    HEDGE  MUSTARD.      It? 
virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  the  other  kind.     Rail 
Hist. 

ERY'SIMUM  THEOPIIRA'STI.  See  FAGOPYUUM. 
ERYSI'PELAS,  (from  epva,  to  draw,  and  -zs-ites, 
near;  because  the  neighbouring  parts  are  affected  by 
the  eruption  ;  or  from  tfvfyos,  red,  and  jutA*?,  black,  a 
dark  red).  Antonii  sancti  ignis ;  ignis  sacer ;  brunua  ; 
herpes  firus  ;  ignis  Persicus  ;  £5r«J>Aoy/<r>;oe  ;  zoster,  zo- 
na,  macula  lata  ;  the  GIRDLE;  SHINGLES;  in  Switzerland, 
the  VIOLET;  in  this  country,  the  ROSE;  by  Galen  and 
Celsus,  PHYGETHLON;  commonly  in  English,  SAL.VT  AN- 
THONY'S FIRE. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  jujrexix, 
and  order  exanthemata ;  which  he  defines  an  inflam- 
matory fever  of  two  or  three  days,  attended  commonly 
with  sleepiness,  often  with  delirium.  In  some  pa; 


E  K  Y 


625 


E  R  Y 


the  skin,  most  frequently  on  the  face,  there  is  an  ery- 
thematous   inflammation.     (See    PHLOGOSIS    EHYTHE- 

He  distinguishes  two  species  : 

1.  ERYSI'PELAS  VESICULOSVM  ;  an  ERYTHEMA,  with 
a  spreading  redness  occupying  a'broad  space,  which  in 
some  pans  runs  into  large  blisters ;  comprehending 
the  e.  rota;  tyflAodes  ;  fiestiiens  ;  contagiosum  ;  and 
febris  eriisijitlatosa  of  Sydenham. 

-.  ERYSI'PELAS  PHLYCTENODES  ;  an  ERYTHEMA,  con- 
sisting of  many  pimples  occupying  particular  parts  of 
the  trunk  of  the  body,  and  running  quickly  into  phlyc- 
tenas,  or  small  blisters.  This  comprehends  the  e.  zos- 
:er  ;  e.  zona  ;  SHINGLES  ;  zona  ignea  of  Hoffman  ;  her- 
fies  zoster.  When  symptomatic  it  is  the  e.  ex  veneno. 
The  term  erysipelas  has  been  applied  by  medical  wri- 
ters to  the  erythematous  inflammation,  as  well  as  the 
erysipelatous  fever ;  but  Sauvages  properly  uses  the 
term  vitium  cutaneum,  because,  where  only  a  symptom- 
atic fever  attends,  he  calls  it  erythema  ;  and  erysipelas 
when  exanthematic  fever  precedes. 

This  disorder  may  affect  any  part  of  the  body ;  but 
the  face  is  most  frequently  its  seat;  next  the  arms,  the 
body,  and  then  the  feet.  The  seat  of  the  true  species 
is  in  the  surface  of  the  skin;  Heister  says  in  the  scarf- 
skin  and  the  internal  membranes. 

It  most  frequently  happens  in  autumn,  or  in  any  sea- 
son when  hot  weather  is  succeeded  by  cold  and  wet. 
The  sanguine  and  plethoric,  young  people,  and  pregnant 
women,  are  most  subject  to  it  :  those  who  have  once 
been  affected  are  very  liable  to  future  attacks. 

The  causes  are  chiefly  sudden  cold  succeeding  a  great 
heat  or  sweat,  obstructed  perspiration,  and  an  acrimo- 
nious blood.  Tissot  attributes  it  to  two  causes;  1st,  An 
acrid  humour,  commonly  bilious,  diffused  through  the 
mass  of  blood ;  and  this  was  the  opinion  of  Hippo- 
crates and  Galen.  2ciy,  The  humours  not  being  duly 
discharged  by  perspiration. 

The  symptoms  of  this  disease  are  well  described  by 
Tissot.  It  begins  with  a  violent  shivering,  succeeded 
by  a  burning  heat,  a  violent  headach,  and  sickness,  that 
continue  till  the  erysipelas  appears,  which  happens  only 
on  the  second  or  third  day  :  the  fever  and  sickness  then 
abate ;  though  frequently  a  small  degree  of  both  re- 
mains during  the  increase  of  the  disease.  When  the 
inflammation  is  in  the  face,  the  headach  continues 
until  the  decline  of  the  eruption  ;  the  eye  lids  swell, 
and  the  eyes  close.  It  often  passes  from  one  cheek  to 
the  other,  and  extends  successively  over  the  forehead, 
neck,  and  nape  of  the  neck,  when  the  disease  is  of  un- 
usual duration.  Sometimes  also,  when  in  a  high  degree, 
the  fever  continues,  the  brain  isoppressed,  the  patient  is 
delirious,  and  in  great  danger.  A  violent  erysipelas  in  the 
neck  brings  on  a  severe  and  often  fatal  angina.  When 
it  attacks  the  leg,  the  whole  limb  is  swelled,  and  the 
heat  and  irritation  from  it-  extend  up  to  the  thigh. 
Whenever  the  tumour  is  considerable,  the  part  it  seizes 
is  covered  with  small  pustules,  filled  with  a  clear  wa- 
tery humour,  resembling  those  which  appear  after  a 
burn  :  thtse  afterwards  dry  and  scale  off.  Sometimes, 
when  erysipelas  affects  the  face,  the  fluid  from  the 
pustules  is  glutinous,  and  forms  a  thick  scurf  nearly 
resembling  those  of  sucking  children,  and  they  continue 
pn  the  face  many  days.  When  the  disease  is  violent, 
it  continues  eight,  ten,  or  twelve  days,  at  the  same 

VOL.  I. 


height ;  and  is  at  last  terminated  by  a  very  plentiful 
sweat,  that  may  sometimes  be  predicted  by  a  restless- 
ness, attended  with  shivering,  and  a  little  anxiety  of 
some  hours  duration.  In  the  progress  of  the  disease, 
the  whole  skin,  and  even  the  inside  of  the  mouth,  are 
very  dry. 

An  erysipelas  rarely  comes  in  this  climate  to  suppu- 
ration ;  when  it  does,  the  suppuration  is  always  unkindly, 
and  much  disposed  to  degenerate  into  an  ulcer.  But 
in  the  colder  countries,  and  even  in  Scotland,  a  phleg- 
inonous  inflammation,  with  proper  pus,  often  comes  on 
in  different  points.  Sometimes  a  malignant  species  of 
erysipelas  is  epidemical,  and  then  it  frequently  termi- 
nates in  a  gangrene.  The  eruption  often  retires  sud- 
denly ;  and  the  patient  is  disordered  with  a  propensity 
to  vomit,  a  sensible  anxiety  and  heat ;  the  erysipelas  apV 
pears  again  in  a  different  part,  and  he  feels  himself  re- 
lieved. But  if,  instead  of  re-appearing  on  the  surface, 
the  humour  is  thrown  upon  the  brain,  or  the  breast,  he 
dies  within  a  few  hours ;  and  these  fatal  changes  and 
translations  sometimes  occur  without  the  least  reason 
for  ascribing  them  either  to  any  error  of  the  patient,  or 
his  physician.  If  the  humours  have  been  transferred 
to  the  brain,  the  patient  immediately  becomes  delirious, 
with  a  highly  flushed  visage,  and  very  quick  sparkling  • 
eyes;  soon  after  he  becomes  delirious,  and  dies  le- 
thargic. When  the  head,  however,  is  affected,  it  is 
not  always  that  the  external  inflammation  recedes  :  more 
frequently  the  violence  of  the  determination  is  such 
that  the  internal  as  well  as  the  external  carotids  take 
their  share,  and  the  brain  as  well  as  the  skin  suffers. 
The  lungs  are  more  seldom  attacked,  and  generally 
from  a  recession  of  the  external  inflammation.  Thl- 
anxiety  and  heat  are  then  violent.  There  are  some 
constitutions  subject  to  a  very  frequent,  and,  as  it  were, 
an  habitual  erysipelas :  if  it  often  affects  the  face,  it  is 
generally  repeated  on  the  same  side,  and  that  eye  is  at 
length  considerably  weakened. 

Sydenham  reckons  the  ESSERA  (which  see)  among 
species  of  erysipelas. 

Erysipelas  should  be  distinguished  from  the  plague, 
and  from  inflammations  of  different  kinds  that  appear 
on  the  skin. 

When  erysipelas  approaches  suddenly,  but  with  little 
disturbance,  and  attacks  a  person  with  a  good  habit ; 
and  when  no  important  parts  are  affected,  there  is  little 
danger.  Sometimes  a  convulsive  disease,  as  an  asthma, 
or  colic,  hath  been  relieved  by  the  approach  of  erysi- 
pelas externally.  Danger  is  very  considerable  when 
this  disorder  is  deeply  seated,  fixed  on  the  brain  or 
lungs,  and  the  habit  of  body  weak;  in  some  debili- 
tated constitutions  this  disorder  leaves  a  swelling  in  the 
foot  or  ankle,  both  troublesome  and  difficult  to  remove. 
By  bad  management  it  is  easily  and  soon  rendered  fatal ; 
and  frequent  returns  denote  a  disordered  liver  or  gall 
bladder  :  when  seated  in  the  face,  and  drowsiness  attends 
it,  there  is  danger  of  a  phrenitis,  or  of  a  lethargy:  when 
it  seizes  the  breast,  particularly  of  women  in  child  bed, 
or  who  give  suck,  an  abscess  is  often  the  consequence: 
if  the  nostrils  and  mouth  are  dry,  and  the  patient  js 
drowsy,  an  inflammation  of  the  brain  of  a  similar  kind  is 
to  be  suspected.  It  is  generally  fatal  within  the  se\ 
day  ;  and  to  those  who  are  often  seized  with  this  disease 
it  at  last  proves  fatal. 


ER  Y 


626 


E  u  y 


The  causes  of  erysipelas  are  the  same  with  those  of 
all  febrile  cutaneous  complaints,  an  acrimonious  dis- 
charge, stopped  by  the  cuticle,  and  exciting  inflamma- 
tion on  the  skin.  The  matter  is,  however,  in  a  larger 
quantity,  and  seemingly  more  fluid  than  the  virus  of 
any  other  exanthema.  It  flows  with  considerable 
vapidity,  very  copiously  between  the  cuticle  and  cutis, 
elevating  the  former,  and  occasionally  arising  in  pus- 
tules. At  the  same  time,  it  is  not  naturally  of  a  kind 
'.o  excite  active  inflammation;  but  is  rather  the  effect 
of  diminished  power  of  the  vessels,  for  it  is  a  disease 
;o  which  persons  who  have  lived  long  in  a  warm  climate 
L'.ie  peculiarly  subject.  It  is  owing  to  the  effusion  of 
u  fluid  similar  to  that  thrown  out  when  the  tone  of 
the  vessels  has  been  destroyed  by  violent  previous  ex- 
i  itements,  as  in  burns,  from  continued  cold,  as  in  chil- 
blains, or  from  the  application  of  sedative  poisons.  It 
sometimes,  indeed,  in  cold  regions  and  inflammatory 
constitutions,  suppurates  properly;  but  more  often  pro- 
duces a  foul  ulcer,  with  tendency  to  gangrene.  We 
have  four  times  seen  it  epidemic  ;  and  more  than  once 
we  have  had  reason  to  suspect  that  it  was  communi- 
cated by  infection. 

Ir  sometimes  appears  in  a  more  chronical  form,  and 
often  returns  at  regular  periods  in  broken  constitutions. 
It  does  not  then  appear  to  be  a  salutary  deposition, 
though  it  has  not  been  thought  expedient  to  prevent  its 
i-tcurrence.  To  support  the  strength  and  regulate  the 
of  the  perspiration,  are  the  best  means  of  at  least 
avoiding  considerable  danger  from  it. 

In  erysipelas  the  diet  should  be  mild :  roasted  apples 
may  be  eaten  freely ;  the  drink  may  be  whey,  barley 
water,  small  beer,  water  gruel,  or,  if  the  pulse  sinks, 
binall  negus  may  be  allowed.  The  patient  should  keep 
out  of  the  bed  during  some  hours  in  the  day  ;  and  equal 
care  should  be  taken  to  guard  against  the  extremes  of 
heat  and  cold.  In  the  slighter  cases,  perspiration  may 
be  kept  up  with  frequent  draughts  of  camomile  or  of 
cider  flower  tea,  acidulated  with  the  spiritus  febrifugus 
of  Glutton,  or  with  other  cooling  diaphoretics.  If  the 
face  and  head  be  affected,  gentle  but  repeated  purg- 
ing is  useful,  and  it  should  be  continued  until  all  danger 
seems  to  be  alleviated.  But  if  the  pulse  is  strong  and 
iiard,  the  patient  may  be  bled,  and  this  evacuation  re- 
peated as  the  fever  and  his  strength  indicate.  When- 
ever the  head  is  much  affected,  numerous  and  repeated 
blisters  must  be  applied:  we  have  found  four  large  ones 
scarcely  sufficient  to  deplete  the  vessels  «f  the  brain. 
The  bowels  may  be  kept  soluble  by  means  of  cream  of 
tartar,  whey,  tamarinds,  Sec.  Dr.  Freind  observes,  that 
when  the  head  is  affected,  purges  are  the  best  remedies, 
and  they  undoubtedly  are  so ;  but  it  should  be  added, 
that  sinapisms  may  be  also  applied  with  singular  advan- 
tage to  the  soles  of  the  feet. 

When  the  external  inflammation  recedes,  the  disease 
must  be  treated  as  an  internal  inflammation  of  the  part 
affected,  not  of  the  active  kind  ;  for  when  the  pulse  is 
low,  cordials  and  the  warmer  perspiratives  are  neces- 
sary ;  and  wine  often  an  essential  remedy. 

From  the  nature  of  this  disease,  and  from  the  pecu- 
liarities in  the  skins  of  different  persons,  much  caution  is 
required  in  the  application  of  external  remedies.  When 
the  scarf  skin  is  raised  in  blisters,  and  the  serum  begins 
^  transude,  absorbing  powders,  such  as  chalk  finely 


powdered,  or  fine  flour,  may  be  sprinkled  slightly 
the  inflamed  part.  In  every  period  of  the  disease  sonu 
fluid  exudes,  and  these  applications  are  useful.  Watery 
fluids  are  injurious,  and  saturnine  applications,  unless 
used  with  prudence  and  caution,  dangerous ;  yet  Gou- 
lard's solution  has  been  sometimes,  it  is  said,  employed 
with  advantage. 

The  symptoms  of  a  suppuration  will  sometimes  come 
on,  but  this  process  should  be  by  no  means  encouraged. 
The  abscess  will  be  deep,  foul,  and  difficult  to  heal. 

If  a  gangrene  is  threatened,  besides  the  inward  use 
of  camphor  and  the  bark,  spirituous  and  astringent  ap- 
plications should  be  employed  externally,  such  as  mix- 
tures of  lime  water  with  camphorated  spirit,  or  cam- 
phorated spirit  mixed  with  tincture  of  myrrh,  or  an  in- 
fusion of  the  bark. 

Erysipelas  is  sometimes  of  the  nervous  or  low  kind ; 
appearing  with  a  puffy  redness  in  the  skin  instead  of  a 
swelling ;  the  pain  is  more  acute,  but  the  throbbing  of 
the  vessels  less  ;  no  circumscribed  tumours  appear,  but 
the  parts  are  more  inflamed:  at  the  decline  of  the  dis- 
ease, the  redness  of  skin  becomes  of  a  purple  hue;' it  is 
very  liable  to  terminate  in  a  mortification ;  the  habit 
from  the  first,  and  throughout,  is  very  irritable,  and  the 
strength  depressed.  It  is  generally  accompanied  with 
cardialgia,  itching,  inflammation  of  the  skin,  painful 
ulcerations,  and  small  lucid  pustules. 

In  some  strong  habits,  both  a  phlegmonous  and  the 
low  erysipelatous  inflammation  attend  together ;  in 
which  case,  a  moderate  evacuation  of  blood  may  be  al- 
lowed, but  should  be  cautiously  attempted.  If  the 
patient  labours  under  great  depression  of  strength,  irri- 
tability, &c.  we  must  support  his  strength  with  wine, 
and  the  warmest  cordials ;  when  blisters  arise,  the  bark 
may  be  freely  given,  from  3  vi.  to  ij  i.  or  more  if  the 
stomach  will  bear  it,  in  twenty-four  hours.  When  the 
eruption  is  apparently  complete  and  the  pustules 
ripened,  snip  the  blisters,  and  absorb  the  fluid  with  soft 
rag;  then  apply  the  unguent.  spermatisceti,orung.  lapi- 
dis  calaminaris.  See  Sydenham;  Heister's  Institutions 
of  Surgery,  p.  i.  lib.  iv.  c.  vi.  p.  290 ;  Cullen's  First 
Lines,  edit.  4.  vol.  ii. ;  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery,  vol. 
i.  p.  329,  404  ;  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p. 
173;  and  White's  Surgery,  p.  12. 

ERYSI'PELAS  BULLA'TUM,  and  INFLAMMATO'RIUM. 
See  OEDEMA  ERYSIPELATOIDES. 

ERVSI'PELAS  CU'RANS  A'RBOH.  See  MALLEA- 
MOTHE. 

ERYSI'PELAS  INFANT'ILIS.  Erysipelas  of  infants  was 
first  noticed  by  Dr.  Underwood,  who  calls  it  anomalous 
inflammation  i  though  he  speaks  of  infants  being  liable 
to  erysipelatous  inflammation. 

It  never  appears  after  the  month,  but  most  frequently 
shows  itself  a  few  days  after  birth ;  and  children  ar$ 
sometimes  born  with  it:  in  a  few  instances  it  is  pre- 
ceded by  jaundice  or  a  locked  jaw.  It  attacks  suddenly 
the  most  robust  as  well  as  delicate  children,  and  its 
progress  is  rapid  ;  the  skin  turns  of  a  purplish  hue,  and 
soon  becomes  very  hard. 

The  milder  species  appears  often  on  the  fingers  and 
hands,  or  the  feet  and  ankles,  and  sometimes  upon  or 
near  the  joints,  suppurating  quickly.  The  more  violent 
kind  is  almost  always  seated  about  the  pubes,  extending; 
upwards  on  the  belly,  and  down  the  thighs  and  legs; 


ESC 


ESC 


though  it  sometimes  begins  in  the  neck.  The  swelling 
is  moderate ;  but  after  becoming  hard,  the  parts  turn 
purple,  and  very  often  sphacelate ;  especially  in  boys, 
when  it  falls  on  the  scrotum.  The  penis  then  swells, 
and  the  prepuce  appears  emphysematous  as  in  children 
when  a  stone  sticks  in  the  urethra. 

Osiander  seems  to  connect  it  with  the  epidemic  con- 
stitution ;  and  remarks,  that  when  it  appeared,  puerpe- 
ral fevers  of  a  bilious  or  rheumatic  kind  were  common. 
The  danger  is  less  in  proportion  to  the  extent  of  the  in- 
flammation. 

Various  means  have  been  used  with  little  success ; 
though  for  a  time  benefit  was  apparently  received  from 
saturnine  fomentations  and  poultices,  applied  on  the 
very  first  appearance  of  the  inflammation :  but  it  soon 
spread,  and  a  gangrene  came  on.  When  matter  is 
formed,  the  tender  infant  soon  sinks  under  the  dis- 
charge. The  bark,  with  a  small  portion  of  the  confectio 
aromatica,  sometimes  succeeds.  Dr.  Garthshore  has  re- 
commended the  application  of  linen  compresses  wrung 
out  of  camphorated  spirit  of  wine,  in  the  place  of  the 
vegeto-mineral  water,  which  has  proved  successful  in 
some  instances ;  though  the  greatest  number  of  infants, 
attacked  with  this  disorder,  still  sink  under  its  violence, 
and  many  of  them  in  a  very  few  days. 

Professor  Hufelend  recommends  evacuating  the  ali- 
mentary canal  and  stomach,  giving  afterwards  diapho- 
retics and  antispasmodics,  particularly  valerian  and  the 
calx  of  zinc.  Bark  and  camphor  he  only  advises  when 
mortification  threatens ;  and  saturnine  applications  are, 
he  thinks,  dangerous.  See  Underwood  on  the  Diseases 
of  Children ;  Bromfield  in  the  Medical  Commentaries ; 
Osiander's  Essays  on  Physic  and  Midwifery  ;  Hufeland's 
Observations  on  the  Erysipelas  of  new  born  Children ; 
and  Gertanner's  Memoir. 

ERYSI'PELAS  PULMO'NIS  LO'MMII.  See  IXFLAMMATIO 
CORDIS. 

ERYSIPELATOTDES,  from  erysipelas,  and  */£>«, 
likeness,')  a  tumor  resembling  the  erysipelas,  or  a  spu- 
rious erysipelas.  See  (EDEMA  ERYSIPELATOIDES. 

ERTSISCE'PTRUM,  (from  twtpt,  red,  and  VM*- 
ff»',  scf/itrum ;  from  its  colour  and  resemblance  to  a 
sceptre).  See  ASPAI.ATHUS. 

ERYTHE'MA,  (from  cfvStf,  red}.  See  IXFLAMMA- 
TIO. 

ERYTHE'MA  A  FRI'GORE.     See  PERXIO. 

ERYTHE'MA  AMBU'STIO;  the  inflammation  caused  by 
burns  or  scalds.  See  COMIIUSTUKA. 

ERYTHE'MA  GAXGR.EXO'SUM.     See  CARBI/NCULVS. 

ERY'THRION,  (from  ifotf»s,  red').  The  name  of  an 
amalgama  in  P.  JEgineta. 

ERYTHRO'DAXUM,  (the  same,  from  the  colour  of 
its  juice).  See  RUBIA  TIXCTORUM. 

ERITHROEI'DES,  (the  same,  ami  n&t,form;  from 
its  red  colour).  See  TESTES. 

ERYTHRO'XYLON,  (the  same,  and  |^»,  wood). 
See  CAMPECHEXSE  LIGNUM. 

E'SAPHE,  (from  irs*,$a.u,  to  feel  -with  the  fingers}. 
The  touch  or  feeling  the  mouth  of  the  womb,  to  ascer- 
tain its  state. 

ESCAPA'TLI.     A  species  of  senna. 

E'SCHARA,  vel  E'SCURA .  An  ESCHAR  or  CRUST. 
In  surgery  it  is  a  hard  crust,  or  a  scab  upon  the  flesh, 
formed  by  the  application  of  a  red-hot  iron,  a  caustic, 
or  some  sharp  humour.  Also  a  slough-,  formed  on  a 


wound  or  ulcer,  and  is  a  symptom  of  mortification. 
Likewise  the  name  of  a  sub-marine  plant  which  resem- 
bles a  net  or  cobweb,  called  frondi/iora ;  /torus  reticula- 
tus  j  the  habitation  of  a  polypus,  dilated  in  membran- 
ous expansions,  porous  internally,  and  each  surface 
furnished  with  pores  disposed  in  a  quincunx.  Linnaeus 
has  united  it  with  the  millepores,  and  with  reason,  for 
the  animals  appear  to  be  similar.  Ellis  has  confounded 
the  escharae  by  uniting  with  them  the  flustra.  Their 
virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  coral,  but  it  is  not  known 
in  practice. 

ESCHAROPE'PA.  In  Hippocrates  it  is  a  term  for 
roasted  barley  meal. 

ESCHARO'TICA,  (from  ^-/^xa,  tr*  bring  on  crust* 
by  burning,  ultimately  from  %*iu,  uro").  ESCHAROTICS, 
called  also  erodentia,  caustica,  cauteria.  Substances 
which  dissolve  the  solid  matter  of  the  human  body,  or 
attract  its  moisture.  They  are  used  where  cither  a 
portion  of  the  solid  matter  is  to  be  taken  away,  or  its 
texture  to  be  so  destroyed  that  it  may  fall  off,  or  be  easily 
separated  from  the  other  parts. 

CAU'STICA,  (from  xxia,  uro,  Co  burr.,}  caustics,  and 
escharotics  differ  only  in  degree,  for  both  destroy  the 
part  to  which  they  are  applied.  Van  Helmont  first  as- 
serted their  inemcacy  on  dead  bodies :  and  Dr.  Petit  of 
Paris  confirmed  it.  These  kind  of  applications  deprive 
the  part  of  life,  either  by  their  attraction  for  moistu»c. 
which  destroys  the  organization,  or  by  excess  of  ex- 
citement. The  dead  portion  is  then  separated  by  the 
vital  power;  and  what  surgeons  call  the  slough,  or  fs- 
char,  is  separated. 

Caustics,  or  cauteries — for  they  do  not  differ — are 
distinguished  into  actual  and  potential.  The  actual  is 
real  fire,  or  a  red-hot  iron  ;  but  these,  on  account  of  the  - 
terror  and  pain  they  occasion,  are  laid  aside.  The  po- 
tential are  those  which  act  in  the  manner  already  ex- 
plained. The-  chief  of  these  are  what  were  called 
causiicum  lunare  ;  commune  fortius, or  la/ih  iit/ematisy 
antimoniale :  now  named  argenlum  nitra'.um  ;  calx  e 
kali  fiuro  ;  antimonium  muriatum. 

Their  use,  besides  that  of  destroy  ing  excrescences,  or 
morbid  parts,  is  to  open  large  abscesses  where  there  is 
danger  of  cutting  some  adjacent  vessel,  or  when  the 
knife  terrifies  the  patient.  In  this  case  the  common 
milder  caustic  is  generally  sufficient,  and  may  be  thus 
applied  :  lay  a  piece  of  sticking  plaster  on  the  soft  part 
of  the  abscess,  having  previously  cut  a  hole  in  it,  nearly 
as  big  as  the  eschar  is  to  be  made ;  on  the  hole  of  the 
plaster  lay  the  caustic,  which  must  be  secured  by  an- 
other piece  of  sticking  plaster.  When  the  skin  is  not 
inflamed,  the  caustic  very  often  occasions  little  or  no 
pain;  and  when  the  eschar  separates,  or  is  so  loose  as 
to  be  easily  removed,  the  purulent  matter  is  discharged. 
When  issues  are  made  by  caustics,  or  bones  laid  bare 
by  them,  the  eschar  must  be  cut  out  immediately,  or 
very  soon,  lest  new  flesh  should  fill  up  the  part  which 
is  opened.  To  lay  a  bone  bare,  or  to  make  an  issue, 
let  the  caustic  continue  on  the  part  about  four  hours; 
to  destroy  a  large  gland,  six;  but  to  open  an  abscess  it 
may  remain  two  or  three  hours,  according  to  the  thick- 
ness of  the  skin;  though  generally,  when  the  effect  ot 
the  caustic  is  completed,  the  part  on  which  it  is  applied 
ceases  to  be  uneasy. 

When  a  large  fungus  is  to  be  destroyed  by  a  caustic, 
the  method  described  by  Dr.  Barry  in  the  Edinburgh 
4  L  2 


ESS 


628 


K  8  S 


Medical  Essays  seems  most  eligible.  The  lapis  infer- 
nalis  was  applied  to  a  tumour  on  the  coats  of  the  testis  ; 
after  the  separation  of  the  eschar,  the  lapis  infernalis 
and  oleum  vitriol!  were  alternately  rubbed  on  the  part ; 
the  one  instantly  removing  the  pain  occasioned  by  the 
other :  at  each  dressing,  this  alternate  application  was 
repeated,  till  the  intended  effect  was  produced:  the 
moisture  was  then  absorbed  by  an  armed  probe,  and  a 
digestive  applied.  This  method  prevents  the  continu- 
ance of  pain,  and  is  not  productive  of  any  degree  of  in- 
flammation; it  is  also  recommended  for  the  removal  of 
.scirrhus,  or  any  other  tumour  that  admits  of  a  caustic  ; 
but  it  very  often  fails. 

Mr.  John  Hunter  recommends  a  mixture  of  opium 
with  caustics,  in  order  to  lessen  the  pain  which  they  oc- 
casion :  this  plan  generally  succeeds,  though  a  much 
longer  time  is  necessary.  See  CAUSTICUM  OPIATUM. 

A  great  inconvenience  in  the  application  of  caustics 
is  their  spreading,  when  applied,  beyond  their  limits. 
The  solid  form  of  the  argentum  nitratum  is  in  this  way 
very  convenient.  Applications  which  destroy  tender 
fungous  flesh  are  of  this  kind,  as  the  vitriolated  copper, 
the  red  oxides  of  mercury,  and  alum,  so  far  calcined  as 
to  separate  its  water  and  concentrate  its  acid.  All  the 
mineral  acids  are  caustics;  but  seldom  used  on  ac- 
count of  their  great  fluidity.  See  White's  Surgery, 
p.  188. 

E'SCARPE.     See  FASCIA. 

E'SCHEL  ;  an  imperfect  zaffer.     See  COBALTUM. 

ESCULENT,  (from  e^u,  eatable,')  an  epithet  ap- 
plied to  plants  and  roots. 

E'SCULUS,  (from  frxa,  to  cat;  because  its  acorn  is 
eatable).  A  species  of  oak.  Quercus  e&culus  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1414. 

E'SDR^E  ANTI'DOTUS.  An  antidote  described 
by  P.  jEgineta. 

E'SEBON.     See  MARINUM  SAL. 

ESO'CHE,  (from  tea,  within,  and  £%*>,  to  have).  A 
tubercle  within  the  anus. 

ESOX  LUCIUS.  The  PIKE.  From  the  liver  of 
this  fish  an  acrid  oil  spontaneously  separates;  used  in 
Germany  to  take  spots  from  the  transparent  cornea, 
or  as  a  stimulating  application  in  rheumatism. 

E'SPHLASIS,  (from  m-^^ou^xi,  to  recede  inwards'). 
A  recession  of  a  part  inwards  from  some  violent  out- 
ward impression. 

ESSA'TUM,  (from  case,  to  be').  The  power  or  prin- 
ciple which  is  inseparable  from  any  substance. 

ESSA'TUM  POTENTIA'LE.  The  medicinal  power  or 
virtue  which  resides  in  vegetables  and  minerals. 

ESSA'TUM  VI'NUM.  Spirit  of  wine  impregnated  with 
the  medicinal  virtues  of  vegetables. 

ESSE'NTIA,  (from  esse,  to  be').  ESSENCE.  From 
philosophy  this  word  has  been  transferred  to  chemistry, 
where  it  seems  strictly  to  import  the  distinguishing  part 
of  vegetables  or  minerals.  In  the  former  it  consists 
generally  of  the  essential  oil ;  but  no  peculiar  principle 
in  the  latter  merits  this  title. 

ESSE'NTIA  ABIE'TIS.     See  ABIES. 

ESSE'NTIA  NEHO'LI.     See  AURANTIUM. 

ESSENTIA'LE  SAL.     See  DIURETICUS  SAL. 

ESSENTIA'LIS,  (from  esse,  to  be').  ESSENTIAL. 
It  is  an  epithet  for  salts  procured  from  vegetable 
juices,  by  crystallization.  For  the  process,  see  ACE- 
TOSA.  When  the  viscous  juices  of  vegetables  are 


used  in  this  process,  the  salt  cannot  be  obtained  without 
a  previous  fermentation  to  dissolve  their  tenacity. 
Juices  that  contain  an  oil  or  a  balsam  will  not  easily 
yield  their  salt,  for  oils  and  balsams  prevent  its  crystal- 
lization. These  salts  are  not  alkaline;  but  become 
such  by  burning. 

The  oils  peculiar  to  different  vegetables  are  also  call- 
ed essential  ;  and  are  generally  the  volatile, "containing 
the  peculiar  smell  and  taste  of  the  plant. 

Some  fevers  are  called  essential  or  idiojiathic,  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  the  symptomatic. 

ESSENTIA'LIS  SAL.  ESSENTIAL  SALT.  This  name 
is  given  to  all  concrete  saline  substances,  which  pre- 
serve the  principal  qualities  of  the  vegetable  and  animal 
bodies  from  which  they  were  obtained.  The  usual  me- 
thod of  preparing  is  by  evaporating,  to  nearly  the  con- 
sistency of  a  syrup,  the  liquors  containing  them.  The 
crystals  which  shoot  from  these  liquors  may  be  depu- 
rated by  dissolving  them  in  water,  filtrating,  evaporating, 
and  crystallizing. 

Very  often  the  salts  thus  obtained  from  animal  and 
vegetable  matters  are  only  vitriolated  tartar,  vitriolated 
natron,  nitre,  common  salt,  and  similar  neutral  salts, 
which  only  merit  the  name  of  essential  salts  when 
intimately  combined  with  the  peculiar  oil  of  the 
plant. 

E'SSERA,  (from  the  Arabic  sorah').  The  CHRONIC 
NETTLE  RASH.  It  is  called  essere,  sora,  and  sara,  by 
the  Arabians;  by  Sydenham,  a  BASTARD  or  SCORBUTIC 
ERYSIPELAS,  with  or  without  ulcerations;  the  NETTLE 
SPRING,  from  its  resemblance  to  the  eruptions  excited 
by  the  stinging  of  nettles.  This  appears  to  be  a  dis- 
ease which  Pliny  calls  zoster,  and  some  others  zona. 
Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  the  nettle  rash  of  the  English 
is  considered  as  the  urticaria  ;  but  the  disease  described 
by  Dr.  Heberden  in  the  London  Medical  Transactions, 
which  Cullen  hath  often  seen,  is  totally  different  from 
the  urticaria  of  nosologists,  as  it  is  chronical  without 
fever,  and  may  be  associated  with  the  impetigines. 
The  chief  distinction  consists  in  the  hardness  felt  in 
the  skin. 

The  essera  is  a  species  of  tumour  not  mentioned  by 
the  Greeks  nor  Latins.  It  is  truly  a  chronical  disorder, 
and  is  seated  in  the  cutis.  Some  persons  are  affected  with 
it  only  when  the  weather  is  frosty,  others  chiefly  in  the 
hottest  months.  Persons  of  all  ages  and  of  both  sexes 
are  subject  to  it.  Sennertus  attributes  the  disease  to 
the  serum  ;  Dr.  Heberden  to  an  acrimony  not  unlike 
the  fish  poison,  as  the  diseases  are  nearly  the  same. 

This  disorder  appears  in  the  skin  in  the  form  of  small 
white  hard  tubercles,  generally  with  a  dark  irritable 
point ;  sometimes  these  are  broad  and  long,  such  as  ap- 
pear after  being  lashed  with  a  whip;  an  intolerable 
itching  attends  ;  and  generally  the  skin  is  inflamed 
in  the  spaces  between  the  eruptions.  The  elevations 
appear  suddenly:  they  seldom  continue  long;  but  disr 
appear  and  appear  again  in  another  part.  When  many 
of  the  tubercles  appear  together,  the  part  seems  swell- 
ed. In  some  instances  this  disorder  totally  disappears 
in  a  few  days,  in  others  it  hath  continued  some  months, 
and  even  years,  disappearing  at  times,  but  returning 
after  very  short  intervals.  For  the  most  part  the  itch- 
ing is  the  only  inconvenience  ;  and  this  indeed  is  some- 
times so  great  as  to  deprive  the  patient  of  sleep;  but 
sickness,  headach,  or  other  troublesome  symptoms 


E  T  E 


E  UD 


sometimes  come  on  during  the  presence  of  the  erup- 
tions ;  at  others  on  their  suddenly  sinking  in.  We  have 
found  headach,  8cc.  supervene  on  bathing  them  with 
cold  water,  when  they  were  very  numerous  and  highly- 
inflamed.  They  have  been  attributed  to  the  bites  of 
insects;  and  we  think  we  have  found,  that  those  who 
wear  boots  are  less  subject  to  them  in  the  legs. 

Serapion  says,  there  are  two  species  of  essera  ;  but  his 
distinctions  do  not  seem  well  grounded. 

The  essera  should  be  distinguished  from  that  species 
of  itch  which  appears  in  the  form  of  dry  pimples  at  the 
first;  but  these  soon  after  have  a  thin  serum  lodged  on 
their  apex,  like  a  small  vesicle.  Some  authors  confound 
the  essera  with  the  epinyctides ;  but  the  latter  have  also 
a  thin  humour  which  oozes  from  them.  No  danger 
attends  this  complaint. 

The  only  indication  is  to  allay  the  itching;  but  this 
object  is  with  difficulty  attained.  Rubbing  them  with 
parsley  juice  has  been  said  to  take  off  this  chief  incon- 
venience ;  but  the  saliva  is  still  more  effectually  em- 
ployed in  the  same  way.  When  it  has  been  of  some 
continuance,  diuretics  have  been  of  service ;  interposing 
purgatives  of  the  saline  kind,  to  succeed  a  dose  of  calo- 
mel given  at  bedtime.  See  Sennertus,  Sydenham,  and 
Dr.  W.  Heberden's  Remarks  on  the  Nettle  Rash,  in  the 
second  volume  of  the  London  Medical  Transactions. 

ESTHIO'MENOS,  (from  t<r»i*,  to  eat}.  EATING, 
CORRODING.  An  inflammation  in  the  skin,  attended 
with  a  sharp  humour,  more  properly  the  herpes  exedens ; 
or  indeed  any  inveterate  ulcer. 

E'SULA,  vel  E'ZULA.  SPURGE.  There  are  many 
species  of  plants  which  bear  this  name,  some  of  which 
rank  under  the  article  TITHYMALUS. 

ES'ULA  I'NDICA,  tithymalus  orientalis  arborescens, 
triguetrus,  sfiinosus,  and  talukghaha.  The  plant  that 
produces  the  bogia  gum  differs  not  from  this  species  of 
esula  :  but,  as  Sydenham  observes,  there  are  two  species 
of  gamboge  ;  one  collected  from  a  plant  called  cambo- 
dia,  and  the  best  sort  from  the  codamjiulli.  Eu/ihor- 
bia  antirjuorum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  646,  tho'.igh  the  latter  plant 
is  found  not  to  furnish  it. 

The  spurges  generally  agree  in  their  containing  a 
milky  juice,  which  is  violently  emetic  and  cathartic  ; 
and,  if  applied  to  the  skin,  corrosive. 

E'SULA  MA'JOR,  tithymalus  jialustrisfruticijsus,  tithy- 
malus magnus  multicaulis,  GREAT  MARSH  SPURGE,  and 
GERMAN  SPURGE  ;  also  the  GARDEN  SPURGE.  Euphorbia 
fialustris  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  662. 

E'SULA  MARI'NA.     See  TITHYMALUS  MARITIMUS. 

E'SULA  MI'XOR,  also  called  fiityusa,  tithymalus  foliis 
fiini  tithymalo  cyfiarissce  similis,  and  PINE  SPURGE,  or 
the  COUNTRYMAN'S  RHUBARB.  Euphorbia  cy/iarissias 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  661. 

E'SULA  SOLISE'QUA.  The  SUN  SPURGE.  See  TITHY- 
MALUS HELIOSCOPUS. 

ETE'SLE,  (from  f~««,  annus}.  North-eastern  annual 
winds.  Pliny  observes,  that  the  etesian  winds  set  in 
two  days  after  the  dog  star  rises,  and  continue  forty 
days.  Prosper  Alpinus  informs  us,  that  the  etesian 
winds  blow  in  Egypt  when  the  sun  enters  Cancer,  and 
continue  almost  the  whole  of  June,  July,  and  August; 
and  that  at  the  rising  of  these  winds  the  Nile  rises,  and 
the  pestilence  ceases.  The  south  wind  brings  the  pesti- 
lence; and  this  wind  they  call  Camflsin,  from  Camp- 


sis,  a  general,  who,  with  his  whole  army,  was  suf- 
focated in  the  sand  which  was  driven  upon  them  by 
this  wind.  It  is  a  kind  of  sirocco,  or  rather  a  blast  of 
hydrogenous  gas,  and  not  the  sand  which  destroyed 
the  general  and  his  army.  It  is  the  simoon  of  the 
desert. 

E'THEL.  It  imports  both  fire  and  blackness.  In 
the  old  alchemy,  the  words  ethel,  terra  alba,  sulphur 
album,  fumus  albus,  almagra,  auripigmentum,  and 
magnesia,  all  mean  the  same  thing. 

E'THER.     See  .ETHER. 

E'THICA.     See  HECTICA. 

ETHMOI'DES,  os,  (from  ilfu>s,  a  sieve,  and  ciSot,  a 
form}.  Cribriforme,  cribrosum,znd  coliforme  os;  fora- 
minulentum;  sflongiosum  os.  This  bone  is  placed  be- 
tween the  two  orbits  of  the  eyes,  where  a  notch  is  left 
for  its  insertion.  The  cribriform  lamella  is  the  inter- 
nal plain,  thin,  horizontal  plate,  which  hath  a  middle 
eminence  called  crista  galli,  to  which  the  beginning  of 
the  falciform  process  is  attached :  round  the  crista  galli, 
except  at  the  hind  part,  this  lamella  is  pierced  obliquely 
by  many  small  foramina,  through  which  the  filaments 
of  the  olfactory  nerves  pass.  From  the  middle  of  the 
cribriform  lamella,  the  nasal  lamella  rises  extremely 
thin,  but  at  its  anterior  extremity  it  becomes  thicker. 
At  a  little  distance  from  each  side  of  this  lamella,  a 
cellular  bony  substance  is  observable  :  the  figure  of  the 
cells  is  uncertain ;  they  communicate  with  the  frontal 
sinuses,  and  with  the  cavity  of  the  nose,  and  are  the 
external  lateral  portion  of  the  ethmoid  bone :  their  out- 
ward posterior  surface  is  smooth,  called  os  filanum; 
and  it  makes  a  part  of  the  orbit.  The  ossa  spongiosa, 
or  turbinata  superiora,  are  situated  at  the  inferior  parts 
of  the  cellules ;  their  figure  is  oblong,  and  they  are 
sharp  at  their  extremities. 

The  cribriform  lamella  is  the  body,  as  it  were,  of  the 
ethmoid  bone ;  and  it  is  so  thin,  that  it  may  easily  be 
penetrated  by  a  probe :  when  hurt,  the  accident  is 
usually  fatal. 

E'TRON,  (from  t£a,  to  eat;  as  containing  the  recep- 
tacle of  the  food).  See  HYPOGASTRIUM. 

ETYTHO'XYLUM  BRASILIA'NUM.    See  BRA- 

SILIUM    LIGNUM. 

EUANASPHA'LTOS,(from  ev,  ease,  and  *»*p*AA», 
to  recover  strength}.  One  who  soon  recovers. 

EUA'NTHEMON,  (from  tv,  well,  and  *>ffft»f,  a 
Jloiver,}  from  the  beauty  of  its  flower.  See  CHAM^E- 
MELUM. 

EUA'PHION,  (from  tv,  ea«e,and  *£>«,  the  touch}.  A 
medicine  for  the  haemorrhoids;  named  from  its  gen- 
tleness. Galen. 

EUCARI'STOS.  An  epithet  for  an  antidote  in  N. 
Myrepsus. 

EUCHRO'ON.  A  plaster  mentioned  by  Scribonius 
Largus. 

EUCOI'LIA,  (from  ev,  bene,  and  xo<A/«,  the  bowels; 
because  they  gently  open  the  belly).  See  CERASUS. 

EUDIOMETER.  An  instrument  employed  to  as- 
certain the  proportion  of  oxygen  in  any  given  quantity 
of  atmospheric  air.  We  had  designed  to  give  a  par- 
ticular account  of  the  various  contrivances  for  this  pur- 
pose; but  they  have  been  found  so  little  applicable  to 
the  purposes  of  medicine,  that  the  detail  would  not  be 
interesting  in  a  work  of  this  kind.  Air  obtained  from 


E  U  P 


630 


E  UP 


crowded  rooms,  from  apartments  where  patients  affected 
with  the  worst  fevers  have  breathed,  from  the  highest 
mountains,  or  the  lowest  valleys,  scarcely  differs.  The 
principle  on  which  this  instrument  acts  is  introducing 
a  substance  to  common  air,  which  has  a  powerful  at- 
traction for  its  oxygen. 

EUELPIDI'UM.     A    liquid  collyrium.     See  DIA- 

SMYRNON. 

EUELPI'STI.  A  plaster  described  by  Scribonius 
Largus. 

EUE'MBOLOS,  (from  cv,  well,  11,  in,  and  /3«AAw,  to 
cast}.  A  practitioner  expert  at  setting  of  bones. 

EUE'METI,  (from  iv,  and  if^sa,  to  vomit').  Those 
who  vomit  with  ease. 

EUE'RES,  (from  cv,  and  tpcl/Ms,  an  oar').  Easy  to 
be  rowed.  But  Hippocrates  uses  naval  terms,  and  ap- 
plies them  to  instruments  :  in  his  works  it  sometimes 
signifies  ready  or  handy. 

EUE'XIA,  (from  cv,  and  t|<«,  a  habit}.  A  good 
habit  of  body. 

EUGE'OS,  (from  cv,  and  y«,  the  earth}.  See  UTERUS, 
and  HYMEN. 

EU'LE,  (from  EUA*£OI,  to  putrefy').  A  WORM  ;  pro- 
perly one  bred  in  ulcers. 

EULO'GIUM.  In  Forestus,  from  Rhases,  it  signi- 
fies the  small  pox,  or  measles. 

EUNU'CHION.  IMPOTENT.  (See  LACTUCA.)  Ve- 
nus, it  is  said,  lay  upon  a  bed  of  lettuces  after  the  death 
of  Adonis,  to  restrain  her  venereal  inclinations. 

EUO'NYMO  AFFI'NIS  OCCIDENTALS.    See 

GuAIACUM. 

EUO'NYMUS,  (from  cv,  and  evofix,  nomen;  i.  e. 
having  a  good  name,)  tetragonia,  fusanus,  ftisaria, 
PRICKWOOU,  and  the  SPINDLE  or  DISTAFF  TIIEE  ;  euony- 
mus  EurofitEus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  286.  In  France  and  Ger- 
many the  wood  is  made  into  spindles.  The  fruit  is 
emetic  and  cathartic ;  and  if  powdered,  and  sprinkled 
in  the  hair,  it  is  said  to  kill  lice.  Raii  Historia.  See 

SlMAROUBA. 

EUPATO'RIUM,  (from  IKO.?,  the  liver,  because  it  is 
useful  in  disorders  of  that  organ,)  hefiatorium  canna- 
binum,  WATER  HEMP,  WATER,  DUTCH,  and  COMMON 
HEMP  AGRIMONY.  (See  AcRiMOMA.)  Eufiatorium 
cannabinum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1173.  It  is  a  plant  much 
used  in  Holland ;  found  on  the  sides  of  ditches  and 
rivers ;  acrid  and  bitter  to  the  taste ;  but  the  leaves 
strengthening  and  aperient.  Boerhaave  informs  us,  that 
the  turf  diggers  use  them  against  foul  ulcers,  the  scurvy, 
and  swelling  of  the  feet,  to  which  they  are  very  subject. 
The  root  is  a  cathartic  and  emetic;  employed  in -.ca- 
chexies and  dropsies.  Two  ounces  of  the  fresh  juice, 
or  a  drachm  of  the  extract,  is  a  proper  dose.  Raii  Hist. 
Also  the  name  for  a  species  of  baccharis. 

EUPATO'RIUM  A'RABUM.     See  BIDENS. 

EUPATO'RIUM  GR^CO'RUM;  EUPATO'RIUM  VE'RUM  et 
VB'TERUM.  See  AGRIMONIA. 

EUPATO'RIUM  ME'SUE.     See  AGEKATUM. 

EUPE'PSIA,  (from  cv,  and  TTCVTU,  to  digest}.  GOOD 

DIGESTION. 

EUPE'TALON,  (from  cv,  and  are7«Aov,  a  leaf,  so 
named  from  the  beauty  of  its  leaves).  Sec  LAUREOLA 
MAS. 

EUPHO'RBIA  PALU'STRIS.     See  TITHVMALUS. 

EUPHO'RBIA.     So  named  by  Juba,  in  honour  of 


Euphorbus  his  physician ;  schadida-calli,  tit/iymalus. 
aizoides  fruticosu.i,  Sec.  The  EUPHORBIUM  PLANT  . 
BURN,  THORNY  PLANT,  SPURGE.  Euphorbia  officinaruir 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  647.  It  is  a  prickly  lactescent  shrub;  from 
which  the  gummy,  resinous,  concrete  juice,  called  gun- 
euphorbium,  exudes.  It  is  brought  from  Barbary  in 
drops,  or  tears,  of  an  irregular  form,  some  of  which, 
when  broken,  contain  little  twigs,  and  other  vegetable 
substances.  The  tears  are  brittle ;  of  a  gold  colour 
outwardly,  and  white  within:  they  consist  of  equal 
parts  of  resin  and  gum  ;  but  their  acrimony  resides  in 
the  resin. 

The  spirituous  tinctures  are  very  pungent,  and  when 
inspissated  more  so.  The  watery  infusion  and  extract 
are  bitterish,  with  a  slight,  though  durable,  acrimony. 
Neither  spirit  nor  water  carries  over  any  portion  of  this 
gum  in  distillation. 

Euphorbium  is  too  acrid  for  internal  use ;  but  is  an 
ingredient  in  some  stimulating  plasters  used  in  palsies 
and  other  disorders.  The  two  compositions  of  this 
kind  are  formed  in  the  following  manner  : 

EMPLASTRUM  EUPHORBII.  R.  Picis  burgundicae  ^  iv. 
euphorbii  J  ss-  terebinthinae  vulgaris  q.  s.  pici  bur- 
gundies liquefactse  adjiciantur  euphorbium  bene  in 
pulverem  redactum,  et  terebinthinae  portio,  adeo  ut  in 
spissitudinem  propriam  abeant.  This  is  a  powerful 
stimulant,  well  calculated  to  relieve  diseases  of  the  hip 
joint  in  their  early  stage. 

EMPLASTRUM  EX  EUPHORBIO.  R.  Emplastri  lithargyri 
ftij.  ss.  euphorbii  bene  pulverizati  ^  iij.  picis  bur- 
gundicoe  ^  ss.  euphorbium  cum  olei  paululo  in  mortario 
teratur,  postca,  alia,  prius  liquefacta,  adjiciantur.  This 
is  highly  recommended  for  promoting  the  suppuration 
of  sluggish  ulcers. 

Some  have  used  euphorbium  as  an  errhine ;  but  it  is 
too  active  for  this  purpose,  since  in  very  small  quan- 
tities it  is  liable  to  act  with  violence ;  the  fine  dust 
which  rises  in  powdering  affects  the  operator's  head 
and  throat  very  powerfully.  Cullen's  Mat.  Medica. 

In  the2d  vol.  of  the  Medical  Museum  is  an  instance 
of  a  person,  who,  through  mistake,  swallowed  some 
tincture  of  euphorbium,  and  was  relieved  by  frequent 
draughts  of  water  and  olive  oil,  with  a  small  quantity 
of  camphor.  The  symptoms  produced  by  the  euphor- 
bium  were  a  burning  pain  in  the  mouth,  throat,  and 
stomach,  with  a  violent  suffocation, 

EUPHO'RBIA  PARVIFLORA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  653.  An  In- 
dian herb  recommended  for  syphilis. 

EUPHO'RIA,  (from  cv,  and  <pcpa,  to  bear}.  Bearing 
a  disorder,  or  the  operation  of  a  medicine,  easily. 

EUPHRA'GIA,  EUPHRA'SIA,  (from  evififtn,  joy- 
ful; because  it  exhilarates  the  spirits,)  ocularia,  EYE 
BRIGHT;  euphrasia  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  841.  It  is 
a  herb  with  small,  oval,  serrated  leaves,  set  in  pairs 
without  pedicles :  the  flowers  appear  on  the  top  of  the 
stalks;  are  white  outwardly,  but  inwardly  streaked 
with  purple  and  yellow.  It  is  annual,  grows  wild  in 
uncultivated  grounds,  and  flowers  from  July  to  Sep- 
tember. 

It  is  a  very  mild  astringent,  and  hath  been  much  ex- 
tolled in  disorders  of  the  eyes.  Both  spirit  and  water 
extract  its  virtues.  An  infusion,  and  sometimes  the 
powder  in  the  manner  of  snuff,  are  taken  in  cases  of 
weak  sight.  The  following  preparation,  called  flulv. 


KX  A 


631 


EX  A 


'<£ i,  hath  been  held  in  great  repute.  R.  Euphrasiae 
jij.  macis  5ss.  rn.  f.  pulv.  cap.  $i.  ad  3iij-  Euphrasia 
is  an  ingredient  in  the  British  herb  tobacco. 

EUPHRA'SI£  AFFIN'IS.  BRASILIENSIS-SILKIUO'- 
SJE.  See  CA  I-ATAYA  BRASILIENSIS. 

EUPORI'STA,  and  EUPORI'STON.  (from  t»,  easy, 
and  tfttta,  to  afford}.  Medicines  easily  prepared. 

EURYTHMIA,  (from   cv,  and  fat  tut,   order").      It 
imports  dexterity  in  handling  instruments.    Eurythmus 
means  the  proper  order  of  the  pulse.     See  ARYTHMUS. 
EUROPE'E.     See  VERONICA. 
EUSA'RCHUS,(from  tv.  and  <r«*f,  caro~).    PLUMP. 
EUTHE'SIA,  (from  iv,   and  ntrfu.  put   together}. 
An  innate  strong  habit  of  body.     Galen. 

EUTHYPO'ROS,  (from  fl#t*,  straight,  and  v»pi&, 
to  past  into}.  Extension  in  a  straight  line,  made  with  a 
view  to  reduce  a  broken  limb. 

EUZO'MOX.  (from  iv,  and  £*.«•»«,  broth;  from  giv- 
ing a  flavour  to  broth).  See  ERUCA. 

EVACUA'NTIA,  (from  evacuo,  to  evacuate}.  Me- 
dicines suited  to  promote  the  discharge  of  fluids  either 
by  the  secretories,  or  in  more  artificial  ways,  as  bleed- 
ing or  blistering.  The  former  produce  their  effects  by 
a  stimulus,  adapted  only  to  the  organ  by  which  the  dis- 
charge is  excited ;  a  subject  of  future  consideration. 
The  latter  discharge  the  fluids,  or  at  least  their  proper 
portion,  indiscriminately.  The  evacuants  are  errhines, 
sialagogues,  expectorants,  emetics,  cathartics,  diuretics, 
diaphoretics,  and  emmenagogues,  q.  v. 

These  produce  their  effects  on  general  principles, 
which  occasion  other  changes,  according  to  the  skill  of 
the  administrator,  and  not  by  a  particular  power  of 
selecting  diseased  humours  from  the  healthy.  The  good 
and  the  bad  are  mixed  in  the  body,  and  are  evacuated 
:n  the  same  proportions. 

EVACUA'TIO.     See  EXCRETA,  and  RETENTA. 
EVACUATO'RII.    Diseases  attended  with  increas- 
ed discharges. 

EVAPORA'TIO,  (from  evaporo,  to  evaporate}. 
EVAPORATION,  anathymiasis.  The  conversion  of  fluids, 
and  sometimes  even  solids,  into  gaseous  invisible  fluid, 
probably  into  air.  This  process  has  been  attributed 
to  a  solution  of  the  fluid  in  air;  but  evaporation  takes 
place  in  vacuo :  even  mercury  exhales  in  the  Toricellian 
vacuum,  and  ice  in  the  open  air.  Water  by  evaporation 
seems  to  be  decomposed ;  but  the  other  phenomena 
have  not  yet  been  explained. 

In  pharmacy,  some  solid  bodies  are  recovered  from 
their  state  of  solution  by  evaporation,  by  means  of  heat. 
This  process  is  applicable  to  all  those  substances  which 
are  less  volatile  than  the  menstruum  ;  as,  solutions  of 
alkaline  salts,  and  the  inodorous  parts  of  vegetables  and 
animals  from  water;  resinous  and  odorous  bodies  from 
spirits  of  wine.  The  tincture  of  mint,  for  instance, 
made  with  spirit  of  wine,  leaves  a  resin  rich  with  the 
properties  of  the  herb  on  the  evaporation  of  the  spirit. 

EVERRI'CULUM,  (from  everro,  to  ttoeefi  away}. 
An  instrument  resembling  a  spoon  used  to  clear  the 
bladder  from  gravel  after  lithotomy.  Pare. 

EVE'RSIO,  (from  everto,  to  turn  aside}.  See  Ec- 
TKOPIUM. 

EXACERBA'XTES.     REMITTING  FEVERS. 
EXACERBA'TIO,(from  exacerbesco,  to  become  -vio- 
lent}.    EXORESCENTIA.     See  PAHOXYSMCS. 

EXACINA'TA,  (from  exacino,  to  take  out  the  ker- 


nels}.    Fruits  which  have  their  stones  taken  out.     See- 
ACINUS. 

EX.E'MA,  (from  eg,  ex,  and  tuna,sanguis;  exanguis}. 
A  privation  of  blood  in  a  considerable  degree.  Hence 
exemos  differs  from  those  called  leifihaimoi. 

EXJi'RESIS,  (from  »f,  out  of,  or  away,  and  *if*,  to 
remo-ue}.  It  is  that  part  of  surgery  which  consists  of 
removing  superfluities. 

EXA'LMA,  (from  tf*AA*>,  to  leap  out}.  The  starting 
of  the  vertebrae  from  their  places.  Hippocrates. 

EXALTA'TIO,  (from  exalto,  to  lift  ufi}.  EXALTA- 
TION. In  chemistry  it  signifies  an  operation  by  which 
a  substance  is  raised  to  a  greater  degree  of  virtue.  Of 
exaltation  there  are  two  kinds:  first,  maturation;  which 
is  effected  by  digestion,  fermentation,  and  projection: 
secondly,  gradation.  See  GRADATIO. 

EXAMBLO'MA,  or  EXAMBLO'SIS,  (from  *!*.*- 
£Aj<rx4>,  to  miscarry}.  See  ABORTUS. 

EXANASTOMO'SIS,  (from  t^ta-l*?**,  to  relax 
or  open}.  See  ANASTOMOSIS. 

EXANG.  The  abbreviation  of  exanguis.  (See 
EX^EMA.)  The  bones  and  cartilages  which  are  nou- 
rished with  a  white  fluid  are  also  called  exangues. 

EXA'NIA,  (from  ex,  out  of,  and  anus}.  The  bearing 
down  of  the  anus.  See  PROCIDENTIA. 

EXANIMA'TIO,  (from  ex,  -without,  and  anima,  the 
mind}.  LIPOTHYMIA,  or  DEATH. 

EXANTHE'MA,  (from  t^outta,  to  spring  forth  like 
a  Jto'aer}.  RASH.  Effloratio,  efflorescentia,  and  epan- 
t/iesma.  Red  patches  on  the  skin,  variously  figured,  in 
general  confluent,  or  diffused  irregularly  over  the  body, 
leaving  interstices  of  a  natural  colour.  Portions  of  the 
cuticle  are  often  elevated  in  a  rash;  but  the  elevations 
are  not  acuminated.  The  eruption  is  usually  accom- 
panied with  a  general  disorder  of  the  constitution,  and 
terminates  in  a  few  days.  Fevers  attended  with  these 
appearances  are  called  exanthematous. 

Exanthemata  form  the  third  order  of  Dr.  Cullen's 
first  class,  pyrexi<s  ;  and  the  propriety  of  establishing 
such  an  association  will  be  obvious  on  the  slightest  con- 
sideration. It  is  so  truly  natural,  that  the  doubt  will 
only  be  whether  it  is  not  more  properly  a  genus.  The 
limits,  however,  of  such  an  order  are  not  easily  fixed. 
If  we  look  at  some  of  the  genera,  the  small  pox  and 
measles  for  instance,  the  limits  will  appear  to  be  cuta- 
neous eruptions  from  a  specific  virus,  which  produce 
the  disease  once  only  in  the  individual's  life.  This  future 
immunity,  however,  is  not  constant  to  all  the  genera  ; 
and  it  is  found  in  diseases  not  included  in  the  order. 
Thus  erysipelas,  probably  urticaria,  more  certainly 
pestis,  recur  in  the  same  individual,  while  pertussis 
only  attacks  once  in  the  life.  We  might  refer  to  what 
we  have  said  on  cutaneous  diseases,  and  endeavour  to 
establish,  on  the  same  foundation,  all  the  affections  of 
the  ephelion,  but  that  the  epidemic  catarrh  would 
stand  in  the  way  of  the  conclusion. 

In  the  definition  therefore  of  the  exanthemata,  the 
circumstance  of  the  diseases  affecting  the  person  only 
once  in  their  lives  must  be  abandoned,  or  the  erysipelas, 
and  probably  some  others,  must  be  expunged.  In  other 
respects  the  order  is  perfectly  natural,  if  we  exclude 
the  plague,  which,  as  we  shall  hereafter  point  out,  con- 
nects the  exanthemata  with  the  fevers;  and  such  con- 
nections as,  in  the  natural  method  of  botany,  will  be 
probably  found  important.  In  other  respects  the  theory 


E  XC 


632 


EXF 


of  the  exanthemata  has  been  already  explained  under 
the  CUTANEI  MORBI,  and  require  no  further  elucidation 
than  they  will  receive  under  the  article  FEBRIS,  q.  v. 

EXANTHE'MATA  SERO'SA.  SEROUS  ERUP- 
TIONS. See  PEMPHIGUS. 

EXANTHRO'PIA,  (from  «|,  and  wlf***,  having 
lost  the  faculties  of  man}.  According  to  Wedelius,  the 
third  degree  of  melancholy. 

EXA'RMA,(from£i*i/i«/**/,  to  be  elevated).  An  ele- 
vated tumour. 

EXAR'SIO,  (from  cxardeo,  to  burn  -violently).  A 
great  degree  of  heat.  Increase  of  ttmp.era.ture,  such  as 
happens  in  hectic  fevers. 

EXARTHRE'MA,  (from  t?,  out  of,  and  «f6f<»,  a 
joint).  See  LUXATIO. 

EXA'RTHROS,  (from  the  same).  An  epithet  for 
a  person  whose  joints  arc  large  and  prominent,  as  if  out 
of  joint. 

EXASPERA'TIO,  (from  exaspero,  to  whet).  EXAS- 
PERATION. The  increase  of  a  disorder;  also  a  rendering 
the  skin  rough. 

EXCATHI'SMA,  (from  E|,  and  *a0i|«,  to  sit  in). 
See  SEMICUPIUM. 

EXCE'DENS,  (from  excedo,  to  surpass).  In  botany 
it  means  exceeding  in  length,  comparatively  long. 

EXCITABI'LITY,  and  EXCITEMENT.  The  for- 
mer of  these  is  the  capacity  of  the  body  to  admit  of  in- 
creased action;  and  the  latter  the  state  of  increased  ac- 
tion. In  Brown's  system,  excitability  is  the  distinction 
of  life,  and  the  excitement  of  heat  and  other  stimuli 
alone  necessary  (if  we  understand  him)  to  produce  life. 
When  these  are  present,  the  body  lives;  when  absent, 
it  dies ;  and  life  is  thus  a  flame  kept  up  by  constantly 
blowing. 

EXCITING  CAUSES.  Those  causes  which  excite 
the  action  of  the  predisponent  ones.  In  the  language  of 
some  pathologists  they  arc  external  causes.  See  CAUSA. 

EXCI'PIENS,  (from  e«ccipio,  to  receive).  In  pre- 
scriptions, that  is  called  the  excipient  which  receives 
the  other  ingredients,  and  gives  them  a  proper  form ;  as 
officinal  electuaries,  conserves,  fobs,  Sec. 

EXCI'PULUM,  (from  the  same).  In  chemistry  it 
is  a  receiver.  See  AMPULLA. 

EXCI'SIO,  (from  cxcindo,  to  cut  off"}.     See  AMPU- 

TATIO. 

EXCLUSO'RIUM,  (from  excludo,  to  eject).  A  me- 
dicine supposed  to  cause  abortion.  Fortunately,  there 
are  few  such ;  and  those  little  known. 

EXCORIA'TIS,  EXCORIA'TIO,  (from  ejccorio,  to 
take  off  the  skin).  EXCORIATION,  or  ABRASION  OF  THE 
SKIN  ;  ecdora. 

EXCREME'NTUM,  (from  excerno,  to  separate). 
EXCREMENT;  or  whatever  requires  to  be  discharged  out 
of  the  body. 

EXCRESCE'NTIA,  (from  ex,  and  cresco).  An  EX- 
CRESCENCE ;  ecphyas,  ecpysis.  A  preternatural  protu- 
berance on  any  part  of  the  body. 

EXCRETA  et  RETE'NTA,  (from  excerno,  to  sepa- 
rate, and  retineo,  to  retain).  Fluids  thrown  out  of  the 
body,  and  those  that  are  retained.  These  formed  con- 
siderable objects  of  attention  in  the  hygieine,  during  the 
reign  of  the  humoral  pathology;  and  while  the  im- 
portance of  duly  attending  to  the  excretions,  and  their 
proportion  to  the  ingesta  and  retenta,  is  still  felt,  and 
their  regulation  considered  as  equally  necessary,  the  ab- 


solute quantity  is  less  regarded.  It  is  now  admittcc 
that  the  system  forms  its  own  fluids,  and  regulates  tlu 
quantities  retained  in  general,  as  well  as  those  thrown 
out.  In  diseases  only  it  is  necessary  for  art  to  interfere, 
and  then  to  remove  local  accumulations  rather  than  to 
lessen  the  absolute  quantities. 

EXCU'TIA  VENTRI'CULI,(from  excutio,  to  rub 
off,  and  ventriculus,  the  stomach).  A  brush  made  oi 
soft  bristles,  fixed  in  a  flexible  brass  wire,  with  silk  or 
flaxen  thread  wrapped  round  it.  When  used,  the  pa- 
tient drinks  a  quantity  of  warm  water ;  and  the  excutia, 
being  dipped  in  some  proper  liquor,  is  passed  down  into 
the  stomach,  where  it  is  moved  around.  The  absurdity 
of  this  plan  cannot  be  better  exposed  than  by  explain- 
ing it. 

EXECHEBRO'NCHOS,  (from  c%ixa,  to  abound,  and 
fiftvyss,  a  throat).  A  prominent  throat.  See  BRON- 

CHOCELE. 

EXECHEGLU'TOS,  (from  e|«»,  and  yAot-7»5,  tlu 
buttocks).  Prominent  buttocks. 

EXELCO'SIS,  (from  fAy.«s,   an  ulcer).     See  EXUL 

CERATIO. 

EXE'RMA,  (from  e^ifxa,  to  -vomit  tip).  The  matter 
ejected  by  vomiting. 

EXERCITA'TIO,  (from  exercito,  to  exercise).  EX- 
ERCISE. (See  jEoHA.)  The  exercise  of  the  body  for 
the  benefit  of  health  is  called  gymnastic.  (See  GYM- 
NASTICA).  The  military  exercises,  gardening,  husband- 
ry, or  other  employments  in  the  open  air,  conduce 
greatly  to  health ;  and  moderate  exercise  in  the  open 
air,  an  hour  or  two  before  breakfast,  improves  the  ap- 
petite and  cheers  the  spirits  :  glandular  obstructions 
are  best  prevented  and  cured  by  moderate  exercise. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  exercise  is  too  freely  used, 
it  occasions  loss  of  appetite,  loathing  of  food,  costive- 
ness,  rigors,  and  fainting.  In  this  case  a  moderate  use 
of  wine,  warm  bathing,  quiet  sleep,  and  a  moist  nourish- 
ing diet,  afford  the  best  relief.  See  Fordyce's  Elements, 
parti.  Mackenzie  on  Health. 

EXERRHE'SIS,  EXERRHO'SIS,  EXERRHY'- 
SIS,  (from  tfypptu,  to  Jl  oiv  from).  See  ECROE. 

EXFOLIA'TIO,  (from  exfolio,  to  cast  the  leaf). 
DESQUAMATIO.  EXFOLIATION.  The  process  by  which 
the  dead  part  of  the  bone  separates  from  the  sound. 
One  principal  cause  of  an  exfoliation  of  a  bone  is  an 
interruption  of  the  continuity  of  the  vessels  which  nou- 
rish it.  The  coldness  of  the  air,  by  contracting  and 
drying  up  the  extremities  of  the  small  vessels  of  the 
bone,  also  checks  the  circulation  of  the  nutritious  mat- 
ter through  them.  Mr.  John  Hunter  observes,  "  that 
one  part  of  a  bone  is  never  separated  from  another  by 
the  rotting  of  the  dead  part,  for  that  which  comes  away 
is  as  sound  as  it  ever  was.  Exfoliation  takes  place  soon- 
est in  bones  wherein  are  the  fewest  cells,  and  whose  tex- 
ture is  the  closest.  Before  any  part  of  a  bone  can  be 
thrown  off  by  exfoliation  it  must  be  dead.  But  even 
then,  till  the  process  of  exfoliation  begins,  the  bone  ad- 
heres as  strongly  as  ever,  and  would  remain  for  years 
before  it  could  be  separated  by  putrefaction  alone. 
Bones  are  composed  of  two  substances,  viz.  a  true  ani- 
mal matter,  and  an  earthy  one,  which  are  only  inter- 
mixed with  each  other.  A  dead  bone  acts  on  the  system 
in  the  same  manner  as  any  other  extraneous  body.  It 
stimulates  the  adjacent  living  parts;  in  consequence 
of  "which,  such  a  process  is  begun  that  must  terminate 


EXO 


633 


EXO 


in  its  being  thrown  off.  The  effects  of  this  stimulus 
are,  first,  that  the  living  adjacent  bone  becomes  more 
vascular ;  a  circumstance  which  always  takes  place 
when  a  part  hath  more  to  do  than  is  just  sufficient  for 
the  support  of  life.  Secondly,  that  the  earth  of  the 
living  part,  when  it  is  in  contact  with  the  dead  bone,  is 
absorbed  ;  hence  the  bone  becomes  softer,  and  adheres 
by  its  animal  matter  only.  Thirdly,  that  the  living  ani- 
nial  part  is  at  last  absorbed  along  the  surfaces  of  con- 
tact :  this  part  of  the  process  commences  long  before 
the  last  is  finished.  Both  of  them  begin  first  at  the 
surface,  though  in  their  course  they  do  not  every  where 
take  place  in  an  equal  degree  at  the  same  time.  Fourth- 
ly, in  proportion  to  the  waste  made  by  the  last  part  of 
the  process,  a  fungus  arises  from  the  living  surface,  and 
fills  up  the  intermediate  space,  so  that  there  may  be  no 
vacuum.  These  different  stages,  taken  together,  con- 
stitute ulceration.  When  any  part  of  a  bone  is  once 
loose,  it  will  be  pushed  to  the  surface  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  most  other  inanimate  bodies  would  be  ;  and  this 
stage  is  partly  mechanical,  partly  a  continuation  of  ul- 
ceration. A  proof  of  the  third  stage  above  mentioned 
may  be  derived  from  those  cases  where  people  die  while 
exfoliation  is  going  on.  A  small  groove  or  worm-eaten 
canal  can  then  be  discovered,  which  becomes  gradually 
deeper,  and  follows  the  irregularities  of  the  living  and 
dead  surfaces.  After  the  application  of  the  trepan,  a 
circular  piece  of  bone  is  frequently  thrown  off,  which 
is  always  less  than  the  space  from  whence  it  came. 
This, however,  would  never  be  the  case,  were  there  not 
a  loss  of  substance." 

When  a  bone  is  laid  bare  by  any  accident,  and  an  ex- 
foliation is  feared,  if  several  perforations  are  made  in 
the  bone,  the  exfoliation  will  be  prevented  :  in  such 
cases  the  wound  should  be  kept  clean,  and  defended 
from  unctuous  and  watery  applications  :  pledgets  of  lint 
are  very  proper  ;  or  they  may  be  dipped  in  the  mixture 
of  the  oleum  terebinthinae  and  tincture  myrrhae.  Neither 
caustics  nor  the  actual  cautery,  in  Mr.  Hunter's  opinion, 
hasten  exfoliation :  they  produce  death  only  in  part  of 
the  bone,  which  is  the  first  step  towards  exfoliation. 
"  If  caustics  ever  hasten  exfoliation  where  the  bone  is 
already  dead,  it  must  be  by  producing  inflammation  in 
the  adjacent  living  bone  ;  this  brings  about  a  change  in 
it,  and  makes  it  exert  a  power  which  it  was  incapable 
of  before."  See  CARIES. 

EXFOLIATI'VUM,  (from  ex-folio,  to  shed  a  leaf}. 
See  DESQUAMATOIUUM. 

EXIPO'TICOS,  (from  ffyvoa,  to  firess  out  or  filter}. 
An  epithet  for  digesting  or  deterging  medicines :  in 
Galen  synonymous  with  attrahents. 

EXITU'RA,  (from  exec,,  ti  come  from).  A  RUN- 
NING ABSCESS  :  applied  by  Paracelsus  to  putrid  excre- 
ments. 

E'XITUS  A'NI.     See  PROCIDEXTIA  AM. 

EXO'CHAS,  or  EXO'CHE,  (from  t|»,  without,  and 
!%a,  to  have}.  A  tubercle  on  the  outside  of  the  anus. 

EXOCY'STE,  and  EXOCY'STIS,  (from  «|»,  with- 
cut,  and  *&e-7/$,  the  bladder}.  A  prolapsus  of  the  inner 
membrane  of  the  bladder. 

EXO'MPHALOS,  (from  «|,  out,  and  e^ate;,  a  na- 
-jet].  Any  protuberance  of  the  navel.  See  HERNIA 
UMBILICALIS,  and  HYDROPS  UMBILICALIS. 

EXONCHO'MA,  (from  t|,  out,  and  »•/#«?,  a  tu- 
-r.our).  Any  large  prominent  tumour. 

VOL.  I. 


EXOXEIRO'SIS,  (fromf|,  out,  and   «£/»««,  si, 
NOCTURNAL  POLLUTION,  when  in   sleep  the 'semen   i., 
ejected.     This,  if  rare,  may  be  from  redundant  vigour  : 
if  frequent,  from  weakness  of  the  seminal  vessel.-, 
the  indulgence  of  lascivious  thoughts.     It  is  seldom  iv 
lieved  by  astringents.  Cold  bathing  is  its  chief  remedy 
but  it  is  generally  necessary  to  lessen  the  too  great  ac- 
tion of  the  spermatic  vessels  by  sedatives.     Campho: 
and  nitre  sometimes  with  opium  are  the  most  effectual. 
The  latter  causes  are  the  most  frequent. 

EXOPHTHA'LMIA,  (from  t|,  out,  and  »&»>***, 
the  eye,}  bufihthalmus,  ecfiiesmos,  melon  ;  a  dislocatioi 
of  the  eye.  In  this  disease  the  globe,  more  or  less  dis- 
tended, rises  from  its  orbit,  either  from  its  own  increase 
of  size,  or  the  enlargement  of  some  part  below ;  nor  can 
it  be  covered  by  the  palpebrae.  The  cure  must  depend 
on  the  nature  of  the  cause. 

EXORESCE'NTIA.     See  EXACERBATIO. 

E'XOS,  (from  ex,  without,  and  os,  a  bone} .  A  LEECH. 
See  HIRUDO. 

EXOSTO'SES.     See  GUMMA. 

EXOSTO'SIS,  (from  e|,  out  of,  and  «5-7e«»,  a  bone}, 
Hyfierostosis,  a  tumour  on  a  bone.  Mr.  Pott  calls  ii 
an  enlargement  of  the  bone.  Its  hardness  equals,  or  ra- 
ther exceeds,  that  of  the  bone  from  which  it  proceeds. 
Mons.  Petit  calls  the  sfiina  ventosa  by  the  name  of  ex- 
ostosis,  but  the  disorders  are  very  different.  Dr.  Cullen 
places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  tumores, 
which  he  defines  a  hard  tumour  forming  in  the  bone. 

The  exostosis  is  caused  by  a  discharge  of  a  superflu- 
ous quantity  of  ossific  matter  upon  the  part  where  it  is 
seated,  or  from  a  separation  of  the  bony  lamellae.  The 
cause  of  each  is  an  irritation  arising  from  some  degree 
of  inflammation,  often  the  effect  of  syphilitic  virus.  If 
from  disease,  the  chief  cause  must  be  removed.  What- 
ever, however,  is  called  a  venereal  exostosis,  is  only  an 
enlargement,  or  rather  a  thickening,  of  the  periosteum. 
It  is  sometimes  very  painful,  and  should  be  distinguish- 
ed from  the  rickets,  which  affect  the  ends  of  the  bones 
chiefly  ;  while  an  exostosis  is  rather  in  the  middle  of  the 
long  bones.  The  rickets  are  also  sufficiently  distin- 
guished by  the  generally  diseased  habit.  If  no  general 
disease  exists,  the  patient  may  live  to  advanced  age 
without  any  considerable  inconvenience. 

When  the  nature  of  the  cause  is  understood,  and  we 
have  reason  to  hope  for  success,  the  bone  should  be  laid 
bare,  and  the  diseased  part  taken  away  with  a  chisel. 
This  will  succeed  if  the  habit  is  not  much  diseased ;  but 
if  the  constitution  is  also  faulty,  and  the  exostosis  pro- 
ceeds from  the  exuberance  of  bony  matter,  amputation 
is  the  only  method  of  relief;  though  generally  the  case 
is  most  safely  left  to  nature. 

Sometimes  a  preternatural  hardness  of  the  ligament 
is  called  an  exostosis  ;  this  spurious  sort,  as  well  as  the 
venereal  nodes,  is  relieved  by  mercurials. 

Exostosis  happening  in  the  middle  of  hard  bones  are 
generally  hard  in  all  their  parts;  but  those  near  the 
ends,  or  about  the  joints,  have  often  only  a  hard  ex- 
ternal lamina.  When  this  disorder  happens  on  the 
bones  within  the  skull,  the  consequence  may  be  an 
apoplexy,  epilepsy,  or  a  palsy.  See  Petit's  Diseases 
of  the  Bones,  part  ii.  chap.  xvi.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v. 
p.  541. 

EXO'TICUS.  EXOTIC,  (from  tf»,  wiifioitt).  Any 
thing  brought  from  foreign  countries. 

A  M 


B  XP 


634 


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EXPECTORA'NTIA,(from  exjiectoro,  to  discharge 
from  the  breast) .  EXPECTORANTS,  bechita,  and  bechica. 
Medicines  suited  to  promote  the  excretion  or  rejection 
of  mucus  from  the  bronchial  glands.  Some  expecto- 
rants operate  by  attenuating  the  mucus  ;  others  stimu- 
late the  excretories  to  promote  the  discharge.  We  em- 
ploy expectorants  when  the  mucus  is  too  thin  and  acrid, 
when  too  viscid,  or  when  the  excretories  are  not  suffi- 
ciently irritable  to  propel  their  contents.  The  former 
scarcely,  perhaps,  deserve  the  title ;  for  they  are  prin- 
cipally mucilaginous  substances ;  and  where  the  mucus 
is  thin  and  acrid,  inflammation  generally  exists,  not 
confined  to  the  bronchial  glands,  but  extending  to  the 
epiglottis  and  throat.  Mucilages  then  sheath  the  in- 
flamed organs,  and  relief,  like  the  disease,  is  communi- 
cated to  the  parts  below.  For  this  purpose  the  gums, 
the  mucilaginous  seeds,  liquorice,  honey,  extract  of 
malt,  starch,  sugar,  isinglass,  glue,  &c.  are  employed. 
Sometimes  they  are  slightly  acid,  as  the  dried  fruits  of 
warmer  climates,  the  hips,  jelly  of  currants,  sorrel, 
vinegar  softened  with  the  more  sweet  fruks,  as  raspber- 
ries and  sloes.  The  latter  are  chiefly  employed  where 
,  there  is  also  a  relaxation  of  the  throat  and  parts  adjacent. 
Oils  differently  prepared  are  equally  useful,  and  the 
coltsfoot,  the  butterbur,  and  the  groundivy,  supposed 
to  possess  a  slight  stimulus,  are  perhaps  chiefly  useful 
as  mucilaginous.  Independent  of  inflammation,  the  mu- 
cus is  sometimes  too  thin  and  acrid,  from  too  great  ir- 
ritability of  the  vessels  of  the  bronchial  glands,  and  we 
then  employ  opiates ;  the  siliquosae,  as  mustard,  horse 
radish,  and  different  species  of  erysimum ;  the  allia- 
ceae  ;  elecampane,  and  orris-root,  the  seneka,  and  col- 
chicum.  When  the  expectoration  is  too  viscid,  or  the 
vessels  not  sufficiently  irritable  to  assist  the  excretion, 
expectorants,  strictly  so  called,  are  useful.  These  are 
the  more  stimulating  medicines  just  mentioned;  to 
which  may  be  added  all  the  variety  of  fetid  gums,  the 
turpentines,  including  the  balsams,  the  tobacco,  and  the 
squill.  Steams  of  warm  water,  impregnated  with  vine- 
gar, aromatic  herbs,  ether,  nil  of  wine,  and  carbonic 
acid,  are  adapted  to  the  same  purpose;  and  nauseating 
medicines,  as  well  as  emetics,  are  powerful  expectorants; 
the  antimonials  and  ipecacuanha,  perhaps,  when  in- 
flammation exists ;  but  the  squill,  the  colchicum,  and 
the  seneka,  in  the  other  cases.  The  digitalis  seems  only 
to  act  as  an  expectorant  when  it  nauseates. 

Dr.  Cullen  has  found  it  difficult  to  explain  the  action 
of  expectorants ;  but  we  have  as  much  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  the  stimulus  of  some  medicines  may  be  con- 
veyed to  the  lungs,  as  of  others  to  the  kidneys,  or  the 
extreme  vessels.  We  evidently  find  them  conveyed  to 
these  organs  by  the  smell  imparted  to  the  breath,  and 
the  difficulty  of  explaining  the  action  of  specific  stimuli 
will  always  recur.  On  this  subject  the  difficulty  is 
perhaps  less  than  on  some  others,  since  the  vessels  of 
the  lungs  alternate  so  regularly  in  their  discharges 
with  those  of  the  skin,  and,  unlike  all  other  glands,  are 
occasionally  excited  by  increased  temperature  alone. 
Their  action  alternates  also  with  the  mucous  glands  of 
the  intestines;  for  we  find  in  the  pneumonia  a  super- 
vening diarrhoea  constantly  checks  the  expectoration. 

EXPECTORA'TIO.  EXPECTORATION,  (from  ex, 
andjiectusi  or  from  exjiectoro,  to  throw  out  of  the  breast). 
See  EXPECTOHANTIA  and  ANACATHARTICA. 

EXPELLE'NTIA,(from  expello,to  drive  out').  Me- 


dicines supposed  to  drive  out  morbid  humours  from  the 
body. 

EXPIRA'TIO,  (from  exjiiro,  to  breathe  forth}.  Ec- 
pneumatosis,  ecpnaa.  The  expulsion  of  air  from  the 
lungs.-  See  RESPIRATIO. 

EXPLORA'TIO,  (from  exploro,  to  search  out).  EX- 
PLORATION. Probing  a  wound  or  ulcer. 

EXPLORA'TRIX.     See  CUPELLA. 

EXPLO'SIO,  (from  explodo,  to  drive  off*).  EXPLO- 
SION; in  chemistry,  detonation,  or  fulmination. 

EXPRE'SSIO,  (from  exprimo,  to  press  out).  EX- 
PRESSION is  a  mechanical  operation  by  which  the  juices 
of  many  plants  are  obtained,  and  sweet  oil  extracted, 
from  olives,  almonds,  or  lintseed. 

This  operation  is  effected  by  first  bruising  the  sub- 
stance, and  then  forcibly  squeezing  it  in  the  press.  The 
more  succulent  bodies  may  be  bruised  and  wrapped  in 
a  linen  cloth  before  they  are  committed  to  the  press; 
but  more  viscid  subjects  require  that  a  little  water  be 
previously  added. 

When  an  oil  is  to  be  obtained  from  seeds,  the  cheeks 
of  the  press  should  be  gently  heated,  that  the  product 
may  be  increased  :  but  when  oils  are  to  be  taken  inter- 
nally, cold  expression  is  the  most  proper,  as  heat  dispo- 
poses  the  oil  to  become  soon  rancid.  Some  of  the  aro- 
matics  yield  a  pungent  oil ;  but  that  from  mustard  seed 
is  insipid,  and  from  poppy  seed  wholly  free  from  any 
narcotic  power. 

EXSE'RTUS,  (from  exsero,  to  thrust  out}.  In  bo- 
tany it  is  applied  to  the  stamen,  and  means  appearing 
above  the  corolla. 

EXSICC'ATIO,  (from  exsicco,  to  dry  up}.  DRYING. 
This  pharmaceutic  operation  is  effected  by  exhaling  the 
moisture  from  the  body,  to  be  dried  over  a  gentle  fire, 
or  by  absorbing  it,  as  when  such  subjects  are  laid  on 
chalk  stones  for  this  end.  Plants  or  their  leaves  should 
be  dried  in  a  free  air  without  sun,  and  frequently  turn- 
ed. Tender  flowers,  which  may  lose  their  colour  or 
aroma  by  long  exposure  to  the  air,  may  be  dried  by  a 
gentle  heat. 

When  great  heat  is  employed,  the  operation  is  styled 
coction,  insolation,  or  torrefaction  ;  the  first  relates  to 
fluids,  the  second  to  fluids  and  solids,  and  the  third  to 
solids  only.  Decantation  and  filtration  are  subservi- 
ent to  the  process  of  exsiccation. 

EXSTIPULA'TUS, (from  ex  priv.  and  stipula,  straw 
or  stubble}.  In  botany  it  means  without  the  haulm,  or 
stubble. 

E'XSTASIS.     See  ECSTASIS. 

EXSUCCA'TIO,  (from  ex,  out  of,  and  succus, 
juice}.  See  ECCHYMOMA. 

EXTE'NSOR,  (from  extendo,  to  stretch  out).  An 
EXTENDER.  This  name  is  given  to  several  muscles. 

EXTE'NSOR  TJAR'PI  HADIA'LIS.  This  muscle  takes  Its 
origin  from  the  rising  line  of  the  os  humeri,  that  runs 
towards  the  outer  condyle,  and  from  the  same  condyle 
it  runs  close  to  the  radius;  and  passing  through  a  groove 
where  it  is  bound  down,  it  divides  into  two  tendons  :  the 
muscle  in  this  part  is  sometimes  called  bicornis.  One 
of  these  tendons  is  inserted  into  the  basis  of  the  first, 
and  the  other  into  that  of  the  second,  metacarpal  bone. 
This  muscle  is  occasionally  called  the  radieus  exter- 
nus  ;  sometimes  extensor  carpi  exterior,  and  ge minus  ; 
by  Winslow  ulnaris  externus. 

EXTE'NSOR    CA'RPI    ULNARIS,    is    sometimes   called 


EXT 


635 


EXT 


extensor  carfii  interior.  It  rises  from  the  outer  condyle 
of  the  os  humeri,  and  then  originates  from  the  edge  of 
the  ulna ;  its  tendon  passes  in  a  groove  behind  the  sty- 
loid  process  of  the  ulna ;  it  proceeds  and  is  inserted  into 
the  inside  of  the  basis  of  the  metacarpal  bone  of  the 
little  finger. 

The  extensors,  whether  belonging  to  the  fingers  or 
carpus,  arise  from  the  outward  extuberance  of  the  os 
humeri:  and  their  antagonists,  the  flexors,  from  the 
internal  protuberance  of  the  same  bone,  as  well  as  from 
the  upper  and  external  part  of  the  ulna  next  to  the  an- 
conaeus. 

EXTE'NSOR  DIGITO'RUM  COMMU'MS  is  also  called 
digitorum  tensor.  It  partly  rises  from  the  outer  condyle 
of  the  os  humeri,  and  partly  from  the  outer  edge  of  the 
ulna ;  passes  behind  the  lower  extremity  of  the  radius, 
where  there  is  a  groove  for  its  lodgement,  and  forms 
four  tendons  :  that  for  the  little  finger  differs  in  its  pass- 
age from  the  others ;  the  three  last  communicate,  and 
are  inserted  into  the  second  bone,  and  partly  into  the 
last  of  the  respective  fingers,  that  is,  the  third,  middle, 
and  fore  fingers. 

EXTE'NSOR  DIGITO'RUM  BRE'.VIS  is  also  called  fiedi- 
cus.  It  rises  from  the  anterior  part  of  the  os  calcis, 
runs  across  the  instep,  and  divides  commonly  into  four 
tendons,  sometimes  only  into  three,  which  are  inserted 
into  the  three  toes  next  to  the  greater  one,  or  into  all 
the  four. 

EXTE'NSOR  DIGITO'RUM  LO'NGUS;  enemodactyltsus ; 
by  Dr.  Hunter  extensor  longus  digitorum  fiedis.  It  rises 
from  the  upper  part  of  the  tibia  and  fibula,  and  the  in- 
terosseous ligament;  its  tendon  passes  under  the  annu- 
lar ligament,  and  then  divides  into  five,  four  of  which 
are  inserted  into  the  second  and  third  phalanges  of  the 
toes,  and  the  fifth  goes  to  the  basis  of  the  metatarsal 
bone.  The  last  Winslow  reckons  a  distinct  muscle, 
calling  it  fieron£us  brrois. 

EXTE'NSOR  I'vmcis  is  also  called  indicator,  and  ex- 
tensor indicts  profirius.  It  rises  with  the  extensor  di- 
gitorum communis,  lies  between  the  ulna  and  radius, 
runs  close  to  the  interosseous  ligament,  passes  over  the 
back  of  the  hand,  and  is  inserted  into  the  posterior  part 
of  the  index. 

EXTE'NSOR  LO'NGUS  rises  from  the  inferior  costa  of 
the  scapula ;  and  the 

EXTE'NSOR  BRE'VIS  rises  from  the  outer  spine  of  the 
humerus ;  they  then  make  one  tendon  with  the  bra- 
chiaeus  internus. 

EXTE'RXUS  MI'NIMI  DIGITI,  is  also  called  auricularis. 
It  rises  partly  tendinous  at  the  extremity  of  the  exter- 
nal apophysis  of  the  os  humeri,  and  partly  fleshy  from 
the  superior  part  of  the  ulna,  and  becomes  tendinous 
as  it  passes  under  the  annular  ligament  at  the  carpus, 
where  it  is  divided  into  two,  and  sometimes  into  three, 
tendons,  which  are  united  into  one  at  its  insertion 
into  the  superior  part  of  the  third  bone  of  the  little 
finger. 

EXTE'NSOR  PRI'MI  INTERNO'DII  PO'LLICIS  rises  high 
up  from  the  radius,  ulna,  and  interosseous  ligament : 
it  turns  round  the  radius,  runs  across  the  carpus,  and 
is  inserted  into  the  trapezium,  and  the  first  bone  of  the 
thumb. 

EXIK'NSOR  SECU'NDI  INTERNO'DII  PO'LLICIS  rises  from 
the  radius,  and  the  interosseous  ligament  describes 


the  same  course  as  the  preceding,  and  is  inserted 
the  second  bone  of  the  thumb. 

EXTE'NSOR  TE'RTII  INTERNO'DII  PO'LLICIS  rises  from 
the  back  part  of  the  ulna,  near  the  middle,  and  from 
the  interrosseous  ligament ;  then  goes  obliquely  across 
the  carpus  to  the  third  bone  of  the  thumb.  Its  action 
not  only  extends,  but  also  brings  the  thumb  backward, 
so  that  the  end  of  the  thumb  can  sometimes  be  brought 
to  the  wrist. 

EXTE'NSOR  POLLI'CIS  LO'NGUS  rises  from  the  middle 
and  fore  part  of  the  fibula,  and  the  interrosseous  liga- 
ment, and  passes  over  the  instep  to  be  inserted  into  the 
last  bone  of  the  great  toe. 

EXTE'NSOR  PO'LLICIS  BRE'VIS  is  only  a  slip  from  the 
extensors  of  the  toes,  inserted  into  the  first  bone, 

EXTE'NUATIO,  (from  extenuo,  to  diminish). 
LEANNESS.  This  may  arise  in  two  ways  :  one  from  the 
increased  evacuation  of  the  nutritious  particles  ;  the 
other  from  cacochymia,  or  a  depravation  of  the  fluids. 
Prosper  Alpinus  observes,  in  his  Presages  of  Life  and 
Death,  that  if,  after  being  extenuated  by  a  disease,  the 
body  continues  lean,  though  the  nutriment  be  duly  re- 
ceived, it  denotes  a  relapse.  Again,  leanness  from  a 
spitting  of  blood,  attended  with  a  slow  fever,  is  highly 
dangerous ;  and  it  is  equally  a  bad  sign  in  an  ardent 
fever  for  the  body  not  to  become  speedily  lean,  or  to 
waste  rapidly  :  the  first  prognosticates  a  tedious  disease ; 
the  latter,  death. 

In  general,  leanness  is  not  a  disease:  and,  whatever 
are  the  evacuations,  or  the-  degree  of  extenuation,  if 
without  fever,  and  the  appetite  keeps  up,  there  is  little 
danger.  Extenuation  alone  is  not  a  disease,  nor  a  pre- 
disponent  cause :  the  same  cannot  be  said  of  its  oppo- 
site, obesity.  An  acrimony  in  the  fluids  rather  than  in- 
creased  discharges  occasions  it ;  but  the  source  of  the 
greatest  emaciation  is  the  effusions  of  dropsy.  The 
body  is  never  so  thoroughly  extenuated  as  in  dropsy, 
though  greatly  so  in  hectics,  _from  absorbed  purulent 
matter,  and  cancer.  Some  recent  remarks,  by  Dr.  Pem- 
berton,  in  his  Practical  Treatise  on  various  Diseases  of 
the  Abdominal  Viscera,  are  so  truly  ingenious  and  com- 
prehensive, that  we  shall  select  them  in  his  own  words. 
We  cannot  compress  or  give  them  in  language  more 
scientific  and  elegant. 

"  A  proneness  in  the  body  to  waste  or  not,  as  the 
same  disease  shall  happen  to  be  situated  in  this  or  that 
part,  is  in  itself  a  circumstance  very  remarkable  ;  and 
as  an  attention  to  this  proneness  may  help  to  lead  us 
through  the  obscurities  which  too  often  attend  internal 
complaints,  it  is  a  subject  well  worthy  of  further  consi- 
deration. 

"  To  assist  us  in  this  inquiry  it  may  be  right  to  spe- 
cify a  few  examples,  where  the  difference  of  the  effect 
of  disease  on  the  bulk  is  most  striking.  Let  us  take 
the  two  cases,  of  a  diseased  state  of  the  mesenteric 
glands,  and  a  diseased  or  scrofulous  affection  of  the 
breast.  In  the  former  we  shall  find  there  is  a  great 
emaciation ;  in  the  latter,  none  at  all. — In  an  ulceration 
of  the  small  intestines,  great  emaciation  takes  place;  in 
scirrhus  of  the  rectum,  none. — In  a  disease  of  the  gall 
bladder,  which  is  subservient  to  the  liver,  the  bulk  of 
the  body  is  rapidly  diminished;  but  in  a  disease  of  the 
urinary  bladder,  which  is  subservient  to  the  kidneys, 
scarcelv  any  diminution  of  bulk  is  to  be  perceived. — In 
4  M  2 


E  X  T 


636 


EX  T 


aa  abscess  of  the  liver  the  body  becomes  much  emaci- 
ated ;  but  in  an  abscess  of  the  kidneys  the  bulk  is  not 
diminished. 

"  If  we  examine  into  the  functions  of  those  parts,  the 
diseases  of  which  do  or  do  not  occasion  emaciation,  we 
may  perhaps  be  led  to  the  true  cause  of  this  difference 
of  their  effect  on  the  bulk.  In  order,  however,  to  un- 
derstand more  clearly  how  the  functions  of  these  parts 
bear  relation  to  each  other,  it  may  be  necessary  to  pre- 
mise, that  the  glands  of  the  body  are  divided  into  those 
which  secrete  a  fluid  from  the  blood  for  the  use  of  the 
system,  and  those  which  secrete  a  fluid  to  be  discharged 
from  it.  The  former  may  be  termed  glands  of  supply; 
the  latter  glands  of  waste. 

"  The  small  intestines,  in  consideration  of  the  great 
number  of  absorbents  with  which  they  are  provided  for 
the  repair  of  the  system,  may  be  considered  as  perform- 
ing the  office  of  glands  of  supply. 

"  The  large  intestines,  on  the  contrary,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  performing  the  office  of  glands  of  waste  ;  in- 
asmuch as  they  are  furnished  very  scantily  with  absorb- 
ents; and  abundantly  with  a  set  of  glands  which  secrete 
or  withdraw  from  the  system  a  fluid,  which  serves  to 
lubricate  the  canal  for  the  passages  of  the  faeces,  and 
which  itself,  together  with  these  faces,  is  destined  to 
be  discharged  from  the  system. 

"  I  have  often  imagined  that  this  mode  of  consider- 
ing the  subject  might,  in  many  cases,  assist  us  in  ap- 
proaching to  the  seat  of  a  chronic  disorder,  by  deciding 
where  -the  disorder  is  not  situated,  and  consequently  by 
contracting  within  narrower  limits  ihc  difficulties  of  our 
researches. 

"  Thus  the  symptom  exhibited  by  the  patient  either 
in  retaining  his  bulk,  or  in  being  emaciated,  might  servo 
as  a  diagnostic,  according  to  my  conception,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  deciding  whether  the  disorder  is  seated  in  the 
glands  of  supply,  or  in  the  glands  of  waste. 
•  "  The  glands  which  secrete  a  fluid  to  be  employed 
in  the  system,  as  well  as  the  glands  of  direct  supply, 
.may  be  considered  the  liver,  the  pancreas,  the  mesen- 
teric  glands,  perhaps  the  stomach,  and  the  small  intes- 
tines: and  the  glands  of  waste  are  the  kidneys,  breasts, 
exhalant  arteries,  and  the  large  intestines. 

"  In  an  abscess  of  the  liver,  and  an  abscess  of  the 
kidneys,  both  of  which  glands  frequently  run  into  sup- 
puration, without  exhibiting  any  pain  in  the  part  affect- 
ed, it  seems  impossible  to  decide  in  what  part  of  the 
system  the  derangement  manifested  in  both  these  cases 
by  the  hectic  fever  is  situated. 

"  According  to  the  foregoing  idea,  if  emaciation  takes 
place,  we  might  then  determine  that  the  disorder  must 
be  situated  in  a  gland  of  supply;  and  thus  we  should 
be  led  to  decide,  that  the  disorder  was  certainly  not  in 
the  kidneys,  consequently  we  should  be  secured  from 
the  danger  of  misapplying  our  remedies  upon  a  part 
which  was  not  affected. 

"  The  same  hectic  attends  a  chronic  disease  of  the. 
mesenteric  glands,  and  of  the  small  intestines :  and  here 
likewise,  if  emaciation  does  not  take  place,  we  should 
decide  that  the  disorder  was  not  situated  in  these  parts, 
or  in  the  liver. 

"  Now  it  is  surely  of  considerable  importance  to  de- 
termine where  the  disorder  is  not  found,  that  our  en- 
quiries may  be  solely  directed  to  those  parts  in  which  it 
is  to  be  found, 


"  If  this  position  respecting  the  bulk  of  the  body, 
der  disease,  should  be  admitted  as  true,  will  it  not  at 
ford  a  probability  that  the  spleen,  whose  diseases  pro- 
duce great  emaciation,  is  a  gland  of  supply  ? 

"  What  has  been  here  advanced  must  be  considered 
as  applying  to  local  diseases  unattended  by  pain,  as  pain 
will  itself  sometimes  waste  the  body,  though  sometimes 
it  will  not.  Here,  too,  the  wasting  from  pain  seems  to 
vary  according  to  the  part  from  which  it  proceeds.  A 
stone  in  the  bladder  of  urine,  or  in  the  kidneys,  nearly- 
stopping  the  discharge  of  urine,  and  occasioning  the 
greatest  pain,  will  not  in  the  least  affect  the  bulk ;  but 
a  biliary  stone,  under  similar  circumstances,  will  occa- 
sion great  and  rapid  emaciation." 

EXTENUA'TIO  TY'MPANI  AU'RIS.  See  LAXATOR  EX- 
TERNUS. 

EXTI'NCTIO,  (from  extinguo,  to  fiut  out).     See 

COMMINUTIO. 

EXTIRPA'TIO,  (from  extirfio,  to  eradicate).  AM- 
PUTATION. 

EXTRA'CTIO,  (from  extraho,  to  draw  from).  EX- 
TRACTION. The  liquors  which  dissolve  bodies  in  their 
pure  state,  separate  them  from  impurities,  or  rather  ex- 
traneous bodies  with  which  they  are  mixed.  Extrac- 
tion is  performed  by  macerating  the  subject  in  its  ap- 
propriated menstruum  in  the  cold;  bydigesingor  circu- 
lating it  in  a  moderate  warmth  ;  by  infusing  it  in  a 
boiling  fluid,  and  suffering  them  to  stand  until  they  are 
cold;  or  by  actually  boiling  it  for  some  time.  Heat 
greatly  expedites  extraction ;  but  it  is  injurious  to  some 
substances,  by  occasioning  the  menstruum  to  take  up 
their  more  gross  and  disagreeable  parts  :  yet  others  im- 
part but  little  to  a  heat  below  that  of  boiling  water.  As 
heat  promotes,  so  cold  prevents,  extraction,  and  occa- 
sions a  deposition  of  what  heat  had  enabled  the  men- 
struum to  take  up. 

Vegetable  juices  obtained  by  expression,  exposed  to 
a  heat,  are  gradually  inspissated ;  and  the  mass  is  now 
styled,  instead  of  an  extract,  an  inspissated  juice.  The 
term  extract  is  still  retained,  when  a  watery  decoction 
or  infusion  is  evaporated  ;  but  if  a  spirituous  tincture  be 
thus  treated,  it  is  called  a  resin  or  essential  extract.  Dr. 
A.  Duncan  proposes  to  call  extracts  extractives  ;  but 
the  latter  is  a  component  part  of  vegetables  of  a  pecu- 
liar nature,  and  the  former  any  thing  separated. 

Inspissated  juices,  when  evaporated  only  to  the  con- 
sistence of  honey  or  oil,  are  called  rob,  orsafia.  Spiri- 
tuous tinctures  reduced  to  a  like  consistence  are  called 
balsam.  See  the  New  Edinburgh  Dispensatory,  by 
Andrew  Duncan,jun.  M.  D. 

Extraction,  in  surgery,  is  the  drawing  from  or  out 
of  the  body  any  thing  fixed  in  it,  as  a  thorn  or  a  bullet 
in  the  flesh,  a  tooth  from  the  jaw,  or  hairs  from  the 
skin. 

EXTRA'CTUM,  (from  the  same).  An  EXTRACT, 
ecchyloma.  (See  EXTRACTIO.)  The  name  is  taken 
from  the  substance  which  affords  this  extract,  as  EX- 

TRACTUM  CHAM-iEMELI,    CORTICIS  PERUVIAN!,    &C. 

EXTRA'CTUM  PURGA'NS.     See  HEDERA  ARBOREA. 

EXTRAVASA'TIO,  (from  extra,  and  -vasa,  out  of 
the  vessels).  EXTRAVASATION  ;  applied  to  any  part  of 
the  fluids  of  the  body  out  of  their  proper  vessels:  thus 
an  ecchymosis.  sugillation,  or  aneurism,  may  be  called 
extravasation.  Extravasated  blood,  if  the  air  has  no 
access,  will  not  putrefy. 


EXT 


637 


EZQ 


An  extravasation  on  the  brain  produces  apalsy  of  one 
leg  or  arm,  or  both;  dizziness;  sleepiness;  impaired 
sight ;  ravings ;  bleeding  at  the  nose  or  ears  ;  vomiting ; 
loss  of  sense,  or  stupor.  See  CEREBRI  COMPRESSIO, 
and  Coxcvssio. 

Wounds  on  the  head  with  extravasations  are  very  fal- 
lacious, because  the  extravasation  may  be  between  the 
skull  and  the  dura  mater,  and  under  it  at  the  same 
time;  under  the  pia  mater,  or  in  several  other  parts  of 
the  brain :  but  when  these  happen,  the  symptoms  im- 
mediately portend  danger. 

When'eTe^he  dura  mater,  either  by  depression,  fis- 
sure or  fracture,  loses  its  adhesion,  there  will  be,  from 
its  broken  blood  vessels,  an  extravasation  immediately 
under  the  bone.  An  extravasation  is  less  considerable 
when  a  fracture  of  the  skull  happens,  that  when  there  is 
a  fissure.  An  extravasation  is  also  more  or  less  danger- 
ous, according  to  the  part  of  the  brain  injured.  Extra- 
vasations from  a  blow  are  most  commonly  found  between 
the  skull  and  the  dura  mater ;  in  this  case  a  lethargy  or 
ether  symptom  will  continue,  until  the  extravasation  be 
removed. 

The  practice  recommended  by  Mr.  Bromfield  in 
fractures  and  concussions  of  the  brain  (see  Coxcus- 
MO)  may  be  useful  in  some  degrees  of  extravasation ; 
but  he  adds,  that  when  violent  accidents  have  happened 
to  the  head,  an  issue  in  the  opening,  formed  by  the  se- 
paration of  the  additamentum  of  the  temporal  bone,  is 
of  singular  advantage.  See  hisChirurgical  Observations, 
vol.  i. 


EXTRAVE'RSIO,-  (from  extraiierto,  to  turn  c 
EXTRAVERSIOX.  In  chemistry  it  is  the  discovery  of  any- 
thing saline,  alkaline,  or  acid,  concealed  in  mixed  bodies, 
the  reverse  of  one  species  of  concentration. 

EXTRI'XSECI,  (from  extra,  without,  in,  and  secus, 
toward}.  The  external  parts,  particularly  the  limbs, 
and  the  painful  disorders  which  affect  them. 

EXTUBERA'NTIA,  (from  extubero,  to  swell  out}. 
Tumours  seated  under  the  skin. 

EXU'BERES,  (from  ex,  without,  and  uber,  a  dug^. 
Children  who  are  weaned. 

EXULCERA'TIO,(fron»  exulcero,to  cause  ulcers,) 
ulcus,  and  exelcosis  j  but  generally  applied  to  those 
early  erosions  which  destroy  the  substance,  and  form  au 
ulcer,  or  to  an  excoriation  beginning  to  suppurate. 

EXULCERA'TIO  o'ssis.     See  CARIES. 

EXULCERA'TUS.     See  APERTUS. 

EXUMBILICA'TIO,  (from  ex,  out  of,  and  umb:- 
licus,  the  na-vel).  A  protuberance  of  the  navel. 

EXUNGUL  A'TIO,  (from  exungulo,  tofiare  the  hoof, 
or  nails').  EXUXGULATIO.V  ;  the  cutting  off  the  un- 
gues,  or  white  part  of  the  petals  of  roses. 

EXU'VIA,  (from  exuo,  to  strip,  off}.     See  AXGUI 

UM  SEXECTJE. 

EXYDA'TOO,  t%v£*l»v,  in  aquam  resolvo,  unde 
i\^»st.»tr,t.  When,  instead  of  blood,  a  watery  humour 
is  generated  and  collected ;  whence  water  readily  ap- 
pears within  the  skin.  Castelli. 

EZQUAHDU  'ITL.     The  DRAGON  BLOOD  TREE. 


638 


F. 


FAB 


|  •  or  F{.  are  abbreviations  of  fiat,  or  fiant,  in  pre- 
scriptions, viz.  f.  or  f '.  haustus,  let  a  draught  be  made. 

FA'BA,  quasi  faga,  (from  0*y«,  to  eat,  it  being  ori- 
ginally the  food  of  man).  The  BEAN,  cyamus,fihaseo- 
ius.  This  plant  hath  a  long  unicapsular  pod,  full  of 
kidney  shaped  seeds ;  the  stalks  firm ;  the  leaves  in 
pairs,  and,  as  it  were,  conjugated  to  a  rib  which  ends 
in  a  point. 

By  the  Falisci,  a  people  of  Hetruria,  the  bean  was 
called  haba  ;  and  from  thence,  perhaps,/a6a.  Martinus 
derives  it  from  •sr»a,  to  feed.  Bean  seems  to  be  from 
the  Italian  word  baiana. 

FA'BA  BENGALE'NSIS,  FA'BA  CAMBA'IA,  FA'BA  MA- 
J.A'BARICA.  See  MYROBALANI. 

FA'BA  CRA'SSA.     See  CRASSULA. 

FA'BA  .<EGYPTI'ACA  ;  cyamos  JEgyfitiacus,  nymjih&a 
Indica,  glandifera,  Madarasfiatana,  bem  tamara,  nelum- 
60,  lien  Sinarum,  colocasia,  ciborum,  and  cibotium,  from 
the  manner  of  planting  it.  The  PONTIC  or  ./EGYPTIAN 
BEAN.  Nymjih&a  nelumbo  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  730,  though, by 
later  botanists,  it  is  referred  to  a  new  genus,  nelumbium. 
It  grows  on  marshy  grounds  in  jEgypt,  and  some  of  the 
neighbouring  countries.  When  the  flower  falls,  a  small 
pod  appears,  in  which  the  bean  is  lodged.  It  is  eaten 
either  raw  or  boiled,  and  is  a  tonic  and  astringent. 
See  Dale. 

FA'BA  FEBRI'FUGA.     See  Nux  VOMICA. 

FA'BA  GR^'CA  LATIFO'LIA.     See  GUAJACANA. 

FA'BA   I'NDICA,    and    SA'NCTI    IGNA'TII.      See   Nux 

VOMICA  SERAPIONIS. 

FA'BA  INVE'RSA,  CRA'SSA,  and  TELEPHH.  See  CRAS- 
SULA. 

FA'BA  MA'JOR,  and  CY'AMUS  LEGUMINO'SA;  phaseo- 
lus  major,  TURKEY  BEANS,  and  GARDEN  BEANS. 

They  are  a  strong  flatulent  food,  nutritious,  but  indi- 
gestible, especially  when  old.  The  flowers  afford  an 
agreeable  fragrance,  which  they  impart  to  water  by  dis- 
tillation. The  fresh  leaves  beat  into  a  poultice  with 
cream  are  cooling  and  repellent.  The  ancients  call  the 
flourof  beans  fabafresa,  and  lomentumfabe;  because  it 
is  prepared  without  the  skin,  in  which  lies  the  asti-in- 
gency,  generally  attributed  to  the  flour.  Raii  Historia. 

FA'BA  MINOR,  also  called  eyina  frcsa,  HORSE  BEANS. 
These  differ  no  other  way  from  the  garden  species 
than  in  being  less. 

FA'BA  PECNU'RIM.     Probably  from  a  species  of  lau- 


rel. The  fruit  is  oily,  and  a  warm  aromatic.  The 
bean  possesses  these  qualities  in  a  less  degree ;  but  has 
been  employed  in  Swetien  in  stomach  complaints,  in 
colic,  and  diarrhoea.  The  infusion  prepared  in  a  close 
vessel  is  highly  aromatic ;  but  the  aroma  is  lost  by  ex- 
posure to  air,  and  by  boiling.  The  smell  of  the  bean 
resembles  sassafras.  The  taste  is  aromatic,  and  it  dis- 
solves in  the  mouth. 

FA'BA  PURGA'TRIX.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

FA'BA  SUI'LLA.     See  HYOSCYAMUS  NIGER.    , 

FABAGI'NEA,andFABA'GO,(from/a6c,a^aw.) 
Cafifiaris  flortutaca,  fiefilios  Lutetianorum,  tele/ihium, 
and  cajifiaria  fabago  ;  zygofihyllum  fabago  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
551.  A  bitter  plant,  which  the  Syrians  use  for  killing 
worms. 

FABA'RIA  (from/afta,  a  bean).     See  CRASSULA. 

FABRO'RUM  A'QUA,(from/a6<?r,a*miMJ.  Wa- 
ter in  which  hot  iron  is  quenched. 

FACIA'LISNE'RVUS.  Theportioduraof  the  audi- 
tory nerve.  These  nerves  are  styled  the  seventh,  but  by 
late  authors  the  eighth,  pair.  They  arise  from  the  fourth 
ventricle  of  the  brain,  and  passing  through  the  petrous 
portion  of  the  os  temporis,  are  dispersed  on  the  face. 

FA'CIES,  (from  <p*a,  to  ajipear).  The  FACE.  It  com- 
prehends the  fore  head,  eye  brows,  eye  lids,  eyes,  nose, 
mouth,  chin,  cheeks,  and  ears.  Its  bones  are  those  of 
the  upper  and  lower  jaws. 

FA'CIES  HIPPOCRA'TICA.  The  HIPPOCRATIC  or  CA- 
DAVEROUS FACE.  The  nose  is  sharp,  the  eyes  hollow, 
temples  sunk,  the  ears  cold  and  contracted,  and  their 
lobes  inverted ;  the  skin  about  the  forehead  hard,  tense, 
and  dry ;  the  couatenance  pale,  greenish,  or  dark.  If 
it  appears  within  three  days  after  the  attack  of  an  acute 
disease,  it  is  a  fatal  symptom.  See  DEATH. 

FA'CIES  RU'BRA.     See  GUTTA  ROSACEA. 

FACU'LTAS,  (from  facio,  to  do).  A  FACULTY; 
or  the  power  of  performing  any  action.  The  animal 
faculty  is  the  power  of  exercising  sense,  motion,  and 
the  principal  functions  of  the  body.  The  mental  fa- 
culties may  be  reduced  to  imagination,  reasoning,  and 
memory.  See  ACTIO. 

FjE'CES.     See  F.SX. 

F^iVCULA,  (dim.  off<sxj.  A  component  part  of 
vegetables,  nearly  resembling  mucilage,  differing  only 
from  it  by  being  soluble  in  cold  water:  in  hot  it  be- 
comes mucilaginous. 


F  AM 


639 


FAR 


F^E'CVLA  BRTO'NIJE.  The  F.SCULA  OF  BRYOXV. 
Take  of  the  roots  of  white  bryony  any  quantity ;  scrape 
them,  and  squeeze  out  their  juice;  which,  after  standing 
a  little  while,  deposits  a  sediment,  from  which  the  thinner 
part  may  be  separated  by  decantation,  and  the  rest  dried 
for  use.  Other  faeculae  are  extracted  in  the  same  way. 
Sago,  potato  flour,  cassada,  and  indigo,  are  faeculx,  and 
by  nitric  converted  into  the  malic  or  oxalic  acid.  In 
making  starch,  which  is  also  a  faecula,  the  extractive 
and  glutinous  parts  are  destroyed  by  fermentation. 

FJEX,  quasi  fax,  (rom  ^i|'«,  from  •&*'/*,  to  sink  to 
the  bottom,)  chersa.  It  is  properly  the  sediment,  or 
lees,  or  grounds,  of  any  fermented  liquor ;  but  in  medi- 
cine it  is  generally  understood  of  wine.  The  alvine 
excretions  are  thus  called. 

FAGA'RA  MA'JOR,  (fromfagus,  the  bete h,  which 
it  resembles).  Cayutana  Luzonis,  cubebis.  Fagara 
fllerota  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  172. 

It  is  a  plant  found  in  the  Philippine  islands.  The 
berries  are  aromatic,  and,  according  to  Avicenna,  heat- 
ing, drying,  good  for  cold  weak  stomachs,  and  astringent 
to  the  bowels  :  the  outer  rind  was  not  used.  Jacquin 
refers  to  this  genus  a  plant  with  the  trivial  name  of 
octandra,  used  as  a  perfume. 

FAGA'RA  OCTA'XDRA.  See  TACAMAHACA. 
FAGOPY'RUM,  et  FAGOTRI'TICUM,  (from 
0ay««,  the  beech,  and  f^tv;,  -wheat,  because  its  seed  re- 
sembles the  mast  of  beech).  Frumentum  Saracenicum, 
erysimum  Theofihrasti,  tragofiyron,  BRAXK,  BUCK 
WHEAT.  Polygonumfagofiyrum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  502. 

Though  originally  from  Africa,  it  thrives  every 
where;  delights  in  a  wet  soil;  is  sown  in  fields  ;  flowers 
in  July  ;  is  less  nutritive  than  barley  and  rye,  but  more 
so  than  millet  or  panic.  Raii  Hist. 

FA'GUS,  called  oxya;  balanda;  valanida.  The 
BEECH  TRF.F..  Fagus  sylvatica  Lin.  Sp.  FI.  1416.  Its 
leaves  resemble  those  of  the  horn-beam :  the  fruit  is 
produced  at  a  remote  distance  from  the  flower,  but  on 
the  same  tree,  and  is  a  callous  substance,  acuminated, 
inclosing  two  triangular  seeds  or  nuts.  It  grows  in 
woods  and  in  hedges.  The  mast  (i.  e.  fruit)  agrees  in 
its  properties  with  those  of  the  chesnut.  The  oil  ex- 
pressed from  beech  nuts  is  supposed  to  destroy  worrns  : 
a  child  may  take  two  drachms  of  it  night  and  morning; 
an  adult  an  ounce.  The  poor  people  in  Silesia  use  this 
oil  instead  of  butter.  Raii  Hist. 

FAIRBURX  WATER.  Fajrfaurn  is  in  the  county 
of  Ross,  in  Scotland,  about  two  miles  from  the  Castle- 
Leod  well.  It  is  a  stroiig  sulphureous  water,  of  the 
same  nature,  but  not  so  active :  a  gallon,  on  evapora- 
tion, yielded,  of  absorbent,  dark  coloured,  light  earth, 
two  grains;  of  white  calcareous  earth,  fifteen ;  of  Glau- 
ber salt,  mixed  with  yellow  matter,  kc.  twenty-four 
grains ;  without  any  selenites.  It  is  used  for  the  same 
purposes  as  Castle-Leod  waters,  but  not  so  much  fre- 
quented. Monro's  Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Che- 
mistry, vol.  ii. 

FALCIFO'RMIS    PROCE'SSUS,    (from  falx,   a 
scythe,  and  forma,  likeness').     See  DURA  MATER. 
FALDE'LLA.     Contorted  lint  used  for  compresses. 
FALX.     A  SCYTHE,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  fihalah, 
to  cut).     See  DURA  MATER. 

FA'MES,  (from  <?*•/»,  to  eat;  because  it  is  the  sti- 
mulus to  eat).  HUNGER;  that  peculiar  sensation  of 
the  stomach  which  excites  a  desire  for  food,  according 


to  Willis,  arising  from  acid  effluvia,  and  vapours,  affect- 
ing the  animal  spirits  in  the  left  orifice  of  the  stomach, 
and  its  nerves ;  and  by  consent  of  continuity,  the  internal 
coat  of  the  stomach  itself  and  throat ;  an  impression 
communicated  to  the  brain,  by  which  the  animal  spirits 
are  in  like  manner  affected.  Thus,  when  the  stomach 
is  empty,  or  when  we  fast  longer  than  ordinary,  it  is 
common  to  say  that  the  stomach  pinches  us.  But  as 
the  liver  is  not  at  that  time  sustained  by  the  stomach 
and  intestines,  it  descends  by  its  own  weight;  and, 
principally  by  means  of  its  middle  ligament,  pulls  the  . 
diaphragm  along  with  it :  it  is  in  that  place,  therefore, 
that  we  have  this  uneasy  sensation,  and  not  at  the  supe- 
rior orifice  of  the  stomach,  as  is  generally  thought. 
See  Haller's  Physiology. 

Some  physiologists  have  attributed  hunger  to  the 
stimulus  of  the  gastric  juice;  yet  all  these  opinions  have 
little  foundation.  The  theory  of  Willis  is  purely  hypo- 
thetical, and  the  second  rests  on  an  erroneous  idea  of 
the  anatomy  of  the  parts.  The  third  is  the  most  plau- 
sible ;  but  we  have  had  reason  to  think,  that  this  sup- 
posed powerful  agent  is  only  the  remains  of  former 
meals.  Dr.  Cullen,  with  more  reason,  attributes  hun- 
ger to  the  uneasy  contraction  of  this  viscus,  when  no 
longer  distended.  It  is  evidently  a  sensation  peculiarly 
nervous,  since  the  greatest  desire  of  food  at  once  va- 
nishes, if  any  cause  of  grief  or-of  the  other  depressing 
passions  should  supervene.  The  first  effect  of  fever, 
which  we  shall  find  to  proceed  from  a  sudden  debility 
of  the  sensorial  power,  has  a  similar  effect.  Van  Hel- 
mont  relates  an  accident  that  happened  to  himself, 
which  will  illustrate  this  opinion.  He  was  going  abroad 
to  dinner,  when,  from  accident,  he  dislocated  his  ancle. 
His  appetite  immediately  left  him ;  but  was  restored 
when  his  joint  wa«  replaced,  though  the  pain  continued 
for  some  thne  with  little  alteration. 

When  animals  die  for  want  of  food,  their  death  is 
not  directly  the  consequence  of  hunger,  but  a  putrid 
fever,  which  is  excited  by  the  blood's  losing  its  bland 
gelatinous  consistence,  for  want  of  the  usual  necessary 
supplies. 

FA'MES  CAXI'NA.     See  BOULIMUS. 

FAMIGERATI'SSIMUMEMPLASTRUM,(from 
famigeratus,  renowned,  from  fama,  fame,  and  gero,  to 
bear).  A  plaster  used  in  intermittent  fevers,  made  of 
aromatic  irritating  substances,  and  applied  to  the  wrists. 
It  is  thus  named  for  its  excellence. 

FAR,  (from  the  Hebrew  word  var,  frumentum). 
GRAIX.  It  not  only  means  a  particular  kind  of  grain, 
between  wheat  and  barley,  less  nourishing  than  the 
former,  but  more  so  than  the  latter,  according  to  Vos- 
sius;  but  it  means  bread  corn,  grain  of  any  kind.  jEtius 
gives  this  application  to  any  kind  of  frumentaceous 
grain,  decorticated,  cleansed  from  the  husks,  and  after- 
wards bruised  and  dried. 

FARCIMINA'LIS,  (from  farcimen,  stuffing  sau- 
sage, or  hog's  pudding).  See  ALEANTOIS. 

FARCTU'RA,  (from/arcto,  to  stuff,)  in  pharmacy, 
the  stuffing  of  any  exenterated  animal,  or  excavated 
fruit,  with  medicinal  ingredients. 

FA'RCTUS,  (from  the  same,)  crammed,  or  full: 
thus  in  botany  folium  farctum  is  a  leaf  full  of  pith  or 
pulp;  in  opposition  to  tubulosum  and  Jistulosum,  tu- 
bular, like  a  pipe.  It  is  applied  also  to  the  stem  and 
pericarpium. 


FAS 


640 


FAS 


I  A'RFARA,  FARFARE'LLA,  (tromfarfarus,  the 
white  fio/ilar;  so  called  because  its  leaves  resemble 
those  of  that  tree).  'See  TCSSILAGO. 

FA'RFARUS,  (from  a  river  of  the  Sabines  on  whose 
banks  it  grew  plentifully).  See  POPULUS  ALBA. 

FA'RINA,  (from  far,  corn,  from  which  it  is  made). 
MEAL  or  FLOUR. 

FA'RINA  T-OECUNDANS.  IMPREGNATING  DUST.  It  is 
placed  on  the  apices  of  flowers,  and  falls  on  the  head 
of  the  pistil  or  female  part  of  the  flower,  and  is  thence 
.conveyed  to  the  matrix,  in  order  to  impregnate  the 
Geed. 

FARINA'CEA,  (from  farina,  flower'}.  Under  this 
title  are  included  those  substances  employed  as  aliment, 
called  cerealia,  legumina,  and  nuces  oleoste,  generally 
distinguished  as  they  contain  more  or  less  saccharine 
and  oily  matter.  Under  the  title  cerealia  we  commonly 
find  the  seeds  of  several  gramineous  and  culmiferous 
plants  employed  as  food  for  men,  viz.  barley,  rye,  millet, 
rice,  oats,  maize,  wheat,  buckwheat,  salep,  chestnut, 
and  potato.  The  legumina,  or  pulses,  are  the  pea, 
bean,  and  kidney  bean:  which  last  are  in  this  country 
only  employed  in  their  young,  green  state.  .  The  nuces 
oleosae  are  the  nut,  almonds,  walnut,  pistachio  nut; 
and  some  products  of  others,  as  chocolate.  See  CE- 
REALIA and  ALIMENT.  Cullen's  Mat.  Med. 

FARINA'CEUS  PA'NIS.     See  PANIS. 

FARINA'RIUM,  (from  farina,  flower).    See  ALICA. 

FA'RINHA  FRE'SCA,  and  RE'LADA.     See  CAS- 

SADA. 

FARNESIA'NUS  FLOS.      See  BATTATAS    CANA- 

BENSIS. 

FARRA'GO,  corrupted  from  FAVAGO,  q.  v. 
FA'RREA  NU'BES,  (froni/ar,  bran,  and  nubes,  a 
cloud}.     See  FURFUROSI. 

FA'SCIA,  ligatio,  ligatura,  alligatura.  A  IJANDA.GE, 
FILLET,  ROLLER,  or  LIGATURE.  Of  bandages,  in  ge- 
neral, we  have  spoken  in  the  article  DELIGATIO  ;  and 
it  now  only  remains  to  consider  the  different  forms  of 
bandages  applied  to  particular  purposes.  The  first  of 
these  is, 

The  sling,  echarfie.     This  appellation  is  given   to 
several  sorts  of  bandages. 

The  sling  nuith  four  heads  should  be  four  feet  in  length : 
'  the  breadth  that  of  six  or  eight  fingers.  Its  use  is  to 
retain  the  dressing  on  the  wounded  head.  It  must  be 
divided  longitudinally,  from  each  end,  into  two  heads, 
so  as  to  leave  about  two  hands'  breadth  entire  in  the 
middle,  and  the  four  ends  must  be  rolled  up  to  where 
the  division  ends.  Apply  the  middle  of  the  undivided 
part  upon  the  dressings;  then  tying  the  two  posterior 
heads  forward,  and  having  secured  their  ends,  the  two 
anterior  ends  must  be  carried  backward,  and  secured 
behind  the  head.  This  is  sometimes  called  Galen's 
bandage. 

The  sling  with  six  heads,  fieriscefiastrum,  is  about 
three  feet  in  length,  its  breadth  about  twelve  or  four- 
teen inches.  It  must  be  divided  from  each  end  to 
within  a  hand's  breadth  of  the  middle,  into  three  parts. 
Apply  the  middle  undivided  part  to  the  vertex,  and  tie 
the  two  anterior  tails  behind  the  head,  the  two  middle 
under  the  chin,  and  the  two  posterior  upon  the  forehead. 
The  sling  for  the  nose  hath  four  heads,  is  eight  feet 
long,  and  two  or  three  inches  broad.  In  the  middle  it 
is  left  entire,  but  from  thence,  each  way,  it  is  slit  to 


the  ends.  In  the  middle,  where  it  is  entire,  an  opening- 
is  made  for  the  apex  of  the  nose,  that  the  bandage  ma\ 
be  firm.  The  middle  is  applied  upon  the  nose,  the  two 
upper  heads  to  the  neck,  and  then  to  the  forehead ;  the 
lower  ones  behind  the  neck,  but  a  little  higher  than  the 
first,  and  to  the  forehead  also. 

The  sling  for  the  breasts  is  four  feet  long,  six  inches 
broad,  and  slit  like  the  sling  with  four  heads  ;  about  a 
foot  in  the  middle  being  left  entire.  The  middle  is  to 
be  applied  upon  the  dressings  on  the  affected  breast ; 
then  the  two  upper  heads  must  be  carried  over  the  op- 
posite shoulder,  and  the  two  lower  under  the  arm  of  the 
affected  side,  towards  the  scapula  of  the  other  side: 
they  must  there  be  fastened  to  the  upper  ends  which  are 
over  the  shoulder. 

The  single  bridle,  cajiistry,  is  a  single  headed  roller, 
fourteen  or  sixteen  feet  long,  and  two  or  three  fingers 
broad,  for  securing  the  jaw  when  fractured  or  luxated. 
It  is  applied  under  the  chin,  and  over  the  head ;  called 
by  Galen  geneias. 

The  double  bridle  is  the  same  as  the  single,  but  rolled 
up  with  two  heads :  the  single  may,  however,  always 
be  used  instead  of  it.  See  CHEVASTRE. 

Bandages  for  tlie  lifts, ol  a  proper  length  and  breadth, 
are  formed  as  the  sling  with  four  heads. 

Bandages  for  the'eyes  or  eye  lids.  See  MONOCULUS. 
The  divider  for  the  neck  is  twenty-four  feet  long,  two 
or  three  fingers'  breadth  broad,  and  is  rolled  into  two 
heads.  Its  middle  is  placed  on  the  forehead,  and  thence 
passes  round  the  head  two  or  three  times.  When 
secured  with  pins,  the  rollers  are  carried  under  each 
armpit,  and  brought  back  over  the  shoulders,  and  cross 
the  neck  in  the  form  of  an  X.  It  is  then  passed  on  to 
the  forehead,  Ecc.  until  the  whole  is  taken  up. 

The  retentive  bandage  for  the  neck.  Two  distinct 
ones  are  usually  directed,  but  one  circular  roller  answers 
every  useful  purpose.  When  two  bandages  are  em- 
ployed, one  is  a  fillet  about  two  feet  in  length,  laid 
across  the  head  so  as  to  hang  down  on  the  shoulders. 
Over  these  ends  another  fillet,  five  or  six  feet  in  length, 
and  nearly  three  fingers  broad,  is  rolled  circularly  round 
the  neck.  The  ends  of  the  first  fillet  are  then  doubled 
bacV,  and  secured  to  the  circular  turns  by  pins. 

Drviai-vc  bandage,  to  support  the  head,  consists  of  a 
fillet  laid  over  the  head,  so  as  to  fall  on  the  forehead 
and  low  on  the  neck.  Another  fillet,  eighteen  feet  long, 
and  about  the  breadth  if  three  fingers,  is  rolled  on  two 
heads.  The  middle  part  of  this  bandage  is  applied  over 
the  fillet  on  the  forehead,  carried  over  the  cars,  round1 
the  head  to  the  back  of  the  neck.  Its  heads  are  then 
crossed,  brought  under  both  axillae,  carried  backward 
over  the  shoulders;  crossed  again,  and  carried  under  the 
axillse  over  the  breast.  The  heads  are  again  shifted, 
and  the  remainder  rolled  with  circular  turns.  The 
hanging  ends  of  the  first  small  fillet  are  then  turned 
back  over  the  head,  and  fastened  by  pins  to  the  turns  of 
the  bandage. 

The  uniting  neck  bandage  consists  of  a  napkin  under 
the  axillae,  to  which  fillets,  fastened  to  the  nightcap,  are 
pinned,  to  keep  the  head  steady,  when  placed  in  the 
proper  position.  It  is  used  in  wounds  of  the  neck  or 
trachea. 

The  inguinal  bandage,  for  luxations  of  the  thigh,  is 
only  the  common  roller,  eight  or  nine  yards  in  length, 
and  about  four  fingers  broad. 


FAS 


641 


I    E  B 


The  nafikin  and  scafiulary  are  used  when  a  bandage 
is  required  on  the  breast,  belly,  or  back.  It  consists  of  a 
napkin  pinned  round  the  body,  where  the  disorder  ren- 
ders it  necessary  ;  and,  to  prevent  its  falling,  the  scafiu- 
lary  is  applied,  viz.  a  piece  of  linen,  four  or  six  inches 
broad,  with  a  slit  in  the  middle  for  the  head  to  pass 
through ;  its  length  sufficient  for  one  end  to  be  pinned 
to  the  napkin  behind,  and  the  other  end  to  the  napkin 
before.  The  scapulary  is  sometimes  fastened  behind, 
and  the  other  end  slit  far  enough  to  bring  each  part 
over  the  shoulders  to  be  fastened  before. 
SCIA.  See  APOXEUROSIS. 

FA'SCIA  LATA  is  a  large,  membranous,  tendinous,  or 
ligamentary  covering.  Winslow  describes  it  as  a  mus- 
cular ligament,  fixed  about  the  edge  of  the  crista  of 
the  os  ilium,  from  the  large  tuberosity,  to  the  anterior 
superior  spine,  to  the  ligamentum  Fallopii,  and  to  the 
aponeurosis  of  the  oblique  external  muscle  of  the  belly. 
It  is  also  fixed  to  the  lateral  inferior  part  of  the  os  sa- 
crum, and  to  the  neighbouring  part  of  the  ligaments  by 
which  that  bone  is  connected  to  the  bones  of  the  ilium 
and  ischium.  From  thence  it  advances  over  the  glutaei 
and  thigh,  between  the  membrana  adiposa  and  muscles, 
to  the  interior  and  outer  part  of  the  knee  ;  over  the  ex- 
ternal anterior  part  of  the  tibia,  and  is  strongly  inserted 
into  the  head  of  the  tibia  and  of  the  fibula.  It  is  in- 
serted also  firmly  into  the  linea  aspera  femoris,  between 
the  vastus  externus  and  biceps,  forming  a  sort  of  sep- 
tum between  these  muscles.  See  APONF.UROSIS. 

FA'SCIJE  LA'T.E  MU'SCULUS  rises  from  the  outside  of 
the  ilium,  runs  downwards  and  outwards ;  and,  below 
the  trochanter  major,  joins  with  the  tendons  of  the 
glutaeus  maximus,  and  runs  down  laterally  to  the  leg. 
This  muscle  stretches  the  fascia  lata  above  described, 
and  on  this  account  Albinus  calls  it  tensor  fascia  fe- 
n. 

FA'SCIA  LA'TA  LUMBO'RUM  is  a  strong  tendon  fixed 
to  the  lateral  part  of  the  os  sacrum,  from  the  spines  of 
the  sacrum,  from  the  spine  of  the  ilium,  and  the  spines 
of  the  lumbar  vertebrae. 

FASCIA'LIS,  (from  fascia,  a  ligament").  See  SAR- 
TORIUS. 

FASCICULA'RIS,  (from  fasciculus,  a  little  bun- 
dle). In  botany  it  means  tuberous,  or  having  the  knobs 
of  the  roots  collected  in  bundles,  as  in  the  pacony. 

FASCICULA'TUS,  (from  the  same,)  in  botany, 
leaves  growing  in  bunches,  as  in  the  larch  tree. 

FASCI'CULUS,  (fromfascis,  a  bundle).  A  kind  of 
inflorescence,  in  which  the  flowers  grow  close  to  each 
other,  forming  a  flat  surface,  as  in  the  sweet-william. 
See  MAXIPULUS. 

FASCIO'LA.  A  flattish  round  worm,  called  the 
gourd  worm,  from  its  resemblance  to  a  gourd  seed  ;  and 
the  Jlukt,  from  its  resemblance  to  a  worm  found  in 
ditches,  is  distinguished  chiefly  by  a  vent  hole  at  the 
extremity  and  on  the  belly.  A  worm  of  this  kind  is 
found  in  the  liver,  sometimes  nearly  an  inch  in  its  longest 
diameter,  and  about  two  thirds  of  an  inch  in  the  shortest. 
It  is  rounded  on  the  back,  and  has  eight  deep  longitu- 
dinal furrows  in  two  series.  The  skin  is  soft,  and  in  co- 
lour of  a  light  brown.  It  is  most  commonly  found  in 
the  livers  of  sheep  which  have  the  disease  called  the 
rot,  and  sometimes  in  the  human  liver.  Another  spe- 
cies is  found  in  the  intestines  of  the  bream,  and  some 
other  fresh  water  fish.  It  is  of  an  oval  form ;  but  may 

VOL.    I. 


be  extended  to  some  length.     One  other,  the  barbata, 
is  white,  and  found  in  the  intestines  of  the  cuttle  fish. 
FASTI'DIUMCIBO'RUM,(from/«««rfio,ro/oart). 

LOATHING  OF  FOOD.  Some  barbarous  writers,  for  this 
term,  use  abogiinatio.  See  APEPSIA. 

FASTIGIA  'TUS,  (fromfastig-ium,  the  tofi  or  roof  of 
a  house}.  In  botany  it  is  applied  to  the  stalks  when 
they  grow  so  as  to  form  the  appearance  of  the  ridge  of 
a  house. 

F ATI'GUE.     See  COPOS. 

FATUI'TAS,  Trom  fatuus,  foolish,  insi/iid}.  Insi- 
pid aliments  were  called  by  the  Latins  fatui,  whence 
the  term  is  applied  both  to  foolishness  and  unsavouri- 
ness.  In  Cullen's  Nosology  it  is  synonymous  with 
amentia.  See  also  MOROSIS. 

FAU'CES,(the  plural  of  faux, the  tofi  of  the  throat,} 
isthmian,  amphibranchia.  The  top  of  the  throat;  the 
space  about  the  openings  into  the  larynx  and  pharynx, 
which  can  be  seen  when  the  mouth  is  open  and  the 
tongue  depressed.  Upon  looking  into  a  person's  mouth 
when  wide  open,  we  see  a  soft  curtain  hanging  from 
the  palate  bones,  named  -velum  fiendulum  palati ;  in  the 
middle  of  which  a  papilla  projects  from  the  velum, 
named  uvula,  or  pap  of  the  throat.  From  each  side  of 
the  uvula,  at  its  root,  two  arches  or  columns  pass  down, 
the  anterior  to  the  root  of  the  tongue,  the  posterior  to 
the  entrance  of  the  gullet.  Between  the  arches,  on 
each  Side,  the  cellular  glands,  called  amygdala,  or  al- 
monds of  the  ears,  are  situated.  The  common  opening 
behind  the  anterior  arch  may  be  named  fauces,  from 
which  there  are  six  passages,  viz.  two  upwards,  one  to 
each  nostril ;  two  at  the  sides,  or  one  to  each  ear,  called 
the  Eustachian  tubes;  two  downwards  :  the  anterior  is 
the  passage  through  the  glottis  and  larynx  into  the  tra- 
chea, which  terminates  in  the  lungs  ;  the  posterior  is 
the  largest,  named  fiharynx,  or  the  top  of  the  oesopha- 
gus, which  leads  to  the  stomach.  Inneson  the  Muscles. 

FAU'FEL.     See  ARECA  ;  also  TERRA  JAPOXICA. 

FAUX.  In  botany  it  means  the  hiatus  of  the  tube  of 
the  corolla.  See  FAUCCS. 

FAVA'GO  AUSTRA'LUS,  (fromfavus,  a  honey- 
comb}. A  species  of  BASTARD  SPOXGE,  like  a  honey- 
comb. See  ALCYOXUM  FARRAGO. 

FA'VUS.        A   HONEYCOMB.        See  ACHOR. 

FEBRI'FUGA.  FEVERFEW,  (from  februm  fugaret 
to  drive  away  a  fever}.  See  MATRICARIA.  Such  me- 
dicines also  as  mitigate  or  remove  fevers. 

FEBRITUGUM  OLEUM.  FEBRIFUGE  OIL.  The 
flowers  of  antimony,  made  with  sal  ammoniac  and  anti- 
mony sublimed  together,  and  exposed  to  the  air,  when 
they  deliquesce. 

FEBRI'FUGUS  PU'LVIS  CR.E  NIL     See  AXTI- 

MOVIUM. 

FEBRI'FUGUS  PU'LVIS.  FEBRIFUGE  POWDER.  The 
Germans  give  this  name  to  the  stypticus  pulvis  Hel- 
vetii.  In  England  a  mixture  of  oculi  cancrorum  and 
emetic  tartar,  in  proportions  of  half  a  drachm  and  two 
grains,  hath  obtained  the  same  appellation;  in  fevers  it 
is  given  in  doses  of  gr.  iii.  to  iv. 

FEBRI'FUGUS  SAL,  i.  e.  SAL  MARIXUS  REGEXEHATUS. 
See  MARINUM  SAL. 

FEBRI'FUGUS  SPI'RITUS  DO'MIXI  CLU'TTOX.  Mr. 
GLUTTON'S  FEBRIFUGE  SPIRIT. 

Take  the  oil  of  sulphur,  by  the  bell,  and  rightly  pre- 
pared, rectified  oil  of  vitriol,  and  spirit  of  salt,  of  each 


FEE 


642 


F  EB 


equal  parts ;  and  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  triple  the 
quantity  of  the  whole.  Digest  them  together  for  a 
month,  then  distil  to  dryness. 

In  some  receipts,  common  salt  is  inserted  instead  of 
spirit  of  salt,  which  will  make  little  difference  in  the 
result.  The  whole,  however,  is  an  imperfect  ether,  and 
may  be  imitated  by  adding  any  proportion  of  the  mu- 
riatic acid  to  the  sweet  spirit  of  vitriol. 

As  much  of  this  spirit  as  renders  pure  water  agree- 
ably acid  is  sometimes  given  in  every  draught  of  com- 
mon drink  in  ardent  and  inflammatory  fevers ;  and  in 
those  of  the  nervous  and  putrid  kind  it  is  administered 
in  cordial  and  antiseptic  liquors.  We  have  sometimes 
employed  it,  though  without  any  marked  advantages. 
Sec  the  Certain  Method  of  curing  all  continued  Fevers, 
by  Jo.  Glutton. 

FE'BRIS,  (fromfebreo,  proferveo,  to  be  hot}.  Since 
the  complaints  of  mankind  have  attracted  the  attention 
of  practitioners,  the  cause  of  fevers  has  been  a  problem 
that  they  have  in  vain  attempted  to  solve ;  and  even  the 
disease  itself  they  have  not  been  able  to  discriminate  by 
any  constant  pathognomonic  symptom.  From  the  ety- 
mology of  the  term,  its  essence  is  supposed  to  consist  in 
heat ;  but  the  skin  is  sometimes  cold  :  in  quick  pulse  ; 
but  the  pulse  is  occasionally  slow  :  in  preceding  horror ; 
but  such  a  symptom  is  often  unobserved  or  absent.  Cri- 
tical pathologists  have  filled  pages  with  such  (we  think 
idle)  disquisitions  ;  but  every  physician  has  been  able  to 
distinguish  fever  by  at  least  some  of  these  symptoms, 
or  a  comparison  of  the  different  ones  ;  and,  among  the 
innumerable  mistakes  and  blunders  that  we  have  wit- 
nessed, we  believe  in  no  one  instance  has  error  been 
found  to  arise  from  mistaking  fever.  Within  this  fort- 
night we  saw  a  woman  of  82,  generally  allowed  to  be 
in  a  fever;  but  the  pulse  was  only  70,  the  skin  cool,  the 
countenance  apparently  unchanged :  it  was,  however, 
easy  to  perceive,  from  the  peculiar  feel  of  the  pulse, 
that  it  w;is  in  a  morbid  state,  and  the  skin  of  the  palms 
was  tense.  She  recovered  rapidly,  the  pulse  sunk  to 
less  than  60,  the  skin  became  more  genially  soft,  and  the 
appetite  returned. 

Dr.  Cullen  establishes  a  class  of  febrile  diseases  which 
he  styles  fiyrexig.  The  symptoms  assigned  are,  "  after 
chilliness,  a  frequent  pulse,  increased  heat,  several  of 
the  functions  of  the  body  injured  ;  the  strength  of  the 
limbs  particularly  diminished."  Fever,  more  strictly, 
is  "  pyrexia,  with  preceding  languor,  lassitude,  and 
other  signs  of  debility,  without  any  local  disease."  Dr. 
Fordyce,  though  he  has  refined  too  much,  and  raised 
imaginary  difficulties  in  the  application  of  every  de- 
finition of  fever,  has,  however,  shown  that  these  symp- 
toms will  not  entirely  and  completely  distinguish  febrile 
diseases.  One  almost  constant  symptom  may  be  added, 
a  tension  of  the  tendons  of  the  wrist;  and  we  are  fully 
of  opinion,  with  Dr.  Fordyce,  that  in  every  fever  there 
is  some  mental  alienation.  If  these  two  symptoms  are 
added,  the  definition  will  be  as  complete  as  the  most 
minute  pathologist  would  require.  The  distinction  will 
be,  however,  assisted  by  a  more  full  description  of  the 
symptoms. 

Previous  to  the  attack  of  every  fever,  if  it  do  not  come 
•on  during  sleep,  or  the  attention  is  not  directed  very 
strongly  to  some  interesting  object  or  occupation,  lan- 
;.;".ii/r  and  debility  arc  felt,  with  a  sluggishness  in  mo- 
lion,  and  some  uneasiness  in  attempting  it.  The 


face  and  extremities  become  pale ;  the  features  sunk  : 
the  bulk  diminished;  and  the  skin  appears  as  if  con- 
stricted by  cold.  Cold  now  comes  on  in  the  back,  as  if 
cold  water  was  running  down  it,  and  soon  extends  over 
the  whole  body ;  though,  in  some  instances,  the  pa- 
tient will  feel  to  another  person  warm.  The  cold  in- 
creases to  tremor;  and  this  to  rigors  and  shiverings, al- 
most convulsive.  Even  at  this  period,  the  mind  is  un- 
steady and  confused  ;  attention  and  recollection  are  dif- 
ficult; and  stupor  is  sometimes  an  early  symptom.  The 
pulse  becomes  weaker,  and  even  sometimes  slower,  than 
before;  but  as  the  cold  increases,  it  is  always  smaller, 
and  almost  constantly  quicker.  The  respiration  is,  at 
this  period,  small,  frequent,  and  laborious;  appetite 
ceases  ;  a  nausea,  sickness,  and  vomiting,  come  on  ;  and, 
at  last,  the  matter  discharged  is  highly  bilious.  The  se- 
cretions are,  in  general,  checked;  the  urine  is  watery; 
the  mouth  dry  and  clammy;  ulcers  no  longer  discharge; 
and  tumours  diminish  or  disappear.  In  the  cold  stage, 
frequently,  though  more  often  in  the  hot,  headach 
comes  on  ;  but  a  constant  symptom,  though  not  suffi- 
ciently noticed  by  pathologists,  is  wandering  pains  over 
the  whole  body.  Pain  in  the  back  is  generally  men- 
tioned; but  pains  are  felt  in  every  joint,  seldom  conti- 
nuing in  any  one  part,  but  disappearing  and  returning. 
They  are  not  sharp  and  pungent,  but  tensive  and  dull ; 
evidently  connected  with  the  tension  of  the  tendons, 
chiefly  distinguished  at  the  wrist.  A  striking  change 
takes  place  in  the  features.  In  general  they  appear  to 
be  sunk  ;  but  this  description  is  by  no  means  sufficient- 
ly precise.  It  has  not  been  with  accuracy  noticed  how 
greatly  the  appearance  of  the  features  depends  on  the 
state  of  the  mind  :  it  is  the  latter  which  gives  character, 
and  a  different  effect  to  features  otherwise  similar.  It  is 
sufficient  in  this  place  to  remark,  that  the  change  in  the 
countenance  is  the  absence  of  all  characteristic  impres- 
sion, a  vacant  stare,  accompanied  with  a  kind  of  insen- 
sibility. This  attends  fever  so  often,  or  rather  so  uni- 
versally, in  every  stage,  that  the  existence  of  the  dis- 
ease may  be  thus  known  in  a  moment  by  a  practitioner 
of  even  slight  experience. 

The  continuance  of  the  cold  stage  is  uncertain.  The 
coldness  previous  to  the  shivering  is,  in  the  worst  fe- 
vers, of  long  duration,  and  the  shivering  slight.  In  ge- 
neral the  shivering  soon  comes  on;  and  after  a  time, 
different  in  almost  every  case,  it  seems  to  remit  or  al- 
ternate with  slight  flushings.  In  this  interval  we  have 
thought,  by  our  own  feelings,  that  the  disease  had  dis- 
appeared; and  we  have  even  remarked  that  the  powers 
of  the  mind  have,  for  a  short  period,  returned.  The 
scene,  however,  soon  changes.  The  alternate  flushings 
become  violent  heat ;  the  skin  again  fills ;  the  face  be- 
comes turgid  ;  the  mind  again  confused,  and  this  confu- 
sion often  increases  to  delirium  ;  the  pulse  becomes 
more  regular,  hard,  and  full ;  the  respiration  more  free, 
but  still  frequent  and  anxious  ;  the  thirst  increases ;  the 
vomiting  abates ;  the  urine  becomes  of  a  deep  red,  and 
gives  pain  in  the  discharge;  tumours  again  enlarge; 
and  pus  flows  from  ulcers.  The  sensibility  is  recover- 
ed, and  often  increased ;  the  headach  becomes  excru- 
ciatingly violent. 

After  an  uncertain  period  these  symptoms  abate. 
Sweat  gradually  breaks  out,  and  soon  becomes  profuse. 
The  urine  deposits  a  copious  sediment,  all  the  pain- 
ful symptoms  disappear,  and  health  is  apparently 


F 


64-J 


FEB 


restored,  with  the  exception  only  of  i-jinc  remaining 
debility. 

These  are  the  phenomena  of  fevers  in  their  acute, 
regular,  and  distinct  form.  In  intermittents  they  appear 
regularly,  nearly  as  described;  and  the  most  perfect  un- 
disguised form  of  fever  is  the  tertian.  In  remittents 
these  various  changes  are  less  distinct ;  but  the  chief 
difference  consists  in  the  termination:  the  sweat  is  in- 
considerable, and  the  relief  imperfect,  though  the  ex- 
acerbation is  generally  distinctly  marked.  In  hectics 
the  whole  stage  is  often  regular,  and  the  intermission  to- 
lerably perfect;  but  the  remaining  state  of  debility  very- 
considerable.  In  continued  fevers  the  exacerbations 
and  remissions  are  indistinct;  but  an  attentive  practi- 
tioner will  generally,  we  believe  always,  discover  them. 
Like  critical  days,  they  require  a  minute  examination  for 
their  detection;  a  minuteness  of  discrimination  which 
some  do  not  possess;  an  acuteness  which  others  will  not 
exert. 

These  three  stages  are  evidently  connected;  and  Dr. 
Cullen  thinks,  with  great  reason,  that  they  are  the 
causes  of  each  other.  In  every  fever  each  is  probably 
present,  though  not  always  observed.  The  immediate 
cause  of  these  very  singular  appearances,  physicians  in 
every  period  have  been  anxious  to  discover;  but  to  col- 
lect all  the  theories,  all  the  absurdities,  which  the  ima- 
gination has  suggested,  would  extend  our  article  very 
far.  In  justice,  however,  to  some  of  the  ablest  of  our 
predecessors,  we  shall  notice  a  few  of  the  principal 
opinions. 

When  a  violent  commotion  was  observed  in  the  sys- 
tem, followed  by  an  evacuation  from  the  skin  and  the 
kidneys,  it  was  an  obvious  conclusion  that  something 
noxious  had  been  introduced,  which,  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  paroxysm,  was  discharged.  The  opinion  was  at 
least  innocent,  if  not  ingenious  ;  but  when  to  this  first 
idea  was  added,  that  the  morbid  matter  was  prepared 
for  expulsion  by  the  febrile  commotion,  and  particularly 
the  hot  fit,  the  opinion  produced  the  most  fatal  conse- 
quences, as  it  led  to  every  means  of  increasing  the  heat, 
in  order  to  assist  this  unknown  process  which  the  mor- 
bid matter  was  to  undergo.  The  simplest  observations 
were  couched  in  the  language  of  this  theory;  and  when, 
for  instance,  the  authors  had  observed  that,  during  the 
violence  of  the  heat,  it  was  injurious  to  attempt  forcing 
any  evacuation,  they  told  us,  that  cocta  non  cruda  sunt 
e-vacuanda.  Many  of  the  aphorisms  of  Hippocrates, 
which  have  thus  a  profound  scientific  appearance,  are 
only  the  commonest  remarks  in  the  jargon  of  a  system. 

As  it  could  not  escape  the  most  superficial  observers 
that,  after  an  apparently  complete  solution,  the  disease 
-.returned,  this  morbid  matter  was  supposed  not  to  be 
•vholly  discharged  ;  but  the  little  remains  possessing  an 
assimilating  power,  was  augmented  in  quantity,  till  it 
•vas  again  sufficiently  powerful  to  reproduce  the  pa- 
roxysm. At  last,  either  by  superior  exertion,  or  some 
unknown  cause,  it  was  wholly  evacuated,  and  health 
restored.  In  support  of  this,  they  usually  found,  what 
is  indeed  true,  'that  the  last  paroxysm  was  the  most 
violent. 

The  theory  was  certainly  highly  probable;  but,  as  if 
impregnable,  succeeding  authors  attempted  only  to  pro- 
ceed another  step,  and  the  morbid  matter  was  acid,  al- 
kaline, earthy,  inflammable;  for  a  time  any  thing  which 
the  predisposing  causes  could  in  the  slightest  degree 


support.  At  last  Boerhaave  supposed  it  no  foreign  sub- 
stance introduced,  but  a  lentor  or  viscidity  in  the  blood 
itself;  and  it  was  no  little  triumph  that  the  inflammatory- 
crust  on  the  blood  was  found  peculiarly  dense.  In  the 
latter  period  of  his  life,  he  wished  to  introduce  a  similar 
density,  or  rather  inactivity,  into,  the  nervous  fluid. 

The  various  theories  respecting  the  nature  of  this  mat- 
ter, each  of  which  is  supported  with  equal  plausibility, 
would  immediately  lead  us  to  conclude  that  no  such 
exists;  for,  after  the  lapse  of  near  three  thousand  years, 
it  would  be  singular  if  some  lucky  conjecture  had  not 
supplied  what  investigation  was  inadequate  to,  and  re- 
vealed the  secret.  In  reality,  however,  there  is  no  real 
evidence  of  any  such  morbid  cause.  The  discharges 
are  the  usual  ones;  the  pus  of  abscesses,  when  such  is 
the  termination  of  fever,  displays  no  peculiar  qualities; 
the  blood,  which  in  other  cases  apparently  relieves  the 
fever  by  flowing  from  the  nose,  is  equally  pure  with 
that  taken  from  the  arm.  That  it  is  concocted  or  me- 
liorated by  the  hot  fit  is  less  probable;  for  if  from  the 
hot  fit  of  fevers  any  change  is  produced  on  the  fluids, 
it  is  of  a  kind  perfectly  different;  nor  is  there  any 
lar  process  in  any  part  of  the  animal  economy.  YW 
find  that  fevers  may  be  often  checked  in  their  attack, 
without  waiting  for  this  process;  and  by  mitigating  the 
heat,  the  supposed  great  agent  in  producing  this  change, 
we  cure  the  fever  more  quickly  and  more  safely. 

Any  change  in  the  physical  qualities  of  the  blood  is 
wholly  gratuitous.  It  has  been  examined  by  every  test, 
and  all  its  properties  are  found  with  scarcely  any  altera- 
tion. The  buflfy  coat  is  now  known  to  be  owing  chiefly 
to  a  more  perfect  state  of  mixture  of  the  incongruous 
portions  of  the  blood  rather  than  viscidity. 

Allied  to  these  systems  is  an  equally  dangerous  error, 
that  fever  is  a  cure  of  other  disorders.  Intermittents 
have  been  considered  as  such ;  and  a  practitioner  of  the 
Boerhaavian  school  is  said  to  have  asserted,  that  if  he 
could  produce  a  fever  as  easily  as  he  could  cure  it,  he 
should  be  well  satisfied  with  his  own  skill.  Luckily  for 
his  patients,  this  power  was  denied  him  ;  for  we  know 
no  disease,  which,  if  at  all  within  the  reach  of  art,  may 
not  be  at  least  as  soon  and  as  perfectly  relieved  without 
its  assistance. 

A  later  opinion  has  been,  that  fever  is  heat  only  ;  and 
to  be  cured  by  its  opposite,  cold.  Cold  undoubtedly  • 
mitigates  the  increased  action  of  the  sanguiferous  sys- 
tem, and  if  it  does  not  cure,  greatly  relieves  fever.  Like 
the  best  of  our  remedies,  it  contributes  to  conduct  fever 
safely  to  its  termination ;  but  we  receive  no  information 
from  this  system  respecting  the  cause  of  the  heat,  or  its 
connection  with  the  other  symptoms. 

While  the  system  of  Boerhaave  prevailed  in  the  south 
of  Germany,  different  views  arose  in  the  north.  The 
patient  and  industrious  Hoffman  thought  he  saw  in 
fevers  a  change  in  the  state  of  motion,  and  an  inaction, 
which  he  styled  a  spasm  (spasmus  periphcricus),  in  the 
extreme  vessels.  His  colleague  and  rival,  rather  than 
his  enemy,  Stahl,  carried  the  idea  further;  and  gave 
some  sufficiently  distinct  views  of  altered  determination 
as  the  cause  of  many  disorders.  The  former,  however, 
deeply  immersed  in  the  chemical  pathology,  though  he 
decidedly  referred  all  diseases  to  altered  motions  and 
the  state  of  the  nerves,  gave  no  fixed  determinate  sys- 
tem of  pathology  on  this  foundation,  but  intermixed 
these  ideas  with  the  different  kinds  of  chemical  acri- 
4  N 


FE  B 


644 


F  E  B 


raony ;  and  the  latter  involved  it  so  deeply  in  a  logical 
form,  and  mixed  it  so  intimately  with  his  peculiar  me- 
taphysical'doctrines,  that  they  have  hitherto  escaped 
notice,  and  will  not  probably  again  engage  the  patholo- 
gist's  attention. 

As  the  symptoms  of  fever  are  so  exclusively  nervous, 
and  as  the  vital  power  is  so  particularly  affected,  it  is  sin- 
gular that  they  should  not  have  been  at  once  referred  to 
the  nervous  system,  and  its  peculiar  animating  principle. 
Dr.  Cullen,  taking  the  hint  certainly  from  Hoffman, 
started,  as  usual,  into  a  track  at  once  bold,  comprehen- 
sive, and  original.  The  cold  stage  he  considers  as  the 
source  of  the  subsequent  phenomena;  and  this  he  sup- 
poses owing  to  debility.  A  state  of  debility  is  evident, 
he  thinks,  from  the  previous  symptoms  of  languor  and 
lassitude;  and  occasioned  by  some  sedative  powers,  which 
are  the  more  remote  causes  of  fevers.  These  diminish 
the  energy  of  theTsrain  and  the  whole  system,  particu- 
larly of  the  extreme  vessels  in  every  part,  inducing  the 
symptoms  of  the  cold  fit,  and  a  spasm  on  these  vessels. 
This  spasm  excites  the  action  of  the  sanguiferous  system 
by  the  intervention  of  the  vires  medicatrices  naturae, 
thus  restoring  the  energy  of  the  brain,  and  overcoming 
its  cause.  The  discharge  of  sweat,  and  the  relaxation 
of  all  the  excretory  vessels,  are  the  consequence. 

One  great  defect  in  this  system,  which  we  shall  first 
notice,  is,  that  the  return  of  the  paroxysms  is  not  ac- 
counted for.  Debility  confessedly  precedes  ;  but,  ac- 
cording to  this  doctrine,  the  debility  is  conquered.  The 
return  can  only  be  explained  then  by  the  cause  continu- 
ing to  act.  When  this  is  a  material  one,  as  marsh 
miasmata  or  contagion,  the  reason  may  be  admitted ; 
though  it  militates  against  a  succeeding  opinion  of  Dr. 
Cullen,  that,  when  once  the  disease  is  produced,  the 
influence  of  the  remote  cause  ceases.  When,  however, 
the  cause  is  not  material,  when  the  fever  is  excited  by 
emotions  or  passions,  the  explanation  will  not  avail;  but 
this  subject  we  shall  resume. 

In  this  system  the  production  of  spasm  by  debility  is 
an  isolated  fact,  without  a  support;  and  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  vires  medicatrices  naturae  is  the  interposition 
of  a  divinity  in  an  epic,  when  no  probable  resource  is  at 
hand.  Yet  each  may  be  perhaps  easily  reconciled  by  a 
little  change. 

Dr.  Darwin's  explanation  of  fever  is  less  distinct.  He 
considers  the  causes  as  producing  a  quiescence  of  the 
arteries,  and  the  subsequent  heat  as  an  exertion  of  the 
sensorial  power,  in  consequence  of  accumulated  irrita- 
bility. We  have  admitted  this  author's  principle  of  ac- 
cumulated irritability ;  but  have  some  doubts  whether  it 
is  applicable  to  this  purpose.  From  the  language  and  the 
illustrations  we  can  expect  no  further  increase  than  we 
have  found  of  previous  diminution;  no  more  can  be  col- 
lected than  has  been  lost:  but  what  proportion  does  the 
very  few  hours  shivering  bear  to  the  burning  heat  of 
seven  days,  during  which  the  shortest  inflammatory 
fever  continues  ?  Added  to  this,  at  the  end  of  fever  we 
find  every  symptom  of  exhausted  irritability,  as  if  not 
only  the  accumulation  was  expended,  but  the  former 
stock  diminished.  Again,  in  every  case  of  accumulated 
irritability,  some  time  is  required  for  the  temporary  re- 
pression. In  the  human  body  it  is  accumulated,  but 
in  no  extraordinary  degree,  after  some  hoars  sleep  ;  in 
eome  animals  after  the  torpor  of  a  whole  winter;  on  cap- 
tain Bligh's  crew,  after  weeks  of  abstinence  and  con- 


finement. These  facts  bear  no  proportion  to  the  short- 
ness of  the  cold  fit,  compared  with  the  continuation  of 
the  heat;  and,  though  it  be  admitted  in  a  certain  de- 
gree, it  must  be  with  some  modifications  and  explana- 
tions. 

We  have  often  hinted  that  we  differed  in  some  re- 
spects from  Dr.  Cullen,  and  shall  now  state  what  we 
think  a  more  probable  view  of  the  subject,  connecting, 
in  some  measure,  both  the  opinions  just  stated.  Not 
the  slightest  doubt  can  exist  but  that  the  first  symptoms 
of  fever  are  those  of  debility — of  a  debility  of  the  senso- 
rial power,  in  other  words,  of  the  energy  of  the  brain. 
This  may  arise  from  actual  or  from  partial  debility,  oc- 
casioning an  unequal  excitement  in  different  parts  of  the 
brain,  which  seems  to  produce  the  same  effects.  Under 
the  article  CONVULSIONS,  and  other  places,  we  have 
endeavoured  to  show  that  either  real  debility  or  un- 
equal excitement  is  the  cause  of  irregular  action  of  the 
muscles ;  and  this  appears  in  the  tremors  and  rigors, 
and  in  the  spasm  of  the  capillaries,  not  only  of  the  sur- 
face and  glands,  but  of  every  other  organ.  The  irrita- 
bility thus  accumulated  may  occasion  the  exertion  of 
the  sensorial  power;  but  the  heat,  for  the  reasons  as- 
signed, is  not  wholly  owing  to  this  exertion.  In  fact,  the 
greater  activity  of  this  power,  or  of  the  vires  medica- 
trices, implies  increased  energy;  but  through  the  whole 
course  of  fever  we  see  only  debility,  and  its  conse- 
quence, irregular  action.  Even  the  boasted  sensorial 
power  is  weakened,  or  irregularly  exerted ;  and  while 
the  sanguiferous  system  acts  with  vigour,  the  voluntary 
muscles  and  the  brain  show  every  mark  of  diminished 
energy.  There  is  then  no  contest  between  these  rivals, 
the  spasm  and  the  vires  medicatrices ;  but  the  debility 
continues,  though  varied  in  its  form. 

Obstruction  to  the  circulation  increases  its  activity; 
for  the  vessels  are  excited  by  distention,  and,  when  the 
extent  of  the  circuit  is  curtailed,  those  behind  act  with 
greater  energy.  Thus  tying  up  the  finger  will  bring  on 
inflammation  in  the  whole  hand.  While,  then,  the  ac- 
cumulated irritability  first  excites  the  sensorial  power, 
the  spasm  contributes  to  accelerate  the  circulation;  and, 
in  the  weakened  state  of  the  brain,  this  increased  action 
diminishes  the  nervous  power  in  other  parts  of  the  body. 
The  paroxysm  is  closed  by  the  spasm  relaxing,  since 
there  is  no  instance  of  continued  spasm,  except  by  con- 
tinued irritation;  and  the  spasm  relaxes  at  different  pe- 
riods by  the  laws  established  in  the  system,  which  \vc 
explained  under  the  article  DI^ETA.  It  is  a  fact,  that 
fevers  attack  at  the  periods  of  the  regular  exacerba- 
tion, and  yield  at  the  times  these  constantly  regular  pa- 
roxysms are  resolved.  Every  paroxysm  is  either  re- 
solved or  remits  at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours  ;  the 
diurnal  revolution,  established  by  the  regularly  return- 
ing periods  of  sleep  and  watching ;  the  discharge  of  the 
alvine  excretions,  of  appetite,  Sec.  It  is  not  so  easy  to  as- 
sign a  reason  why,  in  a  fever  consisting  of  successive  pa- 
roxysms, the  disease  should  yield  only  at  a  given  time  ; 
except  that  a  septenary  period  prevails,  at  the  end  of 
which  the  solutions  of  the  usual  exacerbations  are  more 
perfect.  Of  this,  however,  we  have  no  certain  evidence. 

It  appears  singular  that  increased  action  should  ever 
have  formed  a  part  of  the  theory  of  fevers.  It  is  ob- 
vious in  the  sanguiferous  system;  but  the  opposite  state 
is  singularly  conspicuous  in  every  other  part.  Even 
when  in  delirium,  the  voluntary  muscles  are,  for  a  time, 


F  E 


645 


FEE 


violently  exerted ;  it  is  the  energy  of  a  moment,  generally 
accompanied  with  tremor,  and  succeeded  by  the  most 
considerable  debility.  A  tone,  an  apparent  temporary 
strength,  is  seemingly  kept  up  by  fever,  as  greater 
weakness  is  felt  at  its  solution  than  during  its  course. 
But  it  can  only  be  said,  that,  if  the  debility  is  in  excess 
afterwards,  it  is  considerable  while  the  disease  con- 
tinues ;  and  this  apparent  tone  is  evidently  kept  up  by 
the  increased  action  of  the  vessels  in  the  brain,  from 
which  also  the  delirium  proceeds.  In  short,  after 
watching  fevers  with  attention  for  thirty-five  years,  we 
have  never  seen  any  appearance  of  increased  action, 
except  in  the  sanguiferous  system,  and  even  in  these 
vessels  the  circulation  is  not  apparently  free. 

It  has  been  objected  to  the  doctrine  of  spasm,  that 
sweats  are  sometimes  copious.  Undoubtedly,  at  the 
first  view,  the  argument  seems  invincible.  Yet,  if  we 
examine  fevers,  we  shall  usually  find  the  skin  dry  and 
hot.  If  we  press  the  palms  of  the  hand,  though  the 
hand  appear  otherwise  cool,  a  heat  will  be  felt  there: 
and  the  impression  communicated  to  the  fingers  is  not 
the  soft  unctuous  feel  of  the  healthy  skin,  but  the 
harshness  of  dry  parchment  somewhat  warmed.  In  the 
profusest  sweat,  excited  by  stimulants,  the  same  sensa- 
tion is  perceptible  ;  and  as  we  find  this  so  constantly  in 
fevers ;  as  we  find,  too,  that  such  sweats  not  only  do 
not  relieve,  but  add  to  the  oppression,  while  the  soft 
healthy  perspiration  is  attended  with  freedom  and  cheer- 
fulness ;  we  have  been  led  to  think  these  cutaneous  eva- 
cuations arise  from  different  sources.  We  have  pointed 
out  the  distinction  under  the  article  DIAPHORETICA  ; 
but  whatever  be  the  opinion  formed  of  it,  the  proper 
perspiration  certainly  does  not  come  on  till  the  solu- 
tion of  fever,  and  it  is  equally  certain  that  sweating 
does  not  supply  its  place. 

The  objection  that  debility  is  not  a  cause,  since 
great  debility  often  occurs  without  fever  following, 
is  of  still  less  importance.  In  this  case  the  sensorial 
power  is  affected;  the  energy  of  the  brain  is  lessened. 
In  hectics,  in  dropsy,  and  in  the  various  nervous  dis- 
eases where  the  debility  is  very  considerable,  the  vital 
and  animal  functions  only  suffer:  the  mind  remains  free 
and  unaffected.  In  fever,  the  alienation  of  mind  oc- 
curs in  the  first  attack;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  in 
hectics  the  mind  only  suffers  during  the  paroxysm. 

The  principal  effect  of  this  state  of  debility,  inde- 
pendent of  the  irregular  action,  which  is  its  most  con- 
stant consequence,  appears  to  be  the  altered  determina- 
tion. The  fluids  are  confined  to  the  larger  vessels ;  and 
as  the  veins,  which,  by  their  union,  form  the  vena  portae, 
have  no  power  of  impelling  the  increased  load,  it  is 
chiefly  felt  in  the  liver.  We  pointed  out  also  the  ap- 
parent anxiety  of  nature  to  keep  the  vessels  of  the  brain 
in  a  state  of  sufficient  tension,  and  the  structure  of  the 
sinuses  adapted  for  this  purpose.  It  will  be  obvious, 
from  these  considerations,  that  the  head  also  should 
largely  share  in  this  accumulation.  These  circum- 
stances should  be  kept  fully  in  view,  as  they  are  of  the 
greatest  importance  in  practice.  From  debility,  then, 
and  an  altered  determination,  or,  in  other  words,  from  a 
change  in  the  balance  of  the  circulation,  all  the  ap- 
pearances'in  fevers  may  be  deduced.  When,  at  the  con- 
clusion, an  apparently  putrid  dissolution  of  the  blood 
takes  place,  it  is  owing  to  a  diminution  of  the  principle 


of  life,  which  alone  prevents  the  usual  changes  of  dead 
animal  matter  taking  place  in  the  living  system. 

^  hen  fevers  were  supposed  to  consist  in  increased 
action,  the  REMOTE  CAUSES  were  sought  in  stimuli 
of  every  kind;  but  if  stimulus  would  alone  produce 
fever,  exercise  and  heat  would  be  its  most  frequent 
causes,  and  common  language  might  be  safely  trans- 
ferred to  science.  But  if  the  effects  of  exercise  and 
heat  are  fevers,  fever  is  not  a  disease  ;  for  the  warmth 
and  accelerated  circulation  produce  no  inconvenience, 
no  function  is  injured,  and,  with  common  precautions, 
they  disappear  without  the  slightest  inconvenience. 
More  attentive  observation  has  shown  the  remote 
causes  to  be  contagion,  and  the  effluvia  from  marshes; 
nor  do  we  distinctly  see  the  exclusive  operation  of  any- 
other,  at  least  of  very  few  others. 

Contagion,  in  this  place,  has  a  very  extensive  mean- 
ing. If  many  men  are  confined  in  a  comparatively  small 
place,  their  health  is  gradually  undermined;  their  com- 
plexions become  sallow ;  their  appetite  and  spirits  fail. 
No  real  disease  may  be  observable  in  them ;  yet,  to 
others,  they  will  sometimes  in  this  state  communicate 
fever,  and  fever  will  appear  to  arise  spontaneously 
among  themselves.  We  see  that  this  poison  under- 
mines the  springs  of  life ;  and  though  its  gradual  increase 
accustoms  its  action,  yet  in  another  it  will  produce  the 
disease.  When  the  fever  is  actually  formed,  it  is  well 
known  that  it  may  be  communicated  by  its  effluvia. 
Another  kind  of  contagion  produced  in  the  body,  is 
that  of  purulent  matter  absorbed  from  an  abscess.  This 
we  know  from  its  effects  to  be  of  an  highly  sedative  na- 
ture ;  and  we  have  much  reason  to  think  that  it  may,  in 
some  cases,  be  communicated  to  others  by  effluvia. 

There  are  various  peculiar  and  distinct  contagions, 
which  excite  fevers  of  a  particular  form,  attended  with 
cutaneous  affections.  The  jail  and  hospital  fever  may 
be  considered  as  the  consequence  of  a  peculiar  conta- 
gion ;  but  no  cutaneous  inflammation  is  the  conse- 
quence. The  plague  connects  this  with  the  other 
exanthemata ;  but  in  each  the  prior  appearance  of  fever, 
often  with  peculiar  marks  of  debility,  shows  that  the 
virus  is  of  a  sedative  nature.  The  profluvia  of  Dr. 
Cullen  also  arise  from  contagious  effluvia  peculiarly 
their  own. 

The  effluvia  from  marshes  is  now  fully  ascertained  to 
be  a  remote  cause  of  epidemics,  and  of  some  of  the  most 
destructive  debilitating  kinds.  Their  sedative  tendency 
is,  therefore,  sufficiently  obvious ;  and,  as  they  proba- 
bly consist  of  hydrogenous  gas,  which  destroys  the 
irritability  of  the  fibres,  its  real  nature  may  be  easily 
understood.  Marshes  covered  with  water  are  not  inju- 
rious ;  but  when  the  earth  begins  to  appear  above  the 
water  the  epidemics  commence. 

Bile  has  been  enumerated  among  the  remote  causes  ; 
but  its  appearance  may  be  easily  accounted  for  from 
the  explanations  already  given.  When  we  know  it  to 
be  diseased,  either  in  quantity  or  quality,  symptoms 
very  different  from  fever  arise. 

Putrid  vegetable  substances  have  been  supposed  to 
exhale  effluvia  injurious  to  life,  and  to  be  particularly 
active  in  producing  the  worst  fevers.  This  we  believe 
to  be  sometimes  the  case;  but  they  more  frequently 
give  some  peculiarity  to  the  nature  of  the  fever,  ren- 
dering it  more  asthenic  or  putrefactive. 


ENC 


646 


E'NC 


Cold  is  undoubtedly  also  a  remote  cause  ;  but  in  pro- 
ducing fever  it  must  be  actively  applied  while  the  body  is 
heated,  and  the  effects  can  only  be  considered  at  length 
when  we  treat  of  inflammation.  It  is,  however,  espe- 
cially when  united  with  moisture,  an  exciting  cause. 
See  CAUSA,  COLD,  and  CONTAGION. 

Fevers,  from  a  variety  of  circumstances  often  not 
easily  explained,  assume  many  different  forms.  Every 
fever  seems  to  consist  of  distinct  paroxysms,  almost  uni- 
versally concluded  within  twenty-four  hours;  and  the 
existence  of  a  continent  fever,  one  which  proceeds  with- 
out any  changes,  is  not  at  present  admitted.  To  the 
termination  of  each  paroxysm  within  twenty-four  hours 
there  have  been  some  objections ;  but  the  fallacy  arises 
from  the  existence  of  double  tertians,  or  the  combina- 
tion of  two  kinds  of  intermittents.  In  these  cases  the 
cold  fit  of  the  second  disease  sometimes  attacks  in  the 
middle  of  the  hot  fit  of  the  former,  and  thus  in  appear- 
ance protracts  the  paroxysm.  Many  such  instances  are 
recorded  by  Torli  and  Scnac. 

Fevers,  then,  may  be  divided  into  those  which  have 
distinct  paroxysms,  and  those  in  which  the  accessions 
and  terminations  are  less  distinct.  The  first  include 
the  INTERMITTENTS  and  REMITTENTS  ;  the  second  the 

CONTINUED    FEVERS. 

The  symptoms  of  intermitteuts  are  the  regular  pa- 
roxysms, which  we  have  described.  When  these  dege- 
nerate into  remittents,  the  cold  fit  becomes  shorter,  and 
is  less  distinctly  marked ;  the  heat  is  less  considerable, 
and  longer  protracted;  the  sweat  comes  on;  but  before 
the  complete  termination  another  attack  supervenes. 
In  the  more  continued  forms  we  lose  the  attack,  and  in 
some  degree  the  solution,  by  sweat.  We  find  only 
occasional  exacerbations  of  heat,  and  remissions  in 
which  the  pulse  is  more  soft  and  full ;  the  hands  cooler 
aud  more  moist. 

In  every  attack  of  a  continued  fever  we  find,  in  the 
commencement,  apparent  remissions,  particularly  in 
the  morning.  The  day  passes  with  tolerable  ease;  the 
patient  thinks  his  disease  at  an  end,  and  the  physician 
flatters  himself  that  he  has  been  too  soon  alarmed.  The 
succeeding  evening,  however,' ends  the  delusion,  and 
each  following  morning  the  remission  is  less  distinct ; 
though  on  every  morning  there  is  usually  a  visible 
amendment. 

In  the  early  state  of  a  continued  fever  there  are  often 
wandering  pains,  which  have  been  considered  as  rheu- 
matic; and  we  suspect  have  occasioned  the  nosologists 
to  introduce  the  genus  synochus.  These  pains  are  ap- 
parently often  the  tensive  ones,  which  we  have  attributed 
to  irregular  action  ;  but  they  are  undoubtedly  sometimes 
rheumatic,  and  have  occasionally,  as  in  one  of  the  epi- 
demic nervous  fevers  described  by  Sydenham,  attacked 
the  chest,  with  pleuritic  or  peripneumonic  symptoms. 
Much  inconvenience  has  arisen  from  this  symptom, 
since  it  has  led  to  bleeding  in  fevers  of  the  worst 
tendency.  We  recollect,  indeed,  but  one  epidemic  in 
•which  similar  pains  were  wholly  absent,  and  this  was 
a  malignant  remittent  at  Breslaw,  described  by  De 
Haen,  on  the  attack  of  which,  even  previous  rheumatic 
pains  disappeared. 

When  these  symptoms  no  longer  occur,  continued 
fevers  proceed  many  days,  with  little  change.  Symp- 
toms of  debility,  to  be  described  by  the  prognosis,  in- 


crease ;  the  head  becomes  more  loaded ;  the  patient 
more  insensible,  or  more  delirious;  the  character  of  the 
features  is  lost,  or  they  are  enlarged  so  as  to  disguise 
every  former  appearance.  The  pulse  becomes  more 
quick;  the  abdomen  more  distended ;  stools  at  times 
less  frequent,  but  occasionally  numerous,  watery,  and 
involuntary ;  the  tendons  of  the  wrist  more  tense,  and 
sometimes  starting  with  a  convulsive  motion.  The 
tongue,  at  first  brown  only  in  the  middle,  is  dry,  furred, 
and  of  a  dark  red  or  a  livid  colour.  Its  action  is  lost, 
and  the  patient  can  either  not  put  it  out,  or  it  is  pushed 
forward  with  an  unequal,  tremulous  exertion.  The 
edges,  which  for  some  time  continue  moist,  are  at  last 
equally  dry  with  the  rest;  and,  for  examination,  it  must 
be  drawn  by  the  fingers  beyond' the  teeth,  and  replaced. 
The  inability  to  swallow  keeps  pace  with  the  changes 
in  the  tongue,  and  at  last  the  power  of  deglutition  is 
wholly  lost.  The  insensibility  increases ;  the  starting  of 
the  tendons  is  followed  by  convulsive  catchings ;  the 
patient  attempts  to  pick  off  some  objects  from  the  bed- 
clothes, then  sinks  into  insensibility,  from  which  he  is 
only  roused  by  the  last  convulsive  struggles. 

This  is  a  faithful  picture  of  the  general  progress  of 
continued  fever,  either  fatal  from  its  violence,  from  ne- 
glect, or  from  improper  treatment.  In  more  favourable 
circumstances,  or  with  proper  management,  the  head  is 
less  loaded  ;  the  tension  of  the  epigastrium  is  inconsider- 
able ;  the  tongue  continues  clean  at  the  edges ;  some 
refreshing  sleep  is  obtained  every  day ;  and,  about  the 
fourteenth,  after  an  unusually  restless  night,  sleep  more 
sound  and  natural  occurs  ;  the  pulse  becomes  softer  and 
slower;  the  edges  of  the  tongue  appear  of  a  more  healthy 
redness ;  the  palms  of  the  hands  more  moist ;  the  recol  - 
lection  clearer.  Sometimes  these  changes  are  very 
gradual,  and  the  experienced  practitioner  perceives 
them  two  or  three  days  before  they  are  conspicuous  to 
the  attendants.  It  is,not  uncommon  to  find  the  first  ap- 
pearances of  returning  health  in  a  whimsical  capricious 
appetite.  The  patient  wishes  for  something  savoury. 
If  brought,  it  is  rejected  with  disgust.  The  next  object 
may  be  more  singular,  and  this  may  be  tasted ;  a  small 
portion  of  the  next  is  perhaps  swallowed.  In  other  in- 
stances, some  particular  food,  very  frequently  that  least 
pleasing  when  in  health,  is  eagerly  longed  for,  and  as 
voraciously  devoured,  without  injury.  In  general,  to 
long  for  a  particular  food  is  a  favourable  symptom,  and 
a  certain  proof  of  returning  health. 

Intermittents  and  remittents  arise  from  the  same 
causes,  are  relieved  by  thesamc  remedies, and  pass  into 
each  other.  In  the  former  the  intermissions  are  dis- 
tinct, and  no  inconsiderable  period  intervenes  in  which 
the  patient  is  free  from  fever;  but  on  some  occasions, 
from  different  causes,  this  period  is  considerably  re- 
stricted. Double  intermittents,  in  the  circumstances 
just  assigned,  often  assume  the  form  of  remittents ;  but 
the  error  which  this  confusion  would  occasion  will 
produce  no  practical  mischief. 

It  is  a  general  fact,  that  the  longer  the  paroxysms  are 
protracted,  they  are  sooner  repeated ;  as  well  as  that  the 
access  and  the  fever  are  violent,  in  proportion  to  the  short- 
ness of  their  duration.  From  this  universal  law,  it  is  easy 
to  see  how  intermittents,  particularly  quotidians,  become 
remittents,  and,  in  their  progress,  continued  fevers. 
Dr.  Cullen  explains  the  variety  by  the  proportional 


F  E  B 


641 


FEB 


.igthof  the  opponents,  spasm  and  reaction,  in  dif- 
ferent circumstances.  It  seems  to  us  to  depend  rather 
on  the  weakness  of  the  cause.  The  fever  comes  on 
with  the  usual  diurnal  period  of  febrile  exacerbation, 
remits  with  its  decline,  and  disappears  on  its  solu- 
tion. There  is,  however,  a  regularity  which  is  not 
easily  explicable.  The  quotidian  attacks  with  the  morn- 
ing exacerbation,  the  tertian  with  the  noon,  and  the 
quartan  with  the  evening.  Are  these  diseases  of  dif- 
ferent violence  in  the  same  order  ?  There  is  no  other 
evidence  of  such  an  opinion  than  this,  that  the  quoti- 
dian is  in  general  the  milder,  and  the  quartan  the  more 
obstinate  disease;  but  the  appearance  of  each,  in  dis- 
tinct epidemics,  is  so  striking,  that  there  is  little  de- 
pendance  on  such  reasoning,  and  we  must  leave  it  with 
the  numerous  arcana  of  the  medical  science. 

Remittents,  we  have  said,  are  diseases  in  every  re- 
spect similar  to  intermittents,  except  that  fever  is  never 
wholly  absent;  yet  there  is  one  remittent  which  nosolo- 
gists  have  reluctantly  admitted,  and  one  which,  in  a  na- 
tural system,  imperiously  demands  admission :  the  first 
is  the  irregular  intermittent  or  remittent,  the  erratica,  and 
the  second  the  hectic.  So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  in- 
vestigate the  former,  it  is  only  an  irregular  hectic,  either 
from  visceral  obstructions,  or  from  absorbed  matter; 
and  the  latter  is  well  known  to  proceed  from  the  ab- 
sorption of  pus. 

The  continued  fevers  are  probably  quotidians  only, 
with  protracted  paroxysms.  In  these  what  is  styled  re- 
action is  not  considerable,  and  this  certainly  proves  an 
increased  action  of  a  debilitating  power ;  in  other  words, 
the  introduction  of  a  more  deleterious  poison.  The 
worst  fevers  are  introduced  by  the  longest  cold,  and  the 
mildest  by  the  most  violent  rigors:  a  circumstance  which 
leads  Dr.  Cullen  to  conclude,  with  great  apparent  rea- 
son, that  the  rigor  is  an  effect,  probably  a  measure,  of 
the  reaction.  Perhaps  the  explanation  is  nearer  the  sur- 
face :  the  reaction  is  in  proportion  to  the  irritability;  and 
a  powerful  debilitating  cause  will  not  only  weaken  the 
sensorial  power,  but  impair  the  irritability  also.  We  have 
decisive  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this  explanation,  since 
those  who  die  rapidly  from  fevers  have  the  irritability 
of  the  muscles  destroyed  as  completely  as  those  who  are 
struck  by  lightning.  On  the  opposite  side,  it  does  not 
appear  that  the  diathesis  phlogistica  greatly  increases  the 
spasm,  since  the  true  inflammatory  fevers  are  the  short- 
est. Irritability,  we  know,  is  not  in  proportion  to  the 
inflammatory  diathesis  ;  and  we  should  not,  from  our 
views,  suppose  such, fevers  peculiarly  obstinate. 

We  are  unwilling  to  admit  any  other  variations  of 
simple  fever,  since  those  introduced  by  medical  authors 
seem  to  be  only  accidental  varieties.  Indeed  we  consi- 
der fever  as  a  more  simple  disease  than  it  is  usually  re- 
presented ;-and  shall  endeavour  to  show,  that  what  are 
termed  genera  are  only,  in  a  strict  systematic  view, 
species,  and  the  reputed  species,  varieties.  But  these 
considerations  must  not  now  interrupt  us.  The  princi- 
pal distinctions,  in  the  bestworks,  have  been  into  bilious 
and  fiutrid 'fevers;  the  former  comprehending  the  yellow 
fevers  in  all  the  variety  of  denomination ;  the  latter  the 
malignant,  the  petechial,  &c.  &c.  The  bilious  fevers 
are,  however,  those  of  the  tertian  type,  distinguished  by 
evacuations  of  bile,  from  the  causes  formerly  explained  ; 
and  the  autumnal  remittents  of  warm  climates.  The 
putrid  fevers  are  the  worst  kinds  of  the  jail  and  hospital 


fevers,  where  the  deficiency  of  the  vis  vitse  no  longer 
checks  the  tendency  of  animal  substances  to  putrefac- 
tion ;  and  where,  in  some  instances,  even  a  septic  fer- 
ment may  be  suspected. 

The  PROGNOSIS  of  fevers  has  occupied  many  vo- 
lumes. We  can  give  only  the  outline.  Consistently 
with  the  views  offered,  our  prognostics  must  be  taken 
from  the  signs  and  degree  of  debility,  or  the  diminution 
of  irritability.  When  Dr.  Cullen  endeavours  to  antici- 
pate the  event  by  the  degree  of  reaction,  he  betrays 
the  weakness  of  his  system,  as  this  state  affords  few 
prognostics,  and  those  rather  to  be  attributed  to  debility. 
When  congestions  in  the  head  or  in  the  lungs,  for  in- 
stance, occasion  effusion  or  rupture,  these  only  occur  in 
the  last  stage  of  a  protracted  disease,  though  attributed 
by  him  to  the  violence  of  reaction. 

Our  prognostic  must  then  be  taken  from  the  degree 
of  debility.  This  is  obvious  often  to  the  sight:  and  the 
young  practitioner  should  exercise  his  acuteness  by  care- 
ful and  attentive  observation  at  the  bedside.  Every  cir- 
cumstance which  regards  a  patient  in  a  fever  will  give 
him  information.  The  situation  of  the  patient  is  dan- 
gerous,^ the  character  of  the  countenance  is  soon  lost; 
if  the  eyes  apparently  glare  on  vacancy ;  if  the  answers 
are  rambling  and  incoherent ;  if  slight,  partial,  involun- 
tary contractions  occur  in  the  features ;  if  the  tongue 
trembles,  or  is  soon  dry  and  dark ;  if  he  soon  declines 
turning  on  his  sides,  lies  on  his  back,  and  sinks  down  on 
his  bed  ;  if  the  extremities  are  cold  and  benumbed  ;  if 
the  tendons  are  particularly  tense,  and  occasionally 
start ;  and  if  he  appears  to  pick  off  or  remove  any  dark 
spots  on  the  bedclothes,  or  wishes  some  supposed  dark 
object  to  be  removed.  Each  of  these  symptoms  isamark 
of  debility ;  and  the  earlier  they  occur  in  fever,  the  dan- 
ger is  greater. 

In  the  vital  functions  there  are  many  marks  of  consi- 
derable debility  ,which  prognosticate  a  dangerous  disease. 
These  are  a  very  quick,  low,  intermitting  pulse ;  fre- 
quent faintings,  particularly  on  being  raised  to  an  erect 
position;  short  and  inefficient  respiration.  The  fre- 
quency of  the  pulse  is  relative,  and  the  degree  which 
denotes  danger  uncertain.  An  irritable  female  will 
often,  from  the  beginning,  have  a  pulse  from  108  to 
120  ;  and  the  pulse  of  a  very  old  person,  in  a  dangerous 
state,  may  not  exceed  80.  If,  however,  in  the  first 
eight  or  ten  days  of  a  fever,  the  pulse  exceed  112, 
there  is  danger,  unless  the  constitution  be  otherwise  ir- 
ritable. If,  at  any  period,  it  exceed  1 20,  serious  appre- 
hensions of  the  event  may  be  entertained.  If  it  strike 
the  finger  weakly,  and  can  be  stopped  by  a  slight  pres- 
sure, it  is  a  mark  of  great  debility.  On  the  contrary,  a 
weak  pulse  will  be  sometimes  apparently  strong.  It 
seems  to  throb,  or  the  artery,  on  its  dilatation,  hangs 
reluctantly  on  the  finger,  as  if  unwilling  to  leave  it ;  and 
the  apparent  strength  of  the  impression  appears  to  be 
caused  by  irritation.  This  is  a  state,  however,  only  to  be 
learned  by  experience ;  and  we  would  recommend  the 
most  careful  attention  to  the  state  of  the  pulse  in  every 
period  of  fever,  not  the  mere  number  counted  by  the 
stop  watch.  This  is  a  little  parade  of  which  young  phy- 
sicians are  fond  ;  but  the  experienced  practitioner  dis- 
covers more  in  the  peculiar  beat  of  the  artery  than  any 
watch  will  convey. 

In  the  natural  functions,  the  symptoms  which  show 
considerable  debility  are  sickness  and  vomiting  ;  a  dif- 


FEB 


648 


FEB 


ficulty  of  deglutition  ;  and  involuntary  discharges.  Of 
these  the  vomiting  is  least  dangerous;  and  difficult 
deglutition  most  so.  Involuntary  discharges  we  have 
known  to  continue  for  more  than  a  week,  and  the  pa- 
tients have  recovered.  Sometimes  deglutition  is  difficult, 
merely  from  the  state  of  the  tongue,  which  is  occasion- 
ally hard,  shrunk,  and  immoveable.  Formidable  as  this 
symptom  may  appear,  we  have  not  found  it  dangerous. 
At  this  moment  a  man  is  recovering,  whose  tongue  was 
not  only  as  just  described,  but  of  the  most  livid  black- 
ness. 

We  have  mentioned,  among  the  symptoms  of  de- 
bility, a  partial  palsy  in  the  retina ;  for  to  this  is  owing 
the  appearance  of  small  black  bodies  which  the  patient 
wishes  to  pluck  off'.  An  equally,  perhaps  a  more,  dan- 
gerous symptom  is  double  vision.  Deafness  has  been 
esteemed  a  favourable  sign  :  we  can  at  least  observe 
that  we  have  not  found  it  unfavourable.  Depraved  taste 
is  very  common,  and  offers  no  particular  prognostic. 

We  have  said  that  a  putrid  state  of  the  fluids  is  a 
sign  of  considerable  debility.  This  is  ascertained  by 
effusions  of  blood  from  the  different  organs,  without  any 
peculiar  commotion  in  the  system;  dark  spots  on  the 
skin,  of  different  sizes ;  sometimes  dark  or  livid  stripes, 
like  weals  from  the  lash  of  a- whip;  effusions  of  yellow 
serum ;  but,  above  all,  by  a  cadaverous  offcnsiveness  of 
the  breath,  sweat,  urine,  and  the  other  excretions. 

If,  however,  in  a  fever,  the  pulse,  during  the  first  ten 
days,  does  not  exceed  108  ;  if  the  expression  of  the 
countenance  is  unchanged  ;  if  the  subsultus  of  the  ten- 
dons do  not  come  on;  if  the  mind  is  steady  and  unruffled; 
the  sleep,  though  short  and  interrupted,  refreshing,  and 
the  patient  is  sensible  of  having  slept ;  if  the  tongue  is 
clean  at  the  edges  ;  the  epigastric  region  neither  tense 
nor  painful;  if  the  patient  lies  on  either  side,  and 
awakes  without  hurry  or  confusion  ;  we  may  prognosti- 
cate a  safe  termination.  But  every  prognosis  in  fevers 
should  be  made  with  much  hesitation  and  reserve.  Many 
accidents  occur  in  the  progress,  which  the  greatest 
acuteness  cannot  foresee,  nor  the  most  guarded  caution 
prevent. 

We  have  said  "during  the  first  ten  days,"  because  we 
are  convinced  that  fevers  proceed  in  a  regular  course, 
and  that  the  changes  happen  on  the  days  usually  styled 
critical,  as  already  explained  (see  CRISES).  In  the 
more  usual  cases  of  fevers  that  we  observe,  if  the  dis- 
ease is  properly  managed  in  its  earlier  period,  and  the 
circumstances  are  on  the  whole  favourable,  there  are 
few  instances  in  which  a  salutary  change  does  not  take 
place  on  the. fourteenth  day.  Where  this  is  not  observ- 
able, a  gradual  amendment  takes  place,  which  is  clearly 
conspicuous  on  the  seventeenth,  and  the  fever  has  dis- 
appeared before  the  twentieth.  In  common  fevers  we 
have  not  found  the  disease  grow  worse  after  the  tenth 
day  ;  and  if  no  aphthae  or  any  unexpected  accident  oc- 
cur from  that  period,  we  have  usually  led  the  friends  to 
expect  a  favourable  termination. 

Prognostics  are  also  occasionally  derived  from  the 
pulse,  the  urine,  and  the  tongue.  We  have  already 
mentioned  the  judgment  which  we  may  form  from  the 
number  of  pulsations  ;  but  numerous  other  changes  oc- 
casionally occur,  scarcely  to  be  conveyed  by  description, 
and  which  have  been  pointed  out  by  the  ancients  as  in- 
dicating particular  critical  discharges.  Galen,  it  is  said, 
on  feeling  the  pulse,  called  immediately  for  a  basin, 


which  was  scarcely  brought  when  the  blood  gushed 
from  the  nose.  Critical  discharges  are,  in  this  climate, 
less  common  ;  nor  can  we  easily  distinguish  the  variety 
of  pulses  which  authors  have  described.  In  general, 
the  favourable  signs  are,  a  pulse  more  soft,  somewhat 
fuller,  and  in  a  slight  degree  more  slow :  they  seldom, 
at  the  first  change,  sink  considerably  in  number.  The 
unfavourable  signs  are,  a  more  thready  pulse,  as  if  the 
artery  was  smaller,  pulsations  quick,  weak,  and  irregu- 
lar. The  redoubled  pulse,  which  strikes  the  finger  twice 
during  the  space  of  one  diastole,  we  have  seen  in  two 
instances,  without  its  being  followed  by  any  particular 
change. 

The  state  of  the  urine  has  also  afforded  numerous 
prognostics,  and  the  discrimination  of  its  clouds,  its  se- 
diment, &x.  have  been  peculiarly  minute.  The  greater 
number  of  these  appearances  may  be  disregarded.  In 
general,  a  scum  on  the  top,  in  the  early  period  of  fevers, 
seems  to  show  considerable  debility ;  and  we  have  usually- 
found  such  fevers  slow  and  tedious.  A  cloud,  suspended 
at  first  near  the  top,  and  afterwards  falling  lower  till  it 
in  succession  reaches  the  bottom,  of  the  glass,  are  favour- 
able signs ;  and  a  suspended  cloud,  previous  to  the  four- 
teenth day,  shows  that  the  disease  will  terminate  at  that 
period.  If  it  appear  after  the  fourteenth  day,  the  dis- 
ease terminates  at  the  twenty-first,  gradually  lessening 
on  the  intervening  days.  The  red  sediment  is  almost 
peculiar  to  intermittents  and  gouty  habits;  but  a  salu- 
tary sediment  is  usually  of  a  reddish  cast,  though  it  is 
sometimes  white,  and  of  the  consistence  of  mucus. 

The  appearances  on  the  tongue  are  more  obvious. 
The  fur  on  the  tongue,  in  fevers,  is  a  change  which' 
takes  place  in  its  papillae  :  it  is  by  no  means,  as  has  been 
represented,  inspissated  mucus  ;  nor  will  any  rubbing 
take  it.  away.  The  fur  first  appears  in  the  back  part  of 
the  tongue,  and  extends  from  thence  in  a  long  stripe 
through  the  middle.  For  many  days  the  top  and  the 
edges  are  clean,  the  ftir  white,  or  of  a  light  brown.  Af- 
ter some  time  the  colour  becomes  dark,  and  often,  at 
last,  the  whole  tongue  dry,  hard,  insensible,  and  inca- 
pable of  motion.  The  first  favourable  change  is  a  little 
softness  at  its  edge,  or  tip,  which  gradually  extends  in  a 
direction  opposite  to  „  that  in  which  the  tongue  was 
covered.  Every  softness  is  not,  however,  equally  fa- 
vourable. About  the  eighth  or  tenth  day  the  tongue 
will  sometimes  grow  soft,  and  apparently  clean  ;  but 
instead  of  the  healthy  speckled  appearance,  it  is  uni- 
formly red  and  shining.  In  these  circumstances  it  again 
grows  dry,  but  not  furred;  and  this  usually  happens 
when  the  fever  is  protracted  to  the  twentieth  day.  A 
blackness  of  the  tongue  is  considered  as  a  fatal  symp- 
tom ;  but  we  have  seen  in  such  circumstances  as  many 
recoveries  as  deaths. 

The  cure  of  fever  is  a  subject  of  peculiar  difficulty, 
and  to  examine  it  in  all  its  details  would  extend  this 
article  very  far  beyond  its  due  proportion.  •  We  shall 
prefer  giving  a  comprehensive  outline;  and  will  ad- 
mit that  we  have  unreasonably  misspent  the  reader's 
time,  if  the  whole  that  has  been  said  on  this  subject  does 
not  shorten  and  elucidate  our  present  inquiry. 

The  first  question  which  arises  is,  whether  fever  is  a 
disease  or  a  remedy?  Had  not  this  been  started  by 
authors  of  credit,  it  would  have  appeared  too  ridiculous 
to  have  merited  a  moment's  notice.  In  fact  there  is 
but  one  case  in  which  increased  heat  has  been  suspected 


FEU 


64  y 


of  a  salutary  tendency;   viz.  in   cases  of  obstruction. 
The  old  opinion  was,  that  obstructions  in  the  liver,  or 
other  viscera,  arisingJYom  agues  improperly  or  prema- 
turely stopped,  might  be  removed  by  a  return  of  the 
fever.     They  might  be,  perhaps,  removed  by  a  more 
judicious  treatment  of  the  disease  ;  but  the  fever  itself 
would  rather  tend  to  increase  them.     Another  case  in 
which   increased  action   of   the   sanguiferous    system 
seems  of  service  is  palsy  ;  and  it  was  the  former  practice 
to  increase  the  heat,  which  .after  a  few  hours  from  the 
:xt  tr.ck  supervenes,  by  stimulants  of  every  kind.  Modern 
refinement  has  anxiously  endeavoured  to  remove  ple- 
thora, or  congestion,  previous  to  the  stimulating  plan; 
but  their  success  has  not,  we  think,  kept  pace  with  the 
plausibility  of  the  idea  ;  and  the  former  practice,  ex- 
'  in  the  young  and  the  strong,  who  are  very  rarely 
victims  of  such  a  complaint,  seems  more  advantageous. 
As  we  have  stated  that  fevers  consist  in  debility,  it 
may  be  supposed  that  our  cure  is  simple  ;  and  that  the 
modern  practice  of  "  throwing  in"  the  bark  will  be  at 
once  enforced.     Tonics,  however,   act  chiefly  on   the 
moving  fibres,  and  remotely,  as  well  as  weakly,  on  the 
nervous  system  ;  but  the  debility  of  fevers  is  that  of  the 
sensorial  power,  which,  from  the  views  stated  (see  CE- 
REBRUM), we  cannot  separate  from  the  medullary  system 
of  the  brain.     If,  however,  our  tonics  were  effectual  in 
ring  activity  to  this  part  of  the  body,  they  would 
be  inadmissible  in  these  diseases. 

The  first  effect  of  the  debility  is,  we  have  said,  to 
confine  the  fluids  to  the  larger  vessels,  particularly,  for 
the  reasons  assigned,  to  the  liver  and  brain.  No  axiom 
in  medicine  is,  however,  more  certain,  than  that  to 
constringe  over  distended  vessels  is  to  add  to  their  de- 
bility. For  such  reasons,  in  all  cases  of  plethora,  par- 
ticularly where  it  is  connected  with  an  inflammatory  dis- 
position; in  all  cases  of  obstruction,  the  bark  is  injurious. 
See  CORTEX  PERUVIAN  us.)  It  is  necessary  therefore; 
in  all  fevers,  to  overlook  for  a  time  their  cause,  and 
attend  to  its  effects.  Even  the  remote  causes,  when 
ihey  have  once  produced  the  disease,  seem  neither  to 
add  to  nor  modify  it,  and  may  be  equally  neglected. 

Two  methods  of  extinguishing  fever  at  once  have 
been  employed ;  the  one  consists  in  evacuations,  and 
the  other  in  the  application  of  cold.  We  are  confident 
if,  on  the  first  shiver,  an  emetic  be  given,  followed  by  a 
warm  sudorific,  and  within  three  or  four  hours  an  active 
laxative,  so  that  the  operation  of  the  whole  shall  have 
been  completely  effected  within  the  limits  of  the  first 
period,  the  fever  will,  in  almost  every  instance,  be 
f.topped  or  disarmed  of  its  severity,  and  be  no  longer  a 
•>e.  If  the  second  period  has  commenced,  the 
chance  of  success  is  less;  but  we  lia-ce  succeeded. 
Beyond  that  time  we  can  only  regulate  the  progress  of 
-l.e  disease,  and  conduct  it  safely  to  its  termination. 
Cold,  it  has  been  said,  by  Dr.  Kirkland  and  our  prede- 
cessors, will  have  the  same  effect  of  at  once  checking 
levers.  It  is  not  true.  Cold  is  a  remedy  of  singular 
importance;  it  will  greatly  mitigate  the  symptoms  ;  it 
will  render  the  solution  of  a  paroxysm  more  complete  ; 
and  in  remittents  or  eruptive  fever,  so  far  lessen  the 
complaint  as  to  be  no  longer  dangerous;  .but  it  will  do 
no  more. 

Our  chief  indications  in  fever  are  to  lessen  the  heat  ; 
to  restore,  as  far  as  we  can,  the  balance  of  the  circula- 
tion; and  to  support  the  strength. 

TOL.  I. 


1.  To  lessen  the  heat. — We  have  considered  the  heat 
as  the  first  change  in  the  series  of  causes  and  effects, 
arising  from  the  "  quiescence  of  the  capillaries:"  i; 
must  of  course  be  the  first  object  of  our  attention  ;  and 
the  numerous  advantages  arising  from  cool  air  and  cool 
drinks  evidently  show  that  the  increased  action  cannot 
be  a  salutary  exertion.  This  subject  includes  the  whole 
that  we  have  to  remark  regarding  the  general  manage- 
ment of  fever,  with  respect  to  diet,  air,  &c.- 

The  chamber  should  be  high  and  airy :  the  bed,  if 
possible,  neither  between  the  door  and  the  window,  or 
the  latter  and  the  fire,  so  that  the  patient  is  never  ex- 
posed to  a  current  of  air.  No  pictures,  or  other  objects, 
should  be  on  the  vails,  to  fix  their  attention,  or  sug- 
gest incoherent  images.  It  should  be  quiet  and  uncon- 
nected, if  possible,  wuh  the  house.  The  bed  should 
have  curtains,  but  they  should  not  be  drawn,  except 
where  the  patient  is  exposed  to  the  light.  The  window 
should  be  shaded  rather  than  darkened.  The  bed  clothes 
may  be  regulated  according  to  the  weather,  and  former 
habits  ;  but  should  be  cooler  than  usual,  and  still  further 
diminished  if  the  heal  is  considerable.  Except  in  very 
severe  weather,  the  sash  should  be  a  little  open ;  nor 
need  the  door  be  solicitously  closed.  When  tires  are 
otherwise  wanted,  some  may  be  kept  up  for  the  sake  of 
the  nurses  rather  than  the  patient.  In  general,  when 
a  person  enters  the  room  from  the  open  air,  he  should 
neither  feel  it  warm  nor  more  close.  In  a  long  fever, 
the  room  may  be  occasionally  mopped;  but,  on  the 
\vhole,  we  disapprove  of  sprinkling  it  with  vinegar. 
The  professed  object  is  to  prevent  infection ;  but  we 
fear  it  is  sometimes  employed  to  conceal  the  bad  smells 
of  what  ought  to  be  removed.  These  should  be  coun- 
teracted by  the  most  unremitting  cleanliness  in  the  bed 
and  body  linen ;  the  former  of  which  should  be  changed 
every  two  or  three  days,  and  the  lalter  every  day  ;  in 
case  of  involuntary  discharges,  as  often  as  may  be  ne- 
cessary. It  is  not  unusual  for  patients  to  throw  aside 
the  clothes,  or  to  be  anxious  to  come  out  of  bed;  and 
they  are  greatly  irritated  at  being  prevented  from  doing 
either.  We  have  never  found  such  indulgences  injuri- 
ous ;  and  when  they  are  no  longer  opposed,  they  seldom 
persist  in  their  wish.  If  their  clothes  are  immediately 
brought  they  will  again  lie  down. 

It  has  not  been  uncommon,  in  the  early  periods  of 
fever,  to  carry  persons  into  the  air.  If  this  can  be  done 
without  any,  or  with  very  slight,  bodily  exertion  on 
their  side,  it  is  generally  usi-ful ;  but  to  walk  any  dis- 
tance, or  to  travel  many  miles,  has  been  frequently  in- 
jurious ;  and  even  fevers,  apparently  slight  in  their  com- 
mencement, have  ended  fatally  when  considerable 
fatigue  has  been  experienced  in  the  early  stages.  The- 
ons  of  the  army  have  given  an  opposite  opinion, 
which  we  can  only  reconcile  by  reflecting,  that  we  have 
very  different  constitutions  as  the  objects  of  our  practice. 
Generally,  on  the  first  attack  of  fever,  patients  should 
pTeserve  the  greatest  tranquillity  of  mind  and  body. 
They  should  either  keep  in  bed  or  on  the  sopha,  with 
free  air  and  in  a  moderate  temperature.  Few  visitors 
should  be  admitted  and  no  strangers;  conversation 
should  be  general  and  easy;  and  those  wiio  come 
should  be  cautioned  to  stay  only  a  short  time.  If,  by 
tlie  means  lately  stated,  the  fever  should  be  crushed  iti 
the  bud,  the  same  precautions  will  'ix- 
least,  the  first  septenary  period. 

4  O 


F  EB 


650 


FE 


The  diet  should  be  equally  calculated  to  avoid  excit- 
ing heat.  The  appetite  is  lost,  and  solids  cannot  be 
swallowed.  The  liquids  taken  should  be  cool,  and  not 
highly  nutritious :  barley  water,  tea,  toast  and  water, 
bread  jelly,  or  weak  broths,  are  sufficient  for  the  early 
periods  of  fever ;  and  this  very  light  diet  should  be  kept 
up  during  the  first  six  days.  If  the  debility  is  consider- 
able, a  diet  somewhat  more  nourishing  may  be  allowed 
earlier ;  but  the  loss  of  strength  should  be  indeed  very 
great  to  admit  the  use  of  wine  during  this  period.  The 
patient  should  be  supplied  frequently  with  these  liquors; 
and  if  he  complain  of  coldness  they  may  be  given  warm. 
After  about  the  sixth  day  the  diet  should  be  more 
nourishing,  and  good  broths,  jellies,  and  occasionally  a 
little  wine,  may  be  allowed ;  but  the  latter  should  be  in 
moderate  quantities,  lest  we  exhaust  the  powers  of  the 
best  cordial  that  we  can  at  a  future  period  employ.  The 
ancients  gave  the  coldest  water  freely  in  the  earlier 
stages  of  fever  ;  and  we  have  often  indulged  our  patients 
in  this  practice,  always  without  injury,  and  often  with 
the  most  striking  advantages. 

Some  late  trials  would  suggest  the  question,  whether, 
in  the  earlier  stages,  cold  may  not  be  employed  more 
actively  than  in  these  plans.  We  allude  to  Dr.  Currie's 
recommendation  of  cold  affusions,  and  particularly  their 
effects  in  scarlatina.  In  his  practice  they  are  only  em- 
ployed to  counteract  violent  heat;  and  the  heat  is 
greatest  in  those  inflammatory  fevers  which  are  gene- 
rally accompanied  with  local  inflammation,  or  where 
we  expect  hourly  local  inflammation  to  take  place. 
We  own  that  we  have  hesitated  in  using  this  remedy 
with  that  spirit  and  decision  from  which  alone  we  can 
expect  salutary  consequences.  In  a  less  degree,  spong- 
ing the  body  with  cold  water  has  been  found  useful  in 
mitigating  the  heat.  It  is  also  highly  refreshing  and 
agreeable  to  the  patient. 

2.  To  restore  the  balance  of  the  circulation. — This  is 
the  most  important  indication  in  the  cure  of  fevers ;  and 
to  this  object  our  chief  attention  must  be  directed. 
The  natural,  and  sometimes  the  bilious,  vomiting  will 
point  out  the  necessity  of  giving  emetics.  These  are  our 
chief  dependance  in  the  early  stage  of  fever;  and  from 
our  view  of  their  effects,  the  force  of  their  benefits  will 
be  sufficiently  obvious.  (See  EMETICA).  The  chief 
advantages  are,  however,  relieving  congestions  in  the 
liver,  and  determining  to  the  skin.  The  former  is  ob- 
tained by  active  vomiting  ;  but  it  has  been  supposed 
that  the  latter  may  be  secured  by  means  less  violent, 
and  more  permanent  in  their  effects.  Active  vomiting 
is  seldom  employed  more  than  once;  but  if  the  first 
r-mctic  should  not  act  completely,  it  must  be  repeated. 
The  antimonials  are  preferred  in  fevers,  but  without 
sufficient  reason,  as  we  seem  to  gain  all  the  benefit  of 
full  vomiting  from  the  ipecacuanha.  Dr.  Fordyce  at- 
tributes some  of  this  benefit  to  the  medicine;  for  the 
vomiting,  he  remarks,  procured  by  squills,  is  not  equally 
successful.  On  this  subject  we  cannot  speak  from  ex- 
perience. In  general,  after  the  operation  of  vomiting, 
we  should  endeavour  to  secure  the  determination  to  the 
skin  by  some  mild  diaphoretic  with  which  opium  is 
ombined. 

To  support  the  action  of  the  extreme  vessels  by  nau- 
seating doses  of  emetics,  is  a  practice  introduced  from 
the  theory  of  Dr.  Cullen.  There  are  no  doubts  of  the 
utility  of  this  practice  ;  but  we  are  confident  that  it  has 


been  carried  too  far  in  the  Cullenian  school.  To  ex- 
plain the  action  of  the  nauseating  doses  of  antimonials — 
for  to  these  we  would  confine,  with  Dr.  Fordyce,  the 
advantages  we  derive  from  such  medicines  in  fevers — is 
not  easy,  when  have  found  that  their  relaxation  is  the 
effect  of  a  sedative  power,  and  that  the  spasm,  if  we 
may  still  use  the  expression,  arises  from  debility.  It 
must  be,  however,  recollected,  that  when  we  spoke  of 
the  quiescence  of  the  capillaries,  we  did  not  object  to  the 
spasmodic  state  of  these  vessels  if  considered  as  the  ef- 
fect of  irregular  action.  From  all  the  phenomena,  from 
the  effect  of  every  remedy,  it  is  not  mere  inactivity. 
Whatever  becomes  of  theory,  medicines  exciting  nau- 
sea really  promote  perspiration,  often  of  a  most  salutary- 
kind;  and  whatever  fills  the  extreme  vessels,  and,  more 
particularly,  whatever  promotes  any  discharge  from 
them,  relieves  internal  congestions.  Experience,  how- 
ever, limits  their  use,  and  perhaps  they  should  not  be 
continued  beyond  the  third  or  fourth  day.  They  un- 
doubtedly produce,  after  some  time,  debilitating  effects; 
and  in  the  long  protracted  fevers  have  been  injurious 
when  too  far  pursued. 

When  we  spoke  of  CATHARTICS,  we  explained  at 
some  length  their  advantages  in  relieving  congestions  of 
the  viscera  and  the  head.  In  this  way  they  are  well 
adapted  for  the  relief  of  fever;  and  that  article,  as  well 
as  its  application,  was  formed  long  before  the  appear- 
ance of  Dr.  Hamilton's  work.  In  fact,  for  more  than 
twenty  years  we  have  given  cathartics  freely  in  fevers, 
with  the  most  salutary  effects;  and  we  consider  them  as 
medicines  of  the  greatest  importance.  In  the  larger 
number  of  epidemics,  though  active  in  their  operation, 
they  do  not  weaken  the  patient,  for  they  take  away  the 
cause  of,  at  least  apparent,  weakness ;  and  we  have 
often  found  patients  in  fevers  taking  bark  and  wine  in 
profusion,  to  support  them  under  this  apparent  debility, 
who,  after  the  operation  of  an  active  laxative,  required 
neither.  Let  not  the  young  practitioner  be  terrified  by 
the  number  of  evacuations,  but  attend  to  the  effects,  and 
to  his  patient's  feelings.  If  he  is  relieved  after  each 
stool,  if  the  pulse  becomes  softer,  the  hand  more  moist, 
and  the  head  less  loaded,  he  need  not  be  apprehensive, 
however  violent  the  discharge.  On  the  contrary,  if  the 
pulse  becomes  smaller  and  more  frequent,  if  the  face 
sinks,  and  faintness  comes  on,  however  little  the  dis- 
charge, it  has  been  too  much.  We  trust,  that  when 
we  have  laid  down  this  obvious  criterion,  we  shall  not 
be  acccused  of  pushing  a  theory  too  far :  we  have  at 
least  given  an  antidote,  should  we  have  administered  a 
poison. 

It  is  necessary,  however,  in  the  employment  of  this 
remedy,  to  attend  to  the  discharges.  The  nurses  will 
often  report  frequent,  numerous  evacuations  ;  and  if 
examined,  these  may  be  found  mucous  and  inefficient, 
or  a  watery  fluid,  scarcely  coloured.  It  is  necessary  that 
the  stools  should  be  truly  fseculent ;  and  these  should 
be  continued  while  any  tension  can  be  felt  in  the  epi- 
gastrium and  abdomen,  or  while  the  discharges  conti- 
nue to  be  dark  and  offensive.  Such  they  always  are  in 
the  early  stages  of  fever. 

The  use  of  cathartics  in  fever  was  the  practice  of 
the  most  ancient  physicians;  and  they  were  apparently 
disused,  in  consequence  of  the  idea  that  they  prevented 
the  discharge  by  sweating.  Hippocrates  and  his  fol- 
lowers depended  more  on  clysters  and  suppositories.  In 


FEE 


651 


FEE 


fact,  they  had  only  the  more  violent  cathartics,  as  the 
milder  ones  were  introduced  by  the  Arabians  ;  and  these 
very  active  medicines  were  injurious  by  the  debility 
they  occasioned.  Hippocrates,  Galen,  Aretasus,  and 
their  followers,  employed  purgatives  early  ;  and  their 
chief  reason  was  to  prevent  the  diarrhoea,  which  would, 
they  supposed,  supervene  on  the  fourteenth  day,  when 
the  patient  would  be  too  weak  to  bear  the  discharge. 
The  methodic  sect  only  discouraged  their  use  ;  but 
they  apparently  supplied  the  defect  by  enjoining  strict 
abstinence  for  the  first  three  days.  In  more  modern 
times,  Borelli,  Baglivi,  Donckers,  Sydenham,  Sec.  Sec. 
employed  them,  though  we  suspect  not  to  the  extent 
which  we  have  found  salutary.  Fevers,  however,  in 
different  situations  may  greatly  differ;  and  we  would 
anxiously  deprecate  the  application  of  the  practical  rules 
suggested  in  one  situation  to  diseases  of  a  different 
country,  without  exact  attention  and  a  due  discrimina- 
tion of  the  circumstances.  We  suspect,  however,  that 
this  class  of  remedies  will  always  be  found  very  import- 
ant auxiliaries  in  fevers  of  almost  every  climate. 

The  choice  of  the  purgative  is  of  some  importance. 
The  more  violent  drastics  debilitate  too  powerfully ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  salts,  the  castor  oil,  the 
tamarinds,  and  manna,  appear  not  to  excite  the  action 
of  the  moving  fibres  of  the  intestines  sufficiently  to  eva- 
cuate the  more  hardened  contents.  The  purgatives 
which  we  have  found  most  effectual  are,  the  senna,  with 
a  small  proportion  of  the  scammony ;  or  the  jalap,  ge- 
nerally united  with  the  cream  of  tartar,  sometimes  with 
calomel.  Nearly  similar  in  effects  is  a  mixture  of  rhu- 
barb, with  some  neutral,  in  equal  quantities. 

It  has  been  too  common  to  depend  on  clysters ;  and 
in  those  fevers  where  Dr.  Hamilton  has  with  so  much 
success  procured  numerous  motions,  we  have  known 
practitioners  of  eminence  content  with  daily  clysters,  if 
stools  did  not  otherwise  occur.  In  general,  clysters 
evacuate  only  the  contents  of  the  rectum,  unless  they 
are  of  a  highly  stimulating  nature,  where  their  peculiar 
irritation  is  communicated  to  the  superior  portion  of 
the  canal ;  and  clysters  of  warm  water,  and  the  usual 
preparations  for  this  purpose,  are  inert  and  inefficient 
remedies.  They  certainly  give  some  relief;  but  this  is 
temporary  only,  and  far  inferior  to  that  procured  by  the 
operation  of  an  active  cathartic.  In  cases  of  great  de- 
bility, where  we  are  apprehensive  of  the  effects  of  a  too 
copious  evacuation,  clysters  only  can  be  employed. 

DIAPHORETICS  are  remedies  of  equal  utility  ;  but  un- 
fortunately they  have  been  improperly  chosen,  and  the 
process  has  been  most  erroneously  conducted.  The 
only  salutary  discharge  from  the  skin,  as  we  have  al- 
ready explained,  is  the  halitus  in  the  form  of  gas,  or 
rather  of  a  thin,  probably  of  a  vesicular,  vapour.  When 
in  a  fluid  state,  it  increases  the  oppression  it  was  in- 
tended to  relieve.  This  salutary  diaphoresis  is  incon- 
sistent with  increased  heat;  and  to  promote  it  in  fevers, 
the  heat  must  be  diminished  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
standard  of  health.  Cooling  medicines  are  consequently 
the  most  effectual  diaphoretics ;  and  cold  water  one  of 
the  most  powerful,  .\1tre  and  the  other  neutrals  act 
chiefly  in  this  way ;  and  the  citras  potassae,  the  com- 
mon saline  draught,  which  it  is  usual  to  ridicule,  cer- 
tainly refreshes  the  feverish  patient  by  the  coolness 
which  it  imparts  to  the  stomach.  Vegetable  acids  pro- 
duce a  similar  effect;  and  of  these  vinegar  is  preferred, 


as  more  powerful  in  its  action  on  the  skin.  The  native 
acids  (the  acid  fruits)  are,  from  their  coolness,  salutary 
and  refreshing,  and  moderate  the  heat  to  the  proper 
degree  for  this  discharge.  The  mineral  acids  act,  we 
think,  differently  ;  and,  if  the  febrifuge  spirit  of  Glutton 
is  useful,  it  probably  is  so  in  an  advanced  period  of 
fevers  of  the  lowest  kind  :  the  spirit  of  salt,  recom- 
mended so  warmly  by  Recht,  is  certainly  not  referrible 
to  this  head. 

Nauseating  doses  of  antimonials  operate  powerfully 
and  safely  as  diaphoretics.  Dr.  Fordyce  supposes  this 
effect  to  be  owing  to  the  medicine,  and  not  to  the  action 
on  the  stomach.  For  this  reason,  perhaps,  antimonial- 
are  continued  in  the  early  stages  of  fever,  with  little 
anxiety  respecting  the  nausea  they  produce ;  and  if  not 
persisted  in  too  far,  they  are  undoubtedly  useful.  They 
sometimes  appear  inconvenient  from  their  purgative 
effects ;  for  we  think  we  have  found  that  the  purging 
produced  by  antimonials  is  not  equally  beneficial  with 
the  discharge  produced  by  other  medicines.  The  union 
of  the  nauseating  doses  with  calomel,  lately  fashion- 
able, has  not  in  our  hands  succeeded  so  fully  as,  from 
the  warmth  with  which  they  were  recommended,  we 
had  reason  to  expect.  The  more  active  and  heating 
sudorifics  are  inadmissible  in  the  greater  number  oi 
fevers ;  and  wine,  which  sometimes  acts  in  this  way. 
will  be  more  fully  considered  under  another  head.  Wt 
chiefly  want  these  last  medicines  when  it  is  our  objec; 
to  prevent  the  accession  of  the  paroxysms  of  an  inter- 
mittent, or  to  relieve  the  pains  of  rheumatism.  The 
semicupium  pediluvium  or  warm  fomentations  to  the 
lower  extremities  are  often  safe,  and  highly  useful, 
diaphoretics.  See  BATHING. 

BLISTERS  very  powerfully  restore  the  balance  of  the 
circulation,  and  dimmish  morbid  congestions  in  the 
head  and  the  liver;  but,  except  the  latter  organ  is  in- 
flamed, they  are  applied  only  to  the  head  and  neck. 
We  have  under  this  title  fully  explained  their  opera- 
tion, so  far  as  it  is  understood.  In  all  cases  of  fever 
there  is,  as  has  been  observed,  fulness  of  the  vessels  ; 
and  we  find  the  vessels  of  the  eyes  red,  the  face  flushed, 
and  the  eye  ball  itself  apparently  enlarged  ;  but  this  con- 
gestion produces  also  irritation,  and  often  a  less  degree 
of  phrenitis.  The  usual  wanderings  of  the  mind  are 
more  rapid,  the  voice  quick,  the  temper  irritable,  un- 
reasonable, and  occasionally  violent.  In  each  state 
blisters  are  indicated,  and  often  produce  the  happier 
effects :  sleep  frequently  coming  on,  as  soon  as  the 
plaster  begins  to  stimulate.  The  milder  symptoms  of 
congestion,  first  described,  yield  frequently  to  purga- 
tives ;  and  when  these  have  been  freely  used,  blisters 
are  often  necessary. 

SEDATIVES. — Congestions  in  the  brain,  as  we  have 
just  remarked,  produce  considerable  irritation ;  and  the 
state  of  irritability  thus  occasioned  requires  often  the 
most  active  sedatives  and  antispasmodics.  In  other 
views,  remedies  of  this  kind  are  highly  useful.  They 
check  often  the  too  impetuous  current  of  the  blood  to 
the  head ;  they  produce  a  calmness  and  serenity,  which 
greatly  assist  the  action  of  medicines  that  determine  to 
the  surface;  and  they  remove  a  very  troublesome  symp- 
tom, flatulence  in  the  stomach  and  intestines.  The 
chief  of  these  are  camphor  and  opium.  Camfihor  is  a 
medicine  of  considerable  utility  in  fevers,  as  already 
shown.  The  calmness  which  it  often  seems  to  inspire ; 
4O  2 


F  EB 


65:2 


F  E  B 


Mid  even  the  temporary  case,  which  are 
among  its  first  effects,  render  it  peculiarly  valuable. 
As  it  sometimes  appears  to  increase  the  heat  of  the 
foody  in  the  earlier  stages,  a  little  nitre  may  he  added, 
with  an  antimonial;  in  the  latter,  the  sal  c.  c.  the  aro- 
inatics,  or  the  bark.  There  is,  however,  apparently  no 
period  of  the  disease  to  which  it  is  not  adapted,  and  no 
species  of  fever  in  which  it  is  not  beneficial. 

O/itum  is  a  medicine  of  more  doubtful  efficacy:  it 
often  irritates  instead  of  calming,  and  produces  agitation 
instead  of  a  serene  freedom  of  spirits.  With  those  in 
whom  it  produces  its  mild  sedative  effects,  it  is  a  very 
valuable  remedy,  and,  united  with  camphor,  it  seldom 
disagrees.  In  the  later  periods  of  fever,  when  subsultus 
and  convulsions  come  on,  opium  and  camphor  are  the 
best  remedies.  Some  practitioners  have  been  violently 
averse  to  the  use  of  this  medicine.  They  observe  that 
it  debilitates ;  but  the  true  reason  of  their  dislike,  we 
suspect,  is  the  probability  of  its  suppressing  critical  dis- 
charges. They  have  contended  that  the  most  restless 
night  is  less  injurious  than  the  stupor  produced  by 
opiates;  and  that  even  the  chance  of  their  hurrying 
the  spirits,  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than  any  advantage  to 
be  derived  from  them  can  compensate.  While  we  own 
our  predilection  for  this  remedy,  the  accusations  are  not 
wholly  groundless.  Opiates  check  all  the  evacuations, 
except  those  by  the  skin;  and  we  certainly  neither  gain 
so  much  by  the  tranquillity  they  procure,  nor  lose  so 
much  by  a  sleepless  restlessness,  as  maybe  at  first  sup- 
posed. Yet  we  think  if  the  patient's  strength  is  preserved 
by  their  use  ;  the  hours  pass  away  more  comfortably  ; 
time  insensibly  wastes;  and  if  we  can  annihilate  one 
fourth  of  the  patient's  suffering  by  procuring  six  hours 
in  the  twenty-four,  if  it  be  no  more,  of  torpor  and  in- 
sensibility, we  amply  compensate  for  the  risk.  The  ne- 
cessary evacuations  we  must  be  careful  to  restore. 

Other  sedatives  have  been  employed  to  procure  sleep; 
and  Hoffman  is  profuse  in  his  commendations  of  his 
anodyne  mineral  s/iirit,  which  we  now  know  to  be  ether 
only,  with  a  somewhat  larger  proportion  of  the  oil  of 
Tjine.  We  are  surprised  that  this  last  medicine  has  not 
been  tried  alone,  or  in  union  with  opium.  The  anodyne 
spirit  generally  fails  in  other  hands;  and  though  it  is 
still  given  in  fevers,  no  -one  seems  to  have  found  it 
strikingly  advantageous.  Among  the  soporifics  we  must 
not  forget  the  thefiillotuofhofis;  nor  breathing  hydrocar- 
bonategas.  Some  hectic  patients  who  have  been  confined 
to  a  stable,  or  whose  room  has  been  covered,  for  a  similar 
purpose,  with  dung,  have  informed  us,  that  they  think 
they  have  slept  more  quietly  in  such  situations.  These 
effusions  of  quackery  have  not  been,  we  believe,  often  em- 
ployed by  any  scientific-physician  ;  and  the  interested  re- 
ports of  unprincipled  pretenders  we  need  not  enlarge  on. 
The  chief  of  the  other  antispasmodics  are  ether, 
musk,  castor,  and  asafoetida.  Ether  is  very  active  in 
(his  view,  and  at  the  later  periods,  when  subsultus 
comes  on,  and  convulsions  threaten,  is  often  of  consi- 
derable service.  A/u«X-,  if  in  perfection,  is  an  active 
iintispasmodic,  but  it  is  seldom  genuine ;  and,  as  a  me- 
dicine peculiarly  dear,  is  reserved  for  the  last  desperate 
stages  :  it  here  sometimes  obtains  the  credit  due  to 
the  operations  of  nature.  Castor  is  less  powerful  ;  but 
seems  occasionally  to  correct  the  injurious  effects  of 
opium  ;  and  asafueticla  still  less  so.  The  effects  of  the 
latter  are  chiefly  confined  to  the  stomach  ;  though  it 


sometimes   appeals  useful  as  a  general  sedative,  and 
occasionally  as  an  expectorant. 

It  may  appear  singular,  that  among  the  means  of 
lessening  heat,  or  removing  topical  congestion,  we  have 
omitted  bleeding  in  all  its  forms.  The  consideration 
was  postponed  to  introduce  it  in  this  place,  where  the 
whole  subject  may  be  more  advantageously  considered 
in  one  view. 

Bleeding  has  been  a  general  remedy  for  fevers  of 
every  kind;  and  when  the  increased  action  is  so  violent 
as  to  threaten  the  rupture  of  a  vessel,  this  evacuation 
is  essentially  necessary  :  it  is  equally  so,  when  with,  or 
soon  after  the  attack  of  a  fever,  with  inflammatory  symp- 
toms, local  inflammation  appears.  Here  then  we  would 
stop,  did  not  the  conduct  of  some  practitioners  in  every 
fever,  and  of  some  respectable  ones,  in  fevers  highly 
asthenic,  suggest  to  us  that  our  limits  are  too  narrowly 
restricted.  Sydenham  recommended  bleeding  in  the 
early  stages  of  every  fever;  and  we  are  told  by  almost 
every  practical  author  first  to  take  off  some  blood;  oc- 
casionally limited  to  patients  in  the  prime  of  life,  to 
robust  constitutions,  or  to  fevers  from  cold.  Yet  we 
find  Dr.  Dover  bleeding  in  a  highly  putrid  fever,  not 
only  in  the  commencement,  but  in  the  progress:  the 
older  surgeons  have  employed  this  remedy  with  little 
apprehension  in  a  highly  asthenic  fever,  the  puerperal ; 
Dr.  Rush  bleeds  repeatedly  in  the  yellow  fever;  Dr. 
Moseley  and  Dr.  Jackson  in  similar  fevers, in  the  West 
Indies,  employed  the  same  remedy.  Must  we  con- 
demn the  practice  of  physicians  so  respectable,  or  must 
we  resign  all  the  pathological  views  we  have  attempted 
to  inculcate  ?  We  will  do  neither  ;  but  may,  by  the 
way,  inculcate  an  useful  lesson:  that  empiricism — for 
such  we  will  venture  to  style  it — with  a  happy  boldness 
will  sometimes  succeed,  by  means  which  the  timid  dog- 
matist will  scarcely  dare  to  follow. 

Modern  practitioners  have  taken  blood  to  moderate 
the  increased  action,  and  to  prevent  accidents  from  its 
violence  when  the  vessels  are  weak.  In  this  way,  by 
ineffectually  employing  an  active  remedy,  they  have  in- 
jured by  debilitating,  while  they  have  only  imperfectly 
moderated  the  stimulus  which  they  attempted  to  op- 
pose. The  physicians  mentioned,  if  they  had  any  views, 
employed  it  with  different  ones.  If  the  practice  of  each 
author  be  examined,  it  will  be  found  that  they  bled 
when  the  system  was  over  loaded  with  the  accumulated 
fluids  from  the  surface;  and  they  bled  boldly,  because  it 
was  necessary  to  relieve  each  part :  and  the  quantity- 
drawn  from  the  arm  can  affect  each  according  only  to  the 
proportion  of  the  whole  mass  which  it  receives.  We 
have  stated,  in  many  parts  of  this  work,  with  a  view  to 
this  subject,  and  particularly  in  the  article  of  BLISTERS, 
q.  v.  the  effects  of  only  a  slight  evacuation  in  relieving 
distended  vessels  ;  effects  not  only  derived  frem  the  di- 
minished quantity,  but  from  the  spring  this  relief  im- 
parts to  themuscularfibres.  Whoever  reads  Dr.  Dover's 
animated,  but  somewhat  quaint,  description  of  the  case, 
in  which  hesuccededso  completely,  will  at  once  see  that 
bleed  ing  could  have  relieved  only  in  the  way  we  have  ex- 
plained ;  and  Dr.  Rush's  descriptions  strongly  elucidate 
the  same  ideas.  Mr.  Coleman,  in  his  work  on  suspend- 
ed animation,  has  recorded  a  fact  which  illustrates  our 
explanation ;  as  he  found,  that  taking  blood  from  the 
jugulars  restored  the  action  of  the  right  side  of  the 
heart,  which  was  suspended  from  distention. 


FK  li 


I'  E  B 


ii'  general  bleeding  then  be  useful,  itmust  be  in  cases 
re  the  internal  congestion  is  considerable,  and 
where,  from  distention,  the  irritability  of  the  muscular 
fibres  of  the  internal  vessels  is  for  a  time  suspended. 
It  w.ill  not  be  difficult  for  the  experienced  practitioners 
to  distinguish  this  situation;  andAve  ^ould  recommend 
extreme  caution  in  this  respect  to  the  less  experienced, 
who  are,  in  general,  too  fond  of  the  lancet. 

Whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of  general  bleeding, 
topical  evacuations  of  blood  have  been  employed  to  re- 
move internal  congestions.  Blisters  and  purgatives  best 
relieve  those  which  occur  in  the  abdominal  viscera ;  but 
to  the  head,  besides  blisters,  leeches  are  applied  :  and 
cupping  glasses,  with  previous  scarifications,  to  the 
neck.  These  are  remedies  which  many  are  fond  of: 
but,  except  in  sudden  attacks  of  phrenitic  delirium, 
which  sometimes  come  on  in  the  progress  of  fever,  we 
have  found  little  room  for  evacuations  of  blood. 

To  sum  up  the  whole  of  this  intricate  subject,  the 
general  practice  of  bleeding  at  the  commencement  of 
every  fever  appears  highly  improper.  If  not  cei  tainly 
from  cold,  if  the  patient  is  not  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
if  no  topical  inflammation  apparently  impends,  it  should 
certainly  be  avoided.  In  some  of  the  worst  fevers, 
pains  in  the  limbs,  we  have  said,  occasionally  appear  on 
the  attack,  and  sometimes  in  the  progress.  These 
should  be  carefully  distinguished  from  true  inflam- 
matory ones.  The  reigning  epidemic,  the  symptoms 
of  general  'debility,  the  period  of  life,  and  the  apparent 
cause,  will  assist  the  distinction.  The  features  afford 
an  excellent  criterion.  If  these  are  sunk,  and  the  cha- 
racter of  the  countenance  lost  in  a  greater  degree  than 
can  be  expected  from  the  duration  of  the  disease,  gene- 
ral bleeding  should  be  avoided.  Even  topical  bleeding 
we  would  not  particularly  recommend,  unless  the  con- 
gestion appear  inflammatory.  Blisters  will  supply  its 
place  more  safely. 

3.  To  aiififiort  the  strength. — This  indication,  appa- 
rently the  most  obvious  and  necessary,  is  not  easily 
followed.  Bark  is  a  tonic ;  and  bark  has  been  given  in 
profusion,  with  little  discrimination,  and  with  most  de- 
cided injury.  If,  by  the  prudent  and  judicious  use  of 
the  medicines  already  described,  we  can  lessen  the 
congestions  in  the  liver  and  the  head ;  if  we  can  pre- 
serve the  strength  by  the  due  regulation  of  temperature, 
and  support  it,  after  the  first  days,  by  more  nourishing 
broths  and  jellies ;  we  shall  find  little  opportunity  for 
administering  tonics.  Let  us  repeat,  that  the  largest 
doses  of  bark  and  wine  will  not  so  effectually  give 
strength  and  spirits  as  two  or  three  loose  motions ;  and 
no  cordial  will  be  so  refreshing  as  free  cool  air.  If  at 
the  conclusion  bark  must  be  given,  it  should  be  in  the 
inefficient  forms  of  the  decoction  and  tincture. 

We  mean  not,  however,  in  every  instance  to  discou- 
rage the  useof  tonics;  but  merely  to  allege  that  they  are 
not  alone  adapted  for  the  cure  of  fever,  and  often  injuri- 
ous before  the  infarction  of  the  viscera  is  completely 
removed.  In  general,  we  think  the  simple  bitters  more 
useful  than  those  medicines  which,  like  the  bark,  unite 
an  astringent  principle.  The  gentian,  the  quassia,  the 
camomile  flowers,  and  even  the  cascarilla,  if  debility  ap- 
pears early,  may  be  early  employed ;  and  with  a  neutral 
salt,  so  as  to  prore-  purgative,  or  sometimes  with  the 
kali  only,  they  have  appeared  to  be  febrifuges.  Though 


they  are  chiefly  adapted  to  the  slow  fevers,  appa. 
of  the  hectic  kind,  we  have  thought  that,  in  many- 
cases,  they  act  with  sufficient  energy  as  tonics,  even  in 
typhus,  except  in  the  desperate  cases  to  be  soon  men- 
tioned. The  metallic  tonics  have  not  been  fairly  tried, 
and  the  most  powerful,  the  arsenic,  seems  to  require  for 
its  success  a  complete  apyrexia. 

Cordials  are,  however,  often  necessary ;  and  we  re- 
peat only  the  opinion  of  the  ablest  practitioners,  that 
the  most  efficacious  cordial  is  wine.  Unless  called  for 
by  early  debility,  we  seldom  wish  to  give  it  till  the 
eighth  day,  and  very  moderately  till  the  tenth.  Even 
between  this  and  the  fourteenth,  unless  in  emergencies, 
we  rarely  order  a  pint  in  twenty -four  hours.  If  the 
fever  proceeds,  it  may  be  increased.  Other  cordials 
are  the  aromatics  and  ether ;  the  former,  in  the  usual 
preparation,  the  confectid  cardiaca ;  the  latter,  except 
in  cases  of  convulsons,  in  an  occasional  cordial  mix- 
ture. 

The  strength  is  also  for  a  time  supported  by  the 
more  simple  stimulants.  The  contrayerva  and  the 
serpentaria,  with  ammonia,  were  the  preparations  for- 
merly used,  with  a  view  of  concocting  the  matter ;  and 
we  once  thought  that  we  could  support  the  strength  for 
a  day  or  two  by  their  means,  when  a  crisis  was  expect- 
ed :  but  we  have  long  learnt  to  "  pull  in  resolution,  and 
doubt  the  equivocation  that  palters  with  us  in  a  double 
shape."  These  stimulants  only  contribute  to  destroy 
the  excitability,  and  we  fear  to  hasten  the  last  fatal  ter- 
mination. They  may  be  employed  in  cases  of  tempo- 
rary debility ;  but  should  be  carried  no  further  than  to 
bring  back  the  previous  state.  The  great  errors  in  th« 
management  of  fevers  have  been  the  ideas  that  tonics, 
which  restore  muscular  energy,  will  equally  restore  the 
sensorial  power ;  and  that  which  confounds  temporary 
heat  and  more  rapid  circulation  with  increased  strength. 
Each  is  a  fatal  misapprehension.  It  has  been  an  error 
equally  dangerous,  when  debility  comes  on,  to  rouse  the 
patient  by  light  and  noise.  Life  is  a  forced  state,  says 
the  ignorant  and  mistaken  Brown,  and  the  lamp  must 
be  excited  by  additional  powers :  it  will  be  excited  only 
to  exhaust  more  rapidly  the  pabulum  which  supplies  its 
existence. 

Among  the  more  unexceptionable  tonics  we  may 
mention  the  mineral  acids.  These  are  of  importance 
when  considerable  debility  comes  on ;  and  a  German 
physician,  M.  Recht,  has  endeavoured  to  raise  their 
value  by  representing  the  muriatic  acid  as  a  general 
remedy  in  fevers.  The  secret  was  magnified  by  inte- 
rest or  collusion  till  it  became  a  national  object,  and  it 
was  purchased  by  the  king  of  Prussia.  The  muriatic 
and  vitriolic  acids  had  been  long  used  in  this  kingdom 
in  low,  nervous,  or  putrid  fevers,  and  considered  as  use- 
ful, but  by  no  means  infallible,  medicines. 

There  are  cases,  however,  where  the  strength  is 
greatly  lessened,  and  where  a  putrid  dissolution  of  the 
blood  becomes  a  most  dangerous  symptom.  The  mi- 
neral acids  are,  in  such  cases,  remedies  of  considerable 
importance;. and  the  bark  becomes  an  indispensable 
medicine  in  the  largest  doses.  These  circumstances, 
however,  seldom  occur  in  general  fevers;  and,  indeed, 
within  a  few  years,  we  have  scarcely  seen  an  instance 
of  this  kind,  except  when  a  topical  gangrene,  as  in  the 
ulcerated  throat,  has  concurred.  We  cannot  then  be 


FEB 


654 


FEE 


too  active  in  the  employment  of  cordials  and  tonics, 
among  which  the  mineral  acid  must  be  ranked;  for 
if  we  do  not  gain  some  ground  within  a  few  hours  after 
the  appearance  of  these  symptoms,  the  patient  is  lost. 
The  other  tonics  formerly  mentioned  are  not  of  suffi- 
cient power  for  such  emergencies. 

We  cannot  leave  this  subject  without  noticing  the 
necessity  and  the  means  of  obviating  some  of  the  more 
troublesome  symptoms.  The  chief  of  these,  the  want 
of  sleep,  has  already  been  the  subject  of  our  notice. 
The  state  of  the  stomach  is  also  the  source  of  consider- 
able inconvenience.  Acid  eructations  and  heart-burn 
are  relieved  by  absorbents,  as  magnesia,  chalk,  or  kali ; 
but  we  must  recollect  that  we  have  already  dis- 
tinguished a  species  of  heart-burn  arising  from  oily 
substances,  not  mixed  with  the  contents  of  the  stomach, 
relieved  only  by  mucilages.  Nidorous  eructations  show 
the  stomach  to  be  in  a  putrid  state,  and  this  is  corrected 
generally  by  vegetable,  but  more  effectually  by  mineral, 
acids.  Flatulent  distention  will  seldom  be  troublesome, 
if  the  discharge  of  the  bowels  be  kept  up.  Should  it 
be  so,  asafoetida  and  galbanum,  or  their  tinctures,  with 
peppermint  water,  will  relieve.  Hiccough,  at  the  latter 
end  of  fever,  is  sometimes  highly  distressing;  and  for 
this  we  have  no  certain  remedy.  Oil  of  cinnamon, 
camphor,  musk,  and  opium,  are  given  by  turns;  and 
one  or  other  of  these  occasionally  succeeds,  though  of- 
ten all  fail.  Applications  of  opium,  or  of  a  blistering 
plaster  to  the  stomach,  will,  like  the  others,  in  turn 
succeed  and  fail.  But  though  a  distressing  symptom, 
hiccough  is  not,  as  has  been  represented,  a  fatal  one. 
Did  it  not  fatigue  and  weaken  the  patient,  we  should 
scarcely  think  it  dangerous. 

Palpitation  of  the  heart  is  sometimes  troublesome, 
but  not  always  dangerous  in  fevers.  It  sometimes  pro- 
ceeds from  the  state  of  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and 
may  then  be  relieved :  but  it  arises  also,  in  many  cases, 
from  a  diminution,  or  an  irregular  distribution,  of  the 
nervous  power ;  and  shows  that  the  degree  of  de- 
bility is  considerable.  The  low,  muttering,  wandering 
delirium,  is  a  symptom  of  the  same  kind  ;  but  this 
is  so  strictly  connected  with  the  state  and  progress  of 
fever,  that  it  scarcely  merits  our  notice  in  this  place. 

Strangury,  though  often  the  effects  of  blisters,  some- 
times occurs  in  fevers  without  their  application,  and 
arises  from  a  spasmodic  irritation  of  the  neck  of  the 
bladder.  In  this  case  opium,  particularly  in  clysters, 
is  the  most  effectual  remedy. 

Haemorrhages  sometimes  occur  in  fevers,  which  oc- 
casion no  little  difficulty.  If  the  pulse  be  full  and  hard  ; 
if  much  headach  has  preceded;  if  faintness  does  not 
follow  the  evacuation ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  pulse 
becomes  softer  and  slower;  the  bleeding  may  go  on.  If 
it  happen  at  the  conclusion  of  fever,  and  be  attended 
with  faintness,  it  is  highly  dangerous.  Cold,  bark,  and 
the  mineral  acids,  have  been  accounted  the  best  reme- 
dies ;  but  even  in  this  low  state  we  have  found  nitre 
successful  in  repeated  doses.  It  is  indeed  one  form  of 
employing  cold.  See  H.SMORRHAGI.S. 

Longings  for  particular  foods  are  sometimes  trouble- 
some. These  must  be  distinguished  from  the  caprice 
of  the  moment;  and  if  the  patient  continue  to  desire, 
with  much  anxiety,  any  particular  food,  we  have  found 


that  he  may  be  more  safely  indulged  than  contradicted, 
even  should  the  desired  food  appear  highly  injurious. 
We  have  known  wine  anxiously  longed  for ;  and  a  very 
large  quantity  drunk  in  a  short  time,  not  only  with  im- 
punity, but  advantage. 

Among  the  sequelae  of  fever  are  cough,  night  sweats, 
an  irritable  and  irregular  state  of  mind,  a  capricious 
and  often  an  inordinate  appetite.  These  are,  in  gene- 
ral, marks  of  debility  only,  and  disappear  with  returning 
strength.  Bark  and  tonics  are  usually  employed  for  a 
time  with  little  effect.  The  constitutional  powers  are 
at  last  exerted,  and  the  patient  gains  in  hours  the 
strength  which,  with  the  most  powerful  tonics,  it  did 
not  attain  in  days.  The  powers  of  digestion,  however, 
do  not  return  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  appetite, 
and  relapses  are  not  uncommon  from  unlimited  indul- 
gence. 

See  Sydenham ;  Grant's  Observation  on  the  Nature 
and  Cure  of  Fevers ;  Kirkland's  Essays  towards  an  Im- 
provement in  the  Cure  of  those  Diseases  which  are  the 
Causes  of  Fevers;  Fordyce  on  Simple  Fever;  Cullen's 
First  Lines,  vol.  i. 

The  great  varieties  of  fevers  we  shall  in  a  future  part 
of  this  work  endeavour  to  bring  within  more  strict 
limits.  It  would  be  to  anticipate  what  can  only  be 
then  detailed  with  advantage  to  add  any  thing  at  pre- 
sent on  the  subject,  and  we  shall  of  course  preserve 
the  various  references  in  the  former  edition  with  little 
change. 

FE'BHIS  ACU'TA  SANGUI'NEA.  See  INFLAMMATORIA 
FEBRIS. 

FE'BRIS  A'LBA.     See  CHLOROSIS. 

FE'BHIS  AMATO'RIA.     See  CHLOROSIS. 

FE'BRIS  ANGINO'SA.     See  SCARLATINA  ANGINOSA. 

FE'BRIS  CA'RCERUM.  The  JAIL  FEVER;  a  severer 
kind  of  typhus,  called  tyfth  us  carcerum.  See  AMPHE- 
MERINA  HUNGAHICA,  and  TYPHUS. 

FE'BRIS  CASTRE'NSIS.  The  CAMP  FEVER;  a  remittent 
tertian,  called  tyfihus  castrensis,  from  its  resemblance 
to  typhus.  See  TYPHUS. 

FE'BRIS  CONTI'NUA  PU'TRIDA.     See  PUTRIDA  FEBRIS. 

FE'BRIS  NON  PU'TRIS.  See  INFLAMMATORIA  FE- 
BRIS. 

FE'BRIS  DEPURATO'RIA  SYDENHA'MI.  A  variety  of 
synochus. 

FE'BRIS  EPIDE'MICA  CONTAGIO'SA.  Epidemic  fever 
of  the  West  Indies  and  Philadelphia;  malignant  pesti- 
lential fever  of  Chisholm  ;  bilious  remittent  yellow  fe- 
ver of  Rush ;  synochus  icteroides,  or  yellow  fever  of 
Currie.  See  BILIOSA  FEBRIS. 

FE'BRIS  ERRA'TICA.  Erratic  fevers,  irregular  ter- 
tians or  the  quartans. 

FE'BRIS  FLA'VA.     See  BILIOSA  FEBRIS. 

FE'BRIS  HUNGA'RICA.  See  AMPHEMERJNA  HUN- 
GARICA. 

FE'BRIS  INTERMITTENS.     See  INTERMITTENS. 

FE'BHIS  LENTICULA'RIS,  also  PETECHIALIS.  A  typhus, 
or  synochus,  attended  with  spots  in  the  skin,  about  the 
size  of  lentils,  called  from  these  appearances  spotted 
fevers.  See  PETECHIALIS  FEBRIS. 

FE'BRIS  HYDROCEPHA'L'ICA.     See  HYDROCEPHALUS. 

FE'BRIS  MALI'GNA  BARBADE'NSIS.  See  BILIOSA  FE- 
BRIS. 


FE  M 


655 


F  ER 


FE'BRIS  MALI'GNA  HE'CTICA  :  a  mild  kind  of  ty- 
phus. 

FE'BRIS  XAV'TICA  PESTILE.VTIA'LIS.      See   MILIARIS 

NAUTICA. 

FE'BRIS  PUERPERALIS.  See  PUERPERALIS  FE- 
BRIS. 

FE'BRIS  REMITTENTS.     See  REMITTENS. 

FE'BRIS  URTICA'TA.     See  URTICARIA. 

FE'CULA.     See  F*x. 

FEL,  (quasi/o//i>,  a  bag}.     See  BILIS. 

FEL  NATU'R^.     See  ALOE. 

FELLI'FLUA  PASSIO,  (from  fel,  bile,  and  fluo, 
to  flow,  and  fiassio,  affection).  See  CHOLERA  MOR- 
BUS. 

FE'MEN,  (quasi  ferimen,  from  fero,  to  bear).  See 
FEMUR. 

FEMINUS,  (from  f&mina,  a  woman').  In  botany  it 
means  producing  female  flowers  only  on  the  same 
root. 

FEMORA'LIS  ARTE'RIA,(from/ewur,  the  thigh). 
The  FEMORAL  ARTERY  is  the  external  iliac  after  it  has 
passed  from  under  Poupart's  ligament,  and  is  continued 
along  the  thigh  into  the  popliteal.  Besides  ossification 
and  wounds,  this  artery  may  be  the  seat  of  an  aneurism ; 
a  disease  distinguished  in  its  early  stage  by  its  being 
circumscribed  and  small,  though  the  pulsation  is  suffi- 
ciently remarkable;  but  as  the  tumour  enlarges,  the 
pulsations  are  more  obscure,  and  at  last  no  longer  per- 
ceived. When  the  aneurism  is  arrived  at  this  stage,  the 
lower  part  of  the  leg  becomes  oedematous  ;  the  limb  is 
gradually  more  useless  ;  and,  if  relief  is  not  afforded,  a 
mortification  will  follow.  The  operation  for  the  aneu- 
rism will  rarely  succeed  in  this  case,  for  in  general 
the  artery  is  also  diseased  above  the  dilatation ;  and  the 
want  of  collateral  branches  to  carry  on  a  due  circulation 
is  another  impediment  to  the  attempt.  Amputation,  in 
this  instance,  as  well  as  when  this  vessel  is  wounded 
near  the  belly,  or  near  the  ham,  is  the  only  relief.  In 
case  of  an  aneurism,  if,  on  performing  the  operation 
and  tying  the  artery,  pain  follows,  with  fever  and  ten- 
sion, the  issue  will  be  fatal  if  amputation  is  not  per- 
formed. If  the  aneurismal  tumour  is  about  the  middle 
of  the  thigh,  and  but  small,  it  maybe  laid  bare,  and  the 
artery  tied  above  and  below;  but  if  the  tumour  is  large, 
the  artery  is  diseased  above,  and  the  ligature  will  fail. 
If  the  tumour  is  near  the  groin,  amputation  itself  will 
scarcely  save  the  patient's  life;  if  low,  near  the  ham, 
or  in  it,  amputation  is  the  only  means  of  preventing  a 
fatal  mortification.  See  Mr.  Pott's  Works,  and  his  Ne- 
cessity, Etc.  of  Amputation  in  certain  Cases. 

FE'MORIS  OS,  (from  the  same).  THIGH  BONE; 
anchie  os.  In  the  thigh  there  is  only  one  bone;  it  is 
the  largest  and  strongest  of  those  which  are  cylindrical. 
On  its  outside,  near  the  neck,  is  a  large  tuberosity,  the 
trochanter  major,  rotator  major^  rotator  natis ;  and  a 
lesser  one,  on  the  inside,  the  trochanter  minor,'  rotator 
minor.  The  posterior  concave  surface  of  this  bone  hath 
a  ridge  rising  in  its  middle,  called  the  linea  asfiera,  di- 
vided below  into  two.  The  inferior  extremity  of  this 
bone  is  formed  into  two  condyles,  between  which  a  con- 
siderable cavity  is  found,  especially  at  the  posterior  part: 
these  are  contiguous  forwards,  but  at  a  distance  back- 
wards. The  os  femoris  is  articulated  to  the  acetabulum 
by  enarthrosis ;  to  the  tibia  and  the  patella  by  gingly- 


mus.     Winslow  observes,  that  all  the  processes  from 
this  bone  are  cartilaginous  in  new  born  children. 

Though  the  thigh  bone  supports  the  whole  body  it  is 
by  no  means,  in  appearance,  advantageously  constructed, 
since  it  bends  inward  towards  the  knee,  and  outwards 
at  the  top ;  but  the  former  was  necessary  to  avoid  a 
rotatory  motion  of  the  leg,  and  the  latter  to  form  a 
sufficient  space  for  the  organs  at  the  bottom  of  the 
abdomen. 

As  the  great  trochanter  passes  off  at  nearly  a  right 
angle  to  enlarge  the  cavity  just  mentioned,  any  shock 
of  the  trunk  renders  it  liable  to  fracture,  and  this  is  often 
mistaken  for  luxation;  an  error  with  difficulty  corrected, 
as  the  muscles  are  so  thick  and  so  numerous  in  this 
part. 

FEMUR,  (from/fro,  to  bear;  as  being  the  support 
of  the  body).  The  THIGH  ;  femen,  (quasiyer imen,)  coxa, 
agis,  ancha,  crus,  meron. 

FENE'STRA  OVA'LIS  et  ROTU'NDA,  (from 
fenestra,  a  "window).  See  AUDITUS. 

FERE'NTIS.     See  ARBUTUS. 

FERI'NA,  MANIODES,  (from  futn»,  and  furor, 
tiftf,  forma,)  a  violent  and  furious  delirium. 

FERI'NUS,  (fromferus,  wild).  SAVAGE,  or  BRUTAL  ; 
in  a  medical  sense  it  signifies  noxious  or  malignant; 
and  is  applied  to  coughs,  &c. 

FERMENT  A 'TIO,  (from  fermento,  to  ferment). 
FERMENTATION,  ecbrasmus,  brasmos,  is  an  intestine 
motion  excited,  with  the  assistance  of  proper  heat  and 
fluidity,  between  the  integrant  and  constituent  parts  of 
farinaceous  and  saccharine  substances,  from  which  re- 
sult new  combinations  of  their  principles.  The  heat 
required  is  about  seventy  degrees  of  Fahrenheit's  ther- 
mometer. 

The  phenomena  of  fermentation  are,  however,  now 
better  understood  than  by  the  chemists  of  the  old 
school ;  and  this  may,  perhaps,  excuse  our  enlarging  on 
a  subject  not  strictly  medical,  though  the  term  is  so 
common  in  medical  authors;  but  employed  without 
any  scientific  discrimination. 

The  subjects  of  fermentation,  we  have  said,  are  fari- 
nacea  and  sugar;  but  the  former  are  scarcely  rich  enough 
in  the  saccharine  principle  to  ferment  without  some 
preparation.  This  consists  in  wetting,  and  in  exposing 
the  grain  to  a  degree  of  warmth  to  excite  the  processof 
vegetation ;  but  no  new  saccharine  principle  is  added : 
it  is  merely  more  completely  developed.  Sugar  must 
be  employed  in  every  fermentation ;  but  it  requires 
about  four  times  its  weight  of  water.  With  the  sugar, 
mucilage  is  also  requisite ;  an  ingredient  which  the 
coarse  sugar  usually  contains.  But  it  is  singular  that  a 
vegetable  acid  must  also  be  previously  contained  in  the 
substance  to  be  fermented  (Annales  de  Chimie,  xxxvi. 
23.);  and  this  we  shall  find  to  be  supplied,  in  beer,  by 
the  barm  or  yeast,  and  is  contained  naturally  in  all  the 
fruits. 

When  these  ingredients  are  in  due  proportion,  and 
the  temperature  raised  to  nearly  70°,  an  intestine  motion 
commences;  the  liquor  becomes  thick  and  muddy; 
an  additional  degree  of  heat  is  excited  in  proportion  to 
the  rapidity  of  the  process,  which  sometimes  rises 
so  high  as  95°,  and  carbonic  acid  gas  arises.  In  this 
process  the  sugar  disappears,  and  the  fluid  becomes 
clear,  as  well  as  of  a  less  specific  gravity ;  and,  as  it  is 


PER 


656 


F  E  II 


styled,  of  a  vinous  taste,  owing  to  the  formation  of 
alcohol.  The  other  ingredients  seem  merely  to  have 
assisted  the  process,  and  to  remain  unchanged  ;  for  we 
still  find  the  mucilage  both  in  wine  and  heer,  and  the 
vegetable  acid  in  the  former;  though  the  small  portion 
employed  as  a  ferment  in  the  latter  seems  to  have 
escaped  with  the  carbonic  acid  gas.  Thus  the  sugar 
appears  to  be  in  part  decomposed,  and  to  have  separated 
in  the  form  of  carbonic  acid  gas ;  and  the  other  part, 
with  a  large  excess  of  hydrogen,  forms  the  alcohol, 
combined  with  the  colouring  matter,  and  the  vegetable 
acid.  The  superfluous  extractive  matter,  which  the 
vinous  liquor  cannot  dissolve,  rises  to  the  top,  or  sinks 
to  the  bottom,  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  air  en- 
tangled with  it. 

In  this  process  a  portion  of  malic  acid  is  formed, 
perhaps  from  the  tartarous  ;  and  some  oxygen  is  seem- 
ingly evolved.  It  was  supposed  that  the  latter  was 
derived  from  the  open  air;  but  Fabroni  has  informed 
us  that  fermentation  proceeds  with  equal  rapidity  and 
success  in  close  and  in  open  vessels.  Annales  de  Chi- 
mie,  xxxi.  302. 

After  this  active  process  of  fermentation  is  at  an  end, 
it  still  proceeds  in  a  more  slow,  often  in  an  imper- 
ceptible, way.  If  wine  or  beer  be  kept  in  a  heat,  from 
70  to  90  degrees,  it  gradually  thickens,  grows  hot  with 
a  gently  hissing  noise,  and  filaments  are  observed  to 
move  in  it,  though  previously  fine.  The  heat  and  noise 
lessen,  the  filaments  subside,  and  the  liquor  is  again 
clear;  but  it  is  no  longer  vinous:  it  is  acid.  The  re- 
sult of  the  acetous  fermentation  seems  not  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  alcohol.  Yet  if  the  assertions  of  some 
of  the  older  chemists,  that  the  strongest  wines,  when 
rendered  acid,  afford  the  strongest  vinegars,  be  true, 
alcohol  may  probably  have  some  effect.  These  vinegars 
have  not,  however,  been  examined ;  and  we  strongly 
suspect  that  they  would  appear  to  have  been  impreg- 
nated with  acetous  ether.  The  extractive  matter  seems 
to  be  the  substance  which  first  experiences  the  change  ; 
for  when  it  is  carefully  separated,  wine  will  not  become 
sour,  though  found  by  Chaptal  to  become  acid,  when 
vine  leaves  were  added.  (Annales  de  Chimie,  xxxvi. 
245.)  It  is  said  also,  with  some  truth,  that  fermented 
liquors  do  not  become  acid,  unless  they  arc  exposed  to 
the  atmosphere,  from  whence  the  oxygen,  essential  to 
the  acidity,  is  absorbed.  There  seem,  however,  to  be 
some  cases,  in  which  this  exposure  to  the  atmosphere  is 
not  necessary ;  for  wine  will  become  sour  in  well  corked 
bottles.  In  general,  however,  no  cork  is  sufficiently 
tight  to  prevent,  after  some  time,  the  escape  of  alcohol; 
and  the  atmospheric  air  finds  access  by  the  same  course ; 
in  bottles  which  contain  acid  wine,  some  space  will  al- 
ways be  found  empty,  and  the  acidity  is  in  proportion 
to  this  space.  The  flakes  are  owing  to  the  extractive 
matter  which  commenced  the  process;  but  some  por- 
tion of  this  still  remains,  and  the  malic  acid  is  the  last 
to  experience  the  change. 

The  last  stage  of  this  important  process  is  fiutrrfac- 
tion,  in  which  the  extractive  matter  is  still  more  com- 
pletely separated,  and  organisation  wholly  destroyed. 

This  is  the  common  and  regular  process ;  but  it  is 
sometimes  varied  in  almost  every  step.  In  many  in- 
stances, no  traces  of  a  vinous  spirit  are  found,  but  the 
fluid  hastens  rapidly  to  the  state  of  vinegar.  At  other 


times  putrefaction  as  quickly  comes  on;  and,  in  some 
of  the  stronger  wines  and  cyders,  no  art  can  apparently 
convert  them  to  vinegar.  We  have  exposed  some  o'f 
the  strong  Devonshire  cyder  fora  whole  summer  under 
a  sunny  wall  without  producing  vinegar.  The  appear- 
ance of  vinegar,  though  it  presupposes  the  existence  of 
a  vinous  state,  therefore  by  no  means  confirms  it ;  for 
the  vegetable  acid  may  be  produced  in  a  variety  of  ways, 
by  distilling  gum,  sugar,  wood,  or  tartars,  by  the  action 
of  sulphuric  acid  in  a  concentrated  state  on  these  bodies, 
or  by  the  spontaneous  decomposition  of  some  animal 
substances,  particularly  urine. 

It  has  been  supposed,  that  if  gluten  forms  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  fermenting  bodies,  ammonia  will  appear  in 
the  product ;  but  this  has  little  foundation.  The  only 
varieties  in  the  process  are  those  mentioned,  with  the 
greater  quantity  or  perfection  of  each  of  the  results, 
which  are  subjects  rather  economical  than  chemical  or 
medical. 

We  have  remarked  that  a  vegetable  acid  is  necessary 
to  excite  fermentation;  and  that  in  the  process  of 
making  beer  from  malt,  a  ferment  of  this  kind  is  ne- 
cessary. In  different  places,  where  the  wine  is  of  dif- 
ferent qualities,  the  ferments  are  of  course  various. 
Thus  on  the  Rhine,  where  the  grapes  are  peculiarly 
acid,  they  add  fresh  meal;  the  Chinese  add  a  decoction 
of  barley  and  oats;  and  we  sometimes  assist  the  more 
insensible  process,  after  the  active  period  is  at  an  end, 
by  a  little  wheat  or  barley. 

The  ferment  usually  employed  for  beer  is  barm 
or  yeast,  which  Mr.  Henry  has  imitated  by  the  union  of 
carbonic  acid  gas,  with  some  mucilaginous  substances 
capable  of  entangling  the  air.  Good  barm  is,  however, 
a  very  complicated  mixture,  containing  the  carbonic, 
mucous,  acetous,  'and  malic  acids,  alcohol,  extractive 
matter,  mucilage, sugar,  gluten,  and  water,  besides  some 
lime  and  potash,  with  traces  of  silica  and  phosphoric 
acid.  Mr.  Westrumb,  however,  in  Crell's  Annals,  has 
found  that  the  only  essential  part  is  the  gluten,  with  a 
vegetable  acid;  and  it  is  seemingly  indifferent  of  what 
kind  this  acid  be,  if  it  is  of  vegetable  origin. 

In  the  human  body,  by  a  loose  analogy,  fermentation 
has  been  said  to  take  place,  and  all  its  various  pheno- 
mena have  been  supposed  to  produce  corresponding 
effects.  We  have  thought  it  probable  that  a  similar  pro- 
cess takes  place  in  the  stomach;  but  there  is  not  the 
slightest  evidence  of  any  fermentation  in  the  circulating 
fluids.  What  former  physicians  intended  by  this  term 
is  rather  an  assimilatory  process,  by  which,  at  least,  the 
poison  introduced  is  increased  in  quantity  ;  but  there  is 
no  foundation  for  supposing  that  all  the  fluids  are  thus 
changed.  In  the  small  pox,  for  instance,  some  change 
occurs ;  and  all  the  matter  which  passes  through  the 
skin,  as  well  as  that  which  is  stopped  in  its  passage, 
and  produces  the  pustules,  will  excite  the  disease  in 
a  person  liable  to  it;  but  the  effects  soon  cease,  and 
all  the  matter  thus  changed  is  at  once  carried  off;  for 
neither  in  small  pox  nor  measles  will  the  blood  convey 
the  disease.  In  all  assimilatory  processes,  however,  there 
is  a  strange  mystery  which  we  cannot  develop ;  and 
there  is  no  little  probability  that  the  whole  depends  on 
the  state  of  the  capillaries  produced  by  th,e  fever.  We 
purposely  eluded  this  consideration  under  the  head  of  EX- 
ANTHEMATA, as  we  had  not  then  matured  the  ideas  that 


FKK 


657 


FER 


then  occurred  to  us.  We  may  resume  the  subject  when 
speaking  of  the  different  individual  diseases,  if  we  can 
reduce  our  suspicions  to  a  probable  shape. 

FERME'NTUM,(quasi/eri>zmenfum,from./erT'eo,/o 
work,  as  wine  in  a  vessel).  FERMENT,  BARM,  YEAST, 
LEAVEN,  corocrum. 

Pliny,  in  his  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  xviii.  c.  7.  speaks  of  the 
barm  from  malt  liquor  being  used  in  Spain  and  Gaul 
to  make  bread,  which  was  in  consequence  lighter  than 
that  of  other  nations.  Many  other  substances  excite 
fermentation,  but  this  ferment  is  always  preferred. 
Vest  has  been  given  in  putrid  fevers,  and  has,  it  is  said, 
produced  the  most  happy  effects.  The  usual  dose  is 
a  large  table  spoonful  every  three  or  four  hours  ;  but 
the  dose  and  repetition  should  be  adapted  to  the  exi- 
gencies. We  have  had  little  experience  of  its  virtues, 
but  suspect  them  not  to  be  considerable.  See  FER- 
MENT ATI  o. 

FERR^EME'XTA  CANDE'XTIA,  (from  ferra- 
mentum).  HOT  IRONS.  See  ESCHAROTICA. 

FE'RRAT^E,  A'QtLE,  (from  ferrum,  iron}.     See 

AqU.E  CHALYBEATE. 

FERRI  RUBI'GO,  (from  the  same.)    See  FEIUIVM. 

FEHRI  TI'NCTURA  MURIA'TI.     See  FERRUM. 

FE'RRUM,  (from  fero,  to  wound);  IRON;  chalybs, 
Mars,  ayuarius,  biladen,  hadid.  Its  chemical  charac- 
ter is  $  . 

Iron  is  a  bluish  white  metal,  very  hard,  admitting  of 
a  brilliant  polish,  styptic  to  the  taste,  and  emitting  a 
smell  when  rubbed  ;  the  next  in  specific  gravity  to  cop- 
per, between  seven  and  eight  times  heavier  than  water; 
distinguishable  from  all  other,bodies  in  its  metallic  state 
by  its  attracting,  or  being  attracted  by,  the  loadstone, 
but  losing  this  peculiarity  on  being  reduced  by  fire  to 
a  calx;  and  retaining  it  but  a  short  time  when  perfectly 
pure.  It  is  the  hardest  of  all  metals,  not  equally  malle- 
able with  gold,  silver,  or  copper;  but  more  ductile 
and  tenacious.  It  melts  in  the  heat  of  158  of  Wedge- 
wood  ;  but  our  powers  of  increasing  temperature  are 
here  limited,  and  we  know  not  at  what  degree  it  boils 
or  evaporates.  Its  texture  is  fibrous.  By  the  continu- 
ance of  a  weaker  heat  it  calcines,  and  more  easily,  though 
it  melts  with  more  difficulty,  than  any  other  metal.  If 
iron  is  long  kept  in  fusion,  it  loses  its  sulphur,  becomes 
more  brittle,  and  at  length  is  converted  into  a  bluish 
glass;  which,  if  exposed  to  the  heat  of  a  large  burning 
glass,  after  placing  it  on  a  piece  of  charcoal,  becomes 
iron  again.  Iron  is  corroded  by  a  moist  air  into  a  red- 
dish yellow  rust,  occasioned  by  the  oxygen  it  absorbs, 
and  is  soluble  in  all  acids,  emitting  a  garlic  odour. 
Acids  precipitate  from  iron  all  the  common  metallic 
bodies,  except  zinc,  forming  with  the  marine  acid  a 
yellow,  with  th$  nitrous  a  dark  red,  and  with  the  vitri- 
olic a  pale  green,  solution  :  all  salts,  except  the  alkaline, 
dissolve  iron  ;  and  this  metal  by  its  strong  affinity  for 
oxygen  decomposes  water. 

In  medicine  the  distinction  betwixt  iron  and  steel,  or 
carbonated  iron,  is  not  necessary;  but  as  a  medicine,  as 
well  as  in  chemical  processes,  the  softest  iron  is  preferred. 

We  omitted  the  chemical  properties  of  iron  in  the 
article  CHEMIA,  because  its  medical  were  so  intimately 
connected  with  them.  We  shall  now  previously  ex- 
plain the  nature  of  iron  in  its  different  states. 

Wrought  iron  is  the  metaj  in  its  purest  form,  though 

VOL.  I. 


it  is  seldom  perfectly  pure.  The  malleability  of  the 
wrought  iron  is  the  best  test  of  its  freedom  from  any 
adventitious  substance.  Steel  is  carbonated  iron.  It 
usually  contains  about  -fa  of  its  weight  of  carbon ;  but 
it  seems  capable  of  combining  with  a  larger  quantity, 
and,  in  the  same  proportion,  it  becomes  more  brittle. 
A  drop  of  nitric  acid  on  a  plate  of  steel  leaves  a  black 
spot ;  but  on  a  plate  of  iron,  the  mark  left  is  a  whitish 
green. 

Cast  iron  contains  a  larger  .proportion  of  carbon  ; 
sometimes  £,  from  whence  its  colour  is  blacker,  and  the 
metal  more  fusible ;  but  it  is  always  contaminated  with 
oxide  and  phosphuret  of  iron,  generally  also  with 
flint.  This  kind  is  reduced  to  the  state  of  wrought 
iron,  by  exposing  it  with  black  oxide  of  iron  to  an  in- 
tense heat.  The  oxygen  and  carbon  escape  in  com- 
bination. 

We  have  already  pointed  out  the  very  great  affinity 
of  iron  for  oxygen.  According  to  Mr.  Proust  there 
are,  however,  only  two  oxides  of  iron,  the  black  or 
green,  and  the  red  or  brown.  The  first,  containing 
twenty  seven  parts  of  oxygen,  and  seventy-three  of 
iron,  is  the  least  oxygenated  of  the  two,  and  affords  a 
white  precipitate,  with  alkaline  prussiats.  It  is  the 
state  of  the  martial  ethiops,  insoluble  in  alcohol,  not 
affected  by  the  gallic  acid,  and  approaches  so  near  that 
of  the  metal,  as  to  be  sometimes  attractedby  the  magnet, 
and  occasionally  to  crystallize  in  oetoedral  crystals. 

The  red  oxide  is  composed  ot  forty -eight  parts  of 
oxygen  and  fifty-two  of  iron.  It  is  the  common  rust  • 
of  iron,  and,  in  the  old  pharmaceutical  languagevsaffron 
of  Mars.  It  is  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  gives  a  blue-  pre- 
cipitate with  alkaline  prussiats,  and  a  black  one  with 
galls.  With  iron  filings  it  is  converted,  as  may  be  ex- 
pected, into  the  black  oxide.  Sulphurated  hydrogen 
gas,  and  many  other  substances,  will  also  take  away  the 
superabundant  oxygen,  and  reduce  it  to  the  state  of  the 
former.  Hydrogen  dissolves  iron  sparingly ;  azote 
refuses  to  combine  with  it;  but  with  sulphur,  phos- 
phorus, and  carbone,  it  unites  readily.  The  phosphuret 
is  what  the  workmen  call  the  cold  short  (brittle  when 
cold)  iron ;  and  was,  for  a  time,  supposed  to  be  a  new 
metal,  to  which  the  name  of  siderum  was  assigned.  The 
carburet  of  iron  is  the  plumbago,  or  black  lead ;  the  well 
known  substance  inclosed  in  pencils.  A  hypercarburet 
of  iron  is  hard  and  unmalleable  (Pearson,  Philosophical 
Transactions):  red  short  iron,  which  is  brittle  when  hot, 
is  supposed  to  owe  this  quality  to  arsenic  or  to  carbon; 
most  probably  to  the  former. 

Iron  is  dissolved  in  vitrolic  acid,  forming  the  green 
vitriol  of  commerce ;  and  in  the  oxide,  when  combined 
with  an  acid,  some  of  its  properties  just  mentioned  are 
only  discoverable.  Though  green,  it  contains  the  most 
oxygenated  calx.  In  the  extemporaneous  preparation 
the  acid  must  be  largely  diluted.  Nitric  acid  rather 
oxidates  than  dissolves  it ;  and  to  obtain  the  nitrat  of 
iron,  the  acid  must  be  much  diluted.  Diluted  muriatic 
acid  dissolves  iron  with  violence :  the  muriat  forms  in  flat, 
deliquescent  crystals.  Vegetable  acids  have  a  consider- 
able affinity  with  iron.  In  the  acetic  acid  it  is  easily- 
dissolved,  and,  by  its  means,  iron  is  suspended  in  wine. 
With  the  tartarous,' it  forms  the  soluble  martial  tartar, 
or  aperitive  extract  of  Mars ;  and  the  oxalate  of  iron 
may  be  easily  procured  in  astringent,  deliquescent, 

4P 


F  E  R 


658 


FEU 


effervescing,  prismatic  crystals  of  a  greenish  yellow  co- 
lour, soluble  in  water.  Soluble  phosphats,  added  to  the 
sulphats  of  iron,  occasion  two  new  compounds.  The 
phosphat  of  iron,  thus  formed,  becomes  a  phosphuret 
by  fusion  with  powdered  charcoal.  Prussiats  of  iron 
are  of  a  deep,  beautiful  blue  colour :  but  if  the  oxide 
predominates,  it  is  yellow;  if  defective,  green.  Car- 
bonic acid  unites  with  the  metal,  and  by  its  means  iron 
is  suspended  in  the  chalybeate  waters. 

Iron  filings,  with  an  equal  quantity  of  nitre,  thrown 
into  a  crucible  red  hot,  are  changed  to  the  yellow  oxide 
of  iron,  called  Zwelfer's  saffron  of  Mars:  sublimed 
with  muriat  of  ammonia,  it  becomes  the  flores  martiales, 
viz.  a  muriat  of  ammonia  coloured  by.  iron.  This 
metal  is  oxided  by  agitation  in  water,  and  by  being  di- 
gested with  either  fixed  or  volatile  alkalis. 

Iron  combined  with  acids  becomes  an  astringent  sub- 
stance ;  and  upon  its  astringent,  its  tonic  powers  and 
medicinal  virtues  seem  to  depend;  for  by  increasing  the 
tone  of  the  vessels,  it  increases  their  vigour  and  activity. 
Melampus  cured  a  man  of  impotency  by  the  rust  of 
iron  ;  which  is  the  first  record  of  its  use  as  a  medicine. 
Boerhaave  thinks  iron  nearer  allied  to  the  human  fluids 
than  any  other  metal,  and  to  be  almost  wholly  soluble 
in  them. 

We  have  already  remarked  that  medical  utility  and 
solubility  in  the  fluids  were  too  commonly  considered 
us  synonymous,  and  have  pointed  out  the  fallacy  of  the 
opinion.  Iron  is  undoubtedly  an  astringent,  and  per- 
haps a  tonic  ;  since  we  have  reason  to  think  all  metallic 
bodies,  except  lead,  to  be  tonics.  It  possesses,  however, 
apparently  a  quality  found  in  no  other  metal,  viz.  a  sti- 
mulus, by  which  many  of  its  effects  may  be  explained. 
One  reason  has  been  assigned  for  supposing  it  more 
friendly  to  the  constitution  than  other  metals,  viz.  the 
consideration  that  it  is  naturally  an  ingredient  in  the 
animal  fluids,  and  that  the  red  globules,  whose  propor- 
tion and  vividness  are  apparently  connected  with  the 
strength,  seem  to  owe  their  colour  to  iron. 

The  medical  uses  of  iron  are  almost  confined  to  chro- 
nical disorders  ;  in  which  its  efficacy  is  considerable. 
In  weak,  lax,  pale,  and  leucophlcgmatic  habits  it 
strengthens  the  stomach,  and  chylopoietic  organs  in 
particular;  and  by  its  continued  use  the  whole  system 
is  invigorated,  the  pulse  raised,  and  every  mark  of 
health  restored. 

By  the  same  corroborating  power  it  promotes  de- 
ficient, and  restrains  redundant,  discharges,  where  the 
suppression  and  excessive  flux  equally  arise  from  de- 
bility ;  but  it  increases  fluxes,  and  confirms  obstruc- 
tions when  they  proceed  from  tension,  rigidity,  or 
.spasmodic  strictures  of  the  vessels. 

An  aperient  and  astringent  virtue  has  been  attributed 
1o  different  preparations  of  iron  ;  but  each  is  aperient  or 
astringent,  according  to  the  state  of  the  constitution  of 
,ihe  patient  who  takes  them,  without  any  such  property 
in  themselves.  Chalybeate  waters  are  said  to  have 
similar  effects  on  the  constitution  as  iron.  See  AqujE. 

MINEKALES. 

In  the  chlorosis,  iron,  with  aromatics,  bitters,  and 
aloetic  purges,  is  often  very  useful.  In  this,  as  in  most 
other  cases,  the  crude  iron  filings,  when  minutely  pul- 
verized, excel  any  preparation;  and  arc  peculiarly  pro- 
per, as  they  rombinc  with  the  acids  of  the  stomach. 


The  aloclich  to  be  joined  with  iron  in  this  disorder  ;uv 
the  pillulae  ex  aloe  cum  myrrhii,  or  vinum  aloes  :  these- 
may  be  taken  not  as  purgatives,  but  as  eccoprotics,  to 
evacuate  the  intestinal  contents  only. 

Iron  scarcely  in  any  instance  occasions  dyspnoea.  Its 
ore  has,  according  to  Dioscorides,  been  injected  in 
clysters  to  restrain  diarrhoeas;  and  the  water  in  which 
hot  iron  has  been  quenched  is  said  to  be  useful 
when  employed  as  a  bath  in  gout  or  palsy.  In  malig- 
nant and  obstinate  ulcers  it  has  been  often  used  with 
success ;  and  since  the  article  on  CANCERS  was  printed, 
we  have  found  the  rust  of  iron  strongly  recommended 
both  as  a  medicine  and  application  in  this  disease.  In 
roughness  and  chronic  diseases  of  the  skin,  it  has  been 
recommended;  and  in  the  broad  brown  moles  which 
rise  slightly  above  the  cuticle  we  have  known  the  sul- 
-phatof  iron  highly  useful. 

It  was  very  commonly  employed  by  the  ancients  in 
excessive  discharges  from  the  bowels,  as  in  diarrhoea, 
cholera,  lientery,  dysentery;  and  is  by  many  authors 
recommended  as  a  vermifuge,  either  operating  mecha- 
nically as  filings  of  tin,  or  by  its  tonic  power.  In  vari- 
ous diseases  of  debility,  besides  those  already  mentioned, 
it  has  been  employed,  viz.  in  intermittents,  in  hectics, 
in  dropsies,  tympanites,  vertigo  and  pain  of  the  head 
from  relaxation,  exhausted  powers  from  venereal  in- 
dulgences, in  gleets;  and  by  some  respectable  practi- 
tioners even  in  internal  obstructions,  particularly  those 
of  the  spleen  and  mesentric  glands. 

Suppressed  or  an  immoderate  discharge  of  the  menses 
are  relieved  by  this  salutary  metal  (see  MENSES); 
and  it  is  sometimes  employed  to  check  hasmorrhoidal 
discharges.  In  hypochondriac  and  hysteric  complaints 
it  is  highly  useful  :  and  many  of  the  true  spasms,  parti- 
cularly in  epilepsy,  it  is  said  to  have  relieved.  We  need 
not  repeat  what  has  been  said  of  the  tonic  power  of  all 
the  metals  ;  nor  what  we  have  remarked  respecting  the 
effects  of  metallic  tonics  in  this  last  disease.  In  the 
rickets  it  has  been  recommended ;  and  though  in  fevers, 
or  where  the  heat  of  the  body  is  too  great,  iron  is  ge- 
nerally prohibited,  yet  in  some  low  fevers  it  hath  been 
administered  in  conjunction  with  nitre,  it  is  said,  with 
good  effect.  In  a  weak  state,  when  low  fever  attended, 
a  mixture  of  sal  martis  and  sal  nitri,  in  equal  parts, 
has  been  given  in  doses  of  ten  or  twenty  grains ;  but 
the  fever  in  this  case  was  apparently  symptomatic  only. 

In  some  instances,  iron  occasions  sickness  and  per- 
turbation ;  a  mild  opiate  must  then  be  added,  or  the 
medicine  taken  in  bed,  half  an  hour  before  the  hour  of 
rising  or  of  going  to  rest. 

When  improperly  taken,  it  sometimes  occasions 
anxjely,  head  ach,  pains  in  the  stomach  and  bowels, 
or  spasms. 

Iron  we  have  said  is  injurious  where  the  viscera  are 
obstructed,  or  where  an  inflammatory  tension  accom- 
panies it.  This  medicine  should  also  not  be  employed 
when  the  stomach  and  bowels  are  overloaded.  It 
should  not  be  taken  a  little  before  or  after  meals,  and 
be  carefully  purified  from  any  particles  of  copper  by 
means  of  a  magnet. 

It  has  been  the  opinion  of  some  respectable  practi- 
tioners, and  among  the  rest  of  Sydenham,  that  nature 
affords  this  remedy  in  a  more  useful  form  than  art  can 
supply.  We  shal)  therefore  first  mention  the  principal 


F  E 


659 


FE  R 


ores  of  iron  employed  as  remedies.  The  first  of  these 
has  had  the  sounding  title  of  MINERA  MARTIS  SOLARIS. 
It  is  the  fiyrHea  of  authors,  the  sulphurated  iron  of 
Hauy.  iv.  65,  and  an  astringent  of  considerable  efficacy, 
t  contains  a  portion  of  alumen. 

The  next  ore  is  the  MAGNET,  the  amorphous  oxidu- 
lated  iron  of  Hauy,  iv.  13.  It  would  be  endless  to 
transcribe  the  idle  stories  recorded  of  the  efficacy  of 
this  form  of  iron.  When  held  in  the  hand  it  is  said  to 
accelerate  delivery ;  and  bound  on  the  body,  after  being 
moistened  with  woman's  milk,  even  Hippocrates  tells 
us  that  it  obviates  sterility.  Among  the  graver  and 
more  modern  authors,  whose  credulity  on  this  subject 
is  conspicuous,  we  may  mention,  as  an  apology  for  add- 
ing a  word  on  the  subject,  Baldinger  in  his  Collection 
of  Dissertations  ;  Andry  and  Thouret,  in  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  Medicine  at  Paris. 

Another  ore  is  the  HXM.VTITF.S,  hematite  oxidated 
iron,  Hauy,  iv.  105  ;  red  haematites  of  Kinvan.  It  was 
supposed  to  cure  haemorrhages,  when  taken  internally, 
held  in  the  hand,  or  placed  under  the  axilla. 

The     RUBRICA      FAKIULIS,     Or     RED     CHALK,    has     been 

also  employed ;  it  is  the  red  oxidated  iron,  Haiiy.  iv. 
106;  but  even  the  collectors  of  wonders  speak  of  it 
only  as  a  good  astringent.  The  last  ore  is  the  .STITES, 
j!ie  eagle  stone,  a  variety  of  the  rusty  oxidated  iron, 
Haiiy,  iv.  107,  called  geodic.  A  geode  is  a  round  body 
a  cavity  within,  usually  full  of  water  or  earth. 
This  ore  also  takes  away  labour  pains  and  prevents 
abortions ! ! 

The  preparations  in  general  use  are  the  following: 

Limaturte  ferri. — FILINGS  of  IRON,  called  also  due- 
nez.  Of  all  the  preparations,  this  alone  is  said  to  possess 
all  the  virtues  of  iron.  The  rust  is  not  so  powerful  an 
absorbent  of  acid  in  the  primae  vise,  nor  does  it  yield  so 
large  a  share  of  the  gas,  separated  by  the  action  of  acids 
on  pure  iron,  which  some  authors  have  supposed  to  be 
useful.  If  pure  iron  be  reduced  into  fine  filings,  it  is 
the  least  offensive  to  the  taste,  and  the  most  extensively 
advantageous. 

A  preparation  between  this,  and  the  rust  of  iron, 
which  follows,  is  the  black  oxide  found  in  scales  round 
u  smith's  anvil.  This  was  tlie  form  recommended  by 
Dr.  Black,  and  on  the  whole  is  the  most  useful.  Iron 
wire,  as  made  of  the  purest  iron,  is  often  preferred;  but 
:he  hvdrogen  gas  separated  from  the  metal,  when  not 
oxidized,  often  produces  inconvenience,  so  that  the 
:s  are  preferable. 

Ferri  rubiga. — The  RUST  OF  IKON.  Moisten  clean 
•i  of  iron  with  water,  and  sprinkle  them  over  with 
a  little  powuered  sal  ammoniac ;  when  the  whole  is 
dried,  powder  and  pass  it  through  a  fine  searse.  The 
dose  is  the  same  as  that  of  pure  filings.  The  college  of 
physicians  of  London  order  one  pound  of  iron  filings  to 
oe  exposed  to  the  air,  often  moistened  with  water  until 
:hey  are  corroded  into  rust ;  then  pounded  in  an  iron 
mortar,  and  the  very  fine  powder  to  be  washed  off  with 
distilled  water.  The  remainder  is  easily  separated  by- 
washing,  and  must  undergo  the  same  process  :  the  pre- 
pared powder  must  be  dried  for  use.  Pharm.  Londin. 
1788.  In  hypochondriac  and  epileptic  complaints,  in 
-^worm  cases,  and  in  weak  relaxed  habits,  it  has  proved 
useful.  The  Dublin  college  prepare  it  from  iron  wire, 
as  the  purer  form  of  the  metal. 

The  following  electuary  is  not  an  inelegant  form  of 


administration.  R.  conserv.  absinthii  maritimi,  3 i. 
rubiginis  ferri,  555.  cons.  ari.  5  ij-  corticis  aurant,  q.  s. 
During  the  continuance  of  taking  this  medicine  the 
body  should  be  kept  open  by  some  gentle  aperient  me- 
dicine. 

Fhrts  martiales. — MARTIAL  FLOWERS  ;  formerly  ens 
veneris,  now  ferrum  ammoniacafe,  are  prepared  by 
mixing  of  iron  filings,  one  pound,  with  sal  ammoniac, 
two  pounds.  Sublime  them,  and  what  remains  mix, 
by  rubbing  together  with  the  sublimated  matter ;  and 
again  sublime.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

The  success  of  this  process  depends  chiefly  upon  the 
fire's  being  hastily  raised,  that  the  sal  ammoniac  may 
not  sublime  before  the  heat  is  become  strong  enough 
to  enable  it  to  carry  up  a  portion  of  the  iron ;  hence 
earthen  or  iron  vessels  will  be  most  proper  for  the 
purpose.  The  most  convenient  vessel  is  an  iron  pot, 
to  which  may  be  luted  an  inverted  earthen  jar,  with 
a  small  hole  in  its  bottom  to  allow  the  elastic  vapours 
which  arise  during  the  operation  to  pass  off. 

When  these  flowers  are  impure,  they  are  of  a  dull 
and  pale  yellow  colour;  but  they  may  be  purified  by 
sublimation. 

The  Edinburgh  college  directs  this  medicine  to  be 
prepared  by  mixing  equal  weights  of  the  red  oxide  and 
muriat  of  ammonia.  This  mixture  is  sublimed.  In 
this  preparation  there  is  only  a  single  decomposition ; 
and  the  muriat  of  ammonia  is  decomposed  by  the  metal, 
which  only  takes  place  in  high  temperatures.  Some* 
unchanged  muriat  of  ammonia  comes  over,  so  that  the 
sublimate  must -be  carefully  mixed  after  the  operation. 
In  both  processes  the  proportion  of  iron  i1-  L  It 

is  .only  required  to  be  -f'g  of  the  muriat.  A  tincture  is 
prepared  from  these  fiowei  ;  four  ounces 

of  ammoniacal  iron  in  a  pint  of  proof  spirit. 
-  The  dose  is  from  gr.  vi.  to  •)  i.  They?sr?*  martiales 
are  considered  as  deobstruent  and  corroborant ;  find  if 
given  in  pills  must  be  combined  with  the  fetid  gums. 
They  may  be  substituted  for  all  the  other  preparations 
of  iron  ;  but  are  by  no  means  particularly  powerful. 

From  these  flowers,  dissolved  in  warm  water  and 
precipitated  with  the  aq.  kali,  is  produced  the  Mars  dia- 
jiAoreticus,  and  by  Zwelfer,  sulftliur  Titrio/i  anodynum 
mat-dale  ;  dissolved  in  sp.  vir.i  rectificatus,  they  form  the 
sedatii-um  archei. 

4.  Vinum  chalybeatum.  Vinum  ferri. — Take  four 
ounces  of  the  filings  of  iron ;  of  cinnamon  and  mace, 
of  each  half  an  ounce ;  and  of  Rhenish  wine,  four  pints. 
Macerate  without  heat  for  a  month  ;  then  strain  off  the 
wine  for  use.  The  college  of  London  orders  four  ounces 
of  the  filings  of  iron  to  be  digested  for  a  month  in  : 
pints  of  Spanish  white  wine,  often  shaking  the  vessel, 
and  then  strained.  Phar.  Lond.  1 783.  The  Dublin 
college  substitutes,  for  the  filings,  iron  wire,  and  for 
Spanish  white  wine,  Rhenish  wine.  The  strength  of 
the  preparations  are  unequal,  and  a  better,  as  well  as  a 
more  certain  medicine  is  a  solution  of  tar tarired,  iron. 

Solutions  of  iron  in  vegetable  acids  are  much  more 
mild,  and  less  ungrateful,  both  to  the  palate  and 
mach,  than  those  made  with  the  mineral  acids. 

The  dose  is  from  a  tea  spoonful,  to  a  table  spoonful, 
two  or  three  times  a  day.     In  chlorotic  cases,  and  in  de- 
bilitated  phlegmatic  habits,  it  is  an  excellent  remedy ; 
but  in  inflammatory  habits  should  be 
-ed. 

4  P  2 


FER 


660 


FER 


Tinctura  martis  in  s/iiritu  salts. —  Tinctura  ferri  mu- 
•riati.  Take  of  the  rust  of  iron,  half  a  pound ;  muriatic 
acid,  by  weight,  three  pounds  :  pour  the  muriatic  acid 
upon  the  iron  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  shake  the  mixture 
now  and  then,  during  three  days ;  set  it  by,  that  the 
faeces  may  subside,  evaporate  the  liquor  poured  off  to 
one  pound,  and  add  three  pints  of  the  rectified  spirit  of 
wine.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

The  Edinburgh  college  employs  the  scales  of  iron  or 
the  black  oxide  ;  and  the  Dublin  iron  wire.  The  first 
and  last  are  therefore  nearly  the  same,  and  very  different 
from  the  London  formula,  in  which  the  red  oxide  is 
used.  The  red  muriat  is,  however,  only  soluble  in 
spirit  of  wine ;  and  some  of  this  muriat  is  formed  both 
in  the  Edinburgh  and  Dublin  forms. 

This  was  formerly  called  tinctura  martis  Mynsichti. 
Its  virtues  are  the  same  as  of  other  preparations  of 
iron ;  but  it  is  generally  more  speedy  and  certain  in 
its  effects :  its  dose,  from  ten  to  sixty  drops,  two  or 
three  times  a  day.  It  has  sometimes  been  given  for 
gleets  ;  and  in  suppressions  of  urine,  arising  from  spas- 
modic affections  of  the  urethra,  in  a  dose,  ten  drops 
every  ten  minutes  till  some  effects  are  perceptible :  it 
relaxes  the  spasm  by  producing  nausea.  It  is  very  effi- 
cacious in  destroying  venereal  warts,  either  used  alone, 
or  diluted  with  a  small  proportion  of  water. 

Tinctura  fiorum  martialum. — Take  of  the  martial 
flowers,  four  ounces;  and  of  proof  spirit,  one  pint. 
Digest  and  strain. 

All  the  tinctures  of  steel  are  no  other  than  real  solu- 
tions of  iron  in  acids,  combined  with  vinous  spirits ; 
but  the  first  of  these  two  is  the  strongest.  The  dose  of 
the  first  may  be  from  ten  to  twenty  drops  three  times  a 
day ;  and  of  the  latter,  three  times  the  quantity  may  be 
allowed. 

Carbonas  ferri  firecijiitatus  is  the  name  of  a  pre- 
paratifen  introduced  into  the  last  edition  of  the  Edin- 
burgh Dispensatory,  usually  styled  the  ferrum  firecifii- 
tatum.  It  is  prepared  by  dissolving  four  ounces  of  sul- 
phate of  iron*  in  five  quarts  of  water,  and  adding  five 
ounces  of  carbonate  of  soda,  dissolved  in  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  water.  The  iron  precipitated  is,  at  first,  in 
the  form  of  the  black  oxide;  but  it  attracts  more  oxygen 
in  drying,  and  becomes  of  a  red  colour.  It  is -a  valu- 
able medicine,  and  may  be  given  from  five  grains  to 
fifteen ;  but  the  former  dose  is  generally  sufficient. 
The  carbonate  of  soda  is  employed;  as  the  salt,  which 
results  from  the  double  decomposition,  is  very  soluble, 
and  of  course  easily  separated. 

Aijua  ferri  acrati  is  introduced  into  the  Dublin 
Dispensatory,  and  is  made  as  the  artificial  acidulous 
water,  introducing. into  the  vessel  half  an  ounce  of  iron 
wire,  and  suspending  it  in  the  water.  This  is  an  ele- 
gant chalybeate,  and  by  no  means  inferior  to  the  Pyr- 
mont  water. 

Sul/ihas  ferri  exciccatun,  and  oxidum  ferri  rubrum, 
are  preparations  introduced  into  the  last  Edinburgh 
Dispensatory.  In  the  first,  the  water  of  crystalliza- 
tion only  is  separated  by  a  gentle  heat;  and  in  the  last, 
the  sulphat  of  iron  is  decomposed  by  a  violent  fire. 
A  little  red  sulphat  remains,  which  must  be  separated 
by  elutriation. 

Tincturaferri  acetati  is  directed  by  the  Dublin  college 
to  be  prepared  in  the  following  manner.  An  ounce  of 
acetated  vegetable  alkali  is  rubbed  with  as  much  vitri- 


olated  iron  till  the  mass  deliquesces.  Alcohol  is  then 
added.  The  process  is  easily  explained ;  and  the  tinc- 
ture is  a  solution  of  the  black  oxide,  unless  it  gain  some 
oxygen  in  the  preparation.  The  sulphat  of  potash, 
formed  in  the  process,  is  not  soluble  in  alcohol ;  so  that 
the  tincture  when  filtered  has  no  saline  impregnation, 
except  that  of  the  iron.  The  dose  is  thirty  drops. 

Lixivium  martis. — Let  the  substance  remaining  after 
subliming  the  flowers  be  set  in  a  moist  place,  and 
it  will  deliquesce.  It  is  sometimes  called  oleum  martis 
Jier  deliquium,  and  essentia  martis.  The  dose  is  from 
one  to  three  or  four  drops.  It  is  an  astringent,  and  a 
very  powerful  one.  In  surgery  it  is  used  as  a  styptic, 
and  in  cases  of  haemorrhage  applied  to  the  .bleeding 
vessels  on  lint. 

Mars  saccharatus.  CANDIED  STEEL. — Put  any  quan- 
tity of  clean  filings  of  iron  into  a  brass  kettle,  sus- 
pended over  a  gentle  fire;  add  to  them,  by  little  and 
little,  twice  their  weight  of  white  sugar,  boiled  to  the 
consistence  of  candy,  with  which  powdered  starch  hath 
been  previously  mixed,  in  the  proportion  of  one  drachm 
to  a  pound,  agitating  the  kettle  continually,  that  the 
filings  may  be  crusted  over  with  the  sugar,  and  taking 
great  care  to  prevent  their  running  into  lumps.  The 
dose  is  3  ss.  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

Mars  solubilis,  chalybs  tartarisatus;  \\oviferrum  tar- 
tarisatum. — Take  of  iron  filings,  one  pound;  powdered 
crystals  of  tartar,  two  pounds  ;  mix  them  with  distilled 
water  into  a  thick  paste ;  expose  them  to  the  air  in  an 
open  earthen  vessel  for  eight  days ;  and  then  rub  the 
matter,  when  dried  in  a  sand  bath,  to  the  finest  powder. 
Pharm.  Lond.  1788.  This  is  said,  to  have  succeeded 
after  all  other  preparations  of  iron  have  failed";  and  is 
supposed  to  be  more  soluble  in  the  animal  fluids.  The 
dose  is  from  ten  grains  to  thirty,  twice  a  day.  It  is  in  fact 
a  triple  salt,  as  potash  is  combined,  and  the  filings  of  iron 
are  oxidized  by  exposure  to  the  air.  A  more  ready  way  of 
preparing  it  is  that  proposed  by  Thenard,  viz.  to  boil  the 
cream  of  tartar  with  an  oxide  of  iron.  This  compound 
is  very  soluble,  crystallizes  in  small  needles,  and  has 
a  chalybeate  taste.  It  is  decomposed  by  sulphurated 
hydrogen  and  its  compounds,  as  well  as  by  the  gallic 
acid,  not  by  alkalis,  or  alkaline  carbonats. 

Sal  martis.  SALT  OF  STEEL.  Chalybis  sal,  now 
called  ferrum  vitriolatum.  VITRIOLATED  IRON. — Take 
filings  of  iron,  vitriolic  acid,  by  weight,  of  each  eight 
evinces;  distilled  water,  three  pints;  mix  them  in  a 
glass  vessel,  and  when  the  effervescence  has  ceased, 
place  the  mixture  for  some  time  on  hot  sand;  then 
pour  off  the  liquor ;  filter  it  through  paper,  and  after 
proper  evaporation  let  it  crystallize.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 
It  is  given  from  three  or  four  grains  to  twenty ;  is  sup- 
posed to  quicken  the  circulation,  give  tone  and  vigour  to 
the  system,  and  destroy  worms:  ten  grains  may  be  dis- 
solved in  a  pint  of  water,  and  given  in  repeated  draughts, 
with  proper  exercise,  as  a  chalybeate  water. 

Extractum  martis. — Iron  filings  are  to  be  dissolved 
in  some  vegetable  acid,  and  then  evaporated  to  a  due 
consistence. 

For  the  crocus  martis  afieriens,  and  crocus  martis  as- 
tringens,  the  college  of  London  substitutes  the  colcothar 
vitrioli.  They  are  all  the  red  calx  of  iron,  and  the 
least  active  of  the  chalybeates.  M.  Beaume  observes, 
that  these  calces  recover  their  metalline  state  by  digest- 
ing in  olive  oil  during  an  hour  or  two. 


FER 


661 


FIB 


As  usual,  we  shall  add  a  short  account  of  those  pre- 
parations of  iron  which  have  been  commended  by  for- 
mer authors,  and  particularly  the  practitioners  on  the 
continent,  at  present  disused  in  this  kingdom.  The 
croci  mortis  merit  a  little  further  notice  in  this  part  of 
the  article.  They  have  been  differently  prepared,  and 
had  many  different  appellations,  according  to  the  fancy  or 
object  of  the  chemist.  Sometimes  the  iron  has  been 
calcined  by  fire,  sometimes  by  acids,  and  occasionally 
by  moistening  it  only,  when  it  does  not  differ  from  the 
rubigo  ferri.  Iron  calcined  by  fire  gives  the  crocus  mar- 
tis obgtructh'us  ;  deflagrated  with  common  salt  and  ni- 
tre, or  nitre  and  sulphur,  it  is  the  pulvis  cacfiecticus  of 
Boeder.  If  a  piece  of  sulphur  is  rubbed  on  a  hot  iron, 
and  the  drops  suffered  to  fall  into  cold  water,  it  affords 
the  crocus  mortis  afieriti-vus  (crocus  mortis  nigerj  and 
chalybs  cum  sulfihur  firefiaratus).  The  crocus  mortis 
tulfihuratus  (chalybs  and  filars  sulfihuratus )  is  made 
by  stratifying  filings  of  steel  with  sulphur  in  different 
proportions,  moistening  the  mixture  till  it  grows  hot  and 
swells.  It  is  then  powdered  and  subjected  to  a  violent 
heat  with  continual  stirring,  till  it  becomes  a  black  pow- 
der. When  still  further  heated,  to  separate  the  whole 
of  the  acid,  and  further  to  calcine  the  iron,  it  becomes 
red,  and  is  then  the  crocus  mortis  afieriens.  When  fur- 
ther heated,  it  is  converted  to  a  mere  calx,  and  is  the 
crocus  mortis  astringent  (adstrictorius  of  Sola}.  It 
will  be  obvious  that  the  calces,  in  all  these  tedious  pre- 
parations, are  only  in  the  progressive  state,  from  the 
black  to  the  red  oxide,  formerly  described,  and  differing 
little  from  the  common  calces  of  iron. 

In  various  foreign  pharmaceutical  works,  the  rust  of 
iron  is  differently  prepared,  without  seemingly  altering 
its  properties.  The  filings  of  steel  are  sometimes  mois- 
tened with  dew,  with  vinegar,  with  urine,  particularly  of 
boys,  solutions  of  common  salt,  (crocus  mortis  emena- 
gogus;)  of  borax,  or  tartarized  tartar  :  sometimes  the 
different  mineral  acids  are  employed  either  in  the  forms 
of  fluid  or  vapour,  and  the  rust  then  acquires  other  pro- 
perties. From  these  it  is  precipitated  by  alkalis,  par- 
ticularly caustic  ones,  or  the  acid  is  expelled  by  heat. 
By  repeating  these  processes,  Schroeder  obtained  a  cro- 
cus chalybis  ruber,  which  he  highly  commends.  A 
crocus  martis  is  also  obtained  by  agitating  the  iron  in 
carbonic  acid  water,  vinegar,  or  a  highly  diluted  nitric 
acid,  washing  the  paste  which  results,  and  drying  the 
light  powder  which  subsides. 

The  Mars  solubilis  alcalisatus  of  the  old,  and  parti- 
cularly Lewis's  Dispensatory,  differs  little  from  the  tar- 
tarised  steel  already  described.  The  globuli  martiales 
differ  only  in  containing  a  smaller  proportion  of  the  acid, 
and  are  employed  externally  in  contusions,  luxations, 
and  gun-shot  wounds. 

The  acetas  ferri  is  directed  only  by  the  Dublin  col- 
lege as  the  basis  of  a  tincture.  The  substance  is  order- 
ed by  the  Wirtemburgh  college  ;  and  the  tincture  is 
sometimes  denominated  from  Radcliffe.  It  is  usually 
prepared  from  the  filingsof  steel,  or  the  martial  ethiops, 
united  with  the  vegetable  acid  ;  and  is  highly  commend- 
ed by  Boerhaave  as  a  tonic  and  anthelmintic,  particular- 
ly as  an  antirachitic.  When  inspissated,  it  is  styled  ex- 
tractum  martis. 

Tinctura  martis  cydoniata  is  particularly  described  by 
Wedelius,  and  usually  exhibited  with  spirituous  cinna"- 
mon  water.  We  find  it  commended  in  the  same  dis- 


eases as  are  supposed  to  be  relieved  by  the  other  chaly- 
beates,  and  particularly  in  puerperal  discharges.  The 
tinctura  martis  fiomata,  a  solution  of  iron  in  cyder,  and 
the  tinctura  martis  cum  vino  malvatico  andftomis  auran- 
ricrum,  are  similar  medicines  of  no  peculiar  qualities. 
The  two  first  are  sometimes  inspissated  into  an  extract. 
The  last  ib  a  very  weak,  inert  preparation. 

Tinctura  nervina  of  Bestuchef;  tinctura  nervino  to- 
nicajla-va;  gutte  auree  Lamottii,  liquor  nervinus  al- 
bus,  liquor  anodynus  martialus,  are  the  appellations  of 
a  secret  medicine,  purchased  by  the  empress  of  Russia, 
and  published.  This  tincture  is  generally  of  a  beauti- 
ful golden  colour  if  exposed  to  the  sun's  light,  which  is 
lost  in  the  shade,  and  returns  again  in  sunshine:  it  de- 
posits a  blue  sediment  by  the  addition  of  the  Prussian 
alkali;  and  is,  like  the  other  tinctures  of  steel,  a  tonic. 
It  is  a  vitriolic  ether,  with  a  portion  of  spirit  of  wine, 
holding  in  solution  muriated  iron. 

The  last  preparation  which  we  shall  mention  is  the 
serum  lactis  chalybeatum,  prepared  by  quenching  hot 
iron  in  whey.  It  is  commended  as  a  tonic';  but  we  can 
find  no  very  distinct  accdunt  of  the  diseases  to  which  it 
is  peculiarly  adopted. 

See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica:  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works. 

FE'RRUM  AMMOXIA'CALE.     See  FERRUM. 

FE'RRUM  EQUI'NUM.  HORSE  SHOE  VETCH.  Hififio- 
crafiis  uni  siliyuosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1049.  Dale  adds  that 
all  the  species  are  astringent. 

FE'RRUM  TARTARIZA'TUM.     See  FERRUM. 

FE'RRUM  VITRIOLA'TUM.     See  FERRUM. 

FE'RSJl.  MEASLES,  afervore,  from  the  heat  which 
accompanies  them.  See  MORBILLI. 

FE'RULA,  a  STAFF,  which  it  resembles.  FENNEL 
GIANT.  It  hath  a  large,  succulent,  milky  root  ;  the  stalk 
is  fungous,  and  full  of  a  pitchy  matter. 

' 


rtKA 


ArKi<JA'.-\.a 

SEMPE'RVIVENS.     See  GALBANUM. 

FE'RULA  ASAF(E'TIDA.     See  ASAFCETIDA. 

FE'RULA  FO'LIO  BREVIO'RI.     See  MEUM  LATIFOLIU.-I 

ADULTERINUM. 

FE'RULA  GLAU'CO  FO'LIOJ  Sec.  called  tha/isiaferulacea, 
libanotisffnicv.il  folio,  fianax  asclefiium  ;  thafisia  a&- 
clefiium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  375.  CANDY  ALL  HEAL.  This  spe- 
cies grows  in  Candy;  its  roots  and  seeds  are  diuretic  and 
emmenagogue. 

FE'RULA  SEU  FCE'MIXA;  FE'RULA  TENUIORE  FOLIO; 
FE'RULA  FCENICULI  FOLIO.  FENNEL  GIANT.  Ferula  com- 
munis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  355.  It  is  .cultivated  in  gardens,  and 
flowers  in  July.  See  SAGAPENUM. 

FE'RULA  MI'NOR,  called  also  fianax  asclefiium,  ferula 
facie,  libanotis  ferule  folio  et  semine  ;  ferula  nodiflcra 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  356.  All-heal  of  Esculapius. 

FESTU  CA  AVENA'CEA,  (from  /er<5,  to  bear;  so 
called  from  resembling  the  young  shoot  of  a  tree,) 

FESTUCA.   The  GREAT  WILD  OAT  GRASS.   See 


LOPS. 

FI'BER.     See  CASTOR. 

FI'BRA,  (from^ier,  extreme').  A  FIBRE.  Haller 
observes,  that  the  least  discoverable  fibres  are  of  two 
kinds.  The  first  are  lineal  ;  the  second  are  conjoined 
with  a  breadth  frequently  larger  than  their  length  ;  and 
the  latter,  he  informs  us,  are  those  of  which  the  cellular 
membrane  is  made  up. 

On  the  different  proportions  of  the  terrestrial  matter, 


FIB 


662 


FI  C 


and  the  gelatine  which  forms  the  simple  fibre,  depend 
probably  their  different  degrees  of  cohesion,  and  from 
hence  Boerhaave  deduces  the  general  source  of  disea- 
ses. See  Boerhaave's  Aphorisms,  and  Haller's  Physio- 
logy, under  the  title  of  ANIMAL  FIBRE. 

Each  of  these  opinions,  however,  is  fallacious;  and 
indeed,  when  we  speak  of  the  pellular  substance  as  a 
fibre  or  a  membrane,  we  convey  ideas  which  mislead. 
The  human  body  seems  to  be  originally  fibrous.  At 
the  earliest  period  when  the  embryo  can  be  subjected  to 
our  senses,  it  seems  to  resemble  the  tadpole,  with  a 
tail  only  extended  from  a  rounded  head.  There  ap- 
pears to  be  little  doubt  of  this  being  exclusively  the 
brain  and  spinal  marrow,  for  the  lower  extremities  are 
developed  at  a  much  later  period.  If  this  be  true,  the 
fibrous  structure  of  the  human  body  is  only  the  nervous 
system;  on  its  fib  res  are  deposited  the  nutriment  formed 
in  successive  eras  by  the  powers  of  the  constitution,  and 
these  direct  the  form  and  the  shape  of  the  different  parts 
of  the  body.  In  reality,  this  is  the  moule  interieure  of 
which  Buifon  so  often  speaks.  This  system,  which  we 
hope  to  render  more  probabte  in  other  parts  of  the 
work,  requires  that  the  productions  of  this  aboriginal 
nervous  germ,  viz.  the  nerves,  should  be  convoluted 
within  a  small  space,  capable  of  a  certain  degree  of  ex- 
tension, different  according  to  the  organs  which  they 
are  to  form  or  supply.  Beyond  this  power  of  exten- 
sion, or,  in  other  words,  their  length,  the  organ  cannot 
expand;  and  the  different  extent  of  the  nerves,  in  each 
part,  depends  on  the  individual  constitution.  This 
theory  involves  no  contradiction,  scarcely  any  difficulty, 
except  the  extreme  minuteness  of  these  fibres  ;  but  mi- 
nuteness is  only  relative,  and  will  disappear,  if  we 
reflect  that  even  the  mite  probably  nourishes  some  pa- 
rasite animal,  and  that  this  last  must  possess  vessels,  ar- 
teries, ajpd  muscular  fibres,  peculiarly  its  own. 

According  10  tllt'sc   vie-no  lllc  filnuua  pails  of  lllC  llU- 

man  body  are  the  nerves,  the  muscles,  the  blood,  and 
absorbent  vessels  ;  consequently  the  great  bodies  of  the 
glands,  as  composed  of  vessels  and  membranes.  The 
other  parts  are  the  cellular  substance,  which  is  only  a 
connecting  medium,  and  which,  in  every  instance  of 
adhesive  inflammation,  is  formed  before  our  eyes. 

The  diseases  of  the  fibres  are  only  those  from  too 
great  rigidity  or  laxity ;  but,  if  we  consider  these  as 
nervous,  or  prolongations  of  the  brain  and  spinal  mar- 
row, we  shall  reduce  them  to  excessive  tone  and  relaxa- 
tion. The  connection  between  the  state  of  the  simple 
fibres  and  the  nervous  system  we  have  already  noticed 
at  sufficient  length.  See  ASTRINGENTIA. 

The  strength  or  weakness  of  a  fibre  is  wholly  relative. 
Soon  after  conception  the  cohesion  may  be  destroyed  by 
the  slightest  touch  ;  but  the  cohesion  increases  till  the 
degree  is  attained  which  gives  perfection  to  the  being. 
The  perfection  of  cohesion  is  when  a  fibre  will  bear  a 
greater  force  than  what  its  state  and  office  regularly  re- 
quire. Many,  though  equally  unsatisfactory,  are  the 
rules  laid  down  to  distinguish  betwixt  the  rigid  and  lax 
fibre,  in  particular  constitutions ;  but  with  a  view  to 
practice,  a  rigid  fibre  is  a  concomitant  of  strength,  and 
the  lax  fibre  of  its  deficiency. 

FIBRO'SUS,  (fromjibra,  ajibre).  In  botany  it  is 
applied  to  the  root,  and  means  consisting  of  small 
strings. 

FI'BULA,  (quasi  figilula,  from  figo,  to  fasten).     A 


BUCKLE,  CLASP,  or  BUTTON.  It  is  the  name  also  of  an 
ancient  mode  of  bringing  the  lips  of  wounds  together. 
Hippocrates  sometimes  uses  the  word  for  the  part  of  the  . 
bone  that  forms  the  outer  ankle,  perhaps,  because  the 
shoes  were  buckled  in  that  place.  The  ancients  gave 
this  name  to  the  small  bone  of  the  leg,  from  its  joining 
the  tibia  and  muscles  together  :  it  is  also  called  fierone, 
facile  minus,  arunda  minor,  canna  minor  cruris,  sura, 
and  radius.  On  the  outside  of  the  leg,  and  behind  the 
tibia,  the  fibula  is  placed  :  its  upper  extremity  is  flatten- 
ed where  it  is  connected  to  the  former ;  and  its  lower 
extremity  hath  an  oblong  head,  received  by  the  external 
cavity  of  the  tibia;  below  this  the  head  of  the  fibula  is 
extended  in  a  coronoid  process,  the  malleolus  externus 
contiguous  to  the  outside  of  the  astragalus. 

The  arteries  of  all  the  long  bones  run  obliquely  into 
them,  and  as  they  thus  resist  the  action  of  styptics,  their 
wounds  occasion  obstinate  haemorrhages.  It  is  re- 
markable that  in  this  oblique  course  the  arteries  of  the 
os  humeri,  tibia,  and  fibula,  run  obliquely  downwards ; 
those  of  the  radius  and  ulna  upwards :  a  structure 
seemingly  designed  to  facilitate  the  circulation  from 
gravity,  as  the  arteries  confined  by  the  bone  cannot  con- 
tract. The  radius  and  ulna  are,  it  may  be  remarked, 
occasionally  raised. 

FIBULE'US,  (fromjbiila,  the  small  bone  of  the  leg). 
See  PEHONJEUS  MUSCULUS  LONGUS. 

FICA'RIA,  (fromjiciis,  a  Jig).  See  SCROPHULARIA 
MAJOR,  and  CHELIDONIUM  MIXUS. 

FICA'TIO,  (from  the  same).     See  Ficus. 

FICOI'DES,  (homficus,  and  f«J»s,  likeness).  A  suc- 
culent plant,  resembling  the  fig  tree,  supposed  to.be 
emollient.  Ficoides  is  also  a  name  of  the  banana. 

FI'CUS,  vel  FICA'TIO,  (from  4>»«,  to  produce;  or 
fl/iig,  Hebrew).  The  name  of  a  tubercle  about  the  anus 
or  pudenda.  See  CONDYLOMA. 

Ii'cus  J/NDICA.     See  BANANA  and  MUSA. 

FI'CUS  I*NDifjE  GRA'NA.     See  COCINILLA. 

FI'CUS  INFERNA'LIS.     See  CATAPUTIA. 

Fl'cUS    SATI'VA,    ARIDA,    COMMUNIS.       The     FIG    TREE. 

Ficus  carica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1513.  The-unripe  fig  is  call- 
ed grossus  ;  the  dried,  carica  ;  its  grain  or  seed  cen- 
chramis,  from  its  resembling  millet  seed.  This  tree  is 
of  a  middling  size,  with  large  leaves  cut  into  five  seg- 
ments ;  grows  spontaneously  in  the  warmer  climes,  and 
is  cultivated  in  our  gardens. 

The  best  figs  are  brought  from  Turkey;,  many  from 
the  south  of  France,  where  they  dry,  after  dipping 
them  in  hot  ley,  made  of  the  ashes  of  the  fig  tree,  by 
exposing  them  to  the  sun.  The  recent  fruit,  complete- 
ly ripe,  is  soft,  succulent,  and  easily  digested,  unless  ea- 
ten in  immoderate  quantities,  when  it  is  apt  to  occasion 
flatulency,  pain  of  the  stomach,  and  diarrhoea.  . 

The  skin  of  the  fruit  is  glutinous  and  salt ;  and  from 
hence  their  laxative  power  has  been  ridiculously  de- 
rived. They  are  very  nutritious,  as  their  sugar  is  united 
with  a  large  portion  of  mucilaginous  matter ;  grateful 
to  the  stomach,  and  easier  to  digest  than  many  other  of 
the  sweet  fruits.  But  they  are  used  in  medicine  as  a 
lubricating  emollient,  and  are  an  ingredient  in  pec- 
toral decoctions,  as  well  as  suppurating  cataplasms. 
They  are  sometimes  used  alone,  and  applied  as  warm 
as  they  can  easily  be  borne  to  phlegmons  of  the  gums, 
and  other  parts  where  poultices  cannot  be  confined. 
See  Lewis's  and  Cullen's  Materia  Meclica. 


F1L 


Fl  S 


FIDICINA  LES,(from  Jldictn,  a  harper}.  Some 
muscles  of  the  fingers,  particularly  used  in  playing 
upon  the  harp,  and  other  stringed  instruments.  See 

LUMBRICALES    MUSCULI. 

FILACE'Ji  RA 'DICES,  (from  Jilum,  a  thread'). 
FILACEOUS  ROOTS;  such  as  are  furnished  with  many 
thread-like  filaments. 

FILA'GO,  (from  the  thread-like  filaments  of  its 
leaf).  See  GXAPHALIUM. 

FILA'GO  ALPIXA.  The  herb  LION'S  FOOT.  See 
LEONTOPODIUM. 

FILAME'NTUM.  A  FILAMENT,  (from  Jilum,  a 
thread,  of  the  diameter  of  a  slender  thread).  In  botany 
it  is  that  thread-like  part  of  the  stamen  which  connects 
the  anthera  with  the  receptaculum.  By  some  English 
botanists  it  is  called  thread. 

FILE'LLUM,  (from  Jilum,  a  thread}.     See  PEXIS. 

FILE'TUM,  (from  the  same).     See  LIXGUA. 

FI'LICES,  the  plural  of  Jilix,  (from  Jilum,  a  thread; 
quasi  Jilatim  incisa}.  FERNS  ;  one  of  the  natural  orders 
of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  having  the  fructification  on 
the  back  side  of  the  leaves.  They  constitute  the  first 
order  in  the  class  cryfitogamia,  and  consist  of  sixteen 
genera  divided  into  fructifications  spicatae,  frondosae, 
and  radicales. 

FILI'CULA,  a  dim.  of  JiUx,fern}.  A  small  sort  of 
fern ;  also  the  herb  MAIDEN  HAIR,  (from  Jilum,  a 
thread,  which  it  resembles).  See  ADIANTHUM  NI- 
GRUM. 

FILIPE'NDULA,  (from  Jilum,  andflendeo,to  hang, 
because  the  numerous  bulbs  of  its  root  hang  as  it  were 
by  small  threads).  DROPWORT  ;  saxifraga  rubra  and 
tcnanthe.  It  grows  wild  in  fields  and  chalky  grounds,  is 
rough  and  bitter,  and  slightly  pungent.  The  species  used 
in  medicine  is  the  sfiirea  jilifiendula  Lin.  Sp.  PL  702. 

FILIPE'NDULA     CICUT.S:     FA'CIE.       See    C£XAXTHE 

CH^ROPHYLLI    FOLIIS. 

FI'LIUS  A'NTE  PA'TREM.  THE  SON  BEFORE 
THE  FATHER  ;  because  the  flowers  appear  before  the 
leaves.  TUSSILAGO  is  one  of  these  plants,  q.  v. 

FI'LIX.  See  FILICES,  its  plural.  Pteris.  FERN-. 
Blancnon  Oribasii. 

Fem  is  divided  into  the  male  and  female ;  the  male 
hath  no  branches,  but  only  one  main  rib ;  the  female  is 
branched. 

FI'LIX  ACULEA'TA.     See  LONCHITIS. 

FI'LIX  FLO'RIDA,  RAMO'SA,  osmunda  vulgaris,  and 
fialustris.  FLOWERING  FERN  and  OSMUND  ROYAL.  Os- 
mitnda  regalia  Lin.  Sp.  PL  1521.  It  is  the  largest  of 
the  true  English  ferns,  bears  no  flowers,  and  its  fruit  in 
clusters.  Towards  their  tops  are  round,  slender,  seed- 
bearing,  curled  heads  of  a  brownish  colour,  covered 
with  seeds :  they  appear  in  June,  ripen  in  July,  and 
are  chiefly  found  in  marshes.  The  roots  consist  of  many 
small  parts,  matted  together,  blackish  on  the  outside, 
and  green  within,  covered  with  small  fibres :  they  are 
equal  in  power  to  the  roots  of  the  other  ferns ;  but  a 
conserve  of  the  tender  buds  or  heads  is  preferable./ 

FI'LIX  F<EMI'XEA,  RAMO'SA  MA'JOR.  FEMALE  FERN, 
BRAKES,  or  BRACKEN.  Pteris  aguilina  Lin.  Sp.  PL 
t533. 

FI'LIX  FO'LIIS  POLYPO'DII.  See  POLYPODIUM  AXGUS- 
TIFOLIVM. 

FI'LIX  MAS.  MALE  FERN,  called  also  lonchitis;  fioly- 
/todium  Jilix  mas  Lin.  Sp.  PL  1551.  The  root  of  the 


male  fern  resembles  that  of  the  osmunda  regalis,  and  is 
often  sold  for  it.  The  roots  of  most  of  the  species, 
when  chewed,  are  of  a  sweetish  taste,  glutinous,  but 
soon  become  bitterish,  subastringent,  and  nauseous  : 
they  are  used  for  destroying  the  taenia,  and  given  in 
the  following  manner  :  the  patient  is  first  prepared  by 
an  emollient  clyster,  and  a  supper  of  panada,  with  but- 
ter and  salt ;  in  a  morning,  two  or  three  drachms  of  the 
powder  of  the  male  fern  root  are  given,  washed  down 
with  a  draught  of  water;  and,  two  hours  afterwards, 
a  strong  cathartic,  composed  of  calomel  and  scammony, 
proportioned  to  the  strength  of  the  patient.  To  assist 
its  operation,  if  necessary,  a  dose  of  purging  salts  may 
be  given ;  and,  if  the  worm  is  not  expelled  in  a  few 
hours,  this  process,  at  proper  intervals,  must  be  repeat- 
ed. Dr.  Cullen  thinks  it  doubtful  whether  the  ferns 
have  any  specific  power  in  killing  worms ;  for  the 
stomach  bears  considerable  quantities  without  uneasi- 
ness ;  and,  alone,  it  has  no  sensible  effects:  its  apparent 
benefit  may,  therefore,  be  derived  from  the  drastic 
purge.  In  Germany,  however,  the  taenia  has  been  ex- 
pelled by  the  repeated  exhibition  of  the  root,  without 
the  aid  of  any  purgative ;  and  it  is  possible  that  a  medi- 
cine may  be  poisonous  to  worms,  that  has  no  effect  on 
the  human  body.  We  have  found  that  portions  of  taenia, 
before  discharged  alive,  have,  after  the  exhibition  of  the 
fern  root,  no  longer  shown  signs  of  animation.  The 
fern  root  has  been  used  as  a  deobstruent,  and  been  ex- 
tolled against  the  rickets.  The  male  fern,  and  those 
that  bear  flowers,  are  most  powerful  as  antiseptics  and 
astringents ;  the  female  fern  is  more  viscid,  saponaceous, 
and  diuretic.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica.  Woodville's 
Medical  Botany. 

FI'LIX  QUE'RNA  RE'PEXS.  See  POLYPODIUM  TEXE- 
RUM  MINUS. 

FILTRA'TIO,  (fromjiltrum,  a  strainer).  See  DE- 
PURATIO.  Generally  a  paper  is  folded  into  the  shape 
of  a  funnel,  and  then  placed  in  one ;  through  this  the 
liquor  passes,  and  the  feculencies  are  separated. 

FI'LTRUM.  (See  FILTRATIO.)  A  stone  found  in 
the  bay  of  Mexico,  through  which  liquors  are  filtered, 
and  particularly  turbid  or  impure  water.  Flints  pow- 
dered to  different  fineness  are  sometimes  introduced 
into  a  cylinder  for  the  same  purpose ;  and  occasionally 
the  weight  of  a  descending  column  of  the  fluid  is  em- 
ployed to  propel  it  through  the  natural  or  artificial  pores 
of  the  filtre. 

FI'LUM  ARSENICA'LE.     See  MERCLRIUS  COR- 

ROSIVUS    ALBUS. 

FI'MBRIA,  (quasi./?tti'6rw, from ./?«/*,  the  extremity}. 
FRINGE.     Those  leaves  are  said  to  be  fimbriated  that 
are  jagged  about  the  edges.     In   surgery  this  word  is 
synonymous  with  CATABLEMA,  q.  v. 
'  FIMBRIA'TUS.     See  FIMBRIA. 

FI'MUS,  (from./?o,  to  make}.  DUNG.  The  dung  of 
many  animals  hath  been  used;  but  the  present  practice 
excludes  them  all.  That  of  dogs  is  an  absorbent. 

FI'SSILIS  LA'PIS  HIBE'RNICUS,  (from  Jissus, 
cleft,  because  it  is  divided  into  thin  layers).  Fricus. 
See  HIBERNICUS  LAPIS. 

FI'SSURA,  (from  the  same).  A  FISSURE  or  CRACK. 
The  mouth,  or  other  natural  apertures  into  the  body,  are 
called  Jissures;  but  morbid  fissures  are  cracks  in  the 
skull,  or  in  a  long  bone  when  the  fracture  is  longitu- 
dinal. 


FIS 


664 


FIS 


A  morbid  fissure  differs  from  a  fracture,  because  in 
the  latter  there  is  a  total  solution  of  continuity.  A 
fracture  also  is  transverse  or  oblique ;  a  fissure  longi- 
tudinal. 

Fissures  most  frequently  occur  in  the  skull ;  and  of 
these  there  is,  first,  the  counter  fissure,  when  the  blow 
is  received  on  one  side  of  the  head,  and  the  fissure  is  on 
the  other;  where  the  internal  table  is  broken,  the  exter- 
nal remaining  sound;  or  where  the  stroke  is  received  on 
one  bone,  and  the  fissure  is  in  that  adjoining.  Many 
authors  doubt  the  existence  of  a  counter  fissure,  and  it 
is  difficultly  accounted  for ;  but  the  facts  are  well  at- 
tested. Hippocrates,  Galen,  Celsus,  Berengarius,  Fal- 
lopius,  and  several  others,  assert  their  having  met  with 
such  instances.  The  most  frequent  kind  is  that  which 
is  soon  discovered  by  laying  the  bone  bare,  and  cleaning 
the  part  with  sponge ;  but  they  are  occasionally  so  small, 
that  some  art  is  necessary  to  discover  them.  If  a  black 
liquor,  made  of  burnt  bone  or  cork,  mixed  with  water, 
is  rubbed  on  the  bare  skull,  it  will  sink  into  the  crack, 
and  discover,  when  washed  off,  its  situation ;  or,  if  the 
head  be  clean  shaved,  and  the  patient  bled  freely,  an 
cedematous  puffmess  will  appear,  in  a  day  or  two,  over 
the  part  affected. 

Fissures  are  often  productive  of  worse  consequences 
than  fractures ;  for  there  is  often,  at  the  same  time,  a 
concussion  of  the  brain  ;  and  it  is  consequently  neces- 
sary to  ascertain  this  circumstance.  Instances  of  the 
ill  effects  of  fissures  have  happened  many  months  after 
the  accident.  The  fissure  alone  is  not  dangerous,  but 
the  violence  which  occasioned  it,  and  the  consequent 
rupture  of  numerous  vessels,  whose  extravasated  con- 
tents injure  the  bone.  When  this  happens,  an  unex- 
pected death  is  often  the  consequence. 

Trepanning  seems  to  be  the  properest  method  of  re- 
lief; though  the  plan  recommended  by  Mr.  Bromfield, 
in  concussions  of  the  brain,  has  alone  effected  a  cure. 

FI'SSURA  CEREBRI  MAGNA  svLVii.  The  sulcus  which 
divides  the  anterior  and  middle  lobes  of  the  cerebrum 
on  each  side  :  it  ascends  obliquely  baiA-vyards  from  the 
temporal  ala  of  the  os  sphenoides  to  near  the  middle  of 
the  os  parietale. 

FISSU'R^E  ORBITA'RES  INFERIO'RES.  See 
SPHENO  MAXILLARES  FISSURE. 

FI'STULA,  (quasi  fusula,  fromfundo,  to  pour  out). 
So  the  Latins  called  a  catheter.  See  CATHETERUS  ; 
and  also  a  clyster  fiifie.  See  ENEMA. 

FI'STULA.  A  PIPE.  In  surgery  it  is  a  kind  of  ulcer 
which  resembles  a  pipe;  named  also  eligii  morbus. 
It  is  narrower  than  a  sinus ;  generally  continues  fur- 
ther; hath  its  internal  surface  and  its  orifice  usually 
callous;  and  is  generally  the  consequence  of  abscesses. 
The  seat  of  a  fistula  is  in  the  cellular  membrane.  It 
is  known  to  be  present  when  there  is  an  aperture  on 
the  surface  of  the  body  from  which  any  matter  either 
flows  or  may  be  pressed  out :  its  depth  and  direction 
are  discovered  by  a  probe ;  or,  if  the  directions  are  va- 
rious, warm  water  may  be  injected  into  it;  and,  if  near 
the  skin,  these  will  be  ascertained  by  the  elevation 
occasioned  by  the  water;  if  otherwise,  the  quantity  of 
water  retained  will  determine  the  size  of  the  cavity. 
The  probe  often  discovers  whether  the  fistula  runs  upon 
an  adjacent  bone,  or  whether  the  bone  be  carious.  The 
parts  in  which  these  ulcers  are  seated,  and  their  various 
circumstances,  constitute  the  chief  differences  betwixt 


fistulse.  A  fistula  is  more  dangerous  in  proportion  to 
the  depth  of  the  cellular  membrane,  and  the  thickness 
of  the  muscles.  While  it  is  simple,  and  extends  no 
further  than  it  can  be  reached  with  a  knife,  it  may  be 
generally  cured  :  when  so  situated  as  to  open  into  the 
neck  of  the  bladder,  or  when  attended  with  a  caries  in 
the  adjacent  bone,  particularly  the  os  sacrum  or  the 
coccyx,  the  cure  is  difficult,  and  often  impossible. 

Mr.  Bell  includes  the  fistula  in  his  species  of  sinous 
ulcer;  by  which  he  means  that  kind  of  sore  which  hath 
one  or  more  openings  running  into  it  from  the  same 
or  different  directions,  and  generally  seated  in  the  cel- 
lular membrane.  A  sinus,  as  thus  described,  he  says, 
is  the  most  simple  state  of  the  disorder,  and  is,  by  long 
continuance,  or  by  the  use  of  drying  astringent  appli- 
cations, liable  to  become  hard  and  callous  in  its  internal 
surface ,  and  in  such  a  state,  from  its  supposed  resem- 
blance to  a  pipe,  is  termed  a  fistula.  The  most  frequent 
cause  of  sinuses  in  ulcers  and  abscesses,  is  the  want 
of  vent  or  a  sufficient  opening  for  the  discharge,  which 
easily  insinuates  itself  into  the  yielding  substance  of 
the  cellular  membrane,  and  proceeds  gradually  till  it 
finds  an  opening  either  externally  or  into  some  of  the 
neighbouring  cavities.  An  improper  application  of 
bandages  on  ulcers  is  often  the  cause  of  a  sinus. 

When  fistulas,  not  yet  become  callous,"  are  compli- 
cated with  ulcers,  the  most  expeditious  relief  is  from 
an  incision  to  the  bottom,  if  it  can  be  done  without 
danger :  after  which  the  wound  is  to  be  cleaned  and 
healed.  Another  method  is,  to  compress  the  fundus  of 
the  sinus ;  for  which  purpose  a  narrow  compress,  or  a 
slip  of  plaster  wrapped  up  in  that  form,  is  to  be  applied 
externally  over  the  bottom,  and  secured,  as  in  other  ul- 
cers, with  a  plaster  and  bandage,  that  the  peccant  matter 
may  be  propelled  from  the  bottom  to  the  mouth  of  the 
fistula,  that  the  former  may  be  soonest  healed.  This 
happens  most  frequently  when  the  fistula  is  in  the  arms 
or  legs,  or  when  its  orifice  is  lower  than  its  fundus. 
Belloste,  and  some  other  surgeons,  reject  all  tents  and 
injections;  but  when  fistulas  lie  deep,  detergent  injec- 
tions must  be  used.  These  are  a  decoction  of  birthwort, 
mixed  with  honey  of  roses,  or  with  the  tincture  of 
myrrh  and  aloes :  they  must  be  injected  warm  at  every 
dressing,  and  retained  for  a  short  time;  the  bottom  and 
mouth  of  the  fistula  are  gently  pressed,  that  the  matter 
may  more  effectually  be  washed  off.  This  method  must 
be  continued  until  the  bottom  of  the  fistula  begins  to 
heal.  It  may  then  be  dressed  with  some  soft  digestive, 
of  which  the  balsamum  Peruv.  or  balsamum  capivi  are 
ingredients.  When  this  method  fails,  the  operation 
must  be  attempted  ;  but  it  is  not  to  be  depended  on,  ex- 
cept when  the  opening  can  be  carried  to  the  bottom  of 
the  ulcer.  The  incision  is  made  with  most  ease  to  the 
patient  with  a  knife;  and  whatever  instrument  be  used, 
the  incision  must  be  so  deep  as  will  be  sufficient  to  an- 
swer the  end ;  for  when  the  bottom  is  laid  open,  the 
matter  is  not  only  discharged,  but  medicines  more  com- 
modiously  applied.  If,  upon  making  the  incision,  a  large 
quantity  of  blood  is  discharged,  fill  the  wound  with  dry 
lint,  and  proceed  as  is  usual  in  recent  wounds.  Mr. 
Bell  advises  almost  universally  to  avoid  the  practice  of 
laying  the  different  sinuses  open  from  one  end  to  the 
other,  and  cutting  out  all  the  hardened  parts,  so  as  to 
convert  the  whole  into  one  common  ulcer.  This  me- 
thod he  owns  will  frequently  effect  a  cure ;  but  inde- 


FIS 


665 


FIS 


pendent  of  the  great  pain,  and  very  large  unseemly  ci- 
catrix  occasioned,  it  cannot,  in  every  case,  be  safely  prac- 
tised. When  sinuses,  for  instance,  run  far  up  the  rec- 
tum, it  cannot  ever  be  conveniently  done;  they  penetrate 
deep,  and  run  below  either  large  bloodvessels  or  nerves  : 
in  these  cases  such  treatment  cannot  be  advised.     The 
object  in  every  case  of  sinus,  is  to  produce  a  coalescence 
of  its  sides,  so  as  to  destroy  any  vacuity  that  may  have 
occurred;  and  the  most  effectual  means  of  accomplish- 
ing it  is,  to  make  a  depending  orifice  for  a  free  exit  to 
the  matter;  or  by  a  gentle  irritation,  to  induce,  on  its 
internal  surface,  a  slight  degree  of  adhesive  inflamma- 
tion ;  so  that  a  firm  union  of  the  sides  of  the  sinus  may 
be  obtained.  To  answer  both  these  intentions,  Mr.  Bell 
thinks  that  the  introduction  of  a  seton  is  sufficient.  The 
seton  must  pass  from  the  orifice  in  the  ulcer  along  the 
course  of  the  sinus  to  its  other  extremity,  where  an 
opening,  large   enough  for  the  discharge,  should  be 
made,  as  in  cases  of  abscess.     The  cord  of  cotton,  or  of 
silk,  should  at  first  be  large  in  proportion  to  the  capa- 
city of  the  sinus,  and  diminished  gradually  as  the  cure 
advances.     When  the  discharge  is  greatly  lessened,  by 
the  diminution  of  the  vacuity,  the  seton  should  be  to- 
tally withdrawn ;  abandage  somewhat  tight  applied  over 
the  part,  and  continued  till  a  complete  cure  is' effected. 
In  this  process  the  first  step  is,  to  discover  the  direction 
of  the  sinus,  or  sinuses ;  which  may  commonly  be  done 
either  by  introducing  a  probe,  observing  where  the  mat- 
ter points,  or  allowing  the  matter  to  collect,  and  remark- 
ing from  whence  it  comes  when  the  parts  are  pressed : 
then  into  every  sinus  which  opens  into  the  ulcer  a  seton 
should  be  introduced.     Thib  method  of  curing  sinuses, 
by  the  use  of  a  seton,  is  free  from  all  danger,  and  may 
be  employed  in  all  cases  of  this  kind ;  for  a  seton,  by 
means  of  a  director,  may  always  be  used  with  safety. 
The  sinuses  being  removed  by  the  setons,  the  ulcers 
connected  with  them  are  to  be  cured  in  the  way  appro- 
priated to  each  kind.     This  practice  rarely  fails  in  any 
case  of  simple  sinus ;  in  general  it  answers  in  real  fistu- 
las ;  and  for  a  fistula  in  the  perinasum  this  practice  is 
peculiarly  advantageous,  as  it  does  not  produce  that 
troublesome    cicatrix  which  follows    the   use   of  the 
knife.     The  only  objection  to  the  use  of  the  seton  in 
cases  of  fistula  in  ano,  is  the  irritation  it  would  occasion 
in  the  gut;  but  of  these  we  must  next  speak.  See  Cel- 
sus,  lib.  vi.  c.  iv.     Boerhaave's  Aphorisms,  the  English 
translation,  pp.  102,  103.     Pott's  Treatise  on  Fistulas. 
Bell's  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  edit.  3,  p.  244,  Sec. 

FISTU'LA  IN  A 'NO.  No  part  of  the  body  is  more  sub- 
ject to  abscesses  than  that  immediately  surrounding 
the  lower  part  of  the  rectum :  it  is  much  exposed  to 
pressure  and  other  external  injuries,  which  impede  the 
free  motion  of  the  blood;  and,  in  parts  where  the  circu- 
lation is  so  languid,  obstructions  soon  occur,  and  puru- 
lent matter  is  formed  with  little  appearance  of  active 
inflammation.  We  sometimes  find  also  a  metastasis  to 
this  part ;  and  there  are  anomalous  cases  of  hectic  which 
seem  to  originate  from  an  affection  of  the  liver,  where 
this  metastasis  is  not  uncommon.  As  the  skin  is  pretty 
thick  around  the  rectum,  the  pus  will  insinuate  itself 
amongst  the  soft  neighbouring  parts,  and  form  sinuses, 
which  degenerate  into  fistulas. 

This  kind  of  fistula  is  called  complete  when  there  is 
an  opening  into  the  gut,  and  another  externally ;  incom- 
plete when  there  is  no  external  aperture. 

VOL.    I. 


The  symptoms  of  the  incomplete  kind  are  analogous 
to  those  of  the  piles,  and  are  difficultly  distinguished 
from  them.   The  complete  kinds  have  generally  callous 
lips,  which,  with  the  discharge,  more  readily  points  ou 
the  nature  of  the  case. 

Abscesses  in  this  part  should  be  opened  as  soon  as  wc- 
find  a  fluctuation  of  matter,  and  by  a  large  aperture, 
most  effectually  to  prevent  a  return.  In  examining  one 
of  these  fistulas,  if  the  probe  does  not  readily  pass, 
warm  milk  may  be  injected  into  it,  to  see  if  any  re- 
turns by  the  rectum,  and  of  course  to  discover  if  the 
gut  is  perforated.  When  the  probe  is  used  for  the  ex- 
amination, let  the  patient  stand  on  the  ground,  with  his 
feet  pretty  far  asunder,  and  lean  on  the  belly  over  a 
table:  an  assistant  can  then  hold  his  buttocks  asunder, 
that  the  operator  may  more  readily  introduce  his  finger 
into  the  anus  before  he  examines  the  fistula  with  a  probe, 
If  the  fistula  runs  so  deep  that  the  finger  introduced  into 
the  anus  cannot  easily  reach  the  orifice,  the  cure  is 
doubtful,  and  the  attempt  dangerous,  on  account  of  the 
haemorrhage  from  the  vessels,  which  admit  not  eithei 
of  compression  or  ligature.  If  a  fistula  hath  been  of 
long  standing,  in  a  bad  habit,  and  the  discharge  is  such 
as  to  weaken  the  patient,  the  operation  should  not  be 
attempted,  at  least  till  the  constitution  is  repaired ;  but 
if  the  patient  is  of  a  good  habit,  if  the  fistula  returns; 
the  operation  may  be  repeated. 

We  have  just  remarked  also  that  a  fistula  is  some- 
times connected  with  diseases  of  the  liver  or  the  lungs, 
and  in  these  cases  it  appears  to  be  a  critical  discharge. 
If  any  cough  or  hectic  fever  has  preceded,  the  operation 
soon  hastens  the  fatal  termination.  The  hectic  recurs 
with  increased  violence,  the  purulent  expectoration  i- 
more  copious,  and  the  strength  rapidly  fails.  The 
appearances  which  contraindicate  the  operation,  are 
those  only  which  are  pulmonary  ;  but  the  true  hectic, 
viz.  where  the  lungs  alone  are  affected,  seems  seldom, 
if  ever,  to  be  attended  with  abscesses  of  this  kind. 
Where  an  affection  of  the  liver  has  preceded  or  accom- 
panied the  disease  of  the  lungs,  such  dispositions  are 
not  uncommon,  and  the  event  is  such  as  we  have  de- 
scribed. 

Some  authors  have  contended  that  all  fistulas  are  criti- 
cal, and  we  have  sometimes  inclined  to  that  opinion ; 
yet,  as  they  may  he  sometimes  safely  cured,  and  the 
disease  is  inconvenient  and  distressing,  if  not  acutely 
painful,  should  there  be  no  other  apparent  disease,  the 
operation  may  be  attempted.  If  not  advisable,  country 
air,  milk  diet,  a  mildly  tonic  course  of  medicines,  with 
gentle  eccoprotics,  will  often  relieve ;  and  nature  will 
sometimes  complete  the  cure,  or  so  far  relieve  the  com- 
plaint as  to  produce  no  great  inconvenience.  See  St. 
Andre  on  Fistula  in  Ano. 

Dr.  Monro's  instruction  we  shall  add  :  "  Wherever 
the  opening  of  the  fistula  is,  if  it  hath  any  turnings 
where  it  reaches  the  gut,  divide  them,  and  make  them 
straight,  avoiding  the  sphincter.  After  this  I  attempt  to 
promote  incarnation,  which  might  lessen  the  cavity,  and 
by  degrees  fill  it  up,  by  injecting  balsamic  softening  me- 
dicines; though  sometimes  a  patient  of  a  good  habit  may 
be  cured  by  applying  a  poultice  of  bread  and  milk,  and 
a  digestive.  If  this  fail,  I  endeavour  to  render  the  parts 
entirely  callous  and  insensible,  by  injecting  a  mixture  of 
lime  water  and  brandy,  with  a  little  honey  of  roses,  in- 
creasing the  brandy  and  diminishing  the  rest,  as  the 
4Q 


FI  S 


666 


FIS 


parts  lose  their  sensibility,  until  at  length  I  inject  pure 
alcohol,  which  renders  them  quite  insensible." 

When  the  operation  is  performed,  a  probe  pointed 
bistoury  is  to  be  passed  into  the  fistula,  and  the  finger 
into  the  rectum,  to  meet  it.  If  the  fistula  is  incomplete, 
the  probe  is  sometimes  passed  through  the  gut,  at  its 
upper  part,  to  render  it  complete ;  but  this,  we  think, 
should  be  avoided.  The  sharp  pointed  bistoury  is  then 
passed  along  the  other,  and  the  sinus  divided.  In  ge- 
neral, however,  the  probe  is  passed  through  the  upper 
aperture,  and  bent  down  by  the  finger,  when  the  sinus 
is  cut  through  by  the  common  scalpel.  If  the  sinus 
goes  beyond  the  reach  of  the  finger,  it  should  be  divided 
only  so  far  as  the  latter  can  extend  ;  for  beyond  it  the 
knife  must  not  be  trusted.  As  the  external  opening  is 
usually  on  the  outside  of  the  rectum,  the  sphincter  is 
commonly  divided;  but  this  occasions  no  inconvenience. 

When  the  patient  dreads  the  knife,  it  has  been  usual, 
in  the  complete  fistula,  to  pass  a  silver  or  a  leaden  wire 
through  the  sinus,  and  to  bend  it  from  the  upper  orifice 
till  it  is  again  brought  to  the  outside.  The  compression 
by  this  means  destroys  the  life  of  the  part ;  but  the 
pain  and  irritation  are  too  great  to  render  it  an  eligible 
method. 

It  is  styled  an  occult  fistula  when  there  is  no  external 
opening;  and  it  is  then  difficult  to  determine  whether 
the  disease  be  really  fistulous  near  the  anus,  or  whether 
there  be  an  abscess  in  the  superior  part  of  the  intestine. 
The  occult  fistula  is  distinguished  by  a  hardness,  a  pain- 
ful swelling,  and  discoloration  near  the  verge  of  the 
anus;  while  its  existence  is  ascertained  by  matter  being 
'found  mixed  with  the  faeces,  or  following  them.  In  the 
disease  which  is  our  present  object,  the  matter  more 
frequently  follows  the  feculent  discharge.  An  opening 
is  to  be  made  in  this  case  at  the  discoloured  part,  and 
the  disease  reduced  to  a  complete  fistula. 

The  disease  is  sometimes  so  violent  and  obstinate, 
that  the  parts  in  the  vicinity,  and  sometime ;  ne  rectum 
itself,  are  separated  from  the  organs  aroum:.  Various 
methods  of  peculiar  severity  have  been  adopted  on  this 
occasion.  It  is,  however,  sufficient  to  lay  a  detached 
portion  of  the  gut  open  on  the  side  most  affected,  as  in 
common  fistulae;  and  sometimes  another  portion  on  the 
opposite  side.  If  the  bones  are  sound,  these  operations 
•will  usually  succeed. 

When  the  matter  insinuates  itself  into  xheperinaeum, 
or  down  the  hip,  the  sinuses  should  be  laid  completely 
open.  When  the  matter  has  been  long  confined,  tho 
parts  become  hard  and  apparently  scirrhous.  In  this 
case  the  sinus  must  not  only  be  laid  open,  but  the  scir- 
rhosities  removed  by  the  knife.  It  has  been  common  to 
apply  caustics  for  the  latter  purpose ;  but  this  mode  of 
relief  is  tedious,  and  much  more  severe  than  the  knife. 

When  the  operation  is  finished,  it  has  been  the  ge- 
neral practice  to  stuff' the  cavities  with  lint ;  but  this  oc- 
casions great  irritation,  and  often  induces  diarrhoea. 
After  cleaning  the  wound,  pledgets  are  to  be  gently 
introduced,  so  as  to  cause  no  uneasiness.  The  sore, 
however,  often  assumes  an  unhealthy  appearance,  and 
the  discharge  is  thin.  Though  this  may  arise  from  the 
sinus  not  being  completely  opened,  it  is  more  commonly 
owing  to  the  weak  state  of  the  constitution.  Bark, 
wine,  and  cold  bathing,  country  air,  and  in  ilk  diet,  have 
been  recommended.  Balsam  of  1'cruand  of  capivi,  tur- 
pentine, and  other  stimulating  applications,  have  been 


used  often  with  little  success.  Unfortunately,  when  the 
wound  has  healed,  worse  symptoms  have  come  on. 
Patients  are,  however,  often  impatient,  and  the  surgeon 
must  cure  the  wound  which  he  has  made,  if  he  wishes 
to  preserve  his  credit.  It  is  melancholy  to  reflect,  that 
we  cannot  always,  at  the  same  time,  do  our  duty,  and 
satisfy  those  under  our  care.  We  have  sometimes  suc- 
ceeded in  inducing  patients  to  "  bear  the  ills  they  have," 
rather  than  "  fly  to  others  that  they  know  not  of,"  and 
our  best  success  has  been  obtained — by  delay. 

D.  Mudge's  "  experienced  and  successful  method  of 
treating  fistula  in  ano"  consists  in  employing  a  specu- 
lum to  dilate  the  rectum,  and  bring  the  parts  more 
completely  within  the  view.  The  callous  edges  of  the 
wound  are  touched  with  butter  of  antimony  ;  and  when 
the  surface  appears  preternaturally  smooth,  the  preci- 
pitate ointment  is  applied. 

See  Heister's  Surgery;  Le  Dran's  Operations; 
Sharp's  Operations;  Pott's  Treatise  on  Fistulas;  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  282;  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery, 
vol.  i.  p.  201,  235;  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  v.  p. 
392  ;  White's  Surgery,  p.  386. 

FISTU'LA  IN  THE  EPIDI'DYMIS.  In  the  London  Me- 
dical Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  ii.  p.  273,  is  an 
instance  of  a  fistula  in  this  part  being  cured.  A  man  of 
thirty -five  years  of  age  hurt  his  testicles  by  a  fall ;  a  sup- 
puration followed,  and  the  matter  was  discharged  exter- 
nally. When  the  swelling  was  reduced  by  means  of  an 
emollient  cataplasm,  a  fistula  was  discovered  in  each 
epididymis:  a  probe  director  was  then  introduced  into 
the  left  sinus,  which  was  cut  open  its  whole  length ; 
after  which  all  the  indurated  parts  and  the  diseased  skin 
were  dissected ;  the  same  was  done  on  both  sides,  and  a 
part  of  the  epididymis  on  the  right  side  was  cut  away. 
The  dressings,  as  in  common  wounds,  finished  the  cure ; 
and  the  functions  of  the  testes  were  afterwards  said  to 
be  fully  executed. 

FISTU'LA  LAOHRYMA'LIS,  (see  JEGYLOPS,)  is  a  disor- 
der of  the  canals  leading  from  the  eye  to  the  nose,  which 
obstructs  the  natural  passage  of  the  tears,  so  that  they 
trickle  down  the  cheeks.  In  its  first  and  mildest  stage, 
an  inflammation  on  the  part  is  alone  observed  :  in  the 
next,  matter  is  discharged  from  the  punctalachrymalia, 
which  flows  with  the  tears ;  the  matter  may  proceed 
from  an  orifice  through  the  skin,  between  the  nose 
and  the  angle  of  -the  eye.  The  last  and  worst  degree 
is,  when  the  matter  of  the  abscess  has  corroded  the  sub- 
jacent bone. 

If  the  skin  between  the  angle  of  the  eye  and  the  nose 
is  not  perforated,  it  is  called  imperfect  ;  if  corroded,  a 
perfect  ;  and  if  the  subjacent  bones  are  affected,  a  com- 
pound, fistula  lachrymalis. 

Other  disorders  near  the  seat  of  the  fistula  lachryma- 
lis are  confounded  with  it ;  but  properly  this  kind  of 
fistula  is  an  erosion  of  the  ducts  of  the  lachrymal  sac; 
in  consequence  of  which,  pus  flows  from  them  into  the 
great  angle  of  the  eye  ;  when  the  clear  lachrymal  fluid 
alone  flows  out,  the  disorder  is  an  EPIPHORA,  q.  v. 
The  matter  of  a  proper  fistula  generally  flows  through 
the  upper  puncta,  but  sometimes  through  the  lower 
only,  or  in  a  few  instances  through  both. 

The  symptoms  are,  frequent  dropping  of  tears,  and 
of  purulent  matter,  especially  in  the  morning,  without 
any  manifest  external  inflammation.  By  pressing  with 
the  finger  upon  the  lachrymal  sac,  a  discharge  of  pus 


FLA 


follows  through  the  puncta  lachrymalia;  and  if  this  pus 
be  offensive  to  the  smell,  or  of  a  green  or  blackish  co- 
lour, though  not  offensive,  the  adjacent  bones  are  gene- 
rally carious.  When  the  matter  is  of  a  bad  smell  or  co- 
lour, the  probe  will  readily  determine  the  state  of  the 
bone ;  for  sometimes  it  is  not  injured,  notwithstanding 
the  attendance  of  the  usual  signs;  and  it  is  sometimes 
carious,  when  the  pus  is  laudable.  If,  however,  the  dis- 
charge continues  to  be  faulty,  a  caries  will,  for  the  most 
part,  be  formed  in  the  lachrymal  bone,  the  os  planum, 
or  in  the  jaw  bone.  If  the  nasal  duct  is  obstructed,  it 
is  known  by  injecting  some  fluid  into  it,  when,  instead 
of  passing  into  the  nose,  it  returns  by  the  puncta  lach- 
rymalia:  if  there  is  an  encysted  tumour,  the  exterior  parts 
swell,  and  the  tumour  will  not  yield  to  the  pressure  of 
the  finger,  though  there  is  no  inflammation.  When  it 
does  yield,  there  is  a  lachrymal  hernia.  Instances  have 
occurred  of  a  fistula  lachrymalis  not  discharging  pus 
with  the  tears,  but  alone  when  the  patient  was  asleep ; 
and  this  hath  happened  when  the  adjacent  bones  have 
been  carious. 

If  the  complaint  is  recent,  the  habit  of  body  not  re- 
markably diseased,  the  external  skin  not  corroded,  the 
nasal  duct  unobstructed,  the  matter  of  a  good  colour 
and  consistence,  incision  and  the  cautery  are  unnecessa- 
ry ;  for  compression  and  mild  astringent  collyriums  will 
be  sufficient :  the  matter  should  be  occasionally  pressed 
out  with  the  finger,  to  prevent  its  acquiring  an  acri- 
mony. But  if  the  duct  into  the  nose  is  stopped,  nothing 
will  succeed  but  the  operation.  In  performing  it,  the 
loose  skin  of  the  under  eye  lid  must  be  pressed  upon 
the  globe  of  the  eye,  and  a  passage  into  the  lachrymal 
groove  cut:  this  is  known  by  the  crackling  of  the  os 
unguis  under  the  pressure  of  the  knife;  a  probe  must 
then  be  introduced  to  perforate  into  the  nose.  It  is  ne- 
cessary to  guard  against  cutting  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  maxillary  bone,  which  will  be  discovered  from  the 
resistance.  In  that  case  the  incision  must  be  made  fur- 
ther back.  If,  in  perforating  the  os  unguis,  you  press 
upon  it  too  forwards,  you  will  be  obtructed  by  a  part  of 
the  maxilla  superior,  which  forms  a  portion  of  the  canal 
in  which  the  sac  is  lodged ;  if  you  press  inwards,  there 
will  be  danger  of  injuring  the  os,  or  septum  nasi,orthe 
os  ethmoides :  but  if  the  instrument  is  passed  back- 
wards and  downwards  towards  the  uvula,  no  obstruc- 
tion will  occur. 

For  compressing  instruments  with  which  to  cure  the 
slighter  cases,  see  Sharp's  Operations,  and  Gooch's 
Cases.  On  the  Fistula  Lachrymalis,  see  Sharp's  Ope- 
rations;  Le  Bran's  Operations;  Edinburgh  Medical 
Essays,  vols.  ii.  and  iii ;  Pott's  Treatise  on  the  Fistula 
Lachrymalis;  St.  Yves  on  Disorders  of  the  Eyes  ;  Heis- 
ter's  Surgery ;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii.  p.  469;  Kirk- 
land's  Medical  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  134;  London  Medical 
Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  62,  vol.  ii.  p.  77,  245 ;  Nosology  of 
the  Eyes,  p.  77,  83 i  White's  Surgery,  p.  256. 

FI'STULA  ix  PERI'X.EO  consists  in  an  opening  in  the 
skin,  corresponding  with  one  in  the  urethra.  It  some- 
times happens  that  one  opening  from  the  side  of  the 
urethra  corresponds  with  several  through  the  skin  ;  but 
it  rarely  happens  that  there  is  more  than  one  opening 
from  the  urethra. 

After  lithotomy,  a  puncture  of  the  perinaeum,  an  ab- 
scess in  the  same  part  near  the  urethra,  a  scirrhus  in 


the  prostate,  Sec.  a  fistula  is  sometimes  formed,  through 
which  the  urine  partly  passes,  while  the  rest  is  convey- 
ed through  the  natural  passage. 

A  fistula  proceeding  from  the  urethra  runs  in  various 
directions  before  it  reaches  the  external  opening  of  the 
skin ;  so  that  when  the  latter  is  near  the  anus,  it  may 
be  taken  for  a  fistula  in  that  part;  but  the  discharge  of 
urine  through  the  fistula  at  once  distinguishes  its  nature. 

Besides  the  callosities  on  the  external  orifice  of  these 
fistulas,  there  are  sometimes  calculous  concretions 
lodged  in  their  cavities ;  indeed,  so  various  are  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  different  cases  of  this  kind,  that 
only  general  rules  can  be  laid  down  for  their  treatment. 

In  general  the  outward  opening  must  be  enlarged  by 
cutting  away  the  callous  lips,  or  destroying  them  by 
caustic ;  but  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  same  end 
may  be  attained  by  distending  the  urethra  with  a  bougie. 
Le  Dran  observes,  that  though  there  are  several  fistu- 
lous  orifices,  and  several  callosities  in  the  perinasum, 
when  the  water  passes  off  in  a  small  stream  through  the 
natural  passage,  the  chief  remedy  will  be  the  introduc- 
tion of  bougies;  for  as  this  canal  is  enlarged,  the  exter- 
nal orifices  are  diminished  and  healed,  and  the  callosi- 
ties consequently  softened.  Mr.  Bell  prefers  the  cure 
of  this  fistula  by  the  introduction  of  a  seton.  See  FIS- 
TULA. Le  Dran's  Operations.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii. 
p.  226.  London  Medical  Journal,  vol  i.  p.  379.  White's 
Surgery,  p.  395. 

On  fistulas  in  general,  see  Celsus,  Boerhaave's  Apho- 
risms, and  Pott's  Treatise  on  Fistulas. 

FISTULA'RIS.  FISTULAR.  In  botany,  those  flo 
are  thus  called  which  are  compounded  of  many  long 
hollow  small  florets,  like  pipes ;  and  those  plants  are 
called  fistulous  whose  stalks  are  hollow,  like  a  pipe. 

FISTULO'SUM  FO'LIUM.     See  FARCTVS. 

FIXA'TIO.  FIXATION.  In  chemistry  it  is  the  ren- 
dering any  volatile  substance  fixed,  so  as  not  to  fly  oft" 
upon  being  exposed  to  an  intense  heat. 

FL.  LAP.  The  abbreviation  of  Car.  Linnaei  Flora 
Lapponica. 

FLABE'LLIFO'RMIS,  (from  fabellum,  a  fan,  and 
forma,  likeness').  In  botany  it  means  a  leaf,  shaped 
like  a  fan. 

FLA'GELLUM.  A  LASH.  In  botany,  a  barren 
twig,  a  shoot  like  a  thong. 

FLA  MMULA.  Formerly  a  skein  of  silk  with  which 
setons  were  made.  The  name  also  of  several  species 
of  ranunculus,  of  the  atragene  and  clematis. 

FLA'MMULA  jo'vis,  (from  its  burning  acrimony). 
Surrecta  alba.  The  UPRIGHT  LADY'S  BOWER,  clematis 
recta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  767.  UPRIGHT  TRAVELLER'S  JOT. 
The  recent  leaves,  and  in  a  less  degree  the  flowers,  on 
being  chewed,  excite  a  burning  heat  of  the  tongue  and 
fauces ;  and  if  retained  long  in  the  mouth,  produce  a 
blister ;  but  by  drying,  this  acrimony  is  considerably 
diminished.  The  root,  seed,  and  bark,  if  rubbed  with 
the  fingers,  strike  the  nostrils  very  quickly  with  a 
strong  smell.  This  plant  yields  a  very  acrid  water ; 
and  Stoerck  has  published  several  cases  of  its  success- 
ful exhibition,  particularly  in  inveterate  headachs, 
pains  in  the  bones,  nodes,  ulcers,  and  cutaneous  affec- 
tions from  syphilis.  He  chiefly  recommends  an  infu- 
sion of  two  or  three  drachms  of  the  leaves  in  a  pint 
of  boiling  water,  of  which  four  ounces  are  to  be  taken 

4  Q  2 


FLA 


668 


FLE 


three  times  a  day,  whilst  the  powdered  leaves  are  em- 
ployed as  an  escharotic.  (See  Stoerck  de  Flammula 
Jovis.)  In  this  country  it  has  been  little  employed,  and 
with  less  success. 

FLATULE'NTUS,  and  FLA'TUS  FURIO'SUS. 
See  AMBULO. 

FLA'TUS.  FLATULENCE.  Vapours  rarefied  by  the 
heat  of  the  containing  part.  Distensions,  uneasy  sen- 
sations, and  often  a  considerable  degree  of  pain,  are  the 
consequence.  The  term  is  confined  to  wind  in  the 
stomach  and  intestines.  In  other  cavities,  it  is  called 
tympanites.  See  APEPSIA,  DIGESTIO,  and  HYSTERIA. 

FLA'VII  CLEME'NTIS  MEDICAME'NTUM. 
The  name  of  a  medicine  for  the  gout,  described  by 
Actuarius. 

FLA'VUS  CO'RTEX.    YELLOW  BARK.    This  bark, 
very  lately  introduced  into  practice,  is  supposed  to  be 
a  species  of  cinchona,  growing  in  the  interior  moun- 
tainous parts  of  America,  described  by  Murray  under 
the  title  of  cortex:  chine,  vel  chinchinis  regius,  seu  cor- 
tex chines  Jla-uus.     This  bark,  according  to  Murray, 
consists  of  flattish  pieces  of  about  the  length  of  a  finger, 
the  breadth  of  the  thumb,  and  a  line  in  thickness.     Its 
colour  is  yellowish,  inclining  to  that  of  the  red  oxide  of 
iron.     It  partakes  more  of  the  ferruginous  colour  on  its 
external  than  on  its  internal  surface,  owing  to  the  close 
adhesion  of  the  epidermis  to  the  bark.     Both  in  its 
fracture  and  on  its  surface  it  appears  fibrillous,  break- 
ing easily  between  the  fingers,  so  that  it  may  be  rubbed 
into  a  yellow  powder.     In  taste  it  is  intensely  bitter, 
with  a  slight  degree  of  astringency.     Its  efficacy  is 
considered  as  far  superior  in  intermittent  fevers  to  the 
bark  commonly  employed.     Dr.  Relph  observes,  that 
in  colour  it  only  approaches  nearer  to  a  yellow  than 
any  other  species  of  Peruvian  bark  imported  into  this 
country,  especially  when  reduced  to  powder;  that  it 
consists  of  flattish  irregular  pieces,  of  a  cinnamon  co- 
lour, inclining  to  red,  having,  in  certain  directions  of 
the  light,  a  peculiar  sparkling  appearance  on  the  sur- 
face.    The  pieces  are  very  generally  divested  of  the 
cuticle,  of  a  fibrous  texture,  dry,  and  rigid  to  the  feel, 
.  easily  rubbed  to  powder  between  the  finger  and  the 
thumb ;    not    remarkable    for  their    specific    gravity. 
They  have  little  odour,  but  to  the  taste  are  intensely 
bitter,  with  a  moderate    share  of   astringency,  and  a 
flavour  corresponding  unequivocally  to  that  of  the  cin- 
chona officinalis.     The  external  surface  of  this  bark  is 
somewhat  of  a  deeper  colour  than  the  internal,  and  in 
some  specimens  it  is  as  deep  as  that  of  the  red  bark. 
The  pieces  vary  much  in  size ;  some  are  about  two 
inches  and  a  half  in  length,  an  inch  in  breadth,  and 
the  sixth  of  an  inch  in  thickness ;  while  others  are  still 
smaller ;  and  some  are  to  be  found   from   twelve   to 
eighteen  inches  in  length,  with  the  breadth  and  thick- 
ness in   proportion.     Pieces  sometimes   through   the 
whole  chest  are  nearly  cylindrical,  and  as  completely 
covered  with  an  outer  coat  as  the  most  perfect  speci- 
men of  common  bark.     The    epidermis  of  the  large 
pieces  of  the  yellow  bark  is  of  a  reddish  brown  colour, 
rough,  and  of  a  somewhat  spongy  texture ;  but  that  of 
the  smaller  pieces  is  grey,  harder,  and  much  more  com- 
pact. 

Like  the  cortex  "Peruvianus,  it  yields  its  virtues  to 


water  by  infusion  or  decoction,  to  proof  or  rectified 
spirits,  and  extracts  may  be  formed  from  either  in  the 
usual  way.  It  is  considered  to  possess  the  same  virtues, 
but  in  a  greater  degree  than  either  the  common  or  red 
bark,  consequently  to  be  more  efficacious  in  smaller 
doses.  For  the  complaints  to  which  it  is  adapted,  see 
CORTEX  PERUVIANUS  :  the  dose  of  the  powder  is  from 
9  ss.  to  9  ij. — of  the  extract  half  the  quantity  is  suffi- 
cient. See  Relph  on  the  Yellow  Bark. 

FLE'MENT,  (quasi  FLEGMEN,  from  flecto,  to  incline 
downwards*).  A  tumour  about  the  ankles  ;  or  callous 
furrows  in  the  hands  or  feet. 

FLERE'SIN.     See  ARTHRITIS. 

FLE'XOR,  (from  flecto,  to  bend).  A  name  applied 
to  several  muscles,  from  their  office  of  bending  the 
parts  to  which  they  belong. 

FLE'XOR  BRE'VIS  MI'NIMI  DI'GITI  MA'NUS,  rises  from, 
the.unciform  process  of  the  carpus,  toward  the  annular 
ligament,  and  is  inserted  into  the  basis  of  the  little 
finger. 

FLE'XOR  CA'PITIS.     See  RECTUS  INTERNUS  MAJOR. 

FLE'XOR  CARPI  RADIA'LIS  ;  flexor  carfii  exterior,  and 
bicornis;  rises  from  the  anterior  part  of  the  inner  con- 
dyle  of  the  os  humeri,  passes  toward  the  outside,  and 
runs  through  the  annular  ligament,  being  partly  insert- 
ed into  the  trapezium,  and  partly  into  the  first  meta- 
carpal  bone. 

FLE'XOR  CA'RPI  ULNA'RIS,  flexor  carfii  interior,  rises 
from  the  inner  condyle  of  the  os  humeri,  and  almost 
from  the  whole  surface  of  the  ulna,  forming  a  tendon 
inserted  into  the  os  pisiforme. 

FLE'XOR   DI'GITI   PA'RVI    MI'NIMI.      See  ABDUCTOR 

MINIMI  DIGITI  MANUS. 

FLE'XOR  DIGITO'RUM  ACCESSO'RIUS.  See  FLEXOR 
LUNGUS  PEDIS.  Dr.  Hunter  calls  it  accessorius. 

FLE'XOR  DIGITO'RUM  PE'DIS.  See  FLEXOR  SUBLI- 
MIS. 

FLE'XOR  SECU'NDI  INTERNO'DII  DIGITO'RUM  PE'DIS. 
See  FLEXOR  SUBLIMIS. 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DII  PRI'MI  DIGITO'RUM.  See  LUM- 
BRIOALES.  Dr.  Hunter  describes  the  lumbricales  as 
productions  of  the  flexors,  and  distinctly  that  called 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DII  PHI'MI  PO'LLICIS  MA'NUS,  rising 
from  the  annular  ligament  of  the  carpus,  and  inserted 
into  the  first  bone  of  the  thumb. 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DII  PHI'MI  et  SECU'NDI  PO'LLICIS. 
These  muscles  rise  sharp  and  fleshy  about  the  middle 
of  the  back  part  of  the  fibula ;  then,  running  into  a  ten- 
don in  passing  over  the  joint,  and  through  a  channel  in 
the  inner  part  of  the  os  calcis,  are  inserted  into  the  up- 
per end  of  the  second  bone  of  the  great  toe. 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DII  SE'CUN'DI  DIGITO'RUM  MA'NUS, 
flexor  sublimis,  or  fierforatus,  rises  from  the  inner  con- 
dyle of  the  os  humeri,  and  from  the  fore  part  of  the 
head  of  the  ulna  and  radius;  passes  through  the  annu- 
lar ligament,  and  spreads  out  into  four  tendons,  which 
are  inserted  into  the  basis  of  the  second  phalanx  :  these 
are  bound  down  by  what  is  called  an  annular  ligament, 
which  is  really  a  general  sheath  of  the  fingers,  thicker 
at  the  joints  than  elsewhere.  Brown  calls  this  muscle 
flexor  secundus. 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DII  SECU'NDI  PO'LLICIS  MA'NUS, 
is  made  up  of  two  portions,  the  anterior  of  which 


FLE 


669 


FLO 


is  inserted  into  one  sesamoid  bone,  the  posterior  into  the 
other. 

FLE'XOR  INTERNO'DH  TE'RTII  DIGITO'RUM  MA'NUS, 
by  Dr.  Hunter  called  perforans  manus  ;  firofundus 
manus  ;  rises  from  the  inner  condyle  of  the  os  humeri, 
from  the  external  part  of  the  ulna  about  its  middle,  and 
from  the  interosseons  ligament ;  runs  between  the  per- 
foratus,  and  forms  four  tendons,  which  pass  through 
as  many  slits  in  the  perforatus,  to  be  inserted  into  the 
basis  of  the  last  phalanx. 

FLE'XOR  ISTERNO'DII  TE'RTII  PO'LLICIS,  vel  LONGI'S- 
SIMUS  PO'LLICIS  MA'NUS,  hath  sometimes  a  twofold 
beginning;  one  from  the  internal  substance  of  the  os 
humeri,  between  the  perforatus  and  perforans,  but 
this  head  is  occasionally  wanting ;  or  springs  from  the 
upper  and  fore  part  of  the  ulna  :  the  second  head  rises 
on  the  radius,  passes  over  the  articulation  of  the  carpus, 
and  is  inserted  in  the  upper  part  of  the  third  bone  of 
the  thumb. 

FLE'XOR  LO'NGUS,  or  PE'RFORANS  PE'DIS,  called  also 
accessories,  rises  from  the  posterior  part  of  the  tibia, 
just  below  the  poplitaeus,  and  from  the  interosseous 
ligament ;  goes  on  the  inside  of  the  astragalus  and  os 
calcis  (from  whose  internal  part  a  short  head  arises, 
called  accessor/us),  and  passing  through  the  slit  of  the 
perforatus,  its  four  tendons  are  inserted  into  the  basis 
of  the  last  bones  of  the  toes.  This  muscle  receives  some 
fibres  from  the  flexor  pollicis  longus. 

FLE'XOR  PE'RFORANS  MA'NUS.     See  FLEXOR  INTERN o- 

DII  TERTII  DIGITORUM  MAXUS. 

FLE'XOR  PO'LLICIS  BRE'VIS,  is  short,  thick,  and 
fleshy,  seemingly  divided  into  two  muscles,  by  the 
tendon  of  the  flexor  pollicis  longus  passing  over  it.  It 
rises  from  the  upper  part  of  the  os  cuneiforme  medium, 
and,  running  over  the  termination  of  the  musculus  pe- 
ronaeus  primus,  is  implanted  into  the  ossa  sesamoidea 
of  the  great  toe,  which  are  likewise  tied  to  the  superior 
part  of  the  second  bone  of  that  toe. 

FLE'XOR  PO'LLICIS  LO'NGUS  MA'NUS,  rises  from  the 
fore  part  of  the  radius,  and  commonly  receives  one 
slip  from  the  coronoid  process  of  the  ulna ;  forming 
a  tendon  which  passes  deep  under  the  annular  ligament, 
runs  between  the  two  sesamoid  bones,  over  the  first 
and  second  bone,  to  be  inserted  into  the  basis  of  the 
third. 

FLE'XOR  PO'LLICIS  LO'NGUS  PE'DIS,  rises  from  the 
posterior  part  of  the  fibula ;  passes  in  a  groove  between 
the  astragalus  and  os  calcis;  is  covered  by  the  abductor 
pollicis,  and  goes  between  the  sesamoid  bones,  where 
it  meets  with  an  annular  ligament,  to  be  inserted  into 
the  last  bone  of  the  great  toe.  It  gives  some  fibres  to 
the  perforans  pedis. 

FLE'XOR  PO'LLICIS  o'ssis  PRI'MI  et  SECU'NDI,  is  a 
large  disgregated  muscle,  arising  from  the  ligamen- 
tum  transversale  carpi,  the  bones  of  the  carpus  at  the 
basis  of  the  mons  lunae,  and  the  os  metacarpi  of  the 
middle  finger,  whence  it  passes  to  its  insertion  into 
the  first  and  second  bones  of  the  thumb.  In  its  tendon, 
near  the  insertion  into  the  first  bone  of  the  thumb,  are 
placed  two  sesamoid  bones.  Its  actions  are  various,  as 
are  the  directions  of  the  muscular  fibres. 

FLE'XOR  SUBLI'MIS,  or  PERFORA'TUS  PE'DIS,  called 
by  Winslow,  flexor  digitorum  brevis,  and  by  Brown, 
flexor  tecundi  internodii  digitorum  ;  rises  from  the  lower 
and  inner  part  of  the  os  calcis ;  is  divided^into  four  ten- 


dons under  the  sole  of  the  foot,  which  are  inserted  into 
the  bones  of  the  second  phalanx. 

FLEXUO'SUS,(from^fc?o,  to  bend).  This  applies 
to  the  stalk  in  botany,  and  means  having  many  turnings, 
bent  differently  at  every  joint. 

FLORA'LIS,  (from  flos,  a  flower,}  belonging  to  a 
flower;  the  leaves  which  immediately  attend  the 
flower. 

FLO'RES.  (See  FLOS.)  FLOWERS.  In  chemistry, 
they  are  the  most  subtile  parts  of  bodies,  separated  from 
the  more  gross,  by  sublimation  in  a  dry  form,  and 
found  under  the  respective  names  of  the  materials  used, 
as  Jlores  benzoini  antimojiii,  &c.  Mace  is  sometimes, 
called  the  flowers  of  nutmeg.  In  pharmacy,  they  are 
directed  to  be  gathered  when  moderately  expanded,  on 
a  clear  dry  day  before  noon.  Red  roses  are  taken  be- 
fore they  open,  and  the  white  heels  are  cut  off  and 
thrown  away.  Those  flowers  which  are  gathered  for 
keeping  should  be  dried  in  the  shade,  but  as  quickly  as 
possible ;  in  some  instances,  the  place  may  be  warmed 
by  a  fire,  though  the  sun  should  not  shine  upon  them. 
When  the  flowers  are  dried,  they  must  be  kept  close  and 
dry.  With  their  scent  and  colour  they  lose  their  virtues. 
The  medical  virtues  of  different  flowers  reside  in  dif- 
ferent parts ;  e.  g.  saffron  is  a  production  which  rises 
from  the  style  of  the  flower ;  the  active  part  of  camo- 
mile flowers  is  in  the  yellow  disk ;  in  roses,  lilies,  and 
several  others,  the  virtues  are  in  the  petala  ;  and  the 
flavour  admired  in  rosemary  flowers  is  chiefly  in  the 
cups. 

FLO'RES  ANTIMO'NII.     See  ANTIMOMUM. 

FLOS,  (from  <pA«|,  quia  emicat  ut  flamma  ;  or  from 
flando,  yuia  spiral  odorem  :  some  authors  derive  it  from 
£As»«,  green).  A  flower  is  that  part  of  a  plant  in  which 
the  parts  of  generation  of  either  sex  reside.  In  some 
flowers  are  the  parts  proper  to  one  sex  only  ;  in  others 
both  sexes  are  included  in  the  same  flower.  A  flower, 
when  complete,  consists  of  a  calyx,  corolla,  stamen, 
and  pistil ;  but  the  essential  parts  are  the  anthera  at 
the  top  of  the  stamen,  and  the  stigma  :  these  are  suffi- 
cient to  constitute  a  flower. 

Tournefort's  system,  which  alone  could  be  the  rival 
of  the  Linnaean,  depended  on  the  form  of  the  flowers  : 
as  it  is  not  yet  wholly  disused  in  France,  though  super- 
seded rather  by  Jussieu's  natural  arrangement  than  the 
Linnaean  system,  we  shall  shortly  give  its  outline. 

The  vegetable  kingdom  is  divided  into  herds  and  trees. 
Herbs  are  such  as  have  flowers  with  petals  or  without 
them.  The  petalodes  are  simple  or  compound.  The 
simple-leafed  flowers  are  divided  into  monopetalous 
andpolypetalous;  the  former  into  regular  and  irregular; 
the  regular  flowers  into  the  camfianiform.es  and  infundi- 
buliformes  ;  the  irregular  into  labiati  and  anomali.  The 
polypetali  regulares  are  the  cruc iformes,  rosace/,  umbel.  - 
lati,  caryophyllsi  and  liliacei).  The  irregulares  are  the 
fiafiilionacei  and  anomali.  The  compound  petalodes  are 
the  floscuto8i,lhe  semiflosculosi,  and  the  radiati.  The 
apetali  are  either  those  without  leaves  and  without  a 
flower,  or  without  flower  or  fruit. 

The  flowers  of  trees  are  similarly  divided.  The 
apetalous  ones  are  the  afietali  and  amentacei ;  the  peta- 
lodes monopetalicontainonlythe  monofietali ;  the  others 
are  the  rosace;  and  fiafiilionacei.  According  to  Linnaeus, 
the  calyx  is  the  expansion  of  the  epidermis,  the  corolla 
or  flower  of  the  liber  or  inner  bark. 


FLO 


670 


FLO 


FLOS  ABO'RTIENS.  ABORTIVE  FLOWER,,  producing  no 
fruit. 

FLOS    AMENTACEUS.       See  AMENTUM. 

FLOS  APE 'TALUS;  is  without  a  corolla;  often  called 
stamineous,  incomplete,  imperfect.  The  parts  of  ge- 
neration are  covered  only  by  the  calyx. 

FLOS  CAMPANIFO'RMIS,  shaped  like  a  bell.  Those 
whose  edges  spread  wide,  are  termed  open  bell  shaped 
flowers;  those  less  spread,  tubulous  bell  shaped  flowers. 

FLOS  CARYOPHYLLE'US,  resembling  a  single  carnation, 
having  five  regular  petals,  ending  at  the  bottom  in  a 
long  narrow  claw. 

FLOS  COMPO'SITUS;  a  species  of  aggregate  flower, 
containing  several  florets,  inclosed  in  a  common  peri- 
anth, and  on  a  common  receptacle,  with  the  anthers 
connected  in  a  cylinder. 

FLOS  CRUCIFO'RMIS,  is  composed  of  four  equal  petals, 
placed  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  Of  this  sort  are  the  cab- 
bage, the  wall  flower,  and  mustard. 

FLOS  F<EMI'NEUS.  FEMALE  FLOWER,  which  has  pis- 
tils or  stigmas,  without  stamens,  or  at  least  antherae. 

FLOS  FLOSCULO'SUS.  A  FLOSCULOUS  FLOWER.  By 
Linnaeus  called  tubulosus,  a  tubulous  compound  Jloiuer, 
composed  wholly  of  tubulous  florets,  exemplified  in 
tansy,  and  the  camomile  flowers. 

FLOS  INFUNDIBULIFO'RMIS.  A  funnel  shaped  flower, 
as  the  primrose,  Sec. 

FLOS  LABIA'TUS.  Lip  SHAPED  FLOWER.  A  mono- 
petalous  corolla,  with  a  narrow  tubular  basis,  ex- 
panding at  the  top  in  one  entire,  or  in  two  lips :  Lin- 
naeus uses  the  term  ringens,  including  under  it  both 
labiated  and  personate  flowers.  This  creates  a  con- 
fusion, which,  according  to  Martin,  would  be  re- 
moved, if  we  put  labiate  for  an  irregular  monopetal- 
ous  corolla  with  two  lips,  and  appropriate  the  term 
ringens  to  such  as  have  the  lips  gaping  and  open, 
personate  to  such  as  have  them  closed.  Sometimes  the 
upper  lip  is  wanting,  and  then  the  style  and  chives  sup- 
ply its  place,  as  in  the  ground  pine,  bugula,  Sec.  This 
is  sometimes  called  an  unilabiated  flower.  '  In  some 
species,  the  upper  lip  is  turned  upwards,  as  in  the 
ground  ivy ;  but  most  commonly  the  upper  lip  is  con- 
vex above,  or  turns  the  hollow  part  down  to  the  under, 
representing  an  helmet,  whence  they  are  called  galeate, 
cucullate,  and  galericulatc. 

FLOS  LILIA'CEUS.  A  LILY  SHAPED  FLOWER,  is  gene- 
rally composed  of  six  petals,  which  resemble  those  of 
the  lily,  the  tulip,  and  the  asphodel :  and  is  a  natural 
order  of  Murray. 

FLOS  MONOPE'TALUS.  A  flower  composed  of  one  leaf; 
or  whose  leaves  are  joined  at  the  bottom,  so  as  to  fall 
off  entire. 

FLOS  MA'SCULUS.  MALE  FLOWER  ;  bearing  sta- 
mina only,  without  pistils;  or  at  least  wanting  the 
stigma. 

FLOS  MONOPE'TALUS  ANOMALUS.  An  irregular  flow- 
er, consisting  of  one  leaf. 

FLOS  PAPILIONA'CEUS,  (from  fiafiilio,  a  butterfly). 
The  PAPILIONACEOUS,  or  BUTTER  FLY  SHAPED  FOWER, 
is  irregular  and  usually  four  petalled.  The  lower 
petal  is  shaped  like  a  boat,  and  is  called  carina  or  keel; 
the  upper,  which  spreads  and  rises  upwards,  is  called 
-vexillum,  standard  or  banner ;  the  two  side  ones  are 
separated  by  the  keel,  and  are  called  alee,  the  ivings; 
the  keel  is  sometimes  split,  and  then  this  corolla  is 


properly  five  petalled.  These  flowers  are  called 
PEA  BLOSSOMED,  because  the  pea  is  the  most  common 
example. 

FLOS  PERSONA'TUS,  a  MASKED  FLOWER,  is  an  irre- 
gular monopetalous  flower,  in  which  the  pistil  becomes 
a  capsule  entirely  distinct  from  the  calyx:  it  has  a  simi- 
lar appearance  with  the  labiate  flower;  but  does  not  ill 
represent  a  mask,  the  snout  of  some  animals,  or  the 
beaks  of  fowls. 

FLOS  PETALO'DF.S,  a  PETALOUS  FLOWER,  has  organs 
of  generation  surrounded  with  petals. 

FLOS  POLYPE'TALUS,  a  POLYPETALOUS  FLOWER,  is 
composed  of  several  petals.  When  these  agree  in  figure 
and  position,  it  is  called  regular  fiolyfietalous  ;  but  when 
they  do  not  agree,  irregular  fiolyfietalous. 

FLOS    PYRAMIDA'LIS    FARNF/SIANUS.      See  BATTATAS 

CANADENSIS. 

FLOS  RADIA'TUS,  a  RADIATED  FLOWER,  consists  of 
two  parts,  viz.  the  disk  and  the  rays,  which  are  several 
semiflorets  set  round  the  disk  in  the  form  of  a  star  : 
these  are  called  radiated  discous  flowers  ;  but  those 
which  have  no  rays  are  called  naked  discous  flowers. 

FLOS  ROSA'CEUS,  ROSE  SHAPED  FLOWERS,  consist  of 
four  or  more  regular  petals  inserted  into  the  receptacle 
by  a  short  broad  claw,  as  in  the  wild  rose. 

FLOS  ROTA'TUS,  is  a  flower  in  the  form  of  a  wheel; 
wheel  shaped  corolla;  monopetalous;  spreading  flat, 
without  any  tube;  such  as  that  of  borrage. 

FLOS  SANGUI'NEUS  MONA'RDI.  See  NASTURTIUM 
INDICUM. 

FLOS  SCORPIOIDES.  Those  flowers  are  ranged  on 
one  side  of  the  pedicle,  which  twists  at  the  top,  in  the 
form  of  a  scorpion's  tail.  Of  this  sort  is  the  heliotro- 
pium. 

FLOS  SEMIFLOCULO'SUS,  a  SEMIFLOCULOUS  FLOWER, 

is  composed  of  several  semiflorets,  included  in  one 
common  calyx. 

FLOS    SO'LIS    PYRAMIDA'LIS.      See    BATTATAS    His- 

PANICA. 

FLOS  SPICA'TUS,  SPIKED  FLOWER,  is  one  whose  flow- 
ers are  set  thick  on  the  pedicle,  so  as  to  form  an 
acute  cone. 

FLOS    STAMINEUS,  a    STAMINEOUS  FLOWER,  is   COOlpOS- 

edof  many  chives  included  in  a  calyx,  having  no  petals, 
Of  this  sort  is  the  bistort,  Sec. 

FLOS  STE'RILIS.  BARREN  FLOWERS.  These  have  no 
embryo  adhering  to  them,  and  are  called  male  flowers. 

FLOS  TE'RH^E.     See  CCELI  FLOS. 

FLOS  TUBULO'SUS.     See  FLOS  FLOSCULOSUS. 

FLOS  VENTRICULA'TUS.  WHORLE  SHAPED  FLOWER. 
These  grow  closely  united,  surrounding  the  stalk  at 
the  joints. 

FLOS  UMBELLA'TUS.  An  UMBELLATED  FLOWER. 
When  the  extremity  of  the  stalk  or  branch  is  divided 
into  several  pedicles,  or  rays,  beginning  from  the  same 
point,  and  opening  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  kind 
of  inverted  cone,  like  an  umbrella,  it  has  this  appella- 
tion. When  the  pedicles,  into  which  the  stalk  is 
divided,  are  subdivided  into  others  of  the  same  form 
upon  which  the  flowers  are  disposed,  the  first  order  is 
called  rays,  the  second  pedicles.  When  it  consists  of 
pedicles  only  it  is  called  a  single,  when  composed  both 
of  rays  and  pedicles  a  com/iound  umbel. 

FLOS  URCEOLA'TUS.  PITCHER  SHAPED  FLOWER, 
bellying  out  li^e  a  pitcher;  applied  to  the  calyx,  corolla, 


F  L  I 


671 


FL  V 


and  nectary.     Of  this  sort  are  the  arbutus  and  whortle- 
berry flowers. 

FLO'SCULUS,(a  dim.  ofjtos,a_flo-a>er}.  A  FLORET, 
or  LITTLE  FLOWER,  one  of  the  distinct  florets  which 
compose  an  aggregate  flower. 

FLUIDA.  The  fluids  of  thebody  have  been  classed 
according  to  their  form,  or  their  qualities.  In  the  for- 
mer view,  they  may  be  arranged  under  the  heads  of 
gaseous,  watery,  oily,  glairy,  or  mucous.  The  gaseous 
fluids  are  the  insensible  perspiration  from  the  surface, 
and  the  lungs ;  some  gas  combined  loosely  with  the 
blood ;  the  contents  of  the  pericardium  ;  of  the  ventri- 
cles of  the  brain ;  of  the  duplicature  of  the  peritonaeum, 
perhaps  of  the  sheaths  of  the  nerves  ;  more  certainly 
of  the  stomach  and  intestines.  The  watery  fluids  are, 
the  circulating,  the  secreted,  and  the  absorbed  fluids: 
the  oily,  the  contents  of  the  adipose  membrane,  the 
bile,  and  cerumen ;  the  glairy,  those  contained  in  the 
cavities  of  the  joints ;  the  muco us,  those  which  line  sur- 
faces contiguous  to  each  other,  generally  such  as  admit 
of  occasional  dilatation  for  the  passage  of  any  body,  as 
the  throat,  the  vagina,  &c. ;  often  those  whose  accretion 
this  fluid  is  designed  to  prevent,  as  the  eye  lids,  the 
prepuce,  See. 

Dr^  Hooper  divides  the  fluids  from  their  qualities 
into  the  crude,  more  properly  the  alimentary,  as  the 
chyme  or  chyle  ;  the  sanguineous,  as  the  fluids  of  the 
heart,  arteries,  and  veins  ;  the  lymfihatic,  or  the  contents 
of  the  lymphatic  system ;  to  which  he  adds  the  nutri- 
'ious  gelatine;  the  secreted  and  the  excrementitious. 

The  secreted  fluids  may  be  again  divided  according 
to  their  form,  as  stated  above;  but  the  varieties  are  nu- 
merous, and  the  shades  of  distinction  often  minute. " 
Thus  milk  unites  the  watery  and  the  oily  ;  the  semen 
approaches  an  albumen,  and  the  liquor  of  the  prostate 
remains  to  be  more  accurately  examined.  The  dis- 
eases of  the  fluids  are  numerous,  but  must  be  the 
subject  of  a  separate  consideration.  See  MORBI  FLUI- 
DORUM. 

FLU 'OR,  also  FLUS,  (fromj?Mo,  tofots}.  This  word, 
when  used  adjectively,  is  applied  to  signify  the  habitual 
fluidity  of  any  substance,  implying  that  it  cannot  be 
rendered  solid ;  e.  g.  a  volatile  alkali  treated  with  quick- 
lime is  always  liquid,  and  cannot  be  made  to  concrete 
or  crystallize,  so  is  called  Jluor  volatile  alkali,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  common  carbonated  ammonia. 

When  the  word  fluor  is  used  substantively,  it  signi- 
fies a  fusible  mineral,  or  one  which  facilitates  fusion. 
Of  this  kind  are  many  spars,  which  are  called  Jluors; 
and  by  the  word  fluor,  spar  is  generally  understood. 
Spar  appears  like  crystal ;  but  less  bright,  colourless, 
and  pellucid ;  it  commonly  rises  in  triangular  points, 
and  is  calcareous :  it  is  the  same  with  stalactite. 

The  spar  fluor  is  a  fluate  of  lime  ;  or  calcareous  earth 
with  the  fluoric  acid.  Of  this  spar  the  ornamental 
vases  and  columns  from  Derbyshire,  are  made ;  but  it 
is  never  employed  in  medicine. 

FI.U'OR  A'LBUS.  The  WHITE  FLUX,  the  WHITES, 
elu-uies,cachexia  uterina,  leucorrhtc,  leucorrhois,  &c.  is 
a  flow  of  matter  from  the  vagina,  of  different  colours 
and  consistencies,  but  generally  of  a  pale  or  whitish 
colour.  Astruc  distinguishes,  by  an  useless  refinement, 
this  discharge  into  the  lymphatic,  semilacteous,  and 
lacteous.  In  Dr.  Cullen's  Nosology  it  is  the  mc-norr- 


hagia  alba ;  the  fifth  variety  of  his  menorrhagia.  He 
defines  it  "  a  serous  menorrhagy,  without  any  local  in- 
jury in  women  not  pregnant."  He  places  it  under  this 
head,  because  the  leucorrhcea  is  usually  joined  with  me- 
norrhagia, or  soon  follows  it;  and  because  it  is  highly 
probable  that  the  serum  flows  from  the  vessels  which 
supply  the  menses.  The  causes  of  leucorrhoea  also  arc 
often  the  same  as  those  of  menorrhagia. 

The  seat  of  this  disorder  seems  to  be  in  the  uterus, 
near  the  os  internum,  though  principally  in  the  vagina. 
Astruc  thinks  its  seat  to  be  in  the  glands,  situated  on 
the  third  or  internal  tunic  of  the  uterus,  and  that  they 
are  vesicular  bodies  about  the  fundus  uteri;  these 
glands  he  calls  colatoria  lactta,  and  adds  that  this  disease 
consists  in  a  preternatural  discharge  from  them.  The 
uterine  exhaling  vessels,  according  to  Hoffman,  "  be- 
come blood  vessels  at  the  menstrual  period,  and  when 
emptied  they  contract  to  their  former  dimension  and 
tone ;  but  if  by  immoderate  evacuations,  or  other  causes 
of  debility,  their  power  is  weakened,  they  separate  the 
serous  part  of  the  blood,  which,  by  stagnation,  or  from 
a  particular  state  of  the  body,  acquires  various  degrees 
of  acrimony  and  consistence."  As  pregnant  women  are 
liable  to  this  complaint,  it  does  not  appear  that  in  them 
the  discharge  proceeds  from  the  uterus,  except  from 
about  the  os  internum ;  for  the  spongy  chorion  firmly 
adheres  to  its  inner  surface  in  almost  every  part.  Some 
women  have,  indeed,  a  return  of  the  menses  in  every 
month  of  pregnancy,  which,  though  deficient  both  in 
quantity  and  quality,  confirms  Hoffman's  opinion,  as 
well  as  that  the  vagina  may  be  a  principal  seat  of  the 
discharge. 

Women  who  abound  with  serum,  with  lax  fibres,  or 
at  the  decline  of  life,  and  girls  at  the  approach  of  the 
menses,  are  most  subject  to  this  disorder ;  though  it 
sometimes  occurs  from  infancy  to  old  age.  Hoffman 
observes,  that  women  who  are  subject  to  a  mucous  de- 
fluxion  at  the  nose  are,  on  a  suppression  of  the  menses, 
affected  with  a  fluor  albus. 

That  the  immediate  cause  of  a  fluor  albus  is  debility 
of  the  vessels  from  which  the  menstrual  discharges  flow, 
or  a  retarded  circulation  of  the  blood  through  them, 
appears  from  some  women  having  always  a  leucorrhoea 
whenever  their  menses  are  detained.  In  languid 
habits  the  disease  returns  periodically,  instead  of  the 
proper  menstrual  evacuation,  until  the  .patient's  con- 
stitution is  sufficiently  invigorated ;  and  in  many  in- 
stances it  is  manifest  only  during  the  absence  of  the 
menses. 

The  more  remote  causes  are,  cold  moist  air,  a  se- 
dentary life,  poor  diet,  excessive  menstrual  discharges, 
abortions,  violent  extraction  of  the  placenta;  indeed, 
every  circumstance  which  weakens  the  constitution  in 
general,  or  these  vessels  in  particular. 

From  Hippocrates'  description,  it  appears  to  have  a 
great  affinity  to  a  cachexy.  He  says,  "  that  the  matter 
discharged  resembles  the  white  urine  of  an  ass ;  white 
swellings  appear  in  the  patient's  face,  the  part  below 
the  eyes  swells,  the  eyes  are  disordered,  and  appear  as 
if  the  patient  was  dropsical ;  the  colour  of  the  skin  is 
whitish,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  belly  tumid ;  in  the 
legs  appear  tumours  so  lax  and  so  soft,  as  to  retain  the 
impressions  of  the  Snger;  a  biting  pain  is  perceived  in 
the  stomach,  and  a  sensation  of  an  acid  water  lodged 


FLU 


672 


FLU 


in  it,  either  when  the  patient  is  fasting  or  happens  to 
vomit;  when  she  goes  up  a  steep  place,  she  is  seized 
with  short  breathing ;  her  legs  are  cold,  her  knees 
feeble,  her  uterus  preternaturally  opened,  with  a  sense 
of  weight  at  its  mouth.  This  discharge  is  sometimes 
daily,  and  occasionally  it  appears  two  or  three  times  in 
a  month,  and  continues,  each  time,  only  a  few  days ; 
the  humour  is  serous  and  limpid  in  some,  and  in  others 
more  viscid  :  sometimes  it  is  acrid,  and  occasions  an 
itching,  pricking,  or  even  an  excoriation  ;  in  its  greater 
degrees  of  virulence,  it  appears  of  different  shades,  from 
the  slightest  yellow  to  a  green  or  even  a  blackish  green 
colour,  and  it  is  then  more  or  less  fetid.  When  the  case 
is  mild,  it  is  often  not  regarded ;  but  when  more  violent, 
a  cachexy  is  the  consequence.  There  is  in  that  case  a 
pain  and  sense  of  weight  in  the  loins,  turbid  urine, 
longings  and  loathings,  indigestion,  swelling  of  the  face 
in  the  night  and  of  the  feet  in  the  day,  palpitation  of 
the  heart,  fainting,  symptoms  ending  fatally  in  dropsy, 
or  a  consumption." 

This  disorder  should  be  distinguished  from  a  cachexy, 
a  gonorrhoea,  pale  and  ill  coloured  menses,  and  from 
ulceration,  abscesses,  and  cancers  in  the  parts  of  gene- 
ration. 

Leucorrhosa  is  often  a  symptom  of  cachexy,  and  the 
treatment  is  the  same,  so  that  distinction  is  not  neces- 
sary. It  is  frequently  mistaken  for  gonorrhoea ;  and  in 
turn  the  latter  is  styled  the  whites.  Leucorrhoea, 
when  violent,  is  attended  with  a  discharge  as  thin,  as 
discoloured,  and  as  acrid  as  gonorrhoea ;  and  the  cha- 
racter of  the  woman  or  her  husband  will,  at  times,  be 
the  only  means  of  distinguishing  the  complaint.  This 
similarity  is,  however,  advantageous  in  another  view,  as 
it  enables  the  practitioner  to  preserve  the  peace  of  a 
family,  by  giving  a  safer  name  to  the  effects  of  impru- 
dence. If  a  woman  is  regular,  it  will  be  found  that, 
during  the  discharge  of  the  menses,  the  whites  disap- 
pear; but  the  matter  of  a  gonorrhoea  is  found  combined 
with  the  blood ;  and  except  in  very  old  women,  whom 
we  cannot  euspect  of  gonorrhoea,  the  discharge  is  sel- 
dom so  acrid  as  to  occasion  pain  in  making  water. 

Ulceration  and  abscesses  in  these  parts  have  been 
usually  preceded  by  inflammation,  or  may  be  traced  to 
some  violence ;  and  the  discharge  of  cancers  is  attended 
by  the  riolent  lancinating  pains  at  the  bottom  of  the 
belly.  The  discharge  from  cancers  also,  we  believe,  is 
the  only  fluid  from  those  organs,  which  discolours 
bright  silver. 

If  this  disorder  is  moderate,  it  is  supported  a  long 
time  without  much  inconvenience;  but  if  considerable, 
it  soon  spoils  the  beauty,  weakens  the  digestive  powers 
and  the  whole  system,  occasions  sterility,  and  more 
frequently  a  disposition  to  miscarry.  If  the  flux  is  un- 
seasonably checked,  the  belly  is  said  to  swell,  a  hectic 
fever  to  come  on,  and  a  train  of  the  most  disagreeable 
symptoms  to  follow.  We  suspect,  however,  that  to 
check  it  quickly  is  no  easy  task. 

The  indications  of  cure  are,  to  promote  digestion, 
increase  the  strength,  and  restrain  the  preternatural 
discharge.  The  diet  should  be  light,  cordial,  and 
nourishing ;  isinglass  dissolved  in  milk  is  useful,  with 
moderate  quantities  of  red  port. 

Leucorrhoea  is  with  great  difficulty  removed.  If  it 
proceeds  from  partial  debility  of  the  vessels  of  the 


womb  and  vagina,  from  frequent  births  or  miscarriages, 
remedies  can  scarcely  be  brought  to  act  on  such  remote 
organs  ;  and  to  remove  partial  debility  by  general  re- 
medies is  a  tedious,  and  often  an  unsuccessful,  task. 

Avoiding  irritation  of  body  and  mind  is  highly  ne- 
cessary ;  and  it  is  equally  so  to  guard  against  topical 
irritation.  The  bowels  must  therefore  be  kept  free, 
and  every  excitement  of  the  uterine  system  avoided. 
Moderate  exercise  in  cool  air,  cool  rooms,  and  light 
clothing,  food  nourishing,  but  not  highly  spiced,  or 
flatulent,  are  useful.  The  most  scrupulous  cleanliness 
is  essential ;  and  injections  of  milk  and  water,  or  green 
tea,  should  be  frequently  thrown  up,  cold. 

Tonic  medicines  are  principally  employed ;  and  the 
chief  of  these  is  cold  bathing.  The  chalybeate  mineral 
waters  are  remedies  of  considerable  importance,  among 
which  the  Cheltenham  and  Tunbridge  springs  are  most 
useful.  The  bark  is  often  employed,  and  is  frequently 
salutary ;  but  the  more  powerful  astringents  are  said 
by  Hoffman  to  be  injurious.  The  humoral  patholo- 
gists,  in  almost  every  disease,  suspected  acrimony ;  and 
this  idea  has  led  to  the  use  of  absorbents  and  of  altera- 
tives and  mercurials,  in  leucorrhoea.  The  former  are 
at  least  innocent;  and  as,  in  such  circumstances,  acids 
often  abound  in  the  stomach,  they  may  be  useful. 
Mercurials  are,  we  believe,  injurious,  if  we  proceed 
beyond  the  slightest  doses,  to  give  a  general  tone  to  the 
arterial  system.  For  the  same  purpose  chalybeates  are 
generally  and  freely  employed.  They  have  been  used 
also  for  injections;  and  smiths'  forge  water  has  been 
recommended.  This  fluid,  however,  soils  the  linen, 
and  as  a  powerful  astringent  may  be  injurious. 

The  alteratives  employed  have  been  the  Lisbon  diet 
drink,  antimonials,  and  sarsaparilla.  They  have  been 
supposed  useful  when  the  discharge  is  highly  acrimo- 
nious; but  we  have  seldom  employed  them,  and 
scarcely  in  any  instance  found  them  effectual.  The 
disease  is  peculiarly  obstinate,  and  to  relieve  hour  almost 
only  chance. 

See  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iii.  p.  24,  31.  Hamil- 
ton's Midwifery,  edit.  2,  p.  119,  137,  140.  Hoffman's 
Dissertation  on  the  Fluor  Albus.  Leake's  Medical 
Instructions,  edit.  5. 

FLUS,  (from  Jluo,  tojlotu).     See  FLUOR. 

FLUVIA'TILIS,  (fromjluvius,  a  river).  Belonging 
to  a  river. 

FLUX,  synonymous  often  with  fusion ;  and  frequently 
implying  the  substance  by  which  fusion  is  promoted. 
It  has  various  names  from  its  appearance  or  nature,  as 
black  or  white  flux,  crude  flux,  &c.  In  general  it 
consists  of  a  mixture  of  nitre  and  tartar. 

FLUXIO. '  See  CATARRHUS. 

FLUXUS,  (from  ^o,  to  Jlow).  A  FLUX.  Some- 
times it  signifies  a  defluxion,  and  in  this  sense  it  is  sy- 
nonymous with  catarrh.  Sometimes  it  is  used  in  a 
more  limited  sense,  as  fluxus  ventris,  a  continued  eva- 
cuation of  thin  faeces,  without  either  tenesmus  or  lien- 
tery;  or  a  fluxus  hepaticus,  when  the  excrements  are 
like  water  in  which  flesh  hath  been  washed.  Hippocrates 
uses  the  word  f'«<2>-,  fluxus,  in  his  work  de  Natura 
Muliebli,  of  which  there  are  the  fluor  albus,  and  fluor 
ruber,  i.  e.  menses.  Fluxus  pW<?  means  a  loss  of  the 
hair,  in  A.  Trallian.  (lib.  i.  cap.  2.)  In  Cullen's  No- 
sology, it  is  synonymous  with  Apocenoses, 


FCEN 


673 


FCET 


FOCA'RIUS,  (tromfoveo,  to  burn).  Bread  boiled 
on  the  hearth  or  gridiron. 

FO'CILE  MA'JUS  et  MI'NUS.  ARABIC.  Bar- 
barous appellations  of  the  ulna  and  radius  in  the  arm  ; 
the  tibia  and  fibula  in  the  leg. 

FO'CUS  ({romfoveo,  to  burn].  The  burning  point 
of  the  speculum,  or  rather  the  point  at  which  all  the 
rays  of  light  converge  when  bent  towards  the  perpendi- 
cular by  a  convex  lens.  Focus  morbi  is  the  supposed 
principal  residence  of  the  disease,  from  whence  it  com- 
municates its  noxious  influence.  Some  ancient  anato- 
mists gave  this  name  to  the  first  lobe  of  the  liver.  See 
AURIGA. 

FODI'NA,  (from   fodio,    to   dig}.      See    LABYRIX- 

THUS. 

FCE'DULA,  (from  fadus,  fuul  ,•  from  its  stinking 
smell,  when  rotten).  A  species  of  fungus. 

FCENI'CULI,  vel  FCENICULATUM  LI'GXUM. 
See  SASSAFRAS. 

FCENI'CULUM  ;  a  diminutive  of  fxnum,  hay  ;  be- 
cause when  dried,  it  is  preserved  ;  or  quasi/irn«;n  ocu- 
lorum,  the  hay  or  herb  good  for  the  sight.  FENNEL. 
Wine  impregnated  with  it  is  called  marathrites. 

FCENI'CULUM  v\;LGA.'Rt.,f£niculum  Germanicum,  ma- 
rathrum,  COMMON  FINCLE,  or  FENNEL  ;  Anethumfxnicu- 
lum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  37". 

This  plant  is  so  common  that  a  description  is  unne- 
cessary :  its  seeds  are  small,  and  of  a  blackish  brown 
The  plant  is  perennial,  native  in  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe,  but  thrives  in  our  gardens ;  supposed  to  be  the 
marathron  of  the  Greeks,  highly  esteemed  among  them 
for  promoting  the  secretion  of  milk.  The  experience 
of  Bergius  seems  to  confirm  this  opinion. 

The  seeds  are  more  warm  and  pungent,  but  not  so 
pleasing,  as  those  of  the  sweet  kind.  They  are  sto- 
machic and  carminative,  commended  against  nauseas 
and  loathing  ;  and  if  eaten  in  the  morning  fasting,  sup- 
posed to  help  the  sight.  Dill,  anise,  and  carraway,  are, 
however,  allowed  to  be  superior  in  these  respects. 

The  leaves  haije  the  same  flavour  with  the  seeds,  and 
smell  stronger,  but  to  the  taste  are  weaker  and  less 
agreeable.  They  impregnate  water  sufficiently  with 
their  virtues  by  distillation,  and  by  the  same  process 
afford  a  considerable  quantity  of  essential  oil.  Rectified 
spirit  of  wine  is  rendered  agreeably  aromatic  by  them, 
and  the  extract  retains  the  whole  strength  after  eva- 
poration. 

The  roots,  taken  up  in  spring,  have  a  pleasant  sweet 
taste,  are  slightly  aromatic,  and  are  ranked  amongst  the 
aperient  roots. 

FCENI'CULUM  DULCE.  SWEET  FENNEL.  This  variety 
of  the  anethum  focniculum,  far.  <*,  is  annual,  a  native  of 
warm  climes,  and  cultivated  in  gardens.  The  seeds  are 
larger,  paler,  and  sweeter  than  those  of  the  former  sort;, 
contain  a  gross  oil,  easily  obtained  by  pressure,  and  have 
been  esteemed  pectoral  and  diuretic  :  when  freed  from 
the  essential  oil,  they  are  perfectly  insipid.  The  London 
college  directs  us  to  distil  a  simple  water  from  the  seeds, 
and  from  a  pound  to  draw  off  a  gallon ;  which  is  said  to 
be  diuretic  and  carminative.  See  Lewis's  MateriaMed. 
Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

FCENI'CULUM  ALPI'NUM.     See  MEUM. 
F&M'CULUM  A'NNUM.     See  AMMI  VERUM. 

FlENl'cuLUM  ERRATICUM.  See  SAXIFRAGA  AxGLI- 
OA. 

VOL.  I. 


FEXI'CULUM  MARI'NUM  MA'JUS  et  MINUS.  See  CRITH- 
MUM. 

FCENI'CULUM  ORIF.NTA'LE.     See  CU.MIM 
FCENI'CULUM  PORCI'NUM.     See  PEUCEDANUM. 
FCENI'CULUM  SINE'NSE.     See  ANISUM  INDICUM. 
FCENI'CULUM    SYLVE'STRE.       See   MEUM  LATIFOLIUV 

ADULTERINL'M. 

FCENI'CULUM     TORTUOSUM.       See    SESELI    MASSILI- 
ENSE. 

FCE'NUM  CAMELO'RUM.     See  JUNCUS  ODOHA 

TUS. 

FCE'NUM  GR^E'CUM,  (from/tfn?<;n,  hay,  and  Greecus. 
Greece  i  because  it  grew  there  in  the  meadows,  like 
hay).  FENUGREEK  ;  buceras,  because  the  fruit  i^ 
corniculated;  and  <s goceras,  because  the  pods  were  sup- 
posed to  resemble  the  horns  of  a  goat,  trigonella  fxnun 
grecttm  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1095.  It  is  a  plant  with  serrated, 
roundish  leaves,  whitish  papilionaceous  flowers,  follow- 
ed by  long,  slender,  crooked,  flattish  pods,  containing 
yellowish  rhomboidal  seeds,  furrowed  from  one  angle  to 
the  other;  or,  as  Neumann  observes,  oblong,  flattish. 
quadrangular,  and  roundish  at  one  end.  These  seeds 
are  sown  annually  in  the  south  of  Europe,  from  whence 
they  are  brought  to  us,  and  are  the  only  parts  of  the 
plant  employed  ;  their  prevailing  principle  is  mucilage, 
and  an  ounce  renders  a  pint  of  water  very  mucilaginous. 
They  are  chiefly  used  in  emollient  cataplasms  and  fo- 
mentations, and  in  emollient  and  carminative  clysters. 
They  are  slightly  bitter,  and  have  a  disagreeable  smell. 
See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  and  Neumann's  Chem.  Works. 

FCE'NUM  GRJE'CUM  SYLVE'STRE.    See  GLAUX  VULGARIS 

LEGUMIXOSA. 

FCETA'BULUM,(from  fttco,  to  become  fiutrid. 
FOUL  ULCER;  and  an  ABSCESS  with  a  CYST.     Severinus. 

FCE'TIDA  TINCTU'RA.     See  ASAFCETIDA. 

FCE'TUS,  (from  feo,  to  bring  forth) .  See  Voss. 
ETYMOL.)  JE/iicyema,  and  efiigonion.  The  young  of 
all  viviparous  animals  whilst  in  the  womb,  and  of  ovi- 
parous animals  before  they  are  hatched.  (See  CON- 
CEPTIO).  The  name  is  transferred  by  botanists  to  the 
embryos  of  vegetables. 

In  the  human  foetus  are  several  peculiarities  not  to  be 
found  in  the  adult.  1 .  The  ductus,  or  canalis,  arterio- 
sus.  (See  ARTERIOSUS  DUCTUS).  2.  The  arteries  of 
the  navel  siring-,  which  are  continuations  of  the  hypo- 
gastrics,  after  the  birth,  are  shrivelled  up,  and  form  the 
ligamenta  umbilicalia*  inferiora.  3.  The  -veins  of  the 
navel  string,  which  are  formed  by  the  union  of  all  the' 
venal  branches  in  the  placenta,  and  passing  into  the  ab- 
domen, become  the  falciform  ligament  of  the  li-uer:  4. 
The  ductus -venosus,  q.  v.  5.  The  lungs,  which,  before 
being  inflated  with  air,  are  compact  and  heavy ;  but  af- 
ter one  inspiration  become  light,  and  as  it  were  spon- 
gy. When  the  lungs  swim  in  water,  it  is  supposed 
that  the  child  has  breathed ;  and  the  conclusion  is  drawn 
that  it  has  been  murdered.  But  the  uninflated  lungs 
become  specifically  lighter  than  water  as  soon  as  any 
degree  of  putrefaction  comes  on,  which  quickly  hap- 
pens after  the  death  of  the  child;  and  where  the  utmost 
care  hath  been  taken  to  preserve  the  child,  it  hath 
breathed  once  or  twice,  and  then  died  ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  they  may  sink,  though  the  child  has  breathed,  if 
tubercles  have  formed  in  them.  (See  MEDICIXA  FOREN- 
sis.)  6.  The  thy mus  gland  is  very  large  in  the  foetus, 
but  lessens  as  years  advance,  ~:  The  foramen  ovale  in 

4R 


T 


674 


F  IK  T 


the  heart  of  a  foetus  is  generally  closed  in  an  adult.  8. 
The  circulation  of  the  blood.  See  CIRCULA.TIO. 

These  peculiarities  of  structure  are  connected  with 
ihe  state  of  the  foetus,  while  yet  in  utero,  when  it  has 
i  he  adventitious  support  of  the  mother,  on  whom  its  ex- 
istence for  a  time  depends.  The  uterine  foetus  is  inclo- 
sed in  a  bag,  composed  of  different  membranes,  styled 
the  (tviim;  but  the  whole,  if  we  except  the  external 
membrane,  the  decidua,  is  a  part  of  the  foetal  system, 
and  connected7  with  its  growth  and  existence. 

The  ovum,  at  the  earliest  period  of  its  existence,  or 
rather  as  soon  as  it  becomes  the  object  of  even  the  as- 
sisted sight,  appears  like  a  small  vesicle,  slightly  attach- 
rd  to  some  part,  generally  the  fundus  of  the  uterus ; 
and,  on  examination,  all  the  organs  of  which  it  consists 
are  confusedly  blended.  They  by  degrees  appear  more 
distinct;  and  in  the  more  advanced  periods  we  discover 
the  membranes  already  described  in  the  articles  AM- 
xios,  CHORION,  and  DECIDUA,  q.  v.  The  decidua  forms 
apparently,  at  first,  the  principal  bulk  of  the  ovum,  and 
is,  as  we  have  said,  double ;  the  outer  membrane  lining 
the  uterus,  and  the  inner,  reflected,  covering  the  ovum  : 
the  double  chorion  is  the  only  membrane  of  the  ovum 
which  is  properly  a  part  of  the  mother. 

In  the  early  period  of  gestation,  a  white  speck  is  ob- 
served on  the  amnios,  near  the  part  where  the  umbilical 
vessels  are  inserted.  It  is  a  vesicle  filled  with  a  white 
liquor  called  vesicula  vmbilicalis,  alba  or  iactea,  and 
united  with  the  umbilical  cord  by  a  fan  is,  consisting  of 
an  artery  and  vein.  It  disappears  in  the  progress  of 
gestation,  and  we  are  unacquainted  with  its  use. 

Though  the  bag  pr  external  parts  of  the  conception 
are  at  first  large  in  proportion  to  the  foetus,  they  are 
afterwards  related  in  an  inverted  ratio ;  the  foetus  in- 
creasing more  rapidly  than  its  contents  and  accompani- 
ments :  the  latter  seldom  become  more  bulky  after  the 
seventh  month.  The  foetus  is,  for  a  time,  invisible ; 
and  when  at  first  seen,  resembles,  as  we  have  remarked, 
a  tadpole,  with  a  rounded  head,  from  which  a  tail  pro- 
jects. This  tail  does  not  consist  of  what  are  afterwards 
the  inferior  extremities,  for  these  only  appear  to  sprout 
after  some  months ;  nor  is  it  the  superior  extremities 
in  embryo,  for  these  apparently  are  added  at  the  sides. 
When  we  can  perceive  any  addition,  we  find  a  very  mi- 
nute moving  point,  somewhat  below  the  head,  which 
expands  into  a  heart,  at  first  conveying  an  almost 
colourless  fluid,  and  afterwards  r\,d  blood.  Two  large 
black  points,  the  eyes,  seem  to  project,  after  some  time, 
from  the  head  of  the  tadpole,  and  almost  to  cover  it :  a 
chasm  is  seen  below,  the  future  mouth  ;  and  a  dispro- 
portionately large  abdomen  is  soon  conspicuous.  As  we 
find  all  these  important  organs  accessory,  or  rather 
evolved  at  a  subsequent  period,  we  must  consider  the 
early  formation,  or  the  parts  first  evolved,  as  the  most 
important.  These  can  be  only  the  brain  and  spinal 
marrow,  each  essential  to  the  existence  of  the  animal, 
and  the  motion  of  the  heart,  on  which  life  depends. 
All  the  other  organs  probably  exist  at  the  earliest  period, 
but  are  invisible  from  their  minuteness  and  pellucidity. 
The  muscles  and  membranes  have  their  primordial 
stamina  in  the  nervous  system,  and  the  fibrils  are  pro- 
bably convoluted  and  compressed.  What  we  style  evo- 
hition,  then,  is  only  extension  ;  and  the  bulk  or  size  of 
an  organ  is  limited  by  their  length,  and  their  capacity 
of  admitting  the  interposition  of  inorganized  matter. 


We  can  see  an  obvious  instance  of  increased  bulk  by 
the  interposition  of  such  matter,  if  we  trace  the  fibre:-, 
of  the  stem  of  an  apple,  expanding  to  the  bulk  of  the 
fruit. 

A  foetus  of  four  weeks  is  near  the  size  of  a  common 
fly;  soft,  mucilaginous,  and,  in  appearance,  suspended 
by  the  belly ;-  its  bowels  covered  by  a  transparent  mem- 
brane. At  six  weeks,  it  is  of  a  somewhat  firmer  con- 
sistence, nearly  the  size  of  a  small  bee  ;  the  extremities 
then  begin  to  shoot  out.  At  three  months  its  shape  is 
tolerably  distinct,  and  it  is  about  three  inches  long.  At 
four,  five,  and  six  months,  it  is  five,  near  seven,  and  near 
nine  inches  respectively.  In  the  successive  months 
it  increases  in  length  to  twelve,  fifteen  and  twenty,  or 
twenty-two  inches, though  varying  in  different  women, 
and  in  different  births.  Indeed  all  these  measurements 
are  rather  approximations  than  accurate  representations. 

Of  the  membranes  we  need  not  again  speak,  but 
merely  to  remark  that  the  ovum  is  contained  in  the 
double  decidua,  as  the  head  in  a  doubled  night  cap, 
and  that  each  is  probably  an  inspissated  exudation  at 
different  periods  from  the  uterus  (Scarpa).  Between 
the  chorion  and  amnios,  in  the  early  months,  a  collec- 
tion of  gelatinous  matter  is  found  ;  perhaps  with  the 
vesicula  Iactea,  to  assist  in  the  nutrition  of  the  foetus, 
while  the  circulation  is  yet  incomplete ;  and  in  the  lat- 
ter, this  space  is  occasionally  filled  by  a  serous  fluid, 
styled  the  false  waters  ;  so  that  every  discharge  of  water, 
in  pregnant  women,  is  not  dangerous.  If  not  attended 
with  a  discharge  of  blood,  it  is  apparently  harmless. 
These  waters,  however,  have  led  some  physiologists  into 
an  error,  who  supposed,  that  they  had  discovered  a  re- 
ceptacle for  the  urine,  called  in  quadrupeds  the  allantois, 
an  oblong  membranous  sac  between  the  chorion  and  the 
amnios.  No  such  receptacle,  however,  is  found  in  the 
human  subject. 

The  placenta,  as  we  shall  afterwards  show,  consists 
of  two  parts.  One  is  apparently  derived  from  the 
decidua,  and  has  been  supposed  a  spongy  inorganic 
substance,  for  the  purpose  of  attachment;  but  it  con- 
tains numerous  blood  vessels  which  can  be  injected  ex- 
clusively from  the  arteries  of  the  mother.  The  remain- 
ing part  of  the  cake  is  an  organ  of  the  foetus,  and  its 
vessels  can  only  be  injected  from  the  umbilical  cord. 
These  facts,  which  are  now  well  established,  prove 
that  no  circulation  is  carried  on  between  the  mother 
and  foetus  in  continuous  vessels  ;  nor  can  any  consi- 
derable nerves,  indeed  scarcely  any,  be  traced  from 
the  uterus  to  the  foetus  part  of  the  placenta.  The  foetus 
has  therefore  a  system  peculiarly  its  own  in  every  re- 
spect, indebted  only  to  the  mother  for  support,  warmth, 
and  a  supply  of  nutriment. 

When  the  blood,  through  the  funis  umbilicalis, 
reaches  the  abdomen  of  the  foetus,  it  is  carried  to  the 
liver;  and  one  half  of  the  whole  mass  circulates  in  that 
organ.  In  the  earliest  stages,  the  liver  is  peculiarly 
large;  and  this  considerable  proportion  of  the  vital  fluid 
is  seemingly  designed  to  nourish  it,  for  the  bile  is  co- 
lourless, and  without  taste.  This  viscus  does  not  in- 
deed lessen,  but  its  proportion  is  diminished  by  a  more 
rapid  increase  of  the  other  parts,  and  in  every  organ 
where  a  peculiar  organic  structure  is  necessary  nature 
seems  to  form  it  very  early  of  a  large  size.  This  is 
the  case  with  the  eyes,  the  liver,  the  lymphatic  system, 
Sec.;  nor,  when  the  relative  sizes  are  considered,  is  the 


F  (E  T 


675 


F'CET 


genital  system  of  either  sex  an  exception.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  blood  is  carried  by  the  ductus  venosus 
to  the  vena  cava,  where  also  the  blood,  after  having  cir- 
culated through  the  liver,  arrives.  We  thus  trace  it  to 
the  right  auricle  ;  but,  as  the  lungs  are  not  yet  expanded 
by  air,  the  pulmonary  system  cannot  contain  the  whole 
quantity,  and  one  part,  but  its  proportion  is  not  exactly 
known,  passes  through  the  foramen  ovale,  a  hole  in  the 
septum,  which  divides  the  auricles.  The  rest  proceeds 
to  the  right  ventricle ;  but  of  this  portion  only  a  part 
enters  the  pulmonary  artery  for  the  reasons  assigned, 
and  the  rest  is  conveyed  to  the  aorta,  through  a  duct 
styled  the  ductus  arteriosus.  Thus  the  entire  mass  of 
fluids  is  conveyed  to  the  aorta,  to  be  circulated  through 
the  whole  machine. 

The  nutrition  of  the  foetus  has  occasioned  many  con- 
troversies. We  may  just  mention  a  friendly  one  be- 
tween the  first  Dr.  Monro  and  Mr.  Gibson,  in  the  first 
and  second  volume  of  an  excellent  collection,  though 
too  much  neglected,  the  Medical  Essays  of  Edinburgh  ; 
because  they  contain  a  greater  variety  of  facts,  respect- 
ing the  foetus,  than  are  to  be  found  in  any  other  work. 
The  subject  may  now  be  drawn  within  a  narrow  com- 
pass. The  foetus  is  probably  not  nourished  by  the 
liquor  amnii,  because  this  fluid  is  not  nutritious;  it 
contains  but  a  small  portion  of  animal  gelatine,  and  a 
large  one  of  neutral  salts,  and  is  rather  excrementitious 
than  wholesome.  If  employed  for  this  purpose,  it  pro- 
bably is  not  swallowed,  since  there  are  no  faeces  col- 
lected in  the  bowels,  for  the  meconium  is  only  the  in- 
spissated bile,  and  other  fluids  of  the  intestines,  which 
have  acquired  a  colour  from  the  delay ;  and  no  allantois 
to  receive  an  excrementitious  discharge.  It  is  not  pro- 
bably absorbed;  for  the  surface  of  the  foetus  when  born 
is  covered  with  mucus,  apparently  designed  to  prevent 
its  irritation.  This  fluid,  however,  is  now  found  to 
belong  to  the  foetal  part  of  the  ovum  ;  so  that  were  every 
fact  adduced  in  support  of  the  nourishment  of  the  foetus 
by  the  liquor  amnii  to  be  admitted,  we  must  still  seek 
for  a  supply.  This  supply  is  undoubtedly  afforded  by 
the  mother;  but  it  is  still  doubtful  whether  in  the 
maternal  part  of  the  placenta  the  blood  undergoes  any 
preparation.  We  know  of  none;  we  can  perceive 
none :  it  is  apparently  deposited  in  cells,  and  again 
absorbed. 

Since,  then,  the  connection  of  the  foetus  and  the 
mother  is  so  slight;  since  there  are  no  continuous 
vessels,  and  scarcely  any,  if  any,  nervous  communica- 
tion ;  what  reason  can  be  assigned  for  the  reported  in- 
fluence of  the  mother's  imagination  on  the  child,  either 
in  impressing  any  peculiar  mark,  more  essentially 
changing  an  organic  structure,  or  mutilating  it,  in  con- 
sequence of  seeing  similar  objects?  Such  INFLUENCE 

IS  WHOLLY  UNFOUNDED  ;  THE  OFFSPRING  OF  FANCY, 
SUPPORTED  BY  ACCIDENTAL  FACTS,  OFTEN  BY  DESIGN- 
ED MISREPRESENTATIONS.  Sound  physiology  denies 
every  such  connection;  nor  can  it  be  established,  with- 
out admitting  a  connecting  ether  or  aura,  which  on 
any  change  made  in  the  mother's  system  is  followed 
by  a  corresponding  one  in  the  foetus.  We  shall  leave 
the  establishment  of  such  an  aura  to  the  visionary  sup- 
porters of  sympathetic  medicine,  or  the  modern  dream- 
ers, who  believe  in  animal  magnetism.  No  such  ex- 
ists, or  at  least  the  influence  of  no  such  medium  can  be 
perceived. 


If  we  examine  the  various  facts  adduced,  the  mark-, 
for  instance,  we  shall  find  that   they  are  as  often  seen 
without  any  previous  affection  of  the  imagination  as 
with  it ;  that  the  resemblance,  when  such  fancies  have 
occurred,  is  distant,  and  often  imaginary.     If  we  look 
at  the  changes  of  organization,  we  shall  find,  often,  that 
the  shock  has  taken  place  when  the.  bones  were  firmly 
united,  and  when  the  disposition  could  not  be  changed 
without  violent  mechanical  force  :  the   fact  mentioned 
by  father  Malebranche,  where  the  limbs  of  the  foetus 
were   fractured,  from   the  mother   seeing  a  criminal 
broken  on  the   wheel,  is    evidently  false,   or  the  cir- 
cumstances greatly  misrepresented.     When,  in  the  ad- 
vanced period  of  gestation,  the  sight  of  a  mutilated 
person  is  apparently  followed  by  a  similar  mutilation  of 
the  child,  the  influence  of  the  sight  is  highly  improbable. 
What  becomes  of  the  mutilated  limb  ?    It  may  be  sup- 
posed to  be  deprived  of  life,  and  absorbed,  since  it  is 
never  found ;  but  the  time  required  for  such  a  process  is 
far  beyond  the  whole  period  of  gestation,  and  the  putrid 
limb,  long  before  it  would  be  completed,  must  produce 
a  fever  of  the  worst  kind,  for  it  must  be  remembered 
that  the  foetal  blood  returns  to  the  mother.     We  might 
allege,  that  of  ten  thousands  exposed  to  such  sights,  in 
perhaps  only  a  single  instance  will  the  supposed  con- 
sequence follow;  and  that  it  sometimes  occurs  without 
the  previous  spectacle.     When  both  then  happen,  the 
concurrence  must  be  pronounced  accidental  only.     It  is 
evident,  however,  that  the  foetus  is  affected  by  the  com- 
plaints of  the  mother.     It  has  in  many  instances  shared 
her  eruptive  diseases ;  sometimes  seemingly  her  fevers ; 
more,  probably    her  nervous  complaints.     If,  with  the 
little  connection  which  we  have   shown  to  take  place, 
it  can  partake  of  these  diseases,  it  may  be  supposed  to 
suffer  more  essentially,  or  it  may  appear  that  we  have 
too  rashly  denied  any  nervous  communication.     These 
influences  are,  however,  much   less  considerable  than 
authors  have  supposed.  •   The  agitations  of  the  nervous 
system  must  be   conveyed  to  an  organ  so  peculiarly 
irritable  as  the  uterus,  and  any  spasmodic  contractions 
of  that  organ  must  be  felt  by  the  foetus.     The  additional 
warmth  also  of  the  blood,  in  fever,  may  be  supposed  to 
affect  the  irritable  little  being,  not  yet  born ;  and  the 
matter  of  the  small  pox,  which  we  can  only  trace,  be- 
cause this  (  of  all   the  febrile  exanthema  alone  leaves 
any  cicatrix,  may  undoubtedly  be   absorbed  from  the 
maternal  part  of  the  placenta.     Mature,  however,  seems 
to  have  anxiously  guarded  against  any  communication, 
and  the  child  often  survives  uninjured  the  most  violent 
diseases  of  the  mother. 

The  changes  from  the  foetal  state  take  place  from 
the  moment  the  child  breathes ;  but  the  cause  of  its 
breathing  has  puzzled  the  ablest  physiologists.  The 
necessity  of  taking  breath  has  been  attributed  to  irri- 
tation, to  an  "  appetite  for  air,"  and  to  innumerable 
fancied  causes.  The  real  cause  appears  to  be  change  of 
position:  The  foetus,  in  the  womb,  assumes  that  posi- 
tion, which  the  superior  strength  of  the  flexor  muscles 
produces.  The  body  is  bent  forward,  the  knees  drawn 
up,  the  legs  -backward,  the  arms  across  the  body, 
and  the  fingers  clenched.  When  the  position  is  altered 
the  ribs  are  raised,  and  the  abdominal  viscera  fall  down. 
A  vacuum  is  the  consequence  in  the  lungs,  which  the 
air  rushes  in  to  supply.  The  sensation  of  uneasiness 
induces  the  necessity  of  expelling  the  air;  and  the  same 
4  R  C 


F  CE  T 


676 


F  O  L 


causes  concur  to  bring  on  the  repetition  of  breathing, 
which,  from  the  uneasy  feeling  excited  by  the  ne- 
cessity for  inspiration  and  expiration,  is  regularly  con- 
tinued. 

In  consequence  of  the  expansion  of  the  lungs,  a  larger 
portion  of  blood  is  carried  into  that  organ ;  the  right 
ventricle  is  more  completely  emptied,  and  the  impetus 
which  kept  the  foramen  ovale  open,  and  which  carried 
the  blood  through  the  ductus  arteriosus,  is  lessened; 
they  gradually  contract  into  ligaments,  and  the  whole 
of  the  fluid,  brought  by  the  veins,  is  carried  through 
the  lungs.  When  the  supply  from  the  umbilical  cord 
is  cut  off,  the  ductus  venosus  contracts  in  the  same  way, 
and  the  vena  portae  receives  the  blood  from  the  return- 
ing veins  of  the  abdominal  viscera,  as  in  the  whole 
extent  of  the  future  life. 

The  foetus  differs,  in  many  respects,  from  the  adult, 
even  after  the  changes  enumerated  have  taken  place. 
The  head  is  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the 
body,  the  bones  of  the  head  soft  and  yielding,  the 
sutures  not  yet  formed,  and  a  triangular  space  is  left  at 
the  union  of  the  coronal  and  sagittal  sutures.  The 
bones  of  the  trunk,  the  extremities,  and  all  the  articula- 
tions, are  remarkably  flexile.  All  the  protuberances  of 
bones  (apophyses)  are  distinct  osseous  portions,  united 
by  cartilages  (epiphyses)  ;  the  heads  and  condyles  of 
bone,  as  well  as  the  brims  of  cavities,  are  cartilaginous. 

The  brain  and  spinal  marrow,  the  glandular  and 
sanguiferous  systems,  are,  we  have  said,  larger  than  in 
the.adult.  A  gland,  peculiar  to  the  foetus  and  infant, 
is  found  at  the  upper  part  of  the  mediastinum,  between 
its  folds,  which  disappears  in  advanced  age,  and  is  ap- 
parently connected  with  the  lymphatic  system.  The 
kidney  is  also  divided  into  distinct  lobes,  as  in  brutes. 

In  the  foetus,  the  cavity  of  the  thorax  is,  as  may  be 
expected,  less  than  after  respiration ;  the  lungs  are 
smaller,  more  compact,  and  of  a  red  colour  like  the 
liver.  The  abdomen  is  disproportionately  large,  and 
ihe  extremities  particularly  small. 

It  has  been  supposed,  that  if  a  child,  who  has  only  once 
or  twice  breathed,  be  thrown  into  water,  the  foramen 
ovale  may  continue  open,  and  he  may  enjoy  the  ad- 
vantages of  living  in  air  or  under  water.  This  idea  is 
supported  by  the  remark,  that  negroes  are  excellent 
divers,  and  that  they  are  usually  plunged  into  water  as 
soon  as  they  are  born.  The  supposition  is  not  im- 
possible, but  has  never  been  reduced  to  practice.  We 
have  a  faint  recollection  of  the  experiment  having  been 
tried  on  puppies  without  success. 

The  extra-uterine  foetuses  are  lodged  either  in  the 
ovarium,  in  the  Fallopian  tubes,  or  in  the  cavity  of 
the  abdomen.  One  instance  is  recorded  where  the 
foetus  was  found  in  the  cavity  of  the  abdomen,  the 
uterus,  Fallopian  tubes,  and  ovaria,  being  at  the  same 
time  in  an  unaltered  state,  similar  to  what  happens  where 
impregnation  has  not  taken  place.  This  and  other  ap- 
pearances \vijl,  however,  be  readily  understood,  when 
we  speak  more  particularly  on  the  subject  of  GENERA- 
TION, q.  v.  (See  Medical  Memoirs,  London,  vol.  iii. 
p.  176.)  When  extra-uterine  foetuses  die,  the  weight, 
after  some  time,  occasions  an  irritation,  and  an  abscess 
is  formed,  by  which  the  child  generally"  comes  away  by 
parts.  See  instances  recorded  in  the  London  Medical 
Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  ii.  and  iii.  See  also  Dr. 
Hamilton's  Outlines  of  Midwifery ;  Haller's  Physiology; 


Sabatier's  Description  of  the  Foetus;  Wrisberg's  Ob- 
servationes  Anatomicse  ;  and  Dr.  Hunter's  Tables. 

FOLIA'CEUM  ORNAME'NTUM,  (from  folium, 
a  leaf).  The  fimbriated  part  of  the  Fallopian  tubes. 
See  TUBJE  FALLOPIAN^. 

FOLIA'TA  TERRA,  (from  its  resemblance  to  fo- 
lium, a  leaf).  See  SULPHUR. 

FOLIA'TIO,  (from  folium,  a  leaf,)  the  disposition 
of  the  nascent  leaves  within  the  bud,  differently  dis- 
tinguished according  to  the  disposition  of  the  leaves. 
See  Martin's  Botanical  Dictionary. 

FOLIUM,  (from  <piMAov,  a  leaf).  A  LEAF;  called 
folium,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  leaf  of  a  flower,  which 
is  called  fie  t  alum.  See  PETALA. 

A  leaf  is  termed:  1.  Folium  abrufitum  pinnatum, 
abruptly  pinnate,  when  they  have  neither  leaflet,  nor 
tendril,  nor  clasper  at  the  end.  2.  Acinaciforme,  sabre- 
shaped.  3.  Acuminatum,  awl-winged,  or  Integerrimum, 
entire.  4.  Acutum,  acute.  5.  Bifidum,  bifid.  6.  Bl- 
natum,  two  lobed.  7.  Canaliculatum,  channelled.  8. 
Cartilagineum.,  cartilaginous.  9.  Ciliatum,  ciliated.  10. 
Cirrhous,  winged  leaf.  11.  Conjugatum,  conjugated. 
12.  Cordato  hantatum,  heart  arrow  pointed.  13.  Cor- 
datum,  heart  shaped.  14.  Cre;zafM7n,  crenated.  15.  Cre- 
natum  acutum,  acute  crenated.  \6..Crenatum  duplex, 
double  crenated.  17.  Crenatum  obtuaum,  obtuse  cre- 
nated. 18.  Crisfium,  curled.  19.  Cuneiforms,  wedge 
shaped.  20.  Decompositum,  decomposite.  21.  Decur- 
rens,  running  winged.  22.  Deltoides,  deltoid,  resem- 
bling the  Greek  A.  23.  Digitatum,  resembling  a  hand 
with  the  fingers  extended.  24.  Dolabriforme,  hatchet 
shaped.  25.  Duplicatio  fiinnatum,  vel  Pinnate  pinna- 
tum,  doubly  winged.  26.  Duplicate  serratum,  doubly 
serrated.  27.  Erosum,  eroded.  28.  Hastatum,  pike,  or 
javelin  shaped.  29.  Hispidum,  thorny,  stinging.  30. 
Integerrimum,  perfectly  entire.  31.  Lacerum,  lacerated, 
or  torn.  32.  Lanciniatum,  jagged.  33.  Lanceolatum, 
spear  shaped.  34.  Lineare,  linear,  narrow.  35.  Lin- 
guiforme,  tongue  shaped.  36.  Lunatum,moon  shaped. 
37.  Lyra  turn,  lyre  shaped.  38.  JVervosum,  nervous, 
fibrous.  39.  Oblong.  40.  Obtuse.  41.  Obtusum  cum 
acumine,  blunt  pointed.  42.  Orbiculum,  round.  43. 
Ovatum,  oval.  44.  Oval,  or  Elliptic.  45.  Paimatum, 
palmated.  46.  Pafiillosum,  warted.  47.  Pilosum,  piled, 
or  like  velvet.  48.  Pinnatifidum,  wing  pointed.  49.' 
Pinnalo  pinnatum,  doublevringed.  50.  Pinnatum  abrup- 
tum,  abrupt  winged.  51.  Pinnatum  cum  imfiari,  winged, 
with  one  pinna  in  excess.  52.  Plicatum,  plaited.  53. 
Pr&morsum,  bitten.  54.  Quinyue  angulare,  five-corner- 
ed. 55.  Quinque partita,  divided  into  five  parts.  56. 
Kacemosum,  branching.  57.  Reniforme,  kidney  shaped. 
58.  Repandidum,  notched.  59.  Rugosum,  wrinkled. 
60.  Sagittatum,  arrow  pointed.  61.  Serratum,  sawed. 
62.  Sinuato  dentatum,  indented,  sinuated.  63.  Sinua- 
tum,  siuuated.  64.  Subrotundum,  roundish.  65.  Su- 
bulatum, awl  shaped.  66,  Su/ira  decomposite.  67.  Teres, 
taper.  68.  Ternatum,  trifoliate.  69.  Tomentosum, 
downy.  70.  Triangularc;  triangular.  71.  Trilobum, 
trilobated.  72.  Triplicate  tcrnatum,  triply  trifoliate. 
73.  Wing  leaf,  with  membranous  foot  stalks. 

Leaves  consist  of  a  parenchymatous  matter  dispersed 
in  the  meshes  of  a  net  work,  and  the  whole  is  covered 
by  an  expansion  of  the  epidermis  of  the  pedicle  or  foot- 
stalk. The  upper  pagina  of  the  leaf  seems  designed 
to  throw  off  the  excremcntitious  exhalations  of  the  plant, 


FOX 


677 


F  O  X 


and  the  under  to  imbibe  moisture.  It  is  necessary  for 
these  purposes  that  the  light  should  have  access  to  that 
part  which  is  designed  for  the  separation  of  the  oxygen  ; 
and  if  a  leaf  is  forcibly  turned,  by  an  opposite  curvature 
of  its  foot  stalk,  it  restores  the  upper  pagina  to  the  sun's 
rays.  Leaves  have  been  consequently  supposed  to  bear 
some  analogy  to  the  lungs  of  animals. 

FO'LIUM.  It  is  the  name  of  the  philosopher's  stone  : 
and  of  that  triangular  membranaceous  sinus,  where  the 
sagittal  and  coronal  sutures  in  infants  meet :  it  signifies 
a  relaxed  uvula  in  Arnaldus.  See  also  DEXAMENE. 

FO'LIUM,  called  alsoyb/.  Indum,  malabathrum,  mala- 
batrurn,  tamalafiatrum ;  cardegi  Indl ;  catvu-karua, 
fiseudocassia  ;  INDIA  LEAF;  is  of  a  firm  texture,  of  an 
oblong  oval  shape,  pointed  at  both  ends,  smooth  and 
glossy  on  the  upper  side,  and  less  so  on  the  under; 
of  a  yellowish  green  above,  and  of  a  pale  brownish 
colour  beneath,  furnished  with  three  ribs  running  its 
whole  length,  one  very  protuberant  on  the  lower  side, 
and  two  smaller  ones  which  bound  the  edges.  Both 
the  leaves  and  their  pedicles  are  very  mucilaginous ; 
chewed,  they  render  the  saliva  slimy  or  glutinous;  in- 
fused in  water,  they  yield  a  large  quantity  of  strong  te- 
nacious mucilage  ;  but  they  possess  little  of  the  strong 
aroma  of  the  bark.  These  leaves,  according  to  Ray, 
are  diuretic.  It  is  an  ingredient  in  the  theriaca,  and 
supposed  by  Bosc,  from  an  examination  of  different 
specimens,  to  be  the  leaves  of  \\ielauru8  cassia  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  528.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

FOLLI'CULUS,  FOLLIS,  (from  p*AA«,,  a  bag). 
A  FOLLICLE,  a  little  bag ;  called  also  cryfita.  It  is 
likewise  the  name  of  a  large  leathern  bag,  filled  with 
wind,  and  used  as  an  exercise  by  the  ancient  Romans. 
In  surgery,  it  is  a  bag  which  contains  the  matter  of 
abscesses  and  tumours,  and  the  meliceris;  in  botany, 
the  thin  involucrum  or  membranaceous  cover  which 
incloses  the  seeds  of  plants;  in  anatomy,  a  simple  gland. 
^i-e  GLANDULA. 

FOLLI'CULUS  FE'LLIS.     See  VESICULA  FELLIS. 

FOMEXTA'TIO.     See  FOTUS. 

FO'MES,  (tromfo-uendo).  FEWEL.  When  spoken 
of  in  diseases,  it  is  the  remote  cause  of  the  disease; 
most  commonly  the  material,  efficient  cause.  In  the 
plural,  fomites,  it  is  generally  applied  to  the  infection 
contained  in  woollen  or  cotton,  and  rendered  more  dele- 
terious by  confinement. 

FO'MES  VENTRICULI.     See  SPLEN. 

FONS  PHILOSOPHO'RUM.  The  PHILOSOPHER'S 
FOUNTAIN;  the  balneum  M arise. 

Foxs    PU'LLANS,     vel     PULSA'TILIS.       See     FONTA- 

N'ELLA. 

FOXTA'LE  ACETO'SUM.     See  ACIDUL*. 

FOXTAXE'LLA,  in  anatomy,  is  the  membranous 
part  found  in  new  born  infants  at  the  meeting  of  the 
coronal  and  sagittal  sutures,  and  which  at  last  ossifies. 
It  is  called  fbns  fiullans. 

FONTANE'LLA,  (a  diminitive  of  fans,  also  fonticu- 
!us}.  A  LITTLE  FOUNTAIN.  In  surgery,  it  is  meta- 
phorically used  to  signify  the  small  aperture  called  an 
iss.n°.  Issues  were  made  in  Hippocrates'  time,  and 
have  maintained  their  credit  down  to  the  present  day. 
The  parts  where  issues  are  generally  made,  are,  1st,  on 
the  coronal  suture,  just  where  it  joins  the  sagittal ;  but  a 
perpetual  blister  on  this  part  is  to  be  preferred  :  2dly, 
•he  neck  :  3clly,  the  arms,  near  the  lowest  part  of  the 


deltoid  muscle,  in  the  interstice  between  it  and  the 
biceps  muscle.  :  4thly,  above  the  knee,  on  the  inside 
of  the  thigh,  in  a  hollow,  which  may  easily  be  per- 
ceived by  the  finger:  Sthly,  below  the  knee,  on  the 
inside  of  the  leg,  where  there  is  a  space  between  the 
muscles,  filled  with  cellular  substance  :  6thly,  on  the 
back;  but  the  fifth  would  be  more  useful  'and  less 
troublesome,  if  placed  above  the  knee. 

The  method  of  making  an  issue  is,  first  to  mark  the 
part  with  ink  ;  then  the  operator  and  an  assistant  having 
raised  the  skin  with  their  fore-fingers  and  thumbs,  the 
operator  pushes  a  lancet  through  the  skin,  to  make  an 
opening  spacious  enough  to  receive  a  pea,  or  a  larger 
substance  if  necessary.  This  is  introduced  and  secured 
by  a  sticking  plaster  and  bandage  :  it  must  be  renewed 
every  twenty-four  hours. 

A  caustic  is  sometimes  applied,  and  continued  six  or 
eight  hours;  the  eschar  cut,  and  a  pea  inserted.  The 
caustic,  in  some  instances,  is  allowed  to  slough  off,  and 
the  discharge  continued  by  means  of  a  pea. 

Instead  of  common  peas,  wooden  or  silver  balls  are 
sometimes  employed  to  promote  the  discharge  ;  at 
others  the  dried  oranges,  called  orange  peas,  or  pieces 
of  gentian  or  orris  roots  cut  to  a  proper  size. 

Issues  resemble,  in  some  part  of  their  effects,  blisters, 
and,  like  them,  produce  benefits  very  disproportioned 
to  their  discharge.  They  act,  however,  slowly,  and  are 
more  applicable  to  chronic  than  acute  diseases.  They 
produce  a  less  considerable,  and  often  a  less  effectual, 
discharge  than  setons  ;  but  are  more  cleanly  and  less 
painful.  When  any  acrimony  occurs  in  the  fluids,  for, 
on  some  occasions,  such  must  be  allowed,  the  drain  of 
an  issue  is  highly  useful  ;  and  it  appears  strikingly  so 
from  inflaming  and  discharging  at  those  times  when  this 
acrimony  is  usually  deposited  on  the  surface.  When 
considerable  determinations  of  blood  to  the  head  occa- 
sionally take  place,  two  large  issues  will  often  prevent 
the  attack  ;  and  in  this  case,  too,  they  discharge  more 
violently  at  the  expected  period  of  suffering.  In  chronic 
inflammations  of  the  bones,  issues  are  of  considerable 
importance.  In  those  enlargements  of  the  bones,  which 
are  observed  in  scrofula,  they  are  of  service  ;  and  in 
those  of  the  vertebrae,  which  produce  distortion,  they 
are  valuable  remedies.  (See  DISTORSIO.)  In  gout, 
they  seem  often  to  prevent  the  too  frequent  returns  of 
paroxysms,  and  we  are  led  to  employ  them  from  a  simi- 
lar effect  of  those  drains  which  arise  from  chalk  stones. 
In  nervous  affections  they  are  highly  salutary,  particu- 
larly in  some  cases  of  epilepsy  ;  and  in  angina  pectoris, 
Dr.  Macbride  thinks  that  they  have  been  of  service 
when  put  in  the  thigh.  They  were  formerly  often  used 
to  prevent  complaints,  particularly  in  children  ;  but  they 
are  now  found  to  be  troublesome  and  unnecessary. 

Issues  are  formed  with  great  advantage  when  we 
would  heal  ulcers  of  long  standing.  In  many  cases, 
after  the  ulcers  are  healed,  the  issues  may  be  gradually 
diminished,  as  the  constitution  improves  ;  but  even  then, 
to  dry  up  the  issue  hastily  would  not  be  judicious,  as 
many  disagreeable,  and  sometimes  fatal,  effects  have 
been  the  consequence.  See  Bell  on  Ulcers,  ed.  4.  p. 
140  ;  his  Surgery,  vol.  4.  p.  376,  384.  White's  Sur- 
gery. Lera  on  the  Theory  of  Issues;  and  Hoffman, 
vol.  vi. 

.  See  FON- 


TANELLA, 


FOR 


678 


F  Oil 


FORA 'MEN,  (from  foro,  to  fiierce).  An  HOLE. 
See  Os  and  CAPUT. 

FORA'MEN  CJE'CVM.  The  name  of  a  hole  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  tongue.  See  LINGUA. 

FORA'MEN  GHJECUM  ;  an  opening  in  the  basis  of  the 
skull,  between  the  ethmoidal  and  frontal  bones,  through 
which  a  small  vein  passes. 

FORA'MEN  LA'CERUM.     See  CAPUT. 

FORA'MEN  OVA'LE,     See  COR. 

FORAMINULE'NTUM  OS,  (from  foramen,  a 
hole).  See  ETHMOIDES  os. 

FO'RCEPS,  PINCERS;  (quasi  ferricefis,  from  fer- 
rum  iron,  and  cafiio,  to  take  hold).  A  small  forceps  is 
called  -volsella.  A  surgeon's  instrument  of  numerous 
and  varied  uses.  The  small  forceps  are  employed  to 
take  hold  of  small  parts,  to  remove  dressings,  or  minute 
bodies,  for  which  the  fingers  cannot  be  conveniently 
employed.  Larger  ones  are  used  to  extract  bullets 
from  wounds,  polypi  from  the  nose,  calculi  from  the 
bladder,  and  occasionally  the  foetus  from  the  vagina 
and  uterus,  when  advanced  so  low  as  to  be  conveniently 
reached,  and  the  pains  from  debility  or  other  causes  are 
slack  and  inefficient.  In  each  case  their  forms  are 
different,  but  they  can  only  be  properly  considered 
when  we  treat  of  each  subject. 

See  Heister's  Surgery.  Mulder  on  the  Forceps  and 
Lever.  Vide  EMBRYULCIA. 

FO'RMA.  FORM  ;  opposed  to  substance  or  essence  ; 
as  formal  is  to  material.  Thus  a  spasm  is  a  formal  cause 
of  inflammation  ;  a  thorn  a  material  cause. 

FO'RMIAS,  (horn  formica).  FORMIATE.  Salts  pro- 
duced by  the  union  of  formic  acid  with  different  bases  ; 
not  used  in  medicine. 

FORMI'CA.  The  name  of  a  black  wart,  with  a 
broad  base,  and  cleft  superficies ;  because  the  pain  at- 
tending it  resembles  the  biting  of  an  ant :  a  varicose 
tumour  also  on  the  anus  and  glans  penis. 

FORMI'CA  MILIARIS.     See  HERPES. 

FORMI'CA  MINOR,  {quia  ferat  micas  ;  because  of  its 
diligence  in  collecting  small  particles  of  provisions  to- 
gether). 

Parvula  (nam  exemfilo  est)  magni  formica  laboris. 

Ore  trahit  quodcunquc  fiotcst,  atque  addit  acervo. 

The  ANT,  or  PISMIRE.  This  little  insect,  supposed  to 
have  greater  strength  in  proportion  to  its  size  than 
the  elephant,  contains  an  acid  which  seems  to  occasion 
the  uneasiness  on  our  skins  when  they  are  said  to  have 
stung  us.  A  gross  oil  is  obtained  by  expression,  after 
distilling  them  in  water  ;  and  an  essential  oil  arises 
with  the  acid  liquor  in  distillation.  The  formic  acid, 
obtained  by  distillation  and  washing  the  red  ants  in 
water,  when  concentrated,  has  a  penetrating  smell,  and 
is  corrosive ;  but  its  taste  is  so  agreeable  when  greatly 
diluted  with  water,  that  it  has  been  proposed  to  be  used  ' 
instead  of  vinegar. 

The  expressed  juice  of  these  little  animals  has  been 
recommended  to  render  baths  stimulating,  and  employ- 
ed in  rheumatism  ;  and  an  ant's  nest  bruised  has  been 
applied  to  the  parts  affected  with  rheumatic  pains.  The 
oil  of  ants  has  never  been  used.  The  quantity  of  acid 
to  be  obtained  from  them  is  nearly  half  their  weight, 
and  Fontana  found  it  to  approach  very  near  the  carbonic 
acid.  See  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.  Neumann's  Works. 

FORMI'CANS,  (from  formica, an  ant).  CREEPING; 
an  epithet  bestowed  by  Galen  on  a  low  unequal  pulse. 


FO'RMIX.     See  HERPES  EXEDEXS. 

FO'RMULA,  adiminutive  ofform,  and  applied  to  the, 
form  of  a  medicine.  The  distinctions  were  formerly 
numerous  and  minute ;  the  appellations  varied  from 
trifling  accidental  circumstances.  We  need  not  follow 
the  singular  fancies  of  Morellus,  and  some  of  his  pre- 
decessors, but  the  most  modern  and  useful  author  is 
Gaubius.  He  divides  formulae  into  internal  and  ex- 
ternal. The  former  are  either  solid  or  liquid.  The 
solid  formulae  are fioivders,  boluses,  electuaries,  (inclines, 
/tills,  lozenges,  and  calces  (Rotuli).  The  liquid  formula: 
are  infusions,  decoctions,  expressed  juices,  emulsions, 
mixtures,  julefis,  smaller  mixtures, &nd  draughts.  The 
julep  is  a  dilute  pleasant  mixture,  and  decoctions  were 
sometimes  called  afiozems. 

The  external  formulas  are  injections,  as/iersions,  efii- 
thems  and  cata/ilasms  of  different  consistence,  baths, 
vafiours  of  burnt  bodies, Blasters,  cerats,  ointments, -odo- 
riferous balsams,  liniments,  blisters,  and  frictions.  For- 
mulae, directed  to  the  head,  were  cucufihas  (  cafis),fron- 
talia  applied  to  the  forehead,  and  collyria  for  the  eyes. 
Applied  to  the  nose,  errhines  and  perfumes ;  to  the 
mouth  and  throat  dentifrices,  stimulants  to  produce  a 
discharge  of  saliva  (afiofihlegmatismi)  and  gargles  ;  to 
the  stomach  scuta;  to  the  anus  clysma  and  supfiosito- 
rium,  to  the  vagina  fiessi. 

These  are  nearly  retained,  but  not  in  all  their  variety ; 
and  the  directions  for  each,  so  far  as  directions  are  ne- 
cessary, may  be  found  under  their  respective  heads.  In 
works  of  this  kind  it  has  been  usual  to  add  formulas ; 
but  these  can  be  only  examples,  and  the  simplicity  of 
modern  practice  "'(Scarcely  requires  such.  They  are 
usually  the  refuge  of  quacks,  and  of  those  ignorant 
practitioners  who  direct  a  remedy  to  the  name  of  a 
•disease,  and  copy  a  form  which  they  employ  indiscri- 
minately :  for  these  reasons  we  have  seldom  introduced 
them,  though  we  have  offered  every  necessary  hint  to 
avoid  heterogeneous  mixtures.  Should  formulas,  how- 
ever, be  required,  we  will  add  them  in  an  appendix. 

FO'RNAX,  (from  the  Arabic  term  forn,)  Fornus. 
A  FURNACE.  Furnaces  are  chemical  instruments  to 
expose  conveniently  any  body  to  the  degree  of  heat  re- 
quired. In  all  furnaces,  we  must  endeavour,  1st,  to 
confine  the  heat  as  much  as  possible  to  the  object ; 
2dly,  to  prevent  its  being  dissipated ;  3dly,  to  produce 
the  heat  required  with  as  little  fuel  as  possible  ;  4thly, 
to  be  able  to  regulate  the  degree  of  heat  according  to 
our  wants. 

Of  furnaces  there  are  a  great  variety  invented  by 
chemists  for  the  performance  of  their  operations,  which 
may  be  seen,  with  their  constructions  and  uses,  parti- 
cularly in  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  under  the  arti- 
cle Chemistry;  Lavoisier's  Elements  of  Chemistry; 
and  Dr.  Black's  Lectures.  Unfortunately,  we  have  no 
Dictionary  of  Chemistry  to  refer  to ;  and  the  object  is 
not  so  properly  medical  as  to  induce  us  to  enlarge  on  it. 
See  also  ATHANOH,  BALNEUM  MARINE;  and  Dr. 
Lewis's  Commercium  Philosophico-technicum,  part 
the  first. 

FORNICA'TUS,  (from  fornix,  an  arch  or  vault). 
Fornicated  petals  are  such  flower-leaves  as  are  arched, 
like  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  as  the  crest  of  clary  or  sage. 

FO'RNIX.     See  ACHICOLUM. 

FO'RNIX,  (from  the  Arabic  term  forn,)  is  part  of 
the  corpus  callosum  in  the  brain,  and  called  from  a 


F  R  A 


679 


FR  A 


jut  resemblance  that  it  hath  to  the  arches  of  vaults. 
CEREBRUM  and  LYRA. 

FO'RTIS,  A 'QUA,  is  a  name  which  artists  have 
n  to  the  nitrous  acid,  from  its  dissolving  power. 
Set-  XITRUM.     It  is  also  called  Eleflhas. 

FO'SSA,(from  fodio,  to  dig).     A  DITCH.     In  ana- 
lomy  it  is  synonymous  with  fossa  navicularis. 
FO'SSA  XAVJCULA'RIS.     See  AURICULA. 
FO'SSA  MA'GXA.     The  interior  cavity  of  the  puden- 
dum muliebre,  obvious  on  a  separation  of  the  labia. 
FO'SSA  PITUITA'RIA.     See  SELLA  TUHCICA. 
FO'SSILIS  SAL.     See  GEMM*  SAL. 
FO'SSILUS.   A  name  of  the  tibia,  and  of  thejibula. 
FO'TUS,  or  FOMEXTATIO,  (from  foveo,  to  c/if- 
rish,)  embroche.     Thermasma,  chiliasma.     To  foment, 
is  to  cherish  with  heat,  to  bathe  with  warm  liquors ; 
though  dry  powders,  parched  barley,  or  oats  in  bags, 
liquids  in  a  bladder,  or  in  a  sponge,  applied  warm  to  the 
diseased  parts,  are  also  named  fomentations.    They  are 
usually,  however,  fluids  externally  applied,  as  warm  as 
the  patient  can  bear  them,  in  the  following  manner : 
two  flannel  cloths  are  dipped  in  the  heated  liquor,  one 
of  which  is  wrung  as  dry  as  the  necessary  speed  will 
admit,  then  immediately  applied  to  the  part  affected: 
it  lies  on  until  the  heat  begins  to  lessen,  and  the  other 
is  in   readiness  to  apply   when  the  first  is   removed. 
This  alternate  application  is  continued  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  and  repeated  two  or  three  times  a  day.     If 
there  is  a  wound,  it  is  usually  defended  .by  a  piece  of 
thin  cloth. 

Every  intention  of  relaxation  and  soothing  by  fo- 
mentations may  be  answered  by  warm  water  alone  ;  but 
•when  discutients  or  antiseptics  are  required,  the  suita- 
ble ingredients  must  be  added.  Fomentations  of  warm 
water  are  not,  however,  employed  as  relaxants  only. 
They  are  applied  with  advantage  to  contracted  limbs, 
to  indolent  abscesses,  foul  ulcers,  and  sometimes  to 
bruises.  In  these  instances  the  stimulating  power  of 
the  heat  is  useful  to  excite  the  action  of  the  torpid 
vessels.  See  BALNEUM. 

The  common  fomentation  is  a  decoction  of  camo- 
mile flowers,  in  the  proportion  of  an  ounce  to  a  quart, 
and  it  is  often  preferred  to  the  decoctum  firo  fomento 
of  the  London  College.  B.  Abrotani  exsiccati ;  absin- 
thii  maritimi  exsiccati,  camaemeli  exsiccati,  singulorum, 
p.  5i.  foliorum  lauvi  exsiccatorum,  p.  g  ij.  aquae  distil- 
latae  m.  tb  6.  paulisper  coque  et  cola.  The  preference 
is  given  to  the  former,  on  accouut  of  its  being  less  com- 
plicated, and  that  little  benefit  is  derived  from  the  nu- 
merous ingredients. 

The  degree  of  heat  should  never  exceed  that  of  pro- 
ducing a  pleasing  sensation,  except  when  employed  as 
a  stimulus  :  great  heat  produces  effects  very  opposite  to 
that  usually  intended  by  the  use  of  fomentations. 
FO'TUS  AXODY'XUS.     See  AXODYXUM. 
FO'VEA,  (a  Jpveo,  for  fodio,  to  dig).     In  anatomy 
it  is  the  sinus  of  the  pudendum  muliebre.     In  the  bath 
rooms  it  is  a  sudatory  for  receiving  one  or  both  the 
legs,  in  order  to  sweating. 

FOVI'LLA,  a  fine  substance  imperceptible  to  the  na- 
ked eye,  exploded  by  the  pollen  in  the  anthers  of  flowers. 
FRACASTO'RII  SPE'CIES,i.e.pulv.  eb61o,(from 
Fracastorius,  the  inventor).    See  BOLUS,  COXFECTIO, 
and  DIASCORDIUM. 

FRACTURA,  (from  frango,  to  break).     Catagma  ; 


clatsia;  rlasma;  agme.  A  FRACTURE.  Dr.  Cullen 
places  this  genus  of  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  or- 
der dialy»e«;  and  defines  it  part  of  a  bone  having  its  co- 
hesion destroyed  by  violence,  and  separated  into  large 
fragments. 

Fractures  are  differently  denominated,  according  to 
their  direction;  as  a  transverse,  oblique,  or  longitudinal 
fracture.  When  one  bone  is  broken  in  one  place  only,  and 
no  remarkable  injury  is  perceived  in  the  adjacent  parts, 
it  is  called  a  simple  fracture :  when  a  bone  is  broken  in 
more  parts  than  one,  or  when  two  bones  that  are  joined 
together,  as  the  radius  and  ulna,  are  both  broken,  it  was 
formerly  called  a  compound  fracture;  but  the  term  is 
now  confined  to  those  fractures  in  which  the  external 
integuments  are  penetrated  by  the  end  of  the  fractured 
bone.  If  with  a  fracture  there  is  a  dislocation,  or  a  wound, 
it  is  then  a  complicated  fracture.  In  fractures,  the- re- 
union of  the  separate  parts  of  the  bone  is  by  a  renewal 
of  the  organical  bony  substance,  and  not  by  a  glutinous 
matter,  which  hardens  into  what  is  called  callus. 

Fractures  are  discovered  by  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  touch . 
The  period  in  which  the  reunion  may  take  place  is 
influenced  by  the  constitution,  and  many  different  cir- 
cumstances. In  pregnant  women,  a  cure  is  sometimes 
not  effected  until  after  delivery ;  see  London  Medical 
Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iv.  and  Hildanus  men- 
tions three  cases  of  this  kind :  but  the  reunion  some- 
times takes  place  even  in  these  circumstances.  A  scor- 
butic or  a  venereal  taint  may  prevent  the  bone  from 
healing,  or  a  caries  may  retard  the  union ;  if  a  wasting 
of  the  limb,  or  a  palsy,  comes  on,  the  cure  will  be  slow, 
if  ever  effected.  If  a  fracture  happens  in  a  bone  over 
which  an  ulcer  hath  long  continued,  it  is  very  difficultly 
united.  A  fracture  in  the  cranium,  vertebrae,  ribs, 
sternum,  os  ilium,  or  os  pubis,  is  dangerous,  on  ac- 
count of  the  vicinity  of  the  brain,  spinal  marrow,  or 
other  viscera. 

If  called  after  the  tumour  or  a  violent  inflammation 
be  come  on,  the  extension  must  be  deferred  until  these 
are  removed ;  but  if  these  symptoms  are  slight,  re- 
ducing the  limb  may  prevent  their  increase.  If  there 
is  a  wound,  all  extraneous  matters  should  be  removed 
at  the  first  dressing,  and  all  strictures  lessened  ;  if  the 
wound  is  too  small,  it  should  be  dilated;  and,  if  possi- 
ble, this  should  be  done  before  inflammation  comes  on, 
as  the  parts  are  then  more  sensible ;  and  if  it  can  be 
effected  without  altering  the  relaxed  state  of  the  limb, 
a  circumstance  of  such  importance  that  hardly  any 
thing  should  interfere  with  it,  the  dilatation  should  be 
made  so  that  the  discharge  may  be  depending.  Indeed, 
every  means  of  preventing  the  matter  accumulating  in 
a  depending  part  should  be  avoided.  If  a  bone  pro- 
trudes, a  portion  should  be  sawed  off,  unless  it  can  be 
easily  reduced ;  an  operation  but  little  troublesome.  If  a 
luxation  accompanies  a  fracture,  it  should  first  be  re- 
duced, and  afterwards  the  fractured  bones  replaced, 
though,  if  the  fracture  be  very  near  the  head  of  the  luxated 
bone,  the  luxation  may  be  left  till  the  fracture  is  healed. 
When  a  simple  fracture  happens,  the  bones  should 
be  replaced,  and  the  limb  laid  in  an  easy  state,  slightly 
bent:  the  reduction  was  called  by  the  Greeks  ca- 
thidrusis.  A  cataplasm  of  oatmeal,  oil,  and  vinegar,  or, 
as  a  substitute,  a  plaster  of  ceratum  album,  should  be 
next  applied.  The  bandage  with  eighteen  tails  is  the 
best,  both  in  simple  and  compound  fractures ;  it  is  more 


Ftt  A 


680 


ERA 


Commodious  than  the  roller,  as  it  allows  of  viewing  the 
limb  without  disturbing  it.  At  the  conclusion,  if  the  leg 
is  oedematous,  cold  pumping,  the  lace  stocking) and  daily 
rubbing  with  a  flannel,  will  restore  the  natural  state  of 
the  limb. 

Compound  fractures  are  often  attended  with  mortifi- 
cation; but  this  should  not  always  hasten  amputation. 
When  any  tendency  to  this  symptom  appears,  a  fomen- 
tation of  a  strong  decoction  of  camomile  flowers  and 
wormwood,  in  which  sal  ammoniac  has  been  dissolved, 
sprinkling  the  flannels  with  a  strong  camphorated  spirit 
at  the  time  of  applying  it,  should  be  used.  The  wound 
should  be  dressed  twice  a  day,  the  part  wrapped  up  with 
a  warm  cataplasm,  and  bladders  about  one  half  full  of 
warm  water  applied,  to  keep  up  a  proper  warmth. 
The  bark  joined  with  rhubarb,  in  some  cases  with  nitre, 
and  in  others  with  opium,  camphor,  volatile  alkali,  and 
snake-root,  should  be  given. 

When  amputation  seems  necessary,  we  should  con- 
sider whether  life  will  not  be  endangered  if  it  is  omitted. 
It  is  impossible  in  some  instances  to  know  immediately 
whether  a  limb  can  be  saved.     However,  when  a  bone 
or  bones  are  broken  into  many  pieces,  and  to  a  consi- 
derable extent,  as  is  frequently  the  case  when  the  acci- 
dent happens  from  cannon  shot,  broad  wheels  of  car- 
riages, &c.  when  the  soft  parts  are  so  torn  and  bruised 
as  to  render  a  mortification  of  the  part  a  probable  and 
immediate  consequence,  amputation  will  be  necessary 
without  delay.     If  the  ends  of  a  bone,  or  two  bones,  by 
which  a  joint  is  formed,  be  crushed,  and  its  ligamems 
considerably  injured,  amputation  cannot  with  propriety 
be  deferred.     Some  instances  of  compound  fractures 
also  require  speedy  amputation;  for  an  inflammation 
seizing  the  limb  tends  quickly  to  gangrene,  and  the  pro- 
gress is  usually  rapid.  Instead,  therefore,  of  waiting  for 
a  separation  of  the  mortified  from  the  sound  part,  or  to 
try  what  art  can  effect,  the  operation  is  immediately  ne- 
cessary. A  very  short  time  makes  all  the  difference  be- 
tween probable  safety  and  death.  If  in  a  compound  frac- 
ture this  inflammation  hath  taken  place,  and  hath  con- 
tinued some  hours,  amputation  would  destroy  ;  and  the 
only  chance  is  to  use  such  regimen  as  appears  to  be  in- 
dicated; and  when  this  has  no  further  use,  then  to  sup- 
port the  patients  with  cordials,  wine,  and  bark.     Again, 
inflammation  may  not  run  high ;  yet  frequently  there 
are  collections  of  matter,  which  after  several  openings 
recur:  the  patient,  instead  of  being  recruited,  wastes  by 
the  discharge,  hath  night-sweats,  loses  his  appetite  and 
strength.     In  these  cases  the  bones  continue  disunited, 
and  amputation  at  last  is  necessary.  Mr.  Pott  observes, 
that  in  compound  fractures  there  are  three  points  of 
time  in  which  amputation  may  be  requisite.      1st,  Im- 
mediately, or  as  soon  as  possible  after  receiving  the  in- 
jury;  2d,  when  the  bones  continue  long  without  any 
disposition  to  unite,  and  the  patient's  strength  failing 
from  the   discharge,   death   apparently   impends ;    3d, 
when  a  mortification  shall  have   taken  such  complete 
possession  of  the  inferior  part  of  the  limb,  down  to  the 
bone,  that,  upon  separation  of  their  parts,  the  bone  or 
bones  would   be  left  bare  in  the  intermediate  space. 
The  necessity  of  early  amputation  in  these  cases  arises 
from  the  ill  effects  of  a  greatly  obstructed  circulation, 
from  the  destruction  of  numerous  vessels.     The  pain, 
irritation,  and  the  admission  of  air,  also  produce  consi- 
;ible  fever  and  inflammation,  which  quickly  terminate 


in  gangrene  and  death.    If  a  joint  is  injured,  the  danger 
is  increased ;  as  the  pain  and  irritation,  with  the  subse- 
quent inflammation,  from  the  admission  of  air  into  the 
cavity,  are  greater.     If  possible,  then,  the  operation 
should    be   determined'    on  before   inflammation    ap- 
proaches ;  for,  if  this  has  taken  place,  it  will  be  too  late. 
In  the  second  instance,  the  particular  time  for  amputa- 
tion must  be  determined  by  the  patient  or  his  friends; 
for,  with  the  surgeon,  it  is  not  choice,  but  necessity.  In 
the  third  instance,  the  time  requires  no  consideration ; 
for  if  the  soft  parts  are  destroyed,  either  the  surgeon 
must  saw  the  bones,  or  they  must  be  left  to  separate. 
In  either  case  the  patient  loses  his  limb.     These  are 
some  of  the  principal  instances  which  determine  in  fa- 
vour of  amputation ;  experience,  and  the  several  authors 
who  have  written  on  this  subject,  will  suggest  others, 
and  amongst  these  may  be  consulted  Pott's  Works,  with 
his  pamphlet  entitled  Remarks  on  the  Necessity,  See. 
of  Amputation  in  certain  Cases ;  Gooch's  Works  ;  Ob- 
servations on  Mr.  Pott's  General  Remarks  on  Frac- 
tures, by  Thomas  Kirkland,  Surgeon ;  and  the  Systems 
of  Surgery,  by  Bell,  Dease,  Kirkland,  &c. 

Fracture  of  the  carfius. — These  bones  are  small,  and 
rarely  broken;  and  when  fractured,  they  cannot  be 
properly  replaced,  nor  will  they  consolidate.  The  liga- 
ment and  tendons  are  also  generally  so  much  bruised, 
that  the  joint  of  the  hand  becomes  rigid  ;  abscesses,  fis- 
tulas, and  caries,  generally  ensue,  and  relief  is  seldom 
obtained  but  by  amputation  of  the  hand.  An  attempt 
may  be  made  by  two  assistants  extending,  while  the 
surgeon  endeavours  to  replace  the  fractured  bone  or 
bones.  White's  Surgery,  p.  145. 

Fracture  of  the  clavicle. — Whatever  part  of  the  cla- 
vicle is  broken,  the  part  which  joins  the  scapula  de- 
scends below  that  which  is  fixed  to  the  sternum,.on  ac- 
count of  the  weight  of  the  arm.  When  this  bone  is 
fractured,  the  patient  cannot  lift  his  arm ;  it  hangs  in- 
clined toward  his  breast,  and^  from  a  slight  motion  of 
the  humerus,  the  fracture  in  the  clavicle  will  be  evi- 
dent to  the  touch,  sight,  and  ear.  To  reduce  this  frac- 
ture is  easy,  but  to  retain  the  bones  in  their  proper 
situation  more  difficult.  An  assistant  should  place  his 
knee  between  the  scapulae  of  the  patient,  and  with  his 
two  hands  draw  the  shoulders  back :  the  clavicles  will  be 
thus  extended  ;  and  the  surgeon,  standing  before  the  pa- 
tient, must  reduce  the  ends  of  the  bone,  by  raising  the 
arm  to  its  proper  situation,  instead  of  loading  the  end 
next  the  sternum  with  compresses  to  bring  down  the  ris- 
ing end  of  the  bone.,  A  narrow  but  thick  bolster  is  then 
to  be  applied  above  and  below  the  clavicles,  to  fill  up 
the  cavities;  upon  these  two  narrow  bolsters,  in  the  form 
of  the  letter  X,  are  to  be  laid ;  and  over  the  whole  a 
piece  of  thick  paper  moistened  with  vinegar.  A  wad  of 
tow,  or  a  ball  made  of  soft  rags,  is  put  under  the  arm- 
•pit,  next  to  the  fractured  end,  for  the  support  of  the 
shoulder;  the  bandage  to  keep  the  bones  from  moving, 
and  a  sling  is  fixed  about  the  neck,  to  suspend  the  arm. 
See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  59.  White's  Surgery, p.  1 38. 
A  fractured  neck. — The  processus  dentatus  of  the  se- 
cond vertebra  is  tied  to  the  skull  by  a  ligament,  and 
kept  close  to  the  fore-part  of  the  first  vertebra  by  an- 
other in  that  vertebra,  that  it  may  not  bruise  the  spinal 
marrow ;  and  when  either  this  ligament  or  process  is 
broken,  it  is  styled  a  broken  neck,  whose  consequence 
is  sudden  death. 


FE  A 


681 


Fracture  of  the  ribs. — When  the  ribs  are  broken, 
their  ends  recede  from  each  other;  but  when  they  pro- 
jectoutward,noconsiderabledanger ensues.  Ifthey.press 
inward  they  produce  an  uneasy  pricking,  inflammation, 
cough,  fever,  an  abscess,  or  spitting  of  blood-.  The  cure 
is  generally  completed  by  applying  an  exact  uniform 
circular  compressive  bandage,  if  neither  inflammation 
nor  swelling  forbid :  if  these  symptoms  attend,  they 
must  be  reduced  by  bleeding,  Sec.;  then  the  bandage 
and  a  cooling  diet  will  succeed.  See  Bell's  Surgery, 
vol.  vi.  p.  63.  White's  Surgery,  p.  140. 

Fracture  of  the  skull. — When,  from  an  injury  done  to 
the  head  by  external  violence,  a  loss  of  speech  and  of 
sense,  a  lethargy,  or  convulsions  follow,  no  certain  con- 
clusions can  be  made  from  these  symptoms,  as  they 
may  be  owing  to  extravasation  or  concussion  as  well 
as  to  fracture.  If,  however,  upon  making  an  incision 
on  the  part,  the  pericranium  is  fpund  loose,  a  fracture 
has  most  probably  taken  place.  In  examining  for  a 
fracture,  care  is  required  to  distinguish  it  from  a  suture, 
particularly  the  uncommon  ones,  as  those  about  theossa 
triquetra;  but  if,  on  scalping,  we  find  the  pericranium 
firmly  adhering  to  any  part  that  resembles  a  fracture, 
we  may  be  assured  that  it  is  a  suture.  If,  when  the 
head  is  shaved,  you  can  feel  the  pericranium  under 
your  finger  to  be  loose,  a  fracture  has  clearly  occurred. 

When  a  fracture  happens  on  the  skull,  the  trepan  is 
immediately  used  by  some  surgeons,  with  a  view  to  ob- 
viate or  prevent  the  effects  of  so  great  a  degree  of  vio- 
lence ;  but  it  is  forbidden  by  the  best  practitioners,  ex- 
cept a  part  of  the  skull  is  depressed.  Celsus  advises  us 
not  to  proceed  to  an  operation  before  the  approach  of  un- 
favourable symptoms;  and  Ruysch  adds,  that  "when  the 
symptoms  are  not  augmented,  we  are  not  to  proceed  to 
incision  and  perforation ;  but,  after  bleeding,  we  are  to 
attempt  the  cure  by  repeated  application  of  warm  ce- 
phalic fomentations."  The  advice  and  practice  of  Mr. 
Bromfield,  when  a  concussion  of  the  brain  happens, 
are  of  the  same  nature.  See  Coxcussio.  White's 
Surgery,  p.  211. 

A  fractured  leg. — In  the  leg  the  tibia  is  generally 
fractured  near  its  lower  extremity,  where  it  is  weakest; 
and  often,  when  the  tibia  is  broken,  the  fibula  is  also 
fractured  at  its  upper  extremity.  When  there  is  a  dis- 
location of  themaleollusinternus,  the  fibula  is  common- 
ly fractured,  and  has  occasioned  it. 

A  fractured  fibula  seldom  gives  any  uneasiness,  or 
hinders  the  patient  from  walking  ;  but  it  may  be  disco- 
vered by  taking  hold  of  the  leg  under  the  calf  with  one 
hand,  and  with  the  other  moving  the  foot;  for  the  hand 
which  holds  the  leg  will  distinguish  the  fracture.  Mr. 
Pott  thinks  that,  in  this  case,  a  tight  bandage  upon  the 
fractured  part  is  not  to  be  admitted ;  but  that,  if  it  is 
applied  to  the  two  extremities  of  the  leg,  the  broken  end 
will  be  brought  into  contact,  and  a  cure  will  be  effected. 

When  the  tibia  is  fractured,  lay  the  patient  on  the 
injured  side,  on  a  flat  surface,  and  raise  the  knee  of 
the  fractured  limb  towards  the  abdomen,  at  the  same 
time  bending  the  joint ;  thus  the  extensor  muscles  of 
the  foot  are  relaxed,  and  the  extension  required  for  the 
reduction  will  be  performed  with  ease.  Having  re- 
placed the  fractured  bone,  apply  a  long  splint  padded 
with  tow  to  the  fibula,  and  another  on  the  inside  of  the 
leg,  over  part  of  the  tibia,  and  secure  them  with  straps. 
The  patient  may  lie  on  the  injured  side  during  the  cure, 


VOL.    I. 


and  thus  a  cradle  or  fracture  box  will  be  needless;  the 
knee  may  also  continue  in  the  same  posture  as  that  in 
which  the  fracture  was  reduced. 

If  the  tibia  is  fractured  at  its  lower  end  by  a  gun  shot, 
although  the  part  above  is  apparently  unhurt,  the  pa- 
tient will  lose  his  life  unless  the  limb  be  taken  off  above 
the  knee.  Though  if  any  other  cause  had  produced  a 
similar  fracture,  the  operation  below  the  knee  would 
have  succeeded.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  1 2  1 .  White's 
Surgery,  p.  149. 

Fracture  of  the  cubit. — The  cubit  hath  two  bones, 
viz.  the  radius  and  ulna.  Fractures  in  these  are  disco- 
vered by  the  sight,  touch,  and  ear :  by  the  touch  and 
sight,  if  the  hand  of  the  affected  cubit  be  moved  in- 
ward and  outward,  though  a  fractured  ulna,  from  its 
inability  to  support  the  joint,  will  be  discovered  sooner 
than  that  of  the  radius  :  the  ear  discovers  a  grating 
noise  if  the  elbow  be  held  steady,  and  the  hand  moved 
inward  and  outward. 

If  the  radius  is  to  be  reduced,  and  the  fragments  have 
receded  towards  the  ulna,  an  assistant  should  stretch 
the  arm,  and  the  surgeon  should  press  down  the  pa- 
tient's hand  towards  the  ulna,  until  the  depressed  part 
is  elevated.  The  arm  on  each  side  must  then  be  com- 
pressed with  the  palms  of  the  hands,  so  as  to  restore  the 
compressed  muscle  between  the  ulna  and  radius,  and 
the  fragments  of  the  radius  to  their  natural  position.  A 
compress  and  strong  pasteboard  upon  the  fore  part  of 
the  arm,  over  the  quadratus  muscle,  will  prevent  it 
from  drawing  the  fractured  bone  toward  the  sound  one. 
The  circular  bandage  must  be  applied,  and  the  arm  sus- 
pended in  a  sling,  with  the  hand  in  a  prone  situation. 

If  the  ulna  is  fractured,  the  same  directions  should  be 
followed :  remembering  to  turn  the  hand  towards  the  ra- 
dius, until  the  depressed  part  of  the  ulna  has  recovered 
its  former  position. 

If  both  these  bones  are  broken,  we  must  still  proceed 
as  before.  Mr.  Pott  observes,  in  this  case,  that  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  put  the  longitudinal  compresses  as  nearly  as 
possible  between  the  bones,  in  order  to  prevent  the  cal- 
lus uniting  them,  which  would  hinder  the  rotatory  mo- 
tion of  the  arm. 

It  often  happens  in  fractures  of  this  part,  that,  not- 
withstanding every  precaution,  a  stiff  joint  follows ; 
therefore,  though,  in  this  particular  instance,  and  in 
fractures  of  the  patella.,  keeping  the  whole  limb  straight 
relaxes  the  particular  muscles  of  the  bones,  yet  if  a 
stiff  joint  is  apprehended,  as  soon  as  the  benefits  from 
relaxation  have  ceased,  the  limb  should  be  gently  bent; 
fora  stiff  bent  cubit  is  much  more  useful  than  a  straight 
one.  See  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i.p.  356;  Edin- 
burgh Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  ix.  p.  582;  White's 
Surgery,  b.  iv.;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  84. 

A  fractured  finger. — When  the  contusion  of  the  hand 
or  fingers  is  very  considerable,  amputation  is  most  ad- 
visable; but  if  the  part  can  be  saved,  the- fractured 
bone  must  be  properly  placed,  the  fragments  reduced, 
and  the  whole  confined  with  a  narrow  fillet  to  the  next 
finger.  Begin  the  bandage  about  the  wrist,  carry  it 
over  the  back  of  the  hand  to  the  finger;  and,  if  more 
fingers  than  one  are  fractured,  carry  it  round  each  se- 
parately, and  then  round  them  all :  put  a  ball  into  the 
hand,  and  bind  it  tight  to  the  fingers;  continue  the 
roller  back  to  the  wrist,  and  place  the  hand  in  a  sling. 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  93.;  White's  Surgery,  p.  145 

4  S 


FR  A 


682 


FR  A 


A  fracture  of  the  thigh. — Hippocrates  justly  observes, 
that  when  either  the  bone  of  the  humerus  or  of  the 
thigh  breaks  inwardly,  the  symptoms  are  more  danger- 
ous than  when  the  same  happens  outwardly,  be- 
cause the  vessels  and  nerves  are  lodged  in  the  inner 
parts. 

When  the  thigh  is  fractured  in  its  middle  or  lower 
part,  it  may  be  reduced  by  the  hand ;  but  when  the  ac- 
cident happens  on  the  upper  part,  greater  force  is  re- 
quired. Wherever  the  seat  of  the  fracture  is,  the  po- 
sition of  the  patient,  and  of  the  limb  to  be  reduced, 
should  be  ordered  as  in  the  case  of  a  fractured  leg. 
When  a  due  extension  is  made,  and  the  ends  of  the  frac- 
tured bone  replaced,  splints,  properly  padded  with  tow, 
must  be  secured ;  and  if  Gooch's  machine  for  fractures 
of  the  thigh  bone  is  used,  patience  only  will  be  further 
necessary.  If  this  machine  is  not  to  be  procured,  the 
position  proposed,  when  the  leg  is  fractured,  may  be 
trusted,  and  particularly  whan  the  neck  of  the  thigh  bone 
is  the  seat  of  the  disorder. 

When  a  fracture  of  the  thigh  is  complicated  with  a 
wound,  it  is  dangerous,  and  sometimes  incurable.  When 
near  the  joint  it  is  usually  fatal,  as  the  large  blood  ves- 
sels are  frequently  lacerated.  The  danger  is  not  much 
less  if  the  wound  is  on  the  back  part  of  the  thigh,  be- 
cause of  the  difficulty  in  dressing  it.  If  the  haemorr- 
hage can  be  restrained  by  using  the  tourniquet, 
and  taking  up  the  wounded  vessel,  the  fracture  may 
be  reduced ;  but  if  the  bone  is  much  injured,  and  the 
haemorrhage  violent,  amputation  is  usually  most 
eligible. 

A  fracture  of  the  neck  of  the  thigh  bone  is  sometimes 
mistaken  for  luxation ;  but  it  is  more  easy  to  break 
than  to  luxate  this  bone,  and  fractures  in  the  neck  are 
more  frequent  than  in  its  other  parts.  A  fracture  of 
this  kind  is  reduced  and  retained  with  more  difficulty 
than  in  the  body,  and  a  lameness  usually  follows  the  re- 
union. The  oblique  direction  of  the  neck,  with  the 
number  and  strength  of  the  muscles,  occasion  these 
difficulties. 

When  this  fracture  happens,  according  to  Gooch, 
the  thigh  and  knee  are  turned  outwards;  the  limb  is 
much  shortened,  and  considerably  shrunk  ;  pain  is  felt 
in  the  course  of  the  sartorius  muscle,  which,  from  its 
origin  and  insertion,  must  be  greatly  stretched,  often 
causing  pain  on  the  inside  just  below  the  knee;  and  a 
crepitus  is  observed  when  the  patient  moves  his  limb. 
When  these  symptoms  appear,  the  limb  being  gently 
but  steadily  extended,  until  the  fractured  limb  appears 
as  long  as  the  sound  one,  let  the  patient  be  laid  in  the 
posture  recommended  when  the  leg  is  the  part  thus  af- 
fected, and  let  bleeding  be  employed  to  prevent  or  re- 
move inflammation.  If  Gooch's  extending  machine 
could  be  obtained,  its  use  would  be  the  most  eligible 
method  for  preventing  future  inconveniences.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.p.  95.;  White's  Surgery,  p.  146. 

A  fractured  humerus. — If  this  bone  isfractured  in  the 
.niddle,  no  great  difficulty  attends;  but  if  near  the  su- 
perior and  anterior  head,  both  pain  and  clanger  follow. 
To  reduce  this  fracture,  place  the  patient  in  a  chair; 
his  elbow  being  bent,  let  an  assistant  steadily  grasp  the 
frartured  bone  at  its  lower  end,  while  another  assistant 
docs  the  same  a  little  below  the  shoulder;  then  the  arm 
being  extended  gently,  the  operator  takes  the  fractured 
part  in  his  hand ;  and  as  soon  as  the  extension  is  suffi- 


cient, the  bone  being  replaced,  he  applies  the  bandage, 
and  confines  it  by  hanging  the  fore  arm  in  a  sling. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  when  the  case  is  an  ob- 
lique fracture,  the  sharp  end  of  the  bone  is  so  entangled 
in  the  adjacent  muscles  as  to  prevent  a  reunion;  but  if 
an  incision  is  made  upon  them,  and  the  point  sawed  off, 
they  are  easily  replaced  and  readily  unite.  See  Medi- 
cal Musem,  vol.  ii.  p.  404  ;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p. 
79  ;  White's  Surgery,  p.  143. 

A  fractured  os  innominatum. — In  this  case  there  is 
great  danger,  especially  if  the  patient  vomits  a  brown 
or  bloody  matter.  In  reducing  it,  the  patient  must  lie 
on  the  sound  side ;  the  fractured  parts  must  be  restored 
by  the  surgeon's  hands  alone;  then  compresses,  dipped 
in  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  must  be  secured  by  means  of 
the  spica  bandage.  See  White's  Surgery,  p.  143. 

A  fractured  jaw. — When  fractures  of  the  upper  jaw 
stretch  towards  the  eyes,  the  consequent  inflammation 
is  often  dangerous ;  and  when  they  penetrate  the  an- 
trum,  they  are  generally  tedious,  and  occasion  great  de- 
formity. Replace  the  fractured  bones  with  the  fingers 
when  there  is  no  wound;  or  with  forceps  or  a  narrow 
scapula,  when  the  parts  are  laid  open ;  and  a  piece  of 
adhesive  plaster  best  retains  the  dressings.  Bleeding, 
with  an  antiphlogistic  regimen,  must  be  advised  to  ob- 
viate inflammation  of  the  eye  and  contiguous  parts, 
and  the  reunion  of  fractured  parts  must  be  left  to 
nature. 

When  the  lower  jaw  is  fractured,  and  its  situation  is 
ascertained,  the  bones  must  be  carefully  replaced;  which 
is  done  by  securing  the  patient's  head,  and  pressing 
the  fingers  of  one  hand  upon  the  inside  of  the  jaw,  while 
the  other  hand  is  employed  externally  in  guarding 
against  any  perceptible  inequality  of  the  bone.  If  a 
tooth  is  seated  in  the  course  of  the  fracture,  it  must  be 
immediately  extracted;  but  if  a  tooth,  not  seated  in  the 
course  of  the  fracture,  is  forced  out  of  its  socket,  it  may 
be  replaced,  and  fixed  by  tying  it  to  the  contiguous  firm 
teeth ;  the  fractured  bones  must  then  be  retained  in  a 
proper  situation  till  they  are  firmly  reunited,  by  means 
of  a  compress  and  bandage  of  soft  old  linen  or  cotton. 
The  parts  being  kept  firm  by  an  assistant,  a  thick  com- 
press should  be  laid  over  the  chin,  and  extended  from 
ear  to  ear  along  each  jaw;  and,  over  the  whole,  a  four- 
headed  roller  applied.  Liquid  diet  is  necessary  until 
the  cure  is  performed.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p. 
52,  58;  White's  Surgery,  p.  137. 

A  fractured  metacarpus. — An  assistant  may  extend 
the  fractured  hand  upon  a  smooth.table,  while  the  sur- 
geon, with  his  fingers,  endeavours  to  replace  the  frag- 
ments. White's  Surgery,  p.  145. 

A  fracture  of  the  nose. — Both  the  bones  and  the  car- 
tilages are  liable  to  be  broken.  If  the  bones  are  broken, 
the  nose  appears  flat  where  the  fracture  is ;  but  if  the 
cartilage  has  suffered,  the  nose  leans  to  one  side.  If  the 
injury  is  considerable,  the  cure  will  be  incomplete;  and 
from  the  vicinity  of  this  organ  to  the  brain,  the  danger 
is  considerable  :  an  ozaena,  a  caries,  or  a  polypus,  may 
be  the  consequence.  Fix  the  patient  in  a  reclining  pos- 
ture, and  elevate  the  depressed  parts  of  the  nose  with  a 
quill,  replacing  them  in  their  proper  order  with  the 
fore-finger  and  thumb  of  your  other  hand :  to  prevent 
their  collapsing,  fill  the  nostril  with  lint,  or  introduce  a 
canula:  if  there  is  no  wound,  a  plaster  will  secure  the 
whole ;  but  if  there  is  a  wound  it  must  be  treated  in  the 


FR  A 


683 


FR  A 


usual  way.  If  a  splinter  is  so  situated  as  to  be  reunited 
with  difficulty,  it  may  be  removed.  When  the  bones 
are  reduced, they  do  not  easily  separate.  Mr.  Bell  thinks, 
that  any  very  loose  portion  of  bone  should  be  removed 
immediately,  whether  it  be  raised  up  or  forced  into  the 
nostril;  but  whatever  adheres  to  the  remaining  portion 
of  bone,  with  firmness,  should  be  replaced.  See  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  49.;  White's  Surgery,  p.  137. 

A  fractured  knee  jian. — When  a  small  fragment  of 
the  fractured  patella  is  drawn  upwards,  if  the  patient 
is  fat,  it  is  not  very  easy  to  discover  the  accident.  In 
examining  to  decide  whether  the  patella  is  broken,  the 
knee  must  not  be  bent,  because  the  fragments  are  thus 
separated  further  from  each  other,  and  occasion  unne- 
cessary pain.  This  bone  is  generally  broken  trans- 
versely ;  the  lower  part  remains  fixed  to  the  knee,  but 
the  upper  is  drawn  by  the  muscles  on  the  fore  part  of 
the  thigh.  When  the  case  is  discovered,  the  patient 
must  be  laid  on  his  back,  the  leg  extended,  and  the 
muscles  above  the  fractured  part  gently  pressed  down- 
wards, until  the  fragments  of  the  bones  approach 
within  an  inch  of  each  other;  in  this  situation  they 
must  be  retained  by  a  compress  and  bandage.  The 
fractured  parts  should  never  be  brought  close  together, 
for  a  stiff  joint  might  in  that  way  be  occasioned. 

Sometimes  the  ligament  which  secures  the  knee  pan 
to  the  tibia  is  broken,  and  this  case  is  mistaken  for  a 
fracture  of  the  knee  pan  :  the  mistake  is  not  of  much 
consequence,  as  the  method  of  cure  is  the  same.  See 
Warner's  Cases  of  Surgery;  Medical  Museum,  vol.  iii. 
p.  349,  Sec.;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol  vi.  p.  Ill;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  147. 

Fracture  in  the  foot. — Fractures  in  the  tarsus,  meta- 
tarsus, and  toes,  are  generally  accompanied  with  wounds, 
from  the  contusion  of  the  nerves,  tendons,  ligaments, 
and  membranes.  They  are  cured  in  the  same  manner 
as  those  of  the  carpus,  metacarpus,  and  fingers.  Fractures 
in  this  part,  as  well  as  in  the  hand,  and  leg  near  the  ankle, 
especially  when  the  malleolus  recedes  from  the  princi- 
pal bone,  are  seldom  so  completely  cured  as  to  leave  the 
limb  free  from  some  inconvenience.  Bell's  Surgery, 
vol.  vi.  p.  130. 

Fracture  of  the  os  sacrum  and  os  coccyx— is  discovered 
by  the  pain  perceived  in  the  part,  and  by  the  touch. 
The  fragment  must  be  reduced  by  the  fingers ;  but  if 
depressed  inwardly,  the  fore  finger  must  be  introduced 
into  the  rectum,  and  the  depressed  part  replaced.  The 
T  bandage  should  be  then  applied  over  a  proper  com- 
press. The  patient  must  keep  his  bed  for  two  or  three 
weeks;  and  when  he  turns  from  one  side  to  the  other, 
be  cautious  not  to  turn  on  his  back :  when  he  rises,  the 
properest  seat  will  be  a  chaise  percee.  See  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  vi.  p.  74;  White's  Surgery,  p.  143. 

fracture  of  the  sca/iula. — If  the  acromion  be  broken, 
it  is  easily  reduced  with  the  fingers,  if  the  os  humeri 
is  raised  a  little  upwards ;  but  it  is  with  such  difficulty 
retained,  that  the  arm  can  seldom  be  afterwards  lifted 
freely :  after  the  reduction,  a  compress  must  be  put  on 
it,  and  a  ball  under  the  arm  pit :  after  the  bandage  is 
applied,  the  arm  must  be  supported  by  a  sling. 

If  the  neck  of  the  scapula,  which  is  below  the  acro- 
mion, or  the  acetabulum,  be  broken,  the  accident  is  not 
easily  discovered ;  but  a  stiffness  of  the  joint,  inflam- 
mation, abscess,  or  other  bad  symptoms,  follow. 

All  other  fractures  of  this  bone  are  less  hazardous; 


and  to  reduce  them,  an  assistant  should  extend  the  arm 
forward,  whilst  the  surgeon  is  employed  in  restoring 
the  fragments  with  his  hands,  laying  on  it  compresses, 
with  pasteboard  splints,  and  securing  all  with  the  fascia 
stellata,  or  quadriga.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  76  ; 
White's  Surgery,  p.  140. 

A  fractured  sternum. — After  a  depression  or  a  frac- 
ture, the  part  is  in  pain;  and  the  accident  is  known  by 
the  bone  grating,  if  moved  by  the  fingers,  and  by  its 
moving  in  consequence  of  a  little  pressure  against  it ; 
though  the  proper  indication  is  a  manifest  sinus  or  in- 
equality in  the  part. 

From  the  irritation  produced  by  the  fracture,  and  in 
part  by  the  violence  which  occasioned  it,  pains  in  the 
breast,  difficulty  of  breathing,  violent  cough,  haemoptoe, 
extravasations  of  blood  within  the  mediastinum,  with 
other  dangerous  symptoms,  follow.  To  reduce  it,  the 
patient  must  lie  on  his  back  over  some  hard  pillows, 
that  his  shoulders  may  be  depressed,  and  the  breast  ele- 
vated ;  the  operator  must  then  press  forcibly,  to  extend 
the  ribs,  and  push  the  sternum  forward.  If  this  fails, 
a  crucial  incision  must  be  made  into  the  skin,  and  the 
depressed  part  of  the  sternum  elevated  with  a  terebra, 
gently  screwed  into  the  part. 

After  the  reduction,  the  napkin  and  scapulary  may 
be  applied,  to  keep  the  thorax  firm. 

Mr.  Bell,  in  the  sixth  volume  of  his  Surgery,  page 
67,  observed,  that  in  some  cases  it  is  fractured  without 
being  displaced  ;  in  others  it  is  not  only  broken,  but  -\t 
the  same  time  forced  in  upon  the  pleura.  When,  there- 
fore, the  pain,  cough,  oppressed  breathing,  and  other 
symptoms,  do  not  yield  to  blood  letting  and  other  parts 
of  an  antiphlogistic  course,  an  incision  should  be  made 
upon  the  injured  part,  of  a  sufficient  length  to  admit  of  a 
free  examination  of  the  bone ;  and  the  depressed  piece 
may  be  raised  either  with  a  common  scalpel,  or  a  leva- 
tor,  if  there  be  an  opening  that  will  admit  an  instrument. 
When  this  is  not  practicable,  an  opening  may  be  made 
for  this  purpose  with  the  trepan.  If  the  operation  be 
performed  with  caution,  the  bone  may  be  raised  with 
safety ;  and  the  sore  must  then  be  treated  in  the  usual 
way.  See  White's  Surgery,  p.  139. 

fractures  of  the  -vertebre. — When  any  of  the  verte- 
brae are  fractured  without  affecting  the  spinal  marrow, 
the  posterior  apophyses,  or  acute  tubercles,  are  only  in- 
jured, and  these  fractures  are  not  dangerous.  The  parts 
may  be  replaced  with  the  fingers,  and  on  each  side  of 
the  spina  dorsi  narrow  compresses  moistened  with  spirit 
of  wine  should  be  applied,  secured  with  pasteboard 
splints,  the  napkin,  and  scapulary. 

Fractures  in  these  parts  are  easily  known  by  the  pain, 
and  on  slightly  touching  them. 

If  the  transverse  apophyses  which  tend  towards  the 
cavity  of  the  thorax  are  broken,  the  heads  of  the  ribs 
inserted  into  them  will  likewise  be  fractured,  and  the 
case  is  dangerous. 

When  the  body  of  a  vertebra  is  broken,  the  spinal 
marrow  is  injured,  and  the  parts  below  the  fracture  are 
motionless,  and  death  soon  follows.  In  this  case,  not 
to  seem  either  negligent  or  ignorant,  the  injured  part 
must  be  laid  bare,  the  fragments  which  press  the 
medulla  elevated,  and,  if  loose,  extracted :  the  wound 
may  then  be  cleaned  and  dressed  with  warm  stimulat- 
ing applications.  See  Boerhaave's  Aphorisms;  Petit  on 
the  Diseases  of  the  Bones ;  Aitkin's  Treatise  on  Frac- 
4S2 


FRI 


684 


FRO 


tures;  Pott's  General  Remarks  on  Fractures;  and  Kirk- 
land's  Observations  on  Pott's  Remarks;  for  machines 
to  be  used  after  the  reduction  of  fractures,  see  Gooch's 
Cases  and  Remarks ;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  71; 
White's  Surgery,  p.  142. 

FRJE'NUM,  (from  freno,  to  curb}.     See  LIGAMEN- 

TUM    ANNULARE,  LlNGUA  and  PENIS. 

FRA'GA,  (from  fragro,  to  smell  sweet].  The 
STRAWBERRY.  (See  ARBUTUS.)  Fragaria  vesca  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  708.  The  common  wood  strawberry,  the  most 
agreeable  kind,  flowers  in  May,  and  the  fruit  ripens  in 
June.  A  decoction  of  the  whole  plant  is  used  against 
the  jaundice. 

FRAGAROI'DES,  (from  fragara,  a  strawberry, 
and  si^cs,  likeness'].  BARREN  STRAWBERRIES.  See 
ARBUTUS. 

FRAGI'LITAS  O'SSIUM,  (from  frango,  to  break,) 
friabilitas  ossiiim,  has  been  supposed  to  consist  in  too 
great  redundance  of  the  earthy  principle  in  the  sound 
habit.  In  the  diseased,  the  scurvy,  lues  venerea,  and 
scrofula,  may  occasion  it.  Mr.  Sharp  attributes  it  to  a 
defect  of  the  oil ;  but  the  real  cause  of  fragility  from 
disease  is  a  deficiency  of  the  earth,  and  the  bones  are 
broken  with  little  or  no  pain.  The  fragile  vitreum  of 
pathologists  is  supposed  to  be  owing  to  cold.  See 

MORBI    SOLIDI    SIMPLICIS. 

FRAMBCE'SIA.     See  YAWS. 
FRA'NCOLIN.     See  ATTAGEN. 
FRA'NGULA,  (from  frango,    to  break;  so   called 
from  the  brittleness  of  its  branches).     See  ALNUS  NI- 

GRA. 

FRAXINE'LLA,   (from  fraxinus,   the  ash).     See 

DlCTAMNUS    ALBUS. 

FRAXINUS,  (fromfragore,  from  the  noise  its  keys 
make  when  shook  by  the  wind,)  bumelia.  The  ASH- 
TREE  ;  fraxinus  excelsior  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1509,  is  a  tall 
tree,  common  in  woods  and  hedges.  Its  bark  whitish  ; 
the  seeds  oblong,  reddish,  or  brownish  coloured,  shaped 
somewhat  like  a  bird's  tongue,  whence  they  are  called 
lingua  avis,  and  orintho-glossum. 

The  fresh  bark  is  bitterish  and  astringent,  but  loses 
these  qualities  in  drying.  A  drachm  of  this  bark  is 
diuretic,  and  the  watery  extract  hath  the~  same  effect. 
The  middle  bark  hath  been  used  in  intermitting  fevers, 
when  assisted  by  alkaline  salts. 

The  seeds  are  diuretic  and  healing,  in  the  dose  of  a 
drachm.  Raii  Hist.  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

FRAXINUS  O'RNUS.  The  FLOWERING  ASH.  Mani- 
fera  arbor  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1510;  though  later  authors 
have  found  the  manna  to  be  the  production  of  another 
species  not  noticed  by  Linnaeus,  the  f.  rotundifolia. 
See  MANNA. 

FRE'NA.     See  ALVEOLUS. 

FRIABI'LITAS  O'SSIUM,  (from  frio,  to  crumble-). 
See  FHAGILITAS. 

FRI'CTA.     See  COLOPHONIA. 

FRI'CTIO,  (from  frico,  to  rub).  RUBBING.  Fric- 
tion of  the  body,  if  duly  continued  and  repeated,  pro- 
motes absorption  and  perspiration,  quickens  the  circula- 
tion, particularly  through  the  finer  capillaries.  It  contri- 
butes not  only  to  convey  medicines  into  the  body,  but 
also  to  their  advantages  when  introduced.  This  remedy 
is  best  used  when  the  primse  vise  are  most  empty,  and 
the  chylopoietic  organs  too  languid,  and  should  in  that 
case  be  steadily  applied  over  the  whole  abdomen.  Gentle 


friction  with  oily  substances  relaxes;  but  strong  friction 
with  rough  dry  cloths  is  a  powerful  tonic.  It  has  been 
considered  particularly  useful  in  ascites,  and  many  other 
cases  where  the  action  of  the  absorbent  system  is  to  be 
promoted.  When  the  brush  is  employed,  the  vessels 
are  only  slightly  stimulated ;  but  the  most  effectual 
means  of  applying  it  is  by  rough  cloths,  flannels,  or 
woollen  gloves.  As  much  pressure  should  be  used  as 
the  parts  can  bear  without  pain,  and  it  is  often  advan- 
tageous that  the  patient  should  be  also  the  operator. 

FRI'ESEL.     See  MILIARIS  FEBRIS. 

FRIGIDA'RIUM,  (from  frigidus,  cold).  A  vessel 
in  the  baths  for  holding  cold  water.  It  sometime* 
means  the  cold  bath. 

FRIGERA'RIA.     See  PUTRIDA  FEBRIS. 

FRI'GUS,  (fmmfrigeo,  to  be  cold).  COLD.  In  Vo- 
gel's  Nosology  it  signifies  the  coldness  of  the  feet  and 
hands.  Heat  and  cold  are  the  names  of  certain  sensa- 
tions in  our  bodies,  and  depend  on  the  substances  which 
produce  them  having  a  less  or  a  greater  affinity  for  heat 
than  the  bodies  themselves.  See  COLD. 

FRI'TTA.  FHITT;  ammonitrum,  is  a  mass  of  salt 
and  ashes  concreted  with  the  sand  in  making  glass. 

FROND.  A  twigof  a  tree  with  its  leaves;  Linnceus 
applies  this  term  to  the  peculiar  leafing  of  palms  and 
ferns.  Martyn  says  it  was  anciently  written  fruns, 
from  fipvu,  fiollulo,  to  germinate  or  bud. 

FRONDI'PORA.     See  ESCHARA. 

FRONS,  (from  <pfov7os,  thought,  as  the  supposed  seat 
of  thought).  The  FOREHEAD  is  that  part  above  the 
eyes  destitute  of  hair,  extending  from  one  temple  to 
the  other;  but  in  ancient  authors  it  sometimes  means 
the  whole  countenance.  In  botany  it  means  a  leaf  or 
branch,  from/tro,  to  bear. 

FRONTA'LE,(from/rons,  the  forehead).  Thename 
of  a  topical  medicine  applied  to  the  forehead;  anacol- 
lema  (sec  CATAPLASMA):  it  often  means  also  a  linen 
bag,  in  which  cephalic  ingredients  are  contained  to  be 
applied  to  the  forehead.  See  EPITHEMA. 

FRONTA'LIS,  MU'SCULUS  VE'RUS.      See  CORRU- 

GATOR  COITEHII. 

FRONTA'LIS  NE'RVUS.  The  fifth  pair  of  nerves  from 
the  brain,  sends  off  its  first  branch,  called  orbitarius  a 
ramus  superior,  which  is  subdivided  into  three:  the 
first  is  the  frontal,  which  spreads  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  orbit  of  the  eye,  to  the  fat  which  surrounds  the  globe 
of  the  eye,  the  musculus  elevator  palpebrae,  8cc. 

FHONTA'LIS  SI'NUS.  The  FRONTAL  SINUS.  There 
are  two  of  these  formed  of  the  separated  laminae  of  the 
os  fronds ;  placed  above  the  orbits,  on  each  side  the 
top  of  the  nose:  they  are  covered  with  the  same  mem- 
brane which  lines  the  nostrils,  and  open  into  them ; 
but  are  occasionally  wanting. 

FRONTA'LIS  VE'NA  is  a  branch  from  the  external 
jugular,  forming  a  vein  in  the  forehead,  called  by  the 
ancients  fir&fiarata  vena. 

FRONTIS,  OS.  The  BONE  of  the  FOREHEAD;  coro- 
nale  os,  inverecundum,  motofion.  The  external  surface 
of  this  bone  is  smooth  at  its  upper  convex  part,  but 
below  several  cavities  and  processes  are  observed.  At 
each  angle  of  the  orbit  the  bone  juts  out  to  form  two 
internal  and  two  external  processes.  The  ridge  which 
makes  the  supercilium  is  called  the  superciliary  process. 
The  lower  part  of  the  forehead,  where  the  hair  of  the 
eye  brows  grows,  is  called  oji/irys.  The  nasal  process 


FRU 


685 


F  UL 


is  situated  between  the  two  internal  angular  processes  ; 
and  the  two  orbitar  processes  are  continuations  of  the 
superciliary  :  between  these  is  an  aperture  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  ethmoid  bone.  At  the  internal  angular 
process  is  a  cavity  for  the  carvneuia  lachrymalis;  at  the 
external  angular  process  is  another  for  the  pulley  of  the 
musculus  obliquus  major.  The  foramina  are  three  on 
each  side ;  one  in  each  superciliary  ridge,  through  which 
a  nerve,  vein,  and  artery  pass  to  the  integuments  of  the 
forehead.  Near  the  middle  of  the  internal  side  of  the 
orbit,  in  the  transverse  suture,  or  near  it,  is  a  small  hole, 
called  the  internal  orbitar:  the  orbitar  internus  posterior 
is  smaller,  and  lies  about  an  inch  deeper  in  the  orbit. 
On  the  inside  of  the  os  frontis  there  is  a  ridge,  which, 
on  the  upper  part,  is  imperceptible,  and  grows  more 
prominent  at  the  bottom,  where  there  is  a  foramen 
caecum  ;  to  this  ridge  the  falx  is  attached.  The  frontal 
sinus  is  placed  over  the  orbits,  and  is  divided  by  the 
septum  just  described.  This  bone  is  of  mean  thickness, 
between  that  of  the  os  occipitis  and  of  the  parietal  bones ; 
but  at  theorbitar  process,  from  the  pressure  of  the  brain 
and  the  globe  of  the  eye,  ft  is  almost  transparent.*  It 
will  be  obvious  that  the  trepan  cannot  be  applied  over 
the  sinuses  to  reach  the  brain. 

FRUCTIFICA'TIO,(from/ri/cr//fco,fo  make  fruit- 
ful ).  FRUCTIFICATIOX,  or  FRUITIXG,  consists  in  the 
flower  and  fruit;  and  there  is  no  fructification  without 
anthef,  stigma,  and  seed.  When  perfect,  it  consists  of 
seven  parts. — 1.  Calyx — 2.  Corolla — 3.  Stamen — 4.  Pis- 
til— 5.  Pericarp) — 6.  Seed — 7.  Receptacle. — Of  these, 
the  four  first  belong  to  the  flower ;  the  two  next  to  the 
fruit ;  and  the  last  is  common  to  both.  The  pedicle  of 
the  flower  or  blossom  is  the  stem  of  the  fruit,  and  its 
fibres  are  expanded  through  the  whole  bulk.  The  epi- 
dermis forms  the  calyx,  the  next  layer  of  the  bark  the 
liber,  the  wood  the  antherse,  and  the  medulla  the  stigma. 
All  previously  exist;  and  in  no  instance  is  there  any 
new  formation  :  all  is  evolution  only. 

FRU  'CTUS,  (fromfruor,  to  use,  orfrom/er/,  Heb.). 
FRUIT  ;  carfios.  It  is  properly  the  part  of  a  plant  where- 
in the  seed  is  contained,  but  in  general  it  is  any  seed 
r  grain  covered  with  a  pulp  or  shell,  or  uncovered ;  but 
more  strictly  styled  fruit  when   there  is  a  pulpy 
covering.  For  the  nutritious  properties  of  fruits,  see  ALI- 
MENT.   The  chemists  call  metals  the  fruits  of  the  earth. 

FRU 'CTUS  UMBILICA'TUS.  UMBILICATKD  FRUIT  is 
that  on  which  the  flower  grows.  The  flower  usually 
forms  a  cavity,  called  umbilicus,  or  navel,  as  in  the 
medlar,  hip,  &c, 

FRUMi:XTA'CEUS,(from/rumen/um,  -wheat}.  A 
term  applied  to  all  such  plants  as  resemble  wheat  in 
their  fruit,  leaves  or  ears. 

FRUME'XTUM,  (quasi  frugament urn, homfruges, 
fruit).  CORX.  It  is  spontaneous  in  many  climates, 
but  industry  has  meliorated  it  in  all.  It  is  a  species  of 
grass  in  its  primitive  state,  whose  seed  is  improved  by 
culture.  A  name  also  of  wheat.  See  TRITICUM. 

FRUME'XTUM   CORRUPTUM.     See  BRASIUM. 

FRUME  XTUM  I'NDICUM,  FRUME'XTUM  TURCICUM. 
See  MAYS. 

FRUME'XTUM  SARACE'XICUM.     See  FAGOPYRUM. 

FRUSTA 'NEUS,  (fromfrustra,  in  vain).  Botani- 
cally applied,  it  means  having  the  parts  of  fructification 
neutral  or  infertile. 

FRU'TEX,  (a  ferendo  fructum,from  bearing  fruit]. 
A  SHRUB.  It  is  a  plant  with  many  woody  perennial 


r, 


trunks,  such  as  roses,  or  seringas.  Linnaeus  makes  the 
distinction  of  a  shrub  from  a  tree  to  consist  in  its  having 
no  buds,  though  trees  have  often  no  buds  in  hot  cli- 
mates ;  and  he  acknowledges  that  nature  has  placed  no 
limits  between  them.  The  word  is  generally  used  by 
gardeners  for  all  woody  plants  of  low  growth. 

FRU'TEX    BA'CCIFER    BRASILIE'XSIS.     See    CAAGHI- 

TTJTO. 

FRU'TEX  I'XDICUS  BA'CCIFER.     See  BELILIA. 

FRU'TEX  I'XDICUS  SPIXO'SUS.     See  CARA  SCHULLI. 

FRU'TEX  ODORA'TUS  SEPTEXTRIOXA'LIUM.  See  MYR- 
TUS  BRABAXTICA. 

FUU'TEX  PAVOXI'XUS.     See  POIXCIAXA. 

FRU'TEX  TERHIBII.IS.     See  AI.YPIA. 

FRUTICO'SUS,  (from  frutex,  a  shrub).  FRUTI- 
COSE.  Plants  which  are  of  a  woody  substance. 

FUCOl'DES,  (from  fucus,  and  ctS'tf,  likenets).  A 
species  of  an  aquatic  plant,  of  a  middle  nature  betwixt 
conserva  and  fucus.  It  is  often  finely  divided,  of  a 
more  tender  substance  than  the  fucus,  and  not  distin- 
guished by  nodes  and  joints  like  the  conserva  or  co- 
rallina. 

FU'CUS,  (from  pt/x»«,  from  fuka, Hebrew, antimony; 
so  called  because,  like  antimony,  it  was  used  in  paint- 
ing the  cheeks).  A  species  of  plant  growing  in  the 
sea,  whose  leaves  and  stalks  are  of  various  figures.  It 
is  generally  of  a  viscid  and  coriaceous  substance,  and 
furnished  with  vesicles  on  both  sides,  which  admit  o 
air  being  separated  to  assist  its  floating.  Its  extremities 
are  often  set  with  tubercles,  which  have  been  supposed 
to  be  its  fructification.  Those  used  in  medicine  are, 
1.  A'lga  marina  latifalia  1'ulg.  Fucus  vesiculosus  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1626.  (See  QUERCUS  MARINA.)  2.  Lact&ca 
marina;  ulva  marina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1632;  which  is  of 
the  same  use  as  the  alga. 

Fu'cus  ESCULE'XTUS.  The  tangle  of  Scotland,  an 
edible  crisp,  but  not  a  very  nutritious,  marine  plant. 

Fu'cus  MARI'TIMUS.     See  KALI. 

Fu'cus  MARI'XUS.     See  ALGA. 

FU'GA  D^EMO  XUM,  (because  it  was  thought  to 
drive  away  evil  spirits).  See  HYPERICUM. 

FUGACrSSIMUS^from/M^a-r,  speedy).  In  bota- 
ny it  is  applied  to  the  petals,  and  means  of  very  short 
continuance. 

FULCRA "TUS,  (from/«/crum,  a  firofi,)  PROPPED  ; 
applied  botanically  to  a  branch,  descending  to  the 
ground,  and  supporting  the  stem. 

FUGI'LE.  EAR  WAX.  (See  CERUMEN  AURIS).  An 
appearance  in  the  urine  like  wax.  (Paracelsus.)  It 
sometimes  means  a  bubo,  at  others  a  tumour  of  the 
parotid  glands. 

FULI'GO,  (quasi  fumiligo,  from  fumus,  smote,") 
arajcos,  asofier,  ASUOLI,  SOOT,  is  the  shining  black  con- 
crete, formed  by  the  smoke  from  wood.  It  hath  a  dis- 
agreeable smell,  and  a  pungent  bitter  nauseous  taste : 
the  more  resinous  the  wood,  the  more  bitter  will  be  the 
soot.  By  a  chemical  analysis  it  affords  a  volatile  alka- 
line salt,  an  empyreumatic  oil,  a  fixed  alkali,  an  acid 
formed  by  the  decomposition  of  the  mucilage,  and  a 
resin  soluble  in  alcohol. 

Soot  yields  its  virtues  to  water,  or  to  proof  spirit,  each 
of  which  dissolves  about  one  fourth  part  of  it;  and  is 
considered  as  an  antispasmodic,  and  an  emmenagogue. 
FULMIXA'TIO,  FULMINATES,  (from  fulmino,  to 
lighten  or  thunder).  In  chemistry  it  means  generally 
explosion,  when  it  is  the  same  with  detonation.  But  in 


FUM 


686 


FUN 


the  depuration  of  the  more  perfect  metals,  when  in- 
fused with  lead,  a  bright  colour  succeeds  a  kind  of  sul- 
phureous cloud  before  appearing  in  the  metal  during 
the  fusion,  which  has  this  appellation.  See  DETONATIO. 

FUMA'RIA,  (fromywmtts,  smoke;  since,  like  smoke, 
it  draws  tears).  FUMITORY.  Funris  terrce,  cafinoa,  her- 
ba  melancholifuga;  fumaria  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  984. 
COMMON  PURPLE  FUMITORY.  It  is  a  plant  with  bluish 
green,  finely  divided  leaves,  producing,  towards  the 
tops  of  the  stalks,  spikes  of  irregular  purplish  flowers, 
followed  each  by  a  single  seed ;  annual,  flowering  in 
May  and  June,  and  delighting  in  shady  places.  The 
leaves  have  a  bitter  saline  taste  ;  and  an  extract  obtained 
from  a  decoction  of  them  is  very  bitter.  The  juice  of 
these  leaves,  if  dropped  into  the  eyes,  is  supposed  to 
cure  dimness  of  sight.  The  plant  has  been  supposed 
by  physicians  of  the  first  authority  to  be  a  powerful 
deobstruent,  particularly  of  the  hepatic  system  ;  and 
it  is  highly  commended  in  scorbutic  and  acrimonious 
states  of  the  fluids;  consequently  in  various  cutaneous 
diseases.  The  juice,  mixed  with  whey,  and  used  as 
common  drink,  is  said  to  prove  diuretic  and  laxative.  Dr. 
Cullen  has  found  it  useful  in  many  cases  where  bitters 
are  prescribed ;  but  it  is  chiefly  useful  in  clearing  the 
skin,  and  he  has  experienced  its  good  effects  in  many 
instances  of  cutaneous  affections,  resembling  lepra.  The 
dose  is  two  ounces  of  the  expressed  juice  twice  a  day  : 
the  dried  root  may  be  also  given  in  infusion,  or  decoc- 
tion ;  or  the  extract  may  be  substituted ;  for  these  all 
retain  the  virtues  of  the  fresh  herb. 

FUMA'RIA  BULBOSA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  983,  is  of  similar 
virtues,  but  weaker  than  they,  officinalis. 

FUMA'RIA  A'LBA,    also    called    cysticafinos    Africana 
scandes.      AFRICAN     CLIMBING    BLADDER     FUMITORY. 


Fumaria  vesicaria  Lin.  PI.  Sp.  985,  is  a  climbing 
plant,  chiefly  resembling  the  fumitory  above  described, 
only  that  the  fruit  is  an  oval  bladder,  containing  the 
seeds. 

FUMIGA'TIO,  (from  fumus,  smoke).  FUMIGA- 
TION. By  the  subtile  fumes  inspired,  or  sometimes 
swallowed,  much  benefit  or  injury  may  be  produced. 
The  latter  is  evident  from  the  palsies  produced  among 
workers  in  lead  and  quicksilver  mines,  and  the  benefits 
derived  from  impregnating  the  air  with  salutary  mate- 
rials. Catarrhs  and  catarrhous  coughs  are  relieved  by 
fumes  received  with  the  breath,  sometimes  of  warm 
water,  at  others,  it  is  said,  of  aether;  and  by  the  same 
method  expectoration  is  assisted  in  asthmas  :  even  ulcers 
in  the  lungs  have,  it  is  said,  been  healed  by  this  method. 
The  advantage  of  fumigations  in  the  cure  of  venereal 
ulcers  is  well  known,  though  the  practice  is  now  dis- 
used. (See  INHALATIO.)  But  this  plan  has  been  lately 
revived  by  Mr.  Abernethy,  and  is  supposed  to  affect 
the  constitution  when  other  methods  have  failed,  and 
to  produce  its  effects  in  a  comparatively  shorter  time. 
Lalonette's  powder  was  supplied  by  precipitating  the 
oxide  of  mercury  from  calomel  by  means  of  ammonia, 
and  it  is  sprinkled  on  a  hot  iron,  while  the  fumes  are 
confined  by  the  patient  being  placed  in  a  box.  Par- 
tial mercurial  fumigations  are  used  also  in  white  swell- 
ings of  the  knee,  and  swellings  of  the  breast. 

FUMIGA'TIO  NITROSA.     See  CONTAGION. 

FU'MUS  TE'RRjE.  See  FUMARIA. 

FU'NCTIO,  (fromfungor,  to  perform}.  See  ACTIO. 

We  shall  add  professor  Richcrand's  new  classification 
of  the  functions.  It  is  elegant,  comprehensive,  and 
complete. 


THE  PLAN  OF  A  NEW  CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  FUNCTIONS  OF  LIFE. 


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ORDER  I. 

Functions  which  assi- 
milate the  aliment  by 
which  the  body  is 
nourished. 

(Assimilating;  internal, 
or  digestive  functions.) 


GENUS  I.-— DIGESTION 
Extracts  the  nutritive  part. 


GENUS  II.— ABSORPTION 
Carries  -it  into  the  mass  of  hu- 
mours. 


GENUS  III— CIRCULATION 
Propels  it  towards  the  organs. 

GENUS  IV. — RESPIRATION 

Combines  it  with  atmospheric 

oxygen. 

GENUS  V.— SECRETION 
Causes  it  to  pass  through  several 

modifications. 
GENUS  VI.— NUTRITION 
Applies  it  to  organs,  to  which  it  < 
is  to  supply  growth,  and  re-' 
store  their  loss. 


Reception  of  the  food. 

Mustication. 

Solution  by  the  saliva. 

Deglutition. 

Digestion  in  the  stomach. 

duodenum. 

'• intestines. 

Excretion  of  the  faeces  and  of  the  urine. 
Inhalation  of  chyle. 

— — — —  lymph. 
Action  of  vessels. 
— — — —  glands. 

the  thoracic  duct. 

Action  of  the  heart. 

arteries. 


capillary  vessels, 
veins. 


Action  of  the  parietes  of  the  thorax. 

lungs. 

Alteration  of  the  air. 

in  the  blood. 

Disengagement  of  animal  heat. 
Exhalation. 
Secretion  by  follicles. 
glands. 

Different  in  every  part  according  to  the 
peculiar  composition  of  each. 


I 


687 


Fl 


3 

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s 


•s. 
•s. 


ORDER  II. 
Functions  which   form 
connexions  with  sur- 
rounding objects. 

(External    or    relative 
functions.) 


GENUS  I. — SENSATIONS 
Inform  the  being  of  their  pre- 
sence. 


GENUS  II.— MOTIONS 
Approach  towards  or  remove  it  < 
from  them. 


{lie  Sight. 
Hearing. 
Smell. 
Taste. 
Feeling. 
Action  of  nerves. 

the  brain. 

Human  understanding. 

Sleep  and  watching. 

Dreaming  and  sleep  walking. 

Sympathy. 

Habit. 

Organs  and  muscular  motion. 

The  skeleton. 

Articulations. 

Place. 

fWalking. 
Running. 


_  Progressive 
motions. 


Jumping. 


GENUS  III.— The  VOICE  and 
SPEECH 

Cause  it  to  communicate  with  si- 
milar beings,  without  change 
of  place. 


Swimming. 
Flying. 
(^Creeping. 

The  C  Articulated,  or  Speech. 
Voice  {  Modulated,  or  Singing, 
Stammering. 
Lisping. 
Dumbness. 
Ventriloquism. 


•r.   - 

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-    7i 


ORDER  I. 

Functions  which  require  the  con- 
currence of  both  sexes,  as 


ORDER  II. 

Functions  which  exclusively  be-« 
long  to  females,  as 


CONCEPTION  and 
GENERATION. 


GESTATION.  , 


General  differences  of  the  sexes. 
Hermaphrodism. 
Systems  relative  to  generation. 
Of  the  uterus  in  a  state  of  impregna- 
tion. 

History  of  the  embryo. 
foetus    and    its    mem- 


DELIVERY. 
LACTATION. 


branes. 

On  the  uterus  after  delivery. 
The  lochiae. 

5  Action  of  the  breasts. 
}  Milk. 

(  Infancy. — Dentition. — Ossification 
GROWTH.  {  Puberty.— Menstruation 
1  Adolescence. 
(  Youth. 

rSanguine. 
I  Muscular. 

Temperaments.  <  Biliary  melancholic. 
I  Lymphatic. 


VIRILITY.*: 


Idiosyncracy. 


.Human  race. 


f  Age  of  decrease. 
Decrease.  <  Old  age. 

/Decrepitude. 
Death. 
Putrefaction. 


l^Nervous. 

{"European  Arab. 
I  Negro. 
I  Mongul. 
^Hyperborean. 


FUN 


688 


FUN 


The  splendid  work  of  M.  Vicq  d'Azyr  on  the  Brain 
furnishes  us  with  the  following  table  of  the  FUNCTIONS, 
or  the  proper  characters  of  living  bodies.  These  are, 

DIGESTION,    NUTRITION,    CIRCULATION,    RESPIRATION,  SE- 
CRETIONS, OSSIFICATION,  GENERATION,  IRRITABILITY,  and 

SENSIBILITY.     Every  body  in  which  one  or  several  of 
these  functions  are  observed  must  be  regarded  as  an  ' 
organized  or  living  body. 

I.  Digestion.    Which   have  one  or  many   stomachs  di- 

stinct from  the  oesophagus  and  intes- 

tinal canal  :  MAN,  QUADRUPEDS,  CETACEA, 

BIRDS,  and  CRUSTACEA. 
2  Whose  stomachs  are  distinguished  from 

the  oesophagus  and  intestinal  canal  only 
§  by  some  enlargement  :   OVIPAROUS  ANI- 

u  MALS,     SERPENTS,      CARTILAGINOUS     and 

g  PROPF.R    FISH. 

Who  have  only  an  alimentary   tube  :  IN- 

SECTS, WORMS,  ZOOPHYTES. 

Who  have  neither  stomach  nor  intestinal 
canal:  PLANTS. 

II.  Nutrition.  Whose   nutritious  juices   are   absorbed 

by  the    vessels   opening   into  the   ex- 
£>  g"  ternal    cavities  ;     ANIMALS    of    EVERY 


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Whose  nutritious  juices  are  absorbed  by 
vessels  opening  externally  :  PLANTS. 

III.  Circulation.  Having   blood,   blood  vessels,   and    a 

heart  with  two  ventricles  and  two 
auricles ;  MAN,  QUADRUPEDS,  CETA- 
CEA, and  BIRDS. 

A  single  ventricle,  internally   divided 

into   several  cavities  and   two  auri- 

^  cles:    OVIPAROUS    QUADRUPEDS    and 

SERPENTS. 

A  single  ventricle,  and  auricle :  CARTI- 
LAGINOUS and  OTHER  FISH. 
§  Whose  heart  is  formed  by  a  long  con- 

voluted contractile  vessel  containing 
a  white  fluid:  CRUSTACEA,  INSECTS, 
and  WORMS.  In  some  Crustacea  there 
are  traces  of  a  heart. 

Who  have  no  heart,  but  vessels  filled 
with  fluids  of  different  kinds :  ZOO- 
PHYTES and  PLANTS. 

IV.  Respiration.  Who    breathe   by   free    unconnected 

spongy  lungs  :  MAN,  QUAI>»ITPEDS, 
CETACEA. 

Who  breathe  by  free  cellular  muscular 
lungs:  OVIPAROUS  QUADRUPEDS  and 

SERPENTS. 

13  By  lungs  adhering  to  the  ribs  provided 

with  appendices  :  BIRDS. 
By  gills  of  different  forms :  FISH  and 

CRUSTACEA. 

By  holes  placed  on  different  rings :   IN- 
«  SECTS  and  EARTH  WORMS. 

By   a   trachea    and    external    fringes : 

AQUATIC  WORMS. 

By  tracheae  :  PLANTS. 
In  which  neither  holes  nor  tracheae  are 
discernible :  POLYPI. 

V.  Secretion.     This  takes  place  in  different  forms  or 

degrees  in  every  living  body. 


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VI.  Ossification.     Which  have  an  internal  bony  skele- 

ton :  MAN,  QUADRUPEDS,  CETACEA, 
BIKDS,  OVIPARQUS  .  QUADRUPEDS, 

and  FISH. 

£  An  internal  cartilaginous  one  :  CAR- 

TILAGINOUS FISH. 

An  external  horny  :  PERFECT  INSECTS 
and  LITHOPHYTES. 

Calcareous:  CRUSTACEA,  SHELL  FISH, 
the  greater  number  of  MADRE- 
PORES, ZOOPHYTES. 

Woody:  PLANTS. 

Which  have  no  skeleton  :  INSECTS  in 
their  larva  state,  WORMS,  POLYPI. 

VII.  Generation.    Viviparous :  MAN,  QUADRUPEDS,  CE- 

£  TACEA. 

Oviparous,  whether  hatched  inter- 
nally or  without  the  body  :  BIRDS, 

OVIPAROUS  QUADRUPEDS,  CARTI- 
LAGINOUS and  other  FISH,  SER- 
PENTS, INSECTS,  CRUSTACEA,  WORMS, 

PLANTS. 

VIII.  Irritability.  Wholly  muscular  or  contractile  :  the 

greater  number  of  the  larvae  of  IN- 
SECTS, WORMS,  POLYPI. 
^  Whose  muscles  cover  their  skeleton : 

MAN,  QUADRUPEDS,  BIRDS,  fl.l  Al'l.A, 
OVIPAROUS  QUADRUPEDS,  FISH,  SER- 
PENTS. 

£?  Whose  muscles  are  covered  by  their 

>  skeleton :    PERFECT    INSECTS    and 

CRUSTACEA.- 

Who  have  some  contractile  parts,  but 
no  spontaneous  motions  :  PLANTS. 

IX.  Sensibility.      Who  have  nerves,  and  a  brain  dis- 

tinct from  their  spinal   marrow; 
£  ALL  ANIMALS,  except  those  in  the 

following  sections. 
Who  have  nerves  and  a  brain  scarce- 
ly distinct  from  their  spinal  mar- 
row :  INSECTS,  CRUSTACEA,  WORMS. 

Without    discovered   nerves, 
or    spinal    marrow :    ZOOPH^ 
PLANTS. 

See  ANIMAL. 

FU'NGUS,  (s-fl-«yye«,  sponge;  from  their  spongy 
contexture).  _  TOADSTOOL,  besacher ;  is  the  lowest, 
and  a  very  imperfect  vegetable  genus,  having  neither 
visible  seeds,  flowers,  leaf,  nor  tTie  structure  of  a  plant. 
Most  of  them  spring  up  from,  and  are  soon  dissolv- 
ed into,  mucous  matter.  See  Ray's  Synopsis,  and 
AMANITA. 

FU'NGUS,  in  surgery,  is  a  spongy  excrescence,  which 
arises  in  wounds  and  ulcers,  commonly  called,  though 
often  improperly,  proud  flesh.  In  general,  dry  lint  is  the 
best  application.  A  spongy  lax  flesh,  rising  from  the 
bottom  of  ulcers,  differs  much  from  the  fungus  in  heal- 
ing wounds,  and  often  requires  the  knife,  or  a  caustic : 
the  former  is  in  one  mass,  but  the  fungus  in  healing 
wounds  in  many  little  protuberances.  When  this  ill- 
conditioned  spongy  flesh  arises,  it  is  of  very  little  use  to 
attempt  its  destruction  before  the  general  habit  is  im- 
proved ;  and  when  this  is  effected,  dry  lint,  or  other 
gentle  means,  will  be  generally  sufficient.  The  fungus 


a 

o 


o 
as 


F  T    N 


689 


FUR 


over  a  carious  bone  cannot  be  removed  before  the  ca- 
ries is  stopped,  and  the  exfoliation  completed  :  die  fun- 
gus then  disappears  spontaneously. 

If  fungous  excrescences  arise  from  the  brain  after 
trepanning,  they  may  be  cut  away  with  a  knife,  or  sup- 
pressed with  lint  dipped  in  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and 
gentle  pressure. 

If  the  tumour  appear  to  increase  internally,  a  circum- 
stance known  by  symptoms  of  compression  on  the  brain, 
it  has  been  sometimes  advised  to  enlarge  the  opening  of 
the  bone;  a  precarious  measure,  often  attended  with  dan- 
gerous haemorrhage.  Pressure  in  this  case  is  inadmiss- 
ible ;  but  Mr.  Abernethy  suggests  the  application  of 
vegetable  astringents.  Some  benefit  has,  it  is  said,  re- 
sulted from  sprinkling  these  tumours  with  equal  parts 
of  myrrh  and  lapis  calaminaris. 

Fungus  is  also  the  name  of  a  tubercle  about  the  anus, 
occasioned  and  cured  lite  a  condyloma. 

White  swellings  are  called  fungi  by  some  authors. 
In  Vogel's  Nosology  it  signifies  a  soft  oedematous  tu- 
mour of  the  joints.  Dr.  Gottlieb  Richter  observes,  that 
in  consequence  of  external  bruises,  sometimes  after 
catching  cold,  and  often  spontaneously,  a  round,  pretty 
regularly  circumscribed  swelling  arises  round  the  pa- 
tella :  it  is  not  painful,  and  a  fluctuation  is  obvious.  It 
sometimes  occupies  both  sides  of  the  patella,  is  some- 
times confined  to  its  ligament,  and  frequently  surrounds 
the  whole  knee  pan.  The  patient  feels  no  complaint, 
except  some  degree  of  stiffness  in  the  motion  of  the 
knee  joint.  This  tumour  must  not  be  opened  ;  and  he 
recommends  the  following  plaster,  taking  also  tartar 
emetic  in  small  doses,  and  rubbing  the  knee  with  the 
volatile  liniment.  R.  Gum.  ammon.  5i.  solv.  in  aceti 
scillitici,  q.  s.  ad.  consistentiam  unguenti  tenuioris. 
This  must  be  spread  thick  upon  leather,  applied  over 
the  whole  knee.  Similar  tumours  on  the  joints  of  the 
elbow  have  been  observed. 

Fu'XGUS  ALBUSACRIS,  Fu'XGUS  PIPERA'TUS  ALBUS.     See 

AGARICUS  PIPERATUS. 

FU'NGUS  ARTICULI.     See  SPIXA  VEXTOSA. 

FU'XGUS    IGXIA'RIUS  and   LA'RICIS.     See    AGARICUS 
AGARICUS  quKRCus. 

U'XGUS  MELITE'XSIS.  Cynomoritn  coccineum  Lin. 
Sp.  PL  1375,  supposed  to  be  an  astringent,  and  used  in 
diarrhoeas  and  dysenteries. 

FU'XGUS  SALICIS,  boletus  suaveolens  Lin.  Sp.  PL 
1646.  It  has  at  first  an  acid  taste,  and  is  then  bitter. 
It  has  been  employed  in  hectics,  but  is  now  disused. 

FU'XGUS  HJ£.\IATODES.  This  singular  complaint  was 
first  distinctly  described  by  Mr.  Hey,  in  his  very  excel- 
lent work,  entitled  "  Practical  Observations  in  Sur- 
gery." It  is  a  bloody  tumour  which  forms  in  every  part 
of  the  body,  painful  when  seated  in  the  muscles;  but 
producing  little  inconvenience  when  in  the  cellular  sub- 
stance. It  distends  the  integuments;  but  does  not, like 
an  abscess,  render  them  thinner.  When  pressed  with 
the  hands,  one  part  will  give  the  sensation  of  a  deep- 
seated  fluid  ;  in  another  the  tumour  is  hard  and  uneven. 
When  the  integuments  burst,  the  appearances  are  some- 
times those  of  an  excoriation  only ;  sometimes  a  dark, 
bloody  mass  protrudes  through  the  aperture.  Where 
the  fungus  comes  into  contact  with  the  muscles,  they 
lose  their  natural  redness  and  their  fibrous  appearance, 
becoming  brown,  and  like  the  adipose  membrane. 

When  the  fungus  appears  through  the  skin,  it  bleeds 


VOL.  I. 


copiously,  and  the  haemorrhage  is  frequently  repeated 
till  the  patient  sinks  ;  neither  the  hydrargyrus  nitratus 
ruber,  the  hydrargyrus  muriatus,  antimonium  muria- 
tum,  or  undiluted  vitriolic  acid,  can  repress  its  growth. 
Amputation  is  the  only  remedy;  and  if  the  tumour  has 
begun  at  the  lower  part  of  a  limb,  and  the  slightest  por- 
tion is  left  at  the  upper,  the  disease  returns.  It  appears 
to  be  an  organised,  and  is  probably  a  living,  parasitic 
animal,  nourished  by  the  vital  fluid  of  the  patient,  and 
capable  of  absorbing  from  the  subjacent  vessels  what  is 
effused  from  its  own. 

FU'XGUS  MA'XIMUS  ROTU'XDUS  PULVERULE'XTUS.  See 
LYCOPERDOX  VULGARE. 

FU'XGUS  MESIBRAXA'CEOUS,  and  SAMBU'CI.  See  AU- 
RICULA JUD.E. 

Fu'XGUS,  PETROUS  SIARI'SUS.        See  AxDROSACE. 

FU'XIS  BRA'CHII.     See  MEDIAXA  VEXA. 

FU'NIS  velFUXI'CULUS  UMBILICALIS,  (from 
its  resemblance  to  a  rope).  The  XAVEL-STRIXG.  It  is 
of  very  different  lengths,  commonly  about  half  a  yard; 
usually  fixed  near  the  middle  of  the  placenta,  but  occa- 
sionally near  its  edge.  It  is  composed  of  two  arteries 
and  two  veins  :  though  sometimes  the  vein,  and  at  others 
the  artery,  is  single.  These  vessels  are  convoluted,  and 
surrounded  by  a  fine  net  work  of  fibres  of  a  gelatinous 
texture.  The  arteries  are  continuations  of  the  internal 
iliacs  or  hypogastrics ;  the  veins  are  formed  by  the  union 
of  all  the  branches  in  the  placenta  ;  they  are  continued 
into  the  abdomen  at  the  navel,  and  so  on  to  the  vena 
portae  in  the  liver.  (See  F<ETUS).  After  the  birth,  the 
remaining  parts  of  the  arteries  in  the  abdomen  form  the 
ligamenta  umbilicalia  inferiora,  and  the  veins  the  falci- 
form or  suspensory  ligament  of  the  liver. 

There  is  always  a  point  where  the  funis  begins,  and 
where  the  integuments  separate  from  it:  it  is  indiffer- 
ent where  it  is  divided,  as  it  always  drops  off  at  the 
same  place. 

If  the  funis  be  torn  off  from  the  child,  so  that  a  liga- 
ture cannot  be  applied,  Le  Motte  assures  us  he  succeed- 
ed in  preventing  an  haemorrhage  by  applying  pledgets 
of  lint,  and  confining  them  with  proper  compresses  and 
bandage ;  but  some  recommend  the  needle  and  liga- 
ture. Animals  stop  the  haemorrhage  by  drawing  the 
funis  with  their,  teeth  ;  and,  in  such  cases,  we  might 
imitate  the  practice  by  employing  the  forceps. 

If  the  child  descends  to  the  os  externum,  but  seems 
to  be  drawn  up  and  down  as  if  suspended  by  a  rope,  the 
funis  is  probably  too  short,  or  entangled:  in  this  case 
some  practitioners  have  cut  it  about  five  or  six  inches 
from  the  child's  belly ;  but  with  a  little  patience  it  will 
stretch  sufficiently. 

FURCE  LLA/ FU  RCULA  INFE'RIOR,  (a  dim. 
of  furca,  a  fork}.  See  EXSIFORMIS. 

FX7'RCULJ£,  (from/terra,  a  fork).     See  CLAVICU- 

L£. 

FU'RFUR,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  farfarafi,  to 
break  into  small  pieces}.  BRAX.  Called  by  Coelius  Au- 
relionvtscantabrujn  lefitofiityron.  It  is  commended  as  ex- 
cellent for  removing  offensive  sordes  from  the  head  ;  and 
for  relieving  headachs,  when  rubbed  warm  on  it.  It 
has  been  used  also  as  an  expectorant,  in  decoction, 
or  rather  in  infusion;  and,  sweetened  with  honey,  is  said 
to  relieve  violent  and  obstinate  coughs.  We  have  al- 
ready remarked  that  it  is  almost  exclusively  gluten  and 
of  an  animal  nature,  producing,  by  distillation,  ammonia 

4  T 


FUR 


690 


P  U  S 


FU'RFURA,  (from  furfur,  bran).  SCURF.  Small 
exfoliations  of  the  cuticle  from  exudation,  like  bran, 
which  follow  some  eruptions  on  the  skin  :  a  new  cuticle 
is  formed  underneath  during  the  exfoliation. 

FURFURA'TIO.     See  FURFUROSI. 

FU'RFURES,(from/«r/wr,  bran).  The  appellation 
of  urine,  whose  sediment  resembles  bran.  It  is  also 
called  fietyroides  ;  and  is  synonymous  with  furfurosi. 

FURFURO'SI,  (from  the  same).  Those  afflicted 
with  a  scurf  on  the  head,  which,  upon  combing,  dis- 
charges a  scaly  substance  like  bran,  sometimes  called 
fiorrigo,  andfarrea  nubes. 

FU'RNUS.     See  FORNAX. 

FURIO'SUS,  (tromfurio,  to  enrage  ;  so  called  from 
the  violence  of  pain).  See  AMBUI.O. 

FU'ROR  UTERI'NUS,  (fromfuro,  to  be  mad,  and 
•uterus  the  ivomb,)  acrai,  brachuna,  astromania,  aras- 
con,  arsatum.  Dr.  Cullen  calls  it  nymfihomania  ;  and 
places  it  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dysorexite.  He 
defines  it  an  unrestrained  desire  for  venereal  enjoyment: 
but  there  is  one  species,  varying  only  in  its  degree.  It 
is  a  kind  of  madness,  or  an  high  degree  of  hysteria  ; 
and  its  immediate  cause  a  preternatural  irritability  of 
the  uterus  and  pudenda  of  women,  or  an  unusual  acri- 
mony of  the  fluids  in  these  parts. 

The  disease  is  known  by  the  wanton  behaviour  of  the 
patient:  she  speaks  and  acts  with  unrestrained  obscenity, 
and,  as  the  disorder  increases,  scolds,  cries,  and 
laughs,  by  turns.  While  reason  is  retained,  she  is 
silent  and  melancholy;  but  her  eyes  discover  an  unusual 
wantonness,  which  is  soon  manifested  by  every  word 
and  action. 

In  general,  it  is  relieved  by  time  and  medicines,  more 
often  by  matrimony ;  but  it  sometimes  degenerates  into 
mania. 

Bleeding  is  sometimes  useful ;  but  the  best  remedy 
is  camphor,  in  doses  of  ten  to  fifteen  grains,  with  nitre, 
and  small  doses  of  the  tinct.  opii,  at  intervals.  The 
cerussa  acetatta  has  been  given  in  doses  of  three  to  five 
grains;  and  cooling  purges  have  been  repeated  in  pro- 
portion to  the  violence  of  symptoms  with  advantage. 
Injections  of  barley  water,  with  a  small  quantity  of  hem- 
lock juice,  have  been  recommended ;  but  we  know  not 
with  what  success  they  have  been  employed.  The  re- 
gulation of  the  mind;  avoiding  improper  company, 
either  of  young  men,  or,  what  is  infinitely  more  danger- 
ous, wanton  women;  is  of  the  highest  importance.  See 
Riverius's  Practice  of  Physic. 

FUR'UNCULUS,  (from  furo,  to  rage;  from  the 
violence  of  the  heat  and  inflammation  previous  to  sup- 
puration,) called  dothein  ;  and  by  Paracelsus,  chiadus, 
chioli  ;  a  BOIL,  is  a  phlegmonous  tumour  which  com- 
monly terminates  in  a  suppuration  of  a  peculiar  kind. 
It  is  a  variety  of  thephlogosis  phlegmone(CulIeni),  dis- 
tinguished on  account  of  the  form  in  which  it  appears. 
A  boil  is  a  small  circumscribed  inflammation,  arising  in 


the  external  parts,  and  terminating  in  an  acute  tubercle, 
about  the  size  of  a  pigeon's  egg,  attended  with  redness 
and  pain,  and  somedmes  with  a  violent  burning  heat. 
These  inflammations  cannot  be  discussed;  but  for  the 
most  part  suppurate  spontaneously,  but  slowly,  and 
break  at  first  on  their  top,  or  the  most  pointed  part, 
when  some  drops  of  pus,  as  from  an  abscess,  come  out. 
The  germ,  or  what  is  commonly  called  the  core,  is  next 
seen  :  it  is  a  purulent  substance,  but  so  thick  and  tena- 
cious that  it  appears  like  a  solid  body,  which  may  be 
drawn  out  in  the  shape  of  a  cylinder,  like  the  pitch  of 
an  elder  branch,  sometimes  to  the  length  of  an  inch. 
The  separation  of  this  core  is  usually  followed  by  the 
discharge  of  some  liquid  matter,  spread  through  the 
bottom  of  the  sore.  As  soon  as  this  is  discharged,  the 
pain  entirely  ceases,  and  the  opening  heals  spontane- 
ously :  if  it  should  not,  the  cure  may  be  effected  by  a 
small  quantity  of  Peruvian  balsam. 

Suppuration  is  the  best  method  of  removing  this 
kind  of  tumour;  for  if  repelled,  it  almost  as  certainly 
returns  on  some  other  part :  but  indeed  the  surgeon  is 
seldom  applied  to  on  account  of  it,  the  common  me- 
thod of  applying  a  poultice  of  flour  and  honey,  some- 
times a  plaster  of  shoemaker's  wax,  answering  every 
-purpose.  If,  however,  they  do  not  come  forward  to 
suppuration,  this  process  should  be  assisted  by  fomen- 
tations, a  gum  plaster,  or  any  warm  application.  In 
other  circumstances,  emollient  cataplasms,  mixed  occa- 
sionally, if  the  pain  is  violent,  with  extract  of  hemlock, 
or  with  opium,  are  useful.  The  root  of  the  white  lily 
is  supposed  to  unite  a  stimulus  with  its  emollient  pro- 
perty. 

These  complaints  are  seldom  attended  with  any  dan- 
ger;  they  are  more  frequently  signs  of  a  strong  consti- 
tution, capable  of  throwing  some  morbid  matter  out  of 
the  habit.  They  have  been  considered  sometimes  ha- 
bitual ;  then  alterative  medicines  are  necessary.  Rose- 
mary has  been  recommended:  and  the  burdock  root 
has  been  even  considered  as  a  specific.  See  London 
Medical  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  332.  Pearson's  Principles  of 
Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  66,  &c.  White's  Surgery,  p.  17. 
See  ABSCESS. 

FUSA'NUS,  or  FUSA'RIA,  (h-omfusus,  a  sfiindl^ 
because  its  wood  is  made  into  spindles).     See  EUONY- 
MUS. 

FUSIFO'RMIS,  (from,  fusus,  a  spindle,  and  forma, 
likeness).  Botanically,  it  is  applied  to  the  root,  and 
means  tapering  like  a  spindle. 

FU'SIO,  (from  fundo,  to  fiourout).  FUSION,  dia- 
chysis.  It  is  the  reduction  of  solid  bodies  to  a  state  of 
fluidity  by  fire.  Fusio  and  solutio,  per  ignem,  mean 
the  same  ;  but,  by  fusion,  we  usually  understand  a  solu- 
tion or  liquation  of  metals  or  minerals  :  by  liquefaction, 
a  solution  of  pinguious  and  concreted  substances ;  by 
solution,  the  union  of  a  body  with  a  menstruum  into  a 
transparent  fluid. 


691 


G. 


GAL 


GAL 


fjTABIA.'NUM  O'LEUM.      See  PETROLEUM  VUL- 

GARE. 

GABIRE'A.     See  MYRRHA. 

GA'BRIEN.     See  BETA. 

GACI'RMA.     See  CUMANA. 

GA'GEL.    See  MYRTUS  BRABANTICA. 

GALA'CTIA,  and  GALACTIRRHCE'A,  (from 
•/»>M,  lac,  and  fia,Jluo}.  An  excess  or  overflowing  of 
milk. 

GALA'CTINA,  (from  y«A«,  lac).     See   LACTICI- 

NIA. 

GALACTITES,  a  fossil  employed  by  the  ancients, 
sometimes  as  an  astringent,  but  more  frequently  as  a 
promoter  of  the  secretion  of  milk,  Pliny  xxvii.  59.  It 
derives  its  name  not  from  its  colour,  but  from  its  white- 
ness when  triturated  with  water,  Dioscorides  lib.  v.  c. 
1  50  ;  and  seems  to  be  the  same  with  the  morochites  of 
Pliny,  tfMpo^'f  °f  the  Egyptians,  the  moroxite  of  Kar- 
sten.  The  ancients  discovered  it  in  Egypt  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile.  Abilgaard  found  it  to  contain  sixty  parts 
of  lime,  twenty  of  alumine,  four  of  magnesia,  and  four 
of  carbonic  acid.  It  differs  from  the  dolomie  in  having 
ess  proportion  of  the  acid,  and  no  iron. 

GALACTO'DES,  (from  the  same,)  milk-warm,  and 
a  milky  colour.  Hippocrates. 

GALACTO'PHOR  A,  and  GALACTOPOIETICA 
MEDICAME'NTA,  (from  y«A«,  milk,  and  Qtf*,  or 
•mnu').  Medicines  which  increase  the  milk.  No  me- 
dicine seems  to  have  a  specific  power  on  these  glands  ; 
and  the  only  means  of  increasing  the  milk  is  a  diet  as 
nutritious,  and  in  such  quantity  as  the  stomach  can 
bear;  with  ease  and  tranquillity  of  mind.  To  force  food 
and  drink,  in  order  to  increase  the  milk,  will  occasion 
uneasiness  and  indigestion,  and  obviate  the  intention 
we  mean  to  promote. 

GALACTO'PHORI  DU'CTUS,  (from  the  same). 
The  LACTEALS.  See  LACTEA  VASA. 

GALACTOPO'SIA,  (from  y*/*,  milk,  and  «•/»*,  to 
drink'}.  The  method  of  curing  by  a  milk  diet. 

GALJL'NA    INA'NIS.      BISMUTH.      See    BISMU- 

THUM. 

GALA'XGA.  GALANGAL;  the  roots  of  the  maranta 
galanga  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  3  ;  a  grassy  leafed  plant,  which 
grows  in  China,  and  in  the  East  Indies.  The  dried 
roots  are  brought  into  Europe  in  pieces  of  about  an 


a  l 


inch  thick;  branched,  full  of  knots  and  joints,  with 
several  circular  rings,  of  a  reddish  brown  colour  on  the 
outside,  and  of  a  pale  red  within. 

This  root  hath  an  aromatic  smell  and  bitterish  biting 
taste ;  but  the  heat  and  pungency  are  superior  to  the 
bitter.  Dr.  Lewis  observes,  that  the  pungent  matter 
appears  to  be  of  the  same  nature  with  that  of  pepper ; 
that  it  resides  not  in  the  volatile  oil,  but  in  a  resinous 
matter.  Neumann  thinks  that  it  resembles  ginger  in 
its  smell,  taste,  and  chemical  composition,  but  is  less 
agreeable.  It  is  used  like  the  other  spices  in  palsy  and 
every  species  of  debility. 

There  is  a  galanga  major  called  acori  radix,  from  a 
variety  of  the  same  species,  weaker  and  much  more 
disagreeable.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works. 

GALA'XA,  (from  y«A«,  milk').  Is  that  white  line  in 
the  heavens  called  the  MILKY  WAY;  and  is  a  congeries 
of  fixed  or  nebulous  stars.  By  analogy  it  is  applied  to 
the  porosities  in  the  cranium;  and  Charlton  distin- 
guishes the  passages  and  distribution  of  the  chyle  in 
the  mesentery  by  the  name  of  galaxia. 

GALBANATUM,  a  preparation  of  galbanum  now 
disused. 

GALBANUM,  GUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  chalbanah,) 
albetad,  chalbane,  gesor,  is  the  concrete,  gummy  resin- 
ous juice  of  an  evergreen  plant,  with  leaves  like  those 
of  anise,  growing  in  Syria,  the  East  Indies,  and  Ethiopia. 
It  is  named  ferula  Africana,  oreosilinum  Africanum, 
anisum  fruticosum  galbaniferum,  and  anisum  Africa- 
numfructicescens  and  ayborzat;  bubon  galbanum  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  364.  LOVAGE  LEAVED  BUBON.  The  gum  is 
brought  to  us  in  pale  coloured,  semitransparent,  soft, 
tenacious  masses,  of  different  shades,  from  white  to 
brown :  the  better  sorts,  when  opened,  appear  to  be- 
composed  of  clear  whitish  tears,  often  intermixed  with 
stalks  or  seeds  of  the  plant.  It  is  rather  resinous  than 
gummy,  and  is  more  completely  soluble  in  alcohol  than 
in  water.  The  former  menstruum  indeed  leaves  only 
the  impurities.  It  hath  a  strong  unpleasant  smell  and 
bitterish  warm  taste,  is  unctuous  to  the  touch,  and 
softens  in  the  fingers. 

In  medical  virtue  it  may  be  said  to  be  less  antispas- 
modic  than  asafoetida,  and  a  less  powerful  expectorant 
than  the  ammoniacum.  Dr.  Cullen  thinks  that  alone 

4T2 


A  L 


692 


GAL 


U  has  little  power,  but  affords  a  variety,  so  requisite  in 
the  use  of  antispasmodics.  Galbanum  is,  however, 
often  useful  in  a  flatulent  state  of  the  bowels ;  and  is 
scarcely  inferior  to  asafoetida,  a  medicine  generally  un- 
pleasing  by  its  smell,  and  which  can  be  only  given 
with  advantage  in  pills,  which  many  cannot  swallow. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  virtue  of  galbanum 
consists  in  its  essential  oil,  which  rises  in  distillation, 
either  with  water  or  with  spirit ;  and  great  care  is  conse- 
quently required  in  purifying  it.  For  inferior  purposes, 
the  best'method  is  to  expose  it  in  winter  to  a  sharp  frost, 
and  while  brittle  to  powder  it:  thus  the  impurities 
may,  in  some  measure,  be  separated  in  the  scarce:  for 
internal  uses  it  is  included  in  a  bladder,  and  kept  in 
hot  water  until  soft  enough  to  be  strained  by  pressure 
through  an  hempen  cloth. 

Besides  the  essential  oil  yielded  by  distillation  with 
water,  an  empyreumatic  oil  is  obtained  by  distilling  in 
a  retort  without  mixture.  This  oil  is  of  a  fine  blue  co- 
lour, but  changes  in  the  air  to  a  purple. 

It  is  common  to  spread  galbanum  on  leather,  and  to 
apply  it  to  the  belly  in  hysteric  disorders,  and  in  spasms 
following  delivery  ;  but  asafoetida,  with  about  one  third 
or  one  quarter  of  camphor,  and  as  much  opium,  is  pre- 
ferable. See  Neumann's  Chemical  Works.  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica.  Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

The  college  of  physicians  order  the  following  tinc- 
ture : 

Take  of  galbanum,  cut  into  small  pieces,  two  ounces; 
proof  spirit  of  wine,  two  pints  ;  digest  with  a  gentle 
heat  for  eight  days,  and  strain.  They  consider  it  as  a 
warm  antispasmodic,  promising  to  be  of  service  in 
flatulency,  hysteria,  and  the  asthmatic  complaints  of  old 
people.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788.  If  decanted,  it  is  a  more 
powerful  medicine ;  for  the  finer  parts  of  the  galbanum 
are  saspended,  and  while  the  medicine  is  thus  strength- 
ened, the  elegance  of  composition  is  not  affected,  as  on 
mixture  with  water  it  becomes  milky.  If  rectified  spirit 
is  employed,  about  one  third  of  the  dose  will  be  suffi- 
cient. Externally,  galbanum  has  been  applied  to  ex- 
pedite the  suppuration  of  indolent  tumours  ;  and  as  a 
warm  stimulating  plaster.  For  the  first  purpose  the 
following  is  often  successful. 

Catafilasma  galbani  comfiositum.  R.  Rad.  lilii  albi 
5  iv.  caricarum  §  i.  rad.  cepae  vulgaris  contusae  £  i.  ss. 
gummi  galbani  §  ss.  Radix  lilii  et  caricse  coquantur, 
et  simul  contundantur;  postea  radix  cepae  adjiciatur,  et 
tlenuo  galbanum  vitello  ovi  solutum. 

Galbanum  is  also  an  ingredient  in  lhefiilu!<s  <°  gummi, 
cmfilastrum  lythargyri  cum  gummi,  and  the  emfilastrum 
ad  clavos  Pharm.  Edinensis. 

GA'LBEUM.  BRACELETS  worn  by  the  Romans; 
not  only  as  ornaments,  but  as  salutary  :  so  called  from 
the  emperor  Galba,  who  is  said  to  have  worn  them. 

GA'LUUL^E,  (from  galbus,  yellow;  from  the  co- 
lour). See  CUPRESSUS. 

GA'LUULUS,  (from  the  same).  When  the  skin  of 
the  body  is  naturally  yellow. 

GALDA   GUMMi  RESINA.      Its  source   is  un- 
known ;  but  in  taste  and  smell  it  resembles  the  gum 
elemi,  and,  like  it,  is  reckoned  a  stimulant  and  resolvent. 
The  ancients  added  to  these  virtues  an   expectorant 
quality.     It  is  not  at  present  to  be  procured. 
GA'LE.     See  MYRTUS  BRABANTICA. 
•GA'LEA,  (from  y<*Ai),  a  cat;  because  it  was  formerly 


made  of  the  skin  of  that  animal).  A  HELMET.  (See 
PILEUS).  In  anatomy  it  is  the  appellation  of  the 
amnion ;  in  surgery,  of  a  bandage  for  the  head;  in 
botany,  of  the  upper  lip  of  a  ringent  corolla  or  labiated 
flower.  Among  diseases,  it  is  by  analogy  a  name  for  a 
species  of  headach,  which  surrounds  the  head  like  a 
helmet. 

GALEANTHRO'PIA,  probably  from  y«A>j,  a  cat, 
and  a,v6(u-!coi;,  a  man,  as  it  is  a  species  of  madness  in 
which  a  patient  imagines  himself  to  be  a  cat,  and  imi- 
tates its  manners. 

GALEA'TUS,  (from  y*A»,  a  helmet').  Botanically, 
it  is  applied  to  leaves  or  flowers  which  have  the  shape 
of  a  helmet. 

GA'LEGA,  (from  y«A«,  milk  ;  because  it  increases 
the  milk  of  animals,  particularly  of  goats).  Kuta  ca- 
praria,  GOAT'S  RUE,  galega  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1062. 
The  root  is  perennial ;  on  the  stalks  are  pods  with  ob- 
long kidney-shaped  seeds.  It  is  a  native  of  Spain  and 
Italy,  where  it  is  eaten  as  food;  but  is  not  noted  in 
medicine. 

GA'LEGA  NEMOROSA  VERNA,  a  species  of  orobus.  Oro- 
bus  vernus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1028. 

GA'LEG^E.  A  species  of  senna.  Cassia  tora  Lin. 
Sp,  PI.  538. 

GALE'NA,  (from  y«A)jv<»,  a  calm  ;  supposed  to  tran- 
quillize'the  violence  of  the  disease).  It  was  a  name  of  the 
theriaca  before  the  addition  of  vipers  as  an  ingredient ; 
and  is  now  the  name  of  a  lead  ore  which  contains  a  lit- 
tle silver.  The  lead  ore  is  mineralized  by  sulphur, 
Haiiy,  iii.  456. 

GALENICAL  ;  the  system  or  the  practice  of  Galen. 
(See  MEDICINA).  Galenical  medicines  is  a  term  em- 
ployed in  opposition  to  chemical.  It  was  first  used  to 
distinguish  the  antagonists  of  the  chemists  ;  and  the  pre- 
parations are  those  in  which  ftre  is  not  employed,  or  at 
least  in  a  slight  degree,  and  in  which  no  decomposition 
takes  place.  Decoctions  are  indeed  galenical  remedies  ; 
but  the  decomposition  of  the  vegetable  is,  in  this  opera- 
tion, imperfect. 

GALE'NION.  The  name  of  an  anodyne  malagma, 
in  P.  jEgineta. 

GALEO'PSULON,  GALEO'PSIS,  (from  xa/o?  ,,g-oodj| 
and  «^/«,  sight ;  because  it  is  supposed  to-  assist  the 
sight).  Lamium  rubrum,  urtica  iners  magnafatidissi- 
ma,  stachysfetida,  and  HEDGE  NETTLE.  Unless  the  sy- 
nonyms are  erroneous,  it  must  be  the  stachys  palastris 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  31 1.  It  is  supposed  to  be  a  good  anti-hys- 
teric, and  an  infusion  of  the  leaves  and  flowers  to 
be  useful  in  nephritic  colics.  Boerhaave  attributes 
some  salutary  qualities  to  the  species  called  CLOWN'S 

ALL  HEAL,  SCC  PANAX  COLONI  ;  tO  the  YELLOW  ARCH- 
ANGEL, and  SPOTTED  ARCHANGEL,  see  LAMIUM  ;  but 
neither  possesses  any  remarkable  medical  virtue. 

GALEO'PSIS  LUTE'A.     See  LAMIUM  MACULATUM. 

GALERICUM  APONEUROTICUM.  The  ten- 
dinous expansion  over  the  pericranium. 

GALERI'TA,  (from  galerus,  a  hat ;  because  its 
leaves  are  shaped  like  a  hat).  See  PETASITES. 

GAL'I.     See  INDICUM. 

GA'LIA,  (from  gall&,  galls).  There  are  two  compo- 
sitions ;  one  called  fiure,  the  other  aromatic;  and  galls 
were  a  part  of  each  composition.  Galia  moschata 
contained  aloes,  amber,  and  musk;  sometimes  nut- 


GAL 


693 


GAL 


meg;  gaHa  zibettlna,  civet.  The  form  was  that  of 
troches. 

GALIA'NCON,  (from  y*A<«?,  a  weasel,  and  *yxa», 
the  elbow).  See  ANCI.  Those  who  have  one  arm 
shorter  than  the  other  are  called g-a/mncones,  from  their 
resembling  a  weasel. 

GA'LIUM  APARI'NE.     See  APARINE. 

GA'LIUM  VE'RUM.     See  GALLIUM. 

GALL  SICKNESS,  the  name  of  a  remittent  bilious 
fever  in  the  Netherlands. 

GA'LL^,  (from  Gallus,  a  river  in  Bythinia,)  nuces 
gallc,  galle  maxim/z  orbiculat<S,gallce  s/iinosa,  ceses, 
GALLS;  the  productions  of  the  yuercua  cerris  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1415. 

They  are  hard  round  excrescences ;  the  nests  of  an 
insect  called  cynifia,  found  in  the  warmer  countries  on 
the  oak  tree.  The  tear  which  issues  from  the  wound, 
made  by  the  insect,  gradually  increased  by  accessions 
of  fresh  matter,  forms  a  covering  to  the  eggs  and  suc- 
ceeding insects.  Those  galls  which  have  no  aperture 
contain  the  dead  insects.  Two  sorts  are  distinguished 
in  the  shops  ;  one  said  to  be  brought  from  Aleppo, 
gullet  sfiinosa  ;  the  other  from  the  southern  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, called  Euro/icon  galls.  The  former  are  generally 
of  a  bluish,  greyish,  or  blackish  colour,  and  verging  to 
a  blue,  unequal  in  their  surface,  difficult  to  break,  and 
of  a  close  texture  :  the  others  are  of  a  pale  brownish 
or  whitish  colour,  smooth,  round,  easily  broken,  less 
compact,  and  of  a  much  larger  size.  The  two  sorts  dif- 
fer in  strength;  but  in  other  respects  are  of  the  same 
quality :  the  small,  protuberant,  bluish,  and  heavy  ones 
are  the  best. 

Galls  are  supposed  to  be  the  strongest  astringent  in 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  without  any  other  smell  or 
taste.  Both  water  and  spirit  take  up  nearly  all  their 
virtue,  though  the  spirituous  extract  is  the  strongest 
preparation.  The  powder  is,  however,  the  best  form ; 
and  the  dose  is  from  a  few  grains  to  half  a  drachm. 

They  are  not  much  used  in  medicine,  though  they 
are  said  to  be  beneficial  in  intermittents.  Dr.  Cullen 
has  cured  agues, by  giving  half  a  drachm  of  the  powder 
of  galls  every  two  or  three  hours,  during  the  intermis- 
f  sion;  and  by  it  alone,  or  joined  with  camomile  flowers, 
has  prevented  the  return  of  the  paroxysms.  A  fomen- 
tation, made  by  macerating  half  an  ounce  of.bruised 
galls  in  a  quart  of  boiling  water  for  an  hour,  has  been 
found  useful  for  the  piles,  the  prolapsus  ani,  and  the 
fluor  albus,  applied  cold.  An  injection  simply  astrin- 
gent is  made  by  diluting  this  fomentation,  and  used 
in  gleets  and  leucorrhoea.  The  camphorated  ointment 
of  galls  has  been  found  also  serviceable  in  piles  after 
the  use  of  leeches,  and  is  made  by  incorporating  half  a 
drachm  of  camphor  with  one  ounce  of  hog's  lard,  and 
adding  two  drachms  of  galls  in  very  fine  powder.  Galls 
are  also  employed  for  making  black  writing  ink,  and 
the  colouring  matter  for  dyeing  black.  The  decoction 
of  galls  is  more  rough  and  astringent  to  the  taste  ;  but 
an  infusion  in  cold  water  strikes  a  deeper  black  with 
green  vitriol.  This  is  not,  however,  always  an  accurate 
test  of  the  degree  of  astringency.  For  the  properties 
of  the  gallic  acid,  see  CHEMISTRY. 

See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works.  Cullen's  Materia  Mcdica. 

GALLATU'RA.     See  ALBUMEN  ovi. 


GA'LLICUS  MO'RBUS.  The  FRENCH  DISEASE. 
See  LUES  VEXEREA. 

GALLINACEUS  LAPIS  ;  the  same  with  the  lapis 
obsidianus  of  the  ancients  ;  the  lave  vitreuse  obsidienne 
of  Haiiy,  iv.  494. 

.  GALLINA'GINIS,  vel  GALLI  GALLINACEI 
CA'PUT,  (from  gallinago,  a  woodcock  J.  When  the 
prostate  is  cut  open,  we  discover  the  eminence  called 
cafiut  gallinaginis,  thick  behind  and  slender  before  :  on 
each  side  of  this  eminence  appear  the  orifices  of  the 
vesiculas  seminalis. 
-  GALLI'TRICHIS.  WILD  CLARY. 

GALLI'TRICHUM.     See  HORMINUM. 

GA'LLIUM,  (from  y«A«,  lac,  milk;  because  it  co- 
agulates milk).  Called  gallion,  CHEESE  RENNET,  LA- 
DY'S BED  STRAW.  It  is  the  gallium  verum  Lin.  Sp . 
PI.  155;  a  plant  with  square  stalks,  and  long  narrow 
leaves,  which  commonly  stand  eight  at  a  joint  in  the 
form  of  a  star.  On  the  tops  appear  thick  clusters  of 
small  yellow  monopetalous  flowers,  followed  each  by 
two  seeds.  It  is  perennial,  found  in  dry  waste  grounds, 
and  flowers  in  June  and  July. 

The  flowers  have  a  strong,  not  disagreeable,  smell ; 
the  leaves  scarcely  any :  but  both  possess  a  degree  of 
acidity,  and  are  employd  in  curdling  milk.  It  is  on 
that  account  styled  cheese  rennet.  The  whole  plant  is 
said  to  be  cooling  and  astringent;  but  seldom  used  in 
medicine.  It  is  also  a  name  for  MADDER.  See  RUBIA 

SYLVATICA    L.SVIS. 

GA'LLIUM  LATIFO'LIUM  FLO'RE  LUTE'O. 
See  CRUCIATA  VULGARIS. 

GALVANISM,  (from  Galvani,  one  of  its  earliest  cul- 
tivators). Though  the  phenomena  which  Galvanism 
offers  are  by  no  means  wholly  new,  yet  the  discovery 
of  their  nature  and  source,  as  well  as  their  application, 
are  among  the  most  brilliant  improvements  of  an  in- 
ventive age.  It  was  long  since  observed  that  the  electric 
torpedo,  and  electric  eel,  as  they  were  styled,  could  give, 
with  powers  scarcely  impaired,  many  repeated  shocks  ; 
and  philosophers  contemplated  with  astonishment  bat- 
teries which  required  no  new  charge ;  an  efficacy 
scarcely  diminished  by  exertion.  This  effect  was  pro- 
bably not  produced  by  muscular  exertion,  for  in  that 
system  there  was  no  provision  for  the  exercise  of  such 
powers.  The  discriminating  organs  were  cellular,  to 
which  a  large  proportion  of  nerves  could  be  traced,  and 
anatomical  investigation  gave  no  further  assistance. 

Cotugno,  a  student  of  medicine,  in  1788,  on  dissect- 
ing a  mouse,  punctured  the  intercostal  nerve  with  his 
scalpel,  probably  while  he  touched  the  other  part  with 
his  probe,  and  he  felt  a  shock.  The  experiment,  with 
some  others,  was  repeated  by  Vassal! ;  but  the  only 
conclusion  drawn  was,  that  nature  had  a  power  of 
preserving  some  portion  of  the  electricity  after  death. 
Galvani  added  to  our  knowledge  by  showing  us,  that 
the  contact  of  two  metals  was  necessary  for  the  pro- 
duction of  this  new  power,  which  greatly  resembled 
the  electrical ;  and  it  was  conjectured  very  early,  that 
these  metals  acted  as  doublers  of  electricity.  In  the 
Annales  de  Chimie,  we  find  a  very  ingenious  calcula- 
tion of  their  t-ffects,  on  the  principle  of  the  two  metals 
acting  in  thi:-  vay  (vol.  xli.  p.  3),  in  a  report  made  by 
La  PiAce,Coi.Ii>!nb.  Fourcroy,  Biot,  See.  to  the  academy 
respecting  the  Voltaic  pile.  But  we  shall  not  enlarge 


GAL 


694 


GAL 


on  this  part  of  the  subject,  because  it  is  scarcely  me- 
dical, and  because  the  Galvanic  phenomena  are  more 
nearly  connected  with  the  oxidation  of  the  metals.  Be- 
fore, however,  we  leave  this  early  stage  of  the  history, 
we  may  remark,  that  Sulzer,  in  1769,  and  Fabroni 
soon  afterwards,  found  that  if  a  piece  of  silver  was 
placed  on  the  tongue,  and  a  plate  of  zinc  under  it,  on 
these  metals  touching  each  other  a  pungent  taste  was 
perceived. 

Galvani  seems  rather  to  have  retarded  than  promoted 
the  knowledge  of  this  science,  by  connecting  it  too 
closely  with  the  fashionable  system  of  electricity,  and 
attempting  to  find,  in  the  muscular  fibre,  the  two  sides 
of  the  Leyden  phial.  The  theory  of  Volta  is  still  dif- 
ferent ;  yet  the  peculiar  action  of  this  singular  fluid  is 
not  yet  well  understood.  It  is  shown  to  exist,  by  coat- 
ing, as  it  is  styled,  a  nerve  and  a  muscle  with  a  different 
metallic  substance,  and  then  joining  the  distant  coatings 
by  some  conductor.  The  muscle  is  thus  powerfully 
agitated ;  and  even  long  after  life  is  at  end,  these  mo- 
tions may  be  excited.  The  heart,  alone,  is  most  dis- 
obedient to  this  power ;  and  for  a  reason  easily  assigned. 
As  an  organ  of  peculiar  importance,  its  nerves  are  de- 
rived from  many  different  sources,  communicating  with 
numerous  fibres  of  a  very  distant  origin,  in  plexuses 
and  ganglia.  If  then  any  particular  nerve  is  coated, 
but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  nervous  power  which 
regulates  that  organ  is  affected. 

In  the  manner,  however,  described,  the  influence  of 
Galvanism  is  very  inconsiderable ;  the  Vv/ltaic  pile,  call- 
ed from  Volta,  was  contrived  to  augment  its  power. 
This  pile  consists  of  plates  of  zinc  and  copper,  placed 
alternately,  interposing  woollen  cloths,  wetted  with  a 
solution  of  muriated  ammonia,  between  each.  It  is  im- 
proved in  its  powers,  and  the  continuance  of  its  effects, 
by  fixing  these  plates  in  a  wooden  frame,  and  pouring 
in  the  interstices  a  dilute  muriatic  acid.  It  is  varied 
often  by  using  one  metal,  and  different  fluids,  or  supply- 
ing the  place  of  metals  with  other  substances,  as  char- 
coal and  plumbago.  These  varieties,  however,  belong, 
rather  to  the  general  view  of  the  science  than  to  the 
present  article.  For  medical  purposes,  the  trough,  as  it 
is  called,  is  very  generally  employed  ;  and  the  plates 
are  squares,  whose  sides  seldom  exceed  three  inches. 
Larger  ones  have  been  tried;  but  though  they  seem  to 
possess  a  greater  Galvanic  power,  they  do  not  commu- 
nicate more :  after  their  action  they  are  less  completely 
discharged.  The  shape  is  of  no  consequence;  for  they 
are  often  round,  and  then  called  discs. 

The  action  of  Galvanism  on  the  human  body  is  nearly 
that  of  electricity;  but  as  a  stimulant,  it  is  less  intense, 
and  more  steady.  The  cuticle  in  animals,  and  the 
epidermis  in  plants  and  seeds,  resist  it  more  powerfully 
than  the  electrical  influence ;  and  it  is  necessary  often, 
for  the  purpose  of  increasing  its  power,  to  puncture  the 
skin,  so  as  to  draw  some  blood.  The  coats  of  the  nerves 
have  apparently  a  similar  effect ;  for  the  influence  is 
greater,  the  nearer  the  coating  is  placed  to  the  part  on 
which  the  nerves  are  dispersed,  where  the  coats  are 
thinner,  or  wholly  lost.  In  general,  however,  Gal- 
vanism does  not  seem  to  resemble  accumulated  electri- 
city ;  but  a  weaker  charge  diffused  over  a  larger  sur- 
face. In  the  operation,  the  metals  are  oxidated,  and  the 
water  between  them  is  decomposed,  the  zinc  apparently 


yielding  the  oxygen,  and  the  copper  the  hydrogen.  As 
the  water  is  seemingly  decomposed  on  each  side,  it  has 
become  a  problem  to  account  for  the  disappearance  of 
the  oxygen  on  the  side  of  the  copper,  and  the  contrary. 
Philosophers  have  not  yet  dared  to  face  this  difficulty, 
as  it  so  strongly  militates  against  the  modern  chemical 
doctrines.  This  decomposition  of  a  watery  fluid  was, 
however,  introduced  very  early  into  its  medical  system; 
and  Galvani,  resting  on  the  hypothesis  of  Cotunnio  de 
Ischiade  Nervosa,  that  sciatica,  and  many  other  com- 
plaints, arose  from  the  accumulation  of  a  fluid  within  the 
nervous  sheaths,  supposed  that  it  was  of  service  from 
its  influence  on  the  morbid  causes.  We  have  no  reason, 
however,  to  think  that  it  has  any  effect  in  this  way, 
though  it  has  been  supposed  also  from  this  circumstance 
to  change  the  positive  electricity  of  the  healthy  body  to 
the  negative  state. 

Galvanism  seems  chiefly  to  affectthe  nervous  system, 
including  the  muscular  fibres,  and,  indeed,  in  some 
degree,  fibres  of  every  kind,  producing  even  some 
apparent  contraction  in  the  fibrin  of  the  blood.  The 
nerves  and  muscles,  however,  it  penetrates  more  actively 
than  the  electrical  fluid  in  its  usual  state ;  for  it  produces 
powerful  contractions,  and  sensations  of  pricking  and 
burning  in  parts  insensible,  from  disease,  to  electrical 
sparks,  and  even  shocks.  The  effects  are  increased  by 
moistening  the  skin,  and  wetting  it  so  much  as  even  to 
penetrate  the  cuticle ;  still  more,  we  have  said,  if  the 
cuticle  is  divided  :  but  it  often  happens  that  one  person 
may  be  insensible  to  its  influence,  and  occasionally  the 
pile  is  a  long  time  in  producing  its  effects,  seemingly 
from  some  obstacle,  which  is  removed  by  an  apparently 
inconsiderable  change  in  the  apparatus.  It  appears  to 
penetrate  the  nervous  system  in  every  direction  with 
equal  facility,  and  probably  passes  through  the  minutest 
fibres,  as,  after  a  nerve  has  been  cut  and  re-united  by 
what  seems  a  condensed  cellular  or  ligamentous  sub- 
stance, the  Galvanic  influence  is  not  transmitted.  It 
apparently  acts  by  exciting  the  nervous  power ;  since, 
like  all  powerful  exciters,  it  soon  destroys  irritability. 
Animals  killed  by  the  destruction  of  this  principle  soon 
become  putrid;  and  this  is  also  the  rapid  consequence 
of  death  by  putrid  miasmata,  electricity,  and  Galvanism. 
Galvanism,  in  consequence  of  its  readily  permeating 
the  nerves,  has  been  employed,  by  Humboldt,  to  ascer- 
tain what  parts  are  nervous,  and  the  real  use  of  some 
nerves  whose  office  was  doubtful.  The  tendons,  pro- 
bably from  the  compactness  of  their  structure,  are  in- 
sensible of  the  Galvanic  stimulus.  By  his  experiments 
it  also  appears  that  the  third  branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of 
nerves  supplies  the  organs  of  taste,  and  the  ninth  pair 
gives  activity  to  the  muscles  of  the  tongue,  as  Galen 
supposed. 

This  active  principle  has  been  employed  with  success 
in  restoring  persons  apparently  drowned ;  and  by  esta- 
blishing a  communication  between  zinc  and  silver 
wires,  introduced  into  the  mouth  and  anus  of  small 
birds,  Humboldt  has  recovered  them  from  asphixy. 
Except,  however,  in  deaths  from  violence,  Galvanism 
is  useless;  since,  in  the  last  struggles,  irritability  is 
usually  destroyed.  It  has  been  recommended  to  dis- 
tinguish a  case  of  peculiar  difficulty  and  importance, 
viz.  the  existence  of  amaurosis  in  cases  of  cataract.  If 
the  two  metallic  exciters,  in  a  proper  position,  do  not 


r;  AL 


695 


GAL 


produce  the  usual  sensations  in  the  retina,  the  opera- 
tion will  probably  be  useless,  as  the  sentient  power  of 
the  r.ej  ve  is  apparently  lost. 

M.  Grappengeissef,  the  first  author  who  seems  to 
have  applied  Galvanism  to  medical  purposes,  used  it 
chiefly  in  palsies,  and  in  various  weaknesses  of  the 
sentient  or  moving  nervous  fibres ;  it  has  been  certainly 
useful,  though  obviously  inefficacious  in  diseases  arising 
from  an  organic  defect.  Yet,  in  a  very  considerable 
degree  of  what  may  be  styled  organic  defect  in  the 
structure  of  the  nerve  itself,  it  seems  to  have  been  be- 
neficial where  this  defect  occasioned  epileptic  symptoms 
(Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  last);  and 
from  this  we  are  led  to  expect  some  advantages  from  the 
remedy,  where  epileptic  paroxysms  proceed  from  either 
extremity,  and  rise  to  the  head  in  the  form  of  an  aura. 
In  gutta  serena,  practitioners  have  not  succeeded  by 
means  of  Galvanism;  and  it  ought  to  be  remembered, 
that  the  very  sensible  retina  seldom  recovers  its  powers 
after  it  has  been,  for  even  a  short  time,  in  a  paralytic 
state. 

In  cases  of  spasmodic  contraction,  as  cramp,  con- 
tracted fingers,  or  limbs,  Galvanism  has  often  relieved ; 
and  in  lameness  from  gout  it  has  been  successful.  In 
one  instance,  hydrophobia  is  said,  by  Vassalli  Eundi,  to 
have  been  cured  by  it;  but,  in  sciatica,  the  same  author 
adds,  that  it  has  been  occasionally  injurious,  though  in 
some  circumstances  he  supposes  that  it  may  be  benefi- 
cial. Nervous  beadachs,  and  similar  symptoms,  have 
been  relieved  by  Galvanism  ;  and  Aldini  thinks,  that  in 
two  instances  of  mental  derangement  it  has  been  highly 
useful.  In  the  application  of  Galvanism  to  palsies,  a 
remark  of  M.  Pfaff  should  be  attended  to,  though  we 
believe  it  has  not  been  confirmed  by  other  practitioners, 
viz.  that  the  zinc  should  be  applied  to  the  muscles,  and 
the  silver  to  the  nerves  ;  for  if  the  arrangement  is  al- 
tered, the  irritability  of  the  muscles  is  diminished  rather 
than  increased. 

This  remedy  has  been  employed  in  some  cases  of 
vitiated  secretion.  Its  effects  on  the  secretions,  like 
those  of  electricity,  are  the  increase  of  the  discharge ; 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  where  the  secreted  fluids 
are  diseased  from  a  relaxation  of  the  vessels,  Galvanism 
may  be  useful.  It  has  been  employed  also,  like  electri- 
city, in  discussing  indolent  tumours,  and  in  cataracts, 
but  with  no  very  marked  or  decided  success.  A  few 
boasted  cures  have  raised  our  expectations,  but  the  little 
permanency  of  the  benefit  received  has  again  depressed 
our  sanguine  hopes.  After  repeated  experiments  about 
the  head,  inflammations  of  the  eyes,  a  catarrhal  inflam- 
mation of  the  Schneiderian  membrane,  an  insensibility 
of  the  organ  of  taste,  headach,  or  vertigo,  have  followed ; 
and  Galvanism  has  been  undoubtedly  injurious  where 
there  was  considerable  irritability. 

On  the  whole,  then,  we  have  not  yet  received  very 
encouraging  accounts  of  the  success  of  Galvanism  in 
diseases;  and  we  fear  that  we  must  resign  it,  with  elec- 
tricity, as  a  remedy  that  promises  to  be  beneficial,  but 
whose  advantages  have  not  yet  answered  the  flattering 
expectations  first  raised. 

We  have  considered  Galvanism  only  as  electricity,  but 
it  is  probably  not  exactly  the  same ;  and  we  may,  with 
some  advantage,  add  a  few  observations  on  this  part  of 
the  subject,  which,  though  not  strictly  medical,  may  per- 


haps admit  of  some  application  to  medicine.  Galvanism 
will,  indeed,  produce  all  the  phenomena  of  electricity  ; 
but  it  cannot  be  accumulated  in  non-conducting  bodies, 
or  excited  by  any  operation  on  them.  The  distinction 
seems  to  depend  on  this,  that  in  the  electrical  machine, 
the  fluid  accumulated  on  the  non-conducters  is  raised 
from  the  earth,  or  drawn  from  the  atmosphere  around ; 
in  the  Galvanic  pile  it  is  the  fluid  which  formed  a  com- 
ponent part  of  the  conductor,  appearing  in  consequence 
of  its  change  of  capacity  in  this  respect.  In  the  doubler 
of  electricity  it  is  the  same ;  and  the  electricity  of  the  air 
appears  to  be  truly  Galvanic,  since  it  is  owing  to  the  de- 
composition of  water,  and  consequently  a  change  in  the 
capacity  of  air  that  before  contained  vapour.  Conductors 
of  electricity  are  also  conductors  of  Galvanism,  and  in  the 
same  order.  In  the  following  series,  viz.  gold,  silver, 
copper,  iron,  tin,  lead,  and  zinc,  each  will  become  posi- 
tive when  connected  with  that  which  precedes,  and 
negative  with  that  which  follows.  The  metal  oxidated 
gives  out  the  Galvanic  fluid ;  and  it  may  be  produced 
by  a  single  metal)  if  one  part  only  is  changed  in  its 
state.  The  most  and  least  oxidable  metals  form  the  most 
active  combinations ;  and  after  the  metals,  charcoal, 
muscular  flesh,  spirits,  and  beer,  are  conductors  in  their 
order.  Charcoal  is  the  most,  and  beer  the  least,  power- 
ful. "Various  circumstances  in  common  life  were  little 
understood  previous  to  the  discovery  of  the  Galvanic 
fluid.  As  it  may  be  excited  by  two  dissimilar  fluids, 
and  one  metal,  the  improved  taste  of  porter  from  a  pew- 
ter pot,  a  fact  generally  acknowledged,  may  be  owing 
to  this  principle ;  nor  is  it  very  absurd  to  suppose,  that 
two  persons  in  a  different  state  of  electricity  may  excite 
the  Galvanic  fluid  by  the  medium  of  a  single  metal,  as 
in  the  management  of  the  Perkinean  tractors. 

We  are  not  yet  sufficiently  informed  of  the  influence 
of  different  animal  substances  as  conductors  or  exciters 
of  Galvanism.  Galvanic  effects  probably  arise  from 
alternate  strata  of  muscles  and  nerves ;  but  it  is  more 
certain  that  this  fluid  acts  particularly  through  the 
medium  of  the  nerves.  This  has  been  denied,  because 
leeches  are  sensible  of  this  action,  and  in  these  animals 
no  nerves  have  been  discovered ;  but  we  shall  show 
that  they  really  have  a  nervous  system.  Mushrooms 
are  also  tolerably  good  conductors  of  Galvanism. 

In  the  animal  economy,  the  capacity  of  the  fluids  for 
containing  electricity  is  constantly  changing.  To  the 
facts  adduced  under  that  article,  of  the  different  states 
of  the  electricity  of  the  fluids  of  the  body,  may  be  added, 
from  the  observations  of  Buvina,  that  in  the  shivering 
fit  of  fever  the  electricity  is  negative.  In  shivering 
from  fear  it  is  the  same;  and  diseased  cats  are  no 
longer  electrical.  Vigour,  spirit,  and  activity  in  the 
human  body,  and  probably  all  animals,  are,  therefore, 
connected  with  the  positive,  or  as  we  have  been  willing 
to  style  it,  with  the  excess  of  electricity  ;  languor  and 
disease  with  its  defect.  We  find,  too,  in  the  electrical 
organs  of  the  torpedo  and  gymnotus  electricus,  (for  as 
the  only  organs  in  which  they  differ  from  other  fish,  we 
may  presume  that  they  are  the  seat  and  source  of  their 
peculiar  powers,)  that  the  surface  is  greatly  increased 
by  the  numerous  plates  of  which  they  consist,  and  that 
a  very  large  proportion  of  nerves  is  sent  to  these  plates. 
When  we  combine  these  facts,  we  shall  find  reason  to 
conclude  that  the  nerves  are  the  probable  sources  of  the 


GAM 


696 


G  A  N 


animal,  Galvanic  fluid ;  and  that  these  and  the  nervous 
fluids  are  the  same,  or  nearly  related.  If  in  the  animal 
process  the  excess  of  electricity  disappears,  we  must 
look  for  some  reservoir  in  which  it  is  collected,  some 
storehouse  from  which  it  may  be  issued ;  and  this  ap- 
pears to  be  the  brain  and  nerves.  Such,  at  least,  are 
.apparently  the  fair  conclusions  from  the  facts  before  us. 

Mr.  Wilkinson  also  supposes  that  the  cells  of  the 
lungs  are  really  Galvanic  organs ;  and  that  the  electricity 
of  the  air  is  discharged  in  these  cells,  where  the  fluid 
loaded  with  carbone  (a  conductor  so  powerful  as  to 
be  discovered  in  a  small  proportion,  even  when  me- 
chanically mixed  with  any  body,  by  means  of  Galvanism) 
increases  its  activity,  thus  giving  a  stimulus  to  the 
heart.  The  idea  is  ingenious,  but  it  must  rest  on  its 
own  basis.  We  are  not  aware  of  any  argument  that 
will  support  or  invalidate  it.  See  Wilkinson's  Elements 
of  Galvanism.  Le  Sue's  History  of  Galvanism.  Al- 
dini's  Experiments.  Annales  de  Chimie;  and  Philo- 
sophical Magazine,  fiassim. 

GALRE'DA,  (from  galrey,  jelly,  German).  A  jelly 
made  by  boiling  the  cartilaginous  part  of  animals.  In 
Paracelsus,  it  signifies  an  excrementitious  mouldiness. 

GAMBO'GIA,  (from  the  province  Cambogia,  where 
it  is  produced  in  the  largest  quantities).  From  its  sup- 
posed virtues,  it  is  called  glimmi  ad  fiodagram,  gummi 
gutta;  and  by  corruption  gotta,  gutta  gamba,  gamon, 
germandra,  catagemu,  gamboidea,  Sec.  ;  from  its  gold 
colour,  chrysofius;  and  from  its  purgative  quality,  xuc- 
cus  laxativus,  sitccus  Indicus  fmrgans,  and  scammoni- 
um  orientate;  usually  GAMBOGE. 

It  is  a  gummy  resinous  concrete,  brought  from  the 
East  Indies;  not,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  produce  of 
the  tree  called  coddam-fiulli;  but  more  probably  obtained 
from  a  shrub  of  the  esula  or  tithymalus  kind,  referred 
by  Koenig  to  a  new  genus,  stalagmites.  It  is  usually 
supposed  to  be  the  concrete  juice  of  the  Cambogia  gutta 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  728  ;  and  is  brought  to  us  in  large  cakes 
and  rolls.  It  is  solid,  brittle,  of  a  smooth  surface, 
perfectly  opake,  free  from  any  visible  impurities,  of  a 
deep  reddish  yellow  colour,  and  uniform  throughout  its 
whole  substance ;  stains  moist  hands  of  a  yellow  co- 
lour; when  chewed,  it  hath  little  or  no  taste;  but  soon 
after  impresses  a  pungent  acrimony  and  heat,  and  occa- 
sions a  dryness  in  the  mouth.  It  easily  melts  over  the 
fire,  ignites  from  the  flame  of  a  candle,  burns  with  a 
white  flame,  and  leaves  a  gray  ash. 

In  medicine,  it  is  chiefly  used  as  a  drastic  purge ; 
but  in  small  doses,  or  united  with  other  laxatives,  often 
operates  with  safety  and  ease ;  producing  copious  dis- 
charges by  -stool.  In  many  constitutions  gamboge 
disagrees  with  the  stomach,  and  occasions  vomiting, 
with  cold  sweats,  and  other  marks  of  dangerous  com- 
motion ;  and  in  dropsies,  if  given  alone,  it  sometimes 
produces  faintness  from  the  discharge.  The  dose  is 
from  two  grains  to  ten.  Boiling  in  water  is  said  to 
lessen  its  activity;  solutions  in  alkalised  water  are  sup- 
posed to  act  only  by  stool  and  urine. 

In  general,  we  have  not  found  these  observations 
correct.  Rubbed  with  almonds,  from  its  want  of  taste, 
it  is  a  convenient  laxative  for  children ;  and  alkalis  have 
been  styled  its  correctors,  but  they  seem  only  to  change 
the  colour  from  a  yellow  to  a  dull  red. 

It  maybe  given  in  doses  of  three  or  four  grains  rub- 
bed down  with  a  little  sugar$  and  repeated  every  three 


or  four  hours ;  it  then  evacuates  water  freely,  both  by 
stool  and  urine.  See  SPIRITUS  COCHLEARI^E  AUREUS. 
It  has  been  recommended  also  in  obstructions  of  the 
bowels,  in  tacnia,  and  in  quartans.  It,  however,  too 
often  produces  vomiting  to  be  eminently  useful  in  the 
first  complaint;  and  to  destroy  a  tasnia,  its  dose  must 
be  unusually  and  dangerously  large.  It  is  employed, 
however,  with  advantage  in  Madame  Nouffler's  formula, 
to  assist  the  action  of  the  fern  root.  In  quartans  it  is 
no  longer  exhibited. 

"lihcgambogits  tinctura  <z?nmom'ata,  arnmoniated tinc- 
ture of  gamboge,  has  been  of  considerable  service  in 
some  cutaneous  complaints,  if  a  tea  spoonful  or  two 
are  given  every  night  and  morning ;  and  is  made  by- 
dissolving  eighteen  grains  of  gamboge  in  two  ounces 
of  the  spirits  of  ammonia. 

Rectified  spirit  of  wine  dissolves  five  sixths,  and  ac- 
quires a  deep  gold  colour  from  it :  water,  assisted  by 
heat,  takes  up  the  same  proportion;  but  on  cooling  de- 
posits much  of  the  resin  :  if  the  water  is  first  impreg- 
nated with  an  alkaline  salt,  it  is  said  to  deposit  none. 
See  Tournefort's  Materia  Medica.  Lewis  and  Cul- 
len's  Materia  Medica. 

GA'MMA,  GA'MMATA,  FERRAMENTA.  An 
instrument  mentioned  by  P.  jEgineta,  made  like  the 
Greek  letter  r,  used  for  cauterising  a  hernia  aquosa. 

GA'MMARUS,  (from  K«jtt«pa,   an   arch,  from  the 
vaulted  roof  of  its  shell).     See  CANCKR  FLUVIATILIS. 
GA'MON.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GAMPHE'LE.  The  CHEEK.  The  JAW,  (from 
•yan$>t&;  croo/cedj.  See  BUCC.S. 

GA'GAMON,  (from  r«y/«i«.>),  a  Jis/iing-  net;  which 
it  was  said  to  resemble).  The  OMENTUM  ;  and  the 
name  is  assigned  also  to  the  contexture  of  nerves  about 
the  navel. 

GA'NGLIA.  See  SESAMUM  VERUM. 
GA'NGLION.  A  primitive  in  the  Greek.  In  ana- 
tomy, it  imports  a  knot  in  which  nerves  from  different 
sources  are  intimately  mixed.  Where  two  nerves  join 
together,  there  is  generally  a  ganglion,  or  plexus;  as 
may  be  seen  at  the  beginning  of  all  the  nerves  of  the 
medulla  spinalis,  and  in  many  other  parts  of  the  body. 
See  PLEXUS,  and  CEREBRUM. 

In  surgery,  it  is  a  moveable  tumour  formed  on  the 
tendons  ;  generally  about  the  carpus  ;  but  always  near 
the  skin,  and  not  attended  with  any  uneasiness.  Gang- 
lions are  supposed  to  be  formed  of  lymph,  secreted 
within  the  vaginae  of  tendons,  differing  in  their  form  and 
consistence,  though  they  never  suppurate.  Mr.  Sharp 
reckons  these  tumours  among  those  encysted  ones  call- 
ed meliceris.  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  it  as  a  genus  in  the  class 
locales,  and  order  tumores,  and  defines  it,  a  hard  move- 
able  extuberation,  fixed  u/ion  a  tendon. 

Mr.  Sharp  assures  us,  that  he  hath  frequently  suc- 
ceeded by  making  an  incision  through  their  whole 
length,  at  the  same  time  dividing  the  ligament  of  the 
wrist,  and  afterwards  dressing  as  in  wounds  in  general. 
Mr.  WTarner  gives  two  instances  of  his  successfully  extir- 
pating them  :  he  observes,  that  the  objection  from  dan- 
ger of  wounding  the  subjacent  tendon  or  ligament  is  of 
little  importance,  since  these  parts  can  be  generally 
avoided;  and  the  accident  occurs  daily  in  wounds  with- 
out danger.  He  recommends  the  cutting  away  part  of 
the  cyst,  and  then  destroying  the  rest  by  digestion.  A 
seton  passed  through  them  is  a  safe  and  easy  cure.  See 


GAS 


697 


U  AS 


Sharp's  Operations  in  Surgery,  in  the  chapter  on  en- 
cysted tumours.  Warner's  Cases  in  Surgery.  Heister's 
Surgery.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  p.  476. 

GANGR.E'NA,  (from  yair*,  to  feed  ufion).     See 

MORTIFICATIO. 

GAXGRA'NA  O'RIS.     See  CANCRCM  ORIS. 

GA.XGR.«'NA  o'ssis.     See  SPINA  VEXTOSA. 

GANGRENE  SCORBUTIQUE  DES  GENCI- 
VES.  See  CAXCRUM  ORIS. 

GA'NNAXA,  and  GANNANAPE'RIDE.  See 
CORTEX  PERUVLVXUS. 

GA'RAB.     See  J£GILOPS. 

GA'RGALE,  GA  RGALOS,  GARGALI'SMOS, 
:i  •yaf/aitga,  to  tickle  or  stimulate}.  TITILLATIOX, 

IRRITATIOX,     ITCHING. 

GARGA'REON,  (from  the  Arabic  gargar).  See 
UVULA. 

GARGARI'SMA,  or  GARGARI'SMUS,  (from 
-/as.'ao'C*'*  and  that  from  '/affrfiui,  the  throat,}  anagar- 
gariston,  diaclysma,  collutorium  oris.  A  GARGLE.  It 
is  used  for  washing  the  mouth  and  throat  when  inflam- 
mations or  ulcerations  are  present.  A  small  quantity 
may  be  taken  into  the  mouth,  moved  briskly  about,  and 
spit  out ;  or  held  on  the  back  of  the  throat,  and  agitated 
there  by  a  gentle  expiration :  if  the  patient  cannot  do 
this  advantageously,  the  liquor  may  be  injected  with  a 
syringe.  When  gargles  are  required,  they  should 
be  more  frequently  repeated  than  is  usual  in  com- 
mon practice.  Simple  gargles  are  designed  for  cleans- 
ing the  fauces,  and  generally  consist  of  vinegar  and 
honey,  with  infusions  of  some  of  our  indigenous  aroma- 
tics.  In  cases  of  putridity,  the  bark,  with  mineral  acids; 
decoctions  of  contrayerva,  with  tincture  of  myrrh,  and 
port  wine,  occasionally  with  Cayenne  pepper,  as  in  the 
West  India  gargle,  are  necessary.  See  ANGINA  and 
APHTHA. 

GARGARI'SMA    ALU'MINIS.      See    HYPOSTA- 

PHILE. 

GA'RGATHUM.  A  bed  on  which  lunatics  were 
formerly  confined. 

GA'RON,  or  GA'RUM.  A  kind  of  pickle  prepared 
of  fish :  at  first  it  was  made  from  a  fish  which  the 
Greeks  called  garos;  but  the  best  was  prepared  from 
mackerel.  Among  the  moderns,  garum  signifies  the 
liquor  in  which  fish  is  pickled.  With  vinegar  is  called 
oxygarum. 

GARO'SMUM.     SeeAxRiPLEx  FCETIDA. 

GAROTI'LLO.     See  ANGINA  GAXGRJENOSA. 

GARYOPHY'LLON  PLINII.     See  CASSIA  CARY- 

OPHYLLATA. 

GAS,  (from  geist,  in  the  German  language  spirit}. 
ELASTIC  FLUID,  AERIFORM  FLUID,  ELASTIC  VAPOUR. 
The  word  gas  was  first  employed  by  Van  Helmont 
to  express  the  spirit  which  rises  from  fermenting 
liquors.  By  this  term  we  now  mean  a  permanent  aeri- 
form fluid,  incapable  of  becoming  fluid  by  cold,  and 
owing  its  aerial  form  to  its  intimate  union  with  ca- 
loric. See  AEH. 

GAS  PI'XGUE  SULPHU'REUM.  The  deleterious  ex- 
halations from  caves,  usually  the  carbonic  acid  gas ; 
sometimes  hydrogenous  gas. 

GAS  SULPHU'RIS.     SULPHURIC  ACID  GAS. 

GAS  SYLVE'STRE.  The  subtile  spirit  which  rises  from 
fermenting  liquors,  carbonic  acid  gas. 

GAS  VEXTO'SUM.     The  AIR. 

"OL.   I. 


GASCO'IGNI  PU'LVIS,  (from  Gascoigne,  the  in- 
ventor's name).  See  BEZOAR  ORIEXTALIS. 

GAS'TER,  ("/*«•?«).  In  Hippocrates  it  is  usually  sy- 
nonymous with  the  abdomen ;  sometimes  with  the  ute- 
rus ;  generally  with  the  stomach. 

GASTE'RANAX.     See  BITHXIMALCA. 

GA'STRICA,  (from  y*r">;e,  the  stomach).  See 
GASTRODYXIA. 

GA'STRICA  ARTE'RIA  DE'XTRA.  vel  GASTHICA  MAJOR, 
proceeds  from  the  hepatica  arteria;  passes  behind  the 
pylorus,  and,  beyond  it,  sends  out  the  duodenalis  or 
intestinalis ;  then  runs  along  the  right  side  of  the  great 
curvature  of  the  stomach,  to  the  neighbouring  parts,  to 
which,  on  both  sides,  it  distributes  branches,  and  at  last 
ends  in  the  gastrica  sinistra. 

GA'STRICA  ARTE'RIA  SIXI'STRA,  vel  GA'STRICA  MINOR, 
is  a  branch  of  the  splenica ;  it  runs  from  the  left 
to  the  right,  along  the  left  portion  of  the  great  cur- 
vature of  the  stomach ;  supplies  the  omentum  with 
branches  called  gastro  efiiftloicte  sinistrie,znd  then  com- 
municates with  the  gastrica  arteria  dextra :  from  this 
union  the  gastro  epiploicae  mediae  are  produced. 

GA'STRICA  FEBRIS.  This  epithet  is  usually  ap- 
plied to  the  bilious  remittents,  styled  fancifully  by  Pinel 
meningo  gastric,  and  varied  as  either  a  remittent  or  con- 
tinued fever.  By  Selle  it  is  styled  glutinoso  gastric, 
from  the  quantity  of  mucous  matter  in  the  stomach. 
See  Pinel  Nosologie,  and  Selle  Pyretologia. 

GA'STHICA  VE'NA,  EPIPLOI'CA  SIXI'STRA.  See  GA- 
STRICA VENA  SIXISTRA. 

GA'STRICA  VE'NA  HE'CTA  ;  called  also  gastro  ejii- 
filoica  dextra.  It  is  sometimes  a  branch  from  the  vena 
portae  ventralis,  or  from  its  principal  branches ;  goes  to 
the  pylorus,  to  the  great  curvature  of  the  stomach,  and 
communicates  with  the  gastrica  sinistra. 

GA'STRICA  VESA  SINISTRA,  goes  out  from  the 
splenica,  at  the  left  extremity  of  the  pancreas,  from 
whence  it  runs  to  the  great  extremity  of  the  stomach, 
and  along  the  great  arch,  until  it  meets  the  gastrica 
dextra,  sending  in  its  passage  branches  to  the  sides  of 
the  stomach,  and  communicating  with  the  coronaria 
ventriculi. 

GA'STRICUS  SU'CCUS,  (from  the  same).  The 
GASTRIC  JUICE  is  a  thin  pellucid  fluid,  supposed  to 
flow  from  the  glands  in  the  stomach  to  assist  the  solu- 
tion and  digestion  of  the  food;  but  is  probably  only 
the  remains  of  former  meals.  See  DIGESTIO. 

GASTRI'NUM.  See  CLAVELLATI  CIXERES. 

GASTRITIS,  (from  '/*~'^  venter).     See  IXFLAM- 

MATIO  VEXTBICUI.I. 

GASTROCE'LE,  (from  y**-?*?,  the  stomach,  and 
xrM,  a  tumour}.  A  RUPTURE  OF  THE  STOMACH. 
The  tumour  is  in  the  upper  part  of  the  linea  alba;  though 
it  has  happened  that  a  portion  of  this  viscus  has  been 
forced  through  the  fibres  of  the  diaphragm  into  the 
lungs.  See  ABDOMEX. 

GASTROCNE'MII,  (from  yac-?^,  a  belly,  and 
tutu*,  the  leg,  or  shin  bone}.  Albinus  calls  these  muscles 
by  the  name  gemellus,  for  each  at  its  origin  is  a  biceps 
rising  from  each  condyle  of  the  femur  :  the  heads  soon 
join,  leave  a  notch,  through  which  the  large  vessels  and 
nerves  pass,  and  the  whole  is  inserted  into  the  upper 
posterior  part  of  the  os  calcis.  The  tendon  of  the 
soleus,with  the  tendon  of  this  muscle,  forms  the  tendo 
A  chillis.  They  form  the  greatest  part  of  the  calves  of 

4U 


698 


GEN 


the  legs.  They  are  sometimes  called  gastrocnemii  ex- 
terni,  occasionally  sura. 

GASTROCNE'MIUS  INTE'RNUS.  See  SOLKUS. 

GASTRO  CO'LICA  VE'NA,  (from  v^lif>  the 
stomach,  and  x.»)\ov,  the  colon,)  is  a  branch  from  the 
mesaraica  minor,  and  soon  divided  into  two,  one  of 
which  runs  to  the  head  of  the  pancreas,  and  forms  the 
gastrica  recta  vena,  and  the  colica  recta  vena. 

GASTRODY'NIA,  (from  yairfaf,  and  o&»«,  pain). 
tlastrica,jieriadysmia  ;  PAIN  IN  THE  STOMACH  ;  usually 
a  symptom  of  dyspepsia.  When  it  arises  from  flatu- 
lence it  has  been  styled  fineumatosis. 

GASTRO  EPIPLOI'CA,  (from  y<*e-7of,  the  stomach, 
und  fvix-totv,  the  amentum).  An  epithet  for  the  arteries 
and  veins  that  go  to  the  stomach  and  omentum. 

GASTRO  EPIPLOI'CA  VENA.  A  branch  of  the  gastrica 
sinistra. 

GASTRO  DE'XTKA,     See  GASTRICA  RECTA  VENA. 

GASTHO  SINI'STRA     ARTE'IUA.       See    SPLENICA    AR- 

TEHIA. 

GASTRORA'PHIA,  (from  y«*-7»?,  Che  belly,  and 
foQti,  a  suture).  GASTRORAPHY.  This  word  strictly  sig- 
nifies the  sewing  up  any  wound  of  the  belly  ;  yet  in 
common  acceptation  it  implies  that  an  intestine  is 
•wounded  as  well  as  the  belly.  This  operation  is  useless 
in  small  wounds,  but  necessary  in  large  ones.  The  best 
method  is  to  pass  double  ligatures  in  one  needle,  in 
order  to  include  the  rolls  at  one  end,  and  to  be  tied  upon 
them  with  bow  knots  on  the  opposite  side,  which  gives 
an  opportunity  of  straitening  and  loosening  the  knots  at 
pleasure.  After  passing  as  many  ligatures  as  seem  ne- 
ccssary,  the  lips  of  the  wound  are  brought  gradually 
together,  and  kept  so  until  the  knots  are  tied. 

The  operation  of  stitching  the  bowels  can  only  take 
place  where  they  fall  out  of  the  abdomen,  so  that  we 
can  see  the  situation  and  nature  of  the  wound  in  the 
intestine.  It  requires  no  particular  direction  ;  but  the 
end  of  the  ligature  must  be  suffered  to  hang  without 
the  external  wound,  that  it  may  be  more  easily  removed. 
See  Sharp's  and  Le  Dran's  Operations. 

GASTROTO'MIA,  (from  yar]vf,  belly,  and  rs^a, 
•icut).  GASTHOTOMY.  Opening  the  belly  and  uterus, 
as  in  the  Caesarean  operation. 

GATRI'NUM.     See  CLAVELLATI  CINERES. 

GAU'DIUM,  (from  chadah,  to  rejoice').  JOY.  Is 
otie  of  the  exciting  passions,  and,  in  a  moderate  degree, 
animates  the  whole  system;  renders  the  pulse  free  and 
soft;  excites  the  action  of  the  capillaries;  and  assists 
digestion :  but  if  sudden  and  immoderate,  like  all  vio- 
lent excitements,  it  exhausts  the  irritability,  so  that 
madness  or  sudden  death  sometimes  ensues. 

GA'ZAR.     See  LAURCS  ALEXANDRINA. 

GAZE'LLA.  (Indian.)  The  AFRICAN  WILD  GOAT, 
•which  affords  the  oriental  bezoar.  Gazella  Africana  is 
the  antelope.  See  ANTELOPUS. 

GECCO;  POISON, peculiarly  violent  in  its  operation, 
procured,  it  is  said,  by  irritating  the  most  poisonous 
serpents.  With  this  the  Indians  infect  their  arrows. 

GE'DWAR,  or  GEI'DWAR.     See  ZEDOARIA. 

GEI'SON,  (yeio-sv,  the  eaves  of  a  house).  See  VALLUM. 

GELA'SINOS,  (from  ytPuis,  laughter).  An  epithet 
for  tl>e  four  middle  fore  teeth,  because  they  are  shown 
in  laughing. 

GELA'SMUS,  (from  the  same).     See  SARDONICUS 

TUSV'S. 


GELATIN  A,  (from  gelo,  to  congeal).  GELATINE 
is  an  ingredient  in  the  vegetable  as  well  as  the  animal 
kingdom ;  though  the  former  is  more  properly  styled 
gum  or  mucilage.  It  is  transparent,  soluble  slowly  in 
cold  water,  and  rapidly  at  90°.  Alkalis  dissolve  it,  es- 
pecially when  assisted  by  heat ;  acids  more  rapidly. 
With  the  nitric  acid  it  is  partly  converted  into  malic 
and  oxalic  acids.  It  is  insoluble  in  alcohol ;  but  a  small 
portion  may  be  added  to  the  watery  solution  without 
any  precipitation. 

With  tanin,  a  yellowish  white  precipitate  is  thrown 
down  from  a  solution  of  gelatine,  which  forms  an  elastic 
adhesive  mass,  not  unlike  vegetable  gluten,  and  is  a 
compound  of  the  tanin  and  gelatine.  Indeed  the  tanin 
is  the  most  certain  test  of  mucilage  in  any  body.  By 
heat  it  is  decomposed,  and  yields,  in  a  retort,  ammonia, 
a  foetid  oil,  zoonic  acid,  and  a  porous  charcoal,  leaving 
phosphat  of  lime,  muriat  of  soda,  and  potash. 

Gelatine  soon  becomes  sour,  and  quickly  putrefies. 
The  animal  mucilage,  which  greatly  resembles  it,  is  not 
precipitated  by  tanin,  nor  does  it  become  a  jelly  by  eva- 
poration. The  jellies  of  ripe  fruits  are  denominated 
only  from  their  consistence,  which  is  obtained  by  sugar. 

GELA'TIO,  (from  the  same).  FREEZING;  some- 
times the  rigidity  of  the  body  which  happens  in  a  ca- 
toche  or  catalepsis. 

GEMA'NDRA.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GEME'LL^E  CY'STIC&,  (from  geminus,  double). 
See  CYSTICJE  VEN.S. 

GEME'LLI,  (from  the  same).  See  GEMINI  MUSCULI. 

GEME'LLUS,  (from  the  same).  See  GASTROCNE- 
MII, GEMINUS,  and  BRACHI^EUS  EXTERNUS. 

GEMINA'TUS,  (from  geminus,  a  twin).  In  botany 
it  signifies  having  two  growing  from  the  same  part. 

GE'MINI;  the  name  given  by  Albinus  to  the  two 
muscles  which  Winslow  calls  gemelli,  sometimes  named 
marsu/iiales,  because  they  resemble  a  purse.  They  are 
two  flat,  narrow,  small  muscles,  situated  almost  trans- 
versely one  above  the  other,  between  the  tuberosity  of 
theischium  and  the  great  trochanter,  immediately  below 
the  pyriformis ;  parted  by  the  tendon  of  the  obturator 
internus.  (See  also  QUADRIGEMIM.)  The  appellation 
also  of  twins  (see  GENERATIO)  ;  and  a  name  of  the 
extensor  carpi  radialis.  Twins  are  also  called  gemelli 
and  didymi. ' 

GE'MM^E,  GEMMEUS,  (from  gemma,  a  jewel), 
fossilis  sal,  luciclum  sal,  maltheorum,  almene,  cibarius 
sal,  salrufieus,  ROCK  SALT,  FOSSIL  SALT,  COMMON  SALT, 
and  sal  gem,  from  its  transparency.  It  is  found  in  the 
mountains  of  Poland,  Catalonia,  Persia,  and  the  East 
Indies;  and  is  purified  by  solution  in  water,  when  it  be- 
comes the  common  or  alimentary  salt.  In  the  mines  of 
Wilizca  it  is  sometimes  hard  enough  to  be  turned  in 
the  lathe  into  toys  and  vases.  The  kind  naturally  pel- 
lucid is  chiefly  used  in  medicine  ;  and  supposed  to  be 
more  penetrating  than  the  salt  formed  by  evaporation. 

GEMS.     See  CAPRA  ALWNA. 

GEMU'RSA.  The  name  of  an  excrescence  betwixt 
the  toes. 

GE'NA,  (from  yews,  the  cheek).  The  upper  part  of 
^he  face  between  the  nose  and  ears. 

GENE'IAS,  (from  the  same).  The  downy  hairs 
which  first  cover  the  cheek;  the  name  also  of  a  bandage 
mentioned  by  GalenJ  that  comes  under  the  chin.  Sec 
FASCIA. 


GE  N 


699 


GEX 


GEXE'IOX,  (from  the  same).     Sec  AXTHEKEOX. 

GEXERA'TIO,  (from  genero,  to  beget).  GENERA- 
TION. This  peculiarly  curious  and  interesting  subject 
has  employed  the  ingenuity  and  sagacity  of  physiolo- 
of  every  age,  though  with  little  success.  They 
have  approached  only  the  sacred  fane ;  destroyed 
many  ill-founded  fabrics  ;  exploded  many  ridiculous 
theories;  and  established  the  question  at  least  on  a 
secure  basis. 

Every  animal  propagates  its  like ;  and  each  being 
proceeds  from  an  egg.  In  the  lowest  classes  of  animals, 
however,  nature  providently  guards  against  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  species,  by  an  impregnation  continued  through 
several  generations  :  and,  in  some  instances,  has  accu- 
mulated individuals  in  an  apparently  single  body.  To 
take,  then,  an  accurate  survey  of  the  whole  subject,  we 
must  commence  at  the  earliest  stage  of  animated  exist- 
ence. 

Naturalists  have,  at  last,  agreed,  that  plants  have  dis- 
tinct sexes  ;  and  the  common  experiment  in  the  east  on 
the  date  tree  is  admitted  to  be  a  general  example  of 
what  takes  place  in  the  animation  of  the  seed,  styled  its 
fecundation.  We  find  this  animation  so  perfect,  that 
time  scarcely  destroys  it  if  the  access  of  the  air  is  pre- 
vented. The  ground,  which  has  been  covered  for 
ages  with  buildings,  will,  if  turned  up,  produce  the 
peculiar  plants  of  the  soil,  and  those  only.  Where 
gardens  have  once  been  an  exotic  will  spring  among 
indigenous  plants,  claiming  the  distinction  of  a  denizen. 
The  impregnation  of  the  ovum  of  an  animal  will  be  oc- 
casionally, in  similar  circumstances,  lasting;  for  the 
tanks  in  India,  though  dried  for  months,  will,  after  the 
first  rains,  swarm  with  eels  similar  to  its  former  inha- 
bitants. Where  the  sexes  are  separated  by  the  force  of 
winds,  or  other  accidents,  the  former  impregnation  is 
continued  to  many,  sometimes  even  six  successive 
generations.  In  all  these  instances,  the  unvaried  form 
and  properties  of  the  species  show  that  the  succession  is 
not  fortuitous  ;  that  the  generation  is  not  equivocal. 

There  is,  however,  a  vicarious  mode  of  reproduction, 
or  rather  a  mode  of  increase  by  buds,  where,  as  we 
have  said,  numerous  individuals  are  collected  in  a  sin- 
gle body.  This  mode  is  well  known  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom  ;  but  it  is  also  found  in  the  lower  classes  of  the 
animal.  The  polypus  is  an  instance  of  this  kind.  Some 
snakes  possess  a  similar  power  of  sprouting  from  buds, 
and  can  reproduce  a  considerable  portion  after  mutila- 
tion :  many  animals  of  a  higher  order  can  reproduce  a 
lost  limb.  In  these  cases,  some  appearances  of  suc- 
cessive impregnation  may  be  suspected  ;  but  as  we  ad- 
vance in  the  scale  the  power  is  less.  When  the  opera- 
tions of  nature  are  more  perfect,  common  resources 
no  longer  an  effect;  the  power  of  the  bud,  which 
can  produce  a  new  polypus,  is  not  able  to  form  another 
man,  nor  even  reproduce  the  smallest  portion. 

We  find  also  life  more  profusely  bestowed  in  propor- 
tion to  the  simplicity  of  the  structure.  The  production 
of  mites  mocks  calculation  :  the  elephant  seldom  pro- 
duces more  than  two.  Millions  are  contained  in  the 
spawn  of  a  herring;  but  the  human  being  produces 
one  only.  This  simplicity  of  structure  does  not,  how- 
ever, depend  on  that  of  the  muscles,  for  in  a  caterpillar 
Lyonnet  enumerated  some  thousands,  but  on  the  con- 
struction and  functions  of  the  nervous  system.  Two  or 


three  years  bring  the  greater  number  of  animals  to 
their  perfection  :  man  requires  at  least  twenty.  Yet 
impregnation  is  equally  the  work  of  an  instant ;  and,  in 
these  years,  man,  by  the  exertions  of  his  own  constitu- 
tion, by  his  own  efforts,  brings  forward  his  body  and 
mind,  till  the  result  is  a  Locke,  a  Xewton,  or  a  Leibnitz. 
Life  then,  as  by  the  touch  of  a  Promethean  torch,  is 
the  illumination  of  the  moment :  the  constitution  of 
the  speck  that  is  animated  completes  the  work.  When 
we  survey  in  this  atom  the  future  being,  its  minuteness 
surpasses  the  conception,  and  its  supposed  increase  ap- 
pears an  impossibility.  It  is  a  trite  remark,  that  every 
thing  is  great  or  little  by  comparison ;  but  it  is  of  more 
consequence  to  observe,  that  our  idea  of"  little"  is  re- 
gulated by  our  organs.  What  we  can  scarcely  discern 
is  very  minute :  what  the  greatest  aid  of  glasses  dis- 
covers appears  to  ourminds  the  limits  of  existence.  But 
we  know  it  is  not  so.  Light,  for  instance,  has  an  almost 
insensible  momentum  ;  and  we  know  its  velocity  is  in- 
capable of  being  measured,  and  is  estimated  at  an  im- 
mense rate.  What  then  must ,  be  the  body?  It  must 
be  as  far  beneath  the  smallest  atom  that  our  glasses 
can  discover,  as  that  is  to  the  column  of  a  cathedral. 
When,  then,  we  reach  the  smallest  point  which  our 
organs,  with  the  aid  of  lenses,  can  convey  to  the  mind, 
it  is  our  conceptions  only  that  have  attained  their  limits, 
in  consequence  of  the  imperfection  of  those  channels  by 
which  ideas  are  conveyed.  The  world  below  us  is  ap- 
parently as  extensive  as  that  above ;  and  we  know  not 
but  that  it  may  sink  to  atoms  as  minute,  compared  to 
the  smallest  we  can  perceive,  as  the  whole  solar  system 
is  vast  and  superior  to  it. 

These  reflections  will  not,  we  trust,  appear  mis- 
placed, as  they  will  facilitate  our  progress  in  the  present 
consideration,  and  be  applicable  in  many  future  dis- 
quisitions. We  are  now  prepared  then  to  repeat,  with 
more  confidence,  that  generation  consists  only  in  ani- 
mation ;  and  that  the  growth  is  the  progressive  evolution 
of  organized  parts,  by  the  interposition  of  inorganic 
matter.  To  suppose  that  in  the  first  created  animals 
were  contained  the  germs  of  every  future  generation 
(the  Swiss  hypothesis  styled  emboitement,}  is  appa- 
rently too  extravagant,  even  with  the  assistance  of  our 
former  reflections.  It  is  probable  that  so  "  wonderful 
a  piece  of  work  as  man"  must  be  for  ages  forming  by 
the  concurrence  of  second  causes.  Such  is  the  pro- 
fusion with  which  the  Creator  seems  to  have  bestowed 
life,  that  though  we  would  reject  the  molecules  or- 
ganiques  of  Buffon  in  their  immediate  operation,  ac- 
cording to  his  system,  we  think  it  highly  probable  that 
in  the  successive  arrangements  of  die  component  parts 
of  the  more  perfect  animals  they  may  have  some  share. 
The  philosopher  will  perceive  the  tendency  and  end  of 
these  reflections,  which  it  is  unnecessary  at  present  to, 
pursue  farther,  as  inapplicable  to  the  present  subject. 

From  the  first  exertion  of  philosophical  investigation, 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  source  and  means  of 
our  existence  must  have  employed  the  reflections  of 
those  who  were  capable  of  penetrating  in  their  inquiries 
beyond  the  narrow  sphere  which  surrounded  them; 
and,  at  different  eras,  it  was  believed  that  both  the  male 
and  female  contributed  to  the  production  ;  that  the  male 
was  the  only  agent,  while  the  female  afforded  support 
and  nourishment ;  or  that  the  foetus  was  produced  and 
4U  2 


UEN 


700 


G  EN 


nourished  by  the  female,  and  animated  only  in  the  mo- 
ment of  generation.  We  shall  speak  of  each  opinion, 
and  its  authors,  very  shortly,  in  their  order. 

The  first  and  most  obvious  opinion  was  that  of  Hip- 
pocrates and  Harvey.     It  is  indeed  highly  reasonable, 
and  supported  by  every  appearance:  though  the  more 
modern  systems  of  Haller,  Bonnet,  and  Spalanzani,must, 
in  some  measure,  modify  and  extend  this  theory,  it  will 
not  be  easy  wholly  to  deny  it.    The  discovery,  however, 
of  animalcules  in  semine  masculine,  for  a  time  directed 
the  views  of  physiologists  to'  the  second  opinion ;  and 
Leuenhoeck,  its  author,  eagerly  supposed  that  he  could 
discover  among  these  embryos  of  each  sex.     Animal- 
cules, however,  are  found  in  every  fluid ;  and  these  ap- 
pear only  after  some  time,  when  a  degree  of  putrefac- 
tion has  probably   taken   place.      More    modern    dis- 
coveries, also,  respecting  the  changes  progressively  oc- 
curring in  incubation,  have  wholly  destroyed  this  sys- 
tem.    Buffon,  in  his  fanciful  doctrine  of  the  molecules 
organiques,  has  improved  on  this  theory,  and  apparently 
attributes  the  production  of  the  foetus  to  the  union  of 
animated  particles  from  each  parent.     The  whole  is 
embellished  by  his  fancy,  and  adorned  by  his  eloquence; 
but  we  can  scarcely  admit  of  their  influence,  except  in 
more  remote  arrangements;  and  indeed  the  existence  of 
these  molecules  must  be  considered  rather  as  a  proba- 
ble idea  than  a  fact,  which  admits  of  proof  or  application. 
The  discoveries  of  Haller  and  of  Bonnet  respecting 
the  origin  and   independent  life  of  the  chick,  in  ovo, 
have  greatly  altered  the  views  of  physiologists  on   this 
subject :  these  have  been  assisted  by  Dr.  Hunter's  ob- 
servations on  the  human  gravid  uterus  atvarious  periods 
of  impregnation,  and  the  result  is  the  third  of  the  opinions 
stated,  which  as  the  more  recent  and  fashionable,  we 
shall  proceed  to  explain,  with  its  various  modifications 
suggested  by  different  authors,  and  by  the  facts  them- 
selves. 

According  to  this  system,  the  foetus  pre-exists  in  the 
ovarium  of  the  female ;  and  in  the  moment  of  im- 
pregnation is  detached  from  it.  A  vesicle  remains 
(the  corpus  luteum),  from  whence  it  was  apparently 
separated,  a  cavity  peculiarly  vascular,  as  is  always 
found  when  any  loss  is  to  be  supplied.  To  this  is  added, 
that  when  twins  are  contained  in  the  womb,  two  of 
these  vesicles  are  found.  The  ovaria  are  two  sphe- 
roidal flattened  bodies,  inclosed  between  the  folds  of 
the  broad  ligaments,  by  which  the  uterus  is,  in  part, 
suspended.  They  have  no  immediate  connection  with 
the  uterus;  but  near  them  the  extremity  of  a  tube, 
which  opens  on  either  side  into  that  organ,  hangs  with 
loose  fimbrise  in  the  cavity  of  the  abdomen.  It  is  sup- 
posed, then,  that  in  the  venereal  orgasm  these  extre- 
mities are  erected,  that  they  grasp  the  ovarium,  and  re- 
ceive the  ovum.  This  would  appear  fanciful  and  hypo- 
thetical, but  that  a  perfect  foetus  has  been  found  in  the 
ovarium,  in  these  tubes,  and  even  been  discovered  in 
the  cavity  of  the  abdomen,  having  apparently  eluded 
the  grasp  of  the  fimbriae.  In  neither  case  could  the 
fcEtus  have  ascended  from  the  uterus,  for  whatever 
difficulty  attends  the  hypothesis  now  to  be  explained, 
will  act  with  equal  force  against  this  idea ;  and  to  it 
must  be  added,  that  on  the  latter  supposition  the  embryo 
must  depart  from  its  nidus,  where  it  is  to  be  supported 
and  nourished;  on  the  former  he  approaches  to  it. 


We  may  conclude,  then,  that  the  foetus  really  pre- 
exists in  the  ovarium ;  but  the  question  remains,  how 
it  is  animated.  The  access  of  the  male  semen  is  known 
to  be  necessary ;  but  the  difficulty  which  attends  the 
passage  of  the  foetus  into  the  uterus  equally  militates 
against  the  progress  of  the  semen  into  the  ovarium.  It 
has  been  eluded  by  Harvey,  who  supposes  a  seminal 
aura  to  reach  the  ovary ;  and  by  a  Mr.  Johnston,  who 
suspects  that  the  semen  is  absorbed,  and  carried  to  this 
organ  through  the  medium  of  the  circulation.  The 
latter,  for  many  reasons  improper  to  be  detailed  in  a 
popular  work,  is  not  probable  ;  and  the  aura,  when 
speaking  of  the  foetus,  we  have  shown  to  be  a  vague 
and  unsupported  medium.  In  short,  every  view  of  the 
subject  seems  to  show  that  the  semen  has  a  ready  ac- 
cess to  the  embryo.  In  the  same  moment  that  the 
one  is  detached  from  the  ovary  and  conveyed  to  the 
uterus,  the  other  may  reach  that  organ.  But  the  foetus 
when  in  the  Fallopian  tubes,  or  the  abdomen,  is  ani- 
mated, so  that  it  is  more  probable,  that  by  some  action 
of  the  uterus  and  its  tubes  the  semen  is  conveyed  to 
the  ovarium ;  and  every  fact  shows  that  the  muscular 
fibres  of  the  uterus  are  at  that  moment  most  highly  ex- 
cited. It  is  certain,  that  for  the  purpose  of  impregna- 
tion the  semen  must  reach  the  cavity  of  the  womb. 

Here  then  induction  ends  ;  and  difficulties  begin. 
From  this  view  it  may  appear  obvious,  that  generation 
is  only  the  animation  of  a  pre-existing  germ ;  and  that 
as  we  have  shown  the  foetus  to  be  an  independent  be- 
ing, at  least  dependent  only  on  the  mother  for  a  supply 
of  fluids,  we  have  no  difficulty  in  accounting  for  its 
growth,  and  the  successive  evolution  of  its  different 
organs.  Such,  however,  would  be  the  conclusion  of  a 
shallow,  uninformed  physiologist.  The  union  of  a 
male  and  female  of  different  species,  even  in  the  vege- 
table kingdom,  is  followed  by  an  hybrid  production, 
partaking  the  properties  of  both.  The  mule,  the  off- 
spring of  a  horse  and  an  ass,  is  a  familiar  example.  In 
a  large  family,  some  of  the  children  will  partake  the 
form,  the  temper,  the  diseases  of  the  father;  others  of 
the  mother.  This  cannot  be  owing  merely  to  the 
means  of  excitement,  much  less  to  the  small  portion 
of  nutriment  which  the  semen  can  afford,  supposing  it 
a  nutritious  fluid,  an  idea  anxiously  supported.  Bon- 
net's mechanical  system  of  a  net-work,  the  meshes  of 
which  the  semen  fills,  thus  modifying  the  form,  is  still 
less  tenable;  nor  can  we  escape  from  the  opinion  first 
stated,  that  the  male  as  well  as  the  female  contributes 
to  the  formation  of  the  future  offspring.  The  primordial 
embryo  is  undoubtedly  in  the  female;  but  the  "  man 
stamps  an  image  of  himself,"  the  "world's  first  won- 
der," either  by  an  union  of  principles,  or  a  modifica- 
tion of  those  which  pre-existed,  in  a  manner  which  will 
probably  never  be  explained. 

We  have  thus  given,  in  a  few  words,  the  substance 
of  numerous  extensive  disquisitions,  endeavouring  to 
distinguish  facts  from  hypotheses.  We  shall  be  grati- 
fied if  it  should  appear  that  we  have  explained  the 
subject  comprehensively,  so  far  as  it  will  admit  of  ex- 
planation; more  so,  if  we  shall  be  found  to  have  avoided 
the  pruriencies,  which,  under  the  veil  of  science,  are 
so  often  indulged,  and  whose  only  purpose  is  to  gratify 
sensuality.  See  Haller's  Physiology,  lecture  33 ;  also 
the  article  CONCEPTIO  in  this  work. 


GEN 


701 


G 


GENEVA.  Giv.  A  spirit  distilled  originally  from 
juniper  berries;  but  at  present  flavoured  by  oil  of  tur- 
pentine. 

GENIA'LIS  ARTE'RIA,  (from gen f ion,  maxilla}. 
See  MAXILLARI.C  ARTERI.E. 

GENICULA'TUS,  and  GENI'CULUM,  (from 
genu,  a  knee,  or  joint).  It  is  strictly  a  joint  with  an 
articulation;  but  frequently  a  joint  in  general,  and  sy- 
nonymous with  nodus,  a  knot :  hence  all  roots  and  pods 
of  plants,  divided  into  joints,  are  said  to  be  genic'ulated. 

GENIO  GLO'SSI,  (from  ye»f/.r,  the  chin,  and 
>A*PO-F«,  the  tongue).  Afesoglossi.  These  muscles  arise 
from  the  chin,  above  the  genio  hyoides,  and  enter  the 
middle  of  the  tongue  to  bring  it  forwards.  Winslow 
thinks  that  they  push  the  tongue  out,  retract,  or  ex- 
pand it. 

GENI&  HYOID.£'US,  (from  ymi«»,  the  chin,  and  hy- 
•idcs,  the  bone  of  the  tongue) .  Rectus  attollens.  A  small 
muscle  arising  from  a  tubercle  above  the  beginning  of 
the  mylo  hyoides,  and  inserted  into  the  upper  part  of 
the  base  of  the  os  hyoides. 

GEXIO  pHARYNGjE'i,  (from  yficfti,  and  p*fv,%,) 
mylofiharyngcei  (Douglas).  Muscular  fibres  joined  to 
the  side  of  the  genio  glossi,  and  inserted  into  the  sides 
of  the  pharynx,  and  continuing  with  the  genio  glossi  to 
the  chin. 

GENIPI  HERBA.     See  ARTEMISIA. 

GEXIPI  VERUM,  is  a  species  of  achillaea  in  Haller,  which 
we  have  not  been  able  to  trace  in  the  system  of  Linnaeus. 
It  is  the  achill&afoliis  fiinnatis,ftinnis  simfilicibus,  gla- 
bris  fiunctatis  ;  a  strong  bitter,  and  supposed  to  be  use- 
ful in  diarrhoea,  indigestion,  and  epilepsy. 

GENI'STA,  (from  genu,  a  knee  ;  from  the  inflection 
and  angularity  of  its  twigs).  Cytisogenista,  cytisus  »co- 
ftarius  vulgaris.  COMMON  BROOM  ;  sfiartium  scopari- 
um  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  996.  It  is  a  shrubby  plant,  with 
numerous  angular  twigs ;  the  leaves  are  small,  and 
somewhat  oval,  set  three  on  a  pedicle ;  the  flowers  are 
papilionaceous,  and  of  a  deep  yellow  colour;  seeds  flat, 
hard,  and  brownish,  in  broad  pods  ;  common  on  heaths 
and  uncultivated  sandy  grounds ;  flowers  in  May  and 
June. 

The  leaves  and  tops  have  a  nauseous  bitter  taste, 
which  they  yield  by  infusion  in  water  and  spirit,  and 
which  remains  concentrated  in  the  extracts.  They  are 
commended  for  their  purgative  and  diuretic  powers,  and 
have  been  successfully  employed  in  dropsies.  Half  an 
ounce  of  the  fresh  tops  are  boiled  in  a  pint  of  water  to 
half  a  pint,  and  two  spoonfuls  given  every  hour  till  it 
operates  by  stool,  or  the  whole  is  taken,  repeating  it 
every  day,  or  every  other  day.  (See  Lewis,  and  Cul- 
len's  Materia  Medica).  The  ashes  of  broom  have  been 
much  used  in  dropsies  by  the  recommendation  of  Sy- 
denham ;  and  their  utility  has  been  confirmed  by  the 
experience  of  other  practitioners;  but  their  whole  power 
is  supposed  to  depend  upon  the  alkaline  salt,  and  not 
on  the  vegetable  from  whence  it  is  obtained,  though 
the  taste  of  the  ashes  shows  that  they  contain  no  small 
portion  of  its  essential  oil.  Lemery  recommends  the 
seeds. 

An  extract,  called  extractum  cacuminis  geniste,  is 
ordered  to  be  made  by  the  college  of  physicians,  Lon- 
don. (See  CHAM.EMELIUM.)  It  is  given  as  an  aperient 
and  diuretic,  in  doses  from  3  ss.  to  3  i-  in  hydropic  cases. 


GEXI'STA  CANARIE'NSIS.     See  ASPALATHUS. 

GEXI'STA  HISPA'NICA,  and  GENI'STA  Jux* 
Sfiartium  arborescent,  sfiartium  Hisfianicumfrutex,  and 
SPANISH  BROOM:  genista  Hisfianica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  999; 
common  in  gardens,  flowers  in  June  and  July.  It  is  of 
the  same  nature  as  the  common  broom,  but  said  to  be 
more  efficacious. 

GENI'STA  SPA'RTIUM  SPIXO'SUM.     See  ALHAGI. 

GENI'STA  SPA'RTIUM.  J\"efia  Theofihrasti, genista  sfii- 
nosa  minor, genista  Germanica,\An.  Sp.Pl.  999;  and  the 
LESSER  FURZE.  It  is  so  generally  known  as  not  to  need 
a  description,  and  its  virtues  are  insignificant. 

GENI'STA     SPIXO'SA     IN'DICA,    8cc.       See     BAHEL- 

SCHULLI. 

GENI'STA  SPINO'SA  MA'JOR;  sfiartium  majus,  scor- 
fiius, genistellts ifiinostt  affinis, bahel-schulli, nefia, FURZE 
or  GORSE,  ulex  JKurofneus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1045.  Its  me- 
dicinal virtues,  if  it  has  any,  are  the  same  with  those  of 
common  broom. 

GENI'STA TIXCTO'RIA, Lin.  Sp.Pl. 998,cAam£s/iart ium 
genistella,  tinctorius  flos,  GREEN  WEED,  and  DYER'S 
WEED  ;  found  in  pasture  ground,  flowers  in  June  and 
July,  and  seems  to  resemble  common  broom.  See  Raii 
Hist.  Plant. 

GENITA'LIUM,  (from  geno,  or  gigno,  to  beget). 
Diseases  of  the  genital  passages. 

GENITU  RA,  (from  the  same).  The  semen  mascu- 
linum,  sometimes  the  pudendum  virile. 

GENOU,  (from  y««<,  the  knee).  See  DIARTHROSIS 
and  EXAHTHROSIS  ;  but  the  term  is  not  strictly  applica- 
ble to  the  latter  species,  though  used  for  all. 

GE'XSIXG,  (Chinese).  GIXSEXG,  aralia  humilis, 
nisi,sitarummontanum  Cor  dense, aureliana  Canadensis 
Iroqutei»,plantula  Marilandica,  fianax  guinguefolium 
Lin.  Sp.Pl.  1512. 

Ginseng  is  the  root  of  a  small  plant  growing  in 
China,  Turkey,  and  in  some  parts  of  North  America, 
particularly  in  Canada  and  Pennsylvania.  It  is  two  or 
three  inches  long,  taper,  about  the  thickness  of  a  little 
finger,  often  forked  at  the  bottom;  elegantly  striated 
with  circular  wrinkles  ;  of  a  brownish  yellow  colour  on 
the  outside,  and  whitish,  or  of  a  pale  yellow,  within  ; 
with  one  or  more  little  knots  on  the  top,  the  remains  of 
the  stalks  of  the  preceding  years,  and  the  marks  of  the 
age  of  the  root.  The  Chinese  roots  are  somewhat  paler 
than  those  from  America,  and  supposed  to  be  superior 
as  tonics. 

Ninzin  has  been  supposed  synonymous  with  ginsengj 
but  it  is  a  root  of  a  different  species,  similar  to,  though 
weaker  than  that  of  ginseng:  the  ninzin  root  is  larger, 
lighter,  and  less  firm;  whitish  on  the  surface,  yellow 
within,  with  a  slight  aromatic  smell,  an  acrid  bitterish 
taste,  and  is  a  species  of  sium;  sium  ninsi  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
361. 

The  Chinese  esteem  this  root  as  a  general  restorative 
and  powerful  aphrodisiac ;  but  these  qualities  it  pos- 
sesses in  a  very  inconsiderable  degree.  (See  Cullen's 
Materia  Medica.)  Indeed,  though  the  Chinese  give 
such  extravagant  accounts  of  its  many  virtues,  from  its 
sensible  qualities  we  conclude  it  has  very  little  power 
as  a  medicine.  To  the  taste  it  is  mucilaginous,  and 
sweet  like  liquorice,  yet  accompanied  with  a  degree  of 
bitterness,  a  slight  aroma,  and  little  or  no  smell :  the 
saccharine  matter  and  the  aroma  of  these  roots  are 


GEN 


GEN 


preserved  in  the  watery  as  well  as  in  the  spirituous  ex- 
tract ;  the  latter  is  pleasantly  warm. 

A  drachm  of  the  ginseng  root  may  be  sliced  and  boiled 
in  a  quarter  of  a- pint  of  water  to  about  two  ounces,  and 
may  be  drunk  as  soon  as  it  is  cool :  the  dose  must  be 
repeated  morning  and  evening;  but  the  root  may  al-1 
ways  be  twice  boiled.  M.  Reneaum  says  that  the 
hepatica  nobilis  Tragi  is  endued  with  the  principal 
virtues  of  the  ginseng.  Sec  Ran  Historia  Plantarum. 
Kempfer's  Amcenitates.  James's  Medical  Dictionary. 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  London  Medical  Transac- 
tions, vol.  iii.  p.  34. 

GENTIA'NA.  GENTIAN,  GREATER  YELLOW  GEN- 
TIAN, FELWORT,  or  the  European  chincona  gentiana 
tutea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  320.  The  stalk  is  unbranchcd  and 
jointed;  the  leaves  oblong,  acuminated,  ribbed,  and  set 
in  pairs  at  the  joints  ;  the  flowers  in  clusters  at  the  top 
of  the  stalk,  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  somewhat  bell 
shaped,  and  deeply  cut  into  five  segments;  the  seeds 
contained  in  oblong  capsules;  the  root  moderately  long, 
slender,  branched,  brownish  on  the  outside,  and  of  a 
deep  gold  colour  within;  its  pith  woody,  though  more 
spongy  than  the  rest  of  the  root.  It  is  perennial,  a  na- 
tive of  the  mountainous  parts  of  Germany,  Switzerland, 
and  France,  from  whence  the  dried  roots  are  brought 
to  us ;  but  the  plant  is  found  wild  in  England. 

Sometimes  the  thora  valdensis  of  Ray,  or  aconitum 
pardalianches  of  Bauhine,  is  sold  for  the  gentian.  It  is 
known  from  the  true  gentian  by  a  paler  colour  exter- 
nally, having  longitudinal  wrinkles ;  its  texture  is  closer 
than  that  of  gentian;  whitish  within,  and  not  bitter; 
but  when  chewed  only  mucilaginous.  It  is  the  ranun- 
culus thora  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  775. 

The  best  roots  of  gentian  are  of  a  middling  size,  of  a 
lively  yellow  colour,  tough,  and  most  free  from  fibres. 
The  older  and  larger  roots  are  more  porous;  the  younger 
and  slender  more  compact. 

Neumann  obtained  from  3  xvi.  of  the  root,  by  means 
of  rectified  spirit  J  vij.  ss.  of  resinous  extract ;  and  from 
water,  3  ix.  of  a  gummy  one.  The  London  college 
directs  the  watery  extract  (see  CHAMJEMELI  EX- 
TRACTUM);  but  the  spirituous  is  preferable:  the  dose 
may  be  from  gr.  x.  9  ij.  or  3  i-  In  distillation,  spirit 
carried  nothing  over,  and  water  too  little  to  deserve 
notice. 

It  is  a  strong  pure  bitter,  and  by  any  agreeable  addi- 
tion is  rendered  very  grateful  to  the  stomach.  Of  all 
the  preparations,  the  infusion  in  cold  water  is  the  most 
pleasing  and  active  ;  but  when  a  warm  stomachic  is  re- 
quired, the  tincture  of  gentian  is  to  be  preferred. 

The  febrifuge  virtues  of  the  gentian  root  have  been 
supposed  equal  to  those  of  the  Peruvian  bark,  but  in 
many  cases  it  has  failed  ;  yet  when  joined  with  galls  and 
tormentil  roots  in  equal  parts,  and  given  in  proper 
doses,  gentian  has  cured  intermittents  in  Scotland.  (See 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica.)  It  is,  however,  one  of  the 
principal  bitters  now  employed  by  physicians  ;  and  as 
such  medicines  are  supposed  to  be  not  only  tonic  and 
stomachic,  but  also  anthelmintic,  emmenagogue,  antar- 
thritic,  and  febrifuge,  this  root  has  as  .good  a  claim  to 
these  numerous  virtues  as  any  other.  Bitters  are  sup- 
posed to  relieve  dyspeptic  complaints,  though  arising 
from  debility  of  the  stomach,  more  effectually  than 
bark,  chiefly  from  their  not  producing  any  stricture  on 


infarcted  viscera.  When  applied  as  a  tent  in  wounds, 
it  does  not  render  the  lips  callous ;  so  that  it  is  often 
used  with  advantage  for  imbibing  the  moisture  in  issues, 
which  it  also  dilates.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 
Raii  Historia.  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

The  officinal  preparations  of  this  medicine  are  the 
extract_above  noticed ;  the  compound  tincture  of  gen- 
tian prepared  as  follows : 

R.  Gentians  incisse  et  contusse  p.  ^  ij.  corticis  ex- 
terioris  aurant.  Hispalensium  exsiccati  ^  i.  seminum 
cardamomi  minoris  contusorum  demptis  capsulis  ^  ss. 
spt.  vinositenuioris  lb  ij.  Digest  for  eight  days,  and  strain. 

This  is  an  elegant  composition,  a  warm  stomachic,  and 
not  injured  by  keeping:  it  was  formerly  the  tinctura 
amara  Pharm.  Lond. 

The  compound  infusion  of  gentian  is  made  by  ma- 
cerating six  drachms  and  a  half  of  gentian,  half  an  ounce 
of  fresh  lemon  rinds,  and  a  drachm  of  dry  orange  peel  in 
twelve  ounces  of  hot  water  for  an  hour.  It  was  the 
infusum  amarum  of  the  former  Pharmacopoeia ;  but 
two  drachms  and  a  half  of  the  gentian  root  are  omitted 
in  the  present  edition.  It  is  a  light  pleasant  bitter, 
strengthens  the  stomach,  and  restores  the  appetite: 
two  ounces  may  be  taken  twice  a  day,  and  some  cor- 
dial carminative  tincture  should  be  added  if  necessary. 

Vinum_amarum,  Ph.  Edin.  is  prepared  by  adding  gen- 
tian root  3  ss.  Peruvian  bark  ^  j.  Seville  orange  peel 
dried  5  ij.  canella  alb.  ^  j.  to  four  ounces  of  proof  spirit, 
two  pintsancl  ahalf  of  Spanish  white  wine.  The  ingredi- 
ents should  be  macerated  in  the  spirit  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  the  wine  then  added  :  after  three  days  it  may 
be  strained.  This  is  considered  a  very  useful  and  elegant 
stomachic  medicine. 

GEXTIA'NA  MI'NOR,  GENTIA'NA  CRUCIATA,  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  3:54,  and  CROSS  WORT  GENTIAN.  It  grows  in  Hun- 
gary on  hills  and  in  dry  meadows,  but  is  rarely  brought 
to  us. 

GENTIA'NA  A'LBA.     See  LASERPITIUM. 

GENTIA'NA  AMARELLA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  '334,  resembles 
the  gentian,  but  is  in  taste  intensely  bitter.  • 

GENTIA'NA  ASCLEPIADEA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  329, 
scarcely  differing  in  medical  powers  from  the  other 
species. 

GENTIA'NA  CENTAU'RIUM.  See  CENTAURIUM  MI- 
NUS. 

GENTIA'NA  NI'GRA.  See  OREOSELINUM  APII  FO- 
LIO. 

GENTIA'NA  PURPUH'EA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  329,  PURPLE 
GENTIAN;  cursuta. 

The  stem  is  erect,  simple,  smooth,  strong,  succu- 
lent, about  a  foot  in  height ;  lower  leaves  nearly  ellip- 
tical, ribbed,  entire;  upper  leaves,  in  pairs,  sheath  like, 
concave,  embracing  the  stem,  pointed,  ribbed,  inclosing 
the  flowers;  flowers,  large,  purple,  standing  in  whorls, 
upon  short  peduncles  ;  calyx,  a  deciduous  spatha  ;  co- 
rolla, bell  shaped,  purplish,  plicated,  divided  at  the  limb 
into  five  ovated  dotted  segments  ;  filaments,  commonly 
five,  of  the  length  of  the  germen,  and  furnished  with 
conical  antherae ;  germen,  oblong  ;  style,  cleft,  points 
reflex,  furnished  with  blunt  stigmata ;  capsule,  ovate, 
two  celled,  containing  numerous  small  seeds ;  roots 
perennial,  cylindrical,  slender,  branched,  extersally 
brown,  internally  yellow.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Alps, 
introduced  into  this  country  by  Saussure  in  1768  ;  is  a 


GEN 


703 


GEN 


strong  bitter,  greatly  resembling  in  appearance  and 
taste  the  gentian,  but  in  no  degree  superior,  though 
used  by  some  practitioners  of  Edinburgh  for  more  than 
forty  years.  Dr.  Home  considers  it  as  a  variety  of  the 
gentiana  lutea. 

GE'NU,  (from  y»»v  irttfa,  TO  CK  '/v>  ttvtti ;  because 
by  this  articulation  the  body  is  bent  towards  the  earth). 
The  KNEE;  also  the  patella,  KNEE  PAN.  The  knee  is 
the  articulation  of  the  thigh  and  leg  bone ;  as  a  gin- 
glymus  it  admits  of  only  flexion  and  extension,  except 
in  its  bent  state,  when  it  will  allow  of  a  small  rotation 
by  the  relaxation  of  the  ligaments.  This  joint  is  made 
up  of  the  femur,  patella,  and  tibia ;  for  the  fibula  does 
not  reach  it.  The  patella  in  extension  is  drawn  up,  in 
flexion  pulled  down.  Under  the  ligament  of  the  pa- 
tella is  a  sac  containing  mucus,  resembling  the  synovia. 
Its  strength,  as  of  all  joints  of  the  same  kind,  is  on  the 
side.  The  capsular  ligament  is  large,  and  admits  of 
the  collection  of  a  fluid  within  it  when  the  swelling  ap- 
pears above  and  on  each  side  the  patella,  but  chiefly 
above,  on  account  of  the  ligaments  being  thinner. 
What  is  called  the  synovial  gland  Dr.  Hunter  con- 
cludes is  merely  fat,  like  all  the  glands  of  a  similar  kind  ; 
and  the  real  synovia  is,  he  thinks,  secreted  by  the  ves- 
sels of  the  vascular  membrane  which  covers  the  carti- 
lages. '  Besides  the  capsular  ligament,  there  are  two 
others  covering  the  posterior  parts  of  the  condyles  of 
the  femur,  and  fixed  into  the  head  of  the  tibia,  between 
its  two  cavities ;  these  ligaments  are  stretched  when 
the  leg  is  extended,  and  relaxed  when  the  leg  is  bent, 
allowing  at  this  time  a  little  lateral  motion.  Between 
the  tibia  and  the  femur  are  two  semilunar  cartilages, 
thick  on  their  external  edges,  and  thin  in  their  cen- 
tre ;  and  tied  to  the  tubercle  by  their  horns :  they 
alter  their  figure  according  to  the  situation  of  the 
bones,  to  make  the  shape  of  one  correspond  to  that  of 
the  other. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  one  or  two  pieces  of 
cartilage,  or  bone  covered  by  cartilage,  are  found  loose 
in  the  cavity  of  this  joint.  Some  of  these  are  as  large 
as  common  garden  beans :  they  are  generally  flat,  ob- 
long, having  their  edges  rounded.  Mr.  Cruickshank 
formerly  considered  them  as  belonging  to  the  patella; 
and  that,  like  the  ossa  triquetra  in  the  skull,  they  were 
owing  to  distinct  points  of  ossification :  but  having 
found  one  entirely  cartilaginous,  and  another  bony  one 
covered  by  cartilage,  formed  on  the  lower  end  of  the 
femur,  he  was  convinced  of  his  mistake.  In  the  last 
mentioned  case,  Mr.  Cruickshank  observes  that  there 
was  a  cavity  in  the  lower  end  of  the  femur,  correspond- 
ing to  the  loose  bone,  showing  a  former  connection ; 
though,  as  both  surfaces  were  nearly  smooth,  its  man- 
ner was  not  evident.  He  supposes  that  during  their 
growth  these  cartilages  and  bones  are  connected  to  the 
neighbouring  parts  by  vessels;  and  that,  when  either 
their  determined  bulk  is  completed,  or  their  size  too 
large  for  the  easy  motion  of  the  joint,  they  become 
loose.  When  this  happens,  the  synovia,  from  the  ir- 
ritation, is  secreted  in  greater  quantity ;  the  capsular 
ligament  is  distended,  a  degree  of  stiffness  takes  place 
in  the  motion  of  the  joint,  with  more  or  less  of  external 
inflammation.  The  fluid  underneath  is  distinctly  felt ; 
and  the  loose  bit  of  cartilage  rises  frequently  above  the 
condyles  of  the  femur,  on  the  out  or  inside  of  the  knee, 


and  may  be  taken  between  the  thumb  and  finger  through 
the  integuments.  When  the  patient  hath  walked  much, 
the  synovia  is  sensibly  increased ;  and,  on  remaining 
quiet  for  two  or  three  days,  is  as  sensibly  diminished. 
The  symptoms  are  sometimes  so  mild  as  not  to  need  an 
operation ;  but  it  is  often  the  only  expedient  for  relief. 
Mr.  J.  Hunter  recommends  removing  them  by  incision; 
but  thinks  the  particular  spot  where  the  operation  is  to 
be  performed,  as  well  as  the  manner  of  operating,  de- 
serve the  greatest  attention.  There  is  a  part  of  the 
ligament  which  receives  the  basis  of  the  patella  during 
the  extension  of  the  leg,  and  rather  resembles  cellular 
membrane  than  capsular  ligament,  lying  under  the 
lower  extremities  of  the  vasti  and  crureus  muscles, 
before  they  are  inserted  into  the  patella.  Mr.  Hunter 
proposes  to  lay  hold  of  the  cartilage  or  bone,  and  cut 
upon  them  at  this  place :  the  incision,  he  thinks,  should 
be  no  larger  than  just  to  allow  of  their  being  easily- 
thrust  out.  A  stitch  or  two  is  then  to  be  passed  through 
the  divided  integuments,  but  not  into  the  cavity  of  the 
joint,  and  the  lips  of  the  wound  by  these  means  brought 
together.  If  they  penetrated  the  joint,  instead  of  uniting 
the  parts,  they  would  act  as  seatons,  and  produce  inflam- 
mation :  for  by  a  seton  introduced  into  the  tunica  vagi- 
nalis  testis  we  often  obtain  a  radical  cure  of  the  hy- 
drocele.  The  aim  of  the  surgeon  is,  if  possible,  to 
heal  the  wound  by  the  first  intention ;  and  a  piece  of 
sticking  plaster,  with  a  proper  bandage,  and  position  of 
the  joint,  may  make  stitches  unnecessary.  Mr.  Hunter 
recollects  six  or  seven  cases  in  which  these  cartilages 
were  removed  by  excision,  though  not  exactly  in  the 
manner  recommended ;  all  of  these  succeeded  except 
one,  where  the  operation  was  attended  with  great  in- 
flammation, and  followed  by  an  anchylosis  of  the  joint. 
Other  instances  of  failure  have  occurred;  but  there  are 
constitutions  where  any  wound,  particularly  a  penetrat- 
ing one  into  the  cavity  of  the  joint  of  the  knee,  will  be 
attended  with  danger.  The  circumstances  to  be  avoid- 
ed are  too  much  exposing  the  cavity  of  the  joint;  lacer- 
ating or  bruising  of  the  capsular  ligament ;  not  pro- 
perly closing  the  orifice  in  the  integuments  ;  or  employ- 
ing a  blunt  or  dirty  instrument  in  dividing  them.  Each 
may  produce  inflammation,  and  render  the  operation 
dangerous ;  but  in  tolerably  sound  constitutions,  when 
performed  with  the  necessary  precautions,  it  is  generally 
safe :  when,  however,  the  cavity  of  the  joint  is  in- 
flamed, the  danger  is  very  great.  Ligaments  and  car- 
tilages have  fewer  vessels  than  most  other  parts :  they 
inflame,  and  suppurate,  if  exposed  to  irritation,  with 
greater  difficulty  ;  the  joint  anchyloses,  and  is  destroyed, 
or  the  patient  sinks  under  a  hectic  from  absorbed  mat- 
ter, if  the  limb  is  not  amputated.  See  Cruickshanks 
in  the  Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  iv.  p. 
342,  &c.  Hunter's  Works.  Hay's  Observations  in 
Surgery. 

GENUFLE'XIO,  (from  genu,  the  knee,  and  Jlecto, 
to  6end~).  KNEELING.  In  kneeling,  the  ossa  pubis  are 
lower  than  when  we  stand ;  and  this  not  only  increases 
the  hollow  of  the  loins,  and  throws  the  belly  and  its 
viscera  more  forward,  but  in  some  measure  strains  the 
abdominal  muscles ;  occasioning  syncope  from  the  un- 
easiness. This  depression  of  the  os  pubis  in  kneeling 
depends  partly  on  the  tension  of  the  musculi  recti  ante- 
riores,  the  lower  tendons  of  which  are,  in  this  situation, 


GEO 


704 


GER 


drawn  with  violence  under  the  condyloid  pulley  of  the 
os  femoris.  Winslow, 

GENU'GRA,  (from  -yaw,  the  knee,  and«yp«,  seizure}. 

GOUT  IN  THE  KNEE.        See  ARTHRITIS. 

GENUI'NI  DE'NTES.     See  DENS  and  SAPIENTI* 

DENTES. 

GENUS,  (from  y£v»«t«,  to  generate}.     See  CLASSIFI- 

CATIO. 

GEO'DES  LA'PIS,  (AI«««  w*h<s,  a  stone,  so  called 
from  y<),  earth,  which  it  contains).  It  is  rather  astringent 
and  drying,  somewhat  detergent  when  applied  to  the 
eyes,  mitigating  inflammations  in  the  breast,  if  mixed 
with  water,  and  rubbed  on  it.  Dios.  lib.  v.  cap.  169. 
The  fossil  usually  employed  is  an  ocre,  an  ore  of  iron, 
sometimes  a  sulphurated  iron ;  but  the  term  by  na- 
turalists is  confined  to  rounded  stones  containing  a 
cavity  which  is  sometimes  filled  with  water. 

GEOF.  M.  M.  The  abbreviation  of  Step.  Franc. 
Geoffry  Tractatus  de  Materia  Medica. 

GEOFFRjE'A  INE'RMIS ;  from  Dr.  Geoffry; 
SMOOTH  GEOFFR.&A,  or  BASTARD  CABBAGE  TREE. 
Geojfroya  inermis,  folioiis  lanceolatis,  of  Swartz ;  of 
Ayton  in  the  Hortus  Kewensis;  and  of  Wildenow, 
'  Sp.  PI.  vol.  iii.  p.  1130.  See  Wright,  Philosophical 
Transactions,  vol.  Ixvii.  p.  507,  tab.  10.  This  tree  is  a 
native  of  Jamaica,  distinguished  by  the  name  of  CAB- 
BAGE BARK  TREE,  Or  WORM  BARK  TREE.  The  bark 

is  externally  smooth,  and  of  gray  colour;  internally 
black  and  furrowed,  has  a  mucilaginous  and  sweetish 
taste,  with  a  disagreeable  smell,  and  is  considered  as  a 
powerful  anthelmintic.  Dr.  Wright,  who  resided  long 
in  Jamaica,  has  supplied  the  safest  and  most  efficacious 
modes  of  exhibition,  from  his  own  experience.  It  may 
be  given  either  in  decoction,  syrup,  powder,  or  extract. 
The  decoction  is  made  by  boiling  one  ounce  of  fresh 
dried  or  well  preserved  cabbage  bark  in  a  quart  of 
water,  over  a  slow  fire,  till  the  water  resembles  deep 
coloured  Madeira.  This  must  be  strained  off,  sweet- 
ened with  sugar,  and  used  early,  as  its  virtues  are 
soon  lost.  This  syrup  is  formed  by  dissolving  double 
the  quantity  of  sugar  in  any  portion  of  the  decoction  ; 
and  this  will  retain  its  virtues  for  many  years.  By 
evaporating  the  strong  decoction  of  this  bark  to  a  pro- 
per consistence,  the  extract  is  prepared;  though  it  must 
be  continually  stirred  to  mix  intimately  the  resinous 
part,  on  which  probably  its  efficacy  will  depend.  The 
powder  requires  no  directions:  it  resembles  jalap,  but 
is  not  so  heavy. 

A  strong  healthy  person  may  take  of  the  decoction, 
or  syrup,  two  table  spoonfuls ;  of  the  extract,  three 
grains ;  and  of  the  powder,  ->  ss. — and  the  dose  must 
be  gradually  lessened,  so  that  a  child  of  one  year 
should  take  only  of  the  two  first  half  a  table  spoonful;  of 
the  extract,  half  a  grain  ;  and  of  the  powder,  five  grains. 

These  doses  may  be  gradually  increased  till  a  nausea 
is  excited  ;  but  it  is  safest  to  begin  with  small  ones,  and 
gradually  increase  them.  The  decoction  is  given  in 
Jamaica,  seldom  failing  to  destroy  worms  in  the  in- 
testines, and  discharge  them  in  considerable  quantities. 
By  frequent  use,  however,  these  animals  become  fami- 
liarised to  the  poison,  and  it  is  necessary  to  stop,  or  em- 
ploy other  medicines  of  inferior  power.  Cold  water 
should  not  be  drunk  during  its  operation,  as  it  is  apt 


to  occasion  sickness,  vomiting,  fever,  and  delirium. 
When  these  occur,  or  when  too  large  a  dose  has  been 
given,  the  stomach  must  be  cleared  with  warm  water; 
the  patient  purged  with  castor  oil,  and  take  plenty  of 
lime  juice  for  common  drink  :  vegetable  acid  is  the  an- 
tidote to  this  poison. 

For  Mr.  Anderson's  account  of  this  bark,  and  the 
mode  of  giving  it,  see  PALMA  NOBILIS. 

GEOFFROYA  SURINAMENSIS.  Wildenow,  vol. 
iii.  p.  1 1 30. 

GEOPILY'SIA.  A  separation  by  solution.  Ru- 
landus. 

•  GER.  The  abbreviation  of  Gerarde ;  and  employed 
in  quoting  Gerarde's  Herbal,  which  was  improved  by- 
Thomas  Johnson. 

GERA'NIS,  (from  •ycpxni,  a  crane  ;  from  its  shape 
resembling  an  extended  crane).  A  bandage  used  by 
•the  ancients  in  cases  of  a  fractured  clavicle,  or  a  dislo- 
cated shoulder. 

GERA'NIUM,  (from  ytpoaos,  a  crane,  because  its 
pistil  is  long,  like  the  bill  of  a  crane).  A  bandage  used 
from  the  days  of  Hippocrates,  now  called  sfiica  simplex. 
In  botany,  it  is  the  name  for  BATRACHIUM,  CROW'S 
FOOT,  or  CRANE'S  BILL;  its  seed  vessel  consists  of  five 
capsules  opening  inwards,  and  containing  each  a  single 
seed ;  the  flowers  are  pentapetalous.  - 

GERA'NIUM  ROBERTIA'NUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  955,  gratia 
dei,  and  HERB  ROBERT;  hath  reddish  or  purplish  flow- 
ers on  one  pedicle ;  the  leaves  are  divided  down  to  the 
foot  stalk  into  three  segments,  and  these  again  are  deeply 
cut.  It  is  the  only  sort  used  in  medicine.  Its  strong 
smell,  salt,  and  slightly  astringent  taste,  seem  to  point 
out  some  medicinal  powers;  and  it  has  been  employed 
to  repel  the  milk  in  haemorrhages  of  the  bladder  and  in- 
creased mucous  discharges.  Externally  it  has  been  ap- 
plied to  bubos  and  ulcers  of  the  mammae,  though  dis- 
used in  the  present  practice. 

GERA'NIUM  BATRACHOI'DES,  gratia  dei  Germanorum, 
and  CHOW'S  FOOT  CRANE'S  BILL;  geranium  jfiratense 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  954.  It  hath  two  blue,  but  sometimes 
white,  flowers  on  one  pedicle;  the  leaves  are  large, 
wrinkled,  and  divided  into  five  or  seven  segments,  which 
again  are  deeply  cut  on  their  edges. 

GERA'NIUM  COLUMBI'NUM,  pes  columbinus  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  956,  DOVE'S  FOOT,  and  DOVE'S  FOOT  CRANE'S  BILL; 
hath  purple  flowers,  standing  two  on  a  pedicle ;  the 
leaves  are  shaped  like  those  of  mallows,  and  have  long 
foot  stalks. 

GERA'NIUM  MOSCHA'TUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  951.  MUS- 
COVY, and  MUSKED  CRANE'S  BILL,  acus  mocchata  ;  hath 
a  number  of  red  flowers  on  one  pedicle ;  the  leaves  are 
indented,  oval  shaped,  set  in  pairs  along  a  middle  rib, 
which  is  terminated  by  an  odd  one. 

GERA'NIUM  SANJJUINA'RIUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  958,  h&ma- 
todes,  and  BLOODY  CRANE'S  BILL  ;  hath  solitary  flowers, 
which  on  their  first  appearance  are  red,  but  soon  change 
to  a  bluish  colour ;  the  leaves  are  roundish,  but  divided 
almost  to  the  pedicle  into  five  segments,  which  are 
often  subdivided  at  the  extremities  into  three. 

All  these  plants  are  found  wild  in  different  parts  of 
this  kingdom ;  they  flower  in  May,  June,  and  July. 
They  have  an  astringent  taste ;  and  this  quality  is  ex- 
tracted by  water  as  well  as  by  rectified  spirit,  and,  on 


GE  S 


ros 


GES 


evaporating  the  filtered  liquor,  remains  in  the  extract. 
See  Radii  Historia.  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

GE'RARAT.  A  name  in  Avicenna  for  some  poi- 
sonous animals. 

GERMA'N'DRA.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GE'RMAXIS  O'LEUM.  See  CARPATHICUM,  and 
MELISSA. 

GE'RMEN,  (quasi  geramen,  from  gero,  to  bear). 
See  BLASTEMA. 

GEROCO'MIA,  (from  ytf«»»,  an  aged  flerson,  and 
Y.ou.tu,  to  be  concerned  about,)  that  part  of  medicine 
which  relates  to  old  age. 

GERO  NSTERRE  WATER.  See  SPADAXJL  AQU*. 

GERONTO'XOX,  (from  '/eff,  an  old  flerson,  and 
T«|«»,  a  dart,)  a  small  ulcer  like  the  head  of  a  dart,  ap- 
pearing sometimes  in  the  cornea  of  old  people.  See 
•BOTHRION. 

GE'RULA.     A  monstrous  plant.     Paracelsus. 

GE'RYOX.     QUICKSILVER.     See  ARGENT.  VIVUM. 

GESX.  The  abbreviation  of  Conradi  Gesneri  His- 
toria Plantarum. 

GE'SOR.     See  GALBAXUM. 

GESTA'TIO,  (from  gero,  to  carry).     See  J£ORA. 

GESTA'TIO.  GESTATION,  or  PREGNANCY,  cyofihoria. 
It  is  the  progress  of  the  foetus  from  the  time  of  concep- 
tion to  that  of  parturition.  See  FETUS. 

The  time  of  a  woman's  pregnancy  is  nine  solar 
months,  or  about  two  hundred  and  eighty  days  ;  but  the 
child  is  sometimes  born  at  seven  months,  and  in  a  few 
instances  at  ten.  See  MEDICIXA  FOHENSIS. 

From  the  moment  in  which  the  fcetus  is  animated, 
a  change  takes  place  in  the  mother's  constitution. 
Sometimes  this  is  so  striking  as  to  be  at  once  per- 
ceptible; sometimes  it  is  so  trifling  that  months  pass 
on  before  any  obvious  change  takes  place.  The  change 
first  perceptible  is  increased  irritability.  Fancies  the 
most  singular  and  extravagant  possess  the  mind ;  ob- 
jects most  cherished  lose  their  interest,  and  others  seem 
to  assume  new  attractions ;  the  appetite  is  equally  ca- 
pricious ;  the  sleep  is  broken  and  interrupted.  The  sto- 
mach partakes  of  this  caprice  ;  and  food,  the  most  ali- 
mentary, loses  its  relish,  while  the  most  unpleasing,  and 
apparently  disgusting,  diet  is  sought  after.  At  the  mo- 
ment of  leaving  the  bed,  sickness  and  faintness  come  on ; 
the  stomach  strains  with  violence,  and  nothing,  or  a 
little  bile  only,  is  discharged.  The  greater  number  of 
these  symptoms,  however,  occur  in  most  instance's  only 
about  the  end  of  the  month  or  six  weeks,  and  they  vary 
in  their  number  and  degree,  seldom  disappearing  till 
about  the  middle  period,  or  about  two  hundred  days. 
In  this  interval  they  are  often  truly  distressing.  Every 
kind  of  food  is  immediately  rejected,  faintness  follows, 
•and  even  the  night  is  not  free  from  distressing  fancies. 
In  such  circumstances  art  is  of  little  avail.  Opiates  -will 
sometimes  quiet  the  irregular  exertions  of  the  stomach, 
but  it  will  sometimes  fail.  The  columbo  root,  in  powder 
or  in  tincture,  is  sometimes  useful;  and  the  aqua  kali, 
or  ammoniae  purae,  will  occasionally  relieve  the  vomit- 
ing, or  the  distressing  heart  burn.  In  general,  some- 
thing should  be  taken  into  the  stomach  before  the  ex- 
pecting mother  rises  from  bed,  and  a  cup  of  pepper- 
mint or  camomile  tea  is  the  most  effectual  means  of 
lieving  the  usual  urging. 

The  cause  of  these  commotions  we  know  not,  but 
they  are  evidently  neither  unnatural  nor  morbid.  They 

VOL.  I. 


arise  probably  from  the  irritation  of  the  uterus,  com- 
municated to  the  stomach,  and  are  the  effect  of  the  new 
unaccustomed  motions  excited  in  this  very  irritable  or- 
gan. That  they  are  not -morbid  is  sufficiently  clear, 
from  their  scarcely  in  any  instance  producing  abortion, 
and  from  the  child  being  born  healthy  and  active;  though 
for  at  least  three  months,  sometimes  through  the  whole 
period,  the  mother  has  never  retained  a  single  meal, 
and  is  apparently  worn  to  the  lowest  state  of  debility ; 
a  degree  of  debility  under  which  some  delicate  women 
have  sunk.  The  final  cause  seems  to  be  the  necessity 
of  securing  a  supply  for  the  foetus.  When  a  woman  is 
first  pregnant,  all  the  evacuations  are  diminished,  and  a 
plethoric  state  occurs.  Nature,  at  that  time,  requiring 
no  recruit,  rejects  every  addition  :  secure  in  what  is  pro- 
vided, all  adventitious  aid  is  rejected.  Were  more  ac- 
cumulated, the  embryo  might  be  thrown  off  by  the  ef- 
fort of  vessels  excited  beyond  their  powers;  and  vomit- 
ing, which,  as  we  have  shown,  determines  to  the  surface, 
prevents  the  uterine  vessels  from  being  too  much  dis- 
tended. When  the  uterus  rises  above  the  pelvis,  when 
the  foetus  has  attained  the  power  of  motion,  and  is  felt 
at  first  in  irregular  fluttering,  and  afterwards  by  more 
distinct  actions,  all  the  supply  which  the  mother  can 
convey  is  wanted.  The  scene  is  then  changed  :  the  ap- 
petite returns,  the  sleep  is  uninterrupted,  digestion  ra- 
pid and  perfect,  the  spirits  free  and  unruffled.  So  far 
from  irritation  suggesting  fancied  evils,  real  ones  dis- 
appear; and,  though  she  sometimes  talks  of  the  future 
delivery  being  fatal,  she  acts  as  if  she  looked  forward  to 
a  numerous  offspring,  and  even  to  their  descendants. 
In  short,  if  there  is  a  period  of  greater  health  and  ac- 
tivity than  any  other,  it  is  from  the  two  hundred  and 
fortieth  to  the  two  hundred  and  eightieth  day ;  inter- 
rupted only,  at  last,  by  the  unwieldy  size,  and  probably, 
through  the  whole,  by  a  little  constipation. 

In  other  cases  the  practitioner  feels  greater  difficul- 
ties. Pregnancy  sometimes  is  not  discovered  by  its  ap- 
propriate symptoms,  and  these  are  occasionally  conceal- 
ed. In  the  early  weeks,  the  abdomen  is  said  to  be  flatter 
than  usual:  it  is  at  least  not  fuller;  and  if  obstruction 
takes  place,  with  none  of  the  appropriate  symptoms  of 
pregnancy,  that  is  considered  as  a  disease,  and  active 
emmenagogues  are  employed.  Luckily,  this  discharge, 
as  we  shall  find,  is  not  much  in  our  power.  If  a  woman 
is  married,  not  advanced  in  years,  even  though  in  a 
bad  state  of  health,  pregnancy  should  be  always  sus- 
pected. If  she  has  been  before  regular,  the  suspicions 
are  stronger ;  but,  if  not  so,  we  must  still  suspect,  and 
avoid  any  powerful  evacuants,  till  the  period  when  the 
state  can  be  ascertained  by  unequivocal  symptoms,  or 
by  the  touch.  If  the  woman  is  clandestinely  pregnant, 
every  artifice  is  employed  to  conceal  the  real  symptoms, 
and  the  facts  are  only  ascertained  by  the  greatest  ad- 
dress. The  look  of  a  chlorotic  and  a  pregnant  girl 
greatly  differs.  In  the  former  the  face  is  sunk;  the 
skin  muddy  ;  the  breasts  flaccid  ;  and  the  nostrils  dry; 
in  the  latter,  whatever  are  the  symptoms  of  debility, 
the  skin  is  clear,  the  features  retain  some  animation, 
the  breasts  are  full,  and  the  nipple  ruddy.  These  ap- 
pearances cannot  be  disguised  ;  but  the  state  of  men- 
struation is  concealed,  for  by  this  means  they  hope  to 
escape  from  their  inconveniences,  by  the  probability  of 
what  they  style  "forcing  medicines"  .being  ordered. 
In  every  circumstance,  however,  where  the  slighte-t. 


G  ES 


706 


( i  I  N 


doubt  remains,  the  prudent  practitioner  will  abstain 
from  active  measures,  till  the  period  arrives  when  the 
tumour,  or  the  touch,  will  clear  all  his  doubts.  The 
tumour,  in  these  clandestine  pregnancies,  is  attributed 
to  dropsy;  and  on  this  head  we  have  already  spoken. 
(See  ASCITES.)  The  touch  is  more  decisive;  and,  by 
this  means,  real  pregnancy  may  be  ascertained,  and  dis- 
tinguished from  scirrhus,  or  polypus  of  the  uterus.  If 
the  woman  leans  forward  on  a  chair,  the  surgeon,  from 
behind,  introduces  his  fore  or  middle  finger  into  the 
vagina,  and  moves  it  round  till  the  point  touches  the 
os  tincae.  In  the  virgin  state  it  is  smooth  and  even ; 
the  uterus  yields  to  the  finger,  and  may  be  moved  like 
a  light  ball  with  ease.  In  the  first  three  months  the 
difference  is  inconsiderable  ;  but  the  tubercle  at  the 
mouth  of  the  uterus  is  somewhat  enlarged,  and  the 
womb  itself  sinks,  seemingly,  lower  in  the  vagina. 
These  marks  are,  however,  equivocal ;  for  even  in  the 
unimpregnated  state  women  differ  in  these  respects. 
But  at  about  the  fifth  month,  the  cervix  uteri  begins 
t6  be  distended,  and  the  6s  tincae  to  offer  a  different 
sensation  to  the  finger.  The  tubercle  shortens,  the 
orifice  expands,  the  uterus  itself  is  moved  with  difficulty. 
At  last  the  os  tincae  no  longer  conveys"  the  idea  of  a 
fissure,  but  of  an  elliptical  tube,  and  is  sometimes  at 
that  period  wholly  beyond  the  reach  of  the  finger. 
The  tumour,  at  the  same  time,  affords  no  unequivocal 
sign.  It  is  not  uniform  over  the  whole  abdomen.  It 
does  not  yield,  as  if  its  contents  were  flatus ;  there  is  no 
fluctuation,  as  if  there  were  water ;  no  unequal  hardness, 
as  if  any  contained  part  were  scirrhous.  The  swelling 
rises  from  above  the  pubes,  generally  leaning  to  one, 
very  often  the  right,  side :  it  is  circumscribed  above, 
hard,  but  not  considerably  or  irregularly  so ;  and  from 
the  state  of  the  urinary  secretion,  cannot  be  confounded 
with  a  distended  vesica.  In  the  fifth  month  the  uterus 
extends  about  half  way  between  the  pubes  and  navel, 
and  the  neck  of  the  womb  is  sensibly  shortened.  In 
the  seventh  month  the  fundis  uteri  reaches  to  the  um- 
bilicus ;  in  the  eighth,  midway  between  this  and  the 
pit  of  the  stomach ;  in  the  ninth,  to  the  scrobiculus 
cordis.  After  the  fifth  month,  and  more  decidedly  in 
the  further  stages, the  breasts  are  full;  theareola  round 
the  nipple  extends,  and  from  a  ruddy  assumes  a  brown 
or  blackish  hue.  In  reality,  however,  after  the  sixth  month 
deception  must  be  at  an  end  :  the  facts  are  decisive. 

Not  to  break  the  continuation  of  the  subject,  we 
omitted  mentioning  the  distinction  between  pregnancy 
and  scirrhus,  or  polypi  of  the  uterus.  In  the  first  the 
weight  of  the  womb  is  considerable,  but  the  edges  of 
the  os  tincae  are  hard  and  irregular:  in  the  second  we 
find  also  considerable  weight  in  the  uterus,  but  the 
other  symptoms  of  pregnancy  are  wanting,  and  it  is 
very  generally  the  disease  of  advanced  life. 

During  gestation  the  uterus  enlarges  not  from  dis- 
tention  or  pressure,  for  distended  organs  become 
thinner,  and  compresed  ones  thicker  than  natural: 
the  womb  preserves  its  former  thickness;  and  even  in- 
creases to  the  usual  bulk  of  the  gravid  state  when  the 
foetus  is  in  the  ovary,  the  Fallopian  tubes,  or  the  abdo- 
men. Its  substance,  during  gestation,  becomes  softer; 
its  veins  enlarge,  so  as  to  assume  the  appellation  of 
sinuses ;  its  arteries  run  in  a  serpentine  direction,  and 
freely  anastomose,  especially  near  the  placenta,  and 


open  obliquely  into  this  organ.  Its  fibres  are  circular, 
and  arise  from  three  distinct  sources ;  the  spot  where 
the  placenta  is  attached,  and  from  the  orifice  of  each 
tube.  When  the  womb  rises  high,  as  is  usual  in  a  first 
pregnancy,  the  ligamcnta  rotunda  are  considerably 
stretched,  and  pains,  striking  from  the  belly  downward, 
are  very  distressing. 

A  surgeon  is  often  consulted  about  the  reckoning. 
It  is  usual  to  commence  from  about  the  middle  of  the 
period  between  the  last  return  and  the  suppression; 
but  it  is  safer  to  reckon  about  a  week  earlier.  If  the 
menses  return  scantily  in  a  woman  usually  regular, 
the  reckoning  should  commence  about  a  week  before 
this  inefficient  recurrence.  But  the  whole  should  be 
corrected  by  the  quickening-,  the  period  when  the  child's 
motion  is  perceived.  This  is  at  first  indistinct,  resem- 
bling rather  a  flatulence  in  the  bowels ;  but  producing 
sometimes  a  deliquium.  When  thus  unequivocally 
marked,  somewhat  more  than  the  fourth  month  may  be 
supposed  complete,  or  from  one  hundred  and  thirty  to 
one  hundred  and  forty  days.  When  not-thus  marked, 
about  a  week  may  be  reckoned  back  from  the  certain. 
feeling  of  a  motion,  and  that  may  be  fixed  on  as  the 
same  period  of  pregnancy.  When,  from  the  irregu- 
larity of  the  menses,  the  weakness  of  the  child's  motion, 
and  the  mother's  age,  generally  connected  with  the  two 
former,  we  cannot  determine  from  either  circumstance, 
the  state  of  the  tumour  must  decide.  See  La  Motte's 
Midwifery;  Denman's  Midwifery,  vol.  i. ;  and  Dr.  Ha- 
milton's very  excellent  Outlines. 

GESTICULA'TIO,  (from  gesticul.or,  to  dance 
about).  GESTICULATION.  Oribasius  described  it  as  a 
middle  kind  of  exercise  betwixt  dancing  and  mock 
fighting.  It  is  the  expression  of  the  passions  and  feel- 
ings by  action,  as  in  the  modern  pantomime;  and  was 
formerly  a  gymnastic  exercise. 

GE'UM  RIVALE,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  717;  a  plant  with 
little  smell,  but  of  an  austere  taste ;  a  native  of  North 
America,  where  it  is  celebrated  as  an  astringent  and 
tonic,  and  employed  -in  diarrhoeas,-  dysenteries,  and 
even  supposed  a  specific  for  intermittents. 

GE'UM  URBA'NUM,  (yf«»).     See  CARYOPHYLLATA. 

GHI'TTA.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GHORA'KA.     See  CARCAPUH  FRUCTU  MALO,  &c. 

GIALA'PPA.     See  JALAPA. 

GI'BBER, and  GIBBO'SITAS,(from gibbus, crook- 
ed}. GIBBOSITY,  CROOKEDNESS.  The  chest  and  spine 
are  both  distorted  by  a  faulty  arrangement  of  the  verte- 
brae. See  CYRTOIDES  and  CYRTOMA. 

GI'BBUS,  (from  gabah,  a  hill,  Hebrew).  In  botany 
it  means  having  both  sides  convex. 

GI'FF^E.     Tumours  behind  the  ears. 

GI'GARUS.     See  DRACONTIUM. 

GIL'ARUM.     See  SERPYLLUM. 

GILIADE'NSE  BA'LSAMUM.     See  BAI.SAMUM. 

GINGI'BERIS  AMARITU'DO,  (y<yy«C><«)-  See 
CANELLA  ALBA. 

GINGIBRA'CHIUM,  or  GINGIPEDIUM,  (from 
gingivis,  the  gums,  and  brachium,  the  arm,  or  fies,  the 
foot].  The  scurvy,  in  which  the  gums  and  arms,  some- 
times the  feet,  are  affected.  See  SCORBUTUS. 

GINGI'DIUM,  (y/yyiiJW).  See  CH.SROPHYLLUM. 

GINGI'DIUM  HISPA'NICUM.     See  VISNAGA. 

GINGI'VJL,  (from  gigno,  to  beget;   because   the 


GL  A 


707 


GL  A 


teeth  are  generated  in  them).  The  GUMS  ;  «/a,  the 
plural  of  ulon.  Pollux  distinguishes  the  flesh  on  the 
outside  of  the  teeth  from  that  on  the  inside,  or  the  part 
between  the  teeth  :  the  first  is  titon ,-  the  two  last 
enulon:  ula  also  sometimes  means  a  tumour-  on  the 
gums.  They  are  that  reddish,  compact,  fleshy  sub- 
stance which  covers  the  two  sides  of  the  whole  alveolary 
border  of  each  jaw,  insinuates  itself  betwixt  the  teeth, 
then  called  hartnos,  and  adheres  to  them.  Arteries 
from  the  carotids  run  in  the  gums,  and  the  nerves  are 
from  the  fifth  pair. 

The  gums  are  apt  to  become  spongy,  and  to  separate 
from  the  teeth ;  but  the  usual  cause  is  a  stony  crust 
which  forms  itself  on  the  teeth.  When  this  calculus  is 
separated,  the  gums  soon  recover  their  former  state, 
especially  if  rubbed  with  a  mixture  of  the  infusion  of 
roses  and  the  tincture  of  myrrh.  In  cases  also  of  ulcera- 
tions  in  the  gums,  mouth,  throat,  and  fauces,  the  fol- 
lowing gargles  are  useful. 

The  alum  gargle  is  made  by  dissolving  two  drachms  of 
alum  in  a  quart  of  barley  water,  adding  three  ounces  of 
honey  of  roses.  This  is  also  useful  in  relaxations  of  the 
uvula,  and  other  cases  where  astringents  are  necessary. 

The  myrrh  gargle  consists  of  six  parts  of  lime  water, 
three  of  honey  of  roses,  and  one  of  tincture  of  myrrh. 
In  scrofulous  ulcers,  where  unctuous  applications  are 
inadmissible,  it  is  useful. 

The  scurvy  also  aifects  the  gums ;  and  when  not 
manifest  in  any  other  part,  sometimes  appears  in  the 
mouth :  when  a  scorbutic  disorder  invades  the  whole 
habit,  its  first  symptom  is  swollen  gums.  Sometimes  a 
scorbutic  complaint  attacks  the  gums,  and  occasions 
heat,  pain,  and  itching  in  them ;  if  touched,  they  bleed ; 
white  spots,  red  and  inflamed  about  their  circum- 
ference, are  occasionally  observed;  and  if  neglected, 
especially  in  young  persons,  a  copious  flux  of  thin  fetid 
saliva  is  discharged,  which  corrodes  all  around  it.  In 
Holland  it  is  called  the  WATER  CANCER.  Besides 
proper  internal  antiscorbutics,  and  the  Peruvian  bark  in 
large  doses,  the  best  external  application  is  the  muriatic 
•acid,  diluted  with  water. 

GINGERBREAD,  a  warm,  wholesome  bread,  com- 
posed of  flour,  treacle,  and  ginger. 

GI'NGLYMUS.     A  HINGE.     See  DIARTHROSIS. 

GI'NSENG.     See  GENSING. 

GITH,  or  GIT,  (from   ketsa,  Hebrew).     See  Ni- 

GELLA    RoMAXA. 

GITHA'GO,  (from  gith}.     See  XIGELLASTRUM. 

GL ABE'LL A,  (from  glaber,  smooth,  because  usually 
without  hair).  The  space  betwixt  the  eye  brows. 

GLA'BER.  (from  galab,  Hebrew).  SMOOTH..  In 
botany,  applied  to  the  leaf  it  means  having  a  smooth 
even  surface. 

GLABUL^E.     See  CUPRESSUS. 

GLADI'OLUS,  (communis'Lin.  Sp.  PI.  52,  from  the 
sword-like  shape  of  its  leaf).  FRENCH  CORN  FLAG  ; 
jrifhium,  anactorion.  Its  root  is  tuberous  and  double; 
the  leaves  like  those  of  the  iris ;  the  flower  liliaceous, 
and  divided  into  six  segments.  It 'is  cultivated  in 
gardens,  and  flowers  in  June.  The  root  is  externally 
discutient ;  internally  alexipharmic ;  and  said  to  be 
aphrodisiac.  See  Rail  Hist. 

GLADI'OLUS  FETIDUS.     See  IRIS  FOETIDUS. 

GLADI'OLUS  LUTE'US.     See  IRIS  PALUSTRIS. 


GLA'MA,  or  GLA'ME.     Sordid  and  swollen  eyes. 
GLA'XDES  UXGUEXTA  RLE.      See  MVROBA- 

LAXI. 

GLA'XDIUM,  (from  glans,  a  nut}.  See  THTMUS 
GLA'NDULA,(from  its  resembling  a  nut).  Aden. 
A  GLAXD  ;  a  distinct  soft  body,  usually  of  a  reddish 
colour,  which  separates  a  peculiar  fluid  from  the 
general  mass,  either  injurious  to  the  system,  or  for 
some  useful  purpose  in  the  animal  economy.  It  has 
been  doubted  whether  an  artery  without  convolution 
may  not  be  adapted  for  secretion.  It  is  impossible  to 
prove  a  negative ;  yet  it  appears  highly  improbable, 
unless  the  supposed  secretion  be  merely  a  serous  ex- 
halation. 

The  glands  are  roundish  bodies,  seated  in  the  cellular 
membrane,  generally  near  the  large  vessels,  from  which 
they  receive  considerable  branches :  they  are  of  different 
consistence,  and  various  colours.  Sylvius  first  divided 
them  into  conglobate,  now  called  lymphatic  and  conglo- 
merate. (See  COXGLOBATA,  and  CONGLOMERATA  GLAX- 
DULA).  Malpighi  added  what  he  called  the  follicvlus 
or  simfile  gland;  such  as  are  found  behind  the  ears,  but 
more  remarkably  in  the  fauces. 

Dr.  Xicholls  divides  the  glands  into  sinuous,  tubular, 
and  equal.  A  sinuous  gland  is  one  whose  several  folli- 
cles have  their  own  excretory  ducts,  transmitting  their 
fluid  to  a  common  basin.,  as  the  kidneys.  The  tubular  is 
the  same  with  the  conglobate  gland  of  Sylvius,  of  which 
the  testes  are  an  instance.  In  an  equal  gland  the  ves- 
sels are  branched,  as  in  the  liver. 

Glands  are  most  commonly  divided  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  fluids  they  furnish,  into  mucous,  sebaceous, 
lachrymal,  salivary,  and  biliary ;  but  these  distinctions 
are  only  the  parade  of  science,  and  add  little  to  its 
utility. 

Ruysch  proves,  by  subtle  injections,  that  the  sub- 
stance of  the  glands  is  vascular,  consisting  of  a  ramifying 
artery,  partly  terminating  in  a  vein,  and  partly  in  an  ex- 
cretory duct.  But  there  is  not  the  slightest  evidence 
that  the  extremity  of  the  artery  forms  a  continuous 
canal  with  the  excretory  duct.  On  the  contrary,  a 
hollow  cavity  js  probably  interposed,  in  which  the  fluids 
stagnate,  and  in  which  the  change  principally  takes 
place.  Mr.  Hewson,  however,  thinks  that  the  little 
globular  bodies  called  cryfite  and  folliculis  are  only 
convoluted  arteries. 

In  reality,  however,  the  structure  of  glands  is  little 
known.  From  corroded  injections  we  perceive  only 
ramifications  of  vessels  in  angles  peculiar  to  the  organ, 
and  constant  in  every  individual ;  and  on  this  regular 
arrangement  a  mechanical  theory  of  secretion  has  been 
raised.  In  no  instance,  however,  do  we  find  that  the 
injections  pass  by  continuous  vessels  into  the  excretory 
ducts ;  and  in  very  few  will  they,  by  any  management, 
penetrate  so  far. 

When  the  glands  are  swollen  only,  if  hard,  they  are 
said  to  be  indurated ;  if  harder,  and  irregular  in  their  feel, 
to  be  scirrhous;  if,  when  hard,  they  are  painful,  they 
are  styled  incipient  or  occult  cancers ;  if  their  hardness 
and  pain  continue,  carcinomata,  or  inveterate  occult 
cancers  ;  and  if  the  skin  breaks,  they  are  called  ulcer-, 
ated  and  true  cancers. 

Indurated  glands  in  children's  necks  are  common,  and 
of  little  importance.      The  lymphatic  system  in  the 
4X2 


G  L  A 


'08 


G  L  A 


*arly  periods  is  large,  and  from  want  of  irritability 
often  obstructed.  These  tumours,  even  though  they 
apparently  tend  to  suppuration,  may  generally  be  re- 
moved by  the  use  of  small  doses  of  calomel,  with  sea 
water,  in  a  sufficient  quantity,  daily  to  produce  a  gentle 
discharge  from  the  bowels.  Cicuta,  sometimes  recom- 
mended, is  unnecessary,  and  often  injurious.  Should 
the  glands  not  be  painful,  no  application  is  necessary  ; 
but  they  should  be  kept  perfectly  cool.  See  SCROFULA, 
SCIRRHUS,  CANCER,  LUPIA,  N.SVUS.  Kirkland's  Medi- 
cal Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  475. 

On  the  nature  and  structure  of  glands  see  Sylvius, 
Malpighi,  Ruysch,  Cowper,  Havers,  De  Bordeu,  &c. 

GLA'NDULA  LACHRYMA'LIS;  LACHRYMAL  GLAND,  is  a 
hard  conglomerate  gland,  situated  in  a  cavity  of  the  os 
frontis,  within  the  orbit,  above  the  external  canthus. 
From  the  lachrymal  gland,  on  the  inside  of  the  tunica 
adnata  of  the  eye  lid,  six  or  seven  excretory  ducts  per- 
forate the  tunica  adnata  by  as  many  orifices,  at  the 
distance  of  a  few  lines  from  the  tarsus,  and  evacuate  » 
saline  aqueous  fluid,  called  the  tears,  between  the  eye 
lid  and  the  bulb  of  the  eye.  The  extremities  of  very 
small  arteries  exhale  also  a  moisture  from  the  whole 
surface  of  the  tunica  conjunctiva,  which,  mixed  with 
the  liquor  of  the  lachrymal  gland,  and  the  mucus  of  the 
Meibomian  glands,  moistens  and  lubricates  the  eye,  and 
the  inside  of  the  eye  lids. 

GLA'NDULA  LACHRYMA'LIS,  and  INNOMINA'TA.  See 
CARUNCULA  LACHRYMALIS. 

GLA'NDULA  PITUITARIA  ;  a  small  greyish  body,  lying 
between  the  sphenoidal  folds  of  the  dura  mater  on 
the  sella  turcica.  It  is  oval,  white  or  greyish  within, 
and  sometimes  apparently  divided  into  two  lobes.  It 
is  covered  by  the  pia  mater,  and  the  opening  of  this 
covering  is  the  extremity  of  the  infundibulum.  It 
has  been  supposed  the  seat  of  the  soul,  as  it  is  the  only 
single  organ  of  the  brain,  but  is  probably  a  lymphatic 
gland. 

GLA'NDULA  CERU'MINIS.      See  AXIDITORIUS 

MEATUS. 

GLA'NDULA  MYRTIFO'RMES.  When  the  hymen  is 
torn,  the  broken  fimbrise  of  the  membrane  contract  and 
form  apparent  glands ;  but  their  glandular  structure 
has  not  been  ascertained.  They  are  so  denominated  from 
their  fancied  resemblance  to  myrtle  berries. 

GLA'NDULJE  ODOHI'FER^E,  are  situated  on  the  inside 
and  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  glans  penis;  and  secreting 
u  fluid,  which  thickens  by  stagnation,  and  acquires  a 
particular  offensive  smell.  These  glands  are  often  in- 
flamed in  those  who  have  aJong  prepuce  ;  and  emit  a 
matter  exactly  similar  to  that  which  flows  from  the 
urethra  in  gonorrhoea.  It  is,  however,  doubtful  whether 
this  discharge  be  venereal. 

GLA'NDULA  PACCHIONI^E.  Small  oval  fatty  bodies  in 
the  longitudinal  sinus,  which  are  probably  not  glandular. 
See  CEREBRUM. 

GLA'NDULA  SUPRA  RENA'LES,  and  RENALES.  See 
CAPSULE  ATRABILARIJE. 

GLA'NDULJE  VASCULA'RES.     See  COWPERI  GLANDULE. 

GLANDULOSO  CA'RNEUS,  (from  glandula,  a 
gland,  and  carneus,Jles/iy^)an  epithet  given  by  Ruysch 
to  some  excrescences  which  he  observed  in  the  blad- 
der. 

GLANDULO'SUS,  (from  glandula,  a  gland}.    Bo- 


tanically  it  is  applied  to  a  leaf,  which  has  minute  glands 
on  its  surface. 

GLANS.  An  ACORN.  It  is  also  a  strumous  swelling; 
and  a  name  for  a  pessary,  or  a  suppository,  denominat- 
ed from  its  resemblance. 

GLANS  Jo'vis  THEOPHRA'STI,  (from  the  same).  Sec 
CASTANA. 

GLANS  PE'NIS,  (from  the  same,)  balanos,  cits/iis,  and 
NUT.  It  is  formed  by  the  corpus  spongiosum  urethra;, 
turned  over  the  corpora  cavernosa  penis,  and  covered 
by  a  continuation  of  the  integuments.  When  the  cuti- 
cle is  removed,  every  little  villous  body  seems  a  vessel. 
In  the  fifth  volume  of  the  Edinburgh  Medical  Essays, 
a  glans  penis  is  said  to  have  been  regenerated  after  am- 
putation; but  of  this  restoration  we  have  many  doubts. 

GLANS  UNGUENTA'RIA.     See  BF.N. 

GLA'STUM,  (quasi  calastum,  from  Callia,  who  is 
supposed  to  have  first  used  it).  WOAD  ;  isatis  saliva, 
vel  latifolia;  isatis  tinctoria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  936,  is  culti- 
vated only  for  the  use  of  dyers,  who  obtain  from  it  their 
best  blue ;  an  inferior  sort  is  called  by  the  French 
vouede.  The  plant  is  not  used  in  medicine,  though  it 
is  said  to  be  astringent,  probably  because  the  indigo  is 
supposed  to  be  so ;  but  this  foecula  is  the  production  of 
a  very  different  plant,  the  indigoftra  tinctoria  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1061.  (See  INDICUM.)  From  the  isatis  sylvestris  a 
volatile  salt  hath  been  obtained  by  fermentation  only. 
This  is  a  variety  of  the  isatis  tinctoria;  but  it  is  a  plant 
of  the  class  tetradynamia,  riiany  of  which  afford  ammo\ 
nia.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Neumann's  Che- 
mical Works. 

GLA'STUM  I'NDICUM.     See  INDICUM. 

GLAUBE'RI  SAL;  so  called  from  its  discoverer  or 
inventor.  GLAUBER'S  SALT,  sal  tnirabilis,  admirabilis, 
sal  catharticum  Glaubcri,  natron  vitriolatum.  The  Dau- 
phiny  salt  is  a  natural  production  of  this  kind,  obtained 
from  an  earth  in  the  province  of  Dauphiny  in  France; 
but  that  in  general  use,  and  which  receives  the  name  of 
Glauber,  its  author,  is  artificial;  consisting  of  a  vitrio- 
lic acid  with  the  mineral  alkali.  See  CHEMISTRY. 

The  salt  which  remains  after  the  distillation  of  the  mu- 
riatic acid  is  directed  to  be  exposed  to  a  strong  fire,  in  an 
open  vessel,  to  separate  the  remaining  acid,  to  be  boiled 
in  distilled  water,  strained,  and  crystallized.  Ph.  Lond. 
1788.  In  cold  weather  it  will  shoot  in  forty-eight 
hours,  and  in  warmer  weather  in  about  twice  the  time. 

The  fineness  and  largeness  of  the  crystals  greatly  de- 
pend on  the  quantity  of  acid.  The  Edinburgh  college 
directs  one  part  of  the  oil  of  vitriol  to  two  parts  of  sea 
salt  for  obtaining  the  spirit  of  salt,  and  the  residuum 
is  as  nearly  of  a  due  degree  of  acidity  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained by  a  general  rule. 

Mr.  Fergus,  of  Piccadilly,  London,  says,  that  from 
two  pounds  and  half  of  kelp,  and  nearly  two  ounces  of 
the  oil  of  vitriol,  he  obtained  half  a  pound  or  more  of 
Glauber's  salt.  He  takes  calcined  kelp  Jfo  i.  powders, 
and  dissolves  it  in  a  glazed  earthen  pan  with  boiling 
water  Jfo  ij-  filters  the  clear  liquor  into  a  similar  vessel, 
adding  gradually,  when  hot,  as  much  oil  of  vitriol,  di- 
luted with  somewhat  more  than  an  equal  part  of  water 
as  is  necessary  to  saturate  it.  It  is  then  filtered,  eva- 
porated to  a  pellicle,  and  crystallized. 

The  sal  catharticum  amarum  is  nearly  of  the  same 
quality  with  the  natron  vitriolatum,  and  often  substi- 


GLE 


•09 


GLU 


tuted  for  it.  But  its  basis,  instead  of  the  alkali,  is  mag- 
nesia, which  is  detected  by  adding  an  alkali  in  solution 
to  the  sal  catharticum,  from  whence  the  magnesia  is 
separated.  The  salts  do  not,  however,  differ  in  their 
medical  properties. 

The  true  natron  vitriolatum  is  apt  to  lose  so  much 
of  its  water  of  crystallization  as  to  become  opake,  and 
fall  into  a  white  powder.  It  is  applied  externally  in  a 
cataplasm,  by  dissolving  an  ounce  of  the  vitriolated  na- 
tron in  half  a  pint  of  water,  and  reducing  it  to  a  proper 
consistence  by  crumb  of  bread.  It  is  applied  in  those 
inflammations  of  the  eye  where  the  secretions  are  defi- 
cient; the  form  is  attributed  to  Dr.  Kirkland. 

In  small  doses,  plentifully  diluted  with  water,  it  is 
laxative  and  diuretic;  in  larger  ones,  cathartic.  For 
the  latter  purpose  it  is  given  from  |  ss.  to  5  ij.  and,  if 
diluted  in  water,  from  one  pint  to  two  should  oe  employ- 
ed, and  in  that  case  the  dose  of  the  salt  may  be  dimin- 
ished. It  then  answers  every  purpose  of  the  Epsom 
and  similar  waters  ;  cools  and  checks  the  circulation  so 
much,  that  Dr.  Alston  thinks  it  specific  in  active  hae- 
morrhages. Gangrenes  are  sometimes  washed  with  a 
solution  of  it  in  vinegar.  It  has  been  supposed,  when 
too  freely  taken,  to  attenuate  the  blood,  and  produce 
dropsies.  It  may  perhaps  debilitate,  by  injuring  the  di- 
gestive organs  ;  but  can  produce  little  permanent  mis- 
chief. See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica,  Glauber,  Boyle, 
Becher,  and  Stahl. 

GLAU'CIUM,  (from  yAav*«s,  blue,  from  its  colour). 
See  PAPAVER  SPIXOSUM. 

GLAUCO'MA,  GLAUCO'SIS,  or  GLAUCE'DO, 
(from  yAawco?,  blue}.  Mr.  Sharp,  Operations  of  Sur- 
gery, p.  158  —  163,  says,  that  the  glaucoma  of  the  Greeks 
is  the  suffusio  of  the  Latins,  and  the  cataract  of  the 
present  times.  (See  CATARACTA).  Woolhouse,  Maitre 
Jean,  and  M.  St.  Yves  think  it  a  cataract,  with  a  gutta 
serena;  called  cataracta  glaucoma.  In  this  complica- 
tion of  diseases  the  operation  and  all  other  means  are 
useless,  unless  to  ease  pain. 

GLAUCO  PHYLLUS,  (from  v**"**,  blue,  and 
^VAAM,  a  Iff}.  Botanically  applied  to  leaves  of  as 
azure  or  sea  green  colour. 

GLAUCO'SIS.     See  CATARACTA. 

GLAU'RA.     See  SUCCIXUM. 

GLAUX  VULGARIS,  (from  yAxww?,  tea  green,) 
astragalus  g'.aux  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1069;  glycyrrhiza  syl- 
vestrisjlore  luteo  ;  ffnum  Gr£cum  sylvestre  ;  hedysa- 
rum  glycyrrhizatum.  LIQUORICE  VETCH.  It  grows  in 
thickets  and  under  hedges;  flowers  in  July:  the  herb 
and  seed  are  commended  for  increasing  the  milk  in  wo- 
men's breasts  ;  the  root  is  sweetish,  astringent,  and  diu- 
retic, but  very  rarely  used.  This  plant  is  often  sold  for 
the  galega.  Raii  Hist. 

GLECO'MA  HEDERA  CEA.     See  HEDERA  TER- 


See     PULEGIUM     VUL- 


REST. 

GLE'CHON, 

GARE. 

GLECHOKI'TES.  Wine  impregnated  with  penny- 
royal. 

GLEET.     See  GOXORRIKEA  MUCOSA. 

GLE'NE,  (yAjwj,  the  socket  of  the  eye,)  the  cavity  of 
the  eye,  and  the  pupil  ;  but  it  is  used  to  express  any 
slight  depression  or  cavity  in  a  bone  which  receives 
another  bone  in  articulation.  Cotyle  is  a  similar  cavity, 
but  deeper.  See  Os. 


GLEXOI'DES,  (from  yA?»>,,  and  t,?*,  likeness').  The 
same  as  glene  ;  but  particularly  applied  to  two  cavities, 
or  small  depressions  in  the  inferior  part  of  the  first  ver- 
tebra of  the  neck. 

GLEUCI'XUM  O'LEUM,  (from  yA£*«5,  must}. 
GLEUCINE  OIL;  formerly  made  by  infusing  several  aro- 
matics  in  wine  and  olive  oil. 

GLEU'COS,  (from  yAt>x»«,  sv>eet}.  MUST;  some- 
times sweet  wines.  See  MUSTUM. 

GLEU'XIS,  (from  the  same).  Wine  in  which  are 
much  saccharine  and  extractive  matter. 

GLISCHRO'CHOLOS,  (from  yAi»-^»«,  viscid,  and 
%*>.*,  bile).  Bilious  viscid  excrements. 

GLISOMA'RGO.     See  CRETA  ALBA. 

GLOBO'SUS,  (from  globus,  a  globe}.  GLOBULAR, 
round.  In  botany  it  is  applied  to  the  root. 

GLOBULA'RIA  FRUTICO'SA.     See  ALYPIA. 

GLO'BUS  HYSTE'RICUS,  (quasi  glomus,  from 
galom,  Hebrew,  a  globe  or  round  ball).  In  hysteric 
disorders  a  ball  seems  to  ascend  from  the  stomach  into 
the  throat,  so  as  to  threaten  suffocation.  This  seem- 
ing ball  is  flatulence,  confined  by  spasm  in  the  upper 
orifice  of  the  stomach.  When  this  is  relaxed,  the  air 
escapes  through  the  oesophagus.  The  only  remedies 
are  laxatives,  the  warm  carminatives,  and  opiates. 

GLO'CHIS,  (from  yA»£<«,  the  fioint  of  a  sfiearj. 
The  point  of  the  pubes  of  plants. 

GLOMERA'TUS,  (from  glomer,  a  dice  of  thread). 
In  botany  it  means  growing  together  in  a  globular  form. 

GLO'SSA,  (yA*w«-«).     See  LINGUA. 

GLOSSA'GRA,  (from  yA*c-tr«,  the  tongue,  and  *y^», 
fiain}.  A  rheumatic  pain  in  the  tongue. 

GLOSSOCA'TOCHOS,  (from  yA«c-™,  tongue,  and 
Ket]i%a,  to  repress}.  An  instrument  for  depressing  the 
tongue,  described  by  P.  JLgineta. 

GLOSSOCE'LE,  (from  yhae-tnt,  and  xijAij,  tumour}. 
An  extrusion  of  the  tongue. 

GLOSSOCO'MA.     A  retraction  of  the  tongue. 

GLOSSOCO'MOX,  (from  yA»<nr«,  a  tongue,  and 
x.euta,  to  guard}.  A  case  for  the  reeds  o£  a  hautboy  or 
glossocomion,  and  employed  as  the  appellation  of  an 
instrument  or  case  for  containing  a  fractured  limb. 

GLO'SSO  PHARYXGi'I,  (from  yAwc-s-*,  and 
Qstpv/%,  fiharynx}.  These  muscles  are  fibres  which 
come  from  the  tongue,  running  along  its  lateral  edges, 
from  which  they  are  separated  as  they  run  backward, 
and  down  on  the  sides  of  the  pharynx,  under  the  stylo- 
pharyngaei.  (See  PHARYNX).  The  name  also  of  the 
cephalo  pharyngsei. 

GLOSS  O-STAPHYLI'NI,  (from  yA««rc-it,  and  c-lo^vh**;, 
stafihylinus) .  These  two  muscles  are  fixed  in  the  low- 
er and  lateral  part  of  the  basis  of  the  tongue,  whence 
they  run  obliquely  backward,  along  the  anterior  arches 
of  the  septum  palati,  and  terminate  insensibly  on  each 
side  near  the  uvula.  They  form  the  substance  of  the 
two  anterior  arches  of  the  palatum  molle. 

GLO'TTA.     See  LINGUA. 

GLO'TTIS,  (from  yA*rr«,  the  tongue,}  is  the  nar- 
row aperture  at  the  upper  part  of  the  aspera  arteria, 
and  covered  by  the  epiglottis  when  we  hold  our  breath, 
or  swallow.  The  glottis,  by  its  dilatation  and  contrac- 
tion, contributes  to  the  modulation  of  the  voice. 

GLU'CIXE.  An  earth  lately  discovered,  but  not 
yet  employed  in  medicine.  It  is  denominated  from  the 
sweetness  of  its  salts. 


GLU 


710 


GNA 


GLUE.  Inspissated  animal  gluten.  A  good  glue 
impermeable  to  water  may  be  made  by  boiling  a  hand- 
ful of  quick  lime,  with  four  ounces  of  lintseed  oil,  to 
the  consistence  of  a  paste,  and  then  drying  it  on  iron 
plates. 

GLU'MA,  (from  yAu^ai,  to  scrape  or  6ark).  HUSK, 
CHAFF  ;  a  species  of  calyx  peculiar  to  corn  or  grass,  in- 
folding the  arista :  it  is  either  unifiora ;  multiflora ; 
univalvis;  bivalvis;  multivalvis;  colorata ;  glabra;  or 
hispida. 

GLUS.     See  DYSURIA  MUOOSA. 

GLUT-E'A  ARTERIA,  (from  yA»t>7«s,  the  buttock,') 
is  a  branch  of  the  hypogastric  artery,  and  generally  the 
largest :  near  its  beginning  it  sometimes  sends  out  the 
iliaca  minor,  and  sometimes  the  small  branch  that  goes 
from  that  artery  to  the  os  sacrum,  and  other  parts  fixed 
to  it ;  afterwards  this  artery  passes  out  of  the  pelvis,  in 
company  with  the  sciatic  nerve,  through  the  upper  part 
of  the  great  sinus  of  the  os  innominatum,  below  the  mus- 
culus  pyriformis,  and  is  distributed  in  a  radiated  man- 
ner to  the  three  ghitsei  muscles.  In  its  passage  it  gives 
branches  to  the  os  sacrum,  os  coccygis,  the  musculus 
pyriformis,  the  muscles  of  the  anus,  and  to  the  neigh- 
bouring parts  of  the  rectum,  forming  a  particular  hae- 
morrhoidalis  interna.  It  sends  twigs  to  the  bladder, 
and  parts  near  it :  and  detaches  a  pretty  long  branch, 
which  runs  down  with  the  sciatic  nerve. 

GLUTjE'US  MA'XIMUS,  (from  the  same,)  glute- 
ns major,  is  a  muscle  which  rises  from  the  posterior 
lateral  part  of  the  os  coccygis,  from  a  ligament  extend- 
ed between  the  os  sacrum  and  the  latter  bone ;  from  the 
flat  surface  of  the  ilium,  where  it  is  connected  to  the  os 
sacrum  ;  and  from  the  spine  of  the  ilium.  Its  anterior 
portion  grows  tendinous,  where  it  runs  over  the  tro- 
chanter  major,  and  makes  part  of  the  fascia  of  the 
thigh  :  the  posterior  is  inserted  into  the  hind  part  of  the 
femur,  to  assist  its  extension.  This  muscle  with  the 
glutaeus  medius  and  minimus,  make  up  the  fleshy  part 
of  the  buttocks,  from  which  they  are  denominated. 

GLUT^'US  ME'DIUS,  rises  as  high  as  the  spine  of  ihe 
os  ilium,  and  is  inserted  into  the  very  uppermost  part  of 
the  trochanter  major,  bringing  the  thigh  backward  and 
outward. 

GLUT^E'US  MI'NIMUS,  rises  rather  lower  than  the 
preceding,  and  forms  a  middle  tendon  inserted  into  the 
trochanter  major,  blended  with  the  medius.  It  is  an 
abductor  of  the  thigh. 

GLU 'TEN,  (quasi  geluten,  from  gelo,  to  congeal). 
GLUE,  LENTOR;  the  part  of  the  blood  which  gives 
firmness  to  its  texture.  (See  BLOOD).  It  is  also  a 
component  part  of  vegetables,  and  is  particularly  found 
in  the  husks  of  grain.  It  is  soluble  in  alcohol  and 
alkalis  ;  in  its  properties  it  approaches  very  nearly  the 
nature  of  animal  substances,  and  affords,  in  distillation, 
ammonia,  containing  hydrogen,  carbon,  and  nitrogen. 
It  is  obtained  also  by  boiling  the  expressed  juice  of 
cresses,  scurvy  grass,  and  many  other  plants  of  the 
tetradynamia  class,  after  it  has  stood  till  the  colouring 
matter  has  separated. 

GLU'TIA,  (from  yAot7««,  the  buttock).  See  CERE- 
BELLUM. 

GLU'TOS,  (from  the  same).     A  BUTTOCK. 

GLUTTUPA'TENS,  (from  gluttus,  the  throat,  and 
fiateo,  to  extend).  An  appellation  of  the  stomach,  which 
is  only  a  dilatation  of  the  oesophagus. 


GLYCYME'RIDES  MA'GNA.     See  CHAMA. 

GLYCYPI'CROS,  (from  yAuxu?,  siveet,  and 
bitter,  from  its  taste).     WOODY  NIGHT  SHADE. 

GLYCYRRHI'ZA,  (from  yAwKt/s,  siveet,  and  ?i£ft,  a 
root).  Liquiritia;  dulcis  radix;  and  adifison;  glycyrr- 
hiza  glabra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1046.  SMOOTH  LEGUMINED, 
or  COMMON  LIQUORICE,  is  a  plant  with  oval  leaves, 
set  in  pairs  along  a  middle  rib ;  the  flowers  are  small, 
bluish,  and  papilionaceous,  standing  in  spikes  on  naked 
pedicles;  followed  by  smooth  pods,  containing  flat  kid- 
ney shaped  seeds:  the  root  is  long,  slender,  flexible, 
of  a  brownish  colour  on  the  outside,  and  yellow  within. 
The  plant  is  perennial,  a  native  of  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe,  and  cultivated  in  England.  The  roots  may  be 
taken  the  third  year  after  the  slips  or  offsets  have  been 
planted.  An  inferior  kind,  the  glycyrrhiza  echinata,  is 
sometimes  substituted. 

The  English  liquorice  is  equal  to  the  foreign ;  and 
the  root,  when  carefully  dried  and  powdered,  is  of  a 
richer  and  more  agreeable  taste  than  when  fresh,  of  a 
dull  yellow  colour,  but  often  adulterated  by  a  mixture 
of  flour.  The  dry  root  is  not  inferior  to  the  fresh :  but 
it  may  be  kept  moist  even  in  dry  sand ;  wet  sand 
rots  it. 

Liquorice  is  almost  the  only  saccharine  substance  that 
does  not  produce  thirst ;  and  it  was  consequently  called 
adifison:  but  this  quality  arises  from  the  necessity  of 
chewing  the  root,  and  partly  from  the  stimulus  of  a 
slight  bitter  combined  with  its  sweetness.  It  covers 
the  offensive  taste  of  many  unpalatable  medicines,  and 
does  not  readily  ferment :  it  has  been  esteemed  attenu- 
ant,  detergent,  diuretic,  expectorant,  and  demulcent; 
though  it  has  only  properties  similar  to  sugar,  and  is 
preferable  only  as  a  demulcent,  since  its  expressed  juice 
dissolves  slowly.  ,  It  yields  all  its  virtue  to  water ;  but 
spirit  dissolves  less  of  the  mucilage,  and  the  spirituous 
tincture  and  extract  are  the  sweetest. 

The  extract  of  liquorice,  ordered  to  be  prepared  like 
that  of  camomile,  would  be  best  made  by  pressing  the 
fresh  roots  betwixt  iron  rollers,  and  inspissating  the 
juice.  The  usual  extract  is  adulterated  by  a  mixture  of 
the  pulp  of  prunes.  ,  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica, 
and  Cullen's  Materia  Medica.  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works. 

GLYCYHRHI'ZA  SYLVE'STHIS  FLO'HE  LUTE'O.  See 
GLAUX  VULGARIS  LEGUMINOSA. 

GLYCYRRHI'ZA  TROCHI'SCI.     See  BECHICA. 

GNAPHA'LIUM,  (from  y»«p«Pi«i>,  cotton,  from  its 
soft  downy  surface).  CUDWEED;  albinum.  Gnafihalium 
dioicitm  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1199. 

GNAPHA'LIUM  ALPI'NUM.     See  LEONTOPODIUM. 

GNAPHA'LIUM  LUTE'UM.     See  ELYCHRYSUM. 

GNAPHA'LIUM  MARI'TIMUM;  called  also  gnafihalium 
marinum,  gnafihalium  cotonaria;  athanasia  maritima 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1182;  COTTON  WEED,  or  SEA  CUD- 
WEED. 

All  the  species  of  cudweed  are  astringent,  and  sup- 
posed to  be  useful  in  fluxes  and  haemorrhages;  but  not 
used  in  this  country. 

GNAPHA'LIUM  MONTA'NUM  ;  fies  cati;  hisfiidula;  el- 
chrysum  montanum  flore  rotundiore;  fiilosella  minor;  a 
variety  (/3)  of  the  g.  dioicum.  MOUNTAIN  CUDWEED, 
or  CAT'S  FOOT.  It  is  very  common  in  France,  and  a 
syrup  made  of  it  hath  been  celebrated  under  the  name 
of  syrufius  de  hisfiidula  seu  alurofio. 


GO  X 


11 


GOX 


GNAPHA'LIUM  VETERVM.  A  species  of  BASTARD  DIT- 
See  PSEUDO-DICTAMXCS. 

GXA'THOS,  (from  '/>«ft*>,  to  bend,  from  its  curva- 
ture). The  entire  cheek,  sometimes  only  the  lower 
part^  between  the  angles  of  the  jnouth  and  ear,  which 
the  Latins  call  bucca;  occasionally  the  jaws  and  the  jaw 
bones. 

GXI'DIA  GRA'XA,  (from  Cnidu*\     See  CXIDIA 

GHANA. 

GOACO'XEZ.  The  name  of  a  large  tree  in  Ameri- 
ca: it  affords  the  balsamum  purius,  vel  album  ;  but  the 
source  is  unknown.  See  Rail  Hist. 

GO 'AN.  The  name  of  a  tree  in  Persia,  of  whose 
ashes  putty  is  made. 

GO'BIUS,  or  GO'BIO,  (from  g o6a,  Hebrew).  The 
fish  called  the  GUDGEOX.  See  AMYGDALOIDES. 

GO'GGLES.  Spheroidal  bodies  made  of  horn  or 
black  ivory,  to  cover  the  eyes,  which  are  fixed  by  means 
of  a  black  ribbon  round  the  head.  In  the  front  is  a 
small  aperture,  and  sometimes  a  glass.  They  are  used 
to  defend  weak  eyes  from  dust,  and,  in  cases  of  squint- 
ing, to  keep  the  optic  axes  in  the  same  direction  ;  but  in 
the  latter  case  they  seldom  succeed,  the  patient  pre- 
ferring to  see  with  one  eye  only. 

GOMPHI  ASIS,  (from  y»f*p<x,  a  nail).     See  AGOM- 

PHIASIS. 

GO'MPHIOI,  (from  the  same).     See  MOLARES. 

GOMPHO'MA,  GOMPHO'SIS,  orEXGOMPHO- 
SIS,  (from  yeftjfiff,  a  nail;  cla-vatio).  A  Greek  term 
for  that  species  of  synarthrosis  which  resembles  a  nail 
driven  into  a  piece  of  wood,  of  which  the  teeth  in  their 
sockets  are  an  instance.  ' 

GONA'GRA,  (from  "/«•>••',  a  knee,  and  «•/««,  a  /lain,) 
gonyalgia.  The  gout  in  the  knee. 

GO'XE,  (from  «/iy»«^«(,  to  generate).  The  SEED;  in 
Hippocrates  the  uterus. 

GOXGRO'X'A.  (from  y«y/f««,  a.  round  tubercle  in  the 
trunk  of  a  tree}.  Any  hard  tumour,  but  particularly  a 
BROXCHOCELE,  q.  v. 

GOXGY'LIOX,  (from  y«y/"fA««,  round).     See  Pi- 

LVLA. 

GOXOI'DES,  (from  •/•">,  teed,  and  tiS'ef,  form,)  re- 
sembling seed.  Hippocrates  often  uses  it  as  an  epithet 
for  the  excrements  of  the  belly,  and  for  the  contents  of 
the  urine,  when  they  resemble  seminal  matter. 

GOXORRHCE'A,  (from  y«»»,  seed,  and  ft*,  tofjow,) 
an  involuntary  efflux  of  seminal  juice :  but  this  is  not 
the  proper  appellation  of  the  disease  to  which  it  is  ap- 
plied, and  the  term  now  commonly  used  is  blennorhagia, 
from  pAf»»««,  mucu*,  and  fit,  tojiow,  i.  e.  mucifluxug  ; 
and  to  gleets  the  name  blenorrhta,  or  mucifluxus  fias- 
grvus,  without  phlogistic  symptoms,  is  assigned. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and 
order  afiocenoses  ;  and  defines  it  a  preternatural  flux  of 
fluid  from  the  urethra  in  males  without  any  libidinous 
desires.  The  first  species  is  gonorrht!  a  fiiira,  or  be- 
nignv,  a  mucous  discharge  from  the  urethra,  without 
dysuria,  or  lascivious  inclination. 

2.  GOXORRHCE'A  IMPU'RA,   maligna,  syfihilitica,  a  dis- 
charge resembling  pus  from  the  urethra,  with  heat  of 
•urine,  £cc.  after  impure  coition,  to  which  often  succeeds 
a  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  urethra,  with  little  or  no 
dysury,  called  a  gleet. 

3.  GOXORRHIE'A    LAXO'RCM,    libidinosa,  a  pellucid 


discharge  from  the  urethra,  without  erection  of  the 
penis,  but  with  venereal  thoughts  while  awake. 

4.  GOXORRHCE'A  DORMIEXTIUM,  oneirogmos,  when 
during  sleep,  but  dreaming  of  venereal  engagements, 
there  is  erection  of  the  penis,  and  a  seminal  discharge. 

The  gonorrhea  benigna  is  defined  by  Dr.  Fordyce, 
"  an  increased  secretion  from  the  mucous  glands  of  the 
urethra,  without  infection."  The  matter  discharged  is 
whitish  and  mild,  producing  no  excoriation,  or  other 
disorder,  on  the  parts  through  which  it  passes,  or  oa 
which  it  falls. 

The  principal  cause  is  a  weakness  in  the  parts  which 
are  the  seat  of  the  disorder ;  occasional  causes  are  too 
frequent  purging,  violent  exercise  on  horseback,  too  fre- 
quent indulgences,  cold,  excess  of  spirituous  liquors. 

The  virulent  gonorrhoea  is  a  local  inflammation,  at- 
tended with  the  discharge  of  a  puriform  matter  from 
the  urethra  in  men,  and  from  the  vagina  in  women,  pre- 
ceded by  a  slight  sensation  at  the  end  of  the  penis,  like 
a  flea  bite  ;  accompanied  with  a  frequent  desire  of  mak- 
ing water,  which  occasions  a  scalding,  or  pricking  and 
burning  pain,  during  the  time  of  its  passage,  particular- 
ly felt  at  the  orifice  of  the  urethra,  and  a  little  below  it, 
arising  from  a  stimulus  applied  to  these  parts.  The  lips 
of  the  urethra  appear  full  and  inflamed ;  a  tension  is  felt 
in  the  penis,  and  the  urinary  passage  is  seemingly  strait- 
ened, particularly  at  one  part,. viz.  aliout  half  an  inch 
below  the  orifice  of  the  urethra.  At  this  place  also  the 
urine,  which  is  felt  like  scalding  water,  gives  a  hot  pun- 
gent sensation,  almost  insupportable,  and  flows  in  a  small 
interrupted  stream.  A  little  whitish  mucus  appears 
about  the  orifice  of  the  urethra,  and,  if  pressed  a  little 
above  its  extremity,  the  discharge  is  increased.  The 
mucus  soon  assumes  a  greenish  hue,  verging  to  a  yel- 
low, and  is  thin.  The  disease  sometimes  appears  with- 
in twenty -four  hours  after  the  infection,  and  is  then  pro- 
portionally slight;  generally  between  the  fourth  and 
fourteenth  days.  Sometimes,  by  the  violence  of  the  ir- 
ritation, the  secretion  of  mucus  seems  to  be  considerably- 
diminished,  so  that  a  very  small  discharge  only  takes 
place,  though  the  other  symptoms  be  extremely  violent. 
In  this  case  the  disease  hath  obtained  the  very  improper 
name  of  gonorrhta  sicca. 

When  the  inflammation  is  extremely  violent,  the  ir- 
ritation produces  frequent  erections,  particularly  in  bed ; 
and  as  the  fraenum  is  usually  inflamed,  and  will  not  ad- 
mit of  the  usual  distention,  the  penis  is  incurvated  with 
intolerable  pain.  In  this  very  exasperated  inflammation, 
the  perinaeum  is  red  and  swollen,  and  all  the  parts 
around  the  trunk  are  distended  and  uneasy.  -The  glans 
penis  swells,  and  is  transparent;  the  prepuce  inflames,  and 
cannot  be  drawn  back,  or  if  back,  cannot  be  brought 
forward,  constituting  the  disease  styled  PHYMOSIS  or 
PARAPHTMOSIS,  q.  v.  In  the  former  case  a  hard  cord 
is  sometimes  felt  extending  along  the  back  of  the  penis, 
which  is  an  inflamed  lymphatic,  and  sometimes  the 
forerunner  of  a  bubo ;  but  almost  universally  some  ul- 
ceration  precedes  the  appearance  of  a  bubo.  The  seat 
of  the  disease  is  in  the  urethra,  near  its  extremity  ;  but 
it  sometimes  extends  to  Cowper's  glands  and  the  pro- 
stite.  In  the  greater  number  of  cases  the  inflammation 
goes  on  gradually  increasing  for  ten  days  or  a  fortnight, 
and  then  as  gradually  recedes  :  the  tightness  grows  less ; 
the  mucous  discharge  thickens  and  grows  whiter,  and 


GON 


712 


GON 


a.t  last  wholly  disappears.  In  women  the  seat  of  the 
complaint  is  in  the  vagina,  attended  with  the  pungent 
sensation  as  in  men ;  but,  except  when  violent,  so  that 
the  nymphse  and  meatus  urinarius  are  affected,  not  with 
such  a  painful  heat  of  urine.  See  FLUOR  ALBUS. 

The  matter  of  the  discharge  hath  a  purulent  appear- 
ance ;  but  is  only  the  mucus  of  the  urethra  or  vagina 
secreted  in  an  unusual  quantity,  and  changed  in  its  co- 
lour and  consistence  by  the  stimulus  applied  to  the 
parts  ;  like  the  mucous  discharge  from  the  nose  or  lungs 
on  taking  cold.  The  discharge  from  the  urethra  or  va- 
gina was  long  supposed  to  arise  from  an  ulcer,  and  va- 
rious arguments  were  adduced  in  favour  of  an  opinion 
now  rejected.  Much  stress  has  been  laid  on  the  fol- 
lowing fact  recorded  by  Swediar,  from  Dr.  Stoll ;  but 
numerous  observations  of  a  similar  kind  have  been  made 
in  England,  and  we  want  not  to  go  to  Vienna  to  dissect 
persons  who  have  died  while  affected  with  gonorrhoea. 
"Dr.  Stoll  had,  about  the  year  1782,  the  instructive 
opportunity  of  dissecting  a  man  who  died  while  labour- 
ing under  a  virulent  gonorrhoea.  On  opening  the  ure- 
thra carefully,  he  found  its  internal  surface  preterna- 
turally  red ;  two  of  the  lymphatics  preternaturally  white 
and  enlarged ;  and  the  puriform  matter  oozing  out  from 
the  internal  membrane,  especially  at  the  lacunae,  where 
the  seat  of  the  disorder  was,  without  the  least  appear- 
ance of  an  ulceration  or  excoriation." 

A  discharge  of  mucus,  if  not  connected  with  a  ve- 
nereal taint,  even  when  accompanied  with  inflam- 
mation, is  not  infectious ;  and  the  common  gleet,  when 
inflammation  is  secondarily  excited,  by  high  living  or 
violent  exercise,  is  equally  innocent.  Yet  when  it  has 
preceded  a  venereal  taint,  the  greatest  caustion  is  ne- 
cessary. A  degree  of  virus,  which  makes  no  impres- 
sion on  a  part  habituated  to  its  stimulus,  may  convey 
infection  to  another  unaccustomed  to  its  action. 

The  gonorrhoea  was  for  many  years  considered  to  be 
ti  local  eifect  of  that  poison  which,  when  introduced 
into  the  system,  produced  syphilis.  The  conclusion 
was  obvious,  as  it  was  received  in  the  same  manner, 
and  in  the  same  organs.  More  attentive  discrimination 
led  to  doubts  on  the  subject,  and  to  some  experiments 
which,  though  personal,  were  scarcely  justifiable.  It 
was  recollected,  that  the  syphilis  appeared  more  than  a 
hundred  years  before  the  local  inflammation  was  ob- 
served or  described ;  that  the  latter  often  continued  for 
several  months  without  being  attende^  by  the  former; 
and  that  the  alteration  from  syphilis  to  gonorrhoea  was 
a  rare  occurrence,  not  without  suspicion  of  a  new  infec- 
tion. These  doubts  suggested  two  important  altera- 
tions in  practice.  Mercury  was  disused  in  gonorrhoea, 
and  cooling  medicines,  with  laxatives,  only  employed ; 
or  the  inflammation  was  at  once  boldly  checked,  either 
by  astringents,  or  by  exciting  a  greater  inflammation 
with  a  more  violent  and  temporary  discharge.  The 
result  of  these  plans  is  more  decisive  than  a  host  of  ar- 
guments. They  were,  for  a  long  time,  treated  as  danger- 
ous innovations,  and  numerous  are  the  cases  of  syphilis 
said  to  have  been  produced  by  their  means.  Mercury, 
however  was  gradually  considered  as  less  essential  to  the 
cure,  and  no  great  inconvenience  has  resulted.  Syphilis 
sometimes  apparently  arises  from  gonorrhoea ;  and  it  is 
not  surprising  that,  in  such  persons,  either  plan  of 
checking  the  latter  should  be  also  attended  with  the  for- 


mer. In  fact,  both  diseases  are  introduced  at  the  same 
time;  and  the  criterion  of  future  syphilis,  the  chancre, 
sometimes  appears  very  early  in  gonorrhoea.  It  is,  we 
believe,  absolutely  certain  that  the  matter  of  chancre  in- 
troduced into  the  urethra  will  not  produce  a  gonorrhoea, 
and  the  discharge  from  the  urethra  inserted  under  the 
skin  will  not  produce  syphilis.  Yet  there  is  little  doubt 
but  that  the  diseases  are  nearly  related  ;  and  were  we  to 
indulge  in  speculation,  we  should  suppose  that  the 
gonorrhoea  was  at  first  derived  from  syphilis;  but 
that  in  a  seri6s  of  years,  and  successive  introductions  to 
different  constitutions,  it  assumed  a  milder  form,  and 
became  specifically  distinct.  In  the  same  way  it  is  not 
improbable  that  the  vaccina  may  have  been  originally 
small  pox.  The  gonorrhoea  is  undoubtedly,  at  present, 
a  much  more  mild  disease  than  on  its  first  appearance, 
and  in  many  persons  can  scarcely  be  called  a  disease. 
In  former  periods,  the  distressing  train  of  symptoms 
rendered  it  truly  terrible ;  and  its  consequences  were 
swelled,  often  scirrhous,  testicles  ;  fistulae  in  the  perinse- 
um ;  unconquerable  strictures  in  the  urethra ;  inconti- 
nence of  urine,  &c.  These,  excepting  probably  the 
strictures,  are  now  comparatively  uncommon. 

Various  are  the  preservations  from  gonorrhoea  re- 
commended and  advertised  as  nostrums.  We  should 
perhaps  not  greatly  assist  the  cause  of  morality  were  we 
to  show  how  its  precepts  might  be  violated  with  impu- 
nity ;  but  perhaps  the  fatal  effects  ot  'u  momentary  de- 
viation from  the  path  of  virtue  may  be  sometimes  ob- 
viated, without  holding  out  encouragement  to  vice. 
There  is,  in  fact,  no  certain  preventive;  though  the  dan- 
ger of  infection  may  be  certainly  diminished  by  the 
most  scrupulous  cleanness,  washing  with  soap  and  wa- 
ter,or  water  to  which  a  small  proportion  of  the  aqua  kali 
puri  has  been  added.  The  proportion  should  be  such 
as  to  make  a  very  slight  impression  on  the  tongue;  and, 
in  producing  this  eifect,  the  alkali  must  be  very  gradu- 
ally added;  if  it  be  first  made  strong,  and  afterwards  di- 
luted, the  stronger  alkaline  solution  dissolves  the  mucus 
of  the  tongue,  so  that  each  successive  addition  of  water 
scarcely  makes  any  difference  in  the  taste,  as  the  tongue 
is  more  tender.  The  poison  of  the  gonorrhoea  is  ap- 
plied apparently  to  the  orifice  of  the  urethra ;  but,  in  the 
erected  state,  when  the  corpora  cavernosa  urethrae  are 
distended,  the  urethra  itself  is  a  little  inverted ;  and, 
when  collapsed,  the  part  which  before  appeared  the  ori- 
fice is  the  upper  portion  of  the  canal.  This  collapse 
assists  the  progress  of  the  poison  still  a  little  lower,  and 
it  at  last  rests  about  a  finger's  breadth  in  the  urethra. 
In  the  use,  therefore  of  preventatives,  some  of  the  fluid 
must  be  insinuated  into  the  urethra,  and  a  little  may  be 
even  injected  in  a  more  diluted  state. 

When  the  idea  that  this  disease  was  distinct  from  sy- 
philis began  to  prevail,  practitioners  attempted  to  cure 
it,  at  once,  by  dissolving  and  discharging  the  mucus. 
The  means  employed  was  an  injection  of  what  was  then 
called  the  caustic  alkali,  a  weak  solution  of  the  kali  pu- 
rum,  proportioned  in  the  manner  just  mentioned.  It 
certainly  cured  the  disease,  without  any  remaining  in- 
convenience ;  but  the  inflammation  it  excited  was  some- 
times so  considerable  as  to  be  more  troublesome  than  even 
gonorrhoea,  and  we  are  apprehensive  that  strictures  in 
the  urethra  have  been  a  frequent  consequence.  Injec- 
tions of  a  solution  of  hydrargyrus  muriatus  have  beej) 


GUN 


713 


C,  4)  X 


also  recommended,  and  employed  with  success  ;  not  in- 
deed as  a  mercurial,  but  as  a  stimulant.  Each  stimulates 
the  mucous  glands  of  the  urethra,  increases  the  secretion 
of  mucus,  and  washes  away,  in  the  discharge,  the  remain- 
ing poison.  The  proportion  varies ;  but  about  two  grains 
to  eight  ounces  of  distilled  water  is  sufficiently  strong 
for  men.  The  vagina  is  less  sensible  than  the  urethra  ; 
and  in  women  the  proportion  should  be  increased,  till 
it  produces  a  smart  pungent  pain.  This  remedy  is  said 
effectually  to  relieve  the  most  obstinate  gonorrhoeas  in 
that  sex. 

Another  method  of  extinguishing  the  disease  has  been 
attempted,  viz.  by  exhibiting  a  large  dose  of  the  cor- 
rosive sublimate  internally.  It  produces  a  very  violent 
commotion  in  the  system,  in  which  every  spasm,  every 
obstruction,  yields;  but  the  remedy  has  not  been  suffi- 
ciently tried  to  enable  us  to  decide  on  its  efficacy,  or 
indeed  on  its  safety. 

In  the  CURE  OF  GONORRHEA,  -venesection  has  been 
freely  recommended.  The  earlier  practitioners  used 
it  liberally ;  but  we  have  said  that  the  disease  was,  at 
that  time,  probably  more  violent.  At  present  the 
young  and  the  eager  surgeon  is  so  fond  of  his  lancet, 
that  we  often  find  blood  drawn,  when  little  necessity 
appears  for  any  evacuation.  The  inflammation  is,  in 
general,  local,  and  requires  rather  a  steady  antiphlogis- 
tic plan  than  any  decisive  interference.  If,  however, 
general  fever  should  come  on,  should  the  erections  be 
painful  and  frequent,  bleeding  must  be  freely  used,  to 
diminish  the  general  tone.  Purging,  another  general 
remedy  for  active  inflammation,  has  been  too  rashly 
employed.  It  was  usual  to  give  a  large  dose  of  calomel 
at  bed  time,  and  the  colocynth  pill,  or  some  other  dras- 
tic early  in  the  morning.  This  plan  debilitated  the 
constitution,  occasioned  gleets,  and  left  the  most  dis- 
tressing hypochondriacal  complaints.  It  has  been  ac- 
cused also,  though  perhaps  without  reason, of  producing 
hernia  humoralis  and  strangury.  Yet  a  plan,  which 
was  for  so  many  years  continued,  could  not  have  been 
wholly  useless,  or  highly  injurious.  From  its  abuse  arose 
probably  the  chief  inconveniences;  for  we  now  find  an 
active  laxative,  about  twice  in  a  week,  with  cooling  diet 
and  perfect  rest,  a  ready  way  of  removing  even  trouble- 
some gonorrhoeas. 

In  the  general  treatment  of  the  disease,  rest  is  of  the 
greatest  consequence ;  and  this  alone,  with  little  assist- 
ance from  medicine,  will  complete  the  cure.  But,  with 
this,  every  part  of  the  antiphlogistic  plan  should  be  em- 
ployed. The  diet  should  be  cooling,  and  even  the  mild- 
est animal  food  should  be  eat  sparingly.  Milk,  vegeta- 
bles, ripe  fruit,  and  the  different  farinacea,  should  con- 
stitute the  principal  nourishment;  and  the  drink  consist 
of  barley  water,  with  gum  arabic,  lintseed  -tea,  toast 
and  water,  capillaire,  or  orgeat  with  water.  It  has  been 
usual  to  dissolve  nitre  in  the  drinks;  but  this  remedy 
is  not  without  suspicion  of  irritating  the  urinary  organs; 
and,  if  given,  it  should  be  largely  diluted.  Cream  of 
tartar  is  more  useful,  and  may  be  admitted.  Whatever 
increases  the  flow  of  urine  renders  it  less  acrimonious, 
if  the  medicine  is  not  conveyed  to  these  organs;  and  a 
gentle  diuresis  will  do  little  injury,  as  it  will  not  weaken 
the  tone  of  the  parts.  The  usual  laxatives,  now  re- 
commended, are  the  neutral  salts,  castor  oil,  or  senna; 
and  with  these  two  or  three  motions  may  daily  be  pro- 
cured. Opiates  should  be  given  at  night,  to  prevent  the 
voi..  i. 


painful  erections,  and  to  relieve  the  pain  of  the  chordee, 
if  it  exist;  and,  to  the  opium,  camphor  forms  an  useful 
addition. 

Topical  remedies  are  important.  Frequent  bathing 
the  part,  and  the  greatest  cleanliness,  are  requisite;  par- 
ticularly washing  under  the  glans,  to  prevent  the  accu- 
mulation of  the  fluids  from  the  odoriferous  glands,  which 
produces  irritation,  inflammation,  and  often  ulcers.  In- 
jections are  now  freely  used,  perhaps  too  freely.  If 
emollient  only,  or  gently  sedative,  they  do  little  injury; 
but  astringent  injections  in  the  early  periods  often 
prolong  the  disease,  and  we  suspect,  occasion  the  too 
frequent  consequence  of  gonorrhoea,  strictures.  It  is 
not  sufficiently  considered,  that  even  the  introduction 
of  the  pipe  of  the  syringe  often  occasions  a  greater  irri- 
tation than  the  injection  itself  can  relieve.  In  the  earlier 
stages,  the  aqua  lithargyri  acetati,  largely  diluted,  is 
only  admissible;  and,  with  this,  sometimes  the  mucil- 
age of  gum  arabic,  occasionally  oil  of  almonds,  may  be 
added.  Opium  often  forms  a  useful  ingredient  in 
such  injections,  and  we  have  usually  added  it  to  milk, 
separating  the  curd  ;  but  the  opium,  finely  powdered, 
and  united  with  the  oily  injections  mentioned,  is  equally 
useful.  To  four  ounces  of  distilled  water,  or  oil  of  al- 
monds, eight  drops  of  acetated  litharge  is  sufficient, 
and  about  fifty  drops  of  tincture  of  opium,  or  three 
grains  of  the  substance.  One  part  of  acetated  ammonia 
to  eight  or  ten  of  water,  forms  a  cooling  pleasant  injec- 
tion. When  the  scalding  of  urine  is  troublesome,  four 
drops  of  muriatic  acid,  added  to  two  ounces  of  water, 
is  often  useful.  When  the  hydrargyrus  muriatis  is  em- 
ployed, one  grain  may  be  added  to  six  ounces  of  water: 
sometimes  a  drachm  of  purified  mercury  is  mixed  with  an 
ounce  and  half  of  water,  by  the  means  of  as  much  mu- 
cilage ;  but  this  injection  seems  to  possess  no  peculiar 
virtue. 

When  the  inflammatory  state  is  removed,  astringent 
injections  are  employed.  Of  the  metallic  astringents, 
zinc  and  copper  are  the  principal ;  but  the  astringent  bal- 
sams are  sometimes  recommended.  Ten  grainsofvitriol- 
ated  zinc  may  be  dissolved  in  four  or  six  ounces  of  wa- 
ter; a  drachm  of  the  cuprum  ammoniacale  in  six  ounces 
of  rose  water ;  or  ten  grains  of  the  blue  vitriol  in  two  or 
three  ounces,  according  to  the  sensibility  of  the  patient. 
When  the  inflammation  is  considerable  and  long  con- 
tinued, a  mixture  of  syphilitic  infection  matte  suspected, 
and  mercurials  are  sometimes,  though  rarely  of  service. 
In  such  cases,  Plench's  powder,  or  calomel,  has  been 
suspended  in  mucilage, and  injected  into  the  urethra,  or 
mercurial  ointment  has  been  rubbed  in  the  course  of  the 
urethra  or  the  perinsum.  When  the  balsams  are  em- 
ployed in  injections,  about  one  drachm  of  the  balsam  co- 
paibse  may  be  united  with  two  ounces  of  water. 

When  the  inflammation  is  slight,  the  pain  inconsi- 
derable, and  the  matter  glairy,  the  Peruvian  bark  may 
be  freely  administered,  the  diet  rendered  a  little  more 
nutritious,  and  the  cold  bath  employed. 

See  Aretaeus  de  Causis  et  Signis  ChTxm.  Morborum, 
lib.  ii.  c.  5;  Fordyce's  Elements,  part  ii. ;  Howard  on 
the  Venereal  Disease;  Bell  on  Gonorrhoea;  Swediaur 
on  Venereal  Complaints ;  C -alien's  Mrs:  Lines,  edit.  4. 
vol.  iv.  p.  386,  kc.;  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  ii. 
p.  233;  White's  Surgery,  p.  400. 

GONORRHCE'A     BALA'.M.       See      GONOK^HCEA     3PU- 


RIA. 


4Y 


O  N 


714 


GO  N 


GONOHHH<E'A  BENI'GNA.     Sec  GONOIIRH(E'A  PURA. 
GONORRHOEA   CJIORDA'TA,   when   accompanied  by  a 
cbordee. 

GONORRHIF.'A    LIBIDINO'SA.         GONORRHEA       LAXO- 


RUM. 


GONORRHGE'A  MUOO'SA.  A  GLEET.  Subsequent  to 
gonorrhoea  a  discharge  of  matter  frequently  continues, 
incapable  of  conveying  any  disease,  and  not  attended 
with  inflammation.  It  appears  to  be,  in  general,  a 
discharge  from  the  mucous  glands  of  the  urethra,  in 
consequence  of  the  relaxation  which  has  followed  in- 
creased action ;  and  is  occasionally  owing  to  the  irri- 
tation of  very  violent  purgatives,  sometimes  to  strains, 
or  the  various  causes  of  debility.  The  general  reme- 
dies are,  tonics  of  every  kind,  particularly  bark  and 
cold  bathing,  astringent  injections,  regular  and  con- 
stant exercise.  It  has  been  removed  by  a  blister  to 
the  sacrum,  and,  in  one  instance,  by  a  blister  to  the 
perinseum. 

Though  this  disease  sometimes  yields  with  the  great- 
est facility,  yetasimilar  complaint,  a  GLEET,  is  often  pe- 
culiarly distressing  and  obstinate.  Doubts  have  lately 
arisen,  whether  it  be  the  same  as  the  true  mucous  dis- 
charge, from  a  weakness  of  the  glands  of  the  urethra,  or 
whether  it  is  a  vitiated  secretion,  from  some  change  in 
their  organization.  The  language  of  Mr.  Hunter  is  high- 
ly exceptionable,  in  a  philosophical  view,  as  appearing 
to  assign  a  reason  from  merely  varying  the  expression  of 
the  fact.  To  "  take  on  diseased  action,"  or  "  a  habit  of 
action,"  is  saying  no  more  than  that  a  part  is  diseased,  or 
that  a  discharge  continues  from  habit;  and  indeed  it  has 
been  doubted,  by  a  very  respectable  author,  whether 
Mr.  Hunter  has  not  retarded  the  progress  of  science  by 
such  jargon,  and  his  inconsequential  reasoning,  more 
than  he  has  assisted  it  by  his  observations.  We  have 
premised  these  remarks,  chiefly  as  an  apology  for  not 
employing  Mr.  Hunter's  language,  while  we  are  availing 
ourselves  of  his  facts. 

That  a  gleet  arises  from  weakness  of  the  glands,  is 
highly  probable  from  the  nature  of  its  causes  ;  but,  were 
this  true,  we  should  find  tonics  and  stimulating  applica- 
lions  generally  effectual.  We  need  not,  however,  tell 
every  practitioner  how  often  he  is  disappointed  in  the 
best  concerted  plans  of  this  kind.  If  we  look  at  some 
of  the  more  peculiar  causes,  they  will  not  greatly  assist 
us.  We  find  a  gleet,  for  instance,  generally  accom- 
panying a  stricture  in  the  urethra ;  and  frequently  a 
swelling  of  the  prostate  gland.  In  each  case  it  cannot 
be  wholly  owing  to  weakness,  and  we  are  rather  led  to 
suspect  some  local  irritation.  If  we  look  at  the  nature 
of  the  discharge,  we  shall  find  little  additional  informa- 
tion ;  for  it  consists  of  globular  bodies,  floating  in  a 
slimy  mucus,  rather  than  a  serum.  From  this  circle  of 
difficulties  we  cannot  escape  but  by  conjecture.  Mr. 
Hunter  supposed  it  to  be  owing  to  a  state  of  the  glands, 
not  unlike  what  occurs  in  scrofula;  and  thinks  the 
continued  discharge  from  the  eyes,  or  the  tonsils,  in 
consequence  of  a  cold  falling  on  these  parts  in  a  scrofu- 
lous habit,  analogous  cases.  The  discharge  of  gleet, 
however,  differs  in  its  nature,  and  in  the  obstinacy  with 
which  it  resists  the  remedies  useful  in  the  other  com- 
plaints. Sea  water  injected  into  the  urethra  has  no  ef- 
fect :  small  doses  of  mercurials  more  frequently  fail 
than  succeed, ;  nor  is  it  certain  that  the  sea  water  bath  is 
more  effectual  than  one  of  fresh.  We  should  rather 


suspect  that  it  arises  from  some  obstructions  of  tht 
glands,  from  a  thickening  of  their  coats  during  the  pre- 
vious inflammation  of  gonorrhoea,  or  the  continued  ir- 
ritation of  the  other  causes ;  but  that  gleet  will  some- 
times insensibly  cease  without  evident  reason,  or 
from  remedies  which  could  not  make  so  considerable  a 
change  in  a  short  period.  It  is  better,  however,  to  at- 
tend to  the  effects  of  remedies. 

Practitioners  have  attempted  to  cure  gleets  by  gene- 
ral medicines,  or  topical  applications.  The  general 
medicines  are  tonics  and  astringents,  or  stimulants  ;  but 
the  latter,  though  they  deserve  the  title  by  being  circu- 
lated through  the  arterial  system,  act  only  in  consequence 
of  their  topical  determination.  The  tonics  are,  cold  bath- 
ing, the  Peruvian  bark,  and  the  preparations  of  steel : 
these  will  sometimes  succeed,  and  as  often  fail.  Each 
has  been  occasionally  tried  for  several  months  without 
success;  and  they  have  been  combined  with  as  little 
effect.  Yet  the  general  constitution  always  derives  be- 
nefit from  this  plan ;  and  should  we  fail  in  our  principal 
object,  our  labour  is  not  wholly  in  vain.  The  astrin- 
gents or  stimulants  are  the  turpentines  and  the  balsams, 
the  astringent  gums  and  cantharides.  The  effects  of 
these  medicines  are  not  very  striking  ;  but  Mr.  Hun- 
ter thinks  that  if  they  produce  no  [salutary  effects 
in  a  short  time,  they  will  be  useless ;  and  he  limits  this 
period  to  the  first  six  or  eight  days.  They  often  in  this 
time  remove  the  complaint  which  recurs  on  their  being 
discontinued,  so  that  they  should  be  employed  long 
after  the  discharge  has  ceased. 

Of  the  astringent  gums  we  have  little  experience,  and 
believe  their  power  to  be  inconsiderable ;  but  the  sti- 
mulus of  cantharides  has  often  succeeded.  This  reme- 
dy must  be  cautiously  employed,  beginning  with  very 
small  doses,  about  fifteen  drops  of  the  tincture,  which 
may  be  gradually  increased ;  as  in  the  irritable  state 
of  these  organs  even  a  common  dose  may  excite  dan- 
gerous inflammation. 

The  topical  remedies  are,  tonics,  stimulants,  or  those 
of  other  topical  inflammations.  The  decoction  of  bark, 
the  solutions  of  copper,  of  iron,  zinc,  and  lead,  are  oc- 
casionally employed.  There  is  little  room  for  choice; 
and  we  succeed  with  one  or  the  other  apparently  by  acci- 
dent. Nothing  is  so  capricious  as  this  disease  ;  -varium 
et  mutabile  semfier.  The  stimulating  applications  are 
equally  uncertain.  We  once  cured  an  obstinate  gleet  by 
the  injection  of  punch,  a  remedy  suggested  in  a  con- 
vivial moment;  at  another  time  by  green  tea.  Mr. 
Hunter  mentions  a  case  in  which  the  undiluted  extract 
of  Goulard  succeeded,  apparently  by  producing  a  vio- 
lent inflammation.  The  introduction  of  a  bougie  has 
had  the  same  effect,  and  riding  post  has  been  equally 
beneficial.  It  is,  however,  an  useful  precaution,  sug- 
gested by  Mr.  Hunter,  that  previous  to  the  use  of  sti- 
mulant applications,  the  irritability  of  the  patient  should 
be  known;  and  it  should  be  ascertained  whether  any 
inflammation  was  likely  to  be  conveyed  along  the  ure- 
thra to  the  testes  or  the  bladder.  Bougies  are  sometimes 
rendered  stimulant,  by  covering  them  with  some  active 
liniment  or  ointment.  In  general,  the  distention  irri- 
tates sufficiently ;  but  turpentine,  mercurial  ointment, 
or  a  camphorated  liniment,  will  add  to  their  powers. 
While  the  use  of  a  bougie  is  continued,  the  discharge 
usually  proceeds  ;  but,  after  some  time,  about  three 
weeks  or  a  month,  it  should  be  omitted,  and  we  may 


GR  A 


715 


GK  A 


then  judge  whether  it  has  succeeded.  If  the  running 
stops,  the  cure  is  usually  effectual :  if  it  continues,  the 
remedy,  if  repeated,  will  be  unsuccessful. 

The  remedies  for  topical  inflammation  are  stimulants 
in  the  vicinity.  Blistering  the  urethra,  in  its  course, 
has  succeeded.  Drawing  the  electrical  sparks,  in  the 
course  of  the  canal,  has  had  an  equally  beneficial  effect. 
The  discharge  has  been  stopped  by  a  recent  gonorrhoea, 
and  by  the  recent  infection  of  syphilis,  on  the  appear- 
ance of  chancres.  Venereal  connections  will  sometimes 
occasion  a  return,  and  a  recent  infection  has  been  sus- 
pected; but,  in  this  case,  the  renewed  discharge  follows 
almost  immediately,  and  a  mistake  is  nearly  impossible. 
Violent  exercise  and  free  living  will  also  occasionally 
bring  it  back,  with  suspicious  symptoms  of  inflamma- 
tion ;  but  its  quick  appearance,  the  nature  of  the  dis- 
charge, its  vanishing  on  rest  and  low  living,  soon  destroy 
every  apprehension  that  may  have  been  entertained. 

In  women,  gleets  are  equally  obstinate;  but  they  ge- 
neraHy  pass  under  the  appellation  of  leucorrhta.  The 
greater  number  of  remedies  mentioned  are  inapplicable 
in  such  cases ;  and  general  tonics,  with  astringent  or 
stimulant  injections,  can  only  be  employed.  But  leu- 
corrhcea  is  so  common,  and  so  little  disgraceful,  that,  in 
such  cases, medical  assistance  is  seldom  required,  unless 
the  discharge  is  in  excess. 

GOXORRHIE'A  OXEIRO'GMOS.  The  discharge  of  se- 
men during  sleep. 

GOXORRINE'A  SPURIA,  vel  BALAXI,  a  discharge  from 
the  corona  glandis. 

GOXYA'LGIA,  (from  y»»f,  the  knee^  and  «Ay»j, 
fiain").  See  GOXAGRA. 

GORDI'US.  A  genus  of  vermes,  which  infest  the 
inhabitants  of  hot  climates  by  burrowing  under  the 
skin.  There  are  two  species,  the  g.  ayuaticus,  and  g. 
medinensis.  The  former  requires  no  medical  treatment : 
for  the  latter  see  DRACUXCVLVS. 

GORGO'XIAS.  V€ORAL.  When  taken  from  the 
sea  it  hardens  into  a  stony  substance :  an  effect  sup- 
posed to  be  produced  by  looking  on  the  gorgons.  See 
CORALLIUM. 

GOSSI'PIUM,  (from  gotne,  whence  gottijiium, 
.£gypti).  See  BOMBAX. 

GO'TTA.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GOU  TIER.     See  BROXCHOCELE. 

GRA'CILIS,  (from  gracilesco,  to  become  small').  The 
name  of  some  thin  and  flat  muscles. 

GRA'CILIS  IXTE'RXUS      See  RECTUS  IXTERXITS. 

GRA'CILIS  AXTE'RIOR.     See  RECTUS  CRURIS. 

GRADA'TIO,  (from  gradus,  a  progression}.  GRA- 
DATIOX  is  an  exaltation  of  the  qualities  of  metals  in 
degree,  by  which  their  weight,  colour,  and  consist- 
ence, are  brought  to  greater  degrees  of  perfection  ;  for 
it  has  not  the  power  of  changing  the  substance,  but 
only  elicits  their  hidden  qualities.  Rulandus,  Johnson. 
See  EXCITATIO. 

GRADUA'TIO.  The  solemn  academical  process, 
by  which  a  degree  of  doctor  of  medicine  is  obtained;  a 
process  eluded  by  some  venal  universities,  and  perhaps 
not  always  conducted  with  sufficient  strictness.  It  is 
eluded  also  by  individuals,  who  call  themselves  doctors  ; 
and  the  public  give  them  implicit  credit  for  the  title  and 
their  pretensions  to  it.  In  the  university  of  Edinburgh 
ih«S^bllowing  regulations  are  observed  : — 


1.  Xo  person  shall  be  promoted  to  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine,  except  on  one  or  two  stated  days 
in   every  year,  viz.  on   the  24th  of  June,  or   12th  of 
September,  or  the  days  immediately  thereafter. 

2.  Xo  person  shall  be  received  as  a  candidate,  until 
he  has  applied  during  three  complete  years  to  the  study 
of  medicine,  in  this  or  some  other  university,  and  has 
attended  to  all  the  branches  of  the  science  of  medicine; 
viz.   anatomy  and   surgery,  chemistry,  botany,  materia 
medica,  and   pharmacy,  theory  and  practice  of  medi- 
cine, and  clinical  lectures  delivered  by  professors  of 
medicine,  on  hospital  patients. 

3.  Whoever  is  desirous  of  obtaining  a  degree,  must 
deliver,  before   the  24th  of  March,  or  12th  of  June,  a 
medical  dissertation,  composed  by  himself,  to  some 
one  of  the  medical  professors,  that  he  may  peruse  it. 
if  necessary  correct  it,  and  affix  to  it  a  written  tes- 
timony that  he  has  perused  it,  with  the  date  when  he 
received  it. 

4.  Then,  whoever  is  desirous  of  a  degree  in  medi- 
cine must  communicate  his  intention  to  the  Dean  of 
the  Faculty  of  Medicine,  on  or  before  the  20th  of  April 
or  June,  and  at  the  same  time  deliver  to  him  his  inau- 
gural dissertation,  with  the  testimony  of  the  professor 
who  perused  it,  to  be  subjected  to  the  consideration  of 
the  Faculty  of  Medicine. 

5.  After  this  he  is  to  undergo  a  medical  examina- 
tion by  the  faculty,  either  viva  voce  or  in  writing,  that 
no   person  may  be  received  as  a  candidate  who  is  not 
well  acquainted  with  polite  literature  and  the  science  of 
medicine.     As  the  professors  think  themselves  bound 
in  honour  not  to  divulge  the  unfavourable  result  of  an 
examination,  a  candidate  may  be  remitted  to  his  studies 
in  this  stage  of  his  trials,  without  injury  to  his  reputa- 
tion or  interest. 

6.  On  the  18th  of  May,  or  6th  of  August,  the  candi- 
date shall,  in  an  examination  by  two  professors,  in  the 
presence   of  the   Faculty  of  Medicine,  give   a  farther 
proof  of  his  advancement  in  the  various  branches  of 
medical  knowledge  enumerated  above. 

7.  To  the  candidate,  after  having  passed  these  trials, 
shall  be  proposed,  by  one  of  the  professors,  an  aphorism 
of  Hippocrates ,  and,  at  the  same  time,  by  another  pro- 
fessor, a  medical  question;  the  former  of  which,  ex- 
plained by  himself,  and  illustrated  by  a  commentary, 
and  the  latter,  along  with  an  answer  to  it,  supported  by 
proper  arguments,  he  shall  return  to  the  professors,  by 
whom  they  were  proposed  on  the  28th  of  May,  or  1 1th 
of  August,  and  shall  defend  his  commentary,  and  an- 
swer, before  the  Faculty  of  Medicine,  on  the  30th  of 
May,  or  18th  of  August. 

8.  If,  by  having  duly  fulfilled   these  conditions,  the 
candidate  shall  deserve  to  be  promoted,  he  shall  receive 
from  two  of  the  professors,  two  histories  of  diseases, 
with  questions  annexed  to  them,  for  the  purpose  of 
writing  an  illustration  of  the  one,  and  answers  to  the 
others.     These  histories,  with  the  illustrations  and  an- 
swers, he  shall  deliver  on  the  12th  of  June,  or  1st  of 
September,  to  the  professor  who  proposed  them,  and 
defend  them  before  the  Faculty  of  Medicine  on  the  15th 
of  June,  or  3d  of  September. 

9.  After  the  candidate  has  been  approved  of  at  his 
first  examination,  on  the  18th  of  May,  or  6th  of  August, 
he   shall  be  permitted  to  send  his  dissertation  to  the 

4Y2 


G  R  A 


7L6 


G  I!  A 


press,  and  shall  deliver  eight  copies,  accurately  printed, 
to  the  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  Medicine,  on  the  15th  of 
June,  or  3d  of  September. 

10.  If  the  candidate,  after  having  printed  his  disserta- 
tion, shall  be  approved  of  by  the  Medical  Faculty  at  his 
third  examination,  all  these  proceedings  shall  be  reported 
to  the  Senatus  Academicus,  by  the  Dean  of  the  Faculty 
of  Medicine,  with  whose  approbation  and  authority  he 
shall  be  ordered  to  publish  his  dissertation,  and  defend 
it  in  a  meeting  of  the  university,  on  the  24th  of  June, 
or  12th  of  September;  when,  if  the  Senatus  shall  think 
fit,  the  highest  medical  honours,  that  is,  the  degree  of 
Doctor  in   Medicine,  shall  be  conferred  on  him,  with 
the   usual  solemnities,  as  the  reward  of  his  diligence 
and  study. 

11.  To  give  greater  solemnity  to  all   these  proceed- 
ings, the  Faculty  of  Medicine  shall  always  meet  within 
the  university  on  each  of  the  above  mentioned  days,  at 
nine  in  the  morning.     And  if  any  candidate  shall  ab- 
sent himself  at  the  hour  appointed,  without  sufficient 
reason,  he  shall  not  be  permitted,  on  this  occasion,  to 
proceed  with  his  trials,  or  obtain  the  degree  of  Doctor 
in  Medicine. 

It  is  required  that  all  the  abovementioned  exercises 
shall  be  performed  in  the  Latin  tongue. 

The  regulations  enacted  by  the  Senate  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Glasgow,  respecting  degrees  in  medicine,  are 
the  following : 

1.  That  before  any  person  can  be  allowed  to  be  a 
candidate  for  a  degree  in  medicine,  in  this  university, 
he  shall  appear  personally  before  the  senate, and  lay  be- 
fore them  evidence  that,  during  the  space  of  three  years, 
or  sessions  of  six  months^ach,  he  has  regularly  attended 
in  some  university  or  universities,  or  in  some  medical 
school  or  schools  of  reputation,  the  following  medical 
classes,  viz.  anatomy  and  surgery,  chemistry  and  phar- 
macy, the  theory  and  the  practice  of  physic,  materia 
meilica,  and  botany. 

2.  That  he  shall  bring  forward  evidence  that,  during 
one  year  at  least,  he  has  attended  medical  classes  in 
this  university. 

3.  That  the  candidate  shall  undergo  three  separate 
examinations  in  private,  by  the  medical  professors  of  the 
university,  and  write  a  commentary  on  an  aphorism 
of  Hippocrates,  and  another  on  a  case  of  disease  pro- 
pounded  to   him   by  the   said   examiners.       The   first 
examination  shall  be  on  anatomy  and  physiology  ;  the 
second  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  physic;  and  the 
third  on  chemistry,  materia  medica,  pharmacy,  and 
botany. 

4.  That  the  examiners  shall  report  to  the  senate  their 
opinion  respecting  the  medical  knowledge  of  the  can- 
didate; and  if  their  report  be  favourable,  his  name,  as  a 
candidate  for  a  degree,  shall  be  entered  in  the  minutes 
of  the  senate,  and  a  day  fixed,  when  the  candidate  shall 
read  his  commentaries  on  the  aphorism  and  case,  and 
answer  such  questions  on  the  several  branches  of  me- 
dical science,  as  shall  be  put  to  him  by  the  examiners, 
in  presence  of  the  senate.     If  the  senate  be  of  opinion 
that  the  candidate  has  shown  himself  worthy  of  a  de- 
gree, it  shall  be  conferred,  in  presence  of  the  senate,  by 
the  vice-chancellor,  provided  the  candidate  has  not  pub- 
lished a  thesis,  which  he  may,  or  may  not  do,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  option  ;  but  if  he  has  published  a  thesis, 


he  must  defend  it,  and  the  degree  must  be  conferred  in 
the  comitia. 

5.  The  whole  of  the  examinations  shall  be  carried  on. 
and  the  commentaries  on  the  aphorism  and  case  must 
be  written  in  the  Latin  language. 

GRA'MEN,  (quasi  gradimen,  from  gradior,  to  creeji 
alojig,  from  the  extension  of  its  roots).  GRASS. 

Grasses  are  one  of  the  seven  natural  families,  into 
which  all  vegetables  are  distributed  by  Linnaeus.  They 
are  defined  to  be  plants  which  have  very  simple  leaves, 
a  jointed  stem,  a  husky  calyx,  termed  gluma,  and  a 
single  seed.  In  Tournefort  they  constitute  a  part  of 
the  fifteenth  class,  termed  a/ietali;  and  in  the  sexual 
system  of  Linnaeus  they  are  mostly  contained  in  the 
second  order  of  the  third  class,  termed  triandria  digynia. 
Wheat,  oats,  barley,  and  rye,  are  grasses  improved  by 
culture.  Grasses  form  the  fourteenth  order  in  the  frag- 
ments of  a  natural  method  in  Philosophia  Bbtanica, 
and  the  fourth  of  the  natural  orders  at  the  end  of  Ge- 
nera Plantarum. 

GRA'MEN  AVENA'CEUM.     See  .£GYLOPS. 

GRA'MEN  CANI'NUM;  also  called  gramen  Dioscoridis; 
gramen  rejiens,  and  loliaceum  radice  reftente;  QUICK 
GRASS  ;  COUGH  GRASS  ;  and  DOG'S  GRASS.  The  French 
call  it  c/iien-dent;  triticum  reflens  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  128.  It 
is  a  creeping  perennial  grass,  of  a  whitish  green  colour, 
with  knotty  stalks,  bearing  a  spike  of  imperfect  flow- 
ers, somewhat  resembling  a  wheat  ear;  the  roots  are 
whitish,  or  of  a  pale  yellow,  long,  slender,  jointed  at 
distances,  variously  bent  and  interwoven. 

The  roots  are  sweetish,  mildly  aperient,  and  supposed 
to  be  deobstruent,  diuretic,  useful  in  ulcers  of  the  blad- 
der, strangury,  and  calculus  biliaris.  A  considerable 
quantity  of  the  expressed  juice  of  fresh  roots  must  be 
taken  every  day,  if  any  benefit  is  expected.  Sheep  and 
cattle  greatly  improve  in  spring  by  the  fresh  grass, 
which  produces  a  diarrhoea,  and  a  discharge  often  of 
calculi. 

GRA'MEN  CRU'CIS,  CYPERIO'IDIS,  and  J£GYPTIA'CUM, 
neiem-elsalib,  are  roots  in  medicine  named  cy fieri.  The 
plants  which  produce  them  grow  in  watery  places, 
have  leaves  and  flowers  in  some  measure  resembling 
the  water  grasses,  and  are  called  cyfierus  grasses; 

-(EGYPTIAN    COCK'S    FOOT  GRASS,  Or  GRASS  of   the  CROSS. 

The  roots  and  plants  possess  the  same  virtues  as  the 
dog's  grass,  and  are  serviceable  in  the  earlier  stages  of 
dropsy.  They  are  supposed  to  correct  the  bad  smell 
of  the  breath ;  to  relieve  nephritic  disorders,  colics, 
and  uterine  complaints ;  and  are  taken  in  powder  and 
decoction,  though  the  present  practice  properly  disre- 
gards them. 

The  long  and  round  cyperus  are  produced  from  the 
c.  longus  and  enculentus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  67.  Some  other 
species,  particularly  the  c.  odoratus,  are  employed,  and 
some  species  of  the  carex  occasionally  substituted  for 
them. 

GRA'MEN  DA'CTYLON  ;  also  called  dactylon  radice  re- 
fiente;  gramen  dactyloidea;  gramen  canarium  isc/itemi 
fianiculis;  gramen  legitimum;  COCK'S  FOOT  GRASS. 
-fariicum  dactylon  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  85 ;  grows  in  fields  and 
Vineyards,  in  sandy  places :  its  virtues  are  the  same  as 
those  of  dog's  grass.  See  GRAMEN  CANJNUM. 

GRA'MEN  DA'OTYLON  AHOMA'TICUM,  See  JUNCUS 
ODORATUS. 


G  R  A 


717 


GR  A. 


GRA'MEV  LOLIA'CEUM.     See  LOLIUM. 

GRA'MEX  MA'X.VJE;  gramen  dactylon  esculentum  ; 
i-sch<cmonaativum:festucaJ!ui!an8'Lin.Sp.  Pl.l  1 1.  RUS- 
SIA SEED  and  MAXNA  GRASS  ;  jjrows  in  Germany  and 
Poland:  its  seeds  are  small,  oblong,  pellucid,  white, 
of  a  faint  taste,  and,  when  decorticated,  similar  to 
rice. 

GRA'MEX  PARXA'SSI.     See  PARXASSIA. 

GRA'MEX  SPICA'TUM.     See  PHALARIS. 

GRA  MIA.     The  sordes  of  the  eyes. 

GRA'MMA.     See  SCRVPULUS. 

GRA'MME,  (y»*jtt*n,  a  line.)  See  IRIS.  A  French 
weight.  See  WEIGHTS. 

GRA  XA  IXFECTO'RIA  KE'RMES.     SeeCHER- 

MES. 

GRAXADI'LLAPERUVIA'XA,(dim.ofsTanarfo, 
a  pomegranate).  See  CATAPUTIA  MAJOR. 

GRA'XAL.  An  evergreen  tree  in  America  of  a 
poisonous  quality. 

GRAXA'TA  MA'LA,  (from  granum,  a  grain  ;  be- 
cause full  of  small  seeds).  Granatum  ;  mala  fiunica; 
malum granatum  ;  malicorium  ;  POMEGRANATE:  fiunica 
granatum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  6~6;  is  a  prickly  tree  or  shrub, 
with  long  narrow  leaves,  deep  red  flowers,  set  in  bell- 
shaped  cups  of  the  same  colour:  the  fruit  is  about  the 
size  of  an  orange,  with  a  thick,  tough  rind,  externally 
brownish,  internally  yellow,  with  a  juicy  pulp,  and  nu- 
merous seeds,  called  coccones,  in  cells  like  a  honey 
comb.  It  is  a  native  of  the  south  parts  of  Europe. 

The  flowers  are  a  mild  astringent,  similar  to  those  of 
the  wild  pomegranate,  which  are  preferred  on  account 
of  their  being  larger.  The  pulp  of  the  ripe  fruit  is  a 
grateful  subacid  sweet,  and  of  the  same  general  quali- 
ties as  the  summer  fruits.  The  rind  is  moderately 
astringent,  called  cortex  granati ;  malicorium  ;  /isidium, 
and  sidium  :  it  yields  its  qualities  copiously  to  water,  but 
the  flower  most  freely  to  spirit.  Dr.  Cullen  asserts, 
that  the  strong  styptic  taste  of  this  bark,  and  the  black 
colour  it  strikes  with  green  vitriol,  show  sufficiently  its 
astringent  power;  and  it  is  commonly  supposed  to  be 
among  the  strongest  of  this  kind.  He  has  frequently 
found  it  useful  in  gargles ;  in  diarrhoeas ;  and  in  exter- 
nal applications;  nor  does  he  think  it,  internally  used, 
more  dangerous  than  other  astringents.  That  it  can 
suppress  the  catamenia,  as  has  been  supposed,  seems  to 
him  very  doubtful.  Its  dose,  in  powder,  is  from  3  ss. 
to  3  i.  of  the  infusion,  or  decoction,  an  ounce  and  half. 
See  Raii  Hist.  Lewis  and  Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

GRAXATRI'STUM.     See  CARBUXCULUS. 

GRANA'TUS      SYLVE'STRIS.        See     BALAU- 

STIUM. 

GRAXDE'BALJi,  (gudd  in  grandioribus  (State,  nas- 
cuntur).  The  hair  under  the  armpits. 

GRA'XD-GOR.  The  vernacular  Scotch  appellation 
of  LUES  VENEREA,  q.  v. 

GRAXDI'XES.  Tumours  on  the  eyelids,  resem- 
bling hail  stones.  See  CHALAZA. 

GRAXDINO'SUM,  (from  its  resemblance  to  a  hail 
stone.)  Os.  See  CUBOIDESOS. 

GRA'XDO,  (yuorf,  similitudinem  granorem  habeat). 
HAIL.  See  CHALAZA  and  CRITHE. 

GRAXULA'TIO,  (from  granum,  a  grain,)  the  re- 
duction of  metals  into  small  grains,  (s-e  COMMINU- 
TIO,)  and  the  raising  of  the  fleshy  parts  of  ulcers  in  a 
healing  state. 


GRA'XUM,  (from  garan,  corn,  Hebrew).  A  grain 
weight ;  the  weight  of  a  wheat  corn. 

GRA'XUM  RA'GIUM.     See  CATAPUTIA  MAJOR. 

GRA'XUM  TI'GLIA.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

GRA'XUM   MO'SCHI.     See  ABELMOSCHUS. 

GRAPHIOI'DES,  (from  •/?»?/?,  a  flencil,  and  it**;, 
a  form}.  See  STYLIFORMIS  PROCESSUS  :  the  name  also 
for  a  process  of  the  ulna  towards  the  wrist. 

GRAPHI'SCUS,  (from  y^s,  a  style  or  dart).  An 
instrument  to  extract  darts.  Diocles  invented,  and  Cel- 
sus  describes  it.  ' 

GRAPHOI'DES,  or  STYLIFORMIS,  (from  y/»$<(, 
stylus  ;  supposed  to  originate  from  this  process  of  the 
temple  bone).  See  BIVEXTER  MUSCULUS. 

GRA'PHOY.  BROAD  LEAVED  LEOPARD'S  BANE.  See 
DOROXICUM  GERMAXICUM. 

GRA'TIA  DE'I;  the  name  of  the  HERB  ROBERT, 
of  the  HEDGE  HYSSOP,  and  of  several  other  vegetables, 
from  their  supposed  salutary  qualities.  See  GERA- 
NIUM RoBERTIAXUM.  GRATIOLA. 

GRA'TIA    DE'I    GERMAXO'HUM.     See   GERANIUM  BA- 

TRACHIOIDES. 

GRATIO'LA,  (see  GRATIA  DEI).  Digitalis  mi- 
nima ;  centaurioidcs  ;  -WATER  HYSSOP,  and  HEDGE  HYS- 
SOP, gratiola  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  24.  It  is  a  low 
plant,  with  finely  serrated  leaves,  set  in  pairs  on  the 
stalks  without  pedicles;  the  flowers  are  whitish,  jointed, 
and  surrounded  with  fibres ;  perennial ;  a  native  of  the 
south  of  Europe  ;  raised  in  our  gardens. 

The  leaves  have  a  nauseous,  bitter  taste,  but  no  re- 
markable smell ;  they  purge  and  vomit  briskly,  in  the 
dose  of  half  a  drachm  of  the  dry  herb,  and  of  a  drachm 
infused  in  wine  or  water.  A  slight  decoction  in  milk 
operates  the  most  mildly ;  an  extract  made  from  wine  is 
given  to  two  scruples,  or  3  i-  and  is  said  to  be  more 
efficacious  than  the  plant  itself.  Cramer  thinks  this  root 
similar  to  ipecacuanha,  and  equal  to  it  in  diarrhoeas  and 
dysenteries,  as  well  as  in  the  cure  of  intermittents,  and 
superior  to  the  decoction  of  the  woods  in  the  lues  ve- 
nerea.  (See  Raii  Hist.  Lewis's  Materia  Medica).  It 
has  been  thought  also  a  powerful  diuretic  and  sudorific, 
as  well  as  beneficial  in  mania,  gonorrhoea,  ozena,  ulcers 
in  the  fauces,  &c.  Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries; 
vol.  v.  p.  6. 

GRATI'OLA  CCERU'LEA.     See  CASSIDA. 

GRATTERO'XA.     See  APARINK. 

GR A YA'TIO,  (from  grave,  to  burthen).  See  CAROS. 

GRAVATI'VUS,  (from  the  same,)  a  pain  of  the 
head,  attended  with  a  sense  of  weight. 

GRAVE'DO,  (from  gra-vis,  heavy).  A  COLD. 
Gravedo  imports  a  load  in  the  head,  or  the  running 
from  the  nose,  experienced  in  catarrhus  or  coryza. 
Celsus  translates  xtpvZji.  by  the  word  gravedo  ;  and  Coe- 
lius  Aurelianusby  the  words  catarrhus  adnares.  Pliny 
applies  this  term  to  the  disease  called  euros  ;  but  it  is, 
properly,  that  weight  or  listlessness  which  accompanies 
a  diminished  perspiration,  and,  as  Dr.  Cullen  observes, 
is  generally  a  symptom  of  catarrh. 

By  a  cold  is  usually  understood  a  sudden  check  of 
perspiration,  from  an  improper  exposure  to  cold ;  the 
consequences  of  which  are  the  lesser  degrees  of  a  ca- 
tarrh :  in  its  farther  advances  it  is  productive  of  fever, 
consumption,  and  similar  disorder. 

Persons  who  easily  take  cold  should  use  frequently 
moderate  exercise,  and  such  medicines  as  strengthen 


GUI 


718 


GR  Y 


the  general  system  ;  as  cold  bathing,  Sec.  The  disposi- 
tion to  take  cold  may  be  lessened,  by  gradually  acquir- 
ing the  habit  of  being  exposed  to  sudden  changes  of 
heat  and  cold  ;  but  this  attempt  should  be  conducted 
with  caution,  lest  the  remedy  might  prove  the  source 
of  the  disease. 

Disorders  of  this  kind,  in  their  early  period,  are 
speedily  relieved  by  immersing  the  feet  in  cold  water, 
just  before  going  to  sleep.  See  CATARRHUS  ;  Dr.  For- 
dyce's  Elements,  in  the  article  Catarrh ;  Heberden's 
Observations  in  the  London  Medical  Transactions,  vol. 
ii.  p.  521 ;  and  Stern's  Advice  to  the  Consumptive,  &c. 
edit.  7.  p.  9.  8cc. 

GRAVTDITAS,  (from  gravida,  to  be  with  child}. 
PREGNANCY;  and  the  extraordinary  distcntion  of  the 
abdomen  in  that  state.  The  period  of  gravidity  or  ges- 
tation is  about  nine  months,  or  forty  weeks,  equal  to  two 
hundred  and  eighty  days.  It  is  sometimes,  however, 
pretty  certainly  prolonged  to  ten  months ;  and  the  law, 
we  apprehend,  allows  eleven,  as  the  utmost  limits  of 
possible  gravidity.  On  the  other  hand,  a  child  lives  if 
born  at  the  end  of  seven  months,  probably  not  earlier. 
See  MEDICINA  FORENSIS. 

GRAVI'DITY  SPU'RIOUS.  Water  in  the  abdo- 
men; polypi,  or  water  in  the  uterus;  a  mola,  or  unformed 
mass  ;  and  steatomata  in  the  uterus,  or  Fallopian  tubes; 
will  often  produce  appearances  of  gravidity.  The  uterus 
itself  will  enlarge,  the  breasts  swell,  and  all  the  appear- 
ances of  real  impregnation  take  place.  We  have  partly 
spoken  on  this  subject  under  ASCITES,  q.  v.  and  no 
situation  in  which  a  physician  can  be  placed  requires 
greater  delicacy.  -In  general,  he  should  wait  till  all 
probability  of  impregnation  is  at  an  end,  and  then  act 
according  to  the  prevailing  circumstances  ;  but  by  all 
means  be  cautious  of  declaring  his  opinion  till  it  be  fixed 
on  a  secure  foundation. 

GRENE'TTE,  (a  dim.  ofgraine,  corn,  French).  See 
SANTONICUM. 

GRESSU'RA,  (from  gradior,  to  proceed).  See  PE- 
RINEUM. 

GRIEF,  is  one  of  the  depressing  passions ;  it  stops 
perspiration,  renders  every  muscular  action  languid  ; 
and  thus  checks  the  intestinal  and  biliary  discharges, 
renders  the  skin  sallow,  and,  by  lowering  the  activity  of 
the  nervous  power,  renders  the  body  more  accessible  to 
the  influence  of  infection.  It  has  occasioned  death, 
and  the  persons  are  said  to  die  broken  hearted.  One 
instance  is  recorded,  if  we  mistake  not,  by  Dr.  Whytt, 
where  this  organic  change  was  produced  by  grief. 
We  can  easily  conceive  that  the  diminished  power  of 
the  vital  may  be  accompanied  with  such  a  diminution 
of  the  resistance  of  the  simple  solid,  as  to  admit  of  the 
impulse  of  the  blood  when  accumulated  in  the  heart 
and  larger  vessels,  from  the  altered  determination,  to 
occasion  a  rupture.  Grief,  if  indulged,  produces  all  the 
changes  which  distinguish  hypochondriasis.  The  mind 
soon  recovers  its  elasticity;  but  the  bodily  effects  re- 
main often  during  life,  frequently  terminating  in  me- 
lancholy and  mania.  Fretfulness,  often  confounded 
with  grief,  is  not  dangerous  to  the  constitution,  and 
rather  referrible  to  excess  of  irritability. 

GRIE'LUM.     See  HIPPOSELINUM. 

GRINDERS'  ROT.  Scythe  grinders  are  subject  to 
a  disease  of  the  lungs,  from  the  particles  of  sand  mixed 
with  iron  filings.  Cork  cutters  and  lime  burners  are 


subject  to  a  similar  complaint;  and  we  once  saw  it  in 
an  elegant  and  delicate  young  female,  from  an  internal 
cause.  See  CALCULUS. 

GRIPHO'MENOS,  (from  y/>t<P<><,  a  net,  surrounding 
the  body.}  Pains  which  extend  from  the  loins  to  the 
hypochondria. 

GROSSULA'RIA,  (from  grossus,  an  unri/ie  Jig,} 
uva  crisfia,  and  GOOSEBERRY  BUSH.  It  flowers  in  April, 
and  its  fruit  ripens  in  July.  The  unripe  fruit  is  said  to 
abate  the  longings  of  pregnant  women.  The  ripe  fruit, 
if  the  skins  are  not  swallowed,  is  nutritious,  digestive, 
and  cooling. 

GROSSULA'RIA  NON  SPINO'SA.     See  RIBES. 

GRO'SSUS,  (from  garas,   Hebrew).       See   Ficus 

SATIVA. 

GRO'TTO  DEL  CA'NI.  A  grotto  near  Naples,  in 
which  dogs  are  suffocated.  The  deleterious  vapour  is 
carbonic  acid  air,  which  rises  only  about  eighteen  inches. 
A  man,  therefore,  is  not  affected;  but  a  dog  forcibly- 
held  in,  or  who  cannot  rise  above  it,  is  soon  killed,  un- 
less taken  out.  He  is  recovered  by  plunging  him  in  an 
adjoining  lake. 

GROTTO  DEL  SERPI.  The  grotto  of  the  serpents, 
described  by  Kircher  who  visited  it.  It  is  near  the 
village  of  Sassa,  not  very  distant  from  Braccano,  in 
Italy,  filled  with  warm  vapour,  from  some  subterraneous 
apertures,  without  any  apparent  gaseous  or  other  im- 
pregnation. Patients  affected  with  lepra,  elephantiasis, 
palsy,  or  gout,  are  said  to  be  relieved  by  these  vapours; 
and  the  relief  is,  in  part,  attributed  to  some  serpents, 
which  are  not  venomous,  but  which  are  numerous  in 
this  cavity,  particularly  in  the  spring,  and  are  said  to 
lick  the  diseased  parts.  The  exuviae  of  serpents  abound 
in  the  grotto,  and  are  suspended  on  the  trees,  appa- 
rently to  cherish  the  delusion;  but  the  benefit  is  wholly 
derived  from  the  warm  water. 

GROUND  NUTS, arachishyfiogaa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1040, 
is  a  leguminous  plant,  originally  from  Africa,  but  now 
cultivated  in  all  the  European  establishments.  Its  calyx 
is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  upper  of  which  is  semi- 
trifid,  and  the  inferior  lanceolated  ;  the  corolla  papi- 
lionaceous, almost  reversed.  It  has  nine  monadelphous 
stamina,  and  the  tenth  free  and  barren ;  a  superior 
ovarum,  which  becomes  an  oblong,  cylindrical,  reticu- 
lated pod,  opening  with  difficulty,  and  containing  two 
or  three  seeds.  The  leaves  are  alternated,  winged, 
without  an  odd  one  ;  each  composed  of  four  oval  leaf- 
lets, with  a  membranous  stipula  at  their  base,  divided 
into  two. 

The  flowers  of  the  arachisare  placed  in  the  axillae  of 
the  leaves.  The  upper  ones,  though  perfect,  are  abor- 
tive ;  but  the  lower  bend  and  hide  themselves  in  the 
earth.  They  are  there  sought  after  by  the  negroes,  who 
eat  them  boiled  in  water,  or  roasted  in  the  ashes.  The 
seed  is  of  the  size  of  the  little  finger,  with  the  taste  of 
an  almond,  but  with  a  flavour  of  dry  pitch,  at  first  un- 
pleasant. An  oil  equal  to  that  of  olives,  which  does 
not  grow  rancid,  may  be  obtained  from  it,  by  pressure ; 
and  a  bushel  of  the  seeds,  which,  in  the  year  1768, 
were  valued  at  only  eight  pence,  produced  a  gallon  of 
oil.  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1769. 

GRU'MUS,  (from  garam,  a  clot,  Hebrew,)  a  por- 
tion of  the  coagulum  of  blood  or  milk. 

GRU'TUM.    Decorticated  unbruised oats.    GROATS. 

GRY'PA.     An  ointment  described  by  N.  Myrepsus. 


GUA 


719 


U  A 


GRY'PHIUS  PES,  (from  -/fv*»*,  to  incuruate).  An 
instrument  mentioned  by  Parey  for  extracting  a  mole 
from  the  uterus,  bent  like  an  eagle's  talons  ;  the  griffin, 
from  which  it  is  denominated,  is  the  appellation  of  a 
vulture. 

GRY  THUS.     See  ADAMAS. 

GRYPO'SIS,  (from  -/ivxta,  to  incurvatt,)  an  incur- 
vation of  the  nails.  . 

GUA'BAM.  A  sweet  cooling  fruit  which  grows  in 
the  West  Indies.  See  Raii  Historia. 

GUACA'TAXA;  scrofihularia  Indica;  is  a  plant 
which  grows  in  New  Spain,  and  which  eases  the  piles, 
in  the  form  of  a  cataplasm  (see  Raii  Historia) ;  but  it  is 
unknown  to  the  systematic  botanists. 

GUA'CU.     See  CEBIPIRA  BRASILIENSIBUS. 

GUAIA'BARA.  A  tree  that  grows  in  Hispaniola; 
the  Spaniards  call  it  uvifcra;  the  leaves  are  large,  and 
used  as  paper.  Cocoloba  uvifera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  523. 

GUAI'ACUM,  (Indian).  Guaiacon,  ftagioxylon,  lig- 
num benedictum,  vite  lignum,  palus  and  ftalma  sancta, 
euonymo  adfinis  occidentalis,  ibirace,  &c.  The  darker 
kind  the  Americans  call  hiacan,OT  huiacan;  the  yellowish 
they  call  hoaxecan;  guaiacum  officinale  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  546. 
COMMON  GUAIACUM,  or  POCKWOOD. 

This  wood  was  introduced  into  Europe  early  in  the 
sixteenth  century  from  Jamaica,  Mexico,  and  the  An- 
tilles. It  is  brought  over  in  large  pieces,  each  weighing 
from  four  to  five  hundred  weight,  hard,  compact,  and 
so  heavy  as  to  sink  in  water,  of  a  pale  yellowish  colour 
without,  but  black,  of  a  deep  brown,  or  marbled,  within. 
It  hath  little  or  no  smell,  except  when  heated,  and  then 
its  odour  is  slightly  aromatic.  When  chewed  it  is 
slightly  pungent,  a  quality  which  resides  in  its  resin, 
and  which  it  yields,  in  some  degree,  to  water  by  boiling, 
but  wholly  to  spirits. 

Of  the  bark  there  are  two  kinds,  one  smooth,  the 
other  unequal  on  the  surface  :  both  are  weaker  than  the 
wood.  In  the  choice  of  this  medicine,  the  freshest, 
most  ponderous,  of  the  darkest  colour,  and  the  largest 
pieces  are  preferred ;  and,  as  the  finer  parts  are  apt  to 
exhale,  they  should  be  rasped  only  when  used. 

The  wood  was  first  introduced  into  Europe  as  a  re- 
medy for  the  venereal  disease ;  and,  as  it  warms  and 
stimulates,  promotes  perspiration  and  urine,  proving 
occasionally  a  gentle  purgative,  it  assists  the  operation 
of  mercury.  When  the  excretory  glands  are  obstructed, 
the  vessels  flaccid,  the  habit  cachectic,  in  many  cutane- 
ous and  catarrhal  complaints,  female  weaknesses,  in 
gouty  and  rheumatic  disorders,  it  is  often  useful.  The 
hectic  fever,  which  sometimes  follows  a  salivation,  yields 
to  a  decoction  of  the  woods.  Guaiacum  seems  to  stimu- 
late the  exhalent  vessels  more  than  the  heart  and  great 
arteries ;  and  is  consequently  safer  than  those  which  act 
more  powerfully  on  the  sanguiferous  system.  It  is  of 
course  esteemed  more  effectual  than  other  sudorifics 
in  the  lues  venerea,  in  all  cases  of  rheumatism,  perhaps 
in  gout. 

A  long  use  of  this  medicine  hath  been  supposed  to 
produce  a  yellowness  of  the  skin.  In  thin  emaciated 
habits  ;  in  an  acrimonious  state  of  the  fluids ;  in  hot 
bilious  habits,  and  where  the  fibres  are  very  tense,  it  is 
suspected  to  be  injurious. 

-  Three  ounces  of  the  wood,  or  four  ounces  of  the  bark, 
may  be  boiled  in  Jt  iv.  of  water  to  ftj  ij.  and  if  a  little 
liquorice  is  added  to  the  latter  end  of  the  boiling,  it  will 


abate  the  disagreeable  pungency  of  this  medicine,  which 
affects  the  throat  in  swallowing.  Of  this  decoction  at 
least  half  a  pint  should  be  taken  in  a  day. 

If  the  thin  shavings  of  guaiacum  are  distilled  in  a 
retort,  at  first  an  almost  purely  watery  fluid  arises ;  on 
increasing  the  fire,  an  acid,  reddish,  empyreumatic 
liquor  passes  over,  with  a  little  fluid  reddish  oil, 
and  much  air  is  separated:  the  residuum  is  a  coal. 
A  pound  of  guaiacum  wood,  distilled  on  an  open  fire, 
gave  |  iii.  ss.  of  acid,  and  ^  i.  ss.  of  empyreumatic 
oil. 

The  extract  of  guaiacum,  soft  and  hard,  is  prepared 
by  boiling  Ib  i.  of  guaiacum  shavings  in  a  gallon  of  wa- 
ter until  half  the  liquor  is  wasted,  repeating  the  opera- 
tion by  adding  the  same  quantity  of  fresh  water  to  the 
same  shavings  four  or  five  times.  The  several  decoc- 
tions passed  through  a  strainer,  are  to  be  mixed  and  in- 
spissEtted ;  adding,  when  the  aqueous  parts  are  almost 
exhaled,  a  little  spiritus  vini  rectificatus,  that  the  whole 
may  be  reduced  into  an  uniform  tenacious  mass.  This 
extract  is  called  soft  when  of  the  consistence  of  a  mass 
for  pills,  and  hard  when  it  can  be  powdered.  The  spi- 
rit is  added  at  the  conclusion  of  the  boiling,  that  the  re- 
sinous part  may  be  perfectly  mixed  with  the  gummy. 
The  harder  extract  is  an  excellent  errhine. 

The  resin  of  guaiacum  is  prepared  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  resin  of  JALAP,  q.  v.  and  is  the  only  active 
part  of  this  wood :  it  is  obtained  pure  by  means  of  recti- 
fied spirit  of  wine,  both  from  the  wood  and  the  gum,  and 
is  procured  by  wounding  the  bark  in  different  parts  of 
the  body  of  the  tree,  from  whence  it. exudes  copiously. 
This  natural  resin,  which  is  exported,  is  never  pure; 
and  about  §  xii.  of  pure  resin  is  obtained  from  5  xvi.  of 
what  is  styled  gum.  This  is  partly  accounted  for  by  its 
being  sometimes  procured  by  boring  billets  of  the  wood 
longitudinally,  and  then  burning  them  at  one  end,  while 
the  resin  exudes  from  the  other.  It  is  also  occasionally 
obtained  by  boiling  the  chips  in  water  and  common  salt. 

This  gum  is  of  a  brown  colour,  partly  reddish,  often 
greenish,  brittle,  having  a  glossy  surface  when  broken, 
of  a  pungent  taste,  affecting  the  tongue  and  palate  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  wood.  It  is  chiefly  brought 
in  irregular  masses,  of  a  dusky  green  colour :  that  in  the 
form  of  drops  is  the  best,  but  rarely  met  with. 

In  choosing  the  gum,  those  pieces  which  have  slips 
of  the  bark  adhering  to  them,  and  that  easily  separated 
from  them  by  percussion,  is  the  best.  When  held 
against  the  light  it  is  transparent,  breaks  with  a  smooth 
uniform  shining  fracture,  of  a  bluish  green  colour.  It 
is  fusible  in  a  moderate  heat,  but  not  softened  by  the 
heat  of  the  fingers ;  insoluble  in  water,  but  soluble  in 
alcohol ;  without  smell  or  taste,  but  on  hot  coals  diffus- 
ing an  agreeable  odour.  When  the  powder  is  swallow- 
ed, it  occasions  a  very  painful  burning  and  pricking  in 
the  throat. 

Neumann  assures  us,  that  a  composition  of  colo- 
phony and  balsam  of  sulphur  is  imposed  on  the  unwary 
for  the  true  gum;  but  the  cheat  is  easily  detected,  by 
exposing  each  to  a  due  degree  of  heat,  by  which  the 
odour  of  the  false  is  perceived  to  be  different  from  that 
of  the  true. 

The  wood  and  resin  only  are  in  general  use  as  medi- 
cines ;  and  as  the  efficacy  of  the  former  is  supposed  to 
be  derived  merely  i'rom  the  quantity  of  resinous  mat- 
ter which  it  contains,  they  may  be  considered  indis- 


GUL 


720 


GUM 


criminately  as  the  same  medicine.  Of  the  gum,  or  ex- 
tracts, the  dose  may  be  from  gr.  v.  to  9  i.  but  in  the 
latter  dose  it  is  often  actively  cathartic.  It  should  be 
combined  with  a  fluid  by  means  of  an  egg,  or  some 
mucilage,  as  it  is  otherwise  uneasy  in  the  stomach.  In- 
deed, if  given  in  the  form  of  an  electuary  or  bolus,  a  si- 
milar medium  is  necessary. 

Bolsam  ofguaiacum  consists  of  gum.  guaica.  Jfj  i.  bal- 
samum  Peruv.  J  iij  sp.  vini  rect.  lb  i.  ss.  It  was  form- 
erly csL\lei\/iolyc/irestu?n;  and  from  oneto  three  drachms 
were  given  every  night  and  morning  in  milk,  or  any 
convenient  vehicle. 

Tincture  of  gum  guaiacum,  commonly  called  the  vo- 
latile tincture,  is  a  solution  of  four  ounces  of  the  gum  in 
a  pint  and  a  half  of  the  compound  spirit  of  ammonia. 
Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

The  dose  is  from  a  small  tea  spoonful  to  a  large  table 
spoonful  two  or  three  times  a  day,  and  it  is  very  con- 
veniently given  in  milk,  though  a  proportion  of  the 
tinctura  opii  should  be  added,  to  prevent  the  larger 
dose  from  purging.  Dr.  Dawson  frequently  directs  the 
latter  dose  with  great  advantage  in  rheumatic  and  ar- 
thritic complaints,  in  which  cases,  and  against  palsies 
from  lead,  he  considers  it  almost  as  a  specific.  It  should 
not,  however,  be  given  while  any  inflammatory  diathe- 
sis remains. 

See  Raii  Historia  Plantar_um  ;  Lewis's  Materia  Me- 
dica ;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works  ;  Cullen's  Materia 
Medica. 

GUAI'ANA  CORTEX.     See  SIMAROUBA. 
GUAJA'CANA,    dios/iyros,  faba    Gr&ca    latifolia, 
jiseudo  lotus;   diosfiyros  lotus  Lin.  Sp.   PI.    1510.    It  is 
not  much  known  ;  but  its  leaves  and  fruit  are  astringent. 
GUA  JA'VA.   The  guavu,  guajdbo;  ftsidium  fiomife- 
rum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  672.  The  name  of  a  tree  in  the  West 
Indies,  whose  fruit  is  cooling  and  moderately  astringent; 
the  root  is  also  astringent.     See  Raii  Historia. 

GUA'O.  Comocladia  dentata  Lin.  Ed.  Wildenow, 
vol.  i.  p.  189.  A  West  Indian  tree,  called  thetlatian;  its 
effluvia  are  so  acrid  as  to  be  injurious  to  those  who 
sleep  under  it.  It  has  the  odour  of  dung,  and  its  juice 
is  so  black  that  it  cannot  be  washed  out  of  linen. 

GUAPARAI'BA.  The  MANGROVE  TREE  of  the 
West  Indies ;  mangle,  and  fialelu-vier.  The  mangrove 
tree  of  the  East  Indies  appears  to  be  the  rhizofihora 
gymnorrhiza  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  634;  that  of  the  West,  the  g. 
mangle  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  634.  If  the  root  is  split  and  toasted, 
then  applied  to  the  punctures  made  by  the  poisonous 
fish  called  niyui,  it  is  said  to  cure.  See  Raii  Historia. 
GUARE'RVA-O'BA.  See  CUCUMIS  AGRESTIS. 
GUARIRIGUIMY'MIA.  Bignonia  /lentafihylla 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  870.  A  shrub  in  Btasil,  like  a  myrtle, 
whose  seed  is  supposed  by  Lemery  to  destroy  worms. 

GUA'SSEM.  Certain  black  scorbutic  spots  men- 
tioned by  Avicenna. 

GUATIMA'LA.     See  INDICUM. 

GUA'VA.  See  GUAJAVA. 

GUIDO'NIS  BALS.     See  ANODYNUM  HALS. 

GUILA'NDINA  MOR'INGA.     See  NEPHRITICUM 

LIGNUM. 

GUI'TY-I'BA.  A  tree  growing  in  Brasil,  and  bear- 
ing the  fruit  called  guity  coroga,  which  contains  a  stone 
as  large  as  a  goose's  egg,  the  kernel  of  which  is  astrin- 
gent. The  tree  is  not  known  to  scientific  botanists. 

GU'LA,  (from  yivtfuti,  to  taste}.  See  (ESOPHAGUS. 


GU'MA.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

GU'MMA,  (fromgummi,  gum,  plur.  gummata,  from 
the  resemblance  of  the  contents  to  gums,)  is  a  tumour 
arising  from  the  substance  of  a  bone,  so  soft  as  to  yield 
to  the  finger.  As  they  increase  in  hardness,  they  are 
progressively  styled  to/ihi^nodi^nAexostoses.  In  vene- 
real cases,  such  tumours  often  happen  on  the  head,  and 
even  in  the  middle  of  the  hardest  bones,  apparently  pro- 
duced by  an  obstruction,  and  probably  a  dilatation,  of 
the  interstitial  vessels  raising  the  incumbent  laminae. 
A  softness  of  the  bones  sometimes  succeeds  abscesses 
of  the  adjacent  parts,  and  sometimes  the  seat  of  the  dis- 
order is  in  the  substance  of  the  bone,  as  in  the  lues  ve- 
nerea;  but  gummata  have,  however,  been  discovered, 
when  no  adequate  cause  could  be  observed.  An  acid 
has  been  suspected  in  the  blood,  or  perhaps  the  phos- 
phoric acid  of  the  bones  may  be  in  excess.  See  Petit 
on  Diseases  of  the  Bones.  LUES  VENEREA.  Bell's  Sur- 
gery, vol.  v.  p.  541. 

GU'MMI,  (tsama/t,  pronounced  ghamah;  Hebrew,) 
GUM,  gisisim,  is  a  concrete  vegetable  juice,  of  no  parti- 
cular smell  or  taste,  viscous  and  tenacious  when  moist- 
ened with,  and  wholly  soluble  in,  water;  insoluble  in 
alcohol  or  in  oils;  burning  in  the  fire  to  a  black  coal, 
without  melting  or  inflaming,  and  not  volatile  in  the 
heat  of  boiling  water. 

The  true  gums  are  gum  arable,  tragacanth,  and  se- 
nega :  the  gum  of  cherry  and  plum  trees  :  the  others 
contain  a  proportion  of  resin. 

The  virtues  of  gums  are  those  of  mucilages  in  gene- 
ral, which  are  only  gums  with  a  proportion  of  water. 
When  the  ancients  used  the  word  gntmni,  or  commi, 
without  any  epithet,  they  meant  gum  arable.  The 
K.»ftni  AESIX.OV,  (Hippocrates  De  Morbis  Mulierum,)  is 
the  same. 

GU'MMI  ARA'BICUM,  called  also  acanthinum ;  gum 
lamuc;  gum  Thebaicum  and  Serafiionis,  GUM  ARABIC, 
and  the  true  GUM  ACACIA.  It  exudes  from  the  Egyp- 
tian acacia,  or  thorn  tree,  whose  fruit  affords  the  inspis- 
sated juice  of  that  name.  Mimosa  nilotica  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1506.  (See  ACACIA.)  It  is  brought  from  Turkey  in 
small  irregular  masses,  of  a  clear  whitish  or  very  pale 
yellow  colour. 

Though  insoluble  in  spirit,  and  in  oil,  yet,  when 
formed  into  a  mucilage,  it  is  miscible  with  both,  and 
with  resins  rendering  them  miscible  with  water.  Dr. 
Grew  first  taught  us  to  mix  essential  oil  with  water  by 
means  of  gum-;  and  in  the  London  Medical  Observa- 
tions and  Inquiries,  vol.  i.  we  find  that  oils,  both  express- 
ed and  distilled,  resins,  and  balsams,  may,  by  the  same 
means,  be  mixed  uniformly  with  water  or  with  spirit. 
Alkaline  salts,  both  fixed  and  volatile,  though  they  ren- 
der pure  oil  miscible  with  water,  prevent  the  mixture 
of  gum  with  oil.  Acids  do  not  in  the  least  prevent  the 
effect  of^gum  in  combining  oils  with  water. 

Animal  glues  very  unlike  vegetable  gums  are  more 
nutritious,  and  apt  to  become  putrid;  and  they  will 
not  combine  oil  with  water.  In  a  chemical  view  their 
difference  is  very  great;  those  of  the  animal  kind  are 
changed  by  fire  into  a  volatile  alkaline  salt,  and  a  fetid 
oil ;  the  vegetable  into  an  acid,  liquor,  and  a  very  minute 
portion  of  oily  matter,  considerably  less  fetid  than  the 
former. 

Gum  arable  is  glutinous  and  demulcent ;  consequently 
useful  in  tickling  coughs,  diarrhoeas,  hoarseness,  in  car- 


GUM 


721 


T    > 


dialgia,  when  from  any  oily  aliment,  and  in  almost 
every  disease  of  the  urinary  organs.  In  dysuria  the 
true  gum  arable  is  preferable  to  the  other  simple  gums. 
Though  its  action  has  been  supposed  not  to  extend  be- 
yond the  glottis  and  the  alimentary  canal,  it  is  certainly 
conveyed  with  little  change  to  the  kidneys;  and,  when 
used  in  moderate  quantities,  even  checks  the  urinary 
discharge.  To  be  effectual  as  an  internal  demulcent, 
two  ounces  a  day  should  be,  at  least,  taken.  Dr.  Has- 
selquist  informs  us,  that  a  caravan,  whose  provisions 
were  exhausted,  found  it  very  nutritive. 

One  ounce  of  gum  arabic  renders  a  pint  of  water  con- 
siderably glutinous  ;  but  for  mucilage,  one  part  of  gum 
to  two  parts  water  is  required,  and  for  some  purposes 
an  equal  proportion  will  be  necessary.  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica  ;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

GU'MMI   FU'XERUM.     See  BITUMEN. 

GU'MMI  GU'TTA,   and    AD  PODAGRAM.     See  GAMBO- 

Otft. 

GU'MMI  RE'SIXA  LU'TEA.  New  Holland  has  fur- 
nished two  new  medicines;  the  red  and  the  yellow 
gum.  The  first  is  astringent,  and  not  unlike  the  kino 
described  in  the  following  article.  The  yellow  is  not 
very  dissimilar;  but  the  plant  from  which  each  is 
procured  has  not  been  reduced  to  its  place  in  botanical 
systems. 

GU'MMI    HU'BRUM    ASTRI'XGEXS  GAMBIE'XSE.     The 

RED    ASTRIXGEXT    GUM    FROM     GAMBIA  ;      Kino;    SOngUlS 

draconis  officinalis,  or  the  finest  and  true  DRAGON'S 
BLOOD.  Dr.  Oldfield  calls  it  true  gum  Senegal.  In  the 
inland  parts  of  Africa  it  is  called  fiau  de  sangue:  fiau 
is  said  to  be  a  corruption  of  ftalo,  wood;  and,  with  the 
addition  of  sangue,  to  be  the  name  of  a  tree  in  the  in- 
land parts  of  Africa  which  produces  it. 

Gum  kino  is  very  friable,  easily  breaking  between  the 
fingers;  without  smell,  of  an  opake,  dark,  reddish  co- 
lour, appearing  almost  black  in  the  mass,  and,  when 
powdered,  of  a  deep  lateritious  red.  In  chewing,  it 
first  crumbles,  then  coheres  slightly,  and  seems  soon  to 
dissolve,  with  a  very  astringent  slightly  sweet  taste. 

It  differs  from  the  red  lumps  of  the  common  gum 
Senegal  in  being  much  more  brittle ;  and  from  the  dra- 
gon's blood  in  its  affinity  to  water;  and  from  both  in 
its  stypticity  when  tasted.  It  dissolves  both  in  spirit 
and  in  water;  each  taking  up  about  two  thirds  of  the 
whole. 

This  glim  seems  useful  in  many  disorders  from  laxity, 
as  in  chronic  diarrhoea,  leucorrhoea,  and  maenorrhagia. 
It  contains  a  larger  proportion  of  gum  than  any  other 
astringent  drug,  and,  joined  with  alum,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  one  part  to  three,  (as  in  the  pulvis  stypticus,  Ph. 
Edin.)  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  most  powerful  as- 
tringents which  has  been  employed.  In  a  liquid  form, 
however,  the  kino  is  said  by  TromsdorfT  to  decompose 
the  alum ;  but  this  effect  appears  to  depend  on  some 
accident,  as  the  experiment  does  not  always  succeed. 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica;  London  Medical  Observa- 
tions and  Inquiries,  vol.  i.  p.  358,  &c. 

GU'MMI  SEXEGALE'XSE,  gum  Senega,  and  gum  Ori- 
entate, is  brought  from  the  island  Senegal,  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  and  is  said  to  be  the  production  of  the  tree 
which  affords  the  gum  arabic. 

This  gum  is  generally  in  larger  and  darker  pieces 
than  the  gum  arabic,  and  rough  on  the  outside :  the 
gum  arabic  also  is  dry  and  brittle,  but  the  Senega 

VOL.  i. 


clammy  and  tenacious.  The  clearest  pieces  are  sold  for 
gum  arabic,  and  their  qualities  are  nearly  similar  ;  but 
the  gum  Senega  is  certainly  more  adhesive. 

GU'MMI  TRAGACA'XTHA,  (from  r;z.-/n,  a  goat,  and 
axjti6a.,  a  thorn,  because  its  pods  resemble  a  goat's 
beard,)  adraganth,  and  dragantum;  GUM  DRAGAXT, 
or  TRAGACAXTH.  This  gum  exudes  from  a  prickly 
bush,  which  grows  in  Crete,  Greece,  and  Asia.  .4ntra- 
galus  tragacantha  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1073.  GOAT'S  THORN, 
or  MILK  VETCH.  It  is  chiefly  brought  to  us  from  Tur- 
key in  irregular  lumps,  or  in  long  vermicular  pieces. 
In  Candy  it  begins  to  exude  about  June,  and  is  more  or 
less  pure  and  white,  according  to  its  accidental  mixture 
with  dust.  That  which  is  white,  light,  smooth,  and 
transparent,  in  vermicular  striae,  of  a  sweetish  taste, 
and  without  smell,  is  preferred.  A  yellowish  or 
brownish  colour  is  no  mark  of  imperfection  or  impurity. 

It  differs  from  all  other  gums  in  giving  a  thick  con- 
sistence to  a  larger  quantity  of  water,  probably  from  being 
insoluble  in  this  fluid,  which  it  slowly  imbibes  in  a  large 
proportion,  swells  into  a  considerable  bulk,  and  forms  a 
soft,  but  not  liquid  mucilage.  On  the  further  addition 
of  water  a  fluid  solution  may  be  obtained  by  agitation, 
but  the  liquor  is  turbid  ;  and,  on  standing,  the  mucilage 
subsides,  the  limpid  water  on  the  surface  retaining  little 
of  the  gum.  It  is  more  powerful  as  a  mucilage  than 
other  gums,.  but  not  as  a  demulcent,  though  it  softens 
and  thickens  acrid  humours. 

The  pulvis  e  tragacantha  compositus  of  the  London 
college  is  made  in  the  following  manner:  R.  Tragacan- 
thae  in  pulverem  tritae,  gum.  arabici,  amyli,  singulorum 
J  i.  ss.  sacchari  purificati  f  iij.  simul  in  pulverem  tere. 
Ph.  Lond.  1T88. 

It  is  mild,  emollient,  and  useful  in  tickling  coughs, 
and  supposed  to  mix  oils  and  resins  more  smoothly 
than  the  gum  arabic.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica; 
Neumann's  Chemical  Works;  Cullen's  Materia  Me- 
dica. 

GUMMO'SjE  PI'LUL£,  (from  gummi,gum).    See 

ASAFJETIDA. 

GUMMO'SUM  ELECTA'RIUM,(fromthe  same). 
See  DYSURIA. 

GURGEA'TIO,  (from  gurges,  a  stream  of  water). 
See  SUDOR  AXGLICUS. 

GURGU'LIO^ysfyKfe*",  from  gargarah,  the  throat, 
Hebrew).  See  UVULA  :  the  insect  also  called  a 


GUSTATO'RII.     See  HYPOGLOSSI  EXTERXI. 

GUSTATO'RIUS,  (from  gusto,  to  taste,")  the  name 
of  the  third  maxillary  branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of 
nerves. 

GUSTE'RANAX.     See  BITHMMALCA. 

GU'STUS,  (from  ytvtujci,  to  taste}.  The  TASTE. 
Upon  the  tongue,  towards  the  apex  and  sides  under 
the  skin,  are  obtuse  papillae  of  various  figures;  promi- 
nent in  the  tongue  of  a  living  person,  when  applied  to 
the  object  of  taste  ;  but  not  discovered  in  the  dead  body. 
They  rise  from  the  nervous  substance  which  covers  the 
muscular  flesh  in  the  tongue,  pass  through  the  perfora- 
tions of  the  corpus  reticulare,  as  in  the  skin,  and  are 
covered  with  small  vaginae,  formed  by  the  exterior 
membrane  of  the  tongue.  These  vaginae  are  seemingly 
porous,  that  the  substance  tasted  may,  by  pressure,  be 
applied  to  them.  Bellini  has  shown  that  these  papillae 
only  are  the  medium  of  taste  ;  and  that  the  other  parts 


G  U  T 


'22 


U  U  T 


of  the  mouth,  tongue,  and  palate,  contribute  nothing  to 
it,  except  as  resisting  surfaces  to  assist  the  application. 
It  is,  however,  highly  probable  that  the  back  part  of  the 
palate  is  also  sensible  of  the  impression  which  conveys 
the  taste. 

It  hath  been  generally  said,  that  salts  are  the  true  ob- 
jects of  taste;  and  that  the  diversity  of  taste  is  owing 
to  the  different  figures  which  are  natural  to  salts:  but 
Haller,  on  the  contrary,  asserts,  that  the  reason  of  the 
diversity  of  flavours  seems  to  reside  in  the  intrinsic  fa- 
bric or  apposition  of  their  elements,  which  do  not  fall 
under  the  scrutiny  of  the  senses.  In  general,  he  thinks 
whatever  contains  less  salt  than  the  saliva  is  insipid ;  but 
that  the  nature  or  disposition  of  the  covering  with  which 
the  papillae  are  clothed,  together  with  that  of  the  juices, 
and  of  the  aliments  lodged  in  the  stomach,  have  a  consi- 
derable share  in  determining  the  sense  of  taste;  so  that 
the  same  flavour  does  not  equally  please  or  affect  the 
organ  in  all  ages  alike,  nor  persons  of  the  same  tempera- 
tures, nor  even  the  same  person  at  different  times.  In 
fact,  the  sense  of  taste  is  more  closely  connected  with  the 
state  of  the  stomach  than  is  generally  supposed ;  and  the 
languor  or  indisposition  of  that  organ  destroys  or  de- 
praves the  sense  of  taste.  Other  nervous  affections  have 
a  similar  effect.  In  fevers  the  taste  is  depraved  or  lost, 
and  the  substance  of  the  papillae,  or  of  their  vaginae, 
seems  to  be  organically  changed ;  for  with  whatever 
care  the  tongue  is  cleaned,  it  never  attains  a  healthy 
appearance. 

In  general,  the  taste  determines  what  aliment  is  sa- 
lutary; for  the  most  part,  whatever  offends  the  taste  is 
injurious  in  the  stomach.  See  Haller's  Physiology,  in 
his  Lecture  of  the  Taste. 

GU'TTA,  (from  xiai  to  /tour  out).  A  DROP;  alun- 
&>l.  Drops  are  an  uncertain  form  of  administering  me- 
dicines; and,  where  great  exactness  is  necessary,  they 
should  not  be  prescribed.  The  shape  of  the  bottle,  or 
of  its  mouth,  from  whence  the  drops  fall,  as  well  as  the 
consistence  of  the  fluid,  occasions  a  considerable  dif- 
ference in  the  quantity  administered. 

Gutta  is  also  a  name  of  the  apoplexy,  from  a  suppo- 
sition that  its  cause  was  a  drop  of  blood  falling  from  the 
brain  upon  the  heart. 

GU'TTA  GA'MBA.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

GU'TT^E  NI'GRJE.  The  black  drops,  occasionally 
called  the  Lancashire  or  the  Cheshire  drops,  is  a  secret 
preparation  of  opium,  more  active  than  the  common 
tincture,  and  supposed  to  be  less  injurious,  as  seldom 
fallowed  by  headach.  One  drop  of  this  medicine  is 
equal  to  about  t\vo  and  a  half  of  the  tincture  of  opium. 
We  are  informed  by  Dr.  Cassells,  that  there  are  two 
preparations  in  use  undejx-this  title.  In  the  first,  five 
ounces  of  purified  opium,  with  pimento  and  cinnamon, 
of  each  two  drachms;  saffron  and  Seville  orange  peel, of 
each  one  drachm ;  are  digested  for  a  week  in  rectified 
spirit  of  wine,  which  is  separated  from  the  faeces  by 
pressure.  In  the  other,  four  ounces  of  opium  are  di- 
gested for  three  weeks  in  as  many  pints  of  the  juice  of 
quinces  or  verjuice,  to  which  saffron,  cloves,  nutmeg, 
and  cinnamon,  of  each  an  ounce,  are  added,  and  the 
digestion  continued  another  week.  Neither  appears  to 
us  the  real  preparation;  but  we  shall  resume  the  subject 
in  another  article.  Vide  OPIUM. 

GU'TTA  OPA'CA.     See  CATARACTA. 

GU'TTA  ROSA'CEA,  according  to  Dr.  Cullen,  is  syno- 


nymous with  -varus,  and  bacchia;  and  these  are  placed 
as  varieties  of  the  Ji/ilogosis  fihlegmone.  It  is  sometimes 
called  simply  rosacea,  from  the  little  red  drops,  or  fiery- 
tubercles,  dispersed  about  the  face  and  nose ;  rubedo 
maculona,  lont/ios,  butiga,  gutta  rubea,  ruonia,  and  ro- 
sea.  Nicholaus  Florentinus  distinguishes  three  degrees 
of  it,  viz.  1.  rubedo  sim/itejc,  seu  fades  rubra;  2.  pus- 
tulosa;  and,  3.  ulcerosa. 

The  cause  is  supposed  to  be  in  the  liver,  and  this  idea 
is  supported  by  observing,  that  often  on  the  disappear- 
ance of  fiery  pimples  in  the  face,  an  indurated  liver 
and  a  dropsy  follow;  on  the  contrary,  disorders  of  the 
liver  are  sometimes  relieved  by  eruptions  in  the  face, 
so  that  repellents  should  be  carefully  avoided.  Whe- 
ther it  be  the  cause  or  effect  of  a  diseased  liver,  those 
addicted  to  spirituous  liquors  are  most  subject  to  this 
complaint;  but  the  most  abstemious  are  sometimes  af- 
fected with  it,  by  suddenly  drinking  a  draught  of  cold 
water  when  they  are  hot,  or  by  any  partial  suppression 
of  the  perspiration.  The  disease  is  peculiarly  obsti- 
nate, and  often  resists  every  attempt  to  relieve  it ;  nor 
will  the  eruptions  disappear  till  the  constitution  is 
completely  ruined. 

In  general,  a  temperate  regimen  is  proper;  but  if 
the  patient  is  accustomed  to  , generous  diet,  a  sudden 
alteration  is  not  advisable:  violent  exercise  should  be 
avoided ;  and  the  mind  kept  as  calm  as  possible.  Scar- 
borough water  is  generally  esteemed  very  useful;  spi- 
rits, spices,  and  every  thing  but  the  mildest  food,  should 
be  avoided. 

Practical  writers  abound  with  variety  of  topical  ap- 
plications; but  great  caution  is  required  in  their  use. 
The  hydrargyrum  nitratum,  if  cautiously  employed,  is 
sometimes  safe,  and  is  the  medicine  called  the  golden 
ointment. 

Internally,  mercurial  deobstruents,  with  antimonials; 
saline,  acidulous,  and  ferrugineous  waters,  are  useful. 
The  decoction  of  sarsaparilla,  of  mezereum,  or  of  ether, 
with  that  of  the  elm  bark,  or  the  root  of  the  water 
dock,  adding  as  much  of  any  neutral  salt  as  will  keep 
the  bowels  loose,  are  the  best  assistants  of  the  mercu- 
rials and  antimonials.  See  Heister's  Surgery ;  Turner's 
Diseases  of  the  Skin;  Medical  Observations  and  In- 
quiries, vol.  i.  p.  189. 

GU'TTA  SERE'NA.  (See  AMAUROSIS.)  On  recur- 
ring to  this  article,  we  perceive  that  we  omitted  to  men- 
tion Mr.  Ware's  very  ingenious  remark,  that  it  may  be 
sometimes  occasioned  by  a  dilatation  of  the  circulus 
arteriosus,  that  circle  which  surrounds  the  sella  tur- 
cica,  and  which  on  the  fore  part  passes  over  the  optic 
nerve.  The  anterior  arteries  are  branched  from  the  ca- 
rotid; but  others  rise  soon  after,  which,  passing  back- 
ward, join  the  basilar  artery,  and  form  the  posterior 
portion  of  the  circle,  which  lies  over  the  nervi  motores 
oculorum.  This  cause  probably  produces  the  disease 
when  it  is  accompanied  by  an  inability  of  moving  the 
upper  eye  lid;  and  we  can  easily  suppose  that  it  may 
affect  the  optic  nerve,  without  producing  any  change  on 
the  motory  nerves,  as  the  larger  portion  of  the  blood 
may  be  carried  off  by  the  anastomosing  branches  of  the 
basilar  artery. 

We  need  scarcely  apologise  for  omitting  the  singu- 
lar fancy  of  Richter,  who  attributes  gutta  serena  to 
infarclcd  viscera,  and  combats  it  by  deobstruents  and 
antispasmodics. 


G  Y  M 


G  V  1' 


GV'TTX  VI'T^E.  BALS.  TBAUMATKLM.  See  BEX- 
ZOINVM. 

GL'TT.E  ANGLICA'X.*.  A  famous  remedy  of  Dr. 
Goddard,  which,  we  are  assured  by  Lister,  was  only  the 
spirit  of  raw  silk  rectified  with  oil  of  cinnamon.  The 
secret  was  sold  to  Charles  II.  for  the  enormous  sum  of 
5000/. 

GUTTA'LIS.     See  ARYTJIXOIDES. 

GUTTE'TA,  (fromgoutte,  the  cramfi).  Castellus 
informs  us  that  the  word  goutte  in  French  signifies  con- 
vultitjn  ;  hence  the  name  of  a  preparation  called  fiuh-is 
adguitetam,  which  consisted  of  dittany,  human  skull,  con- 
trayerva,  kc.;  in  general  equal  parts  of  peony  and  va- 
lerian roots  are  only  mixed.  It  was  originally  an  in- 
vention of  Riverius,  and  often  called  efiilefitic  fiovoder. 

GU'TTUR,  (from  '/jua,  to  flour  out).  The  THROAT  ; 
brochthus.  See  BROXCHOCELE. 

GUTTURA'LIS  ARTE'RIA,  (from  guttur,  the 
throat).  The  first  considerable  branch  of  the  external 
carotid  is  the  superior  guttural,  which  arises  where  it 
parts  from  the  internsl.  and  runs  to  the  thyroid  gland, 
to  the  muscles,  and  other  parts  of  the  larynx  or  pharynx, 
hence  called  laryngea. 

The  inferior  guttural  artery  is  the  TRACHEALIS  AR- 
TERIA.  q.  v. 

GL-TTUHA'LIS  VE'XA,  tracheali*.  The  right  goes 
from  the  under  part  of  the  bifurcation  above  the  mam- 
maria  of  the  same  side,  and  sometimes  from  the  subcla- 
vian.  The  left  from  the  left  subclavian  near  its  origin. 

GUTTURIFO'RMIS  CARTILA'GO,  (from  gut- 
tur,  the  throat  and  forma,  likeness).  See  ARYT.S- 
XOIDES. 

GYMNA'STICA.  GYMXASTICS;  exercises  of  the 
body  which  were  proposed  for  the  restoration  and  pre- 
servation of  health,  and  for  the  cure  of  diseases.  They 
were  of  Greek  origin ;  and  are  so  called  from  the  word 
yt-ujoj,  naked  ;  for  they  were  performed  by  naked  men 
in  the  public  games.  These  exercises  were  originally 
designed  to  accustom  the  youth  to  feats  of  activity  and 
strength.  War  was  a  laborious  occupation  from  the 
weight  of  the  armour,  and  strength  must  be  acquired 
by  exertion,  and  supported  by  constant  exercise.  The 
games  were  consequently  connected  with  their  religion, 
and  victor)-  in  them  was  politically  rendered  an  object 
of  the  highest  importance. 


Palmaque  nobilis 

Ten-arum  dominos  evehit  ad  Deof. 

The  gymnastic  art  had  attained  no  considerable  de- 
gree of  perfection  in  the  days  of  Homer,  as  we  find 
from  the  description  of  the  games  at  the  funeral  of  Pa- 
troclus.  It  was  introduced,  however,  into  medicine 
only  about  the  time  of  Hippocrates,  or  rather  a  little 
before  his  era  by  Herodicus,  probably  his  father.  The 
gymnastics  of  the  warriors  were  too  violent  for  the  dis- 
eased, or  even  for  the  preservation  of  health  in  those 
not  naturally  strong;  and  Hippocrates,  in  his  work  on 


regimen,  speaks  of  exercise  in  general,  of  walking,  of 
races  either  on  foot  or  horseback,  leaping,  wrestling, 
the  corycus,  or  exercising  the  suspended  ball,  with  the 
usual  additions  of  unctions,  frictions,  and  rolling  in  the 
sand.  Boxing,  the  pancratia,  hoplomachia,  running, 
quoits,  the  exercise  of  the  ball,  hoop,  and  javelin,  driv- 
ing the  chariot,  and  swimming,  seemingly  required  too 
great  exertion  to  be  admitted  into  the  medical  depart- 
ment; though  walking,  vociferation,  recitation,  and 
holding  the  breath,  seem  to  have  been  among  the  me- 
dicinal gymnastics.  Hoffman  mentions  fifty-five  kinds 
of  medicinal  exercises,  which  it  were  tedious  to  enume- 
rate. Vide  in  loco. 

The  .Egyptians  considered  gymnastics  not  necessary; 
they  thought  that  by  them  a  genuine  health  was  not 
procured,  but  in  its  stead  a  short-lived  strength,  highly 
dangerous.to  young  people.  See  Hieronymus  Mercu- 
rialis  de  Arte  Gymnastica  Fabri  Agoniston ;  Fuller's 
Medicina  Gymnastica;  Hoffman  de  Athletis  Veterum, 
vol.  v.  p.  377,  &c. 

GYMXOSPE'RMIA,  (from  -/UP**,  naked,  andmrtf- 
fui,  seed}.  The  name  of  the  first  order  in  the  class 
didynamia,  in  Linnaeus's  system,  comprehending  those 
plants  which  have  four  stamina  ;  of  which  thetwomid- 
dle  are  shorter  than  the  two  outer  ones,  with  a  ringent 
flower,  succeeded  by  four  naked  seeds. 

GYX.E'CIA,  (from  ywif,  isoman}.  See  LOCHIA  and 
MEXSES. 

GYNJK'CIUMj  (from  */""!,  a  woman*).  A  SERA- 
GLIO; an  appellation  of  antimony,  and  the  fiudendum 
muliebre. 

GYNJECOMA'STON,  and  GYX.ECOMA'STOS, 
(from  yv»i!,  a  isoman,  and  futfjtf,  the  breast}.  An  enor- 
mous increase  of  the  breasts  of  women;  or  a  man  whose 
breasts  are  large  like  a  woman's. 

GYX.ECOMY  STAX,  (from  -/f»ir,  a  woman,  and 
it!;r~a|,  a  beard,)  the  hairs  on  the  female  pudenda. 

GYXA  XDRIA,  (from  yuns,  a  ivoman,  and  *•>;•,  a 
man).  The  name  of  the  twentieth  class  in  the  Lin- 
naean  artificial  system,  containing  all  plants  with  her- 
maphrodite flowers,  which  have  the  stamen  growing 
upon  the  style  ;  or  else  an  elongated  receptacle,  bearing 
both  stamens  and  styles.  This  class  has  been  consider- 
ably reduced  by  some  modern  reformers,  and  the  plants 
referred  to  other  classes. 

GYNA  XTHROPOS,  (form  ',-«"«»  a  woman,  and 
xitpvros,  a  man}.  That  species  of  hermaphrodite  which 
partakes  more  of  the  female  than  of  the  male,  opposed 
to  that  which  partakes  most  of  the  male ,  called  andrr,- 
gynus.  These  distinctions  are  groundless ;  for  herma- 
phrodites are  generally  women. 

GYXECA  XTHE,  (from  •/••">:,  a  ivoman,  and  **a»- 
t*,  a  thorn  ;  supposed  to  be  the  female  briony,  and  also 
prickly).  See  BRIOXIA  NIGRA. 

GYPSOPHY'TOX,  (from  yv^es,  time,  and  4>t?«., 
a  herb  ;  because  it  was  supposed  a  lithontriptic).  See 

PlMPIXELLA    ALBA    GERMAXORUM. 


4.7. 


724 


H. 


HJEM 


H 


.A'BA.     See  FABA. 

HA'BASCUM.  The  name  of  a  Virginian  root 
which  resembles  a  parsnip,  and  is  a  sulutary  food. 

HABjE'NA.  A  BRIDLE.  The  name  of  a  bandage, 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  lips  of  wounds  together. 

HABI'LLA  DE  CARTHAGE'NA.     See  BEJUIO. 

HABITUS,  (from  habeo,  to  possess).    HABIT.  See 

CONSUETUDO. 

HA'BITUS  FLA'NT.E.  The  habit  of  a  plant;  its  out- 
ward general  appearance. 

HA'CUB.  A  species  of  carduus,  the  young  shoots 
of  which  are  eaten  by  the  Indians,  but  the  roots  are 
emetic.  Gundelia  TournefortiiUm.  Sp.  PI.  1315,  of 
which  there  are  two  varieties  :  the  first  grows  in  Ame- 
rica, and  the  second  in  Syria.  It  is  classed  by  Jussieu 
with  the  cynarocephali,  and  has  the  leaf  of  a  carduus, 
the  habit  and  juice  of  a  scolymus,  and  the  head  of  an 
eryngium. 

HjE'MA,(from  <ti6a,  to  be  hot;  from  its  heat).  See 
SANGUIS. 

HJLMAGO'GOS,  (from  asp*,  blood,  and  «y*>,  to 
bring-  aivay').  The  name  of  an  antidote  in  Nicolaus 
Myrepsus,  which  was  used  for  promoting  the  menstrual 
and  haemorrhoidal  discharges. 

H^EMALO'PIA,  (from  atifvt,  blood,  and  aTrla/tat,  to 
tee).  A  variety  of  thepseudoblepsis  imaginaria,  in  which 
every  thing  seems  of  a  red  colour. 

HJL'MALOPS,  (from  »ifu»,  blood  and  a-*]/,  the  coun- 
tenance). The  livid  marks  of  sugillations  in  the  face 
and  eyes. 

H-iEMATAPO'RIA,  (from  *ifta,  blood,  and  -a-ofta, 
to  put  aivay).  A  wasting  from  poverty  of  blood. 

H^EMATEME'SIS,  (from  <*//**,  blood,  and  t^ta,  to 
vomit).  See  VOMITUS. 

H^EMA'TIA,  and  H^MA'TION.  An  epithet  for 
garum,  made  of  the  intestines  of  fish  macerated  in  salt. 

HjEMATI'TES,  (from  its  supposed  virtue  of  stop- 
ping blood).  It  is  called  also  BLOOD-STONE,  azedegrin, 
usedenigi.  When  in  flattish  cakes,  with  knobs  on  the 
surface,  the  ancients  called  it  hematites  ;  when  in  long 
striated  pieces,  schistus  ;  but  they  do  not  differ.  The 
terra  sinofiica  is  also  called  blood  stone.  Per  oxide 
hematite  of  Haiiy  iv.  105. 

Twenty- four  parts  of  haematites  yield  nine  of  iron; 
but  it  often  affords  half  its  weight,  and  is  found  in  Ger- 
many, France,  Spain,  and  England.  It  is  very  hard, 


H 


of  a  dark  red  colour;  but  of  a  brighter  hue  when  powder- 
ed. As  it  is  very  difficultly  powdered,  the  crocis  martis, 
or  the  rubigo  ferri,  may  be  substituted.  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica. 

H^EMATITI'NOS,  (from  hematites').     An  epithet 
of  a  collyrium  in  Galen,  in  which  is  the  haematites. 

H^EMATOCE'LE,  (from  «lfut,  blood,  and  *?AI»,  a 
tumour').  A  species  of  false  hernia  in  the  scrotum, 
consisting  of  a  collection  of  blood  in  the  tunica  vagina- 
lis.  It  resembles,  in  appearance,  an  hydrocele,  and  the 
method  of  cure  is  the  same.  It  most  commonly  fol- 
lows hydrocele,  and  is  occasioned  by  a  puncture  of 
the  instrument,  or  sometimes  by  a  natural  haemorrhage, 
in  consequence  of  the  support  taken  from  the  vessels 
by  a  discharge  of  the  water.  Blood  in  the  tunica  va- 
ginalis  is  distinguished  from  water  by  its  colour  and 
weight.  The  tumour  may  be  sometimes  discussed  by 
stimulant  and  astringent  lotions  ;  but  the  operation  is 
generally  necessary.  If  any  vessel  appears  to  discharge 
blood,  and  the  application  of  alcohol,  tincture  of  myrrh, 
or  ether,  applied  by  means  of  pledgets  of  soft  lint,  do  not 
check  the  bleeding,  the  ligature  must  be  employed. 
See  Celsus;  P.  jEgineta;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  482; 
Pott's  Works,  4to.  1775;  White's  Surgery,  p.  342. 
H^EMATOCE'LE  ARTERIO'SUM.  See  ANEURISMA. 
H^EMATOCHY'SIS,  (from  »ift»,  blood,  and  %tu, 
to  pour  out).  See  H^EMORRHAGIA. 

H^EMATO'DES,  (from  «/ft«,  blood,  and  e/& 
semblance  ;  from   the  red  colour  of  its  flower). 
GERANIUM    SANGUINARIUM. 

HjEMATO'LOGIA,  (from   the  same,   and 
sermo).     The  doctrine  of  the  blood,  or  an  account  of  its 
nature  and  properties. 

HjEMATOMPHALOCE'LE,(from  HIM-*,  blood,  tu.- 
<p«A®",  navel,  and  x>>A)j,  -a  tumour).  A  tumour  in  the 
navel,  turgid  with  blood.  If  astringent  and  stimulating 
applications  do  not  succeed  in  discussing  it,  the  fluid 
may  be  evacuated  by  a  puncture. 

H^EMATOPEDE'SIS,  (from  *i^»,  blood,  and  art- 
$za,  to  leap).  BLOODY  SWEAT;  or  the  spurting  of 
blood  from  a  wounded  artery. 

HjEMATOPHLCEBCE'STASIS,  (from  *<;«,*,  blood, 
ipAs-v/',  a  -vein,  and  (r7«<r<«,  a  motion,')  is  a  suppression  of 
the  impetuous  current  and  intumescence  of  the  blood 
in  the  veins.  But,  according  to  Galen,  it  sometimes 
means  a  full  vein. 


,  re- 
See 


H  JEM 


725 


H  JEM 


H.£MATO'XYLON  CAMPECHIA'NUM,  (from 
t,  blood,  and  |fAa»,  wood ;  so  called  from  its  red  co- 
lour).    See  CAMPECHENSE  LIGNUM. 

HjEMATU'RIA,  (from  *ift*,  and  tvpr,  urine).  See 
UHJ.VA. 

H  JIMOCE'RCHNUS,  (from  *<**,  blood,  and  xtp- 
X»»<)  noise*).  Blood  brought  up  from  th»  fauces,  or  the 
lungs,  with  a  noise  or  rattling ;  sometimes  bloody  ex- 
cretions discharged  in  a  dry  form. 

HjEMO'DIA,  (from  ai/unPta,  to  stufiify*).  A  pain- 
ful stupor  of  the  teeth,  from  acid  and  austere  sub- 
stances. 

H.fcMO'PTOE,  (from  «<^t,  and  «r?i/*>,  to  afiit  ufi). 
See  HEMOPTYSIS. 

H£MOPTY'ICUS,(from  the  same).  Htmotoricua. 
A  person  who  discharges  blood  from  the  mouth. 

H^EMOPTY'SIS,  (from  «</«*,  blood,  and  »•?«-,  to 
tfiit).  A  SPITTING  of  BLOOD;  hemofitoe.  By  this 
term,  however,  is  meant  a  bleeding  from  the  trachea  or 
the  lungs;  for  blood  from  the  nose  and  the  stomach  is 
often  apparently  spit.  When  from  the  veins  of  the  lungs 
it  is  called  fierirrhexis :  but  this  can  scarcely,  in  any 
case,  be  ascertained. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  in  the  class  fiyrexitt, 
and  order  hemorrhagite,  defining  it  a  flushing  of  the 
cheeks;  an  uneasy  sensation  or  pain,  and  sometimes 
heat,  in  the  breast;  a  tickling  of  the  fauces;  a  cough,  by 
which  blood  of  a  florid  colour,  often  frothy,  is  ejected 
by  the  mouth.  He  distinguishes  five  species: 

1.  H^EMOPTY'SIS  PLETHO'RICA,  when  no  external  force 
has  been  applied,  nor  any  cough  or  suppression  of  usual 
evacuation  has  preceded. 

2.  HJEMOPTY'SIS  VIOLE'.VTA,  when  from  external  vio- 
lence. 

3.  H^EMOPTY'SJS   PHTHI'SICA,  where  emaciation  and 
continued  debility  follow. 

4.  HJEMOPTY'SIS   CALCULO'SA,  when  with  the  blood 
calcareous  concretions  are  thrown  up. 

5.  HJEMOPTY'SIS  VICA'HIA,  when  from  the  suppression 
of  some  accustomed  evacuation. 

Passionate,  weak,  and  slender  people,  with  long  necks 
and  flat  breasts,  or  a  sharp  carinated  sternum,  gibbous 
or  otherwise  distorted,  and  those  who  while  young  were 
subject  to  bleed  at  the  nose,  are  most  subject  to  an  hae- 
moptysis. 

An  haemoptysis  may  occur,  1 .  From  an  accidental  rup- 
ture or  a  wound  of  the  vessels  ;  but  if  the  vessels  are 
small,  the  patient  quiet,  and  no  previous  disease  exists 
in  the  lungs,  there  is  little  danger ;  but  if  large,  the  dan- 
ger is  considerable.  2.  From  tubercles  or  small  tu- 
mours of  an  apparently  scrofulous  nature,  contract- 
ing the  vessels  of  the  lungs,  and  consequently  increasing 
the  impetus  on  the  other  vessels,  which  in  such  constitu- 
tions are  usually  weak.  This  kind  usually  ends  in  phthisis. 
3.  From  an  ulcer  in  the  lungs,  forced  up  by  coughing, 
and  mixed  with  phlegm  or  pus ;  in  which  case  the  dan- 
ger is  great,  as  some  large  vessel  has  probably  been 
eroded.  4.  By  anastomosis :  this  is  said  to  be  without 
danger,  and  often  to  relieve  women  whose  menses  are 
suppressed  ;  but  the  existence  of  an  anastomosis  is  in 
this  case  doubtful.  It  is  more  properly  metastasis. 

Sometimes  the  bronchial  artery  is  ruptured.  If  the 
orifice  is  small,  the  discharge  soon  ceases ;  for,  by  the 
stagnation  of  the  blood  in  the  cellular  substance  of  the 
lungs, the  artery  is  compressed,  and  the  rupture  closed: 


this  blood  is  sometimes  absorbed,  at  others  it  excites 
inflammation,  which  terminates  in  suppuration.  It  then 
reaches  the  bronchiae,  and  is  by  degrees  spit  up ;  but  a 
hectic  usually  follows. 

When  the  rupture  happens  in  the  pulmonary  artery 
the  discharge  is  sudden,  and  the  blood  more  copious 
and  florid  than  when  from  the  bronchial  artery ;  but 
without  pain,  and  unmixed  with  phlegm.     In  this  case 
the  preceding  symptoms  are  anxiety  about  the  praecor- 
dia,  difficulty  of  breathing,  an  oppressive  undulatory 
pain  about  the  diaphragm,  flatulencies  in  the  belly,  a 
sense  of  heat  in  the  sternum,  salt  taste  in  the  mouth, 
coldness  of  the  extremities,  hoarseness,  a  dry  tickling 
cough,  &c.     As  these  show  a  general  stricture  on  the 
vessels,  and  a  change  in  the  balance  of  the  circulation, 
so  they  are  commonly  the  forerunners  of  a  copious  hae- 
morrhage.    When  the  discharge  is  from  the  bronchial 
artery,  its  ejection  is  not  sudden,  and  its  appearance  is 
blackish,  and  somewhat  thick  ;  though  a  frothy  cough 
attends,  there  are  a  pain  and  heat  in  the  breast,  with  a 
sense  of  weakness  there,  during  the  disease,  sometimes 
with  a  fever,  which  abates  with  each  discharge  of  blood, 
and  returns  at  intervals  when  the  haemorrhage-  is  stop- 
ped. Sometimes  matter  is  mixed  with,  or  follows  after, 
the  discharges.     The  distinction  of  these  two  cases  is, 
however,   difficult,  and  of  little  importance.     It  is  of 
more  consequence  to  ascertain  whether  the  blood  comes 
from  the  fauces,  the  nose,  or  the  stomach.     If  from  the 
fauces,  either  directly,  or  dropping  from  the  nose,  it  is 
inconsiderable  in  quantity,  and  not  always  attended  with 
any  hawking;  and  though  this  is  sometimes  the  case, 
the  symptoms  of  haemorrhagia  nasi,  or  inspection  of  the 
fauces,  will  assist  the  distinction.    Blood,  however,  sel- 
dom comes  from  the  fauces,  but  in  consequence  of  local 
inflammation  or  scurvy.    When  a  discharge  of  blood  is 
from  the  stomach,  it  is  brought  up  by  vomiting ;  but  pa- 
tients can  seldom  distinguish  between  these  two  opera- 
tions. In  general,  when  from  the  stomach,  the  quantity 
discharged  at  once  is  more  considerable,  it  is  mixed 
with  the  contents  of  the  stomach,  and  not  the  mucus 
of  the  lungs;  and  nausea  has  generally  preceded.    The 
pulmonary  blood  is  usually  florid  ;  that  of  the  stomach 
of  a  darker  colour.     Complaints  of  the  lungs  preced- 
ing the  discharge,  will  show  that  a  doubtful  haemorr- 
hage probably  proceeds  from  that  organ. 

Spitting  of  blood,  or  rather  the  appearance  of  some 
blood  with  the  sputum,  is  generally  useful  in  pleurisies 
and  peripneumonies;  in  the  robust,  a  spitting  of  blood 
is  not  always  dangerous,  but  in  the  tender  and  feeble 
the  disease  is  seldom  cured ;  if  blood  proceed  from  an 
ulcer,  the  event  will  be  probably  fatal. 

The  causes  of  haemoptysis  are  those  of  haemorrhage 
in  general,  viz.  fever,  with  an  alteration  in  the  balance 
ot  the  circulation,  or  increased  impetus  in  consequence 
of  obstruction  ;  but  this  requires  some  elucidation.  We 
have  said,  that,  in  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  human 
body,  the  head  is  at  first  disproportionately  large,  and 
receives,  for  purposes  we  need  not  now  explain,  a  large 
proportion  of  the  vital  fluid.  In  succession  the  chest 
expands,  and  receives  in  turn  its  additional  quan 
Thus,  in  early  youth,  bleedings  from  the  nose  die  fre- 
quent; we  next  find  similar  discharges  from  the  lu. 
When,  therefore,  a  tendency  to  plethora  exists,  those 
vessels  yield  which  are  most  fully  distended  in  the 
different  periods.  Haemorrhages  from  the  lungs  are, 


726 


H^EM 


however,  more  frequent  from  the  second  cause.  Tu- 
mours, styled  tubercles,  as  we  have  said,  frequently 
contract  the  cavity  of  the  chest,  and  occasion  the  most 
dangerous  haemoptysis  ;  as  from  the  increased  impetus, 
which  occasions  the  haemorrhage,  inflammation  is  in- 
duced, and  a  suppuration  of  an  unkindly  nature  follows. 
If,  from  weakness,  the  vertebrae  are  distorted,  the  child, 
to  relieve  itself,  bends  on  the  opposite  side,  and  by  this 
double  curvature  greatly  contracts  the  cavity.  Tight 
ligatures  round  the  chest,  while  the  child  is  growing, 
equally  prevent  its  expansion  ;  and  the  mode  of  carrying 
children,  by  grasping  them  on  each  side  of  the  sternum, 
produces  the  same  effect.  When  we  treat  of  haemorr- 
hages, we  shall  find  that  those  styled  active  are  attend- 
ed with  a  febrile  exacerbation,  which,  we  have  seen, 
destroys  the  balance  of  the  circulation,  and  throws  a  large 
proportion  of  the  blood  on  the  internal  parts.  In  such 
circumstances  the  occurrence  of  haemoptoe  is  not  sur- 
prising, when  any  of  the  predisposing  causes,  formerly 
mentioned,  exist.  Independent,  however,  of  fever,  the 
disease  may  happen  from  the  contraction  alone,  since, 
in  every  situation,  any  considerable  stricture,  as  we  have 
seen  (v.  FEBRIS),  or  as  we  shall  more  fully  show  (v. 
INFLAMMATION),  increases  the  action  of  the  vessels  a 
tergo ;  and  should  the  slightest  cause  of  increased  ge- 
neral impetus  or  topical  weakness  concur,  the  disease 
must  inevitably  be  produced.  Whether  any  contraction 
of  the  bony  covering  of  the  chest  has  a  tendency  to 
bring  on  tubercles,  has  not  been  shown ;  but  the  very 
frequent  consequence  of  tubercular  consumption,  from 
almost  any  haemorrhage  of  the  pulmonary  vessels,  seems 
to  show  either  that  this  is  the  case,  or  that  tubercles 
exist  in  almost  every  constitution,  which,  from  dissec- 
tion, appears  not  to  be  true. 

These  considerations  lead  to  important  consequences 
in  the  means  of  preventing  haemoptysis,  and  the  con- 
sequent hectic.  The  first  rule  which  they  suggest  is 
the  propriety  of  guarding  against  every  cause  of  in- 
creased impetus,  by  the  mildest  food,  the  gentlest  exer- 
cise, and  avoiding  excess  of  every  kind.  Another  is, 
the  propriety  of  inducing  some  steady  permanent  dis- 
charge from  the  thorax,  if  any  part  of  the  chest  appears 
particularly  diseased.  This  is  ascertained  by  pain,  par- 
ticularly felt  on  a  full  inspiration,  or  by  the  inability  to 
lie  on  one  side.  The  decubitus  difficulis  is  a  problem 
in  pathology  of  no  little  intricacy ;  but,  in  general,  in 
cases  of  this  kind  the  patient  cannot  lie  on  the  side  af- 
fected; probably  because  the  weight  of  the  contents 
of  the  sound  side  contributes  to  check  the  very  little 
action  that  remains.  Whatever,  however,  becomes  of 
the  explanation,  the  fact  is  well  established ;  and  a  blis- 
ter, or  a  seton,  can  be  continued  on  the  side  which  is 
known,  from  this  circumstance,  to  be  diseased,  without 
any  inconvenience  to  the  patient.  If  the  disease  can- 
not be  discovered  from  this  criterion,  the  blister  should 
be  placed  on  the  sternum,  near  its  lower  part.  In  this 
place  it  will  certainly  contribute,  though  in  a  less  de- 
gree, to  take  off  inflammatory  tension  from  every  part 
of  the  thorax. 

When  haemoptysis  has  come  on,  it  must  be  combated 
by  other  remedies;  and  one  of  the  most  common,  appa- 
rently the  most  useful,  is  generally  bleeding.  This,  if 
preferred,  should  be  actively  employed  ;  for  small  bleed- 
ings, frequently  repeated,  exhaust  the  patient  instead  of 
relieving  the  disease.  We  are  confident,  however,  in 


adding,  that  this  remedy  is  used  too  frequently,  and 
with  too  little  discrimination.  An  active,  plethoric 
young  man,  labouring  under  haemoptysis,  from  excess, 
from  strains,  or  accident,  may  be  bled  freely,  and  fre- 
quently. A  weak,  debilitated  person,  with  a  contracted 
chest,  may,  for  a  moment,  be  relieved ;  but  the  remedy, 
together  with  the  disease,  contributes  to  sink  the 
strength,  and  the  habit  is  soon  established,  which  re- 
quires this  assistant  discharge.  It  must  be  remember- 
ed, also,  that  haemoptysis  is  sometimes  owing  to  the  con- 
traction of  the  chest  with  debility,  and  but  little,  if  any, 
assistance  from  increased  impetus.  In  this  case  the  ad- 
vantages of  bleeding,  though  considerable,  are  tempo- 
rary, and  its  disadvantages  numerous ;  yet  it  is  an  indis- 
pensable remedy. 

As  a  blister  will  prevent,  so  it  will  often  lessen,  pul- 
monary haemorrhage  ;  and  is  indeed  a  very  unequivocal 
remedy,  though  we  so  often  hear  of  the  stimulus  it  oc- 
casions during  its  early  action.  Whatever  it  may  be 
in  other  respects,  we  know  from  experience  that  it  is 
not  injurious  in  haemoptysis. 

Another  class  of  remedies  is  more  suspicious  ;  we 
mean  emetics.  We  need  not  repeat  what  we  have  said 
under  that  head ;  but  would  chiefly  limit  their  use  to 
active  haemorrhages  from -the  lungs,  after  bleeding; 
though  even  in  a  very  debilitated  state  we  suspect  they 
may  be  useful.  In  this,  however,  they  have  not  been 
tried ;  and  they  are  certainly,  in  such  circumstances, 
precarious. 

Sedatives,  particularly  those  which  repress  the  acti- 
vity of  the  circulation,  are  highly  useful.  Of  these  the 
chief  are  nitre  and  digitalis,  to  which  some  others  have- 
been  added. 

Nitre,  if  taken  early  in  this  disorder,  is  much  to  be 
depended  on.  The  following  method  is  convenient 
and  useful :  R.  Sal.  nitri  g  ss.  conservae  rosarum  5  iv. 
m.  cap.  q.  n.  m.  major.  3tia.  quaq.  hora  pro  re  nata. 
But  this  remedy  is  much  more  effectual  when  given  in 
the  coldest  water,  and  swallowed  while  dissolving.  Ten 
grains,  in  urgent  cases,  may  be  given  every  hour,  or 
even  more  frequently. 

Digitalis  has  not  been  employed  so  actively  as  the  ur- 
gency of  the  disease  seems  to  require;  but  it  may  be 
given  every  hour,  increasing  each  time  the  dose  by  a 
quarter  of  a  grain  of  the  powder.  Its  worst  effect  will  be 
that  of  vomiting,  which  we  have  no  reason  to  dread. 
As  nitre,  in  the  way  recommended,  is  only  a  form  of 
cold,  so  cold  drinks,  recommended  by  De  Haen,  may  be 
equally  useful,  except  that  the  bulk,  required  to  pro- 
duce a  sufficiently  sedative  effect,  may  be  inconvenient. 
Another  sedative  that  has  been  employed  is  opium  ; 
but  this  has  been  avoided,  as  it  is  suspected  of  stimu- 
lating in  its  first  operation.  We  have  found  it,  how- 
ever, an  useful  medicine,  without  the  slightest  incon- 
venience from  the  supposed  effect. 

Cicuta  has  not,  we  believe,  been  given  in  such  cir- 
cumstances ;  yet,  as  it  acts  with  safety  as  a  narcotic  in 
consumptive  cases,  we  should  expect  some  advantage 
from  it.  The  belladonna  and  tobacco,  also,  which  power- 
fully affect  the  nervous  system,  may,  in  emergency,  be 
tried.  Tobacco  in  clysters  often  produces  fainting. 

A  remedy  employed  freely  in  America,  with  much 
confidence,  is  a  table  spoonful  of  common  salt  dissolved 
in  a  very  small  proportion  of  water.  This  cannot,  like 
nitre,  act  as  a  sedative ;  but  probaly  operates  as  an  un- 


'27 


II  JE  M 


diffused  stimulus  on  the  oesophagus  and  stomach,  which, 
by  increasing  the  action  of  the  vessels  of  their  internal 
membranes,  relieves  the  neighbouring  organs,  without 
increasing  the  impetus  of  the  circulation.  Does  the 
vitriolated  magnesia  act  in  a  similar  way  ?  It  is  un- 
doubtedly an  useful  medicine  in  this  disease,  independent 
of  its  laxative  powers.  But  gentle  laxatives  are  always 
necessary  to  prevent  the  straining  required  for  the  eva- 
cuation of  a  costive  motion,  and  to  relieve  every  impe- 
diment to  the  circulation  in  the  chylopoietic  viscera. 

Astringents,  often  relied  on,  are  of  little  real  utility. 
The  bark  is  injurious;  and,  indeed,  when  we  reflect 
that  whatever  constricts  the  fibres  increases  the  dispro- 
portion between  the  capacity  of  the  vessels  and  their 
contents,  we  must  be  satisfied  that  medicines  of  this 
kind  are  hurtful.  Alum  indeed  is  not  without  the  sus- 
picion of  possessing  a  sedative  quality,  and  kino  is  not 
manifestly  an  astringent.  Yet  each  seems  of  little  real 
utility  in  this  complaint.  In  the  passive  haemoptyses, 
astringents  are  apparently  more  proper,  but  even  in 
these  nitre  is  preferable ;  for  in  the  lowest  weakness  of 
the  animal  actions,  the  heart  and  arteries  often  beat  with 
the  most  inflammatory  violence. 

If  the  cough  be  troublesome,  demulcents  are  neces- 
sary ;  and  to  these  opium  may  be  safely  joined,  even  by 
those  who  dread  its  stimulus  in  other  circumstances: 
but  care  must  be  taken  that  laxatives  be  interposed, 
lest  an  inconvenient  and  dangerous  constipation  should 
ensue.  See  Wallis's  Sydenham.  London  Medical 
Observations,  &c.  vol.  iv.  p.  206;  and  Medical  Museum, 
vol.  ii.  p.  257 — 259.  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  ii.  p. 
336,  edit.  4. 

HJEMORRHA'GIA,  (from  «•>*«,  blood,  and  «*,  to 
_/?oro).  H<ematochy8i8,ai\Asangu{flu.x:us.  Haemorrhages, 
though  frequent  diseases,  are  not  among  the  most 
dangerous  complaints  to  which  the  human  body  is  sub- 
ject, and  are  of  importance  only  in  their  consequences ; 
for  a  haemorrhage,  when  in  excess,  occasions  faintness, 
and,  during  the  deliquium,  the  bleeding  stops. 

The  first  distinction  of  haemorrhages  is  into  active 
and  passive.  Dr.  Cullen,  limited  by  his  system,  has 
chiefly  noticed  the  former;  but  the  line  is  not,  as  we 
.shall  soon  find,  easily  drawn,  or  fixed  with  accuracy. 
Active  haemorrhages  are  those  attended  with  fever, 
which  seem  to  depend  for  their  existence  on  coldness 
and  shivering,  with  the  usual  attendants,  a  quick  pulse, 
and  marks  of  a  particular  determination  to  the  part 
from  which  the  discharge  will  proceed.  But  "  degree 
does  not  change  even  a  species,"  according  to  the  canon 
of  the  systematics ;  and  often  in  the  lowest  state  of 
debility,  the  legs  are  cold,  the  part  affected  peculiarly 
hot,  and  the  pulse  throbs  with  vehemence.  If  such 
haemorrhages  are  active,  they  have  no  place  in  Dr.  Cul- 
len's system.  Asa  general  outline,  the  distinction  will, 
however,  hold  with  sufficient  accuracy,  and  we  shall 
soon  pursue  it. 

Another  distinction  is  into  accidental,  and  vicarious 
or  critical  haemorrhages.  The  first  are  only  to  be  styled 
diseases.  When  any  discharge  has  been  suppressed, 
blood  is  often  poured  from  other  vessels  without  any 
injury,  except  perhaps  when  the  delicate  organization 
of  the  brain  is  injured  by  it.  Vicarious  blee.-'.ings  from 
the  lungs  are  seldom  dangerous  ;  and  from  the  stomach 
and  intestines  are  only  for  a  time  inconvenient.  But 
in  the  brain  we  cannot  always  limit  the  new  discharge 


so  as  to  prevent  injury  from  compression,  though  in 
many  cases  the  blood  has  been  absorbed  without  any 
permanent  disease.  Critical  discharges  also  in  the  brain 
are  dangerous ;  nor  is  it  impossible  that  these  or  vicari- 
ous bleedings  in  the  lungs,  if  violent,  may  not  occasion 
at  once  suffocation. 

Active  haemorrhages  we  must  then  consider  as  febrile 
diseases  of  an  inflammatory  kind.  They  are  defined  by 
Dr.  Cullen  pyrexia,  with  an  effusion  of  blood,  inde- 
pendent of  external  violence;  and  the  blood  drawn  hav- 
ing an  inflammatory  appearance.  Active  haemorrhages 
chiefly  occur  in  full  plethoric  habits,  most  frequently  in 
the  spring  and  in  the  early  months  of  summer,  before 
the  warmth  of  the  air  has  relaxed  the  external  vessels. 
Previous  to  the  fever  which  ushers  in  the  discharge, 
some  general  fulness  and  uneasiness  are  felt,  with  a 
load  on  the  parts  from  whence  the  haemorrhage  will 
flow.  The  topical  heat,  swelling,  or  itching,  is  some- 
times considerable.  A  short  rigor  which  follows  is 
relieved  by  the  usual  heat,  and  the  haemorrhage  soon 
comes  on  during  this  hot  fit.  After  some  time  the 
discharge  and  the  fever  both  cease ;  but  every  sponta- 
neous haemorrhage  has  a  tendency  to  recur,  and  if  this 
recurrence  happens  more  than  one,  after  a  stated  time, 
a  habit  is  formed  which  is  with  difficulty  overcome. 
These  very  marked  appearances  do  not  always  occur; 
but  traces  of  these  symptoms  may  be  often  distinguished 
even  in  the  most  debilitated  states. 

The  remote  causes  of  haemorrhages  are  not  always 
those  of  plethora.  The  most  plethoric  states  in  a  robust 
constitution  are  not  peculiarly  attended  with  these  dis- 
charges; and,  on  the  contrary,  extenuated  habits  are 
occasionally  subject  to  them.  The  principal  remote 
causes  of  active  haemorrhages  are,  an  alteration  in  the 
balance  of  the  circulation,  or  a  want  of  energy  to  pro- 
pel the  fluids  to  the  surface.  The  immediate  cause  is 
the  increased  impetus  of  the  blood  in  the  hot  fit,  which 
is  produced  by  the  distended  vessels,  and  the  effort 
excited  to  conquer  the  resistance.  The  vessel  ruptured 
is  in  general  one  constitutionally  weaker  than  any  other. 

Persons  subject  to  haemorrhage  are  usually  those  of  an 
irritable,  delicate  constitution,  sometimes  the  weak  and 
exhausted.  Violent  exertions,  at  particular  periods  of 
life,  will  occasion  them  in  every  habit.  Haemorrhages 
are  in  general  most  violent  in  the  full  and  strong ;  but 
more  permanent  in  the  weak  and  irritable.  The  reason 
is,  that  in  such  cases  the  red  globules  and  the  gluten 
are  chiefly  discharged,  on  which  the  strength  greatly 
depends.  Fainting  therefore  soon  comes  on,  from  the 
depletion  of  the  arteries.  In  the  weak  the  lesser  vessels 
yield,  and  a  less  proportion  of  these  parts  of  the  blood  is 
discharged.  The  evacuation  contains  chiefly  the  serum 
coloured  only  with  the  red  globules.  This  is  in  a  great 
measure  the  case  where  the  haemorrhage  depends  on  a 
want  of  energy  in  the  arterial  system  to  propel  the  fluids 
to  the  surface ;  and  the  attendants  are  surprised  to  find 
that  such  considerable  discharges  can  be  borne,  when 
in  reality  a  very  small  portion  consists  of  the  nutritious 
fluids. 

The  repetition  of  haemorrhages  is  connected  with 
the  causes  producing  an  irregularity  in  the  balance  of 
the  circulation,  generally  arisingfrom  the  predominating 
energy  of  some  particular  part  of  the  arterial  system. 
The  plethora  soon  returns,  for  generally  the  appetite  is 
more  keen  ;  the  digestive  and  assimilatory  functions 


H^EM 


728 


H.EM 


always  proceed  with  augmented  vigour,  while  the  se- 
cretions are  for  a  time  retained.  The  quantity  is  in  this 
way  soon  restored,  but  the  quality  is  gradually  deteriorat- 
ed. The  fluids  are  thinner;  for  though  water  can  be  easily 
supplied,  the  formation  of  the  red  globules,  of  the  gluten, 
and  the  fibrin,  is  not  the  work  of  a  short  period,  and  it 
proceeds  slowly  in  proportion  to  the  debility  induced. 
The  progressive  fulness  of  the  vessels  of  different 
organs,  at  different  periods  of  life,  we  have  already  ex- 
plained, and  of  course  the  successive  discharges  from 
the  nose,  lungs,  and  liver,  haemorrhoidal  and  urinary 
vessels.  We  may  resume  the  subject,  at  some  length, 
under  the  article  H^EMORRHOIDES. 

The  causes  which  particularly  favour  the  occurrence 
of  haemorrhage  are  :  1 .  External  heat,  which  is  said  to 
rarefy  the  blood :  but  the  blood  is  by  no  means  an  ex- 
pansile fluid  ;  and  the  swelling  of  the  veins,  in  warm 
weather,  alleged  as  an  argument  of  its  expansility,  is 
owing  to  the  diminished  resistance  of  the  integuments. 
Sauvages  and  Haller  inclosed  blood  in  a  thermometrical 
tube,  and  found  that  in  the  heat  of  boiling  water  it 
did  not  dilate  ¥^5  part  of  its  bulk.  When,  therefore, 
heat  assists  the  production  of  haemorrhage,  it  is  rather 
by  diminishing  resistance,  and  increasing  the  irritability, 
which  disposes  to  irregular  action.  2.  A  sudden  dimi- 
nution of  the  weight  of  the  atmosphere  is  said  to  have 
the  same  effect,  and  the  facts  adduced  in  its  support 
are  the  bleedings  from  the  lungs  in  ascending  high  hills. 
Later  experience  seems  not  to  have  confirmed  this 
opinion,  but  to  have  attributed  the  haemorrhage  to  the 
difficulties  of  the  ascent,  in  lungs  previously  weak,  since 
the  accident  is  chiefly  confined  to  such  habits.  3. 
Violent  exercise  and  violent  passions  certainly  con- 
tribute to  the  production  of  haemorrhage,  particularly 
exercise  of  some  organs,  as  of  the  voice,  in  producing 
haemoptysis.  4.  Ligatures,  on  particular  parts  or 
postures  favouring  a  particular  determination  of  the 
fluids.  5.  Cold,  particularly  if  applied  suddenly  to 
the  lower  extremities. 

The  first  question  to  be  considered  when  we  are  to 
speak  of  the  cure  of  hemorrhages  is  whether  they  are  to 
be  left  to  the  regulations  of  nature,  or  be  relieved  by  art. 
Ur.  Stahl  and  his  followers  thought  discharges  of  blood 
owing  to  the  exertions  of  nature  to  remove  an  habitually 
plethoric  state,  and  that  when  the  vessels  were  suffi- 
ciently depleted  the  wound  would  close.  We  have 
admitted  that  when  faintness  came  on,  the  haemorrhage 
would  cease ;  but  it  is  highly  proper  not  only  if  pos;. 
sible  to  prevent  the  occurrence,  but  to  diminish  or 
check  the  discharge.  We  cannot  allow  that  nature,  if 
all  powerful,  is  all  wise.  If  a  person  is  plethoric  she 
will  sometimes  discharge  the  load  on  the  brain,  some- 
times on  the  lungs,  where  immediate  death  may  ensue, 
instead  of  the  stomach,  where  the  blood  would  not  be 
injurious.  She  does  riot  when  the  plethora  is  removed 
prevent  its  recurrence,  but  stores  up  fluids  for  a  return 
of  the  disease.  In  short,  as  in  many  other  situations, 
nature  must  be  superseded  or  checked  in  her  opera- 
tions, and  haemorrhages  cured  by  art ;  for  a  recurrence, 
against  which  she  has  not  provided,  will  occasion  hy- 
dropic swellings ;  and  in  the  lungs,  her  most  common 
outlet,  a  consumption  may  be  the  consequence. 

The  chief  foundation  of  what  may  be  styled  the 
haemorrhage  diathesis  is" plethora.  It  is  necessary  for 
various  purposes  of  the  animal  economy  that  the  arterial 


system  should  be  kept  full,  and  even  distended.  The 
arteries  are  kept  full,  whatever  be  the  quantity  of  fluids, 
by  the  elasticity  of  their  external  coat,  and  the  con- 
tractility of  the  muscular  :  they  are  kept  distended  by 
that  portion  -of  the  fluids  necessary  to  counteract  this 
elasticity  and  contractility.  Fulness  is  therefore  rela- 
tive :  when  only  in  that  degree  which  excites  a  proper 
tone  it  is  salutary ;  when  beyond,  it  is  morbid  tension. 
So  necessary  is  a  fulness  of  the  vessels,  that  nature  is 
always  anxious  to  keep  it  to  the  proper  degree,  and  even 
in  excess.  Plethora  is  consequently  the  most  frequent 
morbid  state,  and  haemorrhages  very  frequent  diseases. 
The  means  of  relieving  plethora,  while  constantly 
counteracted  by  nature,  are  not  easy.  Fluids  evacuat- 
ed either  by  nature  or  art  are  soon  supplied,  as  we 
have  said,  by  the  stoppage  of  the  secretions;  and  conse- 
quently bleeding,  the  most  obvious  means,  is  only  a 
temporary  relief.  It  is  a  suspicious  one,  as  the  quan- 
tity is  soon  restored;  and  it  is  injurious,  as  laying  the 
foundation  of  a  habit  which  cannot,  with  advantage  be 
always  obviated,  or  without  danger  neglected.  It  is, 
however,  often  absolutely  necessary,  to  prevent  fatal 
consequences ;  for  suddenly  to  deplete  will  alone  occa- 
sion that  faintness  to  which  the  cessation  of  the  dis- 
charge is  most  commonly  owing.  A  more  certain 
method  of  obviating  plethora  is  by  diet,  and  increasing 
the  excretions.  Though  nature  constantly  keeps  the 
vessels  full  by  regulating  the  secretions,  yet  it  depends 
on  ourselves  neither  to  fill  the  vessels  rapidly  with  the 
most  nutritious  fluids,  nor  to  keep  them  distended  by 
inactivity.  A  light  vegetable  diet  does  not  produce 
nourishment,  either  copious  in  quantity  or  rich  in 
quality;  and  it  prevents  plethora,  by  being  at  the  same 
time  cooling  and  laxative.  With  this  diet,  moderate 
exercise  is  useful  ;  and  this  is  perhaps  only  contra  indi- 
cated in  haemoptysis.  Exercise,  while  it  fills  the  vessels 
of  the  surface,  whose  united  areas  we  have  found  to  be 
considerable,  promotes  that  insensible  discharge  which 
we  have  shown  to  be  so  highly  salutary;  and  if  con- 
ducted so  as  not  to  increase  the  vital  heat,  or  accelerate 
the  circulation,  is  highly  useful.  Another  equally  ob- 
vious method  of  avoiding  plethora  is  by  laxatives.  These 
should  be  mild  and  gentle;  of  that  kind  which  excites 
the  discharge  from  the  excretories,  rather  than  that 
which  stimulates  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  intestines. 
The  neutral  salts  are  particularly  valuable  in  this  view. 
Of  the  other  evacuants  we  cannot  speak  highly  as  ob- 
viating plethora,  though  the  topical  ones  which  obviate 
partial  plethora  are  of  singular  utility.  These  are  cup- 
ping glasses,  leeches,  setons,  issues,  and  blisters.  Each 
acts  by  drawing  the  fluids  to  the  surface :  each  by  partially 
evacuating  them.  In  this  general  view  we  need  not 
enter  into  their  comparative  merits,  and  perhaps  on  the 
whole  a  preference  cannot  be  easily  assigned.  Neither 
acts  with  rapidity,  except  perhaps  the  cupping  glasses, 
and  they  are  prophylactic  rather  than  curative  remedies. 
A  very  effectual  method  of  curing  haemorrhages  is  by 
moderating  the  impetus  of  the  blood,  on  which  they  so 
greatly  depend.  The  first  medicines  to  be  employed  are 
refrigerants  ;  and  the  most  effectual  of  these  is  cold 
water,  internally;  occasionally  with  frequently  re- 
peated, rather  than  large,  doses  of  nitre.  The  latter  is 
a  remedy  of  the  greatest  importance;  an  "  instar  om- 
nium" in  these  complaints,  especially  when  saline  pur- 
gatives are  interposed.  External  cold  is  equally  useful ; 


729 


H  jE  M 


to  -.Uiich  we  should  add,  avoiding  the  irritations 
-of  light,  heat,  noise,  and  agitation  of  either  mind  or 
body.  It  must  be  remembered,  that,  when  we  spoke 
of  cold  as  a  means  of  producing  haemorrhage,  it  was  its 
sudden  application,  particularly  to  the  extremities.  In 
the  cure  of  haemorrhages,  its  continued  application  is 
chiefly  necessary.  Sedatives  are  equally  useful  with 
the  same  views ;  but  opium  is,  as  we  have  said,  a  doubt- 
ful remedy,  as  supposed  to  unite  a  stimulating  power. 
Faintness,  and  even  that  degree  of  it  produced  by  nau- 
seating doses  of  medicines,  checks  the  discharge;  and, 
perhaps,  that  faintness  induced  by  injecting  tobacco 
smoke  into  the  rectum  may  have  the  same  effect.  We 
are  confident  that  the  digitalis  has  been  useful  chiefly 
in  this  way. 

Another  method  of  curing  haemorrhages  is  by  deriva- 
tion. For  this  purpose,  rubbing  the  feet  with  mustard, 
or  putting  them  in  warm  water,  has  been  advised ;  but 
the  operation  of  the  last  remedy  is  suspicious  :  if  the 
water  is  too  warm,  and  the  pediluvium  too  long  con- 
tinued, greater  injury  than  advantage  will  result.  To 
this  head  also  the  effects  of  blisters  and  cupping,  with- 
out scarifications,  may  be,  in  part,  referred. 

Astringents  have  been  liberally  employed  ;  a  practice 
probably  suggested  by  the  benefit  derived  from  their 
external  application  to  wounds.  Internally,  as  we  have 
stated  under  the  head  of  HJEMOPTTSIS,  q.  v.,  they  are 
of  doubtful  and  suspicious  efficacy,  unless  they  are  such 
as  unite  a  sedative  power.  We  mean  not  to  include  in 
this  censure  astringent  applications  in  bleedings  of  the 
nose,  for  these  are  external  remedies. 

Saturnine  remedies  are  the  doubtful  astringents  we 
have  alluded  to  :  they  are  very  certainly  sedatives  of  the 
most  powerful  kind,  and  an  exception  to  the  tonic 
powers  of  metals  in  general.  Every  preparation  of  lead 
is,  however,  supposed  to  be  deleterious,  and  the  cause 
of  the  colica  pictonum ;  but  scarcely  in  any  instance  does 
lead  produce  this  effect,  except  from  long  continuance. 
Dr.  Reynolds'  courage  has  been  extolled  in  ordering  a 
grain  of  acetated  lead  in  a  single  dose.  Five  times  that 
quantity  may  be  given  twice  a  day  for  some  days,  inter- 
posing only  an  oily  laxative  every  other  day.  We  have 
often  employed  it  in  haemorrhages,  sometimes  with 
success ;  but  it  is  certainly  inferior  in  its  sedative  ef- 
fects to  nitre. 

Preventing  the  return  of  the  blood  to  the  heart  by 
means  of  ligatures  on  the  extremities  has  been  a  mode 
of  relieving  haemorrhages ;  but  the  plan  is  injudicious, 
and  it  will  scarcely  in  any  instance  succeed,  unless  after 
a  few  minutes  trial ;  for  the  course  of  the  blood  in  the 
arteries  is  soon  interrupted,  and  an  increased  impetus  of 
the  whole  circulating  system  is  the  consequence. 

Various  are  the  objects  of  superstition  and  horror  em- 
ployed for  the  same  purpose,  and  probably  with  suc- 
cess ;  for  terror  annihilates  every  function,  checks  the 
circulation,  and  will  even  produce  the  deliquium  which 
is  the  constant  cure  of  the  complaint. 

Among  the  causes  of  haemorrhage,  we  have  men- 
tioned that  want  of  energy  in  the  arterial  system  which 
prevents  the  circulation  being  carried  on  to  the  extre- 
mities. Practitioners  may  often  observe  haemorrhages, 
with  some  appearances  of  activity,  in  the  debilitated  and 
the  indolent  of  spare  habits,  without  any  marks  of  ple- 
thora. Such  patients  can  scarcely  be  reduced  lower ; 

VOL.    I. 


and  we  have  found  a  fuller  diet,  exercise,  a  moderate 
quantity,  or  rather  an  additional  quantity,  of  port  wine, 
not  only  useful  but  necessary  in  such  cases  of  haemop- 
tysis. 

Passive  haemorrhages  are  those  which  are  independent 
of  fever,  and  in  which  the  blood  is  poured  out  either 
by  anastomosis  or  rupture  of  vessels.  The  former  term 
is  perhaps  not  sufficiently  correct :  it  means  a  discharge 
of  blood  through  the  exhalants.  Rupture  of  the  ves- 
sels, however,  is  not  uncommon  in  the  last  stage  of  de- 
bility, or  in  old  age.  All  the  appearances  of  catamenia 
in  the  advanced  periods  of  life,  are  probably  rather  pas- 
sive haemorrhages  than  the  proper  menstrual  discharge. 
Perhaps,  in  a  strict  view,  all  ruptures  should  be  ex- 
cluded from  this  class ;  but  if  no  effort  is  perceivable, 
no  increased  impetus  obvious,  we  are  not  authorized  in 
supposing  that  any  exists. 

The  causes  of  passive  haemorrhages  are  either  extreme 
debility,  or  a  dissolution  of  the  blood.  The  serum  is 
dissolved  in  the  serosity  by  the  means  of  neutral  salts ; 
and  an  alkali,  or  even  common  salt,  carried  in  an  un- 
usual quantity  into  the  circulating  system,  will  appa- 
rently produce  a  dissolved  state  of  the  fluids.  From  Dr. 
Stark's  experiments,  it  is  probable  that  sugar,  used  in 
excess  as  an  article  of  diet,  will  have  a  similar  effect. 
Some  poisons  will,  it  is  said,  produce  this  disease.  The 
haemorrhois  of  Lucan  may  be  fabulous  ;  but  the  effects 
are  peculiarly  striking. 

"  Sanguis  erant  lacrym*  :  quaecunque  foramina  IK,- 
Humor,  ab  his  largus  manat  cruor :  ora  redundant, 
Et  patulz  nares :  sudor  rubet :  ornni*  plenis 
Membra  fluunt  venis:  totum  est  pro  vuluere  corpus.'' 

Strange,  however,  as  it  may  appear,  we  have  seen 
even  this  picture  realized,  in  a  stout  young  fanner, 
without  any  known  cause.  We  have  seen  it  in  a  less 
degree  in  a  delicate  woman  from  excess  of  nourish- 
ment, taken  for  a  supposed  weakness.  Each  recovered  : 
the  first  by  the  most  active  exhibition  of  the  bark  and 
mineral  acids,  the  other  by  regulation  of  diet.  In  the  for- 
mer the  muscular  strength  was  apparently  not  impaired. 

The  cure  of  passive  haemorrhages  chiefly  depends  on 
tonics ;  and  of  these,  as  we  have  said,  the  bark  and  the 
mineral  acids  are  the  most  effectual ;  but  even  passive 
haemorrhages  are  often  relieved  by  refrigerants,  particu- 
larly by  nitre. 

In  external  haemorrhages  the  blood  chiefly  proceeds 
from  the  arteries ;  for  even  the  bleeding  from  a  large 
vein,  if  divided,  ceases,  from  fainting  coming  on.  When 
the  wound  or  the  size  of  the  artery  is  considerable,  a 
tourniquet  above  the  wound  is  necessary  ;  but  in  slight 
cases  a  compress  of  lint,  or  oflint  mixed  with  the  pow- 
der of  vitriolated  copper,  confined  with  a  proper  band- 
age, is  sufficient.  The  needle  and  ligature  are  some- 
times necessary.  See  WOUNDS  OF  THE  ARTERIES. 

H.£.MORRHA'GIA  NA'SI,  efiiataxis  of  Cullen,  in  the 
class  /lyrexitf,  and  order  hemorrhagix.  He  defines  it 
pain  or  load  of  the  head,  flushing  of  the  face,  with  a 
flow  of  blood  from  the  nose,  of  which  he  names  one 
idiopathic  species,  fucmorrhagia  filetAorica,  and  six 
symptomatic;  four  from  internal,  and  two  from  exter- 
nal, causes.  Hippocrates  means  by  epistaxis,  repeated 
distillations  of  blood  from  the  nose;  and  Fernelius  ob- 
serves, that  "  persons  whose  viscera  and  liver  are  weak 

5  A 


H  JEM 


730 


and  scirrhous  are  subject  to  frequent  haemorrhages  of 
the  nose,  as  well  as  dropsical  patients  ;"  but,  in  general, 
it  is  the  disease  of  the  young  and  the  plethoric. 

The  causes,  in  general,  are  the  same  as  in  other  mor- 
bid haemorrhages. 

Epistaxis  is  often  preceded  by  some  degree  of  quick- 
ness in  the  pulse,  flushing  in  the  face,  pulsation  in  the 
temporal  arteries,  heaviness  iii  the  head,  dimness  of 
sight,  heat  and  itching  in  the  nostrils;  preceded,  like 
other  haemorrhages,  by  a  stricture  of  the  skin,  chilliness, 
lassitude,  and  often  costiveness. 

In  many  instances  the  loss  of  blood  by  the  nose  is 
salutary,  as  in  fevers,  vertigo,  headach,  epilepsy,  dim- 
ness of  sight.  Those  who  in  childhood  often  bleed  at 
the  nose  when  older  become  subject  to  haemoptysis, 
rheumatism,  and  haemorrhoids.  When  considerable 
headach  has  preceded,  or  the  patient  been  subject 
to  vertigo,  or  other  diseases  proceeding  from  too  great 
an  accumulation  of  blood  in  the  vessels  of  the  brain, 
bleeding  at  the  nose  should  not  be  rashly  checked. 
In  fevers,  when  there  is  a  load  in  the  head,  the  same 
caution  has  been  given ;  and  it  is, perhaps,  the  safest  ge- 
neral rule  :  but  we  think  even  in  the  beginning  of  fevers 
we  have  found  it  kwer  the  strength  in  too  great  a  de- 
gree ;  and  it  should  be  apparently  regulated  rather  than 
permitted  to  proceed  till  the  patient  faints.  The  nose  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  deplete  the  arteries  of  the  brain,  as 
its  vessels  are  numerous,  their  coats  thin,  and  they  are 
supplied  with  blood  both  from  the  external  and  internal 
carotids,  which  freely  anastomose  in  this  organ. 

When  it  is  to  be  checked,  the  remedies,  mentioned 
under  haemorrhage,  will  be  proper;  but  particularly 
nitre  and  the  neutral  laxatives.  A  cold  wet  napkin,  or  a 
sponge  full  of  cold  vinegar,  with  water,  may  be  applied 
to  the  forehead  and  nose ;  and  any  thing  very  cold  put 
down  the  back  will  occasion  a  shiver,  during  which 
the  bleeding  is  checked.  Dossils  of  lint,  wetted  with 
water,  or  oxymel,  are  often  advantageously  introduced 
into  the  nostrils. 

When,  notwithstanding  every  medicine  and  applica- 
tion, the  blood  continues  to  flow  from  the  nose,  the  fol- 
,  lowing  method  is  often  effectual.  The  hint  of  this  method 
of  stopping  up  the  nostrils  and  passage  to  the  throat  is 
taken  from  Le  Dran's  Operations,  case  vi.  in  the  Remarks, 
and  easily  cures  the  complaint.  "  Take  a  piece  of  strong 
sewing  silk,  wax  it  well,  and  to  one  end  of  it  fasten  a 
dossil  of  lint;  then  take  apiece  of  catgut  (about  the  size 
of  the  second  string  of  a  violin,)  and  introduce  it  up  the 
bleeding  nostril :  when  you  perceive  it  in  the  mouth,  take 
hold  of  its  end  with  the  forceps,  and  draw  it  out  from 
thence,  make  a  knot  upon  it,  and  fasten  the  end  of  the 
waxed  silk  to  it;  then  withdraw  the  catgut  back  again 
by  the  nostril,  take  hold  of  the  silk,  and  pull  the  dossil  of 
lint  into  the  posterior  nostril ;  after  which  stuff  th,e  an- 
terior nostril  full  of  lint,  and  thus  you  certainly  stop  the 
bleeding.  After  a  few  days  the  lint  may  be  taken  away." 
See  Hoffman;  and  Van  Swieten's  Commentary  on 
Boerhaave's  Aphorisms;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  edit.  4. 
vol.  ii.  p.  256;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p.  70;  London 
Medical  Transactions,  vol.  iii.  p.  217 ;  White's  Sur- 
gery, p.  263. 

H.SMORRHA'GIA  UTERI'NA.     See  MENORRHAGIA. 

H^EMORRHA'GIA  HEPA'TIS,  vel  INTESTINO'RUM.  See 
MELAINA,  and  MORBUS  NIGER. 


HJEMOHRHA'GIA  RE'NUM,  vel  VESIC^.     See  URINA. 

HjEMORRHOIDA'LIS,  (from  hzmorrhois,  the 
piles}.  HiEMORRHoiDAi.  FEVER.  It  is  of  short  du- 
ration, and  considered  as  symptomatic.  Vogel  defines 
it  an  ephemera,  attended  with  pain  of  the  spine,  piles, 
or  at  least  painful  varices,  breaking  out  about  the  fourth 
day,  which  terminate  the  disease. 

HJEMORRHOIDA'LE,  or  H.SMOHRHOIDALIS  HE'RBA, 
(from  h/smorrhoiS)  the  piles*).  See  CHELIDONIUM  MI- 
NUS. 

H^MORRHOIDA'LES  ARTE'UI^:,  (from  the  same).  H^E- 
MORRHOIDAL  ARTERIES.  They  are  the  external  and  in- 
ternal. 

H^EMORRHOIDA'LIS  INTE'RNA  ARTE'RIA  (,see  MESEN- 
TERrfc^;  ARTERI^E),  soon  divides  into  branches,  one  of 
which  runs  down  behind  the  intestinum  rectum,  to 
which  it  is  distributed  into  several  ramifications,  and 
communicates  with  the  arterise  hypogastricae. 

HJEMORRHOIDA'LIS   EXTE'RNA  ARTE'HIA.     See  PUDI- 

CA  ARTERIA. 

HJEMORHHOIDA'I.IS  EXTE'RNA  VE'N^E.  The  EXTER- 
NAL HJEMORRHOIDAL  VEINS.  They  spread  about  the  in- 
testinum rectum  and  anus ;  and  proceed  from  the  hy- 
pogastricae venae :  they  communicate  with  the  haemorr- 
hoidales  internae. 

H^MORRHOIDA'LIS  INTE'RNA  VE'NA.  Mesaraica  mi- 
nor vena.  The  INTERNAL  H.SMORRHOIDAL  VEIN;  the 
lesser  mesaraic  -vein.  It  is  called  hcemorrhoidal,  from 
the  tumours  often  found  at  its  "extremity  next  the  anus, 
and  is  one  of  the  three  great  branches  of  the  vena  portae 
ventralis,  though  sometimes  it  springs  from  the  splenica: 
it  sends  a  branch  to  the  duodenum  from  near  its  begin- 
ning; then  it  is  divided  into  two  branches,  one  of  which 
ascends,  the  other  descends;  the  descending  branch 
runs  down  on  the  left  portion  of  the  colon  on  its  lower 
incurvations,  and  on  the  intestinum  rectum  to  the  anus. 
The  haemorrhoidal  veins  have  no  valves. 

HuEMORRHOI'DES,  (from  «<A**,  blood,  and  ft*,. 
to  Jloiv~).  The  HEMORRHOIDS,  or  PILES.  A  discharge 
of  blood  from  the  haemorrhoidal  veins,  called  the  open 
or  bleeding  piles  :  when  instead  of  this  haemorrhage 
there  are  large  tumours,  generally  painful  at  the  lower 
part  of  the  rectum,  they  are  called  the  blind  piles. 
The  disease  is  placed  by  Dr.  Cullen  in  the  class  fiyrexiz, 
and  order  hcemorrhagie  ;  and  he  defines  it  a  heaviness, 
or  pain  of  the  head,  giddiness,  pain  of  the  loins  and  of 
the  anus ;  livid  painful  tubercles  about  the  anus,  from 
whence  blood  generally  issues,  which  sometimes  also 
flows  without  the  appearance  of  any  tumours.  He  dis- 
tinguishes four  species : 

1.  HJEMORHHOIS  TUMENS,  when  there  are   external 
swellings  on  the  edge  of  the  anus,  called  mariscg,  dis- 
tinguished by  the  terms  bloody  and  mucous. 

2.  HAMORRHOIS  PROCIDENS,  when  the  piles  are  ex- 
ternal, and  caused  by  a  bearing  down  of  the  anus. 

3.  H^MORRHOIS  FLUENS,  when  the  piles  are  internal, 
without  external  tumour  or  bearing  down  of  the  anus. 

4.  H^EMORRHOIS  CJECA,   when    there  are   pains   and 
tumour  about  the  anus,  without  any  discharge  of  blood. 
In  some  cases  there  is  a  discharge  only  of  mucus ;  and 
the  disease  is  then  called  leucorrhois. 

Dr.  Cullen  thinks  the  hsemorrhois  often  depends 
upon  a  certain  state  of  the  whole  body;  but  it  is  often 
a  mere  local  complaint.  He  would,  not,  therefore, 


H.EM 


I  O 


refer  a  complaint  of  this  sort  to  local  diseases ;  because 
some  piles,  though  in  the  beginning  they  may  be  merely 
local,  if  they  should  return  often,  as  is  usual,  at  length 
become  habitual,  and  a  general  disease.  Every  species 
of  the  piles  should  be  arranged  therefore,  in  his  opinion, 
amongst  general  diseases. 

From  dissections,  this  disease  is  supposed  to  be  an  ec- 
chymosis  in  the  cellular  membrane  of  the  lower  part  of 
the  rectum,  from  the  extremities  of  the  neighbouring 
vessels:  if  this  be  true  it  accounts  for  the  great  loss  of 
blood  without  loss  of  strength  ;  for  it  is  gradually 
emptied  into  the  ecchymosis,  and  from  thence  only- 
pours  out  in  appearance  so  copiously. 

There  is  seldom  much  discharge  from  the  external 
haemorrhoidal  vessels,  but  they  readily  admit  of  painful 
varices.  The  internal  haemorrhoidal  vessels  not  only 
discharge  copiously,  but,  when  this  discharge  is  sup- 
pressed, disorders  of  the  liver,  spleen,  pancreas,  mesen- 
tery, and  intestines,  seem  to  be  produced. 

These  general  views  of  haemorrhois  have,  however, 
always  appeared  to  us  unsatisfactory.  Though  the  lax 
texture  of  the  haemorrhoidal  veins  admits  of  congestion, 
and,  when  a  part  of  the  intestine  is  inverted,  the  sphinc- 
ter necessarily  checks  the  return  of  the  venal  blood ; 
yet  these  circumstances  by  no  means  explain  the  phe- 
nomena of  this  intricate  disease.  We  have  frequently 
alluded  to  the  opinions  of  the  German  physicians,  at  the 
head  of  whom  is  Stahl,  that  the  discharge  is  salutary,  to 
repel  it  dangerous,  and  to  promote  it  the  best  method 
of  relieving  various  diseases  of  the  viscera  and  head. 
Dr.  Cullen  is  willing  to  refer  all  these  effects  to  the 
haemorrhage  having  been  long  established  and  become 
habitual.  A  distinction,  however,  so  obvious  could  not 
have  readily  escaped  even  a  prejudiced  observer;  but 
we  believe  it  to  be  a  fact,  that  even  repelling  the  pain- 
ful varices,  or  checking  the  discharge  before  it  has  be- 
come habitual,  sometimes  produces  inconvenience.  It 
is  not  also  easily  explained  why  such  inconsiderable 
tumours  should  form  an  obstruction  capable  of  excit- 
ing the  action  of  the  whole  arterial  system,  and  pour- 
ing out  blood  from  its  branches.  If  it  is  a  fact  also,  that 
diseases  of  the  liver  are  relieved  by  these  discharges,  it 
•would  be  singular  that  the  external  as  well  as  the  inter- 
nal tumours  should  have  equally  such  a  salutary  effect, 
since  the  internal  haemorrhoidal  vein  only  contributes 
to  form  the  vena  portae.  In  short,  every  view  of  this 
kind  is  attended  with  considerable  difficulties,  which 
can  only  be  eluded  by  at  once  denying  all  connection  of 
haemorrhoids  with  the  -general  system,  except  when  it 
becomes  an  habitual  discharge.  But  it  appears  rash 
and  presumptuous  to  deny,  at  once,  what  has  been 
established  in  the  opinion  of  able  and  experienced 
practitioners;  opinions  not  hastily  taken  up,  and  as 
quickly  resigned,  but  apparently  resting  on  facts,  the 
result  of  the  observation  of  many  years,  in  different  and 
distant  countries. 

It  may  then  be  asked,  are  the  haemorrhoids  varices 
only  portions  of  veins  enlarged  ?  They  may  be  so  in 
many  instances  ;  but  round,  circumscribed,  tumours  are 
not  readily  explained,  when  we  consider  that  the  hae- 
morrhoidal veins  have  no  valves  :  the  very  acute  pain 
attributed  to  inflammation  is  not  readily  explicable,  when 
•we  consider  the  great  laxity  of  the  coats  of  the  veins, 
and  the  very  few  vessels  found  on  them.  Add  to  this, 
that  an  haemorrhoidal  tumour,  when  punctured,  seldom 


bleeds ;  that  leeches  do  not  more  quickly  fill  themselves  in 
this  part  than  any  other  of  the  body.  It  is  highly  probable 
then  that  these  tumours  are  not  varices,  but  small  folli- 
cles inflamed,  generally  painful,  and  on  the  evacuation 
of  a  <?ostive  stool  excruciatingly  so.  Such  small  bodies, 
suspected  to  be  glands,  certainly  exist  near  the  verge  of 
the  anus,  and  have  been  supposed  to  resemble  the  ca- 
runculae  myrtiformes  at  the  entrance  of  the  vagina. 

If  these  are  admitted  to  be  the  substance  of  the 
haemorrhoidal  tumours,  many  of  the  difficulties  will  be 
removed,  and  some  consistency  given  to  the  various 
phenomena  of  the  disease  ;  but  to  elucidate  this  subject, 
we  must  enlarge  a  little,  as  we  have  proposed,  on  the 
progressive  changes  in  the  balance  of  the  circulation. 
We  had  purposed  to  defer  it  to  the  article  MAV(HOMO), 
where  we  intended  to  collect  all  those  circumstances 
relative  to  his  structure  and  constitution,  both  mental 
and  corporeal,  which  cannot  with  advantage  be  dis- 
played in  distinct  articles;  but  the  application  of  these 
considerations  will  be  more  obvious  in  this  place. 

The  vital  fluid  is  contained  in  corresponding  vessels, 
styled  arteries  and  veins ;  but  the  formeronly  are  active 
powers.  In  the  veins  the  blood  is  propelled  by  the  ad- 
ventitious aid  of  other  muscular  organs,  secured  in  each 
step  by  valves.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  for  the 
necessary  support  of  the  body,  the  action  must  bear 
some  proportion  to  the  resistance ;  for  were  either  too 
great,  the  arteries  would  be  emptied  or  infarcted.  On 
inquiry,  it  appears  that  the  proportion  of  the  action  to 
the  resistance  differs  in  different  periods  of  our  exist- 
ence. Sir  Clifton  Wintringham  showed,  by  experi- 
ment, that  the  density  of  the  coats  of  the  veins  was 
greater  in  proportion  to  that  of  the  coats  of  the  arteries 
in  young  persons  than  in  old.  This  proportion  is  gra- 
dually changing ;  and,  after  the  acme  of  life,  they  are 
more  nearly  equal,  or  the  resistance  of  the  veins  is  little 
in  proportion  to  the  action  of  the  arteries.  If  we  look 
at  the  progressive  growth  of  the  body,  we  shall  find  this 
very  wise  distribution  answers  some  important  pur- 
poses ;  for  the  arteries,  thus  kept  full,  contribute  to  the 
evolution  of  the  organs  in  succession ;  a  change  probably 
effected  by  expanding  the  nervous  fibrils,  which  we 
have  styled  the  moule  intcrieure;  and  the  same  resistance 
throws  the  fluids  into  the  exhalants,  by  which  the  nu- 
tritious particles  are  applied.  This  arrangement  is  no 
longer  useful  than  during  the  increase  of  the  body. 
The  proportional  action  and  resistance  are,  for  a  time, 
stationary;  but  at  last  the  veins  yield,  and  venous  ple- 
thora is  conspicuous.  This  is  the  period  for  apoplexies, 
for  humoral  asthmas,  for  infarcted  viscera,  and,  to 
come  nearer  our  object,  for  the  bleeding  piles. 

In  this  succession  we  have  already  shown  that  the  en- 
largement of  the  head  first  takes  place,  and  its  vessels 
are  consequently  filled.  We  trust  it  has  not  escaped  our 
readers  that  we  have  anxiously  pointed  out  the  magni- 
tude, the  extent,  and  the  dilatable  structure  of  the 
venous  system  of  the  cerebrum,  to  show  that  nature 
carefully  designs  to  keep  the  arteries  full.  Her  object 
in  this  is  from  the  present  purpose;  but  though  the 
resistance  of  the  veins  is  considerable,  a  rupture  of  ar- 
teries, so  carefully  secured  by  a  bony  resisting  covering, 
is  prevented,  and  the  anastomosing  branches  of  both 
carotids  yield  to  any  increased  impetus  very  easily  in  the 
nose.  Haemorrhages,  from  that  organ,  prevent  the  active 
haemorrhagia  cerebri ;  an  appellation  given  by  Hoffman 

5  A  2 


H  JEM 


732 


to  apoplexies  in  young  persons.  Where  the  resistance 
in  early  age  is  considerable,  it  probably  disappears  more 
quickly ;  and  from  fifteen  to  thirty -five  this  danger 
from  distended  arteries  is  chiefly  perceptible  -in  the 
lungs.  This  point  we  have  fully  considered  in  the 
article  HAEMOPTYSIS,  q.  v.  It  next  appears  in  the  epi- 
gastric, and  successively  in  the  hypogastric,  region. 

If  in  early  age  we  perceive  active  haemorrhages  in 
the  brain,  in  the  more  advanced  periods  we  perceive 
similar  effects  from  venous  plethora.  We  then  find 
those  apoplexies  and  palsies  from  a  languid  circulation, 
in  other  words,  from  weakened  resistance  of  the  venous 
system.  In  the  lungs  we  find,  from  the  same  cause, 
humoral  asthma  and  hydrothorax  ;  in  the  epigastric 
region,  infarcted  liver,  and  the  morbus  niger;  in  the 
hypogastric,  haemorrhoids.  If  we  judge  right,  haemorr- 
hoids are  of  two  kinds.  It  is  a  disease  of  youth,  as  well 
as  of  maturev  age  ;  and,  in  the  former,  is  often  acutely 
painful,  without  evacuations;  in  the  latter,  less  com- 
monly painful,  but  usually  attended  with  bloody  dis- 
charges. In  each  it  seems  a  salutary  determination 
from  parts  otherwise  overcharged ;  and  this  we  think 
is  proved  by  many  facts.  In  the  very  painful  haemorr- 
hoids of  young  persons,  saturnine  and  cold  applica- 
tions, which  relieve  pain,  often  induce  sickness  and 
faintness.  In  speaking  of  fistula,  we  have  shown  that 
checking  the  discharge  is  often  injurious,  and  'that  con- 
sumptive symptoms  frequently  follow  the  operation  and 
the  healing  of  the  wound.  We  will  admit  that  such 
consumptions  are  connected  with  the  state  of  the  liver; 
but  so  far  as  we  have  seen,  and  the  cases  are  not  few,  the 
age  is  not  that  of  biliary  congestions,  but  of  accumula- 
tions in  the  lungs,  viz.  the  consumptive  period,  from  fif- 
teen to  thirty -five,  generally  from  eighteen  to  thirty.  It 
appears  then  highly  probable  that  congestions  on  the  tho- 
racic viscera  are  relieved  by  others  on  these  parts,  and 
we  thus  see  the  connection  of  haemorrhoids  with  the 
general  health,  independent  of  any  venous, connection 
with  the  liver.  In  these  cases,  the  parts  inflamed  are 
carunculae  already  mentioned,  and  the  inflammation  is 
active.  Yet  in  the  haemorrhois  of  advanced  life,  such 
congestions  evidently  take  place.  The  disease  is  the 
venous,  and  the  tumours,  in  the  greater  number  of  in- 
stances, varices :  they  bleed,  and  the  patient  is  relieved. 
Congestion  and  inconvenience  follow,  to  be  again  ob- 
viated by  a  recurrence  of  the  haemorrhage. 

Those  who  are  of  a  lax  habit,  disposed  to  eat  heartily, 
and  drink  freely ;  who  indulge  in  ease,  and  are  habit- 
ually costive ;  are  the  most  subject  to  this  disorder. 

Haemorrhoids  are,  however,  often  local  diseases : 
when  the  uterus  presses  on  the  neighbouring  trunks  of 
the  veins,  the  haemorrhoidal  vessels  swell,  and  often 
discharge  blood.  When  resinous  purgatives,  which  are 
slowly  dissolved,  and  act  only  on  the  rectum,  are  exhi- 
bited, the  piles  follow ;  and  tnis  effect  is  particularly 
produced  by  aloes,  sometimes  by  rhubarb.  These  are, 
in  general,  true  varices  ;  and  the  tumours  are  livid,  soft, 
•ind  bleed  freely  on  being  punctured;  but  the  other 
tubercles  in  the  anus,  styled  /tiles,  are  hard,  and  exqui- 
sitely painful. 

The  eruption  of  the  haemorrhage  in  the  open  piles  is 

often  preceded  by  spasmodic  strictures,   flatulencies, 

pain  about  the  os  sacrum,  and  various  other  symptoms, 

which  disorder  the  whole  frame.     In  the  beginning  of 

ssive  discharges  the  blood  is  black  and  grumous, 


afterwards  redder,  and  at  last  it  is  mucous ;  at  length  the 
strength  is  impaired,  the  pulse  is  languid  and  trembling, 
a  cachexy,  a  fatal  hectic,  or  dropsy,  comes  on. 

The  piles  are  always  readily  distinguished ;  and  at- 
tention is  only  required  to  prevent  their  being  con- 
founded with  the  colic,  dysentery,  or  with  syphilitic 
tumours  about  the  anus. 

When  attended  with  an  infarcted  liver  or  spleen,  a 
fatal  hectic  is  the  consequence :  when  the  discharge 
is  excessive,  a  dropsy.  On  the  contrary,  moderate 
discharges  from  the  haemorrhoidal  veins  are  supposed 
to  relieve  a  constitution  oppressed  by  the  gout,  asthma, 
sciatica,  diseases  of  the  kidneys  or  bladder,  hypochon- 
driasis,  hysteria,  or  mania.  Those  discharges  only  are 
deemed  morbid  by  which  the  patient  is  enfeebled,  and 
the  constitution  injured. 

The  general  indications  are,  1.  To  take  off  the  in- 
creased impetus  to  the  seat  of  the  disease  by  bleeding 
and  small  doses  of  ipecacuanha.  2.  To  induce  an  astric- 
tion  on  the  relaxed  vessels  ;  and  for  this  purpose  alum, 
the  oak  bark,  or  galls,  maybe  employed.  3.  To  avoid 
all  irritation,  by  regulating  the  stools,  avoiding  violent 
exercise  and  highly  seasoned  meats.  An  incautious 
use  of  improper  diet  will  render  the  best  medicines  in- 
effectual in  this  disease.  In  general  it  should  be  light, 
cooling,  and  laxative.  If,  however,  the  distinctions 
we  have  endeavoured  to  establish  be  well  founded,  the 
haemorrhoids  of  young  persons  should  be  treated  as  ac- 
tive inflammation,  or  a  deposition  of  morbid  matter, 
and  the  general  regimen  of  HECTICS,  q.  v.  with  a  little 
more  active  depletion,  may  be  employed. 

Bleeding  at  proper  intervals,  where  there  is  a  sanguine 
plethora,  will  in  some  measure  prevent  the  returns,  or 
at  least  moderate  their  violence.  Topical  bleeding  by 
leeches  or  punctures  are  also  useful,  though  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  leeches  do  not  escape  into  the 
rectum.  If  that  accident  should  happen,  injections  of 
a  solution  of  common  salt  are  the  proper  remedy;  but 
the  animal  is  soon  gorged,  and  may  then  be  destroyed. 

When  the  disorder  assumes  a  chronic  form  in  the 
more  advanced  periods  of  life,  and  the  piles  do  not 
bleed,  they  are  attended  with  considerable  pain ;  in  which 
case  dossils  of  lint,  clipped  in  warm  olive  oil,  may  be 
applied ;  or  olive  oil,  with  an  equal  portion  of  brandy, 
or  of  tincture  of  opium',  may  be  spread  on  soft  rags,  and 
retained  by  the  T  bandage.  Saturnine  applications  re- 
lieve pain ;  but  we  have  often  found  them  produce 
sickness  and  faintness.  Emollient  fomentations  and 
poultices,  when  the  pain  is  excessive  and  inflammation 
violent,  are  useful.  In  this  case  also  Mr.  Ware  recom- 
mends cutting  out  the  principal  pile,  which  is  usually 
larger  than  the  surrounding  ones,  with  a  pair  of  crooked 
scissors.  This  relieves  the  pain  and  inflammation ;  and 
the  haemorrhage,  he  says,  is  trifling.  It  could  not  be 
then  an  inflamed  varix.  If  the  piles  are  troublesome 
by  their  bulk,  they  may  be  dressed  with  a  mixture  of 
simple  lime  water,  adding  a  small  quantity  of  cam- 
phorated spirit  of  wine  and  a  little  of  the  cerussa  acetata. 
See  GALL^. 

The  bowels  must  be  kept  lax ;  and  for  this  end  the 
electarium  e  cassia  is  preferable  to  the  electarium  e  senna 
comp.  Sulphur,  and  the  oleum  ricini,  are  also  useful 
laxatives.  The  former  is  supposed  to  have  a  specific  ef- 
fect in  this  disease,  though  later  practitioners  consider 
it  only  as  a  mild  laxative.  The  long  time  during  which 


MAI 


'33 


H  AR 


mains  in  the  intestines,  previous  to  its  operation, 
seems  to  show  that  it  acts  exclusively  on  the  rectum, 
and  supports  in  some  measure  the  idea  of  a  specific 
action.  The  walnut  is  supposed  to  have  a  similar  effect, 
and  the  preserved  walnut  is  said  to  be  a  very  useful 
laxative  in  this  complaint.  A  mixture  of  soap  and 
wax  we  have  found  highly  useful.  When  the  intes- 
tine protrudes  after  a  stool,  the  patient  should  be  placed 
in  bed,  the  protruded  gut  supported,  and  in  this  case  the 
;>phincter  relaxing  the  intestine  is  restored. 

If  the  case  requires  the  assistance  of  a  surgeon  to 
<  heck  the  haemorrhage,  a  cooling  purge  may  be  admi- 
nistered, and,  five  or  six  hours  before  any  operation,  a 
t:r  injected.  The  patient  must  then  be  laid  in  the 
proper  position,  and  the  operator  may  tie  up  the  bleed- 
ing veins  with  a  needle  and  thread  ;  taking  hold  of  any 
tubercles  with  the  forceps,  he  may  tie  or  cut  them  off. 
If  the  haemorrhage  continues,  lint,  with  proper  com- 
presses, and  theT  bandage,  should  be  applied.  If  the 
veins  are  high  in  the  rectum,  it  must  be  distended  with 
a  convenient  instrument  until  the  operator  can  reach 
them.  If  the  blind  piles  encompass  the  anus  so  as  to 
prevent  the  discharges  by  stool,  and  prove  otherwise 
troublesome,  the  largest  may  be  removed  by  a  ligature ; 
the  application  of  warm  spirit  of  wine,  or  other  repel- 
lants,  will  not  disperse  it.  If  the  distended  rein  is  high 
and  inflamed,  it  may  be  opened  with  a  lancet.  When- 
from  long  continued  piles  a  fistula  is  apprehended, 
ll'ard's  fiaste  is  sometimes  useful.  It  consists  of  a 


HALCHE'MIA,  (from  «AJ,  tall,  and  #•, 
out).     The  art  of  fusing  salt. 

HA'LCYOX,  (from  «/s,  the  sea,  and  x.vu,  to  bring 
forth;  a  bird  which  lays  its  eggs  in  the  sea).  See  AL- 
cEno. 

HALCYO'XIUM,  (from  «AKU»>,  the  king's  Jisher, 
which  is  supposed  to  build  its  nest  with  it).  The  spume 
or  froth  of  the  sea. 

HA 'LEG,  harengus,  the  HERRING.  Pickled  herrings 
are  applied  to  the  soles  of  the  feet  as  sinapisms.  Fresh 
herrings  are  supposed  to  be  alkalescent,  and  are  useful 
when  an  acid  prevails  in  the  stomach.  It  is  an  oily  food, 
and  often  disagrees.  See  ALIMENT. 

HALICA'C  ABUM,  (from  «/«,  the  sea,  and  X«K«?»$. 
nightshade;  because  it  grows  on  the  banks  of  the  sea). 
See  ALKEKENGI. 

HA'LICES.     Yawning  after  sleep. 

HA'LIMUS,  (*AS,  the  sea  ;  from  its  brackish  ta> 
fiortulaca   maritima  ;    atrifilex  maritima  anguxtissimo 
folio  ;  atrifilex  {iortulacoid.es  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1493;  COM- 
MON   SEA    PURSLANE,    and    TREE    SEA  PURSLANE,  is  found 

in  marshes  ;  flowers  in  July  and  August.  Dioscorides 
tells  us  that  the  leaves  are  eaten  as  food ;  and  -Etius, 
that  the  buds  are  used  as  pickles.  The  plant  is  warm, 
and  when  pickled  is  supposed  to  assist  the  appetite  and 
digestion. 

HALIXI'TROX,  (from  «A?,  and  »<7^.).  XITRE  ; 
more  probably  ROCK  SALT. 

HALLUCINATIO'XES,  (from  hallucinor,  to  err). 


pound  of  elecampane  root,  with  half  as  much  black   /  See  DVS.ESTHESI^E. 
pepper,  and  apound  and  half  of  fennel  seeds,  made  into         HA'LMYRAX,  (from  «*<;,  salt}.  The  nitre  produced 
a  paste  with   honey.     When  the  piles    are   apparently  -,  in  the  valleys  of  Media. 

continued  from  relaxation,  two  drachms  of  the  tincture  HALMYRO'DES,  (from  »*u»pe<;,  salted}.  An  epi- 
of  muriated  iron,  with  about  a  drachm  and  a  half  ofopi-  thet  of  some  fevers,  in  which,  according  to  Galen,  the 
urn,  and  four  ounces  of  barley  water,  may  be  injected  \  external  parts  communicate  to  the  touch  such  an  itch- 
a  clyster  twice  a  day.  ing  sensation  as  is  perceived  from  handling  salt  sub- 


as  a 

See  Hoffman;  Heister's  Institutes;  Lobb  on  Painful 
Distempers;  Le  Dran's  Operations;  Cullen's  First 
Lines,  vol.  ii.  p.  424.  edit.  4;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p. 
249  ;  White's  Surgery,  p-  383. 

H.EMORRHOI'DES  EXCEDE'NTES;  immodice;  fiolyfiose, 
belong  to  the  he'  morrhois  t&mens  ;  the  h&'morrhoides 
decelerate;  the  he'  morrhoides  alba  and  mucide,  differ 
only  in  the  appearance  of  thedischarge,  which  is  mucous, 
not  bloody.  See  H^EMORRHOIDES. 

H-fi'MORRHOIS  AB  ESLA'NIA.     See   H^MORR- 

HOIS  PROCIDENS. 

H.E  MORRHOUS,  (from  aifta^  sanguis,  and  ««, 
Jluo).  The  name  of  a  poisonous  serpent  (see  P.  -Egi- 
neta,  lib.  v.  cap.  15,)  or  those  large  veins,  which,  when 
opened,  discharge  the  blood  copiously.  Hippocrates. 

Hj£MOSTA'SIA,  (from  «//uc,  blood,  and  la-'^Ui,  to 
stand}.  A  general  stagnation  of  blood  from  a  plethora- 

H-EMOSTA'TICA,  (from  »ifut,  blood,  and  r]*»,  to 
,'•  Medicines  which  stop  haemorrhages. 

HLfi'RMIA.  An  Indian  fin  it,  said  to  resemble  pep- 
per (see  Lemery  des  Drogues  ;)  not  noticed  by  botanists. 

HAGIOSPE'RMOX,  («*«•«,  holy,  and  <r*iffi*,  se- 
men; from  its  reputed  virtues).  See  SANTONICUM- 

HAGIO'XYLOX,  («•/<«;,  holy,  and  |vA«»,  -.vood  ; 
from  its  virtues).  See  GUAIAOUM  LIGNUM. 

HAIR.     See  CAPILLUS  and  PILUS. 

HAIK  WORM.     See  GORDIUS. 

HAIR  LIP-     See  LABIA  LEPORINA 


stances.  When  applied  to  the  skin,  it  signifies  a  roughness 
as  if  salted.  It  is  also  an  epithet  for  many  excretions 
that  are  salt  and  acrimonoius. 

HA'LO,  (from  **»«,  an  area,  or  circle.  See  ARE- 
OLA. 

HA'MBARA,  and  HA'MBRUS.     See  SUCCINUM. 

HAMPSTEAD     WATERS.      See    ARU*    MIXE- 

RALES. 

HA'MULUS.  An  anatomical  term  applied  to  any 
processresemblingahook,  as  that  in  the pterygoid  bone 

HA'MUS.  A  hooked  instrument  for  extracting  a 
dead  child  from  the  uterus. 

HA'XDALA,  (from  handal,    Arab.).      See  COLO- 

CYNTHIS. 

HAOU'VAY.     See  AHOVAI  THEVETECLUSII. 

HA'PSIS,  (from  »if~iu,  to  connect).  The  sense  of 
FEELING.  It  also  signifies  the  connection  of  bandages  ; 
and  *'4-i?  <f>pe»*»,  in  Hippocrates,  signifies  madness,  de- 
lirium, or  loss  of  reason. 

HAPSICO'RIA,(froma-vJ-<«fos,/a*nrf;c/K*).  LOATH- 
ING ;  as  the  "  conviva  satur." 

HARE'XGUS.     See  HALEC. 

HA'RMALA,  (from  harmal,  Arab.)  ruta  syl-vestris. 
ASSYRIAN  WILD  RUE.  Peganum  harmala  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
638.  Its  leaves  are  longer  and  narrower  than  the  com- 
mon rue,  with  but  little  scent :  it  grows  in  Spain  and 
in  the  east,  resembles  the  common  rue  in  its  qualities  ; 
but  is  rarely  used.  Raii  Historia.  See  RUTA. 


HAH 


734 


HEC 


HARMA'TTAN.  A  prevailing  wind  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  between-Cape  Verd  and  Cape  Lopez,  during 
the  months  of  December,  January,  and  February.  (See 
Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  Ixxi).  It  demands  a 
place  in  this  work,  on  account  of  its  singular  dryness, 
and  its  effects  on  the  human  body.  The  wind  passes 
over  the  burning  deserts  of  Africa,  and  is  so  dry  that  it 
rapidly  absorbs  moisture,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the 
leaves  and  all  the  more  tender  plants  are  parched  like 
hay.  The  skin  becomes  dry  and  chapped,  the  nose  and 
lips  sore,  the  fauces  arid,  and  the  sweat  from  the  parts 
defended  from  its  influence  is  highly  acrid.  Yet  it  is 
generally  accounted  healthy;  though  Dr.  Lind  gives  it 
a  different  character,  who  calls  it  a  fatal  wind,  perhaps 
confounding  it  with  a  simoon. 

HARMO'NIA,  (from  *g»,  to  fit  together'}.  In  ana- 
tomy it  is  a  species  of  articulation,  where  two  thin  bones 
meet  and  lie  over  each  other. 

HA'RMOS,  (from  the  same).     See  GINGIV^E. 

HARPA'STRUM.  A  species  of  exercise  with  a 
ball. 

HA'RPAX,  and  HA'RPAGA,  (from  «fjn*£«,  to 
seize).  See  SUCCINUM.  Also  a  mixture  of  quick- 
lime and  sulphur. 

HARROWGATE  WATER,  a  salt,  purging.,  sul- 
phureous water;  the  strongest  in  Great  Britain,  of  the 
heat  of  92°,  but  it  does  not  lose  its  sulphureous  smell 
even  in  a  boiling  heat.  It  is  perfectly  clear  ;  and  in  taste 
and  smell  resembles  rotten  eggs  and  sea  water  combin- 
ed. It  was  doubted  whether  these  waters  contained 
any  sulphur:  but  it  is  now  ascertained,  and  the  sulphur 
is  in 'the  state  of  hepar  sulphuris.  A  gallon  of  this 
water  contains  one  pennyweight  twelve  grains  and  a 
quarter  of  carbonated  lime ;  four  pennyweights  twenty- 
three  grains  of  muriated  magnesia;  and  an  ounce  seven 
pennyweights  and  twelve  grains  of  sea  salt.  It  contains 
also  four  ounce  measures  of  acidulous  gas,  and  thirty- 
five  of  fetid  inflammable  gas,  such  as  is  separated  from 
hepar  sulphuris  by  vitriolic  acid.  In  small  quantities 
these  waters  prove  diuretic;  in  large,  purgative.  They 
are  extremely  useful  in  cutaneous  and  scrofulous  dis- 
orders; in  piles;  as  anthelmintics,  destroying,  if  em- 
ployed so  as  to  purge,  lumbrici  and  ascarides  ;  and  in  de- 
bility of  the  digestive  powers.  In  dropsical,  scorbutic, 
and  gouty  cases,  they  are  highly  recommended.  Exter- 
nally they  are  considered  as  discutient  and  attenuating ; 
and,  used  as  a  warm  bath,  remove  stiffness  and  pains  of 
the  joints  from  strains,  hard  or  scrofulous  tumours,  and 
greatly  improve  the  state  of  old  ulcers.  When  first 
drunk  the  water  occasions  slight  giddiness  and  headach, 
which  are  carried  off  by  its  laxative  effects.  It  should 
be  used  cold  and  fresh  from  the  spring;  and  it  has  been 
employed  externally  in  form  of  washes,  fomentations, 
and  baths,  particularly  in  cutaneous  diseases.  See 
Monro  on  Mineral  Waters,  and  Garnett  on  Harrowgate 
Water.  At  Harrowgate  is  also, 

1st.  The  sweet  sfia,  which  strikes  alight  purple  with 
galls,  and  from  a  gallon  affords,  on  evaporation,  a  scru- 
ple of  solid  matter  at  one  time,  and  eight  grains  at  an- 
other :  of  these  sediments,  above  one  half  was  earth, 
the  rest  a  vitriolated  magnesia. 

2.  Tuiuhet,  of  which  a  gallon  yielded  at  one  time 
thirteen  grains,s  at  another  nineteen,  of  which  three 
fifths  were  calcareous  earth  mixed  with  ochre,  the  rest 


vitriolated  magnesia.  It  was  discovered  in  1638,  and 
formerly  the  only  one  used  internally,  chiefly  in  ne- 
phritic cases. 

3.  Alum  well,  which,  from  its  roughness,  was  sup- 
posed to  contain  alum  ;  but  seems  to  be  impregnated 
with  vitriolated  or  carbonated  iron.  Dr.  Short  pro- 
perly considers  these  as  chalybeate  springs. 

HARTFELL  WATER,  issues  from  the  Hartfell 
mountain  in  the  county  of  Annandale,  Scotland.  It  is 
quite  pure  and  pellucid ;  has  a  chalybeate  and  so  strong 
a  styptic  taste,  that  it  was  suspected  to  contain  alum ;  but, 
by  being  exposed  to  the  open  air,  it  becomes  weaker, 
and  is  observed  to  be  stronger  in  wet  than  in  dry  wea- 
ther, so  that  it  is  mose  probably  a  chalybeate ;  and  on 
evaporation  afforded  0.9  of  vitriolated  iron.  Somepor-  . 
tion  of  iron  is  also  suspended  by  carbonic  acid. 

This  water  is  recommended  in  cases  where  chaly- 
beates  are  useful ;  in  menorrhagia,  fluor  albus,  gleets, 
old  dysenteries,  in  diseases  arising  from  relaxation,  and 
in  some  circumstances  of  hectics.  It  sometimes  at 
first  produces  giddiness,  and  consequently  small  quan- , 
titles  should  be  first  used.  A  pint  is  a  sufficient  dose 
in  one  day.  See  Monro  on  Mineral  Waters. 

HA'STA  RE'GIA.     See  ASPHODELUS  LUTEUS. 

HASTA'TUS,  (from  hasta,  a  spear).  Botanically 
it  is  applied  to  a  leaf  which  resembles  the  head  of  a 
halbert. 

HASTE'LL^E,  (a  diminutive  of  hasta,  a  sfiear). 
Splints  used  in  fractures. 

HAUD,  (Arabic).  WOOD;  the  Arabian  name  of 
agallochum,  by  way  of  eminence,  the  wood.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished by  different  appellatives,  as  hand  alcumeri  ; 
hand  hend,  and  haud  heud. 

HAU'STUS,(from  haurio,  to  swallow).  A  DRAUGHT. 
Draughts  are  only  single  doses  of  medicines  in  a  liquid 
form  ;  vomits,  purges,  opiates,  and  such  as  require 
great  nicety  in  the  dose,  are  given  in  draughts.  This 
form  of  medicines  is  sometimes  employed  merely 
as  a  vehicle  for  pills  or  powders,  and  is  then  usually 
pleasant,  and  very  slightly,  if  at  all  medicinal.  Highly 
nauseous  medicines,  heavy  and  insoluble  powders,  or 
substances  which  very  quickly  ferment,  are  improper  to 
be  given  in  draughts. 

HA'VEA  GUIANE'NSIS.     See  CAOUTCHOUC. 

HAVE'LIA.     See  HURA. 

HAVE'RI  GLA'NDUL^..  HAVKRS'  GLANDS.  They; 
are  thesinovial  glands,  and  called  from  Havers,  who  first 
discovered  them. 

HEAT  VITAL.     See  CALIDUM  INNATUM. 

HAZEL  NUT.     See  AVELLANA. 

HEALTH.     See  HVGIEINE. 

HEBDOMADA'RIA,  (from  '(Shf*.**,  a  week,}  one 
of  the  febris  erraticse. 

HE'BE,  (from  tiGaa,to  grow  ripe).  The  hairs  which 
grow  upon  the  pubes  ;  the  part  on  which  they  grow  ; 
or  the  age  when  they  appear. 

HEBI'SCOS.     See  ALTHAEA. 

HE'CTICA,vel  E'THICA,  (from  e|<«,  habit,)    the 

SYMPTOMATIC'  FEVER  ;  IRREGULAR  INTERMITTENT  FE- 
VER 5  FEVER  OF  SUPPURATION  J  and  SLOW  FEVER. 

Hippocrates  describes  this  fever  under  the  name  of 
phthisis:  But  Celsus  is  the  first  who  speaks  of  it 
under  that  of  hectic,  and  he  directs  the  cure ;  what 
were  afterwards  called  slow  hec/ic  fevers,  were,  among 


H  E  C 


"35 


HE  C 


the  first  physicians,  called  tabid ,  or  long  continued  fevers, 
or  marasmi.  At  present  by  this  term  is  meant  slow,  but 
long  continued,  fevers,  which  induce  consumption,  and 
impair  the  strength.  Dr.  Cullen  considers  hectic  always 
as  symptomatic.  He  describes  it  a  fever  returning 
every  day,  with  meridian  and  evening  accessions  ;  with 
remissions,  but  seldom  a  total  freedom  from  fever;  ge- 
nerally attended  with  night  sweats,  the  urine  depositing 
a  lateritious  branny  sediment.  He  adds,  that  as  all  no- 
sologists  have  admitted  the  hectic  amongst  the  number 
of  fevers,  he  has  given  its  character  ;  but  that  he  never 
had  observed  a  fever  of  this  sort  except  when  symp- 
tomatic, therefore  he  could  not  admit  it  to  be  enume- 
rated amongst  idiopathic  fevers.  In  many  examples 
given  by  Sauvages  this  fever  is  certainly  symptomatic : 
but  to  prove  a  negative  is  very  difficult ;  and  if  no  in- 
ternal disease  to  which  it  can  be  traced  as  a  symptom 
can  be  discovered,  we  must  allow  it  to  be  occasionally 
idiopathic.  It  has  been  called  febris  remittens  chro- 
nica  non  critica,  as  it  has  no  crisis,  and  is  of  long  con- 
tinuance. 

On  dissecting  patients  whose  death  was  the  conse- 
quence of  a  hectic,  abscesses  in  some  of  the  viscera, 
scirrhous  or  steatomatous  tumours,  are  very  often  found. 

Intemperate  drinkers,  and  those  who  indulge  in  ex- 
cess of  any  kind,  are  very  subject  to  it;  and  disordered 
glands,  abscesses,  or  ulcers  in  the  internal  parts,  gene- 
rally induce  it :  but  these  abscesses  sometimes  exist 
without  a  hectic,  and  the  liver,  sometimes  even  the 
lungs  are  found  ulcerated  when  no  fever  had  been  ob- 
served. 

The  matter  producing  hectic  may  be  formed  in 
any  part  of  the  body,  though  perhaps  in  the  lungs, 
and  the  glands  of  the  mysentery,  its  source  may  be 
most  commonly  traced.  A  scirrhous  gland,  in  any 
part,  almost  constantly  produces  this  fever  ;  particularly 
a  scirrhous  liver  from  hard  drinking,  or  long  residence 
in  a  warm  climate.  External  accidents  will  sometimes 
occasion  irregular  exacerbations.  Even  a  wound  with 
a  fine  pointed  instrument,  according  to  Dr.  Heberden, 
has  produced  this  effect.  Dislocations  of  the  joint  often 
produce  shivering  and  disorders  of  the  stomach  ;  and 
the  introduction  of  a  catheter  is  attended  also  with  shi- 
vering, often  followed  by  the  hot  fit.  A  salivation  is 
sometimes  the  cause. 

The  hectic  arising  from  external  inflammations  and 
suppurations  is  longer  in  its  attack  and  slower  in  its 
progress,  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  and  import- 
ance of  the  part.  Thus  in  the  joints,  the  usual  seats  of 
the  disease,  suppurations  of  the  ankle,  wrist,  elbow,  and 
even  the  shoulder,  have  often  continued  long  before  the 
constitution  has  suffered.  On  the  contrary,  when  the 
knee,  the  hip  joint,  or  the  loins,  are  the  seat  of  the  dis- 
ease, hectic  soon  comes  on.  During  the  continuance  of 
•wounds  it  sometimes  comes  on,  and  is  then  attended 
with  every  mark  of'debility. 

Dr.  Reid,  in  his  Essay  on  the  Nature  and  Cure  of  the 
Phthisis,  denies  that  the  absorption  of  the  pus  is  the 
cause  of  the  fever  which  attends  that  disease  ;  but  at- 
tributes it  to  the  very  large  quantity  of  perspirable  mat- 
ter usually  discharged  from,  the  surface  of  the  lungs, 
•which  is  retained  when  this  organ  is  injured,  and  only 
evacuated  in  the  hectic  sweats.  As  the  lungs,  by  the 
increase  of  the  disease,  are  less  capable  of  exhaling  the 
usual  quantity  of  gas,  exacerbations  and  the  morning 


sweats  are  proportionally  increased,  or  the  matter  falling 
on  the  intestines,  produces  a  diarrhoea.  From  being 
usually  costive,  the  patient  hath  frequent  motions,  and, 
in  proportion  to  their  number,  the  sweating  and  ex- 
pectoration are  diminished.  The  quickness  of  the  pulse 
between  the  paroxysms  he  attributes  to  the  progressive 
inflammation  of  the  different  tubercles.  On  this  opinion 
we  may  make  some  remarks  in  a  future  article. 

Many  other  authors  have  contended  that  hectics  are 
not  owing  to  the  absorption  of  purulent  matter;  and  their 
arguments  are  entitled  to  considerable  attention.  Mr. 
Hunter  has  urged  many  facts  in  opposition  to  the  gene- 
rally received  opinion;  and  it  must  be  admitted,  that 
should  absorption  be  generally  the  cause,  the  lympha- 
tics act  very  irregularly,  at  different  times,  and  in  dif- 
ferent situations.  We  know,  indeed,  that  fluids  exposed 
to  the  mouths  of  the  absorbents  are  sometimes  not  taken 
up,  and  soon  afterwards,  without  any  apparent  reason, 
rapidly  disappear.  Though  this  caprice  may  account 
for  some  of  his  observations,  yet  the  facts  before  stated, 
where  hectic  fever  follows  only  suppuration  of  some  of 
the  larger  and  more  important  joints,  cannot  be  ac- 
counted for  in  the  same  way.  In  some  external  ab- 
scesses also,  we  find  that  the  hectic  begins  to  appear 
only  when  they  are  opened  ;  and  though  the  suppuration 
of  scrofulous  tumours  is  attended  with  fever,  venereal 
ones  produce  no  general  effect  on  the  constitution.  Mr. 
Hunter  concludes  that  "  the  hectic  is  owing  to  the 
parts  being  stimulated  to  produce  an  effect  beyond  their 
powers,  and  that  this  stimulus  is  sooner  or  later  in  tak- 
ing place,  in  different  cases." 

The  connection  between  hectic  and  suppuration  is, 
however,  apparently  so  close,  that  we  are  unwilling  to 
give  up  our  former  opinion  -;  and  we  can  perceive,  we 
think,  some  clue  to  conduct  us  through  the  labyrinth 
of  discordant  facts.  We  would  conclude,  therefore, 
that  hectic  is  owing  to  sufifiuration  of  any  considerable 
magnitude  arising  from  constitutional  disease  ;  and  these 
constitutional  diseases  are  such  as  are  usually  attended 
with  increased  irritability,  or  a  broken  constitution. 

The  appearance  of  hectic  resembles  that  of  an  irre- 
gular intermittent.  The  pulse  rarely  becomes  natural ; 
but  remains  quick  and  weak  :  the  chillness  is  often  vio- 
lent and  long  continued ;  not  regularly  succeeded  either 
by  a  dry  heat  or  sweat,  though  one  of  these  generally 
follows ;  and  the  hot  fit  sometimes  approaches  without 
being  preceded  by  a  sensible  chillness.  The  sweat  seems 
to  exhaust  instead  of  relieving  .the  patient,  and  when  at 
an  end,  the  fever  will  sometimes  continue,  or  in  the 
middle  of  the  fever  the  chillness  will  return  ;  a  certain 
sign,  according  to  Dr.  Heberden,  of  the  presence  of  this 
fever  and  its  pathognomonic  symptom.  The  return  of 
the  fits  is  equally  irregular.  Sometimes  they  recur, 
for  a  considerable  time,  at  regular  periods,  and  again 
lose  this  strictly  intermittent  form.  In  the  fit,  the  urine 
is  various,  and  nothing  can  be  ascertained  from  its 
appearances.  When  an  external  ulcer  is  the  cause, 
pains,  apparently  rheumatic,  occur,  though  in  a  part  very 
remote  from  the  ulcer;  and  a  sudden  swelling  of  some 
part  of  the  body  is  occasionally  observed,  which  soon  sub- 
sides. Its  approach  is  usually  gradual,  the  skin  is  dry,  the 
tongue  hard  and  parched,  the  cheeks  flushed,  the  sleep 
not  refreshing.  On  the  approach  of  the  fit,  according 
to  Hippocrates,  the  whole  breast  is  pained,  the  breath 
resembles  a  whistling  through  a  reed,  a  cough  often 


HEC 


736 


HED 


attends,  a  quantity  of  thin  saline  saliva  is  discharged, 
and,  in  the  progress  of  the  disease,  the  whole  body  is 
emaciated,  except  the  legs,  which  become  tumid.  A 
pathognomonic  sign,  according  to  Galen,  is  an  increase 
of  fever  after  eating  and  drinking. 

The  hectic  fever  should  be  distinguished  from  the 
intermittent^  the  common  inflammation,  and  the  slow 
or  nervous  fevers.  •  The  intermittent  is  more  regular  in 
its  form,  and  in  its  attacks ;  and  the  slow  nervous  fe- 
vers have  not  such  marked  exacerbations  or  remissions. 
The  fever  of  inflammation  is  of  the  continued  kind. 
Dr.  Reid  distinguishes  the  hectic  of  a  pulmonary  con- 
sumption from  the  fever,  in  consequence  of  abscesses  or 
ulcers  in  other  parts,  as  in  the  liver,  or  under  the  psoas 
muscle,  by  the  absence,  in  the  latter,  of  remissions 
and  morning  sweats  :  on  the  contrary,  it  is  more  con- 
tinued, less  violent,  and  the  skin  is  usually  dry.  But 
this  distinction  is  apparently  unfounded. 

If  the  pulse  runs  on  to  above  100,  or  from  this  num- 
ber to  120,  in  a  minute,  the  danger  is  considerable; 
though  sometimes  the  pulse  will  be  little  affected,  while 
a  variety  of  other  fatal  symptoms  attends.  In  lying- 
in  women  it  is  generally  fatal;  and  the  fatal  signs  are, 
11  continually  weak,  quick  pulse,  an  entire  loss  of  appe- 
tite and  strength,  an  Hippocratic  countenance,  a  little 
red  or  oily  urine,  a  diarrhoea,  immoderate  sweats,  with 
swelling  of  the  feet  and  legs. 

In  most  cases  the  principal  intention  is  to  relieve  the 
symptoms,  to  moderate  the  heat,  prevent  costiveness,  or 
its  opposite,  check  the  night  sweats,  and  at  the  same 
time  assist  the  general  health,  by  exercise,  air,  and 
a  proper  diet ;  in  other  words,  to  support  the  strength, 
without  adding  any  stimulus. 

The  remitting  tendency  of  the  disease  has  suggested 
the  use  of  the  bark;  but  this  remedy  is  usually  inju- 
rious, as  it  produces  stricture  on  the  skin,  increases 
the  heat,  and,  in  pulmonary  cases,  the  dyspnoea.  In 
these  cases  neither  antimonials,  camphor,  nor  squills, 
will  obviate  the  injurious  tendency  of  this  remedy. 
Though  they  appear  to  lessen  the  bad  effects,  they  do 
not  render  the  medicine  beneficial.  The  eleutheria  is 
more  useful,  but  seldom  produces  any  striking  ad- 
vantage. The  purer  bitters  often  succeed  :  of  these  we 
may  mention  the  gentian,  the  camomile  flowers,  and 
perhaps  the  uva  ursi.  Of  the  angustura  bark  we  cannot 
speak  so  decisively  as  we  may  be  able  to  do  under 
phthisis,  as  it  is  at  present  the  subject  of  our  trials. 
With  these  the  neutral  salts,  may  often  be  combined 
with  salutary  effects,  and  together  they  will  produce 
that  gentle  looseness  which  very  essentially  diminishes 
hectic  heats. 

The  cooling  medicines  are  in  general  preferable,  and 
these  united  with  mild  doses  of  antimonials  are  often 
highly  advantageous.  The  myrrh  seems  to  act  as  a  se- 
dative in  lessening  feverish  heat ;  but  we  find  little  ad- 
vantage in  combining  it  with  chalybeates,  as  in  Dr. 
Griffith's  mixture;  nor  do  we  think  the  Pyrmont  water 
so  useful  as  the  Seltzer.  The  steel  may  succeed  in  debi- 
litated constitutions  where  the  liver  appears  to  be  much 
affected,  and  in  the  Cheltenham  waters  it  is  said  to  be 
salutary,  and  to  prevent  the  debilitating  effects  of  the 
neutral  salts. 

The  balsams  have  been  highly  commended  in  these 
diseases ;  and  with  nitre,  or  the  citrat  of  potash,  we 
have  thought  the  Peruvian  balsam,  in  slight  doses,  an 


useful  corroborant :  in  larger  doses  it  is  too  stimulating. 
The  cicuta  with  mercury  has  been  given  as  a  deob- 
struent ;  and  in  the  hectics  from  scirrhous  livers,  the 
production  of  the  fevers  of  hot  climates,  it  is  said,  with 
success.  In  some  cases  of  hectic,  from  suppressed  hae- 
morrhoids, Bath  waters  have  been  advised.  Should  hec- 
tics arise  from  repelled  gout,  they  may  be  also  applica- 
ble; but  in  general  these  and  all  other  stimulating  re- 
medies are  injurious.  When  this  disease  is  connected 
with  wounds,  asafostida,  with  opium,  has  been  useful. 

In  conformity  to  the  most  successful  plan  of  treat- 
ment the  diet  should  be  mild  and  gently  nutritious. 
Broths,  milk,  and  vegetables,  are  the  most  useful;  though 
a  slight  proportion  of  animal  food,  at  an  early  dinner, 
may  be  not  only  allowed  but  recommended.  A  dry  free 
air,  with  gentle  exercise,  particularly  on  horseback,  is 
highly  useful.  An  airy  room,  with  light  covering  at 
night,  is  equally  proper. 

We  have  not  mentioned  bleeding ;  because,  though 
sometimes  employed  in  pulmonary  hectics,  it  is  not 
generally  useful  in  this  disease.  We  shall  particularly 
mention  it  under  PHTHISIS,  q.  v. 

See  Hippocrates  de  Internis  Affectionibus ;  Aretxus 
de  Curatione  Acutorum,  lib.  ii.  ;  Fernelius ;  Hoffman  ; 
Heberden's  Observations  in  the  London  Medical  Trans- 
actions, vol.  ii.  p.  1 — 17;  Fordyce's  Enquiry  into  the 
Causes,  &c.  of  Putrid  Fevers  ;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol. 
ii.  221,  8cc. 

HE'DERA,  (from  hiereo,  to  stick ;  from  its  attach- 
ment to  trees  and  old  walls).  Ivy. 

HE'DERA  ARBOHEA.  COMMON  or  TREE  ivy  ;  corym- 
bus  ;  hedera  helix  Lin.  Sp.  PL  292;  is  an  ever- 
green plant,  climbing  and  spreading  on  old  walls  and 
trees  ;  the  leaves  are  angular ;  the  flowers  appear  in  au- 
tumn, and  are  followed  in  winter  by  clusters  of  black 
berries. 

The  leaves  are  nauseous  to  the  taste  ;  but  commended 
by  the  Germans  in  the  atrophy  of  children,  in  rickets, 
ozsena,  and  epiphora.  By  the  common  people  they  are 
used  to  keep  issues  open,  and  applied  to  sores  that  have 
a  thin  discharge.  In  the  plague  the  powder  of  the 
leaves,  with  vinegar,  has  been  commended.  The  dose  is 
from  9i.  to  3  i.  Quercetanus  made  an  extract  from 
the  berries;  extractum  purgans.  From  the  stalks  of  the 
plant  a  resinous  juice  exudes  in  warm  countries,  called 
gummi  hederg,  of  a  reddish  brown  colour  without,  and  of 
a  bright  brown  yellow  within,  of  a  vitreous  splendour, 
but  not  pellucid :  when  rubbed  it  emits  a  light  agree- 
able smell,  and  is  of  a  resinous,  slightly  aromatic,  and 
subastringent  taste  ;  chiefly  used  like  other  resins  in 
plasters. 

HE'DERA  TERRESTRIS;  chamecissus  ;  cham&lema  ; 
calamintha  humilior;  corona  terras  ;  bacchica  chamtEcle- 
ma  ;  GROUND  IVY  ;  ALE-HOOF  ;  SUN-HOOF  ;  JACK  IN 

THE        HEDGE  J        GILL        GO-BY-THE        GROUND  ;      gleCOmd 

hederacea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  807  ;  is  a  low,  hairy,  creeping 
plant,  with  square  stalks ;  roundish  or  kidney-shaped 
leaves,  set  in  pairs  at  the  joints  ;  the  flowers  are  bluish 
and  labiated ;  the  upper  lip  is  cloven  and  turned  back- 
wards. '  It  is  common  in  hedges  and  shady  places  ; 
flowers  in  April,  and  the  succeeding  warm  months ;  is 
generally  greenish  all  the  winter. 

This  herb  has  a  quick,  bitterish,  warm  taste ;  an  aro- 
matic, but  not  very  agreeable,  smell,  in  a  great  measure 
dissipated  by  drying.  It  is  supposed  to  be  useful  in  dis- 


II  EL 


II  E  L 


orders  of  the  breast,  and  as  an  attenuant.  In  obstinate 
coughs  it  is  a  favourite  medicine  with  the  poor,  given 
in  the  form  of  tea,  sweetened  with  honey  ;  and  Dr.  Pit- 
cairn  speaks  highly  of  it  in  consumptions.  Dr.  Cullen 
found  no  evidence  of  its  diuretic  or  pectoral  effects, 
and  thinks  it  very  improbable  that  it  should  be  useful 
in  phthisis.  Ale  is  rendered  very  fine  by  an  infusion  of 
ground  ivy,  and  called  gill-ale.  It  yields  its  virtue  most 
perfectly  to  water  by  infusion,  and,  on  inspissating  the 
filtered  liquor,  only  the  unpleasant  smell  is  lost.  See 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

HK'DEH.C  GU'MMI.     See  HEDERA  ARBOREA. 

HEDER'ACE^E,  the  forty-sixth  order  of  Linnaeus. 
Fragments  of  a  natural  method. 

HEDERULA  AQUATICA,  (a  dim.  of  hedera). 
See  LEXTICULA  AQUATICA  TRISULCA. 

HE'DRA,  from  e&usti,  to  sit).  Synonymous  with 
A  PUS,  q.  v.  ;  sometimes  with  excrement;  the  basis  of 
an  abscess  ;  or  the  part  on  which  the  matter  rests  :  ac- 
cording to  Hippocrates,  a  species  of  fracture. 

HEDRICOS,  (from  ity*,  anus).  An  epithet  for 
remedies  appropriated  to  the  a.nus. 

HEDY'CKOOX,  (from  nevt,  sweet,)  a  mixture  of  a 
number  of  aromatic  ingredients,  formed  into  troches, 
said  first  to  be  invented  and  described  by  Androma- 
chus.  Their  composition  is  in  some  of  the  later  dis- 
pensatories. 

HEDYO'SMOS,  (from  tft*,  sweet,  and  er^j-,  smell}. 
See  MEXTHA. 

HEDY  PXOIS,  (from  *5V?,  sweet,  and  a>t»,  to 
breathe).  See  DEXS  LEOXIS. 

HEDY'SARUM      GLYCYRRHIZA'TUM.      See 

GLAUX  VULGARIS    LEGUMIXOSA. 

HEDY'SMATA,  (from   ^t*,  sweet).     See    STYM- 

MATA. 

HEL'COXIA,  (from  t>x»(,  an  ulcer).  An  ulcer  of 
the  cornea. 

HELCY'DRIOX,  (from  'ttoux,  an  ulcer,  and  ifcf, 
voter).  A  small  ulcerous  pustule. 

HELCY'STER,  (from  eAx»,  to  draw).  A  hook  for 
extracting  the  foetus. 

HELE'NIUM,  (from  Helene,  where  it  grew.  See 
EXULA. 

HELE'KIUM  I'XDICUM.     See  BATTATAS  CAXAD. 

HELEOSELI  XUM,  (from  t tot,  a  fen,  and  e-ctoter, 
purslane;  from  growing  in  marshy  places).  See  APIUM. 

HELIA'XTHEMUM,  (from  itAjes,  the  sun,  and  «»0»«, 
a  Jio-a-er;  because  its  flower  tums  to  the  sun).  See 
CHAM.CCISTUS,  BATTATAS  CAXADEXSIS. 

HELICA  L1S  MA'JOR,  HELICA'LIS  MI'XOR, 
(from  tAi{,  the  outer  border  of  the  ear).  See  AURICULA. 

HELICHRY'SUM,  and  HELIOCHRY'SON,  (from 
.  the  sun,  and  %tw<>i,  gold).     GOLDYLOCKS.     See 
ELICHRYSUM,  also  GXAPHALIUM  MOXTAXUM. 

HELID.E'1  PULVIS.     See  EUPHRASIA. 

HELIOSCO'PIOS,  (from  «A/««,  the  sun  and  wri*, 
to  behold;  because  it  turns  to  the  sun).  See  TITHY- 
MALUS. 

HELIOTRO'PIUM,  (from  */«<«,  and  rffx-*,  to  turn 
to).  TURXSOLE,  or  HELIOTROPE.  The  flowers  are 
funnel  shaped ;  their  brims  cut  into  ten  unequal  seg- 
ments; collected  into  a  long  reflexed  spike,  resem- 
bling a  scorpion's  tail;  each  flower  followed  by  four 
naked  gibbose  seeds.  Heliotrofiium  Eurofueum  Lin. 
Sp.Pl.  187. 

VOL.  I. 


HELIOTRO'PIUM  MA'JUS.  The  GREAT  TURNSOLE 
Its  leaves  are  bitter;  the  petals  are  changed  to  a  deep 
blue  by  alkalis,  and  to  a  red  by  acids,  and  are  conse- 
quently the  chemist's  test  for  the  presence  of  each. 
The  juice  of  this  plant  destroys  warts;  and  a  decoction 
of  it  is  said  to  be  an  active  purgative. 

HELIOTRO'PIUM  TRICO'CCUM  ;  ricinoides;  FREXCII, 
or  COLOURIXG  TURXSOLE;  croton  tinctorium  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1425.  This  species  grows  plentifully  in  France; 
the  leaves  are  of  a  pale  green  ;  the  flowers  yellow : 
when  the  berries  are  expressed,  linen  rags  are  dipped 
in  the  juice,  and  exposed  to  the  vapour  of  urine,  which 
gives  them  a  red  colour.  The  colour  of  this  species  of 
turnsole  is  extremely  susceptible  of  alteration  by  acids. 
See  Rail  Historia  Plantarum. 

HELIOTRO'PIUM  I'XDICUM.  See  BATTATAS  CAXA- 
DEXSIS. 

HE'LITIS,  (from  r,\>s,  a  nail ;  because  it  was  used 
to  be  beaten  from  nails  and  pins).  See  -£RIS  SRUAM/E. 

HE'LIX,  (from  t\>.en,  to  turn).  A  SPIRAL  LINE.  See 
AURICULA. 

HELLEBORA'STER,  HELLEBOR  A  'STRUM, 
(from  iMtCtfft,  hellebore ).  BEAR'S  FOOT.  See  HELLE- 

BORUS    FO-TIDUS. 

HELLEBORI'ZE.  Hippocrates  and  his  successors 
introduced  hellebore  into  the  rectum,  both  for  vomiting 
and  purging,  altering  the  strength  according  to  circum- 
stances ;  and  the  effects  were  called  helleborizing. 

HELLEBOROI'DES,  (from  fA>.£^^5,  and  tifa, 
likeness,)  aconitum  hyemale;  aconitum  luteum  minus; 
aconitum  unifolium  luteum  bul&osum;  helleborus  hye- 
malis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  783.  The  leaves  resemble  those  of 
the  aconitum ;  but  in  general  it  agrees  both  in  appear- 
ance and  virtues  with  the  black  hellebore. 

HELLEBORO-RAXU'XCULUS.  The  leaves  are 
single,  and  roundly  turned  like  those  of  the  ranunculus, 
and  of  the  same  colour  with  the  flower,  which  is  rosa- 
ceous. It  is  said  to  be  caustic,  and  is  probably  the 
helleborus  hyemalis,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  ar- 
ticle. 

HELLE'BORUS,  or  ELLE'BORUS,  (*-*f*  T«  -n, 
f*f*  tA£i»,  because  it  kills  if  eaten,)  nicon;  the  name 
of  several  rosaceous  flowered  plants,  and  of  female 
sanicle.  See  IMPERATORIA  NIGRA. 

HELLE'BORUS  FETIDUS.  Helleboraster;  helleboras- 
trum;  helleborus  niger  fetidus;  elleborine;  -veratrum 
nigrum;  GREAT  BASTARD  and  FETID  BLACK  HELLE- 
BORE; SETTLE,  or  SETTERWORT;  BEAR'S  FOOT;  helle- 
borus fftidus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  784.  This  root  is  small,  but 
surrounded  by  numerous  dark  coloured  fibres,  involved 
very  intricately :  the  stem  rises  to  about  a  foot  and  a 
half  in  height,  towards  the  bottom  is  strong,  round, 
firm,  naked,  and  marked  with  alternate  cicatrices,  the 
vestiges  of  the  former  leaves ;  at  the  top  divides  into 
branches,  producing  many  flowers,  garnished  with  nu- 
merous scaly  leaves,  which  stand  upon  long  foot  stalks, 
surrounding  the  middle  of  the  stem.  They  are  divided, 
as  in  the  black  hellebore,  into  simple  leaves,  commonly 
eight  or  nine,  long,  narrow,  serrated,  lanceolated,  and 
of  a  dark  green  colour;  and  scaly  leaves,  placed  at 
the  ramifications  of  the  flower-stem,  smooth,  trifid, 
alternate,  often  purplish  ;  but  those  near  the  flowers  are 
oval  and  pointed :  the  flowers  are  numerous,  terminal, 
pendent,  of  a  roundish  shape,  and  stand  upon  peduncles, 
forming  an  umbel ;  the  petals  are  five,  oval,  concave, 
5  B 


HEL 


738 


HE  L 


persistent,  of  a  pale  green  colour,  usually  tinged  with 
purple  at  their  margins;  the  stamina  are  the  length 
of  the  petals;  the  antherae  white;  the  germina  three, 
hairy,  and  shaped  like  those  of  the  black  hellebore. 
The  plant  grows  wild  in  many  parts  of  England,  and 
flowers  about  February.  The  smell  of  the  recent  plant 
is  extremely  fetid ;  the  taste  bitter,  and  remarkably 
acrid  :  it  operates  as  a  cathartic,  sometimes  as  an 
emetic  ;  and,  in  large  doses,  is  highly  deleterious.  It  is 
used  chiefly  as  a  vermifuge;  the  dried  leaves,  in  pow- 
der, are  given  from  five  to  ten  grains.  A  single  green 
leaf  infused  like  tea  forms  three  doses  for  a  child  of  seven 
years  old;  but  the  plant  bears  in  summer  the  leaves  of 
ihe  former  year,  and  one  of  these  of  a  middle  size  is 
meant.  The  dose  is  usually  repeated  for  two,  and 
sometimes  three,  successive  mornings;  the  second  has 
commonly  a  greater  effect  than  the  first,  and  never  fails 
in  young  persons  to  expel  round  worms  by  stool.  The 
best  form  for  children  is  syrup.  For  this  purpose  the 
bruised  leaves  are  first  moistened  with  a  little  vinegar, 
then  the  juice  is  expressed  from  the  leaves,  and  made 
into  a  syrup  with  coarse  sugar.  A  tea  spoonful  is  given 
at  bed  time,  and  one  or  two  in  the  morning,  for  two  or 
three  successive  days,  increasing  or  diminishing  the 
dose  according  to  th^  strength  of  the  patient.  In  the 
western  counties,  a  tincture  is  sometimes  made,  of  the 
leaves  with  cyder,  and  said  to  be  an  useful  preparation. 
It  probably  is  so,  if,  as  has  been  asserted,  vegetable  acids 
are  correctors  of  this  plant.  In  whatever  way,  however, 
it  is  employed,  no  medicine  acts  with  more  certainty 
than  bear's  foot  as  an  anthelmintic.  It  always  eva- 
cuates the  round  worms,  but  is  less  effectual  in  ascari- 
des  and  tenia.  Dr.  Bisset  speaks  of  the  plant  as  also 
useful  in  some  asthmatic  and  hypochondriacal  disor- 
ders. See  his  Essay  on  the  Medical  Constitution  of 
Great  Britain.  The  powder  also  sprinkled  on  issues  in- 
creases their  discharge.  See  Tournefort's  Materia  Me- 
dica.  Rail  Historia  Plantarum. 

HELLE'BORUS  A'LBUS.  Veratrum  ;  COMMON  WHITE 
HELLEBORE.  Vcratrum  album  Lin.  Sp.  PI."  1479. 
This  plant  hath  large,  oval,  ribbed  leaves,  placed  alter- 
nately on  a  round  stock,  which  they  embrace  by  a 
tubular  basis;  in  their  axillx  towards  the  top  appear 
clusters  of  hexapetalous,  greenish  white,  flowers,  fol- 
lowed each  by  three  flat  pods,  containing  whitish  tri- 
angular seeds:  the  "root  is  short,  commonly  near  an 
inch  thick,  with  numerous  „ fibres  hanging  frpm  it,  ex- 
ternally of  a  brownish  colour,  internally  more  white. 
It  is  common  on  mountainous  places  in  Germany  and 
Switzerland.  Our  hellebore  is  probably  not  the  same 
with  that  of  the  ancients,  which  seems,  from  the  syno- 
nyms in  Caspar  Bauhine's  Pinax,  to  be  a  species  of  ane- 
mone. Tournefort  supposes  his  helleborus  niger  orien- 
talis  amplissimo  folio  caule  prsealto  flore  purpurascente 
to  be  the  hellebore  of  the  ancients,  as  he  found  it  in  the 
island  of  Anticyra,  famous  for  the  production  of  this 
medicine. 

When  the  root  of  white  hellebore  is  fresh,  it  hath  a 
disagreeable  smell,  which  is  lost  in  drying;  and  a  nause- 
ous, bitterish,  acrid,  penetrating,  and  durable  taste. 
When  powdered  it  is  used  externally  in  cuticular  erup- 
'  ions,  and  particularly  the  itch  ;  but  if  applied  to  any 
sore  it  excites  vomiting,  and  other  disagreeable  symp- 
foms  :  snuffed  up  the  nose  it  proves  a  violent  sternuta- 
tory.  If  the  powder  be  taken  from  x.  to  xv.  grains,  it 


operates  powerfully  upward  and  downward  ;  but  except 
in  maniacal  cases  it  is  rarely  used.  If,  on  taking  this 
root,  it  does  not  operate  freely,  an  emetic  will  evacuate 
it ;  otherwise  convulsions  will  probably  follow.  Hoff- 
man observes  that  it  affects  the  fauces,  producing  stran- 
gulation and  danger  of  suffocation,  with  great  anxiety; 
which  the  juice  of  quinces  will  in  his  opinion  relieve. 
Gesner  infused  half  an  ounce  of  this  root  in  two  ounces 
of  water,  two  drachms  of  which  produced  considerable 
internal  heat  about  the  tongue,  the  throat,  the  head,  and 
breast,  followed  by  singultus  and  vomiting.  It  produces 
also  violent  nervous  affections,  as  vertigo,  tremors, 
syncope,  spasms,  convulsions,  and  death.  In  all  these 
instances  the  internal  coat  of  the  stomach  appears  to  be 
inflamed.  Greeding  found  it  useful  in  maniacal  cases, 
and  it  seemed  to  act  on  all  the  different  secretory  or- 
gans, in  some  cases  producing  inflammation  of  the 
lungs.  It  has  been  given  also  with  advantage  in  epi- 
leptic cases. 

Tincture  of  white  hellebore  is  made  by  digesting  eight 
ounces  of  powdered  white  hellebore  roots  in  two  pints 
of  proof  spirit;  and  it  is  the  best  internal  preparation; 
sometimes  used  to  quicken  cathartics,  in  apoplectic, 
lethargic,  and  maniacal  cases.  In  chronical  disorders  it 
might  be  employed  to  great  advantage,  if  small  doses  at 
first  were  gradually  increased'.  A  grain  and  a  half 
added  to  a  drachm  of  sneezing  powder  quickens  its  ope- 
ration. It  is  also  used  in  decoction,  and  an  ointment. 
Decoction  of  white  hellebore  is  made  by  boiling  an 
ounce  of  the  root  in  two  pints  of  distilled  water,  till  re- 
duced to  one  :  when  cold,  two  ounces  of  rectified  spirit 
of  wine  are  added.  This  is  used  in  cutaneous  diseases; 
but  chiefly  the  itch,  herpes,  and  morbus  pediculosus, 
which  it  frequently  cures ;  and  is  more  cleanly  than  the 
ointments. 

Gesner  says,  the  root  in  the  form  of  an  oxymel  is  a 
powerful  expectorant  and  aperient.  It  is  most  indis- 
putably a  very  powerful  medicine,  and  should  be  given 
at  first  in  very  small  doses,  gradually  increasing  them. 
It  is  now  omitted  in  the  materia  medica  of  the  London 
college,  as  highly  dangerous. 

HELLE'BORUS  NI'GER;  melamfiodium  ;  by  Paracelsus, 
daura  ectomon;  CHRISTMAS  FLOWER,  BLACK  HELLE- 
BORE. It  is  the  helleborus  niger  Lin.  Sp.  PL  783. 
The  CHRISTMAS  ROSE.  Melampus  is  said  to  have  ob- 
served its  purging  quality  in  the  goats  which  fed  on  it, 
and  introduced  it  into  the  materia  medica,  from  whence 
it  was  styled  Malam/iodium;  but  in  reality  the  name  is 
derived  from  its  black  colour,  and  the  shape  of  its 
leaves.  It  is  a  low  plant,  .without  any  stalk:  the  leaf 
is  divided  quite  to  the  pedicle,  into  six,  seven,  or  more, 
smooth  round  segments,  resembling  bay  leaves,  indent- 
ed from  about  the  middle  to  the  extremity  :  the  flower 
is  large,  naked,  pentapetalous,  of  a  pale  rose  colour, 
with  numerous  stamina  in  the  middle,  -followed  by 
five  or  six  pods  full  of  shining  black  seeds;  the  petala 
continuing  and  changing  greenish :  the  root  consists 
of  numerous  fibres,  hanging  generally  from  a  knotty 
head,  externally  of  a  blackish  colour,  internally  white. 
It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in  the  mountainous  parts  of 
Germany  and  Switzerland,  and  flowers  in  our  gardens 
in  January. 

The  root  to  the  taste  is  bitter  and  pungent;  if  chewed 
for  a  few  minutes  it  benumbs  the  tongue.  Dr.  Grew 
observes,  that  it  is  first  felt  on  the  tip  of  the  tongue, 


HE  L 


HE  M 


and  then  on  its  middle.  The  fibres  are  stronger  and 
more  active  than  the  tuberous  head,  and  the  cortical 
part  of  the  latter  than  the  internal.  It  frequently  loses 
its  virtue  by  keeping;  and  with  its  smell  its  powers  are 
lost. 

The  roots  of  the  poisonous  aconites  resemble  those 
of  black  hellebore;  but  the  aconite  is  lighter  coloured 
than  the  palest  black  hellebore  roots.  It  is  safe  there- 
fore to  choose  the  darkest.  In  a  dose  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  grains  it  proves  aotively  purgative. 

Long  coction  destroys  its  activity  ;  and  water  extracts, 
by  boiling,  and  spirit  by  digestion,  nearly  all  the  virtue 
of  the  root.  Rectified  spirit  takes  up  chiefly  the  irritat- 
ing resinous  part.  After  proper  boiling  in  water  it 
yields  little  to  spirit ;  but  after  repeated  digestion  in 
pure  spirit,  it  yields  to  water  a  large  portion  of  mucila- 
ginous matter,  supposed  to  be  diuretic. 

In  the  present  practice  the  black  hellebore  root  is 
only  used  in  small  doses  as  an  attenuant  and  deobstru- 
ent ;  chiefly  in  obstructions  of  the  menses,  when  the 
habit  is  plethoric,  where  chalybeates  would  be  impro- 
per. The  emmenagogue  virtues  of  this  medicine  are, 
however, doubtful;  for  Dr.  Cullen  never  found  them  in 
many  trials,  nor  had  he  met  with  any  practitioners  in 
Scotland  who  had  better  success  :  not  one  instance  has 
occurred  of  the  power  of  hellebore  in  producing  hae- 
morrhage. It  promotes  urine  and  perspiration ;  in 
hypochondriasis  it  may  be  joined  with  chalybeates  ;  and 
if  the  pulse  be  low,  with  the  fetid  gums,  and  a  julep  of 
volatile  salt:  in  dropsies  it  is  said  to  be  useful,  if  joined 
wich  alkaline  salts.  In  nervous  cases  which  do  not  ad- 
mit of  chalybeates,  its  advantages  are  considerable ;  and 
when  given  so  as  to  be  powerfully  cathartic,  it  is  use- 
ful in  mania.  It  is  one  of  the  principal  ingredients  in 
Bacher's  famous  tonic  pills.  See  ASCITES. 

The  London  college  directs  a  watery  extract,  (see 
EXTRACT.  GLTCTRRHIZ^,)  and  a  tincture  with  proof 
spirit, made  in  the  following  manner: 

B.  Rad.  hellebori  nigri  in  pulverum  crassum  tritae 
§iv.coccinellarum  in  pulverem  tritarum  9  ij.  spt.  vinosi 
tenuioris,  m.  tb  ij.  digere  leni  calore  per  dies  octo,  et 
cola.  Pharm.  London.  1788.  The  extract  is  a  good  and 
safe  preparation  when  designed  as  a  cathartic ;  and  it 
contains  also  the  diuretic  virtue :  the  irritating  power 
is  in  a  great  degree  destroyed  by  boiling.  The  dose 
is  from  gr.  x.  to  3  ss-!  tnat  of  the  powder  is  the  same, 
though  the  extract  is  thought  milder;  but  as  an  altera- 
tive, the  tincture  is  usually  preferred,  of  which  a  tea 
spoonful  twice  a  day  may  be  considered  a  common 
dose.  See  Neumann's  Chemical  Works.  Tourne- 
fort's  and  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

HELMINTHIASIS.  A  disease  in  which  worms 
are  bred  under  the  skin. 

HELMINTHIC  A,  (from  i>^m,  a  -worm].  Medi- 
cines which  destroy  worms. 

HELOCAPO'LLIN.     A  sort  of  cherry.     See  CA- 

POLIX  MEXIC.   HERNAN. 

HELO'DES,  (from  eA»«,  a  fen}.  An  epithet  of  fe- 
vers, generated  from  marsh  miasma,  attended  ia  the 
beginning  with  profuse  but  not  salutary  sweats.  The 
sudor  Anglicus  is  of  this  kind.  See  TYPHODES. 

HELO'SIS,  (from  it^m,  to  turn').  A  disorder  of  the 
eye,  consisting  in  an  eversion  or  turning  up  of  the  eye 
lids 


HELO'TIS.     See  PLICA  POLOMCA. 

HE'LXINE,  (from  cA*«,  to  drata;  so  called  because 
it  sticks  to  whatsoever  it  touches).  See  PARIETARIA. 

HEMALO'PIA,  for  H^MALOPIA  ;  q.  v. 

HE'MERALOPS,  (from  ?*«»*,  a  day,  and  u-^/,  the 
eye,}  by  Rhazes  d'jrea.  A  defect  in  the  sight,  which 
consists  in  being  able  to  see  in  the  day  only,  but  not  in 
the  evening.  See-NvcTALOps. 

HEMEROCA'LLIS,  (from  tusf*,  day,  and  K*A»S, 
beautiful;  because  its  flower  opens  in  the  day  and  shuts 
at  night).  See  LILIUM  HUBRUM. 

HEMICERAV'NIOS,  (from  tu.i<rv,  in  composition, 
ip.i,half,  and  *nf*>,  to  cut;  because  it  was  divided  half 
way  down).  The  name  of  a  bandage,  in  Galen,  for  the 
back  and  breast. 

HEMICRA'XIA,  (from  ip.i,  half,  and  *fw/«»,  the 
skull}.  See  CEPHALALGIA. 

HEMICRA'MA  LU.VA'TICA.     An  erratic  fever. 

HEMIN  A,  (*fui<t,)  an  ancient  measure  which  differ- 
ed in  its  contents.  That  used  in  medicine  was  equal 
to  about  ten  ounces. 

HEMIOBO'LION,  or  HEMIO'BOLON.  Half  an 
obolus,  or  the  twelfth  part  of  a  drachm  ;  equal  to  five 
grains. 

HEMIO'LION,  is,  according  to  Galen,  twelve 
drachms ;  and  in  another  sense  it  is  the  same  as  sesqui- 
altera,  the  whole  of  a  thing  and  half  as  much  more,  as 
sesquiuncia;  sescuncia  an  ounce  and  a  half. 

HEMIONI'TIS,  (from  ijfu«»»5,  a  mule;  because,  like 
a  mule,  it  is  sterile).  MULE'S  FERX.  Hemionitis  lar.- 
ceolata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1535.  It  grows  in  Italy ;  resem- 
bles the  hart's  tongue  in  appearance  and  virtues.  See 
LINGUA  CERVINA. 

HEMIO'XIUM,  (from  the  same;  because  it  is  sup- 
posed to  make  women  steril,  like  the  mule).  See  As- 
PLEXIUM. 

HEMIOPSIA,(from  t/*ie-»,  half,  and«?rr»A«n,  -i-ii. 
An  affection  of  the  sight,  in  which  a  person  sees  only 
half  the  object. 

HEMIPA'GIA,  (from  vn.irv,  half,  •&n&wa.'/us,ifixed\ 
See  CEPHALALGIA. 

HEMIPLE'GIA,  HEMIPLE'XIA,  (from  **,,  half, 
and  -a-^t!<r<fa,  to  strike}.  Dr.  Cullen  arranges  it  as  the 
second  species  of  paralysis,  in  which  one  side  of  the  body 
only  is  affected  :  of  this  he  mentions  two  varieties.  1 . 
When  it  occurs  in  plethoric,  and  2.  when  in  leucophleg- 
matic  habits.  It  usually  begins  with,  or  follows,  a  pa- 
roxysm of  apoplexy ;  and  when  the  hemiplegia,  after 
subsisting  for  some  time,  becomes  fatal,  it  is  commonly 
by  passing  again  into  the  state  of  apoplexy.  The  rela- 
tion, therefore,  between  the  two  diseases  is  sufficiently 
evident,  and  is  further  strongly  confirmed  by  the  hemi- 
plegia coming  upon  persons  of  the  same  constitution, 
and  being  preceded  by  the  symptoms  of  apoplexy.  See 
PARALYSIS.  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  323 ; 
vol.  ii.  p.  198. 

HEMIRHO'MBION,  HEMTTOTMON^from  ^in,, 
half,  and  fif*&»,  to  revolve;  or  ttfatt,  to  cut}.  A  band- 
age mentioned  by  Hippocrates,  called  aemirhombusjrom 
its  extending  half  way  round  the  part  to  which  it  is, 
fixed ;  and  hemitemon,  from  its  being  cut  half  way 
down. 

HEMISPH-E.RA.  Half  of  a  globe  applied  to  each 
half  of  the  brain. 

5  B  2 


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IIEMITRIT^E'US,  (from  w«™,  half,  and  t 
third,  or  tertian^).     See  SEMITERTIANA  FEBRIS. 

HE'PAPv.  HE'PER.  Martinius  and  Gorrxus  derive 
it  from  nra,  to  work,  and  cap,  blood-;  supposing  its  office 
was  to  prepare  the  blood.  It  has  been  also  derived  from 
the  Hebrew  chebar,  gall.  The  LIVER.  See  JECUR. 

HE'PAR.  SU'LPHURIS.  A  sulphuret  prepared  by  add- 
ing sulphur  to  a  fixed  alkali,  chiefly  employed  in  medi- 
cine as  a  counterpoise!)  of  hydrargyrus  muriatus  and 
arsenic.  When  an  acid  is  added,  the  gas  which  escapes 
is  called  hejiadc,  and  it  is  the  peculiar  ingredient  in  the 
Harrowgate  water,  to  which  its  smell  is  owing.  Three 
parts  of  filings  of  iron,  and  two  parts  of  sulphur,  mixed, 
separate  a  similar  gas^  which  is  only  hydrogenous  gas, 
containing  sulphur  in  solution. 

HE'PAR.  UTEHI'NUM.     See  PLACENTA. 

HEPATA'LGIA,  (from  **•«?,  the  liver,  and  aAyss, 
fiaiii).  When  pain  affects  the  liver,  as  well  as  spleen, 
it  is  not  often  easy  to  distinguish  them  from  bilious  colic 
during  the  life  of  the  patient:  some  practitioners  think 
it  unnecessary,  since  they  require  the  same  method  of 
cure ;  but  as  they  arise  from  different  causes,  it  may 
not  be  useless  to  describe  some  of  these  ;  viz.  scirrhosity 
of  the  liver;  obstructions  of  the  gall  ducts,  from  very 
viscid  bile  ;  and  biliary  calculi. 

When  pain  of  the  liver  owes  its  origin  to  scirrhosity, 
it  is  attended  with  a  tumour  and  hardness  on  the  right 
side  below  the  short  ribs  ;  a  sense  of  weight,  with  a 
constant  dull  and  tensive  pain ;  difficult  breathing  ;  a 
dry  cough  ;  a  sense  of  weight  on  the  stomach  after  eat- 
ing, with  an  increase  of  the  difficulty  of  breathing;  un- 
easiness from  lying  on  the  left  side;  the  countenance 
yellow,  or  pale,  and  sallow ;  and  the  urine  often  of  an 
orange  colour,  depositing  a  thick  mucous  sediment.  If 
the  complaint  continues,  as  is  too  frequently  the  case, 
the  feet  swell,  the  body  is  emaciated,  a  dropsy  of  the 
belly,  with  a  remittent  fever,  comes  on. 

When  the  cause  is  obstruction  of  the  gall  ducts, 
from  viscid  biliary  matter,  the  symptoms  of  a  scirrhous 
liver,  which  comes  on  in  the  beginning,  are  much 
slighter;  to  which  are  added  a  flushing  heat  of  the 
face,  with  occasional  redness  and  heat  in  the  palms  of 
the  hands;  an  irregular  thirst;  dryness,  and  bitter 
taste  in  the  mouth;  a  dry  cough;  viscid  saliva;  loss 
of  appetite ;  heart  burn ;  weariness  and  heaviness  of 
the  limbs ;  increase  of  pain  on  touching  and  pressing 
the  left  side,  or  the  pit  of  the  stomach  ;  and  costiveness. 
The  hardness  on  the  right  side  is  not  so  firm  as  in  the 
former  case,  nor  do  the  redematous  swellings,  or  hectic 
symptoms,  appear. 

When  it  arises  from  gall  stones,  there  is  a  deep  seat- 
ed and  excruciating  pain  on  the  right  side,  or  at  the  pit 
of  the  stomach,  extending  through  the  body  to  the  back, 
not  constant,  but  occasionally  violent,  and  attended  with 
faintness, sickness,  and  often  vomiting  :  the  patient  com- 
plains of  sickness ;  the  right  side  and  the  epigastrium 
are  tense ;  the  belly  costive ;  the  excrements  pale  and 
whitish  ;  the  pulse  weaker,  but  seldom  quickened,  even 
when  the  pains  are  very  violent  and  continued.  The 
violent  pain  without  fever,  or  quickness  of  the  pulse,  is 
considered  as  the  certain  symptom  of  this  disease.  The 
patient,  either  in  an  erect  posture,  or  laying  on  the  left 
side,  feels  very  uneasy ;  is  restless ;  breathes  with  dif- 
ficulty; is  affected  with  heart  burn,  and  sometimes 


convulsions.  The  urine  is  pale,  afterwards  yellow ; 
and  the  skin  and  white  of  the  eyes  have  a  jaundice-like 
appearance  :  the  pain  at  last  vanishes  suddenly,  a  loose- 
ness sometimes  succeeds,  by  which  the  gall  stones  are 
discharged,  and  the  yellowness  "disappears. 

Pain  in  the  liver  from  scirrhosity  is  apt  to  attack 
gluttons  ;  hard  drinkers  ;  and  those  who  have  led  indo- 
lent lives.  It  also  arises  from  suppression  of  haemorr- 
hages, bruises  upon  the  right  sidei  general  concussions 
from  falls;  and  very  often  from  long  continued  intermit- 
tent fevers.  The  disease  generally  proves  fatal,  when 
once  formed  ;  though,  if  attended  to  in  the  beginning, 
it  might  perhaps  be  prevented. 

When  scirrhous  liver  or  viscid  hepatic  obstructions 
arise  from  hard  drinking,  we  have  explained  its  effect 
from  ardent  spirits  destroying  the  irritability  of  the 
vessels  ;  a  change  most  severely  felt,  where  the  circula- 
tion is  languid,  and  unassisted  by  the  muscular  coats 
found  in  arteries.  The  suppression  of  hemorrhages 
throws  the  blood,  as  we  have  seen,  on  the  internal 
parts  ;  and  in  elderly  persons,  where  this  effect  is  chiefly 
conspicuous,  the  disease  equally  arises  from  a  want  of 
irritability  in  the  vessels  to  propel  the  accumulated  con- 
tents. When  it  is  owing  to  general  shocks,  we  have 
explained  its  action  in  the  article  CONCUSSIO,  q.  v. 

Decoctions  of  vegetable  aperients,  as  grass  roots,  and 
dandelion,  are  serviceable.  Gum  ammoniacum  and 
myrrh  have  been  recommended  on  the  vague  principle 
of  attenuating ;  but  the  effects  of  these  remedies  are 
inconsiderable.  We  must  chiefly  depend  on  some 
stimulant  which  will  act  with  steadiness  on  the  minuter 
vessels,  and  this  property  is  almost  exclusively  confined 
to  mercury,  assisted  with  the  decoctions  of  guaiacum 
and  mezereon.  Small  doses  of  calomel  may  be  given, 
or,  what  is  preferred,  mercurial  ointment  may  be  rubbed 
in  on  the  part  affected.  At  the  same  time  the  circula- 
tion in  the  liver  may  be  assisted  by  gently  stimulating 
the  excretory  ducts  of  this  organ  by  rhubarb,  or  the 
cathartic  mineral  waters.  Chalybeates  are  also  useful, 
and  they  are  combined  in  the  present  fashionable  reme- 
dy, the  Cheltenham  waters.  Bath  waters,  in  gouty 
habits,  and  when  the  disease  has  arisen  from  long  resi- 
dence in  warm  climates,  are  occasionally  beneficial. 

When  spasmodic  affections  arc  the  cause,  which  is 
known  from  their  succeeding  violent  passions,  sedatives 
and  antispasmodics,  as  asafoetida,  camphor,  or  opium, 
may  be  joined  with  the  aperients ;  and  when  by  these 
means  the  obstruction  is  removed,  bitters  and  steel 
will  complete  the  cure.  In  its  course,  however,  the 
body  must  be  kept  open. 

When  the  disease  arises  from  gall  stones,  we  must 
endeavour  to  promote  their  expulsion  by  the  continued 
use  of  emollients  and  gentle  cathartics,  with  warm 
bathing,  interposing  opiates. 

Bleeding  is  sometimes  premised  to  prevent  inflam- 
mation in  strong  plethoric  habits,  and  vomits  are  often 
useful;  but  they  increase  the  pain,  and  are  suspected 
of  occasioning  inflammation.  If,  however,  they  caa 
be  borne,  they  greatly  facilitate  the  passage  of  a  gall 
stone.  As  a  combination  of  ether  and  spirit  of  turpen- 
tine has  been  found  to  dissolve  gall  stones  out  of  the 
body,  the  same  medicine  has  been  recommended  inter- 
nally. We  can  scarcely  understand  how  it  can  reach 
the  object;  but  it  has  been  said  to  have  been  useful.- 


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In  order  to  prevent  a  return  of  these  complaints, 
gentle  exercise,  particularly  riding  on  horseback,  should 
be  persevered  in ;  light,  easy  digestible  food  taken, 
avoiding  all  that  is  viscid. 

The  heptalgia,  however,  has  not  been  established  as 
a  genus  by  the  latest  and  best  nosologists ;  nor  should 
any  such  be  included  in  a  regular  system,  for  the  dis- 
tinguishing symptom,  pain,  is  often  absent ;  and  we 
thus  include  diseases  very  different,  viz.  infarcted  and 
scirrhous  liver,  chronic  hepatitis,  and  jaundice  from 
all  its  various  causes.  In  this,  as  well  as  many  other 
instances,  we  have  not  been  able  to  alter  the  former  ar- 
rangement, without  disturbing  numerous  references, 
and  inducing  greater  confusion  than  we  should  remove. 

Many  parts  of  this  article  will  be,  of  course,  repeated 
under  these  heads. 

HKPATA'RIUS,  (from  r*xi,  the  liver}.     HEPATIC. 

HEPA'TEROS,  (from  the  same,)  is  an  epithet  for 
that  kind  of  dysentery  in  which  the  discharge  is  of  a 
dark  yellow  or  sanious. 

HEP A'TICA.  (from  the  same).  Belonging  to  the 
liver,  is  applied  to  medicines  serviceable  to  the  diseases 
of  that  organ ;  and  to  a  pain  in  the  region  of  this 
organ. 

HEPA'TICA  VULGA'RIS,  fontalm,  terrestris,  stellata, 
jecorarin,  lichen  fietre ut  latifolius  ;  marchantia  fioly- 
mtirpka  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1603.  STONE, or  STAR  LIVER  WORT; 
is  a  species  of  moss  growing  in  stony  places  ;.  perennial, 
and  running  to  seed  in  March  and  April.  It  is  said 
to  be  aperient  and  resolvent,  but  is  scarcely  known  in 
practice. 

HEPA'TICA  NO'BILIS,  trifolium  aureuma  and  hefiati- 
eum,  hepatica  trifolia,  herba  trinitatis,  ranunculus  tri- 
dentatus  Ternut ,-  HERB  TRINITY,  and  NOBLE  LIVER 
WORT;  anemone  hepatica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  758;  is  a  low 
plant,  without  any  stalk ;  the  flowers  are  commonly 
blue,  sometimes  reddish  or  white,  followed  by  white 
seeds.  It  is  perennial,  grows  in  gravelly  shady  grounds 
in  Germany,  and  other  parts  of  Europe ;  and  flowers 
in  our  gardens  in  February  or  March. 

This  plant  is  esteemed  a  mild  restringent  and  corro- 
borant, and  infusions  of  it  are  used  as  tea.  Its  astringency 
is  equally  communicated  to  water  or  spirit,  and  wholly 
remains  in  the  extracts.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 
Raii  Historia. 

HEPA'TICA  A'LBA.     See  PARXASSIA. 

HEPA'TICA  ARTE'RIA.  HEPATIC  ARTERY.  As  soon 
as  this  artery  leaves  the  coeliaca,  where  it  is  covered 
.e  pancreas,  it  runs  to  the  upper  and  inner  part  of 
the  pylorus;  sending  off  two  branches,  a  small  one 
called /tyltrica,  and  a  larger  one  called  gastrica  dextra, 
or  major.  It  then  passes  behind  the  ductus  hepaticus, 
towards  the  vessica  fellis,  to  which  it  gives  two  branches, 
called  arteries  cystice,  and  another  called  biliaria,  which 
is  lost  in  the  great  lobe  of  the  liver.  Afterwards  this 
artery  enters  the  fissure  of  the  liver,  and  joins  the  vena 
portae,  with  which  it  runs  in  the  capsula  Glissonii,  and 
accompanies  it  through  the  whole  substance  of  the  liver 
by  numerous  ramifications,  which  may  be  termed  arte- 
rie  hepatice  proprie. 

HEPA'TICA  BRA'CHII  VE'NA.     See  BASILICA  VESA. 

HEPA'TICA  MI'NOR  VE'NA.  A  branch  from  the  vena 
portae  ventralis;  sometimes  a  branch  of  the  cysticae  venae. 

HEPA'TICA  STELLA'RIS.     See  ASFERVLA. 


HEPA'TICA  STELLA 'TA.     See  ASFERULA. 

HEPA'TICA  TEKRESTRIS  JECORARIA.  Sec  HEP\TICA 
VUI.GARIS. 

HEPATIC.fi  VE'X.E,  arise  directly  from  the  -. 
cava  inferior,  as  it  passes  down  through  the  posterior 
part  of  the  great  fissure  of  the  liver.  Sometimes  one 
branch  from  the  vena-  cava  divides  into  these  which 
correspond  with  the  vena  portae.  The  vena  cava  also 
sends  others,  which  correspond  with  the  hepatic 
arteiy. 

HEPA'TICO-CY'STICI  DU'CTUS.  That  side  of 
the  body  of  the  gall  bladder  which  lies  next  the  liver, 
is  connected  to  that  gland  by  a  vast  number  of  filaments 
which  run  into  the  substance  of  the  liver  ;  and  among 
these  filaments  are  some  ducts  which  form  a  communi- 
cation between  the  pori  biliarii  and  gall  bjadder.  These 
ducts  are  the  most  numerous  about  the  neck  of  the 
gall  bladder. 

HEPA'TICUS,  (from  »*•*?,  liver}.  HEPATIC;  an 
epithet  for  any  thing  belonging  to  the  liver.  The 
ancients  confined  the  word  to  an  inflammation  of  the 
liver;  but  the  moderns  use  it  to  signify  those  whose 
livers  are,  from  any  cause,  diseased. 

HEPA'TICUS  DU'CTUS.     See  PoRTi  VENA. 

HEPATIRRHCE'A,  (from  *r«f,  the  liver,  and  ft*, 
to  Jiow}.  A  species  •  of  diarrhoea.  (See  DIARRHJEA.) 
The  other  hepatirrhoeas  are  symptomical. 

HEPATI'TIS,INFLAMMATIOHEPATIS,(from 
*»*/!,  the  liver.}  Ax  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  LIVER. 
An  inflammation  may  be  in  different  parts  of  the  liver, 
as  in  its  membranes  or  substance  ;  in  its  concave  or  the 
convex  side.  Inflammation  in  the  hepatic  arteries  is 
said  to  cause  some  symptoms  not  unlike  those  of  the 
hydrophobia.  See  Hippocrates  Coac.  lib.  cxxxix.  Are- 
taeus  de  Curatione  Acutorum,  lib.  i.  and  Trallianus,  lib. 
i.  c.  xv. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in-  the  class  pyrexiz, 
and  order  phlegmatie,  and  defines  it  a  febrile  affection, 
attended  with  tension  and  pain  of  the  right  hypochon- 
drium,  often  pungent,  like  that  of  a  pleurisy,  but  more 
frequently  dull,  or  obtuse;  a  pain  at  the  clavicle,  and 
at  the  top  of  the  right  shoulder;  much" uneasiness  in 
lying  down  on  the  left  side;  difficulty  of  breathing;  a 
dry  cough  ;  vomiting;  hiccough.  Sauvagesand  Sagar, 
he  says,  amongst  the  symptoms  have  placed  a  yellow 
colour  of  the  face,  of  the  urine,  of  the  serum  of  the 
blood,  and  of  the  eruptions,  which  appear  on  the  skin : 
but  these  symptoms  of  a  regurgitation,  and  reabsorp- 
tion  of  the  bile,  have  been,  he  thinks,  very  properly 
omitted  by  Linnaeus  and  Vogel;  because  such  symp- 
toms occur  very  rarely.  Of  this  disease  he  makes  two 
varieties,  the  acute,  and  the  chronic.  Thepathognomonic 
symptoms  of  the  first  are  above  recited.  The  chronic 
often  affords  no  signs  by  which  it  can  be  distinguished. 
It  may,  however,  be  suspected  from  some  causes  of  the 
hepatitis  having  preceded ;  from  a  sense  of  fulness  and 
weight,  or  from  occasional  pain  in  the  right  hypochon- 
drium  ;  from  pain,  on  pressing  the  same  part,  or  from 
lying  down  on  the  left  side ;  and  lastly,  from  a  slight 
fever  occasionally  appearing. 

Dr.  Saunders,  with  great  reason,  supposes  it  owing  to 
an  inflammatory  state  of  the  system  of  the  vena  portae  ; 
while  the  acute  kind  is  owing  to  the  same  slate  of  the 
hepatic  artery. 


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Winslow  thinks  the  seat  of  the  inflammation  is  in  the 
ramifications  of  the  vena  portse,  or  the  hepatic  artery  ; 
Ur.  Heberden  that  the  liver  is  never  primarily  affected; 
and  Dr.  Cullen  that  the  inflammation  is  only  in  the 
extremities  of  the  hepatic  artery. 

The  acute  hepatitis  may  be  seated  either  on  the  con- 
vex or  on  the  concave  side  of  the  liver.  In  the  former 
case,  a  more  pungent  pain  and  hiccough  may  be  pro- 
duced, and  the  respiration  is  more  considerably  affected. 
In  the  latter  the  pain  is  less,  and  a  vomiting  attends  from 
the  communication  of  inflammation  to  the  stomach. 
The  inflammation  of  the  concave  surface  of  the  liver 
may  be  readily  communicated  to  the  gall  bladder  and 
bilious  ducts;  and  this  perhaps  is  the  only  case  of 
idiopathic  hepatitis  attended  with  jaundice. 

The  disorder  is  most  frequent  in  warm  climates;  it 
is  produced  by  the  common  causes  of  internal  inflam- 
mation, and  is  then  preceded  by  fever,  and  by  ob- 
struction of  the  hepatic  ducts.  Hepatitis  is  sorhetimes 
communicated  to  the  liver  from  the  lungs,  and  it  then 
follows  peripneumony,  and  is  apparently  an  exacerba- 
tion of  the  same  disease,  communicated  to  the  adjoining 
membranes.  Its  remote  causes  are  un&ertain. 

When  the  seat  of  the  disorder  is  in  the  membranes, 
the  pain  is  more  acute,  and  resembles  a  pleurisy  more 
than  when  the  substance  of  the  liver  is  the  part  affected. 
In  this  acute  kind,  the  pain  is  pungent;  the  fever  very 
considerable ;  the  pulse  frequent,  strong,  and  hard ;  the 
urine  high  coloured. 

In  general,  when  the  substance  of  the  liver  is  in- 
flamed, the  pain  is  not  very  acute  at  first ;  but  gradually 
increasing,  it  shoots  up  to  the  top  of  the  right  shoulder, 
and  sometimes  into  the  throat  and  about  the  clavicle. 
The  pain  darting  into  the  throat  is  said  to  be  a  pathog- 
nomonic  symptom.  The  pulse  is  not  much  altered  in 
the  beginning,  if  the  disease  be  not  very  acute ;  and 
often  inflammation  is  only  known  to  have  existed  by  the 
abscess.  When  the  convex  part  of  the  liver  is  affected, 
a  tumour  is  visible  externally,  and  occasions  a  cough 
and  a  difficulty  of  breathing:  the  pulse  is  then  quick- 
ened, and  the  patient  cannot  well  lie  on  his  left  side. 
In  all  cases  of  inflammation  in  this  viscus,  the  quantity 
of  the  bile  thrown  into  the  duodenum  is  increased,  and 
the  evacuations  become  bilious. 

Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  the  acute  hepatitis  may  be 
Known  by  a  pain  in  the  right  hypochondrium,  increased 
by  pressing  upon  the  part.  The  pain  is  very  often  so 
pungent  as  to  resemble  that  of  a  pleurisy  ;  frequently, 
as  in  pleurisy,  is  increased  on  inspiration,  and  the  patient 
can  then  only  lie  on  the  side  affected.  The  disease  is 
sometimes  also  attended  with  a  cough,  commonly  dry, 
but  sometimes  followed  by  expectoration. 

Inflammation  in  the  liver  when  highly  acute  is  short, 
and  terminates  by  resolution ;  but  when  less  active  it 
more  generally  ends  in  suppuration,  and  proves  fatal  by- 
inducing  hectic,  unless  the  matter  can  be  discharged 
externally.  If  properly  treated  in  the  beginning,  it  is 
i-'arely  mortal. 

The  resolution  of  the  hepatitis  is  often  the  conse- 
quence of,  or  is  attended  with,  evacuations  of  different 
kinds.  A  haemorrhage,  sometimes  from  the  nose, 
sometimes  from  the  haemorrhoidal  vessels,  relieves 
the  disease.  More  commonly,  a  bilious  diarrhoea  or 
external  erysipelas  contributes  to  the  same  event;  and 
the  resolution  of  the  hepatitis,  as  of  the  other  inflam- 


mations, is  attended  with  sweating,  and  with  an  eva- 
cuation of  urine,  depositing  a  copious  sediment. 

This  kind  of  inflammation  should  be  distinguished 
from  inflammation  of  the  pleura,  of  the  diaphragm,  of 
the  stomach,  of  the  muscles  of  the  belly,  and  from 
spasmodic  painsr 

Inflammation  of  the  pleura,  or  lungs,  so  often  pre- 
cedes or  accompanies  hepatitis,  that  the  distinction  is 
difficult,  and  fortunately  of  no  great  importance,  as  the 
same  means  of  relief  are  employed.  The  incessant 
vomiting  distinguishes  inflammation  of  the  stomach ; 
but  that  of  the  diaphragm  is  often  confounded  with 
hepatitis,  and  sometimes  accompanies  it.  The  pain 
across  the  body  is  not  easily  distinguished  from  the 
shooting  pain  from  an  affection  of  the  gall  ducts  ;  and 
it  is  not  yet  ascertained  that  either  delirium  or  the 
risus  sardonicus  is  the  peculiar  symptom  of  diaphrag- 
mitis. 

Thes  ymptoms  in  the  beginning  do  not  often  alarm 
the  patient ;  and  early  assistance  is  not  always  demand- 
ed. At  any  period  before  the  fifth  day,  bleeding  may 
be  employed ;  the  operation  repeated  if  the  pain  is  con- 
siderable, the  patient  young,  strong,  and  plethoric. 
After  a  free  bleeding,  a  large  blister  should  be  laid  over 
the  part  affected ;  and  if  there  is  a  free  passage  for  the 
bile  into  the  duodenum,  the  bowels  kept  freely  loose 
with  proper  doses  of  antimonium  tartarisatum,  infusion 
of  tamarinds,  vitriolated  natron,  and  rhubarb. 

Dr.  Curry,  combining  these  ideas  with  the  East 
Indian  practice,  which  is  not  well  adapted  for  the  more 
acute  hepatitis  of  this  climate,  recommends  calomel  as 
the  most  active  laxative,  and  particularly  adapted  for 
emulging  the  glands  of  the  diseased  part.  When  it  is 
rejected  from  the  stomach,  he  advises  washing  it  with 
lime  water,  and  giving  the  powder  which  remains, 
joined  with  opium.  In  the  very  irritable  state  of  the 
stomach  which  sometimes  accompanies  the  disease, 
this  form  of  mercury  is,  he  thinks,  more  easily  borne. 

If  these  means  fail,  or  if  it  is  too  late  for  their  proper 
use,  and  symptoms  of  a  beginning  suppuration  appear, 
the  powder  of  bark  in  the  dose  of  J  ss.  four  or  five 
times  a  day  may  be  given,  and  the  quantity  increased 
until  |  ss.  is  taken  every  twenty-four  hours. 

If  the  abscess  points  externally,  it  must  be  en- 
couraged by  maturating  cataplasms,  and  opened  as 
soon  as  possible,  particularly  if,  from  its  immobility, 
the  liver  seems  to  adhere  to  the  peritoneum ;  and  the 
bark  may  then  be  given  to  two  ounces  in  twenty-four- 
hours,  if  the  stomach  will  retain  it,  and  we  may  thus 
proceed  until  suppuration  appears.  If,  from  purulent  or 
ichorous  stools,  it  is  evident  that  the  abscess  has  burst 
into  the  duodenum,  or,  from  other  symptoms,  that  it 
hath  discharged  its  contents  into  the  cavity  of  the  belly, 
the  same  methods  may  be  us«d,  though  equally  good 
effects  cannot  be  expected. 

Hepatitis,  however,  has  lately  pressed  on  our  notice 
in  very  different  forms,  in  consequence  of  our  more 
extended  connections  in  India.  In  hot  countries, 
where  the  circulation  is  more  languid,  the  liver  parti- 
cularly suffers  from  any  cause  of  fever,  nor  can  its 
infarctions  be  removed  by  the  usual  methods  of  blisters 
and  laxatives.  A  medicine  which/ gives  tone  and  acti- 
vity tp  the  circulating  system  is  necessary,  and  this" 
medicine  is  mercury.  Even  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
complaint  it  is  administered  both  internally  and  exter- 


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nally,  and  the  limits  of  its  employment  are  the  ap- 
pearances of  its  action  on  the  sanguiferous  system,  by 
the  effect  on  the  gums.  Very  large  quantities,  it  is  said, 
are  often  administered  before  this  effect  is  produced ; 
but  as  soon  as  it  appears,  all  thesymptoms  are  relieved. 

The  long  residents  in  hot  climates  bring  back  to  this 
country  all  the  symptoms  of  chronic  hepatitis,  with  a 
variety  of  complaints  arising  from  an  infarcted  liver, 
which  have  apparently  little  connection  with  this  dis- 
ease. The  peculiar  symptoms  of  chronic  hepatitis  are, 
irregular  fever,  indigestion,  costiveness,  white  stools, 
swelled  legs,  the  complexion  of  a  sallow  yellow,  pain 
or  fulness  of  the  hypochondria,  dry  cough,  disturbed 
sleep,  and  dejected  spirits.  Many  of  these  appearances 
are,  however,  sometimes  wanting;  and  occasionally 
the  cough  only,  indigestion,  or  irregular  fever,  are 
observed :  but,  in  every  instance  where  the  patient  has 
resided  long  in  a  warm  climate,  a  diseased  liver  maybe 
suspected;  and  whatever  the  complaint  be,  the  state  of 
the  liver  should  be  examined ;  and  if  fulness  or  ten- 
sion, if  pain  or  uneasiness,  be  felt,  or  experienced  on 
pressure,  the  appropriate  remedy,  mercury,  must  be 
employed,  to  which  gently  stimulating  laxatives  must 
be  added. 

Powerful  astringents  are  less  useful  than  what  are 
styled  the  aperient  bitters,  viz.  the  camomile  flowers, 
columbo  root,  and  quassia,  which  should  be  taken  in 
moderate  doses,  continued  for  some  time ;  and  their 
use  after  a  little  intermission  resumed.  The  Bath  wa-  - 
ters,  formerly  so  much  commended  in  this  complaint, 
have  yielded  in  credit  to  those  of  Cheltenham,  whose 
laxative  power  is  highly  useful,  and  rendered  less  de- 
bilitating than  it  might  otherwise  prove  by  its  chalybeate 
impregnation.  Constant  but  moderate  exercise ;  free 
air ;  cheerful  society ;  frequent  changes  of  scene,  and 
tepid  sea  baths;  are  generally  useful:  but'  all  our  at- 
tempts relieve  only — lateri  adhaeret  vulnus  ! 

See  Pringle  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Army.  Fordyce's 
Elements,  part  the  second.  Matthews  on  Hepatic  Dis- 
eases. Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  i.  p.  376,  edit.  4. 
Bell's  Surgery,  b.  v.  p.  587.  London  Medical  Trans- 
•  actions,  vol.  ii.  p.  147.  Saunders  on  the  Liver;  and 
Pemberton  on  Diseases  of  the  Abdominal  Viscera. 

HEPATI'ZON,  (from  v**f,  the  liver,  because  it  is 
of  a  liver  colour).  See  MORFHEA. 

HEPATOCE'LE,  (from  vx*f,  and  *.rM,  a  ru/tture). 
RUPTURE  OF  THE  LIVER.  This  complaint  happens  from 
the  liver  passing  through  the  relaxed  parietes  of  the 
abdomen,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  umbilicus,  or  through 
the  umbilicus  itself.  This  disease  may  be  distinguished 
by  tracing  the  liver  to  the  part  which  the  tumour  occu- 
pies ;  from  the  parenchymatic  firmness  of  the  protube- 
rance, which  is  sometimes  livid ;  from  the  absence  of 
those  symptoms  which  point  out  the  enterocele,  epiplo- 
cele,  gastrocele,  and  particularly  the  hysterocele.  The 
species  are  distinguished  by  the  situation  of  the  tu- 
mour into  hepatocele  ventralis  and  umbilicalis.  The 
mode  of  cure  is  similar  to  that  of  other  ruptures,  par- 
ticularly the  GASTROCELE;  q.  v. 

HEPATO'RIUM,  (from  v**p,  the  liver).     See  Ev- 

PATOHIUM. 

HEPATO'RIUM  A^UA'TILE.     See  BIDESS. 
HEPSE'MA,  (from   ty*,  to  boil).     A  »Ecocrioy. 
See  MUSTUM. 


HEPTA'NDRIA,  (from  «r7«,  seven,  and  *>v,  a. 
husband).  The  seventh  class  of  Linnaeus's  system,  in- 
cluding plants  which  have  seven  stamina. 

HEPTAPHA'RMACUM,  (from  !«•?«,  seven,  and 
fttffutxn,  a  medicine  or  remedy).  A  plaster  or  oint- 
ment, containing  seven  ingredients,  viz.  litharge,  wax, 
colophony,  fat,  Sec. 

HEPTAPHY'LLUM,  (from  tirl»,  seven,  and 
a  leaf).     See  TORMENTILLA. 

HEPTAPLEU'RON,  (from  e*-?*,  seven,  and 
a  rib,  furnished  with  seven  ribs).     See  PLANTAGO  LA- 
TIFOLIA. 

HERACA'NTHA.     See  CARLIXA. 
HERA'CLEA,  (from  Heracles,  the  city  near  which 
it  grew).     See  MARRUBIUM  A  qu  ATI  CUM. 

HERACLEI'OS,orHERACLEI'US.  HERCULEAN. 
Names  of  epilepsy,  mania,  and  loadstone ;  from  the 
great  strength  and  power  exerted. 

HERACLEO'TICUM,  brought  from  Heraclea. 
See  ORIGANUM. 

HERA'CLIUM  OLEUM;  supposed  to  be  the  oil 
of  box  wr.od. 

HERA'CLIUS  LAPIS.  See  MAGNES. 
HE'RBA,  (from  the  Arabic  term  erbah,  from  rabah, 
to  germinate').  HERBS,  or  PLANTS  whose  stalks  die  to 
the  ground  every  year.'  Those  whose  roots  continue 
one  year  are  called  annual;  if  two  years,  biennial;  and 
if  durable,  fterennial.  In  common  language,  an  herb  is 
used  in  opposition  to  a  tree.  By  Linnaeus  the  herb  is 
put  for  that  part  of  a  vegetable  which  arises  from  the 
root,  is  terminated  by  the  fructification,  and  compre- 
hends the  stem,  leaves,  fulcra,  and  hybernacula. 

Herbs  are  to  be  gathered  when  the  leaves  are  at  their 
full  growth,  before  the  flowers  unfold,  except  those 
whose  flowery  tops  are  preferred..  •  They  should  be 
quickly  dried,  in  a  room  heated  by  a  fire  to  a  degree 
equal  to  the  hottest  day,  from  75°  to  80°.  Aromatic 
plants  should  be  collected  from  warm  dry  soils;  fetid 
ones  from  those  which  are  moist  and  rich.  All  herbs 
and  leaves  should  be  gathered  in  clear  dry  days,  as 
soon  as  the  morning  dew  is  dissipated.  When  herbs 
are  properly  dried,  they  are  good  while  their  colour  re- 
mains, both  for  decoctions  and  distillation ;  those  that 
are  good  when  dry  are  preferable  to  the  same  herbs  in 
their  green  state. 

HE'RBA  PA'RIS,  (from  the  Trojan  youth,)  this  herb 
bearing  but  one  seed ;  ui>a  lufiina,  solanum  quadrifo- 
lium,  HERB  PARIS,  HERB  TRUE  LOVE,  or  ONE  BERRY. 
Paris  quadrifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  527.  It  is  a  low  plant; 
grows  wild  in  shady  woods;  flowers  in  April  and  May; 
the  berry  is  ripe  in  July.  Gesner  observes,  that  its 
juice  is  narcotic;  but  it  is  not  now  used.  See  Raii 
Historia.  For  the  herba  Paris  alba,  see  ABSINTHIUM 

VALESIACVM. 

HE'RBA  ALEXAXDRI'XA.     See  HIPPOSELINUM. 

HE'RBA  BENEDI'CTA.     See  CARYOPHYLLATA. 

HE'RBA  BRITAXMCA.     See  HYDROLAPATHUM. 

HE'RBA  FE'LIS.     See  MENTHA  CATARIA. 

HE'RBA  JU'LIA.     See  AGERATUM. 

HK'RBA  MELANCHOLI'FUGA.     See  FUMARIA.  - 

HE'RBA  PE'TRI.  See  PRIMULA  VEHIS,  under  PARA- 
I-PELYSIS. 

HK'RBA  RE'GIA.      See    BASILICUM,    and    ARTEMJ- 

SJA. 


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744 


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HE'RBA  SA'NCTJE  BA'RBARJE.     See  BARBAREA. 

HE'RBA  SA'NCTI  PE'TRI.     See  CRITHMUM. 

HE'HBA  STE'LLA.     See  CORONOPUS. 

HE'RBA  TRINITA'TIS.     See  HEPTICA  NOBILIS. 

HE'RBA  VETE'RIBUS  IGNO'TA.     See  CARDAMINES. 

HE'RBA  VI'VA.     See  CAACO. 

HERBA'TUM  CANADE'NSIUM  ;  panaces  mos- 
chatum;  SWEET  SCENTED  ALL  HEAL  OF  AMERICA.  Aralia 
racemosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  393.  This  plant  is  found  in 
Canada;  but  is  rather  alimentary  than  medicinal. 

HE'RCULEA  MEDICAMENTA.  Named  from 
their  supposed  extraordinary  powers. 

HE'RCULES  BO'VII.  The  name  of  a  once  famous 
emetic  and  cathartic  preparation. 

HERMA'NNIA.  Denominated  in  honour  of  HER- 
MAN BOEHHAAVE.  The  name  of  an  African  genus 
similar  in  virtue  to  the  marsh  mallows.  None  are  used 
in  medicine ;  but  if  any  have  a  claim  to  notice,  it  is  the 
Hermann ia  altheifnlia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  141. 

HERMAPHRODITUS,  (from  'E^«,  Mercury,  and 
AtpfoS'irii,  Venus}.  An  HERMAPHRODITE;  andria;  a 
person  supposed  to  be  of  both  sexes ;  but  the  clitoris 
of  a  woman  being  of  an  extraordinary  size,  is  all  the 
peculiarity  in  this  supposed  species  of  the  human  kind. 
(See  Chesclden's  Anatomy.)  In  botanical  language  it 
is  applied  to  flowers  having  both  anther  and  stigma. 
Hence  an  hermaphrodite  plant  is  that  which  has  only 
hermaphrodite  flowers. 

HERMETICA  MEDICINA.  HERMETICAL  MEDI- 
CINE, is  the  medical  system  adopted  by  the  chemists,  at 
present  deservedly  exploded  and  forgotten. 

HERMETICUM  SIGILLUM,  the  securest  means 
of  inclosing  fluids  in  a  glass  tube,  viz.  by  melting  the 
neck,  and  closing  or  twisting  it  with  a  pair  of  pincers. 

HERMODA'CTYLUS,  (from  Hermits,  a  river 
upon  whose  banks  it  grows,  arid  dactylus,  a  date, 
which  it  resembles).  Hermodactyl;  colchicum  illyri- 
cum  of  Forskell  and  Gronovius;  alsurengium;  asaba; 
Hermes  dactyletus;  cphemeron;  is  the  root  of  a  plant 
brought  from  the  east ;  of  the  shape  of  a  heart,  and  of 
a  reddish,  yellowish,  brownish  colour.  When  white 
and  hard  it  is  preferred.  Each  root  is  flatted  on  one 
side,  with  a  furrow  on  the  other.  Though  known  from 
the  time  of  Prosper  Alpinus,  it  is  singular  that  its 
species  has  not  been  accurately  ascertained.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  it  is  from  the  plant  which  fur- 
nishes the  following  medicine.  It  hath  a  viscous 
farinaceous  sweetness  to  the  taste,  but  no  smell.  The 
ancients  say  it  is  cathartic ;  but  the  dried  ones  which 
we  receive  are  perfectly  inert.  Prosper  Alpinus  in- 
forms us,  that  the  Egyptian  women  eat  them  as  a  means 
of  becoming  fat.  They  are  not  of  any  known  use  in 
medicine.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Neumann's 
Chemical  Works. 

HBRMODA'CTYLUS  FO'LIO  QUADRA'NGULO,  called  also 
iris  tuberosa,  iris  Inilbosa,  and  SNAKE'S  HEAD  IRIS;  iris 
tuberosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  58.  The  root  of  this  plant  hath  a 
tubercle,  which  is  both  emetic  and  cathartic. 

HE'RNIA,  (from  e^nf,  a  branch,  because  it  pro- 
trudes forward).  A  TUMOUR,  ecrexis  ramear,  and  a  RUP- 
TURE, as  occasioning  a  tumour.  In  consequence  of 
some  sudden  effort,  a  portion  of  the  contents  of  some 
cavity  is  forced  through  the  interstices  of  the  containing 
parts,  usually  confined  to  the  abdominal  contents  forced 


through  the  interstices  of  the  abdominal  muscles,  or 
those  openings  designed  for  the  passage  of  nerves  and 
blood  vessels.  Dr.  Cullen  defines  it  an  ectopia,  or  dis- 
placing of  a  soft  part,  though  still  covered  with  the 
skin  and  other  integuments. 

From  the  situation  of  these  tumours,  their  contents, 
or  both,  they  obtain  their  respective  denominations;  oc- 
casionally taking  their  name  from  attending  circum- 
stances. 1 .  Those  from  the  situation  are  the  umbilical, 
femoral,  labial,  scrotal,  or  ventral.  2.  Those  from  the 
contents  are  the  enterocele,  epiploccle,  entero-epiplo- 
cele,  pneumatocele.  3.  Those  from  attending  circum- 
stances are,  the  incarcerated  hernia,  £cc.  True  and  false 
hernia  have  been  distinguished;  but  each  is  a  tumour 
of  the  scrotum,  and  the  former  are  from  the  abdominal 
viscera,  beginning  from  above  and  descending  down- 
wards to  the  groin  or  scrotum;  while  the  latter  begin 
from  below  and  ascend  upwards ;  as  the  hernia  hu- 
moralis,  hyclrocele,  haematocele,  and  sarcocele.  These 
are  diseases  in  the  part  where  the  tumour  appears ;  from 
the  Greek  term  x«Ai). 

The  inguinal  is  the  most  frequent  hernia;  and  the 
next  to  this  is  the  femoral.  The  umbilical  seldom  oc- 
curs except  in  elderly  women,  who  have  been  often 
mothers.  A  hernia  of  any  other  viscus,  besides  the 
intestines,  is  peculiarly  rare. 

When  the  intestines  fall  down  from  the  cavity  of  the 
abdomen, or  rather  of  the  peritonaeum,  it  is  evident  that 
this  latter  membrane  must  be  carried  with  them,  unless 
it  should  be  ruptured  or  wounded,  which  is  seldom  the 
case.  When  independent  of  wound,  the  gut  usually 
falls  through  those  apertures,  originally  formed  for  the 
passage  of  the  spermatic  cord;  and  in  women  of  the 
round  ligaments  of  the  uterus,  or  for  the  femoral  arteries. 
These  apertures  are  imperfectly  closed  with  fat  only; 
for  they  are  not  muscular,  and  therefore  do  not  admit 
of  contraction.  It  sometimes,  however,  happens  that 
the  intestine  is  forced  through  the  fibres  of  the  abdo- 
minal muscles ;  and  one  case  is  recorded  in  which  the 
colon  was  pushed  through  the  fibres  of  the  diaphragm; 
in  others,  the  intestines  have  passed  by  the  side  of  the 
oesophagus,  by  the  vena  cava  inferior,  or  more  rarely 
by  the  aorta  into  the  thorax;  the  general  cause  is  what- 
ever contracts  the  capacity  of  the  abdomen,  or  violently 
forces  the  intestine  against  the  apertures  mentioned. 
Violent  coughing,  crying,  laughing,  costiveness,  dysury, 
pregnancy,  or  whatever  produces  a  deep  inspiration, 
occasions  this  contraction,  by  the  united  exertions  of  the 
diaphragm  and  abdominal  muscles.  Suddenly  lifting  a 
heavy  weight,  which  produces  a  deep  inspiration,  the 
jumping  of  a  rough  horse,  and  any  other  violent  ex- 
ertion, have  been  followed  by  the  same  consequences. 
Independent  of  these  causes,  in  weak  persons  the 
weight  of  the  intestines  will  produce  a  similar  effect. 
It  is,  therefore,  common  in  warm  climates;  after 
long  fevers  in  old  persons ;  those  who,  with  poor 
diet,  have  laboured  hard ;  and  it  has  been  said,  that 
those  who  eat  large  quantities  of  oil  are  subject  to  this 
complaint.  This,  however,  can  scarcely  happen  but 
in  the  warmer  regions;  and  increased  temperature 
alone  predisposes  to  it.  Hernia  sometimes  appears  to 
be  hereditary. 

There  are  other  apertures  through  which  the  intes- 
tines sometimes,  though  very  rarely,  pass;  as  between 


H  E  II 


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bladder  and  rectum,  or  the  utrrus  and  rectum, 
:i  the  tumour  appears  in  the  perinseum  ;  by  the  is- 
•-ic  notch  ;  or  by  the  side  of  the  sciatic  nerve,  when 
they  are  seated  under  the  glutaei  muscles.  Mr.  Cooper 
mentions  a  singular  hernia,  where  the  intestine  passed 
into  the  labia  pudendi,  falling  under  the  branch  of  the 
ischium  along  with  the  internal  pudendal  artery,  but 
continued  into  the  pelvis,  by  the  side  of  the  vagina. 
In  one  case  they  passed  between  the  laminae  of  the 
peritonaeum  into  the  mesentery  ;  and,  in  another,  into  a 
bag  formed  by  a  separation  of  the  laminae  of  the  meso- 
colon.  When  the  formation  of  the  muscles  is  defective, 
the  intestines  may  even  protrude  at  the  loins. 

Other  viscera  are  occasionally  displaced.  The  brain 
is  sometimes  protruded  through  the  skull,  when  the 
bones  of  the  head  are  deficient ;  the  lungs  will  occa- 
sionally pass  through  the  fibres  of  the  intercostal  mus- 
cles ;  and  the  uterus  or  bladder  has  been  protruded 
through  the  parietes  of  the  abdomen.  These  herniae 
are,  however,  uncommon. 

The  sac  which  contains  the  intestines  is,  therefore, 
the  peritonaeum,  and  the  contents  are  most  commonly 
the  omentum  and  the  ilium ;  less  frequently,  in  suc- 
cession, the  colon,  the  ccecum,  and  the  jejunum  :  some- 
times only  the  appendix  caeci  vermiformis.  The  pe- 
ritonaeum in  this  situation  is  generally  thickened; 
though,  when  the  weight  has  been  considerable,  it  has 
been  found  peculiarly  thin.  The  rupture  of  the  peri- 
tonaeum, which  was  supposed  always  to  happen,  and 
which  gave  a  name  to  the  disease,  rarely  occurs.  The 
sac,  however,  has  occasionally  burst,  particularly  in  one 
instance,  by  a  blow ;  and  where  the  intestines  escape, 
from  defective  organization  of  the  muscles,  they  are 
seldom  in  a  sac,  for  the  peritonaeum  also  is  usually  de- 
fective in  the  corresponding  portion.  The  hernia  con- 
genita  and  hernia  cystica  are  equally  destitute  of  the 
peritonaeal  covering ;  and,  in  one  instance,  the  umbili- 
cal hernia  was  without  it,  a  circumstance  which  should 
suggest  extreme  caution  in  the  operation.  The  size 
of  the  sac  differs  from  different  circumstances,  chiefly 
from  the  duration  of  the  disease.  The  symptoms,  how- 
ever, are  not  in  proportion  to  the  size.  We  have  seen 
the  most  violent  ones  occasioned  by  a  rupture  not  equal 
in  size  to  a  filbert. 

In  general  there  is  a  pain  and  uneasiness  in  the 
tumour ;  and,  when  it  has  been  long  down,  the  pain  is 
often  extremely  violent,  felt  not  only  in  the  tumour 
itself,  but  over  the  whole  abdomen.  If  the  discharge 
of  faeces  is  suppressed,  inflammation  soon  comes  on, 
the  gut  is  thickened,  the  aperture  through  which  it 
passed  becomes  too  small  for  its  return,  and  what  is 
called  a  strangulation  ensues.  Herniae  are  consequently- 
divided  into  reducible,  irreducible,  and  strangulated. 
Reducible  herniae  are  those  in  which  the  intestine  on 
-,-  down  spontaneously  returns  into  the  abdomen,  or, 
.ist,  with  the  assistance  of  very  gentle  pressure,  and 
may  be  retained  there  by  the  bandage  styled  a  truss. 
Herniae  are  often  irreducible  from  their  size  in  conse- 
quence of  inflammation  ;  from  the  intestines  containing 
hardened  faeces,  or  flatus,  which,  from  some  obstacle  at 
the  ring,  cannot  be  forced  back.  Sometimes  membran- 
ous bands  form  across  the  sac,  preventing  the  free  motion 
of  its  contents;  or  the  intestine  is  united  by  adhesions 
to  the  side  of  the  sac.  In  each  case  the  hernia  is  irre- 
ducible. The  reducible  hernia  is  mope  subject  to  stran- 

VOL.  I.         A 


gulation  than  the  irreducible ;  but  the  latter  is  much 
exposed  to  accidents,  which  are  soon  fatal. 

The  strangulated  hernia  is  a  disease  of  the  greatest 
danger.  When  the  omentum  only  comes  down,  the 
symptoms  are  those  of  inflammation  and  mortification. 
In  this  case  it  seldom  happens  that  the  faeces  are  re- 
tained ;  yet  we  have  seen  inflammation  communicated 
from  the  prolapsed  omentum  to  the  intestines,  and 
produce  all  the  symptoms  of  complete  hernia.  In 
general,  however,  the  pain  and  tension  are  not  so  great; 
the  hiccough  is  less  violent  and  constant.  When  the 
intestine,  as  well  as  the  omentum,  is  strangulated,  a 
violent  pain  is  felt  in  the  tumour,  and  a  stricture  round 
the  body,  about  the  navel,  or  somewhat  above ;  frequent 
vomiting  follows,  succeeded  by  the  evacuation  of  faecu- 
lent  matter.  All  evacuation  downward  is  checked ; 
the  pulse  is  quick,  and  at  first  hard ;  the  tumour  red 
and  painful,  often  oedematous;  the  abdomen  tense  and 
sore;  hiccough  soon  follows;  great  anxiety  appears 
in  the  countenance ;  the  pulse  sinks ;  and  the  patient 
appears  to  be  expiring.  Yet  these  violent  symptoms 
will  diminish,  though  the  disease  remain  unchanged  j 
and  a  flattering  remission  will  come  on,  again  to  be 
succeeded  by  the  distressing  symptoms  just  described. 
These,  at  last,  appear  to  yield  almost  suddenly  :  the 
patient  is  apparently  easy,  but  the  abdomen  becomes 
more  tense,  the  tumour  of  a  darker  colour;  and  death 
soon  follows. 

The  symptoms  of  the  true  hernias  apply  in  a  consider- 
able degree  to  prolapsed  intestines  in  every  part ;  and 
when  we  consider,  in  this  detail,  symptoms  of  pro- 
lapsed intestine,  we  shall  scarcely  fail  to  recognize  the 
appearances  wherever  the  accident  happens ;  if,  with 
these,  we  combine  the  injured  functions  of  the  part,  and 
the  chances  of  the  intestines  escaping  into  the  cavity  of 
the  organ  affected.  See  BUBONOCELE. 

This  accident  being  unattended  with  any  division  of 
the  containing  parts,  the  whole  of  the  disease  must  be 
considered  as  a  change  of  situation  of  the  parts  within. 
Were  these  immediately  returned  and  kept  in  their 
place,  the  disorder  would  entirely  cease ;  but  in  that 
preternatural  situation  they  are  pressed  upon  by  the  ten- 
dons through  which  they  pass,  and  inflammation,  with 
mortification,  supervenes.  This,  however,  is  not  owing 
to  any  change  of  state  in  the  tendons,  but  merely  to 
their  natural  elasticity,  acting  upon  an  increased  and 
yielding  subjacent  bulk.  The  obstacle  to  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  prolapsed  contents  is,  therefore,  the  in- 
creased bulk  which  they  have  acquired  from  inflamma- 
tion in  consequence  of  stricture,  by  which  they  are  in- 
capable of  returning  through  the  same  passage  at  which 
they  escaped. 

If  assistance  is  called  in  time,  the  return  of  the  pro- 
truded parts  must  be  attempted  by  such  means  as  pro- 
duce a  contraction  of  the  vessels  and  diminish  the  bulk 
of  the  solids  :  viz.  cold,  astringent,' and  stimulating  ap- 
plications. Emollients  cannot  relax  the  tendons,  but 
often  enlarge  the  bulk  of  the  hernia,  and  render  its  re- 
duction more  difficult.  Cold  astringents  should  be  im- 
mediately applied,  and  cold  itself  is  an  useful  remedy. 
Ice,  iced  water,  cold  produced  by  the  evaporation  of 
vinegar  and  ether,  are  highly  useful  applications  :  at  the 
same  time  these  may  be  assisted  by  gentle  but  con- 
tinued compression  on  the  part  with  the  fingers,  or  with 
small  bolsters  of  soft  linen  cloth.  By  continuing  these 

5  C 


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efforts  for  some  time,  the  vessels  are  visibly  less  di- 
minished, the  swelling  grows  flaccid,  the  stricture  gives 
way,  and  the  disorder  is  removed. 

When  all  proper  attempts  fail  to  reduce  the  contents 
of  an  hernia,  the  sooner  the  operation  called  celoto- 
mia  is  performed  (see  BUBONOCELE),  the  better;  but 
when  there  are  evident  signs  of  the  intestine  being  in  a 
mortifying  state ;  when  the  pulse  and  countenance 
sink ;  and  when  the  tumour  has  lost  its  elasticity  ;  Mr. 
Gooch  recommends  making  an  incision  into  the  tumour, 
ample  enough  to  evacuate  the  faeces  freely,  which  may 
effectually  remove  the  strangulation  of  the  intestine  at 
the  abdominal  ring,  and  then  to  treat  the  wound  as  a 
mortification,  allowing  nature  to  throw  off  the  mortified 
slough.  If  it  is  doubtful  in  what  condition  the  parts 
contained  in  the  tumour  are,  the  operation  must  be 
cautiously  proceeded  on,  till  we  can  see  the  state  of  the 
intestine  :  if  that  is  mortified,  it  may  be  opened ;  and 
if  the  evacuation  of  the  faeces  do  not  effectually  make 
way  for  the  return  of  the  parts,  the  abdominal  ring 
must  be  opened  by  incision. 

But,  after  replacing  the  hernial  contents,  to  retain 
them  requires  very  often  the  assistance  of  a  bandage,  or 
a  proper  compress.  Mr.  Pott  observes,  "  All  that  can 
be  done  by  surgery  towards  the  cure  of  the  hernia  is,  to 
replace  the  prolapsed  body  or  bodies  in  the  cavity  of 
the  belly,  and  to  prevent  them  from  slipping  out  again. 
When  whatever  formed  the  tumour  is  replaced,  the 
surgeon  hath  done  his  part ;  the  rest  is  nature's  :  whe- 
ther the  tendinous  aperture  will  so  contract  as  to  pro- 
hibit a  future  descent  or  not  is  matter  of  uncertainty, 
and  not  to  be  known  but  from  the  event." 

When  a  rupture  happens,  and  is  unattended  with  any 
signs  of  stricture,  or  other  violent  symptoms,  a  bandage 
or  a  truss  will  be  the  most  eligible  means  of  relief.  The 
modes  of  operation  when  the  knife  is  necessary  will  be 
afterwards  explained. 

HE'RNIA  AQUO'SA.     See  HYDROCELE. 

HE'RNIA  BRONCHIA'LIS.     See  BRONCHOCELE. 

HE'RNIA  CARNO'SA.     See  SARCOCELE. 

HE'RNIA    CE'REBHI.     A    RUPTURE    OF    THE    BRAIN  ; 

a     PROTRUSION     OF      THE      CEREBRUM,      Or     CEREBELLUM, 

through  an  opening  of  the  bones  of  the  cranium  not 
perfectly  ossified,  discoverable  by  a  protuberance,  dif- 
fering with  respect  to  magnitude,  figure,  and  place 
of  the  cranium  which  it  occupies,  covered  with  the 
common  integuments,  preserving  their  natural  colour, 
unless  a  gangrene  has  supervened.  The  protuberance 
is  soft  and  indolent,  resisting  the  touch,  and  painful 
only  when  inflamed,  usually  fluctuating,  surrounded  at 
the  circumference  of  its  basis  by  a  bony  circle,  which 
may  be  traced  by  the  fingers,  and  discovering  a  defect 
of  ossification:  it  is  peculiar  to  infants,  attended,  at 
least,  in  the  beginning,  with  no  violent  symptoms,  if  the 
tumour  is  small,  and  situated  in  the  vertex,  or  sides  of 
the  head ;  but  palsy,  stupor,  and  convulsions  come  on 
if  it  be  large,  or  if  in  the  occiput.  The  disease  must 
be  carefully  distinguished  from  a  spurious  aneurism, 
which  often  in  infants  arises  from  a  blow,  or  violent 
pulling  of  the  hairy  scalp.  Trew,  and  Le  Dran,  cured 
this  complaint  by  placing  thick  compresses,  moistened 
with  spirit  of  \vine,  or  aqua  vitse,  upon  the  part  affected, 
for  several  weeks,  renewing  them  every  twenty-four 
hours.  See  Sauvages' Nosologia,  vol.  i.  p.  217.  War- 
ner's Observationes  Chirurgicae,  xi.  59, 


HE'RNIA  CONGE'NITA,  is  a  rupture  where  the  intes- 
tine and  testicle  are  in  contact.  The  testes  are  origin- 
ally situated  in  the  abdomen,  just  below  the  kidneys, 
and  gradually  descend  near  the  time  of  birth  through 
the  sheath  of  the  spermatic  chord  into  the  scrotum, 
each  carrying  along  with  it  an  external  coat,  which  in 
each  is  the  tunica  vaginalis.  This  discovery  was  made 
by  Dr.  Hunter,  in  the  year  1755,  and  demonstrated  in 
his  public  lectures  that  year. 

Soon  after  the  birth  of  the  child,  the  communication 
between  the  tunica  vaginalis  and  the  abdomen  is  obli- 
terated by  a  stricture  of  the  parts,  and  an  accumulation 
of  fat;  but  if  the  intestine  falls  very  soon,  these  de- 
fences are  not  formed. 

In  the  treatment  of  congenital  ruptures,  the  manage- 
ment is  nearly  the  same  as  in  the  bubonocele.  See 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  340. 

Dr.  Wrisberg  observes,  that,  in  his  dissections,  he 
several  times  found  a  part  of  the  omentum  or  intestines 
adhering  to  the  testicle  in  the  abdomen  of  the  foetus, 
and  in  such  cases  a  hernia  congenita  must  take  place. 
The  same,  he  adds,  will  occur,  when  the  peritonaeum, 
in  its  course  over  the  seminal  vessels  to  the  mesentery, 
sends  off  a  minute  process  to  the  ilium  or  coecum,  and 
by  means  of  it  draws  down  the  intestines  on  the  right 
side,  which  is  the  common  seat  of  the  hernia  congenita. 
See  the  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  376.  White's 
Surgery,  p.  332. 

HF/RNIA  CRURA'LIS.     See  HERNIA  FEMORALIS. 

HE'RNIA  CY'STICA.     See  HERNIA  VESICALIS. 

HE'RNIA  FEMORA 'LIS,  CRURA'LIS  FEMOROCE'LE.  This 
species  of  rupture  is  the  same  in  both  sexes,  and 
formed  by  the  falling  of  the  omentum  or  intestines,  or 
both,  into  the  inside  of  the  thigh,  through  the  arch 
made  by  the  os  pubis  and  ligamentum  Fallopii,  where 
the  iliac  vessels  and  tendons  of  the  psoas  and  iliacus  in- 
ternus  muscles  pass  from  the  abdomen.  (See  BUBONO- 
CELE.) The  methods  proposed  for  ruptures  in  gene- 
ral will  often  succeed  ;  and  if  the  operation  is  necessary, 
it  is  the  same  as  for  the  bubonocele,  with  the  difference 
of  dilating  the  ligament  instead  of  the  rings  of  the  mus- 
cles :  the  dilatation  must  be  made  obliquely  outwards, 
instead  of  perpendicularly  upwards,  to  avoid  dividing 
the  spermatic  vessels  in  the  male,  or  the  round  liga- 
ments in  the  female  ;  but  the  pressure  must  be  made 
directly  upwards.  Authors,  however,  are  by  no  means 
clear  respecting  the  means  of  avoiding  the  division  of 
the  spermatic  vessels  and  round  ligaments.  Indeed  it 
seems  very  difficult,  and  almost  impossible. 

The  directions  of  Mr.  Borret  in  the  Medical  and 
Physical  Journal  are  the  most  clear  and  precise.  When 
the  fascia  and  sac  are  laid  bare,  he  observes,  that  Pou- 
part's  ligament  is  seen  binding  down  the  sac,  which 
must  be  divided ;  but  to  avoid  injuring  the  parts  men- 
tioned, he  advises  making  a  small  incision  between  the 
fibres  of  the  external  oblique  about  half  an  inch  above 
the  ligament,  and  to  pass  a  director  under  the  ligament, 
and  over  the  artery,  on  which  the  operator  may  safely 
cut.  The  stricture  mast  then  be  divided  inwards  to  the 
pubes,  inclining  Pott's  knife  rather  obliquely  downwards. 
See  White's  Surgery,  p.  324. 

HE'RNIA  FLATULE'NTA.     See  PNEUMATOCELE. 

HE'RNIA  FORA'MINIS  MA'GNI  I'SCHII.  In  this  her- 
nia the  intestines  or  omentum  fall  through  the  great 
hole  of  the  ischium  into  the  internal  part  of  the  thigh, 


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between  and  under  the  two  anterior  heads  of  the  triceps 
muscle.  It  is  owing  to  a  great  laxity  of  the  ligament, 
and  the  intestine  must  lie  behind  the  pectincus;  so 
that  no  pressure  can  be  employed,  and  no  operation  can 
be  successful,  because  the  orifice  cannot  be  dilated,  on 
account  of  the  vicinity  of  the  vessels. 

HE'RNIA  GU'TTURIS.  See  BRONCHOCELE. 
HE'RNIA  HUMORA'LIS;  inflammatio  testium ;  though 
often  an  inflammation  of  the  tunica  vaginalis  only.  Dr. 
Swediaur  thinks  that  the  testicle  itself  is  never  swelled, 
or  in  the  least  affected,  in  the  beginning  of  this  com- 
plaint, and  that  the  only  affected  part  is  the  epididymis, 
He  adds,  if  the  testicle  ever  swells,  it  is  from  the  inflam- 
mation extending  in  consequence  of  bad  treatment.  It 
usually  is  owing  to  a  venereal  inflammation,  though  it 
may  also  happen  from  irritation,  or  external  injuries  ; 
and  is  subject  to  the  usual  termination  of  inflammation. 
This  disease  is  often  induced  by  a  stoppage  of  the 
venereal  gonorrhoea,  not  from  the  poison  itself,  but 
from  the  inflammation  extending  to  the  mouth  of  the 
excretory  ducts  of  the  seminal  vesicles  ;  in  which  case, 
brisk  purgatives,  if  they  produce  a  return  of  the  dis- 
charge, are  useful,  for  this  is  the  quickest  method  of  re- 
lieving the  complaint.  Vomits,  when  the  constitution 
can  bear  them,  are  useful  while  the  tumour  is  in  the  in- 
flammatory state  ;  but  are  best  given  when  the  inflam- 
mation begins  to  yield.  The  ipecacuanha  would  be  as 
useful  as  the  hydrargyrus  vitriolatus,  if  its  activity  were 
equal.  „ 

Whatever  be  the  cause,  bleeding,  according  to  the 
strength  of  the  patient,  is  necessary ;  and  an  actire  pur- 
gative must  follow.  Goulard's  saturnine  water  should 
be  applied  cold  by  means  of  rags  folded  several  times,  and 
repeated  as  often  as  they  grow  warm ;  a  mixture  of 
vinegar  and  brandy,  or  any  other  discutient  lotion,  will 
be  nearly  as  effectual.  (See  LOTIO.)  If  these  remedies 
do  not  succeed  in  a  few  days  in  removing  the  violent 
pain,  or  diminishing  the  tumour,  leeches  must  be  ap- 
plied to  the  part ;  and  in  every  stage  opiates,  in  large 
doses,  alternated  with  laxatives,  given. 

The  patient  should  lie  on  his  back,  in  a  large  room, 
with  little  external  covering;  and  even  in  this  state  the 
swollen  testicle  should  be  supported.  Mercury  may  be 
employed  if  any  induration  remain,  but  the  tumour  it- 
self is  wholly  inflammatory,  and  does  not  require  this 
remedy. 

Thus,  if  the  part  is  suspended  properly,  and  if  the 
patient  can  conform  to  lie  much  on  his  back,  this 
tumour  will  be  removed  in  a  short  time,  without  the 
usual  violent  pain,  or  the  hardness  remaining  after- 
wards, which  is  almost  the  constant  effect  of  emollients. 
If,  notwithstanding  all  our  care,  a  suppuration  come  on, 
an  emollient  cataplasm  must  be  applied  warm,  and  con- 
tinued until  the  matter  is  discharged.  The  knife  is 
usually  preferred  for  opening  the  abscess,  but  great 
caution  is  necessary  that  the  testicle  be  not  wounded  : 
the  dressing  may  be  the  same  as  directed  for  abscesses 
in  general.  On  abscess  in  the  testicles,  see  Kirkland's 
Medical  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  256. 

Dr.  Swediaur  proposes  in  cases  of  virulent  gonorrhoea 
to  prevent  this  disease,  that  the  patient  avoid  exposing 
himself  to  cold,  violent  exercise,  or  venery,  and  that  he 
keeps  the  scrotum  duly  suspended.  If  hernia  humoralis 
occurs,  he  attempts,  first,  to  allay  the  irritation,  and 
then  to  recall  the  poison  to  its  former  original  seat. 


If  the  pulse  be  quick,  full,  and  strong,  he  advises 
bleeding  immediately.  If  costive,  a  clyster  should  be 
administered,  and  the  patient  sit  half  an  hour  in  a 
warm  bath,  or  on  a  perforated  chair  over  the  steam  of 
hot  water,  previously  suspending  his  testicles.  He 
must  then  go  to  bed  ;  a  warm  dry  bag  truss  should  be 
immediately  put  on;  a  warm  bread  poultice  applied  to 
the  penis;  and  a  full  dose  of  opium  given  by  the  mouth, 
or  in  a  clyster  with  linfseed  oil.  The  opiate  must  be 
repeated  every  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  parts  ex- 
posed two  or  three  times  a  day  to  the  steam  of  hoi 
water.  The  design  of  the  poultice  to  the  penis,  and 
the  hot  steams,  is  to  reproduce  the  discharge;  bui 
though  this  be  useful,  it  is  not  essentially  necessary,  for 
the  disease  is  evidently  not  a  translation  of  the  poison, 
but  of  inflammation  only.  See  Dr.  Swediaur's  Observa- 
tions on  Venereal  Complaints.  Aikin's  Observations 
on  the  Preparations  of  Lead.  London  Medical  Observa- 
tions and  Inquiries,  vol.  iii.  p.  152. 

HE'RXIA  INCARCERA'TA.  It  is  styled  an  incarcerated  • 
or  confined  hernia  when  the  protruded  intestine  can- 
not be  returned ;  from  its  adhesion,  or  from  the  bulk 
of  its  contents.  The  symptoms  of  the  disease  are, 
a  swelling  in  the  groin,  and  upper  part  of  the  scrotum, 
very  painful  to  the  touch,  and  resisting  the  pressure  of 
the  fingers  ;  the  pain  is  increased  by  coughing,  sneezing, 
or  standing  upright ;  frequent  vomiting ;  and  a  fever, 
with  obstinate  costiveness,  presently  comes  on,  which 
is  soon  fatal. 

Very  copious  or  repeated  bleeding,  and  a  proper 
posture,  are  the  principal  helps;  the  patient  should  be 
laid  with  his  hips  much  higher  than  his  shoulders,  and 
thus  by  gently  raising  the  scrotum, and  alight  pressure 
on  the  tumour,  the  intestine  may  return.  The  tobacco 
clyster  is  highly  beneficial;  made  by  infusing  two  drachms 
of  dried  tobacco  in  one  pint  of  boiling  water,  for  the 
space  of  ten  minutes.  It  acts  by  producing  nausea, 
and  diminishing  irritability.  See  BUBONOCELE.  Lon- 
don Medical  Journal,  vi.  p.  1 18,  259.  Edinburgh  Me- 
dical Commentaries,  v.  270. 

HE'RNIA  INGUINA'LIS.     See  BUBONOCELE. 
HE'RNIA     INTESTI.VA'LIS.        See    HERNIA     SCROTA- 
LIS. 

HE'RNIA  LACHRYMA'LIS.  When  the  tears  pass 
through  the  puncta  lachrymalia,  but  stagnate  in  the 
sacculus  lachrymalis,the  tumour  is  styled  hernia  lachry- 
malis,  with  little  propriety  or  precision.  It  is  with  equal 
impropriety  called  by  Ane],&dro/isyoft/ielacArymalsac. 
If  the  inner  angle  of  the  eye  is  pressed,  and  an  aque- 
ous humour  flows  out,  the  disease  is  the  FISTULA  LA- 
CHRYMALIS,  q.  v.  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery,  vol. 
ii.  p.  135. 

HE'RXIA  OMENTA'LIS.  See  EPIPLOCELE. 
HE'RNIA  SCROTA 'LIS,  HE'RNIA  oscHEA;Lis,.and  HE'R- 
NIA  ENTEROSCHOCE'LE  ;  also  intestinatis,  ecfitoma,  en- 
terocele;  by  Paracelsus,  creflatio,  or  cre/iatura.  When 
the  omentum,  the  intestine,  or  both,  descend  into  the 
scrotum,  it  has  these  appellations;  when  the  omentum 
only,  it  is  called  ejiifiloscheocele.  It  is  styled  a.  perfect 
ru/iture,  in  contradistinction  to  a  bubonocele,  which  is 
the  same  disorder;  but  the  descent  is  not  so  great. 
The  hernia  scrotalis  is  distinguished  into  the  true  and 
false  ;  in  the  former  the  omentum,  or  intestine,  or 
both,  fall  into  the  scrotum  ;  in  the  latter,  an  inflamma- 
tion, or  a  fluid,  causes  a  tumour  in  this  part,  as  in  hernia 
5  C  2 


H  K  II 


748 


11  ER 


humoraliS]  or  hydrocele.  Sometimes  sebaceous  matter 
is  collected  in  the  scrotum  ;  and  this  hernia  is  called 
slcatoctle. 

HE'RMA  UMBILICA'LIS  ;  efiifiloomfihalon,  omphalo- 
cele, exomphalos,  omfilialos  ;  and  when  owing  to  flatu- 
lence, fineumatomfihalos.  In  this  disease  the  omcn- 
tuni,  intestine,  or  both,  protrude  at  the  navel,  and  it 
can,  in  general,  only  be  palliated.  White's  Surgery, 
p.  323. 

HE'RNIA  U'TERI;  HYSTEROCELE.  Instances  have 
occurred  of  the  uterus  being  thrust  through  the  rings 
of  the  muscles  ;  but  this  is  scarcely  to  be  discovered, 
unless  in  a  pregnant  state,  when  the  stragglings  of  a 
child  would  discover  the  nature  of  the  disease.  In  that 
state,  however,  it  could  scarcely  ever  occur.  It  is  the 
ecrexis  of  Hippocrates. 

HE'RNIA  VAGINA'LIS.  There  is  naturally  a  deep 
cavity  between  the  rectum  and  the  back  part  of  the 
uterus,  from  the  peritoneum  descending  pretty  low, 
and  forming  a  kind  of  sac,  in  which  a  portion  o/f  the 
small  intestines  in  the  unimpregnated  state  lies.  The 
intestines,  by  pressing  occasionally  against  the  perito- 
neum at  this  depending  part,  deepen  this  cavity,  and 
separate  the  back  part  of  the  vagina  from  the  fore  part 
of  the  rectum,  thus  forming  the  tumour  in  the  vagina, 
called  a  hernia  -uaginalis. 

HE'RNIA  IN  VAGI'NA.  See  COLPOCELE. 
HE'RNIA  VARICO'SA.  See  CIRSOCELE. 
HE'RNIA  VENTO'SA.  See  PNEUMATOCFT.E. 
HE'RNIA  VENTHA'LIS,  HYPOGASTROCELE.  This  may 
happen  in  almost  any  point  of  the  fore  part  of  the  belly, 
but  most  frequently  between  the  recti  muscles,  either 
above  or  below  the  navel ;  and  is  only  to  be  relieved 
by  returning  the  protruded  parts,  and  preventing  the 
recurrence  of  the  hernia  by  a  proper  bandage.  The 
tumour  which  requires  this  operation  is  seldom  bigger 
than  a  walnut ;  so  when  there  are  the  symptoms  of  a 
hernia,  and  yet  no  appearance  of  one  in  the  groin,  the 
belly  should  be  examined.  In  obstinate  cases  of  ileus, 
also,  it  is  proper  to  examine  every  part  of  the  abdomen, 
for  the  most  violent  symptoms  may  arise  from  a  very 
small  hernia  of  this  kind.  The  stricture  must  be  relieved 
by  dilating  the  part,  as  in  other  cases  ;  but  after  the  ope- 
ration a  bandage  must  always  be  worn,  as  the  cicatrix 
may  be  ruptured.  White's  Surgery,  p.  324. 

HE'RNIA  VESICA'LIS,  seu  CY'STICA.  In  this  species, 
the  urinary  bladder  is  the  part  protruded,  either  in  the 
groin  or  scrotum,  through  the  opening  in  the  external 
oblique  muscle  of  the  abdomen  ;  in  the  fore  part  of  the 
thigh  under  Poupart's  ligament;  or  in  the  perinaeum. 
Through  some  of  the  muscular  interstices  of  that  part, 
the  bladder  has  been  pushed  into  the  vagina,  and  formed 
hernial  tumours  of  no  inconsiderable  magnitude.  The 
'common  attendant  symptoms  are,  a  tumour  with  fluc- 
tuation, either  in  the  groin,  the  fore  part  of  the  thigh,  or 
perinaeum.  The  tumour  subsides  on  pressure,  and 
occasions  either  a  desire  to  make  water,  or  an  involun- 
tary discharge  of  urine.  When  the  swelling  is  large,  it 
is  necessary  that  the  tumour  should  be  elevated  as  much 
as  possible  before  the  urine  can  be  discharged ;  but 
when  small,  and  no  stricture  occurs,  water  is  generally 
made  with  great  ease.  When  this  complaint  is  simple, 
and  no  part  of  the  intestine  has  fallen  down,  it  com- 
monly proceeds  from  a  suppression  of  urine ;  so  that 
every  cause  of  suppression  ought  to  be  guarded  against; 


and   when  no  adhesions   take  place,  if  the  protruded 
portion  of  the  bladder  can  be  reduced,  a  truss,  propeiiy 
fitted,  should  be  worn  for  a  considerable  time.     When 
the   bladder   cannot  be   reduced,  while  no  symptoms 
occur  to  render  the  operation  necessary,  a   suspensory 
bag  to  support  the  prolapsed  parts,  without  producing 
severe  pressure,  is  the  only  probable  means  of  relief. 
When  a  portion   of  the   bladder  happens  to  protrude 
into  the  vagina,  after  reduction,  future  descents  may  be 
prevented  by  the  use  of  a  pessary  ;  and  the  same  means 
will  be  successful  in  preventing  a  falling  down  of  part  of 
the  intestinal  canal  into  the  vagina  :  a  species  of  rupture 
which  now  and  then  occurs.    But  should  the  protruded 
parts  be  attacked  with  pain   and  inflammation  in  con- 
sequence of  stricture,  so  as  to  render  the  operation  ne- 
cessary, we  must  proceed,  as  in  similar. cases,  to  divide 
the  parts  occasioning  the  stricture  ;  but  if  the  bladder 
adhere  to  the  rupture  of  an  intestine,  great  caution  is 
required,   should  the  operation  become  necessary,  to 
avoid  wounding  the  bladder.  See  Le  Dran's  Operations. 
Memoires  de  1' Academic  Royale  de  Chirurgie.  Sharp's 
Operations.     Sharp's   Critical  Enquiry.      Arnaud   on 
Ruptures.     Pott  on  Ruptures.     Gooch  on  Wounds,  p. 
427,  &c.    Aikin's  Observations  on  Preparations  of  Lead, 
p.  91,  See.     Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  369  to  377. 

HERNIA'RIA,  (from  hernia,  a  rufiturt).  RUPTURE- 
WORT ;  (from  its  supposed  efficacy  in  curing  ruptures). 
Polygonit.Tn  minus,  inillegrcma  major,  herniaria  glabra. 

Lin.  Sp.  PI.  317,  is  a  small  spreading  plant,  found  in 
sandy  ground ;  flowers  in  June  and  July ;  supposed  to  be 
diuretic  and  astringent. 

HE'RPES,velE'RPES,(fromef5rar,  tospreadorcreefl, 
from  their  quickly  spreading).  TETTER.  Dr.  Cullen 
places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and  order  dialyses; 
and  defines  it,  phlyctenae,  or  a  great  number  of  small 
ulcers  crowding  together,  creeping  and  difficult  to 
heal. 

These  ulcers  in  the  skin  are  sometimes  divided  into 
five  species.  The  simfile,  which  consists  of  single  sharp- 
pointed  pustules  of  a  yellowish  white  colour,  inflamed 
about  their  bases,  and  naturally  dry.  They  burn,  itch, 
and  smart  a  day  or  two,  and  then  disappear. 

The  tetter,  ring-  tvorm,  or  serfiigo;  darta;  are  the 
same  in  appearance,  except  that  they  accumulate  in  lit- 
tle masses;  they  are  more  permanent,  for  they  contain 
more  corrosive  matter ;  they  smart  and  itch  more  violent- 
ly, penetrate  the  skin,  and  spread  considerably,  without 
forming  matter,  or  coming  to  digestion.  The  cure  is 
frequently  difficult;  and  they  sometimes  return  at  cer- 
tain seasons.  If  the  disease  is  constitutional,  slight  mer- 
curials are  necessary;  and  a  solution  of  hydrargyrus 
muriatus  in  lime  water,  in  the  proportion  of  sixteen 
grains  to  a  pint,  may  be  used  as  a  lotion,  or  the  white 
calx  of  mercury,  combined  with  common  ointment, 
may  be  rubbed  on  the  part.  About  two  scruples  may 
be  added  to  an  ounce.  When  serpigo  is  constitutional 
or  scorbutic,  the  great  water  dock  root  may  be  em- 
ployed, either  with  or  without  the  mercury,  in  the  form 
of  a  diaetetic  decoction. 

Shingles,  or  zona  aurea,  herfics  zoster,  synonymous  in 
Dr.  Cullen's  system  with  his  erysipelas  phlyctaenodes, 
as  sometimes  accompanied  with  inflammation  and  fever. 
It  appears  in  large  clusters,  on  the  neck,  breast,  loins, 
hips,  or  thighs :  the  heads  are  white  and  watery,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  a  small  round  scab  resembling  a  millet  seed, 


HER 


749 


HER 


and  called  from  thence  herfies  miliaris.     In-general  the 
;aent  is  the  same  as  in  erysipelas  :  the  chief  indica- 
tion is  to  take  oft'  the  irritability  of  the  system  ;  and  for 
this  purpose  the  cortex  IVruvianus  and  camphor  are  the 
.     The  prognostic  x>f  death  from  its  sur- 
rounding the  body  is  false  ;  the  malignity  of  the  disease 
alone  affording  the  .only  ground   of  fear.     There  is  a 
chronic  kind  peculiar  to  old  people,  troublesome  from 
the  itching  it  excites,  and  sometimes  dangerous.     The 
internally,  and  externally,  the  lime  water,  occa- 
ith  a  small  proportion  of  the  muriated  mer- 
,  often  succeed. 

These  two  kinds  were  called  by  the  ancients  vermis 
,?;  vermin  mordicans;  formica  miliaris.    Wiseman 
calls  them  rantiulativa. 

Herfies  de/iascens,  noma,  noli  me  tangere,  ulcus  de- 
/lascens,  esthiomen  us,formixi  and  by  Celsus  ignis  sacer, 
because,  like  the  ulcerated  erysipelas,  it  penetrates  to  the 
flesh,  raising  the  skin,  chiefly  on  the  scalp,  into  scales 
of  different  thicknesses,  and  leaving  a  hard  swelling 
on  the  part.  DT.  Cullen  thinks  it  an  erythematous  in- 
flammation. It  resembles  an  ulcerous  erysipelas  of  a 
most  corrosive  kind.  The  hydrargyrus  muriatus,  as 
directed  in  the  lues  venerea,  with  a  decoction  of  the 
woods,  or  sarsa,  is  useful  in  this  complaint;  and  the 
sores  may  be  washed  with  a  solution  of  hydrargyrus 
muriatus  in  aq.  calcis. 

A  dose  of  jalap  every  fourth  day,  with  an  electuary 
containing  two  parts  of  the  bark  to  one  of  sassafras,  has 
been  successful.  The  mineral  acids  are  sometimes 
very  advantageous ;  and  in  this  species  the  tincture  of 
cantharides,  recommended  by  Dr.  Mead,  we  have  found 
useful. 

Mr.  Bell,  in  his  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  places  the  tinea 
and  the  herpes,  as  varieties  of  that  species  of  ulcer, 
which  he  denominates  cutaneous ;  adding  that  the 
cutaneous  ulcer,  in  all  its  varieties,  may  be  included  in 
the  herpes  farinosus,  or  dry  tetter;  herpes  pustulosus, 
including  the  crusta  lactea ;  the  tinea  capitis  (see 
ACHOR);  herpes  miliaris;  formica  miliaris,  cenchrius, 
of  which  the  ring  worm  is  a  variety  ;  and  the  herpes 
exedens,  including  the  ulcers  called  depascent  and 
phagedenic. 

The  herfies  farinotus  is  the  most  simple  kind.  It 
appears  on  any  part  of  the  body,  most  frequently  on 
the  face,  neck,  arms,  or  wrists;  comes  out  in  broad 
spots,  consisting  of  very  small  red  pimples,  attended 
with  a  troublesome  itching,  which  soon  fall  off  in  the 
form  of  a  white  powder  resembling  fine  bran :  they 
leave  the  skin  perfectly  sound,  but  the  pustules  return 
in  the  form  of  a  red  efflorescence,  fall  off,  and  are 
covered  with  bran  as  before. 

The  herpes  pustulosus  occurs  most  frequently  in 
children,  generally  in  the  face,  and  behind  the  ears ; 
often  on  other  parts  of  the  head,  but  rarely,  on  the 
body.  It  appears  in  the  form  of  pustules,  which  are 
originally  separate  and  distinct,  but  afterwards  run  to- 
gether. At  first  they  seem  to  contain  nothing  but  a 
thin  watery  serum,  which  afterwards  turns  yellow,  and, 
exuding  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  part  affected,  at 
last  dries  into  a  thick  crust  or  scab :  when  this  falls  off, 
the  skin  below  frequently  appears  entire,  with  only  a 
slight  degree  of  redness  on  its  surface ;  but  when  the 
matter  is  more  acrid,  on  the  scab  falling  off,  the  skin  is 
found  slightly  excoriated.  See  ACHORES. 


The  herfies  miliaris  generally  appears  in  clusters, 
though  sometimes  in  distinct  circles  of  very  minute 
pimples.  These  are  at  first  perfectly  separate,  and 
contain  only  a  clear  lymph,  which,  in  the  course  of  the 
disease,  is  excreted  upon  the  surface,  and  forms  small 
distinct  scales,  that  tall  off,  and  leave  a  considerable 
inflammation.  From  hence  fresh  matter  exudes,  with 
the  same  consequences.  The  itching  in  this  ulcer  is 
always  troublesome, and  the  matter  discharged  so  tough 
and  viscid,  that  whatever  is  applied  to  the  part  adheres 
so  as  to  be  removed  with  difficulty.  The  whole  body- 
is  subject  to  this  disorder,  but  it  most  frequently  ap- 
pears on  the  breast,  perinaeum,  scrotum,  and  loins. 

The  herjies  exedens  discovers  itself  on  any  part  of  the 
body,  but  mostly  about  the  loins,  where  it  sometimes 
spreads  to  such  a  degree  as  to  encircle  the  waist.  At 
first  several  small  ulcerations  appear  collected  into 
larger  spots  of  different  sizes  and  various  figures,  with 
always  more  or  less  of  an  erysipelatous  inflammation. 
These  ulcerations  discharge  a  thin,  sharp,  serous  matter, 
which  sometimes  forms  into  small  crusts,  that  soon  fall 
off;  but  the  discharge  is  often  so  thin  and  acrid,  as  to 
spread,  and  produce  similar  sores  around.  Though  these 
excoriations,  or  ulcers,  do  not  in  general  proceed  further 
than  the  true  skin,  yet  the  cellular  membrane,  and,  on 
some  occasions,  the  muscles  themselves,  are  destroyed. 

Dr.  George  Fordyce  describes  a  variety  of  this  dis- 
ease under  the  jname  of  herfies  rafiiens;  and  adds  that 
it  arises  upon  the  head  in  small  ulcers,  covered  with  a 
brown,  moist,  shining  crust,  similar  to  venereal  ulcers. 
It  is  cured,  he  observes,  by  the  same  methods  which 
remove  venereal  ulcers. 

In  these  cuticular  diseases  the'fluids  have  been  sup- 
posed vitiated,  and  repellents  generally  unsafe.  This 
is  certainly  in  a  great  measure  true ;  and  in  young  per- 
sons, as  well  as  in  robust  habits,  topical  remedies  must 
be  employed  with  caution.  In  such  cases  the  neutral 
salts  are  generally  useful ;  and  mercurials,  antimonials, 
or  both  combined,  are  necessary  at  night,  assisted  in 
their  operation  on  the  skin  by  opiuin.  In  the  more 
debilitated  habits,  bark  wyith  the  warmer  diaphoretics, 
particularly  the  mezereon,  are  proper,  with  the  mine- 
ral acids,  and  a  more  generous  diet.  In  all  cases,  bath- 
ing in  the  warm  bath,  and  the  utmost  cleanliness  in 
every  respect,  will  be  salutary. 

In  the  weak  habits,  and  in  old  persons,  external  re- 
medies are  most  effectual.  Simple  lime  water  will  be 
often  useful ;  and  about  ten  grains  of  hydrargyrus  mu- 
riatus to  a  pint  of  distilled  water,  with  a  small  propor- 
tion of  muriated  ammonia,  is  often  a  beneficial  external 
remedy.  In  all  cases,  saturnine  applications  are  either 
useless  or  injurious.  Mercury  must  be  sometimes  con- 
tinued with  the  wanner  diaphoretic  alteratives  for  a 
long  time;  and  this  has  given  credit  to  Spilsbury's 
drops,  which  are  only  a  solution  of  muriated  mercury. 
When  the  disease  recurs,  which  is  not  uncommon,  a 
milk  and  vegetable  diet,  with  issues,  and  frequent  doses 
of  neutral  salts,  are  the  best  prophylactics.  If  the  dis- 
ease has  produced  a  deep  foul  ulcer,  the  preparations 
of  zinc  are  the  most  useful  applications. 

See  Tulpius,  lib.  iii.    Marc.  Aurel.  Severinus,  lib.  iv. 
de  Abscessibus,  cap.  9.    Turner's  Diseases  of  the  Skin. ' 
Bell  on  Ulcers,  article  Cutaneous  Ulcer,  edit.  iii.  p. 
345.     White's  Surgery,  p.  26. 

HE'KPES.     See  PUHPURA  SCORBUTICA. 


HI 


750 


HIE 


HE'RPES  FACIE'I.  In  some  constitutions,  especially 
in  females,  the  face  is  particularly  liable  to  a  species  of 
herpes,  peculiarly  distressing  to  practitioners.  Mer- 
curials, with  decoctions  of  sarsa  and  mezereon,  some- 
times succeed  ;  occasionally  the  Dover's  powder,  with 
a  small  proportion  of  muriated  mercury.  Frequently 
all  fail ;  but  the  following  composition  has  sometimes 
been  effectual.  R.  Sulphuris  praecipitati  5  ij-  cerussae 
acetatae  3  i.  aq.  rosarum  5  viij.  m.  nocte  maneq.  uten- 
dum,  phiala  prius  agitata.  See  Bell  on  Ulcers,  p.  373. 

HE'RPES  FE'RUS.     See  ERYSIPELAS. 

HE'RPES  SERPIGO.  The  RING  WORM  ;  a  cutaneous 
affection  common  in  India,  in  which  the  eruption  is 
circular,  with  a  cavity  in  the  middle,  apparently  sur- 
rounded by  a  ring.  The  remedy  is  the  cassunda  vine- 
gar. An  ounce  of  the  fresh  bark,  roots,  tops,  or  flowers, 
of  the  cassunda  (cassia  sofihera  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  542)  are 
boiled  in  a  pint  of  vinegar  to  eight  ounces,  and  a  drachm 
or  two  applied  two  or  three  times  a  day,  previously 
cleaning  the  part  with  soap  and  water.  When  this 
does  not  succeed,  a  mild  mercurial  course,  interposing 
purgatives,  with  a  milk  and  vegetable  diet,  has  removed 
the  disease. 

HERPE'TON,  (from  ipira,  to  creefi,)  a  creeping 
pustule  or  ulcer.  Hippocrates. 

HERRING.  A  species  of  clufiea,  a  rich,  oily,  and 
sufficiently  wholesome  food  in  strong  stomachs.  When 
dried  in  the  smoke,  they  are  very  indigestible.  The 
regular  migration  of  herrings  has  been  lately  doubted, 
and  their  successive  appearance  on  different  shores  ac- 
counted for  from  their  coming  to  the  shallower  water 
for  the  purpose  of  depositing  their  spawn. 

HE'RVA  DE  A'NIL  LUSITA'NIS.    See  INDICUM. 

HE'SPERIS,  (from  trx-ip*,  the  evening,  so  named 
because  it  smells  most  in  the  evening).  Hesfieris  matro- 
nalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  927.  It  is  said  to  be  diaphoretic  and 
antiseptic  ;  but  is  unknown  in  modern  practice. 

HE'SPERIS  A'LLIUM.     See  ALHARIA. 

HETEROGE'NEUS,  (from  £?{/»»,  alterum,  and 
yev©-,  kind).  See  ANOMJEOMERES. 

HETERORRY'THMUS,  (from  iltpof,  another,  and 
fvffuif,  number).  See  ARYTHMUS. 

HE'TICH  I'NDIS,  AMERICANUM,  vel  ^ETHI- 
OPICUM.  A  species  of  turnip  in  America,  with 
leaves  like  those  of  briony:  the  root  is  as  thick  as  two 
fists,  and  a  foot  and  a  half  long.  It  is  agreeable  food, 
and  aperitive. 

HEUD,  or  HEUDE'EN,  (heud,  Arabic).  See 
AGALLOCHUM. 

HEXAGY'NIA,  (from  «|,  six,  and  yviit,  a  woman). 
A  class  of  plants,  so  named  because  they  .have  six 
pistils,  or  female  organs. 

HEXA'NDRIA,(from  i{,  sex,  and  «*n;,  -vir).  The 
name  of  the  sixth  class  of  Linnaeus's  system,  compre- 
hending those  plants  which  have  hermaphrodite  flowers, 
with  six  equal  stamens. 

HE'XIS,  e'|/s,  (from  i%u,  to  have).  A  HABIT.  It 
is  a  permanent  habit,  in  opposition  to  diathesis,  or  a 
transient  disposition,  which  may  more  easily  be  re- 
moved. See  CONSUETUDO. 

HIBE'RNICUS  LA 'PIS,  (from  Hibernia,  Ireland). 

IRISH    SLATE,  tegula    Gallis,  ardesia   Hibernica;  lapis 

Jissilis  Hibernicus;  argille  schistense  tabulaire  Haiiy,  iv. 

147;   argillite  of  Kirwan;    is  a  kind  of  slate,  or  soft 


stone,  found  in  Ireland  and  other  countries,  of  a  bluish 
black  colour,  staining  the  hands.  When  powdered  it 
is  whitish  at  first,  but  soon  grows  blacker;  yielding  in 
the  fire  sulphureous  fumes,  and  acquiring  a  pale  red 
colour.  It  is  an  argillaceous  earth,  with  flint,  lime, 
magnesia,  and  iron  in  a  very  small  proportion.  It  is 
supposed  to  be  an  astringent,  and  was  formerly  given 
in  haemorrhages,  and  to  prevent  the  bad  effects  of 
bruises.  It  is  now  totally  neglected.  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica.  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

HIBI'SCUS,  (from  i£/s,  a  stork;  said  to  chew  and 
inject  it  as  a  clyster).  See  ALTH.SA  and  KETMIA. 

HlBl'sCUS    ABELMO'SCHUS.        See    AsELMOSCHUS. 

HIDRO'A,  (from  iifywj,  sweat,)  pustules  appearing 
in  some  constitutions,  from  sweating.  It  is  the  symp- 
tomatic kind  of  miliary  fever  called  BOA,  q.  v.  See 
DESUDATIO  and  PHLYCTIS. 

HIDROCRI'TICA,  (from  <<$>»«,  sweat,  and  *pit*,  to 
judge).  Signs  taken  from  sweat. 

HIDRONO'SOS,  or  HIDROPYRE'TOS,  (from 
IS'fuf,  sweat,  and  tores,  morbus,  or  irvptlos,  fever).  See 
SUDOR  ANGLICUS. 

HIDRO'TES  CENCHROI'DES.     See  CENCHROS. 

HIDRO'TICA,  and  HIDROTO'PSEA,(from  iSfm, 
sweat}.  See  SUDORIFICA. 

HI'DRUS.     See  ^RIS  FLOS. 

HI'ERA  DIACOLOCY'NTHIDOS.  An  electuary 
formerly  prepared  under  this  name,  which  hath  long 
been  neglected. 

HIERANO'SOS,  (from  itp»s,  holy,  and  »o<ro5,  a  dis- 
ease,) supposed  to  be  the  disorder  which  our  Saviour 
cured  in  those  who  were  said  to  be  possessed  of  devils. 
(See  CONVULSIO.)  A  continued  kind  of  convulsion, 
without  pain  or  loss  of  sensibility. 

HI'ERA  PI'CRA,  (iipof  vi*.p»<).  HOLY  BITTER; 
now  called  fiulvis  aloeticus;  formerly  hiera  logadii,  and 
made  in  the  form  of  an  electuary,  with  honey  :  the  spe- 
cies are  now  kept  in  dry  powder,  prepared  by  mixing 
socotorine  aloes,  one  pound,  with  three  ounces  of  white 
canella. 

HIERABO'TANE,  (from  tcp's,  holy,  and  /3«7«»»,  an 
herb).  HOLY  HERB.  A  species  of  verbena.  Dios- 
corides.  See  VERBENA. 

HIERA'CIUM,  (from  hierax,  a  hawk).  Hieracu- 
lum,  HAWKWEED.  See  ACCIPITRINA. 

HIERA'CIUM  LO'NGIUS  RADICA'TUM.  LONG  HOOTED 
HAWKWEED.  Hyfioch&ris  radicata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1140. 
The  stalks  of  each  species  are  full  of  branches,  slender 
and  elegant ;  the  leaves  disposed  alternately ;  the  calyx 
thick,  firm,  and  expanded ;  the  seeds  smooth  and  angu- 
lous,  or  striated. 

The  root  of  this  species  strikes  deep  into  the  ground  ; 
is  long,  thick,  and  but  little  branched ;  the  leaves  lie 
flat  on  the  ground,  are  rough  and  hairy ;  the  flowers 
like  those  of  the  dandelion,  but  less  yellow  and  downy  ; 
the  seeds  long  and  slender.  It  grows  in  fields  and 
meadows,  and  flowers  from  May  to  September.  It  is 
supposed  to  be  cooling,  aperient,  and  diuretic. 

HIERA'CIUM  ALPI'NUM,  fiannonica,  costa  herba,  costa 
fiulmonaria,  fiilosella  major,  dens  leonis,  fiulmonaria 
lutea.  BROAD  LEAVED  HUNGARIAN  HAWK  WEED.  Hy- 
Jioc/ueris  maculata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1140.  It  grows  on 
chalky  hills,  flowers  in  June,  and  is  extolled  in  pulmo- 
nary disorders. 


HIP 


751 


HIP 


HIERA'CIUM  M/KUS,  hieracium  (efiorinum,  LESSER 
HAWKWEED;  hyoseris  minima  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1138; 
grows  in  pasture  ground,  flowers  in  June  and  July  : 
its  virtues  the  same  as  those  of  the  hieracium  majus, 
but  supposed  to  be  more  considerable. 

HIEHA'CR-.M  MA'JUS,  also  called  sonchus  refiens. 
GREATER  HAWKWEED;  sonchus  arvensis  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1116;  is  found  in  fields;  flowers  in  July  ;  the  leaves 
are  cool,  and  moderately  astringent.  See  Raii  Hist. 

HIERA'CIUM  MOXTA'NUM,  et  PULCHRUM.  See  CHON- 
DRILLA. 

HIERA'CIUM  PILOSELLA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 1 25  ;  is  bitter 
and  astringent,  used  internally  in  diarrhoea,  and  exter- 
nally in  itch  and  herpes. 

HIERA'CULUM.     See  HIERACIUM. 
HIERA'TICUM,  (from  «{•«,  sacer).     The  name  of 
a  malagma,  formerly  appropriated  to  disorders  of  the 
abdominal  viscera ;  named  from  its  divine  virtues. 

HIERO'PYR,  (from  if{««,  sacer,  and  rvf,fire).  An 
erythematous  inflammation. 

HIGHMORI'AXUM  A'XTRUM.      See  ANTRUM 

GEX.C. 

HIGUE'RO.  The  CALABASH  TREE;  crescendo 
cujete  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  872;  is  a  large  tree  common  in 
America,  and  the  American  islands ;  but  one  species 
was  known  to  Linnaeus,  of  which  he  has  noticed  three 
varieties ;  but  later  authors  form  three  species,  viz.  the 
crescentia  cujete  ;  the  c.  cucurbitina  ;  the  variety  a.  of 
Linnaeus,  and  the  cujete  with  hard  fruit,  var.  */.  The 
plant  belongs  to  the  solanaceae.  The  first  is  a  small 
tree  with  a  twisted  trunk,  extending  horizontally  on 
every  side,  and  furnished  at  each  knot  with  oblong, 
undivided  leaves  collected  in  bundles.  The  flowers  re- 
semble those  of  a  lily,  are  of  a  white  and  greenish  colour, 
but  a  disagreeable  smell.  The  fruit  of  various  sizes 
and  figures,  is  green  at  first,  but  when  ripe  it  is  black 
and  hard,  containing  seeds  like  a  gourd,  and  a  yellow 
kernel.  The  unripe  fruit  contains  a  white  juicy  pulp, 
smelling  like  nasturtium,  but  of  a  sweetish  taste  ;  and 
is  preserved  with  sugar,  and  used  in  fevers.  The 
ripe  affords  a  shell  for  cups,  Sec.  The  pulp  of  the  ripe 
fruit  is  employed  in  dropsies  and  diarrhoeas ;  as  a  re- 
medy for  burns  and  diseases  of  the  head.  In  the  French 
islands  it  is  employed  in  diseases  of  the  breast,  and  in 
contusions  after  violent  falls.  The  other  species  are  not 
remarkable  for  any  pecular  medicinal  powers.  See  Raii 
Historia. 

HIM  AXTO'SIS,  (from  ifut<,  a  thong  of  leather).  Re- 
laxation, or  lengthening,  and  smallness  of  the  uvula, 
when  it  hangs  down  like  a  thong. 

HI'MAS.  Properly  a  leather  thong,  or  strap;  but 
in  medicine  it  is  a  laxness  of  the  uvula,  when  it  be- 
comes long  and  slender,  called  also  cion.  It  differs 
from  the  clonis,  which  is  a  thickened  uvula. 

HIN,  HI'XDISCH,and  HING,  Indian  and  Persian 
names  of  ASAFJETIDA,  q.  v. 

HIX  AWA  RU.     SeelxDicuw. 

HI'XKA.     See  CARYOPHILLUS  AHOMATICUS. 

HI'PPACE,  (from  ix-rn,  equus,  a  horse  or  mare). 
The  rennet  of  a  coll ;  and  cheese  made  of  mares'  milk. 

HIPPOCA'STAXUM,  or  HIPPOCA'XTANUM, 

a  JT5r«j,  etjuus,  and   nvn-loati ,   a   chesnut;  from   its 

size).     The   HORSE   CHESXUT  TREE,    castanea    equina, 

/iavina,<esculushifi/iocastanum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  488;  natural 

order  trihilate.     This  tree  frequently  grows  to  a  great 


height,  and  from  the  upper  part  of  the  trunk  usually 
sends  off  numerous  spreading  branches,  covered  with  a 
rough  brown  bark  ;  the  wood  is  white  and  soft,  but  soon 
decays,  and  is  of  little  value.  The  fruit  in  appearance 
resembles  the  Spanish  chesnut,  and  is  eaten  by  sheep, 
goats,  deer,  oxen,  and  horses ;  the  latter  are  fond  of  it, 
and  it  is  said  to  cure  their  coughs  and  pulmonary  dis- 
orders. Starch  has  been  made  from  it ;  and  could  its 
bitterness  and  acrimony  be  separated,  it  has  been  sup- 
posed that  it  would  make  a  wholesome  bread.  It  has 
been  recommended  as  a  sternutatory  in  powder,  or  by 
drawing  the  steams  of  a  decoction  up  the  nostrils,  and 
has  consequently  been  employed  to  produce  adischarge 
from  the  nose  in  ophthalmy,  head  ach,  Sec.  On  the 
continent  the  bark  is  held  in  great  estimation  as  a  fe- 
brifuge, and  considered  to  be  a  medicine  of  considerable 
efficacy.  Jo.  Jac.  Zannichelli  affirms,  that,  after  many 
trials,  "he  has  found  the  bark  of  these  trees  to  have  the 
same  effect  as  the  Peruvian  bark.  By  some  practitioners 
it  has  been  substituted  for  the  latter,  and  said  to  be 
attended  with  equal  if  not  superior  advantages.  For 
medical  purposes  it  is  to  be  taken  from  those  branches 
which  are  neither  old  nor  young,  and  exhibited  as  the 
Peruvian  bark.  Buchholtz  prefers  dissolving  a  drachm 
of  the  extract  in  an  ounce  of  cinnamon  water,  giving 
sixty  drops  of  the  solution  every  three  hours.  It  rarely 
disagrees  with  the  stomach,  but  its  astringent  effects 
generally  require  the  administration  of  laxatives.  See 
Rail  Historia  Plantarum.  Woodville's  Medical  Botany. 
In  England  we  have  the  white,  yellow,  and  scarlet 
flowering  chesnut  trees,  which  are  cultivated  in  gardens 
and  walks,  and  flower  in  May  and  June. 
HI'PPOCRAS.  See  CLARETUM. 
HIPPOGLO'SSUM,  (fromi™-.?,  a  horse,  and  -/A.r- 
o-«,  a  tongue ;  from  the  resemblance  of  the  leaf  to  a 
horse's  tongue).  See  LAURUS  ALEXANDRIA. 

HIPPOLA'PATHUM,  (from  Inrtt,  equus,  and  A*- 
*•**«»,  a  dock).  See  LAPATHUM  HOHTEXSE. 

HIPPOLA'PATHUM,  ROTUNDIFO'LIUM.  See  LAPATHUM 
ALPIXUM. 

HIPPO'LITHUS,  (from  ;*•«•««,  a  horse,  and  Ai0^,  a 
stone').  A  calculus  found  in  the  stomach  or  intestines 
of  a  horse.  See  CALCULUS. 

HIPPO  MAXES,  (from /*•»•«{,  a  horse,  and  n^ntfuti, 
to  be  mad,)  a  name  of  the  cynocrambe,  a/iocynum,  or 
cynomoron,  because,  when  eaten,  "it  seems  to  produce 
madness  in  horses.  It  sometimes  means  the  juice  of 
tithymalus,  and  occasionally  the  secundines  of  a  mare, 
or  the  fleshy  substance  which  adheres  to  the  forehead 
of  a  foal. 

HIPPOMA  RATHVM,  (from  ;»•»•««,  a  home,  and 
uxeateot,  fennel.  HORSE  FENNEL;  and  ENGLISH 
SAXIFRAGE.  See  Raii  Hist.  Plant.  SAXIFRAGA  AN- 
CLICA. 

HI  'PPOXE.  The  name  of  a  malagma  described  by 
^Etius. 

HIPPO'PHJIS,  HIPPOPH,E'STUM,  (from  its 
juice  purging  horses).  Dioscorides  describes  it  in  lib. 
iv.  cap.  1 62  ;  but  it  is  not  known  to  modern  systematics. 
The  synonyms,  according  to  Dale,  are  the  cnaphosrham- 
nus,  lappago,  hippomanes ;  and  it  is  probably  the  hifi- 
fiofihae  rhamnoides'L.m.  Sp.Pl.  1452;  the rhamnus  salicis 
folio  angustiorefructujlavescente  of  (.'.  Bauhine.  The 
PURGING  THORN.  It  grows  in  the  Morea,  and  the 
juice  is  an  active  purgative.  Though  the  rhamnus 


HI  R 


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calharticus  and  the  tithymalus  maritimus  vel  spinosus 
have  also  been  considered  as  synonyms,  they  seem  to 
have  different  properties  specified  under  their  separate 
titles. 

HIPPOSELI'NUM,  (from  i*-™<;,  a  horse,  and 
o-£Aivav,  purslane;  so  named  because  it  resembles  a  large 
kind  of  purslane).  ALEXANDERS;  Smyrnium,  mace- 
rona,  herba  Alexandrina,  grielum^agrioselinum,  Smyr- 
nium olusatrum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  376  ;  an  umbelliferous  plant, 
with  leaves  like  smallagc,  but  larger.  It  is  a  large  kind 
of  parsley,  and  was  formerly  blanched  in  gardens  for 
culinary  use.  The  seeds,  macedonensium  semina,  are 
bitterish,  aromatic,  and  carminative,  yielding  their 
virtue  to  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  but  not  fully  to  water. 
The  roots  are  bitter,  and  recommended  as  resolvent, 
diuretic,  and  emmenagogue.  On  incision  they  yield  a 
whitish  juice,  resembling  myrrh;  whence  the  plant 
hath  been  called,  from  one  of  the  names  of  that  gummy 
resin,  Smyrnium.  See  Rail  Historia  Plantarum. 

HI'PPUS,  (from  /Trsros,  eyuus,  a  horse}.  A  trem- 
bling and  twinkling  of  the  eyes,  supposed  to  be  usual 
with  those  who  ride  on  horseback.  Gorraeus  thinks  it 
is  an  affection  contracted  from  the  birth,  owing  to  a 
convulsion  in  the  muscle  which  sustains  the  eye. 

HI'RA,  (from  Air,  the  palm  of  the  hand;  because  it 
is  usually  found  empty,)  sometimes  supposed  to  mean 
the  jejunum  ;  at  others  extended  to  all  the  intestines, 
or  even  all  the  contents  of  the  abdomen. 

HIRAPITA'NGA.  BRASILIE'NSIBUS.  See 
BRASILIENSIUM  LIGNUM. 

HI'RCUS  BEZOA'RTICUS, (quasi hirtusjrom. his 
shaggy  hair).  The  goat  which  affords  the  oriental 
bezoar.  See  BEZOAR  ORIENTALIS. 

HI'RQUUS,  (from  igxes,  a  hedge}.  The  great  angle 
of  the  eye. 

HIRSU'TIES,  (from  hirsufus,  hairy}.  Unnatural 
hairiness  of  the  body. 

HIRUDO, (quasi haurudo, from  haurio,  to  draiv'outy. 
The  LEECH  ;  sanguisuga,  exon ;  first  noticed  by  Themi- 
son.  Those  whose  backs  are  striped,  and  bellies  spotted, 
which  are  taken  from  clear  running  waters  over  a  sandy 
bed,  are  preferable. 

The  hirudoisagenusof  aquatic  vermes,  characterised 
by  an  oblong  body,  very  contractile  ;  having  each  ex- 
tremity capable  of  being  expanded  into  a  fleshy  disc,  by 
which  they  adhere  to  the  body,  with  a  kind  of  suction 
similar  to  that  of  a  cupping  glass;  a  triangular  mouth 
situated  under  the  anterior  extremity. 

The  body  of  a  leech  is  composed  of  numerous  rings, 
or  rather  circular  muscles,  by  which  the  particular  mo- 
tions of  the  animal  are  performed.  Their  skin  is  un- 
equal and  tuberculous  in  different  degrees,  in  the  dif- 
ferent species,  but  always  feels  smooth  to  the  touch, 
because  it  is  covered  by  a  slimy  fluid,  designed  to  faci- 
litate its  motions.  Their  head,  in  a  state  of  contraction, 
is  more  pointed  than  the  opposite  end  :  but  each  ex- 
tremity is  equally  enlarged  when  they  fix.  The  mouth 
of  the  leech  is  a  triangular  aperture,  placed  at  the 
bottom  of  what  may  be  styled  the  anterior  cupping 
glass,  armed  with  three  very  sharp,  strong  teeth,  which 
can  pierce  even  the  skins  of  horses  and  oxen.  It  is  an 
instrument  with  three  cutting  edges,  each  of  which  is 
furnished  with  sixty  little  teeth.  At  the  bottom  of  the 
niouth  is  a  nipple  of  a  firm  fleshy  consistence,  which 
sucks  the  blood  that  exudes  from  the  triangular  wound 


by  exhausting  the  air.  In  this  operation  the  nipple 
fixes  on  the  skin,  and  when  drawn  back  a  vacuum  en- 
sues. After  the  wound  is  made,  the  action  is  apparently 
repeated,  and  the  power  is  so  considerable  as  to  fill  the 
vessels  around;  a  circumstance  from  which  both  ad- 
vantages and  inconveniences  arise. 

We  next  find  the  larynx,  whose  strong  fibres  contract 
the  diameter  of  the  canal,  and  carry  the  blood,  which 
has  been  drawn,  into  the  stomach.  This  viscus  con- 
sists of  a  series  of  membranous  sacs,  furnished  with 
valves,  which  can  retain  the  blood  for  many  months 
without  coagulating.  In  a  leech  of  a  moderate  size 
there  are  about  twenty-four  of  these  sacs.  As  the 
blood  which  they  draw  contains  no  heterogeneous  par- 
ticles, they  require  no  aperture  to  carry  off  the  excre- 
mentitious  parts,  and  have  consequently,  it  is  said,  no 
anus.  M.  Morand,  from  whose  Memoir  on  Leeches 
much  of  this  description  is  drawn,  thinks  that  the  slimy 
moisture  on  the  surface,  which  is  thrown  off  in  blackish 
filaments,  found  in  the  water  they  inhabit,  may  form 
the  whole  of  the  excrementitious  fluids  of  the  constitu- 
tion. 

On  each  side,  under  the  belly  of  the  leech,  are 
two  longitudinal  vessels  which  divide  into  branches ; 
contract  and  dilate;  carrying  a  grey  fluid.  In  the 
middle  is  a  nervous  cord,  composed  of  twenty-three 
ganglia  ;  and  on  each  side  glands  filled  with  a  clear 
liquor.  These  glands  have  several  vessels,  which  are 
lost  in  the  body  of  the  animal.  So  distant  from  the 
truth  are  those  physiologists  who  deny  that  the  Galvanic 
power  acts  on  the  nerves,  because  leeches  are  affected 
by  it,  supposed  to  have  no  nerves. 

Leeches  seem  to  breathe  by  the  mouth,  but  have  no 
organs  which  correspond  to  lungs.  Insects  which 
breathe  by  lateral  spiracula  are  killed  when  covered 
with  oil.  When  the  leech  is  put  into  oil,  it  lives  many 
days,  and  a  slough  separates  from  it,  so  tenacious,  when 
taken  out,  as  to  retain  the  form  of  the  body.  The 
greater  number  of  leeches  have  eyes,  and  some  species 
have  so  many  as  eight ;  but  in  others  no  such  organ 
has  been  observed.  These  animals  swim,  like  eels, 
by  a  vermicular  motion  ;  but  this  is  more  generally  in 
a  longitudinal  than  in  a  lateral  direction.  When  they 
walk  they  fix  the  fore  part  of  the  body  by  the  mouth, 
and  then  draw  the  back  part.  The.y.  then  fix  the  latter, 
and  extend  the  former. 

When  the  greater  number  of  the  species  of  hirudo 
are  cut  transversely,  the  two  parts  do  not  immediately 
die,  for  the  head  lives  considerably  longer  than  the 
tail.  If  the  section  is  not  complete,  the  animal  raises 
the  wounded  part  above  the  water,  and  keeps  it  in  the 
air,  till  each  end  is  cicatrised,  for  the  parts  never  unite  ; 
and  the  fluids,  usually  carried  downwards,  are  dis- 
charged in  abundance  from  the  wounded  part.  The 
operation  greatly  weakens  them,  and  they  soon  become 
a  prey  to  those  with  whom  they  are  placed,  after  the 
cure  has  been  completed. 

Leeches  are  hermaphrodites,  and  generally  viviparous. 
The  organs  of  generation,  according  to  Redi,  resemble 
those  of  a  snail.  The  penis  lies  under  the  oesophagus, 
and  the  aperture  of  the  vagina  immediately  below  it. 
Their  young  are  born  in  the  earliest  part  of  the  spring. 
As  the  animals  are  semitransparent,  the  young  are  seen 
in  the  body  of  the  mother,  in  the  form  of  round  seeds, 
and  seventy  have  been  counted  in  a  single  leech.  In 


II  I  R 


755 


II I  R 


thc'r  progressive  state  they  seem  to  grow  not  only  by 
evolution  but  by  .  :.he  number  of  the 

rings  seems  to  in*.  .  They  are  found  in  fresh  and 

salt  wa'er.  The  former  prefer  lakes  or  ponds  where  a 
great  quantity  of  vegetables  groiv.  They  are  common 
in  every  part  of  Europe;  but  less  so  in  the  southern 
regions.  They  appear  to  live  for  many  years  ;  but,  in- 
dependent of  the  danger  of  the  lakes  being  dried,  or  the 
waters  putrifying,  they  are  devoured  by  fish,  water  fowl, 
by  the  larvae  of  insects,  and  by  the  insects  themselves. 
They  also  devour  each  other;  and  Vauquelin  found 
thai  the  hungry  leeches  bled  without  mercy  those  which 
were  full.  When  in  want  of  blood,  they  suck  the  larvae 
of  insects,  worms,  and  other  animals,  which  live  or  are 
found  by  accident  in  the  water.  They  can  live  with 
little  nourishment  for  many  months,  and  pass  the  win- 
ter, often  a  great  part  of  the  summer,  involved  in  the 
mud,  when  the  lakes  are  dry,  without  eating. 

Sea  salt,  tobacco,  and  every  salt  or  acrid  substance, 
kill  these  animals,  and  this  is  the  method  of  disengaging 
them  from  the  body ;  for  if  torn  off,  the  head  is  left  in 
the  wound,  and  a  troublesome  suppuration  ensues.  If 
cut  in  two,  the  head  continues  the  suction,  while  the 
blood  is  discharged  from  the  wound,  and  all  the  conse- 
quences of  an  haemorrhage  follow. 

The  hirudo  medicinalis  Lin.  is  the  species  chiefly 
employed;  and  the  hirudo  sanguisuga,  or  black  leech, 
is  accounted  poisonous.  It  seems,  however,  only  to 
make  a  larger  wound,  and  to  suck  with  more  violence. 
They  must  be  collected  in  the  spring,  kept  in  pure  wa- 
ter, which  must  be  frequently  renewed,  in  a  place  not 
too  warm.  It  is  advised  that  some  clots  of  blood  should 
be  occasionally  thrown  into  the  water,  while  a  certain 
proportion  should  be  kept  hungry,  for  immediate  use. 
Some  years  since,  leeches  were  supposed  to  be  useful 
barometers,  and  it  was  said  that  they  lay  at  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel  when  the  following  day  would  be  clear  and 
warm  ;  but  that  when  rain  -would  come  on  before  the 
noon,  they  mounted  to  the  surface,  and  continued  there  till 
the  fine  weather  returned.  When  a  storm  of  wind  ap- 
proached, they  were  said  to  run  round  their  prison  with 
considerable  celerity,  and  to  stop  only  when  the  wind 
began  to  blow.  When  a  tempest  approached,  the  leech 
was  said  to  rise  out  of  the  water,  and  continue  above  it 
many  days,  appearing  restless  and  agitated  ;  that  it  re- 
mained at  the  bottom  of  the  bottle,  contracted  to  a  round 
ball,  during  a  frost ;  and  during  snow  and  rain  it  fixed 
itself  to  the  stopper  of  the  bottle,  remaining  at  rest. 
These  phenomena  may  be  correctly  stated,  and  a  single 
leech  may  appear  to  feel  the  variations  of  the  atmo- 
sphere ;  but  whoever  has  observed  many  of  these  ani- 
mals in  a  glass  vessel,  will  have  perceived  that,  in  any 
circumstances,  they  have  appeared  sometimes  still,  oc- 
casionally restless,  some  at  the  bottom,  others  at  the  top, 
of  the  vessel,  some  unquiet,  others  at  rest.  They  are 
certainly  very  susceptible  of  the  effects  of  lightning, 
and  often  killed  by  it.  A  small  species  was  found  in 
Egypt,  not  larger  than  a  hair  when  not  gorged  with 
blood.  They  often  fixed  in  the  throat  of  the  soldiers, 
and  w  ere  only  removed  by  forceps.  In  medicine  we  em- 
ploy only  the  two  following : 

1.  Hirudo  medicinalis,  long,  blackish,  with  lines  of 
different  colours,  spotted  with  yellow  below,  and  with- 
out eyes.  C.  Hirudo  sanguisuga,  the  horse  leech, long, 

VOL.    I. 


black,  of  a  greyish  green  colour  belov  .  Ai> 
teen  or  fifteen  species  are  known,  one  of  whi  -h  is  de- 
scribed in  the  first  volume  of  the  Linnae-.m  Transactions. 
p.  188,  and  said  to  breathe  by  gills;  but  should  the  lat 
ter  be  true,  the  animal  must  be  referred  to  another  ge- 
nus. The  author,  however.  Mr.  Menzies,  is  not  explicit 
on  this  part  of  his  subject :  the  setae  he  describes  may 
not  be,  or  may  not  lead  to,  gills.  Another  leech  is  de- 
scribed in  the  same  volume  by  Dr.  Shaw,  p.  93,  hirudo 
yiridis.  It  is  oviparous,  and,  like  some  other  species, 
is  reproduced  by  cutting. 

N\  e  have  enlarged  more  fully  on  this  subject  because 
we  have  no  accurate  description  of  this  useful  animal 
in  our  own  language.     We  must  now  return  to  wi 
more  strictly  our  object,  their  medical  use. 

Leeches  havejately  become  a  fashionable  remedy  in 
every  topical  inflammation,  in  topical  pains,  and  in  the 
greater  number  of  tumours,  internal  bruises,  and  ob- 
structions. In  scirrhi  and  incipient  cancers  they  are 
highly  commended ;  in  the  white  swelling  of  the  knee, 
in  swellings  of  the  periosteum,  in  the  inflammatory  state 
of  buboes,  they  are  supposed  to  be  highly  useful.  In  fact, 
they  have  been  so  much  employed  that  our  ponds  and 
lakes  have  been,  in  a  great  measure,  depopulated  ;  and 
in  many  parts  of  the  kingdom  they  are  with  difficulty 
procured.  The  mode  of  their  operation  must  be  after- 
wards considered,  but  the  principles  are  sufficiently  ex- 
plained under  the  article  of  BLISTERS,  q.  v.  The  pecu- 
liar advantages  which  result  from  their  use  seem  to  be 
cwing  to  their  exhaustion.  They  fill  the  vessels  around, 
and  not  only  relieve  from  the  quantity  of  blood  which 
they  draw,  but  from  that  which  they  accumulate  in  the 
subcutaneous  vessels.  By  this  effect  they  are  often 
singularly  useful ;  but  from  the  same  circumstance,  the 
bleeding,  if  a  bone  be  not  subjacent,  is  with  great  diffi- 
culty stopped.  Equal  advantages  may  be  often  obtain- 
ed by  cupping  with  scarifications,  without  the  same 
disadvantages ;  and  this  operation  should,  in  many  in- 
stances, be  preferred. 

The  leech,  when  full  of  blood,  drops  off;  but  should 
it  not  do  so  in  time,  a  little  salt  will  always  induce  it  to 
quit  its  hold.  Salt  has  been  thrown  on  the  animal  to 
make  it  disgorge  the  blood  which  it  has  sucked,  but  the 
leech  is  generally  killed  in  the  experiment.  A  more 
easy  way  to  discharge  the  blood,  and  save  the  animal,  is 
to  hold  it  in  the  hand,  and  gently  squeeze  it  in  a  napkin 
from  the  head  downward.  The  blood  flows  copiously 
from  what  may  appear  the  anus,  or  through  the  rup- 
tured extremity  of  the  intestinal  canal,  and  the  worm  is 
not  essentially  injured. 

Leeches  must  be  kept  hungry,  and  the  part  to  which 
they  are  to  be  applied  must  be  wetted  with  warm  milk, 
blood,  or  syrup.  If  a  sufficient  quantity  of  blood  is  not 
drawn,  cloths  wrung  out  of  warm  water  must  be  ap- 
plied on  the  orifice,  or  the  part  may  be  put  into  warm 
water  :  in  either  way  the  bleeding  may  be  prolonged. 

Leeches  are  sometimes  applied  to  the  anus  when  the 
haemorrhoids  are  suppressed,  and  to  the  gums  in  inflam- 
mations from  teething.  In  each  case  they  may  escape 
into  the  intestine  or  the  throat ;  but  an  injection  of 
salt,  dissolved  in  the  infusion  of  tobacco,  will  destroy 
them  in  the  former  instance,  and  gargles  or  draughts 
of  salt  water  in  the  latter.  In  general  a  healthy  leech 
will  suck  about  an  ounce  of  blood ;  but  warm  cloths 

5D 


HUM 


754 


HOM 


will  continue  the  evacuation  for  some  time  after  the 
animal  is  satiated. 

The  curious  may  consult  the  following  writers  on 
leeches,  viz.  Aldrovandrus,  Gesner,  Swammerdam, 
Redi,  and  Stahl.  Among  the  moderns,  the  Memoirs  of 
Morand,  Bosc,  and  Vauquelin. 

HIRUNDINA'RIA,  (from  hirundo,  a  sivalloiv;  so 
called  from  the  resemblance  of  its  pods  to  a  swallow). 
SWALLOW  WORT.  See  ASCLEPIAS. 

HISPA'NICUM  VI'RIDE.     See  ^ERUGO  ;ERIS. 
HISPI'DITAS,  from  hlsftidus, rough,  hairy).  Hairi- 
ness in  general ;  but  sometimes  limited  to  the  diseases 
called  pfialango&is,  or  distichiasis. 

HISPI'DULA,  (from  the  rough  woolly  surface  of  its 
stalks).  See  GNAPHALIUM  MONTANUM. 

HISTO'RIA,  (from  i<rlofi»,  a  case).  An  HISTORY.  In 
medicine  it  is  a  medical  case,  or  in  the  French  idiom 
an  observation. 

HOACHE.     A  Chinese  earth  resembling,  it  is  sup- 
posed, steatite,  or  soap  rock,  but  fusible,  and  more  pro- 
babiy  argillaceous,  with  a  mixture  of  silex. 
HOA'XACAN.     See  GUAIACUM. 
HOCIA'MSANUM.     See  AGRIMONIA. 
HOITZILO'XITL.     See  BALSAMUM  PERUVIANUM. 
HO'LCIMOS,  (from   tAx«,  to   draw).     An  epithet 
applied  to  what  may  be  drawn  out,  and  still  preserve 
its  continuity.     It  sometimes  means  a  tumour  of  the 
liver.     See  Galen  de  Loc.  Affect. 

HO'LCUS,  (from  the  same).  See  MILIUM  INDICUM. 
HOLI'PP-iE.     Thin  cakes  made  with  flower  and  su- 
gar, poured  upon  a  hot  iron,  figured,  and  then  set  on 
the   fire.     The  name   is  now  appropriated   to   sweet- 
meats ;  occasionally  to  such  as  are  laxative. 

HO'LLI.     The  Indian  name  for  what  the  Spaniards 
call  alii,  a  resinous  liquor,  distilling  from  the  tree  called 
chilli;  used  in  dysenteries.     See  Rail  Historia. 
HOLO'CYRON.     See  CHAM.EPITYS. 
HOLOPHLY'CTIDES,  (from  oA««,  whole,  and  <p*vx- 
TIS,  a  flustule).     See  PHLYCT.SN.S. 

HOLOSCHCE'NOS,  (from  i*o<,  whole,  and  <r^t(v«?, 
a  bulrush).  See  JUNCUS  ODORATUS. 

HOLO'STES,  HOLO'STEUM,  (from  «*<>«,  whole, 
and  ixrlfo\i,  a  bone;  from  their  use  in  restoring  broken 
bones).  See  OSTEOCOLLA. 

HOLOTHU'RION,  according  to  Bontius,  a  poison- 
ous substance  ;  but  its  nature  is  unknown. 

HOLOTO'NICOS,  (from  0*05,  whole,  and  rtita,  to 
stretch).  An  universal  convulsion,  or  rigor  of  the 
whole  body.  See  TETANUS. 

HOLQUAHU'ITL.     See  CORTEX  PERUVIANUS. 
HOLYWELL  WATER.    A  simple  cold  water,  re- 
markable for  its  purity,  similar  to  Malvern. 
HO'MA.     An  anasarcous  swelling. 
HOMO.     MAN.     In   a  work,  the  object  of  which 
is  to  detail  every  thing  which  relates  to  the  human 
body  in  health,  or  disease,  an  article  under  this  title 
will  perhaps  not  be  expected.     No  such  occurred  to 
our  predecessors  ;  and  had  we  found  appropriate  places 
for  many  of  the  subjects  which  will  now  claim  our 
attention,  we  should  not  have  introduced  the  subject  in 
this  connected  and  comprehensive  view  in  one  article ; 
where,  as  already  remarked,  we  purpose  to  collect  all 
those  circumstances  relative  to  his  structure  and  consti- 


tution, both  mental  and  corporeal,  which  cannot,  with 
advantage,  be  displayed  in  distinct,  independent  dis- 
quisitions. 

Man  stands  supereminent  among  created  beings,  the 
first  of  the  Almighty's  works,  the  link  'probably  be- 
tween other  animals  and  beings  of  a  diviner  nature. 
Man  alone  looks  towards  heaven  :  he  only,  by  the  ex- 
cellence of  his  mental  powers,  can  guard  against  the 
accidents  to  which  his  imbecility  and  the  inferiority  of 
his  senses  would  subject  him  :  he  only  can  correct  by 
his  own  reason  the  moral  imperfections  implanted  in  his 
nature.  Gloomy  philosophers  delight  to  magnify  his 
inferiority  in  many  respects  to  the  animals  around,  to 
sink  him  even  below  the  monkey,  which  he  appears,  at 
first  sight,  to  resemble  in  form  ;  and  Linnaeus  has  given 
a  sanction  to  their  misrepresentations  by  his  arbitrary 
classification  of  man  with  the  ape;  and,  what  more 
strictly  shows  the  weakness  of  his  system,  with  the  bat. 
The  Swedish  naturalist  had  once  determined  to  class 
animals,  like  plants,  from  the  organs  of  generation.  In 
this  respect  the  distinction  would  have  been  very 
striking,  for  a  most  complicated  apparatus  is  required 
to  build  up  the  first  of  nature's  works.  Had  Linnaeus 
followed  this  plan,  he  would  have  found  the  ape  truly 
a  beast,  from  the  deficiency  of  the  scrotum,  the  bone  of 
the  penis,  and  the  want  of  the  vesiculae  seminales.  In 
the  female,  the  cornua  uteri,  which  are  found  in  every 
species  of  ape,  except  the  pithecus ;  the  length  and 
direction  of  the  vagina  would  have  been  very  striking 
marks  of  distinction,  which  the  teeth  scarcely  furnish. 
Various  other  discriminating  appearances  will  soon 
occur. 

The  FORM  OF  MAN  is  perhaps  alone  sufficient  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  other  animals ;  and  in  the  compara- 
tive view  we  now  propose  to  take,  we  shall  chiefly  attend 
to  the  peculiarities  of  structure  connected  with  form. 
The  position  of  the  head  establishes  the  station  of  each 
animal.  In  man  it  is  short  and  rounded ;  nearly  ba- 
lanced on  the  atlas,  it  scarcely  falls  on  either  side.  In 
the  Negro,  the  weight  inclines  forward,  and  the  loins  are 
thrown  back  to  retain  the  equilibrium.  In  the  ape  the 
occipital  hole  is  still  farther  back,  and  the  balance  only 
preserved  by  a  still  more  oblique  position.  The  other 
animals  rest  on  the  ground  in  an  horizontal  posture, 
and  the  weight  of  the  head  is  supported  by  what  is 
styled  the  cervical  ligament.  This  is  not  found  in 
man,  as  he  wants  not  its  assistance.  It  has  been  said, 
that  men,  found  wild,  have  walked  on  their  hands  and 
feet.  This  is  not  probable,  for  the  wild  girl  of  Cham- 
pagne, the  Hanoverian  wild  boy,  the  two  wild  men  of 
the  Pyrenees,  and  the  savage  of  Aveyron,  walked  up- 
right ;  and  we  shall  find  that  the  structure  of  the  mus- 
cles of  the  feet  is  not  adapted  for  walking  both  on 
them  and  the  hands:  in  this  position  also  the  eyes  would 
be  turned  downward,  and  man  could  neither  avoid  dan- 
ger nor  discover  his  food. 

The  size  of  the  head  equally  distinguishes  man  from 
animals.  Almost  universally  the  brain  of  man  is 
larger,  in  proportion  to  his  bulk,  than  that  of  any  other 
animal.  If  there  are  some  exceptions,  the  medullary 
part  seems  designed  to  compose  the  very  large  nerves 
sent  to  the  muscular  organs,  in  which  the  whole  appears 
exhausted.  These  in  man  are  comparatively  small,  so 


HO  31 


i   DO 


HO  31 


that  the  brain  has  evidently  some  other  use,  besides 
affording  the  source  of  activity  to  the  muscles  ;  an  use 
denied  to  animals.  We  consequently  find,  that  wher- 
ever the  brain  is  large,  and  the  nerves  proportionally- 
small,  the  intellectual  powers  are  considerable,  the 
strength  of  the  body  comparatively  little,  and  the  con- 
trary. In  the  Negro  the  nerves  are  larger  in  propor- 
tion'to  the  mass  of  the  brain  than  in  the  white  man; 
and  his  skull  is  less,  though  his  face  is  more  extensive. 
One  method  of  determining  the  size  of  the  face  is  that 
of  Camper,  formerly  mentioned,  viz.  drawing  the  line 
from  the  chin  to  the  forehead,  which  forms,  with  an 
horizontal  line,  a  larger  angle  in  an  European  than  in  a 
Negro  and  an  ape,  successively.  Another  method  is 
to  place  the  head  in  its  natural  position  on  the  atlas, 
and  to  measure  the  angle,  formed  by  a  line  drawn  from 
the  chin  to  the  foramen  occipitale,  with  one  which 
passes  through  the  vertebral  column.  The  more  obtuse 
this  angle  is  the  more  contracted  is  the  skull,  and  the 
more  distant  the  foramen.  The  distance  between  the 
chin  and  the  chest  is  of  course  greater  in  the  Negro 
than  the  European;  proportionally  more  distant  suc- 
cessively in  the  dog,  the  hare,  the  sheep,  the  horse, 
the  hog,  and  the  whale,  where  the  face  is  parallel  to 
the  vertebral  column.  On  the  contrary,  the  more  the 
animal  reflects,  the  more  the  face  is  sunk  and  the  front 
advanced.  "  A  Negro  to  look  forward  raises  his  head 
above  his  breast :  an  ape  still  more  :  philosophers  de- 
press the  chin  ;  and  the  Jupiter  of  the  ancients,  with  his 
eyes  bent,  seriously  looking  downwards,  has  the  chin 
depressed  on  his  breast." 

The  clavicle  is  a  bone  of  which  many  animals  are 
deprived,  and  varies  in  its  form  and  its  length.  The 
more  the  chest  is  contracted,  the  shorter  is  the  clavicle, 
if  it  at  all  exist.  The  organs  of  deglutition  are  in- 
fluenced by  the  diet. 

In  the  larynx  of  apes  we  find  a  sac,  into  which  the 
air  passes  when  breathed,  so  that  it  can  neither  affect, 
with  the  necessary  vibrations,  the  ligaments  of  this 
organ,  nor  be  influenced  by  the  aperture  of  the  glottis. 
We  cannot  expect,  therefore,  in  these  animals  any 
articulation,  but  only  a  sharp  indistinct  noise,  expressive 
by  its  acuteness  of  anger,  or  by  its  graver  tones  of  satis- 
faction. 

The  more  distant  the  animal  is  from  man,  the  more 
deep  are  the  indentations  of  the  viscera  to  yield  to  the 
more  rapid  movements.  The  heart  is  situated  almost 
transversely  in  the  human  diaphragm,  but  inclines  in 
the  apes,  approaches  the  sternum  in  the  palmated  ani- 
mals ;  in  the  hoofed  and  the  cloven-footed  animals  it  is 
suspended  almost  vertically  on  this  bone;  and  from  the 
man  to  the  horse  its  position  varies  nearly  a  quarter 
of  a  circle.  The  size  and  bulk  of  the"  nipples  are  pro- 
portioned to  the  extent  of  the  horns  of  the  uterus,  since 
each  is  connected  with  the  number  of  the  young  ones. 

By  means  of  these  characters  we  can  ascertain  the 
discriminating  forms  of  man,  and  determine  what  are 
common  to  him  and  the  quadruped.  He  only  is  a  biped. 
He  only  has  two  thumbs  on  his  hands,  without  any 
on  his  feet,  while  quadrupeds  have  one  only  on  each 
extremity,  as  the  apes  ;  on  the  two  inferior  extremities, 
as  the  sariga  and  the  marmot ;  or  are  wholly  deprived 
of  them,  as  the  greater  number  of  quadrupeds.  In 
man  the  body  rests  on  the  feet,  and  the  talus  makes  a 
right  angle  with  the  leg.  The  apes,  the  makis,  the 


dogs,  and  even  the  elephant,  walk  neither  on  the  ankl< 
nor  the  talus,  but  on  the  toes.  As  we  recede  from  man. 
the  more  the  part  on  which  the  animal  rests  diminishes, 
and  the  talus  becomes  proportionally  more  acute.  Man; 
animals  rest  on  the  sciatic  tuberosities,  and  on  the  hot 
torn  of  their  feet :  they  then  raise  the  body,  and  employ 
the  superior  extremities    like  hands;  but  though   se 
veral  apes  have  an  additional  little  bone  in  the  carpu •-.. 
they  do  not  possess  the  dexterity  of  man,  as  the  thum!> 
is  small,  and  not  capable,  as  in  the  human  body,  01 
counteracting  the  power  of  the  other  fingers. 

From  the  muscular  structure  of  the  extremities, 
obvious  that  the.ape  can  only  move  many  of  the  fingers 
at  once  ;  that  it  cannot  bend  the  thumb  without  at  tht 
same  time  bending  the  other  fingers.  Of  course  it  does 
not  possess  those  motions  in  which  the  action  of  the 
thumb  is  combined  only  with  that  of  the  fore  and  middle 
finger,  so  useful  in  the  arts.  In  fact,  the  hand  of  the  ape- 
is  made  only  to  hold.  The  inferior  extremities,  from 
their  peculiar  structure,  are  calculated  for  the  same 
purpose. 

In  man,  the  flexor  muscles  of  the  leg  terminal* 
slightly  rounded  projections  towards  the  most  elevated 
part  of  the  tibia.  In  the  ape  these  muscles  extend  far 
on  the  internal  surface  of  the  same  part,  where  they 
form  a  cord,  which  prevents  their  perfect  extension  on 
the  thigh.  The  flexor  muscle  in  these  animals,  passing 
under  the  heel  bone,  is  a  decisive  argument  against  the 
idea  of  their  standing  erect.  In  man  the  bone  is  naked, 
which  shows  that  he  was  designed  to  rest  on  it,  which 
is  compatible  only  with  an  erect  position. 

In  man  the  vertebras  form  the  column  which  sup- 
ports the  head,  and  fixes  the  different  viscera  in  their 
situation.  The  cervical  vertebrae,  in  all  animals,  are  con- 
stantly seven.  The  dorsal  vertebrae  are  the  same  in 
number  as  the  ribs.  The  lumbar  vertebras,  usually 
five,  are  more  numerous  in  proportion  as  those  of  the 
sacrum  diminish.  Carnivorous  animals  have  six,  some- 
times seven;  the  sloth  four,  and  the  elephant  three. 
As  we  recede  from  the  human  race,  the  coccyx  extends. 
In  some  animals  the  pieces  even  amount  to  thirty-two. 
The  sternum  in  man  is  broad  and  extensive  ;  in  the 
greater  number  of  animals  narrow.  Man  alone  has  the 
bold  projecting  chest,  which,  increasing  the  resistance 
to  the  air,  diminishes  the  rapidity  of  his  motions.  The 
number  of  its  bones  is  proportional  to  that  of  the  ribs. 
The  latter  varies.  In  the  elephant  they  amount  to 
forty ;  in  the  sloth  to  forty-six.  The  smallest  number 
is  twenty -two.  The  trichectus  has  but  four  true  ribs. 

The  thigh  bones  and  the  pelvis  of  the  human  race  are 
larger  and  flatter  than  those  of  other  animals,  which 
add  to  the  solidity  of  the  upright  position,  by  giving  a 
firmer  hold  to  the  muscles  attached  to  it.  The  direc- 
tion of  the  female  vagina  is  nearly  transverse  from  the 
sacrum  to  the  pubes,  while  it  is  in  the  axis  of  the  pelvis 
in  quadrupeds.  This  allows  the  latter  to  produce  their 
young  with  little  pain  or  trouble  ;  but  if  it  had  been 
the  same  in  the  human  race,  who  walk  erect,  abortion 
would  be  frequent.  Thus  the  female  pays  a  heavy 
penalty  for  the  distinction  of  the  upright  position. 

Man  differs  from  other  animals  in  many  respects, 
which  do  not  influence  very  essentially  the  form.  The 
teeth,  though  the  same  in  number  and  form  with  those 
of  some  animals,  are  more  closely  set ;  nor,  in  the  hu- 
man jaw.  are  there  any  intermaxillary  bones.  We  diffe- 
5  D  ) 


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756 


HOM 


also  by  the  palpitating  fontanelle  at  birth  ;  by  our  long 
and  feeble  infancy  ;  by  the  menstruation  of  the  female, 
which  renders  conception  equally  easy  in  different  sea- 
sons ;  by  the  delicacy  of  our  skin  ;  by  wanting  thesus- 
pensor  muscle  of  the  eye,  the  panniculus  canrosus,  the 
arterial  net-work,  the  pancreas  of  Asellius,  the  corpus 
highmorianum,  the  hepato-cystic  ducts,  &c. 

Man  is  defined  a  naked  animal  with  two  hands  and 
two  feet,  who  walks  upright,  is  capable  of  reason,  and 
susceptible  of  civilization.  By  his  organization  and 
structure  he  belongs  to  that  class  which  has  a  double 
nervous  and  vertebral  system,  and  ranks  with  animals 
whose  blood  is  warm,  whose  heart  is  double,  and  who 
suckle  their  young  at  their  breasts.  Our  peculiar  ad- 
vantages place  us  at  the  head  of  the  animal  kingdom. 
The  complication  of  our  organs  multiplies  in  the  same 
proportion  as  our  functions,  and  equally  extends  our 
faculties. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  man,  in  his  different 
forms  and  different  situations,  is  of  one  s/iecies  only. 
Scripture  informs  us  that  one  man  was  created  ;  but 
has  not  limited  the  creation  to  a  single  individual.  Re- 
ligion is  not,  therefore,  affected  by  the  discussion  or  the 
decision.  We  have  seen  the  distinctions  in  form  which 
separate  man  from  the  brute,  and  we  have  found  that 
the  Negro  is  a  connecting  link  between  both.  The  Ne- 
gro has  the  narrow  retreating  fore  head  and  hind  head, 
the  flat  bone  of  the  nose,  the  retreating  chin,  the  occi- 
pital hole  far  beyond  the  centre  of  the  cranium,  the 
long  and  strong  under  jaw,  large  bony  orbits,  and  a 
wide  meatus  auditorius,  the  long  fore  arm,  small  calves 
of  the  leg,  long  tendo  achillis,  with  a  manner  of  walk- 
ing between  the  motion  of  the  ape  and  the  man.  He, 
therefore,  forms  the  link  which  unites  man  to  brutes, 
while  man  may  possibly  connect  animals  with  angels. 
Naturalists  have  distinguished  different  species  of  brutes 
from  this  circumstance,  that  they  do  not  copulate,  or 
that  the  offspring  is  not  fertile.  Yet  more  attentive  ob- 
servation has  found  that  those  hybrid  productions  will 
sometimes  be  productive  ;  but  they  are  soon  lost.  By 
this  test  also  the  African  Negro  would  scarcely  appear 
of  the  same  species  with  ourselves  ;  for  were  he  so,  it  is 
calculated  that  the  West-India  islands  would  long  since 
have  been  inhabited  by  mulattos,  or  people  of  colour. 
On  the  contrary,  their  children,  if  any,  as  Mr.  Long  re- 
marks, are  very  few,  and  in  the  second  generation  they 
are  childless.  There  seems  to  be  little  doubt,  then,  that 
there  are  two  species  of  the  human  race,  at  least;  and 
when  we  examine  the  inhabitants  of  different  regions, 
we  find  distinctions  equally  striking  ;  the  copper-co- 
loured American,  for  instance,  appears  in  no  less  a  degree 
to  differ  from  the  two  others.  It  is  in  vain  to  argue 
that  the  Negro  is  black  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  for 
the  Ethiopian,  the  Hindo'o,  and  the  Arab,  are  equally 
exposed  to  high  temperatures  ;  or  that  the  European  is 
bleached  in  a  colder  climate,  for  this  would  not  change 
his  structure.  M.  Virey  has  proposed  a  division  of  the 
human  race  into  those  whose  facial  angle  is  from  85  to 
90°,  and  those  in  whom  the  angle  Is  from  75  to  85°. 
The  first  species  comprehends  the  Arabs,  the  Gentoos, 
the  Celts,  and  Circassians,  who  are  white  ;  the  Chinese, 
the  Mongol-Kalmuck,  and  the  Ostiack  Laplander,  who 
are  sunburnt;  and  the  American  and  Charib,  who  are 
red.  The  second  species  comprehends  the  deep  brown, 
the  black,  and  the  blackish  ;  containing  the  Malay,  the 


Caffre  and  Negro,  the  Hottentotand  Papou  respectively. 
The  Europeans  are,  in  this  arrangement,  styled  Cells  : 
he  should  rather  have  called  them  a  Gothic  race.  The 
Hungarians),  the  Asiatic  Russians,  and  the  Laplanders, 
are  included  under  the  Mongols.  We  are  not  pre- 
pared to  contend  that  these  are  different  species.  The 
three  which  we  have  pointed  out  seem  to  be  so  ;  and 
the  Gentoo,  the  Hottentot,  and  the  Papou,  have  some 
claims  to  this  distinction,  which  will  be  better  ascertain- 
ed when  their  forms  have  been  more  accurately  exa- 
mined. 

Of  the  constitutions  of  the  first  species,  the  Euro- 
peans, we  need  not  spe;ik.  The  Negro  is  like  the  brute, 
whom  he  approaches  in  form,  rapid  in  his  movements, 
quick,  violent,  and  savage  in  his  passions  and  resent- 
ments, with  little  active  energy  or  sensibility.  He  bears 
heat  with  ease,  is  not  susceptible  of  the  action  of  the  re- 
mote causes  of  fever,  but  with  little  activity  of  consti- 
tution when  diseased,  soon  yields  and  dies  in  situations 
where  the  European  would  be  in  little  danger.  The 
American  is  patient,  steady,  and  persevering  ;  with 
great  acutencss  of  perception,  and  a  soundness  of  judg- 
ment; but  possessing  little  sensibility,  and  not  very  sus- 
ceptible of  civilization.  The  Hottentot  and  the  Hindoo 
of  the  lowest  cast,  which  we  call  the  gyfisie,  if  he  be  a 
Hindoo,  approach  most  nearly  the  brute  in  their  man- 
ners. Imitation  is  a  striking  trait  in  all  the  lower  races 
of  mankind,  as  well  as  in  the  ape.  The  frequent  re- 
petition of  the  action  of  particular  muscles  occasions  a 
habit  which  renders  the  subsequent  repetitions  more 
easy,  and  the  action  more  certain.  We  cannot  consider 
the  monkey  without  being  astonished  at  the  rapidity  and 
the  uninterrupted  succession  of  his  motions.  "  It  seems 
as  if  an  irresistible  power  eternally  torments  him  :  he  is 
agitated ;  he  advances  and  retires  ;  he  is  eager  to  mount, 
and  as  hasty  to  descend.  This  restlessness  is  undoubt- 
edly a  great  obstacle  to  his  improvement.  What  can 
we  teach  him,  who  is  always  in  motion,  since  there  fs 
no  study  without  reflection,  and  to  reflect  he  must  stand 
still?"  This  elegant  and  judicious  reflection  of  M. 
d'Azyr  is  applicable  to  other  races  besides  monkeys. 

If  we  were  to  be  more  minute,  we  might  remark  that 
the  happy  proportion  of  solids  and  fluids  which  com- 
poses the  sanguine  complexion  of  the  Celt,  or  Goth, 
of  Europe,  and  which  becomes  bilious  among  the  Van- 
dals and  Sclavonians,  appears  still  stronger  in  the  exten- 
sive ramifications  of  the  Mongol  tribe,  as  we  find  from 
the  observations  of  Pallas  and  the  learned  Russian  travel- 
lers. It  takes,  however,  a  nervous  shade  in  the  south- 
ern races.  The  Malays  have  constitutions  still  more 
irritable  and  nervous,  which  renders  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  torrid  zone  pusillanimous  and  melancholy.  The 
temperament  of  the  Charib,  like  the  American,  is  con- 
centrated in  muscular  energy,  with  little  sensibility; 
-and  the  phlegmatic  constitution  of  the  Negro  is  still 
more  striking  in  the  Hottentot. 

The  different  races  of  man  differ  in  minuter  parts  of 
their  form.  The  Hindoos,  the  Hottentots,  the  Peru- 
vians, the  Chinese,  Esquimaux,  the  inhabitants  of  New 
Holland,  and  some  others,  have  very  small  hands  in 
proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  body.  The  Hindoos  have 
very  long  legs  and  thighs  :  they  are  very  short  in  the 
Mongol  races  ;  large  in  the  inhabitants  of  New  Zealand; 
deformed  and  bent  in  the  Negro.  The  last  deformity 
ha-s  been  observed  from  the  remotest  ages,  and  was 


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'57 


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noticed  by  Aristotle  (Problems,  No.  5 — U).  The  ears 
are  large  and  projecting  in  all  savage  nations ;  placed 
higher  in  the  Hindoo  than  the  European  head,  and 
sometimes  moveable.  The  inhabitants  of  the  east  of 
Asia  have  the  eyes  placed  diagonally.  The  general  pro- 
portions of  the  head  to  the  height  are  variable.  The 
whole  length  of  the  Kalmuck  is  not  equal  to  sis  times 
the  head ;  while  the  elegant  Grecians  made  their  most 
beautiful  statues,  as  the  Pythian  Apollo,  and  the  Venus 
Pudica,  equal  to  seven  or  eight.  The  Esquimaux  and 
Samoides  are  only  about  five  times  the  length  of  the 
head.  All  the  barbarian  races  of  the  north  have  very 
large  heads,  thick  and  short  necks,  large  and  raised 
shoulders,  a  square  shape,  and  a  harsh  outline.  The 
dwarf  has  short  stinted  limbs,  an  enormous  head,  and  a 
thick  body ;  while  the  giant  is  thin  and  weak,  with  legs 
peculiarly  slender.  But  to  this  point  there  are  excep- 
tions, to  be  afterwards  noticed. 

The  colour  of  the  different  races  has  excited  greatly 
the  attention  of  naturalists.  It  has  been  attributed  to 
heat ;  and  numerous  are  the  authors  who  have  laboured 
to  prove,  that  in  a  higher  temperature  we  should  have 
been  all  black,  or,  as  already  hinted,  that  we  were  once 
black,  and  become  white  only  by  effeminacy,  or  a  de- 
gradation of  our  nature.  This  subject  has  furnished  the 
credulous  Volney  (for  even  deists  can  be  credulous 
when  in  opposition  to  religion)  with  a  subject  of  de- 
clamation, that  we  now  oppress  the  Negroes,  to  whom, 
as  the  reputed  ancestors  of  the  Egyptians,  we  owe  all  arts 
and  sciences.  Neither  position  is  true.  The  ancient 
Egyptians  were  not  Negroes,  and  our  sciences  and  arts 
wi-re  derived  from  Asia.  If  we  examine  the  human  race, 
as  scattered  over  different  parts  of  the  globe,  with  the  dis- 
criminating accuracy  of  Zimmerman,  we  shall  find  that 
the  Negro  is  not  confined  to  the  hottest  regions ;  and 
we  have  shown  that  he  is  distinguished  from  the  white 
more  pointedly  by  structure,  in  which  temperature  has 
no  concern,  than  by  colour,  which  we  know  not  that 
temperature  can  influence.  Were  farther  evidence 
wanted,  we  might  adduce  that  of  Mungo  Park,  who 
found  the  brown  Mahometan  intermixed,  in  similar 
climates,  with  the  black  Negro.  The  copper  coloured 
American  is  equally  distant  from  both  the  Celt  or  Goth, 
and  the  Negro;  nor  can  we  see,  either  from  historical 
record  or  observation,  how  we  can  escape  from  consi- 
dering him  as  a  distinct  species. 

There  are  indeed  varieties  of  the  human  race  connected 
partly  with  climate  and  in  part  with  local  circumstances. 
The  Albinos  are  white  Negroes;  and  we  have  seen  a 
female  Albino,  with  an  European,  produce  mulattos. 
These  are  sometimes  styled  Chacrclan,  sometimes  Don- 
dfjg,  and,  by  Blumenbach,  Luco-.Ethio/ie*.  They  are  of 
a  pale,  dead  white;  the  edges  of  the  eye  lids  are  red; 
their  hair  woolly  and  white  ;  their  voice  feeble ;  their 
hearing  dull ;  their  skin  soft ;  and  their  muscular  power 
weak.  They  occasionally  appear  in  Europe  as  varieties; 
but  they  are  said  to  be  numerous  in  the  isthmus  of 
Darien ;  sometimes  found  in  the  Brasils,  in  Sumatra, 
and  among  the  Mongol  Tartars,  or  rather  in  Hungary. 
Yet,  from  comparing  the  descriptions  of  Klein  and  Pal- 
las, wye  doubt  whether  the  latter  are  of  the  Negro 
race ;  and  we  think  it  rather  probable  that,  like  the 
Cretins  of  the  Alps,  they  are  varieties  of  the  race  of 
their  respective  countries,  weakened  frorn  climate  or 
accidents,  as  we  produce  variegated  leaves,  by  weak- 


ening the  plant,  either  by  confining  its  roots  or  other 
means.     We  are  told  by  Lorry  that  the  Albinos  are  not 
sensible  of  electrical  shocks.  The  swollen  throats  of  the 
Cretins  constitute  only  an  inconsiderable  variety.    The 
long  handed  Quimos  of  Madagascar  we  should  suppose 
to  be  a  species  of  apes,  did  not  the  testimony  of  Rochon 
lead  us  as  least  to  hesitate  on  the  subject.     Other  varie- 
ties from  customs,  as  the  long  flat  heads,  elephant's  legs, 
thejuncezfiufllte  of  Linnaeus,  when  strait  lacing  was- 
fashionable,  with  similar  deformities,  need  not  detain  us. 
In  various  circumstances  we  find  other  aberrations 
from  the  usual  form.     In  size,  men  greatly  differ;  and 
the  diminutive  Laplander  differs  from  the  mountaineer 
of  Chili  (Patagonia)  in  a  far  greater  degree  than  the  dif- 
ference of  climate  will  explain.     In  temperate  regions, 
the  size  of  the  human  race  sometimes  greatly   varies, 
and  nature  sports  in  a  circle  whose  limits  are  not  very 
contracted.     Dwarfs,  we  have  already  observed,  have 
been  often  stinted  in  their  growth  from  disease  or  con- 
finement; but  Borulawski,  who  was  only  twenty-eight 
inches  high,  possessed  a    perfect    form,    and    mental 
powers  in  sufficient  perfection.      He  has  been  styled 
a  man  of  sound  judgment.      He  may  have   been  so; 
but  of  this  we  have  no  evidence  :  in  the  lighter  graces 
and  accomplishments,  and  in  the  more  elegant  parts  of 
literature,  he  was  well  accomplished.     Jeffery  Hudson 
scarcely  exceeded  eighteen  inches  in  height  at  the  age 
of  thirty,  and  is  said  to  have  been  lively,  witty,  and 
well  proportioned.     Bebe,  who  was  thirty-three  inches, 
was  scarcely  a  rational  creature.     The  Wottacks,  a  Lap- 
land race,  are  said,  by  the  Abb6   de  la  Chappe,  not  to 
exteed  four  feet,  and  in  intellectual  powers  they  are  very 
deficient.  On  the  whole,  we  have  little  evidence  of  the 
evolution  of  intellectual  powers  in  bodies  whose  bulk  is 
limited,  or  whose  growth  is  stinted  by  accident  or  dis- 
ease.    The  materialist  may  employ  it  as  an  argument 
in  his  own  favour,  but  it  is  a  weak  one  ;  for  if  the  body 
is  the  instrument  of  the  soul,  the  agent  by  which  the 
immaterial  principle  acts,  it  will  be  evident  that  the  dis- 
play of  the  faculties  of  the  latter  must  be  limited  by  the 
state  of  perfection  which  the  former  has  attained. 

We  must  not,  however,  look  for  perfection  in  the 
overgrown  beings  which  occasionally 'astonish  us  by 
their  magnitude.  Beyond  a  given  proportion,  bulk  and 
height  are  sources  of  weakness;  for  a  greater  exer- 
tion is  required  to  raise  a  longer  lever  to  an  equal 
height,  or  to  support  an  equal  weight.  It  is  not,  in- 
deed, necessary  to  limit  the  muscular  power,  since  we 
know  that  it  differs  in  different  persons ;  but  we  sel- 
dom find  a  vast  bulk  connected  with  great  strength. 
When  it  thus  happens,  the  monster  is  truly  formidable. 
Goliahof  Gath  could  wield  weapons  of  considerable  size 
and  weight,  but  the  Irish  giant  was  comparatively  weak  ; 
and  the  strongest  men  have  been  only  of  a  moderate 
size.  Giants  have  certainly  existed  of  eight,  perhaps 
of  ten  feet;  but  when  bones  are  shown,  which,  accord- 
ing to  their  proportion,  must  give  a  height  of  eighteen, 
or  even  thirty-six,  feet,  we  may  reasonably  conclude  that 
the  bones  of  other  animals  must  have  been  mistaken  for 
human.  The  greater  number  of  the  Patagonians  did  not 
exceed  nine  feet,  though  some  were  said  to  be  nearly 
equal  to  twelve. 

The  sexual  varieties  are  most  singular,  though,  for- 
tunately in  the  human  species,  less  common.  In  the 
lower  orders  of  animals  the  sexes  are  often  united  in  a 


HOM 


758 


HOM 


single  individual ;  and,  as  we  rise  in  the  scale,  ano- 
malies in  these  respects  are  more  uncommon.  We 
shall  only  mention,  in  the  quadrupeds,  the  circumstance 
of  the  free  martin.  When  twin  calves  are  produced, 
and  the  one  is  female,  she  never  breeds.  It  is  the 
"  taura"  of  the  scriptores  rei  rusticae,  fattens  freely,  is 
of  a  more  delicate  fibre  than  the  bull,  and  bellows  like 
the  ox.  Mr.  Hunter  found  it,  on  dissection,  of  neither 
sex.  We  mention  this  chiefly  to  add  that  it  is  not  an  uni- 
versal rule,  for  we  have  known  a  free  martin  breed  ; 
and  this  peculiarity  is  not  found  in  the  human  race,  for 
the  twin  female  is  always  perfect.  Indeed  anomalies 
in  these  organs  arc  very  rare  among  mankind,  and  we 
have  said  that  the  reputed  hermaphrodites  are  generally 
female.  The  variations  in  individuals,  the  lusus  na- 
turae, do  not  belong  to  the  history  of  the  human  race, 
and  arc  scarcely  the  objects  of  this  work,  as  they  admit 
of  no  practical  application.  A  full  account  of  these 
misfortunes  of  mankind  may  be  found  in  Cheselden's 
Anatomy,  Dr.  Parson's  Essay,  and  the  first  numbers  of 
the  Edinburgh  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal,  to  which 
the  reader  who  is  curious  on  this  subject  may  be  refer- 
red, and  in  these  works  he  will  receive  full  informa- 
tion. 

Climate,  though  it  may  not  influence  the  colour  of 
the  skin,  greatly  varies  the  forms  of  mankind.  We 
have,  in  part,  anticipated  this  subject,  in  the  article 
COLD,  q.  v. ;  and  have  already  mentioned  the  diminu- 
tive form  of  the  Lapland  race,  though  naturalists  do 
not  give  full  credit  to  the  Abbe  de  la  Chappe's  de- 
scriptions. The  most  general  source  of  the  population 
of  the  globe,  the  family  that  escaped  from  the  general 
destruction  of  the  deluge,  was  placed  in  the  high  moun- 
tains in  the  centre  of  Asia;  in  a  climate  temperate 
from  its  height ;  fertile  from  the  numerous  rivers  de- 
rived from  its  elevated  plains  ;  in  short,  a  spot  in  which 
the  human  race  may  be  expected  to  reach,  and  in  which 
it  apparently  did  reach,  all  the  perfection  of  which  the 
species  was  susceptible.  Asia  was  the  parent  of  the 
Goths,  the  Greeks,  the  Arabs,  who  attained  successively 
the  dominion  of  the  world,  and  established  their  power 
in  every  region  where  they  carried  their  arms.  Heat  or 
cold  has  not  greatly  changed  them ;  but  there  are  ap- 
parently other  races,  in  different  circumstances,  greatly 
affected  by  their  situation,  either  as  it  is  cold  or  hot,  wet 
or  dry. 

Moderate  cold,  alternating  with  a  more  temperate 
air,  gives  firmness  and  solidity,  increases  the  muscular 
power  and  the  mental  energy ;  gives  animation,  inge- 
nuity, and  activity.  It  is  not,  however,  the  tempera- 
ture best  adapted  for  the  more  perfect  evolution  of  the 
form.  From  the  thirty-fifth  to  the  forty-fifth  degree 
of  northern  latitude,  in  features,  stature,  and  propor- 
tion, mankind  appear  most  perfect,  at  least  those  of  the 
Asiatic  or  Gothic  race.  When  we  approach  nearer  the 
equinoctial  line,  men  lose  their  energy  and  activity, 
•while  the  spirits  and  imagination  appear  to  be  animated 
to  a  degree  which  occasions  uncommon,  and  often  ir- 
regular, exertions  of  fancy,  new,  unexpected  combina- 
tions. 

Every  race,  however,  is  not  equally  affected  by  heat 
or  cold.  The  Asiatic,  we  have  said,  seldom  loses  his 
pre-eminence,  wherever  he  is  placed.  The  Negro  bears 
with  impunity  the  greatest  heat,  and  the  tropical  sun 
seems  his  natural  climate.  The  Ethiopian  feels  no 


inconvenience  from  the  burning  sun,  but  becomes  torpid 
in  a  temperate  climate. 

The  differences  in  the  human  race  occasioned  by 
dryness  or  moisture  vary  as  these  are  connected  with 
heat  or  cold.  Dry  countries  render  the  fibres  rigid,  the 
inhabitants  thin,  active,  laborious,  irritable,  but  coil- 
rageous,  and  capable  of  the  greatest  enterprises.  When 
combined  with  heat,  the  active  spirit,  the  enterprise,  is 
less,  but  the  ingenuity  apparently  greater.  Such  were 
the  Greeks,  on  the  barren  rocks  of  the  Archipelago  : 
such  were  the  Moors  in  Spain,  the  Arabs  on  the  banks 
of  the  Euxine.  Humidity,  on  the  contrary,  softens  the 
fibres,  renders  the  body  flaccid,  the  mind  dull  and  inac 
live,  but  capable  of  much  labour,  cool  and  persever- 
ing. The  inhabitants  of  such  countries  receive  an  im- 
pulse slowly  ;  but,  when  impelled,  steadily  persist. 
Such  were  formerly  the  Boeotians  :  such  are  now  the  in- 
habitants of  Holland,  the  Low-countries,  and  the  Swiss 
of  the  valleys.  When  heat  is  united  with  humidity, 
the  inhabitants  are  softened  and  weak,  incapable  of  la- 
bour or  active  enterprise,  as  the  slightest  motion  is 
highly  inconvenient.  They  are  indolent  and  contem- 
plative ;  but  their  meditations  are  seldom  directed  to 
important  purposes,  and  they  have  never  made  any  im- 
provement in  science.  Their  utmost  efforts  are  ex- 
hausted in  patient  industry,  in  works  of  imitation,  an  d 
which  require  little  exertion.  Such  are  the  inhabitants 
of  Bengal,  of  Ava,  of  Guiana,  &c 

Extreme  humidity,  with  cold  and  a  stagnant  atmo- 
sphere, produces  swellings  of  the  lymphatic  glands, 
goitres,  and  cretinism.  The  Cretins  are  an  insensible 
race,  with  little  pretensions  to  the  character  of  rational 
creatures,  whose  organs  are  generally  relaxed.  The 
glands  of  the  neck  are  enlarged,  and  hang  down  in  the 
most  disgusting  bags.  They  are  of  a  yellow  paleness  : 
their  limbs  are  pendulous  ;  their  look  stupid ;  they  can- 
not stand  upright,  nor  speak ;  and  continue  in  a  lying 
or  sitting  posture  through  their  whole  lives.  They  rnust 
be  attended,  fed,  and  dressed  like  children.  They  are, 
however,  reverenced  as  the  favourites  of  Heaven ;  but 
are  chiefly  distinguished  by  their  gluttony  and  lasci- 
viousness.  This  affection  is  not  conveyed  to  their 
children  ;  but  they  are  usually  disposed  to  it.  Cretins 
are  found  in  the  defiles  of  all  the  high  mountains,  even 
the  Cordelieras  and  the  Andes. 

The  qualities  of  the  air  correspond  with  those  of  the 
ground ;  and,  in  general,  fertile  lands  produce  hand- 
somer, more  active,  and  more  intelligent  men  than 
those  which  are  barren.  Yet  the  latter  have  more  spi- 
rit, activity,  and  independence  than  the  former,  who  are 
generally  indolent,  effeminate,  and  the  slaves  of  des- 
potism. It  has  been  fancifully  said  that  there  is  an  ana- 
logy between  the  inhabitants  of  every  country  and  its 
animals.  Thus  the  Laplander  is  supposed  to  be  analo- 
gous to  his  reindeer ;  the  Muscovite  to  the  bear ;  the 
Tartar  to  his  horse ;  the  Samoeide  to  the  phoca,  or  sea- 
cow  ;  the  Malay  to  the  tiger ;  the  Negro  to  the  ape ; 
the  Bedouin  to  the  camel ;  the  Indian  to  the  cow ;  the 
Papouan  to  the  hog ;  the  Moor  to  the  hyena  ;  the  Chi- 
nese to  the  cat;  the  Peruvian  to  the  lama;  the  Cana- 
dian to  the  weasel  (Virey).  Perhaps  the  peculiar  man- 
ners may,  in  each  instance,  be  influenced  by  climate. 

The  nature  of  the  food  produces  some  change  in  the 
constitution  and  on  the  mind  of  man.  We  have  spoken 
on  this  subject,  as  it  relates  to  individuals,  under  the 


HOM 


'59 


HOM 


article  DICTA.  We  must  now  speak  collectively  of 
its  effects  on  the  different  races  of  mankind.  The  great 
outline  of  distinction  is  between  the  northern  and  south- 
ern race;  those  who  live  principally  on  animal  food,  or 
those  whose  nourishment  is  chiefly  taken  from  the  ve- 
getable kingdom.  Man,  we  have  said,  is  calculated  for 
a  mixed  aliment,  and  such  he  uses  when  both  can  be 
easily  procured ;  but  the  savage  of  the  woods  will  not 
patiently  wait  for  the  growth  of  his  corn,  when  he  can 
pursue  and  kill  the  deer;  and  the  inhabitant  of  the 
arctic  circle  is  from  necessity  obliged  to  devour  his 
rein  deer.  The  inhabitants  of  the  northern  regions,  who 
eat  large  quantities  of  animal  food,  are  consequently  ro- 
bust, active,  enterprising;  those  of  the  south,  timid, 
weak,  and  indolent.  The  climate,  in  each  case,  influ- 
ences the  character;  but  we  generally  find,  even  in  this 
country,  warmth  induce  a  dislike  for  animal  food,  and 
render  vegetables  more  pleasing.  It  is  remarked  by 
curious  observers,  that  food  differs  with  the  latitude. 
The  Greenlander,  the  Canadian,  and  the  Kamtschatdale 
eat  with  greediness  the  rancid  fat  of  their  whales;  the 
Swede,  the  German,  and  the  Englishman,  use  a  large 
proportion  of  flesh.  The  Frenchman  eats  less  of  ani- 
mal food,  with  a  larger  proportion  of  bread;  the  Italian 
his  legumina,  his  polenta,  and  macaroni ;  the  Turk  his 
rice ;  the  Moor  his  figs ;  the  Negro  his  millet  and  durra ; 
the  South  American  his  maize;  the  white  African,  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  his  dates,  figs,  and  lotus (zi- 
ziphus  lotus);  the  Malay  his  sago  and  bread  fruit;  the 
maritime  races  their  fish ;  the  Caffres,  the  Hottentots, 
and  Arabs,  principally  their  milk,  adding  occasionally 
the  flesh  of  their  numerous  flocks ;  the  Mongols  and 
Calmucks  the  flesh  of  their  horses,  with  their  milk 
sometimes  mixed  with  blood;  the  Persians  and  Egypt- 
ians their  dates  and  water  melons ;  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Archipelago  their  figs  and  chestnuts;  the  Califor- 
nians  the  fruit  of  the  nopal,  or  cactus  ;  the  Brasilians 
the  acajou  apple  (anacardium  occidentale);  the  Peru- 
vians and  Mexicans  the  cassada,  potatoes,  and  yams; 
the  Abyssinians  the  seeds  of  the  sesamum ;  and  the 
Cingalese  the  cynosurus  coracanus.  In  Africa  millet  is 
so  cheap,  that  it  is  computed  a  hundred  men  may  be 
maintained  during  a  whole  year  for  less  than  nine 
pounds  sterling.  The  form  of  the  teeth  and  jaws  differs 
with  the  food.  The  teeth  of  the  Negro  are  thick,  large, 
and  distant;  the  muscles  of  mastication  weak ;  the  jaws 
elongated.  The  Tartars,  a  carnivorous  race,  on  the  con- 
trary, have  smaller,  sharper  teeth,  strong  jaws,  and 
powerful  muscles.  The  powers  of  digestion  are  strong 
in  the  higher  latitudes,  and  the  inhabitants  can  digest 
easily  the  fat  of  their  whales,  and  the  blood  of  their 
sea  calves,  while  the  Indian  bramin  requires  aromatics 
to  assist  the  digestion  of  his  fruit  and  rice. 

The  natural  drink  of  the  human  race  is  water ;  but 
every  nation  is  eager  to  attain  a  state  of  intoxication. 
In  the  north  only  it  is  most  easily  and  safely  borne.  In 
the  south  it  produces  madness;  and  Mahomet  and  Zo- 
roaster have  consequently  forbidden,  by  the  most  posi- 
tive precepts,  the  use  of  fermented  liquors.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  the  south  calm  their  too  great  sensibility  and 
activity  by  cooling  and  acid,  or  by  narcotic,  drinks.  The 
tea  of  eastern  Asia,  the  coffee  of  Arabia,  and  the  beer  of 
the  northern  nations,  in  which  they  infuse  the  agaricus 
muscarius,  are  of  the  latter  kind:  the  opium  and  theban- 
gue  of  India  are  similar  in  their  effects,  and  employed 


in  the  same  way.  The  cooling,  diluting  drinks  temperate 
the  too  great  heat  of  the  warmer  regions,  while  the 
narcotics  check  the  too  great  irritability,  though  they 
leave  the  nervous  system  more  peculiarly  susceptible  of 
irritation,  till  the  excitability  is  wholly  destroyed. 

Having  traced  the  varieties  of  the  human  race  in 
every  circumstance  and  situation  likely  to  influence 
them,  we  must  more  particularly  attend  to  minuter  dis- 
tinctions. The  chief  of  these  is  sexual.  Man  has,  in 
general,  superior  stature,  larger  and  stronger  muscles, 
a  larger  brain,  stronger  bones,  a  deeper  voice,  a  browner 
and  a  more  hairy  skin.  Women  have  long,  fine, 
and  flexible  hair,  a  delicate  white  skin,  soft  flesh,  a 
rounded  form,  a  soft  voice,  a  lively  sensibility,  though 
often  irregular,  and  a  very  irritable  system  of  nerves. 
The  body  of  a  man  is  larger  and  more  expanded  above, 
that  of  a  woman  below,  the  waist:  each  is  thus  adapted 
to  their  several  offices.  The  infant  resembles  a  woman 
in  its  constitution  and  characters :  a  woman  beyond 
the  change  of  life  comes  nearer  the  man.  A  woman 
has  the  sanguine  complexion,  the  nervous  irritability, 
and  the  weak  muscles  of  the  child.  She  is  also  varia- 
ble, credulous,  subject  to  the  influence  of  imagination, 
and  to  nervous  diseases.  Man  is  proud,  naturally  harsh, 
firm,  and  independent.  Woman,  soft,  gentle,  gaining 
by  address  rather  than  violence,  yielding  to  conquer. 
Though  we  should  not  consider,  observes  M.  Virey, 
the  females  divided  into  as  many  races  as  man,  yet  we 
shall  find  considerable  varfations  in  the  beauty  of  wo- 
men. "  In  the  north  they  are  fairer  than  the  men,  and 
their  dazzling  whiteness  often  becomes  insipid.  All 
the  southern  women  are  brunettes,  more  or  less  poig- 
nant ;  but  the  most  beautiful  of  the  sex  inhabits  the 
temperate  climes  of  Europe  and  of  Asia.  The  most 
beautiful  French  women  are  found  about  Avignon, 
Marseilles,  and  in  the  ancient  Provence,  formerly  peo- 
pled by  a  Greek  colony  of  Phocaeans.  The  most  beau- 
tiful Spanish  women  are  found,  it  is  said,  about  Cadiz ; 
the  most  agreeable  Portuguese  in  the  city  of  Guinama- 
rez.  Beautiful  women  are  found  in  many  parts  of  Italy : 
the  Sicilian  and  Neapolitan  women,  descended  from  the 
ancient  Greek  colonies,  are  also  charming.  The  Albanese 
are  well  made ;  the  Chian  women  delightful ;  those  of 
the  jEgean  Archipelago  are  fair,  lively,  and  agreeable ; 
and,  like  all  the  Greeks,  have  large  and  very  beautiful 
eyes."  The  Circassian,  the  Mingrelian,  the  Cashmi- 
rian,  and  the  Georgian  women  are,  however,  admitted 
to  be  the  most  perfect  models  of  the  female  form, 
though  surrounded  by  the  most  ugly  races  of  mankind, 
the  Calmucks  and  the  Nogais  Tartars,  whose  women  are 
equally  disgusting,  though  the  air,  the  situation,  and 
manner  of  living,  are  the  same.  The  race  is,  however, 
essentially  different.  The  female  slave  merchants  of 
the  east  assert,  that  the  women  are  always  plain  where 
the  ground  is  sterile,  and  the  water  bad.  The  Persians, 
it  is  said,  were  a  mean  ugly  race,  until  meliorated  by  the 
beautiful  slaves  of  Cashmire  and  Georgia.  The  common 
people  still  continue  to  possess  little  dignity  or  beauty. 

The  manners  of  women  are  dignified  and  correct 
where  they  are  less  numerous  than  men,  as  in  the  north- 
ern regions  ;  less  so  when  they  are  more  numerous.  In 
the  latter  polygamy  usually  prevails,  which  has  been  oc- 
casionally considered  as  a  cause,  and  sometimes  as  the 
effect,  of  a  greater  proportion  of  females.  It  is  asserted, 
that,  among  a  stronger  race  of  men,  the  proportion  of 


II  OM 


760 


II  O  M 


male  children  is  greater ;  but  this  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain :  and  it  is  more  probable  that  the  extraordinary  fe- 
male population  of  the  east  is  an  unexplained  effect  of 
polygamy.  In  Cairo  we  find  one  sixth  more  of  women 
than  of  men ;  in  India  one  fifth;  in  some  countries  of 
Asia,  one  fourth ;  at  Bantam  and  in  the  islands  of  the 
eastern  ocean,  there  arc  said  to  be  six  women  to  one  man. 
In  Thibet  the  proportion  is  probably  reversed;  since  we 
are  informed,  by  the  latest  travellers,  that  a  woman  lias 
usually  many  husbands,  on  whom  she  revenges  the  in- 
jury her  sex  sustains  in  the  harems  of  Turkey. 

The  want  of  any  essential  organ  in  generation  wholly 
changes  the  peculiar  sexual  form.  This  we  know,  by 
frequent  experience  among  animals,  and  it  occurs  in  the 
human  race.  We  had  lately  a  record  of  this  kind, 
where  a  woman  experienced  none  of  the  changes  which 
usually  take  place  about  the  time  of  puberty ;  and  it 
was,  on  dissection,  found  that  the  ovaries  were  wanting. 
When  the  form  in  either  sex  approaches  to  that  of  the 
other,  there  is  generally  some  defect  either  external  or 
internal,  and  sterility  is  often  the  consequence.  Di- 
vorces on  account  of  sterility  are  consequently  justifi- 
able in  the  eye  of  reason ;  though,  from  political 
views,  they  are  countenanced  in  few  of  the  more  po- 
lished nations.  Indeed,  we  have  seen  in  the  late  dis- 
tracted state  of  France,  that  the  facility  of  procuring 
divorces  occasioned  the  most  infamous,  disgraceful 
scenes. 

Fertility  is  in  proportion  to  the  general  health  and  the 
regular  moral  conduct  of  married  people.  The  number 
of  children,  from  one  marriage,  is  computed  in  Iceland 
to  be  from  fifteen  to  twenty;  in  Flanders  from  ten  to 
twelve;  in  Germany  eight,  and  England  six  to  eight ; 
in  France  from  four  to  five ;  and  in  Spain  from  two  to 
three.  Women  of  a  sanguine  temperament,  of  a  gay 
affectionate  temper,  are  the  most  fruitful :  those  of  a 
thin  dry  habit,  of  a  warm  eager  temper,  violently  pas- 
sionate; or,  on  the  other  hand,  indolent,  phlegmatic, 
and  void  of  affection,  less  so.  Nearly  the  same  differ- 
ences are  observable  in  men.  The  end  of  the  winter  or 
the  spring  is  most  favourable  to  conception ;  for  the 
greater  number  of  births  oceur  in  autumn  or  the  early 
period  of  winter. 

Maritime  countries  have  been  usually  most  prolific, 
it  is  said,  on  account  of  the  fish  diet.  Cold  and  moist  air 
are  supposed  to  be  favourable  to  conception,  while  dry 
and  hot  countries  are  the  opposite-  Yet  the  negresses 
in  Africa  are  reported  to  be  prolific;  but  their  constitu- 
tion is  peculiarly  sanguine.  The  use  of  the  baths  in 
women,  and  the  constant  sitting  on  a  horse  in  men,  are 
said  to  be  equally  unfavourable  to  generation.  Too 
.great  fatness  or  leanness,  too  violent  passions,  an  ex- 
hausted constitution,  intemperance,  excess  of  venery, 
and  unnatural  indulgences,  are  equally  causes  of  sterility. 
Women  who  have  had  many  children  are  usuallyhealthy 
and  long  lived :  the  single  women  affected  with  a  va- 
riety of  diseases.  Women  are  more  frequently  barren 
than  men  impotent. 

The  various  observations  of  travellers  have  shown 
that  the  multiplication  of  the  human  species  proceeds 
more  rapidly  in  cold,  poor,  less  civilized  countries,  and 
probably  in  republics;  while,  on  the  contrary,  a  tem- 
perate climate,  a  high  degree  of  civilization,  with  a 
moderately  fertile  soil,  despotically  governed,  are  less 
favourable  to  it ;  and  it  is  still  less  rapid  when  these 


circumstances  exist  in  a  greater  degree.  In  the  first 
case  the  men  are  laborious  and  active ;  their  manners 
simple  :  in  the  second,  they  arc  ingenious  and  indus- 
trious ;  but,  from  a  more  sedentary  and  a  more  de- 
bilitating course  of  life,  less  vigorous  and  active.  In 
warmer  climates,  and  a  more  luxurious  state  of  society, 
they  are  indolent,  weak,  and  their  powers  in  a  great 
degree  exhausted. 

The  lists  of  births  in  the  different  countries  of  Eu- 
rope have  shown,  that  villages  and  cities,  where  the 
population  is  numerous,  and  riches  equally  distributed, 
are  more  fertile  than  opulent  cities  ;  and  that  seasons  of 
scarcity  are  injurious  to  population.  Thus  early  Rome 
furnished  numerous  armies:  under  the  emperors  the 
armies  were  supplied  by  mercenaries.  Russia  and  Swe- 
den abound  more  in  strong,  active  men,  than  Spain  and 
Portugal.  In  Russia,  it  is  said,  the  births  are  nearly 
one  twelfth  or  one  fifteenth  of  its  population,  and  the 
deaths  only  about  one  in  forty-five.  Perhaps,  if  the 
whole  of  England  be  considered  in  one  view,  the  deaths 
will  not  be  more  considerable  ;  or,  at  most,  will  amount 
to  one  in  forty. 

The  life  of  man  is  said,  by  the  psalmist,  to  be  three- 
score years  and  ten.  Various  are  the  instances  in  which, 
even  in  these  times,  it  has  been  supposed  to  have  ex- 
tended beyond  the  hundredth  year;  but  the  greater 
number  of  these  are  fallacious  :  and,  as  we  were  once 
told  by  a  woman  whom  we  had  detected  in  a  fallacy  in 
this  respect,  old  age  is  a  profitable  profession.  Many- 
ages  have  been  extended  by  vanity,  some  by  the  neglect 
of  registers,  or  the  mistake  of  persons;  and,  in  general, 
we  can  scarcely  rely  on  the  accounts  of  any  who  arc 
said  to  have  exceeded  a  century.  Prior  to  the  deluge 
the  age  of  man  seems  to  have  been  more  considerable; 
but  the  great  object  of  the  Mosaic  narrative  seems  to 
have  been  the  preservation  of  the  genealogy  of  the 
children  of  Israel  from  Adam,  and  we  may  reasonably 
conclude  that,  in  continuing  this  succession,  families 
or  dynasties  may  have  been  represented  as  individuals. 
No  change  in  the  constitution  of  the  globe,  in  the  lives 
or  situations  of  inferior  animals,  are  recorded  :  we  have 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  descendants  of  Noah  were 
in  any  respect  different  from  his  parents.  In  these 
times  we  are  told  by  Buffon  that  one  fourth  of  those 
who  are  born  die  before  the  end  of  five  years;  one  third 
before  the  age  often;  half  before  they  have  completed 
the  thirty-fifth  year;  two  thirds  before  the  fifty-second; 
three  fourths  before  the  sixty-first.  He  adds,  that  the 
mean  life  of  a  child  of  three  years  is  thirty-three 
years;  that  of  a  man  of  twenty -one  is  nearly  the  same. 
The  life  of  a  man  of  sixty-six  is  nearly  of  the  same 
value  with  that  of  an  infant  just  born.  Many  other  ob- 
servations of  this  kind  might  be  suggested,  if  it  were  a 
proper  subject  of  this  "work  ;  but,  in  general,  the  pro- 
babilities of  human  life  are  taken  'from  the  records  of 
great  cities,  where  life  is  much  more  precarious  than  in 
the  country.  The  insurers  and  the  calculators  of  ton- 
tines and  benefit  societies  have  fatally  experienced  the 
fallacy  of  such  statements,  when  their  members  are 
promiscuously  taken  from  large  cities,  towns,  villages, 
and  the  country.  The  lives  of  women  are  said  to  be 
shorter  than  those  of  men,  and  of  single  women  than  of 
single  men. 

The  commencement  of  spring  and  the  end  of  au- 
tumn are  supposed  in  Europe  to  be  the  most  fatal  sea- 


II  O 


761 


HO  11 


Dr.  Hebcrdcn  has  shown  that  in  England  a 

r  proportion  of  mankind  die  in  the  winter  months. 

probable  that  the  cold  in  winter,  so  fatal  to  the 

v  and  aged,  may  occasion  the  difference.     When  a 

thaw  succeeds  a  severe  and  continued  frost,  deaths  are 

more  numerous,  chiefly  confined  to  the  aged,  and  those 

labouring  under  chronic  diseases  of  the  lungs.    In  Asia 

there   are   two  fatal   periods,   viz.  the   change  of  the 

seasons. 

The  ages  most  fatal  are  the  changes  of  life,  viz.  the 
appearance  of  the  teeth,  the  period  of  puberty,  the  pe- 
riod between  twenty-one  and  twenty-eight,  when  the 
constitution  has  not  yet  attained  its  firmness ;  the  time 
of  the  cessation  of  the  menses  in  women ;  and  the  period 
when  the  generative  faculty  decays,  or  is  lost,  in  man, 
about  the  age  of  sixty-three.  On  this  foundation  the 
ancients  established  their  doctrine  of  climacterics ;  a 
system  not  wholly  visionary,  though  refined  too  far,  and 
n.ixed  with  numerous  fancies. 

Cold  and  dry  countries  are  most  favourable  to  the 
duration  of  life  ;  and  when  moderately  fertile,  so  as  to 
require  steady  exertion,  still  more  so.  Some  races  and 
some  families  seem  to  have  a  peculiar  claim  to  longevity, 
while  the  inhabitants  of  hot  climates,  who  soon  ripen, 
decay  prematurely  ;  and,  in  many  families,  we  have 
known  it  a  rare  occurrence  to  find  a  person  of  the  age 
of  sixty.  Those  whose  minds  and  bodies  evolve  slowly, 
are  more  often  long  lived  than  those  who  astonish  by 
an  early  vigour  and  spirit ;  so  that  the  usual  axiom  is 
not  wholly  without  foundation — "  so  wise  so  young, 
will  not  live  long."  Hermogenes,  Crichton,  and  Barra- 
tier,  are  instances  of  premature  genius,  with  short  lives. 
The  early  and  astonishing  acquisitions  of  very  young 
men  in  different  arts  and  sciences,  also,  seldom  lead  to 
acknowledged  excellence  in  more  advanced  age.  San- 
guine temperaments  are  said  to  be  longer  lived  than 
the  bilious  or  melancholic ;  but  this  we  suspect  leans 
too  much  on  a  doubtful  theory.  \rery  tall  or  very  short 
people  seldom  reach,  it  is  said,  to  a  great  age;  but 
a  person  rather  short  than  tall,  rather  thin  than  fat, 
muscular,  firm,  and  with  a  full  chest,  has  apparently 
the  fairest  claim  to  longevity.  An  active  life,  with 
little  uneasiness,  a  dry  free  air,  early  hours,  a  mind  oc- 
casionally engaged,  but  not  exhausted,  a  cheerful  dispo- 
sition, frequent  changes  from  country  to  town,  a  diet 
regular,  rather  in  times  than  always  in  quantities,  with 
moderate  passions,  seem  chiefly  to  contribute  to  an  ex- 
tended healthy  old  age. 

Yet  every  thing  must  have  a  termination:  each  liv- 
'jeing  is  born,  grows,  decays,  and  dies.  In  living 
bodies  we  find  two  principal  forces  which  regulate  their 
existence;  the  power  of  expansion  and  decay.  The 
vouth  expands  in  bulk ;  his  arteries  are  daily  fuller, 
r,  longer;  his  nerves  gradually  firmer;  his  func- 
tions more  active  and  powerful.  When  old  age  ap- 
proaches, the  veins  are  filled,  and  the  arterial  system 
acts  more  weakly;  the  irritability  is  less;  the  functions 
more  weak ;  the  glands  are  diminished  in  bulk ;  the  fat 
absorbed ;  the  fluids  more  thin  and  more  acrid.  The 
arteries  can  no  longer  conquer  the  accumulated  load 
in  the  veins,  the  brain  is  overloaded,  or  serum  ex- 
hales in  the  abdomen  or  under  the  skin ;  tlie  vessels  of 
the  glands  cannot  propel  their  fluids,  and  these  are  in- 
.ed  ;  the  nerves  no  longer  possess  their  former  irri- 
,:y;  and  the  senses  decay.  From  all  these  causes 

VOL.    I. 


the  limbs  grow  stiff,  the  arteries  ossify,  the  whole 
tern  is  oppressed  with  a  load  which  it  cannot  overcome, 
and  man  sinks  to  mix  with  his  parent  dust.     Such  is 
the  lot  of  all !  Xoctes  atque  dies  patet  atri  janua  ditis ! 

See  Buffon's  Natural  History  (edit.de  Sonnini).  Her- 
der on  Man.  Virey  Hisloire  Naturelle  du  Genre  Hu- 
main,  2  vol.  8vo.  Vicq.  d'Azyr  Traite  d'Anatomie, 
Introduction.  Camper's  Works,  translated  by  Cogan. 
White  on  the  Gradation  of  Man.  Halleri  Elementa 
Physiologiae.  Cuvier  Anatomic  Comparee,  4  vol.  8vo. 
Bell  on  the  Expression  of  the  Passions.  See  FCETUS, 

GENERATION,  H^EMOKRHOIS. 

HOMOGE'NEUS,  (from  aw,  like,  and  ytros,  kind}. 
An  uniform  body,  or  mixture. 

HOMOLI'NON,  (from  the  same,  and  *>w,  Jlax\ 
CRUDE  FLAX,  or  coarse  cloth,  of  which  towels  were 
formerly  made  in  the  public  baths. 

HOMONOPA'GIA.     See  CEPHALALGIA. 

HOMOPHA'GIA,(from  *f«s,  a  shoulder,  and  <p*y«, 
edo).  A  SACRIFICE;  from  the  shoulders  being  assigned 
to  the  priests.  The  shoulders  of  the  deer  are  still  the 
privilege  of  the  keepers;  and  an  execution  is,  with  an 
indecorous  levity,  still  called  a  shoulder  fc-ast. 

HOMOPLATA,  (from  «;«?,  the  shoulder,  and 
!rAa7*,  the  blade  bone*).  See  SCAPULA. 

HOMORU'SIA.  A  medicine  mentioned  by  Avi- 
cenna. 

HOMO'TONOS,  (from  i^,  and  «<»«,  to  exitnd}. 
Equable ;  an  epithet  for  a  continued  putrid  fever,  which 
preserves  the  same  tenor  through  all  stages. 

HOMU  NCULUS  PARACE'LSI,  (a  dim.  of  homo, 
a  man).  See  ADOLESCENS. 

HOPLOCHRI'SMA;  X>is-,<**  TH  ixte-j;  the  SALVE  of 
the  WEAPON,  said  to  cure  wounds  by  sympathy,  that  is, 
by  anointing  the  instrument  with  which  the  wound  was 
made  ;  a  ridiculous  fancy,  scarcely  even  in  the  last  cen- 
tury obsolete. 

HORjE'OS,  (from  »f«,  season").  According  to  Hip- 
pocrates and  Aurelianus  it  means  in  proper  time ;  -rtt 
*/!*;«  signifies  the  catamenia  observing  a  regular  pe- 
riod :  a  similar  phrase  was  not  long  since  retained  in 
Scotland,  the  ordinary.  Strictly,  the  fruit  ripe  about 
autumn  ;  but  in  modern  authors  any  ripe  fruits. 

HORDEA'CEUM  VI'XUM,  (from  hordeum,  bar- 
ley). See  ALLA. 

HORDEO'LUM,  STIAS,  (from  hordeum,  barley,) 
CRITHE,  which  see.  A  tubercle  on  the  eyelids,  re- 
sembling a  barley  corn  in  shape.  It  is  small,  red,  hard, 
painful,  encysted,  and  immoveable ;  containing  a  thick 
matter,  and  seated  either  in  the  in  or  outside  of 
the  eyelid.  Dr.  Aitken  styles  it  a  wen;  but  Dr. 
Cullen  places  it  as  a  variety  of  /ihlogosiit  fihlegmone. 
See  Wallis's  Nosology.  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii.  p.  264. 

HORDEO'LUM  HYDATIDO'SUM.     See  AQUULA. 

HO'RDEUM]  (ab  horrore  aristtc,  from  the  unplea- 
santness of  the  beard  to  the  touch).  BARLEY.  In  the 
shops  barely  occurs  in  two  forms,  viz.  hordeum  dietichon 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  125;  hordeum  Gullicitm  vel  inundatttm ; 
and  COMMON  or  SCOTCH  BARLEY,  and  hordeum.  The 
common  or  Scotch  barley  is  the  hordeum  vulgare  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  125. 

Barley  is  less  nutritious,  less  glutinous,  and  more 
cooling  than  either  wheat,  oats,  or  rice.  It  was  the 
principal  aliment  and  medicine  amongst  the  ancients  in 
acute  diseases ;  but  the  common  barley,  freed  from  the 

5  E 


HOR 


'62 


HUM 


shell  in  mills,  and  called  French  or  Scotch  barley,  is  ge- 
nerally used.  A  sort  of  shelled  barley  is  formed  into 
small  round  grains  in  Holland  and  Germany,  and  called 
fiearl  barley;  of  which  are  three  preparations,  made  in 
the  following  manner : 

Decoctum  hordei.  Barley  water. — R.  Hordei  omni 
cortice  nudati.  p.  |  ii.  aquae  distillatae  m.  ft  iy-  The 
barley  is  first  to  be  washed,  and  cleared  from  all  ad- 
hering substances,  in  cold  water :  about  half  a  pint  of 
water  is  next  to  be  poured  upon  it,  and  boiled  for  a  lit- 
tle time. — This  liquor  is  to  be  decanted,  and  to  the  bar- 
ley the  distilled  water  added,  boiled  to  two  pints,  and 
strained  for  use. 

Decoctum  hordei  comfiositum,  olim  decoctumfiectorale. 
Compound  decoction  of  barley,  or  pectoral  decoction. — 
R.  Decocti  hordei  m.  ft  ii.  uvarum  passarum  acinis 
exemptis:  caricarum  incisarum,  singulorum,  p.  ^  ii. 
Glycyrrhizcc  incisae  et  contusse,p.  §  ss.  Aquae  distil- 
latae,  m.  ft  i.  Decoque  ad  libras  duas,  et  cola. 

Decoctum  hordei  cum  gummi.  Decoction  of  barley 
with  gum.— In-two  pints  of  the  decoctum  hordei,  whilst 
warm,  one  ounce  of  gum  arable  is  to  be  dissolved. 

The  decoction  of  barley  with  gum  is  an  useful  dilu- 
ent and  demulcent  in  strangury  and  dysury  ;  for  the 
gum  mixes  with  the  urine,  and  sheaths  the  urinary  ca- 
nal from  the  acrimony  of  this  excrementitious  fluid. 

Decoctions  of  barley  in  water  contain  their  lighter 
and  more  agreeable  parts,  and  are  useful  as  an  article 
of  diet  in  acute  and  inflammatory  disorders ;  but  are 
most  useful  when  accompanied  with  mucilaginous  me- 
dicines, to  assist  their  union  with  the  blood.  Barley,  in 
its  malted  state,  is  also  antiseptic,  and  an  useful  altera- 
tive. See  BRASIUM. 

HO'RDEUM  CAU'STICUM.     See  CEVEDILLA. 

HORIZONTALS,  (from  ifi&v,  the  horizon}.  In 
botany  it  is  the  epithet  of  a  flower,  whose  disc  grows 
parallel  to  the  plane  of  the  horizon. 

HO'RMINUM,  (from  op/*,»u,  to  excite,)  from  its  sup- 
posed qualities  in  provoking  venery.  CLAHY  ;  gallitri- 
chum ;  sclarea;  orvala;  GARDEN  CLARY;  the  salvia  hor- 
ininum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  34;  is  a  whitish,  green,  slightly 
hairy,  plant,  with  square  stalks,  on  the  tops  of  which 
are  long  spikes  of  bluish  flowers  ;  perennial ;  a  native  of 
wanner  climates ;  cultivated  with  us  in  gardens ;  and 
flowering  in  July  and  August. 

The  leaves  are  bitterish,  have  an  aromatic,  but  to 
many  a  disagreeable,  smell ;  and  are  recommended  as 
antispasmodic.  Their  active  part  resides  in  resinous 
matter,  which  is  wholly  taken  up  by  spirit  of  wine  ;  and, 
on  inspissating  the  tincture,  remains  in  the  extract. 
Water  takes  up  a  part  of  their  virtue  by  infusion  ;  and 
in  distillation  carries  it  wholly  over.  The  seeds  pos- 
sess the  same  qualities  as  the  leaves.  The  flavour  of 
the  clary,  in  a  small  proportion,  communicates  to  sweet 
-.vines  that  of  frontiniac. 

'  HO'RMINUM  SYLVE'STRE.  WILD  CLARY  ;  sclarea  His- 
fianica  and  oculus  Christi.  Salvia  sylvestris  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  34.  This  species  resembles  the  former  in  appear- 
ance, but  in  quality  is  much  inferior.  See  Raii  His- 
toria- 

HORN.     See  CORNU. 

HO'RROR,  (from  horreo,  to  xhake  with  cold).  A 
tremor  is  the  vibration  of  one  limb  only ;  refrigeration  a 
great  coldness;  perfrication  when  coldness  is  accom- 
panied with  a  gentle  unequal  motion  of  the  skin,  or 


shivering,  called  fihricasmus  ;  an  horror  is,  when  the 
coldness  of  perfrication  is  considerable,  and  attacks  by 
fits,  affecting  the  skin  only.  (Sec  FEBHIS.)  A  rigor 
is  an  irregular  agitation  of  all  the  body.  See  RHIGOS. 

HO'RTUS,  a  GARDEN,  (from  oriur,  to  arise;  the 
source  of  vegetation).  See  PUDENDUM  MULIEBIIE. 

HO'RTUS  LJETI'TIJE.     See  CROCUS. 

HO'SPITAL.     See  Noso  COMIUM. 

HO'UI  POUN.     See  TINCAL. 

HUAXACE'NSIS,  HUCIPO'CHOTL ;  Ricinus 
NO-V&  HisfianitCi  a  species  of  either  croton  or  jatropha 
not  easily  ascertained.  Hernandez  describes  it  as  a 
shrub  which  creeps  like  a  vine,  with  a  fruit  like  a  hazel 
nut,  the  kernels  of  which  operate  gently  upwards  and 
downwards,  but  not  violently. 

HUILE  DE  GRANDE  BAYE.     Sec  CETUS. 

HUMERA'LIS  ARTERIA,  (from  humerus,  the 
shoulder).  The  HUMERAL  ARTERY  arises  from  the  lower 
and  fore  side  of  the  axillaris,  and  runs  backward  be- 
tween the  head  of  the  os  humeri  and  teres  major,  sur- 
rounding the  articulation,  till  it  reaches  the  posterior 
part  of  the  deltoides,  to  which  it  is  distributed.  In  its 
course  it  gives  off  several  branches  to  the  neighbouring 
parts.  A  puncture  of  this  artery,  near  the  shoulder, 
though  the  haemorrhage  may  be  restrained  by  ligature, 
will  probably,  it  is  said,  be  followed  by  a  fatal  mortifica- 
tion unless  the  arm  be  amputated  at  the  joint. 

HUMERA'LIS  MU'SCULUS.     See  DELTOIDES. 

HUMERA'LIS  NE'RVUS.     See  CERVICALES. 

HU'MERI  OS.  The  BONE  of  the  ARM;  adjutorium; 
is  articulated  by  its  head,  which  in  children  is  an  epi- 
physis,  to  the  scapula:  immediately,  below  the  head  is 
the  neck  of  the  humerus.  This  bone  grows  broader  at 
its  lower  extremity;  and  at  the  end  is  formed  into  two 
condyles,  on  the  external  of  which  the  head  of  the  ra- 
dius moves ;  and,  in  the  cavities,  between  these  condyles, 
the  ulna. 

HU'MERUS,  (from  v^,)  omos;  adjutorium;  the 
SHOULDER,  or  joint  which  connects  the  arm  to  the  body; 
the  head  of  which  is  the  olecranon.  In  Hippocrates  it 
is  called  BRACHIUM,  q.  v. 

HU'MILIS,  RECTUS  MUSCULUS,  (from  humi,  on  the 
ground,  because  it  turns  the  eye  downwards).  See 
DKPRESSOR  OCULI. 

HUMIRU'BUS.  DEWBERRY,  (from  humi,  on  the 
ground,  and  rubus,  a  bramble).  See  RUBUS  ID^EUS. 

HU'MOR,  (ab  humo,  because  moisture  springs  from 
the  ground).  HUMOUR.  A  general  name  for  any  fluid  ; 
particularly  applied  to  the  fluids  of  the  human  body, 
and  often  to  these  in  their  morbid  state.  The  term  is 
used  without  any  reference  to  diseas'e,  in  speaking  of 
the  fluids  of  the  eye  ;  and  popularly  employed  as  sy- 
nonymous with  disposition;  in  the  time  of  Shakspeare 
and  Jonson  greatly  abused  by  an  indiscriminate  applica- 
tion. The  ancients  seem  to  have  called  the  nutritious 
juices  the  radical  humours. 

HUMORA'LIA,  (from  humor,  a  fluid).  In  Lin- 
naeus's  Nosology  it  is  an  order  of  diseases  in  the  class 
•vitia  ;  and  signifies  disorders  attended  with  vitiated  or 
extravasated  fluids. 

HUMORA'RIA,  (from  the  same).  A  continued 
fever,  in  Sagar's  system,  apparently  inflammatory,  at- 
tended with  a  vitiation  of  the  fluids. 

HU'MULUS,  (from  humus,  the  ground).  See  Lr- 
PULUS. 


II  Y  13 


H  YD 


HUMUS    NTGRA    PICTO  RIA.       See    CHET.V 

MGKA. 

HUXGARICAA'QUA,verHUXGA'RICUSSPI- 
RI'l  US.  See  ROSXARINUS. 

HUNGER.     See  FAMES. 

HU'RA,  (from  Aura,  in  Spanish,  a  knob,  from  its 
round  fruit).  The  SAXD  BOX  TREE;  JAMAICA  WAL- 
MTS  ;  ii-arnelia  and  havelia,  hura  crefiitans  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1431,  is  a  native  of  the  Spanish  West  Indies;  the 
leaves  of  which  are  full  of  a  milky  juice,  and  the  seeds 
purge  upwards  and  dov/nwards.  The  shell,  after  the 
>  are  taken  out,  is  used  as  a  sand  box. 

HU'SO.     See  ICHTHYOCOLLA. 

HUTZO'CHITL.     See  PERUVIAN.  BALS. 

HYACI  XTHUS,  (from  toy,  a  -violet,  and  xtdtf,  a 
Jl'sWtr,  from  its  colour).  If  is  poetically  said  to  be 
named  from  the  friend  of  Apollo,  who  was  turned  into 
this  flower.  HARE  BELLS.  Hyacinthus  non  scrifitus 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  453.  The  roots  are  bulbous  ;  the  flowers 
agreeably  scented,  and  of  apurple  or  blue  colour.  The 
plant  is  found  in  woods  and  hedges,  and  flowers  in  May. 
Galen  thinks  the  roots  anticteric;  and  they  are  some- 
times supposed  to  be  astringent. 

HYACI'NTHUS       STELLARIS.       See     LILIO    HYACIS- 

THUS. 

HvACl'XTHL'S  RACEMO'SUS  MOSCHA'fUS.  See  Bt'L- 
BUS  VOM1TORIUS. 

HYALO'DES,  (from  t/*A»«,  glass}.  An  epithet  ap- 
plied to  urine  which  deposits  a  white,  shining  sediment. 

HYALOI'DES,  (from  »aAa?,  glass,  and  tieos,  like- 
ness,)  the  vitreous  humour  of  the  eye;  or  rather  its 
capsule.  See  OCULUS. 

HYA'XCHE,(from  tf,  a  swine,  and  a*/%*,  to  stran- 
gle). A  quinscy,  accompanied  with  an  external  tu- 
mour on  each  side  the  throat,  like  the  swellings  on  the 
necks  of  swine. 

HYBERNA'CULUM,  (from  Ayberno,  to  winter). 
That  part  of  the  plant  which  encloses  and  secures  the 
embryo  from  injuries  during  the  winter,  expanding  in 
the  form  of  buds  on  the  approach  of  summer. 

HYBOUCOU'HU  AMERICA'NUS.  The  name 
of  an  American  fruit,  of  the  size  of  a  date,  but  not  eat- 
able ;  whose  genus  is  unknown.  The  oil  expressed  from 
it  is  kept  in  the  shell  of  a  fruit  called  carameno,  and  has 
sometimes  the  same  appellation.  It  is  chiefly  used 
against  an  American  disorder  called  torn,  which  seems 
to  be  the  same  with  chigres,  or  a  collection  of  very  small 
worms  in  the  flesh. 

HY'BRID.  A  monstrous  production  from    two  dif- 
ferent species  of  plants  or  animals ;  generally  barren. 
•     HYDA'RTHROS,   (from  «-&y,  water*,  and   *p(f»i,  a 
joint,)  a  clear  water  which  issues  from  wounded  joints; 
and  a  name  of  the  synovia. 

HYDA'RTHRUS,  (from  the  same).  A  WHITE 
SWELLING.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this  genus  in  the  class 
locales,  and  order  tumores,  which  he  defines  a  tumour 
of  the  joints,  chiefly  of  the  knee  ;  at  first  the  swelling  is 
slight,  of  the  same  colour  of  the  skin,  very  painful,  di- 
minishing the  mobility  of  the  part  affected. 

Mr.  Bell,  in  his  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  speaks  of  this 
disease  under  the  name  of  white  swellings  of  the  joints, 
and  distinguishes  two  species,  viz.  the  rheumatic  and 
the  scrofulous:  each  is  more  frequent  in  the  large  than 
in  the  smaller  joints.  The  first  species  begins  with  an 
acute  pain  in  the  joint,  and  frequently  the  tendinous 


aponeurotic  expansions  of  the  muscles  connected  with 
it.  There  are,  from  the  beginning,  an  uniform  swelling 
and  tension  of  the  surrounding  teguments  ;  but,  in  this 
period  of  the  disorder,  the  skin  is  discoloured.  The  pa- 
tient, from  the  beginning,  suffers  much  pain  from  mo- 
tion ;  and  finding  it  easier  in  a  relaxed  posture,  keeps  it 
bent;  which,  especially  in  the  knee,  renders  the  flexor 
tendons  of  the  limb  rigid,  and  in  tune  stiff.  The  swelling 
gradually  often  increases  to  thrice  the  natural  size  of  the 
part.  The  cuticularveinsbecome  turgid  and  varicose;  the 
limb,  below  the  swelling,  decays,  or  becomes  oedematous; 
the  pain  increases,  especially  if  the  patient  is  warm  in  bed; 
and  abscesses  form  in  different  parts  of  the  swelling.  In 
these  abscesses  a  fluctuation  is  evident  on  pressure;  but 
the  swelling  is  elastic,  and  rises  when  the  pressure  is 
removed.  These  different  collections,  when  they  break 
or  are  laid  open,  discharge  matter;  at  first  of  a  good  con- 
sistence, but  soon  degenerating  into  a  thin  fetid  sanies, 
without  apparently  diminishing  the  size  of  the  swelling. 
The  orifices,  if  not  kept  open,  soon  heal,  and  new  col- 
lections, forming  in  different  parts,  again  break  out  and 
heal  as  before  :  at  last  the  whole  surrounding  teguments 
are  covered  with  cicatrices  ;  bat  the  patient's  health 
hath  suffered  considerably  in  the  interval,  first  from 
the  pain,  which  destroys  both  sleep  and  appetite ;  and 
secondly,  from  the  absorption  of  matter,  producing  a 
quick  pulse,  night  sweats,  a.id  diarrhoea.  These  changes 
occur  independnet  of  any  affection  of  the  bones  of  the 
joint;  but  when  by  a  continuance  of  the  complaint 
the  ligaments  are  eroded,  the  cartilages,  and  even  the 
bones,  soon  suffer.  Thoirgh  such  are  the  appearances 
recorded,  and  usually' confined  to  the  first  species,  yet  we 
are  confident  that  they  are  peculiar  to  the  second ;  and 
though  they  sometimes  occur  in  hydarthrus  from  rheu- 
matism, yet  it  is  only  when  the  rheumatic  inflamma- 
tion has  produced  the  scrofulous.  The  causes  of  this 
.  species  are  strains,  affecting  the  ligaments  of  the  joints, 
so  as  to  produce  inflammation ;  bruises,  luxations,  or 
rheumatic  disposition.  This  species  of  white  swelling 
occurs  most  frequently  in  young  plethoric  people  :  the 
swelling  is  confined  to  the  soft  parts,  and  is  from  the 
beginning  evident.  When  such  swellings  occur  in 
young,  strong,  plethoric  persons,  and  especially  those 
who  have  been  subject  to  rheumatism,  they  are  gene- 
rally of  the  rheumatic  species.  The  rheumatic  white 
swelling  is  always  inflammatory,  and  bleeding  will  be 
the  best  remedy;  at  first  from  the  arm,  and  afterwards 
from  the  part  affected.  Cupping  and  scarifying  are  use- 
ful remedies ;  and  at  least  eight  or  ten  ounces  of  blood 
should  be  discharged  from  each  side, repeated  at  proper 
intervals,  according  to  the  violence  of  the  symptoms 
and  strength  of  the  patient.  Cupping  is  preferable  to 
leeches ;  but  when  the  swelling  of  the  joints  is  consi- 
derable, it  is  impossible  to  procure  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  blood  by  this  operation,  and  leeches  must  be  applied. 
On  the  anterior  part  of  the  joint,  where  the  cupping 
glasses  or  leeches  have  not  been  placed,  a  blister  should 
be  put;  and  the  part  be  kept  open,  till  the  wounds  from 
whence  the  blood  was  discharged  are  so  far  healed  that 
a  blister  may  be  laid  on  one  side  of  the  joint;  and,  as 
soon  as  this  is  nearly  healed,  the  other  side  should  be 
also  blistered.  By  thus  alternately  applying  them,  first 
to  one  side,  and  then  to  the  other,  almost  a  constant  sti- 
mulus is  kept  up  ;  from  which  the  greatest  advantages 
are  derived.  Cooling  laxatives  are  necessary  at  proper 
5  E  2 


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intervals;  as  well  as  a  strict  antiphlogistic  course  of 
diet.  In  the  first  stages  only  this  or  any  other  plan  can 
be  beneficial;  and  in  these  cures  are  sometimes  effect- 
ed. When  the  original  inflammatory  disease  is  re- 
moved, the  drains  should  be  stopped,  and  while  there  are 
yet  no  appearances  of  the  formation  of  matter, mercury 
has  been  sometimes  recommended  for  a  few  weeks,  to 
keep  the  mouth  merely  sore.  This  medicine  can,  how- 
ever, be  only  useful  in  the  case  just  suggested,  of  the 
inflammation  exciting  the  action  of  scrofula;  and  in- 
deed the  mode  in  which  it  is  advised  shows  that 
the  friction  is  of  as  much  service  as  the  remedy;  for 
the  proportion  of  mercury  in  the  ointment  is  so 
small,  that  two  drachms  of  the  ointment  must  be  used 
three  times  a  day;  and  in  order  to  rub  in  this  ointment 
with  advantage,  an  hour  should,  it  is  said, be  spent  each 
time  in  rubbing.  Falls  of  \v.arm  water  on  swellings  of 
this  kind  are  strongly  recommended  by  Le  Dran,  kc. 
By  a  proper  use  of  the  several  topical  evacuants  in  the 
first  or  inflammatory  state  of  the  disease,  and  after- 
wards, previous  to  the  formation  of  matter,  of  mercu- 
rials and  friction  in  the  second  stage,  many  have  been 
cured.  When  by  the  bent  position  in  which  the  limb 
has  long  been  kept  the  use  of  the  joint  is  lost,  pure 
olive  oil  may  be  applied  warm  :  as  much  as  can  be 
easily  consumed  by  an  hour's  gentle  friction  should  be 
rubbed  in,  three  times  a  day,  extending  the  friction 
over  all  the  muscles  around.  Gentle  action  of  the  parts 
as  soon  as  it  can  be  borne,  as  recommended  by  Mr. 
Pugh,  on  the  Utility  of  Muscular  Motion,  is  highly  be- 
neficial. Should  suppuration  come  on,  opening  the 
different  abscesses  soon  after  their  formation  may  pro- 
bably prevent  the  matter  from  injuring  the  capsular  li- 
gaments of  the  joints;  the  destruction  of  which  renders 
amputation  necessary. 

In  the  second  species  the  pain  is  usually  more  acute, 
but  more  confined  to  a  particular  spot,  about  the  middle 
of  the  joint.  The  swelling  is  at  the  first  inconsider- 
able ;  and  little  difference  is  seen  in  the  size  of  the  af- 
fected joint.  The  least  motion  gives  great  pain  ;  so  that 
stiffness  and  rigidity  are  equally  produced  by  the  position. 
As  the  disorder  advances,  the  pain  is  more  violent,  the 
swelling  increases,  and  the  ends  of  the  bones  that  com- 
pose the  joint  grow  large.  A  very  peculiar  elastic  swell- 
ing at  last  is  felt;  varicose  veins  appear  overits  surface, 
and  collections  of  matter  occur  in  different  parts  of  it : 
these,  when  they  burst,  or  are  -laid  open,  discharge 
considerable  quantities  of  a  glairy  or  purulent  mat- 
ter, but  more  frequently  a  thin  fetid  sanies ;  and,  if 
a  probe  can  be  passed  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sores,  the  bones  are  found  carious,  and  pieces  are 
often  discharged  at  the  openings.  As  the  disorder  con- 
tinues, the  constitution  suffers  ;  a  diarrhoea,  with  night 
sweats,  comes  on,  and  the  patient  is  reduced  to  extreme 
weakness.  From  every  symptom,  and  appearance  on 
dissection,  this  species  seems  evidently  to  bean  affection 
of  the  ligaments,  and  next  of  the  bones ;  the  surrounding 
soft  parts  only  suffer  from  their  connection.  This  spe- 
cies sometimes  appears  to  be  the  consequence  of  an 
external  accident ;  but  generally  begins  without  the 
patient's  being  able  to  account  for  it.  From  the  effects 
usually  produced  on  the  bones  which  it  attacks,  it  would 
appear  to  be  a  species  of  the  real  spina  ventosa,  and 
truly  scrofulous.  This  species  of  white  swelling  is 
indeed  often  cither  attended  with  other  evident  symp- 


toms of  scrofula, or  occurs  in  those  descended  from  scro- 
fulous parents.  When  any  perceptible  swelling  appears, 
the  bones  are  found  to  be  the  parts  chiefly  affected,  and 
the  surrounding  teguments  suffer  only  in  the  progress  of 
the  disease  ;  and  when  in  such  patients  as  are  evidently 
of  scrofulous  dispositions,  if  the  disorder  has  begun 
without  any,  or  from  a  very  slight,  external  cause,  we 
need  not  doubt  its  being  of  a  scrofulous  nature.  In  the 
small  joints,  when  the  diseased  parts  of  the  bone  begin 
to  cast  off,  a  cure  may  be  sometimes  promoted  by  as- 
sisting the  efforts  of  nature  ;  but  in  all  the  large  joints, 
particularly  in  the  knee  and  ankle,  amputation  will 
often  afford  the  only  means  of  relief. 

The  remedies  usually  employed  are  thoseof  scrofula, 
with  topical  stimulants  to  the  part,  to  increase  theaction 
of  the  vessels,  and  to  promote  the  absorption  of  the. 
matter.  We  shall  not  anticipate  the  article  scrofula  by 
enlarging  on  its  causes  and  the  manner  in  which  its 
remedies  relieve,  but  merely  remark  that  the  applica- 
tions of  marine  plants,  sea  bathing,  and  drinking  salt 
water,  are  the  most  effectual  remedies.  They  act  slowly, 
but  are  more  successful  than  any  other  plan.  The  burnt 
sponge,  which  consists  of  alkaline  or  neutral 'sals,  with 
animal  oil,  is  often  serviceable  ;  and  the  burnt  cork  has 
had  its  advocates,  though  a  remedy  of  inferior  powers. 
Small  doses  of  calomel  are  sometimes  useful,  and  the 
bark  is  occasionally  given,  when  fevers  come  on,  or  the 
night  sweats  appear  to  exhaust  the  patient.  Neither  of 
these  latter  remedies,  however,  is  peculiarly  adapted  to 
the  complaint. 

The  topical  applications  of  most  service  are  blisters 
frequently  repeated  ;  and  sometimes  the  mercurial  oint- 
ment, in  the  manner  already  described,  has  been  found 
useful.  Hemlock  has  been  more  frequently  applied 
externally  than  given  as  a  medicine;  but  in  either  way- 
it  seems  of  little  benefit,  and,  when  joined  with  the  arum 
root,  its  utility  is  but  little  increased.  A  variety  of  other 
applications  are  recommended,  but  of  inferior  efficacy. 

Practitioners  have  differed  respecting  the  opening  of 
the  tumours  of  the  joints,  and,  in  general,  it  seems  to  be 
decided  that  they  should  be  left  to  nature.  It  is  at  least 
certain  that  the  wounds  are  with  difficulty  healed,  and 
that  the  disease  is  sometimes  removed  without  the  dis- 
charge of  the  glairy  matter,  which  fills  the  place  of  pus. 
We  have  had  occasion  to  doubt  the  propriety  of  this  de- 
cision; and  though  we  allow  that  the  cavities  of  joints 
should  on  no  occasion  be  exposed,  we  greatly  doubt 
whether  the  constitution  would  not  be  spared  by  the  early 
discharge  of  matter  which  is  never  salutary,  but,  when 
retained,  produces  hectic,  and  symptoms  of  the  greatest 
danger. 

Amputation,  in  cases  of  white  swelling,  ought  never 
to  be  advised  till  the  complaint  is  far  advanced;  it  has 
been  observed,  that  amputation  has  more  frequent!--" 
succeeded  when  the  patient  was  previously  much  re- 
duced by  diarrhoea.  If  this  be  true,  we  should  never 
have  recourse  to  the  operation,  until  ev  :ry  probable 
means  of  saving  the  limb  has-been  tried  in  vain. 

On  dissection  of  the  joint,  a  great  thickening  of  the 
ligaments,  which  confounds  the  several  parts,  is  observ- 
able, together  with  sinuses,  formed  by  crude  matter, 
through  this  distinguishing  mass;  and  generally  an  ero- 
sion of  the  cartilages  at  the  end  of  the  bones. 

Edinburgh  Medical  Essays,  vol.  iv.  p.  242  and  246. 
Reimarus  dc  Fungo  Artkulorum.  Leytl.  1757.  Bell 


II  Y  D 


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on  Ulcers,  ed.  3.  p.  435,  Sec.     London  Medical  Trans- 
actions, vol.  i.  p.  104-.     White's  Surgery,  p.  66. 

HYDA'TIXOX,  (from  ve*(,  aqua].  The  name  of 
an  ancient  collyrium,  made  of  rain  water. 

HY'DATIS,  (from  the  same).     See  AqvuLA. 

HY'DATIS.  A  HVDATID.  (See  PHLYCT.EX^.)  Ily- 
datis,  considered  as  a  genus  of  disease,  has  been  placed 
by  Dr.  Cullen  among  the  local  diseases  in  the  class  tumo- 
ret.  It  has  been  found,  however,  to  possess  an  inde- 
pendent life,  and  has  been  referred  to  the  vermes  intes- 
tinales,  characterised  as  a  vesicular  body,  at  least  poste- 
riorly; and  terminated  anteriorly  by  a  head  furnished 
with  three  or  four  antennae,  with  or  without  fangs. 
These  lymphatic  vesicles  have  been  long  known,  and 
observed  on  the  liver,  the  brain,  the  ovaria,  and  the  other 
viscera;  but  it  is  lately  discovered  that  they  resemble 
in  nature  and  almost  in  form  the  taenia. 

'i  his  genus  differs  from  taenia  in  the  membranous 
vesicular  expansion,  which  appears  to  constitute  its 
whole  form,  and  in  which  the  head  is  generally  con- 
cealed. It  differs  also  in  its  habitation,  for  it  is  never 
found  in  the  intestines,  but  on  tl\e  surfaceof  the  viscera, 
on  the  membranes,  and  sometimes  enveloped  in  the-fat. 
In  every  other  respect  they  are  the  same  ;  and  we  re- 
mark in  them  four  suckers,  and  in  their  centre  either 
a  corona  of  fangs  or  a  depression,  apparently  the  mouth 
of  the  animal.  It  is  not  surprising  that  its  nature  has 
so  long  been  overlooked,  since  many  trials  must  be 
made  to  discover  the  head,  often  the  only  organic  part 
of  its  system. 

Dr.  Tyson  first  discovered  hydatids  in  the  livers  of 
sheep  ;  Bartholine  observed  them  in  the  livers  of  goats, 
and  Pyerus  in  hogs.  To  Pallas,  however,  we  are  in- 
debted for  the  first  correct  and  connected  account  of 
these  animals,  which  he  has  described  and  figured  in 
his  Miscellanea  Zoologica.  Since  the  period  of  his 
publication,  Goeze,  Batsch,  Bloch,  and  others,  have 
added  to  the  stock  of  facts,  though  much  remains  to  be 
known.  Mougeot,  a  young  physician,  has  collected  in 
the  form  of  a  thesis,  entitled  "A  Zoological  and  Medi- 
cal Essay,"  what  has  been  hitherto  published  ;  to  which 
he  has  added  some  new  facts,  and  the  treatment  ne- 
cessary in  one  of  the  species,  viz.  the  hydatids  of  the 
uterus.  This  essay,  unfortunately,  we  have  not  been 
able  to  obtain.  Dr.  Adams  also  has  endeavoured,  with 
some  success,  to  show  that  cancer  is  owing  to  the  in- 
troduction of  an  animal  of  this  kind.  But  if  cancer  is 
owing  to  an  animal,  its  structure  forms  the  septa  so 
often  described  in  such  ulcers.  These  are,  in  fact,  the 
animal,  not  the  residence  of  its  formation,, 

Hydatids  are,  in  general,  superficial ;  that  is,  some 
portion  is  enveloped  in  the  substance  of  the  liver,  for 
instance,  and  a  part  rises  above  it.  Yet  this  is  not  an 
universal  rule ;  for,  as  they  are  very  numerous,  some 
must  be  wholly  concealed.  Those  species  which  bur- 
row in  the  fat  are  entirely  covered,  and  can  never 
change  their  place.  Their  size  differs  according  to  the 
rpecies,  the  age  and  temperament  of  the  animal  at 
whose  expense  they  live.  Pallas  speaks  of  some  as 
large  as  the  fist,  and  others  are  mentioned  still  more 
bulky.  Such  we  have  ourselves  seen.  Their  figure  is 
infinitely  varied,  but  very  generally  approaches  that  of 
a  flatted  sphere.  Their  colour  is  generally  white,  or 
semhransparent,  sometimes  of  an  amber  colour;  their 
•substance  composed  of  different  membranes,  conglu- 


tinated  and  formed  of  circular  fibres,  visible  ':,. 
of  a  lens;  but  in  many  animals,  particularly  in  sheep, 
susceptible  of  an  evident  contractile  power.  Internally, 
on  the  part  opposite  to  the  head,  we  can  observe  a  ;. 
somewhat  thicker  than  the  membrane,  with  often  a 
number  of  fatty  tubercles,  which  have  been  supposed 
eggs.  They  are  filled,  though  not  wholly,  with  lymph, 
usually  transparent,  of  an  oily,  salt  taste,  which  oe- 
comes  cloudy  by  heat.  These  vesicles  have  a  motion 
of  their  own,  which  may  be  styled  peristaltic,  and  is 
often  very  lively.  The  head  is  not  always  at  the  termi- 
nation, but  often  concealed  by  the  reduplication  of  its 
skin  ;  and  from  this  part  the  hydatid  acts  on  the  viscus 
in  which  it  lives,  and  sucks  its  lymph.  The  animal  is 
best  seen  by  separating  the  vesicle,  and  placing  it  be- 
tween two  panes  of  glass,  taking  care  that  they  press 
very  gently  on  the  anterior  part.  The  head,  in  that 
case,  pressed  forward  by  the  lymph,  projects  ;  and  even 
with  a  lens,  the  suckers  and  fangs,  if  it  has  any,  are 
observable.  This  part  may  be  preserved  dry  for  a  con- 
siderable time. 

Hydatids,  in  the  human  race,  are  found  chiefly  in  the 
liver,  the  spleen,  the  uterus,  the  ovaria,  the  kidneys, 
the  placenta,  the  lungs,  and  even  the  muscles.  Those 
in  the  accumulated  fluid  of  dropsies  are  accused  as 
the  cause  of  the  disease  ;  and  those  in  the  head  are  sup- 
posed to  occasion  insanity.  Hydatids  exist  occasionally 
in  the  human  viscera,  without  occasioning  any  incon- 
venience ;  but  acute  pains,  either  continual  or  tem- 
porary, are  supposed  to  be  sometimes  owing  to  them. 
Their  existence  may,  it  is  said,  be  suspected  by 
weakness,  emaciation,  and  oppression  at  the  stomach ; 
but  these  symptoms  are  owing  to  many  other  causes, 
and  were  the  existence  of  hydatids  ascertained,  there 
is,  we  fear,  no  remedy  that  would  reach  them.  Hy- 
datids of  the  liver  are  often  found  in  a  cyst  of  a  cartila- 
ginous firmness,  composed  of  different  laminae,  and 
thicker,  in  some  instances,  than  in  othefs.  The  laminae 
are  white,  and  apparently  lined  with  coagulable  lymph. 
In  one  body,  Dr.  Baillie  saw  the  cyst  divided  by  a  pulpy 
substance.  A  cyst  often  contains  various  hydatids, 
some  floating  loosely  in  the  fluid,  and  some  attached  to 
its  sides  ;  of  very  different  sizes,  from  a  pin's  head  to 
that  of  a  walnut.  The  largest  are  generally  found 
floating  in  the  cavity  of  the  abdomen  when  distended  by 
dropsy. 

In  animals  they  are  more  common  than  in  man. 
They  are  generally  found  in  the  livers  of  hares, 
especially  those  which  have  fed  in  marshy  ground. 
In  rats  they  are  equally  numerous  ;  and  in -sheep  they 
occasion  vertigo  when  in  the  brain,  and  the  rot  when 
they  burrow  in  the  liver.  In  the  hog  they  pioduce 
the  appearance  sometimes  called  measles  ;  and  they  are 
found  also  in  the  rein-deer,  the  goat,  and  the  ox.  The 
remedy  in  sheep  is  to  change  the  pasture  from  the 
marshes,  where  the  disease  is  caught,  to  high  gravelly 
soil,  where  it  seldom  appears,  and  to  give  the  animal  a 
portion  of  salt ;  for  in  salt  marshes  the  hydatids  are  not 
found.  An  author  whom  we  have  mentioned,  but 
whose  work  we  have  not  seen,  recommends,  we  are 
told,  injections  of  salt  water  into  the  uterus  when 
hydatids  exist  in  that  organ. 

The  hydatids  of  hogs  are  found  in  the  substance  of 
the  fat  and  in  the  muscles.  They  are  sometimes  so 
numerous  as  to  be  almost  contiguous.  The  disease, 


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besides  measles,  is  sometimes  called  lepra;  and  on  this 
account  it  seems  to  have  been  forbidden  to  the  Jews, 
among  whom  the  lepra  was  an  endemic  disease.  The 
hydatids  of  hogs  are  most  commonly  lodged  under  the 
tongue  ;  and,  from  inspection  of  that  part,  the  probabi- 
lity of  their  existence  in  the  flesh  may  be  ascertained. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  the  hydatid  of  the  hu- 
man body  is  really  a  living  animal,  since  its  head  has 
not  been  observed,  and  no  motion  is  perceivable  in  it. 
We,  must  however,  reflect,  that  the  human  body  is 
seldom  dissected  soon  after  death ;  and  that  hydatids, 
whose  heads  are  not  naturally  observable,  may,  by  the 
management  already  described,  be  compelled  to  exhibit 
them.  The  hydatid  of  man  is  apparently  more  simple 
than  that  of  sheep,  but  its  general  similarity  is  so  strik- 
ing that  the  analogy  may  be  safely  transferred  ;  and 
who  shall  limit  the  simplicity  of  structure  consistent 
with  animation  ?  The  subject  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  and 
this  must  be  our  apology  for  the  extent  of  the  present 
article.  There  are  eighteen  species  described,  the  more 
important  of  which  we  shall  describe. 

1.  The  globular  Injdatid  is  cylindrical,  terminated  by 
a  globular,  very   large,  vesicle,  found  on  the  liver,  the, 
spleen,  and  other    viscera  of  man.     It  is  the  largest 
species  yet  discovered. 

2.  The  -vixccral  Injdatid  is   globular.     Its  vesicle  is 
large  anteriorly,  and  pointed  posteriorly  ;  it  is  described 
and  figured  by  Goeze,  found  in   the  liver,  the  uterus, 
and  the  hydropic  sacs  of  the  human  race  ;  and  probably 
a  more  frequent  cause  of  dropsy  than  pathologist*  have 
suspected.    The  vesicles  are  often  lined  with  an  opaque, 
pulpy  coat,  but  are  more    usually  transparent.     It  is 
said  that  they  are  frequently  contained  in  each  other. 
This,  however,  we  believe  is  not   true  ;  but  we  have 
seen  numerous  hydatids  contained  in  a  sac  compressed, 
without  any  containing  fluid,  and   apparently  without 
life.  When  in  the  ovaria,  their  most  frequent  residence, 
they  sometimes  appear  to  occasion  a  false  pregnancy. 
Treutler  has  described  and  figured,  in  a  separate  treatise, 
a  visceral  hydatid,  which,  instead  of  a  head,  had  a  small 
tubercle  not  retractile.     The  author  thinks,  with  some 
reason,  that  many  distinct  species  have  been  confounded 
under  this  title. 

3.  The  cellular  hydatid  is  contained  in  a  cartilaginous 
vesicle,  which   has    two  appendices   on    its   posterior 
part.     It  is  described  and  engraved  by  Werner  in  an 
excellent  work  on  the  vermes  intestinales.     It  is  found 
in  the  integuments  of  the  muscles  of  the  human  race, 
and  has  been  supposed  to  be  the  same  species  with  that 
which  infests  hogs. 

4.  The  hydatic  hydatid  has  an  elongated  body,  large 
anteriorly,  with  a  small  vesicle,  and  a  sessile  head.     It 
is  found  in  the  livers  of  rats. 

5.  The  -ver-vecinc  hydatid  has  a  large  vesicle,  with  a 
short  body,  rough,  with  an  imbricated  appearance,  and 
found  in  the  peritonaeum  of  sheep. 

6.  The   cerebral  hydatid  is  furnished  with  retractile 
tubercles,  but  has  no  visible  vesicle.     It  is  the  animal 
which  causes  vertigo  in  sheep  ;  and,  by  some  naturalists, 
has  been  supposed  to  occasion  mania  in  man. 

7.  The  hydatid  of  the  hog  is  conical,  inclosed  in   a 
double  sac,   the  interior  of  which  adheres  by  its  base. 
It  has  lately  been  removed  to  another  genus,  under  the 
name  of  Jiuna.     Werner  and  his  editor;  Fischer,  re- 
present little  pedunculated  globules  in  the  room  of  the 


corona  of  fangs  ;  but  Bosc,  from  frequent  examination, 
asserts  that  he  has  always  found  the  latter  in  this 
animal. 

Three  species  are  found  in  the  viscera  of  the  hare  ; 
three  in  those  of  a  sheep,  one  in  the  ox,  and  one  iii  the 
dolphin,  which  are  not  accurately  distinguished.  The 
granulated  hydatid  figured  in  Goeze,  found  in  the 
liver  of  a  sheep,  is  separated  by  Rudolph  to  a  different 
genus,  cchijwcoytis. 

We  must  add,  that  Treutler  has  published,  at  Leipsic, 
a  dissertation  on  many  intestinal  worms  found  in  the 
human  body,  among  which  he  has  described  a  new 
species  of  hydatid  (ta:nia  alba  fiunctato*),  found  in  the 
plexus  choroides  of  a  man  who  died  in  an  idiotic  state. 
The  individuals  of  this  species,  instead  of  being  in- 
closed like  those  of  the  cerebral  hydatid  in  a  common 
sac,  arc  united  by  their  base  through  the  medium 
of  a  membrane.  Their  form  is  globular ;  the  largest 
about  half  an  inch,  the  smallest  ,-j  in  diameter;  their 
colour  grey,  spotted  with  black,  with  six  fangs  on  their 
heads. 

The  more  important  part  of  the  work  remains,  viz. 
to  point  out  the  means  of  removing  the  diseases  by 
destroying  the  animal  which  has  produced  them.  But 
this  part  of  the  task  naturalists  have  overlooked  ;  and,  in 
genera),  hydatids  lie  out  of  the  course  of  the  circula- 
tion, so  that  little  expectation  can  be  formed  of  the  suc- 
cess of  any  medicine.  Moiigeot  may  have  given  us 
some  information  on  this  subject;  but  the  only  hint 
we  can  collect  from  those  who  have  quoted  his  work  is, 
the  injection  of  a  solution  of  common  salt  into  the 
uterus,  when  the  hydatids  are  known  to  exist  in  that 
viscus,  from  some  being  occasionally  discharged.  The 
circumstance  of  sheep  being  relieved,  when  placed  in 
salt  marshes,  may  suggest  the  use  of  common  salt  ;  but 
wre  must  recollect  that,  in  this  case,  the  animal  is  gene- 
rally diseased  from  a  known  cause,  and  that  in  case  of 
plants,  the  insects  which  accompany  or  cause  the  com- 
plaint may  be  removed  by  restoring  the  health  and 
strength.  If  we  apply  this  to  the  human  body  we  shall 
discover  an  excess  of  ealine  nourishment  itself  a  cause  of 
disease ;  and  the  prudent  physician,  who  would  pursue 
the  hint,  will  probably  find  it  necessary  to  be  cautious 
how  far  in  pursuit  of  a  remedy  for  one  disease  he  may 
produce  a  worse.  There  may  be  some  reason  to  suspect, 
that,  when  alkalis  have  relieved  dropsies,  and  more  cer- 
tainly when  mercurials  have  had  a  similar  effect,  they 
may  have  destroyed  these  animals  which  are,  we  fear, 
often  an  unsuspected  cause  of  this  disease.  One  other 
remedy  we  would  suggest,  viz.  the  sulphurated  ammonia. 
We  know  that  sulphur  penetrates  very  minutely  into 
every  vessel  of  the  system  :  we  know  that  sulphurated 
hydrogenous  waters  are  useful  in  cases  of  taenia,  and  it 
is  highly  probable  that  this  may  prove  a  valuable  remedy 
in  diseases  which  arise  from  hydatids ;  that  it  has  really 
proved  such,  where  the  cause  was  unknown.  What- 
ever may  be  the  result,  we  have,  at  least,  reason  to 
think  that  medicines  of  this  kind  will  not  injure  the 
constitution  which  they  are  given  to  relieve. 

See  Tyson,  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  xvii.  p. 
506,  ct  ejusdem  Tentamen  Act.  Eruditorum  Lipsiae, 
1692,  p.  435;  Schroeder  de  Hydatidibus  ;  Pallas  Mis- 
cellanea Zoologica  ;  Werner,  Vermes  Intestinales  ; 
Goeze,  der  Lingeweidewiirmer  Thierischer  Rorper  ; 
Mougeot, Essai  Zoologiqucet  Medicale;  Medical  Com- 


If  Y  I) 


"67 


H  YD 


munications,  vol.  i.  p.  101.;  London  Medical  Journal, 
vol.  i.  p.  \25  ;  vol.  vi.  p.  139. 

HYDATOI'DES,  (from   J«V»«,  the  genitive  case  of 

.  -salrr,  and  eie»i,  a  shafie.)     WATJ.RY  ;  an  epithet 

for  wine  much   diluted;    for   limpid    urine;    for    the 

aqueous    humour    of    the  eye ;    and  for  the  fluid  of 

anasarca. 

HY'DEROSj  (from  »*»f,  water).  See  HVDROPS 
and  ANASARCA. 

HYDRAGO'GOS,(from  '«£*?,  v>ater,znd  *"/*>  to  bring 
aviay).  Hydroticus ;  aquiducus.  HYDRAGOGUE.  Medi- 
cines that  evacuate  much  water.  In  Hippocrates, 
Epidem.  lib.  vi.  it  imports  a  person  affected  with  dropsy 
from  drinking  water. 

HYDRA'RGYRUM,  HYDRA'RGYRUS,  (from 
efvf,  water,  and  «/>•/«?««,  silver;  from  its  having  the 
appearance  of  fluid  silver.)  QUICKSILVER.  This  term 
the  college  of  physicians  of  London  have  adopted  for 
the  argentum  vivum,  in  their  Pharmacopoeia  of  1788, 
and  use  it  for  the  word  mercuriusin  all  the  preparations 
of  which  this  metal  forms  a  part.  See  ARGENTUM 

VIVUM. 

HYDRELvE'UM,  (from  vjty,  aqua,  and  ttetar, 
oleum).  A  mixture  of  oil  and  water.  Oribasius  and  P. 

jEgineta. 

HYDREN~TEROCE'LE,(from  a&y,  <tvater,filtfa,an 
intestine,  and  XTM,  a  tumour).  A  dropsy  of  the  scrotum. 
Vogel  describes  this  disorder  as  com  pounded  of  a  dropsy 
and  hernia. 

HYDRO'A,(from  vfaf,  water).  See  BOA  and  PHLTC- 
TIS.  It  sometimes  means  a  pustule  called  alhasef  and 
asef. 

HYDROCA'RDI  A, (from  t^*^and  **/>?/*,  M<?  heart). 
Hildanus  invented  this  word  to  sig*nify  a  serous,  sanious, 
or  purulent  tumour  of  the  pericardium. 

IIYUROCE'LE,  (from  v?*f,  water,  and  xr.li,  a 
tumour).  This  term  is  employed  when  water  is  con- 
tained in  ruptures  ;  but  particularly  is  applied  to  a 
dropsy  in  the  scrotum;  hydro/is  tettis,  hernia  aguosa, 
oscheocele,zndofcheofihyma.  By  oscheocele  Vogel  means 
a  rupture  which  descends  into  the  scrotum  ;  Dr.  Cullen 
places  this  genus  in  the  class  cachexie,  and  order  intu- 
inescen!i£,  which  he  defines  a  soft,  fluctuating,  pellucid 
tumour  of  the  scrotui.i,  not  painful. 

There  are  two  kinds  :  in  the  first  the  water  is  lodged 
in  the  cells  of  the  mernbrcna  cellularis  scroti ;  and  it  is 
a  symptom  of  anasarca.  The  second,  and  only  proper 
species,  is  formed  by  water  lodged  within  the  tunica 
vaginalis  of  the  testicle.  The  first  tumour  retains  the 
impression  of  the  finger,  the  second  is  elastic. 

The  second,  our  only  object  at  present,  is  a  morbid 
accumulation  of  the  water  separated  on  the  internal 
surface  of  the  tunica  vaginalis,  to  moisten  or  lubricate 
the  testicle. 

From  its  first  appearance  it  seldom  disappears  or 
diminishes,  but  generally  continues  to  increase,  some- 
times rapidly,  at  others  more  slowly.  In  some  it  grows 
to  a  painful  degree  of  distention  in  a  few  months  ;  in 
others  it  continues  many  years,  with  little  disturbance. 
As  it  enlarges  it  becomes  more  tense,  and  is  sometimes 
transparent;  so  that  if  a  candle  is  held  on  the  opposite 
side,  a  degree  of  light  is  perceived  through  the  whole 
bulk  of  the  tumour;  but  the  only  certain  distinction  is 
the  fluctuation,  which  is  not  found  when  the  disease  is 


a  hernia  of  the  omentum  or  intestines,  or  an  inflamma- 
tory or  a  scirrhous  tumour'of  the  testicle. 

If  the  water  is  lodged  only  in  the  cellular  membrane, 
scarifications  may  be  made  in  the  legs,  as  in  an  anasarca; 
but  if  it  is  a  proper  hydrocele,  and  occasioned  by  no 
other  disorder,  a  lancet,  or  the  trochar,  may  be  em- 
ployed to  discharge  the  fluid  ;  and  as  the  testicle  lies 
always  on  the  posterior  part  of  the  tumour,  the  perfora- 
tion must  be  made  into  the  anterior  and  lower  part  of  it. 
This  is,  however,  only  a  palliative  remedy. 

Mr.  Bell  proposes  the  use  of  a  flat  trochar  in  pre- 
ference to  a  lancet.  The  patient  being  sealed,  the 
operator,  with  his  left  hand,  shoul8  grasp  the  tumour 
on  its  back  part,  so  as  to  push  the  contained  fluid  into 
the  anterior  and  under  part  of  the  swelling.  An  open- 
ing must  then  be  made  through  the  skin  and  cellular 
membrane,  about  half  an  inch  long,  with  a  lancet ;  the 
trochar  introduced  through  the  tunica  vaginalis,  and 
the  stillette  withdrawn,  that  the  water  may  be  dis- 
charged. After  this  the  canula  may  be  also  withdrawn, 
and  a  piece  of  adhesive  plaster  should  be  applied  to  the 
orifice.  A  compress  of  soft  linen  may  cover  the  scro- 
tum, and  the  whole  may  be  firmly  supported  by  a  T 
bandage. 

Mr.  Pott  proposes  a  radical  cure,  by  exciting  an  arti- 
ficial inflammation  in  the  tunica  albuginea,  and  the 
tunica  vaginalis,  by  means  of  a  seton,  which  will  produce 
an  obliteration  of  the  cavity,  in  consequence  of  the  in- 
flammation. Mr.  Else  prefers  the  application  of  a 
caustic  (see  CAUSTICUM  OPIATVM)  to  the  fore  and  lower 
part  of  the  scrotum;  and  Mr.  Bell  recommends  an 
incision  into  the  upper  and  fore  part  of  the  scrotum,  to 
be  directed  downwards.  We  shall  add  a  general  account 
of  these  three  methods,  referring  to  the  works  of  the 
respective  authors  for  further  particulars. 

^Tr.  Pott's  method,  by  a  seton. — Theobjectof  this  is  to 
excite  the  necessary  degree  of  inflammation,  if  possible, 
without  producing  slough  or  abscess,  the  hazard  of  a 
gangrene,  or  that  alarming  degree  of  symptomatic  fever 
which  sometimes  attends  both  the  caustic  and  the  in- 
cision. The  seton  requires  confinement  to  bed  only  for 
a  few  days,"  after  which  the  patient  may  lie  upon  a 
couch  to  the  end,  which  will  be  in  about  a  month  ;  and 
during  the  whole  time  the  common  remedies  of  in- 
flammation are  only  necessary.  The  manner  of  per- 
forming it  is  as  follows: — "  Choose  a  time  when  the 
vaginal  coat  is  moderately  distended ;  and  having  pierced 
it  with  a  trochar  of  a  tolerable  size,  draw  off  the  water ; 
when  that  is  done,  introduce  into  the  canula  a  probe 
armed  with  a  seton,  consisting  of  ten  or  twelve  strings 
or  threads  of  silk ;  pass  the  probe  as  high  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  vaginal  coat  as  you  Can,  and  on  the  end  of 
that  probe  make  an  incision  of  such  a  size  as  to  enable 
you  to  to  pull  it  out  easily,  together  with  a  part  of  its  an- 
nexed seton;  then  cut  off  the  probe,  and  tie  the  silk 
very  loosely,  covering  the  orifices  with  pledgets.  By 
the  next  day  the  seton  will  be  found  to  have  contracted 
such  an  adhesion  to  the  tunica  albuginea  as  would 
cause  a  great  deal  of  pain  to  detach ;  but  this  it  is  per- 
fectly unnecessary  to  do,  and  it  should  be  suffered  to 
remain  without  molestation.  In  about  forty -eight  hours 
the  scrotum  and  testicle  begin  to  swell  and  inflame; 
the  patient  should  then  lose  a  little  blood,  and  have  a 
stool  or  two,  and  the  whole  tumefied  part  should  be 


II  Y  D 


768 


II  Y  D 


wrapped  in  a  soft  poultice  and  suspended  in  a  bag  truss. 
The  disease  from  this  time  bears  the  appearance  of  a 
large  hernia  humoralis,  and  must  be  treated  in  the  same 
manner,  by  fomentations,  cataplasms,  fxc.  The  adhe- 
sion of  the  seton  to  the  albuginea  generally  continues 
firm,  and  I  never  meddle  with  or  move  it  till  it  be- 
comes perfectly  loose,  which  it  seldom  does  for  the  first 
fortnight,  or  until  the  inflammation  is  going,  and  the 
humours  subsiding.  By  the  time  the  seton  becomes 
loose,  the  coalition  of  parts  is  universally  and  firmly  ac- 
complished. I  then  withdraw  it,  and  heal  the  orifices 
with  a  superficial  pledget." 

Mr. Else's  method.,  by  a  caustic. — "  My  method  is  this : 
—to  lay  a  small  caustic  upon  the  anterior,  inferior  part 
of  the  scrotum,  taking  care  to  avoid  the  testicle :  a 
large  caustic  is  quite  unnecessary,  and  every  advantage 
may  be  derived  from  one  whose  eschar  will  be  no  bigger 
than  a  shilling.  The  loose  and  pendulous  situation  of 
the  scrotum  renders  the  application  of  a  bandage  so 
very  inconvenient,  that  we  cannot  easily  prevent  the 
caustic  from  spreading  somewhat;  for  this  reason,  I 
'  cover  no  more  than  the  size  of  a  sixpence,  on  a  pre- 
sumption that  it  may  make  an  eschar  as  broad  as  a 
shilling,  though  it  commonly  makes  one  of  the  size  of 
a  half  crown.  The  intention  is,  that  it  shall  aflVcl,  and, 
if  possible,  penetrate  through  the  tunica  vaginalis;  so 
that  the  time  it  is  suffered  to  lie  on  is  proportioned  to 
the  supposed  thickness  of  the  cyst.  The  caustic  should 
never  remain  on  less  than  five  hours  ;  but  if  it  be  suffered 
twenty-four  hours,  it  can  do  no  mischief  when  properly 
guarded.  On  the  removal  of  the  caustic,  digestives 
may  be  applied  to  the  eschar,  or  the  common  cataplasm 
of  white  bread  and  milk.  The  scrotum  must  be 
suspended  in  a  bag  truss ;  and  the  patient  had  best  be 
confined  to  his  bed,  though  even  this  circumstance  is 
sometimes  omitted  without  detriment.  Sometimes, 
immediately  after  removing  the  caustic,  at  other  times 
within  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours,  or  even  at  the 
distance  of  two  or  three  days,  the  patient  begins  to 
complain  of  a  pain  in  the  scrotum  and  loins,  has  now 
and  then  some  colic  pains,  and  the  pulse  a  little 
quickened,  and  the  tongue  whitish.  At  different  pe- 
riods of  time,  from  the  removal  of  the  caustic,  but  ge- 
nerally within  forty-eight  hours,'  an  alteration  is  per- 
ceptible in  the  scrotum  ;  the  tumour,  upon  grasping, 
feels  more  tense  and  hard  than  it  was  before,  and  this 
hardness  answers  to  the  figure  of  the  tunica  vaginalis 
in  its  whole  extent;  and  a  little  attention  will  convince 
an  observer,  that  it  is  this  membrane  alone  which  gives 
the  sensation  of  tension  and  hardness,  and  no  other 
part.  The  colic  pains  and  fcbricula  seldom  continue 
more  than  twenty -four  or  forty-eight  hours;  and  very 
frequently  are  so  inconsiderable  as  to  require  neither 
evacuation  nor  any  internal  medicines.  If,  however, 
the  pulse  be  quickened  a  little,  the  pain  of  the  back  and 
the  colic  distressing  to  the  patient,  they  will  be  speedily 
removed  by  one  or  two  bleedings,  and  the  injecting  one 
or  two  clysters.  As  soon  as  the  pain  of  the  back  (ex- 
cept what  arises  from  the  weight  of  the  scrotum),  the 
febrile  heat,  and  other  symptoms  are  removed,  for  they 
commonly  go  off  altogether,  the  patient  need  no  longer 
be  confined  to  his  bed,  but  may  be  suffered  to  get  up 
and  walk  about  the  room,  provided  the  scrotum  be 
suspended.  In  a  few  days  the  eschar  of  the  scrotum 


will  loosen  and  come  away,  exposing  to  view  the  tunica 
vaginalis,  which  bears  evident  marks  of  its  having  been 
affected  by  the  caustic,  and  prepared  to  slough  off;  and 
when  pressed  with  the  finger,  the  undulation  of  tin- 
water  may  be  felt  within  it.  As  the  cure  proceeds, 
the  sloughy  tunica  vaginalis  will  project  more  and  more 
through  the  orifice  of  the  scrotum;  and  when  it  ap- 
pears r.eady  to  burst,  it  may  be  punctured  with  a  lancet, 
and  for  this  reason  only,  that  it  will  relieve  the  patient 
from  the  weight  of  the  tumour;  for  no  other  advantage 
can  be  derived  from  it.  If  the  water  is  discharged  by 
a  puncture,  the  scrotum  by  degrees  collapses,  and  the 
orifice  in  it  is  filled  up  with  slough,  which  prevents 
the  access  of  external  air  to  the  testicle.  These  sloughs 
continue  to  come  away  with  the  dressings  daily  for 
about  four,  five,  or  six  weeks;  and  in  proportion  to 
their  discharge,  the  hard  tumour  of  the  scrotum  lessens. 
Upon  casting  off  the  last  slough,  the  hardness  is  entirely 
gone,  the  wound  immediately  cicatrizes ;  and  the  cica- 
trix  being  about  the  size  of  a  finger's  end,  adheres 
strongly  to  the  body  of  the  testis,  which  has  never  come 
in  sight,  nor  has  had  any  application  brought  in  contact 
with  it  during  the  whole  process." 

Mr.  Bell's  method,  by  incision. — "  The  patient  being 
placed  upon  a  table  of  a  convenient  height,  and  being 
properly  secured  by  two  assistants,  with  the  scrotum 
lying  nearly  upon  the  edge  of  the  table,  the  operator. 
with  one  hand  should  grasp  the  tumour  so  as  to  hold  i 
firm,  and  make  it  somewhat  tense  on  its  anterior  part ; 
and  with  a  common  round  edged  scalpel  in  the  other, 
he  is  is  now  to  divide  the  external  teguments  by  one  con- 
tinual incision  from  the  superior  extremity  of  the 
tumour,  all  along  its  anterior  surface,  down  to  the  most 
depending  point  of  the  swelling.  By  this  means,  as  the 
divided  scrotum  retracts  a  little,  the  tunica  vaginalis  is 
laid  perfectly  bare,  for  the  breadth  of  half  an  inch,  or 
so,  from  one  extremity  to  the  other.  An  opening  is 
now  to  be  made  with  a  lancet  into  the  vaginal  coat, 
just  at  its  upper  extremity  where  the  first  incision  com- 
menced. This  opening  should  be  of  such  a  size  as  to 
receive  the  operator's  finger,  which  being  inserted,  the 
probe  pointed  bistoury  is  to  be  conducted  upon  it,  and 
by  means  of  it  the  sac  is  to  be  divided  to  the  very 
bottom,  all  along  the  course  of  the  first  incision.  By 
making  the  first  opening  into  the  sac  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  tumour,  much  trouble  and  inconvenience  are  pre- 
vented, which  making  the  first  orifice  below  is  sure 
to  occasion  :  for,  as  we  have  before  remarked,  when  the 
tumour  is  first  opened  below,  the  water  is  instantly 
evacuated;  and  as  that  produces  an  immediate  collapse 
of  the  tunica  vaginalis,  the  passage  through  its  cavity  is 
not  afterward  easily  discovered;  whereas,  by  making 
the  first  opening  above,  as  the  water  is  thereby  eva- 
cuated gradually,  as  the  incision  is  extended  downwa'-ds, 
the  vaginal  coat  continues  distended  to  the  bottom  till . 
the  incision  is  completely  finished.  The  incision  being 
completed  in  the  manner  directed,  the  testicle,  covered 
with  its  tunica  albuginea,  comes  into  full  view.  Some- 
times the  testis  protrudes  from  the  wound  altogether; 
in  which  case  it  must  be  replaced  with  great  caution, 
and  it  ought  by  all  means  to  be  covered  as  quickly  as 
possible  from  the  external  air ;  and,  provided  none  of  the 
tunica  vaginalis  is  to  be  removed,  this  may  be  always  done 
immediately,  by  finishing  the  dressing  directly  on  the 


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sac  being  opened.  When  the  sac  is  not  too  much 
thickened,  there  is  no  necessity  for  removing  any  part 
of  it;  but  when  it  is  discovered  to  be  otherwise,  to  be 
thick  and  very  hard,  the  removal  of  a  portion  of  it  on 
each  side  of  the  incision  makes  the  cure  of  the  remain- 
ing sore  more  easy  and  expeditious.  As  in  this  hardened 
state  the  sac  generally  separates  with  great  ease  from 
the  surrounding  teguments,  any  quantity  of  it  may  be 
easily  taken  away  with  the  scalpel,  without  the  least 
hazard  of  wounding  the  scrotum."  As  soon  as  the  in- 
cision has  been  made,  Mr.  Bell  inserts,  between  the 
tunica  vaginalis  and  the  body  of  the  testis,  slips  of  soft 
linen,  smeared  with  some  simple  ointment,  which 
causes  much  less  irritation  than  dry  lint,  and  is  much 
more  easily  removed. 

Mr.Earle's  method, by  injection. — ProfessorAlexander 
Monro,  of  Edinburgh,  having  supplied  the  hint  of  cur- 
ing the  hydrocele  by  inflammation,  Dr.  Monro,  surgeon 
to  lord  Hume's  regiment,  attempted  to  make  a  radical 
cure  by  letting  out  the  water  of  a  large  hydrocele,  and 
injecting  a  little  spirit  of  wine  into  the  scrotum,  which 
raised  a  violent  and  dangerous  inflammation.  When 
this  was  relieved  by  the  usual  remedies,  he  never  had 
any  return  of  the  hydrocele.  This  violent  inflamma- 
tion induced  him  to  try  a  milder  remedy.  Having  let 
out  the  water,  he  injected  some  claret  into  the  scrotum, 
by  which  means  only  a  slight  inflammation  was  raised  ; 
but  still  succeeded  to  his  wish,  by  completing  a  cure. 
He  has  since  made  several  radical  cures  by  this  remedy 
alone.  See  Monro  on  the  Dropsy,  p.  165,  note  (wj, 
London,  1756. 

Mr.  Earle's  method  is  so  similar  to  this,  that  it  can 
scarcely  be  doubted  from  whence  his  ideas  were  derived. 
If  the  tumour  be  very  large,  it  should,  he  observes,  be 
emptied,  and  the  water  afterwards  suffered  to  accumu- 
late till  about  six  ounces  are  collected.  -  The  cyst  is 
then  to  be  tapped  in  the  usual  mode,  and  as  much  of  a 
mixture  of  red  port  wine,  with  one  third  of  water  made 
blood  warm,  is  to  be  thrown  in  through  the  canula  of 
the  trochar  as  will  distend  the  tumour  to  its  original 
size.  It  is  to  be  allowed  to  remain  there  for  four  or 
five  minutes,  and  then  to  be  pressed  out :  should  the 
subsequent  inflammation  prove  considerable,  a  common 
bread  poultice  may  be  applied. 

Perhaps  neither  Dr.  Munro  nor  Mr.  Earle  can  claim 
the  discovery ;  for  the  same  method  has  been  recom- 
mended by  M.  Lambert  above  a  century  ago,  in  his 
GLuvres  Chirurgicales,  published  at  Marseilles.  A  strong 
solution  of  corrosive  sublimate  in  lime  water  was  the 
composition  of  which  he  made  use;  and  he  gave  a 
variety  of  cases  in  which  success  was  the  consequence. 

See  Monro,  on  the  Tumours  of  the  Scrotum,  in  the 
Edinburgh  Medical  Essays,  vol.  v.;  Pott's  Account  of 
the.  Method  of  obtaining  a  radical  Cure  of  the  Hydro- 
cele; Else,  on  the  Hydrocele  of  the  Tunica  Vaginalis 
Testis;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  403,  &c.;  London 
Medical  Journal,  xi.;  White's  Surgery,  p.  328. 

HYDROCE'LE  CYSTATA  resembles  the  common  hy- 
drocele ;  but  the  tumour  does  not  extend  to  the  testicle, 
which  may  be  felt  below  or  behind  it,  while  in  the  hy- 
drocele of  the  vaginal  coat,  when  large,  the  testicle 
cannot  be  discovered.  In  this  disease  also  the  penis  is 
not  buried  in  the  tumour.  Sometimes  the  fluid  is 
contained  in  two  distinct  cells;  and  this  is  discovered 
by  little  contractions  in  it.  It  is  distinguishedfromthc 

VOL.  r. 


anasarcous  hydrocele  by  a  sensible  fluctuation,  and  the 
want  of  the  inelastic  pitting;  from  hernia,  by  its  be- 
ginning below,  from  its  not  receding  in  an  horizontal 
position,  and  not  enlarging  by  coughing  or  sneezing. 
The  cure  is  the  same  with  that  of  hydrocele  of  the 
vaginal  coat :  in  children  it  is  often  removed  by  spirit- 
uous applications. 

HTDROCE'LE  FL-.VICI/LI.  An  hydrocele  of  the  sper- 
matic chord  is  usually  a  symptom  ofascites ;  but  is  some- 
times an  anasarcous  swelling  of  the  surrounding  cellular 
substance.  It  is  owing  to  the  usual  causes  of  dropsy, 
and  occasionally  to  the  pressure  of  a  truss.  In  an  erect 
position  it  is  oblong;  in  a  recumbent  posture  flatter, 
and  somewhat  round.  The  swelling  is  generally  con- 
fined to  the  groin,  though  it  sometimes  descends  to  the 
scrotum,  and  enlarges  it  to  a  considerable  size.  When 
a  local  complaint,  the  water  may  be  discharged  by  a 
trochar  or  lancet. 

HTDROCE'LE  pERiTOXi'i.     See  ASCITES. 

HYDROCE'LE  SPIXA'LIS.     See  SPIXA  BIFIDA. 

HYDROCELO'DES  ISCHU  RIA,  (from  t,JW?, 
aqua,  and  x.iiJmi'ef,  attended  with  tumour ).  A  suppres- 
sion of  urine  from  a  rupture  of  the  urethra  opening 
into  the  scrotum.  See  ISCHURIA. 

HYDROCE'PHALUS,  (from  vJVy,  water,  and 
xr^«A«,  the  head).  DROPSY  OF  THE  HEAD.  This  dis- 
ease has  been  divided  into  two  species,  external  and  in- 
ternal. In  the  first,  water  is  confined  between  the  skull 
and  the  integuments.  In  the  second,  the  fluid  is  with- 
in the  cranium,  between  it  and  the  brain ;  between  the 
membranes;  or  distending  the  ventricles.  Dr.  Cullen 
"  places  the  hydrocephalus  externus,  including  those 
cases  where  the  fluid  is  between  the  skull  and  the  dura 
mater,  as  a  genus  in  the  class  cachexits,  and  order  intu- 
me&centie,  which  he  defines  a  soft,  inelastic,  intumes- 
cence of  the  head,  with  the  sutures  of  the  cranium 
gaping.  This  complaint  is  so  obvious,  that  it  requires 
not  any  description  for  its  discovery.  In  general,  it  is 
necessary  to  establish  some  drain  from  the  head  by  a 
continued  blister  from  the  neck;  free  copious  evacua- 
tions by  stool  must  be  procured ;  and  we  think  the  cure 
expedited  by  a  grain  of  calomel  every  night.  This  me- 
dicine seems  to  give  tone  and  energy  to  the  circulation, 
which,  ii\  this  disease,  is  apparently  deficient.  With 
the  same  view,  after  the  vessels  of  the  head  are  emptied, 
the  bark,  with  cold  bathing,  is  highly  useful ;  and  even 
when  the  head  has  been  peculiarly  large  this  plan  has 
succeeded.  See  London  Medical  Observations,  vol.  v. 
p.  13;  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  ii.  p.  18;  Edinburgh 
Medical  Essays,  vol.  ii.  p.  22. 

The  hydrocephalus  internus  is  placed  as  a  species  of 
apoplexia  hydrocephalica  in  Dr.  Cullen's  system.  In  a 
nosological  work,  he  remarks,  it  is  difficult  to  arrange 
accurately  diseases  which  assume  in  their  course  dif- 
ferent appearances  ;  but  he  prefers  placing  this  disease 
under  the  title  apoplexy,  because  th«  tumour  is  not  evi- 
dent to  the  senses ;  and  because  it  greatly  differs  in  its 
symptoms  from  the  external  hydrocephalus,  which  is 
clearly  perceptible.  In  its  proximate  cause,  also,  and 
at  length  in  its  symptoms,  it  is  nearly  allied  to  apoplexy. 
Dr.  Fothergill  names  the  internal  hydrocephalus  the 
dropsy  of  the  ventricles  of  the  brain,  for  the  ventricles  are 
theproperseat  of  the  disease.  Dr.  Macbridenames  it  the 
febris hydrocephalica;  others  cataphora hydrocephalica. 

The  internal  hydrocephalus  arises  gradually,  affecting 
5  F 


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chiefly  infants  of  a  fair  light  complexion  from  the  early 
months  to  about  the  age  often.  Between  seven 'and 
ten  the  disease  is  rare.  The  first  symptoms  are  irregu- 
lar fever,  with  symptoms  of  considerable  irritation  of 
the  bowels,  so  as  to  induce  a  suspicion  of  worms.  The 
discharges  from  the  bowels  are  procured  with  difficulty; 
the  urine  is  often  scanty.  In  general  an  obstinate 
costiveness  gives  the  first  symptoms  of  alarm  ;  but  the 
complaint  still  proceeds  so  insidiously,  that  the  most 
cautious  observer  can  scarcely  fix  on  any  appearance 
to  justify  alarming  the  parents.  Sometimes  slight 
wandering  pains  about  the  nape  of  the  neck  or  the 
upper  extremities  precede,  and  are  considered  as  febrile. 
When  the  disease  appears  in  a  more  pointed  form,  a 
violent  pain,  deep  seated  in  the  head,  seems  to  extend 
from  temple  to  temple,  and  across  the  forehead ;  sick- 
ness is  at  times  considerable  ;  the  patient  occasionally 
doses  and  sighs;  the  breathing  is  interrupted ;  the 
pulse  unusually  slow,  often  irregular;  at  times  the 
sleep  is  apparently  sweet  and  easy,  but  in  general  dis- 
turbed, and  interrupted  occasionally  by  a  violent  scream, 
often  a  pathognomonic  symptom  of  the  disease.  The 
pupil  of  the  eye  is  dilated,  and  scarcely  contracts,  even 
by  a  strong  light.  The  eye  itself  is  often  turned  up- 
ward; but  more  commonly  contracted  by  a  spasm, 
which  occasions  squinting.  A  little  before  death's  ap- 
proach, feverishness  sometimes  attends,  especially  to- 
wards evening;  at  last  the  pulse  quickens,  the  breath- 
ing is  very  laborious  and  difficult ;  the  heat  excessive  ; 
the  patient  is  averse  to  the  light,  takes  things  greedily, 
and  cannot  bear  any  but  an  horizontal  posture;  the 
excrements  are  insensibly  voided  ;  the  hands  are  com- 
monly kept  about  the  head  ;  the  eye  lids  become  paraly- 
tic, and  the  iris  immoveable;  a  great  heat  and  sweat 
spread  all  over  the  body ;  the  pulse  trembles,  and 
strength  soon  fails,  if  a  sudden  convulsion  does  not  bring 
on  the  catastrophe. 

Many  of  these  symptoms  are  common  to  worms, 
teething,  and  other  causes  irritating  by  sympathy  the 
brain,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  fix  upon  any  which  par- 
ticularly characterize  the  disease.  In  general,  in  the 
early  stages,  the  costiveness,  with  marks  of  irritation  in 
the  bowels,  are  the  first  appearances  which  lead  to  a 
suspicion;  but  the  screaming,  the  slow  pulse,  and  the 
squinting,  are  the  only  pathognomonic  symptoms.  The 
pulse  sometimes  sinks  to  forty  in  a  minute. 

There  is  a  spurious  kind  of  hydrocephalus,  similar  to 
the  spina  bifida.  It  appears  on  the  lower  part  of  the 
occiput  like  a  bladder  of  water,  and  underneath  the  bone 
is  deficient.  Opening  it  would  be  as  fatal  as  the  open- 
ing the  tumour  of  the  spina  bifida. 

The  disease  both  in  its  pathology  and  cure  is  still  de- 
fective. The  more  obvious  cause  on  dissection  is  an 
accumulation  of  water  in  the  ventricles,  generally  at- 
tended with  considerable  fulness  of  the  vessels;  but  the 
tity  of  fluid  is  by  no  means  in  proportion  to  the 
violence  of  the  symptoms;  and  in  many  instances  where 
there  is  no  considerable  degree  of  compression  from 
the  accumulated  water,  the  worst  consequences  often 
follow.  These  circumstances  have  led  practitioners 
to  suppose,  with  great  reason,  that  the  dropsy  is  only 
the  effect  of  a  previous  disease  of  the  brain  ;  and  those, 
who  have  brought  this  opinion  into  any  distinct  shape, 
have  thought  it  to  be  inflammatory,  or  an  apoplectic 
fulness  of  the  vessels.  The  author  who  supposes  it  to 


be  inflammatory  is  Dr.  Rush  of  Philadelphia,  and  he 
thinks  early  and  active  bleeding  a  certain  remedy.  In 
this  idea,  he  was  preceded  br  Dr.  Quin  of  Dublin,  and 
has  been  followed  by  Dr.  Garnett ;  though  these  au- 
thors have  not  been  equally  confident  of  the  success  of 
the  remedy.  It  is  necessary  therefore  to  examine  the 
subject  more  closely. 

There  is  little  doubt  but  that  a  diseased  state  of  the 
brain  exists  previous  to  the  accumulation  of  the  water, 
and  the  great  question  is  respecting  the  nature  of  this 
state.  We  have  little  reason  to  suppose  it  inflammatory, 
for  the  disease  does  not  attack  strong,  healthy  children, 
those  over  fed,  or  rendered  plethoric  by  too  great  care. 
If  there  arc  any  children  peculiarly  subject  to  hydroce- 
phalus, it  is  the  weak,  the  pale,  and  the  debilitated. 
These  indeed  may  suffer  from  venous  plethora;  but  we 
ought  to  reflect  that  this  is  not  a  disease  of  their  time 
of  life.  An  accumulation  of  blood  in  the  arteries,  in 
a  degree  greater  than  the  veins  can  carry  off;  veins,  as 
we  have  seen,  tortuous,  and  in  which  the  motion  of  the 
blood  is  peculiarly  slow,  may  occasion  increased  exha- 
lation: but  to  this  may  be  objected,  that  the  early 
symptoms  are  not  those  of  compression  but  of  irrita- 
tion only,  of  irritation  not  in  the  brain,  but  in  the 
bowels.  If  we  pursue  the  series  of  symptoms,  we  shall 
find  that  the  consequences  of  compression  are  combined 
with  those  of  irritation,  but  that  the  former  are  by  no 
means  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  fluid  found  in 
the  ventricles  after  death.  In  this  argument  we  lay  no 
stress  on  the  effect  of  remedies,  for  we  believe  all  re- 
medies equally  ineffectual. 

It  is  indeed  probable  that  symptoms  of  irritation  and 
compression  may  be  relative  to  the  constitution  of  the 
patient;  that,  as  in  the  former  case,  a  slighter  cause 
may  in  a  very  irritable  habit  produce  violent  symptoms, 
so,  in  a  more  torpid  system,  a  little  degree  of  compres- 
sion may  produce  insensibility  or  spasm.  Yet  these 
views  will  not  lead  us  far,  and  very  certainly  will  not 
assist  us  in  the  cure.  The  first  symptoms  show,  as  we 
have  said,  irritation  in  the  bowels,  which  may  be  readily 
supposed  to  originate  from,  an  affection  of  the  brain  : 
the  second  train  are  the  effects  of  compression,  which 
may  be  probably  accounted  for  from  the  accumulation 
of  fluid. 

If,  however,  we  apply  these  views  to  practice,  we 
shall  find  their  fallacy  :  the  means  of  relieving  irritation 
or  compression  are  equally  useless;  and  we  see  no 
means  of  accounting  for  the  symptoms,  but  from  sup- 
posing an  original  defect  in  the  organization  of  some 
portion  of  the  brain  itself, — a  cause  which  will  Jje 
supported  by  its  being  often  confined  to  particular 
families,  and  its  often  affecting  the  children  of  the  same 
parents.  What  this  defect  is  we  cannot  explain  :  but 
we  have  seen  that  a  free  communication  between  dif- 
ferent parts  of  this  organ  is  peculiarly  necessary ;  and 
if  we  suppose  this  communication  interrupted,  the  usual 
consequences  of  increased  action  will  follow.  We  see 
this  deficiency  of  communication  in  the  spina  bifida ; 
and  children  live  for  some  time  till  the  necessity  of 
the  free  circulation  of  the  nervous  power  is  felt.  A 
want  of  this  free  circulation  in  the  brain  itself  may  not 
be  so  soon  experienced  as  in  the  nerves  which  supply 
the  voluntary  muscles;  and  according  to  the  part  where 
the  deficiency  occurs,  the  disease  may  appear  sooner  or 
later.  This  idea  is  not  supported  by  dissections;  but, 


H  Y  D 


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in  general,  if  the  vessels  are  found  peculiarly  turgid,  or 
the  ventricles  preternaturally  filled,  anatomists  have 
been  contented  with  the  success  of  their  researches. 

We  rest  with  more  complacency  on  this  opinion, 
because  it  explains  the  want  of  success  which  we  think 
has  attended  every  plan.  As  authors,  however,  have  had 
their  favourite  modes  of  relief,  which  they  have  some- 
times thought  effectual,  it  is  necessary  to  describe  them. 
Bleeding,  according  to  the  idea  of  Dr.  Rush  that  the 
disease  is  inflammatory,  has  been  practised;  but  on 
this  subject  Dr.  Rush  is  certainly  prejudiced.  Where- 
ever  he  finds  bleeding  useful,  he  sees  inflammation.  It 
has  escaped  us  if  his  practice  has  been  imitated  in  this 
country,  so  that  its  success  is  equivocal.  Topical  bleed- 
ing, either  by  the  cupping  glasses  or  by  leeches,  under 
the  influence  of  Dr.  Quin  and  Dr.  Garnett's  ideas,  we 
have  employed  with  scarcely  even  temporary  advantage. 
Blistering  either  on  the  vertex,  the  rtape  of  the  neck, 
or  behind  the  ears,  has  been  more  useful,  but  has  never 
effectually  removed  the  complaint.  Purging,  in  all  its 
forms,  has  only  afforded  a  slight  and  temporary  relief. 
We  have  been  told  of  the  effects  of  mercurials,  and 
have  employed  them  actively,  so  as  to  raise  a  ptyalism  ; 
or  more  slowly  to  give  permanent  tone,  or  as  purgatives. 
It  has  been  said  thut  they  have  succeeded;  but  we  have 
unfortunately  failed,  though  when  a  slight  ptyalism  has 
been  produced,  we  have  found  the  symptoms  in  some 
degree  relieved:  the  fatal  event,  however,  has  scarcely 
been  retarded,  or  retarded  only.  In  one  case,  where  we 
suspected  the  source  of  the  previous  complaints,  we 
early  employed  calomel  as  a  purgative.  A  very  slight 
soreness  of  the  gums  ensued,  and  the  disease  even  came 
on  during  the  action  of  the  mercury. 

Digitalis,  doronicum,  and  cicuta,  have  been  men- 
tioned; but,  on  examining  the  accounts  of  authors  who 
have  recommended  these  remedies,  we  have  found  little 
foundation  for  their  employment,  and  cannot  therefore 
speak  of  them  from  experience.  The  children  subject 
to  the  complaint  are,  we  have  said,  inactive  and  debili- 
tated ;  and  we  should  not,  a  firiori,  expect  any  consi- 
derable advantages  from  narcotics.  As  the  water  is 
usually  contained  in  the  ventricles,  an  operation  is 
wholly  inadmissible. 

When  we  consider  the  confident  assertions  of  some 
authors,  and  compare  them  with  the  effects  of  the  most 
careful  trials,  we  shall  find  it  highly  probable  that  they 
have  mistaken  other  diseases  for  hydrocephalus.  We 
have  certainly  done  the  same,  for  we  once  thought 
mercurials  effectual.  In  advanced  life  there  are  affec- 
tions of  the  head  not  strikingly  apoplectic,  though 
similar  to  apoplexy,  which  require  large  doses  of  mer- 
cury, and  are  relieved  by  it. 

See  Whytt  on  Hydrocephalus;  Quin  on  the  Apo- 
plexiaHydrocephalica;  Fothergill  and  Watson,  London 
Medical  Observations  and  Enquiries,  vol.  iv.  and  vi. ; 
Withering  on  the  Digitalis  Purpurea;  London  Medical 
Transactions,  vol.  ii. ;  Monro's  Observations  on  the 
Structure  of  the  Nerves;  Edinburgh  Medical  Com- 
mentaries, vol.  v.  vii.  viii. ;  Medical  Communications, 
vol.  i.  p.  404;  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  ivp.  357; 
Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society  of  London,  vol.  i.  p. 
J65  and  169. 
HYDROCl'STIS,  (from  If*?,  aqua,  and  xtrlif,  a 


bladder).     ENCYSTED  DROPSY,  or  DROPSY  OF  A  PARTICU- 
LAR PART. 

HYDROCERATOPHY'LLON,  (from  ifcr,  voter, 
*ff*s,  a  horn,  and  <fv»n,  a  leaf).  See  CERATOPHYL- 

LUM. 

HYDROGA'ROX,  (from  ltuf,  and  y«/w»,  fiickle). 
Garum  diluted  with  water. 

HYDROGE'XIUM,  (from  u£uf,  water,  and  •/(»«/*.*[, 
to  become,  or  '/tnaw,  to  produce,)  HYDROGEN  is  one 
of  the  constituent  parts  of  water,  and  perhaps  of  muri- 
atic acid.  (See  AER,  and  CHEMIA.)  Though  its  gas 
is  unfit  for  respiration,  it  is  not  poisonous.  Its  effects 
on  the  animal  economy  are  not  peculiarly  striking,  but 
it  appears  to  affect  the  irritability  of  the  muscular  fibre 
in  a  considerable  degree ;  and  animals  killed  by  it  are 
supposed  to  putrefy  quickly.  The  latter  opinion  seems, 
however,  from  Chaptal's  Experiments,  to  be  founded 
on  a  mistaken  observation. 

HYDROLA'PATHUM,  (from  ifcf,  and  ***•*&», 
dock}.  See  LAPATHTM  AQUATICVM. 

HYDROME'LI,  (from  if*f,  and  f«A/,  honey).  Hv- 
DROMEL;  mulsum,  aqua  mulsa,  melicratum,  braggat. 
Water  impregnated  with  honey.  After  it  is  fermented, 
it  is  called  vinous  hydromel,  or  mead. 

HYDROME'LOX,  (from  ufuf,  and  nx>*i.  an  aflfile). 
Is  made  of  one  part  honey,  impregnated  with  quinces, 
and  two  parts  of  boiled  water,  set  in  the  sun  during 
the  dog  days. 

HYDROME'TRA,(from  »<JW»,  aqtta,  and  «ur?*»,  ma- 
trix}.    DROPSY  OF  THE  WOMB.     See  HYDROPS  UTERI. 
H  YDRO  'M PH  ALUS,  (from  »^*»,  water,  and  CU.+XM;, 
a  navel).   A  TUMOUR  OF  THE  NAVEL,  containing  water. 
See  HYDROPS  UMBILICALIS. 

HYDROXO'SOS,  (from  vfuf,  mater,  and  >o5-«5,  a 
disease).  See  SUDOR  AXGLICITS. 

HYDROPE'GE,  (from  vt*f,  and  w/r,,  a  fountain). 
SPRING  WATER 

HYDROPEDE'SIS,  (from  «Jty,  and  -siZou,,  to  break 
out).  See  EPHIDROSIS. 

HYDROPHO'BIA,  (from  v}«t,  wafer,  and  <?£m,  to 
fear).  A  DREAD  OF  WATER;  agu£  flavor,  is  a  symp- 
tom of  the  disease  caused  by  the  bite  of  a  mad  animal; 
but  not  peculiar  to  this  disease,  nor  always  attendant  on 
it.  (See  DYSCAPATOTIA.)  The  disorder  has  usually 
had  the  same  appellation,  and  is  called  also  canina  ra- 
bies, cynanthrofiia,  cynolesia.  Dr.  James  observes,  that 
this  kind  of  madness  properly  belongs  to  the  canine 
genus,  viz.  dogs,  foxes,  and  wolves,  to  whom  only  it 
seems  innate  and  natural ;  scarcely  ever  appearing  in 
other  animals,  except  communicated  from  these.  Dr. 
Heysham  defines  it  to  be  an  aversion  and  horror  at  li- 
quids, as  exciting  a  painful  convulsion  of  the  phar 
occurring  "at  an  indetermined  period,  after  the  canine 
virus  has  been  received  into  the  system. 

The  hydrophobia  is  a  nervous  disorder,  though  at- 
tended with  some  appearances  of  inflammation.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  it  in  the  class  neuroses,  and  order  ifit 
defines  it  a  loathing  and  great  dread  of  drinking  any 
liquids,  from  their  creating  a  painful  convulsion  of  the 
pharynx,  occasioned  most  commonly  by  the  bite  of  a 
mad  animal.  This  definition,  however,  scarcely  includes 
the  full  idea  of  the  disease;  and  we  would  suggest  the 
following  as  more  complete:  melancholy,  a  dread  of 
5  F  3 


H  Y  D 


772 


H  Y  I) 


cold  air,  of  any  thing  shining,  and  particularly  of  water, 
often  arising  from  the  bite  of  a  mad  animal.  He  dis- 
tinguishes two  species. 

1.  HYDROPHOBIA  RABIOSA,  when  there  is  a  desire  of 
biting,  from  being  bitten  by  a  mad  animal. 

2.  HYDROPHOBIA  SIMPLEX,  without  rabies,  or  a  desire 
of  biting. 

The  principal  and  original  seat  seems  to  be  about  the 
stomach,  and  parts  contiguous  to  it.  Dr.  Seleg  thinks 
that  it  is  seated  in  the  par  vagum  and  intercostal  nerves ; 
for  most  of  the  symptoms  happen  where  these  nerves 
are  interspersed. 

The  smallest  quantity  of  the  saliva  of  a  mad  dog 
produces  the  disease.  The  infection  may  lie  dormant 
for  a  period,  differing  according  to  the  hkbifof  the  pa- 
tient, the  time  of  the  year,  the  degree  of  the  disease  in 
the  animal,  or  the  place  in  which  the  wound  is  made. 
If  the  patient  is  not  of  a  strong  inflammatory  habit,  and 
no  circumstances  intervene,  which  otherwise  affect  his 
health,  it  seldom  takes  effect  till  after  about  forty  days  : 
if  in  six  weeks,  or  two  months,  no  sign  of  disorder 
appears,  the  patient  is  usually  concluded  to  be  safe.  It 
has  been  observed,  that  the  nearer  the  place  bitten  is 
to  the  head,  the  sooner  the  symptoms  appear.  If  the 
part  bitten  is  covered  with  woollen  or  leather,  the  bite 
is  harmless.  The  dread  of  water  is  a  symptom  in  some 
fevers,  and  in  some  particular  inflammations  (Edinburgh 
Medical  Commentariets,  vol.  xi.  p.  331);  and  it  is  highly 
probable,  that  in  those  cases  where  the  poison  is  said  to 
lie  dormant  for  six  or  nine  months,  or  even  a  year,  the 
disease  was  connected  with  fever  rather  than  the  rabid 
poison. 

When  a  dog  is  affected  with  madness,  he  becomes 
dull,  solitary,  and  endeavoure  to  hide  himself,  seldom 
barking,  but  making  a  murmuring  noise,  and  refusing 
all  kinds  of  meat  and  drink.  He  flies  at  strangers ;  but, 
in  this  stage,  he  remembers  and  respects  his  master : 
his  cars  and  head  hang  down;  he  walks  as  if  over- 
powered with  sleep  ;  and  a  bite  at  this  period,  though 
dangerous,  seldom  conveys  the  disease.  After  these 
symptoms,  the  dog  begins  to  pant ;  he  breathes  quick 
and  heavy ;  hangs  out  his  tongue  to  discharge  a  great 
quantity  of  froth  from  his  mouth,  which  he  keeps  per- 
petually open ;  sometimes  he  walks  slowly,  as  if  half 
asleep,  and  then  suddenly  runs,  but  not  always  directly 
forward:  at  length  he  forgets  his  master  ;  his  eyes  look 
dispirited,  dull,  full  of  tears,  and  red ;  his  bark  is  hollow 
and  hoarse;  his  tongue  of  a  lead  colour;  he  grows 
faint,  thin,  and  weak,  often  falls  down,  again  rises,  at- 
tempts to  fly  at  every  thing,  and  soon  grows  furious : 
this  second  stage  seldom  continues  thirty  hours,  death 
by  that  time  putting  an  end  to  the  disease,  and  a  bite 
received  at  this  time  is  the  most  dangerous. 

When  the  human  species  are  the  subjects  of  this  dis- 
order, a  slight  pain  in  the  wound  is  first  felt,  sometimes 
attended  with  itching,  but  usually  resembling  a  rheu- 
matic pain  :  it  extends  into  the  neighbouring  parts,  and 
the  cicatrix  begins  to  swell,  inflames,  and  at  length  dis- 
charges an  ichor;  this  pain  is  considered  as  the  primary 
invariable  mark  of  a  beginning  hydrophobia.  There 
are  more  general  pains,  of  a  flying,  convulsive  kind, 
which  are  said  to  affect  the  patient  in  the  ne<;k,  joints, 
and  other  parts;  often  a  dull  pain  seizes  the  head, 
neck,  breast,  belly,  and  along  the  back  bone :  towards 


the  conclusion  of  the  disorder  the  patient  complains  of 
this  pain  shooting  from  the  arm  towards  the  breast  and 
region  of  the  heart.     A  lassitude,  a  dull  pain  in  the 
head,  and  a  vertigo,  soon  come  on :  the  patient  is  me- 
lancholy, mutters,  is  forgetful,  and  drowsy;  his  mind 
seems  disordered  ;  his  temper  irritable  and  irregular ; 
his  slumbers  disturbed,  and  convulsive  agitations  im- 
mediately follow  his  waking;  a    deafness  is  sometimes 
complained  of;  the  eyes  are  watery;  the  aspect  sor- 
rowful ;  the  face  pale  and  contracted;  sweat  breaks  out 
upon  the  temples  ;  an  unusual  discharge  of  saliva  flows 
from  the  mouth,  though  the  fauces  are  dry;  the  tongue 
becomes  foul,  and  the  breath  occasionally  fetid.     The 
fetor  is  often  only  perceived  by  the  patient ;  and  some- 
times it  attends    the  discharge  from  the  wound,  the 
dressings  of  which   are  said  to   be   frequently  black. 
Besides  these,  from  the  beginning,  there  are  a  peculiar 
stricture  and  heaviness  on  the  breast,  a  struggling  as  it 
were  for  breath,  a  sighing,  a  nausea,  and  often  a  bilious 
vomiting.     This  oppression  of  the  precordia  is  one  of 
the  constant  symptoms  of  this  disorder;  it  begins,  in- 
creases, and  ends  with  it.     As  the  above  symptoms  in- 
crease, the  second  stage  advances ;  a  fever  comes  on, 
which  at  first  is  mild,   and  attended  with  momentary 
horrors,  though  there  is  sometimes  no  fever ;  sleep  is 
lost,  the  mind  is  more  and  more  disturbed,  a  delirium 
approaches,  and  an  aversion  at  first  to  polished  bodies, 
then  to  light,  afterwards  to  fluids,  is  perceived.     The 
air  offends  if  it  touches  the  skin,  and  the  slightest  sound 
is  very  painful.     A  constriction  of  the  gullet,  with  diffi- 
culty of  swallowing,  first  occurs;  but  as  yet  liquids  are 
freely  taken;  afterwards,  however,  they  are   refused. 
This  symptom  augments  so  visibly,  that  on  the  sight  of 
any  liquid  a  horror  seizes  the  patient;  and  if  he  strives 
to  drink,  spasms,  anxiety,  and  loss  of  sense,  follow.     As 
soon  as  the  surface  of  the  liquid  is  touched,  a  strangu- 
lation  in  the    throat  is  felt;  the  stomach  is  inflated; 
the  larynx  is  suddenly  swelled  externally,  though  the 
swelling  quickly  disappears.     While  liquids  are  thus 
rejected,    solids  are    swallowed    with    tolerable    ease ; 
yet  this  symptom   may  become  so  violent  as  totally  to 
prevent  solids  also  from  being  swallowed.    The  patient 
now  mourns  bitterly;  at  times  loses  all  knowledge  of 
his  intimate  acquaintance;  but  reason  returns  at  inter- 
vals,   and    he    laments    his  own  calamity:    the   thirst 
excites  a  desire  of.drink,  but  he  strives  in  vain  to  swal- 
low, and  soon  sinks  into  the  most  affecting  despondency ; 
he  advises  his  friends   to  keep  at  a  distance,  and  it  is 
supposed  that  he  feels  an  inclination  to  bite ;  but  this  is 
suspicion  only,  and  it  is  highly  improbable  that,  with 
the. disease  of  a  dog,  he  should   adopt  his  manners: 
biting   is  the  common  method  by  which  that  animal 
shows   his   resentment.      The  barking  like   a  dog  is 
equally  imaginary.     A  priapism  and  involuntary  emis- 
sions of  semen  and'  urine  sometimes  attend  this  stage ; 
and  as  the  conclusion  approaches,  the  fever  and  thirst 
increase;  the  eyes  are  bright  and  furious;  the  urine 
is  high  coloured,  acrid,  and   in  small  quantities;  the 
tongue  hangs  out;  the  mouth  foams;  the  pulse  throbs, 
strength  fails,  cold  sweats  come  on,  the  tightness  of 
the  breath  increases,  and  the  patient  soon  expires  in 
spasms,  often  losing  the  difficulty  of  swallowing  liquids, 
for  many  hours ;  so  that  the  dread  of  water  is  by  no 
means  a  pathognomonic  symptom. 


H  YD 


773 


H  Y  D 


On  dissection,  the  brain,  the  medulla  oblongata,  and 
all  the  muscles,  are  said  to  be  drier  than  usual :  the 
membranes  extenuated ;  the  pericardium  dry  ;  the  blood 
coagulates  slowly,  if  at  all ;  and  putrefaction  soon  comes 
on.  The  fat  appears  completely  Vasted  ;  the  gall  blad- 
der full  of  greenish  bile ;  and  the  stomach  covered  with 
a  glary  matter  of  a  brown  colour,  and  its  villous  coat 
livid.  The  liver,  contiguous  to  the  stomach,  is  livid, 
and  the  trachea  and  oesophagus  inflamed. 

The  poison  of  rabid  animals  is,  like  that  of  the  small 
•  pox,  secondary  in  its  operation.  It  lies  concealed  till, 
perhaps,  by  an  assimilatory  process,  its  quantity  is  in- 
creased, or  from  the  he^it  of  the  body  it  becomes  more 
active.  It  is  sufficiently  certain,  that,  if  the  part  is  extir- 
pated soon  after  the  bite,  the  patient  is  safe  :  it  is  highly 
probable  that  the  same  operation  at  the  first  commence- 
ment of  the  inflammation  would  be  equally  advantage- 
ous. When  absorbed,  like  other  poisons  it  is  carried 
to  some  excretory ;  and  that  which  from  chemical  affi- 
nity or  some  other  cause  is  preferred,  we  find  to  be  the 
salivary  and  the  mucous  glands  of  the  fauces.  Previous, 
however,  to  this  determination,  it  shows  deleterious  ef- 
fects on  the  nervous  system  by  the  melancholy,  the  in- 
creased sensibility,  and  the  affection  of  the  precordia, 
•which  precede.  These  are  the  natural  and  genuine 
effects  of  the  poison,  which  prove  sometimes  fatal 
without  any  others  following.  Mead. 

When  the  poison  is  determined  to  the  excretories,  it 
shows  a  powerful  and  active  stimulus.  Inflammation, 
which  is  the  consequence,  in  the  mouth  and  fauces, 
seems^to  occasion  the  difficulty  of  swallowing.  The 
increased  sensibility,  however  has  some  influence ;  for 
if  the  patient  does  not  see  the  fluid,  or  it  is  not  given  in 
a  shining  vessel,  the  convulsions  are  much  less  violent. 
The  sensation  of  cold  water  to  the  inflamed  fauces  con- 
tributes to  the  effect.  In  all  these  respects,  solids  will 
be  less  offensive  than  fluids ;  and  in  general  they  are 
swallowed  by  a  less  effort. 

The  disease  in  dogs  is  not  owing  -to  heat,  but  is 
probably  produced  by  their  confinement  in  kennels.  In 
man  the  disease  is  exclusively  owing  to  the  poison  in- 
troduced by  the  wound ;  but  its  action  is  said  to  be  ac- 
celerated, probably  increased,  by  fear,  grief,  or  any 
of  the  depressing  passions.  The  prognosis  is  always 
unfavourable. 

If,  in  a  "disease  where  remedies  are  so  uncertain,  we 
were  to  draw  any  prophylactic  indications,  they  would 
be,  first,  to  prevent  the  poison  from  acting,  though  it 
exists  in  the  body ;  secondly,  to  evacuate  it  by  the  most 
speedy  methods. 

This  disease  is  peculiarly  rare.  Some  practitioners 
of  the  most  extensive  experience  have  never  seen  it ; 
and  some  have  boldly  denied  its  existence.  In  general, 
very  few  of  the  dogs  reputed  to  be  mad  are  really  so  ; 
and  but  a  small  proportion  of  those  bit  by  a  dog,  really 
mad,  receive  the  infection,  as  the  parts  are  usually  de- 
fended by  the  clothes,  and  the  teeth  of  the  animal  are 
consequently  wiped  clean  before  the  wound  is  inflicted. 
This  circumstance  has  given  a  delusive  credit  to  many 
trifling  preparations  employed  as  prophylactics.  None 
are  to  be  trusted  except  excision  ;  but  it  is  necessary  to 
state,  according  to  the  indications  laid  down,  what  has 
been  proposed. 

We  have  already  remarked,  that  nature  is  able  to  eva- 
cuate morbid  poisons,  if  the  animal  power  is  supported, 


or  at  least  no  cause  of  debility  gives  the  poison  activity 
The  first  indication  is,  therefore,  answered  by  avoiding 
whatever  may  depress  or  weaken,  and  employing  every 
plan  to  give  a  tone  to  the  system.  The  depressing 
passions  are  consequently  to  be  counteracted ;  and  should 
the  patient's  mind  rest  on  the  circumstances  of  the  bite, 
it  should  be  cheered  by  every  encouraging  representa- 
tion. Perhaps  the  ridiculous  specifics,  as  eating  the 
liver  of  the  dog  broiled,  or  tying  the  skin  of  an  hyaena 
about  the  arm,  may  have  been  useful  by  inspiring  con- 
fidence ;  and  avoiding  cold  and  excesses  of  every  kind 
must  be  advantageous  in  every  view.  Stimulants  are 
useful  with  the  same  design ;  and  numerous  are  the 
remedies  of  this  kind  recommended  by  the  ancients, 
though  condemned  by  Boerhaave  ;  viz.  Galen's  theriaca; 
Scribonius  Largus'  opiate,  a  preparation  containing 
opium  with  large  quantities  of  aromatics;  the  cibi  acres 
of  Dioscorides;  the  wine  of  Celsus;  the  garlic  and 
theriaca  of  Palmarius  and  Mayerne,  who  added  occa- 
sionally the  scordium,  the  snake  root,  and  the  flowers 
of  hypericum;  and  the  pepper  of  Mead;  are  of  this  kind. 
Tonics  have  been  also  employed,  the  chief  of  which  is 
cold  bathing.  The  ancients  used  it  with  every  mode 
of  exciting  terror;  and  when  they  used  the  warm  bath 
in  this  complaint,  the  patient  on  coming  out  of  the 
water  was  plunged  "  in  piscinam."  Other  tonics  have 
not  been  employed,  though  we  find  the  filings  of  tin  in 
Mayerne's  remedy  ;  and  in  some  formulae,  the  varvain, 
the  lesser  sage,  plantain,  and  polypody ;  and  in  others, 
the  wormwood,  mint,  betony,  hypericum,  and  lesser 
centaury — medicines  which,  if  they  have  any  power, 
must  act  as  tonics. 

In  following  the  second  indication,  we  may  evacuate 
the  poison  from  the  wound  by  sucking,  by  washing  it 
with  hot  water,  by  cutting  it  out,  by  bleeding  with  cup- 
ping glasses,  by  enlarging  the  wound,  increasing  the 
discharge  with  suppurating  applications,  by  burning  it 
with  gunpowder,  or  destroying  an  absorbing  surface  by 
a  caustic.  Each  has  been  employed,  and  each  has  had 
its  partisans ;  but  to  cut  out  the  part  is  the  only  certain 
remedy,  and  it  is  certain  at  any  period  previous  to  the 
inflammation.  If  the  wound  is  inflicted  so  deep  that 
the  bitten  part  cannot  be  separated,  a  caustic  must  be 
applied  to  what  remains;  and  though  we  thus  lessen 
the  chance  of  relief,  we  should  reflect  that,  at  the  depth 
of  the  wound,  the  tooth  has  already  lost  its  venom.  Yet 
such  are  the  horrid  consequences,  that  even  the  loss  of 
a  limb  would,  in  the  event  of  a  violent  wround  from  a 
dog  certainly  mad,  cheaply  purchase  security. 

When  our  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  wound,  we 
must  look  to  the  other  excretories  for  the  evacuation  of 
the  poison :  those  most  commonly  preferred  are  the 
skin,  the  urinary  organs,  the  salivary  or  intestinal  glands. 
Mercury  given  in  small  doses,  and  long  continued  so  as 
very  slightly,  if  at  all,  to  affect  the  mouth,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  diaphoretic.  Sauvages  has  collected  a  va- 
riety of  cases  in  which  those  who  took  mercury  in  this 
way  escaped,  while  others  bit  by  the  same  animal  died 
hydrophobic.  Desault,  James,  and  others,  have  added 
their  testimony  to  the  success  of  the  same  measure ; 
but  we  must  add,  with  regret,  that  later  experience  does 
not  support  their  decision.  It  is  painful  to  be  obliged 
so  often  to  oppose  positive  assertions ;  but  it  would  be 
injurious  to  mankind  to  support  a  delusive  security. 
We  have  already  observed  that  a  dog,  supposed  to  be 


HYD 


'74 


HYD 


mad,  seldom  is  so  ;  and  that  often  bitten  by  an  animal 
really  mad,  not  above  one  or  two  are  infected  with  the 
disease.  Of  the  same  kind  is  the  famous  Chinese  re- 
medy, which  consists  of  ten  grains  of  mosch,  with 
twice  the  quantity  of  factitious  cinnabar,  for  the  dose  is 
ordered  to  be  repeated,  if  sleep  and  sweat  do  not  fol- 
low; and  Hillary  has  observed  that  it  is  useful  in  pro- 
portion as  it  proves  diaphoretic.  The  warm  bath  has 
been  highly  commended,  particularly  by  Lieutaud;  but 
later  experience  has  not  confirmed  its  utility. 

The  principal  diuretic  is  cantharides,  but  they  have 
been  seldom  employed.  The  chief  authority  we  can 
find  for  their  utility  is  Baccius  de  Vencnis  and  Anti- 
dotis,  and  some  cases  in  which  they  appeared  to  be  use- 
ful are  recorded  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Bologna 
Transactions.  The  ashes  of  the  river  cray  fish,  burnt 
by  twigs  of  bryony  ;  the  sponge  of  the  dog  rose ;  the 
alyssum  or  mad  wort;  and  the  lichen  cinercus  terres- 
tris ;  have  been  considered  as  diuretics.  They  may  be 
such  ;  but  they  are  useless  in  this  disease. 

The  cathartics  employed  in  hydrophobia  have  been 
the  rhubarb,  the  hiera  picra,  the  colocynth,  and  helle- 
bore; but  we  have  received  no  positive  accounts  of  their 
utility,  and  have  reason  to  think  them  of  little  im- 
portance. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  organs  may  be  sheathed 
with  oil,  and  absorption  prevented,  or  the  acrimony  of 
the  poison  covered.  This  plan  too  has  flattered  and 
disappointed  practitioners;  and  the  Ormskirk  medicine, 
which  is  principally  an  antacid,  has  had  no  better  suc- 
cess. 

When  the  disease  has  come  on,  it  has  been  the  object 
of  practitioners  to  sooth  the  early  symptoms  of  irrita- 
tion by  opium,  or  to  assist  the  natural  discharge  by  the 
more  active  exhibition  of  mercurials.  Dr.  Rush,  in  his 
reveries  respecting  inflammation,  thought  this  disease 
also  inflammatory,  and  proposed  active  bleeding.  We 
can  trace  this  remedy  in  the  History  of  the  Academy 
of  Sciences  at  Paris  for  the  year  1699,  p.  58,  recom- 
mended by  Poupart;  and"  we  find  it  also  mentioned  in 
the  Medical  Essays  of  Edinburgh,  vol.  v.  part  ii.  §  51. 
This  also  has  failed.  Later  authors  have  called  hydro- 
phobia a  putrid  fever,  and  given  bark  in  large  quanti- 
ties, but  with  the  same  success. 

Opium  seems  to  rest  on  more  rational  principles, 
and  two  grains,  or  even  a  larger  dose,  given  every  three 
hours,  seem  to  have  relieved  the  symptoms,  but  have 
done  no  more.  A  ptyalism,  rapidly  excited,  and  steadily 
continued,  has  scarcely  succeeded  better;  and  the  vine- 
gar, of  which  four  ounces  have  been  directed  three 
times  a  day,  has  equally  failed.  In  short,  full,  effectual, 
and  COMPLETE  EXCISION  of ' the  wounded  /iart  is  the  only 
certain  means  of  relief ;  AND  THIS  is  CERTAIN. 

See  jEtrus,  Crelius  Aurelianus,  Lommius,  Sauvages 
sur  la  Rage,  Desault;  James  on  Canine  Madness; 
Mead  on  the  Bite  of  a  Mad  Dog;  Seleg,  Nugent,  and 
Hamilton  on  the  Hydrophobia;  Medical  Museum,  vol. 
ii.  p.  97,  Sec.;  London  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  ii. 
and  London  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol. 
iii. ;  Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  v.  p.  42  ; 
Vaughan's  Two  Cases  of  the  Hydrophobia  ;  Cullen's 
First  Lines,  vol.  iv. ;  White's  Surgery,  p.  102;  Me- 
moirs of  Medical  Society  of  London,  vol.  i.  p.  243  ; 
Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Medicine  in  Paris, 
Supplement  lo  vol.  iv. 


The  second  species  arises  without  any  contagion,  in 
some  fevers  from  topical  inflammations  of  the  thorax 
or  neighbouring  parts  ;  from  the  accession  of  an  epi- 
lepsy ;  from  the  bite  of  an  epileptic  patient  ;  the  bite, 
it  is  said,  of  persons  in  violent  fits  of  passion  :  an  infe- 
rior degree  of  it  will  be  observable  in  some  hysteric 
cases,  when,  from  the  difficulty  of  swallowing,  patients 
are  fearful  of  taking  liquids,  and  sometimes  cannot  be 
prevailed  upon  to  make  the  attempt.  In  all  these  cases, 
musk  and  opium  appear  to  be  chiefly  efficacious. 

HYDROPHTHA'LMIA,  (from  vfap,  water,  and 
»<p0«A,tto?,  the  eye*).  See  PROPTOSIS. 

HYDROPHTHA'LMION,Xfrom  the  same).  It  is 
the  part  under  the  eye  which  swells  in  cachectic  and 
hydropic  cases. 

HYDROPHYSOCE'LE,  (from  vfcp,  water,  $»=•*,  a 
flatus,  and  «>jA>>,  a  hernia*).  A  HEKNIA  proceeding  from 
a  mixture  of  water  and  flatulence. 

HY'DROPIPER,  (from  v&p,  and  /nfler;  from  its 
pungency,  and  growing  in  marshy  places).  See  PEHSI- 

CARIA   URENS. 

HYDROPNEUMOSA'RCA,  (from  vfap,  water, 
•srvivfix,  wind,  and  <r*f%,  Jles/i,*)  a  tumour,  from  a  mix- 
ture of  flatulent,  aqueous,  and  carneous  substances. 


HYDKOPOI'DES,    (from 


water,   and 


a    reseinblance).      Aqueous   excretions,    common    in 
dropsies. 

HY'DROPS,  (from  vS'ap,  water,')  hyderos;  a  DROPSY. 
In  reality  there  is  but  one  kind  of  this  disease,  for  all 
the  various  dropsies  differ  only  in  their  seat.  As  this 
circumstance  suggests  a  variety  of  practice,  we  have  • 
distinctly  considered  the  peculiar  circumstances  under 
each  head,  and  shall  now  add  only  a  few  general  re- 
marks. 

All  dropsies  are  chronical  diseases  from  debilitated 
fibres;  but  this  debility  may  be  general  or  particular. 
It  is,  however,  always  attended  with  an  accumulation 
of  serosity,  either  in  the  whole  of  the  cellular  texture, 
or  in  particular  cavities.  In  the  anasarca  the  water  is 
clear  and  limpid,  but  in  the  ascites  often  more  thick 
and  gelatinous,  or  sometimes  mixed  with  hydatids  or 
coagulated  lymph. 

Each  age  and  sex  is  liable  to  this  disorder  ;  but  gene- 
rally it  happens  to  men  advanced  in  years,  and  to  wo- 
men after  child  bearing;  those  who  live  in  low  wet 
situations;  whose  life  is  sedentary,  and  who  have  in- 
dulged in  spirituous  liquors. 

The  general  or  immediate  causes  of  all  dropsies  are 
increased  exhalation  or  diminished  absorption.  The 
former,  in  anasarca,  is,  according  to  Dr.  Hunter,  owing 
to  transudation.  This,  however,  makes  little  difference 
in  the  present  view  of  the  subject;  and  it  is  useless 
to  engage  in  an  examination  of  the  distinction,  as  it 
will  not  apply  to  any  practical  improvement. 

Increased  exhalation  often  arises  from  an  interrup- 
tion to  the  return  of  the  venous  blood;  and  this  inter- 
ruption may  arise  from  diseases  of  the  right  ventricle  of 
the  heart,  or  its  valves,  from  an  upright  posture,  when 
the  force  of  gravity  opposes  the  return  ;  scirrhi,  or  other 
obstructions  in  the  liver  or  spleen  ;  polypous  concre- 
tions in  the  veins;  aneurisms  in  the  arteries;  abscesses; 
scirrhi  or  steatoms  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  arteries 
or  the  veins;  the  gravid  uterus,  &c. 

A  general  debility  and  laxity  of  the  whole  system  are 
a  common  cause  of  increased  exhalation,  and  dropsies 


II  Y  I) 


775 


H  YD 


are,  in  this  way,  occasioned  by  repelled  eruptions  or 
suppressed  evacuations  ;  by  general  causes  of  debility, 
as  palsy,  long  fevers,  excessive  evacuations,  and  intem- 
perance. 

A  preternatural  quantity  of  watery  fluids  taken  into 
the  system,  or  absorbed  by  the  skin,  has  been  considered 
as  a  cause  of  dropsy  ;  and  a  preternatural  tenuity  of  the 
blood  from  saline  acrimony  has  been  said  to  produce 
the  same  effect.  Each,  however,  is,  we  believe,  rare. 
Nature  easily  disposes  of  the  superabundant  fluids,  if 
the  secretions  are  free;  but  when  suppressed,  as  in  cold 
watery  situations,  by  an  ischuria  renalis,  &c.  dropsy 
will  probably  follow. 

A  rupture  of  the  thoracic  duct,  'of  the  lacteals  or 
lymphatics  of  the  kidneys,  ureters,  or  vesica  urinaria, 
may  produce  dropsy ;  but  these  causes  are  peculiarly 
rare.  Hydatids,  on  the  contrary,  we  suspect  to  fre- 
quently induce  this  disease. 

Absorption  may  be  diminished  from  loss  of  tone  in 
the-  absorbing  extremities  of  the  lymphatics,  and  by 
obstructions  to  the  passage,  of  the  absorbed  fluids  in 
their  course.  See  LACTEALS  and  LYMPHATICS. 

These  causes  of  dropsy,  though  separately  stated  for 
the  sake  of  distinction,  are  frequently  combined;  and 
we  must  confess  that  the  great  outline  will  not  admit 
of  practical  application.  Our  chief  object  is  to  evacuate 
the  water  by  increasing  the  secretions,  while  we  sup- 
port the  general  tone  of  the  system  by  a  warm  cordial 
diet,  cordial  and  tonic  medicines,  which  do  not  possess 
too  great  a  degree  of  astringency.  The  bitters  called 
aperient  are,  in  general,  best  adapted  for  this  purpose. 
The  general  evacuants  we  have  noticed  in  the  articles 
of  A.NASARCA  and  ASCITES,  q.  v.  We  shall  now  add 
the  means  of  obviating  some  of  the  more  troublesome 
symptoms. 

Dropsies  are  not  quickly  fatal,  except  when  produced 
by    polypus    concretions    in  the    heart  or  pulmonary- 
vessels  ;  a  scirrhous  liver  ;  tumefied  mesenteric  glands; 
a  scirrhous  or  otherwise  disordered  uterus.    Bleeding 
of  the  nose,  ulcers,  or  gangrene,  appearing  in  any  part, 
are  highly  dangerous.     Great  thirst,  the  upper  parts 
ly  extenuated,  febrile  horror  with  external  heat,  an 
;jelas  on  the  legs,  livid  streaks  or  spots  on  the  skin, 
are  among  the  most  dangerous-  symptoms. 

Tlnrs,!. — We  see  no  reason  for  the  rigid  abstinence 
so  often  enjoined  :  the  patient  may,  in  general,  drink 
in  proportion  to  his  inclination.  Acid  liquors,  as  cyder, 
or  in  want  of  it  vinegar  imperial,  with  a  small  pro- 
portion of  the  spirit  of  juniper,  or  rhenish  wine  and 
water,  may  be  allowed ;  and  thirst  is  often  prevented 
by  holding  nitre  in  the  mouth. 

Difficulty  of  breathing. — In  this  case  the  loss  of  a  few 
ounces  of  blood  has  been  recommended  ;  but  though  a 
momentary  relief  is  thus  obtained,  the  injury  will  be 
considerable.  The  safest  method  is,  if  possible,  to  ob- 
tain relief  by  expectoration ;  and  for  this  purpose  a 
mixture  of  the  gum  ammoniac  with  the  acetum  scillas 
may  be  repeated  as  the  occasion  requires.  The  infusion 
of  garlic  is  often  useful,  and  the  asafcctida  relieves  the 
dyspnoea  when  it  is  connected,  as  is  often  the  case,  with 
flatus  in  the  stomach,  occasioning  hysteric  affections. 
In  this  situation  also  a  warm  plasterer  liniment,  with  a 
large  proportion  of  opium,  may  be  applied  to  the  pit  of 
the  stomach. 

Spasms  often  arise  in  particular  parts,  especially  about 


the  chest,  frequently  awaking  the  patient  out  of  a  sound 
refreshing  sleep.  In  such  cases  opium,  with  cam- 
phor, is  the  only  effectual  remedy  ;  and  even  in  hydro- 
thorax,  when  the  dyspnoea  is  considerable,  is  often  a  safe 
remedy.  It  is  only  coutraindicated  when  there  is  a 
considerable  and  apparently  necessary  discharge  from 
the  mucous  glands  of  the  bronchiae. 

fomiting  is  relieved  often  by  the  chalk  julep,  with  a 
slight  warm  opiate,  or  by  a  saline  draught  in  the  act  of 
effervescence. 

Purging  requires  regulation  only,  for  it  is  often  a 
salutary  discharge. 

See  Hoffmann,  Boerhaave,  Lister,  and  Lysons,  on 
this  disease ;  Le  Dran's  Operations ;  London  Medical 
Transactions,  vol.  ii. ;  Culleu's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv.  ; 
Monro  on  Dropsy. 

HY'DROPS  AD  MA'TULAM.     See  DIABETES. 
HY'DROPS  ARTI'CCLI.     See  HYDROPS  GEXU. 
HY'DROPS  CY'STICUS.     The   ENCYSTED   DROPSY    is  a 
collection  of  water  enclosed  in  a  cyst,  which  is  some- 
times from  a  collection  of  hydatids,  and  generally  in  the 
abdomen.     See  HYDATIS    and    HYDROPS   OVABJI.      Le 
Dran's  Observations,  edit.  2.  p.  129. 

HY'DROPS  GE'NU.  A  DROPSY  ix  THE  KXEE;  water 
collected  under  the  capsular  ligament  of  the  knee. 
Dr.  Hunter  observes,  that  if  the  synovia  is  separated  in 
too  large  a  quantity,  and  the  absorbents  fail  in  their 
action,  an  hydrops  articuli  succeeds,  causing  relaxation 
of  the  ligament.  Mr.  Sharp  recommends  a  tight  band- 
age, leaving  the  superfluity  to  be  absorbed  by  the  lym- 
phatics. To  this  might  be  added  some  attenuating  and 
discutient  embrocation,  such  as  the  aq.  ammoniac  ace-' 
tatae  ;  or  a  solution  of  crude  sal  ammoniac  in  sharp  vine- 
gar :  their  proportion  may  be  3  ss.  to  ft  i.  See  Gooch's 
Cases  and  Remarks,  vol.  ii.  p.  259 — 266;  Edinburgh 
Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  vi.  p.  132. 

HY'DROPS     MEDU'LL^E    SPIXA'LIS.        See    SPIKA    BI- 
FIDA. 

HY'DROPS  OVA'RII.  A  DROPSY  OF  THE  OVARIUM. 
This  species  of  encysted  dropsy  most  frequently  hap- 
pens to  barren  and  superannuated,  sometimes  to  preg-. 
nant  women.  It  usually  begins  without  pain,  and  the 
health  is  unimpaired.  It  is  not  perceived  until  it  is 
much  enlarged,  and  commonly  appears  but  on  one  side. 
It  is  known  by  its  being  moveable  when  the  patient  is 
laid  on  her  back,  and  by  passing  the  finger  up  the  vagina 
the  orifice  of  the  uterus  is  found  to  move  with  the 
tumour,  which  distinguishes  it  from  the  ascites.  But 
it  seldom  happens  that  the  tumour  rises  above  the 
pelvis,  till  general  dropsy  has  come  on  afld  obliterated 
the  situation  of  the  tumour.  In  this  species,  the  fluctua- 
tion is  indistinct,  and  the  disease  is  generally,  and  in- 
deed we  believe  constantly,  occasioned  by  hydatids. 
When  there  are  several  cysts,  there  are  sometimes  in- 
equalities in  the  tumour,  and  it  has  the  feel  of  scirrhus. 
Internal  medicines  are  of  little  efficacy :  tapping  may  re- 
lieve for  a  time,  and  the  operation  is  as  safe  as  in  the 
common  ascites ;  but  the  resistance  to  the  instrument 
is  considerable,  for  the  cyst  thickens  by  pressure.  Diu- 
retics, purgatives,  and  mercurials,  are  equally  ineffica- 
cious. Dr.  Percival  gives  an  instance  of  a  cure  being 
effected  by  a  spontaneous  vomiting;  see  his  Essays, 
Medical  and  Experimental.  But  to  assist  the  general 
health  of  the  patient  is  almost  the  only  means  in  our 
power. 


HYD 


776 


HYD 


HY'DROPS  PE'CTORIS,  also  HYDROTHO'RAX.  A 
BROPSY  in  the  BREAST.  Dr:  Cullen  places  it  in  the 
class  cac/iexi£,  and  order  intumescenti£ ;  defining  it  a 
difficulty  of  breathing,  pallid  countenance,  cedematous 
swelling  of  the  feet,  difficulty  in  lying  down,  a  sudden 
and  spontaneous  starting  out  of  sleep  with  palpitation, 
and  water  fluctuating  in  the  chest.  The  water  may  be 
on  only  one  or  both  sides  of  the  mediastinum :  it  is 
usually  on  one  side  only  ;  but  sometimes  this  fluid  is 
contained  in  hydatids,  whose  situation  may  be  on  the 
diaphragm,  the  pleura,  on  the  external  surface  of  the 
lungs,  in  their  substance,  on  the  surface  of  the  heart,  or 
in  the  pericardium.  In  this  case  the  knowledge  of  the 
case  and  cure  are  alike  uncertain. 

Any  of  the  causes  of  dropsy  may  produce  this  spe- 
cies; it  sometimes  happens  from  increased  exhalation 
in  consequence  of  a  disorder  of  the  lungs,  or  from  an 
infarction  of  the  bronchial  glands,  occasioning  obstruc- 
tion to  the  passage  of  the  blood  ;  often  from  debility  only, 
seldom  from  hydatids. 

The  symptoms,  particularly  when  the  water  is  extra- 
vasated  on  the  diaphragm,  are  an  oppression  of  the  pre- 
cordia,  a  very  irregular  pulse,  and  an  extraordinary 
shortness  of  breath,  sometimes  relieved  by  a  supine 
posture :  in  this  it  is  distinguished  from  fits  of  asthma 
when  the  patient  cannot  lie  down.  A  distinguishing 
symptom  of  this  disease  is,  the  starting  from  sleep  with 
a  sense  of  suffocation  ;  and  though  this  may  sometimes 
attend  obstructions  in  the  thorax,  from  other  causes, 
it  almost  constantly  attends  every  hydrothorax  when 
in  a  considerable  degree.  In  the  dropsy  of  the  breast, 
also,  cedematous  swellings  are  not  only  observed  in  the 
feet  but  also  in  the  hands,  which  Baglivi  says  is  a  pa- 
thognomonic  sign;  and  it  certainly  is  so,  when  united 
with  a  coldness  of  the  hands,  and  a  livid  colour  of  the 
lips.  Inspiration  is  more  easy  than  expiration;  and  if 
there  is  much  water  on  one  side,  the  face,  arm,  and  leg 
on  that  side  are  sometimes  swollen. 

Instances  have  occurred  in  which  the  water  hath  been" 
absorbed ;  but,  for  the  most  part,  the  patient  falls  a 
victim  to  the  disease.  As  a  palliative,  when  the  water 
is  perceived  to  fluctuate,  it  may  be  drawn  off  by  a  ca- 
nula  and  trochar,  introduced  betwixt  the  fourth  and 
fifth  of  the  false  ribs,  and  about  four  fingers  breadth  from 
the  spine.  The  seat  of  the  disease,  however,  can  sel- 
dom be  so  accurately  ascertained  as  to  admit  of  this 
operation,  and  we  must,  in  general,  rest  on  the  reme- 
dies of  dropsy.  Blisters  on  the  legs  will,  however, 
often  relieve  the  complaint  by  evacuating  much  water, 
and  drawing  it  downward.  Digitalis  is  supposed  to  be 
a  remedy  peculiarly  adapted  to  this  complaint,  and  it 
sometimes  appears  to  be  useful  in  obstructions  of  the 
chest  from  any  cause.  The  ether  of  Mr.  Tickell,  which 
contains  a  proportion  of  the  oleum  vini,  is  said  also  to 
be  a  very  useful  remedy  ;  but  we  have  seldom  found 
any  particular  advantages  from  it.  As  an  antispasmodic, 
it  may  be  supposed  to  relieve  what  are  styled  the  symp- 
tomata  ephialtica,  the  starlings  from  the  sleep;  but  in 
this  respect  its  efficacy  is  doubtful,  and  opium  succeeds 
more  certainly  and  more  effectually.  When  the  load 
of  water  is  partly  taken  off,  this  is  a  safe  remedy.  Vide 
HYDROPS,  ASCITES,  and  ANASARCA.  See  Le  Dran's 
Operations,  edit.  2.  p.  117,  118  ;  Cullen's  First  Lines, 
vol.  iv;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  356. 


HY'DROPS  PERICA'RDII.  DROPSY  of  the  PERICAR- 
DIUM, a  superabundance  of  watery  fluid  collected  within 
the  pericardium.  There  are  no  symptoms  by  which 
the  disease  can  be  certainly  discovered  in  the  living 
body  ;  cases  can  only  be  referred  to,  in  some  of  which 
the  cause  has  been  suspected,  in  others  ascertained,  by 
dissection.  In  general,  there  are  great  oppression  and 
anxiety,  a  labouring  irregular  pulse,  with  the  other 
symptoms  of  hydrothorax.  The  treatment  does  not 
differ  from  that  of  hydrops  pectoris.  See  Sauvages' 
Hydrothorax  Pericardii,  Morgagni  de  Causis  Sedibus- 
que  Morborum,  xvi.  34,  36  ;  Senac.  de  Coeur,  torn.  ii. 
p.  349;  Bouillet,  Dissert.  1758;  Edinburgh  Medical 
Essays,  vol.  v.  p.  56,  58,  59. 

HY'DROPS  PULMONUM.  The  DROPSY  of  the  LUNGS  is 
seated  in  the  cellular  membrane  of  the  lungs.  Some- 
times it  attacks  suddenly,  from  an  hydatid  bursting,  and 
filling  the  cellular  membrane. 

The  diagnostics  are  very  obscure :  the  difficulty  in 
breathing  is  constant,  and  increased  by  the  least  mo- 
tion, though  not  much  varied  by  different  attitudes 
and  situations;  the  anxiety  about  the  precordia  is  con- 
siderable ;  and,  on  attempting  a  deep  inspiration,  the 
patient  finds  it  impossible  to  dilate  his  chest,  and  his 
breath  seems  to  be  suddenly  stopped  :  the  pulse  is 
small,  languid,  and  oppressed  ;  the  face  pale  and  bloat- 
ed j-  the  legs  swelled,  and  the  whole  body  leucophleg- 
matic. 

A  brisk  mercurial  cathartic  will  often  give  very  quick 
relief.  After  this,  the  seneka  root,  in  large  doses,  will  be 
useful,  as  it  operates  powerfully  by  expectoration,  urine, 
and  perspiration.  Besides  these  the  usual  diuretics 
and  sudorifics  may  be  administered.  If  the  case  is  des- 
perate, an  operation,  as  in  the  empyema,  may  be  tried. 
See  Edinburgh  Medical  Essays,  vol.  vi.  p.  126;  Perci- 
val's  Essays,  Medical  and  Experimental,  p.  172;  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  356,  See. 

HYDROPS    SA'CCULI    LACHRYMA'LIS.       See    HERNIA 

LACHRYMALIS. 

HYDROPS  SCRO'TI,  and  HYDROPS  TE'STIS.     See  HY- 

DROCELE. 

HYDROPS  UMBILICA'LIS  ;  UMBILICAL  DROPSY;  exom- 
fihalus  ayueus  Platneri;  hydromfihalus  of  jEgineta, 
Heister,  Dionis. 

It  occurs  in  pregnant  women,  from  severe  labours  ; 
infants  who  labour  under  ascites  and  hernia  umbilicalis. 
According  to  Plainer,  it  scarcely  can  ever  happen  with- 
out an  umbilical  rupture  and  ascites ;  the  tumour  is  ' 
soft,  fluctuating,  permanent,  and  pellucid,  when  exa- 
mined by  the  light  of  a  candle.  The  treatment  is  that 
of  hydrocele. 

HYDROPS  U'TERI.  DROPSY  of  the  WOMB,  is  seated 
in  the  cavity  of  the  womb,  and  the  collection  of  water 
there  is  so  great,  that  the  belly  appears  as  if  affected 
with  an  ascites  :  on  pressure,  a  fluctuation  is  perceived. 
It  may  take  place  during  pregnancy,  but  is  not  usually 
an  attendant.  Dr.  Cullen  defines  it  a  tumour  of  the 
hypogastric  region,  slowly  and  gradually  increasing, re- 
sembling the  figure  of  the  uterus,  yielding  to,  or  fluctu- 
ating on,  pressure;  without  ischury  or  pregnancy. 
From  Sauvages  he  enumerates  seven  species,  which 
cannot,  however,  be  distinguished  by  external  signs, 
viz.  Hydrometraascitica;  hydrometra  gravidamm;  hy- 
drometra  hydatica;  hydrometra  sanguined;  hydrometra 


H  YG 


"til 


11  Y  (i 


jiurifcrmis;  hydrometra  ascites  uterinus;  ar\d/iydrc?iie- 
tra  sanguineo-uterinus. 

The  diagnostics  are  not  distinct;  for  many  fallacious 
sings  of  pregnancy  accompany  this  disorder.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  ascites  by  its  being  confined  to  the 
region  of  the  uterus,  and  by  the  thinness  of  the  os 
tincre.  If  the  tumour  is  from  a  scirrhus,  it  is  never  in 
the  middle,  nor  is  it  round,  like  the  dropsy.  This 
disease  is  soon  followed  by  an  anasarca,  a  slow  fever, 
and  a  marasmus. 

A  canula  introduced  into  the  uterus  is  the  best  and 
speediest  remedy  ;  but  sometimes  a  scirrhus,  a  cicatrix, 
or  tubercles  prevent  it.  If  the  canula  cannot  be  intro- 
duced, hard  riding,  violent  shocks,  with  emetics,  sternu- 
tatories, and  brisk  cathartics,  may  be  employed. 

HYDROPY'RETOS,  from  vfap,  water,  and  vv^ilot, 
a  fever}.  Surlor  jinglictts.  Blanchard. 

HYDRORACHI'TIS,  (from  vS~ap,  water,  and  />*#<?, 
the  a/line}.  See  SPIKA  BIFIDA. 

HYDRORO'SATON,  (from  vSap,  wafer,  and  />«&», 
a  rose,)  a  drink  made  of  water,  honey,  and  the  juice  of 
roses.  Se  Paulus  jEgineta,  lib.  vii.  c.  15. 

HYDRORHO'DIXON,(from  vfap,  agua,smd  tthiti, 
the  oil  of  roses,')  water  mixed  with  the  oil  of  roses  ; 
given  by  Galen  as  an  emetic  in  cases  of  poison. 

HYDROSA'CCHARUM,  (from  vty,  aqua,  and 
<ra.x%ap<>*,  sugar,")  a  composition  of  sugar  and  water, 
which  answers  to  the  hydromeli  by  changing  honey  for 
feu  gar. 

HYDROSA'RCA,  (from  vt*p,  water,  and  r«f|, 
Jlesh}.  A  tumour  or  abscess  containing  water  and  flesh. 
M.  A.  Severinus. 

HYDROSARCOCE'LE,  (from  vhp,  water,  <r*ft, 
flesh,  and  «>;A*,  an  hernia.}.  See  SARCOOELE. 

HYDROSELI'NUM,  (from  vfy,  and  e-«-A/».v,  fiur- 
tlane}.  See  APIIM. 

HYDROTHO'RAX,  (from  fiJty,  and  S»p*£,  the 
chest}.  See  HYDROPS  PECTOHIS. 

HYDRO'TICUS,  (from  vfap,  water}.     See  HYDRA- 

COGUS. 

HYGI'DION.  A  collyrium  described  by  P.  jEgineta, 
lib.  vii.  c.  16;  called  ammonii  collyrium. 

HYGI'DION  HYGE'IA,  HYGI'DIOX  HYGIE'IA,  (from  ny<«, 
sound}.  HEALTH  or  SOUNDNESS.  The  name  of  a  plaster 
called  jianacea,  and  the  PLASTER  of  the  THREE  BRO- 
THERS, described  in  jEtius.  Health,  however,  a  more 
extensive  sense,  comprehends  a  great  variety  of 
considerations,  which,  in  the  Leyden  school,  formed  a 
considerable  and  important  part  of  the  institutions  of 
medicine.  We  cannot  attend  to  it  with  equal  care ;  and 
indeed  its  doctrines  comprehend  a  variety  of  subjects 
treated  of  under  distinct  heads.  We  must  not,  how- 
ever, pass  it  over  lightly. 

It  will  be  at  once  obvious  that  health  is  a  relative 
term  ;  for  the  changes  consistent  with  it  in  some  con- 
stitutions would  be  morbid  in  others.  It  is  equally 
obvious  that  there  is  some  latitude  in  its  use,  and  that 
many  changes  may  take  place,  without  inducing  a  lesion 
of  the  functions,  and,  of  course,  a  disease.  Authors 
have,  therefore,  used  the  expression,  "  within  the  li- 
mits of  health,"  to  imply  some  deviation  from  the  most 
perfect,  but  not  sufficient  to  constitute  a  morbid,  state. 

Health  depends  on  the  management  of  what  has 
been  called  the  non  naturals,  a  fanciful  term,  compre- 

VOL.  I. 


bending  air,  food,  exercise,  the  "passions,  retenta  and 
excreta,  sleep  and  waking.  Yet  the  regulation  of  these 
depends  on  the  constitution,  what  has  been  styled  tem- 
perament or  idiosyncracy  :  the  former  a  generic  term, 
comprising  peculiarities  of  constitution,  common  to 
many  persons  ;  the  other  the  peculiarity  of  each  indi- 
vidual's structure.  We  must  not  now  anticipate  the 
subject  of  temperaments,  but  may  remark  that  the  an- 
cients, in  subservience  to  their  doctrine  of  humours,  dis- 
tinguished four;  the  sanguine,  the  bilious,  the  phlegma- 
tic, and  the  melancholic.  The  distinction  is  not  wholly 
theoretical.  The  supposed  sanguine  temperament  is 
that  of  youth,  where  the  vessels  are  full,  the  fibres 
firm  and  active,  quickly  excited  to  motion,  and  often 
to  excessive  or  irregular  action.  The  bilious  is  dis- 
tinguished by  equal  strength  and  activity  ;  but  by  a  yel- 
low hue  on  the  skin,  red  hair,  with  a  constitution 
often  more  acutely  sensible,  always  more  irritable.  The 
phlegmatic  temperament  is  pale  in  complexion  ;  languid 
in  its  exertions  ;  the  vessels,  if  full,  torpid  ;  the  consti- 
tution inactive ;  the  mind  not  easily  excited  to  exertion. 
The  melancholic  has-  a  greater  degree  of  torpor,  with  a 
dark  yellow  hue  ;  the  mind  dull,  abstracted,  but  perse- 
vering. In  such  constitutions  the  plethora  is  chiefly- 
venous. 

The  sanguine  temperament  bears  evacuations  with 
great  ease  ;  but  they  soon  constitute  a  habit  which  is 
seldom  broken  with  impunity.     Health,  with  such  per- 
sons, is  best  preserved  by  low  living,  avoiding  excess  of 
every  kind,  particularly   cold  after  active  bodily  exer- 
tions.    The  bilious  requires  the  same  precautions;  but 
the  evacuations  best  adapted,  which  are  indeed  almost 
indispensable  to  this  kind  of  constitution,  are  the  free 
and  frequent  use  of  the  milder  laxatives.     The  warm 
cordial  diet,  and  the  stimuli,  which  suit  the  fihlegmatic 
temperament,  would  induce  fever  in  the  sanguine  or 
bilious.     Free  air,  regular  and  constant  exercise,  with 
every  means  of  strengthening,  without  constriction,  are 
adapted  for  persons  of  this  class.     They  will  not  'bear 
evacuations,  particularly  loss  of  blood  ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  must  not  indulge  too  freely  in  high  living  or  in- 
activity. In  the  melancholic,  every  thing  which  accumu- 
lates the  blood  in  the  internal  organs  must  be  avoided. 
Exercise,  which  determines  to  the   skin;  purgatives, 
which  can- rouse  the  torpid  fibres  into  active  exertions; 
amusements,  which  can  interest  the  mind  ;  are  pecu- 
liarly necessary  in  such  habits.     A  sameness  of  exercise 
and  of  objects,  mental  or  corporeal,  must  be  avoided ; 
for  the  bent  which  the  body  or  mind  takes,  is  with  dif- 
ficulty counteracted. 

Health  is  also  a  relative  to  different  ages,  to  different 
sexes,  and  different  occupations.  Infancy  is  the  period 
of  peculiar  irritability,  and  of  peculiar  sensibility.  It  is 
the  sanguine  temperament  of  manhood,  with  the  mo- 
bility of  the  female  constitution.  As  the  body  increases 
in  size  and  in  bulk,  the  mobility  lessens,  the  strength 
and  the  activity  of  the  sanguiferous  and  nervous  systems 
augment.  The  power  is  at  its  height  from  about  twenty- 
eight  to  thirty -five,  and  then  gradually  declines,  assum- 
ing, by  slow  degrees,  some  of  the  more  distinguishing 
appearances  of  the  melancholic  temperament,  but  not 
so  acutely  marked.  In  the  early  and  later  periods,  the 
limits  of  health  are  more  narrow  ;  in  the  middle  period, 
extensive ;  and  the  means  of  preserving  it  in  both  will 

5  G 


H  Y  G 


778 


II  Y  M 


be  sufficiently  obvious  from  what  has  been  already  re- 
marked. 

Different  sexes  differ  also  in  the  means  of  preserving 
health.  The  constitution  of  women  is  that  of  youth: 
in  advanced  age  the  sexes  approach  very  nearly  in  tem- 
perament. Women  are  generally  distinguished  by  a 
plethora,  and  this  is  often  a  cause  of  apparent  debilty. 
The  circulation  is  also  balanced  with  peculiar  nicety, 
so  that  the  equilibrium  is  soon  destroyed.  The  two 
distinguishing  eras  in  a  woman's  life  are,  when  the  cata- 
menia  first  appear,  and  when  they  cease.  "In  each,  be- 
fore the  equilibrium  is  established,  either  a  morbid,  ir- 
regular mobility,  or  a  torpor,  takes  place.  In  the  latter 
case  the  temperament  approaches  the  phlegmatic.  We 
have  no  appellation  for  the  former ;  and  another  tem- 
perament should  be  added  to  express"  it,  which  may 
have  the  hackneyed  appellation  of  the  nervous. 

The  health  as  adapted  to  different  occupations  also 
differs.  The  sturdy  strength  of  the  husbandman  would 
be  torpor  in  the  watchmaker  ;  and  the  delicate  feelings, 
the  acute  eye,  and  minute  exactness  of  the  latter,  would 
be  morbid  sensibility  in  the  sailor.  Habit,  in  these  in- 
stances, forms  the  constitution ;  but  the  limits  of  health 
are  in  each  peculiarly  his  own.  The  diet  of  the  one 
would  be  injurious  to  the  other :  the  robust  exercises  of 
the  sailor  would  bring  on  a  morbid  tremor  in  the  artist. 
"For  active  exertions  and  continued  labour  the  diet 
should  be  chiefly  animal,  but  not  in  excess":  the  vessels 
must  be  full,  not  distended.  This  is  the  training  of  the  . 
pugilist  and  the  game  cock,  whose  contests  require  the 
most  vigorous  exertions  ;  and  sometimes  their  con- 
tinuance. 

Health  is  also  relative  when  there  is  any  consti- 
tutional disease.  In  gouty  habits  it  is  necessary  often  to 
reduce  the  stronger  state  of  the  constitution ;  but  it  must 
be  done  with  caution,  lest  the  atonic  form  of  the  disease 
should  follow.  Scrofula,  the  disease  of  the  phlegmatic 
constitution,  will  also  not  admit  of  stimulants  ;  and, 
in  each,  we  must  keep  to  those  extreme  limits  of  health, 
which  in  many  constitutions  might  be  called  debility. 
In  nervous  complaints  we  often  find  plethora  at  least  a 
remote  cause,  and  to  lower  the  tone  more  may  increase 
the  irritability,  and  consequently  the  disease.  We  must 
here  also  keep  to  the  extreme  limits,  and  cautiously  re- 
gulate our  evacuations,  lest  the  patient  sink  too  low. 

Idiosyncracy  is,  in  part,  constitutional,  but  often  in- 
duced by  habit.  It  can  be  taught  only  by  observation, 
and  generally  by  the  observation  of  the  individual.  No 
prudent  physician  will,  therefore,  employ  an  active  me- 
dicine, until,  from  the  patient  or  his  friends,  he  has  at- 
tempted to  ascertain  any  peculiarity  of  constitution, 
which  should  render  him  cautious  in  this  respect,  or 
Avholly  forbid  its  being  given. 

The  more  general  rules  for  the  preservation  of  health 
we  have  already  considered.  See  ALIMENT  and 
DI./ETA  ;  for  the  remainder  of  the  subject,  see  J£ORA 
and  CLIMATE. 

HYGIEI'NE,  (from  vyictiva,  to  be  in  health}.     The 
.  doctrines  of  health.     See  HYGIEIA  and  MEDICINA. 

HYGIENI'STES,  (from  the  same).  Hijgienists ; 
physicians  who  only  attend  people  in  health,  to  prevent 
diseases.  The  temperaments,  the  constitution,  the 
air,  the  food,  the  habitations,  the  changes  in  the 
functions  of  the  body,  and  those  from  different  ages, 


seasons,  and  climates,  were  the   objects   of  their  at- 
tention. 

HY'GRA  (from  vypos,  humid}.  LIQUID  PLASTERS. 
See  also  COLOPHONIA. 

HYGROBLEPHA'RICUS,  (from  vypos,  humid,  and 
ft^efxpov,  an  eyelid*).  Hygrophthalmicus.  An  epithet 
of  some  ducts  discovered  in  the  extreme  edge  or  inner 
part  of  the  eyelids,  leading  probably  from  glands. 

HYGROCIRSOCE'LE,  (from  vypef,  humid,  r.<p<rof, 
a  -uarijc,  and  why,  a  tumour}.  A  species  of  hernia,  from 
a  varicous  spermatic  vein,  while  the  scrotum  is  at  the 
same  time  filled  with  water. 

HYGROCOLLY'RIUM,  (from  vyp^,  humid,  and 
«oAAuj>ie»,  a  collyrium}.  A  liquid  collyrium,  or  consist- 
ing chiefly  of  liquids. 

HYGROLO'GIA,  (from  v/pos,  liquid,  and  Asyos,  a 
discourse}.  HYGROLOGY,  which  treats  of  the  various 
humours  of  the  body.  The  best  works  are  Plenck's 
Hydrologia,  and  Johnson's  AnimaUChemistry. 

HYGRO'METRUM.  The  HYGROMETER,  (  from 
wypos,  humid,  and  ^.trpoi,  a  measure,)  an  instrument 
which  shows  the  different  degrees  of  moisture  in  the  at- 
mosphere. Wedelius  gives  this  name  to  those  diseased 
parts  whose  susceptibility  of  impressions  shows  different 
states  of  the  air,  with  respect  to  its  moisture,  more  ex- 
actly than  any  instrument.  As,  the  cicatrices  of  old 
wounds  are  painful  when  the  weight  of  the  atmosphere 
is  less,  or  rheumatic  pains  exasperated  by  a  change  of 
weather.  The  hygrometer  has  never  been  applied  to 
medical  purposes. 

HYGROMY'RON,  (from  »y^««  liquid,  and  ftvgn, 
ointment},  a  liquid  ointment  described  by  jEtius. 

HYGROPHO'BIA,  (from  t>y/>««,  liquid,  and  0«f*», 
to  be  afraid}.  Synonymous  with  HYDROPHOBIA, 
q.  v. 

HYGROPTHA'LMICUS.       See     HYGROBLEPHA- 

RICUS. 

HYME'NEA,  corrupted  from  anime,  or  animaea, 
COURBARIL.  (See  ANIME.)  The  seeds  are  covered 
with  a  saccharine  substance,  which  the  Indians  eat 
greedily  ;  and  at  the  roots  is  found  a  yellowish  resin, 
which,  dissolved  in  alcohol,  makes  an  excellent  varnish. 
It  is  the  gum  anime  of  the  materia  medica. 

HY'MEN,  vfAtfi,  a  MEMBRANE;  from  Hymen,  the  < 
god  of  marriage,  as  by  it  is  usually  understood  the  mem- 
brane which  appears  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  situated 
at  the  entrance  of  the  vagina,  called  also  claustrum  -vir- 
ginitatis,  eugeos,  and  bucton  ;  supposed  to  be  torn  in 
the  first  intercourse  with  man.  When  this  membrane 
is  ruptured,  it  is  shrivelled  up,  and  forms  the  carunculx 
myrtiformes.  (See  CARUNCULA.)  It  naturally  shrinks 
with  years,  or  is  torn  by  straining,  and  sometimes  dis- 
appears before  the  age  of  twenty  :  it  can,  therefore,  be 
no  proof  of  virginity. 

In  infants  this  membrane  is  shrivelled,  and  appears  a 
mere  rugosity,  so  that  De  Graaf  thought  it  wanting  :  in 
others  it  closes  up  the  urethra,  that  the  urine  cannot  be 
voided  ;  or  the  vagina,  that  the  menses  cannot  flow 
and  an  operation  is  necessary. 

When  the  mark  of  perforation  cannot  be  seen,  the 
cure  was  thought  impracticable ;  but  a  trochar  and  ca- 
nula  have  been  found  to  succeed,  though  a  passage  of 
four  inches  was  perforated  before  the  end  was  obtained. 
See  Heister's  Surgery ;  Edinburgh  Medical  Common- 


H  YO 


779 


H  YO 


taries;  Dr.  Shenvin's  Account  of  an  Imperforated  Hymen 
Successfully  Treated ;  Medical  Records  and  Researches, 
1798. 

HYOGLO'SSUS,  (from  v»e<S~K,  the  hyoid  bone,  and 
yA«»-<7<»,  the  tongue}.  The  name~of  the  muscle  of  the 
tongue.  It  rises  from  the  basis,  but  chiefly  from  each 
cornu  of  theos  hyoides,  running  laterally  and  forwards, 
to  shorten  the  tongue.  This  muscle  is  sometimes  di- 
vided into  three  :  basio  glossus;  hyjisilo  or  yflsioglossus, 
or  hufisiloides;  the  chondro  glossus;  and  the  ceratoglos- 
fus.  Douglas  observes,  that  it  rises  fleshy  from  three 
different  places ;  its  first  origin  is  broad  and  carnous  from 
the  cornua  of  the  hyois ;  this  is  properly  the  cerataglos- 
tus:  its  second  head  comes  from  part  of  the  basis  of  this 
bone,  and  its  name  is  hasioglossus:  the  third  beginning 
is  derived  from  the  cartilaginous  appendage  of  the  hyoi- 
des, sometimes  called  chondroglossus:  these  three  unite, 
and,  their  fibres  running  in  the  same  direction,  they  are 
inserted  broad  and  thin  near  the  root  of  the  tongue  later- 
ally. The  use  of  each  is  to  draw  the  tongue  obliquely 
to  one  side;  but  if  both  act  at  once,  the  tongue  is  pulled 
directly  backwards  into  the  mouth.  Douglas  adds,  that 
in  some  subjects  he  hath  observed  a  great  part  of  the 
muscles  to  arise  from  the  basis  of  the  bone,  and  in  some 
others  few  or  none  of  their  fibres  originated  from  that 
part. 

HYOI'DES  OS,  (from  v,  and  tifa,  because  formed 
like  the  Greek  letter  upsilon,)  yoides,  hyft&iloides,  and  ' 
vfi&iloides;  bicorne,  and  lambdoides.  It  is  situated  in  an 
horizontal  position  between  the  root  of  the  tongue  and 
the  larynx;  convex  on  its  anterior  part,  and  hollow  on 
the  posterior :  the  cornua  become  smaller  as  they  run 
back,  and  diverge  a  little ;  at  the  end  of  each  cornu  is  a 
graniform  appendicle,  from  whence  a  ligament  runs  to 
the  styloid  process  of  the  os  temporis,  and  another  liga- 
ment connects  the  bone  to  the  larynx.  These  ligaments 
are  sometimes  in  part  or  wholly  osseous,  and  the  os 
hyoides  is  joined  to  the  temporal  bone  by  anchylosis. 
In  the  foetus  it  is  almost  wholly  cartilaginous,  only  a 
small  osseous  point  appearing  in  the  middle  of  its  body 
and  in  each  of  its  cornua.  The  appendicles  are  not  ob- 
servable at  birth,  and  remain  cartilaginous  for  many 
years,  it  is  the  basis  and  support  of  the  tongue,  and  the 
muscles  of  the  larynx  and  fauces. 

HYOPHARYNG.£'US,  (from  <;«<&«,  the  hyoid 
bone,  and  $af«y|,  the  pharynx).  The  hyopharyngaei 
muscles,  in  general  are  those  which  on  each  side  are 
inserted  into  the  os  hyoides  ;  and  they  may  be  reckoned 
three  pair,  viz.  the  basio  fiharygei,  cerato  fiharynggus 
major  et  minor;  coming  from  the  basis  and  the  horns  of 
the  os  hyoides.  Innis  calls  it  constrictor  fiharyngis  me- 
dins.  It  arises  from  the  appendix  of  the  os  hyoides, 
from  the  cornu  of  that  bone,  and  from  the  ligament  which 
connects  it  to  the  thyroid  cartilage ;  the  fibres  of  the 
superior  part,  running  obliquely  upwards,  and  covering 
a  considerable  part  of  the  superior  constrictor  (i.  e.  ce- 
fihalo  pharyngosus,)  terminate  in  a  point.  It  is  inserted 
in  the  middle  of  the  cuneiform  process  of  the  os  occipitis, 
before  the  foramen  magnum,  and  jointed  to  its  fellow 
at  a  white  line,  in  the  middle  back  part  of  the  pharynx. 
The  fibres  at  the  middle  part  run  more  transversely 
than  those  above  or  below.  Its  use  is  to  compress 
that  part  of  the  pharynx  which  it  covers,  and  to  draw 
it  with  the  os  hyoides  upwards.  See  PHARYNX. 


HYOPHTHA'LMOS,(from  <x,  a  swine,  and 
fut,aneye).     HOG'S  EYE;  so  named  from  its  resem- 
blance.    See  ERYXGIUM. 

HYOSCI'AMUS,  (from  m,  a  swine,  and  xvxnas,  a 
bean;  from  hogs  eating  it  as  a  medicine;  or  from  the 
hairy  and  bristly  appearance  of  the  plant).  HENBANES; 
HOG'S  BEANS,  and  dens  caballinus.  The  plants  have 
hairy,  oblong,  deep  indented  leaves,  and  bell  shaped 
flowers,  followed  by  irregular  cup  like  capsules,  which 
contain  the.  seeds.  It  is  also  a  name  for  tobacco.  See 

NlCOTIAKA. 

HYOSCI'AMUS  A'LBUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  257.  WHITE 
HENBANE.  Its  leaves  are  smaller  and  more  woody 
than  those  of  the  black  henbanes  ;  the  plant  is  a  native 
of  the  southern  parts  of  Europe;  is  similar,  but  not 
equally  powerful,  with  the  common  sort.  Sauvages 
observes,  that  the  daily  use  of  the  hyosciamus  albus, 
beginning  with  the  third  part  of^a  grain,  and  gradually 
increasing  it  while  the  oesophagus  and  fauces  are  moist, 
is  the  most  efficacious  remedy  for  a  cataract.  A  priest, 
affected  with  this  complaint  in  his  right  eye,  after  the  use 
of  this  medicine  for  eight  days,  in  which  time  the  dose 
was  increased  to  three  grains,  could  read  small  print, 
who  before  could  only  perceive  large  letters.  The  crys- 
talline lens  was  at  first  white,  afterward  became  bluish 
and  nearly  pellucid  ;  the  myodal  suffusion,  under  which 
he  laboured,  vanished,  but  the  appetite  and  sleep,  at 
first  languid,  were  perfectly  restored.  From  the  use  of 
this  medicine  he  saw  another  cured  by  D.  Coutas,  whose 
crystalline  lens  became  perfectly  diaphanous.  Sauva- 
gesii  Nosologia  Methodica,  vol.  i.  p.  724. 

HYOSCI'AMUS  LUT^E'US.  See  NICOTIAXA  MI- 
NOR. 

HYOSCI'AMUS  XI'GER,  apollinaris  altercum,  faba 
suilla,  agone,  altercangenon,  COMMON  or  BLACK  HEN- 
BANE; hyosciamus  niger  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  257;  is  one  of  the 
poisonous  vegetables  of  Great  Britain.  The  root  islong, 
tough,  white,  and,  when  recently  cut  through,  smells 
like  liquorice  :  the  stalks  thick,  round,  woody,  irregu- 
larly branched,  and  covered  with  a  hairy  down.  The 
leaves  surrounding  the  stalk  at  their  base  stand  irre- 
gularly ;  are  large,  soft,  and  downy,  pointed  at  the  ends, 
and  very  deeply  indented  at  the  edges ;  of  a  greyish 
green  colour,  with  a  virose  disagreeable  smell.  The 
flowers  are  monopetalous,  divided  into  five  obtuse  seg- 
ments; large,  of  a  dirty  yellowish  colour,  reticulated 
with  violet  coloured  veins.  The  seed  vessels  follow, 
one  after  every  flower :  they  are  large,  and  contain 
a  great  quantity  of  seeds  of  a  brown,  rough,  and  irregu- 
lar figure. 

This  is  the  only  species  a  native  of  Great  Britain  ; 
and  the  seeds,  leaves,  or  roots,  if  received  into  the  sto- 
mach, are  poisonous.  The  root  produces  various  dis- 
orders, and  particularly  madness.  If  the  stomach  does 
not  reject  what  it  has  received,  a  stupor  and  apoplectic 
symptoms,  terminating  in  death,  are  the  usual  conse- 
quences. 

Henbane,  in  its  external  appearances,  much  resem- 
bles parsnep,  the  use  of  which  is  said  to  be  dangerous  ; 
the  latter  has  probably  been  mistaken  for  parsnips. 

The   symptoms  in  consequence  of  swallowing  this 

species  of  henbane, besides  madness,  are  apoplexy,  or  an 

appearance  of  intoxication.     Swallowing  the  seeds  has 

been  sometimes  followed  by  thirst,  giddiness,  dimness 

5  G2 


HYP 


'80 


HYP 


of  sight,  with  a  dilated  pupil,  raving,  and  profound 
sleep.  The  effects  of  henbane  are  similar  to  those  of 
opium,  when  taken  in  large  quantities ;  and,  like  opium, 
it'  administered  with  skill,  it  is  a  valuable  sedative,  mo- 
derating excess  of  irritability.  With  the  advantages  of 
opium,  it  is  said  to  keep  the  bowels  lax,  especially  if 
exhibited  in  large  doses.  It  has  been  given  in  the  form 
of  extract  as  far  as  twenty-four  grains ;  but  the  dose  has 
been  gradually  increased  from  one  or  two  grains  :  it 
seldom  produces  any  anodyne  effect  till  it  has  amounted 
to  eight  or  ten  grains.  Dr.  Cullen  has  extended  it  to 
thirty  grains  a  day. 

Its  ill  effects  are  relieved  as  directed  in  the  article 
AMANITA,  q.  v. 

Dr.  Stork  is  said  to  have  relieved  by  this  remedy 
palpitations  of  the  heart,  a  tendency  to  melancholy, 
coughs,  with  other  spasmodic  disorders  and  convulsions 
after  other  means  had  failed.  But  Grecding  tried  it  in 
forty  cases  of  melancholia,  mania,  and  epilepsy,  without 
advantage.  -In  cancers  and  scrofula  it  has  been  tried 
with  various  degrees  of  success.  In  chordees,  which 
have  resisted  the  use  of  opium,  Bell  used  it  with  advan- 
tage, giving  the  extract  from  one  to  three  grains,  some- 
times a  larger  dose,  three  times  a  day.  See  Stoerck  de 
Hyosciamo,  and  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

The  author  of  this  article,  led  many  years  since  by  cir- 
cumstances unnecessary  to  mention,  tried  the  seeds  of 
thehyoscyamus  in  different  cases  of  hysteria,  and  other 
convulsive  diseases  of  the  stomach.  Either  alone  or 
mixed  with  aromatics  he  found  it  a  valuable  sedative, 
without  the  deleterious  or  the  constipating  effects  of 
opium,  and  only  neglected  it  from  omitting  to  procure 
the  seeds  in  proper  time.  He  began  with  a  grain,  and 
seldom  found  it  necessary  to  proceed  beyond  three  or 
four. 

Lewis's  Materia  Medica,  p.  315  ;  Wilmer's  Observa- 
tions on  the  Poisonous  Vegetables  in  Great  Britain  ; 
Withering's  Botanical  Arrangements;  Memoirs  of  the 
Medical  Society  of  London,  vol.  i.  p.  310;  Cullen's  Ma- 
teria Medica. 

HYOTHYROI'DES,  (from  »««,  the  hyaid  bone,  and 
S-ttftetS'ef,  the  thyroid  cartilage).  Thyro  hyoides.  These 
muscles  runfromthe  thyroid  cartilage  to  the  os  hyoides: 
they  are  attached  to  the  knobs  of  that  cartilage,  and  the 
line  between  them,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them 
nearer  to  each  other. 

HYPALEI'PTRON,  (from  V7ru>.n<fa,  to  sflread).  A 
spatula  for  spreading  ointments. 

HYPALEI'PTON,  (from  the  same).      See   LIXI- 

MENTUM. 

HYPERyE'STHESES,  (from  wetftmrlu,  to  feel  in 
excess}.  See  DYSOREXIA. 

HYPERARTETI'SCOS,  (from  v*cf,  above,  and 
apli&,  to  com/iose).  Supenumerary  parts  or  members. 

HYPERCATHA'RSIS,  (from  wtf,  a  preposition 
signify  ing  excess,  andx.etSa.pyi^,/iurgation,)  hyfierinesis, 
and  hyjierinos;  excessive  purging  from  medicine  ;  a  va- 
riety of  the  diarrhea  mucosa  of  Dr.  Cullen.  It  is  not 
only  produced  by  the  irritability  occasioned  by  the  too 
violent  action  of  purging.medicines,  but  from  any  other 
cause  of  irritation  in  the  bowels.  The  cure  is  similar  to 
that  of  violent  diarrhoeas.  Gentle  anodynes,  frictions, 
and  diaphoretics,  were  much  depended  on  by  the  an- 
.  k-nts.  See  Oribasii  Medic.  Collect,  lib.  xiv.  cap.  42. 


P.  jEgineta,  lib.  vii.  cap.  7.    jEtius  Tetrabiblicon  serni. 
3.  cap.  1 18. 

HYPERICOI'DES,  (from  hyjicricum,  St.  John's 
wort,  and  eiJ»5>  likeness').  See  HYPEUICUM  SAXA- 
TILE. 

HYPERCORYPHO'SIS,  (from  vx-ip,  above,  and 
xopvtpy,  the  -vertex).  A  PROMINENCE,  or  PROTUBERANCE. 
See  JECUR  and  PALMO. 

HYPERCRI'SIS,  (from  vn-ip,  above,  and  xfte-ts,  a 
crisis').  An  HYPERCRISIS,  or  SUPER-EXCRETION;  such  ex- 
cessive critical  evacuations  as  endanger  the  patient. 

HYPEREPHIDRO'SIS,  (from  vrl?,  excess,  and 
«?£&>;,  sweat).  IMMODERATE  SWEATING. 

HYPE'RICUM,  (from  vmp,  above,  and  etxuv,  image, 
or  spectre;  because  it  is  supposed  to  drive  away  evil 
spirits).  ST.  JOHN'S  \foiiT, /ierforata,Juga  dtemonum, 
androsccmum,  hyfiericum  vulgare;  hyfiericum  /icrfora- 
tum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 105.  PERFORATED  or  COMMON  ST. 
JOHN'S  WORT. 

This  plant  has  slender,  round,  reddish,  woody  stalks  : 
small,  obtuse,  oblong  leaves,  set  in  pairs,  which,  when 
held  to  the  light,  seem  to  be  perforated;  numerous 
gold  coloured  pentapetalous  flowers  on  the  tops  of  the 
branches,  followed  by  blackish  husks,  full  of  small 
seeds.  It  is  perennial,  grows  wild  in  the  hedges  and 
uncultivated  places,  and  flowers  in  June  and  July. 

The  flowers  abound  with  resin,  but  with  the  aid  of 
its  abundant  mucilage,  water  dissolves  all  its  active 
parts.  The  leaves  also  contain  much  resin.  Distilled 
with  water,  an  essential  oil  is  obtained,  resembling  that 
of  turpentine.  To  the  taste  the  leaves  and  flowers  are 
bitterish  and  subastringent;  but  though  not  much  used 
at  present,  it  was  in  great  repute  with  the  ancients  j 
internally  in  hysteria,  hypochondriasis,  mania,  ulcers 
haemoptysis,  bloody  urine,  gravel,  dysentery,  agues^ 
worms,  wounds,  and  bruises;  and,  outwardly,  as  an 
anodyne  and  a  discutient.  In  the  London  Pharmaco- 
poeia the  flowers  are  preferred,  as  containing  the  great- 
est proportion  of  the  resinous  matter,  in  which  the  me- 
dical efficacy  of  the  plant  is  -supposed  to  reside.  The 
dark  puncta  of  the  petals,  which  are  vesicles  or  glands, 
afford  the  essential  oil  of  this  plant,  and  give  a  red  co- 
lour to  rectified  spirit  and  to  expressed  oils;  the  latter 
of  which  has  been  long  kncrwn  by  the  name  of  oleum, 
hyficrici.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's 
Chemical  Works. 

It  is  the  name  also  for  the  spiraea  and  coris. 

HYPE'RICUM  SAXA'TILE.  &c.  BASTARD  ST. 
JOHN'S  WOHT;  hyfiericoides;  coris  lutea,  and  coris  legi- 
tima  C'retica.  The  seeds  are  said  to  be  diuretic,  em- 
managogue,  and  powerfully  antispasmodic. 

HYPERINE'SIS,and  HYPERI'NOS(from  **••/>,  in 
excess,  and  ma,  to.Jiurge).  Synonymous  with  HYPER- 
CATHARSIS,  q.  v.  and  the  person  who  suffers  from  it. 

HYPERO'A,  (from  wef,  above,  and  «t«,  os).  See 
PALATUM. 

HYPERO-PHARYNGJE'I,  (from  vnf,  above,  and 
Qxpv/Zt  the  pharynx).  See  PEKISTAPHYLO  PHAHYX- 

G^EI. 

HYPEROSTO'SIS,  (from  wrtf,  ufion,  and  «7-7te»,Me 
bone).  A  swelling  of  the  whole  bone.  In  Cullen's  No- 
sology it  is  synonymous  with  exostonis. 

HYPERSARCO'MA.  A  fleshy  excrescence.  See 
also  POLYPUS  XAIUUM. 


HYP 


-  781 


HYP 


HYPERSARCO'SIS,  (rom  vwtf, excess  of,  and  «•«*£, 
Jlesh,)  a  fleshy  excrescence,  or  proud  flesh. 

HYPE'XODOS,  (from  vwtf,  under,  and  f|o&j,  a 
fanning  out).  See  DIARRHOEA. 

HYPE'ZOCOS  ;  membrane*  spread  under  other 
parts,  as  the  pleura. 

IIYPNO'BATES,  and  HYPXOBA'TASIS,  (from 
f5r»o«,  sleep,  and  /3«<»*»,  to  go}.  See  SOMNAMBULO. 

HYPNOLO'GIA,  (from  vmet,  sleefi,  and  Aoyo?,  a 
discourse,)  instructions  relative  to  the  due  regulation 
of  sleep  and  waking. 

HYPNOPCE'OS,  and  HYPNOTICUS,(from  !*•»«{, 
slceji,  and  zro<£in,  /o  cause").  HYPNOTICS,  medicines  which 
procure  sleep.  See  ANODYNA. 

IIY'PO,  v-xt.  A  preposition  signifying  under  ;  but, 
in  composition  it  imports  not  only  inferiority  with  re- 
spect to  situation,  but  a  remission  or  diminution. 

HYPOCAPNI'SMA,  (from  ™°,  under,  and  *«a-»(^», 
to  smoke*).  See  SLTFIMEXTUM. 

HYPOCAROD'ES,  and  HYPERCARO'THIS, 
(from  wo,  sub,  and  KO,^,  cants').  One  who  labours 
under  a  low  degree  of  a  cams. 

HYPOCATHA'RSIS,  (from  wr»,  sub,  and  xxfatpa, 

Pvrgo).       A  SLIGHT  PURGING. 

HYPOCAU'STUM,  from  -JTTO,  under,  and  ««/&>,  -to 
burn).  See  CALADARIUM. 

HYPOCERCHXA'LEON,(fromw«,andxe^»fl«,  an 
asfierity  of  the  fauces,}  an  asperity  of  the  fauces  and 
aspera  arteria,  occasioning  a  stridulous  breathing. 

HYPOCHEO'MENOS,  (from  v*»Xiv,  to  suffuse}. 
One  who  labours  under  a  cataract. 

HYPOCHO'NDRIA,  (from  VTTO,  under,  and  X'^P'f, 
a  cartilage).  The  hypochondria  are  those  viscera  on 
each  side,  which  lie  under  the  spurious  ribs,  extending 
to  the  ilia,  and  comprehending  not  only  the  muscles, 
but  the  internal  parts ;  because  they  are  subjacent  to 
cartilages.  Celsus,  from  several  places  in  Hippocrates, 
renders  the  word  praecordia.  Coslius  Aurelianus  does 
the  same.  The  state  of  tension  in  the  hypochondria 
should  be  examined  in  every  fever. 

Affections  of  the  hypochondria,  according  to  Hippo- 
crates, are,  hy/iochondrion  anesfiasmenon,  a  retraction  of 
the  hypochondrium  inwards,  without  any  proper  dis- 
order of  the  part  ;  hypochondria  diaborborizonta,  a  rum- 
bling of  the  hypochondria ;  hyfiochondrii  entasis,  a  soft- 
ish  tension  of  the  hypochondria ;  hyfiochondria  catcocer- 
asmena,  the  hypochondria  dried  up  and  contracted  in- 
wardly;  hyfiochondria  meceora,  raised  by  flatulencies  ; 
hyfiochondria  xyntasis, adistentionof  the  hypochondria 
from  inflammation ;  hyfiochondria  scoliloes,  an  inequality 
of  the  hypochondria;  hyftochondrium  c/tronium,  an  hy- 
pochondrium affected  with  an  obstinate  disorder  :  and 
HYPOCHONDRI'ACUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  »»•«- 
Xttfyiet,  the  hyfiochondrium').  The  HYPOCHONDRIAC 
DISEASE  ;  affect io  hy/iochondri<£,fiassio  hyfiochondriaca, 

HYPOCHOXDRIASIS,  VAPOURS,  SPLEEN,  &G. 

Hoffman,  with  great  propriety,  contends,  that  hyfio- 
chondriasis  is  not  the  same  disease  as  hysteria.  He  ob- 
serves, that  a  strangulation  of  the  fauces,  a  quick  and 
difficult  "respiration,  endangering  suffocation,  loss  of 
speech  and  motion,  are  the  proper  and  essential  symp- 
toms of  the  hysteria :  that  the  hypochondriasis  is  hivc- 
terate,  ami  rarely  so  effectually  relieved  as  not  to  be  again 
easily  excited ;  that  though  many  of  their  symptoms  are 


the  same,  yet  they  each  have  such  as  is  essential  to  it 
Many  others  comprehend  these  two  disorders  under  the 
general  title  nervous ;  and  think  that  they  only  differ  as 
affecting  different  sexes,  or  by  the  flatulence  of  the 
stomach,  which  distinguishes  hysteria.  Dr.  Cullen 
places  hypochondriasis  in  the  class  neuroses,  and  order 
adynamia: ;  and  defines  it  indigestion,  with  langour,  sad- 
ness, and  fear,  from  uncertain  causes,  in  a  melancholic 
temperament.  One  idiopathic  species  is  only  known. 
The  state  of  mind  peculiar  to  hypochondriacs  is  thus 
described  -by  Dr.  Cullen.  "  A  languor,  listlcssness. 
or  want  of  resolution  and  activity,  with  respect  to  all 
undertakings ;  a  disposition  to  seriousness,  sadness,  and 
timidity ;  as  to  all  future  events,  an  apprehension  of  the 
worst  or  most  unhappy  state  of  them;  and,  therefore, 
often  upon  slight  grounds  an  apprehension  of  great 
evil.  Such  persons  are  particularly  attentive  to  the  state 
of  their  own  health,  to  every  the  smallest  change  of 
feeling  in  their  bodies ;  and  from  any  unusual  sensation, 
perhaps  of  the  slightest  kind,  they  apprehend  great 
danger,  and  even  death  itself.  In  respect  to  these 
feelings  and  fears,  there  is  commonly  the  most  obsti- 
nate belief  and  persuasion."  He  adds,  that  it  is  only 
when  the  state  of  mind  just  described  is  joined  with 
indigestion,  in  either  sex,  somewhat  advanced  in  years, 
of  a  melancholic  temperament,  and  a  firm  and  rigid 
habit,  that  the  disease  takes  the  name  of  hyfiochondriac. 
The  seat  of  the  hypochondriac  passion  is  in  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels ;  for,  first,  these  parts  are  disordered, 
then  the  others  suffer  from  the  connection.  In  this 
Hoffman  agrees,  by  saying  the  peristaltic  motion  in  the 
bowels  is  retarded  by  spasms. 

The  causes  are,  sorrow,  fear,  or  excess  of  any  of  the 
passions;  too  long  continued  watching;  irregular  diet. 
Those  habitually  disposed  to  it — and  these  causes  have 
little  effect  in  other  constitutions — have  generally  a  sal- 
low or  brown  complexion,  and  a  downcast  look,  a  ri- 
gidity of  the  solids,  and  torpor  of  the  nervous  system. 
Whatever  may  occasjon  nervous  disorders,  in  general, 
may  be  the  cause  of  this  in  particular. 

The  signs  of  this  complaint  are  so  various,  that  to  de- 
scribe them  is  to  describe  almost  every  other  disease  ; 
but  in  general  there  is  an  insurmountable  indolence, 
dejected  spirits,  dread  of  death,  costiveness,  a  slow  and 
somewhat  difficult  inspiration,  flatulencies  in  the  primae 
vise,  and  various  spasmodic  affection.  It  is  seldom 
fatal;  but  if  neglected,  or  improperly  treated,  may  bring- 
on  melancholy,  jaundice,  madness,  or  vertigo,  palsy,  and 
apoplexy. 

The  hypochondriac  disease  is  very  difficult  to  cure  : 
it  rarely  occurs  early  in  life,  generally  in  more  advanced 
years  only ;  and  when  once  it  has  taken  place,  it  in- 
creases as  life  advances.  Indigestion,  accompanied 
with  vapours,  distinguishes  the  disease  when  the  tem- 
perament is  of  this  peculiar  kind. 

If  the  disease  admits  of  a  cure,  it  is  by  means  slow 
and  steady  in  their  operation  ;  for  the  whole  constitu- 
tion mubt  be  corrected  before  any  expectation  of  relief 
can  be  obtained.  In  these  cases  the  mind  must  be 
cheered  by  every  pleasing  prospect ;  by  assurances  of  a 
cure;  by  change  of  place  and  objects;  by  engaging  it 
in  any  employment  which  will  interest  without  fatigu- 
ing. For  these  purposes  the  fashionable  mineral  waters 
may  be  drunk  on  the  spot,  and  they  should  be  of  the 


HYP 


782 


HYP 


mildly  cathartic  kind,  as  those  of  Cheltenham,  Seltzer, 
or  Tunbridge ;  but  the  cathartic  waters  are,  on  the 
whole,  preferable  to  those  which  contain  steel  among 
their  impregnations,  though  this  medicine  is  not  parti- 
cularly injurious. 

If.  these  plants  cannot  be  admitted,  an  active  emetic 
should  be  given,  and  repeated  every  three  or  four  days; 
a  small  blister  applied  to  the  neck  ;  and  the  bowels  kept 
freely  loose  by  the  pillulse  ex  aloe  cum  myrrha,  or  the 
tinctura  aloes.  Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  in  the  hy- 
pochondriasis  there  is  a  want  of  activity,  not  a  loss  of 
lone,  in  the  fibres,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  rigidity  in 
them ;  and  he  recommends  warm  bathing ;  drinking 
tea  and  coffee ;  exercise,  not  merely  to  excite  the 
activity  of  the  stomach,  but  to  divert  the  mind  from  its 
despondency. 

Astringents  are  generally  improper.  As  there  is 
usually  an  acid  in  the  stomach,  bitters  may  be  given 
with  the  alkaline  salts  and  rhubarb  :  but  chalybeates 
are  of  more  uncertain  efficacy;  and  bark,  in  general,  is 
injurious;  though,  when  attended  with  flatulence,  aro- 
matics  may  be  sometimes  allowed. 

In  managing  the  minds  of  hypochondriacs,  any  inti- 
mation that  their  complaints  are  imaginary,  must  be 
avoided,  and  neither  raillery  nor  reasoning  in  addressing 
them  employed.  Their  attention  should  be  engaged 
with  any  object  but  their  own  feelings;  diverted  with 
any  employment  not  attended  with  emotion,  anxiety,  or 
fatigue.  Diversion,  in  which  some  skill  is  required ; 
exercise  in  the  air,  which  requires  some  dexterity,  are 
both  to  be  admitted  :  riding  is  better  than  either  walk- 
ing, sailing,  or  travelling  in  a  carriage ;  and  a  distant 
journey  is  the  best.  The  study  of  botany,  which  com- 
bines exercise  with  employment,  has  been  highly  salu- 
tary. 

If  pain  and  flatulence,  accompanied  with  an  head- 
ach,  attend,  a  slight  anodyne  may  be  admitted  ;  and  if 
spasmodic  symptoms  are  considerable,  tending  to  con- 
vulsions, relief  may  be  obtained  by  means  of  opiates, 
joined  with  fetid  gums,  or  with  musk. 

Warm  bathing  in  pure  water,  heated  sufficiently  to 
raise  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  to  ninety  or  ninety-two, 
should  be  continued  until  some  relief  is  obtained,  and 
then  gradually  the  cold  bath  may  be  substituted. 
Cheerful  company  conduces  much  to  relief;  but 
boisterous  mirth,  or  any  exercise  carried  so  far  as  to 
fatigue,  are  injurious.  A  dry  warm  air  is  almost  uni- 
versally proper.  See  NERVOUS  DISEASES;  Hoffman  on 
the  Morbus  Hypochondriacus ;  Cullen's  First  Lines, 
vol.  iii.  edit.  4. 

IIYPOCHONDRI'ASIS.      See  HYPOCHONDRIACUS 

MORBUS. 

HYPOCHY'MA,  and  HYPOCHY'SIS,  (from  wr«, 
and  %vu,  to  pour;  because  the  ancients  thought  that  the 
opacity  proceeded  from  something  running  under  the 
crystalline  humour).  See  CATARACTA. 

HYPOCI'STIS,  (from  tur«,  under,  and  *<«-7'«,  the 
cistus}.  The  RAPE  OF  CISTUS  ;  orobanche;  cytinus  hy- 
Jiocistis  Lin. ;  not  inserted  in  the  last  edition  of  his 
species,  but  formerly  referred  to  the  genus  asarum ; 
asarum  hyfiocystis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  633.  The  inspissated 
juice  of  this  plant  is  of  a  firm  consistence,  and  a 
bright  black  colour ;  of  a  mild  astringent  taste ;  and  of 
similar  medical  virtues  with  the  Egyptian  acacia,  though 


differing  from  it  by  almost  totally  dissolving  in  rec- 
tified spirits  of  wine.  See  Raii  Historia  Plantarum ; 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica.  Both  this  and  the  acacia  are 
equally  disused;  and  both  were  employed  in  checking 
proiluvia. 

HYP.OCLE'PTICUM  VITRUM,  from  »*.,  under, 
and  >cA£3-/«,  to  steal;  because  it  seems  to  steal  away  the 
water  from  the  oil.  See  SEPARATORIUM. 

HYPOCCE'LON,  (from  vx-a,  under,  and  x«<A»»,  a 
cavity,}  a  cavity  under  the  lower  eye  lid.  See  Rufus 
Ephesius,  lib.  i.  cap.  4. 

HYPOCOPHO'SIS,  from  wr»,  under,  and  * 
deafness).     A  less  degree  of  cophosis. 

HYPOCRA'NIUM,  (from  viro,   under,  and 
the  skull).     An  abscess  seated  under  the  cranium,  be- 
tween it  and  the  dura  mater. 

HYPOCRATERIFO'RMIS,  (from  wo,  *.p*l>,p,  a 
cufi,  and  forma,  likeness').  Botanically  it  is  applied  to  a 
corolla,  when  it  extends  horizontally,  like  a  salver,  or, 
in  a  small  degree,  like  a  cup. 

HYPO'DERIS,  (from  t«re,  sub,  and  &f<«,  the  skin}. 
In  Rufus  Ephesius,  it  is  the  extremity  of  the  fore  part 
of  the  neck. 

HYPODE'RMIS,(from  ^«,and  hftutythe  skin}.  See 
CLITORIS. 

HYPOGALA,  (from  virt,  under,  and  y«A«,  milk}. 
A  collection  of  white  fluid  in  the  eye,  supposed  to  be 
sometime's  a  lacteal  deposition  in  women  who  give 
suck ;  sometimes  owing  to  the  wounding  a  milky  ca- 
taract in  the  operation  of  couching. 

HYPOGA'STRICASE'CTIO,(fromAy/!o,§-a*;num). 
See  LITHOTOMIA. 

HYPOGA'STRIC^E  ARTE'RIjE.  See  ILIAC*  AU- 
TERIJE  for  the  external  hypogastric  arteries.  The 
hypogastric  or  internal  iliac  artery  sinks  into  the  inside 
of  the  pelvis,  just  over  the  edge  of  the  sacrum  :  when 
it  arrives  there  its  branches  extend  to  the  contents  of 
the  pelvis,  and  then  go  through  the  sciatic  notch.  In 
the  foetus  the  internal  iliac  is  larger  than  the  external, 
because  it  supplies  the  placenta.  After  birth  it  conse- 
quently shrinks,  and  makes  the  chord,  which  was  before 
the  umbilical  vessels. 

HYPOGA'STRICJE  VE'NJE.  These  veins  run  the  same 
course  with  their  corresponding  arteries,  except  that 
they  do  not  send  off  the  vena  umbilicalis.  The  hypo- 
gastric  veins  are  the  internal  iliac  branches. 

HYPOGA'STRIUM,  (from  »»•«,  under,  andy*s7<»/>, 
the  stomach}.  Aqualiculus;  etron;  sometimes  imus  ven- 
ter ;  is  the  lower  external  region  of  the  fore  part  of  the 
belly,  extending  from  the  lower  extremity  of  the  regio 
umbilicalis,  to  the  bottom  of  the  ossa  innominata.  It 
is  divided  into  the  pubes  before,  and  the  groins  on 
each  side.  When  the  integuments  are  removed  from 
this  region  you  discover  the  linea  alba,  the  lineae  se- 
niilunares,  and  the  lines  transversae. 

HYPOGASTROCE'LE,(from  w«y*^«>»,  hyfiogas- 
trium,  and  *>>A>>,  tumour}.  See  HERNIA  VENTRALIS. 

HYPOGLO'SSI  EXTE'RNI  vel  MAJO'RES, 
NE'RVI,  (from  vict,  under,  and  y^aa-cm,  a  tongue,) 
linguales  and  gustatorii ;  the  ninth  pair  of  nerves,  which 
arise  just  above  the  foramen  magnum,  and  pass  out  at 
the  holes  on  its  sides  above  the  condyles  of  the  os  occi- 
pitis.  As  soon  as  they  have  passed  out  of  the  cranium, 
they  run  betwixt  the  carotid  artery,  and  the  internal 


If  YP 


'83 


U  YP 


jugular  vein,  to  the  tongue,  on  the  side  of  the  digastric 
muscle. 

HYPOGLO'SSIS,  ami  HYPOGLO'SSUM,  (from 
uir»,  under,  and  yAa/s-c-*,  the  tongue^)  is  that  part  of 
the  tongue  which  adheres  to  the  lower  jaw,  and  the 
seat  of  the  disease  called  rana,  whence  .Etius  names  it 
t»r« vAa/T-s-io 5  j8*/f*^<«j,  the  frog  under  the  tongue.  See 
RAN  u  LA. 

HYPOGLO'TTIDES,  (from  w»,  sub,  and  yA*T?*, 
the  tongue,)  a  lozenge  to  be  held  under  the  tongue 
until  dissolved.  It  sometimes  is  the  appellation  of  the 
glands  under  the  tongue. 

HYPOGLU'TIS,  (from  t«r«,  under,  and  yAai/Jo?,  the 
breech,)  the  fleshy  part  under  the  nates  towards  the 
thigh.  The  flexure  of  the  coxa,  under  the  nates,  has 
sometimes  this  apellation. 

HYPO'MIA,    (from    VTTO,    under,    and    *>,«.«;,    the 
shoulder,)  the  part  subjacent  to  the  shoulder.     Galen. 

HYPO'NOMOS,  (from  I/T«,  under,  and  »»fti»,  a  phu- 
gedenic  ulcer,)  a  deep  sinuous  phagedenic  ulcer. 

HYPOPE'DIUM,  (from  MM,  sub,  and  *-«i/s,  pea,  the 
foot) .  A  cataplasm  for  the  sole  of  the  foot. 

HYPOPHA'SIA,  (from  t/T«<p«i»»f<.*<,  to  afifiear  a  lit- 
tle,) winking  when  the  eye  lids  are  nearly  closed. 

HYPO'PHASIS,  (-from  the  same).  A  symptom 
which  consists  of  closing  the  eyes  during  sleep,  but 
partially,  so  that  a  slight  motion  of  the  eye  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  organ  are  perceived. 

HYPO'PHORA,  (from  wnpipofixi,  to  be  carried  or 
conveyed  underneath).  A  deep  fistulous  ulcer. 

HYPOPHTHA'LMIOX,  (from  wn>,  sub,  and  »<ptal- 
ft»s,  the  eye).  The  part  under  the  eye  subject  to  swell 
in  a  cachexy  or  dropsy. 

H  YPOPH  YLLOSPE'RMI,  (from  wr«,  under,  0t,AA«, 
a  leaf,  and  a-vepfta,  seed).  Such  plants  as  bear  their 
seed  on  the  back  part  of  their  leaves. 

HYPO'PHYSIS,  (from  vx»,  under,  and  0v«,  to  pro- 
duce). -  See  TRICHIA. 

HYPOT'IA,  (from  wx/>,  and  a-fy,  oculus.)  Sugilla- 
tions  in  the  part  under  the  eye. 

HYPOPLEU'ROSIS.  See  PLEURA. 
-  HYPOPYON,  (from  «*•«»  under,  and  irv<n,  pus). 
Pyosis,  and  abscessus  oculi.  The  disease  has  been  con- 
sidered to  arise  from  a  collection  of  pus  under  the 
cornea ;  but  this  idea  is,  at  least,  imperfect,  if  not  er- 
roneous. The  matter  is  not  confined  to  the  anterior 
chamber  of  the  eye,  nor  is  it  purulent.  It  sometimes 
collects  in  the  posterior  chamber,  and  is  never  truly 
pus,  but  that  kind  of  sebaceous  mucus  which  is  found 
between  the  eye  lids  of  diseased  eyes,  or  of  a  consistence 
between  this  and  what  is  found  effused  on  inflamed 
membranes  after  death.  The  hypopyon  is,  at  least, 
never  the  consequence  of  the  real  ulceration  which 
takes  place  between  the  laminae  of  the  cornea. 

It  is  the  exudation  of  the  gluten,  in  consequence  of 
inflammation,  which  first  falls  to  the  bottom  of  the 
aqueous  humour,  appearing  there  in  the  form  of  a 
crescent,  from  the  capillary  attraction  of  the  sides  of 
the  coats.  It  gradually  fills  both  chambers,  passing 
through  the  pupil,  and  conceals  the  iris ;  but,  after  the 
active  period  of  inflammation  ends,  seems  to  increase 
no  further.  After  this  period,  also,  it  gives  little  pain  ; 
and  common  people,  as  well  as  children,  bear  it  as  an 
unavoidable  effect  of  ophthalmia,  with  little  uneasiness, 
and  as  little  complaint. 


As  the  hypopyon  is  with  difficulty  removed,  it  should 
be  with  the  utmost  care  prevented'.  When  therefore 
it  is  threatened,  the  remedies  of  ophthalmia  should  be 
employed  with  augmented  rigour  and  activity,  to  pre- 
vent its  occurrence  or  increase.  When  it  has  taken 
place,  friction  has  been  employed  to  promote  its  ab- 
sorption, or  we  have  been  directed  to  puncture  the 
cornea  to  discharge  it.  It  is  easy  to  direct  both  ;  and 
the  surgeon,  after  he  has  given  these  directions,  seems 
to  rest  in  security.  Nothing  is  more  fallacious  than 
such  indiscriminate  advice. 

Friction,  in  a  supine  posture,  as  recommended,  is 
often  injurious  by  increasing  the  inflammation,  and 
consequently  the  exudation.  It  is  at  the  same  time 
highly  painful,  and  cannot  be  continued. 

The  division  of  the  cornea  to  discharge  the  matter 
is  a  more  obvious  measure.  Many  inconveniences, 
however,  attend  this  operation;  and  not  the  least  is  the 
inflammation  which  the  operation  excites,  by  which  the 
disease  is  exasperated.  If,  according  to  Richter's  ad- 
vice, the  aperture  is  small,  the  time  required  for  the 
discharge  of  the  viscid  fluid  is  so  long,  that  the  edges  of 
the  wound  suppurate,  the  iris  is  prolapsed,  and  the 
crystalline  often  discharged.  At  best,  we  substitute  an 
ulceration  of  the  cornea  to  the  hypopyon.  There  is, 
indeed,  one  case  in  which  the  operation  may  be  risked, 
with  all  its  inconveniences,  where  the  distention  is 
so  great  as  to  bring  on  inflammation,  and  destroy  the 
organ.  In  general,  it  is  better  to  trust  to  absorption, 
which  Janin  supposed  to  be  accelerated  by  decoction 
of  mallows,  and  others  by  an  infusion  of  sage ;  but 
these  act  as  emollients  only. 

Other  practitioners  have  employed,  to  promote  ab- 
sorption, bags  of  tepid  mallows,  with  some  camphor,  or 
the  vitriolic  collyrium,  with  mucilage  of  quince  seeds, 
varying  the  proportions  according  to  the  degree  of  sen- 
sibility ;  for,  though  it  should  be  always/i?/;  to  irritate, 
the  irritation  should  not  be  so  considerable  as  to  pro- 
duce inflammation. 

When  the  distention  is  so  great  as  to  destroy  the  or- 
gan, and  to  be  near  bursting,  it  may  be  opened,  the 
crystalline  suffered  to  escape,  and  the  ball  of  the  eye  to 
sink,  so  as  to  admit  of  an  artificial  one.  In  this  case  the 
sight  cannot  be  recovered :  the  pain  may  be  relieved, 
and  deformity  prevented.  When  a  natural  opening 
occurs  at  an  earlier  period,  so  as  to  admit  of  a  dis- 
charge, it  may  be  allowed  to  proceed ;  for  natural  open- 
ings are  not  so  injurious  as  artificial  ones.  In  such 
cases,  when  the  matter  is  evacuated  the  ulcer  may  be 
healed  by  touching  its  edges  with  the  argentum  nitratum 
in  a  diluted  state. 

See  St.  Yves  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Eye;  Heister's 
Surgery;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iii.  p.  313,  kc.;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  232 ;  Scarpa  on  Diseases  of  the  Eye ; 
Richter  Observationum  Chirurgicarum,  fasciculus  i. 
cap.  12;  Janin  Memoirs,  &c.  sur  1'CEil  99,  p.  405. 

HYPORI'NION,  (from  VTO,  sub,  and  fit,  the  nose,) 
the  parts  of  the  upper  lip,  below  the  nostrils. 

HYPOSA'RCA,  and  HYPOSARCI'DIOS,  (from 
viro,  under,  and  <r*/>|,y?f«A).  See  ANASARCA,  and  PIIYS- 

CONIA. 

HYPOSPADLE'OS,  (from  vr»,  sub,  and  rirxu,  to 
draw").  The  urethra  terminating  under  the  glans.  - 

HYPOSPATHI'SMUS,  (from  wr«,  sub,  and  <nr*ir., 
a  spatula}.  An  operation  formerly  used  in  surgery  for 


HYP 


784 


HYS 


removing  defluxions  in  the  eyes;  named  from-  the  in- 
strument with  which  it  was  performed.  See  P. 
^Egineta,  lib.  vi.  cap.  6. 

IIYPOSPIIA'GM  A,  (from  wr»,  and  o-p«£«,  vel  a^cn- 
TU,  jugulo).  A  suffusion  of  blood,  and  sugillation  in 
the  tunica  adnata  of  the  eye.  This  disease  differs  from 
an  ophthalmia,  though  it  proceeds  from  a  blow,  as  it  is 
not  inflammatory.  Jt  sometimes  arises  from  internal 
causes,  as  scurvy,  and  then  antiscorbutics  alone  are 
necessary  for  the  cure :  if  from  a  blow  or  contusion, 
bleeding  must  he  employed,  and  repeated,  in  proportion 
to  the  pain,  inflammation,  and  violence  of  the  blow  ; 
leeches  may  also  be  applied  to  the  eye  lid,  with  the 
other  remedies  of  ophthalmia. 

HYPOSTAPHYLE,  (from  vx»,sub,  and  <f\<t<fv>,^  the 
in<ula,)  jirocidentia  u-uule^  columella;  craspedon;  is 
an  elongation  of  the  uvula,  from  relaxation,  inflamma- 
tion, or  ulceration,  attended  with  uneasiness  and  dif- 
ficulty in  swallowing,  cough,  nausea,  commonly  a 
continual  spitting,  sometimes  a  difficulty  of  breathing, 
and  a  stammering  or  faulty  articulation.  There  are  two 
species;  one  arising  from  inflammation,  the  other  from 
relaxation.  In  the  first,  the  uvula  is  swelled,  hot,  acutely 
painful,  of  a  red  or  livid  colour,  and  falls  down  in  an 
altered  form.  Sometimes  suppuration  comes  on,  and 
the  difficulty  both  of  swallowing  and  breathing  is  more 
considerable  than  in  the  subsequent  species.  When 
this  complaint  is  very  violent,  there  is  apparent  danger 
of  strangulation.  It  is  cured  by  bleeding  and  purging; 
gargling  with  emollient  and  subastringent  liquids,  and 
sometimes  scarification.  In  the  second  species,  the 
uvula,  preserving  its  natural  colour,  is  relaxed,  elongat- 
ed, pale,  cold,  or  cedematous.  The  cure  then  depends 
upon  the  application  of  spirituous,  stimulant,  and  as- 
tringent-stimulants, with  the  internal  use  of  cathartics 
and  tonics.  The  following  gargle,  called  gargarisma 
aluminis,  is  an  excellent  restringent:  R.  aluminis  5  ij- 
decocti  horde!  ifrij.  mellis  rosae  3;  iij.  misce.  It  is  not 
only  useful  in  cases  of  relaxed  uvula,  but  wherever  the 
topical  use  of  astringents  is  required  ;  in  ulcerations  of 
the  throat,  fauces,  or  gums.  If  it  yields  not  to  proper 
stimulant  applications  exhibited  internally,  as  well  as 
externally,  the  pnrt  must  be  amputated,  and  the  haemorr- 
hage, if  necessary,  stopped  by  styptics. 

HYPO'STASIS,  (from  vQie-lim,  to  subside').  The 
sediment  in  urine. 

HYPOTHE'NAR,  (from  nr«,  under,  and  &tmp,  the 
palm  of  the  head).  See  ABDUCTOR  MINIMI  DIGITI 
MANUS.  It  is  also  that  part  of  the  hand  which  is  oppo- 
site to  the  palm.  , 

HYPOTHESIS,  (from  wo  ntvfu,  to  suppose).  As 
the  derivation  implies,  it  is  a  gratuitous  supposition 
employed  sometimes  to  connect,  sometimes  to  exa- 
mine, the  nature  of  facts ;  as  the  mathematician  occa- 
sionally supposes  an  unknown  number  to  be  a  given 
one,  in  order  to  try  whether,  when  substituted,  it  will 
be  found.to  solve  the  problem.  If  an  hypothesis  con- 
nects the  facts,  it  is  useful  whether  it  be  true  or  false, 
for  it  gives  a  facility  of  explanation  by  supplying  lan- 
guage; and  if  given  only  as  such  will  not  mislead.  A 
theory,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  fair  philosophical  induc- 
tion from  facts,  leading  to  a  ready  and  probable  expla- 
nation. 

IIYPO'THETON,  (from  v™,  under,  and  rit^,,  to 
put)-     Sec  SUPPOSITOIUUM. 


HYPOZO'MA,  (from  ««,  and  £*»•»/*«,  to  bind 
round}.  See  DIAPHRAGMA. 

HYPSILOGLO'SSUS,  i.  e.  BASIOGLOSSUS, 
(from  v,  the  hyoid  bone,  and  yAws-cvt,  lingua,  the  tongue'). 
See  HYOGLOSSUS. 

HYPSILOI'DES,  (from  v,  ujisilon,  and  iihs,  like- 
ness ).  The  os  HYOIDES,  and  the  BASIOGLOSSUS  MUS- 
CLE. See  HYOGLOSSUS. 

HYPTIA'SMOS,  (from  Mr7«*C*»  to  lie  with  the  face 
if/wards').  A  supine  posture,  or  a  nausea,  with  inclina- 
tion to  vomit. 

HYPPU'LUS,  (from  va-o,  under,  and  auPuj,  a  cicatrix}, 
An  ulcer  which  lies  under  a  cicatrix. 

HYSSOPIFO'LIA,  (from  hyssopus,  hyssop,  and/b- 
lium,  a  leaf)*  See  ADHATODA. 

HYSOPHY'LLUM,  (from  t/cvw*?,  hyssop,  and 
^t>AA«n,  folium,  a  leaf).  See  BUPLEURUM. 

HYSSOPI'TES,  (from  vtraires,  hyssop).  Wine  im- 
pregnated with  hyssop. 

HYSSO'PUS,  (from  the  Hebrew  word  azab,  a  holy 
herb,  or  a  herb  appointed  for  cleansing  holy  places). 
HYSSOP.  .Symphytum  petr<zum;  hyssopus  officinalis 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  796,  is  a  low  shrubby  plant,  with  brittle 
branched  stalks,  square  when  young,  but  round  when 
old.  The  leaves  are  oblong,  narrow,  and  of  a  dark 
green  colour;  the  flowers  in  loose  spikes,  of  a  blood 
colour.  It  is  perennial,  cultivated  in  gardens,  and 
flowers  in  July  and  August. 

The  leaves  have  aa  aromatic  smell,  and  a  bitterish, 
warm  taste.  Water  extracts  the  greater  part  of  their 
virtues,  but  spirit  more  perfectly;  and  the  extract  made 
by  evaporating  the  spirituous  tincture  scarcely  loses  any 
degree  of  the  virtues  of  the  plant.  From  about  six 
pounds  of  leaves  an  ounce  of  essential  oil  may  be 
obtained  by  distilling  in  water. 

This  plant  is  esteemed  as  an  attenuant,  corroborant, 
and  expectorant;  useful  in  humoral  asthmas,  coughs, 
and  other  disorders  of  the  breast  and  stomach,  accom- 
panied with  inflammatory  symptoms.  These  virtues 
are,  however,  much  disputed  by  modern  writers,  par- 
ticularly Cullen.  In  these  cases  an  infusion  of  the 
leaves  may  be  sweetened  whh  honey,  and  drunk  at 
pleasure  by  those  who  still  entertain  a  favourable 
opinion  of  this  medicine.  In  a  fomentation  and  poul- 
tice, in  contusions,  and  for  removing  the  blackness 
occasioned  by  the  ecchymosis,  hyssop  has  been  consid- 
ered an  efficacious  remedy.  See  Lewis  and  Cullen's 
Materia  Medica. 

HYSSO'PUS     CAPITA'TA.        See     SERPYLLUM     VUL- 

GARE. 

HY'STERA,  (from  wr7f/>««,  behind,  because  placed 
behind  the  other  parts).  See  UTERUS  and  INVOLU- 
CRA. 

HYSTERA'LGIA  FEBRICO'SA.  A  QUOTIDIAN- 
FEVEII,  with  pain  in  the  womb. 

HYSTERIA'LGIA,  (from  hystcra,  the  -womb,  and 
«Ayj;,  dolor,  pain).  Whatever  excites  pain  in  the 
uterus  resembling  labour  pains,  and  called  false.  See 
ACETUM. 

HYSTE'RIA  FEBRICO'SA.  A  TERTIAN  FEVER, 
with  spasms  and  convulsions. 

HYSTE'RIA,  (from  v<r]ipct,  the  womb,  from  which 
the  disease  was  supposed  to  arise).  HYSTERICS;  an 
appellation  of  the  midwiyes  of  Greece  and  Italy  who 
practised  medicine  among  women.  It  is  one  of  those 


II  Y  S 


785 


H  YS 


disorders  that  ranks  among  the  nervous,  and  arises  from 
a  preternatural  irritability,  owing  very  frequently  to 
some  change  in  the  uterine  system.  Dr.  Cullen  places 
it  in  the  class  neuroses  and  order  sfiaumi;  defining  it  a 
rumbling  noise  in  the  belly,  witlrthe  sensation  of  a  ball 
rolling  in  the  abdomen,  ascending  to  the  stomach  and 
fauces,  and  there  producing  a  sense  of  strangulation, 
drowsiness,  convulsions,  profuse  quantity  of  pale  urine; 
the  mind,  though  not  spontaneously,  fickle  and  mutable. 
The  varieties  arise  from  the  remote  causes ;  a  reten- 
tion, or  too  copious  flow  of  the  menses ;  leucorrhoea  ; 
obstruction  of  the  viscera ;  a  defect  in  the  stomach ; 
lasciviousness.  The  belly  is  often  tumid,  and  the  na- 
vel is  drawn  inward ;  a  general  shivering  with  coldness 
often  attends ;  a  frequent  discharge  of  very  pale  or  lim- 
pid urine  ;  costiveness  ;  anxiety  ;  pain  of  the  head,  as  if 
a  nail  was  fixed  in  it ;  palpitation  of  the  heart ;  a  gene- 
ral tremor;  an  unequal  and  languid,  or  a  quick  flut- 
tering pulse  ;  coldness  of  the  extremities ;  a  pale  coun- 
tenance; convulsive  twitchings,  increasing  to  the  most 
violent  spasms ;  alternate  laughing  and  crying,  are  the 
most  common  symptoms.  When  the  fit  goes  off, 
though  the  patient  seems  ready  to  expire,  and  lies  for 
many  hours  apparently  dead,  the  whole  of  the  disorder 
disappears,  and,  in  some  instances,  a  perfect  health  is 
apparently  restored.  Hoffman  observes,  that  hysteric 
patients  rarely  die  without  the  attack  of  an  epilepsy  or 
apoplexy  ;  from  both  which,  and  from  syncope,  it  should 
be  distinguished.  See  EPILEPSY  and  APOPLEXY. 

Girls,  on  the  approach  of  the  menses,  and  women 
who  labour  under  a  difficult  menstruation,  are  subject 
to  this  disease,  which  often  also  attends  pregnancy. 

Everything  which  weakens  the  constitution  renders 
it  more  irritable.  Among  the  causes  of  hysteria,  there- 
fore, may  be  mentioned  excessive  evacuations,  particu- 
larly of  the  catamenia,  late  hours,  depressing  passions, 
continued  anxiety,  hope  delayed,  violent  excitement, 
plethora,  excess  of  drinking,  &c.  The  causes  of  a  fit 
are  frequently  surprise,  apprehension,  sudden  grief, 
often  indigestion ;  but  the  paroxysms  occasionally  recur 
without  any  obvious  cause,  particularly  when  occasion- 
ed by  plethora,  which,  in  a  constitution  where  the  ba- 
lance of  the  circulation  is  nicely  poised,  often  occasions 
convulsive  paroxysms.  See  CONVULSION'S. 

During  the  fit,  if  the  suffocation  is  violent,  pungent 
acid  spirits  may  be  held  under  the  nose,  or  rubbed 
round  the  temples,  with  moderate  frictions  about  the 
praecordia,  and  on  the  feet.  Stools  may  be  procured 
by  a  clyster  made  of  -an  infusion  of  camomile  flowers 
and  common  salt,  or  of  two  ounces  of  soap  dissolved  in 
a  pint  and  a  half  of  water,  if  the  flatus  forcing  down- 
wards will  admit  of  their  injection ;  feathers  may  be 
burnt  under  the  nose,  or  cold  water  dashed  in  the  face. 
A  fit,  however,  seldom  proves  fatal ;  and  our  chief  at- 
tention must  be  directed  to  the  management  of  the 
patient  in  the  interval,  to  prevent  a  return  of  the 
paroxysm.  Avoiding  the  remote  causes,  whatever  they 
may  be,  is  indispensable ;  but  when  owing  to  plethora, 
this  part  of  our  conduct  is  involved  in  difficulties. 
Bleeding  for  a  time  may  lessen,  but  will  ultimately  in- 
crease, plethora;  and  a  sudden  abstraction  of  tension,  in 
any  respect,  will  induce  a  fit.  When  stays  were  worn 
tight,  a  delicate  woman  would  often  experience  an 
hysteric  spasm  on  taking  them  off.  The  regulation  of 
the  diet,  and  of  the  alvine  excretions,  are  the  only  prac- 

VOL.  i. 


ticable  means  of  obviating  plethora :  but  even  this  re- 
quires delicacy  in  the  conduct,  for  suddenly  abstracting 
the  rich  nourishment,  to  which  some  hysteric  women 
are  accustomed,  will  produce  syncope;  and  in  every 
case,  even  the  more  gradual  diminution  occasions  lan- 
guor. The  same  effects  follow  discharges  by  stool,  if 
in  excess ;  and  in  each  we  must  proceed  with  caution, 
meeting  the  inconveniences  so  far  as  we  can.  Obvi- 
ating the  other  remote  causes  requires  no  particular 
management. 

Our  first  object  in  the  intervals  is  to  obviate  flatu- 
lence, which,  though  a  symptom,  seems,  in  some  in- 
stances, to  be  a  remote  cause.  Tor  this  purpose  the 
fetid  gums  are  highly  useful ;  but  opium  is  a  mort: 
powerful  medicine  in  this  view,  and,  though  in  many 
respects  inconvenient,  is  often  indispensable.  When 
the  head  is  not  particularly  affected  by  opiates,  or  where 
its  exhibition  is  not  followed  by  sickness  and  faintness, 
the  only  inconvenience  resulting  from  it  is  producing 
costiveness.  The  seeds  of  the  henbane,  as  we  have 
lately  had  occasion  to  mention,  unite  the  advantages  of 
opium  without  this  effect.  With  opium  sometimes 
camphor  may  be  joined,  to  correct  its  bad  consequences 
on  the  stomach  and  head ;  sometimes  castor  ;  but  there 
are  many  habits  in  which  opium,  however  managed,  is 
injurious.  The  warmer  stimulants  act  also  as  carmi- 
natives ;  particularly  the  aromatics,  the  bayberries, 
ether,  some  of  the  essential  oils,  and  the  animal  oil 
of  Dippel. 

\Vith  a  view  to  correct  the  constitutional  defect 
tonics  of  every  kind  are  employed,  and  particularly  such 
medicines  or  combinations  as  are  at  the  same  time  anti- 
spasmodic.  The  chief  of  the  vegetable  tonics  is  bark, 
which,  alone,  proves  very  generally  injurious.  With 
rhubarb  and  aromatics  it  is  more  useful,  and  with  vale- 
rian often  a  very  effectual  remedy,  though  too  un- 
pleasant to  be  continued  for  a  long  time.  The  casca- 
rilla,  as  less  astringent,  is  less  injurious  ;  and  the  bitters, 
with  aromatics,  are  often  valuable  medicines  in  this 
complaint.  The  astringents,  as  the  catechu  and  alum, 
are  injurious. 

Numerous  tonics  are  derived  from  the  mineral  king- 
dom ;  but  the  remedy  chiefly  employed  is  the  steel, 
and  sometimes  the  zinc.  Every  preparation  of  iron 
has  been  given  in  this  complaint  with  equal  success, 
and  perhaps  there  is  no  real  foundation  for  a  preference. 
The  calcined  and  the  vitriolated  zinc  have  been  some- 
times useful.  Copper  and  silver,  in  the  forms  of  the 
cuprum  ammoniacale  and  argentum  nitratum,  have 
been  rather  used  as  antispasmodics  than  as  tonics, 
though  they  seem  chiefly  useful  in  the  latter  view.  In 
general  the  mineral  tonics,  particularly  the  iron,  are 
injurious,  when  any  degree  of  inflammatory  diathesis  or 
plethora  is  present.  See  Hoffman  and  Wallis's  Syden- 
ham  on  the  Hysterics  ;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv. 

HYSTE'RICO  HYPOCHONDRI'ACUS  MORBUS.  HYSTERICO 
HYPOCHONDRIAC  DISEASE.  Authors  have  usually  con- 
tended that  hysteria  and  hypochondriasis  were  the 
same  diseases,  differing  in  the  sexes  which  they  at- 
tacked; the  former  particularly  affecting  women,  and 
the  latter  men.  This,  however,  was  the  result  of  care- 
lessness and  inattention.  The  diseases  are  peculiarly 
distinct  in  every  respect ;  but,  like  other  congeneres, 
though  distinct,  they  may  be  united  in  the  same  indi- 
vidual. Thus  the  hypochondriac,  who  always  suffers 
5  H 


H  YS 


786 


II  Y  V 


from  flatulence,  may  be  occasionally  attacked  with  true 
hysteric  paroxysms;  and  the  truly  hysteric  woman  may 
have  many  of  the  symptoms  of  hypochondriasis.  These 
combinations,  however,  are  very  rare,  and  would  not 
have  been  noticed,  but  in  respect  to  authors  of  credit, 
who  have  considered  them  as  of  more  importance  than 
they  merit. 

We  mention  this  union  also  with  another  view.  Dr. 
Wallis,  in  his  publication  on  Disease  and  Health, 
thinks  that  he  has  discovered  an  hysterico  hypochon- 
driac disease,  and  the  description  he  has  introduced  in- 
to the  last  edition  of  this  dictionary.  Nothing  could 
show  more  clearly  tlfc  want  of  discrimination  which 
pervades  every  page  of  the  former  edition  than  the  des- 
cription of  this  supposed  disease.  It  differs  wholly 
from  both ;  and  is  evidently  a  slow  fever,  from  accumu- 
lations in  the  head,  probably  joined  with  acrimony  in 
the  fluids.  The  patient,  he  remarks,  generally  broods 
over  some  personal,  but  imaginary  calamity.  He  does 
the  same  in  nervous  fever,  in  syphilis,  and  a  variety  of 
other  diseases :  they  are  not,  therefore,  to  be  reduced  to 
hysteria,  hypochondriasis,  .or  a  combination  of  both. 

In  this  complaint  this  author  found  warm  stimulants, 
a  generous  diet,  with  topical  discharges  from  the  head, 
the  most  useful  remedies.  They  probably  would  be 
so,  but  the  complaint  is  not  on  this  account  either  of 
those  which  are  the  present  objects  of  our  attention. 

HYSTERIA  CATALEPTICA.  A  farther  investigation  of 
the  subject  of  catalepsy  has  led  us  to  consider  it,  with 
some  late  respectable  authors,  as  connected  with  hys- 
teria, or  hypochondriasis.  It  was  necessary  to  point 
out  these  connections,  though  they  do  not  greatly  in- 
validate the  former  suppositions.  The  principle  still 
remains  of  the  connection  of  clonic  and  tonic  spasms ; 
and  the  disease  still  depends  on  a  peculiar  mobility  and 


irritability  of  the  nervous  system.  See  Jebb  on  Para- 
lysis of  the  lower  Extremities  ;  Edinburgh  Medical  and 
Surgical  Journal,  vol.  i. ;  Swedish  Memoirs,  1778;  Pe- 
tetin  Electricite  Animate,  p.  140. 

HYSTERT'TIS,  (from  hystera,  the  -womb}.    See  IN- 

FLAMMATIO  UTERI. 

HYSTEROCE'LE,  (from  KVAD,  a  tumour,  and  vo-Ttiftj, 
the  womb}.  See  HERNIA  UTERI. 

HYSTEROCY'STICA  ISCHU'RIA,  (from  hyste- 
ra, the  womb,  and  *t»e-7<{,  the  bladder).  A  SUPPRESSION 
of  URINE,  from  the  pressure  of  the  uterus  against  the 
neck  of  the  bladder.  See  ISVHURIA. 

HYSTEROLO'XIA,  (from  hystera,  and  A«|«5,  ob- 
lique}. OflnquiTY  of  the  WOMB  ;  a  supposed  cause  of 
difficult  parturition. 

HY'STERON,  (from  v<r]sf»s,  afterwards;  so  named 
because  it  follows  the  foetus).  AFTER  BIRTH.  See  IN- 
VOLUCRA. 

HYSTEROPHY'SE,  (from  hystera,  the  tuomb,  and 
pvr*,Jtatiu\  See  PHYSOMETRA. 

HYSTEROPTO'SIS,  (from  hystera,  and  «r;jr7»,  to 
fall).  Bearing  down  of  the  vagina  or  of  the  womb.  See 
PROCIDENTIA  UTERI,  and  VAGINAE. 

HYSTEROTO'MIA,  (from  vrrfp*,  the  uterus,  and 
rtftat,  a  section).  See  C^ESAREA  SECTIO. 

HYSTRICIASIS,  (from  »«T,,|,  a  hedgehog).  A  dis- 
ease in  which  the  hair  is  said  to  stand  erect  like  the 
prickles  of  a  hedgehog.  See  Philosophical  Transac- 
tions, No.  424. 

HYVOU'RAI  BRASILIA'NIS.  A  large  tree  in 
America,  supposed  to  be  a  species  of  that  which  pro- 
duces the  guaiacum,  as  its  bark  is  used  in  Brasil  for  the 
same  purposes  as  we  use  the  guaiacum  wood.  The 
name  hyvourahe  signifies,  in  the  Brasilian  language,  a 
rare  thing.  See  Lemery  des  Drogues. 


787 


I. 


ICH 

IA'MBLICHI  SA'LES;  from  IAMBLICHUS,  the  in- 
ventor.     A  preparation  with  sal  ammoniac,  some 
aromatic  ingredients,  &c. 

TATRALEI'PTES,  (from  i*lf»(,  a  flhysician,  and 
.«A£<$*,  to  anoint).  A  physician  who  cures  diseases  by 
ointments-and  frictions. 

lATROCHY'MICUS,  (from  talfos,  a  fihytician,  and 
%vf<u<t,  chemistry').  See  CHEMIATER. 

IATROLITTICE.  The  method  of  curing  disease 
by  unction  and  friction. 

lATROPHY'SICUS.  A  philosopher  who  treats  of 
medicine  as  a  branch  of  philosophy. 

I'BA.     See  A.MXGA. 

IBE'RIS,  (from  Iberia,  where  it  flourishes).  C»Bni- 
MAXTicA,or  SCIATICA  CRESSES  ;  Ufiidium  iberis  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  900.  See  LEFIDIUM  and  CARDAMINES. 

IBE'RIUS.     See  LEPIDIITM  GRAMIXIS  FOLIO. 

IBIBIRA'BA.  A  berry -bearing  tree  in  Brasil:  a 
•water  distilled  from  its  flowers  and  leaves  is  used  in  in- 
flammations of  the  eyes.  See  Rail  Historia. 

IBI'RA.  A  tree  in  Brasil,  whose  fruit,  when  dried, 
is  used  instead  of  pepper.  Neither  this  nor  the  for- 
mer plant  is  found  in  the  modern  systems.  See  Raii 
Historia. 

IBIRA'CE.     See  GUAIACUM. 

IBI  RA-PITA  NGA.    See  LIGNCM  BRASILIUM. 

IBI'SCUS,  HIBISCUS,  q.  v.  MARSH-MALLOW.  See 
ALTHAEA,  and  ALTHAEA  THEOPHRASTI. 

IBI'XUMA,  (from  <*iwc«s,  the  mallow,  and  (|9«> 
glue;  from  having  a  glutinous  leaf  like  the  mallow). 
See  SAPOXAHIA. 

ICE,  used  as  a  means  of  abstracting  heat  in  hernia, 
haemorrhage,  and  many  other  chirurgical  diseases. 

I'CHOR;  (Greek  1%*? ;)  sanies;  a  bloody,  thin,  but 
acrid  fluid,  which  distils  from  wounds. 

I'CHTHYA,  (from  ^ivt,  a  Jish*).  The  name  of  a 
hook  for  extracting  the  foetus ;  from  its  likeness  to  a 
fish  hook ;  or  ras/iings,  according  to  Erotion. 

ICHTHYE'MATA,  (from  <;<;«•.«*,  the  scale  of  a  fish). 


ICH 

The  scales  of  fishes,  and  the  raspings  of  the  bark  of 
trees. 

ICHTHYOCO'LLA,  (from  trf*,  Ji*h,  and  WAA*, 
glue).  ISIXGLASS;  colla  fiiscium;  a  lean  na;  and  huso; 
FISH  GLUE,  is  a  solid  glutinous  substance,  prepared  in 
Muscovy  from  the  sturgeon.  The  skins  and  fins  are 
boiled  in  water ;  the  decoction  is  inspissated  to  a  due  con- 
sistence, and  poured  out  so  as  to  form  very  thin  cakes, 
which  are  either  dried  in  that  form,  or  cut  while  soft 
into  slices,  and  rolled  up  into  spiral  and  other  shapes. 
A  finer  kind  is,  it  is  said,  prepared  by  rolling  up  the 
air  bladders  of  the  accipenser  struthio.  That  which  is 
clear,  thin,  and  almost  transparent,  is  the  best.  See 
Philosophical  Truncations,  vol.  Ixiii. 

It  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  animal  glues,  without 
smell  or  taste.  When  beat  into  shreds,  it  readily  dis- 
solves in  Wfcter  or  milk,  forming  a  mild,  nutritious, 
restorative  aliment ;  as  well  as  a  remedy  in  the  fluor 
albus,  continued  diarrhoeas,  and  other  evacuations  from 
debility.  Its  solution  in  water  or  spirit,  if  nicely  spread 
upon  silk,  is  an  elegant  plaster  for  slight  injuries  to  the 
skin ;  and,  joined  with  some  resins,  it  is  called  court 
piaster.  (See  EMPL.  ADHJESIVUM  XIGRUM.)  It  is  said 
to  agree  with  the  gum  tragacanth  in  medicinal  vir- 
tues ;  but,  like  all  other  animal  mucilages,  it  soon  runs 
into  a  state  of  putrefaction,  and  becomes  more  irritating 
than  the  vegetable  mucilages.  Hollow  cylinders  of 
isinglass  are  employed  to  support  the  sides  of  a  divided 
intestine,  when  united  by  a  suture.  A  passage  is  thus 
left  for  the  contents,  which  by  a  solution  of  the  isinglass 
is  gradually  enlarged  till  the  wound  is  healed.  See 
Lewis's  MateriaMedica;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works; 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

ICHTHYOSIS,  (from  i%tv*,  the  scale  of  a  Jish, 
which  it  resembles).  A  harsh,  dry,  scaly,  and  almost 
horny  texture  of  the  skin,  differing  from  leprosy  by  its 
not  falling  off  in  branny  scales.  Above  and  below  the 
elbow  and  knee,  Dr.  Willan  observes,  that  the  scales  are 
small,  rounded,  and  papillary,  of  a  black  colour  :  the 
5  H  2 


1C  T 


788 


ICT 


papillae  have  short  narrow  necks,  with  broad  irregular 
tops.  On  die  rest  of  the  body  they  are  large  and  imbri- 
cated, sometimes  divided  by  whitish  furrows.  The 
soles  of  the  feet  are  dry  and  rough;  the  palms  of  the 
hands  thickened  and  brittle,  with  large  painful  fissures, 
and  the  face  is  covered  with  bran  rather  than  scales. 
The  inner  part  of  the  wrists  and  hams,  the  inside  of 
the  elbow,  and  the  furrow  along  each  side  of  the  spine, 
the  inner  and  upper  part  of  the  thigh,  are  usually  free. 
Some  perspiration  is  necessary ;  and  this  seems  occa- 
sionally to  produce  inflamed  pustules.  The  disease  ap- 
pears to  be  constitutional,  not  hereditary.  Two  cases 
of  a  horny  ichthyosis  impeding  the  motion  of  the  mus- 
cles are  described  in  the  68th  volume  of  the  Philoso- 
phical Transactions. 

I'CICA,  and  ICICA'RIBA.  GUM  ELEMI.  See 
ELEMI. 

I'CON.  A  figure:  the  abbreviation  of  icones  plan- 
tarum,  botanical  plates. 

ICOSA'NDRIA,  (from  IIMPI,  twenty,  and  «*»if,  a 
husband).  The  names  of  the  twelfth  class  of  the  Lin- 
nsean  system,  comprehending  those  plants  which  have 
hermaphrodite  flowers,  with  twenty  or  more  stamina, 
growing  on  the  inside  of  the  calyx,  not  on  the  recep- 
tacle. The  situation,  and  not  the  number,  of  stamina  is 
chiefly  to  be  attended  to.  The  calyx  is  also  monophyl- 
lous  and  concave  in  this  class  ;  and  the  claws  of  the  pe- 
tals are  fixed  into  the  inside  of  the  calyx. 

ICTERO'DES,  (from  <*7rpo5,  the  jaundice).     The 

BILIOUS  ARDENT  FEVER.    See  BlLlOSA  FEBKIS. 

ICTERI'TIjE,  (from  icterus,  the  jaundice}.  Disco- 
I.ORATIONS,  or  diseases  which  occasion  an  unusual  colour 
of  the  whole  skin  without  acute  fever. 

I'CTERUS,  (from  ix-lcpaf,  the  golden  thrush,  from 
the  complexion  of  the  patient  resembling  in  colour  the 
plumage  of  that  bird.  Pliny  ridiculously  observes,  that 
if  the  jaundiced  person  looks  on  this  thrush,  the  bird 
dies,  and  the  patient  recovers  ;)  the  JAUNDICE,  morbus 
arquatus,  aurigo,  morbus  regius,  cachexia  ecterica,  or 
icteritia;  by  Paracelsus,  leseoli  morbus.  It  is  owing  to 
an  obstruction  of  the  discharge  of  ihe  bilo  into  tw  bow 
els,  and  its  return  into  the  blood  by  the  absorbents.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  cachexix  and  or- 
der imfietigines;  defining  it  a  yellowness  of  the  skin  and 
eyes ;  white  faeces ;  the  urine  of  a  deep  red,  tinging  a 
white  rag  of  a  yellow  colour  when  dipped  into  it.  The 
species  are : 

1.  I'CTERUS  CALCULO'SUS,  when  there  is  acute  pain  in 
the  hy pogastric  region,  which  increases  after  eating,  and 
vvhen  bilious  concretions  pass  through  the  intestines. 

2.  I'CTEHUS  SI-ASMO'DICUS,  without  pain,  and  the  yel- 
lowness of  the  skin  happening  after  spasmodic  diseases 
or  affections  of  the  mind. 

3.  I'CTERUS  HEPATIC  us,  without  pain,  following  a  dis- 
ease of  the  liver. 

•     4.  I'CTEHUS  GRAVIDARUM,  arises  during   pregnancy, 
and  disappears  after  delivery. 

5.  I'CTERUS  INFA'NTUM,  happens  soon  after  their  birth. 
A  yellowness  of  the  skin  sometimes  arises  from  a  de- 
ficiency of  the  red  particles  of  the  blood,  or  the  effusion 
of  the  serum.  The  appearance  deceives  common  ob- 
servers, but  may  soon  be  distinguished  by  an  experi- 
rienced  eye.  The  yellow  tinge  of  the  urine  will  at 
once  decide  any  doubt.  Infants  have  a  yellowness  of- 
ten independent  of  bile  from  the  red  effusion  under 


the  skin,  assuming  a  yellow  colour,  after  being 
partly  absorbed.  The  true  jaundice  of  infants  proba- 
bly arises  from  thehardened  meconium  obstructing  the 
duct. 

The  genuine  jaundice  arises  from  an  obstruction  of 
the  duct,  by  gall  stones,  or  viscid  bile.  Sydenham 
speaks  of  a  symptomatic  jaundice  produced  by  hysteric: 
symptoms  ;  but  this  complaint  is  probably  the  icterus 
spasmodicus.  The  yellowness  from  the  bite  of  a  viper 
is  not  a  species  of  jaundice.  Women  are  generally  more 
subject  to  this  disease  than  men,  either  from  a  slower 
action  of  the  intestines  or  from  a  more  sedentary  life. 

The  cause  of  the  true   jaundice  is  the  bile  mixing 
with  the  blood   in  consequence  of  its  obstruction  from 
gall  stones,  spasms,  scirrhus,  and  sometimes  even  from 
flatulence  or  a  gravid  uterus.     A  scirrhous  liver  is  the 
cause  of  the  most  fatal  kind;  and  a  jaundice  is  often 
a  mark  of   a   constitution   wholly   decayed  :    in  such 
cases  the  liver  is  often  scirrhous.     In  a  late  publication 
Dr.   Gottlieb    Richter   thinks   it  probable,   that  "  the 
most  common  cause  of  jaundice  is  a  stimulus  or  irrita- 
tion acting  upon  the  hepatic  system,  which  prevents  the 
afflux,  secretion,  and  excretion  of  the  bilious  fluids  ;  or, 
rather  so  deranges  the  circulation  in  the  hepatic  system, 
that  the  several  parts  do  not  reach  their  destined  places, 
according  to  the   laws  of  health,  but  are  again  mixed 
with  the  general  mass."     In  proof  of  which  he  recites 
a  case  of  a  high  degree  of  jaundice,  where  no  gall  blad- 
der was  found ;  but,  in  its  place,  only  a  skinny  substance 
of  a  very  small  size,  without  any  cavity.     "  The  whole 
liver  was  full  of  white  concretions,  apparently  of  the 
nature   of  calcareous   earth,   of  different  sizes,   from 
-that  of  a  pea  to   that  of  a  cherry,  and  which  floated 
in  water."      In  this   case,  however,  though   the  bile 
formed  was  not  collected,   it  was  evidently  obstructedj 
and  of  course  absorbed.     He  confirms  his  opinion  by 
the  authority   of  Chaux,  who,   in   the   seventy-fourth 
volume   of  the  Journal    de   Mede.rinr.,    endeavours    to 
show  that   the  jaundice   can   be    cured    by    sedatives 
alone;  by  that  of  Selle,  who,  in   his  Medicina  Clinica, 
p.  292,  imputes  Uie  jaundice  to  a  stimulus;  anclofVogel, 
who,  in  his  Treatise  on  Jaundice,  published  at  Wetzlar 
in  1791,  has,  he  thinks,  proved   in  a  very  convincing 
manner  that  the  jaundice  is   occasioned  by  a  state  of 
irritation  in  the  liver.     See  Richter's  Medical  and  Sur- 
gical Observations. 

These  opinions  were  formerly  common,  but  have 
long  since  been  rejected  ;  and  jaundice  is  now  very  ge- 
nerally attributed  to  obstruction  of  the  bile  from  the 
causes  which  distinguish  the  species.  However,  when 
the  jaundice  affects  the  habit,  the  skin  and  whites  of 
the  eyes  are  usually  yellow,  the  excrements  most  fre- 
quently white,  and  the  urine  deposits  a  copious  dark 
sediment.  Besides  these,  an  inactivity,  anxiety,  sick- 
ness, indigestion,  uneasiness,  or  acute  pain,  at  the  pit 
of  the  stomach,  itching  in  the  skin,  and  other  symptoms, 
occasionally  attend.  In  general  every  function  is  dis- 
ordered, for  the  bile  mixes  in  part  with  every  secreted 
fluid,  except,  perhaps,  the  milk;  but  the  principal  in- 
conveniences arise  from  its  obstruction,  which  prevents 
its  action  on  the  stomach  and  intestines. 

When  a  scirrhus  of  the  liver,  or  the  gall  duct,  is  the 
cause,  a  cure  can  scarcely  be  expected ;  and  a  haemorr- 
hage, which  shows  that  the  blood  is  both  acrid  and 
thin,  is  highly  dangerous.  In  adults  this  disorder  often 


I  C  T 


789 


1C  T 


may  continue  many  months  without  any  considerable 
,er;but,  in  general,  its  duration  for  along  time  shows 
that  the  obstructing  cause  is  firmly  in.pactcd  ;  and  the 
injury  which  the  bile,  when  again  deposited,  docs  to 
the  digestive  organs  often  occasions  an  incurable  dys- 
;a,  or  a  chronic  debility,  with  a  general  dissolution 
of  the  fluids.  After  a  fit  of  jaundice  has  disappeared, 
another  slight  one  will  often  follow,  which  yields  with 
little  difficulty,  and  the  disease  is  not  peculiarly  liable 
again  to  recur. 

During  the  whole  of  this  disorder  the  patient  should 
use  frequent  exercise,  but  without  much  fatigue  ;  a 
warm  bath  and  cheerful  company  greatly  assist  the 
cure  :  the  diet  should  be  attenuating  and  ;.perient. 

Medicines  in  this  complaint  are  of  doubtful  efficacy, 
and  the  disease  often  yields  rather  to  the  iclaxation  of 
the  duct,  when  the  continuance  of  the  stimulus  renders 
it  habitual.  Stimulating  the  mouths  of  the  ducts  by 
the  most  soluble  laxative,  as  soap  and  the  neutrals; 
compressingthe  duct  by  the  joint  action  of  the  stomach, 
diaphragm,  and  abdominal  muscles,  as  in  the  operation 
of  vomiting;  and  alternating,  with  the  emetics  and 
cathartics,  opiates,  often  in  the  most  active  doses,  is 
the  best  plan.  The  operation  of  vomits  has  been  sup- 
posed likely  to  induce  inflammation  ;  this  consequence, 
however,  we  have  never  yet  found;  but  should  it  oc- 
cur, a  large  bleeding,  with  a  blister  externally,  and 
cooling  laxatives,  are  the  best  remedies.  The  castor 
oil  has  been  preferred  in  those  cases  as  a  laxative,  but 
it  seems  to  possess  no  peculiar  advantage.  Mercurials 
have  been  lately  given  in  jaundice  and  in  hepatitis,  it  is 
said,  with  success.  Calomel  is  undoubtedly  often  an 
useful  purgative.  The  best  exercise  is  riding  on  horse- 
back. 

If  a  viscid  bile  occasion  this  disorder,  which  is  known 
by  the  absence  of  an  acute  pain  at  the  pit  of  the 
stomach,  shooting  out  from  thence  to  the  back,  after 
bleeding,  and  an  emetic,  aloetic  and  mercurial  purges 
are  preferable  ;  after  these,  the  kali  acetatum  is  the 
best  remedy,  for  it  hath  all  the  advantages  of  soap 
without  its  disagreeable  taste,  and  is  at  the  same  time 
an  useful  febrifuge.  It  may  be  given  to  a  drachm,  or  a 
dn.thni  and  a  half  three  times  a  day. 

A  redundancy  of  bile  never  produces  jaundice,  for 
the  stools  are  highly  coloured  with  the  bile.  In  this 
case,  the  proper  remedies  are  active  purges,  particularly 
the  rhubarb  and  calomel,  in  doses  adapted  to  the  consti- 
tution of  the  patient.  Acids  and  demulcents  also  con- 
tribute to  the  relief. 

When  the  haemorrhage  is  a  troublesome  symptom, 
acids  and  demulcents,  the  ol.  ricini,  made  into  an 
emulsion,  or  a  decoction  of  hemp-seed  in  milk,  are  the 
best  remedies;  and  if  fever  require  it,  which  is  scarcely 
in  any  instance  the  case,  a  little  blood  may  be  taken 
from  the  arm. 

In  cas,e  of  a  scirrhus,  the  extractum  cicutae  may  be 
given  as  an  anodyne  or  palliative,  but  will  do  little  real 
service. 

As  an  attenuant,  the  rubia  tinctorum  is  said  to  be 
useful,  perhaps  because  it  is  yellow  ;  and  the  waters  of 
Bath  and  Harrow-gate  are  highly  esteemed.  Bitters,  and 
even  the  bile  of  animals,  have  been  given  to  supply  the 
place  of  bile  ;  forgetting  that  much  inconvenience 
arises  from  the  bile  secreted  in  the  stomach  when  accu- 


mulated in  the  blood.  After  the  disease  is  removed  they 
may  be  useful  to  restore  the  strength  of  the  stomach. 
See  CALCULUS  BJLIARIS. 

From  the  idea  of  jaundice  arising  from  irritation, 
or  spasmodic  affections  in  the  hepatic  system,  small 
dotes  of  ipecacuanha,  tartarized  antimony  and  valerian, 
asafoetida,  cataplasms  of  cicuta  and  hyoscyamus,  with 
linseed  tea  for  common  drink,  blisters,  locally  applied, 
in  case  of  pain,  with  opiates,  have  been  severally  admi- 
nistered, it  is  said,  with  success.  See  F.  Hoffman  ; 
Saunders  on  Bilious  Diseases ;  White  on  Diseases  of 
the  Bile  ;  Huxham  de  Acre  et  Morbis  Epidemicis,  p. 
143,  8cc.  ;  Sydenham;  Heberden's  Observations  in  the 
London  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  ii.  p.  123  ;  Medical 
Museum,  vol.  i. ;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iv.  ;  Coe  on 
Biliary  Concretions  ;  Maclurg  on  the  Bile. 

I'CTERUS  A'LBUS.     See  CHLOROSIS. 

ICTHYOSIS,  (from  «;tM,  a  ,/?*A).  A  species  of 
lepra,  in  which  the  eruption  appears  like  the  scales  of 
fish.  See  LEPRA. 

I'CTUS,  (from  ico,  to  strike').  A  STROKE  or  BLOW. 
It  signifies  also  the  pulsation  of  an  artery,  and  the  sting 
of  a  bee  or  any  other  insect. 

I'CTUS  SOLA'RIS.  A  STROKE  OF  THE  SUN  ;  insolatio; 
and  by  the  French  coufi  de  soleil.  A  disease  arising  from 
too  violent  an  influence  of  the  sun's  heat,  particularly 
on  the  head. 

The  diagnostics  are  a  violent  head  ach,  a  hot  dry 
skin,  a  redness  and  heaviness  of  the  eyes,  sometimes  a 
continual  involuntary  motion  of  the  eye  lids,  a  loss  of 
sleep,  drowsiness, occasionally  with  delirium  on  awaken- 
ing, a  violent  fever,  faintness,  loathing,  and  thirst. 

Persons  not  accustomed  to  labour  in  the  sun  are 
sometimes  struck  by  its  heat  while  on  journeys,  and 
die  on  the  spot;  others  fall  into  a  lethargy,  or  die  in  a 
few  hours  with  symptoms  of  raving  madness.  If  a  pa- 
tient escapes,  he  is  frequently  attacked  afterwards  with 
violent  head  achs,  which  in  some  instances  affect  the 
eye  lids  greatly.  In  others  a  delirium  without  a  fever, 
gutta  serena,  Sec.  are  brought  on. 

In  infants  this  disorder  manifests  itself  by  a  heavy, 
deep  drowsiness,  which  continues  several  days;  fre- 
quent delirium;  by  convulsive  twitchings,  periodical 
head  achs,  and  frequent  vomiting. 

The  effects  of  too  great  a  culinary  fire  are  the  same 
with  that  of  the  sun  ;  sleeping  with  the  head  near  the 
fire  hath  produced  apoplexy  during  sleep'. 

The  method  of  cure  which  has  been  pursued  is  the 
same  with  that  of  sanguineous  inflammation  ;  bleeding 
as  freely  as  the  strength  will  admit.  The  legs,  or,  if 
the  disorder  is  violent,  the  whole  body,  has  then  been 
put  into  a  tepid  bath  ;  emollient  clysters  frequently  in- 
jected, almond  emulsion,  lemonade,  and  similar  de- 
mulcent cooling  fluids,  freely  drunk:  linen  cloths  wrung 
out  of  vinegar  and  water  are  also  applied  on  the  face 
and  scalp. 

Such  are  the  directions  usually  "given.  We  have, 
however,  great  reason  to  think  the  nature  of  the  dis- 
ease has  been  misunderstood;  at  least  as  it  occurs  in 
this  climate.  The  affection  of  the  brain  appears  to  us 
similar  to  that  after  concussion,  viz.  a  state  of  atony 
from  excess  of  excitement ;  and  the  increased  action  to 
be  of  short  duration,  and  inconsiderable  in  degree.  We 
have  seen  no  instance  in  which  bleeding  has  been 


IGN 


790 


IGN 


sequisite ;  and  if  the  slight  increased  action  rendered 
leeches  or  blisters  necessary,  the  period  in  which  they 
•were  applicable  was  soon  at  an  end.  The  vital  functions 
then  appeared  to  be  greatly  weakened,  and  tonics  of 
every  kind,  with  the  most  perfect  rest  of  mind  and 
body,  were  indispensable.  The  shock  has  not  been  soon 
recovered,  and,  for  many  months,  the  mind  could  not 
be  readily  exercised,  or  a  close  room  borne  without  gid- 
diness and  confusion.  After  some  time  the  cold  bath 
has  appeared  highly  useful ;  and,  during  the  whole  time, 
the  state  of  the  bowels  and  the  diet  should  be  cautiously 
attended  to.  See  Tissot's  Advice. 

IDjE'US  DA'CTYLUS,(from  Mount  .Ma,  its  native 
-  place).  See  P.EONIA. 

ID^E'A.     See  OPHIOSCORDON. 

IDEA'LES,  (from  iha,  an  idea).  A  class  of  diseases 
consisting  in  a  faulty  judgment  or  alienation  of  mind. 

IDIOPATHEI'A,  (from  /J1/©-,  peculiar,  and  ar«0©-, 
affection].  A  primary  affection  of  any  part;  as  of 
the  head  in  lethargy,  and  the  lungs  in  pleurisy ;  but 
when  these  parts  suffer  by  consent,  or  from  disorders 
of  other  parts,  they  are  then  said  to  be  affected  by 
sympathy. 

IDIOSYNCRA'SIA,(from<^®-,/zec«/mr,  <™>,  with, 
and  xfarif).  IDIOSYNCRASY  ;  sometimes  also  idio- 
cracy,  idiotrofiia.  Every  individual  hath  a  state  of 
health  peculiar  to  himself;  and  different  bodies  vary 
from  each  other,  though  each  may  be  in  a  healthy  state. 
This  peculiarity  of  constitution  is  called  idiosyncracy. 
Idiosyncracy  sometimes  depends  on  tne  original  organ- 
ization ;  and  diseases  from  this  cause  are  often  incur- 
able. But  when  they  arise  frrm  the  state  of  the  nervous 
power,  it  either  respects  its  mobility  or  tone,  and  is 
shown  by  some  peculiarity  in  the  functions.  It  may 
then  be  readily  corrected,  if  not  wholly  removed.  See 
HYGIEIA. 

IDIOTRO'PIA,  (from  <&<£-,  peculiar,  and  rpea-a,  to 
"lourish*).  See  IDIOSYNCRASIA. 

I'DOU  MOU'LLI.  The  name  of  a  tall  plum  tree 
growing  in  the  East  Indies,  whose  fruit  is  cooling,  and 
bark  useful  in  many  chronical  diseases.  Its  place  in 
the  botanic  systems  is  unknown. 

IGA'SUR.     See  Nux  VOMICA. 

IGBUCAI'NI  BRASILIANO'RUM.  A  tree  in 
Brasil,  whose  fruit  resembles  apples,  and  its  kernels  are 
a  remedy  in  dysentery  ;  unknown  to  modern  botanists. 

IGNA'ME.     Sec  CARA. 

I'GNIS,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  oes/j).  FIRE. 
Bacon,  Boyle,  Newton,  and  their  .  followers,  consider 
lire  not  as  an  element  but  as  an  adventitious  property, 
resulting  from  the  intestine  motion  of  the  smaller  par- 
ticles of  matter  ;  and  this  opinion  has  been  lately  re- 
vived by  Count  Rumford  and  Mr.  Davy.  On  the  other 
hand,  Homberg,  Boerhaave,  Lemery,  Lavoisier,  and 
Black,  consider  fire  as  a  material  principle  or  element. 
The  motion  of  friction  or  percussion  undoubtedly  gene- 
rates or  elicits  heat ;  and,  if  the  supposition  of  the 
mere  vibration  of  parts  could  adequately  account  for  the 
effects,  it  would  be  more  simple  than  to  suppose  a  ma- 
terial substance  endued  with  peculiar  properties  ;  for  it 
5s  still  an  hypothesis,  since  we  cannot  show  the  existence 
of  fire  without  combination,  and  all  reasoning  by  ana- 
logy promises  very  little  elucidation  of  a  subject  which 
.can  only  be  prosecuted  by  experimental  research.  So 


far  as  experiment  has  extended,  the  result  is  in  favour 
of  the  existence  of  fire  as  a  distinct  body.  The  reality 
of  fire  seems  evident,  by  the  power  we  possess  of  in- 
creasing or  diminishing  it.  In  the  living  human  body, 
whatever  increases  the  quantity  of  crassamentum  in  the 
blood,  increases  the  degree  of  heat  also  ;  as  an  animal 
diet,  aromatics,  sometimes  iron,  and  the  mineral  acids ; 
but  nitre,  crude  sal  ammoniac,  carbonic  acid  gas,  seem 
to  diminish  it,  or  at  least  prevent  its  evolution.  In 
physics,  fire  is  understood  to  be  that  subtile  invisible 
cause  by  which  bodies  are  expanded  or  enlarged  in 
bulk,  and  become  hot  to  the  touch ;  fluids  rarefied  or 
converted  into  vapour;  solid  bodies  fluid,  and  either 
dissipated,  melted  into  glass,  or  scorified.  It  seems, 
likewise,  to  be  the  chief  agent  in  nature  on  which 
animal  and  vegetable  life  depend  ;  and  without  which 
it  does  not  appear  that  nature  could  itself  subsist  for  a 
single  moment.  See  CALORIC. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  light  is  a  modification 
of  heat  or  a  distinct  principle.  The  greater  number  of 
facts  show  it  to  be  distinct,  and  it  has  been  lately  sup- 
posed from  induction,  that  they  are  antagonising  prin- 
ciples repelling  each  other.  See  LUMEN. 

Many  distempers  have  been  named  ignis,  or  fire,  but 
principally  the  causus,  or  burning  fever,  which  Hippo- 
crates often  calls  -a-vg ,  fire. 

I'GNIS  cA'T.inus.  A  HOT  FIRE.  A  violent  inflam- 
mation hath  been  called  a  gangrene  when  about  to  de- 
generate into  it ;  and  has  hence  received  the  name  of 
ignis  calidus. 

I'GNIS  FRI'GIDUS.  A  COLD  FIRE.  A  sphacelus ; 
because  the  parts  affected  become  cold  as  the  surround- 
ing air. 

I'GNIS  PE'RSICUS.  I'GNIS  SA'CER.  I'GNIS  SA'NCTI 
ANTO'NII.  See  ERYSIPELAS  and  HERPES  EXEDENS. 

I'GNIS  SYLVA'TICUS.     See  IMPETIGINES. 

Ignis  is  also  a  name  of  several  medicines,  as  argen- 
tum  vivum ;  the  essential  oil  that  swims  on  the  top  of 
distilled  waters,  8cc. 

The  chemists  use  fire  in  different  modes  in  perform- 
ing their  operations  ;  whence  their 

I'GNIS  SAPIE'NTIUM,  or  HEAT  OF  HORSE  DUNG. 

I'GNIS  REVERBERATO'RIUS.  A  REVERBERATORY  FIRE 
is  made  in  a  furnace  covered  with  a  dome,  that  the  heat 
or  the  flame  may  be  reverberated  on  the  vessels  imme- 
diately exposed  to  it. 

I'GNIS  RO'T.S,  or  FIRE  FOR  FUSION.  Red  hot  coals, 
surrounding  the  vessel  in  which  the  matter  is  con- 
tained. 

The  chemists  formerly  regulated  their  fire  by  dif- 
ferent degrees  :  the  first  was  scarcely  to  be  perceived  ; 
the  second  was  when  the  heat  was  manifest,  but  not 
sufficient  to  give  pain  ;  the  third,  when  the  heat  was 
painful ;  the  fourth,  when  sufficient  to'  destroy  the 
body  ;  and  fifth,  when  the  heat  would  cause  gold  to 
evaporate  in  fumes.  Boerhaave  was  the  first  who  regu- 
lated the  heat  of  fires  by  means  of  a  thermometer;  and 
when  the  degrees  of  heat  are  mentioned  in  his  writings, 
they  are  to  be  understood  according  to  Fahrenheit's 
scale. 

We  have  since  learnt  to  regulate  the  higher  degrees 
of  heat,  by  means  of  Mr.  Wedgewood's  thermometer, 
which  enables  us  to  ascertain  degrees  of  temperaUm- 
so  high  as  32277°  of  Fahrenheit,  could  his  scale  be 


1LI 


791 


1LI 


extended  so  far ;  but,  in  electrical  and  galvanic  experi- 
ments, we  seem  to  experience  a  greater  degree,  since 
we  can  produce  greater  effects  than  can  be  attained  by 
any  fire  ;  but  perhaps  some  of  the  power  must  be  at- 
tributed to  the  momentum. 

On  the  contrary  side,  at  1500°  of  Fahrenheit,  it  is 
supposed  no  heat  exists  ;  but  this  is  necessarily  hypo- 
thetical, for  it  cannot  be  ascertained  by  experiment. 

I'CMS  VI'VESS.  ,  See  CIRCULATVM. 

I'GNIS  VOLA'TICUS.     See  IMPETIGINES. 

IGNI'TIO,  (from  ignis,  fire}.     CAXCIXIXG. 

I'GNYE,  I'GN'YS,  (from  lx>ft/*ai,  to  sujifilicate;  be- 
cause bent  in  supplication).  See  POPLES. 

IKAX,  a  root  apparently  of  the  orchis  tribe,  brought 
from  China  in  pieces  somewhat  oval  and  compressed  ; 
but  we  know  nothing  of  the  plant  which  produces  it, 
and  little  of  its  nature,  which  is  said  to  be  nutritious. 

TLAPHIS.     SeeBARDAVA. 

I'LECH,  and  I'LEI'DOS.  A  first  principle,  orele- 
mentary  air.  Paracelsus. 

I'LEUM  INTESTI'XUM.  (from  c,*e»,  to  turn 
about;  on  account  of  its  many  convolutions,)  eilion; 
ilion;  one  of  the  small  intestines,  immediately  follow- 
ing the  jejunum.  Its  convolutions  surround  those  of 
the  jejunum,  on  the  two  lateral  and  inferior  sides,  and 
it  winds  about  from  the  left  side  by  the  hypogastrium 
to  the  right  side,  where  it  terminates  in  a  transverse 
manner  at  the  fleshy  brim  of  the  pelvis,  and  forms  the 
first  of  the  great  intestines,  called  cecum.  Winslow 
observes,  that  the  ileum  is  of  a  paler  red  than  the  jeju- 
num. Through  the  whole  length  of  this  intestine  it  is 
wide  and  easily  dilatable ;  but  where  it  enters  the  colon 
narrow,  and  its  sides  more  firm  and  solid. 

In  the  course  of  this  intestine,  the  valvulae  conniventes 
gradually  decrease  in  size  and  number.  When  it  ap- 
proaches the  coecum  they  become  longitudinal.  In  this 
intestine  also,  as  well  as  in  the  jejunum,  there  are  single 
solitary  glands  or  lacunae  ;  sometimes  clusters  of  glands 
called  reticulated,  increasing  in  number  near  its  extre- 
mity, and  flatter  than  in  the  jejunum.  The  ileum  is 
more  closely  tied  down  than  the  jejunum,  and  conse- 
quently less  capable  of  dilating.  The  appendices  digi- 
tales  are  denominated  from  their  resembling  the  finger 
of  a  glove,  and  are  little  processes  sometimes  sent  off 
from  the  jejunum  and  ilium  :  they  sometimes  form 
hernia. 

I'LEUM  CRVE'.VTUM  ;  described  by  Hippocrates  in 
his  work  De  Internis  Affectionibus.  In  this  disease, 
as  well  as  in  the  scurvy,  the  breath  is  fetid,  the  gums 
recede  from  the  teeth,  haemorrhages  of  the  nose  and 
ulcers  in  the  legs  occur;  but  the  patient's  general  health 
is  not  greatly  injured. 

I'LEUS,  (from  ileum,')  (see  ILIAC  A  PASSIO,)  is  an 
ancient  name  for  the  colic.  (See  COLICA.)  The  chief 
varieties  are  of  colica  spasmodica. 

I'LEX,  (from  the  Hebrew  ala/i,or  alvn').  A  tree  of 
the  oak  kind,  of  which  two  species  are  occasionally  no- 
ticed,viz.  aquif'Aium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  181,  (see  AQUIFOLI- 
t,'M,)and  quercus  ilex  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1420.  The  SCARLET 
OAK.  Its  berries  arc  the  CHF.RMES,  q.  v. 

I'LIA.  The  plural  of  He,  (from  f;At«,  to  turn}.  The 
FLANKS;  the  space  between  the  lowest  of  the  fulsc  ribs 
and  the  upper  edge  of  the  os  ilium  on  each  side  ;  the 
two  divisions  of  the  regio  umbilicalis. 

ILI'ACA  PA'SSIO,  (from  ilia,  the  small  guts}.  The 


ILIAC  PASSION',  ileus,  convolvulus,  contorsio, 
chordajwus,  -volvulus,  tormentum;  a  disease  of  the  small 
intestines,  generally  from  spasm:  Dr.  Cullen  considers 
it  synonymous  with  colica. 

Considerable  confusion  has  prevailed  in  describing 
the  symptoms  and  cure  of  iliac  passion,  from  inflam- 
mation being  often  attended  with  spasm,  in  consequence 
of  increased  sensibility  and  irritability;  as  well  as  from 
spasm  producing  inflammation.  We  shall,  in  consider- 
ing this  complaint,  distinguish  it  wholly  as  a  spasmodic 
disease,  referring  the  inflammatory  ileus  to  its  proper 
head,  under  INFLAMMATION. 

The  disease  is  characterised  by  a  violent  pain  in  the 
abdomen,  with  an  inversion  of  the  peristaltic  motion  of 
the  bowels,  so  that  their  contents  are  thrown  up  by 
vomiting.  It  is  usually  an  acute  disorder,  but  not 
essentially  inflammatory.  We  know  only  of  three 
species.  The  first  consists  of  spasm  from  causes  of 
debility.  These  are,  gout,  repelled  eruptions,  narcotic 
passions,  particularly  of  lead,  and  the  vegetable  narco- 
tics. In  this  case  the  disease  is  nearly  in  cause  and  cure 
the  same  with  COLICA  PICTO.VUM,  q.  v. 

The  second  species  is  produced  by  an  introsuscep- 
tion  of  the  intestine,  where  a  portion  of  the  intestine' 
falls  down  into  the  part  below,  generally  doubling  the 
intestine  for  the  space  of  an  inch  or  more,  and  thus 
constricting  it.  This  is  occasioned  often  by  spasm, 
which  contracting  the  diameter  of  a  part  of  the  gut 
admits  of  its  introduction  into  that  below.  To  this 
species  the  term  of  the  true  iliac  passion  is  sometimes 
confined.  Dr.  Hunter  takes  notice  of  a  disease  to 
which  children  are  more  particularly  subject,  because 
their  mesentery,  having  scarce  any  fat  upon  it,  easily 
slips  with  the  gut;  and  this  he  calls  the  volvulus,  or 
volvulus,  of  which  he  observes  there  are  two  kinds  : 
the  first  is  when  a  part  of  a  gut  is  received  into  the 
part  next  above  it ;  the  other  is  when  a  part  of  the  gut 
is  received  into  that  below  it.  The  last  is,  however, 
by  far  the  most  frequent. 

The  third  species  is  a  spasm  of  the  intestines,  excited 
by  a  mechanical  body  irritating  or  obstructing  the  in- 
testines. A  plumb  stone  or  a  calculus  is  of  this  kind; 
but  the  intestinal  calculus  is  very  rare  in  the  human 
species.  It  will  be  obvious,  however,  that  the  first  and 
third  of  these  species  properly  belong  to  colica;  nor 
indeed  is  it  easy  to  separate  these  diseases.  Much  con- 
fusion would  be  avoided  by  abolishing  the  term  altoge- 
ther, or  by  confining  it  wholly  to  colic  from  introsuscep- 
tion.  The  latter,  however,  is  seldom  known  till  . 
death,  and  cannot  properly  form  a  distinct  disease. 

A  costiveness  usually  precedes  this  disorder  for  some 
days,  and  pain  is  chiefly  felt  about  the  navel.  With 
the  pains,  the  belly  is  gradually  inflated,  and  a  hard 
tumour  is  felt  in  the  umbilical  region,  surrounding  the 
belly  like  a  cord  :  not  the  least  flatulence  can  for  a  time 
pass  either  upward  or  downwards.  Inflammation,  with 
its  worst  consequences,  rapidly  comes  on. 

The  iliac  passion  should  be  distinguished  from  rheu- 
matic pains  in  the  muscles  of  the   abdomen,   and  from 
inflammation  of  the  peritoneum.     In  the  first  the  ex- 
tern:;! soreness  is  considerable,  and  the  pain  in  mo', 
the  I>ody  much  greater  than  in  colic,  even  when  inflam- 
•ii  has  come  on.     The  same  circumstances  distin- 
guish peritonitis,  and  in  both  free  motions  do  not 
cure  considerable  relief. 


ILI 


792 


I  L  Y 


The  cure  of  iliac  passion  differs  in  no  respect  from 
that  of  colic.  If  it  arises  from  introsusception,  we 
have  said  that  it  is  seldom  known.  Practical  authors 
have  remarked,  that  if  the  gut  has  fallen  into  the  in- 
testine below,  laxatives  are  injurious,  and  the  cure 
must  be  attempted  by  clysters.  The  contrary  practice 
is  preferred  in  opposite  circumstances.  This  is,  how- 
ever, a  refinement  which  we  cannot  apply,  as  the  exist- 
ence of  either  is  unknown. 

Clysters  of  the  fumes  of  tobacco  will,  in  this  species 
of  disease,  be  particularly  useful ;  and  the  warm 
bath  is  frequently  salutary.  A  blister  also  to  the 
abdomen,  a  remedy  particularly  adapted  to  INFLAM- 
MATIO  INTESTINORUM,  q.  v.  is  often  useful  in  this 
disease. 

The  prognostics  are  favourable  while  inflammation  is 
absent ;  while  clysters  can  be  thrown  up,  and  returned 
by  stool ;  while  the  pains  shift,  and  the  pain  and  vomit- 
ing occur  only  at  intervals  :  it  is  still  more  promising, 
if  a  laxative,  taken  by  the  mouth,  passes  by  the  anus; 
but  if  little  or  no  relief  is  obtained  by  stool  for  some 
days  there  is  scarcely  room  for  hope — indeed  none,  un- 
less true  faec.ulent  matter  is  copiously  discharged.  An 
entire  suppression  of  urine  is  a  dangerous  symptom, 
though  some  degree  of  suppression  generally  attends. 

See  Hippocrates  de  Morbis  ;  Aretaeus  ;  Coelius  Au- 
relianus  ;  Celsus  ;  F.  Hoffman  ;  Sydenham  ;  London 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  i.  p.  223, 
&c. ;  Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  ix.  p.  266, 
278. 

ILI'ACA  MI'NOR,  ARTE'RIA,  is  the  most  posterior 
branch  of  the  hypogastric  artery ;  sometimes  the  branch 
of  the  glutae. 

ILI'ACA  VA'SA.  The  ILIACJE  ARTERIJE  and  VEN^,  which 
see. 

ILI'ACA  ARTE'RIjE  ;  belonging  to  the  ilia.  The 
ILIAC  ARTERIES  are  formed  by  the  bifurcation  of  the 
aorta,  at  about  the  fourth  vertebra  of  the  loins.  They 
descend  nearly  three  fingers  breadth  from  their  origin  ; 
and  when  they  arrive  at  the  psoas  muscle,  on  each  side, 
or  are  upon  it,  each  divides  into  two,  an  external  and 
an  internal :  the  external  hath  no  particular  name;  the 
internal  is  called  hyjiogastrica.  See  HYPOGASTRIC^E 

ARTERIjE. 

The  external  iliac,  on  each  side,  runs  down  to  the 
ligamentum  Fallopii,  under  which  it  goes  out  of  the 
abdomen.  In  this  course,  it  gives  off  a  few  small  ar- 
teries to  the  peritonaeum,  and  parts  near  it ;  but,  as  it 
passes  out  of  the  belly,  under  the  ligament,  it  detaches 
two  considerable  branches,  one  internal,  the  other  ex- 
ternal :  the  inner  is  called  EPIGASTRICA,  q.  v. ;  the  ex- 
ternal, INNOMINATA,  q.  v.  The  external  iliaca  also  gives 
off  a  small  branch  internally,  under  the  ligament,  which 
runs  to  the  vagina  or  the  spermatic  chord,  and  some- 
times another  from  the  outside  of  the  os  ilium. 

For  the  internal  iliac    artery,    see    HYPOGASTRICJJ 

ARTERIJE. 

ILI'ACJE  VE'N^E,  (from  the  same).  ILIAC  VEIXS, 
titillares  -venae,  are  formed  by  the  bifurcation  of  the  vena 
cava,  about  the  last  vertebra  of  the  loins.  After  their 
leaving  the  vena  cava,  each  divides  into  two  principal 
branches  ;  the  iliaca  externa,  or  anterior ;  and  the  iliaca 
interna,  or  posterior:  the  external,  which  seems  the  true 
continuation  of  the  trunk,  is  sometimes  simply  named 
iliaca ;  the  internal  hypogastrica :  each  follows  the  course 


of  the  respective  arteries.  The  external  iliac  veins  lie  a 
little  on  the  inside  of  the  arteries,  and,  before  they 
leave  the  abdomen,  they  accompany  their  corresponding 
arteries,  both  in  their  course  and  in  their  divisions  into 
branches. 

ILI'ACUS  EXTE'RNUS,  MUSCULUS,  (from  the 
same).  See  PYRIFORMIS. 

ILI'ACUS  INTE'RNUS,  MUSCULUS,  lies  upon  the  con- 
cave part  of  the  ilium,  arising  likewise  from  the  an- 
terior edge  of  the  bone,  and  runs  down  before  the  psoas 
muscle  :  it  then  rims  over  the  head  of  the  bone,  and 
passes  inwards,  to  be  inserted  into  the  little  trochanter  ; 
lifting,  in  its  action,  the  thigh  upwards. 

ILI'ADUM.  The  three  principles  of  Paracelsus. 
Sometimes,  according  to  the  same  author,  a  mineral 
spirit,  supposed  to  be  contained  in  every  element,  and 
the  cause  of  diseases. 

ILIA'STER.  The  occult  virtue  of  nature,  whence 
all  things  increase.  Paracelsus. 

ILI'NGOS,  (from  <Aiy|,   a  -vortex}.     See  VERTIGO. 

I'LION.     See  ILEUM  INTESTINUM. 

I'LIOS.     See  PASSIO  ILIACA. 

ILI'SCUS.    Madness  occasioned  by  love.  Avicenna. 

I'LIUM,  OS  ;  os  innominatum,  but  strictly  its  upper 
part.  Its  name  is  given  from  its  supporting  the  ilia. 
The  ilium  forms  the  upper  and  posterior  portion  of  the 
pelvis,  extending  to  the  transverse  section  of  one  third 
of  the  acctabulum.  The  external  side  is  convex,  called 
its  dorsum  ;  the  internal  part  is  its  costa  ;  the  superior 
semicircular  edge,  the  spine.  The  whole  cavity  is 
called  c/iolas,  or  cholago.  Between  the  os  sacrum  and 
the  ilium  is  the  sciatic  notch,  where  the  sciatic  nerve 
and  posterior  crural  vessels  pass  without  being  subject 
to  compression. 

ILLECE'BRA,  (from  ctteu,  to  turn;  because  its 
leaves  resemble  worms.)  vermicularis,  fiifier  muralc,  se- 
dum  minus.  WALL  PEPPER  and  STONE  CROP.  Sedum 
acre  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  619  ;  is  a  very  acrid  plant,  proving  vio- 
lently emetic  and  cathartic,  so  that  the  best  authors 
have  thought  it  unsafe.  It  has  been  employed,  how- 
ever, boiled  in  milk,  as  an  antiscorbutic,  and  has  been 
occasionally  used  in  epilepsies.  When  employed  in 
scurvy,  a  handful  is  boiled  in  eight  pints  of  milk  to 
four.  Macquer  recommends  it  in  scrofulous  and  can- 
cerous ulcers. 

ILLEGI'TIMUS,  (from  in,  and  legitimus,  lawful). 
ILLEGITIMATE  ;  an  epithet  for  the  false  ribs,   and  for- 
some  anomalous  fevers. 


ILLI'SIO,  (from  illidor,  to  'dash  against').  See 
ENTHLASIS. 

ILLISIO'NES  AQUA'RUM.     See  CATACLYSMUS. 

I'LLOS,  (from  eitea,  to  turn  round).     See  OCULUS. 

ILLOSIS,  (from  the  same).     See  STRABISMUS. 

ILLUMINA'BILIS  LA'PIS,  (from  Ulutnlno,  to 
sliine).  See  BONONIENSIS  LAPIS. 

ILLUTA'TIO,  (from  in,  upon,  and  lutum,  mud). 
ILLUTATION;  besmearing  any  part  of  the  body  with 
mud,  and  renewing  it  as  it  grows  dry,  with  the  vague 
or  ridiculous  view  of  heating,  drying,  and  discussing. 
The  mud  found  at  the  bottom  of  mineral  springs  is 
chiefly  employed. 

I'LLYS,  (from  ittoa,  to  turn  round).  A  person  af- 
fected with  strabismus. 

I'LYS,  (from   (Av«j  mud).      The  FAECES    of  WINE; 


IMP 


1  31  P 


and  an  epithet  for  the  sediment  in  stools  and  urine, 
which  resembles  them. 

IMAGIXA'RII,  (from  imagino,  to  conceive).  Dis- 
eases in  which  the  imagination  is  principally  affected. 
IMAGINA'TIO,  (from  the  same).  IMAGINATION. 
To  the  power  of  the  mother's  imagination  many  pecu- 
liarities in  the  fcctus  have  been  ascribed.  See  FCETUS. 
Philosophical  Transactions  Abridged,  vol.  ii.  p.  222. 
Mic'iicul  Museum,  vol.  iii.  p.  '273,  &c. 

IMBECI'LLJTAS,  (from  imbecillis, feeble,)  acratia 
and  arrhostia,  generally  means  a  debilitated  state  of  the 
habit,  and  the  latter  word  sometimes  implies  mental 
imbecility. 

IMBECI'LLITAS  OCULO'KUM.  See  AMBLYOPIA.  NYO- 
TALOPS. 

IMBE'RBIS,  (from  in,  not,  and  barba,  a  beard). 
BEARDLESS;  botanicaliy  it  is  applied  to  the  corolla. 

IMBIBI'TIO,  (from  imbibo,  to  receive  into,)  a  kind 
of  cohobation,  when  the  liquor  ascends  and  descends 
Upon  a  solid  substance,  until  combined  with  it.  Sonle- 
times  it  signifies  cohobation,  and  any  kind  of  impreg- 
nation. 

IMBRICA'TUS,  (from  imbre.r,  a  tile).  The  leaves 
or  scales  of  plants,  disposed  so  as  to  lie  one  on  the  edge 
of  the  other,  like  tiles  on  a  house.  The  term  is  applied 
to  leaves,  and  their  serratures  in  the  bud:  to  the  stem, 
when  covered  with  scales;  tectus  utnudus  non  afifiareat; 
to  the  calyx,  as  in  the/iierncii/?n,sor2c/i!is,  and  other  syn- 
genesia;  to  the  spike,  when  the  flowers  are  so  close  as 
to  press  over  each  other. 

IMME'RSIO,  (from  immergo,  to  plunge  in).  Che- 
mical immersion  is  a  species  of  calcination,  when  a  body 
is  immersed  in  any  fluid,  to  be  corroded.  When  any 
substance  is  plunged  into  a  fluid  in  order  to  deprive  it 
of  a  bad  quality,  or  to  communicate  a  good  one,  the 
same  term  is  employed. 

IMME'RSUS,  (from  the  same).     See  IXFRASCAPU- 

LARIS    MUSCULUS. 

IMPASTA'TIO,  (from  in,  and  pasta,  paste).  IM- 
PASTATIOX.  The  making  dry  powders  into  paste  by 
means  of  some  fluid.  See  IXCORPORATIO. 

IMPATIEXS  HE'RBA,  (from  in,  and  junior,  to 
suffer,  because  its  leaves  recede  from  the  hand  with  a 
crackling  noise).  See  MOMORDICA  and  PERSICARIA 

SILiqUOSA. 

IMPERATO'RIA,  (from  imfiero,  to  command,  be- 
cause its  leaves  extend,  and  overwhelm  the  lesser  plants 
which  grow  near  it).  MASTERWORT.  dstrantia, 
magistral! tia,  ostritium,  imperatoria  major,  astritium, 
mrutliium,  smyrniom;  imperatoria  ostriithium  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  371. 

It  is  an  umbelliferous  plant,  with  large  winged  leaves, 
divided  into  three  indented  segments,  producing  thick, 
oblong,  striated  seeds,  surrounded  with  a  narrow  leafy 
margin  :  the  roots  are  oblong,  thick,  knobby,  jointed 
with  several  lateral  fibres,  brown  on  the  outside,  and 
whitish  within  ;  perennial,  a  native  of  the  Alps  and 
Pyrenees;  found  in  several  places  on  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde,  in  Scotland,  by  Mr.  Lightfoot. 

The  root  is  warm,  grateful,  and  aromatic,  nearly  of 
the  nature  of  angelica;  yielding  to  water,  or  spirit  of 
wine,  its  smell,  warmth,  pungency,  and  bitterness.  On 
inspissating  the  spirituous  tincture,  very  little  of  its  fla- 
vour exhales;  but  nearly  the  whole  is  carried  off  in  dis- 
tillation with  water.  If  the  root  is  held  in  the  mouth  it 

VOL.    I. 


provokes  saliva;  it'  swallowed,  purges;  and  is  some- 
times called  the  countryman's  purge:  an  infusion  of  it 
in  water,  sweetened  with  honey,  is  said  to  be  an  expec- 
torant. The  roots  should  be  taken  up  in  the  middle  of 
the  M  inter  of  the  second  year.  It  was  considered  as  an 
alcxipharmic  and  sudorific ;  and  in  some  diseases  em- 
ployed with  so  much  success  as  to  be  called  tiivinum 
remedium;  but,  at  present,  it  ranks  only  among  the  in- 
ferior aromatics.  A  name  also  for  ANGELICA. 

LMPEKATO'RIA  XI'GHA.  BLACK  MASTEHWORT,  astran- 
tict  nigra,  saniculafnemina;  astrantia  major  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
339,  is  kept  in  the  gardens  of  the  curious,  and  flowers 
in  July.  Its  black  and  fibrous  roots  only  are  used. 

See  Raii  Historia  Piantarum ;  Lewis's  Materia  Me- 
dica ;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

LMPERIA'LIS  A'QUA.     See  FLUOR  ALBUS. 
IMPETI'GINES,  (from  impeto,  to  infest).    Diseases 
which  occasion  blemishes  on  the  skin;  terna,  derbia, 
ignis  syl-vaticun,  -volagrius,  or  -volaticus,  and  serpigo. 
See  LEPRA,  PRURITUS,  HERPES,  and  MEVTAGRA. 

In  Dr.  Cullen's  system  the  impetigines  are  an  order 
of  the  cachexie,  denned  disorders  from  a  general  bad 
habit,  manifesting  themselves  principally  by  disfiguring 
the  skin  and  other  external  parts  of  the  body.  The 
itch,  though  affecting  the  skin,  is  placed  in  the  class 
locales,  since  it  is  unconnected  with  the  general  habit. 
IMPETI'GO  of  Celstis,  (from  the  same.)  lefira  Gre- 
corum,  Blanchard.  In  Celsus  it  is  described  as  consist- 
ing of  hard  dry  prurient  spots  in  the  face  and  neck, 
sometimes  over  the  whole  body,  disappearing  inbranny 
scales. 

IMPETI'GO  PLI'NII  and  A'RABUM;  the  lichen  of 
Blanchard. 

IMPLU'VIUM,  a  SHOWER  BATH,  (from  impluo,  to 
s/toiver  upon).  See  EMBROCATIO. 

IMPOTEN'TIA,  (from  in,  not,  and  potens,  able). 
IMPOTENCE  in  men  is  the  same  in  its  effect  as  sterility 
in  women,  that  is,  an  inability  to  propagate  their  spe- 
cies; but  in  the  causes  and  the  circumstances  these 
states  greatly  differ. 

In  each  case  there  is  a  failure  of  propagation ;  but,  in 
each,  there  is  by  no  means  an  unfitness  for  the  venereal 
act.  Sterility  in  women,  indeed,  often  arises,  like  im- 
potence in  men,  from  a  coldness  of  constitution,  which 
admits  not  of  due  excitement;  but  it  is  also  owing  to 
the  causes  which  separate  the  foetus  almost  as  soon  as 
formed.  From  men  who  are  impotent  no  impregnation 
takes  place. 

The  great  causes  of  impotence  in  men  are  organic 
defects  and  debility.  We  have  shown,  that  in  genera- 
tion the  semen  must  be  carried  to  the  uterus,  and 
probably  to  the  Fallopian  tube;  but  in  this  ultimate 
destination  it  is  apparently  assisted  by  the  action  of  the 
womb  itself.  To  carry  it  to  this  organ  requires  a  free 
passage  through  the  urethra,  no  inconsiderable  activity 
in  the  ejaculatory  muscles,  and  the  full  distention  of  the 
corpora  cavernosa.  The  free  passage  is  sometimes  pre- 
vented by  strictures  in  the  urethra,  and  sometimes,  as 
in  a  case  recorded  by  Petit,  by  a  faulty  direction  of  the 
orifices  through  which  the  semen  passes.  A  natural 
phymosis  has  been  found  also  an  obstruction  to  the  free 
discharge  of  the  seminal  fluid.  A  severe  priapism  seems 
occasionally  to  constrict  the  cavity  of  the  urethra,  or  of 
the  entrance  of  the  vasa  defercntia  ;  for  in  this  disease 
there  is  no  emission,  and  the  feelings  are  those  of 

3  I 


IMF 


794 


IMP 


violent  pain  rather  than  of  pleasure.  Intoxication,  in 
some  men,  will  produce  this  violent  spasm,  and  unfit 
them  for  the  completion  of  the  venereal  act.  See 

PfilAPISMUS. 

Debility,  however,  from  too  frequent  or  unnatural 
indulgences,  is  the  most  common  cause,  shown  by  an 
imperfect  erection  of  the  penis,  or  too  weak  a  discharge 
of  the  semen :  the  latter  is  often  a  consequence  -»f  the 
former.  In  some  weak  habits  the  discharge  immedi- 
ately follows  the  slightest  irritation,  cither  of  the  parts 
or  of  the  mind.  Dreams  so  imperfect  as  scarcely  to  be 
remembered  will  occasion  it,  and  this  arises  from  the 
increase  of  irritability,  in  consequence  of  debility.  From 
its  remote  cause,  tonics,  and  the  most  stimulant  nutri- 
ments, are  employed;  but  the  only  remedies  are  those 
which  lessen  irritability,  viz.  camphor,  opium,  and  hen- 
bane, or  hemlock.  Washing  the  penis  and  scrotum, 
morning  and  evening,  with  cold  water,  and  dashing  the 
water  against  these  parts  from  a  bidet,  are  often  useful]; 
but  it  is  necessary  to  remove  every  alluring  or  enticing 
object;  to  guard  against  every  lascivious  thought.  When 
impotence  arises  from  so  great  a  debility  as  to  admit  of 
the  discharge  of  semen  by  the  efforts  to  relieve  the 
belly,  the  strongest  tonics  and  astringents  are  required. 
It  has  been  supposed  by  some  authors,  that,  in  such 
cases,  the  semen  wants  its  usual  stimulating  properties, 
as  it  is  observed  to  be  unusually  fluid ;  but  of  this  there 
is  no  evidence;  and,  as  the  discharge  is  so  readily 
excited,  we  think  it  more  probable  that  its  fluidity 
depends  on  its  not  being  allowed  to  stagnate. 

Mr.  Hunter  has,  we  think,  refined  unnecessarily  on 
this  subject,  by  stating  one  cause  of  impotence  to  be  a 
•want  of  correspondence  in  the  successive  actions  of  se- 
cretion and  discharge.  If  the  first  is  too  rapid  for  that 
erected  state  of  the  penis  which  renders  the  ejaculation 
effectual,  it  constitutes  this  disease  as  certainly  as  when 
the  action  of  the  muscles  of  the  latter  is  too  quick  for 
the  former.  Debility,  and  its  consequent  state  of  irrita- 
bility, are  sufficient  to  explain  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  case  without  such  recondite  researches.  In  general, 
where  there  are  corresponding  actions  of  two  connected 
parts,  it  is  very  unusual  to  find  them  separated.  Each 
may  be  weakened;  but  from  habit  each  will  partake  of 
the  disease,  and  will  act  together  as  before,  but  with 
diminished  power. 

A  singular  cause  of  impotency  is  recorded  in  the  Me- 
dical Essays  of  Edinburgh,  where  each  attempt  was  fol- 
lowed by  an  epileptic  paroxysm.  From  what  has  been 
said  on  that  disease,  it  will  not  be  surprising,  that,  in  a 
mobile  habit,  disposed  to  convulsions,  a  stimulus  so 
violent  should  bring  on  a  paroxysm.  The  reasoning 
and  the  cure  were  equally  ridiculous ;  "nor  is  this  a 
single  specimen  where  physicians  have  succeeded  by 
accident,  and  have  really  taken  a  readier  road  for  the 
relief  of  the  diseased  than  they  themselves  suspected. 
The  state  of  the  mind,  it  is  observed,  has  a  considerable 
influence  on  the  powers  of  the  body,  particularly  in  the 
venereal  act.  The  body,  Mr.  Hunter  remarks,  should  not 
only  be  in  a  state  of  health,  but  the  mind  free  from  appre- 
hensions, anxiety,  and  distress.  The  mere  anxiety  of  ex- 
celling in  this  act  has  been  no  uncommon  cause  of  dis- 
appointment. A  state  of  hope,  a  consciousness  of  crime, 
a  recollection  of  former  failures,  equally  enervate  the 
body.  Such  causes  of  impotence  are  to  be  clearly 
distinguished  from  real  defects,  since  an  alteration  in 


circumstances,  by  which  anxiety,  distress,  kc.  are  re- 
moved, will  relieve  the  complaint.  Greater  confidence, 
from  having  once  succeeded,  will  alone  break  the 
charm,  and  all  will  be  well. 

The  mind  is  more  intimately  connected  with  the 
genital  system,  chiefly  in  men,  though  in  a  certain  de- 
gree in  the  other  sex,  than  has  been  imagined.  The 
apprehension  of  weakness,  in  this  most  important  of 
functions,  really  produces  it.  The  imagination  broods 
over  fancied  ills,  till  the  whole  system  is  really  disor- 
dered. In  this  state  every  wall  offers,  a  certain  remedy,, 
and  the  Solar  Tincture,  the  Restorative  Drojis,  are  e'a 
gerly  bought.  It  is  remarkable,  that  these  diseases  arc 
distinguished  by  capitals  to  lure  the  unwary;  but  the 
medicines  are  sometimes  truly  restorative,  for  they  re- 
store confidence,  and  thus  contribute  to  remove  the 
disease.  In  general,  however,  each  quack  is  tried  ir: 
succession,  till  tired  nature  decays  into  a  hectic,  is  over- 
whelmed in  a  dropsy,  or  the  mind,  sinking  in  imbecility, 
or  mania,  offers  a  melancholy  spectacle  of  what  degra- 
dation human  nature  can  suffer.  All  this  distress  might 
be  removed  if  the  patient  had  the  resolution  to  tell  his 
grief  to  a  friend,  or  a  physician  of  character  and  judg- 
ment. A  well  regulated  plan  of  medicine  and  diet 
would  contribute  to  relieve  the  bodily  complaint,  while- 
the  mind,  ccfnsoled  with  prospects  of  returning  health, 
would  assist  in  realizing  the  prediction.  Many  such 
instances  we  have  known  where  the  disease  has  been 
radically  removed,  and  the  desponding  patient  become 
a  happy  husband,  and  the  delighted  father  of  a  nume- 
rous and  healthy  offspring. 

We  have  so  mixed  the  medical  directions  with  the 
descriptions  of  the  disease,  that  we  have  little  to  add  on 
this  part  of  the  subject.  We  may,  however,  again  rc- 
peat,  that,  except  in  impotence  from  great  relaxation, 
tonics  and  astringents  are  of  little  avail.  Where  it 
arises  from  too  great  irritability,  a  cooling  diet,  abstain- 
ing from  lascivious  thoughts  or  objects,  with  sedatives, 
are  the  best  remedies.  In  that  case,  which  arose  from 
epileptic  paroxysms,  the  cure  was  effected  by  rendering 
the  object  of  desire  more  familiar  before  the  act  was 
again  repeated,  and,  of  course,  lessening  the  too  violent 
stimulus.  There  is  no  opinion  more  inconvenient  in. 
its  effects  than  that  which  dictates  a  full,  nutritious,  and 
stimulant  diet.  We  have  often  had  occasion  to  repeat, 
that  no  cause  of  weakness  is  so  frequent  and  obstinate 
as  that  which  arises  from  fulness  of  the  circulating- 
system,  and  no  plan  of  medicine  more  injurious  than 
constringing  over  distended  vessels  by  tonics.  It  has. 
been  supposed  that  some  medicines  have  a  peculiar  ef- 
fect on  the  genital  system ;  and  the  balsams  have  been 
given,  as  they  are  directed  to  the  bladder,  and,  of  course, 
may  communicate  a  stimulus  to  the  neighbouring 
parts.  We  have  not  found  them  particularly  advan- 
tageous ;  and  even  the  balsam  of  Peru,  which  unites  a 
tonic  with  its  stimulant  power,  has  not  produced  any- 
very  salutary  effect.  If,  as  we  have  been  informed,. 
Geneva  is  not  favourable  to  the  active  energy  of  these 
organs,  we  can  hardly  expect  great  advantage  from 
medicines  so  nearly  resembling  this  spirit.  In  every 
case,  except  where  the  fulness  is  considerable,  cold 
bathing,  both  general  and  topical,  is  highly  useful. 

To  abstain  from,  or  to  indulge,  venereal  pleasures, 
is  equally  injurious.  A  moderate  use  is  salutary ;  and 
marriage,  if  the  disease  be  not  tqo  far.  advanced,  is  to 


IXC 


'95 


I  X  C 


be  advised.  It  has  often  succeeded;  and  when  the 
confidence  that  the  power  is  not  wholly  lost  be  once 
established,  the  power  itself  is  soon  regained. 

IMPR-rLGXATIO,  (from  imflregnor,  to  conceive}. 
IMPREGNATION.  Ingrai'idatio.  The  state  immedi- 
ately after  conception,  continuing  till  delivery.  A  wo- 
man usually  perceives  the  child  to  move  at  different  pe- 
riods ;  the  "soonest  at  the  end  of  forty  days,  the  latest  at 
the  end  of  five  months.  But  some  women,  without 
being  pregnant,  perceive  a  motion  like  that  of  a  child. 
lotte  thinks  that  a  large  child  and  a  small  quantity 
of  water  may  prevent  a  pregnant  woman  from  perceiv- 
ing the  motion  of  the  child.  (See  GEXER  ATIO  and  Cox- 
CEPTIO.)  For  the  impregnation  of  plants,  see  FARINA 


IMPRE'SSIO,(from  imfirimo,  to  press  upon}.  See 
DEPRESSIO. 

I'MUS  VE'XTER,(M<-/oTOer6e//i/).  See  ABDOMEN 
and  HYPOGASTRIUM. 

INA'IA  GUACU  IBA.     See  PALM  A  COCCIFERA. 

IXCAXTAME  NTA,  (from  incanto,  to  charm}.  See 
AMULET  A. 

IXC  A'XUS,  (from  in,  and  canus,  -white,  hoary).  The 
leaf  of  a  plant  covered  with  whitish  down. 

IXCARXA'XTIA,  (from  incarno,  to  bring  flesh 
v/ion}.  Medicines  which  assist  the  filling  up  wounds 
or  ulcers  with  flesh.  See  ANAPLEROTICA. 

IXCE'NDIUM,  and  IXCE'XSIO,  (from  incendo,to 
burn}.  A  BURXIXG.FEVER;  burning  heat;  sometimes 
a  hot  inflammatory  tumour. 

IXCERA'TIO,  (from  in,  and  cera,  max}.  IXCERA- 
TIOX  ;  the  reduction  of  any  dry  substance  to  the  con- 
sistence of  wax,  by  the  gradual  admixture  of  oil. 

IXCERXl'CULUM,  (from  incerno,  to  sift)  A 
STRAIXER  or  SIEVE.  In  anatomy  it  means  the  pelvis  of 
the  kidney. 

IXCIDE'XTIA,  (from  incido,  to  cut}.  Medicines 
which  divide  the  particles  of  fluids,  supposed  to  cohere 
preternaturally,  and  induce  disease. 

IXCIXERA'TIO,  (from  incinero,  to  reduce  to  ashes}. 
INCINERATION;  £sta.jihara.  Reducing  any  body  to  ashes 
by  fire.  See  CALCIXATIO. 

IXCI'SIO,  (from  incido,  to  cut}.  INCISION.  The 
opening  of  abscesses  by  means  of  a  lancet  or  scalpel. 
For  the  best  modes  of  opening  them,  or  extracting  mat- 
ter with  the  most  ease  and  security,  see  Bell  on  Ulcers, 
edit.  4.  p.  76,  &c. 

IXCISO'RES  DE'XTES,  CUTTERS,  (from  incidere, 
:o  cut}.  A  name  of  the  four  anterior  teeth  in  each  jaw 
from  their  use  in  cutting,  Ctenes,  denies  lactei,  risorii, 
dichasteres.  The  edges  of  the  incisores,  by  use  and 
friction,  are  blunt  and  thicker  ;  though,  from  the  form 
of  the  jaw,  and  direction  of  the  teeth,  they  sometimes 
seem  to  sharpen  each  other,  and  become  thinner.  These 
teeth  are  convex  externally,  and  concave  internally  ;  so 
that  when  they  are  worn,  the  internal  concave  surface 
of  the  upper  ones,  and  the  external  convex  surface  of 
the  lower  ones,  are  wasted.  See  DEXS. 

INCISO'RII  DU'CTUS  ;  two  canals  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  internal  nares,  across  the  arch  of  the  palate, 
•which  open  behind  the  first  and  largest  of  the  denies 
incisorii  ;  their  lower  orifices  are  in  the  foramen  pala- 
tinum  anterius,  called  nasoftalatini  ductus. 

ISO'RII  I.VFERIO'RES  COWPE'RI,  MVSCULI,  arise  from 


the  alveoli  of  the  lateral  incisores  of  the  lower  jaw,  and 
are  inserted  into  the  middle  of  the  semi-orbicularis  of 
the  lower  lip. 

INCISO'RII  LATERA'I.ES,  MUSCULI.  Canini  minores. 
A  biceps  muscle,  which  unites  at  the  other  extremity. 
It  arises  from  the  os  maxillare,  below  the  middle  ten- 
don of  the  orbicularis  palpebrarum,  and  below  the 
edge  of  the  orbit  in  the  os  maxillare,  near  the  union  of 
this  bone  with  the  os  malae  ;  the  heads  from  each  side 
unite  about  the  lateral  dentes  incisorii. 

INCISO'RII  MED'II,  MUSCULI;  incisorii  minores  C 
fieri,  or  incisores,  minores,  sufieriores;  are  two  small 
short  muscles  situated  near  each  other  below  the  septum 
narium  :  they  rise  from  the  os  maxillare,  on  the  alveoli 
of  the  first  incitores,  and  are  inserted  into  the  middle 
and  upper  part  of  the  upper  lip. 

IXCISO'RIUM,  (from  incido,  to  cut}.  A  tabU 
whereon  a  patient  is  laid  in  order  to  have  an  incision 
made  on  any  part ;  or  a  body  to  be  dissected. 

IXCISO'RIUM  FORA 'MEX,  lies  behind  the  dentes  incisores 
of  the  upper  jaw,  which  divides  into  two,  as  it  opens 
into  the  nose  on  each  side  of  the  septum  nasi. 

IXCI'SUS,  (from  incido,  to  cut}.  A  leaf  whose 
edge  is  notched. 

lXCITABrLITAS,(from  incito,tostirufl  toacr 
IXCITABILITY.  In  a  practical  view  it  has  appeared 
necessary  to  make  a  distinction  between  this  term  and 
IRRITABILITY;  because,  though  it  is  allowed  that  to 
those  two  powers  the  existence  of  a  machine  in  a 
living  state,  and  the  action  of  its  moving  solids  with 
respect  to  their  continuance,  are  entirely  owing ;  yet 
they  do  in  some  degree  certainly  exist  independent  of 
each  other.  By  this  knowledge,  therefore,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  we  shall  sometimes  be  able  to  explain  the 
different  appearances  of  diseases,  and  the  means  of  re- 
lieving them  by  medicines  directed  to  either.  By  in- 
citability  is  meant  that  power  in  the  brain  and  nervous 
system,  which  may  be  excited  to  action  by  mental  af- 
fections, as  well  as  local  irritation,  and  which  produces 
those  affections  we  call  sympathy  ;  by  irritability,  that 
power  which  may  be  put  into  action  by  material  stimu- 
lus, locally  exerted,  yet  is  obedient  to  the  influence  of 
the  nerves  in  general,  and  cannot  in  the  living  machine 
exist  for  any  considerable  time  without  this  union. 
More  strictly,  incitability  is  confined  to  the  nervous,  and 
irritability  to  the  moving,  fibres.  See  Wallis  on  Health 
and  Disease  ;  IRRITABILITAS  and  SENSIBILITAS. 

IXCLIXA'TUS,  (from  incline,  to  bend  down,}  an 
epithet  applied  to  a  root  of  a  plant  which  runs  obliquely. 
IXCLU'DENS,  (from    includo,  to  shut  ufi}.     The 
calyx  of  a  flower  which  shuts  up  and  conceals  the  co- 
rolla. 

IXCLU'SUS,  (from  the  same).  The  stamen  of  a 
flower  when  shut  up  in  the  corolla. 

IXCOXTIXE'NTIA,  (from  in,  not,  and  contineo, 
to  contain}.  INCONTINENCE.  An  inability  in  any  of 
the  organs  of  the  human  body  to  retain  their  contents, 
which  are  usually  discharged  by  the  exertion  of  vo- 
lition. 

IXCORPORATIO,  (from  incorfioro,  to  blend  to- 
gether}. INCORPORATION.  The  union  of  oily  or  tere- 
binthinate  substances  with  water  into  one  uniform  fluid, 
by  the  mediation  of  a  third  substance. 

IXCRASSA'XTIA,  (from  incratto,  to  make  thick,} 
512 


INC 


'96 


IND 


fnjcnotica.  INCRASSATING  MEDICINES  ;  such  as  reduce 
the  blood  and  secreted  fluids  to  a  proper  consistence 
when  supposed  to  be  too  fluid. 

INCRASSA'TUS,  (from  the  same).  The  epithet  of 
a  stalk  which  increases  in  thickness  as  it  approaches 
the  flower. 

INCRUSTA'TIO,  (from  incrusto,  to  harden}.  IN- 
CRUSTATION; forming  a  crust  or  eschar  upon  any 
wound. 

I'NCUBUS.  The  NIGHT-MARE  ;  (from  incubo,  to 
lie  on  ;  ephialtes,  from  i(p»Mof^cti,  to  leap  upon  ;  epibole, 
from  i7TiSa.)^^a,  to  press  on ;  because  the  patient 
imagines  that  something  leaps  or  presses  upon  him ; 
and  babuzicarius,  from  p*gaga,  to  speak  inarticulately, 
because,  in  his  distress,  he  mutters  indistinctly).  There 
is  also  a  species  called  succubus.  The  INCUIIUS  is  sy- 
nonymous with  oneirodynia  in  Dr.  Cullen's  system. 

This  complaint  always  happens  during  sleep :  the 
patient  suddenly  feels  a  sense  of  weight,  a  dread  of  suf- 
focation, an  oppression  as  from  somebody  falling  upon 
him,  with  an  intent  to  deprive  him  of  life,  not  suffering 
him  to  cry  out;  hence  it  is  usual  with  these  patients 
to  start  up  and  exclaim  with  a  confused  inarticulate 
voice  :  they  move  with  difficulty,  but,  on  the  first  mo- 
tion, the  distressing  feelings  vanish. 

This  disorder  hath  been  supposed  to  proceed  from  a 
stagnation  of  blood  in  the  brain  and  lungs ;  but  it  is  a 
nervous  affection,  cjiiefly  from  indigestion :  and  those 
whose  nerves  are  weak,  who  lead  sedentary  lives,  feed 
heartily,  and  sup  late,  are  the  most  subject  to  it.  Wind 
is  a  frequent  cause:  deep  thought,  anxiety,  or  any  op- 
pression of  mind,  equally  produces  it.  It  is  said  that 
none  are  attacked  with  the  ephialtes  but  when  laid  on 
their  backs.  A  sense  of  suffocation,  rousing  the  patient 
from  sleep,  has  been  styled  an  ephialtic  symptom,  dis- 
tinguishing hydrothorax ;  but,  in  this  case,  there  is  no 
sense  of  a  heavy  weight  on  the  prxcordia. 

If  the  patient  hath  a  sanguine  plethora,  bleeding, 
a  spare  diet,  aloetic  purges,  relieve  the  complaint. 
Dr.  Whytt  says  that  he  generally  found  a  glass  of 
brandy,  if  taken  at  bed  time,  would  prevent  the  attack. 
A  slight  supper,  cheerfulness  before  bed  time,  due  ex- 
ercise during  the  clay,  are  the  best  remedies  ;  but  if  these 
fail,  the  fetid  gums,  with  camphor  joined  10  opium,  at 
bed  time,  will  succeed. 

See  Coelius  Aurelianus  de  Morbis  Chronicis,  lib.  5. 
cap.  3.  Lommii  Observationes  Medicinales,  iii.  P. 
jEgineta,  lib.  iii.  c.  15.  Soranus's  Aitiologoumena. 

INCU'MBENS,  (from  incumbo,  to  lean  against,')  a 
term  in  botany. 

INCURVA'TUS,  (from  incurvo,  to  bend}.  Bent, 
a  term  applied  to  a  gibbous  spine,  and  in  botany  to  the 
stalk. 

I'NCUS,  (from  incudo,  to  strike  upon}.  The  ANVIL. 
The  name  of  one  of  the  bones  in  the  ear;  named 
from  its  resemblance  to  an  anvil.  It  is  broader  than  it 
is  thick ;  articulated  with  the  malleus,  behind  the 
manubrium,  from  whence  a  short  thick  process  projects 
backwards,  and  a  long  one  downwards,  which  runs 
down  parallel  to  the  long  process  of  the  malleus,  but 
rather  more  backward.  The  short  process  is  thick  at 
its  beginning,  but  ends  in  a  point,  which  is  turned 
backwards,  and  joined  to  the  edge  of  the  opening  of  the 
celluloe  mastoidese.  The  long  process  at  its  extremity  is 


rather  bent  inwards,  by  which  we  may  distinguish  the 
incus  of  one  ear  from  that  of  the  other;  for,  turning 
the  short  process  backwards,  and  the  long  process 
downwards,  if  the  bending  in  of  the  long  leg  be  to- 
wards the  left  hand,  it  belongs  to  the  right  car,  and 
vice -versa.  See  AURIS. 

I'NDEX,  (from  indico,  to  point  out}.     See  DIGITUS. 

I'NDLE  ORIENTA'LIS  RADIX  GENUINA.  Sec 
GENSING. 

INDIA'NA  RA'DIX,  from  the  West  Indies,  its  na- 
tive place.  Sec  IPECACUANHA. 

INDICA'TIO,  (from  endico,  to  show,  or  point  out}. 
INDICATION  ;  delatio,  cndcijcis.  The  diagnostics  of  a  dis- 
ease, and  its  pathognomonic  signs,  are  collections  of 
particulars  that  occur  to  observation.  Indications  are 
conclusions  that  arise  from  reasoning  on  these  par- 
ticulars, called  signs.  The  indication  of  cure,  in  all 
diseases,  is  to  remove  the  proximate  or  immediate 
cause;  but  this  is  seldom  known. 

INDICATOR,   (from   the    same).     See  EXTENSOR 

INDICIS. 

I'NDICON.     See  MYRTIDANON. 

I'NDICUM,  (from  -the  Arabic  term  hindi,  India). 
The  INDIGO  BLUE  PLANT;  also  called  indigo,  anil,  nil, 
isatis,  and  coronilla  Indica,  emerus  Americanus,  g-lastum 
Indicum,  dmeri,  coaachira  Indorum,  colutea  Indica, 
herbacea,enger,gali,her-uade  anilLusitanis,hin-aiuaru; 
Indigofera  tinctoria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1061,  is  a  native  of 
South  Carolina,  but  was  known  to  the  ancients.  It 
seems  to  have  been  indigenous  in  Malta,  and  was  cer- 
tainly produced  in  large  quantities  in  Egypt;  and  the 
name  anil  (al-nil)  seems  to  show  that  it  was  known  to 
the  Arabians.  It  requires  a  tropical  temperature,  but 
is  found  within  forty  degrees  on  each  side  of  the 
equator.  We  are  now  supplied  from  the  continent 
and  islands  of  America,  though  some  indigo  is  prepared 
in  France.  This  substance  is  a  faecula,or  starch,  sepa- 
rated from  the  plant  by  the  powerful  action  of  fermen- 
tation. It  is  not  agreed  how  far  this  process  should 
proceed.  It  certainly  goes  beyond  the  spirituous,  since 
ammoniacal  salts  are  found  in  indigo,  but,  by  complete 
putrefaction,  it  is  spoiled.  Some  oil  is  used  in  the 
preparation,  though  with  no  very  decided  object.  We 
suspect  its  chief  advantage  to  arise  from'its  power  of 
moderating  the  too  violent  fermentation,  or  preventing 
the  escape  of  the  carbonic  acid  gas.  Various  species  of 
this  plant,  and  various  processes  for  separating  the 
fcecula,  are  employed,  which  it  is  not  our  object  to 
detail.  It  is  brought  to  us  in  flat  cakes  of  a  moderate 
thickness,  moderately  hard,  of  a  deep  violet  colour : 
the  best  kind  swims  on  water,  and  when  broken  hath 
no  white  spots  in  it.  That  which  is  reddish,  on  being 
rubbed  with  the  nail,  and  hath  dust  and  broken  pieces 
in  it,  is  far  inferior.  Such  white  spots  are  found  in  the 
common  indigo  of  the  shops,  which  is  an  adulteration 
of  the  genuine  kind  by  the  mixture  of  flour. 

The  plant  is  said  to  be  detergent,  of  some  use  when 
applied  to  ulcers,  or  to  kill  lice. 

There  is  another  plant  which  is  called  anil,'  vised  by 
way  of  decoction  in  neptiritic  colics,  and  suppressions 
of  urine ;  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  determine  the 


species. 

See   Raii  Ilistoria  Plantarum. 
Works, 


Neumann's  Chern. 


IX  E 


797 


I  X  I 


I  XDICUM  BA'LSAMUM.      See  PERVVIAXUM   HAI.S\MVM. 
I'XUICUM  U'GXUM  MOXTA'NUM.     See  I 

UGNUM. 

TXDICUS.     See  COSTUS. 
I'XDIGA   SPU'RIA.     See  COLINII.. 
IXD1GE  XI,  INDIGENOUS;  natives  of  the  country  in 
which  they  are  found.     The  term  is  applied  to  plants 
and  animals. 

INDIGES'TIO.     See  DIGESTIO,  APEPSIA,  and  DYS- 
PEPSIA. 

IXDIGXATO'RIUS  MU'SCULUS.  (from  indig- 
nor,  to  scorn;  because  this  muscle  assists  in  producing 
a  scornful  look).     See  ABDUCTOR  OCULI. 
rXDIGO.     See  Ixmc-i-M. 

IXDU'SIUM,  (from  induo,  to  put  on").     A  SHIRT  or 
SHIFT.     Cieui  linen  promotes  perspiration,  and  it  may 
be  renewed  as  often  as  the  patient  pleases,  whether  the 
iboixier  be  of  the  acute  or  the  chronical  kind  ;  except 
during  a  crisis  in  fevers,  while  the  patient  is  in  a  sweat. 
Yet,  even  in  this  state,  with  proper  precautions,  the 
linen  may  be  sometimes  safely  changed.     See  AMNIOX. 
1XEBRIA  XTIA.     We  have  anticipated  the  more 
important  observations  on  this  class  of  medicines  in  our 
article  AXODYXA,  q.  v.  and  we  shall  now  only  point  out 
the  more  common  inebriants,  with   some  remarks  on 
their  action,  for  which  our  readers  were  not  at  that 
time  prepared.    The  most  common  inebriant  is  OPIUM. 
It  is  employed  among  the  eastern  nations,  very  gene- 
rally, to  procure,  not  sleep,  but  serenity  and  cheerful- 
ness ;  and  its  use,  in  this  respect,  may  be  traced  to  the 
earliest  ages,  for  it  was  probably  the  nepenthe  of  Homer. 
TEA  is  equally  general  in   the  west,  and  in  its  native 
country,  China,  but  it  is  mild  in  its  effects,  and,  if  not 
drunk  unusually  strong,  or  in  too  copious  draughts,  it  is 
not  injurious.     There  is  some  reason  to  suspect   that 
the  additions,  which  give  it  the  flavour,  are  most  hurt- 
ful; for  the  finest  teas  produce  the  worst  effects.     The 
BAXGUE  of  the  east,  prepared  from  the  leaves  of  the 
canabis  indica,  and  not  from  those  of  the  hibiscus  abel- 
moschus,  as  has  been  asserted,  is  in  general  use  (vide 
in  verbo)  in  India,  as  an  inebriant;  but  the  BETLE,  q.  v. 
is  rather  a  stimulant  than  a  narcotic.     The  ASSYRIAN- 
RUE,  peganum  harmalaof  Linnaeus,  was  formerly  used, 
as  Bellonius  informs  us,  for  this  purpose ;  but  its  very 
offensive  and  disagreeable  smell  prevents  it  from  being 
any  longer  a  luxury.     The  seeds  of  different  species  of 
datura  have  been  also  used  to  inebriate,  as  well  as  the 
roots  of  the  black  henbane,  and  the  hyoscyamus,  physa- 
loides  Lin.     The  Delecarlians  employ  the  leaves  of  the 
miilefolium  to  increase  the  intoxicating  power  of  the 
beer;  and  the  porter  brewers  of  this  country  are  said  to 
use  the  canabis  indicus  and  the  cocculus  indicus ;  but  this 
has  lately  been  denied  on  oath  in  the  King's  Bench. 
Tobacco  ;  the  darnel ;  the  clary;  the  vanilloes;  the  hem- 
lock ;  the  spawn  of  the  barbel ;  and  the  agaricus  musca- 
rius,  have  been  all  employed  for  this  purpose.     Fer- 
mented liquors  and  spirits  are  sufficiently  known.    See 
Linnad  Amac-nitates  Academicae  Inebriantia,  vol.  vi. 

All  these  medicines  are  sedative,  and  their  effects  on 
the  nervous  system  are  to  produce  an  unequal  excite- 
ment. We  have  explained,  in  a  variety  of  articles  (see 
INSOMNIA),  that  the  regular  discharge  of  the  mental 
functions  depends  on  a  free,  uninterrupted  communi- 
cation between  the  different  portions  of  the  brain. 


When  from  any  cause  this  is  prevented,  delirium,  in 
different  degrees,  takes  place.  If  unequally  excited, 
the  delirium  is  of  the  violent  kind  :  if  unequally  de- 
pressed, of  the  low,  and  often  of  the  pleasing 'kind. 
Y\  hether  pleasing  or  otherwise,  the  effect  is  nearly  si- 
milar, since  the  same  medicine,  in  different  cor, 
tions,  will  excite  the  most  soothing  and  the  most  horri- 
ble images.  See  MATERIA  MEDICA. 

IXE'RMIS,  (from  in,  non,  and  arma,  arms).  HARM- 
LESS ;  applied  to  soft  thorns,  as  those  of  the  thistle. 

IXE'RTI^E  VIS,  (from  iners,  sluggish).  The 
power  of  inactivity.  By  this,  apparently  contradictory 
term,  sir  Isaac  Xewton  means  that  passive  principle  in 
matter,  by  which  bodies  resist  any  change  or  alteration 
of  their  state,  whatever  it  be,  of  rest,  motion,  or  its  di- 
rection ;  and  this  resistance,  always  equal  in  the  same 
body,  is,  in  different  bodies,  proportional  to  the  quantity 
of  matter  they  contain.  Hence,  in  medicine,  it  means 
when  the  powers  of  the  constitution  are  torpid  or  inert, 
and  make  no  effort  in  the  recovery  of  health. 

I'XFANS,  (a  non  fando,  from  its  inability  to  tali-). 
An  INFANT  or  cniu).  Fred.  Hoffman  limits  the  period 
ol  infancy  to  the  time  when  children  begin  to  talk,  and 
that  of  childhood  to  the  age  of  puberty. 

During  infancy  the  parts  are  disproportioned,  and 
the  organs,  from  weakness,  incapable  of  those  functions 
which,  in  future  life,  they  are  designed  to  perform.  The 
head,  the  liver,  and  pancreas,  are  much  larger,  in  pro- 
portion, than  in  advanced  periods ;  and  their  secretions 
more  copious.  The  bile  is  very  inert;  the  heart  is 
stronger  and  larger  than  in  future  life;  the  arteries 
fuller  and  more  active;  the  quantity  of  blood  sent 
through  the  heart  of  an  infant,  in  a  given  time,  is  also 
more  in  proportion  than  that  in  adults.  Though  these 
circumstances  are  not  without  utility  and  subservient  to 
the  growing  state,  yet  the  imperfection  attending  them, 
subjects  this  period  of  life  to  many  injuries  and  dangers, 
from  which  a  more  perfect  state  is  exempted. 

Infants  are  more  acutely  sensible  and  more  irritable 
than  adults  ;  and  the  diognostics  of  diseases  are  conse- 
quently more  uncertain.  However,  no  very  great  em- 
barrassment arises  from  these  circumstances  ;  for  the 
disorders  of  infants  are  usually  acute,  less  complicated 
than  those  of  adults,  and  are  more  easily  discovered 
than  is  generally  apprehended. 

The  vigour  of  children's  constitutions  depends  greatly 
on  that  of  their  mothers.  Healthy  women,  who  accus- 
tom themselves  to  exerc-'se  and  air,  and  whose  diet  is 
firm  and  invigorating,  alone  bring  forth  children  per- 
fectly healthy. 

As  soon  as  a  child  is  born,  the  mucus  with  which  its 
body  is  covered  is  best  washed  oft'  with  soap  and  water. 
But  the  anxiety  to  render  the  infant  perfectly  clean  pro- 
duces inflammation,  and  considerable  uneasiness;  mo- 
derate cleanliness  is  at  the  first  sufficient :  and  the  next 
dressing  will  easily  and  safely  complete  the  whole. 

After  examining  the  new  born  infants  with  a  view- 
to  discover  any  accidental  injury,  or  natural  imperfec- 
tion, wrap  the  navel  string  in  a  rag,  sufficiently  fold- 
ed, to  prevent  its  coldness  from  producing  inconve- 
nience. The  heads  of  infants  should  be  dressed  loosely, 
and  their  future  formation  left  to  nature. 

It  was  usual  after  dressing  to  give  oil  of  almonds, 
syrup   of  violets ;    sugar  with   butter,  or  other 


INF 


798 


TtfF 


slight  laxatives,  to  discharge  the  mcconium.  These  are 
at  least  useless.  A  little  gruel  with  milk  will  alone 
bring  it  off;  and  the  first  milk  of  the  mother  will  com- 
plete the  necessary  discharges.  For  this  purpose  the 
child  is  put  early  to  the  breast,  usually  within  twelve 
hours,  which  solicits  the  secretion,  and  prevents  its  too 
violent  current. 

The  general  management  of  the  infant  state  is  di- 
rected too  frequently  by  fashion,  or  rather  by  caprice. 
Modes  and  medicines  used  for  centuries,  handed  clown 
in  successive  generations,  cannot  always  be  combated 
by  reason,  but  are  sometimes  wholly  exploded  by  a 
fashionable  physician,  who  aims  at  distinction  by  total 
overthrow  of  what  has  been  long  held  sacred.  Com- 
mon sense  must  at  last  decide,  and  without  engaging 
in  controversy,  we  shall  pursue  its  dictates* 

The  little  being,  when  first  introduced  to  this  world, 
is  brought  from  a  temperature  of  at  least  96°,  and 
should  therefore  be  cautiously  guarded  against  sudden 
exposure  to  the  air.  His  clothing  should  be  light  and 
easy ;  and,  at  first,  warm.  The  tender  skin  would  be 
chafed  with  flannel,  and  therefore  old  linen  is  preferred. 
Calico  would  be  still  better ;  but  the  whole  must  be  co- 
vered with  flannel,  and  fastened  as  much  as  possible  by 
wirings.  For  along  time  cold  excites  uneasy  sensations, 
and  he  is  properly  placed  close  to  the  mother;  by  her 
side,  or  that  of  a  healthy  nurse,  he  should  lie  till  at  least 
he  has  lived  twelve  months  ;  but  modern  refinement,  or 
modern  apprehensions,  place  him  alone  in  a  crib  by  the 
side  of  the  bed.  On  this  subject  we  can  only  observe, 
that  we  have  known  infants,  thus  separated  from  the 
warm  bosom,  cry  nearly  a  whole  night ;  and,  in  general, 
they  increase  slowly,  are  weak  and  delicate,  while  those 
with  a  nurse,  if  not  the  mother,  have  appeared  thriving 
and  happy.  But,  though  the  child  should  be  kept  warm, 
the"  air  around  should  circulate  freely.  A  curtain 
against  its  head  may  prevent  the  current  passing  over 
him,  but  no  other  curtain  should  be  drawn,  and  the 
room  should  be  high,  large,  and  airy. 

On  the  food  of  children  we  cannot  add  to  what  we 
have  said  in  the  article  ABLACTATIO  ;  but  may  here 
remark,  in  opposition  to  a  common  and  most  ridiculous 
practice,  that  a  child  should  not  be  accustomed  to  take 
its  food  at  distant  intervals.  Digestion  in  children  is 
rapid ;  and,  if  food  is  delayed,  the  child  is  uneasy ;  and, 
when  brought,  takes  it  greedily  and  too  copiously. 

A  healthy  child  scarcely  ever  cries.  This  position 
will,  we  know,  be  disputed ;  and  a  child  is  said  to  be 
peevish,  fretful,  and  uneasy,  when  the  nurse  is  careless 
and  inattentive.  Dispositions  undoubtedly  differ;  but 
the  parent,  who  finds  a  child  constantly  crying,  should 
suspect  her  nurse,  and  even  herself.  One  cause  of 
this  fretfulness  is  the  opinion  that  the  nurse  knows 
when  the  child  should  sleep,  or  eat,  better  than  itself. 
It  is  forced  to  feed  when  not  hungry,  and  to  sleep 
when  eager  for  play  or  amusement.  We  have  often 
cured  this  disease,  by  correcting  the  attendant.  It  in- 
deed happens  that  some  children  will  not  sleep  by  night, 
but  even  this  may  be  conquered  by  management ;  for 
the  healthy  child  may  be  amused  during  the  day,  and 
his  amusements  may  be  gradually  protracted  till  night 
approaches.  Disposition  and  fancies  show  themselves 
very  early  to  the  attentive  observer ;  and,  when  reason 
has  not  yet  attained  its  power,  to  correct  them  with 
violence,  irritates  without  amending.  Even  at  an  early 


age,  children  may  be  soothed  into  regularity  and  obe- 
dience :  they  cannot  be  forced.  If  a  child  screams  sud- 
denly, he  is  undoubtedly  ill,  and  should  be  carefully  at- 
tended to. 

A  healthy  infant  is  fond  of  exercise.     He  should  be 
moved  gently  up'  and  down,  but  without  any  shocks. 
On  this  account  the  modern  cot  is  preferable  to  the 
cradle,  for  the  child  may  be  shook  by  the  latter  into  a 
stupor,  which  a  nurse  will  take  care  to  do,  as  it  saves 
her  the  trouble  of  attending  to  the  infant's  play.     In 
dandling  the  child,   great  inconveniences   arise  from 
compressing  the  breast.     The    child  sits  on  the  left 
hand,  and,  to  prevent  accidents,  leans  forward  against 
the  right  placed  on  its  breast.     If  the  nurse  is  timid,  or 
if  the  child  starts,  the  only  security  is  to  clasp  the 
breast,  by  which  the  ribs  are  often  compressed.     If, 
however,  the  right  hand  is  placed  under  the  arm,  with 
the  thumb  over  the  shoulder,  an  active  child  may  even 
start  from  the  other  hand  without  danger.     The  right 
hand  will  support  it,  or  convey  it  gently  to  the  ground. 
Swinging  seems  to  give  children  an  uneasy  feeling, 
and  even  being  carried  quickly  down  stairs  will  make 
them  shrink  to  the  nurse's  breast.     This  is  almost  the 
only  instinctive  feeling  that,  after  much  observation  of 
children,  has  occurred  to  us.     Gentle  friction  is  an  ex- 
cellent addition  to  exercise,  and  peculiarly  grateful  to 
infants. 

The  pathology  of  the  infant  state  is  slight  and  sim- 
ple. From  the  disproportioned  size  of  the  head,  ac- 
cumulations in  this  organ  are  frequent,  and  almost  every 
fever  is  attended  with  a  considerable  load  in  the  brain. 
The  only  peculiar  disease  of  the  head  is  hydrocephalus, 
though  apoplexy  and  palsy  have,  at  times,  attended 
the  infant  state.  A  great  difficulty  arises  in  distin- 
guishing the  accumulation  of  water  from  fever.  This 
is  not,  indeed,  easy,  but  often  unnecessary,  since  the 
treatment  does  not  greatly  differ ;  free  evacuations  from 
the  bowels  being  equally  indispensable  in  both.  Accu- 
mulations in  the  stomach  and  intestines  are  the  great 
source  of  children's  complaints.  A  considerable  quan- 
tity of  mucus  is  a  part  almost  of  their  constitution,  and 
it  is  this  accumulation  which  occasions  worms,  diarr- 
hoeas, and  convulsions.  Emetics  and  cathartics  are, 
therefore,  the  chief  remedies,  and  the  most  active  dras- 
tics are  borne  with  ease,  and  even  advantage.  A  child 
may  more  safely  take  five  grains  of  calomel  than  an 
adult ;  and  often  two  or  three  grains  of  gutta  gamba 
will  not  produce  a  considerable  discharge.  Suffocation, 
considered  as  the  disease  of  children,  is,  we  fear,  al- 
ways the  creature  of  art,  the  effect  of  indulgence 
arising  from  too  great  warmth,  and  more  frequently 
from  fulness. 

The  prophylactic  management  of  children  is  not  a 
very  abstruse  subject.  Early  hours,  moderate  warmth, 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  to  as  great  a  degree  as  their 
strength  admits,  with  a  proper  attention  to  their  diet 
(see  DI.STA),  and  the  due  regulation  of  the  alvine  dis- 
charges, comprise  the  whole.  The  medicines  for  chil- 
dren should  be  few  and  simple.  Their  stomachs  abound 
with  acids,  which  change  the  bile  to  a  green  colour,  and 
thus  tinges  the  stools  with  the  same  hue.  The  anxious 
parent,  on  this  appearance,  flies  to  absorbents ;  but, 
while  the  child  continues  lively  and  cheerful,  and  the 
stools  are  neither  too  copious  nor  too  few,  no  remedy 
is  necessary.  In  early  infancy  a  child  has  generally 


1  N  I 


799 


IX  F 


from  three  to  five  motions  in  twenty-four  hours.  This 
number  lessens;  and,  at  the  age  of  two  years,  there 
are  seldom  more  than  two  daily.  Constitutions  differ 
in  this  respect,  and  we  have  known  an  infant  continue 
in  perfect  health  with  one  motion  only  in  twenty-four 
hours. 

See  Pci-civaFs  Essays,  Medical  and  Experimental, 
ed.  2.  p.  363 — 367  ;  Armstrong  on  the  Management 
and  Diseases  of  Children.  Cadogan's  Essay  on  the 
Management  of  Children.  Harris  on  the  Diseases  of 
Children,  translated  by  Martin.  Clark's  Directions  for 
the  Management  of  Children.  Moss  on  Nursing. 

INFE'CTIO,  (from   inficio,  to   infect}.     See  Cox- 

TAGIO. 

INFE'LIX  LIGNUM.     See  SAMBUCUS. 

INFERNA'LIS  LA'PIS,  (from  its  burning  and  de- 
structive property).  Caustic  made  by  evaporating  strong 
soap  leys  almost  to  dryness.  See  CAUSTICUM  COM- 
MUNE FORTIUS.  It  is  sometimes  used  instead  of  the 
caustic  um  lunare,  and  often  is  distinguished  by  the 
samtf  name.  See  ARGEXTUM. 

IXFE'RUS,  (from  infra,  beneath).  Situated  beneath 
another  part. 

~INFIBULA'TIO,(fromi77/6H/o,  to  button  together). 
IXFIBULATION.  This  operation  is  the  reverse  of  cir- 
cumcision ;  for  it  confines  the  prepuce  over  the  glans 
penis,  to  prevent  its  being  drawn  back.  That  part  of 
the  prepuce  which  extends  beyond  the  glans  is  per- 
forated by  a  needle  armed  with  a  waxed  thread,  which 
is  moved  backward  and  forward  every  day  until  a  cica- 
trixis  formed.  After  this  the  fibula  is  fixed. 

The  ancient  Romans  thus  used  to  prevent  in  their 
singing  boys  premature  venery,  to  preserve  their  voices. 
See  Celsus,  lib.  vii.  cap.  xxv.  The  fibula  seems  to 
have  been  a  kind  of  ring. 

INFLAMMA'TIO,(from  infammo,to  burn,}  Phleg- 
mons; PhlogQuit;  INFLAMMATION.  Phlegmo,  Hippo- 
crates ;  oxyfiklegmasia;  a  topical  pain,  with  an  injury 
of  the  functions  of  an  internal  organ,  attended  with  in- 
flammatory fever,  and  the  appearance  of  a  buffy  coat  on 
the  blood.  External  inflammation  is  characterised  by  a 
redness,  heat,  and  a  painful  tension  of  the  affected 
part. 

The  most  obvious  idea  which  the  symptoms  of  in- 
flammation suggest,  is  that  of  an  accumulation  of  blood 
in  the  vessels,  and  its  confinement  in  a  given  part.  The 
conclusion,  however,  is  too  general ;  for  the  veins  of  the 
part  are  often  swollen,  and  the  secretions  from  the 
neighbouring  glands  sometimes  increased  in  quantity. 
The  accumulation  has,  however,  suggested  the  idea  of 
its  arising  from  a  stimulus,  and  the  confinement  of 
the  fluids  in  the  part  the  idea  of  obstruction.  It  is  ob- 
vious, that  a  stimulus  will  produce  inflammation ;  but 
when  this  is  removed,  the  inflammation  ceases.  Ob- 
struction then  has  been  the  leading  principle  in  every 
theory  of  inflammation,  especially  when  pathologists 
had  remarked,  that  obstruction  alone  excites  the  action 
of  the  vascular  system. 

The  source  of  this  obstruction  has  differed  according 
to  the  fancy  of  the  enquirer.  It  was  first  supposed  to  be 
too  great  viscidity  of  the  blood,  and  we  were  trium- 
phantly shown  the  dense  buffy  coat  on  its  surface,  when 
drawn ;  but  we  now  know,  that  the  -whole  mass  of  the 
crassamentum  is  not  preternaturally  dense  or  viscid, 
for  that  the  basis  of  the  clot  is  loose  in  proportion  to  the 


density  of  the  surface.  Another  opinion  was,  that,  as 
there  appeared  to  be  a  series  of  vessels  of  decreasing 
diameters,  and  evidently  some  into  which  the  red  glo- 
bules were  unable  to  enter  from  their  size,  inflamma- 
tion might  consist  in  these  globules  being  impelled  into 
vessels  not  adapted  forthem,  where  they  were  confined, 
occasioning,  from  their  obstruction,  inflammations. 
This  is  the  famous  error  loci  of  Boerhaave,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  of  this  "error"  taking  place;  but  we  shall 
find  it  to  be  an  effect,  not  a  cause.  Dr.  Cullen  con- 
siders the  obstruction  as  owing  to  spasm.  "  That 
a  spasm  of  the  extreme  vessels  takes  place  in  inflam- 
mation is  presumed,  he  observes,  from  what  is  at  the 
same  time  the  state  of  the  whole  arterial  system.  In  all 
considerable  inflammations,  though  arising  in  one  part 
only,  an  affection  is  communicated  to  the  whole  system; 
in  consequence  of  which,  an  inflammation  is  readily- 
produced  in  other  parts  besides  that  first  affected.  Thii 
general  affection  is  well  Jtnown  to  physicians  under  the 
name  of  diathe sis  fihlogisticq.  It  most  commonly  ap- 
pears in  persons  of  the  most  rigid  fibres ;  is  often  ma- 
nifestly induced  by  the  tonic  or  astringent  power  of 
cold;  increased  by  all  tonic  and  stimulant  powers  ap- 
plied to  the  body  ;  always  attended  by  a  hardness  of  the 
pulse ;  and  most  effectually  taken  off  by  the  relaxing 
power  of  blood  letting.  From  these  circumstances  it  is 
probable,  that  the  diathesis  phlogistica  consists  in  an  in- 
creased tone,  or  contractility,  and  perhaps  contraction, 
of  the  muscular  fibres  of  the  whole  arterial  system." 

Thus  rested  the  state  of  opinions  for  many  years, 
when  a  new  opinion  arose  in  the  school  of  Edinburgh; 
an  opinion,  however,  of  private  teachers  rather  than 
of  the  professors,  that  inflammation  was  owing  to  a 
debility  of  the  vessels  of  the  part  affected",  admitting 
of  considerable  distention ;  or,  at  least,  to  a  disturb- 
ance of  the  balance  between  the  action  of  the  larger 
vessels  and  that  of  the  capillaries,  in  which  inflamma- 
tion is  seated.  This  opinion  has  been  published  by  Dr. 
Wilson,  in  his  third  volume  on  Febrile  Diseases,  and 
attributed  to  Dr.  Lubbock,  or  a  Mr.  Allen,  who,  we 
believe,  gave  a  course  of  lectures  on  physiology  in  that 
university.  We  had,  many  years  since,  formed  a 
similar  opinion,  when  digesting  the  observations  already 
offered  on  fevers,  which  attributes  the  phenomena  of 
these  to  a  change  in  the  equilibrium  of  the  circulation. 
We  mention  this  circumstance  neither  to  detract  from 
these  authors'  credit,  nor  to  add  to  our  own ;  but,  as 
some  confirmation  of  the  claim,  we  may  suggest  the 
consistency  of  this  doctrine,  with  the  view  we  have 
given  of  fever  in  general. 

In  our  explanation  of  fever,  we  attempted  to  prove 
that  debility  was  the  first  change  which  took  place;  and, 
in  all  the  varieties  and  changes  of  appearances,  debility, 
we  remarked,  was  always  the  leading  feature.  With 
a  view  to  inflammation,  we  observed,  that,  while  there 
was  a  quiescence  of  the  capillaries,  probably  a  spasm, 
since  debility  is  its  general  and  principal  cause,  the  ac- 
tion of  the  sanguiferous  system  was  excited,  but  that 
the  excitement  was  partial.  If,  then,  from  any  cause, 
this  action  is  excited  in  a  peculiar  degree,  and  if  any 
debility  in  a  given  part  concurs,  inflammation  will  be 
the  consequence.  These  are  not  hypothetical  positions. 
Inflammations  chiefly  occur  in  the  young,  the  robust, 
and  sanguine,  whose  habit,  or  diathesis,  is  inflammatory, 
and  from  hence  called  -phlogistic,  a  term  derived,  like 


I  X  F 


800 


IXF 


inflammation,  from  fire,  before  phlogiston  had  an  ex- 
istence in  chemistry.  The  phlogistic  diathesis  consists 
in  a  strong  action  of  the  arterial  system,  and  increas- 
ed tone  and  vigour  of  the  active  powers  of  the  circula- 
tion, which  arc  evident  from  the  strong,  hard  pulse, 
and  the  general  firmness  of  the  whole  habit.  If  any 
of  fever  happens,  it  will  be  evident  that  the  action 
of  the  arterial  system  will  be,  in  such  constitutions, 
inordinate.  The  partial  debility  is  also  equally  con- 
spicuous. No  more  certain  cause  of  rheumatism 
exists  than  topical  cold,  after  the  part  has  been  unusu- 
ally heated;  of  peripneumony,  than  previously  having 
breathed  warm  air ;  and  of  any  inflammation,  than 
from  the  same  part  having  been  formerly  affected  with 
the  same  disease.  All  these  circumstances  point  out 
previous  topical  debility,  quiescence  which  admits  of 
accumulation,  in  which  inflammation  seems  to  consist. 
This  forms,  however,  the  extreme  case:  various  are 
the  intermediate  ones,  in  which,  though  the  balance  is 
disturbed,  the  \  is  a  tergo  is  more  or  less  violent  in  pro- 
portion to  the  debility,  or  the  debility  more  or  less  con- 
siderable in  proportion  to  the  former  force.  When  in 
a  healthy  state  a  part  is  rubbed  or  irritated,  a  redness 
comes  on,  which  on  the  cessation  of  the  cause  again  re- 
cedes. This  can  scarcely  be  called  inflammation,  for  it 
is  not  a  disease.  In  fact,  the  balance  of  t-he  circulation 
is  not  disturbed;  but  if  the  motion  of  the  fluids  is  in- 
terrupted, and  their  return  by  the  veins  impeded,  the 
usual  consequences  of  obstruction  follow ;  the  vis  a 
tergo  is  increased,  the  vessels  distended  and  weakened. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  a  part  is  weakened,  as  by  cold,  the 
fluids  accumulate  without  any  increase  of  the  vis  a  tergo, 
become  red  and  livid,  but  by  the  gradual  approach  of 
warmth  again  recover  their  usual  appearance.  This 
again  is  not  disease;  but  if  the  cold  is  farther  continued, 
so  that  the  power  of  the  arteries  behind  cannot  propel 
the  fluids,  chilblains  and  gangrene  ensue. 

The  great  subject  of  debate  has  been,  whether  ob- 
struction really  exists  in  inflammation.  Dr.  Wilson, 
from  microscopical  observations,  is  convinced  that  this 
is  the  case.  We  have  said  that  the  conclusion  is  too 
general.  It  seems  to  fulfil  all  the  idea  of  inflammation, 
if,  from  a  disturbed  balance  in  the  circulation,  the  blood 
is  accumulated  in  a  part  faster  than  it  is  conveyed  away 
by  the  veins  or  exhalants.  Obstruction  is  not  necessary 
to  explain  the  phenomena;  and  in  some  instances,  as 
we  have  said,  the  veins  swell,  and  the  discharge  from 
the  neighbouring  exhalants  is  increased.  Yet  we  are 
willing  to  admit,  that  in  every  violent  inflammation  ob- 
struction does  take  place;  but  it  is  unnecessary  to  distin- 
guish the  circumstances  with  accuracy,  as  the  explana- 
tion of  the  symptoms  or  the  cure  will  not  be  affected  by 
the  decision. 

The  view  of  inflammation  thus  given  will  suffi- 
ciently explain  almost  all  the  varieties,  and  give  a  con- 
sistency to  the  method  of  cure.  The  only  kind,  whose 
pathology  is  less  obviously  derived  from  the  foregoing 
remark,  is  crysinekitous  inflammation.  The  only  dif- 
ficulty however  arises  from  the  inaccuracy  of  language. 
We  ure  accustomed  to  call  those  internal  inflammations 
erysipelatous,  in  which  the  action  of  the  arteries,  solar 
from  being  increased,  is  weakened,  and  which  hastens 
to  gangrene  rather  than  suppuration.  There  is  not, 
however,  the  slightest  evidence  that  the  state  of  inflam- 
mation internally  resembles  the  external  appearance 


usually  denominated  an  erysipelatous  eruption,  for  this 
is  properly  an  exanthcmatous  disease,  except  when  in 
the  fauces,  where  a  similar  appearance  attends  the  gan- 
grenous throat;  but  in  this  case  the  eruption  is  a  symp- 
tom only,  and  the  inactive  inflammation  hastening  to 
gangrene,  the  real  disease.  All  the  additional  explan- 
ation will  appear  from  the  ratio  symptornatum,  to  which 
we  proceed. 

The  leading  symptom  of  inflammation  is  redness, 
which  has  been  usually  explained  from  the  entrance  of 
the  red  globules  into  vessels  not  adapted  to  their  dia- 
meters. This  error  loci  we  believe  really  takes  place; 
but,  independent  of  this  cause,  the  redness  proceeds  in 
part  from  slight  extravasations  in  consequence  of  rup- 
ture, but  chiefly  depends  on  the  greater  quantity  of  the 
red  globules  from  dilatation  and  accumulation.  It  ap- 
peared from  the  microscopical  observations  of  Dr.  Wil- 
son, that  slight  irritation,  instead  of  producing  redness, 
occasioned  paleness,  in  consequence  of  the  more  rapid 
circulation,  and  that  the  redness  did  not  appear  until  the 
appearances  of  the  blood's  motion  had  ceased.  It  must 
be  remarked,  however,  that  these  experiments  are,  in 
part,  fallacious.  The  circulation  cannot  be  observed 
but  in  transparent  organs  ;  and  when  vessels  are  distend- 
ed so  as  to  admit  of  considerable  accumulation  of  blood, 
they  are  no  longer  transparent. 

Increased  heat  is  another  symptom  equally  character- 
istic of  inflammation,  and  this  was  easily  explained  by 
the  pathologist  from  the  increased  circulation,  and  con- 
sequently increased  friction.  We  know,  however, 
that  the  change  in  the  blood's  capacity  for  heat,  which 
takes  place  during  the  circulation,  is  equally  going  on 
during  its  stagnation,  and  when  a  larger  quantity  is  ac- 
cumulated in  a  part,  the  heat  given  out  in  consequence 
of  this  change  must  be  necessarily  greater.  On  the  ap- 
proach of  gangrene  the  parts  are  cold  ;  but  this  change 
never  takes  place  till  the  blood  has  already  assumed  a 
livid  hue,  and  of  course  has  yielded  all  the  heat  which 
could  be  separated  in  consequence  of  this  change  of 
capacity. 

The  jiain  is  more  easily  explained  from  the  distention, 
and  the  spasm  which  also  must  take  place  in  conse- 
quence of  the  distention.  It  will  be  obvious  also,  that 
where  the  vessels  are  closely  confined  in  membranes, 
they  admit  of  distention  with  difficulty,  and  the  pain  is 
proportionally  increased.  The  pain  is  also  in  proportion 
to  the  sensibility  of  the  organ  and  the  diathesis  phlo- 
gistica,  where  the  disease  in  a  great  degree  arises  from 
the  violent  action  of  the  vis  a  tergo.  On  both  these 
accounts,  the  inflammation  of  the  eye  is  attended  with 
the  most  excruciating  pain.  Ligaments  and  tendons 
when  inflamed  are  also  acutely  sensible,  though  their 
sensibility  is  inconsiderable  in  the  sound  state.  The 
source  of  the  only  other  symptom,  the  swelling,  is  suffi- 
ciently obvious. 

The  remote  causes  of  inflammation  are  either  general 
or  topical.  The  general  causes  are  those  of  fever,  de- 
termined in  their  seat  by  some  accidental  cause,  gene- 
rally some  debility  of  the  part.  Inflammations  of  this 
kind  are  usually  inflammatory,  arising  from  excess  of 
action  in  the  larger  arteries;  but  in  different  states  of 
the  atmosphere,  or  rather  in  different  epidemic  consti- 
tutions, either  a  less  degree  of  phlogistic  diathesis  will 
produce  the  accumulation,  or  the  balance  is  destroy- 
ed by  the  loss  of  tone  in  the  affected  part ;  often  not- 


IXF 


301 


IXF 


•without  suspicion  of  a  morbid  poison  determined  to  the 
part,  particularly  in  the  putrid  sore  throat,  which  seems 
rather  an  exanthema  than  a  phlegmasia. 

Of  the  topical  causes  but  a  few  only  are  direct  stimuli. 
A  thorn  in  the  flesh  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  in- 
stances of  this  kind;  chemical  acrids  produce  the  same 
effects;  but  a  more  frequent  cause  in  the  human  body 
is  any  extraneous  body,  or  any  portion  of  the  body  de- 
prived of  life  which  acts  as  such.  These  continued 
irritations  seem  to  produce  those  inflammations,  in 
which,  as  we  have  said,  there  is  no  decisive  evidence 
of  obstruction. 

The  other  topical  causes  are  those  of  indirect  debility, 
as  burning,  overstretching,  concussions,  Sec.  which  we 
have  already  shown,  with  a  view  to  this  subject,  act  by 
producing  atony.  The  coup  de  soleil,  at  least  in  this 
country,,  appears  to  have  a  similar  effect.  See  ICTUS 
SOLARIS. 

The  terminations  of  inflammation  are  said  to  be  by 
resolution,  by  abscess,  by  gangrene,  and  scirrhus;  but 
this  offers  a  very  fallacious  view  of  the  subject.  In 
fact,  the  salutary  terminations  of  inflammation  are  by 
effusion  and  abscess;  the  fatal  ones  most  commonly  by 
haemorrhage  and  gangrene.  Scirrhus  is  usually  a  pre- 
vious disease,  and  excited  to  cancer  by  inflammation. 

When  an  inflammation  either  by  the  operations  of 
nature  or  the  influence  of  remedies  yields,  an  action  is 
first  perceived  in  the  vessel,  the  dark  colour  assumes  a 
brighter  hue,  the  tumour  lessens,  and  an  effusion  takes 
place  from  the  adjoining  exhalants.  The  effusion  some- 
times proceeds  and  relieves  the  over  distended  vessel, 
but  there  is  scarcely  an  instance  of  resolution  of  inflam- 
mation, without  some  effusion,  which  occasions  the 
adhesion  of  contiguous  membranes.  It  consists  of  the 
serum  of  the  blood,  with  its  proportion  of  fibrin.  This 
is  commonly  the  termination  of  the  febrile  inflamma- 
tions. In  those  which  depend  on  the  loss  of  tone,  the 
effusion  is  of  a  different  kind;  and  in  these,  though  it 
relieves  the  original  disease,  yet  it  leaves  one  scarcely 
less  dangerous.  We  allude  to  the  effusion  of  a  watery 
fluid  which  sometimes  follows  inflammation  of  the 
lungs,  producing  hydrothorax.  When  cedematous  swell- 
ings follow  gout  or  rheumatism,  the  danger  is  less. 

When  nature  orart  fails  in  relieving  the  inflammation 
by  effusion,  the  texture  of  the  part  is  destroyed  by  the 
continued  pressure  of  the  accumulated  fluids,  and  the 
whole  is  melted  down  into  one  uniform,  opaque,  white, 
mild  fluid,  called  fius;  and  an  abscess  is  said  to  be  form- 
ed. The  appearance  of  an  abscess  is  prognosticated  by 
the  cessation  of  the  pain  and  the  distention.  But  to 
these  symptoms,  which  occur  also  on  effusion  taking 
place,  must  be  added  a  throbbing  pain,  synchronous 
with  the  dilatation  of  the  arteries,  and  irregular  shiver- 
ings.  After  a  short  time  a  weight  is  felt  in  the  part, 
the  pain  disappears,  and,  if  on  the  surface,  the  tumour  is 
soft,  and  an  evident  fluctuation  is  perceived  by  the  touch. 
The  skin  gradually  becomes  thinner,  and  a  little  conical 
apex  appears,  generally  about  the  centre  of  the  tumour, 
which  is  called  its  pointing;  though  frequently  the  skin 
only  becomes  thinner,  and  the  tumour  softer  in  one 
particular  part,  above,  below,  or  on  either  side,  indis- 
criminately, and  seemingly  from  accident. 

The  nature  of  purulent  matter,  as  well  as  its  source, 
has  been  disputed.  We  have  called  it  a  mild  fluid,  and 
undoubtedly  to  all  the  senses  it  is  so ;  yet  it  seems  to 

VOL.    I. 


dissolve  the  cellular  substance  around,  and  to  form  fov 
itself  a  cavity  greater  in  proportion  to  the  resistance  it 
finds  in  its  way  to  the  surface,  where  it  generally  tends. 
When  not  the  salutary  termination  of  inflammation,  i: 
is  sometimes  highly  acrid,  as  in  venereal  or  scorbutic- 
sores;  but  its  reputed  acrimony  in  other  cases  arises 
often  from  its  pressure,  which  destroys  the  life  of  the 
part,  and  subjects  it  to  the  action  of  the  absorbent  ves- 
sels. An  aneurism,  in  which  there  is  not  the  slig! 
suspicion  of  acrimony,  will  do  the  same. 

The  source  of  the  purulent  matter  is  said  to  be  tht 
serum  of  the  blood,  changed  to  this  form  by  the  proce% 
of  fermentation.  This  was  the  opinion  of  Gaber  and 
Pringle;  but  De  Haen  and  some  modern  authors  con- 
tend, that  it  is  a  morbid  secretion  from  the  exh. 
arteries.  On  this  subject  we  find  it  difficult  to  form  an 
opinion.  Were  we  to  offer  any,  we  should  say  that  it 
consists  of  the  substance  of  the  vessels  and  of  the 
cellular  membrane  dissolved  in  the  serum  ;  but  this  is 
an  opinion  we  are  not  prepared  to  defend.  It  is  cer- 
tainly an  albuminous  fluid,  which  has,  however,  a  ten- 
dency to  the  putrid  fermentation.  To  produce  this" 
fluid  a  certain  degree  of  excitement  of  the  vessels  U 
requisite.  When  too  considerable,  it  is  sometimes 
bloody;  when  the  excitement  is  in  too  small  a  degree, 
it  is  thin,  acrid,  and  glairy ;  when  in  a  still  less,  ichor- 
ous.  In  the  latter  cases  we  must  apply  stimulants  and 
astringents  respectively,  for  only  when  the  pus  is  of  a 
proper  nature  and  consistence,  in  the  language  of  sur- 
geons laudable,  does  it  contribute  to  healing  the  wound. 

There  is  another  fluid  which  certainly  is  not  laud- 
able, viz.  that  which  is  found  in  scrofulous  glands,  and 
which  is  discharged  in  consumptive  cases.  This  is  of  a 
ragged  cheesy  kind,  surrounded  generally  with  streaks 
of  proper  pus,  apparently  from  the  inflammation  of  the 
coats  of  the  containing  cyst.  It  seems  to  consist  of  the 
gluten  of  the  blood  so  hardened  and  condensed  that  it 
will  not  admit  of  solution.  The  distinction  between 
pus  and  mucus  is  not  easy  to  the  inexperienced  practi- 
tioner. In  general,  mucus  is  in  rounded  masses ;  pus 
flows  more  readily:  the  latter  is  softer  and  whiter,  with 
little  globules  swimming  through  it,  and,  when  mixed 
with  a  saturated  solution  of  potash,  a  transparent  tena- 
cious jelly  is  separated,  while  the  same  solution  pro- 
duces no  such  change  in  mucus. 

The  fatal  terminations  &re/i<emr,rr/iage  and  gangrene. 
We  might  have  mentioned  haemorrhage  among  the 
salutary  terminations,  but  they  rarely  prove  so  in  this 
climate;  yet  occasionally  a  slight  bleeding  from  the 
neighbouring  glands,  as  a  bloody  tinge  of  the  sputum, 
in  pneumonia,  we  have  thought  useful.  In  general, 
however,  the  salutary  haemorrhages  are  copious  ones, 
generally  from  a  neighbouring  organ,  as  from  the  nose 
in  phrenitis;  but  these  are  uncommon  in  this  climate. 
The  fatal  haemorrhages  occur  in  the  lungs,  in  the  bowels, 
and  bladder,  but  are  not  very  common  terminations. 

Gangrene  is  a  fatal  termination  in  the  very  active 
inflammations,  where  the  fever  runs  with  peculiar  rapid- 
ity ;  or  in  the  very  low  ones,  where  want  of  tone  re  d'iy 
admits  of  considerable  dilatation,  and  consequently 
compression.  In  gangrenes  the  life  of  the  part  is 
destroyed,  the  redness  assumes  a  livid  hue,  vesications 
appear  on  the  surface,  and  the  inflammation  is  external; 
pain  is  no  longer  felt,  a  peculiar  serenity  comes  on, 
with  a  sinking  of  the  features,  which  gives  a  ghastlv 

5  K 


INF 


802 


INF 


Appearance  to  the  countenance,  and  the  patient  dies 
with  every  feeling  and  every  expectation  of  recovery. 
When  a  putrid  acrimony  occurs  in  the  fluids,  gangrene 
is  more  to  be  dreaded  in  inflammations  of  every  kind : 
it  is  particularly  common  in  those  diseases  which  occur 
in  jails  and  crowded  hospitals.  There  is  a  kind  of  gan- 
grene which  follows  considerable  irritation  and  violent 
pain,  independent  of  great  inflammation.  In  this  case 
the  violence  of  the  excitement  seems  at  once  to  destroy 
the  tone  of  the  part,  and  it  is  in  this  kind  that  Mr.  Pott 
has  found  opium  so  eminently  useful.  Some  authors 
Jiave  supposed  gangrene  to  be  occasionally  owing  to 
blood  effused;  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  blood,  if 
preserved  from  the  access  of  air,  is  peculiarly  disposed 
to  putrefaction.  See  ERYSIPELAS,  ABSCESSUS,  and 
MORTIFICATIO. 

It  may  appear  that,  in  this  disquisition,  we  have 
omitted  the  inflammations  of  the  mucous  membranes. 
T!K  se,  however,  make  no  part  of  the  present  subject; 
for  they  arise  very  generally  from  a  morbid  poison,  car- 
ried to  the  glands,  and  the  inflammation  excited  in  these 
organs  is  attended  with  an  increased  or  a  vitiated  dis- 
charge. If  it  were  necessary  to  reduce  them  to  this 
head,  they  would  be  found  to  resemble  the  inflamma- 
tions excited  by  mechanical  or  chemical  acrids  without 
obstruction. 

The  prognostics  in  inflammations  are  more  or  less 
favourable  in  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the  part 
affected,  the  constitution  of  the  patient,  the  violence  of 
the  symptoms,  and  the  coincidence  of  other  diseases. 
Inflammations  of  the  glands,  of  the  ligaments,  and  the 
tendons,  are  tedious  in  their  progress,  and  the  two  last 
leave  a 'disposition  for  the  future  attack  of  a  similar 
disease. 

The  CURE  OF  INFLAMMATION  will,  we  think,  be 
greatly  elucidated  by  the  former  enquiries;  and,  for  this 
purpose,  inflammations  must  be  divided  into  those  at- 
tended with  a  phlogistic  diathesis,  and  those  in  which 
distention  and  dilatation  arise  in  a  greater  degree  from 
atony  than  an  increased  vis  a_tergo.  This  distinction 
cannot  be  made  with  accuracy,  for  the  two  kinds  pass 
into  each  other  by  almost  undistinguishable  shades. 
Yet  the  difference  is  real,  and  it  will  be  only  necessary 
to  modify  the  treatment  of  each  when  it  approaches  the 
<  onfines  of  the  other. 

The  chief  remedy  of  the  active  inflammations  is 
bleeding,  and  blood  must  be  often  taken  in  large  quan- 
tities from  a  large  orifice,  since  the  relaxation  which  it 
produces  is  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  lost  in  a  given 
time.  If  we  peruse  the  writings  of  physicians  in  the 
early  part  of  the  last  century,  we  shall  perceive  that 
they  bled  freely  and  repeatedly  where  we  find  a  single 
evacuation  only  admissible.  Constitutions  are  greatly 
changed  in  this  respect ;  luxury  has  enervated  our  ha- 
bits, and  the  changes  in  diet  have  greatly  lessened  that 
active  constitutional  power  which  forms  the  essence  of 
the  inflammations  now  before-  us.  In  the  robust  la- 
bourer, in  a  cold  season,  where  the  disease  has  arisen 
from  cold  to  which  the  body  when  heated  has  been 
exposed,  a  large  bleeding  may  be  repeated;  but  in  a 
.crowded  city,  with  a  person  whose  constitution  has  been 
enervated  by  a  sedentary  occupation,  or  by  luxury, 
whatever  the  appearances  may  be,  bleeding  must  be 
cautiously  employed.  After  a  general  bleeding,  mo- 
dern refinement,  adapting  the  remedy  to  the  change  of 


constitution,  has  employed  topical  bleedings  either  by 
means  of  leeches  or  cupping  glasses,  which  relieve 
the  distended  vessels,  without  too  far  debilitating  the 
system.  The  inflammations  to  which  copious  and  ac- 
tive bleeding  are  chiefly  adapted  seem  to  be  phrenitis, 
carditis,  pneumonia,  rheumatism,  and  perhaps  thepsoas 
inflammation,  when  it  is  certainly  known  to  exist. 

Emetics  we  have  seen  producing  relaxation  through 
the  whole  system ;  and  though  they  may  appear  to  be  con- 
traindicated,  when  we  recollect  that  a  partial  debility 
favours  the  inflammatory  distention,  yet  any  inconve- 
nience which  this  may  occasion  is  compensated  by  the 
freedom  which  they  restore  to  the  circulation  in  gene- 
ral. In  conformation  of  this  idea,  we  find,  that,  in  the 
other  class  of  inflammations^  where  the  circulation  is 
more  languid,  they  are  injurious ;  and  if  given  in  the 
ulcerated  throat,  it  is  rather  with  a  view  of  emulging 
the  glands  of  that  part,  an  effect  which  renders  them  so 
useful  in  pneumonia,  than  of  counteracting  an  inflam- 
matory state.  The  nauseating  doses  of  antimonials  are 
peculiarly  useful  in  such  active  inflammations;  nor  in 
diseases  of  short  duration,  in  constitutions  peculiarly 
strong,  have  we  any  thing  to  apprehend  from  their  de- 
bilitating effects.  In  all  inflammations  of  this  kind,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  increased  inordinate 
action  of  the  arterial  system  is  the  chief  disease. 

Cathartics  are  not  generally  indicated  in  these  com- 
plaints; yet,  as  they  draw  the  fluids  powerfully  from  the 
head,  and  from  the  chylopoietic  viscera,  they  are  useful 
in  inflammations  of  these  parts,  as  they  act  without  in- 
creasing the  phlogistic  diathesis  in  general.  They  are 
most  advantageous  in  the  earlier  stages;  nor  need  we 
wait  till  the  increased  action  of  the  arterial  system  is 
taken  off  by  bleeding.  As  cathartics  are  peculiarly 
useful  in  phrenitis  and  enteritis,  so  are  they  injurious  in 
pneumonia.  As  evacuants  they  are  perhaps  singularly 
advantageous  in  rheumatism;  though  the  inconve- 
nience of  moving  renders  them  less  eligible  to  the  pa- 
tient than  other  remedies. 

Diaphoretics  are  apparently  well  adapted  to  active 
inflammation,  from  the  effects  which  we  have  already 
had  occasion  to  explain.  In  general,  however,  their 
stimulant  power  renders  them  less  advantageous  in 
those  cases  where  the  vis  a  tergo  is  very  actively  in- 
creased. To  this  there  is  only  one  exception,  viz. 
where  the  evacuation  is  from  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
organs  affected,  as  in  rheumatism ;  for  it  compensates 
for  any  disadvantage  that  would  otherwise  arise  from 
the  increase  of  the  circulation.  In  general,  however, 
the  relaxing  diaphoretics,  as  the  nauseating  doses  of 
emetics,  and  the  combinations  of  opium,  with  either 
the  ipecacuanha  in  Dover's,  the  white  hellebore  in 
Ward's  powder,  or  with  the  warmer  preparations  of 
guaiacum,  are  most  effectual. 

O/iium,  which  we  have  styled  the  most  certain  and 
powerful  diaphoretic,  is  not  always  admissible,  it  is 
said,  from  its  stimulus,  but  this  is  generally  inconsider- 
able, and  sometimes  unobserved.  The  chief  disadvan- 
tage of  opium  arises  from  its  checking  the  secretions,  so 
essentially  necessary  in  many  of  the  active  inflamma- 
tions, particularly  in  pneumonia,  hepatitis,  and  enteritis. 
When  this  inconvenience  is  obviated,  as  we  shall  find 
in  speaking  of  each  disease,  opium  is  an  useful  remedy, 
and  it  is  occasionally  employed,  in  each,  with  advantage. 

Blisters  are  of  the  highest  importance  in  inflamma- 


IN  F 


INF 


tior.s  of  every  kind  ;  but  when  the  inflammatory  diathesis 
is  considerable,  they  fail  of  relieving;  and  it  will  be 
obvious,  that,  while  the  disease  continues  in  conse- 
quence of  the  force  of  the  arterial  system,  the  advan- 
tages derived  from  topical  depletion  cannot  be  consider- 
able. In  the  most  active  inflammations  we  have  some- 
times found  it  necessary  to  bleed  previous  to  each  ap- 
plication of  a  blister,  particularly  in  rheumatisms,  where 
blisters  must  be  often  repeated. 

Sedatives  of  every  kind  are  essentially  necessary.  A 
class  of  medicines,  which  we  have  styled  inirritants, 
which  we  shall  soon  notice,  and  which  consists  ef  those 
diluents  and  demulcents  which  sooth  and  sheath  the 
irritations  of  the  nervous  system,  or  inflamed  mem- 
branes, are  highly  useful  in  these  active  inflammations. 
The  other  sedatives  employed  with  advantage  in  such 
cases  are  nitre  and  camphor.  The  utility  of  the  former 
is  generally  acknowledged,  except  in  inflammations  of 
the  bladder,  where  large  doses  are  supposed  to  produce 
some  additional  irritation.  The  latter  is  not  so  generally- 
employed,  as  it  is  thought  to  prove  occasionally  stimu- 
lant, and  by  some  practitioners  to  be  useless.  In  small 
doses,  however,  we  have  repeatedly  found  it  an  ad- 
vantageous medicine,  particularly  in  those  cases  where 
nitre  seems  to  produce  too  great  an  irritation.  Some 
of  the  narcotics  promise  to  be  useful  in  such  cases,  par- 
ticularly the  hemlock,  and  the  digitalis  ;  but  they  have 
not  been  often  employed  and  of  their  advantages  we 
cannot  speak  from  experience. 

Cold,  as  a  privation  of  heat,  has  been  considered  as 
an  active  remedy  of  inflammation,  and  employed  very 
freelyof  late,  in  one  species,  the  gout.  (See  ARTHRITIS.) 
In  general,  however,  it  is  a  doubtful  and  uncertain  re- 
medy. When  temporarily  employed,  it  is  followed  by* 
increased  action,  and  will  of  course  exasperate  the 
disease ;  when  continued  it  occasions  torpor,  and  may 
produce  or  hasten  gangrene.  In  external  phlegmons  it 
is  of  use  in  the  early  periods,  and  will  sometimes  con- 
tribute to  their  resolution  ;  but  in  internal  phlegmasise 
it  is  generally  a  dangerous  remedy. 

It  may  be  questioned,  however,  whether,  when  we 
avoid  cold,  we  should  freely  indulge  a  higher  tempera- 
ture. The  reason  for  employing  heat  has  been  to  pro- 
mote perspiration,  and  consequently  to  relieve  internal 
accumulations;  but  we  have  found  reason  to  doubt 
whether  the  discharge  from  the  skin,  brought  on  by  high 
temperatures,  is  truly  salutary.  In  general  it  appears 
otherwise ;  and  the  warm  diaphoretics,  of  which  warm 
air  and  warm  fluids  are  the  principal,  appear  to  injure 
more  by  increasing  the  circulation,  than  they  relieve 
by  the  discharge  they  produce  from  the  surface.  When 
then  we  would  avoid  cold,  we  would  not  indulge  heat. 
The  temperature  of  the  room  should  be  moderate,  and 
scarcely  exceed  62°;  thedrinks  tepid,  somewhat  about 
the  heat  of  new  milk,  a  degree'peculiarly  soothing  to 
the  irritated  nerves.  See  INIRRITAXTIA. 

As  cold  applications  are  admitted  in  phlegmons,  it 
may  be  considered  that  they  would  be  equally  beneficial 
where  the  cold  air  is  applied  to  the  part,  as  in  pneumo- 
nia and  sore  throat.  In  the  latter,  cold  applications 
are  sometimes  useful;  and  nitre  or  sal  prunellse  held  in 
the  mouth  has  been  said  to  relieve  the  inflammatory 
angina.  The  lungs  are,  however,  more  irritable;  and 
though  great  heat  is  injurious,  extreme  cold  is  equally 


so ;  nor  can  we  sink  the  temperature  of  the  room  or 
of  the  drinks  far  below  the  Degrees  stated,  though  per- 
haps they  may  be  somewhat  diminished  with  advantage. 
Of  this,  however,  the  feelings  of  the  patient  are  the 
proper  criteria. 

Phrenitis  and  pneumonia  are  perhaps  the  only  in- 
flammations which  form  an  exception  to  the  general 
rule,  respecting  the  utility  of  a  recumbent  fiosturc.  In 
the  former  the  erect  position  is  highly  advantageous, 
and  it  has  been  supposed  equally  useful  in  the  latter  ; 
but  the  subject  will  be  resumed  when  we  speak  sepa- 
rately of  each. 

Inflammations,  as  the  habit  is  less  inflammatory,  and 
the  circulation  less  actively  excited,  require  these  re- 
medies in  a  less  degree  and  diminished  power.  When 
we  approach  that  low  state  in  which  inflammation  pro- 
ceeds from  atony,  with  a  very  slight,  if  any,  increased 
circulation,  we  must  be  cautious  in  all  the  evacuations. 
Great  inconvenience  has  arisen  from  a  want  of  caution 
in  professors  and  lecturers,  who  generally  remark,  in 
every  inflammation,  that,  should  the  patient  be  young 
and  plethoric,  some  blood  may  be  taken.  Many  epide- 
mic pneumonias  and  cynanchesoccurin  which  this  eva- 
cuation would  be  fatal  in  forty-eight  hours.  In  the 
Breslaw  epidemic,  though  attended  with  topical  inflam- 
mation from  atony,  so  debilitating  was  the  cause  as  at 
once  to  take  off  rheumatic  pains.  The  practitioner 
must  consequently  attend  with  care  to  the  reigning  epi- 
demic ;  to  the  state  of  the  pulse  ;  to  the  countenance, 
and  all  the  circumstances  '  which  indicate  debility; 
and  he  must  be  particularly  cautious  not  to  mistake  a 
pulse  throbbing  from  irritation  for  a  hard  inflammatory 
one.  The  countenance  often  furnishes  a  very  certain 
index  :  if  the  features  are  sunk,  the  eyes  staring,  the 
expression  lost,  whatever  are  the  other  symptoms, 
bleeding  must  be  avoided.  The  warmer  diaphoretics 
must  be  preferred  also  to  the  nauseating  or  relaxing 
ones;  and  cathartics, particularly  the  purgatives,  care- 
fully avoided.  In  the  more  asthenic  inflammations  of 
this  kind,  we  must  soon  have  recourse  to  bark,  and  the 
warmest  cordials  ;  nor  will  blisters,  as  we  have  had  oc- 
casion to  remark,  be  always  safe.  Many  modifications 
of  these  directions  will  occur  under  the  separate  dis- 
eases. 

External  inflammation  is  more  within  the  reach  of 
the  sight  and  touch ;  and  to  this  the  former  directions 
are  only  applicable,  when  attended  with  general  fever. 
If  not  in  the  vicinity  of  any  large  vessel,  or  in  a  situation 
peculiarly  inconvenient,  we  are  seldom  anxious  about  its 
resolution,  but  suffer  it  to  proceed  to  suppuration.  If  it 
arises  from  wounds  or  bruises,  the  remedies  styled  dis- 
cutient  are  useful :  these  are  warm  and  astringent  appli- 
tions,  capable  of  exciting  the  torpid  action  of  the  vessels, 
and  restoring  the  tone  destroyed  by  the  blow.  If  these 
do  not  succeed,  and  the  accumulation  is  followed  by  in- 
creased action  from  behind,  the  vessels  are  depleted  by 
topical  bleeding,  and  our  discutients  applied  with  increas- 
ed power,  or  more  frequently  repeated.  In  all  such  cases, 
practice  gives  the  firmest  support  to  theory,  for  emolli- 
ents are  constantly  forbidden  where  resolution  is  attempt- 
ed. The  use  of  the  preparations  of  lead  rests  on  some  un- 
certainty. This  metal  is  an  apparent  exception  to  the 
general  tonic  powers  of  metallic  substances :  it  seems 
to  render  the  nerves  torpid,  and  the  muscular  fibres  less 

5  K  2 


IN  F 


804 


INF 


irritable.  It  is  not,  therefore,  always  proper  in  inflam- 
mations where  the  action  of  the  vessels  is  inconsider- 
able ;  but,  in  watery  solutions,  a  valuable  remedy  where 
the  circulation  is  pushed  on  with  increased  energy. 
When  we  aim  at  producing  suppuration,  gentle  and 
continued  warmth,  sometimes  with  a  slight  stimulus, 
favours  the  dilatation  of  the  arteries,  and  lessens  the 
resistance  of  the  skin.  (See  FURUNCULUS.)  In  indo- 
lent tumours,  the  stimulant  applications  are  most  use- 
ful ;  in  highly  inflammatory  states,  the  emollients,  with 
anodynes. 

Dr.  Cullen  has  inserted,  among  the  species  of  phlo- 
gosis  (external  inflammation),  erysipelas  ;  but  apparent- 
ly without  due  consideration,  as  its  nature  and  symp- 
toms differ  essentially  from  phlogosis.  When  attended 
with  fever,  it  is  an  exanthema ;  and,  when  without  it,  a 
cutaneous  disease. 

When  inflammation  attacks  the  glands  independent 
of  fever,  the  lymphatic  glands  chiefly  suffer,  and  the 
treatment  of  these  is  not  very  different  from  that  of 
phlogosis.  In  general,  resolution  is  attempted  by  topical 
evacuations,  by  sedatives,  or  occasionally  by  those  re- 
medies which  excite  the  action  of  the  minuter  vessels. 
We  shall,  however,  enlarge  on  this  subject,  under  the 
diseases  where  they  chiefly  occur,  viz.  SYPHILIS  and 
SCROFULA,  q.  v. 

It  might  be  expected  that  we  should  distinguish  the 
inflammations,  attended  to  the  active  energy  of  the 
whole  arterial  system,  from  those  which  are  rather  ow- 
ing to  atony;  but  in  general  these  form  varieties  only, 
as  the  putrid  peripneumonia,  the  ulcered  throat,  8cc. 
Were  we  to  make  any  approach  to  such  distinction,  we 
should  arrange  them  in  the  following  order,  from  the 
system  of  Dr.  Cullen: 

I.  Inflammations  peculiarly  active. 

Phrenitis. 

Ophthalmia  epidemica(Egyptian  Ophthalmy). 

Cynanche. 

Trachealis  and  Pharyngea. 
Pneumonia. 
Rheumatismus. 

II.  Inflammations  less  active. 

Phlogosis. 
Ophthalmia. 

Membranarum  and  Tarsi. 
Cynanche. 

Trachealis. 
Carditis. 
Peritonitis. 
Gastritis. 

Phlegmonodea. 
Enteritis. 
Hepatitis. 
Splenitis. 
Nephritis. 
Cystitis. 
Hysteritis. 
Oclontalgia. 
Podagra. 

III.  A tonic  Inflammations. 
Anthrax. 
Cynanche. 

Maligna. 


Pneumonia. 
Putrida. 
Gastritis  and  Enteritis. 

Erysipelatosa. 
Arthropuosis. 
Podagra. 

Aberrans. 

Bell  on  Ulcers,  edit.  3,  p.  17 — 36,  47 — S3  ;  Cullen's 
First  Lines,  edit.  4,  vol.  i.  p.  2 1 1  ;  Kirkland's  Medical 
Surgery,  vol.  i.  p.  235;  Pearson's  Principles  of  Sur- 
gery, vol.  i.  ;  White's  Surgery,  vol.  i. ;  Wilson  on 
Febrile  Diseases. 

1.  INFLAMMATION  IN   A  JOINT.     See  RHEUMATISMUS 
and  HYDRARTHUS. 

2.  INFLAMMATION    OF    THE    HEART,     carditis.     Dr. 
Cullen  has  placed  the  inflammatio  fiulmonis  Lomniii,  and 
pericarditis,  as  synonyms,  under  this  genus,  included 
in  the  class  /lyrexics,   and  order  ftbres,  defining  it  to  be 
fever,  with  pain  in  the  region  of  the  heart,  anxiety, 
difficulty  of  breathing,  cough,  unequal  pulse,  palpita- 
tion, and  fainting:  in  this  case  also  the  pulse  is  small, 
irregular,  and  intermittent ;  the  patient  frequently  faints, 
and  if  not  speedily  relieved  the  disorder  soon  becomes 
fatal.     The  method  of  cure  is  not  peculiar,  but  resem- 
bles that  of  other  internal  inflammations  of  the  chest. 
Though  the  pulse  is  soft,  bleeding,  it  is  said,  must  be 
carried  to  a  greater  extent  than  in  pneumonia  or  pleuri- 
tis  ;  but  in  other  respects  the  cure  does  not  greatly  differ 
from   that  of  pneumonia.     Where  we  have  suspected 
carditis  we  have  thought  the  camphor  peculiarly  use- 
ful.    It  often  seems  to  succeed  pneumonia,  or   rather 
the  inflammation  appears  to  be  communicated  from  the 
lungs   to  the  heart  or  pericardium.     See   Senac  sur  le 
Cccur;  Lieutaud's   Historia  Anatomico  Medica;  and 
INFLAMMATIO  PERICARDII,  No.  15. 

3.  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  FAUCES.     See  ANGINA. 

4.  INFLAMMATION    OF    THE    THIGH.      Inflammation 
sometimes  takes  place  under  fascia  lata  femoris,  fol- 
lowed by  very  unkindly  suppurations.     The  usual   re- 
medies of  active  inflammation  must  be  employed  ;    but 
whenever  matter  is  formed  it  should  be  discharged  as 
soon  as  it  is  discovered. 

The  remedies  of  active  inflammation  do  not  always 
appear  to  be  indicated  by  the  violence  of  pain,  or  de- 
gree of  fever,  and  the  disease  sometimes  approaches  in 
the  insidious  form  of  the  psoas  inflammation.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished, however,  from  the  latter,  by  want  of  pain 
on  bending  the  body.  The  diagnosis  is,  indeed,  of  less 
importance  ;  as  free  bleeding  and  a  sudorific  regimen, 
with  the  relaxing  diaphoretics,  are  useful  in  both.  The 
inflammation  of  the  thigh  terminates  more  safely  than 
that  of  the  psoas  muscle,  though,  as  the  matter  falls 
down,  the  abscess  does  not  soon  appear,  and  then  points' 
at  a  very  distant  part.  The  sinus  is,  therefore,  gene- 
rally extensive,  and  requires  a  steady,  though  not  a  vio- 
lent, pressure. 

5.  INFLAMMATION    OF    THE    LIVER.      See    HEPATI- 
TIS. 

6.  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  INTESTINES  ;    enteritis.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  Jiyrexia,  and  order 
fihlcgmasice  ;   defining  it  a  typhus,   attended  with  pun- 
gent,  tensive,  pain  of  the  abdomen,  chiefly  felt  round 
the  umbilicus ;  a  vomiting  and  obstinate  constipation 
He  distinguishes  two  species. 


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1.  ENTERITIS  PHLEGMOXODEA,  inflammation  of  the 
bowels,  with  acute  pain,  strong  febrile  affection,  vomit- 
ing, and  costiveness. 

2.  ENTERITIS   ERYSIPELATOSA,   inflammation  of  the 
bowels,  with  pain  and  fever,  more  mild  than  the  for- 
mer, without  vomiting,  but  with  an  attendant  diarr- 
hoea. 

The  disease  consists  in  an  inflammation  of  the  exter- 
nal coat  of  the  intestines,  and  differs  greatly  from  an 
inflammation  of  the  villous  coat,  or  mucous  membrane, 
usually  attended  with  aphthae  or  a  dysentery.  (See 
DYSENTERIA.)  According  to  the  different  parts  of  the 
intestine  in  which  the  inflammation  is  seated,  different 
names  have  been  assigned;  but  the  treatment  is  the 
same  in  all. 

If  a  sharp  pain,  with  a  fever  and  nausea,  is  felt  above 
the  navel,  and  below  the  stomach,  the  colon  under  the 
stomach  is  the  probable  seat  of  the  inflammation  :  if  in 
the  right  hypochondrium,  under  the  spurious  ribs,  then 
that  part  of  the  colon  which  joins  the  ilium  may  be  af- 
fected :  if  in  the  middle  of  the  belly  about  the  navel, 
the  small  intestines.  The  different  parts  affected  need 
not,  however,  be  accurately  discriminated,  since,  as  we 
have  observed,  the  method  of  cure  is  the  same. 

The  causes  are  either  those  of  fever  in  general,  ob- 
structions of  any  kind  in  the  intestines,  intususceptio, 
or  wounds.  The  usual  causes,  however,  are  those  of 
fever. 

The  symptoms  are,  a  shivering,  with  an  uneasiness 
in  the  bowels  soon  increasing  to  a  violent  pain, "occa- 
sionally, at  first,  remitting,  but  soon  becoming  continual. 
Generally  the  whole  abdomen  is  affected  at  the  same 
time  with  spasmodic  pains,  which  extend  to  the  loins, 
apparently  owing  to  flatulency.  The  pulse  is  small,  fre- 
quent, generally  soft,  but  sometimes  hard,  and  at  last 
irregular  and  intermittent.  The  extremities  are  cold; 
the  strength  sinks  rapidly.  Costiveness,  which  has 
sometimes  preceded,  becomes  unconquerable,  or  slight 
mucous  discharges  are  brought  off  with  great  straining. 
After  a  short  time  the  flatulency  increases  to  vomiting, 
and  every  thing  is  rejected.  The  tongue  is  dry,  thirst 
great,  the  urine  often  obstructed,  or  high  coloured,  and 
discharged  with  heat  and  difficulty.  The  breathing  is 
quick.  The  patient  bends  forwards,  because  the  abdo- 
minal muscles  are  spasmodically  contracted  ;  great  ten- 
sion and  soreness  are  felt  externally  ;  the  vomiting  in- 
creases to  violent  and  incessant  retchings,  in  which  at 
last  the  faeces  are  returned,  and  after  this  scene  of  dis- 
tress has  continued,  •\yithout  relief  from  stools,  the  whole 
commotion  ceases ;  the  pain  goes  off,  and  the  patient 
appears  to  be  relieved  ;  but  his  face  grows  pale,  the  un- 
der eye  lid  becomes  livid ;  the  pulse  continues  soft, 
more  regular,  though  small  and  weak;  the  extremities 
are  cold ;  delirium  and  convulsions  come  on  ;  and  the 
patient  expires,  often  discharging  very  fetid  stools  in 
the  moment  of  death. 

This  disorder  seldom  terminates  in  an  abscess.  When 
this  is  the  case,  the  pain  abates,  and  is  converted  rather 
into  a  sense  of  distention,  and  irregular  cold  fits,  with 
other  symptoms  of  internal  suppuration  ;  the  pain,  the 
great  frequency  of  the  pulse,  and  other  symptoms,  go 
off.  \Vhen  this  abscess  bursts,  the  patient  swoons,  and 
seems  relieved  from  a  sense  of  weight  in  the  part  where 
it  was,  but  soon  expires  in  cold  sweats. 

Inflammation  in  the  external  membrane  of  the  intes- 


tines is  distinguished  from  the  stone  in  the  kidneys  or 
in  the  ureters,  from  the  pain  in  the  latter  cases  shooting 
down  the  thigh,  from  spasmodic  pains  of  the  belly, 
from  colic,  and  from  other  obstructions  there  in  which 
no  inflammation  attends,  by  the  external  soreness  and 
fever. 

The  disease,  however,  with  which  it  is  most  easily- 
confounded,  is  the  inflammation  of  the  peritonaeum,  in 
which  there  is  equal  external  soreness,  and  often  an 
equally  obstinate  constipation.  But  in  the  latter  the 
pain  is  more  pungent,  the  difficulty  of  raising  the 
body  greater,  and  when  stools  are  procured  the  re- 
lief is  inconsiderable.  The  passage  of  a  gall  stone 
sometimes  puts  on  the  appearance  of  enteritis;  but 
in  this  case  the  pulse  is  seldom  affected;  the  pain  is 
confined  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  and  at  last  shoots 
through  the  body  to  the  back,  in  a  manner  that  cannot 
easily  be  mistaken. 

If  the  pain  shifts,  the  vomiting  returns  only  at  inter- 
vals, and  clysters  procure  a  truly  feculent  discharge, 
there  is  room  to  hope.  If  the  pain  abates  suddenly, 
with  chillness  and  shivering,  a  suppuration  is  forming. 
When  every  thing  is  rejected,  the  patient  very  weak, 
the  pulse  fluttering,  the  countenance  pale,  the  breath 
offensive,  danger  is  imminent.  Clammy  sweats,  a 
small  intermitting  pulse,  fetid  or  black  stools,  a  total 
abatement  of  pain,  are  signs  of  mortification,  and  death 
soon  follows. 

In  the  treatment  of  enteritis  there  is  much  doubt. 
We  are  ordered  to  bleed  freely,  though  the  pulse  is 
small,  and  to  repeat  it  till  the  pulse  rises.  When  the 
patient  is  a  laborious  countryman,  and  the  disease  in- 
duced by  drinking  cold  fluids  in  a  heated  state,  this  ad- 
vice may  be  useful ;  but  it  is  not  generally  so.  Perhaps 
bleeding  is  more  seldom  necessary  in  this  disease  than 
in  any  other  inflammation,  for  it  rapidly  tends  to  mor- 
tification ;  and,  should  it  not  at  once  relieve,  it  soon 
proves  fatal.  The  salutary  termination  is  by  a  discharge 
of  faeces.  If  this  can  be  obtained,  the  patient  is  safej 
but,  unless  free,  copious,  and  truly  feculent  stools  are 
procured,  the  most  promising  appearances  in  every 
other  respect  will  deceive.  These  are  procured  by 
laxatives;  but  the  operation  of  laxatives  is  assisted  by 
clysters,  blisters,  and  the  warm  bath.  Emetics  in  this 
case  are  inadmissible ;  for  vomiting  soon  comes  on,  and 
prevents  the  action  of  the  only  certain  remedy.  The 
cathartics,  first  used,  are  the  milder  kind,  as  castor  oil, 
salts  with  infusion  of  senna  and  manna ;  but  these  are 
seldom  sufficiently  powerful,  and  are  soon  rejected. 
We  must  then  have  recourse  to  the  more  acrid  purga- 
tives, and  the  colocynth  pill  with  calomel  is  substituted. 
This  medicine  is  often  given  in  considerable  doses 
without  effect ;  and  the  end  is  at  last  obtained  by  the 
former  medicine,  salts  and  senna. 

In  this  period  the  operation  of  cathartics  is  greatly- 
assisted  by  the  frequent  injection  of  clysters.  These, 
to  be  effectual  should  be  of  the  most  active  kind ;  and 
the  decoction  of  colocynth  with  salts,  the  infusion  of 
tobacco,  and  the  vinum  antimoniale,  have  been  em- 
ployed in  this  way,  often  without  apparent  advantage ; 
but  the  frequent  solicitations  downward  seem  to  assist 
the  operation  of  medicines  given  by  the  mouth. 

In  this  course  we  are  almost  constantly  interrupted 
by  the  vomiting,  and  it  has  been  usual  to  add  opium  to 
the  laxatives,  to  check  that  irritability  of  the  stomach 


INF 


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INF 


which  discharges  them.  The  disadvantage  of  this  plan 
is,  Jiat  it  delays  the  cathartic  effect  of  the  medicine, 
till,  by  the  powers  of  the  stomach,  its  nature  is  changed. 
We  have,  therefore,  preferred  omitting  for  a  time  the 
laxatives,  and  giving  the  opiates  freely.  If  pain  is 
checked  and  the  inflammatory  state  relieved  by  a  blis- 
ter, we  have  found  no  inconvenience  if  the  stools  are 
delayed  for  a  day  or  two.  It  is  said,  indeed,  that  the 
disease  is  fatal  in  three  days :  but  this  is  owing  proba- 
bly to  the  bleeding:  where  this  is  omitted,  the  disease 
has  continued  for  six  or  eight  clays,  and  at  last  termi- 
nated favourably. 

If  then  the  usual  laxatives,  assisted  by  clysters,  do  not 
procure  motions,  and  violent  vomiting  comes  on,  a 
grain  of  opium  may  be  given  in  a  single  pill.  If  this  is 
rejected,  a  tea  spoonful  of  the  tinctura  opii  camphorata 
may  be  taken  alone,  and  repeated  every  hour  till  the 
stomach  is  quieter.  This  quantity  is  lost  about  the 
fauces,  and  its  anodyne  effect  communicated  to  the  sto- 
mach. We  may,  in  the  mean  time,  inject  clysters ; 
but  should  give  nothing  by  the  mouth,  except  a  very 
small  quantity  of  toast  and  water,  or  a  very  little  pep- 
permint tea.  After  about  eight  or  ten  hours  the  co- 
locynth  pill  with  calomel,  or  the  infusion  of  senna  with 
salts,  may  be  cautiously  tried,  in  small  quantities,  at 
short  intervals  ;  and  stools  are  often  in  this  way  success- 
fully procured. 

At  any  part  of  this  period,  if  the  soreness  and  ten- 
sion are  considerable,  a  blister  may  be  applied  to  the  ab- 
domen, or  the  patient  put  in  the  warm  bath.  Each  re- 
medy contributes  to  relieve  the  pain ;  but  we  have  sus- 
pected that  the  warm  bath  hastens  mortification.  At 
least  we  have  not  Been  so  successful,  where  it  has  been 
employed,  as  in  those  cases  in  which  it  has  been 
omitted. 

Dashing  cold  water  against  the  legs  and  thighs,  a 
remedy  sometimes  employed  in  the  iliac  passion,  has 
been  recommended  in  enteritis;  but  we  suspect  that  it 
is  not  a  safe  remedy  when  inflammation  has  taken  place. 
Bathing  the  abdomen  with  warm  water,  rendered  more 
stimulant  by  camomile  flowers  and  wormwood,  gene- 
rally precedes  the  application  of  blisters.  Tartarised 
antimony,  given  in  doses  of  a  quarter  or  an  eighth  of  a 
grain,  ant!  repeated  every  quarter  oi  an  hour,  sometimes 
produces  motions,  when  every  other  remedy  has  failed. 

It  often  happens,  that,  in  the  moment  of  approaching 
mortification,  a  sudden  resolution  takes  place,  and  stools 
are  evacuated.  The  extremities  have  perhaps  already 
begun  to  grow  cold,  and  languor  to  come  on.  In  such 
cases,  wine,  with  warm  generous  cordials,  will  prevent 
the  approaching  death,  if  the  stools  are  freely  kept  up; 
but,  either  in  this  case,  or  when  the  relief  is  obtained 
at  an  earlier  period,  the  evacuations  from  the  bowels 
must  be  copious,  free,  and  unrcmitted,  while  the  stools 
are  dark.  It  is  too  common  to  fear  the  debilitating  ef- 
fects of  purging,  and,  after  a  few  motions,  to  interpose 
opiates;  but  the  debility  must  be  indeed  great  to  justify 
this  conduct,  for  a  relapse  frequently  follows. 

See  COLICA  and  ABSCESSUS  INTESTINORUM. 

The  erythematic  inflammation  of  the  intestines  may 
be  treated  as  that  of  the  stomach.  See  IXFLAMMATIO 
VENTRICULI;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  i.  p.  372, 
edit.  4.;  Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  iii. 
p.  722. 

1.  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  MAMMAE,  mastodynia.     Dr. 


Cullen  places  this  as  a  variety  of  the  jihlogosis 
mone;  and  though  it  may  happen  at  any  time,  it  usually 
attacks  those  who  give  suck.  A  shivering  most  fre- 
quently precedes,  and  the  inflammation  with  more  or 
less  fever ;  a  quick  pulse,  thirst,  head  ach,  and  difficult 
respiration,  follow. 

As  the  usual  methods  to  prevent  the  afflux  of  milk 
in  the  breast  are  uncertain,  to  guard  against  inflamma- 
tion, the  mother  should  consent  to  suckle  her  child,  at 
least  during  the  first  month.  After  this  time,  by  gra- 
dually discontinuing  the  sucking,  keeping  the  bowels 
lax,  and  the  breasts  as  empty  as  possible,  by  means  of 
glasses,  inflammation  may  be  usually  prevented.  But 
if  it  should  actually  take  place,  bleeding,  a  thin  spare 
diet,  laxatives,  and  applying  a  sedative  or  cliscutient  em- 
brocation by  means  of  linen  rags,  which  should  be 
moistened  with  it  as  often  as  they  dry,  will  be  generally 
successful.  The  lotio  ammonise  muriatse  of  Mr.  Justa- 
mond  is  prepared  in  the  following  manner:  R.  am- 
monise muriatse  5  i.  sps.  rorismarini  Ifo  i.  In  pulverem 
redige  ammoniam,  et  in  spiritu  solvatur.  In  the  early 
stivge  of  this  disease,  the  lotio  ammonise  acetatae  is  re- 
commended. IJ>.  aqua:  ammoniac  acetatae,  sps.  vin. 
rectif.  aq.  distillatse  aa.  ^  iv.  m.  Some  prefer  the  aqua 
ammonise  acetatae  alone ;  or,  a  fomentation  made  of  a 
decoction  of  poppy  heads,  in  a  pint  of  which  an  ounce 
of  crude  sal  ammoniac  is  dissolved,  will  often  succeed. 
To  each  of  the  lotions  above  mentioned  the  tinctura  opii 
may  be  occasionally  added.  If  the  inflammation  does 
not  yield  to  this  management,  the  best  method  is  to  en- 
courage a  suppuration  without  delay.  See  ABSCESSUS 
PECTOKIS,  and  MAMMAE;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  v.  p. 
396. 

8.  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  MEDIASTINUM,  mediastina. 
The  cause  and  cure  are  the  same  with  those  of  pleurisy, 
and  the  symptoms  are  often  similar.     The  pain,  how- 
ever, is  more  confined  to  the  sternum,  and  shoots  across 
to  the  back.     There  is  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  with 
cough,  but  not  always,  attended  with  spitting.     These 
symptoms  are  not  so  violent  as  in  a  pleurisy,  nor  is  the 
pain  on  inspiration  so  much  increased,  or  the  inflam- 
matory diathesis  so  great.     Suppuration  is  with  diffi- 
culty'avoided,  and  generally  fatal. 

9.  INFLAMMATION  IN    THE   MESENTERY.     See    PERI- 
TONITIS. 

In  this  disease  there  is  a  languid  slow  fever,  without 
thirst  or  other  violent  symptom ;  a  loss  of  appetite,  a 
sense  of  tension,  and  weight  below  the  stomach,  with- 
out much  hardness,  and  only  discoverable  by  pressing 
on  it.  This  tension  is  without  much  pain,  because  the 
mesentery  hath  but  a  small  degree  of  sensibility.  The 
stools  are  often  chylous,  and  succeeded  by  a  discharge 
of  thin  ichor,  without  any  sense  of  pain ;  sometimes 
pure  and  unmixed,  and  sometimes  mixed  with  the  faeces. 
These  symptoms  are  mild  and  gentle,  if  the  mesentery 
only  is  inflamed  ;  but  if  the  liver,  spleen,  or  any  of  the 
intestines,  are  also  affected,  they  are  more  violent,  and 
distinguished  by  the  appropriate  symptoms  of  each  dis- 
ease. 

These  inflammations  generally  terminate  in  abscesses ; 
and  the  purulent  matter  is  sometimes  translated  to 
other  parts.  The  disorder,  therefore,  is  often  found  to 
recur,  and  in  this  case  sometimes  the  fever  returns,  or 
is  occasionally  changed  into  a  colic.  Inflammation  oi' 
the  mesentery  is,  however,  very  seldom  an  idiopath.ic 


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disease.  It  chiefly- occurs  when  the  glands  are  obstruct- 
ed, and  any  cause  of  topical  irritation  combined. 

When  the  presence  of  this  inflammation  can  be  dis- 
covered, the  method  of  cure  will  be  the  same  as  that 
of  an  inflamed  liver  or  spleen.  Bleeding  is,  however, 
scarcely  admissible. 

INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  MUSCLES  OF  THE  BELLY, 
myocoilitis  of  Yotjel. 

When, these  muscles  are  inflamed,  the  skin  is  greatly 
distended ;  and  if  they  are  swelled,  the  figure  of  each 
is  often  preserved,  and  fever  generally  attends.  Pain  is 
considerably  augmented  in  sneezing,  straining  at  stool, 
breathing,  or  any  exertion,  and  is  often  felt  at  the  origin 
or  insertion  of  the  muscles,  which  distinguishes  this  in- 
flammation from  any  internal  one. 

The  rheumatism  sometimes  attacks  these  muscles  ; 
and  they  suffer  from  pressure,  when  patients  from  a  stone 
in  their  bladder  seek  for  relief,  by  resting  their  weight 
upon  some  hard  body  in  a  prostrate  position. 

This  complaint  is  easily  distinguished  from  a  colic, 
an  inflammation  in  the  liver,  or  any  of  the  subjacent 
viscera,  by  the  considerable  distention,  the  very  early 
soreness,  and  the  circumstance  just  mentioned,  viz.  the 
pain  shooting  to  the  false  ribs  and  the  spine  of  the 
lieum. 

The  myocolitis  scarcely  in  any  instance  terminates 
in  mortification  or  abscess.  It  is  very  commonly  of 
the  rheumatic  kind,  and  yields  to  general  and  topical 
remedies,  the  latter  of  which  may  approach  very  near  the 
seat  of  the  disease.  Fomentations  are  particularly  use- 
ful ;  but  the  disease  is  rare. 

If  the  hardness  is  considerable,  and  a  throbbing  pain 
perceived,  an  abscess  is  forming,  and  should  be  encou- 
raged by  emollients,  that  the  discharge  may  be  exter- 
nal. Heurnius  observes,  that  these  muscles  are  covered 
with  so  dense  a  membrane,  that  abscesses  require  the 
knife;  and,  if  the  opening  is  neglected,  they  sometimes 
become  scirrhous.  Hildanus  thinks  that  these  tumours 
should  be  opened  more  early  than  is  usual  in  other  in- 
stances, to  secure  an  external  discharge;  for  the  matter 
is  apt  to  pass  betwixt  the  muscles,  and  form  sinuous 
ulcers, as  bandages  cannot  easily  be  applied.  The  cold 
air  is  particularly  offensive,  and  the  air  in  the  room 
should  be  moderately  warm,  when  the  abscess  is  open- 
ed, or  the  wound  dressed. 

Bleeding,  with  purging,  and  such  other  means  as  are 
used  in  inflammations  of  the  external  parts,  should  be 
employed,  and  steadily  pursued. 

11.  INFLAMMATION    OF   THE    EYE.      See    OPHTHAL- 
MIA. 

12.  INFLAMMATION     OF     THE     CESOPHAGUS     some- 
tunes   attends  ANGINA,  q.  v.  ;   but  is  occasionally  an 
idiopathic  disease.     We  have  mentioned  it  under  the 
title  of  angina  ftharyngea,  described  by  Eller  de  Cog- 
noscendis,  et  curandis  morbis,  p.  172.     It  is  the  angina 
sine  tumore  of  the  ancients,  and  is  relieved  by  cooling 
subacid  drinks.     Eller  recommends  external  cataplasms 
to  draw  any  matter  that  may  be  formed  outwardly,  but 
no   danger  of  this  kind  seems  to  impend.     We  have 
seen  it  occasionally  as  the  effect  of  swallowing  acri- 
monious fluids,  and  once  from  a  pill  of  calomel  sticking 

i  the  pharynx ;  but  in  each  case  the  inflammation  was 
allowed  by  no  disagreeable  consequences  ;  nor  was  the 
disease  obstinate. 


13.  INFLAMMA'TIO      OMENTA'LIS.       See     PERITO- 
NITIS. 

14.  INFLAMMATION    OF    THE    BONES.        The    blood 
vessels   from  the  periosteum  to  the  bones  run  bet 
their  laminae,  whilst  others  pass  through  particular  per- 
forations to  the  diploe  of  the  cranium,  and  the  marrow 
in   the  bones ;  from  these  arise  the  separationv  of  the 
corrupted  parts,  and  the  restitution  of  such  as  are  lost. 
Inflammation  may,  therefore,  be  seated  in  the  bones, 
and   is  attended    with    obstinate    and    violent    pains, 
seeming  to  the  patient  to  be  deep  seated.     Hence  also 
arises   a   spina   ventosa,    &c.     See    INFLAMMATIO    PE- 
RIOSTEI,  N°  16. 

15.  INFLAMMATION     OF    THE    PERICARDIUM,     peri- 
carditis, which  Dr.  Cullen  considers   as    synonymous 
with  carditis,  or  inflammation  of  the  heart ;  adding,  that 
"  the  pericardium  has  been  known  often  to  be  inflamed, 
without  any  other  symptoms  attendant,  except  those  of 
a   peripneumony."     The  pain,  however,  seems  to  be 
deeper  seated,  and  is  not  so  much   increased  upon  in- 
spiration.    The  cure  is  the  same  with  that  of  pleurisy 
or  peripneumony. 

16.  INFLAMMATION     OF     THE     PERIOSTEUM.        Be- 
sides the  other  usual  causes  of  inflammation  in  other 
parts,  the  venereal  disease  and  the  scurvy  induce  it  in 
this.     The  venereal  poison  is   a  frequent  cause,  when 
the  periosteum  within  the  bone  is  the  seat  of  the  dis- 
order. 

When  the  external  periosteum  is  inflamed,  a  deep 
seated  pain,  heat,  and  sometimes  a  pulsation  are  felt ; 
and,  when  the  part  is  not  thickly  covered,  the  pain  will 
be  augmented  by  pressure ;  muscular  motion,  however, 
always  increases  it.  That  the  membrane  which  lines  the 
bone  internally  is  the  seat  of  the  inflammation  appears 
probable,  from  the  want  of  pain  on  pressure,  or  motion; 
by  the'absenceof  pulsation;  by  receiving  no  relief  from 
any  position  of  the  pained  part ;  and  particularly  by  a 
sensation  of  the  bone  outwardly,  splitting  from  within. 

Inflammations  in  both  membranes  of  the  bone  pro- 
ceed from  the  same  causes,  produce  the  same  effects  on 
the  part  of  the  bone  to  which  they  adhere,  and  termi- 
nate either  in  an  abscess  or  a  gangrene  ;  but  when  the 
inner  membrane  is  affected  with  gangrene,  the  marrow 
and  bone  are  both  destroyed. 

If  inflammations  of  these  kinds  are  not  speedily  re- 
moved, the  periosteum  will  be  destroyed ;  and  cannot 
be  renewed  until  the  bone  exfoliates,  and  is  restored. 
In  this  period  the  incumbent  parts  will  be  irritated  by 
an  acrid  sanies,  and  malignant  ulcers  produced,  espe- 
cially if  a  large  portion  of  flesh  covers  the  bone,  and 
hinders  a  decisive  incision  on  the  part. 

The  cure  is  as  that  of  all  other  inflammations  ;  but 
the  matter  must  be  directed  outwards  by  fomentations 
and  incisions,  if  the  inflammation  cannot  be  discussed 
by  bleeding,  purgatives,  kc.  For  this  purpose,  after 
these  general  remedies,  softening  fomentations  and  poul- 
tices may  be  applied ;  but  if  these  fail,  it  remains  only  to 
cut  down  through  the  flesh  to  the  bone,  if  the  part  ad- 
mits. Amputation  is  often,  however,  at  last  necessary. 

When  an  abscess  begins  to  form,  it  is  known  and 
treated  as  described  in  the  article  ABSCESSUS  PERI- 
OSTEI. 

17.  INFLAMMATION    OF   THE    RECTUM    is    rarely   so 
acute  as  that  of  the  small   intestines,  nor  so  apt  to 


INF 


808 


INF 


affect  the  pulse  or  the  stomach ;  nor  is  there  such  a  stric- 
ture as  to  render  the  intestines  impervious.  The  cure 
is  the  same  as  inflammation  in  any  of  the  other  intes- 
tines ;  purgatives  are  equally  necessary,  and  ought  al- 
ways to  be  employed.  Clysters,  from  the  soreness,  are 
inadmissible,  and  sitting  over  warm  water  useful. 

18.  INFLAMMA'TIO  RE'NUM.     See  NEPHRITIS. 

19.  INFLAMMATION    OF    THE    SPLEEN,    s/ilenitis,    and 
fileuritis  sfilenica.  Dr.  Cullen  places  it  among  the  fihleg- 
masitf  ;  defining  it  febrile  affection,  attended  with  ten- 
sion, heat,  tumour  of  the  left  hypochondrium,  and  pain 
increased  on  pressure,  without  signs  of  a  nephritis. 

Lomniius  observes,  that  this  disorder  is  rare ;  that  it 
is  attended  with  a  hard  and  a  throbbing  tumour,  a  pain 
in  the  left  hypochondrium,  a  continual  violent  fever, 
extreme  heat,  unquenchable  thirst,  a  blackish  tongue, 
a  total  loss  of  appetite,  with  a  difficult,  and,  as  it  were, 
imperfect  respiration,  like  that  of  children  when  they 
sob  through  anger.  Aretaeus  adds,  that  the  pain  at- 
tending inflammation  in  the  spleen  is  not  considerable. 
If  the  distemper  continues,  not  accompanied  by  an  ulcer, 
the  patients  have  an  aversion  to  food,  are  swollen,  have 
a  bad  habit,  a  disagreeable  aspect,  with  many  round, 
livid,  hollow,  foul,  and  incurable  ulcers  over  the  whole 
body,  and  die  cachectic ;  but  such  as  have  only  a  small, 
hard,  and  scirrhous  tumour  feel  little  or  no  pain,  and 
consequently  live  longer.  A  dropsy,  a  consumption, 
or  a  colliquation  of  the  whole  body,  are  its  frequent 
consequences. 

The  cure  is  that  of  other  violent  internal  inflamma- 
tions ;  but  the  India  punctures  and  scarifications  are 
employed  by  the  native  practitioners. 

20.  INFLAMMA'TIO  TE'STIUM.     See  HERNIA  HUMORA- 
LIS. 

21.  INFLAMMA'TIO  U'TERI,    hysterias,   and    metrilis. 
Dr.  Cullen  defines  this  disease  a  febrile  affection,  at- 
tended with  heat  of  the  hypogastric  region,  tension,  tu- 
mour, and  pain ;  the  os  uteri  painful  on  being  touched, 
with  vomiting. 

Women,  after  child-birth,  when  the  lochia  are  im- 
peded, are  sometimes  subject  to  this  complaint :  but  it 
does  not  often  occur,  except  as  in  idiopathic  inflamma- 
tion ;  for  bruises,  external  stimrli, obstructed  menstrua, 
or  obstructed  lochia,  in  very  few  instances  produce  real 
permanent  inflammation.  The  imprudent  use  of  instru- 
ments, or  violence  in  delivery,  is  not  a  very  uncommon 
cause.  When  it  occurs  from  any  of  the  former  causes, 
the  symptoms  are  chiefly  those  of  irritation  rather  than 
inflammation.  The  pain  at  the  bottom  of  the  belly  is  nei- 
ther throbbing  nor  constantly  acute ;  the  pulse  is,  as  usual 
after  child  birth,  frequent,  often  small,  sometimes  irre- 
gular ;  in  strong  habits,  and  after  early  abortions,  hard. 
Subsultus  tendinum,  and  the  other  symptoms  of  irri- 
tation, come  on  ;  the  womb  mortifies,  and  the  patient 
sinks.  In  the  unimpregnated  state  the  pain  is  more 
constant,  circumscribed,  and  throbbing ;  the  pulse  hard, 
full,  and  strong,  with  other  symptoms  of  general  in- 
flammation ;  or,  if  the  disease  rises  to  a  greater  height, 
the  pulse  is  small  and  frequent,  and  suppuration  is  more 
frequently  the  consequence. 

In  both,  as  different  parts  of  the  womb  are  affected, 
there  is  a  strangury,  or  a  suppression  of  urine,  and  the 
urine  discharged  is  fetid  and  hot ;  or  a  tenesmus  at- 
tends, with  a  pain  in  going  to  stool ;  there  is  pain  in 


moving  the  lower  extremities,  or  swelling,  with  heat, 
to  be  felt  at  the  os  tincse,  which  is  usually  shut.  The 
belly  is  tense ;  a  soreness  is  felt  on  pressure  ;  a  red  stain 
sometimes  extends  up  to  the  navel,  and  turns  black 
when  fatal :  if  it  occurs  in  an  impregnated  uterus,  an 
abortion  follows. 

It  often  happens  that  the  woman  can  only  lie  on  her 
back  ;  and  on  turning  on  either  side,  she  feels  a  painful 
heavy  mass  fall  to  that  side  ;  with  an  excessive  pain  in 
the  loins,  kidneys,  and  groin,  of  the  opposite  side.  The 
pain  sometimes  extends  to  the  thighs. 

This  disorder  may  be  removed  by  a  spontaneous 
eruption  of  the  menses,  or  of  the  lochia;  or,  after  an 
abortion,  or  child-birth,  by  the  patient's  falling  into  a 
constant,  equable,  gentle,  long  continued  sweat.  If  it 
terminate  in  an  abscess,  or  a  mortification,  both  are  fa- 
tal ;  but  a  metastasis  may  be  a  means  of  relief. 

Bleeding  is  useful  at  the  first  attack,  and  if  the  dis- 
charge is  then  copious,  it  is  found  to  be  salutary  ;  but, 
if  at  a  later  period,  it  sinks  the  patient  with  marks  of  de- 
bility, or  hastens  gangrene. 

In  abortions  and  labours,  where  the  patient  is  not 
greatly  debilitated,  if  the  pulse  is  hard,  and  not  very  fre- 
quent, the  loss  of  blood  by  the  arm  is  borne  with  ad- 
vantage ;  but  it  cannot  be  repeated  ;  and  the  general 
method  of  cure  will  always  depend  on  mild  diaphoretics, 
as  the  pulvis  antimonialis  and  haustus  salinus,  carefully 
avoiding  irritating  purgatives.  To  these  may  be  added 
anodyne  and  antispasmodic  fomentations. 

In  delicate  or  feeble  constitutions,  after  child-birth, 
and  where  there  is  no  hardness,  but  great  frequency  of 
the  pulse,  this  disorder  too  often  proves  fatal.  All  that 
can  be  done  is  to  keep  the  patient  moderately  warm,  ex- 
citing, if  possible,  a  gentle  perspiration  by  farinaceous 
decoctions,  in  small  quantities,  frequently  repeated,  and 
applying  fomentations  and  poultices,  supporting  the 
strength  by  the  moderate  use  of  wine,  and  occasionally 
the  bark.  All  extraordinary  evacuations  are  dangerous. 
Even  the  perspiration  must  be  the  gentle  diapnoe  for- 
merly described. 

Every  irritation,  as  external  pressure,  urine  in  the 
bladder,  or  from  faeces  in  the  rectum,  must  be  avoided. 
Urine,  if  necessary,  may  be  drawn  off  with  the  catheter, 
and  the  bowels  may  be  emptied  by  repeated  clysters^ 
which  are  useful  also  as  internal  fomentations,  and  these 
are  particularly  necessary  when  the  irritation  is  commu- 
nicated to  the  rectum.  Blisters  are  dangerous  reme- 
dies, as  their  irritation  may  be  conveyed  to  the  neck  of 
the  bladder.  Opiates,  however,  may  be  freely  given,, 
and,  indeed,  to  a  considerable  extent,  if  costiveness  is 
avoided  by  mild  laxatives. 

If  suppuration  comes  on,  we  are  told  to  direct  it  to 
the  perinaeum.  We  may  do  so,  but  our  success  will  be 
inconsiderable.  Abscesses  in  the  uterus  are  rare,  but 
they  are  very  generally  fatal.  See  Fernelius;  For- 
dyce's  Elements  of  the  Practice  of  Physic,  part  the  se- 
cond; and  Hamilton's  Outlines. 

22.  INFLAMMA'TIO  VAGI'N^:  may  occur  from  any  cause 
which  produces  inflammation  in  other  parts,  and  must 
be  cured  by  the  same  means ;  but  emollient,  saturnine, 
and  anodyne  injections  are  particularly  useful.  When, 
it  happens  after  delivery,  it  is  occasioned  by  the  head 
of  the  child  being  long  retained  in  the  pelvis. 

If  the  swelling  and  inflammation  be  not  very  great. 


INF 


809 


INF 


they  are  generally  removed  by  the  discharge  of  the  lo- 
chia;  but  if  the  internal  membrane  of  the  vagina  is 
inflamed,  emollient  injections  must  be  thrown  up  from 
time  to  time,  and  a  piece  of  prepared  sponge  should  be 
introduced,  to  prevent  the  effects  of  the  adhesive  in- 
flammation. Soak  a  piece  of  sponge,  of  a  proper  size, 
to  keep  the  vagina  open,  when  expanded,  in  warm  wa- 
ter; then  bind  it  tight  with  a  string,  cutting  off  any  ir- 
regularities or  lumps.  When  dry,  take  off  the  string, 
and  the  sponge  will  remain  in  the  same  form  ;  anoint 
it  with  lard,  and  introduce  it  into  the  vagina,  the  mois- 
ture of  which  will  expand  it. 

If  the  pressure  was  so  long  continued  as  to  obstruct 
the  circulation,  a  mortification  will  ensue,  which  if  par- 
tial only,  the  mortified  parts  will  sloagh  off.  This  is 
probably  the  case,  if  the  woman  complains  of  great 
pain  after  delivery,  a  feud  smell,  and  a  discharge  of 
sharp  ichor,  or  of  pus  and  matter  from  the  vagina. 
Emollient  fomentations  may  be  thrown  up  in  such  cir- 
cumstances ;  dossils  of  lint,, dipped  in  any  warm  balsam, 
may  be  applied ;  and  when  the  sloughs  are  separated, 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  the  vagina  from 
coalescing,  either  by  introducing  dossils  of  lint  or  pieces 
of  sponge.  Inflammation  and  sloughing  of  the  vagina 
occasionally  happens  from  violence  of  any  kind. 

23.  IXFLAMMA'TIO  VEXTRI'CULI,  gastritis,  cardialgia 
injiammatoria.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this,  as  usual,  in  the 
order  fihlegmafsif,  defining  it  a  typhoidal  pyrexia,  attend- 
ed with  anxiety  ;  heat  and  pain  in  the  epigastric  region, 
increased  on  taking  any  thing  into  the  stomach  ;  a  pro- 
pensity to  vomit,  and  immediately  throwing  up  what  is 
taken,  with  a  hiccough.  He  distinguishes  two  spe- 
cies:— 1st,  Phlegmonodea,  when  from  internal  causes,  in 
which  the  pain  is  acute,  and  the  febrile  affection  vio- 
lent. 2d,  Erythematica,  when  from  external  causes, 
and  the  pain  with  the  febrile  affection  is  of  a  milder 
nature,  with  an  erysipelatous  inflammation  appearing  in 
the  fauces.  He  is  certain,  he  adds,  from  many  obser- 
vations, that  of  the  gastritis,  as  well  as  the  enteritis, 
there  are  two  species,  of  which  one  is  phlegmonous, 
and  the  other  erysipelatous  ;  and,  therefore,  he  has  dis- 
tinguished them  :  though  he  confesses  that  the  symp- 
toms of  the  erysipelatous  inflammation  of  the  stomach, 
and  more  so  those  of  a  similar  affection  of  the  intestines, 
are  often  obscure  and  uncertain  ;  but  of  these  he  has 
spoken,  that  posterity  may  investigate  the  subject  more 
diligently. 

It  is  produced  from  nearly  the  same  causes  as  the 
inflammation  'of  the  intestines,  except  introsusception 
and  hardened  faeces,  and  it  is  more  liable  to  be  excited 
by  acrid  substances.  It  rarely  occurs  from  external 
causes,  though  we  have  seen  three  instances  in  which 
it  has  arisen  from  external  cold. 

When  the  stomach  is  inflamed,  there  is  soreness  ex- 
ternally ;  a  pungent,  fixed,  burningpain,  with  adistention 
and  tumour,  sometimes  a  pulsation  in  it :  the  mildest 
drinks  increase  the  pain,  bring  on  sickness,  vomiting, 
purging,  or  hiccough.  A  continual  uneasiness  is  felt 
about  the  praecordia,  a  difficulty  of  breathing  and  swallow- 
ing, with  a  pain  in  sneezing :  the  pulse  is  small,  quick, 
hard,  and  intermitting  ;  the  extremities  cold,  with  clam- 
my sweats  and  faintings:  sometimes  a  temporary  mania, 
and,  in  one  case,  a  hydrophobia.  When  from  a  wound 
in  the  stomach  there  is  frequently  little  or  no  pain ;  but 
the  patient  sinks  with  all  the  symptoms  of  irritation. 

VOL.    I. 


Inflammation  in  the  stomach  must  be  distinguished 
from  a  cardialgia,  a  circumstance  by  no  means  difficult, 
as  neither  vomiting  nor  fever  attend  ;  and  from  an  in- 
flammation in  the  convex  part  of  the  liver;  which,  how- 
ever seldom  occurs  without  some  inflammation  of  the 
stomach. 

This  disorder  is  seldom  so  dangerous  as  is  represent- 
ed. Indeed  it  seldom  occurs  iri  its  acutest  form ;  but 
mild  nutritious  drinks,  in  very  small  quantities,  nour- 
ishing clysters,  with  a  blister  externally,  has  generally 
relieved.  Bleeding,  we  are  told,  must  be  freely  used  : 
it  may  be  so,  but  we  have  never  found  it  necessary. 
All  stimulants  are  undoubtedly  injurious.  When  highly- 
acute,  a  metastasis  takes  place  to  the  head,  and  violent 
phrenitis  supervenes  :  in  other  circumstances  it  quickly 
terminates  in  gangrene,  a  change  known  by  a  cessation 
of  pain,  a  coldness  about  the  praecordia,  a  languid  or  an 
intermitting  pulse,  with  a  calm  serenity,  without  hic- 
cough. 

The  drink  should  neither  be  cold  nor  hot,  but  gently 
warmed.  Demulcents  and  emollients  are  best  adapted 
for  the  common  drink,  with  small  portions  of  nitre,  or 
of  the  rob  of  currants. 

A  solution  of  gum  arable,  or  spermaceti  made  into 
draughts,  in  each  of  which  may  be  gr.  v.  of  nitre,  and 
abotita  drachm  of  the  syrupuse  meconia,  may  be  repeat- 
ed as  often  as  seems  necessary  for  moderating  the  pain  ; 
and  checking  the  vomiting. 

If  acrid  poison,  or  an  excess  of  eating,  is  the  cause, 
an  active  emetic  may  be  given  ;  but  on  all  other  occa- 
sions avoided.  The  emetic  preferred  is  sweet  oil ;  but 
one  that  acts  with  effect  and  quickly  is  more  effectual  : 
of  this  kind  is  the  vitriolated  zinc. 

If  an  abscess  bursts,  a  milk  diet,  with  the  mildest 
food,  in  small  quantities  at  once,  is  only  necessary. 

The  erythematic  inflammation  of  the  stomach  comes 
on  insidiously  ;  but  sometimes  it  is  evident  by  the 
inflammation  appearing  in  the  pharynx,  as  well  as 
on  the  whole  internal  surface  of  the  mouth.  When, 
therefore,  an  inflammation  of  this  kind  affects  the 
mouth  and  fauces,  with  a  frequent  vomiting,  and  an 
unusual  sensibility  in  the  stomach,  we  may  suspect  that 
the  same  affection  extends  downward.  Even  when  no 
inflammation  appears  in  the  fauces,  yet  if  a  pain  be  felt 
in  the  stomach,  with  a  want  of  appetite,  anxiety,  fre- 
quent vomiting,  an  unusual  sensibility  to  acrids,  some 
thirst,  and  frequency  of  pulse,  we  may  suspect  the  ex- 
istence of  this  disease  in  the  stomach.  .  The  inflamma- 
tion often  extends  farther,  occasioning  diarrhoea  and 
mucous  discharges  from  the  rectum. 

The  treatment  will  vary  according  to  the  causes,  &c. 
When  from  an  acrid  matter  taken  in  by  the  mouth,  it 
must  be  evacuated  by  a  quick  emetic  ;  by  large  draughts 
of  warm  mild  liquids  ;  or  by  the  proper  antidote,  if  the 
nature  of  the  poison  is  known.  If  symptoms  of  inflamma- 
tion are  manifest,  bleeding,  blisters,  fomentations,  and 
frequent  emollient  laxative  clysters  may  be  used.  But  as 
the  affection  often  arises  in  putrid  diseases,  all  that  can 
be  done  in  such  circumstances  is  to  avoid  irritation,  and 
to  throw  into  the  stomach  as  much  of  mild  and  of  aces- 
cent aliments  as  it  can  bear.  When  the  disease  is  a 
little  alleviated,  a  light  infusion  of  bark,  with  a  few 
drops  of  any  mineral  acid,  is  borne  with  ease,  and  is 
highly  beneficial.  See  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  i.  p. 
356,  kc.  ed.  4. 


INF 


81© 


TNF 


24.  INFLAMMA'TIO  VE'SIC^E,  cystitis,  and  cystijihlo- 
gia.  This  disease  is  also  placed  by  Dr.  Cullen  in  the 
order  phlegmasia,  and  defined  a  febrile  affection,  at- 
tended with  pain  and  tumour  of  the  hypogastric  region  ; 
frequent  and  painful  micturition,  or  ischury  and  tenes- 
mus.  He  distinguishes  two  species.  1.  Cystitis  from 
internal  ;  and,  2.  from  external  causes. 

It  is  produced  by  the  usual  causes  of  internal  inflam- 
mation, or  from  topical  irritation  ;  as  acrid  diuretics, 
or  a  calculus. 

A  pressing  and  burning  pain,  with  external  soreness, 
is  perceived  in  the  region  of  the  bladder  above  the 
pubes,  and  in  the  perinaeum,  soon  after  a  febrile  attack. 
If  the  neck  of  the  bladder  be  inflamed,  the  urine  is  re- 
tained, with  frequent  stimulus  to  its  evacuation  ; — if  the 
fundus,  there  is  a  continual  discharge,  with  great  efforts 
to  throw  out  a  larger  quantity,  which  the  patient  con- 
ceives to  be  contained  in  a  bladder.  Frequent  attempts 
to  expel  the  faeces,  with  which  the  rectum  appears  to 
the  patient  to  be  always  loaded,  increase  the  pain  very 
much,  particularly  when  any  hard  faeces  are  contained 
in  it.  The  pulse  is  frequent,  but  seldom  hard  ;  the  ex- 
tremities cold,  with  restlessness,  sickness,  vomiting  ; 
sometimes  delirium,  and  other  symptoms  of  irritation. 

This  disorder,  if  Tery  violent,  usually  terminates  soon, 
either  in  a  recovery  or  death ;  frequently  the  latter,  gene- 
rally from  a  gangrene.  So  violent  an  inflammation  of 
the  bladder  seldom,  however,  occurs.  We  have  often 
seen  it  without  considerable  danger,  chiefly  from  topi- 
cal irritation,  and  once  only  from  catching  cold. 

This  disorder  is  sometimes  relieved  by  an  increased 
secretion  of  mucus  from  the  internal  membrane,  resem- 
bling, in  appearance,  pus,  but  much  lighter,  and  more 
uniform  ;  or  by  a  metastasis.  When  suppuration  fol- 
lows,-pus  is  discharged  with  the  urine,  passes  externally 
through  the  perinseum,  or  into  the  cavity  of  the  abdo- 
men, where  it  proves  fatal.  The  ulcer  in  the  bladder 
and  perinaeum  are  difficult  of  cure. 

Inflammation  in  the  external  coat  of  the  bladder 
should  be  distinguished  from  that  of  the  internal  ;  and 
inflammation  in  any  part  of  the  bladder  should  be  dis- 
tinguished from  inflammation  in  the  adjacent  parts, 
as  well  as  frQin  that  retention  of  urine  which  proceeds 
from  other  causes.  The  distinction  is,  however,  by  no 
means  difficult,  as,  when  the  external  membrane  ia 
affected,  the  pulse  is  hard,  and  the  external  soreness 
considerable  ;  nor  is  the  great  irritation  to  make  water 
so  painful  or  frequent. 

In  the  cure,  bleeding  is  seldom  necessary  to  any  con- 
siderable extent ;  but  the  bowels  should  be  kept  freely- 
open  by  such  laxatives  as  do  not  irritate  the  rectum. 

Relaxing  medicines,  such  as  the  pulvis  antimonials 
and  haustus  salinus,  should  be  given  early,  and  repeated 
frequently.  Fomentations  to  the  pubes  and  perinaeum, 
are  highly  useful  ;  and  mild  clysters,  which  act  as  such, 
should  be  frequently  injected. 

If  the  urine  is  retained,  decoctions  of  mucilaginous 
herbs  may  be  taken  ;  but  we  should  always  reflect,  that, 
though  we  abate  the  acrimony  of  the  urine  in  this  way, 
we  increase  the  disease.  Such  decoctions  should  not 
be  drunk  in  too  large  quantities,  and  gum  arabic  kept 
in  the  mouth  will  sheath  the  inflamed  parts  without 
adding  to  the  quantity  of  urine.  If  necessary,  the  ca- 
theter must  be  introduced ;  though  much  care  is  requir- 
ed in  the  attempt,  which  often  fails. 


If,  notwithstanding  due  evacuations,  spasmodic  con- 
traction with  much  pain  continues,  opiates  in  consider- 
able doses,  such  as  tinct.  opii.  gt.  xx.  every  three  OP 
four  hours  may  be  given,  taking  care  that  no  accu- 
mulations take  place  in  the  bowels. 

The  patient  may  be  placed  in  the  warm  bath  two  or 
three  times  in  the  day.  Blisters  are  sometimes  applied 
to  the  perinaEiim,  and  with  advantage  ;  the  plaster 
should,  however,  be  covered  with  thin  gauze,  and  re 
moved  as  soon  as  a  vesication  has  taken  place.  In  thi* 
way  we  have  often  applied  them  with  success.  The 
rubefacients  promise  greater  utility  with  less  in- 
convenience, but  we  know  not  that  they  have  been 
tried. 

If  by  irregular  shivers,  and  the  diminution  of  pain, 
a  suppuration  is  suspected,  we  must  wait  its  progress., 
and  the  disease  will  then  become  an  ulcer  of  the  uri- 
nary passages,  which  must  be  treated  accordingly. 

25.  INFLAMMATO'RIA  FE'BRIS.  Dr.  Cullen  places  it 
in  the  class  /lyrejcits,  and  order  febres  ;  and  as  a  syno- 
nym of  synocha  ;  defining  it  heat,  greatly  increased  ;  a 
frequent,  strong,  and  hard  pulse  ;  high  coloured  urine  ; 
the  functions  of  the  sensorium  somewhat  disturbed. 
This  fever  is  the  continua  non  fiutris  of  Boerhaave ; 
and  Ihefebris  acuta  sanguined  of  Hoffman. 

When  fever  is  attended  with  an  inflammatory  dia- 
thesis, or  when  actual  inflammation  affects  any  part 
during  the  existence  of  fever,  the  patient  is  said  to  la- 
bour under  one  of  an  inflammatory  kind;  but,  accord- 
ing to  the  different  parts  in  which  the  inflammation  is 
seated,  different  denominations  are  given  to  the  disor- 
der, as  we  have  seen  in  the  preceding  articles. 

In  strong  constitutions  it  is  produced  by  any  of  the 
causes  of  fever  ;  but  it  has  been  doubted  whether  in- 
flammatory fever  exists,  independent  of  topical  inflam- 
mation. Thfrre  is  little  doubt  but  that  it  is  most  com- 
monly attendant  on  topical  inflammation,  though  it  cer- 
tainly exists  alone.  When  we  consider  the  distinctions 
of  fever,  we  shall  find  that  they  have  been  too  curiously 
subdivided  ;  and  that  fever  is  a  more  simple  disorder 
than  pathologists  have  represented  it.  At  present  we 
shall  only  remark,  that  this  disease  is  distinguished  by 
a  hard  pulse  and  more  considerable  heat  than  usual, 
generally  owing  to  the  strength  and  tone  of  the  habits  it 
attacks. 

The  horror  and  rigor  of  the  attack  are  violent,  but 
short  in  their  duration,  and  are  followed  by  a  violent 
hot  fit,  in  which  all  the  symptoms  indicating  increased 
action  of  the  arterial  system  aro  very  conspicuous.  The 
fever  is  often  terminated  by  topical  inflammation,  or  a 
haemorrhage,  and  is  alone  fatal,  though  it  may  become 
rapidly  so,  when  the  inflammation  falls  on  the  brain, 
lungs,  or  intestines.  If  none  of  these  consequences 
happen  in  the  second  week,  the  strength  diminishes, 
and  the  fever  goes  oft*  with  a  perfect  crisis,  or  changes 
to  a  typhus.  When  attended  with  local  inflammation, 
and  this  is  removed,  the  same  change  sometimes  takes 
place,  and  the  typhus  is  rendered  more  dangerous,  by 
the  weakness  induced  from  the  necessary  evacuations. 
This  has  been  the  reason  of  nosologists  introducing  the 
genus  synochus  ;  but  synochus,  the  real  disease,  is  very 
generally  a  typhus,  and  the  previous  inflammatory 
symptoms  are  accidental  only.  The  cause  of  symptoms 
so  dissimilar  is  not  easily  assigned.  In  some  cases  the 
infectious  miasmata  arc  only  excited  to  action  by  the 


IK  F 


311 


INF 


previous  inflammatory  fever,  and  in  others  the  irregu- 
lar action  subsequent  to  the  spasm  is  directed  to  a  par- 
ticular organ,  and  the  irritation  excited  by  its  inflam- 
mation increases  the  force  of  the  circulation,  so  as  to 
produce  the  symptoms  described.  See  FEBRIS  and 

IXFLAMMATIO. 

The  causes  of  inflammatory  fever  are  chiefly  cold  when 
the  body  is  heated ;  but  it  may  also  arise  from  accumu- 
lations in  the  stomach,  or  topical  irritations.  The  sto- 
mach and  bowels  are  the  chief  sources  of  this  disease 
in  children;  and,  indeed,  the  most  common  causes, 
when  it  appears  independent  of  topical  affections.  The 
other  sources  of  irritation  are  obscure. 

Bleeding,  the  common  remedy  with  indiscriminating 
practitioners,  must  be  employed  with  caution.  If  an 
inflammatory  fever  attacks  a  young,  strong,  robust  la- 
bourer, it  may  be  employed  with  freedom;  but  we 
should  always  recollect  that  though  pneumonia, 
phrenitis,  or  any  active  inflammation,  may  come  on,  a 
typhus  may  be  also  at  the  bottom.  The  pulse  may 
direct ;  but,  as  we  have  often  observed,  it  requires  pe- 
culiar judgment  to  distinguish  between  a  strong  and  an 
irritated  pulse,  as  well  as  between  an  apparently  low 
and  a  labouring  one.  We  have  found  the  countenance 
a  good  criterion ;  and  if  the  features  are  sunk,  with  any 
apparent  anxiety  in  the  countenance,  whatever  are  the 
other  symptoms,  bleeding  must  be  avoided.  On  the 
contrary,  strong  rigor,  soon  succeeded  by  violent  heat, 
flushed  face,  a  sparkling  and  a  full  eye,  will  require  a 
free  and  active  evacuation  from  the  arm,  which  may  be 
repeated  according  to  circumstances. 

Emetics  are  remedies  of  the  utmost  importance,  and 
in  children,  where  a  foulness  of  the  stomach  is  the 
principal  cause,  they  will  often  carry  off  the  fever.  In 
general,  the  headach  and  fulness  of  the  vessels  appear 
to  contraindicate  this  remedy;  but  we  have  already 
observed,  that  the  increased  fulness  is  temporary,  the 
advantages  permanent.  Yet  where  the  determination 
to  the  head  is  very  violent,  and  the  vessels  have  not 
been  depleted  by  venesection,  emetics  should  be 
avoided. 

Cathartics  are  still  more  necessary  than  emetics, 
and  less  dangerous.  They  not  only  relieve  the  head, 
but  they  prevent  determinations  to  the  lungs  and  liver, 
and  lessen  the  violence  of  typhus,  should  its  fomes  be 
latent.  The  saline  purgatives,  with  senna,  are,  in  this 
case,  preferable. 

The  cooling  sedatives  and  inirritants  must  be  freely 
employed.  The  antimonials,  nitre,  with  all  the  other 
neutrals,  are  valuable  remedies  ;  and,  where  the  head 
is  affected,  camphor,  united  to  vinegar,  has  been  em- 
ployed with  advantage.  (See  PHRENITIS.)  Opiates 
are  often  necessary  when  violent  irritation  and  restless- 
ness prevent  sleep.  They  should  be  given  with  cam- 
phor and  the  antimonial  powder. 

When  local  pains  come  on,  they  are  occasioned  by 
topical  inflammation,  and  must  be  treated  according  to 
their  nature.  See  IXFLAMMATIO. 

The  diet  should  be  chiefly  gruel,  or  barley  water,  sub- 
acid  fruits,  water  acidulated  with  lemon,  the  jelly  of 
currants,  or  similar  sharp  fruits.  It  may  be  drunk 
warm  or  cold,  as  is  most  agreeable  to  the  patient.  Half  a 
irachm  of  nitre  may  be  dissolved  in  every  pint  of  liquor 
in  which  no  acid  juice  is  mixed.  The  room  should  be 
iiigh.  large,  and  airy.  The  patient  may  sit  up  a  little 


each  day,  according  to  his  strength  ;  for  this  will  lessee 
the  fever,  headach,  and  delirium  :  but  when  a  salutary- 
perspiration  comes  on,  it  should  be  indulged  in  bed. 
The  sheets  may  be  changed  every  two  or  three  days. 
and  all  putrid  matters  should  be  removed. 

See  Fordyce's  Elements  of  Physic,  part  ii.  Fordyce's 
Inquiry  into  the  Causes,  Sec.  of  Putrid  and  Inflammatory 
Fevers. 

IXFLA'TIO,  (from  inflo,  to  ftuff  u]t\  See  EMPHY- 
SEMA. . 

INFLA'TUS,  (from  the  same.)  is  applied  botanical!}' 
to  the  perianthium,  when  blown  up  like  a  bladder. 

IXFLO'RESCENTIA,(from  in,  andjforfo,  to  6lo»- 
som,)  the  mode  in  which  flowers  are  joined  to  thr 
plant  by  the  foot  stalk. 

INFLUE'NZA.  INFLUENCE.  (Spanish.)  See 
CATARRHUS  EPIDEMICUS.  The  same  principle  which 
induced  Hippocrates  to  attribute  epidemics  to  the  TC 
*«««»,  gave  this  general  epidemic  catarrh  the  name  oi 
influenza.  From  Sydenham,  upwards  to  Hippocrates, 
it  was  known  by  the  name  ofcatarrhalisfebris  efiidemica,- 
but  Sydenham  chiefly  calls  it  tussis  epidemics:  it  hath 
been  since  variously  named,  but  is  now  styled  influenza. 

In  Dr.  Cullen's  system  it  is  a  variety  of  catarr/tus  a 
contag-io. 

In  the  year  1673  Sydenham  treated  of  the  nature 
and  cure  of  the  putrid  fever,  which  he  called  variolous 
fever  ;  he  found  that  this  fever  returned  every  summer 
afterwards,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  cholera  morbus 
and  bilious  fever  (by  him  called  the  new  fever).  In 
1675  these  fevers  were  attended  by  a  new  symptom, 
viz.  an  uncommon  degree  of  stupor,  which  frequently 
ended  in  a  coma,  and  was  for  that  reason  by  Sydenham 
called  the  comatous  fever.  In  the  beginning  of  No- 
vember of  the  same  year,  this  fever  was  complicated 
with  a  cough,  and  was  described  by  Sydenham  nearly 
as  follows : 

"  The  fever  proceeded  in  this  manner  during  the 
autumn,  sometimes  seizing  the  head,  at  others  the 
bowels,  every  where  raging  under  the  appearance  of 
symptoms  peculiar  to  those  parts  till  the  end  of  Octo- 
ber ;  when  the  weather,  which  till  now  had  continued 
in  a  manner  as  warm  as  summer,  changed  suddenly  to 
cold  and  moist;  whence  catarrhs  and  coughs  became 
more  frequent  than  I  remember  to  have  known  them 
in  any  other  season.  But  it  is  of  most  moment  to  ob- 
serve, that  the  stationary  fever  of  this  constitution  usu- 
ally succeeded  these  coughs,  and  hence  became  more 
epidemic,  and  likewise  varied  some  of  its  symptoms. 
For  whereas,  some  little  time  before,  it  attacked  the 
head  and  bowels,  now  it  chiefly  seized  the  lungs  and 
pleura,  whence  arose  peripneumonic  and  pleuritic  symp- 
toms ;  though  it  was  still  precisely  the  same  fever  that 
began  in  July  1673,  and  continued  without  any  altera- 
tion of  its  symptoms  till  the  rise  of  these  catarrhs. 

"  These  catarrhs  and  coughs  continued  to  the  end  of 
November,  after  which  they  abated,  but  the  fever  still 
remained  the  same  as  it  was  before  the  catarrhs  appear- 
ed :  though  it  was  neither  quite  so  epidemic,  nor  ac- 
companied with  quite  the  same  symptoms,  these  de- 
pending accidentally  upon  the  catarrhs. 

"  1675,  the  season  having  continued  unusually 
warm,  like  summer,  till  towards  the  end  of  October, 
and  being  suddenly  succeeded  by  cold  and  moist  wea- 
ther, a  cough  became  more  frequent  than  I  remember 
i  L  0  ' 


INF 


812 


INF 


to  have  known  it  at  any  other  time;  for  it  scarce  suf- 
fered any  one  to  escape,  of  whatever  age  or  constitution 
he  were,  and  seized  whole  families  at  once;  nor  was  it 
remarkable  only  for  the  numbers  it  attacked  (for  every 
winter  abundance  of  persons  are  afflicted  with  a  cough), 
but  also  on  account  of  the  clanger  that  attended  it ;  for 
as  the  constitution,  both  now  and  during  the  preceding 
auuimn,  eminently  tended  to  produce  the  epidemic  fe- 
ver above  described,  and  as  there  was  now  no  other  epi- 
demic existing,  which  by  its  opposition  might  ijp  some 
measure  lessen  its  violence,  the  cough  made  way  for, 
and  readily  changed  into,  the  fever.  In  the  mean 
while,  as  the  cough  assisted  the  constitution  in  produc- 
ing the  fever,  so  the  fever  on  this  account  attacked  the 
lungs  and  pleura,  just  as  it  had  affected  the  head  even 
the  week  preceding  this  cough;  which  sudden  altera- 
tion of  the  symptoms  occasioned  some,  for  want  of 
sufficient  attention,  to  esteem  this  fever  an  essential 
pleurisy  or  peripneumony,  though  it  remained  the  same 
as  it  had  been  during  this  constitution,  i.  e.  since  July  1673. 

"  For  it  began  now,  as  it  always  did,  with  a  pain  in 
the  head,  back,  and  some  of  the  limbs  ;  which  were  the 
symptoms  of  every  fever  of  this  constitution,  except 
only  that  the  febrile  matter,  when  it  was  copiously  de- 
posited in  the  lungs  and  pleura,  through  the  violence  of 
the  cough,  occasioned  such  symptoms  as  belong  to  those 
parts.  But,  nevertheless,  as  far  as  I  could  observe,  the 
fever  was  the  very  same  with  that  which  prevailed  to 
the  day  when  this  cough  first  appeared :  and  this  like- 
wise the  remedies,  to  which  it  readily  yielded,  plainly 
showed.  And  though  the  pungent  pain  of  the  side, 
the  difficulty  of  breathing,  the  colour  of  the  blood  that 
was  taken  away,  and  the  rest  of  the  symptoms  that  are 
usual  in  a  pleurisy,  seemed  to  intimate  that  it  was  an 
essential  pleurisy ;  yet  this  disease  required  no  other 
method  of  cure  than  that  which  agreed  with  the  fever 
of  this  constitution,  and  did  no  ways  admit  of  that 
which  was  proper  in  the  true  pleurisy,  as  will  hereafter 
appear.  Add  to  this,  that  when  a  pleurisy  is  the  ori- 
ginal disease,  it  usually  arises  betwixt  spring  and  sum- 
mer ;  whereas  the  distemper  we  now  treat  of  began  at 
a  very  different  season,  and  is  only  to  be  reckoned  a 
symptom  of  the  fever  which  was  peculiar  to  the  cur- 
rent year,  and  the  effect  of  the  accidental  cough. 

"  Now,  in  order  to  proceed  in  a  proper  manner  to  the 
particular  method  of  cure,  which  experience  shows  to  be 
requisite  both  in  this  cough  and  in  those  which  happen 
in  other  years,  provided  they  proceed  from  the  same 
causes,  it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  effluvia  which  used 
to  be  expelled  the  mass  of  blood  by  insensible  perspira- 
tion are  struck  in,  and  thrown  upon  the  lungs,  from  the 
sudden  stoppage  of  the  pores  by  cold  ;  these  by  irritating 
the  lungs  immediately  raise  a  cough ;  and  the  hot  and 
excrementitious  vapours  of  the  blood  being  hereby  pre- 
vented from  passing  off  by  perspiration,  a  fever  is  easi- 
ly raised  in  the  mass ;  namely,  when  either  the  vapours 
are  so  copious  that  the  lungs  are  unable  to  expel  them, 
or  the  inflammation  is  increased  by  the  adventitious 
heat  arising  from  the  use  of  overheating  remedies,  or 
too  hot  a  regimen,  so  as  suddenly  to  cause  a  fever  in  a 
person  who  was  already  too  much  disposed  to  one.  But 
of  whatever  kind  the  stationary  fever  be,  which  prevails 
the  same  year,  and  at  the  same  time,  this  new  fever 
soon  assumes  its  name,  becomes  of  the  same  kind,  and 
in  most  particulars  resembles  it;  though  it  may  still 


retain  some  symptoms  belonging  to  the  cough,  whence 
it  arose.  In  every  cough,  therefore,  proceeding  from 
this  cause,  it  is  sufficiently  manifest  that  regard  must 
be  had  not  only  to  the  cough,  but  likewise  to  the  fever 
that  so  readily  succeeds  it. 

"  Relying  on  this  foundation,  I  endeavoured  to  re- 
lieve such  as  required  my  assistance  by  the  following 
method:  if  the  cough  had  not  yet  caused  a  fever,  and 
other  symptoms,  which,  as  we  said,  usually  accompany 
it,  I  judged  it  sufficient  to  forbid  the  use  of  flesh  meals, 
and  all  kinds  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  advised  moderate 
exercise,  going  into  the  air,  and  a  draught  of  cooling 
pectoral  ptisan  to  be  taken  between  "whiles.  These 
few  things  sufficed  to  relieve  the  cough ;  and  prevent 
the  fever,  and  other  symptoms  usually  attending  it. 
For  as  by  abstaining  from  flesh  and  spirituous  liquors, 
along  with  the  use  of  cooling  medicines,  the  blood  was 
so  cooled  as  not  easily  to  admit  of  a*febrile  impression, 
so  by  the  use  of  exercise  those  hot  effluvia  of  the  blood, 
which  strike  in,  and  occasion  a  cough  as  often  as  the 
pores  are  stopped  by  sudden  cold,  are  commodiously 
exhaled  in  the  natural  and  true  way,  to  the  relief  of  the 
patient. 

"  With  respect  to  quieting  the  cough,  it  Js  to  be  ob- 
served that  opiates,  spirituous  liquors,  and  heating  me- 
dicines used  for  this  purpose,  are  equally  unsafe;  for, 
the  matter  of  the  cough  being  entangled  and  stiffened 
thereby,  those  vapours  which  should  pass  off  from  the 
blood,  in  a  gentle  and  gradual  manner,  by  coughing, 
are  retained  in  the  mass,  and  raise  a  fever :  and  this  fre- 
quently proves  very  fatal  to  abundance  of  the  common 
people,  who,  whilst  they  unadvisedly  endeavour  to 
check  the  cough,  by  taking  burnt  brandy,  and  other  hot 
liquors,  occasion  pleuritic  or  peripncumonic  disorders  ; 
and  by  this  irrational  procedure  render  this  disease  dan- 
gerousi  and  often  mortal,  which  of  its  own  nature  is, 
slight,  and  easily  curable.  Neither  do  they  err  less,' 
though  they  seem  to  act  more  reasonably,  who  endea- 
vour to  remove  the  cause  of  the  disease  by  raising 
sweat;  for  though  we  do  not  deny  that  spontaneous 
sweats  frequently  prove  more  effectual  than  all  other 
helps  in  expelling  the  morbific  cause,  yet  it  is  apparent 
that  whilst  we  attempt  to  force  sweat  we  inflame  the 
blood,  and  may  possibly  destroy  the  patient,  whom  we 
desire  to  cure. 

"  But  it  happens  sometimes,  not  only  when  the  dis- 
ease has  been  unskilfully  treated,  in  the  manner  above 
described,  but  also  spontaneously,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  illness,  or  in  a  day  or  two  afterwards,  especially  in 
tender  and  weakly  persons,  that  the  cough  is  succeeded 
by  alternate  intervals  of  heat  and  cold,  a  pain  in  the  head, 
back,  and  limbs,  and  sometimes  a  tendency  to  sweat, 
especially  in  the  night;  all  which  symptoms  generally 
followed  the  fever  of  this  constitution,  as  it  were,  of  the 
lungs,  which  occasioned  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  stop- 
ped the  cough,  and  increased  the  fever. 

"  According  to  the  best  observation  I  could  make,  the 
fever  and  its  most  dangerous  symptoms  were  best  re- 
lieved by  bleeding  in  the  arm,  applying  a  blister  to  the 
neck,  and  giving  a  clyster  every  day.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  advised  the  patient  to  sit  up  some  hours  every 
day,  to  forbear  flesh  meats,  and  sometimes  to  drink 
small  beer,  sometimes  milk  and  water,  and  sometimes 
a  cooling  and  lenient  ptisan.  If  the  pain  of  the  side 
abated  not  in  two  or  three  day  s,  but  continued  very  violent, 


INF 


813 


INF 


I  bled  a  second  time,  antl  advised  the  continuance 
of  the  clysu-Ti.  Bui  \vith  respect  to  clysters,  it  must  be 
carefully  observed,  cither  in  this  or  other  fevers,  that 
they  are  not  to  be  long  and  frequently  used  when  the 
disease  is  in  its  decline  ;  especially  in  hysteric  women, 
and  in  men  that  arc  subject  to  "the  hypochondriac  dis- 
ease; for  the  blood  and  juices  o!  such  persons  are  easily 
changed,  and  soon  agitated  and  heated;  whence  the 
animal  economy  is  disturbed,  and  the  febrile  symptoms 
continued  beyond  the  usual  time. 

"  l)ut  to  return  to  our  subject :  whilst  by  these  means 
we  allowed  lime,  that  the  blood  might  gradually  free 
itself  from  those  hot  particles  that  were  lodged  in  the 
pleura  anil  lungs,  all  the  symptoms  usually  went  off  in' 
a  ger.tlc  manner;  whereas,  when  the  disease  was  treated 
in  a  rough  way,  by  giving  abundance  of  remedies,  it 
either  destroyed  the  patient,  or  rendered  it  necessary  to 
repeat  bleeding  oftener  than  the  disease  required,  or 
would  safely  bear,  in  order  to  save  life.  For  though 
repeated  bleeding  answers  every  purpose  in  the  true 
pleurisy,  and  is  alone  sufficient  for  the  cure  thereof, 
provided  there  be  no  hindrance  from  a  hot  regimen  and 
heating  medicines ;  yet,  here,  on  the  contrary,  it  suf- 
ficed, to  bleed  once,  or  at  most  twice,  in  case  the  patient 
retrained  from  bed,  and  drank  cooling  liquors.  And  I 
never  found  it  necessary  to  bleed  more  frequently,  un- 
less the  symptoms  relating  to  the  /ileura  and  lungs  were 
much  increased  by  some  adventitious  heat,  and  even  in 
this  case  the  practice  was  not  wholly  void  of  danger. 
•  "  Upon  this  occasion,  I  shall  briefly  deliver  my  senti- 
ments with  respect  to  a  very  trite  and  common  opinion, 
viz.  that  a  pleurisy  is  found  to  be  of  so  malignant  a  na- 
ture in  some  years  that  it  will  not  then  bear  bleeding,  at 
least  not  so  often  as  this  distemper  ordinarily  demands. 
Now,  though  I  conceive  that  a  true  and  essential  pleu- 
risy, which,  as  shall  hereafter  be  observed,  happens  in- 
differently in  all  constitutions,  does  in  all  years  equally 
indicate  repeated  bleeding  ;  yet  it  sometimes  happens 
that  the  peculiar  epidemic  fever  of  the  year,  from  sud- 
den alteration  of  the  manifest  qualities  of  the  air,  readily 
throws  off  the  morbid  matter  upon  the  fitcura  and  lungs, 
while  the  fever  notwithstanding  continues  exactly  the 
same.  Wherefore,  in  this  case,  though  bleeding  may  be 
used  to  abate  this  symptom  when  it  is  very  violent,  yet 
generally  speaking,  little  more  blood  ought  to  be  taken 
away  than  is  required  by  the  fever  whereon  this  symp- 
tom depends  ;  for,  if  the  fever  be  of  a  kind  that  will  b.ear 
frequent  bleeding,  it  may  likewise  be  repealed  in  the 
pleurisy,  which  is  a  symptom  thereof:  but  if  the  fever 
will  not  bear  repeated  bleeding,  it  will  be  prejudicial  in 
the  pleurisy,  which  will  go  off  with,  or  last  as  long  as  the 
fever  does.  And  in  my  judgment  this  was  the  case  in 
the  symptomatic  pleurisy  that  accompanied  the  fever 
which  prevailed  here  at  the  time  the  cough  began, 
namely,  in  winter,  1675;  and  therefore  I  must  observe, 
that  whoever,  in  the  cure  of  fevers,  hath  not  always  in 
view  the  constitution  of  the  year,  inasmuch  as  it  tends 
to  produce  some  particular  epidemic  disease,  and  like- 
wise to  reduce  all  the  contemporary  diseases  to  its  form 
and  likeness,  proceeds  in  an  uncertain  and  fallacious  way. 

"  In  the  month  of  November  of  the  above-mentioned 
year  I  attended  the  eldest  son  of  sir  Francis  Wyndham 
in  this  fever.  He  complained  of  a  pain  in  his  side, 
and  the  other  symptoms  that  attended  those  who  had 
this  disease.  I  bled  him  but  once,  applied  a  blister  to 


his  neck,  injected  clysters  every  day,  gave  him  cooling 
ptisans  and -emulsions,  and  sometimes  milk  and  water, 
or  small  beer,  to  drink;  and  advised  his  sitting  up  a 
few  hours  every  day;  and  by  this  method  he  recovered 
in  a  few  days,  and  a  purge  completed  the  cure. 

"  But  it  must  be  remarked,  that  though  these  were 
the  symptoms  which  succeeded  the  cough,  during  this 
winter,  yet  the  cough,  unattended  with  these  symptoms, 
was  more  prevalent  at  the  same  time.  But  this  re- 
quired neither  bleeding  nor  clysters,  provided  a  fever 
was  not  occasioned  by  a  hot  regimen  or  heating  medi- 
cines ;  it  sufficed  to  allow  the  benefit  of  the  open  air, 
and  to  forbid  the  use  of  flesh,  wine,  and  such  spirituous 
liquors  which  are  apt  to  cause  a  fever."  Wallis's  Sy- 
denham. 

In  the  month  of  "July,  1775,  the  putrid  fever  came 
on ;  was  succeeded  by  the  cholera  morbus  in  August, 
and  the  bilious  fever  in  September,  as  usual;  this  bili- 
ous fever,  however,  was  attended  with  a  degree  of  stu- 
por, which  went  off  with  the  other  symptoms  when  pro- 
perly treated  ;  but  was  easily  turned  into  a  coma,  when 
improperly  treated  at  any  period  of  the  disease.  See 
Dr.  Grant's  Account  of  the  Epidemic  Cough  and  Fever, 
1776,  from  Sydenham. 

This  subject  hath  engaged  the  attention  of  many  since 
the  year  1775;  and  in  1782,  Dr.  J.  C.  Smyth  gave  his 
observations  of  this  disorder,  in  the  first  volume  of  Me- 
dical Communications,  p.  71,  See.  the  substance  of 
which  is  as  follows  : 

-  "  The  late  influenza  was  very  generally  accompanied 
<iot  only  with  the  usual  catarrhal  symptoms,  but  with 
others  no  less  distressing  to  the  patient,  and  which  were 
still  more  alarming  to  the  physician ;  such  as  great  lan- 
guor, lowness,  and  oppression  at  the  praecordia ;  anxiety, 
with  frequent  sighing,  sickness,  and  violent  headach. 
The  pulse  was  uncommonly  quick  and  irregular,  and 
the  sick  were  frequently  delirious,  especially  in  the  night. 
The  heat  of  the  body  was  seldom  considerable,  particu- 
larly when  compared  with  the  violence  of  the  other 
symptoms ;  the  skin  was  moist,  with  a  tendency  to  pro- 
fuse sweating ;  the  tongue  white  or  yellowish,  but  moist. 
Some  persons  complained  of  severe  muscular  pains 
either  general  or  local,  others  had  erysipelatous  patches 
or  efflorescences  on  different  parts  of  the  body,  which 
in  one  instance  terminated  in  gangrene  and  death.  I 
observed  petechiae  but  once,  and  then  only  two  days  be- 
fore death.  Those  attacked  with  the  influenza  were  in 
general  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  the  symptems  in  the 
beginning,  or  for  the  first  twenty-four  or  forty-eight 
hours,  were  extremely  violent,  bearing  no  proportion 
either  to  the  danger  or  duration  of  the  distemper. 
Children  and  old  people  either  escaped  entirely,  or 
were  affected  in  a  slighter  manner.  Women  with 
child,  when  seized  with  the  disease,  were  apt  to  mis- 
carry ;  or,  if  far  advanced  in  their  pregnancy,  to  be  de- 
livered before  their  tim,e ;  in  either  case,  the  haemorr- 
hage was  considerable,  and  several  died.  Patients 
subject  to  pulmonic  complaints  suffered  much  from  th 
cough,  difficult  breathing,  and  other  peripneumonic 
symptoms,  and  to  them  also  the  disease  proved  danger- 
ous or  fatal. 

"  The   headach  which    accompanied   the   influenza 
may  be  distinguished  into  three  kinds. 

"  1st.  The  uneasy  weight,  soreness,  and  distention, 
of  the  forehead,  usual  in  common  colds. 


INF 


814 


INF 


e<  2dly.  The  violent  sick  headach,  arising  from  the 
affection  of  the  stomach,  and  relieved  by  vomiting. 

"  3dly.  The  headach,  during  which  the  patients  com- 
plained of  a  sensation  as  if  their  head  was  splitting,  with 
a  severe  shooting  pain  at  the  vertex  ;  this  last  head- 
ach was  most  usual  in  peripneumonic  cases,  and  seemed 
chiefly  occasioned  by  the  violence  of  the  cough. 

"  The  fever  began  with  irregular  chilliness,  had  con- 
siderable exacerbations  and  remissions,  and  was  always 
greatly  increased  towards  night ;  but  even  then  the  heat 
of  the  body  and  thirst  were  seldom  so  great  as  might 
have  been  expected,  and  the  accessions  of  fever  were 
chiefly  marked  by  the  increased  quickness  of  pulse  and 
delirium.    The  frequency  of  the  pulse  was  greater  than 
is  common  in  fevers  ;  (it  was  often  120,  even  in  the  re- 
missions of  fever,  in  the  accessions  140,  and  sometimes 
so   frequent   that  it  was  impossible  to  reckon  it:    in 
many  instances  it  was  irregular  and  intermitting;)  nor 
do  I  remember  to  have  felt  so  frequent,  and  at  the  same 
time  so  irregular,  a  pulse  (the  irregularity  of  the  pulse 
is  in  a  great  measure  characteristic  of  malignant  conta- 
gious fevers),  in  any  fever  attended  with  so  little  danger, 
and  of  so  speedy  and  easy  a  termination  ;  the  violence 
of  this  being  commonly  over  in  twenty -four  or  forty- 
eight  hours.     Many,  from  the  beginning,  were  deliri- 
ous in  the  night  time  and  during  the  exacerbation  of 
fever,  who  were  perfectly  recollected  and  distinct  in  the 
day  and  during  the  remissions ;  but  even  where  the  de- 
lirium continued,  it  was  not  a  constant  one,  as  the  sick 
knew  those  who  spoke  to  them,  would  answer  some 
questions  distinctly,  and  a  few  minutes  afterwards  talk. 
incoherently ;  a  fixed  stare  of  the  eyes  at  the  time,  and 
a  kind  of  wildness  in  the  countenance,  were  also  very 
expressive  of'  this  state  or  condition.     The  delirium 
which  we  have  just  now  described,  though  unnoticed 
(so  far  as  I  know)  by  any  practical  writer,  is  not  un- 
usual in  the  putrid  fever,  and  differs  as  materially  from 
the  low  delirium  incident  to  the  last  stage  of  that  dis- 
ease, as  it  does  from  the  phrenetic  delirium  of  the  fe- 
bris  ardens,  or  of  any  inflammatory  fever.     During  the 
whole  of  the  influenza,  I  met  only  one  instance  of  true 
phrenetic  delirium ;  and  it  may  not  be  foreign  to  the 
purpose  to  remark,  that  it  happened  to  a  patient  who 
had  been  three  times  bled,  had  swallowed  no  heating 
cordials,  and  who  was  taken  every  day  out  of  bed,  con- 
formable to  the  judicious  practice  of  Sydenham  (vid. 
De  Febre  Comatosa),  expressly  with  the  intention  of 
preventing  this  termination  of  the  disease.    Respecting 
the  danger  of  the  influenza,  physicians,  I  find,  have  en- 
tertained somewhat  opposite  opinions ;  possibly  owing 
to  the  difference  of  place  and  situation.    In  London,  al- 
though the  distemper  doubtless  proved  fatal  to  many, 
yet  it  could  hardly  be  accounted  a  dangerous  one,  if 
the  number  who  died  be  compared  with  the  prodigious 
number  of  those  who  recovered. 

"  The  late  influenza  might  very  properly  have  been 
named  the  sweating  sickness,  as  sweating  was  the  natu- 
ral and  spontaneous  solution  of  it,  and  rest,  abstinence, 
and  warm  diluents,  were,  in  most  instances,  all  that 
were  necessary  for  the  cure ;  yet,  amidst  such  an  amaz- 
ing number  and  variety  of  cases,  many  occurred  which 
required  some  further  medical  assistance,  and  when  that 
became  necessary,  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
it  should  be  procured  early ;  for  the  disease  when  ne- 
glected or  improperly  managed  in  the  beginning,  some- 


times ended  in  a  malignant  fever  of  difficult  treatment, 
and  of  very  doubtful  termination.  And  although  the 
tendency  to  profuse  sweating  often  continued,  it  now 
only  weakened  the  patient,  and  a  critical  or  salutary  so- 
lution of  the  disease,  in  consequence  of  this  evacuation, 
was  no  longer  to  be  expected  ;  nor  do  I  recollect  a  sin- 
gle example  of  profuse  sweating  being  attended  with 
any  advantage  after  the  first  forty-eight  hours. 

"  The  medicines  which  I  found  most  serviceable  in 
abating  or  carrying  off  the  fever  were  small  doses  of  an 
anthnonial  powder,  composed  chiefly  of  tartar,  emet. 
the  julep  e  camphora,  with  about  a  fourth  part  of  the- 
spt.  Mindereri ;  the  common  saline  draught,  with  ten 
or  fifteen  grains  of  the  pulv.  contrayerv.  c.  or,  what  I 
commonly  preferred,  from  twenty  to  forty  drops  of  the 
liquor  anod.  min.  Hoffmann!,  adding  occasionally  a 
small  quantity  of  the  paregoric  elixir. 

"  In  cases  of  great  lowness,  besides  the  drinks  and 
nourishment  usual  in  fevers,  I  allowed  the  sick  white 
wine  whey,  wine  and  water  ;  and  weak  veal  broth. 

"  For  removing  the  oppression  at  the  praecordia,  sick- 
ness, and  headach,  no  means  were  so  certain  as  vomit- 
ing with  tart.  cmet.  giving  it  in  small  doses,  largely  di- 
luted, and  repeated  every  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  until  it 
produces  the  desired  operation.  This  medicine,  admi- 
nistered in  this  manner,  had  also  a  very  remarkable 
effect  in  bringing  on  a  remission  of  the  febrile  symp- 
toms, and  in  accelerating  the  termination  of  the  disease. 
It  likewise  commonly  opened  the  body ;  when  that  was 
not  the  case  some  gentle  laxative  was  given. 

"  The  cough  required  not  only  plentiful  warm  dilu- 
tion, but  opiates  and  blisters  were  also  very  necessary ; 
and  where  the  sick  were  attacked  with  stitches,  or  acute 
pains  about  the  chest,  with  difficult  or  laborious  breath- 
ing, and  other  peripneumonic  symptoms,  the  propriety 
of  bleeding  was,  in  ray  opinion,  clearly  and  evidently 
pointed  out ;  nor  can  I  think  any  physician  justifiable 
in  neglecting  the  use  of  the  lancet  under  such  circum- 
stances. At  the  same  time,  I  am  ready  to  acknow- 
ledge, that  bleeding,  though  necessary  to  obviate  the 
fatal  consequence  of  a  particular  symptom,  was  by  no 
means  conducive  to  the  general  cure  of  the  disease ; 
that,  on  the  contrary,  the  iDwness  and  dejection  were 
often  increased  by  it ;  that  the  blood  taken  away  had 
not  always  an  inflammatory  appearance,  but  was  some- 
times florid,  and  the  crassamentum  tender ;  that  the  re- 
lief afforded  by  bleeding  was  neither  so  considerable  noi 
so  certain  as  in  other  similar  cases  of  peripneumony, 
and  that  in  the  course  of  the  disease  there  frequently 
appeared  unequivocal  signs  of  a  putrid  tendency.  But 
admitting  the  whole  of  these  facts,  and  granting  that 
they  ought  to  make  a  physician  cautious  of  taking  away 
blood  so  freely,  perhaps,  as  he  otherwise  would  do,  and 
as  the  urgency  of  the  symptoms  might  seem  to  justify, 
yet  they  surely  do  not  lead  to  an  entire  prohibition  of 
the  use  of  the  lancet,  at  least  in  those  cases  where  there 
was  evidently  no  alternative,  and  where,  although  the 
effects  of  bleeding  might  be  doubtful,  the  consequence 
of  omitting  it  was  certain.  Upon  such  occasions,  the 
advice  of  Celsus  is  the  voice  of  reason,  "  Saitus  cst 
enim  anceps  auxilium  experiri  quam  nullum."  Besides 
bleeding,  blisters  applied  as  near  as  possible  to  the  parts, 
affected  were  here,  as  in  similar  cases,  of  very  essen- 
tial service  in  removing  the  stitches  in  the  side,  and  in 
relieving  the  difficulty  of  breathing;  so  that  we  mav 


I  X  F 


815 


I  N  I 


justly  apply  to  them  what  an  eminent  author  said  of  the 
Peruvian  bark,  that  he  found  it  most  serviceable  where 
it  was  most  wanted;  for  in  cases  purely  inflammatory, 
where  bleeding  of  itsejf  will  commonly  do  every  thing, 
blisters  are  less  necessarf ;  but  in  those  of  a  mixed  na- 
ture, where  the  assistance  of  blisters,  is  more  immedi- 
ately required,  the  relief  afforded  by  them  i*  in  general 
more  certain. 

"  Some  may  think  it  strange,  that  amongst  the  reme- 
dies employed  in  the  treatment  of  this  disease  I  have 
made  no  mention  of  oily  medicines,  such  as  emulsions, 
linctuses,  Sec.  nor  of  the  Peruvian  bark.  In  regard  to 
oily  medicines,  I  have  often  observed  that  the  advantage 
derived  from  them  in  cases  of  catarrh,  attended  with 
heat  and  fever,  was  extremely  equivocal ;  and  that 
wherever  there  were  nausea,  oppression,  and  uneasiness 
at  the  stomach,  with  a  bitter  taste  in  the  mouth,  and  ni- 
dorous  eructations,  they  did  more  harm  than  good  :  as 
these  symptoms  so  frequently  occurred  in  the  influenza, 
I  thought  it  safest  to  omit  their  use  entirely. 

"  As  to  the  bark,  I  shall  only  remark,  that  in  the  in- 
fluenza, the  cough,  affection  of  the  breathing,  and  op- 
pression at  the  praecordia,  where  they  occurred,  were 
to  me  sufficient  reasons  for  not  employing  it ;  and  that 
even  where  these  symptoms  were  not  present,  and  in 
cases  where  the  great  lowness,  and  apparent  putrid  ten- 
dency, seemed  not  only  to  justify  but  even  to  demand 
the  use  of  the  bark,  I  never  was  so  fortunate  as  to  see 
one 'single  instance  where  it  produced  any  sensible  good 
effect,  either  in  moderating  the  fever,  supporting  the 
strength,  checking  the  disposition  to  gangrene,  or  in 
preventing  the  fatal  catastrophe  that  ensued. 

"  When  the  fever,  and  other  immediately  alarming 
symptoms  of  the  influenza  had  ceased,  there  frequently 
remained  a  teasing  cough  ;  and  convalescents  in  general 
complained  of  languor,  want  of  appetite,  and  that  their 
sleep  was  interrupted  and  unrefreshing.  For  removing 
these  complaints,  and  completing  the  recovery  of  the 
patients,  change  of  air,  and  riding  on  horseback,  were 
the  most  effectual  remedies;  and  to  some  they  were 
absolutely  necessary.  A  milk  diet  was  recommended 
where  the  cough  was  obstinate ;  but  I  did  not  find  it 
either  necessary  or  of  advantage  to  enjoin  so  strict  an 
antiphlogistic  regimen  as  is  usually  done  in  similar  com- 
plaints. Neither  do  I  know  of  any  instance  where  the 
cough  terminated  in  a  phthisis  pulmonalis,  and  I  am 
much  inclined  to  believe  that  this  fatal  termination  was 
much  less  frequent  after  the  influenza  than  after  a  com- 
mon cold.  For  the  lowness  and  want  of  appetite,  cha- 
lybeate waters,  especially  when  drunk  at  the  spring, 
were  of  singular  service.  I  also  frequently  prescribed, 
and  I  think  with  advantage,  the  elix.  vitr.  cum  liquor, 
anod.  Hoffmanni,  taken  to  the  quantity  of  thirty  or  forty 
drops  in  a  bitter  infusion,  or  in  a  decoction  of  the  bark. 

"  In  this  short  account  of  the  late  infl.uenza,  I  have 
offered  no  conjecture  with  regard  to  the  original  cause 
of  the  distemper,  or  the  manner  in  which  it  was  propa- 
gated. I  apprehend,  from  the  present  state  of  our 
knowledge,  that  we  can  hardly  venture  to  say  even 
what  it  is  not ;  still  less  to  affirm,  with  any  probability, 
what  it  is." 

Having  thus  inserted  the  best  accounts,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  we  shall  refer  for  our  own  opinions  and  ex- 
perience to  the  article  CATARRHUS  EPIDEMICUS. 

See  also  Observations  on  the  Influenza  by  A.  Brough- 


ton,  M.  D. ;  a  Description  of  the  Influenza,  by  R. 
Hamilton,  M.  D. ;  Fothergill's  Works,  by  Lettsom, 
4to.  p.  615  ;  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol. 
vi.  p.  340,  &c. ;  Medical  Transactions,  vol.  iii.  p.  54, 
Sec.;  Medical  Communications,  vol.  i.  p.  l,Scc.;  Edin- 
burgh Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  ix.  p.  393;  Me- 
moirs of  the  Medical  Society,  vol.  i.  to  vi. 

INFRASCAPULA'RIS  MUSCULUS,(from/«/rc, 
below,  and  scafiula,  the  shoulder  blade,)  infras/iinatus, 
sufierscafiularis  inferior,  subsca/iularis,  or  immersus, 
rises  from  the  whole  inner  surface  of  the  scapula,  passes 
under  the  coracoid  process,  runs  over  the  capsular  liga- 
ment, and  is  inserted  into  the  outer  tuberosity  of  theos 
humeri,  carrying  the  arm  round,  and  partly  raising  it.- 
being  the  reverse  of  the  supraspinatus". 

INFRASPINA'TUS,  (from  infra,  and  sflina).     Sec 

I-VFRASCAPULAHIS. 

INFUNDI'BULUM,  (from  its  shape,)  choana,  fiel- 
•vis,  chonf.  Between  the  basis  of  the  anterior  pillars  of 
the  fornix,  and  the  anterior  part  of  the  union  of  the 
optic  thalami,  lies  this  funnel-like  cavity.  It  runs 
down  towards  the  basis  of  the  cerebrum,  contracting 
gradually,  terminating  in  the  glandula  pituitaria,  and 
communicating  with  the  lateral  ventricles.  (See  CE- 
REBRUM.) The  name  also  of  the  pelvis  of  the  kid 
neys  (see  REXES,)  and  of  the  pharynx. 

INFU'SIO,  (from  infundo,  to  flour  in).  LVFUSION. 
It  signifies  either  the  action  of  the  fluid,  or  the  medi- 
cine prepared  by  it. 

By  infusion  in  water,  the  gummy,  the  extractive,  and 
the  saline  parts  of  vegetables,  are  separated :  and  by 
the  intervention  of  the  gum,  the  resin  and  oil  are  in 
part  taken  up  by  the  same  menstruum,  so  that  in  many 
instances  the  whole  virtue  of  a  plant  is  obtained.  In 
general,  water  takes  up  more  by  infusion  from  dry 
herbs  than  from  fresh  ones,  particularly  the  newly  dried 
ones.  From  animal  substances,  water  extracts  the  ge- 
latinous and  nutritious  parts ;  and  by  this  means  glues, 
jellies,  and  broths,  are  prepared ;  and  along  with  these 
it  sometimes  takes  up  principals  of  more  activity.  Wa- 
ter also  generally  suspends  some  portion  of  calcareous 
and  aluminous  earth ;  the  quantity  it  dissolves  of  either 
is  truly  inconsiderable. 

In  making  infusions,  whether  in  cold  or  hot  water, 
the  ingredients  are  only  steeped  in  it,  without  boiling. 
It  is  the  same,  whether  proof  spirit,  rectified  spirit,  or 
any  other  menstruum,  is  em  ployed,  though  these  prepa- 
rations have  a  different  title.  This  form  is  preferred 
where  the  medicinal  portion  is  soluble  and  easily  sepa- 
rated ;  when  it  is  volatile,  and  would  fly  off  by  boiling;  or 
where  it  would  be  lost  or  destroyed  by  long  maceration. 
In  nervous  disorders,  infusions  are  best  made  in  a 
vinous,  a  spirituous,  or  an  alkaline  menstruum.  Sto- 
machic infusions  should  be  moderately  spirituous.  Ca- 
thartic ones,  whether  saline  or  resinous,  if  for  extem- 
poraneous use,  are  best  made  with  hot  water. 

Infusions  should  not,  if  possible,  be  so  fully  impreg- 
nated with  the  ingredients  as  to  make  the  medicine  un- 
palatable :  though  the  infusions  of  many  of  the  fetid 
plants  must  be  necessarily  unpleasing. 

Many  infusions  are  most  agreeable  when  made  with 
cold  water,  though  probably  weaker  than  when  heat  is 
employed.  The  cold  infusion  of  camomile  flowers  and 
the  carduus  benedictus  are  pleasant,  and  will  not  excite 
vomiting. 


IN  J 


816 


INF 


INFU'SIO.     Sec  TRANSFUSIO. 

INFU'SUM.  An  INFUSION.  Sometimes  styled  di- 
lutum;  at  others  it  means  a  clyster  or  an  injection. 

INGE'STA,  (from  iiiffero,  to  throw  in}.  The  con- 
tents of  the  stomach;  generally  alimentary,  sometimes 
medicinal. 

INGRAVIDA'TIO,  (from  ingravidcr,  to  be  great 
with  child}.  See  IMPREGNATION 

IN'GUEN,  (from  c/xva,  to  bring  forth}.  The 
GROIN.  The  two  groins,  are  the  lateral  divisions  of  the 
hypogastric  region. 

INGUINA'LISf  (from  inguen,  the  groin;  so  called 
from  its  supposed  efficacy  in  diseases  of  the  groin).  See 
ERYNGIUM. 

INITALA'TIO.     See  FUMIGATIO. 

INHA'LER.  An  instrument  recommended  by  Dr. 
'Mudge  for  the  cure  of  catarrhs,  but  now  disused, 
though  it  may  be  in  many  cases  probably  advantageous. 

I'NHAMJi    ORIENTA'LES.    ,See  BATATAS  His- 

PANICA. 

I'NHAME.     See  CARA  BRASILIF.NSIBUS. 

INHUM  A'TIO,(from  inhitmo,  to  bury  in  the  ground}. 
A  method  of  digesting,  "by  burying  in  horse  dung  the 
vessel  which  contains  the  chemical  ingredients  to  be 
digested. 

INIMBOI'A.     See  BONDUCH  INDOUUM. 

I'NION,  (the  place  whelice  tvis,  the  nerves,  origi- 
nate). See  OCCIPUT. 

INJACULA'TIO,  (from  injaculor,  to  shoot  into}. 
A  violent  spasmodic  pain  in  the  stomach,  feeling  as  if 
darts  were  shot  into  it,  with  an  immobility  of  the  body. 
Van  Helmont. 

INJE'CTIO,  (from  znjicio,  Co  throw  into}.  An  IN- 
JECTION, called  also  eisbole.  .Fluids  used  for  injec- 
tion should  be  used  lukewarm  ;  and  may  be  applied 
either  by  a  syringe  or  clyster  pipe. 

When  used  in  gleets  or  gonorrhoeas,  Dr.  Swediar  ad- 
vises that  the  syringe  should  have  a  short  but  wide  pipe, 
so  large  that  its  orifice  may  enter  the  urethra,  and  the 
piston  be  close  to  its  sides.  If  the  whole  pipe  of  the 
syringe  be  much  smaller  than  the  orifice  of  the  urethra, 
it  may  wound  the  inside  of  the  canal,  and  admit  the 
poison  by  absorption,  or  the  liquid  run  out  sideways, 
instead  of  passing  into  the  urethra.  If  the  piston  itself 
does  not  apply  closely  to  the  sides  of  the  syringe,  even 
if  the  pipe  is  sufficiently  large,  so  that  it  perfectly  closes 
the  orifice  of  the  urethra,  the  liquor  will  still  regurgi- 
tate between  the  piston  and  the  syringe,  and  very  little 
of  the  fluid  will  pass.  The  syringe  being  properly 
made,  should  be  applied  closely  and  exactly  to  the  ori- 
fice of  the  urethra;  so  that,  by  the  conic  form  of  its  pipe, 
all  passage  may  be  denied  to  the  liquid  betwixt  it  and 
the  sides  of  the  urethra.  If  the  disorder  lies  in  the  usual 
original  seat  of  gonorrhoeas,  viz.  just  under  the  fraenuin, 
the  patient  should,  with  one  hand,  compress  the  ure- 
thra at  the  first  curvature  of  the  penis,  where  the  scro- 
tum begins,  while  he  holds  and  manages  the  syringe 
•with  the  fingers  of  the  other.  The  piston,  which  should 
always  go  close  and  easy,  ought  then  to  be  pressed  softly 
and  slowly,  till  he  feels  the  urethra  gently  dilated,  and 
thus  keep  the  liquid  injected  for  a  minute  or  two  in 
the  passage,  repeating  the  same  operation  three  or  four 
times.  By  a  rash  or  longer  continued  pressure  of  the 
piston,  the  irritation  often  does,  considerable  injury. 
By  attending  to  these  directions,  the  liquid  is  properly 


applied  to  the  part  affected,  and  no  danger  is  incurred  of 
carrying  some  of  the  venereal  poison  farther  into  the 
urethra  with  the  injected  liquid.  This  precaution  is, 
however,  not  very  necessary,  as  the  dilution  will  pre- 
vent any  injury.  The  liquid  should  always,  in  cases  of 
virulent  gonorrhoea,  be  lukewarm  ;  butln  gleets,  cold. 
In  gonorrhoeas,  if  the  liquid  is  too  cold  or  too  warm, 
it  is  supposed  likely  to  hurt  the  patient,  either  by  the 
retropulsion  of  the  matter,  or  increasing  the  inflamma- 
tion. In  all  cases,  before  an  injection  is  applied,  the 
patient  should  attempt  to'  make  water.  Theue  arc  a  va- 
riety of  injections  made  use  of  in  this  complaint;  among 
the  most  efficacious  are  the  following  : 

INJECTION  OF  ACETATED  AMMONIA.  To  three  ounces 
of  distilled  water  add  one  ounce  of  acetated  am- 
monia.  OF  ACETATED  LITHARGE.  To  four  OUHCeS 

of  rose  water  add  eight  drops  of  acetated  litharge. — 
MURIATED  INJECTION.  To  four  ounces  of  distilled 
water  add  eight  drops  of  muriatic  acid. — OILY  INJEC- 
TION. To  four  ounces  of  oil  of  almonds  add  eight 
drops  of  acetated  litharge. — OPIATE  INJECTION.  To 
four  ounces  of  distilled  water  add  forty  or  sixty  drops 

of   tincture    of  opium. INJF.CTION    OF    GREEN    TEA. 

Infuse  half  an  ounce  of  green  tea  in  four  ounces  of 
boiling  water,  and  let  it  stand  till  cold. — COMPOUND 

INJECTION        OF       CERUSSA,      S6C      PLUMBUM. INJECTION 

OF       MURIATED       QUICKSILVER.  To       foul'      OlinCCS      of 

distilled  water  add  two  drops  of  the  liquor  of  mu- 
riated  quicksilver.  This  must  be  weakened  if  the  in- 
flammation in  gonorrhoea  is  great :  or,  should  there  not 
be  any,  it  may  be  strengthened.  Any  of  these  may  be 
used  irt  the  inflammatory  stage  of  a  gonorrhoea  ;  but 
the  muriated  is  considered  as  the  most  eligible,  where 
the  scalding  of  urine  is  very  troublesome. — INJECTIONS 
OF  VITRIOL  OF  ZINC.  Dissolve  ten  grains  of  vitriol 
of  zinc  in  five  ounces  of  water. — COMPOUND  INJEC- 
TIONS OF  VITRIOL  OF  ZINC.  Add  to  the  above  ten 
drops  of  acetum  lythargyri,  or  half  a  drachm  of  white 
vitriol,  with  as  much  acetated  lead,  a  drachm  of  camphor, 
and  two  scruples  of  opium,  are  dissolved  in  sixteen 
ounces  of  boiling  water,  and  strained. — MERCURIAL 
INJECTIONS.  Mucilaginis  gum  arab.  g  iv.  calomelanos 
3  ss.  or  hydrargyri  purificati  J  i-  mucilaginis  5  iss.  aq. 
3j  iss.  As  astringent  injections  the  following  are  re- 
commended :  INJECTION  OF  ALUM.  Dissolve  four" 
grains  of  alum  in  four  ounces  of  rose  water.— OF 
COPAIBA.  Mix  two  drachms  of  balsam  of  copaiba  with 
six  ounces  of  rose  water,  by  means  of  the  yolk  of  an 
egg;  or,  with  four  ounces  of  lime  water,  by  means  of 
the  mucilage  of  gum  arable  ;  of  ACETATED  COPPER  ; 

Of  AMMONIATED  COPPER  ;  of  VITRIOLATED  COPPER  ; 
COMPOUND  INJECTION  OF  VITRIOLATED  COPPER.  (See 

CUPRUM.)  These  arc  beneficial  in  the  last  stage  of 
gonorrhoea;  gleets;  fluor  albus  ;  and,  perhaps,  with 
small  portions  of  their  active  ingredients  may  be  em- 
ployed in  the  inflammatory  stage  as  sedatives.  INJEC-  . 

TION  OF  GALLS.        See    GALLJE. 

Patients  who  labour  under  gleets,  after  having  used 
injections  with  some  advantage,  grow  careless  in  the 
application,  and  even  sometimes  neglect  them  for  a  day 
or  two.  The  consequence  of  this  has  been  that  the  dis- 
charge has  increased,  as  if  it  had  been  a  fresh  disease; 
and  the  relapse  being  more  obstinate  than  the  original 
complaint,  the  patients  have  been  obliged  to  continue  the 
injections  for  more  weeks  than  it  might  have  required 


IN 


817 


INJ 


days  had  their  use  not  been  interrupted.  In  general, 
to  prevent  all  danger  of  a  relapse,  it  is  proper  to  employ 
the  injections  three,  four,  or,  according  to  circumstances, 
six  times  a  day  during  the  disease,  and  to  continue  the 
same  regularly  for  ten  or  twelve  days  after  the 
running  has  entirely  ceased. 

In  ANATOMY  great  improvement  hath  been  made  by 
means  of  injections.  Ruysch  first  employed  them  with 
success;  and  it  is  said  that  the  Czar  Peter,  seeing  an  in- 
jected boy,  whose  appearance  nearly  resembled  life,  ran 
and  kissed  it. 

Injections,  which  unite  with  water,  and  consequently 
with  the  animal  fluids,  consist  of  isinglass  and  common 
glue.  These  succeed  with  the  finer  vessels,  in  mem- 
branes ;  but,  if  employed  to  fill  the  larger,  they  take 
too  long  time  in  coagulating.  If  coagulated  by  alcohol, 
they  become  brittle;  and,  when  the  water  is  carried  off 
by  evaporation,  the  vessels  are  not  properly  filled. 
It  has  been  attempted  to  remove  these  inconveniences, 
by  first  injecting  the  solution  of  glue ;  and,  when  the 
capillary  vessels  are  filled,  a  coarser  wax  injection ; 
but  the  wax  either  hardens  too  soon,  mixes  irregularly 
with  glue,  or  the  parts  separate  where  the  two  fluids 
are  in  contact. 

Alcohol  mixes  both  with  water  and  oil,  and  conse- 
quently has  been  employed  to  fill  the  capillary  vessels, 
but  it  coagulates  the  animal  fluids  it  meets,  and  often 
blocks  up  the  canal.  It  will  not  suspend  durably  colour- 
ed powders,  and,  at  last,  evaporates,  leaving  little  more 
than  the  colours  of  those  to  which  it  had  been  united. 
Melted  tallow,  with  a  little  mixture  of  oil,  is  often  use- 
ful; but  it  sometimes  stops  too  soon,  where  it  meets 
with  animal  fluids,  and  becomes,  by  time,  very  brittle. 
Oil  of  turpentine,  recommended  by  Dr.  Monro,  is  ge- 
nerally employed  to  fill  the  finer  vessels.  It  suspends  the 
colouring  matter;  and,  when  the  more  volatile  parts  are 
evaporated,  enough  of  the  grosser  particles  remain,  to 
retain  the  powder,  and  keep  the  vessels  sufficiently  full. 
After  this  is  injected,  it  is  confined  by  filling  the  larger 
vessels  with  a  coarser  injection,  with  which  it  unites 
very  accurately. 

Anatomists  have  preferred  for  the  colour  of  their  in- 
jections such  pigments  as  most  nearly  imitate  the  na- 
tural contents  of  the  vessels;  the  red  for  the  arteries, 
and  the  blue  for  the  veins.  The  vegetable  colours  are 
apt  to  concrete,  and  are  destroyed  by  insects.  The 
mineral  are  therefore  preferred.  The  red  is  generally 
vermilion,  a  substance  which  in  a  small  proportion 
gives  a  very  considerable  body  of  colour;  and  the  green 
consists  of  distilled  verdigris,  which  is  brighter  than  the 
common  sort,  and  dissolves  in  oil ;  the  blue  of  verditer 
or  smalt;  the  yellow  of  king's  yellow;  the  black  of 
lamp  black  or  burnt  ivory  are  used. 

The  properties  required  in  the  injecting  matter  are 
fluidity  ;  and  they  must  likewise  grow  stiff,  but  tough 
and  flexible  when  cold;  for  were  they  too  hard  the 
smaller  vessels  would  be  frequently  broken.  The  fol- 
lowing possess  these  properties: 

FIXE  INJECTION.  By  Dr.  Nicholls. — Take  hard 
white  Spanish  varnish,  and  hard  brown  Spanish  varnish, 
of  each  equal  parts  ;  turpentine  varnish  and  vermilion, 
of  each  a  sufficient  quantity.  Mix  them. 

COARSE  INJECTION.  By  Dr.  A'ic/iolla. — Take  of 
yellow  resin  two  pounds  ;  of  yellow  wax  one  pound  ;  of 
turpentine  varnish  a  sufficient  quantity. 

VOL.    I. 


These  injections  may  be  coloured  with  vermilion  or 
with  verdigris.  Whatever  colouring  matter  is  used,  it 
must  be  ground  extremely  fine. 

Dr.  Monro  recommends  for  the  fine  injection  a 
pound  of  oil  of  turpentine,  gradually  poured  on  the  co- 
louring matter  finely  powdered.  To  procure  -the  ver- 
milion or  verdigris  very  fine,  it  may  be  agitated  with 
the  oil,  and,  after  standing  at  rest  a  little  time,  poured 
off;  the  coarser  parts  will  by  that  means  be  separated,  as 
they  will  have  subsided. 

Dr.  Monro's  coarser  injection  consists  of  tallow  one 
pound,  white  wax  five  ounces,  common  oil  three 
ounces,  melted  over  a  lamp,  adding  Venice  turpentine 
two  ounces.  When  this  is  dissolved,  the  whole  must 
be  strained  through  a  warm  linen  cloth ;  and,  if  design- 
ed to  run  far,  some  oil  of  turpentine  must  be  added 
when  it  is  used.  The  fine  injections,  it  is  said,  should 
be  thrown  in  as  warm  as  the  finger  can  well  bear  ;  the 
coarser  nearly  at  the  boiling  point.  In  general,  how- 
ever, these  directions  are  erroneous ;  for,  by  such  heats, 
the  colour  will  be  changed,  and  the  coats  of  the  vessels 
injured.  It  will  be  safer  to  give  them  only  so  great  a 
degree  of  heat  as  is  sufficient  to  render  them  perfectly 
fluid. 

Quicksilver  is  frequently  vised  for  injections,  and  it 
is  excellently  adapted  for  this  purpose,  from  its  admitting 
of  the  minutest  division.  Were  it  possible  to  render  it 
solid,  and  to  impart  to  it  any  given  colour,  its  advantages 
would  be  very  considerable.  May  it  not  be  possible  to 
oxidate  it  within  the  vessels  ?  Its  great  fluidity  is,  how- 
ever, inconvenient,  as  the  slightest  puncture  empties  all 
the  vessels  filled  with  it;  and  its  weight  renders  the 
preparation  so  heavy,  that  it  is  liable  to  strike  against 
the  glass,  and  to  rupture  the  distended  vessels.  In  in- 
jecting with  quicksilver  no  impulse  of  a  piston  is  ne- 
cessary, for  its  own  weight  is  sufficient ;  but  the  opera- 
tor must  recollect,  that  the  momentum  is  in  proportion 
to  the  perpendicular  height  of  the  column,  not  its  dia- 
meter. Quicksilver  is  chiefly  used  in  injecting  the 
lacteal s  and  lymphatics,  the  vessels  of  the  parotid  glands, 
of  the  testis,  and  of  the  mammae,  sometimes  the  ar- 
teries and  veins  of  the  hand. 

In  general,  the  younger  the  animal  is  the  injection 
will  go  farther,  and  the  same  will  happen  when  the 
fluids  have  been  exhausted  by  disease.  In  the  first 
case,  the  small  vessels  are  larger ;  in  the  second,  they 
are  more  empty.  The  less  solid  the  part  is,  more  ves- 
sels will  be  filled;  and  the  more  membranous,  the 
brighter  and  more  beautiful  the  preparation  will  appear. 
The  great  object  in  injections,  therefore,  is,  \o  empty 
the  vessels,  to  relax  the  solids,  and  prevent  the  too  ra- 
pid coagulation  of  the  injected  fluids.  Water  is,  there- 
fore, first  injected,  till  it  returns  colourless  by  the  veins; 
the  water  is  propelled  by  injecting  air,  and  the  air  is 
afterwards  squeezed  out.  But  the  water  cannot  be 
wholly  separated,  and  the  particles  of  this  fluid  interposed 
between  those  of  the  injection  occasion  its  breaking. 
It  is,  therefore,  more  common  to  trust  to  maceration  for 
some  time  in  the  water,  and  squeezing  the  vessels,  so 
as  to  evacuate  the  fluids  by  the  divided  end. 

It  is  not  easy  to  detail  with  advantage,  in  this  place, 
the  minuter  regulations  of  this  operation.  It  must  be 
learnt  from  the  works  of  practical  anatomists,  and  from 
experience.  The  arterial  system,  after  death,  is  usually 
empty ;  and  the  injection  runs  freely  through  it.  To 
5  M 


INI 


818 


inject  the  veins  from  the  trunks  the  valves  must  be 
forced,  which  is  difficult,  and  generally  impossible ; 
for  the  coats  will  yield  rather  than  the  valves,  so  that 
one  of  the  smallest  branches  which  will  admit  the  pipe 
must  be  opened.  It  must  be  recollected,  however,  that 
the  veins  of  the  abdominal  viscera  have  no  valves,  so  that 
they  may  be  injected  in  any  direction. 

The  subjects  to  be  injected,  after  having  their  vessels 
cleared  of  their  contents,  should  be  warmed  in  water. 

A  foetus  may  be  injected  by  the  umbilicus ;  a  child 
by  the  aorta  ascendens  from  the  left  ventricle;  an  adult 
in  the  same  manner  as  a  child.  Injection  by  the  aorta 
fills  only  the  arteries ;  but  by  the  umbilicus  of  a  foetus 
both  arteries  and  veins  are  injected.  When  the  arteries 
in  the  cornea  are  filled,  the  injection  should  not  be 
pushed  farther.  When  finished,  the  subject  should  be 
cooled  suddenly  in  cold  water. 

If  the  body  is  macerated  a  day  or  two  in  cold,  before 
it  is  put  into  warm,  water,  the  blood  will  be  more 
effectually  dissolved,  and  the  vessels  more  effectually 
emptied  than  by  any  other  method.  When  put  into 
warm  water  it  may  continue  thirty-six  or  forty-eight 
hours,  the  water  being  kept  as  hot  as  one  can  bear  a 
hand  in  it. 

A  preparation  is  best  dried  by  a  current  of  free  air, 
avoiding  dust;  when  dry,  it  must  be  varnished.  The 
shining  varnish  maybe  laid  on  it  with  a  brush.  While 
drying,  if  animalcules  appear,  the  .part  may  be  wetted 
with  a  solution  of  hydrargyrus  muriatus  dissolved  in 
rectified  spirit  of  wine. 

Muriatic  or  nitrous  acid  diluted  is  proper  for  de- 
stroying rhe  soft  parts  of  injected  preparations. 

The  rectified  spirit  of  malt  is  the  best  for  preserving 
these  or  any  other  anatomical  preparations. 

INIRRITA'NTIA.  This  is  a  class  of  medicines  not 
hitherto  introduced  into  the  systems  of  therapeutics, 
though  described,  we  apprehend,  by  Dr.  G.  Pearson,  in 
his  course  of  the  MateriaMedica,  under  the  appellation 
ofacentro/ioctics,  from  «,  a  privative,  and  XEVT^OV,  stimulus, 
a  term  we  might  have  adopted,  had  it  occurred  to  us  in 
an  earlier  stage  of  the  work.  The  great  doubt  which 
remains  is,  whether  this  be  not  properly  a  subdivision 
of  sedatives.  We  think  that  strictly  it  is  so ;  and  we 
noticed  these  medicines  in  the  article  ANODYNES,  q.  v., 
but  thought  it  would  be  useful  to  the  younger  student 
to  bring  the  whole  subjectinto  one  view,  as  its  application 
is  extensive,  and  utility  considerable. 

The  sources  of  irritation  in  the  human  body  are  nu- 
merous. Of  this  kind  are  external  stimuli ;  acrimony 
in  the  firtst  passages,  or  the  secreted  fluids;  inflamma- 
tory stimulus,  particularly  of  the  mucous  membranes; 
scirrhi,  or  other  indurations;  extraneous  substances 
lodged  in  the  cellular  membrane,  or  among  the  fibres 
of  the  muscles ;  worms,  ossifications,  or  extravasated 
blood.  The  remedies  of  these  irritations  occur  under 
their  proper  heads;  and  it  is  rather  the  object  of  this  ar- 
ticle to  speak  of  the  nervous  irritations  more  generally, 
whose  source  is  less  obvious. 

Nervous  excitement  often  arises  from  a  particular 
state  of  the  nervous  power,  or,  as  we  may  be  allowed  to 
style  it,  the  nervous  fluid.  Whatever  be  the  state 
which  causes  animation,  the  increase  of  that  energy  is 
irritation.  This  irritation,  according  to  its  different  cir- 
cumstances, is  allayed  by  cold,  by  heat,  by  exhausting 
the  nervous  power,  or,  more  directly,  destroying  its 


activity;  by  diluting,  and  thus  diminishing  the  activity 
of  its  cause  ;  by  sheathing  the  nerves  from  its  action,  or 
discharging  it. 

Co  Id  we  have  already  spoken  of;  and  the  sedative 
power  of  this  remedy,  either  by  its  continued  effect  or 
its  repetition,  has  been  already  explained.  It  properly 
belongs  to  a  subsequent  head,  but  it  is  distinguished  in 
this  place  in  consequence  of  its  application.  It  is  par- 
ticularly adapted  to  the  increased  excitements  which 
produce  a  more  active  circulation,  either  in  general  or 
in  particular  organs;  in  general,  chiefly  in  haemorr- 
hages, and  locally,  in  those  inflammations  which  rapid- 
ly destroy  the  texture  of  the  part,  or  produce  atony,  from, 
excess  of  stimulus.  It  is  thus  one  of  the  most  ready 
and  powerful  inirritants  that  \ve  employ. 

Heat.  The  regulation  of  temperature,  in  a  different 
way,  is  often  effectual  in  lessening  irritation,  viz.  by  the 
continuation  of  a  degree  somewhat  lower  than  that  of 
the  body,  and  much  lower  than  that  of  the  affected 
part.  Thus  water  of  the  heat  of  92°  to  95°  gradually 
sooths  the  irritated  nerve,  and  lessens  its  excitement. 
Air  acts  more  slowly,  and,  of  course,  less  effectually  ; 
for  the  application  even  of  the  water  must  be  long  con- 
tinued before  it  produces  any  effect.  To  their  warmth 
a  variety  of  demulcent  remedies  owe  their  efficacy,  but 
often  to  their  other  qualities,  which  we  shall  soon 
notice. 

Exhausting  the  nervous  /tower,  by  stimulants,  some- 
what below  in  their  effects  those  of  the  irritating  cause, 
is  often  effectual.  By  this  our  object  is  to  continue  the 
excitement,  not  in  a  morbid  degree,  but  by  diminishing 
its  power  to  exhaust  safely  the  irritability  of  the  nerve. 
Thus  volatile  alkali  and  eau  de  luce  succeed  in  lessening 
the  fatal  effects  of  the  viper's  poison ;  alcohol  and  tur- 
pentine relieve  burns  ;  mercury  sometimes  lessens  the 
irritation  of  the  hydrophobic  poison,  and  perhaps 
partly  in  this  way  of  the  lues  venerea.  We  were 
long  since  taught  to  prevent  the  trismus  expected  to 
arise  from  the  puncture  of  a  nerve,  by  applying  ethereal 
spirit  of  turpentine.  Many  similar  remedies  are  em- 
ployed, and  this  is  one  of  the  most  successful  refinements 
of  modern  practice. 

In  a  similar  way  ivedestroy  the  activity  of  the  nervous 
power  by  sedatives;  by  tonics,  which  lessen  irritability; 
and  by  narcotics.  We  lessen  irritation  by  opium  and 
by  vinegar  ;  by  bark  and  other  vegetable  astringents  ; 
by  lead,  copper,  zinc,  and  silver.  The  narcotics  we 
employ  are  tobacco,  belladonna,  hemlock,  and  digitalis. 
Each  is  useful  in  this  way. 

We  sometimes  lessen  irritation  by  diluting  the  stimu- 
lus, and  this  is  necessary  when  acrid  poisons  are  carried 
to  the  excretories,  as  cantharides  to  the  bladder,  or 
when  saline  acrimony  abounds  in  the  blood.  Dilution 
is,  however,  most  often  necessary  when  acrimony 
abounds  in  the  primae  viae  ;  a  more  frequent  occurrence 
than  any  other  of  this  kind. 

The  diminution  of  irritation  by  sheathing  the  flarts, 
and  thus  defending  them  from  acrimony,  includes  the 
class  of  demulcents.  This  class  is  of  considerable  ex- 
tent, and  the  medicines  we  shortly  enumerated  in  that 
article.  They  are  the  oils  and  fats  in  all  their  variety, 
including  spermaceti  and  bees  wax;  the  pure  mucilages, 
including  the  gums  and  althaea;  the  farinaceous  muci- 
lages, as  the  lint  and  hempseed,  the  quince  and  fenu- 
greek seeds  ;  the  fccuja  of  wheat,  and  some  miscclla- 


INS 


819 


INS 


neous  vegetables,  as  the  branca  ursina,  the  melilot,  the 
white  lily,  &c.  We  can  easily  conceive  that  these  can 
sheath  the  fauces,  the  epiglottis,  the  stomach,  and  intes- 
tines; but  it  is  more  difficult  to  suppose  that  they  can 
be  carried  into  the  blood," and  again  acton  the  excretory 
vessels.  This  is,  however,  undoubtedly  true,  and  we 
see  it  certainly  in  the  urinary  organs,  probably  in  the 
lungs.  These  demulcents,  like  warm  water  externally, 
seem  to  sooth  irritation  beyond  the  part  to  which  they 
are  applied;  for  such  is  the  consent  of  the  small  vessels 
on  every  portion  of  the  surface  with  each  other,  that 
changes  produced  in  one  part  are,  by  sympathy,  com- 
municated to  the  whole. 

The  medicines  which  discharge  the  acrid  matter  can 
scarcely  be  enumerated  among  these;  for  puncturing 
a  furunculus  cannot  be  styled  an  inirritant.  It  was 
mentioned,  however,  to  connect  the  whole,  and  to 
suggest  that  a  source  of  irritation  in  distant  parts  is 
often  productive  of  great  inconvenience.  When  vio- 
lent symptoms  of  irritation,  therefore,  appear,  of  which 
the  immediate  cause  is  not  perceived,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  extend  our  views  to  every  part  of  the  body;  and 
we  may  thus  be  able  to  discover  and  discharge  sub- 
stances which  have  been  unnoticed,  and  produced, 
without  suspicion  of  the  cause,  the  greatest  incon- 
veniences. 

We  have  confined,  in  this  view,  the  action  of  inirri- 
tants  to  cases  of  excitement;  yet  we  shall  find  other 
sources  of  irritation  from  privations.  Thus,  hunger 
produces  symptoms  of  irritation  ;  the  want  of  the  usual 
distention  in  any  of  the  cavities,  and  fatigue,  have  a  si- 
milar effect.  The  only  remedy  in  common  to  both  these 
causes  of  irritation  is  warmth,  or  particularly  warm  wa- 
ter: but  it  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  at  present  on  this 
subject;  since  to  add  the  remedies  of  this  kind  would 
render  the  class  less  natural,  and  we  should  anticipate 
what  will  occur  under  another  article.  See  IRRITA- 
TION. 

INNOMINA'TA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  in,  non,  and 
nomen,  a  name).  This  word  is  applied  fo  any  part  that 
has  no  specific  denomination.  It  is  the  external  branch 
of  the  external  iliac  artery  at  its  division,  near  Poupart's 
ligament,  ascends  outwardly  to  the  inside  of  the  spine 
of  the  ilium  ;  is  lost  in  the  muscle  of  the  belly,  and 
sends  branches  to  the  ileus  internus. 

INNOMINA'Tl  NE'RVI.  A  name  of  the  fifth 
pair.  See  THIGEMINI  NERVI. 

IXNOMINA'TUM  OS.  Coxe  ossa,  os  ilii,  or  cox- 
endijc.  The  principal  bone  of  the  pelvis. 

INNUTRI'TIO,  (from  in,  not,  and  nutria,  to  nou- 
rish). See  ATROPHIA. 

INOCULA'TIO,  (from  inoculo,  to  engraft).  See 
VARIOLA  and  VACCIXA. 

INOSCULA'TIO,  (from  in,  and  osculum,  a  little 
orifice).  See  ANASTOMOSIS. 

INPINGUE'DO  PO'RCI.     See  Cosxus. 

IN'SA'XIA,  (from  in,  not-,  and  sanus,  sound).     DE- 

JURIUM,  Or  MADNESS.       See  MANIA. 

INSE'CTA,  (from  in,  into,  and  seco,  to  cut).  An 
INSECT.  These  animals  are  thus  named  from  their 
being  almost  wholly  divided  in  the  middle. 

"\Ve  deferred  considering  this  class  of  animals  in  a 
physical  or  a  medicinal  view  when  we  treated  of  the 
ANIMAL  KINGDOM,  q.  v.,  because  we  had  not  received 
'he  last  labours  of  Cuvier  and  La  Treille.  Insects 


were  most  strictly  distinguished  by  Lyonnct,  who  styled 
them  animals  without  any  vertebrae,  with  articulated 
paws  or  limbs.  The  flesh  is  soft,  but  the  skin  hard, 
scaly,  or  crustaceous,  to  which  the  muscles  are  attached ; 
though  the  true  crustaceous  animals  should  be  sepa- 
rated from  insects,  as  having  a  muscular  heart,  and 
breathing  by  means  of  gills.  See  CRUSTACEA. 

Another  distinction  of  insects  is  their  colourless  blood. 
If  some  insects  are  bruised,  a  red  fluid  is  discharged; 
but  this  has,  in  general,  no  relation  to  blood,  except 
when  blood  has  been  previously  swallowed ;  and  in 
some  insects  it  is  a  secreted  fluid  under  the  eyes.  Yet, 
from  the  late  observations  of  Cuvier,  red  blood  seems 
to  occur  in  some  animals  of  this  class. 

The  arrangement  of  insects  is  scarcely  the  object  of 
this  work.  We  may,  however,  remark,  that  they 
have  been  considered  for  this  purpose  in  all  their  varied 
relations.  "  Swammerdam  has  preferred,  as  the  basis  of 
his  classification,  their  metamorphoses;  Linnaeus  the 
organs  of  motion ;  Fabricius  those  of  nutrition.  The 
system  of  Linnaeus  is  certainly  the  best  and  most  natu- 
ral ;  yet  later  observators  have  found  some  inaccura- 
cies in  his  characters,  and  less  exact  distinction,  in 
his  apterous  insects.  De  Geer  and  Olivier  have  lessened 
these  inconveniences  by  stricter  discriminations,  and 
forming  a  new  order,  the  orthofitere,  taken  from  the 
hmmijittr<e.  Indeed,  we  consider  Olivier's  arrangement 
as  the  best  and  most  natural ;  more  simple  than  La- 
treilles,  more  correct  than  that  of  Fabricius. 

Insects  may  be  considered  in  a  work  like  the  pre- 
sent as  articles  of  food,  as  medicinal  bodies,  as  either 
useful  or  detrimental  to  mankind.  If  we  except  the 
crustacea,  we  shall  find  few  species  used  at  any  time 
as  aliment.  The  locust  (gryltus  cristatus  Linnaei)  is 
used  in  the  east  as  food.  It  is  said  to  taste  like  a 
pigeon,  but  more  insipid,  and  is  seldom  eaten  but  when 
other  food  is  scarce.  Its  price  is  high  only  in  times 
of  famine.  The  wings  and  feet,  sometimes  the  intes- 
tines, are  separated.  The  Bedouins  of  Egypt  eat  them 
roasted  alive ;  the  Arabians  roast  and  eat  them  with 
butter;  or,  when  they  wish  for  a  dish  of  peculiar  deli- 
cacy, they  parboil,  and  then  fry  them  in  butter.  The 
inhabitants  of  Morocco  dry  them,  and  those  of  Barbary 
pickle  them.  Forskal,  however,  tells  us  that  they 
have  very  little  flavour,  and  that  they  are  far  from  nu- 
tritious, and  occasion  melancholy,  or  cutaneous  affec- 
tions. In  different  parts  of  India  and  America  the 
larvae  of  coleopterous  insects,  bred  in  the  internal  parts 
of  trees,  as  the  weevil,  a  species  of  lucanus,  the  passalus 
of  Fabricius,  the  prionus  cervicornis,  &c. ;  but  these 
can  only  be  procured  with  much  trouble,  and  can 
never  form  an  article  of  food.  We  have  heard  of  the 
Worms  of  filberts  being  eaten  as  a  delicacy,  and  said  to 
be  rich,  like  marrow,  with  the  taste  of  the  nut,  and 
that  the  maggots  of  every  fruit  have  its  peculiar  flavour. 
The  Romans  used  to  eat  the  larva  of  an  insect  which 
they  styled  cossus,  supposed  to  be  the  same  which  is 
found  under  the  bark  of  the  willow  or  the  ash ;  but  this 
larva,  which  is  a  true  caterpillar,  has  an  insupportabla 
smell  and  probably  a  disagreeable  taste ;  so  that  it  is  cer- 
tainly not  the  same.  In  Africa  the  inhabitants  eat  the 
white  ants.  The  galls  formed  by  a  cynips  on  a  species 
of  sage  in  the  isle  of  Crete,  and  on  the  glechoma  hede- 
racea  Linnaei,  are  accounted  by  children  a  peculiar  de- 
licacy. The  honey  of  the  bee  is  too  well  known  as  a 
5  M  2 


INS 


820 


INS 


nutritious  substance,  and  a  medicine  to  be  particularly 
noticed.'  The  honey  of  some  districts  in  America  is, 
however,  poisonous  (see  American  Transactions);  and 
new  honey  will  often  disagree  with  the  bowels,  when 
these  are  peculiarly  tender  and  irritable. 

If,  with  much  trouble,  we  have  collected  a  scanty 
catalogue  of  nutritious  insects,  we  shall  not  find  the 
materia  medica  greatly  enriche.d  from  these  minute  ani- 
mals. The  cantharides  are,  however,  of  considerable 
importance  in  medicine  (vide  in  verbo);  and  the  ants 
are  said,  by  infusion,  to  furnish  a  pleasant  and  salutary 
acid  drink  in  fevers.  (See  FORMICA.)  The  galls  of 
the  oak  and  the  bedaguar  of  the  rose  tree,  though  the 
effects  of  insects,  derive  all  their  virtues  apparently  from 
juices  of  the  tree  and  vegetable.  The  carabus,  chryso- 
cephalus,  two  species  of  the  sphaex  of  Linnaeus,  two  of 
the  chrysomela  and  coccinella,  three  of  the  curculio, 
have  been  recommended  in  tooth  ach.  The  insects 
are  to  be  bruised  between  the  fingers,  and  the  tooth 
and  gums  rubbed  with  the  same  fingers.  The  meloe 
majalis  and  proscarabseus  are  of-  the  nature  of  can- 
tharides, but  less  powerful.  The  oniscus  asellus 
(millepes)  was  formerly  much  employed  as  a  stimulat- 
ing expectorant  in  dropsy,  in  obstructions  of  the  liver, 
in  asthma,  and  cynanche.  Its  nauseous  acrimony  points 
it  out  as  a  medicine  of  importance;  but  its  disgusting 
appearance  has  occasioned  its  neglect.  The  coccus 
of  the  cactus  coccinelliferus  (cochineal)  is  said  to  be  sti- 
mulant and  diuretic ;  the  same  insect  of  the  ficus  Indica, 
and  quercus  ilicis,  the  lac,  and  kermes,  to  be  astringent ; 
but  modern  practice  neglects  both.  We  have  said  that 
the  more  refined  naturalists  had  separated  the  spiders 
from  the  insects;  but  we  may  mention  here,  without 
an  apology,  the  use  of  the  spider's  webs  in  external  hae- 
morrhages, which  act  in  assisting  the  concretion  of  the 
blood.  We  mention  it  also  to  add,  that  an  ant  found 
in  Cayenne,  the  formica  fungosa  of  Fabricius,  com- 
poses its  bed  of  a  down  so  fine,  that  it  generally  suc- 
ceeds in  stopping  arterial  haemorrhages  on  the  same 
principle.  The  ancients  used  the  horns  of  the  cervus 
volans  as  an  absorbent ;  and  Linnaeus  tells  us,  that  in 
Sweden  a  species  of  gryllus  is  irritated  so  as  to  bite 
warts,  and  that  the  fluid  from  its  mouth  destroys  them. 
The  trivial  name  is  assigned  from  this  property. 

Among  the  advantages  derived  to  mankind  from  in- 
sects, we  need  not  name  the  silk,  and  the  scarlet  dye 
from  the  cochineal.  Many  insects',  besides  that  of  the 
mulberry,  spin  a  silken  pod  ;  and  from  many  of  the 
cocci,  a  brilliant  colour,  though  inferior  to  that  of  the 
cochineal,  may  be  obtained.  From  the  silk  worm's 
pod,  the  Chinese,  it  is  said,  prepare  a  brilliant  and  du- 
rable varnish.  This  worm  affords  also  the  Bengal  root, 
styled  in  England  Indian  grass,  so  useful  to  the  fisher- 
man. We  need  not  add  Reaumur's  attempt  to  make  silk 
from  spider's  webs,  in  which  it  has  been  supposed  he 
would  have  succeeded,  could  he  have  induced  them  to 
live  peaceably  with  each  other.  The  gum  lac  and  bees 
wax  are  well  known,  and  some  naturalists  have  attri- 
buted amber  to  these  animals.  Among  the  advantages 
of  insects  to  mankind,  we  may  also  reckon  their  fur- 
nishing birds  with  a  copious  supply  of  nourishment, 
and  their  destruction  of  putrid  matter  and  of  each 
other. 

The  chief  disadvantages  are  derived  from  their  de- 
structive ravages  on  books  and  furniture,  and,  above  all, 


from  the  diseases  which  they  occasion.  (See  ANI- 
MALCULA.)  The  very  troublesome  itching  produced 
by  many  species  of  acarus  is  well  known.  The  louse, 
the  flea,  the  bug,  and  the  mosquito,  are  the  common 
enemies  of  our  repose;  and  in  warm  climates  are  far 
more  numerous  and  fatal.  The  locusts,  which  destroy 
our  harvest,  the  insects  so  fatal  to  vegetables  of  every 
kind,  are  scarcely  objects  of  our  attention  at  this  time. 
They  must  be  watched  in  their  state  of  larvse,  when 
they  may  be  at  once  extirpated.  The  most  destructive 
flies  escape  our  attention  by  their  harmless  or  pleasing 
appearance  in  this  state  of  disguise. 

INSERTIO.  The  union  of  parts  so  close  that  one 
seems  to  penetrate  the  substance  of  the  other,  as  the  in- 
sertion of  muscles  into  a  bone.  It  sometimes  means 
the  insertion  of  any  instrument  into  a  cavity  of  the 
body. 

INSE'SSIO,  incessus,  (from  insideo,  to  sit  ufion). 
Sitting  over  relaxing  vapours. 

I'NSIDENS,  (from  the  same,)  applied  in  botany  to 
that  which  rests  upon  another  part. 

INSIDE'NTIA,  (from  the  same).  See  EPISTAXIS. 
•  INSrDIANS,(from  insidior,  to  deceive').  INSIDIOUS, 
LATENT  ;  an  epithet  of  diseases  which  betray  no  evi- 
dent symptom,  but  are  ready  on  any  exciting  cause  to 
appear ;  or  which,  on  their  first  attack,  do  not  show 
their  peculiar  or  dangerous  nature. 

INSI'PIDUS,  (from  in,  non,  and  safiidus,  savoury'). 
TASTELESS.  See  APJEUM. 

INSITIO.     ENGRAFTING. 

INSIPIE'NTIA,  (from  in,  priv.  and  safiientia,  wis- 
dom). Childishness ;  a  low  degree  of  delirium. 

INSOLA'TIO,  (from  in,  u/ion,  and  sol,  the  sun). 
INSOLATION  ;  exposing  any  thing  to  the  sun.  See  ICTUS 
SOLARIS,  of  which  this  word  is  a  synonym. 

INSO'MNIUM.  A  DREAM.  Quod  in  somno  vi- 
detur.  Dreaming  is  a  subject  of  considerable  import- 
ance, not  only  in  a  physiological  view,  but  as  often  af- 
fording useful  prognostics,  particularly  in  fevers ;  and  it 
has  been  considered  with  great  attention  both  by  phy- 
siologists and  metaphysicians;  but  whether  the  culture 
has  been  erroneous,  or  the  soil  stubborn,  it  is  at  least 
certain  that  the  harvest  has  failed  of  producing  that  satis- 
faction which,  from  the  labour  and  care,  might  have 
been  expected.  It  remains  to  be  determined  whether 
we  shall  be  more  successful. 

A  dream  is  a  series  of  images  either  sensible  or  in- 
tellectual, presented  to  the  mind  during  sleep,  more  or 
less  vivid,  and  sometimes  so  lively  as  to  impress  the 
mind  with  the  fullest  conviction  of  their  real  existence. 
They  are  evidently  distinct  from  the  mind,  since  fear 
and  joy,  despair  and  admiration,  are  excited  by  them; 
since  the  immaterial  principle  can  decide  on  the  pro- 
priety of  the  actions  they  may  suggest,  or  can  excite 
volition  in  consequence  of  their  being  presented.  The 
images,  however,  thus  passing  before  the  mental  eye 
are  often  incongruous,  disjointed,  and  absurd ;  but 
whatever  forms  they  may  assume,  we  believe  it  to  be  a 
well  established  fact,  that  every  part  is  derived  from 
sensible  ideas  formerly  received.  The  physiologist 
who  has  not  particularly  attended  to  this  subject  may 
start  at  so  positive  an  assertion ;  but  after  the  examina- 
tion of  our  own  dreams  during  a  series  of  many  years, 
after  the  most  extensive  inquiries,  we  have  never,  in  a 
single  instance,  beep  able  to  trace  any  image>  or  any 


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portion  of  a  new  combination,  which  was  not  previously 
conveyed  to  the  mind  by  the  senses.  So  extensive, 
however,  is  the  power  which  suggests  these  sleeping 
scenes,  that  their  objects  are  as  various  as  our  ideas ; 
and  the 

Quicquid  agunt  homines  votum,  timor  ira  -uolu/itaa 
Gaudia  discursus 

form  the  farrago  of  this  drama  of  the  fancy.  Our  pas- 
sions are  excited  as  by  reality  ;  our  reasoning,  however, 
is  weak  and  imperfect. 

In  dreams  we  seein  to  reason,  to  argue,  to  compose  ; 
and  in  all  these  circumstances,  during  sleep,  we  are 
highly  gratified,  and  think  that  we  excel.  If,  however, 
we  remember  our  dreams,  our  reasoning  we  find  to  be 
weak,  our  arguments  inconclusive,  and  our  composi- 
tions trifling  or  absurd.  Some  metaphysicians  have 
supposed  that  from  age  and  reflection  our  dreams  be- 
come more  consistent  and  philosophical,  and  have  even 
supposed  that  the  mind  can,  during  sleep,  retain  its 
wonted  powers.  We  are  willing  to  believe  that,  from 
age,  our  minds  wander  less  in  this  state  of  repose;  but 
we  suspect  that  it  arises  from  the  sleep  being  less  per- 
fect, and  not  from  any  experience  in  the  "  art  of  dream- 
ing." We  certainly  fancy  in  our  dreams  that  a  given 
image  is  new  ;  but  if  we  can  retain  it  when  awake,  we 
find  that  this  opinion  arose  from  our  imperfect  recogni- 
tion, and  we  shall  then  be  able  to  recollect  its  proto- 
type. We  seem  to  think,  also,  some  place,  which  in 
fancy  is  seen  in  our  sleep,  to  be  more  beautiful  and 
glorious  than  any  which  has  before  occurred.  Yet  on 
awaking  we  shall  find  this  splendour  a  thing  of  shreds 
and  patch  work,  made  up  of  heterogeneous  and  dis- 
jointed vestiges  before  offered  to  the  senses. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  fancy  pursues  the 
images  of  the  foregoing  day,  and  that  Queen  Mab 
sports  "  on  lovers'  lips,  who  straight  on  kisses  dream." 
This  general  opinion  we  dare  not  deny,  especially  when 
sanctioned  by  the  magic  of  Shakspeare's  poetry.  Yet 
our  experience  does  not  support  it ;  and  when  the  mind 
has  been  exhausted  by  joy  or  sorrow,  we  have  often 
found  the  sleep  sound  and  refreshing.  When  less  ex- 
hausted, the  fancy  seems  to  play  with  various  images, 
not  always  connected  with  the  previous  state  of  mind. 
We  have  even  thought  that  when  the  mind  has  been 
very  deeply  impressed  with  any  peculiar  images,  that 
such  have  less  seldom  occurred  in  dreams  than  their 
opposites.  That  dreams  ever  offer  any  foreboding  of 
future  ills  or  benefits  ;  that  we  ever,  in  this  state,  re- 
ceive information  from  preternatural  sources ;  are  opi- 
nions which  we  leave  to  the  childishness  of  the  nursery, 
or  the  wandering  fancies  of  superstition  and  dotage. 

The  aegri  somnia  have  been  proverbial,  as  descrip- 
tive of  disjointed  incongruous  images  ;  and  what  may 
be  considered  as  the  pathology  of  dreams,,  will  perhaps 
more  fully  illustrate  their  nature.  In  fevers  the 
dreams  are  often  highly  distressing ;  from  indigestion 
they  are  equally  so,  but  of  a  different  kind.  In  the 
former,  the  mind  is  hurried  from  one  object  to  another 
with  inconceivable  rapidity ;  in  the  latter,  chained 
down  and  oppressed  with  a  heavy  weight.  Should  it 
happen  that  the  patient  is  relieved  of  his  load  during 
his  dream,  the  complexion  of  these  airy  nothings  im- 
mediately varies.  Aversion  is  changed  to  liking,  dis- 
gust to  complacency,  oppression  to  freedom.  If  the 


heat  of  fever  is  relieved  by  a  salutary  perspiration,  the 
patient  is  no  longer  hurried  through  the  trackless  air, 
but  reposes  in  a  verdant  meadow,  or  more  often  drinks 
of  the  cool  stream,  for  the  thirst  vanishes.  In  general, 
very  deep  sleep  is  oppressive ;  light  sleep  salutary  and 
refreshing.  The  senses  no  longer  convey  the  usual 
impressions,  but  images  are  excited,  which,  though 
not  wholly  similar  to  the  usual  ones,  are  not  very  dif- 
ferent. Thus  violent  heat  will  suggest  a  dream  of 
scorching  fire  ;  throwing  off  the  clothes  in  winter,  of 
walking  through  a  river.  The  effects  of  opium  on  our 
dreams  are  singular.  In  those  with  whom  it  agrees  it 
excites  the  most  pleasant  images  ;  when  it  disagrees, 
the  most  frightful :  in  all  it  greatly  influences  the  ideas 
of  the  duration  of  time  A  man  of  genius  and  an  art- 
ist under  the  influence  of  opium,  fancied  Holbein's 
Dance  of  Death  realized,  and  that  each  figure  assumed  a 
real  form,  and  was  presented  to  him  in  all  its  horrors. 
He  suffered,  in  his  opinion,  from  this  exhibition,  for 
many  hours  ;  and,  at  last,  awaking  in  terror,  heard  the 
clock  strike  twelve,  when  he  recollected  that  he  did 
not  sleep  till  after  eleven.  The  author  of  this  article, 
in  whom  opium  excites  the  most  agreeable  images,  has 
experienced  the  same  change  in  his  ideas  of  time.  We 
have  sometimes  thought  the  nature  of  dreams  influ- 
enced, in  a  certain  degree,  by  the  temper  and  disposi- 
tion of  the  dreamer.  Thus  the  sanguine  cheerful  tem- 
per finds,  in  all  his  distresses,  a  means  of  escape  ;  where 
the  more  gloomy  melancholic  disposition  perceives  no 
resource  till  he  awakes  in  horror.  But  in  this  we  may 
be  styled  dreamers.  The  other  facts  recorded  in  this 
article  have  been  verified  by  repeated  observation. 

The  cause  of  dreams  has  excited  various  speculations. 
This  waking  sleep,  or  sleeping  activity,  appeared  to 
Baxter  so  inconsistent,  that  he  supposed  immaterial 
spirits  were  amused,  or  engaged  in  suggesting  these 
plays  of  fancy,  and  sometimes,  perhaps,  conveying  im- 
portant information.  We  cannot  deny  the  existence  or 
employment  of  these  spiritual  agents;  but  can  scarcely 
conceive,  in  the  whole  circle  of  creation,  beings  so  use- 
less. They  are,  however,  wholly  unnecessary  ;  for,  in 
the  pathology  of  dreaming,  we  have  seen  that  the  cause 
is  purely  corporeal ;  and,  indeed,  Baxter's  opinion  is,  we 
believe,  consigned  to  the  same  oblivion  with  that  which 
looks  to  dreams  as  foretelling  future  events. 

Wolfius  supposed  a  previous  excitement  of  some 
part  necessary  to  suggest  to  the  fancies  during  sleep  ; 
and,  in  fact,  delivers  the  fictions  of  Shakspeare  in  the 
garb  of  sober  sound  philosophy.  This  opinion  is, 
however,  inconsistent  with  the  phenomena  of  dreaming ; 
and  we  have  no  modern  idea  on  this  subject  which  need 
detain  us,  except  the  opinion  we  are  about  to  explain, 
originally  derived  from  Dr.  Cullen. 

In  sleep,  Dr.  Cullen  observes,  that  there  is  a  partial 
collapse  of  the  brain,  at  least  so  far  as  respects  the  ani- 
mal functions  ;  and  this  partial  diminution  of  excite- 
ment is  shown  by  the  delirium  which  occurs  in  the  in- 
terval between  the  sleeping  and  waking  state.  To  dif- 
ferent degrees  of  the  collapse,  dreams,  more  or  less  vivid, 
appear  to  be  owing.  Dreams,  indeed,  are  of  the  na- 
ture of  delirium.  Similar  heterogeneous  or  disjointed 
ideas  constitute  both ;  and  the  whole  must  be  resolved 
into  that  unequal  balance  of  the  nervous  power  in  the 
brain  arising  from  diminished  energy.  The  proof  of 
this  is  the  want  of  the  usual  associations ;  another,  the 


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deficiency  of  judgment ;  a  function,  when  perfect,  which 
arises,  as  we  have  seen,  from  a  free  communication  be- 
tween the  different  parts  of  that  organ.  The  defect  of 
judgment  is  seen  from  a  high  opinion  we  form  of  what 
we  suppose  we  have  written  or  said  in  our  dreams,  which 
is  often  ridiculous,  and  strangely  heterogeneous. 

Yet,  it  may  be  asked,  are  no  ideas  suggested  in  our 
dreams  which  deserve  the  attention  of  our  awakened 
judgment  ?  We  have  heard  of  some  such  suggestions, 
and  suspected  that  we  have  experienced  them  ;  but  they 
consist  only  of  .a  happy  recollection,  or  a  new  combina- 
tion, which  we  are  sufficiently  awake  to  be  pleased 
with,  and  rouse  ourselves  to  recollect.  We  remember 
dreaming  of  being  asked  for  a  motto  for  an  air  balloon, 
and  immediately  suggested  the  following  : 

Tcntaflcla  via  est  qua  me  quoque  possum 
Tollcrc  humo  -uictorque  -virum  volitare  per  ora. 

Every  instance  of  peculiar  genius  or  supernatural  in- 
formation in  dreams  may  be  referred  to  one -of  the 
sources  just  mentioned. 

Though  this  partial  collapse  explains,  in  sonic  degree, 
the  heterogeneous  combinations  of  dreams,  it  does  not 
show  us  how  the  images  are  excited.  It  will  be  at  once 
obvious  that  this  question  includes  one  to  which  no  an- 
swer can  probably  be  given,  viz.  in  what  manner  do 
sensible  impressions  act  on  the  mind  to  produce  ideas, 
or  how,  in  turn,  does  the  mind  act  on  the  brain,  by  means 
of  volition,  to  excite  action  ?  We  may  hazard  a  few 
speculative  remarks,  which,  if  ill  founded,  will  detain 
the  reader  but  a  short  time.  We  have  seen  that  the 
power  which  resides  in  the  brain  and  nerves  is  probably 
a  subtile  fluid,  capable  of  vibrations,  and  that  its  action 
consists  in  these  vibrations.  If,  then,  such  have  been 
excited  by  sensible  impressions,  we  know  that  they  may 
be  renewed  by  powers  more  inconsiderable  ;  and  it  is  not 
impossible  even  that  the  motion  of  the  blood,  in  those 
parts  of  the  brain  where  the  mobility  of  the  fluid  is  con- 
siderable, may  excite  vibrations,  and  these  be  attended 
with  the  same  ideas  which  originally  followed  them. 
In  constitutions  where  the  nervous  fluid  is  particularly 
mobile,  or  in  cases  where  the  circulation  is  hurried, 
dreams  will  be  more  frequent,  more  vivid,  and  often 
more  troublesome. 

Dreams,  we  have  said,  are  useful  in  affording  prog- 
nostics in  various  diseases.  When  the  dreams  are 
hurried  and  violent,  we  have  often  reason  to  expect  de- 
lirium :  when  the  mind  in  fevers  is  gloomy  and  dis- 
tressed, and  the  dreams  frightful,  the  fever  soon  be- 
comes dangerous ;  but  when  in  sleep,  the  fancy  is 
soothed  by  pleasing  images,  the  disease  is  seldom 
alarming.  In  these  cases,  the  consequences  are  pro- 
bably those  of  terror  on  one  side,  and  complacency  on 
the  other ;  and  the  peculiar  states  of  fever  may  not  be 
the  causes  of  the  dreams.  Yet,  when  we  recollect 
that,  in  other  instances,  diseases  of  the  body  excite 
dreams  of  distress  and  horror,  we  must  think  that  the 
more  violent  corporeal  affections  are  really  the  causes  of 
the  terrific  visions.  In  either  case  they  arc  often  use- 
ful prognostics. 

If  any  part    of  the    brain    is    more    easily    excited 

to   action  by   having  been   previously   impressed,  the 

mind,  on  the  contrary,  becomes  more  insensible.  Thus, 

the  person  used   to   distress  is  comparatively  calm   in 

"witnessing   the  most  painful  scenes  :  the  mind,  once 


harrowed  with  horror,  will  bear  common  trouble  with- 
out emotion.  This  will  account  for  the  fancy  not  al- 
ways pursuing,  in  sleep,  the  painful  scenes  of  the  day, 
or  rather  for  their  not  being  followed  by  pungent  dis- 
tress, so  that  they  escape  the  recollection  when  we  are 
awake. 

Is  it  a  fact  that  the  dreams  of  children  are  more  ter- 
rific than  those  of  adults  ?  Infants  certainly  dream,  and 
seldom  awake  in  terror;  in  fact  they  know  not  the 
tendency  of  objects,  and  are  not  capable  of  appreciating 
their  effects  so  as  to  be  terrified.  When  they  are 
farther  advanced,  the  tales  of  the  nursery  often  inspire 
horrible  images,which  may  again  return  hi  their  dreams  ; 
or  their  systems,  more  mobile  and  irritable  than  those 
of  adults,  may  be  more  susceptible  of  violent  impres- 
sions. We  could  wish,  however,  that  the  fact  were 
more  decidedly  ascertained. 

Animals  dream,  particularly  dogs  ;  but  in  these  vi- 
sions they  are  more  often  pleased  than  terrified,  though 
sometimes  angry.  Their  bark  is"  different,  and  the 
voice  of  those  who  talk  in  their  sleep  is  usually  altered. 
We  have  no  evidence  of  the  feathered  race  being  sub- 
ject to  these  nocturnal  visitors;  and  perhaps  they  are 
connected,  like  associations  of  ideas,  with  the  propor- 
tional bulk  of  the  brain. 

See  Baxter  on  the  Immateriality  of  the  Soul  ;  Lord 
Monboddo's  Works  ;  Hartley  on  Man  ;  Wolfius's  Onto- 
logy ;  Cullen's  Physiology  ;  and  Lommius. 

INSPIRA'TIO,  (from  in,  and  spiro,  to  breathe).  IN- 
SPIRATION ;  eispnoe,  epipasmos.  The  action  of  the 
chest  and  diaphragm,  by  which  the  air  is  drawn  into 
the  lungs.  See  RESPIRATIO. 

INSTILLA'TIO,  (from  instillo,  to  drofi  upon,")  often 
synonymous  with  embrocatio. 

I'NSTITA,  (from  incisto,  to  stay).     A  FILLET  ;  and 


INSUFFLA'TIO,(from  insufflo,to  blow  into).  Blow- 
ing into  any  cavity,  to  convey  any  remedy  to  a  part 
affected. 

INSU'LTUS,  (from  insult  o,  to  attack}.  The  first 
invasion  or  access  of  a  paroxysm. 

INTEGA'STRUM.  The  decussation  of  the  optic 
nerves.  Paracelsus. 

INTEGUME'NTA,  (from  intego,  to  cover).  IN- 
TEGUMENTS ;  the  cuticle,  rete  mucosum,  cutis,  and 
membrana  cellularis  ;  sometimes  applied  to  particular 
investing  membranes,  as  the  coats  of  the  eye. 

INTEMPERA'NTIA,  (from  in,  non,  and  tempera, 
to  moderate).  INTEMPERANCE.  Besides  its  usual  signi- 
fication, it  sometimes  is  synonymous  with  dyscinesia. 

INTEMPE'RIES,  (from  in,  non,  and  tempera,  to 
mingle.)  See  DYSCINESIA. 

INTE'NTIO,  (from  intendo,  to  stretch  out).  IN- 
TENTION. It  is  either  extension  or  indication.  Heal- 
ing a  wound  "  by  the  first  intention,"  means  when  di- 
vided parts  are  placed  in  contact,  and  unite  without 
any  suppuration. 

INTERCE'PTIO,  (from  intercipio,  to  stop).  See 
APOLEPSIB. 

INTERCOSTA'LIS,  (from  inter,  between,  .and  cos- 
t<E,  the  ribs,)  any  part  situated  between  the  ribs  ;  viz. 

INTERCQSTA'LES  ARTE'RI^E,  which  arise  in  pairs 
from  the  aorta,  and  run  on-  the  lower  parts  of 
each  rib.  They  are  eight,  nine,  or  ten-  in  number,  of 
which  the  upper  come  from  the  subclavian.  The 


I  N  T 


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I  XT 


intercobtales  of  the  true  ribs  anastomose  with  the  internal 
mammary  ;  those  of  the  superior  go  to  the  muscles  of 
the  Lcll>-. 

IXTF.RCOSTA'LKS  MU'SCULI  ;  mesofileurioi  ;  INTER- 
COSTAL MUSCLES  are  eleven  in  number  on  each  side 
externally,  and  as  many  internally;  in  all  forty -four. 
The  external  ones  pass  downwards  and  forwards;  rising 
from  the  edge  of  the  superior,  and  inserted  into  that 
of  the  inferior,  rib:  their  fibres  run  nearly  parallel; 
but  near  ihe  sternum  disappear.  Their  use  is  to  elevate 
the  ribs.  The  internal  ones  are  the  reverse  of  the  ex- 
ternal; rising  from  the  edges  of  the  inferior1,  and  in- 
serted into  those  of  the  superior,  ribs ;  consequently 
they  decussate  each  other.  These  depress  the  ribs; 
so  that,  by  the  alternate  action  of  the  two  sets  of  muscles, 
the  thorax  is  expanded  in  inspiration,  and  diminished  in 
capacity  during  expiration. 

The  levatores  costarum  longiores  and  breviores  of 
Albinus  are  those  portions  of  the  external  intercostals 
which  arise  from  the  the  transverse  processes  of  the  ver- 
tebrae, where  the  ribs  are  fixed  to  them,  and  other  por- 
tions which  pass  over  one  rib  and  terminate  in  the  next 
below  it.  Similar  portions  of  the  internal  are  called 
by  Douglass  costarum  defiressorex  /irofirii  Cowfleri. 

INTEHCOSTA'LES  XE'RVI;  INTERCOSTAL  NERVES,  ni/m- 
pathetici  nerui  majores,  are  formed  of  all  the  spinal 
nerves,  and  of  branches  from  the  fifth  and  sixth  pairs 
from  the  brain.  They  run  on  the  other  side  of  the  ribs. 
This  is  a  very  important  part  of  the  nervous  system  ; 
but  it  has  already  claimed  a  large  share  of  our  attention. 
See  CEREBRCM. 

INTEHCOSTA'LES  VE'N-JE,  DEXTH.S,  SUPERIORES,  ET 
IXFKRIOHES.  See  AZVGOS. 

IXTERCU'RREXS  FE'BRIS,  (from  inter,  between, 
and  curro,  to  fiats').  An  INTEHCURRENT  FEVER.  Some 
fevers  are  epidemical  in  certain  seasons  only ;  others 
happen  in  all  years,  and  are  only  occasionally  epidemic. 
The  former  are  called  stationary;  the  latter,  by  Syden- 
ham,  intercurrenls.  See  Sydenham's  Works. 

INTERCU'RUEXS  vel  INTEKCI'DEXS  PULSUS.  When 
between  two  strokes  at  proper  distances  a  third  quickly 
intervenes. 

1'NTERCUS,  (from  inter,  between,  and  cutem,  the 
skin').  See  AXASARCA. 

I  XTERDE'XTIUM,  (from  inter,  between, and  denies, 
teeth').  The  intervals  between  teeth  of  the  same  order. 

IXTERDI'GITUM,(fromi»ifer,d«wr«i,andi/i,gri/a«, 
toeorjintrer}.  A  CORX  BETWEEX  THE  TOES. 

INTERFEMI'NEUM,  (from  inter,  between,  and 
femur,  the  thigh}.  See  PERINEUM. 

INTERFOLIA'CEUS,  (from  inter,  between,  and 
folium,  a  leaf].  Proceeding  from  between  opposite 
leaves. 

IXTERLU'XIUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  inter,  between, 
and  tuna,  the  moon  ;  because  it  was  supposed  to  affect 
chiefly  those  born  in  the  wane  of  the  moon).  See 
EPII.EPSIA. 

1XTERMISSIO,  (from  intermitto,  to  discontinue}. 
The  intervals  betwixt  two  fits  of  any  distemper. 

IXTERMI'TTEXS  FE'BRIS,  (from  the  same).  An 
IXTKKMITTENT  FEVFR,  is  a  febrile  disease  consisting 
of  distinct  attacks,  with  perfect  freedom  from  fever  in 
the  intervals.  Different  names  are  given  to  this  fever 
according  to  the  periods  of  its  return ;  if  after  twenty- 
four  hours,  a  quotidian  ;  if  after  forty-eight  hours,  a 


tertian  ;  if  after  seventy-two  hours,  a  quartan ;  after 
ninety-sixhours,ayuinfa7z,ora/ie>w/i;<en«.  Such  inter- 
mittents  are,  however,  rare ;  and  those  with  longer  in- 
tervals have  been  styled  erratic.  Those  are  called 
autu  mnal  which  begin  in  August,  and  those  vernal  which 
begin  in  February. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  intermittent  in  the  class  fiyrexie, 
order  febres  ;  defining  it  fever  arising  from  marsh 
miasma,  consisting  of  many  paroxysms ;  a  total  free- 
dom from  fever,  at  least  an  evident  remission ;  re- 
turning v.kh  a  marked  exacerbation,  and  generally  with 
shivering ;  having  one  paroxysm  only  in  a  day.  He 
adds,  "  whoever  will  weigh  what  will  be  delivered 
concerning  remittent  fevers,  and  their  distinction  from 
continued  fevers,  strictly  so  called,  will  readily  see  why 
I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  change  the  character 
formerly  given  of  intermittents  as  well  as  continued 
fevers."  The  latter  he  defines  fevers  having  no  inter- 
mission, nor  arising  from  marsh  miasma,  but  continuing 
only  with  slight  remissions  and  exacerbations;  having 
two  exacerbations  each  day.  "  He  thinks  that  the  no- 
sologists,  Sauvages,  Linnaeus,  and  Sagar,  have  not  acted 
judiciously  in  instituting  a  separate  order  of  remittents, 
as  if  they  were  altogether  different  from  perfect  inter- 
mittents ;  for  those  fevers  called  remittents  arise  from  the 
same  cause,  viz.  marsh  miasma,  as  intermittents  ;  each 
appears  as  an  epidemic,  in  the  same  place,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  the  year ;  each  is  cured  exactly  by  the 
same  remedies ;  and  very  often  in  the  same  subject,  the 
same  disease  sometimes  exhibits  the  intermittent,  some- 
times the  remittent,  type ;  diseases,  therefore,  so  ex- 
tremely alike  with  respect  to  their  causes,  mode  of 
cure,  and  type,  ought  neither  to  be  placed  under  a  dif- 
ferent order,  or  in  different  section." 

The  patient,  though  free  from  fever,  is  slightly  indis- 
posed the  following  day  with  chilliness  and  languor  :  he 
hath  a  weak  and  slow  pulse,  his  urine  is  pale,  and  either 
deposits  a  sediment,  or  contains  a  small  cloud  suspended 
in  it;  the  sediment  is  of  a  reddish  colour,  exactly  re- 
sembling brick  dust;  the  surface  frothy,  or  covered 
with  a  pellicle.  The  beginning  of  autumnal  intermit- 
tents is  sometimes  not  very  different  from  that  of  con- 
tinual fevers.  When  weakly  persons  are  the  subjects, 
the  intermissions  are  proportionally  le^s  distinct. 

Obstinate  intermittents  often  end  in  dropsies,  or 
hectics  from  obstructed  viscera.  Vernal  intermittents 
often  require  no  assistance,  and  very  rarely  prove  fatal. 

Intermittents  are  distinguished  by  the  very  regular 
appearance  of  each  stage  of  fever  formerly  described 
(see  FEBRIS)  ;  and  the  continuation  of  the  paroxysm 
sometimes  extends  to  twenty-two  hours,  the  patient 
having  scarcely  two  hours  interval ;  but  this  chiefly 
happens  when  two  diseases  of  this  kind  have  attacked 
the  patient  at  once,  so  that  the  fit  of  one  comes  closely 
on  the  conclusion  of  the  former  paroxysm.  A  single 
quotidian  will,  however,  sometimes  last  eighteen  or 
twenty  hours. 

In  general  it  will  be  found  that  the  longest  paroxysms 
have  the  shortest  intermissions ;  and  the  contrary  ;  but 
the  time  of  the  paroxysms  is  occasionally  anticipated 
or  retarded.  An  increase  of  the  interval,  or  rather  a 
retarded  paroxysm,  shows  the  disease  to  be  declining  ; 
while  an  anticipated  attack  is  rather  a  sign  that  the 
disease  is  becoming  a  remittent  or  continued  fever. 

It  is  singular  that  intermittents  rarely  attack  in  the 


INT 


824 


INT 


night.  When  the  paroxysm  anticipates,  so  as  to  come 
before  eight,  its  next  step  is  usually  to  the  febrile  period 
of  the  evening,  previous  to  the  usual-day  of  its  attack;  and 
when  it  is  retarded  beyond  eight  or  ten  in  the  evening, 
the  following  attack  is  usually  at  eight  in  the  morning 
following  its  accustomed  day.  Continued  fevers  are  said 
to  attack  in  the  night,  but  we  have  generally  found 
that  the  patient  has  complained  in  the  evening,  and 
that  the  fever  has  then  formed,  though  the  rigor  has 
only  taken  place  during  the  night,  or  rather  about  four 
in  the  morning. 

The  attack  of  intermittents  is  sometimes  attended 
with  the  most  alarming  symptoms,  such  as  syncope, 
apoplexy,  a  great  load  on  the  chest,  with  threatening 
suffocation,  epileptic  paroxysms  or  violent  spasms,  or  a 
coldness,  which  increases  till  the  patient  sinks  into 
torpor,  soon  followed  by  death.  These  are  circum- 
stances of  peculiar  danger,  and  require  the  most  minute 
attention.  The  hot  fit  is  also  sometimes  so  violent  as  to 
be  attended  with  delirium,  and  occasionally  with  rup- 
ture of  the  vessels,  from  the  violence,  in  the  language 
of  Dr.  Cullen,  of  the  reaction.  These  circumstances 
require  particular  attention  in  the  conduct  of  the  cure. 

Intermittents  are  sometimes  complicated ;  that  is, 
there  may  be  two  tertians,  or  two  quartans,  existing  at 
the  same  time.  The  double  tertian  of  authors,  the 
duplicana  of  Linnaeus,  consists  of  two  tertians,  return- 
ing each  at  their  regular  times,  and  thus  attacking  every 
day.  The  real  disease  is  distinguished  from  a  quotidian 
by  the  time  of  the  attack,  which  in  a  tertian  is  about 
noon,  by  the  shorter  paroxysms ;  and  by  the  fits  of 
fever  which  occur  on  the  alternate  days  resembling 
each  other  :  while,  if  that  on  the  succeeding  is  com- 
pared with  the  fit  of  the  former  day,  some  difference  is 
observable.  Another  form  of  the  double  tertian  is  with 
two  paroxysms  in  one  day  ;  and  this  kind  is  distinguish- 
ed by  the  appellation  of  tertana  duplicata.  A  triple 
tertian  has  also  been  observed,  consisting  of  two 
paroxysms  on  each  alternate  day,  and  one  only  in  the 
interval.  This  is  the  semitertiana  of  authors,  the  ter- 
tiana  triplex  of  Sauvages.  Tertians  differ  also  in  the 
degree  of  remission,  when  complicated  in  the  manner 
already  mentioned.  Thus  a  double  tertian,  which  re- 
turns daily,  will  have  often  the  remission  between  the 
unequal  and  equal  day;  between  the  third  and  the 
fourth,  for  instance,  more  strongly  marked ;  between 
the  equal  and  unequal  day  less  strongly. 

Quartans  vary  as  much  ;  but,  indeed,  in  this  country 
quartans  are  uncommon,  except  in  the  marshy  coun- 
tries on  the  east  of  this  island.  The  quartana  duplicata 
of  Sauvages  consists  of  two  paroxysms  every  fourth  day, 
and  on  the  other  clays  none.  The  quartana  triplicata 
consists  of  three  paroxysms  every  fourth  day,  with  three 
days  of  intermission.  The  quartana  duplex  has  only 
an  intermission  of  the  third  day,  and  the  paroxysms  of 
every  fourth  day  are  alike.  The  triple  quartan  attacks 
every  day ;  and  the  paroxysms  of  every  fourth  day  re- 
semble each  other.  This  disease,  like  the  double  ter- 
tian, is  distinguished  by  the  period  of  the  attack  and 
the  shortness  of  the  paroxysms.  The  author  of  this 
article,  in  thirty-five  years  practice,  has  seen  but  one 
quartan,  which  was  imported  from  a  distant  county. 

Quotidians  vary  but  little,  except  in  their  causes  and 
their  partial  attacks.  Many  of  these  are  symptomatic 
only ;  but  the  partial  quotidians  attended  with  violent 


pains  are  peculiarly  distressing,  and  with  great  difficulty 
removed.  The  quintana  and  septimana  are  described 
by  authors  very  vaguely,  and  seem,  in  general,  to  be 
symptomatic. 

Intermittents  are  not  always  dangerous,  and  the  ver- 
nal agues  generally  disappear  on  the  approach  of  sum- 
mer. The  autumnal  ones  are  more  frequently  attended 
with  infarctions  of  the  liver,  and  the  more  obstinate 
kinds  of  these,  the  quartans,  leave  often  this  organ  in  a 
scirrhous  state.  Dropsies  and  hectics  are  the  conse- 
quence. It  has  been,  on  the  other  hand,  contended; 
that  vernal  tertians  are  salutary,  and  clear  the  constitu- 
tion of  other  diseases,  as  indigestion,  flatulency,  and 
acidity  of  the  stomach  ;  habitual  rheumatisms  and  other 
inflammations ;  cutaneous  and  nervous  complaints. 
For  this  opinion  we  offer  the  very  respectable  authority 
of  Dr.  G.  Fordyce,  for  having  seen  but  few  cases  of  in- 
termittents, we  will  not  add,  as  an  ejection,  that  such 
salutary  effects  have  not  occurred  to  us.  We  have 
found  every  intermittent,  which  we  have  seen,  to  be  a 
disease  which  we  have  been  anxious  to  cure  as  speedily 
as  was  consistent  with  the  safety  «of  the  patient. 

The  cause  of  intermittents  is  exclusively  the  miasma 
from  marshes,  and  the  remote  causes  those  of  fever  in 
general.  We  have  already  observed,  that  no  satis- 
factory reason  has  been  assigned  for  the  recurrence  of 
the  paroxysm.  Dr.  Cullen  attributes  the  duration  of 
fevers  to  the  violence  of  the  spasm  or  the  weakness  of 
the  reaction ;  and  though  in  each  paroxysm  of  inter- 
mittent the  spasm  may  be  conquered,  yet  its  cause,  the 
atony,  remains  to  be  combated  by  a  new  series  of 
symptoms.  It  is  evident  that  in  intermittents  the 
cause  remains,  for  they  leave  a  languor,  in  part  the 
effect  of  the  exertions  ;  but,  in  part  also,  of  the  remain- 
ing debility.  While  we  have  modified,  in  some  mea- 
sure, the  doctrine  of  Dr.  Cullen,  yet  this  explanation, 
with  a  change  of  the  language,  may  appear  probable  ; 
and  it  is  supported  by  a  fact  already  stated,  that  the 
concluding  paroxysm  is  the  most  violent.  We  know 
not,  however,  the  duration  of  an  intermittent  in  conse- 
quence of  the  debility  remaining  unsubdued ;  for  we 
shall  find,  that  it  is  often  continued  from  habit,  and 
that  raising  any  violent  emotion,  fixing  the  attention, 
or  exciting  a  different  train  of  motions,  in  any  way, 
will  prevent  its  recurrence  ;  and,  when  once  prevented, 
the  fit  seldom  returns.  It  may  be  then  questioned, 
whether,  even  in  the  early  stages,  it  may  not  be  the 
creature  of  habit.  When  an  intermittent  first  attacks, 
its  paroxysms  are  seldom  regular.  When  they  become 
so,  they  soon  establish  a  habit  which  we  know  is  with 
difficulty  removed ;  but  this  habit  seldom  takes  place 
but  in  weak,  mobile  constitutions. 

In  the  cure  of  intermittents,  our  first  object  is  to 
prevent  the  recurrence  of  the  fit ;  our  second  to 
conduct  the  paroxysm,  so  as  to  obtain  a  complete  solu- 
tion of  the  disease ;  the  third  to  increase  the  general 
tone  of  the  system,  in  the  intervals,  that  the  disease 
shall  not  again  return. 

Our  first  object,  for  it  is  not  strictly  an  indication,  is 
limited  to  those  remedies  whose  immediate  action  may 
prevent  the  attack.  These  are  means  of  increasing  the 
tone  of  the  system,  or  supporting  the  action  of  the  ex- 
treme vessels,  so  as  to  prevent  their  quiescence,  per- 
haps their  spasm.  The  tone  of  the  system  is  increased 
by  stimulants  and  tonics.  With  this  view  aromatics. 


1  X  T 


I  N  T 


-  .-.rids,  and  ardent  spirits,  in  almost  every 

nable  variety  of  form,  are  administered  when  the 

iit  is  expected.     Very  large  doses  of  bark  are  also  g 

so    as   to  accumulate  from   one  ounce  to  two  in  the 

stomach,  at  the  time  of  the  usual  return.     The  former 

se   plans  is  highly  injurious  when  a  phlogistic 

'•revails  in  the  system ;  for  it  converts  the  in- 

en   into  a  continued  fever,  with  topical 

-mation.     The  latter  is  equally  injurious,  when 

the  stomach   and    bowels    have    not    been    previously 

'cleared;   and  occasions   those   infarctions  styled  ague 

ca/cea,  which  have  been  so  often  attributed  to  the  bark. 

In  different  circumstances  each  has  succeeded. 

The  action  of  the  extreme  vessels  is  supported  by 
emetics  and  sudorifics.    An  emetic  is  given  previous  to 
the  return,  while  the  perspiration  is  supported  by  warm 
-,,  the  volatile  alkali,  or  the  sudorific  powder  of 
Dover.    Opium,  with  warm  leas,  will-equally  succeed; 
but,  in  general,  for  the  reasons  formerly  assigned,  great 
external  heat  should  be  avoided.  Opium  is  not  the  only 
medicine  which  acts  peculiarly  on  the  vessels  of  the 
skin,  though  it  is  the  most  powerful.     Guaiacum  has  a 
similar   ett'ect;    and    the    ammoniated    tincture,  when 
joined  with  opium,  is  often   a  valuable  remedy  used 
with  these  views.    Musk,  empyreumatic  oil,  and  ether, 
are  said  lo  have  had  a  similar  effect,  without  producing 
sweating ;  but  in  such  cases,  they  probably,  if  success- 
ful, which  has  been  doubted,  act  as  simple  stimuli.  To 
the    same    source   may  be    attributed    the    effects    of 
bracelets  of  mustard  seed  and  garlic  to  the  wrists  and 
ancles ;    bruised   spiders   and  tobacco,  applied  to  the 
wrists ;  yarrow,  Sec.  to  the  feet.     These  excite  so  great 
a  degree  of  inflammation  as  to  increase  the  heat  as  well 
as  the  circulation,  and   have   often   undoubtedly  suc- 
ceeded.    We  must  add,  that  whenever  we  attempt  to 
prevent  the  paroxysm  of  an  intennittent  by  sweating, 
this  mode  of  relief  must  be  continued  till  the  period  of 
the  paroxysm  is  at  an  end,  or  at  least  till  the  time  when 
the  sweating  stage  would  have  otherwise  commenced. 
Those  means  which  excite  terror,  surprise,  and  hor- 
ror, or,  as  we  have  said,  raise  a  train  of  new  emotions, 
will   prevent  the   return  of  paroxysms.     A   man   has 
been  pushed  into  the  "water ;  fire  has  been  cried ;  the 
-  most  distressing  tidings  invented  and  communicated. 
A  patient,  labouring  under  an  ague,  has  been  ordered 
to   swallow  half  a  pint  of-  his  own  urine;  to  hold  a 
toad  in  his  hand  till  it  dies ;  to  eat  common  spiders  in  a 
raisin,  or  cobwebs  in  crumb  of  bread.     All  these  re- 
medies fill  the  mind  with  such  dread  as  to  counteract 
the  impression  of  the  cause ;  but  in  general  they  are 
dangerous,  and  when  we  wish  to  prevent  the  fit,  we 
depend  rather  on  the  tonics,  the  stimulants,  and  the 
sudorifics.   These  are  often  highly  necessary  ;  for  when 
the  fever   attacks  with   apoplexy,   epilepsy,  or  other 
symptoms  which  threaten  the  life  ;  or  when  the  patient 
is  so  far  debilitated  that  another  fit  would  be  probably 
fatal;  we  must  take  the  most  decisive  steps  to  pre- 
vent it.    We  remember  to  have  seen  three  cases  of  this 
kind,  in  which  by  the  sudorific  plan,  detailed  above,  we 
succeeded. 

To  conduct  the  paroxysm  so  that  its  solution  shall 
finally  remove  the  disease,  is  often  beyond  our  power. 
An  emetic,  given  at  the  first  approach  of  coldness,  will 
often  lessen  both  it  and  the  next  stage ;  and  we  must 
repeat,  what  Dr.  Fordyce  tells  us,  that  he  has  remarked 
•vol..  i. 


the  superior  efficft'  -.onial  pi' 

the  ipecacuanl;  en  the  hot  fit  comes  on  it  must 

be  mitigated  by  cold,  and  by  the  cooling  diaphoretics. 
Opium,  at  this  period,  is  '  Dr.  Lind  to  lessen 

the  heat,  and  hasten  the  :>d  wh^n  the  last  stage 

has  fully  come  on,  the  exhibition  of  the  bark  is  said  to 
render  the  sweating  more  effectual.  Such  are  the  ob- 
servations of  authors,  which  we  can  neither  confute  nor 
confirm.  From  what  we  have,  however,  read  and  seen, 
we  suspect  that  these  measures  lessen  the  inconveniences 
of  the  paroxysm,  but  seldom  pu'  o  the  disease. 

In  the  intervals  our  chief  exertions  I  e  place; 

and  we  have  been  lately  accustomed  to  trust  almost  ex- 
clusively to  the  Peruvian  bark.  We  have  seen  (see 
CORTFX  PF.RUVIAVUS)  that  we  can  <1( •:  informa- 

tion from  the  sensible  qualities  of  this  medicine,  or  from 
its  analysis,  either  in,  the  milder  or  more  forcible  sepa- 
ration of  its  component  parts,  and  we  must  rest  con- 
tented with  the  fact,  that  the  bark  will  usually  cm  < 
termittcnts.  We  say  "  usually,"  for  was  it  so  certain 
a  remedy  as  the  language  of  authors  would  lead  us  to 
suppose,  they  would  not  fly  from  the  common  to  the  red 
and  yellow  kinds,  to  combinations  of  bitters  and  aroma- 
tics,  to  copper  and  to  arsenic.  As  it  is,  however,  the 
common  remedy,  we  must  direct  its  exhibition. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  bark,  given  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  fit,  and  in  the  sweating  stage.  We 
now  speak  of  it  as  a  remedy  in  the  intervals.  In  ge- 
neral, then,  it  must  not  be  given  while  there  are  any 
considerable  infarctions  of  the  viscera.  We  have  al- 
ready shown  (see  FEBRIS),  that  fever  almost  consists 
in,  or  is  constantly  attended  with,  a  disturbed  balance 
of  the  circulation,  and  that  the  biliary  system  and  the 
brain,  from  their  structure  and  constitution,  receive  a 
large  proportion  of  blood,  which  is  confined  to  the  larger 
vessels.  Fever  cannot,  therefore,  continue  long  with- 
out infarctions  of  the  liver  at  least,  if  not  excessive  ful- 
ness of  the  cerebral  system  ;  and  in  this  state  the  bark  is 
certainly  injurious.  Physicians  may  colourthis  objection 
in  a  variety  of  ways,  but  they  cannot  elude  it.  Inter- 
mittents  then,  which  continue  usually  some  time  with- 
out decisively  showing  their  true  nature,  must  be  attend- 
ed with  at  least  fulness  in  each  viscus,  and  this  should 
be  previously  removed.  We  have  already  shown  that 
emetics  and  cathartics  are  the  chief  remedies  for  this 
purpose ;  and  hinted,  that  it  was  not  without  reason 
that  physicians  formerly  condemned  the  cortex  as  the 
cause  of  these  swellings;  but,  in  reality,  they  should 
have  blamed  its  injudicious  use.  These  opinions  are 
confirmed  by  another  caution,  universally  laid  down, 
that  the  bark  is  only  admissible  during  a  remission.  In 
fact,  at  the  time  of  the  fit  the  fulness  is  most  consider- 
able :  after  its  solution,  that  degree  of  fulness  only  re- 
mains which  is  owing  to  the  dilatation  of  the  vessels. 
Dr.  Fordyce  is  so  confident  of  its  injury  during  the 
paroxysm,  that  he  directs  it  to  be  omitted  during  the 
time  that  the  paroxysm  would  have  come  on.  In  other 
words,  if  the  fit  is  expected  on  a  given  clay,  which 
usually  lasted  from  ten  to  four,  or  six,  and  if  the  bark, 
taken  previously,  has  prevented  the  accession,  the  re- 
medy must  still  be  omitted  during  this  period,  though 
no  accession  really  takes  place.  We  find  also  that,  in 
remittents,  unless  the  remission  is  considerable,  the 
bark  is  not  always  admissible ;  in  continued  fevers  it  is 
very  rarely  so. 

5  N 


[  N  T 


826 


I  N  T 


Though  the  bark  be  confined  to  the  interval,  it  is  not 
necessary  that  it  should  be  exhibited  with  equal  free- 
dom in  every  period  of  that  interval.  In  a  quartan,  for 
instance,  though  given  in  the  first  day  of  intermission, 
its  doses  need  not,  during  that  day,  be  considerable,  or 
often  repeated.  On  the  next,  the  medicine  should  be 
given  in  as  large  doses  as  the  stomach  will  bear.  In  a 
tertian,  the  dose  of  the  remedy  should  be  greatly  in- 
creased during  the  last  six  hours  of  the  interval.  What 
the  dose  should  be  must  be  determined  by  the  judg- 
ment of  the  practitioner,  and  the  constitution  of  his  pa- 
tient. Not  less  than  an  ounce  of  the  powder  will  ef- 
fectually stop  a  tertian;  and  a  much  larger  quantity 
must  be  taken  in  the  interval  of  a  quartan.  As  the  in- 
lerval  of  the  fits  of  a  quotidian  is  short,  we  must  be 
more  active;  but  the  disease  should  be  lessened  by 
emetics  and  cathartics  before  the  bark  is  employed. 

It  is  common  and  highly  proper  to  recommend  the 
removal  of  a  diathesis  phlogistica  previous  to  the  exhi- 
bition of  the  bark ;  but  it  is  equally  necessary  to  guard 
against' its  purging  or  its  constipating  effects.  The 
former  is  most  successfully  opposed  by  combining  a 
laxative,  as  rhubarb  with  the  bark,  and  the  latter  by 
opium ;  but  as  the  rhubarb  adds  to  the  bulk,  and  to  the 
nauseous  taste  of  a  medicine,  already  sufficiently  dis- 
agreeable, we  may  choose  the  period  of  the  accession 
for  the  action  of  any  quick  purgative,  as  the  castor  oil 
with  senna ;  the  senna  or  jalap  with  cream  of  tartar,  or 
the  jalap  with  calomel.  Should  opium  disagree,  the 
bark  may  be  taken  in  a.  strong  decoction  of  logwood. 
When  we  have  been  most  successful,  we  should  not  too 
soon  abandon  our  remedy,  as  intermittents,  except  when 
continued  from  habit,  are  very  liable  to  a  relapse. 

The  bark,  with  every  precaution,  will  not  sometimes 
remain  on  the  stomach,  though  joined  with  aromatics, 
with  opium,  or  followed  by  an  effervescing  draught.  In 
this  case,  we  have  been  directed  to  quilt  it  in  a  calico 
waistcoat,  to  be  worn  next  the  skin ;  to  bind  it  round 
the  wrists;  to  inject  it  in  a  clyster;  or  to  bathe  the 
patient  in  its  decoction.  Each  method  is  said  to  suc- 
ceed; but  what  will  not  appear  to  succeed  in  the  eye 
of  its  inventor  ?  If  the  bark  is  really  useful  in  these 
ways,  we  should  expect  that  it  will  not  be  employed  in 
any  other  ;  but  when  we  reflect  on  the  quantity  requir- 
ed to  cure  an  intermittent  in  the  stomach,  an  organ 
which  so  quickly  sympathises  with  the  extreme  vessels, 
the  brain,  and  the  sensorial  power,  we  can  scarcely  ex- 
pect lesser  quantities,  applied  less  advantageously,  to 
succeed.  The  advocates  of  this  practice  have  quoted 
Dr.  Alexander's  experiments  with  some  triumph,  to 
show  that  bark  applied  to  the  skin  is  absorbed;  but 
when  large  quantities  have  been  given  to  check  an  in- 
termittent, at  once,  and  vomiting  has  succeeded,  the 
whole  is  apparently  evacuated  though  the  fit  be  stopped. 
If  it  be  contended  that  the  bark  in  this  way  is  really 
applied  to  the  extreme  vessels  themselves,  the  advocates 
for  the  practice  must  show  how  it  passes  the  cuticle,  ex- 
cept by  the  absorbents;  and  prove,  what  may  be  still 
more  difficult,  how  in  this  way  it  can  obviate  the 
cause,  viz.  the  atony  of  the  sensorial  power. 

The  prejudices  against  the  bark,  on  its  first  introduc- 
tion, led  to  a  variety  of  substitutes  for  it  in  these  dis- 
eases; and  all  the  bitters  and  astringents  were  occa- 
sionally employed,  joined  sometimes  with  alkaline  and 
neutral  salts,  at  others  with  aromatics,  more  simple 


stimulants,  or  antispasmodics ;  the  abrotanum,  the  vari- 
ous species  of  wormwood,  the  carduus,  the  centaury, 
the  camomile  flowers,  the  columbo  root,  orange  and 
lemon  peel,  gentian,  quassia,  tansey,  rue,  St.  Ignatius' 
bean,  with  almost  every  medicine  which  contains  a 
bitter  juice.  It  is  a  doubt  whether  the  bitter  is  the 
same  in  all.  When  the  bitters  are  pure,  as  in  the  gen- 
tian and  camomile  flowers,  the  principle  is  apparently 
the  same ;  but  the  wormwood,  for  instance,  contains 
an  essential  oil  totally  different  from  its  bitter  juice; 
the  orange  peel  not  only  an  essential  oil,  but  an  astrinA 
gent  principle.  This  may  have  perhaps  occasioned  the 
preference  of  the  latter,  since  the  bark  also  contains  an 
astringent  portion  ;  and  whatever  aversion  physicians 
had  to  the  bark,  in  their  substitutes  they  came  as  near 
it  as  possible.  The  action  of  bitters  and  astringents  we 
have  already  noticed.  See  AMARA  and  ASTRINGENTIA. 

The  astringents  employed  have  been  the  alum,  the 
galls, the  tormentil,  and  the  oak  bark:  each,  it  is  said,  has 
been  successful ;  but  their  success  has  not  been  so  decided 
as  to  lead  to  their  general  employment  instead  of  bark. 

The  additions  to  the  bitters  and  astringents,  though 
chiefly  to  the  former,  have  been,  we  have  said,  alkalis, 
neutral  salts,  stimulants,  or  antispasmodics.  Boerhaave 
was  fond  of  the  bitters  with  alkalis  as  producing  a  sa- 
ponaceous medicine,  in  his  opinion  a  powerful  deob- 
struent;  though  he.  sometimes  preferred  the  neutrals. 
These  are  undoubtedly  of  great  utility  as  antifebrile 
medicines,  though  seldom  sufficiently  powerful  to  stop 
the  paroxysms  of  an  intermittent.  The  aromatics 
usually  added  are  nutmeg  and  ginger;  the  antispas- 
modics, the  animal  oil  of  Dippel,  or,  sometimes,  the  less 
elegant  form  of  candle  snuffings.  The  latter,  with  nut- 
meg, is  said  to  have  often  effected  a  cure.  Similar  ad- 
ditions sometimes  render  the  bark  more  effectual. 

The  other  substitutes  have  been  the  .metallic  tonics, 
copper,  arsenic,  and  iron.  We  know  not  that  copper 
has  been  employed  in  the  pure  intermittents,  though 
used  with  success  in  the  intermittentes  larvatae,  which 
we  shall  notice  in  the  following  article.  Arsenic  was 
employed  many  years  since  in  this  disease,  and  lately 
has  been  in  general  use,  from  the  success  of  Edwards's 
ague  tincture  (see  ARSENICUM).  It  is  undoubtedly 
a  very  active  and  powerful  medicine ;  nor  have  we 
found  any  disadvantages  from  its  use.  It  has  succeeded, 
when  the  bark  in  every  form,  and  with  every  addition, 
has  failed.  Fowler's  arsenical  solution  is  made  in  the 
following  manner:  take  arsenic  very  finely  powdered, 
and  fixed  alkaline  salt,  of  each  sixty-four  grains  (some 
ordered  half  the  quantity);  distilled  water,  half  a  pint; 
these  are  to  be  put  into  a  Florence  flask,  and  placed 
in  a  sand  heat:  the  water  is  then  to  boil  slowly  till  the 
arsenic  is  perfectly  dissolved:  when  the  solution  is 
cold,  half  an  ounce  of  compound  tincture  of  lavender  is 
to  be  added,  and  of  distilled  water,  another  half  pint, 
more  or  less,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  solution  shall 
yield  by  measure  a  pint,  or  rather  \veigh  fifteen  ounces 
and  a  half.  Patients  from  two  to  four  years  of  age  may 
take  from  two  to  four  drops;  from  five  to  seven  years, 
from  five  to  seven  drops;  from  eight  to  twelve  years, 
from  seven  to  ten  drops;  from  thirteen  to  eighteen  and 
upwards,  twelve  drops  at  a  dose,  in  any  proper  vehicle, 
two  or  three  times  a  day. 

Iron  is  sometimes  added  to  the  bark  and  bitters  to 
increase  their  virtue ;  but  it  has,  we  believe,  been 


I  XT 


827 


1  X  T 


seldom  trusted  alone.  All  these  medicines  seem 
to  act  by  increasing  the  general  tone  of  the  system, 
and  thus  counteracting  the  debility  in  which  the  dis- 
ease apparently  consists.  The  mineral  acids,  though 
powerful  tonics,  have  not  been  used,  we  believe,  in  this 
disease. 

The  general  management  of  patients,  who  labour 
under  intermittents  will  not  detain  us  long.  It  is  in 
the  first  place  necessary  to  remove  them  from  the  in- 
fected air;  but  the  activity  of  modern  husbandry  has 
lessened  the  number  of  marshes,  and  the  disease  is 
comparatively  rare.  In  parishes  where  the  number  of 
intermittents  was  not  annually  less  than  t\vo  hundred 
respectively,  the  disease  is  not  found,  or  only  in  a  few 
instances  in  its  disguised  state.  The  diet  should  be 
light,  easy,  and  digestible.  The  ancients  seldom  ad- 
mitted of  food  in  the  first  days  of  fever ;  and  in  the 
early  periods  of  intermittents,  when  the  disease  has 
seldom  any  regular  interval,  the  less  nourishment  that 
is  taken,  the  sooner  will  the  fever  assume  its  proper 
type.  In  general,  when  the  Sts  are  more  distinct,  ani- 
mal food  should  be  avoided  unless  there  is  sufficient 
time  to  complete  the  digestive  process  before  the  ex- 
pected return.  This  precaution  must  be  continued 
after  the  fits  have  disappeared. 

The  intermittentes  comitattf  and  fterniciose  of  Torti 
are  more  nearly  allied  to  the  remittents,  and  are  Indeed 
often  of  the  remittent  kind.  They  will  therefore  be 
considered  with  advantage  under  that  article.  See 
REMITTEXTES. 

See  Torti  TherapeuticeSpecialis,Sydenham's  Works; 
Cleghorn  on  the  Diseases  of  Minorca;  Hunter  on  the 
Diseases  of  the  Army ;  Senac  de  Recondita  Febrium 
Natura;  Fordyce  on  Fevers,  second  Dissertation. 

IXTERMITTENTES  LARVAT/E.  A  fever  of  a  truly  in- 
termittent nature  is  often  disguised  under  the  appear- 
ance of  a  very  different  complaint,  or  seems  to  the  in- 
experienced practitioner  a  fever  of  a  different  kind. 
In  the  first,  the  real  disease  may  generally  be  suspected 
from  the  appearance  of  regular  paroxysms,  or  more  cer- 
tainly by  perfect  intermissions,  since  these  more  often 
occur  in  such  disguised  intermittents  than  a  regular 
recurrence  of  the  disease.  Intermitting  fiains  of  every 
kind,  where  the  paroxysm  is  completely  terminated, 
are  o!  this  kind ;  and  the  most  common  and  most  trou- 
ble jme  instance  is  the  hzmierania.  The  distinction 
of  the  complaint  is  not  easy,  for  pains  in  the  head, 
from  whatever  cause,  are  not  constant :  even  the  DOLOR 
FACIEI  CRUCIANS,  q.  v.  the  tic  doloureux,  has  its  re- 
missions (see  CEPHALALGIA).  Haemicrania,  therefore, 
is  distinguished  from  its  situation,  occupying  often 
with  such  minute  precision  one  half  of  the  head,  that 
the  patient  can  place  the  point  of  a  pin  between  the 
part  pained  and  that  unaffected ;  frequently  from  its 
regular  attack,  at  least  a  regular  continuance ;  in  many 
instances  from  its  being  ushered  in  by  rigor,  followed 
by  feverish  heat ;  almost  always  from  soreness  in  the 
bones  of  the  cheek  of  the  side  affected  during  the  pa- 
roxysm only.  It  is  a  disease  of  the  most  distressing 
kind,  for  its  obstinacy  is  equalled  only  by  the  violent 
degree  of  the  pain. 

The  intermitting  nature  of  this  complaint  is  known 

rom  its  occurring  in  the  low,  damp,  marshy  situations, 

from  its   regular  recurrence,  and   from  the  remedies 

which  relieve  it.     But  among  these  we  cannot  reckon 


the  Peruvian  bark  alone  ;  for,  though  large  doses  have 
sometimes  appeared  to  cure,  they  arc  often  ineffectual, 
so  that  we  are  rather  inclined  to  attribute  the  relief, 
sometimes  experienced,  to  the  spontaneous  cessation  of 
the  disease.  The  remedy  which  most  frequently  suc- 
ceeds is  that  recommended  by  Dr.  Grant,  consisting  of 
an  ounce  of  valerian,  half  an  ounce  of  bark,  two  drachms 
of  the  Philonium  Londinense,  one  drachm  of  kali,  with 
a  scruple  of  rhubarb,  made  into  an  electuary  with  simple 
syrup.  He  remarks,  what  we  have  found  to  be  true,  that 
it  this  quantity  is  swallowed  between  two  paroxysms,  the 
last  will  be  greatly  mitigated;  and  if  the  same  quantity- 
is  swallowed  between  the  two  next,  the  complaint  will 
be  so  far  cured  as  to  be  scarcely  troublesome.  The 
effects  of  this  plan,  however,  are  rendered  more  certain 
by  gi\  ing  an  emetic  before  the  expected  attack,  with  a 
blister  behind  the  ear  of  the  side  affected  ;  and  as  it  is 
necessary  to  keep  the  bowels  free,  which  the  propor- 
tion of  rhubarb  is  unequal  to,  the  period  of  the  acces- 
sion may  be  employed  for  this  purpose.  The  duration 
of  the  pain  is  amply  sufficient  for  the  operation  of  salts, 
of  the  oleum  ricini,  or-  jalap. 

The  quantity  to  be  taken,  according  to  this  plan, 
may  be  sometimes  inconvenient;  but  the  pain  is  so 
excruciating  that  we  have  scarcely  found  any  one  whose 
resolution  has  not  been  equal  to  the  alternative.  It 
sometimes,  however,  though  rarely,  has  happened,  that 
the  stomach  will  not  retain  it :  the  resolution  has  occa- 
sionally failed ;  and  even  the  medicine  has  not  succeed- 
ed, for  the  disease  in  our  practice  has  been  frequent. 
In  such  circumstances  the  copper  has  sometimes  re- 
lieved; and,  in  more  than  one  instance,  a  secret  me- 
dicine, which  is  pretty  certainly  a  solution  of  arsenic. 
If  the  period  of  the  fever  is  not  required  for  the  action 
of  a  laxative,  the  pain  may  be  mitigated  by  opium, 
with  which  camphor  or  musk  has  been  combined ;  but 
of  these  additions  we  cannot  speak  from  our  own  ex- 
perience. 

Other  periodical  pains  and  nervous  complaints,  as  the 
hooping  cough,  hiccough,  nausea,  colic,  and  palpita- 
tions, regularly  recurring,  are  very  frequently  removed 
by  the  same  means  (Senac).  It  has  been  usual  to  give 
the  bark  in  every  periodical  complaint ;  but  it  seldom 
succeeds,  except  in  doses  much  more  inconvenient  than 
those  of  Dr.  Grant's  medicine  ;  and,  when  it  seems  to 
relieve,  it  leaves  the  patient  more  subject  to  relapse. 

There  are,  however,  symptoms  periodically  recur- 
ring, not  always  of.  this  kind  ;  but  we  have  only  been 
able  to  trace  them  when  belonging  to  one  disease,  viz. 
lues  venerea.  We  have  seen  a  periodic  ophthalmia,  a 
haemicrania,  and  an  haemorrhage  from  the  nose,  re- 
curring at  regular  intervals  in  this  disease.  Each  has 
been  cured  by  a  mercurial  course.  It  may  be  said,  that 
mercury,  like  copper  and  arsenic,  will  remove  it;  and 
it  may  be  true,  but  each  laboured  under  syphilis.  The 
patients  are  at  this  moment  alive,  and  the  author,  by  a 
personal  application,  has  refreshed  his  memory  on  the 
different  subjects.  We  must  add,  however,  that  Senac, 
an  author  of  the  highest  credit,  mentions  intermitting 
haemorrhages,  ophthalmy,  ear  and  toothach,  cephal- 
algia,  pains  under  the  scapula,  nephritic  affections, 
pain  of  either  leg  or  arm,  and  of  the  stomach,  often, 
without  any  other  appearance  of  fever.  Those  inter- 
mittents also  which  we  have  mentioned  as  attacking 
with  syncope,  apoplexy,  asthma,  and  convulsions  mav 

5  > 


INT 


828 


I  N  T 


be  properly  styled  larval cs.  The  nature  of  these  cannot 
be  at  once  known ;  but  some  opinion  may  be  formed 
from  the  prevailing  epidemic,  from  the  damp  marshy 
situation  in  which  the  patient  lives,  from  the  bilious  vo- 
miting, the  latcritious  sediment  in  the  urine,  from  the 
recurrence;  but,  above  all,  as  we  have  said,  from  the 
very  perfect  intermission.  The  third  paroxysm  is  po- 
pularly supposed  to  be  fatal ;  indeed  it  often  is  so. 

The  varieties  of  intermittents  which  we  have  noticed, 
in  which  the  cold  obstinately  continues ;  where  the  hot 
fit" becomes  phrenitis,  or  where  the  subsequent  debility 
is  attended  with  marks  of  putrefaction,  and  the  worst 
symptoms  of  malignant  fevers,  have  been  reckoned 
among  the  disguised  intermittents  by  Morton  and 
Torli.  But'thesc  authors  were  preceded  in  this  opinion 
by  Salius  Diversus,  by  Valesius,  Mercatus,  Sec.  Indeed 
were  a  descriptive  (raisonne)  Medical  Biography,  a 
work  much  wanted,  ever  published,  numerous  reputed 
discoveries  might  be  carried  far  beyond  the  ages  of  the 
supposed  authors. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  manner  in  which  in- 
termittents pass  into  remittents,  and  into  continued 
fevers  of  the  worst  kind  ;  but  we  have  referred  the  con- 
sideration of  these  subjects  to  the  REMITTENTS,  q.  v. 
which  afford  examples  of  the  most  destructive  exacer- 
bating fevers.  See  Morton  de  Febribur,  Senac  de  Re- 
condita  Februm  Natura,  lib.  2. 

INTERNO'DIUM,  (from  inter,  between,  and  nodus, 
a  joint,')  that  part  of  the  stalks  of  plants  which  are  be- 
tween two  joints  or  knots ;  in  anatomy  the  knuckles, 
and  the  space  between  the  joints  of  each  finger. 

INTERNU'NCII  DI'ES,  (from  internuncio,  to  go 
betvicen  ;  as  standing  between  the  increase  and  decrease 
of  the  disease).  See  CRITICI  DIES. 

INTERO'SSEA  ARTE'RIA,  (from  inter,  between, 
and  osa,  bones).  The  CUBICAL  ARTERY,  in  its  course 
between  the  heads  of  the  radius  and  ulna  near  the 
interosseous  ligament,  gives  off  these  arteries,  the  in- 
ternal and  external. 

The  internal  runs  close  to  the  ligament,  till  it  reaches 
below  the  prunator  teres,  where  it  perforates  the  liga- 
ment, and  passes  to  the  convex  side  of  the  carpus,  and 
back  to  the  hand,  where  it  communicates  with  the  ex- 
ternal interosseus,  the  radical  and  the  cubical  arteries. 

The  external  pierces  the  ligament  about  three  fingers' 
breadth  below  the  articulation,  and  sends  off  a  branch 
towards  the  external  condile  of  the  os  humeri,  under 
the  ulnaris  externus  and  anconxus  minimus,  to  which, 
and  to  the  supinator  brevis,  it  is  distributed.  The  in- 
terosseous artery  then  runs  downwards  on  the  outside 
of  the  ligament,  giving  branches  to  the  ulnaris,  exter- 
nus, extensor  digitorum  communis,  the  extensores  pol- 
licis  indicis,  and  minimi  digiti.  Having  reached  the 
lower  extremity  of  the  ulna,  it  unites  with  a  branch  of 
the  internal  interosseous  artery,  which  at  this  place 
runs  from  within  outwards,  and  is  distributed  with  it 
on  the  convex  side  of  the  carpus  and  back  of  the  hand, 
communicating  with  the  radial  artery  and  with  abranch 
of  the  cubital.  By  these  communications  this  artery 
forms  an  irregular  arch,  from  whence  branches  are  sent 
to  the  external  interosseous  muscles,  and  to  the  exter- 
nal lateral  parts  of  the  fingers. 

INTERO'SSEA  LIGAME'NTA.  The  interosseous  liga- 
ments in  the  fore-arm  are  fixed  by  one  edge  along  the 
sharp  angle  of  each  ulna,  and  by  the  other  along  that  of 


the    radius.       They    principally   consist  of    two    \ 
strong  planes  of  fibres,  which  cross  each  other  at  oblique- 
angles,  and  leave  holes  at  different  distances   for  \\\-.- 
passages  of  blood  vessels.     The  ligament  ties  the 
bones   closely  together,  and   the  two  planes  serve  for 
the  insertion  of  several  muscles.     In  the  supination  of 
the  hand  it  is  very  tight,  but  in  thepronation  it  is  folded 
a  little  lengthways. 

INTERO'SSEI  MU'SCULI,  are  found  both  in  the 
hands  and  feet.  There  are  three  in  the  upper  part  oi 
the  hand,  and  as  many  on  the  inferior.  Their  name  dc 
scinbes  their  origin,  and  they  are  blended  with  the  linn 
bricales,  performing  the  same  office,  of  moving  the 
fingers  sideways.  The  first  of  the  interossei  intcrni  L- 
called  by  Albinus  posterior  indicis;  the  second  and  thirii 
are  the  firior  annularis,  and  interosseus  auricu'.aris. 
These  three  muscles  draw  the  fingers,  into  which  they 
are  inserted,  towards  the  thumb.  There  are  four  inte- 
rossei externi,  for  a  small  muscle,  which  supports  the 
fore  finger,  the  semi  interosseus  indicis  of  Winslow,  the 
prior  indicis  of  Albinis,  is  included.  This  muscle  then 
may  be  styled  the  first;  the  second  is  the  prior;  and 
the  third  the  posterior  medii.  The  fourth  is  the  posterior 
annularis.  It  is  useless  to  be  more  minute  in  these  un- 
important muscles.  They  may  be  cut  through  with 
little  danger,  and  will  unite  with  as  little  trouble. 

In  the  feet  several  small  muscles  fill  up  the  four  in- 
terstices between  the  metatarsal  bones,  after  the  same 
manner  as  in  the  hand.  Like  the  interossei  of  the  hand, 
there  are  three  internal  and  four  external.  Their  useis 
also  similar. 

INTERPELLA'TUS  MO'RBUS,(from  interfiello, 
to  interrupt).  A  disease  attended  with  irregular  or  un- 
certain paroxysms.  Paracelsus. 

INTERPOLA'TUS  DI'ES,  (from  inter/iolo,  to  re- 
new'). Days  interpolated  between  two  paroxysms. 
Paracelsus. 

INTERSCA'PULUM,  (from  inter,  between,  and 
scafiula,  the  shoulder  blade').  See  SCAPULA. 

INTERSE'PTUM,  (from  inter,  between,  and  sep- 
tum, an  inclosiire}.  See  UVULA  and  SEPTUM  NAK, 

INTERSPINA'LES  CO'LLI,  (from  inter,  between, 
and  sfiina,  the  spine).  Winslow  calls  these  muscles 
sfiinales  colli  minores.  Dr.  Hunter  calls  them  intras- 
funalis,  adding,  that  they  lie  between  the  spinal  processes 
of  the  neck  and  loins,  serving  to  erect  the  bpdy,  by 
bringing  the  spinal  processes  nearer  to  each  other.  The 
intersfiinales,  dorsi,  and  lumborum  are  tendinous,  and 
connect  the  spinal  with  the  transverse  processes. 

INTERTRANSVERSA'LES  MU'SCULI,  (from 
inter.,  between,  and  trans-uersales,  the  transverse  /Ira- 
cesses').  They  lie  between  the  transverse  processes  of 
the  cervical  and  lumbar  vertebra;,  serving  to  bend  the 
neck  and  body  to  one  side.  Winslow  calls  them  trans- 
•versales  minores.  To  the  first  of  these  muscles  the 
name  concutiens  has  been  given. 

INTERTRI'GO,  (from  inter,  between,  and  tero,  to 
rub).  Attrita,  attntio.  A  GALLING,  or  erosion  of  the 
cuticle,  or  of  the  skin.  Children  are  apt  to  have  exco- 
riations behind  their  ears,  in  the  neck,  and  thighs:  the 
last  often  arise  from  neglect.  The  excoriated  parts 
should  be  bathed  frequently  with  warm  water;  and 
powdered  chalk,  or  cerusse  sprinkled  on  them  through 
a  bit  of  fine  muslin  when  quite  dry.  Dr.  Cullen  con- 
siders it  as  a  variety  of  erythcmatous  inflammation- 


I  N  T 


829 


N  Y 


IXTERVERTEBRA'LESMU'SCULI,(fromz>ir«-, 

•t"77,  and  vertebra).  They  arise  from  the  body  of 
one  vertebra  laterally,  and  arc  inserted,  after  an  oblique 
progress,  into  the  back  part  of  the  other  vertebra,  imme- 
diately above  it.  They  draw  the  vertebrae  nearer  to  one 
another,  and  a  little  to  one  side. 

IXTESTI'XA    TE'RR.i.      See  LUMBRICUS    TEB- 

RESTHIS. 

IXTESTINA,  (from    int  in).     The  INTES- 

TINES, chord£,  and  fi amices.  From  the  pylorus  to  the 
anus  is  one  continued  canal,  divided  into  the  small  and 
great  intestines,  covered  by  the  mesentery  andmesoco- 
Jon ;  and.*  as  they  are  longer  than  these  membranes, 
they  are  contracted  in  folds  to  the  length  of  the  latter. 
The  whole  length  of  the  intestines  is  between  seven  and 
eight  times  the  length  of  the  body  ;  the  small  ones 
are  about  five  of  these  parts.  The  small  intestines 
called  dertron,  and  cholades,  because  they  contain 
bile,  are  named  DUODENUM,  JEJUNUM,  and  ILEUM, 
q.  v. :  the  large  intestines  are,  the  CCKCUM,  the  COLON, 
and  RECTUM,  q.  v. 

The  first  coat  of  the  intestines,  the  external,  is  from 
the  peritoneum,  called  cellitlosa  tunica  Rityschii;  tunica 
externa  vel  membranosa;  the  second  is  the  muscular 
coat  formed  of  two  planes  of  muscular  fibres,  the  one 
thin  and  longitudinal ;  the  other  thicker,  in  a  cylindri- 
cal direction :  the  third  is  styled  the  nepvous,  but  con- 
sists of  cellular  substance;  the  fourth  the  villous,  fieri- 
stroma.  The  villi  are  of  different  shapes  and  lengths 
in  different  parts  of  the  intestines,  more  thick  in  the 
small,  more  long  and  thin  in  the  large  ones;  they 
are  thought  to  be  secreting  and  absorbing  organs,  as 
there  the  arteries  seem  to  tecminate,  and  the  veins  to 
begin. 

The  glanc-s  of  the  intestines,  enteradenes,  are  supposed 
to  be  lodged  in  the  nervous  coat,  next  the  villous,  and 
are  divided  into  glandule  solitaries  and  aggregate;  but 
their  existence  is  not  clearly  established. 

In  the  great  intestines  we  may  observe  little  holes, 
.iflated,  lead  to  cells  analogous  to  the  fol- 
licles of  Aialpighi;  and  by  analogy  we  may  suppose 
glands  to  exist  in  the  great  intestines  near  the  anus,  to 
separate  a  lubricating  mucus,  for  facilitating  the  pas- 
sage of  the  fxces. 

The  arteries  and  veins  run  together  on  the  intestines. 

In  the  intestines  the  first  digestion  is  completed;  from 
them  the  chyle  is  absorbed,  and  through  their  cavity  the 
fasces  ultimately  carried  off.  These  actions  are  performed 
by  thcirperistal  tic  or  vermicular  motion,which  apparently 
moving  their  contents  backward  or  forward,  in  effect 
propel  them  ;  as  tiie  waves  of  an  increasing  tide  some- 
times fall  short  of,  and  at  o'.hers  gain  on  those  which 
preceded  them,  but  on  the  whole  advance.  This  motion 
is  caused  by  the  successive  contraction  and  relaxation 
of  the  circular  fibres  of  the  muscular  coat ;  and  the  prin- 
cipal stimulus  to  this  motion  is  the  distention  of  the 
canal. 

The  action  of  the  lungs  on  the  diaphragm  and  of  the 
abdominal  muscles  assist  the  progressof  the  contents  of 
the  stomach  and  intestines.  Thus  the  clara  lectio,  read- 
ing aloud,  is  said  by  Celsus  to  assist  digestion. 

IXTESTINA'LIS,  (from  ir.testina,  intestines}.  Be- 
longing to  or  proceeding  from  the  bowels. 

IXIESTINA'LIS  ARTE'RIA.  See  DUODEJVALJS  AHTERIA, 
end  GASTEICA  DEXTRA  ARTERIA. 


INTESTI.VA'US  VE'NA.     See  DUODEN-ALIS  VENA. 

INTESTINO'RUM  SOLA'MEN.  Thcsemen* 
according  to  Hoffman  ;   and  the  oleum  anisi,  according 
to  Van  Helmont. 

INTKSTIXO'KUM  TU'.VICA  EXTE'RNA,  and  MEMERAXOSA 
Gee  IXTESTIXA. 

INTOXICA'TIO,  (from  nf'Kti,  jioison,  venom).  I' 
is  properly  the  same  as  infcctio^  but  generally  synony- 
mous with  inebriation.  See  IXKBIUAXTIA. 

IXTRAFOLIA'CEUS,  (from  intra,  and  folium  ,  a 
leaf)  .  Growing  within  the  side  of  the  leaf. 


See  IXTERSPIXALES. 

INTRATRANSVERSA'LIS. 


See    IXTERTRAXS 


VERSALES. 

TXTRICA'TUS,  MUSCULUS,  (from  its  intricate 
folds).  See  ABDUCTOR  AURIS. 

IXTRI'NSECI,  (from  intra,  and  secus,  towards). 
Painful  disorders  of  the  internal  parts. 

IXTRrTUM,(from:Kteror,fo  berubbed,)  cntrimma; 
a  culinary  term  for  minced  meats,  or  rather  such  as  arc 
prepared  by  pounding,  as  potted  beef,  Skc. 

INTROCE'SSIO,  (from  introcedo,  to  go  in).  See 
DEPRESSIO. 

IXTROSUSCE'PTIO,  (from  intra,  wi(/ii?i,and  sus- 
cifiio,  to  receive).  Slight  degrees  of  introsusceptio  seem 
to  occur  frequently,  and  are  soon  restored  ;  but  even 
when  in  a  considerable  degree,  the  functions  of  the  in- 
testines are  often  not  disturbed.  Unless  inflamed,  or 
adhesions  are  formed  between  the  external  part,  and 
that  "  received  within,"  no  disease  seemingly  follows. 
It  occurs  often  so  low  in  the  rectum,  that  it  may  be 
reached  by  the  finger,  or  the  received  intestine  may  be 
even  protruded.  Monro,  Edinburgh  Medical  Essays. 
See  ILIACA  PASSIO. 

I'NTSIA.  Mimota  intsia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1508.  A 
large  evergreen  tree  in  Malabar,  called  also  acacia  3Ia- 
labarica  globosa.  The  juice  of  the  leaves,  and  bark  is 
used  to  relieve  pains  in  the  bowels.  See  Rail  Historia. 

INTUMESCE'NTI^E,  (from  intumesco,  to  swell,) 
tumidosi.     Disorders   attended  with  a  swelling  of  the 
body,  or  a  considerable  part  of  it;  the  second  order  of 
the  cache  xie. 

INTUSSUSCE'PTIO,  the  same  as  INTROSUSCEPTIO, 
q.  v.  See  ILIACA  PASSIO. 

I'XTYBUS,  (from  in,  and  tuba,  a  hollow  instrument, 
from  the  hollowriess  of  its  stalk).  A  name  for  the  ci- 
choreum  latifolium  sive  endivia  iiulgaris. 

I'XULA.     See  ENULA. 

INU'NCTIO,  (from  innngo,  to  anoint).  INUXCTIOX. 
The  action  of  anointing,  or  the  materials  which  are 
employed. 

IX  VA'SIO,  (from  invado,  to  attack,)  accessio. 

IXVERECU'NDUM  OS,  (from  in,  not,  and  vere- 
cundus,  modest;  because  the  os  frontis  is  regarded  as  the 
seat  of  impudence).  See  FROXTIS,  os. 

IXVE'RSIO  U'TERI,  (from  inverto,  to  turn  in- 
wards). See  PROCIDENTIA  UTERI. 

INVI'DIA,  (from  tn,and  video,  to  lookujion,  animi;- 
intuendo  fortunam  alterius).  ENVY;  a  depressing  pas- 
sion arising  from  a  consciousness  of  the  superior  ad- 
vantages of  another.  It  induces  debility,  indigestion, 
and  hectic. 

IXVO'LUCRA,  (from  involvo,  to  fold  in;  from  com- 
ing next  after  the  child).  Secundines:hysteraymembranff. 


1PE 


830    . 


IPE 


They  form  an  universal  covering  for  the  foetus,  and  the 
water  in  which  it  floats  during  pregnancy.  They  con- 
sist of  the  membranes  called  CHORION,  and  AMNION  ; 
the  PLACENTA,  and  part  of  the  FUNUS  UMBILICALIS,  vide 
in  verbis. 

If  in  labour  the  membranes  dopnot  break  immediately 
upon  their  being  pushed  into  the  vagina,  they  should 
be  allowed  to  protrude  still  further  in  order  to  dilate 
the  os  externum. — If  they  suddenly  burst,  and  dis- 
'  charge  much  water,  and  the  pains  soon  slacken,  the  la- 
bour becomes  tedious.  While  the  head  of  the  child  is 
yet  covered  with  the  unbroken  membrane,  it  is  smooth, 
soft,  and  slippery  to  the  touch.  Sometimes  when  the 
head  presents  the  fontanel  feels  puffy,  and  deceives  us, 
as  it  is  mistaken  for  the  membranes;  but  this  should  be 
carefully  distinguished.  If  during  labour  the  waters 
push  the  membranes  down  in  an  oblong  form,  the  birth 
will  be  tedious;  A  short  broad,  or  round  form  is  the  best. 

INVOLU'CRUM,  (from  the  same,)  the  calyx  of  an 
umbelliferous  plant.  See  also  PERICARDIUM. 

TON,  (from  Ionia,  its  native  place).    See  VIOLA. 

lO'NIA.     See  CHAM^PITYS. 

lONTHLA'SPI,  iunaria.  ltiscly/ieolaionthlasfiiL.in. 
Sp.  PI.  910  ;  found  in  France,  Italy,  and  Spain,  said  to 
be  detersive,  aperitive,  &c.  but  not  at  present  used. 

lO'NTHOS,  (from  ion,the  violet).  _The  Grecian  ap- 
pellation of  those  hard  pimples  in  the  face  of  a  violet 
colour,  which  the  Latins  call  by  the  name  of  v aras,  and 
gutta  rosacea. 

lOSA'CCHARUM,  (from  ion,  the  violet,  and  sac- 
charum,  sugar).  SUGAR  of  VIOLETS. 

lOTACI'SMUS,  (from  <»?«,  the  Greek  letter  <)•  A 
defect  in  the  tongue  or  organs  of  speech,  which  renders 
a  person  incapable  of  pronouncing  his  letters;  or  where 
the  letter  /  is  frequently  and  rapidly  pronounced. 

lO'UI.  A  restorative  alimentary  liquid  prepared  in 
Japan.  It  is  made  from  the  gravy  of  half  roasted  beef, 
but  the  other  ingredients  kept  a  secret. 

IPECACUA'NHA,  (Indian).  Brasiliensis  radix, 
hcrba  fiaris  Brasiliana,  fiolycocos,  fioaio  do  matto,  caa- 
ajiir;  ci/io;  Indiana  radix, /iericlymenumflarvum,iPE,CA.- 
CUAN,  or  BRASILIAN  ROOT.  Many  of  these  names 
have  been  assigned,  from  the  opinion  of  naturalists, 
respecting  the  plant  which  produces  this  valuable  re- 
medy. It  hasbeen  supposed  to  be  the  root  of  a  viola, of  a 
periclymenum,  and  of  a  species  of  psycotria.  Indeed  the 
evidences  in  favour  of  the  latter  are  so  strong,  that  we 
have  much  reason  to  believe  that  its  roots  are  at  least 
emetic,  though  not  the  real  ipecacuanha.  In  fact,  if 
we  can  trust  Decandolle's  description  in  the  Bulletin 
des  Sciences,  the  white  ipecacuanha  is  derived  from  the 
viola,  and  this  medicine  is  afforded  by  three  species,  the 
v.  calceolaria  of  the  sfiecies  jilantarum,  a  native  of  Gui- 
ana and  the  American  islands  ;  the  -v.  fiarviflora  of  the 
sufifilementum  jilantarum  ;  and  the  v.  ifiecacuanha  of  the 
mantissa.  These  rpots  may  be  found  among  those  of 
the  true  ipecacuanha,  but  they  are  a  fraudulent  addition, 
as,  though  emetic,  they  do  not  possess  the  valuable  pro- 
perties of  the  true  or  grey  kind.  They  are  distinguished 
by  the  size  of  the  woody  part,  which,  in  the  true  kind, 
is  a  fibre  only ;  in  the  white  it  is  as  thick  as  the  bark. 
The  roots  of  different  species  of  aselepias,  dorstenia,and 
other  genera,  are  sold  as  ipecacuanha,  but  with  the  dis- 
tinction of  "/a/se." 

In  1780  Mutis  sent  to  the  younger  Linnaeus,  from 


South  America,  a  full  description  of  a  plant,  which  he 
was  assured  was  the  true  ipecacuanha ;  an  account  con- 
firmed by  a  medical  resident,  who  has  been  stigmatised 
with  the  name  of  anemfiiric.  This  naturalist  referred  it 
to  the  genus  fisycotria  with  the  trivial  name  of  emetica, 
doubting,  however,  whether  it  was  the  same  with  the 
ipecacuanha  of  Piso  and  Margraave,  though  the 
figures  of  these  authors  greatly  resembledit.  Dr.  Wood- 
ville,  in  1793,  published  an  engraving  of  a  specimen 
preserved  in  spirits,  sent  from  the  Brasils.  The  root 
was  entire,  and  ascertained  it  to  be  the  real  plant;  but 
the  flower  was  wanting,  so  that  the  truth  of  Mutis's 
narrative  and  the  credit  of  his  informant  could  neither 
be  established  nor  invalidated.  In  this  state  of  uncer- 
tainty, we  received  in  1802  the  description  of  the  true 
plant  from  Felix  Avellar  Brotero,  in  the  sixth  volume 
of  the  Linnaean  Transactions,  p.  137.  The  author  is 
professor  of  botany  in  Coimbra,  and  professes  to  have 
drawn  his  description  from  numerous  dried  specimens, 
corrected  by  the  observations  of  his  friend  Bernard 
Gomes,  a  diligent  medical  botanist,  who  has  often  ex- 
amined the  living  plants.  They  grow  in  Parnambuqui, 
Bahia,  &c.  and  other  provinces  of  Brazil,  flower  in 
November,  December,  and  January,  and  again  in  Feb- 
ruary and  March.  The  berries  ripen  in  May. 

It  is  scarcely  the  object  of  this  work  to  transcribe  the 
minute  description  of  Brotero,  which  would  be  unin- 
teresting to  the  medical  reader ;  and  we  shall  prefer 
making  a  few  remarks  on  the  minute  difference  be- 
tween the  callicocca  ipecacuanha,  the  title  he  gives  jt, 
and  the  fisycotia  emetica  of  the  younger  Linnaeus.  This 
genus  callicocce  belongs  to  the  rubiacece  of  Jussieu,  and 
the  species  are  all  perennial. 

The  description  of  Brotero  greatly  resembles  that  of 
Mutis.  In  the  latter,  the  bracteae  which  separate  the 
florets  are  said  to  be  so  small  as  to  be  scarcely  discerni- 
ble ;  but  Brotero  describes  the  bracteae,  involucri  and 
flosculorum  longitudine  ;  but  we  have  long  since  learnt 
that  plus  vel  minus  non  mutat  speciem.  The  stipulae, 
according  to  Mutis,  are  awl  shaped,  and  horizontal ;  in 
Brotero  appressae  sessiles  sublineares  partito  fimbriatae, 
lacinulis  subulatis.  In  Mutis  the  flowers  are  said  to  be 
axillary  ;  in  Brotero  terminal.  In  Brotero's  figure,  how- 
ever, there  is  but  a  single  flower  which,  though  placed 
terminally,  is  apparently  axillary.  The  stipulae  in  Sir  Jo- 
seph Banks'  plant  seem  to  resemble  those  described  by 
Mutis. 

There  appears,  if  these  circumstances  only  are  consi- 
dered, little  doubt  but  that  theplant  of  the  younger  Lin- 
naeus is  a  variety  of  that  described  by  Brotero ;  but  in  Mu- 
tis'plant  there  is  no  involucrum:  in  that  of  Brotero  a 
large  and  strongly  marked  one,  so  that  in  reality , they  must 
be  two  distinct  species,  though  they  certainly  belong  to 
the  same  genus.  The  involucrum  is,  indeed  a  part  of 
the  essential  character  in  Schreber,  and  in  the  cephaelis 
of  Wildenow  (the  same  genus);  yet  many  of  the  species 
have  naked  heads.  It  has,  in  conformity  with 
the  same  views,  been  proposed  to  ad'l  as  a  species 
of  callicocca  the  e.  mutisii  (psycotria  emetica  Lin.  Filii 
Supplementum  Plant,  p.  144).  Head  naked  peduncled  ; 
few  flowered;  leaves  lanceolate, smooth;  stipules  entire, 
awl  shaped;  corolla  five,  cleft;  chaffy  bractes,  very  small. 

Itisbrought  from  the  Spanish  Westlndies.  Foursorts 
are  mentioned,  viz.  the  grey,  brown,  white,  and  yellow. 
The  grey  is  generally  esteemed  the  most  valuable,  but 


1  PE 


831 


IPK 


Neumann  assures  that  the  brown  is  equally  good.  The 
white  sort  is  much  weaker  than  the  other,  and  the  yel- 
low does  not  act  in  the  least  as  an  emetic,  being  merely 
purgative.  The  Peruvian  sort  is  called  bexuguillo. 

The  roots  of  the  grey  sort  are  about  the  thickness 
of  a  small  quill,  very  unequal  and  knotty  ;  variously 
bent  and  contorted,  full  of  wrinkles  and  deep  circular 
fissures,  which  reach  down  to  a  small  whitish  woody 
fibre  that  runs  in  the  middle  of  each  piece :  the 
cortical  part  is  compact,  brittle,  looks  smooth,  and  re- 
sinous on  breaking.  They  have  little  or  no  smell,  the 
taste  is  bitterish  and  subacrid,  covering  the  tongue  as  it 
were  with  a  kind  of  mucilage.  The  roots  of  the  brown 
kind  are  small,  somewhat  more  wrinkled,  of  a  dark  co- 
lour without,  and  white  w  ithin.  The  white  is  woody, 
has  no  wrinkles,  and,  to  the  taste,  no  perceptible  bitter- 
ness. The  ash  coloured  or  grey  ipecacuanha  is  general- 
ly preferred :  the  brown  has  been  observed  even  in  a 
snv;ll  dose  to  produce  violent  effects;  but  die  white 
has  scarce  any  effect,  whatever  the  dose  may  be.  The 
root  contains  a  gummy  and  resinous  matter,  though 
the  gum  is  in  the  greatest  proportion,  and  the  most  ac- 
tive part :  the  bark  is  more  powerful  than  the  wood ; 
and  the  whole  root  manifests  an  antiseptic  and  astrin- 
gent power.  The  emetic  quality  is  said  by  Dr.  Irvine  to 
be  counteracted  by  the  acetous  acid  ;  for  thirty  grains, 
.taken  in  two  ounces  of  vinegar,  produced  only  some 
loose  stools.  For  this  reason  it  has  probably  become 
fashionable  to  add  the  ammonia,  which  is  supposed  to 
increase  the  emetic  power  of  the  ipecacuanha. 

This  medicine  is  the  most  certain,  the  mildest,  and 
safest  emetic  with  which  we  are  acquainted;  for  it 
readily  passes  off  by  stool,  if  it  does  not  operate  by  vo- 
mit;  but  perhaps  less  certainly  by  urine  or  perspiration 
than  the  antimonials. 

The  larger  compact  roots  that  have  a  resinous  appear- 
ance are  preferred.  The  slender,  blackish,  brown  ones, 
full  of  fibres,  are  the  worst.  Mr.  Henry,  of  Paris,  has 
y  ascertained,  by  experiment,  the  fact  first  men- 
tioned by  Lassone,  that  the  ligneous  part  is  equally 
powerful  with  the  cortical. 

The  roots  of  the  caapia,  commonly  sold  under  the 
name  of  white  ipecacuanha,  are  yellowish,  or  of  a  yel- 
lowish white  colour.  The  apocynum  is  another  impo- 
sition which  we  have  mentioned ;  but  the  colour  of  its 
medullary  fibre  is  of  a  deep  reddish  yellow  colour, 
whereas  that  of  the  ipecacuanha  is  whitish,  or  of  a  pale 
gray. 

Helvetius  first  brought  this  root  into  repute  as  an 
anlidysenteric,  though  it  was  brought  to  Europe  about 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Since  his  time 
it  has  been  used  in  diarrhoea,  menorrhagia,  leucorrhoea, 
in  long  continued  obstructions,  and  in  spasmodic  asthma. 
In  violent  paroxysms  of  the  latter  it  has  procured  re- 
lief; and  where  habitual,  from  three  to  five  grains  may 
be  given  every  morning,  or  from  five  to  ten  every  other 
morning,  and  continued  for  four  or  six  weeks.  Small 
doses  of  one  to  two  grains  have  been  of  use  in  catarrhal, 
some  consumptive  cases,  and  various  states  of  fever.  It 
has  also  been  employed  in  the  cure  of  agues  as  an  eme- 
tic, given  at  the  time  of  accession,  or  at  the  close  of  the 
cold  fit.  Very  small  doses,  as  one  third  or  one  half  of 
a  grain,  have  been  recommended  every  four  hours,  in 
menorrhagia,  cough,  pleurisy,  and  haemoptoe  ;  and  in 


larger  doses,  to  counteract  the  effects  of  opium.  Of  all 
its  preparations,  the  powder  is  the  best ;  six  or  eight 
grains  of  which  w  ill  produce  two  or  three  discharges  by 
vomit;  and  in  diarrhoeas  and  dysenteries,  after  this 
operation,  it  excites  perspiration,  if  the  patient  is  kept 
warm.  It  chiefly  operates  as  an  emetic  in  proper 
doses  ;  in  smaller  doses,  as  a  nauseating  and  aperient 
medicine,  upon  which  its  antidysenteric  power  seems  to 
depend.  It  is  said  to  succeed  equally  well  in  small  as  in 
large  doses ;  but  the  quality  of  the  root  we  now  obtain  is 
not  the  same,  or  it  has  lost  this  power.  It  is  so  certain  an 
emetic,  that  we  cannot  venture  to  give  it  where  vomiting 
would  be  injurious.  Geoffrey  supposed  that  the  resinous 
part  only  was  emetic,  and  that  the  virtue  of  the  ipecacu- 
anha in  dysenteries  depended  on  its  gum,  which  acted  as 
a  demulcent ;  but  this  is  highly  improbable,  as  other 
emetics  or  similar  medicines  in  nauseating  doses  are 
perhaps  equally  effectual.  Dr.  Irvine  found  the  gum 
more  actively  emetic  than  the  resin,  and  the  bark  than 
the  wood,  though  the  latter  possessed  this  power  in  an 
inconsiderable  degree.  Water  distilled  from  it  was  not 
emetic,  but  the  remaining  decoction  violently  so,  though 
its  peculiar  properties  were  destroyed  by  long  boiling. 
See  Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

The  best  menstruum  for  extracting  the  whole  virtue 
of  the  root  is  one  part  pure  spirit,  and  two  or  three  of 
water  ;  of  wines  the  Canary  or  mountain  best  extracts 
its  virtue  ;  but  the  London  College  directs  the  follow- 
ing V'IJJUM  IPECACUA'NH.Z.  Take  of  the  roots  of  ipe- 
cacuanha in  powder,  two  ounces ;  of  Spanish  white 
wine,  two  pints ;  digest  ten  days,  and  strain.  Ph.  Lond. 
1788.  Its  dose,  as  an  emetic,  is  from  3  ij-  to  5  i-  ss. — 
as  a  diaphoretic,  from  twenty  to  forty  drops,  adding 
about  ten  drops  of  tinctura  opii. 

Dr.  Alston  thinks  that  the  virtue  of  this  root  resides 
not  in  its  oil,  gum,  or  resin,  but  in  its  peculiar  spirit. 
Later  chemists,  however,  particularly  Air.  Lassone  and 
Mr.  Henry,  of  Paris,  have  shown  that  ipecacuanha  con- 
tains a  free  acid  of  a  vegetable  nature  decomposed  by 
fire,  and  different  salts  with  a  calcareous  basis.  It  also 
contains  a  small  proportion  of  an  elastic  gum.  The 
most  active  part  is  the  resin,  though  the  extractive  is  by 
no  means  without  power,  in  about  a  double  dose.  If 
three  grains  of  powdered  ipecacuanha  are  added  to  fif- 
teen grains  of  jalap,  it  more  certainly  and  efficaciously 
purges ;  but  it  also  often  deceives  by  producing  vomit- 
ing. 

To  deceive  children  9  i.  or  3  ss.  of  powdered  ipeca- 
cuanha may  be  infused  in  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water, 
adding  a  little  milk  and  sugar.  A  tea  cup  full  may  be 
given  every  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  till  it  operates;  and 
it  will  then  need  nothing  to  work  it  off.  It  might  per- 
haps be  better  infused  with  weak  coffee,  or  to  this  a 
tea  spoonful  of  ipecacuanha  wine  may  be  added.  The 
college  also  orders  the  following  P'ULVIS  IPECACUA'XH^E 
COMPO'SITUS.  Dover's  fiowder.  Take  of  ipecacuanha, 
hard  purified  opium,  of  each,  rubbed  into  powder,  one 
drachm ;  of  vitriolated  kali  in  powder,  an  ounce. 
Pharm.  Lond.  1788.  The  dose  is  from  ten  to  thirty 
grains  ;  the  former  dose  containing  a  grain  of  opium. 
This  is  very  nearly  the  same  as  the  powder  of  Dr.  Do- 
ver, and  is  considered  as  one  of  the  most  certain  sudo- 
rifics  in  rheumatism,  gout,  and  other  diseases  where 
sweating  is  necessary. 


I  111 


332 


IK  I 


See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  London  Medical  Ob- 
servations and  Inquiries,  vol.  i.  ;  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works  ;  Woodville's  Medical  Botany. 

I'PHION.     See  Asi'iioDELus  LUTEUS. 

IQUETA'IA.     Sec  SCROPHULARIA  AQUATICA. 

I'KA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  chirah}.  ANGER 
quickens  the  pulse,  and  hurries  respiration,  and  for  a 
time  increases  the  tone  of  the  whole  system.  The  sto- 
mach and  bowels  are  greatly  affected  ;  and  a  stricture 
on  the  gf.il  ducts  is  sometimes  produced,  so  that  a  jaun- 
dice is  the  consequence  ;  though  more  frequently  the 
gall  is  determined  more  copiously  to  the  duodenum, 
producing  disagreeable  complaints  in  the  bowels.  An- 
ger also  produces  haemorrhages  from  the  nose,  the 
lungs,  the  vessels  of  the  brain  occasioning  apoplexy, 
and  the  haemorrhoidal  vessels,  particularly  in  those  who 
are  disposed  to  these  evacuations. 

During  the  fit  of  anger,  or  its  immediate  effects,  it 
is  said  that  vomits  and  purges  should  be  avoided,  though 
lew  take  them  in  a  passion  ;  nor  can  we  see  what  inju- 
fy  would  be  produced  if  they  were  given. 

Anger,  called  justly  "  a  short  madness,"  will  gradu- 
ally cool ;  and  should  any  bad  effects  be  left,  they  must 
be  treated  according  to  their  nature. 

IRACU'NDUS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  ira,  anger}. 
See  ABDUCTOR  OCULI. 

IRI'NGUS,  ERYNGO.     See  ERYJCGICM. 

I'RIS,  (from  «<?«,  to  show*).  A  RAINBOW.  The 
forepart  of  the  choroides  of  the  eye,  named  from  the 
variety  of  its  colours.  It  lies  floating  and  loose;  is 
convex  on  the  anterior,  and  concave  on  the  posterior 
part ;  the  perforation  in  its  middle  forms  the  pupil. 
The  iris,  by  contracting  or  dilating,  excludes  or  admits 
of  light  in  such  proportions  as  the  variety  of  circum- 
stances may  require.  Two  orders  of  muscular  fibres  are 
found  between  the  laminae  of  the  iris  ;  one  circular,  the 
other  radiated,  which  produce  these  actions.  See 
UVEA,  CHOROIDES,  and  CIRCULUS  ARTERIOSUS. 

The  operation  of  cutting  the  iris  is  required  when  a 
cataract  adheres  to  it ;  and  when,  from  the  contraction  of 
its  muscular  fibres,  the  pupil  is  closed  up,  a  disease  called 
synizesis,  or  caligo  fiufiilfte,  is  produced.  Mr.  Sharp,  in 
his  Operations,  chap.  xxbc.  directs  the  operator  to  pro- 
ceed as  follows  :  Place  -the  patient  as  for  couching ; 
open  and  fix  the  eye  with  the  speculum  oculi ;  then  in- 
troduce the  knife  in  the  same  part  of  the  conjunctiva 
that  is  wounded  in  couching  ;  insinuate  it  with  its  blade 
held  horizontally,  and  the  back  of  it  towards  you,  be- 
tween the  ligamentum  ciliare  and  circumference  of  the 
iris,  into  the  anterior  chamber  of  the  eye ;  and,  after  it 
is  advanced  to  the  further  side,  make  your  incision  quite 
through  the  membrane ;  and,  if  the  operation  succeeds, 
it  will,  upon  wounding,  fly  open,  and  appear  a  large 
orifice,  though  not  so  wide  as  it  becomes  afterwards. 
Mr.  Sfiarp  further  observes,  that  when  the  pupil  is  con- 
tracted from  a  paralytic  disorder,  this  operation  cannot 
be  encouraged. 

I'RIS.  A  species  of  rash,  included  by  Dr.  Willan  in 
his  third  order  of  exanthemata ;  but  we  have  not  yet 
received  his  description  and  explanation.  We  may 
find  an  opportunity  of  resuming  this  subject,  if  the 
number  appears  in  time.  See  CUTANEI  MORBI. 

THIS,  (from  the  resemblance  of  its  flower  to  the 
rainbow).  It  is  a  perennial  plant,  with  long,  narrow, 


sword  like  leaves  standing  edgewise  to  the  stalk,  and 
large  naked  flowers  divided  deeply  into  six  segments, 
of  which  alternately  one  is  erect,  and  another  arched 
downward,  with  three  smaller  productions  in  the  mid- 
dle, inclosing  the  stamina  and  pistil  :  the  roots  are  tu- 
berous, irregular,  and  full  of  joints.  (See  ERYSIMUM.) 
It  is  a  name  likewise  of  the  hedge  mustard,  herrnodac- 
tylus;  a  kind  of  ginger;  a  species  of  xyfihium,  and  of 
zfiastil,  consisting  of  alum,  saffron,  myrrh. 

I'RIS  FLORENTINA.  FLORENTINE  ORRIS  ;  iris  I/lyrica, 
and  WHITE  FLOWER-DE-LUCE,  iris  florentina  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  55.  It  is  supposed  to  be  only  a  variety  of  the  com- 
mon iris  ;  but  its  roots  are  brought  from  Italy,  as  supe- 
rior to  our  own.  They  are  in  oblong,  flattish  pieces,l'reed 
from  the  fibres,  and  brownish  externally,  but  with 
brownish  specks  internally,  and  easily  reduced  to  a  fa- 
rinaceous powder. 

The  root,  in  its  recent  state,  is  nauseous,  acrid,  and 
purgative,  but  loses  these  qualities  by  drying.  The  dry 
root  is  unctuous,  bitterish,  and  pungent ;  the  taste  not 
strong,  but  durable ;  with  a  light,  agreeable  smell, 
which  resembles  violets,  or  rather  raspberries;  and 
communicates  a  similar  flavour  to  spirits  and  to  wines.- 
As  a  medicine,  the  fresh  root  is  a  powerful  cathartic; 
and  its  juice  has  been  employed  in  the  dose  of  5  i-  in 
dropsies  :  when  dry  it  is  a  demulcent,  and  an  expecto- 
rant, attenuating1  viscid  phlegm,  and  promoting  its  dis- 
charge ;  but  Dr.  Cullen  considers  it  as  insignificant  in 
this  state.  When  cut  in  the  form  of  peas  it  is  used  for 
promoting  the  discharge  in  issues. 

In  distillation  it  yields  all  its  flavour  to  water;  its 
bitter  remaining  in  the  extract.  Rectified  spirit  brings 
over  a  part,  and  the  extract  is  bitter  and  pungent  in  the 
mouth.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's 
Chemical  Works. 

I'RIS  TUBERO'SA,  Vel  BULDOSA.  See  HERMODACTYLUS 
FOLIO  qUADRANGULO,  &C. 

I'RIS  FCE'TIDA,  s/iatula  fxtida,  xyris,  gladiolus  f&ti- 

dltS,     SPRUGE  WORT,     STINKING     GJ.ADDON,    Or    GLADWYX  J 

iris  fat 'tid 'is si ma  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  57;  a  wild  species  of  iris, 
distinguished  by  a  strong  smell,  found  in  hedges,  Sec. : 
its  root  is  thick,  and  spreading  in  the  earth,  with  many 
fibres,  from  which  spring  numerous  leaves,  longer, 
narrower,  and  sharper  pointed  than  the  common  iris. 
The  root  is  diuretic,  but  seldom  noticed. 

I'RIS  PALU'STRIS,  acorns  adulterinus  gladiolus  luteus, 
fiseudo  acorus,  fiseudo  iris,  bulomus,  butomon,  YELLOW 
WATER  FLAG  ;  iris  /iseudacortts  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  56.  It  is 
common  by  the  sides  of  rivulets  and  marshes ;  the 
roots  are  reddish ;  several  flowers,  of  a  yellow  colour, 
stand  on  a  stalk  ;  the  middle  ribs  of  the  leaves  are  pro- 
minent. 

The  roots  of  this  species,  when  fresh,  are  more  acrid, 
and  strongly  cathartic,  than  the  former.  Eighty  drops 
of  the  expressed  juice,  repeated  every  two  hours,  .have 
purged,  when  jalap,  gamboge,  and  mercurials  have 
failed.  The  root  is  without  smell,  but  has  an  acrid 
styptic  taste;  its  juice  in  the  nose  and  mouth  creates  a 
burning  heat,  acco  npanied  with  a  copious  discharge, 
and  is  consequently  considered  as  an  errhine  and  sialo- 
gogue  :  from  its  astringency,  it  has  been  used  in  diarr- 
hoea ;  for  making  ink,  and  dying  black.  To  serpigin- 
ous  eruptions,  and  scrofulous  tumours,  the  expressed 
juice  is  said  to  be  an  advantageous  application.  Bergius 


I  R  11 


333 


1  R  R 


•Jiiit,  v.-hcn  fresh,  it  I 

t'j-ied,  aa  astringent :  but  like  the  other  species,  it  is 
t'.o  variable  in  its  strength  to  be  re  neral 

use. 

I'RIS  LATIFO'LIA  TUBEJIO'SA.     Sec  ZIXGIEF.R. 

I'KIS  VVLGABIS  ;  iris  hortensi*  noa'.rss;  iris  Ger- 
manic,: Lin.  Sp.  PI.  55;  /;•/.<?  /:i;r/iurca,  the  COMMON 
prp.rLi;  IRIS.  Several  blue  or  purple  flowers  stand  on 
one  stalk. ;  their  arched  segments  bearded  with  a  yel- 
lowish ni-tter.  The  plant  is  a  native  of  the  mountain- 
ous parts  of  Germany,  common  in  our  gardens,  and 
flowers  in  June.  The  roots,  when  fresh,  smell  dis- 
agreeably, have  an  acrid  nauseous  taste,  and  are  a 
s'.rong  irritating  cathartic.  The  expressed  juice  has 
been  given  in  a  dropsy,  from  two  to  four  drachms  di- 
luted with  water.  By  gently  inspissating  the  juice  it  is 
less  active;  but,  if  inspissated  to  dryness,  it  loses  its 
purging  quality.  The  dried  root  resembles  in  smell 
and  taste  the  Florentine  species. 

IRRADIA'TIO,  (from  irradio,  to  thine  if/ton).     See 

ACTIXOBOLYSMUS. 

IRREGULA'RIS,  (from  in,  and  regtilaris,  regular"). 
A  disease  anomalous  in  its  paroxysms. 

IRRITABI'LITAS,  (from  irr'ito,  to  /invoke";.  IR- 
RITABILITY; the  vis  insita  of  Haller,  vis  -vita/is  of 
Gorter,  oscillation  of  Boerhaave,  tonic  flower  of  Stahl, 
and  the  inherent  fiotver  of  Cullen.  It  means  that  sus- 
ceptibility to  contraction  which  is  peculiar  to  muscular 
fibres.  We  chiefly  speak  of  it  when  morbidly  increas- 
ed, and  in  this  state  it  may  exist  without  or  with  inflam- 
mation. In  the  former  state  it  is  called  spasm;  in  the 
latter,  it  is  considered  as  a  symptom  only.  Parts 
scarcely  sensible  or  irritable  in  a  natural  state,  become 
highly  so  in  consequence  of  inflammation. 

Irritability,  according  to  Haller,  differs  greatly  from 
sensibility;  for  many  irritable  parts  are  not  sensible; 
and  organs  which  are  both  irritable  and  sensible  have 
by  no  means  these  qualities  in  the  same  or  any  propor- 
tional degree.  The  intestines,  he  remarks,  are  less  sen- 
sible than  the  stomach,  though  more  irritable;  and  the 
heart  is  an  organ  peculiarly  irritable,  though  by  no 
means  sensible.  In  the  language  of  this  physiologist, 
cellular  is  often  considered  as  synonymous  with  nervous, 
and,  both  in  the  French  and  German  authors,  the  cel- 
lular substance  is  spoken  of  as  an  important  organ,  of- 
ten as  an  irritable  one.  We  have  already  offered  our 
opinion,  that  it  is  merely  an  insensible  connecting  me- 
dium ;  nor  have  we  been  ever  able  to  ascertain  that  it 
has  any  other  office,  or  any  appropriate  function.  The 
cellular,  or  rather  the  membranous  parts,  he  considers 
as  irritable,  particularly  the  ligaments,  the  periosteum, 
the  dura  and  pia  mater,  and  the  other  membranes.  The 
tendons  possess,  he  thinks,  no  irritability ;  and,  though 
the  smaller  arteries  may  possess  this  quality,  he  did  not 
discover  it  in  the  aorta.  The  veins,  the  excretory  ducts, 
the  gall  bladder  and  its  ducts,  the  urethra,  and  ureters, 
he  found  only  irritable  in  an  inconsiderable  degree ; 
but  the  glands,  the  mucous  sinuses,  the  uterus,  the 
genitals,  the  oesophagus,  the  stomach,  the  intestines, 
the  muscles,  and  particularly  the  diaphragm,  are  highly 
irritable.  This  principle  he  supposes  to  be  owing  to 
the  mucous  matter  interspersed  among  the  muscular 
fibres,  and  to  be  wholly  independent  of  volition.  Other 
authors  have  attributed  irritability  to  a  particular  set 
of  nerves  not  under  the  influence  of  the  mind.  It  is 

VOL,    I. 


certain  that  it  may  be  destroyed  by  drying;  by  c 
lating  the  oily  fluids  of  our  system;  by  opium,  bella- 
donna, tobacco,  &c. 

The  high  reputation  of  Haller  has  induced  us  to  en- 
large on  his  opinions  much  farther  than  their  real  meri 
would  require.  His  experiments  were  made  on  ani- 
mals, often  cold  blooded  ones,  and  in  a  state  of  health. 
He  seems  never  to  have  looked  at  the  human  body  in  ;•. 
state  of  disease,  as  the  source  of  his  observations ;  but  ha(! 
he  done  so,  he  would  have  found  numerous  facts  in  th'' 
most  decided  contradiction  to  his  experiments.  N 
part,  not  the  eye  itself,  is  more  sensible  than,  for  in- 
stance, the  membranes  when  inflamed;  no  part  shows 
greater  irritability,  either  from  passions  or  the  stimulus 
of  a  gall  stone,  than  the  biliary  ducts.  The  idea,  tha'- 
irritability  is  owing  to  the  mucus  in  the  interstices  of  the 
muscular  fibres,  is  gratuitous  and  imaginary.  Irrita- 
bility is  a  property  of  life;  but  by  what  means  does  this 
mucus  acquire  life,  and  by  what  function,  excep' 
this  fancied  one,  does  it  show  any  vital  power?  The 
existence  of  different  sets  of  nerves  giving  irritability  is 
wholly  imaginary,  without  the  slightest  support  from 
anatomy. 

Irritability,  as  inseparable  from  life,  must  be  co:; 
nected  with  the  nervous  power;  but  the  nerves,  w. 
know,  are  not  irritable.  It  must  then  owe  its  existence 
to  the  nervous  influence,  or  the  muscular  fibre  mut'. 
differ  from  the  nervous  by  some  peculiar  organization 
on  which  this  property  depends.  There  is  little  doubt 
of  the  muscular  power  depending  on  organization ;  for 
the  muscle  differs  only  from  the  tendon  in  structure. 
The  fibres  pass  on,  and  may  be  traced  from  one  to  the 
other.  Organs,  at  first  in  a  great  degree  muscular,  be- 
come, by  age,  more  tendinous;  so  that,  in  the  latter, 
the  fibres  are  apparently  more  compacted,  in  fact,  oi' 
an  organization  essentially  different.  Is  then  the  mus- 
cle wholly  nervous,  or  an  organ  only  excited  to  action 
by  nerves?  Dr.  Cullen  thinks  it  wholly  nervous,  and 
calls  muscles  the  moving  extremities^in  opposition  to  the 
sentient  extremities  of  nerves;  and  the  weight  of  evi- 
dence is  strongly  in  favour  of  this  opinion.  We  have 
said  that  we  know  of  animal  matter  but  in  two  forms, 
fibrous  and  cellular  substance,  more  or  less  condensed. 
The  fibrous  seems  exclusively  nervous,  and  the  nerves 
are  closely  compacted  as  in  membranes,  or  more  loosely 
organized  in  muscles.  It  is  equally  difficult  to  under- 
stand the  construction  of  muscles,  whether  we  supposed 
them  nervous,  or  animal  matter  of  any  other  kind. 

Though  we  cannot  ascertain  the  structure  of  the  or- 
gans possessing  irritability,  we  may  shortly  mention  the 
laws  by  which  it  is  regulated ;  and  we  shall  find  them 
so  analogous  to  those  of  sensibility,  that  there  will  be 
little  difficulty  in  recognizing  the  source  to  be  similar. 
Irritability,  like  sensibility,  is  exhausted  by  exercise, 
and  recruited  by  sleep ;  but,  unlike  sensibility,  its  ex- 
ertions are  alternated  by  relaxation.  It  is  probable 
that  the  nerves  in  the  muscular  organs  are  in  a  higher 
state  of  excitement  than  in  the  sentient ;  for  muscular 
organs  are  constantly,  in  a  certain  degree,  exerted  in 
order  to  counteract  the  antagonizing  muscles,  but 
unless  the  action  is  occasionally  remitted,  it  is  spon- 
taneously relaxed.  This  constant  state  of  tension  is 
called  the  tonic  fiower,  and  is  in  proportion  to  the  ge- 
neral excitement.  It  presupposes  irritability,  in  con- 
sequence of  organization,  which  has  been  called  the 

5  O 


IRR 


834 


ISC 


inherent  jiower,  and  is  probably  the  same  with  the  ner- 
vous flower  of  physiologists:  it  must  be  so  if  muscles 
are  only  the  "  moving  extremities  of  nerves."  Irrita- 
bility, as  a  morbid  affection,  however,  implies  a  very 
different  state,  and  has  been  styled  mobility,  a  suscepti- 
bility of  action  from  slight  and  otherwise  insufficient 
stimuli;  and  this  susceptibility,  connected  generally 
with  debility,  is  more  readily  alternated  with  relaxation 
producing  convulsions. 

Irritability,  as  we  have  just  remarked,  is  exhausted 
by  exercise,  and  it  may  be  suddenly  destroyed,  so  as  to 
kill ;  for  a  flash  of  lightning  will  at  once  extinguish  it 
in  every  organ.  It  is,  however,  recruited  by  rest,  and, 
as  modern  physiologists,  with  some  reason,  have  sup- 
posed, accumulated  so  as  to  occasion  increased  action. 
Many  of  the  facts  adduced  may,  however,  be  resolved 
into  the  effects  of  custom;  for,  when  given  actions  are 
excited  by  a  weak  stimulus,  a  common  power  becomes, 
in  comparison,  inordinate.  Thus  the  iris,  accustomed 
to  contract  in  the  gloom  of  a  dungeon,  feels  the  com- 
mon daylight  as  painful  as  the  glare  of  a  noon  day  sun 
would  be  to  a  person  who  has  never  been  confined. 
This  leads  us  to  remark,  that  the  irritability  of  each 
organ  has  specific  stimulus,  by  which  only  it  is  ex- 
cited. Ipecacuanha  does  not  irritate  the  eye;  and  the 
acrid  urine  or  bile  excite  only  pleasing  and  healthy  sen- 
sations in  their  appropriate  organs;  but  in  the  brain 
produce  phrenitis,  or  in  the  stomach,  vomiting,  with 
faintness,  cold  sweats,  &c.  In  general,  muscles  which 
act  more  slowly  and  regularly,  preserve  their  irritability 
longer  than  those  which  act  with  violence ;  for  in  these 
the  irritability  is  apparently  supplied  as  fast  as  it  is  ex- 
pended. A  certain  degree  of  action,  we  have  remarked, 
must  be  kept  up  in  all  muscles,  to  preserve  their  irrita- 
bility, or  rather  the  tonic  power.  Beyond,  irritability 
is  exhausted;  below  the  due  point,  it  is  lost;  and  this 
point  differs  in  almost  all  the  different  organs.  Each  has 
its  appropriate  action,  which  it  can  bear  without  injury, 
or  even  with  advantage;  and  the  irritability  of  each  is 
exhausted  more  rapidly,  in  proportion  to  the  continued 
action  which  it  exerts.  The  voluntary  muscles  can 
bear  a  very  considerable  increase  of  action,  because  it 
is  temporary  :  the  involuntary  ones,  whose  action  must 
continue,  soon  lose  their  irritability  after  a  short  in- 
crease. See  NEHVI;  MUSCULI;  IRHITATIO,  and  CE- 
REBRUM. 

Haller  on  Sensibility  and  Irritability;  Whytt's  An- 
swer to  Haller;  the  Difficulties  in  the  Modern  System 
of  Physic,  with  Regard  to  the  Sensibility  and  Irrita- 
bility of  the  Parts  of  the  Human  Body,  by  De  Haen; 
Kirkland  on  the  Brain  and  Nerves;  on  the  Sympathy 
of  the  Nerves,  and  of  different  Kinds  of  Irritability ; 
Cullen's  Introduction  to  the  Materia  Medica. 

IRRITA'TIO,  (ab  irritare).  IRRITATION  is  a  term 
to  which  different  meanings  have  been  affixed,  and  this 
has  occasioned  some  confusion  among  pathologists. 
The  most  obvious  idea  of  irritation  is  the  action  of  a 
mechanical  or  a  chemical  acrid,  as  a  thorn  under  the  skin, 
or  the  effluvium  of  ammonia  in  the  nose.  Similar  irri- 
tation is  the  effect  of  poison  in  the  habit,  as  of  cantha- 
rides;  of  altered  secretion,  as  in  gonorrhoea  ;  of  unnatu- 
ral contents  in  the  stomach,  as  in  heartburn.  Irritation, 
however,  is  discovered  by  its  effects,  when  not  obvious 
to  the  sense,  as  in  cases  of  scirrhi,  worms,  ossifica- 
tions, or  extravasated  blood;  and,  independent  of  these, 


a  peculiar  state  of  the  excitement  of  the  nervous  power 
occasions  the  most  common  impressions  to  become  the 
source  of  pain  and  uneasiness.  This  state  of  excite- 
ment is  sometimes  owing  to  inflammation,  which  acts 
in  a  manner  we  shall  afterwards  explain  (see  NERVUS 
and  TONUS);  sometimes  to  latent  sources  of  irritation  in 
the  brain,  sometimes  perhaps  to  a  change  in  the  state  of 
the  nervous  power  itself.  We  can  no  otherwise  explain 
the  effects  of  an  east  wind  on  some  hypochondriacs,  or 
a  particular  state  of  electricity  of  the  air  on  persons 
peculiarly  susceptible  of  its  effects. 

We  have  already  had  occasion  to  remark,  that  priva- 
tions sometimes  occasion  what  are  called  symptoms  of 
irritation.  "Thus  hunger  produces  restlessness  and  anxie- 
ty ;  the  want  of  the  degree  of  tension,  either  from  exter- 
nal pressure  or  internal  fulness,  from  the  sudden  empty- 
ing of  any  cavity,  will  occasion  uneasiness,  which  has 
been  styled  a  symptom  of  irritation.  Internal  feelings 
of  this  kind  are  sometimes  opposed  to  pain ;  and  the  pe- 
culiar sinking  in  atonic  inflammations,  has  been  styled 
also  a  symptom  of  irritation,  not,  perhaps,  with  perfect 
propriety , but  with  sufficient  distinctness  when  explained. 

The  effects  of  irritation  are  generally  increased  ac- 
tion; and,  in  the  animal  system,  privations  are,  by  an 
unaccountable  solecism,  considered  as  positive  causes 
of  increased  action.  This  loose,  illogical  language 
arises  from  a  want  of  distinction  between  increased  and 
irregular  action;  for  in  spasms  produced  by  causes  de- 
structive of  life,  in  convulsions  closing  the  last  scene  of 
mortal  existence,  it  would  be  absurd  to  say  that  action, 
which  always  implies  energy,  is  increased.  We  have 
already  shown  that  in  all  these  instances  the  power  is 
diminished,  and  the  action,  in  consequence,  irregular. 
See  CONVULSIONS  and  INIRRITANTIA. 

IS,  (if,  a  fibre,)  its  plural  is  <vt«.  Hippocrates,  and 
other  writers,  have  used  this  term  for  both  a  fibre  and  a 
nerve. 

I'SAROS.     See  ARUM. 

I'SATIS,  (from  t<ra.^v,  to  make  even,  from  its  power 
in  reducing  tumours).  Saliva  latifolia;  tinctoria. 
WOAD.  See  GLASTUM. 

I'SATIS  I'NDICA.     See  INDICUM. 

ISATO'DES,  (from  isatis,  and  it^s,  likeness').  Of 
the  colour  of  woad. 

I'SCA,  (<"•#*).  A  fungous  excrescence  of  the  oak, 
or  of  the  hazel.  The  ancients,  used  it  as  the  moxa. 
See  MOXA. 

ISCHjE'MON,  (from  IF%U,  to  restrain,  and  «J,««, 
blood').  A  name  for  any  medicine  which  restrains  or 
stops  bleeding. 

ISCH^E'MON   SATI'VUM.      MANNA  GRASS.     See    GRA- 

MBN, 

I'SCHIAS  ,  (from  /«£<",  the  hifi).  A  name  of  a 
rheumatic  affection  of  the  hip  joint,  called  the  sciatica 
or  ischiadicus  morbus,  and  of  two  crural  veins,  one  of 
which  is  called  the  greater,  the  other  the  less.  See 
CRURAI.IS  VENA. 

ISCHIA'DICUSDO'LOUR, (from  the  same).  See 
ARTHRITIS. 

ISCIIIA'DICUS  MO'RBUS,  (from  the  same,)  also 
called  ischias, sciatica,  cox&  clolores.  Aretseus  ranks  this 
disorder  as  a  species  of  gout,  "  which  comes,"  he  ob 
serves,  "  on  the  hind  part  of  the  thigh,  the  ham,  or  the 
tibia;  at  other  times  attacking  the  acetabulum  of  the  os 
femoris,  and  then  the  buttock  and  loins,  seeming  to  be 


ISC 


835 


fc  C 


any  thing  rather  than  a  sciatica."  Dr.  Cullen  ranks  it  as 
a  synonym  with  rheumatismus. 

The  sciatica  is  sometimes  seated  in  the  tendinous  ex- 
pansion which  covers  the  muscles  of  the  thigh,  occa- 
sionally, it  is  supposed, in  the  coat  of  the  sciatic  nerve. 
In  the  last  case  the  pain  is  more  acute  and  violent,  attend- 
ed with  a  numbness  ;  a  symptom  easily  accounted  for. 
Its  most  common  seat,  however,  is  in  the  muscles,  or 
in  the  capsular  ligament ;  and  it  is  then  either  rheuma- 
tic or  gouty. 

The  two  former  species  cannot  be  distinguished  ;  nor 
do  they  admit  of  any  peculiar  treatment.  In  general, 
the  disease  must  be  treated  as  a  rheumatism  of  the 
chronic  kind,  to  which  we  refer.  (See  RHEUMATIS- 
MVS.)  There  are,  however,  some  modes  of  relief  sup- 
posed to  be  peculiarly  useful  in  sciatica,  which  we  must 
mention  in  this  place.  That  recommended  by  Fo- 
thergill,  consists  in  giving  a  grain  of  calomel  every  night, 
washed  down  with  a  draught  containing  twenty-five 
drops  of  tincture  of  opium,  and  thirty  of  antimonial 
wine.  If  not  relieved  after  ten  doses,  the  quantity  of 
calomel  is  to  be  increased  to  two  grains  every  alternate 
night.  Other  authors  have  recommended  the  ethereal 
spirit  of  turpentine,  which  is  a  very  efficacious  medi- 
cine, if  united  with  honey,  by  gently  melting  over  a 
slow  fire  ;  and  in  this  way  the  dose  may  be  increased  to 
thirty  or  forty  drops.  We  have  found  the  combination 
of  mercury  and  antimony,  in  the  form  of  Plum- 
mer's  pill,  with  the  Lisbon  diet  drink,  frequently  suc- 
ceed when  ever}-  other  medicine  has  failed;  but  these 
remedies  we  shall  again  mention  when  speaking  of 
rheumatism. 

The  itchias  ncrvcsa  of  Cotunnio  is  supposed  by  this 
author  to  be  owing  to  a  fluid  distending  the  sheaths  of 
the  nerves,  and  irritating  the  nervous  fibres.  The  pecu- 
liar treatment  suggested  by  this  opinion  is  the  applica- 
tion of  a  blister  immediately  under  the  knee  joint,  on 
the  inside  of  the  leg,  as  well  as  to  the  hip  ;  as  near  the 
knee  the  blister  affects  more  particularly  the  nerve  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  that  part.  There  is  little  doubt 
of  the  existence  of  a  sciatica  not  attended  with  any 
striking  inflammatory  symptoms  ;  but  of  the  peculiar 
cause  assigned  by  Cotunnio  we  can  find  little  support 
from  observation  or  dissection.  See  Culleni  Xosologia 
Methodica. 

'  Richter  speaks  of  some  cases  of  the  ischias  ner- 
vosa  being  successfully  treated  by  blisters  often  repeat- 
ed, and  sudorifics.  In  one  instance,  the  blisters  were  ap- 
plied on  different  parts  where  any  pains  were  felt  in 
succession :  the  sudorifics  were  first  crude  antimony,  the 
stipites  dulcamara  in  pills,  and  the  warm  bath  for  six 
days ;  on  the  seventh,  a  powder  composed  of  camphor, 
ipecacuanha,  and  opium,  was  given,  preceded  by  a  tepid 
bath  ;  the  bath  was  continued  till  the  foot  became  cede- 
matous,  and  then  left  off;  the  other  remedies  were  still 
pursued,  which,  in  about  six  weeks,  completed  the  cure. 
The  symptoms  were,  pains  in  his  arms,  shoulders,  and 
back,  which  settled  about  the  hip  joint,  continued  fixed, 
and  increasing  till  the  patient  could  not  walk  ;  the  whole 
limb  became  shorter;  the  pains  extended  from  the  hip 
joint  down  to  the  foot  ;  he  felt  as  if  ants  were  running 
about  in  the  foot ;  and  was  totally  unable  to  move  the 
limb  to  either  side,  which,  in  other  respects,  was  warm, 
and  properly  nourished.  A  lady  and  a  young  man  were 
cured  by  the  application  of  burning  cones  and  blisters  ; 


on  which  he  remarks,  that  from  this  method  iiothi. 
to  be  expected  unless  in  such  kinds  of  lameness  as  pro- 
ceed from  the  metastasis  of  any  stimulating  matter, 
where  the  lameness  is  accompanied  with  pains  in  the 
suffering  limb,  and  chiefly  the  hip  joint;  and  this  mor- 
bific matter  he  thinks  rheumatic  or  gouty;  though,  in 
some  cases,  he  had  reason  to  believe  it  was  scrofulous. 
See  his  Medical  and  Surgical  Observations,  p.  169. 

These  cases,however,by  no  means  support  Cotunnio's 
idea  of  the  cause.  They  are  instances  only  of  chronic 
rheumatism,  though  pains  in  the  hip  joint  are,  as  he  re- 
marks, sometimes  scrofulous,  and  occasionally,we  think, 
of  a  cancerous  nature. 

I'SCHIAS  EX  ABSCE'SSU,  (from  <«•*<..,  <AeAiy<). 
See  ARTHROPUOSIS. 

I'SCHIAS  SPARGAXO'SI.     See  LYMPH^DUCTUS. 

ISCHIATOCE'LE,  (from  is-£(*ro?,  the  genitive  of 
<«•£<««,  and  icrAi),  rupture).  Intestinal  rupture  through 
the  sacro-sciatic  ligaments. 

ISCHIOCE'LE.  A  rupture  between  the  os  sacrum 
and  the  tuberosity  of  the  os  ischium. 

I'SCHIO-COCCYG.£'US.     See  COCCYGES  ANTE- 


RIOR. 


I'SCHIONT.  The  ligament  which  retains  the  head 
of  the  thigh  bone  in  the  acetabulum  coxendicis. 

I'SCHIUM,  os,  (because  it  lies  near  i«-;e<?,  the  loin). 
Coxendix  coc/ione;  the  HIP  BONE.  The  extent  of  this 
bone  may  be  marked  by  a  horizontal  line  drawn 
through  near  the  middle  of  the  acetabulum  coxendicis  ; 
for  the  body  of  this  bone  forms  the  inferior  portion  of 
the  acetabulum.  The  great  tuberosity  on  which  we  sit, 
as  it  advances  forwards,  becomes  smaller,  and  gives 
origin  to  the  corpora  cavernosa,  and  the  erectores  penis 
or  clitoridis  ;  then  the  bone  mounts  upwards  with  a 
considerable  curve,  and  is  stretched  out  into  its  small 
leg.  It  forms  the  lower  part  of  the  pelvis.  The  tubero- 
sity is  large  and  irregular,  covered  apparently  with  a 
cartilage,  which  is  in  reality  the  tendinous  fibres  of  the 
muscles  inserted  into  it.  Between  the  spine  and  the  tu- 
berosity is  a  cavity  on  which  the  obturator  muscle  plays, 
as  on  a  pulley,  defended  by  cartilage.  The  ramus  of  this 
bone,  which  passes  forwards  and  upwards,  makes,  with 
the  ramus  of  the  os  pubis,  the  foramen  magnum  ischii. 

ISCHNOPHO'KIA,  (from  iv^tof,  slender,  and  9mr.t 
the  voice).  A  SHRILLNESS  OF  THE  VOICE;  but  more 
frequently  a  hesitation  of  speech,  or  a  STAMMERING  ; 
fisellismus  hesitant. 

ISCHN'O'TIS  (from  <«•;&««,  slender).     LEANNESS. 

ISCHURE'TICA,  (from  (e-^upi*,  a  su/ifiression  of 
urine).  Medicines  that  remove  a  suppression  of  urine. 

ISCHU'RIA,  (from  i<r%a,  to  retain,  and  fcp«,  urine). 

An     ISCHURY,    A     STOPPAGE    Or    SUPPRESSION      OF    URINE. 

La  Motte  distinguishes  between  a  retention  and  a  sup- 
pression of  urine.  In  the  former,  styled  strangury, 
the  patient  hath  frequent  calls  to  make  water;  but  void- 
ing it,  if  at  all,  in  very  small  quantities,  and  with  diffi- 
culty. In  a  suppression  there  is  seldom  any  inclination 
to  discharge  any  urine ;  but,  if  any,  the  discharge  is 
sudden,  and  almost  involuntary. 

In  the  true  ischuria  the  bladder  is  full ;  in  the  spu- 
rious it  is  empty,  for  nothing  descends  from  the  kid- 
neys. 

Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class  locales,  and 
order  efiischeses,  defining  it  an  absolute  suppression  of 
urine.  The  species  are, 

5  O   : 


ISC 


836 


ISC 


.  ISCHU'RIA  RENA'I.IS,  where,  some  disease  of  the 
kidneys  having  preceded,  pain  and  an  uneasy  sensation 
of  weight  are  felt  in  the  region  of  the  kidneys,  without 
any  swelling  of  the  hypogastric  region,  or  stimulus  to 
make  water. 

2.  ISCHU'RIA     UHETE'IUCA,    where,   to     the     same 
symptoms  is  added  a  sense  of  pain  and  uneasiness  in 
^omc  part  of  the  course  of  the  ureters. 

3.  ISCHU'HIA  VESICA'LIS,  when  there  is  a  tumour  in 
'he  hypogabtric  region,  pain  at  the  neck  of  the  bladder, 
and  a  frequent  inclination  to  discharge  urine. 

4.  ISCHU'RIA  UIIETIIHA'I.IS,  when  there  is  swelling  in 
ihe  hypogastric   region,  a  frequent  desire  to  discharge 

.  xirine,  and  a  sense  of  obstruction  in  some  part  of  the 
urethra. 

The  varieties  of  each  species  are  added,  and  these 
will  sufficiently  explain  the  causes. 

Varieties  of  the  ischuria  renalis  are,  ischuria  nejihri- 
tica,  from  inflammation  of  the  kidneys ;  iiefihrolitica, 
irom  a  stone  ;  tie/i/irofilethorica,  plethora;  lunatica,fie- 
riodica,  periodical ;  nephrosfiastica,  from  spasms  ;  ncfi/i- 
relmintica,\vorms ;  nefihrothromboid.es,  coagulated  blood ; 
7!f/;/j7'o/i!/zca,purulence  of  the  kidneys  ;  nejihrofihlegttta- 
tica,  mucus;  nefihrojilegica,  paralytic  affection;  suji- 
pleta,  from  some  other  evacuation  supplied. 

Varieties  of  the  ischuria  urcterica  are,  ischuria  ure- 
imrn,  from  inflammation  of  the  ureters;  ureterolithica, 
from  a  stone ;  ureterothromboides,  grumous  blood ;  ure- 
tero/ihlegmatica,  from  mucus  ;  uretero/iyica,  from  pus  ; 
ureterostomatica,thc  closing  of  the  inferior  orifice  of  the 
ureters. 

Varieties  of  the  ischuria  vesicalis  are,  ischuria  atreta- 
rum,  from  the  menstrua  retained  in  the  vagina,  in  con- 
sequence of  an  imperforated  hymen ;  cystica,  from  in- 
flammation of  the  bladder  ;  cystosjiastica,  a  spasm  of  its 
sphincter  j  cystolithica,  a  stone  ;  cystojilegica,  paralytic 
affection;  cysto/iyica,  purulencc;  cysiolhromboides,gru- 
vnous  blood  ;  cystofihlegmatica,  mucus  ;  cystofiroctica, 
from  the  rectum  swelling,  with  scybala,  calculus,  flatus, 
inflammation,  pus, or  haemorrhoids;  ecto/iocystica,from 
a  hernia  of  the  bladder ;  hystcrocystica,  iron  an  invert- 
ed or  rctrovcrted  uterus  ;  fiaradoxa  morgagni  efiistole; 
ftolyurica,  from  the  bladder  distended  with  urine  along 
time  retained. 

Varieties  of  the  ischuria  urethralisare,  ischuria  asfia- 
dialis,  from  closing  of  the  urethra;  carunculosa,£rom 
caruncles  of  the  urethra;  cry/itofiica,  aretraction  of  the 
penis  within  the  abdomen  ;  hydrocelodes,  from  a  rupture 
of  the  urethra  opening  into  the  scrotum  ;  fieridesmica,  a 
stricture  of  the  urethra  from  a  ligature ;  jierinaalis,  a 
tumour  of  the  pirinaeum  ;  Jihymosica,  a  phymosi ;  ure- 
ifirelmintica,  worms  ;  urethritica  inflammation  of  the 
urethra ;  urethrohijmenod.es,  a  membrane  impacted  in 
the  urethra  ;  urethrolithica,  a  calculus  impacted  in  the 
urethra;  urelhrojihlegmatica,  mucus  stuffing  up  the 
urethra;  urethromboides,  grumous  blood  ;  urethrofiyica, 
pus. 

To  these  idiopathic  ischurias  may  be  added  some 
symptomatic  ones,  particularly  those  from  general  stu- 
por, in  consequence  of  apoplexy  or  narcotic  poisons. 

When  the  suppressed  urine  is  lodged  in  the  bladder, 
a  pain  and  swelling  is  observed  about  the  pubes.  Re- 
laxation, as  a  cause,  is  distinguished  from  stricture,  by 
the  little  pain  attending  the  disorder,  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  catheter,  and  by  the  fulness  above  the  pubes. 


If  inflammation  in  the  kidneys  is  the  cause,  Some  pan 
and  heat  may  be  observed  in  that  region,  though  in  ge- 
neral the  kidneys  are  insensible.  If  a  stone  in  the  kid- 
neys occasions  the  complaint,  a  vomiting  is  an  attendant 
symptom  ;  it  in  the  bladder,  a  pain  is  felt  there,  recur- 
ring by  paroxysms  with  great  violence,  as  well  as  along 
the  urethra ;  mucus,  or  pus,  is  excreted  with  pale  urine ; 
tcnesmus  is  troublesome,  and  generally  the  stone  may 
be  felt  if  the  catheter  is  introduced.  If  from  inflamma- 
tion in  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  there  is  pain  in  the  peri- 
nxum,  the  slightest  discharge  of  urine  gives  an  intoler- 
able burning  sensation ;  and  if  a  finger  is  introduced  into 
the  anus,  and  turned  towards  the  bladder,  a  tumour 
will  be  sometimes  obvious. 

If  this  disorder  is  the  true  ischuria,  and  violent, 
tenesmus,  coldness  of  the  extremities,  vomiting,  and 
a  febrile  pulse,  constantly  attend ;  but  if  of  the  spurious 
kind,  there  is  no  tension,  but  rather  a  sense  of  empti- 
ness about  the  pubes.  If  it  continue  above  seven  days, 
or  if  from  a  wound  of  the  spine,  or  luxation  of  its  verte- 
brae, it  is  highly  dangerous.  If  the  smell  of  urine  pro- 
ceeds from  the  patient's  mouth  or  nostrils,  there  is  little 
hope.  A  hiccough  is  also  an  unfavourable  symptom ; 
but  when  no  inflammation  attends,  the  urine  may  be 
long  suppressed,  and  the  discharge  again  restored 
should  there  be  no  unconquerable  obstacle. 

The  cure  must  be  regulated  by  the  circumstances  and 
the  cause  of  the  complaint.     If  we  can  ascertain,  from 
the  preceding  symptoms,  that  there  is  no  water  in  either 
the  bladder  or  ureters,  and  that  the  ischuria  is  truly 
renal,  we  must  inquire  whether  it  be  owing  to  a  palsy  of 
the  vessels  or  to  a  stone  in  the  pelvis  of  the  kidney.  To 
determine  this  question,  it  is  requisite  to  know  whether 
any  gravelly  concretions  have  been  discharged, or  whe- 
ther vomiting  has  attended.     These  will  show  that  the 
disease  is  seated  in  the  gland  ;  and  though  each  case  oc- 
curs in  the  old   and  debilitated  constitutions,  we  think 
the   general  torpor,  the  constitutional  decay  conspicu- 
ous in  every  function,  will  point  out  when  it  arises  from 
palsy   of  the  secretory   vessels.     In  this  case  we  have 
little  room  for  hope,  since  this  palsy  is  only  one  symp- 
tom of  the  general  failure  of  the  constitution.     Our  best 
chance  of  success  in  that  case  arises  from  blisters  to  the 
loins,  the  warmest  general  stimulants,  with  the  most 
stimulating  diuretics,  as  the  ethereal  spirit  of  turpentine. 
A  temporary  relief  in  this  way  we  have  obtained  ;  and 
we  have  found  the  efficacy  of  this  last  medicine  on  the 
diseased  part  by  its  producing  a  discharge  of  blood,  when 
it  has  failed  in  bringingbackthe  secretion  of  urine.  When 
it  has  succeeded  most  effectually,  it  has  procured  the 
discharge  only  for  a  short  time,  and  it  has   then  failed 
entirely.  It  has  been  supposed  that  blisters  act  from  the 
absorption  of  the  car.tharides ;  but  we  have  never  found 
this  medicine  efficacious,  except  when  in  the  bladder. 
It  has  never  in  our  hands  proved  diuretic.     In  some 
instances,  the  secretion  of  urine  has  been  suppressed  in 
the  young  and  strong  without  inflammation,  or  any  ob- 
vious cause.     A   case  of  this  kind  is  recorded  by  an 
American  physician  ;  and  we  have  met  with  an  instance 
where   no   urine   was   apparently   discharged   for   six 
weeks  ;  nor  was  there  any  vicarious  evacuation,  excep*: 
a  profuse  sweat  for  a  day  or  two ;  or  the  slightest  sus- 
picion of  imposture,  as  the  patient  was  in  an  hospital, 
and  constantly  watched.     Medicine  seemed  to  give  no 
relief,  and  the  discharge  at  last  gradually  returned. 


ISC 


ISC 


:ieu  a  stone  in  the  pelvis  of  the  kidney  is  the  cause, 
v.  e  can  gain  nothing  by  the  stimulating  diuretics,  except 
impacting  the  obstruction  more  firmly.  Our  best 
chance,  though  a  slight  one,  is  by  anodynes  and  relax  - 
ants,  abstaining  as  much  as  possible  from  fluids. 

Obstruction  in  the  ureters  is  felt,  as  we  have  said,  from 
fulness  in  the  hypogastric  region,  without  any  tension  in 
the  bladder.  Internal  sensations  are,  however,  obscure  ; 
nor  can  we  see  how  this  fulness  can  be  distinguished 
from  flatus  or  an  accumulation  of  faeces.  A  stone 
passing  through  the  ureters  generally  occasions  some 
numbness  in  either  leg,  and  a  retraction  of  one  testicle 
in  men,  as  it  passes  over  the  nerves  which  come  down 
with  the  spermatic  vessels.  We  know  not  that  a  fluid 
will  produce  any  similar  effect;  but,  unless  by  this 
means,  it  is  not  easy  to  perceive  how  a  diatention  of  the 
ureters  can  be  ascertained.  Were  it  possible  to  decide,  it 
would  not,  we  feat,  greatly  assist  the  practice.  To  increase 
the  quantity  of  urine  would  be  to  add  to  the  disease.  If 
the  suppression  arises  from  a  stone  in  the  ureters,  the 
pain  will  discover  the  cause,  and  point  out  the  most  ef- 
fectual remedy,  viz.  opium  ;  but  should  there  be  no  pain, 
sedatives  will  more  probably  relieve  than  any  violently 
forcing  means.  It  is  seldom,  however,  that  a  total  sup- 
pression arises  from  obstructions  in  the  ureters,  since  it 
can  scarcely  tak.e  place  equally  in  both  ;  and  should  one 
only  be  obstructed,  the  kidney  on  that  side  would  soon 
'ose  its  power,  and  its  office  be  supplied  on  that  side 
'.vhere  the  passage  is  free. 

The  most  frequent  causes  of  ischuria  occur  in  the 
bladder.  Many  of  these  are  mechanical,  as  when  a  cal- 
;ulus,  impacted  in  the  neck,  obstructs  the  discharge; 
•,vhen  an  inverted  or  a  retroverted  uterus  drag  it  back- 
ward and  raise  the  orifice ;  when  the  head  of  a  child, 
in  its  passage,  rests  on  the  cervix  ;  when  hardened 
faeces,  or  haetnorrhoidal  tumours,  press  on  the  aperture. 
All  these  causes  are  readily  discovered;  and  the  treat- 
ment of  each  depending  on  them  will  be  considered  in 
other  places. 

Causes  more  immediately  connected  with  medical 
practice  are  inflammation  and  spasm.  The  effects  of 
inflammation  we  have  seen  to  be  suppression  of  urine, 
and  this  is  relieved  by  anodyne  clysters,  fomentations, 
warm  liniments,  and  even  blisters  to  the  perinaeum. 
(See  IXFLAMMA.TIO  VESICJE.)  Spasm  is  in  part  con- 
quered by  the  same  means ;  but  opium  may  be  more 
freely  employed  by  the  mouth  and  in  clysters.  Cam- 
phor in  clysters  promises  to  be  an  effectual  remedy  ;  but 
an  alarming  coma  has,  in  two  instances,  followed.  In 
this  case,  and  in  suppression  of  urine  from  many  other 
causes,  the  action  of  laxatives  will  excite  the  usually  cor- 
responding action  of  the  bladder ;  and  walking  on  a  cold 
wet  floor,  perhaps  dashing  water  against  the  legs  and 
thighs,  would  succeed  in  procuring  a  discharge  of  urine, 
as  it  has  done  the  discharge  of  faeces.  Atony  of  the  blad- 
der will  sometimes  occasion  ischuria ;  but  a  more  com- 
mon effect  is  incontinence  of  urine.  When  it  arises 
from  atony,  or  a  v.ant  of  the  contractile  power,  the 
catheter  must  be  frequently  employed  to  prevent  the 
distention  increasing  the  disease;  warm  stimulants  ap- 
plied to  the  perinaeum  and  pubes,  and  stools  procured 
by  stimulating  clysters.  In  this  case  cantharides  must 
be  avoided,  for  these  act  chiefly  on  the  neck  of  the 
bladder ;  and  the  stricture  of  the  sphincter  in  cases  of 
lichuria  from  this  cause  is  already  greater  than  the  power 


of  the  other  fibres  can  overcome.  Internally,  bark, 
aromatics,  should  be  given;  but  every  attempt,  either 
fails  or  procures  only  a  temporary  relief. 

Cantharides,  and  sometimes  acrid  urine,  by  increas- 
ing this  stricture  of  the  sphincter,  will  produce  the  ob- 
struction. In  this  case  dilution,  by  frequent  draughts 
of  a  warm  liquid,  warm  fomentations  to  the  pubes  and 
perinxum,  with  opiates,  will  generally  succeed. 

When  the  urine-  is  totally  retained  in  the  bla<: 
the  introduction  of  the  catheter  immediately,  whatever 
may  be  the  cause,  is  too  common;  but  whether  thi-> 
complaint  arises  from  inflammation  or  from  spasm. 
conduct  should  carefully  be  avoided.  Mr.  Pott  obsc 
that  the  best  method  of  relieving  this  complaint,  parti 
cularly  when  caused  by  spasm,  is  by  evacuation  ami' 
anodyne  relaxation.  The  loss  of  blood,  he  says,  is  ofie-. 
necessary ;  but  the  quantity,  the  strength  and  state  of 
the  patient  will  determine.  The  intestines  must  also  b'- 
emptied  by  some  gentle  cathartic ;  but  the  most  ef- 
fectual relief  will  be  from  the  warm  bath,  or  semicu- 
pium,  the  application  of  bladders  half  filled  with  hot 
water  to  the  pubes  and  perinaeum ;  and  above  all  other 
remedies,  the  injection  of  clysters,  consisting  of  the  de- 
coct, pro  enemate  and  tinct.  opii ;  or  if  after  a  due 
bleeding,  and,  if  necessary,  emptying  the  bowels,  a  free 
dose  of  opium  is  given,  and  the  patient  is  seated  in  a 
warm  bath  during  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour,  re- 
peating this  use  of  the  bath  more  or  less,  as  the  case- 
may  seem  to  require,  success  will  very  rarely  fail  to  at- 
tend ;  and  if,  by  these  means,  the  urine  begins  to  drop 
through  the  urethra,  although  but  a  drop  in  a  minute 
at  the  first,  by  persevering  steadily  and  closely,  the  blad- 
der will  be  effectually  emptied.  The  great  object,  he 
observes,  is  to  appease  irritation  and  pain  ;  and  although 
some  time  be  required  in  producing  the  effect,  it  will 
amply  reward  the  practitioner's  care  and  the  patient's 
fatigue. 

When  great  pain  attends  a  retention  or  suppression 
of  urine,  the  practitioner  should  first  observe  whether 
the  kidneys  have  done  their  office,  and  whether  in  re- 
ality there  is  urine  in  the  bladder;  for,  if  full,  it  will  be 
felt  above  the  os  pubis,  and  by  pressure  on  it  a  pain  will 
be  excited  in  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  or  at  the  end  of 
the  penis.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  bladder  will 
contain  a  large  quantity,  without  being  greatly  affected; 
at  other  times  a  very  small  .quantity  will  produce  great 
inconvenience;  and  inflammation,  with  symptoms  of 
irritation,  will  ensue.  Dr.  George  Fordyce  observes, 
that  much  of  the  difficulty  and  pain  from  retained  urine 
is  from  the  more  or  less  sudden  filling  of  the  bladder  or 
distending  it. 

A  bougie,  or  a  catheter,  is,  however,  often  necessary, 
and  the  larger  sizes  of  each  are  more  easily  introduced 
than  the  smaller.  It  is  singular  that  the  introduction 
of  either  should  be  sometimes  attended  with  not  only  a 
shivering,  but  all  the  consequences  of  an  intermitten" 
paroxysm,  viz.  heat  and  sweating.  Inparticularconstitu- 
tions,  this  is  constantly  repeated  whenever  the  operation 
is  attempted;  butpathologists  have  offered  no  explana- 
tion of  the  source  of  this  singular  appearance.  The 
rules  for  introducing  these  instruments  occur  in  the  ar- 
ticle CATHERISMUS,  q.  v. 

If  no  other  method  will  succeed,  a  puncture  may  be 
made  into  the  bladder,  as  directed  in  the  article  PFEI- 
JT.EUM.  Puncture  of  the. 


1ST 


838 


IXU 


Four  methods  have  been  proposed  by  different  writers 
for  drawing  off  the  urine;  1.  By  an  opening  into  the 
bladder  above  the  os  pubis.  This  plan,  however,  is 
confined  to  those  cases  in  which  the  bladder  is  greatly 
distended.  2.  By  making  a  puncture  through  the  peri- 
naeum  into  the  bladder.  3.  By  puncturing  the  bladder 
laterally,  as  in  the  lateral  operation  for  the  stone.  4.  By 
puncturing  the  posterior  part  of  the  bladder  through  the 
rectum. 

Mr.  Pott  prefers  the  first  method ;  but  this,  as  we 
have  said,  is  limited  to  particular  circumstances.  There 
is  little  ground  of  preference  in  either  of  the  others ;  but 
we  have  found  no  very  promising  prospect  of  success  from 
the  trials  hitherto  made.  Indeed,  the  operation  is  gene- 
rally deferred  till  the  patient's  strength  is  exhausted,  or 
until  the  parts  from  continued  distention  are  hastening 
rapidly  to  mortification. 

The  ischuria  urethralis  arises  from  substances  ob- 
structing the  canal ;  from  inflammation,  or  from  local 
complaints.  The  obstructions  must  be  removed  by 
bougies ;  and  caruncles,  or  the  more  obstinate  stric- 
tures, by  caustics.  Inflammation  of  the  urethra  is 
treated  in  the  usual  way  ;  and  ischuria,  from  a  retraction 
of  the  penis,  from  inflammation,  phymosis,  or  rupture, 
can  be  removed  only  by  removing  the  causes. 

See  an  instance  of  this  disorder  from  a  retroversion  of 
the  uterus,  in  the  London  Medical  Observations  and 
Inquiries,  vol.  iv.  p.  388,  Sec.  See  Pott's  Chirurgical 
Works ;  Lewis's  Translations  of  Hoffman's  Practice  of 
Medicine;  Bell's  Surgery, vol. ii.  p.  171 ;  White's  Sur- 
gery, p.  374 ;  Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society  of  Lon- 
don, p.  117. 

ISLINGTON  WATERS.     See  AQU*  MINERALES. 

ISORA-MU'RI.  Helicteres  isora  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1366. 
The  name  of  a  tree  in  Malabar.  The  juice  of  its  root 
has  been  used  in  disorders  of  the  breast. 

ISOTHE'ON.     See  DYONYSOS. 

ISO'TONI,  (from  <»•«{,  equal,  and  r«»«{,  extension'). 
See  ACMASTICOS. 

I'SPIDA.     See  ALCEDO. 

I'STHMION,  (from  ivi/Mt,  a  narrow  neck  of  land 
between  two  seas').  The  narrow  passage  between  the 
mouth  and  gullet ;  sometimes  the  fauces. 


ISTHMUS  VIEUSSENII.  The  ridge  which  sur- 
rounds the  remaining  trace  of  the  foramen  ovale  between 
the  right  and  left  aitricles  of  the  heart. 

ITE'A.     See  SALIX. 

ITINERA'RIUM,  (from  itinero,  to  travel}.  A  staff 
used  in  cutting  for  the  stone.  Hildanus. 

lU'LUS,  (plural  IULI,)  (from  tov^i^a,  to  shoot  out). 
See  AMENTACEI  FLORES. 

I'VA  ARTHRI'TICA,  (quasi  juva,  from  juvo,  to 
assist;  as  useful  in  expelling  the  gout).  See  CHAMJE- 
PITYS. 

IVABE'BA.  An  ancient  shrub,  the  root  of  which 
is  a  good  deobstruent.  See  Raii  Hist. 

I'VA  MOSCHA'TA.     See  CHAMJEPITYS. 

I'VA  PECA'NGA.     See  SARSAPARILLA. 

I'VRAY.     See  LOLIUM. 

IXIA,  (from  <|»«,  glue'].  Varix.  A  name  of  the 
carlina,  or  such  of  this  tribe  as  yield  a  viscous  juice. 
The  ixia,  or  ixias,  is  represented  as  poisonous ;  but  it  is 
not  clearly  known  to  what  plant  these  names  belong. 
These  species  of  ixia  of  modern  naturalists  are  chiefly  na- 
tives of  the  Cape,  and  cannot  be  the  plants  mentioned 
by  the  ancients.  The  carlina,  one  of  the  thistle  tribe, 
was  called  chameleon,  from  the  very  great  variety  of  its 
leaves  in  different  soils.  (Pliny  and  Dioscoridcs.)  Dios- 
corides  calls  the.  white  variety  <£(««,  because  a  kind  of 
glue  ('!««)  is  found  at  its  root.  Dios.  lib.  iii.  cap.  10 
and  1 1.  Pliny,  however,  asserts,  lib.  xxii.  cap.  18.  that 
two  plants  are  distinguished  by  this  name,  and  that  the 
<gos  is  found  in  the  axillae ;  while  Guillandinus  con- 
tends that  the  ixia  and  chamaeleon  of  Dioscorides,  who, 
by  the  way,  considers  the  former  as  poisonous,  were 
different  plants.  Pliny  informs  us  that  the  glue  was 
used  instead  of  mastich.  Linnaeus  includes  all  the  an- 
cient species  in  his  genera  of  cnz'cw*,or  attractylis.  The 
dispute,  however,  which  has  filled  many  pages,  is  tri- 
fling ;  and  the  outlines  which  we  have  here  given  will 
appear,  perhaps,  sufficiently  satisfactory. 

I'XIA,  I'XINE,  I'XION,  (from  the  same).     See  CARDUUS. 

PINEA. 

I'XUS,  (from  the  same).     Sec  APARINE. 


839 


J. 


JAL 

tl  ABOTAPI'TA.  A  tree  in  Brasil,  which  bears  yel- 
low flowers,  and  has  a  grateful  smell.  Octinajabotafiita 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  732.  The  fruit  resembles  our  myrtle  ber- 
ries ;  they  are  astringent,  and  yield,  by  expression,  an 
insipid  oil.  See  Raii  Historia. 

JABUTICA'BA.  A  fine  tall  tree  which  grows  in 
Brazil,  but  not  described  by  botanists.  Its  fruit  resem- 
bles an  apple,  and  is  gratefully  cooling. 

JA'CA  I'NDICA.  The  Indian jacquejaca,  or  JACK 
TREE.  Our  predecessors  have  considered  it  as  syno- 
nymous with  MARUM,  q.  v.  but  seeming4y  without  any 
authority.  The  jack  is  the  Indian  bread  fruit  tree,  a 
species  of  artocarpus. 

JACARA'NDA  A'LBA,  resembles  the  European 
palm  tree,  and  grows  plentifully  in  Brasil.  The  Bra- 
silians  make  a  pottage  of  it,  which  they  call  manifiey  ; 
and  it  is  supposed  to  be  a  stomachic.  See  Raii  Hist. 

JACARECATI'NGA.  See  CALAMUS  AROMATI- 
cus. 

JA'CE  BRASILIE'NSIBUS,  melolndicus,fiat/ieca, 
and  cHrullus.  Ray  considers  it  to  be  a  species  ofangii- 
ria  orcitrullus,  and  calls  it  water  melon;  this  fruit  is  as 
large  as  a  man's  head,  covered  with  a  green  rind,  and 
its  pulp  is  well  tasted.  See  CITRULLUS. 

JA'CEA.  Centaur ea  jacea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1293.  KNAP 
WEED  or  MATFELLON.  The  margins  of  the  leaves 
are  not  serrated ;  the  leaves  and  stalks  are  destitute  of 
spines :  it  is  common  in  pasture  grounds,  and  flowers 
in  July  and  August.  A  slight  astringency  is  attributed 
to  it. 

JA'CEA  ORIENTA'LIS  PA'TULA.  See  BEHEN  AL- 
BUM. 

JA'CEA  RAMOSI'SSIMA,  STELLA'TA,  RUPI'NA.  See 
CALCITRAPA. 

JA'CEA  STELLA'TA,  LUTE'A,  &c.  See  CALCITRAPA 
OFFICINALIS. 

JACOB  JE'A  PRATE'NSIS;  because  it  was  gather- 
ed about  the  feast  of  St.  James.  See  DORIA. 

JACOB^E'A  PALU'STRIS.     See  VIRGA  AUREA. 

JADE  STONE.     See  LAPIS  NEPHRITICUS. 

JA'GRA.     See  PALMA  COCCIFEUA. 

JA'LAPA,(from  Chala/ia,  or  Xala/ia,  a  city  in  New 
Spain).  JALAP.  Giala/t/ia,  chalafia,  xalafia,  mecoca- 
hana  nigra,  convolvulus  *4mericanus,  bryonia  Peruvi- 
ana.  There  is  said  to  be  a  third  species  of  jalap  called 
muta/ista,  by  the  Indians  mathalistic, 

This  plant  is  a  native  of  Mexico,  and  found  near  the 


JAL 


city  of  Xalapa,  from  whence  its  name  is  derived  ;  but 
it  has  since  been  discovered  near  Vera  Cruz  and  on  the 
south  of  Florida.  It  was  carried  by  Michaux  to  the 
botanic  garden  in  South  Carolina,  where  an  old  root 
was  found,  weighing,  when  fresh,  above  fifty  pounds. 
(Annales  du  Musaeum  National,  vol.  ii.)  It  was  at  first 
referred  by  Linnaeus  to  the  genus  mirabilis,  with  the 
trivial  name  ofjalafia;  but  observing  the  size  and  shape 
of  the  root  of  the  m.  longiflora,  he  was  inclined  (Amoe- 
nitates  Academics,  vol.  vii.  p.  308.)  to  think  them  the 
same  ;  for  no  botanist  had  yet  described  the  flowers  of 
the  officinal  root.  Bergius,  on  trial,  found,  however, 
that  neither  of  these  species  was  purgative,  but  that  the 
root  of  the  mirabilis  dichotoma  was  so.  To  this  plant 
then  he  referred  the  jalap ;  and,  on  his  authority,  the 
compilers  of  the  Swedish  Pharmacopeia  did  the  same. 
Houston  seems  to  have  first  shown  that  it  was  a  convol- 
vulus ;  and  in  this  he  was  followed  by  Sir  Hans  Sloane, 
Miller,  and  at  last  Linnaeus  himself  in  the  Mantissa  of 
the  System  of  Nature.  It  is,  therefore,  the  convolvulus 
jalafia  of  the  Mantissa  and  of  Wildenow  (vol.  i.  p.  860); 
but  the  only  figure  which  shows  the  parts  of  fructifica- 
tion complete  is  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Annales  of 
the  National  Museum.  The  author  (Desfontaines), 
from  its  simple  sloping  stigma,  suspects  that  it  rather 
belongs  to  the  genus  ifiomtsa. 

The  roots  are  brought  from  New  Spain  in  transverse 
slices ;  they  are  solid,  hard,  weighty,  of  a  blackish  or 
dark  brown  colour  on  the  cortical  part,  internally  of  a 
dark  greyish  colour,  with  several  black  circular  striae. 

The  hardest,  darkest,  and  those  pieces  which  have 
the  most  numerous  resinous  veins ;  those  that  break 
most  compact,  shining,  and  that  burn  readily  at  the 
flame  of  a  candle,  are  preferred.  Worms  rarely  touch 
the  resinous  part :  so,  when  the  resin  is  only  wanted, 
the  worm  eaten  are  not  inferior. 

Pieces  of  briony  root  are  sometimes  mixed  with  the 
jalap,  but  are  easily  distinguished  by  their  paler  colour 
and  less  compact  texture,  and  by  their  not  readily  burn- 
ing at  the  flame  of  a  candle. 

Jalap  hath  scarcely  any  smell,  and  little  taste  ;  but 
when  swallowed  it  affects  the  throat  with  a  slight 
pungency  and  heat,  occasioning  a  spitting.  In  doses 
from  ten  grains  to  half  a  drachm  it  is  an  effectual  cathar- 
tic, but  gripes  and  nauseates  less  than  the  generality  of 
purging  medicines  in  use.  For  children  in  general, 
and  adults  of  a  leucophlegmatic  habit,  it  is  peculiarly 


JAM 


840 


J  EC 


proper,  though  it  is  not  unsuitable  to  constitutions  of  a 
different  kind.  It  is  diuretic  as  well  as  purgative,  and 
consequently  preferred  in  dropsies.  Lewis  thinks  that 
the  gummy  part  promotes  a  flow  of  urine,  while  the 
resin  purges;  but,  from  experiments  made  with  this 
view,  we  did  not  find  the  distinction  correct. 

If  well  triturated  with  crystals  of  tartar  before  exhi- 
bition, it  will  operate,  it  is  said,  in  smaller  doses  than 
when  taken  by  itself,  and  without  griping.  Rubbed 
with  hard  sugar,  it  becomes  a  safe  medicine  for  chil- 
dren ;  joined  with  calomel,  in  large  doses,  it  is  rendered 
one  of  the  most  powerful  purgatives,  either  as  a  hydrp- 
gogue  or  anthelmintic ;  and,  from  its  general  efficacy  in 
dropsies,  was  called  panacea  hydrofiicorum.  The  dose 
of  the  simple  powder  is  from  9  i.  to  9  ij.  The  com- 
pound powder  may  be  double  the  quantity.  It  gene- 
rally requires  no  corrector,  but  a  little  spice,  or  a  few 
drops  of  some  warm  oil. 

RE'SINA  JALA'PII.  Resin  ofjala/t. — Take  any  quan- 
tity of  powdered  jalap  root  ;  pour  upon  it  so  much  rectij 
ficd  spirit  of  wine  as  will  cover  it  to  the  height  of  four 
fingers,  and  digest  them  in  a  sand  heat;  filter  the  tinc- 
ture through  paper;  put  it  into  a  glass  cucurbit,  and 
distil  off  one  half  of  the  spirit ;  add  to  the  remainder  a 
proper  quantity  of  water,  and  the  resin  will  precipitate; 
divide  it  into  little  cakes,  and  dry  with  a  gentle  heat. 
This  has  no  place  in  the  Pharm.  Lond.  1788;  but  the 
extract  is  directed  to  be  made  like  the  resinous  extract 
of  bark. 

It  is  a  pure  resin  :  but  its  insolubility  in  any  aqueous 
fluid  forbids  its  use,  except  it  is  previously  triturated 
•with  an  alkaline  salt,  gum,  sugar,  or  a  similar  intermcde. 
If  thus  managed,  a  dose  from  gr.  v.  to  x.  operates  with 
sufficient  ease  and  efficacy. 

The  jalap  which  remains  after  this  resin  is  extracted, 
gives  out,  by  boiling  in  water,  a  mucilaginous  sub- 
stance, which  is  said  to  operate  by  urine,  but  not  in  any 
degree  by  stool.  But  this  is  asserted  without  founda- 
tion. 

From  sixteen  ounces  of  good  jalap  Neumann  ob- 
tained ^  v-  ar>d  9  iv.  of  pure  resin ;  but  in  the  shops  it 
is  frequently  adulterated  ;  and  the  methods  of  imitating 
it  are  so  various,  as  to  elude  every  known  method  of  de- 
tecting the  fallacy. 

The  advantage  of  the  extract  consists  in  the  equality 
of  its  strength;  for  some  of  the  roots  afford  only  §  ij. 
•while  others  afford  §  v.  of  the  resin  in  a  pound.  But, 
except  for  the  convenience  of  form,  the  tincture,  with 
proof  spirit,  will  answer  every  purpose  proposed  by  the 
gummy  resinous  extract  of  the  college,  which  may  be 
given  from  9  ss.  to  9  i. 

Tincture  of  jalap  is  made  by  digesting  eight  ounces  of 
powdered  jalap  in  two  pounds  of  proof  spirit,  with  a 
moderate  heat  for  eight  days,  then  straining  the  tinc- 
ture. The  close  is  from  5  i-  to  ^  ss-»  mixed  with  syrup, 
it  may  be  given  to  children  with  the  greatest  safety. 
This  is  the  purgative  said  to  be  given  by  the  inocula- 
tors  who  received  their  instructions  from  Sutton  (Cul- 
len's  MateriaMedica);  and  sufficiently  certain  in  point 
of  strength,  as  the  menstruum  does  not  extract  the 
whole  virtue  of  any  kind  of  jalap.  See  Neumann's 
Chemical  Works ;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

JA'LAPA  A'LBA.     See  MECHOACANA  ALBA. 

JAMES,  DR.  gave  his  name  to  a  fever  powder,  since 
highly  celebrated.  With  a  disingenuity  highly  repre- 


hensible he  seems  to  have  deviated  from  his  original 
idea,  and  sold  a  medicine  under  the  authority  of  a  pa- 
tent very  different  from  the  specification.  He  directs 
the  antimony  to  be  calcined  in  a  flat  unglazed  earthei. 
vessel,  adding  any  "  animal  oil,  or  sail;"  then  to  be 
boiled  in  melted  nitre,  and  the  powder  separated  by  so- 
lution. The  powder  was  found  to  contain  no  animal 
oil  or  salt,  but  an  animal  earth,  which,  though  it  may 
be  now  called  a  salt,  had  scarcely  that  appellation  in 
Dr.  James's  time.  He  adds,  that  thirty  grains  of  the 
powder,  with  one  grain  of  mercury,  was  a  moderate 
dose  ;  but  ten  grains  of  the  present  powder,  without 
the  mercurial  is  now  such.  Dr.  Pearson,  has,  however, 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  taught  us  its  real  na- 
ture, and  it  is  nearly  imitated  in  the  pulvis  antimonialis 
of  the  London  Dispensatory.  This  preparation  is,  how- 
ever, more  active  on  the  stomach  and  bowels  than  the 
powder  of  James. 

Dr.  Monro  asserts,  that  Dr.  James  trusted  to  the  bark 
in  the  cure  of  fevers  rather  than  to  his  antimonial,  which 
he  only  employed  to  clear  the  first  passages.  On  this 
we  can  only  remark,  that  had  he  really  done  so  we 
should  have  heard  little  of  his  success. 

JANAMU'NDA.     See  CAKYOPHYLLATA. 

JA'NIPHA.     See  CASSADA. 

JA'NITOR,  (from  janua,  a  gate).     See  PYLORUS. 

JA'NITRIX,  (from  the  same).     See  PORT^E  VENA. 

JA'RUS.     Sec  ARUM. 

JASMINOI'DES,  (from  the  Arabian  word  jasmen, 
and  £«To«,  likeness').  See  COFFEA. 

JA'SMINUM,  andjasminum  officinale  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
9,  is  chiefly  used  for  the  stimulating  power  of  its  essen- 
tial oil. 

JA'TROHPA.  See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR,  and  CAS- 
SADA. 

JATRO'PHA  ELA'STICA.     See  CAOUTCHOUC. 

JECORA'RIA,  (from  ./ecus,  the  liver;  from  its  sup- 
posed efficacy  in  diseases  of  the  liver)  ;  the  he/iatica  vul- 
garis;  and  the  name  of  a  vein  in  the  right  hand.  See 
SPLENITIS. 

JE'CUR,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  jaker).  The  LI- 
VER; called  also  Ae/iar,  the  upper  part  erix.  Imme- 
diately below  the  diaphragm,  on  the  right  side,  is 
placed  the  liver,  whose  small  lobe  extends  to  the  scro- 
biculus  cordis.  It  is  divided  into  two  lobes,  besides  the 
lobulus  Sjiigelii,  which  Hippocrates  calls  hyfiercoryfiho- 
ses;  terminated  by  an  obtuse  margin  above  and  behind, 
and  an  acute  one  before  and  below.  The  large  lobe  is 
situated  on  the  right  hypochondrium,  contiguous  to  the 
diaphragm,  reaching  nearly  as  far  back  as  the  spine, 
and  rests  upon  the  right  kidney  :  the  small  lobe  runs 
close  to  the  diaphragm,  as  far  as  the  spleen.  The  con- 
vex side  of  the  liver  is  usually  connected  to  the  dia- 
phragm by  three  ligaments,  which  arc  continuations  of 
the  peritonaeum;  one  lies  near  the  edge  of  the  extre- 
mity of  each  lobe,  and  one  in  the  middle,  and  they  are 
accordingly  called  the  right,  and  left,  and  middle  liga- 
ments. The  liver  is  likewise  connected  to  the  right  ala 
of  the  tendinous  part  of  the  diaphragm  by  a  broad  ad- 
hesion, which  is  the  reflection  of  the  peritonaeum,  and 
is  called  the  coronarium  ligamentum.  Under  the  great 
lobe,  a  little  to  the  right,  is  the  gall  bladder.  The 
smaller  lobe  of  the  liver  is  in  the  left  side,  distinguished 
above  by  a  membranous  ligament,  and  below  by  a  large 
division  in  the  same  direction  as  the  superior  ligament. 


JE  C 


84i 


JEC 


The  eminences  on  the  concave  side  of  the  liver  belong 
to  the  great  lobe  ;  the  principal  one  is  a  triangular  mass, 
situated  backwards  near  the  great  division,,  named  lo- 
bulus Sfiigelii;  this  lobe  is  attached  by  a  little  peduncle 
to  the  middle  of  the  lower  side  of  the  great  lobe.  The 
first  fissure  we  observe,  next  to  the  great  one,  is  a  notch 
at  the  anterior  part  of  the  liver,  for  the  reception  of 
the  ligamemary  remains  of  the  vena  umbilicalis;  the 
second  fissure  is  towards  the  posterior  part  of  the  liver, 
between  the  lobulus  Spigelii  and  the  little  lobe,  where 
we  observe  the  remains  of  the  ductus  venosus,  which 
is  afterwards  inserted  into  the  vena  cava  (see  FCETUS). 
Upon  the  right  of  the  lobulus  Spigelii,  between  that 
and  the  great  lobe,  is  another  fissure,  in  which  the  vena 
cava  runs  down ;  and  the  next  is  a  transverse  one,  situ- 
ated before  the  lobulus  Spigelii,  called  fiorta :  besides 
these,  on  the  fore  part  of  the  great  lobe  there  is  a  de- 
pression for  the  reception  of  the  gall  bladder ;  and  we 
may  observe  on  the  under  side  of  the  great  lobe  a  small 
cavity,  where  it  rests  on  the  right  kidney. 

r  rom  behind  the  pancreas  a  mass  of  vessels  and 
nerves  run  up  to  the  porta.  The  hepatic  artery  comes 
off  from  the  coeliaca,  and  divides  into  two  branches, 
one  of  which  goes  to  each  lobe ;  and  the  vena  ports, 
when  it  arrives  at  the  porta,  likewise  divides  into  two, 
one  of  which  enters  the  right,  and  the  other  the  left, 
lobe.  From  the  duodenum  and  pancreas  we  see  the 
pori  biliarii,  and  ductus  communis  choledochus,  which, 
at  a  distance  from  the  porta,  divides  into  two  ducts, 
viz.  the  cystic,  which  goes  to  the  gall  bladder,  and  the 
hepatic,  which  again  is  subdivided  into  two,  and  go  to 
their  respective  lobes.  The  vena  cava,  in  its  passage 
through  the  diaphragm,  sends  off  several  branches,  es- 
pecially two  which  go  to  the  liver,  and  are  called  -uene 
cavz  hepatic  £;  their  office  is  to  return  the  blood  to  the 
vena  cava  after  the  bile  is  secreted.  The  blood  from 
all  the  viscera,  except  the  external  haemorrhoidal  vessels, 
is  returned  to  the  vena  portae,  which  ramifies  through 
the  liver  like  an  artery.  The  lower  part  of  this  vessel 
is  called  -vena  fmrte  mesenterica;  and  the  upper  hefia- 
tica. The  greatest  part  of  these  vessels  are  inclosed  in 
a  membranous  sheath,  called,  from  Glisson,  cafisula 
Glissonii.  This  author  first  described  it  as  composed 
of  cellular  membranes  and  nerves,  covered  by  the  peri- 
tonseum  at  their  entrance,  and  ramifying  through  the 
liver  with  them;  but  the  peritonaeum  must  be  abso- 
lutely excluded,  for  the  nerves,  with  their  cellular  mem- 
brane only,  go  through  the  liver.  The  absorbents  are 
very  numerous.  The  nerves  arise  from  the  intercostal 
and  eighth  pair,  which  come  from  the  hepatic  plexus, 
and  enter  this  viscus  with  the  vessels. 

The  external  surface  of  the  liver  is  smooth,  and  co- 
vered with  the  peritonaeum,  which  is  connected  with 
the  liver  by  the  cellular  membrane,  and  by  the  vessels 
which  are  spread  upon  it.  The  liver  is  very  soft,  and 
like  a  piece  of  congealed  blood ;  for  it  derives  its  prin- 
cipal consistence  from  the  vessels.  Malpighi,  after  in- 
jection, found  it  to  be  a  congeries  of  folliculi,  in  which 
the  vessels  terminate.  Ruysch  thought  it  a  congeries 
of  vessels  only  in  the  tenderest  part.  The  fienicilli  of 
Ruysch  are  a  collection  of  vessels  upon  the  surface ;  and, 
according  to  this  author,  the  vessels  do  not  terminate  in 
the  penicilli,  but  become  infinitely  finer;  whence  the 
structure  of  this  viscus  cannot  be  such  as  Malpighi  ima- 
gined. The  liver,  according  to  the  ancients,  was  the 


VOL.  I. 


viscus  wherein  the  chyle  was  converted  into  blood ;  but 
since  the  knowledge  of  the  lacteals,  and  the  discovery 
of  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  we  know  that  the  use  of 
the  liver  is  to  secrete  the  bile.  The  blood  comes  to  the 
liver  by  the  hepatic  artery  and  the  vena  portarum ;  but 
a  greater  quantity  is  sent  by  the  latter  than  by  the  for- 
mer, and  it  is  from  the  latter,  as  formerly  observed,  that 
the  bile  is  secreted.  See  Winslow's  Anatomy,  and 
Haller's  Physiology,  lecture  xxvii. 

The  substance  of  the  liver  is  chiefly  formed  by  ves- 
sels in  the  form  of  small  brushes,  styled  fienicilli;  but  it 
has  been  doubted  whether  any  follicle  is  interposed  be- 
tween the  vessels  of  the  portae  and  the  biliary  pores. 
It  may  be  at  least  asserted,  that  no  such  have  been  de- 
monstrated, and  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  any 
exist. 

The  bile  first  appears  in  minute  points,  styled  flori 
biliarii.  These  unite  and  form  the  hepatic  duct,  whose 
coats  have  no  appearance  of  a  muscular  structure,  but 
whose  internal  surface  contains  numerous,  apparently 
mucous  follicles.  We  omitted  to  remark  in  its  proper 
place,  that  the  whole  of  the  blood  conveyed  by  the  vena 
portae  is  not  employed  in  the  secretion  of  bile ;  for 
the  extreme  branches  of  this  arterial  vein  anastomose 
with  the  branches  of  the  hepatic  vein,  and  in  this  way 
accumulations  of  blood,  when  bile  is  unnecessary,  are 
prevented. 

The  he/iatic  duct  passes  towards,  and,  descending  ob- 
liquely, somewhat  behind,  the  pancreas  to  the  lower 
part  of  the  duodenum^  It  is  inserted,  from  behind, 
nearly  five  inches  below  the  pylorus  by  a  sinus,  into 
which  the  pancreatic  duct  also  empties  itself.  This 
opening  is  oblique ;  for  the  two  ducts  pass  between  the 
cellular  coat  of  the  intestine,  and  again  between  the 
nervous  and  villous  coats,  before  they  open  into  its  ca- 
vity, and  at  last  are  guarded  from  emptying  their  con- 
tents too  rapidly  by  a  convolution  of  the  villons  coat. 
Thus  the  mixture  of  the  bile  is  slow  and  interrupted ; 
for  as  the  duct  runs  at  least  an  inch  between  the  coats 
of  the  intestines,  any  fulness  of  the  canal  must  prevent 
its  entrance.  At  the  same  time,  the  convolution  of  the 
villous  coat,  where  the  duct  at  last  penetrates,  must 
equally  hinder  fluids  from  being  forced  into  the  duct 
from  the  canal. 

Near  the  portae  the  hepatic  duct  receives,  at  a  very 
acute  angle,  another  from  the  gall  bladder,  which,  for 
a  little  space,  seemed  to  run  almost  parallel  with  it. 
This  is  called  the  cystic  duct;  and  another  from  the  liver 
sometimes  joins  it  previous  to  its  union  with  the  hepatic 
duct.  We  may  just  remark  in  this  place,  for  reasons 
which  will  soon  appear,  that  rats,  camels,  stags,  the 
elephant,  the  horse,  the  rhinoceros,  the  trichechus  ma- 
nati,  and  the  greater  number  of  herbivorous  animals, 
with  the  dolphin,  and  many  of  the  cetaceous  tribe,  have 
no  gall  bladder.  (Cuvier  Lecons  de  PAnatomie  Com- 
paree,  vol.  iv.  p.  35  and  36.)  The  idea,  however,  that 
the  bile  is  conveyed  from  the  liver  to  the  gall  bladder 
appears  improbable,  by  the  retrograde  course  which  it 
must  take  to  arrive  at  the  latter.  To  add  to  the  impro- 
bability, the  cystic  duct  is  smaller  than  the  hepatic,  and 
much  smaller  than  the  choledochus  formed  by  the  cys- 
tic and  hepatic  ducts.  We  observe,  however,  in  the 
other  mammalia,  that  the  angle  at  which  the  ducts  join 
is  neither  so  acute  nor  so  distant  from  the  gall  bladder 
as  in  man.  In  these  also  the  fundus  of  the  vesica  is 

5  P 


JEC 


842 


JEC 


downward,  which  facilitates  the  passage  of  the  bile. 
In  many  animals,  small  canals  come  immediately  from 
the  liver  to  different  parts  of  the  vesica,  as  in  the  ox, 
the  sheep,  the  wolf,  the  dog,  the  hedgehog,  and  the 
hare  (Cuvier,  iv.  42) ;  but  in  man  no  such  canal  appa- 
rently exists. 

Experiments  have  not  been  wanting  to  elucidate  this 
intricate  subject.  When  the  common  duct  is  obstructed, 
both  the  cystic  and  hepatic  ducts  are  said  to  be  equally 
distended :  when  tied,  the  i-esult  is  the  same.  If  the 
cystic  duct  be  tied,  it  swells  between  the  ligature  and 
the  hepatic  duct.  Notwithstanding  the  angle,  the  bile 
passes  readily,  on  pressure,  into  the  liver ;  and  in  living 
animals  it  is  seen,  when  the  gall  bladder  is  opened,  to 
distil  from  the  cystic  duct.  When  the  cystic  duct  is  - 
tied  or  obstructed,  the  gall  bladder  is  not  filled,  and 
seems  to  contain  only  a  serous,  or  sometimes  a  mucous, 
fluid.  The  vesica  biliaris,  in  its  natural  state,  is  not  in 
contact  by  the  stomach;  but  when  this  viscus  is  dis- 
tended, its  greater  curvature  presses  with  aonic  force-. 
against  the  gall  bladder,  and  expels  its  contents. 

If  we  compare  thes-e  facts,  we  shall  find  it  highly  pro- 
bable that  the  veaica  is  a  reservoir  for  the  bile,  to  keep 
up  a  constant  supply,  when  from  any  accident  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  system  require  a  larger  quantity  than  the 
liver  can  furnish.  We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  the 
•whole  of  the  bile  is  sent  to  the  cyst,  nor  has  it  been  pre- 
sumed that  it  gains  any  different  quality.  From  the 
necessary  absorption,  it  must  become  more  concentrat- 
ed, and  more  bitter  and  viscid ;  perhaps  more  acrid. 

We  have  engaged  at  a  greater  length  in  this  question! 
than  we  should  have  thought  necessary,  as  in  the  mo- 
ment of  concluding  this  article  we  received  the  ninety- 
first  number  of  the  Medical  and  Physical  Journal,  pub- 
lished in  the  present  month  (September,  1806),  in 
which  we  find  Dr.  Rush's  opinions  respecting  the  use 
of  the  liver,  Etc.  He  thinks,  that,  instead  of  contributing 
to  animalize  the  fluids  recently  taken  in,  the  blood  re- 
quires this  circuitous  route  and  this  new  secretion,  to 
separate  the  remaining  chylous  particles  which  it  may 
contain.  The  gail  bladder,  he  thinks,  as  we  have  al- 
ready stated,  is  the  reservoir  of  the  superabundant  bile, 
not  at  the  time  necessary  for  the  process  of  digestion ; 
but,  he  supposes  also,  that  the  bile  in  the  gall  bladder  is 
farther  changed  by  a  putrefactive  process,  and  thus 
gains  its  bitter  taste.  In  fact,  according  to  this  author, 
"  the  gall  bladder  appears  to  be  to  the  liver  what  the 
colon  and  rectum  are  to  the  stomach,"  the  receptacle 
only  of  hepatic  faeces.  In  cases  of  sickness,  indigestion, 
or  long  fasting,  he  adds,  in  which  the  office  of  the  sto- 
mach is  suspended,  the  liver  performs  a  vicarious  duty  ; 
and  when  the  functions  of  the  liver  are  suspended,  the 
stomach,  with  double  anxiety,  supplies  its  place.  When 
the  stomach  is  most  busy,  the  liver  is  most  idle  ;  for  the 
discharge  of  bile  is,  in  his  opinion,  obstructed  by  the  ful- 
ness of  the  stomach;  and  that  it  is  only  when  the  contents 
of  this  latter  organ  have  passed  the  duodenum  that  the 
liver  "  pours  its  chyle  into  it."  Yet  we  were  before  told 
that  the  liver  was  designed  to  animalize  the  fluids ;  and 
•we  are  immediately  afterwards  informed,  that  the  same 
pressure  Discharges  the  cystic  bile,  whose  use  is  to  se- 
parate tli1.'  f  cal  matters  from  the  chyle.  It  is  singular 
thatprt!,.  '  should  stop  one  fluid,  and  promote  the  dis- 
charge oi  another,  when  their  orifices  are  the  same. 
We  have  always  declined  engaging  in  controversy,  and 


can  now  only  add,  that,  on  a  careful  consideration  of  the 
facts  and  arguments  -adduced  by  Dr.  Rush,  we  do  not 
find  them  applicable  to  this  system,  and,  of  course,  they 
contribute  nothing  to  its  support.  The  facts  and  expe- 
riments which  we  have  collected  from  different  authors, 
in  the  present  article,  seem  not  to  have  occurred, to  thi; 
respectable  veteran  in  the  moment  of  writing,  and  his 
system  appears  neither  probable  nor  consistent, 

We  own,  however,  that  the  consideration  of  Dr 
Rush's  system,  and  the  facts  which  the  examination  has- 
now  led  us  to  review,  suggest  some  doubts  whether  the 
bile  may  not  acquire  additional  properties  in  the  gali 
bladder.  When  we  reflect  that  the  gall  bladder  is 
wanting  in  herbivorous  animals,  that  it  is  always  found 
in  carnivorous,  that  the  gall  of  children  is  sweet,  that 
the  hepatic  bile  is  comparatively,  if  not  really,  mild  an<i 
sweet,  we  are  led  to  suspect  that  the  follicles  of  cyst 
may  furnish  the  bitter  resinous  part  of  the  bile,  and 
that,  of  course,  the  gall  bladder  is  a  supplementary  or 
gan,  a  glandula  succenturiata,  subservient  to  the  pro 
cess  of  digestion.  It  is  sufficient  to  state  the  doubts,  with 
a  general  view  of  the  facts,  which  lead  to  them ;  but  this 
is  neither  place  nor  have  we  room  for  more  minute  dis- 
cussion. Yet  we  think  we  could  support  this  idea  from 
some  of  the  phenomena  of  digestion,  and  from  some- 
analogous  phenomena  in  the  animal  machine. 

The  liver  is  the  seat  of  various  disorders,  viz.  inflam- 
mation, abscess,  scirrhus,  hydatids,  Sec.  See  HEPATI- 
TIS ;  ICTERUS;  BILIOSA  FEBRIS;  CHOLERA  MORHUSJ 
HEPATALGIA  ;  and  in  most  of  these  the  countenance  is  , 
yellow,  with  a  greenish  cast.  Besides  those  disorders 
generally  known,  Mr.  Crawford  mentions  one,  which 
he  denominates  an  enlargement  of  the  liver.  (See  his 
Essay  on  the  Nature  of  a  Disease  incident  to  the  Liver.) 
The  principal  signs  of  it  are,  a  great  and  sudden  swell- 
ing and  hardness  of  the  belly,  with  a  difficulty  of  breath- 
ing; the  only  very  troublesome  symptom.  Previous  to 
these,  a  general  weakness,  a  sense  of  tightness  about 
the  breast,  and  a  giddiness  of  the  head  on  the  slightest 
motion,  are  perceived ;  then  an  ocdcmatous  swelling 
appears  in  the  legs,  with  pains  in  the  back,  thirst,  and 
loss  of  appetite ;  the  pulse  is  small  and  weak,  but  on. 
bleeding  it  becomes  more  full  an4  distinct;  the  counte- 
nance is  florid ;  as  the  belly  enlarges,  the  breathing  is- 
more  difficult,  and  a  sense  of  oppression  is  then  felt 
about  the  praecordia ;  and  a  stricture  about  the  cartilago 
ensiformis  becomes  almost  insupportable,  soon  termi- 
nating in  a  complete  suffocation.  A  violent  vertigo 
and  troublesome  palpitation  of  the  heart  are  occasion- 
ally observed.  Some  symptoms  of  this  disorder  re- 
semble those  of  the  scurvy ;  but  the  sore  spongy  gums- 
attendant  on  scurvy  are  not  observed  in  this  complaint. 

These  symptoms  show  that  an  infarction  of  the  liver 
has,  at  least,  begun,  and  that  it  must  be  quickly  ob- 
viated. With  this  view,  bleeding,  with  a  mild,  nou- 
rishing, and  somewhat  generous  diet,  has  been  recom- 
mended, followed  by  active  laxatives,  with  calomel.  In 
a  disease  where  we  have  no  pretensions  to  experience, 
•we  ought  not  to  blame;  but  unless  the  symptoms  are 
violent,  the  bleeding  may  be,  perhaps,  dispensed  with, 
or  a  small  quantity  only  taken.  The  laxatives  are  un- 
doubtedly necessary  and  proper.  The  formula  recom- 
mended we  add. 

R.  Aloes  socotr.  ^ss.  racl.  jalap,  pulv.  £i.  ca- 
lomelan,  sap.  Venet.  aa,  3  "•  bals.  Locatel.  q.  s.  ut  f 


J  UB 


J  I)  N 


jnassa,  ex  cujus,  singulis  drachmis  formentur  pilulac 
K°  xii. 

The  patient  is  greatly  relieved,  it  is  said,  a.  few  hours 
after  bleeding ;  and  by  means  of  these  pills,  repeated 
at  proper  intervals,  the  complaints  gradually  abate,  and 
the  cure  is  generally  completed  in  the  space  of  nine  or 
ten  days. 

People  who  return  from  warm  climates  are  subject  to 
an  increased  secretion  of  bile  in  the  prims  vise,  attended 
with  general  languor,  nausea,  foul  tongue,  loss  of  appe- 
tite, indigestion,  frequently  diarrhoea,  a  yellow  skin, 
with  a  very  unhealthy  aspect.  Bath  waters  are  in  these 
cases  of  service,  though  the  Cheltenham  spring  has 
lately  become  more  fashionable. 

JEJU'NUM,  (from  jejunus,  etr./ity*).  One  of  the 
small  intestines,  generally  found  empty:  iicstis.  Where 
the  duodenum  ends  it  begins,  and  is  immediately  at- 
tached to  the  mesocolon.  It  proceeds  downwards  from 
the  left  side  to  the  right,  and  obliquely  forward,  making 
several  convolutions,  which  are  chiefly  situated  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  regio  umbilicalis. 

JE'MOU,or  JE'MU.     See  GAMBOGIA. 

JESUITA'RUM    PU'LVIS.     See  CORTEX   PERU- 

VIANUS. 

JETAI'BA.  The  Brasilian  name  for  the  locust  tree. 
See  ANIME,  GUM. 

JE'TICA    BRASILIE'XSIBUS.      See    BATTATAS 

HlSPAXICA. 

JETICU'CU.     See  MECHOACAXA  NIGRA. 

JOINTS.  (See  ARTICULATIO  and  ARTICULUS.) 
We  have  resumed  the  consideration  of  this  subject,  to 
reduce  into  one  view  the  diseases  of  the  cavities  of  the 
joints  :  these  are  either  effused  fluids,  or  loose  car- 
tilaginous or  bony  bodies.  The  fluids  effused  are  ei- 
ther blood,  pus,  synovia,  or  water.  Any  fluid  is  ascer- 
tained to  exist  in  these  cavities  by  a  swelling  felt  on 
every  side,  and  yielding  on  pressure ;  while  accumula- 
tions in  the  bursas  mucosae  are  partial,  and  will  not 
pass,  on  pressure,  to  the  opposite  side.  When  the  dis- 
ease arises  from  a  violent  bruise,  the  fluid  is  probably 
bloody ;  the  accumulation  which  follows  rheumatism, 
watery ;  but  vjhen  it  is  the  consequence  of  a  strain, 
which  has  been  followed  by  violent  inflammation,  the 
matter  is  usually  pus  mixed  with  synovia.  When  dis- 
cutients,  with  gradual  pressure  from  a  bandage,  fail, 
and  the  fluid  must  be  evacuated,  a  very  small  trochar 
should  be  employed ;  the  skin  drawn  up,  so  that  imme- 
diately on  emptying  -the  cavity  it  may  be  again  drawn 
«lown,  to  cover  the  aperture  in  the  ligament.  A  stick- 
ing plaster  must  be  immediately  applied,  the  joint  firm- 
ly swathed  with  a  flannel  bandage,and  some  blood  taken 
from  the  arm  to  prevent  inflammation. 

These  precautions  are  peculiarly  necessary,  as  the  air 
stimulates  the  cavities  of  joints,  and  excites  an  uncon- 
querable inflammation,  which  nature  sometimes  re- 
lieves by  forming  an  anchylosis,  but  in  which  art  usu- 
ally fails. 

The  extraneous  bodies  in  the  capsular  ligaments  are 
generally  found  in  the  knee; -but  of  the  treatment  ne- 
cessary in  these  cases  we  have  already  spoken.  See 
GEKO. 

JO'VIS  FLOS.     See  CROCUS. 

Jo'vis  GLANS.     See  JUGLAKS. 

JU'BA,  a  MANE  ;  a  panicle,  called  from  its  resem- 
blance to  a  horse's  mane. 


JUDAI'CA  A'RBOR.     See  SILIQUASTROM. 
JUD.VICUM  BITU'MEN,  (from  Judea,  whence  it 
was  brought).     See  BI'TUMEV. 

JUDICATO'RIA,  (from  judic o~).  A  synocha  of  four 
days. 

JUGA'LE  OS,  vel  JUGAME'NTUM,  (from  ju- 
gum,  a  yoke').  See  MALARUM  OSSA. 

JUGA'LIS  SUTU'RA.  The  SAGITTAL  SUTURE.  It 
is  sometimes  the  suture  by  which  the  os  jugale  is  arti- 
culated to  the  bone  of  the  upper  jaw. 

JU'GLANS,  (quasi  Jovis  giant,  the  nut  ofJufiiter}. 
The  WALNUT.  The  tree  is  sometimes  called  carya, 
the  appellation  of  walnuts  rendered  black  by  boiling ; 
and  the  rob  diacaryon  :  nux  regia,  basilica,  Persica,  et 
P-uboica ;  caryon ;  caryon  basilicon ;  juglans  regia. 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1415. 

The  kernel  and  its  oil  resemble  those  of  almonds ; 
the  shells  are  astringent:  an  ointment  made  by  boiling 
the  leaves  of  walnut  tree  in  lard  is  said  to  be  an  useful 
application  to  haemorrhoids  and  old  ulcers ;  the  bark  and 
the  catkins  are  strong  emetics ;  the  juice  of  the  root  an 
active  cathartic,  and  the  powdered  leaves  anthelmintic. 
The  unripe  fruit,  which  has  a  bitter  astringent  taste, 
is  an  anthelmintic  laxative.  Two  drachms  of  the  inspis- 
sated juice  are  added  to  four  drachms  of  cinnamon  water, 
and  from  twenty  to  fifty  drops  given  two  or  three  times 
a  day,  for  six  days  ;  interposing  a  purgative,  with  calo- 
mel, on  the  fourth.  Gargles  made  of  the  rob,  dissolved 
in  any  convenient  vehicle,  may'  be  used  in  aphthae  and 
sore  throats.  Vinegar,  in  which  walnuts"  have  been 
pickled,  is  said  to  be  a  very  useful  gargle. 

JUGULA'RES  VEN.E,  (from  jugulum,  the  throat"]. 
The  JUGULAR  VEIXS  ;  -uen<e  afiofilectice,  and  sofioraleg. 
They  are  external  and  internal,  corresponding  with  the 
carotid  arteries.  The  internal,  which  ascends  by  the 
side  of  the  aspera  arteria,  is  called  afiofilectica. 

JU'GULUM,  (fromjugum,  a  yoke;  because  the  yoke 
is  fastened  to  this  part,)  the  clavicle  Celsus.  The 
THROAT,  or  anterior  part  of  the  neck. 

JU'JUBA  ;  zizifiha.  The  JUJUBE  TREE  ;  rhamnus 
zizyflhua  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  282.  Jujubes  are  a  half  dried 
fruit  of  the  plum  kind,  about  the  size  and  shape  of  an 
olive,  consisting  of  a  thickish,  rqddish,  yellow  skin,  a 
whitish  fungous  pulp,  and  a  wrinkled  stone  pointed  at 
both  ends.  They  are  the  produce  of  a  prickly  tree, 
with  three-ribbed  leaves,  and  herbaceous  or  yellowish 
flowers,  sometimes  found  wild,  but  commonly  cultivated 
in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe. 

This  fruit  is  styled  incrassant  and  demulcent,  and 
hath  been  used  in  pectoral  decoctions.  The  rhamnus 
jujuba  has  similar  virtues. 

JU'JUBA  I'NDICA.     See  LACCA. 

JULA'PIUM,  (from  the  Arabic  term  gula&,~)  juled, 
jule/ius;  JULEP,  a  form  of  medicine  invented  by  the 
Arabians,  generally  liquid,  clear,  and  sweet;  juleb,  in 
the  Persian  language,  signifying  a  sweet  potion. 

A  julep  is  generally  only  a  vehicle  for  other  articles, 
to  render  them  more  easy  in  the  stomach,  or  more 
effectual-;  so  that  they  should  not  only  be  agreeable,  but 
concur  with  the  intention  of  the  principal  medicine. 
This  form  is  often  named  after  the  material  used,  as  Ju- 
lepum  e  Camphora,  Creta,  and  Moscho. 
JU'LEP.     A  name  for  syrupus. 
JU'LUS,  CATKIK.     See  AMENTUM". 
JUNCA'RIA,  (from  juncus,  a  bulrush').     ITALIAN 
5   P   2 


JU  N 


844 


JUX 


BUSHY  HORSE  TAIL.  Lemery  mentions  this  plant  as 
vulnerary  and  detersive  ;  but  it  is  not  known  in  the  pre- 
sent practice. 

JUNCTU'RA,  (tromjungo,  to  join).  See  ARTICU- 
I.ATIO. 

JU'NCUS  ODORATUS,/«ttW7nvel  stramen  came- 
lorum,  schaenanthus,  holoschanos,  sijuinanthum,  juncus 
aromaticus,  fialea  de  mecha,  gramen  dactylon  aromati- 
cum;  SWEET  RUSH,  or  CAMEL'S  HAY  ;  a  dried  grass  brought 
from  Turkey  and  Arabia,  resembling  barley  straw,  and 
full  of  a  fungous  pith  ;  androftogon  schtcnanthus  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1481  :  the  genus  is  the  same  with  that  which 
furnishes  the  spica  nardi. 

When  in  perfection  its  smell  is  agreeable,  warm, 
bitterish,  and  not  unpleasant  to  the  state.  An  extract 
possesses  its  chief  virtues ;  but  other  more  valuable  ar- 
ticles supersede  its  use.  It  has  been  employed  as  a 
cordial  and  an  emmenagogue. 

-  JUNI'PERUS,  (from  ju-uenis,  young,  and  fiario,  to 
bring  forth;  because  it  produces  its  young  berries  while 
the  old  ones  are  ripening).  JUNIPER;  junifierus  com- 
munis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1470;  also  called  arceuthos,  and  its 
berry  acatalis.  With  us  it  is  a  bush,  but  in  Norway  a 
large  evergreen  tree,  the  wood  of  which  is  called  cedri- 
•num  lignum;  lignum  junifierinum.  Its  leaves  are  slen- 
der, narrow,  stiff,  and  sharp  pointed  ;  the  flowers  cat- 
kins ;  the  berries  have  each  three  oblong  irregular 
seeds;  its  young  fungi  are  called  calieta,  or  caliette. 

The  berries  are  chiefly  brought  to  us  from  Holland 
.  or  from  Italy.  They  should  be  chosen  fresh,  not  much 
shrivelled,  and  free  from  mouldiness.  They  have  a  mo- 
derately strong,  but  not  disagreeable,  smell ;  a  warm 
pungent  sweetish  taste,  which,  if  previously  bruised,  is 
followed  by  a  considerable  bitterness.  The  sweetness 
seems  to  reside  in  the  juice,  or  pulpy  part  of  the  berry; 
the  pungency  in  the  bark  ;  the  bitterness  in  the  seeds  ; 
and  the  aromatic  flavour  in  the  oily  vesicles  spread 
throughout  the  pulp  and  the  seeds.  In  the  dried  ber- 
ries this  oil  is  hardened  into  a  resinous  substance,  visi- 
ble on  breaking  the  seeds,  which  are  called  ebel.  They 
give  out  nearly  all  their  virtue  both  to  water  and  to 
spirit.  Distilled  with  water  they  yield  a  yellowish  es- 
sential oil,  alchilron,  resembling,  in  its  medical  virtues, 
that  of  turpentine,  and"  are  carminative,  stomachic,  de- 
tergent, and  diuretic. 

The  London  college  orders  the  spiritus  juniperi  comp. 
COMPOUND  SPIRIT  OF  JUNIPER,  formerly  called  ag.  juni- 
peri comfiosita,  to  be  made  by  adding  to  a  gallon  of 
proof  spirit,  with  as  much  water  as  is  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent empyrcuma,  one  pound  of  juniper  berries,  bruised  ; 
caraway  and  fennel  seeds,  bruised,  of  each  one  ounce 
and  a  half;  from  this  a  gallon  is  to  be  distilled.  Pharm. 
Lond.  1788. 

The  coriander  seeds  answer  the  purpose  of  the  other 
aromatics;  but  half  a  pound  is  required  to  a  pound  of 
the  berries.  The  common  spirit,  called  gin,  is  flavour- 
ed by  these  berries,  though  often  with  turpentine.  The 
name  is  derived  from  the  Italian  giunifiero. 

The  rob  of  juniper  berries  is  prepared  by  boiling  ju- 
niper berries  well  bruised  in  water,  and  inspissating 
this,  or  the  decoction  after  distilling  the  oil,  to  the  con- 


sistence of  thick  honey.  This  is  so  greatly  esteemed  a's 
to  have  obtained  the  name  of  theriaca  Germanorum.  It 
may  be  used  in  catarrhs,  weakness  of  the  stomach  and 
intestines,  and  difficulty  in  making  water,  to  which  old 
people  are  subject.  Hoffmann  highly  recommends  it,; 
though  generally  considered  as  an  inactive  preparation. 
The  following  formula  was  prescribed  by  Van  Swie- 
ten :  §>.  Rob  bacc.  juniperi  5  ij.  dilue  in  aq.  juniperi 
simplicis  fj,  ij.  spiritus  juniperi  5  ij.  et  ad  sitim  sedan- 
dam,  sps.  aethevis  nitrosi  5  ss. :  m.  dosis  cochl.  ij  vel 
iv.  tertia  hora.  The  infusion  of  the  berries,  either  alone, 
or  mixed  with  a  little  gin,  is  in  dropsies  a  very  useful 
drink.  In  uterine  obstructions,  scorbutic  affections, 
and  cutaneous  diseases,  the  juniper  is  said  to  have  been 
useful ;  but  in  the  two  last  complaints  the  wood  and 
tops  have  been  preferred.  The  essential  oil  is  an  ac- 
tive stimulant,  a  warm  carminative,  an  useful  diuretic, 
and  a  deobstruent.  Doses  from  ten  drops  to  thirty. 

The  wood  of  the  juniper  tree  is  sudorific,  and  of  simi- 
lar qualities  with  that  of  guaiacum  and  sassafras,  but 
inferior  to  either. 

JUNI'PERI  GU'MMI.  The  resin  obtained  in  warmer 
climes,  particularly  in  Africa,  is  semipellucid,  and  of  a 
pale  yellowish  colour;  it  is  in  small  masses,  resembling 
mastich,  but  larger;  the  sandaracha  of  the  Arabians 
and  the  gum  juniper  of  the  shops.  From  its  use  it  has 
been  called  -vernix,  and  the  powder  is  employed  to  pre- 
vent ink  running  on  paper,  under  the  name  of  flounce. 
This  resin  hath  a  light  agreeable  smell,  and  not  much 
taste.  It  dissolves  in  rectified  spirits,  if  violently  shak- 
en in  them ;  and  in  oils  both  expressed  and  distilled, 
but  is  insoluble  in  water.  See  Lewis's  and  Cullen's 
Materia  Medica. 

JUNI'PERUS.     A  name  of  several  species  of  cedar. 
See  CEDRUS  FOLIO  CYPRI,  and  CEDRUS  PHCENICIA. 
JUNI'PERUS  LY'CIA.     See  OLIBANUM. 
JUNI'PERUS  SABI'NA.     See  SABINA. 
JUPICA'NGA.     See  CHINA  OCCIDENTALIS. 
JU 'PITER.      SEE  STANNUM. 

JUS,  (because  in  families  it  was  distributed  in  just 
proportions).  BROTH;  brodium.  Broths  made  of  the 
lean  parts  of  beef  or  mutton  are  very  nourishing;  in 
weak  worn  out  constitutions  strong  broths  cannot  be 
digested,  and  their  strength  should  always  be  propor- 
tioned to  the  digestive  powers.  . 
JUSTI'CIA.  See  ADHATODA. 
JUVA'NTIA,  ADJUVA'NTIA,  (from  juvo,  and 
adjuvo,  to  assist^).  Medicines  or  aliments  that  assist,  op- 
posed to  leedentia,  such  as  injure.  When  the  nature  of 
a  distemper  was  doubtful  or  unknown,  the  ancients 
prescribed  some  innocent  medicines  which  they  were' 
well  acquainted  with,  and  according  as  they  were  ser- 
viceable or  otherwise,  though  in  a  small  degree,  they 
formed  some  judgment  of  the  future  method  of  pro- 
ceeding. These  approximations  were  technically  styled 
juvantia  and  leedentia. 

JUVE'NTUS,  (from  juvo,  to  helfi,  because  at  this 
period  of  life  persons  began  to  be  useful).   See  ./ETAS. 

JUXTANGI'NA,  (from  juxta,  near,  and  angina,  a 
quinsy').     A  species  of  quinsy.     See  PARACYNANCHE. 


845 


K. 


Rail  Historia. 
tree,   the  leaves 


of 


K  A  L 

JA.AATH.  (See  TERRA  JAPOXICA).  Even  in  a 
very  late  work,  the  Dictionary  of  Natural  History,  it  is 
said  to  be  the  inspissated  juice  of  the  barleria  hystrix, 
probably  the  b.  ftrionitis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  887,  brought  to  a 
greater  consistence  with  farina  and  saw  dust. 

KABOLO'SSA.    See  CHIXA  OCCIDEXTALIS. 

KA'DAL.  This  shrub  grows  in  the  East  Indies,  and 
is  probably  the  melaatoma  malabathrica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  559, 
though  greatly  resembling  in  habit  the  osbeckia  chinensis. 
The  fruit,  when  ripe,  is  eaten,  and  calicoes  are  dyed 
with  the  juice. 

KADA'XAKU.     See  ALOES  HEPATICA. 

K.EKU  RIA.     See  ELEMI. 

K^EMPFE'RIA  ROTU'XDA.    See  ZEDOARIA. 

KA'HA.     See  CURCUMA. 

KARA  MOU'LLOX,  KAHV  MULLU.  An  East  Indian 
siliquose  tree.  The  bark  is  boiled  in  milk,  and  is  said 
to  cure  a  diabetes  and  gonorrhoea. 

KAKA   XIA'RA.     An  East  Indian 
which  destroy  worms.     See  Raii  Historia. 

KAKA-TO'DDALI.  Paulina  Asiatica  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
524.  A  small  shrub  growing  in  Malabar,  used  in  va- 
rious disorders,  from  a  redundancy  of  serum.  Raii 
Historia. 

KALEXZI-KAXSJA'VA.     See  BAXGUE. 

ILA'LI,   (Arabic,)  salsola,   salieornia,  alga  marina, 

SALT    WORT,    and    SNAIL    SEEDED    GLASS    WORT.        SaUola 

kali  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  322,  a  plant  with  spreading,  reddish, 
pretty  thick  branches ;  oblong,  narrow,  pointed,  fleshy 
leaves,  like  those  of  horseleek;  flowers  imperfect  in 
the  bosoms  of  the  leaves,  followed  each  by  one  seed 
spirally  curled,  and  inclosed  in  the  cup.  It  is  annual, 
grows  wild  on  the  sea  coasts  in  the  southern  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, particularly  of  the  Mediterranean. 

The  herb  is  juicy,  bitterish,  and  remarkably  saline. 
The  expressed  juice,  and  infusions,  or  decoctions  of  the 
leaves,  are  said  to  be  powerfully  aperient  and  diuretic, 
and  been  much  recommended  in  dropsies;  but  the  kali 
is  principally  regarded  on  account  of  its  yielding  copi- 
ously the  fixed  alkaline  salt,  called  soda;  and  it  is  culti- 
vated about  Montpelier  :  for  this  purpose  it  is  perpared 
at  Alicant,  in  Spain,  from  a  different  species  of  kali. 
Different  marine  plants  contain  this  salt,  and  what  is 
made  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  is  called  ktlfi.  See  Wood- 
ville's  Medical  Botany,  p.  387,388. 


K  AL 

From  the  quercus  marina,  or  fucus  -vesiculotus^fucus 
maritimus,  alga  marina,  SEA  OAK,  SEA  WRACK,  or  SEA 
TAXG,  much  alkaline  salt  is  obtained  by  incineration: 
the  juice  of  its  vesicles,  left  to  putrefy,  yields  on  evapo- 
ration a  portion  of  acrid  pungent  salt. 

The  plant  is  a  soft  slippery  one,  common  on  rocks 
that  are  left  dry  at  the  ebb  tide  ;  the  leaves  resemble 
those  of  the  oak  tree  in  shape,  the  stalks  running  along 
the  middle  of  the  leaves,  and  terminating  by  watery 
bladders,  containing  either  air  or  a  mucilaginous  matter. 
The  vesicles  begin  to  fill  in  March,  burst  about  the  end 
of  July,  and  discharge  a  viscid  matter. 

If  the  putrid  juice  is  applied  to  the  skin,  it  sinks  into 
it  immediately,  excites  a  slight  sense  of  pungency,  and 
deterges  like  a  solution  of  soap.  One  of  the  best  appli- 
cations at  the  decline  of  glandular  swellings,  for  per- 
fectly discussing  them,  is  a  mixture  of  the  juicy  vesicles 
on  the  leaves  of  this  plant,  gathered  in  July,  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  sea  water  :  they  should  be  kept  in  a 
glass  vessel  for  ten  or  fifteen  days,  until  the  liquor  be- 
comes of  the  consistence  of  thin  honey.  The  parts  af- 
fected are  to  be  rubbed  with  the  strained  liquor  two  or 
three  times  a  day,  and  afterwards  washed  clean  with 
water. 

A  cataplasm  of  the  quercus  marina,  made  by  bruising 
a  quantity  of  this  plant,  is  applied  externally  in  cases 
of  scrofula,  white  swellings,  and  other  glandular  tu- 
mours. Sea-water  and  oat  meal  formed  into  a  poultice 
sometimes  supply  its  place. 

The  salt  here  described  is,  in  strict  language,  the  soda 
or  natron,  the  mineral  alkali;  but,  in  general,  every  al- 
kaline salt  has  the  same  title,  and  the  chemical,  as  well 
as  the  medical  properties,  are  the  same.  Their  affini- 
ties also  differ  very  little ;  but  as  an  external  application 
in  glandular  swellings,  the  salt  from  the  sea  plants  is  pre- 
ferred. See  ALCALI  and  CINERES  CLAVELLATI. 

KA'LI  ARSEXICA'TUM.  ARSEXICATED  KALI.  Let 
equal  quantities  of  arsenic  and  purified  nitre  be  pow- 
dered and  well  mixed  together,  put  into  a  retort,  and 
placed  in  a  sand  bath,  the  heat  of  which  is  to  be  in- 
creased gradually,  until  the  vapours  cease  to  issue  from 
the  mouth  of  the  vessel.  The  mass  must  then  be  dis- 
solved in  four  pounds  of  distilled  water,  a  proper  quan- 
tity of  which  must  be  evaporated,  and  the  residuum  set 
aside  to  crystallize.  Dose,  one  fifth  of  a  grain  three 
times  a  day.  This  is  used  for  the  same  purpose  as  the 


K  AR 


846 


KIN 


solutio    arsqnici.      Sec    INTERMITTENS     FEBRIS,    and 
CANCER. 

KA'LI,  vice  SAL  ABSI'NTHII.     See  ALCALI,   and  Ci- 

NERES  CLAVELLATI. 

KA'LI  ACETA'TUM.    See  SAL  DIURETICUS. 

KA'LI  PR^PARA'TUM.     See  ALOALI. 

KA'LI  TARTARIZA'TUM.     See  TARTARUM. 

KA'LI  PU'RUM,  or  FIXED  VEGETABLE  CAUSTIC  ALKALI, 
is  prepared  by  evaporating  a  gallon  of  the  water  of  pure 
kali  to  dryness,  and  afterwards  melting  it  by  fire.  Ph. 
Lond.  1788.  This  salt  is  deliquescent,  which  renders 
the  application  very  inconvenient,  unless  joined  with 
quick  lime.  See  CAUSTICUM  COMMUNE  FORTIUS. 

KA'LI  SULPHURA'TUM.  Hefiar  sulfihuris.  Take 
flowers  of  sulphur  one  ounce,  kali  five  ounces;  mix  the 
salt  with  the  sulphur  melted  by  a  slow  fire,  by  constant 
stirring,  till  they  perfectly  unite.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 
The  dose  is  from  five  grains  to  a  scruple.  In  tetters  and 
other  cutaneous  affections  this  salt  has  been  recom- 
mended. It  has  been  employed,  dissolved  in  water,  as 
a  bath  for  the  psora :  and  in  cases  of  tinea  capitis  it  has 
often  been  used  by  way  of  lotion,  and  has  been  strongly 
recommended  to  prevent  the  effects  of  mineral  poisons. 
For  the  alkaline  neutrals  see  CHEMIA. 

KA'LI  A'QUA  is  the  kali  which  has  deliquesced  in  a 
moist  place  ;  and  it  does  not  differ  from  the  kali  prae- 
paratum. 

KA'LI  PU'HI  A'QUA.  Take  of  kali  four  pounds ; 
quick  lime  six  pounds  ;  distilled  water  four  gallons  ; 
add  to  the  lime  four  quarts  of  water,  and  let  them  stand 
for  an  hour;  then  add  the  kali,  and  remaining  part  of 
the  water;  boil  them  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  let  the 
liquor  cool,  and  strain  it:  a  pint  of  this  fluid  ought  to 
-.veigh  sixteen  ounces.  If  thex  liquor  raises  an  effer- 
vescence by  the  addition  of  any  acid,  more  lime  must 
be  added.  An  earthen  or  glass  vessel  should  be  used, 
and  the  liquor  strained  through  linen.  Pharm.  Lond. 
1788. 

KA'MSIN.  The  hot  winds  blowing  over  the  burn- 
ing sands  of  the  desert,  and  reaching  Egypt  about  the 
period  of  the  equinox.  The  fatal  effects  of  this  wind 
are  in  part  owing  to  its  containing  a  considerable  pro- 
portion of  inflammable  air,  probably  from  the  decom- 
posed water,  and  in  part  from  its  great  heat  and  dry- 
ness.  The  effects  of  the  Samiel  of  the  Desert,  a  wind 
nearly  resembling  the  kamsin,  is  described  with  great 
pathos  and  eloquence  by  Bruce.  See  Volney's  and 
Bruce's  Travels. 

KANE'LLI.  A  name  of  two  East  Indian  evergreen 
trees,  the  flowers  of  which  are  used  in  diarrhoeas;  but 
they  are  not  found  in  the  systems  of  the  botanists.  See 
Raii  Historia. 

KANNAGHO'RAKA.        See    CARCAPULI    LINCO- 

TANI. 

KAOLIN.  One  of  the  ingredients  of  the  Chinese 
porcelain,  probably  a  growan  clay,  or  a  decomposed 
granite. 

KA'PA  MA'TA.     See  ACAJAIBA. 

KA'RATAS.  The  PENGUIN,  or  wild  ANANAS; 
common  in  the  West  Indies,  as  an  acid  in  punch,  but 
too  austere  to  be  swallowed  alone.  The  karatas  of 
Plumier  is,  however,  a  different  species  from  \hcfiingucn 
of  Dillenius.  Each,  however,  is  a  species  of  bromalia, 
and  each  an  American  plant.  See  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  408. 


KARE'MYLE.     See  OROBUS. 

KA'RFE,  (karfeh,  Arab).     See  CINVAMOMUM. 

KARIN-TA'GERA.  An  evergreen  tree  in  Mala- 
bar; it  resembles  an  hazel.  The  oil  from  the  root  pre- 
vents the  hair  from  falling  off.  Raii  Historia. 

KARI-VE'TTI.  A  tree  in  Malabar;  the  juice  of  its 
leaves  is  emetic.  Raii  Historia. 

KA'RVA,  (karvah,  Arab).     See  CASSIA  LIGNEA. 

KA'TKIN.     See  AMENTACEI  FLORES. 

KATO-CCE'LIA.     The  ABDOMEN.     See  CELIA. 

KELP.  MINERAL  ALKALI.  See  KALI,  ALKALI,  and 
CHEMISTRY. 

KE'NNA.     See  LIGUSTRUM  INDICUM. 

KERATOPHY'TON,  (from  *if*s,  a  horn,  and 
4>t/7ev,  a  filant;  because  it  is  pellucid).  Lithofihyton.  The 
name  of  a  submarine  plant,  transparent,  of  a  viscid  con- 
sistence, and  often  covered  with  a  cretaceous  crust,some- 
times  of  elegant  and  various  colours.  The  only  species 
which  possesses  any  medical  virtue  is  the  CORALLIUM 
NIGRUM,  q.  v.  and  these  are  very  inconsiderable. 

KE'RMES,  (Arabic  term  chermah}.    See  CHERMES. 

KE'RMES  MINERALIS.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

KE'RVA,  OL.  (kervah,  Arabic).     See  CATAPUTIA. 

KE'TMIA.  The  leaves  and  flowers  resemble  those 
of  mallows ;  the  fruit  is  divided  into  many  partitions, 
the  top  of  which  opens  when  ripe,  and  discloses  many 
seeds.  All  the  species,  except  those  which  taste  like 
sorrel,  agree  in  virtues  with  mallows.  The  genus  called 
ketmia  by  Tournefort,  is  the  hibiscus  of  Linnaeus.  It  is 
of  little  importance  to  ascertain  any  species,  as  none  ex- 
cept theABELMoscHus,  q.  v.  has  any  medicinal  quality. 

KE'TRAN.     SeeCEDRiA. 

KEYSE'RI  PFLUL.E.  KEYSER'S  PILLS,  (from  the 
inventor's  name).  According  to  an  account  in  the 
Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  they  consist  of  pure 
quicksilver,  reduced  to  a  red  calx  by  a  proper  degree  of 
heat,  which,  being  dissolved  in  eight  parts  of  vinegar, 
is  to  be  mixed  with  manna,  of  which  two  pounds  will 
be  required  to  each  pint  of  the  solution.  This  com- 
position being  dried  gently  by  the  fire,  is  rolled  into 
pills,  and  recommended  as  the  most  effectual  remedy  of 
all  the  mercurial  preparations  against  the  venereal  dis- 
ease. See  AHGENTUM  VIVUM. 

Mr.  Keyser  adds  a  singular  Remark ;  if  to  the  solution 
of  a  pound  of  the  red  calx,  in  eight  pints  of  vinegar,  two 
pounds  of  mercury,  in  the  metallic  state,  be  added,  a 
substance  will  arise,  by  agitation,  to  the  surface,  in  the 
form  of  cream.  If  this  be  taken  off,  more  will  .rise  on 
every  successive  agitation.  This  cream,  united  with 
manna,  he  supposes  to  be  highly  useful  in  recent  vene- 
real complaints. 

KIBES.  An  obsolete  name  for  the  heel,  and  conse- 
quently for  chilblains,  which  usually  affect  the  heel. 
See  PERNIO. 

KI'K,  or  KI'KI,  (from  kike,  Arabic).  See  CATA- 
PUTIA. 

KIKEKUNEMALO.  A  gum  resin,  whose  source 
we  are  not  acquainted  with.  It  has  a  subacrid  resinous 
taste,  and  has  been  supposed  an  useful  resolvent,  as  well 
as  beneficial  in  nervous  diseases. 

KILBURN  WATERS.  A  bitter  purging  water.  See 

MINEHALES. 

KI'NA-KI'NA,  (from  the  countess  of  Cinchon).  See 
CORTEX  PERUVIANUS. 


KOL                              847  KYN 

KI'NA-KI'NA  AROMA'TICA.     See  THURIS  CORTEX.  KRAUT    SAU'ER.     Pronounced   by  the  English 

KI'XKINA  EUROPjE'A.     See  GE.VTIANA.  SOUR  KROUT.     See  BRASSICA. 

KI'NQ,    (Indian).      See    GUMMI   RUBRUM   ASTRIK-  KRIE'BEL  KRA'NKHEIT.     SeeRAPHAxu. 

GEXS.  K.RFMNA.     See  ALPHITA. 

XIPPAKELE'NGU.     See  BATTATAS  HISPANICA.  KURU'DU.     See  CIXXAMOMUM. 

KIRIBU'NNAWELL.     See  CHINA  OCCIDENTALS.  KUTU'BUTH.      An   Arabian   name    for  a   water 

KNA'WEL.     Ray.     Tournefort  calls  it  the  chanite-  spider,  an  insect  perpetually  in  motion.     Hence   the 
linum  -vulgare  folio  glabrojtosculis  filurimis.    GERMAN  name  hath  been  transferred  to  a  species  of  melancholy, 
KNOT  GRASS.     Sclerantfius  fierfnnis  Lin.  Sp.   PL  580.  called  by  Sennertus  melancholia  errabunda.     See  Li- 
lt is  somewhat  astringent,  but  never  employed  in  me-  CANTHROPIA. 
dicine.  KY'MIA.     See  CUCUKBITA. 

KO'LERUS.     A  dry  ulcer.  KV.V  \       S»e  OPOPOSAX 

KO'LTO.     See  PLICA  POLONICA. 


848 


L. 


LAB 


LAB 


JL^ABA'RIUM,  (from  labo~).    Looseness  of  the  teeth. 

LA'BDANUM.     See  LADANUM. 

LA'BEO,  (from  labium,  a  lift).     See  CHILON. 

LA'BIA.     See  PROCESSUS. 

LA'BIA,  and  LA'BIUM,  (XTTO  ttv  AaCuv,  quo  afijire- 
hendimus  cibum).  A  LIP.  The  lips,  of  which  the  red 
part  is  called  firolabium  ;  the  sphincter,  orbicularis  labi- 
orum,  are  sufficiently  known.  When  the  cuticle  here 
called  epithelium  is  taken  off,  the  appearance  of  the 
parts  beneath  is  villous. 

LA'BIUM  LEPORI'NUM.  The  HARE-LIP  ;  rostrum',  la- 
bellum,  and  labrum  lefiorinum  ;  lagostoma  ;  lagocheilos, 
consists  in  a  division  in  the  upper  lip,  from  a  loss  of  sub- 
stance, like  that  of  a  hare.  The  division  sometimes  re- 
sembles the  letter  M,  and  is  then  called  the  double  hare- 
lift.  A.  similar  fissure  in  the  under  lip  is  called  the  spu- 
rious hare-lip;  but  this  seems  never  to  have  occurred. 

An  operation  is  required,  in  which  we  must  first  di- 
vide all  its  adhesions  internally  with  a  scalpel,  and  with 
a  straight  pair  of  scissors,  or  rather  with  a  sharp  scalpel, 
as  the  scissors  bruise  the  parts,  cut  off  the  callous  edges, 
so  as  to  make  an  angle  at  its  upper  part.  The  operator 
must  then  pierce  the  upper  end  of  the  divided  part  with 
a  silver  pin,  armed  with  a  steel  point,  at  about  one  third 
of  an  inch  from  the  edge  of  the  wound  ;  bring  the  point 
nearly  to  the  bottom  of  the  sore,  and  raise  it  again 
through  the  surface  at  the  distance  of  nearly  one  third 
of  an  inch.  A  thread  must  be  next  passed  across  each 
end  of  the  pin,  to  draw  the  lips  of  the  wound  together, 
and  like  a  figure  of  eight.  Another  pin  is  passed 
through  the  middle  of  the  lip  in  the  same  way,  and  a 
third  near  the  other  extremity  of  the  fissure.  The 
wound  is  secured  by  thread  in  the  same  manner,  round 
each  pin,  and  the  steel  points,  which  usually  fasten  by 
screws,  are  taken  off.  A  pledget  of  digestive  over  the 
whole  will  keep  the  thread  soft. 

Mr.  Pott  observes,  that  when  the  hare-lip  is  double, 
it  sometimes  happens  that  the  middle  portion  contracts, 
and  the  bone  projects.  In  this  case,  the  projecting  Bone 
must  be  removed  by  means  of  a  chisel ;  the  contracted 
part  of  the  lip  then  brought  down  and  detained  by  a 
bandage.  The  operation  is  afterwards  performed  as  in 
the  single  hare-lip,  suffering  each  side  to  be  thoroughly 
healed  before  the  subsequent  operation  is  attempted. 
The  pins  should  not.  be  moved  before  the  sixth  or 
seventh  day,  and  then  the  stitches  must  be  first  cut,  to 
see  that  the  flesh  is  securely  joined  before  the  pins  are 


moved.  When  a  part  of  the  bone  is  cut  away,  the 
wound  must  be  healed  previous  to  the  operation  on  the 
lip.  See  Le  Bran's  Operations;  Heister's  Surgery; 
Sharp's  Operations;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p.  149; 
White's  Surgery,  p.  269. 

LA'BIA  PU'DENDIX  cremnoi,  labra,  arise  from  the 
mons  veneris,  and  extend  from  the  fore  part  of  the 
pubes,  whose  symphysis  is  exactly  between  them,  to 
within  a  short  distance  from  the  anus.  They  are  more 
prominent,  and  thick  above  than  below,  composed  of 
skin,  cellular  membrane,  and  fat-;  red  within,  and  out- 
wardly, about  the  the  age  of  puberty,  covered  with  hair. 
The  angles  of  the  labia,  above  and  below,  are  called 
commissure. 

LABIA 'LES  ARTE'RLE,  (from  labia,  lifts').  See 
MAXILLARI^E  ARTERI^E. 

LABIA'LES  GLANDULE.  The  LABIAL  GLANDS.  The 
membrane  which  covers  the  inside  of  the  lips  is  a  con-, 
tinuation  of  that  on  the  cheeks,  perforated  by  many 
small  holes,  which  answer  to  the  same  number  of  small 
glands.  See  Winslow's  Anatomy. 

LABIA'TUS,  (from   labia,   a   lip).     See  FLOS  LA- 

BIATUS. 

LA'BIS,  (from  Aecji*£*v«,  to  lay  hold  o/.)  Any  for- 
ceps. 

LA'BIUM.     See  LABIA. 

LA'BOUR.     See  PARTURITIO. 

LABRISU'LCIUM,(from  labrum,  a  lip,  andsulcus, 
a  deep  sore').  A  CHAP  IN  THE  LIP,  cheilocace;  gene- 
rally attending  swollen  lips,  and  common  in  scrofula. 
It  usually  requires  the  treatment  necessary  in  that  dis- 
ease ;  but,  as  a  temporary  relief,  may  be  rubbed  with 
the  oleum  cerae,  or  with  the  oleum  amygdylarum  and 
spermaceti.  This  also  is  the  name  given  to  the  can- 
crum  oris. 

LA'BRUM,  (a.Tea  rtv  A*£E<»,  from  its  power  of  re- 
ceiving). See  DEXAMENE. 

LABRU'SCA,  (from  labrum,  a  lip;  so  called  be- 
cause'it  grows  on  the  sides  of  fields).  See  BRYONIA 
ALBA. 

LABYRI'NTHUS,  (A«^,»^(^).  The  LABYRINTH. 
The  second  cavity  of  the  ear,  fodina,  lies  in  the  pars 
petrosa  of  the  temporal  bone,  which  runs  forward 
and  inward.  It  is  an  oblong  body,  divided  into  three 
parts,  called  the  -vestibulum,  the  cochlea,  and  the  semi- 
circular canals.  The  vestibulum  (in  which  the  stapes 
stands)  is  situated  in  the  middle ;  the  cochlea  is  the 


LAC 


349 


LAC 


anterior,  and  lies  forward  and  inward;  and  the  semicircu- 
lar canals,  which  compose  the  posterior  part,  lie  back- 
ward and  outward.  The  three  parts  of  the  labyrinth 
1.1 1-  lined  by  a  fine  periosteum,  which  spreads  over,  and 
shuts  the  two  fenestne  of  the  tympanum. 

LAC,  (from  icfca/c,  to  lick  u/i,  Arabic).  Milk  is  the 
secreted  fluid  destined  for  the  nourishment  of  the  ani- 
mals arranged  by  Linnaeus  in  the  class  of  mammalia, 
comprehending  also,  from  this  circumstance,  the  celacea. 
It  is  a  white,  opaque  fluid ;  and,  when  viewed  with  a 
microscope,  globules,  like  those  of  the  blood,  appear 
to  swim  in  it.  It  is,  therefore,  most  certainly,  not 
an  homogeneous  fluid,  whose  parts  are  chemically 
ur.ted,  but  an  heterogeneous  one  simply  mixed.  Its 
resemblance  to  the  blood  is  striking;  and  as  it  is  of 
the  colour  of  the  chyle  from  which  the  blood  is  form- 
ed, it  was  an  obvious  suggestion  that  the  milk  was  only 
chyle  again  separated  from  the  general  mass.  Chyle 
has  not,  however,  been  sufficiently  analyzed  to  support 
or  confute  this  idea.  It  appears,  on  the  whole,  impro- 
bi  Lie,  since  sugar  contains  a  saccharine  matter,  and  par- 
ticularly a  larger  proportion  of  phosphorated  lime  than 
any  of  the  other  animal  fluids.  To  which  may  be 
ai  .i_d,  that  milk  requires  the  digestive  process  as  well  as 
other  nourishment;  and  it  is  never  apparently  assimi- 
lated until  it  has  been  coagulated. 

Milk  was  probably  the  food  of  the  earliest  inhabit- 
ants of  the  globe,  since  their  herds,  of  which  their 
riches  consisted,  must  have  afforded  an  obvious  supply 
of  this  delicious  nourishment.  Cheese  seems  to  have 
been  known  more  early  than  butter,  for  it  was  of  im- 
portance to  preserve  a. supply  of  food  when  the  milk  of 
the  herds  would,  at  least  lessen,  if  not  disappear. 
Butter  is  obscurely  hinted  at  by  Herodotus,  but  de- 
scribed more  particularly  by  Hippocrates:  each  author 
speaks  of  the  art  of  making  it  as  being  derived  from  the 
Scythians.  When  first  drawn,  milk  has  a  faint  smell, 
generally  mixed  with  that  of  the  animal  which  afforded 
it.  This  aroma  is  soon  lost  on  exposure  to  the  air,  and 
much  of  the  delicacy,  perhaps  the  salubrity,  of  the 
fluid,  seems  to  disappear  with  it.  The  sweetishness,  how- 
ever, remains,  but  is  in  different  degrees  in  different 
animals,  depending  on  the  proportion  of  sugar  which  it 
contains.  The  sweetest  milk  is  that  of  the  sheep. 

When  milk  is  at  rest,  first  the  aroma  disappears,  and 
soon  afterwards  the  surface  assumes  a  yellower  colour, 
and  a  thick  tenaceous  scum  called  cream  rises  to  the  top. 
WThen  this  is  separated,  the  milk  is  of  a  bluish  white 
colour;  and,  on  standing  longer,  the  curd  or  cheesy- 
part  separates.  An  oily  substance  forms  a  portion  of 
the  milk  when  first  drawn ;  but  the  consistence  of 
cream  is  owing  to  its  imbibing  a  portion  of  oxygen 
from  the  air ;  and  the  curd  does  not  spontaneously  sepa- 
rate till  the  acid  fermentation  begins.  It  is  separated, 
artificially,  by  a  variety  of  substances,  as  all  the  acids, 
except  the  carbonic,  and  the  weaker  kinds  similar  to  it; 
oy  different  vegetables,  as  the  galium,  the  vallantia 
cruciata,  the  madder,  the  bark,  and,  apparently,  other 
vegetable  astringents;  by  some  animal  substances,  as 
the  stomach  of  a  young  animal,  however  carefully 
•washed  and  dried,  the  livers  of  turkeys  (Spallanzani), 
Sec.  Jacquin,  in  his  Elements  of  Chemistry,  tells  us, 
that  the  vegetables  only  act  when  cold,  or  in  cold  in- 
fusions. When  boiled  in  milk,  or  boiling  decoctions 
of  thi  bume  plants  are  added,  coagulation  is  retarded 

VOL.    I. 


rather  than  hastened.  Milk  is  coagulated  also  by  salts, 
particularly  such  as  contain  an  excess  of  acid,  as  the 
cream  of  tartar ;  benzoic  and  succinic  salts ;  by 
metallic  solutions ;  by  alcohol,  and  all  spirituous  li- 
quors ;  though  the  addition  of  camphor  or  borated  soda 
will,  it  is  said,  prevent  this  effect  when  either  is  dis- 
solved in  alcohol.  In  every  instance,  however,  the 
coagulation  is  firmer  and  more  perfect  with  the  assist- 
ance of  heat. 

The  alkalis  which  are  said  to  coagulate  milk  unite 
in  reality  with  the  oily  part,  and  produce  a  soap,  which 
seems  to  entangle,  occasionally,  some  of  the  curd. 
These  flocculi,  for  such  is  their  form,  become  succes- 
sively, by  boiling,  yellow  and  brown.  Pure  alkalis 
render  the  milk  more  fluid,  by  equally  dissolving  the 
oil  and  the  curd.  Lime  water  seems  to  procure  an  im- 
perfect coagulation. 

Milk,  when  urged  by  heat,  gives  up  its  oily  portion, 
which  forms  a  dense  pellicle ;  and  that  part  of  it  which 
touches  the  sides  of  the  heated  vessel  burns,  and  gives 
the  whole  an  empyreumatic  taste.  If  this  is  prevented, 
the  serum  procured  is  thin  and  pure.  If,  however,  the 
heat  is  more  violent,  an  insipid  water  conies  over,  fla- 
voured with  the  aroma  of  the  milk,  which  soon  be- 
comes putrid.  The  remainder  is  an  extract,  which, 
with  warm  water,  again  becomes  milk,  though  without 
the  aroma.  If  this  extract  be  exposed  to  a  strong  heat, 
an  empyreumatic  acid  oil,  ammonia,  hydrogenous  and 
carbonic  acid  gases  come  over.  The  remaining  coal 
affords  kali,  muriated  kali,  phosphat  of  lime,  and  occa- 
sionally a  liule  iron. 

When  left  untouched,  milk  undergoes  the  acetous- 
fermentation  at  different  periods,  according  to  the  heat 
of  the  weather  and  the  nature  of  the  animal.  In  warm 
weather,  and  in  ruminating  animals,  this  change  is 
soonest  observed.  Mare's  milk  continues  longest  unal- 
tered. The  tendency  of  milk  to  the  acetous  fermenta- 
tion is  checked,  it  is  said,  by  boiling. 

If  milk  in  a  moderately  warm  place  be  frequently 
stirred,  no  separation  occurs,  and  the  vinous  fermenta- 
tion comes  on.  The  greatest  quantity  of  spirit,  it  is 
said,  will  be  afforded  by  cow's  milk,  though  that  of  the 
mare,  as  the  most  saccharine  fluid,  ferments  soon- 
est ;  and  the  Tartars  prefer  it,  as  affording  also  more 
spirit.  The  putrefactive  process  comes  on  slowly. 
Stipriaan  (Memoires  de  la  Societe  de  Medecinea  Paris, 
1787-8)  informs  us,  that  cow's  milk  showed  no  signs  of 
putridity  after  four  summer  months,  asses  milk  three 
months,  and  female  milk  nearly  an  equal  time. 

The  cream,  we  have  said,  is  the  oil,  which  has  ac- 
quired a  greater  consistency  by  its  union  with  oxygen. 
In  the  form  of  butter  it  is  still  more  intimately  united 
with  this  principle,  and  a  chemical  union  apparently 
takes  place  as  heat  is  excited.  In  general,  the  cream 
is  suffered  to  rise  spontaneously,  but  in  the  West  its 
separation  is  assisted  by  heat.  The  milk  is  put  in  shal- 
low earthen  pans,  and  remains  in  them  twelve  hours  in 
summer,  and  twenty-four  in  winter.  The  pans  are 
then  placed  on  hot  stoves,  and  the  temperature  raised, 
so  as  to  be  scarcely  short  of  boiling.  On  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  bubbles  the  pans  are  removed,  and  remain 
at  rest  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours  longer,  according  to 
the  season.  This  cream,  styled  scalded  or  clotted,  is 
generally  agitated  by  the  hand  in  making  butter,  and 
the  churn  is  only  used  when  the  raw  cream  is  employed, 

5Q 


LAC 


850 


LAC 


The  thickest  and  richest  creams  are  afforded  by  the 
sheep  and  goat ;  the  milk  of  the  mare,  the  ass,  and  the 
i'emale,  afford  the  thinnest.  From  female  milk  scarcely 
any  separation  takes  place,  even  with  the  assistance  of 
heat.  The  fluid  separated  in  making  butter  is  called 
buttermilk.  It  is  the  serum,  enriched  with  some  of  the 
oil  of  the  cream. 

The  curd  is  a  true  albuminous  substance,  without 
smell  or  taste,  nearly  insoluble  .in  water,  hardened  in 
hot  water,  soluble  in  acids,  forming,  with  the  vitriolic 
and  marine,  brown  solutions ;  with  the  nitrous  a  yellow. 
It  is  easily  dissolved  by  alkalis,  but  most  powerfully  by 
the  mineral ;  and,  when  this  is  pure,  during  the  solu- 
tion, a  volatile  alkaline  smell  arises ;  a  fact  not  suffi- 
ciently noticed,  and  which  will  admit  of  some  applica- 
tion. In  distillation,  an  insipid  water  comes  over  that 
easily  putrefies ;  and  the  remainder,  on  increasing  the 
heat,  blisters,  like  burnt  horn,  affording  hydrogenous 
and  carbonic  acid  gas,  ammonia,  a  heavy  fetid  empyreu- 
matic  oil.  The  coal  contains  lime  and  phosphat  of  lime. 
When  exposed  to  a  strong  heat,  in  an  open  fire,  curd 
softens  and  melts;  becomes  transparent  and  tough; 
and,  when  cold,  is  hard  and  brittle. 

The  curd  of  goat  and  cow's  milk  is  solid  and  elastic ; 
that  of  the  ass's  and  mare's  milk  less  solid ;  of  the 
sheep  merely  glutinous ;  of  the  female  generally  fluid, 
and  with  difficulty  separated.  See  CASEUS. 

The  whey  is  similar  to  the  serum  of  the  blood.  The 
whey  separated  in  making  cheese  is  a  watery  fluid, 
without  any  admixture  of  oil ;  but,  in  its  usual  state, 
some  of  the  oily,  and  some  of  the  albuminous  portion 
are  diffused  through  it.  Sweet  whey  affords  sugar  of 
milk :  when  the  milk  has  been  previously  sour,  it  is 
styled  sour  whey  ;  and,  by  adding  a  small  portion  of 
spirit  of  wine,  and  subjecting  it  to  a  fresh  fermentation, 
a  true  vinegar  of  milk  may  be  prepared  (Jacquin). 
The  spirit  of  milk  is  apparently  not  developed  till  it  be- 
comes acid;  the  Tartars  hasten  the  acetous  fermentation 
by  the  addition  of  oatmeal,  and  do  not  distil  it  till  it  is 
strongly  sour.  Thus  milk  holds  a  middle  place  between 
animal  and  vegetable  substances.  As  it  undergoes  the 
acetous  and  vinous  fermentations,  and  becomes  very 
slowly  putrid,  it  resembles  vegetables.  Its  albuminous 
curd  is  of  an  animal  nature. 

Before  we  proceed  to  consider  the  medical  properties 
of  milk,  we  shall  describe  more  particularly  the  milk 
of  different  animals,  viz.  that  of  the  cow,  the  human 
female,  the  ass,  the  goat,  the  sheep,  and  the  mare. 

The  general  appearance  of  cow's  milk  is  well  known, 
and  to  this  standard  we  shall  refer  the  taste  and  more 
obvious  properties  of  other  milks.  It  is  differently 
flavoured,  however,  according  to  the  age  and  the  food  of 
the  animal.  When  near  the  time  of  calving,  it  is  more 
of  an  animal  nature  than  at  a  future  period ;  and  the 
milk  of  farrow  cows  is,  at  first,  saline.  The  alliaceous 
and  the  umbelliferous  plants,  horse  mint,  cabbages,  and 
turnips,  give  it  their  peculiar  flavour.  The  leaves  of 
maize  are  said  to  render  it  mild  and  saccharine ;  the  po- 
tatoe  plant  insipid.  The  Alderney,  Alpine,  and  Sardinian 
cows  give  a  very  rich  milk  :  those  of  the  north  and  of 
Catalonia  an  aqueous  blue  milk.  Tessier  observed 
some  milk,  which  was  white  when  drawn,  soon  became 
blue;  a  change  attributed  to  their  eating  the  isatis 
(woad).  Dr.  Garden  found,  that  the  milk  was  blue 
after  the  cows  had  eaten  of  this  plant ;  and  it  is  usually 


red  when  they  have  eaten  madder  or  the  fruit  of  the 
cactus  opuntia.  Cow's  milk,  in  an  ordinary  state, 
boils  at  113°. 

The  carbonic  acid  gas,  the  boracic  and  oxalic  acids,  do 
not  coagulate  this  milk  when  mixed  with  it,,  though 
Stipriaan  observes  that  the  latter,  if  strewed  on  it  in 
powder,  will  have  this  effect.  The  curds  produced  by 
the  other  acids,  are  dissolved  again  by  alkalis.  When 
vinegar  is  employed  for  the  coagulation,  the  dissolved 
curd  is  of  a  rose  colour.  Other  re-agents  acton  it  nearly 
as  we  have  said  they  do  on  mrlkin  general.  The  elec- 
tric fluid  thickens  it  a  little.  Its  specific  gravity  is 
1028. 

Eight  pounds  of  milk  afforded,  on  distillation,  eight 
ounces  of  a  clear  fluid,  which  retained  the  smell  and 
taste  of  the  animal's  food.  This  fluid  became  turbid 
after  some  time,  but  again  clear  in  a  heat  of  twenty- 
eight  of  Reaumur,  while  some  light  filaments  were 
formed.  When  filtered  it  became  clear  and  tasteless, 
leaving  nothing  after  distillation.  The  residuum  after 
the  first  distillation  was  sweet  and  butyraceous,  called 
by  Hoffman  franchifian;  and,  when  diluted  in  boiling 
water,  the  white  milky  fluid  is  called  Hoffman's  ivhey. 
When  distilled,  it  affords  water,  a  very  fluid  yellow  oil, 
an  acid,  a  volatile  alkali,  a  thick  black  empyreumatic 
oil,  and  an  inflammable  gas.  The  ashes  seem  to  con- 
tain an  alkali  and  a  muriated  soda. 

The  first  milk  after  calving  (colostrum,  firimum,  or 
beastings,}  resembles  other  milk,  with  the  addition  of  a 
mucous  substance.  The  specific  gravity  is  1072.  It  is 
yellow,  but  soon  coagulates  on  the  fire,  and  becomes 
white.  The  specific  gravity  of  the  second  colostrum 
was  1052.  It  is  more  difficult  to  coagulate,  and  stirring 
wholly  prevents  this  change.  Rennet  changes  the  first 
colostrum  to  a  jelly,  and  coagulates  the  second :  the 
first  contains  more  than  three  times  the  quantity 
of  butter,  and  a  much  larger  proportion  of  albuminous 
matter.  Both  colostra  become  more  quickly  putrid 
than  other  milk,  and  seem  to  contain  a  large  proportion 
of  the  gluten  of  the  blood. 

The  cream  of  cow's  milk  after  standing  about  three 
weeks,  was  covered  with  a  green  effervescence,  and  the 
under  part  had  a  cheesy  flavour  (Parmentier).  The 
scalded  cream  acquires  this  flavour  much  sooner ;  and 
this  was  the  reason  for  our  asserting  that  some  of  the 
curd  was  probably  entangled  with  it.  On  distilling  this 
semiputrid  cream,  the  usual  results  obtained  from  fat 
bodies  were  discovered.  (See  ADEPS.)  The  milk, 
last  drawn  from  the  cow,  has  the  largest  proportion  of 
cream ;  and  the  cream,  as  it  rises  in  succession  on  the 
milk,  while  at  rest,  decreases  in  quantity,  and  deterio- 
rates in  quality.  Thick  milk  throws  up  less  cream  than 
that  which  is  thinner,  but  its  quality  is  better.  If  the 
milk  is  diluted  with  water,  the  cream  is  more  copious, 
but  less  rich.  Previous  agitation  lessens  the  proportion 
of  cream ;  and  the  proper  temperature  for  its  rising 
most  successfully  is  about  54°  of  Fahrenheit.  Milk  in 
autumn  gives  more  cream  than  in  spring;  but  it  rises 
soonest  in  summer. 

The  butter  of  cows  is  usually  yellow :  if  white,  its 
quality  is  inferior.  If  the  milk  has  been  kept  too  cool, 
the  butter  is  pale,  with  little  flavour,  and  not  unctuous 
or  rich.  To  have  butter  in  perfection,  the  first  drawn 
milk  should  be  separated,  and  the  first  risen  cream  pre- 
ferred. Some  little  acidity  must  take  place  previous  to 


LAC 


851 


LAC 


the  separation  of  butter,  and  this  must  be  produced  by 
the  agitation,  if  not  before  approaching.  The  cream 
should,  therefore,  be  kept  for  some  time  previous  to  the 
churning.  The  yellowness  of  butter  is  probably  owing 
to  the  constitution  of  the  animal,  but  the  contact  of  the 
air  has  also  some  effect,  for  the  internal  parts  of  the 
mass  are  whiter  than  the  external.  To  preserve  butter 
from  rancidity,  two  drachms  of  sugar,  as  much  nitre, 
with  half  an  ounce  of  salt,  will  be  sufficient  for  sixteen 
ounces  of  butter.  The  rancidity  of  butter  depends,  in 
part,  upon  its  retaining  some  whey,  which  holds  a 
caseous  matter;  for  it  keeps  in  proportion  to  its  wash- 
ing: but,  after  every  care,  some  of  the  caseous  matter 
seems  to  remain,  and  to  this  its  consistence  is  owing 
(Fourcroy).  Thus,  to  melt  butter  without  granulations, 
we  add  flour  to  prevent  the  cheesy  portion  falling  to  the 
bottom,  and  keep  it  in  constant  agitation. 

Skimmed  milk  still  retains  a  portion  of  the  oil  and 
the  cheesy  matter,  which  separate  on  its  becoming  acid ; 
it  is  rich  and  pleasant.  This  matter  is  separated  also  in 
pellicles,  by  boiling.  When  flakes  of  cheese  are  put 
into  a  fluid  alkali  they  are  dissolved,  while  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  ammonia  is  separated,  formed  by  a  de- 
composition of  the  cheese,  and  the  subsequent  union  of 
its  hydrogen  and  azote.  The  alkaline  solution  of  cheese, 
•when  heated,  becomes  brown,  and  deposits  a  portion  of 
animal  matter.  When  this  matter,  held  in  solution,  is 
separated  by  acids,  it  is  black,  melts  in  the  fire  like  thick 
oil.  and,  when  cold,  is  greasy  ;  the  remaining  hydrogen, 
with  the  oxygen,  forming  oil,  and,  with  the  alkali,  be- 
coming saponaceous.  When  the  cheese  is  separated 
from  the  alkali  by  an  acid,  an  hepatic  odour  is  per- 
ceived. The  caseous  matter  is  completely  dissolved 
by  vinegar,  and  has  a  greater  affinity  to  the  vegetable 
acids  than  to  any  other. 

Whey,  when  fresh,  is  sweetish  and  somewhat  saline  ; 
but  when  filtrated,  pellucid.  It  contains  some  caseous 
matter  dissolved  by  an  acid,  which  is  separated  on  the 
addition  of  an  alkali,  and  a  small  portion  of  sugar  of 
milk. 

The  milk  of  women  is  thin,  of  a  bluish  colour,  of  a 
mild  sweet  taste,  and  a  pleasant  odour.  Its  specific 
gravity  is  1029.  On  exposure  to  air,  it  is  covered  with 
a  very  thick  white  matter;  but,  from  this,  no  butter 
could  be  procured.  On  standing,  the  portion  which 
separated  was  still  more  butyraceous,  though  still  in- 
capable of  forming  butter.  When  distilled,  water,  a 
strong  empyreumatic  oil,  ammonia,  an  acid,  and  inflam- 
mable gas,  came  over.  The  fluid,  then,  which  was 
deposited  from  this  unctuous  matter,  was  a  buttermilk  ; 
but  its  transparency  was  not  changed  by  alcohol  or 
acids.  After  evaporation,  it  afforded  sugar  of  milk, 
with  some  cheese.  Female  milk,  when  skimmed,  did 
not,  in  a  warm  temperature,  coagulate  in  five  days ; 
but  became  turbid  and  acid.  Crystals  of  sugar  of 
milk  were  formed,  and  the  thick  mother  ley  afforded 
muriat  of  soda.  Pellicles  rose  on  heating,  as  on  cow's 
milk.  Human  milk  is  coagulated  as  coia's  milk,  excefit 
by  acids.  These,  even  with  the  assistance  of  heat,  had 
no  effect.  It  was  also  not  coagulated  by  alkalis,  but  the 
kali  gave  it  a  brown,  a  red,  and  at  last  a  black,  colour; 

rie  water,  a  deep  yellow.  The  earths,  the  neutral  and 
letallic  salts,  alcohol,  or  the  electric  fluid,  produced  no 
iiange  except  on  the  colour;  but  the  infusion  of  oak 

rk  and  sour  milk,  previously  coagulated,  produced  a 


coagulum.  The  cheese  which  it  affords  is  finer  and 
more  tender  than  that  of  any  other  milk,  but  does  not 
form  a  mass.  Sixteen  hundred  parts  of  this  milk  af- 
forded 137  of  cream;  forty -eight  of  a  matter  resem- 
bling butter;  forty-three  of  cheese,  and  117  of  sugar. 
Three  hundred  parts  of  this  sugar  afforded  eighty-five 
of  lactic  acid.  Human  milk  scarcely  becomes  sour 
after  a  long  period.  It  never  passes  either  to  the  vinous 
or  putrid  fermentations. 

Human  milk  differs  so  essentially  in  different  women, 
and  even  in  the  same  woman,  at  different  times,  that 
the  results  of  experiments  greatly  vary.  Parmentier 
found  the  results  so  contradictory,  that  he  suspected 
some  deceit,  and  employed  only  milk  which  he  drew 
himself.  The  results  of  his  trials  were,  however,  still 
contradictor}'.  This  may,  perhaps,  account  for  Dr. 
Clark's  assertion,  that  human  milk  contains  no  caseous 
part,  and  he  could  not  succeed  in  coagulating  it,  by  any 
means,  or  in  any  temperature.  (Transactions  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy  for  1788.)  What  has  been  sup- 
posed, therefore,  to  be  a  coagulum  of  the  caseous  part, 
may  have  been  only  cream ;  and  during  the  period  of 
the  first  and  second  colustrum  only  was  it  found  yellow. 
At  every  other  time  it  is  white. 

The  milk  of  the  ass  is  whitish,  with  some  degree  of 
transparency,  of  a  peculiar  smell,  and  a  saltish  tastej 
mixed  with  its  sweetness.  Its  specific  gravity  is  1023. 
Alcohol,  the  metallic  salts,  rennets,  and  all  the  acids, 
except  the  fluor,  and  the  cream  of  tartar  when  cold, 
coagulate  it.  Alkalis  produce  a  slight  coagulation,  and 
different  changes  of  colour  Neutrals  render  it  thinner. 
It  coagulates  with  difficulty  when  at  rest,  and  the  coa- 
gulum is  weak.  The  cream  is  of  a  yellowish  white, 
sweet,  and  at  first  thin.  Afterwards  it  acquires  a 
greater  consistence.  The  whey  is  sweetish  and  yel- 
lowish. Sixteen  hundred  parts  of  this  milk  afford 
forty -seven  of  cream;  fifty -three  of  cheese;  seventy- 
two  of  sugar  of  milk,  which  contains  about  one  fourth 
of  acid.  The  coagulum  of 'this  milk  does  not  depend 
on  its  caseous  matter,  for  this  is  spontaneously  separated, 
falling  to  the  bottom  in  the  form  of  very  tenacious  par- 
ticles. The  cream  is  neither  thick  nor  copious,  and, 
with  difficulty,  assumes  the  form  of  butter,  which  is 
soft  and  white,  without  any  peculiar  taste,  but  quickly 
becoming  rancid.  The  butter  milk,  which  has  a  mild 
pleasing  taste,  must  be  carefully  separated,  or  it  soon 
again  dissolves  the  butter.  The  sugar  is  in  small  pro- 
portion, and  it  contains  also  ajittle  calcareous  muriat, 
sometimes  muriat  of  soda.  It  agrees  with  human  milk 
in  being  soon  converted  into  whey  when  the  caseous 
matter  is  deposited ;  and  in  proportion  to  this  deposi- 
tion the  sweetness  increases. 

The  milt  of  the  goat  is  very  white,  sweetish,  and  of 
an  unctuous  taste.  Its  specific  gravity  is  1036.  It  is 
affected  by  re-agents  nearly  as  asses'  milk.  The  cream 
is  very  thick,  of  a  mild  agreeable  taste,  and  slowly  pro- 
ceeds to  acidity.  It  easily  forms  butter,  which  is  white, 
firm,  and  consistent;  and,  from  its  thickness,  is  easily 
converted  into  a  very  rich  cheese,  which  is  not  soon 
injured  by  keeping.  The  butter  milk  abounds  with 
cheesy  matter,  which  may  be  separated  by  acids.  The 
quantity  of  cheese  which  this  milk  affords  is  its  chief 
characteristic.  The  curd  is  so  copious  that  the  whey- 
separates  with  difficulty.  The  curd  is  also  gelatinous 
and  consistent,  while  in  female  or  asses'  milk  it  is  in 
5  Q2 


LAC 


852 


LAC 


divided  particles.  The  cheese  is  peculiarly  rich  and 
agreeable  The  butter  is  white  and  rich,  but  not  as  from 
asses'  milk  in  consequence  of  a  mixture  of  the  curd, 
for  none  is  deposited  on  melting.  On  this  account  it 
keeps  long  without  spoiling.  Sixteen  hundred  parts  of 
this  milk  contain  127  of  cream;  72  of  butter;  146  of 
cheese;  70  of  sugar  of  milk,  of  which  one  fourth  is  lactic 
acid.  The  saccharine  matter  appears  to  be  less  than  in 
female  orasses'  milk.  Its  sugar  white  when  the  serum 
spontaneously  evaporates.  When  artificial  heat  is  used 
it  becomes  a  jelly,  and  the  crystals  are  coloured.  The 
serum  contains  a  very  small  proportion  of  common  salt. 

The  milk  of  the  sheeji  greatly  resembles  that  of  the 
cow.  Its  specific  gravity  is  1035,  and  it  readily  runs 
into  the  acetous  fermentation  in  summer.  When  at 
rest,  a  thick,  1'ich,  sweet,  yellowish  cream  rises  in  con- 
siderable quantities,  which  affords  much  butter;  but  it 
is  oily  to  the  taste,  and  its  consistence  is  not  consider- 
able. It  easily  becomes  rancid  if  not  well  washed.  Its 
cheese  is  rich  and  viscous,  but  mild  and  agreeable.  The 
serum  affords  a  very  white  sugar.  Sixteen  hundred 
parts  afford  185  of  cream;  ninety-three  of  butter;  246 
of  cheese;  and  sixty-seven  of  sugar,  of  which  one 
fourth  was  lactic  acid,  and  as  much  was  obtained  from 
the  remaining  fluid.  All  the  acids  (except  the  carbonic 
acid  gas),  alum,  and  liver  of  sulphur,  coagulate  it.  Kali 
and  soda  render  its  colour  dark ;  if  caustic,  reel ;  am- 
monia, which  also  attenuates  it,  yellow.  The  neutral 
salts  have  no  effect  on  it.  The  characteristics  of  this 
milk  are  the  quantity  of  cream  it  furnishes,  the  quan- 
tity and  richness  of  its  cheese.  The  famous  Roquefort 
cheese  owes  its  excellence  to  the  mixture  of  sheep's 
curd.  Annales  de  Chimie,  iv.  31. 

The  milk  of  the  mare  retains  the  smell  of  the  animal, 
and  it  tastes  as  if  water  was  mixed  with  it,  though  its 
specific  gravity  is  1045.  The  mineral  acids  coagulate 
it;  the  phosphoric  deprives  it  of  its  colour  and  opacity ; 
the1  fluor  and  saccharine  acids  slightly  coagulate  it 
when  warm.  Lime  water  precipitates  a  caseous  matter 
when  warm  ;  alcohol  renders  it  slightly  curdy  ;  rennet 
has  no  effect  on  it.  Mare's  milk  is  remarkable  for  its 
fluidity,  but  it  is  less  so  than  female's  or  asses'  milk,  and 
more  tasteless  than  either.  Parmentier  informs  us  that 
it  easily  boils,  and  is  not  difficult  to  coagulate.  Its  dis- 
tilled water  is  nearly  inodorous,  and  its  franchipan  less 
copious  and  unctuous  than  that  of  the  cow.  On  a 
alight  heat  this  milk  is  covered  with  pellicles,  and  the 
first  are  the  most  unctuous.  The  cream  rises  soon,  is 
yellowish  and  clear,  but  produces  no  butter.  The 
skimmed  milk  resembles  that  of  the  cow,  but  the  vege- 
table acids  separate  slowly  the  cheese,  and  in  a  form  re- 
sembling that  from  human  milk.  The  serum  afforded 
a  vitriolated  lime  in  needle  like  crystals,  and  sugar  of 
milk  in  the  form  of  a  saline  concretion.  The  mother 
water  was  found  to  contain  muriat  of  lime.  Sixteen 
hundred  parts  afforded  only  thirteen  of  cream;  twenty- 
six  of  cheese;  140  of  sugar  of  milk,  of  which  about 
forty  were  lactic  acid.  From  mare's  milk  the  ardent 
spirit  is  chiefly  procured.  The  art  of  making  it  is  of 
great  antiquity,  and  consists  in  not  permitting  the  separa- 
tion of  the  component  parts  of  the  milk,  or  again  uniting 
them,  if  separated,  till  an  acidity  is  observed.  The 
spirit  is  apparently  developed  at  the  same  time  with  the 
acid. 

Jt  is  remarked  by  Pai'mentier,  that  when  cows  are 


diseased,  the  albuminous  curd  is  the  only  part  changed , 
The  corresponding  part  of  other  animal  fluids  seems, 
alone,  to  suffer  from  a  morbid  state  of  the  body. 

Stipriaan  gives  a  short  comparison  of  different  milks, 
which  we  shall  subjoin.  The  most  aqueous,  he  observes, 
is  the  milk  of  the  ass.  Then  follows  that  of  the  mare, 
the  human  female,  the  cow,  the  goat,  and  the  sheep. 
Cream  was  most  abundant  in  sheep's  milk;  next  in  the 
human,  the  goat's,  cow's,  ass's,  and  mare's  milk.  Butter 
was  in  the  largest  proportion  in  sheep's  milk,  next  the 
goat's,  cow's,  and  human  milk.  Cheese  abounded  most 
in  sheep's,  then  successively  in  goat's,  cow's,  ass's, 
human,  and  mare's  milk.  Most  sugar  was  afforded  by 
mare's  milk,  followed  by  the  human,  the  ass's,  the 
goat's,  the  sheep's,  and  the  cow's  milk.  Parmentier  di- 
vides milks  into  two  classes,  the  serous  and  the  caseous, 
or  butyraceous.  The  first  contains  asses,  mares,  and 
human;  the  second,  the  cow's,  the  goat's,  and  the 
sheep's  milks. 

These  facts,  which  have  not  been  hitherto  collected 
in  any  medical  work,  point  out  the  absurdity  of  nu- 
merous directions,  which  fill  the  volumes  of  dietetic 
writers,  and  those  authors  who  have  written  on  the  dis- 
eases of  children.  Women's  milk,  as  we  have  said,  is 
so  various,  that  general  rules  can  scarcely  be  drawn; 
but  if  any  fact  respecting  it  is  better  established  than 
another,  it  is,  that  acids  will  not  coagulate  it.  We 
have  already  observed,  that  milk  must  be  coagulated 
before  it  can  become  subject  to  the  digestive  powers, 
and  this  is  consonant  to  another  fact,  noticed  in  the 
article  DIGESTION,  q.  v.  that,  unless  the  food  or  drink 
is  delayed  in  the  stomach,  though  absorbed,  it  is  soon 
again  carried  to  the  excretory  organs,  as  a  substance 
foreign  from  the  habit.  This  is  even  the  case  with 
water.  That  milk  must  be  coagulated  in  the  stomach 
is  proved,  not  only  by  these  circumstances,  but  by  in- 
fants vomiting  milk  as  it  is  taken  in,  when  any  disease 
occurs  in  the  stomach,  and  their  occasionally  vomiting 
it  in  a  coagulated  state,  when  the  discharge  has  been 
accidental,  or  from  fulness.  We  recollect  some  expe- 
riments made,  many  years  since,  by  Mr.  Wilson,  though 
we  believe  not  published,  in  which,  after  the  most  at- 
tentive examination,  no  acid  could  be  detected  in  the 
stomach  of  infants.  We  now  see,  that  if  it  had  been 
there  it  would  not  have  produced  coagulation.  Acid, 
we  know,  does  occasionally  abound  in  the  stomachs  of 
infants,  because  we  find  it  changing  the  colour  of  the 
bile ;  but  it  is  not  constantly  present,  and  still  less  is  it 
necessary  to  assist  the  digestive  process.  To  assist  in 
this  enquiry,  we  mentioned  the  effect  of  rennet,  (the 
stomach  of  the  calf,)  though  carefully  washed  and 
dried,  in  coagulating  cow's  milk,  and  added  a  fact  from 
Spallanzani,  that  the  liver  of  the  turkey  would  produce 
a  similar  change.  Why  may  not  the  stomach  of  a 
child,  and,  in  a  less  degree,  that  of  an  adult,  occasion 
the  coagulation  ?  But,  though  this  be  not  granted,  we 
have  seen  that,  when  human  milk  has  been  once  co- 
agulated, the  former  coagulum  is  sufficient  to  produce 
this  change  in  fresh  milk;  and  this  is  certainly  the  most 
common  cause.  From  these  observations,  we  may,  at 
least,  draw  one  inference,  that  absorbents  are  too  com- 
monly given  to  children.  Acid  in  the  stomach  seldom 
produces  any  bad  effect.  It  is  carried  off  like  any 
foreign  body,  and  soon  neutralized  by  the  bile.  Our 
predecessors,  in  practice,  used  them  freely;  but  by 


LAC 


853 


LAC 


employing  the  animal  earths,  they  fortunately  did  not 
always  exhibit  an  absoi  bent,  and  only  threw  into  the 
stomach  a  small  quantity  of  an  indigestible  powder, 
which  was  soon  again  discharged.  Such  was  the  Gas- 
coyne's  powder,  the  pearls,  and  a  great  variety  of  costly 
and  fashionable  medicines. 

In  the  directions  for  a  milk  diet,  equal  absurdities 
prevailed.  To  prevent  coagulation,  we  are  sometimes 
advised  to  add  aqua  ammoniac  or  lime  water  (Motherby, 
fifth  edition).  We  now  know  that  these  produce  other 
changes  not  salutary,  and  coagulation  appears  really  ne- 
cessary. We  may,  indeed,  admit,  that  the  coagulum  of 
cow's  milk  is  sometimes  too  firm,  and,  with  that  view,  a 
small  stimulus  may  be  necessary  to  enable  the  stomach 
to  conquer  it ;  and,  for  this  purpose,  a  small  portion  of  rum 
is  sometimesv added,  and,  perhaps,  some  o/the  warmer 
spices  may  be  occasionally  substituted  with  more  ad- 
vantage. But  to  add  a  medicine  which  will  promote,  in 
order  to  fire-vent  coagulation — to  prevent  what  is  essen- 
tially necessary  to  the  digestion  of  the  milk,  is  an  accu- 
mulation of  absurdities  without  example,  except  in 
the  work  we  are  now  attempting  to  improve. 

Milk,  we  have  seen,  holds  a  middle  place  between 
vegetable  and  animal  foods.  It  is  milder  than  the  lat- 
ter, and  more  stimulating  than  the  former;  but  in  its 
effects  on  the  constitution  it  approaches  more  nearly  to 
animal  than  vegetable  aliment.  (See  ALIMENT.)  The 
milks  preferred  as  medicinal  are  chiefly  cow's,  ass's, 
mare's,  and  female  milk.  The  goat's  whey  is  preferred 
to  its  milk. 

Cow's  milk,  we  have  found  a  rich  nutritious  fluid  ;  but, 
by  carefully  choosing  the  kind,  the  age  of  the  milk,  the 
time  of  milking,  Sec.  it  is  thinner  and  more  digestible. 
In  many  stomachs  it  is,  however,  heavy  and  indigesti- 
ble ;  and  the  idiosyncracy  of  the  patient  should  be  con- 
sidered when  it  is  prescribed.  The  quantity  should, 
however,  be  also  limited  ;  for,  if  in  excess,  it  produces 
great  inconvenience  from  its  bulk.  Physicians  have 
been  so  much  afraid  of  its  coagulating,  that  they  have 
not  employed  a  very  convenient  form  of  cow's  milk, 
the  slight  curd  produced  by  rennet.  Cow's  milk  is 
often  prescribed  in  hectic  cases,  sometimes  in  fevers, 
and  in  cases  where  the  fluids  are  supposed  to  be  acri- 
monious, as  in  cancers,  cutaneous  eruptions,  and  similar 
complaints.  In  many  of  these  diseases  it  is,  however, 
too  stimulating,  particularly  in  fevers,  occasionally  in 
hectics  ;  and,  as  it  has  been  observed,  in  the  usual  pre- 
paratory diet  for  the  inoculated  small  pox.  In  these 
cases  it  is  diluted  with  water,  with  decoctions  of  the 
farinacea,  as  in  gruel,  and  with  whey.  Butter  milk 
and  whey  have  been  sometimes  substituted. 

»4ss'g  milk  is,  we  have  seen,  a  less  stimulating  fluid, 
and  less  nourishing.  Its  oily  matter  is  in  much  less 
proportion,  its  coagulum  weak,  and,  what  is  apparently 
of  the  greatest  consequence,  the  caseous  matter  is  not 
entangled  with  it,  but  precipitated.  The  little  butter 
which  it  contains  is  readily  dissolved  in  its  serum.  On 
these  accounts,  it  appears  peculiarly  adapted  to  those 
states  in  which  every  stimulus  is  highly  injurious,  as  in 
hectics.  In  the  choice  of  this  milk,  there  is  not,  how- 
ever, sufficient  discrimination.  If  many  take  the  milk 
of  the  same  animal,  convenience,  rather  than  the  nature 
of  the  disease,  determines  ihetime  ;  and  the  richer  fluid 
of  the  last  milking  may  be  thus  brought  to  *!•  nost  ir- 
ritable habit  The  age  of  the  foal  is  also  seldom  at- 


tended to,  and  the  laxative  colostrum  of  the  early 
period  may  be  given  to  those  whose  bowels  are  par- 
ticularly irritable. 

Female  milk  has  been  seldom  employed,  nor  are  we 
v.  ell  aware  of  its  medical  effects.  It  contains-  a  large 
proportion  of  cream,  and  a  small  one  of  cheese.  Its 
coagulum  is  also  tender,  and  it  resists  the  effects  of  acids 
in  producing  this  change.  It  will.be,  therefore,  pro- 
bably useful  in  all  cases  where  ass's  milk  has  been  re- 
commended ;  nor  can  we  think  it,  from  the  bosom  of  a 
healthy  young  woman,  so  disgusting  a  remedy  as  from 
the  ass.  Glare's  milk  has  been  employed,  but  of  its 
efficacy  we  know  nothing.  From  its  fluidity,  and  small 
portion  of  caseous  matter,  we  should  suppose  it  to  be 
an  useful  substitute  for  ass's  or  human  milk. 

The  very  large  proportion  of  cheese  in  goat's  milk 
does  not  seem  to  render  it  an  eligible  aliment  for  inva- 
lids, and  we  believe  the  whey  is  chiefly  employed.  This 
must  probably  prove  a  salutary  beverage  in  some  dis- 
eases, and  we  have  heard  many  instances  of  its  success. 
From  our  own  experience,  however,  we  know  nothing. 

The  sugar  of  milk  is  sometimes  separated,  but  rather 
for  curiosity  than  use,  for  it  is,  we  believe,  never  given 
medicinally.  (See  SACCHARUM  LACTIS.)  In  the  Paris 
Pharmacopoeia,  it  is  directed  to  be  prepared -from  the 
whey  of  coxv's  milk,  clarified,  filtered,  and  evaporated. 
Whe'y  is  usually  prepared  by  adding  an  infusion  of 
rennet,  and  is  thin  in  proportion  to  the  hardness  of  the 
coagulum.  Cheese  whey  is  peculiarly  thin,  and  merely 
a  saline  aqueous  fluid.  The  whey  prepared  for  drinking 
is  an  opaque  fluid,  with  a  proportion  of  the  oil,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  the  curd  suspended.  It  is  not  an 
easy  task  to  bring  it  to  the  most  pleasing  consistence  ; 
and  it  is  said  a  small  portion  of  alum  is  employed  for 
this  purpose.  The  proportion,  however,  is  so  small, 
that  we  have  not  found  it  give  uneasiness  even  in  the 
most  irritable  bowels.  Whey  is,  of  course,  less  nu- 
tritious than  milk,  but  is  a  mild  soft  demulcent,  highly 
useful  in  the  early  stages  of  fever,  in  hectics,  in  coughs, 
and  inflammatory  complaints  of  every  kind. 

Milk  is  used  as  an  intermede,  or  veAic/r,  at  least  to 
suspend,  if  not,  in  part,  to  render  some  medicines  more 
miscible  with  water.  Bark,  in  powder,  is  covered  very 
successfully  by  milk  ;  and  with  a  small  proportion  of  a 
decoction  of  liquorice  is  agreeably  disguised.  The 
volatile  tincture  of  guaiacum,  and  similar  preparations, 
are  also  very  conveniently  exhibited  in  milk. 

See  Dioscorides,  lib.  ii.  cap.  64.  Voltelen  de  Lacte 
Humano  ;  Jacquin's  Chemistry  ;  Scheel's  Works ; 
Fourcroy  and  Chaptal,  Annales  de  Chimie,  vol.  vii.  x. 
and  xxxi. ;  Jahrig ;  Parmentier  and  Deyeux,  Journal 
de  Physique,  1790,  and  1791  ;  Greive  on  the  Koumiss, 
Edinburgh  Transactions,  1788;  Clarke  on  Human 
Milk,  Irish  Transactions,  1788  ;  Stipriaan,  Livisens,  and 
Bondt,  Memoires  de  la  Societe  de  M^decine  Paris, 
1787,  and  1788;  Hoffman's  Dissertatio  de  Sero  Lactis; 
Medical  Musasum,  vol.iii.  p.  361,  &c. ;  Cullen's  Materia 
Medica. 

LAC  ACE'TOSCM.     See  ALCAOL. 

LAC  AMY'GDAL.*.  MILK  OF  ALMONDS.  See  EMUL- 
sio. 

LAC  ASIXI'NUM  ARTIFICI'ALE.     See  ERYXGIUM. 

LAC  CA'LCIS.  MILK  OF  LIME;  water  whitened  by 
a  solution  of  quick  lime,  which  is  also  in  part  suspended 
in  it. 


LAC 


854 


LAC 


LAC  SPUMO'SUM.     See  APHROGALA. 

LAC  SU'LPHURIS.  See  SULPHUR  PR^CIPITA- 
TUM. 

LAC  VIRGINA'LE.     See  BENZOINUM. 

LA'CCA,  (from  the  Arabic  lakah).  LAC,  or  GUM 
LAC;  ancosa;  is  a  concrete  brittle  substance,  of  dark  red 
colour,  brought  from  the  East  Indies,  incrusted  on 
pieces  of  sticks,  internally  divided  into  cells.  It  is  the 
gummy  resinous  substance  from  two  species  of  ficus, 
viz.  they.  Indica  and  religiosa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1514,  effused 
in  consequence  of  the  puncture  of  a  species  of  coccus. 
The  nest  in  which  the  insect  also  is  sometimes  found 
adhering  to  the  branches  is  called  stick  lac.  In  the 
cells  small  red  bodies  are  often  observed,  which  appear 
to  be  the  young  insects.  ,If  the  stick  lac  is  broken 
into  small  pieces,  and  infused  in  warm  water  until  it 
ceases  to  give  any  tincture  to  the  liquor,  the  remainder 
appears  of  a  transparent,  yellowish  brown  colour,  and  is 
called  seed  lac  :  and  on  raising  the  heat  so  as  to  melt  the 
seed  lac,  it  rises  to  the  surface,  and  is  formed  into  what 
is  called  shell  lac.  When  melted,  and  cast  in  cakes,  it 
is  styled  lac  in  tablets. 

The  seed  and  shell  lacs  being  robbed  of  the  colouring 
animal  matter,  seem  to  be  of  an  intermediate  nature 
between  that  of  wax  and  resin,  and  to  partake  of  the 
nature  of  both.  They  crumble  on  chewing,  and  do 
not  soften  or  unite  again  ;  laid  on  a  hot  iron,  they  in- 
flame, and  soon  burn.  If  distilled  like  wax,  they  yield 
an  acid  spirit,  and  a  butyraceous  oil.  Alkaline  lixivia, 
and  volatile  alkaline  spirit,  dissolve  them  into  a  purplish 
liquor.  With  the  help  of  heat,  they  dissolve  in  rec- 
tified spirit  of  wine.  Alum  promotes  their  solution  in 
boiling  water.  Lac  is  not  used  in  medicine ;  but  the 
colouring  matters  serves  as  a  paint,  and  the  remainder  is 
an  ingredient  in  sealing  -wax.  See  Neumann's  Che- 
mical Works.  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

From  lac  an  acid  is  procured,  styled  the  lactic  acid. 
Dr.  Anderson,  in  1786,  received  from  the  interior  parts 
of  Hindostan  nests  of  insects,  resembling  cowry  shells, 
which  he  found  to  be  the  coverings  of  the  females  of  an 
undescribed  species  of  coccus.  Some  of  this  matter, 
which  resembled  bees'  wax,  was  sent  to  England  ;  and, 
in  1794, Dr.  Pearson,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions, 
published  an  analysis  of  it. 

About  one  quarter  of  this  white  lac  contains  a  red- 
dish acid,  which  tasted  saltish,  and  not  sour,  though  it 
changes  paper,  stained  with  turnsole,  to  a  red  colour. 
When  heated,  the  smell  is  that  of  newly  baked  bread. 
The  properties  of  this  acid  are  very  distinct ;  but  as  it 
has  not  been  employed  in  medicine,  they  need  not  de- 
tain us. 

LACCO'PEDON.     See  SCROTUM. 

LACERATU'RA,(from  lacero,  to  tear).     See  VUL- 

NUS. 

LACE'RTULI  and  LACE'RTUS,  (from  lacertus, 
an  arm}.  BUNDLES  of  FIBRES.  In  every  muscle,  long, 
slender,  soft  fibres  are  found,  possessed  of  some  elas- 
ticity, running  parallel  with  each  other,  surrounded 
•with  a  large  portion  of  cellular  membrane,  and  col- 
lected into  what  are  called  lacertuli,  in  shape  like  the 
arm  from  the  elbow  to  the  wrist.  These,  bound  toge- 
ther with  a  looser,  generally  adipose,  membrane,  run 
into  large  bundles,  divided  by  cellular  stripes,  or  par- 
titions, and  are  then  called  laccrtl.  The  lacerti  running 
parallel,  or  inclined,  surrounded  with  a  thin  cellular 


membrane,  continuous  with  the  partitions,  and  sepa- 
rated by  a  thicker  cellular  texture  from  the  neighbour- 
ing fleshy  parts,  are  considered  as  one  muscle.  See 
BRACHIUM,  where  the  word  lacertus  is  used  in  another 
sense. 

LA'CERUM  FORA'MEN,  (from  A**,i?>,  to  tear,) 
one  of  the  inner  foramina  in  the  head,  through  which 
the  third,  fourth,  first  branch  of  the  fifth,  and  the  sixth 
pair  of  nerves  pass. 

LACERUM  is  also  applied  to  a  leaf  whose  margin  is 
irregular. 

LA'CRYMA,  (from  S'se.x.pviAa,  a  tear*).  A  TEAR  ; 
and  the  gum  of  a  tree,  which  appears  in  drops  like 
tears. 

LA'CRYMA  ABIE'GNA.     See  TEREBINTHINA. 

LA'CRYMA  JO'BI,  lithosfiermum,  millium  arundina- 
ceum,  REED  MILLET,  JOB'S  TEARS.  Coijc  lachryma  Jobi 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1378.  The  seeds  resemble  tears;  and 
are  said  to  be  -lithontriptic,  but  are  little  used.  Raii 
Historia. 

LACRYMA'LIA  O'SSA,  (from  lacryma,  a  tear'). 
See  UNGUIS  OSSA. 

LACRYMA'LIA  PU'NCTA,  are  two  small  orifices  at  a 
little  distance  from  the  internal  angle  of  the  eye,  on 
the  edge  of  the  eye  lids,  which  lead  to  the  lacrymal 
canals  and  sac. 

LACRYMA'LIS   GLA'NDULA.     See  GLANDULA 

LACRYMALIS. 

LACRYMA'LIS  NE'RVUS.  The  first  branch  of  the  fifth 
pair  of  nerves  is  called  the  orbitary;  and  this  is  subdi- 
vided into  three  others,  the  last  of  which  is  called  the 
lacrymal  branch;  as  it  is  chiefly  dispersed  on  the  lacry- 
mal gland. 

LACI'NIA  COROLL^E,  (from  lacinio,  to  perforate}. 
Any  part  into  which  the  border  of  a  monopetalous 
corolla  is  cut.  It  is  applied  also  to  monophyllous  ca- 
lices,  and  a  calyx  which  has  two  laciniae  is  said  to  be 
bifid  ;  or  to  divisions  on  the  borders  of  leaves  ;  hence 
called 

LACINIA'TI,  jagged,  implying  an  irregularity  in 
the  division  and  subdivision  :  laciniae,  according 
to  Linnaeus,  is  the  same  with  a  part,  segment,  or 
cleft. 

LACO'NICUM.     See  BALNEUM. 

LACTA'NTIUM  TABES,  the  hectic  of  nurses, 
chiefly  from  debility.  See  LACTATIO.  It  is  charac- 
terized by  every  symptom  of  weakness  in  the  animal 
and  vital  functions,  to  which  evening  exacerbations  and 
morning  sweats  succeed,  even  when  there  is  no  peculiar 
affection  of  the  lungs.  Indeed  the  lungs  are  apparently 
never  affected,  unless  there  is  a  constitutional  predispo- 
sition to  phthisis.  In  this  disease,  the  bark  and  mineral 
acids,  where  no  pulmonic  affection  exists,  and  Grif- 
fith's mixture,  with  myrrh  and  steel,  when  such  is  sus- 
pected, are  the  best  remedies.  If  decided  hectic  symp- 
toms come  on,  the  disease  must  be  treated  as  a  true 
PHTHISIS,  q.  v. 

Weaning  is  often  essentially  necessary  ;  but  we  have 
in  general  found  it  more  useful  first  to  try  whether 
lessening  the  quantity  of  milk  which  the  child  takes 
will  not  succeed.  Even  where  hectic  symptoms  have 
come  on,  we  have  thought  moderate  suckling  rather  ad- 
vantageous than  hurtful.  Much,  however,  must  depend 
on  the  mother's  health,  on  that  of  the  child,  and  many 
minute  circumstances  which  it  is  impossible  to  detail. 


LAC 


855 


LAC 


See  Fothergill  in  the  Medical  Observations,  vol.  v.;  and 
Walker  on  the  Memoirs  of  the  Medical  Society. 
LACTA'RIA,(fix>m  lac,  milk").  See  LACTICIXIA. 
LACTA'TIO,  (from  lacteo,  to  suckle).  SUCKLING. 
The  child  should  suck,  if  possible,  during  the  first 
month;  for  the  early  milk  is  not  only  advantageous  to 
the  child,  but  the  discharge  prevents  many  inconve- 
niences to  the  mother.  If,  however,  from  extreme  de- 
bility, a  deficiency  of  milk,  or  too  short  nipples,  this  is 
impossible,  it  should  be  consigned  to  a  healthy  young 
woman,  whose  milk  is  nearly  of  the  age  of  the  child. 

In  general,  the  health  of  women  during  suckling  is 
better  than  at  any  other  period  of  their  lives.  Their 
appetite  is  excellent ;  the  sleep  they  have,  sound  and 
refreshing;  their  spirits  free;  their  temper  cheerful.  If 
the  nurse  fails  in  any  of  these  respects,  suckling  will  be 
less  beneficial  either  to  herself  or  infant.  If  she  fails  in 
the  greater  number,  particularly  in  appetite  or  sleep,  she 
should  decline  the  office. 

When  the  new  t>orn  child  is  to  be  suckled  by  the 
mother,  it  should  be  applied  to  the  breast  in  ten  or 
twelve  hours  after  delivery  ;  for  the  milk  is  by  this 
means  sooner  and  more  easily  supplied;  fever  and  in- 
flammation of  the  breasts  more  certainly  prevented. 

If  the  mother  does  not  suckle  her  child,  her  breasts 
should  be  _kept  warm  with  flannels,  or  with  a  hare 
skin,  to  keep  up  a  constant  perspiration.  If  she  does 
suckle,  she  should  carefully  cover  the  breasts  when  she 
first  opens  her  bosom,  and  when  the  child  is  taken 
from  it,  as  the  cold  air  is  sensibly  felt  in  that  tender  or- 
gan, the  skin  quickly  corrugated,  to  which  pain,  in- 
flammation, and  abscesses  often  succeed. 

A  wet  nurse  should  be  young,  of  a  healthy  habit 
and  an  active  disposition,  a  mild  temper,  and  whose 
breasts  are  well  filled  with  milk.  If  the  milk  is  good, 
it  is  sweetish  to  the  taste,  and  totally  free  from  saltness  : 
to  the  eye  it  appears  thin,  and  of  abluish  cast.  The  re- 
gular recurrence  of  the  menses  is  generally  an  objection; 
and  it  is  often  a  very  strong  one.  The  inconveniencies 
arise  from  the  child  being  slightly  disordered  at  the 
commencement  of  the  return;  and  the  symptoms  of 
teething  are  often  aggravated  by  the  irritation  which 
these  returns  produce.  The  menses  are  sometimes 
supposed  to  be  advantageous,  and  are  said  to  renew  the 
milk  when  it  is  old;  but  this  is  an  idea  without  the 
slightest  foundation. 

A  hired  nurse  is  generally  kept  from  her  husband  ; 
but  by  this  restriction  the  temper  is  often  ruffled,  and 
more  injury  than  advantage  is  sustained  by  the  infant. 
If  the  nurse's  child  is  of  the  same  age  with  that  she 
suckles,  she  will  not  probably  be  again  with  child  till 
the  period  of  weaning  arrives.  If  older,  the  greater  is 
the  probability  of  her  being  again  pregnant,  and  the  se- 
paration from  her  husband  more  necessary.  A  child 
may  be  safely  weaned  at  seven  months,  but  should  not 
suck  more  than  ten.  Changes  of  nurses  should,  if  pos- 
sible, be  avoided;  yet  this  is  rather  the  caution  of  ex- 
perience, perhaps  of  prejudice,  than  of  reason. 

Nurses  should  eat,  at  least,  one  hearty  meal  of  ani- 
mal food,  with  a  proper  quantity  of  vegetables,  every 
day.  Thin  broth,  or  milk,  is  more  proper  for  their 
breakfasts  and  suppers  than  tea;  and  if  the  strength 
should  seem  to  fail,  a  draught  of  good  ale  may  be  oc- 
casionally allowed ;  but  spirituous  liquors  should  be 
avoided. 


Every  mother  should,  for  her  own  sake,  as  well  as 
her  infant's,  attempt  to  suckle.  Yet  some  constitutions 
are  so  peculiarly  weak  and  nervous,  that  the  dread  of 
increasing  these  complaints  is  a  frequent  impediment. 
It  should  not,  however,  at  least,  hinder  the  attempt; 
for  weak  habits  have  suckled  with  advantage  even  to 
themselves.  If,  however, the  milk  is  scanty;  if,  though 
copious,  it  is  thin  and  watery;  above  all,  if  the  child  is 
restless  and  uneasy;  if  it  frets  and  pines;  a  healthy  nurse 
should  be  procured.  But  the  experiment  should  first 
be  made,  and  the  attempt  should  not  be  given  up  unless 
the  child  suffers.  Let  every  young  mother,  however, 
reflect,  that  if  she  cannot  give  up  midnight  orgies  ; 
if  she  cannot,  when  her  child,  by  the  most  pathetic  cries, 
demands,  yield  it  a  genial  balmy  food,  uninjured  by  fa- 
tigue, agitation  of  mind,  or  indigestion,  let  her  resign 
her  task,  or  rather  forsake  her  duty.  This  she  may,  in 
part,  compensate ;  but  to  destroy  the  health,  the  con- 
stitution of  her  infant,  by  the  opposite  conduct,  must 
for  ever  be  a  thorn  in  her  heart ;  A  CRIME  WHICH  SHE 

CANNOT  EXPIATE   HERE,    PERHAPS  NEVER. 

LA'CTAS,  (from  lac,  milk).  Lactat.  Salts  pro- 
duced by  the  union  of  the  acid  of  the  LACTIC  ACID, 
q.  v.,  with  different  bases. 

LACTE'A  FE'BRIS,  (from  lac,  milk).  The  MILK 
FEVER.  It  is  a  frequent  custom  to  apply  the  child  only 
to  its  mother's  breast,  when  the  milk  flows  freely,  on 
the  third  or  fourth  day.  A  fever  is  thus,  from  the  irri- 
tation of  the  milk,  brought  on  ;  but  it  rarely  happens  to 
those  who  have  applied  the  child  early  to  the  breast. 
Where  there  is  a  secretion  of  milk,  its  due  discharge  is 
as  necessary  as  that  of  the  lochia;  and  the  stoppage  of 
either  produces  fever.  Cold,  or  any  cause  of  fever  on 
the  coming  on  of  the  milk,  may  occasion  similar  incon- 
veniences. 

The  more  immediate  causes  are  a  distention  of  the 
vessels  of  the  breasts,  readily  distinguished  by  the  swell- 
ing of  the  glands  in  the  axilla;  and  an  absorption  of 
milk  becomes  acrid  by  stagnation.  It  is  known  by  a  ri- 
gor and  looseness  coming  on  after  the  breasts  have  been 
inflamed  and  painful,  followed  by  thirst,  headach,  and 
burning  heat.  If  the  disorder  is  not  violent,  it  soon 
spontaneously  vanishes  by  a  copioxis  perspiration. 

If  the  patient  is  full  and  robust,  blood  may  be  taken 
from  the  arm;  but  this  evacuation  is  rarely  required.  A 
young,  strong,  hungry  child  should  be  applied  to  the 
breast;  and  linen  cloths,  dipped  in  fresh  cool  drawn 
linseed  oil,  laid  over  them  :  the  bowels  should  be  emp- 
tied by  a  cooling  purge,  and  the  saline  mixture,  with 
the  usual  antimonial  preparations,  given.  These,  with 
a  thin  cooling  diet,  will  generally  remove  the  disease.  If 
the  breasts  should  suppurate,  see  ABSCESSUS  PECTORIS 
and  MAMM.C;  Kirkland  on  Child-bed  Fevers. 

LACTE'A  VA'SA,  galactofihoriductu8,(frQmy»>&, 
milk,  and  <ptgu,  to  carry).  The  LACTEAL  VESSELS. 
These  vessels  were  not  unknown  to  Erasistatus  and 
Herophilus,  and  are  distinctly  mentioned  by  Galen.  It 
was  supposed,  very  early,  that  they  conveyed  the  nutri- 
ment from  the  intestines;  but,  as  usually  the  liver  was 
considered  to  be  the  part  in  which  the  blood  was  elabo- 
rated, these  vessels  were  said  to  terminate  in  that  organ. 
Plates  still  exist  in  which  they  are  represented  as  taking 
this  course,  though  it  had  been  contradicted  by  Galen. 
To  Asellius  the  credit  of  the  discovery  has  been  given, 
and  the  exact  day  fixed,  viz.  the  23d  of  June,  1622, 


LAC 


856 


LAC 


when  opening  a  dog  for  an  experiment  of  a  very  differ- 
ent nature:  but,  in  reality,  he  saw  them  only  as  Galen 
and  his  predecessors  had  done  ;  and  so  far  from  tracing 
their  course  to  the  thoracic  duct,  he'describcd  them  as 
terminating  in  tFie  liver.  He  sa-w,  however,  their  valves, 
and  conjectured,  rather  than  demonstrated,  that  they  re- 
ceive their  contents  by  orifices  opening  into  the  intes- 
tines. It  is  singular  that  he  had  not  connected  with 
this  discovery  die  description  of  the  thoracic  duct  by 
Eustachius,  in  1563,  which  would  at  once  have  cleared 
up  the  principal  circumstances  of  this  lesser  course  of 
the  lymph  or  chyle. 

Asellius  never  saw  the  lacteals  in  the  human  body, 
but  supposed  their  existence  from  analogy  ;  and  it  was 
twelve  years  afterwards,  viz.  in  1634,  that  Veslingius 
first  discovered  them,  and  added,  in  the  year  1649,  the 
revivalof  the  discovery  of  Eustachius,  viz. the  existence 
of  the  common  receptacle  of  the  lacteals  and  lymphatics, 
the  thoracic  duct.  Rudbeck,  nearly  at  the  same  era, 
without  any  previous  communication,  discovered  the 
lymphatics  in  quadrupeds;  and  about  the  year  1654 
traced  the  duct  in  the  human  body.  About  the  same 
time  our  countryman,  Dr.  Jolyfe,  also  discovered  the 
lacteals  and  lymphatics  without  any  knowledge  of  Rud- 
beck's  success.  As  these  authors  discovered  them  in 
man  and  in  quadrupeds,  so  Bartholine  seems  first  to 
have  seen  them  in  fish. 

Thus  the  existence  of  an  absorbing  system  was  ap- 
parently ascertained;  and,  since  that  period,  gradual 
additions  were  made  to  its  extent ;  but  the  great  ques- 
tions remained  undecided:  was  the  absorbent  system  of 
vessels  general  in  every  part  of  the  body  ;  and  were 
these  newly  discovered  vessels  the  only  ones  destined 
for  this  purpose  ?  The  answer  to  the  first  question 
would,  in  part,  decide  the  second ;  for  were  they  gene- 
ral, they  were  p^pbably  the  only  absorbents.  As  the 
extent  of  their  ra'Bge  was  increased,  therefore  the  opi- 
nion of  their  being  exclusively  absorbents  was  stronger; 
but,  in  1757,  Dr.  Monro  published,  at  Berlin,  a  short 
dissertation,  by  which  he  endeavoured  to  prove,  by  a 
few  simple  and  decisive  experiments,  that  the  lympha- 
tics were  a  general  system  of  absorbents.  The  honour 
of  the  discovery  was  soon  after  claimed  by  Dr.  Hunter, 
and  a  controversy  of  some  asperity  was  for  a  time  car- 
ried on.  The  observations  which  we  offered  on  the 
discovery  of  the  circulation  will  apply  precisely  to  the 
present  dispute;  nor  was  it  without  design  that  we  have 
called  the  system  of  the  lacteals  the  "  lesser  course," 
comparing  it  to  the  lesser  circulation  through  the  lungs. 
In  fact,  the  former  discoveries  had  placed  this  so  much 
on  a  level  with  even  a  common  capacity,  that  it  re- 
quired not  the  reach  of  a  giant  to  grasp  it.  Dr.  Monro 
had  undoubtedly  the  honour  of  first  bringing  it  for- 
ward in  a  compact  scientific  form. 

At  that  time,  however,  and  long  since,  the  question 
was  not  decided,  whether  the  lymphatics  were  exclu- 
sively absorbents.  It  is  admitted  that  red  veins  do  per- 
form this  office,  in  the  foetal  part  of  the  placenta,  for 
instance,  and  in  the  corpora  cavernosa  penis.  We 
cannot,  therefore,  deny  their  powers  ;  and  as  the  lym- 
phatic system  seems  not  to  be  equally  extensive  in 
every  part,  it  is  still  possible  that  the  veins  may  supply 
their  place.  We  consequently  have  left  the  question 
apparently  at  issue  in  the  articles  ABSORBENTIA  VASA 
and  ABSORPTIO  ;  but  have  little  hesitation  in  offering 


our  opinion,  that  the  lymfihatics,  excejit  infiarisqfa 
peculiar  construction,  are  exclusively  absorbents. 

We  have  thus  spoken  of  the  lymphatics  and  lacteals 
as  the  same.  In  fact,  they  are  the  same  in  structure, 
in  direction,  and  office.  The  lymphatics  sometimes 
carry  a  milky  fluid,  and  the  lacteals  a  serous  one  ;  each 
conveys  occasionally  blood,  dissolved  or  suspended  os- 
seous matter  ;  in  short,  every  thing  which  nature  re- 
quires to  be  removed  from  the  cellular  or  other  cavities 
of  the  body. 

The  lacteals  arise  from  the  cavity  of  the  intestines, 
from  beginnings  almost  imperceptible.  The  discrimi- 
nating eye  of  Lieberkiihn,  assisted  by  good  glasses,  per- 
ceived, on  examining  the  villous  coat,  vesicles  like  a 
small  egg,  which  he  sty  led  a  mfiuUule.  These,  he  thought, 
were  either  the  extremities  of  lacteals,  or,  at  least,  the 
receptacles  of  the  chyle  immediately  absorbed.  Later 
authors  have  denied  the  existence  of  these  vesicles,  and 
thought  that  the  small  ovoid  receptacles  were  only  con- 
voluted arteries  and  veins  surrounding  the  nascent  lym- 
phatic. From  a  careful  comparison  of  the  descriptions,  we 
think  it  highly  probable  that  Lieberkiihn  was  deceived, 
and  that  these  ovoid  vesicles  are  really  convoluted  vessels. 
We  know  that  the  reputed  acini  of  many  glands  have 
been  found  to  be  vascular.  If  also  the  chyle  be  ab- 
sorbed by  capillary  attraction,  we  know  that  the  vessel 
must  be  very  minute,  or  the  cohesion  of  the  fluid  very 
inconsiderable.  The  chyle  is,  however,  a  milky  fluid, 
and  most  probably,  like  all  such,  its  molecules  possess 
a  greater  attraction  to  each  other  than  those  of  water. 
A  vesicle,  therefore,  is  not  well  adapted  for  absorption, 
and  would  rather  impede  than  assist  the  progress  of 
the  chyle,  thus  opposing  a  function  of  importance, 
which  often  requires  a  rapid  exertion.  It  seems  more 
probable  that  the  orifices  of  the  lacteals  open  into  the 
intestines,  and  that  their  mouths  are  very  numerous, 
actually  constituting  the  villi,  from  which  the  internal 
coat  has  its  name,  and  that  each  villus  has  its  artery, 
vein  and  nerve.  In  the  usual  state  the  villi  are  appa- 
rently pendulous;  but  when  the  minute  arteries  are 
excited  to  action,  that  they  are  erected  like  the  fim- 
briae  of  the  Fallopian  tubes ;  and  that  in  this  way 
their  apetures  arc  contracted,  so  as  to  become  of  a 
proper  diameter  to  absorb  the  chyle  by  capillary  attrac- 
tion. 

We  must  not,  however,  conclude  that  anatomists  of 
eminence  and  character,  who  have  described  these  am- 
pullulre,  were  wholly  mistaken.  They  have  been  seen 
by  LieberkhUn,  by  Sheldon,  and  by  Cruickshanks  ;  but 
as  it  is  impossible  to  inject  them,  it  is  doubtful  whether 
the  chyle  may  not  impart  a  white  colour  to  the  mass  of 
convoluted  arteries  ;  and  we  rather  suspect  this  may  be 
the  case,  since,  in  the  moment  of  the  discovery,  it  seems 
to  have  been  doubtful  whether  the  supposed  orifices 
were  not  rather  the  interstices  between  the  adjoining 
vesicles.  If  they  were  the  orifices,  our  objection  lies 
with  additional  force,  that  such  vesicles  are  not  adapted 
for  capillary  attraction.  If,  too,  these  were  the  begin- 
ning of  the  lacteals,  they  should  be  scattered  in  much 
greater  profusion  than  they  are  represented. 

When  the  lacteals  arise  from  the  cavity,  they  run 
along  the  intestines  in  a  longitudinal  direction,  freely 
anastomosing  with  each  other;  but  the  course  of  the 
contents  of  these  vessels  is  opposite  to  that  of  the  blood. 
This  longitudinal  direction  is  continued  for  some  way, 


LAC 


857 


LAC 


and  the  lacteal  then  turns  towards  the  mesentery,  at 
an  angle  more  or  less  acute.  This  lengthened  course  is 
probably  designed  for  some  peculiar  purpose,  probably 
for  the  animalization  of  this  newly  introduced  aliment. 
The  vessel  then  proceeds  to  the  glands  interposed,  in 
which  they  are  lost,  and  from  which  similar  vessels  of 
larger  size,  but  less  numerous,  emerge.  These  are 
styled  glands  of  the  first  order,  as  in  their  course  to  the 
thoracic  duct  other  glands  are  found.  In  the  whole  of 
their  progress,  numerous  valves  are  interposed  to  pre- 
vent regurgitation  ;  so  that  sometimes  a  lacteal,  injected 
with  quicksilver,  resembles  rather  a  siring  of  silver 
beads  than  a  continuous  vessel. 

In  the  course  of  the  lacteals  to  the  first  order  of 
glands,  there  are  few  anastomoses  ;  but  before  entering 
the  glands  they  are  minutely  divided.  It  sometimes 
happens  also,  that  a  lacteal,  when  it  arrives  at  a  gland, 
will  creep  over  it  without  being  immersed  in  it ;  and, 
at  others,  a  trunk  will  pass  at  a  little  distance.  The 
former  fact  we  do  not  remember  being  noticed  in  any 
author ;  but  we  have  often  seen  it  in  injected  lacteals. 
Both  circumstances  are  important,  as  they  show  how 
the  body  may  be  occasionally  nourished  when  all  the 
glands  are  apparently  obstructed.  This  also  appears 
the  object  of  nature,  in  offering  different  orders  of 
glands,  since  it  is  equally  necessary  that  the  body  should 
be  nourished,  and  the  new  fluid  elaborated,  so  that  the 
vessel  which  escapes  the  first  order  may  be  immersed 
in  some  gland  of  the  second,  and  one  that  has  passed 
through  the  first,  may  escape  the  second.  The  lacteals, 
however,  which  come  off  at  the  upper  portion  of  the 
canal,  pass  through  fewer  glands  than  those  from  the 
ileon  ;  and  in  old  age  many  of  the  glands  are  obliterated. 
In  the  duodenum,  perhaps,  the  more  perfect  chyle  is 
separated ;  and  in  old  persons  the  fluids  are  so  highly  ani- 
malized,  that  less  precaution  is  necessary  in  preparing 
the  new  aliment.  In  the  colon,  the  coecum,  and  rec- 
tum, no  lacteals  have  been  discovered;  though  from 
the  numerous  lymphatic  glands  in  the  mesocolon  lac- 
teals must  be  found  there.  From  the  glands  the  lacteals 
pass  on  to  the  thoracic  duct,  and  probably,  in  their 
course,  anastomose  with  some  of  the  lymphatics. 

For  the  structure  of  the  lacteals,  see  LYMPHJE  DUC- 
TUS,  and  for  the  glands,  LYMPHATIC  GLAXDS.  See 
also  DCCTUS  THORACICUS  ;  Monro  de  Venis  Lym- 
phaticis  Valvulosis ;  Meckel  de  Finibus  Venarum, 
8cc. ;  Monro's  Three  Treatises,  and  his  Observations 
Anatomical  and  Physiological ;  Hewson's  Experimen- 
tal Inquiries,  part  ii.  ;  Sheldon  on  the  Absorbent 
System  ;  Cruickshanks'  Anatomy  of  the  Absorbent 
System  ;  Mascagni  Vasorum  Lymphaticorum  Corpo- 
ris  Humani  Historia. 

The  chylifera  vasa  are  also  called  vene  lacte  be- 
cause their  valves  are  disposed  as  those  of  the  veins 
are,  and  because,  like  them,  they  convey  their  con- 
tents from  smaller  to  larger  tubes. 

Dr.  Harvey  discovered  the  lymphatics  in  the  year 
1616.  In  1627,  they  were  published  by  another  author. 
Uzzalius  discovered  the  lacteals  in  a  dog,  running  to 
the  mesenteric  glands,  in  the  year  1662.  See  Winslow's 
Anatomy. 

LACTESCE'NTIA,  (from  lactesco,  to  become  milk}. 
The  plants  whose  juices  are  milky.  See  LACTIFERUS. 

LACTIC  ACID.  The  lactic  acid  is  found  in  whey 
when  kept  till  the  acetous  fermentation  has  com- 

VOL.  I. 


menced.  It  was  first  shown  to  be  a  distinct  acid  by 
Scheele  in  the  Stockholm  Transactions  for  1780.  Tliis 
acid  will  not  crystallize,  but  in  the  open  air  deli- 
quesces, and  probably  differs  very  little  from  the 
acetous.  Its  affinities  are  nearly  the  same.  See  AF- 
FINITY. 

LA'CTICA.     See  TYPHOS,  and  TYPHODES. 

LACTICI'NIA,  (from  lac,  milk).  Gatactina,  lacta- 
ria  ;  aliments  prepared  of  milk.  See  AMMEIJUB. 

LACTI'FERI  DU'CTUS,  vel  TU'BULI,  (from 
lac,  milk,  and  fero,  to  bring').  LACTIFEROUS  DUCTS  or 
TUBES.  The  glandular  body  of  the  breast  consists  of 
a  collection  of  membranous  ducts,  narrow  at  their 
origin,  broad  in  the  middle,  and  contracted  again  as 
they  approach  the  papillae,  near  which  they  form  a 
circle  of  communication.  See  MAMM.C. 

LACTI'FERUS,  (from  the  same).  The  term,  though 
strictly  applicable  to  plants  which  abound  with  milky 
juices,  sometimes  comprehends  those  which  discharge 
white,  red,  or  yellow  fluids  when  wounded.  The  juices 
of  the  eufihorbium,  fiafia'ver,  asclefiias,  campanula,  and 
many  of  the  plants  in  the  first  division  of  the  class 
syngenesia,  afford  a  white  fluid  ;  those  of  the  cftelido- 
nium,  bocconia,  sanguinaria,  and  cambogia,  a  yellow ; 
of  the  rumex  sanguineus  a  red. 

LA'CTIS  FLOS.     See  APHROGALA. 

LACTU'CA,  (from  the  milky  juice  it  produces  on 
being  wounded).  LETTUCE;  marillium,  eunuchion,  is 
a  plant  with  slender  but  firm  stalks,  which  yield,  as 
well  as  the  leaves,  a  milky  juice.  The  flower  consists 
of  a  number  of  flat  flosculi,  set  in  a  small  scaly  cup, 
followed  by  short  flat  seeds,  pointed  at  both  ends,  and 
winged  with  down.  It  is  also  the  name  of  some  species 
of  chondrilla. 

LACTU'CA  AXGI'NA  ;  locusta,  -vajfriana  camfiestris 
inodora  major,  •valerianella  arvenltb  firecox  humilis 
semine  comfiretso,  album  olus,  valeriana  locusta  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  47,  «,  LAMB'S  LETTUCE,  and  CORN  SALAD. 

LACTU'CA  HORTE'NSIS.  Lactuca  saliva  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1118.  GARDEN  LETTUCE. 

LACTU'CA  MARINA.  (See  Fucus.)  In  general 
lettuces  are  very  slightly  nutritious,  refrigerant,  and 
diuretic  :  they  should  be  eaten  raw.  They  are  easily 
digested,  but  afford  very  little  nourishment.  Their 
milky  juices  inspissated  resembles  opium  ;  but  as  a 
medicine  they  are  of  no  importance,  though  the  seeds 
triturated  with  water  are  mucilaginous,  and  supposed 
to  be  useful  in  ardor  urinae. 

LACTU'CA  VIRO'SA.  STRONG  SCENTED  WILD  LET- 
TUCE; lactuca  •virota-L.in.  Sp.  PI.  1119.  The  upper 
leaves  only  of  this  plant  are  jagged  at  the  edges  In 
Britain  it  is  indigenous ;  found  in  hedges,  and  by  the 
sides  of  ditches  ;  flowers  in  June  ;  smells  strongly  of 
opium ;  and  appears  to  participate  in  no  small  degree 
of  its  virtues.  The  narcotic  power,  noticed  by  Haller, 
resides  in  its  milky  juice.  It  is  said  to  quench  thirst, 
to  be  gently  laxative  and  diaphoretic,  powerfully  diure- 
tic, not  disordering  the  stomach  ;  but  during  its  opera- 
tion plentiful  dilution  is  allowed.  Out  of  twenty-four 
dropsical  patients,  twenty-three  were  cured  with  this 
medicine,  according  to  the  account  of  Dr.  Colin  of 
Vienna.  It  is  given  in  the  form  of  an  extract,  made 
from  the  expressed  juice,  and  recommended  in  small 
doses ;  though  in  dropsies  of  long  continuance,  from 
visceral  obstructions,  it  has  been  administered  to  the 
5R 


LAG 


858 


LAN 


quantity  of  half  an  ounce  a  day.  This  plant  is,  how- 
ever, now  neglected  even  in  Vienna  ;  Quarin  and 
Plenciz  have  either  spoken  of  it  with  faint  praise  or  re- 
jected it  wholly.  In  this  country  it  seems  never  to  have 
been  fairly  tried. 

LACTUCI'MINA,  (from  lacteo,  to  suckle;  a  dis- 
ease of  children  while  they  suck).  See  APHTHAE. 

LACTU'MEN,  (from  lac,  milk;  because  the  erup- 
tion is  covered  with  a  white  scab).  See  ACHOK. 

LACTU'MINA,  (from  lac,  milk).  Little  ulcers  or 
crusty  scabs  in  the  skin,  chiefly  occurring  in  children 
at  the  breast. 

LACU'N^E,  are  excretory  ducts  in  the  vagina  and 
glans,  or  their  excretory  ducts  in  the  urethra.  The 
term  sometimes  implies  drain  or  furrow  (from  locus,  a 
standing  fiool), 

LA'DA.     See  PIPER  NIGRUM. 

LA'DA  CHILLI.     See  PIPER  INDICUM. 

LA'DANI  EMPLA'STRUM.      See   EMPLASTRUM 

STOMACHICUM. 

LA'DANUM,  (from  ladon,  Arabic,)  labdanum, 
cistus,  cistus  ladanifera,  ledon  Crctense.  The  TRUE 
LADANIFEROUS  SHRUB.  Cistus  ladanifevus  Lin.  Sp. 
Pi.  7*37,  or  rather  c.  Creticus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  738.  The 
gum  labdanum  is  a  resinous  juice  which  exudes  upon 
the  leaves  of  the  shrub,  which  grows  plentifully  in 
Arabia,  Candia,  and  other  parts  of  the  Archipelago. 
The  juice  is  collected  during  the  summer  with  a  kind 
of  rake,  which  hath  several  leather  thongs  fixed  to  it 
instead  of  teeth,  with  which  the  leaves  of  the  shrub  are 
lightly  brushed  :  the  juice  adhering  to  the  thongs  is 
separated  with  knives,  and  formed  into  regular  masses 
for  exportation.  The  plant  grows  on  the  sea  shore  ; 
and  much  sand  is  consequently  mixed  with  the  gum. 

The  best  sort  is  in  dark  coloured  black  masses,  of 
the  consistence  of  a  plaster,  which  grows  still  softer 
when  handled  :  the  other  is  in  long  rolls  curled  up, 
harder  than  the  former,  but  of  a  paler  colour. 

In  general,  this  gum  agrees  in  virtues  with  the  bal- 
sam of  "Peru;  but  is  rarely  used  except  in  external 
applications.  It  hath  an  agreeable  smell,  and  a  light, 
pungent,  bitterish  taste.  Rectified  spirit  of  wine  dis- 
solves nearly  the  whole  of  the  pure  gum  ;  and  water 
takes  up  much  of  its  smell  and  taste.  By  distillation 
with  water  an  essential  oil  arises,  leaving  behind  it  a 
brittle  resin. 

Heat  quickly  destroys  the  specific  flavour  of  this  gum, 
which  was  formerly  given  as  a  pectoral  and  astringent 
in  catarrhal  affections  and  dysenteries ;  but  is  now  con- 
fined to  external  use  in  the  form  of  a  plaster  (see  EM- 
PLASTRUM STOMACHICUM),  or  in  fumigation.  See 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica ;  Neumann's  Chemistry. 

L.fiDE'NTIA,  (from  Itsdo,  to  hurt).    See  JUVANTIA. 

L-fi'MOS,  (from  >MVU,  to  feed).     See  OESOPHAGUS. 

LA'GAROS.  LOOSE.  An  epithet  for  the  right  ven- 
tricle of  the  heart,  from  its  looser  texture.  See  COR. 

LAGOCHEI'LOS,  (from  Aayoj,  a  hare,  and  #£<Aos, 
•   a  lift).     See  LABIA  LEPORINA. 

LA'GON.     The  FLANK. 

LAGO'NDI.     See  BERIBERI. 

LAGOPHTHA'LMIA,  and  LAGOPHTHA'L- 
MUS,  (from  A*y«s,  a  /tare,  o<pia,*tu>s,  an  eye).  See 

EOTROPIUM. 

LAGOPO'DIUM,  and  LA'GOPUS,  (from  A«y<>5  a 
hare,  and  sr««  afoot,}  /its  lefiorinus;  trifoiium  anense 


humile  sfiicatum  ;  HARE'S  FOOT  TREFOIL,  or  TRINITY 
GRASS;  trifoiium  arvense  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1083;  is  a  low 
spreading  plant  with  narrow  hairy  leaves  like  a  hare's 
foot ;  the  flowers  are  of  a  purple  colour ;  the  root 
perishes  in  winter.  It  grows  amongst  corn,  and  in  fallow 
fields  ;  flowers  in  June  and  July  :  the  whole  plant  is 
reckoned  astringent ;  but  rarely  used. 

LA'GOPUS.  HARE  FOOTED  ;  the  name  of  some  spe- 
cies of  trifoiium.  See  ATTAGEN. 

LAGO'STOMA,  (from  A«y«s,  and  a-lofta,  os,  the 
mouth).  The  HARE  LIP.  See  LABIA  LEPORINA. 

LA'LO.     See  BAOBAB  and  Couscous. 

LA'MAC.     See  GUM  ARABICUM. 

LAMBDACI'SMUS,  (from  A«^«,  the  Greek  let- 
ter A).  A  defect  in  speech,  consisting  in  an  inability 
to  pronounce  certain  consonants,  particularly  L, 

LAMBDOI'DES,  prom  sutura,  (from  the  Greek 
letter  A,  and  e'<J«s,  likeness).  The  name  of  the  suture 
which  runs  betwixt  the  ossa  occipitis  and  parietalia, 
called  from  its  resemblance  to  the  Greek  letter  A, 
lambda.  It  is  also  a  name  of  the  os  hyoides. 

LAMELLAE.     LITTLE  LAMINA. 

LA'MINA,  (from  £A«,K.<H!, from  fA««,  to  beat  off).  A 
bone,  or  any  substance  resembling  a  thin  plate  of  metal. 
The  lap  of  the  ear. 

LA'MINA  CRIBRO'SA.  The  cribriform  lamella; 
the  horizontal  plate  of  the  os  ethmoides,  through  which 
the  olfactory  nerves  pass. 

LA'MINA  SPONGIO'SjE  INFERIO'RES.     See 

CONCHA  NARIUM   INFERIORES. 

LA'MIUM,  (from  lama,  a  ditch,  where  it  usually 
grows).  DEAD  KETTLE. 

LA'MIUM  A'LBUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  809,  urtica  mortua, 
Archangelica  Jiore  albo,  urtica  alba,  urtica  iners.  WHITE 
ARCHANGEL,  or  DEAD  NETTLE. 

LA'MIUM  LUTE/UM  ;  galeofisis  galeobdolon  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
810,  galeofisis,  leucas  montana.  See  GALEOBBOLQN. 
YELLOW  ARCHANGEL. 

LA'MIUM  MACULA 'TUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  809,galeo/i.iis  lu- 
tea,  milzadella,  urtica  lactea.  SPOTTED  ARCHANGEL. 

LA'MIUM  RU'BUUM,  also  called  lamium  fiurpureum 
fatidum,  galeofiis;  lamium  fiur/iureum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  808. 
RED  ARCHANGEL,  or  SMALL  DEAD  NETTLE. 

Infusions  of  these  plants  are  commended  in  the  fluor 
albus ;  but  experience  hath  not  supported  the.  high 
character  given  them  by  popular  report. 

LA'MPATAM.     See  CHINA  ORIENTALIS. 

LAMPOU'RIS,  (from  lap.™,  to  shine).     See   Ci- 

CINDELA. 

LA'MPSANA,  (from  Aaw«£<a,  to  evacuate;  because 
it  relaxes  the  bowels,)  jiapillaris  herba,  nafiium,  endi- 
via  erecta,  8cc.  DOG  CRESSES,  NIPPLE  WORT,  is  a  rough 
plant,  bearing  small  yellow  flosculous  flowers  ;  annual; 
growing  wild  in  fields,  and  by  the  sides  of  the  roads. 
It  is  one  of  the  bitter  lactescent  plants,  nearly  similar 
in  virtues  to  dandelion  and  endive.  It  hath  been  ap- 
plied to  ulcerations  on  the  nipples,  whence  one  of  its 
names  ;  but  the  present  practice  does  not  notice  it.  It 
is  also  a  name  of  rapistrum. 

LA'NA,  (from  lunio,  to  tear).  WOOL.  Burnt  wool 
is  escharotic. 

LA'NA  SU'CCIDA.  SORDID  or  YOAKY  (unwashed) 
WOOL  ;  afilytos  by  the  Greeks. 

LANA'RIA,  (from  its  woolly  leaves).  A  name  of 
the  lychnis  sylvestris,  safionaria,  and  ~uerbascum. 


LAP 


859 


LAP 


LANATUS,  applied  to  leaves  covered  with  a  downy 
softness. 

LANCET.     A  well  known  surgical  instrument. 
LA'XGUOR,  (from   Aayytai,    to  /line).     WEAKNESS 

OF  MIND  AND   BODY. 

LA'XGUOR  PAXXO'XICUS.  See  AMPHIMERIXA  HUNGA- 
HICA. 

LAXI'GERUS,  (from  lana,  ivool,  and  gero,  to  bear,") 
an  epithet  of  trees,  which  bear  a  woolly  or  downy 
substance,  like  what  is  contained  in  the  catkins  of  the 
willow. 

LA'XTANA.     See  VIBURNUM. 

LANU'GO,  (quasi  lanam  ago,  bearing  woof).  DOWN. 
The  seeds  of  plants  surrounded  by  a  downy  substance 
which  carries  them  in  the  air  are  termed  lanuginous, 
or  fiafifious.  See  CHNUS. 

LACO'NICA  CURATIO.  A  method  of  curing 
the  gout  by  warm  applications. 

LA 'PAR  A,  (from  A*3-«£»,  to  empty}.  The  FLAXKS, 
which  seldom  appear  distended. 

LAPAROCE'LE,  (from  lajiara,  the  flanks,  and  unite, 
rupture}.  A  rupture  through  the  side  of  the  belly. 

LA'PATHUM.  (from  &Mto£i>,  to  evacuate;  because 
it  purges  gently).  DOCK. 

LA'PATHUM  ACU'TUM  ;  rumex,  oxylafiathum,  SHARP 
POINTED  DOCK;  rumex  acutus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  478.  This 
species,  denominated  from  its  sharp  pointed  leaves,  hath 
a  bitter  astringent  taste,  with  no  remarkable  smell :  its 
roots  discover  their  astringency,  both  by  the  taste  and 
by  striking  an  inky  blackness  with  a  solution  of  vitriol ; 
and  this  astringency  is  stronger  in  the  present  than  in 
any  other  species.  It  is  also  slightly  laxative ;  and  its 
affinity  with  the  rhubarb  is  equally  conspicuous  in  a 
botanical  and  a  medical  view.  Water  takes  up  all  their 
virtue,  and  in  spring  they  are  used  with  the  greatest 
advantage. 

LAPATHUM  ALPI'XUM,  hififiolafiatlium  rotundifolium, 
lafiathum  montanum, BASTARD  MONK'S  RHUBARB;  rumex 
al/iinux  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  480.  The  leaves  are  very  broad 
like  those  of  burdock ;  the  root  is  extremely  brown, 
and  intensely  red  within.  It  has,  however,  no  peculiar 
virtue,  except  that  it  is  supposed  to  be  more  active  as 
a  laxative  than  the  other  species. 

LA'PATHUM  AQUA'TICUM;  hydrolafiathum,  herba  Bri- 
tannica,  lafiathum  fialustre,  GREAT  WATER  DOCK.  The 
hydrolapathum  of  the  Edinburgh  Pharmacopoeia  is  re- 
ferred to  the  rumex  aquaticus,  foliis  cordatis  acutis, 
floribns  /iermafi/iroditis,valvulis  integerrimis  nudis  Lin. 
Sp.  Fl.  479.  Muntingius  has  taken  great  pains  to  prove 
this  species  the  herba  britanica  of  the  ancients ;  not 
from  Britain,  but  from  britanicus,  a  Teutonic  word, 
which  signifies  a  power  to  fasten  loose  teeth.  Linnaeus, 
however,  gives  the  preference  to  a  species  which  he 
styles  "  Britannica;"  but  Lobelius,  with  great  reason, 
supposes  it  to  be  a  species  of  cochlearia.  The  leaves 
of  the  rumex  aquaticus  are  from  two  to  three  feet  long, 
said  to  be  laxative,  but  are  very  inconsiderably  so :  the 
roots  are  blackish  on  the  outside ;  internally  white, 
having  a  faint  reddish  tinge,  which,  in  drying,  changes 
in  some  parts  to  a  yellowish  or  brown.  It  is  found  in 
most  parts  of  England  by  river  sides ;  and  supposed  to 
fee  a  powerful  antiscorbutic,  if  freely  taken  internally. 
A  strong  decoction  of  it  is  supposed  to  heal  spreading 
ulcers  in  the  mouth  and  tonsils ;  to  cure  spongy  gums, 
&c.  Boerhaave,  from  his  own  experience,  commends 


it  in  scurvy,  rheumatism,  as  well  as  in  disorders  of  the 
skin,  and  from  obstructed  viscera.  It  is  probably  use- 
ful in  flatulent  complaints,  and  seems  occasionally  to 
assist  digestion.  Linnaeus  speaks  highly  of  its  utility. 

The  root  dried  and  powdered  is  said  to  be  antiseptic, 
useful  in  nervous  disorders,  an  useful  dentifrice,  and  a 
good  substitute  for  the  bark.  Where  the  powder  is 
unacceptable  as  an  internal  medicine,  the  decoction 
may  be  used :  half  a  podnd  of  the  bark  of  the  root  is 
boiled  in  three  to  two  quarts  of  water,  and  half  a  pint 
drunk  four  times  a  day. 

The  bark  of  the  root  contains  the  greatest  proportion 
of  the  active  parts ;  but  the  whole  plant  resembles  in 
its  medical  virtues  the  root.  See  Medical  Musaeum, 
vol.  i.  p.  46,  8cc.  It  seems,  however,  to  be  in  no  re- 
spect superior  to  other  astringents,  and  inferior  to  many 
of  this  class. 

LA'PATHUM  HORTEXSE;  rhabarbarum  monachorum, 
fiatientia,  hififiolafiathum,  MONKS'  RHUBARB;  rumex 
fiatientia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  476.  The  stalk  of  this  dock  is 
red,  and  branched  towards  the  top :  the  root  is  thick  at 
the  head,  but  soon  divides  into  several  branches  of  a 
brown  colour  outwardly,  and  a  deep  yellow  within.  Its 
virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  rhubarb,  but  it  is  less  pur- 
gative and  more  astringent. 

LA'PATHUM  CHIXE'XSE  ORIENTA'LE.  See  RHABAR- 
BARUM. 

LA'PATHUM  RU'BRXVM;  lafiathum  sanguineum,sanguis 
draconis  herba,  BLOOD  WORT  ;  rumex  sanguineus.  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  476  :  the  leaves'  are  recommended  as  laxative, 
and  the  seeds  for  restraining  uterine  fluxes. 

LA'PATHUM  UNCTUO'SUM.     See  MERCURIALIS. 

LA'PATHUM  VU'LGARE  ;  anaxyris ;  BROAD  LEAVED 
WILD  DOCK,  or  COMMON  DOCK;  rumex  obtusifolius 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  478.  The  leaves  are  large,  roundish  at 
the  points,  and  sourish  to  the  taste;  the  root  bitter, 
astringent,  and  of  a  pale  or  yellowish  colour.  In 
France  the  root  is  most  frequently  used,  and  for  the 
same  purposes  as  the  great  water  dock.  The  largest 
grow  in  moist  grdunds,  the  smallest  and  most  astringent 
in  dry. 

LAPIDES  CANCRORUM.     See  CANCER. 

LAPIDI'LLUM,  or  LAPIDI'LLUS,  (from  lafiis,  a 
stone}.  The  name  of  a  kind  of  spoon,  formerly  used  to 
take  out  small  stones  and  fragments  from  the  bladder. 

LAPI'LLI,  (a  dim.  of  lafiis,  a  stone}.  See  OCULI 
CAXCRORUM. 

LAPIS,  A««5.  A  stone  differs  from  an  earth  in  con- 
sistence only ;  but  there  are  some  bodies,  evidently 
stony,  which  contain  no  earth,  as  the  diamond.  The 
mineralogists  who  arranged  fossils  from  their  external 
forms,  of  course  distinguished  stony  bodies,  but  this 
arrangement  has  been  superseded  by  the  chemical  sys- 
tems of  the  moderns ;  and  Wallerius  is  the  last  author 
of  credit  who  has  followed  it.  Stones  are  defined  by 
that  naturalist  as  hard  bodies  which  cannot  be  cut  with 
a  knife,  seldom  rasped  by  a  file,  brittle,  without  ductility, 
insoluble  in  watet-  or  oil ;  but  falling  into  small  particles 
by  exposure  to  air.  - 

We  need  not  pursue  the  qualities  of  stones  farther 
than  to  mention  Wallefius'  subdivisions  of  this  class  of 
bodies  into  calcareous, -vitresciSlc,  fusible,  and  those  un- 
affected by  Jire.  The  compound  stones  he  styles  rocks. 

It  will  be  obvious  from  the  medical  bodies  styled 
"  atones,"  which  follow,  with  what  little  accuracy  the 
5  R  2 


L  AR 


860 


L  AU 


term  has  been  bestowed.  It  is,  however,  now  disused 
in  a  very  great  degree,  and  will  not  be  again  revived. 
Wallerii  Systema  Mineralogicum.  See  MINERALOGY. 

LA'PIS  CALAMINARIS.        See  ZlNCUM. 

LA'PIS  CALCAREUS.     Lee  CALX. 

LA'PIS  AMPELI'TES.     CANAL  COAL.     See  AMPELITES. 

LA'PIS  A'LCHEHON.     See  BEZOAR  BOVINUS. 

LA'PIS  BE'NZAHAN.     See  BEZOAR  FOSSILE. 

LA'PIS   BEZO'AR,   and   PERUVIA'NUS.      See    BEZOAR 

OR1ENTALIS  and  OCOIDENTALIS. 

LA'PIS  PORCI'NUS  et  MALACE'NSIS.  See  BEZOAR  HYS- 
TRICIS. 

LA'PIS  SEPTICUS.     MELTED  KALI. 

LA'PIS  NEPHRITICUS  is  a  variety  of  the  jaspis,  the  jade 
of  Haiiy  iv.  368 ;  of  the  Sciagraphia ;  and  of  Kirwan, 
vol.  i.  p.  171.  It  is  very  hard,  but  melts  in  the  focus 
of  a  mirror,  to  a  transparent  glass,  with  some  air  bub- 
bles. Its  specific  gravity  is  about  3.  Its  look  and 
touch  greasy,  and  it  contains  about  0.38  of  magnesia. 
It  is  celebrated  for  relieving  the  pains  of  gravel,  and 
even  of  destroying  the  calculus.  It  has  this  effect,  it  is 
ridiculously  supposed,  when  hung  about  the  neck. 
Boot  Gemmarum  et  Lapidum  Historia,  ii.  1 10. 

LA'PPA,  (*TO  TS  Aa&fv,  from  its  sticking  to  the 
clothes).  See  BAHDANA  MAJOR,  MINOR,  and  ARCTIUM. 

LAPPA'GO,  (a  dim.  of  lajijia}.  See  HIPPOPH.ZS  ; 
sometimes  the  aparine.  Blanchard. 

LA'PPULA  CANA'RIA,  (from  lafifia  burdock}. 
See  CAUCALIS. 

LAPSANA  COMMUNIS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1141.  DOG 
CRESSES  or  NIPPLE  WORT.  It  is  cooling,  and  somewhat 
astringent,  but  differing  little  from  the  endive  or  suc- 
cory. As  its  name  implies,  it  has  been  most  commonly 
used  as  an  application  to  sore  nipples. 

LAQUE'US,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  laguah}.  See 
BROCHOS. 

LAQUE'US  GU'TTURIS.  A  malignant  inflammation  of 
the  tonsils. 

LA'RDUM,  (from  lar,  a  chimney,  in  which  it  is 
dried).  BACON.  See  ALIMENT. 

LA'RIX,  (A«^O«,  pleasant,  from  its  beautiful  appear- 
ance). The,  LARCH  TREE;  fiinus  larijc  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1420.  The  leaves  are  long  and  narrow,  produced  out 
of  small  tubercles,  but  fall  in  winter;  the  cones  are 
small  and  oblong ;  the  branches  regular ;  common  on 
the  Alps,  and  in  several  parts  of  Germany :  from  it  is 
produced  the  Venice  turpentine.  Raii  Historia.  It  is 
also  a  name  for  several  species  of  cedar.  See  CE- 
DRUS. 

LA'RVA,  (from  lar,  a  shadow,  or  familiar  sfiirit}. 
A  MASK.  When  the  face  is  burnt  with  gunpowder,  See. 
the  application  is  a  linen  mask,  moistened  with  proper 
remedies,  and  applied  to  the  face  :  it  is  tied  behind  with 
six  tapes.  The  appellation  also  of  insects  in  the  form 
of  caterpillars,  which  is  considered  as  their  disguised 
state,  since  their  perfect  form,  in  which  the  species  will 
be  reproduced,  is  that  of  a  butterfly. 

LARYNG^E'JE,  ARTE'RI^E,  (from  *«pvy%,  the 
Larynx}.  See  GUTTURALIS  ARTERIA. 

LARYNGOTO'MIA,  (from  A^.wy{,  the  throat,  and 
revival,  to  cut}.  See  TRACHEOTOMIA. 

LA'RYNX,  (a  Greek  primitive).  See  ASPERA  AR- 
TERIA. 


LASCI'VUS,  (from  lacio,  to  ensnare*).  See  CHOREA 

SANCTI  VITI. 

LA'SER.     LASERPITIUM.     See  ASAFCETIDA. 

LASERPI'TIUM,  (from  the  Arabic  lazar,}  the 
name  of  the  oreoselinum,  and  of  the  silfihium,  the  alti/it 
of  the  ancients. 

LASERPI'TIUM  VULGA'RE;  bufileuron  arborescens  sa- 
licis  folio;  gentiana  alba;  cervicaria  nigra  et  alba; 
Libanotis ;  Thafisia  ;  seseli  &thiofiicum  ;  the  LESSER 
HERB  FRANKINCENSE;  LASERWORT  ;  laserfiitium  latifo- 
lium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  356;  is  a  plant  found  in  Switzerland, 
and  on  the  Pyrenean  mountains.  The  root  is  supposed 
to  be  alexipharmic  and  uterine;  the  seeds  are  somewhat 
acrid.  It  flowers  in  August. 

LASSITU'DO,  (from  lasso,  to  weary}.     MUSCULAR 

DEBILITY. 

LA'TA  LIGAME'NTA.  The  BROAD  LIGAMENTS  of 
the  womb  are  properly  only  a  duplicature  of  the  peri- 
tonseum,  reflecting  from  the  loins  to  the  uterus,  and  are 
long  enough  to  admit  it  to  hang  down  into  the  vagina. 

LA'TER,  (from  latus,  broad}.  A  BRICK.  Bricks 
are  heated  and  applied  to  various  parts  of  the  body,  or 
on  cataplasms,  to  continue  their  heat.  An  oil  is  made 
by  quenching  hot  bricks  in  olive  oil  until  the  whole  is 
imbibed,  which  is  afterwards  drawn  off.  This  oil  is 
named  oleum  lateritium,fihilosofihorum,saftienti(e,fier- 
fecti  magisterii,  di-vinum,  benedictum;  but  it  is  now  de- 
servedly neglected. 

LATERA'LES  MUSCULUS,  (from  latus,  a  side}. 
See  MASSETER. 

LATERA'LIS  MUSCULUS  NA'SI.     See  OBLIQUUS  NASI. 

LATERA'LES  PROCESSUS  ossis  SPHENOIDES.  See 
SPHENOIDES  os. 

LATERA'LIA,  (from  latus,  a  side}.  LIGAMENTA. 
On  the  body  of  the  os  humeri  there  are  two  particular 
ligaments,  which  may  be  called  lateral  or  intertnuscular: 
they  are  long,  flat,  thin, -narrow,  fixed  on  one  edge 
along  the  two  lower  thirds  of  the  bone,  and  reaching  to 
both  condyles.  They  are  braced  pretty  tight,  and  are 
very  narrow  at  the  upper  part,  but  broader  towards  the 
condyles,  from  whence  they  are  expanded  like  a  goose's 
foot,  and  form  the  brachio  cubital  and  brachio  radial 
ligaments. 

LATERI'TIUM  OLEUM.     See  LATER. 

LATERI'TIUM  SEDIMENTUM.  A  SEDIMENT  IN  THE 
URINE,  resembling  brick  dust,  observed  after  the  crises  of 
fevers,  particularly  intermittents;  and  the  most  certain 
mark  of  a  salutary  termination  of  a  gouty  paroxysm. 

LATHY'RIS,  (from  A«0«,  to  forget,  as  affecting  the 
memory).  See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR,  OCHRUS. 

LATI'SSIMUS,  dorsi,  musculus,  (from  latus, 
broad}.  ANISCALPTOR,  because  it  bends  the  arm  back- 
ward. This  muscle  rises  from  the  fascia  lumborum  at 
its  lower  part;  and  higher,  from  the  sixth,  seventh,  or 
eighth  vertebrae.  At  its  anterior  part,  it  rises  from  the 
ninth,  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  ribs :  its  fibres  run 
round  the  posterior  and  inferior  angle  of  the  scapula; 
and  its  tendon  is  inserted  into  the  posterior  ridge  of  the 
groove  of  the  biceps. 

LAUCA'NIA,  (from  /*««,  to  receive}.  See  (ESO- 
PHAGUS. 

LAU'DANUM,  (from  laus,  as  worthy  of  praise,)  ge- 
nerally confined  to  preparations  of  opium.  See  OPIUM. 


L  A  U 


861 


L  AU 


LAURE'OLA  FCE'MINA,  (a  diminutive  of  laurus, 
laurel;  which  it  resembles,)  mezerion,  c/iam<tlta,  thy- 
mel&a  folio  deciduo,  MEZEREOX.  SPURGE  OLIVE,  WIDOW 
WAIL;  Daphne  mezereum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  509;  is  a  small 
tree,  or  bush,  with  pale  purplish  or  white  flowers,  fol- 
lowed by  bay  shaped  leaves  ;  flowers  in  January  ;  the 
berries,  called  cocci  cnidii,  ripen  in  August  and  Septem- 
ber. This  plant,  especially  when  fresh,  if  retained  in 
the  mouth,  and  chewed  a  little,  is  so  very  acrid  as 
to  occasion  violent  heat  and  inflammation  in  the  fauces 
and  throat.  The  berries  have  the  same  effects,  and 
when  swallowed  prove  a  most  destructive  poison.  The 
bark  and  berries  have  been  long  applied  externally,  in 
different  forms,  to  old  and  ill  conditioned  sores.  The 
former  is  strongly  recommended  in  France  as  an  appli- 
cation to  the  skin,  producing,  by  proper  management, 
a  serous  discharge,  without  blistering,  which  may  be 
continued  as  a  perpetual  blister,  with  less  pain  and  in- 
convenience than  the  cantharides.  It  has  been  used 
as  a  seton  in  inflammations  of  the  eyes.  The  recent 
bark,  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  broad,  and  one 
inch  long,  after  macerating  a  little  time  in  vinegar,  is 
applied  for  this  purpose  to  the  skin;  over  which  is 
placed  an  ivy  or  plantain  leaf;  and  the  application  is 
renewed  night  and  morning  till  it  brings  on  a  serous  dis- 
charge. A  renewal  once  in  twenty-four  hours  is  after- 
wards sufficient  to  continue  it. 

A  decoction  of  the  cortical  part  of  the  fresh  roots  is 
a  powerful  remedy  in  many  venereal  symptoms,  espe- 
cially when  assisted  by  the  hydrargyrus  muriatus.  The 
best  grows  in  a  light  soil.  An  ounce  of  the  fresh  gathered 
bark  must  be  boiled  in  twelve  pints  of  water  to  eight ; 
and  at  the  end  of  the  boiling  an  ounce  of  liquorice  root 
added:  of  the  strained  liquor  half  a  pint  may  be  drunk 
four  times  a  day.  Dr.  Russel  strongly  recommends  the 
use  of  this  decoction,  particularly  when  nocturnal  pains 
are  violent  in  the  syphilis  ;  and  for  washing  those  nodes 
which  proceed  from  a  thickening  of  the  membrane  of 
the  bones.  See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  London  Me- 
dical Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iii.  p.  189,  &c. 

It  is  said  to  cure  the  remains  of  the  lues  venerea, 
where  mercury  has  failed.  Dr.  Cullen  and  Dr.  Home 
found  it  not  only  cure  scirrhous  tumours,  and  obstinate 
ulcers,  which  remain  after  the  venereal  disease,  but  that 
it  sometimeshealedscirrhifrom other  causes.  In  cutane- 
ous affections, in  chronic  rheumatisms,  and  palsy,  it  has 
sometimes  been  successful.  In  the  case  of  a  difficulty 
of  swallowing,  thought  to  be  occasioned  by  a  paralytic 
affection,  Dr.  Withering  directed  a  thin  slice  of  this 
root  to  be  chewed  as  often  as  the  woman  could  bear  it. 
Though  the  complaint  had  been  of  three  years  standing, 
she  was  relieved  within  a  few  weeks. 

LAURE'OLA  MAS,  chamedaphne,  eufietalon,  thymelea, 
laurifolia  semper  virens,  dafihnoides,  SPURGE  LAUREL, 
daphne  {aureola  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  510;  is  a  small  shrub  :  its 
leaves  are  less  than  those  of  the  laurel,  and  the  flowers 
consist  of  one  leaf,  which  is  greenish,  and  appear  in 
April;  the  berries  open  in  September.  The  leaves, 
berries,  and  bark,  are  highly  acrid,  burning  and  inflam- 
ing the  mouth  :  if  swallowed,  they  vomit  and  purge. 
See  Rail  Historia ;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

LAURIFO'LIA  MAGELLA'NICA,  (from  laurug, 
and  folium,  a  leaf;  because  its  leaves  resemble  those  of 
the  laurel).  See  WIXTERAXUS  CORTEX. 

LAURI'NUM  OLEUM,  (from  laurut}.    See  LAC- 

RUS  VULGARIS. 


LAU'RO-CAMPHORI'FERA,  (from  laurus  cam- 
phora,  and  fero).  The  CAMPHOR  BEARING  LAUREL,  or 

BAY  TREE.        See  CAMPHORA. 

LAU'RO-CERA'SUS,  (from  laurug,  and  cerasus, 
cherry;  because  it  bears  a  cherry,  and  has  leaves  like  the 
laurel,)  padus  cerasus,  cerasus  avium  nigra,  cerasus 
racemosa  fructu  non  eduli  folio  laurina,ortra/iezuntina. 

BAY    CHERRY,  LAUREL    CHERRY,  Or  CHERRY  BAY,   firUTlUS 

lauro  cerasus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  778. 

The  root  of  this  tree  or  shrub  is  large,  rough,  and 
furnished  with  many  fibres.  The  branches  are  woody, 
numerous,  brown  on  the  outside,  and  white  within. 
The  leaves  are  large,  fleshy,  oblong,  shining,  pointed  at 
both  ends,  and  slightly  serrated  at  the  edges:  their 
upper  surface  is  smooth,  and  of  a  light  dark  green 
colour ;  the  under  side  is  of  a  light  green,  rough, 
strongly  marked'with  fibres.  The  flowers  appear  to- 
wards the  superior  part  of  the  branches;  are  penta- 
petalous,  in  five  leaved  cups,  followed  by  clusters  of 
berries  resembling  cherries,  and  containing  an  oblong 
stone.  It  flowers  in  May,  and  ripens  its  fruit  in  Sep- 
tember. 

The  leaves  have  a  bitter  taste,  with  a  flavour  resem- 
bling that  of  bitter  almonds,  or  the  kernels  of  peaches 
and  apricots,  which  is  communicated  to  water  and 
alcohol  by  infusion  or  distillation.  These  preparations 
are  so  suddenly  deleterious,  either  in  the  stomach  or 
rectum,  or  applied  to  wounds,  as  sometimes  to  occasion 
instant  death.  Dr.  Mead  relates,  that  a  few  spoonfuls 
of  laurel  water  killed  a  large  dog  before  it  could  be  sup- 
posed to  have  reached  the  stomach  ;  and  it  acts  by  de- 
stroying the  mobility  of  the  nervous  power  without  ex- 
cking  inflammation,  or  producing  any  sensible  change 
in  the  state  of  the  fluids.  Like  all  other  powerful 
sedatives,  it  produces  violent  spasmodic  motions  of  the 
whole  body  ;  though,  when  in  a  concentrated  state,  it 
is  often  immediately  fatal  without  such  previous  symp- 
toms. 

As  it  evidently  lessens  or  destroys  the  irritability 
of  the  nervous  system,  increasing  at  the  same  time, 
according  to  Wurtzer,  the  action,  he  thinks  it  useful 
in  great  nervous  irritability,  particularly  where  from  this 
cause  the  heart  is  affected  with  palpitations. 

On  dissection,  no  uncommon  appearances  are  observ- 
ed in  the  stomach  or  intestines;  the  arteries  are  found 
empty,  and  the  veins  turgid  with  blood.  The  sinuses  of 
the  brain,  and  the  veins  of  the  pia  mater,  are  distended; 
the  effect  rather  of  the  convulsions  than  the  particular 
properties  of  the  poison.  Less  than  two  spoonfuls  of 
the  first  runnings  of  the  simple  water  of  laurel  leaves 
killed,  within  a  short  time,  a  healthy  young  woman, 
previously  producing  violent  convulsions.  Various  have 
been  the  speculations  respecting  the  action  of  this 
poison.  It  has  been  supposed  to  affect  exclusively  the 
vital  functions,  as  it  produces  death  independent  of 
sleep  ;  but  the  brain  is  the  great  source  of  every  power, 
and  we  are  not  yet  prepared  to  say,  that  different  por- 
tions of  it  may  be  affected,  to  any  considerable  degree, 
without  an  affection  of  the  whole;  or  that  functions 
of  any  kind  are  connected  with  a  determined  part  of 
the  organ.  The  disputes,  whether  it  coagulates  or  dis- 
solves the  blood,  are  still  more  trifling ;  for  the  extra- 
vasations observed  are  very  certainly  owing  to  a  loss  of 
tone  in  the  vessels.  It  has  been  employed  as  amedicine 
in  the  cure  of  intermittents;  in  resolving  scirrhous 


L  AU 


862 


LAV 


turaours^and  in  phthisis  pulmonalis ;  but  neither  its  dose 
nor  its  powers  are  so  properly  ascertained  as  to  enable  us 
to  speak. of  it  with  precision;  and  its  deleterious  effects 
are  so  striking,  as  to  deter  us  from  even  the  most  cau- 
tious trial. 

Although  the  poison  of  laurel  appears  to^consist  in 
the  essential  oil  which  it  affords  in  distillation,  yet  it  is 
suspected  that  an  infusion  of  the  leaves  is  also  injuri- 
ous. Even  the  flavour  communicated  in  some  galenical 
and  culinary  processes  has  been  dreaded,  though  with- 
out reason.  The  mucilage  dissolved  with  the  essential 
oil  seems  a  sufficient  guard. 

It  hath  been  generally  observed,  that  if  the  animals 
that  had  swallowed  this  poison  vomited  it  up  readily, 
they  recovered ;  but  its  action  seems  too  speedy  on  the 
human  race  to  hope  for  relief  by  any  means.  See 
VENENUM;  Wilmer  on  Poisonous  Vegetables;  and 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica. 

LAU'RUS  ALEXANDRI'NA,  (from  Ictus,  praise; 
as  it  was  the  rewardof  victors).  Hi/i/iog-lossitm  efiiglos- 
sum,  du/ihne,  diglossuni,  epiglottis,  ruscus  latifolius, 
boncfacia,  coracobotane  gazar,  uvularia;  ruscus  liippo- 
glossiimL.in.  Sp.  PI.  1474,  LAUREL  OF  ALEXANDRIA.  The 
root  of  this  plant  is  knotted  at  the  head ;  the  stalks 
tough  and  pliant;  the  leaves  placed  alternately;  on  the 
middle  of  the  back  of  each  grows  a  small  mossy  flower, 
succeeded  by  a  red  berry.  It  grows  in  the  mountain- 
ous part  of  Italy  and  Hungary,  and  is  said  to  be  diu- 
retic. 

LAU'RUS  VULGA'RIS,  diahexafiela  diahexapte,  COM- 
MON LAUUEL,  or  BAY  TREE,  laurus  nobilis  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  529  ;  is  an  evergreen,  with  oblong,  stiff,  smooth 
leaves,  flowers  of  a  palish  yellow  colour,  followed  by 
oblong  dry  berries,  containing,  under  a  thin  black  skin, 
an  horny  shell,  within  whicli  are  lodged  two  dark 
brownish  seeds  joined  together.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
south  of  Europe,  and  common  in  our  gardens.  The 
flowers  appear  in  April  or  May,  the  berries  ripen  in 
September;  but  those  which  are  used  in  the  shops  are 
generally  the  fruit  of  the  laurus  Alexandrina,  from  the 
Mediterranean. 

The  leaves  have  a  light  agreeable  smell,  and  a  weak 
aromatic  rough  taste.  In  distillation  with  water  they 
yield  a  small  quantity  of  a  very  fragrant  essential  oil ; 
and  with  rectified  spirit  a  moderately  warm  pungent 
extract.  They  are,  however,  rarely  employed  except 
in  an  enema,  and  the  decoctum  pro  fomento,  Pharm. 
London ;  though  sometimes  the  infusion  is  drunk  as 
tea.  The  berries  are  stronger  than  the  leaves,  and 
yield  more  essential  oil :  the  expressed  oU  is  fluid  and 
insipid;  but  when  the  berries  are  ripe  and  boiled  in 
water  they  afford  a  thick  oil  of  .a  yellowish  green  colour, 
the  oil  of  bay,  which  is  bitter,  acrid,  and  an  useful  ap- 
plication in  palsies,  or  nervous  disorders.  The  oil  of 
bay  berries  is  called  da/ihnelteon  and  oleum  laurinum. 
Theberries  are  an  ingredient  in  the  emplastrum  cumini; 
and  Bergius  thinks  them  stomachic,  resolvent,  pro- 
moters of  the  menses,  urine,  and  perspiration,  recom- 
mending them,  however,  only  in  hysteria.  They  have 
long  been  thought  to  act  with  peculiar  power  on  the 
uterine  system,  and  improper  to  be  used  during  preg- 
nancy. The  essential  oil  of  the  berries  may  be  taken 
in  doses  of  from  one  to  five  or  six  drops  on  sugar, 
mixed  with  mucilage,  or  in  the  spirit  of  wine. 

LAU'RUS  OA'SSIA.    See  FOLIUM. 


LAU'RUS  RO'SE*.     See  NERION. 

LAVA'CRA,  (from  lavo,  to  wash).  WASHES1,  de- 
signed to  improve  the  skin. 

LAVE'NDULA,  (fromlavando  washing;  because  it 
was  used  in  baths).  LAVENDER,  ataechas. 

LAVE'NDULA  LATIFO'LIA,  nardus  Ifatica,  sfiica  mas, 
pseudonardus  aspic,  COMMON-  BROAD  LEAVED  LAVENDER, 
or  SPIKE  LAVENDER,  la~vendula  fspica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  800. 
/3,  is  a  shrubby  plant,  with  its  leaves  set  in  pairs,  the 
stalks  square  while  young,  and  round  when  old:  on  the 
tops  of  the  branches  are  naked  spikes  of  bluish, 
sometimes  of  white,  flowers;  and  this  species  hath 
by  much  the  larger  spike,  though  the  flowers  are  less. 
Of  all  the  verticilated  plants,  this  alone  bears  a  spike, 
and  from  hence  its  trivial  name  is  taken.  It  is  com- 
mon in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe;  stronger  both 
in  smell  and  taste  than  the  narrow  leaved;  and  by 
distillation  yields  near  twice  the  quantity  of  essential 
oil,  which  is  both  heavier  and  more  pungent  than  that 
from  the  other  kind,  but  of  a  less  pleasing  flavour.  The 
water  and  spirituous  extracts  from  each  sort  are  nearly 
alike. 

In  the  south  of  France,  where  both  species  are  in- 
digenous, the  broad  leaved  is  only  used  for  obtaining 
the  oil  called  oil  of  xpike,  named  daveredon,  and  oil  of 
aspic,  which,  if  genuine,  is  limpid,  though  sometimes 
yellowish.  The  flowers  contain  almost  all  the  oil,  and 
should  be  macerated  some  days  before  they  are  distilled. 
This  oil  is  adulterated  with  oil  of  turpentine,  and 
with  rectified  spirit  of  wine;  but,  if  genuine,  it  dis- 
solves sandarac,  and  copal ;  and  is  the  best  known  sol- 
vent of  amber. 

LAVE'NDULA  ANGUSTIFO'LIA,  sfiica  f&mina,  and  -vul- 
garis,  pseudo  nardus,  COMMON  LAVENDER,  SPIKE,  or 
NARROW  LEAVED  LAVENDER,  Uivendula  spica  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  800.  «.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  very  nar- 
row and  somewhat  hoary;  native  in  the  southern  parts 
of  Europe,  but  growing  in  our  gardens  vigorously. 
The  flowers  appear  in  June  or  July,  are  very  fragrant 
and  agreeable,  bitterish,  and  pungent;  sometimes  used 
as  a  mild  stimulantand  corroborant, in  vertigos,  palsies, 
tremors,  and  other  debilities  of  the  nervous  system. 
Dr.  Cullen  assert  that,  both  externally  or  internally,  it 
is  a  powerful  stimulant  of  the  nervous  system,  chiefly 
exciting  the  nerves  of  the  animal  functions,  seldom 
those  of  the  vital.  It  will  consequently  be  safer  in 
palsies  than  the  warmer  aromatics,  if  not  given  in  a 
spirituous  menstruum,  or  with  more  heating  aromatics. 

Water  extracts  by  infusion  near  all  the  virtue  both 
of  the  flowers  and  leaves;  but  the  flowers  are  greatly 
superior  :  they  afford  the  most  oil  when  ready  to  fall 
oft'  spontaneously  and  the  seeds  to  appear. 

The  essential  oil  when  fresh,  and  from  flowers  in 
perfection,  is  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  of  a  pungent 
taste,  very  fragrant,  and  of  the  peculiar  smell  admired 
in  the  flowers.  These  maybe  separated  from  the  plant 
by  drying,  and  then  gently  beating  them;  they  should 
be  immediately  committed  to  the  still,  and  the  process 
conducted  with  a  gentle  heat.  The  oil  is  given  in- 
ternally as  a  cordial,  from  one  drop  to  five,  and  used  as 
a  stimulant  in  palsies,  lethargies,  and  the  various  debili- 
ties of  the  nervous  system,  particularly  of  the  animal 
functions.  Murray  forbids  it  when  any  danger  from 
stimulating  the  sanguiferous  system  exists.  If  soft 
paper  moistened  with  it  is  applied  to  any  part  infested 


LED 


863 


LEX 


with  cutaneous  insects,  as  the  pediculi  inguinales,  they 
will  soon  be  destroyed. 

Rectified  spirit  extracts  the  oil  most  completely,  and 
in  distillation  carries  some  of  the  odoriferous  part  with 
it.  The  simple  spirit,  according  to  the  London  college, 
is  prepared  by  adding  a  gallon  of  proof  spirit  to  a  pound 
and  half  of  the  fresh  Bowers,  and  distilling  five  pints. 
The  formula  for  the  compound  sfiirit  follows:  R.  spt. 
lavendulae  m.  libras  tres,  rorismarin.  m.  ft>  i.  corticis 
ciunamomi  contusi,  nucis  moschatae  contusae  singulo- 
rum,  p.  unciam  dimidiam;  santali  rubri,  p.  ^  i.  Digere 
ptr  aies  decem  et  cola.  Ph.  Lond.  1788.  This  used 
to  be  called  the  English  fialsydrofi,  or  English  drofi. 
The  close  is  from  ten  drops  to  a  tea  spoonful.  See 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

LAVAFRA'TAS.     See  MAMANGA  FRUTEX. 

LA'VER,  (from  lavo,  to  tean/i,  plants  generally  found 
in  streams  by  which  they  are  washed).  A  name  for 
the  becabunga,  mum,  nasturtium  aquaticum;  but  more 
commonly  applied  in  the  west  to  the  sea  weed;  ulva 
umbilicalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1633.  See  ALIMENT. 

LEVIPE'DIUM,  (from  lavo,  to  wash,  and  fles,  the 
foot).  See  PEDILUVIUM. 

LA'XA  CHIMO'LEA.  A  PURGING  MEDICINE, 
principally  designed  for  the  venereal  disease.  Paracel- 
sus. Johnson  says  it  is  a  salt  which  grows  on  stones, 
resembling  in  appearance  the  anatron,  or  usnea  lapidea, 
iic/ien  chulybfiftrmis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1623. 

LAXA'TOR  MEMBRA'N^E  TY'MPANI,  (from 
laxo,  to  relax:').  This  muscle  arises  from  the  upper  part 
of  the  bone,  above  the  membrana  tympani,  runs  in- 
ward, and  is  inserted  into  the  thick  process  of  the  mal- 
leus; mallei  musculus  internus  Winslow. 

LAXA'TOR  EXTK'RXUS;  externustymfiani  aurii;  rises 
in  the  upper  sinus  of  the  auditory  passage,  and  is  in- 
serted in  the  membrana  tympani,  with  a  slender  tendon 
to  the  malleus,  drawing  the  membrane  upward  and 
outward. 

LAZARETTO.     See  PESTIS. 

LA'ZARl  MO  RBUS.or  MA'LUM.  The  DISEASE 
OF  LAZARUS.  See  ELEPHANTIASIS. 

LEAVEN",  strictly  speaking,  is  dough  which  has 
attained  the  acetous  fermentation.  It  sometimes,  how- 
ever, means  beer  in  a  state  of  fermentation,  when  the 
air  is  entangled  so  as  to  form  barm  or  yeast.  See  FER- 

MEXTUM. 

LECHE'NEON.     See  CEREBRUM. 

LECTUA'LIS  MO'RBUS,  (from  lectus,  a  bed}. 
A  disease  which  confines  the  patient  to  his  bed. 

LE'CTULI,  (from  lectus).  COUCHES,  stuffed  with 
proper  ingredients  coarsely  powdered,  whose  qualities 
were  supposed  to  affect  the  patient  laid  on  them. 

LE'CTULUS.     See  EPITHEMA. 

LE'DOX  CRETE'XSE.     See  LADANUM. 

LEDUM  FA'LUSTRE,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  561;  cistus 
ledon,  rosmarinum  syl-uentre,  MARSH  CISTUS,  or  WILD 
KOSEMARY,  rises  with  a  slender  shrubby  stalk  about 
two  feet  high,  dividing  into  many  slender  branches, 
garnished  with  narrow  leaves,  not  much  unlike  those 
of  the  heath.  The  flowers  are  produced  in  small 
clusters  at  the  end  of  the  branches,  shaped  like  those  of 
the  strawberry  tree,  but  spreading  wider  at  the  top,  of 
a  reddish  colour,  and  succeeded  by  seed  vessels,  filled 
with  small  seeds  which  ripen  in  autumn.  It  grows 


naturally  upon  bogs  and  mosses  in  many  parts  of  York- 
shire, Cheshire,  and  Lancashire;  hath  a  strong  though 
fragrant  smell,  and  is  bitter  to  the  taste.  It. is  consi- 
dered to  be  possessed  of  sedative  powers,  from  its  nar- 
cotic and  inebriating  qualities;  and  has  been  said, 
without  any  previous  evacuation  by  emetics,  and  pur- 
gatives, alone  to  cure  the  dysentery.  See  Linnaei 
Materia  Medica,  and  Richter's  Observations. 

LEGUMIXO  SA.     See  FABAGO. 

LEGU'MEX,  (from  lego,  to  gather,  usually  gather- 
ed by  the  hand).  The  seeds  of  the  leguminous  plants, 
are  called  fiulse,  as  pease,  beans,  &c.  Ray  calls  all  those 
plants  leguminous  which  have  a  papilionaceous  flower. 
See  FARINACEA. 

LEIO'PODES,  (from  toi»t,  plain,  and  w»t>{,  a  foot). 
EVEN  FOOTED;  filancus,  SPLAY  FOOT.  Those  the  soles 
of  whose  feet  are  without  the  usual  hollow  part. 

LEIPHJi'MOI,  (from  Afurw,  to  be  deficient,  and  *<«**, 
blood).  Those  who  have  too  little  blood. 

LEI PODE'RMOS, (from  A*i«-»,  and  ftffut,  the  skin). 
See  PREPUTIUM. 

LEIPOPSY'CHIA,  (from  A*/™,  and  •&>&,  the  soul 
or  life).  A.  FAINTING  FIT,  LANGUOR  ;  synonymous  with 
adynamia. 

LEIPOTHY'MIA,  (from  At/™,  and  $»(«*«,  the 
mind).  A  FAINTING  FIT,  A  SWOONING.  See  LIFO- 

THYMIA. 

LEIPY'RIA,  (from  At/aw,  to  leave,  and  vvf,  heat). 
A  dangerous  species  of  tertian,  in  which  the  internal  are 
scorched,  whilst  the  external  parts  are  cold. 

LEMXIA  TE'RRA.  EARTH  OF  LEMNOS,  the  dried 
pulp  of  the  adansonia  baobab.  See  BAOBAB. 

LE'MPNIAS  CA'LCIS.  SCALES  OF  BRASS,  which 
separate  when  beat  with  a  hammer. 

LE'NOS,  (from  A««/»*>,  to  bruise).  Hollow  troughs 
•where  grapes  are  bruised.  In  surgery,  a  channel  or 
excavation,  made  in  some  machines  for  extending  and 
reducing  fractured  bones.  Hippocrates.  See  CERE- 
BRUM. 

LENS,  (e  lentore,  viscidity,  from  their  glutinous 
quality).  LENTILS,  fihace,  or  fihecos,  are  shaped  like 
tares,  but  less,  and  are  a  flatulent  indigestible  food ; 
errum  lens  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1039.  It  is  not  now  used  in 
medicine.  Lens  is  also  the  appellation  of  the  crystalline 
humour  of  the  eye,  so  denominated  from  its  shape. 
See  OCULUS. 

LE'NTA  FE'BRIS.     SLOW  FEVER.     See  HECTICA. 

LEXTI'CULARIA,  (from  lenticula,  a  lentil).     See 

MlLLEFOLIUM. 

LEXTI'CUL.E,  LENTI'GENES,(dim.  from  lens). 

A   SMALLER    SPECIES  OF  LENTILS,    and    FRECKLES    On  the 

face  or  breast.  See  EPHELIDES,  EFFILA,  and  also  PE- 
TECHIA. 

LENTI'CULA  PALU'STRIS.  DUCK  MEAT,  lens 
fialuttris,  aquatica,  lenticularia  minor,  lemna  minor 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1376;  grows  on  the  surface  of  stagnant 
water,  and  is  in  appearance  simple  and  foliaceous ;  its 
roots  slender,  capillaceous,  and  pellucid.  Externally  it 
is  supposed  to  be  cooling. 

LEXTICULA  PALU'STRIS  MA'JOR,  and 
AQUA'MICA  TRISU'LCA;  hede rula  uquatica,  lem- 
na trisulca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1376;  its  qualities  are  similar 
to  the  former. 

LENTICULA'RE.     A  LENTICCLAR  ;  A  RCOINE. 


LEP 


864 


LEP 


LENTICULA'RE  os,  (from  lenticula,  lentil).  A  name 
of  the  fourth  bone  in  the  first  row  of  the  wrist ;  os  or- 
biculare,  and  fiisiforme. 

The  os  lenticulare,  or  orbiculare)  of  the  ear,  Dr.  Hun- 
ter thinks,  is  part  of  the  incus,  as  its  extremities  stand 
upon  a  narrow  neck,  and  are  soon  broken  oft':  in  the 
adult  it  is  one  continued  "bone  with  the  incus. 

LENTLCULA'RES,  GLA'NDUL^E,  (from  the  same,)  small 
glands  of  the  intestines,  so  called  from  their  size.  See 
PETECHI^E. 

LENTI'GINES,  (from  lens,  a  lentil}.  FRECKLES. 
See  EPHELIDES. 

LENTI'SCUS,  (from  lentisco,  from  the  clamminess 
of  its  juice).  Mastiche;  the  LENTISK  or  MASTICH  TREE, 
fiistachia  lentiscus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1455,  is  an  evergreen, 
with  soft  branches  hanging  downwards,  and  small  stiff 
leaves  pointed  at  both  ends.  Some  trees  produce  red- 
dish flowers,  others  blackish  berries  with  white  kernels : 
each  is  a  native  in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe,  but 
bear  the  usual  winters  of  our  climate.  We  chiefly 
receive  it  from  Aleppo  and  Smyrna,  but  in  Turkey, 
where  it  grows,  plantations  are  made  for  the  sake  of 
the  resinous  gum,  called  mastich;  though  the  Indian 
mastic  is  called  moll.  It  is  obtained  from  incisions 
made  in  the  trunks,  and  flows  in  drops  in  August.  The 
wood  is  sometimes  brought  from  Marseilles,  in  thick 
knotty  pieces,  covered  with  a  brownish  bark  ;  internally 
of  a  whitish  or  a  pale  yellowish  colour. 

The  wood  is  mildly  balsamic  and  astringent ;  the 
small  tough  sprigs  are  stronger  than  the  larger  ones,  and 
the  bark  is  more  so  than  either.  No  part  is  of  much 
value  in  medicine ;  though  a  decoction  of  the  wood  hath 
obtained  the  name  of  aurum  fiotabile.  The  wood  itself 
has  been  highly  extolled  in  dyspepsia,  gout,  haemorr- 
hages, and  dysentery.  The  resin,  usually  called  gum 
mastich,  by  means  of  gum  arable,  is  rendered  miscible 
with  water,  and  supposed  to  possess  the  virtues  of  tur- 
pentine, and  is  sometimes  used  as  a  masticatory.  See 
Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

LENTI'SCUS  FOLIIS  SPINOSIS,  FLORE  SPICATO,  &c.  See 
BONDUCH  INDORUM. 

LE'NTOR,  (from  lentus,  -viscid}.  A  VISCIDITY  or 
SIZINESS  ;  in  the  humoral  pathology,  the  supposed 
source  of  many  diseases.  See  MORBI  FLUIDORUM. 

LE'O,  (from  the  Hebrew  levia).  The  LION,  the 
name  of  several  preparations  of  the  Spagirists,  of  the 
leprosy,  &c. 

LEONI'NA  LE'PRA,  or  LEONTIA'SIS,  or  LE- 
O'NTION,  (from  leo,  the  lion,  because  lions  are  said  to 
be  subject  to  it).  A  variety  of  the  ELEPHANTIASIS. 

LEO'NIS  OS  and  O'RA  S^E'VA;  from  its  prickly 
mouth.  See  ANTIRRHINUM. 

LEO'NTICE  VE'TERUM.     See  CACALIA. 

LEO'NTODON,  (from  *ia»,  (he  lion,  and  »hv(,  a 
tooth).  See  DENS  LEONIS. 

LEONTOPO'DIUM,  (from  At«»,  and  ^»vs,  a  foot, 
from  its  supposed  resemblance,)  ftlago  Alfiina,  leonto- 
fiodium  majus,gnafihalium  j4lfiinum,i.iot)'s  fooT,filago 
leontifiodium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1312,  grows  on  hills,  and 
flowers  in  July;  The  bruised  roots  were  once  famed 
for  removing  the  blackness  of  bruises  in  the  skin. 

LEONU'RUS,  (from  teat,  a  lion,  and  tvf*,  a  tail}. 
See  CARDIACA. 

LEPIDI'UM,  (from  Atavs,  a  scale;  from  its  use  in 


cleansing  the  skin  from  scales).  Pifieritis,  rafihanua 
sylvestris,  iberis,  Dionysius,  POOR  MAN'S  PEPPER,  PEP- 
PER WORT,  DITTANDEH,  lefiidium  latifolium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
899,  is  a  plant  with  undivided  leaves,  small  white  flow- 
ers on  the  tops  of  the  stalks,  followed  by  heart  shaped 
pods;  perennial,  growing  wild  on  the  sides  of  rivers  and 
shady  places :  it  flowers  in  June  and  July.  The  whole 
plant  is  pungent  like  pepper. 

LEPIDI'UM  A'RABIS.     See  DRABA. 

LEPIDI'UM  GRAMI'NEO  FOLIO,  Iberis  cardamantica, 
agriocardimum.  SCIATICA  CRESSES  ;  lefiidium  ibcrin 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  900.  This  species  hath  long  narrow  leaves; 
the  lower  of  which  are  on  long  pedicles  and  serrated ; 
the  upper  entire,  without  pedicles ;  annual,  and  raised 
in  our  gardens  for  culinary  use. 

All  these  plants,  when  fresh  gathered,  have  a  quick, 
penetrating,  pungent  taste,  though  almost  dissipated  in 
drying;  it  is  retained  in  the  expressed  juice;  extracted 
by  water  and  by  spirit;  and  rises  with  both  in  disdlla- 
tion.  In  external  applications  they  have  been  used 
against  the  sciatica ;  internally  in  intermittents,  chronic 
rheumatism,  and  palsy. 

LEPIDI'UM  MONSPELLIACUM.     See  PLUMBAGO. 

LEPIDOCARPODE'NDRON,  (from  A«av«,  scale, 
KAfires,  fruit,  and  ^Evifyov,  a  tree,  because  its  calyx  is 
scaly).  All  the  species  are  natives  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  near  Table  Mountain,  and  arranged  by  Linnaeus 
under  the  genus  leucandron;  but  neither  seems  entitled 
to  attention  in  a  medicinal  view;  so  that  we  need  not 
distinguish  them  more  minutely. 

LEPIDOI'DES  SUTU'RA,  (from  tor*,  a  scale, 
and  ei&f,  likeness}.  See  SUTUR.S. 

LEPIDOSARCO'MA,  (Ae?r/s,  a  scale,  and  <r*/>f, 
flesh}.  A  sarcomatous  and  scaly  tumour  of  the  mouth. 
Severinus. 

LEPORI'NA  LA'BRA.     See  LABIA  LEPORINA. 

LEPORI'NUM  RO'STRUM,  (from  lefius,  and  ros- 
trum, a  beak}.  The  piece  of  flesh  often  seen  between 
the  divisions  of  the  hare  lip. 

LE'PRA,  (ffom  tens,  a  scale}.  The  LEPROSY.  See 
ALPHCS. 

The  leprosy  is  a  chronical  disease;  in  warm  climates 
infectious,  but  not  evidently  so  in  cold  countries; 
though  its  infectious  nature  was  formerly  suspected, 
and  the  unhappy  victims  separated  in  distinct  establish- 
ments from  the  rest  of  mankind.  Dr.  Cullen  places 
this  disease  in  the  class  cache jcie,  and  order  imfietigines; 
defining  it  the  skin  rough,  with  white,  furfuraceous, 
chapped  eschars,  sometimes  moist  underneath,  and  pru- 
riginous.  Of  the  only  species  known,  Sauvages  notes 
six  varieties;  but  the  le/ira  Grtscorum  and  the  lefira 
ichthyosis  only  occur  in  this  country. 

The  leprosy  of  the  Greeks  has  been  very  often  con- 
founded with  the  lepra  Arabum,  which,  however,  is  a 
very  different  disease,  and  already  noticed  in  the  article 
ELEPHANTIASIS,  q.  v.  The  latter  appears  to  be  rather  a 
disease  of  the  constitution,  and  affects  the  hair,  not  only 
of  £he  head,  but  over  the  whole  body;  attended  with 
deep  ulcerations,  loss  of  sensation  in  the  swollen  parts, 
and  foetid  sweats.  The  lepra,  on  the  contrary,  seems 
to  be  an  affection  of  the  cutis  vera  only,  whose  papulae 
are  either  enlarged,  or  tumours  of  a  different  nature  are 
formed  on  it,  which  press  outwards  on  the  cuticle,  and 
occasion  scaly  indurations  on  the  surface. 


LEP 


865 


LEP 


The  first  appearance  of  leprosy  is  discovered  by  red- 
dish shining  elevations  on  the  skin,  often  on  those  parts 
where  the   bone  is  covered  only  by  the  integuments, 
as  the  skin,  on   the  outside  of  the  fore   arm.     A  thin 
white  scale  is  soon  formed  on  the  top  of  these  eleva- 
tions, which  quickly  flatten,  while  their  bases  enlarge. 
The  enlargement  of  their  bases  continues;  but  the  sepa- 
rate   patches    constantly   preserve   a  roundish    form, 
though,  when  they  approach  and  unite,  it  is   generally 
elliptical.     When   the  scales  either  fall  off  by  the  rub- 
bing of  the  linen,  or  are  separated  by   violence,   they 
are  soon  reproduced  ;  but  the  surface  below  appears  red 
and  wrinkled,  though  the  rugae  do  not  resemble  those 
of  the  cuticle,  nor  are  they  continuations  of  the  furrows 
in  the  contiguous  sound  surface.     Lepra  does  not  ap- 
pear to  be  peculiarly   the  disease  of  the  hairy  scalp, 
though  we  have  generally  found  traces  of  it  in  this  part 
of  the  body,  when  it  has  before  appeared  on  the  surface. 
At  the   edge  of  the   hair  on    the  forehead  it  often  first 
attacks,  though  more  frequently  the  leg,  just   below 
the  knee,  or  the  fore  arm,  rising  gradually  to  the  trunk. 
The  stiffness  of  the  skin  is  troublesome,  and  the  itch- 
ing, which  is  extremely  distressing  in  hot  climates,  is, 
even  in  these,  troublesome  while  the  patient  is  warm  in 
bed  ;  but  the  general  health  seems  in  no  respect  affect- 
ed, and  nature,  without  assistance,  will  not  relieve.  The 
signs  of  amendment  are  the  diminution  of  the  ridge 
round  the  patch,  the  scales  not  reproduced  when  rubbed 
off,  and  the  appearance  of  a  red  more  natural  cuticle  in 
the  centre.     All  the  patches  at  the  same  time  begin  to 
assume  a  more  healthy  look. 

The  lepra  is  said  to  be  hereditary.  We  own  that  we 
have  not  found  it  so;  but  Dr.  Willan  thinks  a  predis- 
position to  it  may  be  transmitted  from  parents.  In 
more  than  one  family  where  there  was  this  tendency, 
those  in  whom  it  appeared  on  the  surface,  and  who  were 
relieved  by  medicine,  lived  long  afterwards  in  a  healthy- 
state,  while  those  in  whom  it  did  not  appear,  died 
young,  apparently  consumptive.  In  a  constitution  of 
this  kind  we  once  observed  the  phthisis  from  calculus. 
The  diseases,  however,  in  these  cases,  were  not,  per- 
haps, strictly  leprous,  though  nearly  resembling  it.  In 
one  instance  mania  supervened  on  the  disappearance  of 
a  true  leprosy. 

Dr.  Willan  thinks  that  a  slow  pulse,  or  a  languid  cir- 
culation, with  what  may  be  expected  to  attend  them, 
a  deficiency  of  perspiration,  constitutes  a  fundamental 
part  of  the  predisposition.  We  cannot  say  that  we  have 
seen  the  disease  most  frequently  in  such  constitutions, 
nor  does  our  recollection  furnish  any  particular  habits 
in  which  it  has  appeared  most  frequent.  An  indul- 
gence in  spirituous  liquors  has  appeared  a  remote  cause; 
but  we  have  not  seen  any  peculiar  diet  contribute  to  it. 
Those  who  work  among  dry  powders  are  said  to  be  sub- 
ject to  it ;  but  we  have  only  seen  what  resembles  it 
in  those  who  follow  one  occupation  of  this  kind,  viz. 
millers.  Wheat,  when  ground,  rapidly  absorbs  mois- 
ture, and  every  part  of  a  miller's  house  is  dry.  The  hands 
of  the  labourers  are  consequently  often  chopped,  some- 
times covered  with  eruptions;  but  the  disease  seemingly 
•differs  from  true  lepra.  Bricklayers'  labourers  suffer 
from  lime,  and  laboratory  men  from  acids ;  in  neither, 
however,  is  this  disease  peculiarly  prevalent. 

Lepra  is  a  complaint  of  singular  obstinacy,  and  often 
resists  the  best  concerted  plans.  As  it  appears  not  to 

VOL.    I. 


be  influenced  by  diet  or  situation,  and  not  to  be  here- 
ditary, it  may  seem  to  be  merely  local ;  and  the  an- 
cient physicians,  after  bleeding  and  purging,  applied  the 
most  acrid  substances  from  the  animal,  vegetable,  and 
mineral  kingdom,  to  cure  it.  These  undoubtedly  re- 
move the  scales,  but  they  are  soon  reproduced ;  for  the 
cause  is  beyond  the  reach  of  applications  to  the  surface 
only.  When  internal  medicines  have  in  part  removed  the 
cause,  liniments  of  tar,  sometimes  with  sulphur,  at  others 
with  kali,  or  alum,  are  often  useful.  The  warm  bath 
is  a  pleasant  and  salutary  application,  whose  effects  ex- 
tend beyond  the  surface ;  but  which  also  relax  the  har- 
dened scales,  and  immediately  remove  part  of  the  in- 
convenience, the  stiffness.  The  sulphur  waters  of  Har- 
rowgate  and  Moffat  combine  both  views,  and  are  highly 
useful.  The  Harrowgate  water  may  be  easily  imitated 
for  this  purpose  by  uniting  the  hepar  sulphuris  with  sea 
salt. 

The  bath  waters  combine  the  good  effects  of  a  warm 
bath  with  an  internal  medicine  which  excites  the  action 
of  the  extreme  vessels,  an  object  of  considerable  import- 
ance in  the  cure  of  lepra.  The  minutes  of  the  Bath 
hospital,  on  this  subject,  published  by  Dr.  Falconer, 
give  a  very  favourable  prospect  of  its  advantages.  Sea 
water,  used  as  a  bath,  both  warm  and  cold,  has  been 
equally  useful,  especially  if,  like  the  Bath  waters,  it  is 
taken  internally.  Other  external  preparations  have 
been  chiefly  mercurial,  as  a  solution  of  the  hydrargyrus 
muriatus,  and  the  unguentum,  hydrargyri  nitrati  of  the 
London  Dispensatory.  Dr.  Willan  does  not  think  these 
applications  preferable  to  the  tar  ointment. 

Though  it  is  admitted  that  the  lepra  is  most  commonly 
a  topical  disease,  yet,  from  the  thickness  of  the  scales,  and 
from  the  chief  seat  being  inthecutis  vera,  topical  reme- 
dies alone  scarcely  affect  it.  Medicines,  therefore,  which 
excite  the  action  of  the  cutaneous  vessels  are  chiefly  of 
service.  The  principal  of  these  is  mercury  and  antimony. 
The  most  powerful  mercurial  is  undoubtedly  the  hydrar- 
gyrus muriatus,  which  often  succeeds.  It  is  the  active  in- 
gredient of  Spilsbury's  drops,  which  are  highly  celebrat- 
ed ;  and  the  same  remedy  would  be  more  celebrated  in 
regular  practice,  could  the  scientific  physician  conde- 
scend to  adopt  the  pompous  boasts  of  the  empiric,  or  was 
the  same  confidence  placed  in  the  man  of  experience  and 
judgment,  as  in  the  pretending  illiterate  quack.  Other 
mercurials  are  also  useful,  but  perhaps  not  in  an  equal 
degree.  Antimonials  alone  will  not  cure  the  complaint; 
but  with  calomel,  as  in  the  pill  of  Dr.  Plummer,  they 
will  often  succeed,  if  the  calomel  be  not  triturated  too 
long  with  the  sulphur  auratum.  We  have  usually 
directed  it  to  be  added  to  the  mass,  after  the  other 
ingredients  were  united.  The  advantages  of  these 
medicines  are  assisted  by  the  warm  diaphoretics  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom,  as  the  mezereon,  the  elm  bark,  the 
sarsaparilla,  the  guaiacum,  and  sassafras.  We  place  them 
in  the  order  of  their  activity,  for  the  mezereon  is  most 
effectual;  but  combining  them,  as  in  the  Lisbon  diet 
drink,  renders  them  more  useful. 

The  mineral  acids  have  lately  succeeded  in  remov- 
ing slighter  kinds  of  this  disease,  and  we  think  we  have 
found  them  more  effectual  than  the  aqua  kali  puri  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Willan.  The  tincture  of  cantharides 
is  better  adapted  to  relieve  tettery  eruptions  than  lepra; 
in  the  latter  we  believe  it  very  generally  fails.  Every 
plan  of  cure  we  have  found  greatly  assisted  by  a 

5  S 


LEP 


866 


LEY 


milk  and  vegetable  diet,  interposing,  every  two  or  three 
days,  a  purgative  of  neutral  salts.  This  method  also  most 
efl'ectually  prevents  a  relapse. 

We  need  scarcely  mention  many  other  remedies  re- 
commended for  this  purpose,  as  the  water  dock,  if  this 
be  really  the  herba  Britannica ;  the  dulcamara,  which 
seems  to  have  succeeded  with  Dr.  Crichton  ;  the  cu- 
cumbers, recommended  by  Willis ;  the  roots  of  helle- 
bore, particularly  the  black  hellebore,  used  by  the  an- 
cients, and  particularly  noticed  by  Oribasius.  The  flesh 
of  vipers,  or  of  chicken  nourished  by  it,  will  scarcely  at 
this  time  be  trusted,  though  highly  commended  by  the 
same  author. 

See  Aretseus,  iv.  13;  Lorry  de  Morbis  Cutaneis; 
Mercurialisde  Morbis  Cutis;  Falconer  in  the  Memoirs.of 
the  Medical  Society  of  London ;  London  Medical  Trans- 
actions, vol.  i.  and  ii. ;  Medical  Observations  and  In- 
quiries, vol.  i.  p.  201  ;  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i 
p.  94 ;  Willan  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Skin,  order  ii.  vol. 
i.  p.  112,  &c. 

LE'PRA  A'RABUM  ;  usually  considered  as  synonymous 
with  the  ELEPHANTIASIS,  q".  v.  See  also  LEPRA. 

LE'PRA  GRXCO'RUM,  alba,  nigra,  and  imftetigo  of  Cel- 
sus.  See  LEPHA. 

LE'PRA  ICHTHYOSIS.  FISHY  LEPROSY  ;  alburns  nigra 
of  Avicenna.  This  term  is  often  applied  by  Avicenna 
to  elephantiasis,  and  we  think,  with  Dr.  Willan,  that 
the  albaras  nigra  of  the  Arabians,  and  the  black  mor- 
phea  of  the  Greeks,  are  varieties  only  of  elephantiasis. 
See  ALPHOS. 

The  lepra  ichthyosis  is  a  more  general  affection  of 
the  whole  skin,  while  the  lepra  graecorum  appears  in 
patches.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  imbricated 
situation  of  the  scales,  which  resemble  those  of  a  fish ; 
but  round  the  elbow  and  knee  they  are  round,  promi- 
nent, and  small.  The  neck  of  the  scales  is  small,  but 
they  are  flatter  as  they  rise,  and  often  very  hard  and 
sharp,  rendering  the  parts  hard  and  brittle.  On  the  in- 
side of  the  arms  and  thighs,  in  the  bending  of  the  knees 
and  elbows,  and  wherever  the  skin  is  thin,  there  are  no 
scales.  The  scales  are  sometimes  intersected  with 
white  furrows,  and  the  surface  is  often  broken  by  in- 
flamed and  painful  boils. 

If  the  scales  are  picked  off  in  warm  water  they  do 
not  again  return,  but  the  skin  beneath  is  dry  and  hard. 
It  must,  however,  be  often  moistened,  and  rubbed  as 
much  as  it  will  bear  without  pain.  A  disease  of  this  kind 
is  described  in  the  fourteenth  volume  of  the  Philosophi- 
cal Transactions  (Shaw's  Abridgement,  iii.  43,)  in  a  let- 
ter from  the  famous  Lewenhoeck,  and  another  in  the 
thirty-seventh  volume  (Abr.  vii.  543).  The  sequel  of 
this  last  case  is  given  in  the  forty -ninth  volume,  and  the 
disease  there  appears  to  be  hereditary.  A  complaint  so 
closely  interwoven  with  the  texture  of  the  skin  would 
be  probably  intractable ;  and  the'  only  method  of  relief  is 
that  mentioned,  viz.  drawing  out  the  scales  after  ma- 
ceration in  warm  water.  Mercury  has  been  tried  with- 
out success.  A  less  degree  of  this  complaint  occurs  in 
worn  out  constitutions,  in  anasarca,  Sec.  where  it  appears 
to  be  only  an  enlargement  and  thickening  of  the  natural 
scales  of  which  the  cuticle  consists. 

LE'PRA  JJIGRIOANS  differs  from  the  LEPRA  GRAE- 
CORUM, q.  v.  in  colour,  and  in  appearing  as  a  disease 
more  strictly  connected  with  the  constitution.  The 
spots  are  smaller  in  size,  the  border  livid,  and  the  in- 


crustations, which  are  thin,  seem  to  derive  their  hue 
from  the  lividness  of  the  skin  below.  When  the  scales 
are  removed  they  are  not  so  soon  restored,  and  the  dis- 
charge is  bloody.  It  affects  persons  exposed  to  great 
fatigue,  in  damp  situations,  and  has  been  considered  as 
the  true  lepra  in  constitutions  where  the  blood  is  greatly 
dissolved.  The  remedies  of  lepra  are  useless  or  injuri- 
ous ;  and  bark,  mineral  acids,  with  sea  bathing,  contri- 
bute to  the  cure.  The  black  scurvy  of  the  West  In  die x 
seems  to  be  the  same  disease,  though  like  this,  allied  to 
elephantiasis,  since  a  numbness  is  felt  in  the  fingers  and 
toes,  the  voice  is  hoarse,  and  fever  supervenes. 

LEPTOPHO'NIA,  (from  tevl*^  slender,  and  ?«»», 
the  •voice'].  See  PARAPHONIA. 

LEPTOPI'TYRON,  (from  AE^OS,  thin,  and  w(7»p», 
bran).  See  FURFUR. 

LE'ROS,  (from  hifta,  to  trifle}.     See  DELIRIUM. 

LESE'OLI  MO'RBUS.     See  ICTERUS. 

LESE'OLUS.  A  diaphanous  salt,  which  cures  the 
jaundice.  Paracelsus. 

LETHA'RGUS,  (from  faHy,  forgetfulness,<mdctp"/<is, 
slothful*}.  LETHARGY;  -veternus.  See  CAROS  and 
APOPLEXIA. 

LEUCA'NTHEMUM,  (from  Aewws,  and  wSepof, 
as  it  only  differs  from  the  chrysanthemum  in  the  white 
floret).  A  name  also  for  the  common  and  other  species 
of  camomile.  See  CHAMAMELUM. 

LEUCA'NTHEMUM  BE'LLIDIS  FA'CIE.  See  BJELLIS 
MAJOR. 

LEUCA'NTHEMUM  CANARIE'NSE;  chamtsmelum  C'a- 
nariense.  The  effects  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  pel- 
litory  root,  if  chewed. 

LEUCA'NTHE  VE'TERUM,  (from  Afu*««,  m/iite, 
and  a.x.x.v6ct,  a  thorn').  See  CALCITRAPA  OFFICINALIS. 

LEU'CAS  MONTA'NA.     See  LAMIUM  LUTEUM. 

LEU'CE,  (from  tevxt>s,  white').     See  ALPHUS. 

LEUCOI'UM,  (from  fovxtf,  white,  and  iov,  a  violet}. 
See  CHEIRI,  and  BULBONACH. 

LEUCOLA'CHANON,  (from  Aeww«,  -white,  and 
AE^;«VO»,  a  herb}.  See  VALERIANA  SYLVESTHIS. 

LEUCO'MA,  (from  &IVH.OS,  white}.     See  ALBUGO. 

LEUCO'MA  NEPHE'LIUM.     See  ACHLYS. 

LEUCONYMPH^E'A,  (from  tevw,  white,  and 
yv/*/pctiic,  water  lily}.  See  NYMPHJEA. 

LEUCOPHLEGMA'TIA,  (from  A£u*«?,  white,  and 
4>AsyjK,«,  phlegm}.  In  leucophlegmatia,  Aretaeus  ob- 
serves, the  flesh  is  not  wasted  as  in  anasarca,  and  it  is 
more  easily  cured  :  indeed  it  is  only  the  beginning  of 
anasarca.  Sometimes  this  word  signifies  an  emfihy- 
sema. 

LEUCOPI'PER,  (from  tev*»f,  white,  and  mrefif, 
pffiper}.  See  PIPER  ALBUM. 

LEUCORRHCE'A,  and  LEUCO'RRHOIS,  (from 
htvxos,  white,  and  pea,  to  flow}.  See  FLUOR  ALBUS. 

Since  that  article  was  printed,  we  find  cantharides 
proposed  as  a  remedy  for  this  disease,  in  consequence 
of  its  resemblance  to  gleet.  It  was  given,  it  is  said,  by 
Greenfield  with  success  ;  and,  indeed,  a  topical  stimu- 
lant may  be  occasionally  useful.  The  balsam,  copaiba 
is. probably  no  more. 

LEVA'TOR,  (from  lev o,  to  lift  ufi}.  The  name  is 
given  to  many  muscles,  whose  office  it  is  to  elevate 
different  parts  into  which  they  are  inserted,  viz. 

LEVA'TOR  PALA'TI  MO'LLIS,  rises  from  the  basis  of 
the  skull,  near  the  articulation  of  the  lower  jaw,  runs 


LEV 


867 


LIC 


down  the  fauces,  passes  inwards  and  forwards,  spreads 
itself  on  the  palatum  molle,  and  goes  to  the  uvula. 

LEVA 'TOR  PA'LPEBR,E  SUPERIO'RIS,  ELEVA'TOR,  afieri- 
ens  fialfitbrarum  rectus,  named  from  its  straight  pro- 
gress and  use  by  Fallopius  and  Douglas.  It  arises  on 
each  side  from  the  bottom  of  the  orbit  by  a  small  ten- 
don, and  as  the  fleshy  fibres  of  the  muscle  pass  over 
the  globe  of  the  eye,  they  gradually  spread,  and  after- 
wards terminate  by  a  broad  tendinous  expansion  on  the 
superior  part  of  the  tarsus  belonging  to  the  upper  lid. 

LEVA'TOR  SCA'PULJE,  levator  firofirius  of  Winslow; 
musculus  angularis,  sen  fiatientie  musculus  is  divided  at 
its  origin  into  four  little  muscles,  from  the  transverse  pro- 
cesses of  the  four  superior  cervical  vertebrae.  The 
branches  join,  and  form  one  muscle  on  each  side,  inserted 
into  the  bases  of  the  respective  scapulae  above  the  spine. 

LEVATO'RES  AN7I,  and  ELEVA'TORES,  rise 
with  a  broad  base  from  the  symphysis  of  the  os  pubis, 
the  internal  part  of  the  ileum,  the  membrane  of  the  ob- 
turator internus  and  coccygaeus,  and  the  sharp  process 
of  the  ischium,  directing' their  course  downwards  as  to 
a  centre,  and  blending  part  of  their  fibres  with  those  of 
the  sphincter,  the  acceleratores  urinae,  and  the  anterior 
part  of  the  extremity  of  the  coccyx,  surrounding  the 
prostate  gland,  the  vesiculae  seminales,  and  the  neck  of 
the  bladder,  which  they  contribute  to  support.  They 
contribute  to  expel  the  faeces ;  but  do  not,  as  is  general- 
ly supposed,  very  powerfully  compress  the  vesiculae 
seminales  in  coition. 

LEVA'TORES  COMMU'XES  LABIO'RUM,  elevatores  la- 
btorum,  rise  from  the  cavity  under  the  os  jugale,  in  the 
os  maxillare,  and  are  inserted,  with  the  zygomaticus 
major  and  others,  into  the  angle  of  the  lips,  on  each 
side. 

LEVATO'RES  COSTARUM,  sufiracostales,  rise  from  the 
transverse  processes  of  the  vertebrae,  and  arc  inserted 
into  the  ribs :  they  are  divided  into  the  longiores  and 
the  breviores.  The  latter  rise  from  the  transverse  pro- 
cesses, and  are  inserted  into  the  next  rib  ;  the  longiores 
run  over  one  rib,  and  are  inserted  into  the  next. 

LEVATO'RES  LA'BII  IXFERIO'RIS,  ELEVATO'RES,  par 
mentale,  incisrvus  inferior  of  Winslow,  and  levator 
menti  of  Albinus,  rise  from  the  sockets  of  the  incisores 
and  are  inserted  into  the  lower  lip. 

LEVATO'RES  LA'BII  SUPERIO'RIS,  ELEVA'TORES,  rise 
from  the  os  maxillare,  and  descend  obliquely  under  the 
skin  of  the  upper  lip,  orbicularis  muscle,  and  the  outer 
part  of  the  alae  nasi. 

LEVIGA'TIO,  (from  In- is,  light).  The  pharmaceu- 
tical operation,  by  which  hard  substances  are  reduced 
to  an  impalpable  powder ;  but  unless  the  instrument 
is  very  hard,  as  much  of  the  stone  as  of  the  medicine 
may  be  discovered  in  it.  In  many  instances  the  sub- 
stances are  levigated  with  water,  and  suffered  to  dry 
on  chalk ;  sometimes  the  fine  powder  is  separated, 
after  levigation,  by  washing.  If  the  whole  is  agitated 
in  water,  the  coarser  parts  will  subside,  while  the  finer 
ones  may  be  poured  off  with  the  fluid,  and  will  subside 
after  a  longer  rest.  Thus  the  powder  may  be  obtained 
of  any  degree  of  fineness,  according  to  the  time  suffered 
to  elapse  before  the  water  is  first  poured  off.  We  ob- 
serve, however,  in  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  a  very 
convenient  instrument  called**  ./anner,  which  separates 
the  finer  powder  by  a  blast  of  air,  on  the  same  principle 
as  the  machine  for  winnowing  corn  acts,  but  know  not 


how  it  really  succeeds  in  practice,  so  that  we  shall  not 
fill  our  page  with  the  description. 

LEVI'STICUM,(from  leva,  to  assuage;  from  its  re- 
lieving painful  flatulencies).  Ligusticum,  angelica  mon- 
tana  fierennis.  COMMON  LOVAGE;  ligusticum  levisti- 
cum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  359  ;  is  a  tall  umbelliferous  plant,  with 
leaves  divided  like  those  of  smallage  ;  the  root  thick, 
fleshy,  juicy,  branched,  and  of  a»  brown  colour  out- 
wardly ;  a  native  of  the  south  of  Europe.  It  is  peren- 
nial, flowers  in  June,  and  its  seeds  are  ripe  in  August. 
This  plant  hath  a  strong  and  peculiarly  ungrateful 
smell :  to  the  taste  it  is  warm  and  aromatic,  resembling 
angelica,  but  less  agreeable ;  and  its  yellowish  gummy 
resinous  juice  much  resembles  opoponax. 

The  seeds  are  warm  and  pungent,  of  a  more  agree- 
able flavour ;  the  roots  sweetish,  and  iriore  pleasant 
than  the  leaves  ;  its  essential  oil  is  in  a  small  proportion, 
and  an  extract  made  with  rectified  spirit  retains  both 
the  aroma  and  the  sweetness.  Lovage  is  similar  to  an- 
gelica and  masterwort,  as  a  carminative,  sudorific,  and 
deobstruent,  and  might  be  a  good  substitute  for  either, 
had  we  not  more  effectual  medicines  in  the  galbanum 
and  asafostida.  The  leaves,  eaten  as  salad,  are  account- 
ed emmenagogue.  See  Rail  Historia ;  Lewis's  Mate- 
ria  Medica. 

LE'VITAS  INTESTINTO'RUM,  (from  the  food 
passing  quickly).  See  LIENTERIA. 

LI3ANO'TIS,(from  >.tGaief,  frankincense").  Cachrys, 
cachrysea,  FEXXEL  HERB,  FRAXKIXCEXSE,  athamanta 
libanotis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  351,  more  probably  laserfiitium 
ferulaceum  Lin.  358,  grows  on  mountains  in  Italy  and 
Sicily,  and  flowers  in  May.  It  is  also  a  name  for  seve- 
ral sorts  of  laserfiitium,ferula  glauco  folio,  ferula  minor, 
rosmarinus,  oreoselinum  oftti,  and  several  other  plants. 

LI'BERANS   A 'QUA.     See    C  ALOIS   AQXTA  MAJCS 

COMPOSITA. 

LIBI'DO.     See  PRCRITIS. 

LI'BRA,  (from  A/7f«,  a/lounrf).     See  POXDVS. 

LICHA'NDOS,  (from  A*i£«,  to  lick;  because  used 
in  the  action  of  licking).  FORE  .FINGER.  See  IN- 
DEX. 

LI'CHENT,  (from  Ae/x*1,  lambo,  quia  lambendo  ser- 
fiant,)  a  cutaneous  disease  called  lichen,  from  its  re- 
semblance to  the  spots  scattered  over  the  tuberculated 
lichen.  If  is  a  papulous  eruption,  sometimes  rising 
into  tumours  of  a  more  considerable  size ;  but  in  its 
milder  forms  rather  a  deformity  than  a  disease.  The 
term  has  been  variously  applied,  and  the  eruption  con- 
founded with  herpes,  scabies,  impetigo,  &c.  The  con- 
fusion is  of  little  consequence,  since  the  complaint 
is  usually  trifling  ;  and  we  may  define  it,  with  Dr.  Wil- 
lan,  an  extensive  eruption  of  papulae  affecting  adults, 
connected  with  internal  disorder,  usually  terminating 
with  scurf,  recurrent,  not  contagious.  This  genus  he 
divides  into  five  species,  the  lichen  simplex,  agrius,fii- 
laris,  lividus,  and  trofiicus.  The  first  commences  with 
slight  feverish  symptoms,  which  in  a  few  days  are  re- 
lieved by  distinct  red  papulae  about  the  cheeks  and  chin, 
or  on  the  arms  ;  and  in  three  or  four  days  the  same  ap- 
pearances take  place  on  the  neck,  body,  and  lower  ex- 
tremities, accompanied  with  an  unpleasant  sensation  of 
tingling,  aggravated  during  the  night.  The  eruption 
fades  in  about  a  week,  and  the  whole  surface  is  covered 
with  large  scurfy  exfoliations,  which  continue  longest 
in  the  flexure  of  the  joints.  The  period  of  its  termination 
5  S  2 


LIC 


868 


LIC 


is  seldom  the  same  in  any  two  cases  ;  and  on  different 
parts  of  the  surface  of  the  body  there  is  some  difference 
in  the  form  of  the  papulae.  On  the  face  they  are  large, 
rounded,  often  forming  small  tubercles  like  vari;  on  the 
neck,  breast,  and  extremities,  they  are  most  distinct  and 
acuminated ;  and  on  the  hands  they  resemble  obscure 
watery  pustules,  which  exfoliate  without  any  discharge 
of  fluid.  This  disease  most  commonly  affects  persons  of 
a  weak  irritable  habit,  and  occurs  about  the  beginning 
of  summer  or  autumn,  sometimes  general,  at  others 
partial,  occasionally  disappearing  or  returning  without 
leaving  any  scurf,  and  often  without  any  previous  fever. 
A  light  cooling  diet,  or  if  necessary,  some  easy  laxative, 
is  only  necessary.  Sometimes  the  simple  lichen  is 
chronical,  and  then  styled  scurvy;  sometimes  critical, 
and  called  scabies  critica.  It  sometimes  terminates  in 
a  dry  tetter. 

The  /.  agrius,  from  *y/><»«,  immanis,  is  preceded  by  a 
fever  approaching  the  typhus.  The  eruptions  are  of  a 
deep  dark  red,  with  an  inflamed  basis,  itching  and  ting- 
ling after  any  stimulating  food  and  drink,  or  in  the 
Warmth  of  the  bed.  In  the  morning  the  uneasiness  is  in- 
considerable. Straw  coloured  pustules  are  occasionally 
intermixed,  and  by  the  continuance  of  the  complaint  the 
skin  is  thickened,  chapped,  and  painful.  The  pustules 
are  usually  confined  to  the  upper  part  of  the  body. 

Its  continuance  is  uncertain,  and  it  sometimes  ap- 
pears and  disappears  ;  but  if  repelled,  general  constitu- 
tional disorder  follows.  If  any  wound  is  made  by  scratch- 
ing, it  is  with  difficulty  healed,  and, the  disease  some- 
times terminates  in  an  ulcerated  psora.  This  species 
differs  from  the  former  in  the  nature  of  the  fever,  the 
greater  violence  and  obstinacy  of  the  complaint.  It  is 
exasperated  by  mercurials,  though  calomel  has  been  re- 
commended in  the  beginning  as  a  laxative;  and  the  best 
medicines  are  the  bark,  with  the  mineral  acids.  We  know 
not  that  a  perpetual  blister  or  an  issue  has  been  tried; 
but  it  appears  a  probable  means  of  relief.  The  itching 
is  best  relieved  by  the  spittle  or  a  little  rose  pomatum. 

The  lichen  fiilaris  is  the  lichen  simplex,  affecting 
chiefly,  or  exclusively,  the  roots  of  the  hair,  and  from 
around  the  hair  exfoliations  take  place.  It  differs  in  no 
respect  from  the  first  species. 

The  lichen  llvidus  seems  little  different  from  pete- 
chiae,  with  which  they  are  often  mixed,  and  the  disease 
chiefly  confined  to  the  poor,  whose  diet  is  frequently 
unalimentary ;  it  is  best  relieved  by  the  bark  and  miner- 
al acids.  No  fever  precedes.  Papular  eruptions,  resem- 
bling the  lichen  lividus,  sometimes  occur  among  the 
secondary  appearances  of  lues  ;  but  in  this  last  the  pa- 
pulae are  smaller,  more  numerous,  more  generally  dif- 
fused ;  their  points  are,  after  some  time,  depressed  ; 
they  do  not  disappear  and  return,  but  occasionally  ter- 
minate in  a  foul  ulcer. 

The  lichen  tro/iicus  is  the  prickly  heat  of  tropical  cli- 
mates, resembling  the  papulae  produced  by  sweating 
in  the  more  temperate.  It  appears  without  any  pre- 
ceding disorders  of  the  constitution  ;  but  the  papulae, 
about  the  size  of  a  small  pin's  head,  are  numerous, 
of  a  vivid  red,  and  elevated  so  as  to  produce  a  con- 
siderable roughness  in  the  skin;  but  no  redness  or 
inflammation  surrounds  them.  The  eruption  is  chiefly 
confined  to  those  parts  of  the  body  which  are  usually 
covered,  and  sometimes  appears  on  the  forehead  conti- 
guous to  the  hair,  though  never  on  the  palms  of  the 


hands,  the  soles  of  the  feet,  or  on  the  hairy  scalp  :  flan- 
nel, or  warm  clothing,  increases  the  number  of  the  pa- 
pulae. Small  pearly  pustules,  containing  a  limpid  fluid, 
are  often  intermixed  with  the  prickly  heat,  when  perspi- 
ration is  very  copious,  more  especially  on  the  breasts  and 
about  the  wrists.  They  have  no  disposition  to  ulcerate, 
though  violently  scratched,  but  terminate  in  scales.  A 
troublesome  itching  attends  the  prickly  heat,  and  pre- 
vents sleeping  during  the  night,  with  an  acute  sensation 
of  pricking,  which  often  also  takes  place  suddenly  after 
drinking  any  warm  liquor.  The  eruption  is  sometimes 
stationary,  appearing  equally  vivid  in  the  day  and  night ; 
sometimes  quickly  disappearing  and  returning,  without 
any  obvious  cause ;  but  whenever  it  continues  for  any 
length  of  time,  the  papulae  throw  off' minute  scales,  and 
are  succeeded  by  a  fresh  crop,  without  leaving  any  ves- 
tiges on  the  skin.  Persons  of  a  fair  complexion,  with  red 
hair,  and  a  soft  skin,  are  more  liable  to  this  eruption, 
and  have  it  in  the  greatest  quantity.  Those  of  dark 
complexions  have  it  slightly,  or  remain  free  from  it.  As 
the  prickly  heat  is  considered  to  be  a  salutary  eruption, 
no  attempts  should  be  made  for  its  repulsion.  Its  sud- 
den disappearance  is  rather  the  effect  of  internal  disorder 
than  a  cause,  and  occasioned  by  fever,  or  any  slight 
complaint  of  the  stomach  :  in  the  latter  case  a  stimulus 
applied  to  that  organ,  as  spirits,  or  warm  liquids,  repro- 
duces it.  Its  appearance  on  the  skin  of  persons  in  a 
state  of  convalesence  is  always  a  favourable  sign.  To 
alleviate  the  itching  and  tingling  of  the  prickly  heat,  a 
light  and  cool  dress,  and  avoiding  warm  liquors,  have 
been  found  most  serviceable. 

A  vivid  eruption  of  papulae,  somewhat  analogous  to 
the  prickly  heat,  appears  in  our  own  climate,  on  the 
arms,  hands,  face,  and  neck  of  labourers,  and  other  per- 
sons who  use  violent  exercise  during  the  hot  months  of 
summer.  It  produces  a  sensation  of  tingling,  a  smart- 
ing rather  than  of  itching,  and  disappears  in  a  short 
time  without  any  particular  consequences.  See  Willan 
on  Cutaneous  Diseases. 

In  veterinary  medicine  the  term  lichen  is  applied  to 
a  species  of  leprosy  and  warts  which  grow  on  horses'  legs. 

In  botany  it  is  called  liverwort,  and  is  a  floriferous 
and  seminiferous  moss,  whose  flowery  little  heads  are 
furnished  with  many  grains,  variously  shaped,  producing 
as  they  ripen  several  little  monopetalous  flowers.  The 
seeds,  which  are  small,  flat,  and  orbicular,  are  contained 
in  some  peculiar  open  capsules,  resting  upon  the  plane 
of  the  leaves,  and  are  sometimes  found  in  the  same  plant 
that  bears  the  little  heads,  sometimes  in  other  plants  of 
the  same  species.  Besides  these  flowery  heads,  in  some 
species  there  are  umbellated  heads  of  different  figures, 
which  produce  neither  flower  nor  seed.  The  pedicles 
of  both  species  are  for  the  most  part  naked,  and  proceed 
from  no  vagina.  The  leaves  are  of  an  herbaceous  con- 
sistence, and  of  an  indeterminate  figure,  widely  spread-- 
ing,  and  running  out  into  various  roots  from  their 
back  part.  Every  plant  under  the  name  of  lichen  is . 
warm  and  astringent ;  and  this  term  is  applied  to  the 
muscus  fiyxidatus,  htfiatica  vulgariti,  &c.  besides  the 
succeeding. 

LI'CHEN  ARBO'HEUS  PU'LLUS,  muscus  crust<e.  TREE 
LIVERWORT,  lichen  plicatus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1622,  grows 
on  trees,  and  is  used  inseestd  of  the  pulmonaria  arbo- 
rea.  It  is  astringent,  and  chiefly  used  in  pulmonary 
haemorrhages. 


L1C 


869 


LIG 


LI'CHE.N  CINE'HEUS.  ASH  COLOURED  GROUND 
LIVERWORT;  lichen  caninus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1616.  It 
consists  of  roundish  thick  leaves,  divided  about  the  edges 
into  obtuse  segments,  flat  above,  of  a  reticular  texture 
below,  fastened  to  the  earth  by  small  fibres,  of  an  ash 
grey  colour,  by  age  turning  darker  or  reddish.  It  grows 
on  commons  and  open  heaths,  spreads  quickly  on  the 
ground,  and  is  found  at  all  times  of  the  year,  but  sup- 
posed to  be  most  active  from  the  end  of  autumn  to  the 
winter.  A  powder,  called  fiuli-is  antilyssus,  used  to  be 
formed  of  two  parts  of  this  moss,  and  one  of  black  pep- 
per :  3  i-  ss-  'n  nalf  a  pint  of  cow's  milk,  for  four  morn- 
ings successively,  was  to  be  taken  fasting.  (See  HY- 
DROPHOBIA.) It  has  now  fallen  into  disrepute  ;  and 
does  not  appear  to  be  possessed  of  any  useful  degree  of 
medicinal  virtue. 

LI'CHEN  ISLA'NDICUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1611  ;  lichen 
le-rrestris;  lichenoides;  and  rigidum;  ERYNGO  LEAVED, 
EATABLE,  ICELAND  LICHEN,  is  a  native  of  Britain, 
and  grows  both  in  Scotland  and  Wales.  It  is  foliaceous, 
erect,  large;  leaves  crowded,  connected,  about  two 
inches  high,  stiff  when  dry,  but  soft  and  pliant  when 
moist:  they  are  variously  divided,  without  order,  into 
broad  distinct  segments,  turned  in  at  the  edges,  and 
fringed  with  short  strong  bristles ;  the  upper  surface  is 
smooth,  concave,  shining,  of  a  pale  green,  or  chestnut 
colour,  but  red  at  the  base  ;  the  under  is  smooth  and 
whitish,  a  little  pitted  and  sprinkled  with  very  minute 
black  warts  :  the  fructifications  are  large,  of  a  reddish 
colour,  and  placed  on  the  lobes  of  the  leaves.  This  plant 
is  extremely  mucilaginous,  has  a  bitter  and  somewhat 
astringent  taste,  and  is  considered  as  a  laxative  and  an 
anthelmintic  in  its  recent  state  :  but  its  bitterness  and 
aperient  quality  are  in  a  great  measure  destroyed  by 
drying,  or  a  slight  infusion.  The  Icelanders  make  a  flour 
of  it,  called  Jialgras,  either  by  first  washing  and  cutting 
the  plant  into  small  pieces,  or  by  drying  it,  putting  it 
into  a  bag,  which  is  well  beaten,  and  working  it  into  flour 
by  stamping.  This  is  tolerably  agreeable  and  grateful 
food.  As  a  medicine,  Scopoli  and  Haller  recommend 
it  in  coughs  and  consumptions  ;  and  it  has  proved  effi- 
cacious in  dysentery  and  diarrhoea.  Dr.  Hertz  found  it 
so  successful  in  dysentery,  that  after  the  repeated  ad- 
ministration of  emetics  and  cathartics  he  seldom  used 
any  other  medicine,  to  which  he  occasionally  added 
opium.  Dr.  Crichton  recommends  it  in  phthisis  attend- 
ed with  haemoptoe  and  pituitous  or  mucous  discharges; 
and  thinks  he  has  found  it  of  considerable  service.  It 
is  given  in  decoction,  made  by  boiling  one  ounce  and  an 
half  in  a  quart  of  milk,  over  a  slow  fire,  exactly  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour.  The  dose  is  about  a  pint  in  the  day.  If 
the  milk  disagrees,  water  may  be  used.  This  medicine 
has  lately  become  fashionable  ;  but  we  have  only  found 
it  a  mild  nutrient.  The  bitter  is  apparently  of  the  nar- 
cotic kind,  and  at  times  is  cold  and  heavy  on  the  stomach. 
If  this  is  taken  away  by  a  slight  previous  infusion,  a 
mucilaginous,  or  rather  a  farinaceous  matter,  only  re- 
mains, without  apparently  any  distinguishing  property. 
At  Berlin  it  seems  to  have  been  used  with  differentsuc- 
cess.  M.  J.  C.  Fritze  thinks  it  a  valuable  medicine, 
even  when  purulent  matter  is  expectorated ;  and  he 
added  to  the  decoction,  either  in  milk  or  water,  the 
flowers  of  St.  John's  wort  and  coltsfoot.  F.  Fritze,  in 
his  Clinical  Annals,  chiefly  confines  its  utility  to  its 


mildly  nutritious  powers ;  and  Scheffer  was  usually  un- 
successful with  it,  except  in  recent,  apparently  catarrhal, 
cases. 

LI'CHEN  PTXIDATUS,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  16 19,  (from  fiixis^ 
a  cufl,  in  consequence  of  its  bearing  little  cups).  See 
Mirscus  PYXIDATUS. 

LICHENOI'DES,  (from  lichen,  and  eths,  likeness'). 
See  LICHEN  ISLANDICUS. 

LI 'EN,  (from  A£<»«,  soft,  or  smooth").     See  SPLEJJ. 

LI'EN  SINA'RUM.     See  FABA  .£GYPTIA. 

LIENTE'RIA,  (from  A««»,  smooth,  and  c>lef»r,  the 

t).       A   LIEXTERY.        LfiVITAS  IXTESTISORl'M,  q.  V.       In 

Dr.  Cullen's  system  it  is  the  fifth  species  of  diarrhoea; 
defined  a  diarrhoea  in  which  the  aliments  are  quickly 
hurried  through  the  body  in  a  nearly  undigested  state. 
Fernelius  attributes  this  disorder  to  a  weakness  of  diges- 
tion, Friend  to  an  obstruction  of  the  intestinal  glands,  and 
Fr.  Sylvius  to  an  obstruction  of  the  orifice  of  the  lacteals. 
Actuarius  observes,  that  an  inveterate  diarrhoea  or  dy- 
sentery most  commonly  produces  the  distemper.  The 
fault  is  generally  in  the  stomach,  as  the  digestion  is  not 
complete  ;  and  the  unaltered  food  producing  an  unusual 
impression,  excites  the  action  of  the  intestinal  fibres, 
and  probably  also  of  the  mucous  folicles.  The  chief 
remedies  are  warm  strengthening^  medicines,  with  mo- 
derate exercise  and  warm  clothing.  See  DIARRHCEA. 

LIESTE'HIA  SPONTA'NEA.     See  DIARRHCEA. 

LIGAME'NTUM,  (from  ligo,  to  tie}.  Colligamen, 
coftala,  syndesmos,  a  LIGAMENT.  The  ligaments  are 
tendinous,  inelastic,  glistening  bodies.  Every  articu- 
lated bone  is  furnished  with  a  capsular  ligament,  which 
is  composed  of  two  layers  :  the  external  layer  is  the 
stronger,  formed  by  the  periosteum ;  the  inner  is  thin 
and  uniform. 

This  part  of  anatomy,  though  so  important  in  many 
respects,  has  been,  however,  greatly  neglected,  if  we 
look  at  those  aids  which  are  not  derived  from  actual  dis- 
section. The  representations  of  the  ligaments  have,  in 
general,  been  mean,  incorrect,  and  inelegant.  While 
each  bone  is  delineated  so  as  to  display  every  little  pro- 
minence and  furrow  by  Albinus  and  Le  Sue ;  while 
each  unimportant  muscle  is  represented  in  all  its  va- 
rieties by  Bidloo;  the  ligaments  have  been  little  noticed. 
The  minute  accuracy  of  Soemmering  cannot  find,  in 
the  fasciculi  of  Haller,  the  discriminating  genius  of 
Albinus.  De  Corp.  Fabrica,  v.  xxxi. 

In  Vesalius  we  perceive  the  ligaments  of  the 
lower  limbs  delineated,  and  in  Winslow  they  are  de- 
scribed. Walter  has  figured  and  described  the  liga- 
ments of  the  lower  extremities  (Disput.  Anatom.  Hal- 
leri,  vol.iv.)  ;  Schwencke,  in  his  Hsematologia,  those  of 
the  acetabulum  :  but  the  first  professed  work  in  which 
all  the  ligaments  were  described  and  delineated,  was 
that  of  Weitbrecht,  published  at  Petersburgh,  1742,  in 
quarto.  His  dissections  were  numerous ;  and  he  not 
only  collected  the  observations  of  former  anatomists, 
but  compared  them  with  what  his  scalpel  had  shown. 
His  engravings,  however,  imperfectly  represent  the  ob- 
jects ;  and  some  ligaments  are  omitted,  particularly  of 
the  os  sacrum.  Yet  till  lately  Weitbrecht  was  our  only 
assistant,  and  his  plates  have  been  professedly  copied  in 
an  elegant  work  on  the  bones  by  Losche,  concluded  at 
Erlang,  1796  ;  and  in  another  by  Schenke,  published  at 
Leipsic  in  1795.  In  these,  however,  the  objects  are 


L  I 


870 


LI  G 


diminished,  and  the  representations  are  consequently 
still  more  distant  from  nature. 

Somewhat  before  these  copies  of  Weitbrecht,  Loder 
published  his  anatomical  tables  at  Weimar,  viz.  in  1 794  ; 
and,  perceiving  that  this  part  of  anatomy  had  received 
less  attention  than  some  others,  introduced  new  plates 
of  the  fresh  joints,  from  his  own  preparations.  The 
abilities  of  the  engraver  were  not  equal,  however,  to 
the  diligence  and  ability  of  the  anatomist ;  yet  Loder 
greatly  excelled  his  predecessor.  The  order  of  time, 
rather  than  the  improvement,  leads  us  to  speak  of  Mr. 
J.  Bell's  plates  of  the  joints,  subjoined  to  those  of  the 
bones.  The  errors  of  the  osteology  are,  however,  con- 
tinued in  the  ligaments  ;  and  the  plates  are  so  miserably 
executed,  that  without  the  explanation  no  anatomist 
could  guess  at  the  object  before  him.  Anatomical  plates 
are,  however,  often  miserably  executed  ;  and,  in  a  Dic- 
tionary now  publishing,  we  showed  a  view  of  the  basis 
of  the  brain  to  several  anatomists,  who  supposed  it  a 
herniary  sac ;  and,  indeed,  every  thing  but  what  it  was. 

Morgagni  long  since  observed,  that  many  of  the  liga- 
ments remain  to  be  more  accurately  examined  than  in 
Weitbrecht's  work  ;  and  that  to  which  we  have  been  in- 
debted for  our  plates  is,  undoubtedly,  the  most  perfect 
which  has  yet  been  published.  We  mean  the  Syndes- 
mology  of  Caldani,  published  at  Venice,  in  imperial 
folio,  1803.  The  elegance,  the  accuracy,  and  the  mi- 
nute precision  of  the  descriptions  have  led  us  to  copy 
from  it  freely  ;  and  wo  have  engaged  in  this  short  ac- 
count of  what  was  before  done,  to  show  the  importance 
of  what  we  have  added  to  the  stock  of  the  English  ana- 
tomist. 

LIGAME'NTUM  ANNULA'RE.  The  appellation  of 
ANNULAR  LIGAMENT,  or  fr&num,  is  given  to  that  on 
each  ankle  and  each  wrist,  rather  on  account  of  their 
use  than;  their  figure ;  they  confine  the  tendons  of  the 
muscles  which  pass  through  them. 

LIGAME'NTUM  ARTEHIO'SUM.  See  DUCTUS  ARTE- 
RIOSUS. 

LIGAME'NTUM  CILIA'RE.  White,  striated,  liga- 
mentous  fibres  arise  out  of  the  choroid  membrane,  from 
the  ciliary  circle,  which  are  covered  with  a  black  pig- 
ment, and  are  attached  to  the  membrane  of  the  vitreous 
humour,  where  it  joins  the  crystalline  lens.  The  fluc- 
tuating extremities  of  these  striae  are  spread  on  the  edge 
of  the  lens,  but  not  united  with  it.  The  whole  is  ge- 
nerally described  under  this  term. 

LIGAME'NTUM  CO'LI  DE'XTRUM.     The  mesentery  hav-  . 
ing  reached  the  end  of  the  ileum  joining  the  colon,  the 
lamina  which  is  turned  to  the  right  side  forms  a  small 
transverse  fold,  distinguished  by  this  appellation. 

LIGAME'NTUM  CO'LI  SINI'STRUM.  The  mesen- 
tery, here  called  mesocolon,  having  passed  below  the 
left  kidney,  contracts  and  forms  a  transverse  fold  thus 
named. 

LIGAME'NTUM  CO'LLI  vel  NUCH.S.  See  CUCULLA- 
RIS. 

LIGAME'NTUM  CUTA'NEUM  o'ssis  CO'CCYGIS.  Itpasses 
anteriorly  from  the  extremity  of  the  os  coccygis  ;  is  very 
slender,  and  divides  into  two  portions  at  the  orifice  of 
the  anus,  which  run  in  the  membrana  adiposa,  and,  when 
expanded,  are  inserted  in  the  skin  on  each  side  of  the 
anus  :  they  continue  to  divaricate,  and  are  lost  on  the 
two  sides  of  the  perinseum. 


LIGAME'NTUM  DP.NTICULA'TUM.  Between  the  ante- 
rior and  posterior  bundles  of  fibres  which  form  the  spinal 
nerves,  a  ligament  is  connected  by  a  number  oi  laeuds, 
to  each  side  of  the  pia  matral  covering  of  the  spinal 
marrow,  through  its  whole  length,  for  its  support.  As 
this  ligament  is  fixed  by  a  number  of  teeth  to  the  inner 
side  of  the  sheath  formed  by  the  dura  mater,  it  has  been 
called  dcnticulatum.  The  greater  number  of  these  teeth 
run  transversely  ;  some  ascend,  others  descend ;  all  split 
into  fibres,  which  are  incorporated  with  the  fibres  of  the 
inner  layer  of  the  dura  mater.  T'rom  the  conical  lower 
end  of  the  spinal  marrow,  a  cord  is  produced,  which 
reaches  to  the  os  coccygis,  and  there  splits  into  threads, 
which  may  be  considered  as  the  termination  of  the  last 
teeth  of  this  ligament. 

LIGAME'NTUM  FALLO'PII.  See  LIGAMENTUM  Pou- 
PARTII. 

LIGAME'NTUM  HE'PATIS  SUSPENSORIUM,  the  remains  of 
the  umbilical  vein. 

LIGAME'NTUM  INTERMAXILLA'RE.  A  ligament  on 
each  side  of  the  face,  which  connects  the  two  jaws,  and 
receives  the  posterior  fibres  of  the  buccinator  muscle. 
(Winslow.)  It  is  strong  and  broad,  fixed  to  the  outside 
of  the  upper  jaw,  above  the  last  dens  molaris,  and  at  the 
side  of  the  apophysis  pterygoidseus  internus.  By  the 
lower  end  it  is  fixed  on  the  outside  of  the  lower  jaw,  be- 
low the  last  dens  molaris. 

LIGAME'NTUM  LATUM,  or  SUSPENSO'RIUM  HEPATIS,  is 
made  up  of  the  double  membrane  of  the  peritonaeum, 
which  covers  the  liver  on  each  side,  and  meets  to  be 
joined  by  the  sternum. 

LIGAME'NTUM  POUPA'RTII,  or  FALLO'PII.  POUPART'S 
LIGAMENT.  It  is  only  the  lower  border  of  the  descending 
oblique  muscle  of  the  belly  stretched  from  the  fore  part 
of  the  os  ilium  to  the  pubes. 

LIGAME'NTUM  PU'BIS  INTEROSSEUM,  is  a  strong  trian- 
gular ligament,  fixed  by  tvvo  of  its  edges  in  the  inferior 
branches  of  those  bones,  all  the  way  up  to  their  common 
symphysis ;  the  third  edge,  which  is  lowest,  is  loose ; 
and  this  whole  membrane,  the  middle  of  which  is  per- 
forated by  a  particular  hole,  is  stretched  very  tight  be- 
tween the  two  bones,  and  under  their  cartilaginous  arch, 
to  which  it  adheres  very  closely. 

LIGAME'NTUM  ROTU'NDUM.  The  ROUND  LIGAMENT. 
One  of  these  is  found  on  each  side  of  the  uterus  ;  and 
each  is  composed  of  a  plexus  of  blood  vessels  upon  the 
fore  part  of  the  ligamenta  lata,  running  in  the  duplica- 
ture  of  these  ligaments.  From  the  corners  of  the  fun- 
dus  uteri,  they  pass  through  the  annular  aperture  of  the 
obliquus  externus,  and  are  lost  in  the  middle  and  upper 
part  of  the  fat  in  the  groin. 

LIGAME'NTUM  SUSPENSO'RIUM.  See  CORPORA  CAVER- 
NOSA  PENIS. 

LIGA'TIO,  and  LIGATU'RA,  (from  ligo,  to  bind}. 

A    BANDAGE,  OT  LIGATURE  (see    FASCIA)  :    a    StlffnCSS'  of 

the  joint,  and  sometimes  that  impotence  supposed  to  be 
induced  by  magic. 

LIGATU'RA  VE'NERIS.  Camphor,  which  is  supposed 
to  check  the  venereal  appetite.  See  CAMPHORA. 

LIGNUM,  (from  lego,  to  gather),  WOOD;  because 
its  branches  are  gathered  into  bundles  for  domestic  use ; 
a  term  applied  to  many  medical  substances  ;  as,  LIGNUM 
ALOES,  LIGNUM  GUAiACUM,  LIGNUM  quAssi.E,  £cc.  vide  in 
verbis. 


LI 


871 


LIM 


LI'GXCM  CAMPECHIA'NUM.  See  CAMPECHENESE  LIG- 
XUM. 

LI'GXUM  COLUBRI'XUM  ;  slrycftnos  colubrina  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  271.  It  is  of  the  same  genus,  perhaps  the  same 
species,  which  affords  thenux  vomica,  and  is,  like  it, in- 
tensely bitter  and  acrid.  Like  every  poisonous  sub- 
stance, it  excites  the  greatest  commotions  in  the  system, 
and  is  emetic,  cathartic,  diaphoretic,  and  anthelmintic, 
seeming  to  affect  also  the  intellectual  powers.  As  its 
name  imports,  it  has  been  given  to  those  bitten  by  ser- 
pents, to  cure  intermittents,  and  to  destroy  worms. 

LI'GXUM  MOLUCCEXSE  vel  PAVAN.E.  The  seeds  of 
the  tree,  croton  tiglium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  14-26,  which  affords 
this  wood  are  called  grana  tiglii ;  and  these,  as 
well  as  the  wood,  are  highly  acrid,  producing  the  most 
violent  commotions  in  tHe  whole  body,  with  discharges 
from  almost  every  excretory.  The  oil  of  the  seeds  is, 
however,  perfectly  mild;  and  the  genus  is  nearly  allied 
to  the  ricinus  which  affords  the  castor  oil. 

LI'GXUM  NEPHRI'TICUM.  It  is  supposed  that  this 
wood  and  the  Behen  nuts  are  from  U»e  gnillandina  mo- 
ringa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  546.  The  first  is  of  a  pale  yellow, 
though  it  tinges  wood  of  a  fine  blue  colour ;  the  taste  is 
slightly  acrid  and  bitterish.  The  nuts  are  mucilaginous 
and  oily;  their  oil  keeps  long  without  rancidity.  It 
has  been  used  in  itch,  besides  the  disease  from  which 
its  name  is  derived.  . 

LI'GXUM  RHO'DICM,  probably  from  the  genista  ca- 
nariensis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  997.  Much  confusion  has  arisen 
respecting  the  real  tree  from  which  this  wood  is  taken, in 
consequence  of  its  being  supposed  the  same  with  the  tts- 
fialathus  of  Dioscorides ;  for  the  asfialathus  of  Galen  was 
abark.  The  aspalathus  of  the  moderns  was  the  calambour 
wood,  or  the  lignum  aquilae,  resembling  the  lignum 
aloes.  The  lignum  rhodium,  at  present  sold,  is  in  long 
crooked  pieces,  full  of  knots,  of  a  reddish  yellow  colour. 
The  largest,  smoothest,  most  compact,  and  the  deepest 
coloured,  is  preferred.  The  taste  is  bitterish,  and  some- 
what pungent.  It  smells  strongly  like  a  rose ;  and  the 
wood,  as  well  as  the  oil,  is  supposed  to  be  sudorific. 

LI'GXUH  SE'RPEXTUM.  The  wood  of  the  ofihioxy- 
lum  serfientinum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1478. 

LIGU'STICUM,  (from  Liguira,  the  country  where 
it  flourished).  See  LEVISTICUM. 

LIGU'STRICUM.     See  SESELI  VULGARE. 

LIGUSTRUM,  (from  ligo,  to  bind,  from  its  use  in 
making  bands).  PRIVET. 

LIGU'STRCM  I'XDICUM;  alcanna,  Cy/irus  Dioscoridis 
et  Plinii,  elhanne  Arabum.  EASTERN  PRIVET;  the  henna 
of  the  Turks  and  Moors,  and  lausonia  intrmis  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  498.  It  is  reckoned  emmenagogue,  but  is  little 
used,  except  to  impart  a  red  colour  to  the  nails  of  wo- 
men and  the  beards  of  men. 

Phillyrea,  or  mock  privet,  is  said  to  be  an  astringent ; 
but,  like  the  rest,  is  neglected  in  practice. 

LIGU'STHUM  VULGA'RE,  ligustrum  Germanicum 
PRIMPRIXT,  or  COMMON  PRIVET;  ligustrum  vulgare 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  10  ;  is  a  shrub  with  rough  pliant  branches, 
and  much  used  for  hedges  in  gardens;  the  flowers  grow 
in  spikes,  and  are  of  a  whitish  colour,  followed  by  clus- 
ters of  black  berries  :  they  appear  in  May  and  June ;  the 
berries  are  ripe  in  September. 

There  are  other  plants  of  this  name  reckoned  some- 
what astringent,  and  useful  in  hysuric  disorders,  but 
they  are  never  used. 


LILIA'STRUM  ALPI'NUM  MINUS,(from  lilium, 
the  lily,  which  it  resembles).  SPIDER  WORT-  Phalan- 
gium  allobrogicum,  anthericum  liliastrum  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
445.  This  plant  is  chiefly  used  as  an  ornament  in  gar- 
dens, though  it  is  said  to  resist  poison,  and  to  be  useful 
in  relieving  cholic. 

LI'LIO  HYACI'NTHUS,  (from  lilium,  and  hyacin- 
thus,  because  its  roots  resemble  those  of  the  lily,  and  the 
flowers  those  of  the  hyacinth).  The  LILY  HYACIXTH. 
Scilta  lilio  hyacinthut  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  442.  The  roots  like 
those  of  the  lily,  promote  suppuration. 

LI'LIUM,    (from    An»5,  smooth,    graceful).      The 

LILY. 

LI'LIUM  COXVALLIUM  MINUS.  See  MONOPHTL- 
LON. 

LI'LIUM  A'LBUM.  The  COMMON  WHITE  LILY,  lilium 
candidum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  433,  is  perennial,  a  native  of 
Syria  and  Palestine,  common  in  our  gardens,  and  flow- 
ers in  June.  The  flower  gives  an  agreeable  flavour 
to  expressed  oil,  and  the  roots  are  extremely  mucilagi- 
nous boiled  with  milk  or  water,  they  are  useful  in 
emollient  and  suppurating  cataplasms :  but  the  bread 
and  other  farinaceous  poultices  possess  equal  advantages. 
Dr.  Alston  thinks  the  roots  are  of  the  nature  of  squills. 
Godorus,  serje?nt-surgeon  to  queen  Elizabeth,  cured 
many  dropsical  people,  by  giving  them  bread  in  which 
these  roots  were  baked. 

LI'LIUM  CONVA'LLIUM  con-oellaria  Maianthemum, 
MAY  LILY,  and  LILY  of  the  VALLEY,  convallaria  majalis 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  451.  Its  flowers  are  smaller  than  any  other 
lilies,  have  a  penetrating  bitter  taste  and  a  fragrant 
smell  :  the  bitter  remains  both  in  the  spirituous  and 
watery  extract ;  and  is  nearly  as  purgative  as  aloes.  The 
dried  flowers  are  a  strong  sternutatory;  and  the  roots 
possess  the  bitter  and  purging  qualities  of  the  flowers. 
The  flowers  were  formerly  used  in  nervous  complaints, 
sometimes  in  spasmodic  asthmas,  or  catarrhs. 

LI'LIUM  RU'BRUM,  hemerocallis  fulva  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
462,  lilium  fiurfiurocroceum,  lilium  croceum.  ORAXGE 
LILY.  The  leaves  are  cooling,  and  the  roots  aperient 
and  stimulating. 

LI'LIUM  PARACELSI,  a  fanciful  term  of  that  enthusiast 
for  a  very  pungent  penetrating  alkaline  tincture. 

LIMACES.  SNAILS.  The  common  garden  snail  ; 
Umax  agrestis  Lin.  Syst.  Natur.  1O82,  is  viscid  and  glu- 
tinous, supposed  to  be  highly  nutrient,  and  employed 
sometimes,  seemingly  with  advantage,  in  hectics.  The 
gluten  of  the/,  maximus  cinereusL..  1081,  is  used  as  are- 
solvent  liniment  in  glandular  tumours.  See  MOLLUSCA. 

LIMATU'R^E  FE'RRI,  (from  lima,  a  JUe).  See 
FERRUM. 

LIMO'NIUM,  (from  Afi^»»,  a  marsh,  from  its  co- 
lour,) SEA  LAVENDER;  statics  limonium  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
394,  is  astringent,  and  said  to  be  given  with  success  in 
diarrhoeas,  dysenteries,  menorrhagia,  and  all  kinds  of  hae- 
morrhages. The  roots  and  leaves  are  chiefly  used.  A 
name  also  for  behen  rubrum  and  beta  sylvestris. 

LIMONUM  (from  totfut,  from  the  green  colour  of 
its  unripe  fruit,  or  from  the  Hebrew  term  rimon).  The 
LEMOX  TREE  ;  citrus  medico*  mains  medico  and  ftersica 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1 100,  (3,  is  a  native  of  Asia,  but  cultivated 
in  the  warmer  parts  of  Europe.  Linnaeus  reckons  the 
citrons  and  lemons  to  be  only  varieties  of  one  species, 
distinguished  from  the  oranges  only  by  the  pedicles  of 
the  leaves  being  naked. 


LIN 


872 


LIN 


The  yellow  rind  of  lemons  is  a  grateful  aromatic,  and 
Very  commonly  used  in  stomachic  tinctures  and  infu- 
sions, as  it  conceals  the  disagreeable  flavour  of  many 
bitters.  It  affords  an  extremely  volatile  essential  oil, 
of  a  pale  straw  colour,  in  smell  as  agreeable  as  the  fresh 
peel,  which  is  employed  as  a  perfume;  but  often -adul- 
terated with  spirit  of  wine,  or  with  oil  of  turpentine. 
If  it  is  adulterated  with  oil  of  turpentine,  on  adding 
a  little  spirit  of  wine,  the  mixture  becomes  milky  ;  if 
with  spirit,  the  addition  of  oil  of  turpentine  has  the  same 
effect. 

The  juice  of  lemon  is  more  acid  than  that  of  oranges: 
half  an  ounce  of  good  lemon  juice  saturates  about  a 
scruple  of  fixed  alkaline  salt ;  and  this  mixture,  with  the 
addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  any  aromatic  water,  is 
useful  in  relieving  nausea  and  vomiting ;  especially  if 
taken  during  its  effervescence.  It  is  called  the  saline 
draught  of  Riverius,  is  cooling,  and  from  this  effect  pro- 
motes perspiration  in  fevers.  The  juice  often  allays 
hysterical  palpitations  of  the  heart,  and,  in  jaundice, 
four  or  six  ounces  taken  in  a  day  are  highly  useful. 
Its  other  properties  are  similar  to  those  of  the  orange 
juice.  The  salt  of  lemons  usually  sold  is  the  salt  of 
wood  sorrjel,  the  oxalic  acid  differing,  however,  but 
slightly  from  the  citric,  and  flavoured  with  the  essen- 
tial oil  of  lemons.  The  concrete  salt  is  pure  acid  se- 
parated from  the  mucilage  in  the  way  recommended  by 
Scheele,  viz.  uniting  it  with  calcareous  earth,  and  se- 
parating the  acid  by  means  of  the  vitriolic.  As  an  an- 
tiscorbutic, lemon  juice  is  generally  taken  on  board  of 
ships ;  but  it  spoils  by  long  keeping,  unless  a  small  por- 
tion of  ardent  spirit  be  added.  It  is  sometimes  boiled 
to  the  consistence  of  a  rob  ;  but  the  mucilaginous  part 
is  then  burnt,  which  gives  a  bitter  flavour,  and  the 
acid  is  in  part  decomposed  :  indeed,  for  all  the  purposes 
of  an  antiscorbutic  the  juice  must  be  fresh.  See  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works  ;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

LINAGRO'STIS,  (from  A/K>»,  cotton,  and  *y?oo-7<«, 
grass;  from  the  softness  of  its  texture).  See  PANICUM. 

LINA'RIA,  (from  the  resemblance  of  its  leaves 
to  those  of  flax,)  osiris  urinaria,  FLAX  WEED,  or  COM- 
MON TOAD  FLAX,  antirrhinum  linaria  Lin,  Sp.  PI.  858. 
The  common  sort  resembles  the  esula  minor  so  closely, 
that  it  cannot  be  distinguished  before  the  flowers  ap- 
pear but  by  breaking  the  stalk,  as  the  toad  flax  is 
destitute  of  the  milky  juice.  It  is  perennial,  grows 
wild  about  the  side  of  dry  fields,  and  flowers  in  June 
and  July.  If  the  leaves,  which  are  bitterish,  and  of 
a  saline  taste,  resembling  in  smell,  when  rubbed,  the 
elder,  are  inwardly  used,  they  are  diuretic  and  purga- 
tive and  particularly  powerful  in  the  latter  view.  The 
plant  has  been  supposed  also  an  aperient  and  deobstruent, 
and  used  in  jaundice.  Externally  they  have  been  com- 
mended against  the  piles.  A  name  also  for  a  species  of 
elychrysum. 

LINA'RIA  HEDERA'CEO  FO'LIO.     See   CYM- 

BALARIA. 

LI'NCTUS,  (from  lingo,  to  lick).  Lohoc  eclegma, 
elexis,  eclectos,  illinctus,  LAMBATIVE;  a  composition 
thicker  than  syrup,  but  softer  than  an  electuary,  first 
made  to  be  licked  from  a  stick  of  liquorice,  and  then 
gradually  swallowed.  A  linctus  is  usually  formed  of 
mucilages,  or  of  oils  mixed  by  means  of  mucilage,  and 
often  slightly  acidulated.  It  is  chiefly  used  in  disorders 
of  the  inward  parts  of  the  mouth,  the  fauces  and'  oeso- 


phagus, as  in  aphthae,  and  tickling  coughs  from  defluc- 
tions  of  thin  serum ;  but  it  soon  palls. 

LI'NEA  A'LBA,  vel  CENTRALIS,  (from  linum, 
a  thread,  and  album,  -white,  from  its  appearance  and 
colour,  or  situation).  It  extends  from  the  os  pubis  to  the 
cartilago  ensiformis,  and  so  high  as  the  navel  it  is  a 
mere  line,  but  above  broader.  It  is  formed  by  the  union 
of  all  the  tendons  of  the  abdominal  muscles,  which, 
by  their  united  action,  compress  the  belly.  In  this 
line  the  trochar,  in  tapping,  is  often  introduced,  and  it 
is  divided  in  hysterotomy,  as  the  wound  is  attended 
with  but  a  slight  haemorrhage. 

LI'NEjfi  SEMILU'NARES  terminate  the  lower 
part  of  the  external  oblique  muscle  of  the  abdomen,  and 
are  lost  at  the  upper  part. 

LI'NEA  TRANSVE'HSJE  pass  between  the  linea  alba  and 
linese  semilunarcs,  formed  by  the  tendinous  lines  of 
the  recti  muscles.  They  are  not  directly  transverse,  as 
often  represented,  but  irregularly  waved. 

LINEA'TUS,  (from  linea,  a  line).  A  leaf  whose 
surface  is  streaked, with  lines. 

LINGO'DES,  (from  hiyyu,  to  sound).  An  appella- 
tion of  fevers  attended  with  an  hiccough. 

LI'NGUA,(from  lingo,  to  lick).  The  TONGUE,  glot- 
ta,  plectrum.  This  term  is  also  applied  to  some  vege- 
table substances,  from  their  similarity  in  shape  to  the 
tongue.  In  animal  bodies  it  is  cqmposed  of  two  parts; 
the  inferior  is  a  mass  of  muscle;  the  upper  surface  is, 
towards  the  apex,  full  of  papillae,  which,  when  traced 
backward,  become  more  irregular  and  flat,  whence  au- 
thors distinguish  the  papillae  pyramidales,  capitatae,  and 
lenticulares;  but  each  kind  is  a  mass  of  vessels  running 
from  the  basis  towards  the  apex.  Near  the  epiglottis 
the  surface  of  the  tongue  is  glandular;  and  near  the 
middle  is  a  chap,  called  the  foramen  ctecum,  first  de- 
scribed by  Morgagni,  and  since  supposed  by  Vaterus, 
without  foundation,  to  be  the  orifice  of  salivary  ducts. 
Under  the  papillae,  on  the  surface  of  the  tongue,  are 
fleshy  fibres  running  in  every  direction ;  to  these  its  great 
variety  of  motions  is  owing:  underthe  tongue  is  a  mem- 
branous substance,  called  fr<£num,  orjiletum;  the' part 
next  the  root  is  called  ce/ihaline;  the  tip,  firoglossis. 

LI'NGUA  A'VIS.  The  seeds  of  the  ash  so  called  from 
their  resemblance.  See  FRAXINUS. 

LI'NGUA  CANI'NA.     See  CYNOGLOSSUM. 

LI'NGUA  CERVI'NA,  calcifraga,  fihillitis  scolofiendri- 
um,  asfilenium  scolofiendrium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1537.  HIND'S 
'or  HART'S  TONGUE,  is  a  plant  with  long,  uncut,  narrow 
leaves,  of  a  bright  green  colour,  standing  on  long  hairy 
pedicles,  without  any  stalk  or  manifest  flowers:  the 
seeds  are  a  fine  dust,  lying  in  large,  rough,  brown, 
transverse  streaks  on  the  backs  of  the  leaves.  The 
plant  is  perennial,  found  green  every  season,  delight- 
ing in  moist,  shady,  stony  places.  The  leaves  are 
commended  as  aperient  and  corroborant,  particularly  in 
diseases  of  the  viscera;  but  not  at  present  employed. 

LI'NGUA  SERPE'NTIS.     See  OPHIOGLOSSUM. 

LINGUA'LES,  (from  lingua,  'the  tongue).  The 
ninth  pair  of  nerves.  See  HYPOGLOSSI  EXTERNI. 

LINGUA'LES  GLA'NDUL.*  ;  those  at  the  basis  of  the 
tongue.  See  LINGUA. 

LINGUA'LIS  MU'SCULUS.  The  MUSCLE  of  the 
TONGUE,  rises  from  the  basis  of  the  os  hyoides,  and 
runs  to  the  tip  of  the  tongue.  It  consists  in  general 
of  fleshy  fibres,  which  run  in  many  directions;  but 


LIN 


873 


LIP 


those  fibres  chiefly  distinguished  by  this  appellation 
turn  the  tongue  laterally  and  downwards. 

Mr.  Home  has  shown,  that  the  tongue  is  by  no  means 
an  irritable  muscle,  and  that  any  part  of  it  may  be  cut 
off  with  little  danger. 

LINIME'NTUM,  (from  lino,  to  anoint).  LINI- 
?.ir.*T,/iy/ialei/iton,/itus,peric/irisia,  is  a  thin  ointment, 
and  principally  designed  for  an  application  where  the 
tenderness  of  a  part  will  not  admit  of  a  hard  one. 
Sometimes  the  term  is  applied  to  an  application  almost 
fluid  ;  but  when  it  approaches  this  state  the  appropriate 
application  is  a  wav/i.  The  minute  precision  of  the 
ancient  pharmaceutists  is  now,  however,  often  disre- 
garded. 

LINIME'NTUM  A'LBUM.     See  SPERMACETI. 

LINIME'NTUM  ARC^E'I.     See  ELEMI. 

LIXIME'XTUM  BITU'MINIS  AMMONIATUM.  R.  Petrolei 
Barbadensis  ^  i.  ss.  aquae  ammoniac  purae  3  ss.  m. 
This  is  a  strong  stimulant,  applied  in  diseases  of  the 
hip. 

LINIME'NTUM  CA'MPHORJE  COMPO'SITUM.  R.  Cam- 
phorae  3  ij-  °'ei  olivae  ^  i.  aq.  ammon.  purae  ^iij.m. 
in  oleo  prius  solvatur  camphora,  deinde  adjiciatur  aqua 
ammonias  purae ;  an  application  of  use  in  deep  seated 
inflammations,  and  to  hasten  suppuration. 

LINIME'NTUM  CA'MPHOR^E  AMMONIA'TUM.  R.  Spiritus 
camphorat.  3  ij-  aquas  ammonias  purae  J  ij-  m-  used  in 
chronical  enlargements  of  the  joints,  and  other  affec- 
tions, which  require  the  use  of  external  stimulants. 

LINIME'NTUM  CERU'SSJE  cum  SAPO'NE.  See  PLUM- 
BUM. 

LIXIME'XTUM  OLEO 'SUM.     See  AMBUSTA. 

LINIME'NTUM  SAPONA'CEUM,  linimentum  sa/ionis,  for- 
merly called  opodeldoc,  and  saponaceous  balsam,  and 
chiefly  employed  for  external  purposes  in  rheumatic 
pains,  sprains,  and  bruises.  The  London  college  di- 
rects the  following  very  liquid  form,  because  the  soap 
acts  more  advantageously  when  diluted. — Take  of  the 
spirit  of  rosemary,  f^i.;  hard  Spanish  soap,  three 
ounces ;  camphor,  one  ounce ;  digest  the  soap  in  spirit 
of  rosemary  until  it  is  dissolved,  and  add  to  it  the  cam- 
phor. Ph.  Lond.  1788.  See  OPODELDOC. 

LINN^EA,  borealis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  880.  Its  leaves  are 
bitterish  and  subastringent.  They  are  employed  in  de- 
coction as  a  fomentation  in  rheumatism,  and  the  infu- 
sion in  milk  has  been  recommended  in  sciatica. 

LINO'SYRIS,  (from  AI»«»,  Jiax}.  An  herb  whose 
leaves  resemble  those  of  flax.  See  ELICHRYSUM. 

LI'NQUART.     See  DISCESSUS. 

LI'NTEUM,  LINT,  (from  linum,  Jlax;  of  which  it 
is  made).  When  lint  is  used  in  a  flat  oval  form  it  is 
called  a  pledget;  when  cylindrical,  a  dossil.  It  Is  used 
as  a  medium  for  applying  ointments,  to  stop  haemorr- 
hages, and,  in  the  form  of  a  dossil,  to  prevent  wounds 
from  closing.  When  -merely  to  defend  wounds  is  re- 
quired, poultices  are  now  preferred  to  lint.  See  CAR- 
BASUS. 

LI'NUM,  (from  *(/««,  soft,  smooth;  from  its  smooth 
texture).  FLAX.  Linum  usitatisaimum  Lin.  Sp.  PL 
397,  is  properly  called  line,  only  while  standing  green 
in  the  field,  without  any  inner  bark  :  when  the  inner  bark 
is  perfected,  it  is  called  flax. 

Line,  or  lintseed,  is  of  a  reddish  brown  colour,  glossy, 
flat,  slippery,  nearly  oval,  and  pointed,  with  an  unctu- 
ous, mucilaginous,  sweet  taste,  but  no  smell.  On  ex- 

VOL.    I. 


pression  much  oil  is  obtained  from  it,  which,  if  drawn 
without  heat,  is  insipid,  but  does  not  congeal  with  the 
•winter's  cold,  nor  form  a  solid  soap  when  mixed  with 
alkalis,  but  acts  more  powerfully  than  any  expressed 
oil  as  a  menstruum  on  sulphureous  bodies.  When  this 
oil  is  sweet  it  is  emollient ;  when  rancid,  it  is  said  to  be 
more  powerful  as  an  expectorant.  It  is  supposed  to  be- 
more  healing  than  the  other  oils  of  this  class,  and  con- 
sequently more  often  employed  in  pulmonary  com- 
plaints, in  Colics,  and  constipations  of  the  bowels.  In 
burns  and  scalds,  and  when  women's  breasts  are  in- 
flamed from  the  milk  stagnating  in  them,  it  affords 
considerable  relief.  If  the  seeds  are  boiled  in  water, 
they  afford  a  large  quantity  of  mucilage ;  but  if  designed 
for  internal  use,  an  infusion  is  more  agreeable.  Infu- 
sions of  lintseed  are  emollient  and  demulcent,  of  use  in 
tickling  coughs,  stranguries,  Sec.  A  spoonful  of  the 
seeds  unbruised  is  sufficient  for  a  quart  of  water;  but 
liquorice  root  is  often  added,  and,  with  the  addition  of 
colt's  foot  leaves,  it  is  called  the  fiectoral  infusion. 

The  mucilage  obtained  by  inspissating  the  decoctions 
is  an  excellent  addition  for  reducing  powders  of  an  un- 
pleasant taste  into  the  form  of  an  electuary.  The  seeds 
may  be  used  for  promoting  the  digestion  of  abscesses 
after  the  oil  is  expressed  from  them  ;  but  such  applica- 
tions are  generally  made  by  stirring  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  the  meal  into  boiling  water  to  form  it  of  a  proper 
consistence.  A  cataplasm  of  this  kind  is  esteemed  as 
an  emollient ;  but  the  lintseed  meal  alone  is  so  mucila- 
ginous that  it  requires  the  addition  of  some  soft  bread 
to  adapt  it  for  this  purpose.  See  Lewis's  Materia 
Medica. 

It  is  the  name  also  of  some  of  the  finer  species  of 
AMIANTHUS,  q.  v. 

LI'NUM  CATHA'RTICUM,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  401,  linum  mini- 
mum, chamelinum,  MOUNTAIN  FLAX,  MILL  MOUNTAIN, 
and  PURGING  FLAX,  is  a  small  plant,  with  little,  oblong, 
smooth  leaves,  having  one  rib  running  along  the  mid- 
dle. The  stalk  is  slender,  reddish,  divided  towards  the 
upper  part  into  fine  branches,  bearing  on  the  tops  white 
flowers,  followed,  as  in  the  common  flax,  by  roundish 
ribbed  capsules,  with  ten  flattish  unctuous  seeds  in  each. 
It  is  annual,  and  grows  wild  on  chalky  hills  and  dry 
pasture  grounds ;  is  an  effectual,  safe  purge ;  for  which 
purpose  a  handful  of  the  fresh  leaves  infused  in  wine  or 
whey,  or  a  drachm  of  the  leaves  in  powder,  is  sufficient. 
See  Raii  Historia  ;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

LIPARIS,  (from  AIT.?).     FAT. 

LIPAROCELE,  (from  *.nr*>f,fat,  and  *ijA«,  a  tumour'). 
Any  tumour  containing  a  fatty  substance. 

LIPODE'RMUS,  (from  /*<»•*>,  to  leave,  and  &/>/**, 
the  skin).  See  PR.EPUTIUM. 

LIPOMA,  (from  >mro{,  fat).  An  indolent,  fatty  tu- 
mour, often  fluid  in  the  centre. 

LIPO'ME.     See  N^vus. 

LIPOPSY'CHIA.     See  LEIPOPSUCHIA. 

LIPOTHY'MIA ;  LEIPOTHY'MIA,  (from  Af/a-*,  to 
leave,  and  Svptf,  the-  mind).  FAINTING.  Deliquium 
animi,  defectio,  exanimatio,  syncope,  asfihyxia;  virium 
lapsus;  in  a  greater  degree,  afiofisychia,  and  echysis; 
syncope  of  Dr.  Cullen,  who  places  it  in  the  class  neuro- 
ses, order  adynamite;  defining  it  the  motion  of  the  heart 
diminished,  or  at  rest  for  some  time.  The  species  are, 
1.  Syncope  cardiaca,  when  it  often  returns  without  any 
evident  cause,  with  violent  palpitations  of  the  heart  at 

5  T 


LIP 


874 


LIQ 


intervals ;  from  -some  fault  of  the  heart,  or  contiguous 
vessels.  2.  Syncofie  occasionalis,  when  it  arises  from  a 
manifest  cause,  from  an  affection  of  the  whole  system. 
Each  is  styled  idiopathic :  the  symptomatic  species  are, 
syncope  /thrills,  exanthematica;  stomachics;  hysterical 
arthritica;  scorbutica.  The  ancients  named  it  cardia, 
when  caused  by  anger:  and  what  we  termed  syncope 
they  called  CARDIACA  PASSIO,  q.  v. 

lu  this  disease  the  pulse  and  respiration  become  sud- 
denly weaker  than  usual,  and,  to  the  perception  of  the 
attendants,  seem  often  wholly  to  cease.  In  its  slightest 
degree  the  patient  constantly  perceives  and  under- 
stands, without  the  power  of  speaking;  and  this  often 
happens  to  those  who  are  disturbed  with  flatulencies, 
without  any  remarkable  alteration  in  the  pulse. — If  he 
loses  his  feeling  and  understanding,  with  a  considera- 
ble sinking  of  the  pulse,  it  is  called  a  syncofie.  If  so 
violent  toat  the  pulse  seems  totally  to  have  ceased,  with- 
out any  discernible  breathing,  and  a  manifest  coldness  of 
the  whole  body,  with  a  wan  livid  countenance,  it  is  some- 
times followed  by  death,  and  called  an  asjihixy,  or  a 
total  resolution.  This  last  degree,  in  most  instances, 
constitutes,  according  to  Dr.  Cullen's  arrangement, 
varieties  of  apoplexy,  and  these  chiefly  of  the  species 
which  he  calls  -venenata. 

The  causes  are  either  an  excess  or  a  deficiency  of 
blood,  a  loaded  or  disordered  stomach,  violent  pains, 
nervous  complaints,  passions  of  the  mind,  a  polypus  in 
some  of  the  principal  blood  vessels,  and  opiates,  or  ac- 
tive deleterious  medicines,  or  effluvia. 

The  different  degrees  of  this  disorder  should  be  dis- 
tinguished from  hysteric  fits,  epilepsy  and  the  apoplexy. 
In  the  two  former  diseases  there  are  generally  spasms ; 
in  the  latter  the  breathing  continues,  and  is  laborious, 
or  stertorous.  When  either  disease  is  without  these 
appropriate  symptoms  it  becomes  syncope,  or  distinc- 
tion is  of  little  importance,  as  the  remedies  are  the  same. 

Those  subject  to  frequent  faintings,  without  any  ma- 
nifest cause,  usually  die  suddenly,  and  polypi  are  found 
in  the  large  blood  vessels.  When  anger,  in  weak  per- 
sons, or  worms,  is  the  cause,  the  disease  is  dan- 
gerous. 

During  the  fit,  cold  water,  or  vinegar  and  water,  may 
.  be  sprinkled  on  the  face,  and  a  little  of  the  same  poured 
down  the  throat.  Strong  vinegar,  or  volatile  spirit,  may 
be  held  under  the  nostrils,  the  extremities  well  rubbed, 
and^  as  soon  as  the  power  of  swallowing  returns,  a  glass 
of  wine,  brandy  and  water,  of  fetid  tincture,  or  of  the 
spirit  of  hartshorn  with  water  may  be  given. 

When  the  fit  is  over,  the  cause  must  be  diligently 
examined,  and  the  morbid  state  of  the  system,  from 
which  it  seems  to  arise,  will  determine  the  plan  of  treat- 
ment. When  no  distinct  cause  can  be  assigned,  when 
the  face  is  livid,  and  the  breathing  difficult ;  when  the 
left  hand  is  cold,  and  the  patient  cannot  be  easy  on  ei- 
ther side;  when  it  is  brought  on  by  extraordinary 
exertions,  by  exercise,  or  whatever  increases  the  circu- 
lation through  the  lungs,  we  have  much  reason  to  fear 
that  it  proceeds  from  an  affection  of  the  heart.  This  is 
sometimes  an  enlargement  of  its  cavities,  or  its  conti- 
guous vessels ;  sometimes  an  accumulation  of  water  in 
the  pericardium  or  lungs,  or  ossifications  of  the  valves. 
In  such  circumstances  medicine  is  of  little  avail.-  Small 
bleedings,  easy  laxatives,  camphor,  with  nitre,  and 


whatever  lessens  the  impetus  of  the  blood,  are  advan- 
tageous. The  most  perfect  repose  of  body  and  mind, 
the  mildest  food,  and  the  most  cooling  liquors,  are  ne- 
cessary. A  blister  from  some  part  of  the  chest  has  also 
been  found  of  service. 

It  often  happens,  however,  that  syncope  arises  from 
fulness  of  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and,  in  the  greater 
number  of  cases,  emetics,  with  repeated  laxatives,  will 
succeed.  These,  at  least,  should  be  tried  before  the 
patient  is  alarmed  with  apprehensions  of  a  topical  affec- 
tion of  the  heart. 

Excess  or  deficiency  of  blood  are  obvious  causes,  and 
easily  removed,  at  least  for  a  time;  but  one  less  within 
our  power  is  that  general  mobility  of  the  system  where 
every  excitement  is  followed  by  a  proportional  sinking. 
Tonics  and  cold  bathing  will  have  some  effect;  but  the 
cure  is  only  found  in  the  torpor  of  advancing  years. 
See  ASPHYXIA. 

LIPPITU'DO,  (from  li/ifius,  blear  eyed).  See  EPI- 
HORA  and  XEROPHTHALMIA.  Celsus  means  by  it  an 
ophthalmia. 

LIQUEFA'CTIO.  MELTING.  The  fluidity  of  a  body 
when  exposed  to  heat,  probably  from  the  combination 
of  caloric.  Though  we  know  bodies  permanently  aeri- 
form, we  know  none  permanently  fluid,  except  alcohol 
and  ether;  and  those  are  apparently  such,  because  they 
have  not  been  exposed  to  the  requisite  degree  of  cold. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  liquefaction  that  the  body  wets ;  for 
this  effect  is  owing  to  the  greater  attraction  of  the  fluid 
particles  to  the  body  than  to  each  other.  Quicksilver 
is  fluid,  but  does  not  wet.  Melted  lead  does  not  ad- 
here to  a  polished  iron  immersed  in  it. 

LIQUIDA'MBAR,  (from  liyuidus,  and  ambar).  Sty- 
rax  liguida,  acer  virgin  fan  um  odoratum,  liijuidambaf 
stiraci/tua  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1418,  is  a  resinous  juice,  of  a 
yellow  colour,  inclining  to  red ;  about  the  consistence 
of  turpentine ;  by  age  hardening  into  a  brittle  resin.  It 
is  moderately  warm  and  pungent,  but  rarely  met  with 
genuine,  and  chiefly  used  as  a  perfume.  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica. 

LIQUIRI'TIA,  (from  liquor,  juice;  or  the  Welch 
term  eti/coris').  See  GLYCYRRHIZA. 

LIQUOR  CYRENIACUS.     See  BENZOINUM. 

LIQUOR  JETHEREUS.     See  .&THER. 

LIQUOR  CERERIS.     See  ALLA. 

LIQUOR  METALLIOUS.     See  ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

LIQUOR  SALIS.     See  CIRCULATUM. 

LIQUOR  VENERIS.     See  J£RUGO  ^ERIS. 

LIQUOR  A'MNII,  in  midwifery  called  the  WATERS,  is 
the  fluid  in  which  the  foetus  swims  during  gestation. 
The  quantity  of  this  fluid  is  different  in  different  wo- 
men, and  in  the  same  woman  in  different  pregnancies. 
It  is  largest  in  the  earliest  months,  and  when  the  mother 
is  past  the  prime  of  life,  or  the  child  is  weak.  At  par- 
turition the  waters,  as  they  are  called,  exceed  two 
quarts,  and  sometimes  scarcely  two  ounces.  There  are, 
occasionally,  what  are  styled  false  waters,  which  are  fre- 
quently discharged  at  different  periods  of  pregnancy; 
but  if  the  amnios  be  really  ruptured,  labour  is  inevitable, 
It  is  now  admitted  that  this  fluid  is  exhaled  from  the 
vessels  of  the  foetus,  and  does  not  contribute  to  its  nour- 
ishment. See  FOETUS  and  AMNION. 

LlQUOR      MINERALIS      AJJODYNUS      HoFFMANI.         Hoff- 

man,  the  inventor  of  this  medicine,  highly  extols  it 


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as  an  anodyne  and  antispasmodic.  In  the  Paris  Phar- 
macopoeia the  following  formula  is  given ;  but  it  is  not 
certainly  known  to  be  that  which  Hoffman  employed, 
ash-  never  revealed  it. 

Huffman'*  mineral  anodyne  liquor.— To  one  pint 
and  a  half  of  highly  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  placed  in  a 
large  glass  retort,  pour,  by  little  and  little,  through  a 
long  stemmed  glass  funnel,  half  a  pound  of  concern 
trated  oil  of  vitriol.  Stop  the  mouth  of  the  retort  ; 
digest  for  some  days  ;  and  then  distil  with  a  gentle 
heat.  At  first  a  fragrant  spirit  of  wine  will  arise,  and 
after  it  a  more  fragrant  volatile  spirit,  which  is  to  be 
caught  in  a  fresh  receiver :  the  receiver  being  again 
changed,  a  sulphureous  volatile  acid  phlegm  comes 
over;  and,  at  length,  a  sweet  oil  of  vitriol,  which 
should  be  immediately  separated,  lest  it  be  absorbed 
by  the  phlegm.  Mix  the  first  and  second  spirits  to- 
gether; and,  in  two  ounces  of  this  mixture,  dissolve 
twelve  drops  of  the  sweet  oil  just  named.  If  the 
liquor  hath  any  sulphureous  smell,  re-distil  it  from  a 
little  salt  of  tartar.  This  liquor  is  a  mixture  of  what 
is  styled  the  sweet  spirit  of  vitriol,  ether,  and  the 
oleum  vini ;  a  preparation  not  very  different,  probably, 
from  the  ether  of  Tickel.  It  is  imitated  in  the  Lon- 
don Pharmacopoeia,  by  adding  three  drachms  of  the 
oleum  vini  to  two  pounds  of  ether ;  and  that  of  Dub- 
lin orders  it  to  be  prepared  by  drawing  over  one  half 
of  the  residuum,  after  the  vitriolic  ether  is  separated. 
It  is  given  as  a  sedative,  and  antispasmodic,  in  hysteric, 
arthritic,  and  other  painful  complaints  ;  to  adults  from 
thirty  to  an  hundred  drops,  or  more,  with  some  sugar, 
or  in  an  appropriate  mixture.  See  -£THER. 

LITHAGO'GUS,  (from  A<«®-,  a  atone,  and  «y«, 
to  bring  away).  An  epithet  for  a  medicine  that  expels 
the  stone. 

LITHA'RGYRUM,  (from  A<0@-  and  *py>vp&,  sil- 
ver"). LITHARGE  ;  lithargyrum  auri,  almakanda, 
almakarb,  c/irysitis,  chrysitis  s/iodog  ;  cycima;  calci- 
teosa,  argyritis  ;  cathmia.  Litharge  was  usually  pre- 
pared from  the  lead  employed  in  refining  silver  ; 
and  it  was  of  a  deep  yellow,  or  of  a  whitish  colour, 
according  to  the  different  bodies  mixed  with  it,  or 
according  to  the  different  degrees  of  heat  to  which 
it  was  exposed.  If  its  colour  is  dark  it  is  called 
litharge  of  gold,  alatam  ;  if  light,  of  silver,  almar- 
carida.  This  method,  however,  is  not  sufficient  for 
the  supply  ;  and  it  is  often  prepared  by  melting 
oxidized  lead  by  a  hasty  fire.  There  are  a  very  great 
variety  of  medical  compositions,  of  which  litharge,  or 
some  of  its  preparations,  make  the  principal,  and 
always  a  material,  ingredient. 

LITHA'RGYRI  ACETA'TI  A'QUA,  (see  PLUM- 
BUM,) is  made  by  dissolving  two  pounds,  four  ounces 
of  litharge  in  a  gallon  of  distilled  vinegar,  by  boiling  to 
six  pints. 

LITHA'RGVRI  ACETA'TI  CRE'MOR.     See  PLUMBUM. 

Lri  HA'HGYRI  COMPOSITA  Aqu.v.     See  LOTIO  HYDRAR- 

GYRI     ACETATI. 

Ceratum  safionis  is,  strictly  speaking,  a  preparation  of 
litharge,  and  is  made  by  boiling  a  pound  of  litharge 
with  a  gallon  of  vinegar  over  a  slow  fire,  constantly 
stirring  it  till  it  thickens ;  then  adding  ten  ounces  of 
yellow  wax,  eight  ounces  of  soap,  and  a  pint  of  olive  oil. 

Collyrium  lithargyri  acetati. — 1.  Let  ten   drops  of 


the  water  of  acetated  litharge  be  added  to  four  ounces 
of  rose  water;  2.  To  the  above  let  twenty  drops  ot' 
camphorated  spirit  be  added;  butmix  the  spirit  with  Uie 
acetated  litharge  before  the  water,  which  must  be  added 
afterwards,  to  prevent  the  camphor  from  separating. 

Linimentum  lithargyri  com/iositum. — R.  Unguenti 
lithargyri  cum  aceto  ^  ss.  camph.  gr.  viij.  cerussae 
acetatae  gr.  xvi.  opii  pulverizati  gr.  viij.  m.  with  this 
the  inflamed  edges  of  the  eye  lids  are  sometimes  or- 
dered to  be  anointed  at  bed  time. 

Lotio  lithargyri  acetati  capi/iAorati.      See  AMBUSTA. 

Emjilastrum  lithargyri.  See  EMPLASTRUM  COM- 
MUNE, and  EMPLASTHUM. 

Lotio  lithargyri  acetati,  is  made  by  adding  one 
ounce  of  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  to  two  pints  of  dis- 
tilled water,  mixed  with  two  drachms  of  the  water  of 
acetaled  litharge ;  two  drachms  of  proof  spirit,  added 
to  the  same  quantities  of  the  other  ingredients,  forms 
the  aq.  lithargyri  acetati  composita  of  the  London 
Pharmacopoeia. 

Catafilasma  lithargyri  acetati.     See  PLUMBUM. 

Ceratum  lithargyri. — K.  Emplastri  lithargyri;  adipis 
suillae  aa  3  iv.  cerae  flavae  ^  ss.  colliquantur,  et  quando 
fere  frigida  fiat  mixture,  adjiciantur  aquae  lithargyri 
acetati  3  ij.  agitentur  simul  donee  frigescant.  For  su- 
perficial sores,  or  ulcers  whose  edges  are  inflamed,  this 
application  is  much  recommended. 

Unguentum  lithargyri  acetati,  made  by  adding  half 
a  drachm  of  the  aqua  lithargyri  acetati  to  an  ounce  ol 
unguentum  cerae,  is  applied  to  small  ulcers,  whose 
edges  are  in  a  state  of  inflammation,  and  preferred  to 
the  unguentum  cenissae  acetatae,  because  it  is  more 
readily  made,  and  does  not  soon  grow  rancid.  See 

NUTRITUM  UNGUENTUM. 

Unguentum  lithargyri  comftositum R,.  Emplast.  li- 

tharg.  lb  ss.  adipis  suillae  pp.  g  iv.'olei  olivae,  unguenti 
cerae,  aa  §vi-  aceti  uncias  quatuor;  aquae  lithargyri 
acetati  ^  ij.  After  the  unctuous  ingredients  are  melted 
together  and  suffered  to  cool,  the  water  of  acetated 
litharge,  and  the  vinegar,  are  to  be  gradually  incorpo- 
rated. This  ointment  is  applied  with  great  effect  in 
inflammations  of  the  skin. 

Ceratum  lithragyri  acetati. — Take  water  of  acetated 
litharge,  two  ounces  and  an  half  by  measure ;  yellow 
wax,  four  ounces  ;  olive  oil,  nine  ounces  by  measure  ; 
camphor,  half  a  drachm  :  rub  the  camphor  with  a  little 
of  the  oil :  melt  the  wax  with  the  remaining  oil ;  and, 
as  soon  as  the  mixture  begins  to  thicken,  pour  in  by 
degrees  the  water  of  the  acetated  litharge,  and  stir  con- 
stantly till  it  is  cold  :  then  mix  the  camphor  previously 
rubbed  with  oil.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

LITHI'ASIS,  (from  Ai0««,  a  stone}.  The  GRAVEL 
or  STONE  ;  more  commonly  the  disposition  to  this  dis- 
ease. (See  CALCULUS  and  ADAMITA.)  Also  a  tumour 
on  the  eye  lid,  containing  a  hard  concretion  between 
its  coats. 

LI'THIAS,  (from  A<*««  a  stone).  LITHIAT.  Salt 
formed  by  the  union  of  the  lithic  acid,  or  acid  of  the 
calculus  and  different  bases. 

LITHODE'NDRON,  (from  A<0.«,  and  fafe,,  a 
tree).  CORAL  ;  from  its  resembling  a  petrified  branch. 
See  CORALLIUM. 

LITHOEIDES,  (from  Pu**,  and  tifos,  form;  from 
its  hardness).  See  TEMPORUM  OSSA. 

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LITHONTRI'PTICUS,  (from  A<0««,  a  stone,  and 
9-fvv]a,  to  break).  An  appellation  of  medicines  sup- 
posed to  break  or  dissolve  the  stone  in  the  bladder ;  cat- 
culifragus.  Though  the  different  stones  generated  in 
the  human  bladder  may  require  different  solvents  when 
out  of  the  body,  and  though  art  has  not  yet  afforded 
a  medicine,  which,  when  injected  into  the  bladder, 
will,  without  injury,  dissolve  the  contained  stone,  we 
must  not  conclude  that  no  medicine  has  this  power, 
when  taken  into  the  stomach,  for  the  solvents  already 
mentioned  (see  CALCULUS)  certainly  produce  some 
effect  on  the  urine ;  and  more  powerful  ones  may  be 
found,  which  will  destroy  the  stone,  without  hurting 
the  human  body.  The  water  into  which  the  boiled 
white  of  egg  melts  will  liquefy  myrrh,  but  will  give  no 
uneasiness  to-the  eye. 

We  have  spoken  already  of  the  greater  number  of 
lithontripfics,  particularly  the  alkalis  and  the  bitters, 
which  act,  as  we  have  said,  by,  checking  the  acidity 
in  the  stomach,  on  which  the  formation  of  calculus 
appears  to  depend.  To  the  authorities  before  quoted, 
that  the  alkali  penetrates  with  undiminished  properties 
to  the  bladder,  or  at  least  with  properties  which  arise 
from  its  union  with  the  lithic  acid,  we  may  add  that 
of  professor  Mascagni,  of  Sienna,  supported  by  that  of 
Hufeland.  The  pure  kali,  it  is  remarked,  may  be 
taken  in  the  quantity  of  a  drachm  daily,  in  a  pint  of  veal 
broth,  or  a  quart  of  pure  water ;  and  the  carbonated 
kali  in  three  times  that  dose.  The  liquor  lithontripticus 
Loosii  consists  of  a  drachm  of  muriated  lime  dissolved 
in  two  ounces  of  pure  water,  of  which  thirty  drops  are 
to  be  taken  four  times  a  day,  and  the  dose  increased  as 
the  stomach  can  bear  it.  The  aerated  water,  viz. 
water  combined  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  or  with  carbo- 
nated alkali  and  this  gas,  in  excess,  have  been  often 
used  with  success  as  lithontriptics. 

LITHOPHY'TON,  (from  lifts,  a  stone,  and  ?»?«»,  a 
plant}.  A  LITHOPHYTE,  keratofihyton  coral ;  a  species 
of  plant  of  a  horny  substance,  seeming  to  be  of  a 
middle  nature  betwixt  wood  and  stone. 

LITHOPHY'TON  NIGRUM.  See  CORALLIUM  NIGRUM. 
LITHOSPE'RMUM,  (from  A/««5,  and  imp/**, 
semen;  from  the  hardness  of  its  seed).  Milium  solis, 
Mgonychon,  (Stonychum,  GROMWELL,  GRAYMILL,  LI- 
THOSPERMUM  OFFiciNALE  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  189,  is  a  rough 
plant,  with  stiff  branched  stalks,  oblong  acuminated 
leaves,  set  alternately  without  pedicles,  and  whitish, 
monopetalous  flowers,  scarcely  longer  than  the  cup, 
followed  by  roundish  hard  seeds.  It  is  perennial,  grows 
wild  in  fields,  and  flowers  in  May  and  June.  The  seeds 
are  diuretic  ;  but  rarely  used.  See  Lewis's  Materia 
Medica.  It  is  also  a  name  for  the  lacryma  Jobi. 

LITHOTO'MIA,  (from  >i««s,  a  stone,  and  n^a, 
to  cut).  Cystotomia.  LITHOTOMY,  or  cutting  for  the 
stone. 

This  operation  was  performed  in  the  time  of  Hippo- 
crates, but  confined  to  one  family ;  and,  in  the  oath 
to  be  taken  by  practitioners,  this  operation  is  forbidden, 
apparently,  because  those  to  whom  so  delicate  an  inci- 
sion was  familiar  would  perform  it  more  dexterously. 
The  method  employed  we  shall  soon  describe  as  that 
with  the  "  lesser  apparatus."  This  method  was  im- 
proved in  the  sixteenth  century,  by  Joannes  de  Ro- 
manis,  whose  operation  was  styled  that  with  the 


"greater,"  as  it  was  a  more  complicated  "  apparatus.'' 
It  is  described  by  Marianus  Sanctus,  who  wrote  so 
clear  and  comprehensive  a  description  of  the  operation, 
with  the  parts  concerned,  that  it  includes  every  method 
of  opening  the  bladder,  and  very  plainly  hints  at  the 
improved  lateral  method.  The  high  operation  Was  first 
proposed  by  Franco,  a  French  surgeon,  in  the  same 
century.  The  various  inconveniences  which  attended 
each  rendered  the  attempt  uncommon,  till  a  French 
priest,  Frere  Jacques,  probably  catching  the  hint  from 
Marianus,  attempted  the  lateral  method ;  which,  though 
unskilled  in  operations,  and  indifferently  provided  with 
instruments,  he  executed  with  a  success  which  excited 
the  applause  of  the  world,  the  indignation,  and,  at  last 
the  emulation,  of  the  faculty.  Various  improvements 
have  been  since  made,  which  we  shall  notice  in  their 
place. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  symptoms  of  CAL- 
CULUS, vide  in  verbo,  nor  need  we  add  to  them,  since 
the  ultimate  decision  depends  on  the  sound.  This  is, 
in  fact,,  a  part  of  the  operation. 

When  a  stone  is  suspected  to  be  lodged  in  the  blad- 
der, and  a  fuller  examination  is  necessary,  an  instru- 
ment called  A  SOUND  is  introduced  into  the  bladder,  if 
possible,  to  feel  the  stone.  For  this  purpose,  Mr. 
Sharp  directs  "  the  patient  to  be  laid  on  an  hori- 
zontal table,  with  his  thighs  elevated,  and  a  little  ex- 
tended :  the  sound,  previously  warmed  and  oiled,  is 
then  passed,  with  the  concave  part  towards  the  opera- 
tor, until  it  meets  with  some  resistance  in  the  peri- 
nuaem,  a  little  above  the  anus  :  it  must  then  be  turned 
without  much  force,  pushed  gently  on  into  the  blad- 
der ;  and  if  it  meets  with  an  obstruction  at  the  neck, 
its  extremity  is  raised  upwards,  by  inclining  its  handle. 
If  it  do  not  then  slip  in,  it  should  be  withdrawn  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch,  the  fore  finger  introduced  into  the 
rectum,  and  the  point  lifted  up,  which  will  facilitate 
its  admission."  See  CATHERISMUS. 

When  the  sound  enters  the  bladder,  it  must  be 
moved  round  in  every  direction.  It  sometimes  at 
once  strikes  against  the  stone,  and  by  no  artifice  is  the 
stone  again  found.  Sometimes  none  meets  the  instru- 
ment. As  its  weight  may  drag  the  bladder  down  on 
the  rectum,  the  finger,  should  be  introduced  into  the 
gut,  and  that  part  of  the  bladder  raised,  or  the  body 
should  be  moved  into  different  positions.  We  have 
remarked,  that  in  discovering  a  stone  we  are  more 
often  indebted  to  chance  than  to  skill;  but,  if  once 
found  by  an  experienced  surgeon,  the  operation  may 
be  performed.  We  say  by  an  experienced  surgeon, 
since  it  is  said  that  pieces  of  sand  may  strike  against 
the  catheter,  and  give  the  sensation  of  a  stone.  This, 
however,  will  not  mislead  a  person  who  has  once  felt  it. 
The  sensation  imparted  by  the  instrument  is  not  deci- 
sive of  the  size  of  the  stone ;  and  a  small  stone  is  often 
as  readily  found  as  a  large  one  :  but  if  inclosed  in  a  sac, 
or  if  adhering  to  the  bladder,  the  wrinkles  of  the  inner 
coat  defend  it,  and  the  sound  will  not  detect  it.  If  the 
patient  uses  some  exercise  before  the  search,  it  may 
detach  the  stone  from  slight  adhesions. 

After  the  operation,  children  relapse  more  frequently 
than  adults ;  and  adults  run  greater  hazards  in  the 
operation  than  children. 

The  method  employed   from  the  first  attempts  to 


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extract  the  stone  has  been  called  the  Celsian,  sometimes 
the  Guidonian,  operation,  cutting  upon  the  gripe,  or 
with  the  lesser  apparatus.  This  operation  will  appear 
to  be  an  obvious  one ;  but  the  term  apparatus  is  im- 
proper, since  it  only  requires  a  common  scalpel,  and 
occasionally  a  hook.  The  child,  for  it  is  confined  to 
children,  though  Paulus  of  ^Egina  observes,  that  he 
has  practised  it  in  a  more  adult  age,  is  held  in  an  ob- 
lique position,  and  the  finger,  introduced  into  the  rec- 
tum, is  employed  in  pressing  the  stone  forward  against 
the  perinaeum,  and  confining  it.  The  operator  then 
cuts  on  it,  and  extracts  it,  assisting  the  extraction,  if 
large,  with  the  hook.  Heister  teHs  us,  that  he  con- 
tinued to  employ  this  mode  of  operating  in  young  sub- 
jects. The  operation  was  too  simple,  perhaps,  for 
modern  refinement,  but  it  had  also  some  inconveni- 
ences. It  was  not  easy  to  find  the  stone  from  the 
rectum,  or  to  confine  it  against  the  perinaeum,  for  the 
time  necessary  to  extract  it.  The  operation  also  was 
confined  to  young  subjects,  where  the  parts  were  thin, 
and  the  pressure  of  the  stone  against  the  very  sensible 
bladder  was  often  followed  by  mortification. 

The  method  of  De  Romanis,  or  with  the  greater  ap- 
paratus, was  suggested  by  the  facility  with  which 
stones  are  extracted  from  the  female  bladder,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  greater  size  of  the  urethra,  and  its 
running  in  a  less  curved  direction.  He  supposed  that 
if  the  urethra  in  men  could,  by  any  operation,  be  so 
far  curtailed,  as  to  resemble  this  canal  in  women,  the 
operation  would  be  equally  easy.  This  method  was 
discovered  about  the  year  1520,  but  not  publicly  de- 
scribed by  Marianus  till  fifteen  years  afterwards.  We 
are  expressly  told,  that  the  urethra  must  be  divided 
from  a  little  above  its  curvature,  till  the  incision 
reaches  the  curvature.  Then  the  urethra  is  strait  and 
dilatable.  It  is  consequently  dilated  by  proper  instru- 
ments, and  the  stone  extracted.  The  plan  appears 
plausible,  but  it  seems,  on  the  whole,  impracticable 
to  extract  a  large  stone  in  this  way ;  and  we  are  led  to 
suspect  that  De  Romanis,  under  the  pretence  of  dilat- 
ing the  urethra,  really  divided  the  neck  of  the  bladder. 
Whether  he  was  aware  of  this  division,  and  dared  not 
direct  it,  since  Hippocrates  had  spoken  of  wounds  in 
the  bladder  as  fatal,  Aphor  XVIII.  lib.  vi.,  and  Celsus 
had  repeated  the  observation,  V.  xxvi.  or  that  it  was  an 
accident  which  accidentally  followed,  is  uncertain.  Le 
Dran,  however,  found,  on  dissection,  that,  in  almost 
every  instance,  the  neck  of  the  bladder  was  split  or 
divided;  and  Falconet,  with  other  authors,  have  con- 
tended, that  this  division  was  intended,  though  dilata- 
tion only  was  described. 

The  inconveniences  of  this  operation  are  too  obvious 
to  be  detailed.  Were  dilatation  only  meant,  the  effect 
of  this  violent  and  continued  distention  would  be  in- 
continence of  urine.  Were  laceration,  as  must  be 
very  often  the  case,  to  take  place,  mortification  would 
generally  ensue,  and  such  we  find  was  frequently  the 
consequence.  At  least,  the  greater  number  of  patients 
died ;  and  these  fatal  events  gave  an  importance  to  the 
improvement  first  attempted  by  Frere  Jacques.  But 
one  other  operation  was  previously  suggested. 

Peter  Franco,  already  mentioned,  operating  on  a 
child  of  t\vo  years  old,  found  the  stone  too  large  to  be 
removed  through  the  wound ;  accident  suggested  the 
possibility  of  opening  the  bladder  above  the  pubes. 


which  he  effected,  and  extracted  the  stone  with  suc- 
cess. Yet  alarmed,  apparently,  at  his  own  temerity, 
he  never  repeated  the  attempt,  and  dissuaded  his  fol- 
lowers from  the  operation.  Even  candour  might  sug- 
gest that  'he  really  failed  ;  but,  when  it  was  recollected 
that,  just  above  the  pubes,  the  peritonaeum  did  not 
cover  the  bladder,  and  that,  of  course  it  might  be  open- 
ed, without  opening  the  cavity  of  the  abdomen ;  when 
to  this  was  added,  that  the  bladder,  when  dilated,  rose 
far  above  the  pubes,  and  that  a  wound  might  be  safely- 
made  of  an  extent  to  extract  any  stone  which  might  be 
contained  in  that  cavity ;  it  did  not  appear  to  be  a  very 
extravagant  attempt.  In  fact,  after  Hildanus,  Riolan. 
Dionis,  and  others,  had  given  a  reluctant  consent  to 
the  trial,  and  admitted  its  safety,  it  was  often  attempted, 
before  it  was  publicly  recommended,  by  James  and  John 
Douglass,  and  practised  by  the  latter,  by  Heister,  by 
Cheselden,  and  others,  in  the  former  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century. 

There  are  many  objections  to  this  method;  but,  on 
again  going  over  the  subject  in  the  original  authors,  for 
the  purposes  of  this  short  history,  we  were  surprised  to 
find  them  so  few  and  inconsiderable.  It  is  certainly 
not  necessary  to  distend  the  bladder  very  considerably; 
yet,  on  the  whole,  it  is  expedient  to  do  so,  and  to  re- 
tain the  urine  for  a  time  longer  than  usual,  several 
days  previous  to  the  operation,  to  give  the  bladder 
greater  facility  of  distention.  The  distention  need  not, 
however,  be  so  great  as  to  injure  its  tonic  power.  The. 
operation  indeed,  for  reasons  which  we  cannot  explain, 
has  not  usually  succeeded,  when  the  patient  has  ex- 
ceeded the  age  of  thirty,  or  in  those  whose  bladders  are 
small.  When  the  kidneys  are  diseased  also,  it  is  said 
that  the  modern  method  succeeds  better.  A  singular 
and  unexpected  inconvenience,  however,  which  the  ad- 
vocates of  this  operation  endeavour  to  elude,  is  the 
difficulty  of  healing  the  wound.  The  muscular  fibres 
of  the  bladder  are  circular,  more  thick  and  strong 
round  the  sphincter,  in  fact,  thus  forming  the  sphincter 
itself.  When  the  distention  of  the  bladder,  therefore, 
excites  the  action  of  its  fibres  in  general,  the  resist- 
ance is  less  at  the  wound  above  than  at  the  sphincter 
below ;  and,  indeed,  it  is  so  little  at  the  wound,  that 
when  the  high  operation  has  followed,  at  the  interval 
of  a  day,  the  puncture  through  the  perinaeum,  the 
urine  is  discharged  above.  The  dressings  are,  therefore, 
constantly  wet,  and  the  wound  soon  becomes  fistu- 
lous. 

But  whatever  may  have  been  the  advantages  or  in- 
conveniences, they  have  all  yielded  to  the  operation 
proposed  by  Frere  Jacques,  whose  name  it  has  been  said 
was  Beaulieu,  and  who  came  to  Paris  in  1697,  from 
the  provinces,  destitute  of  money,  clothes,  and  victuals. 
He  was  of  an  open,  ingenuous  temper,  great  simplicity 
of  manners,  requiring  only  what  would  repair  his  in- 
struments and  mend  his  shoes.  His  operation  is  that 
which  we  shall  soon  describe  as  the  lateral,  but  his  in- 
struments were  coarse,  often  a  razor,  or  a  common 
penknife;  his  manner  rash  and  violent,  without  any 
fixed  plan,  or  any  knowledge  of  the  anatomy  of  the 
parts.  He  soon  lost  his  credit  at  Paris,  and  repaired 
to  Holland,  where  he  scarcely  succeeded  better;  but 
we  find  him  in  Germany,  fifteen  years  afterwards, 
greatly  improved,  and  very  successful.  It  is  said,  that 
he  had  been  the  servant  of  an  itinerant  practitioner. 


LIT 


878 


LIT 


from  whom  he  had  learned  the  art,  which,  from  want 
of  anatomical  knowledge,  he  was  unable  at  first  to 
practise  with  advantage. 

The  physicians  of  Paris,  though  they  did  not  treat 
the  good  friar  with  much  candour,  artfully  availed 
themselves  of  his  hint.  The  same  operation  was  sup- 
ported by  Meri,  but  first  practised  by  Mareschal.  The 
lateral  operation  was  soon  improved  by  Rau  of  Amster- 
dam, by  Heister,  and  Cheselden;  and,  in  its  present 
state  has  superseded  the  three  former.  On  this  ac- 
count we  have  not  described  them  more  particularly; 
but  it  was  necessary,  in  giving  a  general  view  of  the 
subject,  to  notice  the  attempts  and  errors  of  others. 
If  our  readers  derive  from  this  comprehensive  sketch 
as  much  entertainment  and  improvement  as  the  author 
has  done,  they  will  not  regret  the  little  time  they  will 
have  employed  in  the  perusal.  . 

The  lateral  operation  is  described  by  Mr.  Sharp  in 
the  following  words  from  Mr.  Cheselden:  "  The  pa- 
tient being  laid  on  a  table,  with  his  hands  and  feet  tied, 
and  the  staff  passed,  as  in  the  old  way,  let  your  assist- 
ant hold  it  a  little  slanting  on  one  side,  so  that  the 
direction  of  it  may  run  exactly  through  the  middle  of 
the  left  erector  penis  and  accelerator  urinse  muscles; 
then  make  your  incision  through  the  skin  and  fat,  very 
large,  beginning  in  one  side  of  the  seam  in  perinaeo,  a 
little  above  the  place  wounded  in  the  old  way,  and 
finishing  a  little  below  the  anus,  between  it  and  the 
tuberosity  of  the  ischium.  This  wound  must  be  car- 
ried on  deeper  between  the  muscles,  till  the  prostatae 
can  be  felt,  when  searching  for  the  staff,  and  fixing  it 
properly  if  it  had  slipped,  you  must  turn  the  edge  of 
the  knife  upwards,  and  cut  the  whole\length  of  that 
gland  from  within  outwards,  at  the  saml  time  pushing 
down  the  rectum  with  a  finger  or  two  <fl  the  left  hand, 
by  which  precautions  the  gut  will  always  escape 
wounding ;  after  this,  introduce  the  foreceps  to  take 
out  the  stone.  After  the  operation  is  ended,  if  there  is 
an  haemorrhage  from  the  prostate  gland,  a  silver  canula 
of  three  or  four  inches  long,  covered  with  fine  rag, 
may  be  introduced  into  the  bladder,  and  left  there  two 
or  three  days;  for  it  rarely  fails  to  check  it: — the  pa- 
tient may  also  take  an  opiate.  If  the  wound  does  not 
bleed,  a  little  dry  lint,  or  a  pledget  of  digestive,  may 
be  laid  in  it.  If  a  pain  is  felt  near  the  bladder  soon 
after  the  dressings  are  finished,  a  bladder  of  warm  wa- 
ter may  be  applied  over  it;  and  if  it  increases,  as  there, 
will  be  much  danger  therefrom,  bleeding  and  clysters 
will  be  necessary." 

The  present  improved  practice  demands,  however,  a 
minuter  detail.  When  a  stone  has  been  discovered  by 
the  sound,  and  the  operation  is  determined  on,  e.very 
source  of  irritation  must  be  removed.  The  patient,  if 
plethoric,  should  be  bled,  the  bowels  emptied  by  mild, 
but  sufficiently  active,  laxatives,  interposing  a  dose  or 
two  of  calomel,  and  giving  some  doses  of  helleboras- 
ter  to  evacuate  worms,  should  any  be  present.  The 
warm  bath  and  opiates  are  advised  occasionally,  but  are 
apparently  unnecessary.  The  diet  should  be  light 
and  mild,  and  diluent  liquors  drunk  freely.  It  is  recom- 
mended that  the  bladder  be  moderately  filled  previous 
to  the  operation,  that,  in  the  incision,  the  exterior 
part  only  should  be  wounded :  but  as  the  incision  is 
made  on  the  staff,  this  appears  to  be  an  useless  refine- 
ment. 


The  patient  is  placed  on  a  table,  about  three  feet  high, 
and  bends  forwards  so  as  to  take  each  foot  in  the  cor- 
responding hand;  the  wrists  and  ankles  arc  respectively 
confined  by  a  broad  tape.  The  buttocks  are  then,  by 
pillows,  raised  above  the  shoulders,  and  brought  forward 
a  little  beyond  the  table. 

The  sound  is  introduced,  and  the  stone  again 
sought  for.  If  it  was  before  certainly  discovered, 
though  it  should  not  be  at  this  time  found,  the  opera- 
tion generally  proceeds;  but  if  the  slightest  doubt  ex- 
isted in  the  previous  searches,  and  it  cannot  now  be 
felt,  a  prudent  surgeon  will  defer  the  operation.  If  it 
be  determined  to  proceed,  the  surgeon  makes  an  inci- 
sion from  the  symphysis  of  the  pubes,  just  below  the 
scrotum,  downwards  and  outwards  to  the  part  between 
the  anus  and  the  tuberosity  of  the  ischium,  a  little  below 
the  basis  of  the  process.  His  next  incision  he  carries 
nearer  the  raphe  and  anus,  to  avoid  dividing  the  pudica. 
He  thus  divides  the  transversalis  penis  and  part  of  the 
levator  ani,  so  as  to  enable  him  to  feel  the  prostate.  He 
must  guard  against  cutting  the  cruva  penis,  which  he 
can  easily  feel,  and  the  rectum,  which  is  best  secured 
by  introducing  a  finger  into  it. 

He  must  now  feel  for  the  grooved  staff,  which  his 
assistant  must  keep  against  the  side  of  the  raphe,  by 
pressing  its  handle  back  against  the  right  side  of  the 
patient's  abdomen.  The  operator  must  find  the  staff 
steadily  opposed  to  him,  from  the  bulb  of  the  urethra 
to  the  prostate  gland,  and  on  this  he  must  cut,  from 
below  upwards,  till  the  staff  can  be  felt  perfectly  bare, 
and  the  incision  will  admit  the  finger,  which  not  only 
keeps  the  parts  stretched,  but  guards  the  rectum  from 
injury. 

The  next  step  is  to  divide  the  prostate  gland  and  the 
neck  of  the  bladder.  This  is  sometimes  performed  by 
the  knife,  but  the  gorget,  or,  as  the  French  call  it, 
the  gorgeret,  is  employed  for  the  purpose.  Its  beak  is 
fitted  to  the  groove  of  the  staff,  and  along  it  this  hol- 
low conical  instrument  was  forced  into  the  bladder, 
tearing  in  its  passage  the  neck  of  the  bladder  and  the 
prostate,  till  Mr.  Hawkins  bent  the  edges  a  little  more 
outwardly,  and  gave  them  an  edge.  This  cutting 
gorget  is  now  preferred.  As  the  groove  in  the  staff  is 
continued  to  its  end,  the  beak  of  the  gorget  slides 
easily  off;  and  this  part  of  the  operation  is  so  nice  and 
important,  that  the  operator  usually  chooses  to  manage 
both  instruments  himself. 

When  the  gorget  is  in  the  bladder,  the  urine  flows 
out,  and  the  operator  usually  attempts  to  feel  for  the 
stone  with  his  finger.  Whether  he  can  discover  it  or 
not  he  introduces  the  forceps,  and  attempts  to  take 
hold  of  it;  opening  the  forceps  when  he  perceives  them 
touch  the  stone,  and  cautiously  sliding  a  blade  under 
the  stone,  the  other  is  of  course  over  it.  The  forceps 
are  rough  at  the  hollows,  and  finely  polished  between 
these  and  the  rivet,  so  that  if  the  ston'e  comes  near  the 
latter,  it  slides  to  the  former.  The  operator  must  hold 
the  stone  with  sufficient  firmness  to  prevent  its  sliding, 
but  not  so  closely  as  to  break  it,  if  brittle,  and  must 
extract  it  slowly  and  steadily.  In  general,  one  blade 
of  the  forceps  should  be  under  the  symphysis  of  the 
pubes,  and  the  other  obliquely  below.  When  the 
stone  is  small,  it  often  falls  below  the  line  of  the  instru- 
ment; and,  in  this  case,  some  operators  recommend 
bent  forceps,  but  it  is  better  to  introduce  the  finger 


LIT 


879 


LIT 


into  the  rectum  to  raise  the  stone,  for  by  the  bent  for- 
ceps the  bladder  is  often  injured.  Should  the  blades  of 
the  forceps  appear  distant,  it  is  probable  that  the  stone 
is  large,  or  that  it  is  held  disadvantageous^.  The  last 
is  most  frequently  the  case,  and  the  operator  should 
therefore  loosen  his  hold  in  order  to  take  it  in  a  more 
convenient  position.  It  has  scarcely  ever  happened 
that  the  stone  is  too  large  to  be  extracted,  if  dravvn  for- 
ward cautiously,  assisted  by  the  finger.  Should  it  slip 
and  fall  back  at  the  edge  of  the  wound,  the  sound  and 
the  gorget  must  be  again  introduced  to  guide  the  forceps. 
If  the  stone  is  broken,  the  larger  pieces  should  be 
extracted  by  the  forceps,  and  the  smaller  with  a  scoop. 
Afterwards  warm  water  is  to  be  injected,  and  the  pa- 
tient raised  to  an  upright  posture.  We  think,  how- 
ever, that  the  anxiety  for  evacuating  the  smallest  par- 
ticles has  been  too  great,  and  that  their  discharge  may 
be  safely  trusted  to  the  first  flow  of  urine. 

It"  an  artery  bleeds,  it  must  be  confined  by  a  liga- 
ture ;  but  if  this  is  impracticable,  a  roller  should  be 
placed  in  the  wound,  preserving  a  passage  for  the  urine 
by  a  canula.  The  body  should  then  be  raised,  so  that 
the  wound  may  depend  ;  and  in  this  state  the  patient 
must  be  placed  in  bed. 

The  operation  sometimes  fails  by  the  incision  being 
made  too  far  towards  the  urethra ;  for  wounds  in  the 
urethra  cannot  facilitate  the  extraction  of  the  stone; 
and,  in  these  instances,  the  bladder  is  opened  imper- 
fectly, and  the  gorget  slips  into  the  cellular  membrane. 
The  urethra  is  indeed  divided  by  the  cutting  gorget, 
with  the  neck  of  the  bladder;  but  the  perfection  of  the 
operation  consists  in  making  a  fair  and  proper  opening 
into  the  bladder  itself.  Sometimes,  when  the  operator 
has  not  made  a  fair,  bold  incision,  too  much  is  trusted 
to  the  gorget,  and  the  bladder  is  lacerated.  We  know 
from  De  Romanis'  operation,  that  lacerations  of  the 
bladder  are  not  always  fatal,  as  well  as  from  the  lateral 
method,  previous  to  the  introduction  of  the  cutting 
gorget.  But  there  is  much  reason  to  believe  that  such 
lacerations  are  at  least  dangerous,  and  probably  some 
of  the  fatal  events  may  have  been  from  the  mortifica- 
tion subsequent  to  such  violence. 

Another  error  is  carrying  the  incision  too  low,  or  in 
the  lower  part  too  near  the  raphe,  by  which  the  rectum 
is  wounded,  and  the  faeces  afterwards  constantly  dis- 
charged from  the  wound.  The  error  is  not  indeed 
fatal,  but  the  future  life  is  truly  miserable.  The  place 
at  which  the  proper  incision  must  be  made  is  indeed 
limited  ;  but  it  is  so  nicely  defined,  that  we  have  heard 
a  professor  declare  he  could  perform  the  operation  in 
the  dark ;  and  we  once  knew  a  celebrated  operator 
who  remarked,  that  he  declined  the  operation,  rather 
from  the  bluntness  of  his  touch  than  of  his  sight. 

After  the  operation  tired  nature  sinks  to  rest;  but 
from  forty  to  fifty  drops  of  laudanum  are  usually  given 
to  take  off  irritation.  After  a  few  hours,  however, 
pains,  apparently  spasmodic,  come  on  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  abdomen.  These  are  relieved  by  anodyne 
clysters  and  fomentations.  Should  the  pain  increase, 
and  the  belly  become  hard,  the  case  must  be  treated 
like  enteritis ;  but  anodynes  may  be  more  freely  given, 
and  warm  clysters  frequently  thrown  up.  The  warm 
bath  is  in  these  circumstances  often  useful.  In  many 
cases,  however,  notwithstanding  every  care,  mortifi- 
cation comes  on,  the  wound  appears  foul  and  livid.  In 
better  circumstances  it  looks  healthy ;  in  a  day  or  two 


the  urine  is  discharged  from  the  urethra,  and  a  cicatrix 
is  formed  in  about  six  weeks  or  two  months.  Incon- 
tinence of  urine,  which  often  follows,  is  relieved  by 
tonics  and  cold  bathing. 

Calculus  in  females  is  by  no  means  a  common  com- 
'  plaint,  and  the  operation  is  rarely  required.  When 
the  neck  of  the  bladder  and  the  urethra  are  opened 
from  the  vagina,  great  inconveniences  occur  in  future 
labours,  from  the  contraction  induced  by  the  cicatrices; 
but,  when  the  operation  is  performed,  these  parts  are 
usually  divided  by  the  cutting  gorget.  We  suspect 
that,  in  women,  what  is  called  the  high  or  De  Romanis' 
method  would  be  most  advisable  ;  but  as  the  urethra  is 
so  easily  dilated,  there  are  few  stones  that  could  not  be 
extracted  without  cutting. 

Mr.  Bromfield  describes  the  following  method  of 
dilating  the  urethra,  apparently  better  than  by  means 
of -tents.  With  the  assistance  of  a  straight,  blunt, 
director,  he  introduced  into  the  bladder  the  closed  end 
of  the  apendicula  intestini  caeci  of  a  small  animal;  and 
leaving  out,  at  a  proper  length,  the  open  end,  he  filled 
it  with  warm  water  by  means  of  a  syringe,  and  pre- 
vented the  water's  escape  by  a  ligature.  He  then,  by 
twisting  the  exposed  end  of  the  tube,  forced  the  con- 
tained water  forwards,  and  this  operation  was  repeated 
from  lime  to  time,  till  the  neck  of  the  bladder  was  so 
much  opened,  that  the  forceps  might  have  easily  been 
admitted,  if  required.  The  stone,  however,  was  pro- 
pelled by  the  urine,  and  the  instrument  was  not  neces- 
sary. After  the  passage  of  the  stone,  the  parts  were 
fomented  with  warm  milk,  and  with  camphorated 
spirit  of  wine.  Very  little  inflammation  came  on,  and 
no  disagreeable  symptom.  See  his  Observations  and 
Cases,  vol.  ii. 

Mr.  Gooch  extracted  a  stone  of  four  ounces  weight, 
through  an  incision  which  he  made  from  the  vagina 
into  the  bladder.  This  operation  was  attended  with 
very  little  trouble,  either  to  himself  or  the  patient ; 
the  ulcer  soon  healed  by  the  use  of  soft  balsamic  in- 
jections, and  no  inconvenience  was  observed  after  the 
healing  of  the  parts.  See  Cases  and  Remarks,  volr  ii. 
p.  182,  &c. 

Stones  impacted  in  the  urethra  are  often  discharged 
by  the  efforts  of  nature,  and  it  is  frequently  astonishing 
to  what  a  degree  the  canal  may  be  dilated./  Gentle 
means  are  therefore  first  necessary,  and  oily  frictions, 
gentle  pressure,  with  the  semicupium,  and  large  doses 
of  opium,  will  often  succeed.  If  an  operation  is  re- 
quired, the  skin  should  be  drawn  forward,  and  the 
urethra  divided  on  the  stone.  The  skin,  when  restored 
to  its  former  position,  will  prevent  the  urine  from  flow- 
ing through  the  wound,  which  will  often  heal  by  the  first 
intention.  The  operation  should  not,  however,  be  so 
long  delayed  as  to  allow  inflammation  to  come  on,  for 
mortification  would  be  the  consequence.  When  the 
stone  is  impacted  near  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  the  oper- 
ation is  the  same  as  cutting  on  the  gripe.  When  near 
the  orifice  of  the  urethra,  the  canal  may  be  dilated  by 
elastic  forceps.  When  near  the  scrotum,  it  should  be 
either  pushed  backwards  or  forwards,  and  treated  ac- 
coia;ng  to  the  plans  already  described. 

Sec-  Sharp's  Operations  of  Surgery.  Sharp's  Critical 
Enquiry.  Heister's  Surgery.  Bromfield's  Cases  and 
Observation*,  vol.  ii.  ch.  8.  Le  Dran's  Operations. 
Heister's  Dissertation  on  the  High  Apparatus.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  ii.  p.  41,  &c. 


L  OC 


880 


LO  C 


LI'TRON.     NITRON.     See  ANATRON. 

LI'TUS,  (from  lino,  to  anoint).     See  LINIMENTUM. 

LIVER  OIL.     See  OLEUM  JECORIS  ASELLI. 

LI'VIDUS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  A/£«s,  blackish, 
from  its  colour).  See  PECTINEUS. 

LIX,  (from  AI«,  light;  or  from  the  Hebrew  term  lus). 
See  CLAVELLATI  CJNERES. 

LIXIVIATIO,  the  separation  of  salts  by  solution. 

LIXI'VIUM,  (from  lix,  wood  ash).  A  LEY.  That 
is,  water  impregnated  with  the  salts  of  burnt  vegetables. 

LIXI'VIUM  TA'RTARI.     See  KALI  AQUA. 

LIXIVIUM  SAPONA'RIUM.     See  KALI  PURI  AQUA. 

LOBE'LIA.  An  American  plant  named  in  honour 
of  Lobel,  found  in  woods  and  dry  marshes.  With  the 
root  of  the  lobelia  syfihilitica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1320,  the 
American  Indians  cure  the  most  virulent  pox.  Five  or 
six  of  the  plants  are  boiled  in  water,  and  the  patient 
drinks  as  much  as  he  can  of  this  decoction,  in  the 
morning  and  during  the  day.  It  soon  purges,  and  the 
strength  of  the  decoction  is  increased  or  lessened 
as  the  patient  can  bear  the  evacuation.  If  any  part  is 
sore,  it  is  to  be  washed  with  this  decoction,  and  thus 
in  two  or  three  weeks  a  cure  is  performed.  Every 
part  of  this  plant  abounds  with  a  milky  juice,  and  has 
a  rank  smell.  The  root,  which  is  the  part  preferred  in 
medicine,  in  taste  resembles  tobacco,  and  sometimes 
excites  vomiting.  A  handful  of  it,  dried,  is  boiled  in 
twelve  pints  of  distilled  water,  till  they  are  reduced  to 
eight.  The  patient  begins  with  half  a  pint,  morning 
and  evening,  then  more  frequently  if  the  purgative 
effect  is  not  too  violent.  Should  it  be  so,  the  medi- 
cine must  be  omitted  for  three  or  four  days,  and  then 
again  taken,  till  the  cure  is  completed.  The  ulcers 
are  to  be  washed  with  a  decoction  of  the  root,  and  if 
deep  and  foul,  sprinkled  with  the  powder  of  the  inner 
bark  of  the  ceanothus  Americanus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  284.  We 
owe  this  description  to  Sir  W.  Johnson's  influence, 
who  received  it  from  the_American  Indians.  The  prac- 
titioners of  their  country,  however,  do  not  repose  in  it 
much  confidence,  and  seem  to  think  its  purgative  ef- 
fect the  most  striking. 

LOBE'LLUS,  LO'BULUS,  (a  dim.  of  lobus,  a 
lobe).  A  SMALL  LOBE.  The  cells  of  fat  are  called 
lobuli  adifiosi :  and  the  extremities  of  the  bronchise, 
which  end  in  little  knobs,  are  called  lobuli  jiulmonum. 
Winslow  calls  the  lobe  of  the  ear  Io6us,or  lobulus.  See 
AURICULA. 

LO'BUS    ECHINA'TUS.     See    BONDUCH    INDO- 

«UM. 

LOCA'LES,  (from  locus,  a  filace).  Diseases  that 
affect,  or  have  their  seat,  only  in  a  particular  part  of  the 
body.  See  MORBI  ORGANICI  and  PLAGJE. 

LOCA'LIS  MEMBRA'NA.     See  PIA  MATER. 

LO'CHIA,  (from   AO^EIXV,    to    bring   forth).      The 

DISCHARGES      OF      THE      UTERUS      AFTER      CHILD      BIRTH, 

gynecia,  the  third  species  of  Dr.  Cullen's  menorr- 
hagia,  which  he  defines,  a  sanguinary  menorrhagia 
in  lying-in  women.  This  discharge  arises  from  the 
distended  vessels,  and  proceeds  till  the  removal  of  the 
distention  admits  of  their  contraction.  In  weak,  ex- 
hausted constitutions,  the  discharge  often  continues 
for  several  days,  and  then  only  becomes  a  disease.  In 
healthy  habits  it  continues  to  flow  freely  for  an  hour 
and  more,  and  the  discharge  afterwards  lessens ;  in  a 
few  days  it  becomes  less  red,  and  then  greenish.  The 
redness  begins  to  disappear  when  the  breasts  fill  with 


milk.  Its  quantity  is  generally  less  after  a  miscarriage 
than  when  a  woman  goes  her  full  time ;  and  it  sooner 
stops  when  a  woman  gives  suck,  than  when  she  does 
not. 

The  lochia  may  produce  disease  when  deficient  or 
redundant.  The  discharge  in  many  women  is  incon- 
siderable ;  but,  as  this  appears  constitutional,  no  incon- 
venience arises.  When  exposed  to  cold,  or  fever  comes 
on,  the  discharge  often  suddenly  stops,  the  belly  swells 
and  is  sore ;  a  heavy  load  is  felt  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
abdomen  and  in  the  loins;  the  pulse  is  full  and  hard; 
pain  in  the  head  and  back;  a  nausea,  sometimes  a  vo- 
miting, and  a  difficulty  of  breathing,  come  on.  Fever- 
ish symptoms,  particularly  rigor,  generally  precede 
the  suppression  of  the  discharge,  rather  than  follow 
it,  and  are  the  cause,  instead  of  the  effect;  though 
the  effect  so  soon  follows,  that  it  is  often  difficult 
to  say  which  has  preceded.  Violent  passions  will 
sometimes  check  the  lochia,  and  sudden  grief  be 
equally  injurious.  Errors  in  diet,  and  particularly  in- 
dulgence in  spirituous  liq"uors,  seems  occasionally  to 
bring  on  a  spasmodic  stricture, accompanied  often  with 
fever.  A  diarrhoea,  or  any  other  copious  discharge, 
will  also  check  the  flow,  though  with  less  inconveni- 
ence. The  nearer  the  period  of  the  suppression  is  to 
that  of  delivery,  the  greater  is  the  danger;  and  the 
occasional  returns  of  the  discharge  are  symptoms  of  re- 
covery. The  lochia  sometimes  diminish  gradually, 
and  sometimes  cease  at  once.  A  delirium,  in  many 
instances,  succeeds,  occasioning  convulsions  and  death, 
and  if  the  patient  escapes  with  life,  she  sometimes 
continues  lunatic. 

In  general  no  medicine  will  force  the  return ;  and  our 
chief  attention  must  be  directed  to  procure  a  relaxation 
of  all  the  extreme  vessels.  When  the  patient  is  full 
and  plethoric,  the  pulse  full  and  hard,  the  face  flushed, 
it  has  been  the  practice  to  bleed  copiously,  and  this  has 
been  attended  with  success,  even  no  fever  has  come  on. 
It  must,  however,  be  done  early  and  boldly,  or  it  will  be 
injurious.  As  this  then  is  the  case,  the  practitioner 
should  be  cautious  in  what  constitutions  he  makes  the 
attempt. 

Emetics  are  often  remedies  of  importance  in  this 
complaint,  and  should  be  repeated.  To  these  the  re- 
laxing diaphoretics  should  succeed ;  and  when  any 
organ  is  overloaded,  in  consequence  of  the  suppression, 
a  blister  applied  to  the  part  will  be  of  singular  ser- 
vice. 

Cathartics  are  equally  necessary,  but  we  should  be 
cautious  lest  too  great  a  discharge  from  the  bowels 
prevent  a  return  of  the  salutary  evacuation.  It  is  ne- 
cessary to  relieve  too  great  fulness,  and  equally  proper 
to  avoid  irritation  ;  and  the  infusion  of  senna  with  man- 
na, or  castor  oil,  so  as  to  procure  two  or  three  motions, 
will  be  sufficient.  We  must  then  return  to  the  mild 
relaxing  diaphoretics,  avoiding  great  heat,  and  admit- 
ting free  air,  if  not  too  cold. 

In  the  usual  course,  the  milk  is  the  vicarious  dis- 
charge of  the  lochia.  This  evacuation  should  there- 
fore be  encouraged  by  warmth  to  the  breast,  by  glasses; 
but,  above  all,  by  applying  a  strong,  healthy  child. 
If  a  flow  of  milk  can  be  determined  to  these  organs, 
the  woman  is  secure.  This,  however,  is  often  with 
difficulty  obtained ;  and  we  more  frequently  find,  that 
by  removing  congestions  of  every  kind,  supporting  the 
patient  with  mild,  nourishing  food,  she  gradually 


L  O  i\ 


881 


LOT 


covers  without  a  return.     We  need  not  add,  that  the 
disease  is  highly  dangerous. 

The  spirits,  whatever  be  the  cause,  are  usually 
much  depressed,  and  it  will  be  right  to  cheer  our  pa- 
tient in  this  period  of  peculiar  distress  and  disappoint- 
ment, by  every  favourable  representation.  In  fact, 
however,  the  lochia  are  seldom  wholly  checked  with- 
out accession  of  fever,  which,  from  the  time  of  its 
attack,  is  styled  puerperal.  (See  PUERPERALIS  FEBRIS.) 
The  idea  of  checking  the  discharge  by  rising  too  soon, 
if  cold  be  avoided,  is  truly  ridiculous. 

The  lochia  are  sometimes  redundant;  but  this  disease 
must  be  distinguished  from  flooding  during  labour,  from 
an  attachment  of  the  placenta  to  the  os  uteri,  or  other 
causes.  The  complaint  we  now  speak  of  is  the  dis- 
charge subsequent  to  labour;  and,  in  this  place,  we 
cannot  add  to  what  we  have  said  in  the  article  H.K- 
MORRHAGIJE,  q.  v.  As  the  disease  is  rapid  and  violent, 
so  our  remedies  should  be  proportionally  active  and 
continued.  Fainting  should  not  .be  obviated ;  and  the 
practitioner  should  be  particularly  cautious  that  no 
irritation  is  kept  up  from  any  accumulations  in  the 
rectum.  Ligatures  on  the  lower  extremities  are  not 
only  useless,  but  soon  become  injurious. 

LOCHIORRHCE'A,  (from  A«;^«,  the  lochia,  and 
fin,  to  flow).  An  excess  of  the  lochia  after  they  become 
pale  or  whitish. 

LOCULAME'NTA,  (from  loculus,  a  bag').  The 
cells  in  the  fruit  of  plants  where  the  seeds  are  lodged, 
divided  by  small  partitions.  See  CAPSULA. 

LOCU'STA,  (quasi  locus  ustus,  because  from  their 
influence  corn  is  apparently  burnt).  The  GRASSHOP- 
PER; the  outer  covering  of  the  flower  and  grain  of  corn 
which  incloses  the  chaff";  and  a  name  for  the  LACTUCA 
AGNINA. 

LO'GAS,  (from  Aty*,  to  elect').  The  white  of  the 
eye.  See  ADNATA. 

LO'HOC.     See  LINCTUS. 

LO'LIUM,  (from  A«;»»  oAe/i,  sege tern  fierdere,)  aira, 
gramen  loliaceum,lolium  tremulentumlAn.  Sp.  PI.  122; 

DARNEL,  IVRAY,  and  COCKLE. 

It  is  distinguished  from  other  corn  by  its  slender  flat 
ear,  but  is  not  used  in  medicine.  It  is  said  to  produce 
drunkenness  if  taken  inwardly,  and  to  prevent  it  if  ap- 
plied outwardly.  It  is  certainly  a  narcotic,  and  impru- 
dently taken  has  been  highly  injurious.  See  Raii 
Historia. 

LOME'NTUM  FA'B^E,  (from  A«i»«,  to  levigate). 
BEAN  MEAL,  or  bread  made  from  it.  See  FABA  MA- 
JOR. 

LONCHI'TES,  (from  A»y;gi),  a  lance,  because  its 
leaves  are  sharp  pointed).  Filix  aculeata,  fiolyftodium 
lonchitis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1548.  The  root  is  aperient  and 
diuretic,  but  not  used  in  the  present  practice. 

LONCHO'TON.     See  VITRIOLUM. 

LO'NGANON,  (from  longus,  long).     See  RECTUM 

INTESTINUM. 

LONGI'SSIMUS  DI'GITUS.     See  DIGITUS. 

LONGI'SSIMUS  DORSI,  is  a  muscle  named  from  its 
length,  and  has  the  same  origin  with  the  sacro-lumbaris. 
It  is  inserted  by  several  digitations  into  the  ribs  on  the 
inside  of  the  upper  part  of  this  muscle;  between  it 
and  the  complexus  the  transversalis  colli  of  Albinus 
is  seated,  which  runs' from  the  transverse  processes  of 

VOL.     I. 


the  vertebra  of  the  back  to  those  of  the  neck,  and  raises 
the  body. 

LONGI'SSIMUS     O'CULI.       See     OBLI^UUS     MAJOR 
OCULI. 

LONGI'SSIMUS  PO'LLICIS  MA'NUS.     See  FLEXOR  TER- 

TII    INTERNODII    POLLICIS. 

LO'NGUS  COLLI,  (from  Aay^,,  a  lance}.  Rises 
from  the  two  upper  vertebrae  of  the  back,  and  is  in- 
serted into  the  three  upper  vertebrae  of  the  neck.  It 
is  made  up  of  two  plates,  which  decussate  each  other; 
and  receives  slips  from  some  of  the  lower  transverse 
processes  of  the  neck.  Its  office  is  to  bend  the  neck. 

LONI'CERA  PERICLYME'NUM.  See  CAPRI- 
FOLIUM. 

LOOK,  a  gum  resin,  whose  source  is  unknown.  It 
is  a  stimulant,  and  supposed  to  be  a  resclvent. 

LOPE'ZIANA  RADIX,  a  root  brought  from  Goa, 
and  first  described  by  Gaubius  in  his  Adversaria.  It 
is  brought  to  us  in  pieces,  about  two  inches  thick ;  of 
which  the  woody  part  is  lightish  and  white,  the  me- 
dullary part  more  dense  and  reddish.  The  bark  is 
rough,  wrinkled,  brown,  soft,  and  apparently  woolly, 
covered  with  a  paler  cuticle.  Neither  had  any  strik- 
ing smell  or  taste ;  but  it  was  found  highly  useful  in 
colliquative  diarrhoeas,  especially  in  the  last  stages  of 
phthisis,  appearing  to  act  rather  as  a  narcotic  than  an 
astringent.  Gaubius  thinks  that  it  resembles  the  sima- 
rouba. 

LOPHA'DIA,  LO'PHIA,  (from  A.?*,  the  hinder 
part  of  the  neck).  See  SPINA.  Lophia  sometimes 
signifies  the  upper  part  of  the  back  of  the  neck. 

LO'PIMA,  (Aoa-<£«,  to  decorticate').     See  CASTANA. 

LO'RA.     See  DEUTERIA. 

LORDO'SIS,  (from  AopiJi?,  bowed  or  bent  inward,) 
is  an  incurvation  of  the  spine  toward  the  fore  parts ; 
and  the  opposite  to  gibbosity.  It  is  synonymous  with 
lumbago,  tabes  dorsalis,  and  with  a  curvature  of  the 
legs  inward. 

LORICA,  (from  lorica,  a  coat  of  mail').  A  lute 
with  which  glass  retorts,  &c.  are  coated,  before  they 
are  put  into  the  fire. 

LO'RIND  MATRI'CIS.  An  epilepsy,  or  a  con- 
vulsive disorder  supposed  to  proceed  from  the  uterus. 

LO'TIO,(from  lavo,  to  watfi).  A  LOTION;  an  exter- 
nal fluid  application.  When  used  on  the  eyes,  it  re- 
ceives the  name  of  collyrium;  on  the  face,  a  lotion; 
on  any  other  part  an  embrocation.  It  is  the  appellation 
of  clyster,  and  a  name  of  the  urine. 

LO'TIO  ALT/MINIS.     See  INFLAMMATIO. 

Lo'TIO    AMMO-NIjE    MURIATjE,    Lo'TIO   AMMO'NIJE  A.CE- 

TAT.S.     See  INFLAMMATIO  MAMM.S. 

LO'TIO  AMMO'NIJE  MURIA'T^E  CUM  ACE'TO.  See  IN- 
FLAMMATIO. 

LO'TIO  SPIRITUO'SA.     See  AMBUSTA. 

LO'TUS,  (from  A*,  to  desire,  from  the  deliciousness 
of  its  fruit).  The  species  used  in  medicine  are  noticed 
under  the  different  names  they  bear. 

LO'TUS  A'RBOR,  Celtis  Australia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1478, 
the  LOTE  or  NETTLE  TREE,  grows  in  the  southern  parts 
of  Europe;  its  berries  are  astringent. 

LO'TUS  URBANA,  trifolium  odoratum,  melilotus  ma- 
jor odorato  violacea,  trifolium  m.  officinale  Lin.  Sp.  PJ. 
1078.  SWEET  TREFOIL.  The  seeds,  leaves,  and  flow- 
ers, are  supposed  to  be  anodyne  and  diaphoretic. 

5  U 


LITE 


882 


LITE 


LOXA'RTHRUS,  (from  A»|««,  oblique,  and  apfytv, 
ti  joint*).  An  obliquity  of  the  head  of  bones,  and  the 
muscles  annexed;  of  the  joint  to  a  degree  of  deformity, 
without  luxation  or  spasm. 

LUCE  (EAU  DE).     See  ALCALI. 

LU'CIDUM  SAL,  (from  luceo,  to  shine).  See 
GEMM.S  SAL. 

LU'CIDUS  LA'PIS,  (from  the  same).     See  Bouo- 

NIENSIS  LAPIS. 

LUCI'NA,  (from  luceo,  to  shine').  DIANA.  See 
ALILAT. 

LU'DUS  HELMO'NTII,  (from  its  resemblance  to 
a  die).  A  roundish  mass,  which  seems  to  have  cracked 
in  drying,  and  the  interstices  to  be  filled  up  by  a  cal- 
careous matter,  which  frequently  rises  above  the  sur- 
face. The  wtole  is  an  argillaceous  clay,  and  the  mass 
consists  of  prisms  of  different  sizes  separated  by  the 
calcareous  matter.  See  Haiiy,  iv.  455. 

Paracelsus  described  the  cubic  pyritae,  which  are 
like  dice,  and  called  them  ludi:  Helmont  mistook  him, 
and  supposed  this  stone,  which  is  mostly  divided  into 
squares,  by  the  cracks  to  be  the  substance.  The  spar 
that  fills  up  the  cracks  is  only  to  be  used;  for  it  is  that 
alone  which  promotes  urine,  and  is  supposed  a  remedy 
for  the  stone. 

LU'ES,  (from  luo,  to  dissolve,  because  it  produces 
dissolution ;  or  from  the  Hebrew  term,  laugh,  to  absorb,} 
the  PESTILENCE  in  men,  and  the  MURRAIN  in  beasts. 

LU'ES  DEI'FICA.  One  of  the  ridiculous  names  for 
the  epilepsy. 

LU'ES  NEURO'DES  CONVULSI'VA,  a  mild  typhus. 

LU'ES  VEXE'REA.  The  VENEREAL  DISEASE.  Jlfihro- 
disiacus  and  Gallicus  morbus,  grand  gor,  Patursa  mor- 
bus  Indicus  and  JVea/iolitanus.  Dr.  Cullen  names  it 
tsyfihilis,  and  places  it  in  the  class  cachexies,  and  order 
imfietigines,  defining  it  a  contagious  disease,  arising 
after  impure  coition,  and  a  disease  of  the  genitals;  ul- 
cers of  the  throat;  corymbose  papulse  of  the  skin,  par- 
ticularly at  the  margin  of  the  hairy  scalp,  running  in 
scabs  and  scabby  ulcers ;  pain  in  the  bones,  and  exos- 
toses:  one  species  only  exists. 

The  source  of  this  disease  has  occasioned  much  con- 
iroversy,  which,  though  not  interesting  in  the  result,  is 
not  without  curiosity,  and  a  slight  attention  to  it  is,  on 
this  occasion,  necessary.  It  has  been  generally  sup- 
posed that  the  venereal  disease  is  a  native  of  America, 
and  was  brought  to  Europe  by  Colon  (Columbus);  an 
opinion  supported  by  the  apparently  minute  accuracy 
of  Dr.  Astruc,  whose  evidence  has  not  been  carefully 
appreciated,  neither  has  the  whole  been  properly  ad- 
duced. Columbus  returned  from  his  first  voyage  in 
1494,  and  from  his  second  in  1496;  but  there  is  not 
the  slightest  pretence  that  the  disease  was  brought  to 
Europe  on  his  first  return.  His  seamen  are  said  to 
have  oeen  in  good  health;  and  in  his  life,  collected 
from  his  own  MSS.,  by  his  son  Ferdinand,  not  a  word 
occurs  of  any  disease  of  this  kind.  Columbus  too  re- 
turned in  March,  1494:  at  this  time  the  disease  began 
to  rage  in  Naples.  He  landed  in  Portugal;  but  in  this 
country  the  disease  did  not  appear  till  two  or  three 
years  afterwards.  The  medical  authors  who  wrote  in  1496 
mention  it  as  a  new  disease  "  then  raging,"  and  some  of 
these  date  it  two  years  before.  Hock  de  Brakenaw, 
a  professor  of  medicine  at  Bologna,  fixes  HS  era  in 


1494;  and  he  wrote  only  eight  years  afterwards.  Ca- 
taneus,  who  wrote  in  1505  at  Genoa;  and  De  Vigo, 
physician  to  the  pope,  whose  work  was  published  in 
1512,  both  professional  men,  living  almost  on  the 
spot,  and  so  very  near  to  its  first  appearance,  fixed 
its  earliest  era  in  1494.  Pinter,  a  Spanish  physician, 
who  resided  at  Rome  as  physician  to  Pope  Alexander 
VI.  from  1492  to  1502,  and  who  wrote  in  1499,  fixes 
its  era  also  at  1494.  Fulgosius,  and  some  other  au- 
thors, assign  an  earlier  period  to  its  appearance ;  but 
there  is  much  doubt  whether  it  was  known  before  the 
end  of  1493.  Coccius,  in  a  work  published  at  Venice 
in  1502,  dates  its  era  in  1495 ;  and  Jean  de  Bourdigne, 
the  French  historian,  remarks,  that  it  began  to  rage  in 
France  in  1495.  The  evidence  of  Columbus  importing 
it,  on  his  return  from  his  second  voyage,  is  more  strik- 
ing, but  equally  inconclusive.  He  returned  in  1496, 
and  Oviedo  describes  Moses  Peter  Margarita  as  affected 
"  with  the  distemper."  He  observes,  that  he  had  so 
many  pains  that  he  believes  he  had  also  the  pains  of  that 
disease.  The  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  soldiers 
who  returned  with  him  were  undoubtedly  in  a  wretched 
state  of  health;  but  previous  to  their  embarkation  they 
had  been  besieged  in  their  camp  by  the  Indians,  and 
reduced  to  live  on  the  most  unwholesome  food.  In  this 
state  they  crossed  the  Atlantic.  They  are  described 
not  as  having  bubos,  or  cutaneous  eruptions,  but  as  of 
the  colour  of  saffron. 

It  is  singular,  that  if  the  venereal  disease  was  of  Ame- 
rican origin  it  should  not  be  traced  by  cotemporary  au- 
thors to  America.  The  new  world  was  never  accused 
of  sending  us  this  scourge  till  after  the  third  voyage  of 
Columbus,  and  then,  indeed,  it  was  received  from 
thence,  though  undoubtedly  first  carried  there  ;  nor  has 
any  author  shown  that  it  was  endemic  in  America.  They 
indeed  describe  a  cutaneous  disease,  which  still  exists, 
and  is  styled  at  present  the  yaws,  of  which  the  pain  is 
apparently  a  modification. 

The  origin  of  lues,  though  seemingly  connected  with 
the  discovery  of  America,  is  more  strictly  so  with  the 
expulsion  of  the  Moors,  who,  driven  from  Spain,  retired 
to  Italy,  and  resided  on  the  outside  of  the  Appian  gate 
at  Rome,  when  some  of  them  clandestinely  entered  the 
city.  The  cutaneous  diseases  of  that  race  engrafted 
on  constitutions  enfeebled  by  the  plague,  or  united  with 
the  prevailing  epidemic,  apparently  produced  a  new  and 
distinct  disorder.  We  shall  sum  up  the  whole  in  the 
words  of  a  critic  in  a  periodical  journal,  who  has  seem- 
ingly examined  the  subject  with  considerable  attention 
in  the  original  authors. 

"  The  summary  of  the  whole  may  be  very  short.  In 
Italy,  from  the  year  1491  to  1495,  from  the  great  inun- 
dations and  severe  droughts  succeeding  each  other, 
pestilential  fevers  of  the  most  fatal  kind  prevailed.  The 
disease  was  styled  the  plague;  but  it  appears  to  have 
been  only  a  fever  attended  with  the  most  violently  putrid 
symptoms,  among  which  were  glandular  abscesses, 
sores,  and  blotches,  which  discharged  a  malignant  sanies. 
Those  who  recovered  did  not  soon  return  to  perfect 
health  :  the  abscesses  remained  in  a  chronic  form,  and 
the  whole  mass  of  blood  was  infected.  In  this  state 
the  disease  seems  to  have  been  communicated  by  infec- 
tion, at  first  from  the  most  general  contact;  and  it  was 
continued  in  this  highly  infectious  state  many  years. 


LITE 


883 


LUE 


when  it  was  attended  with  fever,  often  of  the  putrid 
kind.  In  better  situations  it  sooner  assumed  a  chronic 
appearance,  and  by  degrees  fixed  itself  in  those  parts, 
so  as  to  be  communicated  only  by  personal  connection. 
It  is  particularly  observable, on  a  minute  examination  of 
the  authors,  that  venereal  symptoms  mixed  themselves 
with  those  of  fever :  or,  in  other  words,  the  peculiar 
symptoms  of  that  epidemic  were  such  as  have  since 
discriminated  syphilis.  These  symptoms  continued  sub- 
sequent to  that  fever,  and  were  at  last  communicated 
by  infection  to  those  who  never  had  the  fever."  See 
Astruc,  Swediaur,  and  J.  Foot,  on  the  Venereal  Disease ; 
Becket,  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  30  and  31 ; 
Sanchez'  Historical  Investigation  into  the  first  appear- 
ance of  the  Venereal  Disease  in  Europe  ;  Hensler's  two 
Treatises  on  the  American  Origin  of  the  Venereal  Dis- 
ease ;  Girtanner's  Treatise,  in  3  vols.  8vo.  at  Gottin- 
gen;  Gruner's  supplementary  volume  to  the  Aphro- 
disiacus  of  Luisinus,  published  at  Jena ;  Perenottis'  Ge- 
neral and  Descriptive  History  of  the  Origin,  &c.  of  the 
Venereal  Infection,  8vo.  Turin ;  Critical  Review,  vol. 
65 ;  Second  Series,  vol.  5  and  10. 

The  lues  is  at  present  received  from  infection  only, 
and  it  usually  shows  its  source  by  the  tumour  of  the 
glands,  interposed  between  it  and  the  receptaculum 
chyli,  as  in  the  lymphatic  glands  of  the  groin,  when  re- 
ceived in  venereal  embraces ;  in  the  axilla  when  by 
wounds  in  the  fingers,  either  in  dissection  or  obstetri- 
cal labours  ;  and  in  the  neck  when  received  by  child- 
ren suckling,  or,  as  was  formerly  the  case,  by  kissing. 
Where  the  skin  is  thin,  as  in  the  first  and  last  instances, 
it  is  absorbed  from  the  surface,  but  not  from  the  fingers, 
unless  there  is  a  wound.  Swellings  of  the  lymphatic 
glands  are  not  always  the  consequence  of  infection. 
Sometimes  no  stoppage  occurs,  and  sometimes,  as  in 
the  glands  of  the  mesentery,  either  from  anastomosis,  or . 
a  lymphatic  escaping  a  gland  (see  LACTEA  VASA),  no 
inflammation  takes  place.  When  children  receive  the 
infection  from  their  mothers  they  are  sometimes  born 
with  eruptions,  chiefly  discovered  about  the  nates;  but 
sometimes  the  disease  is  not  discovered  till  after  about 
three  weeks  or  a  month,  when  foul  ulcers,  blotches,  or 
brown  copper  coloured  eruptions,  appear  about  the 
mouth,  the  nates,  or  other  parts.  It  is  contended  by- 
some  pathologists,  that,  as  there  appears  to  be  no  in- 
fection of  the  blood,  it  is  not  probable  that  the  foetus 
should  be  diseased  in  the  uterus.  They  consider,  there- 
fore, the  infant  as  infected  at  the  period  of  its  passing 
through  the  vagina.  If  it  were  certain  the  venereal 
vilcers  were  never  observed  at  the  birth,  we  might  admit 
this  idea;  but  we  think  we  have  in  more  than  one 
instance  discovered  them  when  the  child  was  first 
washed;  and  though  we  admit  the  general  mass  to  be 
without  any  discoverable  taint,  we  know  not  but  that 
some  separation  may  take  place  in  the  maternal  part  of 
the  placenta.  It  is  sufficient  at  this  time  to  admit 
that  the  child  is  often  infected  from  the  parent ;  and 
when  the  lues  has  continued,  in  either  parent,  for  a 
long  period,  though  then  apparently  free,  the  child  will 
soon  sink  with  numerous  anomalous  symptoms  resem- 
bling, though  distantly  only,  the  lues.  ' 

As  a  running  and  discharge  distinguish  a  gonorrhoea, 
so  does  a  small,  hard,  irritable  pimple  usher  in  the 
more  decided  lues.  This  pimple,  called  a  CHANCRE, 
q.  v.j  is  very  general,  we  believe  universal,  but  so  little 


painful,  that  it  often  passes  unobserved.  In  this  state 
it  seems  to  convey  no  infection,  and  for  a  time  no 
matter  is  certainly  absorbed  from  it;  but,  at  an  inde- 
finite period,  the  glands  in  the  groin  begin  to  swell,  and 
a  hard,  painful  cord,  an  inflamed  lymphatic,  may  some- 
times be  traced  along  the  back  of  the  penis  to  the 
tumid  gland  (see  BUBO).  As  the  chancre  occasionally 
passes  unnoticed,  so  a  bubo,  as  we  have  said,  does 
not  always  occur,  and  the  patient  continues  in  a  delu- 
sive security,  unsuspicious  of  any  disease  :  yet,  if  either 
is  attended  to,  the  disease  might  probably  be  checked 
in  its  bud.  We  would  not,  however,  enforce  such  an 
idea;  and  we  have  rather  recommended  discussing  bubos, 
for  this  reason,  that  we  avoid  a  troublesome  sore,  and 
at  last  cannot  escape  from  a  mercurial  course.  It  is 
not,  however,  by  suppuration  that  the  future  lues  can 
be  averted,  but  by  an  extirpation  of  the  gland;  yet 
even  this,  for  the  reasons  already  assigned,  would  not 
offer  a  perfect  security. 

When  neither  chancre  nor  bubo  calls  the  attention 
to  the  disease,  little  inconvenience  is  felt  for  some 
weeks,  sometimes  many  months.  It  has  been  contended 
that  the  infection  may  be  dormant  for  many  years ;  but 
this  is  certainly  not  true,  and  the  idea  has  been  cherished 
to  excuse  fresh  infection.  So  frequently  do  patients  de- 
ceive us  in  this  respect,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  fix  th<? 
limits  of  the  poison  lurking  unobserved.  Perhaps  from 
three  weeks  to  six  months  some  symptoms  are  usually 
to  be  discovered.  If  minutely  examined,  the  first  ap- 
pearances are  a  sallow  countenance,  languor,  and  list- 
lessness ;  copper  coloured  spots  on  the  breast,  the  arms, 
and  the  face,  particularly  on  the  forehead,  and  round 
the  roots  of  the  hair.  These  by  degrees  become  scalv, 
occasionally  discharging  a  thin  fluid,  which  forms  'a 
scab.  Soon  afterwards  an  uneasiness  is  felt  in  swallow- 
ing, and  a  livid,  flabby  inflammation  is  observed  in  the 
throat,  with  deep  ulcers,  covered  at  the  bottom  with  a 
slough,  whose  edges  are  ragged.  There  is  no  very 
marked  difference  between  these  and  the  ulcers  of  the 
angina  gangrenosa  ;  but  they  are  distinguished  by  the 
absence  of  fever,  and.  their  continuance  with  little, 
sometimes  scarcely  any,  loss  of  strength. 

These  ulcers  occasion  a  hoarseness,  and,  if  near  the 
Eustachian  tube,  a  deafness  ;  and  by  degrees  cover  the 
fauces,  or  at  least  extend  far  over  them.  If  still  farther 
neglected,  pains  are  felt  in  the  bones,  chiefly  in  the 
harder  long  bones,  as  the  shin  and  arms,  often  in  the 
skull,  particularly  over  the  eyes,  and  at  the  bottom  of 
the  orbits.  A  swelling  comes  on  the  shin  bones,  and 
sometimes  on  the  os  frontis,  which,  if  neglected,  cor- 
rodes into  a  foul  ulcer,  with  a  caries,  penetrating  to  the 
brain.  The  ulcers  on  the  shin  and  humerus  assume 
the  same  appearance ;  the  palate  bone  equally  suffers, 
and  the  meat  in  deglutition  is  returned  through  the 
nostrils.  The  bones  of  the  nose  soon  share  a  similar 
fate,  and  the  nose  sinks  flat  on  the  face.  When  the 
pains  of  the  bones  commence,  the  strength  begins  to 
fail,  and,  long  before  these  extremities,  is  so  much  re- 
duced that  the  patient  crawls  with  difficulty.  Hectic 
fever  comes  on,  and  death  closes  the  loathsome  scene". 
In  the  earlier  histories  of  this  complaint  the  symptoms 
are  more  various  and  more  dreadful ;  but  on  these  we 
need  not  enlarge,  as  we  have  continued  the  description 
far  beyond  the  point  at  which  the  disease  is  usually 
suffered  to  arrive.  In  the  whole  of  this  course  the 
5U  2 


L  UE 


884 


LUE 


blood  is  apparently  untainted.  It  will  not  at  least  com- 
municate the  infection  ;  for  the  matter  is  largely  diluted, 
and  probably  sheathed  by  the  albumen.  When  de- 
posited in  the  glands,  without  this  medium,  its  virulence 
is  discovered.  By  what  power  it  is  deposited  is  among 
the  arcana  of  physiology,  which  we  can  only  approach 
by  conjecture  (see  SECRETION).  The  poison  itself 
seems  to  possess  an  assimilatory  property  ;  and,  when  in 
a  considerable  degree  of  concentration,  to  be  highly  de- 
leterious, affecting,  by  its  sedative  powers,  the  nervous 
system^  and  even  the  mind  ;  for  a  despondency,  which 
the  removal  of  the  symptoms  cannot  relieve,  is  among 
its  effects  when  far  advanced. 

These  general  appearances  are  often  accompanied  by 
still  more  distressing  local  ones.  Though  we  have  only 
mentioned  the  chancre  as  the  first  symptom,  it  is  some- 
times followed  by  painful  ulcers,  spreading,  unobserved, 
under  the  prepuce,  and  gradually  destroying  the  glans, 
sometimes  the  whole  penis.  A  suppurated  bubo  is  often 
equally  destructive,  forming  numerous  extensive  sinuses 
which  assume  the  appearance  of  cancer.  Abscesses  form 
in  the  perinseum,  producing  fistulous  ulcers  in  the  blad- 
der, through  which  the  urine  issues,  and  tubercles,  styled 
condylomata,  round  the  anus,  almost  close  the  sphincter, 
or  suppurate  in  fetid,  ill  conditioned  ulcers. 

If  such  and  so  distressing  were  the  forms  of  the  dis- 
ease, and  they  were  much  more  so  at  its  first  appear- 
ance, we  cannot  be  surprised  at  the  terror  which  seized 
the  earliest  practitioners,  who  witnessed  its  devastations 
without  the  power  of  being  able  to  check  them.  Mer- 
cury, its  only  remedy,  was,  however,  soon  discovered, 
and  applied,  apparently,  at  first  with  a  happy  boldness  by 
empirics ;  for  guacksalber,  the  German  appellation  of 
this-metal,  was  the  root  of  the  opprobrious  appellation, 
a  quack;  though  quackery  now  in  a  more  extensive 
sense  may  be  found  among  those  who  claim  a  regular 
education,  as  well  as  those  whose  medical  merit  lies  in 
the  diploma  they  have  purchased. 

Mercury  is  supposed  to  be  a  specific  in  this  disease, 
in  other  words  to  oppose  its  course  by  properties  pecu- 
liarly its  own.  If  we  bring  this  idea  to  a  more  rigorous 
test,  it  will,  we  think,  amount  to  this  ;  that  mercury,  by 
a  chemical  combination  with  the  virus,  destroys  its 
efficacy.  This  is  a  subject  which,  when  treating  of 
mercury  (see  ARGENTUM  VIVUM),  we  reserved,  and  it 
is  one  which  has  occasioned  much  controversy.  As 
usual,  we  must  state  the  outline  in  a  summary  way.  If 
mercury  acts  as  a  specific,  its  effects  would  probably  be 
in  proportion  to  its  quantity ;  but  in  reality  they  are  in 
proportion  to  its  active  state,  or  rather  to  its  oxygena- 
tion.  If,  too,  it  acts  in  this  way,  its  effects  should  be  the 
same  whether  it  produced  any  sensible  evacuation  or 
not,  for  if  the  poison  was  destroyed  we  should  be 
indifferent  about  its  discharge ;  but  this  is  not  the  case, 
for  it  never  cures  without  inducing  some  evacuation. 
The  difficulties  which  stand  in  the  way  of  its  acting  as 
an  evacuant  only  are  considerable.  The  poison  is  said 
to  possess  an  assimilatory  power,  so  that  whatever  por- 
tion- is  discharged,  should  any  remain,  the  disease  must 
recur.  To  this  we  can  only  reply  that,  probably,  mer- 
cury promotes  the  evacuation  more  rapidly  than  the  as- 
similatory power  produces  new  supplies ;  and  as  the 
poison,  when  formed,  is  conveyed  to  the  skin,  from 
whence  it  is  most  re,  adily  eliminated  by  the  mercury,  we 
can  easily  perceive  that  in  no  long  period  the  cause  must 


be  removed.  Yet  were  this  the  only  effect  other  eva- 
cuants  should  be  equally  serviceable ;  and  indeed  it 
will  be  alleged,  that  those  which  are  determined  to  the 
skin,  and  possess  a  power  of  stimulating  the  extreme 
vessels,  are  powerful  antisyphilitics.  Of  this  kind  it  is 
said  are  the  mezereon,  the  sarsa,  the  guaiacum,  and 
probably  the  volatile  alkali ;  those  which  operate  by  the 
intestines,  as  the  lobelia,  and  some  others,  are  supposed 
to  be  equally  useful :  but  let  their  respective  powers  be 
urged  so  far  as  facts  will  warrant,  or  as  the  prejudices 
of  their  admirers  will  carry  them,  each  will  be  found 
greatly  inferior  to  mercury,  except  in  a  warm  climate, 
where  the  disease  is  slight  and  manageable,  often  yield- 
ing to  the  power  of  nature  alone.  Again:  were  mer- 
cury a  specific,  its  power  would  be  peculiarly  striking 
in  the  local  complaints.  It  has  been  said,  that  the  mat- 
ter of  a  chancre  mixed  with  a  mercurial  preparation 
will  not  convey  the  disease ;  but  the  experiment  has 
not  been  so  carefully  made,  or  so  attentively  repeated, 
as  to  induce  us  to  rest  on  it  with  confidence.  But 
will  any  one  contend,  that  in  venereal  sores  mercury  is 
not  an  application  more  certainly  and  speedily  useful 
than  any  other  ?  The  smarting  of  an  irritable  chancre 
is  greatly  mitigated  by  the  dry  calomel  in  powder ;  the 
discharge  of  a  bubo  meliorated  by  mercurial  ointment. 
It  will  be  alleged  that  any  warm  stimulating  applica- 
tion will  be  equally  beneficial.  In  gonorrhoea,  indeed, 
it  will  be  so  ;  but  gonorrhoea  and  syphilis  are  certainly 
distinct  in  their  causes,  their  progress,  and  effects. 
While,  therefore,  it  is  highly  probable  that  mercury 
acts  as  a  stimulant  and  a  tonic,  supporting  more  actively 
and  steadily  the  action  of  the  cutaneous  vessel^  than  any 
other  medicine,  we  cannot  deny  that  it  has  some  che- 
mical effect  on  the  poison  itself,  either  diminishing  its 
virulence,  or  disposing  it  more  readily  for  evacuation. 

This  peculiar  quality  is  still  in  obscurity,  but  we 
may  be  allowed  to  suggest  whether  it  is  not  at  least 
connected  with  the  oxygen  of  its  preparations.  We 
have  occasionally  indulged  ourselves  in  conjectures, 
but  have  not  suffered  them  to  detain  us  long.  We  shall 
now,  therefore,  shortly  remark,  that  mercurial  prepara- 
tions are,  as  already  observed,  active  in  proportion  to  the 
oxygen  which  they  contain ;  that  other  substances  con- 
taining a  proportion  of  oxygen  are  useful  in  at  least  ar- 
resting the  progress  of  the  poison ;  that  the  sallow 
complexion,  the  inert,  inirritable  state  of  the  sores,  as 
well  as  the  appearance  of  the  matter  discharged,  show 
that  there  is  a  great  deficiency  of  oxygen  in  the  system." 
If  then  the  mineral  acids  are  only  partially  effectual 
in  removing  syphilis,  may  we  not  contend  that,  besides 
the  oxygen,  the  steady  diaphoretic  effect  of  the  mercury 
is  required  ?  When  the  sarsa  and  mezereon  fail,  may  it 
not  be  alleged  that  the  oxygen  is  wanting  ?  They  do 
not,  indeed,  fail  in  warm  climates,  where,  though  the 
disease  is  milder,  the  oxygen  is  apparently  more  copi- 
ously separated  in  the  ordinary  functions. 

To  the  numerous  and  crowded  list  of  remedies  for 
this  disease,  M.  Acharius  of  Stockholm  has  lately 
added  tar-water.  Alone,  it  is  said  to  cure,  or  to  be  a 
powerful  auxiliary  to  mercury  or  the  nitric  acid.  We 
need  not  attempt  to  connect  this  opinion  with  our 
former  observations,  till  experience  has  more  fully  ap^ 
predated  the  value  of  the  proposal. 

In  whatever  way  mercury  acts,  it  is  admitted  to  be 
the  only  remedy  which  we  can  depend  on  in  this 


LUE 


885 


LUE 


climate.  Various  are  the  opinions  respecting  the  pre- 
paration to  be  chosen,  the  forms  of  administration,  and 
the  conduct  of  the  plan.  Every  practitioner  has  his 
predilections  and  his  prejudices  respecting  particular 
preparations ;  but  we  are  coming  back  to  the  earliest 
views,  and  it  is  now  generally  agreed  that  the  mercu- 
rial pill,  and  the  friction  with  mercurial  ointmert,  are 
most  commonly  successful.  Of  the  other  internal  mer- 
curials, perhaps  calomel  is  equally  useful  with  any 
other ;  and  though  we  have,  for  a  long  time,  employed 
mercurius  calcinatus,  we  know  not  that  it  is  superior 
in  efficacy ;  but  to  this  part  of  the  subject  we  must 
return. 

In  the  earlier  periods,  mercury  was  employed  so 
freely,  or  rather  so  rashly,  that  the  most  fatal  con- 
sequences often  ensued.  The  loss  of  the  teeth  and  the 
injury  of  the  sight  were  among  the  slightest  of  these  ; 
and  sometimes  a  fatal  apoplexy  has  supervened,  which 
yet  occasionally  happens,  though  the  event  is  peculiarly 
rare.  Terrified  by  these  events,  practitioners  began  to 
think  that  mercury  in  very  large  doses  was  unnecessary ; 
and  the  quacks  at  last  contended  that  their  boasted 
nostrums  contained  none.  In  their  preparations,  indeed, 
the  most  active  mercurials  are  employed,  and  they  de- 
pend on  the  colour  and  the  density  of  their  medicine  to 
elude  the  detection  of  the  mineral ;  but  modern  che- 
mistry has  too  many  resources  to  be  so  easily  baffled, 
as  our  remarks  in  the  article  ARGENTUM  VIVUM  will 
evince ;  to  which  we  could  add  some  experiments  of 
our  own.  Others,  melioris  notae,  assert,  that  they  can 
cure  the  disease  without  salivation  ;  and  practitioners 
of  credit  do  not  often  require  confinement.  Yet,  in 
such  cases,  relapses  we  have  found  not  uncommon ;  and 
though  confinement  may  be  sometimes  dispensed  with 
in  warm  weather,  it  will  be  more  safe  to  enjoin  it. 
The  severity  of  the  old  process  is  greatly  mitigated  since 
the  days  of  Pott,  and  the  last  author  of  that  school  who 
countenances  it  is,  we  believe,  Mr.  Howard.  Yet 
when  the  disease  has  long  continued,  where  the  bones 
are  greatly  affected,  and  every  part  of  the  system  seems 
to  be  contaminated,  this  severity  should  still  be  em- 
ployed. Without  it,  in  such  cases,  there  is  no  safety. 
In  more  recent  complaints,  a  milder  course  may  be 
trusted;  and  a  spitting,  not  exceeding  a  pint  in  a  day, 
continued  for  about  three  weeks,  or  a  month,  will  often 
effectually  cure.  It  must,  however,  be  remembered, 
that  the  longer  the  disease  has  continued,  the  more  in- 
timately it  appears  to  have  penetrated,  the  more  active 
must  be  the  salivation,  and  the  longer  should  be  its 
duration.  Iij  general,  gargles,  and  any  applications, 
except  the  mildest,  should  be  avoided;  for  though  the 
topical  complaints  will  be  sooner  relieved,  these  should 
be  left  as  indices  to  enable  us  to  judge  of  the  state  of 
the  constitution.  In  cases  where  discovery  is  dreaded 
from  these  local  affections,  this  precaution  may  be  disre- 
garded. 

It  has  been  a  question,  whether,  when  other  dis- 
charges are  increased,  salivation  is  necessary.  When 
the  cutaneous  evacuation,  or  the  urine,  is  evidently 
and  copiously  increased  in  quantity,  it  is  highly  pro- 
.  bable  that  the  disease  will  be  equally  removed.  Yet 
no  prudent  practitioner  will  wholly  depend  on  these 
discharges.  We  know  only  that  mercury  is  accumu- 
lated in  the  system  by  its  affecting  the  mouth ;  and  un- 


less accumulated,  the  disease  will  not  be  cured.  Yet 
many  persons  no  quantity  of  mercury  will  salivate,  and 
to  increase  the  dose  beyond  due  bounds  may  be  dan- 
gerous, as  a  most  profuse  and  violent  spitting  some- 
times attacks  at  once.  In  such  instances,  we  have  found 
it  advantageous  to  employ  the  assistant  medicines,  as 
the  mezereon,  Etc. ;  and  to  watch  the  progress  of  the 
local  complaints.  When  these  have  yielded,  and  the 
constitution  in  general  is  amended,  the  omission  of 
mercury  may  for  a  time  be  allowed,  and  it  may  at  a 
future  period  be  commenced  with  more  success.  When 
we  have  perceived  from  these  indices  that  little  has 
been  gained,  rubbing  calomel  on  the  gums,  a  practice 
recommended,  we  believe,  first  by  Mr.  Cline,  has  suc- 
ceeded, though  troublesome  ulcers  in  the  mouth  have 
sometimes  followed. 

When  mercury  has  conquered  the  general  disease, 
the  local  ones  often  continue  troublesome.  The  sores 
in  the  throat  are,  indeed,  frequently  the  effect  of  the 
remedy,  and  may  be  distinguished  from  true  venereal 
sores  by  their  being  less  deep  and  foul,  with  edges 
less  ragged,  or  insensibly  lost  in  the  ephelion.  These 
may  be  healed  by  discontinuing,  the  medicine,  and 
using  gently  astringent  gargles.  The  nocturnal  pains, 
the  gummata,  tophi  et  nodi,  and  the  venereal  excre- 
scences, often  continue  after  the  constitution  is  wholly 
cleared.  The  mezereon  will  relieve  in  many  instances 
the  pains  ;  and  the  warts  must  be  treated,  like  any 
others,  with  caustics,  or  the  knife.  The  gymmata  we 
have  already  described,  and  need  only  add  in  this  place, 
that  if  the  mezereon,  with  the  topical  application  of 
mercurial  ointment,  does  not  succeed  in  reducing  them, 
they  will  at  least  be  no  longer  painful ;  but,  should  the 
patient  still  wish  to  be  effectually  cured,  the  surgeon  may 
make  an  incision  on  the  bone,  and  cut  out  the  tumefied 
part,  bringing  on  a  suppuration  to  complete  the  cure. 
The  process  is,  however,  painful  and  troublesome ;  nor 
is  it  advisable  on  the  head,  since  the  node  often  arises 
in  the  diploe  of  the  scull,  and  each  lamella  is  equally 
affected. 

The  doses  of  mercury  must  be  managed  with  caution, 
and  very  slight  ones  first  employed.  If  we  give  the 
mercury  oxygenated  by  triture,  about  four  grains  of 
the  blue  pill  of  the  Edinburgh  Pharmacopoeia,  which 
contains  a  grain  of  mercury,  will  be  sufficient,  if  re- 
peated three  times  a  day.  If  calomel  or  mercurius 
calcinatus  is  employed,  a  grain  night  and  morning 
at  first,  or  two  grains  at  night,  guarded  with  a  grain  of 
opium,  lest  it  should  irritate  the  bowels,  will  be  a 
proper  dose.  If  the  ointment  is  preferred,  half  a  drachm 
of  the  strong  mercurial  ointment  may  be  rubbed  in 
night  and  morning.  In  about  a  week  or  ten  days,  by 
either  plan,  the  mouth  will  be  slightly  sore,  and  the 
repetition  may  be  regulated  by  its  degree,  or  by  the 
violence  or  duration  of  the  complaint.  In  many  cases 
the  bowels  will  be  so  much  affected  by  the  mercurial, 
that  no  doses  of  opium  will  check  the  pain  or  diarrhoea : 
in  many  the  salivation  comes  on  so  rapidly  that  the  effects 
on  the  disease  cannot  be  depended  on.  Sometimes 
opium,  sometimes  the  haematoxylon,  the  catechu,  the 
kino,  the  oak  bark,  or  tormenul,  will  check  the  dis- 
charge on  the  bowels ;  and  the  Dover's  powder,  pulvis 
ipecacuanhas  compositus,  with  a  warm  regimen,  and  a 
flannel  shirt,  prevent  its  affecting  too  soon  the  mouth. 


L  UE 


886 


LU  E 


In  each  instance,  we  must  proceed  very  cautiously  with 
the  medicine,  to  accustom  the  constitution  to  its  irrita- 
tion. 

The  other  preparations  chiefly  in  use  are  Plenck's 
powder,  the  solution  of  the  sublimate,  the  mercurius 
acetatus,  and  alkalisatus.  From  these  we  seem  to  de- 
rive no  peculiar  advantage,  nor  are  the  two  latter,  as  is 
pretended,  less  irritating  to  the  bowels.  Plenck's  gummy 
solution  of  mercury  sometimes  appears  to  be  so,  but  is 
not  on  the  whole  superior.  The  solution  of  the  muri- 
ated  mercury,  introduced  by  the  baron  Van  Swieten, 
was  for  a  long  time  trusted.  It  affected  the  bowels  only 
in  a  slight  degree ;  and  when  its  menstruum  was 
corn  spirit,  it  sat  easily  on  the  stomach.  It  soon  ap- 
peared to  check  the  disorder,  but  here  unfortunately 
its  merits  rested.  When  the  complaints  were  diminish- 
ed, the  medicine  would  affect  no  more,  even  though  the 
dose  was  increased  ;  and  in  some  instances,  even  during 
its  use,  the  worst  symptoms  appeared  to  return.  Fumi- 
gations, which  were  formerly  much  employed,  are  now 
seldom  trusted,  and  seem  chiefly  useful  by  bringing  on, 
more  rapidly,  mercurial  effects  on  the  salivary  glands. 

In  a  very  low  state  of  the  constitution,  when  hectic 
symptoms  prevail,  mercury  is  of  doubtful  efficacy ;  but 
cautiously  and  gradually  administered,  it  does  not  in- 
crease hectic  symptoms  ;  and  it  is  not  difficult,  even  dur- 
ing the  progress  of  phthisis,  to  arrest,  in  a  great  measure, 
venereal  symptoms.  Though  its  action  on  the  salivary 
glands  is  necessary  to  show  that  it  is  introduced  in 
sufficient  quantities,  yet  when  these  are  soon  affected, 
as  we  have  said  happens  in  some  constitutions  from 
idiosyncracy,  and  very  generally  in  scorbutic  habits, 
there  is  no  opportunity  for  its  power  being  communicat- 
ed very  generally  to  the  smaller  vessels.  In  such  cases 
it  must  be  resigned,  if  a  warm  regimen  and  the  re- 
laxant diaphoretics,  just  mentioned,  will  not  direct  it  to 
other  excvetories. 

In  these  and  similar  cases  we  must  apply  to  what 
may  be  called  the  accessary  specifics,  and  we  fortu- 
nately have  some  active  medicines  of  this  class.  Among 
these  we  may  reckon  the  MINERAL  ACIDS,  particularly 
the  nitrous.  The  nitrous  acid  was  warmly  recom- 
mended to  us  from  the  experience  of  the  Indian  prac- 
titioners. Our  expectations,  often  deceived  by  pomp- 
ous promises,  were  not  raised  high  when  we  were  in- 
formed that  its  effects  were  equal  to  those  of  mercury; 
but,  though  far  inferior,  it  is  a  medicine  highly  useful. 
The  nitrous  acid  will  not  cure  lues,  but  it  will  arrest  the 
symptoms  and  restore  the  strength  in  those  intervals 
when  mercury  can  be  no  longer  borne.  It  will  some- 
times in  these  intervals  seem  even  to  advance  the  cure, 
and  we  can  truly  add,  that  the  methodus  medemli  has 
not  for  many  years  received  a  more  powerful  auxiliary. 
The  other  accessary  antisyphili  tics  are  the  bark,  opium, 
china  root,  guaiacum,  sassafrass,  astragalus,  lobelia,  lu- 
jiulus,  dulcamara,  sarsa,and  mezereon.  We  have  arrang- 
ed them  in  what  seems  the  order  of  their  efficacy,  com- 
mencing with  the  least  powerful  ;  omitting  the  volatile 
alkali,  muriated  barytes,  the  juniper,  the  cicuta,  the 
green  rind  of  the  walnut,  the  bardana,  and  suponaria, 
as  of  very  inconsiderable,  if  any,  power.  On  the  indivi- 
duals of  the  former  class  we  shall  add  a  few  remarks. 
The  Jieru-vian  bark  has,  alone,  no  power  of  checking 
:  progress  of  the  syphilitic  infection.  Yet  it  is  often 


the  progress 


highly  useful  in  lues,  when  mercurial  ulcers  occur  iii 
the  mouth ;  when  the  ulcers  of  suppurating  bubos  as- 
sume a  livid  appearance,  or  those  in  the  perinaeum  are 
foul,  with  deep  sloughs.  It  has  been  contended  that  it 
meliorates  venereal  symptoms ;  but,  in  reality,  it  only 
lessens  their  painful  irritation  by  diminishing  irritability. 
The  cicuta,  and  the  green  rind  of  the  walnut,  in  the 
second  class,  act  in  the  same  manner,  if  indeed  they 
have  any  effect. 

Ofiium  has  been  celebrated  as  a  certain  antisyphilitic, 
and,  in  many  instances,  it  has  had  apparently  a  power- 
ful effqct.  This,  however,  is  temporary  only,  and  the 
symptoms  have  returned  with  increased  violence.  It 
acts  like  the  former  medicine  by  lessening  irratibility, 
and  in  some  measure  perhaps  as  a  diaphoretic.  In  this 
way  it  is  peculiarly  useful  in  mercurial  ulcers.  The 
china  root.,  the  guaiacum,  sassafras,  astragalus,  escajnis, 
lobelia  syphilitic  a,  /ujnilus,and  dulcamara,  are  not  found 
to  answer  the  high  expectations  formerly  entertained 
of  them.  The  three  first  are  occasionally  ingredients 
in  diet  drinks,  and  the  three  last  are,  in  this  country, 
scarcely  ever  prescribed. 

The  sarsa/iarilla  has  retained  a  considerable  credit, 
and  is  even  now  generally  employed.  What  its  effects 
may  be  in  a  recent  state  we  know  not,  but  we  have 
found  its  powers  inconsiderable  in  this  country,  though 
we  have  given  large  doses  in  substance.  It  appears  to 
be  chiefly  mucilaginous,  with  few  sensible  properties, 
which  would  lead  us  to  suppose  it  active. 

The  mezereon,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  powerfully  sti- 
mulating diaphoretic,  from  a  plant  strongly  narcotic, 
and  seems  to  combine  the  united  virtues  of  the  rest. 
It  has  alone  often  effected  all  that  has  been  expected 
from  the  others,  which  in  many  instances  seem  to 
overwhelm  instead  of  adding  to  its  powers. 

If  we  examine  these  antisyphilitics  we  shall  find  them 
in  general  narcotic  ;  in  a  few  instances  merely  mucilagin- 
ous, and  in  general  diaphoretic.  If  the  sarsa  is  not  merely 
mucilaginous,  it  is  diaphoretic.  From  each  property 
we  perceive  that  some  advantages  may  be  derived  in 
lues ;  and  when  all  are  combined,  the  effects  may  be 
more  salutary.  In  the  mezereon'  we  combine  the 
diaphoretic  and  the  narcotic ;  in  the  sarsa,  the  former 
with  the  demulcent ;  in  juniper,  the  bardana,  the  sas- 
safras, and  the  guaiacum,  we  have  probably  only  the 
diaphoretic, or  with  a  less  degree  of  the  mucilaginous; 
in  the  dulcamara,  lupulus,  astragalus,  the  green  rind  of 
walnut,  bark,  and  opium,  the  narcotic  only.  The  same 
views  assist  us  in  forming  a  judgment  of  their  compa- 
rative merit ;  but  their  order  was  long  since  fixed  by 
experience,  before  we  had  occasion  to  examine  the 
source  of  their  efficacy.  Above  all  we  must  reflect, 
that  those  which  have  any  claim  to  a  diaphoretic  power 
are  given  in  decoction,  by  which  the  active  particles  are 
attenuated  and  conveyed  to  the  skin  ;  and  these  only  are 
useful  where  the  disease  has  penetrated  to  the  minutest 
vessels. 

Mr.  Bell  observes,  in  his  Treatise  on  Ulcers,  that 
those  which  are  the  result  of  a  venereal  taint  of  a  long 
continuance,  are  singular  in  the  appearance  of  their  dis- 
charge. It  is  at  first  thin,  but  soon  becomes  tough  and 
viscid  ;  having  a  very  loathsome,  though  not  the  ordinary, 
putrid  smell,  and  a  singular  greenish  yellow  colour. 
In  such  ulcers  as  have  a  lues  of  long  continuance 


LUM 


887 


LUM 


for  their  cause,  we  should  depend  on  the  effect  of  mer- 
cury given  internally,  contenting  ourselves  with  such 
external  applications  as  will  keep  the  sore  clean.  In 
this  manner  the  different  ulcers  are,  as  we  have  said, 
indices  that  the  disease  is  eradicated  from  the  habit. 
Venereal  ulcers  are  apt  to  inflame,  and  are  then  pain- 
ful ;  but  a  saturnine  poultice  will  relieve  the  inconve- 
nience, and  the  unguentum  cereum  Pharmac.  Edinb. 
will  be  only  required.  If  the  ulcer  is  seated  near  a  bone, 
the  appearance  of  fungous  flesh  will  lead  to  a  suspi- 
cion of  caries ;  and  besides  the  proper  treatment  for 
carious  bones,  mercury  must  be  administered.  These 
ulcers  are  often  obstinate,  though  every  venereal  symp- 
tom is  removed;  and  this  is  frequently  owing  to  some 
other  disease,  which  will  require  attention.  The  sores, 
however,  will  sometimes  not  heal  from  the  effects  of 
mercury,  and  then  the  bark,  opium,  or  both,  with  a 
nourishing  diet,  a  pure  air,  and  moderate  exercise,  will 
usually  succeed.  If  the  sloughs  on  these  ulcers  are 
tough,  dressings  that  gently  stimulate  will  be  required; 
and  two  drachms  of  the  nitrated  quicksilver  may  be 
addtd  to  an  ounce  of  the  unguentum  resinae  flavae  for 
this  purpose.  When  a  gland  is  the  seat  of  an  ulcer,  a 
salutary  suppuration  is  with  difficulty  produced,  and  the 
gland,  at  least  the  hardened  part  of  it,  must  be  destroyed 
by  repeated  applications  of  the  argentum  nitratum. 
See  Bell  on  Ulcers,  vol.  vi.  p.  381,  &c. 

An  eruption  of  the  skin  is  sometimes  also  the  conse- 
quence of  a  free  use  of  mercury,  attended  with  a  fever, 
usually  idiopathic.  The  skin  is  affected  with  a  prickling 
sensation,  and  a  rash  follows,  which  terminates  in  branny 
scales.  The  skin,  however,  is  left  in  a  state  peculiarly 
tender  and  irritable,  which  is  relieved  by  bark  or  opium, 
but,  above  all,  by  the  mineral  acids. 

When  venereal  ulcers  appear  cancerous,  fresh  air,  a 
fuller  diet,  abstinence  from  mercury,  and  hemlock 
applied  outwardly,  or  given  inwardly,  will  sometimes 
succeed.  A  more  speedy  effect  has  been  observed  from 
eating  several  lemons  in  a  day.  See  some  observations 
of  this  kind  in  the  London  Medical  Transactions,  vol. 
ii.  p.  338,  &c.  'Venereal  ulcers  in  the  throat  may  be 
conveniently  relieved  with  the  following :  R.  Hydrar- 
gyri  muriati,  gr.  x.  acidi  muriatici,  gut.  v.  tinct.  lav.  c. 
5  i.  m.  cap.  gut.  v. — xx.  bis.  die,  in  aq.  pura  vel  jusculi 
avenacei. 

Astruc  on  the  Venereal  Disease,  or  Chapman's 
Abridgment  of  Astruc;  Heister's  Surgery  ;  Fordyce's 
Elements,  part  the  second;  Falck's  Treatise  on  the 
Venereal  Disease;  Fordyce's  Review  of  the  Venereal 
Disease;  White's  Surgery,  vol.  iv.  p.  399,  423  ;  Swe- 
diaur,  Plenck,  Howard,  Bell,  and  Hunter,  on  Venereal 
Complaints ;  Pearson's  Observations  on  the  Effects  of 
various  Articles  of  the  Materia  Medica  in  Venereal 
Complaints. 

LU'JULA,  (corrupted  from  the  diminutive  ALLELU- 

JULA,  q.  V.).       ACETOSA. 

LUMBA'GO,  (from  lumbus,  a  loin~).  Pain  in  the 
loins.  See  RHEUMATISMUS  and  ARTHRITIS. 

LUMBA'GO  PSOA'DICA,  and  APOSTEMATOSA.  See 
ARTHROPUOSIS. 

LUMBA'LIS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  the  same).  See 

PsOAS. 

LUMBA'RES  NE'RVI,  (from  the  same).  The 
LUMBAR  NERVES  pass  out  from  the  spinal  marrow 
through  the  vertebrae  of  the  loins,  and  become  larger 


from  the  first  to  the  last.  The  first  lumbar  nerve  throws 
a  large  branch  backward,  and  two  filaments  to  the  in- 
tercostal :  the  trunk  of  the  nerve  goes  through  the  psoas 
muscle,  then  to  the  spine  of  the  os  ilium,  at  whose  an- 
terior superior  process  it  throws  off  several  branches  to 
the  muscles,  and  one  to  the  spermatic  cord  in  the  male, 
and  to  the  round  ligament  of  the  female.  The  first  going 
to  join  the  second,  sends  off  two  filaments;  one  of 
which  goes  to  the  spermatic  cord,  the  other  passes 
under  the  Poupart's  ligament  to  the  groin  ;  from  this  the 
pain  felt  in  the  thigh  during  a  fit  of  the  stone  is  ex- 
plained. 

The  second  lumbar  nerve  lies  on  the  inside  of  the 
psoas  muscle,  goes  through  its  head,  and  runs  along  it; 
then  passes  through  the  annular  aperture  of  the  obli- 
quus  externus  to  the  scrotum  in  males,  and  the  labia  in 
women.  The  second  lumbar  nerve  joins  with  the  third  ; 
and  that  again  communicating  with  the  fourth,  forms 
the  crural  nerve.  See  CRURALIS. 

The  fourth  and  fifth  lumbar  nerves,  and  the  three 
first  sacral,  form  the  sciatic  nerve,  which,  passing  out 
at  the  great  sciatic  notch,  runs  down  between  the  tuber- 
culum  ischii  and  trochanter  major,  along  the  internal 
and  posterior  part  of  the  thigh,  between  the  biceps  and 
seminervosus,  as  far  as  the  ham,  rather  nearer  the  inner 
condyle  of  the  os  femoris  than  the  outer.  See  CAUDA 


LUMBA'RES  ARTE'RI*  go  out  posteriorly  from  the 
inferior  descending  aorta,  in  five  or  six  pair,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  intercostals.  The  upper  ones  send 
branches  to  the  neighbouring  parts  of  the  diaphragm 
and  intercostal  muscles,  and  supply  the  place  of  semi- 
intercostal  arteries;  they  are  also  distributed  to  the 
psoas,  and  other  adjacent  muscles  ;  and,  by  perforating 
the  oblique  muscle,  they  become  external  hypogastric 
arteries.  They  also  go  to  the  vertebral  muscles,  and 
enter  the  spinal  canal. 

LUMBA'RES  VE'N-E  proceed  from  the  vena  cava,  near 
the  bifurcation,  and  principally  on  the  right  side  ;  some- 
times from  the  left  iliac  vein  ;  this  branch  communi- 
cates with  the  azygos  and  intercostal  veins. 

LUMBA'RIS'  EXTE'RNUS.       See    QUADRATUS 

LUMBORUM. 

LUMBA'RIS  IXTE'RXUS.  See  PSOAS. 
.  LUMBA'RIS  REGIO.  The  REGION  OF  THE  LIOXS  is 
the  posterior  external  region  of  the  bejly,  extending 
from  the  lowest  ribs  on  each  side,  and  the  last  vertebra 
of  the  back,  to  the  os  sacrum,  and  the  neighbouring 
parts  of  the  os  ilium.  The  sides  of  this  region  are 
strictly  called  the  loins,  and  include  also  the  musculus 
quadratus  lumborum  on  each  side  of  the  lower  portions 
of  the  sacro-lumbares,  of  the  longissimi,  and  latissimi 
dorsi,  the  musculus  sacer,  kc. 

LUMBRICA'LES  MU'SCULI,  (from  their  resem- 
blance to  a  worm,)  vermiculares,  Jidicinales^  fiexorea 
primi  internodii  dig-ilorum,  the  productions  of  the 
flexors  of  the  fingers  and  the  toes  :  originating  from 
their  respective  tendons,  after  encircling  the  basis  of 
each  finger  and  toe  they  join  with  the  extensors.  Their 
office  is,  when  the  extensors  have  done  their  utmost,  to 
finish  the  extension,  and,  when  the  flexors  have  done 
their  utmost,  to  finish  the  flexion. 

LU'MBRICI,  (a  tubricitate,  from  their  slipperiness). 
The  lumbricus,  which  abounds  in  the  intestines  of 
young  persons,  resembles  so  nearly,  in  its  general 


LUM 


888 


LUM 


Appearance,  the  earth  worm,  that  it  has  been  considered 
as  the  same  animal.  It  is,  however,  distinct,  and  is  the 
E^ftnf  w/yv\a,  of  the  ancient  physicians,  distinguished 
from  the  earth  worm  by  wanting  the  elevated  ring  in 
the  middle  of  its  body.  The  body  of  the  ascaris  lum- 
brico ides,  for  this  is  its  generic  name,  is  round;  its 
head  furnished  with  three  vesicles,  placed  in  a  triangu- 
lar form ;  generally  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in 
length,  and  about  the  diameter  of  a  goose  quill.  The 
head  may  be  distinguished  by  the  three  vesicles  men- 
tioned, and  the  triangular  space  between  is  the  mouth 
of  the  animal.  The  tail  terminates  Suddenly  in  a  very 
sharp  point,  and  near  it  the  orifice  of  the  anus  may  be 
distinctly  seen.  Near  the  middle  of  the  body  is  a  cir- 
cular depression  about  three  lines  in  extent,  in  which 
is  an  aperture  like  a  small  point.  This  band  is  most 
conspicuous  when  the  body  of  the  worm  is  distended, 
and  it  seems  wanting  when  the  body  is  collapsed.  Just 
below  the  mouth  are  two  small  transverse  clefts,  which 
Bruguiere  calls  stigmata,  and  thinks  them  the  organs 
of  respiration. 

Two  longitudinal  lines  extend  through  the  whole 
body  of  the  worm,  which  are  the  tendons  to  which  the 
semicircular  muscles  are  attached.  The  animal,  how- 
ever, does  not  move,  like  the  earth  worm,  by  a  vermi- 
cular motion,  but  curls  its  body  in  circles,  from 
which  it  extends  the  head.  A  number  of  vesicles  sur- 
round the  intestinal  tube,  which  proceeds,  without  any 
change  of  direction,  from  the  head  to  the  anus,  but 
they  do  not  extend  beyond  the  depressed  band.  Below 
it  the  connecting  medium  appears  to  be  a  common  cel- 
lular substance.  These  vesicles  are  filled  with  a  mucous, 
probably  a  nutritious,  fluid.  The  intestinal  canal  con- 
tains a  dark  green  fluid,  resembling  the  meconium  of 
infants.  But  even  from  the  lower  part  of  the  canal  fila- 
ments appear  to  arise,  which  probably  convey  a  portion 
of  nourishment,  though  the  great  reservoirs  are  in  the 
upper  portion.  The  most  singular  part  of  the  worm  is 
what  may  be  considered  as  its  uterus.  Just  below  the 
depressed  band  a  white  vessel  is  seen,  which  soon  divides 
into  two,  and  after  running  some  way  in  a  cylindrical 
form,  they  quickly  become  smaller,  and  at  last  are  mi- 
nutely convoluted,  embracing  on  all  sides  the  intestinal 
tube.  These  vessels,  forced  by  the  agonies  of  the  worm 
through  the  particles  of  the  abdomen,  appeared  to  Mr,. 
Church  the  young  of  the  animal,  which  he,  of  course, 
considered  as  viviparous.  It  is,  however,  generally 
agreed  that  the  lumbricus  intestinalis  is  oviparous. 

The  lumbricus  terrestris  has  but  one  vesicle,  is  flat 
towards  the  tail,  and  has  bristles  on  its  under  side, 
which  it  can  erect  at  pleasure.  Its  annular  muscles 
are  large,  and  of  a  dusky  red  ;  and  on  its  under  surface 
•  is  a  large  semilunar  fold  of  the  skin,  into  which  the 
animal  can  draw  its  head.  It  has  also  three  lines  on  its 
upper  surface. 

The  intestinal  lumbricus  is  seldom  solitary,  but  in 
very  few  instances  appears  to  be  injurious.  Its  source 
is  unknown;  for  it  has  not  been  found  in  any  other 
situation.  When  first  discharged  they  are  semitrans- 
parent,  and  of  a  dilute  red  colour,  but  they  soon  be- 
come yellowish.  They  are  usually  found  in  the  je- 
junum and  ileum,  rarely  in  the  large  intestines,  and 
still  more  so  in  the  stomach.  In  each  they  appear  to  be 
escaping  from  the  body,  when  fever  renders  their  situa- 


tion uncomfortable,  or  active  anthelmintics  force  them 
with  the  mucus  from  their  seals. 

Lamarck  isysteme  dgs  A;iimaux  sans  Vertebres; 
Histoire  Naturelle  des  Vers,  par  Deierville,  (suite  de 
Buffon);  Pallas  de  intra  Viventibus;  Hooper's  Me- 
moirs of  the  Medical  Society,  vol.  v.  See  VERMES. 

LU'MBRICI  LA'TI.     See  TJE.KIS. 

LUMBRICO'RUM  SEMEN.     See  SANTONICUM. 

LU'MBRICUS  TERRE'STRIS.  (See  LUMBRICUS 
INTESTINALIS.)  The  EARTH  WORM  is  supposed  to  have 
an  antispasmodic  and  diuretic  virtue.  If  worms  are 
moistened  with  vinous  spirits  to  prevent  their  putre- 
faction, and  placed  in  a  cellar,  they  deliquesce  ;  and  the 
liquor,  when  mixed  with  alkaline  salts,  is  said  to  yield 
crystals  of  nitre.  They  have  been  employed  for  the 
same  purposes  as  snails. 

LU'MBRICUS  E'DULIS.  A  species  of  lumbricus  found 
on  the  southern  sandy  shore  of  Batavia,  is  considered 
as  a  delicacy ;  it  is  described  by  Pallas,  who  thinks  it 
the  same  as  the  teredo,  described  in  the  twenty-sixth 
volume  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions.  See  Spi- 
cilegia  Zoologica  Fasciculus,  x.  10. 

LU'MBUS,  (a  lubidine'].     The  LOIN. 

LU'MBUS  VE'NERIS.     See  MILLEFOLIUM. 

LU'MEN,  (quasi  lucimen,  a  luceo,  to  shine).  The 
effects  of  light  on  the  human  system  have  not  yet  been 
explained.  We  have  of  late  only  began  to  perceive  with 
clearness  the  causes  of  its  influence  on  vegetables  and 
some  chemical  preparations.  We  find,  in  general,  that 
light  separates  oxygen  ;  that  it  changes  the  nitric  into 
the  nitrous  acid,  and  the  oxymuriatic  to  common  mu- 
riatic acid.  We  find,  also,  that  it  deprives  many  prepa- 
rations of  their  peculiar  colour,  particularly  phospho- 
rus ;  and  it  seems  greatly  to  influence  the  process  of 
crystallization.  Some  preparations  must  be  exposed  to 
a  strong  solar  light,  as  carmine  ;  for  a  cloud,  it  is  said, 
will  spoil  the  colour,  and  the  argentum  fulminans  re- 
quires to  be  exposed  to  the  light  of  the  sun  for  many  days. 

If  we  ascend  to  the  vegetable  kingdom,  we  shall  find 
that  the  absence  of  light  deprives  the  leaves  of  their  co- 
lour ;  and  Humboldt,  who  discovered  some  vegetables 
in  the  deepest  shafts  of  mines,  found  that  the  shapes  of 
the  leaves  were  not  the  same.  If  plants,  then,  will  grow 
without  light,  we  must  not  consider  their  growth  as 
wholly  depending  on  the  decomposition  of  water,  in 
consequence  of  light ;  but  we  have  reason  to  consider 
the  colour  as  depending  not  only  on  the  decomposition 
of  the  water,  but  of  the  carbonic  acid  gas  also. 

Animals  confined  without  light  are  often  of  a  white 
colour ;  but  this  must  be  confined  to  those  who  usually 
live  in  the  open  air;  for  the  mole,  the  pangolin,  and 
some  others  who  scarcely  ever  see  the  day,  are  not 
white.  The  particular  cause  of  this  change  has  not 
been  examined.  It  is  not  apparently  from  a  deficiency 
of  oxygen.  Some  animals  emit  light  in  their  motions, 
and  this  light  is  connected  with  their  life  and  activity, 
as  in  the  lampyris,  the  glow  worm,  the  insects  in  oyster 
shells,  and  those  which  illumine  the  sea  in  a  storm. 
In  these  it  seems  that  light  enters  into  the  composi- 
tion of  those  fluids  to  which  their  activity  is  owing, 
and,  indeed,  every  fact  now  noticed  shows  that  light  is 
a  body,  and  may  form  a  component  part  of  other  bodies. 
We  are  not  acquainted  with  the  effects  of  light  on  the 
human  body.  We  know  that  the  oxygen  is  a  powerful 


LUP 


889 


LUT 


stimulus,  and  that  colour,  health,  and  vigour,  are 
often  in  excess  when  this  air  is  breathed ;  but  it  seems 
probable  that  this  is  the  case  when  the  oxygen  is  in  a 
loose  uncombined  state,  and  that  light  is  salutary  in 
promoting  its  separation.  These  speculations  are,  how- 
ever, uncertain,  and  it  is  still  more  so,  whether  light 
is  really  a  component  part  of  our  bodies.  When  we 
reflect,  however,  that  the  general  health  is  apparently 
connected  with  light,  that  the  peculiar  acid  of  the 
animal  system,  the  phosphoric,  has  a  powerful  attrac- 
tion for  this  element,  and  appears  to  contain  it,  not  only 
in  a  chemical  combination,  but,  when  in  the  form  of  an 
oxide,  unites  with,  and  allows  it  to  separate  without 
decomposition,  we  may  suspect  it  to  be  a  more  power- 
ful agent  in  the  animal  economy  than  has  yet  been 
supposed. 

For  the  physical  properties  of  light,  see  Haiiy  Traite 
de  la  Physique,  vol.  ii. ;  Cavallo's  Natural  Philosophy, 
vol.  iii. ;  and  the  article  OCULUS.  For  the  chemical, 
see  Exeter  Essays. 

LU'NA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  lun,  the  night). 
See  ARGENTUM. 

LU'NA  PHILOSOPHO'RUM.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 
LUNA'RE  OS,  (from  luna,  the  moon}.    The  second 
bone  of  the  first  row  in   the  wrist,  because   one  of  its 
sides  resembles  a  crescent.    See  CARPUS. 

LUNA'RIA,  (from  luna,  the  moon;  from  the  shape 
of  its  leaves,  like  a  crescent).  An  appellation  of  many 
plants  whose  leaves  are  renifonn,  but  more  peculiarly 
applied  to  the  osmunda  of  Linnaeus. 

LUNA'RIS  PILU'LA,  (from  luna,  silver}.  See 
CAUSTICUM  LUNARE,  under  ARGENTUM. 

LUNA'TICA,  ISCHU'HIA,  (from  luna,  the  moon). 
A  periodical  suppression  of  urine,  noticed  by  Sauvages. 
See  ISCHURIA. 

LUNE'TRIA  is,  in  the  chemical  jargon,  a  species  of 
hectic,  curable  in  one  period  of  the  moon. 

LUPA'RIA,  (from  lufius,  a  -wolf;  supposed  to  de- 
stroy wolves).  Jiconitum  Ponticum  folio  Platani,  Ly- 
coctonum  luteum,aconitum  lycoclonum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  750. 
YELLOW  WOLF'S  BANE.  Like  the  other  species,  it  is 
poisonous. 

LU'PIA  (from  At/we*,  to  molest').  A  kind  of  tu- 
mour like  a  ganglion,  hard,  and  not  peculiar  to  any  part 
of  the  body :  when  it  is  in  the  inside  of  the  eyelid  it  is 
called  chalaza;  when  about  the  joints  lujiia.  Dr.  Cul- 
len  uses  it  as  a  generic  term  for  wen.  See  N.SVUS. 

LU'PULUS,  (Ava-fl,  dislike;  from  its  bitterness,)  hu- 
mulus  convolvulus  fierennis,  humulus  lufiulus  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1457.  The  HOP.  This  plant  hath  hollow  stalks,  and 
broad  serrated  leaves,  cut  into  three  or  five  sharp 
pointed  sections.  On  the  tops  grow  loose  scaly  heads, 
among  which  are  small  flat  seeds.  It  is  perennial,  grows 
wild  in  hedges,  and  the  bottom  of  hills,  in  various 
parts  of  Europe;  but  those  used  are  cultivated  in  plan- 
tations. In  August  and  September  the  scaly  heads  are 
dried  in  kilns  with  a  gentle  fire. 

The  scaly  heads  have  a  bitter,  warm,  aromatic  taste, 
yielding  their  virtue  to  proof  and  rectified  spirit,  by  ma- 
ceration without  heat;  and  to  water,  by  warm  infusion. 
The  extract  obtained  from  the  spirituous  tincture  is  an 
elegant  bitter  ;  but  hops  are  only  at  present  used  for 
preserving  malt  liquor.  Like  many  other  bitters,  the 
colt!  infusion  is  more  grateful  than  that  made  with  boil- 
ing water;  but  the  quantity  must  be  larger.  Hops  have 

VOL.  I. 


been  suspected  of  a  narcotic  power,  and  there  is  said  to 
be  an  act  of  parliament  prohibiting  their  use  in  beer. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  pillow  of  hops  has  been  said  to 
procure  sleep.  Hops  have  been  lately,  like  other  narcotic 
bitters,  recommended  in  gout.  The  Spaniards  boil  a 
pound  of  hop  roots  in  a  gallon  of  water  to  six  pints,  and 
drink  half  a  pint  of  the  decoction,  whilst  in  bed,  every 
morning,  as  a  remedy  for  the  lues  venerea.  See  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica. 

LU'PUS.  The  WOLF  CANCER  ;  because  it  devours 
rapidly  the  flesh,  like  a  wolf.  It  is  the  noli  me  tangere 
in  the1  seventh  order  tubercula  of  Willan.  See  CANCER. 

LU'PUS  PHILOSOPHO'RUM.     See  ANTIMONIUM. 

LUSCIO'SUS,  and  LUCI'TIOSUS,  (from  luscus). 
One  who  only  discerns  objects  that  are  very  near  the 
eye.  See  NYCTYALOPS. 

LUSITA'NICUM  DECO'CTUM.     See  SARSAPA- 

RILLA. 

LUTE'A,  LUTE'OLA,  (from  lutum,  mud;  because 
it  grows  in  muddy  places,  or  is  of  the  colour  of  mud,) 
struthium,  DYER'S  WEED.  Reseda  luteola  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
643.  The  root,  boiled  with  salt,  dyes  wool  of  a  fine 
yellow  colour.  Dioscorides  recommends  it  as  useful  in 
the  jaundice,  and,  indeed,  every  thing  yellow  was  em- 
ployed in  the  same  disease;  but  the  present  practice 
does  not  notice  it. 

LUTUM,  (from  At/?««,  soluble).  LUTE.  CJSMEN- 
TUM.  Many  chemical  vessels  require  to  be  covered 
with  coating,  to  preserve  them  from  being  broken  or 
melted  in  the  fire,  or  to  close  exactly  their  junctures. 
These  coatings  are,  in  general,  called  lutes.  Glass  ves- 
sels may  be  covered  with  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of 
coarse  sand  and  stiiF  clay,  mixed  with  water  and  a  little 
hair,  so  as  to  form  a  liquid  paste,  which  must  be  spread 
with  a  brush  upon  the  glass ;  and  when  dry,  covered 
with  another  coat,  until  the  coveringis  sufficiently  thick. 
When  a  glass  is  to  be  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  fire, 
a  coating  of  fat  earth  and  fresh  horse  dung  is  recom- 
mended :  the  earth  is  suffered  to  macerate  for  some 
hours  in  water ;  and,  when  properly  softened,  it  muR 
be  kneaded  with  the  horse  dung  into  soft  paste,  to  be 
spread  with  the  hand  upon  every  part  of  the  retort. 
The  horse  dung  is  useful,  as  containing  a  serous  fluid, 
which  hardens  by  heat,  strongly  connects  all  the 
parts  together,  and  with  filaments  of  hay,  contributes 
to  cement  them  .very  firmly.  The  dung  must  be  fresh  : 
for,  when  altered  by  fermentation,  it  does  not  possess 
the  same  virtues.  Retorts,  luted  in  this  manner,  resist 
the  action  of  the  fire  very  powerfully,  and  the  adhesion 
of  the  lute  is  such,  that,  even  should  the  glass  break 
during  the  operation,  the  distillation  may  be  still  car- 
ried on. 

The  lutes  with  which  the  joining  of  vessels  are  closed 
are  of  different  kinds,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
substances  to  be  distilled.  When  vapours  of  watery 
liquors,  and  such  as  are  not  corrosive,  are  to  be  pre- 
vented from  escaping,  it  is  sufficient  to  surround  the 
joining  of  the  receiver  to  the  nose  of  the  alembic,  or  of 
the  retort,  with  slips  of  paper,  or  of  linen  covered  with 
a  mixture  of  wheat  flour  and  water,  of  the  consistency 
of  soft  paste;  slips  of  bladder,  wetted,  will  be  often  suf- 
ficient if  carefully  applied.  When  more  active  vapours 
are  to  be  secured,  the  lute  may  consist  of  a  soft  paste 
made  of  quick  lime  extinguished  in  air,  and  mixed 
with  the  white  of  egg.  When  corrosive  acid  vapours 
5  X 


LUX 


800 


LUX 


are  to  be  confined,  what  is  called  the  fat  lute  is  neces- 
sary. Fine  clay,  well  dried  and  powdered,  must  be 
sifted  through  a  silken  scarce,  then  moistened  with 
water,  and  beat  into  a  stiff  paste  with  boiled  lintseedoil, 
applied  to  the  junctures,  and  secured  by  means  of  slips 
of  linen  :  these  slips  must  be  covered  with  the  lute  made 
of  quenched  lime  and  white  of  egg.  Chaptel's  Elements 
of  Chemistry. 

LUXA'TIO,  LUXATU'RA,  (from  luxo,  to  dislo- 
cate) .  Dislocatio;  aberratio;  eluxatio;  emotio;  elongatio; 
ecfitoma;ecclysisi  lygismos;  delocatio;  exarthrema;  olis- 
thetna;  a  LUXATION,  or  DISLOCATION.  A  slight  dis- 
location is  termed  diacinema;  jiarathrema;  an  incom- 
plete one,  contortio  or  declinatio.  Dr.  Cullen  places  it 
in  the  class  locales,  and  order  ectoflits,  which  he  defines 
a  bone  removed  from  its  seat  in  the  joints.  To  which 
may  be  added,  "  causing  an  impediment  to  voluntary 
motion  :"  a  compound  luxation  is  when  a  wound,  frac- 
ture, or  a  violent  contusion,  attends. 

Luxations  from  internal  causes  are  thus  distinguished: 
1.  The  limb  is  so  relaxed,  that  it  may  be  easily  moved 
in  any  direction.  2.  A  cavity  about  the  joint,  and  a 
hollowness  between  the  bones,  may  be  felt  with  the 
fingers.  3.  The  dislocated  bone,  if  replaced,  soon 
escapes  spontaneously,  from  the  weakness  of  the  liga- 
ment and  muscles.  4.  The  dislocated  limb  is  frequently 
longer  than  the  sound  one,  and  attended  with  neither 
pain,  inflammation,  nor  convulsion.  5.  It  generally  hap- 
pens to  the  upper  part  of  the  femur,  or  humerus,  and 
sometimes  to  the  articulation  of  the  foot  with  the  tibia. 
When  owing  to  an  external  injury,  the  diagnostics  are 
uncertain,  when  the  joint  is  swollen  from  a  violent  con- 
tusion or  distortion.  In  such  cases  we  must  suspend 
our  judgment;  and  could  we  decide  until  the  in- 
flammation and  tumour  were  abated,  attempts  towards 
a  reduction  would  be  improper.  The  more  readily  to 
discover  a  luxation,  it  may  be  observed,  that  when  the 
head  of  a  bone  is  removed  out  of  its  place,  the  other 
e^nd  will  be  distorted  in  an  opposite  direction.  A  tu- 
mour is  also  generally  observable  where  the  dislocated 
part  of  the  bone  is  seated,  and  an  hollowness  from 
whence  it  receded;  though,  in  a  muscular  part,  the  tu- 
mour and  cavity  are  not  easily  perceived. 

In  consequence  of  a  luxation,  the  symptoms  differ  as 
the  parts  affected  are  different:  in  general,  there  is  an 
immobility,  or  a  defective  motion  of  the  dislocated 
limb;  a  distraction  of  some  muscles,  and  a  relaxation  of 
others;  violent  pain  and  inflammatory  tension  of  the 
joint ;  a  torpor  of  the  subjacent  parts ;  a  compression 
of  the  neighbouring  vessels,  from  whence  an  atrophy, 
gangrene,  pain,  oedematous  swellings,  or  convulsions, 
may  ensue. 

Co'm pound  luxations  are  more  dangerous  than  com- 
pound fractures.  Boerhaave  observes,  that  the  worst 
luxation  is  produced  by  a  solution  or  a  separation  of 
the  epiphysis  from  the  body  of  the  bone.  In  general, 
the  prognostic  should  be  cautious,  but  the  difficulties 
and  uncertainties  are  greater  in  proportion  to  the  dis- 
tance of  the  dislocated  bone  from  its  proper  place  ;  the 
figure  of  the  luxated  limb ;  the  part  in  which  the  luxa- 
tion is  seated ;  the  parts  pressed,  or  intercepted  ;  the 
pain,  inflammation,  or  other  violent  symptoms. 

It  will  be  obvious  that  a  partial  dislocation  may  be 
more  easily  reduced  than  a  more  complete  one ;  and  a 
fracture  attending  will  render  the  cure  more  doubtful : 


indeed,  if  a  fracture  near  the  joint  is  accompanied  will; 
a  luxation,  a  stiff  joint  must  be  expected,  if  the  limb 
can  be  saved.  After  a  limb  has  been  some  time  lux- 
ated, it  forms  a  socket  for  itself,  and  its  old  cavity  i.- 
usually  filled  with  a  fatty  substance,  but  not  with  in- 
spissated synovia,  as  has  been  asserted.  The  attempt 
is,  in  this  case,  hopeless,  and  generally  unnecessary;  for 
the  limb,  in  its  new  position,  retains  some  degree  of 
motion,  and  is  perhaps  more  serviceable  than  it  would 
be  after  the  inflammation  which  would  arise  from  un- 
successful attempts.  In  delicate  constitutions,  and  ad- 
vanced periods  of  life,  luxations  are  more  easily  reduced 
than  in  the  young  and  strong,  whose  muscles  resist  very 
powerfully. 

The  object  of  the  surgeon  is  to  reduce  the  luxation, 
an  operation  called  embole;  and  to  retain  the  limb  in  its 
proper  situation.  If  inflammation  or  tumour^is  consi- 
derable, they  must  be  removed  before  a  reduction  is  at- 
tempted. Mr.  Pott  justly  observes,  tljat  the  resistance  of 
the  muscles  is  the  only  cause  of  the  difficulty  of  reduc- 
ing luxations  ;  that  much  force  is  never  required,  pro- 
vided the  muscles  are  relaxed  by  aproperposition  of  the 
limb  ;  and  that  in  recent  cases,  at  least,  the  capsular  liga- 
ment will  rarely,  if  ever,  impede.  The  extension  should 
be  gradual  and  continued,  until  the  dislocated  bone  is  on 
a  level  with  the  Cavity  from  whence  it  receded.  If  the 
head  does  not  then  spontaneously  return,  it  must  be  as- 
sisted by  pressure,  employing  the  dislocated  bone  as  a 
lever.  Dr.  Hunter  seems  to  think  that  a  rupture  of  the 
capsular  ligament  is  a  greater  impediment  to  reduction 
than  the  contraction  of  the  muscles.  It  cannot  be  de- 
nied, that,  in  violent  luxations,  this  ligament  is  often 
broken ;  but  this  is  by  no  means  an  universal  conse- 
quence. Both  recommend  gentle  extension,  and  to  avoid 
violence. 

When  the  external  parts  are  violently  bruised,  gene- 
ral and  topical  bleeding,  saturnine  applications,  &c.  are 
necessary.  The  limb  must  be  laid  in  an  easy  posture, 
and  the  tumour  allowed  to  subside  before  the  real  na- 
ture of  the  case  can  be  understood,  or  any  attempt  made 
to  reduce  the  displaced  bone.  The  great  impediment,' 
we  have  said,  is  the  strong  power  of  the  muscles,  which 
not  only  resists  the  extension,  but  often  throws  the 
bone  into  a  different  cavity  from  that  to  which  we 
wished  to  direct  it.  When  a  fracture  accompanies  dis- 
located bones,  a  firm  callus  must  be  allowed  to  form 
before  the  reduction  is  attempted;  but,  if  the  fracture- 
be  at  a  distance  from  the  dislocation,  or  in  very  small 
bones,  where  the  power  of  the  muscles  is  inconsider- 
able, this  precaution  may  be  neglected. 

After  the  luxation  is  reduced,  leeches  and  saturnine 
applications  should  be  employed,  the  pains  moderated 
by  opium,  and  fever  diminished  by  cooling  medicines, 
laxatives,  and  a  low  regimen  in  every  respect.  The 
most  perfect  tranquillity  is  absolutely  necessary. 

I.CA'LCIS  LUXA'TIO  o'ssis.  Luxation  of  the  heel  bone. 
Whether  luxated  inward  or  outward,  a  cavity  on  one 
side,  and  a  tumour  on  the  other,  discovers  it;  and  the 
pain  is  severe.  The  treatment  is  the  same  as  is  directed 
when  the  bones  of  the  hand  are  luxated. 

2.  CA'WTIS  LUXA'TIO  vel  CRA'NII.  Luxation  of  the 
head.  A  separation  of  the  bones  of  the  cranium  from 
the  hydrocephalus  is  by  some  called  a  luxation  of 
the  head;  but  in  general,  is  meant  a  luxation  of  the 
upper  vertebra  of  the,  neck.  In  this  case,  the  patient 


LV  \ 


891 


LUX 


being  seated,  upon  the  ground,  and  supported  by  an  as- 
sistant, the  surgeon  standing  behind  should  raise  the 
head  from  the  breast.  The  assistant  should  press  down 
the  shoulders,  and  the  head  be  gradually  drawn  up,  till 
the  dislocation  is  reduced.  If  this  does  not  happen  with 
moderate  extension,  it  may,  at  the  same  time,  be  gently 
moved  from  side  to  side.  A  sudden  crack  or  noise  is 
heard  on  the  reduction  being  completed.  See  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  183,  19o. 

3.  CA'RPI  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  wrist.     One 
or  two  of  the  bones  in  the  wrist  are  sometimes  removed 
from  their  place,  which  is  discovered,  as  usual,  by  a  tu- 
mour and  a  cavity,  with  violent  pain.     If  the  luxation 
is  recent,  it  must  be  treated  as  a  luxation  of  the  hand. 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  89,  246.     White's  Surgery, 
p.  163. 

4.  CLAVI'CULJE  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  clavicle. 
When  this   accident   happens,  the  sooner  the   reduc- 
tion is  performed  the  better;  for  long  continued  luxa- 
tions of  the  clavicle  are  rarely  cured. 

The  clavicle  may  slip  from  the  sternum  either  out- 
ward or  inward  ;  in  the  first  case  a  preternatural  tumour 
is  observed  about  the  joining  of  the  bones  :  in  the  latter 
case  a  sinus  is  observed  in  the  part  affected,  the  aspera 
arteria,  the  carotids,  the  contiguous  nerve,  and  the 
oesophagus,  are  compressed.  The  general  directions 
recommended,  in  case  of  a  fractured  clavicle,  when  the 
accident  hath  happened  near  the  breast  bone,  are  suffi- 
cient in  this  as  well  as  with  respect  to  a  luxation  hap- 
pening next  the  acromion.  The  last  is  sometimes  not 
easily  distinguished  from  a  luxated  humerus.  Pare  ob- 
serves, that  in  this  case  the  upper  part  of  the  clavicle 
starts  upwards,  and  a  hollow  cavity  is  observed  where 
the  clavicle  is  separated  from  the  acromion  :  the  pain  is 
violent,  and  the  patient  cannot  move  the  arm  upwards. 
If  the  reduction  is  not  speedily  effected,  the  arm  will 
soon  become  paralytic. 

The  greatest  care  is  required  in  the  use  of  bandages, 
lest  a  stiff"  or  a  luxated  arm  should  remain.  If  the 
bone  is  luxated  near  the  sternum,  and  is  started  out- 
ward, besides  bolsters  to  depress  the  end  of  the  bone, 
the  capelline  bandage  should  be  applied ;  but  if  inward, 
the  stellate  bandage  is  preferable,  on  account  of  its 
keeping  the  shoulder  back.  If  the  luxation  is  next  the 
scapula,  the  spica  with  two  heads  may  be  used.  If 
both  clavicles  are  displaced,  the  double  spica  must  be 
employed,  as  directed  in  luxations  of  the  humerus  and 
scapula.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  204;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  157. 

5.  CO'CCYGIS  o'ssis  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  os 
coccygis.     This  bone  may  be  forced  inward  by  a  blow, 
or  outvard  by  a  difficult  birth.     In  this  case,  the  pain 
is  felt  in  the  lower  part  of  the  spine,  and  inflammation, 
sometimes  with  suppuration,  in  the  rectum,  is  pro- 
duced.    Independent  of  these  symptoms,  the  sight  and 
touch  will  discover  the  disease.     In  the  latter  case  the 
bone  may  be  replaced  by  pressure  with  the  thumb :  in 
the  former  the  fore  finger  dipped  in  oil  must  be  intro- 
duced up  the.  anus,  to  press  the  bone  outward,  while 
the  other  fingers,  applied  externally,  guide  it  to  a  pro- 
per place. 

The  T  bandage  is  necessary,  and  the  patient  must  be 
kept  in  bed ;  and,  when  he  rises,  sit  in  a  perforated 
chair.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  201;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  1 57. 


6.  CO'LLI  LUXA'TIO.    Luxation  of  the  neck.     A  luxa- 
tion between  the  head  and  the  upper  vertebra  of  the 
neck  is  immediate  death,  from  the  pressure  on  the  me- 
dulla bblongata,  or  medulla  spinalis.     When  a  man  is 
said  to  have  broken  his  neck,  there  is  a  partial  luxation 
of  the  first  or  second  vertebra  only;  and  in  this  case  the 
chin  is  fixed  to  the  breast,  which  prevents  his  speaking, 
swallowing,  or  moving  the  parts  below.    If  an  assistant 
is  at  hand,  he  must  follow  the  directions  given  for  the 
luxation  of  the  head  ;  or,  to  gain  more  power,  he  should 
immediately  turn  the  patient  on  his  back,  and  setting 
his  feet  against  his  shoulders  (being,  himself  seated 
on  the  ground),  place  his  hands  below  the  patient's 
ears,  and  draw  the  head  towards  him,  gradually  increas- 
ing the  force  with  which  he  pulls,  and,  in  pulling,  move 
the  head  from  side  to  side. 

After  reduction,  the  part  should  be  bathed  with  spirit 
of  wine.  White's  Surgery,  p.  186. 

7.  COSTA'HUM  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  ribs.     If  a 
rib  is  forced  inwards,  the  pleura  is  injured,  and  excru- 
ciating  pains,   inflammation,   difficulty   of   breathing, 
cough,    ulcers,   and   immobility  of  the  body,   follow. 
These  complaints,  with  the  external  appearance  of  the 
side,  evidently  discover  the  misfortune.     This  luxation 
happens  between  the  rib  and  the  spine. 

Luxations  internally  are  with  difficulty  reduced,  be- 
cause neither  the  hands  nor  any  instrument  can  be  ap- 
plied to  elevate  them.  The  patient  may  be  laid  on  his 
belly  over  some  cylindrical  body,  and  the  anterior  part 
of  the  rib  being  moved  gently  towards  the  back,  or 
shook  a  little,  the  head  may  probably  recover  its  situa- 
tion. If  this  fails,  the  method  proposed  for  fractures  of 
the  ribs,  when  they  are  forced  inwards,  and  a  splinter 
offends  the  pleura,  may  be  employed.  But,  if  the 
symptoms  are  not  urgent,  nor  the  heads  of  the  ribs 
much  removed,  every  violence  should  be  avoided,  as 
luxated  ribs  have  often  remained  so  without  danger. 

The  bandage  should  be  a  napkin  and  scapulary,  and 
compresses  squeezed  out  of  camphorated  spirit  of  wine 
applied.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  208. 

8.  DIGITO'RUM  MA'NUS  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the 
fingers.     The  joints  of  the  fingers  may  be  luxated  in 

every  direction ;  but  an  easy  extension,  and  gentle  pres- 
sure with  the  finger  and  thumb  will  readily  reduce  them. 
See  LUXATIO  METACARPI  16;  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p*. 
249;  White's  Surgery,  p.  163. 

9.  DIGITO'RUM  PE'DIS,  et  O'SSIUM  PE'DIS   LUXA'TIO. 
Luxation  of  the  toes  and  bones  of  the  feet.     A  disloca- 
tion of  these  bones  produces  great  pain,  inflammations, 
and  sometimes  convulsions,  if  speedy  assistance  is  not 
obtained.    They  are  reduced  as  directed  in  the  case  of 
bones  in  the  hand  being  the  subjects  of  this  accident. 
The  toes  are  treated  as  directed  for  the  fingers.     See 
White's  Surgery,  p.  167. 

10.  FE'MORIS   o'ssis    LUXA'TIO.       Luxation    of  the 
thigh  bone.     A  fracture  of  the  neck  of  this   bone   is 
sometimes  mistaken  for  a  luxation.     The  head  of  the 
thigh  bone  may  be  luxated  downwards,  forwards,  in- 
wards, outwards,  and  backwards.     This  luxation,  like 
that  of  the  humerus,  is  always  perfect,  and  most  fre- 
quently happens  inward  and  downward,  the  head  of 
the  bone  tending  towards  the  large  foramen  of  the  os 
pubis. 

When  the  luxation  is  outwards,  the  bone  generally 
slips  upwards  at  the  same  time ;  if  inwards  and  down- 

5X2 


LUX 


S92 


LUX 


wards,  the  leg  is  longer  and  more  bent  than  the  other, 
and  the  knee  and  foot  turn  outwards :  the  head  of  the 
bone  is  thrust  near  the  lower  part  of  the  inguen  and  the 
foramen  of  the  os  pubis ;  sometimes  the  pressure  of  a 
nerve,  which  communicates  with  the  bladder,  or  of  the 
crural,  causes  a  suppression  of  urine,  or  a  numbness  in 
the  leg.  A  hollow  cavity  is  perceived  in  the  buttock, 
usually  filled  by  the  great  trochanter;  and  if  the  reduc- 
tion is  long  neglected,  the  limb  withers.  The  patient 
will  be  always  lame ;  the  knee  of  the  luxated  limb  can- 
not be  brought  to  the  other ;  and  the  chief  pain  will  be 
felt  in  the  groin,  without  the  grating  observed  when  the 
bone  is  fractured,  on  moving  the  limb.  If  the  luxation 
is  backwards,  the  limb  is  drawn  upwards,  and  a  cavity 
is  perceived  in  the  groin,  with  a  tumour  in  that  part  of 
the  buttock  where  the  head  of  the  bone  and  the  trochan- 
ter are  lodged.  The  limb  is  shortened,  the  foot  bends 
inward,  the  heel  does  not  touch  the  ground,  but  the  pa- 
tient seems  to  stand  on  his  toes,  and  the  luxated  limb  is 
more  easily  inflected  than  extended  :  in  this  case,  many 
stand  and  walk  firmly  without  the  bone  being  reduced, 
provided  their  shoe  has  a  higher  heel. 

A  fractured  neck  of  the  thigh  bone  is  distinguished 
from  a  luxation  of  its  head,  when  the  thigh  bone  is  lux- 
ated by  an  abscess,  without  any  external  violence,  but 
only  by  walking  or  rising  up ;  when  unattended  with' 
pain,  tumour,  or  inflammation ;  or  when  the  whole  limb 
may  be  bent,  and  turned  about  the  acetabulum  without 
the  noise  usually  heard  in  fractures :  the  contrary  signs 
indicate  a  fracture. 

In  reducing  the  luxated  head  of  the  thigh  bone,  a 
longitudinal  extension  will  not  suffice,  but  it  must  be 
according  to  the  direction  of  the  cervix.  "  When  a 
thigh  is  dislocated  inward,  or  outward,  follow,"  says 
Mr.  Kirkland,  "  Celsus's  advice  in  laying  the  patient 
on  one  side,  so  that  the  part  into  which  the  bone  hath 
slipped  be  always  uppermost,  and  that  from  which  it 
hath  receded,  lowermost ;  by  which  means  the  exten- 
sion may  be  made  in  any  direction  you  have  a  mind, 
and  your  own  invention  will  point  out  to  you  twenty 
ways  of  securing  the  patient  upon  a  bed  (for  a  table  is 
usually  too  high),  so  that  a  proper  resistance  be  made 
to  the  extension.  This  done,  the  knee  bent,  and  a  towel 
fixed  properly  above  it,  you  must  place  yourself  on  that 
side  of  the  thigh  to  which  the  bone  is  dislocated,  with 
your  knee  near  the  head  of  the  bone,  and  both  hands  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  knee  of  the  patient,  an  assistant 
being  fixed  at  the  ankle.  The  extension  may  then 
gradually  be  begun  by  three  or  four  men,  with  the 
thigh  rather  in  a  state  of  flexion;  and  when  there  is 
reason  to  think  that  the  head  of  the  bone  is  brought 
to  a  level  with  the  socket,  the  extension  being  steadily 
continued,  the  knee  may  be  bent  near  to  the  abdomen, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  whilst  the  knee  pushes  the  bone 
towards  its  place,  the  ankle  must  be  moved  in  the  same, 
but  the  knee  of  the  patient  in  a  contrary,  direction. 
Thus  the  head  will  always  go  into  the  socket,  pro- 
vided a  due  extension  is  made  before  you  attempt  to 
return  it." 

Sometimes  the  head  of  the  thigh  bone  is  pushed  be- 
tween the  ischium  and  sacrum  ;  in  this  case,  except  the 
patient  is  exhausted,  before  attempting  the  reduction, 
it  will  be  most  eligible  to  reduce  him  by  brisk  cathar- 
tics, given  at  short  intervals;  for  the  case,  in  this  way, 
is  better  ascertained,  and  the  reduction  more  easily  ef- 


fected. London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  v.  p.  412 ;  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  252;  White's  Surgery,  p.  163; 
Edinburgh  Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  ii.  p.  40. 

11.  FI'BUL.«  LUXA'TIO.      Luxation   of   the  fibula. 
This  bone  may  be  separated  from  the  tibia,  either  at 
the  lower  or  superior  part.     In  the  former  case  it  ge- 
nerally proceeds  from  a  luxation  of  the  foot  externally; 
this  bone  must,  therefore,  be  reduced,  bound  up,  and 
the  case  treated  according  to  the  directions  given  for 
luxations  of  the  knee  and  patella.     See  Bell's  Surgery, 
vol.  xi.  p.  273. 

MALLE'OLI  LUXA'TIO.  Luxation  of  the  ankle.  See 
N°  21. 

12.  GE'NU  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  knee,  is  usu- 
ally partial.     If  complete,  it  is  easily  reduced,  but  can- 
not be  retained,  because  the  cross  ligaments  are  broken. 
A  luxated  knee  pan  is  a  necessary  attendant  of  a  lux- 
ated knee,  and  often  taken  for  it ;  but  in  a  proper  luxa- 
tion of  the  knee  the  tibia  recedes  from  the  femur,  either 
backwards  or  to  either  side,  but  never  forward,  because 
the  patella  hinders  it.     In  this  part  dislocations    are 
easily  discovered. 

If  the  luxation  is  partial,  the  patient  must  be  placed 
on  a  table,  one  assistant  taking  hold  of  his  thigh,  and 
another  extending  his  leg  ;  in  the  mean  time,  the  opera- 
tor may  reduce  the  bone  with  his  hands.  In  children 
and  young  persons,  if  the  extension  is  made  with  vio- 
lence, it  endangers  a  separation  of  the  epiphyses,  a  worse 
disease  than  the  luxation.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi. 
p.  269;  White's  Surgery,  p.  165. 

13.  HU'MERI  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  humerus. 
The   head  of  this  bone  may  slip  out  before,  behind, 
(even  under   the  scapula,)   or  downwards;  but  never 
upwards,  except  the  acromion  and  coracoid  processes 
are  fractured.  When  the  humerus  is  luxated  downward, 
there  is  a  cavity  in  the  upper  part  of  it  perceptible  to 
the  eye  in  some  instances,  but  to  the  finger  in  all,  and  a 
tumour  in  the  arm  pit,  because  the  head  of  the  bone  is 
lodged  there.  The  luxated  arm  is  longer  than  the  other, 
and  when  it  can  be  moved  or  extended,  it  gives  exqui- 
site pain  in  lifting  it  to  the  mouth. 

Fresh  luxations  are  most  easily  reduced ;  those  of 
long  continuance  are  restored  with  difficulty  ;  but  if  the 
head  of  the  humerus  adheres  to  the  adjacent  parts, 
which  after  a  long  time  usually  happens,  a  reduction 
cannot  be  effected  by  any  means.  See  Medical  Obser- 
vations and  Inquiries,  vol.  ii.  p.  340. 

To  reduce  the  humerus,  bend  the  fore  arm,  and  let 
an  assistant  support  it;  then  elevate  the  arm  so  that  the 
elbow  may  be  advanced  somewhat  above  the  shoulder, 
bringing  it  a  little  inward.  An  assistant  must  then 
make  the  extension,  whilst  another  counteracting  him, 
draws  the  inferior  angle  of  the  scapula  backward  to- 
ward the  spine,  and  presses  the  acromion  a  very  little 
downwards:  the  operator,  with  his  fingers  in  the  axilla, 
presses  the  head  of  the  bone  upward  as  soon  as  he  per- 
ceives the  extension  to  be  sufficiently  made,  and  at  the 
same  time,  with  his  other  hand,  brings  the  elbow  of  the 
luxated  arm  to  the  patient's  side.  An  extension  made 
downwards,  or  even  horizontally,  more  frequently  fails, 
than  when  it  is  made  in  some  degree  upward. 

When  the  luxation  is  forward,  that  is,  when  the  head 
of  the  humerus  is  under  the  pectoral  muscle,  there  is  a 
cavity  under  the  acromion,  but  the  head  of  the  luxated 
bone  projects  towards  the  breast  more  than  when  in  the 


LUX 


893 


LUX 


axilla ;  and  if  the  arm  be  moved,  a  more  acute  pain  is 
felt  than  in  the  preceding  case ;  for  the  great  artery 
and  the  nerves  of  the  bones  are  much  pressed.  If  this 
luxation  is  not  easily  reduced  by  the  method  directed, 
when  the  head  of  the  humerus  is, in  the  arm  pit,  let  a 
pulley  from  the  top  of  a  room  be  fastened  to  the  luxated 
arm,  just  above  the  elbow,  and  the  patient  gradually 
raised  from  the  ground  by  it :  this  at  least  brings  the 
head  of  the  humerus  into  the  axilla,  and  it  may  be  re- 
stored into  its  proper  place  by  the  means  just  described. 
In  this  process  the  fore  arm  must  be  brought  toward 
the  breast,  that  the  muscles  may  be  relaxed. 

If  the  luxation  is  backward,  the  elbow  approaches  the 
chest,  and  the  head  of  the  bone  is  prominent  on  the 
outside  of  the  shoulder ;  the  arm  cannot  be  moved  from 
the  breast,  nor  extended  without  great  agony,  and  the 
lower  angle  of  the  scapula  will  be  somewhat  pushed 
out.  In  this  case  the  general  process  may  be  the  same 
as  when  the  head  of  the  humerus  is  under  the  pectoral 
muscle. 

If  there  is  no  pulley,  a  tall  strong  man  may  take  the 
patient's  arm  over  his  shoulder,  and  gently  raise  him 
from  the  ground,  and  the  operator  may  push  the  head 
of  the  dislocated  bone  into  its  place  as  the  body  becomes 
suspended.  This  method  of  suspending  the  patient  is 
not  so  severe  as  it  may  seem ;  for  as  no  force  is  used 
about  the  shoulder  to  make  a  counter  extension,  the  pa- 
tient does  not  suffer  from  those  troublesome  excoria- 
tions and  contusions  which  too  commonly  attend  the 
other  methods. 

It  is  generally  agreed  that  machines  for  reducing  a 
luxated  humerus  are  never  needful.  Freke's  command- 
er is  preferred  to  all  the  other  instruments  used  for  this 
purpose ;  as  in  the  use  of  it  the  limb  may  be  moved  in 
all  directions  during  the  extension,  and  the  situation  of 
the  head  of  the  bone  can  be  examined  ;  but  great  care 
is  required  to  keep  it  perpendicular  to  the  side  of  the 
patient. 

As  in  other  luxations,  bleedings,  Sec.  to  prevent  or 
check  inflammation  and  swelling,  must  be  used  after 
the  reduction,  and  the  arm  suspended  by  a  sling.  See 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  ii.  p.  373; 
Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  2 1 1 ;  White's  Surgery,  p.  1 58. 

14.  MA'NUS     LUXA'TIO.       Luxation     of    the    hand. 
The  hand  may  be  luxated  backward,  forward,  and  on 
each  side;  but  a  luxation  backward  or  forward  is  most 
frequent.     Each  accident  is  readily  distinguished. 

From  the  distortion  of  the  strong  ligament,  and  the 
pressure  on  the  tendons,  there  is  exquisite  pain  and  a 
rigidity  of  the  fingers  ;  and  inflammation,  tumour,  ab- 
scess, gangrene,  and  a  caries  of  the  spongy  bones  of  the 
carpus  often  follow,  seldom  curable  but  by  amputation. 
A  recent  inconsiderable  luxation  is  more  easily  managed, 
and  it  should  be  speedily  reduced,  by  extending  the 
hand  and  arm  in  opposite  directions ;  and  by  placing 
the  cavity  of  the  extended  hand  on  a  table  or  some  other 
flat  body,  that  the  tumour  may  be  depressed.  This  me- 
thod is  necessary,  whatever  part  of  the  hand  is  luxated. 
See  LUXATIO  METACARPI,  16. 

15.  MAXI'LL*  INFERIO'RIS   LUXA'TIO.     Luxation   of 
the  loiyer  jatv.     This  bone  is  usually  luxated  forwards 
on  one  or  both  its  sides.     If  one  side  only  is  luxated, 
the  chin  inclines  to  the  opposite  side,  and  on  the  dislo- 
cated side  the  mouth  is  wider  open.     When  both  sides 
are  dislocated,  the  mouth  gapes  wide,  the  jaw  starts 


forwards,  and  the  chin  falls  towards  the  breast,  so  that 
the  patient  cannot  shut  his  mouth,  speak  distinctly,  nor 
swallow  with  ease.  This  accident  may  happen  from  a 
blow,  or  from  yawning. 

When  one  side  only  is  dislocated,  it  is  easily  reduced  ; 
but  when  both  sides  suffer,  the  patient  must  be  placed 
in  a  low  seat,  with  his  head  secure  against  the  breasf  of 
an  assistant ;  then  securing  the  thumbs  from  being  bit, 
place  them  on  the  patient's  teeth,  as  far  back  as  you 
conveniently  can,  at  the  same  time  fixing  your  fingers 
on  the  outside  of  the  jaw  :  when  you  have  secure  hold 
of  the  jaw,  press  it  downward,  backward,  and  upward. 
If  all  this  is  done  almost  in  the  same  instant,  the  reduc- 
tion will  be  complete ;  or,  as  Mr.  Bell  says,  when  the 
fingers  are  applied  as  directed,  the  surgeon  must  pull 
the  under  jaw  forward,  till  he  finds  it  move  somewhat 
from  its  situation  ;  and  he  should  then  press  the  jaw 
forcibly  down  with  his  thumbs,  and  moderately  back- 
ward with  the  palms  of  his  hands,  when  the  ends  of  the 
bone  will  immediately  slip  into  their  situation. 

If  only  one  side  is  luxated,  the  same  mode  will  suc- 
ceed, if  the  affected  side  be  pressed  most  forcibly  down- 
wards and  backwards.  Bandages  are  useless  in  this 
case.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  189,  190  ;  White's 
Surgery,  p.  155. 

16.  METACA'RPI  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  Meta- 
carfius.     See  MAXUS  LUXATIO. 

Mr.  Bell  observes,  that  in  the  reduction  of  these  dis- 
locations (viz.  of  the  metacarpus  and  fingers),  the  bone 
should  not  be  pulled  down  till  it  be  somewhat  raised  or 
elevated  from  the  contiguous  bone ;  for,  as  all  the  bones 
of  the  fingers  and  thumbs,  as  well  as  those  of  the  me- 
tacarpus, are  considerably  thicker  at  their  extremities 
than  in  any  other  part,  these  projections  are  apt  to  be 
forced  against  each  other  when  the  extension  is  made 
in  a  straight  direction.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p. 
249,  251  ;  White's  Surgery,  p.  163. 

17.  NA'SI   o'ssis  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  bone 
of  the  nose.     This  accident  is  easily  discovered  by  the 
eye  and  the  touch.  The  reduction  is  effected  by  a  quill 
put  up  the  nostrils,  and  then  with  the  fingers  replacing 
the  bones.     After  the  reduction  a  sticking  plaster  may 
be  applied.     Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  184. 

18.  OLECRA'NI   LUXA'TIO.     Luxation    of  the    elbow. 
A  perfect  luxation  of  this  joint  rarely  happens,    ex- 
cept the  olecranon  is  fractured,  or  the  ligament  greatly 
weakened.     This  luxation  may  be  backward  (which  is 
most    frequent),    forward,    outward,    or    inward.      If 
backward,  the  arm  appears  crooked  and  shorter,  and 
cannot  be  extended  :  in  the  internal  part  of  the  flexure 
the  humerus  will  be  prominent ;  in  the  external,  the 
olecranon,   with    a   large   cavity  between  both   bones. 
When  from  the  fracture  of  the  olecranon,  the  elbow 
is  pushed  forward,  the  os  humeri  will  stick  out  behind, 
the  ulna  is  prominent  on  the  fore  part,  and  a  cavity  ap- 
pears in  proportion  to  the  luxation.     If  external,  the 
tumour. is  so  too,  and  vice  versa. 

In  a  violent  luxation,  or  one  of  long  standing,  the 
bone  cannot  be  replaced  without  great  difficulty,  as  the 
ligaments  are  strong  and  the  processes  numerous.  Re- 
cent and  slighter  luxations  are  more  easily  restored. 

If  the  ligaments  and  tendons  are  rigid,  emollient  ap- 
plications should  be  used  some  time  before  attempting 
the  reduction  ;  the  egg  liquor  is  useful  in  this  case. 
See  ANCHYLOSIS. 


LUX 


894 


L  YC 


In  reducing  this  luxation  an  extention  must  be  made, 
until  the  fore  arm  can  be  bent;  and  then  the  reduction 
is  easily  accomplished  by  bearing  upon  the  lower  end 
of  the  humerus  with  one  hand,  and  by  taking  hold  of 
the  wrist  and  bending  the  elbow  with  the  other.  If  it 
is  on  either  side,  the  hand  of  the  patient  must  be  turned 
inward  or  outward,  at  the  same  instant,  as  the  case 
requires.  After  reduction,  the  arm  should  be  hung  in 
a  sling  for  some  time,  that  the  parts  may  recover  their 
tone.  See  Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  239.  White's 
Surgery,  p.  162. 

19.  PATE'LL^E  LUXA'TIO.     Luxation  of  the  knee  fian, 
may  happen  externally  and  internally.     In  order  to  its 
reduction,  the  patient's  leg  must  be  pulled  straight,  or 
if  he  can,  he  may  stand  on  it  erect ;  then  the  operator, 
taking  firm  hold  of  the  patella  with  his  fingers,  may 
force  it  into  'Its  place.     Nothing  but  rest  is  afterwards 
required.     Bell's  Surgery,  vol.  vi.   p.   267.     White's 
Surgery,  p.  165. 

20.  PE'DIS  O'SSIUM  LUXA'TIO.     See  9. 

21.  TA'LI    LUXA'TIO,   seu   MALLE'OLI.     Luxation    of 
Che  ankle.     Dr.  Hunter  observes,  that  when  there  is 
a  luxation  of  the  malleolus  internus,  there  is  generally 
a  fracture  of  the  fibula  ;  but  that  if  the  person  is  of  a 
•weak  constitution,  ligaments  may  be  relaxed  without  a 
fracture. 

If  the  ankle  is  luxated  inwardly,  the  bottom  of  the 
foot  turns  outward ;  if  outwardly,  the  contrary.  If 
forward,  the  heel  becomes  shorter,  and  the  foot  longer 
than  usual ;  if  backwards,  the  heel  is  lengthened,  and 
the  foot  shortened.  This  kind  of  luxation  is  usually 
attended  with  great  pain,  and  other  very  violent  symp- 
toms ;  and  the  difficulty  of  reducing  the  ankle  is  pro- 
portioned to  the  violence  of  the  cause.  The  patient 
should  be  placed  on  a  table  or  bed,  and  the  leg,  with 
the  knee  bent,  firmly  secured  by  an  assistant  or  two. 
The  foot  is  now  to  be  put  into  that  situation  which 
tends  most  effectually  to  relax  all  the  muscles  which 
belong  to  it ;  and  an  assistant  must  be  desired  to  ex- 
tend it  in  that  direction  till  the  most  prominent  point  of 
the  astragalus  has  clearly  passed  the  end  of  the  tibia, 
•when  the  bone  will  slip,  or  may  be  easily  forced  into  its 
place.  The  patient  should  keep  in  bed  until  the  fever 
and  the  symptoms  of  irritation  leave  him,  and  he  is  in 
some  measure  able  to  rest  upon  his  ankle.  See  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  274.  White's  Surgery,  p.  166. 

22.  VERTEBRA'RUM     LUXA'TIO.        Luxation    of    the 
•vertebrte.     The  vertebrae  are  rarely  perfectly  luxated. 
Those  of  the  neck  and  loins  are  more  subject  to  this 
accident  than  those  of  the  back,  because  they  are  more 
moveable  and   smooth,  are  destitute  of  those  cavities 
with  which  the  vertebrae  of  the  back  are  furnished,  and 
have  a  thicker  cartilage  interposed  betwixt  each.  Luxa- 
tions of  the  vertebrae   must   be  imperfect,  unless  at- 
tended with  a  fracture,  and  a  laceration  of  the  spinal 
marrow,   an   accident   quickly   fatal.      The    imperfect 
luxations   are   scarcely  less  fatal ;  and   they  most  fre- 
quently  happen  in  the  upper  vertebrae  oif  the  neck. 
Dislocation  or  crookedness  of  the  dorsal  vertebrae  side- 
ways, is  called  contortio. 

The  vertebrae  of  the  back  cannot  move  in  any  great 
degree  without  a  fracture  :  their  upper  or  lower  apo- 
physes,  and  sometimes  only  one,  is  misplaced;  for 
great  violence  is  generally  required  in  order  to  a  partial 
luxation.  When  a  vertebrae  is  luxated  without  a  fracture, 


the  body  leans  to  one  side,  or  forward :  if  the  left 
side  is  affected,  the  patient  leans  to  the  right,  and  vice 
versa. 

The  common  signs  of  a  luxation  of  the  vertebrae  in 
the  back  are,  that  the  back  is  crooked  and  unequal;  the 
patient  can  neither  stand  nor  walk,  and  his  whole  body 
seems  paralytic;  all  the  parts  below  the  luxation  arc 
insensible  and  immovable;  the  excrements  and  the 
urine  are  retained,  or  discharged  involuntarily;  the 
lower  parts  mortify,  and  the  patient  soon  dies. 

All  the  luxations  in  the  spine  are  very  dangerous, 
from  the  injury  done  to  the  spinal  marrow,  and  the 
difficulty  of  reducing  them.  The  danger  is  also 
greater,  the  nearer  the  luxation  is  to  the  head ;  as  from 
the  vertebrae  of  the  neck  and  back,  the  nerves  which 
supply  the  heart  and  intestines  are  chiefly  derived. 
When  several  vertebrae  are  luxated,  the  bad  symptoms 
are  not  so  violent. 

For  reducing  the  vertebras  of  the  neck,  see  COLLI 
LUXATIO.  When  both  the  apophyses  of  the  vertebras 
are  dislocated,  the  patient  must  be  laid  on  his  belly  over 
some  round  body,  and  two  assistants  may  depress  both 
ends  of  the  luxated  spine  on  each  side,  which  elevates, 
and  gradually  extends  the  vertebras,  the  spina  dorsi 
being  thus  bent  in  form  of  an  arch.  The  surgeon 
next  presses  down  the  inferior  dislocated  and  prominent 
vertebra,  and,  at  the  same  instant,  cxpeditiously  pushes 
the  superior  part  of  the  body  upwards.  If  the  first 
attempt  fails,  it  must  be  repeated  two  or  three  times. 
When  the  left  apophysis  only  is  displaced,  after  the 
patient  is  laid  in  the  same  posture,  one  assistant  may 
depress  the  left  coxa,  and  the  other  the  right  humerus; 
and  the  reverse,  if  the  injury  is  on  the  other  side. 
After  the  reduction,  it  may  be  necessary  to  take  some 
blood,  and  compresses  wrung  out  of  spirit  of  wine 
should  be  applied,  and  then  the  napkin  and  scapulary. 
See  London  Medical  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  326,  327.  Bell's 
Surgery,  vol.  vi.  p.  196;  and  White's,  p.  156.  Boer- 
haave's  Aphorisms.  Petit's  Diseases  of  the  Bones. 
London  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  ii.  p. 
99,  &.c.  Gooch's  Cases  and  Remarks.  Pott's  Gene- 
ral Remarks  on  Fractures  and  Dislocations.  Kirkland's 
Observations  on  Pott's  Remarks.  Medical  Museum, 
vol.  ii.  p.  406.  Heister's,  Wiseman's,  Bell's  and 
White's  Surgery. 

LUXU'RIANS,  (from  luxurio,  to  exceed}.  A  flower 
is  called  luxuriant,  when  the  teguments  of  its  fructifi- 
cations are  augmented  so  as  to  exclude  some  other  es- 
sential part.  Double  flowers,  which  are  luxuriant  ones, 
seldom  produce  fertile  seeds. 

LYCA'NCHE,  (from  AEKX«S,  a  ivolf).  A  QUINSY; 
because  the  noise  in  breathing  is  supposed  to  resemble 
the  howling  of  a  wolf.  See  ANGINA. 

LYCANTHRO'PIA,  (from  A£»x.o5,  a  wolf,  and  «»- 
Upwjros,  a  man).  LYCANTHROPY  ;  by  the  Arabians  cutu- 
buth,  from  an  animal  which  perpetually  moves  up  and 
down  on  the  surface  of  stagnant  waters;  by  jEtius, 
cynanthrofiy,  as  well  as  lycanthropy.  It  is  supposed  to 
be  the  disorder  with  which  the  demoniac,  mentioned 
in  scripture,  who  dwelt  among  the  tombs,  was  affected. 
Oribasius  informs  us,  that  persons  affected  with  this 
disease  "  leave  their  houses  in  the  night  time,  in  every 
thing  imitate  wolves,  and  wander  about  the  tombs  until 
break  of  day."  Actuarius  adds,  that  "  they  then  return 
to  their  homes  and  their  senses."  Their  looks  are  said 


L  YC 


895 


LYM 


to  be  pale,  their  eyes  dull,  hollow,  fixed,  dry,  and  with- 
out the  moisture  of  a  tear;  their  tongues  dry,  their  legs, 
from  the  bruises  they  receive  in  the  night,  (and,  accord- 
ing to  jEtius,  from  the  bites  of  dogs,)  full  of  incurable 
ulcers.  It  is  the  melancholia  erraaunda,  erratic  melan- 
choly of  Sauvages.  Bleeding,  blisters,  purgative  medi- 
cines, interposing  anodynes,  with  gentle  treatment,  are 
the  principal  means  of  relief. 

LY'CHN'IS,  (from  Ao^"?,  a  torch,  because  its  leaves 
were  usually  rolled  up  as  torches). 

LY'CHNIS  SE'GETUM  MA'JOR.     See  NIGELLASTRUM. 

LY'CHXIS  SYLVE'STRIS.  See  ANTIRRHINUM,  OCIMAS- 
TRUM,  BEHEN  ALBUM  VULGARE,  and  SAPONARIA. 

LY'CHNIS  VISCO'SA  RU'BRA.     See  MUSCIPL-LA. 

LY'CHXIS  CORONA'RIA  DIOSCORIDIS,  ROSE  CAMPION, 
is  cultivated  in  gardens,  flowers  in  June,  and  its  seeds 
are  cathartic. 

LYCHNOI'DES  SE'GETUM,  (from  lychnis,  and 
eihs,  likeness').  See  NIGELLASTRUM. 

LY'CIA.     See  CERUS  CYPRI  FOLIO. 

LY'CIUM,  (from  Lycia).  The  nandia  agnhatid, 
arbor  sfiinosa,  the  INDIAN  THORN,  probably  a  species 
of  prunus,  grows  in  the  East  Indies,  is  very  large,  re- 
sembling the  wild  pear;  fruit  bitterish  and  styptic ;  the 
leaves  sour  and  astringent.  This  last  property  iib  in- 
spissated juice  preserves,  and  is  called  cate,  as  it  is 
mistaken  for  the  terra  Japonica. 

LY'CIUM  BU'XI  FO'LLIIS,  fiyracantha,  BOX  THORN. 
Celcstrus  bujciformis,  or  ftyracanthus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  285, 
yrows  in  hot  countries.  The  rob  of  the  fruit  is  astrin- 
gent, but  it  is  often  adulterated,  or  the  rob  from  the 
berries  of  •periclitnenum  substituted  for  it. 

LYCOCTOXLTM,  (from  Asvxa?,  a  wolf,  and  xluta,  to 
slay,  because  it  was  used  for  the  purpose  of  destroying 
wolves).  See  ACOXITCM. 

LYCOPE'RDON,  (from  *£««<,  a  wolf,  and  vtfh, 
frefiitus).  PUFF  BALL,  supposed  to  spring  from  the 
dung  of  wolves. 

LYCOPE'RDOX  VULGA'RE,  crefiitus  lufii,  bo-vista,  orbi- 
cularis  fungus  rotundus  majcimus  fiu.lv  erulentus;  DUS- 
TY MUSHROOM,  PUFF  BALL,  lycofierdon  bo-vista  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1653,  is  round,  or  egg  shaped,  whitish,  with  a  short 
and  scarcely  any  pedicle,  growing  in  pasture  grounds. 
When  young  they  are  covered  with  tubercles  on  the 
outside,  and  pulpy  within.  By  age  they  become  smooth 
externally,  and  are  filled  with  a  fine  light  brownish  dust. 
It  is  a  very  powerful  vegetable  styptic  when  externally 
applied.  Gooch  prefers  it  to  the  agaric  of  the  oak,  and 
every  other  fungous  substance.  It  is  softer  and  more 
absorbent  than  lint,  and,  if  cut  into  slices,  might  answer 
the  purpose  of  the  sponge,  recommended  by  Dr.  Kirk- 
land,  after  amputation. 

LYCOPE 'RSICOX,  (from  itvxa,  a  wolf,  and  w,f- 
<rixar,  a  peach,  from  its  exciting  a  violent  degree  of 
lust).  WOLF'S  PEACH,  solarium  Jieru-vianum  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  267.  It  partakes  of  the  poisonous  properties  of  the 
other  solana. 

LYCOPO'DIUM,  (from  tevxtf,  a  wolf,  and  w«f«,  a 
claw,')  muscus  clavatus,  terrestris,  squamosus,  filicaria, 
cingularia,  WOLF'S  CLAW,  CLUB  MOSS;  lycofiodium  cla- 
vatum  Lin.  Sp.  Pli  1564,  is  a  fertile  moss,  destitute  of 
pedicles  and  capitella,  differing  from  the  selago,  because 
its  capsules,  instead  of  being  scattered  in  the  sinuses 
of  the  leaves,  are  collected  into  a  club;  for  each  scale 


covers  a  kidney  shaped  and  bivalve  capsule,  which 
loses  no  part  when  ripe.  It  grows  on  heaths  and  hilly 
places,  flowers  in  July  and  August,  and  is  reckoned 
cooling  and  astringent.  Its  pollen  is  sprinkled  with 
advantage  on  tender  skins,  to  prevent  excoriation.  M 
Bucholz,  of  the  academy  of  Erfvirth,  has  lately  exa- 
mined this  singular  substance,  and  found  that  the  seeds 
contained  one-sixteenth  of  a  fat  oil,  of  a  brownish  yel- 
low colour,  soluble  in  alcohol;  a  portion  of  true  sugar; 
an  insipid,  viscid,  brownish  yellow  extract,  leaving  a.  re- 
siduum of  peculiar  properties,  not  explained,  but  which 
is  said  to  be  a  peculiar  product  of  the  vegetable  king- 
dom. The  yellowish  appearance  of  the  seeds  is  sup- 
posed to  arise  from  their  containing  a  pigment,  and  their 
oil  occasions  their  inflammability  and  their  separation 
from  water.  See  PLICA  POLONICA. 

LYCO'PUS,  (from  the  same).      See  MARRUBIUM 

AO.UATICUM. 

LY'DIUS  LA'PIS,  (from  Lydia).     See  MAGNES. 
LYGI'SMOS,  (from  **>/<£«,  to  distort}.     See  LUX- 
ATI  o. 

LY'GMOS,  (from   A<«,  to  hiccough}.      See    SJN- 

GULTUS. 

LY'MPHA,  quasi  nymfiha,  (from  'vutft,  water). 
LYMPH  is  a  pellucid,  insipid,  pure  liquor  in  the  human 
machine,  and  the  purer  parts  of  the  serosity  generally 
obtain  this  appellation.  The  gelatinous  parts  of  this 
fluid  were  supposed  to  nourish  all  the  solids,  its  finer 
aqueous  parts  to  be  circulated  through  the  lymphatic 
vessels,  and,  Jay  means  of  the  valves  and  conglobate 
glands,  again  conveyed  to  the  heart.  These  ideas  are, 
however,  now  exploded ;  but,  in  the  Boerhaavian  school, 
we  still  hear  of  lymphatic  arteries,  which  are  properly 
those  which  will  not  admit  the  red  globules.  They 
have  corresponding  veins  distinguished  by  the  same  ap- 
pellation. The  source  of  the  lymph,  which  we  find  in  the 
cavities,  as  the  pericardium,  the  ventricles  of  the  brain, 
&c.  either  in  the  healthy  state,  or  when  accumulated  in 
dropsical  swellings,  is  uncertain.  Dr.  Hunter  has  at- 
tributed it  to  exudation  through  the  inorganic  pores,  as 
he  found  his  injections,  the  bile,  and  other  fluids,  exude 
after  death.  This  opinion  is,  however,  untenable,  from 
many  views,  but  particularly  the  numerous  and  dense 
coats  of  the  vessels;  for  it  is  not  probable  that  the  pores 
should  be  sufficiently  large  for  this  purpose,  without 
danger  of  all  the  serosity  escaping;  or  that,  in  each  coat, 
the  Lnorganized  pores  should  so  minutely  correspond. 
It  is,  therefore,  with  much  reason,  supposed  that  the 
exudation  which  he  found  was  in  consequence  of  the 
relaxation  occasioned  by  death,  and  that  all  the  watery- 
fluids  are  either  exhaled  from  the  open  orifices  of  ar- 
teries, or  separated  by  a  simpler  species  of  secretion. 
There  is,  we  think,  little  doubt  of  the  vessels  in  a 
state  of  health  confining  the  fluids  by  their  tonic 
power.  Indeed,  they  seem  to  pass  off"  in  a  state  of 
halitus. 

LY'MPHjE  DU'CTUS,  (from  lymfiha,  and  duco,  to 
carry).  Vasa  lymfihatica.  LYMPHATIC  VESSELS.  The 
lymphatics  arise  from  the  cells  of  the  membrana  cellu- 
laris,  the  Qavities  of  the  intestines,  of  the  urine  and  gall 
bladders,  and  of  every  other  viscus,  carrying  a  pellucid 
liquor  towards  the  receptaculum  chyli  and  thoracic 
duct,  in  which  they  almost  exclusively  terminate.  The 
coats  of  these  vessels  are  thin  and  transparent,  much 


L  YM 


896 


L  YM 


crowded  with  valves,  so  as,  like  the  lacteals,  to  resem- 
ble, when  injected  with  quicksilver,  strings  of  beads. 
The  lymphatics  frequently  anastomose,  and  in  their  way 
pass  through  the  lymphatic  glands,  ramifying  before 
they  enter  a  gland,  and  uniting  in  their  passage  from  it. 
See  LACTEA  VASA,  DUCTUS  THORACICUS. 

The  course  of  the  lymph  and  of  the  chyle  is  from 
the  extreme  parts  of  the  body  towards  the  centre;  and 
the  lymphatics  cfimmonly  lie  close  to  the  large  blood 
vessels  of  the  extremities.  All  the  lacteals,  and  most  of 
the  lymphatics,  open  into  the  thoracic  duct,  which  lies 
upon  the  spine,  and  runs  up  towards  the  neck,  where  it 
commonly  opens  into  the  angle  between  the  jugular  and 
subclavian  veins  of  the  left  side;  and  thus  both  the  chyle 
and  the  lymph  are  gradually  mixed  with  the  blood. 

The  coats  of  these  vessels  are  thinner  and  more  pel- 
lucid than  those  of  the  blood  vessels,  but  stronger;  for 
they  can  support  the  weight  of  quicksilver,  which  will 
rupture  the  coats  of  even  the  arteries.  The  internal  coat 
is  smooth,  dense,  and  highly  polished,  projectingby  little 
duplicatures  into  the  cavity  of  the  vessel  forming  the 
valves.  The  second  coat  consists  chiefly  of  muscular 
fibres,  running  in  every  possible  direction;  but  usually 
in  a  circular  one,  surrounding  the  internal  membrane. 
The  outward  coat  is  similar  to  the  pleura,  or  perito- 
naeum. 

The  coats  of  the  lacteal  and  lymphatic  vessels  have, 
in  common  with  all  other  parts  of  the  body,  arteries 
and  veins  for  their  nourishment,  and  nerves  for  their 
animation :  from  the  blood  vessels  running  through 
them  they,  are  subject  to  inflammation,  and,  from  their 
numerous  nerves,  they  are  more  irritable  than  any  other 
vessels  in  the  human  body.  Their  valves  are  two  in 
number,  of  a  semilunar  shape;  and  are  so  frequently 
interposed,  that  three  or  four  pair  may  be  sometimes 
found  in  the  space  of  one  inch.  They  are  occasionally 
fewer,  and  in  some  parts  wholly  wanting. 

The  lymphatics,  like  the  lacteals,  open  into  the  ca- 
vities, and  draw  in  the  various  fluids  which  these  con- 
tain by  a  capillary  attraction.  It  is  probable,  as  we  have 
said,  that  they  convey  fluids  only,  or  solid  substances 
very  minutely  divided.  That  they  carry  the  bony 
matter  we  know,  from  the  fact  recorded  by  Mr.  Ches- 
ton,  where,  in  a  case  of  mollities  ossium,  the  thoracic 
duct  was  filled  with  an  osseous  matter.  Bones  are  not, 
however,  absorbed  so  rapidly  as  the  frequently  quoted 
experiment,  with  madder,  would  lead  us  to  believe;  for 
it  is  now  found,  that,  though  the  colouring  part  of  mad- 
der has  a  considerable  affinity  to  the  phosphat  of  lime, 
of  which  the  bones  consist,  it  has  greater  affinity  to  the 
serum  of  the  blood.  In  such  experiments  the  colour- 
ing matter  is,  therefore,  only  deposited,  and  again 
washed  away,  without  any  other  corresponding  change 
on  the  earthy  salt.  The  fluids,  when  once  absorbed,  are 
carried,  by  the  action  of  the  vessel,  or  by  the  pressure  of 
the  adjoining  muscles,  beyond  the  first  pair  of  valves; 
and,  by  the  frequent  recurrence  of  these  valves,  every 
action  assists  the  progress  of  the  fluid,  since  regurgita- 
tion  is  prevented.  It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  all  the 
lymphatics  pass  into  the  thoracic  duct.  Some  trunks 
have  been  discovered  which  escape  it,  and  there  is 
rather  a  probability  that  lymphatics  occasionally  ter- 
minate in  veins  farther  distant  from  the  heart. 

Lymphatics,  as  well  as  lacteals,  are  not  always  ex- 
cited to  action :  in  other  words,  their  extremities  are  not 


erected  so  as  to  become  capillary  tubes,  a  circumstance 
depending  on  a  variety  of  causes,  of  which  we  can  per- 
ceive with  distinctness  only  general  debility,  or  a  suf- 
ficient supply  already  in  the  system.  We  have  had 
occasion  also  to  suggest,  that  an  elective  affinity  seems  to 
influence  the  admission  of  some  fluids,  and  the  rejection 
of  others.  Perhaps  sedatives  may,  for  a  time,  paralyze 
the  sensible  orifices  of  the  lacteals;  stimulants  excite 
them  too  violently,  or  astringents  contract  them  too 
much.  This  may  be  deemed  conjectural;  but  some 
facts  might  be  adduced  in  favour  of  each  supposition. 
The  lymphatic  vessels  of  the  lower  extremities  are 
the  superficial,  or  those  more  deeply  seated.  The  for- 
mer lie  between  the  skin  and  the  muscles,  and  are  con- 
nected with  the  surface,  and  the  cellular  membrane, 
which  lies  immediately  under  it,  absorbing  fluids  from 
each ;  one  branch  of  the  superficial  lymphatics  runs  upon 
the  top  of  the  foot,  another  generally  under  the  inner 
ankle.  The  branch  on  the  foot  runs  up  on  the  outside 
of  the  tendon  of  the  tibialis  anticus,  until  it  rises  above 
the  ankle ;  and  running  over  the  shin  bone,  it  divides 
and  forms  a  plexus,  still  ascending  in  the  cellular  mem- 
brane to  the  inside  of  the  knee,  from  whence  it  ad- 
vances up  the  inside  of  the  thigh  under  the  skin,  and, 
arriving  at  the  groin  enters  the  lymphatic  glands. 
These  glands  are  seven  or  eigRt  in  number,  some  of 
which  lie  in  the  angle  between  the  thigh  and  the  abdo- 
men, and  others  a  little  below  on  the  fore  part  of  the 
thigh.  Into  these  upper  glands  only  lymphatic  vessels 
of  the  genitals  enter,  so  that  the  venereal  bubo,  which 
arises  in  consequence  of  an  absorption  of  matter  from 
these  organs,  is  always  seated  in  these;  and  the  lower 
glands  are  never  affected,  except  from  their  vicinity  to 
the  glands  first  diseased.  As  the  upper  glands  are 
affected  from  the  genitals,  so  the  lower  are  usually  in- 
flamed from  the  absorption  of  acrid  matter  in  the  parts 
below  them.  The  lymphatic  vessels  of  the  genitals 
having  joined  those  of  the  thigh,  a  net  work  is  formed, 
which  enters  the  abdomen  under  the  edge  of  the  tendon 
of  the  external  oblique  muscle,  called  Poupart's  liga- 
ment: some  branches  of  this  plexus  embrace  the  iliac 
artery.  As  no  considerable  branches  can  be  distinguish- 
ed on  the  outside  of  the  leg  or  thigh,  it  is  probable  that 
all  the  lymphatic  vessels  of  those  parts  bend  towards 
the  inside.  Upon  these  superficial  vessels,  from  the  foot 
to  the  groin,  there  is  scarcely  in  any  instance  one  gland. 
Besides  the  superficial  lymphatic  vessels  which  lie  above 
all  the  muscles,  or  in  the  cellular  membrane  under  the 
skiri,  there  is  some  seated  amongst  the  muscles,  accom- 
panying the  crural  artery.  Of  these  the  principal  trunk 
can  be  discovered  by  cutting  down  to  the  posterior 
tibial  artery,  near  the  inner  ankle.  From  this  part  the 
vessel  passes  up  with  the  posterior  tibial  artery,  and  is 
hid  amongst  the  muscles  on  the  back  part  of  the  tibia. 
About  the  middle  of  the  leg  it  enters  a  small  gland  met 
with  in  most  subjects,  and  from  hence  runs  up  to  the 
back  part  of  the  ham,  still  lying  close  to  the  artery,  and 
in  the  ham  it  usually  passes  through  three  glands.  After 
it  has  passed  these  glands,  this  single  vessel  commonly 
divides  into  two  or  three  branches,  which  still  accom- 
pany the  crural  artery,  and  pass  with  it  through  the 
perforation  in  the  triceps.  Having  passed  the  muscle, 
they  go  up  with  the  artery  and  enter  a  gland  deeper 
seated  than  those  which  appear  on  the  groin,  from 
which  they  pass  intp  the  superficial  gland. 


L  Y  31 


897 


L  y  3i 


.ics  of  the  lower  extremities  having  now 
••cached  the  trunk  of  the  body,  and  passed  undei^Pou- 
part's  ligament,  appear  upon  the  sides  of  the  ossa  pubis, 
near  the  pelvis.  Some  pass  up  with  the  iliac  artery 
upon  the  brim  of  the  pelvis;  and  others  nip  into  the 
cavity  of  the  pelvis,  and  join  the  internal  iliac  artery 
near  the  sciatic  notch.  At  this  place  they  are  joined 
by  the  lymphatics  from  the  contents  of  the  pelvis.  Be- 
sides those  which  sink  into  the  pelvis,  on  the  inside  of 
the  external  iliac,  others  keep  on  the  outside  of  that  ar- 
upon  the  psoas  muscle  :  of  these  a  part  goes  up  to 
cl  passing  under  the  aorta  in  different 
branches,  from  the  left  side  to  the  right,  joins  the  tho- 
racic duct.  Another  part  passes  under  the  iliac  arteries, 
and  rppears  upon  the  os  sacrum,  making  a  beautiful  net 
•work,  joining  the  lymphatics  of  the  right  side,  and  pass- 
ing under  the  iliac  artery,  to  form  the  net  work  upon 
the  upper  part  of  the  right  psoas  muscle.  The  lympha- 
tic vessels  of  the  right  side,  joined  by  some  from  the 
left,  having  reached  the  right  lumbar  region,  appear 
there  in  the  form  of  a  plexus  of  large  vessels,  and  pass 
through  several  glands.  At  this  part,  they  receive  like-- 
•wise  large  branches  under  the  aorta,  from  the  plexus  on 
the  left  side  of  the  loins  ;  and  having  at  last  got  up  as 
high  as  the  second  lumbar  vertebra,  they  all  join,  and 
form  a  single  trunk  called  the  thoracic  duct :  at  this 
part  they  are  joined  by  the  lacteals.  See  LACTHA 
VASA. 

Into  the  thoracic  duct  the  lymph  from  the  other  ab- 
dominal viscera  enters.  This  is  brought  by  a  number 
of  vessels,  a  plexus  of  which  may  be  traced  from  each 
kidney,  lying  principally  behind  the  emulgent  artery, 
and  opening  into  large  lymphatic  vessels  near  the  aorta: 
these  the  lymphatics  of  the  glandulae  renales  generally 
accompany. 

The  lymphatic  vessels  of  the  spleen  pass  from  the 
concave  side  of  that  viscus,  along  with  the  splenic  ar- 
tery in  the  sinuosity  of  the  pancreas,  by  the  lymphatic 
vessels  of  which  they  probably  are  joined. 

To  the  stomach  belong  two  sets  of  lymphatics,  the 
one  running  upon  its  lesser,  and  the  other  upon  its 
greater,  curvature.  The  former  accompanies  the  coro- 
nary artery,  and  passes  through  some  lymphatic  glands 
which  lie  by  its  side.  The  other  set  passes  from  the 
great  curvature  of  the  stomach,  through  some  lymphatic 
glands  that  lie  close  to  the  arteria  gastrica  dextra.  De- 
scending by  the  pylorus,  it  meets  the  plexus  that  accom- 
panied the  coronary  artery,  and  near  the  lesser  curva- 
ture of  the  duodenum  forms  a  considerable  net  work. 
Into  this  not  only  the  lymphatics  from  the  spleen  en- 
ter, but  likewise  those  from  the  gall  bladder,  together 
•with  those  of  the  liver,  which  are  very  numerous  both 
in  its  convex  and  on  its  concave  side.  Several  branches 
proceed  from  this  net  work,  some  running  under  the 
duodenum,  and  others  over  it;  which  all  open  into  the 
thoracic  duct. 

The  lymphatics  of  the  liver,  the  spleen,  and  the  kid- 
neys, are  generally  in  two  sets;  one  of  which  lies  upon 
the  surface  of  the  organ,  and  the  other  accompanies  the 
large  blood  vessels  in  its  centre.  In  the  liver,  these 
two  sets  have  been  found  to  communicate  with  each 
other  ;  so  that,  by  injecting  mercury  into  the  lymphatic 
vessels  which  lie  upon  its  convex  surface,  Mr.  Hewson 
hath  filled  those  which  accompany  the  pori  bilarii  and 
vena  portae  in  its  centre.  Most  of  the  lymphatic  vessels 
>..  i. 


which  lie  upon  the  convex  surface  of  the  liver, 'run  to- 
wards its  falciform  ligament,  and  pass  down  by  the  side" 
of  the  vena  cava  ;  but  some  a-ds  the  right 

merit  of  the  liver,  where  they  pass  down  upon  the  die: 
phragm  to  reach  the  thoracic  duct.  The  lymphatics  on 
the  concave  surface  run  towards  theporta,  where  they 
join  those  which  come  from  the  centre  of  the  liver, 
along  with  its  large  blood  vessels.  The  lymphatic  ves- 
sels of  the  stomach  enter  with  others  into  the  thorack 
duct.  All  the  lymphatics  of  the  viscera,  with  their  dif- 
ferent plexuses,  are  beautifully  figured  by  Mascagni. 

The  lymphatics  of  the  lungs  "are  in  two  sets.  One 
set  passes  on  the  posterior  part  of  each  lobe  by  if 
into  the  thoracic  duct,  near  the  middle  of  the  thorax  ; 
the  other  from  the  for'e  part  of  each  lobe  rises  towards 
the  jugular  and  subclavian  veins.  "Some  of  the  lympha- 
tics, on  the  posterior  part  of  the  left  lobe,  creep  under 
the  aorta  to  the  thoracic  duct.  Those  from  the  anterior 
part  of  the  left  lobe  proceed  to  the  angle  between  the 
jugular  and  subclavian  vein  of  the  same  side,  joining  tht 
thoracic  duct  at  its  termination ;  while  those  from  th< 
fore  part  of  the  right  lobe  do  not  communicate  with  the 
thoracic  duct,  but  pass  into  the  angle  between  the  right 
jugular  and  the  right  subclavian  vein. 

By  the  side  of  each  internal  jugular  vein  is  a  large 
lymphatic  vessel,  the  trunk  of  those  of  one  side  of  the 
head  and  neck.  Smaller  lymphatics  are  seen  neai 
the  branches  of  the  external  carotid.  From  various 
circumstances,  it  is  highly  probable  that  there  are  lym- 
phatic vessels  on  the  external  parts  of  the  head;  and, 
though  none  have  been  discovered,  on  the  brain  also. 
The  small  lymphatics  which  accompany  the  branches  ot 
the  external  carotid  artery  unite  upon  the  neck,  and  ? 
form  a  large  trunk,  which  accompanies  the  internal  ju- 
gular vein,  passing  through  some  lymphatic  glands,near 
the  termination  of  this  trunk,  in  the  angles  between  the 
jugular  and  subclavian  veins.  The  glandula  thyroidaea 
has  many  lymphatic  vessels,  which  can  sometimes  be  in- 
flated by  blowing  air  into  the  cells  of  the  gland:  I 
vessels  pass  on  each  side  of  the  trachea,  one  part  going 
into  the  angle  of  the  right  subclavian  and  jugular,  and 
the  other  joining  the  thoracic  duct  upon  the  left  side. 

Like  the  leg,  each  arm  hath  two  sets  of  lymphatic 
vessels-;  one  immediately  under  the  integuments,  be- 
longing to  the  skin  and  the  cellular  membrane,  con- 
necting it  to  the  muscles ;  the  other  accompanying  the 
large  arteries,  from  the  parts  deeper  seated. 

The  lymphatic  vessels,  discovered  and  delineated,  are 
in  general  only  to  be  considered  as  the  trunks,  since  every 
part  of  the  body  has  probably  vessels  of  this  kind;  for 
wheresoever  variolous  matteris  inserted,  the  lymphatic 
vessels  carry  it  into  the  body,  as  is  shown  by  its  inflam- 
ing the  conglobate  glands  through  which  these  vessels 
pass. 

It  is  by  the  action  of  the  absorbent  system  that  many- 
noxious  materials  are  introduced  into  the  habit;  as  the 
matter  of  the  small  pox,  the  lues  venerea,  the  miasmata 
of  fevers  :  and  it  is  also  by  their  means  that  mercury 
rubbed  externally  is  received  into  the  constitution,  and 
produces  similar  effects  on  the  interior  parts.  See  For- 
dyce's  Elements,  part  1st.  Dr.  Hunter's  Commentaries. 
Monro's  Description  of  the  Human  Lacteal  Sac  and 
Duct.  Hewson's  experimental  Inquiries  into  the  Lym- 
phatic System.  Sheldon's  History  of  the  Absoi  I 
Svstem.  Mascagni  Historia. 


L  Y  M 


898 


L  YM 


The  diseases  of  the  lymfihatics  are  not  numerous. 
They  are  undoubtedly  irritable,  and  in  an  inflamed  state, 
at  least,  acutely  sensible;  but  they  never  seem  to  be  af- 
fected with  inflammation  from  any  cause  but  the  acri- 
mony of  their  contents.  In  hydrophobia,  in  lues  venerea, 
and  similar  complaints,  a  hard,  tender  cord  may  be  often 
traced  from  the  wound  previous  to  the  inflammation  of 
the  gland.  On  the  other  hand,  they  seem  sometimes 
deficient  in  irritability  ;  a  circumstance  on  which  SCRO- 
FULA, tide  in  verbo,  apparently  depends. 

Amongst  these  disorders,  however,  Mr.  White  pro- 
perly places  the  dejiot  laiteux  sur  la  cuisse  of  Puzos; 
ischias  a  sfiargonosiof  Sauvages.  Most  writers  have  at- 
tributed this  complaint  to  a  redundancy  of  milk,  and  it 
hence  has  been  often  called  xdema  lacteum;  by  others 
jihlegmatia  doletis;  but  it  might  be  more  appropriately 
denominated  ecchymoma  lym/ihatica.  Mr.  White  de- 
scribes this  disorder  more  accurately  than  any  other 
writer,  and  is  the  first  author  who  escaped  from  the 
trammels  of  the  former  doctrine.  In  about  twelve  or 
fifteen  days  after  delivery,  he  observes,  the  patient  is 
seized  with  a  great  pain  in  the  groin  of  one  side,  accom- 
panied with  a  considerable  degree  of  fever,  seldom  pre- 
ceded by  a  shivering  fit  and  cold  rigor.  This  part  soon 
becomes  affected  with  swelling  and  tension,  which  ex- 
tend to  the  labia  pudendi  of  the  same  side  only,  and 
clown  tlue  inside  of  the  thigh,  to  the  ham,  the  leg,  the 
foot,  and  the  whole  limb:  the  progress  of  the  swelling 
is  so  quick,  that  in  a  day  or  two  the  limb  becomes  twice 
the  size  of  the  other,  and  is  moved  with  great  difficulty; 
is  hot  and  exquisitely  tender,  but  without  external  in- 
flammation. The  pain  in  the  groin  is  generally  pre- 
ceded by  a  pain  in  the  small  of  the  back,  sometimes  by 
a  pain  at  the  bottom  of  the  belly,  on  the  same  side  ;  and 
the  parts  which  suffer  the  most  pain  are  the  groin,  the 
ham,  and  the  back  part  of  the  leg,  about  its  middle.  The 
pain  indeed  extends  over  the  whole  limb,  owing  to  the 
sudden  distention ;  but  in  a  day  or  two  it  becomes  less 
considerable.  It  is  very  hard,  smooth,  shining,  pale, 
and  equable,  except  where  the  conglobate  glands  are 
situated,  which  in  some  cases  are  knotty  and  hard,  as  in 
the  groin,  the  ham,  and  about  the  middle  of  the  leg,  at 
its  back  part ;  neither  pitting  on  pressure,  nor  discharg- 
ing water  when  punctured.  This  disorder  generally 
comes  on  about  the  second  or  third  week  after  delivery; 
but  in  one  instance  it  occurred  to  Mr.  White  so  early  as 
twenty-four  hours  after  delivery,  and  in  another  so  late 
as  five  weeks  ;  but  each  is  uncommon.  The  first  parts 
that  begin  to  mend,  both  as  to  pain  and  swelling,  are 
the  groin,  and  the  affected  labium  ;  the  thigh  next  sub- 
sides, and  lastly  the  leg.  The  fever,  which  is  appa- 
rently hectic,  in  some  patients  declines  in  two  or  three 
\yecks,  in  others  it  continues  six  or  eight.  It  some- 
times, though  rarely,  attacks  both  the  extremities.  Af- 
ter the  disorder  has  subsided,  it  is  not  uncommon  for 
the  sound  leg  to  swell  towards  evening,  and  become 
cedematous ;  but  the  groin  and  thigh  of  that  side  are 
not  affected  ;  the  leg  is  much  softer  than  the  other,  and 
pits  when  pressed. 

It  attacks  women  of  all  ranks,  and  of  different  habits, 
and  is  not  influenced  by  the  discharge  of  the  lochia,  suck- 
ling, the  nature  and  duration  qf  the  labour,  or  the  mode 
of  delivery,  but  rather  attacks  the  side  on  which  they 
lay  during  labour.  The  healthy  and  the  diseased  ;  the 
strong  and  the  weak  ;  the  lean  aaid  the  corpulent ;  the 


sedentary  and  the  active ;  the  young  and  the  middle 
aged,  equally  suffer ;  but  it  seldom  happens  after  a  mis- 
carriage, nor  to  a  woman  more  than  once,  though  she 
has  afterwards  more  children.  It  occurs  at  all  seasons 
and  situations  ;  but  neither  attacks  the  arms,  nor  other 
parts  of  the  body  ;  never  suppurates,  nor  proves  fatal. 

The  period  of  the  attack,  and  the  elasticity  of  the 
swelling,  distinguish  it  from  every  other  disease;  and 
Mr.  White  supposes  it  to  arise  from  the  child's  head 
pressing  the  lymphatic  vessels,  which  arise  from  one  of 
the  lower  extremities,  against  the  brim  of  the  pelvis, 
during  a  labour  pain,  so  as  to  stop  the  progress  of  the 
lymph,  and  produce  a  rupture  with  a  consequent  effu- 
sion. The  extravasation  in  some  habits  is  re-ab- 
sorbed readily,  in  others  with  difficulty;  and  by  ly- 
ing out  of  the  course  of  its  circulation,  it  will  press 
against  the  uterus  and  bladder,  and  occasion  forcing 
pains,  and  even  suppressions  of  urine.  When  the  ori- 
fice made  in  the  ruptured  vessel  is  healed,  and  the  dia- 
meter of  the  tube  is  contracted  or  closed,  the  lymph  is 
retained  in  the  lymphatics,  distending  the  glands  of  the 
limb  and  parts  around,  and  the  swelling  always  begins  in 
that  part  next  to  which  the  obstruction  is  formed.  When 
the  obstruction  is  in  part  or  wholly  removed,  or  the 
lymph  has  found  a  fresh  passage,  the  part  next  to  it  is 
consequently  first  relieved.  This  opinion  has  been  op- 
posed by  different  authors.  Mr.  Trye,  in  his  work, 
published  in  1792,  considered  the  disease  as  owing  to 
an  inflammation  of  the  lymphatic  gland  ;  Dr.  Ferriar, 
in  the  third  volume  of  his  Medical  Histories  (1798), 
thinks  its  cause  an  inflammation  of  the  lymphatics  of 
the  side  affected.  Dr.  Hall,  in  an  essay  on  this  disease, 
which  he  styles  fihlegmatia.  dolens,  published  in  1800r 
supposes  it  to  arise  from  inflammation  and  an  effusion 
of  coagulable  lymph. 

We  strongly  suspect  that  the  nature  of  the  disease  is 
not  understood.  The  fever  is  apparently  idiopathic, 
and  the  swelling  seems  to  be  a  critical  deposition,  not 
of  pus  or  of  water,  but  of  coagulable  lymph.  Were 
Mr.  White's  opinion  correct,  it  should  always  appear 
within  a  few  days,  and  the  fever  should  be  the  conse- 
quence of  obstruction.  Were  Mr.  Trye  in  the  right,, 
the  gland  should  first  inflame  ;  and  was  Dr.  Femur's 
system  true,  pain  should  be  previously  felt  in  the  course 
of  the  lymphatics.  Dr.  Hall  seems  to  approach  nearer 
the  fact;  but  the  nature  of  the  fever,  and  the  circum- 
stances which  influence  the  deposition,  are  .obscure. 
Milky  depositions,  as  they  have  been  called,  are  not  un- 
common after  delivery,  particularly  in  the  peritonaeum  in 
the  peritonitis  puerperarum,  and  other  parts  ;  but  these 
arc,  perhaps,  rather  depositions  of  gluten  than  of  milk, 
or  are  observable  when  the  milk  is  checked.  In  this 
case  the  disease  is  not  connected  with  the  suppression 
of  milk ;  and  the  only  use  we  can  make  of  the  fact 
is,  to  show  that  in  such  cases  the  effusion  of  gluten  is 
not  uncommon.  If,  from  fever,  such  effusion  should 
take  place  in  the  legs,  we  know  that,  from  its  density,  it 
cannot  be  readily  absorbed  ;  and  it  is  probable,  also,  that 
the  lymphatics,  by  the  pressure  which  usually  occasions 
oedematous  swellings  in  the  latter  months,  may  be 
weakened,  so  as  to  be  still  less  equal  to  the  conveyance 
of  the  glutinous  lymph  to  the  thoracic  duct.  The  cir- 
cumstances of  the  delivery,  or  of  the  position  of  the 
child  in  utero,may  have  an  effect  of  determining  to  one 
side,  rather  than  another. 


L  Y 


L  \  T 


According  to  Mr.  White,  in  the  first  or  inflammatory 
-stage,  antiphlogistics  are  necessary,  in  the  degree  which 
the  patient's  strength  will  permit.  The  bowels  shoxild 
be  kept  lax.  the  pains  alleviated  by  opiates  internally,  by 
anodyne  fomentations,  and  by  the  warm  and  vapour  bath  ; 
blisters  on  the  upper  part  of  the  thigh,  and  emollient 
injections  into  the  vagina,  have  been  found  useful ;  anti- 
monials,  the  saline  draughts  given  in  the  act  of  efferves- 
cence, cool  acidulated  liquors,  and  cool  air,  are  supposed 
useful  in'relieving  fever.  In  the  second  stage,  when 
the  pain  abates,  the  swelling  and  tension  of  the  parts 
lessen,  though  the  quickness  of  the  pulse  and  some  de- 
gree of  fever  remain,  the  patient  may  be  allowed  a  little 
wine  and  a  fuller  diet.  A  dose  or  two  of  calomel,  of 
two  grains  each,  given  at  proper  intervals,  have  seemed 
useful  in  this  stage.  Fifteen  grains  of  myrrh  two  or 
three  times  a-day,  in  a  neutral  draught  in  the  act  of 
effervescence,  maybe  taken  ;  or  to  a  saline  draught,  with 
myrrh,  two  grains  of  the  ferrum  ammoniacale  may  be 
added.  The  limb  may  be  chafed  with  warm  oil,  and 
bathed  at  first  in  water  of  82  degrees  of  Fahrenheit,  and 
afterwards  of  76.  In  the  third  stage,  when  no  com- 
plaint remains,  except  the  swelling  of  the  limb,  and 
perhaps  a  general  relaxation,  the  bark,  with  or  with- 
out steel,  will  be  necessary,  dipping  the  limb  in  cold 
water,  or  embrocating  it  with  spirit  of  wine  and  cam- 
phor. A  circular  calico  bandage  applied  to  the  limb 
will  also  assist  in  the  recovery;  and  if  the  swelling  is 
confined  to  the  small  of  the  leg,  the  bandage  may  be 
changed  for  a  straight  or  laced  stocking,  or  for  a  half 
boot.  Exercise  on  horseback,  and  gentle  friction,  will 
be  of  advantage  ;  but  walking,  or  whatever  promotes  a 
greater  secretion  of  lymph,  will  be  injurious  in  every 
stage  of  the  disease. 

Mr.  Trye  endeavours  at  first  to  relieve  the  fever  by 
evacuants,  and  then,  according  to  his  doctrine,  attempts 
to  relax  the  inflamed  vessels  by  fomentations,  leeches, 
and  blisters  ;  to  promote  absorption  by  emetics,  and  in 
the  latter  stage  by  friction  with  mercurial  ointment. 
Dr.  Ferriar  applies  leeches,  with  cooling  remedies  ;  and 
Dr.  Hull,  like  Mr.  White,  treats  the  complaint  at  first  as 
inflammatory,  and  at  last  as  asthenic.  In  our  hands  it 
has  appeared  an  intractable  disease,  though  relieved  at 
last  by  the  efforts  of  nature.  If  the  patient  is  truly 
such,  and  the  practitioner  so  unprincipled  as  to  continue 
medicines  which  he  must  know  will  have  little  effect, 
he  will  at  last  gain  the  credit  of  the  cure  which  nature 
effects.  In  our  hands  the  fever  has  yielded  to  emetics, 
evacuants,  and  opiates.  The  deposition,  which  soon 
assumes  a  chronic  form,  scarcely  yields  to  any  remedies. 
The  Dover's  powder,  at  night,  with  occasional  laxatives, 
and  at  last  the  bark  and  the  squills,  have  appeared  as 
serviceable  as  any  of  the  boasted  remedies. 


See  Mauriceau's  Traile  des  Maladies  tif.s  I  emmes 
Grosses,  kc.  edit.  5,  4to. ;  Puzos'  Memoire  sur  les  De- 
pots Laiteux,  appelles  communemem  Lait  Repandu  ; 
Levret's  Art  d'Accouchement,  ch.  iii.  sect.  7  ;  Van 
Swieten's  Commentary  on  Boerhaave's  Aphorism,  1329; 
M.  Raulin's  Traite  des  Maladies  des  Femmes,  en  Cou- 
che;  White's  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Cause  of 
that  Swelling,  in  one  or  both  of  the  lower  Extremities, 
which  sometimes  happens  to  lying-in  Women  :  T  rye's 
Essay  on  the  Swelling  of  the  Extremities  of  Puerperal 
Women;  Ferriar's  Medical  Histories,  vol.  iii. ;  Hull  on 
the  Phlegmatia  Dolens  ;  and  White's  Inquiry,  par' 

LYMPHATIC  GLANDS  are  those  bodies  through  which 
the  lymphatics  pass.  Their  structure  has  never  been  de- 
mi  nstrated ;  for  while  some  anatomists  suppose  them 
to  be  cellular,  others  contend  that  they  are  merely 
masses  of  convoluted  vessels.  As  we  know  nothing  of 
the  change  which  the  lymph  undergoes  in  these  glands, 
we  cannot  assist  demonstration  by  theoretical  induction. 
We  perceive  only  that  nature  anxiously  delays  the  pass- 
age of  the  lymph  into  the  blood;  as,  previous  to  their 
entering  the  gland,  the  lymphatic  vessels  are  divided 
into  minute  branches.  This  purpose  might  perhaps  be 
equally  answered  by  convoluted  vessels,  as  by  stag- 
nation in  cells,  since  we  find  the  semen  elaborated  in 
the  lengthened  tubes  of  which  the  testis  consists.  Ye* 
the  force  of  the  argument,  that  some  secretion  takes 
place  in  the  cells  to  animalize  this  new  fluid,  is  not  in- 
considerable. Since  the  end  is  undisputed,  we  need  not 
contend  for  the  means.  Let  us,  however,  only  add,  that 
in  either  case,  if  the  contents  are  viscid,  or  the  irritabi- 
lity of  the  vessels  preternatural!)-  lessened,  stagnation 
must  be  the  unavoidable  consequence. 

LY'RA,  (from  At/^a,  a  lyre}.  The  inferior  surface 
of  that  part  of  the  brain  called  fornix,  because  its  medul- 
lary lines  resemble  the  strings  of  the  lyre.  See  CERE- 
BRUM. 

LY'RUS,  (from  lyra,  a  lyre;  because  its  leaves  are 
divided  like  the  strings  of  a  lyre).  See  ARNICA  MON- 
TANA. 

LYSIMA'CHIA.  YELLOW  LOOSE  STRIFE,  or  WIL- 
LOW HERB,  enothera,  lythrum  salicaria  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  640, 
(from  Lysimachus,  the  supposed  discoverer,)  is  a  small 
plant  found  about  the  sides  of  rivers,  said,  without  much 
reason,  to  be  astringent.  A  name  of  a  species  of  the 
mummularia  cassida,  and  other  plants. 

LY'SSA,  (from  At>»,  to  dissolve,  a  solutions  iniegrifa- 
tis  sensuum).  The  madness  of  dogs  and  wolves,  or  of 
men  who  are  bit  by  them.  When  from  dogs,  it  is 
called  cynolyssa. 

LY  THRON,  (from  >.«/«p«,  6lood).  Dust  mixed 
with  sweat;  sometimes  menstrual  blood.  Hippo- 
crates. 


5  Y  : 


yoo 


M. 


MAC 


M. 


_LY_M.  •  or  in.  In  prescriptions  it  signifies  misce,  mix  ; 
or  mani/iutits,  a  handful.  In  the  late  British  pharma- 
copoeias it  means  mensiird,  by  measure. 

MACA'NDON,  (Indian,)  cada  fialava,  a  coniferous 
tree  mentioned  by  Bontius,  unnoticed  in  modern  sys- 
tems, growing  in  Malabar.  Its  fruit  resembles  the 
pine  nut,  is  rather  insipid  to  the  taste,  the  flowers  re- 
sembling those  of  the  honeysuckle.  The  fruit  is  roasted, 
and  eaten  as  a  remedy  for  dysenteries,  the  cholera  mor- 
bus,  and  other  complaints.  Rail  Historia. 

MACAPA'TLI.     See  SARSAPARILLA. 

MACAXqCOTLI'FERA.  The  name  of  a  tree  in 
the  West  Indies,  about  the  size  of  a  plum  tree:  its  fruit 
is  called  macaxocotl;  is  red,  oblong,  of  the  size  of  a 
walnut,  yellow  within,  sweet,  and  laxative.  Two  other 
species  are  the  atoyaxacotl,  and  coztieaococotl,  though 
said  to  be  a  species  of  mirobalans.  The  other  species 
are  atoyaxocotl  chichiltic;  and  chichiaxocotl,  which  sig- 
nifies running  down  with  sweat.  A  decoction  of  the 
bark  of  these  trees  cures  the  itch,  and  its  powder  heals 
\ilcers  ;  but  the  plant  does  not  occur  in  any  botanical 
system.  Raii  Historia. 

MACEDONI'SIUM    SE'MEN.     See    HIPPOSELI- 


MA'CER,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  masa).  GRE- 
UIAN  MACER.  It  is  brought  from  Barbary;  its  thick 
yellow  bark  and  dried  root  are  astringent.  Its  fruit, 
called  mac-re,  is  said  to  destroy  worms.  The  plant  is 
not  known ;  but  the  bark  so  nearly  resembles,  in  ap- 
pearance and  sensible  qualities,  the  simarouba,  that  they 
are  probably  the  same.  See  SIMAROUBA. 

M  ACER  A'TIO,  (from  macero,  to  make  soft  by  water). 
MACERATION,  is  an  infusion  or  the  continued  action  of 
water,  or  any  other  fluid,  on  bodies,  to  lessen  their  co- 
hesion, or  extract  their  virtue.  See  DURATUS. 

MACERO'NA.     See  HIPPOSELINUM. 

MA'CHA-MO'NA.  A  sort  of  calabash  in  Africa 
and  America ;  the  pulp  of  which  is  agreeable,  and  serves 
instead  of  rennet  for  curdling  milk.  It  does  not  occur 
in  any  systematic  author. 

MACH^E'RIA.     See  PERSICARIA. 

MA'CHLIS,(quasi  achlis,  ab  a  priv.  and  x.\ita,cubo, 
quod  non  cubet).  See  CERVUS  RANGIFER. 

MA'CIA.     See  ANAGALLIS. 

MA'CIES,  (from  maceo,  to  become  lean).  Diseases 
in  which  the  body,  or  particular  parts,  are  wasted.  See 
MARCORES. 


MAC 


M A'CIS,  (TO  /uaxef,  cortex  aromaticus,  aromatic  bark}. 
MACE,  the  middle  bark,  of  nutmegs,  enveloping  their 
shell,  of  an  oily  nature,  and  of  a  lively  red  colour  when 
fresh,  growing  paler  from  age.  It  is  dried  in  the  sun, 
upon  hurdles,  fixed  one  over  another,  which  gives  the 
appearance  of  fractured  edges,  and  sprinkled  with  sea 
water  to  prevent  its  crumbling  in  carriage.  It  hath  a 
pleasant  aromatic  smell,  and  a  warm,  pungent,  bitterish 
taste.  Its  qualities  are  similar  to  those  of  nutmeg  ;  but 
mace  is  warmer,  more  bitter,  less  unctuous,  and  sits 
easier  on  weak  stomachs  ;  yielding,  by  expression,  a 
more  fluid  oil,  and,  in  distillation  with  water,  a  more 
subtile  volatile  one. 

The  essential  oil  of  mace  is  moderately  pungent,  very 
volatile,  of  a  strong  aromatic  smell,  like  the  mace  itself, 
th  in  v  limpid,  and  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  with  a  por- 
tion of  thicker  and  darker  coloured  oil  at  the  bottom. 
There  are  three  kinds  in  the  shops,  though  expressed 
from  the  nutmeg.  The  oil  of  mace  is  often  pre- 
scribed as  a.  carminative  and  antispasmodic.  As  such 
it  relieves  often  in  colics,  and  sometimes  in  nephritic 
cases.  Externally  applied,  it  sometimes  relieves  vomit- 
ing and  hiccough.  Its  internal  dose  seldom  exceeds  five 
or  six  drops.  See  Nux  I^OSCHATA.  See  Lewis's  Ma- 
teria  Medica. 

MACROCE'PHALOS,  (from  /»«*?««,  long,  and 
*£<?«.*>),  the  head,}  long  headed.  Some  Indians,  and 
manyof  the  Asiatics,  have,  by  pressure,  given  this  form 
to  the  heads ;  and  what  was  at  first  artificial  seems  to 
have  been  continued  by  inheritance. 

MACROPI'PER  (from  ju«y,/j«s,  long,  and  imrffis, 
pepper).  See  PIPER  LONGUM. 

MACRO'PNUS,  (from  fietxpes,  long;  and  wia,  to. 
breathe}.  A  person  who  inspires  at  long  intervals. 

MA'CULA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  machala  injir- 
mily).  A  SPOT,  a  BLEMISH  ;  a  cutaneous  efflorescence 
which  changes  the  colour,  sometimes  the  texture,  of 
the  cuticle,  but  seldom  connected  with  any  disorder  of 
the  constitution. 

MA'CULA  LA'TA.  The  SHINGLES.  See  ERYSI- 
PELAS. 

MA'CULA,  or  MA'CULA  MATRICIS  ;  nevus  maternus; 
the  spots,  or  marks,  supposed  to  be  impressed  by  the 
mother's  imagination  on  the  foetus.  See  NJEVUS. 

MA'CULA  A'LB/E.     See  ALBUGO  OCULI. 

MA'CULA  HEPA'TIC^.  HEPATIC  SPOTS,  or  efflores- 
cences proceeding  from  a  dissolution  of  the  blood. 


M  A  G 


901 


MAG 


MA  LLL.S  OCULO'ROI.      See  CATARACTA,  or  Si : 

MA'CUL^E  PESTILEXTES  ;  SPOTS,  or  efflorescences,  fre- 
quent in  malignant  disorders. 

MA'CUL.*  VOLATIC.E;  FUGITIVE  SPOTS,  such  as  are 
often  seen  in  children. 

MADARO'SIS,  (from  n*f*s,  bald'}.  A  loss  of  the 
hairs  of  the  eye  lids,  from  an  acrimony  of  the  fluids, 
from  eruptions,  exanthemata,  or  inflammation.  See 
DEPLUMATIO. 

MADE  LIOX.     See  BDELLIUM. 

MA'DISIS,  (from  tuths,  bald).     See  ACOSMIA. 

MA'DOR,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  matar,  -water"). 
Efihidrosis.  The  sweat  which  arises  during  faintness. 

MADRE'PORA  VULGA'RIS,  (from  /*•«•«,  smooth, 
and  5T4Js»5,  a  fiore).  See  CORALLIUM  ALBUM  RAMOSUM. 

MADRO'TES,  (from  futht,  bald).     See  ACOSMIA. 

M.EMA'CYLON,  (from  fuiiputa,  to  desire;  from  its 
beauty).  See  ARBUTVS. 

MAGDALEO'NES,  MAGDA'LI.T,,  MAGDA'- 
LIDES,  (frofn  juw»w,  to  knead).  Cylindri;  masses  of 
plaster,  or  of  other  compositions  reduced  to  a  cylindri- 
cal form. 

MAGELLA'XICA  AROMA  TICA  A'RBOR. 
See  WINTER AXUS  CORTEX. 

MAGISTE'RIUM,  (from  magister,  a  master).  The 
ancient  chemists  meajit  by  this  term  a  peculiar  and  se- 
cret method  of  preparing  any  medicine  ;  but  at  present 
it  is  applied  to  powders  made  by  solution  and  precipita- 
tion (see  BF.XZOIXUM,  BISMUTHUM,  and  CALAMIXARIS 
;.APIS),  to  resins,  or  resinous  extracts,  or  any  white  pow- 
der peculiarly  subtile  and  light.  The  term  generally 
implies  that  some  of  the  menstruum  remains.  At  pre- 
sent we  have  no  general  idea,  or  established  character- 
istic, to  distinguish  magistery  from  precipitate.  Every 
magistery  is  some  kind  of  precipitate  ;  but  every  preci- 
pitate is  not  a  magistery. 

MAGISTRATES  (from  the  same).     See  MEDICA- 

MEXTA   EXTEMPORAXEA. 

MAGISTRA'NTIA,  (from  *.*r  E|«X«>,  magistro,  to 
rule;  so  called  by  way  of  eminence.  See  IMPERATORIA. 

MA'GMA,  (from  u.xrru,  to  blend  together,)  ECPI- 
K'SMA.  In  a  more  general  sense  it  is  any  thick  oint- 
ment that  will  not  melt  with  the  heat  of  the  body,  or  a 
poultice  that  will  not  easily  spread :  more  strictly  the 
faeces  of  any  ointment  after  the  thinner  parts  are 
strained  off:  Galen  limits  the  term  to  the  faeces  of 
myi-obalans. 

'.MA  GNA  ARTE'RIA.  The  LARGE  ARTERY.  See 
AORTA. 

MA'GNES.  The  LOADSTONE.  Calamita,  la/iis 
Lydius,  antifihyson,  lafiis  fferaclius,  from  Heraclea,  a 
town  in  Lydia.  The  term,  however,  is  singular  in  many 
respects.  Its  origin  is  uncertain,  but  its  application  and 
influence  have  been  peculiarly  extensive  :  various  cities 
have  been  styled  Magnesia,  and  the  Magnetes  constituted 
no  inconsiderable  nation  in  Asia.  Many  of  these  cities 
have  been  mentioned  as  the  origin  of  the  name ;  but  it 
is  not  our  object  to  determine  the  question.  The  stone 
itself  was  long  known  before  it  was  employed  to  direct 
the  course  of  the  navigator;  and  is  usually  of  a  dirty 
black  colour,  though  in  this  respe'ct  it  varies,  and  is 
sometimes  whitish,  from  the  mixture  of  silicious  par- 
tirles  in  such  a  proportion  as  to  render  it  fusible.  Whe- 


i'rom  its  colour,  its  weaker  powers,  or  any  other 
cause,  this  was  styled  the  female  magnet,  and  magnesia. 
When  the  white  earth,  precipitated  from  salts,  similar  to 
the  Epsom,  was  observed,  this  was  supposed  to  resem- 
ble the  female  magnet,  and,  of  course,  called  magnesia, 
with  the  distinction  from  its  greater  whiteness,  of  alba. 
When  another  dark  metal,  similar  to  the  magnet,  was 
discovered,  it  had  the  same  appellation ;  but  as  it  did 
not  attract  iron,  some  distinction  was  necessary,  and  it 
was  called  mangnet,  manganet,  and  manganese.  The 
magnet,  our  present  object,  is  the  rnior/i/!c/i/*,oxidulated 
iron  of  Haiiy,  iv.  13,  often  found  in  Europe,  in  a  ma- 
trix of  magnesian  earth,  though  sometimes  in  a  ferru- 
ginous sand,  or  a  sulphurated  lime.  Its  obvious  quality 
of  attracting  or  repelling  iron  is  well  known,  and  in 
this  experiment  the  north  and  south  poles  are  attractive, 
and  each  repulsive  to  its  own  points  in  other  iron  or 
other  magnets.  Every,  the  smallest,  portion  of  a  mag- 
net has  its  two  poles,  not  verging  to  the  real  poles  ot" 
the  world,  but  to  those  of  the  magnetic  meridian,  which 
varies  sometimes  a  little  to  the  east,  sometimes  to  the- 
west.  The  smaller  magnets  are  more  active  in  propor- 
tion than  the  larger.  Magnets,  like  all  iron  ores,  arc 
astringent,  but  not  used  in  medicine.  They  have  been 
recommended  by  ignorant  quacks  in  ruptures,  to  at- 
tract the  intestine  upwards,  and  to  destroy  the  lentor  of 
the  blood,  by  separating  the  particles  of  iron  in  it.  Such 
are  the  absurdities  that  deceit  will  feign  and  credulity 
believe.  See  MAGNETISM. 

MV'GNES  ARSEXICA'LIS,  a  preparation  of  arsenic, 
•which  we  omitted  under  that  article,  but  wjiich  we  no- 
ticed under  CANCER,  vol.  i.  p.  332,  col.  2,  q.  v.  Its 
name  was  derived  from  its  supposed  power  of  attracting 
the  morbid  poison.  Geoffrey  adds,  that  it  opens,  cleanses, 
and  heals  scrofulous  ulcers,  without  the  assistance  of 
an  ointment  of  any  kind.  See  CANCER. 

MA'GNES  EPILE'PSI^.     See  CIXXABARIS. 

M  AGNE'SIA,(from  magnesia,  the  female  loadstone, 
magnes).  (See  ETHEL.)  „  Among  the  alchymists  it 
means  the  matter  of  the  philosopher's  stone,  or  sulphur; 
it  sometimes  signifies  melted  tin,  with  which  mercury 
is  incorporated,  forming  into  a  brittle  white  mass ; 
sometimes  a  mixture  of  silver  and  mercury,  and  a  very 
fusile  metal,  called  magnesia  fihilosofthorum.  But 
enough  of  such  nonsense. 

MAGNE'SIA  A'LBA,  was  a  general  term  which  che- 
mists formerly  gave  to  all  substances  which  had  the 
power  of  attracting  any  principle  from  the  air.  Thus 
an  earth  which,  exposed  to  the  air,  yielded  vitriol,  was 
called  magnesia  vitriolata.  More  modern  chemists, 
supposing  that  it  had  attracted  the  nitrous  acid,  in  its 
preparation,  called  it  magnesia  nitri:  but,  from  its  colour, 
it  soon  obtained  its  present  name,  the  WHITE  MAGNESIA, 
albus  Rsmanu*  jiuli'is,  Comitisse  Palme  fiuhns.  It 
was  introduced  as  a  medicine  in  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  by  count  di  Palma,  at  Rome,  and 
continued  a  very  lucrative  secret.  It  is  a  very  white, 
subtile  powder,  and  now  known  to  be  a  peculiar  earth, 
and  the  basis  of  the  Epsom  salt. 

Magnesia  was,  as  we  have  said,  for  a  long  time  a  lu- 
crative secret,  and  it  scarcely  emerged  from  the 
guage  and  appearance  of  a  quack  medicine,  at  the  time 
it  was  first  prepared  by  Mr.  Glass  of  Oxford.  Mr.  Glass 
took  the  form  of  preparing  the  medicine  from  Hoff; 


M  A  G 


902 


and  was  not  aware  of  its  nature,  or  the  effect  of  the  ad- 
dition of  the  alkali.  To  Dr.  Black  we  are  indebted  for 
the  discovery  of  its  being  a  distinct  earth.  The  Oxford 
preparation  was  light  and  elegant,  though  unequal ;  but 
the  imputation  of  its  being  adulterated  with  calcareous 
earth  brought  on  a  dispute  between  Dr.  Glass,  the  bro- 
ther of  the  proprietor,  and  Mr.  Henry.  It  is  now  of 
little  consequence  where  the  truth  lay ;  for  it  is  every 
where  prepared  with  sufficient  fidelity.  Mr.  Henry's 
process  we  shall  add. 

"  Dissolve  any  quantity  of  sal  catharticum  amarum 
in  its  own  weight  of  water ;  filter,  and  add  to  it,  by  de- 
grees, a  filtered  solution  of  pearl  ashes,  in  an  equal 
quantity  or  water,  stirring  them  gently,  until  the  mixed 
liquors  have  acquired  the  appearance  of  a  complete  co- 
agulum ;  then  cease  adding  any  more  of  the  alkaline  lixi- 
vium, and  immediately  throw  the  mixture  into  a  large 
vessel  of  boiling  water ;  keep  it  boiling  for  a  quarter  of 
an  hour,  take  it  out,  and  put  it  into  a  glazed  earthen 
vessel :  as  soon  as  the  powder  hath  subsided,  and  be- 
fore the  water  is  quite  cold,  pour  it  off,  and  add  a  fresh 
quantity  of  boiling  water,  till  the  liquor  hath  entirely 
lost  its  saline  taste;  next  let  it  be  so  agitated  as  to  sus- 
pend the  finer  parts  of  the  powder,  in  which  state  de- 
cant it  into  other  vessels ;  and  having  separated  the  wa- 
ter from  the  magnesia,  by  inclination,  put  it  on  large 
chalk  stones,  until  a  considerable  part  of  the  humidity 
is  absorbed ;  then  wrap  it  up  in  sheets  of  white  paper, 
and  dry  it  before  the  fire.  Pour  hot  water  upon  the 
remaining  powder,  stir  and  decant  it  in  its  turbid  state, 
and  separate  the  magnesia  from  the  water  as  before ; 
thus  the  whole,  or  the  mosrof  it,  will  be  reduced  to  an 
equal  degree  of  fineness. 

"  The  larger  the  quantity  of  water  into  which  the 
precipitated  powder  is  cast,  the  more  speedily  and  per- 
fectly will  the  vitriolated  tartar,  which  is  formed  by  the 
alkali  uniting  with  the  acid  of  the  sal  catharticum,  be 
washed  off.  The  neutral  salt  should  be  washed  off"  as 
quick  as  possible,  otherwise,  by  allowing  the  mixture 
to  stand  for  some  time,  the  powder  concretes  into  mi- 
nute grains,  which,  when  viewed  with  a  microscope, 
appear  to  be  assemblages  of  needles  diverging  from  a 
point.  These  concretions  cannot  be  re-dissolved  by  any 
washing,  however  long  continued.  Dr.  Black  orders 
four  times  the  quantity  of  water  to  that  of  the  solution 
to  throw  the  coagulum  into,  but  that  is  far  too  little. 
The  water  should  be  pure  ;  distilled  is  the  best;  but  it 
should  be  kept  until  its  empyreuma  is  gone  off.  Hard 
or  impure  water  makes  magnesia  coarse  and  disagree- 
able. The  chalk  stones  on  which  the  magnesia  is  dried 
should  be  exposed  to  a  moderate  heat,  that  the  moisture 
may  evaporate  quickly.  Cleanliness  should  be  particu- 
larly attended  to  through  the  whole." 

Magnesia,  when  pure,  is  white,  loose,  and  light,  of 
the  specific  gravity  of  2.330  nearly.  It  is  perfectly  in- 
fusible in  the  focus  of  the  most  powerful  mirror,  ex- 
cept when  it  contains  particles  of  flint,  which,  if  the 
alkali  is  impure,  sometimes  happens.  When  the  vola- 
tile alkali  is  employed  in  the  process,  no  flinty  particles 
are  found  in  it.  Magnesia  melts,  however,  with  borax, 
and  with  some  of  the  earths,  though  more  certainly 
when  the  earths  and  alkalis  are  united.  A  new  manu- 
factory of  china,  resembling  the  seve,  is  established  at 
Berlin,  in  which,  instead  of  the  kaolin,  a  magnesian 
earth,  containing  flint 'and  an  alkali,  is  the  chief  ingre- 


dient. Magnesia  is  nearly  insoluble  in  water,  but  re- 
tains a  small  portion  of  this  fluid  within  the  inter- 
stices of  its  particles  with  some  obstinacy.  When, 
however,  the  carbonic  acid  gas  is  previously  united  with 
the  water,  the  magnesia  dissolves  readily. 

Magnesia  contributes  to  the  diffusion  and  suspension 
of  many  resinous  substances,  and,  triturated  with  cam- 
phor, renders  this  medicine  more  miscible  with  water. 
It  is  supposed  also  to  increase  the  solubility  of  bark  in 
water,  if  triturated  with  it  previous  to  infusion  or  decoc- 
tion :  but  it  seems  to  produce  some  chemical  change  in 
the  constituent  principles  of  the  medicine,  as  the  colour 
is  not  only  deeper  but  more  red.  Whether  it  is  more 
active  as  a  medicine  than  the  common  decoction  has 
not,  we  believe,  been  ascertained. 

As  magnesia  contains  about  seven-twelfth  parts  of 
fixed  air,  it  should  be  calcined  before  it  is  administered, 
at  least  when  flatulence  abounds.  The  air,  however, 
which  is  expelled  by  heat,  is  greedily  recovered  by  ex- 
posure to  the  atmosphere,  so  that  it  should  be  kept  in 
a  phial  carefully  closed.  The  magnesia  contracts  no 
acrimony  by  calcination. 

Like  all  absorbents,  it  corrects  acidities  in  the  sto- 
mach, relieves  the  heart  burn  and  pain  in  the  stomach, 
colics  and  convulsions  in  children,  with  every  other  com- 
plaint arising  from  acidity.  It  is  preferred  to  other  ab- 
sorbents, on  account  of  its  laxative  quality,  when  united 
with  an  acid.  If  mixed  with  rhubarb,  it  is  said  to  pre- 
vent the  rhubarb  from  leaving  a  costive  habit.  If  the 
magnesia  does  not  meet  an  acid,  it  is  inert,  and  is  some- 
times supposed  to  load  the  stomach  as  a  heavy  cold 
mass.  It  has  been  doubted  whether  it  is  proper  in 
bilious  or  putrid  fevers,  and  much  idle  disquisition  has 
been  employed  on  this  subject ;  for  a  prudent  practition- 
er will  be  led,  in  such  cases,  to  employ  medicines  of 
very  different  qualities.  Magnesia  can  do  no  good  in 
either  disease.  See  Hoffman's  Observationes  Physicae 
Chemicae,  lib.  iv.  Obs.  ii. ;  Black's  Observations  on  the 
Magnesia  Alba,  in  the  Essays  Philosophical  and  Lite- 
rary of  Edinburgh,  vol.  ii;  London  Medical  Transac- 
tions, vol.  ii. 

MAGNE'SIA  OPA'UNA  ;  magnesia  rubicunda  anlimonii. 
OPALINE  or  RUBY  COLOURED  MAGNESIA  of  ANTIMONY.  In 
making  thehepar  antimonii,  decrepitated  sal  ammoniac 
is  sometimes  added  to  the  antimony  and  nitre,  and  the 
result  is,  the  opaline  magnesia.  It  is  a  weaker  emetic 
than  the  liver  of  antimony,  and  may  be  given  in  con- 
siderable doses  to  horses,  to  produce  sweating.  Lemery 
directs  it  to  be  made  of  equal  parts  of  antimony,  nitre, 
and  decrepitated  sea  salt. 

MAGNE'SIA       VITRIOLA'TA.         See       CATHARTICUS 

SAL. 

MAGNETISMUS.  MAGNETISM,  from  its  effects 
on  the  human  body,  can  be  scarcely  an  object  of  our  at- 
tention ;  yet,  as  folly  and  fraud  have  brought  it  forward 
in  a  conspicuous  view,  it  will  be  necessary  to  ascertain 
its  real  nature,  and  the  advantages  which  may  have  cer- 
tainly been  derived  from  it  in  medicine.  Add  to  this, 
that  quackery  is  too  fascinating  to  the  human  mind  to 
be  long  without  an  object,  and  the  exploded  artifice  of 
to  day  may,  at  a  future  time,  revive  in  a  new  form — 
alter  et  idem. 

Magnetism  is  strictly  the  power  by  which  an  iron  ore 
attracts  or  repels  apiece  of  iron,  according  to  the  point 
presented,  or  attracts  only  a  rude  mass.  The  iron  ore. 


M  A  G 


903 


M  A  I 


or  magnet,  can  communicate  this  property  to  a  piece  of 
soft  malleable  iron,  so  as  to  make  it  much  more  power- 
ful than  any  natural  magnet.  Iron,  also,  which  has  long 
stood  in  one  position,  acquires  at  either  end  its  power 
of  attraction  or  repulsion.  This,property  is  confined  to 
iron,  though  cobalt  and  nickel  are  suspected  of  having 
a  small  degree  of  magnetism  ;  and  to  posses  the  power  of 
attraction,  iron  must  be  in  a  soft,  malleable  state.  When 
oxided  in  a  slight  degree,  the  magnetic  power  is  weak- 
ened ;  when  hardened,  or  in  the  state  of  steel,  it  receives 
.  this  power  in  a  small  proportion.  It  is  equally  neces- 
sary that  its  structure  (may  we  be  permitt'ed  to  call  it 
organization  ?)  should  be  entire  ;  for  a  magnetic  wire, 
twisted  round  a  stick,  does  not  lose  its  virtue,  while  it 
has  not  been  so  much  bent  as  to  destroy  its  elasticity  ; 
but,  when  it  can  no  longer  restore  its  former  shape,  the 
magnetism  is  lost.  A  smart  blow  will  sometimes  de- 
stroy, o^Bn  turn,  give  this  power. 

Two  important  errors  on  this  point  must  be  cor- 
rected:  the  one,  already  noticed,  that  the  magnetic 
'.needle,  freely  suspended,  does  not  lie  in  the  direction 
of  north  and  south,  but  a  little  on  the  east  or  west,  ac; 
cording  to  its  "  variation."  This  fact  is  repeated  to 
add,  that  a  needle  only  becomes  spontaneously  mag- 
netic by  lying  in  the  magnetic  meridian.  Another  error 
is,  that  the  magnetic  influence  resides  in  the  earth.  In 
fact,  it  seems  to  pass  over  its  surface  ;  for  it  is  much 
less  obvious  in  caverns  than  on  the  earth.  The  opinion 
of  its  cause  being  one  great  magnet  at  the  centre  of  the 
earth  is,  of  course,  without  foundation. 

It  has  been  usual  to  suppose  the  attraction  and  repul- 
sion of  magnetic  bodies  to  be  owing  to  two  different 
antagonizing  fluids.  This  opinion,  supported  by  the  au- 
thority of  JLpinus,  Coulomb,  and  Haiiy,  should  not  be 
rashly  rejected.  It  is,  however,  seemingly  borrowed 
from  the  two  electricities  ;  and,  as  we  have  found  that 
the  electrical  phenomena  with  which  we  are  in  this 
work  engaged,  might  be  explained  on  the  'supposition 
of  a  single  fluid,  so  we  think  the  phenomena  of  magnet- 
ism equally  compatible  with  one  fluid.  Some  analogy 
has  been  observed  between  magnetism  and  electricity  ; 
but,  if  there  is  any  resemblance,  magnets  are  like  the 
electrics  per  se.  Instead  of  iron  being  peculiarly  at- 
tractive of  the  magnetic  fluid,  it  appears  to  be  the 
only  body  which  resists  it.  From  this  resistance  the 
phenomena  apparently  arise.  Electrics  per  se  equally 
resist  the  electrical  fluid  ;  but  these,  if  powdered,  are 
changed  into  conductors.  Powdered  magnets  are  still 
magnetic. 

Magnetism  differs  from  electricity  in  being  influenced 
by  very  different  laws.  Magnetism  attracts  large 
bodies,  electricity  small  ones ;  magnetic  attraction  is 
constant;  electrical  variable  :  the  former  limited  to 
about  two  feet,  the  powers  of  the  latter  are  unlimited. 
The  magnetic  power  is  also  permanent  for  ages,  if  not 
destroyed  by  an  opposite  current  of  a  similar  nature,  as 
laying  two  magnets  together,  with  the  north  poles  con- 
tiguous, and  is  not,  or  very  slightly,  affected  by  mois- 
ture, water,  and  oils,  nor  at  all  influenced  by  an  electri- 
cal atmosphere.  A  magnet  in  action  may  be  electrified 
without  disturbing  that  action,  which  is  also  equally 
active  in  a  vacuum.  Heat  also  diminishes  the  magnetic 
power,  and  entirely  destroys  it  when  the  iron  becomes 
»ed  ;  but  it  is  again  recovered  on  cooling. 

These   observations    are  sufficient  to  show  that,  if 


magnetism  has  no  power  of  its  own,  little  medical  effect 
is  to  be  expected  from  any  fancied  analogy  to  elecricity ; 
and,  indeed,  magnetism  has  no  analogy  to  any  part  of 
our  system,  except  the  small  quantity  of  iron  in  the 
blood,  which  is  too  much  diffused  to  be  influenced  by  it. 
In  fact,  magnetism  has  no  effects  but  in  the  promises  of 
the  artful,  and  the  delusions  of  the  credulous. 

Xot  many  years  have  elapsed  since  what  is  called  ani- 
mal magnetism  was  supposed  to  cure  every  disease,  and 
to  free  the  mind  from  the  trammels  of  the  body,  the 
load  of  earth  which  confines  its  active  excursions,  en- 
abling it  to  pervade,  at  will,  through  distant  regions, 
unlimited  by  time  or  space.  This  imposition  has  had  a 
variety  of  professors  in  different  countries  ;  and,  at  one 
time,  seems  to  have  fascinated  minds  even  of  a  superior 
order.  It  affected  chiefly  the  imagination ;  and  the  de- 
lusion was,  in  general,  confined  to  the  female  world,  and 
the  weaker  classes  of  mankind.  An  hysteric  paroxysm 
was  produced,  and  the  wanderings  of  a  disturbed  ima- 
gination were  received  as  the  dictates  of  inspiration.  In 
these  wanderings,  medical  questions  were  proposed  and 
answered  ;  but  all  the  answers,  like  those  of  the  ancient 
oracles,  were  vague  and  indecisive.  The  gesticula- 
tions of  the  professors  were  directed  to  particular  parts, 
and  supposed  to  remove  the  complaints  of  those  organs. 
While  the  fancy  was  inflamed,  the  effects  were  thought 
supernatural.  When  that  cooled,  the  power  lost  its  in- 
fluence. The  professors  have  published  their  secret, 
which  is  a  strange  mixture  of  absurdity  and  fanaticism. 
They  are  to  powerfully  excite  the  attention,  to  will  an 
end,  with  views  strictly  benevolent,  moral,  and  reli- 
gious. '  They  were  not  conscious  of  any  means,  and 
this  all-powerful  influence  was  to  be  excited  by  the 
volition  of  the  weakest,  meanest,  sometimes  the  most 
infamous,  of  mankind.  The  bubble  is  now  burst,  and 
the  experience  of  this  age  will,  for  a  tinae,  prevent  its 
revival. 

MA'GXUM  OS;  the  third  and  largest  bone  of  the 
second  row  in  the  wrist.  See  CARPUS. 

MA'GXUS  MO'RBUS.  The  EPILEPSY.  Hippo- 
crates. 

MAG U  'DA  RIS,  (from  «,*yt,<W5).     See  SII.PHIUM. 

MAHMOO'DY.     See  SC-AMOMLM. 

MAHO'GANI.  This  beautiful  wood  is  procured 
from  the  swietenia  mahogani  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  548,  and  the 
bark  resembles,  in  appearance  and  qualities,  very  nearly 
the  Peruvian  bark.  The  trees  which  produce  them  are 
also  closely  connected  by  botanical  affinities. 

MAIA'NTHEMUM.     See  LILIUM  COXVALLIUM. 

MAIDEX-HAIR  TREE,  brought  originally  from 
Japan,  by  Thunberg,  was  styled  the  tree  of  forty 
crowns,  from  its  usual  price  ;  but  it  is  easily  propagated 
by  cuttings,  and  now  common.  The  appellation  was 
derived  from  its  leaves  resembling  those  of  the  adiantum, 
and  Linnasus  formed  a  genus,  which  he  styled  ginko; 
found  only  in  one  of  his  later  mantissa.  This  plant  was 
the  ginko  biloba.  It  flowered  for  the  first  time  in  Eng- 
land in  1796,  and  the  president  of  the  Linnsean  society 
referred  it  to  a  new  genus,  calling  it  sa/isburia,  with  the 
trivial  name  of  adiantifijiia  (Linnaean  Transactions,  iii. 
330).  It  is  chiefly  cultivated  for  its  beauty  and  its  nuis, 
which  are  not  produced  till  the  tree  is  old.  They  are 
said  by  Kempfer  to  be  nutrient  and  corroborant. 

MAIL-A  XSCHI.  A  species  of  rhamnus,  growing 
in  Malabar;  La&sonia.  t/iinosa  Lin.  Sp.  PJ-  498.  A 


M  AL 


904 


M  A  L 


decoction  of  its  root  is  commended  in  gout,  and  of  its 
leaves  in  jaun< 

MAIL-E'LOU,  and  MAIL-E'LOU-KA'TOU,  are 
tal'  evergreen  trees  growing  in  Malabar,  which  are  not 
found  ia  modern  systems.  A  decoction  of  the  bruised 
leaves  and  bark  is  said  to  be  useful  in  the  after  pains, 
and  to  promote  the  lochia. 

MAJORA'NA,  ((judd  mense  Maio  Jloreat,  because 
it  flowers  in  May).  MARJORAM. 

MAJORA'NA  CRE'TICA,  vel  SYRIA'CA.  See  MARUM 
SYRJACUM. 

MAJORA'NA  MAJO'RI  FO'LIO,  amaracus,  samfisuchtis. 
SWEET  MARJORAM.  By  amaracus  the  ancients  meant 
iiwect  marjoram;  but  by  lesser  marjoram,  the  marum. 
The  Egyptians  and  Syrians  call  the  sweet  marjorum  by 
the  name  of  samfisuchus.  It  is  the  origanum  majorana 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  825,  a  low  plant,  with  slender,  square 
branched,  woody  stalks;  and  little,  oval,  somewhat 
downy,  leaves,  set  in  pairs.  On  the  tops  grow  scaly 
heads  of  small  whitish  labiated  flowers,  whose  upper  lip 
is  erect  and  cloven,  the  lower  divided  into  three  seg- 
ments. Tt  is  sown  annually  in  gardens  for  culinary  and 
medicinal  uses;  but  the  seeds  rarely  come  to  perfection 
in  this  climate,  and  are  brought  from  the  south  of 
France,  where  the  plant  is  indigenous. 

The  leaves  and  tops  have  a  pleasant  smell,  a  warm 
aromatic  bitterish  taste.  Infusions  in  water  have  a 
strong  smell,  but  a  weak  and  unpleasant  taste  :  a  tinc- 
ture made  with  rectified  spirit  of  wine  hath  more  taste 
lhaii  smell.  In  distillation  this  plant  yields  its  virtues  to 
water,  and  affords  an  essential  oil,  in  the  proportion  of 
§  i.  from  5  Ixiv.  of  the  leaves  slightly  dried,  though 
Beaume  obtained  a  much  smaller  proportion.  This  oil 
is  hot,  not  so  agreeable  as  the  marjoram,  and  when  care- 
fully drawn  is  of  a  pale  yellow  colour  ;  though  by  long 
keeping  it  turns  reddish,  and  if  distilled  with  too  great 
heat  is  red  at  the  first.  The  dose  is.  two  drops. 

The  aromatic  matter  rises  almost  wholly  in  distilla- 
tion, so  that  an  extract  possesses  very  little  of  the  vir- 
tues of  the  plant,  which  is,  like  the  lavender,  a  warm, 
stimulating,  nervous  medicine.  The  powdered  leaves, 
the  essential  oil  properly  diluted,  and  the  distilled  wa- 
ter, are  agreeable  errhines.  In  its  recent  state  we  are 
told  that  it  has  been  successfully  applied  to  scirrhous 
tumours  of  the  breasts. 

MAJORA'NA  OLERA'CEA,  SYLVE'STRIS.  See  ORIGANUM 
ANGLICUM. 

MA'LA,  (from  a  resemblance  to  malitm,  apple}. 
The  prominent  part  of  the  cheek.  (Martinius.)  See 


MA'LA  ASSY'RIA.     See  CITHEUM. 

MA'LA  AURA'NTIA.     See  AURANTIA  HISPALENSJS. 

MA'LA  AU'REA.     See  AMORIS  POMA,  and  AURANTIA 

UlSPALIENSIA. 

MA'LA  COTO'NEA  MA'JORA,  et  MINO'RA.     See  CYDO- 

NIA. 

MA'LA  I'NSANIA  NI'GRA.     See  MELONGENA. 

MA'LA  PU'NICA.     See  GRANATA  MALA. 

MALABA'RICA  HE'RBA.    See  CORU  CANARICA. 

MALABA'RICA  PRU'NA.  The  fruit  of  the  eugenia 
janbos  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  672.  The  fruit  is  subacid  and 
salutary,  and  a  mildly  astringent  conserve  is  prepared 
from  the  flowers. 

MALABA'THRI  O'LEUM     See  CINNAMOMUM. 


MALABATHRI'NUM,(from  malabathrum'}.  Oint- 
ment  of  malabathrum,  compounded  of  myrrh,  spike- 
nard, malabathrum,  and  many  other  aromatic  ingre- 
dients. See  DIONYSOS. 

MALABA'THRUM,  (from  Malabar,  and  betrc,  a 
leaf).  Into  this  word  the  Greeks  corrupted  the  Indian 
appellation  tamalapatrum.  See  FOLIUM. 

MA'LACA    RA'DIX.       See    SAGITTARIA    ALEXI- 


,  a  ravenous  fish}.     See 


PHARMICA. 

MALA'CIA,  (from 
PICA. 

MALACOI'DES,  (from  f*.»ha.%n,  a  mallow,  and 
e«5o{  a  form  or  likeness,'}  malva  betonicte  folio,  malofie 
malacoidea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  974,  a  plant  similar  in  appear- 
ance and  qualities  to  the  mallow. 

MALACO'STEON,  (from  yM,»Aa*os,  soft,  and  urli*., 
a  bone).  See  MORBI  SOLIDI  siMPLicis.ancl  RACHITIS. 

MALA'CTICOS,  (from  /**A««-™,  to  sojty).  Sec 
EMOLLIENTIA. 

MALAGMA,  (from  ^t^x^a-u  to  soften,')  b<eos; 
synonymous  with  catafilasma,  from  its  effects;  but 
formerly  malagmas  were  made  of  many  other  ingre- 
dients. P 

MALAGMA  A'RABUM.  A  cataplasm  for  strumous 
swellings  and  tubercles. 

MALAGFUE'TTA,  or  MALAGU'ETA.   See  PA- 

RADISI    GHANA. 

MALA  'RUM  O'SSA.  The  CHEEK  BONES,  zygc- 
matica  mAjugalia  ossa,  are  the  irregular  square  bones, 
placed  on  the  outside  of  the  orbits.  Their  corners  arc 
reckoned  processes  ;  the  longest,  viz.  the  posterior  and 
superior,  are  called  the  sufierior  orbitar  processes  ;  the 
anterior  and  superior,  which  end  in  acute  angles,  arc 
the  inferior  orbitar  processes  :  the  anterior  and  inferior, 
which  are  the  shortest,  are  denominated  the  maxillary; 
the  posterior  and  inferior,  zygomatic. 

MALATS.  Neutral  salts,  composed  of  alkalis,  or 
earths,  and  the  malic  acid.  They  are  little  known,  and 
have  not  been  hitherto  used  in  medicine.  See  MALIC 
ACID. 

MALAVI'SCUS,  (from  malva,  the  mallow,  and  vis- 
cus,  glue,  from  its  viscidity).  See  ALTH.SA. 

MALAXA'TIO,  (from  i*x.*te.Fra,  to  soften}.  The 
softening  of  any  thing. 

MALAZISSA'TUS.  Emasculatus  and  mulieratus; 
an  appellation  of  those  whose  testes  have  not  descend- 
ed into  the  scrotum. 

MA'LE.     See  AXILLA. 

MALIC  ACID.  A  vegetable  acid  found  chiefly  in 
unripe  apples,  as  well  as  in  plums,  gooseberries,  elder- 
berries, barberries,  and  even  in  the  houseleek.  It  be- 
comes oxalic  by  the  addition  of  nitric  acid,  and  carbo- 
nic acid  by  distillation.  See  CHEMISTRY. 

MALICO'RIUM,  (from  malum,  an  apple,  and  co- 
rium,  the  rind;  because  it  outwardly  resembles  an 
apple).  See  GRANATA  MALA. 

MALI'GNITAS,  (from  malignus,  evil).  MALIG- 
NITY, when  applied  to  fevers,  means  a  high  degree  of 
putridity  ;  and  its  signs  are,  a  slight  coldness  and  shiver- 
ing, quickly  followed  by  a  great  loss  of  strength,  a 
small,  quick,  and  contracted  pulse,  fainting,  if  in  an 
erect  posture,  drowsiness  without  sleep,  or  the  sleep 
not  refreshing,  but  followed  by  a  greater  decay  of 
strength  and  delirium.  There  is  little  pain,  thirst,  or 


31  A  L 


905 


A  L 


other  troublesome  symptom,  and  yet  the  patient  is 
uneasy,  the  features  contract  and  sink,  the  extremities 
become  cold,  the  pulse  intermits,  and  death  soon  ter- 
minates the  scene. 

MA'LIS.  Cocyta.  A  pungent  pain  from  an  ani- 
malcule lodged  in  an  ulcerous  tumour;  or  pain  from  an 
insect  lodged  in  any  part  without  ulcer  or  tumour.  The 
insects  which  produce  this  pain  are  various.  In  Persia 
it  proceeds  from  the  gordius  medinensis,  or  dracuncu- 
lus  persicus;  in  America  by  the  pulex,  and  sometimes 
even  by  the  pediculus. 

MALLAM-TO'DDALI.  Celtu  oriental;*  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1478.  The  name  of  a  tree  in  Malabar,  whose  root, 
bark,  leaves,  and  fruit,  are  esteemed  specifics  in  the 
epilepsy.  Rail  Historia. 

M  ALLE'AMOTHE,  Pavette,  erysi/ielas  curans  ar- 
bor, fiavetta  indica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  160;  a  shrub  which 
grows  in  Malabar.  The  leaves  boiled  in  palm  oil  wire 
the  impetigo;  the  root  powdered  and  mixed  with  ginger 
is  said  to  be  diuretic.  Rail  Historia. 

MA'LLEI  MU'SCULUS  EXTE'RN'US  vel  SU- 
PE'RIOR.  See  TENSOR  MEMBRANA  TXUPANI. 

MA'LLEI  MU'SCULUS  IXTE'RXUS.     See  LAXATOR  MEM- 

BRAN.E  TYMPAXI. 

MALLE'OLUS,  (from  its  resemblance  to  a  mallet). 
The  ANKLE.  (See  ASTRAGALUS.)  In  BOTANY,  the 
cuttings  of  vines,  with  joints  of  the  old  wood  at  their 
bottom,  resembling  a  little  mallet. 

MVLLEO'LUS  EXTE'RNUS;  the  talus  or  ankle  bone, 
or  the  inferior  extremities  of  the  tibia  and  fibula.  See 
FIBULA. 

MA'LLEUS.  A  MALLET,  and  one  of  the  bones  in 
the  ears.  (See  AURIS).  This  bone  hath  a  large  round 
head,  which  contracts  the  whole  way  from  the  neck, 
whence  the  processus  Ravianus  arises,  and  on  the  out- 
side a  short  process  projects  outward,  pointing  against 
the  membrana  tympani.  From  this  part  the  manubrium 
or  handle  is  continued  down,  and  its  extremity,  fixed  to 
the  tympani  membrana,  pulls  it  inward.  When  the 
malleus  is  in  its  proper  situation,  the  neck  and  head  are 
turned  upwards  and  inwards,  the  handle  downwards,  its 
short  process  upwards  and  outwards  near  the  upper 
part  of  the  edge  or  the  tympanum,  and  the  processus 
Ravianus  forwards,  reaching  to  the  articular  fissure  in 
the  os  temporis,  whence  we  may  distinguish  the  malleus 
of  one  ear  from  that  of  the  other.  The  handle  of  the 
malleus  is  tied  to  the  membrana  tympani  by  a  fine 
membranous  duplicature.  This  bone  hath  three  mus- 
cles, viz.  the  laxator  and  tensor  membrane  tympani, 
and  the  munculua  externus,  auris  Du  Vernii. 

MALPI'GHIA,  (in  honour  of  Malfiighi}.  BARBA- 
DOES  CHERRY  TREE.  Cerasus  Americana,  Malfthigia 
/lunicifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  609.  The  fruit  is  eaten  by  the 
native  Americans,  but  has  no  medicinal  virtue. 

MA'LUM.  A  DISEASE.  (See  MORBUS.)  In  a 
strict  sense  it  is  applied  to  the  unnatural  protrusion  of 
the  afi/tieof  the  eye,  called  firocidentia  oculi;  consists  in 
an  enlargement  or  prolusion  of  the  eye  ball,  when  the 
eyes  exceed  the  bounds  of  the  eye  lids.  Its  more  gene- 
ral meaning  is  the  fruit,  afi/ile,  which  in  inflammatory 
and  other  febrile  complaints  is  allowed  as  food  when 
roasted.  Sliced  and  infused  in  boiling  water,  apples 
make  a  pleasant  diluting  drink.  When  thoroughly- 
roasted,  the  soft  pulp  is  applied  to  the  eye  in  form  of  a 

VOL.    I. 


cataplasm,  in    cases   of  ophthalmia,  if  the   e)'e    ; 
should  not  be  too  irritable.     Its  advantages  consist  in 
its  very  slow  communication  of  heat,  in  consequence  of 
its  texture,  so  that  it  continues  cold  for  a  long  time. 
See  CALIDUM. 

MA'LUM   CI'TRF.UM.     See  CITREUM. 
MA'LUM   GRAXA'TUM.      See   GRANATA   MALA. 
MA'LUM  MO'RTUUM.     A  malignant  species  of  lepra 
or  scab,  which  renders  the  body  livid,  with  crusty  ulcers, 
void  of  sanies  and  of  pain. 

MA'LUM  TE'RH-E.  See  ARISTOLOCHIA  ROTUNDA. 
MA'LUS,  (from  futXtn,  an  aftfile}.  The  APPLE  TREE. 
The  many  sorts  of  apples  known  in  this  country  are 
varieties-  only  of  one  species  :  at  least  the  crab  is  our 
only  indigenous  apple.  Our  most  valuable  species  are 
derived  from  France,  as  the  names  import,  the  pippin 
(pcpin),  quarington  (charenton),  nonpareil,  Sec.  Some 
valuable  varieties  are,  however,  derived  from  these, 
under  our  own  hands,  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  enu- 
merate. The  apple,  when  raw,  is  a  cold  and  flatulent 
food,  not  suitable  to  weak  stomachs.  The  wilding  of 
different  countries  is  the  origin  of  the  more  improved 
species,  and  from  it  a  kind  of  vinegar  is  made.  Its  juice 
is,  however,  acerb,  and  not  acid;  for  it  hastens  rapidly 
into  fermentation,  and  if  this  is  carefully  checked,  it 
becomes  a  vinous  liquor,  resembling  old  hock,  which 
will  not  by  any  artifice  become  vinegar. 

MA'LUS  SYLVE'STRIS,  agriomela,agrestis,malus  acido 
fructu  sylvestris.  The  CRAB  TREE,  the  WILDING,  fiyrus 
mains  of  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  686,  *. 

MA'LUS  AURA'NTIA.     See  AURAXTIA  HISPALIEXSIA. 
MA'LUS  CYDO'.VIA.     See  CYDOXIA. 
MA'LUS  I'XDICA.     See  BILIMBI. 
MA'LUS  MALABA'RICA.     See  CAXJRAM. 
MA'LUS  ME'DicA,and  PE'HSICA.   The  CITRON,  LEMON, 
and  PEACH. 

MA'LUS  PU'XICA.  The  POMEGRANATE.  See  BELAUS- 
TIUM  and  GRANATA  MALA. 

MA'LVA,  f**A»£i),  (from  /*X\XTF*,  to  soften).  The 
MALLOW,  malva  rotundifdia  sylvestris  Lin.  Sp.  PI. ^69; 
sufficiently  known.  Its  leaves  and  flowers  are  slightly 
mucilaginous,  have  no  remarkable  smell,  and  are 
merely  emollient.  A  conserve  is  made  from  the  flow- 
ers; the  leaves  are  used  in  decoctions  for  clysters,  for 
emollient  fomentations,  and  in  cataplasms.  The  roots 
have  been  employed  as  a  pectoral:  they  have  a  soft 
sweet  taste,  resembling  that  of  liquorice,  but  without 
any  remarkable  smell.  An  extract  from  the  tincture  is 
very  sweet.  The  leaves  possess  powers  similar  to  the 
althea ;  and  their  use  is  superseded  for  internal  purposes 
by  those  of  the  latter.  See  Raii  Historia}  Lewis's 
Materia  Medica. 

MA'LVA  ARBO'REA  MAHITI'MA;  althfa  arborea   mari- 
tima,  lavatera  arborea  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  972.     The  MALLOW 
TREE  agrees  in  virtues  with  the  common  mallows. 
MA'LVA  BETO'XIC-E  FO'LIO.     See  MALACOIDES. 
MA'LVA  RO'SEA   FO'LIO   SUBRO'TUXDO  ;    malva  arbo- 
rescens,  malva  hortensis,   dendromalache,  alcea  rosea 
Lin.  Sp.  PL  966.     TREE  or  GARDEN  MALLOW,  and   the 
HOLLYHOCK.     This  plant  is  chiefly  cultivated  as  orna- 
mental in  gardens;  and  in  medical  virtues  is  similar, 
but  inferior,  to  the  common  mallow. 

MA'LVA  VERBENA'CEA  ;   alcea,  alcea  -vulgaris  major, 
malva  akta  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  971.     VERVAIN  MALLOW,  is 


M  A  M 


906 


31  A  M 


distinguished  from  the  common  mallow  by  its  leaves 
being  deeply  cut  at  the  edges.  It  is  similar  to,  but  less 
mucilaginous  than,  the  other  mallows. 

MA'I/VA     vi'scus.       See     MALAVISCUS     and     AL- 
TH-EA. 

MALVA'SIA,  MALMSEY ;  mai-insium;  a  rich  gener- 
ous wine  of  Spain  and  the  Madeiras,  supposed  to  be 
the  arvisium  of  the  island  of  Scio. 

MALVERN  WATER  rises  in  Worcestershire,  and 
it  contains  lime  with  a  small  proportion  of  magnesia, 
suspended  chiefly  by  carbonic  acid  gas.  A  very  small 
quantity  of  sea  salt  is  occasionally  found  in  it.  The 
proportion  of  fluid  is  very  large,  and  this  is  one  of  the 
purest  of  our  cold  mineral  waters.  It  is  applied  in  in- 
flammations of  the  eyes,  and  drunk  in  all  complaints  of 
the  kidneys  and  bladder,  scrofula  and  cutaneous  dis- 
eases. 

Dr.  Wilson,  in  a  late  elaborate  work  on  this  water, 
seems  to  think  that  its  solid  contents,  though  in  a  small 
proportion, "may  be  useful,  especially  as  they  are  of  the 
kind  used  in  the  diseases  for  which  the  water  is  cele- 
brated. He  found  in  a  gallon  of  Holytuell  water  above 
five  grains  of  carbonate  of  soda,  and  nearly  three  of 
the  sulphat  of  soda.  It  contained  also  about  a  grain 
and  half  of  common  salt,  nearly  a  grain  of  carbonate  of 
magnesia,  and  about  the  same  quantity  of  carbonate  of 
lime.  The  carbonate  of  iron  scarcely  exceeded  half  a 
grain.  The  ingredients  of  St.  Ann's  Well  were  the 
same,  but  in  a  much  less  proportion.  He  found  the 
waters  laxative;  but,  at  first,  they  sometimes  produced 
nausea,  and  occasionally  feverish  heat. 

MAMjE'RA  FCE'MINA.     See  PAPAYA  FCEMINA. 

MAMA'NGA  FRU'TEX,  an  arborescent  shrub  in 
Brasil,  called  by  the  Portuguese  lavaflratas,but  not  in- 
cluded in  the  botanical  systems.  Its  leaves  are  applied 
to  wounds  and  ulcers,  and  the  expressed  oil  of  its  pods 
is  used  in  maturating  poultices.  Raii  Historia. 

MAME'I.  The  mammcea  Americana  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  731, 
mammoe,  momin,  or  TODDY  THEE,  is  a  fine  tall  tree, 
constantly  of  a  beautiful  green  colour,  somewhat  re- 
sembling the  walnut  tree.  Its  trunk  rises  to  the  height 
of  seventy  feet,  and  is  terminated  by  a  number  of 
branches  which  form  a  vast  pyramidal  crown.  The  fruit 
is  twice  as  large  as  the  fist,  and  is  very  agreeable.  This 
tree  is  found  in  different  parts  of  the  West  Indies,  but 
the  best  are  those  on  the  island  of  Hispaniola.  From 
incisions  made  in  the  branches  a  copious  discharge  of 
pellucid  liquor,  called  momin,  or  toddy  wine,  is  pro- 
duced, which  must  be  drunk  sparingly,  as  it  is  a  power- 
ful diuretic;  but  it  is  esteemed  a  preservative  from,  and 
a  solvent  of,  the  stone.  The  fruit  is  sweet,  and  of  an 
aromatic  flavour;  but  the  two  first  shells,  as  well  as  the 
pulp  which  surrounds  the  kernels,  must  be  removed, 
since  the  latter  leaves  a  very  permanent  bitter  in  the 
mouth.  It  is  usually  eaten  at  tables,  cut  in  slices,  and 
macerated  in  sweet  wine.  Excellent  marmalade  is 
prepared  from  it  by  the  addition  of  sugar  and  spices, 
which  is  often  brought  to  Europe  as  a  dry  preserve. 
Brandy  distilled  from  the  flowers  is  highly  pleasant,  and 
called  the  Creole  liqueur.  The  gum  of  the  bark  kills  the 
ehiques  which  often  infest  the  feet  of  the  Creoles.  The 
Asiatic  species  is  referred,  by  modern  botanists,  to  the 
new  genus  butonica,  formed  chiefly  from  the  eugenia  of 
Linnseus,  with  the  baringtonia,  the  commcrsonia  of  Fos- 
4  or,  and  someothers.  A  plant  which  appears  to  be  of  this 


genus,  the  mammea  humilis,  Vahl  suspects  to  be  the 
r/iedia  laterifolia  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  719.     See  Raii  Historia. 

MAMI'RA,  is  said  by  Paulus  jEgineta  to  be  the 
root  of  a  plant  of  a  detergent  quality.  It  has  been  sup- 
posed the  root  of  the  doronicum;  but  it  has  not  been 
correctly  ascertained. 

MAMIRA'AN,  is  a  a  plant  which  grows  in  the  water, 
resembling  in  its  leaf  the  convolvulus;  its  taste  is  hot 
and  bitter,  and  the  seed  resembles  that  of  sesamurn. 

MA'MM^E,  (from  (*«,«,,«,«,  mamma,  plural  mamma'). 
The  BREASTS.  In  the  breasts  we  distinguish  the  mam- 
millae, or  nipples,  the  areola,  the  brownish  circle  around 
the  nipples,  and  the  lactiferous  vessels.  The  .breasts 
are  composed  of  a  glandular  substance  and  fat ;  the 
glandular  part  is  hard,  white,  and  irregularly  mixed 
with  fat,  seemingly  composed  of  tubes  called  tubi  lac- 
tiferi.  See  LACTIFERI  DUCTUS. 

Though  the  breasts  are  usually  spoken  of  as  single 
glands,  they  are  in  reality  a  congeries  of  glandular  bodies, 
of  a  small  size,  and  a  somewhat  flattened  shape.  Mr. 
Cruickshanks  has  described  them  as  acini;  but  other 
authors,  with  more  reason,  have  supposed  these  small 
bodies  to  be  merely  convoluted  vessels.  From  these 
small  glands  tubes  emerge,  which  enlarge  and  anasto- 
mose freely ;  but,  when  approaching  the  nipple,  near  the 
areola,  contract  and  open  by  distinct  apertures.  Fifteen 
of  these  are  often  counted  on  a  small  nipple,  though 
other  anatomists  lessen  the  number.  The  areola  is  co- 
vered with  a  skin  much  more  soft  and  fine  than  that  of 
the  general  surface,  resembling  rather  the  ephelion  of 
the  lips  and  mouth,  and  interspersed  with  sebaceous 
glands,  obvious  even  to  the  sight,  to  defend  this  tender 
covering  from  the  pressure  and  the  saliva  of  the  child's 
mouth.  The  njpple  itself  is  formed  of  a  congeries  of 
these  small  tubes.  The  different  vessels,  either  lacti- 
ferous or  secretory,  are  minutely  divided  by  fat,  and 
thus  give  the  roundness,  the  fulness,  and  firmness  of  a 
well  proportioned  mamma. 

The  colour  of  the  areola  greatly  differs  even  in  differ- 
ent women;  and,  in  some,  it  is  so  brown,  as  even  in  the 
natural  state  to  give  a  suspicion  of  impregnation.  (See 
MEDICINA  FORENSIS.)  In  chlorotic  and  unhealthy  wo- 
men it  is  pale;  in  the  Samoeids  and  negresses  black; 
and  in  brown  persons  of  a  deeper  colour.  The  hue  is 
evidently  derived  from  a  fulness  of  the  arteries,  though 
in  what  manner  it  is  modified  we  cannot  easily  say; 
probably  by  the  colour  of  the  rete  mucosum  ;  for  all 
the  sexual  organs  have  a  brownish  tint.  In  women  of 
the  most  brilliant  and  delicate  complexions,  the  colour 
of  the  areola  resembles  that  of  a  rose. 

The  female  mamma  sympathizes  very  pointedly  with 
every  part  of  the  genital  system,  generally  with  the  cli- 
toris, more  sensibly  and  strictly  with  the  ovaria  and  the 
uterus.  At  the  approach  of  the  menses  the  breasts  en- 
large ;  at  their  cessation  they  wither.  After  the  lochia 
cease,  the  inilk  begins  to  flow,  and  this  connection  is  so 
intimate,  that  it  has  been  attributed  to  the  anastomosis 
of  the  extreme  branches  of  the  epigastric  and  mammary 
arteries  on  the  abdomen.  This  is,  however,  highly 
improbable;  for  their  union  is  inconsiderable,  and  not 
peculiarly  distinct  at  any  particular  periods.  The  sym- 
pathy, however,  is  so  striking,  that  the  Hottentots  and  the 
Scythians  (Herodotus)  irritate  the  vagina  to  increase  the 
flow  of  milk  from  their  cows  and  mares.  It  is  highly 
probable  that  the  milk  is  carried  to  the  nipple,  and  often 


MAM 


907 


MAX 


discharged  from  it  by  the  action  of  its  own  vessels,  and 
that  the  child  drains  the  breast,  not  so  much  from  its 
own  powers,  as  by  exciting  the  action  of  the  lactiferous 
tubes.  Thus  a  sensation  is  felt,  when  the  child  ap- 
proaches, of  some  internal  commotion  of  the  mamma, 
which  females  distinguish  by  the  term  war/iing,md  they 
are  excited  so  much  by  the  irritation  of  the  vagina,  as  to 
render  it  doubtful  if  it  is  always  prudent  to  deprive  the 
hireling  nurse  of  the  company  of  her  husband.  A  sen- 
timental feeling  also  influences  the  secretion  :  thus  the 
milk  does  not  flow  so  freely  on  the  application  of  a 
strange  child  as  of  a  woman's  natural  offspring;  and  ex- 
citing the  attention,  especially  if  this  is  accompanied 
with  a  little  terror,  will  wholly  suspend  the  dis- 
charge. 

The  connection  of  the  secretion  of  milk  with  the  ge- 
neral state  of  the  nervous  system  is  also  strongly  mark- 
ed. The  maternal  office  of  suckling  is  always  attended 
with  a  calm  serenity  of  mind,  scarcely  felt  in  other  situa- 
tions, and  the  suppression  of  the  milk,  on  its  first  ap- 
pearance, with  irritability,  languor,  or  despondence. 
The  last,  indeed,  sometimes  attends  the  period  of  suck- 
ling, though  the  milk  continues  to  flow,  from  causes 
that  cannot  be  ascertained.  It  seems  to  affect  the  young 
and  the  strong,  rather  than  those  of  the  middle  period 
of  life,  or  of  weaker  constitutions ;  the  first  lyings-in 
rather  than  future  ones.  The  apprehensions  of  death, 
in  those  rare  and  inexplicable  cases,  are,  however,  so 
strong,  that  nothing  can  conquer  them  :  the  dejection 
so  firmly  fixed  as  to  bid  defiance  to  medical  aid.  In 
some  cases  it  has  continued  for  some  years,  but  another 
pregnancy  is  usually  an  infallible  cure. 

Though  the  final  cause  of  the  connection  of  the 
uterine  with  the  lactiferous  system  is  obvious,  yet,  as 
usual,  nature  acts  by  general  laws.  Thus  a  false  con- 
ception is  attended  with  a  fulness  of  the  mammae,  and 
the  want  of  ovaria,  as  we  have  seen,  has  occasioned  the 
breasts  to  remain  in  the  state  of  the  earliest  periods. 
The  irritation  of  a  cancerous  tumour  in  the  uterus  has, 
however,  no  effect  of  this  kind,  for  it  seems  of  a  seda- 
tive nature ;  or  perhaps  thejmncipium  and  fons  of  the 
irritation  must  be  in  the  ovary. 

It  is  a  circumstance  singular  and  inexplicable  that 
men  should  have  all  the  organs  which  produce  and  con- 
vey milk  like  women.  Is  it  that  the  sex  is  determined 
after  the  rest  of  the  body  is  formed,  or  that,  in  cases  of 
necessity,  men  should  be  able  to  supply  the  office  of  the 
woman  ?  The  first  is  highly  improbable  ;  and  though 
we  have  one  instance  of  a  man  affording  his  motherless 
offspring  this  sustenance,  the  experiment  has  not  been 
again  tried,  or  not  succeeded.  Yet,  on  birth,  when  all 
the  fluids  begin  to  circulate  freely,  male  children,  as  well 
as  females,  have  often  milk  in  the  breasts.  On  the  whole, 
were  men  subject  to  a  partial  plethora  like  that  which 
takes  place  in  menstruation,  and  were  there  an  established 
sympathy  between  the  breasts  and  genital  organs,  it  is 
probable  that  they  might  become  nurses.  But  neither 
the  plethora  nor  the  sympathy  exist ;  and  though  we 
have  found  tumours  in  breasts  of  men,  we  have  ne- 
ver heard  of  their  becoming  cancerous.  Girls  of  the 
best  character,  by  the  irritation  of  a  child  sucking, 
have  become  able  to  support  it.  A  woman  of  sixty- 
eight  is  recorded  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  to 
have  suckled  a  grand  child;  and  one  of  eighty,  in  a 
Swedish  Journal,  is  said  to  have  performed  the  same 


office.     Russel  mentions  a  similar  fact  respecting  a  bar- 
ren sheep,  in  his  treatise  De  Tabe  Glandulai  i,  p.  64. 

The  number  of  teats  in  different  animals  correspond 
to  the  usual  number  of  their  young ;  but  it  is  singular 
that,  however  the  numbers  differ,  they  are  always  even. 
Animals  that  do  not  give  suck  are  generally  oviparous; 
but  some  of  the  vipers,  and  some  reptiles  styled  vivipa- 
rous, are  not  strictly  such  ;  for  their  young  are  inclosed 
in  eggs,  which  are  hatched  some  time  previous  to  the 
birth.  A  step  between  these  and  animals  who  are 
really  viviparous  may  be  observed  in  the  didelphis,  of 
which  the  kangarou  is  a  species.  These  animals  pro- 
duce their  young  in  an  unformed,  imperfect  state ;  but 
they  are  for  a  long  time  concealed,  and  protected  in  a 
second  uterus,  formed  under  the  belly  by  a  duplicature 
of  the  skin,  in  which  the  nipples  are  found.  While 
thus  speaking  on  comparative  anatomy,  we  may  add,  that 
the  horse  was  supposed  to  have  no  nipples;  but  Dau- 
benton  discovered  them  under  the  prepuce. 

The  arteries  and  veins  are  ramifications  from  the  ar- 
terise  and  venae  subclaviae,  and  from  the  axillares.  The 
nerves  are  principally  from  the  costales,  which  commu- 
nicate with  the  nervi  sympathetici.  The  lymphatics 
pass  through  the  axillary  glands,  though  Meckel  sus- 
pects that  he  has  traced  them  into  the  subclavian  veins. 
See  Kolpin  de  Stractura  Mammarum,  Sabatier  Traite 
d'Anatomie. 

MAMM.EA  RA  MAS  et  FCE'MINA.  See  PA- 
PAYA MAS  FffiMIXA. 

MAMMA'RIJE  ARTE'RI.E,  (from  mamma,  the 
breast.*)  The  ARTERIES  OF  THE  BREAST.  The  exter- 
nal are  branches  from  the  axillary  arteries,  and  called 
the  superior  thoracic.  The  internal  proceed  from  the 
anterior  and  lower  side  of  the  .subclaviae,  near  the  middle 
of  the  clavicles,  and  run  down  for  about  a  finger's 
breadth,  behind  the  cartilages  of  the  true  ribs,  an  inch 
distant  from  the  sternum.  In  their  passage  they  send 
branches  to  the  breasts,  and  to  several  of  the  adjacent 
parts;  they  afterwards  go  out  of  the  thorax  on  one  side 
of  the  appendix  ensiformis,  and  are  lost  in  the  recti 
muscles  of  the  abdomen. 

MAJOCA'BLA  VE'N^  INTE'RN.*.  The  right  springs 
from  the  vena  cava,  a  little  below  the  bifurcation,  and 
runs  with  its  corresponding  artery  along  the  internal 
edge  of  the  sternum.  The  left  springs  from  the  subcla- 
vian, or  from  the  axillary  vein. 

MAMMEA  AMERICANA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  731,  the 
plant  which  affords  the  grateful  salutary  fruit,  the 
mamme. 

MAMMIFO'RMES,  or  MAMILLA'RES  PRO- 
CE'SSUS.  See  TEMPORUM  OSSA. 

MA'NACA.  The  name  of  a  bacciferous  shrub  in 
Brasil.  The  root  is  powerfully  emetic  and  cathartic, 
and  used  on  some  occasions  by  the  natives  (see  Rail 
Historia);  but  the  plant  is  not  found  in  modern  systems. 

MANATE'A  LA'PIS,  (from  manati,  the  sea  COTO). 
Trichecus  manatus  Lin.  Syst.  Natur.  60.  The  part  of 
this  animal  which  hath  been  used  in  medicine  is  the  os 
petrosum  of  the  head,  which  is  of  various  forms,  hard, 
and  white,  resembling  a  stone  and  ivory. 

MANCANI'LLA,  hififiomane  mancinella  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1431.  The  MANCHIXEAL  TREE  is  as  large  as  the  oak; 
the  juice  of  the  bark,  while  fresh,  is  caustic  ;  the  fruit 
and  leaves  are  equally  so,  though  eaten  by  goats.  The 
wood  is  sawed  into  planks,  and  brought  into  England 
5  Z  2 


M  A  X 


908 


MAX 


as  ornamental  wood.  It  is  of  a  dusky  colour,  with 
brown  veins  and  yellow  clouds.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
shade  of  the  manchineal  tree,  as  well  as  the  dew  be- 
neath it,  is  injurious  ;  but  this  is  fabulous.  Dutour  has 
often  rested  under  its  shade  without  feeling  any  bad 
effects  ;  though  he  suspects,  for  reasons  which  he  does 
not  assign,  that  the  air  is  unwholesome,  and  advises 
travellers  not  to  seek  shelter  under  it  during  a  whole 
night.  The  Indians  poison  their  arrows  with  its  juice; 
and  Valmont  de  Bomare  mentions  an  experiment  with 
an  arrow,  which  had  been  dipped  in  this  juice  a  hun- 
dred and  forty  years  before;  but  a  wound  inflicted  by 
it  on  a  dog  was  soon  fatal.  See  Rail  Historia. 

MA'NCORON,  probably  sugar,  since  it  is  a  sweet 
substance  found  in  cane.  Oribasius. 

MANCURA'NA.     See  ORIGANUM. 

MA'NDARU,  assitra,  bauhinia  variegata  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  535,  the  pod  bearing  Malabarian  tree  with  bifid 
leaves.  The  flowers  purge  ;  and  the  roots,  if  chewed, 
relieve  pains  in  the  teeth.  All  the  species  of  Bauhinia 
appear  to  possess  similar  qualities. 

MANDI'BULA,  (from  mando,  to  chew}.  A  JAW. 
See  MAXILLA. 

MANDII'BA,  MANDU'BABURA,  MANDII- 
BU'MANA,  MANDII'PEBA,  MANDIO'CA.  See 
CASSADA. 

MANDRA'GORA,  (from  the  German  man  drag-en, 
bearing  or  resembling  men).  Canina  malus;  dudaim  ; 
the  MALE  MANDRAKE,  atro/ia  watidragora  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  259,  hath  monopetalous,  mullifid,  bell  shaped  flow- 
ers; its  fruit  is  soft,  globular,  and  contains  seeds,  which 
are  generally  kiSney  shaped.  It  is  common  in  Spain, 
Italy,  and  other  hot  countries  :  is  anodyne,  narcotic,  and 
cathartic  ;  but  only  used  internally  as  a  discutient. 

The  roots  of  the  marsh  mallow,  of  the  arundo,  and  of 
bryony,are  made  to  resemble  the  male  mandrake  roots. 

MANDRAGORI'TES,  (from  n*ifp*-y»fa,  man- 
drake}. The  MANDRAKE  WINE  is  made  by  putting 
half  a  pound  of  the  bark  of  the  mandrake  to  nine  gal- 
lons of  wine.  After  standing  three  months  the  process 
is  complete. 

MANUUCA'TIO,  (from  manduco,  to  chew}.  See 
MASTICATIO. 

MANDUCATO'RES  MUSCULI,  (from  the  same). 
See  MASSETER  MUSCULUS. 

MA'NGA.  (Indian.)  Mangos,  amba,  ambulant, mao, 
conchifolia,  the  MANGO  TREE,  mangifera  Indica  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  290,  is  a  native  of  the  East  Indies.  The  fruit  is 
larger  than  a  goose's  egg,  flattened,  shaped  like  a  kid- 
ney, and  of  a  gold  yellow  colour.  It  is  pickled  unripe 
in  the  acid  milk  of  the  cocoa  nut,  the  kernel  filled  with 
garlic,  and,  in  that  state,  sent  to  Europe.  See  Raii  Hist. 

MA'NGA.     See  AEALAM. 

MANGANESE.  Magnesium,  magnesia  nigra,  and 
aiderea,  manganese  rjxyde  Haiiy  iv.  243,  is  of  a  black 
ijrown  colour,  with  occasionally  a  little  of  the  metallic 
splendour,  of  a  specific  gravity  from  3.70  to  4.75.  Some 
varieties  which  stain  the  fingers  are  much  lighter.  It  is 
divisible  in  rhomboidal  prisms  of  about  100°  and  80°, 
and  colours  borax  of  a  violet  hue  when  exposed  to  the 
blow  pipe.  It  was  long  supposed  to  be  an  ore  of  iron, 
and  though  shown  in  1770  by  Kaim  to  contain  a  pe- 
culiar metal,  it  was  only  completely  reduced  by  Galm 
about  the  year  1774.  Manganese  attracts  oxygen  more 
rapidly  than  any  other  body,  except  phosphorus  and 
the  black  oxide  ;  that  most  commonly  employed  con- 


tains sixty  parts  of  the  metal  and  forty  of  oxygen.  In 
this  variety  the  oxygen  seems  in  excess,  and  the  excess 
only  is  yielded  in  decomposition ;  for  the  white  man- 
ganese retains  its  oxygen  with  great  obstinacy. 

It  is  needless  to  enlarge  on  the  preparation  of  man- 
ganese, as  its  chief  use  is  in  preparing  the  oxygenated 
acids  and  salts.  M.  Alyon  has  recommended  an  oint- 
ment composed  of  the  black  oxide  of  manganese  with 
axunge,  in  the  proportion  of  one  drachm  to  an  ounce, 
which  he  recommends  in  a  variety  of  external  diseases, 
where  the  oxygen  is  apparently  deficient,  but  whose 
boasted  merits  experience  in  this  country  has  not  sup- 
ported. In  the  preparation  of  oxygen  for  respiration, 
manganese  is  chiefly  used,  and  it  is  the  principal  ingre- 
dient in  Guy  ton's  box  to  secure  from  contagion.  Those, 
however,  who  prepare  oxygen  gas  should  recollect  the 
observation  of  M.  Seguin,  that  some  manganese  at  first 
yields  a  portion  of  azotic  gas. 

MANGARA'TIA.     See  ZINGIBER. 

MA'NGT.E.     See  GUAPAUAIBA. 

MA'NGOSTAN.  Garcinia  mangostana  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  635.  A  tree  which  has  been  transplanted  from  the 
Molucca  islands  to  Java,  and  at  Batavia  is  admired  as  an 
ornament  in  gardens.  It  resembles  the  citron  tree,  has  a 
straight  trunk,  an  equal  and  regular  head,  and  rises  from 
eighteen  to  twenty  feet  in  height.  The  mangostan,  in 
the  works  of  modern  naturalists,  is  of  the  natural  order 
guttifer&,  as  some  of  the  species  afford  a  gummy  resin, 
resembling,  in  appearance  and  rk>wer,  the  gutta  gamba. 
The  fruit  is  equally  pleasing  to  the  smell  and  taste.  The 
odour  resembles  that  of  the  strawberry  :  the  flavour  is 
said  to  unite  the  sweetness  of  the  cherry,  the  orange, 
and  the  grape.  The  mangostans  are  wholesome,  re- 
freshing, and  never  produce  any  inconvenience.  Dr. 
Solander,  who  was  at  the  point  of  death  from  a  putrid 
fever  at  Batavia,  found  them  so  refreshing,  that  he  at- 
tributed his  recovery  to  them.  The  fruit  itself  is  laxa- 
tive, the  bark  styptic  and  astringent.  The  decoction  of 
the  bark  is  given  in  dysenteries,  and  employed  as  a 
gargle  in  aphthae.  The  Chinese  employ  the  bark  in 
their  black  dye.  The  only  other  species  of  the  system 
of  nature  affords  a  much  more  acid  and  less  grateful 
fruit ;  and,  indeed,  it  seems  a  variety  only.  To  this  ge- 
nus Gsertner  has  referred  the  gambogia  gutta  of  Lin- 
naeus; but  on  this  subject  we  have  already  spoken;  and 
Lamarck  has  added  two  other  species. 

MA'NIA,  (from  ftMiitfuti ,  to  rage,}  delirium  mania- 
cum,jiarufihrosyne;fihreniti8  afiyreta,  heracleius,  MAD- 
NESS. (See  also  MELANCHOLIA.)  This  disease  re- 
ceives different  appellations,  according  to  its  violence, 
its  causes,  and  attending  circumstances.  Melancholy  is 
the  primary  disorder,  and  madness  is  supposed,  though 
inaccurately,  to  be  the  higher  degree. 

Madness,  in  all  its  species,  is  a  chronical  disorder, 
and  has  been  defined,  "  The  perception  of  objects  not 
existing,  or  at  least  not  corresponding  to  the  senses," 
and  is  consequently  a  preternatural  state  of  sensation. 
Dr.  Cullen  places  it  in  the  class  neuroses,  and  order 
•vesania,  defining  it  an  universal  insanity.  This  defini- 
tion is,  however,  very  defective,  since  the  chief  term 
is  the  object  of  the  definition.  That  q'f  Sauvages  is  still 
more  exceptionable,  as  he  confines  madness  to  errors  of 
judgment  with  fury.  Those  of  Linnaeus,  Vogel,  and 
Sagar,  either  define  mania  by  insania,  or  confine  it  to 
fury  and  boldness.  Dr.  Bailie,  who  styles  it  false  per- 
ception, is  equally  imperfect.  It  may,  perhaps,  be  more 


31  AN 


909 


31  AN 


correctly  defined  an  irregular  exertion  of  the  mental 
powers,  particularly  those  of  perception  and  judgment, 
without  fever,  often  with  great  violence.  Dr.  Cullen 
distinguishes  three  species;  the  mania  menta/is,  when 
wholly  from  the  affections  of  the  mind;  mania  corfio- 
rea,  or  inanitorum,  when  evidently  from  a  fault  in  the 
body ;  mania  o6scurat  when  not  preceded  by  any  evi- 
dent mental  affection  or  disorder  of  the  body. 

These  species  are,  however,  incorrect;  but  a  mere 
nosological  disquisition  would  not  have  detained  us,  had 
not  this  view  of  the  subject  led  to  erroneous  ideas  of 
the  disease.  Perhaps  there  is  no  disorder  purely  mental. 
When  affections  of  the  mind  produce  corporeal  com- 
plaints, they  first  act  by  injuring  the  functions  of  the 
body ;  when  the  mind  also  is  diseased,  bodily  changes 
first  appear;  and,  in  the  case  before  us,  the  most 
purely  mental  maniae  are  found  to  arise  from  topical 
affections  of  the  brain.  (See  MEXS  and  MEXTALES.) 
There  is  not  even  a  sufficient  foundation  for  distinguish- 
ing those  species  which  arise  from  atonic  gout,  re- 
pelled eruptions,  syphilis,  Etc. ;  for,  though  originat- 
ing from  bodily  causes,  they  continue  like  the  appa- 
rently mental  diseases.  In  short,  there  is  no  founda- 
tion for  the  subdivision  of  species  in  this  complaint ; 
since,  like  many  other  reputed  genera,  it  is  only  itself  a 
species. 

The  union  of  mania  with  melancholy  is,  we  have  said, 
equally  inaccurate ;  for  the  melancholic  mania  is  a  va- 
riety only.  We  shall  find  melancholy  distinguished  as 
a  peculiar  temperament,  marked  by  languor  and  inac- 
tivity in  all  the  functions ;  and,  while  it  occasionally 
rises  to  insanity,  even  in  its  last  stage,  it  is  clearly  dis- 
tinguishable from  other  varieties  of  mania.  The  phleg- 
matic, the  sanguine,  the  bilious,  as  well  as  the  melan- 
cholic temperament,  are  subject  to  insanity. 

Some  authors  have  unnecessarily  varied  the  species 
from  the  circumstances  or  causes  of  the  disease,  almost 
realizing  the  axiom  of  the  porch,  that  all  fools  are  mad  ; 
but  these  are  only  varieties,  and  scarcely  admit  of  any 
difference  in  the  practice. 

Dr.  Battie,  we  have  said,  considers  madness  to  con- 
sist in  false  perception  ;  but  this  is  a  partial  view  ;  for 
the  perceptions  are  often  correct,  but  the  reasoning  or 
the  judgment  are  defective  ;  yet  the  perception  is  more 
frequently  in  fault  than  the  reasoning.  The  mind  is  all 
alive,  but  its  exertions  are  irregular  ;  indeed  the  mental 
excitement  is  so  great,  that  mad  persons  are  often  not 
subject  to  the  effects  of  cold,  nor  generally  susceptible 
of  the  infection  of  fever.  On  the  contrary,  other  dis- 
eases are  cured  by  madness  corning  on.  We  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  a  most  inveterate  asthma  immediately 
relieved  by  a  maniacal  paroxysm,  and  the  asthma  re- 
turned when  the  madness  lessened.  It  has  been  said, 
on  the  contrary,  that  madness  is  itself  removed  by  the 
access  of  an  intermittent;  but  we  hesitate  in  admitting 
observations  made  at  a  time  when  intermittents  were 
,  thought  highly  salutary. 

M.  Pinel,  in  a  late  work  on  insanity,  has  hazarded  a 
more  singular  opinion,  viz.  that  the  violence  of  maniacal 
paroxysms  may  be  only  efforts  of  nature  to  relieve  some 
latent  disease.  Though  this  idea  may  be,  in  some  mea- 
sure, countenanced  by  the  facts  mentioned  respecting 
asthma,  yet  its  general  absurdity  is  too  striking  to  re- 
quire our  employing  a  moment  in  its  refutation.  The 
species  of  mania,  according  to  this  author,  are  less  ex- 


ceptionable. These  are  melancholia,  or  delirium,  on 
one  subject  exclusively  ;  mania  without  or  with  deliri- 
um; dementia,  or  the  abolition  of  the  thinking  faculty  ; 
and  idiotism,  or  the  obliteration  of  the  intellectual  facul- 
ties or  affections.  The  second  species  only  requires  a 
remark.  It  is  defined  "  a  perversion  of  the  active  facul- 
ties, marked  by  abstract  and  sanguinary  fury,  with  a 
blind  propensity  to  acts  of  violence,  without  any  sensible 
change  in  the  intellectual  functions."  There  is,  how- 
ever, some  doubt,  whether  this  is  properly  a  species. 
The  instances  are,  in  part,  those  of  violent  passions,  in 
support  of  the  axiom  ira  furor  brevis;  and,  in  part,  of 
paroxysms  truly  delirious.  Periodical  mania,  accord- 
ing to  M.  Pinel,  is  only  a  form  of  madness,  and  not  a 
distinct  species,  classed  as  a  variety  of  the  third. 

The  false  perception,  or  false  reasoning,  which  dis- 
tinguishes mania,  sometimes  pervades  every  subject,  but 
very  frequently  one  only.  Of  the  latter  Don  Quixotic 
affords  an  admirable  specimen,  drawn  in  a  style  truly 
interesting  and  correct,  and  supported  with  the  preci- 
sion which  the  most  minute  medical  observation  could 
not  improve.  In  Le  Sage  and  Smollet  we  have  pic- 
tures of  the  same  kind  delineated  with  equal  skill, 
though  not  equally  extended.  In  general,  the  subjects 
on  which  this  kind  of  insanity  is  conspicuous,  are  those 
less  familiar  to  the  patient's  general  habits  of  life,  and 
on  which  he  is  imperfectly  informed.  The  tradesman 
is  bewildered  in  his  calculations  for  paying  the  national 
debt ;  and  the  debauchee  in  investigating  the  mysterious 
ways  of  Providence,  or  reconciling  the  sublime  truths 
of  revelation  with  the  shallow  views  allotted  to  human 
reason.  As  religion  is  of  all  subjects  the  most  interest- 
ing, and  least  within  the  powers  of  the  human  mind,  it 
is  the  most  common  cause  of  insanity,  and  of  the  most 
obstinate  cases  of  the  disease. 

Insanity  seldom  attacks  at  once  :  its  approaches  are 
gradual ;  and,  as  suspicion  and  cunning  are  the  most 
striking  mental  symptoms,  these  are  often  conspicuous 
in  the  earliest  stages.  In  delineating  the  symptoms,  we 
must  distinguish  between  the  idiotic  insanity,  the  me- 
lancholic, and  the  sanguine;  for  these  are  the  most 
striking  varieties.  We  mean  not  at  present  to  dispute 
the  propriety  of  distinguishing  complete  idiotism  as  a 
species,  but  merely  to  mark  that  languid  state  peculiar 
to  leucophlegmatic  habits,  and  approaching  with  slow, 
undistinguishable  steps. 

The  idiotic  inxanily  commences  with  silence  and  re- 
serve; with  muttering,  inattention  to  the  person  who 
speaks ;  and  a  want  of  recollection  of  what  has  lately 
passed.  The  muttering  becomes  more  distinct ;  and  it 
then  appears  that  some  images  are  presented  to  the 
mind  different  from  the  objects  before  the  patient.  In 
fact,  if  "false  fierce/it  ion"  does  not  take  place,  objects  do 
not  make  their  usual  impression,  or  the  mind,  less  im- 
pressed with  the  objects  around  than  with  its  own  ideas, 
suffers  the  latter  only  to  have  any  influence.  In  this  state 
the  sleep  is  usually  disturbed,  though  sometimes  sound 
and  uninterrupted ;  but,  when  sound,  the  patient  is  not 
refreshed,  nor  is  the  mind  more  steady  when  awakened. 
In  general,  the  head  appears  loaded,  and  the  eyes  red  ; 
though,  in  some  cases,  each  symptom  is  wanting,  but 
the  bowels  are  always  slow  in  their  action,  and  stools 
are  unfrequent ;  the  patient  is  insensible  to  the  calls  of 
hunger  and  thirst,  to  the  impressions  of  cold,  but  not 
indifferent  to  worldly  objects.  On  the  contrary,  distrust 


MAN 


910 


MAN 


and  suspicion  predominate ;  and  the  greatest  cunning 
is  exercisedJo  obviate  the  effects  of  what  the  patient 
supposes  most  detrimental  to  his  interest.  The  pulse 
is  often  little  affected,  and  the  urine  copious  and 
pale. 

Even  in  this  .situation  opposition  will  excite  to  vio- 
lence, and  strength,  apparently  incompatible  with  the 
general  weakness  will  be  exerted,  to  counteract  what 
the  patient  may  dislike.  In  this  case  the  eyes  become 
quick  and  fiery,  the  countenance  is  animated,  while  the 
extremities  are  cold,  the  hands  tremble,  and  every 
function,  except  what  is  roused  to  opposition,  appears 
peculiarly  weak. 

The  melancholic  madness  does  not  greatly  differ  ;  but 
the  patient,  when  roused  to  answer,  appears  to  have 
lost  none  of  his  mental  faculties.  Often,  while  his  fan- 
cies prevail,  he  will  reason  with  acuteness  in  their  sup- 
port, and  his  precautions  to  guard  against  injury,  when 
he  fancies  himself  a  brittle  vessel,  are  ingenious  and 
well  conducted.  In  these  circumstances  the  pulse  is 
languid,  the  bowels  peculiarly  torpid,  the  urine  lim- 
pid, the  sleep  often  heavy,  but  without  relief,  or, 
when  it  occurs,  the  patient  is  insensible  of  it,  and  de- 
nies, with  violence,  having  slept.  The  mind,  in  this 
kind  of  madness,  rests  on  one  idea,  with  unusual  per- 
tinacity, and  the  violence,  on  contradiction,  is  peculiar- 
ly vehement.  The  distinction  between  these  two  varie- 
ties does  not  seem  to  consist  so  much  in  the  tempera- 
ment, as  in  the  wandering  in  the  former,  and  the  per- 
manent ruling  idea  in  the  latter.  To  which  we  may 
add,  that  the  first  is  the  disease  of  a  weak,  and  the  lat- 
ter of  a  strong  mind.  Aretseus  describes' the  melan- 
cholic mania  with  singular  precision.  "  Those  who 
are  affected  with  melancholy  are  sad,  dejected,  and  dull, 
without  apparent  cause.  They  tremble  for  fear,  are 
destitute  of  courage,  affected  with  watchings,  and  fond 
of  solitude.  They  are  prone  to  anger,  changeable  in 
their  tempers,  and  ask  a  reason  for  the  most  trifling 
and  inconsiderable  occurrences.  They  are  at  some  sea- 
sons so  covetous  that  they  will  not  part  with  any  thing, 
but  soon  become  silly  and  prodigal.  They  are  gene- 
rally costive,  sometimes  discharge  no  faeces  at  all,  at 
other  times  their  excrements  are  dry,  round,  and  co- 
vered with  a  black  and  bilious  humour  :  they  discharge 
a  small  quantity  of  urine,  which  is  acrid  and  bilious.  A 
large  quantity  of  flatulencies  are  discharged  from  their 
mouths  ;  and  sometimes  they  vomit  a  certain  acrid  hu- 
mour with  the  bile.  Their  countenances  become  pale, 
their  pulse  is  slow.  They  are  lazy  and  weak,  but  discover 
a  preternatural  voracity  in  eating  their  aliments.  When 
the  disorder  advances  to  madness,  the  patient,  when 
provoked  to  anger,  becomes  raging  mad.  Some  wan- 
der far  from  home  ;  some  cry  out  in  a  hideous  manner; 
some  shun  the  sight  of  men,  betake  themselves  to  soli- 
tude, and  only  converse  with  themselves  ;  others  tear 
and  mangle  their  bodies.  In  the  highest  degree  of  this 
disorder  they  perceive  red  images  before  their  eyes,  so 
that  they  in  a  manner  think  themselves  struck  by  light- 
ning. They  are  immoderately  inclined  to  venery,  so 
that  they  caress  publicly,  without  either  dread  or  shame. 
But  when  the  disease  is  in  its  decline,  they  become 
stupid,  calm,  and  mournful;  and  coming  to  the  know- 
ledge of  their  misfortune,  they  are  dejected  on  account 
of  their  calamitous  and  miserable  situation." 

The  sanguine  mania  greatly  differs.     It  is  at  first 


marked  by  irregularity  of  spirits,  sometimes  highly  ele- 
vated, and  proportionally  depressed ;  in  either  case 
without  sufficient  reason.  This  kind  of  insanity  is  often 
the  effect  of  sudden  and  excessive  joy  ;  and  madness 
was  more  commonly  the  effect  of  success  in  the  South 
Sea  year,  than  of  disappointment.  An  early  symptom 
is  aloud  and  rapid  elocution  when  speaking  on  common 
subjects,  a  feeling  of  peculiar  high  health,  and  boasting 
declarations  of  health  and  spirits.  The  sleep  is  very 
disturbed,  and  the  watchfulness  often  unremitted.  The 
subjects  are  as  various  as  the  fancy ;  each  is  sud- 
denly indulged,  and  as  quickly  superseded  by  another. 
The  persons  most  loved,  before,  are  now  detested,  and 
strangers,  or  the  most  indifferent  people,  are  sought 
after  with  anxiety.  The  eye  appears  wild  and  red, 
quickly  glancing  at  every  object ;  the  face  flushed,  a 
tingling  in  the  ears  is  perceived,  and  suspicion  is  alive 
in  apprehension  of  intended  injury  ;  for  there  is  always 
an  enemy  in  the  rear,  which  is  often  one  of  the  nearest 
relations.  It  is  not  an  uncommon  fancy  to  svippose 
those  around  them  mad,  and  their  greatest  amusement 
to  contrive  stratagems  in  order  to  secure  and  confine 
them.  When  any  object  is  in  view,  disappointment 
does  not  distress  them.  The  object  still  remains,  and 
it  is  to  be  accomplished  on  another  occasion.  The 
prospect  is  always  cheerful,  and  success  constantly  at 
hand.  The  pulse,  in  this  case,  is  often  natural,  but 
frequently  quick :  the  tongue  is  always  dry,  the  skin 
without  the  softness  of  health,  the  urine  generally  high 
coloured. 

Though  we  may  declaim,  "  what  a  wonderful  piece 
of  work  is  man !"  yet,  when  we  view  him  in  this  state, 
where  his  boasted  reason,  instead  of  assisting,  misleads 
him ;  when  we  see  him  exposed  to  elemental  war,  in- 
sensible of  cold,  of  the  comforts  of  cleanliness,  of  the 
dictates  of  religion,  of  even  common  decency ;  when 
we  hear  him  uttering  blasphemous  execrations,  employ- 
ing the  grossest  and  most  obscene  language,  language 
abhorred  in  the  lucid  moments,  when  recollection  often 
adds  to  the  horrors  of  his  situation,  we  may  truly  ex- 
claim, "  Alas,  poor  humanity  !" 

We  have  sketched  only  the  outline  of  the  picture,  the 
discriminating  features  of  the  object.  To  fill  it  would 
require  a  volume;  for,  so  various,  so  singular,  and  so 
numerous  are  the  eccentricities,  when  judgment  no  long- 
er guides,  that  it  is  impossible  to  detail  them.  In  the 
general  conduct  of  the  human  mind,  when  the  balance 
of  judgment  or  of  authority  is  wanting,  the  wildest  ab- 
surdities are  equally  the  consequence  ;  and,  within  the 
pale  of  reason,  we  observe  conduct  which  almost  realizes 
the  stoical  maxim  already  alluded  to. 

Mania  often  remits,  and  at  times  recurs  periodically. 
It  has  been  found  to  return  at  the  full  and  new  moon, 
or,  at  least,  to  be  exasperated  at  those  seasons.  Mania 
is,  however,  always  considered  as  varied  by  lucid  inter- 
vals, and  in  a  certain  degree  is  so ;  but  this  seems  ra- 
ther a  salutary  fiction  of  the  law  (see  MEDICINA  FO- 
RENSJS)  than  the  result  of  medical  observation.  The 
violence  of  the  maniacal  patient,  indeed,  often  remits, 
and  is  exasperated. 

We  know  no  peculiar  constitution  predisposed  to 
mania  except  the  melancholic.  A  tendency  to  the 
sanguine  variety  of  this  disease  is  shown  by  a  flighty, 
irregular,  and  variable  conduct,  rising  to  exuberant 
spirits  from  the  lowest  depression,  and  again  sinking, 


M  A  N 


911 


MAN 


from  the  former,  into  grief  and  despondency;  to  the 
melancholic,  by  a  fixed  attention  to  one  object,  from 
deep  thought,  never  alternating  with  cheerfulness,  and 
seldom  varying  its  views.  The  idiotic  frenzy  appears 
from  a  generally  variable,  trifling  temper,  with  little 
reflection,  and  less  judgment.  This  kind  is,  however, 
unfrequent;  nor  would  we  condemn  every  trifling  male 
or  female  because  they  are  such.  Our  receptacles  must, 
in  that  case,  be  particularly  numerous  and  roomy. 

A  very  frequent  corporeal  remote  cause  is  gout ;  ei- 
ther not  brought  out,  repelled,  or  not  properly  support- 
ed. Repelled  eruptions,  or  a  check  of  any  usual  dis- 
charge, are  by  no  means  uncommon  causes.  Mania 
sometimes  attends  each  succeeding  pregnancy,  and,  in 
turn,  the  melancholia  lactantium,  as  we  have  said,  is 
cured  by  pregnancy.  An  asthmatic  fit  has,  on  its  re- 
cession, been  succeeded  by  madness ;  and  a  maniacal 
paroxysm  has,  in  turn,  yielded  to  a  spasmodic  asthma. 
The  mind  is  intimately  connected,  as  we  have  seen, 
with  the  genital  system  ;  and  the  denial  of  those  enjoy- 
ments which  nature  claims,  is  a  frequent  cause,  though 
an  unsuspected  one,  of  mania;  in  men  chiefly  of  the 
melancholic,  in  women  of  the  sanguine,  kind. 

Among  the  mental,  remote,  causes,  or  rather  the 
causes  originating  from  mind,  we  may  mention  disap- 
pointment, grief,  hope  long  delayed,  or  destroyed  by- 
unexpected  reverses,  wild  extravagant  joy  from  unex- 
pected prosperity.  These  produce  the  corporeal 
changes,  which  often  induce  madness. 

Mania  is  undoubtedly  constitutional,  and  propagated 
from  parents  to  children,  sometimes  leaving  one  whole 
generation  unaffected,  and  appearing  again  in  the  n'ext. 
It  is  apparently  propagated  with  the  form,  the  features, 
and  complexion, like  scrofula;  nor  is  this  the  only  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  its  being  a  truly  corporeal,  organic 
affection. 

The  most  striking  and  constant  corporeal  change  in 
mania,  is  fulness  of  the  vessels  of  the  brain  ;  and,  though 
this  is  less  apparent  in  the  wandering,  idiotic  mania,  it 
very  frequently  exists.  In  that  wandering,  which  arises 
from  weakness  and  inanition,  no  such  fulness  occurs ; 
but  this  cannot  be  called  mania,  and  in  those  tempo- 
rary derangements  of  intellect,  which  arise  from  dele- 
terious substances  taken  into  the  stomach,  it  is  equally 
a!5sent.  These,  also,  our  definition  excludes.  Yet, 
•when  even  these  are  separated  from  our  view,  it  would 
be  rash  to  assert  that  a  distention  of  the  vessels  of  the 
brain  is  constantly  found  in  mania. 

Dissection  certainly  discovers  such  distentions  in  a 
great  variety  of  instances;  but  we  are  informed  also, 
that  sometimes  a  preternatural  dryness  and  hardness  of 
the  medullary  part,  sometimes  an  undue  softness,  is 
found  in  the  contents  of  the  cranium.  More  frequently 
tumours,  sometimes  abscesses  at  the  base  of  the  cere- 
brum, sometimes  exostoses  from  the  cranium,  are  dis- 
covered, though  the  last  are  more  commonly  the  cause 
of  convulsive  paroxysms.  The  leading  symptoms  of 
mania  are  inconsistency  and  a  disturbance  of  the  usual 
associations,  and  these  necessarily  arise  from  a  want  of 
communication  between  its  different  parts,  or  an  irre- 
gular distribution  of  the  nervous  power.  The  want  of 
communication  may  arise  from  mechanical  obstruction, 
from  a  destruction  of  the  organization  of  some  part  of 
the  brain,  perhaps  from  a  change  yi  the  qualities  of 
what  we  have  styled  the  nervous  fluid.  The  irregular 


distribution  may  be  owing  to  increased  excitement  of 
one  portion  of  the  medullary  substance,  or  to  the  di- 
minished power  of  another.  Dissections  countenance 
all  these  opinions  ;  but  unfortunately  we  have  few  cases 
in  which  the  symptoms  are  connected  with  the  appear- 
ances on  dissection,  so  as  to  explain  the  influence  of  the 
organic  changes  in  different  circumstances.  In  gene- 
ral, we  know  that  the  medullary  substance,  in  cases  of 
idiotic  insanity,  is  usually  soft  and  watery;  in  melan- 
cholic cases,  hard  and  dry ;  while  in  the  wild,  furious 
mania,  some  active  irritating  power  is  generally  disco- 
verable. Abscesses  at  the  basis  of  the  brain  are  usu- 
ally attended  with  a  low  muttering  delirium. 

The  form  of  the  cranium  has  been  supposed  a  cause 
of  mania,  and  it  has  engaged  much  of  the  attention  of 
Pinel.  He  finds,  however,  no  very  striking  connection 
between  its  form  and  maniacal  affections,  except  in 
idiots,  where  the  upper  part  of  the  head  is  shortened, 
the  sides  flattened,  and  the  whole  cranium  elongated.  In 
general,  the  most  distinguishing  marks  of  the  skulls  of 
maniacs  are  a  flatness  of  the  temporal  bones,  and  a  re- 
tracted occiput.  A  thickness  of  the  skull  is  sometimes 
found  on  the  dissection  of  maniacs ;  but  this  is  by  no 
means  a  peculiar  or  a  constant  attendant.  Pinel  seems 
not  to  have  observed  the  softness  or  dryness  of  the 
medullary  portion  of  the  brain,  mentioned  by  other  au- 
thors. In  his  dissections,  the  fulness  of  the  vessels  ap- 
pears to  have  chiefly  attracted  his  notice. 

The  prognostic  in  this  disease  is  usually  unfavoura- 
ble, except  when  it  arises  from  repelled  eruptions,  im- 
perfect gout,  or  the  stoppage  of  the  discharge  of  a  fistula 
in  ano.  When  it  arises  from  a  constitutional  organiza- 
tion, or  without  any  distinct  cause,  it  is  seldom  cured. 
The  idiotic  mania  is  more  frequently  intractable  than 
the  violent,  and  the  disease  from  religious  impressions 
very  rarely  yields  to  any  plan  of  relief.  When  from 
violent  and  continued  grief,  from  disappointment,  par- 
ticularly disappointed  love,  the  disease  is  particularly 
obstinate.  If  sleep  does  not  relieve ;  if  emetics  and 
purgatives  fail  of  their  effect;  if  convulsions  come  on, 
or  considerable  debility  is  observed ;  the  complaint  will 
be  obstinate,  or  death  soon  ensue. 

The  diagnosis  is  not  difficult.  The  absence  of  fever 
clearly  distinguishes  mania  from  any  disease  with  which 
it  can  be  confounded. 

The  cure  of  mania  is  simple,  or  at  least  art,  often  dis- 
appointed, has  ceased  to  interfere  with  activity.  The 
wandering  delirium  from  inanition,  the  singular  fancies 
from  swallowing  deleterious  substances,  vanish  with 
increasing  strength,  the  evacuation  of  the  cause,  or  its 
continued  impression  which  soon  becomes  habitual. 
The  varieties  of  mania  which  we  have  mentioned  may 
appear  each  to  require  a  different  plan  ;  but  the  conduct 
of  receptacles  for  lunatics  is  often  empirical,  and,  even 
when  under  the  direction  of  a  physician,  seldom  con- 
ducted with  scientific  vie^s.  We  may  not  improve, 
but  shall  endeavour  to  connect,  the  scattered  limbs 
found  in  different  authors. 

In  each  variety  of  mania  we  always  find  a  consider- 
able determination  to  the  brain ;  and,  even  when  the 
disease  arises  from  some  organic  affection,  which  seems 
to  interrupt  the  free  communication  between  its  dif- 
ferent parts,  this  interruption  appears  to  act  as  a 
local  obstacle,  which  excites  the  action  of  the  vessels 
around.  On  this  view  whatever  is  rational  in  the 


MAN 


912 


MAN 


conduct  of  the  cure  seems  to  depend ;  and  the  reme- 
dies we  shall  mention  in  the  order  of  their  importance. 

£metics  have  been  generally  and  principally  employ- 
ed, and  the  source  of  their  advantages  arc  sufficiently 
explained  in  that  article.  Without  any  other  assist- 
ance, they  have  often  removed  a  maniacal  paroxysm  ; 
and,  when  repeated  at  regular  and  not  very  distant  in- 
tervals, they  are  often  highly  useful. 

In  general,  common  emetics  from  the  torpor  of  the 
stomach  will  not  produce  the  evacuation,  and  antimo- 
nials  are  required.  To  these  the  vitriolated  zinc,  with 
mustard  whey,  must  be  often  added ;  and  the  tobacco, 
the  juice,  of  the  asarabacca,  or  groundsel,  are  often  re- 
quired. The  objection  made  to  emetics  by  those  who 
have  never  used  them,  that  they  determine  too  power- 
fully to  the  head,  we  have  already  considered.  See 
EMETICA. 

Cathartics  are,  however,  chiefly  depended  on,  for 
reasons  which  will  be  sufficiently  obvious,  and  these 
are  particularly  useful  in  melancholic  mania.  In  the 
sanguine  variety  the  saline  are  preferable,  but  they  are 
scarcely  sufficiently  active  in  the  melancholic ;  and 
when  the  disease  arises  from  the  want  of  the  necessary 
evacuations  from  the  lower  belly,  those  purgatives 
which  chiefly  excite  the  action  of  the  colon  and  rectum 
are  most  useful.  The  ancients  used  hellebore,  but 
they  diminished  its  activity  by  their  mode  of  preparing 
it ;  and  we  do  not  find  that  it  possessed  peculiar  powers, 
though  if  the  plant  they  used  be,  as  we  have  reason  to 
suspect,  a  species  of  adonis,  it  probably  combined  the 
qualities  of  an  anodyne  with  those  of  a  cathartic. 

What  has  been  remarked  respecting  the  large  pro- 
portion of  the  vital  fluid  contained  in  the  extreme  ves- 
sels will  sufficiently  explain  the  effects  of  DIAPHO- 
RETICS. Yet  we  find  no  striking  instances  of  their 
utility ;  and  the  impatience  of  maniacs,  which  leads 
them  to  throw  off  their  clothing,  seems  to  counteract 
this  discharge.  In  fact,  however,  the  heat  is  above 
what  has  been  styled  the  sweating  point,  and  the  dia- 
phoresis is  best  secured  by  moderating  its  excess.  The 
only  remedy  of  this  kind  which  seems  to  have  been 
peculiarly  useful  is  vinegar.  It  was  given  with  cam- 
phor by  Dr.  Locher  of  Vienna,  but  was  found  equally 
or  more  effectual  without  the  camphor.  Mr.  Pargeter 
has  recommended  a  camphorated  vinegar  in  this  coun- 
try, but  we  have  not  found  it  peculiarly  beneficial. 
W arm  bathing,  which  is  a  remedy  of  this  kind,  has  been 
highly  commended,  and  is  certainly  useful  when  the  heat 
is  moderate,  not  exceeding  96°  or  93°.  We  have  not 
mentioned  BLEEDING,  because  it  is  not  peculiarly  advan- 
tageous; but  when  the  mania  rises  to  violent  delirium 
it  is  necessary,  and  the  blood  must  be  drawn  with  a 
decisive  boldness,  so  as  to  excite  deliquium.  Bleeding 
from  the  jugular  veins,  and  topical  bleeding  with  leeches, 
or  the  cupping  glass,  if  the  quanity  drawn  is  consider- 
able, will  be  highly  useful ;  but  this,  too,  is  confined  to 
the  violent  state,  when  the  mania  becomes  phrenetic. 

Blisters,  with  similar  views,  have  been  applied; 
but  they  are  not  favourite  remedies.  Is  it  that  their 
discharge  is  more  adapted  to  relieve  active  inflamma- 
tion, and  less  suited  to  the  chronic  fulness;  or  that 
danger  is  supposed  to  arise  from  their  irritation,  which 
has  led  practitioners  to  doubt  of  their  utility  ?  We  be- 
lieve, indeed,  that  they  are  not  particularly  useful,  and 
that  the  deeper,  purulent  discharge  from  a  seton  is 


more  advantageous.     A  blister,  to  be  really  beneficial, 
must  be  applied  to  the  vertex. 

Dr.  Mead  speaks  of  the  utility  of  diuretics,  but  we 
know  not  that  modern  experience  supports  their  credit, 
for  we  have  not  had  sufficient  confidence  in  this  class 
of  remedies  to  employ  them.  The  diuretic  preferred 
was  the  alkaline  salts,  and  the  opinion  of  obstruction, 
from  lentor,  was  then  so  common,  that  we  can  easily 
guess  the  source  of  the  recommendation,  and  of  the 
good  effects  attributed  to  it. 

Sedatives  are  most  obviously  indicated,  and  the  whole 
tribe  has  been  employed  with  varied  success.  Each 
medicine  has  had  its  sanguine  advocates,  and  each  has, 
at  different  times,  succeeded.  The  refrigerants  are 
chiefly  trusted,  and  the  neutral  salts,  combining  this 
power  with  their  purgative  effects,  are  very  commonly 
administered.  Nitre  is  less  often  employed  ;  but  cold, 
in  all  its  forms,  is  found  peculiarly  salutary.  The  clay 
cap  has  yielded  to  cold  affusion  of  water,  or  fomenta- 
tions of  the  coldest  water  and  vinegar;  and  madmen 
have  been  kept  under  water  by  violence  till  nearly  suf- 
focated. The  maniac,  who  has  escaped  from  confine- 
ment, and  remained  exposed  to  the  greatest  cold,  has 
returned  in  his  senses;  and  those  who  have  been  with 
difficulty  saved  from  drowning  have  escaped  from  the 
danger  and  the  disease. 

The  sedative  antispasmodics  are  the  foetids,  musk,  and 
camphor.  The  former  are  comparatively  weak  ;  musk 
is  more  powerful,  but  rarely  genuine,  and  always  ex- 
pensive. Camphor  is  more  active  than  either,  and  we 
have  found  it,  in  large  doses, .a  valuable  medicine.  Less 
than  a  scruple  at  each  dose  would  be,  perhaps,  useless; 
and  few  can  bear  more  than  half  a  drachm.  The  warm 
bath  seems  to  have  been  sometimes  successful  in  this 
view. 

The  narcotics  have  been  employed  in  all  their  variety, 
particularly  by  the  German  and  English  physicians. 
Storck  used  the  stramonium ;  Colin  the  cicuta  and 
aconite.  The  ancient  hellebore,  we  have  said,  was 
probably  a  species  of  adonis;  Willis  gave  the  ex- 
tracts of  cicuta  and  henbane ;  Fothergill,  of  Bath,  the 
henbane  only.  Lately,  the  digitalis  has  been  given,  in 
this  country,  to  a  considerable  extent.  These  narco- 
tics have  been  often  useful,  and  have  as  often  failed,  for 
the  disease  is  generally  incurable.  Perhaps  the  digitalis 
promises  most  favourably,  and  the  hyosciamus  and 
stramonium  appear  to  be  the  next  in  rank. 

These  medicines  often  act  as  hypnotics;  but  the  chief 
of  this  class,  opium,  has  been  commended,  and  rejected 
rather  from  theoretical  prejudices  than  observation. 
Where  opium  usually  agrees,  it  is  a  medicine  of  con- 
siderable importance  in  mania ;  but  it  should  not  be 
given  till  the  stomach  and  bowels  have  been  freely 
emptied,  till  the  vessels  of  the  head  have  been,  in  some 
measure,'  depicted  by  active  topical  bleeding,  by  blisters, 
or  a  scton.  In  these  circumstances,  with  a  large  dose 
of  camphor,  it  is  often  highly  useful,  though  like  other 
medicines,  in  an  intractable  disease,  it  must  occasionally 
fail.  Borax,  in  a  large  dose,  was  used  by  Dr.  Monro  to 
procure  sleep. 

We  have  observed,  that  there  are  cases  where  the 
interruption  of  the  balance  between  the  different  parts 
of  the  brain  are  owing  to  diminished  activity  of  one 
portion  of  this  organ.  But  these,  we  have  said,  are 
few  and  indistinct.  Cases  of  this  kind  are  chiefly  the 


M  A  N 


913 


M  A  N 


transient  -wanderings  after  being  awakened  from  sleep, 
or  the  want  of  recollection  after  long  fevers,  or  other 
causes  of  weakness.  Should  mania  occur,  in  such 
situations,  a  nutritive  diet,  tonics,  with  perfect  tran- 
quillity, are  the  best  remedies.  - 

The  mental  regimen,  or,  as  Pinel  calls  it,  the  moral 
treatment,  is  confessedly  of  the  greatest  importance  ; 
and  the  medical  exertions  in  the  most  celebrated  re- 
ceptacles are  generally  slight,  but  strictly  supported. 
Tales  have  been  told,  that  the  patients  in  some  of  these 
houses  are  not  suffered  to  sleep ;  that  the  severities  have 
been  unusually  cruel ;  that,  in  the  language  of  Julian, 
the  fivfiulous  hair  has  been  recruited,  designedly,  with 
new  colonies ;  and  that  derivation  to  the  skin  has  been 
kept  by  the  infection  of  a  cuticular  disease.  Of  the  truth 
of  these  stories  we  cannot  judge;  but  it  is,  we  believe, 
a  fact,  that  when  the  mind  is  restored  it  is  often  at 
the  expense  of  the  constitution  ;  for  patients  have  come 
to  us,  from  some  asyla,  with  their  general  health  and 
strength  completely  broken.  It  is  not  for  us  to  say 
that  the  regimen  and  severities  were  unnecessary, or  even 
to  hint  that  the  mind  is  recovered  at  too  great  an  ex- 
pense, by  the  diminution  of  the  vital  power.  Yet, 
•when  the  maniacal  fancies  are  harmless ;  when  the 
disease  seldom  rises  to  violence,  and  the  patient  is  usu- 
ally manageable,  if  relief  by  common  treatment  is  im- 
probable, we  cannot  say  that  such  severities  are  advis- 
able. The  violent  and  continued  excitement  is,  however, 
alone  sufficient  to  account  for  the  subsequent  debility. 

As  we  have  declared  that  we  are  not  of  the  initiated, 
•we  might  decline  all  farther  remarks  on  the  mental 
regimen ;  but  we  must  add  what  the  experience  of 
others,  aided  by  our  own,  has  taught  us,  that  the  maniac 
is  always  a  coward.  With  the  strength  of  twenty  men 
he  will  crouch  to  an  infant,  if  that  infant  assumes  a 
haughty  and  firm  tone.  A  look  of  confidence  will  soon 
have  the  same  effect;  and  the  dread  of  severities  which 
he  has  felt,  or  has  reason  to  expect,  will  render  that 
look  irresistible.  With  this  cowardice,  the  maniac  is 
cunning,  and  it  is  necessary  to  guard  with  the  utmost 
care  against  his  artifices ;  but  the  great  advantage  is 
derived  from  the  prompt  and  ready  obedience  which 
the  look  ensures.  This  checks  every  idle  fancy,  and 
stands  in  the  place  of  the  reason  and  judgment  which 
•were  once  his  own.  The  mind,  in  this  way  regulated, 
assumes  spontaneously  its  usual  trains,  and  by  steadily 
persevering  in  this  tract,  reason  often  returns.  Thus,  in 
the  case  alluded  to  in  common  life,  when  the  conduct 
is  no  longer  regulated  by  judgment  or  authority,  the 
wildest  eccentricities  are  the  consequence.  Should  a 
Justus  et  propositi  tenax  interfere,  the  whole  order  is 
restored  with  its  wonted  regularity.  If  severities  should 
be  required,  they  must  be  truly  such,  to  prevent  the 
necessity  of  their  repetition  ;  and  the  proper  waistcoat, 
made  with  sleeves  to  fasten  by  running  strings  beyond 
the  fingers,  and  by  these  to  confine  the  arms  across  the 
body,  is  often  necessary  to  prevent  the  maniac  from  in- 
juring himself  or  others. 

The  moral  treatment,  according  to  Pinel,  is  of  the 
greatest  importance.  It  seems  to  consist  in  yielding  to 
the  more  harmless  fancies,  and  firmly  correcting  the 
more  dangerous  ones;  at  the  same  time  endeavouring 
to  bring  back  the  usual  and  healthy  train  of  ideas.  What 
numerous  cases  of  insanity  has  the  French  revolution 
produced ! 

TOL.    I. 


This  command  ensures  also  the  punctual  obedience 
in  taking  the  few  remedies  prescribed.  These  are,  we 
apprehend,  chiefly  laxatives  of  the  saline  kind,  nitre, 
camphor,  and  opium,  with  drains  from  the  head  by 
means  of  a  perpetual  blister  or  a  seton,  remedies  chiefly, 
if  not  exclusively,  useful  in  lessening  the  impetus  of 
the  fluids  to  the  head,  certainly  the  principal  object  in 
the  treatment  of  the  disease. 

The  diet  should  be  regulated  with  the  same  view, 
and  should  be  mild,  light,  and  not  highly  nourishing. 
The  drink  chiefly  water.  Exercise,  when  the  case  will 
admit  of  the  mind  being  amused,  is  highly  proper ;  and 
cheerful  company,  who  possess  steadiness  sufficient  to 
repress  the  ruling  fancies,  and  discretion  to  lead  to  pro- 
per subjects,  without  continuing  the  conversation  so  as 
to  fatigue,  is  often  highly  salutary.  Music,  too,  which 
steals  the  mind  from  its  favourite  train  of  thought,  and 
leadson  the  attention  by  its  peculiarly  fascinating  powers, 
to  those  who  are  fond  of  it,  contributes  greatly  to  the 
relief. 

See  Aretaeus,  Alex.  Trallian,  Celsus,  Sennertus,  Hoff- 
man, Sydenham,  Boerhaave,  Beattie,  and  Arnold  on 
Madness;  Muzzelon  Melancholy;  Cullen's  First  Lines, 
vol.  iv.  p.  144;  Pinel  on  Insanity. 

MANIGUE'TTA.     See  PABADISI  GR\N^. 

MAXIHOT.     SeeCAssvDA. 

MANI'BA.     See  CASSADA. 

MANIO'DES,  (from  mania,  madness).  MAXIACAL.- 
See  FERIXA. 

MA'NIPEY.     See  JACARANDA  ALBA. 

MAXIPUERA.     SeeCASSADA. 

MANTPULUS,  (quod  manum  imfileat).  A  HAND- 
FUL, desme,  drag-ma,  fasciculus;  as  much  as  can  be 
contained  at  once  in  the  hand. 

MAXJAPU'MERAM  is  a  large  tree  common  in 
the  West  Indies;  nyctanthes  arbor  trtitis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  8; 
its  flowers  are  distilled,  and  the  water  is  used  in  inflam- 
mations of  the  eyes.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MANJE'LLA  KU'A.     See  CURCUMA. 

MA'NNA,  (from  the  Syriac  term  mana,  a  gift;  as  it 
is  supposed  to  be  the  food  bestowed  by  God  on  the 
children  of  Israel).  Manna  Calabrina,  ros  Cala6rinut, 
aeromeli,  alusar,  drosomeli;  and  when  of  a  rosy  colour, 
nub  a. 

The  miraculous  food  bestowed  on  the  children  of  Is- 
rael is  said  to  have  been  more  probably  sugar  than  man- 
na, as  it  exuded  on  the  reeds  and  grass;  but  it  fell  also 
on  the  stones,  and  was  mouldy  and  fetid  if  kept  beyond 
the  day,  except  that  day  was  the  sabbath.  It  could 
therefore  be  neither,  but  a  miraculous  substance,  of 
which  we  can  form  no  idea. 

The  officinal  manna  has  been  supposed  to  be  an 
exudation  from  the  fraxinus  ornus  Lin.  Sp.  PJ.  1510 ; 
but  on  this  subject  authors  speak  with  indecision  and 
doubt.  In  fact  it  is  produced  from  the  fraxinus  with 
the  rounded  leaf:  the  leaf  of  the  f.  ornus  is  smaller  and 
pointed.  Later  naturalists  have  called  these  species  the 
f.  rotundifolia ;  and  a  full  description  of  the  tree  is  given 
in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Agriculture  at  Paris 
(an.  1788,  trimestre  d'Hyver)  by  Gaspard  Carramone, 
who  has  examined  it  on  the  spot.  We  shall  only  tran- 
scribe from  this  memoir  the  distinction  between  the 
true  species  and  the  common  ash. 

The  common  ash  is  found  in  flat  marshy  places,  par- 
ticularly near  the  sea :  the  ornus,  by  which  he  means 
6  A 


MAN 


914 


MAR 


the  round  leaved  ash,  on  the  clifts  of  mountains.  The 
surface  of  the  bark  of  the  former  has  not  the  white 
spots  so  conspicuous  on  that  of  the  tatter.  The  leaves 
of  both  are  decompounded,  but  the  last  foliole  of  the 
common  ash  is  always  larger  than  the  lateral  folioles, 
which  is  not  the  case  with  the  true  manna  tree.  In  the 
latter  the  leaf  is  unbroken  and  oval ;  in  the  former 
dentelated,  and  a  long  ellipsis. 

The  Calabrians'  distinguish  different  sorts  of  manna  ; 
the  manna  di  spontana,  which  exudes  spontaneously ;  m. 
forzatella,  that  which  is  procured  by  incision ;  m.  di 
fronde,  which  exqdes  from  the  leaf;  in.  di  corpo, 
which  proceeds  from  the  body  of  the  tree.  Manna 
flows  spontaneously  from  the  20th  of  June  to  the  end 
of  July,  from  twelve  at  noon  to  the  evening,  in  the 
form  of  a  clear  fluid.  It  is  collected  on  the  following 
morning  if  the  night  is  fair,  for  otherwise  it  is  washed 
off  by  the  rain.  This,  when  hard,  is  the  picked  manna, 
or  the  sorted  manna  of  the  shops.  About  the  end  of 
July,  when  the  spontaneous  exudation  has  ceased,  in- 
cisions are  made  in  the  body  of  the  tree,  when  more 
copious  exudations  take  place,  which  fall  to  the  ground 
like  masses  of  wax.  This,  when  dry,  becomes  reddish 
or  brown,  and  is'  full  of  impurities. 

What  is  collected  from  the  leaves  is  styled  grain 
manna,  in  little  masses,  about  the  size  of  a  millet  seed, 
and  is  found  in  the  months  of  July  and  August.  The 
Calabrians  sometimes  introduce  a  straw  into  the  inci- 
sions, and  the  manna  flows  through  and  around  it  like 
stalactites,  sometimes  in  very  large  pieces.  This  is  very 
white  and  pure,  called  manna  in  tears.  Many  other 
species  of  the  ash  afford  manna,  and  it  has  lately  been 
found  in  asparagus,  by  M.  Robiquet,  Annales  d'Chimie, 
vol.  55. 

Manna  resembles  sugar  in  taste,  but  greatly  differs 
from  it  in  many  other  respects.  Its  sweetness  is  in  a  very 
small  degree  owing  to  its  truly  saccharine  particles ;  for 
it  admits  only  of  a  partial  fermentation,  and  the  product, 
though  slightly  vinous,  net  er  resembles  alcohol  (Dupuy- 
tren  et  Thenard,  Annales  de  Chimie,  Juillet,  1806). 
Ardent  spirit  dissolves  a  large  portion  of  manna,  which 
is  almost  wholly  deposited  in  cooling,  so  as  to  fill  the 
vessel  with  the  precipitate,  and  with  nitric  acid,  a  large 
proportion  of  mucous  acid  is  produced.  It  is  chiefly, 
therefore,  a  mucous  substance;  and  these  experiments 
explain  why,  even  in  large  doses,  it  does  not  produce 
heartburn,  or  prove  in  any  degree  inconvenient  during 
pregnancy. 

The  finer  manna  of  commerce  is  in  oblong,  round- 
ish, single  pieces ;  or  in  stalks,  moderately  dry,  friable, 
of  a  whitish  or  pale  yellowish  colour,  light,  and  some- 
what transparent ;  internally  it  is  seemingly  composed 
of  fine  capillary  crystals.  The  inferior  kinds  are  moist, 
unctuous,  brown,  mixed  with  small  pieces  of  wood  and 
other  impurities,  and  in  irregular  lumps ;  the  manna 
di  corpo  before  described. 

The  whitest,  driest,  lightest,  purest,  the  most  crystal- 
line, and  that  slightly  pungent  to  the  taste,  is  preferred. 
The  manna  in  flakes  is  supposed  to  be  the  best,  but  the 
smaller  pieces  are  as  good,  if  white,  or  of  a  pale  yellow 
colour,  very  light,  of  a  sweet  not  unpleasing  taste,  and 
free  from  impurities.  The  fat  honey  like  manna  hath 
either  been  exposed  to  moist  air,  or  is  damaged  by  sea 
water,  or  a  mixture  of  oily  substances. 

Manna  is  often  adulterated  by  compositions  of  coarse 


sugar,  starch,  and  some  purgative  medicine,  as  scam- 
mony ;  but  the  fraud  is  discovered  by  the  taste,  weight, 
compactness,  want  of  transparency,  and  its  chemical 
affinities. 

This  concreted  juice  liquefies  in  a  moist  air,  dissolves 
readily  in  water,  and,  by  the  help  of  heat,  in  rectified 
spirit,  leaving  only  the  impurities.  A  great  part  of  the 
saturated  spirituous  solution  separates  on  cooling,  con- 
creting into  a  flaky  mass,  of  a  snowy  whiteness,  and  a 
very  grateful  sweetness  :  the  remaining  fluid,  when  in- 
spissated, is  unctuous,  dark  coloured,  and  disagreeable. 

Manna  is  one  of  the  mildest  purgatives,  and  may  be 
given  with  great  safety  to  children  and  pregnant  wo- 
men, to  the  delicacy  of  whose  frames  and  situation  it  is 
particularly  adapted ;  it  is  an  useful  auxiliary  to  the  pur- 
gative neutral  salts,  sheathes  acrimony,  is  beneficial  in 
coughs  and  disorders  of  the  breast,  particularly  such  as 
are  attended  with  fever  and  inflammation,  and  in  bilious 
complaints;  but  is  apt  to  create  flatulencies  and  cholics, 
which  are  prevented  by  a  warm  carminative.  It  purges 
in  doses  of  from  5;  i.  to  %  ij.  and  this  quality  is  increased 
by  a  small  addition  of  cassia.  When  administered  in  bili- 
ous disorders,  Geoffroy  recommends  quickening  it  with 
a  small  proportion  of  antimonium  tartarizatum,  to  eva- 
cuate the  bilious  serum  without  nauseaor  colic.  Syden- 
ham  recommends  the  addition  of  lemon  juice  to  manna, 
as  a  remedy  for  the  gravel,  and  adds,  that  the  acid  ren- 
ders the  manna  a  quicker  purgative,  diminishing  at  the 
same  time  the  nausea  which  it  sometimes  excites,  ren- 
ders it  easy  on  the  stomach.  In  bilious  complaints  ta- 
marinds are  usefully  joined  with  manna.  In  the  gravel, 
the  hooping  cough,  and  when  all  possible  irritation 
should  be  avoided,  the  manna  may  be  given  in  milk. 
Modern  practice  does  not  very  often  employ  this  medi- 
cine alone,  for  the  dose  is  so  large  as  to  cloy  the  sto- 
mach, and  produce  nausea.  See  Rail  Historia ;  Tourne- 
fort's  and  Lewis's  Mat.  Med.;  Neumann's  Chemistry. 

MA'NNA  THU'RIS.    See  OLIBANUM. 

MA'NNA    TEHE'NIABIN,   and   TRANGEBIN.       See   AL- 

HAGI. 

MANNI'FERA  A'RBOR,  (from  manna,  and  fero, 
to  bear}.  See  MANNA. 

MANSO'RIUS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  mando,  to 
chew).  See  MASSETER  MUSCULUS. 

MANTI'LE,  (from  manus).  The  name  of  a  band- 
age. 

MA'NUS,  (from  manah,  to  fire/tare,  Chald.).  The 
HAND  is  divided  into  the  carpus,  metacarpus,  and  fin- 
gers. The  posterior  part  is  convex,  for  greater  firm- 
ness, and  the  internal  part  concave,  for  the  convenience 
of  grasping.  The  concave  side  is  called  the  palm  of  the 
hand. 

MA'NUS  DE'I.  A  resolvent  plaster  described  by  Le- 
mery  :  an  appellation  also  of  opium. 

MANY'L-RARA.  A  tall  tree,  growing  in  the  East 
Indies.  Its  fruit  resembles  an  olive,  and  is  eaten  to  pro- 
mote appetite  and  digestion.  The  plant  is  not  included 
in  any  system. 

MAY.     See  MANGA. 

MARA'NDA.  A  plant  resembling  the  myrtle,  not 
yet  reduced  to  any  genus,  growing  in  the  island  of  Cey- 
lon :  a  decoction  of  the  leaves  is  recommended  in  the 
venereal  disease. 

MARA'NTA  GALA'NGA.     See  GALANGA. 

MARASMO'DES.     A  hectic  fever  in  its  last  stage. 


MAR 


915 


M  A  R 


MARA'SMUS,  (from  futfttu*,  to  render  lean,}  an 
ATROPHY.  (See  ATROPHIA.)  The  species  also  of  hec- 
tic fever  common  and  fatal  to  old  men. 

MARATHRI'TES,   (from  /*•?*#?«»,  fennel).     See 

FcENICULUM. 

MARATHROPHY'LLUM,  (from  f<*f*»f»i,  and 
^tAA»»,  a  leaf).  See  PEUCEDANUM. 

MARA'THRUM,(from  At*f*<»*,  to  wither;  because 
its  stalk  and  flower  wither  in  the  autumn).  See  FCEXI- 

CULUM. 

MARCASI'TA.     (German.)    See  PYRITES  and  Bis- 

MUTHUM. 

MA'RCHED.     See  LITHARGYRUM. 
MARCHI  OXIS  PU'LVIS.     MARQUIS'S    POWDER, 
of  the  Leyden  dispensatory,  designed  as  an  anti-epilep- 
tic, consisting  of  peony  roots,  misleto,  elk's  hoof,  coral, 
ivory,  &c. 

MA'RCOR.     A  preternatural  drowsiness. 

MARCO'RES,  (from  marceo,  to  become  lean,")  the 
first  order  of  Dr.  Cullen's  class  cachejcia,  which  he  de- 
fines, diseases  attended  with  wasting  of  the  whole  body. 
It  is  similar  to  the  Macies,  and  Emaciantes,  of  other 
authors. 

MARGARITT.E,  (from  margarita  a  flearl,)  flirla, 
union?*,  PEARLS,  are  small  morbid  excrescences,  of  a 
calculous  kind,  of  a  bright  semi-transparent  whiteness, 
formed  on  the  inside  of  the  shell  of  the  concha  marga- 
ritifera,  or  mother  of  pearl  fish  ;  of  oysters,  muscles, 
and  other  shell  fish.  The  finest  pearls  are  brought 
from  the  East,  inferior  ones  from  the  West  Indies,  and 
our  own  shores.  The  oriental  have  a  more  shining  sil- 
ver hue  than  the  occidental,  which  are  somewhat  milky. 
Those  not  fit  for  ornament  are  called  rag  and  seed  pearls, 
and  are  employed  in  medicine. 

True  pearls  in  the  fire  become  quick  lime,  and  readily 
dissolve  in  all  acids,  except  the  vitriolic.  They  resem- 
ble, therefore,  oyster  shells,  and  have  no  virtue  but 
what  is  common  to  these  substances.  See  Lewis's  Ma- 
teria  Medica ;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

MARGARI'TA,  (a  rabbinical  term,  margalith). 
See  STAPHYLOMA  and  ALBUGO  OCULORUM. 

MARGINA'TUS,  (from  margo,  a  margin,}  BOR- 
DERED, applied  to  the  seeds  of  plants  which  have  a  thin 
leafy  border  round  them. 

MARI'NUM,  vel  MARINUS  SAL,  (from  mare  the 
tea}.  SEA  SALT  ;  esebon;  communis,  culinarius,  et  ci- 
barius  sal;  COMMON  SALT. 

The  salt  is  not  only  extracted  from  the  sea  water  by 
evaporation,  but  is  also  found  in  extensive  strata.  (See 
GEMMA  SAL.)  It  is  composed  of  the  marine  acid,  and  the 
mineral  alkali;  dissolves  in  about  thrice  its  weight  of  cold 
water,  though,  when  heated,  it  scarcely  requires  less. 

The  solution  of  this  salt,  if  gently  evaporated,  affords 
cubical  crystals,  which  are  the  common  or  alimentary 
salt.  A  small  quantity  of  the  sal  catharticum  amarum  is 
next  produced  ;  but  the  chief  part  of  this  salt  remains  in 
what  is  called  the  mother  water,  which  is  oily,  and  on 
that  account  will  not  admit  of  its  farther  crystallization. 

Common  salt,  when  dried  in  the  temperature  of  80°, 
contains  38.88  of  acid,  53  of  soda,  and  8.12  of  water  : 
by  others  the  acid  is  said  to  be  33.3,  and  the  alkali  50. 
Its  specific  gravity  is  2.120;  it  decrepitates  in  the  fire, 
renders  water  colder  than  before,  though,  from  the  ad- 
dition, it  is  more  difficult  to  freeze.  Common  salt  is  the 


most  generally  useful  condiment,  and  the  best  antiseptic 
to  preserve  meat  from  putrefaction,  and  butter  from  ran- 
cidity. It  furnishes  a  firm  and  cheap  glazing  for  earthen 
ware,  and  is  of  considerable  use  in  the  process  of  dy- 
ing. The  separation  of  soda  from  sea  salt  is  a  problem  of 
considerable  importance  in  the  arts ;  and  it  has  been  com- 
pletely solved,  if  the  removal  of  the  duty  on  salt  would 
render  it  practicable  with  advantage.  This  is  not  the  place 
for  disquisitions  not  connected  with  medicine ;  but  we 
may  remark,  that  iron,  litharge  and  lime,  in  proper  cir- 
cumstances, will  effect  the  decomposition.  The  lime  in 
the  soil  of  Egypt  and  Tripoli  seems  the  means  by  which 
the  soda  has  been  separated  in  such  considerable  quan- 
tities. Acetite  of  lead  will  equally  effect  the  separation 
of  the  alkali ;  but  it  is  too  dear  for  commercial  purposes. 
In  the  animal  economy  common  salt  is  of  general 
utility.  (See  CONDIMENTS.)  It  seems  to  check  pu- 
trefaction; but  is  of  more  service  as  a  general  stimu- 
lant. Animals  pine  when  deprived  of  it,  and  few  na- 
tions have  been  found  who  have  not  added  this  condi- 
ment to  their  food.  In  the  animal  process  the  fixed  al- 
kali is  seemingly  changed  to  the  volatile,  and  we  have 
suspected  that  the  muriatic  acid  is  changed  to  the  phos- 
phoric. Chemistry  has  not  yet  elucidated  this  subject, 
and  we  offer  it  chiefly  as  a  conjecture  which  we  could 
support  by  inductive  reasoning,  were  this  the  place  for 
such  disquisitions.  Beyond  its  general  stimulus  we  do 
not  perceive  any  salutary  action  of  sea  salt  in  the  pro- 
portion usually  taken.  In  large  quantities  it  is  used  as 
an  emetic,  as  a  remedy  for  haemorrhage  from  the  lungs, 
and  in  the  form  of  sea  water  as  a  laxative  and  a  remedy 
for  scrofula.  (See  HAEMOPTYSIS  and  AQUA  MARIXA.) 
Externally  it  is  used  in  palsies,  and  in  apparent  death 
from  drowning.  In  these  cases,  as  in  almost  every 
''  other,  it  seems  to  act  as  a  simple  stimulus  only. 

The  sea  water,  gradually  evaporated  by  the  sun's 
heat,  on  the  rocks,  or  in  circuitous  canals  made  for  this 
purpose,  is  called  bay  salt,  and  is  formed  into  large  crys- 
tals ;  it  does  not  liquefy  in  a  moist  air,  and  is  more 
powerfully  antiseptic. 

Sjiiritus  salis  marini  Glauberi,  or  the  muriatic  acid,  is 
made  by  gradually  adding  six  pounds  of  vitriolic  acid, 
mixed  with  five  pounds  of  water  to  ten  pounds  of  dry 
sea  salt :  the  acid  is  then  separated  by  distillation.  In 
this  state  the  acid  comes  over  in  a  gaseous  form,  and 
requires  condensation  by  means  of  water.  As  a  gas  it  is 
elastic  and  invisible,  incapable  of  supporting  animal  life 
or  flame,  has  a  pungent  smell, and  acid  taste,  and  a  spe- 
cific gravity  nearly  of  .0023 1 5,  about  double  thatof  com- 
mon air.  Water  absorbs  it  copiously  and  freely ;  but  it  is 
unchanged  by  the  strongest  light  and  heat.  Ice  ab- 
sorbs it  also,  but  boiling  water  admits  of  no  union  with 
it.  In  the  process  just  described,  the  acid  of  vitriol 
unites  with  the  mineral  akali,  leaving  its  acid  free, 
which  rises  in  distillation ;  and,  in  the  usual  form,  that 
of  a  colourless  or  a  pale  yellow  fluid  :  its  specific  gravity 
is  1.196,  though  the  acid  of  commerce  is  seldom  more 
than  1.17.  The  strongest  liquid  acid  is  supposed  by  Mr. 
Kirwan  to  contain  about  an  equal  part  of  water.  The 
dryest  gas  contains  a  small  portion  of  water,  which  is 
only  separated  by  electrical  explosions. 

The  specific  gravity  directed  by  the  college  is  to  that 
of  distilled  water,  1.170,  to  1000. 

The  muriatic  is  the  weakest  of  the  mineral  acids,  but 
6  A2 


M  A  R 


916 


31  A  R 


stronger  than  any  of  the  vegetable  kind  :  it  requires  a 
greater  fire  to  distil  it  than  that  of  nitre,  yet  it  is  .more 
readily  dissipated  by  the  action  of  the  air.  It  has  no 
effect  on  oxygen  gas  or  inflammables.  The  muria- 
tic acid  oxidates  metals,  but  requires  for  all,  except 
iron,  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  heat.  It  combines  with 
all  alkalis,  earths,  and.  the  greater  number  of  metallic 
oxides. 

Its  composition  (see  CHEMISTRY)  is  not  yet  ascer- 
tained. The  latest  experiments  arc  those  of  M.  Brug- 
natelli,  in  the  sixty-second  volume  of  the  Journal  de 
Physique,  p.  298.  He  certainly  found  the  muriatic  acid 
produced,  when  the  galvanic  fluid  was  passed  through 
water,  by  means  of  gold,  platina,  iron,  or  the  black  oxide 
of  manganese ;  but  some  other  metals,  particularly  silver, 
produced,  in  the  water,  soda.  We  can  connect  this  only 
with  one  fact,  that  water,  evaporating  from  iron,  pro- 
duces a  positive  electricity,  and  from  silver  a  negative. 
In  these  experiments  of  De  Saussure  it  is,  however, 
clear  that  the  water  is  decomposed  rather  than  evapo- 
rated. In  Brugnatelli's  experiments  the  positive  pole 
seemed  to  produce  in  the  decomposition  of  the  water 
the  acid,  and  the  negative  the  soda. 

It  is  chiefly  used  as  a  tonic  and  antiseptic,  in  the  dose 
of  from  ten  to  sixty  drops,  in  water,  or  any  other  con- 
venient liquid.  In  putrid  fevers,  after  having  cleansed 
the  primse  vise,  it  supports  the  strength,  and  corrects 
any  remaining  putrefaction  on  the  contents  of  the  sto- 
mach and  bowels ;  but  seems  not  to  carry  its  antiseptic 
quality  into  the  general  mass,  which  indeed  is  seldom 
in  a  putrid  state.  It  was  Recht's  boasted  remedy  for 
fevers,  which  the  Prussian  government  bought  at  a 
considerable  price.  In  bilious  fevers  it  has  been  recom- 
mended ;  but  it  is  not  peculiarly  useful,  and,  in  gene- 
ral, its  good  effects  are  confined  to  the  parts  in  imme- 
diate contact  with  it. 

In  acidulated  gargles  for  ulcerated  throats  it  has 
been  strongly  recommended,  but  seems  to  be  in  no  re- 
spect superior  to  the  vitriolic  acid  ;  and;  diluted  with 
the  tincture  of  benzoe,  has  been  applied,  it  is  said,  with 
success  to  putrid  ulcers. 

Linnaeus  remarks,  that,  if  properly  diluted,  and  ap- 
plied to  chilblains,  it  radically  cures  them.  If  half  an 
ounce  of  good  bay  salt  is  dissolved  in  four  ounces  of 
water,  and  two  drachms  of  the  muriatic  acid  be  added,  it 
will  form  a  mixture,  of  which  a  tea  spoonful,  in  a  glass 
of  water,  is  said  to  improve  the  appetite,  and  frequently 
stop  vomiting. 

The  muriatic  acid,  combined  with  volatile  alkalis, 
produces  the  officinal  sal  ammoniac  ;  with  fixed  vegeta- 
ble alkali  the  sal  digestivus  Sylvii ;  in  modern  language, 
muriated  potash.  See  CHEMISTRY. 

The  acidum  muriaticum,  combined  with  calcareous 
earths,  forms  a  calcareous  muriat,  which  deliquates  in 
the  air,  and  dissolves  both  in  water  and  in  rectified 
spirit  of  wine.  It  is  contained  in  a  considerable  quan- 
tity in  sea  water,  but  remains  in  the  mother  water  after 
the  crystallization  of  the  muriated  soda,  and  is  said  to 
be  antiseptic,  diuretic,  and  lithontriptic.  The  medi- 
cine, commonly  sold  under  the  name  of  liquid  shell, 
appears  to  consist  only  of  calcined  shells  dissolved  in 
marine  acid.  These  combinations  are  made  by  mixing 
the  calcareous  earth  with  sal  ammoniac,  and  urging  the 
mixture  with  a  gradual  fire,  until  the  volatile  alkali  of 


the  salt  is  either  dissipated  or  collected  by   sublimation 
when  the  acid  unites  with  the  earth. 

The  muriat  of  lime  has  lately  become  a  fashionable 
remedy  in  scrofula,  in  scirrhi,  and  other  diseases  sup- 
posed to  arise  from  inspissated  lymph.  From  half  a 
drachm  to  half  an  ounce,  diluted  with  water,  is  given, 
according  to  circumstances,  every  day. 

For  the  murias  ferri,  v.  FERHUM  ;  and  for  the  muriaa 
barytis,  v.  BARYTES. 

See  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neumann's  Chemical 
Works. 

MARIPE'NDAM,  is  a  plant  in  the  island  of  St.  Do- 
mingo. The  distilled  water  from  its  tops  is  greatly 
esteemed  in  pains  in  the  stomach.  The  plant  has  not 
been  properly  examined.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MARI'SCA,  a  FIG.  An  excrescence  about  the  anus, 
like  a  fig.  See  CONDYLOMA  and  HJEMORRHOIDES. 

MARI'SICUM.     See  MERCURIALIS  FRUCTICOSA. 

MARJORA'NA,  (marjorana).     See  ORIGANUM. 

MARMARY'GjE,  (from  itM^iunfu,  resfilendeo,')  a 
variety  of  fiseudoble/isis  imaginaria.  Sparks  or  corrusca- 
tions  which  seem  to  flash  before  the  eyes,  fivm  a  ful- 
ness of  the  vessels  of  the  brain. 

MARMOLA'RIA,  (spotted  like  marble').  See  ACAN- 
THUS. 

MA'RMOR,  (from  ftxpfMtpu,  to  shine).  MARBLE. 
A  calcareous  stone,  chiefly  used  for  the  carbonic  acid 
gas  it  contains,  employed  in  preparing  the  acidulous 
mineral  waters.  See  CALX. 

MARMORA'TA  AU'RIUM.     See  CERUMEN. 

MARMO'REUSTA'RTARUS,(fromits  hardness). 
See  CALCULUS. 

MARMORA'CEA  VE^E'NA.  Such  poisonous 
substances  as  are  fatal  in  doses  not  exceeding  the  bulk 
of  a  grain  of  wheat. 

MAROCO'STINUM.  The  epithet  of  a  cathartic 
extract  originally  made  by  Mindererus,  in  which  marum 
and  costus  are  ingredients,  designed  for  discharging 
serous  humours,  but  now  neglected.  Sec  Pharmaco- 
poeia Augustana./";7/M/(£  marocostin  <E  Lemery  and  Bates. 

MARO'TTI.  A  tall  tree  in  Malabar,  with  leaves 
like  those  of  the  bay  tree,  and  a  fruit  which  contains  an 
oily  kernel.  The  oil  expressed  from  the  kernel  is 
often  medicinally  used  by  the  natives.  (See  Raii  His- 
toria.) It  has  been  figured  by  Reed,  in  his  plants  of 
Malabar,  vol.  i.  pi.  36,  but  has  not  been  reduced  to  a 
place  in  any  system. 

MARRUBIA'STRUM.     See  BALLOTTE. 

MARRU'BIUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  terms  mar  rob, 
a  bitter  juice").  HOREHOUND  ;  mauromarson;  which 
rather  means  the  black  sort.  It  is  also  a  name  for  the 
cardiaca,  leonurus  cardiaca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  817,  and  some 
other  plants. 

MARRU'BIUM  A'LBUM  ;  firasium  album.  COMMON 
WHITE  HOREHOUND,  marrubium  vulgare  Lin.  Sp.  PL 
816,  is  a  hoary  plant,  with  square  stalks,  and  roundish 
unwrinkled  leaves,  set  in  pairs  on  long  pedicles,  from 
the  bosoms  of  which  arise  thick  clusters  of  whitish  lu- 
biated  flowers,  in  striated  cups,  whose  divisions  termi- 
nate in  sharp  points  or  prickles.  It  is  perennial,  grows 
wild  in  cultivated  grounds,  and  flowers  in  June. 

The  leaves  have  a  slight  aromatic,  but  not  at  first  ap 
agreeable  smell ;  their  taste  is  bitter,  penetrating,  dif- 
fusive, and  durable  in  the  mouth  :  in  large  doses  they 


M  A.K 


917 


M  A  8 


prove  laxative.  This  plant  is  said  to  be  an  useful  ape- 
rient and  corroborant,  in  humoral  asthmas,  pulmonary 
consumptions,  cachexies,  menstrual  suppressions,  scirr- 
hous  affections  of  the  liver,  jaundice,  and  several  other 
chronic  disorders.  The  ancients  had  an  high  opinion 
of  its  efficacy,  particularly  in  pulmonic  and  visceral  ob- 
structions ;  and,  amongst  the  common  people,  horehound 
tea  in  coughs  and  asthmas  is  a  common  remedy.  Dr. 
Cullen  disputes  its  virtues  as  a  pectoral,  as  well  as  a  de- 
obstruent,  and  thinks  th'e  authorities  of  Forrestus,  Zacu- 
tus,  Lusitanus,  and  Chomel,  very  insufficient.  A  drachm 
of  the  dried  leaves  in  powder,  two  or  three  ounces  of  the 
expressed  juice,  or  an  infusion  of  half  a  handful  of  fresh 
leaves,  are  commonly  directed  as  a  dose.  See  BOICI- 
NENGA. 

The  dry  herb  gives  out  its  virtues  both  to  water  and 
to  spirit.  The  expressed  juice,  gently  inspissated  to  an 
extract,  is  the  best  preparation :  the  dose  is  from  gr.  x. 
to  3  ss. 

MARHU'BIUM  AQUA'TICUM,  lycofius  EitrofittusTJm.  Sp. 
PI.  30,  WATER  HOREHOUND,  found  on  the  sides  of  brooks, 
but  inferior  in  virtue  to  the  white. 

MARRU'BIUM  NI'GRUM  FCE'TIDUM.     See  BALLOTTE. 

MARHU'BIUM  \£.RTicil.l,A.'TVM,marru6iumHisJianicum 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  816;  Galen's  MAD  WORT;  the  BASK  HORE- 
HOUXD.  These  species  are  usually  neglected.  See 
Lewis's  MateriaMedica;  Neumann's  Chemical  Works. 

MARRULLIUM.     See  LACTUCA. 

MARS  DIAPHORE'TICUS.     Sec  FERRUM. 

MARS  SACCHARA'TUS,  and  SOLU'BILIS.     See  FEHRUM. 

MA'RSAS.     See  BONDUCH IXDORUM. 

MARSUPIA'LIS,  (from  marsufiium,  because  it  is 
shaped  like  a  purse).  See  OBTURATOR  EXTERNUS  and 
INTERNUS,  and  GEMINI. 

MARTIA'NUM  UN'GUENTUM.  Martian's  SOL- 
DIER'S OINTMENT.  R.  Ol.  laur.  f.  ttiij.  foliorum  rutae, 
recent,  ftjij.  ss.  majoranse  ffe  ij.  mcnthae  ffo  i-  salviae.  ab- 
synth.  communis.  balsamitse  maris  et  basici,  aa  Ib  ss. 
olei  olivae,  tbxx.  cerse  flavae  Ibiv.  vini  Malagens,  tfeij. 
m.  f.  ungucntum.  This  was  employed  to  preserve 
the  limbs  of  soldiers  from  the  injuries  of  cold  in  the 
camp. 

MARTIA'NUM  POMUM      See  A.URANTIA  HISPAN. 

M A'RTIS  ESSE'NTI A, OLEUM  PER DELIQUIUM,  SAL, 
TINCTITRA,  and  EXTRACTUM.  See  FERRUM. 

MA'RUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  mar,  titter,') 
samfisuchus,  clinofiodium-mastichina  Gallorum,thimbra 
Hisfianica;  Jaca  Indica,  MA'STICH  THYME,  or  COMMON 
MARUM,  thymus  mastichina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  827,  is  a  low 
shrubby  plant,  with  small  oblong  leaves,  pointed  at  both 
ends,  set  in  pairs  without  pedicles  ;  at  the  tops  of  the 
branches  stand  woolly  heads,  containing  small  white 
labiated  flowers,  whose  upper  lip  is  erect  and  cloven, 
the  lower  divided  into  three  segments  :  each  flower  is 
followed  by  four  seeds,  inclosed  in  the  cup.  It  grows 
spontaneously  on  dry  gravelly  grounds  in  Spain,  and  in 
similar  soils  it  bears  the  ordinary  winters  in  England. 
Its  virtues  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Syrian  marum, 
but  less  powerful. 

MA'RUM  SYRIACUM,  vel  CRETICUM,  majorana  Sy- 
riaca  vel  Cretica,  marum  cortuni,  chamedrys  incana 
maritima,  MARUM  GERMANDER,  or  SYRIAN  HERB  MAS- 
TICH,  teucrium  marum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  788,  is  a  low 
shrubby  plant,  with  small  oval  leaves,  pointed  at  each 


end,  and  set  in-pairs  without  pedicles,  of  a  dilute  green 
colour  above,  and  hoary  beneath  ;  in  their  bosoms  ap- 
pear solitary  purple  labiated  flowers,  each  of  which  is 
followed  by  four  roundish  seeds  inclosed  in  the  cup.  It 
is  said  to  be  a  native  of  Syria,  and  does  not  bear  our 
winter's  cold  without  shelter. 

The  leaves  are  bitter,  pungent,  and  aromatic  to  the 
taste  ;  their  smell  excites  sneezing ;  and  they  agree  with 
the  canella  alba  in  their  virtues. 

This  plant  loses  but  little  in  drying,  gives  out  its  ac- 
tive matter  partially  to  water,  but  completely  to  spirit ; 
the  watery  infusions  retain  the  smell,  but  little  of  the 
taste ;  the  tinctures  retain  more  of  the  taste  than  the 
smell.  Distilled  with  water,  it  yields  an  highly  pun- 
gent, volatile  essential  oil,  stronger  than  that  of  scurvy 
grass,  and  of  a  less  perishable  pungency  ;  the  remaining 
decoction  is  bitterish.  Rectified  spirit  carries  off  only 
a  part  of  the  smell  and  pungency  of  the  marum.  This 
plant  is  supposed  to  possess  very  active  powers,  and  to 
be  an  important  remedy  in  cachexy,  hysteria,  and  nerv- 
ous debility,  acting  as  a  warm  tonic  and  a  powerful 
emmenagogue.  The  dose  is  5 ss-  of  the  powdered 
leaves  given  in  wine.  In  the  present  practice  it  is 
chiefly  used  as  a  sternutatory,  and  is  one  of  the  ingre- 
dients of  pulvis  asari  compositus  of  the  London  Pharma- 
copoeia. See  Rail  Historia;  Lewis's  and  Bergius'  Ma- 
teria  Medica. 

MA'RVISUM.     See  MALVASIA. 

MASCHA'LE,  (ft*c-x«>*).     See  AXILLA. 

M  ASCHALI'STER,  (^e^«A«r7^).    See  SPINA. 

MA'SLACH.    A  form  of  opium  used  by  the  Turks. 

MA'SPETA,  and  MA'SPETUM.     See  SILPHIUM. 

MA'SSALIS,and  MA'SSARIAM.    See  ARGENTUM 

VIVUM. 

MA'SS^AD   FORNA'CEM.     See   CANDELA  FU- 

MALIS. 

MASSE'TER  MU'SCULUS,  (from  A««-««^./,  to 
eat).  Lateralis,  manducator  mansorius.  The  MASSE- 
TER  MUSCLE  rises  On  each  side  from  the  cheek  bone 
and  the  interior  part  of  the  zygomatic  process  of  the  os 
temporis ;  and  is  inserted  into  the  whole  length  of  the 
lower  jaw,  particularly  the  angle. 

MA'SSOY,  a  species  of  bark  mentioned  by  Ray, 
from  a  tree  hitherto  undescribed.  It  is  gratefully  fra- 
grant and  heating. 

MASTICA'TIO,  (from  mastico,  to  chew,)  manduca- 
tio;  commanducatio.  Mastication  comminutes  the  parts 
of  our  food,  and  intimately  combines  it  with  the  saliva 
and  mucus  of  the  mouth.  Due  mastication  is  essen- 
tially necessary  to  digestion  ;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether 
any  portion  of  our  food  is  absorbed  during  this  process; 
for  every  thing  which  has  not  passed  through  the  ope- 
ration of  digestion  seems  to  be  injurious  when  mixed 
with  the  circulating  fluids.  V.  DIGESTIO. 

MASTICATO'RIUM,  (from  mastico,  to  chew}.     A 

MASTICATORY.       See  ApOPHLEGMATICA. 

MA'STICHE,  (from  /JMSTIV,  to  express).  MASTICH. 
See  LENTISCUS. 

MA'STICIIEN.     ODORA'TUM  FU'NDEXS.     See  Nux 

VlRGlNIANA. 

MASTICHI'NA  GALLO'RUM,  (a  dim.  of  mas- 
tic/ie~).  See  MARUM. 

MASTOID^UM  FORA 'MEN.     See  STYLLOMAS- 

TOID.SUM  FORAMEN. 


MAT 


918 


M  A  T 


MASTOIDJEUS  MU'SCULUS,  (from  ftae-fa,  a  nip- 
£ile,  and  iihfforma,  the  mastoid  process,  resembling  a 
nipple,}  sterna  mastoides,  sterno  mastoideus  of  Dr.  Hun- 
ter, who  observes  that  it  rises  by  two  distinct  portions 
from  the  sternum,  with  that  part  of  the  clavicle  articulated 
to  the  sternum,  and  is  inserted  into  the  mastoid  pro- 
cess. This  last  portion  Albinus  considers  as  a  distinct 
muscle,  and  calls  it  clino  mastoid&us,  but  it  is  not  divi- 
sible from  the  other  without  art.  Winslow  calls  this 
muscle  mastoidttus  anterior, or  sterno  mastoideus;  and 
the  splenius  the  mastoideus  superior. 

MASTOID^'US  LATERA'LIS.     See  COMPLEXUS  MINOR. 

MASTOID.&/US  PROCE'SSUS.     See  TEMPORUM  OSSA. 

MASTOIDY'NIA,  (from  ft*<r?ej,  a  nipple,  and  tftnv, 
pain).  SORE  or  PAINED  NIPPLES.  But  more  commonly 
pain  in  the  breast  from  inflammation.  See  INFLAMMA- 

TIO   MAMMARUM    MULIERUM. 

MASTURBATIO;  manustrapatio,  Onanismus,the 
sin  of  Onan,  from  a  perverted  passage  in  the  Pentateuch. 
The  discharge  of  semen  from  a  preternatural  stimulus; 
the  vice,  it  is  said,  of  the  solitary  monk,  and,  perhaps, 
of  other  recluses,  to  whom  more  natural  enjoyments 
are  denied.  It  is  a  habit  of  the  most  destructive  ten- 
dency, enervating,  in  the  highest  degree,  both  the  body 
and  mind.  Nature  seems  to  have  fixed  a  strong  mark 
on  those  disposed  to  every  unnatural  enjoyment,  and 
however  secret  their  practices  may  be,  so  indelible  is 
this  mark,  that  they  cannot  escape  detection  from  that 
tact  which  has  been  peculiarly  distinguished  by  the 
term  of  sensus  medicus.  In  general,  the  countenance  is 
sallow,  with  a  peculiar  dejection  in  the  look.  The  voice 
is  hurried  and  unsteady ;  the  face  often  covered  with 
dark  coloured  pustules,  hard  in  the  skin,  and  the  whole 
frame  displaying  peculiar  debility.  The  dejection,  at 
times,  almost  amounts  to  insanity,  and  every  com- 
plaint appears  to  threaten  instant  death.  The  tremor 
and  apprehension  prevent  the  natural  enjoyments,  by 
which  they  might  be  otherwise  weaned  from  this  de- 
structive habit ;  and  the  whole  life  is  alternated  with 
doubts,  apprehensions,  and  despair.  Unfortunately,  the 
practice  is  never  forsaken,  at  least,  notwithstanding 
every  assurance,  we  have  reason  to  think  so. 

The  apprehensions  of  discovery  and  the  despair  ren- 
der those  unfortunate  persons  the  dupes  of  quacks,  and 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  every  quack  bill  holds  out  de- 
lusive hopes  to  those  who  experience  the  bad  effects  of 
such  indulgences.  Regular  practice  exhausts  the  whole 
tribe  of  tonics  and  stimulants  with  little  effect.  The 
warm  balsams,  of  which  the  quack  medicines  consist, 
are  either  rejected  from  the  hands  of  the  physician,  or 
not  continued  a  sufficient  time ;  and  even  cold  bathing, 
the  best  remedy,  does  not  fix  the  imagination  so  strongly 
as  the  solar  tincture,  or  the  balm  of  Gilead.  If  not  too 
long  continued,  a  prudent  marriage  may  recover  the  pa- 
tient; but  it  would  be  unjust,  cruel,  and  impolitic,  to 
condemn  a  healthy  young  woman  to  the  shadow  of  a 
man.  This  remedy,  however,  we  have  often  found  ef- 
fectual in  cases  where  the  constitution  was  not  wholly 
exhausted. 

Tissot  on  Onanism,  and  the  Appendix  to  his  Disserta- 
tion on  Bilious  Diseases ;  Gruner  and  Husche  Disserta- 
tiones  de  Masturbatione. 

MATALI'STA,  MATBALI'STIC.     See  JALAPA. 

MA'TER,  (from  futa,  to  desire).     See  DURA  MATER. 

MA'TER   PERLA'RUM,   concha  margaritifera,    concha 


mater  unionum,  concha  -valvis  <equalibus,  nacre.  MO- 
THER OF  PEARL.  This  is  the  pure  pearl  like  part  of 
the  shell  in  which  pearls  are  found,  possessing  the  an- 
tacid properties  of  the  pearls  themselves.  See  MAR- 
GARITA. 

MATERIA,  (from  mater,  a  mother}.  MATTER; 
SUBSTANCE.  In  strictly  logical  disquisitions,  material 
is  in  opposition  to  modal,  the  one  signifying  as  a  cause, 
a  substance,  the  other  a  peculiar  state  ;  thus  a  sword  in- 
flicting a  wound  is  a  material  cause  of  pain,  spasm  only 
modal.  To  come  nearer,  a  calculus  in  the  gall  duct  is  a 
material  cause,  the  same  effect  from  violent  passion 
modal  only.  This  is  nearly  the  meaning  of  Dr.  Cullen, 
when  he  distinguishes  sensation  of  impression  from 
sensations  of  consciousness ;  but  this  distinction  is  sel- 
dom attended  to  in  the  undiscriminating,  flowery,  pages 
which  by  courtesy  are  now  styled  medical.  If  we 
were  to  refer  to  works  where  strict  logical  discrimina- 
tion is  pursued  with  rigour,  they  would  be  those 
published  during  the  presidency  of  Stahl  at  the  univer- 
sity of  Halle.  The  minute  precision  of  the  author's 
reasoning  (Stahl  himself)  is  highly  gratifying,  while 
the  obscurity  of  the  language  and  manner  would  repel 
every  modern  reader. 

MATERIA  MEDICA.  The  last  article  suggests  to  us 
a  logical  inaccuracy  in  the  title,  which  strictly  implies 
material  substances  employed  in  the  cure  of  diseases. 
We  must,  however,  extend  these  views,  and,  with  the 
spirit  of  the  best  authors,  follow  tfieir  example,  by  con- 
sidering, under  this  title,  every  means  of  relieving  the 
maladies  to  which  human  nature  is  subject.  The  field 
which  this  inquiry  opens  to  our  view  is  immense.  It 
not  only  includes  a  consideration  of  the  properties  and 
use  of  each  of  these  means,  but  the  mode  of  investigat- 
ing these  properties,  of  arranging  our  copious  list  of 
remedies,  so  as  to  assist  not  only  our  explanations  of 
their  virtues,  but  the  choice  of  our  remedies  in  any 
given  emergency,  and  to  point  out  the  distinctions 
which,  from  different  circumstances,  may  guide  us  in 
our  preference  of  one  to  another.  Not  the  least  im- 
portant object  in  this  disquisition  is  the  conduct  and 
merits  of  the  different  authors  in  this  department  of 
medicine. 

The  knowledge  of  medicines  must  have  been  coeval 
with  the  existence  of  the  human  race.  Mankind  was 
always  subject  to  diseases  and  accidents,  and  would  na- 
turally seek  for  remedies.  There  is  consequently  no 
race,  however  uncultivated,  but  has  its  materia  medica, 
and  modes  of  cure,  often  rash,  violent,  and  injudicious, 
but  sometimes  discriminated  with  precision,  and  adapt- 
ed with  skill.  It  were  to  be  wished  that  botanical  in- 
quirers had  more  often,  in  their  itineraries,  preserved 
these  rude  modes  of  treatment  as  Linnxus  has  done 
in  his  Flora  Laponica.  The  scattered  limbs,  however, 
exist,  and  will  repay  the  trouble  of  collecting. 

The  Greeks,  who  made  every  thing  their  own,  and 
often  created  a  fabulous  personage,  to  whom  they 
gave  the  honour  of  a  discovery,  for  which  they  were 
indebted  to  their  neighbours  on  the  continent  of  Asia, 
attributed  the  achillea  to  Achilles,  the  teucrium  to 
Teucer,  and  the  artemisia  to  Artemis.  Their  famous  JEs- 
culapius  was  probably  only  an  Egyptian  title  (haskelab), 
the  father  of  wisdom.  The  materia  medica  of  Hip- 
pocrates (for  it  would  be  to  fill  our  pages  very  uselessly 
to  copy  all  the  fables  recorded  on  this  subject)  was  very 


M  A  T 


919 


A  T 


simple ;  but  even  the  few  remedies  which  he  employed 
were  in  part  rejected  by  Erasistratus.  The  empiricism 
and  credulity  of  Serapion  and  his  followers  introduced 
numerous  disgusting  and  ridiculous  remedies ;  many  of 
which  were  continued  in  the  foreign  pharmacopoeias  in 
the  last  century,  and  Vogel  even  condescends  to  notice 
several  of  them.  Themison,  the  supposed  founder  of 
the  methodic  sect,  gibeted  in  the  satires  of  Juvenal  as  a 
most  unsuccessful  practitioner,  recommended  medi- 
cines of  activity,  as  the  aloes,  the  scammony,  kc.  He 
first  employed  leeches,  and  preferred  these  and  cupping 
glasses  to  general  bleeding.  He  seems  to  have  rejected 
with  indignation  the  ridiculous  remedies  of  the  empi- 
rics ;  but  if  we  may  trust  his  copyist  Coelius  Aurelianus, 
employed  some  which  were  scarcely  less  absurd.  The 
rage  for  compound  medicines  seems  to  have  begun  with 
Themison,  but  it  increased  with  his  followers,  particu- 
larly Andromachus  and  others,  down  to  the  era  of 
Galen,  to  whom  the  materia  medica  is  greatly  indebted 
for  his  attentive  inquiries  into  the  nature  and  country 
of  the  different  medicines,  though  the  real  knowledge 
of  their  effects  was  obscured  by  the  numerous  ingre- 
dients of  each  formula.  The  authority  of  Galen,  and 
the  use  of  compound  medicines  continued,  we  know, 
for  many  centuries ;  and  we  have  not  long  escaped  from 
the  trammels  of  his  authority. 

While,  however,  the  infallibity  of  Galen  remained 
unquestioned,  the  Arabians  greatly  enriched  the  materia 
medica  by  those  medicines  which  their  climate,  or  their 
connection  with  India,  had  introduced  to  their  notice. 
The  purgatives  of  their  predecessors  were  the  mild  her- 
baceous vegetables,  or  the  more  acrid  drastics  ;  but  the 
Arabians  introduced  the  manna,  senna,  and  myrobolans. 
They  varied  also  the  formulae,  and  rendered  them  more 
agreeable  by  the  addition  of  syrups ;  and  they  were  un- 
doubtedly acquainted  with  distillation,  though  they 
seem  to  have  only  employed  this  process  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  simple  waters  and  distilled  oils.  They  added 
also  musk,  mace,  cloves,  Sec.  which  are  still  retain- 
ed ;  the  precious  stones,  leaf  gold,  and  silver,  which 
are  now  neglected.  They  injured  this  branch  of 
medicine  by  their  fondness  for  compounds,  in  which 
they  exceeded  the  Greeks;  and,  by  their  hieroglyphics, 
their  metaphorical  language,  their  comparison  of  the 
stars  with  diseases,  and  the  metals  with  remedies,  are 
supposed  to  have  occasioned  those  wild  extravagances 
which  for  ages  led  philosophers  in  pursuit  of  the  art  of 
making  gold,  and  physicians  in  that  of  compounding  an 
universal  medicine. 

Whether  this  latter  conjecture  of  Boerhaave  is  well 
founded  or  not,  the  chemical  physicians  soon  succeeded, 
and  the  language  of  Bacon,  the  earliest  of  these  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  seems  to  prove  that  the  torch  was 
lighted  from  the  Arabian  flame.  Bacon  endeavoured 
only  to  ward  off  old  age ;  with  Raymond  Lully,  in  the 
following  century,  the  pursuit  of  the  universal  medicine 
commenced.  This  pursuit  was  continued,  and  the  ma- 
teria medica  greatly  augmented,  by  acquisitions  from 
chemical  preparations  by  the  Isaacs,  Basil  Valentine, 
and  many  others,  down  to  Paracelsus  and  Van  Hel- 
mont,  the  last  of  whom  lived  in  the  beginning  of  the  17th 
century.  The  absurdities  of  this  sect  are  inconceivable  ; 
but  they  were  succeeded  by  philosophers  and  physi- 
cians, who  pursued  the  same  path  with  more  rational 


views  and  better  success.  Sylvius  de  le  Boe,  Tachenius, 
Quercetanus,  Glaser,  Schroeder,  Lemery,  Glauber,  and 
others  of  the  chemical  school,  the  great  benefactors  of 
the  materia  medica,  have  in  succession  greatly  enriched 
this  science  with  the  chemical  remedies  which  we  still 
employ.  During  this  period  the  appearance  of  the  lues 
venerea  also  added  to  the  materia  medica  the  sarsa,  the 
gtiaiacum,  the  china,  and  some  other  medicines. 

The  discovery  of  Harvey,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  gradually  turned  the  attention  of 
practitioners  from  the  active  remedies  of  the  chemists 
to  those  which  were  supposed  to  act  mechanically;  and 
mechanical  reasoning  soon  overturned  the  whole  system, 
of  medicine,  and  changed  the  language  which  had  been 
hitherto  held  respecting  the  operation  of  remedies. 
The  good  sense  of  Boerhaave  led  him  to  retain  the  re- 
medies of  the  chemists  while  he  employed  and  extend- 
ed the  language  of  the  mechanical  physicians,  while  he 
studied  and  enforced  the  medical  observations  of  Hip- 
pocrates and  his  successors. 

With  the  downfal  of  the  humoral  pathology  the  ma- 
teria medica  experienced  little  improvement.  Dr.  Cul- 
len,  who,  like  Boerhaave,  was  a  chemist  before  he  had 
completed  his  medical  system,  still  retained  a  predilec- 
tion for  chemical  remedies,  and  for  the  more  active 
forms.  He  introduced,  it  is  said  by  Dr.  Fordyce,  the 
emetic  tartar  ;  and  he  supported,  by  his  recommenda- 
tion, the  corrosive  sublimate,  not  only  in  lues,  but  in. 
diseases  of  the  skin  :  a  remedy  employed  externally  for 
this  latter  complaint  by  the  Arabians.  We  mention 
chiefly  these  circumstances  to  speak  of  a  new  sect,  the 
introducers  of  medicines  formerly  accounted  poisonous. 
Van  Swieten,  by  his  adopting  the  use  of  the  corrosive 
sublimate  from  the  Russians,  seems  to  have  first  ex- 
cited the  attention  of  the  physicians  of  Vienna  to  the 
vegetable  poisons,  the  hemlock,  the  aconite,  the  bella- 
donna, the  napellus,  the  phytolacca,  lactuca  virosa, 
&c. ;  an  impulse  followed  by  the  introduction  or  revival 
of  the  digitalis,  the  arsenic,  &c.  It  is  not  our  present 
object  to  appreciate  the  value  of  this  new  step  ;  for  it 
belongs  to  the  separate  articles.  In  general,  however, 
we  may  add,  that  the  real  merits  of  the  greater  number 
have  by  no  means  answered  the  expectations  excited. 
Our  materia  medica,  as  established  by  the  decision  of 
the  colleges  of  London  and  Edinburgh,  is,  at  present, 
confined  in  the  number  of  its  articles :  but  these  are 
well  chosen,  active,  and  effectual.  Each  practitioner 
will  probably  add,  from  his  own  predilections,  some 
others ;  but  others,  we  suspect,  will  not  be  found  ne- 
cessary. 

The  ACTION  OF  MEDICINES  depends  on  a  relation 
between  their  properties  and  the  living  solid,  differing 
in  different  parts  of  the  system.  This  relation  is,  in 
general,  obscure.  It  is,  however,  sometimes,  and  per- 
haps more  frequently  than  has  been  supposed,  chemi- 
cal ;  sometimes  purely  physical ;  scarcely  in  any  in- 
stance mechanical.  It  is  occasionally  connected  with 
the  more  obvious  properties,  as  the  smell  and  taste  of 
the  medicine,  but  confined  in  this  respect  to  the  vege- 
table, less  strictly  to  the  animal,  kingdom.  It  is  some- 
times connected  with  the  chemical  analysis,  or  with  the 
natural  affinities  of  a  plant.  Each  mode  has  been  em- 
ployed in  investigating  the  powers  of  medicines,  and  to 
each  we  must  direct  our  attention;  not  perhaps  as  of 


M  A  T 


920 


MAT 


peculiar  importance,  for  few  medicines  have  been  dis- 
covered in  this  way,  but  to  explain  the  language  and 
the  conduct  of  authors,  and  sometimes  to  correct 
them. 

The  olfactory  organs  are  peculiarly  acute  in  the  b'rute 
creation,  but  of  no  great  importance  to  us  in  our  in- 
vestigation of  the  properties  of  medicines.  The  utility 
of  the  SMELL  is  limited  chiefly  to  vegetables  :  but  few 
animal  substances  discover  their  powers  by  these  or- 
gans, and  the  insects  and  the  vermes  are  either  without 
smell,  or  give  faint  indications  of  their  qualities  in  this 
•way.  In  general,  pleasing  smells  are  salutary,  and  nau- 
seous or  foetid  ones  injurious.  Pleasing  and  nauseous 
are,  however,  relative  terms;  and  to  our  neighbours  on 
the  continent  the  fumet  of  tainted  venison  is  highly 
gratifying.  Authors  who  have  investigated  the  powers 
of  medicine  by  the  smell  are  Linnaeus  and  Lorry,  each 
of  whom  we  must  notice,  as  they  have  considered  the 
subject  in  very  different  views  ;  while  former  authors, 
as  Boyle,  considered  effluvia  chiefly  as  philosophers, 
and  contemplated  only  the  surprising  divisibility  of  mat- 
ter; or,  as  Boerhaave,  Venel,  and  Roux,  treated  of 
odour  as  chemists,  and  endeavoured  to  separate  or 
combine  it  in  a  more  durable  form. 

Linnaeus  divides  the  ODOURS  of  medicines  (Amceni- 
tates  Academicae,  iii.  183.)  into  AROMATIC,  FKAGRANT, 

AMDUOSIACAL,      ALLIACEOUS,      HIKCINE,       STINKING,      and 

SICKLY.  The  three  first  are  pleasant,  the  three  last  dis- 
agreeable, smells.  This  enumeration  is  not  perhaps 
correct,  nor  the  classes  distinct;  but  the  Linnsean  lan- 
guage is  employed  by  many  respectable  physicians  of 
his  school,  and  consequently  merits  our  attention. 

The  aromatic  smell  is  distinguishable  in  various  fa- 
milies of  plants,  as  the  laurels,  the  umbelliferae,  and  the 
labiatae,  and  is  found  in  every  portion  of  a  vegetable, 
often  in  every  part  of  the  same  plant.  The  iris,  the 
rosemary,  and  the  sage  ;  lavender,  Jloivers,  and  pinks  ; 
canella  and  winter's  bark;  sassafras  wood}  laurel  berries; 
cummin  and  carui  seeds;  gum  benjamin  and  balsam  of 
capivi,  are  striking  instances  of  it.  They  are  generally 
stimulating,  not  without  a  suspicion  of  a  narcotic  power ; 
often  induce  the  calm  serenity  which  we  feel  from  tea, 
and  destroy  irritability  rather  than  give  strength.  The 
exhalations  themselves,  from  the  experiments  of Ingen- 
houz,  are  chiefly  azotic,  and,  in  many  constitutions, 
highly  deleterious. 

The  fragrant  smell  is  not  very  clearly  defined.  It 
contains  some  of  the  more  pungent  smells,  and  seems 
to  be  a  connecting  link  between  the  aromatic  and  the 
ambrosiacal.  The  instances  are  the  flowers  of  the  lily, 
the  jessamin,  the  tuberose,  some  species  of  pinks,  and 
saffron.  They  are  more  actively  analeptic  than  the  fra- 
grant odours,  and  more  certainly  antispasmodic. 

The  ambrosiacal  smells  are  very  penetrating  and  ac- 
tive, when  concentrated,  as  in  ambergris  and  musk, 
but  generally  disagreeable.  When  greatly  diffused  they 
are  more  agreeable.  The  species  of  geranium,  mal- 
lows, rose,  and  garlic,  styled  mosc/iatte,  are  of  this  kind; 
the  fruits  of  the  pine  apple,  of  some  kinds  of  apples 
and  pears,  musk,  civet,  and  burnt  animal  substances, 
are  instances  of  this  species  of  odour.  They  appear  to 
be  stimulant,  but  are  strictly  sedative,  and  powerfully 
antispasmodic. 

The  alliaceous  smell  is  particularly  distinguishable  in 


garlic,  and  its  congeneres,  in  the  scordium,  asafoeticla, 
and  what  are  styled  the  warm  foetid  gums.  These 
odours  belong  to  very  active  stimulants,  which  power- 
fully excite  the  vessels  of  the  skin,  and  increase  the 
discharge  not  only  from  these  but  from  every  gland  in 
the  human  body. 

The  hircine  smell  is  that  which  resembles  the  odour 
of  the  goat ;  and,  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  we  find  it 
in  the  herb  robert,  the  orchis,  some  mushrooms,  par- 
ticularly the  phallus  impudicus.  In  general,  these  fe- 
tids  are  sedative,  and  often  deleterious. 

Stinking  smells  are  exemplified  in  opium,  night- 
shade, and  hemp,  which  are  all  narcotics;  and  the 
sickly  in  hellebore,  tobacco,  colocynth,  putrid  meat, 
senna,  and  rhubarb.  All  such  substances  are  powerfully 
emetic,  and,  if  they  escape  the  stomach,  are  also  ca- 
thartic ;  and  all  are  narcotic. 

M.  Lorry  has  proceeded  in  a  different  way,  and  has 
considered  the  smells,  which  are  essential  to  the  medi- 
cine, and  which  continue,  independent  of  very  minute 
analysis.  These  are  the  CAMPHORATED,  NARCOTIC,  ETHE- 

RIAL,  VOLATILE  ACID,  and  ALKALINE. 

The  camphorated  is  found  in  the  labiated,  the  compo- 
site, the  terebinthinated,  and  the  aromatic  plants,  as 
well  as  in  the  laurels  and  myrtles.  Its  -characteristics 
are,  extreme  penetrability,  a  singular  volatility,  a  strong 
attraction  for  oily  and  spirituous  menstrua.  Though 
easily  dissipated  in  the  air,  yet,  when  united  with  resins, 
in  the  leaves  of  plants  it  is  preserved  from  evaporation, 
and  contributes  to  their  preservation.  This  principle 
resists  the  activity  of  fire,  and  the  most  powerful  agents. 
Even  musk  and  opium  will  not  disguise  it :  its  medical 
power  we  have  already  detailed.  See  CAMPHOR. 

The  narcotic  odour  is  that  virose  effluvium  which  de- 
stroys the  principle  of  life.  It  exists  in  the  poppies, 
the  nightshades,  the  borrage,  the  cucurbitaceous  and 
umbelliferous  plants,  with  many  others;  often  disguised 
by  the  distinguishing  principles  of  the  vegetable,  and 
obvious  when  these  are  separated  by  putrefaction  or 
fire.  This  is  the  most  fixed  and  adhesive  of  all  smells. 
It  corrects  the  volatility  of  the  others,  and  often  dis- 
guises all,  except  the  camphorated.  Even  in  a  small 
proportion  it  is  discoverable  among  the  most  fragrant 
smells,  as  in  the  rose,  the  jessamin,  the  tuberose,  and  the 
violet.  These  flowers  exhale  the  true  narcotic  odour, 
when  their  aromatic  and  camphorated  smells  are  dissi- 
pated. This  smell  is  simple,  sometimes  concealed  under 
that  of  aniseseed  or  garlic,  occasionally  imitating  the 
smell  of  radishes,  or  the  offensive  odour  of  bugs.  The 
same  odour  is  found  in  animal  substances.  Virgil 
speaks  of  the  virosa  castorea;  and  animal  oils,  though 
rectified  by  distillation,  exhale  this  narcotic  smell. 

The  ethereal  odour  is  volatile,  incoercible,  and  of  ex- 
treme tenuity.  It  escapes  so  easily  that  we  can  only  re- 
cognise it  for  a  short  time.  Art  produces  its  most  strik- 
ing example ;  but  we  find  it  in  the  pine  apple,  in  melons, 
some  kind  of  pears  and  apples,  in  strawberries,  and  the 
greater  number  of  fruits  which  grow  under  the  burning 
sun  of  the  torrid  zone.  It  is  sometimes  discovered  on  the 
first  appearance  of  the  sceptic  process,  to  which  sweet 
fruits  are  exposed.  This  odour  combines  with  the  alka- 
line, and  the  narcotic  smell  of  opium  giving  it  a  striking 
volatility,  and  moderating  its  narcotic  property.  It 
unites  also  with  camphor,  and  adds  to  its  sedative  and 


M  A  T 


921 


31  A  T 


soothing  powers  in  a  manner  well  known  to  practical 
physicians. 

The  volatile  acid  odour  is  usually  combined  with  an 
aromatic  volatile  spirit.  It  is  distinguished  in  lemons, 
oranges,  gooseberries,  cherries,  fccc.  combined  and  dis- 
guised in  many  plants,  as  in  the  lemon  thyme.  This 
odour  is  in  general  pleasing  and  refreshing,  and  it  de- 
stroys the  effects  of  narcotics.  It  is  often  combined 
with  the  ethereal  smell,  as  in  the  aromatic  spirit  of 
vinegar,  and  is  destroyed  by  putrefaction. 

The  -volatile  alkaline  smell  is  distinguished  by  a  bit- 
ing acrimony,  which  irritates  the  eyes.  The  horse 
radish,  mustard,  scurvy  grass,  with  all  the  alliaceous 
vegetables,  are  examples  of  this  odour,  which  is  in  part 
destroyed  by  acids.  It  is  generally  confined  in  plants 
by  mucilages  and  oils,  and  is  very  durable,  since  even 
putrefaction  will  not  wholly  separate  it.  In  asafoetida 
it  is  combined  with  the  virose  odour;  and  the  most  fetid 
smells  seem  to  be  combinations  of  this  kind,  which  lead 
us  to  suspect  some  hepatic  combination. 

The  TASTES  of  plants  conduct  us  more  certainly  to 
their  medical  properties;  but  the  similarity  of  terms  may 
contribute,  without  care,  to  confound  them  with  the 
smells.  Our  chief  guide  in  this  path  is  Linnaeus  himself; 
but  Bergius,  assisted  by  the  comprehensiveLinnsean  lan- 
guage, has  greatly  extended  our  distinctions  of  taste; 
though  employing  terms  and  comparisons  generally 
known,  he  scarcely  requires  an  interpreter.  Taste 
has  been  considered  as  a  cause  of  the  action  of  medi- 
cines, or  at  least  as  a  means  of  discovering  their  pro- 
perties in  almost  every  era  of  medicine  since  that  of 
Hippocrates ;  and,  besides  Linnaeus,  Wedelius,  Walther, 
Hebenstreit,  Koenig,  and  Tauvry,  have  paid  particular 
attention  to  it.  The  two  last  have,  however,  confined 
themselves  to  mechanical  explanations  of  taste;  and,  like 
Willis,  have  supposed  acrid  particles  needles,  oily  ones 
spheres;  bitter,  salt,  acid,  and  styptic  tastes,  owing  to 
forked,  irregular,  polyedral,  conical,  or  hooked  par- 
ticles respectively. 

Tastes  greatly  differ;  and  though,  as  in  smells,  we 
say  in  general  that  substances  of  an  agreeable  taste 
are  salutary,  and  those  which  are  unpleasing  to  the 
palate  injurious,  yet  the  question  of  pleasantness  or  its 
opposite  is  relative.  Pungent  tastes  are  universally  pain- 
ful; but,  when  diluted,  they  become  agreeable.  In 
fact,  as  we  shall  find  in  the  operation  of  medicines,  every 
thing  in  excess  is  stimulant :  we  only  perceive  either 
peculiar  properties,  or  flavours,  when  the  proportion 
is  suitable  to  the  circumstances.  Fourcroy  divides  tastes 
into  those  which  are  highly  pungent  or  painful,  as  the 
caustics;  those  which  excite  moderate  sensation,  as  the 
sweets  and  bitters;  such  as  only  affect  the  stomach,  and 
very  slightly,  if  at  all,  the  palate,  as  the  antimonials; 
and  such  as  act  only  through  the  medium  of  the  nerves. 
We  need  not  add  that  this  is  to  extend  the  subject  beyond 
its  proper  limits.  It  is  singular,  that  the  people  on  the 
coast  of  Malabar,  among  whom  medicine  is  in  a  very 
rude  slate,  divide  their  remedies  according  to  taste. 
Grundler,  the  Danish  missionary  who  visited  that  coun- 
try in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  has  given  an  ex- 
tract from  the  Voya  da-satyram,  which  contains  all  their 
medical  science,  where  the  remedies  are  divided  into 
acids,  sweets,  bitters,  acrids,  and  astringents.  We  may 
just  add,  that  Braun,  the  son-in-law  of  Haller,  an  officer 

VOL.    I. 


in  our  service  in  Indostan,  has  informed  us,  that,  in  the 
ancient  seminary  of  Benares,  no  other  part  of  medicine 
is  cultivated  except  what  relates  to  the  virtues  of  vegeta- 
bles; and  in  the  Gottingen  museum,  a  valuable  hortus 
siccus  of  Malabar  plants  in  twelve  volumes  folio,  with 
their  names  and  properties  annexed,  was  some  time 
since  preserved. 

Linnaeus  divides  the  taste  of  medicines  (Amoenitates 
Academicae,  ii.  335) into  the  SWEET  and  ACRID;  the  FAT 
and  STYPTIC  ;  the  ACID  and  BITTER  ;  the  VISCID  and  SALT  : 
the  WATERY  and  DRY.  The  styfitic  is  a  compound  taste, 
sometimes  consisting  of  the  dry  and  acid,  when  it  is 
styled  austere;  or  of  the  dry  and  bitter,  distinguished 
by  the  term  acerb.  The  nauseous  taste  produces  an 
inverted  motion  of  the  oesophagus  and  stomach.  It  is 
a  compound,  but  its  ingredients  are  not  easily  ascertain- 
ed. We  are  informed  by  Quercetanus,  that  the  medi- 
cines styled  by  Hippocrates  bitter,  acid,  and  sweet,  are. 
by  Galen,  in  conformity  to  his  theory  of  the  humours, 
called  hot  and  cold,  wet  and  dry. 

The  property  of  sweetness  is  conspicuous  in  the  roots 
of  the  polypody  and  liquorice;  all  ripe  fruits;  in  milk 
and  in  honey.  The  sweets,  either  saccharine  or  muci- 
laginous (vide  MAXXA)  are,  as  we  have  seen,  nutritious, 
chiefly  adapted  to  dry,  lean  habits,  and  advanced  life. 
They  are  also  demulcent,  and  supposed  to  be  expec- 
torant ;  but  the  latter  quality  rests  on  a  doubtful  founda- 
tion. 

Medicines  distinguished  by  an  acrid  taste  are  heating, 
irritating,  and,  in  excess,  corrosive.  In  large  doses 
they  are  the  most  destructive  poisons.  Externally,  they 
are  rubefacient,  sometimes  discutient,  or  occasionally 
suppurative.  By  their  general  stimulus  they  promote 
every  evacuation,  and  are  sometimes  the  most  active 
emetics.  Their  powers  as  cathartics  are  less  conspicu- 
ous, and  they  are  generally  useful  in  cold,  phlegmatic 
habits.  Examples  of  this  kind  are  the  pure  alkalis,  and 
the  metallic  salts;  the  roots  of  bryony,  pyrethrum, 
horse  radish,  and  of  the  alliaceous  tribe;  the  leaves  of 
the  soldanella,  persicaria,  tithymalus  and  cochlearia ; 
the  bark  of  the  elder;  the  seeds  of  the  mustard;  eu- 
phorbium,  gamboge,  and  cantharides. 

The  fat  taste  is  conspicuous  in  the  almond,  cocoa  nut, 
lintseed,  and  axunge.  It  is  owing  to  an  oil  combined 
with  a  mucilage,  and  is  lost  when  they  become  rancid. 
They  are  in  general  demulcent,  and  useful  when  the 
fibres  are  stretched,  or  the  mucous  membranes  abraded. 
From  this  last  circumstance,  they  sometimes  relieve 
diarrhoeas,  though  many  of  this  class  are  naturally 
laxative. 

The  contraction  of  the  mouth,  which  arises  from 
tasting  styptics,  is  sometimes  communicated  to  other 
parts.  Alum  is  a  striking  example ;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that  styptic  vegetables,  as  has  been  supposed, 
contain  an  argillaceous  sulphat.  We  find  this  taste  in 
vitriolated  iron  and  zinc ;  the  roots  of  tormentil,  bis- 
tort, and  quinquefolium  ;  the  barks  of  the  tamarisk,  the 
capparis,  and  the  fraxinus;  the  gall  nut ;  the  leaves  of 
the  centinodium,  the  myrtle,  and  the  oak;  the  flowers 
of  pomegranate,  and  in  red  roses ;  the  juice  of  acacia, 
catechu,  Sec.  These  remedies  are,  in  general,  astringent ; 
and,  as  they  all  contain  tanin  in  a  considerable  propor- 
tion, we  find  the  foundation  of  their  properties  in  the 
separation  of  the  gelatin.  See  ASTRINGENTIA. 

6  B 


MAT 


922 


M  A  T 


Of  the  acid  taste  we  require  no  examples;  but  if  we 
speak  of  this  as  a  natural  one,  we  must  exclude  the  mi- 
neral acids,  which  rather  belong  to  the  styptics.  With 
this  exception,  we  shall  find  acid  substances  cooling  and 
sedative,  neutralizing  in  some  degree  the  bile,  and  de- 
stroying putrid  acrimony  in  the  stomach.  They  allay 
thirst,  promote  a  discharge  from  the  kidneys,  and  often 
from  the  skin.  They  prevent  accumulations  of  fat  in 
the  cellular  membrane ;  but  do  not,  as  has  been  said, 
coagulate  the  fluids;  for  they  do  not  reach  the  circu- 
lating system  with  their  properties  unchanged. 

The  bitter  taste  is  confined  to  the  oily  and  resinous 
juices  of  vegetables,  and  to  the  inflammable  oxides.  It 
is  communicated  to  all  vegetable  substances  by  what  is 
styled  by  the  French  chemists  their  combustion,  in 
consequence  of  their  union  with  nitric  acid.  Many  of 
the  vitriolated  neutrals  are  also  bitter;  but  in  detailing 
their  properties  we  must  confine  ourselves  to  the  bit- 
ter vegetables ;  for  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
our  artificial  bitters  agree  with  the  natural.  We  find 
the  pure  bitter  chiefly  in  the  roots  of  the  gentian,  the 
male  fern,  and  the  white  dittany ;  in  the  bark  of  the 
simarouba,  the  orange  and  the  lemon  peel ;  in  the  leaves 
and  flowers  of  the  carduus  benedictus  and  the  camo- 
mile ;  in  the  wood  of  the  quassia ;  in  the  tops  of  the  cen- 
taury  and  hop ;  in  the  seeds  of  the  carduus  benedictus 
and  maria:;  in  the  juice  of  the  wild  cucumber;  in  the 
aloes,  the  myrrh,  and  the  bile  of  animals.  It  is  seldom 
pure,  and  even  in  some  we  have  mentioned  it  is  joined 
with  a  little  acrimony;  in  others  with  astringency,  or 
acidity.  The  affinity  of  the  acid  with  the  bitter  prin- 
ciple is  very  striking,  since  many  plants  which  in  some 
parts  are  bitter,  in  others  are  acid.  We  need  not  add 
any  thing  to  what  we  have  already  said  in  the  article 
.•\MARA,q.  v,  except  to  observe,  that  some  of  these  men- 
tioned are  actively  purgative,  a  quality  which  certainly 
does  not  belong  to  the  pure  bitter. 

The  viscid  taste  is  exemplified  in  the  mallows,  lint- 
seed,  and  almost  all  the  pure  gums,  the  cartilages  and 
tendons  of  animals,  particularly  young  animals.  All 
these  substances  are  demulcent  and  relaxant;  conse- 
quently by  sheathing  abraded  membranes,  particu- 
larly of  the  urinary  system  and  bowels,  they  relieve 
pain,  and  often  appear  to  check  immoderate  discharges, 
They  sometimes  appear,  when  taken  in  excess,  to  de- 
stroy the  appetite;  and  we  have  suspected  them,  when 
swallowed  in  large  quantities,  of  lessening  the  urinary- 
discharge. 

The  salt  taste  is  most  pure  in  the  muriated  soda  and 
the  common  culinary  salt,  for  all  others  appear  to  join 
different  flavours  with  it.  In  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
we  find  it,  though  less  pure,  in  the  crithmum,  the  ha- 
limus  and  salicornia.  In  the  shell  fish  and  the  fuci,  the 
taste  appears  to  be  derived  exclusively  from  the  sea 
water.  See  MARINUS  SAL. 

The  watery  taste  chiefly  arises  from  the  excess  of  the 
uqueous  fluid,  diluting  every  peculiar  flavour.  The  most 
striking  instances  are  the  oleracae,  and  some  of  the 
etiolated  plants;  and  among  the  roots,  the  turnip. 
These  substances  are  slightly  nutritious,  diluent,  and 
demulcent.  They  were  supposed  to  be  of  considerable 
and  extensive  use  when  diseases  were  attributed  to 
lentor  or  viscidity  of  the -fluids. 

The  sensation  of  dryncss  in  the  moul.h  arises  very 


generally  from  stypticity ;  but  by  a  dry  taste  is  gene- 
rally meant  that  which  is  produced  for  instance,  by 
chalk.  All  the  earths  in  a  carbonated  state  are  dry. 
The  insipid  woods  and  barks,  the  leaves  of  the  ivy,  and 
the  dust  of  of  the  polypodium,  are  examples,  in  the  ve- 
getable kingdom.  In  the  animal,  the  hart's  horn,  the 
crab's  claws,  the  mother  of  pearl,  and  coral,  are  distin- 
guished by  a  dry  taste.  These  substances,  however, 
unless  capable  of  absorbing  acids,  are  of  little  utility  in 
medicine,  but  are  by  no  means  so  injurious  as  have 
been  supposed. 

In  general,  we  may  remark  that  tastes  have  a  much 
more  pointed  and  clear  connection  with  the  medicinal 
properties  of  bodies  than  smells,  and  will,  in  many  in- 
stances, explain,  a  priori,  their  virtues.  Yet  tastes  are 
so  infinitely  varied  by  nature,  that  their  composition 
cannot  often  be  ascertained;  and  though  the  expressive 
language  of  Bergius  conveys  ideas  peculiarly  discrimi- 
nated and  exact,  even  this,  in  many  instances,  fails. 

A  very  important  distinction  of  tastes  relates  to  their 
fugacity  or  permanence,  their  immediate  impression,  or 
their  perception  after  some  interval,  their  affecting  the 
tip,  the  middle  or  back  part  of  the  tongue,  or  the  throat. 
On  these  subjects  our  chief  assistance  is  from  Grew 
and  Bergius  ;  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  connect 
these  different  sensations  with  the  properties  of  the 
bodies.  In  general,  the  stimulants  are  immediately  per- 
ceived to  increase  the  heat  chiefly  on  the  fore  part  of 
the  tongue;  the  narcotics  only  act  after  some  time,  and 
on  the  throat.  The  impressions  of  salt  substances  are 
generally  diffused;  of  styptics  confined  to  the  cheeks 
and  anterior  fauces. 

When  the  operations  of  chemistry  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  physicians,  it  was  at  once  supposed  that  they 
would  unravel  every  secret  of  nature,  and  among  the 
rest,  the  constituent  parts  of  medicines,  so  as  to  explain 
their  operation.  The  members  of  the  French  academy 
laboured  very  earnestly  in  this  department  of  the  ma- 
teria  medica:  Mr.  Boyle  and  some  others  of  the  Eng- 
lish and  German  chemists  were  equally  assiduous;  but 
they  soon  found,  that  aliments  and  medicines,  the  most 
salutary  foods  and  the  rankest  poisons,  were  equally  re- 
s^olvable  into  acids,  oils,  and  salts,  scarcely  differing  in 
their  properties.  In  fact,  in  resolving  the  compounds 
of  nature,  they  formed  new  ones  of  art,  and  were  not 
nearer  the  destined  goal.  Neumann  and  Cartheuser 
did  not  wholly  forsake  the  former  path,  but  they  inter- 
rogated nature  by  milder  methods,  and  extracting  dif- 
ferent component  parts  by  the  peculiar  affinities  of 
water  and  alcohol,  or  by  their  volatility  in  a  gentle  heat, 
taught  us  what  portions  of  gum,  resin,  and  oil  each  vege- 
table contained.  But  even  at  a  much  later  period,  so 
rash  was  the  analysis,  and  so  powerful  the  means  em- 
ployed, that  we  have  only  of  late  discovered  what-is  now 
styled  the  extractive  matter,  or  that  portion  of  the  gum 
and  resin  combined  with  the  peculiar  oil  and  mucilage  of 
the  plant,which  renders  it  equivalent  to  the  vegetable  it- 
self, deprived  only  of  its  air,  some  portion  probably  of  its 
water,  and  the  woody  fibres.  When,  therefore,  in  the  ve- 
getable analysis,  the  proportion  of  gum  and  resin  with 
that  of  the  extractive  matter  is  mentioned,  the  quantity 
of  the  two  former,  or  rather  of  the  resin,  shows  the  de- 
gree of  decomposition  which  in  general  has  taken  place  ; 
we  say  in  general,  for  in  many  plants,  particularly  in 


31  A  T 


923 


M  A  T 


the  roots,  the  resin  exists  in  a  separate  state.  Rhubarb 
a  striking  instance  of  this  kind. 

Analysis,  conducted  with  care,  leads  us,  however,  to 
form  some  conjecture  of  the  nature  of  the  vegetable. 
The  expressed  juices  of  the  green  and  watery  plants 
(the  oleraceae)  are  slightly  laxative  and  cooling  ;  in  the 
language  of  the  Boerhaavians,  aperient;  of  the  cruci- 
form plants  (the  tetradynamiae  of  Linnaeus,)  antiscor- 
butic. Bitter  extracts  are  tonic,  often  anthelmintic  ; 
oils  and  mucilages  demulcent;  essential  oils  generally 
stimulant  and  carminative  ;  and  resins  either  purgative 
or  diuretic.  Whatever  opinion,  however,  be  formed  of 
the  advantages  of  analysis  in  investigating  the  nature  of 
plants,  it  has  certainly  assisted  the  pharmaceutical 
treatment  of  vegetable  remedies,  and,  in  the  animal 
kingdom,  has  been  of  the  greatest  utility  in  showing  the 
fallacy  of  many  boasted  remedies,  from  the  identity  of 
their  nature,  or  their  insolubility.  Even  musk  and 
castor  we  find  nearly  approaching  in  their  nature  to  re- 
sins, and  the  gluten  of  vegetables  to  animal  substances. 
In  the  mineral  kingdom,  our  obligations  to  chemistry 
are  too  numerous  for  repetition,  and  too  obvious  to  de- 
tain us.  We  shall  only  remark,  among  these,  the  anti- 
dotes discovered  to  some  of  the  most  active  poisons, 
and  the  advantages  we  derive  from  our  power  of  pre- 
paring artificial  mineral  waters. 

The  utility  of  NATURAL  HISTORY  in  investigating  the 
properties  of  medicines  is  very  considerable.  To  be 
able  to  acertain  with  certainty  the  identity  of  any  plant 
is  an  object  of  no  little  importance,  as  it  prevents  our 
disappointment  in  future  trials.  Were  it  not  for  the 
assistance  of  natural  history,  the  greater  part  of  the  ex- 
perience of  the  ancients  would  have  been  useless  ;  and 
were  it  not  for  the  aid  of  Caspar  Bauhine,  we  should 
wander  through  their  works,  like  the  first  travellers 
in  the  American  forests.  All  around  would  be  un- 
known :  we  could  neither  appreciate  their  views,  nor 
follow  their  examples ;  yet  we  have  known  commenta- 
tors on  the  ancient  authors,  who,  supposing  they  meant 
some  given  medicine,  were  little  anxious  what  it  might 
be.  A  deep  knowledge  of  botany,  however,  is  unneces- 
sary. We  now  know  more  than  50,000  species,  and 
of  these  scarcely  a  hundred  are  employed  in  general 
practice ;  and  of  the  latter,  two-thirds,  or  even  a 
greater  proportion,  are  useless.  Yet  the  principles  of 
the  science  should  be  known,  for  the  reasons  just  men- 
tioned ;  and,  above  all,  the  foundation  of  the  natural 
orders  for  the  reasons  and  purposes  already  assigned. 
(See  BOTANY.)  One  great  advantage  is,  that  if  a  given 
plant  cannot  be  procured,  a  similar  one  may  be  selected 
from  its  natural  order;  and  the  author  of  the  little 
tract  on  botanical  analogy  has  shown,  in  -a  variety  of 
entertaining  examples,  how  the  same  remedy  has  been 
extolled  and  forgotten  ;  repeatedly,  at  different  periods, 
and  under  different  names,  revived. 

OBSERVATION  and  EXPERIENCE  are,  on  the  whole, 
the  safest  guides  ;  but  here  again  we  are  lost  in  wilder- 
nesses or  fogs.  Numerous  remedies,  recommended 
as  certain,  are  found  to  fail :  what  we  have  ourselves,  at 
different  times,  considered  to  be  firmly  established  as 
proofs  of  holy  writ,  at  others  we  have  found  less  sub- 
stantial than  the  shadow  of  a  shade.  In  every  step  we 
feel  the  truth  of  the  Hippocratic  axiom  "  experientia 
fallax."  If  those  whose  education  and  experience  con- 


tribute to  point  out  the  danger  of  deception,  find  that 
the/;o*c  hoc  is  not  always  equivalent  to  the  profiler  htjc. 
how  many  sources  of  deception  must  surround  those  noi 
accustomed  to  such  observations  ?  Yet  medicines  arc 
commended  by  men  of  the  first  character,   rank,  and 
abilities,  as  certain  remedies ;  every  newspaper  teems 
with  affidavits,  and  we  are  deemed  incredulous  indeed  ii" 
we  disbelieve  a  bishop  or  a  judge.     Medical  evidence 
differs  greatly  from  every  other:  we  are  obliged  to  act 
on  the  result  of  reasoning  often  extremely  insufficient ; 
ourdecisionsonthe  effects  of  medicines, on  the  contrary, 
require  the  most  rigorous  examination.     If  a  man  as- 
serts, for  instance,  that  he  has  been  cured  of  a  consump- 
tion by  Godbold's  syrup,  it  implies  several  positions  ex- 
tremely doubtful.  How  can  he  ascertain  that  the  disease 
was  a  consumption?  for  in  this  respect  the  most  judi- 
cious practitioner  is  often  deceived.     But,  admitting 
that  it  is   so,  we  know  that  vomicae   are  often  com- 
pletely  discharged :    we  know   that  an  ulcer  sponta- 
neously heals,  and  it  is  as  probable  that  diet  and  regi- 
men may  have  effected  the  cure,  as  a  medicine  equally 
inconsiderable  in  its  powers.     If  then  we  cannot  trust 
to    experience,  what  mvist  be  our  resource?  Though 
nothing  may  be  certain  in  the  operation  of  medicines, 
and  our  evidence  only  establish  different  degrees  of  pro- 
bability, yet  a  rigorous  scrutiny  in  the  investigation  oi 
every  fact  respecting  this  part  of  the  science  will  greath 
facil itate  our  progress  in  similar  circumstances.  Authors 
on  the  materia  medica  abound  with  assertions  respect- 
ing the  properties  and  use  of  every  medicine,  and  the 
most  inert  is  often  represented  in  colours  too  glaring  for 
even  the  most  active.    This  partly  arises  from  the  want 
of  discrimination  just  mentioned, but  more  often  from  an 
anxiety  to  display  the  extent  of  their  own  learning;  and 
such  are  the  accumulated  recommendations  which  the 
student  finds,  that  he  thinks  his  only  labour  a  selection. 
So  frequent  are  his  disappointments,  that  he  at  last  mis- 
trusts even  the  most  respectable  authorities.   Who  will 
cleanse  this  Augaean  stable?  It  will  require  an  Hercu- 
lean hand;  and  the  little  that  can  be  done  in  a  general 
work  like  this  can  scarcely  lessen  the  labour.  We  • 
not,  however,  mispend  our  time,  if  we  examine  shortly 
the  conduct  of  the  best  authors  on  this  subject. 

In  this  enumeration  we  should  hare  omitted  the  sys- 
tems of  the  astrologers  and  the  signaturists,  but  that  the 
fancies  of  the  latter  still  remain.  The  former  we  may 
safely  neglect,  though  not  wholly  forgotten  by  the  em- 
pirical old  women  of  the  country,  who  still  prefer  col- 
lecting plants  at  the  full  or  new  moon.  The  signaturist 
prefers  plants  which  resemble  the  part  diseased  ;  and 
euphrasia  is  still  used  for  complaints  of  the  eyes,  though 
its  original  claim  to  notice  arose  from  a  black  spot  in 
its  corolla  resembling  the  pupil  ;  and  the  pulmonaria  is 
employed  in  diseases  of  the  lungs,  because  ks  form,  its 
texture,  and  its  spotted  areolas,  afford  a  distant  resem- 
blance to  these  organs.  Crollius  is  the  great  authority 
of  this  sect  :  but  to  return  to  more  rational  authors. 

The  earliest  therapeutical  authors  were  the  natural 
historians  ;  for  to  their  descriptions  of  plants  were 
usually  added  their  medical  virtues.  The  herbals,  as 
they  may  be  called,  from  the  time  of  Theophrastus  and 
Dioscorides  to  Gerarde,  Etc.  are  full  of  extravagant 
commendations  of  the  most  inert  vegetables.  The  latter 
authors  were  indeed  compilers  only;  and,  if  they  added 
6  B  2 


M  A.  T 


924 


M  A  T 


to  the  bulk  of  their  volumes,  were  little  anxious  about 
their  value.  They  are,  in  general,  careful  to  tell  us 
in  what  degree  a  medicine  is  hot  or  cold,  to  what  te.n- 
perament  it  is  best  adapted  :  but  to  distinguish  the  dis- 
eases, or  the  periods  of  any  disease  in  v,  hich  a  given 
plant  would  be  most  salutary,  was  often  beyond  their 
powers. 

When  botany  assumed  a  more  scientific  aspect,  and 
distinction  as  well  as  description  was  its  object,  our 
knowledge  of  the  materia  medica  was  greatly  assisted. 
The  herbalists  had  accumulated  their  commendations 
with  little  discrimination  ;  but  in  the  materia  medica 
of  Linnaeus  we  find  more  accuracy.  He  first  published 
that  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  and  afterwards  in  the 
Amcenitates  Academicse  those  of  the  animal  and  mi- 
neral. In  each  he  followed  his  own  system.  These 
treatises  were  republished  by  Schreber  at  Vienna,  in 
1773,  with  additions  from  the  Amcenitates  and  the  later 
works  of  the  northern  naturalist.  In  this  volume  we 
are  told  whether  a  medicine  is  common,  rare,  or  useless ; 
and,  in  enumerating  the  qualities,  which  are  those  of  the 
greatest  importance,  the  author  points  out  often,  by  dis- 
tinguishing marks,  how  far  the  boasted  powers  may  be 
depended  on.  Tessari,  in  hisrepublicationsof  Linnseus's 
system  at  Venice  under  the  title  of  Materia  Medica  Con- 
tracta,  has  carried  this  plan  farther;  and  in  a  MS.  which 
•was  some  years  since  intended  for  publication,  it  is  still 
farther  extended  and  more  complete.  Bergius,  an  author 
of  the  Linnsean  school,  has  described  plants  according  to 
his  master's  system,  and,  in  the  most  precise  and  point- 
ed language,  conveys  very  accurate  ideas  of  the  sensible 
qualities  of  every  vegetable  remedy.  Of  the  qualities 
he  only  mentions  the  most  important;  and  the  practical 
observations,  almost  exclusively  his  own,  are  few, 
though  important.  He  apoligizes  for  not  copying  for- 
mer authors  by  observing,  "  that  those  who  have  ex- 
amined them  will  soon  discover  that  so  many  fictions 
are  interspersed  with  what  is  true,  that  they  cannot  be 
easily  separated.  Many  writers  on  the  materia  medica, 
he  adds,  "  have  injured  this  science  by  trifling  fictions 
and  conjectures  ;  by  inventing  qualities  dictated  by  their 
prejudices,  which  they  have  obtruded  on  nature.  Some 
have  compiled  from  former  authors,  inserting  their 
own  opinions  and  their  own  observations.  Many,  with 
too  much  credulity,  have  adopted  and  transcribed  the 
assertions  of  their  predecessors,  though  of  doubtful  au- 
thority and  sometimes  ridiculous-)  so  that,  in  more  re- 
cent authors,  we  find  the  old  remnants  repeatedly 
hashed  ;  blunders  again  and  again  copied."  We  atM 
the  words  of  Bergius  partly  as  an  apology  for  ourselves, 
since  from  the  pages  of  Motherby  we  have  been  obliged 
to  expunge  qualities  of  medicines  far  more  numer- 
ous than  those  which  the  experience  of  others,  or  our 
own,  has  justified  us  in  retaining.  The  pharmaceutical 
and  miscellaneous  remarks  of  Bergius  are  highly  valua- 
ble ;  and  we  regret  that  the  animal  and  mineral  king- 
dom had  not  equally  shared  his  attention. 

HALLER,  in  his  description  of  the  plants  of  Switzer- 
land, has  followed,  in  the  arrangement,  his  own  botani- 
eal  system.  As  usual,  he  has  annexed  to  each  plant  its 
medical  virtues  ;  and  this  portion  of  the  work  has  been 
republished  by  Vicat  in  two  small  volumes.  Haller  sel- 
dom indeed  speaks  from  himself;  for  he  was  not  a 
practical  physician,  and  his  compilation  is  not  very  dis- 
criminated. The  best  part  of  his  work  relates  to  the 


domestic  medicine  of  the  Swiss  mountaineer;.  j)i 
WOODVILLE'S  Medical  Botany  is  of  this  class  ;  but  in  ' 
his  three  volumes  he  only  considers  the  vegetables  in- 
cluded in  the  lists  of  the  London  and  Edinburgh  col- 
leges. In  the  fourth,  some  of  the  plants  used  in  me- 
dicine, not  included  in  these  catalogues,  are  figured 
and  described.  The  substance  of  this  w.ork  is  chiefly 
taken  from  the  materia  medica  of  Lewis  and  Cuilen ; 
but  the  plates,  which  are  indeed  elegant  and  accurate. 
are  equally  beautiful,  and  far  more  numerous  in  the  large 
and  expensive  folio  of  Plenck.  RAY,  in  his  history  of 
plants,  adds  their  medical  virtues;  but  Ray,  like  Haller, 
was  no  practitioner;  and  the  greatest  abilities,  the 
soundest  judgment,  will  not  teach  that  nice  medical 
discrimination,  without  which  compilations  are  useless. 
Yet  Ray's  collections  are  so  extensive,  that  he  merits 
all  the  attention,  which  is  not  inconsiderable,  that  he  has 
received.  Some  other  authors  have  treated  of  the  ma- 
teria medica  as  general  botanists.  The  pharmacologia 
of  our  own  Dale  is  obsolete,  yet  it  displays  judgment  and 
discrimination;  for  he  has  avoided  the  common  error 
of  his  predecessors,  that  of  collecting  every  idle  obser- 
vation from  the  works  of  his  predecessors.  Simon 
Paulli's  Quadripartitum,  Botanicum,  connected,  how- 
ever, but  slightly  with  the  botanists,  is  deservedly  ne- 
glected; and  Zorn's  Botanologia  Medica,  in  the  Ger- 
man language,  scarcely  merits  more  attention. 

It  is  not  from  forgetfulness  that  we  have  omitted  no- 
ticing MURRAY'S  A/ifiaratus  Medicaminum,  in  six  vo- 
lumes of  unequal  bulk.  We  have  separated  this  work 
from  the  rest,  because  it  affords  the  first  example  of  ar- 
ranging vegetable  medicines  from  their  natural  orders. 
We  have  already  spoken  of  his  merit  in  this  respect; 
and  must  now  add,  that  he  has  collected  with  great  care 
what  the  best  practitioners  who  preceded  him  had 
taught,  and  has  probably  left  little  for  his  successors  but 
the  labour  of  discrimination.  This  part  of  the  task  he 
has  greatly  neglected;  and  his  work  is, on  this  account, 
by  far  less  valuable  than  it  might  have  been.  His  col- 
lection, however,  is  by  no  means  like  that  of  Vogcl, 
indiscriminate.  Gmelin  has  published  the  materia 
medica  of  the  mineral  kingdom  as  a  Supplement  to 
Murray's  Apparatus,  but  with  still  less  discrimination, 
and  with  very  few  marks  of  a  correct  judgment. 

Many  authors  on  this  subject  have  followed  a  more 
arbitrary  arrangement,  though  in  part  botanical.  Thus, 
Simon  Paulli  has  divided  his  plants  as  they  flourish  in 
either  of  the  four  seasons ;  Vogel,  according  as  the 
leaves,  bark,  wood,  or  roots  are  employed,  again  subdi- 
vided as  frequently  or  seldom  employed,  or  as  obsolete, 
arranging  them  afterwards  alphabetically.  The  subject 
is  thus  broken  into  so  many  detached  parts,  that  from 
the  laboured  order  the  greatest  confusion  arises.  Vogel 
is  also  a  most  laborious  collector,  with  little  discrimi- 
nation ;  and  though  a  judicious  practitioner,  seems  in 
this  work  to  have  forgotten  himself,  and  to  have  become 
a  compiler  only.  It  is,  however,  a  manual  little  inferior 
in  extent  of  compilation,  though  of  comparatively  little 
bulk,  to  that  of  Murray.  Another  collector  who  fol- 
lows, in  part,  a  botanical  arrangement,  but  who  does 
not  display  a  superior  discrimination,  is  Dr.  Alston. 
His  chief  value  arises  from  his  copious  compilations 
from  the  Greek  and  Roman  authors  ;  but  his  materials 
are  so  inartificially  and  unpleasingly  compacted,  that  we 
suspect  that  he  has  been  seldom  read. 


M  A  T 


925 


MAT 


HERMAN,  in  his  cynosura  of  the  materia  medica,  has 
v.nitcd  the  botanical  and  chemical  authors.  He  arranges 
his  vegetable  remedies  from  the  parts  employed,  and 
subdivides  them  according  to  their  chemical  analysis. 
His  work  is  little  known  in  this  country,  and  as  a  com- 
pilation from  almost  forgotten  German  authors  deserv- 
edly neglected.  GEOFFROY,  who  follows  a  botanical  ar- 
rangement, has  been  also  peculiarly  attentive  to  chemi- 
cal analysis;  and  his  Materia  Medica  is  equalled  by  few 
works  on  the  subject  in  extent  of  information  or  judi- 
cious discrimination.  It  is  unfortunately  little  known, 
though  meriting  from  the  student  minute  attention  ;  __ 
and  there  ave  few  veterans  in  practice  who  might  not 
consult  it  with  advantage.  The  Supplement,  contain- 
ing the  account  of  animals  by  Nobleville  and  his  coad- 
jutors, is  of  very  inferior  merit.  Neumann,  in  his  che- 
mical works,  gives  us  some  very  judicious  and  minute 
analysis  of  vegetable  remedies;  but  the  system  of  ma- 
teria medica  which  rests  chiefly  as  the  foundation  of  its 
arrangement  on  the  chemical  contents  of  medicines, 
is  that  of  CARTHEUSER,  which,  on  this  account,  merits 
particular  regard,  and  is,  in  some  other  views,  a  valua- 
ble and  judicious  work. 

If  these  systems  are  arbitrary  in  their  arrangement, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  apparatus  medicaminum 
giving  little  assistance  to  the  student,  and  scarcely 
illustrating  the  use  of  any  medicine,  by  the  observations 
that  may  have  been  offered  on  the  preceding  or  fol- 
lowing article,  still  less  advantageous  must  be  the  alpha- 
betical order  which  Lewis  has  followed  in  a  most  ad- 
mirable work,  and  Dr.  Rutty,  in  a  very  inferior  one,  on 
the  materia  medica;  an  arrangement,  if  it  can  be  styled 
one,-  which  Vogel,  Geoffroy,  and  Herman,  have  in  a 
great  degree  adopted.  The  therapeutical  writers  on  the 
materia  medica  have  followed  a  very  different  path. 
Considering  medicines  as  producing  certain  specific 
changes  in  the  body,  those  which  produce  given  changes 
.are  arranged  under  the  different  and  appropriate 
heads.  We  thus  find  not  only  the  principles  on  which 
they  act,  but  are  able,  with  very  little  inconvenience, 
to  compare  in  given  circumstances  the  advantages  and 
disadvantages  of  each,  or  when  disappointed  in  the 
effects  of  one,  to  supply  its  place  with  another.  In 
this  way  also  the  individuals  of  each  class  form  one 
separate  distinct  subject,  scarcely,  if  at  all,  broken  by 
a  consideration  of  the  different  qualities  of  each.  In 
the  arbitrary  alphabetical  arrangement,  which,  from  the 
nature  of  this  work  we  are  compelled  to  adopt,  we  can 
scarcely  avail  ourselves  of  the  advantages  just  stated. 
\Ve  have  endeavoured,  however,  to  combine  this  plan 
by  enlarging  the  therapeutical  articles,  and  interweav- 
ing, in  these,  the  foundation  of  our  choice  of  individu- 
als, in  different  circumstances. 

It  will  be  obvious,  that  in  pursuing  a  plan  of  this  kind, 
authors  must  differ  according  to  their  different  objects. 
Thus  SPIELMAX,  wlio  connects  the  chemical  and  the- 
rapeutical sects,  scarcely  employs  indications  but  as  the 
titles  of  his  chapters;  while  Dr.  CULLEX,  diffuse  on  the 
therapeia,  is  short  and  often  unsatisfactory  in  the  history 
of  many  individuals.  In  short,  this  latter  work,  though 
vast,  bold  and  comprehensive  in  its  design,  is,  however, 
as  it  has  been  styled  by  an  able  critic,  rather  the  philoso- 
phy of  the  materia  medica  than  a  detail  of  the  nature 
and  properties  of  medicines.  CRANTZ'  work  is  short  and 
unsatisfactory  in  a  therapeutical  view,  though  judicious 


and  able  in  the  remarks  on  different  medicines  ;  while 
JU.VKER,  and  DE  GORTER,  offer  little  but  a  catalogue  of 
medicines  arranged  according  to  indications.  The  latter, 
though  published  as  that  of  David,  was  really  the  work 
of  his  father,  John  De  Gorier,  one  of  the  most  judicious 
and  intelligent  commentators  on  the  aphorisms  of  Hip- 
pocrates. The  choice  of  the  plans  of  teaching  the  ma- 
teria medica  must  lie  between  the  arrangement  of  me- 
dicines according  to  their  natural  orders,  or  according 
to  their  therapeutical  qualities.  The  botanical  aflfi;; 
in  the  Linnaean  orders  are  not,  however,  so  strictly  me- 
dical as  to  render  this  plan  very  eligible,  and  though 
the  arrangement  is  improved  by  Murray,  it  is  far  from 
being  sufficiently  accurate  for  this  purpose.  The  natu,- 
ral  orders  of  Jussieu,  as  more  numerous,  aremore  natu- 
ral in  a  botanical  view,  but  are  consequently  less  usefully 
therapeutical.  The  therapeutical  plan  is,  therefore,  un- 
doubtedly preferable,  and,  with  it.  the  former  may  be  more 
intimately  united  than  by  Dr.  Cullen,  for  he  has  not  in- 
troduced all  the  natural  orders  of  Linnaeus,  though  he 
has  grouped  some  vegetables,  in  orders  strictly  natural, 
not  found  in  the  fragments.  The  orders  are  not  so 
numerous  as  to  require  what  Linnaeus  calls  a  method, 
or  a  clavis,  to  connect  them  ;  yet  their  arrangement  is 
by  no  means  to  be  neglected,  as  the  therapeutical  obser- 
vations necessary  to  introduce  eaclrare  intimately  con- 
nected. Dr.  Lewis  has  proposed  an  arrangement  of  the 
materia  medica  into  eleven  natural  orders,  which  are 
not  formed  exclusively  from  the  properties  or  the  effects. 
These  are  acids,  absorbent  earths,  insoluble  earths, 
glutens,  oils,  astringents,  sweets,  acrids,  aromatics, 
bitters,  and  emetics,  including  cathartics.  These  orders 
certainly  afford  no  eligible  system  of  arrangement. 
Some  minuter  groups  retained  in  the  foreign  pharma- 
copoeia, as  the  four  cold  seeds,  &c.  we  shall  notice  under 
PHARMACIA. 

In  Dr.  Cullen's  system  the  materia  medica  is  divided 
into  nutrients  and  medicines :  nutrients  are  food  and 
drink,  with  which  condiments  are  joined. 

Medicines  either  act  I.  on  the  solids,  or  II.  fluids. 
The  first  act  either  on  the  simple  or  the  vital  solid. 
Medicines  which  act  on  the  simple  solid  are  astringen- 
tia,  tonica,  emollientia,  and  erodentia.  Those  which  act 
on  the  vital  solid  are  stimulantia,  sedativa^  including 
narcotica,  refrigerantia,  and  antisfiasmodica. 

Those  which  act  on  the  fluids  are  such  as  either  pro- 
duce a  change,  or  occasion  some  evacuation.  The 
changes  respect  the  fluidity,  comprising  atttnuantia  and 
ins/iissantia,  or  the  mixture  :  when  they  correct  general 
acrimony,  they  are  sl\\eddemulcentia;  when  particular 
acrimony,  antacida,  antalkalina,  and  antisefitica.  The 
medicines  which  occasion  evacuations  are  errhina,  siala- 
goga,  exfiectorantia^  emetica,  cathartica,  diuretica,  dia 
fihoretica,  and  menagoga. 

In  this  arrangement  Dr.  Cullen  has  forsaken  his  own 
system  of  pathology,  since  the  fluids,  in  his  opinion, 
are  not  affected,  without  previously  influencing  the 
moving  powers.  Some  other  critical  remarks  might  be 
added,  were  this  the  place  for  such  disquisitions.  To 
connect  this  part  of  the  work  with  what  has  preceded, 
and  will  follow,  we  shall  add  what  appears  to  us  a  more 
convenient  arrangement,  and  subjoin  a  list  of  the  ma- 
teria medica  adapted  to  it,  adding  the  pharmaceutical 
or  Linnaean  names,  while  the  more  particular  refc" 
ences  mav  be  found  under  each  article. 


M  A  T 


926 


31  A  T 


It  has  been  usual  in  these  circumstances,  with  Spiel- 
man  and  Cullen,  to  premise  the  nutrientia  ;  but  as  this 
would  only  extend  the  clavis,  and  we  have  already 
treated  of  it  at  some  length  under  ALIMENT,  q.  v.  we 
shall  now  omit  this  class,  which  consists  only  of  FOOD, 

DRINK,  and  CONDIMENTS. 

MEDICAMENTA  AGUNT. 
I.  In  Solida  viva. 
«.  1 .  Motum  augent. 

in  vcntriculo. 
EMETICA. 

Intestinis. 
CATHARTICA. 
Vasis  extremis. 

DlAPHORETICA. 

Renibus. 

DlURETICA. 

Bronchiorum  glandulis. 

EXPECTORAXTIA. 

Narium  glandulis. 
ERRHINA. 
Salivae  glandulis-. 

SdALAGOGA. 

Uteri  vasis. 
EMENAGOGA. 

Toto  corpore. 
STIMULANTIA. 

Cardiaca. 

Analefitica. 

Attrahentia. 

Discutientia. 

3.  Motum  imminuunt. 

a.  REFRIGERANTIA. 

Resolventia. 
/3  ANTISPASMODICA. 
S.Tonum  imminuunt. 
SEDANTIA. 

Anodyna. 

Inirritantia. 

4.  Tonum  augent. 

TONICA. 

II.  In  Fluida. 

1.  Crasin  immutantia. 

a.  ATTENUANTIA. 

j3  INSPISSANTIA. 

y  ALTERANTIA. 
"2.  Acredinem  corrigenda. 

«  DEMULCENTIA. 

(3  ANTACIDA. 

•y  ANTALKALIXA. 

^ANTISEPTICA. 

III.  In  Solida  simplicia. 

*  EMOLLIENTIA. 

Relaxantia. 
/3  ERODENTIA. 

y  ASTRINGENTIA. 

IV.  In  Corpora  aliena. 

1.  Venena. 

ALF.XITERIA. 

Antiduta. 

2.  Calculum. 


LlTHOXTRIPTICA, 

3.  Venues. 

ANTHELMINTICA. 

The  classes  of  the  materia  medica  are  not  so  numer- 
ous as  to  require  what  is  usually  styled  a  methodus  ; 
and,  if  any  thing  were  sacrificed"  to  the  parade  of  system 
by  this  means,  it  would  be  improperly  adopted.  What- 
ever may  be  its  merits,  it  has  no  disadvantages,  for  the 
arrangement  is  exactly  such  as  if  the  orders  were  na- 
tural and  independent ;  and  the  clavis  limits  the  inten- 
tion of  the  group  with  peculiar  accuracy.  The  evacu- 
ants  most  nearly  related  follow  each  other  ;  and  as  no 
evacuation  can  take  place  without  the  excitement  of 
the  vessels  as  muscular  organs,  so  in  the  following 
class,  stimulantia,  where  the  nervous  system  is  more 
generally  affected,  a  general  action  of  the  vessels  of 
the  whole  system  usually  accompanies.  Of  the  syno- 
nyms of  Stimulantia  the  two  first,  should  such  medicines 
exist,  act  more  peculiarly  on  the  nervous  system  :  the 
two  last  are  topical  remedies.  The  distinction  between 
general  and  topical  medicines  usually  admitted  is,  at 
best,  useless,  if  not  injurious ;  for  the  most  active  in- 
ternal medicines,  are  often  powerful  topics. 

The  next  division  is  also  connected  with  some  action 
on  the  sanguiferous  system,  which  disappears  in  the 
second  class,  the  antispasmodics.  Resolvents  are  truly 
refrigerants,  for  discutients  occur  in  a  subsequent  part. 
The  medicines  which  increase  tone  are  included  under 
tonica,  and  the  astringents  are  referred  to  those  medi- 
cines which  act  on  the  simple  solid.  Some  certainly 
act  on  both,  and  astringents,  as  already  explained,  (see 
ASTRINGENTIA,)  sometimes  ^appear  to  be  tonics.  The 
medicines  which  diminish  tone,  diminish  also  sensi- 
bility and  excitability ;  and  we  have  added  as  synonyms 
anodyna  and  inirritantia;  those  which  possess  an  op- 
posite quality  are  commonly  associated  in  idea  with 
stimulants. 

We  have  admitted,  with  limitation  and  reluctance, 
any  action  of  medicines  on  the  fluids,  adopting  the  ax- 
iom of  the  nervous  pathologists,  that  the  constitution 
forms  its  own  fluids.  Yet  some  complaisance  is  due  to 
many  excellent  physicians  of  the  Boerhaavian  school, 
and  it  is  at  least  necessary  to  point  out  the  medicines 
which  have  been  employed  with  these  views.  The  third 
of  the  classes  of  the  first  division,  the  alterantia,  is  vague; 
yet  the  action  of  remedies  in  scurvy,  in  what  are  styled 
scorbutic  eruptions,  in  lepra,  and  some  other  cases, 
must  be  collected  into  one  group,  and  it  is  not  easy  to 
find  a  more  proper  place.  In  the  second  division  we 
clearly  perceive  the  action  of  demulcents  on  the  throat, 
the  stomach  and  alimentary  canal,  the  urinary  organs, 
and  perhaps  the  bronchial  glands.  The  antacids  and 
antalkalines  are  at  least  useful  in  the  stomach,  and 
some  medicines  undoubtedly  act,  chemically,  as  anti- 
septics. 

The  medicines  which  act  on  the  simple  solids  afford 
few  subjects  of  remark.  If  relaxants  are  any  •  thing 
more  than  emollients,  they  bear  the  same  reference  to 
the  sedantia  that  the  astringents  do  to  the  tonics ;  at 
least  they  seem  to  act  through  the  medium  of  the  simple 
solid.  For  these  and  the  other  reasons  assigned,  the 
astringents  are  referred  to  this  place.  The  last  general 
division  contain  classes  independent  in  their  operation 
on  each  other.  Lithontriptics  may  be  only  antacids, 


M  A  T 


927 


M  A  T 


but  they  are  said,  with  confidence,  to  dissolve  the  calcu- 
lus. Anthelmintics  may  be  only  drastic  purgatives,  but 
some  at  least  kill  worms.  The  observations  on  the 
subdivisions  of  the  catalogue  must  be  deferred  till  that 
is  concluded. 

It  is  a  common  objection  to  any  arrangement,  that 
some  medicines  possess  very  different  powers,  and  that 
their  proper  places  are  not  easily  ascertained.  Instances 
of  this  kind  occur  in  mercury  and  steel.  Repetition, 
however,  is  unavoidable ;  and  those  who  seek  for  the 
medicine  appropriated  to  any  disease  in  such  catalogues, 
must  find  them  in  each  list.  The  more  general  author 
on  the  materia  medica,  will,  treat  of  them  under  that 
head  where  iheir  powers  are  most  conspicuous;  and 
the  medicine  will  again  recur,  where,  from  its  prepara- 
tion, or  exhibition,  peculiar  properties  are  discovered  in 
it.  The  catalogue,  which  we  shall  add,  will  differ  from 
former  ones  by  the  subdivision  into  groups,  which  may 
be  styled  orders,  an  attempt  first  made  by  Dr.  Duncan 
in  his  Therapeutics.  The  plan  we  have  followed  is 
adapted  to  the  therapeutical  ideas  offered  under  the  dif- 
ferent articles ;  and  we  consider  this  mode  of  arrange- 
ment as  peculiarly  useful  at  least  to  the  student,  since 
it  offers  at  almost  one  view  a  more  distinct  idea  of  the 


powers  and  properties  of  each  medicine  than  is  obtained 
in  the  best  systems.  The  catalogue  itself  can  possess 
no  other  very  peculiar  advantages;  yet  we  cannot  con- 
clude this  part  of  the  subject  without  acknowledging  our 
obligations  to  the  very  excellent  syllabus  of  Dr.  George 
Pearson,  who  lectures  on  the  materia  medica  with  dis- 
tinguished, and  if  we  can  judge  from  this  little  work, 
with  the  most  merited  reputation. 

In  our  general  observations  on  the  materia  medica, 
we  mentioned  the  plan  of  some  authors,  and  particu- 
larly of  Tessari,  of  distinguishing  the  degree  of  power 
by  slight  marks  at  the  end.  This  idea  we  have  occa- 
sionally pursued  ;  and  while  we  have  followed,  without 
any  very  nice  discrimination,  the  conduct  of  our  pre- 
decessors in  the  medicines  inserted  under  each  class, 
when  their  powers  are  considerable'we  have  added  a 
note  of  admiration  (!);  when  dangerous  two  (!!); 
when  trifling,  a  semicolon  (;);  when  doubtful,  a  note 
of  interrogation  (?);  when  the  medicine  has  been  in- 
troduced by  fancy,  folly,  superstition  or  prejudice,  a  co- 
lon (:).  These  marks  are  only  added  to  a  few,  and  for 
the  Linnaean  appellations  and  synonyms  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  separate  articles. 


I.  EMETICA. 

a..  .Vauseosa. 
Scillae  radix ! 
Antimonii   praparationes,   refracta 

dosi. 

Digitalis  purpurea,  folia  ! 
Xicotiana ! 
Nux  vomica! 
Colchicum  autumnale. 

/3.   Evacuantia. 

Rmetica  J\rauseosa,  auctd  dosi. 
Asarum. 

Raphanus  rusticanus,  radix. 
Sinapi  nigrum  et  album,  semen. 
Bryonia  alba. 
Gratiola  ofrkinalis. 
Veratrum  album. 
Ipecacuanha. 
— — — -^—^—  alba ; 
Cathartica  dra&tica. 
Amara  calida  dicta. 

Carduus  benedictus.  semen. 

Chamomaelum.  flores. 

Absynthium.  folia. 

Genista,  summitates.  semen. 
Zincum  vitriolatum  et  ustum ! 
Cuprum  vitriolatum ! 
Platinae  praeparationes? 
Ammonia; 
Aqua  distillata  flammulae  Jovis ! 

ranunculi ! 

linguae ! 

Emctica  epigastric  infricata; 
Aqua  calida,  praesertirn  ope. 


CATALOGUE. 

Sails  marini,  Olei  communis. 

Pulv.  sem.  sinapeos,  Hepatis. 

Sulphuris,  vel  putridorum. 
Motus  vertiginosus,  vel  inusitatus. 
Associatio. 

y.  Irrltantia. 
Erigerum  succus ! 
Hydrargyrus  vitriolatus ! ! 
Vitrum  antimonii! 
Arsenicum ! ! 


II.  CATHARTICA. 

*.  Lenitrva. 
Sales  tcrrei  et  neutri. 
Alum  ? 
Selenita  ? 

Aquae  minerales  salinae ; 
Fructus  acido  dulces; 
Cerevisia; 
Vinum; 

Lac  acidulatum ; 
Sapo. 

Cassia  fistularis  fructus. 
Manna. 

Saccharum  impurum; 
Mel; 

Fructus  siccati; 
Oleum  olivae. 


vege- 


ricini. 

Thalictrum. 
Infusum  coffeae ;  ? 
JLmetica  nauseosa. 
evacuaneia. 


Balsamum  copaibae; 

Gum  asafcetida; 

Sagapenum ; 

Opoponax; 

Myrrha; 

Galbanum; 

Rosa  damascena.  folia; 

Bilis? 

Infusa    aquea    animalia    vel 

tabilia  copiose  hausta. 
Enemata  aquosa. 

Cathartica  acria  abdomini  infricata  ? 
Aqua  frigida  in  femora  et  ventrem 

cum  impetu  adacta. 

/3.  Purgativa. 
Sena,  folia. 
Jalapium.  radix! 
Mechoacanna.  radix. 
Rheum,  radix. 

Aloes  succotrini  succus  inspissatus, 
Polypodium.  radix. 
Myrobolans  fructus. 
Pulvis  antimonialis. 
Calomelas ! 

Rhamnus  catharticus.  baccse. 
Senega,  radix! 
Nitras  et  phosphas  argenti? 
Peragua.  folia. 

'/.  Drastica. 
Gutta  gamba.  gum. 
Scammonium  gummi  resinae. 
Elaterium ! 

Colocynthis  fructus  medulla. 
Convolvulus  brasiliensis. 


M  A  T 


928 


M  A  T 


Convolvulus  soklanella ! 

curpethum! 

Gratiola.  loiia. 

Alnus  nigra; 

Linuin  catharticum.  folia. 

Hclieborus  niger  et  albus.  radix. 

Genista,  semen! 

Arthanita! 

Cucumis  asininus  fructus! 

Sambucus  niger.  cortex. 

Sambucus  ebulus  cortex  interior. 

Iris  nostras  succus ! 

Cheledonium  radix. 

Agaricus  muscarius. 

Boletus  larycinus. 

Anagyris  foetida. 

Croton  tiglium! 

Carthamus  tinctorius.  semen,  flores 

Buxus.  folia. 

Bryonia  alba  et  dioica ! 

Euphorbia:  species  omncs ! 

Lycopodium  selago. 

Mercurialis  annua. 

^.  Narcotica. 
Nicotiana.  folia ! 
Digitalis  purpurea.  folia. 
Lactuca  sylvestris. 
Drastica  odor  is  tctrl  et  sa/ioris  a  mari? 


III.  DIAFHOHETICA. 

«.  Diajmoica. 

Argenti  vivi  praeparationes  variae. 
Guaiacum  lignum. 
Sarsaparilla.  radix. 
China,  radix. 
Ulmus.  cortex  interior. 
Mezereon.  radix. 
Gestatio. 
Navigatio. 
Libratio. 
Frictio. 
Aer  frigidior. 
Potiones  frigidae. 

acidulae. 

Applicationes  frigidae. 
Lavatio  frigida. 

ft.  Relaxantia. 

Antimonii  praeparationes  variae. 
Ipecacuanha. 
Scilla. 
Opium. 
Acetum 
Calor  mediocris. 

Solidorum.    , 

Balnei. 

Semicupii. 

Pediluvii. 

Fotus. 

Aeris. 
Serum  lactis. 

EX  aceto. 


y.  Stimu/antia. 
Calor  eximius. 
Contrayerva. 
Serpentaria. 
Infusa  calida. 

Menthae. 

Macis. 

Melissae. 

Calendulse. 

Salviae. 

Caryopliyllorum. 

Scordii. 

Sassafrae. 

Cinnamomi. 

Pimento. 

Zinziberis. 

Marjoranae. 

Sinapeos  sem. 

Thymi. 

Coriandri  sem. 

Serpentariae. 

Carui  sem. 
Alcohol. 
Vinum. 
Cerevisia. 
Ammonia. 


IV.  DIURETIC  A. 

a,  Diluentia. 
Aqua. 

Diafihoretica  rclaxantia. 
Acidulae. 

Fructus  acido  dulces. 
Oleraceae. 

/2.  Stimulantia. 
1.  Salina. 
Alkali  fixum. 

purum. 

carbonatum. 

supercarbonatum. 


Strontiae  solutio? 
Magnesia?  ; 
Barytes  ? 

Sales  alkalini  neutri 
Acida  vegetabilia. 
Fructus  acido  dulces. 
.  Aeria. 
Alliacea. 
Scilla. 

Herbae  siliquosae  et  siliculosae. 
Juniper!  baccae. 
Apium  graveolens. 

petroselinum. 

Scandex  chaerifolium. 

Daucus  sylvestris.  semen. 

Faeniculum.  semen. 

Stellatae  ? 

Asparagus.  Turiones. 

Bardana? 

Arum,  radix? 

Eryngium  maritimum  ?  radix. 

Persicaria  urens  herba? 


Seneka.  radix. 

•y.  Narcotica. 
Arnica? 
Dulcamara  ? 

Nicotiana.    folio  rum    ustorum  lixi- 
vium. 

Lactuca  virosa; 
Digitalis ! 

Genista,  summitates. 
Alkekengi. 

V.  ExPECTORANTIA. 

a.  Demulcentia. 
Saccharum. 
Mel. 
Extract,  malvae  (pate  de  guimauve 

hordei  vegetantis  (malt). 

Amylum. 

Liquoritia. 

Succi  inspissati  fructuum  dulcium. 

Caricae. 

Uvae  passae. 

Gluten  farinae  (bran). 

Gelatina. 

Icthyocolla.   . 

Conserva  cynosbatum. 

Gummi  arabicum. 

tragacanthae. 

cerasorum. 

Lini  semen. 

Mucilago  seminis  cydonii. 

Sapo. 

Expectorantia  demulcentia. 

Oleum  expressum  olivae. 

amygdylarum. 

seminipapaveris. 

cacao. 

Tussilago. 
Petasites. 

/3.  Refrigeranlla. 
Succi  spissati  ribis  nigri  et  rubri. 
Conserva  lujulae. 
Pruna  gallica  et  sylvestria. 
Fructus  acido  dulces. 
Limonum  succus. 
Nitrum. 
Acetum. 
Vapor  aceti  cum  aqua  calida. 

y.  Relaxantia. 
Aquae  vapor. 
Emetica  nauseosa. 
Ipecacuanha. 
Opium. 
Digitalis. 
Nicotiana? 
Hydrogenium.  gas  ? 
Seneka.  radix. 

£  Stimulantia. 
Balsama,  q.  v. 
Benzoinum  ? 


M  A  T 


929 


31  AT 


Gum  ammoniacum  ! 

myrrhae. 

asa  foetida. 

resinae  fcetidae  aliae  ; 

Umbellatarum  semina. 
Angelica,  radix; 
Hedera  terrestris ; 
Hyssopus  herba. 
Marrubium  album. 
A  grimonia  ? 
Pulegiutn. 
Iris  florentina. 
Enula  campana. 
Siliquosae. 
Alliaceae  ! 
Scilla  ! 

Colchicum  autumnale. 
Aquae  vapor  imbutus. 

Herbis  aromaticis. 

Oleis  essentialibus. 

Alcohole. 

Oleo  vini. 

JE.  there. 

Acido  nitroso. 
Aer  ae there,  fccc.  imbutus. 
Ammonia. 
Oxygen : 

VI.  ERRHIXA. 

<t.     Mitiora. 
Primula  veris. 
Iris,  radix. 
Lavendula.  flores. 
Beta,  radix,  succus. 
Betonica.  folia. 
Marjorana. 

Hippocastanum.  fructus. 
Rosmarinus.  summitates  flores. 

ft.  jicriora. 
Asarum. 
Euphorbium. 
Xicotiana. 
Helleborus  albus. 
Ptarmica.  folia,  flores. 
Iris  nostras.  radix. 
Pyrethrum. 
Marum  syriacum. 
Hydrargyrus  vitriolatus. 

VII.  SIALAGOGA. 

<*.     Secreioria. 
Hydrargyri  praeparationos. 
Acidum  nitricum  ? 

ft.    Excretoria. 
Nicotiana. 
Pyretrum. 
Piper. 

Carypphyllus. 
Angelica. 
Imperatoria. 
Stavisagria.  semen. 
Zinziber. 

VOL.    I. 


Mezereum. 
Mastiche;? 

VIII.  EMMEXAGOGA. 

«.   Stimulantia. 
Oxygenii  gas. 
Exercitatio. 
Gestatio. 
Frictio. 
Electricitas. 
Alcohol  ? 
Dapes  lautae. 

Calor  aeris  vaporis  vel  aquae. 
Ferrum. 
Oleum  animate. 
Balsamum  peruvianum. 
Petroleum. 
£metica. 
Hyssopus. 
Guaiacum. 
Ammonia. 
Argentum  vivum. 
Bathonienses  aquae. 
Pathemata  excitantia. 

ft.  Irritantia. 
Cathartica  fiurgantia. 
Oblectamenta  venerea. 
Rubefacientia. 
Cantharides. 
Terebinth  ina. 
Rubia.  radix  ? ; 
Helleborus  niger. 
Electricitatis  impetus  per  pelvim. 
Cucurbitulae  non  cruentae. 

•y.     Antisfia&modica. 
Camphor. 
Sabina. 
Moschus. 
Castor. 

Gununi  resinae  foetidae. 
Ambragrisea  ? 
./Ether. 
Pediluvia. 
Semicupium. 

}    Tonica. 
Cortex  peruvianus  ? 
Amara  calida. 
Lavatio  frigida. 
Gestatio. 
Hilaritas. 
Tranquilitas. 

Metalla  excepto  plumbo.  - 
Aquae  ferrugineae  minerales. 

IX.    STIMULAXTIA. 

a.    Diffusibilia. 
Calor  aeris,  aquae,  vaporis  &  solido- 

rum.  calefactorum. 
Oxygenii  gas  respiratum. 
Valens  materia  alimentaria  ex  ani- 

malibus. 


Exercitatio. 
Pathemata  excitantia. 
Acria  cuti  applicata. 
Frictio. 
Ammonia. 

Hydrargyri  praeparationes. 
Aromatica. 
Caryophylli. 
C  innamomum . 
Balsamita. 
Ginseng. 
Melissa. 

Nardus  celtica  Sc  indica. 
Macis. 

Capsicum  annuum. 
Myristica  mix. 
Canella  alba. 
Piper  cayennensis. 
Pimento. 

Piper  album  6c  nigrum. 
Capsicum. 
Zinziber. 
Cubebae. 

Cortex  winteranus. 
Cardamomum  minus. 
Cassia  lignea. 
Grana  paradisi. 
Aurantium  &  limon.  cortices. 
Aromaticorum  olea  essentialia. 
Balsama. 
Peruvianum. 
Gileadense. 
Copaibae. 
Canadense. 
Terebinthinae. 
Gum  resina  styracis. 

euphorbii. 

benzoe ; 

myrrhae ; 

Scordium.  folia. 
Radices. 
Galangae. 
Zedoariae. 
Calami  aromatici. 
Serpentariae. 
Ari. 

Sarsaparillae. 
Chinae. 
Contrayervae. 
Pulsatillae  nigricantis. 
Verticillatae.  folia  5c  flores. 
Melissa. 
Calamintha. 
Lavendula. 
Dictamnus  creticus. 
Origanum. 
Marjorana. 
Rosmarinus. 
Marum.  syriacum. 
Chamaedrys. 
Betonica. 

Mentha  sativa  Sc  piperitis. 
Menthastrum. 
Mentha  gentilis  Lin. 
Nepeta. 
Pulegium. 
6  C 


MAT 


930 


M  A  T 


Hedera  terrestris. 

Hyssopus. 

Thymus. 

Serpillum. 

Salvia. 

Satureia. 

Verticillatarum.  olea  essentialia. 
Umbellatae.  semina. 

Anethum. 

Anisum. 

Angelica. 

Carui. 

Coriandron. 

Cuminum. 

Fosniculum. 

Pimpinella. 

Ligusticum. 

Imperatoria. 

Seseli  montanum. 

Daucus  sylvestris  &  creticus. 
Umbellatarum  gum  resin  foetidae. 

Asafoetida; 

Galbanum ; 

Opoponax ; 
Siliquosae. 

Sinapi  semen. 

Raphanus  rusticanus.  radix. 

Cochlearia  hortensis.  folia. 

Alliaria. 

Lepidium. 

Eruca.  semina. 

Napus  dulcis.  semina. 

Erysimum. 

Thlaspi.  semen. 

Nasturtium  aquaticum. 

Cardainine.  flores. 
Alliacea — Spathaceae. 

Allium. 

Cepa. 

Porrum. 
Coniferae.  succi  spissati. 

Terebinthina  vulgaris  &  veneta. 

Thus. 

Olibanum  gum  resina. 
Juniperus  baccae. 
Euphorbiae. 

Esula. 

Lathyrus. 

Cataputia. 

Peplus. 

Tithymalus. 
Mezereum. 
Flammula  Jovis. 
Sedum  acre. 
Ladanum. 
Liquid  ambar. 
Gum  elemi. 

0.    Tofiica. 
Natron. 
Sal  marinus. 
Cantharides ! 
Pix  Burgundica. 
Sabina.  folia. 

Anacardiumorientale  &  occidentale. 
Moxse  urentis  flamma. 
Ranunculus  folia,  radix. 


Daphne  laureola. 
Iris  palustris.  succus. 

radix. 

Stavisagriae.  semen. 
Persicaria  urens. 
Urtica.  folia. 
Cevadilla. 
Toxicodendron. 
Arthanita.  radicis  succus. 
Liliaceae. 

Siliquosae. 
Kali  purum. 
.Ammonia  pura. 
Calx  viva. 
Acicla  mineralia. 
Sales  metallici. 

Butyrum  anlimonii !    . 

Mrugo  jEris  ! 

Cuprum  vitriolatum  ! 

Hydrargyrus  muriatus. 

Argentum  nitratum ! 
Oxyda. 

Cupri. 

Hydrargyri. 

Arsenici ! 
Verberatio. 
Urticatio. 

y.  Indirecta. 
Vinum. 
Cerevisia. 
Alcohol ! 

Olea  empyreumatica ! 
.Ether  ! 
Oleum  alcohol  vini. 

dulce  gas  olefiantis. 

Papaveris  succi. 
Lollium  temulentum. 
Cocculus  indicus. 
Kaad  arboris  arabici  summitates. 
Haschich.  folia  arboris  arabici. 
Hyoscyamus  physalodes. 
Peganum  harmala. 
Agaricus  muscarius. 
Rosmarinus  sylvestris. 
Achillaea  millefolium. 

X.  REFRIGERANTIA. 

Sales  neutri. 

terrei ;  ? 

Acida  vegetabilia  nativa. 

— —  fermentatione  orta. 

Fructus  acido  dulces. 

Acetosa. 

Acetosella. 

Cathartica  lenitiva. 

JEmetica  nauseoaa. 

Frigus. 

Materia  alimentaria  imbecilla. 

Sanguinis  missio. 

Arteriarum  sectione. 

Venarum  sectione. 

Hirudinum  vulneribus. 

Cucurbitulis  cruentis. 
Aquae  frigidae  potus. 


Plumbi  prasparationes. 
Stimulorum  abstractio  Sc  evitatio, 

XI.  ANTISPASMODICA. 

«.   Faetida 
Fossilia. 

Ambragrisca. 

Succinum. 

Petroleum. 

Bismuthum. 
Vegetabilia. 

Ruta. 

Sabina. 

Aristolochia; 

Artemisia; 

Atriplex  olida. 

Cardiaca. 

Matricaria. 
Gummi. 

Asafoetida. 

Galbanum. 

Opoponax. 

Tacamahac. 
Camphor. 
Paeonia.  radix. 
Valeriana.  radix. 
Fuligo  ligni- 
Animalium  humores. 

Castor. 

Moschus. 

Zibethum. 

/3.    Sedantia,  q.  v. 
•y.   Stimulantia,  q.  v. 
j\   Emollientia,  q.  v. 
e.  Demulcentia,  q.  v. 
£.    TonicafossiliO)  q.  v. 


XII.  TONICA. 

«.   Amara  calida. 
Cincona.  cortex,  rubra  Sc  flava. 
Angustura.  cortex. 
Swictenia.  cortex. 
Eleutheria.  cortex. 
Aurantium.  cortex. 
Canella  alba. 
Quassia  amara. 

Picrania  amara.  lignum.  Wright. 
Rhodium  lignum. 
Arnica. 

Columba.  radix. 
Kursuta.  radix. 
Angelica,  radix. 
Galanga. 
Zecloaria. 
Iris. 

Curcuma. 

Serpentaria  virginiana. 
Calamus  aromaticus. 
Aristolochia  tenuis. 
Aureliana  canadensis- 
Centaurium  minus. 
Aloes. 


31  A  T 


931 


31  AT 


£.   Amara  narcolica. 
Faba  St.  Ignatii. 
Amygdala  amara. 
Lupulus  flores. 
Chamomaelum.  flores. 
Helleborus  niger.  radix. 
Hippocastanum  fructus. 
Absynthium    Romanutn  &    mariti- 

mum  ? 

Santonicum.  semen. 
Abrotanum  folia  ? 
Carduus  benedictus.  semen. 
Genista,  cacumen. 
Hypericum  flos. 
Tanacetutn  flos  Sc  herba. 
Trifolium  paludosum. 
Marubium  herba. 
Myrrha. 

"/.     Fossilia 
Alumen. 
Acida  mineralia. 
Antacida,  q.  v. 
Metalla. 

Ferrum. 

Zincum. 

Stannum. 

Argentina. 

Arsenicum. 

Cuprum. 

Bisiuuthum. 

f.  Astringentia. 
Quercus.  cortex. 
Gallae. 

Fraxinus.  cortex. 
Lignum  campechense. 
Terra  Japonica. 
Gum  kino. 
Sanguis  draconis  ? 
Acacia  succus. 
Uva  ursi. 
Viscus  quercinus. 
Myrtus. 
Plantago. 
Millefolium. 
Balaustia. 
Senticosas. 

Rosa  rubra  petala. 

Tormentilla.  radix. 

Agrimonia. 
Stellatx. 

Rubia.  radix  ? 

Aparinae  ; 

Galium  ; 
Vaginales  oleraceae. 

Rhaponticum. 

Bistorta. 

Rhabarbarum. 

Hydrolapathum  &  oxylapathum. 

Rhabarbarum  monachorum. 
Cryptogamia. 

Felix  florida. 

Trichomanes. 

Equisetum. 

Muscus  pyxidatus.- 


Fructus. 
Cydonia. 
Pruna  sylvestria. 
Sorba. 

XIII.    SEDANTIA. 
«.   Refrigerantia,  q.  v. 

0.  .Yarcotica. 
Solanaceae. 

Digitalis. 

Belladonna. 

Dulcamara. 

Solanum. 

Mandragora. 

Hyoscyamus. 

Nicotiana. 

Stramonium. 
Umbellatae. 

Conium. 

Cicuta. 

Fceniculum  aquaticura. 

CEnanthe  crocata. 
Opium. 

Passiflora  rubra. 
Aconitum. 
Flammula  Jovis. 
Lactuca  ; 

virosa  ! 

Taraxacum. 

Laurocerasus. 

Laurus. 

Colchicum  ? 

Nymphsea. 

Rhododendron. 

Liquor  anodynus  Hoflmani. 

^Ether. 

Stimulantia  indirecta. 

Antisfiasmodica  fatida. 

Cofieaa  baccae  empyreumaticas. 

Thea. 

Astringentia? 

XIV.     ATTEXUANTIA. 

«.   Diluentia. 
Aqua. 
Aquas  minerales. 

/3.  Solventia. 
Alkali. 
Sales  neutri. 
Sapones. 
Dulcia  ? 
Diseta  insalubris. 

XV;   INSPISSANTIA. 

Acida  mineralia  ? 
Alcohol  ? 
Asiringentia  ? 
Evacuantia  III  IV  ? 
Demulcentia. 
Tonica. 
Siliquosae. 


XVI.  ALTERANTIA- 

Diafihoretica  Diafinoica. 
Diaeta. 

XVII.    DEMULCEKTIA. 

«.  Alucilagino&a. 
Aiperifalif. 

Consolida  major. 

Cynoglossum. 

Pulmonaria. 
Semina. 

Cucurbitae. 

Citrulli. 

Cucumeris. 

Melonis. 

Papaveris. 
Gummi. 
Icthyocolla. 
Amylum. 
£mollientia. 

ft.  Dulcia. 
Mel. 

Uvae  passas. 
Ficus. 
Cynosbatus. 
Glycirrhiza. 

XVIII.     AXTACIDA. 

«.  Astringentia. 
Creta. 

Osteocolla;  ? 

Cancrorum  chelae  &  oculi  : 
Cornu  cervi  ustum  ? 
Corallium  rubrum ; 
Ovorum  testae. 
Ostreorum  testae. 
Margaritae  : 
Materia  alimentaria  valens. 

/3.    Laxantia. 
Alkali  fixum  &  volatile ; 
Sapo. 
Tonica  amara  calida. 

£  Demulcentia. 
Icthyocolla. 
Amylum. 
Gummi. 

XIX.     AKTAX.KALIXA. 

Acida  vegetabilia. 

mineralia. 

Acetosa. 

Acetosella. 

Fructus  acido  dulces. 

Vinum. 

Diaeta  imbecilla. 

Tonica  astringentia. 

XX.    ANTISEPTICA. 
Acida  vegetabilia  &  mineralia. 
6  C  2 


MAT 


932 


M  A  T 


Diaeta  ex  vegetabilibus. 

Fructus  acido  dulces. 

Siliquosae  herbse  8c  radices. 

Semiflosculosse  herbae. 

Umbellatae ;  ? 

Alliaceae. 

Legumina. 

Brassica  fermentatione  acicla. 

Byne. 

Vinurn. 

Alcohol. 

Tonic  a  amara  calida  &  astringentia. 

Opium  ;  ? 

Olea  essentialia. 

empyreumatica  ? 

XXI.  EMOLLIENTIA. 

<*.     Oleosa. 
Oleum  olivae. 

seminis  papaveris. 

Spermaceti  (adipocere). 

Cremor  &  butyrum  lactis. 

Palmse  oleosae. 

Cocos  butyracea. 

Butyrum. 

Axungia  &  sevum  animalium. 

Sapo. 

Cera. 

/3.     Farino-mucilaginosa. 
Farina  lini. 
.  cannabis. 

cydoniorum. 

fcenugraeci. 

psilli. 

Amylum. 

Malva. 

Althaea. 

Branca  ursina. 

Melilotus. 

Sapenaria. 

Liliorum  alborum  radices. 

Cepae. 

Gummi  arabicum. 

tragacanthae,  Sec. 

'/.     Aquosa. 

Aqua  &  vapores  aquosae. 
Atriplex. 
Beta. 

Bonus  Henricus. 
Spinacea. 

XXII.    ERODENTIA. 

*.    Azoetica. 
Sabina. 
Euphorbia. 
Gallae. 

Saccharum  ustum. 
Cevadilla. 

Ranunculus,  folia  8c  radix. 
Tithymelea. 


Daphne  laureola  8c  mezereum. 

Persicaria  urens. 

Flammula  Jovis. 

Toxicodendron. 

Arum. 

Arthanita. 

Cantharides. 

/3.     Solventia. 

Argentum  nitratum. 

Antimonium  muriatum. 

Cuprum  vitriolatum. 

Hydrargyrus  muriatus. 

Calomelas. 

jErugo. 

Arsenicum  album. 

Hydrargyrus  nitratus  ruber. 

Calaminaris. 

Kali  purum. 

cum  calce  viva. 

Barytes  ? 
Strontia? 
Acida  mineralia. 

cum  alkali  alternata. 

Unguentum  hydrargyri  nitrati. 

Alynois,  viz.  axungia 

cum  acido  nitrico. 

XXIII.      AsTRINtJENTIA. 

Tonica  astringentia  if  fossilia. 
Externa 

Farina  secalis  avenae  &  tritici. 

Linamentum  siccum. 

Araneorum  telae. 

Lycoperdon. 

Agaricu's  chirurgorum. 

Vitriolum  zinci  cupri  &  ferri. 
Plumbum  acetatum. 
Oleum  terebinthinae  ? 
Erodentia  ! 
Frigus. 
Alcohol. 

XXIV.    ALEXITERIA. 

Emollientia. 
Emetica  evacuantia. 
Antidota. 

Arsenici. 

Kali  sulphuratum. 
Oflii. 

Acetum  ? 
-  Coffea; 

Castoreum ; 
Alcohol. 

Lavatio  frigida. 

Ammonia  ? 

Coffea. 
Acidi  carbonici  gazeosi. 

Lavatio  frigida. 

Ammonia. 
Aeris  nitrosi. 

Alkalina. 


Aeris  azotici. 
Alcohol. 
Oxygenei  gas. 

XXV.  LlTHONTRIPTICA. 

Sapo. 

Kali,  praecipue  purum. 

Mel; 

Calx  viva. 

Amara  calida. 

Uva  ursi. 

XXVI.  ANTHELMINTICA. 
«.    Vtnenata. 

Dolichos  pubes  leguminis. 

Geoffrea.  cortex. 

Spigelia.  radix. 

Sabina.  folia. 

Lonicera  marilandica.  radix. 

Ruta.  folia. 

Santonicum.  semen. 

Tanacetum.  folia,  flores. 

Mezereum.  cortex. 

Nicotiana.  folia,  semen. 

Filix  mas.  radix. 

Abrotanum  herba. 

Absynthium.  folia. 

Nux  juglans  putanem  &  extractum. 

Epidendrum  claviculatum. 

Anthora  radix. 

Abrotonum  fosmina. 

Asclepias  curassavica. 

Annonae  muricatae  sp.  quatior. 

Jatropha  gossipifolia  sp.  tres. 

Melia  azeclurach. 

Helleborus  foetidus  ! 

Spigelia  marilandica. 

Atropa  mandragora.  radix. 

Lobelia,  flores. 

Oleum. 

Hydrargyrus  muriatus  mitis. 

Hydrogenium  sulphuratum  (gas). 

Aquae  minerales  sulphurate. 

Aqua  Harrogatensis. 
Aqua  calcis. 
Barytis  ? 
Marina. 
Nicotianae  fumus. 

infusa  pro  enemate. 

Stannum. 

Aurum  musivum. 

Cum  hydrargyro. 
Oleum  terebinthinae. 
Tonica  amara  calida  &  fossilia. 
Astringentia  narcotica. 
Carica  papaya,  semen. 

ft.    Evacuantia. 

Cathartica  drastica. 
Aloes. 
Emetica  ; 
Vitriolum  zinci. 


A  T 


933 


M  A  T 


From  such  an  arrangement  of  theraateriarnedica,  and 
this  subdivision  of  the  classes,  the  young  student,  or 
the  more  discriminating  inquirer,  will,  v  e  think,  find 
his  labour  greatly  facilitated,  as  he  will  not  be  obliged 
to  range  through  a  muster  roll  of  names  to  attain  the 
object  of  his  search.  It  remains  only  to  explain  the 
foundation  of  these  subdivisions. 

EMETICS,  though  a  class  far  from  numerous,  and  of 
simple  operation,  yet  require  some  distinctions.  We 
do  not  always  require  full  vomiting,  and  we  some- 
times want  this  action  to  produce  a  very  sudden  and 
violent  change.  It  may  be  supposed  that  all  emetics, 
in  a  less  dose,  will  nauseate,  or  in  a  more  active  one 
give  a  sudden  and  violent  shock;  but  ipecacuanha  sel- 
dom produces  sickness  without  vomiting,  and  squills 
will  very  seldom  occasion  a  complete  action  of  the  sto- 
mach. Ipecacuanha  also  acts  with  no  more  violence  in 
a  large  than  a  small  dose,  and  mercurius  vitriolatus  is 
severe  in  its  operation  even  in  a  small  one. 

Of  CATHARTICS  and  the  foundation  of  the  distinctions 
we  have  already  spoken  ;  and  these  lead  us  to  remark 
another  advantage  of  the  subdivisions,  a  more  ready 
reference  to  the  proper  remedies  in  other  parts  of  the 
catalogue.  Drastic  purgatives  would  be  injurious  as 
diuretics  in  nephritis,  and  mild  ones  very  inefficient  as 
anthelmintics. 

There  is  certainly  a  very  striking,  and,  in  a  practical 
view,  a  very  important,  distinction  between  the  relax- 
ant and  the  stimulant  -DIAPHORETICS.  If  we  have 
been  right  in  our  views  under  this  article,  the  diaftnoica 
equally  merit  a  selection.  A  view  of  the  remedies  in- 
cluded in  the  list  will,  at  least,  show  the  propriety  of 
the  distinction.  It  appeared,  indeed,  so  strong,  that  in 
the  first  sketch  of  this  article,  made  for  a  very  different 
purpose,  twenty-five  years  since,  the  alterantia  were  in- 
cluded in  this  class. 

The  stimulant,  the  diluent, and  theraarcon'c  DIURETICS 
are  equally  distinguishable.  Perhaps  the  salina  are  not 
properly  arranged  with  the  stimulantia  ;  but  we  were 
determined  by  the  fact,  that  nitre,  and  some  of  the  other 
neutrals,  in  large  doses,  produce  pain  in  making  water. 
They  are,  however,  distinguished  ;  the  strontia  and  ba- 
rytes  are  inserted  with  doubt  and  hesitation. 

The  division  of  the  extensive  and  doubtful  class  of 
EXPECTORANTS  is  made  from  the  nature  of  the  medi- 
cines recommended.  The  first,  however,  act  chiefly  on 
the  fauces ;  the  second  and  third  on  the  fever,  except 
where  employed  in  the  form  of  gas  or  vesicular  va- 
pour. The  fourth  contains  only  the  real  expectorants ; 
and  of  the  whole  subdivision  there  are  few  strictly 
such.  Some  of  these  are  slightly  astringent,  and  should 
have  been  separated  to  have  marked  them  as  fre- 
quently injurious,  or  at  least  only  useful  in  a  relaxed 
state  of  the  glands.  Of  these  the  agrimony  marked 
with  a  note  of  interrogation  is  the  most  hurtful ;  but  the 
whole  of  the  group  must  be  used  with  caution  when  in- 
flammation exists. 

Dr.  Cullen  used  to  distinguish  the  ERRHIXES  accord- 
ing to  their  effects  as  irritants  and  evacuants  ;  but  we 
found  it  difficult  to  follow  the  idea  on  an  extensive 
scale  ;  and  the  whole,  at  last,  seemed  resolvable  into 
their  less  or  greater  acrimony.  At  least  this  distinction 
is  abundantly  sufficient  to  assist  our  practice. 

The  division  of  SIALAGOGUES  is  sufficiently  obvious. 


There  is  but  one  certain  internal  remedy  of  this  kind, 
mercury.  Yet,  from  the  late  experiments  with  the  ni- 
tric acid  in  syphilis,  there  is  some  reason  to  suspect 
that  it  may  have  a  similar  power.  The  experience  of 
others,  however,  has  scarcely  supported  the  suspicion, 
and  it  is  consequently  inserted  with  the  mark  of  doubt. 
In  the  other  list,  though  almost  all  the  stimulants  might 
have  been  inserted,  those  usually  preferred  are  only 
enumerated. 

In  the  class  of  EMMENAGOGUES  it  was  necessary  to 
distinguish  those  which  stimulate  the  system  in  general, 
from  those  whose  irritation  is  confined  to  the  uterus,  or 
whose  action  is  of  a  different  kind.  The  two  first  orders 
contain  the  general  and  topical  stimulants :  the  two 
next  the  antispasmodics  and  tonics.  All  the  medicines 
included  in  this  class  are  employed,  and  the  distinction 
will  be  amply  explained  under  the  article  MENSES. 

The  STIMULAXTIA  have  occasioned  no  little  difficulty 
in  the  arrangements.  The  diffusibilia  and  the  topica 
are  chiefly  distinguished  in  the  Brunonian  works ;  but 
as  we  have  rejected  the  principles,  we  cannot  be  expect- 
ed to  adopt  their  consequences.  We  could  not,  how- 
ever, wholly  avoid  them.  Some  stimulants  are  very  ge- 
neral in  their  action,  others  confined  to  particular  parts. 
Yet  they  pass  into  each  other  by  such  imperceptible 
shades,  that  we  found  it  difficult  to  draw  the  line,  and 
have  passed  with  sufficient  accuracy  from  the  more  ge- 
neral to  the  more  partial  stimulants.  The  tofiica  are 
those  chiefly  of  topical  application.  The  insertion  of 
the  order  indirecta  appears  to  lean  to  the  Brunonian 
doctrines,  and  we  have  explained  their  action  to  be  of  a 
sedative  nature,  producing  an  unequal  excitement,  and, 
in  consequence,  an  apparent  stimulus.  Yet  a  work  of 
this  kind  must  not  only  contain  the  author's  own  opi- 
nions, but  those  of  others  :  above  all,  it  is  necessary  to 
point  out  that  some  of  these  medicines  are  employed 
with  success  as  active  stimulants. 

The  REFRIGERAXTIA  are  few  and  simple.  The  AX- 
TISPASMODICA,  as  not  connected  with  general  effects, 
ought  perhaps  not  to  have  been  admitted  as  a  class ; 
but  some  complaisance  is  due  to  former  authors,  and 
the  first  subdivision  cannot  be  referred  to  any  general 
power.  The  subdivisions  which  follow  sufficiently  show 
that  the  power  of  destroying  spasm  very  commonly  de- 
pends on  its  cause. 

Toxics  are  also  with  difficulty  distinguished  in  their 
several  subdivisions.  The  natural  arrangement  is  into 
bitters  joined  with  astringency,  pure  bitters,  and  the 
more  pure  astringents.  Yet  it  is  not  easy  in  the  prac- 
tice, and  we  have  preferred  uniting  the  warm  with  the 
purer  bitters,  and  distinguishing  them  from  the  narco- 
tic bitters,  for  reasons  which  will  be  obvious  on  per 
the  article  AMARA.  The  subdivision  fossilia  requires 
an  apology,  since  it  does  not  point  out  their  peculiar 
properties  ;  but  we  could  find  no  suitable  appellation, 
as  they  have  no  sensible  operation.  The  more  pure  as- 
tringents follow,  which  are  also  tonics. 

The  SEDAXTIA  are  the  refrigerantia  or  narcotica,  and 
this  division  requires  no  remark.  The  ATTEXUAXTIA 
are  merely  diluents,  or  such  medicines  as  enable  the 
serosiry  to  dissolve  a  larger  proportion  of  the  gluten. 
The  dulcia  are  added  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Stark,  who 
confined  himself  to  a  saccharine  diet,  and,  after  some 
time,  experienced  all  the  symptoms  of  sea  scurvy.  Yet 


MAT 


934 


MAU 


these  experiments  must  be  admitted  with  hesitation,  as 
his  constitution,  from  a  series  of  wanton  trials,  was  pre- 
viously much  debilitated.  Disetainsalubris,  more  strictly 
unalimentary,  is  founded  on  the  instances  which  have 
occurred  of  the  symptoms  of  scurvy  from  such  diet ; 
but  it  is  not  likely  to  be  employed  as  a  remedy. 

The  remedies  included  under  the  INSFISSANTIA  show 
that  it  is  highly  improbable  such  a  change  could  be 
produced  by  medicines.  The  remedies  for  scurvy  and 
the  tonics  are  the  only  probable  means  of  correcting 
too  great  tenuity. 

The  ALTERANTIA  contain,  as  already  hinted,  the  dia- 
fihoretica  diaftnoica;  and  the  only  other  remedy  which 
we  were  able  to  introduce  is  dixta. 

The  subdivisions  of  the  DEMULCENTIA  and  ANTA- 
CIDA  are  sufficiently  obvious,  and  not  very  important, 
perhaps  not  chemically  correct;  but  affected  minute- 
ness, or  extreme  accuracy,  which  would  multiply 
trifling  subdivisions,  is  certainly  no  improvement. 
The  ANTALKALINA  and  ANTISEPTICA  admit  of  no  sub- 
divisions ;  and  those  of  the  EMOLLIENTIA  are  sufficiently 
obvious. 

The  EROUENTIA  are  naturally  divided  into  the  azo- 
etica,  which  destroy  the  life  ol  a  part,  and  the  solventia, 
which  consume  it.  Many  of  the  latter' act  as  azoetics; 
a  term  borrowed  from  the  excellent  syllabus  of  Dr.  G. 
Pearson  :  but  it  is  necessary  only  to  point  out  the  medi- 
cines usually  employed  with  either  view. 

The  ASTRINGENTIA  aVc  chiefly  external  remedies ; 
for  the  internal  astringents  are  enumerated,  as  already 
explained,  under  tonics.  The  ALEXITERIA,  the  antidotes, 
are  chiefly  those  enumerated  by  authors.  The  only 
novelty  is  the  antidote  of  nitrous  air,  inserted  in  conse- 
quence of  a  case  lately  recorded,  where  death  ensued 
from  a  person  having  copiously  inhaled  the  fumes  of 
nitrous  acid  from  a  bottle  bursting.  From  the  symp- 
toms it  appeared  that  the  oxygen  had  been  separated 
in  the  system,  and  the  acid  appeared  in  every  excreted 
fluid.  Alkalis,  in  the  first  instance  copiously  taken, 
would  probably  have  succeeded;  and  the  best  form 
would  have  been  that  of  soap.  The  LITHONTHIPTICS 
and  ANTHELMINTICS  are  those  usually  enumerated.  The 
last  class  is  peculiarly  fuH,  as  it  has  been  supposed  that 
tve  have  few  medicines  of  this  kind,  and  of  uncertain 
efficacy.  The  fact  is,  that  diseases  are  often  attributed 
to  worms  when  none  exist,  or  when  they  are  not  in  the 
slightest  degree  injurious. 

We  have  thus  completed  a  catalogue  of  the  materia 
medica  on  a  new  plan,  more  full  and  complete,  we 
trust,  than  any  yet  communicated  to  the  public  in  ge- 
neral. Its  errors  may  be  numerous ;  but  they  have  not 
arisen  from  want  of  attention,  of  labour,  or  observation. 
Many  large  works  have  perhaps  cost  less  pains  than 
the  ,  ompilation  of  these  few  pages. 

Murray  Apparatus   Medicaminum ;    Gmelin's  Con- 
tinuation of  Murray ;  Lewis,  Cullen,  Geoffroy,  Linnaeus, 
Bergius,  Spielman,  Vogel,  and  Cartheuser's  Materia 
Medica;  Duncan's  New  Edinburgh  Dispensatory;  Dr. 
G.  Pearson's  very  extensive  and  valuable  Syllabus. 
MATB'RIA  MERCU'RII  SA'LIS.     See  CIRCULATUM. 
MATERIATU'RA.     INTEMPERATURE.    Castellus. 
MATH^E'I  PI'LULJE.     MATHEW'S  PILL.     Starkey 
was  its  author,  but  it  was  sold  by  Mathews  for  him  as 


an  universal  medicine.     It  consisted  of  the  soap  of  tar- 
tar, black  hellebore,  opium,  ike. 

MATLOCK  WATERS  are  found  at  the  place  from 
whence  they  take  their  name  in  the  county  of  Derby, 
where  there  are  a  great  number  of  warm  springs,  which, 
according  to  Dr.  Short,  acquire  their  heat  by  passing 
through  a  bed  of  lime,  and  what  he  calls  croil  atone. 
The  water  of  the  bath,  and  all  the  other  tepid  springs, 
is  exceedingly  clear,  has  no  steam  except  in  cold  wea- 
ther, and  does  not  throw  up  bubbles:  it  is  about  a 
drachm  in  the  pint  lighter  than  common  water. 

A  gallon  of  this  water  contains  about  thirty-seven  or 
thirty-eight  grains  of  solid  matter,  twelve  or  thirteen 
grains  of  which  are  sea  salt,  with  vitriolated  magnesia, 
the  rest  calcareous  earth,  which  after  calcination,  con- 
tained some  particles  attracted  by  the  loadstone.  This 
water  seems,  therefore,  to  be  a  light  chalybeate  of  a 
tepid  temperature,  containing  but  a  small  portion  of 
solid  matter,  and  is  used  in  the  diseases  for  which  Bris- 
tol waters  have  been  recommended  ;  externally  for  the 
gout,  rheumatism,  and  other  complaints,  where  a  tepid 
bath  has  been  found  serviceable.  It  is  drunk  from 
one  to  four  or  five  pints  in  the  day. 
MATRA'CIUM.  See  CUHCURBITA. 
MA'TRES.  The  two  membranes  of  the  brain,  the 
PIA  and  DURA  MATER,  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  all 
the  other  membranes.  (See  DURA  MATER.)  In  botany, 
the  artcmisia  is  the  mater  herbarum;  in  chemistry 
quicksilver  is  the  mater  metallorum. 

MATRICA'LIA,  (from  matrix").  Medicines  appro- 
priated to  disorders  of  the  uterus. 

MATRICA'RJA;  fiart/ienium,  febrifuga,  metrica- 
ria,  from  matrix.  COMMON  FEVERFEW,  FEATHERFEW,  or 
FEBRIFUGE,  matricaria  jiarthenium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1255. 

This  plant  hath  firm  branched  stalks  and  rough ish 
leaves,  each  of  which  is  composed  of  two  or  three  pairs 
of  indented  oval  segments,  set  on  a  middle  rib,  with  an 
odd  one  at  the  end,  cut  into  three  lobes  ;  the  flowers 
stand  on  the  tops  in  the  form  of  an  umbel,  consisting 
each  of  a  number  of  short  white  petals  set  round  a  yel- 
low disk,  followed  by  small  striated  seeds.  It  is  peren- 
nial, grows  wild  in  hedges,  in  cultivated  places,  and 
flowers  in  June. 

The  leaves  and  flowers  have  a  strong,  not  agreeable, 
smell,  with  a  bitterish  taste,  both  which  they  communi- 
cate to  water  and  spirit.  On  distilling  a  large  quantity 
of  the  herb,  a  yellowish  strong  scented  essential  oil  is 
found  on  the  surface  of  the  water :  rectified  spirit  car- 
ries oft'  but  little  of  its  flavour  in  evaporation.  The  spi- 
rituous extract  contains  a  large  share  of  the  virtues  of  the 
plant,  which  is  esteemed  as  a  warm  aperient,  carmina- 
tive, and  bitter.  It  resembles,  in  sensible  qualities  and 
botanical  affinities,  the  camomile,  and  keeps  its  virtues 
for  several  years.  Its  oil  is  called  ol.  fiartheniacum. 
See  Rail  Historia;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica;  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works. 

MATRISY'LVA.    See  ASPERULA  and  CAPRIFOLIUM. 
MATRIX,  (from  mater,  the  mother].     See  UTERUS, 
and  MEDITULLIUM.    - 

MATURA'NTIA,  (from   maturo,  to  ripen}.     See 

SuPPURA^TIA. 

MAU.     See  MANGA. 
MAUROMA'RSON.     See  MARRUBIUM. 


MAX 


935 


MAX 


MAXI'LLA,  (from  fuce-r»*,  to  che-tv,")  mandibula. 
The  CHKEK  or  the  JAW.  See  BUCC^E. 

MAXI'LLA  INFEHI'OR,  melci.  The  LOWER  JAW  is 
situated  at  the  lower  part  of  the  face  ;  divided  into  the 
chin,  sides,  and  processes.  Tlie  chin  is  the  anterior 
middle  part ;  the  sides  are  continued  beyond  the  chin,  till 
the  bone,  bending  upwards,  forms  the  processes.  On  the 
middle  part  of  the  chin  externally  there  is  a  transverse 
rici^e,  on  each  side  of  which  the  quadrati,  or  depressores 
lubu  inferiores,  and  the  elevatores  labii  inferiores,  hollow 
out  the  bone,  and  are  lodged  in  the  furrow.  On  the  in- 
ternal part  of  the  chin  are  three  protuberances,  to  the 
uppermost  of  which  the  fraenum  linguae  is  tied.  From 
th^-  middle  protuberance  the  genioglossi  arise;  and  from 
the  lowest  the  genio  hyoidei :  below  the  last  the  digas- 
tric muscles  are  attached  to  two  sinuosities;  and  at  the 
lo>ver  and  anterior  external  p:irc  of  each  side  of  the 
maxilla  inferior  there  is  a  small  protuberance,  whence 
the  depressor  labiorum  communis  proceeds  :  and  nearer 
the  upper  edge  is  a  longitudinal  ridge,  where  the  buc- 
ciiiatoris  inserted;  inwardly,  towards  the  superior  ridge 
of  each  side,  is  a  ridge,  whence  the  mylo  hyoidei  rise. 
The  lower  edge  of  the  chin  and  sides  are  smooth,  and 
are  called  the  base  of  the  lower  jaw,  the  extremities  of 
which  are  named  the  angles  :  the  outer  surface  of  these 
angles  hath  several  inequalities  where  the  masseter  is 
inserted,  and  the  inner  surface  where  the  pterygoideus 
interims  is  attached. 

The  anterior  sharp  process  is  called  coronoides  afio- 
fihy&is  maxillce,  round  which  the  temporal  muscle  is  in- 
serted ;  and  the  posterior  process  is  called  condylrjid, 
which  is  received  into  the  glenoid  cavity  of  theos  tem- 
poris.  The  upper  part,  where  the  teeth  are  inserted,  is 
called  the  alveolar  process. 

The  foramina  are  two  on  each  side,  one  near  the 
root  of  the  processus  internally,  where  a  branch  of  the 
fifth  pair  of  nerves  with  an  artery  and  a  vein  enters ; 
the  other,  external,  at  the  edge  of  the  chin,  where  the 
nerve  and  the  vessels  come  out. 

MAXI'LLA  SUPE'HIOR,  the  UPPER  JAW,  is  composed  of 
thirteen  bones,  viz.  the  ossa  nasi,  unguis,  malarum, 
maxillaria,  palati,  spongiosa  inferiora,  or  turbinata  infe- 
riori,  and  the  vomer. 

The  diseases  of  the  maxilla  are  chiefly  those  of  the  si- 
nuses, and  in  these  worms  have  been  sometimes  found  ; 
but  they  are  more  commonly  receptacles  of  purulent 
matter.  They  are  sometimes  the  seat  of  fistulous  ulcers, 
occasionally  of  a  destructive  fungous  or  cancer,  and  often 
of  a  caries,  which  happens  in  some  instances  after  mea- 
sles or  small  pox.  Matter  is  let  out  by  drawing  the  first 
or  second  molar  tooth,  and  we  recollect,  among  Gooch's 
cases,  one  in  which  it  was  discharged  by  puncturing 
the  cheek.  In  the  Ephemerides  Naturae  Curiosorum 
is  an  instance  of  a  total  separation  of  the  lower  jaw 
•which  the  man  survived.  See  LUXATIO  and  FRACTURA. 

MAXILLA'RES  SPNUS,  (from  maxilla,  the  jaw). 
The  MAXILLARY  SINUSES  are  lined  svith  a  glandular  mem- 
brane, which  secretes  a  mucilage  very  different  from 
that  of  the  joints. 

MAXILLA'HES  GLA'NDUL.Z.  The  MAXILLARY  GLA.VDS. 
Each  is  placed  between  the  angle  of  the  lower  jaw  and 
the  os  hyoides,  and  fills  up  the  space  between  the  belly 
of  the  digastric  muscle  and  the  pterygoideus  internus 
at  the  angle  of  the  jaw.  The  anterior  edge  lies  over 
the  muscle  called  mylo  hyoidtsus,  from  whence  arises 


its  duct,  running  close  under  the  membrane  of  the 
mouth,  and  by  the  side  of  the  sublingual.  Each  opens 
at  an  angle,  close  by  the  fraenum  of  the  tongue,  just 
behind  the  incisores.  The  duct  runs  from  its  upper 
anterior  part,  on  the  outside  of  the  genioglossi,  and  the 
inside  of  the  sublingual,  and  opens  near  the  fraenum 
linguae. 

MAXILLA'RIA  SUPERIO'RA  O'SSA.  These 
form  the  greatest  part  of  the.  upper  jaw.  That  long 
process,  which,  rising  from  its  superior  and  anterior 
part,  grows  smaller  as  it  proceeds  upwards,  to  make 
the  side  of  the  nose,  is  called  the  nasal  process.  The 
alveolar  process  is  that  spongy  part  where  the  sock- 
ets for  the  teeth  are  formed.  The  palatine  process 
forms  a  great  part  of  the  basis  of  the  nostrils,  and  the 
roof  of  the  mouth.  The  orbiter  process  is  very  irre- 
gular :  from  its  superior  and  anterior  part,  to  near  the 
extremity  of  the  nasal  process,  a  ridge  proceeds  which 
forms  about  one  third  of  the  outward  circumference  of 
the  orbit.  The  bodies  of  the  superior  maxillary  bones 
are  entirely  hollow,  and  in  each  is  a  large  sinus,  called 

AXTRUM   HIGHMORIANUM,  q.   V. 

MAXILLA'RIA  ARTE'RIJE.  The  MAXILLARY 
ARTERIES.  The  external  artery,  also  called  the  ge- 
nial and  angular  artery,  is  a  branch  from  the  ex- 
ternal carotid.  It  runs  to  the  basis  of  the  lower  jaw, 
close  to  the  attachment  of  the  masseter,  and  gives  a 
branch  to  the  maxillary  gland.  Passing  over  the  lower 
jaw,  it  goes  upon  the  buccinator,  gives  a  branch  to 
the  lower  lip,  which  anastomoses  with  that  on  the 
other  side,  and  is  continued  to  the  upper  lip,  where 
it  also  anastomoses  :  there  they  are  called  labial  arteries. 
The  external  maxillary  then  gives  off  branches  to  the 
nose,  goes  to  the  inner  canthus  of  the  eye,  is  lost  upon 
the  forehead,  communicating,  in  that  part,  with  the 
temporal  artery. 

The  internal  maxillary  artery  is  a  branch  from  the 
external  carotid,  rising  at  the  origin  of  the  temporal, 
and  distributed  to  both  the  jaws :  it  is  very  much  con- 
voluted, and  gives  branches  to  the  deep  seated  parts ; 
one  branch  runs  through  the  lower  jaw,  called  the  in- 
ferior maxillary  artery  ;  but  the  main  trunk  runs  up  to 
the  foramen,  lacerum  inferius,  at  the  bottom  of  the 
orbit,  winds  round  the  antrum,  and  sinks  into  the  nose 
behind  the  upper  maxillary  bone,  and  before  the  ptery- 
goid  process  of  the  os  sphenoides,  to  be  lost  on  the  in- 
side of  the  nose. 

MAXILLA'RIS  IXFE'RIOR  NE'RVUS,  ramus 
inferior,  is  the  third  branch  of  the  fifth  pair  of 
nerves.  It  passes  through  the  foramen  ovale  of  the  os 
sphenoides,  where  it  gives  off  several  branches  to  the 
muscles  of  the  lower  jaw,  then  throws  a  remarkable 
branch  through  the  lower  jaw  to  supply  the  teeth  ; 
which  comes  out  at  the  anterior  part  of  the  channel, 
and  branches  upon  the  lip.  From  this  a  capital  branch 
is  detached  to  the  tongue,  called  the  lingual,  which  runs 
between  the  two  pterygoid  muscles,  and  passes  to  the 
top  of  the  tongue,  going  with  the  duct  of  the  maxillary 
gland.  From  this  the  chorda  tympani  is  derived.  See 
TRIGEMIM. 

MAXILLA'RIS  SUPE'HIOR  NE'RVUS.  The  UPPER  MAX- 
ILLARY NERVE  is  the  second  branch  of  the  fifth  pair.  It 
passes  through  the  foramen  rotundum  of  the  os  sphe- 
noides, where  it  throws  off  a  branch  to  the  palate ;  but 
the  trunk  passes  on  in  the  sulcus  of  the  upper 


M  E  D 


936 


ME 


maxillary  bone,  goes  to  the  upper  jaw,  and  to  its 
antrum.  It  then  conies  out  below  the  orbit,  and  is  dif- 
fused upon  the  face,  particularly  upon  the  nose,  the 
upper  lip,  and  cheek.  See  TKIGEMINI. 

MAYS  is  a  kind  of  Indian  wheat.  See  CEREALIA. 
MEA'TUS,  (from  meo,  to  fiass,*)  a  DUCT,  PASSAGE, 
or  any  open  canal.  The  auditory  passage  is  the  meatus 
auditorius;  the  Eustachian  tube  meatus  a  fialato  ad  au- 
rem;  the  urethra  meatus  urinai-ius;  the  ducts  which 
convey  the  bile  from  the  gall  bladder  to  the  duodenum 
the  mealus  cystici. 

MEA'TUS  AUDITO'RIUS  EXTE'RNUS  is  the  external  pass- 
age to  the   ear,  beginning  at  the  hollow  of  the  outer 
ear,  and  ending  at  the  drum.     It  was  formerly   a  name 
for  the  Eustachian  tube.     See  AURICULA. 
MEA'TUS  C^E'CUS.     See  TUBA  EUSTACHIANA. 
MECAPA'TLI.    TheAmerican  name  foroneof  the 
species  of  sarsaparilla. 

ME'CCHA,  BALS.  See  BALSAMUM. 
MECHOACA'NA  A'LBA,  (from  Mechoachan,  a 
province  in  Mexico,  whence  it  was  brought).  Rhabar- 
barum  album,  con-volvulus  Americanus,  jalafia  alba, 
bryenia  alba  Peruviana,  mechoacan.  It  is  the  root  of 
an  American  species  of  convolvulus,  chiefly  brought 
from  a  province  in  Mexico  ;  but  its  flower  has  not  been 
so  accurately  described  as  to  enable  us  to  ascertain 
strictly  to  what  genus  it  belongs.  In  the  later  works  of 
Linnxus  it  has  been  referred  to  the  genus  convolvulus, 
with  the  trivial  name  of  mechoacana,  but  with  no  pecu- 
liar precision.  It  is  cut  into  thin  transverse  slices,  like 
jalap  ;  but  is  larger,  whiter,  and  softer.  This  root  was 
first  brought  into  Europe  in  1 524,  as  a  mild  cathartic, 
which,  having  but  little  taste  or  smell,  was  thought  not 
to  offend  the  stomach;  but  the  common  jalap  hath  su- 
perseded its  use.  The  fihytolacca  decandria  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
630,  furnishes  the  Canadian  mechoacana.  See  Rah 
Historia;  Tournefort's  Materia  Medica. 

MECHOAC'ANA  NI'GRAN  A  name  of  the  jalap  in  com- 
mon use.  (See  JALAPA.)  The  Brasilians  call  it 
jetecucu. 

ME'CON,  (from  wot,  bulk;  from  the  largeness  of 
its  head).  See  PAPAVER. 

MECO'NIS  and  MECO'NIUM,  (from  /MJJKWV,  the 
pojifiy*).  See  PEPLION. 

MECO'NIO,  (Syr.  e.)  (from  the  same).  See  PA- 
PAVER  ALBUM. 

MECO'NIUM,  (from  the  same).  Opium  is  the 
juice  flowing  from  the  poppy  head  through  artificial  in- 
cisions ;  but  meconium  is  the  juice  of  the  whole  plant, 
first  bruised,  then  pressed  out.  The  excrement  also  con- 
tained in  the  intestines  of  a  newly  born  infant,  whir.h 
has  obtained  its  name  from  its  resemblance  to  opium. 
See  INFANS. 

MEDE'NA.     A  species  of  ulcer.     Paracelsus. 
MEDE'NA  VE'NA  ;    the   same  with   medinensis  vena. 
Castellus. 

MEDIA'NA  VE'NA,  (from  medius,  middle}.  A  re- 
markable vein  on  the  inside  of  the  flexure  of  the  cubit, 
between  the  cephalic  and  basilic  veins,  called  by  the 
Arabians  funis  brachii.  It  is  frequently  opened  in 
bleeding. 

MEDIA'NA  CEPHA'LICA,  (from   the   same).     See  CE- 

PHALICA  MEDIANA. 

MEDIA'NUM,  (from  the  same).  See  MEDIAS- 
TINUM. 


MEDIA'NUS,    (from    the    same).       See    CERVI- 

CALES. 

MEDIASTI'NA,  (from  the  same).     See  INFLAM- 

MATIO  MEDIASTINI. 

MEDIASTI'NA  ARTE'RI^E,  (from  the  same). 
The  arteries  of  the  mediastinum  arise  from  the  subcla- 
vian,  and  are  spread  on  the  mediastinum. 

MEDIASTI'NA  VE'NJE,  (from  the  same).  The  right 
vein  of  the  mediastinum  comes  out  from  the  trunk  of 
the  superior  vena  cava  anterior,  a  little  above  the  azy- 
gos  ;  the  left  from  the  subclavia. 

MEDIASTI'NUM,  (from  the  same,)  medianum,  is 
the  membrane  called  the  pleura,  which,  after  covering 
the  internal  surface  of  the  chest,  rises  from  the  spine, 
and  is  reflected  on  each  side  to  cover  the  lungs.  This 
double  membrane  between  each  lobe  divides  the  chest 
into  two  cavities.  It  is  commonly  said,  that  at  the 
sternum  there  is  a  cavity  betwixt  the  laminae  of  the 
mediastinum,  and  that  any  matter  may  be  discharged, 
if  lodged  there,  by  a  perforation  through  the  middle  of 
that  bone.  This  operation,  however,  if  really  required, 
would  be  very  uncertain ;  for  the  mediastinum  does  not 
commonly  terminate  along  the  middle  of  the  inside  of 
the  sternum,  but  from  above,  all  the  way  down,  it  in- 
clines to  the  left  side ;  so  that,  if  an  instrument  was 
thrust  through  the  middle  of  the  sternum,  it  would  pass 
near  an  inch  on  one  side  of  the  membrane. 

The  mediastinum  contains  in  its  duplicature  the 
heart,  the  pericardium,  the  vena  cava,  and  the  oeso- 
phagus. 

MEDICAMENT  A'RIA,(hommedicamentum,medi- 
cj'we,)  PHARMACY,  is  the  art  of  making  and  preparing 
medicines,  sometimes  of  preparing  poison.  Pharmacy 
hath  been  distinguished  into  chemical  and  galenical. 
The  first  consists  of  those  operations  in  which  fire  was 
the  chief  medium,  for  the  purpose  of  separating  differ- 
ent ingredients  of  a  compound,  or  combining  different 
substances  into  one  form ;  each  supposed  to  differ  in 
qualities  from  the  body  which  afforded  them,  or  from 
the  substances  thus  combined.  The  second  consisted 
in  altering  the  form  or  texture  of  simples,  so  as  to  ren- 
der them  fit  to  be  taken,  or  applied,  without  attempting 
any  change  in  their  qualities ;  and  in  uniting  them  in 
compositions  of  various  forms,  where  each  simple  was 
supposed  to  retain  its  original  properties.  But  these 
distinctions  have  been  long  neglected. 

The  operations  in  pharmacy  may  be  reduced  to  these 
four  kinds : 

1.  Commensuration,  or  the  adjustment  of  quantities, 
necessary  for  the  due  administration  of  simple  and  com- 
pound medicines,  as  well  as   for  the  formation  of  those 
very  compounds. 

2.  Change  of  form,  or  texture,  often  requisite,  both  for 
the  convenient  administering  of  simples,  and  forming 
compounds.      The  instances  in  which    this    is    prac- 
tised are  for  the  reduction  of  solid   cohering  bodies 
to  powder,  and  of  those  that  partake  both  of  solid  and 
fluid  into  pulp ;   for  converting  salts,  and  other  soluble 
bodies  to   fluidity ;    and,  in  other  cases,  the  restoring 
them  when  fluid  to  their  solid  state.     The  several  par- 
ticular operations  by  which  these  changes  are  produced 
have  been  styled  trituration,  calcination,  solution,  ex- 
siccation, and  crystallization. 

3.  Extraction  or  separation,  in  a  general  sense,  not 
confined  to  the  making  extracts  of  the  gums  and  resin? 


MED 


937 


MED 


of  vegetables.  The  different  elements  of  many  com- 
pound bodies  having  qualities  and  powers,  \vhcn  sepa- 
rate and  pure,  which  they  are  incapable  of  exerting 
when  their  force  is  suppressed  by  the  quantity  or  coun- 
teracted by  the  repugnant  qualities  of  the  other  compo- 
nent parts,  are  by  this  means  obtained,  as  acid  spirits, 
testaceous  earths,  kc. 

4.  Ccn-fi'j&irion  is  either  simple  mixture  or  chemical 
combination.  In  the  first  the  different  species  are  in- 
tended to  act,  each  according  to  its  own  nature,  without 
producing  any  mutual  change  of,  or  alteration  in,  each 
other.  But  this  is  the  less  important  kind  of  composi- 
tion, as  single  simples  will  often  answer  the  end  of  such 
composition.  The  second  produces  many  efficacious 
remedies,  which  have  no  adequate  substitutes  obtained 
by  other  means;  as  the  preparations  of  quicksilver, 
antimony,  saline  substances,  Sec.  in  which  a  new  com- 
pound is  produced,  differing  in  its  nature  and  efficacy 
from  any  of  its  component  parts-. 

To  execute  these  several  intentions,  a  variety  of  me- 
thods and  proper  instruments  are  employed;  hence  the 
terms  calcination,  crystallization,  corrosion,  depuration, 
digestion,  distillation,  expression,  exsiccation,  fermenta- 
tion, fusion,  incorporation,  precipitation,  pulverization, 
solution,  sublimation,  Sec. 

The  means  of  effecting  phannaceutic  operations  are 
of  two  kinds,  viz.  chemical  and  mechanical.  By  che- 
mical are  meant  the  natural  media  by  which  bodies  can 
act  on,  and  produce  a  change  in,  each  other,  not  expli- 
cable from  the  known  general  properties  of  matter,  or 
laws  of  motion.  By  mechanical,  artificial  instruments. 
For  brevity  sake  in  speaking  of  these  two  kinds,  the 
first  is  called  media,  the  latter  instruments.  See  PHAR- 
MACIA. 

MEDICA'MENTA  EXTEMPORA'NEA,  (from  medico,  to 
/leaf).  Magistralia,  compositions  prescribed  by  the 
physician,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  patient, 
and  made  up  for  this  purpose  only.  A  variety  of  these 
are  found  in  some  Pharmacopoeias,  under  the  title  of 
extemporaneous  medicines,  and  all  the  compounds  of 
practice  chiefly  consist  of  them.  These  are  the  re- 
sources of  ignorance  and  idleness;  with  these  the 
fashionable  practitioner  provides  himself,  and  prescribes 
to  the  name  of  a  disease,  with  little  knowledge  of  its  na- 
ture or  that  of  the  remedy.  To  discountenance  such 
impositions  on  a  credulous  public,  who  contentedly 
employ  every  one  who  calls  himself  a  physician,  \ve 
have  seldom  added  formulae,  and  shall  not  insert  any, 
unless  stronger  reasons  than  at  present  occur  to  us 
should  be  offered.  See  FOHMUL.E. 

MEDICAMENTO'SUS  LA'PIS,  (from  medica- 
yientum,  medicine}.  The  MEDICINAL  STONE,  which  con- 
sists of  litharge  bole  and  alum,  of  each  ft>  ss-  colcothar 
of  vitriol  §  iij.  vinegar  Jtj  ij.  m.  evaporated  to  hardness, 
formerly  used  in  collyria,  Stc.  as  an  astringent. 

MEDICAME'NTUM,  (from  medeor,  to  heat).  A 
MEDICINE  has  been  styled  any  substance  capable  of 
changing  the  state  of  the  solids  and  fluids  of  the  human 
body,  so  as  to  prevent  the  increase  of  disease,or  restore 
health.  This  definition  is,  however,  both  erroneous  and 
imperfect.  Terror  will  prevent  a  fit  of  epilepsy,  or 
the  attack  of  an  intermittent.  Sailing  will  produce  a  sa- 
lutary-discharge  from  the  stomach,  while  neither  changes 
the  state  of  the  solids  or  fluids.  It  is,  indeed,by  no  means 
clear  that  any  medicine,  except  those  employed  in  the 


cure  of  chronic  diseases,  produces  any  considerable 
change  in  either;  and  we  have  found,  when  we  spoke 
of  the  arrangement  of  the  articles  of  the  materia  medica, 
that  medicines  chiefly  altered  the  functions  of  the  body, 
or  the  balance  of.  the  circulation.  The  definition  seems 
to  have  been  chiefly  intended  to  distinguish  medicines, 
from  aliment  on  the  one  side,  and  from  poisons  on  the 
other.  The  former  was  supposed  to  add  to  the  bulk,  or 
to  repair  the  unavoidable  losses;  the  latter  to  destroy 
life.  Aliment,  however,  properly  regulated,  often  re- 
moves diseases  and  the  most  virulent  poisons  in  smaller 
doses  are  very  useful  remedies ;  so  true  is  the  canon  of 
Linnaeus,  that  "  medicines  differ  from  poisons,  not  in 
their  nature,  but  their  doses." 

Though  we  have  treated  of  the  different  methods  of 
investigating  the  power  of  medicines,  it  must  still  be 
acknowledged  that  we  owe  our  knowledge  of  the  most 
powerful  remedies  to  chance,  or  to  the  pursuit  of  ob- 
jects very  different  from  the  results  -which  have  been 
experienced.  Chemistry,  it  is  said,  has  elaborated  many 
remedies,  but  discovered  none.  Yet  in  the  pursuit  of 
the  imaginary  elixir,  to  prolong  life  to  an  indefinite 
term,  some  rnedicines  have  been  discovered,  though 
among  these  we  can  neither  reckon  mercury  nor  anti- 
mony, whose  powers  were  elicited  by  chance.  A  happy 
boldness,  or  a  random  experiment,  has  often  added  es- 
sentially to  our  stock;  but  inductive  reasoning  has  only 
contributed  to  correct  the  hasty  views  of  the  indiscreet, 
or  to  regulate  the  eagerness  of  the  too  sanguine  experi- 
mentalist. 

Modern  practice  employs  few  remedies.  Yet,  as  we 
have  more  than  once  shown,  simplicity  of  prescription 
is  the  delusive  meteor  that  has  sometimes  led  us  astray. 
(See  COMBINATION  OF  MEDICINES.)  In  general,  how- 
ever, we  agree  with  an  author,  whose  name  has  escaped 
us,  that  long  formulae  are  proofs  of  either  ignorance  or 
deceit. 

It  has  been  doubted  whether  there  are  any  specific 
medicines.  As  usual,  the  question  requires  only  to  be 
explained  to  approach  at  least  to  a  decision.  If  it  be 
meant  whether  a  specific  stimulus  exists,  the  position 
must  be  granted.  If,  then,  there  be  such,  the  medicine 
which  possesses  this  stimulus  is,  to  a  certain  degree, 
a  specific ;  but  if  it  be  meant  whether  any  medicine 
can  cure  a  disease  by  such  peculiar  inherent  powers  as 
are  neither  warranted  by  its  general  properties,  or  our 
knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  complaint,  we  must 
hesitate  in  our  answer.  The  number  of  supposed  spe- 
cifics, by  a  more  careful  investigation,  have  not  been 
found  peculiarly  powerful  in  the  disease  to  which  they 
were  supposed  to  be  exclusively  adapted;  and  we  have 
only  left  on  the  list  i  the  Peruvian  bark  and  mercury  in 
intermittents  and  the  lues  venerea.  The  former,  how- 
ever, has  now  lost  this  proportion  .of  its  credit,  since 
other  tonics,  particularly  the  arsenic,  is  found  of  equal 
or  superior  efficacy.  The  pretensions  of  mercury  to 
the  character  of  a  specific  we  have  lately  investigated 
(see  LUES);  and  when  we  consider  the  history  of  the 
numerous  individuals  supposed  to  belong  to  this  class, 
we  are  disposed  to  conclude,  that,  as  usual,  ignorance 
is  the  parent  of  our  admiration.  Had  we  any  medicine 
of  efficacy  to  compare  with  mercury  we  should  discover 
its  relations,  and,  of  course,  the  cause  of  its  general 
utility.  \Vc  have  made  some  steps  in  this  inquiry  in 
the  article  just  quoted. 

6  D 


MED 


938 


JN1  E  I) 


Universal  medicines  are  now  only  seen  in  the 
columns  of  a  newspaper,  or  a  quack  bill.  The  num- 
berless inconsistent  qualities  attributed  to  a  patent 
medicine  would  almost  fix  it  in  this  rank ;  but  its  real 
utility  is  soon  seen,  if  we  trace  the  leading  diseases  for 
which  it  is  recommended;  and  we  then  find  it  a  com- 
mon medicine  decorated  with  a  pompous  title,  if  it  be 
not  an  inefficient  compound,  whose  sole  merit  lies  in 
its  name,  in  its  extravagant  recommendations,  and  the 
credulity  and  folly  of  those  whose  abilities,  if  exerted, 
would  soon  point  out  the  fallacy.  See  QUACKS  and 
QUACK  MEDICINES.  , 

The  various  distinctions  of  medicines  into  general  and 
topical,  curative,  palliative,  or  preservative,  are  suffi- 
ciently obvious,  though  little  attended  to  at  present,  as 
the  same  medicine  is  now  often  used  with  each  view. 
The  bark,  for  instance,  is  a  palliative  in  restraining  the 
colliquative  sweats  in  hectics,  a  preservative  during  the 
progress  of  a  highly  putrid  epidemic,  and  a  curative  in 
intermittents. 

MEDICI'NA,  (from  medcor,  to  heal'}.  MEDICINE. 
The  history  of  the  science  which  is  the  chief  object  of 
our  work,  must  necessarily  detain  us  for  some  time; 
yet,  to  avoid  an  article  of  an  extremely  disproportioned 
length,  we  have  broken  it  in  a  manner  already  explained, 
and  shall,  in  the  references  at  the  end,  collect  the 
scattered  limbs,  so  as  to  form  one  whole.  At  present, 
we  must  examine  the  history  and  the  progress  of  medi- 
cine ;  and  if,  for  ages,  we  find  reason  to  lament  its  slow 
advance  towards  improvement,  if  we  sometimes  find  it 
stationary,  and  occasionally  even  retrograde,  the  causes 
will  furnish  abundant  proof  of  the  imbecility  of  our 
boasted  reason,  of  the  vast  extent  of  science,  of  the 
limited  powers"  of  human  intellect. 

It  would  be  idle  to  trace  at  length  the  probable  origin 
of  medicine,  or  determine  whether  it  be  the  result  of  ran  - 
dom  experiment,  of  imitation  from  observing  the  instinct 
of  brutes,  or  of  divine  inspiration.  Disease  is  the  lot  of 
humanity  ;  and  remedies,  or  at  least  attempts  to  relieve, 
must  be  coeval  with  disordered  functions.  The  obvious 
means  of  procuring  relief  was  to  expose  the  patient  in 
the  streets,  and  to  obtain,  if  possible,  the  advantage  of 
greater  sagacity,  or  more  extensive  experience ;  and 
when  either  a  natural  sagacity  and  opportunities  of 
observation  were  combined  with  a  ready  recollection, 
they  constituted  the  physician  of  rude  ages,  as  they 
often  constitute  one  at  the  present  moment.  Priests, 
as  possessing  greater  leisure  and  more  frequent  oppor- 
tunities of  observation,  were  probably  the  first  medical 
practitioners,  and  the  most  successful  physicians  were 
soon  deified.  Superstition  gradually  mixed  in  the  scene, 
and  dreams  in  the  temples  of  the  gods,  or  incantations 
and  amulets,  soon  corrupted  the  few  lights  which  expe- 
rience had  suggested.  Yet  however  superstition  or 
design  may  have  corrupted  the  fountains,  the  stream 
was  preserved  with  tolerable  purity  by  the  means  of  the 
temples;  for  these  were  the  receptacles  of  the  earliest 
records,  the  histories  of  cases  recorded  by  the  patients, 
and  from  the  temples  of  jEsculapius  Hippocrates  is  sup- 
posed to  have  drawn  his  best  observations.  We  owe 
only  to  a  sarcasm  of  a  later  era  one  of  the  remedies  of 
the  sacred  fane,  viz.  the  fat  of  pork  in  consumptive 
cases;  and,  of  all  animal  foods,  this  is  perhaps  the  least 
injurious  in  such  cases. 

To  the  Egyptians  medicine,  with  every  other  science, 


is  said  to  be  chiefly  indebted;  and  we  are  told,  with  a 
triumphant  confidence,  of  their  T/ioth,\vho  was  probably 
only  an  allegorical  personage,  and,  of  Isis,  perhaps  only 
a  regal  title.  Horus  the  son  of  Isis,  the  Apollo  of  the 
Greeks,  was  seemingly  a  real  person ;  but  of  his  acqui- 
sitions in  medicine  we  know  nothing  except  from  the 
claims  of  his  adopting  parents;  who  have  mixed  them 
too  copiously  with  fable  to  enable  us  to  discriminate 
their  true  value.  '  The  real  knowledge  of  the  Egyptians 
in  medicine  it  is  not  easy  to  appreciate;  for,  as  we  have 
remarked,  (see  CHIRURGIA,)  Prosper  Alpinus  wrote  in 
a  period  when  the  later  improvements  had  been  carried 
to  Egypt.  Blumenbach  has,  however,  shown,  that  the 
process  of  embalming  was  hastily  and  rudely  conducted ; 
and  we  cannot  attribute  any  scientific  knowledge  of 
medicine  to  those  who  confined  the  management  of 
each  disorder  to  a  single  family,  a  single  disease  to  one 
practitioner,  and  limited,  by  law,  the  use  of  medicine  to 
a  definite  period  of  the  complaint.  It  is  said  we  are 
indebted  to  them  for  the  use  of  clysters;  but  it  is  more 
certain  that  they  excelled  in  prognostics,  which  must 
be  the  result  of  careful  observation.  This  talent  Galen, 
while  he  highly  commends,  attributes  to  astrology. 
Their  remedies  were  chiefly  diaetetic,  if  we  except, 
perhaps,  the  nepenthe.  The  medical  knowledge  of 
the  Chinese,  the  Israelites,  and  the  Brachmans,  need 
not  detain  us.  Among  each  it  was  inconsiderable;  and 
the  chief  merits  of  the  first  seem  to  have  consisted  in 
punctures  with  needles;  of  the  second  in  distinctions 
between  clean  and  unclean  beasts ;  and  of  the  third  in 
botanical  knowledge. 

The  early  Grecian  medicine  was  chiefly  chirurgical ; 
and  though  we  hear  of  internal  remedies,  yet  we  have 
no  clue  to  guide  us  respecting  their  nature,  as  the  asser- 
tions of  some  authors  nearer  the  period  of  their  intro- 
duction are  contradicted  by  others.  Amidst  the  darkness 
of  the  fabulous  ages  we  must  acknowledge  that  the 
baths  of  Hecate,  Circe,  and  Medea,  seem  to  show  some 
knowledge  of  the  powers  of  vegetables  externally  em- 
ployed; and  the  tale  of  the  poisened  shirt  of  Deianiria 
equally  implies  the  knowledge  of  deleterious  plants, 
even  if  some  of  the  circumstances  in  Medea's  -story 
should  be  wholly  fabulous. 

The  events  of  the  Trojan  war,  which  called  for  the 
interposition  of  art,  were  chiefly,  if  not  -exclusively, 
external  injuries ;  and  there  is  a  very  slight  foundation 
for  supposing,  from  the  language  of  Homer,  that  inter- 
nal medicines  were  at  any  time  exhibited.  Nepenthe 
was  almost  the  only  instance,  for  the  moly  was  an 
amulet.  If  the  temples  of  Philostratus  were  at  a  sub- 
sequent period  crowded  with  votaries,  who  sought  his 
aid  in  consumptions,  dropsies,  intermittents,  and  dis- 
eases of  the  eyes,  we  must  rather  attribute  the  removal 
of  the  complaints  to  the  arts  of  the  priests  or  the  cre- 
dulity of  the  votaries,  than  to  the  interference  of  the 
deceased  hero,  who  is  not  represented  as  having  pos- 
sessed any  medicinal  powers.  Mscula/iius,  who  accom- 
panied the  Argonauts,  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Iliad,  so 
that  he  probably  died  in  the  interval;  but  his  fame  was 
preserved  in  his  temples,  where  the  artifices  of  the 
priests  in  choosing  a  healthy  spot  shaded  with  trees, and 
combining  various  species  of  amusement,  contributed 
perhaps  more  to  the  patient's  recovery  than  their  me- 
dicines. 

The  jisdejiiadiK   seem   never,  before   the  time  of 


ME  D 


939 


ME  D 


Hippocrates,  to  have  practised  beyond  the  confines  of 
their  temples ;  but  they  had  various  schools,  of  which 
the  Coan  and  the  Gnidian  were  the  chief.  Their  ana- 
tomical knowledge,  of  which  they  boasted,  was  rude 
and  incorrect;  their  practice  we  can  scarcely  judge  of 
from  the  different  application  of  their  terms.  We 
should  suppose  them  to  have  employed  drastic  pur- 
gatives, since  they  used  the  elaterium  and  the  grana 
Gnidia.  Yet  we  learn  from  Dioscorides  how  much  the 
ancient  elaterium  differed  from  ours,  and  the  xo*»i,  or 
grana  Gnidia  may,  as  the  word  implies,  have  been  only 
pills.  The  Coan  andGnidian  schools  were,  however,  the 
chief  rivals,  and  the  Gnidian  sentences,  the  compilation 
of  Euryphon,  of  an  age  somewhat  anterior  to  that  of 
Hippocrates,  is  severely  criticised  by  the  latter.  He 
complains  of  the  little  attention  which  the  Gnidian 
school  paid  to  the  observation  of  diseases ;  of  the 
severity  of  their  remedies;  their  unreasonably  increasing 
the  number  of  diseases,  and  the  little  attention  they  in- 
culcated respecting  diet.  The  only  distinguished  au- 
thor of  this  school  known  to  us  is  Ctesias,  and,  from  his 
works,  some  fragments  are  preserved. 

Of  the  Rhodian  and  Italian  schools,  established  by 
the  descendants  or  priests  of  ./Esculapius,  we  have  few- 
remains  :  of  the  existence  of  the  latter  .we  find  only 
some  imperfect  hints  in  Galen.  The  former  was  more 
distinguished,  but  its  remaining  vestiges  are  few.  The 
medals  bear  a  branch  of  Balaustines;  but  this  mark  is 
rather  referable  to  the  arts  than  to  medicine,  as  the 
plant  was  then  almost  exclusively  used  in  dying. 

The  fame  of  these  schools  and  of  the  philosophers, 
for  medicine  seems  hitherto  to  have  been  cultivated 
only  as  a  branch  of  philosophy,  was  soon  eclipsed  by 
Hifi/iocrates,  who  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to  whom 
the  appellation  of  physician,  in  its  modern  acceptation, 
is  due.  He  first  separated  it  from  philosophy,  gave  it 
the  form  of  a  distinct  science,  and  personally  observed 
the  progress  of  diseases,  as  well  as  the  effects  of  reme- 
dies; on  this  account  he  is  styled  the  inventor  of  the 
medicina  clinica.  Yet  perhaps  the  philosophers  who 
preceded  him  must  not  be  wholly  omitted.  We  are  re- 
minded of  Pythagoras  by  the  Climacterics,  by  the  Cri- 
tical days,  and  his  recommendation  of  the  vinegar  of 
squills,  in  deafness;  of  his  scholar  jllcirueon,  who  first 
described  the  eye;  of  Empedocles,  who,  before  any 
other  anatomist,  dissected  with  accuracy  the  ear;  and 
of  Timaeus  Locrus,  who  taught  that  the  nervous  system 
was  the  basis  of  the  whole  body,  on  which  the  nutritious 
substance  was  gradually  extended.  Democritus  was 
rather  a  philosopher  and  a  chemist  than  a  physician, 
and  might  have  ranked  with  credit  in  each  class  were 
the  various  hints  of  his  labours  collected. 

Of  HIPPOCRATES  it  is  difficult  to  speak  with  impar- 
tiality in  a  manner  that  will  satisfy  his  warm  admirers, 
or  those  who  reject  every  thing  which  is  not  of  a  mo- 
dern aera.  If  we  look  at  him  as  a  physician,  when  me- 
dicine had  scarcely  escaped  from  the  trammels  of  su- 
perstition, the  refinements  of  philosophy,  or  the  dictates 
of  antiquated  tradition,  our  admiration  will  rise  almost 
to  enthusiasm  ;  for  we  shall  perceive  sound  judgment, 
accuracy  of  reasoning,  and  acuteness  of  observation, 
superior  to  his  aera,  or  the  state  of  science  at  that 
period.  But  to  study  and  admire  Hippocrates  at  this 
time  is  very  different.  Science  has  opened  newer  and 
'more  extensive  views;  diseases  are  distinguished  with 


greater  accuracy ;  and  the  remedies,  as  they  are  more 
numerous,  may  be  more  appropriately  adapted  to  the 
circumstances.  If  we  find  a  striking  description  in 
Hippocrates,  we  admire  it  as  a  mark  of  superior  genius, 
and  wonder  how  the  same  event  could  have  happened 
both  in  Greece  and  England.  Yet  strip  the  fact  of  the 
disguise  of  system,  and  it  will  be  found  that  patient  ob- 
servation would  alone  have  taught  it.  He  fills,  however, 
so  vast  a  space  in  the  medical  scene,  that  some  further 
notice  of  him  and  his  doctrines  will  be  necessary. 

Hippocrates  was  born  in  the  first  year  of  the  80th 
Olympiad,  460  yeai  s  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  was 
descended  from  a  line  of  physicians,  inheriting  the  in- 
structions of  his  father  and  grandfather,  themselves 
descendants  from  the  Asclepiadae,  while  his  mother 
traced  her  origin  from  the  Heraclidae.  He  died  at  La- 
rissa,  it  is  said,  at  the  age  of  ninety.  He  first  practised 
physic  at  Thasus,  afterwards  at  Abdera,  and  at  last  in 
Thessaly ;  but  his  chief  residence  was  at  Cos,  whence 
the  Coan  school  became  for  a  long  time  the  successful 
rival  of  the  Gnidian.  All  that  has  been  added  to  these 
few  events  is  doubtful.  That  his  instructors  were  He- 
rodicus  (or  Prodicus)  and  Democritus,  rests  only  on  the 
attention  which  he  has  paid  to  the  gymnastic  art,  as 
well  as  to  anatomy  ;  and  the  philosophy  of  Hippocrates 
is  more  nearly  allied  to  the  tenets  of  Heraclitus  than  of 
the  Abderite.  As  Hippocrates  was  a  great  traveller, 
he  might  have  attended  the  lessons  of  Prodicus  in 
Athens,  where  he  chiefly  taught,  and  might  there  have 
been  acquainted  with  his  brother  Gorgias,  whom  he 
afterwards  attended  in  his  medical  capacity  in  Thessaly, 
when  worn  down  with  old  age ;  but  we  have  no  records 
of  his  having  ever  practised  at  Athens. 

The  other  tales  either  to  his  honour  or  discredit  are 
too  idle  to  detain  us.  Had  he  violated  or  burnt  a 
temple,  Greece  could  have  afforded  him  no  asylum. 
Had  he  been  greatly  instrumental  in  relieving  those 
affected  with  the  plague  at  Athens,  Thucydides  could 
not  have  stated  that  medicine  was  of  no  advantage  in  that 
epidemic.  The  oration  of  Thessalus  the  son  of  Hippo- 
crates on  the  subject  of  the  honours  decreed  to  him, 
must  be  spurious ;  for  at  that  time  the  sage  was  but 
thirty-one  years  old.  The  request  of  Artaxerxes,  which 
he  is  said  to  have  refused,  is  also  wholly  inconsistent 
with  the  crime  supposed  to  have  driven  him  from  Cos. 
The  tale  of  his  being  sent  to  Democritus  by  the  inha- 
bitants of  Abdera  seems  only  one  of  the  many  sneers 
the  stupidity  of  the  Abderites  scattered  in  ancient  his- 
tory ;  and  Reland  has  shown,  that  the  imputed  letter 
was  written  by  Epictetus.  The  time  of  his  death  is 
equally  uncertain. 

Under  the  name  of  Hippocrates  we  have  received 
works  of  very  different  value.  Those  of  his  prede- 
cessors and  successors  are  confounded  with  his,  partly 
from  his  having  appropriated  some  of  their  remarks, 
in  part  from  the  high  character  he  had  acquired ;  and 
from  several  of  his  descendants  having  retained  his 
name.  The  chief  cause,  however,  of  the  many  spurious 
works  attributed  to  him,  is  the  avarice  of  the  collectors 
of  Ptolemy,  who,  when  he  founded  the  library  of 
Alexandria,  endeavoured  to  obtain,  at  the  most  ex- 
travagant rates,  the.  works  of  every  author  of  reputa- 
tion. Every  thing  under  the  name  of  Hippocrates  was 
eagerly  received,  and  it  was  thought  of  little  importance 
whether  they  proceeded  from  the  first)  second,  or  third 
6  D  2 


M  ED 


940 


MED 


of  that  name:  the  reports  were  not  sifted  with  minute 
discrimination.  To  distinguish  the  real  works  of  Hip- 
pocrates has  been  consequently  a  problem  of  no  little 
difficulty.  At  the  expiration  of  500  years,  this  task 
was  attempted  by  Galen,  who,  to  an  intimate  knowledge 
of  what  the  successors  of  Hippocrates  had  written,  pos- 
sessed a  discriminating  genius,  and  a  critical  discern- 
ment of  the  style  and  manner  of  the  Coan  sage,  which 
peculiarly  fitted  him  for  the  task.  Mercurialis,  a  man 
of  the  most'  extensive  erudition,  Haller,  a  physician 
of  vast  information,  capable  of  the  most  incredible 
labour,  and  Gruner,  possessed  of  all  the  indefatigable 
diligence  of  his  nation,  have  laboured  in  the  same  field. 
They  have  assumed,  as  a  principle,  that  Hippocrates 
was  a  man  of  singular  abilities,  extensive  information, 
consummate  candour,  and  modesty.  By  these  tests 
they  have  tried  every  imputed  work.  Though  perhaps 
the  principles  might  not  be  readily  conceded,  yet,  as 
they  will  certainly  point  out  to  our  attention  the  most 
valuable  works,  we  shall  give  the  result  of  their  la- 
bours. 

The  undisputed  works  of  Hippocrates  are  said  to  be 
the  first  and  third  book  of  the  EPIDEMICS  ;  two  books 
of  the  PR^NOTIONES  (a  different  work  from  the  Prae- 
notiones  Coacae,  published  by  Elzevir  in  1660,  by 
Duretus  at  Paris,  and  with  commentaries  by  Hollerius 
at  Leyden,  which  is  very  certainly  spurious),  containing 
the  Prognostics,  and  the  second  book  of  the  Prorrhetica ; 
De  Di&ta  in  Acutis,  in  opposition  to  the  Gnidian  sen- 
tences;  the  Afihorismi ;  De  Acre,  Aquis  et  Locis  ;  De 
JVatura  Hominis;  De  Humoribus  Purgandis;  De  Aii- 
mento;  DeArticulis;  De  Fracturis;  DC  Cafiitis  Vulneri- 
bus;  De  Officina  Medici;  De  Locis  in  Homine.  This  is 
nearly  the  enumeration  of  Haller  ;but  Galen  and  Haller 
seem  to  have  admitted  tracts  among  the  Hippocratic 
works,  with  too  great  facility.  Gruner,  who  like  Hal- 
ler considered  brevity,  gravity,  and  the  absence  of  theo- 
retical reasonings  to  be  the  true  test  of  the  genuine 
writings  of  Hippocrates,  differs  in  the  application.  He 
admits  the  oath,  but  rejects  the  treatise,  De  Natura 
Hominia,  De  Locis  in  Homine,  De  Humoribus,  De  Ali- 
mento,  et  De  Articulis.  Whether  the  oath  be  admitted 
or  rejected,  is  of  little  importance ;  since  it  must  be  con- 
sidered rather  as  an  object  of  curiosity  than  of  utility. 
The  first  of  these  rejected  works  was  admitted,  with 
hesitation,  by  Galen  and  Mercurialis,  as  containing 
many  passages  very  distant  from  the  manner  and  doc- 
trines of  Hippocrates  ;  but  it  was  retained,  as  containing 
some  facts  of  importance.  The  second,  though  ad- 
mitted by.  Galen  and  Cselius,  and  though  it  agrees,  in 
general,  with  the  practice  of  Hippocrates,  has  been 
suspected  on  account  of  some  passages  of  a  very  differ- 
ent description.  Haller  only  asserts  that  it  may  be  his 
work ;  and  Mercurialis,  who  ascribes  it  to  Hippocrates, 
thinks  that  he  did  not  live  to  complete  it. 

Gruner  and  Mercurialis  reject  the  tract  He  Humo- 
ribus, but  add,  that  it  merits  attention.  It  has  been  in- 
deed commended  in  every  age,  and  illustrated  with 
commentaries  by  Galen,  Duretus,  and  Gunzius.  The 
tract  on  Aliment,  on  the  contrary,  imitates  only  the 
terseness  of  Hippocrates,  but  betrays  the  author  to  be 
of  a  later  sera,  by  the  doctrines  respecting  the  arteries 
and  veins.  The  book  on  the  Joints  is  evidently  the 
work  of  Hippocrates,  or,  at  least,  of  the  author  of  the 
tract  De  Fractures,  and  universally  admitted.  It  contains 


also  an  account  of  the  luxation  of  the  thigh,  which  the 
history  of  medicine  uniformly  attributes  to  Hippocrates, 
by  recording  a  controversy  between  him  and  Ctesias  on" 
this  subject. 

Yet  even  the  undisputed  works  of  Hippocrates  must 
be  received  with  some  hesitation.  The  criteria  by  whick 
they  are  decided  arc,  we  have  said,  not  infallible  ;  for  they 
assume  a  degree  of  uniform  excellence,  which  perhaps 
lew  have  possessed.  The  tract  De  Acre,  Aquis  et  Locis, 
shows  the  author  to  have  been  an  European  ;  and  various 
passages  even  in  the  mosj  genuine  works,  may  be  ad- 
duced to  prove  that  interpolations  have  crept  in.  Where 
then  can  we  draw  the  line  ?  or  need  the  line  be  drawn  ? 

We  have  enlarged  on  this  part  of  the  subject  to  add 
the  only  conclusion  which  can  be  admitted,  that  the 
undisputed  works  of  Hippocrates  show  rather  the  state 
of  medicine  in  the  earliest  eras  than  form  what  may 
be  styled  the  system  of  an  individual.  They  are  there- 
fore objects  of  curiosity,  rather  than  use  ;  for  the  most 
important  facts  are  scattered  in  a  variety  of  modern 
works,  and  within  the  reach  of  the  greater  number  ol" 
readers.  Yet  the  writings  of  Hippocrates  merit  atten- 
tion. Where  the  title  of  doctor  is  assumed  merely  as  a 
claim  to  receive  the  fee  of  a  physician,  it  is  of  little  im- 
portance whether  the  practitioner  can  read :  the  world 
is  contented  to  take  his  talents  on  trust;  but  the  man 
who  claims  the  rank  of  a  regular,  well  instructed,  phy- 
sician, should  not  be  ignorant  of  the  language  of  Hippo- 
crates, or  of  the  state  of  physic  at  the  earliest  period  of 
recorded  observations.  He  will  derive  no  little  satis- 
faction from  the  polished  terseness  of  the  Hippocratic 
language,  from  the  candid  relation  of  facts,  whether 
favourable  or  otherwise,  from  the  firm  undeviating  in- 
tegrity, which  seems  to  have  regulated  the  conduct  of 
this  father  of  medicine. 

We  have  been  led  also  to  this  inquiry  from  other 
views.  Various  are  the  authors  who  have  treated  of 
Hippocrates  and  his  system,  without  knowing  that,  in, 
the  same  volume,  works  most  unworthy  of  any  author 
of  credit  were  confounded  uiu^r  hrs  name.  Each  has 
been  quoted  with  the  same  indiscriminate  complacency, 
and  it  may  be  easily  conceived  what  a  motley  mixture 
must  be  the  result.  Having  thus  pointed  out  where 
his  real  sentiments  may  be  found,  we  shall  very  shortly 
point  out  what  they  apparently  were. 

The  tenet  of  Hippocrates,  that  a  knowledge  of  nature 
is  the  first  principle  .in  medicine,  has  been  quoted  with 
great  zeal,  to  prove  that  he  who  saw  this  position  in  so 
strong  a  light  must  have  been  acquainted  with  the 
structure  and  the  functions  of  the  body.  Yet  even  this 
axiom  seems  not  to  have  been  suggested  by  Hippocrates, 
as  it  occurs  in  one  of  his  doubtful  works.  That  nature 
preserves  health  and  cures  diseases  is  a, tenet  more 
obvious,  and  must  have  often  occurred  in  a  practice  so 
inert  as  that  of  the  Coan  sage.  His  anatomical  know- 
ledge was  inconsiderable.  In  his  work  on  the  bones, 
one  of  doubtful  authority,  he  describes  the  spine  as  con- 
sisting of  twenty  vertebrse  only.  The  error  is  indeed 
corrected  towards  the  end,  but  apparently  by  another 
hand.  The  vesiculae  seminales  are  expressly  described 
as  a  series  of  vesicles  on  each  side  of  the  bladder.  This 
fact  has  been  quoted  to  show  that  he  dissected  human 
bodies;  but  the  tract,  in  which  the  observation  occurs,  is 
pronounced  to  be  spurious,  even  by  Galen.  That  Hip- 
pocrates was  acquainted  with  the  circulation  of  the 


M  ED 


941 


MED 


.,  as  some  authors  have  contended,  no  longer  re- 
quires a  single  remark. 

Though  his  genuine  account  of  the  structure  of  the 
genital  organs  is  confessedly  incorrect,  yet  his  ideas  that 
the  male  and  female  semen  are  mixed  in  conception, 
that  the  sex  is  determined  by  the  most  powerful,  and 
that,  if  the  semen  escapes  from  the  female,  impregnation 
is  prevented,  ^re  principles  still  supported  by  many 
physiologists,  and  are,  on  the  whole,  highly  probable. 
The  reciprocal  action  of  the  warm  and  cold  spirit,  in 
promoting  the  growth  of  the  foetus,  is  wholly  imaginary. 
The  soul,  he  supposes,  is  drawn  in  with  the  air ;  not 
with  air  as  such,  but  as  a  vehicle  of  water  and  fire,  and 
co'mmunicated  through  the  vessels  of  the  placenta  to  the 
foetus.  His  theory  of  the  cause  of  labour  pains,  from 
the  exertions  of  the  foetus,  in  consequence  of  the  want 
of  nourishment,  though  long  supposed  to  be  true,  will 
scarcely  bear  the  test  of  rigorous  examination ;  and 
indeed  every  supposed  cause  of  labour  supervening  at 
the  end  of  the  ninth  month  appears  to  be  equivocal. 
The  reason  which  he  assigns  for  the  life  of  a  foetus  of 
seven  months,  while  one  of  eight  is  generally  dead,  ap- 
pears to  be  too  refined,  and  in  part  imaginary.  It  has 
been  said,  that  a  woman,  accused  of  adultery,  because 
her  child  was  like  neither  supposed  parent,  was  ac- 
quitted on  Hippocrates  suggesting,  that  a  picture,  which 
resembled  it,  might  have  been  in  her  bed  chamber, 
which,  on  examination  was  found  to  be  true.  The 
story  is  told,  however,  by  an  obscure  writer,  Hieronymus ; 
and  Galen,  who  relates  it  as  the  tale  of  a  former  age, 
docs  not  attribute  the  decision  to  Hippocrates. 
*  To  engage,  however,  in  any  extensive  enquiry  respect- 
ing the  physiological  doctrines  of  the  Coan  sage  would 
be  idle,  since  much  was  fancy  and  more  probably  con- 
jecture ;  but  above  all,  on  account  of  the  latitude  of 
expression  which  he  employs.  Thus  iivfe*  signifies 
not  only  nerve,  but  ligament  and  tendon  ;  <f>\t^>  not 
only  a  vein,  but  an  artery,  or  an  excretory  duct ;  and 
-j.:na.  means  not  only  blood,  but  any  watery  fluid ;  and 
the  nervous  fluid  the  air  inspired,  which  mixes  ulti- 
mately with  all  the  fluids  of  the  body. 

It  is  more  clear,  that  he  supposed  the  existence  of 
four  fluids  in  the  body,  blood,  phlegm,  yellow  and  black 
bile.  Their  common  source  he  supposed  to  be  the 
stomach,  but  each  had  also  its  peculiar  origin,  viz. 
blood  from  the  heart,  phlegm  from  the  head,  yellow- 
bile  from  the  gall  duct,  and  black  bile  from  the  spleen. 
The  last  organ,  in  his  opinion,  attracts  not  only  the 
black  bile,  but  water  also,  which  it  conveys  to  the  urina- 
ry organs  or  to  the  belly.  This  doctrine  of  the  four 
humours  has  been  the  foundation  of  the  system  of 
Galen,  and  still  infects  the  theory  of  medicine.  See 
TKMPERAMEXTA. 

The  Hippocratic  pathology  might  be  offered  in  a 
neat  compacted  system,  were  the  book  DeFlatibus  cer- 
tainly written  by  the  father  of  medicine.  It  is,  however, 
generally  and  deservedly  removed  to  a  later  aera  ;  yet 
Galen  employs  the  flatus  when  mixed  with  the  bile,  as 
the  cause  of  fever.  The  cause  of  epilepsy,  as  assigned 
by  Hippocrates,  is  so  recondite,  and  so  totally  at  variance 
with  what  anatomy  teaches,  that  it  would  be  useless 
labour  to  enlarge  on  it.  Yet  this,  and  some  other  of 
this  author's  disquisitions,  show  with  what  eagerness 
he  endeavoured  to  transfer  his  observations  on  the  ap- 
pearances found  in  the  dissection  of  brutes  to  the 


human  system.  \Ve  may  here  remark  what  an  exami' 
nation  of  the  works  of  Hippocrates  for  this  purpose  has 
suggested,  that  the  boasted  to  tim  is  introduced  hastily 
and  abruptly,  greatly  resembling  an  interpolation.  In 
other  parts  of  our  work  we  have  followed  the  herd  of 
authors,  and  attributed  it  to  a  fixed  systematic  opinion. 

As  Hipprocates  speaks  of  the  rising  and  setting  of 
the  dog  star,  of  the  pleiades,  kc.  it  has  been  supposed 
that  he  attributes  diseases  to  their  influence.  If,  how- 
ever, his  works  be  examined,  it  will  appear  that,  in  such 
places,  he  only  endeavours  to  fix  the  seasons  with 
greater  accuracy.  It  is  evident,  indeed,  that  he  examines 
the  influence  of  different  seasons,  the  prevailing  winds, 
the  situation  of  marshes  and  mountains,  with  great 
precision,  and  pays  peculiar  attention  to  the  age,  mode 
of  life,  constitution,  and  diet  of  his  patient.  The 
histories  or  daily  progress  of  diseases  he  has  described 
with  great  accuracy  and  perspicuity ;  nor  are  his  re- 
marks, though  not  strictly  applicable  in  our  climate, 
and  in  constitutions  so  totally  differing  by  a  very  oppo- 
site mode  of  life,  wholly  useless  at  present.  Observa- 
tion seems  to  have  suggested  what  have  been  styled 
critical  days;  nor,  though  he  hints  at  a  supposed  har- 
mony of  numbers,  is  there  any  real  evidence  that  the 
doctrine  was  suggested  by  it.  His  observations  on  the 
pulse  are  few  and  indistinct;  on  the  urine,  numerous 
and  minute ;  on  the  excretions  either  from  the  lungs, 
from  the  stomach,  or  bowels,  peculiarly  distinct  and 
pointed  ;  on  the  appearance  of  the  features  and  the  state 
of  the  body,  full  and  discriminated.  Yet,  with  all  these 
aids,  he  stills  considers  the  prognosis  in  acute  diseases 
as  uncertain. 

The  practice  of  Hippocrates  must  be  divided  into  his 
diaetetic,  his  surgical,  and  his  medical  systein.  The 
chief  diaetetic  work  under  his  name  is  attributed  by  the 
critics  to  Polybius,  his  son  in  law ;  but  there  is  much 
reason  to  think,  that  the  rules  are  derived  from  the  sage 
himself.  In  general,  in  this  work,  as  in  other  parts  of 
his  writings,  he  commends  moderation,  and  a  quantity 
of  aliment  in  proportion  to  the  exercise  used.  In  some 
of  the  tracts  attributed  to  him  he  speaks  of  the  compa- 
rative utility  and  effects  of  horses,  asses,  foxes,  and 
hedge  hogs  flesh.  Where  excess  has  been  indulged, 
he  mentions  the  advantages  of  vomits,  purgatives, 
clysters,  frictions,  baths,  &c.  When  persons  were  seized 
with  acute  diseases,  he  employed  Ipw  diet,  and  forbad 
exercise  :  we  find  it  injurious  at  this  moment. 

His  practical  rules  are  sound  and  judicious  ;  yet,  per- 
verted by  fashionable  systems,  they  have  been  found 
most  fatal.  Acute  diseases  are,  he  thinks,  cured  by- 
nature,  and  the  physician  must  look  on  and  attend : 
those  which  have  a  fair  proper  crisis  we  must  not 
disturb.  What  ought  to  be  discharged  must  be  dis- 
charged at  the  most  convenient  outlets,  and  at  those 
where  the  tendency  to  evacuation  is  perceived;  but 
concocted  fluids  only  must  be  attacked  by  medicines, 
not  crude  ones,  unless  they  are  turgid.  It  is  impossible 
to  convey  more  sound  and  judicious  practice  in  fewer 
words,  yet  it  has  been  mistaken  so  much,  that  evacua- 
tions have  been  forbid  in  the  beginning  of  diseases,  and 
volumes  have  been  written  to  explain  the  meaning  of 
turgid  matter,  or  rather  to  conceal  it.  The  real  meaning 
of  the  rules,  examined  in  their  literal  sense,  or  in  com- 
parison with  the  other  passages  of  his  undisputed  works, 
Is  this :  What  must  be  discharged  will  be  properlr 


MED 


942 


M  E  ]J 


evacuated  by  the  most  convenient  outlets.  We  are  not, 
for  instance,  to  urge  purgatives  when  there  is  a  ten- 
dency to  perspiration,  or  sudorifics  when  expectoration 
is  necessary.  Concocted  fluids  are  only  to  be  evacuated, 
not  crude  ones,  unless  they  are  turgid.  This  is  the  fatal 
sentence  ;  for  the  term  concocted  has  been  applied  to  the 
state  of  the  fluids  only  after  a  long  continuance  of  fever, 
and  it  has  been  supposed  that  fever  must  continue 
before  evacuations  are  attempted.  Whatever  be  the 
meaning,  however,  the  interpretation  must  be  limited  by 
the  term  turgid,  which  in  fact  means  only  full.  Thus 
a  fullness  of  the  epigastrum,of  the  abdomen  in  general, 
bilious  vomitings  and  diarrhoeas,  redness  of  the  eyes,  and 
a  heaviness  of  the  head,  are  distinctly  noted  as  marks 
of  turgescence.  These  are  the  cases  in  which  modern 
practice  employs  evacuations,  and  these  are  the  symp- 
toms which,  even  with  Hippocratic  rigour,  would  be 
truly  found  to  indicate  them.  Yet  to  wait  for  con- 
coction has  been  the  fatal  rule,  which  has  kept  febrile 
patients  in  bed  with  closed  windows  and  curtains,  with 
fire  in  the  dog  days,  the  addition  of  blankets,  and  the 
most  heating"  medicines  for  many  weeks.  At  the  mo- 
ment of  our  commencing  practice  his  plan  was  not 
wholly  exploded. 

A  rule,  less  liable  to  be  mistaken,  was,  that  diseases 
from  repletion  must  be  cured  by  evacuation ;  and  the 
contrary.  Rest  is  equally  the  remedy  for  labour,  and 
labour  for  indolence  ;  and,  in  general,  medicine  consists 
in  adding  or  taking  away,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
cause.  Every  attempt,  however,  to  change  a  continued 
habit  must  be  gradual,  for  every  excess  is  dangerous. 

If  evacuations  cannot  safely  take  place  from  the  most 
convenient  parts,  a  revulsion  must,  according  to  Hippo- 
crates, be  attempted,  and  the  nearest  emunctories  should 
be  preferred  ;  for  the  discharge,  he  adds,  is  not  salutary 
from  its  quantity,  but  from  its  freedom  and  the  ease 
with  which  it  is  borne.  When,  however,  it  is  the  object 
to  weaken,  the  discharge  must  be  excessive.  If  the 
practitioner  should  not  at  once  succeed,  he  should  not 
hastily  change  his  plans,  but  consider  whether  any  thing 
has  been  omitted,  or,  for-a  time,  rest  to  see  what  nature 
will  point  out.  When  the  patient  appears  to  yield  to 
the  disease,  he  forbids  further  attempts  ;  but  those,  he 
remarks,  with  an  oracular  uncertainty,  who  are  not  re- 
lieved by  medicine  are  relieved  by  iron ;  those  who 
yield  not  to  iron  are  cured  by  fire;  and  those  on  whom 
fire  makes  no  impression  are  incurable. 

The  milder  laxatives  of  the  "divine  old  man"  were 
the  juice  of  the  herb  mercurialis,  cabbage,  the  leaves  of 
elder,  or  a  decoction  of  beet  root  with  salt  and  honey  ; 
various  kinds  of  milk,  either  boiled  or  in  the  form  of 
whey.  These  in  larger  quantities  were  sometimes  em- 
ployed to  produce  vomiting.  As  assistants  to  these,  he 
employed  clysters  and  suppositories  ;  and,  when  more 
active  drastics  were  necessary,  the  hellebore,  not,  how- 
ever, without  the  precaution  of  premising  the  most 
cooling  diet.  He  was  anxious  also  that  whatever  might 
prevent  hiccup  and  convulsions  should  be  ready,  and 
assisted  their  quick  operation  by  clysters. 

To  the  white  hellebore  he  usually  joined  the  sesamoid ; 
to  the  black,  the  peplium,  supposed  to  be  a  species 
of  esula,  or  the  portulaca,  though  by  some  authors 
thought  to  be  the  papaver  spumeum  of  Dioscorides". 
We  might  fill  pages  with  conjectures  respecting  the 
present  names  of  these  plants,  but  must  leave  the 


question  at  last  in  uncertainty.  .  Hippocrates  certainl) 
considers  what  he  styles  the  white  poppy  to  be  a  pur- 
gative, and  Phny  refers  a  kind  of  poppy  to  the  genus 
tithymalus.  The  peplium  seems,  from  other  parts  of 
Hippocrates's  works,  to  be  a  carminative,  and  the  cum- 
min or  the  anise  seeds  appear  to  be  occasionally  sub- 
stituted for  it.  Other  purgatives,  recommended  by  the 
Coan  sage,  are  the  grana  Gnidia,  the  colocynth,  the 
thapsia,  the  cyclamen,  with  the  flowers  and  scales  of 
copper,  though  the  last  are  chiefly  employed  externally. 
Scammony  and  elaterium  he  commends  for  pessaries  ; 
but  the  latter  was  also  given  internally,  as  he  advises 
the  milk  of  a  woman  or  a  she  goat  which  have  taken 
elaterium,  as  a  purgative  for  children.  It  has  been 
suspected  tnat,  in  this  passage,  elaterium  is  inserted 
instead  of  veratrum,  which  goats  greedily  devour,  and 
which  acts  on  them  as  a  cathartic.  It  is  singular,  how- 
ever, that  the  particular  purgatives,  especially  the  dras- 
tics, are  mentioned  only  in  the  tract  Ue  Morbis  Mulie- 
rum,  which  is  supposed  to  be  from  the  school  of  Gnidus, 
and  older  than  Hippocrates,  since  no  mention  is  made 
of  aloes,  which  was  brought  from  India  through  Egypt 
in  his  time. 

The  head,  according  to  Hippocrates,  was  particularly 
evacuated  by  the  grana  Gnidia,  hippophae,  a  thorny 
shrub  which  discharged  a  bitter  milky  juice  ;  the  stone 
magnesia,  which  is  undoubtedly  the  load  stone;  and  the 
tetragonum,  supposed  by  Galen  to  be  antimony,  but 
by  modern  botanists  to  be  the  juice  of  one  of  the  fir 
tribe,  several  of  which  are  purgative.  In  general,  Hip- 
pocrates used  purgatives  in  chronic  diseases;  but  he 
certainly  employed  them  in  acute  ones  more  freely  than 
the  greater  number  of  the  more  modern  practitioners. 

The  diuretics  prescribed  by  Hippocrates  were  the 
leek,  onion,  mercurialis,  wild  parsley,  &c.  with  wine  and 
honey  largely  diluted,  sometimes  the  warm  bath.  Can- 
tharides,  however,  he  orders  in  dropsies ;  and  five,  with 
the  head,  feet,  and  wings  taken  off,  to  expel  the  secun- 
dines  and  bring  on  the  catamenia.  It  is  not  certain, 
however,  that  so  many  were  always  swallowed:  in  drop- 
sies he  gave  three  only. 

To  purge  the  lungs  a  singular  method  was  employed. 
If  there  was  reason  to  suppose  that  an  abscess  had 
formed,  after  a  peripneumony,  a  decoction  of  different 
acrimonious  plants,  with  honey,  &c.  was  directed  to  be 
poured  into  the  trachea,  the  passage  to  which  was 
opened  by  drawing  out  the  tongue.  Galen,  however, 
has  long  since  informed  us,  that  the  whole  process  was 
taken  from  the  Gnidian  school. 

The  uterus  was  stimulated  by  the  most  active  pessa- 
ries, clysters,  and  injections,  or  by  partial  vapour  baths 
(incessus)  composed  of  the  same  ingredients.  He  at- 
tributed much  to  perspiration;  but  produced  it  chiefly 
by  warm  diluting  liquors,  by  bathing,  and  covering  the 
patient  with  warm  cloaks.  His  ptisans,  decoctions  of 
barley  of  different  richness,  are  often  mentioned. 

He  drew  blood  by  venesection,  and  by  scarifications 
more  or  less  deep,  chiefly  near  the  head;  yet  he  did  not 
repeat  the  evacuations  frequently,  lest,  by  intercepting 
the  current  of  blood  to  the -head,  apoplexy,  convulsions, 
or  inflammations  might  be  induced.  When  the  voice 
was  affected,  he  divided  the  vein  of  the  right  arm;  in 
pleurisy  and  peripneumony,  the  internal  vein  of  the 
side  affected  :  some  directions  are  subjoined,  respecting 
a  division  of  the  veins  under  the  tongue,  or  in  the  hands. 


31  E  1) 


943 


31  ED 


In  inflammations  of  the  chest,  he  sometimes  bled  till  the 
patient  fainted.  He  bled  topically  with  cupping  glass- 
es, and  sometimes  directs  the  necessary  size.  The 
lancet,  he  observes,  should  not  be  too  pointed,  that  a 
free  passage  may  be  afforded  to  the  more  viscid  fluids. 

When  he  wished  to  alter  the  crasis  of  the  more  fluid, 
or  of  the  more  solid  parts,  he  chiefly  employed  diet;  and 
he  is  consequently  copious  in  describing  the  powers  of 
particular  diets  as  cooling  or  heating,  diluting  or  drying, 
as  laxative  or  constipative.  A  large  share  of  the  tract 
De  Victu  .Xcutorum  is  employed  on  this  subject,  where 
the  ptisans  again  frequently  occur. 

To  check  excess  of  motion,  he  seems  to  have  very 
rarely  used  opium.  In  what  he  styles  strangulations  of 
the  uterus,  he  advises  T»  vtriaTix.tr  fiaxmitr,  the  soporific 
meconium  :  the  ««•«$  fu[x*j«?  seems  to  be  the  papaver 
spumeum,  the  peplium,  perhaps  the  wild  purslain.  He 
recommends  the  mandragora  in  a  dose  below  that, 
which  produces  delirium,  and  thinks  it  useful  in  the 
violent  paroxysms  to  which  those  affected  with  melan- 
cholia are  sometimes  subject.  The  juice  of  the  man- 
dragora, and  the  wild  cucurbit  diluted  with  milk,  is  to 
be  injected  into  the  anus  to  relieve  prolapsus,  or  bleeding 
piles,  and  into  the  vagina  to  evacuate  the  vessels  of  the 
uterus.  But  to  cure  quartans  he  mixed  the  mandragora 
with  hyoscyamus,  silphium  (probably  asafoetida,)  and 
trefoil,  giving  them  together  in  wine.- 

To  correct  rigidity  he  employed  baths,  fumigations, 
and  gargles.  Oils,  impregnated  with  different  flowers, 
sometimes  with  aromatics,  were  also  freely  ordered  ; 
cataplasms  and  ointments,  sometimes  stiffened  with  wax, 
but  scarcely  in  any  instance  consolidated  into  what  may 
be  now  called  a  plaster,  were  frequently  employed. 
The  oils  were  generally  rubbed  in  after  exercise,  and 
thence  called  acofia,  relievers  of  fatigue.  It  was  an  idle 
fancy  of  the  alchemists  that  Hippocrates  was  an  expe- 
rienced chemist. 

The  surgery  of  Hippocrates  is  scattered  through  a 
great  number  of  tracts,  but  this  part  of  the  subject  has 
been  anticipated  in  the  history  of  surgery.  (SeeCmRCR- 
GIA.)  Yet,  on  recurring  to  that  article  with  a  more  cir- 
cumspect eye,  we  perceive  omissions  which  we  shall 
now  endeavour  to  supply. 

A  minute  attention,  which  seems  to  have  prevailed  in 
the  Gnidian  school,  to  the  form  of  bandages,  he  rejects 
as  rather  curious  than  useful.  The  patient,  he  remarks, 
requires  assistance,  not  ornament ;  and  whatever  does 
not  contribute  to  his  ease  or  his  relief,  he  thinks  unde- 
serving of  attention.  He  penetrated  bones  with  an 
instrument  not  unlike  the  modern  trephine,  and  even 
the  ribs,  to  evacuate  water  collected  in  the  chest.  The 
management  of  fractures,  though  the  instruments  were 
somewhat  rude,  seems,  on  the  whole,  judicious :  no 
plasters  were  applied  till  '  after  the  aera  of  Paulus 
jEgineta.  The  eye,  in  inflammations,  was  scarified  by 
the  friction  of  the  rough  Milesian  wool. 

We  have  enlarged  on  this  subject  because  we  have 
not  found  the  Coan  system  fully  and  impartially  stated ; 
and  because  the  practice  of  Hippocrates,  like  an  over- 
ruling genius,  has  continued  to  lead  us,  by  imperceptible 
threads,  even  to  the  present  aera.  Subsequent  to.  his 
time  his  descendants  and  disciples  continued  in  the 
same  line,  and  for  many  ages  little  improvement  was 
made  in  practice,  and  but  few  innovations  occurred  in 
physiology.  For  the  latter  we  are  indebted  to  Plato, 


whose  fancies  on  this  subject  are  amusing,  and,  but 
that  we  have  little  room  for  amusement  only,  might 
for  some  time  detain  us.  The  names  of  Hippocrates' 
successors,  and  we  could  add  scarcely  any  thing  to  the 
catalogue,  would  not  be  interesting;  but  we  were  some- 
what surprised  among  them  to  find  the  elder  and 
younger  Dionysius.  We  could  easily  conceive  that  the 
elder,  as  was  reported,  delighted  in  witnessing  the  most 
painful  surgical  operations ;  but  the  idle  dissipated  cha- 
racter of  the  younger  forbad  us  to  expect  from  him  any 
mental  exertion.  It  is  suggested,  however,  that  the 
barbers  and  perfumers  shops,  for  he  was  as  conde- 
scending and  familiar  as  our  fifth  Henry  when  prince 
of  Wales,  were  called  'isttfiix,  and  that  it  might  there- 
fore be  truly  said  that  his  time  was  employed  it }*rf€i»i(, 
but  not  in  medical  disquisitions. 

From  the  time  of  Hippocrates  to  that  of  Ptolemy 
Philadelphus  few  were  the  medical  practitioners,  and 
these  rather  distinguished  for  fancy  and  refinement 
than  any  improvement  in  the  art.  Diodes,  already 
noticed  in  the  history  of  surgery,  rescues  this  period 
from  total  insignificance.  Yet,  even  at  this  time,  when 
authors  contended  that  no  blood  naturally  entered  the 
arteries,  and  the  arterial  vibrations  were  attributed  to  a 
fiulxificconatus,  the  pulse  was  attended  to  and  employed 
among  other  prognostics.  The  fame,  however,  of  the 
medical  practitioners  was  eclipsed  by  that  of  Aristotle, 
who  flourished  at  this  time;  a  man  to  whom  every 
branch  of  natural  science  was  highly  indebted,  who 
alone  united  the  most  comprehensive  views,  the  acutest 
genius,  and  the  most  unremitting  diligence,  and  who 
has  only  been  disregarded  by  those  who  have  not  talents 
to  appreciate  his  labourss  His  two  books  on  medicine 
are  unfortunately  lost;  his  anatomy,  in  the  works  which 
remain,  is  not  on  the  whole  correct,  and  his  physiology 
somewhat  fanciful.  These  were,  however,  the  faults  of 
his  aera,  not  his  own.  Whatever  were  the  errors  of  his 
physiology,  and  philosophy,  both  were  adopted  in  gene- 
ral by  Galen,  and  more  exclusively  by  the  Arabians ; 
so  that  their  effects  were  most  extensive.  The  vast 
knowledge  which  Aristotle  possessed  in  the  three  king- 
doms of  nature  is  sufficiently  understood ;  to  his  in- 
structions we  are  indebted  for  what  Theophrastus  has 
collected,  and  perhaps  for  the  fatal  knowledge  which 
Thrasyas  is  said  to  have  possessed  of  the  deleterious 
qualities  of  vegetables.  The  other  physicians  of  this 
aera  do  not  merit  the  slightest  notice. 

The  prominent  objects  which  next  offer  themselves 
to  our  attention  are  Herofihilus  and  Erasistratus,  the 
great  founders  of  the  Alexandrian  school,  at  least  the 
powerful  supporters  of  its  credit.  Erasistratus  we  have 
styled  the  elder,  but  the  chronology  of  this  very  early 
period  is  uncertain.  £rasistratus  was  a  physician  of 
some  eminence,  but  he  applied  to  anatomy  at  a  very  late 
period  of  his  life,  and  with  great  candour  recanted,  in 
consequence  of  his  discoveries,  some  of  his  early  opi- 
nions. He  certainly  approached  very  near  the  secret  of 
the  circulation,  but  could  not  understand  the  use  of  a 
double  heart.  He  supposed  digestion  to  be  performed 
by  attrition,  and  violently  opposed  the  humoral  patho- 
logy of  his  predecessors.  His  own  system  rested  on  the 
idea  of  the  arteries  containing  only  a  spirit,  and  that 
diseases,  particularly  fevers  and  inflammations,  arose 
from  their  admitting  blood.  He  was  apprehensive  of 
bleeding,  lest  the  blood  should  find  a  way  from  the 


M  E  D 


944 


MED 


veins  to  the  arteries;  of  purging,  because  Pythagoras 
had  forbidden  it.  He  reduced  his  patients  by  abstinence, 
or  by  violent  exercise :  venesection  he  supplied  by 
ligatures;  purgatives  by  slight  emetics,  or  by  clysters. 
He  recommended  simple  medicines,  and  violently  re- 
probated the  complicated  formulae  of  that  aera. 

The  school  of  Smyrna,  in  which  Erasistratus  taught, 
was  undoubtedly  famous;  but  there  is  reason  to"  doubt 
•whether  the  medals  which  remain,  supposed  by  Mead 
to  have  been  struck  in  honour  or  commemoration-  of 
this  seminary,  had  really  such  an  object.  The  figure  of 
TEsculapius,  which  they  bear,  is  so  common  on  medals 
where  there  is  not  the  slightest  suspicion  of  their  being 
intended  to  commemorate  physicians,  that  the  image 
carries  no  conviction.  The  names  added  seem  to  be 
those  of  magistrates  or  priests;  indeed  these  offices 
were  sometimes  united,  and  should  the  name  of  a 
physician  occur,  it  rather  belonged  to  him  in  his  official 
than  his  medical  capacity. 

Herofihilus,  though  chiefly  distinguished  as  an  anato- 
mist, was,  however,  according  to  Galen,  acquainted 
with  the  whole  science  of  medicine.  He,  as  well  as 
Erasistratus,  was  accused  of  dissecting  criminals  alive; 
nor  can  we  at  this  time  deny  what  Celsus  has  expressly 
asserted,  and  Tertullian  confirmed,  notwithstanding  the 
silence  or  the  evasions  of  Pliny.  He  certainly  first  saw 
the  lacteals  in  goats,  and  gave  his  name  to  many  parts 
of  the  human  body,  which  he  first  described.  We  are 
informed  by  Plutarch  that  he  considered  the  function  of 
respiration  to  be  performed  by  two  systoles  and  two 
diastoles,  but  his  account  is  far  from  being  intelligible. 
Every  complaint,  he  thought,  was  owing  to  humidity. 
In  pleurisy,  one  portion  of  the  lungs  was  only,  in  his 
opinion,  affected ;  in  peripneumony  the  whole  viscus. 
He  was  peculiarly  minute  in  his  prognostics  from  the 
pulse,  and  appears  to  have  illustrated  it  by  a  geometrical 
construction  ;  but  Pliny,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
the  account,  seems  to  think  that  the  full  explanation 
had  not  reached  even  his  era.  He  chiefly  depended  on 
vegetable  medicines  and  used  hellebore  freely.  When 
the  whole  system  was  in  confusion,  he  thought  the  dis- 
ease would  escape.  He  was  also  fond  of  gymnastic 
exercises,  and  is  quoted  by  Eustathius  in  his  notes  on 
Homer,  unless  with  some  able  critics  we  read  Herodicus, 
the  first  patron  of  gymnastic  exercises,  for  Herophilus. 
The  followers  of  Herophilus  were  numerous,  and  their 
names  arc  preserved  ;  but  they  are  spoken  of  with  little 
respect  by  Galen,  as  arrogant  and  loquacious ;  and  it  is 
singular  that  not  a  single  one  has  been  celebrated  for 
his  anatomical  acquisitions. 

The  indifference  to  anatomy  seemingly  arose  from 
the  gradually  increasing  influence  of  a  new  sect,  whose 
origin  has  been  traced  to  Acfon  of  Agrigentum,  the 
rival  of  Empedocles,  and  the  cotemporary  (probably) 
of  Hippocrates,  I  mean  the  EMPIRICAL.  Its  real 
author,  however,  according  to  Galen,  was  Philinus  of 
Cos,  the  pupil  of  Herophilus  ;  though  Serajiion,  on  the 
authority  of  Celsus,  has  bedn  considered  as  the  first  and 
chief  of  this  sect.  Herophilus  himself  may  have  dic- 
tated this  schism,  by  lessening  the  authority  of  Hip- 
pocrates, whose  anatomical  descriptions  were  found  by 
Herophilus  to  be  seldom  consonant  with  the  human 
structure.  It  appears,  however,  more  probable  that  the 
new  sect  arose  from  the  superstitious  dread  of  the 
Grecians,  who  thought  themselves  polluted  by  the  touch 


of  a  dead  body,  for  Herophilus  dissected  in  Egypt ;  raid 
this  I  conjecture  to  have  been  the  case,  since  the  first 
mark  of  disaffection  expressed  by  Philinus  was  the 
aversion  to  anatomical  dissections ;  nor  can  I  find,  after 
a  very  minute  enquiry,  that  he  proceeded  farther  in  his 
heresy.-  He  wrote  also  some  tracts  on  plants,  and  com- 
mentaries on  Hippocrates;  but  very  little  is  known  of  him. 
Strafiion  of  Alexandria,  first  openly  contended  that  all 
dogmata  in  medicine  were  useless  or  injurious.  The 
result  of  casual  information,  when  pursued  in  practice, 
they  called  imitation;  frequent  imitation  an  experimen- 
tal habit  ;  and  they  formed  rules,  more  or  less  general, 
according  to  each.  When  they  transferred  what  they 
had  observed  respecting  one  disease  to  another,  they 
called  it  epilogismus ;  and  the  result  of  their  own  ob- 
servation, autopsia ;  that  of  others,  history  :  the  two  last 
with  analogy  (epilogismus)  they  styled  the  tripod  of 
medicine.  This  is  the  equivocal  triplex  sermo  which  Ga- 
len accuses  Scrap  ion  of  preferring  to  the  ancient  dogmata. 
Of  the  empirical  practice  Ccelius  Aurelianushas  given 
some  specimens  :  castor,  cicuta  or  opium,  and  henbane, 
were  the  chief  remedies.  In  the  account  of  epilepsy 
the  reader  will  find  almost  the  whole  of  the  materia 
medica  of  the  empirics ;  but  they  usually  premised 
bleeding,  vomiting  with  veratrum  album,  and  purging 
with  black  hellebore  and  scammony. 

The  followers  of  Serapion  have  not  been  distinguished 
in  the  annals  of  medicine ;  and  one  of  the  last,  whose 
name  merits  our  regard,  Heraclides  of  Tartntum,  devi- 
ated, we  suspect,  from  his  predecessors,  since  he  com- 
mented on  all  the  works  of  Hippocrates,  and  is  praised 
by  Galen.  His  tracts  on  internal  affections  and  on  diet 
were  also  commended  ;  but,  in  general,  the  empirics 
were  attentive  to  diaetetics  and  to  surgery.  Celsus 
praises  their  ordering  moderate  and  frequent  potions  in 
fevers,  though  he  disapproves  of  their  management  of 
quartans.  Galen  describes  an  antidote  of  Heraclides, 
which  consisted  of  the  juices  of  cicuta  and  henbane,  of 
each  four  drachms ;  of  castor,  white  pepper,  costus, 
myrrh,  and  opium,  of  each  a  drachm.  These  were 
mixed  in  two  glasses  of  wine,  and  evaporated  in  the 
sun  till  the  whole  was  of  the  consistence  of  an  electuary, 
and  the  quantity  of  a  horse  bean  given  with  two  glasses 
of  wine  in  all  cases  of  bites  from  poisonous  animals,  in 
pains,  and  in  strangulated  uterus. 

We  have  arrived  far  beyond  the  period  when  Celsus 
tells  us  that  medicine  was  divided  into  three  branches, 
diaetetics,  pharmaceutics,  and  surgery,  yet  we  have  seen 
the  same  authors  treating  of  each ;  and  though  the 
proportion  of  their  attention  has  been  varied  according 
to  their  fancies  and  opinions,  yet  the  same  author  has 
seldom  wholly  neglected  either.  The  language  of  Cel- 
sus seems  therefore  to  have  been  mistaken,  and  in  Tres 
partes  deducta  seems  to  mean  the  particular  attention 
paid  to  each  branch  ;  for  surgical  knowledge  often  exert- 
ed in  the  moment  of  necessity,  and  diaetetics,  which  re- 
quire domestic  attention,  could  form  no  part  of  the 
systems  of  the  priests.  Some,  however,  were  particularly 
famous  for  branches  of  the  science,  which  they  had 
particularly  cultivated,  and  we  know  that  lithotomy, 
for  instance,  was  practised  by  exclusive  operators. 
The  empirics,  we  have  indeed  remarked,  were  pecu- 
liarly attentive  to  diet;  but  there  is  no  evidence  of  any 
real  separation,  except  in  the  case  of  the  operation  for 
the  stone.  On  attentively  examining  this  subject,  we 


31  ED 


945 


31  E  D 


find  traces  of  compoundcrs  of  medicines  (pharmacopo- 
lae)  distinct  from  the  practitioners.  Theophrastus,  for  in- 
stance, distinguished  the  Pharmacopeia  Thrasyas  from 
his  pupil  Alexias,  who  was  acquainted  with  the  whole 
art  of  medicine.  The  same  author  asserts  that  Eu- 
clenius  of  Chio  was  accustomed  to  prepare  twenty  doses 
of  hellebore  in  one  morning;  and  it  appears,  from  the 
subsequent  sentence,  that  the  pharmacopolae  kept  open 
stalls,  not  unlike,  probably,  the  stages  of  modern  moun- 
tebanks. The  herbalists  were  a  still  inferior  class,  sub- 
servient to  the  pharmacopeia.  The  successors  of  He- 
raclides  are  not  of  sufficient  importance  to  detain  us, 
for  much  remains  to  fill  up  the  picture. 

Greece  was  now  become  subservient  to  the  superior 
genius  of  Rome,  and  we  must  there  look  for  the  pro- 
gressive steps  of  medical  improvement.  Rome,  formed 
by  the  rude  tribes  of  ferocious  banditti,  wanted  for 
many  ages  little  more  than  those  chirurgical  aids  which 
their  mode  of  life  rendered  indispensable.  Epidemic 
fevers,  however,  were  at  times  violent  and  fatal,  from 
the  Pontine  marshes,  which  were  at  no  greaj  distance 
from  this  capital  of  the  world.  Yet,  for  nearly  600 
years,  they  were  said  to  be  without  medical  aid,  and 
their  only  resources  to  have  apparently  been  blind 
empiricism,  superstitious  charms,  or  religious  cere- 
monies. Temples  seem  to  have  been  erected  to  r  f.- 
BRIS,  and  their  most  destructive  enemy,  thus  raised  to 
the  rank  of  a  goddess,  was  worshipped.  In  various  parts 
of  the  city  subordinate  deities  of  the  same  kind  were  in- 
troduced; and  no  less  than  three  goddesses,  Intercidona, 
Pilumna,  and  Deverra,  were  propitiated  by  offerings  to 
confine  Sylvanus,  who  was  supposed  to  be  inimical  to 
women  in  child  bed.  In  the  year  32 1  ab  urbe  condita, 
a  temple  was  erected  to  Apollo  for  the  health  and  safety 
of  the  Roman  people  ;  and  in  470  jEsculapius,  or  rather 
his  emblem,  a  snake,  was  brought  to  Rome  by  a  solemn 
embassy,  sent  for  the  purpose  to  Epidaurus.  The  snake 
took  refuge  in  an  island  in  the  Tiber,  and  there  the 
temple  of  the  god  was  erected.  This  fact  is  of  con- 
siderable importance  in  the  history  of  medicine,  since  it 
proves  that  the  worship  of  JLsculapius  was  continued 
in  Greece  in  that  era,  and  consequently  that  traces  of 
the  records  from  which,  as  a  sacred  fountain,  Hippo- 
crates drew  a  great  part  of  his  observations,  were  still 
preserved.  Some  of  the  votive  tablets  hung  up  in  this 
new  temple  are  preserved  by  Gruter,  and  of  a  date  so 
late  as  the  age  of  the  Antonines ;  but  these  are  in 
Greek,  and  seem  to  have  owed  their  origin  to  the  grati- 
tude or  superstition  of  some  Greeks  who  at  that  time 
resided  in  the  city. 

It  indeed  appears  singular,  that,  while  Rome  was  so 
little  distant  from  Naples,  a  Greek  city,  who  traced 
their  original  to  the  Rhodians,  among  whom  JLSCU- 
lapius  was  worshipped,  they  should  have  had  no  traces 
of  medicine ;  especially  as  the  Pythagorean  philosophy 
was  brought  from  thence,  or  from  the  farther  provinces, 
styled  Magna  Graecia,  to  the  Roman  kings.  The  tes- 
timony of  Pliny,  however,  is  positive  ;  nor  is  it  repelled 
by  Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  who  remarks,  in  two 
distinct  epidemics,  viz.  of  the  years  of  282  and  401  ab 
urbe  condita,  that  the  disease  was  so  violent,  as  to  baffle 
the  skill  of  the  physicians  ;  for  such  would  be  the  lan- 
guage, whatever  the  medical  aid  might  have  been.  The 
stern  patriotism  of  Marcus  Cato  seems  to  have  pre- 
vented the  increasing  influence  of  the  Grecian  physic ; 

VOL.  I. 


and,  from  authority,  or  complaisance,  Pliny  fixed  the 
period  of  600  (strictly  535)  years,  during  which  no 
physicians  were  to  be  found  in  Rome.  It  must  be 
obvious,  as  we  have  already  insinuated,  that  this  coultl 
not  be  strictly  true ;  for  some  resources,  either  ridiculous 
or  superstitious,  must  have  been  sought  for  when  dis- 
ease occurred.  The  diaetetic  system,  the  virtues  of 
cabbage,  adopted  from  the  school  of  Pythagoras,  and  the 
superstitious  attachment  to  the  Asclepiadse,  could  not 
have  sufficed  ;  but  we  find  little-  to  substitute  in  their 
place.  The  Roman  records  fail  us,  and  the  authority  of 
Cato  is  supreme.  We  mean  not,  in  this  account,  to 
allude  to  a  law  said  to  be  introduced  by  Cato,  prohibit- 
ing the  Grecian  practice ;  for  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of 
Archagathus  from  Greece,  he  was  but  fifteen  years  old; 
but,  as  we  have  remarked,  to  his  influence  in  prevent- 
ing the  increase  of  the  prevailing  fashion.  The  fame  of 
Archagathus  quickly  faded ;  for,  though  at  first  styled 
Vulnerarius,  he  was  soon  stigmatized  by  the  appellation 
Carnifex.  Of  the  practice  of  Cato,  who  wished  to  su- 
persede the  Grecian  system,  we  have  hints  from  Pliny, 
Plutarch,  and  his  own  remaining  works.  He  did  not 
enjoin  abstinence,  but  allowed  his  patients  to  eat  vege- 
tables (Pliny  says  cabbage,  exclusively),  ducks,  pigeons, 
or  hares.  In  fractures  and  dislocations,  his  remedy  was 
a  charm,  consisting  of  hard  words,  without  a  meaning. 
The  English  reader  may  find  some  amusement  on  this 
subject  in  the  memoirs  of  Martinus  Scriblerus. 

The  bad  success  of  the  severer  practice  of  Archa- 
gathus soon  rendered  his  successors  more  gentle  in  their 
operations ;  but  that  some  remains  of  the  active  Greek 
surgery  continued  to  prevail  we  learn  from  Plutarch, 
who  informs  us,  that,  when  C.  Marius  suffered  the  ex- 
tirpation of  the  varices  of  one  leg  without  a  groan,  he 
declined  the  attempt  on  the  other,  saying,  that  the 
advantages  did  not  compensate  for  the  sufferings. 

Numerous  works  have  been  written  to  prove,  that 
physicians  at  Rome  were  slaves,  liberti,  or  foreigners. 
The  opponents  of  this  opinion  have  been  equally 
voluminous.  We  must,  as  usual,  give  the  result  of  our 
inquiry  without  engaging  in  the  controversy.  It  seems 
clear  that  the  greater  number  of  practitioners  were  of 
the  description  mentioned,  but  it  is  equally  certain  that 
many  were  of  a  superior  character.  Archagathus  him- 
self was  received  at  first  with  great  ardour,  and  a  house 
purchased  for  him ;  nor,  on  the  decline  of  his  credit,  was 
he  apparently  deprived  of  it.  He  was  also  raised  to  the 
rank  of  a  Roman  citizen;  and  the  Aquilian  law  declares, 
that,  if  any  physician  neglects  a  slave  after  any  opera- 
tion, he  shall  be  pronounced  guilty  of  a  crime.  By  the 
same  law,  an  action  will  lie  against  a  physician,  who,  by 
the  unskilful  use  of  the  knife  or  of  medicine,  shall  kill 
a  slave;  and  Ulpian  decides,  that  a  midwife,  in  the  same 
circumstances,  shall  be  pronounced  equally  guilty v 
These  regulations  must  relate  to  free  men,  and  the 
Aquilian  law  is  confessedly  anterior  to  the  age  of  the 
Caesars,  for  all  physicians  were  by  Julius  Caesar  raised  jto 
the  rank  of  Roman  citizens.  Varro  is  also  explicit  on 
this  subject,  when  he  discusses  the  question  for  what 
farms  it  is  preferable  to  have  artificers,  among  which  he 
reckons  medical  assistants,  occasionally  hired,  and  to 
what  kinds  it  is  better  to  have  slaves  attached.  In 
the  time  of  Cato,  also,  the  Phoenicians  had  been  driven 
from  Sicily  by  the  Romans,  and  the  Macedonians  from 
Greece.  The  Grecians  had  therefore  recovered  a  great 
6E 


MED 


946 


ME  D 


share  of  their  former  liberty.  As  their  language  was 
fashionable,  their  manners  pleasing,  their  demeanour 
obliging,  perhaps  approaching  to  servility  (Juvenal),  it 
is  not  surprising  that  they  should  flock  to  Rome,  nor 
that  they  should  be  favourably  received. 

Medicine  obtained  no  inconsiderable  advantages  from 
the  legacy  of  Attains  Philometor^  the  last  king  of  Per- 
gamus,  who  left  the  Romans  his  heir.  We  are  told  by 
Galen  that  the  Pergameni  were  the  rivals  of  the 
Egyptians  in  collecting  books ;  and  Philometor  was 
peculiarly  attached  to  gardening,  and  the  examination  of 
the  powers  of  poisonous  plants.  It  has  been  said  that 
this  study  was  rendered  subservient  to  the  most  cruel 
purposes,  but  of  Philometor's  cruelty  we  have  no  evi- 
dence. We  know  that  he  wrote  some  tracts  on  agri- 

—eulture,  which  Pliny  and  Varro  have  praised ;  that  he 
engaged-in  metallurgic  experiments,  and  in  modelling 
•with  wax :  Galen  describes  also,  with  commendation, 
some  medicines  invented  by  him.  To  the  patronage 
and  to  the  assistance,  probably,  of  Philometor,  we  are 
indebted  for  the  works  of  JYicander,  particularly  the 
Theriaca  and  Alexipharmica.  His  collection  of  reme- 
"dies,  the  prognostics  translated  from  Hippocrates,  and  a 
work  in  verse,  De  Re  Rustica,  highly  commended  by 
Cicero,  are  lost.  A  long  fragment  of  the  last  is  pre- 
served by  Athenseus,  which  shows  that  it  contained 
many  observations  relative  to  medicine.  The  poems 
which  remain  were  highly  valued  by  ancient  authors,  as 
we  find  from  the  numerous  commentaries  on  them ; 
and  whatever  may  be  said  of  Attains'  more  philosophical 
or  patriotic  pursuits,  it  is  still  probable  that  experiments 
on  condemned  criminals  furnished  Nicander  with  many 
facts.  The  history  of  medicine  describes  Thrasyas  as 
attentive  to  poisonous  plants,  and  perhaps  their  anti- 
dotes, fable  speaks  of  Deianira,  Hecate,  Circe,  and  Me- 
dea, but  animal  poisons  were  first  considered  scientifically 
by  Nicander.  The  king  of  Pontus,  about  the  same  period, 
engaged  in  a  similar  investigation ;  and  to  his  experi- 
ments in  pursuit  of  antidotes  we  owe  the  famous  medi- 
cine, which  bears  his  name,  Mithridate.  The  receipt, 

•  with  many  others,  was  taken  from  the  cabinet  of  Mi- 
thridates,  by  Pompey,  who  directed  his  freed  man  Le- 
nseus  to  translate  them.  The  original  formula  however 
of  this  famous  alexipharmic  consisted  only  of  two  dried 
nuts,  as  many  figs,  twenty  leaves  of  rue,  and  a  grain  of 
salt.  To  this  remedy  we  shall,  however,  return. 

The  pursuit  of  this  subject  has  drawn  us  from  our 
chronological  clue  ;  for,  previous  to  the  conquest  of 
Pontus,  Asclefiiades  flourished.  He  was  not  a  Roman, 
but  born  in  Prusia,  a  city  of  Bithynia.  He  was  by  pro- 
fession a  rhetorician,  an  Epicurean,  and  the  friend  of 
Cicero.  If  we  may  trust  the  report  of  Pliny,  Ascle- 
piades  came  to  Rome  without  any  knowledge  of  medi- 
cine; and,  failing  in  his  attempts  as  a  rhetorician,  he 
•with  little  preparation  professed  himself  a  physician. 
He  was  the  first  of  this  profession  who  gained  general 
esteem  in  the  capital  of  the  world,  and  whose  name  has 
reached  posterity.  Pliny  gives  a  long  account  of  the 
artifices  by  which  he  attained  his  reputation,  but  they 
are  such  only  as  every  fashionable  physician  employs, 
viz.  pleasing  the  patient,  and  avoiding  every  thing  that 
can  give  unefasiness,  till  nature  cures,  or  yields  to  the 
disease.  He  curtailed  the  rigorous  abstinence  of  the 
Greek  physicians,  gave  wine  occasionally,  recommended 
friction,  gestation,  baths,  Sec.  vide  BALNEUM,  pro- 


fessing to  cure  with  speed,  with  safety,  and  without 
inconvenience.-  He  declared  that  he  deserved  no  credit, 
if  he  was  himself  unwell ;  and,  fortunately  for  the  credit 
of  his  system,  he  died  in  extreme  old  age,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  fall  over  the  stairs. 

Asclepiades  was  the  founder  of  a  new  sect  styled  the 
METHODIC;  for  his  philosophy  was  that  of  Democritus 
as  reformed  by  Epicurus,  and  his  physiology  rested  on 
corpuscles,  (lowing  through  invisible  pores.  The> 
doctrine  of  Hippocrates,  respecting  the  intelligence  of 
nature,  and  her  influence  in  curing  diseases,  he  rejected 
with  contempt.  He  denied  even  the  power  of  at- 
traction in  the  magnet.  The  soul  he  considered  only  as 
the  united  action  of  all  the  senses ;  and  the  intellect,  or 
the  power  by  which  we  understand  what  is  secret  or 
concealed,  consisted,  according  to  Asclepiades,  in  a  reso- 
lution of  the  ideas,  attained  by  the  sensible  images  for- 
merly collected.  Every  thing  happened,  in  his  opinion, 
from  necessity,  and  nothing  without  a  cause;  nor  was- 
nature  any  thing  but  the  body,  or  its  motions,  and,  in- 
stead of  assisting,  usually  injurious.  Thus  the  Epicurean 
system  of  Asclepiades  verged  towards  Stoicism.  His  ana- 
tomical knowledge  was  very  imperfect,  or  he  would  not 
have  thought  that  the  urine  passed  from  the  intestines 
into  the  bladder  through  pores.  Digestion  was,  in  his 
opinion,  unnecessary ;  and  he  supposed  that  the  food 
was  carried  into  the  blood,  and  there  attenuated  till  it 
was  adapted  to  the  pores  of  the  vessels  which  conveyed 
it  as  nourishment.  Hunger  was  induced  by  the  relaxa- 
tion of  the  larger,  and  thirst  by  that  of  the  smaller 
pores.  The  faeces  were  not,  he  thought,  excrement!-, 
tious,  as  some  insects  fed  on  them. 

His  pathology  was  of  a  similar  complexion.  Inflam- 
mation was  owing  to  obstruction  either  from  the  mag- 
nitude, the  figure,  the  multitude,  or  the  rapid  motion 
of  the  atoms ;  pain  to  obstruction  from  particles  of 
a  large  size,  and  the  absence  of  the  smaller  ones. 
Paintings,  dropsies,  and  hectics,  arose  from  the  too> 
great  size  of  the  pores;  and  dropsies,  in  particular,  he 
thought  might  be  owing  to  the  transudation  of  the  flesh, 
which  then  became  water.  Quotidians  were  owing,  in 
his  opinion,  to  the  obstruction  of  the  larger  particles, 
tertians  of  the  less,  and  quartans  of  the  least.  He 
denied  the  existence  of  critical  days. 

This  system  he  adorned  with  all  the  art  of  his  former 
profession,  and  his  practice  was  no  less  captivating.  He 
rejected  vomits  and  purgatives  ;  admitted  of  bleeding, 
but  with  numerous  limitations  ;  and  substituted,  forpur- 
gatives,  the  most  acrid  clysters.  Obstructionsvwere,  he 
thought,  best  removed  by  wine,  by  friction,  gestation, 
and  bathing.  He  plumed  himself  on  having  first  directed 
frictions,  and  is  minute  in  his  directions  for  their 
management ;  yet,  so  far  as  we  can  collect  from  his 
disciples,  he  added  little  to  what  Hippocrates  had,  in  a 
few  words,  directed.  He  sometimes,  however,  ordered 
medicines,  though  chiefly  external  applications,  and 
occasionally  scarifications. 

Thus  was  this  famous  revolution  in  medicine  effected, 
not  from  superior  judgment,  more  extensive  observa- 
tion, or  experience,  but  from  ignorance  of  what  former 
practitioners  had  taught,  and  indolence,  which  rendered 
him  unwilling  to  learn.  It  was  easier  to  construct  a 
fanciful  romance  than  to  study  by  the  midnight  lamp, 
and  some  late  systematics  have  thought  the  same. 
Tlie  whole  was  rendered  fashionable  by  his  eloquence, 


MED 


947 


MED 


and  the  comparative  pleasantness  of  his  medical  di- 
rections. 

We  must  not,  however,  suppose,  as  has  been  too  com- 
mon with  medical  historians,  that  Asclepiades  had  no 
prototype  or  rival.  Celsus  expressly  remarks,  that  he 
borrowed  from  Cleo/i/iantug,  a  physician  of  a  former  era ; 
end  Pliny  observes  that  the  use  of  wine,  as  directed  by 
Asclepiades,  was  borrowed  from  the  same  author, 
whose  period  is  uncertain,  though  we  approach  it  by 
finding  that  his  scholar  Mnemon  flourished  in  the  time 
of  Ptolemy  Euergetes.  One  sarcasm  of  his  rivals  has 
been  mentioned,  where  he  is  referred  to  the  butchers 
and  cooks,  as  able  to  give  him  correcter  physiological 
views  than  he  possessed.  Cicero  also,  the  friend  of 
Asclepiades,  highly  praisesCrareras,and bitterly  laments 
the  death  otjtlexion.  We  may  likewise  mention,  though 
it  might  more  properly  occur  in  another  place,  that 
Crateras  the  herbalist,  highly  commended  by  Pliny  and 
Dioscorides  was  probably  the  first  who  drew  figures  of 
plants.  He  lived,  however,  in  the  time  of  Mithridates, 
and  must  be  distinguished  from  a  physician  of  the  same 
name,  the  cotemporary  of  Hippocrates ;  nor  is  it  too  late 
to  add,  that  many  Asclepiades  flourished  in  subsequent 
eras,  whose  works  and  opinions,  without  great  care,  may 
be  confounded  with  those  of  the  Bithynian. 

The  sect  of  Asclepiades  seems  not  to  have  been  at 
once  established.  Alexander  P/iilalet/ies,  his  scholar, 
taught  in  Asia ;  and  Artorius,  the  physician  of  Augustus, 
•who  perished  at  sea,  Ab.  U.  C.  722,  was  also  a  follower 
of  this  celebrated  innovator.  Arlorius  has  been  con- 
founded with  Antonius  Musa ;  but  he  had  been  dead 
ten  years,  when  the  latter  succeeded  in  the  cure  of  the 
emperor,  after  his  former  physician  had  failed.  Who 
that  physician  was  is  not  certainly  known.  If  we  trust 
the  emendation  of  P.  Harduin,  he  was  called  Camellius; 
and  this  name  occurs  not  only  on  inscriptions  preserved 
by  Gruter,  but  on  medals.  What  the  disease  of  Augustus 
was  we  are  not  informed  ;  probably  a  debilitated  sys- 
tem, which  A.  Musa  cured  by  cold  bathing,  cold 
drinks,  and  lettuces,  which  Camelius'  scruples  had  for- 
bidden. The  gratitude  of  Augustus  was  unbounded. 
His  pecuniary  rewards  were  immense  :  he  was  allowed 
to  wear  the  ring;  and  immunities  were  not  only  granted 
to  him,  but  to  all  who  exercised  the  same  art.  Sue- 
tonius adds,  that  his  statue,  made  of  brass,  was  placed 
next  that  of  -tsculapius.  We  have  no  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  Musa  was  a  follower  of  Asclepiades ;  for  he  is 
spoken  of  by  Galen  as  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
whole  science  of  medicine. 

Whether  it  arose  from  the  slow  progress  of  the  plans 
of  Asclepiades,  or  from  the  alterations  and  improve- 
ments of  Themison,  that  the  latter  has  been  considered 
as  the  founder  of  the  methodic  sect,  is  uncertain.  Such, 
however,  is  the  general  language  of  medical  history,  and 
we  must  follow  her  steps.  Themison  has  been  highly 
commended  by  his  cotemporaries  and  successors,  and 
his  name  was  long  synonymous  with  that  of  an  able  phy- 
sician. Yet  we  cannot  but  recollect  the  line  of  Juvenal : 

Quot  Themison  <egro»  aulumno  occiderat  uno. 

Asclepiades  chiefly  considered  the  causes  of  diseases  : 
Themison  thought  it  only  necessary  to  connect  them  by 
some  common  symptom,  and  divided  diseases  into  the 
stricta,  laxa,  and  mixta.  By  these  terms  we  must  not 
understand,  with  the  generality  of  authors,  constricted 


and  relaxed  fibres,  or  a  mixture  of  both,  but  diseases 
attended  with  impeded  or  increased  secretions,  or  too 
great  discharges  from  one  part,  and  too  little  from  an- 
other. These  principles  afforded  a  fiath  for  physicians, 
and  hence  the  sect  (from  futeX'ts,  via)  was  styled  the 
methodic.  In  the  first  case  he  directs  evacuants,  in  the 
second  restringents,  and  in  the  third  to  oppose,  by  either 
class  of  remedies,  the  most  dangerous  disease.  Such 
was  the  system  he  taught  in  advanced  age  ;  but  the 
methodic  doctrine  had  not  yet  been  polished  with  care, 
so  that  we  shall  speak  of  Themison  as  an  individual 
only  in  this  place. 

Themison  neglected  the  precepts  of  Asclepiades  in 
many  respects,  particularly  in  giving  aloes  and  scam- 
mony,  in  allowing  cold  water  after  bleeding,  and  in  not 
observing  the  due  periods  for  giving  nourishment,  ex- 
citing evacuations,  or  bleeding.  It  is  remarkable  that  ia 
the  writings  of  the  methodic  sect  we  find  the  first  traces 
of  bleeding  with  leeches  ;  and  Coelius  Aurelianus  re- 
lates a  singular  fact  of  Themison,  that,  having  been  bit 
by  a  mad  animal,  or  possibly  remaining  too  long  with 
a  friend  labouring  under  an  hydrophobia,  he  contracted 
the  same  disease.  He  cured  himself;  but,  when  he  at- 
tempted to  explain  the  method,  he  relapsed.  This  must 
have  been  a  high  degree  of  hypochondriasis.  He  was  the 
author  of  many  works,  from  which  Ccelius  Aurelianus 
has  preserved  short  extracts ;  but  we  can  select  nothing 
very  important,  except  his  praises  of  plantago,  a  plant 
supposed  to  be  discovered  by  himself. 

The  system  of  Themison  seems  to  have  had  no  very 
violent  opponent,  or  defendant :  so  far  as  we  can  col- 
lect, the  opinions  of  physicians  vibrated  between  the 
pores  of  Asclepiades,and  the  strictureor  laxityof  Themi- 
son, and  practitioners  seem  to  have  reasoned  with  some 
freedom,  though  with  no  striking  marks  of  genius  or 
ability.  A  work  intitled  Problemata  Medica,  ascribed 
to  Cnssiut,  who  seems  to  have  lived  about  the  end  of  the 
reign  of  Augustus,  and  the  beginning  of  that  of  Tibe- 
rius, displays  some  marks  of  judgment  and  discrimina- 
tion ;  but  in  his  reasoning  he  seems  to  lean  rather  to  the 
opinions  of  Asclepiades  than  Themison.  We  must  not, 
however,  conceal  that  the  problems  have  been  attri- 
buted -to  a  later  author,  who  is  by  no  means  a  servile 
follower  of  the  Rhetorician's  doctrines.  His  practice,  ^s 
we  learn  from  Celsus,  was  far  from  irrational,  and  he 
freely  gave  cold  water  in  fevers.  Galen  and  Scribonius 
Largus  mention  a  remedy  of  Cassius,  called  colice,  as 
useful  in  colic  pains.  It  consisted  of  carminatives, 
spices,  opium,  and  saffron.  This  receipt  Cassius  left, 
apparently, to  his  servant  Atimetus,  whom  he  bequeath- 
ed to  Tiberius,  and  from  him  Scribonius  received  it. 

Celsus  was  another  distinguished  practitioner  of  the 
methodic  sect,  who  brought,  or  greatly  contributed  to 
bring,  physicians  back  to  the  patient  study  and  obser- 
vation recommended  by  Hippocrates.  He  seems  to 
have  been  a  cotemporary  of  Cassius  ;  and  his  language 
alone  would  place  him  in  the  Augustan  age.  Some 
late  critics  have  reduced  him  to  that  of  Trajan.  Pliny, 
however,  who  dedicates  his  work  to  Vespasian  Titus, 
in  his  sixth  consulship,  A.  U.  830,  quotes  passages  of 
Celsus,  which  we  still  find  in  his  writings ;  but  Trajan 
only  began  to  reign  twenty  years  afterwards.  Pliny- 
also  observes,  that  Julius  Graecinus,  respecting  vine- 
yards, transcribed  the  directionsof  Celsus  ;  butJ.  Grae- 
cinus  was  murdered  bv  Caligula,  according  to  Tacitus, 
6  E  2 


MED 


948 


M  Ell 


and  Caligula  was  himself  killed  in  A.  U.  783.  Celsus 
tells  us  that  Themison,  in  advanced  Ife,  had  deviated 
from  the  precepts  of  Asclepiades,  and  Pliny,  that  The- 
mison was  the  pupil  of  Asclepiades,  who  lived  in 
the  time  ofPompey.  Celsus,  indeed,  speaks  of  The- 
mison as  still  alive,  and  consequently  he  must  have 
himself  flourished  in  the  latter  years  of  Augustus.  Cel- 
sus is  said  to  have  been  a  Roman,  or  perhaps  a  Veronese ; 
but  though  he  speaks  occasionally  of  his  own  observa- 
tions, he  was  not  a  regular  medical  practitioner.  Pliny 
never  mentions  him  in  this  light ;  and,  when  he  enu- 
merates the  physicians  of  Rome,  the  name  of  Celsus  is 
not  included. 

Celsus  in  his  medical  works  has  chiefly  followed 
Hippocrates,  particularly  in  his  Histories  of  Diseases  and 
Prognostics,  except  in  relation  to  critical  days ;  but  he 
is  not,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  servile  commentator 
of  the  Coan  sage ;  for  he  quotes  numerous  authors  of 
a  later  era,  and  seems  to  have  given  a  brief  abstract  of 
the  best  systems,  in  a  connected  view,  though  evident!  y  of 
the  methodic  sect,  and  the  echo  of  Themison  in  what 
Delates  to  the  cure  of  fevers.  He  is,  indeed,  rather  an  epi- 
tomeof  his  predecessor's  maxims,than  himself  an  object 
of  historical  research  ;  and  we  shall  leave  him  with  re- 
marking, that  those  who  wish  to  study  the  opinions  and 
practice  of  the  ancient  physicians  will  find  both  ele- 
gantly, as  well  as  correctly,  detailed  in  Celsus. 

We  should  scarcely  have  mentioned  SEmilius  Macer, 
a  physician  of  this  era,  who  is  said  to  have  written  on 
plants,  on  breeding  birds,  and  on  theriaca,but  to  remark 
that  his  works  are  lost,  and  that  the  poem  on  the  Vir- 
tues of  Plants,  ascribed  to  him,  is  the  production  of  an 
obscure  monk  of  the  middle  ages,  or,  as  has  been  said, 
of  the  physician  Odo.  Of  Servilius  Democrates  we 
should  also  have  scarcely  spoken,  since  his  era  is  un- 
certain, and  the  subject  is  too  uninteresting  to  induce  us 
to  engage  in  the  disquisition,  but  that  the  more  laboured 
composition  of  the  Mithridate  and  Theriaca  is  profess- 
edly taken  from  his  works  by  Galen.  They  were  de- 
tailed in  Greek  iambics.  Of  an  uncertain  age  also  is 
Philo,  whose  name  is  preserved  in  the  Philonium,  a 
preparation  described,  according  to  Galen,  in  elegiac 
verses.  In  this  prescription  the  corrector  of  opium  is 
the  euphorbium,  as  in  the  theriaca  it  is  the  squill.  He 
seems  to  speak  of  himself  as  of  the  family  of  Asclepi- 
ades ;  but  his  age,  we  have  said,  is  doubtful. 

Scribonius  Largus,  of  whom  we  have  incidentally 
spoken,  was  of  an  era  posterior  to  that  of  Celsus,  though 
not  so  late  as  has  been  suspected  from  his  style ;  a  pecu- 
liarity satisfactorily  explained,  by  supposing  that  he 
wrote  in  Greek,  and  that  his  work  was  translated  by  an 
inferior  author.  His  tract  on  the  composition  of  me- 
dicines contains  many  choice  receipts,  collected  from 
different  sources,  chiefly  private  collections,  and  empi- 
rical traditions,  which  are  not  found  to  countenance  the 
encomia  with  which  they  are  introduced.  Scribonius 
highly  commends  his  preceptor,^/m/fzu*  Celsus,  whose 
antidote  against  the  hydrophobia  he  has  preserved. 
Another  pharmaceutist  of  that  era  was  Philenides  or 
Philonides,  who  wrote,  according  to  Dioscorides,  on 
white  hellebore;  but  the  chief  author  in  this  department 
of  medicine  was  jtndromac/ius,  perhaps  the  first  who 
was  dignified  with  the  title  of  archiater,  though  the  ho- 
nour of  priority  has  been  contested  in  favour  of  Demo- 
crates.  The  title  has  been  equally  the  subject  of  con- 


troversy, and  it  has  been  disputed  whether  it  meant  the 
principal,  or  the  emperor's  physician.  Galen,  indeed,  ex- 
pressly observes,  that  such  were  his  talents,  not  only  in 
the  medical  but  in  the  literary  departments,  that  he  was 
appointed  ag%tiv  r«v  ixrfSt.  He  was  the  author  of  the 
theriaca,  still  known  by  his  name,  whose  utility  con- 
sisted not  only  in  resisting  the  power  of  all  poisons,  but 
in  giving  calmness  and  hilarity,  as  well  as  removing  the 
effects  of  fatigue.  In  this  preparation  the  troches  of 
vipers  were  designed  to  be  the  alexipharmic,  and  the 
opium  the  cordial,  ingredient.  This  remedy,  for  more 
than  one  thousand  five  hundred  years,  enjoyed  the 
highest  reputation,  and  was  prepared  by  kings  and  no- 
blemen with  the  most  accurate  attention.  The  receipt 
in  Greek  verse  is  preserved  by  Galen.  Andromachus 
has  left  no  other  memorial  ;  but  the  works  of  his  son 
are  often  quoted  by  Galen,  though  neglected  by  later 
authors,  as  he  is  not  explicit  respecting  the  preparation 
of  his  compositions,  or  the  times  of  most  successfully 
employing  them. 

Numerous  are  the  collectors  of  formulae  in  this  pe- 
riod. Among  these  are  the  younger  ^t/cle/iiades,  called, 
probably  f;>r  the  sake  of  distinction,  pxppiaxiav ;  Cha- 
ricles,  highly  commended  by  Tacitus,  and  Afenecrates, 
perhaps  of  an  earlier  era,  who  first  endeavoured  to 
abolish  the  medical  characters  of  weights  and  measures, 
as  liable  to  be  mistaken  by  transcribers,  and  to  substi- 
tute words.  The  improvement,  however  desirable, 
was  soon  overlooked,  and  Galen  complains  that  the 
characters  were  again  employed. 

There  is  much  reason  to  suppose,  that,  from  the  time 
of  Celsus,  physicians  again  returned  to  the  more  cer- 
tain road  of  observation  and  sound  reason  ;  but  cither 
the  rage  of  innovation,  or  the  desire  of  distinction,  ex- 
cited another  scctarist,  who,  like  Asclepiades  in  a  for- 
mer, and  Paracelsus  in  a  later,  era,  attempted  to  over- 
turn all  that  his  predecessors  had  collected.  This  man 
was  Thessalus  Trallianus,  who boastingly  styled  himself, 
on  his  tomb,  latronice.  ,His  father  was  of  the  lowest, 
rank,  and  Thessalus  himself  without  the  advantages  of 
education.  This  is  the  account,  indeed,  of  Galen,  who, 
on  every  occasion,  eagerly  censures  him ;  but  we  have 
the  evidence  of  Pliny  to  convict  him  of  the  most  dis- 
gusting arrogance,  and  the  most  consummate  igno- 
rance. He  gained  access  to  his  superiors  by  flattery, 
and  a  subserviency  to  their  pleasures;  nor  did  he  pro- 
fess himself  a  physician  till  he  had  disgraced  himself  by 
every  species  of  infamy  in  their  service.  His  system 
differed,  however,  very  little  from  that  of  Asclepiades 
and  Themison.  If,  in  their  opinion,  health  consisted 
in  the  pores  being  adapted  to  the  fluid,  and  disease  in. 
their  being  unsuitable,  Thessalus  thought  the  same. 
But  in  the  mode  of  relief  he  aimed  at  changing  the 
state  of  the  solids  rather  than  the  fluids.  He  also  was- 
the  first  who  in  fever  ordered  three  days  abstinence  and 
rest,  from  which  physicians  were  afterwards  called 
diatritarii.  His  peculiar  pathological  opinions  intro- 
duced a  singular  language,  which  has  not  been  pro- 
perly explained,  viz.  metasyncrysis  and  metasyncriticat 
remedies.  In  the  language  of  the  methodic  sect, 
svyxpivf$litt  is  opposed  to  hantpbirfa.!,  the  former  mean- 
ing to  mix  and  unite,  the  latter  to  separate.  MITX^VI- 
Kpiver,6*i,  therefore,  means  the  separation  of  bodies 
previously  united.  Ccelius  Aurelianus  uses  the  words- 
recorporate  and  recorporatio.  The  chief  works  o£ 


MED 


949 


31  ED 


Thessalus,  quoted  by  Coelius  Aurelianus,  relate  to  diet; 
but  Galen  mentions  his  name  on  a  subject  of  surgery, 
which  leads  us  to  suppose  that  he  wrote  some  chirur- 
gical  tracts. 

Among  those  who  recommended  themselves  by  the 
novelty  of  their  fancies  rather  than  their  improvements, 
we  may  mention  Crinas,  of  Marseilles,  who  only  al- 
lowed food  when  the  horoscope  of  the  patient  permit- 
ted; a  system  sarcastically  hinted  at  by  Juvenal ;  and 
CAarmis,  from  the  same  city,  who,  with  less  discrimina- 
tion and  more  eagerness  than  A.  Musa,  allowed  only 
of  cold  baths  and  cold  drinks.  Authors  of  a  superior 
character,  in  this  era,  were  Kufus  E/iAesius,  who  was 
perhaps  the  first  medical  lexicographer,  and  who  wrote 
De  Nominibus  Partium,  and  Erotian,  whose  Lexicon 
Hippocraticum  is  still  a  work  of  great  value.  Rufus, 
\\  ho  is  placed  by  some  historians  in  the  time  of  Trajan, 
wrote  many  other  works,  particularly  one  on  the  affec- 
tions of  the  bladder.  His  poem,  in  hexameter  verse, 
on  plants,  is  wholly  lost,  unless,  as  has  been  suspected, 
the  lines  on  the  plants  consecrated  to  the  gods,  added 
by  Aldus  to  his  edition  of  Dioscorides,  and  preserved 
in  the  Greek  bibliotheca,  be  a  part  of  it,  as  Fabricius 
suspects. 

In  this  era  also,  from  the  age  of  Nero  to  tl\at  of 
Trajan,  Dioscorides  and  Pliny  lived.  The  vast  work  of 
the  latter  has  furnished  many  parts  of  this  history,  and 
the  materia  medica  is  indebted  to  each  author  for  the 
most  important  aid.  We  have  mentioned  them  more 
particularly  in  another  place.  From  the  Preface  to 
.•irins  it  is  probable  that  he  was  himself  a  practitioner 
of  medicine,  though  to  no  great  extent;  and,  from  the 
predilection  he  seems  to  feel  for  the  sect  of  Asclepiades, 
if  we  may  guess  from  his  almost  exclusively  quoting 
his  followers,  he  was  probably  a  Methodic. 

It  will  be  obvious,  from  this  history,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Methodics  had,  at  no  period,  a  very  general 
currency,  and  about  this  time  the  Asclepiades  were  di- 
vided into  many  subordinate  sects.  One  of  these,  the 
EPISYXTHETICS,  endeavoured  to  reconcile'  the  various 
discordant  opinions  of  different  authors;  and  another, 
the  ECLECTICS,  to'select  from  each  system  what  was 
most  probable.  The  chief  of  the  first  was  Leonides  of 
Alexandria,  whose  works  are  lost,  and  from  the  quota- 
tions which  remain  in  other  authors,  it  is  not  easy  to 
ascertain  his  peculiar  opinions.  The  chief  of  the  eclec- 
tics was  Archigene s  of  A/iamea,  a  most  excellent  author, 
highly  commended  by  Haller  in  all  the  different  de- 
partments of  medicine.  He  was  a  scholar  of  Agathinus, 
one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Episynthetics. 

Another  sect  into  which  the  Methodics  divided,  and 
which  was  at  last  absorbed  in,  or  absorbed,  them,  the 
PNEUMATIC,  merits  more  particular  notice.  The  chief 
of  this  sect  was  Athenzua  of  Attalia,  a  man  whose 
system,  according  to  Galen,  was  polished  with  greater 
skill  than  that  of  any  of  his  cotemporaries.  The  philo- 
sophy of  the  Pneumatics  was  derived  from  the  Porch, 
since  they  allowed  Chrysippus  to  be  their  great  proto- 
type. Athenaeus  supposed  that  fire,  air,  water,  and  earth 
were  not  really  elements,  but  that  their  qualities,  heat, 
cold,  dry,  and  moist,  merited  this  title.  Following  the 
Stoics,  he  introduces  a  fifth  principle,  viz.  a  spirit  go- 
verning and  directing  every  thing,  and  occasionally, 
when  offended,  inducing  diseases.  From  this  new 
principle  they  were  styled  Pneumatics.  Agathinus, 


already  mentioned  among  the  Episynthetics,  was  in  a 
subsequent  period  a  Pneumatic,  in  consequence  of  his 
attending  Athenaeus.  He  explained,  if  appears,  at 
some  length,  the  principles  of  his  sect,  in  a  tract  on 
Discoveries  since  the  time  of  Themison.  He  wrote  also 
on  the  pulse.  Herodotus,  Archigenes, zn&  other  physi- 
cians of  character,  were  followers  and  pupils  of  Athe- 
naeus; but  the  fame  of  each  was  eclipsed  by  that  of  Are- 
taeus.  It  is  singular  that  he  never  mentions  Galen,  nor 
is  mentioned  by  him ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  quo- 
tations of  jEtius  from  Archigenes  bear  a  considerable 
resemblance  to  the  observations  of  Aretaeus  on  thesamr 
subjects.  Was  the  Attic  dialect  of  Archigenes  more, 
agreeable  to  the  Roman  ear  than  the  Ionic  of  Aretaeus  ? 
or  were  they  one  and  the  same,  differing  only  by  a 
change  of  dialect?  We  must,  for  want  of  further  in- 
formation, leave  this  subject  in  its  former  obscurity. 

The  language  of  Aretaeus  is  distinguished  by  a  lu- 
minous terseness,  which  impresses  the  idea  with  con- 
siderable force.     He  can  scarcely  be  styled  a  Methodic, 
and  indeed  bears  few  marks  of  that  sect,  and  particu- 
larly differed  from  them  in  investigating  the  causes  of 
diseases  by  anatomical  dissections.     The    nerves,  he 
supposed,  did  not  run  from  their  origin  to  rtieir  ter- 
mination in  straight  lines,  but  crossed  each  other  in  the 
form  of  an  X,  passing  in  this  way  to  different  sides ; 
and  he  thus  explains  the  disease  felt  on  the  side  oppo- 
site to  that  where  the  head  was  injured.     His  practice 
was  that  of  the  most  judicious  of  the  ancient  physicians, 
and  he  was  particularly  fond  of  exciting  vomiting  by 
white  hellebore.    This  operation,  he  remarked,  relieves 
the  breathing,  changes  what  was  of  a  bad  colour  to  a 
good  one,  and  restores  plumpness  to  those  who  were 
emaciated.     He  used  the  most  active  purgatives,  bled 
frequently  and  freely  from  different  parts,  though  he 
argues  very  forcibly  against  the  refinement  of  some  prac- 
titioners, who  prefer  small  veins,  which  are  the  branches 
only  of  those  from  which  blood  is  usually  taken.     He 
employed  arteriotomy,  cupping  glasses,  and  leeches; 
but  preferred  curing  acute  diseases  by  diet.     He  gave 
wine  more  freely  than  former  physicians  allowed,  and 
employed  opiates  with  little  reserve.     He  was  pecu- 
liarly partial  to  castor,  as  a  nervous  and  antispasmodic 
medicine,  thinking  it  also  an  assistant  of  digestion.  He 
recommended  asses',mares*,  sheeps',  and  women's  milk, 
used  frictions  and  the  actual  cautery,  and  advised  the 
operation  of  lithotomy.     In  short,  practitioners  of  any 
age  will  derive  from  Aretaeus  the  most  sagacious  and 
useful   medical  observations.     His  practice  is  active, 
enlightened,  and  discriminated.     Aretaeus  is,  by  some 
authors,  referred  to  the  age  of  Nero.     His  era  is,  in- 
deed, uncertain;  but  the  Ionic  dialect  was  not  wholly 
disused  even  in  the  time  of  Hadrian. 

An  author  of  this  era,  and  of  the  Methodic  sect, 
whose  works  are  lost,  was  Soranus  of  Ephesus;  and 
we  have  reason  to  regret  it,  because  Galen,  who  loses  no 
opportunity  of  criticizing  the  Methodics,  speaks  respect- 
fully of  Soranus.  They  were  translated  in  a  barbarous 
style  by  Coelius  Aurelianus,  an  African;  but  even  in 
this  dress  they  have  reached  us  in  an  imperfect  state. 
Yet  from  Coelius  we  have  the  only  systematic  and  con- 
nected view  of  the  Methodic  doctrine;  for  by  Soranus 
only  it  was  brought  to  a  perfect  state.  As  the  cycles  of 
the  Methodics  are  often  mentioned  in  medical  works, 
we  shall  add  a  short  description  of  the  meaning. 


MED 


950 


M  E  D 


The  cycles  were  periods  supposed  to  consist  of  three 
days  each,  or  combinations  of  three,  and  during  these 
the  same  plans  were  continued  ;  but  at  the  end  of  each 
cycle  the  exertions  were  increased,  so  as  at  last  to  rise 
to  the  most  active  measures.  The  resumptive  cycle 
consisted  of  common  foods :  the  metasyncritic  of  a 
more  acrid  and  stimulating  diet,  with  frictions,  baths, 
rubefacients,  sternutatories,  &c.  The  cydus  vomitorius 
was  distinguished  into  two,  as  the  vomits  accompanied 
the  sparer  diet  of  the  first,  or  the  more  stimulating  diet 
of  the  second.  Each  cycle  consisted  of  four  diatriti, 
though  sometimes  prolonged  to  sixteen  days;  the  addi- 
tional diatrition  containing  four  days. 

We  have  already  observed,  that  in  all  the  wanderings 
of  the  fancy,  the  natural  good  sense  of  physicians  occa-. 
sionally  brought  them  back  to  the  safer  road  of  patient 
thinking,  and  accurate  observation,  which  so  much  dis- 
tinguished the  Hippocratic  school,  the  real  r*.i6o$'os  of  the 
healing  art:  but  we  have  now  to  notice  the  revolution 
which  for  ages  gave  a  stability  to  the  science  of  medi- 
cine, and  fixed  an  oracle,  who  for  more  than  one  thou- 
sand five  hundred  years  dictated  to  the  world,  and 
whose  decisions  were  listened  to  with  the  most  im- 
plicit deference.  We  allude  to  CLAUDIUS  GALENUS,  of 
Pergamus.  Galen  lived  in  the  second  century  of  the 
Christian  era,  and  was  born  during  the  reign  of  Severus. 
He  studied  at  Alexandria,  but  chiefly  practised  at  Rome, 
and  was  the  physician  of  the  amiable  and  benevolent  Mar- 
cus Aurelius,one  of  the  few  emperors  who  added  lustre 
to  the  purple.  Galen  was  distinguished  in  his  earliest 
years,  for  a  lively  fancy  and  uncommon  ingenuity.  He 
attained  all  the  learning  of  that  era,  and  was  soon  dis- 
gusted with  the  prevailing  systems  of  medicine.  He 
professed,  indeed,  to  select  from  each  what  was  most 
valuable ;  but  has  almost  exclusively  confined  himself 
to  commenting  on  and  illustrating  the  works  of  Hippo- 
crates, which  he  thinks  succeeding  physicians  had 
either  misunderstood  or  misrepresented.  Yet  he  seems 
to  have  taken  the  qualities  of  the  four  elements  from 
Athenaeus;  and  though  Hippocrates  mentions,  some- 
what equivocally,  the  Spirit,  he  apparently  borrows  the 
vital,  animal,  and  natural  spirit  from  the  Pneumatics. 
Galen  wrote  very  diffusely  on  every  part  of  medicine ; 
but  he  added  only  dress  and  ornament  to  the  system  of 
Hippocrates.  In  fact,  minute  distinctions,  refined  spe- 
culations, and  abstract  reasoning  are  the  whole  for  which 
the  medical  world  is  indebted  to  him.  They  did  not 
lead  Galen  himself  from  the  path  of  truth ;  but  they  had 
the  most  fatal  influence  on  his  successors,  who  specu- 
lated when  they  should  have  observed,  and  reasoned 
when  they  should  have  acted.  The  doctrine  of  con- 
coction, the  most  fatal  idea  which  ever  occurred,  was 
completely  established  in  the  school  of  Galen. 

The  splendour  of  Galen's  famedazzled  his  cotempora- 
ries  and  successors,  so  that  we  find  few  who  afterwards 
dared  to  think  beyond  his  circle.  '  Quintus  Serenus 
Samonicits  wrote,  in  Latin  verse,  on  medicine  in  the 
following  century ;  but  whether  that  was  the  work  of 
the  father  or  the  son  is  still  doubtful ;  nor  does  its  real 
merit  call  on  us  to  enlarge  on  it.  .Alexander  Aftliro- 
disiEus,  who  wrote  a  treatise  on  fevers,  and  a  work  in- 
titled  Interdicta  Medica,  and  Problematica  Physica, 
scarcely  deserves  more  attention.  Oribasiun  has  been 
styled  the  ape  of  Galen.  The  twenty-fourth  and 
twenty-fifth  books  contain,  Indeed,  an  abridgment  of 


Galen's  anatomy;  but  we  find  a  description  of  the  sa- 
livary glands,  which,  if  known  to  the  Pergamenian,  has 
never  reached  us  in  any  of  his  works.  Oribasius,  who 
lived  till  near  the  latter  end  of  the  fourth  century,  was 
the  physician  of  Julian,  and  his  collections  were  com- 
pleted about  the  year  360.  It  is  not,  however,  true 
that  he  collected  from  Galen  only;  for  even  in  his  first 
fifteen  books,  the'  only  ones  we  possess,  except  the  ana- 
tomical ones,  other  authors  are  mentioned,  and  we  find 
numerous  quotations  from  preceding  physicians.  Ori- 
basius was  not  only  a  physician,  but  high  in  the  confi- 
dence of  the  emperor  Julian,  who  appointed  him  the 
Qusestor  of  Constantinople;  and  though  in  the  suc- 
ceeding reign  he  was  for  a  time  disgraced,  and  even 
banished,  his  real  merits  were  too  considerable  to  admit 
of  the  continuance  of  his  exile. 

vHis  anatomy,  we  have  observed,  was  copied  from 
Galen;  but  the  remaining  books  of  his  medical  collec- 
tions, amounting,  it  is  said,  in  the  whole  to  seventy-two, 
besides  his  quotations  from  authors  now  lost,  contain 
some  practical  remarks  of  importance.  His  recom- 
mendation of  scarifications,  instead  of  cupping,  is  not, 
we  think,  one  of  these;  for  ligatures,  bathing  the  legs, 
and  the  application  of  stimulants  previous  to  the  use  of 
the  lancet  or  needle,,  answered  the  same  purpose  as  the 
rarefaction  or  exhaustion  of  the  air. 

Oribasius  first  described  the  singular  madness  styled 
Avx.»t6fu7ria,,  in  which  the  patiems  avoid  the  society  of 
mankind,  haunting  the  most  desolate  places,  and  wound- 
ing themselves  with  stones,  &c.  Some  critical  disqui- 
sitions have  been  employed  to  determine  whether  they 
"  ofien"  the  tombs,  or  only  "  dwell"  among  them.  The 
question  is  of  little  importance,  though,  as  it  is  con- 
fessedly the  disease  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament^ 
if  we  recollect  rightly,  the  possessed  are  there  said  to 
"  come  out  of  the  tombs  exceeding  fierce;"  and  the 
tombs  of  the  pagans  were  generally  open  to  receive  the 
oblations  to  the  manes  of  the  deceased.  As  we  have 
pronounced  the  question  to  be  a  trifling  one,  we  shall 
not  enlarge  on  it.  Oribasius  wrote  four  books  also  on 
diseases,  and  several  others,  which  were  chiefly  abridg- 
ments of  Galen.  Some  receipts,  quoted  by  jEtius, 
seem  to  be  his  own;  but  the  commentaries  on  the 
aphorisms  of  Hippocrates,  attributed  to  him,  are  of  a 
much  later  era.  Excepting  the  collections,  the  nine 
books  of  his  synopsis,  addressed  to  the  younger  Eusta- 
thius,  and  four,  De  Euporistis,  to  Eunapius,  are  the 
only  works  which  remain  of  this  author,  who  certainly 
merits  more  attention  than  he  has  received. 

About  the  same  era  Nemesius,  bishop  of  Emesa, 
abridged  the  physiology  of  Galen,  intitled  Natura  Ho- 
minis.  Vindlcianus,  the  archiater  of  Valentinian,  ad- 
dressed to  that  emperor  his  Carmen  Epistolare;  and 
Theodore  Priscian,  the  disciple  of  Vindicianus,  and 
archiater  to  the  second  Valentinian,  wrote  his  four 
books  De  Curatione  Morborum.  The  last  work  has 
been  attributed  to  Q.  Octavius  Horatianus,  the  disciple 
of  Priscian,  and  under  his  name  the  treatise  is  annexed 
to  the  Strasburg  edition  of  Albucasis'  Surgery.  Seve- 
ral authors  of  this  century,  whose  works  are  still  ex- 
tant, merit  little  more  than  the  mention  of  their  names. 
The  chief  is  Marccllus  J±m/iiricus,  who  wrote  Ue 
Medicamentis  Empiricis;  Plinius  Valerianus,  whose 
work  De  Re  Medica  is  referred  by  Gunziusto  Siberius; 
Vegelius  Renatus,  a  different  person  from  the  Tacthian^ 


31  ED 


951 


31  ED 


and  Cffius  Jurelianus,  already  noticed,  the  last  medi- 
cal author  who  wrote  in  Latin. 

After  the  lapse  of  nearly  one  hundred  years,  in  which 
scarcely  the  name  of  a  physician  is  recorded,  we  meet 
with  JEtius  of  Amida,  of  whose  sixteen  books  (iv  tetra- 
biblia)  but  eight  have  yet  been  published  in  Greek, 
though  we  possess  the  Latin  version  of  the  whole.  He 
is  chiefly  distinguished  as  an  original  writer,  by  hischi- 
rurgical  operations,  and  in  this  line  his  practice  seems 
to  have  been  extensive.  In  medicine  he  recommends 
punctures  in  dropsies  ;  but  the  observations  on  these 
subjects  are  taken  from  Archigenes  and  Leonides.  His 
remarks  on  cauteries,  both  actual  and  potential,  are 
more  peculiarly  his  own.  He  advises  them  freely  in 
many  complaints,  and  directs  numerous  drains  to  be 
made.  To  keep  these  open  by  tents  seems  to  have 
been  the  improvement  of  a  subsequent  era;  for  in  many 
places  where  caustics  are  recommended  by  jfctius,  tents 
could  not  be  used.  Setons  are  only  mentioned  800  years 
afterwards.  From  Leonides  he  also  describes  the  dra- 
cunculi,  by  modern  authors  called  the  vents  medinrnses, 
an  appellation  given  by  the  Arabians.  vEtius,  who  had 
studied  at  Alexandria,  introduced  much  of  the  Egyptian 
pharmacy,  and  was  particularly  fond  of  external  appli- 
cations. He  introduced  also  charms  and  amulets,  so 
common  in  the  same  country;  and,  though  a  Christian, 
and  an  officer  of  the  emperor's  household,  seems  not 
to  have  been  exempt  from  credulity.  Many  boasted 
and  high  priced  remedies  he  has  taught  us  to  prepare ; 
but  adds  no  opinion  of  their  utility,  though  of  other 
medicines,  and  indeed  generally  of  those  truly  valuable, 
his  encomia  are  usually  warm. 

Palladius  of  Alexandria  was  but  a  few  years  later 
than  .Etius,  and  his  Synopsis  of  Fevers,  as  well  as  his 
Commentaries  on  different  parts  of  Hippocrates,  are 
still  extant.  He  differs,  however,  little  from  the  system 
of  Galen,  and  merits  no  particular  notice. 

Alexander  Trallian,  so  called  from  his  native  place, 
Tralles,  a  city  in  Lydia,  was  nearly  of  the  same  era, 
and  a  writer  more  original  than  any  that  have  occurred 
to  us  since  the  days  of  Galen.  He  limits  his  observations 
to  the  signs  of  diseases  and  their  remedies;  and  though 
he  shows  too  great  confidence  in  the  efficacy  of  some 
apparently  trifling  medicines,  and  is  particularly  fond  of 
air.ulets;  yet,  in  many  parts  of  his  work,  he  displays 
great  judgment,  and  extensive  experience.  His  obser- 
v..tions  on  bleeding  in  syncope%re  valuable,  and  those 
cm-  the  use  of  emetics,  particularly  of  purgatives  in  fe- 
vcrs,  highly  useful.  He  is  apparently  the  first  au- 
thor who  mentions  rhubarb  ;  but  he  certainly  means  the 
Rhapontic,  as  he  speaks  of  it  only  as  an  astringent. 
The  white  hellebore  had  at  this  period  been  neglected, 
and  even  Alexander  speaks  slightingly  of  it :  nor  was  it 
again  recommended  till  Asclefiiades,  more  than  fifty 
years  afterwards,  employed  it  with  success.  Alexan- 
der was  by  no  means  a  servile  follower  of  Galen.  On 
the  contrary,  he  frequently  differs  from  him,  and  in 
some  instances,  particularly  the  treatment  of  hectics, 
boldly  pronounces  him  wrong. 

Though  Christianity  was  now  established,  and  the 
physicians  lately  mentioned  were  Christians,  yet  the 
next  author  was  the  first  monk  who  wrote  on,  and  proba- 
bly practised,  medicine.  We  shall  call  him  T/ieofi/iitus, 
though,  fiom  his  sanctity  or  his  talents,  he  was  also 


called  Philotheus  and  Philaretus.  There  is,  however, 
a  singular  confusion  arising  from  the  name  of  Theo- 
philus,  which  was  given  to  a  cotemporary  of  Alexan- 
der, called  by  him  Jacobus  P»yc/trestus,or  Psychochrcs- 
tus.  The  latter  was  by  birth  an  Alexandrian,  archiater 
to  Leo  the  Thracian,  and  a  count  of  the  empire.  If  they 
were,  therefore,  the  same,  he  must  have  become  a  monk 
in  his  latter  years,  a  circumstance  by  no  means  uncom* 
mon.  Jacobus  Psychrestus  left  apparently  behind  him  no 
medical  work,  though  Theophilus,  who  by  some  histo- 
rians is  placed  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, and  certainly  a  different  person,  is  the  author  of 
five  books  De  Fabrica,  in  the  collection  of  Celsus  Cras- 
sus,  and  a  tract  De  Urinis,  the  first  work  professedly 
on  the  subject,  in  Henry  Stephens'  Principes.  His 
scholar,  Stephen  of  Athens,  was  the  author  of  a  Com- 
mentary on  some  part  of  Galen's  works. 

Paulus  of  JEgina  is  the  last  author  that  claims  our 
particular  attention.  He  flourished  near  the  end  of  the 
seventh  century,  and  was  the  first  physician  who,  by  his 
particular  notice  of  female  diseases,  appears  to  have 
paid  very  particular  attention  to  them  :  indeed  he  seems 
to  have  practised  midwifery.  In  medicine  he  does  not 
merit  any  great  regard ;  but  his  surgical  observations  are 
valuable,  and  often  new.  What  relates  to  lithotomy  and 
herniae  are  the  most  important  parts ;  but  the  observa- 
tions on  aneurisms  are  sometimes  new,  and  generally 
valuable. 

Some  Byzantine  physicians,  dimly  seen  through  the 
obscurity  of  the  darker  ages,  we  may  shortly  mention. 
jVbnus,  who  lived  near  the  end  of  the  tenth  century,  by 
the  command  of  Constantine  Porphyrogenetus,  wrote 
an  Epitome  of  Medicine,  chiefly  taken  from  .£tius, 
Alexander,  and  Paulus ;  and  near  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years  afterwards,  Symeon  Lethiun,  who  held  some  office 
in  the  palace  of  Antiochus,  wrote  a  Syntigma  de  Ciba- 
riorum  Facultate,  in  which  he  copied  chiefly  the  work 
of  Pstllua,  who  was  his  cotemporary.  Both  treatises 
still  remain,  but  are  of  little  value.  Demetrius  Pepa- 
gomenus,  near  the- end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  was  a 
distinguished  author  on  hawking;  but  he  was  the  phy- 
sician of  Michaeelis  Palaeologus,  and  left  also  a  Treatise 
on  Gout.  Somewhat  later  lived  Myrefisus,  the  author 
of  the  Antidotarium;  and  the  scene  closes  with  John) 
the  son  of  Zachariah,  honoured  with  the  title  of  Actua- 
rius,  nearly  answering  to  what  we  mean  by  physician 
in  ordinary,  in  the  court  of  Andronicus  Palaeologus. 
His  six  books  on  the  Methodos"Medendi,and  his  Treatise 
De  Urinis,  have  been  commended  by  some  practical 
authors;  and  the  latter  was  thought,  by  H.  Stephens, 
worthy  of  a  place,  in  his  valuable  work,  among  the 
Principes  Artis  Medicae.  All  his  works  are  in  a  great 
measure  compilations  from  his  predecessors,  but  there 
are  some  original  observations  respecting  the  palpita- 
tion of  the  heart,  in  which  Actuarius  seems  first  to 
have  recommended  bleeding  and  purging.  He  is  also 
the  only  Greek  physician  who  speaks  of  the  milder 
purgatives,  as  senna,  manna,  cassia,  and  myrobolans. 
The  pods  of  the  senna  were  then  only  employed, 
and  it  was  brought  from  Syria  under  the  name  of  a  fruit. 
These  medicines  were  professedly  borrowed  from  the 
Arabians,  whom  he  calls  barbarians.  He  mentions 
sugar,  also,  and  what  seems  to  have  been  distilled 
water  of  roses,  derived  from  the  same  source.  Indeed 


MED 


952 


MED 


distillation  appears  to  have  been  known  prior  to  the  era 
of  Actuarius,  which  was  probably  about  the  end  of  the 
eleventh  century. 

We  have  greatly  regretted,  in  this  long  career  of  the 
Grecian  medicine,  that  no  author  has  connected  the  re- 
volutions of  this  science  with  those  of  the  Grecian  phi- 
losophy. We  perceive,  in  every  step,  how  greatly  they 
•would  illustrate  each  other;  and,  but  for  the  extent  to 
which  our  article  would  be  thus  drawn,  we  should  have 
enlarged  a  little  on  the  connection.  We  have,  in  this 
part  of  our  history,  traced,  with  anxious  care,  the  suc- 
cession of  the  different  sects,  the  influence  of  prevailing 
opinions,  their  alternate  fashion  or  decline,  and  while 
these,  with  some  neglected  portions  of  the  history,  have 
detained  us,  we  have  certainly  omitted,  not  without  de- 
sign, what  may  be  found  in  every  common  author.  We 
ought  not  to  conceal  that  the  history  of  medicine  has 
not  hitherto  been  that  of  a  science.  We  have  seen  the 
scattered  limbs:  we  wished  to  see  them  connected,  so  as 
to  form  an  entire  body ;  and  of  this  connection  we  have 
endeavoured  to  give  the  outline. 

While 'we  have  less  anxiously  detailed  the  medical 
opinions  of  philosophers,  we  must  not  omit  some  ob- 
servations of  Dr.  Friend,  whose  history  is  chiefly  filled 
with  discussions  on  different  portions  of  ancient  medi- 
cine. He  remarks,  that  the  historian  Procopius  was 
probably  a  physician,  from  his  minute  and  scientific  de- 
scription of  wounds,  and  of  the  plague.  He  adds,  too, 
that  the  professional  character  of  St.  Luke  is  obvious, 
not  only  from  his  more  polished  language,  but  from  his 
expressions  relating  to  diseases.  The  curiosity  of  the 
subject  has  led  us  to  pursue  it,  and  we  certainly  find, 
in  the  relations  of  the  cures  effected  by  the  miraculous 
power  of  our  Saviour,  the  elegant  terseness  of  Aretaeus. 

When  science  declined  in  the  west  it  again  rose  in 
the  east.  In  pursuance  of  the  plan  just  mentioned,  we 
have  not  omitted  to  notice  the  gradual  steps  by  which  me- 
dical knowledge  gradually  approached  its  former  cradle, 
seeking,  in  its  decline,  the  protection  it  had  received  in 
its  commencement.  In  the  later  ages  of  Grecian  medi- 
cine we  perceive  a  strong  predilection  for  an  education 
at  Alexandria,  and  we  have  already  traced  its  progress 
in  Asia,  as  we  catch  transitory  glances  of  its  occasional 
appearance.  Alexandria,  once  the  receptacle  of  the  fa- 
mous library,  burnt  by  accident  during  Caesar's  attack, 
received,  in  return,  by  the  bounty  of  Anthony,  the  fa- 
mous collection  of  Mithridates,  already  mentioned 
as  a  legacy  to  the  Roman  people;  and  even  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  ninth  century  its  professors  were 
highly  celebrated.  Other  circumstances  favoured  the 
progress  of  medicine  in  the  east.  When  Valerian  was 
conquered  by  Sapor,  the  king  of  the  Persians,  and  car- 
ried captive  to  his  new  city,  Grandisapora,  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  many  Greek  physicians.  So  early  as  the  sixth 
century  a  medical  school  was  founded  in  that  city,  and 
an  hospital  established  in  it.  Hospitals  were,  indeed, 
not  unknown  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  Roman  empire, 
and  seem  to  have  been  first  established  before  the  reign 
of  Justinian.  Its  school  was  highly  celebrated,  and 
much  frequented  by  the  Arabian  physicians,  even  at 
the  time  of  Mahomet;  but  Persia  was  conquered  by  the 
Saracens  in  the  year  460,  and  medicine  was  scattered 
by  their  means  through  the  wide  extent  of  their  tributary 
regions,  even  to  the  confines  of  Spain.  Previous,  how- 


ever, to  the  conquest  of  Valens,  Sapor  had  married  the 
daughter  of  the  emperor  Aurelian,  and  probably  the 
medical  knowledge  of  Greece  had  already  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  Persians.  They  left,  indeed,  no  traces  of 
their  acquisitions;  for  the  earliest  eastern  medical  authors 
were  Syrians.  Aaron,  the  presbyter  first  collected  what 
he  called  the  Pandects  of  Medicine,  from  the  Greek, 
about  the  time  of  Mahomet,  A.  C.  622,  which  were 
only  translated  into  Arabic  by  Masergawaihus,  in  683. 
Near  a  century  afterwards  we  find  Alexander,  the  se- 
cond caliph  of  the  house  of  Abbas,  requiring  the  assist- 
ance of  Bactishua,  who  resided  at  Grandisapora;  so  that 
this  city  still  retained  its  character  for  the  acquisition  of 
medical  science,  and  the  family  of  Bactishua  continued 
famoils  for  many  succeeding  generations.  To  them 
the  eastern  nations  were  indebted  for  many  translations 
of  the  Grecian  authors  into  Syriac  and  Arabic. 

All  these  translations,  and  even  Honaim's,  were  very 
imperfectly  executed,  though  the  latter,  disgusted  by 
the  treatment  of  Mesue,  had  retired  two  years  to  the 
Grecian  islands,  where  he  had  cultivated  his  knowledge 
of  their  language.  Indeed,  on  all  occasions  the  Ara- 
bians take  the  liberty  of  altering  the  arrangement,  and 
often  the  sense,  of  the  Greek  authors,  so  that  they  can 
scarcely  be  recognised  in  their  new  forms.  The  names 
of  plants  are  also  so  much  changed,  that  many  are,  at 
present,  unknown. 

Mesue  was  the  first  author,  after  Aaron,  who  wrote 
on  medicine.  He  also  is  styled  a  Syrian,  as  he  proba- 
bly wrote  in  the  Syriac  language,  and  was  apparently 
educated  under  one  of  the  descendants  of  Bactishua. 
Yet,  when  we  compare  his  works  which  now  remain 
with  the  criticisms  of  Haly  Abbas,  we  are  obliged  to 
remove  him  to  a  later  date,  or  admit,  with  the  best  his- 
torians, that  there  were-  two  or  more  of  that  name,  of 
very  different  periods. 

Sera/iion  seems  to  have  been  next  in  succession  to 
Mesue,  and  was  probably  the  first  medical  author  who 
wrote  in  Arabic.  Historians  have  differed  also  about 
his  era,  and  the  knot,  as  usual,  has  been  cut,  by  suppos- 
ing that  there  were  other  authors  of  this  name;  for 
Serapion  is  only  a  Patronymic ;  but  Haly  Abbas,  who 
wrote  near  his  time,  quotes  his  works  as  they  have  been 
handed  down,  and  places  him  between  Mesue  and 
Rhazes.  In  other  respects  he  merits  little  attention. 

Rhazes,  the  great  luminary  of  the  Arabians,  flourish- 
ed about  the  middle  of 'the  tenth  century.  To  him  it 
is  supposed  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  first  descrip- 
tion of  the  small  pox ;  and,  in  fact,  he  is  the  first  au- 
thor on  this  subject  which  has  reached  us,  though  we 
are  informed  that  it  was  publicly  described  by  a  preced- 
ing physician,  Amrou.  The  two  great  works  of  Rhazes 
are  the  Continent,  and  the  ten  books  styled  Alman~or, 
addressed  to  Mansor,  king  of  the  Corassini.  The  first 
appears  rather  a  common  place  book,  in  which  facts  and 
observations  are  obscurely  noticed  for  his  own  recollec- 
tion. The  second  is  a  full  and  complete  view  of  medi- 
cal science,  taken  almost  exclusively  from  the  Greek 
physicians.  Rhazes,  however,  was  the  first  author 
who  spoke  professedly  of  the  diseases  of  children,  and 
he  first  described  the  spina  ventosa.  The  Arabians  are 
said  to  have  been  the  earliest  physicians  who  applied  che- 
mistry to  medicine,  and  chemical  remedies  have  been  at- 
tributed to  Avicenna.  We  were  therefore  anxious  to 


31  E  D 


953 


MED 


point  out  the  early  traces  of,  this  connection  in  the 
Greek  authors;  and  Rhazes  certainly,  in  many  instances, 
spoke  of  chemical  preparations. 

Haiy  Abbas,  or  Haiy,  the  son  of  Abbas,  we  have  al- 

mentioned.     His  only  work  is  styled  Almaleki, 

or  the  Whole  Book  of  Medicine.     One  half  of   this 

•work  is  theoretical,    and  the  other   practical.     Haiy, 

however,  is  chiefly  valuable  for  his  remarks  and  criti- 

5  on  Mcsue,  Serapion,  and  Rhazes.   Liberal  in  his 

censures  on  others,  he  has  added  nothing  from  himself 

to  the  stock. 

:cenna  is  the  most  celebrated  author  of  the  Ara- 
bians. He  flourished  early  in  the  eleventh  century,  and 
was  born  at  Bockara,  in  Chorasan.  He  was  the  last  of 
the  Arabian  authors  of  medicine;  for  his  successors 
were  born  in  Spain,  where  the  Saracens  were  then 
triumphant,  and  little  communication  seems  to  have 
been  held  between  the  eastern  and  western  empire. 
Avicenna  has,  however,  liu!e  of  his  own  :  he  was  merely 
a  compiler,  though  his  chief  wark,  his  Canon,  was  for 
centuries  commented  on,  and  the  syllabus  or  founda- 
tion of  the  lectures  in  every  university.  Of  Albucasis, 
undoubtedly  the  same  author  who  is  sometimes  styled 
,4lza/iaravi,  we  have  already  spoken  in  the  history  of 
surgery.  It  is,  therefore,  only  necessary  to  mention 
him,  as  it  preserves  the  connection  with  the  Arabian 
authors,  and  to  add,  that  he  flourished  near  the  end  of 
the  eleventh  century. 

,4-venzoar,  or  the  son  of  Zohr,  was  an  Arabian  of  the 
western  empire,  born  at  Sevil,  in  Spain,  apparently 
about  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century.  He  lived  to 
the  very  advanced  age  of  a  hundred  and  thirty -five,  and 
continued  his  practice  to  the  last,  from  which  he  hasbeen 
called  Exf^erimentator.  The  term  probably  implies  the 
exfie rienced;  for  he  deserves  not  the  title  of  em/iiric, 
•which,  in  the  opinion  of  some  authors,  this  term  im- 
plies. He  treats  of  medicine  in  a  rational,  often  in  a 
dogmatic,  manner,  and  seems  first  to  have  described 
the  inflammation  of  the  mediastinum,  and  of  the  peri- 
cardium, as  well  as  the  dropsy  and  cmpyema  of  the  pe- 
ricardium. It  is  a  singular  remark,  that  he  cannot  fol- 
low Galen's  advice  in  giving  asses'  milk  in  consumptive 
cases,  as  it  is  unlawful  for  the  Saracens  to  drink  the 
rfiilk  or  eat  the  fiesh  of  this  animal,  and  that  he,  there- 
fore, substituted  goat's  milk.  It  is  only,  however,  to 
the  stricter  sects  of  Mahometans  that  the  ass  is  an  abo- 
mination ;  but  this  circumstance  may  account  for  the 
use  of  goat's  milk.  He  first  recommended  the  bezoar, 
and  seems  to  have  been  particularly  expert  as  a  surgeon. 
From  some  parts  of  his  works  we  should  even  suspect 
that  he  had  dissected  dead  bodies.  In  his  time,  surgery, 
pharmacy,  and  medicine,  seem  to  have  been  practised 
by  different  persons",  and  neither  Avenzoar  nor  A  verhoes 
quotes  the  Arabian  physicians  of  the  east.  The  little 
connection  between  the  Arabians  of  the  east  and  west 
seems  to  have  been  owing  to  a  political,  or  rather  a  re- 
ligious, dissention  respecting  the  true  caliph. 

,4-cerhoes  was  also  a  Spaniard,  who  flourished  early  in 
the  thirteenth  certury  ;  but  rather  distinguished  for  his 
Commentary  on  Aristotle  than  for  his  medical  writings. 
His  Compendium  Medicinx,  however,  in  seven  books, 
has  been  highly  commended  by  some  authors. 

Mose  Ben  Maimon,  a  scholar  and  a  cotemporary  of 
Averhoes,  was  born  at  Corduba;  and,  though  a  Jew, 
was  archiater  of  Saladin.  the  sultan  of  Egypt.  He  was 

VOL.    I. 


the  author  of  a  Treatise  on  Regimen,  addressed  to  th« 
sultan  of  Babylon,  and  of  Aphorisms,  according  to  the 
Doctrines  of  Hippocrates  and  Galen. 

The  works  of  some  other  Arabian  authors  are  e'xv- 
particularly  of  Abenguejit,  J3u!casen,  Jesu  :;na- 

nusa/i,  &c. ;  but  we  cannot  find  that  they  contain 
thing  peculiarly    interesting   to    the  progress    of 
science.     Indeed,  during  its  cultivation  in  the  eait.  we 
find  little  added  to  the  stock.     The  Arabians  certainly 
introduced  many  new  medicines,  made  some  additional 
progress  in  medical  chemistry,  and  mitigated  the  seve- 
rity of  the  Grecian  practice.    The  new  diseases,  which 
they  described,  are  fev,-.     The  small  pox  was  a  native 
of  the  east,  and  the  others  were  in  no  respect  highly 
important.     They  seem,  therefore,  to  have  cheri- 
and   but  slightly  to  have  animated,  the  spark.     The 
Arabian  writers  refine,  indeed,  with  great  f/ 
distinguish  with  the  most  minute  precision;  but  their 
metaphorical  and  ornamented  language  they  have  wisely 
left  to  their  poets.    Perhaps,  from'the  example  of  their 
Grecian  masters,  they  are  often  concise,  and  generally 
reason  with  correctness  and  precision. 

Thus  while  medicine  was  declining  in  Greece  it  was 
kept  alive  in  Arabia;  but  it  sterns  scarcely  to  have  sur- 
vived the  thirteenth  century  Jh  either.  This  was  the 
period  of  its  downfal.  Europe  and  Asia  were  obscured 
by  the  cloud  of  ignorance,  and  the  arts  of  war  or 
poetry  were  alone  cultivated.  European  genius  began 
first  to  penetrate  the  obscurity;  but  in  this  cloud  of  bar- 
barity we  for  a  long  time  catch  but  a  few  imperfect 
rays.  As  we  found  medical  science  stealing  by  almost 
imperceptible  steps  from  Greece  to  Asia,  so  we  shall 
here  perceive,  that,  from  the  western  extremity  of 
the  extensive  empire  of  the  Saracens,  it  gradually  ex- 
panded to  different  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  too  much  the 
fashion  to  refer  the  spread  of  knowledge  to  the  Cru- 
sades. The  human  mind  wants  not  such  a  powerful  mo- 
mentum :  the  gradual  expansion  of  its  own  powers  will 
solve  the  problem.  The  short  distance  from  Spain  to 
Italy,  and  the  constant  intercourse,  even  at  this  time, 
gradually  introduced  the  medical  knowledge  of  the 
Arabians  to  the  latter  country.  It  has  been  supposed  that 
Latin,  Hebrew,  and  Arabic  professors  of  medicine  were 
settled  at  Salernum  in  the  seventh  century.  This  opi- 
nion has,  however,  no  well  founded  support;  but  it 
must  have  attained  some  credit,  as  a  school,  before  802, 
when  Charlemagne  founded  a  college  there.  It  will  be 
obvious,  however,  that,  at  this  period,  medicine  could 
have  gained  little  from  the  Arabian  authors',  since  they 
were  then  imperfectly  known  even  in  the  east;  so  that 
if,  in  reality,  Salernum  was  so  early  a  school  of  medi- 
cine, it  must  have  gleaned  the  little  knowledge  it  pos- 
sessed from  the  later  Grecians  and  the  Byzantine  au- 
thors. We  are  consequently  ready  to  deny  this  early 
antiquity  of  Salernum  as  a  seminary  of  medicine,  and 
the  more  willingly,  as  its  first  author,  Constantine  the 
Carthaginian,  flourished  only  at  the  end  of  the  eleventh 
century.  He  did  not  collect  all  the  accumulating 
science  of  this  establishment  of  Charles  the  Great,  but 
is  expressly  said  to  have  resided,  for  a  long  period  of 
his  life,  in  Babylon  and  Bagdat.  He  was  appointed 
secretary  to  Robert  Guiscard,  duke  of  Apulia,  about  the 
middle  of  the  eleventh  century;  and  there  is  much 
reason  to  believe  that  Salernum  was  established  as  a 
medical  school  about  that  time.  Its  appellation,  Civitas 

6  F 


MED 


954 


M  ED 


Hippocratica,  shows  that  it  was  considered  to  be  a  scion 
of  the  Grecian  stock ;  and,  however  barbarous  the  Latin 
style  of  the  African  may  appear,  it  is  said  that  he  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  Greek.  He  was  afterwards 
a  monk  of  Mount  Cassino,  thence  called  Cassinus,  and 
dedicated  his  work,  Breviarium  dictum  Viaticum,  to  its 
abbot,  Desiderius,  raised  afterwards  to  the  purple  by  the 
name  of  Victor  the  Third.  Several  other  works,  parti- 
cularly the  Antidotarium,  and  the  Loci  Communes, 
were  written  by  him  ;  but  the  substance  is  copied  from 
the  Greek  and  Arabian  authors  :  the  latter  is  apparently 
a  servile  translation  of  the  work  of  Haly  Abbas,  though 
professedly  an  original,  and,  as  he  remarked,  greatly 
wanted.  The  Schola  Salertina,  a  Treatise  on  Diet  and 
Medicine,  in  leonine  verses,  was  probably  composed 
very  early  in  the  twelfth  century,  and  was  for  a  long 
period  highly  celebrated.  It  is  said  to  have  been  writ- 
ten by  John  of  Milan,  and  was  dedicated  to  the  duke  of 
Normandy,  son  of  the  conqueror. 

Salernum  perhaps  justly  boasts  of  its  priority  as  a 
medical  seminary,  and  the  school  of  Montpelier  is  the 
next,  the  foundation  of  which  Astruc,  in  his  memoirs  on 
this  subject,  refers  to  1 150.  That  of  Paris  was  founded, 
according  to  Naudaeus,  by  papal  authority,  in  1220,  and 
the  school  of  Bologna  in  the  following  century.  To 
this  chronological  series  there  is  but  one  objection, 
that  Mgidius,  whose  Latin  hexameters  on  the  Virtues  of 
Medicines,  the  Urine,  and  Pulse,  written  towards  the 
close  of  the  twelfth  century,  is  somewhat  severe  in  his 
reflections  on  those  who  were  educated  at  Montpelier ; 
a  circumstance  which  must  have  arisen,  if  the  dates  are 
admitted,  from  personal  opposition,  as  the  character 
of  the  school  could  not  have  been,  at  so  early  a  period, 
ascertained. 

Few,  however,  were  the  physicians  of  character  edu- 
cated in  these  seminaries.  One  road  to  fame  and  for- 
tune was  obstructed;  for  the  chief  physicians  of  kings 
and  princes  were  Jews ;  nor  was  the  intolerance  of  the 
Spaniards  so  rigid  as  to  reject  this  nation  when  their 
own  lives  and  healths  were  in  danger.  The  emperor 
Frederick  II.  attempted  to  restore  the  study  of  anatomy. 
In  his  Treatise  on  Hawking  he  introduced  several  va- 
luable remarks  on  comparative  anatomy,  and  instituted 
public  dissections  and  demonstrations.  Fifty  years  after 
this  attempt,  his  laudable  career  was  checked,  in  1300, 
by  a  bull  of  pope  Boniface,  who  forbade  the  dissection 
and  preparation  of  the  human  body.  To  this  edict 
Mundinus  alludes,  when  he  declines  a  demonstration  of 
the  internal  parts  of  the  ear ;  because  it  is  necessary  to 
separate  the  bones  by  boiling,  which  "  firofiter  fieccatum 
dimittere  consuevi."  Mundinus  was  an  anatomist  and  a 
physician  of  considerable  celebrity :  indeed,  so  great 
was  his  credit,  that  any  observations  on  the  structure  of 
the  body,  which  did  not  coincide  with  his,  were  sup- 
posed to  relate  to  lusus  naturae. 

Arnold  of  Villano-va  and  Peter  Julian  the  Spaniard 
(afterwards  pope  John  XXI.)  were  both  celebrated  for 
their  knowledge  of  medicine,  about  the  end  of  the 
thirteenth  century.  The  former  has  been  chiefly  com- 
mended for  his  chemical  knowledge ;  but,  though  none 
of  his  works  remain,  it  is  certain  that  he  was  not  less 
famous  as  a  practical  physician.  The  latter  was  the  au- 
thor of  several  works,  both  physiological  and  practical ; 
but  all  are  copied  from  the  Arabian  or  the  Greek  authors. 

Gordonus,  a  Scotchman,  was  professor  at  Montpelier 


early  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  his  system  of  the 
practice  of  medicine,  entitled  Lilium  Medicum,  con- 
tains some  remedies  not  yet  wholly  forgotten.  These 
are  the  troches,  which  still  bear  his  name,  and  the  pul- 
vis  ad  guttetam.  Petrus  de  Apono,  an  author  of  the 
same  era,  was  one  of  the  first  professors  in  the  univer- 
sity of  Padua,  then  recently  established.  His  chief  cre- 
dit was  derived  from  his  chemical  remedies,  of  which 
very  few  were  invented  by  himself.  He  practised  at 
Bologna,  and  attained  a  high  degree  of  reputation,  with 
a  handsome  fortune.  Apono  commenced  a  supplement 
to  Mesue,  which  Francis  of  Piedmont,  in  the  service  of 
Robert,  king  of  Naples,  continued. 

Another  physician  in  the  service  of  Robert  was  Jo- 
annes Sylvaticus,  styled  Pandectarius,  from  his  Pan- 
dects, or  Medical  Vocabulary.  He  was  a  Mantuan  by 
birth,  and  educated  in  the  school  of  Salernum ;  but  his 
Pandects  are  written  in  so  singular  a  style  that  they 
contribute  little  to  their  pi'ofessed  object,  the  explana- 
tion of  the  Greek  and  Arabian  authors,  and  actually  re- 
quire a  dictionary  to  explain  them. 

Nichol.  Ni£plus  de  Palconius,  a  Florentine,  was  nearly 
a  century  later,  and  must  be  distinguished  from  Ni- 
cholaus,  a  Florentine  also,  but  of  a  later  date,  a  cele- 
brated patron  of  science.  He  appears  to  have  been  a 
physician  of  no  common  genius  and  learning ;  but  his 
most  distinguished  work  is  his  Sermones  Medicinales, 
published  at  Venice,  in  four  volumes,  folio.  The  last 
author  we  shall  mention  is  Valescus  de  Tarenta,  who 
has  given  a  compendious  view  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Arabians,  and  of  the  physicians  of  the  middle  ages.  He 
lived  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  is  one  of  the  few  au- 
thors who  give  opinions  of  their  own.  He  appears  to 
have  been  an  able  and  experienced  physician. 

During  this  obscurity,  Greece  still  retained  her  former 
treasures,  and  could  boast  of  a  few  physicians  to  whom 
they  were  not  unknown,  and  by  whom  they  were  not 
neglected.  A  warlike  race,  whose  martial  spirit  was 
aided  by  enthusiasm,  burst  at  once  from  -its  fastnesses, 
and  soon  overwhelmed  the  Roman  empire  in  the  east. 
The  Turkish  emperor,  Amurath,  in  the  year  1430,  took 
by  storm  Thessalonica,  from  whence  Theodore  Gaza, 
a  man  of  considerable  learning,  escaped,  with  some  of 
his  literary  treasures  to  Italy.  When  Constantinople 
was  taken,  a  few  years  afterwards,  and  the  Byzantine 
kingdom  wholly  overturned,  many  others  followed 
his  example.  All  were  warmly  received  by  Lorenzo  de 
Medicis,  and  the  manuscripts,  thus  rescued  from  obli- 
vion, soon  disseminated  the  stores  of  Grecian  poetry, 
history,  philosophy,  and  medicine.  The  human  mind 
was  roused  from  its  lethargy  by  many  other  events  in 
this  century.  The  invention  of  printing  facilitated  the 
communication  of  knowledge.  Colon  and  De  Gama 
discovered,  or  facilitated,  the  access  to  either  India, 
from  whence  the  materia  medica  gained  new  acquisi- 
tions. The  Scurvy,  first  observed  in  Germany,  in  1482; 
the  Sudor  Anglicanus,  first  noticed  about  the  same  time, 
followed  by  the  Lues  Venerea,  and  the  Morbus  Pete- 
chialis  in  Italy,  equally  animated  the  spirit  of  enquiry  to 
prevent  or  relieve  the  effects  of  such  afflicting  scourges. 
During  this  era  Fracastorius  and  Massa  were  the  chief 
luminaries  of  the  Italian  schools  ;  Sylvius  and  Fernelius 
of  the  Paris ;  Lommius,  the  excellent  author  of  the 
Observationes  Medicinales,  was  a  disciple  of  Fernelius, 
and  practised  at  Brussels.  All  these  authors  were  warm 


MED 


955 


MED 


admirers  of  the  Hippocratic  medicine,  and  with  equal 
zeal  and  perseverance  endeavoured  to  revive  it.  Botal- 
lus,  a  Piedmontese  of  this  era,  a  disciple  of  Fernelius, 
archiater  to  Charles  IX.  and  Henry  II.  of  France, 
chiefly  distinguished  himself  by  his  recommendation  of 
profuse-bleeding.  In  this  practice  he  might  have  found 
examples  both  in  the  medical  authors  of  Greece  and 
Arabia  ;  but  evacuations,  so  indiscriminate  and  profuse, 
must  be  often  injurious.  The  fatal  effects  of  his  plans 
are  even  yet  felt ;  for,  in  France,  venesection,  almost 
forgotten  in  England,  is  still  freely  and  copiously  prac- 
tised. Duretus,  A".  Piso,  and  Hollerius,  were  also 
French  physicians,  but  with  more  correct  views,  under 
the  guidance  of  Hippocrates,  whom  they  admired  and 
illustrated.  De  Gorris  (  Gorrteus)  and  Fesius  of  Dijon 
were  equally  able  illustrators  of  the  ancients  in  the 
Definitiones  Mediae  et  Oeconomia  Nififio cratis;  but  the 
most  striking  features  in  the  history  of  this  era  are  the 
attention  paid  to  prognostics,  and  the  publication  of 
select  observations  and  consultations.  For  the  latter 
we  are  indebted  to  Forestus  and  C.  Piso. 

As  we  approach  nearer  our  own  times,  we  shall  pass 
more  hastily  on  ;  and,  as  we  have  explained  in  distinct 
articles  the  prevailing  systems  of  medicine,  we  shall 
connect  only  the  historical  links,  except  where  we  find 
any  important  fact  omitted  or  misrepresented.  The 
extravagant  and  erring  spirit  which  we  have  in  this 
history  so  often  found  expatiating  beyond  the  sphere  of 
sobej-  investigation  and  patient  observation,  seems  again 
to  wander  in  the  17th  century.  In  its  commencement, 
indeed,  Bellonius  and  Rnerius  still  pursued  the  system 
of  Hippocrates ;  and  though  Sennertus  endeavoured  to 
unite  the  doctrines  of  the  Coan  school  with  the  more 
judicious  parts  of  the  chemical  system  which  then 
began  to  prevail,  it  was  reserved  for  fan  Helmont  to 
inundate  the  whole  science  with  the  mysticism  of  the 
alchemical  doctrines  and  language.  Paracelsus,  who 
first  introduced  chemistry  into  medicine,  was  an  ig- 
norant boaster,  the  Jatronice  of  modern  eras,  professing 
to  cure  all  diseases  by  chemical  remedies.  He  burnt, 
in  solemn  state,  the  works  of  the  ancients,  as  no  longer 
necessary  ;  and,  in  possession  of  the  universal  medicine 
to  secure  immortality,  died  himself  in  an  hospital  at  the 
age  of  forty-seven.  He  lived  near  the  middle  of  the 
16th  century,  but  then  appeared  like  a  single  transitory 
meteor,  so  that  we  reserved  any  notice  of  his  extrava- 
gancies till  we  could  combine  the  whole  of  the  chemical 
sect.  Van  Helmont,  the  next  in  succession,  was  a  man 
of  superior  talents,  distinguished  by  sagacity  and  judg- 
ment, which  might  have  been  more  advantageously 
directed,  but  which  still  render  his  works,  collected  by 
his  son,  not  unworthy  the  attention  of  the  modern  phy- 
sician. He  is  considered  as  the  first  discoverer  of 
factitious  air,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  gas;  but 
Rev  had  published,  somewhat  earlier,  essays  on  the 
cause  of  the  increase  of  weight  in  lead  when  calcined. 
His  son  was  more  mystical  than  the  father,  but  acute 
and  ingenious,  and  the  friend  of  Leibnitz.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded as  a  chemical  pathologist  by  Sylvius  de  la  £oe, 
whose  doctrines  of  alkalis,  acids,  and  effervescence,  even 
to  our  own  time,  disgraced  the  science.  The  prevalence 
of  the  chemical  system,  in  the  school  of  Leyden,  pro- 
bably led  Boerhaave  to  select  some  portion  of  Sylvius' 
doctrine  to  fill  up  his  eclectic  system ;  and  Hoffman, 
amidst  more  judicious  and  scientific  views,  returns  often 


with  a  partial  fondness  to  acids,  alkalis,  and  acrimony. 
In  our  own  times  the  chemical  doctrines  infected 
Willis  and  the  whole  tribe  of  Boerhaavians ;  nor  are 
we,  at  this  moment,  exempted  from  the  mania,  under 
the  more  fashionable  names  of  oxygenation  and  deoxy- 
genation. 

This  century  was,  however,  distinguished  by  exertions 
more  honourable  for  science.  It  was  the  era  of  the 
discovery  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  a  subject 
already  noticed,  and  of  the  dissections  of  animals,  to 
ascertain  many  important  points  of  physiology.  In  both 
HARVEY  was  a  distinguished  and  active  philosopher ; 
and,  while  the  circulation  was  decried  or  opposed  by 
ignorance  or  prejudice,  his  other  labours  were  warmly 
received.  Sfiigelius,  Sanctorius,  Jsellius,  Pecguee,  the 
two  Bartholines,  and  Rolfincius,  equally  promoted  phy- 
siology, or  disseminated  the  discoveries  of  others,  ob- 
tained by  their  dissections,  assisted  by  the  newly  dis- 
covered art  of  injections,  and  the  use  of  lenses;  for 
microscopes,  in  the  complex  sense  now  affixed  to  the 
term,  were  the  invention  of  the  following  century. 

Another  distinguishing  and  honourable  feature  of  this 
century  was  the  institution  of  medical  and  philosophical 
societies.  Our  own  Royal  Society  was  the  first  of  these, 
and  it  was  followed  by  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris 
in  1667,  established  by  the  judicious  and  penetrating 
Colbert.  The  Academia  Naturae  Curiosorum  was  at  first 
a  private  society,  and  its  origin  is  traced  from  1652 ;  but 
it  was  established,  some  years  afterwards,  by  the  au- 
thority of  the  emperor  Leopold,  and  then  styled  Aca- 
demia Caesareo-Leopoldina.  Its  publications  were  con- 
tinued, under  various  titles,  till  within  these  few  years. 
It  will  fill  but  a  small  space  to  pursue  this  subject.  The 
Royal  Society  at  Berlin  was  founded  in  1700  by  the 
advice  of  Leibnitz,  and  first  published  its  transactions 
(Miscellanea  Berolinensia)  in  1710;  the  Petersburg!! 
Academy  in  1724,  which  first  published  its  "  Commen- 
tarii"  in  1726;  the  Bologna  Society,  founded  by  Marsi- 
gli,  first  published  its  "  Commentaries"  in  1731.  The 
Breslaw  collection,  afterwards  called  Commercium 
Noricum,  was  published  from  1717  to  1731,  under  the 
former  title;  and  from  that  time  to  1745,  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.  Trew,  distinguished  by  the  latter.  The 
Royal  Society  of  Norway  began  to  publish  their  trans- 
actions in  1771  ;  of  Denmark,  in  1745  ;  and  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Sweden  in  1739  :  the  Royal  Society  at  Up'sal 
in  1720;  of  Bazil  in  1751;  of  Gottingen  in  1752;  and 
of  Montpelier  in  1766.  Within  the  years  1771  and 
1792  we  have  seen  philosophical  societies  established  in 
Hesse,  Philadelphia,  Brussels,  Boston,  Ireland,  Padua, 
Edinburgh,  Calcutta,  and  New  York.  These  have 
admitted  into  their  plan  medicine  as  a  branch  of 
natural  philosophy,  and  several  medical  improvements 
of  importance  have  been  published  in  their  successive 
volumes.  .  Establishments  more  closely  connected  with 
medicine  are  also  numerous.  The  first  work  of  this 
kind  was  Thomas  Bartholine's  Cista  Medica  Hafniensis, 
in  1662;  and  a  similar  one  appeared  in  1679,  at  Paris, 
entitled  New  Discoveries  in  every  part  of  Medicine  by 
Nicholas  de  Blegny.  The  Zodiacus  Medico  Gallicus, 
in  Latin,  by  Bonnet,  succeeded  in  the  following  year  at 
Geneva ;  and  in  the  same  year,  the  lexicographer 
Blanchard  published,  in  Holland,  Collectanea  Physico- 
Medico.  The  Recueil  Periodique  d'Observations  de 
Medicine  appeared  at  Paris  in  1754,  and  was  continued 

6  F  2 


ME  1) 


956 


M  ED 


under  the  title  of  Journal  de  Medecine ;  but  this  col- 
lection was  preceded  by  the  Medical  Essays  of  Edin- 
burgh, which  were  begun  in  1733,  and  continued  to 
1742.  These  were  succeeded  by  three  volumes  on  a 
more  extensive  plan,  entitled  Essays  and  Observations 
Physical  and  Literary,  and  by  the  Medical  Commenta- 
ries of  Dr.  Duncan.  Two  volumesof  a  collection  entitled 
Acta  Medicorum  Suecicorum  have  appeared,  which  arc 
not,  however,  exclusively  medical,  and  two  volumes  of 
collections  of  a  medical  society  at  Copenhagen.  The 
Royal  Medical  Society  at  Paris  published  their  first 
volume  at  Paris  in  1779,  and  continued  their  volumes, 
at  irregular  intervals,  till  the  year  1788.  Four  societies 
have  collected  medical  observations  in  London ;  the 
college  who  published  their  first  volume  in  1768,  and 
their  third  in  1785  ;  a  society  who  published  "  Medical 
Observations  and  Enquiries"  in  six  volumes,  from  1757 
to  1784;  another  society,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
"Medical  Communications,"  of  which  two  volumes 
have  appeared,  commencing  in  1784,  and  concluded  in 
1790;  the  Medical  Society,  whose  memoirs  are  still 
continued,  and  have  extended  to  six  volumes ;  and  an- 
other society,  whose  collected  labours  are  entitled  Trans- 
actions for  the  Improvement  of  Medical  and  Chirurgical 
Knowledge,  in  two  volumes,  appeared  in  1793  and  1800. 
A  collection  also,  entitled  Medical  Facts,  has  been 
continued  in  numerous  volumes ;  and  medical  journals 
in  a  profusion  which  bafiies  our  enumeration. 

The  conclusion  of  the  17th  century  was  distin- 
guished by  some  of  the  brightest  luminaries  which  have 
illustrated  this  science ;  Sydenham,  Morton,  Uaglivi, 
and  Boerhaave,  though  the  fame  of  the  latter'was  chiefly 
conspicuous  in  the  next  century.  Of  Sydenham  and 
Morton  we  need  not  speak,  for  their  merits  are  suffi- 
ciently known ;  and  the  Boerhaariau  system  we  have 
explained  in  a  separate  article.  In  treating,  however, 
of  this  venerable  and  highly  respected  eclectic,  we  have 
mentioned  a  philosophical  sect,  whose  tenets  we  have 
not  explained.  In  fact,  the  sect  fell  so  nearly  within 
each  century,  that  it  was  not  easy  to  fix  accurately  its 
precise  era.  The  application  of  mathematics  to  astro- 
nomy by  Kepler,  and  to  the  laws  of  motion,  as  well  as 
to  the  system  of  the  world,  by  Newton,  led  to  the 
opinion  that  its  powers  were  irresistible,  that  it  might 
unfold  every  secret  of  nature.  Borelli,  at  the  end  of 
the  17th  century,  applied  this  science  where  it  properly 
admitted  of  application  to  the  motions  of  animals,  and 
showed  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  derived  in 
these  motions  from  the  origin  and  insertion  of  the 
muscles.  His  scholar,  Hellini,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
following  century,  went  farther,  and,  from  mathematical 
data,  endeavoured  to  explain  many  functions  of  the 
human  body.  Keil,  a  philosopher  and  a  mathematician, 
rather  than  a  physiologist,  calculated  from  imaginary 
data  the  power  of  each  organ,  and  gave  the  stomach,  for 
instance,  a  force  of  compression  which  must  so  over- 
come the  resistance  as  to  destroy  its  organization ;  and 
Pitcairn,  with  his  followers,  calculated  the  ratio  of 
medicines  in  proportion  to  that  of  the  consitution.  In 
the  principles  of  medicine  of  this  last  author,  and  in 
some  of  the  early  volumes  of  the  Edinburgh  Medical 
Essays,  this  phrensy  is  carried  to  a  most  ridiculous 
height,  indeed  so  far  as  to  undermine  its  own  best 
security;  for,  if  such  were  truths,  mathematics  had  no 
certain  foundation.  From  the  chemists  and  the  mathe- 


maticians, as  we  have  seen,  Boerhaave  drew  his  theory  ; 
but  his  practice  was  founded  on  the  sound  observations 
of  the  Coan  sage,  and  his  most  respected  followers.  The 
fatal  doctrine  of  concoction  held  its  ground,  and  was 
supported  in  all  its  rigour.  Thus  fever  was  not  to  be 
checked,  but  encouraged  :  most  destructive  delusion  ! 
millions  have  been  the  victims  to  this  fancy. 

While  Boerhaave  held  the  reins  of  empire,  and  ruled 
with  a  sway  almost  as  absolute  as  that  of  Galen,  two 
rivals  arose  who  overturned  his  apparently  well  esta- 
blished dominion.  Hoffman  and  Stahl  were  rival  pro- 
fessors at  Halle,  yet  without  acrimony,  and  without,  at 
least,  open  opposition.  Hoffman  was  a  voluminous 
writer,  but  not  the  founder  of  a  sect;  for  he  does  not 
always  reason  with  consistency,  nor  are  his  arguments 
directed  to  any  definite  system.  He  wanders  from  the 
mechanical  to  the  chemical  doctrines  ;  but,  in  the  midst 
of  these,  directs  the  reader's  attention  to  the  exertions 
of  the  vital  powers,  in  changing  the  direction  and  the 
balance  of  the  circulation.  Stahl,  with  scarcely  less 
industry,  but  with  acuteness  and  talents  eminently 
superior,  aimed  at  changing  the  whole  of  the  science. 
He  acknowledged,  with  Van  Helmont,  a  ruling  power, 
guarding  the  constitution  against  disease,  and  repairing 
every  defect  which  might  occur;  but,  with  this  superin- 
tendance,  he  considered  the  human  system  as  a  living 
and  an  irritable  machine,  susceptible  of  various  and  ir- 
regular motions,  and  consequently  of  topical  congestions. 
This  is  the  meaning  of  "  spasm,"  of  "  tonic  motion," 
and  similar  expressions ;  nor  can  we  avoid  the  suspicion, 
that,  when  Hoffman  speaks  of  spasm,  he  means  what 
Stahl  styles  his  tonic  motion,  for  each  is  attended  with 
topical  congestions.  Whatever  becomes  of  this  idea, 
it  is  evident  that  the  germ  of  this  new  doctrine  gradually 
expanded.  Even  Boerhaave,  in  his  later  years,  did  not 
reject  the  consideration  of  a  nervous  fluid,  though  con- 
sistently with  his  humoral  pathology  he  considered  it  as 
"inactive;"  and  Gaubius  his  successor  treats  at  some 
length  of  the  diseases  of  the  vital  solid.  Indeed  the 
heresy  began  in  his  own  family ;  for  his  nephew,  Kauw 
Boerhaave,  who  practised  with  credit  at  Petersburgh, 
considered  the  influence  of  the  nervous  system  in  his 
work  entitled  Impetum  faciens  Hippocrati  dictum.  Hal- 
ler,  though  chiefly  of  the  mechanical  sect,  and  who  is 
entitled  to  our  gratitude  for  his  industry,  rather  than  his 
genius,  assisted  this  new  revolution  by  his  experiments 
on  irritability ;  and  Dr  Cullen  at  last  constructed,  on 
this  ground,  a  system  highly  ingenious,  though,  like 
many  first  efforts,  sometimes  too  refined,  perhaps  occa- 
sionally incorrect.  See  BOERHAAVIAN  and  CULLENIAN 
SYSTEMS.  On  the  same  foundation  Ur.  Brown  has  still 
farther  refined;  but,  while  the  Boerhaavians  made  the 
human  body  wholly  material,  he  considers  it  as  wholly 
spiritual,  created  only  by  heat,  motion,  and  other  sti- 
muli. See  BRUNONIAN  SYSTEM. 

Of  living  physicians,  as  of  surgeons,  it  is  not  "  our 
hint  to  speak;"  nor,  indeed,  in  the  present  era,  have  we 
any  revolution  to  describe,  or  any  marked  improvement 
to  praise.  When,  in  the  history  of  surgery  (see 
CHTRURGIA),  we  pointed  out  the  objects  of  the  surgeon, 
we  discriminated  those  of  the  physician.  We  there 
engaged  also  in  a  slight  disquisition  on  the  talents  and 
acquisitions  necessary  to  the  surgeon.  This  calls  on  us 
for  a  similar  explanation ;  yet,  as  coming  "  nearer  to 
our  own  business  and  bosoms,"  it  is  a  task  we  would 


31  E  U 


957 


ME1» 


.  10  decline.  Necessity,  however,  imperiously  de- 
mands it;  and  the  consciousness  of  holding  the  mirror 
tip  to  what  appears  to  us  the  character  of  an  accom- 
plished physician,  will  be  our  best  shield  against  the 
censure  we  must  consequently  encounter. 

It  would  appear  superfluous  to  say,  that  a  physician 
Id  be  at  least  acquainted  with  the  ancient  languages, 
did  we  not  daily  see  pretenders  to  that  character  with- 
out even  a  knowledge  of  their  own.  The  observations 
of  Hippocrates  and  his  followers  should  be  read  in  their 
own  language ;  and  we  would  engage  to  promise  a 
classical  scholar  the  highest  literary  entertainment  from 
the  simple  elegance  of  the  Coan  sage,  the  polished  elo- 
quence of  Galen,  and  the  expressive  terseness  of  Are- 
taeus.  Among  the  Latins  his  prospects  are  less  allur- 
ing; and  the  Augustan  elegance  ofCelsus  must  atone 
for  the  barbarisms  of  Ccelius.  Yet  in  more  modern 
times  Lommius,  Read,  Friend,  Heberden,  and  Baker, 
will  compensate  for  Stahl  and  Brown;  and  the  sterling 
sense  of  Haller,  Gaubius,  and  Burserius,  will  instruct,  if 
their  language  should  for  a  moment  disgust.  The 
modern  languages  are  equally  necessary,  at  least  the 
French  and  the  German.  It  is  indeed  to  be  regretted, 
that  vernacular  tongues  are  so  much  employed ;  for  no 
position  is  more  truly  unfounded  than  that  what  deserves 
to  be  translated  has  already  appeared  in  an  English 
dress.  The  Italian  is  perhaps  less  necessary  ;  yet  Sar- 
cone,  we  believe,  still  retains  his  original  garb,  and  dif- 
ferent modern  writers  of  that  country  seem  to  merit 
more  attention  than  they  appear  to  have  received. 

If,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  practice  of  medicine 
requires  the  active  exertion  of  the  intellectual  powers 
with  their  full  energy,  it  will  at  once  be  obvious,  that 
every  method  by  which  the  physician's  views  are  early 
contracted  must  be  injurious.  For  this  reason,  to  spend 
the  first  period  of  his  life  in  an  apothecary's  shop  has 
appeared  a  plan  pof  the  worst  tendency,  for  this  is  the 
time  in  which  he  must  endeavour  to  attain  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  classics,  a  competent  knowledge 
of  mathematics  and  of  natural  philosophy.  Man,  the 
most  glorious  work  of  the  Creator  within  our  limited 
observation,  is  not  indeed  regulated  by  the  laws  of 
matter  and  motion ;  but  each  must  be  often  taken  into 
our  views,  in  reflecting  on  the  deviations  from  health 
and  the  means  of  restoring  it ;  and,  so  intimately  is 
every  part  of  nature's  works  connected,  that  we  cannot 
draw  the  line  where  the  vital  powers  begin,  and  those 
of  matter  and  motion  end.  Mathematics  are  highly  ne- 
cessary to  enable  the  student  to  follow  the  mechanical 
philosopher,  and  to  understand  the  mechanical  physi- 
cian ;  for  it  is  highly  disgraceful  in  the  modern  physi- 
cian not  to  be  acquainted  with  the  principles  of  every 
sect,  or  unable  to  comprehend  their  mode  of  reasoning. 
Without  mathematics,  Haller,  Hamberger,  Bellini,  Van 
Swieten,  and  Sauvages,  will  be  often  unintelligible. 
The  utility  of  mathematics  is  not  confined,  however,  to 
their  aids  in  pursuing  other  objects.  They  accustom 
the  mind  to  close,  abstract  investigations  ;  give  a  habit 
of  connected  and  accurate  reasoning,  of  connecting  con- 
sequences with  premises  by  their  strict  relations,  rather 
-.nan  by  loose  analogy.  In  these  views  we  have  often 
reason  to  regret  the  neglect  into  which  the  mathema- 
tics have  lately  fallen. 

Natural  philosophy  is  highly  necessary,  independent 
of  its  connection  with  matter  and  motion.  We  are 


advancing  rapidly  into  these  brc.: 

human  body,  we  see  effects  without  being  ;-.b!e  to  com- 
prehend causes  ;  we  mean  in  the  sciences  of  electricity 
and  galvanism,  and  have  reason  to  sup,  '.  the 

discoveries  in  these  will,  at  no  great  distance,  materially 
illustrate  the  functions  of  the  human  system.    It  is  dis- 
graceful not  to  be  intimately  acquainted  with  each,  and 
in  the  acquisition  of  either  mathematics  are   useful,  if 
not  necessary.     The  great  supports  of  this  position  are 
the  papers  of  Columb  and   Van   Sv.inden.      Another 
assistant  in  acquiring  this  habit  of  close  reason;: 
logic,  a  science  essentially  useful,  though,  in  cr 
quence  of  its  abuse,  too  much  neglected.     When  pro- 
perly regulated,  it  gives  the  distinctions  so  necessary  to 
the  clear  enunciation  of  a  proposition,  and  the  co;. 
of  the  reasoning  either  in  support  or  in  opposition  ;  and 
it  leads  the  mind,  by  easy  steps,  to  detect  the  falk 
a  too  unlimited  statement,  of  an  unsuspected  subterf 
or  of  inconsequential  reasoning.      Were  logic   more 
generally  studied,  many  bulky  volumes  would  neither 
have  tired  our  patience,  nor  disgusted  our  judgment. 
Fatal  as  its  neglect  has  been  in  every  science,  it  has 
not  been  more  severely  felt  than  in  medicine. 

Of  chemistry  we  need  not  now  speak  :  it  is  acknow- 
ledged to  be  an  essential  part  of  the  physician's  educa- 
tion ;  nor  should  any  science  which  is  supposed  orna- 
mental in  a  gentleman  be  omitted.  Geography,  for 
instance,  may  appear  far  from  a  necessary  branch  of 
medical  knowledge;  but  it  would  be  disgraceful  to 
speak  of  the  ipecacuanha  as  a  production  of  Russia,  or 
the  cortex  peruvianus  of  the  arctic  circle.  A  knowledge 
of  botany  is  highly  necessary,  especially  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  natural  families,  as  it  will  often 
enable  a  physician  to  apply  his  indigenous  species  of 
plants  to  useful  purposes  where  the  exotic  is  wanting. 

All  these  arc,  or  should  be,  preparatory  sciences,  for 
medicine  itself  is  a  study  which  -will  fill  all  the  time 
usually  allowed  for  its  attainment.  Where  then  can  this 
varied  knowledge  be  acquired?  not  behind  the  counter  ; 
not  in  dispensing  the  prescriptions  of  others ;  not  in 
staring  at  diseases,  without  information,  or  without 
principles.  In  this  way,  the  student  cither  attains  no 
knowledge  or  crude  imperfect  ideas,  which  he  can 
scarcely  ever  correct ;  or,  if  correction  is  in  his  power, 
ii  will  require  more  trouble  than  the  acquisition  of 
juster  notions.  This  kind  of  education  also  narrows  the 
mind  in  another  view.  We  look  with  some  partiality 
to  our  earliest  instructor  ;  our  first  ideas  stick  to  us  with 
peculiar  force,  so  that  it  is  of  consequence  where  they 
are  acquired.  Those  who  are  accustomed  only  to  a 
narrow  circle  cannot  easily  expand  their  ideas  beyond 
it,  as  the  native  of  Switzerland  thinks  his  valley  scarcely 
less  than  the  whole  world.  We  do  not  indeed  contend, 
that  able  and  enlightened  physicians  have  not,  at  times, 
escaped  from  the  shop  ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  that  tbe 
deepest  and  most  profound  philosophers  have  been  the 
best  practitioners.  Exceptions  firove  a  general  rule  ; 
but  some  distinctions  are  requisite  in  the  full  discussion 
of  this  question,  which  we  shall  soon  consider. 

We  have,  in  different  parts  of  this  work,  hinted  that 
a  physician  should  be,  from  his  earliest  years,  educated 
with  the  view  to  his  future  profession.  If  the  best  pr.rtb 
of  his  life  have  been  directed  to  other  pursuits,  he  will 
seldom  acquire  that  extent  of  information,  and  readiness 
of  application,  which  the  practice  of  his  profession 


MED 


958 


MED 


requires.  In  the  most  advanced  period  of  his  life,  what 
he  may  have  seen  at  his  first  entrance  into  the  study 
may  happen  to  be  applicable,  though,  through  the  whole 
interval,  it  has  been  never  necessary.  It  must  not  be 
supposed,  that  the  most  splendid  abilities  or  the  deepest 
knowledge  are  always  requisite.  Many  diseases  are 
obvious  in  their  causes,  appearances,  and  treatment ; 
but,  on  the  other  side,  many  serious  complaints  assume, 
at  first,  a  common  form,  and  it  requires  no  little  sagaci- 
ty to  trace  them  in  their  bud ;  no  little  knowledge  to 
obviate  the  fatal  consequences.  Were  it  always  possible 
to  say  whether  a  disease  was  common,  great  abilities 
or  extensive  knowledge  might  not  be  necessary ;  and 
we  thus  find  physicians,  with  little  real  skill,  but  with 
policy  and  address,  pass  through  life  with  credit,  some- 
times with  the  highest  applause.  ,  It  is  not,  however, 
enough  to  possess  knowledge,  but  the  mind  should  be 
ready  and  active  in  its  application.  It  is  often  necessary 
to  adopt  at  once  a  plan,  and  to  pursue  it  with  active 
decision  :  it  is  necessary  to  weigh  contending  difficulties, 
and  at  once  to  seize  the  path  where  the  fewest  or  the 
least  important  appear,  or  where  the  inconveniences  are 
counterbalanced  by  the  advantages.  This  rapidity  of 
decision,  the  result  of  great  and  extensive  knowledge, 
as  well  as  readiness  of  resource,  is  often  equally  the  off- 
spring of  ignorance.  No  difficulty  can  be  experienced 
by  those  who  are  unable  to  anticipate  danger;  and 
doubt,  the  consequence  of  different  plans  contending 
for  superior  eligibility,  can  scarcely  be  felt  by  those  who 
have  none.  Physicians  are  called  on,  in  general,  to  act 
with  this  prompt  decision  ;  and  to  hesitate  is  usually 
accounted  a  mark  of  ignorance.  A  man  must  have 
merited  the  confidence  of  the  world  before  he  can  re- 
quire time  for  consideration,  and  his  reputation  be  firm- 
ly established  before  he  can  own  himself  at  a  loss. 

Readiness  of  resource  is  partly  owing  to  habit  and 
long  experience  ;  but  it  may  be  easily  acquired  by  a 
ready  arrangement  of  ideas,  and  clear  distinct  views. 
The  able  a.nd  experienced  physician,  who  can  at  once 
comprehend  the  object  to  be  attained,  will,  at  the  same 
moment,  perceive  the  various  methods  by  which  it  may 
be  effected,  and  he  has  only  to  choose  the  most  con- 
venient and  the  best  adapted  to  the  habit  or  idiosyncra- 
cy  of  his  patient.  In  his  progress  new  views  will  gene- 
rally open,  and  the  soundest  judgment  is  shown  in  steer- 
ing between  the  opposite  extremes  of  varying  the  plan 
according  to  the  variety  of  symptoms,  or  obstinately 
persisting  in  it,  notwithstanding  every  change  of  ap- 
pearance. The  first  is  pleasing  to  common  observers, 
as  it  shows  diligent  attention  ;  but  it  is  a  proof  of  weak- 
ness and  indecision.  The  last,  perhaps  the  most  venial 
error,  is  the  effect  of  too  great  confidence  ;  and,  unless 
accompanied  with  extensive  knowledge  which  dictated 
the  first  opinion,  and  an  acute  sagacity  in  discerning  the 
effects  of  the  medicines,  is  scarcely  less  injurious. 

It  has  been  supposed,  that  extensive  reading  rather 
impedes  by  overloading  the  mind,  than  assists  by  giving 
information.  Reading,  however,  with  judgment  and 
discrimination  will  produce  no  such  effect.  The  mind 
should  be  so  regulated  that  each  new  fact  may  be  com- 
bined with  the  former  stock,  or,  if,  in  opposition,  re- 
served for  subsequent  mature  reflection.  It  will  then 
come  in  aid,  to  limit,  to  confirm,  or  to  invalidate  pre- 
conceived opinions.  If  reading  and  practice  proceed, 
*:ari  ft  at-ni,  the  advantages  will  be  still  more  considerable. 


Each  new  observation  may  be  soon  brought  to  its  pro- 
per test,  and  its  value  consequently  justly  appreciated. 
Facts  in  medicine  have  lately  accumulated  so  rapidly, 
that  we  are  oppressed  by  the  load  rather  than  informed 
by  the  substance.  To  discriminate  between  the  true 
and  the  false,  the  important  and  the  trifling  ones,  is  no 
easy  task.  To  say  that  any  author  states  as  a  fact 
what  he  does  not  know  to  be  true  must  appear  harsh, 
perhaps  unjustifiable ;  but  the  internal  evidence  often 
shows,  that  the  case  cannot  have  existed  as  the  writer 
(we  should  have  said  the  author}  describes.  When  we 
find  the  symptoms  loosely  detailed,  the  necessary  con- 
nections omitted,  the  effects  of  medicines  imperfectly 
or  inconsistently  described,  we  may  rest  assured  that  it 
is  the  manufacture  of  the  closet.  When  we  find 
violent  complaints  cured  by  the  most  inert  remedies, 
we  may  be  equally  certain  that  the  violence  of  the 
symptoms  are  magnified,  or  the  real  effects  of  the 
medicines  disguised ;  and,  as  has  been  often  hinted, 
when  an  inventor  describes  his  plan  as  infallible,  sus- 
picion should  open  all  her  eyes  to  detect  the  fallacy  ; 
yet  many  such  deceptions  occur  with  no  culpable  in- 
tention. A  young  sanguine  practitioner  seems  to  think 
every  case  the  same,  and  always  finds  wonderful  benefit 
from  his  plans.  When  he  reviews  them  with  a  calmer, 
more  experienced  eye,  he  doubts  whether  they  have 
been  so  successful  as  he  supposed,  or  indeed  whether 
they  have  succeeded  at  all.  This  is  not  indeed  a  singu- 
lar case :  it  is  the  unavoidable  progress  of  the  mind 
from  youth  to  age,  from  confidence  to  doubt,  from  hesi- 
tation to  scepticism. 

The  mind  of  the  physician  should,  in  the  most  ardu- 
ous and  difficult  circumstances,  be  unruffled.  Doubt 
and  hesitation  should  never  be  seen  in  his  countenance, 
or  in  unsteady,  vacillating  councils.  In  the  midst  of 
uncertainty  he  should  be  calm.  In  the  most  adverse 
events,  while  he  may  express  his  surprise,  he  should 
never  appear  without  his  resources,  nor  until  the  case 
be  wholly  desperate  should  he  suffer  those  around  him 
to  despair.  For  doubt  and  apprehension  of  the  event 
there  may  be  a  more  early  foundation,  and  suspicions 
may  be  cautiously  suggested  that,  should  any  given  re- 
medy fail,  the  danger  would  be  increased. 

In  emergencies,  friendly  and  affectionate  anxiety  may 
suggest  additional  advice,  or  a  remedy  of  a  doubtful 
quality  and  uncertain  effects,  the  boasted  panacea  of 
some  fashionable  quack,  recommended  by  an  archbi- 
shop, a  judge,  or  any  other  old  woman ;  for,  in  such 
circumstances,  each  appellation  is  synonymous.  No 
physician,  whatever  may  be  his  character,  is  justified  in 
refusing  professional  assistance,  when  required  ;  nor, 
to  his  coadjutor,  in  this  respect,  ought  he  to  withhold 
whatever  his  former  experience  with  the  patient  has 
taught  him.  If  he  gains  from  his  assistant,  the  patient 
has  the  advantage;  it  is  his  fault  if  the  patient  suffers. 
In  every  consultation  it  should  be  known  whether  the 
first  or  the  second  has  the  implicit  confidence  of  the 
patient  and  his  friends ;  and  the  conduct  should  be 
suitable. 

In  the  administration  of  a  quack  remedy  more  caution 
is  necessary.  It  should  be  known  whether  it  is  a  mere 
name  without  effect,  or  whether  it  has  any  decided 
positive  power.  If  the  former,  it  maybe  indulged; 
nov  is  it  a  great  sacrifice,  in  case  of  a  fortunate  event, 
that  the  medicine  has  the  credit,  if,  in  contrary  circum 


ME  D 


959 


M  E  I) 


stances,  the  friends  of  the  patient  feel  satisfied  that 
every  thing  which  art  could  devise  has.  been  attempted. 
This  doctrine  we  know  will  not  be  popular  among 
physicians ;  but  they  ought  to  recollect,  that  to  cure 
their  patient  is  their  first  "object ;  to  gain  fame,  a 
secondary  one.  If  indulged  with  their  favourite  remedy, 
they  will  agree  to  combine  other  means;  confidence 
will  be  supported,  hopes  raised,  the  spirits  cheered  ; 
and,  in  case  of  a  sinister  event,  the  candour  and  liberality 
of  the  practitioner  will  secure  general  esteem.  Yet  he 
would  merit  the  severest  censure,  if,  indulging  such 
fancies  and  prejudices,  he  omitted,  for  a  moment,  the 
efforts  which  he  yet  retained.  The  conduct  we  re- 
commend is  only  justifiable  where  the  case  is  desperate, 
or  the  boasted  panacea  inert. 

In  some  circumstances,  however,  the  remedy  is 
active,  and  the  ingredients  well  known.  The  physician 
must  then  decide  whether  it  is  adapted  to  the  complaint, 
or  whether  its  effects  may  not  be  too  powerful.  When 
he  has  stated,  fully  and  impartially,  his  opinion,  the 
friends  or  the  patient  must  determine.  We  think,  that 
he  is  not  justified  in  leaving,  as  has  happened,  the 
patient  to  his  fate.  It  is  rather  his  duty  to  look  on,  to 
watch,  to  regulate,  or  correct  any  errors.  He  may- 
yet  save  the  devoted  victim  from  destruction,  from  fall- 
ing a  sacrifice  to  prejudices  either  his  own  or  his  mista- 
ken friends. 

There  is  yet  another  situation  in  which  an  active 
quack  medicine  may  be  allowed.  In  continued  chronic 
complaints  the  patient  is  often  weary  of  his  physician, 
and  willing  to  try  the  recommendation  of  some  in- 
terested adviser-  He  has,  for  instance,  been  using  a 
mercurial  alterative,  and  wishes  to  try  Spilsbury's 
drops.  They  are  no  other.  Why  then  may  he  not 
be  indulged  ?  Low  indeed  must  be  the  credit  of  his 
physician,  if  he  should  suffer  by  adding  one  to  the  many 
boasted  cures  performed  by  this  medicine,  which  is  only 
the  hydrargyrus  muriatus  in  small  doses,  a  preparation  of 
mercury  generally  employed.  Yet  we  must  repeat, 
that,  in  every  such  instance,  the  physician  is  inex- 
cusable if  he  do  not  guard  the  patient  against  any  pro- 
bable inconvenience  that  may  result  from  the  supposed 
qualities  of  the  secret  remedy,  and  suggest  the  best 
methods  of  preventing  them.  These  few  remarks  we 
have  suggested  as  a  kind  of  supplement  to  the  very 
liberal  and  judicious  observations  of  Dr.  Gregory  in  his 
most  valuable  lectures  on  the"  Duties  and  Qualifications 
of  a  Physician,"  and  to  this  work  we  would  refer  the 
young  practitioner  for  his  more  general  conduct. 

Had  we  room,  we  might  enlarge  a  little  on  the  fiolicy 
of  medicine.  Hoffman  has  left  us  a  dissertation  entitled 
Medicus  Politicus,  though  its  object  is  different ;  but 
the  art  in  this  age  is  greatly  improved,  and  an  amusing 
treatise,  cofiied  from  life,  might  be  easily  written.  Our 
object  is  however  to  make  the  practice  of  medicine  re- 
spectable, not  contemptible. 

It  was  a  question  suggested  respecting  surgery, 
whether  it  had  been  improved  in  later  periods.  The  same 
question  has  been  agitated  respecting  medicine,  and 
perhaps  it  may,  in  this  part  of  our  article,  merit  a  short 
notice.  The  argument,  that  medicine  has  no_t  im- 
proved, has  been  supported  by  the  most  inconclusive 
reasoning;  viz.  that  we  still  resort  to  the  older  authors, 
and  that  diseases  are  still  mortal  as  before.  To  engage 


in  an  extensive  discussion  is  inadmissible,  but,  as  in  the 
article  referred  to,  we  may  adduce  a  few  instances. 

In  the  conduct  of  fevers,  is  it  no  improvement  that 
the  rigorous  abstinence  of  the  early  days,  enjoined  by 
the  ancient  physicians,  is,  at  least,  abridged  or  softened? 
that  the  great  heat,  the  close  rooms,  the  warm  stimu- 
lating medicines,  and  the  sudorific  regimen  of  the 
modern  Galenists,  are  wholly  abolished?  It  may  be  asked, 
whether  either  plan  is  justly  or  advantageously  super- 
seded ;  and  we  hazard  little  in  replying,  that  the  re- 
coveries under  the  later  mode  of  treatment  exceed  those 
under  the  former  three  times  told.  Death,  from  a 
fever,  is  now  comparatively  rare  :  formerly,  recovery 
was  equally  so ;  and  many,  whom  we  remember  among 
the  recoveries,  lingered  out  the  remaining  period  of 
life  without  the  slightest  enjoyment  of  an  hour's  perfect 
health. 

In  internal  inflammations  the  constitution  is  equally 
preserved  by  the  rejection  of  the  indiscriminate  bleedings 
so  often  and  so  copiously  employed ;  nor  is  the  excita- 
bility exhausted  by  the  numerous  blisters  applied,  under 
the  mistaken  idea  of  derivation.  In  childbed  how  is 
the  strength  preserved,  and  inconveniences  avoided,  by 
the  cool  regimen,  by  the  discharges  from  the  bowels, 
and  the  early  application  of  the  child  to  the  breast  ? 
How  is  the  strength  and  health  of  the  child  augmented 
by  copious  and  frequent  ablutions  ?  In  dysenteries, 
what  pains  are  saved  by  the  free  use  of  cooling  laxatives; 
in  scirrhous  livers,  how  long  is  the  life  comfortably  pre- 
served by  the  free  use  of  mercury  ?  The  paper  would 
fail  before  we  could  enumerate  the  advantages  of  modern 
improvements  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  Let  us  take 
up  the  subject  more  generally.  Abstruse  disquisitions 
respecting  the  causes  of  disease,  and  the  operation  of 
remedies,  are  now  seldom  indulged.  Our  indications 
are  more  clearly  pointed,  and  the  means  usually  better 
chosen  and  more  direct;  less  depending  on  pathological 
enquiries,  and  more  closely  connected  with  the  changes 
to  be  produced.  Dr.  Friend  was  supposed  to  be  master 
of  all  the  medical  science  of  every  sera ;  and  yet,  if  any 
modern  physician,  who  had  for  some  years  escaped 
from  his  early  studies,  were  to  read  his  Reflections  on 
the  Practice  of  the  Ancients,  they  would  suppose  them- 
selves engaging  in  a  new  and  most  intricate  science ;  so 
disguised  and  involved  are  the  most  common  observa- 
tions and  directions.  This  was,  in  fact,  our  own  cas-c. 

We  had  intended  to  have  closed  this  article  with  a 
sketch  of  a  medical  library,  but  we  feared  to  terrify  the 
indolent  practitioner,  or  to  repress  the  timid.  Yet  per- 
haps we  may  find  an  occasion  to  resume  this  subject 
under  a  later  article,  STUDIUM  MEDICIN.E.  At  the 
conclusion  however  of  so  long  a  work  reasons  of  ne- 
cessity must  at  last  decide. 

Le  Clerc  Histoire  de  la  Medecine  ;  Friend's  Hist<#y 
of  Physic  ;  Blumenbach's  Historia  Medicinae  Literaria; 
Schultze  Historia  Medicinae ;  Conringii  Introductio  ; 
Halleri  Bibliotheca  Medicina  Practica. 

See  CHIRURGIA  ;  BOTANY  ;  MATERIA  MEDICA  ; 
OBSTETRICATIO  ;  MEDICINA  FORESSIS  et  POLI- 

TIOA. 

MEDICINA  FOREXSIS  et  POLITICA.  Medicine  has 
for  ages  been  the  guide  of  the  police  and  of  justice, 
without  ostensibly  mingling  in  their  contests.  When 
Acron  of  Agrigentum  is  said  to  have  kindled  fires  to 


MED 


960 


MED 


promote  the  circulation  of  air  in  order  to  check  the 
plague, of  Athens,  orNuma  constructed  sewers  to  keep 
the  imperial  city  from  the  noisome  stench  of  impurities, 
they  acted  as  able  politicians  and  judicious  philosophers; 
and  an  early  work  of  Hippocrates  on  a  kindred  subject 
should  have  particularly  fixed  the  attention  of  phy- 
sicians. Many  similar  regulations  are  indeed  the  result 
of  good  sense,  reduced  to  practice  by  an  active  mind 
and  well  directed  views;  but  many  years  elapsed  before 
regulations  of  this  kind  were  digested  by  a  regular 
scientific  publication,  professedly  on  the  subject.  The 
Criminal  Constitution  of  Carolina  was  the  earliest  work 
in  which  the  rudiments  of  forensic  medicine  were 
developed,  and  the  first  edition  of  this  work  appeared 
in  the  beginning  of  the  16th  century.  The  origin  of 
political  medicine  in  modern  times  maybe  dated  about 
forty  years  later,  and  its  first  publication  by  Joach. 
Struppe,  at  Frankfort,  appeared  in  1573.  His  work  in 
quarto  contains  the  necessary  precepts  for  preventing 
the  air  from  contamination  by  filth,  by  injurious  occu- 
pations, and  by  sepulture  in  the  midst  of  cities.  He 
adds  regulations  respecting  the  occupations  of  millers, 
bakers,  butchers,  &c.,  on  the  proper  instructions  neces- 
sary for  midwives,  on  the  establishment  of  infirmaries, 
on  the  propriety  of  visiting  the  shops  of  apothecaries, 
and  of  guarding  against  the  arts  of  quacks.  In  the 
same  year,  he  published  his  Anchor  of  the  Hunger, 
Thirst,  and  the  Health  of  Mankind  ;  in  which  he  parti- 
cularly treats  of  the  substances  which  may  occasionally 
supply  bread,  and  the  means  of  preserving  meat  from 
putrefaction.  At  the  end  of  the  same  century,  Fortu- 
natus  Fidelis  of  Sicily  published  his  work  on  the  depart- 
ment of  forensic  medicine,  De  Relationibus  Medicorum; 
and,  under  the  name  of  Keinesius,  his  Schola  Ictorum 
Medica.  The  subject  was  still  further  pursued  by  Paul 
Zacchias,  principal  physician  to  the  pope,  who  publish- 
ed his  Quxstones  Medico-Legales  in  1621,  &c.  in  nine 
volumes,  quarto,  at  Rome.  About  the  end  of  the  same 
century  Paul  Amman,  a  native  of  Breslaw,  and  a  pro- 
fessor at  Lcipsic,  published  the  Medicina  Critica  seu 
Decisora,  as  well  as  the  Irenicum  Numse  Pompiliicum 
Hippocrate;  and,  in  the  same  century,  G.  Welsck  of 
Leipsic  published  his  Rationale  Vulnerum  Lethaliuiu 
Judicurn.  We  may  just  add,  as  objects  of  curiosity, 
that  this  author  first  described  the  purple  miliary  fever 
of  childbed  women,  as  a  new  disease,  in  1655;  and, 
about  the  same  time,  a  German  clergyman  first  de- 
scribed the  method  of  recovering  persons  apparently 
drowned. 

To  pursue  the  history  through  the  18th  century 
would  be  useless,  and  almost  impracticable.  We  en- 
gaged in  it  chiefly  from  curiosity,  and  need  only  add, 
that  the  minor  works  on  this  subject  are  collected  by  J. 
C.  Traugott  Schlegel,  published  in  six  small  volumes  at 
Longosalissa ;  but  we  must  remark,  that  of  this  city  and 
some  others  we  have  found  it  impossible  to  discover 
the  vernacular  name.  The  obscure  towns  in  Germany 
have  not  found  a  place  in  any  Latin  or  geographical 
dictionary  to  which  we  have  access. 

To  account  for  the  numerous  German  and  French 
publications  on  this  subject,  we  must  observe  that  the 
laws  of  these  countries  are  much  more  minute  in  their 
distinctions  respecting  crimes  than  the  criminal  code  of 
this  kingdom.  This  may  be  one  reason  why  the  sub- 


ject has  been  so  much  neglected,  that  it  has  not  former 
any  portion  of  a  course  of  lectures  ;  and  very  lately  only 
has  a  professor  of  forensic  medicine  been  established  in 
a  British  university.  To  treat  of  this  branch  of  medi- 
cine, therefore,  with  all  the  subtility  of  a  German  lawyer, 
will  be  unnecessary,  and  we  must  confine  ourselves  to 
the  outline  of  those  topics,  which  must  be  the  subject 
of  inquiry  in  an  English  court  of  justice. 

We  must  first  consider  forensic  medicine  as  it  is  a 
branch  of  medical  investigation,  and  next  as  it.  is  con- 
nected with  the  conduct  of  the  surgeon. 

MANIA  is  one  of  the  most  frequent  subjects  of 
forensic  inquiry,  in  which  the  physician  is  called  on  to 
decide;  and,  to  the  disgrace  of  science,  we  find  the 
most  opposite  opinions  adduced  by  practitioners  of 
eminence.  Much  depends  on  the  period  during  which 
the  physician  sees  the  supposed  lunatic,  and  more  on  a 
few  necessary  distinctions,  which  we  fear  are  sometimes 
designedly  neglected.  It  is  possible  for  an  interested 
relation  to  fix  on  a  day  when  the  patient  is  calm  and 
rational,  an  hour  when  he  is  usually  collected,  to  intro- 
duce the  physician  who  pronounces  him  sane.  Another, 
in  different  circumstances,  might  pronounce  him  mad. 
It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  guard  against  such  decep- 
tions, to  visit  him  frequently  at  different  times,  and  at 
the  most  unsuspected  hours.  If  this  is  refused,  a  col- 
lusion will  be  evident.  We  remember  seeing  a  man, 
who  was  confined  for  a  crime  and  defended  on  the  plea 
of  idiotic  insanity.  We  visited  him  frequently,  while 
unsuspecting  any  such  examination,  and  found  the 
plea  strictly  true.  Yet,  when  called  into  court  for  the 
purpose  of  acquittal,  when  cleaned  and  dressed,  roused 
also  perhaps  by  the  novel  appearance  of  the  Scene,  his 
look  assumed  a  meaning,  and  he  was  almost  rational. 

In  the  general  relations  of  life,  a  man  may  be  thought- 
less, ridiculous,  and  extravagant,  yet  these  errors  will 
not  be  sufficient  to  fix  the  charge  of  insanity,  which 
consists  cither  in  false  perceptions  or  erroneous  rea- 
soning, on  objects  distinguished  in  their  true  colours. 
Many  individuals  of  this  kind  require  guardians  for  their 
property  as  much  as  persons  really  insane ;  but  the  law 
entrusts  no  practitioner  with  such  discretionary  power. 
The  difficulty  arises  when  this  wild  absurd  conduct  is 
attended  with  no  such  inconsistencies  as  lead  to  the  sus- 
picion, that  the  perceptions  or  the  reason  are  affected. 
This  situation  is  a  question  of  prudence,  rather  than  of 
jurisprudence,  or  medicine.  The  reflecting  physician 
will  not  fix,  unnecessarily,  the  stigma  of  insanity  on  a 
whole  race  ;  nor  will  he  expose  a  family  to  ruin  by  a  too 
great  delicacy.  In  this  difficulty,  he  will  rather  take 
the  opportunity  of  a  calmer  moment  to  induce  the 
patient  to  adopt  such  plans  as  may  prevent  the  ruin  of 
the  family,  and  may  properly  make  use  of  the  alternative 
as  an  argument,  in  case  of  refusal.  But  this,  as  we 
have  said,  is  not  a  medical  question. 

There  is  another  doubtful  state,  in  which  the  phy- 
sician is  often  called  on  to  decide,  viz.  when  from 
disease,  from  general  weakness,  or  any  constitutional 
cause,  the  mind  is  so  much  enfeebled  as  to  render  it 
uncertain  whether  the  patient  can  judge  of  the  proper 
disposition  of  his  affairs.  This  too  is  a  question  of  dis- 
cretion, for  the  afflicted  person  may  be  taught  to  answer 
common  questions  readily,  or  may  be  awed  by  some 
interested  attendant.  In  this  case,  if  the  physician, 


ED 


9-61 


M  E  JJ 


\vhcn  alone  with  his  patient,  talks  to  him  of  his  affairs, 
suggests,  for  the  sake  of  a  reply  only,  some  objections 
to  his  arrangements,  he  will  soon  find  whether  the 
testator  has  judged  properly,  or  only  repeats  a  lesson. 
The  circumstances  themselves  often  suggest  doubts; 
and  when  an  infirm  old  man  disinherits  obedient  or 
near  relations,  for  the  sake  of  those  connected  with  him 
only  by  accident,  the  presumption  is,  that  his  mind  is 
not  sound. 

We  have  said,  in  the  article  MANIA,  that  by  a  fiction 
of  the  law  every  mania,  we  have  been  informed,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  relieved  by  occasional  lucid  intervals,  and 
that  if  the  act  of  a  madman  is  reasonable  and  proper,  it 
is  a  proof  that  the  interval  was  a  lucid  one.  Thus  in 
the  case,  which  has  just  been  considered,  whatever  be 
the  apparent  state  of  the  patient's  mind,  if  his  will  be 
judicious  and  proper,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  phy- 
sician should  not  pronounce  him  in  a  sound  state. 
Yet,  in  criminal  cases,  the  law  is  not  equally  indulgent, 
nor  has  it  always,  perhaps,  been  equally  humane.  Lucid 
intervals,  in  cases  of  murder,  are  not  allowed,  and  the 
man  who  has  been  proved  to  be  mad  on  the  Monday 
and  Wednesday  is  not  allowed  to  be  sane  on  the  inter- 
vening day  ;  yet  decisions  have  occurred  of  a  different 
kind  ;  and  an  art  in  planning,  a  coolness  in  executing,  a 
deliberation  in  the  conduct,  have  been  supposed  to  con- 
stitute soundness  of  mind.  On  these  grounds  lord 
l-'errcrs  and  Mr.  Oliver  were  executed.  Yet,  if  the 
motive  is  at  any  time  connected  with  the  hallucination, 
the  subsequent  action  should  certainly  be  considered  as 
a  part.  In  later  trials  the  opinions  have  leant  more  on 
the  side  of  humanity. 

The  question  of  confirmed  insanity  must  be  decided 
by  a  comparison  of  the  patient's  state  with  the  pathog- 
nomonic  symptoms.  Yet  there  are  many  sources  of 
doubt,  and  often  room  for  hesitation.  In  many  in- 
stances the  mind  wanders,  at  first,  on  one  subject  only; 
and,  when  the  madman  has  any  point  to  gain,  he  will, 
with  great  success,  counterfeit  a  calm  reasonable  state. 
Each  point  must  be  carefully  guarded  ;  yet  the  expe- 
rienced physician  will  not  be  easily  baffled.  A  wildness 
of  the  eye,  a  tension  of  the  skin  of  the  temples,  a  dry 
furred  tongue,  often  a  hurried  pulse,  will  explain  the 
real  state.  The  madman  is  also  a  coward,  and  we  have 
drawn  from  this  a  good  pathognomonic  symptom.  If 
threatened  with  some  vehemence  with  any  punishment, 
however  wild  and  impracticable,  he  will  shrink  and 
tremble,  forgetting  all  his  art,  or  returning  to  his  ori- 
ginal deviation  of  mind. 

Returning  sanity  is  another  point  of  doubtful  dis- 
tinction ;  nor  do  we  see  that  it  is  possible  to  lay  down 
any  rules,  except  the  absence  of  the  pathognomonics  of 
the  disease.  Yet  we  have  often  witnessed  the  return 
of  persons  from  the  appropriate  receptacles,  with  a 
wildness  of  the  eyes,  a  quickness  of  utterance,  rapid 
unsteady  motions,  which  showed  corporeal  disease, 
though  the  mind  was  calm.  Such  persons  should  not 
be  pronounced  secure  ;  and,  though  confinement  may 
not  be  necessary,  the  most  pointed  caution  should  be 
continued. 

Dissembled  insanity  might  more  properly  belong  to 
another  head,  morbi  simulati ;  but  we  may  more  easily 
speak  of  it  in  this  place.  An  experienced  practitioner 
•will  soon  detect  the  absurdities  which  assume  the  form 
of  insanity ;  for,  though  incoherence's,  wildness,  and 

VOL.    I. 


obscenity,  may  be  imitated,  the  hurried  look,  the  rapid 
pulse,  the  dry  tongue,  and  the  sleepless  nights,  cannot 
be  assumed.  Above  all,  the  cowardice,  the  apprehen- 
sion of  punishment,  the  influence  of  threats,  are  seldom, 
to  be  discovered.  A  French  author  details  the  symp- 
toms of  madness,  for  the  purpose  of  this  distinction,  so 
elegantly  as  to  induce  us  to  copy  the  picture. 

"  Thus  to  neglect  what  most  deserves  attention,  and 
to  value  what  is  least  deserving  of  it ;  to  rejoice  or 
weep  without  an  adequate  reason  ;  to  despise  what  is 
terrible,  and  to  fear  what  is  ridiculous  ;  to  admire  trifles, 
and  to  reject  what  is  excellent ;  to  love  the  objects  of 
hate,  and  to  hate  those  of  love ;  to  hope  without  an 
object,  and  to  despair  while  in  security  ;  to  be  pleased 
with  things  which  excite  no  agreeable  sensations  in 
others,  and  to  fly  from  what  every  one  would  anxiously 
seek;  to  be  timid  with  those  who  demand  no  deference, 
and  bold  to  those  whom  they  ought  to  respect ;  such  are 
the  infallible  marks  of  a  wandering  mind." 

In  either  of  these  cases,  an  excellent  criterion  may 
be  found  by  inducing  the  supposed  lunatic  or  the  pre- 
tended convalescent  to  write.  If  engaged  in  a  corre- 
spondence particularly  respecting  his  own  affairs,  he 
will  soon  betray  insanity,  should  it  remain.  In  the 
servile  war,  the  slaves  who  opposed  the  spears  of  their 
former  masters  yielded,  when  they  saw  them  armed 
with  whips ;  so  the  most  furious  maniac  will  often 
submit  on  presenting  him  a  pair  of  hand  cuffs,  which 
will  only  irritate  the  counterfeit. 

MORBI  SIMULATI.  Dissembled  diseases  sometimes 
claim  attention  in  a  court  of  justice,  but  perhaps  more 
frequently  in  an  infirmary.  The  latter  is,  as  usual,  the 
school.  Insanity,  of  which  we  have  already  treated,  is 
the  most  frequent,  and,  next  to  it,  are  the  different 
nervous  and  spasmodic  complaints.  We  must  not,  how- 
ever, always  accuse  the  patient.  The  timid  girl  will 
have  the  catchings  and  the  gesticulations  of  chorea  more 
frequent  on  the  access  of  a  stranger ;  and  the  disease,  to 
the  attendants  apparently  cured,  will  appear  to  return. 
On  the  contrary,  these  and  some  other  diseases  will 
occasionally  seem  to  lessen  on  the  approach  of  the  phy- 
sician. The  wanderings  of  delirium  will  cease,  and  the 
wildness  of  the  eye  be  converted  to  an  expression  of 
meaning.  These  are  circumstances  which  must  be 
kept  in  view,  as  tending  to  explain  the  opposite  course. 
The  diseases  counterfeited  are  catalepsy  (commonly 
styled  ecstacy)  and  convulsions.  Some  patients  possess 
even  a  command  of  the  features,  and  others,  it  is  said, 
of  the  pulse  ;  but,  in  general,  an  unchanged  expression 
of  countenance  and  an  unaltered  pulse  will  explain  the 
deceit.  Boerhaave  is  reported  to  have  cured  real  fits 
by  threatening,  ea  qua  pollebat  gravitate,  to  burn  the 
next  patient  seized,  with  a  hot  iron.  To  heat  a  poker 
with  the  same  gravity  has  cured  pretended  ones,  espe- 
cially if  they  felt  the  heat  approaching.  Plunging  the 
suspected  patient  in  cold  water  is  still  more  effectual, 
and  it  will  not  injure  if  the  disease  be  real.  Dashing 
cold  water  in  the  face,  unsuspectedly,  will  succeed  ; 
but,  as  the  bathing  requires  preparation,  it  will  not  be 
necessary, in  caseofdeception,  to  proceed  to  extremities. 

Pains  in  the  limbs,  which  sometimes  happen  without 
fever,  is  a  fertile  source  of  deception,  and  blisters  will 
often  have  little  effect  in  detecting  the  fallacy.  We 
have  not,  however,  found  patients  of  sufficient  constancy 
to  endure  a  few  smart  electrical  shocks;  and  the 

6   G 


M  ED 


962 


K  1) 


galvanic,  if  the  skin  is  punctured,  will  be  probably  still 
more  effectual.  In  cases  where  fever  must  necessarily 
attend,  the  detection  is  easy.  No  one  can  counterfeit  the 
febrile  symptoms  enumerated  under  FEBRIS  ;  though  by 
topical  stimulants  inflammation  and  fever  may  be 
brought  on. 

In  the  time  of  Galen,  tumours  were  produced  in  the 
knee  by  the  semen  thapsi ;  and  Zacchseus,  in  his  numer- 
ous quartos,  has  copied  many  tales  of  this  kind.  We 
have  seen  abcesses  produced  by  inserting-  splinters  under 
the  skin,  continued  ulcers  by  stimulating  dressings,  and 
even  haemoptoe  occasionally  returning  by  artificially 
exciting  cough.  Yet  while  we  awaken  suspicion,  we 
would  not  silence  the  feelings  of  humanity.  We  have 
seen  cases  where  no  deception  could  exist,  where  no 
motive  could  be  found  for  fallacy,  that  appeared  at  the 
first  sight  fictitious.  We  have  known  the  urine  retained 
.six  weeks  without  any  remarkable  vicarious  discharge  : 
we  have  known  a  nail  of  no  inconsiderable  size,  such  an 
one  as  fastens  the  hoops  of  small  barrels,  retained  in 
the  throat  till  it  formed  an  abscess  :  yet  in  each  case  no 
deception  could  exist. 

The  mendicant  with  his  ulcers  counterfeits  both 
deafness  and  dumbness;  but  these  deceptions  are  best 
detected  by  the  beadle,  or  by  a  little  address.  "  How 
long  have  you  been  dumb,  my  good  friend  ?"  says  a 
passenger,  with  the  most  insidious  humanity. — "  Three 
weeks,  sir,"  replied  the  incautious  deceiver. 

IMPOTENTIA.  This  disease  rarely  requires  the  in- 
terposition of  a  physician  in  a  court  of  justice.  The 
romplainants,  who  are  commonly  females,  can  relate 
their  grievances  in  terms  sufficiently  guarded  and  clear. 
The  causes  and  cure  we  have  already  considered,  and 
we  see  but  one  circumstance  in  which  it  requires  our 
attention  in  this  place.  The  extirpation  of  the  tes- 
ticles is  an  operation  obviously  designed  to  prevent  ge- 
neration. But  in  the  human  species,  as  we  have  seen, 
they  are  originally  seated  in  the  abdomen,  and  fall 
through  the  rings  of  the  muscles  into  the  scrotum.  If 
they  do  not  appear  in  the  scrotum  it  is  no  evidence  of 
their  absence,  and  it  has  been  said  that  their  influence 
on  the  genital  powers  are  more  conspicuous  while  they 
remain  in  their  original  seat.  It  is  at  least  certain  that 
this  influence  is  not  less,  so  fallacious  is  the  logical 
maxim,  when  applied  to  medicine,  De  non  apparenti- 
bus  et  non  existentibus  eadem  est  ratio.  If  they  did 
not  exist,  or  were  not  evolved,  the  beard,  the  graver  tone 
of  voice,  and  every  mark  of  virility  would  be  absent. 
If  they  had  been  extirpated,  the  cicatrix  would  remain. 
It  has  been  said  that  one,  three,  and  even  four,  testes 
have  been  discovered.  One  has  certainly  been  lest  by 
accident,  has  decayed,  or  been  extirpated,  without  in- 
juring the  generative  power:  sometimes  the  other  has 
enlarged,  but  more  often  continued  of  the  same  size, 
with  little  apparent  diminution  of  the  powers.  The 
stories  of  three  and  four  testes  we  cannot  disprove  ;  but 
there  is  much  reason  to  suppose  that  many  of  these  have 
arisen  from  an  enlargement  of  one  or  each  epidydimis. 
They  at  least  furnish  no  grounds  for  a  legal  process. 

From  what  has  been  said  under  the  article  IMPO- 
TENTIA, q.  v.,  the  physician  will  be  sufficiently  di- 
rected in  his  judgment;  nor  need  we  enlarge  with  the  dis- 
gusting indecency  with  which  the  old  authors  expatiate 
on  this  subject,  nor  on  the  public  display  of  the  active 
powers  in  the  venereal  act,  which  some  of  the  canons 


enjoined.  The  original  authors  seem  plainly  to  hint 
that  this  indecency  was  only  the  prelude,  like  the  mo- 
dern actions  for  crim.  con.  to  a  divorce,  and  designed 
as  a  justification  of  the  most  licentious  conduct ;  for 
divorces,  they  add,  were  less  frequent  since  such  exhi- 
bitions were  abolished.  This  practice  began,  itis-said, 
curly  in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  ended  about  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  afterwards. 

POISONS.  This  frequent  cause  of  violent  and  pre- 
mature death  is  often  the  subject  of  inquiry  in  courts 
of  judicature,  and  the  physician  is  usually  called  on  for 
his  opinion.  Science  has  been  often  disgraced  by  the 
crude,  the  injudicious,  and  often  the  opposite,  opinions 
offered  on  these  occasions;  nor  has  humanity  had  less 
cause  to  regret  the  sacrifice  of  lives  on  the  most  vague 
and  inconclusive  evidence.  Poisons  may  be  accidental 
or  designed.  We  shall  begin  with  the  latter. 

The  marks  that  poison  has  been  administered  are  the 
sudden  appearance  of  extraordinary  and  unsuspected 
symptoms,  as  uneasiness,  nausea,  an  acute  pain  in  the 
stomach,  palpitations,  faintings,  disagreeable  and  fetid 
eructations,  vomiting  of  blood,  and  bile,  hiccough,  sud- 
den debility,  smallness  and  inequality  of  the  pulse,  cold 
and  clammy  sweats,  coldness  of  the  extremities,  pale- 
ness, livid  nails,  general  oedcmatous  swellings,  windy 
distention  of  the  abdomen,  sudden  relief  with  an 
equally  rapid  return  of  pains,  blackness  and  swelling  of 
the  lips,  burning  thirst,  loss  of  voice,  a  livid  counte- 
nance, vertigo,  convulsions,  rolling  and  starting  eyes, 
loss  of  sight,  with  a  dilated  pupil,  lethargy,  suppression 
of  urine,  a  fetid  smell  of  the  whole  body,  purple  erup- 
tions, livid  gangrenous  spots,  and  an  alienation  of  mind. 
All  these  symptoms  are  undoubtedly  equivocal,  and  oc- 
casionally attend  other  diseases.  They  arc  marks  of  poi- 
son only  when  they  come  on  suddenly,  without  any 
known  cause;  when  the  food,  if  unsuspected  as  the 
vehicle,  sudden  cold,  violent  affections  of  mind,  or  de- 
leterious vapours,  cannot  be  accused;  for  these  will  in- 
duce many  of  the  symptoms,  though  seldom  in  so  con- 
siderable a  degree  as  arises  from  poison. 

If  the  patient  be  not  a  suicide,  and  still  retains  his 
senses,  he  can  explain  the  taste  of  the  food,  or  medicine, 
which  has  induced  these  symptoms,  so  as  to  direct  the 
future  inquiries.  When  no  satisfactory  explanation  can 
be  obtained  we  must  depend  on  the  evidence  collected 
on  dissection.  Poisons,  so  far  as  they  are  the  object  of 
our  present  inquiry,  are  violent,  inflammatory,  stimu- 
lants, or  sedatives.  The  pungent  stimulants  betray 
themselves  by  the  taste,  the  pain  in  swallowing,  and  the 
inflammation  of  the  fauces;  and  they  must  be  treated 
under  the  head  of  accidental  poison,  as  they  cannot  be 
given  without  suspicion.  The  chief  substance  to  be 
considered  here  is  arsenic,  which  is  nearly  tasteless,  and 
violent  in  its  action,  even  in  trifling  doses.  Its  power 
is  shown  by  violent  inflammation  and  gangrene  in  the 
stomach  ;  and  it  is  discovered  by  calcining  the  contents 
of  the  stomach  with  the  black  flux,  when  the  smell  of 
garlic  will  betray  even  such  an  impregnation  as  will  not 
often  be  fatal.  Some  of  the  saline  mercurials  show 
no  very  decided  action  on  the  tongue  or  fauces,  and 
will  produce  similar  effects.  These  may  be  discovered 
by  adding  ammonia,  and  heating  the  whole  in  a  close 
vessel,  when  the  mercury  will  be  so  far  revived  as  to 
whiten  copper  on  rubbing.  In  this  way  mercury  can 
be  often  discovered  in  those  quack  medicines  where  its, 


MED 


96S 


MED 


existence  is  utterly  denied ;  for  the  ammonia  contri- 
butes to  precipitate  the  mercury,  reduced  in  part  to  its 
i!ic  state,  and  enables  it  to  appear  on  the  copper. 
The  suspected  substance,  if  arsenical,  heated  between 
plates  of  copper,  will  give  a  whitish  tinge  to  the  part  of 
the  plates  in  contact  with  it.  Independent  of  these 
trials,  when  the  stimulant  poisons  have  been  the  cause 
of  death,  the  abdomen  is  greatly  inflated,  becomes  ra- 
pidly putrid,  dark  spots  appear  on  the  body,  erosion, 
inflammation,  apd  gangrene,  are  found  in  the  fauces  and 
stomach,  the  blood  is  black  and  collected  in  the  veins  ; 
above  all.  ous  coat  of  the  stomach  is  destroyed. 

One  other  discriminating  appearance,  on  dissection,  is 
mentioned  by  a  respectable  author  on  jurisprudence.  If, 
after  a  body  has  been  long  buried,  should  gangrened 
spots  be  found  in  the  stomach,  surrounded  by  a  reddish 
ciicle,  these  were  effects  of  changes  during  life.  Should 
the  colour  of  the  whole  be  uniform,  the  putrefaction 
took  place  after  death. 

There  are  other  poisons  which  kill  by  a  partial  stimu- 
lus. The  chief  of  these  is  cantharides;  but  theirpecu- 
liar  action  on  the  bladder  will  point  out  the  cause.  The 
violent  inflammation,  the  rapidity  with  which  it  hastens 
to  gangrene,  will  at  once  betray  the  crime,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  point  out  the  culprit.  No  such  can  escape. 
The  colocymh,  the  elaterium,  and  the  tithymali,  be- 
tray themselves  by  their  taste,  as  well  as  by  their  local 
action,  and  can  neither  escape  the  detection  of  the  per- 
son himself  who  is  the  subject  of  the  crime,  nor  the 
attendant  physician. 

The  narcotic  poisons  like  theothers,  produce  vomit- 
ing; but  the  faintness  which  is  the  effect  of  the  vomit- 
ing in  the  former  cases  is  the  apparent  cause  of  it  in 
the  present.  The  rapidly  sinking  strength,  the  dilated 
pupil,  convulsions,  stupor,  sleep,  vertigo,  swelling  veins, 
ar.d  cold  extremities,  point  out  the  cause.  Fortunately 
there  are  few  such  substances  that  do  not  betray  them- 
selves by  their  taste;  but  there  are  such,  though  we 
shall  not  point  them  out ;  nor  shall  we  mention  any  poi- 
son that  can  be  secretly  administered.  It  is  incumbent, 
however,  on  the  practitioner  to  be  cautious  in  these  in- 
stances respecting  his  decisions;  for  no  chemical  ana- 
lysis will  assist  him,  and  his  only  guide  will  be  the  dis- 
charge of  substances  which  the  powers  of  the  stomach 
cannot  change.  He  must  compare  with  anxious  atten- 
tion the  appearance  of  the  symptoms  after  the  supposed 
cause ;  trace  with  diligent  circumspection  every  other  cir- 
cumstance that  might  have  produced  the  effect ;  examine 
with  care  the  patient's  usual  habits,  his  predispositions, 
his  complaints,  and  at  last  remember  that  every  medi- 
cal conclusion  is  doubtful.  Should  he  then  be  positive 
•when  the  life  of  a  human  creature  is  at  stake  ?  One 
trial  has  been  falsely  considered  to  be  decisive,  viz. 
the  effects  of  what  might  remain  of  the  supposed  fatal 
beverage  on  animals.  This  will  hold  true  of  the  stimu- 
lant poisons;  but  by  no  means  of  the  narcotic.  The 
most  innocent  substances  of  this  kind  are  occasionally 
fatal  to  animals;  the  narcotics,  most  injurious  to  man, 
are  to  many  animals  innocuous  ;  and  the  human  fluids 
changed  by  putrefaction  are  themselves  poisonous. 

Accidental  poisons  are  received  in  the  food,  or  are 
hastily  swallowed  by  mistake  instead  of  a  medicine, 
before  the  taste  betrays  their  nature.  The  former  are 
chiefly  copper,arsenic,and  lead  ;  the  latter,  nitre,  cam- 
phor, ammonia,  or  the  mineral  acids. 


is  greatly  dreaded,  and  has  frequently  b<_ 
accused  with  little  reason.  Copper  culinary  vessels, 
bell  metal  mortars,  and  all  the  various  means  by  which 
this  metal  can  be  introduced  to  the  system,  have  re- 
ceived an  indiscriminate  sentence  of  banishment.  In- 
juries have  undoubtedly  arisen  from  them,  and 
would  earnestly  join  in  deprecating  their  use.  When. 
however,  we  have  said  this  in  the  way  of  caution, 
may  be  allowed  to  add,  that  the  dangers  have  been 
greatly  magnified.  The  taste  of  copper  is  so  peculiar 
that  it  can  scarcely  be  disguised,  and  it  will  not  generally 
fail  to  give  the  alarm  in  doses  far  distant  from  dangerous 
ones.  Hunger, or  eagerness  to  taste  aluxuriousdish,may 
however,  hastily  impel  us,  and  such  vessels  should  be 
avoided.  The  effects  are  chiefly  on  the  stomach,  and 
the  quantity  taken  must  be  considerable  to  endanger 
life. 

Arsenic  has  been  swallowed  accidentally  when  join- 
ed with  any  sweet  substance  to  poison  flies,  or  • 
other  substances  to  destroy  rats.  The  effects  are  so 
marked  and  discriminating  as  not  for  a  moment  to 
mislead,  and  they  have  been  sufficiently  detailed.  It 
has  been  supposed  that  this  metal  may  be  accidentally 
introduced  into  the  system  when  employed  in  fining 
wine  ;  but  for  this  purpose  it  is  now  wholly  disused  in 
this  kingdom. 

Lead  has  been  accused  of  producing  the  Poitou  colic 
when  united  with  cyder,  either  as  this  metal  is  pre- 
sented to  it  in  the  instruments  employed  in  pressing 
the  apples,  or  as  added  to  correct  the  acidity  of  either 
wine  or  cyder.  We  cannot  deny  that  in  each  instance 
it  has  produced  the  effect,  since  it  is  the  peculiar  con- 
Sequence  of  swallowing  any  saturnine  preparation. 
But  these  are  by  no  means  the  constant,  or  indeed  the 
most  frequent  causes  of  the  disease.  Another  source 
is  said  to  be  the  glazing  of  the  common  earthen  vessels, 
since  lead  is  used  in  the  process,  and  in  such  vessels 
pickles  are  usually  kept.  Lead  is  not,  however,  always 
the  substance  employed,  or  it  is  not  dissolved  by  the 
acetous  acid.  We  have  kept  vinegar  in  such  vessels 
for  many  days  in  a  warm  place,  without  its  discovering 
the  presence  of  lead  on  the  addition  of  the  most  deli- 
cate tests.  The  alarm,  therefore,  we  think  unfounded. 
In  these  circumstances  caution  is  almost  as  necessary  as 
in  the  former,  where  the  life  of  an  individual  is  at  stake. 
The  credit  of  a  house,  the  character  of  a  professional  man, 
are  involved ;  and  the  feelings  of  those  whose  want  of 
caution  may  have  occasioned  the  mistake  may  be  so  ex- 
cessive as  to  endanger  their  lives.  Though  their  negli- 
gence may  merit  punishment,  yet  that  punishment  may- 
be too  severe. 

Ignorant  druggists  have  sold  camphor  and  nitre  in- 
stead of  neutral  salts ;  and  by  mistaking  the  vials,  the 
aqua  ammonia:,  some  mineral  acid,  or  other  stimulating 
substance,  has  been  swallowed.  The  eagerness  to 
escape  from  the  taste  of  a -disagreeable  medicine  hastens 
the  act  of  deglutition,  and  the  error  is  sometimes  not 
discovered  till  the  whole  has  been  swallowed.  The 
medical  treatment  is  not  our  object  in  this  place.  The 
only  connection  this  subject  has  with  medical  jurispru- 
dence, is  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  death  when  such  sub- 
stances prove  fatal.  If  taken  as  a  medicine,  the  effects 
of  the  poison  must  be  compared  with  the  symptoms  of 
the  disease;  and  should  the  latter  be  highly  dangerous, 
the  feelings  of  the  mistaken  attendant  may  perhaps  be 
6  G  2 


M  E 


964, 


M  E  D 


relieved  by  the  humanity  of  the  physician's  declaration, 
in  which,  ii"  he  offers  truth  in  her  fairest  and  most  fa- 
vourable hue,  he  will  do  no  injury  to  any  individual. 

The  symptoms  which  distinguish  camphorswallowed 
in  large  doses  are,  giddiness,  vertigo,  delirium,  and  con- 
vulsions. Nitre  produces,  with  the  common  symptoms  of 
narcotic  poisons,  bloody  discharges  from  the  bowels  and 
the  urinary  organs.  The  mineral  acids  and  ammonia  do 
not  greatly  differ  in  their  effects,  which  are  those  of 
violent  stimuli,  rapidly  exhausting  irritability.  Inflam- 
mation in  the  mouth,  or  fauces,  with  a  burning  heat  at 
the  scrobiculus  cordis,  are  followed  by  vomiting,  by  the 
sense  of  a  heavy  load  in  the  stomach,  and  a  consequent 
diminution  of  all  its  powers.  From  these  symptoms, 
the  remains  of  the  medicine,  and  the  report  of  the  pa- 
tient's feelings  when  it  was  swallowed,  if  he  is  able  to 
report  them,  the  nature  of  the  deleterious  draught  may 
be  ascertained. 

The  case  of  the  SUICIDE  is  deplorable  ;  yet  he  often 
repents  before  the  termination  of  the  scene,  and  can 
lead  us  to  form  a  judgment  of  the  treatment  necessary. 
The  physician's  testimony  may  be  called  for,  and  no 
rule  of  morality  can,  we  think,  be  violated  by  soften- 
ing the  most  offensive  circumstances.  The  feelings  of 
the  relatives  may  be  essentially  hurt  by  marks  of  dis- 
grace to  the  body,  which  we  believe  never  once  deterred ' 
a  determined  suicide. 

APPARENT  DEATH  has  been  the  subject  of  much 
discussion,  and  premature  interment  the  object  of 
universal  apprehension.  Numerous  are  the  tales  told 
on  this  subject,  many  of  which  are  exaggerated,  and  the 
greater  number  probably  false.  It  is,  indeed,  possible 
that  a  person  not  yet  dead  may  be  interred;  but  it  is 
highly  improbable  that  any  one  should,  in  such  a  situa- 
tion, recover  their  senses  and  recollection;  for  before 
these  returned  they  must  be  suffocated  by  the  want  of 
air.  The  complaints,  in  which  such  apparent  dissolu- 
tion is  most  common,  are  the  spasmi  and  cornata  of  Dr. 
Cullen,  drunkenness,  excessive  evacuations,  narcotic 
poisons,  strangulation,  drowning,  breathing  deleterious 
gases,  excessive  cold,  sudden  and  violent  terror,  and 
violent  passions. 

The  want  of  motion,  or  feeling,  of  respiration  and 
pulsation  in  the  arteries,  are  neither  singly  nor  in  con- 
junction signs  of  death.  The  motion  of  the  carotids, 
in  the  greater  number  of  instances,  continues  longest, 
and  their  state  should  be  most  carefully  examined.  The 
experiment  proposed  by  M.  Bruhicr  is,  to  draw  down 
the  lower  jaw,  and  if  it  approaches  spontaneously  the 
upper  jaw,  he  thinks  it  a  conclusive  sign  of  some  life 
remaining ;  but  this  may  happen  from  the  elasticity  of 
the  ligaments  and  other  causes.  It  is  certainly  an  equi- 
vocal proof.  The  eyes  furnish  the  most  certain  signs, 
independent  of  putrefaction.  If  their  transparency  is 
lost,  the  eyeball  sunk  and  wrinkled,  and  the  pupil  di- 
lated so  as  not  to  contract  by  the  strongest  light,  resus- 
citation is  no  longer  in  our  power.  The  sunk  features, 
in  the  eyes  of  experience,  are  a  proof  almost  equally  sa- 
tisfactory ;  but  putrefaction  furnishes  the  only  unequi- 
vocal symptom.  Yet  this  we  cannot  always  wait  for. 
If  any  legal  question  depends  on  the  state  of  the  inter- 
nal parts,  dissection  must  be  attempted  at  an  earlier 
stage,  since  putrefaction  changes  every  appearance  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  decide.  In  cases  of  the  slight- 
est doubt,  it  is  recommended  to  commence  the  dissec- 


tion in  the  parts  less  essential  to  life,  that  if  the  stimu- 
lus of  the  wound  excite  the  action  of  the  remaining 
powers  no  considerable  injury  may  ensue. 

VIOLENT  DEATH  is  apparently  ascertained  without 
difficulty  ;  and  when  the  cause  proceeds  solar  as  to  de- 
stroy the  organization  of  a  part  essential  to  life, little 
hesitation  can  be  felt.  Haemorrhages,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  contusions,  are  often  fallacious.  The  former 
certainly  take  place  from  a  variety  of  causes  independ- 
ent of  violence,  and  the  latter  may  arise  from  petechiae, 
or  similar  causes.  We  can  scarcely,  however,  conceive 
a  question  to  come  before  a  court  of  judicature,  where 
the  difficulty  would  arise  whether  death  was  occasioned 
by  a  putrid  fever  or  by  blows  ;  and  we  think  the  deci- 
sion of  the  father  of  forensic  medicine,  Zacchias,  decisive 
in  this  respect.  In  case  of  violence,  he  observes,  there  is 
an  extravasation  under  the  skin  :  the  lividness  from 
other  causes  only  discolours  the  surface  by  a  change  in 
the  skin  itself.  We  know  that  Stoll  in  two  cases  dis- 
covered a  considerable  extravasation  under  petechiae  ; 
but  these  instances  are  rare,  and  the  danger  of  mistake 
very  trilling.  On  the  other  hand,  considerable  extra- 
vasations may  take  place  internally,  without  the  surface 
being  affected,  as  where  the  bruise  consisted  of  a  large 
heavy  weight,  which  gave  a  considerable  shock  without 
making  an  impression  on  any  particular  part.  This 
cause  of  death  may,  however,  be  discovered  by  dissec- 
tion ;  though,  undoubtedly,  bruises  after  death  may,  be- 
fore the  blood  has  coagulated,  occasion  similar  appear- 
ances. This  source  of  error  must  be  carefully  investi- 
gated in  the  particular  cases. 

One  very  important  subject  of  inquiry  arises,  how- 
ever, out  of  these  discussions.  If  a  man,  in  an  acci- 
dental or  premeditated  struggle  with  another,  by  any 
extraordinary  exertion,  break  a  blood  vessel  and  die, 
though  the  struggle  occasioned  the  death,  yet  it  is 
deemed  accidental.  If  this  struggle  be  a  pugilistic  con- 
test, where  personal  animosity  is  unsuspected,  and  the 
person  thrown  dies  on  the  spot,  a  doubt  will  arise  how 
i'ar  his  antagonist  was  the  cause  of  his  death.  Again,  if, 
in  the  violence  and  heat  of  a  quarrel,  a  person  strike  an- 
other with  an  inconsiderable  weapon,  and  death  follows 
as  much  from  the  passion  as  the  blow,  the  doubt  will  be 
increased.  In  each  instance,  the  physician  and  surgeon 
are  called  on  to  decide ;  and  we  know  no  cases  in  which 
such  contradictory  evidence  has  been  given.  The  prin- 
ciples on  which  the  decision  should  rest  appear  to  be 
these.  When,  from  prior  complaints,  any  weakness  or 
predisposition  to  disease,  hereditary  or  otherwise,  can 
be  discovered ;  when  the  violence  is  such  that,  in  a 
sound  healthy  body,  it  would  not  probably  produce  any 
dangerous  effect,  the  blow  or  the  fall  should  not  be  ac- 
cused. If  a  man,  subject  to  a  spitting  of  blood,  in  a  strug- 
gle should  break  a  blood  vessel;  if  a  person  with  a  full 
florid  complexion,  and  a  short  neck,  whose  parent  had 
died  of  apoplexy,  and  perhaps  about  the  same  age,  should 
fall  down  dead  in  a  trifling  contest,  where  the  exertion 
was  inconsiderable,  we  should  certainly  not  convict  his 
antagonist  of  any  thing  but  imprudence  and  misfortune. 

When  any  contest  has  taken  place,  independent  of 
personal  animosity,  and  some  slight  injury  has  been 
seemingly  received,  the  subsequent  conduct  of  the  pa- 
tient should  have  great  influence  on  the  judgment  of 
the  practitioner.  If  he  has  received  injury  in  his  side 
or  head,  and,  instead  of  a  cautious  mode  of  diet,  should 


MED 


965 


MED 


indulge  in  every  irregularity,  the  pleurisy  or  phrenitis 
that  might  ensue  should  not,  in  justice,  be  attributed  to 
the  antagonist;  nor,  when  the  proper  distinction  is  made, 
will  the  law,  we  believe,  condemn  him.  This  is  not, 
however,  the  place  to  discuss  a  legal  question,  but  to 
point  out  the  foundation  for  the  physician's  opinion. 
The  case  is  somewhat  different  when  an  abscess  has 
followed  external  injury,  independent  of  any  irregu- 
larity of  the  patient's  conduct.  The  physician  must 
then  decidedly  attribute  death  to  the  c'>ii.\!-<jiirncca  at 
least  of  Lhe  accident;  and  the  legal  distinctions  will 
regulate  the  degree  of  criminality,  and,  of  course,  the 
punishment. 

We  have  for  some  time  been  trenching  on  the  pro- 
vince of  the  surgeon;  but  to  introduce  those  parts  of  our 
subject  which  are  more  peculiarly  his  object,  we  must 
offer  some  remarks  on  the  DISSECTION  OF  BODIES,  with 
a  view  to  discover  the  disease  which  has  proved  fatal, 
or  the  nature  of  the  wound,  in  complicated  cases,  which 
has  been  destructive. 

Dissections  are  opposed  on  many  grounds.  We  shall 
notice  only  the  objections  which  urge  that  by  this 
means  we  discover  effects  rather  than  causes,  and  that 
complaints  may  have  occured  either  in  the  minuter 
parts,  which  cannot  be  detected,  or  in  the  nervous  sys- 
tem, which  are  not  cognizable  by  our  senses.  Un- 
doubtedly we  more  often  observe  effects  rather  than 
causes;  but  the  objection  will  only  apply  when  the 
anatomist, from  ignorance,  cannot  detect  the  difference; 
or,  from  haste,  will  not  wait  to  examine.  The  source 
of  great  error  has  been  the  partial  examination  of  the 
part  apparently  most  affected.  We  remember  the  dis- 
section of  a  person  supposed  to  be  starved.  The  sto- 
mach was  empty  and  full  of  wind,  hut  not  contracted. 
Some  doubt  remained  ;  for  the  mesentery  had  not  been 
examined,  in  which  the  conglobate  glands  were  after- 
wards discovered  in  an  enlarged  and  scirrhous  state. 
Many  similar  instances  might  be  adduced;  and  we  may 
here  add,  that,  in  general,  every  cavity  of  the  body 
should  be  examined  with  care,  particularly  the  head. 
Complaints  also  may  undoubtedly  occur  in  parts  of  the 
body  which  even  an  exact  anatomist  may  not  think  of 
examining;  but  these,  we  believe,  will  seldom  prove 
fatal :  nor,  except  from  deleterious  gases,  is  there  any 
probability  that  the  nervous  system  will  be  so  much  af- 
fected as  to  produce  death,  without  leaving  evident  cor- 
poreal traces. 

In  medical  jurisprudence,  however,  dissection  is  ab- 
solutely necessary,  as  the  law  requires  the  best  evi- 
dence that  can  be  procured,  and  various  cases  may  be 
stated  in  which  it  is  essential.  A  man,  for  instance,  is 
found  dead  in  a  close  apartment,  in  which  charcoal  has 
been  burning,  or  which  is  in  part  consumed.  The 
cause  will  appear  evident :  but  dissection  may  disco- 
ver traces  of  poison  or  of  blows  ;  and  the  fire  may  have 
been  lighted  to  prevent  suspicion. 

When  the  dissection  is  determined  on  for  the  disco- 
very of  the  cause  of  death,  it  should  be  attempted  early, 
before  putrefaction  can  have  changed  the  appearance  of 
the  parts,  and  with  as  little  motion  as  possible,  that  the 
relative  situation  of  the  viscera  be  not  disturbed.  The 
whole  body,  particularly  the  head,  sternum,  and  abdo- 
men, should  be  cautiously  examined  by  gentle  pressure. 
All  the  natural  openings  should  be  carefully  sounded, 
and  each  part  opened  in  succession,  beginning-  with 


that  which  is  most  probably  injured.  The  order  of  the 
examination  is  of  more  consequence  than  has  been  sup- 
posed. If,  for  instance,  in  the  dissection  of  the  body 
ot  a  new  born  infant,  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  its  death, 
the  heart  and  lungs  be  first  opened,  the  copious  dis- 
charge of  blood  will  drain  the  large  vessels,  which  will 
be  found  empty,  and  a  strong  suspicion  will  conse- 
quently arise  that  the  child  died  of  an  haemorrhage,  by- 
neglecting  the  ligature  on  the  funis.  So,  in  examining 
a  wound  and  its  direction,  every  thing  must  be  avoided 
which  can  disturb  the  relative  situation  of  the  parts; 
for  to  establish  the  cause  of  death  it  is  necessary  that 
the  direction  of  the  instrument  should  be  accurately  as- 
certained. In  ruptures  of  internal  vessels  this  caution 
is  of  less  importance  ;  yet,  when  there  is  any  suspicion 
of  the  cause,  it  should  be  traced  with  as  little  disturb- 
ance of  the  relative  situation  of  the  parts  as  circum- 
stances will  permit. 

The  mode  of  examination  is  known  to  every  sur- 
geon ;  but  it  is  highly  necessary  that  he  should  be  ac- 
quainted with  the  natural  bulk  and  colour  of  the  parts, 
and  with  the  changes  which  fermentation,  inflammation, 
and  putrefaction  will  successively,  at  different  periods, 
produce.  The  swelled  abdomen  and  livid  spots  on  the 
side  may  give  suspicion  of  poison ;  but  they  are  the 
effect  of  a  separation  of  air,  and  the  necessary  changes 
in  consequence  of  a  warm  season.  If  an  inconsiderable 
wound,  from  its  place  or  its  direction,  proves  fatal  only 
after  some  time,  the  previous  inflammation  will  close 
it  so  that  it  shall  appear  too  inconsiderable  to  be  the 
cause  of  death. 

RAPE.  The  ancient  authors  on  forensic  medicine  are 
full  on  this  subject,  and  unnecessarily  minute  and  inde- 
cent. The  examination  and  marks  of  violence  will 
alone  determine  the  judgment  of  the  practitioner ;  and 
for  this  purpose  the  English  law  has  wisely  determined 
that  the  complaint  should  be  immediately  made,  since  the 
injury  can  then  only  be  best  ascertained.  The  existence 
of  the  membrane  closing  the  entrance  of  the  vagina, 
deified  under  the  name  of  Hymen  by  the  ancients,  has 
occasioned  some  controversy.  The  moderns  have  wisely 
cut  the  knot,  and  admitted,  that  though  it  is  a  sign  of 
virginity,  yet  its  absence  is  no  proof  of  violation,  since 
it  may  be  destroyed  in  a  variety  of  ways  without  suspi- 
cion of  impropriety.  An  observation  of  Buffon,  which 
we  believe  to  be  correct,  will  explain  some  of  the  ap- 
parent contradictions  on  this  subject.  He  observes  that 
this  membrane  is  seldom  found  in  young  children,  or  in 
girls  long  previous  to  puberty.  It  is  at  that  early  period 
folded  in  wrinkles,  and  expands,  as  the  custos  horti, 
only  near  the  age  of  womanhood.  It  is  certain  that  its 
existence  has  been  denied  by  anatomists  of  eminence, 
who,  in  order  to  "  make  assurance  double  sure,"  in 
such  a  doubtful  point,  have  sought  it  in  girls  from  four 
to  ten  years  of  age.  The  marks  of  violence,  and  the 
evidence  of  the  young  woman,  according  to  our  laws, 
alone  decide,  and  these  require  no  further  medical  dis- 
crimination than  we  have  stated.  The  swelling  of  the 
neck,  which  the  "  hesternum  monile"  can  no  longer 
surround,  the  blackness  under  the  eye,  the  sullied 
whiteness  of  the  cornea,  must  be  referred  to  the  list  of 
old  women's  stories,  which  sounder  science  spurns  at. 

SUSPECTED  PREGNANCY.  On  this  subject  a  surgeon 
is  often  consulted,  and  we  have  already  stated  in  dif- 
ferent articles  the  foundation  of  the  distinction.  (See 


M  E  D 


966 


M  E  13 


CONCEPTIO,  GENF.R.VTIO,  and  ASCITES.)  We  shall  here, 
however,  give  a  general  connected  view  of  the  sub- 
ject. 

If  a  woman,  who  has  been  previously  regular  and  in 
good  health,  at  once  complains  of  obstruction,  without 
any  well  founded  cause,  as  cold,  fright,  &c.  suspicion 
must  be  kept  alive,  and  active  medicines  avoided.  The 
complaints  which  arise  from  pregnancy,  though  of  a 
similar  nature  from  those  owing  to  suppression,  yet 
greatly  differ.  In  the  first  weeks  the  pregnant  woman 
feels  no  inconvenience,  and  then  only  from  sickness, 
and  chiefly  ill  the  morning.  In  the  intervals  of  sick- 
ness the  spirits  are  free,  and  in  the  evening  the  appe- 
tite is  also  good;  while,  from  obstruction,  vomiting  is 
an  uncommon  symptom,  the  languor  comes  on  more 
slowly,  and  the  symptoms  are  by  no  means  worse  in  the 
morning.  In  the  former  case  the  complexion  is  clear, 
in  the  latter  pale  and  dark:  in  the  former  the  eyesoften 
lively,  in  the  latter  uniformly  dull.  Not  many  weeks 
elapse  before  the  breasts  swell,  and  a  pink  or  brown 
arcola  appears  round  the  nipple.  The  former  state 
of  the  breasts  may  not  be  known,  and  the  areola  in 
many  women  is  naturally  dark.  Yet  in  a  thin  woman 
it  will  be  at  once  seen,  if  the  breasts  are  disproportion- 
ally  full;  and  even  in  a  more  lusty  one  their  firm- 
ness will  betray  an  increased  bulk,  while  in  suppressed 
menses  the  breasts  are  much  extenuated.  The  areola 
in  a  pregnant  woman  is  also  unusually  extensive.  After 
the  fourth  month  the  swelling  arises  above  the  pelvis  in 
the  form  of  a  round,  circumscribed  ball,  and  the  sick- 
ness usually  goes  off,  while  the  spirits  become  pecu- 
liarly free  and  cheerful.  At  this  period  the  state  of  the 
•os  tincse  may  be  discovered  by  the  finger,  and  will  at 
once  preclude  all  hesitation.  See  PR^ESENTATIO. 

We  have  not  mentioned  the  sensation  of  motion  in 
the  uterus,  because  we  proceed  on  the  supposition  of 
concealment.  The  same  cause  may  prevent  our  know- 
ing the  state  of  the  menstrual  discharge :  but  the  vo- 
miting, the  tumour  of  the  breasts,  the  darker  areola, 
cannot  be  concealed,  and  the  tumour  of  the  abdomen 
at  the  subsequent  period  will  be  decisive.  At  this  time, 
also,  and  often  more  early,  a  slight  pressure  will  produce 
a  flow  of  serum  or  milk  from  the  nipple.  Hebenstreit 
indeed  observes,  that  many  women,  not  pregnant,  can 
bring  on  a  discharge  of  milk  at  will ;  but  we  have  no 
reason  to  think  that  moderate  pressure,  independent 
of  long  continued  irritation,  or  suction,  can  produce  it 
in  this  climate. 

Medical  authors,  kind  to  the  fair  sex,  have  been 
anxious  to  point  out  the  fallacy  of  all  these  proofs  ;  and 
we  shall  so  far  join  with  them  in  urging  the  practitioner 
not  to  hasten  the  decison.  Certainty  is  at  no  great  dis- 
tance, and  it  is  prudent  not  to  endanger  driving  the 
woman  to  despair.  This  may  occasion  the  worst  of 
crimes  ;  and,  if  though  guijty,  she  escape,  she  may  live 
to  repent,  and  repair  to  society  the  injury  which  her 
former  errors  have  occasioned. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  women  pretend  to  be  with 
child,  either  to  impose  a  fictitious  offspring  on  a  cre- 
dulous companion,  or  to  avoid  punishment.  The  deter- 
mination is  in  this  case  more  easy  ;  but  should  it  be  pru- 
dent to  delay  the  decision,  a  most  unremitted  vigilance 
is  necessary. 

Susftected  delivery  very  often  claims  the  attention  of 
the  surgeon.  The  signs,  however,  though  singly  equi- 


vocal, are,  together,  certain.  The  very  considerable  rt 
laxation  of  the  vagina,  the  laxity  of  the  teguments  of 
the  abdomen,  the  want  of  the  fourchette,  the  thin 
membrane  which  unites  the  labia  below,  the  peculiar 
Dwelling  of  the  breasts,  the  extended  areola,  milk  pecu- 
liarly thin  and  serous,  with  the  unequivocal  smell  of  the 
lochia  just  going  on",  will  decide.  Exceptions  may  be 
made  to  all  these  as  well  as  to  the  signs  of  pregnancy ; 
but  the  experienced  eye  cannot  be  deceived. 

Ketarded  or  fire  mature  deli-very.  Nothing  can  be 
conceived  more  ridiculous  than  the  discussions  of  me- 
dical jurisconsults  on  this  subject.  The  ancients  con- 
tended that  every  animal  had  a  fixed  period  of  gesta- 
tion except  the  human  female;  but  this  is  by  no  means 
true:  and  the  moderns  have  tortured  their  invention  to 
explain  why  delivery  should  be  retarded.  We  need 
not  enlarge  on  the  subject;  for  our  laws  speak  plainly 
that  if  a  woman  lies  in  within  eleven  months  after  the 
death  or  the  possibility  of  the  access  of  the  husband,  the 
child  shall  still  be  his;  and  the  axiom  fiater  est  yuem- 
nu/itice  dcmonsirant,  be  uncontroverted.  It  is  not  our 
business  to  oppose  the  law,  but  to  explain  it,  though  we 
may  still  remark  that  it  is  peculiarly  complaisant  or. 
indulgent.  On  the  other  hand,  the  law,  we  believe, 
recognizes  only  a  living  child  of  seven  months  to  be 
legitimate,  if  former  access  can  be  denied :  a  circum- 
stance which  can  seldom  happen. 

AHOHTION.  This  is  a  subject  which,  by  our  laws, 
can  scarcely  be  considered  as  an  object  of  medical  juris- 
prudence ;  for  no  statute  is  in  force  to  punish  the  means 
of  procuring  it.  The  civil  law  made  many  unscientific, 
and  even  ridiculous  distinctions  on  this  point,  resting 
on  the  period  when  it  was  supposed  the  foetus  began  to 
live.  We  have  now  reason  to  think  that  life  com- 
mences from  the  moment  of  impregnation.  There  is, 
however,  a  nice  distinction  in  the  English  laws,  which 
can  never  be  applied  without  the  most  rash,  unwar- 
rantable decision  of  the  physician  or  surgeon.  If, 
says  Dr.  Burn,  whom  we  quote,  by  a  medicine  given 
the  child  is  killed  in  the  womb,  "  it  is  great  misprision, 
but  no  murder;"  "but  if  the  child  be  born  alive  and 
dieth  of  the  potion,  or  other  cause,  this  is  murder." 
The  opinion,  we  say,  is  inapplicable:  for  where  is  the 
physician  who  will  decide  that  a  weakly  child  might 
not  have  been  so  without  the  potion  ?  and  the  vague 
clause  distinguished  by  italics  must  make  the  whole 
"-words  of  sound  signifying  nothing."  There  is,  how- 
ever, another  view  which  we  must  take  of  the  subject. 
An  author  of  the  purest  morality,  the  most  extensive 
benevolence,  and  the  soundest  religion,  Dr.  Percival, 
has  dropped  a  hint,  that  it  may  not  be  unlawful  to  pro- 
cure abortion  where  the  size  of  the  pelvis  is  not  adapted 
for  the  birth  of  a  living  child.  This  is  a  latitude  which 
we  cannot  sanction.  A  more  recent  (we  believe  a  more 
recent)  proposal  of  a  celebrated  accoucheur,  who  sug- 
gests in  such  circumstances,  the  propriety  and  advantage 
of  bringing  on  labour  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  month, 
is  greatly  preferable.  In  this  case,  though  the  attempt 
is  peculiarly  difficult,  and  can  only  succeed  in  the  most 
experienced  hands,  the  health  of  the  mother  is  less  en- 
dangered, and  the'child  may  be  preserved  ;  nor,  on  the 
whole,  does  humanity;  so  strongly  revolt  at  the  attempt. 
Yet,  as  we  have  said,  the  whole  should  only  be  under 
the  conduct  of  a  man  who  unites  resolution  with  dis- 
cretion, and  judgment  with  humanity. 


M  K  1) 


967 


MED 


INFANTICIDE.     We  know  not  have  found 

greater  difficulty  in  speaking  on  any  subject  than  on  the 
present.  The  weight  of  arguments  seem  often  to  bear 
hard  on  those  who  are  the  objects  of  the  greatest  com- 
passion ;  on  unhappy  women,  deluded  to  their  ruin, 
struggling  with  remorse,  with  the  apprehension  of  dis- 
e,  acting  from  a  momentary  phrenzy  in  self  defence, 
often  inconsistently  and  improperly  subjected  to  suspi- 
cion from  circumstances  wholly  beyond  their  power, 
and  to  conviction  from  the  fortuitious  occurrence  of 
events  not  within  their  calculation.  On  this  subject 
particularly,  and  indeed  in  every  branch  of  medical  ju- 
risprudence, we  strongly  advise  the  practitioner  to  be 
cautious.  He  may  reason  as  a  physiologist,  but  he 
should  act  as  a  man  of  feeling  and  reflection,  who 
knows  that  no  medical  conclusion  is  certain,  and  that 
the  life  of  a  perhaps  innocent  individual  may  be  sacri- 
ficed to  his  hasty  oracular  decision,  perhaps  to  his 
inadvertency.  The  punishment  of  a  crime,  says  Bec- 
caria,  cannot  be  strictly  called  just  or  necessary,  while 
the  law  has  not  employed  the  best  possible  means  of 
preventing  it.  The  law  is  indeed  silent;  but  modern 
refinement,  the  precision  of  outrageous  virtue,  which 
admits  not  of  the  penitence  of  a  sinner,  urges  the 
unhappy  culprit  to  the  worst  of  crimes. 

In  such  circumstances  the  woman,  from  the  causes 
already  stated,  is  alone,  her  mind  agitated,  her  resolu- 
tion weak,  herself  spiritless  and  indecisive.  The  labour 
is  perhaps  rapid,  the  child  born  during  fainting  or  con- 
vulsions, and  lost  from  want  of  that  attention  which  no 
law  enforces,  and  which  the  apprehension  of  disgrace 
prevents  her  calling  for.  A  state  of  this  kind  may  be 
ascertained  by  subsequent  faintings,  peculiar  debility,  a 
low  fluttering  pulse,  paleness,  and  subsequent  oedema. 
Should  these  symptoms  not  occur,  let  us  not  yet  decide 
without  hesitation;  for  other  circumstances  should  be 
also  considered. 

The  first  question  must  be,  was  the  life  of  the  child 
so  perfectly  established  as  to  be  probably  continued 
after  its  birth  ?  This  is  answered  by  its  appearance,  and 
the  perfect,  the  complete  development  of  its  organs. 
It  may  be  again  asked,  was  it  not  dead  before  delivery  ? 
According  to  Alberti,  if  dead  previous  to  delivery,  the 
limbs  are  flexible,  the  skin  wrinkled  or  soft,  the  colour 
yellow  or  livid,  the  abdomen  sunk,  with -marks  of  com- 
mencing putrefaction,  particularly  about  the  navel,  and 
the  umbilical  cord  empty,  yellow,  livid,  and  apparently 
dissolved.  The  appearance  of  the  cord  is,  however, 
equivocal ;  for  the  access  of  the  air  will,  in  a  short  time, 
produce  the  same  changes.  Indeed,  all  these  appear- 
ances are  the  result  of  putrefaction,  and  the  child  may 
have  died  only  a  very  short  time  previous  to  its  birth ;  nor 
are  authorities  wanting  to  show  that,  while  the  access  of 
the  external  air  is  prevented,  putrefaction  does  not  soon 
take  place.  (Heister,  Alberti,  and  Hebenstreit.)  The 
marks  of  apparent  violence  on  the  body  are  by  no  means 
decisive;  but  we  have  already,  when  speaking  of  con- 
tusions, laid  down  the  best  diagnostics  on  this  point. 

If  an  infant  has  breathed,  it  is  supposed  to  have  lived; 
but  how  many  weakly  infants  are  torn  alive,  without 
breathing  for  many  minutes;  and  how  often,  on  the 
other  hand,  after  a  hard  labour,  does  the  child  breathe 
once  or  twice,  and  then  die  ?  That  the  child  may  breathe 
before  the  delivery  is  complete,  and  die  before  it  is  fullv 
born,  is  a  fancy  within  the  verge  of  possibility  only. 


but  too  improbable  to  induce  us  to  enlarge  on  it.  A 
child,  indeed,  wholly  perfect,  may  be  strangled  in  its 
birth  by  the  twisting  of  the  umbilical  cord  round  its 
neck;  and  it  has  been  doubted  whether,  iu  this  case,  it 
is  suffocated  or  dies  apoplectic.  It  is  probable  that 
death  is  rather  the  consequence  of  the  stoppage  of  the 
circulation  through  the  cord  itself;  but  this  is  of. little 
moment  as  the  mark  remains.  May  not  this  mark, 
however,  be  the  effect  of  violence?  It  certainly  may  be- 
so;  and  the  famous  experiment  of  the  lungs  sinking  iii 
water  is  adduced  to  determine  the  doubt. 

In  a  child  that  has  not  breathed,  the  lungs  occupy 
the  upper  part  of  the  chest,  so  as  to  leave  the  heart  and 
pericardium  exposed  to  view.  But  when  the  lungs  are 
distended  by  respiration  they  fill  the  chest,  and  become 
specifically  lighter  than  water.  The  English  courts  do 
not  admit  this  experiment  as  evidence,  and  we  arc- 
unwilling  to  disturb  their  decisions.  We  shall,  there- 
fore, add  a  few  words  on  it  as  philosophers  rather  tha:i 
as  forensic  physicians. 

Heister  observes,  that  the  experiment  is  indecisive, 
because  scirrhi  in  the  lungs  will  make  them  specifically 
heavier  than  water;  but  who  would  be  so  weak  as  not 
to  examine  whether  the  experiment  was  tried  on  a 
morbid  or  a  sound  part;  for  the  morbid  lungs  even  of 
an  adult  will  sink  in  water?  He  adds,  that  he  has  seen 
a  child  who  had  breathed  twenty  hours,  whose  lungs 
sunk  in  water;  but  he  here  speaks  of  the  whole  viscus, 
not  of  any  particular  portion,  on  which  the  experiment 
ought  to  be  made.  Again,  it  is  contended  that  when 
putrefaction  has  taken  place,  the  lungs  of  a  child  who 
has  never  breathed  will  swim.  This  fact  is  positively 
denied  by  at  least  equal  authority ;  and,  in  reality,  the 
lungs  are  scarcely  susceptible  of  putrefaction,  even 
when  it  has  taken  place  in  a  considerable  degree  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  body.  If  there  were,  however,  any 
ambiguity,  it  may  be  at  once  removed  by  a  slight  at- 
tention. The  air,  separated  by  putrefaction,  may  be 
observed  in  the  water  passing  along  the  divisions  of  the 
lobules,  while  air  within  them  is  invisible. 

It  is  certainly  possible  that  the  mother,  in  attempting 
to  revive  a  still  born  child,  may  endeavour  to  inflate 
the  lungs  by  her  own  breath.  Anatomists  of  eminence 
have  differed  on  the  possibility  of  success;  and  we  own 
that  it  appears  to  us  impracticable,  since  the  force  of 
the  expiration  must  be  sufficiently  great  to  expand  the 
thorax,  and  the  nostrils  must  be  at  the  same  time 
closed.  Humanity  will,  however,  take  this  source  of 
expanded  lungs  into  consideration  when  the  life  of  an 
individual  is  at  stake. 

The  colour  of  the  lungs,  which  is  of  a  bright  red  pre- 
vious to  inspiration,  their  situation  in  the  thorax,  and 
the  situation  of  the  liver  and  stomach,  as  well  as  the 
shape  of  the  diaphragm,  will  afford  more  decisive  proofs 
(Sabatier  Memoirs  de  PAcademie  Royale  des  Sciences) ; 
but  we  will  not  accumulate  what  may  be  adduced  to 
criminate. 

Suppose  it,  however,  ascertained  that  an  infant  is 
born  alive,  does  it  follow  that  the  mother  has  been  its 
murderer?  The  English  law  allows  the  concealment 
of  pregnancy,  and  the  want  of  provision  for  the  infant, 
to  be  presumptive  proofs  of  her  guilt;  though  this  has 
been  most  wisely  and  humanely  put  out  of  view  by 
constituting  it  a  distinct  crime,  with  its  appropriate 
punishment.  But  if  children  die  soon  after  bi- 


31  ED 


968 


M  E  D 


the  most  anxious  attention  is  exerted  to  preserve  them, 
is  it  not  probable  that,  in  circumstances  like  those  we 
speak  of,  the  fatal  event  will  be  more  commorf?  Is  it 
not  rather  surprising  that  any  should  live  ?  The  dangers 
that  attend  this  first  state  of  existence  are  numerous, 
and  the  neglects  which  may  prove  fatal  are  equally  so. 
It  is  not  our  present  business  to  point  out  these ;  and, 
indeed,  we  have  through  the  whole  discussion  purposely 
avoided  giving  information  that  may  be  abused.  The 
foreign  authors  on  forensic  medicine  seem  to  aim  at 
assisting  criminal  intentions,  by  industriously  pointing 
out  the  means  of  their  execution. 

WOUNDS.  The  surgeon  is  often  called  to  decide 
on  the  degree  of  injury  sustained  by  these,  and  on  the 
cause  of  death  which  follows  them.  When  not  mortal, 
and  mutilation  only  is  the  consequence,  the  recom- 
pense which  the  law  awards  is  proportioned  to  the  in- 
jury sustained.  The  English  law,  however,  makes  the 
lying  in  wait,  to  maim,  a  capital  offence,  and  with  great 
propriety,  as  the  lurking  assassin  is  far  more  dangerous 
than  an  open  enemy;  and  when  it  was  alleged  in  a 
criminal's  defence  that  the  design  was  to  kill,  not  to 
maim,  the  objection  was  overruled,  on  the  principle 
that  omne  majus  continet  in  se  minus.  It  is  not  easy  to 
kill  without  maiming. 

Wounds  are  fatal  either  in  consequence  of  the  effu- 
sion of  blood,  or  the  destruction  of  the  organization  of 
some  part  essential  to  life.  It  is  not  here  our  business 
to  enter  into  the  legal  distinctions  in  this  very  compli- 
cated subject;  but  to  point  out  to  the  surgeon,  for  his 
observation,  the  various  circumstances  on  which  these 
distinctions  are  founded.  The  divisions  of  the  civilians, 
and  of  the  older  forensic  physicians,  into  wounds  mortal 
or  indifferent,  necessarily  or  absolutely  mortal,  Sec.  we 
shall  not  enlarge  on,  as  they  are  not  applicable  to  the 
system  of  English  jurisprudence.  Wounds  may,  how- 
ever, be  fatal  by  accident,  as  a  bone  at  some  part  of  the 
skull  may  be  penetrated,  if  peculiarly  thin,  by  a  slight 
blow;  a  part  essential  to  life  may  be  in  a  preternatural 
situation,  as  a  blow  on  the  groin,  which  would  do  no 
injury,  may  bring  on  a  fatal  inflammation  in  case  of  a 
previous  hernia;  or  a  fever,  which  a  slight  blow  has 
occasioned,  may  excite  an  indolent  vomica  to  suppura- 
tion. In  all  these  instances,  the  English  law  inquires 
quo  animo  the  injury  was  inflicted.  Again,  a  trifling 
wound  may  become  fatal  during  the  prevalence  of  a 
malignant  epidemic,  in  a  constitution  deeply  tainted 
with  scurvy,  syphilis,  &c.  or  in  one  of  great  nervous 
irritability,  by  inducing  tetanus,  or  its  lesser  degree,  a 
locked  jaw.  A  state  of  pregnancy,  infancy,  or  old  age, 
will  also  render  trifling  injuries  dangerous  or  fatal. 

The  event  is  equally  influenced  by  obstinacy  or  cow- 
ardice, which  prevents  the  treatment  necessary  to  pre- 
serve life ;  by  intemperance,  violent  passions,  or  de- 
spair; by  neglecting  the  proper  precautions  enjoined; 
the  want  of  necessary  assistance,  its  delay  in  inclement 
seasons,  or  the  unskilfulness  of  the  practitioner.  It 
was  a  truly  judicious  remark  of  a  judge  in  a  late  cause, 
that  he  could  not  try  the  skill  of  a  surgeon;  and  we 
would  here  add,  that  in  every  case  where  the  opinion  of 
a  professional  man  is  called  on  the  conduct  of  another,  he 
should  reflect  that  his  judgment  is  enlightened  by  the 
subsequent  circumstances.  In  the  situation  in  which 
the  first  practitioner  was  at  the  early  era  of  the  acci- 
dent or  complaint,  the  question  must  be,  could  he  with 


propriety  have  acted  differently?  If  that  question  is 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  another  will  arise;  and 
should  a  man,  himself  liable  to  error,  be  forward  in 
criminating  a  brother? 

Wounds  of  the  brain  are  seldom  mortal,  except  the 
base,  the  cerebellum,  or  the  spinal  marrow  at  its  com- 
mencement are  injured.  A  large  portion  of  either 
hemisphere  has  been  evacuated  without  injury,  and 
even  without  the  slightest  (apparent)  diminution  of  the 
faculties.  Depressions  of  the  skull  are  much  more 
dangerous;  and  compression,  from  a  fractured  skull  or 
extravasated  fluids,  as  well  as  that  torpid  inflammation 
which  concussion,  after  some  time,  brings  on  (vide 
CONCUSSIO  and  CEREBRI  COMPRESSIO),  are  almost 
equally  fatal.  It  is  not  the  present  object  to  point  out 
the  symptoms  of  each;  but  we  must  add  the  strongest 
injunctions  in  case  of  apparent  compression,  to  examine 
with  the  strictest  anxiety,  the  part  affected,  in  order 
to  the  application  of  the  trepan.  This  is  often  verv 
difficult  to  ascertain. 

Wounds  of  the  nerves  are  not  always  dangerous;  but 
if  a  nerve  is  partly  wounded  it  may  bring  on  a  fatal 
tetanus,  when,  from  its  situation,  the  nerve  cannot  .be 
divided.  Bohnius  remarks,  that  wounds  of  a  nervous 
plexus  are  usually  mortal,  and  bruises  on  a  nervous  part, 
particularly  where  its  nerves  are  connected  with  the 
vital  organs,  are  generally  dangerous.  Michaelis  men- 
tions bruises  on  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  in  the  English 
pugilistic  combats,  as  frequent  causes  of  death;  and  in- 
deed, all  wounds  of  the  stomach  and  intestines  are 
highly  dangerous,  though  many  miraculous  stories  are 
related  in  which  the  patients  were  cured.  Wounds  of 
the  liver,  spleen,  kidneys,  bladder,  and  uterus,  are  also 
usually  fatal,  from  the  access  of  the  air  or  the  internal 
haemorrhages.  In  experipients  made  on  animals  each 
is  carefully  avoided;  but,  with  every  precaution,  the 
C?esarian  section  is  usually  mortal. 

Injuries  in  the  vital  organs,  and  indeed  all  wounds  of 
the  larger  vessels,  must  necessarily  be  fatal.  The  stop- 
page of  respiration,  from  any  cause,  must  also  soon  ter- 
minate in  death.  A  question  sometimes  occurs,  whether 
the  person  may  not  have  been  suspended  or  drowned 
after  life  had  been  extinguished?  This  question  can  only 
be  answered  satisfactorily  by  dissection.  Indeed,  when 
life  is  destroyed  by  suffocation,  the  mark  of  the  injury  is 
conspicuous  in  a  much  greater  degree  than  by  common 
suspension;  and,  in  cases  of  drowning,  the  pale  livid 
colour  of  the  face,  with  froth  round  the  mouth,  may 
determine  the  question  ;  but  each  sign  is  equivocal.  In 
either  case,  however,  the  venous  system,  particularly 
of  the  vena  cava,  and  of  the  head,  is  greatly  distended; 
and  in  strangulation  the  pulmonary  artery  is  unusually 
full.  Whether  death  has  proceeded  from  deleterious 
vapours,  in  which  the  body  has  been  confined,  to  avoid 
the  suspicion  of  former  violence,  is  not  so  easily  dis- 
covered. The  application  of  galvanism  would,  how- 
ever, show  the  extraordinary  diminution  of  irritability, 
which  is  usually  the  effect  of  such  vapours;  and,  in  each 
case,  other  marks  of  violence,  and  the  injury  of  organs 
essential  to  life,  will  give  strong  suspicions,  which  dis- 
section will  confirm. 

To  pursue,  with  forensic  physicians,  the  wounds  of 
every  different  part,  would  extend  this  article  beyond 
its  proper  limits;  nor  indeed  could  we  add  any  thing 
which  a  knowledge  of  anatomy  and  physiology  will 


MED 


969 


MED 


not  supply.  We  must  not  suppose  our  readers  ignorant 
of  either. 

Shocks  and  bruises.  In  the  article  respecting  concus- 
sion we  have  shown  how  shocks  impair  the  irritability 
of  the  vessels,  and  produce  chronic  inflammation  in  the 
brain  or  liver,  which  after  some  time  is  often  the  cause 
of  death.  Each  cause  here  mentioned  will  also  produce 
internal  effusions,  generally  from  a  rupture  of  arteries, 
which  may  be  fatal.  A  late  instance  has  occurred,  in 
which  the  radial  artery  was  broken  through  its  whole 
substance,  by  the  shock  only  of  a  fall  from  a  horse  ;  and 
Pilatre  de  Rozier,  the  victim  of  aeronautic  folly,  fell  on 
his  feet,  and  died  immediately  from  the  shock,  which 
was  found  to  produce  internal  effusions.  Blows  with  a 
stick,  without  inflicting  any  wound,  will  occasion,  inter- 
nal, and  sometimes  neighbouring  accumulations;  and 
military  punishments,  when  not  fatal  from  gangrene, 
are  sometimes  so  from  abscesses  forming  below  the 
bruised  part.  (Hamilton's  Regimental  Surgeon.)  It  is 
necessary,  therefore,  in  forensic  medicine,  to  look  be- 
yond the  immediate  injury,  and  examine  the  effects  of 
what  may  arise  from  the  shock  or  its  consequences.  In 
three  instances  we  have  heard  from  practitioners  of 
credit  decided  testimonies  that  the  blows  were  not  the 
causes  of  death,  because  no  mortal  appearance  attended 
the  wounds.  It  was  unlucky  for  the  cause  of  justice 
that  they  were  so  ignorant;  but  humanity  might  smile 
through  her  tears,  and  charitably  hope  that  the  escape 
would  prove  a  warning. 

Hanging  and  drowning.  We  can  scarcely  separate 
the  forensic  from  the  more  strictly  medicinal  considera- 
tion of  these  subjects,  and  must  therefore  refer  to 
STRASGULATIO  and  SUSPENSIO. 

MEDICINA  POLITICA.  Medical  interposition,  ac- 
cording to  our  laws,  is  seldom  necessary  in  questions  of 
police.  Yet  there  are  many  cases  where  an  intelligent 
physician  might  afford  satisfactory  information.  Per- 
haps the  neglect  has  arisen  from  that  dogmatism  which 
is  the  effect  of  ignorance,  or  of  imperfect  science,  as  in 
the  instance  mentioned  by  Dr.  Percival,  where  two 
physicians  contradicted  each  other  respecting  the  dan- 
gers from  a  copper  work.  One  swore  positively  it  was 
dangerous  ;  because  copper  ores  usually  contained  ar- 
senic ;  the  other  had  ascertained,  by  experiment,  that 
the  ore  in  question  contained  none. 

In  the  article  AER  we  showed  that  weather,  and  a 
state  of  atmosphere  apparently  the  most  insalubrious, 
were  sometimes  found  healthy ;  and  that  neither  rea.- 
soning  a  firiori,  nor  experiment  with  the  eudiometer, 
would  always  point  out  situations  where  the  health  can 
be  preserved.  The  vicinity  of  marshes  certainly  ren- 
ders situations  unwholesome ;  but  this  is  liable  to  ex- 
ceptions. If  the  prevailing  winds  blow  from  a  marsh 
to  a  town,  at  the  season  when  the  marsh  is  covered  with 
water,  little  danger  arises  from  it ;  but  if  the  wind 
passes  over  it  when  in  a  moist  state,  diseases  often  fol- 
low. Dilution  of  the  miasma,  we  have  said,  is  the 
best  security,  and,  therefore,  at  a  certain  distance  its 
power  is  lessened  or  destroyed ;  but  unfortunately  this 
distance  is  not  ascertained,  nor  is  it  certain  that  every 
marsh  produces  deleterious  vapours.  Those  covered 
with  salt  water  at  each  returning  tide,  or  even  at  each 
spring,  are  not  always  dangerous.  We  cannot  as- 
certain the  innocence  of  any  other  kind,  except  of  those 
very  generally  covered  with  water  or  herbage.  Stag- 

VOL.  I. 


nant  water  has  indeed  been  accused  ;  but  we  suspect 
without  reason  :  it  certainly  is  not  eminently  injurious, 
and,  from  the  "  green  mantling,"  known  to  exhale  oxy- 
genous gas,  it  may  probably  be  salutary. 

Towns,  it  may  be  said,  cannot  be  removed ;  but  if 
unhealthy  they  will  be  gradually  forsaken.  A  house 
may  be  removed  to  a  healthier  spot;  but  the  more  tem- 
porary situation  of  a  camp  or  a  barrack  which  may  be 
chosen  should  be  fixed  with  peculiar  care.  The  re- 
ports of  army  surgeons  frequently  point  out  the  fatal 
effects  of  inattention  to  this  important  circumstance  ; 
and  it  has  been  said  that  barracks  have  been  heedlessly 
erected  in  spots  peculiarly  unhealthy  ;  nor  should  we  be 
surprised  to  find  the  same  carelessness  respecting  health 
that  we  have  found  of  expenditure.  A  medical  to- 
pography should  be  published  of  every  district,  com- 
prehending the  particulars  of  its  situation,  its  prevailing 
winds,  usual  temperature,  and  reigning  diseases.  This 
plan,  which  has  been  adopted  in  France,  would  truly 
merit  the  attention  of  the  legislature  ;  and  it  might  easily 
have  been  appended  to  the  agricultural  surveys,  were 
we  as  attentive  to  the  lives  and  health  of  mankind  as  of 
the  shape  or  breed  of  cattle. 

Nuisances  often  claim  the  attention  of  courts  of  jus- 
tice, and  physicians  are  sometimes  called  on  to  de- 
cide. Their  object  is,  however,  to  determine  only 
what  manufactures  are  injurious  to  health.  A  brick- 
kiln, a  lime-kiln,  a  pottery,  and  an  iron-foundry, 
are  unpleasant  neighbours ;  but  can  we  say  either  is 
unwholesome  ?  Smelting-houses  for  lead,  and,  in  ge- 
neral, for  copper;  dye-houses  and  tan-yards,  erected  so 
near  the  water  as  to  corrupt  the  stream,  are  certainly 
injurious.  The  manufacture  of  the  mineral  acids,  the 
oxygenation  of  the  muriatic  acid  for  bleaching,  the 
singeing  of  velvets,  currying  of  leather,  are  processes 
always  offensive,  and  generally  injurious ;  for  the  work- 
men are  usually  pale  and  weak,  subject  to  nervous  dis- 
eases, and  seldom  long-lived.  Yet  it  is  said,  that  the 
improved  methods  of  burning  the  smoke  prevent  much 
of  the  inconvenience.  The  process  of  making  candles  is 
offensive,  but  apparently  not  unwholesome.  It  has  been 
admitted  into  towns,  but  with  reluctance;  and  the  ma- 
nufacture is  discouraged  in  populous  cities  when  com- 
plained of.  The  business  of  the  dyer  or  the  butcher  is 
certainly  not  injurious  to  the  health  of  those  who  prac- 
tise or  who  live  near  either,  nor  can  we  recollect,  in  a 
large  populous  and  trading  town,  any  peculiar  com- 
plaint that  could  be  traced  to  their  quarters.  The 
breath  and  the  dung  of  the  cows  have  been  thought  sa- 
lutary ;  but  should  they  be  so,  the  vicinity  of  pigs  is  cer- 
tainly otherwise,  and  these  should  not  be  fed  in  popu- 
lous cities. 

Were  the  police  to  interfere  in  buildings,  one  cir- 
cumstance should  be  indispensable,  viz.  that  every  house 
should  have  a  free  ventilation  from  the  front  to  the 
back  part :  the  smallest  court  behind  would  be  suffi- 
cient, if  not  shut  up  by  houses  rising  gradually  higher 
on  a  hill.  We  have  found  no  circumstance  so  injurious 
to  the  general  health  of  a  family  as  a  situation  where 
free  ventilation  is  impeded. 

The  foreign  authors  on  the  medicina  politica  are  full 
of  numerous  disquisitions,  in  which  the  law  of  this  coun- 
try speaks  positively,  and  requires  no  medical  aid.  One 
of  these  points  is  the  age  proper  for  marriage  ;  others 
are  cohabitation,  the  Caesarian  operation,  punishments 
6  H 


MED 


970 


MED 


during  pregnancy,  &c.  One  of  these  subjects  calls,  we 
think,  for  medical  interposition,  viz.  the  danger  of  pro- 
pagating the  most  dreadful  diseases,  as  mania,  scrofula, 
phthisis,  &c.  Yet  we  see  npt  how  physicians  can  inter- 
fere;  for  the  child  sometimes  partakes  of  that  parent's 
constitution,  which  is  perfectly  sound.  Must  that  child, 
or  such  children,  then,  be  deprived  of  existence  be- 
cause the  life  of  others  may  be  short  or  suffering  ?  Hu- 
manity, reason,  and  religion,  will  at  once  forbid.  A 
stronger  case  is,  where  a  woman,  from  deformity,  can- 
not have  a  living  child.  Must  her  marriage  be  pre- 
vented ?  Neither  law  nor  religion  will  decide  in  the 
affirmative,  though  the  child  and  the  mother  may  be 
sacrificed  ;  and  such  is  the  circumstance  lately  men- 
tioned, where  the  civilians  have  thought  the  procuring 
abortion  justifiable.  This,  for  numerous  reasons,  we 
must  oppose,  though  we  think  bringing  on  labour  at  the 
seventh  month  a  humane  and  judicious  expedient  :  the 
impossibility  of  the  woman's  bearing  a  living  child 
should,  however,  be  first  ascertained  without  any  doubt. 

When  the  testimony  of  a  physician  is  called  for  in  a 
court  of  justice,  his  evidence  should  be  clear,  divested 
of  technical  language,  and  in  modest,  decent  terms.  He 
is  sworn  to  tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth ;  yet  we  have  spoken  of  giving  truth  in 
her  fairest  garb,  of  softening  what  is  harsh,  and  leaning 
to  the  side  of  humanity.  We  must  explain.  It  is  not 
our  design  to  recommend  prevarication,  much  less  con- 
cealment ;  yet  in  the  most  decided  cases  there  must  be 
doubts,  there  must  be  views,  which  will  carry  with 
them  alleviations.  It  is  neither  prevarication  nor  con- 
cealment to  give  each  their  full  force;  to  point  out  how 
far  they  may  bear  on  circumstances  the  most  appa- 
rently positive.  It  has  been  said  that  it  is  better  ten 
criminals  should  escape  than  one  innocent  person  suf- 
fer by  insufficient  evidence.  Yet  criminals  are  con- 
fessedly punished  for  the  sake  of  example  ;  and  the 
frequency  of  escapes,  we  fear,  encourages  new  attempts. 
The  maxim,  therefore,  though  humane  and  benevolent, 
has  been  carried  to  an  extreme ;  yet,  as  involving  some 
intricate  disquisitions,  not  applicable  to  medical  evi- 
dence, we  can  only  add,  that  as  the  extreme  of  justice 
is  the  extreme  of  injury,  so  excess  of  humanity  may  be 
-the  excess  of  cruelty. 

We  have  now  finished  a  subject,  new  in  our  lan- 
guage, and  in  which,  though  we  have  anxiously  avoid- 
ed error,  we  may  have  often  committed  it.  The  extent 
of  our  article  is  comparatively  short,  for  we  have  endea- 
voured to  compress  volumes  into  pages ;  and  as  Eng- 
lish forensic  disquisitions  on  medical  subjects  must  re- 
late to  English  laws,  many  bulky  inquiries  were  foreign 
to  our  purpose.  Yet,  in  our  references  at  the  end,  we 
have  pointed  out  the  sources  of  a  more  general  and  a 
more  extensive  inquiry.  If  these  appear  numerous,  the 
reader  will  feel  more  sensibly  the  obligation  we  have 
endeavoured  to  confer,  viz.  contracting  our  article  by 
the  omission  of  numerous  references  in  our  progress. 
To  the  candor  of  the  more  enlightened  and  experienced 
readers  we  now  trust  it,  with  a  consciousness  of  having 
meant  well ;  of  having 

Nothing  extenuated, 
JVor  set  down  aught  in  malice. 

See  Paullus  Zacchias  Quaestiones  Medico  legales,  3 
vols.  fol.  Norinberg ;  Michaelis  Valentin!  Pandectae 


Medico  legales,  4to.  Frankfort ;  Zittman  Medicina  Fo  • 
rensis,  4to.  Frankfort;  Alberti  Systema  Jurisprudentix 
Medico  legalis,  6  vols.  4to.;  Richter  Decisiones  Medi- 
co Forenses ;  Teichmeyer  Institutiones  Medicinar 
legalis  (Fazellii  edit.),  Jense,  4to. ;  Hebenstreit  An- 
thropologia  Forensis,  8vo. ;  Ludwig  Institutiones  Me- 
dicinae  Forensis;  Fazellii  Elementa  Medicinse  Foren- 
sis; Collect  Opusculorum  ad  Medicinam  Forensem 
Spectantium,  a  Schlegel,  6  vols.  12mo.  Lipsiae  ;  Me- 
decine  Legale  et  Police  Medicale  de  Mahon,  Paris,  5 
vols/8vo. ;  Percival's  Medical  Jurisprudence;  Medical 
Jurisprudence  on  Madness  by  J.  Johnstone,  M.  D. 

MEDICINA  STATICA.  During  the  prevalence  of  the 
mechanical  systems,  when  fiondere  mensura  et  numero 
Deus  omnia  fecit  was  the  conduct  held  out  to  out- 
imitation,  the  body  was  constantly  weighed,  and  the 
salubrity  of  food  was  estimated  by  its  perspirability. 
This  plan,  pursued  at  some  length  by  Sanctorius,  was 
soon  found  to  give  unsatisfactory  results;  for  the  vale- 
tudinarian, in  his  statical  chair,  though  the  balance  was 
carefully  preserved,  lost  his  strength  .and  spirits ;  and 
he  saw,  with  surprise,  that  he  was  "  truly  found  want- 
ing." Many  circumstances  were  not  taken  into  the 
account,  which  would  greatly  alter  the  result ;  but  these 
we  need  not  stay  to  enumerate,  as  the  folly  has  had 
its  day,  and  is  now  forgotten. 

Sanctorii  Medicina  Statica,  and  Keil's  Aphorisms. 

MEDICI'NA  TRISTI'TI^.      See  CROCUS. 

MEDICINA'LES  DIES,  are  those  days  in  fevers 
which  are  neither  critical  nor  indicatory,  and  on  which 
it  is  supposed  proper  to  administer  powerful  remedies. 

MEDINE'NSIS  VE'NA,  (from  Medina,  where  it 
was  frequent).  Medena-uena.  A  WORM  ;  called  -vena, 
before  it  was  known  to  be  an  animal.  See  DRACUN- 
CULUS. 

MEDITU'LLIUM,  (from  medium,  the  middle}.  See 
DIPLOE.  When  it  signifies  the  pith  of  vegetables  it  is 
called  also  cardia,  cor,  encardium,  medulla,  matrix. 

ME'DIUM,  (from  Media,  its  native  soil).  See  CER- 
VICARIA. 

ME'DIUM  TE'STJE.     See  BREGMA. 

ME'DIUS  DI'GITUS.     See  DIGITUS. 

MEDU'LLA,  quia  in  media  ossis.  MARROW;  ax- 
ungia  de  mumia.  In  anatomy  it  hath  various  significa- 
tions. The  white  substance  of  the  brain  is  called  me- 
dulla, or  the  medullary  part,  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
brown  or  cortical.  The  continuation  of  the  brain  in  the 
spine  is  distinguished  by  the  epithet  nfiinalis;  but  me- 
dulla strictly  means  marrow  in  the  bones. 

If  the  marrow  be  viewed  through  a  microscope,  it 
seems  a  mass  of  small  globules  united  like  those  in  the 
roe  of  a  herring.  The  distinction  between  medulla  and 
succus  medullaris  is  useless,  for  the  marrow  in  the  liv- 
ing body  is  always  fluid.  The  membrana  medullse  not 
only  lines  the  internal  surface  of  the  bones,  but  divides 
the  vesicles,  or  membranous  bags,  containing  the  mar- 
row; these  very  fine  minute  vessels  from  which  the  mar- 
row is  secreted  are  dispersed  on  these  membranes,  and 
are  branches  from  the  artery,  which  enters  the  bone 
by  its  appropriate  aperture.  The  use  of  the  marrow  is 
said  to  be  rendering  the  bones  flexible,  for  it  was  with 
little  reason  supposed  they  would  soon  otherwise  become 
brittle,  as  happens  in  syphilitic  and  scorbutic  habits, 
where  it  is  apparently  separated  in  too  small  a  quantity, 
too  quickly  absorbed,  or  diseased.  The  membrana 


MED 


971 


MEL 


"medullas  is  furnished  with  a  nerve  which  enters  with  the 
artery,  and  with  an  accompanying  vein.  The  small 
vessels  which  secrete  the  marrow  are  more  than  usually 
diminished  by  advancing  age;  and  we  thus  find  the 
marrow  bloody  in  the  earlier  periods,  oily  in  the  middle 
stages  of  life,  and  watery  in  old  age. 

The  marrow  is  never  sensible  but  in  a  diseased  state, 
and  is  usually  absorbed  with  the  rest  of  the  fat  in  drop- 
sies. In  the  foetus  the  bones  contain  albumen  chiefly ; 
and  in  birds  the  proportion  of  marrow  is  inconsiderable, 
for  the  cavities  chiefly  contain  air.  Marrow  of  animals 
is  prescribed  in  some  compositions,  but  it  has  no  supe- 
rior efficacy  to  other  fats. 

MEDU'LLA  c 'ASSIZE.  The  pulp  of  the  cassia  fistularis. 
See  also  MEDITULLIVM. 

Mr.Du'LLA  oBLOXGx'TA  is  a  continuation  of  the  me- 
dullary substance  of  the  cerebrum  and  cerabellum, 
passing  downwards,  and  a  little  backwards  to  the  fora- 
men magnum  occipitale,  where  it  assumes  the  name  of 
medulla  spinalis.  It  is  rather  of  a  depressed  pyriform 
figure  though  called  oblong;  rising  oy  two  crura  from 
the  cerebrum,  and  two  peduncles  from  the  cerebellum  : 
the  enlargement  formed  from  the  union  of  these  is 
called  /ions  raro/ii,  or  tttberculum  annulare,  behind 
which  is  a  stricture  upon  the  medulla  oblongata,  fol- 
lowed by  an  enlargement,  on  each  side,  styled  corpora 
fiyramidalia.  From  the  medulla  oblongata  arises  the 
medulla  spinalis,  and  all  the  nerves  which  pass  from  the 
head,  except  the  first  and  second  pairs.  (See  NERVI.) 
Death  is  the  immediate  consequence  of  an  injury  on 
the  medullary  part.  See  CEREBRUM. 

MEDU'LLA  SPIXA'LIS  ;  cerebrum  elongatum;  JEon;  is 
the  continuation  of  the  medulla  oblongata,  from  the  fora- 
men magnum  occipitale,  through  the  vertebrae  of  the 
neck,  back,  and  loins.  It  is  of  different  sizes ;  in  the 
neck  flat  and  broad ;  in  the  back,  small ;  in  the  loins, 
large ;  and  at  last  it  becomes  a  bundle  of  nerves, 
which  have  the  name  of  cauda  equina,  because  when 
taken  out,  and  extended  in  water,  they  resemble  a 
horse's  tail,  and  as  the  medulla  passes  out  of  the  fora- 
men magnum,  its  external  membrane  the  dura  mater  is 
united  to  the  ligamentous  lining  of  the  bony  cavity,  but 
this  connection  does  not  extend  beyond  the  first  verte- 
bra. The  cineritious  matter  in  the  medulla  spinalis  is 
within  the  medullary. 

A  singular  circumstance,  of  importance  in  explaining 
the  phenomena  of  many  diseases  is,  that  the  spinal 
marrow,  though  apparently  one  cord,  is  divided  into 
two,  easily  separated,  but  united  by  a  cineritious  sub- 
ttance :  it  is  therefore,  double,  but,  from  the  mode  of 
union,  single  only;  and  we  thus  see  how,  in  the  more 
important  organs,  an  injury  in  one  part  of  the  marrow  is 
attended  with  a  diminution  of  the  power  only  in  the 
organ,  and  can  explain  the  reason  of  the  irreparable 
consequences  of  a  distortion,  or  exostosis  of  the  bony 
canal.  The  fasciculi  of  nervous  fibrils  are  sent  off  from 
each  portion  of  this  double  cord,  anteriorly  and  poste- 
riorly, passing  through  separate  foramina  of  the  sheath. 
The  posterior  nerves  form  a  ganglion,  and  then  unite 
with  the  anterior.  Each  fasciculus  is  attended  by  the 
external  lamina  of  the  dura  mater,  the  internal  is  gra- 
dually lost,  and  the  angle  left  by  each  in  its  first 
divarication  is  filled  by  a  fine  ligament,  which  appears 
to  support  the  nerves  on  the  front,  and  behind,  in  their 
passage.  This  denticulated  ligament  seems  through  the 


whole  cord  to  distinguish  the  a_nterior  and  posterior 
bundles,  and,  near  the  cauda  equina,  has  been  considered 
as  itself  nervous,  since  it  there  loses  its  denser  structure 
as  having  less  to  support.  The  tunica  arachnoides  is 
more  distinct  from  the  pia  mater  in  the  spinal  marrow 
than  in  the  brain,  though  it  adheres  more  closely  to  this 
membrane  at  the  bottom  than  above.  It  is  apparently 
suspended  by  the  denticulated  ligament,  and  passes 
with  the  dura  mater,  along  the  nervous  fibrils  sent  off. 

The  spinal  arteriet  arise  from  the  vertebral  within  the 
foramen  magnum,  which  again  passing  through  the 
occipital  hole  divide  into  two  other  branches,  which  run 
to  the  posterior  portion  of  the  medulla.  Each  runs 
through  the  respective  grooves  formed  by  the  division. 
of  the  cord.  They  divide,  and  again  unite  and  anasto- 
mose occasionally,  with  the  vertebral,  the  intercostal,  the 
lumbar,  and  sacral  arteries.  We  thus  see  that  the  effects 
of  a  slight  change  in  the  capacity  of  the  bony  canal,  by 
interrupting  the  course  of  the  blood,  and,  in  part  the 
nervous  influence,  may  be  gradually  obviated  by  the 
efforts  of  nature  alone.  The  medullary  veins  terminate 
in  the  vertebral,  and  in  different  sinuses,  which  have  a 
free  communication,  apparently  serving,  as  in  the  head, 
to  keep  the  arteries  full,  and  to  prevent  the  fatal  effects 
of  temporary  pressure.  See  CEREBRUM. 

MEGALOSPLA  XCHXOS,  (from  f«y«<,  great, 
and^«a-A«?^»eF,  a  bwel}.  A  person  affected  with  an  en- 
largement of  any  viscus. 

ME'GRIM.     See  CEPHALALGIA. 

MEIBO'MII  GLA'NDUL.E.    See  CILIARES 


DULjE. 

MEL,  MELI,  (from  ni*i,  honey"}.  HOXEY  ;  aerc- 
milf,  acoitus.  Aristaeus,  a  pupil  of  Chiron,  is  said  to 
•  have  first  gathered  this  sweet  vegetable  juice,  col- 
lected by  the  bee  from  the  flowers  of  various  plants, 
and  deposited  in  the  cells  of  its  comb.  The  little 
animal  which  furnishes  this  rich  juice  is  the  apis  mel- 
lifica,  Lin.,  and  the  honey  which  separates  without 
expression  contains  a  less  proportion  of  wax,  and  is  of 
a  thick  consistence,  a  whitish  colour  inclined  to  yel- 
low, a  granulated  appearance,  an  agreeable  smell,  and 
pleasant  taste  ;  both  the  colour  and  flavour  differ  in 
some  degree,  according  to  the  plants  which  the  bees 
prefer;  but  that  wrought  by  young  bees,  and  permitted 
to  run  from  the  comb  without  heat  or  pressure,  is 
called  virgin  honey.  The  honey  of  old  bees,  pressed 
from  the  wax,  is  yellow.  Honey  produced  where  the 
air  is  clear  and  hot  is  better  than  that  where  the 
air  is  variable  and  cold.  Where  the  bee  hives  are 
fixed,  aromatic  plants,  particularly  thyme,  lavender, 
violets,  primroses,  baum,  sage,  and  borage,  should 
abound.  Honey  seems  to  be  merely  collected  from  the 
flowers,  and  not  elaborated  by  the  internal  economy  of 
the  insect,  for  it  derives,  apparently  from  its  source, 
many  qualities  not  peculiarly  its  own.  New  honey  to 
many  proves  disagreeably  and  powerfully  laxative  ;  and 
it  sometimes,  particularly  in  America,  proves  poi- 
sonous. Boston  (American)  Transactions.  Each  incon- 
venience is  often  removed  by  age,  but  more  certainly 
by  boiling.  The  animal  which  collects  it  is  an  ex- 
clusive inhabitant  of  the  old  continent,  imported  by 
America,  where  the  natives  call  it  the  white  mens'  fly. 
Honey  contains  a  large  portion  of  a  purely  sac- 
charine matter,  mixed  with  an  acid  partly  uncom- 
bined,  though  concealed  by  the  sugar.  With  this, 

6  H2 


MEL 


972 


MEL 


however,  there  is  certainly  a  proportion  of  mucilage, 
since  oxalic  acid  is  the  result  of  its  treatment  with 
the  nitric. 

If  M.  Seguin's  late  experiments  are  correct,  honey 
must  also  contain  albumen,  since  substances  which  arc 
susceptible  of  fermentation  without  yeast,  seem,  in  his 
opinion,  to  owe  it  to  their  albumen.  When  deprived 
of  it  they  lose  this  property  ;  and  when  it  is  again  added 
in  the  form  of  the  white  of  an  egg,  they  regain  it.  Yeast 
certainly  contains  albumen,  but  M.  Scguin  has  lately 
shown  so  much  fancy  in  his  experiments  on  gelatine, 
with  which  intermittents  he  thinks  may  be  cured,  be- 
cause the  bark  appeared  to  contain  this  substance,  that 
we  distrust  his  present  conclusions. 

Honey  is  highly  nutritious,  though  when  long  conti- 
nued as  a  diet,  is  said  to  occasion  a  dissolution  of  the 
blood.  As  a  medicine  it  is  supposed  to  be  aperient,  anti- 
septic, and  expectorant :  but  it  is  perhaps  only  slightly 
laxative,  and  a  pleasing  demulcent.  It  seems  to  possess 
some  stimulus,  since  it  is  forbidden  where  heat  and  in- 
flammation are  considerable.  If  given  in  a  large  quan- 
tity it  has  been  said  to  relieve  asthma,  and  dissolve  a 
calculus  in  the  bladder  (see  CALCULUS)  ;  but  there  is 
much  reason  to  doubt  its  efficacy  in  these  complaints. 
It  is  only  a  sugar  with  a  larger  proportion  of  mucilage, 
for  its  acid  is  inconsiderable  in  quantity,  and  highly  vo- 
latile. 

MEL  AE'RIUM.     See  MANNA. 

MEL  DESPUMA'TUM.     CLARIFIED  HONEY. 

Liquefy  the  honey  in  a  water  bath,  separating  the 
scum  as  it  arises.  On  continuing  the  heat,  a  considera- 
ble quantity  of  an  aqueous  fluid,  impregnated  with  the 
finest  smell  of  the  honey  arises  :  the  inspissated  resi- 
duum dissolves  in  water  and  in  spirit.  If  treated  with 
moist  clay,  as  practised  by  sugar  bakers  for  purifying 
sugar  from  its  treacle,  the  unctuous  parts  of  the  honey 
may  be  separated,  and  its  saccharine  matter  obtained 
in  the  form  of  a  solid,  saline,  white  concrete. 

OXYMEL  SIMPLEX.  Simple  Oxymel.  Take  of  clari- 
fied honey,  two  pounds ;  of  distilled  vinegar,  a  pint. 
Boil  them  in  a  glass  vessel,  with  a  gentle  fire,  to  the 
consistence  of  a  syrup.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

CERA'TUM  ME'LLIS,  (from  cera,  wax,  and  mel, 
honey*).  CERATE  OF  HONEY.  R.  Olei  olivae ;  mellis 
despumati  iia  ffo  ss.  Cerae  flavae.  Emplastri  lithargyri 
aa  I  iv.  m.  Melt  the  oil,  wax,  and  plaster  together,  and 
afterward  add  the  honey.  This  cerate  is  said  to  be 
well  calculated  for  scrofulous  ulcers,  as  it  is  slightly 
stimulant. 

MEL  BORA'CIS.  HONEY  OF  BORAX,  consisting  of  an 
ounce  of  honey  to  a  drachm  of  borax,  is  applied  to  the 
mouth  in  cases  of  aphthae. 

In  every  instance  where  honey  is  thus  employed,  it 
should  not  be  new,  and  it  should  be  ascertained  pre- 
vious to  its  use  whether  honey  commonly  disagrees 
with  the  bowels. 

Of  many  compositions  honey  forms  the  basis,  as  the 
mel  scillts,  oxymel  stills.  See  SCILLA.  Mel  Rose. 
See  ROSA.  Oxymel  Colchlci.  See  COLCHICUM.  Mel 
hydrurgyri,  and  Mel  sEgyfitiacum.  See  ^EGYPTIACUM 

UNGUENTUM. 

MEL^E'NA,  MELAI'NA,  (from  ^EA*«,  black}.  A 
disease  in  which  the  discharges  are  black,  attributed  to 
black  bile.  See  MORBUS. 

A  NO'SOS.     See  MORBUS  NIGER. 


MELAMPO'DIUM.     See  HELLEBORUS  NIGER. 

MELAMPY'RUM,  (from  /tte/a?,  black,  and 
wheat,  because  it  resembles  wheat,)  triticumvaccinum, 
crataogonum,  PURPLE  cow  WHEAT,  melamfiyrum  ar-venne 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  842,  because  it  is  very  grateful  to  black 
cattle.  Its  effects  resemble  those  of  darnel,  and  are 
narcotic,  until  custom  has  rendered  it  habitual.  It  is 
found  among  corn  in  many  countries,  particularly 
Fricsland  and  Flanders.  A  wild  species  is  called  sa- 
tureia  lulca  sylvestris.  Melamjiyrutn  sylvaticum  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  843.  See  Rail  Historia. 

MELANAGO'GA,  (from  )«.£/««,  black,  and  «y»,  to 
exfiel).  Medicines  which  purge  off  black  matter  sup- 
posed formerly  to  be  bile. 

MELANCHO'LIA,  (from  itebaiva,  black,  and  x»M, 
bile).  MELANCHOLY;  delirium  melancholicum,  eroto- 
mania, fianofihobia,  athymia.  Dr.  Cullen  places  it  as 
a  genus  in  the  class  neuroses,  order  -uesania,  and  de- 
fines it,  a  partial  insanity,  without  dyspepsia.  (Vide 
MANIA.)  Melancholy  and  hypochondriasis  are  so  nearly 
allied,  that  the  distinction  is  difficult.  Dyspepsy  is, 
however,  a  commonly  attendant  symptom  of  the  latter ; 
but  absent  in  the  former. 

Of  this  Dr.  Cullen  distinguishes  eight  varieties, 
arising  from  the  objects  of  false  conceptions.  1st, 
from  being  fearful  of  the  dangerous  state  of  the  consti- 
tution ;  or,  2dly,  from  a  false  conception  of  their  more 
prosperous  situation  ;  3dly,  from  violent  love,  without 
the  irritation  of  lust ;  4thly,  a  superstitious  fear,  of  a 
future  state;  Sthly,  a  dislike  of  motion,  and  all  the 
offices  of  life  ;  6thly,  with  inquietude  and  restless- 
ness ;  Tthly,  with  a  weariness  of  life ;  Sthly,  from  a 
man's  false  conception  of  the  nature  of  his  own 
species,  fancying  himself  a  dog,  a  horse,  or  some 
other  animal. 

Melancholy,  however,  is  in  general  the  beginning 
or  a  less  degree  of  madness,  and  the  highest  degree  of 
hypochondriasis.  Each  passes  gradually  into  the  other ; 
and  they  all  often,  at  last,  terminate  in  alienation  of 
mind.  See  MANIA. 

MELANOPI'PER,  (from  neteiva,  black,  and  flifler, 
fiefifier}.  See  PIPER  NIGRUM. 

MELA'NTHIUM, and  MELASPE'RMIUM, (from 
(«.£/«;,  and  a-Kifpct,  semen,  seed).  See  NIGELLA  Ro- 

MANA. 

MELANTO'RIA,  (from  pites,  black].      See  ATRA- 

MENTUM   SUTORUM. 

ME'LAS,  BLACK.  An  epithet  applied  to  the  colour 
of  the  skin,  and  to  some  particular  medicines,  as 
calomelas.  A  species  of  leprosy  of  a  dark  black  colour 
has  the  same  appellation.  See  ALPHUS. 

MELA'SMA,  (from  /«.£*««,  black}.    See  SUGILLATIO. 

MELA'ZZO.     See  SACCHARUM. 

ME'LCA,(from  a.^i^ya,  to  milk}.  "Milk  well  sea- 
soned with  boiling  hot  vinegar,  to  separate  by  rest  the 
curd  from  the  whey."  Constantino  de  Agriculture, 
lib.  xviii. 

MELEGE'TA.     See  PARADISI  GHANA. 

MELEI'OS.     See  ALUMEN. 

ME'LICA.     See  MILIUM  INDICUM. 

MELICERI'OLA.     A  small  meliceris. 

MELICE'RIS,  (from  f«Ai,  honey,  and  *»fo«,  tuax}. 
Mellifavium,  is  an  encysted  tumour,  whose  contents 
resemble  honey  and  wax.  It  differs  from  the  atheroma 
by  its  evident  fluctuation,  and  from  the  steatoma  by 


MEL 


973 


MEL 


its  firmness.     It  may  be  extirpated,  or  opened  and  dis- 
solved, by  exciting  suppuration.     Sec  N.SVUS. 

MELJCRA'TOX,  (from  A«A«,  honey,  and  Ktfxttvfu, 
to  mix).  See  HYDROMELI. 

MELIGEl'OX,  (from  fu*i,  honey,}  a  foetid  oily  hu- 
mour of  the  consistence  of  honey,  discharged  from 
ulcers  when  complicated  with  a  caries  of  the  subjacent 
bone.  Blanchard. 

MELILO'TUS,.(from  (u*>,  honey,  and  **?•«,  the 
iotue,)  lotus  sylvestris,  tertula  comfiana,  trifolium  cabal- 
linum,  corona  regia,  COMMON  MELILOT,  trifolium  meli- 
lotus  officinalis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1078,  is  a  plant  with  smooth, 
oval,  striated  leaves,  standing  three  together  on  slender 
pedicles,  and  round,  striated,  branched  stalks,  termi- 
nated by  long  spikes  of  papilionaceous  flowers  dropping 
downward,  followed  by  short,  thick,  wrinkled  pods, 
containing  each  one  or  two  roundish  seeds.  It  is  an- 
nual, or  biennial,  and  flowers  in  hedges  and  cornfields 
the  greatest  part  of  the  summer. 

Melilot  is  emollient,  and  supposed  to  be  anodyne, 
participating  of  the  virtue  of  camomile.  Its  taste  is  un- 
pleasant, somewhat  acrid  and  salt,  but  not  bitter;  when 
fresh  it  hath  little  smell,  but  in  drying  acquires  a  strong 
aromatic  though  disagreeable  odour.  The  distilled 
water  of  melilot,  though  of  little  smell,  remarkably 
heightens  that  of  other  substances.  It  formerly  gave 
name  to  a  plaster,  to  which  its  juice  imparted  a  green 
colour ;  but  it  is  now  seldom  used. 

^IELILO'TUS  MAJOR.     See  LOTUS  URBAXA. 

MELIPHY'LLON,  (from  m*i,  honey,  and  <f»AA»F,  a 
leaf).  BAUM  or  BALM.  See  MELISSA. 

MELI'SSA,(from  n£\i<mt,  because  bees  are  fond  of 
it,)  afiiastrum,  erotion,  mellifoliumj  citrago,  citraria, 
und  cedronella,  from  its  colour;  melis&a  ojficinalis  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  827,  is  a  well  known  plant  in  our  gardens:  the 
stalks  are  square ;  the  leaves  are  oblong,  pointed,  dark 
green,  somewhat  hairy,  and  set  in  pairs,  in  the  bosoms 
of  which  arise  pale,  reddish,  labiated  flowers,  standing 
several  together,  on  one  pedicle,  with  the  upper  lip 
roundish,  erect,  and  cloven,  and  the  lower  divided  ipto 
three  segments.  It  is  perennial,  a  native  of  mountainous 
places  in  the  northern  parts  of  Europe,  and  flowers  in 
our  gardens  in  June. 

Baum  is  one  of  the  mildest  cordials  and  corroborants : 
with  a  pleasant  smell,  resembling  that  of  the  lemon, 
and  a  weak  aromatic  taste,  which  it  loses  in  a  great 
degree  by  drying ;  a  slight  roughness  discoverable  in 
the  fresh  herb,  becomes  more  sensible  when  dry ;  the 
young  shoots  are  stronger  than  the  full  grown  stems. 
Infusions  of  the  leaves,  in  water,  smell  agreeably  of  the 
herb,  but  have  not  much  taste,  though,  when  inspis- 
sated, that  of  the  extract  is  bitterish  and  austere.  In- 
fusions of  baum  do  not,  like  other  aromatics,  offend  the 
head.  Cold  infusions  in  water,  or  spirit  are  far  better 
than  the  cohobated  distilled  water,  and  are  the  best  pre- 
parations. It  used  to  be  considered  as  an  efficacious 
nervous  medicine  in  hypochondriasis  and  melancholia, 
as  well  as  an  emmenagogue.  At  present  it  is  only 
given  in  infusion  as  a  grateful  diluent  in  fevers,  some- 
times acidulated  with  lemon  juice. 

On  distilling  the  fresh  herb  with  water,  it  strongly 
impregnates  the  first  running  with  its  grateful  flavour. 
When  large  quantities  are  subjected  to  the  operation,  a 


small  portion  of  essential  oil,  called  ol.  Syria,  or  of. 
Germanis,  swims  on  the  surface.  It  is  of  a  yellowish 
colour,  and  a  fragrant  smell.  See  MOLUCCA. 

MELI'SSA  NE'PETHA.     See  CALAMINTHA. 

MELI'SSA  CALAMI'XTHA.     See  MONTANA. 

MELI'SSA  TU'RCICA,  camfihorosma,  TURRET,  or  CA- 
NARY BAUM,  commonly  called  balm  of  Gilead,  dracoce- 
fihalum  Canariense  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  829.  This  species  is 
a  native  of  the  Canary  isles,  and  scarcely  bears  the  cold 
of  our  climate  without  shelter.  It  is  commended  as  a 
warm  tonic  if  frequently  drank  in  infusion. 

MELISSOPHY'LLON.     See  MELISSA,  and   BAL- 

LOTE. 

MELITI'SMOS,  (from  fu*t,  honey).  A  linctus  pre- 
pared with  honey. 

MELLA'GO,  (from  mel,  honey).  Any  medicine  of 
the  consistence  and  sweetness  of  honey. 

MELLEGUE'TTA.     See  PARADISIGRAXA. 

MELLIFA'VIUM,  (from  mel,  and  favu*,  honey- 
comb). See  MELICERIS. 

MELLITUS,  (from  mel,  honey,)  sweet,  partaking  of 
the  nature  of  honey.  This  is  the  trivial  name  of  a 
species  of  diabetet,  q.  v.  a  disease  which,  since  the  pub- 
lication of  the  second  part,  has  attracted  the  attention  of 
MM.  Dupuytren  and  Threnard.  (See  MANNA.)  They 
discovered  that  the  residue  of  diabetic  urine,  after  eva- 
poration, was  not  peculiarly  sweet  to  the  taste,  though 
it  had  all  the  properties  of  real  sugar ;  while  manna,  a 
substance  peculiarly  sweet,  contained  sugar  only  in  a 
very  small  proportion.  They  found  an  animal  diet  suc- 
cessful, and  on  examining  the  urine  during  the  cure, 
perceived  the  first  salutary  change  in  the  urine  to  be 
an  evolution  of  albumen,  and  soon  afterwards  the  urea 
and  uric  acid  appeared.  In  the  true  diabetic  urine 
no  animal  matter  can  be  discovered. 

MELIFO'LIUM,  (from  mel,  and  folium,  a   leaf). 
(See  MELISSA.)   MELISSOPHYLLUM,  melitis  melissofihyl- 
lum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  832,  has  been  used  in  calculous  com-  . 
plaints,  and  as  an  emmenagogue,  but  is  now  neglected. 

ME'LO,  (from  its  resemblance  to  ^Ao,  an  aji/ile). 
The  MELON,  cucumus  melo  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1436.  This 
fruit  is  cooling  and  wateiy,  and  should  be  taken  with 
caution  by  those  who  have  weak  digestive  powers,  and 
are  best  eaten  with  sugar  and  some  aromatics,  as 
ginger,  or  pepper.  They  are  diuretic,  and  have  been 
said  to  produce  bloody  urine,  which  may  have  hap- 
pened, but  it  seems  a  solitary  instance. 

ME'LO  I'XDICUS.     See  JACE  BRASILIENSIBUS. 

MELO'E  VESICATO'RIUS.     See  gANTHARiDES. 

ME'LON,  (from  ft*A»»,  an  a/ifile).  AN  APPLE;  the 
CHEEK,  (see  MALA  and  BUCC.S,)  or  a  disorder,  of  the 
eye,  when  it  protuberates  from  the  socket.  See  EX- 
OPHTHALMIA  and  MALUM. 

MELO'NGENA,  mala  insana,  tolanum  fiomiferum. 
MAD  APPLE.  It  is  not  injurious,  as  has  been  sup- 
posed. The  Spaniards  and  Italians  eat  them  both  in 
sauce  and  in  sweetmeats :  their  taste  resembles  that  of 
a  citron. 

MELO'PEPON,  (from  /t»A»r,  an  afifile,  and  x-ervt,  a 
fiomfiion).  The  SQUASH  resembles  both  the  melon  and 
the  pompion,  except  that  its  fruit  is  roundish,  striated, 
angular,  cut  into  five  parts,  and  full  of  flat  seeds,  fixed 
to  a  spongy  placenta.  See  PEPO. 


ME  M 


974 


M  E  N 


MELO'SIS,  (from  w*v,  a  probe}.  The  searching  of 
any  part  with  a  probe.  See  APYROMELE. 

MELOSTI'CA  PENDULA,  Lin.  Sp.  PL  49,  is  not 
remarkable  for  any  medical  virtues,  but  its  fruit  is  pick- 
led and  eaten  as  a  condiment. 

MELOTHRUM.     See  BRYONIA  ALBA. 

MELO'TRIS,  (a  diminutive  of  fojAx,  a  probe}.  See 
APYROMELE. 

MEMBRA'NA,  (from  membrana,  parchment, -which 
it  resembles).  A  MEMBRANE;  chiton.  Winslow  de- 
scribes it  to  be  a  pliable  texture  of  fibres,  disposed  or 
interwoven  together  in  the  same  plane.  Membranes 
differ  in  thickness,  according  to  the  smallness  of  their 
fibres,  and  the  number  of  their  planes,  called  lamina. 
For  a  description  of  the  cellular  membrane,  see  CELLU- 
LOSA  MEMBRANA,  and  FIBRA. 

The  mucous  membrane  is  that  covering  of  the  surface 
of  any  part,  generally  within  the  body,  which  is  ex- 
posed to  injury  from  extraneous  matter,  as  the  internal 
membrane  of  the  mouth,  nose,  lungs,  oesophagus,  sto- 
mach, intestines,  and  urinary  passages,  from  which 
they  are  defended  by  the  mucus,  which  it  secretes. 

The  common  membranes,  called  the  common  tegu- 
ments, are  the  scarf  skin,  the  true  skin,  and  the  cellu- 
lar membrane;  but  from  this  rank  the  first  and  last 
must  be  excluded,  for  the  scarf  skin  is  an  apparently  in- 
organic exudation,  inspissated,  or  a  scaly  covering,  and 
the  tela  cellulosa  not  very  different.  The  membranes 
which  cover  particular  parts  are,  the  dura  and  fiia  ma- 
ter, pleura,  peritoneum,  pericardium,  periosteum,  mem- 
brana  propria  musculorum,  a  vascular  membrane  which 
covers  all  the  vessels  of  the  body,  and  those  which  form 
the  tubes,  as  the  stomach,  intestines,  arteries,  veins,  gall 
bladder,  or  urinary  bladder.  Membranes,  we  have 
said,  (see  FIBRA,  FETUS,  and  GENERATIO,)  are  appa- 
rently primordial  and  nervous,  and  afford  a  striking 
instance  where  nerves,  by  a  closer  and  more  compact 
•  texture  lose  their  sensibility ;  for  membranes,  like  ten- 
dons, are  insensible  in  a  sound  state.  They  show,  how- 
ever, their  peculiar  nature  by  the  extreme  pain  and 
irritation  felt  when  stretched  or  inflamed. 

MEMBRANA  HYALOIDEA,  the  membrane  which  encloses 
the  vitreous  humour  of  the  eye. 

MEMBRANA  PUPILLARIS,  the  membrane  which  covers 
the  pupil  of  a  foetus  before  the  sixth  month. 

MEMBRANA  RUYSCHIANA  the  internal  lamina  of  the 
choroid. 

MEMBRANA  TYMPANI.  The  membrane  separating  the 
tympanum  of  the  ear  from  the  meatus  externus.  (See 
AURIS.)  It  is  said  to  consist  of  six  laminae,  1st,  a  pro- 
duction of  the  epidermis ;  2cl,  of  the  skin  lining  the  au- 
ditory passage ;  3d,  a  cellular  membrane  supporting 
reticulated  vessels;  4th,  a  production  of  the  periosteum 
of  the  meatus;  5th,  like  the  3d;  6th,  a  production  of  the 
periosteum  of  the  internal  cavity.  Muscular  fibres 
have  also  been  discovered  in  it. 

MEMBRANA'CEI,  (from  membrana}.  Inflamma- 
tion of  membranous  parts. 

MEMBRANA'CEUS,(from  membrana,}  belonging 
to  the  MEMBRANES.  In  botany  it  means  those  leaves 
which  have  no  parenchyma  between  the  surfaces. 

MEMBRANA'CEUS  PI'NGUIS.     See  C^ELIFLOS. 

MEMBRA'JSLE,     See  I.NVOLUCRA. 


MEMBRANOLO'GIA,(from  membrane,  and 
discourse}.     MEMBRANOLOGY.     It  treats  of  the   com- 
mon integuments,  and  of  particular  membranes. 

MEMBRANO'SUS  MU'SCULUS;  from  its  large 
membranous  expansion.  See  APONEUROSIS. 

MENDO'SA  SUTU'RA,  (from  mendax,  counter- 
feit}. The  squamous  suture  in  the  skull  ;  differing 
from  other  sutures,  as  it  resembles  a  scale  instead  of 
being  indented  into  the  adjoining  bone. 

MENDO'SjE.    COST^E,  (from    the    same).      See 


MENI'NGES,  (from  fw*>,  to  remain}.     See  DURA 

MATER. 

MENING.E'^  ARTE'RI^E,  (from  f«v,y|,  a  mem- 
brane'). See  DURJE  MATRIS  ARTEKI^. 

MENINGOPHYLAX,  (from  i^v/yf,  a  membrane, 
and  <pv)w<rra,  to  guard}.  An  instrument  described  by 
Celsus,  lib.  viii.  cap.  3,  contrived  for  guarding  the 
membranes  of  the  brain,  whilst  the  bone  is  rasped,  or 
cut,  after  the  operation  of  the  trepan. 

MENI'NX,(from  pwta,  to  remain}.  See  DURA  MATER. 

MENORRHA'GIA,  (from  ju«v«e,  the  menses,  and 
ftiyivfu,  to  break  out}.  EXCESSIVE"  or  EXTRAORDINARY 
DISCHARGE  of  the  MENSES,  metrorrhag/iia,  htsmorrhagia 
uterina.  Dr.  Cullen  places  this  disease  in  the  class 
pyrejciiE,  and  order  li£morrhagi<s,  which  he  defines 
pains  of  the  back,  loins,  and  belly,  similar  to  those  of 
labour,  attended  with  a  flow  of  the  menses,  or  of  blood 
from  the  vagina,  more  copious  than  natural.  The 
species  are  : 

1.  MENORRHA'GIA  RUBRA.     See  MENSES. 

2.  MENORRHA'GIA    ABORTUS;   menorrhagia  gravida- 
rum.     See  Floodings  under  ABORTUS. 

3.  MENORRHA'GIA  LOCHIALIS.     See  LOCHIA. 

4.  MENORRHA'GIA  VITIORUM;  when  the  appearances- 
of  the  menses  are  from  ulcer  or  other  local  defect. 

5.  MENORRHA'GIA  ALBA.     See  FLUOR  ALBUS. 

6.  MENORRHA'GIA  NABOTHI  ;    the    serous    discharge 
from  the  vagina  during  pregnancy. 

MENORRHA'GIA  DIFFI'CILIS.  Difficult  or  painful 
menstruation.  See  MENSES  DEFICIENTES. 

ME'NSA.  The  second  lobe  of  the  liver  in  ancient 
authors.  See  AURIGA. 

ME'NSA  Jo'vis.     See  VERBENA. 

ME'NSES,  (from  mensis,a  month,}  catamenia,  men- 
strua, emmenia,gyn<ecia,  periodical  discharges  of  blood 
from  the  uterus,  vagina,  or  both,  from  about  the  age  of 
fourteen  to  about  fifty.  In  warm  climates  they  appear 
at  about  eight  or  nine  years  of  age  ;  in  temperate  ones 
at  thirteen  to  fourteen,  and  in  the  arctic  regions  not  till 
nineteen  or  twenty.  The  quantity  discharged  is  from 
four  to  ten  ounces;  but  in  this  there  is  much  variety, 
and  the  discharge  continues  from  two  to  eight  or  ten 
days.  In  some  relaxed  constitutions  there  is  occasion- 
ally not  more  than  a  week's  interval,  and  in  general  the 
more  lax  the  constitution,  the  larger  is  the  discharge, 
and  the  longer  its  continuance.  The  indolent,  the  san- 
guine, and  the  luxurious,  have  generally  a  large  pe- 
riodical evacuation.  Usually,  the  earlier  the  period 
when  they  first  appear,  the  sooner  they  disappear. 
In  this  country  they  disappear  about  the  forty-fifth  year, 
though,  from  accidental  circumstances,  the  cessation 
may  happen  in  the  thirty-sixth  or  be  protracted  to  the 


MEN 


975 


M  EN 


fiftieth  year.  We  have  known  instances  of  their  con- 
tinuing to  the  fifty-second,  when  they  have  not  ap- 
peared at  a  late  period.  The  tales  so  frequently  de- 
tailed of  their  returning  at  the  ages  of  sixty,  and  even  of 
eighty,  do  not  merit  any  particular  attention,  though 
often  well  founded  :  for  in  these  cases,  the  discharge 
is  truly  haemorrhagic,  generally  temporary,  and  often 
critical. 

The  menses  flow  chiefly  from  the  uterus,  and  occa- 
sionally from  the  vagina  alone,  as  happens  sometimes 
during  pregnancy.  When  the  natural  discharge  is 
^topped,  a  vicarious  bleeding  takes  place  from  the  nose, 
the  lungs,  the  nipple,  the  haemorrhoidal  veins,  the 
stomach,  the  bowels,  and  even  the  gums,  without  any- 
particular  inconvenience. 

Before  that  peculiar  state  of  irritability  which  dis- 
poses to  an  irregular  balance  of  the  circulation,  and 
consequently  to  topical  congestion,  had  its  full  weight 
in  our  physiological  and  pathological  inquiries,  a  dis- 
charge of  blood  implied,  in  the  opinion  of  pathologists, 
plethora.  That  a  general  fulness  was  the  cause  of  the 
menstrual  discharge  was  scarcely  doubted  by  the 
soundest  physiologists,  for  the  fancies  of  the  lunar 
influence  and  of  fermentation  were  soon  rejected. 
This  opinion  had  undoubtedly  many  observations  to 
support  it.  The  access  of  the  catamenia  was  marked 
by  general  load  and  oppression  ;  the  breasts  swelled  ;  the 
stomach  was  often  disordered  ;  and  their  suppression 
was  followed  by  other  sanguine  discharges.  Yet  the 
acuteness  of  modern  philosophers  soon  discovered  that 
these  views  would  not  explain  all  the  various  phe- 
nomena. They  saw  that  the  catamenia  continued  to 
recur  notwithstanding  the  system  was  exhausted,  that 
the  fullest  habits  had  not,  invariably,  the  most  copious 
or  frequent  discharges  ;  for,  on  the  contrary,  these  were 
usually  observed  in  the  weak  and  irritable.  They  per- 
ceived also,  that  a  copious  general  bleeding  would  not 
stop  their  appearance,  and  the  most  copious  discharge 
would  not  always  relieve  any  internal  inflammation.  If 
also  this  view  was  correct,  why  did  not  the  catamenia 
occur  at  other  ages,  when  the  vessels  were  distended  ? 
why  not  in  the  intermediate  periods,  if  the  arterial  sys- 
tem was  unusually  full  ?  The  partial  congestions,  sug- 
gested by  the  writers  of  the  Stahlian  school,  came 
therefore  to  their  aid.  The  topical  load,  in  a  system  so 
irritable,  and  so  generally  sympathizing,  as  that  of  the. 
uterus,  would  produce  equal  uneasiness  ;  irom  the  pe- 
culiar sympathy  between  the  uterus  and  the  breasts,  the 
mammse  would  swell ;  and,  when  any  the  most  purely 
topical  discharge  was  suppressed,  other  irregular  deter- 
minations were  known  in  other  instances  to  come  on. 
Nothing  appeared,  therefore,  to  be  inconsistent  with  to- 
pical plethora ;  and  this  satisfactorily  explained  all  the 
difficulties  of  the  former  system.  The  idea  had  loosely- 
floated  in  the  minds  of  many  physiologists  before 
the  time  of  Dr.  Cullen;  but  to  him  we  are  indebted 
for  its  expansion  into  a  system  at  once  elegant  and 
corrett. 

In  different  parts  of  this  work,  and  particularly  in  the 
article  of  HAEMORRHOIDS,  q.  v.  we  have  explained  the 
gradual  'development  of  the  different  parts  of  the 
body  from  the  distention  of  the  arterial  system,  ul- 
timately depending  on  the  progressive  changes  of  the 
relative  degree  of  resistance  in  the  coats  of  the  ar- 
teries and  veins.  The  genital  systems  of  either  sex 


experience  this  change  about  the  same  time,  and  as  the 
vessels  of  the  uterus  easily  admit  of  considerable  dila- 
tation, congestion  is  the  consequence,  which  is  re- 
lieved by  the  exhaling  arteries  yielding  to  the  impulse. 
No  rupture  of  the  veins  or  arteries  takes  place,  for  the 
discharge  is  steady,  regular,  and  seldom  considerable  in 
a  given  time.  After  it  has  continued  for  even  a  short 
period,  every  inconvenience  is  removed,  the  previous 
load  is  no  longer  felt,  and  the  fulness  of  the  mammae 
subsides.  The  continuance  of  the  discharge  is  different 
in  different  constitutions,  but  it  usually  continues  from 
three  to  five  days,  when  it  ceases,  sometimes  leaving  a 
serous  discharge  for  a  day  or  two,  sometimes  a  mucous 
one,  which,  if  it  continues,  constitutes  the  disease 
called  leucorrhfa,  or  Jluor  albut. 

The  recurrence  of  the  catamenia  is  with  more  diffi- 
culty explained.  Women,  from  the  sedentary  life 
which  they  lead,  and  from  a  looser  contexture  of  ves- 
sels, are  more  subject  to  plethoric  congestions  than 
men,  and  the  uterus  is,  from  its  structure,  more  likely 
to  receive  these  accumulated  fluids.  By  degrees,  these 
topical  congestions  become  habitual,  and  recur  inde- 
pendently of  any  real  general  plethora.  This  explana- 
tion appears  to  be  supported  by  the  irregular  returns 
of  the  catamenia  in  the  earlier  periods,  and  the  irregu- 
lar continuance  of  the  discharge  before  the  habit  is 
established.  Why  the  accumulation  should  require  a 
lunar  month  before  it  is  equal  to  produce  the  effect,  it  is 
impossible  to  ascertain,  as  why  the  period  of  fourteen 
days  should  be  most  commonly  required  to  produce  the 
crisis  of  fever,  or  why  the  seventh  and  the  fourteenth 
year  should  be  marked  by  striking  changes  in  the  con- 
stitution. Such  is  the  determination  of  Him  "  in  whom 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being." 

This  view  of  the  subject  will  explain  equally  the  pa- 
thology and  practice  in  all  their  varieties.  When  the 
changes,  which  successively  take  place  in  the  determi- 
nations to  the  different  parts,  commence,  a  great 
degree  of  irritability  occurs,  and  sometimes  considera- 
ble debility.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with  the 
changes  in  organs  so  peculiarly  irritable  as  those  con- 
nected with  generation.  At  this  period,  in  young 
women,  we  find  a  pallid  languor,  want  of  appetite, 
terrors,  tremors,  and  even  convulsions.  Where  the 
constitution  is  more  robust  and  plethoric,  violent  pains, 
flushings  in  the  face,  and  even  feverish  attacks.  In  the 
first  instance,  the  determination  is  unequal  to  the  task, 
in  the  second,  some  obstruction  occurs  in  the  exhalents ; 
and,  like  every  other  impediment  to  the  free  circulation, 
excites  a  vis  a  tergo  to  overcome  it.  Similar  symp- 
toms follow  obstruction,  joined  with  the  inconve- 
niences which  arise  from  the  stoppage  of  an  habitual 
discharge,  added  to  those  which  result  from  the  altered 
determination,  which  is  the  consequence. 

MENSES  DEFICIEXTES,  the  amenorrhoea  of  Dr. 
Cullen,  including  also,  with  less  accuracy,  the  dys- 
menorrhoea,  difficilismenstruatio  of  authors,  constitute  a 
disease  divided  into  the  amansio  and  sufiftressio  men- 
sium.  The  difficult  menstruation  may  be  a  variety  of 
the  latter,  as  the  discharge  is  temporarily  suppressed. 

The  emansio  mensium  consists  of  a  retention  of  the 
discharge  at  the  period  when  it  should  take  place, 
independent  of  pregnancy.  To  constitute  a  disease 
it  must  be  attended  with  pain,  uneasiness,  or  a  dis- 
turbance of  the  functions,  for,  whatever  time  may 


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be  fixed  as  the  usual  one,  this  period  is  protracted 
in  some  constitutions,  without  inconvenience.  Much 
depends  on  the  climate,  the  mode  of  life,  the  structure 
of  the  body,  and  the  peculiarities  of  the  constitution. 
Thus  in  a  warm  climate  the  period  may  be  accelerated 
to  the  .age  of  ten  or  eleven,  and,  in  a  cold  one, 
retarded  to  eighteen  :  a  girl,  indulged  in  all  the  luxuries 
of  modern  fashionable  life,  and  the  sedentary  seam- 
stress, or  the  laborious  peasant,  experience  equal  prema- 
turity, or  retarded  expansion :  a  full  bosomed  plethoric 
girl  and  a  thin  attenuated  one,  with  small  delicate 
limbs  and  a  torpid  circulation,  are  respectively  in  the 
same  circumstances.  Somewhat  depends  also  upon 
structure.  In  the  case  recorded  in  the  Edinburgh 
Journal,  where  the  menses  never  appeared,  the  ovaria 
were  wanting.  In  similar  circumstances,  the  form,  the 
manners,  and  general  appearance,  resemble  that  of  a 
man ;  so  that,  when  we  see  the  masculine  manner  and 
growth,  it  is  highly  probable  that  the  menses,  if  they 
appear  at  all,  will  be  scanty,  and  impregnation  impro- 
bable, as  the  female  structure  is  in  some  important 
respect  defective. 

When  the  discharge  does  not  take  place,  the  whole 
system  becomes  languid,  the  complexion  pale,  the 
mucous  secretions  are  defective :  and,  in  consequence, 
the  foeculent  discharges  are  impeded,  and  the  nose  is 
dry.  The  appetite  is  bad,  or  fanciful,  often  requiring 
substances  not  alimentary,  though  not,  as  has  been 
said,  always  antacid,  nor  in  such  circumstances  does 
acid  abound  in  the  stomach.  The  mind  is  whimsical 
and  variable,  the  voluntary  muscles  convulsed ;  the 
sleep  disturbed,  the  urine  pale.  In  fact,  the  animal 
functions  are  almost  wholly  suspended,  and  the  vital 
ones  feebly  carried  on,  for  the  pulse  is  low  and  quick, 
the  breathing  laborious,  consumption,  or  palsy,  seems 
to  impend,  and  the  patient  appears  to  sink  rapidly  to  the 
grave.  In  the  worst  stages  of  these  complaints,  a  little 
mucous  or  serous  discharge,  perhaps  somewhat  colour- 
ed, changes  the  scene,  and  gives  some  appearance  of 
returning  health :  it  recurs  at  distant  and  irregular  in- 
tervals, attended,  each  time,  with  some  amendment  of 
all  the  symptoms,  till  at  last,  colour,  appetite,  spirits, 
&c.  return ;  and  the  palid,  chlorotic  girl  becomes  a 
blooming,  healthy  young  woman. 

While  we  are  ignorant  of  the  first  principles  by 
which  nature  acts,  we  know  not  the  impediments  to 
her  action.  We  recognize,  in  the  case  before  us,  either 
a  want  of  energy,  or  some  resistance  in  the  exhalent  ar- 
teries ;  each  attended  by  an  apparent  sinking  of  the 
more  active  powers.  If  we  observe  the  progress,  the 
change  at  last  appears  to  take  place  from  the  vessels 
yielding,  in  consequence  of  debility,  rather  than  from 
increased  impetus,  for  the  first  appearances,  the  serous 
or  mucous  discharges  are  complaints,  which,  at  future 
periods,  arise  from  debility  only.  The  change,  though 
imperfectly  taking  place,  is  attended  with  beneficial 
consequences  ;  and  the  powers  of  nature,  thus  reani- 
mated, gain  additional  force,  to  complete  the  more  per- 
fect state.  The  regular  return,  however,  is  not  yet  ob- 
served, for  this  is  the  consequence  of  habit. 

In  this  weak  state  young  women  often  continue  for 
many  years ;  but  we  know  not  that  the  complaint  has 
ever  been  fatal,  for,  if  the  discharge  does  not  take  place, 
they  recover  some  share  of  strength  and  activity.  The 
complaint  is  often  taken  for  consumption,  and  many 


remedies  of  a  secret  kind  have  acquired  credit  from  the 
efforts  of  nature  alone.  Many  oiu  women's  remedies 
have,  on  the  same  ground,  been  highly  praised  ;  and 
the  numerous  female  pills,  so  often  advertised,  have 
appeared  to  succeed,  when  nature  has  done  the  work. 
We  mean  not  to  deny  that  this  often  happens  in  regular 
practice,  but  the  foundation  of  the  plans  in  this  disease, 
we  shall  proceed  to  explain. 

The  most  obvious  idea  in  these  circumstances  is  to 
give  strength  and  activity  to  the  circulating  system  : 
another,  though  a  subordinate  one,  is  to  relax  either  a 
supposed  constriction,  or  to  stimulate,  topically,  thft 
neighbouring  vessels. 

To  give  strength  and  activity  to  the  circulation 
is  attempted  generally  by  tonics  and  stimulants.  Such, 
however,  of  the  former  as  combine  astringency  are  sup- 
posed to  be  injurious.  The  simple  bitters  are,  therefore, 
often  employed,  particularly  the  camomile  flowers, 
and  the  columbo  root.  The  myrrh  is  a  medicine  of  a 
more  doubtful  nature;  and,  as  a  narcotic  bitter,  may 
appear  to  combine  a  sedative  power.  It  seems,  very 
certainly,  to  lessen  hectic  exacerbations.  Whether  it 
has  a  peculiar  power  in  promoting  the  menstrual  dis- 
charge we  dare  not  say.  We  never  have  observed 
such  power,  but  have  suspected,  in  hectics,  where 
there  is  a  tendency  to  haemorrhage  from  the  lungs,  that 
it  has  contributed  to  promote  haemoptysis  :  it  may, 
therefore,  have  a  similar  effect.  Astringents  have  been 
accused  of  checking  the  discharge,  and  we  believe  with 
reason.  They  have  been  certainly  injurious  when  em- 
ployed too  freely  in  critical  menstruations,  and  in 
puerperal  profluvia. 

The  tonics  most  generally  beneficial  are  the  metal- 
lic. Of  these  the  most  useful,  or  rather  the  most 
used,  are  the  iron  and  mercury.  We  have  said,  that 
perhaps,  with  the  exception  of  lead,  all  the  metallic 
bodies  were  tonics,  but  that  the  two,  just  mentioned, 
seemed  to  give  a  more  decided  activity  to  the  cir- 
culation, and  that  the  former  even  occasioned  inflam- 
matory action.  Iron,  or  rather,  as  it  is  styled  inaccu- 
rately, steel,  is  the  foundation  of  the  more  common 
boasted  panaceas  for  this  complaint,  and  is  often  highly 
useful.  Every  form  has  been  in  turn  extolled,  and 
each  has  perhaps  succeeded.  We  know  not  that  art 
has  contrived  a  better  preparation  than  the  scales  found 
around  the  anvil,  in  a  blacksmith's  shop,  or  the  green 

Vitriol  ;  and  whatever  iron  can  effect  will  be  found  to 
result  from  these  remedies.  The«chalybeate  mineral 
waters  are  also  frequently  used  with  success.  Zinc  has 
been  occasionally  employed,  but  we  believe  no  other 
metal  in  the  later  periods,  since  the  cordial  and  dia- 
phoretic powers  of  gold  and  silver  have  been  distrusted. 
Perhaps  arsenic  might  succeed ;  but  the  long  time 
required  for  the  continuance  of  remedies  for  this  com- 
plaint will  suggest  the  most  suspicious  caution  respect- 
ing this  metal.  Cold  bathing  has  been  sometimes  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose,  but  not  so  frequently  as  it 
might,  and  probably  would  have  been,  were  not  cold 
considered  among  the  causes  which  retard  men- 
struation. We  have,  however,  often  found  it  an  useful 
remedy. 

The  chalybeate  mineral  waters  have  been,  us  usual, 
rendered  more  effectual  by  exercise,  change  of  scene, 
cheerful  society,  and  pleasing  objects;  for  all  assist 
greatly  in  producing  the  change  in  the  constitution 


M  E 


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M  E 


which  facilitates  the  discharge.  Indeed,  even'  thing 
•which  establishes  the  general  health,  and  gives  vigour 
to  the  constitution,  contributes  to  the  same  salutary 
object. 

The  stimulants  employed  to  give  energy  and  activity 
to  the  circulation  must  be  those  which  act  steadily  and 
with  moderation,  so  as  not  to  exhaust  the  excitability 
they  are  designed  to  support.  The  chief  of  these  is 
warmth,  rather  of  climate  than  the  artificial  warmth  of 
fires,  though  these  are  sometimes  of  use  when  com- 
bined with  exercise;  and  the  patients  in  an  hospital, 
who  soonest  receive  relief,  are  those  employed  in  the 
kitchen.  In  other  forms,  heat  has  been  employed  as 
in  warm  bathing,  particularly  in  the  waters  at  Bath ; 
and  more  partially  in  the  semicupium  and  pedilu- 
vium  ;  but  this  remedy  is,  in  general,  better  adapted  to 
cases  of  suppression.  The  exciting  passions,  as  joy,  par- 
ticularly from  an  object  attained,  exercise  of  every 
kind,  warm  generous  food,  with  the  moderate  use  of 
wine,  frequent  friction,  particularly  of  the  lower  extre- 
mities, electricity  generally  employed  by  sitting  on  the 
stool,  and  perhaps  Galvanic  shocks,  may  be  useful. 
Breathing  oxygen,  air  seems  not  to  have  been  em- 
ployed ;  yet,  as  increasing  the  activity  of  the  circu- 
lation, and  giving  the  blood  a  more  florid  colour,  it 
promises  success. 

The  internal  stimulating  remedies  are  various.  Of 
these  'he  most  useful  are  emetics,  on  the  principles 
already  explained  in  that  article.  The  ammonia ;  the 
animal  oil  of  Dippel;  the  petroleum;  (he  balsam  of 
Peru ;  guaiacum,  and  the  more  irritating  cathartics,  are 
employed. 

The  cathartics,  however,  most  advantageous,  are  those 
which  act  on  the  rectum,  and  to/iically  stimulate  the  or- 
gans adjoining  the  uterus.  The. chief  of  these  is  the 
aloes;  and,  as  costiveness  is  among  the  symptoms,  so 
it  is  best  relieved  by  this  medicine:  in  fact,  aloes  has  a 
great  share  in  all  the  secret  remedies.  Cantharides, 
as  stimulating  the  bladder  of  urine;  turpentine,  as  af- 
fecting, in  the  same  way,  the  kidnies,  and  perhaps  the 
urinary  organs  through  their  whole  track;  and  black 
hellebore,  which  strongly  irritates  the  whole  of  the  in- 
testinal canal,  are  useful  remedies  of  the  same  kind. 
Shocks  of  electricity,  passed'  through  the  pelvis,  are 
said  to  have  succeeded  ;  and  cupping  glasses  have  been 
applied  to  the  sides  and  the  thighs,  to  invite1  a  larger 
proportion  of  the  circulating  fluids  to  these  parts.  The 
effects  of  the  rubia  tinctorum  we  do  not  know:  it  is 
enough  to  mention,  in  any  part  of  this  article,  that  it 
has  been  recommended. 

We  mentioned,  among  the  exciting  passions,  the 
attainment  of  any  object ;  and  if  this  be  the  object  of 
love,  the  effects  are  stronger;  and  matrimony  is  gene- 
rally supposed  to  be  an  effectual  cure.  Yet  this  disease 
checks  every  warmer  passion;  and,  except  in  peculiar 
circumstances,  the  chlorotic  girl  scarcely  looks  forward 
to  the  wedded  state  as  an  object  of  desire. 

In  our  description  of  the  symptoms,  we  remarked, 
that  the  uterine  vessels  yielded  apparently  from  debility; 
and  there  are  many  circumstances  which  concur  in 
proving  that  some  degree  of  spasm  in  the  weak  chlo- 
rotic state  prevents  the  discharge.  The  subject  of 
spasm,  as  connected  with  debility,  has  been  sufficiently 
considered  under  the  articles  COXVULSIOXES  and 
vol..  i. 


FEBRIS,  q.  v.;  and,  though  the  connection  be  admitted, 
yet  the  one  i^by  no  means  a  necessary  consequence 
of  the  other.  There  are,  however,  several  medicines 
recommended  in  the  emansio  mensium,  which  must 
chiefly  act  in  this  way ;  among  the  rest,  sitting  over 
the  steams  of  warm  water  is  considered  as  highly  use- 
ful. We  shall  find  this  remedy  particularly  so  in  sup- 
pressions, where  spasm  is  more  decidedly  obvious. 
The  fetid  gums  are  of  this  kind ;  and  other  fetids,  as 
rue,  savine,  castor,  musk,  and  ambergris,  have  been 
recommended.  Camphor,  which  is  highly  useful, 
where  spasm  is  certainly  the  cause,  has  been  recom- 
mended in  the  chlorotic  state,  and  perhaps  the  myrrh, 
with  some  other  narcotic  bitters,  will  be  chiefly  useful 
as  antispasmodics. 

Though  these  are  the  usual  symptoms  of  that  variety 
of  deficient  menses,  attended  with  debility,  and  usually 
styled  the  chlorotic  state,  yet,  in  some  instances,  there 
are  considerable  fulness  and  pain,  returning  at  irregular 
intervals,  with  vicarious  discharges  of  blood  from  other 
organs.  As  such  cases  are,  however,  more  common 
from  suppression,  or  difficult  menstruation,  we  shall 
speak  of  the  proper  remedies  under  these  heads. 

SUPPRESSIO  MENSIUM.  When  the  habit  is  estab- 
lished, and  the  discharge  continued  monthly  from  this 
cause,  it  cannot  be  broken  with  impunity.  The  most 
frequent  causes  of  suppression  arc  exposure  to  cold, 
frights,  falls,  sometimes  fever,  anxiety  of  mind,  or  con- 
finement. Suppression  from  falls  is  a  peculiarly  obsti- 
nate disorder,  and  the  discharge  is  seldom  restored; 
for,  as  in  other  shocks,  the  irritability  of  the  vessels  is 
apparently  injured.  The  attack  of  fever  is  often  at- 
tended with  the  appearance  of  the  catamenia,  and  this, 
if  at  or  near  the  regular  period,  is  a  favourable  symp- 
tom. If  at  the  intermediate  part  of  the  interval  it  is 
less  favourable,  though  it  affords  no  dangerous  or  fatal 
prognostic,  as  some  practitioners  have  alleged:  sup- 
pression in  consequence  of  long  fevers  is  from  weak- 
ness only,  but  the  return  is  often  protracted.  We  have 
thought,  that,  when  the  menses  appear,  on  the  attack  of 
fever,  oat  of  their  usual  period  of  recurrence,  the 
following  suppression  has  been  more  obstinate.  In 
general,  the  return  of  the  discharge,  after  any  violent 
degree  of  either  cause,  must  not  be  soon  expected.  Sup- 
pression in  weak,  delicate  habits  differs  little,  either  in 
-symptoms  or  remedies,  from  the  species  of  emansio 
first  described.  In  plethoric  habits  the  symptoms  are 
very  different.  If  the  .cause  occurs  during  the  discharge, 
a  feverish  attack  often  supervenes,  the  face  is  flushed, 
the  eyes  red;  pains  in  the  head  and  back  come  on,  with 
sometimes  a  bleeding  from  the  nose.  If  a  similar 
cause,  occurring  in  the  intervals,  is  continued  in  its 
effects  to  the  usual  period  of  its  appearance,  symptoms 
of  the  same  kind  are  observable;  and  they  recur  at 
each  expected  return,  gradually,  however,  declining,  till 
the  chlorotic  state  comes  on.  In  general,  the  sudden 
causes  bring  on  the  inflammatory,  those  more  slow  in 
their  action  the  chlorotic,  suppression. 

It  has  been  usual,  in  cases  of  inflammatory  suppres- 
sion, to  bleed  copiously,  and  this  is  sometimes  necessary, 
to  prevent  a  vicarious  haemorrhage  either  in  the  brain  or 
lungs;  but,  if  it  can  be  avoided,  we  shall  also  avoid  the 
danger  of  establishing  a  new  and  dangerous  habit.  We 
gain  much,  in  such  complaints,  by  determining  the 
6  I 


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MEN 


fluids  to  the  skin,  by  the  relaxing  diaphoretics;  and  the 
sedative,  or  antispasmodic  power  of  cahiphor  renders  it 
a  valuable  medicine  in  this  complaint.  With  either  the 
antimonials,  or  with  camphor,  opium  is  also  highly 
useful ;  nor  should  the  practitioner  neglect  to  invite  the 
circulating  fluids  to  the  hypogastric  region,  by  interpos- 
ing active  purgatives.  About  the  period  of  the  expect- 
ed return,  a  smart  emetic  will  prevent  the  recurrence 
of  the  spasm,  especially  if  followed  by  the  camphor, 
with  opium ;  and  the  discharge  will  appear  with  its 
former  regularity.  It  sometimes  happens,  that  at  the 
usual  period  of  the  return  a  fever  comes  on,  which, 
as  none  of  the  causes  of  suppression  had*  preceded,  or 
at  least  been  observed,  is  usually  considered  as  a  common 
fever.  If,  however,  it  is  at  the  period  of  menstrua- 
tion, a  circumstance  which  every  prudent  physician 
will  keep  in  view,  and  the  fever  is  of  the  inflammatory 
kind,  it  is  highly  probable  that  it  proceeds  from 
some  spasmodic  obstruction  in  the  uterine  vessels, 
and  must  be  treated  according  to  the  directions  already 
detailed. 

The     DYSMENORRHtEA,     Or    MENSTRUATIO     DIFFICILIS, 

is  a  similar  disorder,  and  a  very  important  one,  as  it 
prevents  the  completion  of  the  anxious  wishes  of  those 
"  who  love  their  lords."  The  pain,  on  the  occurrence 
of  the  discharge,  is  peculiarly  violent;  accompanied 
often  with  an-  obstinate  constipation,  or  a  suppression 
of  urine.  In  fact,  until  the  spasm  of  the  uterine  ves- 
sels is  relieved  neither  the  kidneys  nor  the  bowels 
yield,  however  powerful  the  medicine ;  and  the  vio- 
lence with  which  each  returning  discharge  is  attended, 
loosens  the  hold  of  any  embryo,  which,  in  the  interval, 
may  have  been  attached.  No  disease  is  more  dis- 
tressing in  its  symptoms  or  its  consequences;  and  the 
regularly  returning  confinement  is  disguised  by  a  va- 
riety of  ingenious  inventions,  while  the  consequences 
in  advanced  life  are  all  the  diseases  of  celibacy.  The 
remedies  are  those  of  suppression,  attended  with  violent 
pains,  but  the  dysmenorrhcea  does  not  require  bleed- 
ing. An  active  laxative  at  the  expected  period  of  the 
return,  followed  by  a  full  dose  of  camphor  and  opium, 
will  often  succeed;  and,  if  repeated  at  the  next  period, 
seldom  fails  to  induce  the  discharge  without  the  pre- 
ceding pains.  When  these  have  been  once  and  again 
conquered  they  seldom  recur.  In  the  inflammatory 
suppression  and  dysmenorrhoea,  pediluvia,  and  sitting 
over  the  steams  of  warm  water,  are  highly  useful.  The 
warm  bath,  raised  to  the  heat  of  94°  or  96°,  and  con- 
tinued so  long  as  to  produce  slight  faintness,  will  be 
often  successful;  but  the  laxatives,  joined  with  the 
relaxants,  are  not  only  conducted  with  more  ease,  but 
more  certainly  effectual. 

In  the  whole  of  this  consideration  it  will  be  obvious, 
that  the  great  object  is  to  correct  the  deviations  from 
health.  When  the  healthy  state  is  restored,  the  dis- 
charge will  return.  Medicines  therefore  should  not  be 
too  frequently  nor  too  constantly  employed;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  too  much  should  not  be  trusted  to  nature. 
It  requires  a  minute  discrimination  to  determine  when 
art  should  interfere,  and  how  long  artificial  means  should 
be  continued.  If  our  exertions  are  too  violent,  the 
constitution  will  sink  under  the  double  powers  of  the 
disease  and  the  medicine :  if  we  are  too  remiss,  the 
obstruction  gains  force,  and  years  are  required  to  re- 
store the  tone  and  the  general  health. 


There  is,  however,  a  period  when  the  discharge  will 
naturally  cease.     It  is  not  that  the  constitution  does  not 
supply  the  fluids  as  before,  but  that  the  diminished  irri- 
tability of  the  vessels,  or  the  diminished  resistance  of 
the  veins,  no  longer  permits  the  haemorrhagic  effort. 
This  critical  period  of  the  female  life,    MENSES  CES- 
SANTES,  must  be  attended  to  with  care.     The  future 
health  depends  in  a  great  degree  on  our  conduct  at  this 
time;  and  we  are  required  to  be  peculiarly  attentive,  as 
female  prejudices  lead  them  to  attribute  every  future 
complaint  to   some    error  at   this  time.     The   disap- 
pearance of  the  catamenia  is  preceded  by  a  temporary 
suppression,    continuing    perhaps    for    two   or    three 
months,  followed  by  an  increased,  and  unusually  con- 
tinued, discharge.    The  discharge  will  sometimes  recur 
at  very  short  intervals,  and  in  profuse  quantities,  leav- 
ing, when  absent,  a  considerable  degree  of  leucorrhrea. 
The  increased  evacuation  is  not  always  attended  with 
proportional  debility,  nor  the  temporary  suppression 
with  the  symptoms  already  described.     The  blood,  in 
these  instances,  is   apparently  poured  from  ruptured 
veins,  without  any  haemorrhagic  effort.     In  this  way 
the    change    is    effected,   often  without  disease,    and 
almost  unobserved ;  but  the  suppression  is  sometimes 
attended  with  general  load,  with  headach  and  wander- 
ing pains;  and  the  excessive  discharge  with  consider- 
able debility.    Generally  speaking,  however,  art  should 
seldom  interpose.     The  whole  is  the  work  of  nature, 
which,  as  we  cannot  imitate,  we  cannot  always  assist. 
Experience,  however,  in  the  former  variety,  goes  hand 
in  hand  with  popular  prejudice,  and  the  general  fulness 
is  successfully  relieved   by  laxatives.     The    domestic 
remedies    are    not,    however,     usually    well    chosen. 
Women,  attached  to  their  early  experience,  prefer  the 
aloes,  in  their  warmest  preparations,  but  the  object 
is  to  lessen  the  proportion  of  fluids  in  the  abdominal 
vessels,    and  whatever  effects  this    purpose  with    the 
least  iri-itation  succeeds  best.     The  salts  alone  are  in 
general  too  cold,  but  they  may  be  warmed  with  the 
tinctures  of  the  more  active  purgatives,   as  of  senna, 
rhubarb,  or  jalap.     These,  with  the  relaxant  diaphore- 
tics at  night,    particularly  camphor  and   opium,   will 
restore  the  circulation  to  its  proper  balance  without 
inconvenience. 

The  task  is  more  difficult  when  the  discharge  is  im- 
moderate ;  for  female  prejudice  demands  our  active 
interference  to  check  it,  but  this  is  always  injurious. 
Young  practitioners  are  commonly  alert  to  show  their 
skill ;  but  it  is  wiser  to  rest,  and  to  observe  with  care. 
In  general,  we  have  seldom  known  a  more  healthy 
old  age  than  in  those  where  the  menses  have  disap- 
peared with  these  profuse  evacuations.  If  the  woman 
has  confidence  in  her  medical  attendant,  she  will 
remain  at  rest,  in  free  air,  lightly  clothed,  without  ex- 
citing the  circulation  by  aliment  too  rich,  or  drinks  too 
stimulating;  keeping,  with  anxious  care,  the  bowels 
free  by  the  most  cooling  laxatives.  This  conduct 
should,  we  think,  be  pursued,  even  when  the  debility  is 
considerable ;  nor  should  even  opiates  be  interposed, 
except  the  pain  is  violent.  In  such  cases,  powerful 
astringents  are  highly  injurious,  and  we  have  more  than 
once  seen  apoplectic  attacks  from  their  imprudent  use. 
In  a  few  instances  we  have  found  it  necessary  to  regu- 
late the  discharge,  but  seldom  with  advantage,  and  have 
had  reason  to  suspect  scirrhosities  of  the  uterus,  ulcers 


f 


MEN 


979 


ME  N 


and  cancers  from  the  imprudent  use  of  styptics.  If 
called  on,  it  is  necessary  to  attempt  relief  in  some  way ; 
and  we  have  generally  found,  that,  though  no  haemorr- 
hagic  effort  is  perceivable,  we  have  done  more  service 
by  cooling  and  sedative  medicines  than  by  bitters  and 
astringents.  Bitters  may  indeed  be  frequently  allowed, 
and  they  will  please,  because  an  astringency  is  supposed 
to  accompany  every  medicine  of  this  kind. 

The  M.INORRHAGIA,  MENSES   IMMODIC.S ;    or  an  ex- 
cessive menstrual  discharge,  independent  of  the  preg- 
nant or  puerperal  state,  is  truly  an  haemorrhage,  and 
may  be  either  active  or  passive.     The  active  haemorrha- 
gia  arises  from  cold,  from  blows  or  shocks,  and  almost 
exclusively  occurs  in  strong  robust  habits.  The  passive 
maenorrhagia   arises  from  debility  of  the  vessels,  too 
fluid   blood,   from    frequent   miscarriages    or  labours, 
which  occasion  local  debility.     There  is,  however,  an 
intermediate  kind,  viz.  the  excessive  discharges,  which 
occur  in  the  indolent  and  luxurious  females  of  polished 
life.     In  these  the  vessels  yield  to  excessive  fulness,  in 
part  from  debility,  but  generally  with  the  assistance  of 
some  haemorrhagic  effort.     In  the  first  variety  bleeding 
is  sometimes  necessary,  though,  as  usual,  a  suspicious 
and  uncertain  remedy.      It  must,  however,  be  often 
used,  to  prevent  immediate  bad  consequences ;  but,  in 
general,  rest,  in   a   cool  free  air,  with  nitre  and  cam- 
phor, very   generally  with  opium,   often  in  large  and 
repeated  doses,  interposing  cooling  saline  purgatives, 
will  relieve  the    complaint.       The    treatment   of  the 
second  variety  differs  in  no  respect  from  that  of  other 
passive  haemorrhages ;  but  the  third  often  baffles  our 
best  endeavours.     It  is  difficult  to  induce  the  patient  to 
avoid  the  principal  causes,  indolence  and  luxury  ;  and 
to  constringe  distended  vessels  is  the   surest  means  of 
increasing   their  debility.     If,   however,  she  be  obe- 
dient, lessening  considerably  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  her  aliment,  using,  at  the  same  time,  free  exercise 
in  the  open  air,  she  will  soon  find  a  degree  of  languor 
and  debility  superior  to  what  she  before  experienced  ; 
and  it  will  be  difficult  to  persuade  her  to  continue  a  dis- 
agreeable plan,  when  her  feelings  tell  her  that  increased 
weakness  is  the  consequence.     The  fact  is,  that  the 
diminution  of  the  fluids  lessens  the  tension  of  the  ves- 
sels ;    and,  as  in  the  parocentesis,  and  numerous  other 
cases,  the  diminution  of  tension  produces  faintness,  and 
sometimes  even  convulsions.     It  will  require,  then,  no 
little  confidence   in  the   physician,   and    no   common 
resolution  to  persevere ;  yet,  with  perseverance,  relief 
is  certain.     To  steer  between  opposing  prejudices  and 
the  best  means  of  relief  is  difficult ;  nor  do  we  know 
what  rules  to  offer.       The   disposition  of  the  patient 
must  be  consulted,  and    every    address    employed  to 
lessen  the  powers  of  the  aliment;  to   increase  the  dis- 
charge of  the  bowels  by  cooling  laxatives;  to  lessen 
the  activity  of  the  circulation  by  opiates  and  refrige- 
rants, while  by  every  artifice  bodily  exercise  is  pro- 
moted.    In  the  summer,  sea  bathing,  and  in  the  proper 
season,  Cheltenham,  and  other  saline  chalybeate  waters, 
may  be  advised,  as  change  of  scene  will  lead  to  mo  re  fre- 
quent exercise  in  the  open  air.     The  fashionable  physi- 
cian, who  is  contented  with  receiving  his  daily  fee,  while 
he  humours  the  fancies  of  his  patient  by  some  useless 
placebo,  has  the  best  chance  of  gaining  credit  in  these 
rases ;  as  usual,  not  by  assisting,  but  by  pleasing. 
Yet   some  political   advice  will  not  be  without  its 


advantage.  Women  look  to  the  period  of  the  access 
and  departure  of  the  catamenia,  as  well  as  the  monthly- 
recurrence,  as  times  of  peculiar  delicacy.  Th.ey  are  un- 
willing to  take  any  medicine  unless  it  be  consistent 
with  their  present  circumstances,  and  are  apt  to 
attribute  any  disappointment  to  the  medicine  that  they 
may  have  been  prevailed  on  to  employ.  The  discharge 
is,  however,  an  occurrence  which  we  cannot  always 
produce,  and  which  we  can  seldom  prevent,  or  supply 
by  any  vicarious  evacuation.  In  general  it  requires  no 
peculiar  care;  but,  while  popular  prejudices  exist 
against  the  use  of  any  medicine  at  this  time,  a  prudent 
physician  will  forbear  to  press  it,  unless  absolutely  ne- 
cessary. If  it  be  so,  the  inconvenience,  whatever 
it  may  be,  must  be  met,  and  every  bad  effect  may  be  ob- 
viated by  caution.  Even  a  copious  bleeding  will  often 
not  stop  the  discharge ;  purgatives  will  assist  it ;  and 
opium,  though  it  may  occasionally  retard,  will  be  ulti- 
mately injurious.  When,  however,  the  discharge  is 
fully  established,  and  has  continued  twenty-four  or 
forty-eight  hours,  the  danger  of  checking  it,  even  in 
female  apprehension,  is  inconsiderable. 

See  Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  v.  p. 
160;  Hoffman's  Medicinae  Rationalis  Systema;  Hal- 
ler's  Physiology  ;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  vol.  iii.  p.  9.  32  ; 
Hamilton's  Midwifery,  edit.  4th,  p.  134;  Edinburgh 
Medical  Commentaries,  vol.  v.  p.  119;  London  Medical 
Journal,  vol.  v.  p.  183.  The  works  professedly  on  this 
subject  are,  however,  unsatisfactory  and  erroneous.  The 
various  authors  on  midwifery,  particularly  Dr.  Hamilton, 
in  his  Elements,  afford  the  best  assistance. 

ME'NSIS  PHILOSO'PHICUS.  A  PHILOSOPHICAL 
or  CHEMICAL  MOJTTH  is  sometimes  confined  to  three 
days  and  nights,  at  others  to  ten,  thirty,  and  even  forty 
days. 

ME'NSTRUA,  (from  /of,  or  the  Hebrew  term  meni, 
a  month").  The  menses  in  women,  and  the  bleeding  piles 
in  men.  The  plural  also  of  MENSTRUUM,  q.  v. 

ME'NSTRUUM,  (from  the  same).  A  fluid  body 
capable  of  reducing  a  given  solid  to  the  same  state,  and 
thus  diffusing  the  latter  through  every  part  of  the 
former  ;  called  a  menstruum,  because  the  chemists  first 
assisted  its  action  by  a  moderate  fire  for  a  philosophical 
month  ;  synonymous  with  solvent.  See  SOLUTIO. 

MENSURA.  The  variety  of  measures  employed 
by  different  nations  renders  medical  directions  often 
obscure,  and  occasionally  fallacious.  The  word  mensura 
is  sometimes  employed  absolutely  to  denote  a  given 
bulk,  and  the  measure  occasionally  contains  one,  some- 
times two,  quarts,  and  the  quadrans  mensurae  is  either 
six  or  twelve  ounces.  The  great  diversity  in  this 
respect  has  induced  the  London  college  to  order  every 
thing  by  weight ;  for  a  pint  of  the  purest  alcohol  is  very- 
different  from  even  a  pint  of  water,  and  much  more  so 
from  a  pint  of  the  vitriolic  acid.  In  general,  the  pint  is 
supposed  to  be  equivalent  to  a  pound ;  but,  in  medicinal 
directions,  it  is  estimated  at  twelve  ounces  :  the  French 
pint  is  double,  and  the  Scotch  pint  equal  to  two  quarts. 
The  cantharus  of  the  Swedes  equals  five  pints. 

In  smaller  quantities,  the  tea  spoonful  is  estimated  as 
equal  to  a  drachm,  but  few  tea  spoons  hold  more  than 
forty  drops.    A  dessert  spoon  holds  somewhat  more  than 
than  two  drachms,  called,  in  prescriptions,  cochleare 
medium,  and  the  table  spoon  about  half  an  ounce. 
The  modern  French  weights  and  measures  are  greatl  v 
612 


M  E  N 


98® 


M  E  N 


changed,  and  have  produced  no  little  confusion  in  me- 
dicine, chemistry,  and  even  in  common  life.  We  shall 
detail  the  principles  of  their  new  system  under  the 
article  PONDERA,  on  which  that  of  their  measures  de- 
pends ;  so  that  we  shall  in  this  place  only  explain  the 
terms.  The  fundamental  measure,  the  LITHE,  filled 
with  distilled  water,  is  equivalent  to  the  Paris  pint, 
somewhat  more  than  two  English  pints,  and,  in  weight, 
is  nearly  equal  to  the  kilogram,  two  pounds.  The 
SEMILITRUM  (demilitre)  is  equal  to  somewhat  more 
than  a  pint;  the  DECILITRUM  to  about  three  ounces, 
and  a  drachm,  equal  in  weight  to  the  hectogram  :  the 
double  and  the  half  of  the  decilitrum  are  easily  estimated. 
The  litre  contains  fifty  cubic  inches,  and  consequently 
the  centilitrum  half  a  cubic  inch  ;  and  the  double  cen- 
tilitrum  one  cubic  inch,  or  nearly  five  drachms,  about  a 
large  table  spoonful. 

MENTA'GRA,  (from  meritum,  the  chin,  and  «.??<*., 
a  disease,'),  IMPETIGO.  An  obstinate  tetter,  which  ap- 
peared in  Italy 'during  the  reign  of  Claudius  Cssar,  be- 
ginning upon  the  chin,  extending  itself  over  the  face, 
and  descending  to  the  neck,  breast,  and  hands.  A  cau- 
tery was  applied  to  some  convenient  part,  so  deep  as  to 
penetrate  to  the  bone. 

We  sometimes  find  a  disease  of  less  virulence  which 
seems  to  merit  this  appellation.  It  affects  the  bulbs  of 
the  hair  on  the  chin,  resembling,  in  its  nature  and  treat- 
ment, the  tinea  capitis. 

MENTA'LES,  (from  mens,  the  mind).  Alienation 
of  the  judgment,  in  which  the  functions  of  the  mind  are 
disturbed. 

Nosologists  have  formed  a 'class  of  diseases  under 
this  title,  and  in  an  arrangement  from  symptoms  it 
may  probably  be  admitted.  It  is,  however,  necessary 
to  remark,  that,  though  the  mind  be  affected,  a  laesion 
of  any  function,  which  alone  constitutes  disease,  can 
only  be  recognized  by  the  practical  physician  ;  and  we 
have  found  changes,  in  appearance  most  purely  mental, 
arise  from  a  material  cause.  Our  idea  of  the  duration 
of  time,  for  instance,  is,  as  we  shall  see,  produced  by 
opium ;  a  fit  of  apparent  insanity  will  be  relieved  by 
discharging  a  very  moderate  quantity  of  bile.  See 
MANIA. 

ME'NTHA,  MINT;  hedyosmos,  from  its  sweet 
smell;  is  a  perennial  herb  with  square  stalks,  serrat- 
ed leaves  set  in  pairs,  and  spikes  of  monopetalous 
flowers,  each  cut  into  four  sections,  and  followed  by 
four  seeds  inclosed  in  the  cup.  The  species  are  nume- 
rous, but  no  thitherto  described  with  sufficient  accuracy. 
See  Linnaean  Transactions,  vol.  v.  for  an  account  of 
the  British  species  by  Dr.  Smith. 

ME'NTHA  AQUA'TICA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  805,  slsymbrium 
syl-vestre,  mentha  rotundifolia  fialustris.  RED  WATER 
MINT.  Its  leaves  are  somewhat  oily,  and  set  on  pedicles ; 
the  stamina  long,  standing  out  from  the  flowers. 

ME'NTHA  CATA'RIA  ;  nefieta  cattaria,  mentha  felina, 
herbafelis,calamintha fialustris, nefietella,nefieta  cataria 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  796,  for  cats  are  so  delighted  with  the  smell 
that  they  roll  on  it,  and  destroy  the  plant  unless  defended 
till  it  has  acquired  some  strength.  It  is  an  hoary  plant 
with  square  stalks;  the  leaves  heart  shaped,  acuminated, 
serrated,  and  set  in  pairs  on  oblong  pedicles ;  the  flowers 
•whitish,  labiated,  standing  on  spikes  at  the  top  of  the 
branches.  The  upper  lip  is  divided  into  two,  and  the 


lower  into  three,  sections.  It  grows  wild  in  hedges  and 
on  dry  banks,  and  flowers  in  June;  is  moderately  aro- 
matic, of  a  strong  smell,  resembling  a  mixture  of  mint 
and  pennyroyal,  and  participates  of  their  virtues. 
Water  dissolves  their  active  matter;  but  rectified  spirit 
extracts  it  more  completely.  Distilled  with  water,  they 
yield  a  yellow  essential  oil,  not  quite  so  agreeable  as 
the  herb,  though  resembling  it  in  smell :  the  remain- 
ing decoction  is  bitter  and  subastringent.  See  Rail 
Historia  Plantarum ;  Cullen,  Lewis,  and  Tournefort's 
Materia  Medica. 

ME'NTHA  CORYMIU'FERA  MI'NOR.     See  AGERATUM. 

ME'NTHA  CRISPA,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  805,  agrees  in  its  gene- 
ral virtues  with  the  MENTHA  SPICATA,  q.  v. 

ME'NTHA  HIRSUTA,  -var.  <J\  Smith,  in  the  Linnasan 
Transactions,  v.  196;  probably  a  variety  of  the  mentha 
saliva.  See  FLORA  BRITANNICA. 

ME'NTHA  PALU'STRIS  FO'LIO  OBLO'NGO,  mentastrum. 
liirsutum,  auricularia;  HAIRY  WATER  MINT,  or  EARWORT, 
has  long  hairy  leaves,  without  pedicles,  and  broad  spikes 
of  flowers.  All  the  water  mints  grow  in  marshes  and  on 
the  banks  of  rivers,  and  flower  towards  the  end  of  summer; 
their  smell  is  less  agreeable  than  that  of  spear  mint,  their 
taste  more  bitter  and  pungent :  the  second  sort  resem- 
bles the  pennyroyal.  They  yield  much  less  essential 
oil  than  the  spear  mint,  and  their  virtues,  though  similar, 
are  greatly  inferior. 

The  hairy  water  mint  is  supposed  to  be  auricularia, 
planta  Zeijlanica,  or  earwort,  celebrated  by  Marloe  for 
the  cure  of  deafness. 

ME'NTHA  PIPEHI'TIS.  PEPPER  MINT.  Mentha  pijie- 
rita  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  805 ;  hath  acuminated  leaves  on 
very  short  pedicles,  and  the  flowers  set  in  short  thick 
spikes  or  heads  :  it  is  a  native  of  this  kingdom,  and  its 
natural  soil  is  a  watery  one ;  but  in  any  other  it  does  not 
degenerate. 

Peppermint  hath  a  more  penetrating  smell,  with  a 
stronger  and  warmer  taste  than  the  other  mints.  In  the 
mouth  it  feels  at  first  hot,  afterwards  cold,  and  some- 
what nitrous.  From  its  stomachic,  antispasmodic,  and 
carminative  qualities,  it  is  of  great  use  in  flatulent 
complaints,  hysteric  depressions,  nausea,  and  other 
dyspeptic  symptoms;  often  producing  immediate  re- 
lief by  diffusing  a  glowing  warmth  through  the  whole 
system.  Its  qualities  are  with  great  probability  ascribed 
to  the  camphor,  which  the  experiments  of  Gaubius  have 
proved  to  be  largely  contained  in  it,  and  it  is  seldom 
injurious  from  its  stimulus. 

It  readily  and  strongly  impregnates  either  water  or 
spirit  by  infusion  :  in  distillation  with  water  it  gives, 
over  a  large  quantity  of  essential  oil,  of  a  pale  greenish 
yellow  colour,  growing  darker  coloured  by  age,  and 
possessing  a  great  degree  of  the  smell  and  pungency  of 
the  herb.  As  much  of  this  oil  as  can  be  suspended  in 
rectified  spirit  of  wine  is  sold  under  the  name  of  the 
essence  of  pepper  mint.  The  decoction  which  remains 
after  distillation,  like  that  of  the  other  mints,  is  bitterish 
and  subastringent.  For  the  water,  spirit,  and  oil,  see 
MENTHA  SPICATA. 

ME'NTHA  PULE'GIUM.     See  PULEGIUM. 

ME'NTHA  SPICA'TA  ;  mentha  satrva  Lin.  Sp.  PL 
805,  mentha  vulgaris,  HART  MINT,  and  COMMON 
SPEAR  MINT,  hath  oblong,  narrow  pointed  leaves, 
joined  close  to  the  stalk,  and  small  purplish  flowers, 


31  E  N 


9S1 


M  ER 


standing  on  long  spikes  on  the  top.  Though  a  native 
of  warmer  climes,  it  is  common  in  our  gardens,  and 
flowers  in  June  and  July. 

The  smell  of  mint  is  agreeably  aromatic,  and  the 
taste  bitterish  and  moderately  warm ;  it  is  carminative 
and  stomachic,  particularly  useful  in  -relieving  vomit- 
ings and  weakness  of  the  stomach.  An  infusion  of 
mint  in  water  is  said  to  prevent  the  coagulation  of  milk 
in  stomachs  where  acidity  prevails  ;  and  in  general  this 
herb  nearly  resembles  the  pepper  mint,  though  perhaps 
less  efficacious  as  an  antispasmodic,  and  more  injurious 
as  a  stimulant.  In  vomitings  from  inflammation  in 
the  stomach  it  is  injurious. 

The  juice  expressed  from  the  leaves  retains  the  bit- 
terness and  astringency,  but  not  the  aroma  of  the  mint, 
which,  however,  is  not  lost  by  keeping,  drying,  or  a 
moderate  degree  of  heat.  In  five  or  six  hours  cold 
water  extracts  the  more  agreeable  and  active  parts  of  the 
mint  ;  a  longer  maceration  extracts  the  grosser  and  less 
agreeable  portions.  Hot  water  more  quickly  extracts 
its  virtues,  but  boiling  dissipates  the  aroma.  Infusions 
and  tinctures  contain  the  whole  virtue  of  the  mint ;  the 
oil  and  the  distilled  water  only  the  aroma. 

Mint  water  should  be  distilled  from  the  fresh 
herb,  and  it  is  improved  by  adding  some  dried  mint. 
In  distillation  with  water  an  essential  oil  rises,  which 
is  of  a  pale  yellowish  colour,  changing  by  age  to  a  red- 
dish hue :  about  an  ounce  is  procured  from  ten  pounds 
of  mint,  which  for  this  purpose  should  be  gathered 
•when  the  flower  is  expanding.  The  oil  is  not,  however, 
an  agreeable  preparation. 

Dry  mint  yields  to  spirit  of  wine,  either  with  or 
without  heat,  all  its  virtue,  without  its  disagreeable 
parts.  Spirit  takes  up  very  little  in  distillation.  An 
extract  made  with  spirit  possesses  the  concentrated  vir- 
tues of  a  large  portion  of  dried  leaves.  Fifteen  grains 
of  the  resinous  extract  obtained  from  either  the  com- 
mon mint  or  pepper  mint,  by  means  of  spirit  of  wine, 
is  said  to  be  equivalent  to  six  drachms  of  the  dried  herb. 
The  spirituous  tincture  mixes  with  watery  liquors 
without  precipitation;  but  spirituous  liquors  impregnat- 
ed with  its  pure  volatile  parts  by  distillation  turn  milky 
on  the  admixture  of  water.  A  conserve  made  in  the 
usual  way  is  an  excellent  vehicle  for  other  medicines, 
in  diseases  of  the  stomach. 

Tincture  of  mint  is  made  by  adding  to  a  pint  of  mint 
water  half  an  ounce  of  the  dried  leaves  of  mint:  after 
standing  four  hours  in  a  warm  place,  it  must  be  strained. 
The  distilled  water  contains  as  much  of  the  volatile 
part  of  the  herb  as  it  can  retain;  but  by  infusion  it 
takes  up  as  much  of  the  extractive  matter  as  pure  water. 
Thus  any  of  the  simple  distilled  waters  may  be  much 
improved,  and,  when  required,  the  waters  distilled 
from  one  vegetable  may  be  the  menstruum  for  a  dif- 
ferent one. 

The  college  of  physicians  order  from  the  mentha 
sativa,  and  mentha  piperitis,  a  water  and  a  spirit,  which 
are  directed  to  be  made  as  follows.  Take  of  spearmint 
or  pepper  mint  dried,  one  pound  and  a  half,  water  suffi- 
cient to  prevent  an  empyreuma;  and  to  the  same  quan- 
tity of  the  herb  they  order  one  gallon  of  spirit,  with 
water  sufficient  to  prevent  an  empyreuma.  In  each 
process  they  draw  off  a  gallon.  The  essential  oils  of 
each  are  obtained  by  distillation.  See  OLEUM. 

MENTHA'STRUM.    See  MENTHA  AQ.UATICA. 


ME'NTULA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  matah,  a 
staff}.  See  PENIS. 

ME'NTCLA  ALA'TA.     See  PEXNA. 

MENTULA'GRA,  (from  mentula,  and  «ey^»).  A 
disorder  of  the  penis,  induced  by  a  contraction  of  the 
erectorcs  musculi. 

ME'NTUM,  (ab  eminendo,  from  its  sticking  out\ 
The  CHIN  is  the  anterior  protuberance  which  terminates 
the  lower  part  of  the  face;  the  under  part  of  the  chin 
is  termed  its  basis,  distinguished  from  the  throat  by  a 
transverse  fold,  extending  from  ear  to  ear ;  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  chin  a  dimple  is  usually  found. 

MENYA'NTHES  TRIFOLIA'TA,  et  PALU'S- 
TRIS.  See  TRIFOLIUM  PALUDOSUM. 

MEPHI'TIS,  (from  the  Syriac  term  mefihuhith,  a 
blast).  A  POISONOUS  EXHALATION,  or  what  the  miners 
call  a  DAMP.  It  was  formerly  applied  to  any  air,  not 
respirable,  especially  if  attended  with  an  offensive  smell. 
Modern  chemistry  is  more  accurate ;  and  what  was 
with  little  discrimination  called  mephitic  is  now  hydro- 
gen, nitrogen,  or  carbonic  acid  gas. 

MERCURIA'LIS,  (from  mercurius,  quicksilver). 
MERCURIAL,  or  a  PREPARATION  OF  MERCURY.  But 
in  obsolete  authors,  the  atra  bills  is  also  called  the 
MERCURIAL  HUMOUR  ;  and  the  diseases  from  this 
source  have  the  same  appellation.  In  botany  it  is  the 
name  for  lafiathum  unctuosum  folio  triangulo,  bli- 
thum,  chenofiodium,  bonus  Henricua  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  318, 
ALL  GOOD,  ENGLISH  MERCURY,  a  plant  with  triangular 
leaves,  covered  underneath  with  a  whitish  unctuous 
meal :  its  stalks  are  striated  hollow,  partly  erect  and 
partly  procumbent,  bearing  on  the  tops  spikes  of  small 
imperfect  flowers,  each  of  which  is  followed  by  a  small 
black  seed,  inclosed  in  the  cup;  perennial,  grows  in 
waste  grounds,  and  flowers  in  August.  The  leaves 
are  mucilaginous,  a  little  subsaline,  and  used  as  emol- 
lients in  clysters  and  fomentations.  The  young  shoots 
are  eaten  in  spring  as  a  gentle  laxative  and  diuretic. 
See  Raii  Historia. 

MERCURIA'LIS  A'QUA.     See  BETA. 

MERCURIA'LIS  FRU'CTICOSA  INCA'NA  TESTICULA'TA  ; 
marisicuni)  thelygonon,  mercurialis  tomentosa  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  1465.  CHILDREN'S  MERCURY,  is  a  garden  plant, 
and  used  in  Barbary  against  some  female  diseases. 

MERCURIA'LIS  MAS,  mercurialis  testiculata,  sfticata, 
and  femina.  FRENCH  MERCURY.  It  is  the  mercuri- 
alis annua  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1465,  var.  ».  and  £,  hath 
smooth  glossy  leaves,  and  branched  stalks.  Each  va- 
riety is  annual,  and  grows  wild  in  shady  uncultivated 
grounds.  The  leaves  have  no  remarkable  smell,  and 
very  little  taste;  they  are  slightly  mucilaginous,  but 
seldom  used. 

MERCURIA'LIS  MUCILA'GO.  See  ARGENTUM  vi- 
VUM. 

MERCURIA'LIS  ;  cynocrambe,  canina  brassica,  fiersi- 
caria  siliquosa,  mercurialis  montana,  WILD  MERCURY, 
DOG'S  MERCURY,  mercurialis  Jierennis  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1465, 
is  one  of  the  poisonous  plants  found  in  Great  Britain. 
The  root  is  creeping,  light  coloured,  and  fibrous;  the 
stalk  erect,  green,  juicy,  and  unbranched.  The  leaves 
are  oval,  serrated,  pointed  at  the  extremity,  placed  in 
pairs  opposite  each  other.  The  flowers  grow  at  the 
tops  of  the  stalks  in  thin  slender  spikes  from  the  alae 
of  the  leaves,  of  a  light  green  colour,  and  are  male  and 
female.  The  furrows  of  the  germen  receive  a  barren 


31  ER 


982 


MER 


filament,  terminated  with  a  gland,  marked  with  two 
dark  coloured  spots.  It  flowers  early  in  the  spring  ; 
is  found  in  woods,  shady  places,  and  the  banks  of 
ditches;  distinguished  from  the  French  mercury  by  be- 
ing perennial,  larger,  with  rough  leaves,  and  the  stalks 
.  not  branched. 

In  early  spring  it  may  be  eaten  with  safety,  dressed 
like  spinach  ;  but  its  acrimony  is  soon  evolved,  and  it 
produces  nausea,  vomiting,  and  afterwards  comatose 
symptoms.  These  ill  effects  are  removed  like  those  of 
poisonous  mushrooms.  See  AMANITA  and  VENE- 
NUM. 

Wilmer's  Observations  on  Poisonous  Vegetables. 

MERCU'RIUS.  QUICK  or  LIVING  SILVER  ;  from  its 
great  fluidity.  See  AHGF.NTUM  VIVUM. 

MERCU'RIUS  ALCALISA'TUS.  ALCALISATED  MERCURY; 
hydrargyrus  cum  creta;  QUICKSILVER  with  CHALK  ; 
JEthiofis  a/bus.  K.  Hydrargyri  puri  §  iij.  cretae  pp. 
5  v.,  rub  them  together  until  the  globules  disappear. 
Ph.Lond.  1788. 

MERCU'RIUS  CALCINA'TUS;  mercurius  fir&cifiitatus 
fier  se.  CALCINED  QUICKSILVER,  hydrargyrus  calcina- 
tus.  This  preparation  is  directed  to  be  prepared  by 
exposing  a  pound  of  quicksilver  in  a  flat  bottomed 
glass  cucurbit  to  a  heat  of  about  600  degrees,  in  a 
sand  bath,  till  it  becomes  a  red  powder.  By  agitation, 
or  by  triture,  similar  effects  are  produced  on  the 
mercury,  and  in  much  less  time.  This  has  lately  been 
a  fashionable  preparation,  but  is  scarcely,  if  at  all,  supe- 
rior to  calomel,  though  the  prejudices  of  the  moment 
have  occasionally  given  it  the  preference  with  ourselves 
and  others. 

MEHCU'HIUS  CINNABARI'NUS.  See  CINNABAR  FAC- 
TITIA. 

MERCU'RIUS  CORROSIVUS  SUBLIMATUS.  See  MER- 
CURIUS CORROSIVUS  ALBUS. 

MERCU'RIUS  CORALLI'NUS,  arcanum  corallinum. 
This  was  designed  to  render  the  mercurius  nitratus  ru- 
ber  a  more  mild  internal  medicine ;  but  as  no  consi- 
derable advantage  was  obtained  by  the  process,  it  has 
been  rejected. 

MERCU'RIUS  CORROSI'VUS  A'LBUS.  The  WHITE  COR- 
ROSIVE MERCURY;  mercurius  corrosivus  svblimatus, 
gas  siccum  sublimatum,  albi,  aquila  alba,  sublimatum, 
hydrargyrus  muriatus,  MURIATED  QUICKSILVER.  The 
modes  of  preparing  this  medicine  are  various ;  but 
the  college  of  London  direct  quicksilver  and  vitri- 
olic acid  two  pounds  of  each,  dried  sea  salt  three 
pounds  and  a  half:  the  quicksilver  is  to  be  mixed  with 
the  acid  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  boiled  in  a  sand  heat 
till  the  matter  is  dried ;  which  is  added,  when  cold, 
to  the  sea  salt,  in  a  glass  vessel.  The  whole  is 
sublimed  in  a  glass  cucurbit,  with  a  heat  gradually 
raised,  and  the  sublimed  matter  separated  from  the 
scoriae.  Pharm.Lond.  1788. 

The  greatest  part  of  this  preparation  used  in  England 
is  brought  from  Holland  and  Venice  ;  and,  as  has  been 
suspected,  adulterated  with  arsenic.  Dr.  Lewis  gives  the 
following  method  of  detecting  the  fraud  :  "  Take  any 
quantity  of  the  suspected  white  corrosive  mercury, 
powder  it  in  a  glass  mortar,  and  mix  it  well  with  twice 
its  weight  of  black  flux  (see  CALCINATIO,)  and  a  little 
filings  of  iron  ;  put  the  mixture  into  a  crucible  capable 
of  holding  four  or  five  times  as  much ;  give  a  gradual 
fire  until  the  ebullition  ceases,  then  hastily  increase  it 


to  a  white  heat :  if  no  fumes  of  a  garlic  smell  be  per- 
ceived during  the  process,  and  if  the  particles  of  iron 
retain  their  form,  without  any  of  them  being  melted,  we 
may  be  sure  that  the  mixture  contains  no  arsenic." 
Neumann  denies  the  possibility  of  this  preparation  be- 
ing adulterated  with  arsenic,  and  observes,  that,  instead 
of  their  subliming  together,  the  arsenic  will  attract  the 
marine  acid  to  itself,  and  the  mercury  will  be  revived, 
instead  of  sublimed  in  the  form  of  this  preparation. 

Sublimated  mercury  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  those 
cases  in  which  the  slow  continued  action  of  the  metal  is 
required,  particularly  in  eruptions,  in  glandular  indura- 
tions, and  some  similar  complaints.  In  lues  it  often 
fails,  after  having  first  appeared  to  succeed.  It  was 
given  by  Van  Swieten  in  lues,  dissolved  in  corn  spirit ; 
and  in  this  form  it  sits  most  easily  on  the  stomach ;  but 
the  watery  solution  is  not  inconvenient  in  this  respect. 
A  small  proportion  of  crude  sal  ammoniac  in  the  solu- 
tion prevents  the  precipitation.  It  may  be  given  also 
in  pills  mixed  with  the  crumb  of  bread,  and  the  dose, 
at  first,  should  not  exceed  one  fourth  of  a  grain.  See 
ARGENTUM  VIVUM. 

MERCU'RIUS  DU'LCIS  SUBLIMA'TUS;  DULCIFIED  MER- 
CURY SUBLIMATE,  calomelas;  and  when  the  sublima- 
tion hath  been  ten  or  twelve  times  repeated,  fia.na.cea 
mercurii. 

It  is  the  mercurius  corrosivus  albus,  dulcified  by  the 
addition  of  crude  mercury.  The  London  college  directs 
the  proportion  of  nine  ounces  of  purified  quicksilver  to 
twelve  ounces  of  the  muriated  quicksilver  :  rub  them, 
it  is  added,  together  till  the  globules  disappear,  and  sub- 
lime ;  in  the  same  manner  repeat  the  sublimation  four 
times ;  afterwards  rub  the  matter  into  the  finest  pow- 
der, and  wash  it  by  pouring  on  boiling  distilled  water. 
Ph.  London.  1788.  In  the  Augustan  Dispensatory 
one  sublimation  only  is  required.  See  ARGENTUM 
VIVUM. 

The  marks  of  sufficient  clulcification  are,  its  being 
perfectly  insipid  to  the  taste,  and  indissoluble  by  long 
boiling  in  water.  If  the  water  hath  taken  up  any  part 
of  the  mercury,  it  may  be  discovered  by  dropping  into 
the  liquor  an  alkaline  solution,  which  will  precipitate 
the  mercury  it  may  contain.  If  the  dulcified  mercury 
turns  black  on  being  mixed  with  lime  water,  or  volatile 
alkali,  it  is  duly  prepared. 

We  have  already  mentioned  Mr.  Scheele's  prepara- 
tion of  calomel  in  the  humid  way,  and  explained  its 
principles.  We  shall  now  add  the  process  at  length, 
translated  from  the  Stockholm  Transactions. 

"Haifa  pound  of  quicksilver  and  the  same  quantity 
of  nitrous  acid  are  to  be  put  into  a  small  vessel  with  a 
long  neck,  the  mouth  of  which  is  to  be  covered  with 
paper.  The  vessel  is  then  to  be  placed  in  a  warm 
sand  bath ;  and  after  a  few  hours,  when  the  acid 
affords  no  signs  of  its  acting  any  longer  on  the  quick- 
silver, the  fire  is  to  be  increased  to  such  a  degree  that 
the  solution  may  nearly  boil.  This  heat  is  to  be  con- 
tinued for  three  or  four  hours,  taking  care  to  move 
the  vessel  from  time  to  time,  and  at  last  the  solution  is 
to  be  suffered  to  boil  gently  for  about  a  quarter  of  an 
hour.  In  the  mean  while  we  are  to  dissolve  four 
ounces  and  a  half  of  fine  common  salt  in  six  or  eight 
pints  of  water.  This  solution  is  to  be  poured  boiling 
into  a  glass  vessel,  in  which  the  above  mentioned  solu- 
tion of  quicksilver  is  to  be  mixed  with  it,  gradually. 


MER 


983 


31  E  R 


and  in  a  boiling  state  also,  taking  care  to  keep  the 
mixture  in  constant  motion.  When  the  precipitate  is 
settled,  the  clear  liquor  is  to  be  drained  from  it,  after 
which  it  is  to  be  repeatedly  washed  with  hot  water  till 
it  ceases  to  impart  any  taste  to'the  water.  The  preci- 
pitate obtained  by  this  method  is  to  be  filtered,  and 
afterwards  dried  by  a  gentle  heat.  This  is  the  hydrar- 
gyrus muriatus  mitis  of  the  London  Pharmacopoeia, 
only  that  they  order  four  ounces  of  sea  salt,  instead  of 
four  ounces  and  a  half. 

"  It  might  be  supposed,  that  when  the  nitrous  acid 
ceases  to  effervesce  with  the  mercury,  it  is  saturated 
with  it;  but  this  is  far  from  being  the  case:  the  acid, 
when  the  heat  is  increased,  being  still  able  to  dissolve  a 
quantity  of  it ;  with  this  difference,  however,  that  the 
quicksilver  at  the  beginning  of  the  process  is  calcined 
by  the  acid,  but  afterwards  is  dissolved  by  it  in  a  me- 
tallic form.  In  proof  of  this  we  may  observe,  that  not 
only  more  elastic  vapour  arises,  but  also,  that  by  adding 
either  fixed  or  volatile  caustic  alkali  we  obtain  a  black 
precipitate;  whereas,  when  the  solution  contains  only 
calcined  quicksilver,  the  precipitate  becomes  yellow  by 
such  an  addition.  If  this  black  precipitate  is  gently 
distilled,  it  rises  in  the  form  of  quicksilver,  leaving  a 
yellow  powder,  which  is  in  fact  that  part  of  the  mer- 
cury which,  in  the  beginning  of  the  operation,  was  cal- 
cined by  the  nitrous  acid. 

"  The  boiling  of  the  solution  for  about  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  is  necessary,  in  order  to  keep  the  hydrargyrus 
nitratus  in  a  dissolved  state,  it  being  much  disposed  to 
crystallize.  In  general,  some  of  the  mercury  remains 
undissolved ;  but  it  is  always  better  to  take  too  much 
than  too  little  of  it,  because  the  more  metallic  substance 
the  solution  contains,  the  more  hydrargyrus  muriatus 
mitis  will  be  obtained. 

"  It  is  necessary  to  pour  the  mercurial  solution  into 
the  solution  of  salt  by  little  at  a  time,  and  cautiously, 
so  that  no  part  of  the  undissolved  quicksilver  may  pass 
along  with  it.  Two  ounces  of  common  salt  are  suffi- 
cient to  precipitate  all  the  mercury  ;  but  then  it  may 
easily  happen  that  some  superfluous  mercurius  corro- 
sivus  attaches  itself  to  this  precipitate,  which  the  water 
alone  is  incapable  of  separating  completely.  This  is  un- 
doubtedly the  reason  why  mercurius  precipitatus  albus 
is  always  corrosive.  I  have  found  that  common  salt 
possesses  the  same  quantity  as  sal  ammoniac,  viz.  that 
of  dissolving  a  greater  quantity  of  mercurius  corrosivus. 
I  therefore  employ  four  ounces  and  a  half  of  common 
salt,  in  order  to  get  the  mercurius  corrosivus  entirely 
separated." 

Of  all  the  preparations  of  mercury,  calomel  is  the 
most  frequently  used;  and  all  the  virtues  attributed  to 
mercury  this  preparation  apparently  possesses.  The 
dose  is  from  gr.  i.  to  9  i.  according  to  the  intention ; 
but  five  or  eight  grains  are  rarely  exceeded. 

We  have  said,  that  probably  calomel  might  supply 
every  other  preparation  ;  but  that  accident,  or  the  rou- 
tine of  practice,  easily  becoming  a  habit,  sometimes  fixed 
a  preference  for  other  forms,  without  their  possessing 
any  real  superiority.  In  glandular  complaints  calomel 
seems  to  be  preferred ;  but  small  doses  of  the  muriated 
mercury  are  often  equally  efficacious.  "  In  cutaneous 
complaints,  it  is  often  used  in  combination  with  the 
antimony,  though  from  the  preparation  employed,  the 
sulphur  auratum,  its  virtues,  as  a  mercurial,  are  greatly 


diminished.  In  the  early  preparation  of  Dr.  James's 
powder  (see  JAMES),  calomel  formed  a  portion ;  and  it 
has  been  lately  fashionable  to  add  it  to  the  antimonial, 
in  the  early  periods  of  fevers,  to  secure  a  discharge  from 
the  bowels  as  soon  as  possible.  The  exhibition  of  calo- 
mel with  camphor  and  opium,  in  the  early  stages  of 
pleurisy,  as  recommended  by  Dr.  Lysons,  we  think  a  - 
more  doubtful  practice;  and  on  this  account  we  are 
unable  to  speak  of  its  effects  from  experience.  If,  how- 
ever, it  is  found  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  frequent 
bleeding,  as  has  been  asserted,  it  will  undoubtedly  be 
useful ;  but  we  do  not  find  that  the  plan  has  been  suffi- 
ciently followed  to  enable  us  to  decide  on  its  efficacy 
or  eligibility.  In  the  confluent  small  pox  calomel  has 
been  given  to  assist  or  bring  on  the  salutary  salivation  ; 
but  in  this  disease  it  has  been  dangerous  from  its  in- 
flammatory stimulus,  nor  is  there  sufficient  time  to  pro- 
duce the  necessary  evacuation.  Rubbed  upon  the  in- 
side of  the  lips,  it  has  produced  similar  effects  to  those 
which  are  occasioned  by  taking  it  internally,  particu- 
larly in  the  lues  venerea :  in  cases  of  chancres  also, 
used  by  itself,  or  in  the  following  form,  it  is  highly  ad- 
vantageous. 

R.Ceratilapid.  calamin.  ^ss.  calomelanospp.  5  i.  m. 

MERCU'RIUS  DVPLICA'TUS  PHILOSO'PHICUS.  See 
REBIS. 

MERCU'RIUS  EME'TICUS  FLA'VUS.  Hydrargyrus  vi- 
triolatus,  turfiethum  minerals;  VITRIOLATED  MERCURY, 

and  TURBETH  MINERAL. 

Take  of  purified  quicksilver,  vitriolic  acid,  of  each  a 
pound ;  mix  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  heat  them  by  degrees, 
until  they  unite  into  a  white  mass,  which  is  to  be  per- 
fectly dried  with  a  strong  fire.  This  matter,  on  the 
affusion  of  a  large  quantity  of  hot  distilled  water,  im- 
mediately becomes  a  yellow  powder.  Rub  the  powder 
carefully  with  this  water  in  a  glass  mortar;  after  it  has 
subsided,  pour  off  the  water ;  and,  adding  more  distilled 
water  several  times,  wash  the  matter  till  it  becomes  in- 
sipid. Pharm.  Lond.  1788. 

To  edulcorate  it  more  quickly  and  effectually,  the 
water  intended  to  be  used  in  its  ablution  is  impregnated 
with  a  determined  proportion  of  fixed  alkaline  salt;  and 
by  this  means  the  quantity  of  the  preparation  will  be 
increased,  and  its  strength  more  equal. 

The  yellow  emetic  mercury  is  a  powerful  vomit ;  and, 
like  other  mercurials,  will  excite  salivation  :  in  robust 
habits  it  hath  been  used  in  cutaneous  disorders  and 
glandular  obstructions.  As  an  emetic,  if  hath  been 
given  to  eight  or  ten  grains ;  but  in  this  dose  it  operates 
violently,  and  is  only  employed  when  the  shock  of  vo- 
miting is  required  to  be  considerable.  It  is  thus  some- 
times useful  in  palsies,  and  more  certainly  in  amaurosis. 
Half  a  grain  or  a  grain,  given  every  night,  is  said  to 
have  produced  the  best  effects  hi  the  most  inveterate 
cases  of  the  venereal  disease,  in  obstinate  rheumatisms, 
and  ulcers  that  were  difficult  of  cure.  It  is  a  powerful 
medicine,  but  yet  does  not  appear  to  excel  the  other 
less  violent  mercurials,  except  in  particular  instances, 
where  considerable  and  rapid  effects  are  necessary,  and 
where  the  constitution  is  robust.  It  is  a  favourable  me- 
dicine with  some  active  practitioners,  particularly  Dr. 
Maryatt,  in  dropsies.  See  Maryatt's  Art  of  Healing. 

MERCU'RIUS  PRJECIPITA'TUS  RUBER.  Hydrargyrus 
nitratus  ruber.  Pharm.  Lond.  1788.  RED  PRECIPI- 
TATE. The  London  college  directs  us  to  take  of 


ME  R 


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purified  quicksilver  and  nitrous  acid  each  a  pound ; 
muriatic  acid,  one  drachm  by  weight;  to  mix  in  a  glass 
vessel,  and  'lissolve  the  quicksilver  in  a  sand  bath;  then 
to  raise  the  fire  till  the  matter  is  formed  into  red  crys- 
tals. Pharm.  Lond.  1788.  As  soon  as  it  hath  acquired 
the  sparkling  red  colour  it  should  be  immediately  re- 
moved from  the  fire,  or  it  will  soon  lose  it  again. 

This  preparation  is  sometimes  mixed  with  minium 
and  vermilion,  but  then  the  peculiar  brilliancy  is  de- 
stroyed. If  only  minium  is  added,  it  may  be  detected 
by  giving  a  sweetish  taste  to  vinegar.  If  laid  also  on  a 
very  hot  iron,  the  mercury  will  evaporate,  leaving  the 
lead  behind. 

The  red  nitrated  quicksilver  is  only  used  externally 
as  an  escharotic;  and  if  finely  powdered  and  mixed 
with  the  unguentum  resinae  flavae,  in  the  proportion  of 
one  or  two  scruples  to  an  ounce,  it  is  an  excellent 
digestive  for  foul  ill  conditioned  ulcers,  bringing  on  a 
proper  purulent  discharge,  instead  of  a  thin  sanies. 

UNGUENTUM  HYDHARGYRI  NITRATI.     See  TRACHOMA. 

CERA'TUM  HYDRA'RGYRI  NITRA'TI.  CERATE  OF  NI- 
TRATED QUICKSILVER.  R.  Unguenti  hydrarg.  nitrati ; 
cerati  spermatis  ceti  aa  5i}.  m'.  It  is  sometimes  ap- 
plied to  scrofulous  and  phagedenic  ulcers. 

MERCU'HIUS  PR^ECIPITATUS  A'LBUS.  Calx  hydrar- 
gyri  alba.  WHITE  CALX  OF  QUICKSILVER.  The  Lon- 
don college  directs  the  following  process  :  take  of  mu- 
riated  quicksilver,  sal  ammoniac,  water  of  kali,  each 
half  a  pound ;  dissolve  first  the  sal  ammoniac,  after- 
wards the  muriated  quicksilver  in  distilled  water,  and 
add,  the  water  of  kali ;  wash  the  precipitated  powder 
until  it  becomes  insipid.  Ph.  Lond.  1788. 

Great  care  is  required  lest  more  of  the  fixed  alkali 
be  added  than  is  necessary,  for  the  precipitate  will  then 
be  yellow.  This  preparation  is  almost  constantly  con- 
fined to  external  uses.  Half  a  drachm  or  two  scruples 
of  it,  added  to  an  ounce  of  pomatum,  is  used  as  an 
elegant  cure  for  the  itch ;  the  same  quantity  may  be 
dissolved  in  two  ounces  of  a  thick  decoction  of  lintseed, 
as  a  liniment  for  curing  chancres  when  situated  on  the 
glans  penis,  or  on  the  inside  of  the  prepuce ;  a  rag 
being  dipped  in  it  is  applied  to  the  glans,  and  the  pre- 
puce may  be  drawn  over  it. 

This  precipitate  is  adulterated  with  starch,  and  with 
white  lead.  The  first  is  discovered  by  its  becoming 
glutinous  on  being  dissolved  in  a  small  quantity  of 
water ;  the  second  by  adding  one  third  of  its  weight  of 
alkaline  salt;  heating  the  mixture  in  a  crucible  till  no 
fumes  arise.  If  the  residuum  does  not  melt  in  water, 
it  is  adulterated. 

MERCU'RIUS  PH-ZCIPITA'TUS  DU'LCIS.  Ph.  Lond. 
1721.  See  HYDRAHGYRUS  MURIATUS  MITIS. 

MERCU'RIUS  PHJECIPITA'TUS  PER  SE.  MERCU'RIUS 
CALCINATUS. 

MERCU'RIUS  SACCHARA'TUS.  SUGARED  MERCURY. 
A  preparation  designed  to  give  the  mercury  in  a  liquid 
form.  Equal  quantities  of  brown  sugar  candy  and  mer- 
cury are  triturated  till  the  globules  disappear,  adding. a 
few  drops  of  the  oil  of  juniper. 

MERCU'RIUS  VI'TS,  angdicus,  Algarothi  jiulvis. 
THE  MERCURY  OF  LIFE  ;  the  precipitate  formed  by  di- 
luting butter  of  antimony  with  water. 

This  powder  when  edulcorated  is  a  calx  of  antimony, 
always  nearly  of  the  same  strength,  and  therefore  some- 


times preferred  to  the  glass  in  preparing  tartarised 
antimony. 

ME'RGEN,  (from  the  Arabic  term  morgan).  See 
CORALLIUM. 

MERLU'CIUS,  (quasi  maris  lucius,  the  sea  pike). 
See  ASELLUS  MARINUS. 

MERYOPHY'LLON.     See  MILLEFOLIUM. 

MEROCE'LE,  (from  fttpos,  the  thigh,  and  x»jA>j,  a 
rufiture).  See  HERNIA  FEMORALIS. 

ME'ROS,  (from  u,i>pa,  to  divide).     See  FEMUR. 

ME'SANG  DE'VA'CCA.    See  BEZOAH  BOVINUS. 

MESARjE'ON,  ufra.p»iai,  (from  /n.£5-o«,  medius,  and 
up»i»,  belly).  MESENTERIUM,  q.  v. 

MESARAI'CA,  vel  MESARAI'CA  MA'JOR 
VE'NA,  (from  fiiff-upxiov,  the  mesentery).  The  MESA- 
RAIC  or  MESENTERIC  VEIN,  is  the  continuation  of  the 
vena  ports  ventralis.  (See  PORT.S  VENA.)  It  bends  to- 
wards the  superior  mesenteric  artery,  and  accompanies 
it  in  those  portions  of  the  mesentery  and  mesocolon 
which  belong  to  the  small  intestines,  the  caecum  and 
right  portion  of  the  colon ;  as  it  runs  down  it  forms  an 
arch  obliquely,  like  that  of  the  artery,  which  is  also 
ramified  on  the  convex  and  concave  sides.  It  very 
closely  accompanies  the  meseiiteric  artery,  and  is 
branched  out  in  nearly  the  same  manner. 

MESAHAI'CA   MI'NOR  VE'NA.     See  H^EMORRHOIDALIS 

INTERNA  VENA. 

MESENTE'RIC.E  ARTE'RI^E,  (from  mesente- 
rium,  the  mesentery).  The  upper  mesenteric  artery, 
called  colica,  seu  mesenlerica  superior.,  rises  somewhat 
below  the  ccfiliac.  The  aorta  a  little  above  its  division 
gives  off  the  inferior,  viz.  the  colica  sinistra  seu  mesen- 
terica  inferior,  to  the  left  side  upon  the  mesocolon,  the 
lowest  branch  of  which  goes  to  the  extremity  of  the 
anus,  and  forms  the  hsemorrhoidal  artery.  The  upper 
branches  anastomose  with  the  superior  mesenteric, 
and  are  azygous.  The  upper  mesenteric  branch  forms 
a  large  arch  in  its  course  from  the  right  side  to  the 
left  of  the  mesentery;  and  from  its  convex  side  many 
branches  pass  to  the  intestines,  where  they  communi- 
cate by  reciprocal  arches.  A  few  branches  go  from 
the  concave  sides,  spreading  themselves  in  the  meso- 
colon, colon,  &c. 

MESENTE'IUC^E  GLA'NDULJE.  The  MESENTERIC  GLANDS. 
The  lymphatic  glands  in  the  mesentery  are  larger  in 
young  than  in  old  subjects ;  and,  if  not  the  proper  seat 
of  scrofula,  they  are  always  affected  in  that  disease. 

MESENTE'RIUM,  (from  ptrts,  the  middle,  and 
cSlepov,  intestine,)  efiichordis;  mesartfon;  the  MESEN- 
TERY, thus  named  from  its  being'  in  the  middle  of 
the  intestines,  is  a  duplicature  of  the  peritonaeum, 
nearly  of  a  circular  figure  fixed  in  the  middle  of  the 
abdomen,  connected  by  a  cellular  membrane,  expand- 
ing and  receiving  the  intestines.  It  begins  loosely  upon  . 
the  loins,  extending  to  all  the  intestines,  except  the 
duodenum ;  but  that  part  of  it  which  belongs  to  the 
large  intestines  is  called  mesocolon,  and  is  a  production 
of  the  true  mesentery.  The  diameter  of  this  circular 
membrane  is  somewhat  more  than  four  inches,  and  the 
circumference  when  its  plaits  are  unfolded  are  about 
three  ells  in  length  :  the  intestines  plaited  on  this  cir- 
cumference are  nearly  three  times  that  length.  The 
inner  membrane  is  most  strictly  its  own ;  and  in  it  the 
vessels  and  the  glands  are  found.  The  two  exterior 


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ones  are  from  the  peritonaeum,  and  between  these  the 
arteries  and  veins  lie,  whose  branches  arc  dispersed  on 
the  intestines.  It  confines  the  intestines,  and  sustains 
the  arteries,  veins,  lymphaeducts,  and  nerves,  in  their 
passage  to  and  from  them. 

Many  disorders  are  described  by  different  authors  as 
arising  from  the  mesentery;  but  Dr.  Hunter  thinks  it 
is  rarely  the  seat  of  disease  ;  and  that  even  its  glands, 
sometimes  disordered  in  children,  are  not  affected  so 
frequently  as  is  suspected.  Riverius,  in  the  chapter  on 
obstructions  in  the  mesenteric  glands,  observes  that  the 
causes  and  cure  are  the  same  as  in  similar  disorders  of 
the  liver.  See  Praxis  Medica,  lib.  siii. 

MESENTERI"FIS,(from  mesenterium).  Dr.Cullen 
considers  it  as  a  species  of  PERITONITIS,  q.  v.  calling 
it  peritonitis  mesenterica.  See  IXFLAMMATIO  MESEX- 
TERIl. 

MESI'RE.  A  disorder  of  the  liver,  mentioned  by 
Avicenna,  accompanied  with  a  sense  of  heaviness,  tu- 
mour, inflammation,  pungent  pain,  and  blackness  of 
the  tongue. 

MliSOCO  LON,  (from  /«-««,  the  middle,  and  ««Aa», 
the  colon*).  When  the  mesentery  has  reached  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  ilium,  it  contracts  and  becomes  the  me- 
socolon.  One  lamina,  turned  to  the  right  side,  is  called 
the  right  ligament  of  the  colon.  The  mesocolon  then 
rising  to  the  right  kidney,  seems  to  be  lost  by  the  ad- 
hesion of  the  colon  to  the  kidney  and  the  first  curva- 
ture of  the  duodenum  ;  a  circumstance  which  explains 
the  utility  of  purgatives  in  nephritic  cases.  When  it 
again  appears,  its  breadth  increases,  and  it  passes  under 
the  stomach,  liver,  and  spleen,  downwards  to  the  left 
kidney.  The  circumference,  at  this  part,  is  very  little 
plaited,  and  the  colon  is  affixed  to  it,  so  as  to  hide  the 
ligamentary  band  at  its  smaller  curvature.  By  its 
smaller  circumference  it  incloses  the  duodenum  in  the 
triangular  sheath,  already  described,  and,  by  its  larger, 
the  colon,  forming  in  its  passage  a  slight  adhesion  to 
the  greater  curvature  of  the  stomach. 

It  contracts  below  the  left  kidney,  forming  the  liga- 
mentum  coli  sinistrum,  and  then  expands  again,  fixed 
to  the  convolutions  of  the  colon  as  in  the  superior  por- 
tions. See  MESEXTERIUM. 

MESOGA'STRIOX,  (from  ,.«««,  and  yar?,.,  the 
stomach,*}  the  connecting  membrane,  or  the  concave 
part  of  the  stomach,  which  attaches  it  to  the  adjacent 
parts.  SeeOMENTUM. 

MESOGLO'SSI,  (from  tuns,  and  •/>.«=•?*,  the 
tongue*).  See  GEXIOGLOSSI. 

MESOME'RIA,  from  turos,  and  f«y««,  the  thigh,") 
that  part  of  the  body  which  lies  betwixt  the  thighs. 
Rufus  Ephesius. 

MESOMPA'LIOX,  (from  j*t««,and  «^2*y<>;,  navel*). 
The  middle  of  the  navel. 

MESOPHY'RON,  (from  pins,  and  <&?**,  the  eye,) 
that  part  of  the  face  which  lies  betwixt  the  eyebrows. 
Rufus  Ephesius. 

MESOPLEU'RIOI,  (from  f««-««,  and  a-A^o/,  the 
See  INTF.RCOSTALF.S. 

MESO-RE'CTUM,  (from  turet,  and  rectum,  the 
•raight  gut*).  It  is  a  production  of  the  peritonaeum, 
h  invests  the  intestinum  rectum.  About  the  mid- 
dle of  the  fore  side  of  this  intestine  it  forms  a  semicir- 
cular fold,  which  appears  when  the  intestine  is  empty, 
but  is  lost  when  full. 

VOL.    I. 


3MESO  THE  XAR,  (from  faros,  and  "ti'x>,  the;, 
of  the  htjnd,*)  is  a  flat  and  nearly  u  triangular  muscle, 
lying  between  the  first  phalanx  of  the  thumb  and  the 
bottom  of  the  palm  of  the  hand,  inserted  into  the  liga- 
ment which  connects  the  os  magnum  of  the  carpus  to 
that  which  supports  the  thumb,  as  well  as  into  that 
bone  of  the  metacarpus  which  supports  the  middle  fin- 
ger, and  to  that  which  answers  to  the  index:  from 
thence,  the  fibres  contracting  to  an  angle  form  a  ten- 
don, which  is  inserted  into  the  head  of  the  first  phalanx 
of  the  thumb.  Winslow. 

ME'SPIEUS,  (from  «7<  "  t<?  fur*-  sn>.»«  ;  because 
it  has  a  cap  or  crown  in  the  middle).  The  MED- 
LAR. Mexfiilus  g-ermanica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  684.  The  com- 
mon medlar  is  about  the  size  of  an  apple  tree ;  1: 
strong  and  sharp  pointed ;  flowers  in  May,  and  the 
fruit  ripens  in  September.  In  Germany  these  trees  are 
wild  ;  with  us  cultivated.  The  fruit  hath  an  austere 
astringent  taste,  which  is  lost  when  kept  so  long  as  to 
appear  rotten ;  and  it  is  then  cooling  and  slightly  as- 
tringent. 

Mi'sriLUS  A'piifolio.     See  SPIXA  ALBA. 

METACA'RPIUS,  (from  metacarfiu*).  A  small 
fleshy  muscle,  situated  obliquely  between  the  large  in- 
ternal angular  or  transverse  ligament  of  the  carpus  and 
the  whole  inside  of  the  fourth  metacarpal  bone  ;  fixed 
by  a  tendon  to  the  os  orbiculare,  and  to  the  neighbour- 
ing part  of  the  large  ligament  of  the  carpus  :  at  its  other 
end  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  fourth  metacarpal 
bone. 

METACA'RPIOX,  METACA'RPUS,  (from  «;>. 
after,  and  XS^TTO?,  the  tvrist,*)  that  part  of  the  hand  si- 
tuated between  the  wrist  and  the  fingers.  The  ancients 
called  the  carpus  brachiale,  and  the  metacarpus  fiost  bra- 
chiale.  It  forms  on  the  inside  the  palm,  and  on  its  out- 
side the  back  of  the  hand,  but  the  first  phalanx  of  the 
thumb  is  not  apart  of  the  metacarpus.  The  mtv 
pal  bones  support  the  fingers.  Each  bone  of  the  meta- 
carpus is  long  and  flatted  at  the  ends.  The  ani 
surface  of  each  body  is  concave,  with  a  sharp  ridge  in 
the  middle  to  separate  the  interosseous  muscles.  The 
ends  next  the  ann  have  a  hollow,  for  the  articulations 
of  the  carpus;  and  those  next  the  fingers  are  dis- 
tinguished by  protuberances  for  fixing  the  ligaments 
that  unite  these  bones.  A  rough  ring  is  observable 
round  their  heads,  where  the  cupsular  ligaments  that 
unite  them  to  the  fingers  are  fixed.  These  bones  are 
united  to  the  carpus-and  to  each  other  by  surfaces  al- 
most plain,  as  little  motion  is  required;  and,  in  those 
of  the  fetus,  each  end  is  usually  cartilaginous.  The 
hollow  of  the  hand  is  formed  by  the  concavity  of  the 
fore  part  of  these  bones,  and,  from  the  minute  mo- 
tion of  which  they  are  susceptible,  they  form  a  secure 
basis  for  the  action  of  the  fingers. 

METACIXE'MA,  (from  t*.'.~,y.,  and  mien,  to  remove*). 
A  removal  of  the  pupil  of  the  eye  from  its  proper  situa- 
tion. 

METACO'XDYLI,  (from  f«7*,  and  *.»?*>.•*,  a 
knuckle*).  The  last  joints  of  the  fingers  next  the  nails. 

META'LLA,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  metil,  a  hard 
subatance*).  METALS,  or  METALLIC  SUBSTANCES, 
are  distinguished  by  their  splendour,  their  opacity,  their 
fusibility,  specific  gravity,  conducting  power,  hardness, 
elasticity,  malleability,  ductility,  tenacity^  and  com- 
bustibilitv.  From  their  hardness  and  elasticity, "Hey  are 

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idapted  for  the  construction  of  different  instruments 
employed  by  surgeons  ;  and  these  properties  fit  them 
for  discovering  solid  bodies  by  the  vibrations  they  con- 
vey to  the  hand,  as  a  stone  in  the  bladder,  or  a  bullet 
under  the  muscles.  Their  splendour  is  connected  with 
their  opacity,  for  all  metals  are  impervious  to  light;  and 
the  green  rays,  which  seem  to  pass  through  the  thinnest 
gold  leaf,  are  seemingly  owing  to  light  transmitted 
through  an  accidental  fracture. 

All  metals  are  fusible ;  and  mercury  even  retains  its 
fluidity  in  our  greatest  colds.  The  specific  gravity  of  the 
lightest  metal,  arsenic,  is  more  than  five  times  greater 
than  water,  and  much  more  considerable  than  the 
densest  stone,  which  is  not  suspected  to  be  metallic. 
The  metals  arc  the  best  conductors  of  electricity,  and  it 
has  been  supposed  that  the  electrical  fluid  is  conveyed 
through  our  system  more  readily  by  the  small  propor- 
tion of  iron  which  the  blood  contains.  This  is,  however, 
improbable,  as  the  electrical  shock  follows  more  closely 
the  course  of  the  nerves  than  of  the  arteries. 

Metallic  substances  are  also  called  perfect  or  imper- 
fect. The  first  are  not  permanently  altered  by  the 
greatest  heat  of  our  furnaces  ;  while  the  second,  when 
exposed  to  a  strong  heat,  with  the  access  of  free  air, 
are  changed  by  a  process  similar  to  burning,  and  in 
some  instances  with  an  actual  flame,  into  an  earthy  sub- 
stance called  calx,  which  is  heavier  than  the  metal  from 
ivhich  it  was  produced,  though  its  specific  gravity  is 
less.  This  arises  from  the  union  of  vital  air,  which 
converts  some  metals  into  acids.  If  the  calx  of  a  metal 
be  exposed  to  a  strong  heat  in  a  closed  vessel,  with 
some  inflammable  matter,  styled  a  flux,  it  recovers  its 
metallic  state.  This  is  called  reduction,  or  reviving  of 
the  metal. 

All  metals  are  imperfect,  except  gold,  silver,  and 
platina.  The  imperfect  metals  are,  mercury,  lead, 
copper,  iron,  tin;  and  the  semimetals,  bismuth, nickel, 
arsenic,  cobalt,  zinc,  antimony,  manganese,  molybdae- 
na,  tellurium,  titanium,  chronium,  columbium,  osmi- 
um, iridium,  and  uranite,  with  some  others  whose 
nature  is  not  yet  accurately  ascertained.  As  the  appella- 
tions arsenic,  antimony,  manganese,  wolfram,  and  mo- 
iybdaena,  arc  given  to  the  ores,  the  term  of  regulus  is 
often  employed  to  distinguish  the  metal,  though  modern 
chemists  often  use  the  terms  indiscriminately. 

The  heaviest  metal  is  gold,  then  follow  platina,  mer- 
cury, lead,  silver,  copper,  iron,  and  tin.  The  most 
malleable  also  is  gold,  followed  by  silver,  copper,  tin, 
iron,  lead,  platina,  zinc,  bismuth,  antimony.  The  force 
of  cohesion  is  greatest  in  gold,  next  in  iron,  silver, 
brass,  and  copper,  successively  :  tin  is  far  below  copper, 
and  lead  still  less  cohesive.  The  order  of  fusibility 
is  the  following,  tin,  bismuth,  lead,  zinc,  antimony, 
silver,  copper,  cobalt,  nickel,  gold,  iron,  manganese,  and 
platina.  Different  proportions  of  tin  and  lead  are  still 
more  fusible;  and,  if  bismuth  be  added,  this  property  is 
increased.  Five  parts  of  tin,  three  of  bismuth,  and  two 
of  lead,  become  soft  in  boiling  water.  This  last  pro- 
perty renders  such  metallic  mixtures  highly  useful  as 
injections  for  anatomical  preparations. 

All  the  metals  dissolve  in  acids.  See  AFFINITY; 
and  in  these  solutions  the  metal  is  in  a  state  of  calx. 
— Neumann,  Chaptal,  Fourcroy,  and  Thompson's 
Chemistry. 

MET  VLLU'RGIA,    (froqj  ^7*>.Ao»,    «  metal,  and 


tfyou,  work).     METALLURGY  ;  the  chemical  doctrim 
metals,  particularly  respecting   their  separation,  depu- 
ration, and  preparation. 

METAPE'DIUM,  (from  rf",  and  *•&,  the  foot}. 
See  METATARSUS. 

METAPHRE'NON,  (from  /nil*,  and  p/wis,  the  dia- 
phragm). See  DORSUM. 

META'STASIS,  (from  fi.era.ri6>,^t,  to  transfer,)  di- 
adexis,  diadoche,  a  translation  of  a  disease  from  one  part 
to  another.  The  term  is  limited  to  a  change  of  deter- 
mination, for  when  matter  or  water  passes  through  the 
cellular  membrane,  it  is  not  called  a  metastasis. 

METASY'NCRISIS,  (from  fu-ra,  and  ^vyy.^a,  to 
mix  together'}.  The  word  generally  implies  a  change 
in  any  given  part.  Asclepiades.  See  MEDICINA  (-///«- 
tory). 

METATA'RSIUS,  (from  ml*,  and  r*fnf,  the  tar- 
sus of  the  foot).  A  fleshy  mass  lying  under  the  sole  of 
the  foot,  fixed  by  one  end  to  the  fore  part  of  the  great 
tuberosity  of  the  os  calcis,  and  terminating  in  a  short 
tendon,  inserted  in  the  tuberosity  and  posterior  part  of 
the  lower  side  of  the  fifth  bone  of  the  metatarsus.  It 
moves  the  last  bone  of  the  metatarsus,  and  draws  the 
fourth  bone  along  with  it,  contracting  the  sole  of  the  foot. 

METATA'RSUS,  (from  fiirx,  and  rapa-os,  the  tar- 
sus,) planta,  planum,  vestigium,  mctafiedium,  is  com- 
posed of  five  bones,  similar  to  those  of  the  metacarpus, 
but,  in  general,  thicker  and  stronger  ;  their  round  ends 
not  so  broad,  and  less  in  proportion  to  their  bases. 
Their  bodies  are  also  sharper  above,  and  flatter  on  the 
sides,  with  the  inferior  ridge  inclined  more  to  the  out- 
side, and  larger  tubercles  at  the  lower  part  of  the  round 
head. 

ME'TELLA  NUX.     See  Nux  VOMICA. 

METEORI'SMUS,  (from  rftopts,  a  -vapour).  See 
TYMPANITES. 

METEO'ROS,  (from  /^irx,  and  atpu,  to  elevate). 
Elevated,  suspended,  erect,  sublime,  tumid ;  pains  af- 
fecting the  peritonaeum,  or  the  superficial  parts  of  the 
body,  opposed  to  more  deep  seated  ones.  Galen. 
^  METHEMERI'NOS,  (from  p.™,  and  »&?«,  a  day). 
See  QUOTIDIANA  FEBRIS. 

METO'PIUM,  an  oil,  or  an  ointment  described  by 
Dioscorides,  named  from  the  plant  which  produces 
galbanum:  sometimes  itmeansthe  oil  of  bitter  almonds. 
See  AMYGDALAE. 

METOTON  or  METO'PUM,  (from  ftc™,  and  »^, 
oculus).  See  FHONTIS  os. 

METO'SIS.  An  amaurosis,  from  an  excess  of  short- 
sightedness. 

ME'TRA,  (from  fmrup,  a  mother).     See  UTERUS. 

METRE'NCHYTA,  (from  fwp*,  the  uterus,  and 
iy%va,  to  pour  into).  INJECTIONS  for  the  UTERUS. 

METRE'NCHYTES,  (from  the  same).     A  WOMB 

SYRINGE. 

METRI'TIS,  (from  wlpx,  the  womb).  INFLAMMATIO 
UTERI,  q.  v. 

METROCE'LIDES,  (from  wrr,p,  a  mother,  and 
£>Ais,  a  mole).  See  N^vus. 

METROPROPTO'SIS,  (from  wrp*,  the  womb,  and 
•zrpo?riir1a,  to  fall  down).  See  PROCIDENT'IA  UTERI. 

METRORRHA'GIA,  (from  fuflp*,  the  womb,  and 
ptyw/Ai,  to  break  out).  See  MENORRHAGIA. 

ME'U,  ME'UM,  (from  /H.J/OV,  less,)  on  account  of 
its  diminutive  size.  SPIGNEL,  BAUD,  or  VAULD 


M  I  A 


987 


MIL 


:IOXET.  Athamanta  meum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  553. 
ium  .llftinum,  is  a  perennial  plant,  whose  leaves  are 
much  smaller,  and  seeds  broader,  than  those  of  fennel. 
The  root  resembles  that  of  fennel,  but  is  of  a  more 
agreeable  though  fetid  smell,  and  a  more  pungent  taste. 
ME'UM  ALPHI'NUM  GERMA'XICUM.  GERMAN  or 
MOUNTAIN  SPIGXEL,  mutellina,  fihellandrium  mute/Una 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  366.  It  possesses  only  the  virtues  of  the 
common  sort. 

ME'UM  LATIFO'LHTM  ADULTERI'XUM,  seseii  fierenne 
folio  gtcuco  brei-iori,  ftniculum  sylvettre,  ferula  folio 
dreviori,  saxifrage  montana  minor,  BASTARD  SPIGNEL, 
seteli  monranu?n  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  572,  grows  on  dry 
hills,  and  flowers  in  June.  The  root  is  drying  and 
pungent. 

MEXICA'XUM  BALS'AMUM.  (from  Mexico,  of 
which  it  is  a  production).  See  PERUVIAN-CM  BALSA- 
MUM. 

MEXICANA'YA.     See  BOTRYS  MEXICAXA. 

MEZE'REUM,  an  indigenous  appellation.  See 
LAUHEOLA  F<EMIXA. 

MIA'SMA,  (from  «««'>»,  to  flollute').  MIASMATA 
have  lately  claimed  the  attention  of  pathologists,  as 
they  are  the  causes  of  some  of  the  most  fatal  fevers  to 
which  mankind  are  subject.  In  the  more  strict  patho- 
logical investigations  of  modern  authors  they  are  dis- 
tinguished from  contagion,  which  is  confined  to  the 
effluvia  from  the  human  body,  when  subject  to  disease; 
yet  this  contagion,  when  it  does  not  proceed  immediate- 
ly from  the  body,  but  has  been  for  some  time  confined 
in  clothes,  is  sometimes  styled  miasma.  Another  kind 
of  miasma  as  already  noticed,  (see  CONTAGION,)  is  pu- 
trid vegetable  matter,  and  indeed  every  thing  of  this 
kind  which  appears  in  the  form  of  air.  Miasma,  then, 
strictly  speaking,  is  an  aerial  fluid,  combined  with  atmo- 
spheric air,  and  not  dangerous  except  the  air  be  loaded 
with  it;  for  diffusion,  as  we  have  seen,  renders  it  harm- 
less. It  is  not  always  discoverable  by  the  smell,  and 
scarcely  ever  by  the  nicest  eudiometrical  tests  :  it  is  not 
therefore  hydrogen  or  azote,  though  there  is  great  rea- 
son to  suppose  that  it  is  a  modification  of  these ;  for, 
from  marshes  hydrogen  generally  arises,  and,  from  the 
human  body,  the  chief  injurious  exhalation  is  azote. 
Hydrogen  and  azote  also  destroy  irritability,  or  induce 
sudden  debility,  effects  generally  found  from  the  mias- 
mata which  produce  fever.  As  we  know  not  the  nature 
of  miasmata,  therefore,  we  cannot  discover  their  cor- 
rector. Diffusion,  however,  renders  them  harmless,  and 
it  is  sufficient  for  us  that  free  air  will  prevent  their  de- 
leterious effects. 

What  the  variety  of  miasmata  may  be  we  cannot 
Each  infectious  disease  has  its  own,  diffused 
round  the  person  which  it  has  attacked,  and  liable  to 
convey  the  disease  at  different  distances,  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  complaint,  or  to  the  predisposition  of 
the  object  exposed  to  it.  This  part  of  the  inquiry  rather 
belongs  to  contagion,  and  to  the  particular  disease.  A 
patient  in  the  small  pox  seems  to  diffuse  an  infectious 
atmosphere  to  the  distance  of  from  ten  to  fourteen  feet : 
measles  and  scarlatina  are  less  active  in  this  respect,  and 
even  the  plague  seems  not  to  be  infectious,  except  from 
fomites,  but  from  actual  contact. 

The  miasmata  of  marshes,  those  only  whose  effects 
we  can  more  distinctly  perceive,  produce  intermittents, 
and  remittents  of  the  worst  kind.  They  produce  also 


dysentery  and  the  epidemic  catarrh,  of  which  the  in- 
fection is  usually  conveyed  by  the  air.  The  bilious  fever 
of  America  we  have  supposed  to  be  the  natural  autum- 
nal remittent,  and  therefore  may  be  referrible  to  the. 
same  source;  nor  can  we  avoid  concluding  that  every 
endemic  disease  must  have  its  origin  in  the  peculiar 
exhalations  of  the  country. 

The  putrid  vegetable  matter  which  has  been  accused 
as  the  cause  of  many  fevers  may  be  truly  such,  for  we 
know  that  many  parts  of  vegetables  produce  azote. 
Yet  their  effects  in  this  respect  have  not  been  traced 
with  accuracy.  Continued  fevers  are  chiefly  referrible 
to  contagion:  but  the  causes  of  intermittents  in  some 
constitutions  seem  to  produce  fevers  of  the  more  con- 
tinued form  ;  and  the  miasmata  of  marshes,  when  they  - 
have  excited  their  peculiar  fever,  may  certainly,  through 
the  medium  of  the  human  body,  produce  continued 
fevers.  Human  effluvia  confined,  independent  of  a 
morbid  state,  become  undoubtedly  the  cause  of  fever^ 
the  most  continued  in  their  form,  and  are  then  truly 
miasmata. 

MI'CA,  (from  ;«.<*?»«,  small}.  A  morsel,  a  crumb,  a 
grain;  also  a  foliated  semi-transparent  stone,  formerly, 
and  at  present  in  the  Russian,  navy,  used  as  glass.  It  is 
of  the  magnesian  genus,  but  not  used  in  medicine. 
See  Haiiy,  iii.  208.  Thompson's  Chemistry,  iii.  462. 

MI'CA  THU'RIS.     See  OLIBANUM. 

MI'CA  PA'NIS,  the  soft  part  of  bread;  employed  in 
preparing  mild  cataplasms,  by  soaking  slices  of  new 
bread  in  water  until  they  become  perfectly  soft,  and 
then  pressing  out  the  superfluous  water,  beating  the 
bread  up  with  a  spoon,  and  stirring  into  it  a  small  quan- 
tity of  lintseed  meal.  It  is  used  also  in  its  dry  state,  as  u 
convenient  mass  for  pills. 

MI'CRO-LEU'CO-NYMPHjE'A,  (from  ,«.<>. 
small,  Att/jwj,  white,  and  rvf^aite,  the  ivater  lily,)  nym- 
phea,  morsus  rane,  FROG  BIT,  hydrocharis  morsus  ra- 
ng Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1466,  grows  in  muddy  waters,  and 
flowers  in  July.  It  is  said  to  resemble  in  virtues  the 
leuco-nymphaea. 

MI'CRO-XYMPHJE'A,  (fitxfes,  and  ivit&xia^.  A  variety 
ft  of,  and  in  every  respect  resembling,  the  above. 
It  is  less  than  the  nymphaea;  grows  in  ditches,  and  is 
said  to  possess  the  same  virtues. 

MI'CROS.     See  DIGITUS. 

MID'WIFERY.     See  OBSTETRICATIO. 

MIGRA'NA.  A  corruption  of  HEMICRANIA.  Set- 
CEPHALALGIA. 

MILIA'RES  GLA'XDULJE,  (from  their  resem- 
blance to  millet  seeds).  See  SEBACE.E  GLAXDUL.E. 

MILIA'RIA,  MILIA'RIS  FE'BRIS,  (from  the 
pustules  resembling  millet  seed).  The  MILIART  FE- 
VER, by  the  Germans  Friesel,  placed  by  Dr.  Cullen  iu 
the  class  Pyrexie,  and  order  Exanthemata;  defined 
"  a  synochus  attended  with  restlessness,  frequent  sigh- 
ing, a  fetid  sweat,  and  prickling  of  the  skin;  red. 
small,  distinct  spots,  on  an  uncertain  day  of  the  disease, 
break  out  copiously  over  the  whole  skin,  except  the 
face,  whose  tops  discover,  after  a  day  or  two,  very 
small  white  pustules,  continuing  but  a  short  time."  This 
fever  is  now  generally  supposed  to  be  symptomatic 
only,  because  it  never  appears  contagious  or  epidemic. 
It  sometimes  attends  febrile  affections,  as  well  those  of 
an  inflammatory  as  of  a  putrid  nature,  but  it  seldom 
occurs  in  anv.  unless  a  hot  regimen  and  sweat  precede. 
6K.2 


MIL 


988 


MIL 


The  French  and  German  authors,  however,  still  con- 
sider it  as  an  idiopathic  disease,  and  we  have  twice  seen 
it  when  the  regimen  could  not  be  accused  as  the  cause, 
though  it  must  be  allowed  to  have  been  often  the  crea- 
ture of  art,  since,  after  the  disuse  of  the  hot  regimen, 
its  appearance  has  been  rare.  When  the1  pustules  are 
white  it  is  called  fiurpura  alba,  when  red,  ftur/iura 
riibra.  It  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  child-bed 
women,  though  it  sometimes  appears  during  the  sweat- 
ing regimen  in  rheumatism. 

This  disorder  is  denominated  simple  when  none 
but  miliary  pustules  accompany  the  red  ones,  which, 
\vhcn  appearing  alone,  are  called  a  rash.  If  we  speak 
of  it  as  an  idiopathic  disease,  we  must  employ  the  lan- 
guage of  those  who  have  described  it  as  such.  They 
say  that  it  is  peculiar  to  some  constitutions,  who 
experience  the  disease  repeatedly  in  their  lives,  and  pe-. 
culiarly  affects  the  tender,  the  weak,  and  the  irritable  ; 
preceded  by  sighing,  great  lowness,  oppression  on  the 
praecordia,  and  ushered  in  by  shivering,  followed  by 
heat  and  a  pricking  sensation  of  the  skin  ;  nor  does  the 
anxiety  and  lowness  cease  till  the  eruption  is  completed. 
Unlike  other  exanthemata,  the  eruption  does  not  con- 
clude the  disease,  for  successive  crops  often  appear, 
preceded  and  attended  with  the  same  symptoms.  Ac- 
cording to  circumstances,  the  fever  sometimes  rises  to 
phrenitis,  and  sometimes  sinks  into  a  typhus.  The 
pustules,  first  apparently  filled  with  serum,  afterwards 
v>  iih  u  whitish  fluid,  at  last  dry,  and  scale  oft'  in  branny 
crusts. 

It  is  not,  we  have  observed,  contagious  or  epidemic ; 
the  eruptions  have  no  regular  periods  of  appearance  or 
duration  ;  and  though  the  origin  and  source  of  the  dis- 
ease are  said  to  be  at  no  distant  period  and  country, 
yet  traces  of  it  are  discoverable  even  in  Hippocrates. 
All  these  circumstances  strongly  militate  against  its 
being  an  idiopathic  disease,  and  the  only  connection 
which  has  been  discovered,  if  it  be  really  a  discovery, 
between  the  different  states  of  constitution  subject  to 
miliary  fever  is,  that  it  more  often  attends  those  subject 
to  considerable  haemorrhages.  Such  discharges  certainly 
occasion  great  irritability ;  and  the  disease  is  not  con- 
nected with  mere  debility,  since  it  is  not  peculiarly 
attendant  on  typhus.  On  the  other  hand,  the  appear- 
ance of  the  urine  is  peculiarly  pale,  and  the  smell  of 
the  perspiration  is  acid;  but  the  former  is  an  almost 
constant  attendant  on  fevers  in  their  commencement, 
and  the  latter  is  peculiar  to  the  perspiration  of  child-bed 
women. 

The  accidental  symptoms  of  miliaria  are  remission 
and  exacerbation  of  the  fever,  but  at  no  regular  periods. 
The  sleep  is  disturbed,  often  interrupted  ;  tremor,  sub- 
sultus,  and  even  convulsions,  come  on.  Occasionally, 
the  pulse  sinks,  the  eruptions  assume  a  purple  hue, 
clammy  sweats  and  death  follow.  The  directions  for 
the  cure  of  this  fever  have  been  strangely  and  without 
reason  embarrassed.  If  it  is  symptomatic  of  a  too  hot 
regimen,  we  shall  find  little  other  regulation  than  with 
caution  to  lessen  it.  If  idiopathic,  similar  plans  should 
be  followed,  and  according  to  the  principles  laid  down 
in  the  articles  DIAPHORETICA  and  MORBI  CUTANEI,  we 
should  conduct  the  perspiration  steadily  and  slowly. 
Cool  instead  of  cold  drinks  should  be  employed,  the 
cooling  neutrals  freely  given,  and  the  bowels  kept  free 
by  the  mildest  laxatives.  The  nervous  symptoms  are  best 


relieved  by  camphor,  which  the  stomach  usually  bears 
with  ease,  and  should  the  strength  sink,  a  little  wine 
may  be  cautiously  allowed,  or  ether  added  to  the  cam- 
phorated draughts.  In  general,  however,  cool  free  air 
,  is  the  greatest  cordial.  Even  Fischer,  after  the  expe- 
rience of  sixty  years,  advises  us  not  to  be  too  anxious 
to  force  on  the  discharge  from  the  skin;  and  we  have 
seen  that  cool  air  is  the  most  effectual  cliapnoic.  See 
DIAPHORETICA. 

When  the  pustules  assume  a  purple  hue,  which  in 
this  country  is  an  occurrence  peculiarly  rare,  the  bark 
and  port  wine,  in  quantities  proportioned  to  the  violence 
of  the  symptoms,  are  necessary,  and  when  the  debility 
is  considerable,  bark,  independent  of  putrcscency,  has 
been  given.  This  may  be  requisite,  but  we  have  never 
found  it  so,  and  there  is  always  danger  that  bark  may 
occasion  a  stricture  on  the  skin  and  check  the  salutary 
diapnoe.  When  inflammatory,  phrenitic,  or  pneumonic 
symptoms  come  on,  they  must  be  treated  according  to 
the  rules  laid  down  under  the  proper  heads,  urging, 
however,  the  general  evacuations  with  caution,  and 
trusting  rather  to  the  topical  ones.  Blisters  are  never 
useful,  except  in  such  cases  of  topical  congestions. 

See  Hoffman  and  Sir  David  Hamilton's  Treatise  on 
the  Miliary  Fever.  Sydenham  Miliaris  nova  Fcbris, 
Schedula  Monitoria ;  Fischer  et  Febre  Miiiari ;  Allioni 
de  Miliaria.  De  Haen  Ratio  Mcdendi ;  Colin  de  Mi- 
liaria. Cullcn's  First  Lines,  edit.  4.  vol.  ii. 

MILIA'RIS  NAU'TICA,  and  PURPUKA'TA,  species  of 
Typhus  :  the  former  is  called  by  Huxham  fcbris  nau- 
tica  pestilentialis. 

MILIA'RIUM,  (,«./>i< «/>/»i>).     See  ALEMUICUS. 

MILIO'LUM.  A  small  tumour  in  the  eye  lids,  of 
the  size  of  a  millet  seed. 

MILITA'RIS  AIZOI'DES.     See  ALOIDES. 

MILITA'RIS  FIE'RBA,  (from  miles,  a  soldier,} 
from  its  efficacy  in  curing  fresh  wounds.  See  MILLE- 

FOLIUM. 

MI'LIUM,  (from  mille,  a  thousand,  because  of  its 
numerous  seeds).  MILLET,  cenc/irox,  fianicum  Italicum 
and  miliaceum,  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  83  and  86,  hath  large, 
broad,  grass  like,  somewhat  hairy  leaves,  encompassing 
the  stalk  of  three  or  four  feet  in  height,  bearing  on  the 
top  a  large  pendent  panicle,  composed  of  many  slender 
stalks,  with  many  small  glumes,  including  small,  white, 
hard,  shining  grains.  It  grows  plentifully  in  Poland; 
is  sown  in  April,  reaped  in  August  or  September,  and 
is  used  as  food.  See  ALIMENT. 

MI'LIUM  I'NDICUM,  sorgo,  sorghum,  melica,  Holcus, 
Holcus  sorghum  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1484.  INDIAN  MILLET 
is  sown  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  other  warm  countries.  In 
Turkey  they  feed  their  hogs  and  poultry  with  it;  but  in 
the  human  body  it  induces  constipation. 

MI'LIUM  ARUNDINA'CEUM,  Coix  lachryma  Jubi,  Lin. 
Sp.  PI.  1378;  the  lithonficrmum. 

MILLEFO'LIUM,  (from  mille,  a  thousand,  and  fo- 
lium, a  leaf).  Lentibularia;  sufiercilium  and  luinbus 
Veneris,  myriofthyllon,  c!iiliofihy(lun,  COMMON  VAHKOW; 
MILL  FOIL,  Achillea  milli-folium  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1267,  is  a 
plant  with  rough  stiff  leaves,  divided  into  small  seg- 
ments, set  in  pairs,  along  a  middle  rib,  like  feathers; 
the  little  flowers  stand  thick  together  in  the  form  of  an 
umbel  on  the  top  of  the  stiff"  stalk,  and  consist  each  of 
several  whitish  orpurpleish  petala,  set  round  a  loose  disk 
of  the  same  colour,  followed  by  small  crooked  seeds. 


MI  N 


989 


MI  X 


It  is  perennial,  grows  plentifully  on  sandy  commons, 
and  ikwtib  almost  all  the  summer. 

The  leaves  and  flowers,  are  considered  to  be  mild 
corroborants,  and  aptispasmodics  ;  their  .sensible  quali- 
ties promise  some  activi;y,  for  they  have  a  weak  but 
agreeable  aromatic  smell,  a  slightly  bitter,  rough,  and 
pungent  taste  :  the  leaves  are  most  bitter,  the  flowers 
have  most  smell,  and  the  .young  roots  a  glowing  warm 
taste  like  that  of  contraycrva,  but  the  smell  is  greatly 
diminished  by  drying,  By  the  Greek  physicians  this 
plant  was  esteemed  a  vulnerary  and  styptic,  generally 
employed  internally  as  an  astringent  in  all  haemorr- 
hages. Stahl  and  Hoffman  used  it  in  bleeding  from  the 
lungs  and  nose,  too  copious  flow  of  the  menses,  and 
bleeding  piles.  Stahl  considered  it  not  only  as  an 
astringent,  but  a  powerful  tonic,  antispasmodic,  and  se- 
dative; it  is  now  neglected,  and  the  leaves  and  flowers 
only  are  appropriated  to  medical  purposes,  if  it  should 
be  employed. 

Both  water  and  spirit  extract  the  virtue  of  the  leaves 
and  flowers;  but  water  the  astringcncy,  and  spirit  the 
aroma,  in  the  greatest  degree.  If  the  flowers  are  dis- 
tilled with  water  they  yield  an  essential  oil  ;  and  if  the 
plant  is  gathered  from  a  rich  soil,  the  oil  will  appear  of 
a  blue  colour;  if  otherwise  it  will  be  green.  A  strong 
decoction  of  the  root  and  leaves  is  said  to  have  cured  a 
dysentery.  See  Rail  Historia;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

MILI.EFO'LIUM   AQUA'TICLM.      See  MVKIOPHYLLOX. 

MILLEGRA'NA  MAJOR,  (from  mille  and  gra- 
.num,  grain}.  See  HERXIARIA. 

MILLEMO'RBIA,  (from  mille,  and  morius,  a  dis- 

eaai'}.        Sl't"   SCROPHULARIA   MAJOR. 

MILLE'PEDES,  (fiom  mille,  and  pedes,  feet}.    See 

Asi.LLI. 

MILPHO'SIS,  (/K./A0a-ris).  A  Greek  primitive.  A 
BALDNESS  of  the  EYE  BHOWS  :  sometimes  an  increase  of 
the  flesh  in  the  corner  of  the  eyes.  / 

MILZADE'LLA,  (from  milza,  Span,  the  sfileen, 
from  its  virtues  in  diseases  of  the  spleen).  See  LAMIUM 
MACULA  TUM. 

MIMO'SA  NILO'TICA,  seu  J£GYPTIACA.  See 
ACACIA. 

MIMO'SA  JAPO'NICA  CA'TECHU.  See  TERHA  JAPOXICA. 

MINJL'A.     See  AXIME. 

MINERA'LIA,  (from  miiia,  a  mine  rf  metals}. 
MINERALS.  The  mineral  kingdom  furnishes  numerous 
and  very  valuable  remedies,  first  introduced  by  the  che- 
mical physicians,  and,  for  a  long  time  disregarded  by 
the  Boerhaavian  school.  They  were  supposed  by  the 
latter  to  be  unalterable  in  the  stomach  by  the  digestive 
powers,  and  consequently  incapable  of  producing  any 
change  in  the  circulating  fluids,  the  source,  in  their 
opinion,  of  all  diseases.  Dr.  Cullen  first  clearly  pointed 
out,  that  many  medicines,  particularly  opium  and  arse- 
nic, produced  considerable  changes,  though  thrown  up 
with  an  apparently  undiminished  bulk, and  thaj  therefore 
they  acted  on  the  stomach  as  a  nervous  organ,  sympa- 
thetically connected  with  the  rest  of  the  system.  Since 
that  time,  the  opinions  of  the  chemical  sect  have  been 
revived  with  more  distinct  and  more  rational  views, 
and  copper,  arsenic,  barytes,  with  some  other  medicines 
of  considerable  power,  introduced  into  the  materia  me- 
dica.  In  the  views  of  the  natural  historian  the  study 
of  mineralogy  has  been  attended  with  greater  difficulty. 


In  the  system  of  Linnaeus,  who  was  very  imperfectly  ac- 
quainted with  minerals,  the  form  alone  was  considered 
as  the  basis  of  the  classification;  and  forms,  at  that  time 
little  known,  or  described  with  no  very  discriminated 
minuteness,  led  rather  to  confusion,  than  distinction. 
Cronstedt  first  conducted  his  arrangement  with  scienti- 
fic accuracy,  but  his  system  was  chemical,  and  tlr 
neral  rules,  as  well  as  the  conduct  of  the  historians  of 
the  other  kingdoms  of  nature,  rested  their  discrimina- 
tions on  external  forms.  Daubenton,  the  friend  and 
coadjutor  of  Burton,  suggested  an  union  of  these  two 
plans,  but  the  revolution  was  completed  by  Werner  and 
Ihiiy  within  a  very  few  years. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  a  great  variety  of  sys- 
tematic arrangements.  That  of  Cronstedt  was  com- 
prised in  ib;.r  great  divisions;  earths,  salts,  inflamma- 
bles, and  metals,  to  which  he  lias  added,  in  an  appendix, 
compound  and  conglomerated  stones,  petrifactions,  and 
volcanic  productions.  He  has  been  followed,  with  no 
change  in  the  great  outlines,  by  Mr.  Kirwan.  While 
the  chemical  mineralogists  were  thus  meliorating  their 
system  at  their  furnaces  or  their  lamps,  a  considerable 
revolution  was  preparing  in  Germany  and  France.  In 
the  school  of  1  reyberg,  where  the  subject,  from  the 
neighbouring  mines,  forced  itself  on  the  attention  of 
naturalists,  Werner  laboured  at  rendering  the  descrip- 
tive language  more  copious,  more  expressive,  and  more 
accurate.  To  every  appearance  of  shade,  colour,  hard- 
ness, taste,  smell,  Sec.  he  gave  appropriate  appellations, 
often  with  a  disgusting  harshness  which  obscured  what 
he  attempted  to  explain,  but  with  the  most  minute  and 
accurate  discrimination.  Huiiy,  in  France,  was  at  the 
same  time  observing  with  minuteness  the  form  of  the 
crystals,  and  investigating  by  the  most  patient  research, 
aided  by  the  must  accurate  geometrical  constructions, 
the  original  molecule,  on  which  the  future  more  com- 
pound crystal  is  moulded.  In  this  enquiry  he  had  an 
assistant  in  Rome  de  PIsle,  but  his  last  most  valuable 
work  is  wholly  his  own.  That  of  Rome  de  PIsle  was 
published  near  twenty  years  since.  Hatiy,  however, 
though  he  rests  greatly  on  the  form  of  the  crystals,  nei- 
ther neglects  the  chemical  analysis,  nor  the  strict  lan- 
guage of  Werner;  and  the  general  merit  of  his  work 
has  lead  us  to  prefer  it  as  the  most  convenient  book  of 
reference,  to  ascertain  the  species  intended,  especially 
as  his  copious  list  of  synonyms  lead  us  equally  to  the 
best  authors  of  the  chemical  and  the  Wernerian  schools. 

Haiiy's  first  class  contains  the  COMPOUNDED  ACIDS, 
viz.  those  substances  in  which  the  acid  is  united  to  an 
earth,  an  alkali,  and  occasionally  to  both.  The  second 
comprises  the  PURE  EARTHS,  except  where  they  may  be 
united  with  an  alkali.  The  third  contains  the  COMBUS- 
TIBLES, and  the  fourth  the  METALS.  The  appendix  is 
rilled  with  those  bodies  whose  nature  is  unknown,  com- 
pound, and  volcanic  substances. 

Werner,  though  he  has  so  carefully  improved  the 
language  of  mineralogy,  yet  rests  on  chemical  analysis 
as  his  chief  support.  The  principal  divisions  of  former 
authors  it  is  impossible  to  overlook  or  neglect,  for  they 
are  strongly  pointed  out  by  nature;  and  EARTHS,  SALTS, 
COMBUSTIBLES,  and  METALS,  are  also  his  classes.  He 
has  added  the  classification  of  rocks,  which  he  divides 
into  primitive,  transitive,  alluvial,  and  volcanic.  His 
object  in  this  arrangement  will  be  sufficiently  obvious 


MIN 


990 


MIR 


Ji'om  the  titles.  Of  Werner's  system  we  have  no  very 
satisfactory  uccount  in  cur  own  language.  His  work  on 
the  "External  Character  of  Fossils"  has  been  translated, 
biu  the  language  is  disgusting  and  rugged.  M.  Brochant's 
two  volumes  of  mineralogy,  in  French,  give  a  much 
moi-e  favourable  view  of  his  doctrines;  and  this  work  is 
more  valuable,  as  it  goes  hand  in  hand  with  that  of 
Haiiy,  a  circumstance  which  enhances  the  value  of  each. 
Mr.  Jamieson's  description  of  the  minerals  of  Scotland, 
and  a  few  others  from  the  school  of  Freyberg,  are  cal- 
culated rather  to  disgust  than  allure  the  student. 

Werner  has  improved  the  science  in  one  respect,  viz. 
in  preserving  the  natural  families,  which,  like  the  na- 
tural orders  in  botany,  connect  kindred  substances. 
Haiiy  has  been  equally  successful  in  connecting  these 
kindred  tribes  from  the  form  of  their  crystals;  and  so 
just  is  his  method,  that  the  arrangement  which  these 
first  suggested  afterwards  received  their  best  support 
from  chemical  analysis.  Another  improvement  of  Wer- 
ner is  the  arrangement  of  subjects,  not  from  the  predo- 
minance of  their  component  parts,  but  from  the  charac- 
ter. Many  reputed  argillaceous  earths  have  often  the 
largest  proportion  of  silex,  but  they  are  arranged  with 
propriety  as  clays.  This,  though  sometimes  attended 
to,  was  not  before  the  sera  of  the  Freyberg  professor 
strictly  kept  in  view,  and  it  has  greatly  improved  his 
system  as  a  natural  one ;  the  first  and  great  object  in 
every  department  of  natural  history. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  mineralogy  is  the  means  of 
ascertaining  species;  and,  when  we  proceed  to  other 
subjects  which  have  been  supposed  less  susceptible  of 
the  advantages  of  arrangement,  we  shall  find  the  dif- 
ficulty less  considerable.  Every  author  depends  on  the 
chemical  nature  of  the  object-  for  the  establishment  of 
species ;  and  Werner  expressly  observes,  that  bodies, 
which  differ  essentially  in  their  chemical  nature,  differ 
also  as  species.  The  error  lies  in  not  affixing  an  accu- 
rate idea  to  the  word  "  essentially"  for  Werner  often- 
depends  on  differences  purely  accidental ;  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  sub  species  in  almost  every  modern 
system  shows  the  uncertainty  of  the  foundation  of 
specific  differences.  Haiiy  has  formed  his  species  on 
the  chemical  nature  of  substances,  but  he  has  added 
essential  external  characters,  very  striking  and  discri- 
minated. Brochant  has  done  the  same,  but  not  always 
with  equal  success. 

It  is  a  singular  remark  of  prince  Gallitzin  in  his 
"  Alphabetical  Collection  of  Mineralogical  Names," 
that  the  possible  combinations  of  the  nine  principal 
earths,  excluding  the  saline  and  metallic  mixtures,  ex- 
ceed forty  thousand,  of  which  we  have  yet  discovered 
scarcely  more  than  fifty.  How  inexhaustible  are  Nature's 
stores,  and  what  resources  may  not  medicine  and  the 
arts  have  still  in  reserve  ?  The  siliceous  earths  form 
nearly  one  half  of  the  known  combinations,  the  calca- 
reous only  furnish  five,  and  the  aluminous  seven. 

We  have  perhaps  been  led  too  far  from  our  medical 
department ;  hut  this  subject  has  not  sufficiently  shared 
the  attention  of  the  English  naturalists  or  physicians. 
We  shall  now  return  to  our  proper  path,  and  endeavour 
to  point  out  the  comparative  advantages  of  each  class, 
in  a  medical  view. 

EARTHS.  The  first  of  these  in  the  modern  systems 
is  the  barytcs,  and  we  employ  only  the  muriated  salt, 
Though  a  solution  of  the  pure  or  aerated  barytes  has 


been  recommended  vaguely,  as  an  anthelmintic,  and,  c.v 
ternally,  as  a  destroyer  of  the  life  of  a  part.  The  purer 
or  carbonated  lime  stones  are  absorbents,  and,  by  this 
quality,  they  appear  to  act  as  astringents.  From  a  loose 
analogy,  they  have  been  supposed  useful  in  other  ex- 
cessive evacuations,  where  their  power  will  not  extend. 
The  more  incapable  they  are  of  absorbing  acid,  the  less 
effectual  they  appear,  unless  when  joined  with  some 
acids,  they  act  according  to  common  opinion  as  astrin- 
gents in  the  intestinal  canal.  Their  lithontriptic  power 
has  been  sufficiently  explained. 

MAGNESIA  is  highly  useful  as  an  absorbent,  and,  when 
joined  with  acids,  as  a  laxative :  the  clays  we  have  found 
demulcent,  and,  from  this  effect,  apparently  astringent. 
The  flints  including  the  gems,  though  formerly  cele- 
brated, are  now  deservedly  forgotten;  nor,  excepting 
the  portion  suspected  by  Dr.  Gibbes  in  the  Bath  waters, 
is  there  any  known  form  in  which  siliceous  earth  is 
swallowed,  or  in  which  it  can  be  useful. 

The  STUONTIA  has  been  recommended  as  a  diuretic, 
and  an  astringent,  but  we  cannot  ascertain  the  authority. 
It  is  probably  an  absorbent. 

The  SALTS  are  more  frequently  advantageous,  and, 
in  their  different  forms,  are  useful  laxatives,  refrigerants, 
absorbents,  and  tonics.  The  two  former  objects  are 
obtained  by  the  neutrals  ;  the  two  latter  by  the  alkalis 
and  acids.  The  volatile  alkali  is  conspicuous  as  a  sti- 
mulant, the  vegetable  acid  as  a  refrigerant.  Alum 
seems  the  chief  objection  to  the  general  remark,  though 
it  appears  to  act  occasionally  as  a  laxative. 

The  INFLAMMABLES  offer  very  few  medicines,  and  with 
the  exception  of  sulphur,  and  perhaps  the  petroleum, 
none  of  importance.  The  ambergris,  and  the  asphal- 
tum,  are  now  deservedly  neglected.  The  succinum 
used  only  for  its  salt  and  oil. 

The  METALS  furnish  the  most  numerous  and  the  most 
valuable  medicines,  which  we  need  not  enumerate,  as, 
with  the  exception  of  lead  only,  they  are  chiefly  tonics  ; 
and,  when  we  particularly  examine  its  properties,  we 
shall  find  them  in  some  views  according  with  those  of 
the  other  metallic  bodies.  The  metallic  salts  are  often 
externally  corrosive. 

If  then  we  find,  in  the  inexhaustible  variety  of  possi- 
ble combinations,  that  we  have  yet  discovered  few,  so 
in  those  which  we  have  discovered,  a  very  small  propor- 
tion are  useful  as  medicines ;  and  when,  from  the  whole 
of  the  mineral  kingdom,  with  all  the  various  prepara- 
tions, we  have  selected  twenty  important  ones,  we  need 
scarctjy  regret  the  loss  of  the  rest.  It  must  be  recol- 
lected that  the  fifty  known  combinations  from  the  forty 
thousand,  are  combinations  of  earths  only  ;  and  that  the 
combinations  of  the  metals  only  with  the  acids  would 
furnish  as  many  more,  of  which  a  very  small  proportion 
has  been  actually  discovered. 

Kirwan's  Mineralogy  ;  Haiiy  Traite  de  Mineralogie  ; 
Mineralogie  de  Brochant;  Wallerii  Systema  Minera- 
logicum. 

MI'NIUM,  (from  samminia,  a  Chaldee  word).  See 
PLUMBUM. 

MI'NIUM  GR^ECO'RUM  and  PU'RUM.  '  See  CINNA- 
BARIS. 

MINU'TA,  (from  minuo,  to  diminish}.  An  epithet 
for  a  violent  fever,  with  such  great  debility  as  to  be 
fatal  in  four  days. 

MIRA'BILIS,  (from   miror,    lo    wonder,}    a    term 


MOD 


991 


MO  L 


applied  to  various  compositions,  expressive  of  their 
admirable  virtues. 

MIRA'BILIS  A'QUA.     See   PIPER  JAMAICENSE. 

MIRA'BILIS  PERUVIA'NA.     See  JALAPA. 

MI'RI.     See  CEBIPIRA  BFASILIE.VSIBUS. 

MISERE'RE  ME  I,  a  name  applied  to  the  iliac  pas- 
sion, from  the  severity  of  the  pain.  See  ILIACA  PAS- 
sio. 

MISTU'RA,  (from  misceo,  to  mijc).  A  MIXTURE, 
in  the  strictness  ofpharmaceutical  language,  differs  from 
juleps  in  not  being  transparent,  in  consequence  of  some 
powder  or  extract  dissolved  or  mixed  with  it.  See 

JCLAPIDM. 

MI'SY.  We  should  not  have  retained  this  obsolete 
•word,  had  we  not  seen  it  styled  a  sulphat  of  iron.  It  is 
synonymous  with  the  calcantha  or  calcanthum  of  the 
ancients,  q.  v.  and  in  reality  a  sulphat  of  cofifier.  Haiiy, 
iii.  586. 

MITE'LLA,  (quasi  mitrula,  dim.  of  mitra,  a  band). 
A  scarf  for  suspending  the  arm.  In  BOTANY  it  is  the 
name  of  some  plants  from  America  and  the  north  of 
Asia,  comprehended  by  Linnaeus  under  the  genera  mi- 
tella  and  tiarella. 

MITHRI DATUM, (from  Mithridates}.  See  CON- 
FECTIO  DAMOCRATIS,  and  MEDICIXA  {history'). 

MITRA'LIS  VA  LVULA,  (from  mitra,  a  mitre, 
from  their  resemblance).  See  COR. 

MI'VA  CYDOXI'ORUM,  (from  the  Hebrew  term 
migma').  MARMELADE  of  QUINCES.  See  CYDO- 

SIA. 

MI'XTIO,(from  misceo,  to  mix').  MIXTION.  Stahl 
used  this  expression  to  signify  the  union  of  the  first 
principles  in  the  most  simple  compounds.  Those  prin- 
ciples of  bodies  are  now  emphatically  called  a  mixt, 
which  are  so  intimately  united  to  each  other  as  to  be 
scarcely  discovered,  though  without  changing  the  nature 
of  either,  and  without  any  union  by  chemical  affinity. 
A  mixt  is  thus  distinguished  from  aggregates,  where 
the  texture  is  loose,  and  the  parts  more  easily  separated. 
In  chemical  mixtures  the  nature  of  the  ingredients  is 
altered,  and  a  new  body  formed. 

MO'CHLIA,  (from  fu%\tft  a  lever'].  A  reduction 
of  the  bones  from  an  unnatural  to  a  natural  situation. 

MO'CHLICA,  (from  uttft-ja,  to  move).  Violent 
purges. 

MODE'RNI,  (quasi  hodierni,  cf  to-day}.  The  aera 
of  modern  learning,  according  to  the  best  chronologists, 
is  that  of  the  capture  of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks, 
when  the  Greeks  fled  to  Italy,  carrying  with  them  their 
literary  treasures.  This  was  on  the  27th  of  May  1453. 
This  aera  will  not,  however,  be  accurate  in  the  history  of 
medicine,  for  in  tracing  the  progress  of  our  science  we 
hare  seen  it  gradually  progressive  from  east  to  west, 
and  sometimes  even  in  a  contrary  direction ;  and  were 
we  to  fix  the  limits  with  respect  to  medicine,  we  should 
place  them  at  the  decline  of  the  Grecian  physic,  in  the 
court  of  Byzantium,  and  the  last  of  the  ancients  would 
be  Actuarius.  The  comparative  knowledge  and  skill  of 
the  ancients  and  moderns  have  occasioned  great  contro- 
versy. It  is  pleasantly,  though  not  with  great  impar- 
tiality, treated  by  Swift  in  his  Battle  of  the  Books.  Du- 
tens'  work  "  On  the  Discourses  of  the  Ancients  attri- 
buted to  the  Moderns,"  contains  many  curious  and  im- 
portant facts  on  this  subject ;  but  this  author,  like  some 
others,  catches  too  anxiously  at  casual  hints,  and  ex- 
pressions, seeming  to  mistake  a  lucky  but  a  loose  con- 


jecture for  a  discovery.     Pancirollus,  in  his  wcrfc  De 
Rebus  Perditis  et  Inventis,  and  Baeckman 
tory  of  Inventions,  offer  many  curious  facts  respe; 
the  science  of  the  ancients,  and  often  respecting  me. 
opinions  and  the  use  of  remedies.     Two  volumes  have 
been  added  by  the  latter  author  to  those  already  trans- 
lated,  which  would  be  a  valuable    acquisition  to  the 
English  reader. 

MODI  OLUS,  (from  modus,  a  measure,}  since  it  is 
contrived  to  enter  only  to  a  certain  depth.  The  crown 
or  saw  of  the  trepan  ;  or  a  circular  trepan  resembling 
in  shape  the  nave  of  a  wheel,  which  is  its  true  significa- 
tion. See  TREPHINE. 

MODIO'LUS,  (femin.  of  modus,)  the  axis  of  the 
cochlea  of  the  ear. 

MODI'RA.     See  COLUBRIXUM. 

MOl-'r'A'T  WATERS.  A  mineral  spring  : 
Moffat  in  Scotland,  resembling  the  Harrowgate  waters  ; 
equally  sulphureous  and  saline,  but  not  equally  bitter. 
They  have  been  chiefly  used  in  scrofulous  and  cuta- 
neous disorders,  and  more  lately  applied  to  irritable  ill 
conditioned  ulcers.  Their  contents  are  chiefly  sea  salt 
and  hepatic  air ;  but  the  former  is  in  so  small  a  dose, 
as  scarcely  to  act  as  a  laxative.  In  indigestion  from 
weakness,  in  calculous  cases, and  in  biliary  obstructions, 
they  have  been  employed,  but  are  not  sufficiently 
powerful  in  their  action  on  the  bowels  for  the  i 
complaint.  They  chiefly  act  as  diuretics. 

MOGILA'LIA,  (from  /*••/<?,  difficulty,  and  >*>.- 
t/ieair).     A  difficulty  of  speech  ;  ftselli&mus  acfteifos  o: 
Dr.  Cullen.     See  AXCYLOGLOSSUM. 

MO'KEL.     See  BDELLIUM. 

MO 'LA,  (a  Hebrew  term).  A  name  for  the  fiatelle, 
KNEE  PAX,  for  the  molares  denies,  or  grinders;  for 
the  maxillx;  and  a  FALSE  CONCEPTION,  or  a  shape- 
less mass  in  the  uterus,  without  a  placenta,  called  ejncy- 
ema,  mi/le,  and  by  Avicenna,  naducem.  Should  part  of 
the  placenta  remain  in  the  uterus  after  the  birth  of  the 
child,  this  may  resemble  a  mole ;  and  it  is  then  called 
fiseudo-tnola,  a  FALSE  MOLE.  If  the  symptoms  of  a 
miscarriage  happen  in  the  first,  or  beginning  of  the  se- 
cond month,  the  foetus  being  then  very  tender,  and  ly- 
ing in  the  os  internum  two  or  three  days,  will  dissolve, 
it  is  said,  into  a  kind  of  jelly,  which,  coming  away,  is 
called  a  false  conception;  and  if,  during  the  time  of 
child-bearing,  a  flooding  occurs,  a  large  coagulum  of 
blood,  with  a  fibrous  appearance,  is  discharged  some 
time  after  its  cessation  :  this  also  is  called  a  mole.  It 
differs  from  the  placenta  in  being  only  fibrous  on  the 
outside. 

We  cannot  indeed  deny,  that  the  tender  foetus  may 
melt  into  a  jelly,  or  that  coagula  may  become  fibrous, 
but  the  appearances  of  molae  seem  to  be  owing  to  a 
more  recondite  origin.  It  is  ridiculous  to  talk  at  this 
time  of  a  plastic  power,  or  a  tendency  to  organization  j 
yet  either  imperfect  rudiments  of  a  fcetus  pre-exist  in 
ovaria,  or  by  some  unknown  process  there  is  an  ap- 
proach to  organization.  We  have  numerous  records  of 
the  remains  of  hair  and  teeth  in  ovaria  of  women  of 
character,  and  in  circumstances  where  there  can  be  no 
deception.  We  have  sir.iilir  appearances  in  the  brute 
creation.  We  find,  too,  that,  when  married  women  have 
been  in  a  bad  state  of  health,  which  has  prevented  con- 
ception, an  organized  mass  is  often  discharged  on  their 
recovery  before  a  living  foetus  is  produced.  We  have 
much  .reason  to  suspect,  then?  that  in  every  instance- 


MO  L 


992 


MOL 


moles  are  imperfectly  organized  productions,  and  that 
they  may  be  both  formed  and  discharged  in  some 
instances  without  any  blemish  on  the  female  character, 
whatever  theory  may  be  adopted  respecting  their  origin. 
In  many  instances  what  is  styled  a  mole  is  merely  a 
coagulum  of  blood. 

The  signs  of  a  mole  are,  in  general,  the  same  as 
pregnancy.  It  is  said,  indeed,  that  in  the  former  case 
the  belly  increases  more  rapidly  than  in  pregnancy, and 
after  the  third  month  it  generally  produces  floodings. 
Women  of  experience,  however,  always  feel  some  va- 
riety in  their  symptoms  and  sensations,  and  generally 
suppose  they  are  not  with  child. 

A  mole  is  also  distinguished  from  pregnancy  by  its 
exciting  no  motions  in  the  womb  like  those  of  a  living 
child,  and  by  changing  its  situation  in  the  belly  accord- 
ing to  the  posture  of  the  mother.  The  general  health 
is  commonly  worse,  after  the  fourth  month  while  in 
pregnancy  it  improves. 

Should  the  existence  of  a  mole  be  ascertained,  assist- 
ance is  necessary,  the  finger  may  be  gradually  intro- 
duced into  the  uterus,  and  its  action  excited  by  a  slight 
irritation.  As  there  is  no  placenta,  so,  if  after  the  dis- 
charge of  the  mole  the  flooding  ceases,  the  whole  is  at 
an  end,  except  another  may  remain,  a  circumstance  pe- 
culiarly rare,  which  however  will  soon  follow.  See  La 
Molte,  Smellie,  and  Hamilton. 

MOLA'GO  CO'DI.     See  PIPER  NIGHUM. 

MOLA'RES  DE'NTES,  (from  mola,  a  mil/,  and  dens, 
a  tooth).  GRINDERS,  gcnuini;  gom/ihioi;  mol<£;  mo- 
misci;  the  large  broad  teeth  beyond  the  canini. 

The  two  first  are  smaller  than  the  rest,  terminating 
in  two  points,  and  therefore  styled  by  J.  Hunter 
bicuxfiiden.  They  have  short  fangs,  which  are  double 
at  their  extremities.  The  other  three  on  each  side  have 
four  points  at  the  basis  of  their  bodies,  two  anteriorly, 
and  two  posteriorly;  these  have  generally  two  fangs  in 
the  lower  jaw,  and  three  in  the  upper.  Mr.  John 
Hunter  observes,  that  the  first  and  second  of  the 
grinders  arc  nearly  alike  :  they  stand  next  behind  the 
cunini  or  eye  teeth ;  and  the  first  is  frequently  the 
smallest,  with  rather  the  longest  fang,  sometimes  with 
its  point  bent.  In  the  upper  jaw,  the  bicuspicles  are 
rather  thicker  than  in  the  lower;  and  both,  especially 
the  second  in  both  jaws,  are  oftener  wanting  than  any 
oihers,  except  the  denies  sapientias.  The  bicuspids  s 
and  the  molarcs  alter  very  little  in  shape  on  their 
grinding  surfaces,  by  use ;  their  points  only  wear  and 
become  obtuse.  The  two  first  grinders  differ  from  the 
bicuspides  in  being  much  longer,  and  in  having  more 
points  and  more  fangs.  The  body  forms  almost  a 
square,  with  rounded  angles.  The  grinding  surface  has 
.commonly  five  protuberances,  two  of  which  are  on  the 
inner,  and  three  on  the  outer  edge  or  part  of  the  tooth, 
with  generally  some  smaller  points  at  the  roots  of  these 
longer  protuberances.  The  body  towards  its  nctk 
divides  into  two  flat  fangs,  one  forward,  the  other 
backward,  which  are  often  bifurcated..  The  first  grinder 
is  somewhat  larger  and  stronger  than  the  second;  and 
both  have  shorter  fangs  than  the  bicuspides.  In  the 
upper  jaw  they  have  three  fangs ;  and  the  first  and 
second  in  the  upper  jaw  arc  placed  directly  under  the 
maxillary  sinus.  The  third  grinder  is  the  di-ux  na- 
]ii<:nti<z.  See  DENS.  J.  Hunter's  Natural  History  of 
the  Human  Teeth. 

MOLA'RES    GLA'NDUL.«,    are    two     glands,     nearly 


of  the  same  Idnd  with  the  sublingual  glands,  each  of 
them  situated  between  the  masseter  and  buccinator 
muscle,  resembling,  in  some  subjects,  two  small  lumps 
of  fat.  They  send  out  small  ducts,  which  perforating 
the  buccinator,  open  into  the  cavity  of  the  mouth, 
almost  opposite  to  the  last  denies  molares;  from  which 
circumstance,  Heister  gave  them  their  name. 

MOLDA'VICA  MELISSA.  TURKEY  BAUM.  See 
MELISSA  TUKCICA. 

MOLE.     See  TALPA. 

MOLL.     See  LENTISCUS. 

MOLLI'TIES  O'SSIUM  (from  mollis,  soft).  A 
SOFTNESS  of  the  BONES,  malacosteon .  The  principal 
cause  is  a  defect  of  boney  matter,  and  often  occasioned 
by  a  general  weakness,  scorbutic,  venereal,  or  other 
taint  in  the  blood.  Cleanliness,  a  change  of  air,  fric- 
tions, a  good  diet,  cold  bathing,  exercise,  and  chaly- 
beate medicines,  are  the  proper  remedies,  though  when 
the  cause  is  known,  it  should  be  previously  corrected. 
See  MoitBi  SOLIDI  SIMPLICIS.  DISTOKTIO  SPIN/E. 
GUM  MA. 

MOLLIFICA'TIO,  (from  mollis,  soft,  and  fo,  la 
makr).  A  barbarous  term  for  a  partial  palsy  of  the 
muscles. 

MOLLU'GO,  (from  its  softness).  See  RUBIA  SYL- 
VATICA  L.EVIS,  and  ALYSSUM. 

MOLU'CCA  MELI'SSA.  MOLUCCA  BAUM.  Its 
qualities  agree  with  those  of  melissa. 

MOLUS'CUM,  the  appellation  given  by  Dr.  Willan 
to  a  cutaneous  disease,  consisting  in  small  soft  wens, 
which  may  be  extirpated,  but  not  easily  resolved. 

MOLLU'SCA,(from  mollis,  soft).  Natural  history 
has,  within  these  few  years,  greatly  extended  its  boun- 
daries by  new  discoveries.  Philosophers  wanted  new 
worlds  as  a  supply  for  their  ambition,  new  territories  for 
their  conquest,  and  they  have  discovered  them  by 
improving  their  instruments,  by  their  more  extensive 
and  more  acute  observation.  New  planets, new  metals, 
and  new  animals  are  daily  attracting  our  attention,  and, 
in  the  present  department  of  science,  they  have  ne- 
glected the  gaudy  shell,  the  former  object  of  inquiry, 
and  the  subject  of  classification,  to  ascertain  the  nature 
of  the  animal  which  inhabits  it.  This  part  of  the 
inquiry  has  been  chiefly  cultivated  by  the  French 
naturalists,  and  the  reader  will  obtain  the  most  satisfac- 
tory information  from  these  and  the  Linnaean  Transac- 
tions. We  must  add,  however,  with  regret,  that  the 
volumes,  which  relate  to  the  molluscaby  the  successor  of 
Denys  Monlfort,  are  inferior  to  many  of  the  others,  and 
the  plan  of  that  naturalist  is  not  completed.  In  this 
place  we  can  only  skim  over  the  surface,  in  order  to 
apply  it  to  medicine.  We  have  already  noticed  the 
great  outline  drawn  by  La  Marck  and  Cuvier,  who 
divide  animals  into  those  which  have  articulated  ver- 
tebrae, and  those  which  want  them.  We  say  articu- 
lated vertebrae,  because  some  of  the  animals  before  us 
have  a  bony  support,  particularly  the  cuttle  fish. 
When  vertebrae  are  no  longer  found,  the  blood  is'  no 
longer  red.  All  these  animals  were  divided  into  insects 
and  worms,  or,  as  they  are  now  called,  molluscfe  ;  but 
later  authors  have  added  and  detracted  a  little  from 
the  classes  of  their  predecessors.  Cruguiere  added  the 
echinodermes,  viz.  the  star  fish  and  the  urchins.  La 
Marck  reduced  the  six  classes  of  Bruguiere  to  four, 
molluscae,  worms,  radiarii  (echinodermes)  and  the 
polypi,  including  the  infusory  animals.  Denys  Montfort, 


M  O  M 


993 


MON 


whose  work,  as  the  chief  systematic  one,  we  must  fol- 
low, divides  the  molluscs  into  ten  classes,  the  M. 
"  coriacee  (cuttlefish);  tentaculate  (snails);  ejaculatores 
(many  of  the  bivalves)  ;  annulate  (worms)  ;  gelatinose 
(medusas  or  blubbers);  loricate  (asterias);  hydne 
(multivalves)  ;  fiolyfii  (madrepores) ;  comes  (lithophy- 
tes);  infusoria  (microscopic  animals).  In  this  ar- 
rangement, the  insects,  the  crustaceae,  and  arachnoides, 
are  excluded ;  for  the  moHuscae  undergo  no  meta- 
morphosis, do  not  change  their  skins,  and  have  no  really- 
articulated  limbs. 

The  coriaceae  once  furnished  their  shells  as  absorbent 
medicines.  They  sunk  into  dentrifices,  and  are  now 
disregarded.  One  species,  the  sepia  octopus,  the 
octopus  vulgaris  of  La  Marck  is  said  by  Jitius,  and 
many  of  the  other  Greek  physicians,  as  well  as  the 
poets,  to  be  aphrodisiac.  The  sepia  moschata  (octopus 
moschatus  of  La  Marck)  was  esteemed  for  the  same 
qualities,also  as  an  emmenagogue,  and  as  highly  nutrient. 
All  the  polypi  are  occasionally  eaten.  They  are  a  hard 
indigestible  _  food,  employed  only  from  necessity,  and 
rendered  as  palatable  as  possible  by  the  arts  of  cookery. 
The  tongue  is  said  to  be  delicious,  and  is  greedily 
devoured  raw.  The  animal  styled  the  argonaut  is  of 
this  genus ;  and  the  nautili  which  agree  in  structure 
with  it,  though  not  like  the  former,  are  solitary  animals, 
also  eaten  by  the  common  people. 

With  these  animals  the  work  of  Denys  Montfort 
concludes,  and  his  successor  is  peculiarly  short,  imper- 
fect, and  unsatisfactory.  The  tentaculatae  furnish  ani- 
mals highly  nutritive,  and  employed  on  this  account 
in  hectics.  The  gluten  of  the  large  black  snail  is  said 
to  be  useful  as  a  discutient.  The  only  other  divisions 
which  offer  medicinal  substances  is  the  seventh,  which 
contains  the  sponge,  and  the  ninth,  the  lithophytes, 
which  furnish  the  coralline. 

Histoire  Naturelle  de  Buffon  Ed.  Sonnini.  Molusca. 
Memoires  et  1'Histoire  de  la  Societe  d'Histoire  Natu- 
velle,  a  Paris,  Annales  du  Musaeum  National.  Linnaean 
Transactions. 

MO'LVA,  (from  mollis,  soft).     See  ASELLUS  MAJOR. 

MO'LY,  (from  nates,  tattle;  supposed  to  have 
sprung  from  blood  spilt  in  battle).  Allium  latifolium 
lilifiorum.  MOLV  of  THEOPHRASTUS,  or  HOMER.  Va- 
rious plants  have  had  this  appellation,  and  each  is  a  kind 
of  garlic,  though  it  has  been  styled  with  less  reason,  a 
species  of  rue. 

MO'LY. ALPI'NUM.     See  OPHIOSCHORDOV. 

MOLYBD-fi'NA,  (from  futeZPos,  lead;  elersna,  ga- 
lena). Molybdene  tuljihure,  Haiiy,  iv.  289,  a  metallic 
ore,  often  confounded,  from  its  resemblance,  with 
plumbago,  but  differing  essentially  from  it.  It  is  one 
of  those  metals  which,  when  calcined,  are  acid.  Its 
texture  is  lamellated,  the  marks  it  leaves  of  a  greenish 
colour,  and  its  specific  gravity  nearly  6,  while  the 
carbure  of  iron  is  compact,  leaving  black  marks  on 
paper,  and  in  gravity  exceeding  6.  See  also  CHEMIS- 
TRY. 

MQLY'BDAS.  MOLYBDAT.  Salt  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  molybdic  acid  and  different  bases. 

MOLY'BDOS,  from  ^oAuo^j? :  in  pu>*.tt  in  /&»*««,  from 
its  gravity.  See  PLUMBUM. 

SlOLY'ZA,  (a  dim.  of  fu»At/,  moly).     See  ALLIUM. 

MO'MIN.     See  MAMEI. 

MOMI'SCUS,  (from  n*w,  a  blemish}.     The  part 

VOL.    I. 


of  the  denies  molares  next  the  gums,  usually  covered 
with  a  tartarcous  matter.  The  molares  themselves  have 
the  same  appellation. 

MOMO'RDICA,  (mordeo,  to  bite,}  from  its  sharp 
taste,  balsamina  tnas,  fiomunt  Hierasolymitanum,fiomum 
mirabile,  bal/a,  muccafiira,  cucumis,  momordica  balsam- 
ina  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1433;  the  MALE  BALSAM  APPLE,  is  cul- 
tivated in  gardens,  but  not  used  in  medicine,  though  the 
fruit  is  cooling. 

MOMO'RDICA  ELATE'RIUM.  See  CUCUMIS  AGRES- 
ris. 

MONADE'LPHIA,(from  /»«»<>«,  unions,  and  «JVA<po$, 
J rater}.  The  sixteenth  class  of  the  Linnaean  system, 
comprehending  those  plants  which  produce  hermaphro- 
dite flowers,  with  one  collection  of  united  stamina.  It 
is  a  natural  association. 

MOXA'XDRIA,  (from"f«»«?,  unicus,  and  <anf,  ma- 
ritus}.  The  first  of  Linnaeus's  classes,  comprehending 
plants  which  produce  hermaphrodite  flowers  with  a 
single  stamen. 

MONA'NGIA,  (from  ft»»»«,  and  *yy««,  a  -vessel}. 
Plants  which  have  their  seeds  in  a  single  cell. 

MONA'RDAPURPU'REA;  m.Jistulosa  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  32.  The  smell  is  fragrant ;  the  taste  aromatic  and 
bitterish.  It  has  been  styled  a  deobstruent  and  a 
stomachic  ;  but  has  been  chiefly  employed  in  intermit- 
tents. 

MONE'RES,  (from  /tw»««,  alone,}  properly  a  boat 
with  a  single  oar;  but  figuratively  applied  to  a  melan- 
choly person  fond  of  solitude. 

MONO'CEROS,  (from  j«»o«,  unicus,  and  *!f*4,  cornu, 
horn}.  See  UNICORXU. 

MONO'COLON.     See  CECUM  INTESTINUM. 

MONO'CULUS,or.MONOPHTHA'LMUS,(from 
fu>»»«,  or  «<p ix^fttf,  an  eye).  A  roller  of  ten  or  twelve 
feet  in  length,  and  two  or  three  fingers  in  breadth,  to 
retain  the  dressings  on  the  eyes.  It  is  fixed  on  the  oc- 
ciput, letting  about  a  foot  hang  down,  and  from  thence 
carried  obliquely  round  the  head,  across  the  wound,  to 
its  commencement :  having  carried  it  thrice  round,  the 
remainder  goes  circularly  about  the  temples,  occipit, 
and  forehead ;  the  end  hanging  behind  is  then  to  be 
brought  over  the  vertex  to  the  forehead,  and  the  whole 
secured.  A  napkin,  or  a  handkerchief,  is  equally  useful. 
It  also  signifies,  as  the  name  implies,  a  person  with 
only  one  eye,  or  with  one  eye  less  than  the  other.  See 
MOXOPIA. 

MONCE'CIA,  (from  jn»»»«,  and  »<x«$,  domus).  The 
name  of  the  twenty-first  class  in  the  Linnaean  system, 
comprehending  the  androgynous  plants,  or  such  as  pro- 
duce male  and  female  flowers  on  the  same  individual 
without  hermaphrodites. 

MONOGA'MIA,(from  fta»o;,  and  y«c^*f,  marriage}. 
Plants  whose  flowers  are  single. 

MOKOGY'XIA,  (from  fw>««,  and  yw«,  mulier}. 
The  name  of  the  first  order  in  the  first  thirteen  classes 
of  the  Linnaean  system,  comprehending  such  plants  as 
have  one  pistil  or  one  stigma. 

MONO'MACHON.     See  C<ECUM  IXTESTIXUM. 

MONOPE'GIA,  (from  f«»e«,  and  -mi-ytufti ,  to  com- 
firess}.  A  pain  in  the  head  affecting  only  one  point. 

MONOPE'TALI,  (from  f«»^,  and  a-t7*A«»,  a  petal}. 
Containing  but  one  petal. 

MONOPHY'LLON,    (from    tu»'f,    and    <pt/AA«»,    a 
leaf,)  smilax  unifolia  humillima,  unifolium,  lilium  con- 
6  L 


MON 


994 


MON 


vallium  minus,  ofihrys  monofihyllos  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1442, 
ONE  BLADE,  grows  in  woods  and  thickets,  and  flowers  in 
May  and  June.  The  flowers  are  styled  alexipharmac 
and  vulnerary.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MONO'PHIA,  and  MONO'POS,  (from  ftow, solus, 
and  aty  an  eye,)  Monoculi  and  arimasfies,  a  term  of  the 
same  signification  in  the  Scythian  language,  from  their 
custom  in  shooting,  to  shut  one  eye.  In  consequence 
of  this  habit  the  other  was  rarely  seen,  and  they  were 
said  to  have  but  one  ;  but  the  same  term  is  applied  to 
those  who  have  one  eye  less  than  the  other.  When 
this  deformity  is  observed  in  infancy,  such  exercises  as 
require  the  use  of  only  one  eye,  as  looking  through 
microscopes,  telescopes,  8cc.  should  be  avoided. 

MOJNO'RCHIS,  from  /tw»««,  and  opx<s,  a  testicle. 

MONOSPE'RMUS,  from  /H.OVOS,  single,  and  o-a-e^*, 
seed. 

MONS  VE'NERIS.  The  HILL  or  MOUNT  of  VENUS, 
lies  before  and  on  the  upper  part  of  the  symphysis 
of  the  ossa  pubis,  formed  by  fat  in  the  subjacent  cellu- 
lar membrane,  and  in  adults  generally  covered  with 
hair. 

MO'NSTRUM,  and  MONSTRO'SITAS,  (from 
monsiro,  to  s/ioiv~).  MONSTER,  or  a  monstrous,  i.  e.  a 
preternatural  production. 

A  monster  is  very  judiciously  defined  by  Dr.  Ha- 
milton, in  his  valuable  and  comprehensive  Outlines,  to 
consist  in  "  any  considerable  deviation  in  the  structure 
of  the  foetus  from  the  common  order  of  nature,  whether 
such  deviation  be  consistent  with  life  or  not." 

Monsters,  according  to  the  same  author,  are,  1st, 
those  which  are  double,  or  have  supernumerary  parts  ; 
2dly,  those  who  have  a  deficiency  of  some  organ;  3dly, 
those  who  have  any  remarkable  deviation  either  in  the 
situation  of  the  viscera,  the  distribution  of  the  vessels, 
nerves,  or  secretory  organs,  though  not  externally  visi- 
ble, or  materially  affecting  the  different  functions ; 
4thly,  the  productions  of  animals  of  different  species. 

Monsters  double,  or  with  supernumerary  organs, 
have  been  often  described.  The  Bohemian  sisters, 
united  by  the  glutaei  muscles,  with  a  more  intimate  con- 
nection in  the  abdominal  viscera,  are  well  known  to  phy- 
siologists. The  monster,  mentioned  in  the  Philosophical 
Transactions  (No.  2),  consisted  of  two  bodies  equally 
distinct,  and  in  various  other  parts  of  this  collection 
there  are  cases  where  the  union  is  more  or  less  com- 
plete. This  double  form  gradually  sinks  to  the  child 
growing  from  the  side  of  another,  recorded  in  the  Asia- 
tic Transactions,  down  to  the  double  head  of  the  Hin- 
doo child,  in  Mr.  Hunter's  collection.  Supernumerary 
organs  are  very  frequent,  and  this  peculiarity  is  at  times 
confined  to  particular  families.  It  is  remarkable  that 
the  peculiarity  will  disappear  for  one,  and  sometimes 
two,  generations,  reviving  again  in  the  third.  The  in- 
ternal organs  are  occasionally  double  or  supernumerary. 
The  most  singular  case  of  this  kind  is  where  two  hearts 
were  discovered. 

Deficiencies  are  also  numerous.  A  head,  an  eye,  an 
arm,  a  leg,  a  hand,  foot,  or  finger,  are  sometimes  want- 
ing ;  but  the  chief  deficiency,  which  calls  for  our  at- 
tention is  that  of  the  head.  This  has  occasioned  many 
speculations  ;  but  in  every  instance  there  is  a  point  at 
which  all  the  nerves  converge,  or  from  which  they  pro- 
ceed, and  this  contains  very  generally  a  cortical,  or  a  nu- 
cleus of  cineritious,  matter.  We  may,  however,  remark  as 


a  fact  of  future  application,  that  the  acephalous  children 
are  often  plump,  and  of  no  diminutive  size ;  yet  the 
instance  has  escaped  us,  if  any  has  occured,  where  such 
children  are  not  in  other  respects  monstrous.  The  vital 
organs  must  be  always,  to  a  certain  degree,  perfect :  at 
least  neither  the  heart  nor  the  large  vessels  can  be  want- 
ing in  a  child  which  has  arrived  at  its  full  time. 

The  third  instance  of  monstrosity  is  rare,  or  at  least 
rarely  ascertained.  We  have  instances  on  record  of  the 
viscera  being  on  the  sides  opposite  to  thos'e  in  which 
they  are  usually  placed,  and  the  pulmonary  vessels  are 
occasionally  defective,  or  useless  from  the  foetal  pas- 
sages continuing  open.  From  the  last  cause  chiefly 
arises  the  cserulian  complexion  of  some  children.  Va- 
rious are  the  changes  which  may  occasionally  take  place 
in  the  distribution  of  the  vessels,  the  situation  of  the 
glands,  or  the  direction  of  the  nerves  within  the  limits  of 
health ;  and  numerous  must  necessarily  be  the  instances 
in  which  these  irregularities  have  not  been  observed. 
The  imperfection  of  natural  passages  is  scarcely  suffi- 
cient to  arrange  such  persons  under  the  rank  of  mon- 
sters. It  is  a  disease  of  structure,  which  merits  no  such 
appellation,  and  we  have  anxiously  excluded  them  by 
our  definition. 

The  productions  of  animals  of  different  species  are 
rare ;  and  these  very  seldom,  if  ever,  fertile.  Provi- 
dence has  thus  wisely  preserved  every  species  distinct, 
and  the  world  is  not  peopled  with  monsters.  Yet,  among 
animals  of  the  larger  size,  which  usually  produce  only 
a  single  offspring,  twins  are  rarely,  both,  perfect.  This, 
however,  is  not  the  case  in  man,  or  in  the  lower  orders 
of  animals.  We  only  see  it  distinctly  in  the  cow. 

In  the  vegetable  kingdom,  we  find  monsters  pro- 
duced by  excess  of  nourishment,  or  by  the  opposite  ex- 
treme of  confinement  and  deficient  nutriment.  To 
the  former  we  attribute  the  double  unfertile  flowers  ;  to 
the  latter  the  variegated  leaves  of  plants.  We  are  not 
without  similar  instances  in  the  human  species.  The 
full  plethoric  female  is  seldom  a  mother  of  many  child- 
ren, and  the  Laplander,  the  Esquimaux,  and  the  Cretin 
are  deformed  in  their  bodies,  and  imperfect  in  their 
intellectual  faculties.  They  have  not,  however,  been 
distinguished  by  the  appellation  of  monsters. 

To  what  are  these  deviations  from  the  common  struc- 
ture owing  ?  We  have  endeavoured  to  render  the  pre- 
existence  of  the  germ  in  the  female  constitution  pro- 
bable ;  and  the  monstrosities  observable  in  succeeding 
generations  are  owing  probably  to  the  imperfect  germ. 
Where,  however,  parts  are  double,  or  the  deviations 
from  the  common  structure  are  considerable,  we  can- 
not admit  this  source.  M.  Lemery  long  since  contended 
that  monsters  were  rendered  such  by  accidents  in  the 
uterus.  Winslow  supported  the  idea  of  Duverney,  who 
supposed  the  germ  to  have  been  monstrous,  and  first 
started  this  opinion.  Each  opinion  has  been  supported 
with  great  obstinacy  by  their  respective  authors,  in  the 
Memoiresde  1'Academie  des  Sciences,  An.  1728,  1740, 
1742,  and  1743. 

The  double  children  are  certainly  such  as  from  con- 
tiguity have  accreted  in  their  tenderest  state.  We  can 
have  no  doubt  of  this  in  the  instances  recorded  in  the 
Philosophical  Transactions,  where  they  ate  and  slept  at 
different  hours  ;  where  their  excretions  and  tempers 
were  distinct  and  discriminated.  If  it  be  the  case  in 
these  instances,  may  we  not  suppose  that,  by  a  stricter 


MOR 


995 


MOR 


approximation,  some  of  the  abdominal  viscera  may  be  so 
closely  pressed  as  to  destroy  the  parietes  on  the  weaker 
side,  and  the  canals  to  be  consequently  common?  This 
was  the  case  with  the  Bohemian  sisters.  A  gain,  may  not 
a  more  partial  and  a  stronger  pressure  obliterate  even 
the  lower  extremities  of  the  weaker  child,  and  the 
trunk  inosculate  with  that  of  the  stronger,  as  in  the 
case  recorded  by  Dr.  Bland  in  the  Philosophical  Trans- 
actions ?  and  may  not  a  similar  cause,  in  twins  greatly 
disproportioned  in  strength,  account  for  all  the  varieties 
of  a  child  growing  out  of  the  side,  down  to  the  double 
head  of  the  Hindoo,  or  even  the  double  heart  ?  It  was 
not  from  accident  that  we  said  disproportioned  strength ; 
for  the  double  portion  is  usually  small  and  imperfect. 

It  is  not  possible  to  follow  all  the  varieties.  While 
we  have  admitted,  at  one  extreme,  the  monstrous  germ, 
we  have  endeavoured  to  support,  at  the  opposite,  the 
effects  of  pressure.  We  can  go  no  farther.  Where  the 
limits  of  either  cause  may  be,  is  uncertain;  nor  is  it  ne- 
cessary to  follow  doubtful  and  unsteady  lights  in  a  track 
which  leads  to  no  useful  purpose.  One  thing  we  may 
add,  that  in  no  instance  is  it  probable  that  deficient  or 
redundant  monsters  are  owing  to  the  fright  of  the  mo- 
ther, or  disgusting  objects  presented  to  her. 

The  absurdities  that  crowd  the  pages  of  Schenkius, 
Bartholine,  .£lian,  De  Reies,  Vanderwiel,  Paulini,  8cc. 
down  to  our  own  rabbit  woman,  and  Roederer's  relation 
of  a  female  that  brought  forth  a  fish,  must  not  detain  us. 
It  is  enough  to  have  stated  the  several  facts,  and  to  have 
made  some  approaches  towards  an  explanation. 

Philosophical  Transactions,  No.  2,  99,  226,  228, 
234,251,308,  320,  453,  456,  487,  &c. ;  Medical  and 
Physical  Journal,  Passim  ;  Memoires  del'Academie  des 
Sciences,  An.  1724,  1738 — 43;  Mauriceau,  Smellie, 
and  De  la  Motte's  Midwifery ;  Journal  de  Physique, 
An.  1774,  and  1776.  See  ACEPHALOS  and  PH.SSEN- 
TATIO. 

MO'NTA  PA'NNA.     See  PALMA  JAPONICA. 
MO'RBI  ORGA'NICI.  Parts  affecting  the  organiza- 
tion, sometimes  synonymous  with  the  locales.     See 
LOCALES. 

MORBI'LLI,  (a  dim.  of  mordus,  disease).  The 
MEASLES.  Variola  cholerica  of  Avicenna;  blaccice  of 
Rhazes;  bother;  bo-villa;  ferse  of  the  Arabians.  Dr. 
Cullen  places  this  disease  under  the  title  rubeola,  in  the 
class  flyrexite,  and  order  exanthemata,  defining  it  a  con- 
tagious fever  of  the  inflammatory  kind,  attended  with 
sneezing,  watery  eye,  and  a  dry  hoarse  cough ;  on  the 
fourth  day,  or  a  little  later,  small  spots,  crowded  to- 
gether, scarcely  prominent,  break  out,  converted  after 
three  days  into  small  furfuraceous  scales.  He  distin- 
guishes two  species.  1.  Rubeola  -vuigaris,  with  erup- 
tions very  small,  confluent,  and  corymbose,  hardly  rising 
above  the  skin.  Of  this  there  are  two  varieties ;  in  one 
the  symptoms  are  more  severe,  and  the  "course  of  the 
disease  not  so  regular — the  anomalous  measles  of Syden- 
ham :  in  the  other  they  are  accompanied  with  a  sore 
throat.  2.  Rubeola  -variolaris,  where  the  eruptions  are 
distinct  and  elevated.  Dr.  Cullen,  however,  doubts 
whether  this  disease  be  truly  measles ;  for  the  erup- 
tions differ,  and  the  catarrhhl  symptoms  are  absent :  in 
Scotland  this  disease  is  called  the  nirles.  The  measles 
appeared  in  Europe  nearly  with  the  small  pox :  both 
came  from  the  east,  both  are  infectious,  and  attack  only 


once ;  both  appear  at  a  definite  period  after  the  attack 
of  the  fever.    • 

The  measles  is  an  acute  disorder,  of  the  peripneu- 
monic  kind,  sometimes  only  an  eruptive  catarrhal  fever. 
Dr.  Morton  calls  the  scarlet  fever  the  confluent  mea- 
sles ;  and  Dr.  Watson  observes,  that  in  the  small  pox 
the  eruption  is  critical,  but  that  in  the  measles  it  is 
merely  symptomatic,  for  the  cough  and  peripneumony 
are  not  relieved  by  it.  It  was  formerly  a  common 
opinion  that  the  measles  are  a  good  preparative  for  the 
small  pox  ;  but  in  general  the  former  leaves  an  inflam- 
matory tendency,  which  greatly  exasperates  the  symp- 
toms of  the  latter.  All  ages  are  subject  to  this  disease, 
but  it  chiefly  attacks  children. 

The  measles  usually  announce  their  approach  by  a 
small,  frequent,  and  dry  cough,  which  often  continues 
many  days,  without  any  other  sensible  complaint,  though 
more  frequently  the  cough  is  attended  with  a  general 
uneasiness,  successions  of  shivering  and  heat,  and  a  se- 
vere headach  in  grown  persons  ;  great  depression  of  the 
strength,  a  heaviness  of  the  head  in  children,  giddiness, 
hoarseness,  pain  across  the  forehead,  an  inflammation, 
with  a  considerable  heat  in  the  eyes,  a  swelling  in  the 
eye  lids,  a  defluxion  of  sharp  tears,  and  such  increased 
sensibility  that  the  eyes  cannot  bear  the  light,  very  fre- 
quent sneezing,  and  a  discharge  of  acrid  serum  from  the 
nose.  Fever  and  a  cough  soon  come  on,  with  frequent 
vomiting,  pain  in  the  loins,  a  soreness  or  roughness  in 
the  throat,  and  sometimes  a  looseness,  which  relieves ' 
the  vomiting.  The  tongue  is  furred,  the  urine  high- 
coloured,  and  the  pulse  very  quick,  often  irregular. 
These  symptoms  usually  increase  from  the  third  to  the 
fifth  day,  at  which  time  little  red  -spots,  like  fleabites, 
begin  to  appear  in  the  forehead,  and  other  parts  of  the 
face,  which,  increasing  in  number  and  diameter,  run 
together,  forming  large  red  spots  of  irregular  figures, 
scarcely,  if  at  all,  rising  above  the  surface  of  the  skin. 
These  eruptions  are  afterwards  extended  to  the  rest  of 
the  body  ;  but  sometimes  red  effusions  are  seen  on  the 
breast,  before  any  appear  on  the  face.  The  eruption 
is  not  followed  by  so  sensible  an  abatement  of  the 
symptoms  as  in  the  small  pox ;  the  vomiting  usually 
abates,  but  the  cough,  fever,  and  headach,  grow  more 
violent :  the  difficulty  of  breathing,  the  weakness  of, 
and  defluxion  on,  the  eyes,  the  swelling  of  the  face, 
drowsiness  and  loss  of  appetite,  continue,  though  the 
vomiting  abates.  A  bilious  vomiting  a  day  or  two  after 
the  eruption  is  often  useful,  and  occasionally  the  patient 
is  relieved  by  a  copious  discharge  of  blood  from  the 
nose.  On  the  third  or  fourth  day  after  the  eruptions 
first  appear  the  redness  diminishes,  the  spots  fall  off  in 
branny  scales,  while  in  other  parts  of  the  body  they  ap- 
pear very  large  and  red ;  but  in  a  day  or  two  they  all 
disappear  in  the  same  branny  scales,  leaving  a  little  dis- 
coloration on  the  skin,  with  considerable  itching.  On 
the  ninth  day  from  the  beginning,  when  the  progress  has 
been  speedy,  and  on  the  eleventh,  when  it  hath  been 
slow,  no  trace  of  redness  remains.  As  the  spots  disap- 
pear, the  defluxion  on  the  eyes,  the  fever,  and  difficulty 
of  breathing,  sometimes  increase,  the  cough  becomes 
more  troublesome  ;  and  these  symptoms  are  increased 
by  a  hot  regimen.  These  peripneumonic  symptoms 
are  often  followed  by  a  looseness,  which  immediately 
succeeds  the  disease,  and  often  continues  with  obstinacy 
6  L2 


M  O  R 


996 


MO  11 


after  all  other  symptoms  are  removed.  After  a  hot  re- 
gimen the  eruptions  sometimes  turn  bkick ;  but  this 
chiefly  occurs  in  grown  persons,  and  is  often  fatal.  If, 
during  the  course  of  the  disease,  or  immediately  after 
it,  some  considerable  evacuation,  such  as  the  vomiting 
of  a  bilious  matter,  a  bilious  diarrhoea,  a  considerable 
discharge  of  urine,  or  plentiful  sweating  come  on,  the 
patient  recovers  soon  after  the  spots  disappear  from  the 
skin. 

The  measles  are  sometimes  followed  by  boils  resem- 
bling anthraces,  livid,  often  deep,  suppurating  with 
difficulty  and  pain;  sometimes  attended  by  soft  pustules 
containing  a  viscid  straw  coloured  fluid,  which  appeal- 
highly  salutary,  by  watery  vesicles,  and  occasionally  by 
aphthae.  Swellings  of  the  lymphatic  glands  often  fol- 
low, occasionally  suppurating,  and  leaving,  as  usual, 
troublesome  sores,  which  heal  with  difficulty. 

Measles  is  generally  a  disease  of  little  importance  ; 
but  it  becomes  dangerous  when  the  peripneumonic 
symptoms  are  violent,  and  when  the  eruption  recedes. 
The  most  favourable  symptoms,  as  in  other  fevers,  are 
the  moistness  of  the  skin,  and  the  bowels  moderately 
relaxed.  If  the  cough  is  inconsiderable,  the  eyes  not 
much  swollen,  the  breathing  moderately  free,  there  is 
little  danger;  but  the  period  of  difficulty  is  often 
when  the  eruptions  begin  naturally  to  recede.  The 
peripneumonic  symptoms  are  then  usually  violent ;  and 
if  at  any  time  the  eruptions  should  suddenly  disappear, 
delirium,  anxiety,  great  debility,  with  cold  extremities 
and  livid  spots,  come  on,  terminating  soon  in  death.  If 
the  lungs  are  affected  with  tubercles,  they  are  often 
excited  to  action  by  this  disease,  and  the  foundation  of 
a  phthisis  is  laid. 

The  treatment  of  measles  has,  we  think,  been  mis- 
taken and  misrepresented.  It  has  been  considered  as  a 
•  peripneumonic  disease,  and  the  most  liberal  bleedings 
have  been  ordered  :  but  the  peripneumony  only  comes 
on  by  accident,  or  by  mismanagement ;  for  the  disease 
is  purely  catarrhal.  The  common  measles  rarely  re- 
quire bleeding;  and,  in  general,  the  treatment  is  the 
combined  management  of  a  catarrhal  and  an  eruptive 
disease.  An  emetic  is  undoubtedly  at  first  required, 
and  the  mild  relaxing  diaphoretics,  with  neutral  salts, 
•  continued  through  the  whole  course,  will  carry  the  dis- 
ease safely  to  a  conclusion.  The  only  remedies  neces- 
sary, independent  of  these,  are  laxatives;  which,  if 
steadily  persisted  in  from  the  beginning,  will  very  cer- 
tainly prevent  the  occurrence  of  those  violent  peripneu- 
monic symptoms,  which  sometimes  come  on  about  the 
eighth  or  ninth  day.  In  general  it  is  sufficient  to  pro- 
cure two  or  three  stools  daily  ;  but  the  author  of  this  ar- 
ticle, when  his  son,  whose  tenderness,  joined  with  ap- 
prehension of  weak  lungs,  rendered  the  measles  a  dan- 
gerous disease,  was  affected,  carried  the  evacuations 
farther.  He  watched  him  hourly,  and  found  him  always 
relieved  by  stools,  so  that  about  the  disappearance  of 
the  spots,  six  or  eight  motions  were  procured  daily.  He 
thought  that  the  recovery  was  peculiarly  quick;  the  boy 
'•was  soon  broughtjnto  the  air,  and  in  three  days  from 
that  period  not  a  cough  was  heard.  No  other  medicine 
•was  administered,  except  once  a  slight  opiate  when  the 
cough  was  peculiarly  troublesome.  He  mentions  the 
single  fact,  but  without  advising  an  imitation,  except 
•where  the  attendance  can  be  equally  unremitted. 


The  usual  remedies  of  saline  diuretics,  with  antimo- 
nials,  and  occasionally  opiates,  spermaceti,  &,c.  must 
also  be  given,  if  the  practitioner  would  not  be  thought 
ignorant  or  inattentive  ;  but  the  laxatives  should  never 
be  omitted.  Should,  notwithstanding  the  evacuations, 
the  peripneumonic  symptoms  come  on,  bleeding  will  be 
necessary,  in  very  young  children  by  means  of  leeches; 
but  after  the  age  of  five  or  six,  by  the  lancet,  with  blis- 
ters, and  the  other  remedies  of  pneumonia.  No  such 
instance  has,  however,  occurred  to  us  in  an  extensive 
practice;  nor  to  those  from  whom  we  learned  it,  whose 
practice,  equally  long,  had  been  more  extensive.  We 
have  mentioned  a  diarrhoea  as  a  favourable  symptom, 
and  we  may  now  add,  that  it  should  not  be  checked, 
but  regulated  according  to  the  strength.  The  catarrhal 
inflammation  may  rise  to  suffocation  ;  and  in  that  case 
the  emetics  must  be  repeated,  and  blisters  applied  to  the 
neck  or  the  upper  part  of  the  sternum.  A  blister  to  the 
pit  of  the  stomach  is  generally  an  useless  application. 

When  the  cold  regimen  was  introduced  for  the  small 
pox,  some  rash  innovators  transferred  the  analogy  to 
measles,  often  inducing  the  violent  peripneumony  they 
intended  to  avoid.  Yet  a  very  warm  regimen  is  inju- 
rious; for  we  have  shown  that  it  is  inconsistent  with 
the  diapnoe,  which  in  every  febrile  disease  is  so  pecu- 
liarly salutary.  The  room  should  be  large  and  airy,  the 
child  kept  in  an  erect  or  a  slightly  reclining  posture,  ac- 
cording as  either  can  be  borne  from  the  load  of  the  head. 
The  drinks  should  not  be  hot,  but  warm  only,  and  the 
food  light,  diluent,  and  in  a  liquid  form.  If  the  cough 
is  troublesome,  breathing  the  steams  of  warm  water 
will  be  useful,  but  these  steams  should  not  be  drawn 
hot  from  an  inhaler.  The  warm  water  should  be  put 
in  a  bason,  and  the  head  covered  with  a  flannel  large 
enough  to  hang  over  its  edges.  The  eyes  will  in  this, 
way  be  also  relieved  by  the  relaxing  vapour. 

Should,  from  debility  or  cold,  the  spots  recedp, 
convulsions,  pneumonia,  and  sometimes  phrenitis,  will 
come  on.  In  such  cases,  blisters,  with  warm  cordials, 
and  the  warm  bath,  will  be  necessary;  but  this  occur- 
rence is  peculiarly  rare. 

The  continuance  of  diarrhoea,  after  the  disease,  is 
sometimes  troublesome;  and  the  sagacity  of  Sydenham 
has  been  highly  extolled,  who  recommended  bleeding 
"  because  the  halitus  of  the  inflamed  blood  was  carried 
to  the  intestines."  We  have  never  found  the  purging 
troublesome  when  the  bowels  have  been  kept  free  dur- 
ing the  disease;  and  when  it  has  occurred,  bleeding 
seems  to  have  exhausted  the  little  strength  that  remain- 
ed, often  without  relieving  the  diarrhoea.  In  this  case 
a  generous, but  not  a  highly  stimulating,  diet,  bathing  the 
feet,  and  giving  small  doses  of  Dover's  powder,  have 
succeeded,  interposing  occasionally  gentle  laxatives. 

The  rubeola  fine  catarrho,  in  Dr.  Willan's  opinion, 
is  not  tvue  measles,  nor  does  this,  disease  emancipate 
the  patient  from  being  afterwards  affected  with  the  real 
complaint.  Indeed  the  very  vague  distinctions  of  rashes, 
will  not  enable  us  always  to  discriminate  from  the  erup- 
tion alone,  and  to  this,  with  the  catarrh,  we  would 
add  some  affection  of  the  eyes  before  we  pronounced  a 
child  safe.  The  morbillous  fever  without  the  eruption 
is  only  a  violent  catarrh,  and  equally  liable  to  deceive. 
The  NIRLES,  as  we  have  said,  is  equally  a  distinct 
disorder  from  rubeola. 


M  O  B 


997 


MO  B 


Dark  livid  spots  are  sometimes  intermixed  with  the 
true  eruptions,  and  in  this  case  an  alarm  has  been  spread 
of  putrid  measles ;  but  these  little  petechiae  are  usually 
attended  with  no  danger,  and  a  light  infusion  of  bark, 
with  the  vitriolic  acid,  soon  restores  the  colour.  Real 
putrid  measles  have  been  described,  but  Dr.  Willan  has 
shown  very  clearly  that  in  each  instance  the  disease  has 
really  been  scarlatina.  We  cannot  deny  the  existence 
of  putrid  measles,  since  we  have  frequently  seen  putrid 
peripneumony.  The  plan  of  treatment,  however, 
should  it  occur,  will  be  nearly  the  same ;  but  we  can- 
not enlarge  on  a  disease  which  no  one  seems  to  have 
seen,  and  which  may  never  occur. 

It  has  been  proposed  to  inoculate  measles  like  small 
pox,  and  the  blood,  the  acrid  serum  from  the  eyes,  and 
the  matter  from  miliary  vesicles,  sometimes  inter- 
spersed between  the  true  morbillous  eruption,  have 
been  employed.  Each  has  succeeded,  but  more  often 
failed ;  nor  does  the  disease,  when  produced,  appear 
more  mild.  The  attempt,  therefore,  has  not  been  fre-- 
quently  made,  and  to  avoid  a  complaint  usually  so 
mild,  such  precautions  are  not  necessary. 

See  Hoffman  and  Sydenham,  on  the  Measles;  Home's 
Medical  Facts;  Tissot's  Advice  to  the  People;  London 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iv.  p.  132 — 
135,  and  p.  247 — 260;  Medical  Museum,  vol.  ii.  p. 
46—48;  Cullen's  First  Lines,  edit.  4.  vol.  ii.  p.  173; 
Edinburgh  Medical  Essays,  vol.  iv.  art.  2 ;  London  Me- 
dical Observations,  vol.  iv.  art.  1 1 ;  Willan  on  Cutaneous 
Diseases,  part  i.  order  111. 

MORBILLOSA,  belonging  to  the  measles. 
MOR'BUS,  (from  f«pe«,  death).  A  DISEASE;  ma- 
lum,  nosos.  '  A  disease  we  have  already  defined  to  be 
vi  that  condition  of  the  human  body  in  which  the  actions 
of  life  and  health  are  not  performed,  or  performed  im- 
perfectly." (See  CAUSJU)  The  various  imperfections 
in  the  functions  therefore  constitute  it,  a  circumstance 
which  the  accurate  distinction  of  diseases,  according 
to  nosologists,  renders  indispensable. 

Diseases  may  therefore  be  as  different  as  the  functions 
-injured,  but  this  would  render  them  too  numerous,  and 
it  has  consequently  been  usual  in  the  morbi  universales 
to  combine  a  certain  number  of  the  injured  functions 
to  constitute  one  disease.  In  the  local  diseases,  one 
injured  function  has  been  supposed  alone  to  cons.itute  a 
genus.  Diseases,  however,  differ,  either  as  many  per- 
sons are  usually  affected  at  the  same  time,  and  they  are 
then  styled  EPIDEMIC  ;  or,  as  peculiar  to  one  country, 
and  called  ENDEMIC  :  when  they  occur  accidentally,  they 
are  styled  SPORADIC.  They  differ  also  as  the  mind  or  body 
is  affected ;  as  any  particular  organ  suffers ;  or  from  the 
cause  which  has  produced  them :  but  such  varieties 
are  now  disregarded ;  and  those  who  pursue  distinctions 
for  the  sake  of  diagnosis,  at  this  time,  arrange  diseases 
from  their  symptoms.  See  XOSOLOGIA. 

While  we  omit  many  useless  disquisitions  respecting 
disease  in  its  abstract,  we  have  referred  to  this  article 
for  the  more  general  pathological  inquiries,  and  shall 
proceed  to  consider  the  MORBI  FLUIDORUM;  SOLIDI 
SIMPLICIS;  SOLIDI  VITALIS;  and  MORBI  SOLIDORUM  cox- 
TIXEXTIUM,  in  their  order. 

MORBI  FLCIDORUM.  We  begin  with  diseases  of 
the  fluids,  as  in  this  form  our  nutriment  is  taken 
in,  and,  if  these  are  defective,  the  whole  system  will 
suffer;  though  we  shall  soon  endeavour  to  establish  this 


axiom,  that  the  state  of  the  fluids,  in  the  body,  depends 
on  that  of  the  solids,  particularly  the  vital  solid.  We 
have  already  had  occasion  to  observe,  that  every  devia- 
tion from  the  sound  state  is  not  disease,  but  that  there 
are  different  degrees  of  such  deviations  within  the  limits 
of  health,  though  probably  each  may  be  supposed  to 
form  a  predisposition  to  disease. 

Diseased  fluids  are  said  to  differ  from  those  in  the  na- 
tural state,  from  a  difference  in  their  cohesion,  or  from 
any  acrimony,  formed  either  by  the  animal  process,  or 
introduced  with  the  air  or  aliment.  The  cohesion  of 
the  fluids  may  be  too  great,  constituting  tenacity  and 
lentor ;  or  too  little,  when  they  are  said  to  be  in  a  dis- 
solved state.  The  blood,  to  which  these  diseases  are 
chiefly  confined,  we  have  found  consisting  of  different 
parts  in  a  state  of  mixture  only,  and  the  lentor  can 
be  owing  only  to  a  diminution  of  the  proportion  of 
water,  or  a  less  proportion  of  neutral  salts,  by  which 
some  of  the  gluten  is  kept  in  solution.  It  may  be 
doubted  whether  the  excess  of  the  fibrin  or  gluten  may 
not  produce  a  similar  effect,  but  this  we  shall  soon 
consider. 

The  causes  of  lentor,  which  result  from  a  diminu- 
tion of  the  watery  portion  of  the  blood,  are  said  to  be 
a  deficiency  of  drink,  an  increase  of  the  fluid  secre- 
tions, a  stagnation  and  absorption  of  the  watery  parts 
separated  from  the  crassamentum.  Each  of  these 
causes,  however,  is  imaginary,  so  far  as  regards  this 
change,  for  the  secretions  are  so  nicely  balanced,  that 
an  increase  of  one  is  followed  by  a  diminution  of  the 
other ;  and  when  fluids  are  not  thrown  in,  they  are,  in 
a  great  degree,  checked.  Thus,  a  nurse  who  has  not 
drank  any  thing  for  a  long  time,  is  not  greatly  loaded  • 
with  milk,  but  immediately,  on  drinking,  it  flows 
freely.  The  circulation  also  keeps  up  the  union  be- 
tween the  discordant  portions  of  which  the  blood  con- 
sists; and  while  the  secretions  are  supported,  no  slag- 
nation  of  watery  fluid  can  take  place. 

The  idea  of  Gaubius,  that  a  glutinous  matter,  arising 
from  foods  of  this  kind  which  absorb  water,  from  a 
weaker  digestion,  a  more  languid  circulation,  or  insuffi- 
cient exercise,  is  certainly  imaginary ;  for  the  glutinous 
foods  produce  no  such  effect,  and  the  other  causes  of 
this  supposed  gluten  rather  contribute  to  lessen  the 
tenacity  of  the  fluids.  The  earthy  substances  and  their 
various  sources,  supposed  to  have  the  same  effect,  rest 
on  a  foundation  equally  insecure.  The  opinion  has  not 
a  single  fact  for  its  support.  We  know  indeed  but  one 
cause  of  lentor,  high  health,  with  a  consequent  in- 
crease in  the  proportion  of  the  gluten  and  fibrin  of  the 
blood;  but  this  is  connected  with  increased  tone,  and 
more  powerful  action  of  the  arterial  system,  which 
^prevents  any  bad  effects,  but  which  itself  constitutes 
"predisposition  to  disease,  under  the  appellation  of  dia- 
thesis fthlogistica.  See  IXFLAMMATIO. 

Increased  tenacity  in  the  secreted  Jluids  is  more  com- 
mon; but  we  chiefly  perceive  it  in  the  bile  and  the 
mucous  follicles.  It  never  appears  to  arise  from  any  de- 
fect in  the  blood,  but  from  stagnation  in  consequence 
of  debility,  sometimes  in  consequence  of  a  want  of  irri- 
tability in  the  excretory  ducts.  We  certainly  see,  in 
the  urinary  organs,  that  the  state  of  the  fluids,  from, 
which  the  urine  is  secreted,  influences  the  nature  of 
this  discharge,  and  a  suspicion  may  arise  that  a  similar 
effect  may  produce  morbid  bile,  but  in  neither  case  is 


MOR 


998 


MOR 


the  morbid  fluid  referrible  to  lentor;  and  the  idea 
of  earth  joined  with  acid,  so  as  to  form  a  "  pitchy 
acrimony,"  is  neither  supported  by  observation  nor 
chemical  experiment. 

Too  great  fluidity  is  in  part  owing  to  an  excess  of 
watery  fluids,  and  such  a  change  undoubtedly  takes 
place;  but  the  causes  usually  assigned  are  often  imagi- 
nary. Too  large  a  proportion  of  watery  fluids  is  cor- 
rected by  the  increase  of  the  watery  secretions,  and 
increased  evacuations  from  some  glands  are  generally 
compensated  by  the  retention  of  other  secretions.  In 
this  view  an  indolent  life  and  a  humid  atmosphere  pro- 
duce certainly  some  effect ;  but  the  principal  diseases 
which  they  previously  induce  are  general  debility  and 
impaired  digestive  powers:  from  hence  proceeds  the 
deficiency  of  the  gluten  and  fibrin ;  and,  of  course,  the 
greater  tenuity  of  the  serosity. 

A  more  certain  cause  of  preternatural  tenuity  is 
acrimony.  It  may  certainly  be  of  various  kinds,  but 
we  can  only  perceive  with  clearness  the  saline  acrimony. 
Yet  we  have  little  doubt  of  this  effect  being  produced 
by  many  other  substances.  In  putrid  diseases,  Deyeux 
and  Parmentier  did  not  discover  an  increased  pro- 
portion of  ammonia;  but  the  union  of  the  albumen 
with  the  serum  was  affected,  and  the  crassamentum 
(see  BLOOD)  was  weak.  Symptoms  also  of  a  preter- 
natural tenuity  of  the  blood  come  on  often  suddenly, 
without  any  evident  cause.  We  dare  not  then  carry  the 
axiom  before  mentioned  to  its  utmost  extent,  for  causes 
not  yet  within  the  reach  of  our  knowledge,  often  pro- 
duce unexpected  changes. 

A  peculiar  tenuity  of  the  secreted  fluids  often  occurs, 
"and  it  may  arise  from  tenuity  of  the  blood,  increased, 
and  sometimes  inflammatory,  action  of  the  secreting 
vessels.  Thus  the  increased  flow  of  urine  arises  not 
only  from  an  abundant  proportion  of  water  in  the  blood, 
but  from  the  increased  action  of  the  vessels,  as  in  hyste- 
ria, and  sometimes  from  fright.  Increased  discharge 
of  bile  arises  chiefly  from  increased  action,  which  some- 
times is  occasioned  by  mental  affections,  as  a  violentfit  of 
anger.  In  hot  weather  it  appears  owing  to  the  increase 
of  that  portion  of  the  circulating  fluid,  whatever  it  may 
be,  which  contributes  to  its  secretion.  The  tenuity  of 
the  semen  arises  also  from  increased  action,  owing  to  the 
indulgence  of  lascivious  thoughts,  or  improper  indul- 
gencies  ;  of  tears  and  saliva  from  the  same  cause,  owing 
often  to  association.  When  the  increased  tenuity  is  ow- 
ing to  inflammatory  action,  the  secreted  fluid  is  usually 
acrid,  as  the  tears  in  measles,  the  mucus  of  the  nostrils 
and  bronchial  glands  in  coryza  and  catarrh,  the  bile 
in  cholera,  the  urine  in  nephritis,  though  in  the  last 
instance  the  increased  discharge  covers  the  acrimony. 

Morbid  acrimony  of  the  fluids  has  been  accused  as  the 
cause  of  many  diseases ;  but  in  the  circulating  system 
there  are  few  marks  of  its  existence.  When  separated 
by  the  powers  of  nature,  and  carried  to  the  excretories, 
we  perceive  only  its  effects. 

Philosophy  has  divided  acrids  into  mechanical  and 
chemical.  Pathology  followed,  and  the  mechanical 
pathologists  and  therapeutists  spoke  with  much  feeling 
of  the  wounds  which  the  tender  nervous  fibrils  sustain- 
ed by  cruel  angles  of  salts,  or  the  salutary  momentum 
with  which  mercury  removed  obstructions.  Even  the 
later  disciples  of  the  Boerhaavian  school  have  disused 
this  language,  and  speak  of  acrids  as  chemical  only. 


Nature  has,  however,  anxiously  guarded  against  the 
admission  of  morbid  acrimony.  The  taste  discovers, 
the  stomach  and  the  bowels  reject,  what  is  highly  inju- 
rious. What  may  be  less  so  is  often  altered  by  di- 
gestion, and  the  mixture  of  the  fluids  which  it  meets 
with  in  that  process.  If,  however,  it  prevails  to  any 
considerable  degree,  we  have  reason  to  think  that  the 
lacteals  refuse  their  office.  When  conveyed  to  the 
thoracic  duct,  it  is  slowly  added  to  the  mass,  and  largely 
diluted  by  the  considerable  proportion  of  the  circulating 
fluids,  and  probably  sheathed  by  the  albuminous  portion 
of  the  blood.  But  even  when  admitted,  either  by  its 
chemical  affinity  or  its  specific  stimulus,  (see  SECRE- 
TION,) it  is  carried  to  its  appropriate  gland,  and  by  that 
outlet  safely,  often  silently,  carried  away. 

The  source  of  morbid  acrimony  may  be  therefore  air, 
meat,  drink,  condiments,  medicines,  or  poisons ;  and 
the  air  may  convey  either  miasmata  or  contagion. 
When  we  mention  condiments,  however,  as  a  source  of 
acrimony,  we  must  except  common  salt.  This  seems  a 
necessary  stimulus  to  the  process  of  digestion,  and  pro- 
bably accompanies,  in  a  small  proportion,  the  chyle, 
since  its  acid  is  found  in  the  ammoniacal  salts  of  the 
blood,  while  its  alkali  appears  to  have  undergone  some 
change  by  the  animal  process,  and  to  have  become  am- 
monia. We  find  miasmata  and  contagion  conveyed  by 
the  air,  in  cases  of  remittents  and  intermittents ;  but  a 
more  decided  acrimony  is  evident  in  the  causes  and 
consequences  of  epidemic  catarrh  and  dysentery;  of 
many  of  the  exanthemata,  and  of  some  of  the  phleg- 
masiae.  In  diseases  of  the  skin  there  is  also  evidently  an 
acrimonious  substance  eliminated,  for  the  reasons 
assigned  under  that  article.  See  CUTANEI  MORBI.  In 
syphilis,  in  hydrophobia,  and  many  others,  it  is  equally 
conspicuous. 

The  animal  process,  that  is,  the  changes  which  take 
place  in  the  system  by  the  exercise  of  the  animal  func- 
tions, produces  an  acrimony  which  -is  usually  covered  by 
the  bland  nutriment,  constantly  supplied  till  carried  off 
by  the  fluids,  styled,  for  this  reason,  excrementitious.  If, 
however,  these  are  retained,  or  the  supply  of  nourish- 
ment withheld,  an  acrimonious  state  of  the  fluids 
follows.  What  this  acrimony  is  we  do  not  clearly  per- 
ceive. It  is  partly  saline,  partly,  perhaps,  the  dissipation 
of,  or  change  in,  the  albuminous  portion  of  the  blood, 
and  very  probably  some  admixture  of  putrid  fluid. 
When  this  animal  process  goes  on  more  rapidly,  as 
in  fevers,  these  changes  are  more  conspicuous.  The 
most  evident  consequences  are,  all  the  symptoms  of  pu- 
trefaction, with  gangrene,  putrid  evacuations,  fetid 
breath,  Sec. :  convulsions  and  spasms,  attributed  to  this 
acrimony,  appear  to  come  on  in  consequence  of  the 
debility  which  every  degree  of  putrefaction  induces. 

The  various  foods  which  have  been  accused  as 
producing  acrimony  in  the  firimtt  i>z>,  and  afterwards  in 
the  fluids,  have  probably,  for  the  reasons  assigned,  little 
influence  in  this  respect.  The  acid  in  the  stomach 
produced  by  the  continued  use  of  acids  and  acescents 
certainly  injures  the  digestion,  and  produces  in  conse- 
quence debility ;  but  there  is  no  trace  of  acid  in  the 
blood,  none  in  the  secreted  fluids,  if  we  except  the 
ureal  and  arthritic  concretions ;  and  of  these  the  latter 
only  can  be  very  obscurely  traced  to  acescent  aliment. 
An  alkalescent  diet  is  uncommon.  Putrid  meat,  or 
rather  meat  advancing  to  putrefaction,  does  not  appear 


MOR 


999 


MOR 


injurious,  if  it  neither  excites  sickness  nor  uneasiness  in 
the  bowels  ;  and  though  dyspeptic  symptoms  have  been 
observed  after  a  continued  course  of  alkaline  medicines 
in  cases  of  calculus,  no  injury  seems  to  have  been  felt 
in  any  other  organ.  The  tetradynamiae  have  been  styled 
alkalescent  filants;  and  these  have  been  blamed  for  in- 
troducing saline  acrimony,  but,  on  the  contrary,  they 
are  the  best  remedies  for  a  disease  in  which  this  acri- 
mony very  evidently  exists,  the  sea  scurvy. 

The  scurvy  is  admitted  to  arise  from  salt  provisions, 
but  in  these  the  milder  animal  fluids  are  separated  and 
in  part  decomposed  ;  the  texture  of  the  animal  fibre  is 
also  destroyed,  and  in  reality  the  disease  arises  from  a 
want  of  the  supply  of  that  bland  aliment  which  corrects 
the  acrimony  formed  by  the  animal  process.  We  have 
evidence  of  the  same  cause  producing  a  similar  state, 
where  unalimentary  food  has  been  for  a  long  time 
taken,  though  without  salt.  It  has  occurred,  however, 
only  in  damp,  confined  situations,  and  each  cause 
seems  to  have  concurred  in  producing  debility  and  de- 
stroying irritability.  It  may  be  said  that  if  this  were 
true,  bland  mild  nourishment  should  be  its  most  ef- 
fectual cure  :  but  nourishment  of  this  kind  is  not  suffi- 
ciently stimulant  to  excite  the  torpid  fibres ;  and  while 
the  state  of  the  fluids  requires  acids  and  acescents,  per- 
haps oxygen,  the  stomach  is  best  excited  by  the  warmer 
vegetables.  See  SCORBUTUS.  Other  acrimonies  have 
not  been  distinctly  pointed  out.  Effects  similar  to 
those  of  scurvy  were  found  by  Dr.  Stark  to  arise  from 
a  diet  on  sugar :  but  he  had  before  tried  so  many  ex- 
periments, that  his  constitution  was  exhausted.  A 
saccharine  acrimony,  if  it  may  be  called  so,  is  conspi- 
cuous in  the  diabetes  mellitus.  We  have  seen  a  sweet 
secretion  of  a  similar  nature  in  the  mouth,  and  have 
reason  to  suspect  that  the  discharge  in  lientery  is  of  the 
same  kind.  See  LIENTERIA. 

One  other  source  of  acrimony  remains,  viz.  the  aro- 
matics.  They  are  much  insisted  on  by  pathologists,  but 
we  have  found  little  foundation  for  accusing  them.  We 
have  suspected  their  noxious  influence  in  those  diseases 
of  the  bladder  which  in  old  age  are  connected  with  a 
tenderness  at  its  neck,  or  some  affection  of  the  prostate 
gland  ;  but  it  is  a  suspicion  which  rests  on  a  slender  ba- 
sis. Since,  however,  in  such  cases  they  are  not  necessary 
as  medicines,  they  may  perhaps  be  more  safely  avoided. 

The  subtility  of  modern  investigators  has,  however, 
added  to  this  subject  a  source  of  humoral  diseases,  not 
suspected  in  the  schools  of  the  mechanical  physicians, 
and  which  has  not  yet  received  a  public  share  of  the 
pathologist's  attention ;  we  mean  those  changes  which 
depend  on  the  composition  of  the  animal  fluids.  We 
may  repeat  shortly,  that  the  carbone  and  the  oxygen  of 
vegetable  bodies  are  converted  by  the  animal  process 
into  nitrogen  and  hydrogen ;  but  they  still,  in  a  certain 
degree  exist,  and  the  change  of  the  oxygen  gradually 
going  on  has  been  supposed  the  cause  of  animal  heat. 
It  is  at  least  certain  that  a  large  proportion  of  oxygen  is 
connected  with  a  fresh  florid  colour  of  the  blood,  with 
increased  vigour  and  activity  of  the  circulating  system, 
probably  with  an  increased  firmness  of  the  simple  solid. 
When  therefore  in  excess,  it  constitutes  a  morbid  state : 
such  is  the  extreme  of  vigour,  which,  when  the  balance 
of  the  circulation  is  destroyed,  favours  topical  conges- 
tions. 

On  the  contrary,  oxygen  is  too  copiously  expended  in 


different  circumstances,  so  that  its  defect  is  equally 
morbid.  It  is  too  copiously  separated  in  the  active 
exertions  of  body  and  mind ;  but  the  former,  if  in  the 
open  air,  greedily  attracts  the  necessary  supply  both 
from  the  atmosphere  and  the  food  for  which,  by  exer- 
cise, a  craving  desire  is  excited.  In  low,  damp  situa- 
tions, and  in  a  confined  air,  it  is  not  supplied.  If  the 
food  is  unalimentary,  the  expenditure  will  exceed  the 
supply  ;  if  the  bodily  exertions  are  slight,  and  the  men- 
tal ones  considerable,  the  excess  of  expenditure  will  be 
more  obvious  in  the  symptoms.  These  are,  languid  cir- 
culation, a  pale  cadaverous  look,  diminished  irritability, 
and  impaired  vigour.  In  such  circumstances  the  oxygen 
does  not  always  appear  deficient  in  quantity,  but  is  not 
evolved  in  the  due  proportion,  since  it  probably  pro- 
duces its  effects  in  the  period  of  its  separation.  Thus 
oxygenated  remedies  are  not  useful  in  the  proportion  of 
^their  quantity  of  oxygen,  but  in  that  of  its  loose  adher- 
ence. The  oxygenated  muriats  are  by  this  means  more 
beneficial  than  the  mineral  acids ;  and  of  these  the  ni- 
trous is,  from  the  same  cause,  superior  to  the  muriatic, 
and  the  latter  to  the  vitriolic,  acid.  An  argument  we 
think  equally  decisive  may  be  drawn  from  the  effects 
of  light.  This  principle  certainly  separates  oxygen 
from  those  bodies  which  contain  it;  but  dark  apart- 
ments show  in  their  inhabitants  a  deficiency  of  this 
principle.  In  fact,  it  is  apparently  present,  but  too 
closely  united  to  show  its  peculiar  effects. 

With  the  excess  and  deficiency  of  oxygen  are  con- 
nected the  opposite  proportions  of  azote,  or  nitrogen. 
They  seem  in  the  human  body  antagonising  principles ; 
but  though  they  form  air  by  an  union  not  perhaps  pro- 
perly chemical,  we  cannot  trace  the  effects  of  such  an 
union,  for  the  halitus  of  the  insensible  perspiration,  if 
not  azote,  is  carbonic  acid  gas.  With  hydrogen,  how- 
ever, the  oxygen  forms  water ;  ~'and  when  the  oxygen 
disappears  we  sometimes  see,  or  suspect  we  see,  watery 
effusions. 

We  can  scarcely  ever  discover  the  consequences  of  an 
excess  of  hydrogen  or  carbone.  The  singular  stories  of 
the  spontaneous  combustion  of  the  whole  body  may 
appear  to  be  of  this  kind,  and  to  support  the  delusion, 
we  are  told  that  the  victims  have  been  persons  accus- 
tomed to  excesses  of  drinking  spirits  ;  but  from  such 
casual  facts  no  general  conclusion  can  be  drawn.  We 
may,  with  equal  truth,  attribute  the  pimples  of  the 
drunkard's  face  to  the  brandy  which  he  has  swallowed, 
producing  an  halitus  of  hydrogen,  instead  of  carbonic 
acid  gas,  or  azote,  while  they  probably  arise  only  from 
continued  and  excessive  stimulus. 

We  have  found  in  the  blood  traces  of  sulphur,  though 
we  are  unable  to  discover  its  source.  We  see  its  excess 
or  its  separation  in  cancerous  sores,  and  some  malignant 
ulcers,  which,  we  are  told  by  Dr.  Crawford,  discharge 
an  hepatised  ammonia.  The  source  of  this  sulphur, 
and  its  deposition,  seems  subjects  equally  intricate.  Is 
this  (according  to  modern  chemists)  the  most  truly  ele- 
mentary body,  really  a  composition  ?  Is  azote  a  com- 
ponent part  ?  or  what  are  the  consequences  of  an  union 
of  azote  and  hydrogen  ?  "  Doceat  Dies  !" 

An  excess  or  defect  in  the  quantity  of  the  fluids  is 
scarcely  an  object  of  this  part  of  our  work,  yet  to  con- 
sider the  doctrine  of  plethora  in  this  place  may  facilitate 
some  future  enquiries.  These  sources  of  disease  are 
the  •xthvx.vp.iH  and  »Xjy»%vfu*  of  pathologists,  and  are,  on 


MOR 


1000 


M  O  B, 


the  whole,  the  distinguishing  marks  of  youth  and  old 
age.  Each,  as  may  be  supposed,  is  relative  to  different 
temperaments,  and  even  idiosyncracies;  each  may  be 
apparently  in  excess,  and  each  may  predispose  to  dis- 
ease, though  still  within  the  limits  of  health.  The  con- 
sequences of  the  excess  of  cither  of  the  component 
parts  of  the  blood  may  be  easily  understood  from  the 
former  observations  on  lentor  or  tenuity.  We  now 
mean  to  speak  only  of  the  excess  of  the  whole  mass, 
which  is  styled  plethora.  This  is  divided  into  the/i/f- 
thora  ad  molem;  plethora  ad  spatiuin;  plethora  ad  vo- 
lumen,  and  plethora  ad  vires;  nor  is  the  distinction 
frivolous  :  it  were  better  that  it  had  been  more  attended 
to  by  modern  authors. 

The  plethora  ad  molem,  ad  vasa,oradvenas,  for  they 
are  synonymous  in  ancient  authors,  is  the  exuberance 
of  the  absolute  quantity  of  blood,  and,  in  more  delicate 
habits,  is  seen  by  the  fulness  and  redness  of  the  minute 
vessels.  In  scrophulous  habits,  however,  this  redness 
does  not  always  denote  plethora  ;  nor  do  they  easily 
bear  large  evacuations,  much  less  astringents,  which 
are  often  ignorantly  prescribed  on  account  of  a  fancied 
weakness.  In  more  robust  habits  this  kind  of  plethora 
is  chiefly  discovered  by  a  full,  oppressed,  or  rather  a 
laboured  pulse,  and  sometimes  by  a  fulness  of  the  veins. 
In  general  it  occurs  in  strong  robust  constitutions, 
where  the  digestive  powers  are  vigorous,  and  the  waste 
from  exercise  disproportioned  to  the  supply. 

The  plethora  ad.spatium  is  produced  when  the  quan- 
tity of  circulating  fluids  remaining  the  same,  the  capa- 
city of  the  vessels  is  contracted.  This  happens  in  cold 
weather,  and  in  the  cold  fits  of  fevers,  when  in  weak 
habits  haemorrhages  are  not  uncommon.  It  happens 
also  more  frequently  than  is  suspected,  by  the  rash  im- 
prudent use  of  astringents,  particularly  in  full  mobile 
habits,  in  persons  of  a  languid  circulation,  or  in  cases 
of  haemoptoe. 

Plethora  ad  volumen  usually  implies  an  increased 
bulk  of  the  blood  from  external  heat,  from  violent  in- 
flammatory fevers,  from  friction,  from  violent  passions, 
spirituous  liquors,  ,&c.  The  blood,  however,  is  not 
capable  of  any  very  considerable  expansion,  and  these 
appearances  of  plethora  arise  from  relaxation  in  conse- 
quence of  external  warmth,  or  a  determination  to  the 
surface,  from  a  more  accelerated  circulation. 

The  plethora  ad  vires,  though  it  exist,  is  still  less  an 
object  of  our  present  consideration,  as  it  means  only  a 
greater  quantity  of  blood  than  the  strength  will  bear. 
This,  of  course,  must  be  relative  to  the  constitution  of 
the  patient ;  but  we  may  add,  that  it  is  a  more  frequent 
source  of  disease  than  is  suspected,  and  peculiarly  diffi- 
cult to  relieve,  as  we  have  often  had  occasion  to  remark, 
since  the  slightest  diminution  of  the  circulating  fluids 
produces  faintness. 

It  will  be  -obvious  that  these  different  plethoras  are 
not  inconsistent  with  each  other,  and'  that  all  may  be 
occasionally  combined.  The  disease  such  an  union 
may  produce  will  be  of  course  more  dangerous,  and 
sudden  death  has  often  been  the  consequence. 

The  deficiency  of  blood  the  ehiyo%v/U:Ht,  is  supposed  to 
arise  from  copious  evacuations,  or  from  famine.  Faint- 
ness,  however,  arises  in  the  former  instance  before 
a  considerable  portion  can  be  lost,  and  in  the  latter  the 
contraction  of  the  vessels  accommodates  them  to  the 
quantity.  In  the  infant,  however,  who  dies  from  not 


tying  the  umbilical  cord,  we  have  remarked  (sec  MK- 
DICINA  FOHENSIS)  that  the  vessels  are  unusually  empty, 
and  Lieutaud,  as  well  as  Morgagni,  has  recorded  in- 
stances of  the  vessels  being  peculiarly  empty,  though 
without  connecting  this  appearance  with  the  previous 
symptoms  ;  an  omission  too  common  in  each.  It  is 
sufficient  therefore  to  point  out  the  existence  of  such  a 
state,  since  from  want  of,  such  information  we  cannot 
enlarge  on  its  source  or  its  consequences. 

MOIIBI  SOLIDI  SIMPLICIS.  This  subject  fills  a 
large  space  in  the  foreign  systems  of  pathology,  and 
were  it  not  from  respect  to  the  talents  of  men  like 
Boerhaave,  Gaubius,  De  Haen,  and  Ludwig,  we 
should  pass  it  over  very  slightly.  It  will  not,  how- 
ever, detain  us  long,  though  we  shall  add  in  part  to 
their  views. 

The  diseases  which  can  affect  the  simple  solid  arc 
those  which  relate  to  its  cohesion  or  its  chemical  na- 
ture. The  state  of  cohesion,  the  only  objects  of  the 
Boerhaavian  school,  must  be  relative  in  different  or- 
gans, in  different  ages,  sexes,  temperaments,  and  conr 
stitutions.  In  general,  the  cohesion  of  the  various  or- 
gans must  be  in  the  natural  proportion  of  each.  If  too 
slight  to  bear  the  requisite  motions,  it  constitutes  dis- 
ease ;  or  indeed  if  it  require  very  peculiar  caution  to 
avoid  injury  from  such  motions,  it  is  equally  a  disease, 
though  in  a  less  degree. 

Weakness,  or  diminished  cohesion,  in  a  solid  when 
not  ruptured,  is  divided  into,  1st,  the  lax  and  flaccid  in 
soft  parts  which  admit  of  distention  by  a  moderate 
force ;  2dly,  the  inert,  or  inelastic,  in  parts  naturally 
elastic;  3dly,  the  flexible,  as  in  bones  which  admit  of 
being  bent,  after  being  previously  softened. 

When  rupture  has  taken  place  in  the  tender  fibres  of 
soft  parts,  it  is  styled  tenerum  gracile:  when  accompa- 
nied with  general  softness,  as  from  putrefaction,  tabi- 
dum.  It  is  called  Jissile  when  parts,  naturally  soft,  are 
dry  and  chapped  ;  and  fragile  when  hard  parts  are  bro- 
ken in  consequence  of  their  weakness. 

Rigidity,  an  opposite  disease,  consists  in  increased 
cohesion,  and  is  styled  tenax  when  in  soft  parts,  as  the 
muscles  of  old  animals  ;  durum,  when  in  the  harder 
parts,  as  cartilages  proceeding  to  ossification  ;  and />•<?- 
gile  vitreum  when  in  the  bones. 

In  all  these  cases  the  vital  solid  is  often  the  chief  and 
the  principal  cause.  The  want  of  elasticity  arises  from 
water  being  poured  into  the  cellular  membrane  instead 
of  the  usual  halitus ;  the  flaccidity  and  flexibility  from 
previous  debility.  It  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  the 
tender  fibres  of  soft  parts  can  be  even  broken,  indepen- 
dent of  previous  disease,  except  in  consequence  of  ex- 
treme violence,  which  is  not  our  object;  and  the  fra- 
gile vitreum  attributed  to  cold  has  certainly  no  founda- 
tion, for  the  heat  in  the  internal  parts  is  uniform,  and 
cold  could  not  produce  the  effect  without  the  previous 
destruction  of  life  from  its  sedative  power.  If  softness 
exist  independent  of  these  previous  diseases,  it  must  be 
attributed  to  the  larger  proportion  of  water,  or  a  change 
in  the  chemical  combination.  A  similar  chemical 
change  must  take  place  in  cases  of  rigidity,  but  with  a 
diminished  proportion  of  water.  We  shall  therefore 
consider  softness  and  rigidity  as  diseases  independent 
of  the  distinctions  just  noticed. 

When  softness  becomes  a  disease,  the  increased  pro- 
portion of  water,  as  we  have  said,  arises  often  from 


MOR 


1001 


MOR 


debility  a  disease  of  the  vital  solid.  With  respect  to  the 
chemical  change,  the  chief  substance  which  attracts 
our  attention  in  the  composition  of  the  soft  parts  is  the 
GELATIN,  q.  v.  We  must  add,  however,  to  the  re- 
marks contained  in  this  "article,  some  later  discoveries. 
The  gelatine  then  differs  from  vegetable  jellies,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  union  with  lymph,  an  animalized  fluid, 
containing  or  consisting  of  nitrogen.  This  lymph  is 
more  copious  in  advanced  life,  and  in  the  same  propor- 
tion the  animal  gelatine  is  less  soluble  in  water.  In  the 
earlier  periods  of  existence  this  gelatine  admits  of  the 
union  with  water,  but  not  of  the  later;  so  that  softness 
is  the  disease  of  the  young,  and  rigidity  of  the  old.  But 
we  find,  from  Parmentier  and  Deyeux,  that  diseases 
chiefly  affect  the  gelatinous  parts  of  the  blood ;  so  that 
this  gelatine,  in  early  life,  from  its  affinity  with  water, 
and  in  the  later  period  if  not  supplied  indue  proportion, 
or  with  the  requisite  qualities,  produces  the  diseases  of 
the  simple  solid  referrible  to  diminished  cohesion.  In 
each  view,  therefore,  these  diseases  arise  from  an  excess 
of  water,  or  rather  from  debility  ;  and  from  opposite 
states,  rigidity,  the  disease  of  old  age,  must  be  un- 
derstood. In  the  latter  state,  also,  many  of  the  smaller 
vessels  are  obliterated;  the  coats  of  the  larger,  which 
remain,  are  more  dense,  and  less  irritable ;  the  ex- 
halations fewer :  changes  which  contribute  to  increased 
rigidity. 

The  fleshy  parts  of  animals  experience  the  progressive 
changes  chiefly  from  the  gradual  addition  of  lymph  in  a 
large  proportion,  of  which  the  fibres  seem  to  consist,  as 
they  are  not  very  soluble  in  water,  and  appear  to  yield  ni- 
trogen copiously  ;  for  though  Thouvenel  obtained  what 
he  sty  led  extractive  matter  from  flesh, muscles  probably 
differ  from  harder  parts  chiefly  in  consequence  of  their 
containing  the  blood.  This  animalized  lymph  is  appa- 
rently that  portion  of  the  blood  which  separates  in  the 
fibrin.  The  cartilages  are  chiefly  gelatinous. 

Bones  are  only  subject  to  softness  and  friability, 
which  must  in  this  case  be  distinguished  from  fragility, 
as  it  chiefly  arises  from  an  absorption  of  the  bony  mat- 
ter. Bones  are  originally  gelatinous;  and  in  this  jelly 
a  calcareous  phosphat  gradually  crystallizes  in  different 
forms,  accordingto  the  shape  of  the  bone.  (See  BONES). 
The  gelatinous  part  assumes  the  form  of  membranes  by 
the  pressure  of  the  bony  fibres,  and  may  be  seen  when 
the  earthy  salt  is  separated  by  solution  in  acids.  The 
bones  of  the  foetus  are  naturally  soft  and  flexible.  They 
continue  so  in  a  certain  degree  till  their  shape  is  gradu- 
ally formed  by  the  action  of  the  muscles.  The  degree 
of  softness  unsuitable  to  the  age  is  what  constitutes  dis- 
ease. It  arises  from  weakness,  as  in  rickets,  and  from 
diseased  fluids,  as  in  scurvy,  and  occasionally  in  syphilis; 
and  immediately  depends,  in  a  great  measure,  on  a  de- 
fective supply  of  the  earthy  salt.  In  rickets,  debility  of 
the  digestive  organs  precedes  the  softness  of  the  bones, 
and  in  scurvy  the  whole  system  is  weakened.  In 
syphilis  the  bones  are  perhaps  eroded,  and  become 
friable  rather  than  softened.  They  are,  however,  some- 
times softened  in  cases  of  general  debility,  without  any 
peculiar  affection  of  the  digestive  organs,  frequently 
from  a  sedentary  life,  and  from  confinement  by  a  long 
chronic  disease.  This  softness,  which  generally  pro- 
duces deformity,  and  in  one  instance  rendered  the 
pelvis  so  deformed  as  to  require  embryulcia,  or  the 
Caesarian  section  in  a  woman  who  had  before  born 

VOL.    I. 


children  of  the  usual  size,  does  not  produce  the  peculiar 
appearance  of  rickets,  because  it  happens  wben  the 
shape  of  the  bones  has  been  more  perfectly  established, 
as  we  shall  see  in  that  article. 

Since,  however,  our  attention  has  been  more  particu- 
larly turned  to  the  changes  in  the  lymph,  we  may  be 
allowed  to  doubt  whether  the  softness  of  young  bones, 
or  the  friability  of  old  ones,  is  wholly  owing  to  the 
change  in  the  bony  matter.  Each  may  be  affected  by  a 
change  in  the  state  of  the  lymph,  as  already  explained, 
and  in  part  to  the  greater  or  less  extent  of  the  vascular 
system:  to  these  views  we  may  return  under  RA- 
CHITIS, q.  v. 

MORBI  SOLIDI  vivi.  The  solidum  vivum,  in  the 
language  of  Gaubius,  is  the  living  portion  of  our  bo- 
dies, or,  in  other  words,  the  nervous  system,  in  which 
we  include,  with  Dr.  Cullen,  the  brain,  the  spinal  mar- 
row, and  the  nerves  either  as  sentient  or  moving  organs. 
The  distinction  of  every  part  of  the  nervous  system  is 
excitement  by  stimuli,  not  acrids  only,  but  every  thing 
generally  understood  as  necessary  to  life,  as  food, 
drink,  air,  heat,  and  even  volition.  As  the  func- 
tions of  the  nervous  system  are  those  of  sense  and 
motion,  their  exercise  may  be  affected  by  the  state 
of  either  organ,  the  state  of  the  brain,  or  of  the  nerves 
in  their  progress. 

The  diseases  of  sensation  are  in  part  influenced  by 
the  state  of  the  media  through  which  they  are  conveyed, 
as  those  of  the  skin,  the  humours  of  the  eye,  &c. 
These  will,  therefore,  give  the  appearance  of  different 
degrees  of  sensibility,  without  any  disease  of  the  nerves. 
Different  parts  of  the  body  differ  also  in  sensibility. 
The  experiments  of  Haller  place  the  heart  in  the  first 
rank,  and,  in  succession,  the  stomach,  the  intestines, 
the  diaphragm,  and  the  muscles.  These  have,  however, 
been  disputed;  but  the  controversy  need  not  detain  us. 
In  the  sound  state  he  is  not  probably  in  error;  but,  when 
inflamed,  membranes,  and  particularly  nervous  expan- 
sions, are  by  far  more  sensible  than  the  heart  or  the 
muscles.  Sensibility  also  differs  in  various  ages,  sexes, 
temperaments,  and  idiosyncracies ;  in  pregnancy  and 
child  bed,  as  well  as  from  habit.  The  state  of  mind  has 
also  a  considerable  effect  on  the  sensibility ;  and  sym- 
pathy, as  well  as  association,  often  greatly  increases  it. 
Dr.  Cullen  has  supposed  that  the  state  of  the  nervous 
fibril,  or  the  fluid  in  the  nerves,  greatly  influences  the 
sensibility,  and  the  opinion  gains  force  from  the  peculiar 
irritable  state  of  some  constitutions,  chiefly  known  by 
the  name  of  hysterical  habits,  where  the  sensibility- 
is  considerable.  The  state  of  the  fibre,  as  affected  by 
the  blood  vessels,  interspersed,  has  a  similar  effect.  We 
have  just  mentioned  the  increased  sensibility  from 
inflammation,  and  the  professor  supposes  that  the 
fulness  of  these  vessels  gives  a  greater  tension,  with 
which  he  connects,  with  great  probability,  increased 
sensibility. 

Heat  increases  sensibility,  and  cold  diminishes  it. 
The  sensibility  is  also  less  in  torpid  constitutions,  in 
weak  states  where  the  circulation  is  not  carried  on  to 
the  extremities,  from  the  application  of  narcotics  from 
habit,  and  the  attention  strongly  directed  to  some  in- 
teresting object.  Will  not  a  fixed  resolution  have  a 
similar  effect  ? 

Depravity  of  sense  is  also  an  affection  of  the  vital 
solid,    and  consists  in  either  a  false  estimate  of  the 
6M 


MOR 


1002 


MOR 


force  of  external  impressions,  or  in  referring  to  the  ex- 
ternal what  is  owing  to  the  internal  ones.  This  is, 
however,  as  we  have  had  occasion  to  observe,  a  disease 
of  the  brain  itself,  and  owing  to  an  inequality  of  excite- 
ment, or  some  impediment  to  the  free  communication 
between  its  different  parts.  See  MANIA. 

The  diseases  of  the  moving  organs  are  nearly  the 
same  in  principle,  though  not  in  name.  These  are 
irritability  and  torpor,  corresponding  in  their  causes, 
perhaps  their  nature,  to  increased  and  diminished  sensi- 
bility, and  generally  connected  with  the  same  constitu- 
tions. The  former  is  the  distinguishing  mark  of  the 
sanguine,  the  latter  of  the  melancholic,  temperament. 
There  is,  however,  another  state  consistent  with  the 
highest  health,  which  consequently  may  become  disease, 
and  is  always  a  predisposition  to  disease,  viz.  the  vigour 
of  the  muscular  fibres,  the  attendant  of  the  diathesis 
phlogistica,  and  in  which  it  indeed  consists.  But  to  be 
more  particular. 

Irritability  is  generally  connected  with  the  more  de- 
licate texture  of  the  solid  parts,  an  increased  elasticity 
of  the  fibres,  peculiar  quickness  of  the  senses,  a  more 
fluid  blood,  a  tender  constitution,  a  more  rapid  action 
of  the  heart  and  arteries:  it  is  consequently  often  here- 
ditary, more  frequent  in  females,  in  warm  climates, 
those  who  live  luxuriously  without  exercise,  an  attendant 
on  inflammatory  fevers,  and  considerable  evacuations, 
the  pregnant  and  puerperal  state.  The  effects  of  this 
increased  irritability  are  spasms,  convulsions,  irregular 
secretions,  and  unequal  temper,  faintings,  excessive 
menstruation,  abortions,  Sec. 

The  torpor  of  the  living  solid  is  marked  by  a  firmer, 
ruder  texture  of  the  simple  solid,  sometimes  by  inflexi- 
bility, as  in  the  melancholic,  occasionally  by  a  want  of 
elasticity,  as  in  the  phlegmatic  temperament ;  by  a 
slower  action  of  the  arterial  system,  by  yielding  less 
readily  to  stimuli,  and  by  a  dulness  of  the  intellectual 
functions.  It  is  the  constitution  of  the  inhabitants  of 
higher  latitudes,  and  has  been  sufficiently  considered 
under  the  article  of  COLD,  q.  v.  The  effects  of  this 
torpor  are  a  diminution  of  the  excretions,  with  accumu- 
lations in  the  liver  and  the  head,  which  induce  many 
chronic  diseases. 

The  diseases  arising  from  the  state  of  the  brain 
chiefly  depend  on  its  mobility  or  torpor,  as  a  portion  of 
the  nervous  system  ;  but  more  particularly  on  the  free 
communication  between  its  different  parts.  The  dis- 
eases depending  on  the  state  of  the  nerves  in  their  pro- 
gress depend  also  on  their  degree  of  excitement,  or 
the  communication  through  them  being  more  or  less 
free. 

We  had  intended  in  this  place  to  have  engaged  at 
some  length  in  the  inquiry  started  in  the  article  As- 
TRINGENTIA,  how  far  the  state  of  the  vital  depended 
on  that  of  the  simple  solid.  We  could,  however,  add 
little,  except  to  repeat  the  facts  recorded  in  the  pathology 
of  the  vital  solid;  and  these  seem  strongly  to  support 
the  opinion,  that  firm  cohesion  and  vigour,  a  more 
tender  texture  and  mobility,  the  first  with  diminished, 
the  second  with  increased,  sensibility,  are  at  least  very 
closely  connected.  Are  they  ever  separated,  or  do  they 
depend  on  the  same  state  of  the  solid?  Future  inqui- 
ries may  enable  us  to  decide. 

MORBI  SOLIDORUM  coNTiNENTiuM.  The  contain- 
ing solids,  or  the  parietes  of  cavitiesj  are  muscular 


or  membranous ;  and  their  size  may  be,  in  different 
ways,  increased.  When  merely  dilated  beyond  what 
their  elasticity  or  their  muscular  power  can  restore,  it 
is  styled  dilatatio;  when  cavities,  as  arteries  or  excretory 
ducts,  are  so  enlarged  as  to  suffer  the  contents  to  pass  out, 
anastomosis;  when  the  fibres  of  cavities  are  separated  so 
as  to  suffer  fluids  to  escape  through  them,  diafiedesis; 
when  ruptured,  dierenis ;  if  ruptured  by  clistention, 
pv&t,  if  by  erosion,  }i*pp£si$.  The  effects  of  these 
changes  will,  be  sufficiently  obvious  ;  and,  indeed,  we 
should  not  have  introduced  the  subject  but  to  explain 
the  terms. 

The  diseases  from  contraction  are  otstructio,  when 
from  anastomosis  a  denser  fluid  than  the  vessel  is  des- 
tined to  carry  passes  into  it,  when  its  contents  are  in- 
spissated, or  when  a  solid  substance  impacts  it;  obsti- 
ftatio,  when  the  thickened  parietes,  or  any  tumour,  ob- 
structs the  vessels;  compressio,  when  cavities  are  dimi- 
nished or  obliterated  by  pressure ;  collafisus,  when  the 
sides  fall  in  from  diminished  contents ;  contractio,  when 
diminished  from  great  elasticity  or  spasm ;  and  coatitus, 
when  the  sides  unite,  and  are  conglutinated. 

The  morbi  solidorum  intrumentarii  are  the  local  dis- 
eases of  nosologists,  and  not  a  part  of  this  subject. 

Haller  and  De  Haen  Commentarii  in  Boerhaavii  In- 
stitutiones;  Ludwig  and  Gaubii  Institutiones  Pathologic 
Medicinalis. 

MO'RBUS  ATTO'NITUS,  CA'DUCUS,  COMMITI'ALIS,  HER- 
CU'LEUS,  INFANTI'LIS,  PUERI'LIS,  INTERLU'NIUS,  MA'GNUS, 
SA'CER.  See  EPILE'PSIA. 

MO'RBUS  COXARIUS.  This  is  properly  the  arthro- 
pyosis,  but  various  circumstances  prevented  our  enlarg- 
ing sufficiently  on  it  at  that  time,  and  we  prefer  insert- 
ing our  account  of  it  under  this  title,  as  the  disease  is 
better  discriminated  by  it  from  psoas  abscess,  and  from 
sciatica.  De  Haen,  who  first  considered  it  distinctly, 
also  employs  this  term. 

It  generally  comes  on  almost  imperceptibly.  The 
first  sensation  is  a  dull  pain,  often  attributed  to  fatigue, 
to  a  strain,  or,  in  more  advanced  life,  to  gout.  When 
the  pain  becomes  so  violent  as  to  attract  attention,  it  is 
described  as  deeply  seated,  but  on  strong  pressure  it  is- 
greatly  increased ;  the  glutaei  and  the  vastus  internus 
are  flabby ;  and  the  glutseus,  losing  its  elasticity,  obli- 
terates the  line  which  apparently  divided  it  from  the 
biceps  and  semitendinosus.  The  thigh  itself  is  less, 
though  the  nates  on  the  side  affected  are  sometimes 
extended  in  breadth.  In  many  cases  the  tubercle  of 
the  ischium  is  lower,  and  the  leg,  on  the  side  affected, 
longer.  In  general,  on  walking,  the  toe  drags  a  little  on 
the  ground;  and  the  limb  is  raised,  or  extended  sideways, 
with  difficulty,  though  moved  circularly  with  some  case. 
The  pain  is  not  considerable,  except  in  the  advanced 
states  of  the  disease,  but  it  is  not  confined  to  the  joint. 
It  sometimes  extends  to  the  knee,  and  is  felt  there 
with  so  much  violence,  as  to  lead  to  a  suspicion  that 
this  joint  is  the  seat  of  the  disease.  From  the  knee  it 
extends  to  the  ankle,  but  is  felt  there  less  acutely.  The 
pain  is  sometimes  on  the  upper  part  of  the  pectinseus, 
near  the  place  where  psoas  abscess  first  appears,  and 
then  it  descends  on  the  inside  of  the  thigh,  nearly  in 
the  direction  of  the  adductores  of  the  tricepsand  vastus 
externus,  almost  in  a  straight  line  from  the  knee  to  the 
ankle. 

For.  some  time  the  general  health  remains  uniatet- 


MOR 


1003 


MOR 


fupted;  but,  when  the  disease  advances  so  as  to  be 
acutely  sensible  to  the  touch,  with  an  acute  or  throb- 
bing pain,  and  a  redness  of  the  skin,  hectic  exacerba- 
tions come  on  ;  the  patient  starts  in  his  sleep;  theface 
is  of  a  leaden  paleness,  except  when  flushed  with  hectic 
heat ;  the  skin  is  clammy  ;  the  body  wastes,  and  the 
strength  gradually  sinks. 

The  shortening  of  the  limbs  has  been  esteemed  a 
mark  of  suppuration  coming  on  ;  but  this  is  not  correct. 
The  limb  is  sometimes  shorter  from  the  beginning,  as 
well  as  in  the  advanced  stages ;  nor  is  any  certain  con- 
sequence to  be  drawn  from  this  circumstance,  unless  it 
suddenly  becomes  so,  when  it  may  give  some  suspicion 
of  matter  having  formed. 

On  dissection,  the  head,  sometimes  the  neck  of  the 
thigh  bone,  is  carious  ;  nor  is  the  change  confined  to 
this  bone,  for  the  acetabulum  equally  suffers,  and  the 
matter  has  been  found  to  escape  through  it  into  the 
cavity  of  the  pelvis.  Matter  in  proportional  quan- 
tities is  occasionally  found  in  the  cotyloid  cavity. 

In.  this  disease  there  is  evidently  relaxation  of  the 
ligament,  with  a  alight  inflammation.  It  probably 
begins  with  inflammation  of  the  head  of  the  bone, 
like  that  which  occurs  in  the  vertebrae,  in  cases  of 
distorted  spine,  and  gradually  presses  it  downward, 
upward,  or  to  either  side,  according  to  the  portion 
of  the  head  affected ;  and  this  will  account  for  all 
the  variety  of  lengthening  or  shortening  of  the  limb;  for 
the  difficulty  of  moving  the  legs  sideways  and  outwards, 
or,  for  what  sometimes  happens,  of  keeping  them  to- 
gether. 

It  is  often  confounded  with  rheumatism,  and  with 
psoas  abscess ;  but  from  each  may  be  distinguished  by 
the  elongation  or  the  abbreviation  of  the  limb,  by  the  in- 
creased breadth  of  the  nates,  and  the  laxity  of  the  glutaei 
muscles.  In  the  earlier  periods  also  of  psoas  cases,  the 
difficulty  of  bending  the  body,  or  of  putting  either  leg 
forward,  will  sufficiently  point  out  the  part  affected, 
while  the  pain  on  pressure,  dragging  the  toe,  and  the 
relaxation  of  the  glutaei  muscles,  will  sufficiently  dis- 
tinguish it  at  a  subsequent  period.  In  rheumatism 
_also  the  pain  is  more  extended,  the  earlier  fever  more 
considerable,  with  often  external  soreness.  At  every 
period  of  the  complaint  the  prognostic-  must  be  un- 
favourable ;  but  if  the  constitution  is  sound,  without 
any  scrofulous  taint,  the  disease  incipient,  and  the 
patient  willing  to  pursue  the  necessary  plans,  we  some- 
times succeed.  Even  when  suppuration  has  come  on 
the  patient  may  escape,  but  it  must  be  by  the  efforts  of 
nature  alone.  In  such  cases  the  abscess  occasionally 
bursts,  though  this  sometimes  does  not  occur,  and  the 
matter  is  absorbed.  In  each  circumstance  the  most 
absolute  rest,  free  country  air,  a  milk  diet,  keeping  the 
bowels  free,  with  the  occasional  use  of  the  bark,  are 
chiefly  useful.  If  any  thing  is  more  essentially  neces- 
sary than  the  others,  it  is  absolute  rest,  with  free  coun- 
try air.  If  any  thing  is  less  so,  it  is  medicine.  A  stiff- 
jiess  of  the  joint  is,  however,  the  inevitable  conse- 
quence. 

The  causes  appear  to  be  most  generally  cold,  from 
damp  beds,  and  lying  in  damp  sheets.  Blows  and 
strains  also  induce  it ;  but  in  children  it  often  comes 
on  without  the  known  influence  of  either,  and  seems 
to  be  of  a  scrofulous  nature,  as  it  chiefly  affects 


those  whose  appearance  shows  the  seminium  of  that 
disease. 

The  cure  of  the  disease,  in  the  earlier  or  middle 
stages,  requires  peculiar  attention  in  the  practitioner, 
and  no  little  resolution  in  the  patient.  Inflammation, 
we  have  said,  is  the  first  symptom,  and  bleeding  with 
leeches,  a  moderately  low  diet,  occasional  doses  of  neu- 
tral salts,  together  with  the  continued  discharge  of  a 
blister,  will  succeed.  If  the  season  permit,  sea  bathing 
or  cold  pumping  will  complete  the  cure.  In  this  state, 
also,  a  light  infusion  of  the  bark,  or  any  other  bitter, 
seems  to  have  been  of  service.  Should,  after  a  tvial  ot" 
this  plan,  the  disease  continue,  or  seem  to  increase,  an 
issue  should  be  made  just  behind  the  great  trochanter. 
The  application  of  a  caustic  will,  on  the  separation  of 
the  eschar,  form  a  deep  sore,  which  should  be  so  large 
as  to  require,  both  in  breadth  and  depth,  a  horse  bean 
for  its  continuance.  Tenderness  is  in  this  case  cruelty  : 
it  should  be  done  effectually,  or  wholly  omitted.  If 
the  pain  and  fever  have  not  been  violent,  or  have  been 
mitigated  by  the  usual  remedies,  sea  bathing  may  be 
continued  with  this  issue,  as  it  can  be  easily  covered  by 
leather  spread  round  its  margin  with  sticking  plaster. 
Some  surgeons  have  recommended  a  seton;  but  the 
cord  does  not  penetrate  so  deep,  and  cannot  be  so  con- 
veniently covered  to  admit  of  sea  bathing,  which  is  a 
most  essential  remedy. 

Instead  of  leeches,  cupping  glasses  have  been  re- 
commended; and  instead  of  blisters,  the  lime  poultice, 
made  of  one  part  of  quicklime  slacked  in  the  air,  with 
two  parts  of  oatmeal,  made  into  a  poultice  with  hogs'  lard. 
These  are  less  effectual  remedies,  though  sometimes 
useful  in  irritable  habits,  where  the  terror  excited  by 
the  more  acute  remedies  might  be  injurious.  They 
should  be  trusted,  however,  only  in  the  slightest  cases. 
Opiates,  particularly  in  theformofDover'spowder,may, 
at  any  period  of  the  disease,  be  allowed  with  safety ; 
and  often  when  the  pain  is  violent  with  advantage. 

Though  we  have  chiefly  trusted  sea  bathing  and  cold 
pumping,  yet  the  annals  of  the  Bath  hospital  speak  with 
confidence  of  the  utility  of  warm  pumping ;  and  Dr. 
Falconer  has  lately  given  a  very  satisfactory  view  of  its 
utility.  The  Bath  waters  can  only  be  admitted  when 
fever  has  not  come  on,  or  when  it  has  been  checked 
by  the  appropriate  remedies.  If  the  patient  be  tolerably 
strong,  and  the  symptoms  moderate,  the  bath  of  105° 
is  used  two  or  three  times  a  week,  and  the  patient  con- 
tinues in  it  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  minutes.  After 
bathing  a  few  times,  on  the  intermediate  days,  the  part 
is  pumped  on  for  about  five  minutes,  when  the  patient 
receives  500  strokes.  From  this  remedy  the  stiffness 
and  pain  are  relieved,  the  soreness  and  swelling  di- 
minish, the  strength  and  plumpness  of  the  limb  gra- 
dually return,  and  the  leg,  whatever  was  the  change, 
resumes  its  natural  length  and  direction., 

A  similar  application  of  hot  water  has  been  attempted 
at  a  distance  from  Bath  ;  but  whether  it  arises  from 
the  heat  employed  being  too  low,  or  that  the  Bath  wa- 
ters derive,  in  part,  their  virtues  from  the  mineral  im- 
prr  ^nation,  is  uncertain  ;  the  effects,  however,  have  not 
answered   the   expectations  of  the  practitioner.     The 
warm  sea  water  bath  promises  to  be  very  useful,  and  to 
this  a  pump  may  be  readily  adapted. 
If  the  suppuration  proceeds,  notwithstanding  every 
6  M  2 


M  O  R 


1004 


MOR 


effort,  we  have  already  remarked  t,hat  nature  must 
effect  a  cure,  if  the  patient  ever  attains  it ;  and  the  plan 
has  been  sufficiently  detailed. 

Hippocrates  deMorbusInternis,  cap.  54 — 58;  Caelius 
Aurelianus  de  Morbis  Chronicis,  lib.  v.  cap.  1  ;  De 
Haen  de  Morbo  Coxario ;  Falconer's  Memoirs  of  the 
Medical  Society  of  London,  vol.  vi. 

MO'RBUS  GA'LLICUS  I'NDICUS.     See  LUES  VENEREA. 

MO'RBUS  HUNGA'RICUS.     See  AMPHEMEKINA  HUN- 

GARICA. 

MO'RBUS  STRAXGULA'TORIUS,  TRUCULE'NTUS  I'NFAN- 

TUM.       See    SuFFOCATIO    STRIDIA. 

MO'RBUS  NI'GER.  The  BLACK.  DISEASE,  melena 
of  Sauvages,  melaina  nosos  of  Hippocrates,  of  which  he 
describes  two  kinds.  In  the  first  the  patient  vomits 
black  bile,  sometimes  bloody  and  sour  ;  a  thin  saliva, 
or  green  bile.  The  acrimony  of  the  fluid  occasionally 
inflames  the  mouth,  and  its  acidity  affects  the  teeth  in 
the  usual  way.  Vomiting  relieves,  but  flatulence  af- 
fects the  patient  when  empty,  and  a  great  load  is  felt 
after  eating.  A  slow  fever,  head  ach,  dim  sight, 
heaviness  in  the  legs,  and  blackness  in  the  skin,  are 
common  symptoms.  Frequent  cathartics,  with  whey, 
milk,  and  other  diluent  drinks,  are  only  necessary. 
The  second  kind  consists  of  a  discharge  of  concrete 
blood  of  a  blackish  red  colour,  mixed  with  a  large 
quantity  of  insipid,  acid,  or  viscid  phlegm,  thrown  up 
by  vomit.  This  evacuation  is  generally  preceded  by  a 
pungent  tensive  pain  in  both  hypochondria,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  disease  is  attended  with  anxiety,  a 
compressive  pain  in  the  praecordia,  and  fainting,  which 
last  is  more  frequent,"  and  more  violent,  when  the 
blood  evacuated  is  fetid  and  corrupt. 

In  modern  authors,  every  dark  coloured  discharge 
has  this  appellation,  and  little  care  is  taken  to  distinguish 
its  source.  A  black  discharge  may  be  either  bile  or 
blood.  Each  is  distinguished  by  the  colour  when  diluted, 
for  bile  is  of  a  dark  yellow,  and  blood  is  red.  But  in 
worn-out  constitutions  the  bile  will  not  always  assume  on 
dilution  the  yellow  hue  ;  and  in  this  case  the  black 
matter  consists  of  dark  flakes,  or  sometimes  a  dark 
pitchy  matter  is  discharged.  The  latter  appearance  is 
not  indeed  a  diagnostic  mark,  for  it  is  the  colour  of 
the  meconium  in  young  children,  and  is  the  substance 
often  discharged  after  long  continued  constipation. 

When  these  distinctions  are  kept  in  view,  the  practice 
is  easy.  The  discharge  of  blood  is  either  an  active  or 
a  passive  haemorrhage,  generally  passive,  and  in  neither 
case  highly  dangerous.  Indeed  we  have  seen  very 
considerable  discharges  of  Wood  by  stool,  from  strains 
in  the  young  and  active,  yield  to  nitre,  to  opiates  with 
occasional  mild  laxatives.  The  passive  haemorrhages 
require  astringents,  with  the  vitriolic  acid.  Thebloorl 
in  these  cases  flows  from  different  arteries,  and  its 
source  requires  no  variation  of  practice. 

When  the  bile  is  dark,  a  previous  suppression  has 
usually  occurred ;  and  the  discharge,  which  is  essentially 
necessary,  must  be  regulated  by  the  strength  of  the 
patient.  The  pitch-like  bile,  or  perhaps  the  grumous 
blood,  requires  also  to  be  evacuated  ;  and  the  best  me- 
dicine for  each  purpose,  if  the  strength  of  the  patient 
will  admit,  is  calomel.  This  medicine,  were  we  to  re- 
vive the  term,  we  should  style  the  true  cholagogue. 
But  the  pitchy  and  the  flaky  bile,  in  worn-out  constitu- 


tions, must  be  gradually  discharged,  and  the  strength 
supported  by  wine,  by  nourishing  diet,  by  aromatics, 
and  by  any  thing  but  astringents. 

Pains  are  uncommon;  and  if  they  occur,  must  be 
obviated  by  fomentations,  and  by  opiates.  They  are 
truly  spasmodic,  for  inflammatory  pains  only  attend  in- 
flammation of  the  membranes  of  the  liver. 

Thte  discharge  from  piles  sometimes  resembles  the 
melaena  ;  but  the  pain,  at  the  lower  part  of  the  rectum, 
the  fulness  and  tension,  sufficiently  distinguish  them. 

See  Hippocrates,  lib.  ii.  De  Morbis,  sect.  v.  ;  Hoff- 
man, Rationalis  Medicina  Systema;  Edinburgh  Medi- 
cal Commentaries,  vol.  iv.  ;  London  Medical  Journal, 
vol.  i.  p.  10. 

MORDE'HI.  A  disease  to  which  the  East  Indians 
are  subject.  It  is  a  fever  seemingly  from  bile  in  the 
stomach.  See  F.  Hoffman,  De  Morb.  Epidemicis. 

MORDE'XYN.  A  disorder  very  common  at  Goa, 
which  seizes  the  patient  suddenly,  attended  with  a  con- 
tinual nausea  and  vomiting,  and  often  proves  fatal. 
F.  Hoffman,  De  Morbis  Epidemicis. 

MORHU'A.     See  ASELLUS  MAJOR. 

MORI'LLE.     See  AMANITA. 

MORI'NA.  A  plant,  named  in  honour  of  Dr. 
Morin  of  Paris.  Marina  fiersica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  39,  said 
to  be  cordial  and  perspirativc. 

MORI'NGA.  Guillandina  morin^a  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  546. 
A  large  tree  in  Malabar  and  Ceylon,  whose  fruit  is  a 
foot  long,  angular,  as  thick  as  a  carrot,  and  delicious  to 
the  taste.  The  leaves,  root,  bark,  and  fruit,  are  said  to 
be  antispasmodic  and  sudorific.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MO'RO  (from  morns,  a  mulberry}.  An  abscess  in 
the  flesh,  resembling  a  mulberry. 

MOROCTHUS.     See  OMOROCTHUS. 

MORO'SIS,  (from  ftw^s,  foolish}.  STUPIDITY, 
IDIOTISM.  This  may  be  styled  a  mental  disease, 
sometimes  owing  to  a  more  slow  expansion  of  the  men- 
tal faculties,  which  often,  however,  attain  their  powers 
suddenly,  and  in  perfection,  as  suppressed  irritability  is 
followed  by  excess  of  excitement.  When  the  mental 
powers  are  developed  slowly,  we  often  find  a  defective 
conformation  of  the  cranium,  and  particularly  an  elon- 
gation of  the  upper  part,  while  the  sides  are  unusually 
depressed.  Pinel,  who  scarcely  admitted  any  organic 
defect  to  produce  mania,  admits  it  as  a  cause  of  idiotism. 
When  in  a  less  degree,  it  is  not  connected  with  any  de- 
fective organization  which  the  knife  can  discover. 

Dr.  Cullen  considers  this  disease  as  synonymous  with 
AMENTIA.  Sauvages  makes  it  a  species  of  AMENTIA, 
and  defines  it  a  slowness  or  inability  in  the  faculty  of 
imagining  or  conceiving;  consequently  a  debility  in 
judgment  without  delirium.  Stupidity  differs  from 
folly,  as  stupid  or  idiotic  persons  want  both  conception 
and  memory.  See  AMENTIA. 

MOROSITA'TES,  (from  morosus,  fiet?vish,~)&v&  dis- 
eases wherein  the  desires  and  aversions  are  unnatural 
and  depraved,  and  in  which  it  is  difficult  to  please 
or  satisfy.  A  morose  man,  speaking  of  him  in  a  state 
of  disease,  constantly  requires  what  is  injurious,  and  is 
averse  to  what  would  be  beneficial.  In  Dr.  Cullen's 
system  these  diseases  are  synonymous  with  dysorexiae, 
appetites  erroneous  and  defective.  In  the  last  editions 
they  are  included  under  the  class  locales,  because  al- 
most all  the  species  of  dysorexy  are  affections  of  a 


MOB 


1005 


MOR 


particular  part  rather  than  of  the  whole  body.  The 
nostalgia  alone,  if  it  can  be  called  a  disease,  cannot  be 
esteemed  a  local  one;  but  he  thought  he  could  not  well 
separate  an  uncertain  disease  from  the  rest  of  dysorex- 
ies.  See  Nosologiae  Methodicae  Synopsis,  vol.  ii. 

MORPH-£/A,(|i4of0!»/*,  from  f"?0»,  forma  externa). 
MORPHEW,  SCURF,  a  species  of  the  leprosy  seated  in  the 
skin.  The  brown  itching  morphew  is  named  hefiatizon. 

MORPIO'NES.  CRAB  LICE,  so  called  from  their 
resembling  crabs  :  fiediculi  fiubis  Lin.  plactule,  fietola, 
fiessolate.  They  are  flattish,  more  round  than  the 
common  lice,  with  a  shorter  thorax,  and  the  four  hinder 
feet,  very  strong,  perforate  the  cuticle,  and  stick  so 
close  that  they  can  be  with  difficulty  dislodged.  They 
do  not  only  affect  the  pubes,  but  the  axillae,  eye  brows, 
and  eye  lids,  and  are  often  found  on  the  breast,  abdo- 
men, thighs,  and  legs,  in  persons  who  have  those  parts 
covered  with  strong  hair ;  but  they  seldom  fix  upon  the 
hairy  scalp.  They  occasion  considerable  itching,  which 
may  be  cured  by  destroying  them  with  black  soap,  or 
a  solution  of  sublimate  in  rose  water,  in  the  proportion 
of  3  ss.  to  fb  i-  of  the  water:  strong  mercurial  ointment 
is  an  effectual  remedy.  See  PEDICULUS. 

MORS.  'See  DEATH. 

MORSE'LLUS,  or  MORSU'LUS,  (a  dim.  of  mor- 
sus,  a  bite}.  See  TROCHISCI. 

MORSU'RA,  (from  mordeo,  to  bite,)  a  BITE,  gene- 
rally applied  to  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog,  a  viper,  or  any 
venomous  animal. 

MO'RSUS,  (from  the  same).  A  BITE,  or  PAIN  re- 
sembling that  from  a  bite  of  an  insect. 

MO'RSUS  DIABO'LI.  See  TUB*  FALLOPIAN*,  or  DE- 
VIL'S BIT,  and  SUCISA. 

Mo'RSUS    GALLl'.\.£.        See  ALSIXE. 

MO'RSUS  RA'N.S.     See  MICROLEUCONYMPH.SA. 

MORT  DE  CHIEN.  A  spasmodic  disease  of  pe- 
culiar violence  and  obstinacy,  not  generally  understood. 
The  name  is  assigned  by  the  seamen,  who  probably 
consider  this  disgraceful  termination  of  their  lives  as  the 
death  of  a  dog.  The  disease  is  mentioned  by  Bontius, 
and  by  Mr.  Girdlestone;  but  considered  more  distinctly 
and  accurately  by  Mr.  Curtis  in  his  account  of  the  Coast 
Diseases  of  the  East  Indies.  It  is  a  violent  spasm  affect- 
ing not  only  the  extremities,  but  the  bowels,  drawing  the 
intestines  into  a  hard  knot,  attended  with  great  cold- 
ness and  debility,  and  within  a  very  short  period  fatal. 
It  has  been  attributed  to  acrimonious  bile;  but  previous 
evacuations  do  not  prevent  it,  nor  emetics,  with  purga- 
tives, relieve  it.  External  warmth,  with  the  most  active 
stimulants,  and  opium,  in  very  large  doses,  appear  to 
have  been  the  most  useful  remedies.  See  Curtis's  Ac- 
count of  the  Coast  Diseases  of  the  East  Indies. 

MO'RTA.     Synonymous  with  PEMPHIGUS. 

MORTARIO'LUM,  (dim.  of  mortarium,  a  mortar). 
In  chemistry,  a  mould  on  which  cupels  are  formed  ;  in 
anatomy,  the  sockets  of  the  teeth.  See  ALVEOLI. 

MORTIFICA'TIO,  (from  mors,  death,  and  Jio,  to 
/traduce).  A  MORTIFICATION.  Sjihacelus,  ignis  frigi- 
dus.  Hippocrates  uses  sphacelus  in  different  senses, 
sometimes  confining  it  to  a  corruption  of  the  bone, 
which,  in  the  language  of  Celsus,  is  called  -vitiari;  but 
these  words  are  used  in  general  to  express  the  corrup- 
tion of  the  flesh  as  well  as  bones.  A  mortification  of 
the  soft  parts  only  Hippocrates. styles  safiron,  mydosen, 
and  se/iomenon.  The  word  sfihacelus  was  used  by  the 


ancients  to  express  violent  pains  and  inflammations  ter- 
minating in  mortification,  as  well  as  the  withering  of 
any  part.  Galen  confines  the  term  sphacelus  to  an 
incipient  gangrene. 

Boerhaave  considers  gangrene  as  a  beginning  morti- 
fication. Mr.  Pott  calls  it  gangrene  in  the  cellular 
membrane  and  the  skin,  but  when  attacking  the  mus- 
cles, sphacelus.  A  mortification  in  the  bone  is  called  a 
caries.  Dr.  Cullen  considers  the  mortification  not  as 
a  genus  of  disease,  but  as  a  termination  of  inflamma- 
tion; and  he  divides  it  into  gangraena  and  sphacelus. 
In  the  first,  after  an  inflammation,  the  part  becomes 
livid,  soft,  has  little  sensibility,  and  is  often  covered 
with  ichorous  vesicles;  in  the  second  after  a  gangrene, 
the  part  becomes  black,  flaccid,  easily  lacerating,  with- 
out sensation  or  heat,  and  attended  with  the  fcetor  of 
putrid  flesh  ;  the  malady  quickly  spreading  :  the  latter 
is,  therefore,  an  higher  degree  of  the  former. 

A  mortification  is,  the  death  and  consequent  putre- 
faction of  one  part  of  the  body  while  the  rest  is  alive. 
Celsus  describes  its  progress  in  the  following  terms. 
The  flesh  is  black  or  livid,  dry  or  parched,  and  the 
external  skin  generally  full  of  blackish  pustules:  then 
that  which  is  next  to  it  is  pale  or  livid,  almost  aerugi- 
nous,  and  without  sensation.  It  is  still  worse  in  an 
inflammation,  since  all  the  symptoms  spread  at  once, 
the  ulcer  into  the  pustulous  place,  the  pustules  into 
that  which  is  pale  and  livid,  the  pale  or  livid  into  that 
which  is  inflamed,  and  that  which  is  inflamed  into  that 
which  is  sound. 

It  is  singular  that  this  subject  has  so  long  remained 
in  a  state  of  so  much  confusion,  not  only  with  respect 
to  its  nomenclature,  but  to  its  causes  and  treatment. 
We  have  found  in  no  author  a  connected  and  sys- 
tematic view  of  the  subject ;  and  we  must,  therefore,  on 
this,  as  on  several  other  occasions,  endeavour  to  unite 
the  scattered  limbs  and  supply  the  deficient  links.  In 
this  enquiry  we  shall  employ  the  term  mortification  as  a 
generic  one. 

The  simple  idea  of  mortification  is,  as  we  have  al- 
ready said,  the  death  of  a  portion  of  the  body  while  the 
rest  continues  alive,  often  in  a  sound  state.  This  par- 
tial death  may  arise  from  general  or  local  causes.  The 
general  causes  are  fever,  or  great  debility;  each  occa- 
sionally attended  with  a  dissolved  state  of  the  fluids. 
Fevers  attended  with  mortification  are  the  violent  in- 
flammatory ones,  with  local  inflammation,  or  the  jail 
and  hospital  fevers.  Diseases  of  debility  are  those  of 
old  age,  anasarca,  scurvy,  bruises,  and  causes  which 
check  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  or  impede  the  nervous 
influence.  In  these  cases,  the  life  of  the  part  is  destroy- 
ed by  the  violent  excitement,  or  the  tone  of  the  consti- 
tution gradually  diminished,  by  advancing  age,  a  seden- 
tary life,  or  an  unalimentary  diet.  In  internal  inflam- 
mations we  cannot  see  the  progress,  but  it  is  probably 
the  same  as  in  the  external  parts.  In  the  latter  the  pain 
ceases,  the  purulent  matter  becomes  acrid  and  sanious; 
air  bubbles  are  set  at  liberty,  collecting  in  small  vesica- 
tions,  under  the  skin,  or  distending  the  whole  organ  by 
an  emphysematous  swelling.  A  slight  delirium  comes 
on,  with  either  dejection  of  spirits,  or  with  a  calm  sere- 
nity of  mind;  but,  in  each  case,  attended  with  a  pecu- 
liarly wild  expression  of  countenance;  though  some- 
times with  a  very  peculiar  expression  of  serenity,  with  a 
blackness  under  the  eyes.  The  pulse  is  usually  quick, 


MOR 


1006 


31  OR 


Jo-,v,  and  often  intermitting.  In  the  earlier  stages,  deep 
incisions  are  attended  with  a  discharge  of  blood  still 
fiord ;  but  the  skin,  the  muscles,  and  the  cellular 
membrane,  soon  melt  down  into  a  brownish  offensive 
mass.  See  INFLAMMATIO. 

In  the  jail  and  hospital  fevers,  depositions  sometimes 
take  place,  resembling,  at  first,  in  appearance,  critical 
abscesses,  but  rather  of  the  nature  of  the  anthrax  or 
carbuncle,  running  rapidly  into  mortification ;  and, 
when  these  do  not  appear,  discolorations,  apparently 
slight  will  be  observed  on  the  skin,  which  often  run 
deep,  and  the  mischief  is  concealed  till  no  longer 
within  the  reach  of  art. 

Mortifications,  from  debility,  are  frequent  in  old  age, 
and  these  are  sometimes  chiefly  local.  When  attended 
with  great  pain,  they  are  highly  distressing ;  but  they 
sometimes  occur  without  being  perceived.  Mr.  Pott 
first  pointed  out  the  painful  kind,  as  the  subjects  of 
treatment  different  from  that  which  had  been  usually 
recommended:  the  other  kinds  are  the  dry,  and  what 
has  been  styled  the  tvlnte  gangrene.  In  the  dry  gan- 
grene the  parts  shrivel,  the  fluids  are  observed,  but  no 
putrefactive  fermentation  can  take  place  without  mois- 
ture. The  part  remains  attached,  for  a  time,  like  an 
extraneous  one,  and  may  be  amputated  above  the  mark, 
•which  separates  the  dead  from  the  living  portion;  but 
nature  at  last  often  makes  the  separation,  as  in  other 
gangrenes.  Theiv/rite  gangrene,  sometimes  mentioned, 
seems  rather  to  be  a  paralytic  insensibility  than  truly 
gangrenous. 

In  general,  the  topical  gangrenes  of  advanced  life 
are  owing  to  ossifications  of  the  arteries,  and  we  suspect 
the  pains  attending  those  described  by  Mr.  Pott  are 
owing  to  the  effort  of  the  arteries  above,  endeavouring 
to  conquer  the  obstruction.  We  have  instances  of 
similar  pains  in  paralytic  limbs,  when  sensation  is  re- 
covering, and  in  anasarcous  ones,  when  the  water  is 
removed.  What  adds  to  the  probability  of  the  cause  is, 
that  the  pains  occur  some  time  previous  to  the  darkness 
appearing  on  the  skin,  which  is  usually  first  observed 
between  the  toes. 

Water,  collected  for  a  long  time,  in  the  lower  extre- 
mities, presses  on  the  nerves  and  arteries,  destroying 
both  sensibility  and  irritability.  In  such  cases,  a  slight 
wound  often  becomes  gangrenous,  and  the  vesicles, 
raised  by  the  water,  and  by  which  it  is  occasionally 
discharged,  sometimes  cover  a  deep  mortification. 
Such  consequences  are  not,  however,  common,  and  when 
mortification,  in  such  instances,  does  follow,  it  is  super- 
ficial, and  often  easily  removed.  See  ANASARCA. 

In  scorbutic  habits,  particularly  in  sailors  after  long 
voyages,  in  soldiers  from  an  unhealthy  encampment, 
or  afcer  a  siege,  and  in  prisoners  after  confinement,  ul- 
cers break  out  chiefly  in  the  lower  extremities,  which 
discharge  a  thin  ichor,  and  sometimes  terminate  inmor- 
tification.  Instances  are  also  recorded  of  mortifications 
rapidly  coming  on  without  any  evident  cause. 

Other  causes  are  ligatures,  wounds,  fractures,  where 
the  soft  parts  are  greatly  bruised  or  lacerated ;  aneu- 
risms, or  ruptured  arteries,  with  whatever  impedes 
the  influence  of  the  nervous  power,  or  the  flow  of  blood 
from  the  heart.  From  these  causes,  mortification  often 
occurs  in  palsied  limbs,  or  is  the  effect  of  severe  long 
continued  coLD,q.  v.  Compression  of  the  spinal  marrow 
jn  cases  of  distorted  vertebrae, gr.  of  other  tumours  in  the 


course  of  the  larger  nerves,  equally  produce  it,  by  first 
inducing  palsy. 

The  event  of  mortification  is  always  doubtful ;  and 
when  the  cause  is  irrecoverable  debility,  obstructions 
which  art  cannot  remove,  or  ossifications  of  the  arteries, 
we  can  scarcely  expect  a  cure.  Internal  mortifications 
are  usually  beyond  the  reach  of  medicine;  yet  we  see 
in  cases  where  the  operation  is  performed  for  strangu- 
lated hernia  a  beginning  blackness,  not  followed  in  some 
cases  by  any  fatal  event;  and  find  that  even  a  portion  of 
intestine  may  be  thrown  off,  after  intususceptio,  in 
which  internal  mortification  must  have  preceded. 
WTe  should  not,  therefore,  relax  in  our  efforts,  when  ap- 
pearances of  internal  mortification  have  come  on;  and, 
in  fact,  we  find  in  enteritis  the  most  threatening  symp- 
toms of  this  kind  apparently  relieved. 

The  most  important  symptom  to  guldens  in  cases  of 
mortification,  is  the  appearance  of  separation.  When 
the  general  principle  of  the  disease,  in  the  constitution, 
is  checked,  a  red  line,  sometimes  considerably  above  the 
mortified  part,  appears.  At  this  line  the  dead  part 
drops  from  the  living;  and,  when  it  is  discovered,  am- 
putation above  that  line  will  greatly  save  the  strength 
of  the  patient :  were  the  natural  separation  suffered 
to  go  on,  amputation  would  be  afterwards  necessary, 
if  the  stump  is  expected  to  be  ever  useful.  In  cases, 
however,  where,  from  the  violence  of  the  bruise,  morti- 
fication appears  inevitable,  amputation,  previous  to  its 
coming  on,  will  succeed,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
wounded  part,  if  above  the  place  where  it  is  bruised,  or 
to  which  inflammation  has  extended. 

When  mortification  appears  to  have  taken  place  after 
internal  inflammation,  we  have  said  our  endeavours 
must  not  be  relaxed,  but  we  must  check  all  evacuations, 
and  support  the  strength  with  more  generous  nourish- 
ment, give  wine  so  far  as  the  original  disease  will  per- 
mit, occasionally  bark,  and  more  certainly  opium. 

In  external  mortifications,  from  inflammation,  it  has 
been  common  immediately  to  give  bark.  But  this  is 
not  always  necessary,  and  sometimes  injurious.  If  the 
increased  action  of  the  vessels  still  continues,  it  must 
be  moderated  by  a  stimulus,  a  little  below  that  which 
supports  the  inflammation ;  and  it  is  in  this  state 
that  the  application  of  a  solution  of  muriated  ammonia 
with  vinegar  is  peculiarly  useful.  At  this  period  also, 
opiates  will  be  advantageous.  When  the  disease  has 
proceeded  farther,  and  the  part  is  wholly  dead,  the 
•warmer  applications,  soon  to  be  mentioned,  will  be  ne- 
cessary. It  has  been  usual  to  direct,  in  such  cases,  inci- 
sions or  scarifications  down  to  the  living  portion  of  the 
limb.  It  has  been  practised,  and  opposed,  without 
sufficient  foundation.  It  is  often  useful  to  admit  of  the 
access  of  the  stimuli  to  the  living  part,  to  assist  the  se- 
paration; and  there  is  no  danger  from  the  absorption 
of  the  putrid  matter,  as  has  been  supposed.  Yet,  on 
the  whole,  the  advantages  of  this  plan,  In  practice,  do 
not  appear  to  be  considerable. 

In  those  mortifications  which  attend~jail  and  hospital 
fevers,  the  bark,  with  cordials,  each  in  the  fullest  doses, 
are  absolutely  necessary ;  nor  are  there  any  limits  to 
the  exhibition,  but  what  arise  from  the  situation  of  the 
patient.  In  such  cases,  all  abscesses  must  be  opened 
very  early.  We  cannot  wait  for  a  proper  purulent  mat- 
ter, which  nature  is  most  frequently  unable  to  form ; 
for  the  discharge  is  most  often  fetid  and  sanious. 


31  OR 


1007 


MOS 


The  topical  mortifications  are  most  frequent ;  and, 
in  these,  Mr.  Pott  has  taught  us  the  superior  advantages 
of  opium.  In  general,  this  medicine  is  indicated  when 
great  pain  has  preceded  ;  and  it  is  probable  that,  as  ex- 
cess of  contraction  lessens  the  irritability  of  muscular 
fibres,  so  excess  of  excitement  will  impair  the  nervous 
energy.  Opium,  therefore,  as  diminishing  the  cause, 
\vill  contribute  to  lessen  the  effect.  Whether  opium 
will  add  to  the  efficacy  of  other  medicines,  or  will, 
alone,  relieve  diseases  of  this  kind,  has  not  yet  been  as- 
certained. We  have  reason  to  think  it  will  prove  a 
useful  addition,  in  the  greater  number  of  cases. 

If  opium  fails  in  the  painful  gangrenes,  proceeding 
from  ossifications,  we  know  not  what  can  be  substituted. 
Bark,  wine,  and  other  cordials  will  have  little  effect ; 
nor  will  any  thing  succeed  but  amputation.  Where, 
"however,  must  we  amputate,  or  where  does  ossification 
end  ?  and  in  an  old,  worn  out,  debilitated  frame,  is  the 
operation  advisable  ?  To  add  a  few  weeks  to  a  decaying 
constitution  will  not  justify  what  Dr.  Aitkin  calls  an 
Herculean  experiment. 

The  rest  of  the  practice  is  empirical.  Bark,  wine, 
ardent  spirits,  and  opium,  must  be  given  in  doses  equal 
to  the  emergency,  and  often  accumulated  with  great 
rapidity.  It  might  perhaps  render  the  practice  less  em- 
pirical, if  surgeons  were  to  distinguish  more  accurately 
when  stimulants  and  when  antiseptics  were  necessary. 
The  list  of  stimulants  is  unusually  long;  but  the  order 
indirecta,  including  wine,  alcohol,  &c.  is  of  equivo- 
cal use,  as  followed  by  loss  of  tone,  unless  the  applica- 
tion is  continued.  As  powerful  antiseptics  also  they 
have  been  preferred,  and  we  should  also  remember, 
that  in  general,  when  the  disease  is  first  checked,  nature 
exerts  all  her  powers  to  continue  the  salutary  process. 
We  add  to  the  antiseptic  power  of  these  stimulants  by 
camphor,  which  may  be  properly  combined  with  them, 
and  sometimes  by  the  warmer  essential  oils,  which  may 
perhaps  be  more  often  used  with  advantage ;  and  the 
effects  of  all  are  increased,  by  their  being  heated  to  a 
degree  so  high  as  the  patient  can  bear.  In  local  mor- 
tifications from  debility,  the  antiseptics  are  often  only 
necessary  ;  and  of  these  the  myrrh  is  frequently  very 
useful,  and  in  cases  of  a  high  degree  of  faetor,  the 
carrot  poultice,  the  charcoal,  the  effervescing  poultices, 
particularly  with  the  oak  bark,  and  the  .cummin  seed, 
are  highly  advantageous.  In  every  situation  of  this 
kind,  however,  the  constitution  must  be  supported,  by  a 
generous  diet ;  by  wine,  frequently  by  bark. 

In  many  instances,  the  bark  is  inadmissible,  either 
from  fulness,  asthma,  or  other  constitutional  complaints. 
In  these  circumstances,  wine,  probably  opium,  ammo- 
nia, with  stimulant  applications  of  the  greatest  efficacy, 
must  be  employed.  We  have  not  found  that  the  other 
bitters  will  supply  the  place  of  the  bark ;  but  the  ca- 
momile flowers  have  been  recommended,  though  mo- 
dern practice  appears  to  rank  them  among  the  more 
inert  remedies. 

Antiseptic  poultices  are  of  different  kinds.  The  as- 
tringents, of  which  the  chief  is  the  oak  bark,  are  highly 
useful;  and  this,  joined  with  fermenting  substances,  is 
often  highly  useful.  The  addition  of  charcoal  is  said  to 
correct  the  foetor,  and  it  may  add  also  to  the  antiseptic 
power.  Since,  however,  it  was  introduced  by  the  re- 
commendation of  the  first  Monro,  the  bark  has  been 
implicitly  trusted. 


We  might  add  a  hint,  that  amputation  has  been  often 
employed  too  early,  and  that  ecchymosis  has  been  mis- 
taken for  mortification.  Yet,  as  we  can  lay  down  no 
general  rules  for  the  conduct  in  cases  of  emergency,  we 
would  not  insinuate  doubts  which  might  be  prejudicial 
to  the  character  of  the  surgeon,  without  reason  or  foun- 
dation. 

The  tendency  to  mortification  from  scorbutic  affec- 
tions must  be  obviated  by  fresh  vegetables,  and  the  native 
vegetable  acids.  Those  from  tumours  of  the  spine  or 
other  parts,  from  palsies,  &c.  must  be  relieved  by 
remedies  adapted  to  the  original  affection. 

Boerhaavii  Aphorismi.  Hildanus  de  Gangraena  et 
Sphacelo.  Heister's  Surgery.  Kirkland  on  Pott's  Re- 
marks on  Fractures.  Pott's  Works.  Bell  on  Ulcers, 
•edit.  3.  p.  93 — 122.  Kirkland's  Medical  Surgery, 
vol.  ii.  p.  291 — 433.  London  Medical  Transactions, 
vol.  iii.  p.  47.  Pearson's  Principles  of  Surgery,  vol.  i. 
p.  105.  WThite's  Surgery,  p.  8. 

MO'RTUA  TE'RRA.     See  CAPUT  MORTUUM. 

MO'RUM,  (from  morus,  a  mulberry}.  An  excres- 
cence on  the  surface  of  the  skin  in  many  parts  of  the 
body,  resembling  a  mulberry.  When  on  the  eyelids, 
the  Arabians  call  it  alchute. 

MO'RUS,  (from  the  Hebrew  term  mora,  black}. 
The  MULBERRY  TREE,  morug  nigra  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1398. 
Its  fruit  hath  the  common  quality  of  all  sub-acid  fruits, 
quenching  thirst  by  their  coolness,  and  by  exciting  an 
excretion  of  mucus  in  the  mouth ;  a  similar  effect  is 
also  produced  in  the  stomach,  where  they  also  correct 
putrescency,  which  occasions  an  uneasy  clammy  sensa- 
tion in  the  fauces.  A  syrup  is  prepared  from  this  fruit, 
though  but  little  used.  See  Raii  Historia.  The  bark 
of  the  root  of  the  mulberry  tree  has  an  acrid  bitter 
taste,  is  said  to  be  a  cathartic,  and  has  been  used  with 
success  as  a  vermifuge,  particularly  in  cases  of  the  tape 
worm,  given  in  powder,  in  the  dose  of  half  a  drachm. 

MO'RXI.  A  pestilential  distemper  very  common  in 
Malabar  and  other  parts  of  the  East  Indies. 

MO'SA.  A  liniment  used  in  Germany,  made  of 
wheat  flower  and  milk,  nearly  of  the  consistence  of 
thin  paste. 

MOSCH.  The  roriferous  vessels,  which  Bilsius 
thought  that  he  had  discovered,  but  never  demonstrated. 
Castellus. 

MOSCHATELLI'NA,  adoxa  moschatelina  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  527,  ranunculus  nemorosus,  aristolochia  rotunda-, 
conca-va,dcnticulata;  a  diminutive  from  moschus;  called 
so  in  consequence  of  its  smell.  The  root  is  supposed 
to  be  resolvent  and  detergent.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MO'SCHUS,  (from  the  Arabic  term  moscA).  MUSK, 
C7tfi6a,  is  an  odoriferous  grumous  substance,  an  inspis- 
sated secreted  fluid  of  the  moschus  moschiferus  of  Lin- 
naeus, and  the  Tibet  musk  of  Pennant.  This  animal  is  of 
the  deer  kind,  and  the  drug  is  found  in  a  follicle  of  the 
size  of  a  hen's  egg,  on  the  belly  of  the  male  only.  The 
bag  is  kidney  shaped,  pendulous,  opening  by  two  small 
orifices ;  a  naked  oblong  one,  and  another  smaller  with 
long  hairs.  The  best  musk  is  brought  from  Tonquin 
in  China,  in  thin  bags,  with  brownish  hairs ;  an  inferior 
sort  from  the  East  Indies  is  in  bags  with  white  hairs. 
Neumann  thinks  both  equally  good. 

The  best  musk  is  dry,  with  a  kind  of  unctuosiry,  of  a 
dark  reddish  brown  colour,  in  small  round  grains,  with 
very  few  hard  black  clots,  perfectly  free  from  any  sandy 


MOS 


1008 


MOX 


or  other  visible  foreign  matter.  Chewed  and  rubbed 
with  a  knife  on  paper,  it  is  bright,  yellowish,  smooth, 
and  free  from  grittiness.  Laid  on  a  red  hot  iron,  it 
flames,  and  burns  almost  entirely  away,  leaving  only 
an  exceedingly  small  quantity  of  light  greyish  ashes. 
The  taste  is  bitterish  and  subacrid,  the  smell  highly 
fragrant,  in  small  quantities,  or  at  a  distance.  Rectified 
spirit  of  wine  takes  up  the  whole  of  the  active  part ; 
but  the  smell  is  only  discovered  on  dilution  :  a  drop  or 
two  communicates  to  a  quart  of  wine,  or  to  water,  a 
rich  scent.  The  quantity  of  liquor  which  may  thus  be 
flavoured  by  a  certain  known  proportion  of  musk  is  the 
best  criterion  of  its  goodness.  With  water  it  is  mixed 
only  by  the  intervention  of  mucilage,  as  in  the  follow- 
ing preparation. 

MI'STURA  MOSCHATA,  formerly  Julefium  £  moscho. 
— Take  of  rose  water,  six  ounces;  of  musk,  two  scru- 
ples ;  of  the  mucilage  of  gum  arabic,  and  of  double  re- 
fined sugar,  of  each  one  drachm  ;  grind  the  musk  with 
sugar,  then  with  the  gum,  and  add  the  rose  water  by 
degrees.  Volatile  spirits  enable  the  water  to  suspend 
or  dissolve  more  of  the  musk  ;  and  two  drachms  of 
the  volatile  spirit  may  be  added  to  the  above  mixture. 
Dose,  two  or  three  table  spoonfuls.  In  distillation, 
however,  water  carries  over  all  the  odoriferous  matter, 
while  the  rectified  spirit  scarcely  conveys  any  portion 
of  it. 

Though  the  smell  of  musk  sometimes  disorders  those 
who  are  peculiarly  sensible  and  irritable,  yet,  when 
taken  inwardly,  it  abates  those  symptoms  which  its 
smell  produces.  It  is  one  of  the  principal  antispasmo- 
dics  ;  but  its  advantages  are  often  lost  by  giving  it  in 
too  small  doses.  Dr.  Wall  informs  us  that  two  persons, 
labouring  under  a  subsultus  tendinum,  extreme  anxiety, 
and  want  of  sleep,  occasioned  by  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog, 
were  perfectly  relieved  by  two  doses  of  musk  of  sixteen 
grains  each ;  adding  that  convulsive  hiccoughs,  attended 
with  the  worst  symptoms,  were  removed  by  two  doses 
often  grains  each.  When,  on  account  of  convulsions, 
no  medicine  could  be  given  at  the  mouth,  musk  suc- 
ceeded in  a  clyster ;  and  those  who  were  averse  to  per- 
fumes, expressed  no  objection  to  it  in  a  bolus ;  but  under 
six  grains  he  never  saw  any  benefit  by  its  use.  Ten  grains 
and  upward  promoted  usually  a  diaphoresis  without  heat- 
ing or  giving  any  uneasiness  :  on  the  contrary,  it  abates 
pain,  raises  the  spirits,  and,  after  the  sweat  begins,  pro- 
motes sleep;  and  in  maniacal  cases  hath  afforded  a  tem- 
porary relief.  Dr.  Owen,  of  Shrewsbury,  relates  a 
singular  instance  of  success  from  yet  larger  doses,  viz. 
of  half  a  drachm  every  four  hours,  in  a  convulsive  disor- 
der, after  all  the  usual  methods  had  failed.  See  London 
Medical  Observations  and  Inquiries,  vol.  iii. 

Though  we  highly  respect  these  authorities,yetourown 
experience  does  not  support  them  in  their  full  extent, 
which  may  probably  be  owing  to  the  medicine  not  being 
genuine.  In  large  doses  it  is  said  to  procure  sleep,  and 
as  certainly  to  occasion  a  profuse  sweat.  It  has  been 
hence  considered  as  a  sudorific,  and  given  in  the  latter 
stages  of  fever,  particularly  where  subsultus  and  convul- 
sions had  come  on.  In  gout  retroceding  to  the  stomach 
or  head,  and  in  delirium,  it  is  also  said  to  be  a  valuable 
medicine. 

Some  practitioners  consider  musk  as  a  medicine  of 
little  or  no  consequence  ;  but  for  what  reasons  it  is 
difficult  to  determine,  since  the  experience  of  every  day 


proves  it  certainly  a  diaphoretic  and  antispasmodic, 
given  in  such  doses  as  are  properly  adapted  to  the  con- 
stitution of  the  patient  and  nature  of  the  complaint ; 
but,  on  the  whole,  it  is  not  a  very  certain  or  a  very 
powerful  medicine. 

See  Lewis  and  Cullen's  Materia  Medica,  and  Neu- 
mann's Chemical  Works. 

MO'SCHUS  A'RABUM.     See  ABELMOSCHUS. 

MO'SCHUS  A'RTIFICIALIS,  is  a  medicine  lately  in- 
troduced from  Germany.  Four  ounces  of  nitrous  acid 
are  added  to  an  ounce  of  oil  of  amber,  constantly  stir- 
ring them  ;  and  the  result  is  a  spongy  mass,  highly  fe- 
tid, but  resembling  in  smell  nitrous  oxide  rather  than 
musk.  This  preparation  has  been  for  some  years 
known,  and  was  introduced  as  a  medicine  for  the  hoop- 
ing cough  ;  but,  even  among  the  young,  sanguine  inno- 
vators is  now  seldom  heard  of. 

MO'SE  HAZUA'NIA.     See  ENDIOA. 

MOSQUI'T^E.  A  cutaneous  disorder  in  the  East 
Indies,  sometimes  produced  by  sweating,  sometimes  by 
the  bite  of  an  insect  of  this  name,  moaqueta.  With  the 
pimples  an  itching  comes  on,  succeeded  by  an  ulcer. 
When  from  sweating,  the  relaxant  or  diapnoic  sudo- 
rifics  are  useful ;  and  the  itching  is  allayed  by  wash- 
ing with  vinegar  in  which  nitre  is  dissolved,  or  with 
which  lime  juice  is  mixed.  See  Bontius  de  Medicina 
Indorum. 

MOSY'LLON,  (ftoo-iiAAov).     See  CINNAMOMUM. 

MO'TA.     See  CASTANA. 

MOTO'RES  OCULO'RUM,  molorii  ocutorum  com- 
munes, oculares  communes,  and  oculo  musculares,are  the 
third  pair  of  nerves  from  the  head,  which  pierce  the 
dura  mater  by  the  sides  of  the  sellaturcica,  run  through 
the  foramen  lacerum  orbitale  superius,  to  all  the  mus- 
cles of  the  eyes,  except  the  obliquus  superior  and  ab- 
ductor of  each.  They  likewise  supply  the  levator  pal- 
pebrae  superioris,  and  send  twigs  to  form  the  ciliary 
nerves,  to  the  choroides  and  iris. 

MOTO'RES  OCULO'RUM  EXTERNI,  occulares  externi, 
ojihthalmici  externi,  orbitarii,  and  oculo  muscular ies, ex- 
terni, are  the  sixth  pair  of  nerves  that  go  out  from  the 
head  to  the  abductores  oculorum,  running  forward  on 
the  side  of  the  cella  turcica,  and  getting  into  the  orbit 
by  the  foramen  lacerum- orbitale  superius.  By  the  side 
of  the  sella  turcica  they  give  off  what  is  called  the  be- 
ginning of  the  intercostal  nerves,  but  they  are  more 
properly  branches  of  the  intercostal,  which  join  these 
nerves. 

MOTO'RII.     See  SPASMUS  CLONICUS,  andMoroREs 

OCULORUM. 

MO'TOS,  LINT,  (ft*?*?).     See  CARBASUS. 

MOUL-I'LA  seu  MOUL-ELAVOU,  the  INDIAN  LEMON 
THEE,  bombax  ceiba  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  959,  the  fruit  of  which 
is  both  acid  and  aromatic,  like  the  pepper.  See  Rail 
Historia. 

MOUNT-SIGN  WATER,  a  chalybeate,  which 
seems  to  retain  for  a  long  time  its  ingredients,  without 
decomposition.  See  an  Essay  on  the  Liverpool  Spa 
Water,  by  T.  Houlston,  M.  D. 

MO'XA,  (a  Japanese  term,)  artemisia  vulgarin 
Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1188,  musia-fiatirts,  MOXA,  is  a  soft  lanu- 
ginous  substance,  prepared  in  Japan  from  the  young 
leaves  of  a  species  of  mugwort,  by  beating  them, 
when  thoroughly  dried,  to  separate  the  fine  lanuginous 
fibres,  which  are  then  formed  into  small  cones.  The 


M  U  C 


1009 


MUL 


down  on  the  leaves  of  mullein,  cotton,  and  hemp,  are 
not  greatly  inferior. 

In  the  eastern  countries,  when  the  actual  cautery  is 
required,  a  little  cone  of  the  moxa  is  laid  upon  the  part, 
previously  moistened,  and  set  on  fire  at  the  top :  it 
burns  down  with  a  temperate  glowing  heat,  and  pro- 
duces a  dark  coloured  spot,  the  exulceration  of  which 
is  promoted  by  applying  a  little  garlic.  In  Asia  this 
kind  of  cautery  is  employed  in  preventing  and  curing 
many  complaints,  particularly  chronic  rheumatisms, 
gout,  the  morbus  coxarius,  and  other  painful  affections 
of  the  joints.  See  Kaempfer  Amoenitates  Exoticae,  p. 
502,  &c.  Abbe  Grosier's  History  of  China. 

MUCA'GO,  (from  mucus,  mucilage}.     See  Muci- 

LAGO. 

MUCHA'RUM.  A  barbarous  word,  signifying  an 
infusion  of  roses,  in  warm  water,  reduced  to  a  syrup, 
with  sugar. 

MUCH  LU'XUS  ACTTVUS,  and  PASSI'VUS, 
(from  mucus,  and^uo,  tojlovo).  See  GONORRHCEA. 

MUCILA'GO,  (from  mucus").  A  MUCILAGE;  ntu- 
cago,  a  viscid  glutinous  liquor,  made  by  dissolving  the 
gum,  or  the  soluble  part  of  gum  arabic,  quince  seeds, 
&c.  in  water. 

Young  plants  particularly  abound  in  mucilage,  and 
seem  to  consist  of  it  almost  wholly.  In  the  mallows, 
lintseed,  and  some  of  the  cryptogamiae,  as  the  lichens, 
confervas,  and  mushrooms,  it  is  almost  uncombined  :  in 
the  milky  plants  it  is  in  part  separated,  and  united  with 
oil  and  water.  In  every  instance,  it  seems  to  be  formed 
independent  of  light,  which  is  rather  an  ingredient 
of  the  gluten.  It  is  occasionally  united  with  sugar, 
sometimes  with  oil,  forming  what  are  styled  fat  oils. 
It  is  insipid ;  soluble  in  water ;  insoluble  in  alcohol ; 
coagulated  by  weak  acids,  and  metallic  solutions  ;  not 
inflammable,  but  almost  wholly  exhaling  in  carbonic 
acid  gas  ;  changeable  by  the  nitric  acid  into  the  oxalic, 
and  by  the  muriatic  into  the  citric  acid.  When  diluted 
with  water  it  becomes  acid,  and,  in  distillation,  gives 
over  the  pyromucus  acid. 

The  fluid,  separated  from  the  glands  about  the  joints 
to  facilitate  their  motion,  is  styled  mucilage.  See  SY- 
NOVIA. 

MUCILAGIXO'SA  LIGAME'NTA.   See  CAPSU- 

LARIA  LIGAMEXTA. 

MCCILAGINO'SA  EXTRACTA,  are  what  the  French 
chemists  have  styled  extractive  matter.  They  are  the 
mucilage  of  the  plant,  united  with  its  proper  juices, 
scarcely  changed  by  heat. 

MUCOCA'RN'EUS,  (from  mucus,  and  caro,  flesh,") 
myxo  sarcoma,  an  epithet  for  a  tumour,  or  abscess, 
partly  fleshy,  and  partly  mucous.  Severinus. 

MUCO'SJE  GLA'XDUL^E.  See  COWPERI  GLAN- 
DULE ;  sometimes  the  name  of  the  conglobatae,  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  the  glandular  conglomeratae,  called 

YASCVLOSi. 

MUCO'SUM  LIGAME'NTUM,  a  ligamentous 
cartilage,  and  full  of  mucus,s  ituated  betwixt  each  verte- 
bra, admitting  them  to  recede  from,  or  approach  nearer 
to,  each  other.  To  their  elasticity  it  is  owing,  that  at 
night  a  man  is  somewhat  shorter  than  in  a  morning. 

MU'CRONATI,(from  mucro,  a  sharp  point").  Leaves 
or  fruits  of  plants  terminating  in  a  point,  termed  mucro- 
nated.  Mucro  is  also  the  sharp  point  of  the  heart. 

VOL.  I. 


MUCRONA'TUM   OS.       See    EKSIFORMIS    CAR- 

TILAGO. 

MUCU'N'A  GUA'CU,  dolicAos  urens  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1020.  The  largest  and  most  beautiful  kind  of  phaseo- 
lus  in  Brasil ;  growing  also  in  Malabar.  The  beans  are 
poisonous,  but  easily  rendered  fit  for  food.  See  Raii 
Historia. 

MU'CUS,  (from  the  Arabic  mule,)  myxa;  myxara; 
myjcas;  the  viscid  fluid  which  covers  the  surfaces  of  all 
the  membranes,  exposed  to  any  extraneous  matter,  as 
the  skin,  internal  membrane  of  the  mouth,  nose,  lungs, 
ojsophagus,  stomach,  intestines,  urinary  passages,  &ur. 
It  is  thin  at  its  first  secretion,  but  more  viscid  apparent- 
ly from  its  union  with  oxygen,  colourless,  insipid,  in- 
odorous, and  incapable  of  stimulating ;  but  if  its  secre- 
tion is  suddenly  increased,  it  becomes  a  watery  acrimo- 
nious fluid  of  a  whitish  or  a  greenish  yellow  colour, 
sometimes  acquiring  a  smell,  and  occasionally  the  ap- 
pearance of  pus.  In  its  natural  state  it  contains  some 
common  salt  and  phosphat  of  soda,  inviscated  in  albu- 
men. From  Dr.  C.  Darwin's  Experiments,  which  Dr. 
Darwin  himself  has  since  claimed,  it  appears  that,  if 
any  suspected  matter  be  in  separate  equal  portions,  dis- 
solved in  vitriolic  acid  and  caustic  alkaline  lixivium, 
water  will  precipitate  any  pus  which  exists.  Pure  pus 
will  not  dissolve  in  a  dilute  alkaline  solution.  But  an 
experienced  eye  requires  no  such  assistance. 

MU'FFLE,  in  chemistry,  a  little  oven,  in  which  tests 
or  cupels  are  placed  to  defend  the  metals  in  assaying 
from  the  contact  of  the  fuel. 

MU'GILIS,  (o  muco,  from  its  viscidity).  MULLET. 
Mullus  Lin.  Syst.  Nat.  the  cephalus  of  Aristotle  and 
the  Greeks,  the  cestreus  of  Oppian  and  others.  It  is 
sufficiently  soluble,  and  nutritious.  The  Romans  va- 
lued a  fish  of  this  name  highly  for  its  exquisite  relish, 
which  was  probably  the  sur-mullet  of  the  western 
coasts  of  the  channel,  an  exquisite  dainty,  which  will  not. 
however,  bear  carriage.  See  DI.ETA. 

MU'LJL  Pustules  contracted  either  by  heat  or 
cold. 

MULE,  any  production  between  individuals  of  dif- 
ferent species ;  sometimes  styled  hybrid  animals,  or 
plants.  The  species  must  be  nearly  related,  or  genera- 
tion will  not  take  place,  and  mules  of  either  kind  are 
generally  barren. 

MU'LSUM,  (from  mulceo,  to  refresh).  Hydromeli, 
HONEY  and  WATER.  Acratomeli  signifies  wine  sweet- 
ened with  honey. 

MULTICAPSULA'RES  PLA'NT^E,  (from  multus 
and  ca/isula,)  such  plants  as  have  several  pods  of  seeds 
succeeding  each  flower. 

MULTI'FIDUS  SPI'NJl,  MU'SCULUS,  (from  mul- 
tus  and^nrfo,  to  cleave,)  lies  under  the  spinal  is;  rises 
from  the  roots  of  the  transverse  processes,  and  runs  to 
those  of  the  spinal  processes :  it  is  commonly  called 
transversalis,  distinguished  into  the  transversalis  colli, 
dorsi,  and  lumborum.  The  last  is  also  called  SACER; 
q.v. 

MULTIFO'RME  OS,  (from  multus  and  forma"]. 
See  CUBOIDES  os. 

MULTISI'LIQU,E  PLA'NT^,  (from  multus  and 
Jiliqua,")  plants  which  have  after  each  flower  many  dis- 
tinct, long,  slender,  often  crooked  seed  pods.     It  is  the 
name  of  the  twenty-third  order  in  the  Fragments,  and 
6  N 


MUN 


1010 


MUS 


of  the  twenty-sixth  in  the  ordines  naturales  at  the  end 
of  the  genera  filanturum. 

MUM.  A  bitter  infusion  in  beer,  to  which  the  in- 
gredients are  added,  generally  while  the  beer  is  fer- 
menting, though  it  is  sometimes  made  extemporane- 
ously by  adding  a  bitter  tincture.  It  is  a  German 
liquor,  introduced  to  us  from  Brunswick,  and  is  there 
said  to  be  made  in  the  following  manner : 

Sixty-three  gallons  of  water  are  boiled  to1  forty- 
two,  and  with  this  seven  bushels  of  malt,  a  bushel  of 
oatmeal,  and  as  much  of  ground  beans,  are  brewed  in 
the  usual  manner.  When  the  fermentation  begins, 
three  pounds  of  the  inner  rind  of  the  fir,  one  pound  of 
the  tops  of  fir  and  beech,  three  handfuls  of  carduus  be- 
nedictus,  two  of  the  flowers  of  rosa  solis,  a  handful  and 
half  of  burnet,  betony,  marjorum,  avens,  pennyroyal, 
and  wild  thyme,  two  handfuls  of  elder  flowers,  thirty 
ounces  of  cardamoms,  and  an  ounce  of  bruised  barber- 
ries, are  added.  The  herbs  and  seeds,  however,  are 
put  in  the  hogshead  after  the  fermentation  has  con- 
tinued a  little  time.  When  stopped,  ten  ,new  laid  eggs 
unbroken  are  added,  and  it  is  kept  two  years  before  it  is 
drunk. 

The  English  brewers  chiefly  use  cardamoms,  ginger, 
sassafras,  elecampane,  and  for  the  colour,  madder  or 
red  sanders.  It  is  a  warm  carminative,  useful  in  weak 
and  gouty  stomachs,  used  by  common  labourers  as  a 
warm  stimulating  liquor  in  the  morning,  chiefly  to  re- 
store the  tone  of  the  stomach  after  excess.  It  was  for- 
merly drunk  after  dinner  to  assist  digestion,  generally 
from  high  narrow  glasses. 

MU 'MI A,  (from  the  Arabic  mum,  wax).  MUMMY 
signifies  fiissasfihaltum,  bitumen,  or  a  brown  fluid  found 
in  sepulchres,  in  which  bodies  embalmed  have  been 
preserved  many  years;  sometimes  a  carcass  dried  by  the 
sun  and  sands,  of  the  consistence  of  horn,  and  light, 
called  white  mummies.  In  general,  the  embalmed 
bodies  from  Egypt,  preserved  with  peculiar  care,  swath- 
ed in  linen,  impregnated  with  bituminous  matter,  and 
adorned  with  hieroglyphics,  have  this  appellation. 

Mumia  medull&  is  the  marrow  of  the  bones.  Mumia 
elementorum,  a  balsam  of  the  external  elements.  (Para- 
celsus and  Van  Helmont.)  Mumia  transmarina,  manna. 
Water  deposited  in  a  phial  from  breathing  in  it  has  the 
same  appellation.  Mumia  sometimes  means  the  subtle, 
spirituous,  ethereal  substance,  supposed  to  be  innate  in 
every  body,  and  to  remain  in  some  measure  after  death. 
The  mummy  taken  from  a  human  body  is  a  resinous 
matter,  hath  a  hardened,  black,  shining  surface,  is 
acrid  awl  bitter  to  the  taste,  and  of  a  fragrant  smell. 
That  which  is  particularly  called  mummy  of  the  Ara- 
bians is  a  fluid  liquor,  obtained  in  sepulchres  by  exu- 
dation from  carcasses  embalmed  with  aloes,  myrrh, 
and  balsam. 

MU'NDI  A'NIMA,  according  to  Plato,  or  rather 
Jiis  commentators,  is  a  certain  universal  ethereal  spi- 
rit, which  exists  perfectly  pure  in  the  heavens,  as  re- 
taining its  proper  nature ;  but  on  the  earth  pervading 
elementary  bodies,  and  intimately  mixing  with  their 
minutest  atoms,  it  assumes  somewhat  of  their  nature, 
and  becomes  of  a  peculiar  kind. 

"  Spiritus  intiis  alit,  tolosque  infusa  per  artus, 
"  Vi  us  agitat  mo'i'w.  i-t  i.'iagno  se  corpore  miscet." 
See  AX.CHJ&VS,  and  ANIMA  MUNDI. 


likeness). 


MUNDIFICATI'VA,  (from  mundijico,  to  cleanse}. 
Cleaning,  detergent,  purifying. 

MUNDIFICATI'VUM  RARACE'LSI.  R.  Mellis 
Britannic!  terebinthinae  Venet.  5.J.  Ibss.  vitel  quatuou 
ovorum  coq.  ad  consist,  unguenti  ct  sing,  unciis  ackk- 
hydrargyri  nitrat.  rub.  3  i- 

MU'NDY-GUA'CU.     See  CATAPUTIA  MINOR. 

MUNGOS  RADIX.  Ofihiorrheza  mungos  Lin.  Sp. 
PI.  213.  Its  root  is  considered  as  a  specific  against  the 
bites  of  mad  dogs,  and  of  the  serpent  naya.  Its  seeds 
are  accounted  among  the  febrifuges. 

MUOI'DES,  (from  P.VS,  a  muscle,  and  e 
See  PLATYSMA  MYOIDES. 

MUR-iE'NA.  The  generic  name  of  the  eel.  See 
ALIMENT. 

MURA'LIS,  (from  murus,  a  wall,')  because  it  grows 
on  walls.  See  PARIETARIA. 

MU'RECI.  A  tree  in  Brasil,  whose  berries  are 
purging.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MU'RIA,  (from  |K.t<fo,  to  flovi).  BRINE,  a  solution 
of  common  salt  :  also  a  supposed  acrimony  in  the  fluids, 
resembling  brine. 

MU'RIAS,  (from  muria).  MURIAT.  Salt  form- 
ed by  the  union  of  the  muriatic  acid  with  different 
bases. 

MURIATIC  ACID.     See  MARINUS  SAL. 

MURICA'TUS,  (from  murex,  a  prickly  Jisli).  The 
stalk  of  a  plant  covered  with  prickles  like  the  shell  of 
the  murex. 

MU'SA,  (from  the  Arabic  term  mauz,)/ialma  humi- 
lis,ficus  Indica,  bala,filatanus,\hz  PLANTAIN  TREE,  musa 
fiaradisiaca  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1477.  Though  called  a  tree,  it 
scarcely  merits  the  name  of  a  shrub,  since  it  hath  an 
annual  stalk  like  a  reed.  The  leaves  are  an  ell  long, 
and  three  spans  broad  ;  of  which  it  is  supposed  that 
Adam  and  Eve  made  aprons.  The  fruit  is  of  the  shape 
of  a  cucumber,  of  a  yellow  colour,  and  a  most  delicious 
food,  and  resembles  meal  and  butter.  The  stalk  is 
cut  down  to  obtain  the  fruit,  the  spikes  of  which  some- 
times weigh  fifty  or  sixty  pounds.  The  fruit,  when 
roasted,  is  beat  in  water,  and  the  juice,  styled  mislaiv, 
is  drunk  ;  and  even  the  pulp,  when  dried  and  baked, 
may  be  used  in  the  same  way,  to  prepare  the  mislaw. 
It  is  found  in  all  the  eastern  countries,  and  in  Africa. 
See  Raii  Historia. 

MU'SA  FRU'CTU  CUCUMERI'KO  BREVIO'HI.  See  BA- 
NANA. 

MU'SAM.     See  CASSADA. 

MU'SC^E  HISPA'NICjE.     See  CANTHARIDES. 

MU'SCARI,   (from  the  smell  of  its  flowers).     See 

BuLBOS  VOMITORIUS. 

MUSCA'RUM  FU'NGUS,  (from  musca,  a  fly}. 
See  BESONNA. 

MUSCI'PULA,  (from  musca,  and  cafiia,  to  take), 
I^ychnis  "uincasa  rubra,  -viscaria.  CATCH  FLY  grows 
among  corn,  and  is  cultivated  in  gardens.  Its  seeds  are 
said  to  be  warm  and  diuretic.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MU&CI'PULA  PRATE'NSIS.  See  BEHEN  ALBUM  VUL.- 
GAKE. 

MUSCULA'RIS  ARTE'RIA,  (from  musculus,  a 
muscle).  See  SCAPULARS  ARTERI^E. 

MUSCULA'RIS  VEN^E.  A  branch  of  the  posterior  or 
upper  branch  of  the  external  jugular  ;.  it  spreads  in  the 
muscles,  which  cover  the  scapula  and  joint  of  the 


MUS 


1011 


31  US 


humerus.  Winslow  describes  it  also  as  rising  from  the 
axillaris. 

MUS  CULI  OBLI'QUI  SUPERIO'RES  NE'RVI. 
See  PATHETICVS. 

MU'SCULO  CUTA'NEUS  NE'RVUS.  See 
CERVICALES. 

MUSCULO'RUM  COMMU'NIS  MEMBRA'XA, 
MEMBRA  NA  MUSCULO'SA.  Winslow  denies  its 
existence  ;  but,  in  fact,  it  consists  of  compacted  cellular 
ubstance,  which,  in  finer  ramifications,  penetrates  be- 
tween the  muscular  fibres  :  in  some  places  this  mem- 
brane is  closely  united  to  the  proper  membrane  of  the 
muscles. 

MUSCULO'SI.  A  class  of  diseases,  comprehend- 
ing external  or  muscular  inflammations. 

MU'SCULUS.  See  MYTILUS  and  CETUS.  In  ana- 
tomy from  H.VSII,  to  draw  or  contract.  LACERTULI,  q.  v. 
Muscles  consist  of  those  bundles  of  fleshy  fibres  by 
which  the  motions  of  all  animal  bodies  are  perform- 
ed, and  each  is  divided  into  the  head,  belly,  and  tail. 
The  head  is  the  part  fixed  on  the  immovable  joint,  called 
its  origin,  and  is  usually  tendinous ;  the  belly  is  the 
middle,  fleshy  part,  which  consists  of  the  true  muscular 
fibres ;  the  tail  is  the  tendinous  portion  inserted  into  the 
part  to  be  moved,  called  the  insertion ;  but  in  the  ten- 
don the  fibres  are  more  compact  than  in  the  belly  of 
the  muscle,  and.  do  not  admit  the  red  globules.  The 
number  and  their  nature  are  supposed  not  to  differ. 

The  arteries,  veins,  and  nerves,  generally  enter  the 
middle  of  muscles,  and  ramify  alike  throughout  then- 
whole  substance.  The  large  arteries  and  veins  run  ac- 
cording to  the  direction  of  the  muscular  fibres;  the  less 
anastomose  and  run  transversely  :  but  a  muscle  seems 
to  have  a  greater  proportion  of  blood  than  is  required 
for  its  nourishment,  so  that  it  probably  assists  in  the 
performance  of  its  functions. 

The  muscles  are  commonly  attached  to  the  bones, 
and  the  tendons  are  inserted  into  the  substance  of  the 
bone ;  but  when  a  muscle  is  fleshy  at  its  insertion,  it  is 
only  fixed  to  the  periosteum.  The  muscles  fixed  to 
cartilages  are  attached  to  the  perichondrium.  Some 
are  fixed  to  ligaments,  as  those  in  the  fore  arm ;  others 
into  membranes,  as  those  of  the  eye ;  and  others  again 
into  fleshy  parts,  as  those  of  the  tongue. 

Muscles  are  either  oblong,  hollow,  or  mixt;  the  ob- 
long  are  divided  into  the  rectilinear,  half  penniform, 
the  penniform,  the  complex  penniform,  and  the  radi- 
ated. The  muscular  fibres  are  united  very  firmly  in 
tendons,  to  lessen  the  bulk  near  the  joint,  which  would 
have  obstructed  motion,  and  been  otherwise  inconve- 
nient, as  in  the  hand.  By  this  means  also  the  fleshy 
pan  of  the  muscle  is  nearer  the  centre  of  motion ;  and 
injurious  friction  is  avoided.  The  appendices  of  muscles 
are,  the  fascia,  or  aponeurosis,  the  annular  ligament, 
by  which  the  tendons  of  some  muscles  are  confined, 
and  the  sacculi  mucosi. 

The  more  intimate  structure  of  the  muscles  has  not 
yet  been  ascertained.  The  appearance  of  flesKy  fibres 
is  well  known ;  and  these,  we  have  said,  terminate  in 
white,  shining,  firm  cords,  calle<||tendons.  The  tendi- 
nous are  seemingly  the  continuation  of  muscular  fibres, 
losing,  with  their  more  compact  structure,  the  pecu- 
liar muscular  appearance.  Yet  this  is  contradicted  on 
mithority  that  we  cannot  lightly  pass  by,  and  it  is  said 


that  they  are  obviously  distinct;  that  the  muscular  fibres 
are  attached  to,' without  being  continued  in,  them  ;  that 
they  are  arranged  in  a  different  manner,  and  inserted  at 
angles  more  or  less  obtuse.  On  the  other  side,  tendi- 
nous aponeuroses,  diminishing  in  thickness,  constitute 
internal  aponeuroses,  giving  tension  to  the  fibres,  as 
external  aponeuroses  sometimes  give  points  of  attach- 
ment, and  almost  an  origin,  to  muscles ;  nor  can  we 
deny  that  tendinous  fibres  may  be  inserted  into  muscles 
on  one  side,  as  they  are  to  ligament  or  bone  on  the 
other.  At  the  same  time  it  is  certain  that  tendons 
partake  of  none  of  the  peculiar  structure  of  muscles, 
and  that  they  are  more  nearly  allied  to  the  simple 
solid. 

Muscular  fibres  are,  when  carefully  washed,  white, 
solid,  and  parallel.  It  is  said  that  they  are  indefinitely 
ramified  ;  an  opinion,  observes  Mr.  Carlisle,  which  an 
hour's  labour  at  the  microscope  will  refute.  On  these 
fibres  arteries  very  minutely  ramify;  it  is  said,  also, 
with  the  same  indefinable  minuteness  :  but  it  is  at  least 
certain,  that  before  they  escape  the  assisted  sight  they 
cease  to  give  off"  branches.  The  minuter  ramifications 
of  the  nerves  cannot  be  ascertained.  They  enter  into 
the  muscle  often  at  right  angles,  at  least  considerable 
ones;  and  when  they  spread  on  the  fibres  they  lose  their 
external  coverings,  and  become  transparent,  so  that  we 
can  no  longer  follow  them.  The  fibres  are  connected 
by  a  cellular  substance  of  different  fineness  in  different 
muscles,  but  apparently  of  a  more  delicate  texture,  as 
the  muscular  fibre  itself  grows  more  minute,  and  has 
very  seldom  any  adipose  accumulations. 

From  these  facts,  which  are  now  well  established, 
we  may  reject  the  opinion  of  the  primitive  muscular 
fibre  being  globular,  spheroidal,  or  rhomboidal,  of  its 
being  wholly  nervous  or  arterial.  We  own  that  we 
have  indulged  the  language  of  calling  muscular  fibres 
the  sentient  extremities  of  nerves,  and  occasionally 
spoken  of  them  as  such  ;  but  if  we  have  at  any  time  ex- 
pressed such  an  opinion,  we  beg  leave,  on  mature  re- 
flection, to  disclaim  it.  If  there  were  no  other  argu- 
ments, the  proportion  of  bulk  in  the  vessel  and  nerve, 
compared  with  that  of  the  muscle,  oppose  it :  the  pecu- 
liar structure  and  other  properti«s  of  the  muscles  are 
equally  adverse. 

Though  muscles  are  evidently  fibrous  and  red,  we 
must  not  deny  a  muscular  structure  where  we  do  not 
find  red  fibres.  The  lymphatic  system  is  probably  mus- 
cular; for  the  fibrous  structure  is  discoverable  in  the 
thoracic  duct  of  a  horse :  and  Mr.  Home  has  rendered 
it  probable  that  the  fibres  of  the  crystalline  lens  are 
equally  so.  At  least  we  know,  in  numerous  instances, 
that  muscular  contraction  takes  place  where  fibres  are 
scarcely,  if  at  all,  discoverable,  and  where  the  red  mus- 
cular structure  is  not  found.  Yet,  as  a  part  of  the 
fibrous  structure,  the  muscles  form  a  part  of  the  pri- 
mordial germ.  We  see  their  influence  at  the  first  dawn 
of  life  in  the  punctum  saliens :  their  action  is  coeval 
with  animation. 

These  facts  at  once  disprove  the  theory  of  Girtan- 
ner,  who  attributes  muscular  contraction  to  a  kind  of 
explosion,  or  effervescence,  arising  from  the  oxygen  in 
the  blood  uniting  with  the  azot,  the  hydrogen,  and  car- 
bon of  the  muscles  ;  for  contraction  exists  when  azot  is 
not  yet  formed.  We  admit  that  azot,  which  furnishes 
6  N  2 


MUS 


1012 


M  US 


the  zoonic  acid,  is  chiefly  discovered  in  the  muscles  ; 
that  their  fluids  are  the  most  completely  animalized  of 
the  whole  system ;  that  in  animals  who  lead  the  most 
active  lives,  and  in  the  organs  most  constantly  exerted,  it 
is  most  frequently  found,  as  in  wild  animals,  the  red 
deer,  and  hares,  the  pectoral  muscles  of  the  moor  fowl, 
&c.;  but  this  seems  the  effect  rather  than  the  cause  of 
the  contraction,  as  we  shall  soon  find ;  and,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  action  of  a  lympathic,  for  instance,  is  steady, 
and  constant;  that  of  the  heart  of  the  embryo  rapid  and 
unremitted,  while  each  is  transparent. 

On  what  then  docs  this  action  depend  ?  certainly  on 
one  of  those  intricate  states  connected  with  life,  which 
we  cannot  even  approach  by  conjecture.  We  have  no- 
thing analogous  to  compare  it  with,  nothing  which  pos- 
sesses the  same  properties  in  different  circumstances  to 
enable  us  to  divest  it  of  the  adventitious  circumstances. 
We  must  content  ourselves,  therefore,  with  endeavour- 
ing to  ascertain  its  phenomena  and  its  laws. 

We  know,  from  various  experiments,  that  a  free  cir- 
culation through  the  arteries  of  muscles  is  necessary  to 
their  contraction ;  for  tying  the  artery  will  render  a 
muscle  paralytic  ;  and  even  tying  the  inferior  vena 
cava  above  the  iliacs,  we  are  told  by  Kauw  Boerhaave, 
will  render  the  muscles  of  the  posterior  extremities  in- 
capable of  contraction.  The  free  access  of  the  nervous 
influence  is  equally  necessary ;  for  though  we  are 
vaguely  told  of  animals  without  a  nervous  system  pos- 
sessing muscular  power,  none,  which  have  been  examin- 
ed with  care,  are  found  to  want  this  source  of  motion. 

A  muscle  in  action  increases  in  absolute  weight,  in 
density,  and  in  its  power  of  resistance.  That  it  in- 
creases in  bulk  may  be  doubted,  for  experiments  are 
contradictory;  and  while  the  middle  or  the  belly  of  the 
muscle  is  evidently  enlarged,  the  diminution  of  its 
length  compensates  for  the  increase.  Though  the  tendon 
is  a  firm,  substantial  cord,  it  is  sometimes  broken  by 
muscular  exertion ;  while  the  organ  is  uninjured,  and 
the  patella,  as  well  as  other  bones,  are  fractured  by  'a 
violent  jerk,  or  a  sudden,  peculiarly  violent,  action  of 
the  muscles.  It  is,  however,  recorded,  that  the  muscles 
themselves  are  sometimes  ruptured,  particularly  the 
recti  abdominis  in  tetanus,  and  the  gastrocnemii  in 
cramps ;  and,  as  it  is  difficult  to  suppose  that  increased 
cohesion  should  occasion  a  solution  of  cohesion,  it  has 
been  suspected  that  this  is  the  effect  of  the  action  of 
antagonists,  or  of  unequal  excitement.  Neither,  how- 
ever, could  be  the  cause  in  the  present  instances,  nor  is 
it  difficult  to  conceive  that  the  material  may  be  ruptured 
by  excess  of  power.  Cord  entwined  with  great  force 
round  any  body,  and  then  wetted,  will  be  broken  by  the 
violent  contraction.  The  choutchouc,  a  very  elastic  sub- 
stance, is  diminished  in  specific  gravity  by  extension. 

Muscular  action,  then,  consists  in  an  attraction  of  the 
parts  of  each  fibre  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  animated 
nature.  It  is  not  a  contraction  in  every  dimension,  since 
it  would  be  then  attended  with  diminished  volume  ; 
but  in  length  only  attended  with  a  proportional  increase 
of  bulk,  so  as  to  preserve  the  absolute  volume  un- 
changed, or  perhaps  somewhat  increased.  The  force 
exerted  by  this  contraction  is  enormous.  It  was  cal- 
culated, however,  by  the  mechanical  physicians  in  the 
most  extravagant  manner,  on  foundations  almost  wholly 
chimerical ;  but  on  better  grounds,  from  the  very  dis- 


advantageous insertion  of  the  muscles,  which  we  shall 
soon  enlarge  on,  to  surmount  a  resistance  of  fifty 
pounds,  the  deltoid,  it  is  said,  must  exert  a  force  equal 
to  2568  pounds.  In  general,  it  appears  that  the  force 
with  which  a  muscle  contracts  is  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  its  fleshy  fibres,  and  the  extent  of  the  sur- 
face to  which  these  fibres  are  attached ;  but  its  degree 
of  contraction,  or  the  extent  of  its  motion,  is  in  propor- 
tion to  their  length.  The  limits  of  contraction  differ  in 
the  long  and  in  the  circular  muscles  ;  for  the  former 
do  not  contract  more  than  one  third  of  their  length ; 
but  the  circular  fibres  of  the  stomach,  which,  in  their 
utmost  dilatation,  may  be  expanded  to  a  foot  in  circum- 
ference, will,  after  long  fasting,  be  reduced  to  a  circle  oi 
an  inch.  It  must,  however,  be  added,  that  in  circular 
muscles  no  fibres  pass  completely  round  :  bundles  of 
fibres  are  collected,  and  end  at  different  points,  while 
some  begin  where  others  end.  Each  may,  therefore, 
admit  only  of  a  limited  contraction,  while  the  dilata- 
tion just  mentioned  may  be  the  sum  of  the  whole. 

Muscles  are  usually  attached  to  bones  near  their 
joints,  and,  running  almost  parallel  with  the  bone,  are 
inserted  at  very  acute  angles.  They  are  consequently 
levers  of  the  third  kind,  situated  between  the  fulcrum 
and  resistance.  By  this  contrivance,  much  force  is  lost 
to  attain  velocity,  and  to  avoid  deformity ;  for  the 
muscle  would  start  out  in  its  action,  if  conducted  in  any 
other  manner,  and  this  starting  would  be  in  proportion 
to  the  celerity  of  the  action  of  the  resisting  part.  At 
present,  the  hand,  for  instance,  sweeps  through  a  large 
circle  with  great  velocity,  while  the  muscles,  which  raise 
the  fore  arm,  viz.  the  biceps  and  brachialis  internus, 
swell  to  a  degree  scarcely  perceptible.  In  the  force  sup- 
posed to  be  exerted  by  the  deltoid,  a  great  proportion 
acts  only  in  pressing  the  humerus  to  the  shoulder,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  doctrine  of  the  composition,  and 
resolution  of  forces.  Another  loss  of  force  arises  from 
the  oblique  insertion  of  the  fleshy  fibres  into  the  ten- 
dinous expansion,  which  pervades  them  :  but,  with  the 
Author  of  Nature,  power  as  well  as  life  is  obedient  to 
the  divine  fiat,  and  each  is  profusely  diffused  :  yet  all 
this  has  been  resolved  into  jarring  atoms,  molecules  or- 
ganiques,  and  animated  filaments!  Various  contrivances, 
however,  appear  to  have  been  adopted  to  lessen  this 
considerable  loss  of  power.  In  general,  the  extremities 
of  the  bones  are  enlarged,  so  that  the  muscle  is  re- 
moved from  the  parallelism,  the  tendons  of  the  smaller 
line  of  direction  of  the  bones  are  separated,  or  the 
angles  at  which  they  are  inserted  are  augmented. 
Sometimes,  for  the  same  purpose,  the  tendons,  or  the 
muscles  themselves,  are  reflected  over  pulleys.  When 
the  limb  begins  to  move,  the  angle  of  insertion  is,  of 
course,  increased. 

The  action  of  muscles  is  never  intermitted,  and  only 
diminished  in  the  sleeping  state.  This  action  arises 
from  a  less  degree  of  that  power  which  moves  the 
limbs,  and  is  styled,  by  Haller,  the  vis  insita ;  by  later 
authors,  irritability,  or  tonic  power.  When  muscles 
are  not  exercised,  this  power  is  very  slightly  exerted  ; 
but,  by  the  position  wJiich  the  limbs  assume,  we  disco- 
ver the  relative  strength  of  the  antagonizing  muscles. 
Thus  we  find  the  flexors  stronger  than  the  extensors; 
for  during  sleep  the  head  falls  forward,  the  body,  legs, 
arms,  and  fingers  are  lightly  bent.  We  see  the  cause  of 


-M  US 


1013 


MU  S 


this  strength,  when  we  find  that  the  flexors  have  stronger 
and  more  numerous  fibres ;  that  their  insertion  is  farther 
from  the  centre  of  their  motions,  and  under  a  larger 
angle,  which,  as  we  have  remarked,  must  increase  when 
flexion  has  begun.  This  superiority  of  the  flexors 
bends  the  fcetus  in  utero  into  a  round  ball.  When  the 
infant  is  born,  the  same  superior  power  of  the  flexors 
continues,  though  in  a  less  degree,  and  frequent  pandi- 
culations  are  required,  to  give  activity  and  energy  to 
the  extensors,  which  they  again  lose  in  advanced  age. 
When  we  awake  from  a  sound  sleep  the  same  yawn- 
ing pandiculations  occur ;  and  Barthez  fancifully  refers 
the  crowing  of  the  cock,  and  the  fluttering  of  his  wings, 
to  a  similar  purpose.  It  is  always  useful  to  examine, 
in  diseases,  the  position  of  the  limbs  during  sleep,  par- 
ticularly of  children.  If  they  deviate  from  the  bent  to 
a  more  straight  position,  there  is  generally  some  irregu- 
larity in  the  state  of  tone,  and,  of  course,  in  the  vital 
influx. 

It  is  supposed  by  some  authors,  that  the  vital  influx 
is  not  necessary  to  the  contraction  of  muscles,  but  that 
•they  possess  irritability  as  a  quality,  and  this  is  the  strict 
meaning  of  the  vis  insita  of  Haller;  but  we  do  not,  in 
any  instance,  find  this,  for  any  time,  unconnected  with 
life.  Irritability  is,  indeed,  lost  at  different  periods  in 
different  organs;  for  some,  particularly  the  heart,  soon 
lose  it,  while  the  voluntary  muscles  retain  it;  and  appa- 
rently those  which  derive  their  nerves  from  the  inter- 
costal system  lose  it  sooner  than  those  whose  nerves 
originate  from  the  base  of  the  cerebrum.  Irritability  is 
also  exhausted  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  retained  for 
a  longer  time  when  the  death  has  been  sudden  and  vio- 
lent, except  it  happen  from  lightning.  On  this  prin- 
ciple fish  are  crimped;  for  the  muscles  are  cut  across, 
while  the  irritability  remains,  and  the  muscular  por- 
tions contract  so  as  to  give  greater  firmness  to  the 
flesh.  To  preserve  this  irritability,  the  fish  receives  a 
blow  on  the  head  as  soon  as  it  is  taken  from  the  water, 
when  the  operation  is  performed,  is  washed  in  hard 
water,  whose  astringency,  from  the  selenite  it  contains, 
Assists  the  contraction.  Irritability  is  also  soon  de- 
stroyed by  narcotic  poisons,  either  if  partially  applied, 
or,  more  generally,  if  life  is  extinguished  by  their 
means.  The  power  of  contraction,  by  volition,  by- 
association,  by  a  stimulus  on  the  brain,  or  on  the  nerves 
in  their  course,  as  it  acts  through  the  medium  of  the 
nerves,  is  called  the  nervous  fiower;  though  when  vo- 
lition only  is  the  cause,  Dr.  Cullen  chooses  to  call  it  the 
animal  fiower.  The  tonic  flower,  as  we  have  said,  is 
that  state  of  constant  contraction  owing  to  life,  or  per- 
haps to  the  action  of  antagonizing  muscles. 

The  state  of  muscles  differs  according  to  their  vigour 
and  their  mobility.  The  first  attends  firm  and  robust, 
the  second  weak,  constitutions.  In  the  latter,  muscu- 
lar contraction  frequently  alternates  with  relaxation ; 
and  the  greatest  degree  of  this  state  is  CONVULSIONS, 
vide  in  verbo.  Vigorous  contraction  is  less  subject  to 
alternate  with  relaxation  ;  but  such  alternation  is  com- 
mon to  muscles  in  general,  and  found  in  every  long 
muscle  but  among  the  round  muscles  in  the  heart,  the 
intestines,  probably  also  the  stomach  only.  Spasm  is 
not  a  disease  of  vigour,  but  of  a  high  degree  of  irrita- 
tion, and  owing  to  an  irregular  influx  of  the  vital  power. 
We  have  enumerated  association  among  the  stimuli, 


rather  from  a  loose  analogy  than  with  strict  pretensions 
to  accuracy,  including,  in  this  way,  each  source  of  mus- 
cular action. 

Muscular  irritability  is  exhausted  not  only  by  exercise, 
by  narcotic  poisons,  and  every  kind  of  excitement,  but 
by  mental  exertions  also  :  and'  the  student,  constantly  at 
the  midnight  lamp,  finds  it  greatly  diminished,  not  only 
by  his  mental  exercise,  but  by  disuse.  Violent  emo- 
tions have  a  similar  and  more  sudden  effect.  At  the 
time  we  observe  that  violent  muscular  action  di- 
minishes, and  occasionally  destroys,  sensibility.  Thus, 
in  battle,  the  soldier  does  not  feel  his  wound ;  and 
the  juggler  violently  contracts  the  muscles  of  his 
leg  when  he  runs  the  pin  into  them.  These  facts, 
which  might  be  supported  by  many  analogous  ones, 
seem  to  show  that  the  sentient  and  moving  powers  are 
more  closely  connected  than  physiologists  have  sup- 
posed. 

The  bulk  of  a  muscle  is  chiefly  made  up  of  cellular 
substance  and  blood  vessels.  When  each  is  separated, 
the  true  muscular  fibres  occupy  a  very  small  space,  and 
the  muscles  are  found  equally,  often  more,  distinct  in 
the  emaciated  invalid  than  in  the  robustest  subject.  We 
may  conclude  from  hence,  that  muscular  fibres  are  not 
destroyed  nor  produced  ;  and  we  think  the  opinion  is 
supported  by  observation.  If  a  muscle  is  destroyed,  the 
limb  remains  useless,  or  at  least  partially  useful,  by  the 
assistance  of  those  which  remain.  If  cut  through,  the 
fibres  are  united  by  a  compact  cellular  substance.  Yet 
late  authors  have  been  fond  of  employing  the  analogy 
between  the  fibrin  and  the  muscular  fibre,  particularly 
when  they  found  the  fibrin  contract  by  the  galvanic 
stimulus ;  and,  in  support  of  it,  they  quote  an  observa- 
tion of  Haller,  that  the  generality  of  muscular  arteries 
are  curved  on  themselves,  in  a  remarkable  manner, 
•when  entering  into  the  muscles.  This  structure,  they 
think,  must  retard  the  blood,  and  facilitate  the  separa- 
tion and  deposition  of  the  fibrin.  The  muscular  flesh, 
they  add  triumphantly,  is  the  most  azotic  fluid  of  the 
whole  system,  and  the  fibrin  the  most  animalized  por- 
tion of  the  blood.  If,  however,  the  fact  be  as  just 
stated,  that  muscular  fibres  are  not  reproduced,  this  ne- 
cessity no  longer  appears,  and  we  know  not  that  con- 
traction is  connected  with  azot.  Irritability  and  sensi- 
bility are  both,  however,  apparently  peculiar  to  a  fibrous 
structure  ;  and  we  know  so  little  of  the  means  by  which 
the  nervous  influence  is  connected  with  the  nerve  as  a 
simple  solid,  that  we  may  suppose  this  union  in  part 
depending  on  fibres,  and,  when  these  are  formed,  that 
they  may  share  a  portion  of  this  incomprehensible 
power.  Thus,  then,  the  fibrin  may  enjoy  a  certain 
portion  of  life ;  thus  the  muscles  may  be  more  directly 
a  part  of  the  nervous  system.  Yet  we  have  disclaimed 
both  opinions ;  and,  though  the  course  of  our  argument 
has  led  us  to  this  view  of  the  subject,  we  must  add 
that  such  reasoning  appears  loose  and  precarious.  See 
BLOOD,  vol.  i.  p.  357,  Etc.  and  NERVUS. 

Before  we  proceed  to  a  general  enumeration  of  the 
muscles,  we  must  premise,  that  the  most  fixed  point  is 
styled  its  origin,  the  more  moveable  its  insertion.  In 
the  motion,  however,  of  limbs,  the  peculiar  muscles  are 
not  exclusively  employed,  since  some  distant  ones  are 
exerted  to  fix  the  part  from  which  the  muscles  origin- 
ate. In  other  circumstances  the  fixed  point 


MUS 


1014 


MUS 


occasionally,  though  in  a  less  degree,  the  moveable ; 
and  for  this  reason  we  have  styled  the  origin  the  most 
fixed  point.  In  some  instances,  the  part  from  which 
the  muscle  originates  is  equally  moveable  with  that  into 
which  it  is  inserted. 

Muscles  of  the  Head.  The  forehead  is  wrinkled  and 
drawn  upwards,  as  are  also  the  eyebrows,  by  a  broad 
thin  muscle,  occifiito  fronlalis,  which  rises  at  the  back 
part  of  the  skull,  and,  covering  the  head,  runs  down  the 
forehead,  to  be  inserted  into  the  skin  of  the  eyebrows. 

The  eyebrows  are  drawn  towards  each  other,  and 
the  skin  of  the  forehead  pulled  down  and  made  to 
wrinkle,  as  in  frowning,  by  a  pair  of  small  muscles, 
corrugatores  su/iercilii,  which  rise  from  the  root  of  the 
nose,  and  are  inserted  into  the  inside  of  the  eyebrows. 

The  ear  is  moved  by  eleven  small  muscles.  The 
first  three  are  called  common,  because  they  move  the 
whole  ear.  The  next  five  are  termed  proper,  and  only 
move  the  parts  to  which  they  are  connected;  while  the 
other  three  are  internal,  to  move  the  small  bone  situ- 
ated within  the  ear. 

The  eyelids  are  closed  by  a  muscle,  which,  rising 
from  the  inner  angle  of  the  orbit  or  cavity  in  which  the 
eye  is  embedded,  covers  the, under  eyelid,  then  sur- 
rounds the  outer  angle,  and  passing  over  the  upper 
eyelid,  descends  to  be  inserted,  by  a  short,  round  ten- 
don, near  to  its  origin,  orbicular  is  jialficbrarum. 

The  eye  is  opened  by  a  muscle,  which,  rising  from 
the  inner  and  upper  part  of  the  socket,  is  inserted  into 
the  upper  eyelid,  to  draw  it  upwards,  leitator  palpebre 
sufierioris. 

The  eyeballs  are  carried  through  all  their  motions  by 
six  small  slender  muscles  to  each.  They  arise  from  the 
bottom  of  the  socket,  and  are  inserted  into  the  outer 
coat  of  each  eyeball  at  different  points.  Four  of  these 
move  the  eye  upwards  or  downwards,  to  the  right  and  to 
the  left;  while  the  two  remaining  muscles  give  oblique 
directions  to  the  eye,  at  the  same  time  protruding  it; 
and  all  acting  in  quick  succession,  enable  the  ball  of  the 
eye  to  describe  a  complete  circle.  See  OCULUS. 

The  nose  is  affected  by  several  small  muscles  of  the 
face,  but  only  one  muscle  on  each  side  is  proper  to  it. 
This  muscle  straightens  the  nostrils,  and  corrugates  the 
skin  of  the  nose,  corrugator  naris. 

The  mouth  and  lips  are  moved  by  nine  pair  of  mus- 
cles, le-vator  labii  sufierioris  alayuenasi;  levator  anguli 
oris;  zygomaticus  major;  buccinator;  defiressor  labii 
sufierioris  alcsyuenasi;  defiresitor  anguli  oris;  defiressor 
labii  inferioris;  le-vator  labii  inferiorin;  orbicularis  oris; 
which,  arising  from  the  contiguous  bones  of  the  face, 
are  inserted  into  the  lips  and  angles  of  the  mouth  :  and 
from  the  termination  of  these  muscles  a  tenth  is  formed, 
which  surrounds  the  mouth  like  a  sphincter,  and  closes 
it,  by  drawing  the  lips  together.  It  is  from  the  actions 
of  these  muscles  on  the  mouth,  particularly  at  its  cor- 
ners, that  the  emotions  of  the  mind  are  expressed,  and 
the  predominance  of  particular  feelings  in  characters  is 
indelibly  stamped  :  unless  in  those  individuals  whom 
nature  has  gifted  with  an  unimpressible  dulness  of  cha- 
racter, or  in  whom  the  more  delicate  lines  are  filled  up 
by  too  great  fatness. 

The  lower  jaw  has  four  pair  of  muscles  for  pulling  it 
upwards,  as  in  manducation,  viz.  two  p.  ir  seen  upon 
the  outside  of  the  face,  and  two  pair  concealed  by  the 
angles  of  the  jaw.  The  first  pair  arise  from  the  sides 


of  the  skull,  above  the  temples,  whence  they  are  called 
temporal  muscles,  temfioralis;  and  then  descending 
under  the  bony  bridges  of  the  cheek  bone,  are  inserted 
into  the  lower  jaw  near  its  ends.  The  second  pail- 
arise,  at  each  side,  from  the  under  edge  of  the  bony 
bridge,  and  descending  along  the  cheek,  are  inserted 
into  the  angle  of  the  lower  jaw,  ntasseter.  These  four 
muscles  act  powerfully  in  pulling  thejaw  upwards,  and 
when  we  bite,  may  be  felt  swelling  out  in  the  flat  part 
of  the  temple,  and  upon  the  back  part  of  the  cheek. 
The  other  two  pair  of  muscles  arise  from  the  base  of 
the  skull,  and  are  inserted  into  the  lower  jaw  internally, 
for  enabling  this  bone  to  move  from  side  to  side,  the 
more  effectually  to  grind  the  food,  ptcrygoideus  internus 
and  ejcternus.  The  lower  jaw  is  pulled  downwards  by 
muscles,  which  extend  between  it  and  the  bone  of  the 
tongue,  and  which  also  serve  to  raise  the  throat 
upwards. 

Muscles  of  the  Neck.  _  The  neck  is  covered  with 
numerous  and  complicated  muscles  :  those  on  the  fore 
part  or  throat  extend  some  between  the  head  and  upper 
part  of  the  trunk,  latissimus  colli  and  mastoideus:  others 
between  the  lower  jaw  and  the  os  hyoides ;  more  be- 
tween this  bone  and  the  cartilages  of  the  throat;  while 
numerous  other  small  muscles  are  situated  between 
these  cartilages  and  the  trunk;  and  also  about  the  root 
of  the  tongue  and  the  back  part  of  the  mouth.  Their 
names  are  sufficiently  descriptive  of  their  situations,  viz. 
omo-hyoideus;  sterno-hyoideus;  hyo-thyroideus;  ster- 
no-thyroideus;  crico-thyroideus;  digastricus;  stylo-hy- 
oideus;  mylo-liyoideus;  genio-hyoideus;  genio-glossus; 
hyo-glossus;  Imgualis;  stylo-glossus;  stylo-pharyn- 
geus;  circumflexus;  palati;  le-vator -palati;  palafo- 
fiharyngeus;  constrictor  isthmifaucium;  azygos  u~uul<Z; 
constrictor  pharyngis  superior,  medius  et  inferior;  crico- 
arytcenoideus  lateralis  et  fiosticus;  arytenoideus  obli- 
quus  et  transversus;  thyreo-aryt&noideus;  arytceno- 
epiglottideus;  and  thyreo-epiglottideus.  Their  uses  are, 
viz.  to  bend  the  head  forwards;  to  open  the  mouth  by 
pulling  the  lower  jaw  downwards ;  and  to  move  the 
parts  concerned  in  deglutition  and  speaking. 

The  muscles  on  the  back  part  of  the  neck  are  rather 
portions  of  the  great  muscles,  which  cover  the  back, 
than  distinct  bundles  of  fibres ;  but,  having  some  of 
their  extremities  fixed  to  the  back  part  of  the  skull,  and 
also  to  the  hinder  portion  of  the  spine  of  the  neck,  are 
intended  to  move  those  parts,  drawing  them  backwards 
and  sideways. 

Muscles  of  the  Trunk.  Those  are  principally  the 
muscles  which  cover  the  breast;  those  which  constitute 
the  fore  part  and  sides  of  the  abdomen  ;  and  the  great 
muscles  that  are  spread  over  the  back. 

The  muscles  of  the  back  are  numerous  and  large : 
they  arise  from  the  whole  length  of  the  spine  or  back 
bone,  having  their  originating  fibres  firmly  fixed  to  the 
numerous  processes  or  handles  of  that  bone ;  from  the 
upper  and  posterior  edge  of  the  pelvis  ;  and  also,  some 
portions  from  the  back  part  of  the  skull;  and  from 
these  different  organs,  they  spread  over  and  cover  the 
back  of  the  trunk,  ano^run  to  be  inserted,  some  into  the 
base  of  the  arm,  others  into  the  spine  at  a  distance  from 
their  origin,  and  the  remainder  into  the  ribs  and  back 
part  of  the  skull*  They  consequently  not  only  cover 
and  protect  the  whole  back  part  of  the  body,  but  also 
serve  to  pull  the  head  backwards,  move  the  whole  arm, 


M  US 


1015 


MUS 


•ssist  respiration  by  acting  on  the  ribs,  and  to  raise  the 
body  by  extending  the  spine.  These  are,  the  trafiezius, 
or  cucularis;  rhomboideus;  latissimus  dsrsi;  serratus 
inferior  et  sufieri^r  fivslicus;  Itrvatorscafiulie;  sfilenius  ; 
comfilexus;  trachtlo  mastoideits;  rectus  cufiitis  fiosti- 
cus  major  el  minor;  obtiquus  su/ierior  et  inferior  cafii- 
tis  sacrolumbulis;  longisximus  dorsi;  sfiinalis  el  semi- 
sfiinulis  dorsi;  multifidus  sfiine;  semisftinalis  cold; 
scalenus;  interspinalis  et  inter'.ransvcrsales. 

The  caviiy  of  the  abdomen  is  completed  at  its  fore 
part  and  sides  by  a  few  broad  and  thin  muscles,  which 
extend  from  one  bone  to  the  other,  having  their  ends 
firmly  fixed  to  the  edges  of  these  bones ;  and  passing 
over  each  other,  to  constitute  walls  for  covering  in  and 
containing  the  bowels.  These  are  obliquuis  externus  and 
interims;  transversatis;  rectus  abdominis  and  fiyrumi- 
dulis.  These  muscles  also  assist  respiration  by  help- 
ing to  expel  the  air  from  the  lungs  :  and  they  contribute 
to  the  movement  of  the  body,  by  bending  it  forward  as 
in  bowing,  and  by  raising  the  pelvis. 

The  breast  is  covered  by  a  few  broad  and  strong 
muscles,  which  arise  from  the  whole  length  of  the 
breast  bone,  and  form  the  fore  part  of  the  ribs,  and  run- 
ning from  each  other  over  the  chest,  are  inserted  into 
the  shoulder  for  moving  the  limb  forward,  fiectoralis 
major;  terrains  magnus;  lei'atores  costarum. 

The  ribs  are  raised,  and  the  cavity  of  the  chest  en- 
larged, during  inspiration,  by  eleven  double  rows  of 
small  muscles  on  each  side.  They  grow  out  from  the 
lower  edge  of  one  rib,  and  are  inserted  into  the  upper 
rim  of  the  next :  intercocta/es  externi  et  interni;  sterna 
costales:  at  the  fore  part  of  the  neck,  close  to  the  ver- 
tebrse,  are  the  rectus  caftitis  internus,  major,  minor  et 
lateralis;  longus  coli. 

Muscles  -aithin  the  Bcdy.  The  principal  one  is  called 
the  diaphragm  ;  it  is  a  broad  thin  muscle,  occupying 
partly  a  horizontal  position,  when  the  body  is  erect; 
but  inclining  downwards  towards  the  back,  and  divid- 
ing the  trunk  of  the  body  into  the  two  great  cavities, 
the  thorax  and  the  abdomen.  It  arises  from  the  lower 
end  of  the  breast  bone ;  from  the  cartilages  of  the 
seventh,  and  of  all  the  inferior  ribs  on  both  sides;  and 
from  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  lumbar  vertebrae ; 
and  from  these  origins  its  fibres  run,  like  radii  from  the 
circumference  to  the  centre  of  a  circle,  to  be  insetted 
into  a  broad  flat  tendon,  which  is  situated  in  the  middle 
of  this  muscle.  The  diaphragm  is  the  principal  agent 
in  respiration,  as  shall  be  more  fully  described  under 
that  head. 

The  other  muscles  within  the  body  arise  from  the 
sides  of  the  lower  end  of  the  back  bone,  and  from  the 
inner  surface 'of  the  pelvis,  and,  passing  down  to  be  in- 
serted into  the  thigh  bone,  a  little  below  its  head,  they 
help  to  turn  the  toes  outwards,  and  to  bend  the  thigh ; 
or  when  the  limb  is  fixed,  they  assist  in  bending  the 
body,  fisoas  flarvus  el  magnus;  illiacus  internus;  qua- 
dratus  lumborum. 

Muscles  of  the  Superior  Extremities.  These  anato- 
mists divide  into  the  muscles  that  are  situated  ou  the 
shoulder  blade,  on  the  arm,  on  the  fore  arm,  and  on 
the  hand. 

The  muscles  situated  on  the  shoulder  blade  are  call- 
ed muscles  of  the  arm,  because,  though  they  arise  from 
the  former  bone,  which  serves  them  as  a  base,  yet 
they  are  inserted  into  the  bone  of  the  arm  to  effect  its 


movements :  the  same  observation  holds  with  respect 
to  the  other  divisions  of  these  muscles. 

The  arm  then  is  moved  by  seven  muscles  which  arise 
from  the  shoulder  blade,  and  passing  over  the  joint  are 
inserted  into  the  arm  bone  at  its  upper  and  middle  parts. 
The  deltoides;  sufira  et  infra  s/imatus;  teres  minor  et 
major;  subxcafiularis  et  coraco  brachialis;  these,  to- 
gether with  the  muscles  coming  from  the  back  and 
breast,  already  described,  complete  the  motions  of  this 
part  of  the  limb. 

The  fore  arm  is  moved  in  flexion  and  extension  by 
three  muscles,  which  arise  from  the  upper  part  of  the 
arm  bone  ;  run  down  its  whole  length,  and  constitute 
its  fulness  and  figure :  they  then  pass  over  the  elbow 
joint  to  be  inserted  into  the  upper  ends  of  the  two  bones 
of  the  fore  arm.  These  are  the  bice/is  Jlexor  cubiti; 
brachialis  internus  et  tricefis  extensor  cubiti. 

The  hand  is  moved  at  the  wrist  by  six  muscles  ;  three 
of  these  arise  from  the  upper  part  of  the  fore  arm,  and 
descending  along  its  whole  length,  are  continued  over 
the  wrist,  and  are  inserted  into  the  hand  close  to  this 
joint ;  they  bend  the  hand,  and  are  consequently  called 
its  flexors,./fejror  carfti  ulnaris;  fialmaris  longus  et  Jlex- 
or carfii  radialis.  The  three  extensors,  so  called,  be- 
cause they  extend  the  hand,  and  bring  it  backwards, 
arise  from  the  lower  end  of  the  arm  bone,  and  passing 
down  the  fore  arm  also,  run  to  be  inserted  into  the  back 
of  the  hand  just  beyond  the  wrist,  extensor  carfii  radi- 
alis, longus  et  brt-uis;  extensor  carfii  ulnaris;  all  these 
muscles,  before  they  reach  to  the  wrist,  become  slen- 
der tendons,  which  is  the  cause  of  the  tapering  of  the 
fore  arm  from  about  its  middle  to  the  hand. 

Besides  flexion  and  extension,  the  hand  has  a  circu- 
lar kind  of  motion  called  pronation  and  supination :  the 
former  takes  place  when  we  turn  the  palm  down,  as 
upon  a  table  ;  the  latter  when  we  turn  the  palm  up- 
wards ;  and  both  motions  are  produced  by  four  short 
muscles  which  extend  obliquely  across  from  one  bone 
of  the  fore  arm  to  the  other,  and  roll  the  radius  upon 
the  ulna,  carrying  the  wrist  round  in  circles,  sufiinator 
longus  et  brevis;  fironator  radii  teres  et  quadratus. 

The  fingers  are  principally  moved  by  two  flexors  and 
one  extensor.  The  former  muscles  arise  from  the 
upper  part  of  the  fore  arm  near  the  bend,  and  running 
down  towards  the  wrist,  send  off  four  round  tendons 
each ;  which  passing  over  the  palm  of  the  hand,  are  in- 
serted, the  one  set  of  tendons  into  the  upper  part  of 
the  second  bone,  and  the  other  into  the  last  bone  of  each, 
of  the  four  fingers :  the  latter  set  of  tendons  pass 
through  slits  in  the  former,  which  help  to  bind  them 
down,  when  the  fingers  are  bent.  The  extensor  mus- 
cle arises  above  the  elbow,  passes  down  the  fore  arm, 
and  also  splits  into  four  round  tendons,  which  can  be 
plainly  felt  on  the  back  of  the  hand,  and  are  inserted  into 
all  the  bones  of  the  four  fingers  for  extending  them. 

The  other  movements  of  the  fingers,  and  those  of  the 
thumb,  are  performed  by  muscles,  chiefly  situated  upon 
the  hand ;  and  which,  together  with  those  we  have  de- 
scribed, complete  the  motions  of  these  parts.  Except 
the  indicator  which  extends  the  four  fingers,  the  names 
express  their  uses.  The  interossei  interni  et  externi  ex- 
tend the  fingers,  and  move  them  in  different  direc- 
tions. The  lumbricales  bend  the  first,  and  extend  the 
two  last,  joints  of  the  fingers. 

of  the   Inferior  Extremities.     The    great 


MUS 


1016 


MUS 


muscles  -which  move  the  thigh  all  arise  from  the  pel- 
vis, or  the  lower  part  of  the  trunk;  covering,  and  also 
giving  plumpness  and  shape  to  the  external  surface  of 
these  parts,  they  descend  over  the  hip  joint,  to  be  in- 
serted into  the  thigh  bone  below  its  articulating  head : 
by  the  action  of  these  powerful  muscles  the  thigh  is 
carried  through  all  its  motions.  These  are  the  glutei; 
pyrtformis;  gemini;  obturator  internus,  et  quadratus 
femoris;  fiectinalis;  adductor  longus  brevis  et  magnus 
femoris;  obturator  externus. 

The  leg  is  moved  by  eleven  muscles,  which  arise  part- 
ly from  the  pelvis,  and  partly  from  the  upper  end  of 
the  thigh  bone :  they  descend  along  this  bone,  giving 
fulness  and  shape  to  the  thigh,  and  passing  over  the 
knee  joint,  are  inserted  into  the  bones  of  the  leg ;  the 
extensors  into  the  upper  edge  of  the  knee  pan,  for  ex- 
tending the  leg,  and  the  flexors  into  the  posterior  sides  of 
the  long  bones  of  the  leg,  a  little  below  their  heads : 
the  tendons  of  these  muscles  form  the  inner  and  outer 
ham  strings.  Bicejis  jlexor  cruris;  semitendinosus; 
scmimcmbranosus;  tensor  -vagina  femoris;  rectus; 
sartorius;  gracilis;  vastus  externus  et  internus,  cru- 
•rteus  et  pojiliteus.  They  bend  the  leg. 

The  foot  is  moved  by  three  extensors,  and  by  four 
flexors.  The  extensors  arise,  the  two  first  by  double 
heads  from  the  lower  end  of  the  thigh  bone,  near  the 
bend  of  the  knee  :  these  heads  soon  after  unite  into  the 
great  fleshy  bellies,  which,  swelling  out,  form  the  calf 
of  the  leg;  but  decreasing  where  the  leg  begins  to 
grow  small,  they  each  give  off  a  broad  thin  tendon, 
which  also  uniting,  form  the  tendon  of  achilles,  to  be 
inserted  into  the  extremity  of  the  heel.  Those  power- 
ful muscles  extend  the  foot  by  bringing  it  backwards, 
and  are  principally  engaged  in  running,  walking,  leap- 
ing, &c.  The  third  extensor  of  the  foot  arises  also 
from  the  lower  end  of  the  thigh  bone,  and  descending 
by  a  long,  slender  tendon,  is  inserted  into  the  heel,  to 
assist  the  former :  but  this  muscle  is  sometimes  not  to 
be  found  in  the  human  subject.  Gastrocnemius  inter- 
•nus  et  externus;  filantaris. 

The  four  flexors  arise,  the  two  first  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  tibia,  or  principal  bone  of  the  leg,  and  con- 
tinuing fleshy  about  halfway  down  that  limb,  send  off" 
two  round  tendons,  which  pass  under  the  inner  ankle, 
and  are  inserted  into  the  bones  of  the  foot.  The  other 
two  flexors  of  the  foot  arise  from  the  superior  part  of 
the  fibula  or  smaller  bone  of  the  leg,  and  sending  off 
two  round  tendons,  which  pass  under  the  outer  ankle 
also,  are  inserted  into  the  bones  of  the  foot.  These 
assist  the  former  in  bending  the  foot  by  drawing  it  up- 
wards. Tibialis  jiosticus  et  anticus;  jieronizus  longus 
et  brevis. 

The  toes  have  two  extensors  and  three  flexors.  The 
first  extensor  arises  from  the  upper  part  of  the  leg,  and 
descending  to  the  ankle,  splits  into  four  round  tendons, 
•which  run  forward  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  foot, 
where  they  can  be  plainly  felt,  and  are  "inserted  into 
the  four  small  toes  to  extend  them  :  the  other  extensor 
arises  from  the  heel,  and  running  forward  upon  the 
foot,  also  splits  into  four  tendons,  to  be  inserted  into 
the  to.es  likewise,  and  to  assist  in  extending  them. 

The  flexors  of  the  toes  arise,  the  first  from  the  under 
and  back  part  of  the  heel,  and  running  forward  along 
the  sole  of  the  foot,  sends  off  four  tendons  to  be  insert- 
ed into  the  second  row  of  bones  of  the  four  smaller 


toes.  The  second  flexor  arises  from  the  back  part  of 
the  tibia  below  its  head,  and  descending  the  leg,  passes 
at  the  inner  ankle  to  run  along  the  sole  of  the  foot,  on 
the  middle  of  which  it  splits  into  four  slender  tendons, 
which  perforate  the  former,  in  the  manner  of  those 
which  bend  the  fingers ;  and  extending  beyond  them 
are  inserted  into  the  extremities  of  the  last  joint  of  the 
four  small  toes.  The  third  flexor  assists  the  two  former 
in  bending  the  toes,  and  also  draws  them  inwards.  Be- 
sides these  there  are  other  small  muscles  which  are 
situated  upon  the  foot,  and  which,  with  those  coming 
from  the  leg  to  be  inserted  into  the  great  toe,  complete 
the  movements  of  these  parts.  These  muscles  are  suf- 
ficiently known  by  their  names,  and  what  has  been  said 
on  those  of  the  hand. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  muscles  or  flesh  cover  and 
spread  over  the  whole  frame  of  bones,  connecting  and 
securing  its  different  divisions  and  parts  ;  and  not  only 
producing  all  its  movements,  but  also  giving  to  it  ful- 
ness, shape,  and  beauty. 

See  the  Croonia-n  Lectures  in  various  volumes  of  the 
Philosophical  Transactions  ;  Mailer's  Elementa  Physi- 
ologiae  ;  Brown  on  the  Muscles;  Winslow's  Anatomy  ; 
Cowper's  and  Albinus's  Tables  of  the  Muscles  ;  Innes 
and  Douglas  on  the  Muscles. 

MU'SCULUS  ANTE'RIOR  MA'LLEI,  or  MU'SCULUS  EX- 
TE'RNUS  AU'IUS  DUVE'RNII  ;  anterior  malleolus;  is 
placed  in  a  fissure  on  the  temporal  bone,  above  the 
glenoid  cavity,  where  the  lower  jaw  plays,  runs  inward, 
and  is  inserted  into  the  Ravian  process  of  the  malleus 
irregularly  forward  from  the  incus;  and  by  taking  off 
from  the  vibratory  motion  of  the  bones,  it  is  supposed 
to  fit  the  ear  for  receiving  weaker  sounds. 

MU'SCULUS  EXTE'RIOR.     See  ABDUCTOR  OCULI. 

MU'SCULUS  INFE'RIOR.     See  DEPRESSOR  OCULI. 

MU'SCULUS  TU'BJE  NO'VUS  VALSA'LV^.     See  CIRCUM- 

FLEXUS  PALATI. 

MU'SCUS  CLAVATUS.     See  LYCOPODIUM. 

Mu'scus  CUMATILUS.  Lichen  afithosus  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1616,  is  supposed  to  be  anthelmintic,  and  is  given  in 
infusion  or  decoction  to  destroy  worms,  or  to  remove 
aphthae.  The  dose  of  the  powder  is  twelve  grains  to 
infants.  Its  smell  is  highly  fetid  and  disgusting. 

Mu'scus  ARBOREUS,  lichen  jilicatus  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1622,  usnaa  officinarum.  It  is  slightly  astringent,  used 
to  stop  haemorrhages,  and  by  the  Laplanders  to  relieve 
excoriations  from  travelling. 

Mu'SCUS  LAPIDEUS.       See  CoRALLINA. 

Mu'scus  PULMONA'HIUS.  '  Pulmonaria  arborea,  OAK 
LUNGS,  and  LUNG  WORT,  is  made  up  of  flat,  wrinkled, 
rough  leaves,  greenish  above,  and  ash  coloured  under- 
neath, with  several  round,  reddish  brown  spots  on  the 
surface,  in  which  the  seed  is  supposed  to  lie.  It  hath 
a  bitterish  astringent  taste,  and  grows  spontaneously  on 
the  oak  tree. 

Mu'scus  PYXIDATUS,  musculus  fiyxoides  terrestris, 
lichen  ftyxidatus  major;  lichen  cocciferus  Lin.  Sp.  PI. 
1618.  CUP  MOSS,  a  species  of  lichen,  growing  on  bar- 
ren dry  ground,  with  many  hoary  whitish  green,  small 
leaves,  spread  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  among  which 
arise  little,  whitish,  dusky,  hollow  cups,  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  high,  showing  neither  flower  nor  seed.  The  de- 
coction is  reckoned  a  specific  in  the  hooping  cough. 

Mu'SCUS     SqUAMOSUS      TERRESTRIS.         See      LYCOPO- 


M YD 


1017 


M  YO 


MUSTELA  NEI.     See  ASCI. 

MU'STUM,  (vinum  mustum,  i.- e. -novum,  from 
tener~).  MUST,  gleucos.  This  term  usually 
given  to  new  wine,  is  now  applied  to  the  saccharine 
juice  of  several  fruits,  susceptible  of  the  spirituous  fer- 
mentation, and  particularly  of  grapes,  before  its  com- 
mencement. When  boiled  till  one  third  is  consumed, 
it  is  called  carenum;  when  to  one  half,  defrutum;  heji- 
*ema;  and  when  its  fermentation  hath  been  prevented, 
or  prematurely  suppressed  by  fumigation  with  sulphur, 
stum.  See  VINUM. 

MU'STUS,  (from  fur%es,  tener}.  The  WHITE  CALX 
OF  URINE,  and  whatever  is  young  or  tender,  as  virga 
musta,  agna  musta. 

MUTELLINA.  See  MEUM  ALPIXUM  GERMANI- 
CS UM. 

MUTILLA.  The  velvet  ant  of  South  America, 
highly  troublesome  from  its  sting.  It  is  usually  found 
in  sandy  places,  runs  very  swiftly,  and  lies  concealed 
under  stones  and  flowers.  There  are  many  European 
species,  but  these  are  not  troublesome. 

MU'TITAS,(from  mutus,  dumb').  DUMBNESS.  The 
want  of  power  to  articulate  words.  Dr.  Cullen  places 
this  disease  in  the  class  locales  and  order  dyscinesi<e, 
defining  it  an  inability  of  articulating  words.  The  spe- 
cies are, 

1.  MU'TITAS  ORGANICA;  when  the   tongue  is  taken 
away  or  injured. 

2.  MU'TITAS  ATONICA,  when  the  nerves  are  chiefly 
affected. 

3.  MU'TITAS  SURDORUM,  from  early  deafness. 
MYACA'NTHA,  (from  p.\n,  a  mouse,  and  »net>l»,  a 

thorn;  because  its  prickly  leaves  are  used  to  preserve 
substances  from  mice).  See  Ruscus. 

MYA'GRO,  and  MYA'GRUM,  (from  .«<"«,  a  fly, 
and  cf/fivu,  to  seize;  because  flies  are  caught^  by  its 
viscidity).  Myagrum  fierenne  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  893.  (See 
RAPISTRUM.)  This  plant  has  a  turbinated  fruit,  like  an 
inverted  pear,  unicapsular,  pressing  in  the  stalk,  con- 
taining one  seed,  with  two  empty  cells,  resembling  in 
virtue  the  rapistrum,  or  raphanistrum. 

MY'CE,  (from  p**,  to  •wink.')  A  WINKING,  CLOSING, 
or  OBSTRUCTION.  It  is  applied  to  the  eyes,  to  ulcers, 
and  to  obstructions  of  the  viscera,  especially  thejspleen. 
In  botany  it  means  a  fungus ;  in  surgery  the  fungus 
which  rises  in  ulcers  or  wounds.  In  some  authors  it 
signifies  a  yellow  vitriol. 

MYCHTHI'SMOS,  (from  f«x«<2>,  to  mutter  or 
groan).  A  sighing  or  groaning  during  respiration,  while 
the  air  is  forced  out  of  the  lungs.  Hippocrates. 

MYCONOI'DES,  (from  /*t*7«f,  a  nostril,  and  ««&«, 
resemblance^).  An  epithet  of  an  ulcer,  which  is  full  of 
mucus. 

MY'CTER,  (from  fo"*,  to  blow  the  nose').  See 
NASUS. 

MY'CTERES.     See  NARES. 

MYDE'SIS,  (from  fit/Pout,  to  abound  -with  moisture ). 
A  disease  of  any  part  from  redundant  moisture,  applied 
by  Galen  to  the  eyelids. 

MY'DON,  (from  nvSeta,  to  groto  fiutrid).  Fungous 
flesh  in  a  fistulous  ulcer. 

MYDRI'ASIS,  (from  n.vXiu>,  diseases  supposed  to 
arise  from  too  great  influx  of  humours).  Different 
complaints  have  been  attributed  to  this  cause,  the  dis- 
tinguishing symptom  of  which  is  a  dilatation  of  the  pu- 

VOL.    I. 


pil.  These  are  amaurqsis,  hydrocephalus,  worms,  the 
adhesion  of  the  uvea  to  the  capsule  of  the  crystalline, 
paralysis  and  spasm.  See  AMAUROSIS. 

MTLA'CRIS,  (from  its  resemblance  to  tui\*i,  a  grind- 
stone). See  PATELLA. 

M  Y  LE,  (>«*«).    See  PATELLA  and  MOLA. 

M\LO-GLOSSI,  (from  n*>x,  dens  molares,  and 
•/A«=-C-<*,  lingua}.  These  muscles  are  small  fleshy 
planes,  situated  transversely  on  each  side,  between  the 
ramus  of  the  lower  jaw  and  the  basis  of  the  tongue ; 
they  rise  from  near  the  inner  side  of  the  denies  mo- 
lares,  and  thence  run  to  the  basis  of  the  tongue,  but  are 
often  wanting. 

MYLO-HYOI'DES,  (from  pu>*.n,  a  grinding  tooth,  and 
M<jy,  the  hyoid  bone,)  muscles  which  rise  with  a  large 
basis  from  the  inferior  part  of  the  lower  jaw,  and  are 
inserted  at  the  basis  of  the  os  hyoides. 

MYLO-PHARYNG-S'I,  (from  the  same,  and  (p^oyf, 
the  fiharynx,)  cefihalo  fiharyng&i.  See  GF.NIOPHA- 
RYXG.EI  and  PHARYNX. 

MY'LON.     See  STAPHYLOMA. 

MYOCE'PHALOX,  (from  nv,»,  a  fly,  and  x^«A», 
the  hea'd).  A  tumour  in  the  uvea  of  the  eye,  resembling 
the  head  of  a  fly.  See  STAPHYLOMA. 

MYOCOILI'TIS,  (from  tu>in,  musculus,  and  *«/A«x, 
•venter).  An  inflammation  of  the  muscles  of  the  belly. 

(Vogel).       See  IxFLAMMATIO  MUSC.  ABDOMINIS. 

MYOLO'GIA,  (from  net,  a  muscle,  and  AO^«;,  ser- 
mo).  A  treatise  on  the  muscles. 

MYO'PIA,  MYOPI'ASIS,  (from  (*««,  to  shut,  and 
•r^s,  the  eye).  SHORT  SIGHT;  dysofiia  disnitorum  of 
Cullen  ;  nuciositas,  because  the  eyes  are  generally  part- 
ly closed.  This  disease  is  owing  to  the  excessive  con- 
vexity of  the  crystalline,  by  which  the  rays,  unless  the 
object  is  placed  close  to  the  eye,  are  united  before  they 
reach  the  retina;  consequently  .vision  must  be  indistinct. 
This  convexity  may  arise  from  a  beginning  hydroph- 
thalmia,  or  a  too  copious  secretion  of  the  aqueous 
humour ;  from  a  distention  of  the  axis  of  the  eye,  in 
consequence  of  habit ;  from  a  natural  (often  an  here- 
ditary) convexity  of  the  anterior  curvature  of  the  crys- 
talline ;  from  the  density  and,  in  consequence,  the  in- 
creased refractive  power  of  the  cornea.  The  increased 
convexity  of  the  cornea  is  not  uncommon  in  the  infant 
state.  The  concavity  of  the  spectacles  must  be  propor- 
tioned to  the  sight,  and  myopes  should  begin  with  the 
least  concave  glasses.  When  they  read  they  should 
never  use  them.  See  AMBLYOPiA,and  OCULUS. 

MY'OPS.     Short  sighted  person. 

MYORE'SHALON.  The  uvea  growing  over  the 
sight. 

MYO'SIS,  (from  the  same).  A  contraction  of  the 
pupil,  not  enlarging  in  darkness.  This  sometimes  arises 
from  spasm,  occasionally  from  paralysis,  and  in  the  in- 
ternal ophthalmia,  or  from  wounds,  from  inflammation, 
when  it  is,  perhaps,  ultimately  referrible  to  spasm.  It 
is  sometimes  like  the  myopia  acquired,  sometimes  here- 
ditary. 

MYOSI'TIS,  (from  /K.I/?,  a  muscle).  Rheumatism, 
particularly  when  it  affects  the  muscles  of  the  limbs 
proceeding  from  the  joints.  (Sagar.)  See  RHEUMA- 
TISMVS. 

MYOSU'ROS,  (/«/«,  a  mouse  and  «n>*,  a  tail;  from  its 
resemblance,)  cauda  muris,  holosteum,  holostes,  ranun- 
culus, myosurus,  minimus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  407.  MOUSE 
6  O 


M  YK 


1018 


M  Y  Ji 


TAIL.  The  leaves  are  gramineous;  it  flowers  in  May, 
and  grows  in  the  highway,  resembling  in  virtue  the 
plantain. 

MYOTO'MIA,  (from  /*««,  a  muscle,  and  repta,  to 
cut}.  A  dissection  of  the  muscles. 

MYRE'PSICUM  O'LEUM.     See  BEN. 

MY'RICA,  (from  the   Hebrew,  morale).     See   TA- 

MAHISCUS. 

MY'RICA  GALE.     See  MYRTUS  BRABANTICA. 

MYRIOPHYLLON.     See  MILLEFOLIUM. 

MYRI'NGA,  MY'RINX.    SeeAunirus. 

MYRI'STICA  NUX,  (from  A"*?",  an  odoriferous 
ointment;  named  from  its  sweet  smell).  See  Nux 
MOSCHATA. 

MYRME'CIA,  (from  its  being  the  size  and  shape  of 
/M,M>jtt)}|,  a  pismire).  A  soft,  often  a  moist,  wart,  about 
the  size  of  a  lupine,  with  a  broad  base,  growing  on  the 
palms  of  the  hands,  or  on  the  soles  of  the  feet,  deeply 
rooted  and  painful. 

MYROBA'LANI,  (from  ^v^at,  an  ointment,  and 
/3aA*v«5,  a  nut,)  MYROBALANS,  a  dried  fruit  of  the 
plum  kind,  brought  from  the  East  Indies,  of  which 
three  kinds  are  brought  fron  Bengal,  faba  Bengalensis, 
Camdaia,  and  Malabarica.  (See  ADIPSOS.)  They 
have  been  recommended  as  somewhat  astringent  and 
tonic,  but  are  not  now  in  use.  Myrobalanus  means  nux, 
or  glans  unguentaria,  a  NUT  or  ACORN,  fit  for  making 
precious  ointments ;  for  from  the  myrobalans  described 
by  Dioscorides,  Pliny,  and  Galen,  they  used  to  express 
a  fragrant  oil  used  in  ointments.  All  the  different  kinds, 
which  we  hasten  to  describe,  are  probably  varieties  of 
the  iihyllanthus  emblica  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1393. 

MYROBA'LANI  BELLI'RICI,  belleregi,  bellegu,  BELLIRIC 
MYROBALANS,  are  of  a  yellowish  grey  colour,  and  an  irre- 
gularly roundish  or  oblong  figure,  about  an  inch  long, 
and  three  quarters  of  an  inch  thick. 

MYROBA'LANI  CHEBUL.K  resemble  the  yellow  sort  in 
their  figure  and  ridges,  but  are  larger  and  darker  co- 
loured, inclining  to  brown  or  blackish,  and  with  a  thicker 
pulp. 

MYROBA'LANI  CITRI'NI,  vel  FLAVI,  are  somewhat  longer 
than  the  belliric,  have  generally  five  large  longitudinal 
ridges,  and  as  many  smaller  between  them,  somewhat 
pointed  at  both  ends. 

MYROBA'LANI  E'MBLICI,  ambegu,  are  of  a  dark, 
blackish  grey  colour,  roundish,  about  half  an  inch 
thick,  with  six  hexagonal  faces  opening  from  one  an- 
other. 

MYROBA'LANI  I'NDICI,  vel  NIGRI,  asuar,  are  of  a  deep 
black  colour,  oblong,  octangular,  differing  from  all  the 
others  in  having  only  the  rudiments  of  a  stone,  and  sup- 
posed to  have  been  gathered  before  maturity. 

All  the  sorts  have  an  unpleasant,  bitterish,  austere 
taste,  strike  a  black  colour  with  a  solution  of  vitriol, 
contain  tanin,  are  gently  purgative  and  astringent.  The 
dose  in  substance  is  from  3  i-  to  £  ss.  in  infusion  or  de- 
coctions from  ^  ss.  to  §  i.  ss.  Water  extracts  their  styp- 
tic virtue,  and  the  extract  is  astringent.  The  faba  Ben- 
galensis,  or  the  Bengal  bean,  is  an  abortive  fruit  of  the 
myrobalans,  round,  flattish,  wrinkled,  and  of  the  size  of 
a  small  fig,  hollow  in  the  middle,  of  an  irregular  shape, 
hard,  tough,  brown  outwardly,  and  blackish  within,  of 
but  little  smell,  but  an  austere  and  astringent  taste.  It 
is  vitiated  by  the  puncture  of  an  insect,  by  which  it  is 
often  hollowed  like  a  gall ;  but  is  a  powerful  astringent, 


and  is  said  to  be  demulcent.  See  Raii  Historia ;  Tour- 
nefort's  Materia  Medica. 

MYROBA'LANUS  ZEYLA'NICUS.    See  ELEMI. 

MY'RON,  (from  pvfa,  to  flow).  An  ointment,  me- 
dicated oil,  or  unguent. 

MYROPHY'LLON.  Millefolium  aguaticum.  WA- 
TER FENNEL,  grows  in  marshy  soils  ;  flowers  in  April  and 
is  styled  vulnerary.  See  Raii  Historia. 

MYRO'XYLON,  (from  fivftv,  an  ointment, and  ftMov, 
wood;  because  it  flows  from  a  tree).  See  PERUVIANUM 

BALSAMUM. 

MY'RRHA,  (from  Hebrew,  mar,  bitter).  MYRRH, 
stacte,  ergasma,  in  the  ancient  designation,  Z  z.  Dio- 
scorides mentions  a  fatty  species,  gabirea.  It  is  a  gum- 
my resinous  concrete,  brought  immediately  from  Alex- 
andria, Smyrna,  and  Aleppo,  said  to  be  a  produce  of 
the  scandix  odorata;  found,  according  to  Bruce,  in  that 
part  of  Africa  to  the  south  of  the  straits  of  Babel- 
Mandel.  When  he  inquired  after  the  plant  which  pro- 
duced it,  they  constantly  brought  him  the  branches 
of  the  acacia  nilotica.  Loueiro  has  told  us  that  itisthe 
production  of  a  species  of  laurus,  but  this  is  improbable ; 
and  from  its  sensible  qualities,  it  seems  rather  to  belong 
to  the  genus  amyris.  It  is  brought  to  us  in  globules,  or 
drops,  of  various  colours  and  sizes.  That  of  a  reddish 
brown  colour,  not  verging  too  much  to  a  yellow  or 
black,  uniform  on  the  outside,  internally  speckled  or 
streaked  with  white,  semicircular  striae,  clear  and 
bright,  somewhat  unctuous  to  the  touch  but  not  so  te- 
nacious as  to  stick  to  the  fingers,  is  the  best.  If  whit- 
ish, or  dark,  resinous,  fetid  or  mixed  with  impurities,  it 
should  be  rejected. 

This  drug  is  subject  to  a  variety  of  frauds  ;  ifis  mixed 
with  hard,  shining,  yellow  pieces  of  a  gum,  void  of 
smell  or  taste.  Pieces  of  bdellium  are  found  with  it, 
known  by  their  darker  colour,  their  being  soft  within, 
and  by  their  different  smell  and  taste.  Sometimes  an 
unctuous  gummy  resin,  of  a  moderately  strong,  some- 
what ungrateful,  smell,  and  a  bitterish,  very  durable 
taste;  obviously  different  both  from  those  of  bdellium  and 
myrrh;  at  others,  pieces  of  a  hard,  compact,  dark 
coloured  kind  of  tears,  less  unctuous  than  myrrh,  of  an 
offensive  smell,  a  most  ungrateful  bitterness,  and  of  a 
very  resinous  nature,  are  mixed  with  it.  The  myrrh 
itself  is  sometimes  blackish,  gathered  probably  from  old 
trees,  and  fitter  for  tinctures;  or  yellow,  apparently  from 
young  trees.  The  latter  easily  dissolves  in  the  mouth, 
hath  a  much  more  agreeable  aromatic  smell,  and  is 
preferable  for  pills,  powders,  and  watery  solutions.  All 
the  variety  seems,  according  to  Bruce,  to  arise  from  the 
age  of  the  tree,  and  the  period  of  collecting. 

Myrrh  is  said  to  be  balsamic,  vulnerary,  antiseptic, 
attenuant,  and  deobstruent;  butits  real  virtues  seem  not 
to  be  clearly  understood.  It  is  a  bitter,  apparently  of 
the  narcotic  kind,  and  in  doses  from  ten  to  fifteen 
grains  appears  to  be  mildly  corroborant,  aud  gently  se- 
dative. That  it  promotes  the  secretions  is  doubtful, 
but  its  having  been  so  frequently  given  as  an  emmena- 
gogue  seems  to  show  that  it  has  some  power  in  pro- 
moting this  discharge.  We  find  it  reprobated  by  the 
French  physicians,  as  promoting  bloody  urine;  and  we 
have  confessed  some  prejudice  against  it  in  hectics  where 
haemoptoe  had  occurred,  or  was  dreaded.  In  cases  of 
languid  circulation  and  cachexy,  it  seems  to  be  useful 
rather  as  a  tonic  than  as  a  stimulant ;  and  it  seems 


M  YK 


1019 


M  YR 


occasionally  of  service  as  an  antispasmodic.  In  external 
sores  it  is  a  mild  sedative,  and  frequently  an  antiseptic 
application  ;  effects  which  perhaps  recommended  it  to 
internal  use  in  hectics.  In  doses  of  from  half  a  drachm 
to  two  scruples  it  is  said  to  be  stimulant ;  but  such  we 
have  never  given.  In  some  states  of  low  fever,  how- 
ever, it  seems  occasionally  to  act  as  a  cordial. 

It  dissolves  almost  totally  in  boiling  water  ;  but  as 
the  liquor  cools,  the  resinous  part  subsides ;  and  if  the 
solution  is  evaporated  to  an  extract,  the  bitter  of  this 
drug  only  remains.  By  distillation  with  a  boiling  heat 
in  water,  the  whole  of  its  flavour  rises,  partly  impreg- 
nating the  distilled  water,  and  partly  collected  and 
concentrated  in  the  form  of  an  essential  oil,  in  smell 
extremely  fragrant,  and  more  agreeable  than  the  myrrh 
in  substance;  in  taste  remarkably  mild,  and  so  ponde- 
rous as  to  sink  in  water.  Two  or  three  drachms  of  this 
oil  are  obtained  from  $xvi.  of  the  gum.  Rectified 
spirit  dissolves  less  of  the  myrrh  than  water;  but  it  ex- 
tracts more  perfectly  that  in  which  its  bitterness,  fla- 
vour, and  virtue  consist.  The  spirituous  solution  con- 
tains all  the  active  matter;  in  distillation  nothing  is 
caaried  away  by  the  spirit,  so  that  the  extract  obtained 
from  a  spirituous  solution  is  a  very  fragrant,  bitter, 
tenacious  resin,  and  possesses  all  the  virtue  of  the 
myrrh. 

From  7680  parts  of  myrrh  Neumann  procured  60OO 
of  watery  extract,  180  of  volatile  oil,  and  720  of  alco- 
holic extract:  by  inverting  the  order,  2400  of  alcoholic 
and  4200  of  watery  extract.  Myrrh  is  not  fusible,  and 
with  difficulty  inflammable,  soluble  in  alkalis  ;  but  the 
tincture  poured  into  water  becomes  yellow  and  opaque. 
The  watery  solution,  when  filtered,  is  also  yellow. 
Myrrh  was  anciently  of  great  value,  not  as  a  medicinal 
substance,  but  as  one  of  the  ingredients  for  embalming. 
The  London  College  directs  the  tincture  of  myrrh  to 
be  prepared  by  adding  three  ounces  by  weight  of  bruised 
myrrh  to  a  pint  and  half  of  proof  spirit,  and  half  a  pint 
of  rectified  spirit  of  wine.  It  must  be  digested  with  a 
gentle  heat  for  eight  days,  and  strained.  This  tincture 
is  frequently  employed  in  detergent  gargles  (see  APH- 
THJZ);  but  if  one  ounce  of  hepatic  aloes  be  added  it 
becomes  the  tinctura  myrrha  cum  aloe,  and  is  applied 
externally  to  ulcers  as  a  vulnerary,  and  is  useful  when 
such  are  foul  and  fetid,  requiring  stimulating  applica- 
tions. 

Elixir  myrrht  comfiositum.  Tinctura  sabine  com- 
fio&ita,  is  made  by  adding  one  ounce  of  the  extract  of 
savin  to  tincture  of  castor,  one  pint;  tincture  of  myrrh 
half  a  pint.  Digest  until  the  extract  is  dissolved,  and 
strain.  (Pharm.  Lond.  1788.)  This  was  formerly 
called  elixir  uterimtm;  and  is  given  in  a  dose  of  from 
twenty  to  forty  drops,  in  a  cup  of  pennyroyal  tea,  twice 
a  day.  It  is  esteemed  a  good  emmenagogue,  possessing 
similar  virtues  to  the  powder  and  extract  of  sabine. 

Pul-vis  e  myrrha  comfiositut.  Take  of  the  leaves  of 
dried  rue,  savin,  myrrh,  and  Russia  castor,  of  each  an 
ounce;  mix  and  beat  them  into  a  powder  (Pharm.  Lond. 
1788).  Given  in  a  dose  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  grains 
two  or  three  times  a  day,  it  is  esteemed  an  efficacious 
medicine,  in  uterine  obstructions,  and  hysteria. 

Pulvis  myrrhae  added  in  an- equal  proportion  to  the 
lapis  calaminaris  is  sometimes  sprinkled  upon  an  ulcer, 
to  promote  cicatrization. 

Oleum  myrrha  fier  dfliyuium.     Boil  an  egg  very  hard, 


take  out  the  yolk,  and  fill  the  cavity  with  myrrh,  bind 
the  divided  sides  together,  and  it  will  deliquesce  in  a 
cool  moist  atmosphere. 

It  possesses  all  the  smell  and  taste  of  the  myrrh, 
may  be  precipitated  and  coagulated  by  spirit  of  wine, 
and  the  coagulum  dissolved  by  water.  It  is  used  as  a 
cosmetic.  See  Raii  Historia;  Tournefort,  Lewis,  and 
Cullen's  Materia  Medica  ;  Neumann's  Chemistry, 

MY'RRHA.     See  ANIME. 

MYRRHI'NE,  (because  it  smells  like  myrrh).  See 
MYB.TUS. 

MY'RRHIS,  (from  its  smell).  Cerefolium  Hisfiani- 
cum,  conile  from  its  resemblance  to  hemlock,  cicutaria 
odorata,  SWEET  CICELY,  GREAT  CHERVIL,  scandix  odo- 
rata  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  368.  The  petals  are  unequal,  the 
seeds  striated,  resembling  the  beak  of  a  bird.  In  virtue 
it  agrees  with  chaerefolium,  resembles  in  taste  the 
cloves,  and,  like  them,  is  said  to  be  useful  in  scurvy. 
The  branches  resemble  those  of  fern,  with  a  pleasant 
aromatic  smell,  the  stalks  hairy,  the  flowers  white,  and 
appear  in  May  or  June.  It  is  rather  an  esculent  than 
a  medicinal  plant,  though  said  to  be  diuretic.  See  Raii 
Historia. 

MY'RRHIS  A'NXUA.     See  DAUCUS  CHETICUS. 

MY'RRHIS  SYLVE'STRIS.  An  appellation  of  the  cfice- 
rofihyllum  sylvestre,  kc. 

MYRTACA'NTHA,  (from  its  likeness  to  myrtle, 
and  from  its  prickly  leaves).  BUTCHER'S  BROOM.  See 
Ruscus. 

MYRTI'DANON,  (from  i*ofl»<,  the  myrtle}.  Ac- 
cording to  Hippocrates  this  is  the  fruit  of  the  Indicum, 
called  from  resembling  myrtle  berries,  which  the  In- 
dians called  pepper.  But  Dioscorides  means  by  it  an 
excrescence  which  grows  on  the  trunk  of  the  myrtle, 
more  astringent  than  the  plant  itself. 

MYRTI'LLI,   (a  dim.  of  myrtus').      See  MYRTUS 

COMMUNIS  ITALICA. 

MYRTOCHEI'LIDES,  (from  fu>p]n,  the  clitoris, 
and  xtiktf,  a  lift).  See  NYMPHJE. 

MY'RTON,  (from  its  resemblance  to  the  myrtle 
berry).  See  CLITORIS. 

MY'RTUS.  The  MYRTLE;  myrrfiine,  because  it 
smells  like  myrrh. 

MY'RTUS  BHABA'NTICA  and  ASGLICA,  called  also 
rhus  myrtifclia  Belgica,  myrica  gale  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  1543, 
rhus  syl-vestris;  acaron;  fruttx  odoratus  sefitentriona- 
lium  eltagnus  chamtltagnus  Dodonti.  GAULE,  SWEET 
WILLOW,  DUTCH  MYRTLE,  is  a  small  shrub  much  branch- 
ed, with  smooth,  oblong,  whitish  green  leaves,  some- 
what pointed,  or  converging  at  each  end ;  among  which 
arise  pedicles,  bearing  scaly  cones,  which  include  the 
seeds,  one  little  seed  being  lodged  in  each  scale.  It 
grows  wild  in  uncultivated  watery  places,  in  many 
parts  of  England,  flowers  in  May  or  June,  ripens  its 
seeds  in  August,  and  loses  its  leaves  in  winter.  The 
leav  es,  flowers,  and  seeds,  have  a  strong  fragrant  smell, 
and  a  bitter  taste :  they  are  used  to  destroy  moths  and 
cutaneous  insects;  sometimes  to  preserve  malt  liquor; 
but  they  render  it  very  inebriating.  An  infusion  taken 
inwardly  is  said  to  destroy  worms,  and  strengthen  the 
stomach.  This  plant  has  been  highly  esteemed,  but  is 
little  valued  in  this  kingdom.  See  Raii  Historia  Plau- 
tarum  ;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

MY'RTUS   COMMU'MS    ITA'LICA.     COMMON    MYRTLE; 
myrtus    communis    Lin.    Sp.    PI.    673,  var.   7,    is    an 


MYT 


1020 


M  YX 


evergreen  shrub,  with  oblong  leaves,  pointed  at  both 
ends,  in 'the  bosoms  of  which  spring  solitary  white 
pentapetalous  flowers,  followed  by  black,  oblong,  um- 
bilicated  berries,  full  of  white  crooked  seeds.  It  is  a 
native  of  the  southern  parts  of  Europe  ;  the  berries, 
which  are  called  myrtilla,  rarely  come  to  perfection 
with  us,  and  they  are  usually  supplied  by  those  of  the 
•vaccinium  myrtillus  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  498. 

The  berries  are  recommended  in  alvine  and  uterine 
fluxes,  and  disorders  from  laxity  and  debility  ;  they  have 
a  roHghish,  not  unpleasant,  taste,  and  are  accompanied 
with  a  sweetish  aromatic  flavour.  The  leaves  are  as- 
tringent, and,  if  rubbed,  yield  an  aromatic  flavour.  See 
Rail  Historia;  Lewis's  Materia  Medica. 

MY'RTUS  PIME'NTA  vel  JAMAICE'NSIS.  See  PIPER 
JAMAICENSIS. 

MY'STAX.  That  part  of  the  beard  which  grows 
on  each  side  of  the  upper  lip.  The  etymon  of  mus- 
tachio. 

MYSTICE'TUS.     See  CETUS. 

MY'TILUS.  The  MUSSEL,  mytilus  edulis  Lin.  Syst. 
Naturae,  musculus.  A  sea  shell  fish  of  a  luscious  flavour, 
found  on  many  parts  of  our  coast,  of  a  moderate  size, 
larger  between  the  tropics,  and  smaller  in  the  arctic 
sea.  As  from  mushrooms,  so  from  this  shell  fish  very 
alarming  symptoms  are  often  produced,  ascribed  to  a 
quality  in  the  mussels,  either  proper  to  them,  or  acci- 
dentally acquired  from  their  situation  or  nourishment. 
The  pea  crab,  often  found  in  them,  has  been  accused ; 
but  as  similar  effects  are  observed  to  arise  from  various 
other  causes  besides  mushrooms  and  mussels,  the  pecu- 
liarity of  the  person's  constitution  is  generally  supposed 
to  occasion  them.  Similar  complaints  have  sometimes 
been  produced  by  eating  salmon,  taking  the  Peruvian 
bark,  by  washing  the  hands  in  water  after  fish  Jiath  been 
boiled  in  it,  bathing  in  the  sea,  cantharides  applied  to 
the  skin,  and  the  internal  use  of  wild  valerian  root. 

"  The  signs  which  announce  the  noxious  effects  of 
boiled  mussels,"  observes  an  author  in  the  second  vo- 
lume of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  at  Brussels,  "  are 
an  universal  uneasiness,  or  numbness,  that  commonly 
takes  place  three  or  four  hours  after  they  have  been 
eaten.  These  symptoms  are  succeeded  by  a  tightness  of 
the  throat,  a  sense  of  heat  about  the  head  and  eyes,  im- 
moderate thirst,  nausea,  and  sometimes  vomiting.  If  the 
patient  hath  the  good  fortune  to  vomit  up  the  whole  of 
the  offensive  matter,  this  evacuation  is  generally  suffi- 
cient to  stop  the  progress  of  the  complaint;  but  if  he 
does  not  bring  up  any  or  only  part  of  the  noxious  sub- 
stance, the  disorder  becomes  more  or  less  alarming,  ac- 
cording to  the  quantityof  the  deleterious  matter  in  the  first 
passages,  and  the  particular  constitution  of  the  patient. 
The  want  of  a  sufficient  evacuation,  by  vomit,  increases 
the  tightness  of  the  throat,  and  the  swelling  of  the  face, 
eyes,  and  tongue :  all  the  parts  within  the  mouth  appear 
inflamed,  and,  as  it  were,  excoriated ;  and  the  redness 
soon  spreads  to  the  outer  surface,  appearing  first  in  the 
face,  and  extending  from  thence  to  the  neck,  breast,  and 
abdomen,  and  by  degrees  over  the  whole  body.  This 
particular  eruption  is  the  symptom  the  most  distinguish- 


ing and  characteristic  of  the  malignancy  of  mussels;  it 
is  constantly  accompanied  with  a  kind  of  delirium,  with 
singular  uneasiness,  and  an  insupportable  itching.  It 
has  no  affinity  with  the  eruption  produced  by  the  ery- 
sipetalous  fever,  with  the  scarlatina,  measles,  purpura 
urticaria,  or  any  other  known  species  of  red  eruption ; 
but  has  these  particularities,  viz.  that  it  never  appears 
unless  mussels  have  been  eaten ;  is  net  preceded  by 
fever,  or  accompanied  by  symptoms  which  appear  united 
in  any  other  disease;  and  lastly,  that  the  whole  surface 
of  the  body,  though  redder  than  in  any  other  eruptive 
disease,  appears  as  it  were  spotted  with  an  infinite  num- 
ber of  points  of  a  deeper  red  than  the  rest  of  the  skin. 
These  points  are  infinitely  smaller  than  a  millet  seed; 
if  we  examine  them  through  a  lens,  we  see  distinctly 
that  they  are  the  opening  or  pores  of  the  cuticle,  while 
the  redness  which  is  seen  only  through  the  epidermis 
appears  of  a  paler  hue." 

The  proper  treatment  of  these  complaints  is  the  same 
with  that  directed  when  mushrooms  are  the  offending 
cause.  (See  AMANITA.)  The  itching  is  considerably 
allayed  by  washing  the  whole  surface  of  the  body  with 
vinegar  and  water  for  about  half  an  hour. 

It  is  advised  as  a  preventive  of  their  injuries  to  wash 
them  with  water,  and  afterwards  with  vinegar,  to  boil 
them  for  use  in  an  earthen  pot  with  vinegar  and  water, 
and  a  few  grains  of  Jamaica  pepper. 

The  dangerous  consequences  supposed  to  arise  from 
eating  mussels  are,  however,  greatly  exaggerated.  They 
very  rarely  occur,  and  scarcely  with  the  violence  just 
described;  and,  though  such  effects  are  occasionally 
heard  of,  yet  years  elapse  without  such  an  occurrence, 
on  coasts  where  mussels  are  a  common  article  of  food. 
These  deleterious  consequences  are  sometimes  attribut- 
ed toone  particular  part  of  the  fish;  at  others,  to  their  lying 
on  beds  of  cupreous  pyrites;  sometimes  to  their  rich- 
ness, at  others  to  a  peculiarity  of  constitution.  No  part 
of  the  fish,  however,  seems  to  have  been  pointed  out, 
the  absence  of  which  would  secure  the  person  from  the 
peculiar  effects :  the  symptoms  are  not  those  which  fol- 
low the  swallowing  of  copper,  and  the  fish  is  not  pe- 
culiarly rich.  It  is  certainly  more  deleterious  to  some 
constitutions  than  others.  M.  Debeunie  thinks  that  the 
cause  is  the  spawn  of  the  star  fish  (the  asteria),  and  has 
added  some  experiments  in  a  late  volume  of  the  Jour-, 
nal  de  Physique  to  support  his  opinion.  This  is  by  no 
means  improbable;  but  the  little  crabs  often  found  in 
mussels  are  far  from  being  unwholesome. 

MYTTO'TUM.  A  kind  of  food  made  of  garlic, 
onions,  and  cheese,  bruised  together. 

MYU'RUS,  (from  j*t/«,  a  mouse,  and  tvp»,  a  taif).  An 
epithet  for  a  sinking  pulse,  when  the  second  stroke  is 
less  than  the  first,  the  third  than  the  second.  The  pulse 
sometimes  sinks  irrecoverably,  but  occasionally  rises 
again  in  some  degree. 

MY'XAS,  MYXA'RIA,  (from  its  viscidity,  resem- 
bling /M.f|«,  mucus').  The  sebastina  domeslica,  cordia 
myxa  Lin.  Sp.  PI.  273.  See  SEBESTEN. 

MYXOSARCO'MA,  (from  /*»!*,  mucus,  and  **& 
Jlesh).  See  MUCOCARNEUS. 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


